Little Lies and Massive Dreams

My name is Bear. I play in a band called Talking About Commas and live and work in Providence, RI. I like music.
Free Hit Counter
Free Counter

Feb 22, 2010

new broken Social Scene track, "World Sick"


Broken Social Scene
has just announced that they are releasing a new album, Forgiveness Rock Record in May! After a couple BSS Presents: (insert band member here) albums they are back at full force and I for one am psyched. I saw the full band (minus famous lady cohorts) at the beautiful Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA in 2006 and they killed. So enjoy this track by entering your email (to go on their fan list I presume) and a download link will be sent to your email.

They are also playing a select amount of dates in Europe and the U.S. to promote the album. For tour info go here







Feb 15, 2010

Big Light: "Animals in Bloom" due March 2nd


Ok, so I kinda know some of the guys in the band and actually grew up about a half mile from frontman and fellow White Thighs, Fred Torphy. But if I didnt i would still spread the word of Big Light. The San Fransisco based quartet is about to release their first full length album on reapandsow.

A couple songs have made their way on to the internet so I thought i would pass 'em along. "Monster" has been kicking around the WHite Thighs repertoire for atleast 3 years now and has been given a makeover by Big Light. Gone is the slow vampy intro, the horn lines, the drawn out middle section and in are some new vocal lines and shot in the arm. The song is now a 3 minute, radio ready, indie rock gem. The second song, "Triceratops" can be found on the band's myspace page. A little more abrasive but a lot more creative. It's just dirty. You'll see what I mean.

The full album Animals in Bloom, check out the trailer below, is due in a couple weeks and the band can be seen playing a hand ful of gigs around Northern California, New York and Austin in the coming months. So check em out if you live around those cities.

Feb 14, 2010

Happy VDay folks..."Ooh-wee, that gal's the gal for me"

Just came across this Felice Brothers tune called "Love Me tenderly" on my lastfm channel and i friggin love it. I saw these guys open for Bright Eyes once but only caught one tune, "Frankie's Gun". I think I need to listen to them more. I gotta say, I'm really enjoying this surging indie-Americana scene thats coming to prominence. Anywho, being it Valentine's Day and All, enjoy this lovely number from the Felice Bros.


Lyrics:
My baby told me, darling your can't get a pardon better get a parole
I told her I'd be out by morning When the sun is dawning with a money roll
Oh-wee that gal's the gal for me, She loves me tenderly

I walk with my brand new slacks and my hair slicked back down to Donny's pier
Donny wants me to buy him a bottle but I blew my wallet on a chandelier
All for my loving gal Lenore who loves me tenderly

A bottle of scotch A dime sack and a diamond watch, wouldn't you like that?
A bottle of gin A typewriter and a violin, wouldn't you like that?

I left my blue eyed lady and went with Tony Mercedes to the gambling ring
I lost my diamond watch but in the parking lot I took it back again
All for my loving gal Lenore who loves me tenderly

A sunny day A shotgun and a Chevrolet Wouldn't you like that?
A painted scene Of horses on a city green Wouldn't you like that?

for a studio version of the song click here

Trey and Classic TAB - HoB, Boston, MA 2.12.10


I cruised up to Fenway last Friday night to catch Trey and his “Classic TAB” band at the House of Blues (the old Avalon) located about 30 feet from the green monster. It was another solo mission as my girlfriend is in Central America and unfortunately, none of my friends were able to get tickets. Anywho, now that Phish is back together it's nice to see a Trey show not as a replacement for Phish, but as a nice addition to Phish. After waiting in line for a good 20 minutes, the security searching like crazy which surely caused the huge line (all the way back to the Cask n Flagon at one point), I got ushered up to the 2nd level of the venue which is basically a 10ft wide hallway wrapping around the room. So if you are not 6'5” or in the first row or two good luck seeing the stage.


New to this tour from the last Trey tour was the addition of a 3 piece horn section which, IMO makes all the difference. Somewhat monotonous songs like “Gotta Jibboo”, “Shine” and “Alaska” take on new levels with the brass textures. The show's set list was a nice mix of solo Trey tunes, Phish B-sides ( “Birdwatcher” for ejemplo) and the Farmhouse tunes. I definitely like the material from the self titled album the best but the newer songs sound better with Tony and Russ on rhythm detail, this is definitely my favorite TAB incarnation. The band has debuted a handful of new songs this tour which honestly don't really do it for me although, “Song of Life” is aight I guess. Highlights for me were songs like “Cayman Review”, Money Love and Change” and “What's Done”. The 2 covers of the night are among my favorites that they do, an instrumental take on the Wailer's “Small Axe” and the Dire Strait's “Sultans of Swing”. The latter containing a horn arrangement of Knopfler's iconic guitar solo. As much as I'd like to see Trey rip that solo up, I like his attempt to arrange it for horns.

As with many Trey shows, it had its peaks and valleys (by which I mean perennial suck fests with grade school level lyrics such as “Let me Lie”) but overall, the energetic dance numbers are what you take with you when you go. Dancing is important, remember I said that. As for the venue, yikes. This place kinda sucks except if you have a good view of the stage and don't need to pee ever. For the entire 2nd and 3rd level there is only one bathroom with 2 stalls and 1 urinal. Ridiculous...PBR's are $6 a pop (a sixer is 4 bucks at the drug store a block from my house) and security was tight. I had to empty my pockets, get frisked and take off my hat, then get my General Admission ticket scanned by atleast 4 people before entering the concert hall. I'm 6'3'' so luckily I can pretty much find a place to see anywhere but for shorter people, good luck and get there early if the show is sold out. Alright, Im trying to keep this thing short so click on the videos for a sample of the music. Trey is playing throughout the east and mid-west and south this run so go catch him if you're not too jaded and could use a good night of groove-centric, fun songs.

openers: none

Venue info:
parking: free parking on the street is pretty easy as long as the Sox arent playing at home.
layout: square, club type room with GA floor and 1st balcony, seats in 2nd blacony
capacity: 2425 (sold out)

02/12/10 House of Blues, Boston, MA
Set I (86min): Shine, Cayman Review, Push On Til the Day, What's Done, Birdwatcher, Mozambique, Night Speaks To A Woman, Alaska, Let Me Lie, Plasma, Tuesday
Set II (83min): Drifting, All That Almost Was, Sand, Goodbye Head> Gotta Jibboo, Small Axe, Valentine, Money Love and Change, Show Of Life, Dragonfly
Encore (13min): Sultans of Swing, First Tube

Feb 13, 2010

Show: Dr. Dog at Lupos in PVD. 1.29.10


I caught Dr. Dog a couple weeks ago in Providence (thankfully - For some reason most bands dont think of the 2nd largest city in new England – get bent Worcester - as a valid tour stop) and they tore the roof off of Lupos' 40% filled room. I couldn't get any interest from friends so it was a solo mission which sometimes I like, actually. As usual it was a good time, that band looks like they are having a complete blast playing together on stage. It's probably my favorite thing about them. This is the 3rd time I've seen them and they never disappoint. New to this tour is drummer Eric Slick aka “Teach” who is a big time Philly session-man and has toured with Adrian Belew Trio. He's probably the most famous graduate of the Paul Murphy School of Rock and obviously kicks friggin arse. I didnt write a set list, figure'd I'd stay in the moment on this one, save for the few photos and vids I took, but I do recall quite a mix of the repertoire.

Highlights for me included “Aint it Strange”, “Oh No” and “My Friend”. The band also played some new songs (their next album drops April 4th) which slid right in to the rotation nicely. Dr. Dog doesn't necessarily switch up their approach much, the beauty of which lends itself to a fluid and consistent shows. Ive never said “Man, I wish they would stop with all this crappy new shit and stick with the classics” like a lot of bands with at least 5 releases under their belts. The Dog's new tune's are just classics you haven't memorized yet, these guys are great fucking songwriters albeit unabashedly derivative of the Beatles' and the Bands' of the world.


Lupos is always a good time when it's not juiced. Its nice to have some wiggle room. The band decorated the stage with animal heads and plants giving a more theatrical vibe than I've seen them do before. Beer prices are relatively low – I was getting Sam Adams pints for 5 bucks – and the security was 'laxed, no searches which IMO helps contribute to a most enjoyable concert atmosphere (you can read that in a “Ted Theodore Logan” voice if you like). I believe DD is touring the whole country and Europe this spring/summer already have sets at Bonnaroo and High Sierra lined up so check em out when they come around. Which is in May with Deer Tick at the Paradise if “around” is Southeastern New England


Openers: the Growlers, Last Good Tooth <- Providence band


venue info:
Parking: Free parking is tough but available around the venue,
Layout: General Admission Theatre with balcony (that was closed)
Capacity: 2,000 (1,200 w/out balcony)


BearBlog V2.0 - "It's a new year, i got a new change of gear, I swear"

Welcome back Reader(s)!. So it's been about a year since I last updated the BearBlog and I decided I would start up again. The previous years of posts consisted mainly of CD and concert reviews where I nitpick the minute details of the band's music. After a while I started writing for online music mags like Jambase and Tiny Mix Tapes and just over did it. As much as I enjoyed free tickets, photo passes and even backstage access at Newport Folk, I stopped enjoying concerts as I spent most of my mental capacity analyzing them instead of letting them take me to that “place” where only music can. In all reality I'll probably write for Jambase again at some point but for now I'm taking a breather from in depth coverage.

So...
BearBlog v2.0 will be more of an account of the shows (no more album reviews, but possible heads-up to tours and album releases and "2 cents" on releases, music news and bands will be posted) that answer questions like ...anything new this tour? Is the band playing well together? Is the venue cool? Did security grab your balls and feel you up upon entrance? Did you spend more money on beer than you did on the ticket?... That type of stuff. I'm also gonna write in a more free associative style, be less formal and post pics and videos whenever I can.

Another direction I'd like to take is to concentrate more on local music in addition to the national acts I see. I live in Rhode Island (home to up and comers like
Deer Tick and The Low Anthem) and there is lots of good music in the air, so if you don't live there, you may never have heard of some of the bands I will cover.....but thats a good thing. New music is good. So enjoy, read, research, click and listen, discuss, recommend, spread the word and most importantly GO SEE LIVE MUSIC!