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Phosphorescent Meets Willie Nelson
Mike McKinley
April 27, 2009
A friend of mine just sent this photo over of Phosphorescent (Matthew Houck) and Willie Nelson. It's posted on Phosphorescent's Myspace page with the caption: "Willie's Bus‚ New Jersey - April 2009"



I had a brief chat with Matthew about his stellar new album of Willie Nelson covers‚ To Willie‚ back in February. At that time‚ he had never met Willie -- here's the end of our talk:

So‚ one last thing: have you met Willie yet?

No‚ I have not.

You think you will now? [laughs]

Well‚ I sent him the record. I haven't heard anything from that camp‚ but I'd be super stoked if he heard it.

I think he likes to invite people on to his bus. [laughter]

I would gladly accept that invitation.

Well‚ it looks like he did. Glad it finally happened!

Update 4/27 - the following press release just came from Dead Oceans (Phosphorescent's label):

Phosphorescent invited personally by Willie Nelson to perform on his SIRIUS XM Radio channel "Willie's Place" as part of Willie Nelson's 76th birthday celebration.

Earlier this year Phosphorescent released his new album To Willie, a tribute to the music of Willie Nelson. Styled after Willie's own tribute to Lefty Frizzell, the 1975 album, To Lefty, From Willie, has received glowing praise from sources as far and wide as Country Weekly and Vanity Fair to Mojo and The Fader. Not just a tribute album, Phosphorescent lovingly renders 11 tracks pulled deep from Mr. Nelson's catalog of song. All along Matthew Houck said that his tribute wasn't just a good idea he had, but rather something he'd always known he needed to do. When preparing for the album's release, Matthew shared his thoughts with me about his first memory of Willie Nelson's music:

"I can remember being in the back seat of my parents' car in Alabama and hearing "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" sung by Willie Nelson. I must have been three or four years old. That huge-sounding, sad, sad song did something to me. It took something out of me. Or put something into me I don't know which. There was a gravel driveway and a gate. My father was out of the car, opening the gate and then we were driving over the gravel. Every song I've ever sung has something to do with this moment."

And now a new voice has joined in the choir of high praise for the album - the voice belonging to Willie Nelson himself! Last week Dead Oceans received an invite from Willie Nelson's Sirius XM Radio Channel, Willie's Place (located on the dial on Sirius 64, and XM 13,) for Phosphorescent to perform as part of the channel's festivities celebrating the 76th birthday of the Red Headed Stranger.

Also last week, Phosphorescent's Matthew Houck and his entire band of merry musicians were personally invited by Willie to come to New Brunswick, NJ to attend a Nelson performance. Upon arrival, they were invited onto his tour bus where Mr. Nelson was extremely generous and sweet, and shared some very kind words about To Willie. Read about his experience here.

Visit Willie
Visit Phosphorescent Record Store Day at Bull Moose Music (Ani DiFranco)
Ryan Lowell
April 20, 2009
Ahh April. Yet another brutal winter has ended‚ which means it's party time in New England. In college (St. Mike's for me) our celebration always included live music‚ free food‚ and a mechanical bull for some reason. College was fun and all‚ but this year I found a late April celebration with excellent music and without the splitting headaches or awkward Sunday mornings. April 18th was second annual Record Store Day‚ and the celebration was in full effect at Bull Moose Music‚ home of the folks who invented the holiday.

I spent the weekend at the Scarborough‚ ME store‚ the youngest of ten Bull Moose stores that span Maine and New Hampshire. Friday meant a super rare and super free in-store performance from Ani DiFranco‚ her first in many years. I watched the show from the underground hip-hop section‚ enjoying both the concert itself‚ and the perplexed looks on the faces of the high school kids skipping class who had no idea why some chick was singing about Barack Obama while they purchased the new Grand Theft Auto.

After a brief Q & A and an unscheduled encore‚ Ani went on her way and allowed staff a breather before Record Store weekend festivities continued. On Saturday‚ things were in full swing early‚ with a heap of free stuff being given away -- CDs‚ posters‚ tote bags and rare vinyl. Artists like Flaming Lips‚ Radiohead‚ Bob Dylan and Cold War Kids released rarities specifically for the date‚ and Wilco put out a new fim that ain't half bad from what I read. In the afternoon‚ over a hundred local headbangers lined up to hang out and get autographs from Killswitch Engage. The dudes in the band cheerily signed everything from guitars to Viking helmets to plastic lighthouses‚ and were all smiles the whole time. Screaming constantly onstage must be what makes them so relaxed offstage. Maybe everyone who's stressed out should start a metal group.

Record Store Day benefited from music aficionados of all types‚ ranging from the bands who offered up rare gems‚ to the fans who continue to support good music. With music sales going digital‚ a lot of people are speculating that record stores are a dying breed‚ but last weekend proved that record stores are about more than just sales‚ they're about community. But feel free to prove me wrong‚ next time you feel a sense of community while you're at home downloading Hinder's new single on iTunes‚ let me know.

Photo above by Amber Dorcus

Photos below by Matthew Robbins















NPR Becoming As Gay For Marco Benevento As We Are...
Mike McKinley
April 17, 2009
In the past week‚ NPR ran the following two segments on Marco Benevento:

Song of the Day - "Golden"

Jazz Not Jazz

We've talked about Marco a lot in State of Mind. It's hard not to because the man just keeps getting better and better and continues to pump out great record after great record. Check out the review of Me Not Me and Marco's song by song take on the album in the latest issue of SoM (pages 12 & page 34).

Yeah‚ NPR is starting to get it. What next? Are they going to start referring to Marco as "Mr. Yummy Pants" like we do at the SoM Headquarters? Or "Handsome Sauce?" Or the one we're most proud of -- after his daughter Ruby was born we screamed‚ "DILF!"

So… here's some hot Marco action over the years for you all. Hands where we can see them!













Big Heavy World turns 13
Michael Carney
April 14, 2009


For the SOMers not in the know‚ Big Heavy World is an amazing non-profit out of Burlington‚ VT dedicated to repping Vermont-made music. It's part record label‚ music shop and archive. BHW is also the curator of WOMM-LP The Radiator--a non-commercial‚ volunteer run radio station. To celebrate 13 years of supporting the Vermont music scene‚ they are throwing a huge party down at Metronome & Nectar's that sports a bill full of top local talent. Come by if you're in the area to support a worthy cause.

"April 17‚ 2009 Party with us at Big Heavy World's Baker's Dozen
Birthday Bash at Club Metronome & Nectar's‚ 182 Main Street‚
Burlington VT! It's our 13th year of supporting Vermont-made music
with a volunteer crew. We've put out 15 compilation CDs‚ collected
almost 4‚000 Vermont-made recordings at the archive‚ built a radio
station with Lee from Radio Bean‚ and yelled 'Hulk SMASH!" at anything
that's kept VT music down. Come remind us why we're here - for the
love of Vermont's scene and the live music that makes it so worth
living here."

METRONOME
1:15 - 2:00 THE SHANDIES myspace.com/theshandies05401
12:15 - 1:00 THE FATAL FLAWS myspace.com/thefatalflaws
11:15 - 12:00 VULTURES OF CULT myspace.com/vulturesofcult
10:15 - 11:00 RYAN OBER myspace.com/ryanober

NECTAR'S
1:10 - 2:00 CHERRY CASSETTE cherrycassette.com
12:15 - 12:55 BLOWTORCH
11:20 - 12:00 LENDWAY myspace.com/lendwaymusic
10:25 - 11:05 AARON FLYNN aaronflinn.com
9:30 - 10:10 MISSY BLY myspace.com/missybly

METRONOME MATINEE
Doors 5:30/Music 6pm-8pm @ Metronome:
WEIGHT OF THE WORLD myspace.com/weightoftheworldmusic
EVEN THE SCORE myspace.com/eventhescorevt
More TBA

NY Times Wants Your Dead Photos
Live Music Beth
April 9, 2009
They are looking for readers' photos to publish in an album. Check it out here...

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