A new episode of Austin City Limits airs this weekend featuring Jack White and both of his solo touring bands. White gets the whole hour-long episode to his lonesome and performs a mix of songs from The Raconteurs, The White Stripes and the album we thought was the best of 2012 – Blunderbuss.

Friday, January 4 [All Times ET]

• Everest on David Letterman [CBS 11:35PM]
• The Imagineers on Craig Ferguson [CBS 12:35AM]
• Grace Potter on Jimmy Fallon [NBC 12:35AM]
• Chairlift on Carson Daly [NBC 1:35AM]

Saturday, January 5

• Jack White on Austin City Limits [PBS]
• Queen: Rock Montreal [Palladia 1PM]
• George Thorogood & The Destroyers – Live at Sturgis [AXS TV 2PM]
• fun. on Saturday Night Live [NBC 11:30PM]

Sunday, January 6

• Burning Spear, Dave Matthews – Bonnaroo 2004 [AXS TV 1:25PM]
• Adele on Unplugged [Palladia 5PM]
• Radiohead – King of Limbs [Palladia 8PM]
• Tedeschi Trucks Band – Everybody’s Talkin’ Live From Red Rocks [AXS TV 8PM]

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell have a long professional history together that dates all the way back to 1975, when Crowell joined Harris’ Hot Band as a guitarist and harmony singer. On February 26, the duo, who have collaborated numerous times over the last thirty-plus years, will release Old Yellow Moon, their first full-length studio album together, via Nonesuch Records. The 12-track cover-heavy effort will see the pair backed by Vince Gill, Bill Payne (Little Feat) and Stuart Duncan as well as members of the original Hot Band and is being described as being influenced by the 1970′s California country-rock scene that both Harris and Crowell were apart of.

[Photo by David McClister]

Let’s give a listen to the record’s lead single – Hanging Up My Heart…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell – Hanging Up My Heart

[Originally Published: September 14, 2012]

If we had the power to go back to see a show from any tour that took place in the past, checking out Talking Heads’ landmark Remain In Light Tour would be near the top of our list. David Byrne and Co. were feeling their oats thanks in part to an expanded band that featured stunt guitarist Adrian Belew.

Earlier this year we hipped you to video of a performance from this tour that took place on December 18, 1980 in Rome. Today, we share 50-minutes worth of incredible footage from the next show on that incredible tour. On December 20, 1980 the Talking Heads performed at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, West Germany for a show that was broadcast on a German television program called Rockpop. This eight-song set includes a sizzling version of The Great Curve and an insane Crosseyed and Painless that puts Belew in the spotlight. So blow off work and feast your eyes an ears on this…

Talking Heads – Germany 1980

Psycho Killer 00:00
Cities 06:15
I Zimbra 12:20
Once In A Lifetime 16:49
Animals 22:54
Crosseyed And Painless 27:24
Life During Wartime 35:05
The Great Curve 42:00

In what should come as a surprise to no one considering Questlove’s well-known love for The Purple One, The Roots have signed on as the house band for the Prince Tribute that will be held at Carnegie Hall on March 7th. The benefit concert is part of a series of annual tributes put on at the legendary venue by impresario Michael Dorf.

In addition to The Roots a number of other bands have been announced for the tribute. Blind Boys of Alabama. Booker T, DeVotchka, Living Colour, Madeleine Peyroux, The Waterboys and Talib Kweli will all perform at the event. More bands will be announced soon. Tickets are currently available now.

Chicago’s Umphrey’s McGee rang in the New Year at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, where they played their first-ever four-night New Year’s Run. Our friend Tammy Wetzel attended the run and has contributed a kickass set of photos from New Year’s Eve.

[All Photos by Tammy Wetzel]

Set 1: Leave Me Las Vegas[1] > 40′s Theme, Crucial Taunt > 2×2, Mail Package, Jessica, Ringo[2] > JaJunk[3]
Set 2: Hourglass[4], Much Obliged[4], Tribute to the Spinal Shaft > White Pickle > Higgins, Hajimemashite, Dance Hall Days[5], Comma Later[4]
Set 3: The Triple Wide[4] > Auld Lang Syne[4], Partyin’ Peeps[4] > Glory > Mulche’s Odyssey[6], Gulf Stream, Andy’s Last Beer, Wife Soup[4], Kashmir[4]
Encore: Good Morning Good Morning[4] > Women Wine and Song[4]

[1] debut, original
[2] with Under the Influence (Eminem) jam
[3] completes the 12.30.12 version
[4] with Mad Dog’s Filthy Little Secret horns, including Jeff Coffin
[5] debut, Wang Chung; with Mad Dog’s Filthy Little Secret horns
[6] with Bulls On Parade (Rage Against the Machine) tease

[via All Things Umphreys]

Here’s a full gallery of Tammy’s UM NYE photos…

Nearly twenty years ago Grateful Dead front man Jerry Garcia re-encountered the song Whiskey In The Jar when he recorded the Irish traditional song with David Grisman for their studio album Shady Grove. The next day Jerry showed his Grateful Dead band mates the ditty during a rehearsal at the band’s Front Street space in San Rafael, Calif.

A recording of Garcia performing Whiskey In The Jar with the Dead at the Front Street rehearsal was released as part of the So Many Roads box set. Take a listen to hear a most talkative Jerry shooting the shit with Bobby and teaching the band the tune…

While the Grateful Dead soundchecked Whiskey In The Jar twice in 1993 they never performed it in public. A number of post-Jerry bands including The Dead and Furthur have performed the ditty.

Thanks in part to their ubiquitous catchy shout-along, foot-stomping single, Hey Ho, The Lumineers emerged as arguably the biggest break-out act of 2012. The Denver-based band’s music was seemingly everywhere, from television shows to commercials to a healthy dose of radio play, helping the folk-pop act sell nearly 700,000 copies of their self-titled debut. The band, who have also been nominated for two Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Americana Album, are looking to have an even bigger 2013, as yesterday it was revealed that they will be the musical guest on the January 19, episode of Saturday Night Live, which will be hosted by Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook).

The Lumineers will follow their appearance on the long-running late-night sketch show with a brief six-date headlining tour, which brings them to New York’s cavernous Terminal 5 for a two-night stand on February 1 and 2.

Phish @ Madison Square Garden, December 28 – 31

Words: Adam Schon

This being the third consecutive New Year’s Run of shows at Madison Square Garden, and after last year’s generally poorly perceived run, there was a feeling that perhaps Phish had gotten too comfortable with this convenient end-of-year string of shows, and that the Garden, despite its legendary and unparalleled energy, was tapped out of Phish magic for the moment. Add to this the pressure of the last shows being yet another jaw-dropping, mind-blowing three-night stand at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver, the expectations for all involved were incredibly high.

[Photo by Paul Citone]

But from the very first set on Friday night, the 28th, to the end of the third set on New Year’s Eve, Phish delivered a visceral, stunning run of shows that at points showed off all of their musical strengths which had been honed to a razor’s edge on this year’s Summer Tour. What made this year so much better than last year’s MSG run was a well-balanced menu of shred-your-face song-based rocking; deep, dark exploratory jamming of the order not yet seen before and sets that flowed well with (overall) solid song selections and placement. That’s not to say that the shows were flawless or that everything went off like a rocket, yet judged as a whole experience, one came away from this New Year’s Run with a strong sense that Phish is happier than they’ve ever been and at the peak of their musical powers.

12/28

Guitarist Trey Anastasio made it clear he was as excited as the audience as he opened Friday night with a high energy kick-start of Stealing Time From The Faulty Plan followed by the almost always paired together Moma Dance and Funky Bitch. What really ignited this show was an incendiary Tube in which all four members seemed to lock in to the jam and emphatically pushed each other forward through the funk section. Kill Devil Falls is one of those newer songs that seems to win over jaded and newbie fans alike with its infectious, hoe-down vibe. Free seems to have settled into a new home in first sets this year, and this version was particularly crunchy. But what happened in the Wolfman’s jam, so early in the run, may just have been the creative catalyst that gave Phish the confidence to push forward and explore more peaks throughout the stand.

As the players laid down a funky groove, Trey seamlessly teased the notes of Little Drummer Boy, and the audience sang its hearty approval. As only Phish can, they effortlessly went from the melody of Drummer Boy and then dropped right back into the Wolfman’s groove without missing a beat.

MKDevo 12/28 Playlist

Picking right up from that immensely impressive closer, Trey ripped open the chords to Tweezer and the Garden spaceship took off for the longest single jam of the New Year’s Run (close to 21 minutes). Always one of their most significant jam vehicles, this Tweezer was a showcase for 2012 Phish: all four members morphing into their instruments, listening intently to one another, pushing, pulling, reacting instinctually  and ultimately somehow playing together as one driving sonic unit. When they reached the crescendo peak of the jam and Kuroda flared the floor with a massive plume of hot white light, it was clear that this was one of the best jams of 2012.

The Little Drummer Boy jam in the Wolfman’s was an inspiring treat, but the way that Phish literally infused a second-set Twist with the song is simply unbelievable, and listening to the download is the only way to do it justice. Phish’s intellectual and musical prowess is most clearly on display when they are not only crushing one of their own songs, but when they lay another musical piece (usually a cover) on top and alternate back and forth seamlessly, showing off their harmonic dexterity. This “Little Drummer Twist” was a prime 2012 example of this. It is also worth noting that Trey shredded the ending of the Fluffhead as if it might be the last one, and the band was so in sync and locked in together that in the last section of Bowie, they all turned on a dime and repeated a riff that had come out of the jam segment of the song that was completely different and decidedly not your typical Bowie ending. Also, the omission of Tweeprise as an encore was very conspicuous and tipped many off to the possibility of it being the first song to rock the new year.

Set 1: Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, The Moma Dance, Funky Bitch, Army of One, Tube > Stash, Nellie Kane, Kill Devil Falls, Free, Wolfman’s Brother^[1]

Set 2: Tweezer -> Maze, Twist^[2] > Theme From the Bottom -> Fluffhead, David Bowie

Encore: Bouncing Around the Room, Good Times Bad Times

[1] Little Drummer Boy jam.
[2] Little Drummer Boy teases and quotes.

[All Setlists via Phish.net]

12/29

This Saturday night first set was the only full frame that could be considered a throwaway, as it seemed flat and sluggish, without the distinct energy of night before. First set openers are a prickly issue, and Crowd Control just doesn’t seem to get the job done (despite the fact that they almost always use it as an opener). While the unexpected Rock and Roll showed a bit of life, this set just felt like everyone was Wading in a Velvet Sea. There was one inexplicable moment during the otherwise standard Reba, when even before the jam began to build, the MSG audience literally roared all at once to a deafening decibel. Even the band seemed confused by the affirmation.

MKDevo 12/29 Playlist

As they usually do in these situations, the quartet bounced back in the second set with an inspired dance-a-thon led by Trey’s wailing guitar. Golden Age > Waves was simply gorgeous, an effervescent and flowing combination that seemed destined to happen. Trey’s searing guitar leads on Caspian had the entire Garden bowing their heads to the Prince. While sometimes Boogie On can feel like a rote pedestrian exercise for the fans, this version popped off like a champagne bottle. Another signal that Phish is at the top of their game is when they drop-stop in the middle of a song and each take a jam solo, as they did to fantastic effect in this Boogie On. 46 Days is their most straight forward rock song, and it always brings the house down, especially at MSG (as it did at last year’s NYE show). This one brought the Garden to its knees and was the perfect song to close the set and walk off. While the triple encore was a little uneven, First Tube was a fitting end to a second set of heavy dancing.

Set 1: Crowd Control, Mound, AC/DC Bag > Rock and Roll, Sugar Shack, Reba,Halley’s Comet > Limb By Limb^[1], Wading in the Velvet Sea, Bathtub Gin^[2]

Set 2: Golden Age > Waves > Prince Caspian^[3] > Boogie On Reggae Woman >Suzy Greenberg > Bug > Cavern > 46 Days

Encore: The Squirming Coil, Grind, First Tube

[1] Follow the Yellow Brick Road tease
[2] Susie Q quote from Fishman
[3] Unfinished.

12/30

After last year’s jumbled and incoherent December 30th show, it was clear on Sunday that something BIG had to happen before we headed into the theatrics of the NYE show. In 2009, Miami’s penultimate show of the year set the 12/30 bar mighty high with a juggernaut second set that opened with a breakout of Sand, Curtain With > Lifeboy and an extended Back on the Train, among other highlights. The first set of 2012′s 12/30 performance started out solidly enough but really picked up steam (coincidentally) in the vigorous jam of Back on the Train. Ride Captain Ride blew the roof off of the Bill Graham Civic this summer, mostly due to the San Francisco Bay reference, but the cover just doesn’t have any potency when compared to Walk Away, for example, as a first set rocker. The rest of the set flowed nicely, buoyed by the band’s collective energy and despite any setlist surprises.

MKDevo’s 12/30 Playlist

Mike was the last to step on stage for Set Two, and they all glared at him as he strapped on his bass and engaged the other-worldy funnel effect that signifies the opening of Down With Disease. Since Disease was the song that followed Auld Lang Syne last year, it was a relief that they wouldn’t repeat it in the same slot this time around. What transpired in the next 43 minutes, during only three songs, could not have been easily predicted or hoped for. As the structure of Down With Disease faded into the jam, we were led by our favorite band into literally uncharted territory. It was as if Trey’s shiny embossed guitar was our only guide as we descended into… “The Dark Passage.”

The Disease jam got so dark it bore no resemblance to any other DWD jam and the band just kept exploring, plummeting to lower depths. It got downright scary until finally they soft landed into the intro of 20 Years Later, and no other Phish song would have fit better out of that jam. Perhaps the darkest song on the album Joy, this tune seemed to express in words what the jam that preceded it couldn’t. Only the second time played in 2012 (after the last set at Dick’s), 20 Years Later asserted itself in this very high profile slot as a wicked beast of a tune that embodies the new, darker edge of Phish 3.0.

[Photo by Paul Citone]

When Trey raged into the opening chords of Carini, it was obvious that the deep space exploration was far from over. Carini has always been one of their darkest vehicles, and even has an element of anger to it, which Phish songs rarely ever have. This jam seemed to go even farther than the Disease as it led into metal and futuristic soundscapes. Carini from The Garden truly must be heard to be believed as Phish took MSG to a downright evil and nasty place on 12/30. Only when they were completely ready to resurface did Trey finally break the dark spell with their ode to friendship, Backwards Down The Number Line. An inspired Julius led to a breath-taking Slave, with every tap on a cymbal and pluck of a string seemingly in its perfect place. Equally as spectacular was the Harry Hood encore, these two utterly uplifting signature set pieces offered up to balance the dark weight laid on the audience in the first half of the set. Show of Life was an appropriate closer to a concert in which Phish showed their fans a place they didn’t know existed, and it was stunning.

Set 1: Runaway Jim^[1], Cities > Divided Sky, Back on the Train, Ride Captain Ride,Ocelot, Ya Mar, Horn, My Friend, My Friend^[2] > Run Like an Antelope

Set 2: Down with Disease^[3] > Twenty Years Later > Carini > Backwards Down the Number Line > Julius > Slave to the Traffic Light^[4]

Encore: Harry Hood > Show of Life

[1] DEG tease from Trey.
[2] No “Myfe” ending.
[3] Woman from Tokyo tease; unfinished.
[4] Little Drummer Boy tease from Page.

12/31 – New Year’s Eve

Seeing Phish on New Year’s Eve, regardless of the year and how they’ve been playing, is one of the most fun things you can do on the planet. Because of their historical affection for theatrics, putting on a New Year’s Gag in a three-set show is right in their twisted, humor-infected wheelhouse. After last year’s heavy psychedelic and spiritual theme (aerial “souls” with smoke packs and strobe lights floated in the air above the crowd during the bluesy jam in Steam), it was clear from walking in MSG that the band had chosen a much lighter, sport-related motif. The entire floor and stage of the venue was covered in green astro-turf, there was a two-way ramp extension in front of the stage, and there were trees and shrubbery creating a garden-like landscape. Only at a NYE Phish concert would you see three hot girls in bikinis pretending to sunbathe on artificial turf.

MKDevo’s 12/31 Playlist

A theory quickly spread that all this gamesmanship and flora could mean the break-out of Gamehendge, but it was quickly abandoned when they opened with the sly cover of Garden Party, which partially explained the decorations. Trey really enjoyed playing the song Rift this summer, and this inspired version led into a fiery Sample that got the already oiled crowd even more lubed up. At several points during this first set, Trey was literally jumping up and down with excitement, which is a common sight on TAB Tour but much more rare with Phish. The Mike’s jam snarled and showed teeth before it blasted into the opening chords of Walk Away, a terrific segue and combination. Like the fantastic version on 1.1.11, the band killed the jam but curiously stopped abruptly before Fish belatedly began his intro to Weekapaug. Character Zero was a raucous closer to appease the excitable New Year’s crowd.

The second set started off vibrantly with the semi-rare Birds Of A Feather, which led into Ghost, the deepest and most satisfying jam of the night. With an eye on the approaching clock, Trey led the guys to a shimmering percussive peak, and then eased smoothly into another of their tour-tested jam vehicles, Piper. With all cylinders firing, the band launched forward like wild horses, as Kuroda spelled Phish in the lights. To complete a dream team of jamtastic songs, Trey muscled the power chords of Light, but it was hard not to think of the masterpiece they had previously dropped at Dick’s. There was no need for comparison as Page soon teased the opening of 2001, which is always a special treat on NYE. The middle jam actually had some funky atypical riffs from Trey and MSG surely blasted off from its momentum, but the days of super-extended, beyond-seven-minute 2001’s are gone for now. A forceful, dynamic version of YEM pleased the NY audience and set the stage for the final act.

The NYE set began with the band members riding up on golf carts and then hitting balls (specially made nerf-like golf balls as not to injure anyone) into the crowd. The whole gag had a loose, carefree vibe to it that added to its appeal; it was like hitting the links with Fishman and a case of beer in the cart. Party Time opened the set appropriately, followed by Kung and the “runaway golf cart marathon” line, with golf carts whizzing up and down the ramp as Trey shredded into the chords of Chalkdust. Of all the songs Phish has played leading into Midnight, the old classic rocker seemed to be the perfect exclamation point for the moment, and the refrain of, “Can’t this wait til I’m old, Can’t I live while I’m young?” right before Midnight was particularly on the money.

After the X’s and O’s during Auld Lang Syne, Tweeprise was the other perfect side to the New Year’s coin: it’s the most intense three minutes in all of Phish so it already has the bedlam of the New Year’s moment intrinsically built into it. With dancers, shooting canons, golf carts and vocalist Carrie Manolakos, this Tweezer Reprise brought the house down. A series of golf-related songs continued the New Year’s theme, with nine-minute upbeat versions of Sand and Wedge. The real surprise of the night that put it over the top was the cover of Steve Miller’s Fly Like An Eagle. Except for the very first “Tick-tock, de doo doo doo doo,” which Trey flubbed, they absolutely nailed this version and took the cover quite seriously. It also seemed especially appropriate for the moment because of the line, “Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin, into the future.” A wicked Wilson and an acapella rearranged version of Lawn Boy rounded out the amusement park ride of a set. Driver and a full metal version of Iron Man (they did a half-assed instrumental attempt at NYE Miami ’03) drove home the fun n’ golf theme to the bitter end, but they missed a huge opportunity to close the show with a perfect golf reference that was right under their nose: Loving Cup.

12/31 has almost always been the weakest show of the run for any number of various reasons. But this year was a rare exception to that rule, as Phish delivered a high-energy three-set throwdown with a light, positive vibe that kept the focus on everybody having fun as we rocked into the new year. Based on the passion with which all four members played, their song selections and the jovial nature of the NYE gag, the overall impression was that Phish is happier than they’ve ever been and that their strategy (light touring centered around the East Coast) is working. All of the complications and negatives that get in the way with a band like this have been removed and now they can just focus on the one thing that drives all of us to do this: the music.

Page mentioned during the encore that 2013 is the band’s 30th year together, and as we head into this epic Anniversary year, it’s hard not to consider that the Grateful Dead were also celebrating (without much fanfare) their 30th year in 1995 when Jerry Garcia passed away. The Dead played over 2,300 shows by touring incessantly, and they always rocked a New Year’s Run in the Oakland area. Phish has played roughly 1600+ shows but with much fewer tours, especially now with their set format of a (2-leg) Summer Tour plus a NYE run. There is no doubt that Phish’s precision and ratio of good shows versus poor shows is much higher than the GD’s. Although the entire format, infrastructure, touring pattern and vibe of the Phish show was designed and implemented first by the Dead, Phish has carried the torch and revised it for the new millennium. To get to 2013, Phish has made it through all of the pitfalls (legal troubles, drug problems, band unity, over-crowded entourage) that brought down the Dead and ultimately led to their demise. It seems that these two incredible American bands have come full circle yet again, but at this point, Phish is finally breaking away from their forefathers and into a new frontier as they explore their 30th year and beyond. Based on the tremendous leaps forward that were witnessed on Summer Tour (SPAC, Dick’s), and now this successful MSG run, it’s safe to say we have officially entered the Golden Age of Phish.

Set 1: Garden Party^[1], Possum, Roses Are Free, Rift > Sample in a Jar, Alaska,Mike’s Song > Walk Away, Weekapaug Groove, Character Zero

Set 2: Birds of a Feather, Ghost > Piper > Light^[2] > Also Sprach Zarathustra >The Horse > Silent in the Morning, You Enjoy Myself^[3]

Set 3: Party Time, Kung > Chalk Dust Torture > Auld Lang Syne > Tweezer Reprise^[4] > Sand > The Wedge > Fly Like an Eagle^[1] > Wilson, Lawn Boy^[5]

Encore: Driver, Iron Man^[6]

[1] Phish debut.
[2] Auld Lang Syne tease
[3] Birds of a Feather tease
[4] With Carrie Manolakos on vocals and backup singers.
[5] A Capella.
[6] First Phish performance in full.

It is extraordinary what a small stick the size of a USB thumb drive can do for your computer audio. The AudioQuest DragonFly simply plugs into an available USB port on your PC or Mac and literally transforms your computer into a full blown hi-fi system. Like the HiFiMAN HM-101 that we previously reviewed, the DragonFly is a portable digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and headphone amp that takes over for your computer’s sound card. Sadly, most computers do a pretty piss-poor job of converting your digital music to the analog signal that you listen to in your desktop speakers, headphones or other hardware. Computer audio, even with great headphones or speakers, can be lifeless, dull, muddy and void of details. DACs can inject new life into your audio offering stunning nuances that you never noticed before with more brightness, life, punch and clarity.

Many music lover’s computer audio systems are not configured with a DAC for a handful of reasons. They have often been considered luxury items with a price tag to match. Additionally, for those with space constraints, many DACs were too bulky for many people to consider. Size was a particular issue for laptop and headphones users that were often mobile. Audioquest has managed to create a DAC that is not only insanely easy to use but also the size of a small thumb drive. This week we’ll look at this $250 marvel that performs at a level comparable to devices costing several times more.

Why should I even consider a DAC? Computers are just not very good at handling audio. The digital ones-and-zeroes of your music files need to be converted to an analog signal that you ultimately listen to. The timing needs to be extraordinarily precise to hear the music as it was recorded. Sadly, since your computer is simultaneously working on many other tasks- the timing suffers and causes a loss of music quality. The DAC takes over these tasks from the computer and results in profoundly better audio output. The difference is like moving from a third-generation audio cassette playing through a cheap boombox to a beautifully mastered CD playing from high quality speakers. You should consider a DAC if you love music and want it to sound the best that it can. Regardless if your music is playing through iTunes, Foobar, any other music player or streaming from the web: the AudioQuest DragonFly will make a PROFOUND difference in what you are hear. You don’t need to be a music snob, tech geek or audiophile willing to spend paycheck after paycheck to reap the benefits of this DAC. Any music lover who wants better sound should consider the DragonFly. Further, it does not matter which type of music you listen to: rock, jam band, jazz, folk, bluegrass, shoe-gaze, dream-pop or any other genre. Like Duke Ellington said when asked what type of music he liked, “I like good music”. DragonFly likes whatever music the user likes.

In a Nutshell This thumb drive sized device supports resolutions up to 24-bit/96kHz and contains dual clocks that can handle 44.1, 48, 88.2, and 96kHz sampling frequencies. In a nice touch, the DragonFly logo on the device lights up in different colors to indicate which sampling rate is incoming. Unlike many USB DACs, the volume attenuator is controlled from your computer’s main volume control. This is important because when the volume is controlled digitally it reduces the resolution and overall sound quality. The mini-jack output can drive any set of headphones, desktop speakers, earbuds or can be connected directly to an amplifier.

Sound It is often difficult to describe sound without using seemingly over-blown or trite terms. However, I am at a loss to describe what it is like to listen to music from the DragonFly without such terms. Extraordinary, vibrant, bright, dramatic, full-of-life and nuanced are but a few of the words that initially came to mind when listening the first time.

The DragonFly is most certainly one of those devices that  can take you down the rabbit hole of audiophilia. So if you don’t want to get addicted to high quality audio- you most certainly will want to stay away from this device. Plugging your headphones or speakers directly into your computer’s audio jack will seem begin to seem as barbaric as listening from a string and a tin can.

The first thing that I listened to upon receiving the DragonFly a couple weeks ago was Miles Davis’ “In A Silent Way”. To say that the sound was stunning was an understatement. Listening with my Audioengine A2 speakers, I could distinctly hear the breaths of air pulsing through the trumpet sounding like a real horn was blowing right next to me. It was so lively and lifelike and gave me a dramatic new appreciation for an album I’ve listened to dozens and dozens of times. After listening to the entirety of the album- it was impossible to stop listening- I next put on the magnificent “Inni” from Sigur Ros. The strings, piano, vocals and most particularly the cymbal splashes and other percussion were incredibly crisp and nuanced. I switched over to using my Logitech UE-9000 headphones (obviously not wirelessly) with equally impressive results. I listened to a handful of songs from Phish’s New Year’s Run and a recent Jimmy Herring Band show. In both cases the difference was staggering: livelier bass, more natural sound and much “fuller” sound.

One of the best things that I like about the DragonFly is the ability to play at higher volumes. Too often when you push the limits of your headphones or speaker volume- the sound really suffers and it is headache inducing. The details and texture when playing at moderate volumes carried over even when I blasted the volume as I sometimes like to do. The other major benefit of the DragonFly for me is the ability to play 24bit and other high-resolution files. I’ve never had a sound card or DAC that has had that ability and it is nice to finally be able to listen to some of these recordings and albums. I listened to a 24-bit recording of the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and was blown away with the detail of the percussion and horns.

AudioQuest DragonFly with Headphones plugged in

The magic inside There’s lots going on inside the small device to make such a big difference in sound quality. I asked the lead developer of the DragonFly and the person who conceived it all and brought it to life, Steve Silberman, just exactly what is inside this thing, what are the “guts” and how it works.

He explained that there are four main devices that work in concert together: 1) The asynchronous USB code: This allows the DragonFly to be in control of the data coming from the computer, overriding the computer as the device that is in control of the data flow and this is a more accurate method. 2) There are two precision digital clocks. These are some of most accurate digital clocks available today and can be found in digital devices costing thousands of dollars. 3) The heart of DragonFly is an ESS digital to analog chip. They listened to many different chips and found nothing that has the resolve and grip of the ESS. 4) The final piece of the puzzle is the analog chip. This is a precision 60 step analog volume control. Analog sounds old fashioned, but analog volume controls are more accurate and more natural than a digital volume control. It is more expensive to use an analog volume control but well worth the money.

Ease of Use & Build Quality There’s not much you need to learn about the DragonFly. Simply plug it into an available USB port and select DragonFly from your audio devices in your system preferences. Then plug your headphones, earbuds or cable to your speakers or amplifier and you are ready to listen. The only other thing that you might need to adjust through your settings is the default format for the music files you are listening to. This is where the illuminated logo is helpful if you don’t know. (Green = 44100 Hz (CD’s), Blue = 48000 Hz, Amber = 88200 Hz and Magenta 96000 Hz). Matching the native resolution preserves the best sound quality and prevents needless upsampling or downsampling which can degrade the music.

Despite the small size (about the size of a regular USB thumb drive), the DragonFly has a real sturdy feel to it with decent weight and a great finish and build quality. A small travel pouch is included to help protect it when travelling.

Bottom Line While $250 isn’t chump change, it is a remarkably cheap price to transform ordinary audio to extraordinary audio. With a reasonable pair of headphones or desktop speakers and the DragonFly, you can sport a hi-fi system that is leaps and bounds better than what you are accustomed to. Not a bad investment to dive right into the world of hi-fidelity sound. Even with budget earphones, like the RHA MA-350′s ($40) or even the Monoprice 8320′s ($8), you will benefit from a major increase in sound quality. (Though I realize those are unlikely listening devices with a $250 DAC, it demonstrates to me that the DragonFly is versatile enough to work with a slew of different devices).

I highly recommend this device to anyone who enjoys listening to music from their computer. The difference from listening straight from your audio-out jack is stunning and you’ll never want to do it again.

I’ve blindly sampled about ten people on this device from ardent music buffs to casual listeners. When asked which music they prefer- unanimously they pick the DragonFly over audio straight from the audio-out jack. The only way to really appreciate the difference is listening for yourself. So go find a local dealer and check it out- or take the leap of faith and buy it. I doubt you’ll be disappointed, but rest assured that with 30 years in business & an easy-return policy with AudioQuest, you really have nothing to lose.

Two big thumbs up to one of the best products I have yet to review on Technology Tuesday. As always, if you have any questions, have used the DragonFly already or any other comments, I would love to hear them.

AudioQuest Dealer Locator

Amazon $249

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It’s time once again for me to try to describe the indescribable: Jam Cruise. For those unfamiliar, Cloud 9 Adventures charters a cruise ship each January, fills it with outstanding musicians and the music fans who love them for a five-day adventure at sea. With six “official” venues on the boat and plenty of impromptu picking parties and jam sessions on every corner, the options are limitless for fans of the many styles of music that fall under the “jam” moniker.

As has been mentioned in the past – this is my fourth Jam Cruise – this trip is the ultimate “choose your own adventure” vacation. Each of the thousands of attendees have a completely different experience and part of the fun is catching up with all your friends to see what they saw that you may have missed and vice versa.

The MSC Poesia, home to Jam Cruise 11, left from Fort Lauderdale on Monday afternoon. Despite torrential rain in the morning, the weather had cleared by the time the Poesia was open for check in. Getting on the boat was a quick and painless process this year. These guys have the process down after 11 trips and within 45 minutes of my arrival at the port I was sitting on the pool deck enjoying a Pina Colada.

In sitting on the Pool Deck I saw lots of reunions between groups of friends who had gathered for the trip. Some of these groups made their own t-shirts so that they could easily find each other on the Poesia. For instance, a group of fans from Pittsburgh made a black and yellow shirt decked out with a Steelers logo on the front and the words “Fuck Yinz Face” on the back – a Pittsburgh variation on the title of Phish’s Fuck Your Face. But my favorite part of the pre-departure hours was getting to see the looks of incredulousness on the face of Jam Cruise virgins. There’s nothing like your first Cruise as despite my best efforts and those of others who’ve done the trip, you just can’t explain what it’s like to spend five days at sea with music fans who you most likely have plenty in common with watching one incredible set after another.

Around 6PM it was time to say farewell to Florida. New Orleans brass band Soul Rebels had the honor of playing this year’s “Sail Away Party.” The eight-piece band was a fine pick to kick off the festivities as they kept the large crowd entertained with a bombastic sound that incorporated funk, hip-hop, rock and soul. Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) fit perfectly as the opener with its line about traveling the world and the seven seas. The NoLa group mixed in a number of covers such as Michael Jackson’s Remember The Time, Fire by the Ohio Players and even a romp through Kanye’s Touch The Sky along with their potent originals.

Each night of the cruise at 7:30, one of the keyboardists on the boat performs a short set of unamplified music on a beautiful, clear grand piano set up near the lobby. The piano sits under a phalanx of stairs leading to the three floors above. Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident was the first piano man to play and drew as big a crowd as I’ve ever seen for one of these “atrium sets.” Fans packed the stairways and seized on any piece of space to watch Kyle deliver a mix of String Cheese originals and covers. Unfortunately, it was tough to keep a crowd of that size quiet and it was hard to hear the unamplified vocals and piano over the hum of the eager audience.

However, what you could hear was fantastic. Hollingsworth invited up guitarist Dan Schwindt from his solo band who takes the title of first Jam Cruise 11 musician to blow me away. Since Kyle was unamplified, Dan had to keep his levels extremely low but you could still make out these mind-blowing riffs that built upon what Kyle was playing and singing. The two highlights of the 45-minute set were Hollingsworth’s inventive deconstruction of Naive Melody by Talking Heads in which the crowd sung along and The Motet’s Kim Dawson joining Kyle and Schwindt for a blissful Boogie On Reggae Woman.

Next up for me was Steve Kimock with Wally Ingram, Andy Hess, John Morgan Kimock and Bernie Worrell in the theater. The theater, like all of the venues on the Poesia, has little nooks and crannies that you can explore in trying to find the best vantage point to take in the show. I settled on a solitary row towards the back of the theater and had five seats worth of dancing space to myself when the set started. Kimock has been on the road with this band for a few years now and they are incredibly tight. Steve weaved one gorgeous lick into another throughout the 30-minute segment I saw which featured a reggae bent. The guitarist gave the legendary Worrell plenty of time to show off his signature style. Bernie especially shined during a Riders On The Storm jam. Towards the end of his set, Kimock welcomed vocalist Nicki Blumn to lend her voice to a gritty cover of Tumbling Dice by The Rolling Stones. Her sassy vocals fit the tune like a glove.

As much as I was enjoying the Kimock performance, I had my eyes set on Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood’s Pool Deck set. And boy was I glad I made that decision. I was blown away by the grooves MMW laid down while Sco soloed over top. This was the kind of groovy MMW that first drew me into the band all those years ago. Jam Cruise is the perfect event for an ADD music fan like myself as you can quickly move between venues, but at this point I was going nowhere. MSMW attracted me into their web and I didn’t leave until it was over. Particularly sweet was A Go Go from the ensemble’s first studio album and a cover of Hey Joe.

When MSMW finished I headed to the theater to catch a bit of reggae legends Steel Pulse. I was thoroughly impressed by the energy they infused into each song and the shreddy guitar antics. Colorado’s The Motet drew a huge crowd at the small Zebra Bar venue. While I look forward to their “Funk Is Dead” set later this week, on Monday the large ensemble focused on new original material. The funk is deep with these guys as they delivered one in-the-pocket groove after another anchored by bassist Garrett Sayers and drummer Dave Watts. The Motet welcomed old friend Nigel Hall (Lettuce, Warren Haynes Band) out to lead them through a medley of P-Funk covers that brought the house down.

Speaking of bringing the house down, Big Gigantic has blown up since their first appearance on Jam Cruise. As the only band to perform on the The Holy Ship EDM cruise that took place before Jam Cruise and Jam Cruise itself, the Colorado-based duo has crossed over in a big way. I had Lettuce (the band) on my mind but Big Gigantic’s Pool Deck set drew me up and refused to let go. Saxophonist Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken have created an original stew filled with different EDM ingredients that provides a satisfying sound. The pair had the crowd in the palm of their hands as the large crowd assembled on the Pool Deck went wild with every drop. These guys made it clear why they’ve done so well for themselves and deserve the success they’ve garnered.

There are many tough choices on the schedule this year and one I struggled with was Tea Leaf Green playing at the same time as Lettuce late night on Monday. I caught a little of TLG and was most impressed with their current sound, but Lettuce was absolutely on fire in the theater so I would up catching most of the funkmeisters’ deep set. Lettuce welcomed Bernie Worrell for a riveting, organ-fueled jam and later, when Big Gigantic’s Dominic Lalli finished at the Pool Deck, he sat in with them. Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio, Wyllys and the NY Hustlers) also added trombone to the proceedings. With 20 minutes left in the Lettuce set, Nigel Hall emerged and showed the kind of stage presence you just can’t manufacture. Hall led Lettuce through an amazing cover of Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield that put the cap on their magical set.

At this point we were approaching 4AM and after a quick run through the Jam Room where host Lebo (ALO) was jamming with members of The Motet and Tea Leaf Green, I decided to call it a night. Jam Cruise is a marathon, not a sprint and even though I knew I’d miss something there’s a full day of music tomorrow. I look forward to hearing the stories from other Jam Cruisers later this morning. There’s still plenty of time and plenty to see. Come back tomorrow for more from Jam Cruise 11.

He’s got the whole world in his hands…

Goat: World Music

Late in the fall I got turned on to this album and it hasn’t left the rotation yet. Goat is a sort of music collective from Northern Sweden, maybe the notion of a band more than a band. Regardless, the music is like your favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavor: dense creamy base with a wild mix of tastes and textures swirled together. Pulsing world beats, heavy psychedelic-metal bass and guitar and a little bit of everything else in perfect proportion – with song titles like Goatman, Goathead and Goatlord, World Music is a must-listen.

Spotify: Goat – World Music
MOG: https://mog.com/m#album/68669849
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B0086HGTQI
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/goat-psyche/album/world-music

Debo Band: Debo Band

If the first track, Akala Wube, on Debo Band’s self-titled debut doesn’t grab you by your ears and pull you in for the rest of the album, I’ll buy you a Coke. This Boston-based group has a root in classic Ethiopian “Golden Age” funk music, like someone formed a perfect snowball of Afro pop. But as that snowball rolled down the mountain it seemed to pick up mass from music from all over the world culminating in this overwhelming avalanche of sound.

Spotify: Debo Band – Debo Band
MOG: https://mog.com/m#album/70096263
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B008EEWJQC
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/debo-band/album/debo-band

Ava Luna, a soulful indie big band from Brooklyn, popped up on our radar this past year when they landed the cover of the print edition of Deli Magazine here in New York. After what sounds like a bit of a comedy of errors, they finally have their official music video for the haunting Ice Level single. Ava Luna hits the road for a national tour in January, which does a giant loop de loop from the east coast, down to Texas, up to the midwest, and back east for a big finale at Pianos on January 30th. Have a look.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Happy New Year’s, everyone! I know it’s been a little bit since I’ve graced you with my Postcards From Page Side column, but wanted to start fresh here in ’13 with a recap of what was certainly the best year since their return for the almighty Phish. With more highlights than I can possibly cover here, I’ll attempt to give some focus on what I felt were some turning points, true magical moments and the final seven shows of the year – Colorado and MSG, all of which I attended – and all of which offered something special.

[Photo by Paul Citone]

Starting with a Summer Tour that kicked off indoors in Worcester and boasted one of the most memorable JAMMED sequences of the entire year: Ghost > Boogie On Reggae Woman > If I Could, and climaxed with a Runaway Golf Cart Marathon on New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden, their was certainly a laundry list of snippets being added frantically to iPods over the past seven months. The biggest difference between 2012 versus ’09, ’10, and ’11 was that you didn’t just walk into a show expecting to hear well played songs, but it was HOW they were going to play them. In short, and in my opinion, Phish re-learned how to consistently JAM again in 2012, with a no-holds barred, patient and sometimes ferocious, four-headed, balanced attack. If someone told me before the year started that my top versions list would include Undermind, I might have smacked you. But alas, it’s up there (August 31). And so it goes in the world of Phish.

Many, many other examples prove how ridiculous a year it was for Phish improvisationally. We can also look at Atlantic City’s mini-festival in the early portion of Summer’s Leg One. The completely Type-II, off the wall Birds of Feather (June 15), or the amazing sandwich of Light > Manteca > Light (June 16) were two examples of the band simply cutting loose and letting things flow and progress with results than no one could have fathomed until they were happening. I remember walking out of Bader Field after these shows and thinking to myself that the band was only six shows into their tour and was completely rewriting the script.

This theme continued throughout the first leg of the summer with monster versions coming around every turn. Light, Sand and Down With Disease were just a few songs that led the charge, while another perennial favorite, Tweezer, culminated and blew the roof off of the Garden with an all-time version on December 28th. Show after show, I was rediscovering IT on a nightly basis. I was hanging on every note Phish played this year in a way I wasn’t in the previous three years.

July 6th, the first night of Phish’s SPAC Run, was my favorite show of the summer – at the time. That was the beauty of this year as a whole: shows and runs simply kept topping themselves, like an endless supply of rainbow sprinkles on a monster banana split. Every night I walked out with a shit-eating grin, knowing in my heart of hearts that this year was what many of us had been secretly hoping for – more consistently – over the past, few years. The band had certainly been painting brushstrokes of brilliance to date since the return, but 2012 was their greatest Picasso in a long, long time. Some things I talked about in a Leg 1 recap earlier this year proved to be spot on, while others were partially right.

The bust outs (Skin It Back on July 3rd at Jones Beach, being a mega one), continued to fly off “the shelf.” However, the concise, purposeful jamming continued to morph into visions of yesteryear through the second half of the year. The final night of the run at the Bill Graham in San Francisco showcased one of the best sets of the year – from start to finish. Just a ridiculous onslaught that you need to cue up at the start, hit play and hang on.  And the humor/playfulness that I mentioned, and truly separates Phish from just about every other band in the universe, was painstakingly apparent again throughout “tucking” and the aforementioned “Runaway Golf Cart Marathon” of New Year’s Eve. Toss in the element of the FUCK YOUR FACE show in Colorado and the Golf set and you’ve got two of the more tongue-in-cheek nods to the endless supply of surprises Phish seemingly has up their sleeves.

But, 2012 will always be defined by me and many others by on run of shows: Labor Day Weekend at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. To end the second leg of the Summer Tour, the shows in Colorado were by far the best shows I’ve seen in the modern era and showed me that as much as I’d hoped/dreamed/been showed glimpses of/and written about how Phish could recapture their old magic: this run completely solidified that in my eyes – and I dare anyone to challenge that statement. Seemingly everything they touched turned to pure musical gold, entering a realm that is not practiced, but rather just happens. Inhibitions are cast aside and things flow, like the hose we all associate with Phish, that Santana told them about many years ago. Carini (only surpassed by MSG’s version on December 30), Runaway Jim (went deep!), Undermind, as I said earlier, which floated into the most beautiful, melodic, ethereal jam the song has ever spawned and Sand, which was a groove monster, were all top-shelf versions. But, the Light they played topped them all. I even heard second hand that the band themselves were blown away after performing this number in Colorful Colorado, something that certainly doesn’t come easy after 30 years, I would garnish a guess to say.

So, what do you do to cap off your best year in a long while? Well, you play the World’s Most Famous Arena for your 8th New Year’s stop there, and simply pick up where you left off, and continue the trend to start your 30th year as a band. Fresh off a Hidden Track recap of the MSG shows, I’ll save my words and just say: the band, the fans and everyone in between had a blast. Now - it’s time for a little golf this off-season, before Phish comes back and will surely attempt to make their 2013 their best year ever – a tall order after a magnificently rewarding 2012.

Thanks Phish!

When it was revealed that Widespread Panic would be one of the headlining acts at the 10th installment of the Wakarusa Music Festival this spring, it seemed like only a matter of time before the Southern jam-titans would announce their return to the road after taking the majority of 2012 off. Yesterday Spreadheads rejoiced as the band announced a 13-date spring run leading up to their appearance at Wakarusa.

The tour, which almost exclusively consists of two-night stands, kicks off with a pair of shows at the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, Missouri and winds through the Midwest and South. Check out the full slate of dates…

4/9 Peabody Opera House – St. Louis, MO
4/10 Peabody Opera House – St. Louis, MO
4/12 UIC Pavilion – Chicago, IL
4/13 UIC Pavilion – Chicago, IL
4/14 Orpheum Theatre – Minneapolis, MN
4/16 Palace Theatre – Louisville, KY
4/17 Palace Theatre – Louisville, KY
4/23 – Township Auditorium – Columbia, SC
4/24 – Township Auditorium – Columbia, SC
4/26 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Alpharetta, GA
4/27 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Alpharetta, GA
5/3 – The Wood at Fontanel – Nashville, TN
5/4 – The Woods at Fontanel – Nashville, TN
5/30 – 6/2 Wakarusa Music Festival Ozark, AK

Widespread Panic will kick off 2013, when they host their second annual Panic en la Playa, from January 27 – 31 at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic

In recent years, as “Best Of” lists have proliferated and inched ever earlier into the fall,  fourth quarter album output has borne little fruit. This year in particular, it felt like the music industry just shut down in Novemener and went fishing until January. The early winter months of November and December were a plain musical bore in 2012 to say the least.

Therefore, one would hope that 2013 should be ripe with all sorts of treasures and treats awaiting their release on the world. Here at HT, we’re chomping at the bit to get our hands on some new music and check out some new bands.

From the looks of it, we’re in for a treat in 2013. We’ve got some interesting stories in longtime greats coming out of retirement, some rock solid standbys who never disappoint, some epic collaborations, and some bands ready to bounce back from under-performing predecessor efforts. So without further ado, here’s a look at some of the albums we’re looking forward to most in 2013. Feel free to chime in with anything we may have dissed.

The Big Story Albums

Atoms for Peace – Amok

The successful musical friendship of two of today’s  biggest rock stars in Thom Yorke and Flea has already impressed in the live setting, but the recorded material should take them to the next level as a band. The member who oft gets overlooked in the star power quotient of the supergroup is Nigel Godrich. The Atoms have one of the best producers in England built into the band. Godrich was behind the board for the vast majority of Radiohead’s catalog and worked on other standout productions like Beck’s Sea Change, U2’s Walk On, and Gnarls Barkley’s The Odd Couple. Finally, the art work for Amok has already made a statement on its own having been created as a building at XL Recordings home office and reflecting some powerful social commentary of a world run “amok”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

MGMT – MGMT

When MGMT released in long-awaited sophomore album Congratulations in 2010, fans were anxiously awaiting an album chock full of catchy party tunes to satiate their appetites after getting a taste of songs like Kids and Time to Pretend on Oracular Spectacular. What followed was a more moderate tempo psychedelic record that disappointed folks in search of more indie pop goodness. Thus far, only one song, Alien Days, has been performed live at a show in South America and it probably falls somewhere in between the two camps. In a recent interview, Andrew VanWyngarden mentioned that the band has been having a blast in the studio and “getting back to eating more ice cream during recording”, so we can only assume that bodes well for the output here.

My Bloody Valentine – TBD

Cult shoegaze heroes Kevin Shields and company are a divisive bunch. Some consider My Bloody Valentine one of the best bands of the 90s, guitar tone gods, and critically influential to indie rock as we know it. Others view them as a wildly unprolific and high maintenance band with a penchant for procrastination. Rolling Stone considers Shields the #95 most important guitarists of all time. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, this will be a huge music story this year as this third installment in the MBV catalog comes over 20 years since the release of of the seminal Loveless album.

Black Sabbath – TBD

With Ozzy fronting Black Sabbath for the first time since 1978 should prove a wildly entertaining ride. Having seen Ozzy’s reality show, it’s nearly impossible to imagine him fronting a functional band, let alone shredding with Sabbath considering he can barely assemble a peanut butter sandwich at this point. However, the catch is that they have Rick Rubin on board, so there is definitely an outside chance at this being a big surprise to the positive.

Dave Grohl – Sound City – Real to Real

The soundtrack to Grohl’s documentary on the famed Sound City Studios, he’s got a who’s who and a half lined up for collaborations, including, Macca, Stevie Nicks, the remaining members of Nirvana, Josh Homme, Trent Reznor, and none other than Rick Springfield. It’s doubtful that this will be any kind of unified work, but it should make for a noteworthy experiment and a fun listen at the very least.

David Bowie – The Next Day

This news shocked the world yesterday when David Bowie came out of album hibernation to announce his first album in almost ten years. The album is coming out in the US March 11, so this was a very well-kept secret, but they released a video to coincide with the news. We’re looking forward to hearing what the Thin White Duke sounds like at the ripe old age of 66.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We’ll Believe ‘Em When We Hear ‘Em

Pearl Jam – TBD

As it stands now, Eddie Vedder says the follow up to Backspacer is about halfway done. Jeff Ament called the album a “blank slate” as recently as November, so the progress appears to chugging along. Nevertheless, an album of this magnitude won’t come out in any hasty manner, so this one looks like a tossup as to if it’s coming in 2013. The band was widely tied up in various solo and side projects in 2012, but they seem to be universally focused on Pearl Jam in 2013, so stay tuned.

Daft Punk – TBD

The secretive electronic music duo Daft Punk is never keen to release much information about their endeavors, but rumors have swirled via a number of collaborators (Panda Bear, Chilly Gonzales, Paul Williams) who have confirmed involvement on the forthcoming fourth album. Some say it’s coming as soon as March 2013, but there is nothing concrete to go on here.

Dr. Dre – Detox

Detox is officially becoming rap’s Chinese Democracy, but this could be the year.

Arcade Fire – TBD

This one was well underway, but the band experienced a roof collapse during recording, and already had a late 2013 target, so this will likely end up coming down to the wire. As bands seem to be really shying away from releasing anything in the fourth quarter anymore, this one may trickle into 2014. The big news on this one is the involvement of James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem, who should add a shot of energy to the chamber pop superstars.

The Locks

Jim James – Regions of Light and Sound of God

The first true Jim James solo album is waiting in the wings and early previews have been favorable. Musicians tend to feel self-indulgent and almost embarrassed by the desire to record an album where they play all the instruments, but for fans it’s a curiosity they love to embrace. When someone succeeds with a band to the extent MMJ has, it’s a rite of passage Jim James earned and fans will inevitably enjoy hearing how approaches the nuances in the rhythm section and subtle nuances around the edges.

Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse

All we really need to hope for is more of the same from the Glasgow lads., but after working with Peter Katis on the previous two full-lengths, Frightened Rabbit teamed up with Leo Abrahams for this project, a London Academy of Music alum who’s best known for his work with Brian Eno, David Byrne, and Jon Hopkins and playing lead guitar for Imogen Heap. Abrahams is a sonic guru and actually co-wrote Strange Overtones on Byrne and Eno’s Everything that Happens Will Happen Today, so the odds are fully in favor of this being a memorable one.

Vampire Weekend – TBD

The third full-length from Vampire Weekend is officially slated for spring 2013. I think we all know what to expect – catchy Soweto melodies, references to academia, salmon colored shorts and docksiders, and thoughtful rhythms. The formula works, and the band just gets more palatable as the kitschy buzz subsides.

The Milk Carton Kids – The Ash & Clay

We’ve heard this already and it’s a home run. The Ash & Clay sounds like a modern day revue of Simon & Garfunkel with just a hint of bluegrass.

Albums with Big Potential

Devendra Banhart – Mala
Phoenix- TBD
Cloud Nothings – TBD
Beck – TBD
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – //
Kurt Vile – Wakin on a Pretty Daze
Yo La Tengo – Fade
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – TBD
Superhuman Happiness – Hands
Ivan & Alyosha – All the Times We had
Eels – Wonderful Glorious
Junip – Junip
Nataly Dawn – How I Knew Her
The Knife – Shaking the Habitual
Alice in Chains – TBD
Black Crowes – Wiser for the Time (Live)

The Ones We’ve All Been Waiting For

Adam Ant – Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar in Marrying The Gunner’s Daughter
Darius Rucker – True Believers
LL Cool J – Authentic Hip Hop
Emmy Rossum – Sentimental Journey

The second day of Jam Cruise is a day spent at sea steaming towards our first port. The schedule of music and activities starts at noon, just a few hours after the last notes had been played the previous night, and runs until early the next morning – and that’s just the music that’s been scheduled. My favorite part of Jam Cruise are the impromptu performances you won’t find on any schedules.

Northern California’s Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers opened the Pool Deck at noon and attracted a surprisingly large crowd considering the “early” hour. You may best known Bluhm and her band from the “Van Sessions” videos they’ve created which have went viral. Blumn has a sweet, gorgeous voice and was a vision with her long black hair swaying in the wind. Her band includes husband Tim Bluhm of The Mother Hips on guitar and piano and ALO’s Steve Adams on bass. Nicki sang Tumbling Dice with Steve Kimock on Day One of the trip, so he returned the favor on a cover of Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever. As much as I enjoyed the group’s covers, I was struck by The Band-like vibe of their original material. Bluhm has powerful pipes that just might make her a crossover star one day.

Greensky Bluegrass makes their return on Jam Cruise 11 after taking last year off (besides Anders Beck who was on as a special guest). With Greensky’s instrumental setup (banjo, guitar, dobro and bass) keyboards fit nicely when it comes to guests, so the band took the opportunity to welcome Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident and Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee to help out for a song a piece. Cummins dueled with Beck on a fiery Don’t Lie, but for my money the highlight of the set was GB’s arrangement of Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen. Bluegrass serves The Boss’s music well.

Right near the Pool Deck is a smaller stage called the Magic Hat Wind Stage. First up at the intimate outdoor venue was a solo set from Perpetual Groove front man Brock Butler. The “Wind Stage” was especially fitting on this day as gusts of wind ripped through the crowd and were so strong they moved Brock as he sang. Butler offered an impromptu version of The Mighty Wind in response. He was in fine voice as he delivered stirring takes on Holocene by Bon Iver, Paul Simon’s Boy In The Bubble as well as his epic It Starts Where It Ends.

J.J. Grey and Mofro are Jam Cruise vets at this point and after catching them on Jam Cruise 8, I decided to check out a few of the activities taking place around the boat. First up was “Jamily Feud” – a take on Family Feud hosted by Karl Denson. Denson had the ’70s game show host schtict down. You know it’s Jam Cruise because one of the answers given for “what’s the best rock and roll song ever” was You Enjoy Myself (which Karl Denson did not know at all). The activities are run well and those who attended had a blast.

This was also true of the second musical activity I stumbled across called “Musical Bingo.” Two of Jam Cruise’s late night heroes – Brock Butler and Nathan Moore teamed up to play covers of their own songs in an order they determined randomly. The songs they performed corresponded to bingo cards given out to those participating. For instance, when Brock covered Patience by Guns N’ Roses, anyone who had that song on their bingo card could cross it off. Eventually one of the audience members scored a bingo leaving Brock and Nathan enough time to play a few songs together. They treated the crowd to takes on Mother by Pink Floyd and The Honeydrippers’ Sea Of Love.

Besides activities there are also workshops put on by some of the artists. One I attended was dubbed “Between The Beats” which featured Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood taking questions from their fans. To hear Sco talk about performing with Miles Davis was enthralling as even his MMW band mates stood hanging on every word. Medeski also related a hilarious story. When he was approached about performing with Scofield in 1997, his response was “John Scofield’s still alive!?!?” A few albums later, the guitarist is most certainly still alive and it was a treat to hear him talk about his half-century in the music business.

When the lineup was announced I had my eyes on a set called “Funk Is Dead” featuring Colorado’s insanely talented The Motet. The group reworks Grateful Dead songs as soul-infused funk anthems in a way that reminds me of how Jazz Is Dead interpreted The Dead. These guys and gals played a They Love Each Other that would’ve made James Brown proud with its funk breaks and R&B horns. The crowd ate up every Dead cover The Motet kicked out. Even Stella Blue, a tune you’d think just could not be “funkified” was a revelation. Funk Is Dead was the talk of the boat for the rest of the night and a contender for set of the week.

Between eight and nine there was no music scheduled for a dinner hour of sorts. I sat down for a real meal (as opposed to my trips to the cafeteria for the 24/7 buffet) with some friends and dinner conversation touch on “why is Trey’s birth date wrong on his mugshot” and we couldn’t come up with an answer. The food seems better on this trip than on Jam Cruises past but wouldn’t win any awards.

As I mentioned yesterday, every night one of the keyboardists on the boats performs an unamplified set at a glass piano set up in the ship’s atrium. Nigel Hall got the call on Night Two and his set was a completely different animal than the one Kyle Hollingsworth offered the previous night. Nigel’s crowd was attentive and hung on every syllable. He mixed his own tunes with covers and ended the short set by welcoming Corey Glover (Living Colour, Galactic), James Casey (Lettuce, Trey Anastasio) and Ivan Neville for a beautiful cover of The Way Of The World by Earth, Wind and Fire.

Galactic stuck to a similar script as last year’s Pool Deck set as they followed Glover on Living Colour’s Cult Of Personality and tackled 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon. I took off fairly quickly to head to the Zebra Bar to catch ALO. ALO impressed me the most of any band on Jam Cruise 9 and it was a pleasure to watch them in action once more. They are a jamband that knows how to write a catchy tune and hours later I’m still singing their Pobrecito. ALO’s guests included Kyle Hollingsworth for a 30-minute segment and guitarist Scott Law. They also did absolutely spot-on renditions of two yacht rock classics – What A Fool Believes by The Doobie Brothers and Escape (The Pina Colada Song).

At 12:30AM I decided to take stock for a moment. ALO was tearing it up at the Zebra Bar, The funky METERS were giving a lesson in funk on the Pool Deck and Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood were exploring away in the theater. These are the tough decisions of Jam Cruise, but thankfully you couldn’t go wrong with any of these options. I ran to MSMW just to see them welcome out Ivan Neville on organ. Watching Neville and Medeski duel was a real treat, but the best Medeski experience was still to come.

Just 15 minutes after his set with MSMW finished, Medeski headed to the Zebra Bar for a set with the incredibly talented drummer Adam Deitch (Lettuce, Break Science) and saxophonist Skerik. The trio had only played one gig prior and it took place in New York City a year ago. Yet you’d never know these guys hadn’t been together for long. The instrumental, mostly improv’d set showed what a fantastic idea it was putting them together. The music they created was deliciously evil.

Later, I headed to the Pool Deck just in time to catch The funky METERS tear Cissy Strut a new asshole. Drummer Russell Batiste handled front man duties as Galactic drummer Stanton Moore got behind the kit. As a bassist, there’s nothing like watching George Porter Jr. show how it’s not about how much you play but how you play what you do play. He can play just two notes in a measure, but they are so perfectly placed that they carry the tune. Artist Lebo painting on stage as the band performed added another level of surreallness the proceedings.

Now we were nearing 2AM and I decided to take a visit to “The Spot.” As you may recall, two years ago troubadour Nathan Moore set up shop on the boat’s side decks with a few of his musical friends and would run through covers and originals until the sun came up. Last year more Jam Cruisers caught on to the impromptu sessions and after lots of ink, “The Spot” isn’t Jam Cruise’s best kept secret no more. This year, when I made my first trip to “The Spot” I saw about 50 people surrounding Moore and his musical friends. As the night went on the crowd would only increase in size. Unfortunately, many weren’t there for the music and talked loudly as the musicians tried to perform. Moore used this racousness to his advantage for group sing-a-longs on Second That Emotion, How Sweet It Is and It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry. “The Spot” was still going strong when I went to bed at six and had seen members of The Motet, Greensky Bluegrass, Tea Leaf Green and ALO take part on Night One.

Over in the Jam Room Brian J. of Pimps of Joytime was the evening’s host. He brought his Pimps band mates to hold down the stage until other musicians made their way to the room. The best jam I caught on Night Two featured the Pimps teaming up with Brock Butler, Wally Ingram and John Morgan Kimock for It’s Bad You Know. Later, Butler, Nikki Glaspie (Dumpstaphunk), Brian J., James Casey, Nigel Hall and Joey Porter laid into a bluesy Got My Mojo Workin’ that was also a highlight.

Right now I’m writing from Grand Turk in Turks and Caicos and feeling pretty good all things considered. It’s time to put the computer away and get right back to the music. Check back for a full report from Day Three.

Since going platinum eleven times over with Devil Without A Cause, Kid Rock has adopted the not-so-variegated guises of the Bullgod, Rock & Roll Jesus, the early morning stoned pimp and Detroit’s favorite son. With a style that’s equal parts rock and roll history lesson and multi-genre mash up, Kid Rock’s live shows tend to be a veritable jukebox of country, classic rock, metal, southern rock, hip-hop and rap. He covers enough ground that his presence on stage with Phish, Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sheryl Crow and Reverend Run (of DMC fame) fail to even raise a quizzical eyebrow over the propriety of his appearance. Over the course of a career that has lasted longer than many might have suspected, Rock has cultivated a populist rocker-of-the-people persona that has found just as many detractors as fans. Regardless of your personal opinion of the scruffy Michigander, it would be disingenuous to ever call Kid Rock boring . . . until now. Once a red state redneck rebel at the center of tabloid headline quality brouhahas involving Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee and sex tape scandals that involved Creed’s Scott Stapp, he’s now more likely to found gladhanding the likes of Mitt Romney then waving his middle finger at the nearest authority figure.

As any artist gets older, it’s no crime for their musical output to reflect their changing worldview. Bruce Springsteen’s career wouldn’t have lasted to the present day if he hadn’t moved on from wistfully documenting the Jersey shore and anthemically wooing women to run off with him. Rock surely hasn’t turned his back on those that share his love for the boisterous pursuit of the American Dream and eloquent, if not profane, reprisals towards those who could be best deemed haters. It’s a mindset and a philosophy that has gained him fans across all strata of society. His spirit may be still be willing but with Rebel Soul, his latest album, he’s simply become uninteresting and starting that dangerous slide into self-parody.

In being one of the first to places genres in a blender and hit puree, Rock has always been one to embrace disparate styles. Unfortunately, his view of current trends has led him into the arms of the Autotune. While the voice flattening device added an interesting dimension to the studio version of God Only Knows, it seems forced in its use on Detroit, Michigan, which, though not overused, distracts rather than adds. On his ode to his hometown, Rock employs his road-tested songwriting trick of simply name checking bands that he likes. On American Badass and Forever, it was defiant and demanded that his tastes be recognized; on Detroit, Michigan, it comes across as a joyless roll call of bands that draw inspiration from the Motor City. Where Rock’s crassness on songs like Sugar and So Hott gave them a cheeky irreverence, if not earthy wit, now on songs like Cucci Galore, he sounds like he’s become amused with his own bawdy-bada.

Where Kid Rock once served as a lightning rod that marked the convergence of uncountable musical styles, he now seems to have aged into a purveyor of warmed over outlaw country. It appears that all kids must inevitably grow up.

In contrast to the sad domestication of Kid Rock, Leonard Cohen has managed to maintain his own urbane style well into his late seventies, his preternaturally deep voice sounding as warm and comforting as it did in his prime. Just this past December, Cohen mesmerized a sold out Madison Square Garden crowd with his decades-old, neo-romantic visions, bohemian patois and that oh so calm and reassuring voice for nearly three hours. Dropping to his knees in a penitent pose during many of the songs, Cohen demonstrated exactly how someone that doesn’t rock becomes inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Over two sets and a pair of encores Cohen left no one wanting, playing a veritable greatest hits show that included early hits like So Long, Marianne, Bird On A Wire and Famous Blue Raincoat, his rumination on a night with Janis Joplin, Chelsea Hotel No. 2, confident declarations of masculinity like I’m Your Man, latter day apocalyptic prophecies like The Future and selections from Old Ideas, his 2012 release, including Going Home, God’s reminiscence on his time with the singer. Notwithstanding jawdropping versions of Suzanne, the locale-appropriate First We Take Manhattan and his various takes on flamenco and European melodies, Cohen’s best moments were on Anthem and Hallelujah. A spiritual soul, Cohen’s passionate delivery evokes a powerful emotional response, shaming all inferior singers who feel theatrics and multi-octave ranges are a substitute for the true ability to convey the beauty of a song.

You might think that a crowd that skews old would diminish the feel of the show. Never underestimate the power of a well-mannered audience; it has its time and place. When Cohen performs, MSG (or any arena) takes on all the qualities of an intimate Broadway show. While on stage, Cohen didn’t battle banal self-involved chatter as an entire arena sat rapt with attention. When he spoke, nary a peep could be heard from the crowd who hung on every sepia-toned word that dripped from his lips. No one in that audience had an interest in anything but Leonard Cohen.

Where many artists have changed and evolved over the years, Cohen remains iconoclastic for steadfastly remaining constant for more than four decades. For all the praise that can be lauded upon the vaunted Canadian singer-songwriter for his evocative lyrics, inimitable style and singularly identifiable voice, it’s the songs that resonate. Once you hear Cohen sing, his voice, spiritual mien and impeccable sense of songcraft remain with you for life.

OFFRAMPS AND REST STOPS

Some Final Thoughts about 2012

In my years with Earvolution, I pretty much had free reign in putting together the year-end column ever so creatively entitled The Yearvolution. Now as a member of the Hidden Track arsenal of writers, no matter how correct my opinions may be, my voice is but one of many in proclaiming the best albums of the past twelve months. Since I don’t get the whole Frank Ocean thing and thought Kendrick Lamar was the basketball player that married a Kardashian, the unquestionable best five albums of the year were Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s Psychedelic Pill, Japandroids’ Celebration Rock, Father John Misty’s Fear Fun, Alabama Shakes’ Boys & Girls and Cloud Nothings’ Attack On Memory. You may quibble with my choices but I am not wrong, especially about the kid from Cleveland.

Notwithstanding momentous events like the Hurricane Sandy benefit at Madison Square Garden that attracted classic rock’s vanguard (and Bon Jovi), the Love For Levon show in East Rutherford, New Jersey and that Phish show in Wisconsin where they really really jammed, the most important event of 2012 took place in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. When a group of day-glo balaclava wearing punk rock chicks engaged in a guerrilla-style video shoot for their Punk Prayer, a song protesting the Russian Orthodox Church’s support of President Vladimir Putin, they spawned the Pussy Riot revolution. Ostensibly tried and imprisoned for political speech, the conviction of three of the group’s members (the others remain unknown and “at large”) struck a chord throughout the world. As two of the three ladies serve their sentences in the Russian prison system, we are confronted with the sad reminder that the freedom of speech we enjoy in America is not shared around the world. The rejoinder of “Free Pussy Riot” surely contains more import than a little horsey dance from South Korea.

Speaking of the Hurricane Sandy benefit, I was slightly stunned by the extreme backlash towards the event, mainly by people who watched it on television for free in the comfort of their own homes. Amongst the whining were complaints that no one did anything new. Which begs the question as to why anyone would think the show, which was essentially a telethon, would be anything other than classic rock titans doing what they do best? The brevity of The Rolling Stones set can likely be attributed to their late inclusion in the event and the fact that their $40 pay-per-view spectacular was three days away. Of the many things that can be said about The Stones, it’s rarely said that they leave money on the table. Personally, I thought the night’s most notable event was the surviving members of Nirvana playing with Paul McCartney. Those decrying that Nirvana isn’t Nirvana without Kurt Cobain are 100% correct. However, in Nirvana’s last run with In Utero, Pat Smear did the heavy lifting on guitar and the sound that blasted forth from the MSG stage as they played with McCartney was unmistakably late-era Nirvana. McCartney deserves credit for making no effort to emulate Kurt Cobain. In playing Dobro, Cut Me Some Slack was simply the surviving members of Nirvana playing with a Beatle and not a misshapen reunion peg being jammed into the circular hole of nostalgia.

If there were missed opportunities at the Garden that night, it was the lack of any truly notable collaboration. Notwithstanding, Eddie Vedder’s appearance with Roger Waters, the reciprocal Bon Jovi/Springsteen cameos and Michael Stipe’s surprise appearance with Chris Martin, there were many combinations left unexplored. Kanye West performing with any of the classic rock royalty would have been memorable, especially if Ye convinced the Boss or Billy Joel to take the Ray Charles part for an historic take on Gold Digger, and the song hasn’t been written that Eric Clapton couldn’t enhance. If the Stones were going to go short, couldn’t they have brought out McCartney for the I Wanna Be Your Man we’ve all been craving? Egos being what they are, the ticket prices were astronomical; no one needed to reinvent the wheel but a couple of these rock icons could’ve likely found more ways to share the bill than by being listed together on the program.

After a lengthy absence, Fiona Apple reemerged from seclusion in Austin, Texas as part of the NPR showcase at Stubbs Ampitheater. It’s a set that, according to the AV Club, almost never happened as the legendarily mercurial (to be read, flaky) singer “freaked out” and needed to be calmed down by singer-songwriter David Garza before making a somewhat triumphant return. It will be up to history to record whether Apple’s 2012 will be remembered for The Idler Wheel . . . (nonsense deleted), her comeback album, or her missive about her dying dog that caused more tears than that Sarah McLachlan SPCA commercial and marked a clear line of demarcation between animal lovers and the rest of the world.

To close out the year, the New York Times’ music critics Jon Caramanica, John Pareles and Ben Ratliff engaged in a round table discussion of the trends of the past year and their likely influence on 2013. For those that care about such things, Mad Science & Pop Hits is indispensable reading.

Earlier this week, Edinburg’s Django Django released yet another video from their brilliant 2012 self-titled debut LP – this time for the track Hand of Man. In case you missed it, Django Django pulled #17 in the Hidden Track Collective Top 25 albums of the year. Check the video below directed by John MacLean who is both the older brother of Django Django’s drummer Dave and an alumni of the wildly influential Indie-Gods The Beta Band.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Django Django returns to the U.S. for more live dates starting in March.

Live tweeting a concert is one of the great functions of Twitter. For those not in attendance, following along on Twitter is, short of a webcast, the next best thing to being there. I’ve live tweeted for @Hidden_Track and for @YEMblog and while I don’t claim to be an expert, I thought I’d compile some tips to serve as a guide to live tweeting a concert. Some of this is admittedly somewhat basic stuff, and most of it boils down to: be smart and don’t be an annoying jerk. This list is also most certainly not exhaustive so please add your tips for anything I missed in the comments.

10. Announce: Before the show give your followers a heads up that you’re going to be flooding their timeline with live tweets. It also doesn’t hurt to send a tweet to the band – they might help promote you with a retweet.

9. Hashtags: Do some research before you head out to the show so your tweets will be easily searchable among other similar ones. Try and find commonly used hashtags and add them to your phone’s dictionary for faster typing during the concert.

8. Battery Life: Set your phone’s display to dim to avoid annoying others around you with an overly bright screen and to save battery power. It’s dark enough in during the show that a dimmer screen shouldn’t hamper your tweeting.

7. Pictures: Have your phone’s camera settings ready for maximum quality in dark lighting and prepared for instant tweeting through whatever image sharing service you prefer.

6. Dictionary: Like with hashtags, enter the names of song titles, band members or any other associated but uncommon words to your phone’s dictionary ahead of time so you don’t get embarrassingly auto-corrected during the concert.

5. Timing: If you plan to shoot pictures, be courteous to those near you who paid to see the show too. Discreetly take a couple shots at the very beginning of the concert and (if you must) at the very end. Don’t snap pictures from your seat all show long, that’s annoying to everyone around you. If something of particular note takes place during the show go ahead and snap a quick shot (if you must).

4. Space and Place: If you plan to shoot video be aware of those in the space around you, especially those placed behind you. The light from your phone is distracting to others so try and stay to the sides or hold the phone close to you to lower impact on others. Do this sparingly and discreetly during the show.

3. Interact: Retweet others also live tweeting at the show. This helps add color and gives multiple angles to the live review. You may also get new followers this way.

2. Report: Be descriptive and not just opinionated. It’s great that you think “X Song” is “awesome” but it’s far more informative to detail the various aspects of the venue, crowd, stage set up, band attire, and other details that make up the whole show experience.

1. Remember: It’s about the music – if someone is tuning in to your live tweeting it’s usually because they want to experience the concert from afar, so be certain to focus on the music and as best you can help your followers understand what they can’t hear themselves.

The Wakarusa festival, which is celebrating its 10th year has announced its second round of artists including Dispatch, Amon Tobin, Umphrey’s McGee, Soja, and many more.

The third round of artists is slated to be announced on January 17th. To view the complete lineup check out the festival’s official website.