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15. Dinosaur Jr – Farm

Dinosaur JrWhen Dinosaur Jr reformed in their original line-up, it smelled like a money grabbing opportunity. First album in of the reformed line-up was a disappointment. Nobody expected much of the second one. However, when the sounds of Farm hit the Internet this summer, I had to re-examine my point of view regarding the new found companionship between the former foes Mascis and Barlow. Farm, just like Mission of Burma’s On Off On, captures an old band in a new found artistic height. Songs are wonderful, long, solos are gorgeous. An hour of pure pleasure is augmented by the extra disc (look for that exclusive release), where Dinosaur JR cover The Zombies and revisit old J’s acoustic pastiche Little Ethnic Song.

Flashlite #65

John Paul KeithToday we showcase several new names at The Little Lighthouse: John Paul Keith, Eichmann Family, Sweet Apple,  The Hex Dispensers, Smith Westerns and D. Charles Speer. John Paul Keith comes from Memphis and has a band called The One Four Fives. About a year ago he put out the record called Spills And Thrills and it’s such a beautiful record, I can’t believe I missed until now. John Paul Keith’s band opened for Jack Oblivian in Cleveland and even more than that – they played the role of the Tearjerkers that night. John Paul Keith was also one of the Snake Eyes – the last band for Jim Dickinson before he passed away. Eichmann Family is another garage rock band from Zagreb – there are several very good ones over there. Sweet Apple is the new band for John Petkovic and Tim Parnin from Cobra Verde and J. Mascis and David Sweetapple form The Witch. Supergroup for the new millenium, isn’t it? Hex Dispenser are garage magicians from Austin Texas. Smith Westerns is a new band from Chicago and D Charles Speer and his Helix are from New York City – two new names that come from big cities, but sound much more provincial (which is a good thing at The Lighthouse!). And the last, but not the least, our favorites from a few years ago, Bassholes have a new LP, and it’s untitled again.

The Hex Dispensers – I’ve Got My Doppelganger On;
Eichmann Family – Daddy Doesn’t Love Me;
My Buddy Moose – When I Say;
Cobra Verde – Haunted Heavens;
Sweet Apple – Do You Remember;
Bassholes – Swannanoa River;
Bassholes – Caravan Man;
Steve Wynn – Outlaw Blues;
Rickie Lee Jones – Subterranean Homesick Blues;
Rickie Lee Jones – The Blue Ghazel;
James Luther Dickinson – Eloise;
Irma Thomas – It’s Raining;
The Detroit Cobras – It’s Raining;
John Paul Keith and The One Four Fives – Let’s Get Gone;
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Dreaming;
Blondie – Dreaming;
Smith Westerns – Be My Girl;
D. Charles Speer & The Helix – Helical.

Flashlite #64

The RevoltsThis show goes to all the gig-goers in Cleveland. I made it inspired by a busy week in which I saw live shows by The Meat Puppets, Ian McLagan, Dinosaur JR and Jack Oblivian. I had to miss Reigning Sound, but from what I hear, it was a great gig. We also have some new stuff. We represent two bands from a new generation of Zagreb rockers. My Buddy Moose, who we know from their self-titled album a few years ago and The Revolts. My Buddy Moose has a new album coming up next year and we hear exclusive tracks from it while they are searching for a publisher. Mike Watt has a new project called Il Sogno Del Marinaio with Italian musicians Stefano Pilia and Andrea Belfi. We also introduce The Revelators for the first time at the Little Lighthouse, although they’ve been around for some time.

J Mascis – A Little Ethnic Song;
The Zombies – Whenever You’re Ready;
Dinosaur Jr. – Whenever You’re Ready;
Reigning Sound – Trash Talk;
Meat Puppets – Look At The Rain;
Jack-O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers – Sweet Thang;
Jack Oblivian – Cigarillo;
Ian McLagan – So Lucky;
Ian Mclagan – Itchycoo Park;
Small Faces – Itchycoo Park;
Telefon – Putovanja;
Nocna Smjena – Vrtlog;
Revolts – Probudi se;
My Buddy Moose – Tonight;
Il Sogno Del Marinaio – Thema one;
Bob Dylan – Positively 4th Street;
Steve Wynn – Positively 4th Street;
The Revelators – Love One Day.

Flashlite #63

Brimstone Howl Here is one good straight-forward rock’n’roll episode! We check out the newest works of King Khan, Brimstone Howl and Jack Oblivian. All of them have some new stuff out. We explore the history of Cleveland’s underground scene by digging out a 1979 unreleased tune by the group called The Radiation Factory. Los Lobos have a new album where they cover Disney tunes. We also hear one tune from the latest Tom Waits live album called Glitter and Doom. I secretly hoping that Eagles of Death Metal cover Goin’ Out WestM one time in their career…

All The Saints – Leeds;
Mud Boy And The Neutrons – Brownsville;
King Khan & The Shrines – (How Can I Keep You) Outta Harms Way;
The King Khan BBQ Show – Invisible Girl;
Gentleman Jesse & His Men – All I Need Tonight (Is You);
Brimstone Howl – Shangri La;
Brimstone Howl – Suicide Blues;
Jack Oblivian – Put Your Love On Me Part II;
Reigning Sound – Debris;
Jay Reatard – It Ain’t Gonna Save Me;
The Radiation Factory – Analog Minds In A Digital World;
Yardbirds – Here ‘Tis;
Laibach – One After 909;
Eagles Of Death Metal – I’m Your Torpedo;
Tom Waits – Goin’ Out West;
Tom Waits – Heigh-Ho;
Los Lobos – Heigh-Ho.

Flashlite #62

Rickie Lee JonesToday we begin with a block of Los Angeles garage bands and we choose the songs from the latest Nuggets compilation, called Where The Action Is. We take a chance to reflect especially on Sky Saxon, legendary member of The Seeds who passed away earlier this summer. Rickie Lee Jones has a new album out called Balm In Gilead and it’s filled with smoky, intimate, slow tempo tunes. We also check in with Marshall Crenshaw and his new album called Jaggedland and with the Drive-By Truckers guy Patterson Hood who has an exciting new solo album out called Murdering Oscar.

Mission Of Burma – 1 2 3 Party;
Mouse And The Traps – A Public Execution;
P.F. Sloan – Halloween Mary;
The Premiers – Get on This Plane;
The Ballroom – Baby, Please Don’t Go;
The Seeds – Tripmaker;
The Seeds – Pushin’ Too Hard;
Carla Thomas – That Beat Keeps Disturbing My Sleep;
Amy LaVere – That Beat;
Rickie Lee Jones – The Moon Is Made of Gold;
Rickie Lee Jones – Nobody Knows My Name;
The Beatles – And Your Bird Can Sing;
The Choir – I’d Rather You Leave Me;
Action Now – Stop pretending;
Up And Out – I’m Learning;
Marshall Crenshaw – Our Town;
Marshall Crenshaw – Right on Time;
Patterson Hood – I Understand Now;
The Ace – Adamantine Sorceress of Ecstasy;
Satin Gum – Run For Cover.

Flashlite #61

Dawn LandesToday’s show is dominated by the ladies. We start with the new song for the Memphis band Lucero, dedicated to Love and Rocket’s Maggie Chascarillo. Then we introduce two new girls at the Little Lighthouse Dawn Landes and Angela Desveaux. Daughter of Mose Allison, Amy is back with an excellent new album called Sheffield Streets. Rosanne Cash, daughter of Johnny, also has a new album and she covers her father’s song Long Black Veil on it. Jeff Tweedy helps her.

Jim Dickinson – Rockin’ Daddy;
Lucero – The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo;
Dawn Landes – Young Girl;
Dawn Landes – Kids in a Play;
Amy Allison – Baby, You’re The One;
Amy Allison – Why Must It Be?;
Angela Desveaux – Let Me Roll It;
Paul McCartney & Wings – Let Me Roll It;
Reigning Sound – Break It;
Richmond Fontaine – Two Alone;
Nick Cave – Long Black Veil;
Rosanne Cash and Jeff Tweedy – Long Black Veil;
Johnny Cash – Long Black Veil;
The Obvious – The Underground;
The dB’s – We Should Be In Bed;
City of Cool – City of Cool;
Chris Cacavas – I Bow Down.

Flashlite #60

Susanna HoffsWe have a ton of really good new stuff this week, some of it came in just recently and other stuff came in this summer while we were gone. Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet continue their Under The Covers series with a two cd set filled with their versions of their favorite songs from the 70s. Tony Kinman, legendary member of Dils and Rank And File joined forces with his friend Pope Johnson and formed recently a wonderfully playful new band called Los Trendy. Soulsavers with Mark Lanegan are back again with the new album called Broken. Blues duet The Moaners have a new demo called Little Man. Cleveland’s own blues man Derek DePrator is also back with a new record and a new cassette tape with exciting self-titled collection of instrumentals. Finally, loud power pop outfit Satin Gum from Pittsburgh, who had an excellent ep earlier this year, are now here with a full lp, and it’s sounds sweet!

Paul Westerberg – Dangerous Boys;
Dinosaur Jr. – Friends;
Satin Gum – Turn Me Around;
The Flamin’ Groovies – Blues From Phyllis;
Grant Hart – Charles Hollis Jones;
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Here Comes My Girl;
Chris Cacavas – World’s A Mess;
Don Nix – I Need You;
Los Trendy with Tony Kinman – Wide Awake;
Soulsavers – Some Misunderstanding;
Gene Clark – Some Misunderstanding;
The Moaners – Little Man;
Derek Paul DePrator – Europa Theme;
Predrag Delibasic – Rusija;
Rainer – Rude World;
Mudboy and the Neutrons – Ubangi Stomp.

Flashlite #59

Chris CacavasWe bring you two truly exceptional new albums and more! Chris Cacavas, legendary keyboardist of Green on Red just put out his new solo album called Love’s Been Discontinued, which is probably his strongest one yet. Grant Hart from Husker Du also has a great new album entitled Hot Wax, and it’s his first in ten year time. It starts from a big fat fade in, almost as Grant is a bit shy to throw a full blast after 10 years of silence, but overall, it contains nine perfect tracks if you ask me. From the same city, Minneapolis, Paul Westerberg has another one of those small Internet ditties that he keeps putting out in the past year. This one is a short form, ep of six songs, and brings Paul in an outstanding songwriting form. Richmond Fontaine, were around for quite some time, but we have them here at the Lighthouse for the first time. They have a very strong new album that has a wonderfully poetic title We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River, and true to it, it contains songs that are dense and full of poetical imagery. This time we bring you another new name, English band The Ace, which we knew as Freebooting Profiteers. They sent us their fiery new demo collection and we also check out their even earlier incarnation Thee Mighty Uptight. And last, but not the least, my personal hero Tav Falco has a new single out and we check out its B side at the end of the show.

Dinka i Branka – Beli sal;
Paul Westerberg – Stain Yer Blood;
Paul Westerberg – Drop Them Gloves;
The Replacements – Go;
Husker Du – Flexible Flyer;
Grant Hart – California Zephyr;
Grant Hart – Remains to Be Seen;
Green On Red – Two Bibles;
Chris Cacavas – Tenderly;
Chuck Prophet – Let Freedom Ring;
Cheap Wine – Leave Me A Drain;
Gutterball – When You Make Up Your Mind;
Richmond Fontaine – Lonnie;
The Ace – Awhamalambambang;
(Thee Mighty) Uptight – I’ve Had Enough;
Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – Mala Femina;
Tav Falco & The Unapproachable Panther Burns – Real Cool Trash;
James Luther Dickinson – Coleslaw.

Flashlite #58

Reigning SoundToday we have three new releases by three regular acts here at the Little Lighthouse. Mission of Burma’s new LP The Sound The Speed The Light confirms that they are more than just another 80s reunion. I still remember vividly their amazing open air concert here in Cleveland this summer. Greg Cartwright’s Reigning Sound are also back with their new album Love and Curses, and it re-establishes Cartwright as one the greatest songwriters at this point in history. Another prolific Memphis punk, Jay Reatard has a new album called Watch Me Fall. This master of short form (singles and eps), proves that he can do a long player just as well. We also bring you a new attraction from Perth Australia – smRts, founded by Pedja Delibasic who we know from defunct Soviet Valves.

Stone The Crows – Keep On Rollin;
Python Lee Jackson – Turn The Music Down;
smRts – Lenin’s Funeral March;
Reigning Sound – If I Can’t Come Back;
The Oblivians – She’s a Hole;
Greg Cartwright – Better Man Than Me;
Greg Koons And The Misbegotten – New Boyfriend;
Ray Mason – Lunch Box;
Mission of Burma – Nicotine Bomb;
Mission Of Burma – SSL 83;
Messerschmitt – Ohio;
Jay Reatard – My Reality;
Jay Reatard – Don’t Let Him Come Back;
The Go-Betweens – Don’t Let Him Come Back;
The Chairs – Christopher Bell;
Big Star – My Life Is Righ;
Don Nix – Black Cat Moan;
Mudboy and the Neutrons – Hitler Lives;
Beatles – Revolution 1;
Laboratorija Zvuka – Oprostaj od magneta.