Janey & Marc CD finally out!

Janey Winterbauer and Marc Perlman step into the spotlight

“.…such a bittersweet sound”

Marc Perlman is best known as the bassist and a founding member of The Jayhawks, but among his many other talents, songwriting may very well his most formidable secret weapon, something generally known only to his close friends, collaborators and album credit trainspotters (“Trouble,” one of the Jayhawks best songs and a sadly beautiful gem, is mostly courtesy of his sharp pen; “I Hear You Cry,” released only with European versions of Sound of Lies is a startling departure, sounding unlike anything the Jayhawks ever released). Perlman’s compositional point-of-view is often from the dark side of the emotional spectrum – somewhere between Lonely Street and Heartbreak Hotel – and is imbued with a wistful melancholia that frequently is as heart-wrenching as it is intoxicating. Since the demise of the Jayhawks, Perlman hasn’t exactly been on the fast track when it comes to the music biz, being content to stay in the background with bands like Golden Smog, The Program and Polara, as well as engaging in a number of behind-the-scenes projects.

Modern day pop chanteuse Janey Winterbauer used to sing in Astronaut Wife, a provocatively interesting band formed by her husband Christian Erickson around the turn of the century. AW were frequently saddled with descriptors like “electronic” and “pop,” but they were so much more than that (Erickson’s lyrics in particular were light years removed from the simple artifice of many bands who shared AW’s sonic signature). AW put out a couple of amazing records, played infrequently, were anointed a “buzz” band by the local press and gradually moved into a seemingly semi-permanent state of hiatus, a situation that disappoints its members probably as much as its fans. In recent years, Winterbauer has joined Perlman and his Golden Smog band mates onstage for a handful of memorable live appearances. One of the highlights of Another Fine Day, Golden Smog’s underrated 2006 album, came courtesy of Mr. Melancholy himself, a gorgeous love potion called “Cure For This,” sung by Muni Loco (with harmonies from Louris), the wife of the band’s Spanish producer. For recent local gigs by the Smogsters, Winterbauer was drafted in as the female lead vocalist for live versions of “Cure For This,” a professional and personal match made in heaven as well as the germination for what would soon become the “Marc and Janey” project.

Out of this unlikely set of circumstances comes 25:32:47, a 6 song EP on Susstones that was just released this month. Overflowing with heavenly singing, sympathetic accompaniment and fetching melodies, this CD grabs the listener from the get-go and worms its way deep into the soul. This project – which has undergone a variety of possible names (Janey & Marc/Marc & Janey seems a fitting folk-style moniker) – was developed unhurriedly over the last year by an impressive roster of talent: Ed Ackerson (Polara, solo artist, Susstones impresario, longtime Perlman collaborator) produced the CD along with Perlman, and provides many of the instrumental colorings; fellow Jayhawkers Gary Louris & Tim O’ Reagan; former partner-in-bands Kraig Johnson; and Perlman’s Polara bandmates Peter Anderson and Tim Oesau. Recorded at Ackerson’s Flowers Studio, 25:32:47 showcases a style of music that is both timeless and decidedly unhip in today’s frazzled musical climate. The tempos are slow, the mood is dusky and the songs unfurl at a pace that will give ADD-addled fans fits. Some may call this music “dream pop” or “folk pop” or whatever convenient shorthand comes to mind, but it ultimately defies easy categorization. What stands out the most are the carefully crafted songs (Perlman is an accomplished writer and it definitely shows in his lyrics) and Winterbauer’s alluring voice. Many of the songs on 25:32:47 have have been around for a while – “Beautiful Day” was tried out during the last flurry of Golden Smog song activity and “Goodbye Kiss” has even older roots, evolving out of a 10 year old Jayhawks song called “Cure For This” (not the song on Another Fine Day; yes, it’s confusing) – probably since there weren’t any comfortable homes for them during Perlman’s tenure in the Jayhawks and Golden Smog. “With You” also has travelled a lot of miles and is something of a mini-epic – sporting a dramatic arrangement replete with orchestral percussion and soaring vocal passages.

Perlman and Winterbauer both seem to share a penchant for “sad songs” and have cited influences and signposts ranging from Françoise Hardy to Hank Williams. And all too infrequent Janey and Marc live shows have featured covers from the likes of Fred Neil and Tim Buckley (who once named an album Happy Sad, an apt reference for J&M if there ever was one). But J&M’s music transcends the “bummer” and “downer” tags that some will no doubt attempt to peg them with; there’s a reaffirming, almost cathartic, quality to their exquisite creations that make you feel glad to be alive while simultaneously breaking your heart -- a neat trick for sure. Sometimes a dose of the musical medicine that Perlman, Winterbauer and friends so ably peddle on this new release is the best cure for whatever ails you.

It’s taken over 25 years for Perlman to release something under his own name. After listening to 25:32:47 there no doubt will be more than a few people who will be wondering why it took him so long.

*****

25:32:47 is available in selected Minneapolis/St. Paul record shops and online at The Susstones Shop.

Jim Walsh recently profiled the “awesome twosome” in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Read it here.

Janey and Marc myspace page.

Ed Ackerson stays busy - very busy: Exclusive interview

"I'm done with damming the river, I'd rather float on it."

(photo by AA)

(photo by JJ Jurgens)

Last week 60>0 got a chance to sit down and chat with Ed Ackerson, the Minneapolis producer/musician/studio owner/cultural instigator who’s about to release his second solo album, Ackerson2, which also just happens to be the third full album of new material he’s released in the last 12 months. The last year also saw the release of his self-titled solo debut – coming well into his third decade as a professional musician – and the first full length album in 5 years by Polara, the Minneapolis noise-pop pioneers that most people know Ackerson from. As on the first solo album, Ed did everything on Ackerson2 – all the writing, singing, playing, engineering, producing, artwork. This ability to excel at seemingly anything that is put on the plate in front of him is an Ackerson trademark and is a big reason why he’s an in-demand producer and sought after collaborator. The dude is a consummate pro.

With a schedule that even a busy person would characterize as “hectic,” Ed found time to talk about the past, present and future, and provided some revealing insights into what keeps him going in these challenging times.

60>0: Three full albums of new material in 12 months? Is there something funny in the water over in Uptown or are you just running out of space on your hard drives?

Ed: Around here there's always been something funny in the water. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I've got a lot of ideas these days, and I don't see any point in warehousing them. I've been through the major label trip of running every song past the committee. I'm done with damming the river, I'd rather float on it.

Is this brand new material, old stuff or both?

A few of the songs were on the horizon when I was wrapping up the first solo record, but the energy of this bunch of tunes is a bit different. Some of the tunes are very recent. "St. Cate" for instance I wrote in an hour in August . There's directness to this group of songs; it's not a concept record but there are definite themes that tie the songs together. A lot of it is about me trying to get my head around where some of my friends have gotten to and where I've gotten to and the space between now and what we all thought now might be.

Do you have a destination in mind when you're writing and recording new material? Can you tell the difference between a "Polara track" and a "solo track?"

Absolutely there's a distinction. When I'm writing for Polara I'm writing for the band. I tend to leave a lot of possibilities for Jennifer and Peter to add their spin. On the solo records the songs tend to be pretty complete from the inception, it's more a process of me jamming with myself.

On the new album, as well as the solo album you released last November, you wrote all the songs, played all the instruments, sang all the vocals and produced everything. Hell, you even did the artwork. What special challenges, if any, do you face when you're doing the "one man band" thing?

There are no challenges whatsoever! Making records is my favorite thing in the world. I love rock, and I've gradually figured out how to do all aspects of making a record pretty damned well. Except of course selling them. But to me that's the last thing I'm worried about. Making the record and hearing it back in its final form is the best reward for me. What happens after that is a lot less interesting.

There was a 5 year gap between, Beekeeping, the Polara album released this Spring, and its predecessor, Jetpack Blues. Why such a long time? What were you doing in the interim?

Actually, we did put out the Green Shoes EP in 2005, and there was an album of material we did in that period that we intended to release. Unfortunately our label Susstones was hamstrung by our distributor going bankrupt, so we didn't have an effective way to put that record out. That was a setback, and by the time we came up with new solutions I had already written a new bunch of songs. Those songs were the ones on Beekeeping. In time we'll get around to releasing the interim Polara material. We had a similar situation at the end of our time on Interscope, there are about 25 completed tracks that never came out from the period right before Jetpack Blues, a lot of really cool stuff. We'll get it out at some point, and it will fill in a lot of blanks in the story. Polara has always been working on stuff.

Like your first solo album, Ackerson2 is dominated by acoustic guitars, acoustic percussion, seemingly simple arrangements and a near total absence of the signature, multilayered Polara "noise pop" wall of sound. How did this "less is more" strategy come about?

On the last two Polara records we really pushed the envelope of pop music vs. noise pretty far, the production and arrangements are very complex and dense. I love working on that kind of super detailed music. But there's also a part of me that enjoys sitting around with an acoustic guitar and singing a song. Everyone has different moods on different days. I love playing on the big stage in front of a ton of people, but I also love the simple communication of a singer playing a song without stacks of amps and a ton of effects. I love making huge noisy records, but I also enjoy the challenge of making interesting, psychedelic music in a more minimalist context.

Throughout your career you've always seemed like someone on the edge of a breakout commercially, and on the first couple records with Polara you were right on the edge of international acclaim. A lot of your peers from that period have stopped doing music actively. You've kept moving forward, and you show almost no bitterness about the way your career has developed. What motivates you to keep doing it, and doing so much of it?

I love rock. Full stop. I think and I feel, so I write and I play and I produce. Rock is how I communicate, how I make order of the chaos of my loves, dreams, crises and fears. I've never been into this to "make it", whatever that means to anyone. Music is how I interface with reality, and music culture is the culture I live in. I am very happy that I'm able to have a good lifestyle doing what I want to. I had a good lifestyle doing what I wanted long before I ever signed any record deal.

You've earned a reputation over the years as a formidable guitar player, but there's also some remarkable vocal work on these albums. Has your attitude towards singing changed over the years? Do you feel more confident as a singer these days?

I found my "voice" as a guitarist when I was a kid, so guitar was my main outlet for expression. I've gotten a lot better as a singer over the years, lost a lot of the fear I used to have. In my opinion music is just expression; you use whatever tool is the most effective at the time to get your feelings across to the people listening. The voice is probably the most direct conduit between your thoughts and a sound, and I've been learning how to use that most direct path to get my ideas out.

Many of the songs on the 3 albums seem autobiographical, if not downright introspective and involve themes that tilt towards the heavy side of the emotional spectrum. Is this a natural consequence of getting older or something else?

It's probably about the process of growing up, seeing the way people end up as opposed to their original visions. This new record has a certain lyrical theme of reappraisal. It's a weird thing to see how time and circumstance warp your relationships with friends and reality.

When you're not single-handedly creating solo albums or working long hours at Flowers Studio, what are you listening to these days in your limited spare time? What's been floating your boat and has any of this informed your creative process the last few years?

I'm a massive record collector, and I'm into honest, freaky music from anywhere at any time. I split my listening time between new indie artists and new archival finds from all over the place. There's so much to learn about music, even for someone who has 6,000 records in their library, It's always exciting, I'm always finding out that I need to know more about music!

What do you think of the current state of the "music business?" Do you think the CD is dying? Are there any alternative delivery systems you're contemplating? How will Susstones meet the challenges of these changing times?

I have little interest in the music industry. Still, Susstones is working on a couple of new ideas to get stuff out directly to the people. The promise of digital delivery has been clear for many years, but now the tech is finally catching up. We'll have a coupe of surprises in 2009 for everyone.

What's next? Is there an “Ackerson3” in the works? More new Polara? Anything languishing in the archives?

For the beginning of next year we have a Polara instrumental album in the works, after that another Polara rock album of all new material. I've been writing a lot of songs lately, and they'll certainly find their way out in one context or the other!

*****

Ackerson2 comes out on November 18, followed by a CD release party at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on November 28. Ed’s set will be a hybrid Polara/solo mash-up and the rest of the line-up includes The Mood Swings, Colonial Vipers Attack, Strange Lights and more.

Sussedtacular! @ The Varsity – November 28 - complete info

 

 

Sussedtacular! at the Varsity - celebrating the release of Ed Ackerson's Ackerson2 CD.

Friday - November 28, 2008
Varsity Theater in Dinkytown
(1308 4th St SE, Minneapolis)

(http://varsitytheater.org/webcalendar/view_entry.php?id=4396&date=20081128)

Polara / Ed Ackerson Group

Ed will be joined by longtime band members Peter Anderson, Jennifer Jurgens, Marc Perlman and Tim Oesau with special guest/soul brother #1 Jim Boquist (of Son Volt/Paul Westerberg/Good Joe fame). This killer lineup will be performing key tracks from Ed's two solo albums, selections from Polara's vast back catalog -- including faves from this year's masterful Polara offering Beekeeping -- plus whatever exciting surprises they can cook up. This is definitely a "best of both worlds" situation.

The Mood Swings

Ashley and Sallie have been working hard in recent months on several exciting new tracks. Some of this new material is the result of some serious musical exploration/experimentation and finds TMS heading off in a number of fascinating new directions, with special emphasis on journeying into the inner realms of the psych-rock spectrum as well as cranking out some inspired extended instrumental workouts. Always a reliably hot live act, The Mood Swings are progressing on all fronts at an amazing rate. If you've been fortunate enough to have experienced their recent live cover of Hawkwind's classic lost anthem, "It's So Easy," you've got some idea of the tiger in their tank that's screaming to get out. Here's what our old friend Peter Jesperson had to say about the Mood Swings: "...I think Minneapolis always has good stuff going on. I was just there last weekend and saw a band called the Mood Swings who were just a knockout." (full interview )

Colonial Vipers Attack

One of the Twin Towns best kept secrets, CVA create extremely well-crafted "smart pop," with just the right amount of rock edge, Britpop stylings and shoegaze-y elements. And they're no slouches in the songwriting and catchy melody departments, either -- "Beautiful Fall," from their 2006 self-titled debut, is a stone classic. This is a special opportunity to see a band who doesn't play live nearly enough, a situation sure to change after they finish the new record they're currently working on with Ed at Flowers.

StrangeLights

Simply one of the best new bands to hit the Minnesota music scene in some time, this bastard child/offshoot of Bridge Club and First Communion Afterparty play powerful Psychedelic Rock so convincingly that you might have to check the calendar after you've come down to make sure what decade you're in. Their long-awaited debut, Evius (limited 7" vinyl and digital EP), will be released jointly by Susstones and MPLS Ltd in mid-November. Check out an exclusive preview here.   

with special cameo appearances from:

Janey and Marc

The mesmerizing folk/pop stylings of Janey Winterbauer (Astronaut Wife) and Marc Perlman (The Jayhawks, Golden Smog, The Neglecters). Don't tell anyone, but they've not only finally completed their long-awaited studio project but there's a very good chance it will soon see the light of day via Susstones.

-and-

Farewell Continental

Featuring members of Small Towns Burn a Little Slower, To Reinvent and another "popular local rock group." They've recorded a new EP with Ed that should be coming out in 2009.

plus:

DJ The Guv'nor (of Sussed!) 

-and-

Susstones Omniphonic Orchestra with Transpositional Vibe Array

Special Offer:

Free download card for the forthcoming Susstones Winter Sampler (featuring new tracks by Ed, Mood Swings, CVA and Strange Lights) with every paid ticket!

Polara rock the…parking lot?

To prime yourself for the big Sussedtacular! bash at the Varsity at the end of the month, check out these live Polara vids from one of the many block parties that pop up like weeds during the all too short Minnesota summer. In this case, these are from the Chiang Banger Block Party, put on by nearby Chiang Mai Tai restaurant. This was the first Chiang Banger asphalt fete – and possibly the last, since this parking lot no longer exists thanks to the advent of the long-rumored expansion/redesign of the Calhoun Square shopping area.

The video quality is a bit shaky (it was actually shot by a 60>0 intern) but the audio is quite nice thanks to Knobby over at Susstones, who expertly cleaned up and mixed in a soundboard audio feed. Fortunately, there weren’t too many punters walking in front of the camera (probably had something to with the incredible volume being generated by musicians on stage!), although somebody who suspiciously looks like Phil Solem makes a “cameo” appearance at the end of a scorching if not thrilling version of Polara’s classic set opener, “Can’t Get Over You.”

Other than the stage being ridiculously cramped, this turned out to be a very successful day of great music. It was a hot, rockin’ afternoon that featured a line-up of acts who weren’t afraid to turn it up to 11 and kick ass (yes, The Mood Swings were also on the bill). It was so loud, in fact, that the beautiful people drinking and dining on the swanky rooftop of Stella’s kitty-corner across the street no doubt had some difficulty carrying on their Appletini-fueled conversations.

Polara - “Can’t Get Over You” (Chiang Bianger Block Party – Mpls – 7/20/08)

direct links:

high quality

normal quality

Polara - “Scorched Youth Policy” (Chiang Bianger Block Party – Mpls – 7/20/08)

direct links:

normal quality

More Susstones videos here.

11/28/08 - Sussedtacular! at the Varsity Theater - Mpls

Sussedtacular! at the Varsity Theater - celebrating the release of Ed Ackerson’s Ackerson2 CD

Well, it's that time of year...again! Ed Ackerson is either getting restless or his hard drives are filling up cuz he's gone and done it again. That's right, another new album - his third in the last 12 months! Coming on the heels of his debut solo album and Beekeeping, the first Polara album in five years, comes Ackerson2, released November 18 on Susstones.

The line-up so far for the Varsity bash:

Polara / Ed Ackerson Group - featuring longtime band members Peter Anderson, Jennifer Jurgens, Marc Perlman and Tim Oesau with special guest/soul brother #1 Jim Boquist (of Son Volt/Paul Westerberg/Good Joe fame)

The Mood Swings

Colonial Vipers Attack

Strange Lights

-plus-

special cameo appearances from:

Janey and Marc (Janey of Astronaut Wife, Marc of The Jayhawks)

-and-

Farewell Continental (featuring members of Small Towns Burn a Little Slower, To Reinvent and a "popular local music group")

-plus-

DJ The Guv'nor (of Sussed!)

Susstones Omniphonic Orchestra with Transpositional Vibe Array

Special offer: Free download card for the Susstones Winter Sampler (featuring new tracks by Ed, Mood Swings, CVA and Strange Lights) with every paid ticket!

Mood Swings / Strange Lights / Mercurial Rage -- Hot show this Friday!

Now here's a reason to leave the house in the sixth month of Perma-Winter in Minnesota -- a f**king kick-ass rock show! All the buzz this Friday is focused on the mighty Black Keys and their sold-out show in the First Ave. mainroom, but next door in the Entry is a truly impressive lineup: 80s electro-revivalists Mercurial Rage, Susstones poppunkrock aces The Mood Swings (pssst! don't tell anyone, but the girls are working on some very cool new stuff in the studio) and one of the best pysch/rock bands to hit the scene in a long time, Strange Lights. If the set timing goes right, The Mood Swings should hit the stage during the break in the mainroom. This is a night not to be missed -- so much great music that it has to be spread out over two rooms.

Polara CD release party - May 9 @ Varsity Theater, Minneapolis

Polara's amazing new album, Beekeeping, is being released on Susstones on May 6, 2008 (and the blogs have started to notice, too). To celebrate this mind-blowing event, a major bash is being held on Friday, May 9 at the Varsity Theater in the Dinkytown neighborhood of Mpls.

The players:

Mercurial Rage
The Mood Swings
Polara
The Alarmists.

plus

DJ The Guv'nor

and other guests TBD

Not a bad line-up, huh? :-)

Doors @ 7:30pm / music around 8
10 bucks

Polara rises again

New album...new live shows...new beginning?




(Fitzgerald Theater - Oct. 2005; photos courtesy of Steve Cohen)


Well, this is exciting news – Minneapolis noisepop pioneers Polara have risen like the proverbial phoenix and are ready once again to shake up a music scene that sometimes seems moribund and uninspired...on a good day. There's a new Polara album ready to go and it's called Beekeeping. Once again, it's on Susstones and is set to drop on May 6, followed by a CD release party on May 9 at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis with support from The Alarmists and other exciting acts TBD. This is sure to be one of the coolest local gigs of the year; it’s been far too long since Ed Ackerson and his fellow space travelers have set the controls for the heart of the sun and taken lucky audiences along for a thrill ride to the outer limits of imagination.

The last major Polara release was Jetpack Blues in 2002, featuring “Is This It,” a lost hit single if there ever was one and one of the best songs to be released on a local album. Ever. A stop gap EP, “Green Shoes +4,” was released in early 2005 (sadly out of print, but well worth tracking down – the title song was originally destined for Beekeeping and the other 4 songs are uniformly excellent), but other than some rare, albeit memorable, local live shows, the Polara flame has barely been flickering recently.

One of our 60►0 “moles” recently had a chance to spend some time with an advance of Beekeeping and had this to say:

Beekeeping is a masterful achievement in PSYCHEDELIC ROCK. There's a 4 song sequence in the middle of the record that is quite stunning; it's as good as anything Ed has been involved with since he made his first record over 20 years ago. In some ways, this is a companion piece to Ed's recent solo album (they share one song in common, although that’s not immediately evident from the tracklisting), even though they bear few sonic similarities. Beekeeping is teeming with the trademark Polara sound – adventurous, exciting “pysch” excursions featuring always amazing instrumental and vocal contributions, all contained within a concise 3-4 minute pop song framework.

Ackerson’s production on Beekeeping represents new levels of imagination and sheer élan; the entire aural panorama – from tiny details and textures bubbling under to the most epic sonic moments -- is truly something to behold. The very sound of the album just shouts out tour de force. Fans may recognize several of the songs from sporadic live shows over the last few years (“Phase,” “E Flat,” “Talk Me Down”) mixed in with a whole bunch of future classics. There’s even a new “direction” or two thrown in the mix just to keep things interesting. I was also somewhat taken aback by just how prevalent the “rock” element is in many of the songs; at times this thing just smokes. And there is no shortage of hooks, either; several of these songs have “hit” written all over them, whatever that means in this baffling era. All I know is that if I heard the likes of “Talk Me Down,” “E Flat,” “Out of Your Hands” or the frighteningly heavy and catchy “Happy Ending” coming out of my car radio, I’d turn that shit up, hit the gas, and then it turn it up some more. After just a few spins, I’m comfortable in calling this the most consistent batch of winners Ed has ever assembled. It’s very likely that the accumulation of a huge backlog of material in the incubation period since Jetpack Blues has resulted in a treasure trove of outstanding material for this (and other future projects).

With hopefully impending releases coming from the next generation of Minneapolis psych rockers like First Communion Afterparty and Strange Lights, the release now of a killer new Polara album like Beekeeping, comes at a most opportune time. This is all very good news indeed for adventurous music fans far and wide. Fasten your seat belts -- this should be a good ride.

Stay tuned for more details.

First Sussed-tacular event of 2008 - another smashing success!

Tuesday - 2/26/08
Bryant Lake Bowl Theater - Mpls

This altogether enchanting celebration marked another year for Sussed!, the Susstones Tuesday night DJ event that has been providing an early-in-the-week music buzz for discriminating aficionados for a dozen years now, the last 4 at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Lyn-Lake. These events are always a blast, but this one was a wall-to-wall success: a full house, awesome music, abundant good times.



Strange Lights bright light Joe Werner kicked the night off with a brief acoustic set that provided a very interesting contrast to the trippy electric excursions that have been wowing audiences at Strange Lights gigs lately. He played some new compositions, a song from his last band (Bridge Club) and ended his set with the stellar "Zombie Boots," a highlight of most every Strange Lights set and absolutely one of the coolest local songs of the last year.





Janey & Marc turned in their second great set in a row; this very well could've been the best outing yet for this supremely enthralling duo. No John Eller tonight, but drummer Peter Anderson, keyboardist Tim Oesau and bass player "Louie" rounded out what is the 5th (or 6th?) lineup used so far to bring the J&M magic to to the public. Oesau has played in this expanded J&M lineup once before; his contributions were particularly welcome, providing all kinds of wonderful textures that greatly enhanced the sonic proceedings in the cozy BLB theater. The abbreviated set went by in a flash -- the rapturous audience gave them a nice ovation and was clearly primed for some more.



A couple of notable things… Perly didn't waste any time unleashing his newest toy (just acquired that afternoon!), a Fender Electric XII 12 string, a distinctive, quite rare guitar made for a few years during the original Folk Rock boom in the mid to late 60s. This stunning looking axe has been played over the years by a most impressive list of musicians (Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Tim Buckley) and has been featured on some of the most famous recordings of the rock era (Tommy, "Stairway to Heaven"). Evidently, Perlman has decided if he's gonna do the "Folk Rock" thing, he might as well do it right!





Speaking of Tim Buckley, this was the second J&M show in a row that was highlighted by a song from the back catalog of this amazing folk/rock experimentalist, a true pioneer who left behind some of the most challenging, provocative music from Rock's golden age. Aside from being a gifted musician and vocalist, Buckley wasn't too shabby a songwriter either. Everybody in the room quickly fell under the J&M spell as they wove their way into "Song to the Siren," one of Buckley's most famous compositions (it was featured on the Monkees TV show and was also memorably covered by This Mortal Coil and the Cocteau Twins -- how's that for cultural diversity?).

Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me
Sail to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am
Here I am
Waiting to hold you

Did I dream you dreamed about me?
Were you here when i was full sail
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks,
For you sing,
"Touch me not, touch me not, come back tomorrow:
O my heart, O my heart shies from the sorrow"

I am puzzled
as the newborn child
I am troubled at the tide:
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Should I lie with Death my bride?
Hear me sing, "Swim to me,
Swim to me, Let me enfold you:
Here I am, Here I am, Waiting to hold you"

Simply stunning.

Their music may be new, but the past is never too far away when you take a trip into J&M's musical wonderland. The new retro axe, the carefully chosen period covers, the overall "folky" vibe -- all vivid reminders that often times the greatest music of today was also the greatest music of yesterday.





And continuing on the timelessness tip was Ed Ackerson + band, still basking in the glow of his fine solo debut album and related CD release party last November. The Susstones' Ace assembled the same crackin' good band he used at The Varsity: Peter Anderson, Tim Oesau, Marc Perlmam and Alarmist Eric Lovold -- nearly all the same players who had just backed up J&M. Talk about easy changeovers.



The entire set consisted of several songs from Ed Ackerson and every last one of them sounded great, not surprising considering the considerable collected talent of the band plus the quality of the material. After living with them for a few months, the songs on Ackerson's album continue to amaze -- this ageless collection of top drawer, often highly personal songs, inspired semi-acoustic instrumentation, beautiful singing and superlative production is a crowning achievment in Ackerson's long, storied career. On stage, the songs are vibrant and alive; in some cases -- like "Three Great Days" -- the needle gets pushed right up into the red as the band works things up into a truly impressive frenzy. I think the technical term for this is "rave up."

This intimate setting also allowed up close and personal contact with some of the best lyrics Ackerson has ever written.

It's only salt in the wounds now
Bringing up boats that I missed and how
I didn't live up to something
I never asked for
Parallel universe envy
Won't change anything here and now

I missed my calling...

Not bad for a "Space Rocker," huh?

Lovold once again deserves special mention -- his acoustic & electric guitar and harmony contributions are key elements in helping to elevate these live versions to a level they deserve. Kudos to him for coming along for the ride.





The night ended up with a brief but enjoyable set from "Phear and the Bullet," the nom de rock for Phil Solem (formerly of The Rembrandts) and Ryan Smith (currently of The Melismatics). These two cats have been playing around town in recent months – first as a mostly acoustic duo, lately as an electric three piece with the addition of Melismatics drummer Ron Caron. When they have the time to stretch things out (and perhaps consume a little “inspiration”) the combination of their chops, songs, charisma and undeniable comedic skills can be a potent force. On this occasion they only had time for 6 songs – some first rate pop from Solem (including “You Are Here,” a mesmerizingly good song), a couple of Melismatics gems and a finale that included, yup, you guessed it – “the song, I guess, we have to play.” Even though you’ve heard the Friends theme song a million times, only a cranky churl would deny its pure pop pleasures. And when P&TB whip up a spirited version of it on stage and everybody in the audience does the “clap thing” during the first verse...well, it just doesn’t get much better than that. Seriously!

What a perfect way to end the night – with a big fat smile on your face. And why not? We had just seen two hours of fantastic music in one of the coolest spaces in town, had been served drinks and food right we're sitting and hadn’t paid a damn thing for cover. That’s Sussed! – the weekly music bash that just keeps on giving. :-)

New Ed Ackerson track now up!

Here's a link to "Beside Herself," a fab outtake from the sessions that produced Ed Ackerson's wondrous debut solo album:

http://edackerson.com/blog/?p=70

Bloody well right!

Sussed-tacular @ Bryant Lake Bowl in Mpls - February 26

SUSSEDTACULAR AT BLB!

Celebrating 4 years of SUSSED at the Bryant Lake Bowl


It’s time for another Sussedtacular extravaganza concert...which is really just an excuse for a bunch of Susstones artists and friends to get together and play some awesome music. Coming on the heels of the stellar Sussedtacular / Ed Ackerson CD release party combo platter at the Varsity Theater last November, the first Sussedtacular bash of 2008 promises to be equally exciting. This time the event will be held in the cozy confines of the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater.

What’s the occasion? Well, it’s been 4 years since Sussed, the long-running (since 1996) Tuesday night Susstones DJ event, moved into the front room of the BLB in the happenin’ Lyn-Lake neighborhood. Sussed main man Marc “Guv’nor” Mueller and his merry band of music freaks have been the best reason to head out on a Tuesday night for over a decade. Sussed is always a perfect opportunity to hear the latest cutting edge indie pop, deep classic soul grooves, pysch, freakbeat, garage nuggets, reggae, mod, brit invasion, choice cuts from Japan, Brazil and all points in between, soundtrack madness, proto-funk, post-punk, space-junk... basically whatever the hell the DJ wants to play! It happens every Tuesday in the front room at the BLB from 10pm-2am. Full bar / drink specials. And it’s free.


The poop on the concert:

Sussedtacular – Celebrating 4 years of Sussed at the BLB
Tuesday – February 26, 2008
Bryant Lake Bowl Theater
810 W. Lake Street (Bryant and Lake) – Minneapolis

10 pm sharp
ABSOLUTELY FREE


On tap for this must-see event:

Ed Ackerson + band – Ed’s eponymous solo album has been in the stores for a few months now and continues to amaze with its exceedingly smart brand of semi-acoustic folk/pop stylings and world-class production. On the album, Ed did the “one man band” thing. For recent live shows, including this one, he’s assembled an ace crew of local hot shots: Peter Anderson, Marc Perlman and Tim Oesau. Also playing with Ed will be Eric Lovold from The Alarmists on vocals and guitar, Minnesota’s latest white-hot sensation. Lovold’s contributions during live appearances with Ed last November made those occasions truly memorable.

Janey & Marc – former Jayhawk Marc Perlman and former Astronaut Wifer Janey Winterbauer have been making gorgeous music together for the last 15 months or so. Perlman had accumulated a boatload of songs without a home and Winterbauer’s amazing vocal talents had been adrift since AW’s entry into quasi-hibernation. They’ve recorded a bunch of cool stuff at Ed Ackerson’s Flowers studio and also have quietly become one of the most compelling live acts in town – Perlman’s sadly beautiful folk-pop and Winterbauer’s alluring voice are a match made in heaven.

Phear & The Bullet – aka Phil Solem (formerly of The Rembrandts; currently playing and recording solo, and also playing in Thrush, a rock trio with Michael Bland and John Fields) & Ryan Smith (currently with The Melismatics). Talk about your strange pairings! On paper, this looks like a classic odd couple situation – different generations, different musical styles, different hairdos. However, recent live shows at The Uptown Bar have been great in ways that almost nobody could’ve imagined, mixing Solem’s well-crafted, intelligent pop songs (and some Rembrandt’s stuff, too), revelatory acoustic versions of Melismatics songs from Smith, solid guitar work, interesting covers, goofy banter and tangible chemistry. In other words, this is not to be missed. Oh yeah, there’s a reasonably good chance that they’ll play that song – you know, the one that you secretly like but publicly diss around your friends.

Joe Werner – Werner is the singer/songwriter/guitarist for Strange Lights, a new collective of trippy space rockers who have already developed some serious chops that belies their youth. Spawned from the loins of Bridge Club and First Communion After Party, Strange Lights have been playing some amazing shows around town lately. Joe will be appearing in quasi-acoustic format, which should put his material in a different light than when the big freak machine is plugged in.

PLUS

Tasty tunes from the regular Sussed DJs:

Marc “Guv’nor” Mueller / Christian “MPLSLTD” Fritz / The Plate

Sussed-tacular @ Bryant Lake Bowl - February 26

It's time for another smokin' Sussed-tacular event at the Susstones club house, the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis. The action goes down on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The line-up is fluid at this point, but confirmed acts include the Ed Ackerson band and Janey & Marc.

Music starts at 10 pm and there's no cover.

More exciting details to follow. Mark your calendar!

Recap: Sussed-tacular! @ The Varsity Theater - Minneapolis - Nov. 23, 2007

The Sussed-tacular event at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on Nov. 23 was a rousing success on every level. A nice crowd got to see some of the best music of the season. Ed Ackerson's world-class band (Marc Perlman, Peter Anderson, Eric Lovold, Tim Oesau) made the songs from Ed's new album really come alive, capped off by an invigorating reading of the Byrd's classic "5D" with friend Gary Louris chipping in. Everbody else on the bill brought their "A game," too: the psych-rock of the Strange Lights put everybody in the mood; Janey & Marc -- featuring an expanded line-up with John Eller on guitar and vox, Tim Oesau on keys and "Louie" on bass -- were sexy, sublime and awesome; the Mood Swings turned it up to 11 and kicked everybody's ass with their smokin' rock; and The Melismatics provided the perfect night cap with their well-oiled poprock offerings.

Here's a sampling from the first batch of pix:

janey & marc





mood swings











ed ackerson & band









finale w/The Melismatics