The Day Of Diamonds

New York - 8/20/06

Yesterday BrooklynVegan posted an interview I did with Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond whose amazing record Bring Me The Workhorse came out yesterday.

See below for part of the interview and go here to read the full interview. I took the photos above and below the day of the interview. See more photos from the same shoot here on my flickr page.

Shara's vocals can also be heard all over Sufjan's Illinois album, and she's an integral part of his touring band. Her CD release party will be held at the Spiegeltent in NYC this Thursday August 24th at 10pm, and she kicks of a U.S. tour with Sufjan on September 11th.


Wes: One of the first times I saw you perform was at Cross-Pollination with Dave Deporis almost a year and a half ago. Now you are releasing your first record as My Brightest Diamond called Bring Me The Workhorse. From that show to this record your sound has become somewhat less ethereal and your song structure seems more focused. What caused that evolution?

Shara: That's interesting that you say that. Someone just wrote to me about how they felt that when the song "Dragonfly" (watch video here) first started it was more ethereal and ambient. I think a lot of that has to do with the choices I made for Bring Me The Workhorse arrangement wise. I was trying to a. make a cohesive work and b. not be too noodly. Something that was not precious. I think that I am writing songs that still have that eccentric and ethereal quality to them, but there is a different format for those songs.

The next record, A Thousand Shark's Teeth, will be a string album and more ethereal, less rock. That's a distinction I had to make because I basically had two records. I was trying to make them work together, but they just didn't like each other. So I thought: This is me trying to cram in too many ideas for one album. Let me just make something cohesive and separate these two records.

Wes: Was it a natural move for the record to be released on Asthmatic Kitty after working with Sufjan?

Shara: Yes. Sufjan has been telling me for a couple of years that he wanted to support me in any way that he could. I was hesitant at first because I didn't know them and how they were as a label.

Wes: Does this predate you playing and recording with Sufjan?

Shara: Yes it does. But then I was able to tour with him and meet the people at the label, see over the course of time how they do things and what their intentions were with me and I felt really comfortable with them.

Wes: Do any of your fellow Illinoise Makers appear on the album?

My Brightest Diamond - Shara WordenShara: No, in fact the string players I played with before ended up working on Sufjan's Illinois and now they'll go on tour with the both of us. So it's all a blend now without ownership or anything like that.

Wes: You mentioned A Thousand Shark's Teeth, your next album. Do you have any recording or release plans for that one already?

Shara: The string parts for that record were recorded two weeks before I recorded the current album. I just finished the lead vocals of five of the tunes last week and there will be more recording in the winter. The release will not happen until late summer of 2007. Before that we're doing a remix record of the current album this winter.

Wes: Who will be doing the remixes?
...full interview here.


Download of the Day
My Brightest Diamond - Something Of An End (MP3)
My Brightest Diamond - Riding Horses (MP3)
Sufjan Stevens - The Henney Buggy Band (MP3)

INTERVIEW: My Brightest Diamond (08.22.06)

I spoke with Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond on her new album, working with Sufjan Stevens, and a lot more. Read below.



W: One of the first times I saw you perform was at Cross-Pollination with Dave Deporis almost a year and a half ago. Now you are releasing your first record as My Brightest Diamond called Bring Me The Workhorse. From that show to this record your sound has become somewhat less ethereal and your song structure seems more focused. What caused that evolution?

Shara: That's interesting that you say that. Someone just wrote to me about how they felt that when the song 'Dragonfly' first started it was more ethereal and ambient. I think a lot of that has to do with the choices I made for Bring Me The Workhorse arrangement wise. I was trying to a. make a cohesive work and b. not be too noodly. Something that was not precious. I think that I am writing songs that still have that eccentric and ethereal quality to them, but there is a different format for those songs.

The next record, A Thousand Shark's Teeth, will be a string album and more ethereal, less rock. That's a distinction I had to make because I basically had two records. I was trying to make them work together, but they just didn't like each other. So I thought: This is me trying to cram in too many ideas for one album. Let me just make something cohesive and separate these two records.

Read the full interview here.

The Day Of Her Return

Williamsburg, Brooklyn - 08/05/06

I long for winter almost as much as I long for fall. I like this late summer sunny and warm weather enough and all, but I want some rain and some cold and then a bunch of crispy days where a sweater is enough to keep away the cold. A sweater and thin gloves and a pair of well-worn jeans. And a beanie hat. But not a coat yet. Maybe no gloves but a scarf. And girls with skirts and thin black stockings. And Uggz if they must.

Mocky and Feist sing Fightin' Away The Tears



Download of the Day
Repost
Feist - Mushaboom (MP3) via AnotherFormOfRelief

The Day Of Dylan

Ghandigram, India - 26/6/06

The very talented Neilson of Jetty Productions just sent me this Undisputed Heavyweights for a bigger project we're working on.



BV just posted my review of the Roots show from the night before last. Read an excerpt below and the whole review here. Photo by Eric Townsend.



The most surprising fact of The Roots' show at Webster Hall last night (August 14, 2006) wasn't that Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley/Goodie Mob fame came out to sing Crazy with them, but that the sound at the club was roughly 4.3 times better than it was for the Roots at Radio City Music Hall. (the sound during Talib Kweli's set was still traditionally awful though).

The Roots are known as the best (and really only) band in Hip Hop. Close to the release of their upcoming Game Theory album - their first on Def Jam Left and best in years - they once more showed us why they can claim that title. Aside from a little variety, the show nearly mirrored the Radio City show. They brought all that they are known for. Black Thought's impeccable breath control and clarity - *coughTalibwatchandlearncough* - combined with a majestic flow makes up for his somewhat anonymous stage presence. Drummer ?uestlove commands the stage and directs the band through a slew of the group's hits - some fantastic new ones, and snippets of non-Roots classics. My favorite part of the show was when they paid homage by segwaying through a slew of songs by Ol' Dirty Bastard, the Notorious B.I.G., Salt 'N Peppa, Grandmaster Flash, Wu Tang Clan and many more... Still the best show in Hip Hop after all those years. Read the whole review here

Download of the Day
Untraditional hip hop track and one of my top faves off the new Roots album!
The Roots - False Media (MP3) via Recidivism

The Day Of Hip Hop

Chennai, India - 7/26/06

Today my first post at BrooklynVegan will go up. I will be the resident Hip Hop poster with a weekly round up of Hip Hop news. It shall be grand and spectacular and I might end up being shot by 50 Cent. But it's all for a good cause. The enlightenment of the public. I am but a swizzle in the wind.

I've had this piece of text in my draft folder for the longest time. I wanted to post it, but then it's also kind of cheesy I thought, but I've decided it's not.

The Paradox Of Our Age. We have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicines but less healthiness. Weve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble in crossing the street to meet our new neighbour. We built more computers to hold more copies than ever, But have less real communication; We have become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are times of fast foods but slow digestion; Tall men but short characters; Steep profits but shallow relationships. Its a time when there is much in the window But nothing in the room. 14th Dalai Lama.

I thought a lot about all this when I first read it and it keeps coming up as I maneuver through the maze of craze that is New York. Do you guys at all relate?

The Knife is coming for the first NYC show November 1st at Webster! Exciting. No clue what their live show would be like. Tickets went on sale today. The wrote one of my favorite songs of last year: Heartbeats (later covered by Jose Gonzalez).

Download of the Day
The Knife - Neverland (MP3) via SpeedRail
The Knife - Heartbeats (MP3) via NastyPanda
The Knife - Marble Houses (MP3) via YellowStereo
The Knife - From Off To On (MP3) via SpeedRail
The Knife - Lasagna (MP3) via MusicIsArt

The Day Of Rain

wow last night i put on socks for the first time in three weeks. What an odd feeling. And right now it's raining. Are the dessert months over?

The picture above, part of Ms K's Polaroid Project, is me in India on the beach. With a cow. Yes, a cow. There were hurds of holy and wild cows walking around. Babies, mothers and the hurd leader. Sometimes they'd even run and hit the water. Indian reality was quite different from what I'm used to on two other continents.

Last friday's Undisputed Heavyweights show was a lot of fun. We discovered AM New York was so kind to preview the show with a big picture in Friday's issue which was very exciting. We filmed the show and preshow rituals and that might turn out to be a fun video for our site. Picture below via Underrated Magazine.


Surely a blogger/hipster faux pas, but I hadn't really listened to Grandaddy very much at all. Until today, when I played The Sophtware Slump over and over. It's kind of like a grungier Death Cab, which probably means Death Cab is like a more polished Grandaddy.

Download of the Day
Grandaddy - He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot (MP3) via IGuessImFloating
Grandaddy - A.M. 180 (MP3) via IGuessImFloating
Grandaddy - Revolution (MP3) via BlogsAreForDogs

The Day Of AC Necessity

Madurai, India - 7/24/06

You lived in a magic box outside of the world we knew. You were angry and you were sick. Sometimes I came to visit you and plowed through 20 inches of snow on my way to your front door. I brought a blowdryer on a really long cord to make my way to you. The tea was always great and the conversation better. I liked the quiver in your voice.
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So now that I am nearing 28 I have reached the point where I am no longer the intern but am the person interviewing the potential interns. Their youthful enthusiasm, prepared soundbytes, nervous smiles and looks around remind me of what seems about 3 weeks ago when I was interviewing for internships. Ahhh to work for no money and all heart. Remember those days? It's interesting now for me to observe from the other side of the table and remember the feelings and emotions associated. For a second today I was lost in limbo right in between being them and being me. The audience or the performer? Speaking of, this Friday the Undisputed Heavyweights will be performing at the wonderful Rockwood Music Hall at 9pm. It shall be grand.


Regina Spektor's album has finally come to me and I must say I have been enjoying it much more than expected. I have always had love for Regina, but I never felt she fullfilled her promise of musical superiority. She still hasn't quite made it there but I feel this latest effort is a huge step forward. I have faith she will get there next time around. Interesting production choices and good songwriting. Find a bunch of the new songs below.

Download of the Day
Regina Spektor - Fidelity (MP3) via IndieForDummies
Regina Spektor - Hotel Song (MP3) via IndieForDummies
Regina Spektor - On The Radio (live) (MP3) via BerkelyPlace
Regina Spektor - 20 Years of Snow (live) (MP3) via BerkelyPlace
Regina Spektor - Field Below (live) (MP3) via BerkelyPlace
Regina Spektor - Samson (live) (MP3) via BootLog
Regina Spektor - Better (live) (MP3) via BootLog
Regina Spektor - That Time (MP3) via IHeartMusic
Regina Spektor - Music Box (Bonus Version) (MP3) via Fabulist
Regina Spektor - Summer In The City(MP3) via FloatingAway