Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Cool, New Song from Weyes Blood: "Wild Time" (Video)



Natalie Mering who performs as Weyes Blood, released this statement along with the video.

Good day everyone,

Here is a video for my song “Wild Time” that was shot on 16mm pre-Pandemic, then edited together during isolation. Felt like the right time to let this video out into the world, seeing as we’re all getting saddled down by some pretty grim realities. This song is about yearning for wildness and Mother Nature in a time of chaos. It’s for sensitive people who worry about the fate of humanity and feel powerless to do anything about it.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking apocalyptic thoughts and realizing that won’t get you anywhere. What if the world has always been ending? What if the sprawl of our cities are just as wild as the forests? What if climate change and the destruction of our natural habitat is a reflection of the nature within us, however sublimely horrifying and hard to understand? We’re animals, we play out a very precarious drama of life, and we grasp for what’s left of the protective womb—but maybe the notion that we’re somehow separated from her is an illusion. Maybe it is, truly, a wild time to be alive. Maybe getting in touch with that as a culture and society would avert the worst case scenarios of ecological crisis and existential dread.

If you’ve gotten this far, wow, thank you for actually taking the time to read this. In other news, as you may have assumed, I am canceling all of my headline shows for 2020, but I’m beginning to work on my next album that will come out in 2021—a different time, when hopefully we can see each other face to face once again.

xo
Natalie (aka Weyes Blood)

Waxahatchee Announces Livestream Series to Make Up for Covid-Cancelled Tour



Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield) released Saint Cloud in March via Merge Records. In the wake of her postponed spring tour, Waxahatchee has announced a series of livestreams that will take her through her entire discography. A full schedule and rundown is below. Tickets $15 per show and $50 for the entire series.

Katie had this to say about the shows: 

I’m announcing a run of five livestreams where I play all five of my albums in their entirety. This idea was born as a way to help support my band and crew through this time where we’ve had to cancel and move shows, thus causing a huge financial burden. I’m also donating a portion of the ticket sales to indie promoters around the country who have been so warm and hospitable to me over the years but are now facing a huge strain on their business.
 
I’ve wanted to go back into my catalog and play some of the deep cuts for a while, and this seems like a perfect way for me to do it. Join us every Monday in June.  
 
xoxo katie

Livestream Schedule:
06/01 - American Weekend
06/08 - Cerulean Salt
06/15 - Ivy Tripp
06/22 - Out In The Storm
06/29 - Saint Cloud 
Tickets are available HERE.

Pavement Will Reunite To Tour in 2021!


The important Primavera Festival, held annually in Barcelona, Spain, announced they were postponing their 2020 festival, but that many of the artists that had been scheduled for 2020 would perform at the festival in 2021... including Pavement, a band with a cult following that broke up in 1999. 

Pavement had a hugely successful reunion tour in 2010 and had been rumored to be reuniting for a new tour.

In addition to the Primavera Festival, it is believed Pavement will play several venues and festivals in North America and Europe throughout 2021.

Here's a video of Pavement's two great guitarists Stephen Malkmus and Spiral Stairs doing "Summer Babe" we shot a few years back:



Cool, New Bright Eyes Song from Conor Oberst: "One And Done" (Video)


Thursday, May 21, 2020

Sharon Van Etten & Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age) Rock Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding?"



I've always loved this song, written by Nick Lowe and popularized by Elvis Costello.

Sharon and Josh do an awesome version.

What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding? No one's been able to answer that question satisfactorily...

Here's a video I shot in Oakland a few years back featuring Josh playing with Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones as Them Crooked Vultures; truly a supergroup:


ThisSmallPlanet.com Corona Apocalypse Playlist 4: Cool Stuff To Watch and Listen To in Isolation



The Band, Frances Quinlan, Damon Albarn, The 1975, Chuck Prophet, Norah Jones, The Neverly Boys, Jeff Rosenstock, Wilco, Bob Dylan, Sharon Van EttenJosh Homme, Queens Of The Stone Age, Phoebe Bridgers, Fontaines D.C., Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, The Clash, The Jam, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Nina Simone, Bruce Springsteen, Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds, David Bowie, Manassas, The Talking Heads,  Jesus Christ Superstar.

----------

MOVIES/TV/VIDEOS

Once Were Brothers (2020): Music Documentary, directed by Martin Scorsese, based on Robbie Robertson's memoir Testimony. This is Robbie's version of the story of The Band, and it's well-worth seeing, as long as you know that in advance. Great footage of Dylan, Woodstock, etc...Still, it does make you wonder why the only other surviving Band member, Garth Hudson, does not appear in any current day footage to discuss the past. 


The Plot Against America (2020): HBO (6-Episode Miniseries)


The Plot Against America is based on a 2004 book by the late Philip Roth, which you really should read. If you do, you'll find that the book, like this mini-series, offers a number of chilling echoes of our current Trumpian creep towards totalitarianism in a reimagined 1940's America, where aviator hero and Nazi sympathizer Charles Lindbergh wins the presidency... in part by targeting Jews as a nefarious population, which leads to tragic consequences (naturally). The always wonderful John Turturro stars, with excellent turns by Winona Ryder, Anthony Boyle, Zoe Kazan, and Caleb Malis.

Frances Quinlan: NPR Tiny Desk Concerts (All Songs Considered):



Damon Albarn performing Gorillaz "Aries' on "Jimmy Kimmel Live":




                                                   

                                                                       ALBUMS

The 1975 Notes On A Conditional Form. Top-notch album. Sure to be a hit. I like "People" and the cameo from Greta on the song "The 1975".


Chuck Prophet The Land That Time Forgot. He writes new songs, like "Marathon", that sound like covers of forgotten classics.

Norah Jones Pick Me Up Off The Floor. Norah's been doing Corona Concerts online which are really great!

The Neverly Boys Dark Side Of Everything. "Never Come Down" is a stand-out track.

Jeff Rosenstock No Dream. Great new album! Check it out!



                                                                        SINGLES

Wilco "Tell Your Friends". Cool, new single, available on Bandcamp for $1, a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen:



Bob Dylan "False Prophet". Summer tour cancelled due to Corona... but a new album coming out and no more Sinatra!



Sharon Van Etten "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding?" (feat Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age). The Nick Lowe/Elvis Costello mega-classic gets a nice treatment here by this unlikely, but totes legit duo. P.S. Nick Lowe makes a cameo in the video.

Phoebe Bridgers "I See You". Phoebe continues to build excitement for her forthcoming sophomore release Punisher with this new single.

Fontaines D.C. "A Hero's Death"



PREVIOUS THISSMALLPLANET.COM CORONA APOCALYPSE PLAYLISTS:




ARCHIVAL

Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, The Clash, The Jam, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Nina Simone, Bruce Springsteen, Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds, David Bowie, Manassas, The Talking Heads,  Jesus Christ Superstar.




Photos & Video by Jason Bell

Jim Carrey Recasts Trump & Boris as "The Shining" Twins


@JimCarrey: 90,0000 in the US, over 40,000 in the UK. Highest death tolls in the covid world. Half of those deaths...preventable. REDRUM! REDRUM!! REDRUM!!!




Lana Del Rey Announces New Album For September... And A Few Other Things Too...

Lana's 2019 masterpiece NFR!: Norman Fucking Rockwell


From Instagram: @LanaDelRey


UPDATE:





Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Cool, New Song from Phoebe Bridgers: "I See You"; Album Out June 19th





“Phoebe Bridgers’ World, Tour” Dates In Full

May 26 @ KITCHEN w/ Hooligan Magazine: 5P PST / 8P EST (#HooliganHangouts) 

May 28 @ BATHROOM w/ Noisey/Vice: 5P PST / 8P EST (Noisey Night In)

June 4 @ BED w/ DIY Magazine: 7P PM UK (DIYsolation)

June 6 @ BED - Time TBD

Cool, New Song by Phoebe Bridgers: "Kyoto" (Video) plus videos of Phoebe & Conor Oberst

Phoebe doing The Pixies "Gigantic" for an iPhone Commercial:

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Rest In Peace, Beat Poet Michael McClure



McClure, Dylan, Ginsberg, Orlovsky, Ferlinghetti

Cool, New Video (Starring Aidan Gillen of "Game Of Thrones") of a Cool, New Song by Fontaines D.C.: "A Hero's Death"




Aiden Gillen, who we loved to hate as "Littlefinger" in Game Of Thrones, stars in a new video of a song by the Irish band Fontaines D.C.

The song is called "A Hero's Death", which is also the title of the band's sophomore album (coming out July 31, 2020 on Partisan).

The band's breakthrough single on their first album from last year was "Big":



Monday, May 4, 2020

New Photos of Arthur Rimbaud? At the Paris Commune uprising, 1871 (17 y.o.)




Until recently, only a few images of poet Arthur Rimbaud existed. 

This new article posits two new photos may be the famed poet:

Arthur Rimbaud: The Discovery of Two New Portraits of the Planetary Poet-laureate

ThisSmallPlanet.com Corona Apocalypse Playlist 3: Stuff To Watch and Listen To in Isolation



TV


Beastie Boys Story documentary

Better Call Saul "Something Unforgivable" Season 5 finale



ALBUMS


King Gizzard Chunky Shrapnel

X Alphabetland

Mogwai ZeroZeroZero

Car Seat Headrest Making A Door Less Open

Lucinda Williams Good Souls Better Angels

Mark Kozelek All The Best, Isaac Hayes

Steve Gunn Livin' In Between



SINGLES


Bright Eyes "Forced Convalescence"

Big Thief "Life In Mine"

Gorillaz "How Far?" (Tony Allen tribute)

Lizzo "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke)

Carla Olson "Shackles And Chains"



ARCHIVAL

Fred Neil (all), Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler collaboration Neck And Neck (1990),  CSNY "Horses Through A Rainstorm" (1969 Deju Vu outtake by Terry Reid).



HEAVY ROTATION

Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Waxahatchee, Fiona Apple, Stephen Malkmus



RECENT PLAYLISTS:


Spring 2020: Books & Music: Cool, New Stuff To Read & Listen To

ThisSmallPlanet Corona Playlist 1: Women Folk Who Rock

ThisSmallPlanet Corona Apocalypse Playlist 2 - New Indie Music







Saturday, May 2, 2020

Cool, New Video from Carla Olson: "Shackles And Chains" (Live From The Backyard)



Check out Carla's new collection of her collaborations "Have Harmony, Will Travel 2" feat such artists as Gene Clark, Stephen McCarthy, Timothy B. Schmit, Peter Noone, Terry Reid, and Percy Sledge.

Damon Albarn Releases "How Far?" by Gorillaz as Tribute to the late, great Fela drummer Tony Allen




We were saddened to learn of the passing of Tony Allen, Fela's drummer, a true pioneer in blending African and Western music. 

He later played with Damon Albarn (Gorillaz, Blur) in both The Good, The Bad, & The Queen (which featured The Clash's Paul Simonon on bass) and in Rocket Juice and The Moon (who put out a 2012 album feat Flea on bass).

Allen played percussion on this newly-released Gorillaz track "How Far?" (above)...

... and at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1978 (below), Allen played with Fela and The Cream's Ginger Baker:




Damon Albarn provided the vocals and Tony Allen the percussion on 2014's "Go Back", which appeared on Allen's Film Of Life album...