TRAFFIK SCHOOL W/PROFESSOR PANCAKE: A FOCUS ON STEPHIN MERRITT – TODAY AT 2 P.M. (PST)
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After introducing the TRAffIK School Students (also known as “Listeners”) to Thrash Metal in his last episode, the re-broadcast of “The Rise of Thrash Metal (original broadcast date: Friday the 13th 5/13/11)” on http://intraffikradio.com. Professor Pancake changes up the tone with his latest episode of TRAffIK School.
This week’s re-broadcast focuses on Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields, the 6ths, Gothic Archies, Future Bible Heroes) (Original Air Date: 5/27/11)
Stephin Merritt created and played principal roles in the bands, The Magnetic Fields, The 6ths, The Gothic Archies, & Future Bible Heroes. Under his own name, he also recorded and released the soundtracks to the films “Eban and Charley” and “Pieces of April,” and penned the music and lyrics for a 2009 Off-Broadway stage musical of “Coraline”, based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman.
For more info about Stephin Merritt, visit www.houseoftomorrow.com or check out the documentary, “Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields”, which premiered in March 2010.
Playlist:
- The Magnetic Fields – “Strange Powers”
- The Magnetic Fields – “Born on a Train”
- The Magnetic Fields – “100,000 Fireflies”
- Tracey Thorn and Jens Lekman – “Yeah! Oh Yeah!” (Magnetic Fields cover)
- The 6ths (featuring Dean Wareham of Luna) –”Falling Out of Love (With You)”
- The 6ths (featuring Sally Timms of the Mekons) – “Give Me Back My Dreams”
- Future Bible Heroes – “I’m a Vampire”
- The 6ths (featuring Gary Numan) – “The Sailor in Love With the Sea”
- Astrud – “With Whom to Dance (Magnetic Fields cover)”
- Mary Lou Lord – “I Don’t Want to Get Over You (Magnetic Fields cover, live)”
- The Magnetic Fields – “Two Characters in Search of a Country Song”
- Bodies of Water – “I Don’t Believe in the Sun (Magnetic Fields cover)”
- The Gothic Archies – “Things Are Not What They Appear”
- The Gothic Archies– “Shipwrecked”
- Superchunk – “100,000 Fireflies” (Magnetic Fields cover)
- The 6ths (featuring Georgia Hubley from Yo La Tengo) – “Movies in My Head”
- Stephin Merritt – “Forever and a Day”
WHERE WE’RE HEADED…’STRANGE POWERS’
Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields and STRANGE POWERS co-director Gail O’Hara will participate in Q&A’s after the 7:40 screenings at the Sunset on Friday and Saturday, November 5th and 6th.
Film Summary
“FANS WILL DROOL AT THE ACCESS… AND SURE TO TURN ON NEW LISTENERS.” – Variety
“EXQUISITE AND WELL-BALANCED.” – KEXP
“INTIMATE AND REVEALING” – Toronto Now
With his unique gift for memorable melodies, lovelorn lyrics and wry musical stylings that blend classic Tin Pan Alley with modern sounds, Stephin Merritt has distinguished himself as one of contemporary pop’s most beloved and influential artists. Both a prolific recording artist and composer of theater and film scores, he performs most famously as the Magnetic Fields, whose 1999 three-disc opus 69 Love Songs is widely considered a masterpiece of traditional songcraft and irresistible synthpop.
Ten years in the making, Strange Powers explores Merritt’s songwriting and recording process, and focuses on his relationships with his bandmates and longtime manager Claudia Gonson, revealing an artist who has produced one of the most engaging and confounding bodies of work in the contemporary American songbook.
“An artfully rendered spin on the familiar…Strange Powers doesn’t necessarily take the kinds of risks that Merritt does, whether in his art, in his career or on his bike. But even with the narrative stacked in his favor, Merritt is no less fascinating a figure — and a few stars in its eyes doesn’t make this look at his life and his work any less engaging.” (Ian Buckwalter, NPR)
For more info visit the official film site
East to West – From a Church of Rock ‘n’ Roll to the Hotel Cafe
Every night of the week you can find a million things to do, even on a weeknight…especially on a weeknight. Tonight is no different. Out of those millions of things to go to here’s where you might catch us tonight:
Hotel Cafe for Vermont based, singer-songwriter Kris Gruen (cover $8)
Gruen’s new album, “Part Of It All,” is set for release in the next month via Mother’s West. This record was produced by Charles Newman, who recently co-produced the new Magnetic Fields album, “Realism”, as well as our friend AM’s “Future Sons and Daughters.” While recording in both New York City and Los Angeles Gruen was able to collaborate and record with some great musicians and friends, including drummer Butch Norton (The Eels, Lucinda Williams, Rufus Wainright), bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing, Dixie Chicks), Nashville’s Jason Goforth on lapsteel, and drummer Nick Brown from New York City’s The Dig.
Tonight he shares the stage with Nina Storey.
and…
Old Towne Pub for Mike TV’s Church of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Cover $3)
A weekly event happening every Thursday at the Old Towne Pub (66 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103). Tonight the ever elusive Wormstew (whom you may recall Eric Summer spotlighted a few months ago) will be performing along with The Power Cords, Underwater City People, Get Set Go (speaking of Eric Summer you can catch him on Viola with Get Set Go), as well as an end of night All Band Jam (where else can you catch Indie Rockers/Power-Poppers/Mod Revivalists embarking on impromptu covers of 2 Live Crew’s “Me So Horny?“)
DELTRON 3030 RECOMMENDED: The Magnetic Fields – Realism
Today’s kind of a big day for us TV geeks. In honor of the premiere episode from Lost’s last season I present to you the Magnetic Fields’ solid new album, Realism. As I sit here and wonder how Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse will be able to tie together all their loose ends I can kind of relate. You see I just painted myself into a corner by trying to tie Lost together with the music styling of Stephen Merritt and company. Let me start with the obvious linkage that is the band’s name. Ask any Lostie (yes, this is what they liked to be called) about electromagnetic phenomenon and they’ll begin spouting off about the pockets of magnetic fields in the Dharma Stations, The Swan and The Orchid. The entire five seasons, starting with the crash of Oceanic 815, and up to this point has all been driven narratively by these magnetic fields. I could sit here all day and go chapter by chapter but the end result would just be bewildered looks and Charlotte-esque nose bleeds from frontal lobe overload.
Emotionally the series was driven by the love triangle between the steady hand of reason, Jack Shephard, the bad boy with a heart of gold, Sawyer, and the flip flopping freckled fox on the lam, Kate Austen. I’m sure you’re sitting there how does this possibly relate to the new Magnetic Fields album. It does. trust me. During the five seasons that ran romantic choices were made over and over again. People were scorned. Relationships began and ended. I forgot how many times Kate changed her mind romantically but it was the type of stuff that drives us guys nuts. She was (is) a regular John Kerry (dated political reference in honor of Lost’s time travel). She also seemed to get captured far too often for an “outlaw”. I was reminded of all of this as I watched the amazing 8:15 recap. After that I listened to the lead track on Realism and it sounded tailor made for Lost’s season 5 cliffhanger.
You Must Have Lost Your Mind
You think you can leave the past behind
You must be out of your mind
If you think you can simply press rewind
You must be out of your mind, son
You must be out of your mind
In season 5’s finale (spoiler alert) Jack Shephard, a man of science and reason saw a major character arc. After countless failures in decision making and failed relationships with Kate, Jack became a man of blind destiny, thanks to the prodding of a now dead Daniel Farraday. Jack finally had an answer to all of his problems, much to the chagrin of the constantly love torn Kate. Jack’s motivation was clear; Drop a hydrogen bomb down a shat and reboot his life. All of those past mistakes and failures would go away. Mind you there was no guarantee that these actions weren’t the actual cause of the incident in the original time line nor was there a promise that the passengers of Oceanic 815 would survive such a cataclysmic event but hat didn’t matter to him. The past was too painful. Blowing up the station and leaving the past behind was worth the risk. The promise of a new beginning was the perfect driving force for the doctor with a god complex.
You want to kindle that old flame
I don’t remember your real name
It must be something scandalous
Lurks in your shadows
As the screen went to white (instead of the standard fade to black) one had to wonder if it worked and if Dr Jack, with his memories wiped clean, would get his chance to rekindle a romance with Kate…even if they’d now be complete strangers…and she’d be in handcuffs. Did somebody say conjugals?
Tonight we’ll find out.
Beyond this track and my forced Lost analogy Realism is full of stripped down orchestral pop mixed with beautiful storytelling. Gone is the overdone distortion of their previous album aptly named “Distortion”. Instead Merritt returns to an unplugged folksy sound that is reminiscent of earlier records…especially when Claudia Gonson chimes in.
Highlights: “You Must Be Out of Your Mind,” “Always Already Gone,” “I Don’t Know What To Say,”
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New Maximum Donkey Two Ways
I’ve decided to try something a bit different this week. I’m going to write an overview of the New Maximum Donkey show I saw at the Scene last Friday (two Fridays ago, by the time you read this). But as an experiment, I’m going to do it two different ways: first the way I’d normally write something, and second in the manner of a “regular” rock writer/blogger. Who knows? Maybe the way they write things is just more effective at conveying this sort of thing, so I’m willing to try it out. Here goes: (more…)