Jessica Lea Mayfield @ Stubb's, 07.21.09

I wanted to take a minute to finally get something up about Jessica Lea Mayfield's show at Stubb's last week. 

Under dark lights, Mayfield put on a more subdued show than her past visits to Austin, due mostly to the fact that she now finds herself without a full-time tour drummer. Filling that void were her other two supporting players, one being her older brother David, who rotated between their normal positions at guitar or stand-up bass and then behind the drums.  Even with the adjustment, Mayfield still delivered a haunting and beautiful performance that one would expect from her heart-bleeding alt country songs. The toned down set gave Jessica the chance to perform several songs solo; most notable was the performance of "Is This Love?" where she was only backed by bother David's sparse vocals.  

There were several surprises for those who have seen Mayfield live before. She gave us one of her newer compositions "Grown Man," and her cover of Buddy Holly's "Word of Love"that was featured on a Starbucks compilation. 

It's been almost a year since her album With Blasphemy So Heartfelt was released and even with the constant stream of new music that regularly pours in, her album has stayed in my heavy rotation and continues to amaze me every time. Her live performance remains just as beautiful as the album and as Jessica herself. 

Lucy The Poodle Productions presents... LUCY MAGAZINE

Lucy The Poodle Productions is an Austin based conglomerate that specializes in throwing one hell of a party and having fun. In between the partying and fun they found time to develop a new zine which will launch during SXSW.  It's a  a full-color, printed glossy magazine featuring  music, art, theatre, film and all that other good stuff. Most importantly (to me at least), the first issue of Lucy Magazine will feature an article I wrote about The Boxing Lesson. Yes, the wonderful folks at LTP set me up to interview the band back in January and commissioned me to write a brief piece on them. While you've seen me discuss a plenty about The Boxing Lesson before, this article gives a little in-depth look on their own perspectives regarding the year that was 2008 and the year that will be 2009. And truthfully I'm interested to see how my article looks within the magazine. So I'm super excited about it.

And furthermore, there will be a launch party this Friday, 03.13.09, at Stubb's (Lucy The Poodle throwing a party... you don't say). Austin bands Shapes Have Fangs, The Bubbles and Sheboygan will be performing. There will also be some film screenings that should keep your interests peeked. Plus all that attend will get a copy of the inagural issue of Lucy Magazine. That in itself is all the reason you need to attend.

UPDATE: Lucy Magazine can be read online. Flip to page 18 for my article on The Boxing Lesson. 

The Boxing Lesson Daytrotter Session

I've been singing the praises of Austin's The Boxing Lesson since I discovered them this past summer. The space-rockers released their mesmerizing album Wild Streaks and Windy Days early last year and have been frantically playing live ever since. Then the band achieved another great accomplishment in December when they recorded for Daytrotter. Their session just went up today, and having recently talked to the band, I know they are quite excited about the end result. The session even includes the new song "Room 17" that they've been testing out at recent live shows. It's a good one. So make sure head over to Daytrotter and get yourself a free download.  

The Boxing Lesson is currently wrapping up a short tour and will be playing Austin again on February 26th at Stubb's. They also have some big things going on for SXSW so keep an eye on their myspace for those details. In addition, I'll have some news around SXSW time about some stuff I did for the band  as well.  Until then... Live Long and Prosper!! 

Cat Power @ Stubb's, 10.11.08

On October 27, 2007 my little red Honda was packed with one large pink luggage bag of clothes and one box of mostly poetry books. Those were the only belongings making the journey with me from Pennsylvania to Texas as I went to excavate a new life for myself. I was also armed with new road music for the trip. Two of those albums were from Cat Power, Dear Sir and What Would the Community Think–two of her earlier ones that I hadn’t entirely heard before. Cat Power basically became the soundtrack as I dove alone halfway across the country; the music of my rebirth. Whether it was listening to somber songs like “King Rides By” through the Georgia countryside or making my way across the New Orleans swamplands to angry ones like “Yesterday is Here,” I was filled with hope and optimism knowing that this trip was the best thing for me. Even though I had quit a promising job and left behind all else that I owned, I was certain that this venture would ease the growing frustration that took over my life. On the outside it looked crazy–moving to a city where I didn’t know anyone, a city where I had no place to live or a job waiting. But I didn’t see those things driving through the Texas desert to Austin. As Cat Power’s music blared out of my car stereo all I saw was the prospect of new opportunity. All I saw was beauty.

352 days after I arrived in Austin Chan Marshall (the woman behind Cat Power) walked onto the Stubb’s outside stage and she was all smiles. She waved to the crowd and even shook hands with those at the front. There was a certain confidence about her, something that made her glow and told us that she wasn’t afraid to be standing there. Gone was the shadow of suicidal depression and alcohol abuse. This was the new and improved Cat Power. Even the opening song “I Don’t Blame You” took on a new tone. Now backed by the Dirty Delta Blues Band, the tale of a rock star doomed by fame was transformed from a song of mourning to a more soulful uplifting one of tribute. The best representation of how Cat Power has changed can be heard in the version of “Metal Heart” that appears on the latest album Jukebox. And the performance portrayed that as well. While the original cogitates being restricted by a metal heart, the new version represents the unlocking and being free from it. Seeing Chan reach to the crowd and belting, “Metal heart, you’re not worth a thing,” it couldn’t be any clearer.

From there Chan went into “Song to Bobby.” As the title suggests it’s an ode to Bob Dylan, someone she draws a tremendous influence from. It was fitting that I be there at that time to hear her perform this song. Chan Marshall has become my Dylan. Though the struggle of my first year in here I've been able to throw on any Cat Power album and remember all the hope and optimism that I felt when driving to Austin. I could remind myself that this trip was a necessary step in my evolution. For the last year Chan’s music has constantly replaced my doubts with feelings of pride.

It’s odd that I am able to find strength in Cat Power when those early albums are so somber. Even for this show at Stubb’s Chan ops to focuses on the latest release and clear of older material. Besides the opening song, she only digs as far back as 2006’s The Greatest. About halfway into the show Chan’s collaborator for that album, memphis soul legend Tennie Hodges, joined the Dirty Delta Blues as they perform several songs off it, including “Lived in Bars” and the title track. There was no “Nude as the News” that night, a signature song which was a standard in her live performance; only reassuring that Chan is not revisiting those painful times and living for the present.

The show closed with “Angelitos Negros,” a Roberta Flack cover off the deluxe edition of Jukebox. Sung entirely in Spanish, even Chan had to look at a lyrics sheet to make it through. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful moment to see a piece of her personality on a song that features one of her most amazing vocal performances. There was time when a Cat Power show could not be completed without a manic tangent and Chan bursting into tears. But this one ended with a shower of flowers as she threw carnations into the crowd.

One of these days I would like to meet Ms. Marshall and share my story with her. Let her know what her music means to me. Maybe when she is comfortable enough with herself that she’s able to meet and greet fans, and doesn’t just rush to the tour bus afterword. Obviously there are still some things that she’s working through. Hell, I still worry about how I’m going to make my rent from month to month. But what is life without some struggle? It’s meaningless. And at the end of every personal struggle there lies a beauty. It was on stage that night at Stubb’s.


PHOTOS ARE COURTOSY OF THOSE AT ULTRA8201.

Gnarls Barkley @ Stubb's, 9.26.08

To say Danger Mouse has had a good year would be the understatement of the year. The man who sprung to popularity in 2004 by mashing-up Jay-Z with The Beatles on The Grey Album has now solidified himself as one of the top creative minds in music today. For 2008 he produced the impressive Attack & Release from The Black Keys, partnered with Martina Topley-Bird for her critically-acclaimed sophomore release in the UK, and helped Beck craft what could be the best album of the year with Modern Guilt. Still, in between all that he found time to reteam with veteran hip-hopper Cee-Lo for the follow up to their first Gnarls Barkley album. The second effort, aptly titled The Odd Couple, is another collection that is at times hip-hop, other times soul, and more times an alternative blend that could fit in on any radio station across the dial. The duo headlined an official ACL After Party this past Friday (9/26) at Stubb’s.

With the crowd wound up by a high energy performance from opening act CSS, the chants of “Cee-Lo!” and “Danger!” began before they took the stage. Gnarls Barkley greeted the crowd wearing snazzy gold blazers while their backup band was decked in outfits likes it was a Boyz II Men flashback. They wasted no time hitting some of their most popular songs right off the bat: “Gone Baby Gone,” “Run,” and “Going On.”

Danger Mouse as normal was the quiet man, sitting at an old-style organ and letting his music take the attention. His head stayed down most of the time and for the most part only faced the crowd to switch over to play the xylophone. Cee-Lo on the other hand took center stage and showed why he has been one of the best live performers in hip-hop for over a decade. Whether it was his Goodie Mob days, his solo stint, or now with Gnarls Barkley—he has consistently been a high-octane performer putting his all into every show.

Amping up the guitar added a heavier rock feel to the introspective “Just a Thought.” As Cee-Lo belted out, “And I’ve tried everything but suicide, but it’s crossed my mind,” with a little bit of head-banging, more than a few people caught the bug and some slight moshing began at the front of the stage. To put a twist on another song from their debut, they turned the originally drum ‘n bass laced “Transformer” into a slow tempo soul tune. The new takes on both were a pleasant surprise.

The highlight of the show came during the encore when they covered Radiohead’s latest single “Reckoner.” Those familiar with the song know the key to “Reckoner” is not the lyrics (as they are virtually undecipherable) or the hypnotizing loop—it’s the vocal harmonizing that elevates continuously through the song and dips just before erupting in the breakdown. Thom Yorke should be proud of how Cee-Lo handled those vocals; he belted out like he was infected by the holy ghost.

These two superstars have a long list of individual accomplishments under their respective belts, but as of yet none of them have matched the triumph of their collaboration as Gnarls Barkley.   Cee-Lo has promised that he and Danger Mouse will record at least one more album together; perhaps to cap off a trilogy of one of the most successful groups of recent times.