While it was the guitar the gave her a start as a working musician, Kaki King has shown a tendency over her rather brief but impressive body of work for adventure-- keeping us guessing in the process. Her latest, Dreaming of Revenge, though still featuring her dexterous fingers as centerpiece, is perhaps her most complete sounding (and pop leaning) record yet, with its increased vocal presence and wider range of instrumentation helping to make this less of a "musician's album." Songs like "Pull Me Out Alive" and the beautiful stunner "2 O'Clock" do an excellent job of combining the technical proficiency of her past catalog with a new, less experimental direction that finds King's vocals to be surprisingly strong. Still, the instrumentals, which make up half of the fourteen new tracks, remind us why we've always been amazed by her-- the looped instrumental opener "Bone Chaos in the Castle" is a shining example and one of her best yet. Kaki King plays the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland tonight along with local opener Matt Sheehy.
MP3: Kaki King, from Dreaming of Revenge- "2 O'Clock"
Also tonight, the Champaign, Illinois-based band Headlights highlights an outstanding triple bill at Towne Lounge, also featuring Evangelicals and Southerly. The trio recently released their sophomore full-length, Some Racing, Some Stopping on the Polyvinyl label, and its vintage indie-pop hooks and male/female traded vocals bring to mind the likes of Velocity Girl, among others.
MP3: Headlights, from Some Racing, Some Stopping- "Cherry Tulips"
Oklahoma's Evangelicals, meanwhile, also have a recent release: The Evening Descends is the follow-up to 2006's So Gone, and it does nothing to dispel the comparisons (in a good way) to fellow sooners the Flaming Lips. Apparently, Bible Belt culture and college football can sometimes, in the right indiviudals, produce psyched-out fuzz-pop. Who knew?
MP3: Evangelicals, from The Evening Descends- "Skeleton Man"
Questions? Comments? Requests? What's on your minds?
March 22, 2008 at 2:56pm by patrick
Jeremy, the Daniel Lanois was great. An interesting album of his was the soundtrack for Sling Blade which brings out a bit more of his Brian Eno side. The Gutter Twins album to me is a little less intense or textured as Mark Lanegan's other side project of late: Soulsavers. That Goldfrapp sounded really interesting. What is their background?
Keep playing the irresistible music.
March 22, 2008 at 3:09pm by greengumbi
This is the best music I've heard in a long time. I'm a long time listener of OPB but rarely listen on Sat nights. I'll make a point of it now - can you get iTunes to partner so us mac users can download through your site more easily?
March 22, 2008 at 3:14pm by Jeremy Petersen
Thanks for the tip on Sling Blade-- I saw it, of course, but didn't make that connection. Some really great moments on that new album, which feels a bit piecemeal, but who cares?
Soulsavers was outstanding, and I have generally liked whatever Lanegan's done in the past. Gutter Twins has its moments, but I have to agree. I think I already told you, but Lanegan has another album coming out with Isobel Campbell later in the year and he actually sings a lot on this one, which hasn't necessarily been the case with their other collaborations.
I'm not extremely familiar with Goldfrapp, other than they're a duo from the UK and have always been a lot more energetic and electronic-based than their album tends to be. It's not necessarily worse, just different than their older stuff.
And thanks, as always, for listening...
March 22, 2008 at 3:19pm by Jeremy Petersen
High praise, greengumbi, thank you. There's more of the same on Sunday nights, just so you know.
I'll make sure your iTunes request gets to the appropriate people here, although I'll point out that we do link to downloads from Amazon.com, if that helps.
March 23, 2008 at 2:20pm by tromper
Have been learning to love you guys. You make Sunday nights worth turning the radio on and the personal playlists off.
Us Gen-X natives may not be what we once were. But we're smarter than Belmont and the Pearl.
A shout out to Servotron's "Theme For An Ultimate And Inevitable Victory" or Red House Painters "Have Your Forgotten" if you get into a 90s retro funk.
AS YOU PLAY XTC, *chalkhill groan and laughing!* My god! Keep it up.
March 23, 2008 at 2:39pm by Jeremy Petersen
Hey tromper,
Thanks for stopping by, glad you've acquired us as a habit. I'm always on the edge of slipping into one of those 90s retro funks, so the chances are good-- not sure we have either of your requests at the ready, though. I'll be glad to get some other RHP on....I'm thinking "San Geronimo." How about it?
March 23, 2008 at 2:59pm by tromper
*smirkle*
Hey, your show. We've all our fave RHP songs. You're doing fine. Other easy options would be, of course, Stereolab, Biz Markie, Pop Will Eat Itself, Boards of Canada. And whoa. I do believe you mentioned a while back that Elf Power has a new album.
I'll stop babbling and just enjoy the show, but let me assure you, I've noticed the constant Camper Van, Ween, Sea & Cake, and another dozen bumpers being used during the day. Keep taking over. Even the old folks dig it, if my ninety year old gramps has anything to say about it.
*tremor control*
KBOO is being killed by you guys rocking these three hours weekly, as far as I'm concerned. :)
March 23, 2008 at 5:38pm by Jeremy Petersen
Ahh, yes, some great suggestions. So many old favorites so comparatively little time (although I should clarify that it's actually a full six hours per week-- Saturday and Sunday).
You may have noticed that the time got away so I had to go with something shorter than "San Geronimo"-- but I've always loved "Grace Cathedral Park" too. You excited for the new Sun Kil Moon release, speaking of Mr. Kozelek?
I wish I could take credit for those bumpers-- a couple here and there, maybe, but I'll pass the good word on to the man who puts them together. The appeal of great music knows no age limit, right?
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