Los Angeles seems like some kind of paradise from its iconic images and its magnetic pull on many who work in the visual and audio arts. Yet in song it can seem a much bleaker place than the constant sunshine of the sunshine state might lead one to imagine – it seems to retain the darkness of the long vanished LA of Phillip Marlowe. In music it’s a place that people seem to be going to go, or going from, pining for or wishing they could throw off. Let’s take a bit of a stroll down those wide boulevards – but let’s at least try and save Hollywood for another occasion. Continue reading “Ten great “Los Angeles” songs”
Tag: Phosphorescent
Americana acts cover David Berman songs in tribute – Watch
With thanks to BrooklynVegan for highlighting this – tributes are still coming in for David Berman who died last week (we now know sadly from suicide) and some artists have covered songs from Silver Jews over the weekend, including Phosphorescent who performed ‘Trains Across the Sea’ from the 1994’s album ‘Starlight Walker’ and Hiss Golden Messenger who covered the wonderful ‘Dallas’ from 1996’s ‘The Natural Bridge’ album. You can watch both of those performances below. The Brooklyn band Activity, Pennsylvania’s The Districts and the National have also covered Berman’s songs in recent days. Continue reading “Americana acts cover David Berman songs in tribute – Watch”
Watch Phosphorescent perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The exclamation being the show’s, not our surprise. Leaving you this weekend dear reader with a clip rather than a news story. Phosphorescent aka singer-songwriter Matthew Houck and band appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday to play ‘New Birth in New England’ which is taken from the band’s latest album ‘C’est La Vie’ which hasn’t been given a proper UK release yet but hey, we are citizens of nowhere these days. It’s a lovely version of the tune and full of pizzazz (imagine that on a triple word score in Scrabble). Have a good one.
Phosphorescent new album and UK dates, October – Listen
Phosphorescent have announced details of a new album ‘C’est La Vie’ which will be released on October 5th in the UK via Dead Oceans. The album was produced by the band’s Matthew Houck and recorded at his Spirit Sounds Studio in Nashville with an array of musicians including Ricky Ray Jackson on pedal steel, Luke Reynolds on guitar and Jo Schornikow (Houck’s missus) on Wurlitzer and organ. According to Uncut, the album describes “a life-altering period which saw him fall in love, start a family, leave New York, build a studio from the ground up, and battle serious illness. “It’s laughable, honestly, how many life-altering events happened in the last half decade,” Houck says. “The most significant moments in your life make you feel your insignificance.”” Continue reading “Phosphorescent new album and UK dates, October – Listen”
Phosphorescent announce a few UK dates.
After what has seemed like a very long four years Phosphorescent – the band that rotates around Matthew Houck – have finally announced that there will be some headlining gigs in the UK on the European tour. Hold the over the top excitement, because the October tour will only have three such dates, and these are: October 26th Grand Central Hall, Liverpool; October 28th Brudenell Social Club, Leeds and finally October 30th at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. Continue reading “Phosphorescent announce a few UK dates.”
Our First 100 Days project ends with Phosphorescent playing Woody Guthrie – Listen
Possibly the most worthwhile music project of the century so far, ambitious in scale and a delight from start to finish, Paste report: “Saturday marked the 100th day of the new regime, and that number feels even more trivial and arbitrary now that we’re on the other side of it—especially when it means that Our First 100 Days, the playlist that’s been getting us through with a new song every day, was forced by virtue of its own name to come to a close. Continue reading “Our First 100 Days project ends with Phosphorescent playing Woody Guthrie – Listen”