Swashbuckling Songstress

Coeur De Pirate (a.k.a. Béatrice Martin) is a 19-year-old ubercute singer-songwriter from Montreal. Her self-titled debut album was released back in September 2008, but I only just now stumbled upon it. Before going solo, Martin lent her keyboard skills to another Quebec act, Bonjour Brumaire. Check out her video for "Comme des enfants." I have no idea what she is saying (as she sings in French), but the video is adorable.

No Nose Wrinkling Allowed!

Here's the mix list provided by my other Twitter friend, Laura. You can check out here blog here. I've been informed that no nose wrinkling is allowed. Can't wait to check out these songs.

Song / Artist / Album

Bad Things / Jace Everett/ Theme from “True Blood”

Zombie / The Cranberries / The Cranberries: Stars - The Best of 1992-2002 Alternative

Summertime / Brother Love / Album of the Year

I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You / Colin Hay / Garden State (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)

I Don't Care / Fall Out Boy / I Don't Care - Single

Free Loop / Daniel Powter / Daniel Powter

Whole Again / Granian / Hang Around

Lost My Way / Matthew Ebel / Goodbye Planet Earth

Home / Marc Broussard / Carencro

Big Ups / Ms. Triniti / Ragga Hop

A Light in the Dark

Dark Was The Night, is a double-disc compilation featuring 31 exclusive tracks by the who's who of the indie world. Bon Iver, Yeasayer, Feist, Iron & Wine, Spoon, the Arcade Fire, Cat Power, Andrew Bird, Blonde Redhead, My Morning Jacket and more have lent their talents to the project. Proceeds from the compilation will benefit the Red Hot Organization, an international charity that raises money and awareness for HIV and AIDS research. Learn more about the organization by visiting its web site.

The "Cure For What Ails You" Playlist

My new friend, Miranda, posted this mix on her blog and I thought I would share it with RC. There's some stuff on it that I'd never heard before and that I'm really enjoying. Here's her post:

This list of some of my favorite songs and artists is dedicated to Laura & Erin! I hope you enjoy the diversity, girls. They're not as underground as your selections, Erin, but I'm sure you'll enjoy them!

These selections are in no particular order, but I will add that the song by Muse is my all-time favorite song.

1. "Me and the Skirts"/ The Features/ Exhibit A
2. "I Like You Better When You're Naked"/ Ida Maria/ Fortress 'Round My Heart
3. "The Pumpkin Song"/ Kate Nash/ Made of Bricks
4. "Electric Feel"/ MGMT/ Oracular Spectacular
5. "Black Wedding"/ Meg & Dia/ Here, Here & Here
6. "One Day"/ The Juan MacLean/ The Future Will Come...
7. "Henrietta"/ The Fratellis/ Costello Music
8. "Hang Me Up to Dry"/ Cold War Kids/ Robbers & Cowards
9. "I Know What I Am"/ Band of Skulls/ Baby Darling Doll Face Honey
10. "Time is Running Out"/ Muse/ Absolution
11. "Intervention"/ The Arcade Fire/ Neon Bible
12. "No Rest For the Wicked"/ Cage the Elephant/ Cage the Elephant

Erin's Fresh Mix

Ok, so here's my mix suggestion for Miranda & Laura. Ladies, I have no idea what you like...so hopefully we're on the same page. I look forward to your suggestions!

Song / Artist / Album

1. “Jigsaw” / Mates of State / Re-Arrange Us
2. “I Know I Know I Know” / Tegan & Sara / So Jealous
3. “Gronlandic Edit” / Of Montreal / Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
4. “Tonight” / Lykke Li / Unknown (sorry!)
5. “I’d Rather Dance with You” / Kings of Convenience / Riot on an Empty Street
6. “Silver Lining” / Rilo Kiley / Under the Blacklight
7. “Standing on the Shore” / Empire of the Sun / Walking on a Dream
8. “1901” / Phoenix / Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9. “L.A. Noir” / Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head / Glistening Pleasure
10.“Make It Happen” / The Teenagers / Reality Check

(art compliments of my coworker, Jason)

RC Meeting!

RC is back. Say it with me, "It's about time!" Looks like Monday evenings work for most of us, so the next RC meeting will be at my house Monday, May 4th at 7pm. As for the theme, I'm open to suggestions. That said, I was thinking it might be fun for us to bring songs by people/bands we've seen live. Could be a recent show or maybe your first concert (mine was Billy Idol and Faith No More). Just an idea. Again, I'm open to other ideas. Thoughts?

OG RC!

I stumbled across this old photo from Record Club back in January of 2006. You have no idea how happy it makes me that five of us are still doing this!

Pictured (left to right): Me, Vero, Rosemary, Darcey, Tanya, Jeff & Nick.

Get Your Mix Fix

I recently befriended two fellow Twitter gals who share a passion for music. We're now going to start sharing mixes with each other, hopefully introducing each other to previously unknown bands and rekindling our love of bands we may have forgotten about. I'll be posting my mixes (in the form of lists) on this here blog. Hope you RC kids are cool with that!

Hi, Miranda & Laura. Welcome to Record Club!

The Fox Theatre, Part 2

The Fox Theatre - Band of Horses

This past weekend, Rosemary and I took a trip to Oakland's Fox Theatre to catch a performance by Band of Horses. While the band was fabulous (as expected), I was more impressed with the venue itself. After closing down more than 40 years ago, the venue finally reopened in February of this year. The exterior features a magnificent neon marquee and Middle Eastern architecture. The Middle Eastern theme continues inside with gilded walls, lavish fabrics and vibrant tile and paint works. Two 10-foot tall god-like statues reside on either side of the stage, glowing eyes beaconing concertgoers. Quite impressive.

The theater will serve as the flagship live music venue for Another Planet Entertainment, which has booked numerous shows for the Greek Theatre, the Independent, Paramount Theatre and other Bay Area venues. Expect great shows! Fleet Foxes, The Shins, M. Ward, Animal Collective and Of Montreal are all slated to play upcoming shows.

SN&R Pulls My Piece

So, I just found out that SN&R pulled my small preview piece on the upcoming Jenny Lewis show. Why? Apparently, the feature was supposed to be on someone else, and the author surprised Nick with a piece on Lewis. Here's a quote from Nick Miller:

"yeah well the dude writing the feature that week surprisingly turned in a feature on jenny instead of garrett pierce."

What a fucktard! Who does that? Don't editors like to know what their writers are turning in? Well, here's what was suposed to run:

You know that little red-haired girl who was the object of Charlie
Brown's unrequited love? Well, she's got nothing on indie darling
Jenny Lewis, who has garnered the attention of boys and girls
everywhere. Her sweet, country-tinged voice has lent vocal tones to
albums by the Postal Service, Dntel, Bright Eyes and her own band,
Rilo Kiley. Lewis, who is currently on "the road to Coachella," will
make a pit stop in Sacramento on Wednesday, April 15th. Expect her to
drop tracks from her sophomore solo album, Acid Tongue. And kids, try
not to drool.

Metric in Denver, CO

So, Darcey and I just booked a trip to Denver, CO; where we'll be catching Metric perform at the Ogden Theatre. I'm pretty excited to visit the Mile-High City, and am hoping Rosemary & Erin will join us for the trip.

You Can't Escape My...Private Eyes

This past Saturday I caught Erik Hanson (of the Stragglers) at Luna's Cafe. Erik played a couple solo songs and also got some help from his little sis, Jeannie Howell, and former Cassidys bandmate Joe Carlson. Let me just say that when Erik and Jeannie sing together their voices melt like butter - it's smooth and beautiful. The set included a few new, Carl Sagan-inspired songs as well as covers of "Girlfriend in a Coma" and "Private Eyes" -- despite the handwritten sign reading "no covers" hanging near the stage.

I wasn't really into the second act (a folk singer from Ithaca, NY)...so I spent most of the remainder of the show chatting it up outside with Erin & Jeannie. I did catch the last song of Ruebi Freyja's set, a wonderful cover of "Shake Sugaree."

Live Acoustic Überbørg Mindmeld and Say-tanic Hippie Cult Initiation

Jackson Griffith invited me to attend "Live Acoustic Überbørg Mindmeld and Say-tanic Hippie Cult Initiation" (his title, not mine) tonight featuring performances by Josh Chesney, Rich Varone and Mr. Griffith himself. I can't make it because I have yoga, but if anyone else is interested here are the details:

Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Time: 8-10pm
Location: Luna's Cafe & Juice Bar
Street: 1414 16th Street

Three local singer-songwriters play original songs in an intimate cafe atmosphere on a Tuesday night. One of them will have accompaniment, including bass clarinet.

Record Club Meeting

It's been a while since we last met, and rather than me picking a date and hoping most people can attend I say we hash it out in the comments section of this post. Who's ready to meet?!! Speak to me, peeps.

It's okay to Fantasize.

Metric will release it's latest album Fantasies in April, but if you're anything like me and crave instant gratification you can pre-order a digital version on 3/31/09. I've only heard a few leaked tracks, including "Help I'm Alive" and a cover of Pink Floyd's "Nobody Home," but if the preview is any indication, the album will up there with previous releases. Of course, I'm a sucker for frontwoman Emily Haines' voice. I'd love to see them live, but the only shows they have currently booked are in Europe! I guess I'll just have to fantasize about it.

It's Halloween!

Remember when Halloween used to be in October? Fuck that! This past weekend, Guphy graciously hosted the annual Halloween show in the attic of her Oak Park home. The show featured covers by Huey Lewis and the News, the Velvet Underground, the Violent Femmes, the Rolling Stones, Billy Idol and more. Members of !!!, Touché, the Bright Ideas, Knock Knock and more dressed up as their favorite musicians (or at least musicians who have released some of the most influential albums) and gave it their all! Allen Maxwell as Billy Idol, and later that evening as Bono, was a crowd favorite.

In the photo (by Rosemary): James Williams (as Steve Stevens) and Allen Maxwell(as Billy Idol).

Soundtrack Playlist :: Feb. 2006

Here's the soundtrack playlist from February 2006. See you all on Monday!

Song / Artist / Movie / RC Member

1. Head Over Heals / Tears for Fears / Donnie Darko / Nick

2. Signed, Sealed, Delivered / Stevie Wonder/ You've Got Mail / Dre

3. One / Aimee Mann / Magnolia / Erin

4. I've Seen It All / Bjork / Dancer in the Dark / Nick

5. The Sound of Silence / Simon & Garfunkel / The Graduate / Rosemary

6. Concrete and Clay / Unit 4 + 2 / Rushmore / Jeff

7. Jackson / Juaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon / Walk the Line / Darcey

8. It Ain't Me, Babe / Juaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon / Walk the Line / Darcey

9. Just Like Heaven; More Than This / The Jesus & Mary Chain & Bill Murray / Lost in Translation / Veronica

10. The Only Living Boy / Simon & Garfunkel / Garden State / Tanya

11. Epitaph for My Heart / The Magnetic Fields / Pieces of April / Rosemary

12. Kissing You / Desiree / Romeo + Juliet / Jeff

13. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) / Stevie Wonder/ High Fidelity / Veronica

14. Anything / SWL / Above the Rim / Dre

15. Lose Yourself (In the Music) / Eminem / 8 Mile / Erin

Oscar Has a Tin Ear

This month's RC meeting will be at 7pm on Monday, Feb. 23rd (same location). This month's theme? Well, in honor of the Oscars, let's make it music from movies. I know we've had a similar theme in the past, so I will post the previous track list so as to avoid any repeat offenders. Let me know if you can make it.

Celebrity Spotting

RM and I had a blast at the Lykke Li show. That woman is so adorable and such an energetic performer. I think we were both impressed with the show. Anyway, in the audience was a minor celebrity...one Chris Lowell (see photo) from Private Practice. RM doesn't watch the show, so I made her stare at him until she committed his face to her memory. After making Lowell sufficiently uncomfortable, she had burned his image into her mind. That's all I have to say about that.

I like-y Lykke Li!

I've been listening to Lykke Li for most of the morning. I'm starting to get excited about this weekend's show at the Filmore. Looks like RM and I will be staying in Oaktown after the show, which rocks because I hate driving home after a Bay Area concert. Somewhere around Fairfield I always start to imagine things -- like creepy figures in the back of white vans. I'm sure some of you can relate. Anyway, it's just not right.

Take Flight!

Flight of the Conchords, "New Zealand's fourth most popular digi-folk paradists," will play the Berkeley Community Theatre on May 25th. Tickets went on sale today. I've never seen their show, but I know the kids go crazy for them!

It's Not Me, It's You

On Saturday, April 4th Lily Allen crosses the pond to play a show in SF at The Warfield. Allen is touring in support of her latest album; It's Not Me, It's You. Several of us saw Allen when she played at the Crest a couple of years ago and she was amazing. I'd like to see her again, but I'm already planning an April trip to the East Bay to see Band of Horses. That said, if someone were to twist my arm I would go. Anyone care to twist?

Tickets go on sale this Saturday -- no idea how much they cost.

January '09 RC

Thanks to everyone who made it last night. It's hard to believe that we've been doing this for four years! I will try and get the latest disc out soon. In the mean time, I suggest you check out these bands:

Angus and Julia Stone (pictured)
Au Revoir Simone
Empire of the Sun

Upcoming Shows of Note

Here are some upcoming shows of note. Hope to see some of you at them!

Sun, Feb 01
Matt & Kim
Luigi's Fun Garden

Sun, Feb 15
Lykke Li
with Wildbirds & Peacedrums
The Fillmore

Tue, Feb 24
A.C. Newman (of the New Pornographers)
Harlow's Night Club

Wed, Apr 15
The Ting Tings
The Fillmore

Fri, Apr 17
Band of Horses
Fox Theater (Oakland)

Mon, April 27
Death Cab For Cutie / Cold War Kids / Ra Ra Riot
Memorial Auditorium