Music/Bands

One of our favorite magazines here at Well That's Cool headquarters is The Oxford American. It spotlights art and photography and has published exceptional works by William Eggleston, Carroll Cloar, Thornton Dial, Sr., Lara Tomlin, Wayne White, Robert Gwathmey, Glennray Tutor, and many others. As life long southerners we are proud to have it highlight the fact that being from the south is nothing to be embarassed about, in fact it's a point of pride. Even those uppity yanks at the New York Times had this to say "The Oxford American may be the liveliest literary magazine in America".  The Oxford American has received wide acclaim for its annual Southern Music Issue, which includes a CD of songs highlighting a variety of genres and eras. It has showcased both famous and criminally neglected musicians. This year's CD is all about musicians from Alabama. You can also head over to www.oxfordamerican.org to read even more and check a top 15 list of contemporary Alabama musicians. We think if you're from around here you might recognize the number one band. We could ramble all day but to get the real skinny we'll pass on the press release:

"The Oxford American magazine’s 12th annual Southern Music edition — with 176 pages and a CD with 26 songs featuring music from Alabama — is hitting bookstores and newsstands nationwide.

This is the second year that The Oxford American's award-winning and critically acclaimed Southern Music Issue focuses on the musical heritage of a particular Southern state.  (Arkansas was featured in last year's edition.)

“Because of the wealth of musical genres that come from Alabama, and the wealth of great artists within those genres, it is impossible to define Alabama music in a single blurb,” says Marc Smirnoff, editor of The Oxford American. “Which is just the way we like it. We enjoyed the complexity and richness of our target state.”

Over the years, The Oxford American's Music Issue and CD has generated much praise, from the BBC to the New York Times. The Houston Chronicle has called it, “The single best music-related magazine of any given year,” while the Boston Globe simply termed it “a welcome fix.” Musicians like Dolly Parton, Chris Isaak, and Tom Petty have also gone on record to praise it. Read more »

When the HBO series “How to Make it in America” premiered earlier this year there was a lot of buzz—and it was mostly about the theme song. “I Need a Dollar” is the first track off of Aloe Blacc’s 2010 release Good Things (Stones Throw Records) and it’s certainly noteworthy. The swanky beat paired with Blacc’s vocals about the struggle to earn a living undoubtedly resonated with more than a few of the viewers who tuned in and caught the opening credits. I still don’t know much about the show, but I do know that this album is stellar.

His sound is vintage R&B, and his voice is sincerely soulful. While he could have
easily used lyrics to put a modern shine on the rhythms of the album, his language
stays true to the classic genre. He tells stories on the tracks “Miss Fortune”
and “Mama Hold My Hand” with a startling, sorrowful presence. “Hey Brother” is a
warning to a friend about his two-timing lady friend and the approach to this tried
lyrical premise is funky and refreshing.

Surprisingly, what brings the album home is Blacc’s cover of the Velvet
Underground’s “Femme Fatale.” The song was originally released on the The
Velvet Underground & Nico in 1967 and is famously based on Edie Sedgwick, the
ill-fated socialite who ran with Andy Warhol in his prime. An iconic song, I could only imagine it being forcibly sculpted to fit the flow of the album with butchered results. In actuality Blacc re-imagines the tune, coming at it with a soulful touch and arranging pregnant pauses alongside a few extra eighth-notes. He brings a new and impressive drama to the song. Read more »

One of our favorite bands in the world, The Blue Party, will be bringing along friends, The Revivalist, Saturday night after The MSU game at Little Willies. The Blue Party blends sounds as if they were making a jambalaya out of good times. With equal parts rock, folk and dance, they stir up a musical dish that really suits their home of New Orleans. Wellthatscoolers have been quoted in the past as saying, Read more »

We here at Well Thats Cool are stoked to partner with South bound entertainment to bring the Southbound Showdown to the Historic Bama Theartre on Friday Oct 15th. What is the Southbound Showdown you might ask well here you go. "The Showdown centerpiece is a touring concert series featuring various genres of Southern music.  Whether it be Americana, bluegrass, blues, alt-country, New Orleans funk, Cajun, Zydeco, etc., Southbound’s goal is to create a touring show of Southern inspired music, culture, and art to take to theaters throughout the South 15and beyond". The Tuscaloosa Showdown is the Friday before homecoming and features; Ivan Neville's Dumpstafunk, The Stanton Moore Trio w/ Anders Osborne, Grayson Capps and Shannon Mcnally. Tickets are a cheap $15 and can be bought at Oz Music or from Brown Paper Tickets here. This is one of those great shows that need support. So come out and show these bands that Tuscaloosa wants great live music. Here is a run down of the Showdown.

Formed in 2003, Ivan Neville’sDumpstaphunk was initially put together by keyboardist Ivan Neville on a whim in order to perform a solo gig at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Ivan called in Cousin Ian Neville (guitar), the
double-bass bottom of both Nick Daniels and Tony Hall, and drummer Raymond Weber to round out the show. Named after a song Ivan had recently written, Dumpstaphunk’s informal performance became that of immediate legend. The project has since grown from chance side-project into what is now widely considered to be New Orleans’ most popular musical export. The band was recently voted 2007’s “New Orleans Best Funk Band” by both Offbeat Magazine and Gambit Weekly, and performs at some of phonations' largest music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Voodoo Fest, 10,000 Lakes, and High Sierra. Read more »

         Despite being an employee at a record store and having a bevy of impressively music obsessed friends, I am often behind in listening to new albums. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I get stuck on one album for weeks. I want nothing else but to listen to that one record at all times—in my car, on my iPod, when I’m working at school, etc. And it’s usually not “new” music either. Too often it’s an old Elliot Smith album, or the Pixies’ greatest hits, or even the Toadies’ Rubberneck. One minute I put in Figure 8, and then before you know it September is half over and I just got around to putting the new Big Boi in my CD player. Read more »

I’d be fooling myself if I said that I didn’t have a weakness for front women in rock bands. My music collection is busting at the seams with Heart records, Karen O’s unmistakable growls, and everything that Jenny Lewis touches. So it’s no big surprise that it was love at first listen when I heard The Ettes’ “Shake the Dust” (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2006). The Ettes are a Nashville based band with a pretty straightforward garage rock sound. However, they’ve got Lindsay “Coco” Hames in their corner and her salty voice changes their game big time. Backed by the raucous drumming of Maria “Poni” Silver and the confident bass playing of Jeremy “Jem” Cohen, Coco shells out the lyrics with gusto and it pays off. The album “Shake the Dust” is a bright listen all the way through. The starting track “Reputation” lets the listener know that this album is a party, not afternoon tea. It’s delightfully brash and, like the rest of the songs that follow, barely flirts with the 3-minute mark. The songs “No More Surprises” and “It Ain’t You” flaunt Coco’s commanding vocals with aggressive lyrics. The twangy “Soft Focus” serves as a welcome reminder that the record was produced under Liam Watson, the man behind The White Stripes and The Kills.

It's time again for a three hour tour down the Black Warrior river featuring awesome music and delicious beer. The music will be provided by New Orleans party folk rock band The Blue Party (www.bluepartymusic.com) and the straight ahead buzz saw Punk /Garage rock of Model Citizen (http://www.myspace.com/modelcitizen). The beer part of the evening will be provided by Good People Brewing out of Birmingham. They make some of the finest beer you've ever had as well a being the closest brewery to Tuscaloosa. On this special event a pint will run you $3. The cruise will leave port at 7:00 pm and return at 10:00 pm no one will be let on the boat after 6:45 so be sure to arrive early. The cost is $15 and I dare you to find great music great beer and a three hour paddle boat ride for less. We hope to see you there. Act now tickets are very limited and will sell out much like the last Brews Cruise. As always we could not do any of this with out our sponsers: Wilhagans / Little Willies, The Left Hand Soap Compony, The Pink Box Burluesq and the Alcove International Taveren. Please go and support these local companies that make our podcast possiable. We are over a 1/4 sold out already so go here and grab you tickets. If ordering please order hard tickets or print at home as this will speed up entry onto boat. We look forward to seeing you there! Read more »

by Ally Nevarez

Earlier in June I had 700 miles of open road to drive, and a stack of CDs in my passenger seat. While albums generally do not make great navigators, they can be the best company.  Amongst my driving companions was the Los Campesinos! album Romance is Boring (2010, pictured to the left). A discovery made in the used bin at Oz Music, the band was originally comprised of 8 musicians from Cardiff, Wales who had all adopted Campesinos! as their last name.  Part of the Arts & Crafts label family, their lyrics are quirky and their tunes are catchy—what more can you ask for on an 11 hour drive?

The album starts out innocently enough with the bittersweet track “In Medias Res” that features unexpected vocal distortion, a confident horn, and sweet strings that serve as indicators of the variety and power of the rest of the album. The fast-paced title track “Romance is Boring” smugly makes light of ambivalent partnerships with an energy that causes closed-fist steering wheel drumming.  The mini-novellas “Who Fell Asleep In” and “The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future” are the most dramatic of the 15 tracks. They are so lovingly crafted that they never seem out of place, but rather contribute to the thoughtfulness of the album as a whole.

I have to admit, though, that I fell in love at track 7, otherwise known as “Straight in at 101.” The song is at times vulgar, but always smart and honest.  There’s hand clapping, cymbal smashing, and a killer spoken word finish that captures the frustration of every break-up.  The saddest part about just discovering this band is that on June 26, 2010 drummer Ollie Campesinos! left the group without a clear reason.  Despite the mysterious departure the album still rules—and so do their low-budget music videos.  Check out the videos for “Romance is Boring,” “There are Listed Buildings,” and “The Sea is a Good Place to think of the Future.” As always, you can findRomance is Boring on my employee picks at Oz Music, along with other Los Campesinos! albums that are just as energetic as this one.  I highly recommend it for fans of Pixies and The Shins.

  It may not have been able to tell me which exit was the right one or chip in for gas, but Romance is Boring was one of the best road trip companions I’ve had in a long time.  Whether you’re driving across the United States or just across Alabama, I hope it is for you, too.(ed. note Plese be sure to go support Ally at Oz Music, keep your money in town)            

--Ally Nevarez

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Little Willie's will have even more to offer than usual this Thursday. Our normal Thursday evening there involves drinking enough half priced wine to make Dionysus blush. This week will feature the Portland, OR-based band "The Insomniacs." These guys offer an old school, soulful sound that harkens back to a bygone era. A description of the band on their label's page gives nuggets such as this:

 "They play vintage instruments and channel a blues style from the 1950s, but there is a distinct new cyberspace bent to Delta Groove’s blues award winning quartet, The Insomniacs. These musicians who have quickly jumped into the top tier of clubs tour endless highways in a beat up van, babying a gut-string upright, the 1951 Fender “Nocaster” guitar, the 1964 Framus Star Bass and their Magnatone and Ampeg tube amps."

Upon listing to these guys it's easy to to hear that these songs would not mesh well with modern instruments. This will be one of the most exciting half priced wine nights you'll see for awhile. For more info on these guys check it out here.

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by Ally Nevarez

(* ed note. We here at wellthatscool.com are really happy to announce a new addition to the site, Ally Nevarez. We thought who better to dish out new music then the person we get it from. Ally can be found helping make Tuscaloosa cooler at Oz music. Next time you're there ask for her and she'll set you right up. We look forward to getting the scoop and passing it on to you very often)

What do you get when you bring together indie-rock heavy hitters Justin Vernon and Mike Noyce of Bon Iver, Zack Coulter and Adam Hurlburt of Solid Gold, various members of folk rock band Megafaun and about 20 others? Armed with keyboards and slide-guitars, you get an 11 track album fully inspired by 10cc’s art rock 1975 hit song “I’m Not in Love”—and one Godley & Crème cover. I was surprised, too.

Relayted, the Jagjaguwar Records 2010 release from this eclectic super-group could have been stuck wading in the mucky waters of irony, but it’s the group’s diverse talents that prevent that from becoming a possibility. Justin Vernon’s falsetto we know so well from For Emma, Forever Ago makes an appearance on “Faded High,” but is totally eclipsed by his sweet, sweet rhyming abilities on “Last Prom on Earth.” “The Walker” is another high point, with haunting background vocals and a brief, yet piercing guitar solo. You can call the tracks slow jams or bedroom rock even, but there’s no denying that this album is smooth. Read more »