Ladies and gentlemen, we’re into day 3 at the Music Shed, and already laid the bed tracks for every song! To regale with our studio escapades, we bring you more pictures, including Big Charlie’s rendition of the Fat Samurai!
Keep it crazy,
Slyfox
New Orleans Big Brass Circus Rock Music
We have begun our sessions at The Music Shed. With the help of a Mr. Ben Lorio and a Mr. Billy Moesta, your Dirty Bourbon boys are cooking up some tasty tunes for yall to enjoy. And as an appetizer, we will begin posting up some pictures and footage of yours truly as we continue to work and record, so keep your eyes and ears open. Until next time…
Stay Patient. Stay Dirty.
Da Drummer…
Album review of the Danger Painter's IV
In the cosmos of music and art, the Danger Painter’s newest album, IV, is pretty insignificant. It’s no mega record like Zeppelin IV, it will probably never be toured, and not more than a few thousand people will listen to it, if that.
Then, you put fame and recognition aside, and if you are one of those few lucky wild at heart and weird on top-type people who have stumbled upon this unlikely record, you are left with a great feeling when you finish.
It makes you go Fuck Yeah.
The Danger Painters is comprised of longtime friends Bob Boilen and Michael Barron, formally of the DC band Tiny Desk Unit. IV, their 4th album, was written and recorded in a single month for the RPM Challenge, a yearly music industry tradition created in 2006 to help foster greater levels of productivity among musicians. The result is a true gem.
In this record you hear influences from all across the board. It is a record that echoes all sorts of great things – primary vocalist/songwriter Barron weaves through the tracks like a starker Stuart Staples – walking on Ostinato Black Keys-styled riffs and crunchy Oreos of aural accoutrements courtesy of his friend Mr. Boilen. The 7th track – Made on Earth (written by their bassist William X Harvey) – brings to mind Bowie and Radiohead. The 9th track, Power Off, rides on an Edward Sharpe-like sensibility, throwing in a little hootenanny and Zeppelin III-style rústico in the mix. In this record you hear the influence of many artists. Yet no part of this record is imitative.
IV is stitched together with great ambition, considering the time crunch it was produced in. It is presented very well. Occasionally the musicianship wobbles, but not awkwardly; instead it feels almost necessary at times, reminding you that the album you are listening to did not come from some mega band like Zeppelin or the Talking Heads or the Decemberists – but that it was made by two everyday guit’n’gear slingers like you or I, just doing what we like, without regard for fame or glory.
IV is do-it-yourself self-driven music appreciation at its finest.
It is also slightly autistic in this celebration, like a good 80’s Daniel Johnston tape. It touches you in darkly places, like a good Tindersticks or Scott Walker song. It is also strangely spirited and cheerful. And it is sometimes downright weird (my favorite track, When the Saints, is just fucking out there, in the best way possible – you blip and blop around, groove-hopping on bubbles and sonic zaps – dig it). IV is, from a mass taste perspective – a big no no. Yet, at the same time, it is entirely human. Any of us could have made this record. We just didn’t take the time to.
Give it a listen, and then go out and make your own record. Next year I invite all you fellow songwriters to enter the RPM challenge – if anything, it’ll keep your chops up and yield fodder for a future project. And, if you’re lucky, it may even produce a gem like the Danger Painter’s IV.
Download the full record for free from the Danger Painter’s website.
More on the RPM challenge HERE.
Onward Soldiers Acoustic Session in New Orleans
We had the pleasure of having Wilmington, NC’s Onward Soldiers here in New Orleans last night with New Grass & Company at the Wolf’s Den. Today, on their way out to SXSW, they dropped by the studio and I recorded a dark, highly visual tune of Sean Thomas Gerard’s, their guit-slingin’ rhymesayer frontman. Check it out:
If you like that be sure to check them out in Baton Rouge tonight at the Red Star bar, and/or at one of their many SXSW dates.
And if ya like that, don’t you worry, we’ll be bringing them back soon enough…
~ Noah
P.S. Happy St. Patrick’s Day everybody!
The Dirty Bourbon River Show released their 3rd studio album, Volume Two
We just couldn’t wait. We began allowing worldwide digital download of Volume Two tonight at 12:01 AM CST on dbrs.bandcamp.com
We priced the album – temporarily in this unannounced early interim period – at $20. We did this because the last one (Free Love) was completely free, and this new online bundle includes some sweet extra goodies ~ in addition to the full-quality download you get a special digisheet of the artwork, liner notes & lyrics + your choice of either:
(a) a spot on the guest list at our CD release party in New Orleans and a free, reserved, and autographed physical copy of the album waiting for you at the merch table that night
or, for you out-of-town-folks:
(b) an autographed copy mailed to your house free-of-charge on the day of the CD release party + a sticker and a personalized note from the band.
Ya, that’s a whole lot of stuff packed up in this sweet little baby:
Then, on April 2nd (Volume Two’s official release date) the album will drop to $9.99 for digital download (without the extra goodies) and will be available on iTunes and Amazon as well.
That night we will be performing our new album at the Blue Nile on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. Musical guests will include:
—- The Tin Men and Holy Ghost Tent Revival —-
Both of these bands are incredible, and we are extremely lucky to have them play with us.
This unprecedented 3 ring circus will start at 10pm and will be $10 at the door for those who did not pre-purchase the album. The Blue Nile only holds 300 people, so I’d grab your goodies and get your spot while they last.
For those in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Mobile, we’ve got shows in your town that weekend with Holy Ghost Tent Revival as well – check our sidebar.
Whether you live in or around New Orleans and plan on attending the live show, or you live somewhere else and plan on just listening to or downloading the album, we hope that you enjoy this new piece of art as much as we did making it.
We are extremely proud to bring these new sounds to your ears, and anxious for your feedback.
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
~ The Dirty Bourbon River Show
P.S. Also, apparently, there are some golden tickets floating around…