Tunesday: Cheap Girls

Cheap Girls are from Lansing, Michigan.  I've never been there, but it seems like a place where they make good music since Cheap Girls make good music.  How do you like that for logic?  Actually that's not good logic at all.

Cheap Girls have come up on my radar a few different times.  I had seen them once live at the Redwood in downtown L.A. when they opened for Drag the River and Mike Watt.  Trippy lineup, right?  I remember being impressed with the way they played live, clean and powerful.

I think I had seen their name a few times again after that and maybe a few tunes appeared on some of the podcasts I listen to.  The the blessed Spotify came down from the heavens and I was able to listen to all the albums from the bands I had been meaning to look into.  I played through the Cheap Girls discography quite a few times and then I sprung for it and bought all their records.  A purchase I was quite pleased with.

Recently Cheap Girls played the Satellite in Silverlake and they did not disappoint.  Alison dug them and I had their tunes echoing in my mind.  Since then Alison requests Cheap Girls albums when we are sitting on the porch enjoying the view and a brew.

It's hard to put a finger on what Cheap Girls sound like, but I would guess it's somewhere mixed in with Dinosaur Jr. and Gin Blossoms.  Don't quote me on that because it's always so subjective when trying to compare bands to each other in order to show some form of relative sound.  They have a driving drum and bass section with pretty varied and technical guitar melodies.  The whole while the vocals stay back and refrain from overpowering.  That's probably the most you'll get out of me on listening notes.

Here's a few videos from the boys in Cheap Girls, take a gander then listen over and over because their tunes will get stuck in your head.

Tunesday: The Replacements

Every once in a while I'll come across a band and become obsessed.  The kind of obsessed where I have to purchase all the band's records, learn all I can about their history, watch every live performance on YouTube, that kind of thing.

All that recently happened to me when I started digging into the Replacements.  I had always heard of them and had one of their records, but never really paid much attention.  Then I got my hands on their discography and threw a bunch of their songs on my iPod that I would use at the gym or when I went running.  The more I listened, the more I started enjoying their songwriting, Paul Westerberg's vocals, Bob Stinson's guitar playing ... all the layers started becoming apparent to me.  I guess that's the breaking point as to when I became infected with the bug.

I was clearly obsessed.  I had to tell my friends about them, read books on their history, have them on the stereo when drinking at the apartment on a Friday or Saturday night.  I would imagine it started to drive people nuts, Alison included.  I think I had her on board, but it was probably more because every time a certain song would come on I would talk over the whole song and go into detail about what I liked about the lyrics and the delivery and the desperation in the sound of the song and the message and how you can't say goodnight to an answering machine ... who even leaves messages on an answering machine anymore?

I then realized that The Replacements were one of those bands that someone has to experience for themselves and find their own reasons for enjoying them.  Almost the way in which people end up loving Minutemen or Hüsker Dü or Dinosaur Jr..  Especially for people who weren't of age when those bands existed.  Although when you dig in to them, you are able to hear the timelessness to those bands and their personality.  I guess it's one of those things that is an isolated discovery, unlike hearing something that is broadly accepted as good by the masses.  Not to say that one has an elite ear or understanding of good taste to like the aforementioned bands, but that when you do fall into it like the rest of the people that are into it, you are head over heels.

Enough posturing and waxing poetic for me.  Check out some videos!

Tunesday: Lee Fields and The Expressions

I've recently started delving into soul music.  Now, as far as it goes as a genre and the gobs of artists that have molded soul music as well as the different regions that are hotbeds of soul that have distinct styles, I am still learning and absorbing information and sounds.  I'm totally new to this.  Tabla Raza.

That being said, I recently stumbled on Lee Fields and the Expressions.  I can't remember if I was just fishing around on Spotify or saw an article on him or what, but he came my way and I immediately had to get my hands on his records.  Needless to say, they are all gems.

Then add to that, he just so happened to be playing the Echoplex in Echo Park ...  what timing!

Lee Fields is a hell of a performer.  The guy came out in a 2-tone white and beige satin suit.  He kept hyping the audience, then he would belt out some really powerful and emotion-filled vocals.  Dude can do it. 

Not only can the guy sing, but The Expressions, his backing band, totally set the table for Mr. Fields to serve up a delicious vocal entree.  I don't think I really need to write much about Mr. Fields and his band, you should just watch the below videos and then go get your hands on his music.

Tunesday: Cory Branan

Here's a little something different for the Tunesday update. This time around, we actually brought a flip camera to the last gig we attended and got a little footage of our own.

Last Saturday, we headed down to Hollywood's Knitting Factory and saw the rare and elusive Cory Branan. The guy doesn't make it out this way very often, so when he makes a stop, we try and attend. Cory says he's from Memphis by way of Austin, but I think most of the songs and stories in his songs originate from his roots in Memphis. Songs about white trash girls, roller rinks, and the like seem to have a wandering sense lyrically and musically, almost as if he is performing off the top of his head through stream of consciousness. Dude's got some pretty wild guitar chops and a voice to boot... and 'a way with words that will bring you to your knees.'

This particular show was kind of lame being that it was all ages and the other bands weren't really up our alley. It was kind of like being a chaperone at a high school dance: we could only sip a few drinks while watching and wondering what is wrong with the teenagers today. There were even a handful of parents there. I even witnessed someone's grandma getting a beer at the bar, and I swear she threw back half of it on her first swig.

I was quite amused when Cory realized that he was cussing up a storm at an all ages event. However, when he realized his crass dialect was caressing the ears of minors, he just kept on rolling and cussing a bit more. That's a dude that belongs in the bars...

You can view the video larger at our YouTube channel.

Tunesday: Coconut Records

When we're just sitting around and having a few drinks at the apartment, we always have some tunes going on in the background.  To drink well and to hear well makes us pretty happy on a Friday or Saturday night when letting off a little steam from the 40-hour week.

Lately we've had some music that has been the go to in order to warm up our evening.  One of said artists is Coconut Records.  Coconut Records is actor Jason Schwartzman and friends.  Probably one of the most listenable recordings done by an actor.

Over the past year or so, the 'Nighttiming' album has really grown on us, but for all the right reasons.  The songs are pretty well written both lyrically and musically and make for a mellow soundscape to enjoy some tasty beverages to.

Here's the video for the song 'West Coast' which is responsible for getting us hooked.  Also, any musician that gets involved with Mark Gonzales (the dude skating) has to be doing something right.

Tunesday: Drag the River

Since we're all about the appreciation of food, music and drink we need to cover some music.  Music that goes well with drinking.  Music that sings about drinking.  Music played by people drinking.  We're not talking about drunk musicians.  Well, in some cases we may, but calling someone a drunk is in poor taste and just mean.  Unless they deserve it, but I digress.

Here is our weekly post that is dedicated to the music we enjoy seeing performed and listening to.  We'll call it Tunesday because I think it's a clever play on the fact that it's about music and will be updated on Tuesdays.  Save your applause until the end.

This Tunesday's post is dedicated to a band we found a few years ago thanks to our friend Sean.  The band is called 'Drag the River' from Fort Collins, Colorado.  The two most consistent members of the band are both members of other notable bands.  Chad Price (vocals / guitar) was involved with 'All' and Jon Snodgrass was involved with 'Armchair Martian'.

'Drag the River' is a little different than both members prior bands, but it's some pretty damn fun drinking music.

We'll probably end up posting more about these guys after the weekend since they are always in town for Valentine's day for a gig down in Lake forest at the Gypsy Lounge.  They're calling it 'The 8th Annual Drag The River Valentine's Day BBQ and Booze-a-thon.'  We usually have a damn fine time drinking and carrying on, especially our friend Sean.  I think last year he bought the band a few rounds of shots just so they'd play requests.  Needless to say, they played the songs and took the shots.

I'll leave you with one last video of a song that always makes me happy.  I mean when you sing the line, 'when the creatures rape your face' with an acoustic and a bit of twang in your voice you can't go wrong.  I wonder if Glen ever saw that coming.