#and i have a ticket for helsinki so it’s ok i won’t miss the album tour!!

[mikolasjosef]

would anyone from kä tumblr be interested in a ticket to käärijä’s concert on 21 november in hyvinkää? i can’t make it to the show anymore and i’m happy to give it to someone on here!! for free ofc, you just need to have a lippu.fi account so i can transfer the ticket to you ✨ let me know!

[joementa]

Week Of June 12, 2017.

Here is a list of some of the music I’ve been listening to the past week.  Format: musician – album title, or musician – “song title” (album title).

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound

Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up

Royal Blood – How Did We Get So Dark?

Mark Lanegan Band – Gargoyle

Katy Perry – Witness

The Killers – “The Man”

Lady Gaga – “The Cure”

Justin Townes Earle – Kids In The Street

Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band – Olympiastadion, Helsinki, FI 7/31/12

The Pretenders – Packed!

The Killers – Hot Fuss

The Killers – Sam’s Town

The Killers – “Runaways” (Battle Born)

Prince – 4Ever

James Brown – Revolution Of The Mind: Live At the Apollo, Volume 3

Iron & Wine – Archives Series Volume 3

Some really great albums were released this week, and I think you need to listen to both of them as soon as you can.  Royal Blood is a rockin’ band, and I love their new album How Did We Get So Dark?  And both The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell and Crack-Up by the Fleet Foxes are great albums, and are even better on vinyl.  I think you are doing both albums a severe disservice if you don’t get them on vinyl. The Nashville Sound finds Jason Isbell doing what he always does – writing great songs.  The topics are a little different here compared with his past couple albums (in my opinion), but they don’t suffer.  And there are some real rockers here.  DO NOT miss “Hope the High Road”.  Wow. What a rocker!  And the album is just stunning on vinyl.  The packaging is fantastic and of course it sounds really great.

Then we have the latest Fleet Foxes album Crack-Up.  Again, you need to get this on vinyl.  It sounds incredible, and there are some liner notes in here that you just need to have. If you are listening to it digitally, you don’t get the line notes (at least not in a traditional way), and for this album, you want to have them.  I think they are essential materials to go along with the music itself. I’m still digesting the album – I’ve only listened to it one time – but there are definitely some themes that run throughout the album.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I consider this a concept album after I spend some more time with it.  Go to your nearest record store as soon as you can, and buy both The Nashville Sound and Crack-Up on vinyl.  You will not regret it.  

Radiohead is celebrating the 20th anniversary of OK Computer with an extra disc of b-sides and 3 unreleased songs, due to be released on July 7.  Rolling Stone recently published a pretty interest article about the making of the album. You can read that article right here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/exclusive-thom-yorke-and-radiohead-on-ok-computer-w484570.  I really like Radiohead, but I wouldn’t say I’m very familiar with OK Computer.  So I’m really looking forward to this reissue, and to spending some more time with the album.

Iron & Wine is one of my favorite musicians.  Last summer, he made a great album with Jesca Hoop, called Love Letter For Fire.  If you didn’t listen to it, you should.  It was one of my favorite albums of last year.  Unfortunately I made a mistake and decided to skip their tour last summer. Why, you might ask?  I have no clue.  I don’t remember what I did the night of their local show, which means I should have gone to their show.  Consider that a lesson learned.  Because Iron & Wine has a new album coming out on August 25, called Beast Epic.  I haven’t heard anything from the album yet, but I can’t imagine it will be anything but beautiful.  The pre-order info is right here.  The deluxe LP comes with 5 bonus songs not available on the album-proper.  You know what’s even more awesome?  He’s doing a tour!  And like I said, I’ve learned my lesson.  I will not be missing this tour.  The tour dates are right here, and I think all of the shows are on sale already. I’ve already got my ticket.  John Moreland is opening the show that I’m going to. He’s an incredible songwriter, and singer, too.  John Moreland and Iron & Wine in one show.  Now that’s a great bill!

Another musician I really love is Damien Jurado.  He’s doing a 50 state tour, with a focus on playing intimate locations, not just traditional music venues.  The first two states will be Ohio and Indiana.  Below are the dates for these two states.  I’ve even included a link to buy tickets for each of the shows.  See how easy I’ve made this for you?  If you will be in the area for any of these shows, I highly encourage that you go.

6/14 – Vandalia, OH - Warehouse 4 Coffee (tix)

6/15 – Cincinnati, OH - Woodward Theatre (tix)

6/16 – Newark, OH - The Ballroom at Thirty One West (tix)

6/17 – Canton, OH - Deli (tix)

6/18 – Youngstown, OH - Historian Records Co. (tix)

6/18 – Akron, OH - Gestalt Artist Collective @ HiveMind (tix)

6/20 – Indianapolis, IN - Indy Alliance Church (tix)

6/22 – Griffith, IN - Space Revival (tix)

6/23 – South Bend, IN - Langlab (tix)

6/24 – Fort Wayne, IN - The Brass Rail (tix)

You can go here to listen to Damien Jurado talk about this project.  http://t.ymlp116.com/bmjhaiaebeyjapabuuatauhysw/click.php

Here’s his full statement on the project:

"It started as a dream as I drove past so many neighborhoods and towns on my way the "major market." I have watched our choice to connect to the experience in front of us dwindle away, only to be replaced with connection to a screen. We are told what is success, sold what is the "it" thing, and fed what people think we should know. It's not that any of those are bad, but on their own, they are nothing. We are nothing without the connection to one another. We are blessed to live in a beautiful world FULL of incredible people. If that isn't worth getting together and celebrating, I don't know what is. Join me in celebrating our country and the things that not only make us the same but also the beauty of our differences."

If you’ve never seen him live before, you’re really missing out.  He has such a beautiful voice, and his songs are incredible.  Check out his song “Museum Of Flight”.

After the great shows last weekend, I’ve been on a huge Killers kick this week.  It’s been really exciting, because I feel like they’re kick-starting my summer.  They also just announced a new album, called Wonderful Wonderful, due later this year, and also released a new song this week called “The Man.”  I’ve listened to it many times already, and will continue to do so.  

I recently read a really interesting article in the New Yorker about the label XL Recordings. You should check it out – the link to the article is right here.  They’re a really cool label that’s doing a lot of good things with music.  Also, they have a poster in their main office with this AWESOME message on it.  How perfect is this?!

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/richard-russells-xl-recordings-empire

“There is a proper procedure for taking advantage of any investment. Music, for example. Buying music is an investment. To get the maximum you must LISTEN TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER OPTIMUM CONDITIONS. Not in your car or on a portable player through a headset. Take it home. Get rid of all distractions, (even her or him). Turn off your cell phone. Turn off everything that rings or beeps or rattles or whistles. Make yourself comfortable. Play your CD. LISTEN all the way through. Think about what you got. Think about who would appreciate this investment. Decide if there is someone to share this with. Turn it on again. Enjoy Yourself.”

The first leg of my summer shows is coming to a close, and I only had one show this past week. However, it was a great one.  I went to see Bob Dylan at the beautiful Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY.  I’ve wanted to get to that venue before, but the scheduling never worked. I’m so glad I finally got there, because it is one of the best venues for a show.  It’s very old and charming, and it’s a true theatre.  Make sure you get there sometime.  You won’t regret it.  And Port Chester has some really great restaurants within walking distance of the venue.  

Dylan’s show was great. Despite not saying a word to the audience, I could tell he was having a great time.  He was smiling throughout the night, and during the Sinatra/American Standards, he was dancing and shimmying and swaying across the stage. He was having fun.  I’ve seen Dylan many times, and it’s not unusual for him to not say anything to the audience.  I don’t think he’s a man of many extra words.  I saw an interview with another musician once, and although I’m forgetting his name, he was talking about touring with Dylan.  He saw Dylan backstage and asked him what he’d been up to lately.  Dylan looked at him warmly, said “traveling”, and continued on his way.  I love that story!

Watching Dylan always makes me think of my musical heroes from when I was a kid.  All of them started putting out music way before I was born, and most of them are no longer alive – Hank Williams, John Lennon, Elvis, Bob Marley.  I wasn’t able to see them.  Dylan, though, is one of the few that are still alive and kicking, and still making great music.  Go and check out one of his shows some time.  You won’t regret it.  His band is incredible.  Check out Charlie Sexton’s guitar leads.  Or Donnie Herron, who plays beautiful pedal steel and also plays so sweetly on the violin. Or the drummer, George Receli.  He gets a great sound!  Check out his playing on “Pay In Blood”.  So good!  They’re like a real jazz band.  Not necessarily the genre, but the approach.  The group is the music.  That’s how jazz musicians approach music.  Dylan’s band does the same thing.  Dylan’s a legend that I get to see each year.  That’s very special.

Speaking of Dylan, did you listen to his speech where he accepted his Nobel Prize for Literature? If not, you can listen to it right here. I think it’s pretty interesting that some are accusing him of lifting some of his speech from the SparkNotes to Moby Dick.  If it’s true, I’m not sure why it’s very surprising.  Who would turn to something like SparkNotes to get inspired for a speech about Literature?  Bob Dylan, that’s who.