Digcast

Digcast Episode VIII: NYC Roundup 2

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What's up, Dig Nation? It's time for Digcast Episode 8, the second installment of the New York City music podcast. The series is devoted to the music of the city where I live and features five great bands from the area. In addition to sharing their music, I spoke to each about the chosen songs as well as some things they love about NYC.

Digcast Episode VIII

Check out our site over the next few weeks for feature posts on each band. Hope you dig!

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New Releases

Fall New Releases

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I admit, this post might be a little gimmicky but it comes from a place of a deep love. One of my favorite sources for new music – and a great podcast in general – is NPR's All Songs Considered. They recently did one of their quarterly new release previews, and I wanted to share the four releases I'm most looking forward to among those selections.

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Waxing Philosophic

No Other Love: Jo Stafford & Frederic Chopin

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If imitation is the greatest form of flattery than 19th century pianist and composer Frederic Chopin has a lot to feel flattered by. The wealth of his compositional language has been a source of great inspiration to artists since his death in 1848, but a rather unusual homage came about in 1950 when song writers Bob Russell and Paul Weston teamed up to pen a song entitled No Other Love for the popular singer (and Paul Weston's wife) Jo Stafford.

I call it an homage because the song is essentially Frederic Chopin's Opus 10 Number 3 Etude for solo piano reset to feature orchestration and Bob Russell's lyrics. Released in 1950, the song reached all the way up to number 10 on the Billboard charts but has been seeing a resurgence of interest today thanks largely to its use in the trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's new film The Master.

Read on to hear pianist Garrick Ohlsson performing the original Chopin etude, Jo Stafford's recording of No Other Love, and finally the trailer for the film in which the song is featured.  

Garrick Ohlsson: Chopin's Etude Op. 10 No. 3

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New Releases

Deschutes River Recordings: Eric Earley's Up On Cripple Creek

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The good people at Deschutes River Recordings (a subdivision of the enviable Deschutes Brewery) out in Oregon are back with episode two of their fundraiser for the Deschutes River Conservancy. This time they are accompanied by Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper and Denver for a spot on performance of The Band's eternal classic, Up On Cripple Creek.

The goal is simple. Raise money by way of a local non-profit by giving away first class music performances from top tier musicians in exchange for donation to help keep the natural splendor of the Deschutes River Basin sustainable for today and tomorrow's generations to enjoy. It's craft beer. It's music. It's environmentalism. It's a cause I want Dig Nation to support and enjoy. Read on for more information as well as the video of Eric Earley's sensational performance. You dig?

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New Releases

Dark Dark Dark: How It Went Down

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Coming out of Minneapolis, Minnesota the band Dark Dark Dark is getting set to release their third full length album October 2nd entitled Who Needs Who. If you're late to the party you can catch up before the new release with a quick trip to itunes for their previous work.

Seamlessly melding together a soundscape that owes tribute to many genres, the band sculpts their compositions around the pristine vocal work of Nona Marie Invie. Check out the track How It Went Down below as a teaser for the new album and then read on for a tour schedule around the Baltimore, DC, NYC area. You dig?

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News

Eric D. Johnson: Song (and beer) By The River

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Clean rivers and delicious beer are two things that we at Those Who Dig hold near and dear to our green hearts. All of us hold roots in Erie, PA and watched the reputation of the lake water improve as we grew up. This is why I was so thrilled to see this gem from Draft Magazine this week.

Deschutes River Recordings (a subdivision of Deschutes Brewery) out of Oregon has teamed up with Deschutes River Conservancy to produce a series of videos that is ripe with rivers, beers, and music. Their aim is to give away free downloads of this music in exchange for a monetary donation in an effort to restore streamflow and improve water quality in the Deschutes basin.

Eric D Johnson of the Fruit Bats is the featured artist in this video premier and Eric Early of Blitzen Trapper and Laura Gibson are slated to follow. Read on for my full thoughts on the project as well as to see Eric D Johnson perched riverside performing The Ballad Of Easy Rider by The Byrds.

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Throwbacks

Dolly Parton: Go Getter

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Dolly Parton's third studio album, In The Good Old Days (When Times Where Bad) was released in 1969. I found this record in Arbutus MD at their record trade show a couple years back and have been in absolute love with it ever since. This is the kind of classic country that wields pun and tragedy alongside infectious hooks and a backing band that any performer would take into battle.

I think it's incredible that this album came out in the same year as the summer of love, Johnny Cash's San Quentin concert, the Beatles Abbey Road, and the Apollo 11 moon landing. What a watershed year – I'm not sure my generation has seen anything like it.

Regardless, this can be a tricky record to track down unless you're willing to drop some serious coin. It looks like amazon has a couple of copies both new and used, but I suggest you get out into your community of vinyl enthusiasts and dig around. When you uncover your copy it will sound ever sweeter. Go out and dig. You dig?

Dolly Parton: Go Getter

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