Halloween is a holiday that always has really high expectations, and typically doesn’t live up to them…so when I heard that Mount Eerie was playing my decision was made for me…Mount Eerie never disappoints.

This was my first time hearing Malkuth and Liturgy.  Malkuth went on shortly after we got to Market Hotel, and played for what seemed like forever…and not forever in a bad way, but more like…wow this opening band is playing for over an hour.  I was pretty impressed, but as I soon found out it is hard for any band to share the stage with Liturgy. I haven’t been to a metal show in a couple months, and I really did enjoy it…even klk got into Liturgy, and the metal typically isn’t her thing.  As far as black metal goes I got more out of Liturgy’s performance on Saturday than I did out of Wolves In the Throne Room earlier this year. Liturgy can keep the underlying melodic guitars even during a full blown thrash session.  Totally worth checking out:

[full album] Liturgy- Live on My Castle of Quiet at WFMU (via FMA)

Mount Eerie took the stage in a form that I have yet to see, and this was due to the recent release of Wind’s Poem.  Not only was Elverum on stage, but he was accompanied by both Julia Chirka and Nick Krgovich of No Kids as well as two drummers.  Their set consisted entirely of songs from Wind’s Poem, and Phil let us in on something that I was previously unaware of…Wind’s Poem was written by himself and Nick Krgovich (last time I saw Nick play it was less than exciting, but he redeemed himself on Saturday night).  Mount Eerie sounded thunderous, and the amazing part was that there was only one guitar on stage.  Krgovich and Chirka both played keyboards, and Elverum stood center with the guitar. For me heavier music can sometimes get lost in the wall of sound created by too many guitars, and I think Elverum has found the perfect combination for his live set up to show off both his song writing and vocals.  With only one guitar Elverum was able to shine over the the heaviest music he has ever written.  Mount Eerie’s set was near perfect, and Krgovich even interjected a dance beat into what I consider one of the best songs of the year:

Mount Eerie still have most of their tour to go…I highly recommend catching them…only good things can come of it….tour dates can be found here.

In other Mount Eerie related news….

Julie Doiron, who collaborated with Phil Elverum on last year’s wonderful Lost Wisdom, will be gracing NYC this Thursday, November 5th, accompanied by Herman Dune at the Bell House. Julie released an excellent album this year, I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day (which will also be making my best of 2009 list), and was great when she played Cake Shop this past spring.  If you are unfamiliar with Julie she used to play in Eric’s Trip, and has been making music on her own since the early 90’s.  Check out one of my favorite tracks from last year’s Lost Wisdom:

[mp3] Mount Eerie w/ Julie Doiron & Fred Squire- “Voice in Headphones” (from Lost Wisdom, buy it here.)

Links:

• more on Mount Eerie and Phil Elverum here.
• buy Mount Eerie and P.W. Elverum and Suns releases here.
• more on Julie Doiron here.
• buy Julie Doiron’s releases here.
• more from the free music archive here.
• more gprecs video (Karl Blau, Dum Dum Girls, Los Campesinos! and More) here.

End Note: There has been a lot going on in my real, non-internet, life this week…so blog posts will be scarce until sometime next week.  My stress will greatly decrease tomorrow, and I am looking forward to enjoying Julie play in one of my favorite venues in Booklyn…beer will be calling my name.

There are very few things musically that could make my week better than Karl Blau coming to New York, but this week has topped it.  Phil Elverum and his Mount Eerie will be making two New York appearances this weekend as well!

Mount Eerie released the wonderful Wind’s Poem a couple months back, and if you are a listener or reader of NPR you might have heard about it from them (they know their stuff).  Wind’s Poem is Elverum’s second venture into the realm of black metal, and his vision is breath taking.

Don’t let the words “black metal” or even just the word “metal” scare you away from this album…let me assure you the Phil put’s his own spin on the genre (s), and it is unlike anything I’ve have heard before…metal or otherwise.   Bringing things a little closer to the pacific north west Elverum even incorporates elements of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks into this album, and brings this to the forefront on, another one, of my favorite songs of the year:

[mp3] Mount Eerie- “Between Two Mysteries”

Buy Wind’s Poem here!

I’ve now let you in on two of my favorite songs of the year (one yesterday and one today), but I will even go as far to say that Wind’s Poem is right near the top of my best records of 2009 as well.

Appropriately enough Mount Eerie right after this venture into the expanding realm of black metal will be performing on Halloween….with two of New York’s finest black metal acts….Liturgy and Malkuth!

This is not just any show, but a collaboration between Todd P and Pitchfork’s Brandon Stosuy.  This show is part of Stosuy’s  Show No Mercy series:

Halloween!
Saturday October 31st
at Market Hotel

Also appearing at this show will be No Kids and Tara Jane O’Neil.

I have seen Phil Elverum play as Mount Eerie several times before, and it has never been anything less than magical.  I’m extremely excited to see what type of set he decides to perform while playing with not only one, but two well know black metal acts….could there be a collaboration…I can’t wait to find out on Saturday.

If Market Hotel and black metal aren’t your thing you have a second chance to catch Elverum’s magic:

Sunday November 1st
Wordless Music Presents:
Mount Eerie
with
Tara Jane O’Neil
No Kids
and
Dina Pruzhansky
at Le Poisson Rouge

If you have a chance to catch Mount Eerie at either of these shows you will not be disappointed…if you are not in NYC Mount Eerie will also be appearing at these times and places:

• Mon. Nov. 2nd- Harrisburg, PA- Midtown Scholar Bookstore
  • $7- doors at 6:30, show at 7PM (with Tara Jane O’Neil and No Kids)
• Tues. Nov. 3rd- Pittsburgh, PA- Garfield Art Works
  • 8pm doors, $8 (with Tara Jane O’Neil and No Kids)
• Weds. Nov. 4th- Cincinnati, OH- Art Damage Lodge
  • $7 (with Tara Jane O’Neil and No Kids)
• Thurs. Nov. 5th- Louisville, KY- Skull Alley
  • $8, doors at 8pm (with Tara Jane O’Neil and No Kids)
• Fri. Nov. 6th- Bloomington, IN- Banneker Community Center
  • 9:30, $8 (with Tara Jane O’Neil and No Kids and Prayer Breakfast)
• Sat. Nov. 7th- Madison, WI- High Noon Saloon
  • $10, EARLY! 5pm doors, show ends at 8pm (with Tara Jane O’Neil and No Kids)
• Sun. Nov. 8th- Chicago, IL- Lakeshore Theater
  • $10, doors at 6pm, show at 7 (with Tara Jane O’Neil and No Kids)
• Mon. Nov. 9th- Iowa City, IA- Public Space One
  • 9pm, $5 (with No Kids)
• Tues. Nov. 10th- Minneapolis, MN- Bedlam Theater
  • EARLY! doors at 5pm, music at 6, $10 (with No Kids and Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles)
• Weds. Nov. 11th- Rapid City, SD- Sports Rock Pizza!
  • $5 (with No Kids and Motorbikes and St. Merman)
• Fri. Nov. 13th- Pullman, Wash- The Bell Tower
  • $6/$8

Links:

• more on Mount Eerie and Phil Elverum  here.
• buy Mount Eerie and P.W. Elverum and Suns releases here.
  • Mount Eerie releases should always be purchased directly from Phil…I am always amazed at how delicately they are packaged.  I have never been disappointed…hands down some of the best things to pass through the USPS.

Tonight at Cake Shop:

Tomorrow (5/20/09) in  Ditmas Park, Brooklyn @ Sycamore Nick Krgovich w/ Katie Eastburn and To Bad Catholics

More info (including mp3s) about Nick Krgovich and To Bad Catholics here.

*I have been doing it the past couple times, but I am going to start posting the posters for shows on the day of (given a poster is made and I find it).  I think that concert posters/fliers are a dying art, and I’m really enjoying seeing bands and venues doing them lately.  I have been posting quite a few to my tumblr as well.

UPDATE: I wanted to put up a note about the show last night.  You can read it here.

Julie Doiron wasn’t the first musician that Phil Elverum collaborated with that I became a fan of, and one of the others happens to be playing right here in New York next week!  This person is Nick Krgovich (formerly of P:ano, currently of No Kids and To Bad Catholics).

My introduction to Krgovich was at David Shrigley’s Worried Noodles concert at the Knitting Factory where he preformed a short set with Elverum (totes amazing!  check out the track below).  Nick had me as soon as he opened his mouth, and that soothing sexy soulful voice came out.  Not exactly what I was expecting from a skinny white guy from Canada.

It looks like this time when Krgovich comes to NYC though he will be playing a solo set, and his other band To Bad Catholics will be opening.  To Bad Catholics, and I admit I haven’t heard much, seem to be more of an electronic pop trio than Krgovich/No Kids’ take on R&B meets world music.    To Bad Catholics also features Julia Chirka (also of No Kids) and Mallory (who they “met when we shared a table at T.G.I. Fridays (it was packed) she was dining alone in a booth seat and the hostess asked if we could share, she said yes, thank God!!” via their myspace)

These shows are billed as Nick Krgovich shows (To Bad Catholics will be opening).  I assume he will be playing some No Kids songs, but can’t be sure. Here’s the Info:

• 5/19/09 New York, NY @ Cake Shop w/ Skeletons, Katie Eastburn and To Bad Catholics

• 5/20/09 Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, NY @ Sycamore w/ Katie Eastburn and To Bad Catholics

To Bad Catholics also have a “house show” listed on their myspace that is TBA on 5/22/09.  I’ll keep an eye on this, and update the post when there is more info.  For additional Nick Krgovich/No Kids dates click here.

Listen:

[mp3] Phil Elverum & Nick Krgovich- Whatcha Doin’ (off Worried Noodles via Soulblending) (Buy it!)

[mp3] No Kids- The Beach Is All Closed (off Come Into My House) (Buy it!)

Listen to To Bad Catholics here.

More No Kids/Nick Krgovich can be heard here.

Photo via To Bad Catholics’ myspace.  Taken by Michelle Mayne.

Here is my big Friday Post for you!  My Top 10 7″ singles and eps of 2008!

1. City Center- s/t 7″ (Invisible Friend)

2. Thee Oh Sees- Peanut Butter Oven 12″ (Awesome Vistas) (this blog seems to have a download of the hard to find ep)

3. Grouper/City Center- split 7″ (No Label)

4.  Times New Viking- Stay Awake 7″ (Matador)

5. Mount Eerie/ No Kids – Spilt 7″ (Caff/Flick)

6. Atlas Sounds – Atlas Shrugged/Dub Narcotic Disco Plate 7″ (K records)

7. Desolation Wilderness-Until Forever 7″ (K Records)

8. High Places/ Xiu Xiu – Split 7″ (Aagoo)

9. OM – Sub Pop Singles Club 7″ (Sub Pop)

10. Mountain Goats – Satanic Messiah 2×7″ (Click thru for pay what you want digital download)

something that was totally awesome, but slightly holiday themed that didn’t make my top ten was:

Blues Control- December Sup Pop Singles Club 7″ (someone seems to have posted a download…follow the link)