More Dr. Dog, More Music

Ok, seriously this album is awesome. Lush harmonies and a sweet, fun-loving sound. I mentioned that these guys sound a lot like The Beatles. Well, I don't know if it's just their production on their newest release (they used a 24 track - thats all), or maybe it's the harmonies, but thats exactly what they sound like. Maybe with a mix of The White Stripes and The Mother Hips. My only complaint is that the album clocks in at just over 38 minutes. I absolutely HATE it when bands do this. Maybe it's not the band itself that makes the decision to short-change the audience, but everyone and their mother knows how much data fits on a CD. Add some downloadable videos or something! Anyway, from what I can tell, this Philly based band got a big push from My Morning Jacket's frontman, Jim James (shocking I know), when after being given a tape, he asked them to tour with them in their opening slot. I just can't stop listening to it!

The All Good Music Festival has released their preliminary lineup for 2007. Mo and I are about 99% sure that we are going. I just realized that the dates coincide with my other passion (poker, or more specifically the WSOP), but there pretty much isn't a very good chance that I will take part in it. This will be the first time that Mo and I have taken part in this festival, which, while camping sounds fun, may turn out to be 2-3 days of hellish looking wookies keeping us up all night, every night. The fact of the matter is, this lineup is stellar:

Bob Weir & Ratdog
moe. (plus late night all-star jam)
Keller Williams (with or without WMD's?)
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Les Claypool
Yonder Mountain String Band
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) (Late Night Set)
Lotus
Tea Leaf Green
Perpetual Groove
Assembly of Dust
PBS (Porter, Batiste, Stoltz)
Soldiers of Jah Army
New Monsoon
Wil Hoge
West Indian Girl
Lovewhip

Thursday Night - Early Arrival Performances
Dark Star Orchestra
Ozric Tentacles

Not that I absolutely HAVE to see anyone else, but if they added Umphrey's McGee I think think this festival would be complete. I know for sure that they will be adding a bunch more acts. I'd go for any and all of the following: Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Martin Sexton - Honkytonk Homeslice - My Morning Jacket (probably not going to happen) - John Scofield - Railroad Earth - The Greyboy Allstars - Soulive - ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - Xavier Rudd - Leo Kottke - Benevento Russo Duo - Trey Anastasio (again wishful thinking here, plus played last year)...I guess I could go on and on...hell of course at this time I wouldn't mind seeing Dr. Dog on this list as well.

Speaking of this fine list of talents, another really cool band, that IS playing this year, is West Indian Girl. I have been intrigued by these folks for a little while. I stumbled upon them searching out electronica music like Zero 7. "West Indian Girl" was apparently a strain of LSD, how "heady" is that? Their website is actually pretty cool, and it has lots of videos. I really like this sound. Critics call it "Electronica", but I wouldn't want to lump it into that genre specifically. To me, it sounds like down-beat, lounge, trip-soul.

Finally, my father hooked me up with the latest Arcade Fire CD "Neon Bible", and although I am not all the way through it, I am having a hard time figuring out why HE likes them. I can't really figure out if I even like them, and you would think that my tastes in music, while similar to his, would be more...open. The lead singers voice sounds to me like a rip-off of David Byrne, which was what I thought of after listening to their first album "The Funeral". Both albums have been critically acclaimed, but it might be too experimental for me. There are many, many, fine songs on both albums, but the music is just not my cup of tea. I do find that the album is well put together, and I could easily listen to the whole thing without skipping a song, nor wanting to turn it off. But, if given the choice between this band or Dr. Dog, i'd go with Dr. Dog. I can't explain it, but maybe I will enjoy the band more after multiple listens.