Destroyer “To the Heart of the Sun On the Back of Vultures, I’ll Go”

A few years ago I read Bob Dylan’s Chronicles: Volume One, and I found the chapter on Dylan’s approach to live performances to be pretty polarizing stuff. Dylan discusses the boredom and monotony that comes with performing the same songs every night. On his 1987 tour, Dylan opted to change his live shows to a more organic experience, and he’s hasn’t altered his live show methodology since. Instead of giving the fans what they what, Bob and his ever-changing band take Dylan standards and flip them on their head.  Some tours have interpreted his songs within the style of blues while other times his touring band can resemble a bluegrass outfit.  I’ve seen Dylan perform twice, and during both shows I had the same guessing game experience where half the time I wasn’t quite sure what song he was performing.  It doesn’t help that his voice is almost unintelligible these days.

Grant Hart “The Argument”

Grant Hart

The Argument

[Domino; 2013]

Rating: 9.5

What if both your parents died the same year? And what if that same year your home, which has been in the family for over 100 years, burns down?  And what if while you’re dealing with all this loss, your former band mate (Bob Mould) releases a tell all autobiography where he not only persecutes you and embellishes your use of heroin, but he also takes time to mock your now dead mother?

And what if you were once friends with William S. Burroughs? And what if while you are dealing with all this turmoil, you are bestowed with an unfinished Burroughs space odyssey adaptation of Milton’s Paradise Lost called Lost Paradise? And what if this manuscript inspires you to create a 20-song album about the battle between Heaven and Hell?

That would be pretty awesome, right?

BDWPS Podcast #20

In this episode we check out new tracks from Volcano Choir, Sebadoh, Cave, and Kylesa. I also discuss the LCD Soundsystem documentary, and the podcast ends with a dedication to Lou Reed with a discussion of how he was influenced by Bob Dylan. Check it out here or subscribe at iTunes (keyword: BDWPS).

Tracklist:

Volcano Choir “Byegone”

Sebadoh “Beat”

LCD Soundsystem “Dance Yrself Clean”

Cave “Shikaakwa”

Kylesa “Steady Breakdown”

Bob Dylan “Hard Times in New York”