by Michael Todd
With the impending doom of snow, let me offer a warm welcome to First Friday before "warm" is erased from our vocabulary. Whether the weather will white-out any plans is up to the skies, but one thing's for sure: It's been a big week for local music, so let's take a look back.
Here's a roundup of the news, plus two short lists of recent and upcoming releases to close.
Team Love Announces One of My Kind Release
The final version of the documentary One of My Kind: The Story of the Mystic Valley Band will be released May 15 and packaged with a CD or LP of 11 outtakes from both Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band sessions.
The documentary, filmed by Phil Schaffart, was shot first with no intention of any release. It was originally viewable for free on causecast.org with a suggestion to donate to various non-profits, but now will be pressed to DVD after a fresh edit.
While the Mystic Valley Band toured and recorded in the South, Schaffart says, "Something was happening between the six members of the band musically that was effortless and natural in a way I had not seen before."
Tracklist (CD or LP)
- One of My Kind
- Gentleman’s Pact
- Corina, Corina
- Synesthete Song
- Breezy
- Central City
- I Got the Reason #1
- Phil’s Song (Learn to Stop Time)
- Normal
- Kodachrome
- White Shoes (Reprise)
And here's the trailer for the documentary:
Lil Slim Blues Band Makes International Contest's Semifinals
Lincoln's Lil Slim Blues Band has survived through the quarterfinals of the International Blues Challenge. This year, 748 musicians from 40 states and a record 16 countries made their way to Memphis, Tenn., for the 28th annual contest.
Out of 118 bands, 40 will compete tonight in semifinals beginning at 6 p.m. Band finals will decide a winner starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Show your support for Lincoln's own by dropping a note on their Facebook page.
Big Harp Plays Daytrotter
Daytrotter session released a session recorded with Big Harp on Wednesday. Along with three songs from the band's debut White Hat, Chris Senseney played the yet-unreleased "Other Side of the Blinds."
As Senseney is from western Nebraska, Daytrotter's Sean Moeller writes, "It's an awfully ignorant thing to say, but even without being told that Big Harp lead singer Chris Senseney was born in 'the Western Nebraska cow town of Valentine' with a population of less than 3,000 people, something would have told you that long before reading about him."
RECENT RELEASES
Freidelic by Green Trees
Free Spirit : Lost Soul by Stonebelly
Competing For Your Love by Millions of Boys
UPCOMING RELEASES
Modern Problems by Digital Leather | Feb. 14
I Am Gemini by Cursive | Feb. 21
First by Water, Then by Fire by Orion Walsh | March 1
Dude Won't Die by Dude Won't Die | March 3
Recordando Los Maestros by Son Del Llano | March 10
Conduits by Conduits | March 20
The Mynabirds | No date set
Thunder Power | No date set
Lucas Kellison | No date set
Michael Todd is Hear Nebraska's managing editor. If he missed any new or recent releases, or if you have news for HN, reach him at michaeltodd@hearnebraska.org.