SquirrelFood.net Music Blog » Blog Archive

Mid-week Catch-up

Author jamie on February 24th, 2006

Yes, I know it’s been almost an entire week with no posts, but I’ve been busy- first off, I’m moving my blog ot my website, SquirrelFood.net (if you’re reading this on squirrelfood.net, then you’ve already found it. It took me a minute to get all the entries form the MySpace blog transfered into the SuirelFood blog, and get the SquirrelFood blog all set up the way I want it. It still doens’t have a proper banner at the top…I’m still trying to come up with something appropriate there (feel free to send me your suggestions). I’ll probably replicate my posts from SquirrelFood to MySpace for a while, but eventually, I’m going to discontinue MySpace. The reason is that MySpace really sucks as a blog engine. The MySpace RSS feed is limited (so that you can’t read a full blog entry from the RSS feed, and have to log in and be bombarded by their stupid ads), where as the new RSS feed is full-on with images and everything. Just put http://www.squirrelfood.net/rss2.xml in your favorite newsfeed reader (I use Opera, which is also my default browser). Also, MySpace doesn’t allow javascript or other ‘cool’ web tech because they’re lame, so look for new fun features in my blog (yeah, right). Moving on…

I went out last weekend (big surprise there, huh?), and saw Bain Mattox (buy it here) and Bob Schneider on Saturday night. I have to admin that I enjoyed Bain more than Schneider. Schneider is a terrific, dynamic performer- and easily works the audience into the palm of his hand- but his I found myself getting bored amidst the slew of sex-obsessed funky alt-country songs coming from the general direction of the stage. Not to mention the guy makes less sence than Dave Matthews when he decides to stop singing and start chatting up the audience. Not that it wasn’t a good show- his band is absolutely amazing. I think it was the ego that got in the way of a realy terrific show from mr. Bob.

Bob Schneider - I’m Good Now

Anyways, getting back to Bain- Bain Mattox (and his band) put on such an amazing live show. Mattox up front not only sings with amazing clarity, but also picks up a variety of instruments (banjo, accordian, mandolin, and guitar). The band are exceptionally tight, playing a well-blended brand of midwest acoustic meets power-pop that wins new fans over consistantly, and brings old fans back to shows over and over. After winning the Open Mic Madness in 2002, Bain Mattox has been given titles such as “Best Singer-Songwriter” and “Best Front-Man” here in the ATL. Mattox and band are still unsigned.

Bain Mattox - Fine Line
Bain Mattox - Prizefighter
bain Mattox - Slowpoke

Also, I’ve been listening to a lot of Mark Ronson lately. Ronson is a British-born, New York-based DJ who’s on the top of the “hot list” these days- spinning at start-studded parties for the likes of Puf-er-P. Did- er, that Sean Combs guy (whatever he goes by now). Ronson has produced the likes of Rhymefest and Nikka Costa, and has produced a solo album with guests like Jack White, Rivers Cuomo, Q-Tip and Mos Def. His upcoming project is a cover album, appropriately titled Version, on which he has taken various rock tracks, and re-recorded them using DJ beats and funk horns and unlikely vocalists. The result is surprisingly cool. The first single, Radiohead’s Just, features Phantom Planet’s Alex Greenwald on vocals. It’s been spinning on Radio1 for weeks now, but last Friday I came across a podcast on East Village Radio (where Ronson does a regular show), broadcast shortly after Ronson had finished mixing the album where he plays several tracks from the album. Even though he cuts in on each track regularly to prevent bootlegging- I’ve been listening to these tracks all week. They’re just that good. Even the cover of Toxic (Brittney Spears), featuring Michael Tighe of The A.M. One of the things that really makes these tracks shine is the horns of the Dap Kings, giving the tracks a definite old-school funk feel.