Knocking the critics dead with the Carried To Dust album.

By Fred Mills

BLURT's cover stars of our July digital magazine Calexico head off to Europe next week for a three week tour, then they'll be back in the States for a three-week American trek that starts Nov. 7 in Austin. Their new album Carried To Dust has been making some strong showings, chart-wise, debuting at #98 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart as well as nothing #12 on Amazong digital and #29 at iTunes.

In our September digital magazine, we reviewed the album thusly:

On 2006's Garden Ruin, Calexico shifted gears: they downplayed their widescreen Southwestern sound in favor of more traditional alt-country arrangements and song structures. Carried To Dust suggests that that move was a diversion rather than a development, and that's just fine. Over the course of their career Joey Burns and John Convertino have created a readily identifiable blend of mariachi, spaghetti western, ambling country and desert blues, and Dust is another version of its perfection. And because the songwriting is so tight and focused, it may even be its apotheosis. Dust doesn't play as a concept record, but hints of a narrative about a writer on a journey link the songs. Burns and Convertino relish collaboration, and in addition to their regular bandmates, they bring in friends to supplement and enlarge the songs, among them Iron & Wine's Sam Beam and Spanish singer Amparo Sanchez. Dust is a return but it's no regression.

Start marking your calendars now....

Calexico Tour Dates:

October 9 - Columbiahalle - Berlin, Germany (w/ Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar)
October 10 - E-Werk - Koln, Germany
October 11 - Forum - London, UK
October 13 - AB - Brussels, Belgium
October 14 - La Cigale - Paris, France
October 15 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 16 - Muffathalle - Munich, Germany
October 17 - Volkshaus - Zurich, Switzerland
October 18 - Rolling Stone - Milan, Italy
October 19 - Mousonturm - Frankfurt, Germany
October 21 - Gasometer - Vienna, Ausria (w/ Lambchop)
October 22 - Alter Schlachthof - Dresden, Germany
October 24 - Vega - Copenhagen, Denmark
October 25 - Nalen - Stockholm, Sweden
October 26 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway

Friday, November 7 - Antone's - Austin, TX
Saturday November 8 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX
Sunday November 9 - Duck Room - St. Louis, MO
Monday, November 10 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
Wednesday November 12 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
Thursday November 13 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
Friday November 14 - Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Saturday November 15 - The Tarrytown Music Hall - Tarrytown, NY
Sunday November 16 - Somerville Theater - Somerville, MA
Monday, November 17 - Le National - Montreal, QC
Tuesday, November 18 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, ON
Thursday, November 20 - The Crofoot Ballroom - Pontiac, MI
Friday, November 21 - Metro - Chicago, IL
Saturday, November 22 - Fine Line Music Cafe - Minneapolis, MN
Sunday, November 23 - Slowdown - Omaha, NE
Monday, November 24 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO
Tuesday, November 25 - Sunshine Theater - Albuquerque, NM

Miss Pussycat is in tow, natch...

By Blurt Staff

Mad organist Quintron, along with his partner-in-crime/puppeteer Miss Pussycat, is hitting the road today on the Too Thirsty 4 Love tour, to promote the album of the same name, due Oct. 14 from Memphis label Goner, his 10^th album to date. They'll be out for well over a month, bringing their "barely controlled electronic chaos, Swamp-Tech beats, small explosions, incredible clothes, and entertaining puppet stories" to their adoring public.

Here's the scoop on the record, direct from the label:

Too Thirsty 4 Love finds New Orleans' favorite son and finest organist all over the map in the best possible sense of the word- from the sultry bedroom funk of "The Boss Wants to Party with You" to the boozy skiffle of "Sunday Night" to the experimental minimalism of "Reborn." Whether he's reimagining The Police's "Roxanne" on the title track or inspiring the crowd with the catchy party anthem "Model Ex Citizen," the mood is raucous fun, the place is Cajun Atlantis and the sound is undeniably pure Quintron.

This album was recorded entirely live in a bizarre 2-track studio set deep in the heart of New Orleans' now famous 9th Ward. The live tracks were then played back and sung over. Let's call this the "6th grade bedroom style" of multi-tracking. For any interested equipment nerds, the Spellcaster Lodge studio consists of 4 microphones, one custom Neotek Series 1 board, and a 2 track tape deck. And a corkscrew.

Quintron's musical partner Miss Pussycat plays maracas and sings backup as well as entertaining all age groups with her highly amusing technicolor puppet shows. She has just recently finished filming a 10 episode puppet drama called TRIXIE AND THE TREE TRUNKS for VBS (Vice) TV.

Tour dates:

10/2 - - Lafayette, LA - - Blue Moon Saloon

10/3 - - Houston, TX - - Walter's on Washington

10/4 - - Austin, TX - - Emo's

10/7 - - Phoenix, AZ - - Modified

10/8 - - Tucson, AZ - - Club Congress

10/9 - - San Diego, CA - - The Casbah

10/10 - - Los Angeles, CA - - The Echoplex

10/11 - - San Francisco, CA - - The Independent

10/14 - - Arcata, CA - -

10/16 - - Portland, OR - - Berbati's Pan

10/17 - - Seattle, WA - - Chop Suey

10/18 - - Vancouver, BC - - The Biltmore 10/20 - - Boise, ID - - Neurolux

10/21 - - Salt Lake City, UT - - Urban Lounge

10/22 - - Denver, CO - - Larimer Lounge

10/24 - - Oklahoma City, OK - - The Conservatory

10/26 - - New Orleans, LA - - Bingo! Parlour @ Voodoo Festival

10/28 - - Nashville, TN - - The End

10/29 - - Memphis, TN - - Hi-Tone

10/30 - - Hot Springs, TX - - Low Key Arts Building 11/10 - - New York, NY - - Santo's Party House

10/31 - - New Orleans, LA - - One Eyed Jacks

11/21 - - Birmingham, AL - - Bottle Tree

11/22 - - Atlanta, GA - - Eyedrum

11/24 - - Athens, GA - - 40 Watt

11/25 - - Jacksonville, FL - - Jack Rabbits

11/29 - - Miami, FL - - Churchhill's Pub

Yeah, you know... that little thing called the Presidential election...

By Blurt Staff

Here's some hype, but it's damn important, so listen up, and spread the word.

***

After a successful stint in Ohio last week, Rock the Vote The Road Trip 2008 is extending its stay through October 6th in order to participate in Ohios early voting period.  Rock the Vote vehicles are shuttling voters to and from early vote locations, allowing new registrants the opportunity to cast their ballot on the same day they register.  In the first day of operation, the service allowed over 10% of the student body at Wilberforce University to cast their vote early. So far in 2008, more than 1.8 million new voters have registered to vote through Rock the Vote - 30,000 of whom were tallied on September 29th alone.

"In both the 2004 and 2006 elections, long lines at the polls stifled Ohioans and made it difficult to vote.  Rock the Vote is providing the information and transportation necessary to allow young Ohioan voters to cast their ballots this week." said Heather Smith, executive director, Rock the Vote. 

Over the last two weeks, The Road Trip 2008 has registered new voters at 25 Road Trip events by reaching out to students at over 20 high schools and colleges throughout Tennessee, Washington D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Those already registered can sign a pledge to vote in the upcoming election.  By signing the pledge, Rock the Vote promises to keep voters up-to-date on the latest poll numbers, polling locations and candidate platforms and other election information via phone, email and text message.

The Road Trip 2008 is a state-of-the-art mobile road show designed to fit into Rock the Vote's mission to maximize voter registration, education, and engagement efforts in key youth-dense markets.  The Road Trip 2008 has already mounted concerts with popular acts such as Hawthorne Heights, Santogold, Solange, Melinda Doolittle, Talib Kweli, Bang Camaro, Low vs. Diamond, Ben Taylor and Rhymefest.  The Road Trip 2008 tour bus has been outfitted with computer kiosks that will assist in voter registration and educate users about the election process.  The artistic design of the bus itself was conceived by Shepard Fairey, the celebrated contemporary artist/graphic designer who emerged from the skateboard scene with his famous "Andre the Giant Has a Posse" campaign.

The Road Trip 2008:

Wednesday, October 1 Dayton, Middleton and Lebanon, OH

Thursday, October 2 Columbus, OH

Friday, October 3 Cleveland, OH

Saturday, October 4 Toledo, OH

Sunday, October 5 Youngstown, OH

Monday, October 6 Columbus, OH

The road trip will continue after early voting in Ohio to states including Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

For more information on The Road Trip 2008 and Rock the Vote go to www.Rockthevote.com/roadtrip .

For more information about voter registration in Ohio visit: http://www.rockthevote.com/electioncenter/voter-information/ohio/

ABOUT ROCK THE VOTE
Rock the Vote's mission is to engage and build the political power of young people in order to achieve progressive change in our country. Rock the Vote uses music, popular culture and new technologies to engage and incite young people to register and vote in every election; giving young people the tools to identify, learn about, and take action on the issues that affect their lives, and leverage their power in the political process. Rock the Vote is creative, effective, and controlled by nobody's agenda but their own - they tell it like it is and pride themselves on being a trusted source for information on politics. www.RockTheVote.com

Compiled by Blurt Staff

206 digital, satellite and hi-def channels and nothin' on? Not likely. Here are BLURT's top music television picks of the day. The time is followed by the network/cable/satellite channel, then the name of the program and/or featured artist(s). All times are EST. For a comprehensive hour-by-hour listing, go to the VH1 Rock On TV site. Note that for certain channels, shows frequently repeat during the day on or subsequent days.

TIME (EST) / CHANNEL / PROGRAM / ARTIST(S)

7:00 AM ABC: Good Morning America: Robin Thicke

9:00 AM Syndicated: Live with Regis and Kelly: Kellie Pickler

9:00 AM Syndicated: The Bonnie Hunt Show: Gavin Rossdale

10:00 AM Sundance: Gimme Shelter

11:30 AM NICK: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Sugarland , Biz Markie

2:30 PM Comedy Central: The Colbert Report: James Taylor

5:00 PM VH1C: Duran Duran Live

6:00 PM RAVE HD: George Jones, 50 Years of Hits

7:00 PM Great American Country: Opry Live: Keith Urban , Marty Stuart , Carolina Chocolate Drops

7:00 PM PLD HD: AC/DC - No Bull

8:00 PM RAVE HD: Later With Jools Holland: Beck , Doves , Kubb , David Sanborn , M. Ward , Jools Holland

10:00 PM VH1C: Beat Street (1984)

11:30 PM PBS: Tavis Smiley: Tom Morello/The Nightwatchman

11:35 PM CBS: The Late Show With David Letterman: Darius Rucker

11:35 PM NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Nikka Costa

12:00 AM FUEL: The Daily Habit: Aesop Rock

12:05 AM ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Gavin Rossdale

12:35 AM NBC: Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Department Of Eagles

Does this bus stop between 20^th and 22^nd Streets?

By Fred Mills

With yesterday's entertainment news about Bruce Springsteen's slated half-time show for the 2009 Super Bowl still fresh in fans' minds, now comes word from the political realm that the Boss is gearing up for some major Obama-rama.

On October 16, the day after the final Obama-McCain debate, Springsteen and Billy Joel will put on a joint benefit concert dubbed "Change Rocks" at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. Ticket cost? A mere $500 for nosebleed seats, but if you have $10,000 laying around you might be able to do a little better.

The Obama camp has indicated the candidate will attend the show. Here's hoping nobody suggests that dumbass Brooks & Dunn song for Bruce and Billy to duet on.

Prior to that, however, Springsteen will appear this Saturday, Oct. 4, in Philadelphia, at an Obama rally and combined voter registration drive. It's to be located at the Ben Franklin Parkway between 20^th Street and 22^nd Street - perhaps the Boss can do a lyrically modified version of his song "Does This Bus Stop At 82^nd Street?" for the occasion - and since it's a rally and not a fundraiser, it's free. But organizers are suggesting that you sign up in advance either as a volunteer or obtain general admission ticket.

Go HERE for details, reportedly to be posted "soon."

Hype the hope and fight the fear, yo.

By Blurt Staff

Andrew Bird, Les Savy Fav, Eugene Mirman, Guster, the Fiery Furnaces, Heather Lawless, Alina Simone, BLURT blogger Martin Bisi, John Roberts, Adira Amran, Kumail Nanjiani, Lizz Winstead and unspecified "Special Secret Musical Guests" (rumored to be Franz Ferdinand) will all converge on Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg next week, on Oct. 7, to play a special Obama fundraiser. One additional special guest of note: Josh Hamilton, billed as "reading George Saunders on Palin." (That should be fun!)

Tickets to "Barack Rock" will be $40, and the show will also have television screens set up so attendees can watch that night's debate between Obama and McCain in Nashville.

For details go to the Barack Rock MySpace page, which proudly posts the below blurb:

An Obama benefit! Music, Comedy, Action! At The Music Hall of Williamsburg! Tuesday, Oct 7th! Help us Hype the Hope! With ALINA SIMONE, LIZZ WINSTEAD, GUSTER, EUGENE MIRMAN, LES SAVY FAV (Acoustic Spectacular!), MARTIN BISI, JOHN ROBERTS, THE FIERY FURNACES, ADIRA AMRAM, KUMAIL NANJIANI, HEATHER LAWLESS, ANDREW BIRD, AND SECRET MUSICAL GUESTS! Also featuring the fabulous Obama Room, your full-service debate-watching, voter-registering, sign-up-for-volunteering lounge! Hype the hope and fight the fear. Contribute to the campaign! And vigorously volunteer!

This Land Is Your Land concert draws a huge, diverse crowd.

By Blurt Staff

On Saturday, September 20 Sheryl Crow, Cat Power, The Black Keys, Henry Rollins, Mike Ness, Son Volt, and Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion celebrated the iconic legacies of John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie at the tribute concert dubbed  "This Land Is Your Land" at the Concord Pavilion in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Representing their respective families, Sarah Lee Guthrie (granddaughter of Woody Guthrie, natch) and her husband Johnny Irion (grandnephew of John Steinbeck, in case you hadn't heard that tidbit before) performed a featured set and mc'ed the event, which concluded with a jam session including Sheryl Crow and members of each of the bands singing Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land."

Pictured: Sarah Lee Guthrie, Sheryl Crow and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys performing "This Land Is Your Land"; photo by Edward R. Ruiz/Live Nation.

That's right: signs, not songs.

By Brian Creech

There was a time in American history when all you needed was a white sign, black paint and some incendiary words to get people into the streets to tell their leaders "We're Not Gonna Take It!" Or as Wayne Coyne would say, "Just be a Nice Person." Or as Chuck D. would say, "Fight the Power."

Embracing what is feeling like a ground swell of change as Election Day approaches, Under the Radar magazine got together some of the more political and photogenic faces of rock and roll to make their own protest signs and bring some attitude back to music. Sons and Daughters capture the ethos of the project with their sign "Stop Neuterin' Rock N' Roll."

Michael Stipe, Chris Walla, Colin Meloy, Isaac Brock, Stars, Jarvis Cocker, Akron/Family, Peter Moren, Supergrass, Sharon Jones, Spoon, the Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, Stars, Noah and the Whale,  Michael Franti, Neon Neon, Les Savy Fav,  Okkervil River, Metric, British Sea Power, Shout Out Louds, Built to Spill and St. Vincent and join Coyne and Chuck D in taking black paint to white posterboard.

The slogans range from the political to the personal, from Fleet Foxes' direct "Capitalism is Unethical (And We're Hypocrites)" to My Morning Jacket's non sequitur "Puppiez y Kittens."

Mostly though, you can tell where each artist stands, as the sign generally eschew raucous platitudes to reflect messages we're pretty sure each band would be sure to endorse. (Michael Stipe's "Gutless Puff Adder Journalists" with "things I hate" written on the back seems particularly characteristic.) 

Turning other people's words into action, Under The Radar is taking all the signs from their "Protest Issue" and here and putting them up for auction on eBay. Proceeds from the sale will support War Child, a humanitarian organization that helps children affected by war throughout the world. The auctions started on September 30th, with most bids starting at $25 or $50, but as of this writing, several signs had already exceeded $100. So if you want to have a memento of a time when speech was free to show your grandchildren in the future neo-fascist technocratic state, act fast.

Esteemed jam band no longer sitting on pantry shelf.

By Matt Recchia

It’s been four long, painfully anticipated years in the making. Phinally, the wait is over: Phish announced Tuesday that they will return to play three dates at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA March 6-8.

The announcement comes a month after the group played at a friend’s wedding, the first time the quartet had performed together since their final show at Coventry. The likelihood of a reunion was always in doubt, but became a serious possibility after keyboard player Page McConnell released a letter on Phish.com about a possible 2009 recommencement.

A limited number of tickets can be requested now through Phish Tickets, Phish’s online ticketing system. (This will end on Wednesday, October 8 at midnight.) Tickets will later be released online through TicketBastard, or by phone on October 18 at 10:00 a.m. No tickets will be sold through the venue, and there is a two-ticket limit per show to deter scalpers.

The band will announce tour dates early next year.

On tour this fall.

By Blurt Staff

Minus The Bear will release Acoustics, an exclusive seven-track EP, this Fall via Tigre Blanco Records. It will be available in two formats and feature newly recorded live acoustic versions of fan favorites and one new track titled "Guns & Ammo." Beginning October 7, Acoustics will be sold digitally via iTunes, Amazon and Emusic. Physical copies of the EP will be sold exclusively at shows MTB's headlining tour, starting in Spokane, WA on October 8.

Track listing:

1. Guns & Ammo (new track)

2. We Are Not a Football Team (from Highly Refined Pirates)

3. Burying Luck (from Planet of Ice)

4. Knights (from Planet of Ice)

5. Pachuca Sunrise (from Menos El Oso)

6. Throwin' Shapes (from Planet of Ice)

7. Ice Monster (from Planet of Ice)

Tour dates:

October 8th             Service Station                       Spokane, WA

October 9th             The Other Side                       Missoula, MT

October 10th           American Legion Hall             Casper, WY

October 11th           Gothic Theatre                        Englewood, CO

October 12th           Slowdown                               Omaha, NE

October 13th           The Picador                            Iowa City, IA

October 15th           Varsity Theatre                       Minneapolis, MN

October 16th           Turner Hall Ballroom              Milwaukee, WI

October 17th           Vic Theatre                             Chicago, IL

October 18th           Newport Music Hall                Columbus, OH

October 19th           The Majestic                           Detroit, MI

October 20th           Grog Shop                              Cleveland, OH

October 21st           Wilbur Theatre                        Boston, MA

October 22nd          9:30 Club                                Washington, DC

October 23rd           TLA                                         Philadelphia, PA

October 24th           Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel         Providence, RI

October 25th           Webster Hall                           New York, NY

October 26th           Starland Ballroom                   Sayreville, NJ

October 28th           The National                           Richmond, VA

October 29th           Lincoln Theatre                       Raleigh, NC

October 30th           Orange Peel                            Asheville, NC

October 31st           Bijou Theatre                           Knoxville, TN

November 1st         Variety Playhouse                    Atlanta, GA

November 2nd        Rion Ballroom                          Gainesville, FL

November 3rd         Revolution                               Fort Lauderdale, FL

November 4th         House of Blues                        Lake Buena Vista, FL

November 5th         Freebird Live                           Jacksonville, FL

November 7th         House of Blues                        New Orleans, LA

November 8th         House of Blues                        Houston, TX

November 9th         Waterloo Park                          Austin, TX **

November 10th       House of Blues                        Dallas, TX

November 12th       Warehouse 21                         Santa Fe, NM

November 13th       The Marquee                           Tempe, AZ

November 14th       SOMA San Diego                    San Diego, CA

November 15th       Glass House                            Pomona, CA

November 16th       Music Box @ Fonda                Los Angeles, CA

November 18th       Empire Events Center             Sacramento, CA

November 19th       Bimbo's 365 Club                    San Francisco, CA

November 20th       Standford University                Palo Alto, CA

November 21st       Lewis & Clark College             Portland, OR

November 22nd      Showbox at the Market           Seattle, WA