Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile was a great first experience at DC’s new Anthem

I got to experience the new nightclub in Washington DC called The Anthem, down on the wharf in Southeast.

The place is amazing. It holds five times the amount of people as the 9:30 Club and seems to equal the sound quality of the country’s greatest music venue.

Courtney Barnett is one of my very favorite rockers of the past five years. Her album Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit is an instaclassic.

Kurt Vile is a performer I’ve admired and now the two of them together just works so well. It’s like they’ve always been together. A sort of Hall and Oates of the indie set in that they complement each other so well and flow in and out from each other’s parts effortlessly.

The set list featured some of each perfomer’s best tunes, of course songs off their new album as a duo, and eclectic covers by the likes of Belly, Gillian Welch, and Barnett’s wife Jen Cloher (whose album, in its own right, is great. She also opened the show).

4.5 out of 5 stars

Video by EasyMorningRebel 665

Flaming Lips blow minds of "best fans in music" at 9:30 Club

All the Flaming Lips goodwill I have, and considering that the last album of theirs I consider to be one of their five classics came out in the last century, was running pretty thin by the time I walked into the 9:30 Club Sunday night in Washington D.C.

But it didn't take long to bring me back into Wayne Coyne and company's mind meld. As the wacko leader buttered us up with commentary such as how Lips' fans are the best on Earth because we stand there and smile every show. And for all the talk he gave about sadness, he noted that being at one of his shows is one of the best ways to get away from all that for a couple of hours.

As balloons and confetti exploded onto the crowd, so too did the band's music, opening with "Race for the Prize" off of that 1999 classic The Soft Bulletin and "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." Coyne disappeared before fittingly riding a unicorn around the floor of the club for "There Should Be Unicorns," off the new album Oczy Mlodi. That and "How??" both held their own as far as new music during the show.

It's ok with me if the Lips feel they are best suited for carrying on David Bowie's legacy, because it really felt like we were seeing Bowie in person for the "Space Oddity" cover (see above video, in which Coyne rides his bubble ball through the crowd).

With a setlist heavy on The Soft Bulletin, Steven Drozd's guitar shone on "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate." And "Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung" from At War With the Mystics was like witnessing Obscured by Clouds-era Pink Floyd.

What would have made the concert even better for me would have been for the Lips to delve back further into their catalog than 1999. That said, the final three songs would have been tough to beat even had they done so. "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton" and "Waiting' for a Superman," both from Bulletin, were transcendent. And closer "Do You Realize??" off of 2002's Yoshimi supplied a perfect ray of hope to send the crowd back out into these dark times.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Yo La Tengo Digs Deep into Songlist for 30th Anniversary Show

I hadn't seen Hoboken, New Jersey's finest, Yo La Tengo since the mid-90s, when they played in St. Louis on the Painful tour (still their best album) and also in an intimate setting in the basement of Washington University's student center, where leader Ira Kaplan proceeded to pound his keyboard with precision and play guitar solos like Jimi Hendrix.

I loved the band's early albums like May I Sing With Me and New Wave Hot Dogs. But I haven't been all that into their less poppy, more spacey releases of the past decade-and-a-half.

That's why this special "Yo La Tengo at 30" tour in only New York, Philadelphia, and D.C. appeared to be the perfect show. A career-spanning set rather than a show that would focus on the new stuff. And the band didn't disappoint, especially at the start of the night.

"Ohm," the one great song from their newest album, began the show churning at just the right pace. Then "Double Dare" from Painful soared with its diving guitar parts. Their loud-soft dynamic was displayed with a few numbers, including "Beanbag Chair" from Electropura.

The full house was then treated to oldies like "Lewis" from New Wave Hot Dogs, "The Pain of Pain" from debut Ride the Tiger, and "Satellite" from May I Sing With Me.

Late in the show, when Kaplan wasn't doing his patented freak outs, highlights included covers of "Little Honda" by the Beach Boys and "Take Care" by Big Star, along with original "Autumn Sweater."

This was by no means a best-of setlist, but it also displayed just how deep and enjoyable Yo La Tengo's catalog is over its 30-year life thus far.

Lambchop opened and convincingly played its brand of slow, mostly-quiet folk.

**** out of ***** stars

Photo by Peter Hutchins.

• 1. Ohm 
  2. Double Dare 
  3. The Point of It 
  4. Pablo and Andrea 
  5. Beanbag Chair 
  6. Lewis 
     (with Tony Crow)
  7. The Pain of Pain 
     (with Tony Crow)
  8. Satellite 
  9. Black Flowers 
  10. I'll Be Around 
  11. False Alarm 
  12. Before We Run 
  13. Little Honda 
      (The Beach Boys cover)
  14. Deeper Into Movies 
  15. Decora 
  16. Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind 
  17. Encore:
  17. Autumn Sweater 
  18. I Dream of Jeannie 
      (Hypnolovewheel cover) (with David Ramirez)
  19. Take Care 
      (Big Star cover) (with Lambchop)

My Top 90 Albums of 2013

Christopher Owens

It was a robust year for music (as always). There is barely enough time to listen to all these albums, let alone many of the all-time great discs. 

There is lots to choose from here. But if you are a fan of hook-laden pop/rock music, don't hesitate to start with dropping everything you're doing right now and go buy the top 10 on this list. Then you can make your way to discovering 11 through 90.

Yuck, when they still had Daniel Blumberg

Much like my list of 2011's Top 70 Albums, Girls beats out Yuck for the top spot. This time, it's Girls' lead singer Christopher Owens' underrated solo album at #1 (made even more personally amazing after being blown away by his intimate show at the 9:30 Club). But Yuck gets some laughs too, because their album is at #2, which is incredible considering former leader Daniel Blumberg's breakway solo debut by his new band Hebronix clocks in at #3.

To listen to lots of highlights from this list, check out my free Spotify Best of 2013 list.

90. My Bloody Valentine – mbv

89. Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band – Take Me to the Land of Hell

88. Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark – English Electric

87. Steve Martin and Edie Brickell – Love Has Come For You

86. Adam Ant – Wonderful

85. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP2

84. Kanye West - Yeezus

83. Deerhunter - Monomania

82. Fonda – Sell Your Memories

81. 18^th Dye – Amorine Queen

80. Tennis – Small Sound

79. MGMT - MGMT

78. Lee Ranaldo and the Dust – Last Night on Earth

77. Jason Isbell - Southeastern

76. Johnny Marr – The Messenger

75. British Sea Power – Machineries of Joy

74. Empire Of the Sun – Ice On the Dune

73. Rogue Wave – Nightingale Floors
72. The Olms – The Olms

71. The Little Ones – The Dawn Sang Along

70. Dean Wareham – Emancipated Hearts

69. Jack Johnson – From Here to Now to You

68. Elf Power – Sunlight on the Moon

67. The Boy Least Likely To – The Great Perhaps

66. Treetop Flyers – The Mountain Moves

65. Mandolin Orange – This Side of Jordan

64. The Paranoid Style – The Purposes of Music In General

63. Pop Levi – Never Never Love

62. Big Dipper – Crashes on the Platinum Planet

61. Jimi Hendrix – People, Hell & Angels

60. Dent May – Warm Blanket

59. Ducktails – The Flower Lane

58. Ra Ra Riot – Beta Love

57. Thao – Know Better Learn Faster

56. Robyn Hitchcock – Love From London

55. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

54. Islands – Ski Mask

53. Jim James – Regions of Light and Sound

52. Father John Misty – Fear Fun

51. Taken By Trees – Other Worlds

50. Grouplove – Spreading Rumours

49. Lorde – Pure Heroine

48. Darlings – Perfect Trip/Warma

47. The Strokes – Comedown Machine

46. Minor Alps – Get There

45. Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull

44. Belle & Sebastian – The Third Eye Centre

43. Snoop Lion - Reincarnated

42. Free Energy – Love Sign

41. Kurt Vile – Wakin On a Pretty Daze

40. David Bowie – The Next Day Extra

39. Yo La Tengo – Fade

38. Eternal Summers – Correct Behavior

37. Tegan & Sara – Closer

36. Haim – Days Are Gone

35. The Coup – Pick a Bigger Weapon

34. Sebadoh – Defend Yourself

33. Weinland – Los Processaur

32. Mikal Cronin – MCII

31. Eleanor Friedberger – Personal Record

30. Surfer Blood – Pythons

29. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Split/Fly By Wire

28. Robert Pollard – Honey Locust Honky Tonk

27. Camera Obscura – Desire Lines

26. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories

25. Iron & Wine – Ghost On Ghost

24. Jacobites – Old Scarlett

23. The Polyphonic Spree – Yes, It’s True.

22. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

21. Superchunk – I Hate Music

20. Of Montreal – Lousy With Sylvianbriar

19. Mazes – Ores & Minerals

18. Palmyra Delran – You Are What You Absorb

17. Jamaica – No Problem

16. Dead Stars – High Gain

15. Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion – Wassaic Way

14. Okkervil River – The Silver Gymnasium

13. The Blank Tapes – Vacation

12. Phoenix – Bankrupt!

11. The Postelles - … And It Shook Me

10. San Cisco – The Awkward EP

09. The Babies – Our House on the Hill

08. The Virgins – Strike Gently

07. The Replacements – Songs For Slim

06. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City

05. Paul McCartney - NEW

04. Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold

03. Hebronix – Unreal

02. Yuck – Glow and Behold
01. Christopher Owens - Lysandre

Soul Asylum Leads Classic Indie Bands in Rocking Night at 9:30 Club

I was 22 years old back on November 12, 1992 the first time I saw Soul Asylum with The Lemonheads. So it was pretty meaningful last week when I saw them almost exactly 20 years later at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C.

That first show was the second night of Soul Asylum's Grave Dancers Union tour and, from the first row of Mississippi Nights in St. Louis, I was mesmerized by Winona Ryder's boyfriend Dave Pirner (pictured) leading his band through a set that was far more rocking than any fair-weather MTV viewer could guess possible based on their mega-'90s rocking-ballad hits "Runaway Train" and "Black Gold."

Pirner still has the long hair that gives him a slight resemblance to a healthy-era Axl Rose, but any original members of Soul Asylum other than him could not be found on this night. I thought that was going to be a problem, but Justin Sharbono has replaced founding member (and his cousin) Dan Murphy on guitar and performed more than admirably. Those licks must be in the family blood.

Michael Bland, longtime Prince and Paul Westerberg drummer (and Minneapolis legend), pounded the drums in unison with Winston Roye on bass. Soul Asylum is still very loud, especially with blaring numbers like "99%" and "April Fool."

But it was difficult to detect any drop-off from '92 when it came to the shows highlights: "Without a Trace" was undoubtedly the best rowdy pop song the band played. "Somebody to Shove" and "Summer of Drugs" were my other favorites, although it was pretty tough to deny the lovability of the aforementioned "Black Gold" and "Runaway Train."

Soul Asylum: **** out of ***** stars

1. Growing Into You 
2. 99% 
3. Misery 
4. Marionette 
5. Little Too Clean 
6. I Will Still Be Laughing 
7. Summer of Drugs 
   (Victoria Williams cover)
8. Black Gold 
9. Without a Trace 
10. I Did My Best 
11. Just Like Anyone 
12. Gravity 
13. The Streets 
14. Never Really Been 
15. Runaway Train 
16. Closer to the Stars 
17. Somebody to Shove 
18. April Fool 

Evan Dando of The Lemonheads walked out from backstage after that '92 show in a red velvet smoking jacket and signed my chest. None of us will probably ever get back to that spot in our lives, so Dando had a long way to go to ever play a show as great as that one long ago. Plus. he only played with his trusty electric guitar and no backing band at last week's show.

That said, the man writes great tunes and any fan of this blog knows that I stand firmly behind claiming he is one of the very best songwriters of the past 30 years. He ripped through a bunch of songs and was entirely pleasant, but not as great as he can be with a full band in a smaller club.

Evan Dando: ***1/2 out of ***** stars

Fountains of Wayne was the headliner. I've always loved this band but this was the first time I've seen them in concert. They too were verging on pleasant but not mind-blowing; however, I headed down from the balcony to the floor and the sound and vibe improved dramatically. The band soon won me over and created many magical moments within their sometimes samey-sounding songs.

But even when the songs sometimes bled into each other, the witty wordplay, talented guitar licks, and heavenly harmonizing kept it fun. Some of my favorite numbers included "I've Got a Flair," "I-95," "Mexican Wine," and "Someone to Love." And, of course, the show ended with crowd-pleasers "Radiation Vive" and "Stacy's Mom."

Fountains of Wayne: ***1/2 out of ***** stars

Christopher Owens, Formerly of Girls, Mesmerizes a Sit-Down 9:30 Club

Many dozens of shows viewed at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. and this was a first for me. A sit-down concert.

So there Gordie, Dan, Rachel, and I were in the third row Sunday night where we got a thrilling display from Christopher Owens, formerly of Girls (a band I missed back in 2009 when they were very obscure).

I thought it might simply be an acoustic, one-man set. But no, all the pieces from his brilliant new solo album - saxophone, flute, two female backup singers, lead guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboard - were there. I also thought Owens (seated in the photo) would be the only stage presence capturing our attention. But he has recruited a fascinating and mesmerizing cast of characters.

And that's saying a lot. It's not easy to compete with Owens, a guy whose back story includes growing up in California's way-out Children of God cult (which apparently hired thousands of female escorts to recruit members into their sexually, shall we say, adventurous, family).

Further, Owens is a premiere musician. I've waited a long time to see him. (Girls' album Father, Son, Holy Ghost was ranked #1 in my top 70 list of 2011 and the band's self-titled debut was a way under-ranked #16 in my 2009 top 40.) The wait may have been wise, because I would be shocked if the solo album, called Lysandre, will be anywhere lower than my top three of 2013, but we'll see.

In short, his two-and-a-half Girls albums and now his solo one are almost entirely flawless. This was really, really apparent Sunday night because the first half of the show consisted of songs off his new album and had arguably much better lyrics and music than the second half of the show, which was made up of well-done soft-rock covers all largely regarded as classics in the rock 'n' roll cannon like "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel, "Wild World" by Cat Stevens, "Lalena" by Donovan, and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" by Bob Dylan. It was almost as if Owens was trying to rub it into his idols' faces that he's better.

My only complaint is that he didn't play any of those great songs off his Girls albums. But that's a small complaint. Hopefully he'll release another solo record in the next year or so, and he can play his original material for a lot longer into the night next time. (Openers Melted Toys provided an enjoyable jolt of 80s wave with memorable guitar licks liberally scattered throughout.)

****1/2 out of ***** stars