"A GOOD TIME WILL BE HAD BY ALL!"

The Calf Branders are some super-fun folks and I LOVE it when they say that: "A good time will be had by all."

What a super-fun way of using the passive voice!

They are fun, too, because they are the type to put everything in uppercase when posting anything to their fan list. With stars. And exclamation points.

** LAST SHOW OF 2009! **
** THE CALF BRANDERS! **
** FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND **
** Skylark Lounge -- 140 S. Broadway, Denver **
** 9:30 to 1:30! **

** Branding season has started for us Calf Branders! We suddenly realized that we all got so busy branding calves that we did not have any dates available the rest of the year to get together and play for y'all again in 2009! C'mon down to the Skylark this Friday and we might pretend it is New Years Eve. We'll be playing again in 2010! **

** A good time will be had by all! **

Here's more news on this hyper-local band -- you'll understand the hyper-local once you read the info -- straight from Lance Bakemeyer, bassist:

"The Calf Branders have written a song that Dwight Yoakum will be using on his next release. (A song that I wrote).

"I am a Douglas County native -- the bass player -- the ranch I grew up on is now Canterberry Crossing in Parker. The golf course, homes, New Hope Drug Rehab -- I raised cattle on there from 1972 to 2001. The idea for the Calf Branders was due to our calf branding parties that we had on the ranch (on Tomahawk Road -- Bill Daniels ranch now). At one time this ranch went from East Parker Road to Hilltop (North and South) and Tomahawk Road to Rowlety Downs (East and West).

"I also compete in Rodeo. My son and I competed in the Douglas County roping events (local roping) in August. 2009 marked the 33rd year I competed.

"Thanks for your interest -- Lance"

Thanks for being so fabulous! We love you, Oh Calf Branders! WOO!

The Motet -- WOO!

Download the new Motet album, Dig Deep, FREE at http://www.themotet.com/digdeep/motet-dig.deep.zip

At the Halloween weekend shows this year, The Motet will be performing the music of Sly and the Family Stone.

More from the Motet camp:

"We are especially excited for these shows because we will be joined by some phenomenal musicians from the west coast. In addition to Motet regulars Dave Watts, Joey Porter, and Dominic Lalli, we will be featuring former Sly and the Family Stone guitarist Gail Muldrow.

"Gail played on the 1975 Sly and the Family Stone record I Get High on You and has recorded and toured extensively with Sly bassist Larry Graham’s Graham Central Station. In addition she has also toured with Merle Saunders and JGB (among countless other artists).

"Gail is a fantastic vocalist as well as a slamming funk guitar player so she will undoubtedly be a huge addition to this year’s line-up.

"Also, we are binging in from Portland Oregon our ever-popular vocalist Jans Ingber, singer extraordinaire Paul Creighton, and the most raw and funky bassist west of the Willamette: Dan Scollard. And last but certainly not least, the omni-present and always charming Cecil “P-Nut” Daniels will be joining us with his futuristic electro-trumpet!"

The dates are as follows:

Oct. 28: Hodi's Halfnote (Ft. Collins)
Oct. 29: Fox Theatre (Boulder)
Oct. 30: Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom (Denver)
Oct. 31: Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

New Age News: Chad Beall ...

BIG NEWS FROM A GUY WE LOVE, CHAD BEALL:

"I have the honor to open for internationally recognized, Grammy-nominated solo pianist David Lanz. David is well known for his masterful compositions and was a pioneer in bringing audience interaction with 'solo pianists.' I have been influenced by David's life and music and am blessed to have the opportunity to play a few songs before he plays! Many Thanks to Bob Baker and David for this opportunity!"

Some deets from the Chad Beall site:

DAVID LANZ FEATURING SPECIAL GUEST CHAD BEALL

7 p.m. Oct. 3, 2009
Baker’s Piano Center
2670 E. County Line Road, Suite A, Highlands Ranch
Box Office: 303-730-7779

As I mentioned, we had a bunch of staffers pick Local Music CDs and write brief reviews. A few days ago I got one from Gail Broyles on Chad Beall:

Original and soothing piano melodies with several guest vocals make this a great choice ... for life.

Chad Beall, I should note, was the first to perform in Parker Library's Live Local Music Series. In fact we owe it to Chad Beall for starting the series, because he approached us -- me and Allison Lyons, a hipster librarian who was my Local Music partner-in-crime until she up and decided to move to New Zealand.

Side note: Did you know you can actually have a piano moved just for one performance? (Yeah. Uh-huh. Me, too!)

Anyway, it was a great night, and I think we had about 50 people. One of my colleagues, Linda Vincent, came and really enjoyed it. She ended up purchasing Chad's first CD, Dedications, at the show. (See, you can also sell CDs at the show if you perform in our series!)

Another side note is that I had no idea what all New Age* represented as a genre. I thought it was the music massage therapists play in the background when they are not playing classical. It can be that, but it can also be contemporary and romantic piano. That's Chad Beall: original contemporary and romantic piano.

We did not end up moving a piano in the library -- we had the performance at the University Center at Chaparral, which has an awesome concert piano that the nice folks that make up the Douglas-Elbert Music Teachers Association let us use. They had just purchased it and those nice folks let us use their shiny new piano for, um, a song.

(Were the cliche police looking the other way? Whew! ;)

So ... what Chad Beall is up to, straight from the horse:

Album: It is still in the adding instrumentation phase. It will probably be there this whole month of September. Cross your fingers and send good wishes that I can complete everything with enough gusto to ensure that my new CD releases before Christmas! Worst case scenario: Valentine's Day 2010.

Thank you all for your continued support and don't forget to spread the word about my music. I'm looking forward to sharing the updated website functionality and new CD with you in the near future!

* Here's Wikipedia on New Age music: New Age music is defined more by the effect or feeling it produces rather than the devices used in its creation; it may be electronic or acoustic, or a mixture of both. New Age artists range from solo or ensemble performances using instruments such as Westernpiano, acoustic guitar, flutes, harps and many others, to electronic musical instruments, and Eastern instruments such as sitar, tamboura, tabla; and instruments from all other parts of the world, the ... singing in languages from all around the world.

(Can you tell I'm SO not one of those librarians that can't see any role for Wikipedia.)

Status report! John Common: Hiatus

Update from John Common before a brief hiatus: The new record, Beautiful Empty, is "pretty much done."

The Denver release party will be 12/12 at Curious Theatre. "That night is gonna be crazy cool," says Common.

More from Mr. (un)Common:

We're taking a break from music for a month or so ... to rest up for all the flashing and lighting and blinding that we'll soon be doing.

Enjoy your September. I sure will.

If you are not tuned-in enough to know better, here's stuff about John Common, straight from the horse -- at the very bottom I put a bunch of places to chat at him / follow him.

He's cool. He gave us this image of him, above. It is sort of, um, sexy.

JOHN COMMON & BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHT

John Common sometimes wishes he were a filmmaker or a painter, but due to a run-in with his older brother's record collection at an impressionable age, he ended up with a bad case of the rock and an obsession for making music instead. He's constantly writing songs -- they range from raucous and snarly, to beautiful and introspective.

John plays with an incredibly talented group of musicians, artists and friends, drawn from Colorado’s indie music scene: Jess De Nicola (voice), Keven Meyer (bass, vocals), Wes Michaels (cello, saxophone), Adam Revell (keys, vocals) and Scott Davies (drums, samples). They are that unique kind of band where each player is an artistic force in their own right, but when they all play together something rare happens: musical conversation.

Beautiful Empty ... will cause short films to spontaneously appear in your head with its lush arrangements, gorgeous harmonies and cinematic lyrics.

It’s music that can pin you to the wall, break your heart, or just send you off thinking for a while.

Visit www.johncommon.com for more information.

DISCOGRAPHY

Beautiful Empty (TBA)
Spill EP (2007)
Why Birds Fly (2007)
Good To Be Born (2006)
The Longest Street In America (2003)
Collecting Empties (1999)

FORTUNATE OCCURRENCES

2009 Lyons Folks Festival Finalist
2009 Westword Nominated Best Pop Artist
2009 Denver Music Scene Top 10 Songwriters
2008 Telluride Troubadour Finalist
2008 Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter
2007 Lyons Folks Festival Finalist
2007 Mover and Shaker / Best Local Release -- Westword
2007 Best Local Release -- The Denver Post
2006 Most Intriguing Discs -- The Onion
2006 Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter

PRESS

"Hard to classify, John Common plays a brand of upbeat indie rock that makes use of a wide array of instruments from trumpets to xylophones. His band Blinding Flashes of Light is comprised of several talented musicians culled from the vibrant Colorado indie scene who provide the backdrop to his insightful and powerful lyrics." -- DENVER METROMIX

"John's clever lyrics and perfectly crafted songs are outdone only by his huge and prolific body of work. This guy puts out a solid album twice a year. No wonder his songs are good. He also has a killer band." -- Denver Music Scene, Top Ten Singer-Songwriters

"A brilliant, extremely ambitious disc... Denver's finest rock recording of the past decade." -- WESTWORD (Good To Be Born)

"Why Birds Fly is even more uncommon than its acclaimed 2006 predecessor ... the aural environment Common creates is so sumptuous that it rewards repeated listens even as it confounds expectations." -- WESTWORD (Why Birds Fly)

"It may seem difficult to imagine a guy named John Common living a highly individual life, but believe it ... his creative curiosity and detail-oriented aesthetic distinguish him from the drooling pack of earnest singer-songwriters." -- THE DENVER POST

"Raw, yet sophisticated pop." -- THE ONION

MOST INTRIGUING DISCS OF 2006 -- THE ONION

"With all the craft of a consummate songwriter, John Common builds songs that dig beneath thick skins and lazy thinking. He deconstructs them with the abandon of a mad scientist, resulting in a disc that's as rich in texture as it is drenched in tenderness." -- THE ONION

"Every aspect of Common's squirrely melodic sensibilities and unerringly tight playing and production are featured here." -- THE DENVER POST

"A rich mix of samples, guitars, and lyrical intensity in a quieter version of 'Bends'-era Radiohead or the missing step in Wilco's leap from 'Being There' to 'Summerteeth.' The music is complex and innovative without sacrificing catchy hooks or raw energy in a wide range of styles and tempos." -- COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ

"The auspicious debut of former Rainville frontman John Common shares intellectual shelf space with mid-period Remy Zero and Radiohead. With supple vocals that glide from intoxicating purrs to forceful croons, Common weaves his way through intelligent, cinematic material that's thoughtfully augmented by well-placed samples, subtle brass accompaniment and murmuring keys." -- WESTWORD

"This album portrays a band with the skills to embellish a writer who has a foot in the motherlode of great songs." -- AMERICANA UK

"Common has achieved the musical equivalent of picking up seven tiles in a game of Scrabble and being able to lay down “bezique” on the first turn. " -- FIVE MAGAZINE, TAOS, NEW MEXICO

"It would be much too easy to use John Common's last name as a pun to describe his 'uncommon' skills as a singer-songwriter, but what the hell." -- SANTE FE REPORTER

"His face is a familiar one around town -- although it's not as recognizable as his voice." -- THE DENVER POST

"Drawing as much from Radiohead and Yo La Tengo as it does from Wilco and the Jayhawks, the group folds elegant melody into brooding experimentalism -- an epic, adventurous sound that will be showcased on an upcoming full-length debut." -- WESTWORD

"Common writes a great song just about every day ... 'Good To Be Born' is a Matthew Sweet-meets-Queen rock opus filled with catchy songs and layers of clever vocals ... Damn him." -- 5280

"There are songs that make me want to drink til morning, you see ... Songs that make me wish I'd somehow gone home with that handsome stranger who smiled when I looked up from my book. ... Songs that make me want to be loud and messy and get into lots of trouble, when normally I am quiet and neat and only get into medium amounts of trouble. ... Songs I've caught myself putting on repeat when it's 2 a.m. and I have to wake up at 6." -- A GIRL

johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

Trust me on this one, people. ;)

Alf is sew kewl ...

COOL! Alf from KTCL sent me a message via our myspace page on Local Music -- an answer to my post about always wanting to request a couple great '80s songs during his retro show that I listen to most Sunday nights driving back from my pop's house in Boulder, but being afraid he would think my choices were, you know, cliches.

(Because Alf is the picture of kewlness and has taste -- and musical insight -- coming out of his pores.)

Alf said in his myspace message (in answer to me sending him a link to my "Ode to Alf" re-posting to him; iow he doesn't Google himself): "The only cliche request is 'Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds. But 'Come on Eileen' comes close. :) Thanks."

YEAH!! I'm so happy! A new claim to fame!! You made my day/evening/week/month/year!!

Musicians are SO kewl: They are having a BIG benefit for Elana Rogers -- reminds me of that CD for Victoria Williams Pearl Jam's "Crazy Mary" was on

The text is from Elana Rogers herself -- note that April Kim performed in our series, too, and ended up hooking us up with Elana:

Friends, please mark your calendars for Friday, Sept. 25! With the help of April Sciacca (aka April Kim), Sara Widener and Tommy Nahulu, some wonderful people have come together to help me and are going to put on a BIG show!

The benefit is called "Support for Our Sister" and will be held at the D Note. Forward to your friends!

My story is here. Donations also welcome on the "Help Support the Fight" link.

"Support for Our Sister" Benefit
Friday, September 25th
~ The D Note ~
www.dnote.us
5719 Grandview
Arvada, Colorado

The best gourmet pizza around! KIDS welcome!!

The proceeds will go towards my health fund as my medical bills are now in the thousands (yes, even with insurance).

These bands are awesome! What can I say? These people are extremely talented, will entertain your SOCKS off, and are very near and dear to my heart.

There will be a raffle to boot.

Bands / solo artists in order of appearance ...

5:30 pm: Naor Nave acoustic
6:30 pm: Tempa & The Tantrums
7:30 pm: Melanie Susuras Band
8:45 pm: Something Underground (recently played Red Rocks!)
10:30 pm: Demon Funkies!

Since I will not be performing at the benefit, the following day -- Saturday, Sept. 26 -- I will be performing solo acoustic in an intimate setting from 2-3 pm in Parker Library's Live Local Music Series at the Parker Mainstreet Center! I'll be performing in the gallery at the Mainstreet Center, which is at 20120 E. Mainstreet in historic downtown Parker. Questions about the series or the venue? Ask Parker Library Reference: 303.840.5183.

I know this is back-to-back with the above-mentioned event, but it would be a great help if some friends could come show their support -- in hopes to avoid a scenario of performing to an empty audience.

Many hugs, thanks, and graciousness,

Love,

Elana

www.elanarogers.com

Artist review: Saints

I'm not going to post every review I write for Colorado Music Buzz on this blog -- you know where to find them and more -- but I simply must post my review of the self-titled EP by the Denver-based Brit-pop band Saints -- you'll immediately see why. (Who knew Brit pop could make me freak out like this?) Enjoy! Jeanie

P.S. Images courtesy Saints. (Thanks, guys. You rock.)

Indie -- Rock: Saints -- Saints [EP]
Colorado Music Buzz | Vol 4 Issue 4 |
September 2009

I LOVED this CD instantly. I was actually sort of stunned when “Guiding Light,” the first song, started, having resigned myself to look for positive things to say about whatever I was about to hear – I honestly haven’t been in love with a lot of CDs lately.

With Saints I literally had to find SaintsTheBand on Twitter and give a shout-out to the guys – Rob Gault (guitars and vocals), Lewi Gault (drums) and Blaine Schult (guitars).

On Twitter I said: I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! And if you know me, you know I’m not at all like that.

Not the gushing type at all.

They are so very young and yet have gelled so well together as a band. You surely will be surprised such young talent is so tight. This EP should be all over KTCL and the rest of the world, what with the outstanding guitar riffs and Rob Gault’s fabulous voice, the obvious talent pooled instrumentally in regards to composition and melody, coupled with rare polish and true originality.

(The production quality rocks, to be sure.)

A small regret was that I could not find the lyrics online.

With just a smidge of the sound of the sixties in there, Saints have a totally fresh sound all their own and are very strong, lyrically.

To boot, this five-song EP sounds great as a unit, but the songs are not so much the same as to be evidence of weakness.

On their MySpace they say: “We hope to uplift you and make a difference in your day.” They made a difference in my year.

This is truly the best CD I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing since I started doing reviews for Colorado Music Buzz a little more than a year ago – that’s No. 1 of more than 30 CDs.

They also say: “We hope to be great.” They are so great. They’re going to be worldwide.

Just watch

Artist review: Meese

By Scott Brown
Music Therapy

So the only disc I have from Meese right now is Our Album Year (Thanks to Jeanie -- otherwise I'd have none!) That, and I have listened to a few tracks off of their new album, Broadcast.

For the most part, I almost would quote from my Elana Rogers review: There's nothing really wrong with the musicianship. Problem is, they kinda all sound the same. Or maybe, they sound like stuff I'd hear on mainstream radio. And I gotta tell ya - you've probably guessed by now -- I don't listen to mainstream radio. I like the quirky, I like the odd stuff with the vocal that is unusual, I like hearing sounds and music I don't usually hear.

Sure, you'll hear things from this blog/podcast that are pretty poppy -- like Meese -- but for whatever reason, at least to me, they stand out. And I try to tell you, when I can, why those things stand out for me.

That all said -- there's one song off of Our Album Year, "Only Me (Two Books)," that does catch me.
(Here's a link to a live version -- sorry about the sound quality.)

Now, why this song? It's actually a small snippet of the lyrics: "My heart is in this, I haven't changed -- yet." I guess it's the juxtaposition -- this sweet, poppy song, this statement that sounds like reassurance, and then this very subtle undercut in the sentiment.

I love that kind of stuff. That's the kind of thing that makes a song stick for me, and the difference of one song among many.

And I think that's all I have to say about that!

Check out Scott's Music Therapy blog at http://scottbrown.typepad.com/music_therapy/

Venues aplenty at Parker Mainstreet Center ...

We're moving! Yes. Parker Library's Live Local Music Series is experimenting, and the first performance off-campus will be Sept. 26, when indie folk-rock princess Elana Rogers does the gallery at Parker Mainstreet Center. The other two venues associated with the center are the chapel and the auditorium proper (below), which seats 200. I do like the gallery, because our series is designed to be intimate. But in case we ever get F.O.E., we're going with the auditorium!

Colorado Music Buzz FAC!

This is a very cool thing that CMB does about once a month. This Friday, Sept. 11, you can check out The DESCIPLES when they perform live at The Roobar, 3480 Park Avenue West in Denver. The event runs 4-8 p.m. (No cover!) Please bring canned food to help Colorado Music Buzz in supporting FightWithFood.org!

Attention rock-star wannabes -- follow this amazing list from Lefsetz

As you know, I'm a HUGE FAN of music industry insider Lefsetz. He wrote a list he sent out today that pretty much NAILS IT as far as the best advice you could ever get to be a rock star -- in music and in life. He was writing about Steve Jobs as a role model's role model. All of his text is in red -- mine is in a sort of hot pink. (I did not want to clutter up this amazing piece of writing with quote marks or notes of any kind!)

NOTE: The photos are of (01) future rock stars, below, Joe Fornothin' performing at Parker Library. I used them because they are young and passionate. (Lefsetz would love them!) And then there is (02) Meese, here. Meese = almost-there rock stars; more local boys done well. I LOVE Meese. The screenshot is from their video for "Next in Line."

What kind of crazy, fucked-up world do we live in where the biggest rock star doesn't even play an instrument? ... [W]hat I find utterly amazing is I'm more interested in what Steve Jobs has to say than any musician.

And I'm not alone.

He's autocratic. Beholden to no one. Says no to partners. Does what he thinks is right. ...

While today's 'artists' make music by committee, kissing the butts of everyone in the food chain of retail and publicity, this guy in Northern California, far from the streets, has amassed a following larger than any band.




Don't make deals with sponsors.

Don't worry about offending.

And you might have a career that lasts a decade or two.

Pursue your dream.

Don't focus on the hit.

Break the rules.

Tell those in your way to fuck off.

Don't be afraid of alienating potential customers.

And you might just grow a fan base dedicated enough to give you all its money, and evangelize to others, getting them to part with their dough too.

I dunno about you, but Lefsetz is a HUGE rock star in my book.

--
Visit the Lefsetz archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Follow him on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
Subscribe to the LefsetzLetter. Trust me, he sends the best, most insightful email newsletter about the music industry. You won't be unsubscribing. EVER.

Angie Stevens & The Beautiful Wreck ROCK Parker Library's Live Local Music Series!

Flobots lyrics ...

Best-kept blogger secret: The best way to up views of any blog is to post Flobots lyrics on it. I'm totally serious. Here are the lyrics to Handlebars by the Flobots. Just watch my profile views. Up, up and away. And, BTW, I hate the second version of the video. The first one -- see screenshot -- is way more political. The second one, it is like, I dunno. You cannot always make the political palatable to the masses. Why ruin a good thing? The first one was awesome.

Handlebars by the Flobots ...

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars

Look at me, look at me
hands in the air like it's good to be ALIVE
and I'm a famous rapper
even when the paths're all crookedy
I can show you how to do-si-do
I can show you how to scratch a record
I can take apart the remote control
And I can almost put it back together
I can tie a knot in a cherry stem
I can tell you about Leif Ericson
I know all the words to "De Colores"
And "I'm Proud to be an American"
Me and my friend saw a platypus
Me and my friend made a comic book
And guess how long it took
I can do anything that I want cuz, look:

I can keep rhythm with no metronome
No metronome
No metronome

And I can see your face on the telephone
On the telephone
On the telephone

Look at me
Look at me
Just called to say that it's good to be
ALIVE
In such a small world
I'm all curled up with a book to read
I can make money open up a thrift store
I can make a living off a magazine
I can design an engine sixty four
Miles to a gallon of gasoline
I can make new antibiotics
I can make computers survive aquatic conditions
I know how to run a business
I can make you wanna buy a product
Movers shakers and producers
Me and my friends understand the future
I see the strings that control the systems
I can do anything with no assistance
Cuz I can lead a nation with a microphone
With a microphone
With a microphone
And I can split the atom of a molecule
Of a molecule
Of a molecule

Look at me
Look at me
Driving and I won't stop
And it feels so good to be
Alive and on top
My reach is global
My tower secure
My cause is noble
My power is pure
I can hand out a million vaccinations
Or let'em all die in exasperation
Have'em all healed of their lacerations
Have'em all killed by assassination
I can make anybody go to prison
Just because I don't like'em and
I can do anything with no permission
I have it all under my command
Because I can guide a missile by satellite
By satellite
By satellite
And I can hit a target through a telescope
Through a telescope
Through a telescope
And I can end the planet in a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars