Prev. Show Report 06.13.09 - The Lizard lounge.

The Phil Aiken army set the tone early with a great set filled with smart, tight, pop tunes played with a stonesy edge and joyous abandon. what a great band and a great set of songs.

The Teenage Prayers closed the night masterfully - great vocal harmonies, great guitars, tight rhythm, and all around great songs. these guys definitely are on my top ten list... great stuff.

Instead of my usual sunny 'we had a great set and a great time' update i'll be honest - while we did have a great time and always love playing whatever the circumstance - this set was more of a struggle for us to get up for than usual - two of us, including our lead singer - were deathly ill with chest colds - so we feared it was going to be a challenge getting the songs across and keeping the energy level up - but as soon as we hit the stage things were instantly better. While it would not be a night for scissor kicks and splits - we really enjoyed playing and had a great time being part of such a great night and great bill.

setlist:
Tongue Tied
Braedon
Try to Tell Me
Another Moon
On the Vine
Aimee
Far Away
Framed
No Guarantees
Believe


Next show is not for a while - we're playing the PROVINCETOWN ROCKS festival on Thursday, July 23 at 4pm - club goodtimes - so if you are down for the fest - be sure to come over and catch our set before dinner!

The other big news is that we're finalizing arrangements and getting ready to get recording in earnest for our next CD. watch for progress updates over the coming weeks.

Show Report: April 25, 2009 at Sally Obrien's

It was the show that couldn't be killed.

it started out as a plan in december for a show at TTs with John Powhida and Jenny Dee. Next thing it became a show at the Lizard Lounge with Jenny Dee and the Gentlemen, next the Wooden Sky were going to headline, then the lineup settled into what it became - a great bill with Jenny Dee, The Blizzard of 78 and Scarce playing semi acoustic. But then with a few weeks to go we wound up without a club. Scrambling like no tomorrow with weeks to go we found our options to be between the Ayer MA VFW post or the Matunuck RI ITAM. then stepped in Jonas at Sally Obriens and gave us a home. The show was set. Nothing could derail it. we simply all needed to show up at 730ish with our gear and be ready to go.

730pm 4/25 - 3000lbs worth of gear piled on Bow street's sidewalk - a (GREAT) band already playing inside sally o's - part of an early show... no worries - our show doesn't start till 9pm, that will be plenty of time to load in and set up the sound from scratch. 9pm, the other band is still going strong, but at least the redsox have come back and finally won that game that started at 1103am it seems.... final score 150 - 149.

945. Ed V has worked his magic and has all the vocal mics not only working but actually working in the monitors. Scarce kick off their set.

10pm - SCARCE rock. quietly tonight, but ROCK nonethe less. first time hearing them with Joe on drums and even though he's only using brushes, it adds that swaggar to their music that all the people who heard them the first time around always tell me about. they are fantastic and as always when i see them - i can't wait to see them again.

1030pm THE RATIONALES. its greg's last show. he's moving away. yes, the rationales have a spinal tap like history with bassists. we've had no less than 5 people agree to be the bassist of the band. 2 that backed out in the early craigslist rehersal days, 1 that is now our keyboard player, 1 that moved to san francisco, and now greg is moving to nashville. anyhow - its a great night and a great sendoff to greg.
setlist:
1. Tongue Tied
2. try to tell me
3. No Guarantees (with brendan boogie)
4. Braedon
5. aimme
6. framed
7. far away
8. believe

1115pm JENNY DEE & THE DELINQENTS - every time i see them i like them more - so fun, so good. just perfect for the saturday dance crowd. special points for pulling off a flawless show down two original members. one home sick, one off with NRBQ. ha. Mike filled in wonderfully.

1200 THE BLIZZARD OF 78 rock. just brought the house down. such nice guys, such good songs and performances. I could easily watch this band every day and never get tired of it. One of my favorite bands in boston.

thanks a million to everyone who played, helped organize, and came out to see this show -it was a blast!

see you soon. our next show will be the debut of our new bassist Sean Thomas - we'll be playing with Pals Jake and the Jakes and rumble lozers The Dirty Truckers at the catab lounge on friday, May 22. see you therre!?!?!?

Previous Show report 3/14/09 Lizard Lounge opening for the Click Five

Frank Ciampi got the night off to a great start with amazingly tight renditions of his mad poppy lush songs... it was a blast and he is as funny between songs as he is talented during them...

The Rationales had a blast playing this show - really enjoy playing the lizard and to be part of such a great bill left us feeling awfully lucky to have been able to take part. such a special night. We tried out a few newer songs that are sure to be included when we start recording next month for our upcoming full length record.

Setlist:
No Guarantees
Tongue Tied
Framed
On the Vine
Braedon
Aimee
Try to Tell Me
Far Away
Believe



The click five were not only the nicest people on earth - but they played a great set - some really great sounding newer stuff with a cool 80s vibe to it - and they certainly did pace their two sets well with a great roster of special guests (including Jen Trynin, John Powhida, Mike Verge, and more...) and some great covers.

We really enjoyed it and can't wait to be back at the lizard lounge on Saturday April 25 for our big spring show and to send off greg on his way to a summer spend bumming around europe.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming shows.

• Fri., March 27, 2009 - CHURCH (3rd annual alt. country festival)
• Sat., April 25, 2009 - The Lizard Lounge (w. Jenny Dee and the Delinquents)

The Recent Past

Sorry to have been absent on the updates front - we've had a really pleasant and enjoyable couple of months here in Rationales Land and BIG things are on the horizon as well.

But first, lets visit the past for recaps of a few great shows!

January 12, 2009. TT The Bear's. Other Side of the Bear acousitic show
with Brendan Boogie and Ben & Lisa from Varsity Drag
TTs other side shows are always a blast - just a great low key scene, great people, great club and in this case - great music... brendan was a last minute fill in and opened the show in style. really great solo rendidtions of the great songs on his Disposable Pop EP - and a couple of great new tunes to boot. Always a pleasure to play with brendo. Then the night was closed out by Varsity Drag (and friend! haha) a really enjoyable set of great tunes. there's some great songwriting there, and i really enjoyed seeing what Ben and Lisa (and Josh) brought to the night.
As for us Rationales - we decided to go all lowtech carterfamily on ya'll and gathered our acoustic selves around one microphone, settled greg onto his stand up bass, and got down to doing stripped down hoedown versions of our set. - we had a total blast and really enjoyed seeing everyone who made it out....
Setlist:

• No Guarantees
• Far Away
• Ruby Colored Halo
• Framed
• Tongue Tied
• Ol 55 (tom waits)
• Try to tell me
• Aimee (new song)

February 7, 2009 - The Lizard Lounge
with Forest Fires and Explorer's Club
I love playing the lizard lounge. i love seeing shows at the lizard lounge. all in all i just love the lizard lounge - just such a great room. We were psyched to be on this show with high-road touring artists The Explorer's Club. while frequenlty described for their "beach boys" -like sound, we found them to an extrememly diverse sounding act. nicest guys to boot. it was an education watching them bring all their members, gear and divergent styles together into a cohesive show... and as a longtime fan of the Everyday Visuals - it was a treat to watch Christpher Pappas open the show under his solo moniker (Forest Fires) we could listen to him sing the phonebook but he writes such great songs that its a double treat.
Setlist:

• No Guarantees
• On the Vine
• Framed
• Braedon
  
• Tongue Tied
• Ruby Colored Halo
• Far Away
• Try to Tell Me
• Believe
• Aimee

February 28, 2009 The Lizard Lounge
The Cover Up - a tribute to Elvis Costello
man o man what a night. Brendan Boogie and Andrea Kremer know how to put a show together. this was a great night. Every act blew me away. Blizzard of 78, Ad Frank, JPo, One Happy Island, Ryan Schmidt, the Beau Roland Band, Bo Berringer, every single person involved was amazing. what a fun night.
setlist:

• Welcome to the working week
• This Year's Girl
• Opportunity
• Little Triggers
• The Beat
• High Fidelity

Thats been the last month or two of activity for us rationales - we have a big couple of months ahead as well so we'll send around an update on all of that tomorrow!

Tonight! Acoustic show at TT The Bears

Come join the rationales as we get out our jug band wannabe jones tonight at TTs - we'll be playing sans drums, plus double bass and down homing some old songs, butchering a cover or two and debuting something new.

also on the show are Brendan Boogie and Ben & Lisa of Varsity Drag! Its only $3, a cool hang and i'm sure 24 will be on the tv at the bar... come on out!

Show Report: NYC 1.3.09

Road trip to NY! yay!

No sleep the night before - off to a great start as i was supposed to pick up Brian Rationale at the practice space at noon, but woke up at 1210. called brian, met up with our documentary filmaker mike and hit the road. we had a great and easy ride down with lots of interesting musical selections...Brian brought along a 'best of the 90s' mix that he thought would be right up my alley. turns out i knew 2 songs and 3 of the artists. I didn't really do 'radio' or 'mtv' in the 90s. mostly stuck to my cracker, tupelo, whigs, dylan, band world. nothing much changes.

after a little Notorious BIG to get us through Connecticut we checked into our motel, decompressed, filmed a bit for the 'rationales movie' (haha) and then headed to the city to meet the rest of the boys.

i really like arlene's grocery- cool club, great sound, chill to play, and the pub side is one of the cooler hangs i've hung at. nice place. we were on at 9 which here in boston is equal to the crack of dawn. in NYC it meant we were the 4th band of the night on a bill that started at 6pm. Apparently the ska/blues band before us wanted a double set so we got some extra chill time before heading onstage... we had a bunch of friends out and it was a really fun set. good sound, good flow, felt good - did a couple of new ones... all in all a nice night.

setlist:
No Guarantees
Try To Tell Me
Braedon
On the Vine
Framed
Believe
Tounge Tied
Far Away
Kevin's 6/8 Untitled Song (first time played)



we hung late into the night and then drove back to Rye to our hotel... after meeting Brian Rationale at the rest area he apparently slept at, we made our way home. Ready to gear up to rock you all acoustic jug band style next monday (Jan 12) at TT THE BEARS - playing with friends Nate Rogers and Varsity Drag.

should be a fun, loose, low key night.

Thanks for 2008!

Happy New Year Kids!!

We here at Rationales HQ just wanted to take a quick second to thank you for a fantastic year. Whatever was happening in the "real world" we here in the insular fantasy bubble of rationales life had a fantastic year - from seeing you all out at shows, talking to you online, putting out our first EP, Playing with more fantastic bands and good friends than we could have dreamed, traveling partying and having a blast - 2008 was a great year for the rationales and its all thanks to you!

We are looking forward to 09 with a vengance - things to watch for will be our first full length record, lots of shows, maybe a mini tour or two - but most of all - more time to spend with our friends, old and new!

Those of you in the NYC area can start it off with us this weekend when we play Arlene's Grocery in NY on saturday night.

At any rate - have a great new year's celebration - and may the new year be as good to you as can be.

love,
the rationales.

Prev. Show: 12.11.08 CHURCH

Black Sheets of Rain. Brrrr. Coldest, wettest, most trafficky, most run around like crazy to get to the gig night ever. But it was good. i love church. lots of history for a club thats only a year old. ha.

We were part of a great lineup - Preacher Jack, The Bee's Knees and Dearborn Valley! It was a fantastic show. even if only a chosen few got to witness it. Big thanks to everyone who came out and hung around late for our set. we had a great time!

SETLIST:
Another Moon
On The Vine
Braedon
Framed
Believe
Room at the Top (tom Petty)
Try to tell me
Far Away

No Guarantees.

Next show is Saturday Jan 3 at 9pm at ARLENE"S GROCERY in New York - come down for the night/weekend/tell your new york friends.

then we're doing the acoustic jugband thing at TTs on Monday Jan 12. oh herlllls yeah.

more of a request than an entry

One thing about me - i've been through my phases of being a movie buff and voracious reader - and my phases of not having enough time or anxiety free attention to be aware that books and movies even exist - but one thing that has been consistent for me - going back to when we batamax taped "the complete beatles" documentary off of HBO in 1981 - is that i'm a total sucker for rock-documentaries, hell any music now... and the same for books, - seriously. you could show me archival footage of the people laying down the guide tracks for mili vanilli but if there's a camera and someone doing anything remotely involving a recording studio, a stage, a tourbus or a record company office. i will love it as if its an oscar winner.

all this is brought to mind as the other night - on one of my dad's endless cable channels - i spent my entire visit with him completely tuning him out sucked into the Minutemen Documentary we had stumbled upon. I've always respected the minutemen and have an album or two - but no matter - i was hooked. other great ones i've seen lately include the Jandek one, devil and daniel johnston, DIG, and i'm always rewatching old stone's flicks - particularly lately sympathy for the devil...

anyhow - i'm here asking. you. faithful readers, to assist me with recomendations. i don't care the genre, the coolness, i laughed my ass off at some kind of monster, i choked up during the nick drake movie... i thrilled at the ALOUD tour doc. i would be excited to watch a doc. about just about anything rock related. 2 i have on cue are Best of the Beatles (pete best), and a look at Townes Van Zant. Let me know your recent fav's. i will take any and all suggestions and eventually compile some thoughts into a decent post here to discuss.

First Gig Horror Stories

I love hearing people's first gig stories. horror shows usually. depending on who i talk to i had several 'first gigs' - the first time i played guitar in front of people was - wait for it - at a 'chess club Christmas party at the malden Y' i played the central riff to "Switch 625" by def leppard a few times through. not auspicious.

the next time was a loosely organized 'band' put together for the sophomore talent show at savio. I honestly don't even remember who was in the band - other than that the kid who was going to sing for us didn't show up or backed out -leaving us to replace him with 10 minutes to go with this kid who was there to see one of the other bands. (years later while talking with my then-new friend and james brown meeting partner - Joe, we realized it had been him that day!) We did "crazy train" and "rock and roll". unrehearsed. not so good. but there we were.

knowing that i couldn't have this 'throw together band' thing anymore i got some friends together and formed my first band - stationary front. it featured marc serra, john kratman and dave addleman. we weren't that good. we practiced in my very non-soundproof basement playing all manner of zepplin, floyd, ozzy, and stones covers. and a ritual of practice was to take a break - head over to the convenience store next to my house. get sodas and snacks - and inevitably marvel at how many drakes coffee cakes addleman could fit into his mouth at once before he started to inhale the crumb topping and choke. We terrorized poor Andy - the owner of the store. not that we were bad- just a bunch of obnoxious stoner 16 year olds popping into his store every day. plus on summer days there's no doubt our racket filled his store.

well after a few months of this - he apparently decided to take his good natured revenge.

one day upon our store visit he said - hey, you guys are sounding good lately - i could get you a gig! You know i'm big at the Beachmont Yacht club, i can get you in there net friday.

we were astounded and completely thrilled. a gig! at a "club"

{a note on the beachmont yacht club. its a "yacht club" in the way that Paris Hilton is a 'lady' - it is located on a tidal creek in a marsh cut off from access to the ocean for all but the smallest kayaks and canoes by a bridge - and if one can get their boat under the bridge you are left with access to the backside of logan airport's harbor. so - yeah. neighborhood social club - yes. yacht club - no. }
anyhow we were psyched - we told everyone. practiced extra hard. got ready and counted the days.

we show up that friday night early to set up. bad sign #1 is that Andy is neither there, nor expected. bad sign #1.1 is that no one who is there knew we were coming or cared that we did.

they had us set up off in a corner while the 9 patrons in their 50s continued their argument about Dukakis vs Gephart over miller lites.

once set up we launched into "Rock and Roll" by zeppelin. i think we made it to the first verse before they waved us silent. explaining that they didn't want Loud Rock Music interrupting their friday night bliss.

We, having not much more than rock music in our repertoire, then got trapped into a cycle of turning down. trying to start again. being told to stop and turn down more, etc.

i think we made it through rock and roll, Pink Floyd's "Mother", and maybe one more before our first 'draw' of the evening showed up. my parents. with my dad in. a. suit. and my mom a fancy dress. oh. man.

Meanwhie, the 9 people at the bar were now being openly disdainful of us and gesturing wildly while holding their ears etc. (we were being quiet!) every time we started a song. wild horses was too loud for them - we knew we were in trouble. We were starting to think we'd need chicken wire.

finally (mercifully) the last straw came for the band - we were starting a quiet toned down version of Dazed and Confused (yes. i did have a violin bow with me) when all of a sudden - a chick from the bar walked toward us, passed by us, went to the Jukebox, put in money and returned to her seat - while we (loud as we were accused of being) were suddenly COMPLETELY drowned out by the sound of "Take my Breath Away" (from the top gun soundtrack).

While i wanted to salvage the gig and offered to play jazzy chords on the piano for the rest of the night - addleman and kratman had enough self respect to realize that when led zep loses to the top gun soundtrack on a jukebox that the gig is over.

we packed up. cursed andy for 'setting us up'. and headed for the car.

the final insult to injury moment came as we finished packing up - about 30 kids from our high school showed up looking for the gig. when your set can't last long enough to make it to your crowd showing up ... well. i can honestly say - its all been uphill from there.

IF anyone actually reads this and has tales of your own - leave em in the comments - i love bad gig stories!

Requests - Redux

In our ongoing quest to stay on the airwaves - we need your help.

Please consider taking a moment to Help out by emailing/calling etc. and requesting songs from "The Rationales: The Going and The Gone" from these great local radio shows:

• Boston Emmissions (WBCN): email: anngelle@wbcn.com
• Bay State Rock (WAAF): email: baystaterocklistings@yahoo.com
• New England Product (WFNX): Web: http://wfnx.com/1/jocksshows/jock.asp?id=25
• Homegrown (WXRV) (each night at 10pm): Phone: 800.352.9250
• On the Town with Mikey Dee (WMFO): web: http://www.myspace.com/onthetown
• Pipeline (WMBR): email: pipeline@wmbr.org
  
  
  
• Thanks!
  

A warning to all replacement bassists

Life can be funny. Take for instance the story of my brother's former band Scamper. For years they worked their way up as a 4 piece of Nate, Keith, Mike and bassist Marc Rodderick. they were swell. But as time wore on life and time and circumstance led to Marc realizing he couldn't maintain the level of time, etc. he was putting in and sadly gave his 'notice' to leave the band. His replacement was none other than Brendan 'Boogie'. Most people who know of Scamper around town probably remember their bigger later shows with Brendan on board and by the end he was as much a part of the scamper story and family as anyone else.

Many of you may also know that after Scamper called it a day last winter - Nate, Mike and Brendan carried on in a new Project - the Brendan Boogie Band. (dave rationale was a sometimes member as well) and over the past months the BBB have been working on a record - a nice little 7 song EP which is just about to be released at a show at the Middle East Upstairs on Saturday December 6!

Well - Brendo got one of his first reviews yesterday.
here is an exerpt from his myspace blog about it.

11.26.08

Life can be humbling, folks. The following is a review of the new record from today's Weekly Dig (emphasis mine):

From the remnants of Scamper comes a focused, driven pop sound from bassist Brendan Boogie. This EP shows serious promise from the songwriter in power pop land, with whip-smart songs like "Cigarette." "I inhale you into my body / It'll hold me over till Friday," sings Boogie (actually Marc Roderick). "I can't break the habit." Roderick also takes on "Pharmaceuticals" and "College." Music like this can border on novelty, but Brendan Boogie knows where the line is and toes it well. [David Day]

At first, I thought it was the world's greatest inside joke, but nope - he really thinks I'm Roderick. Hilarious.

I can assure you that Brendan is actually an entirely different person than Marc, i've actually seen them in the same room several times. This is by far my favorite review ever. But either way - they are correct in saying that Marc/Brendan does it well - come out on the 6th to check him (and his new band) out. pick up a CD. ask him if he's marc. he'll like that.

http://www.myspace.com/brendanboogieband

Prev show - 11.23.08 TT The Bear's

Last night we played at TT The Bear's Place. We put this show together as an opportunity to bring one of our favorite bands to boston, nay, the US for the first time- Toronto's The Wooden Sky. I'd have been happy just to see them play - let alone open for them, and the night didn't disapoint. Preacher Roe and Trucker Mouth rounded out the bill and both played amazing sets. the few brave souls who left the comforts of sunday night at home to come through the cold to TTs were treated to a fantastic night of rootsy rock & intense folk.

The Rationales played a new song or two, a bunch of familiar ones and had a great time.

Setlist:
On the Vine
Try To Tell Me
Tongue Tied
Cliche
Ruby Colored Halo
Believe
Framed
Far Away
No Guarantees

The Wooden Sky were simply amazing. played with authority but with so much subtlety and emotion - they are a band you don't want to miss. beautiful songs, amazing energy, power - there was not a person in the room who didn't become a convert within 3 minutes of them taking the stage. can't wait to see them back in boston again.

ok. on to the future.

the next rationales performance is coming up fast - DECEMBER 11 (thursday) at CHURCH as part of a great bill with preacher jack, the bees kness and dearborn valley. I believe we're on at 11 so come early, stay late, drink a lot, return to the scene of the crime, don't take any wooden nickles, give it to mikey, he'll eat it, hanker for a hunk o cheese, and wash behind your ears, remember to let the people you love know it, and for gods sake, don't eat corn nuts in the car on the road trip - those things fucking reek.

Studio report

So the rationales spent a day at the milkhouse recording studio last weekend - we booked the day to head in and spend some time with Shane O'Conner before he closes up shop on Rugg Road and moves out to the world of freelance engineering.

We weren't (and still aren't) entirely sure what the end result would be of the sessions - either really good sounding demos or the basic tracks of what will eventually become our first full length record. Either way we went in with about 6 solidly finished songs and about 5 newer songs or rewrites of songs that we've been kicking around. It was a long slog through the day but in the end we wound up with 11 tracks that are all pretty inspiring. We are definitely on track to get to work on finishing them off soon and seeing where we stand.

As with any long term gathering of Rationales - the topics of discussion were less than normal. some of my favorites - the imagining of the most ridiculous vegan 'meat' imitations that one could conceivably find in a market. Greg had it pretty well wrapped up with "vegan haggis" but i bent the rules and came in late with "vegan human placenta". hey - I've heard that people eat it. and its meat. why not?

another great but sadly unrecorded parts of the day featured the greg and matt banjo band - they turned the morning cold stone halls of 32 rugg into a warm and enjoyable hoedown. Maybe not the sort of thing one wants in their head at 10am on the night after the Nate Rogers Birthday Spectacular (PIMMS!!) but it was all good.

Shane was a pleasure to work with and we sped through a few takes of each tune - very productive day. While it will be a while before these (or other) new recordings surface (as we're still very much in preproduction/songwriting mode) you can check out a good deal of the new material live when we play at TT The Bear's on Sunday November 23, 2008 with indie rock phenom's The Wooden Sky (from toronto), Preacher Roe, and Trucker Mouth. This is going to be a big show - so please plan on coming out!

Rationales Favorite Albums: KEVIN

So yes, as Dave said this was my amazing idea. I kicked off the list and when the guys followed with their lists they got MUCH more verbose with their descriptions. Mine are brief and frank... mostly.

Enjoy....in no particular order:

1. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)
Favorite lyric: "So drunk, in the August sun, and you're the kind of girl I like, cause you're empty, and I'm empty, and you can never quarantine the past"

2. Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1992)
Two guitar southern/classic/awesome rock. "If you feel like a riot then dontcha deny it..."

3. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
A prototypical "creeper" album. It doesn't hit you over the head at first but give it 5 listens and you'll be on your 200th listen before you know it.

4. Elvis Costello - My Aim is True (1977)
His debut. I listened to this album every day for months and months around 2000 - 2001 and tried to write songs in the vein of it. Still working on it.

5. The Strokes - Is This Is (2001)
Two guitar rock became cool again with this disc. Great songs about living in the city, drinking, girls, etc. A classic.

6. The Stills - Logic Will Break Your Heart (2001)
Not too far removed from the Strokes but more atmospheric. A album that really sounds like a whole band writing together.

7. Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
His first electric album opens with Subterranean Homesick Blues. Ballsy stuff. The rest of the songs are equally amazing and most were recorded in one take.

8. Derek & the Dominoes - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
Heroin, Patty Boyd, blues jams, slide guitar. Wanna fight about it?

9. Jeff Buckley - Grace (1994)
Looking back it's a pretty indulgent affair, but it was my soundtrack for the end of college.

10. The Beatles - A Hard Days Night (1964)
The first album on which they wrote all their songs. Favorite song: I Should Have Known Better

11. The Smiths - Singles (1995)
I was never in England in the 80s but I'm sure this album feels just like it. And this is kind of cheating since it's a compilation, but this was introduction to the band and it resonates the most. If I had to choose and album it would probably be The Queen is Dead (duh!). Added bonus: If you're into androgyny, The Smiths are for you.

12. The Band - The Band (1969)
It's no coincidence that I've been dying to be in a 5 piece band since... well... always.

13. Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)
Perfect headphone/Saturday night album. I can't believe it's 11 years old. There was a night in college we decided to do Century Club... after doing 100 shots of beer I came back to my room and listened to this disc on repeat all night as the room spun.

14. The Hold Steady - Boys n Girls in America (2006)
The Hold Steady's first foray into melody. Great songs about living in the suburbs, drinking, girls, etc.

15. Morphine - Cure for Pain (1993)
I moved to Cambridge and discovered this album just weeks after Mark Sandman died. Cambridge definitely made me feel like I was "free now to direct a movie, sing a song, or wrote a book about your truly," and when they film the biopic of my life I'll insist that this be the soundtrack for that portion of the movie.

Rationales Favorite Albums: BRIAN

Here is what Brian submitted in response to the project:

I tried to exclude any albums that have already been mentioned (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Siamese Dream in particular) along with any albums that are widely considered
"classics" (Dylan, Dark Side..., etc.):

1.) It's A Shame About Ray- The Lemonheads
The most perfect modern pop album ever written and the permanent
soundtrack to my life.

2.) Big Red Letter Day- Buffalo Tom
Almost the same could be said about this album as well.

3.) Revolution '80 (live from Trenchtown)- Bob Marley & The Wailers
A live recording, not an official album, but by far the best live
concert I have ever heard.

4.) What's Going On?- Marvin Gaye
I tried to exclude "classics" from this list, but I think this album
is actually underrated. Also, it's Motown's version of "Dark Side of
the Moon".

5.) Life Is Water- The Sim Redmond Band
An obscure white reggae band wrote this near perfect album.

6.) Give Up- The Postal Service
We've all heard it, but it's just so damned good.

7.) Our Time In Eden- 10,000 Maniacs
This is the sound of a band creating their opus; a truly underrated
masterwork from the 90's. Also, this was the first "real" concert I
attended.

8.) College Dropout- Kanye West
Kanye wrote all of the music for this album in addition to the
completely original (and sometimes bazaar) lyrics.

9.) Discovery- Daft Punk
I promise that if you listen to this album you will be hooked for life.

10.) Unplugged- Jay-Z
This is getting redundant, but just listen to this album and you'll
realize what a masterpiece it is. The Roots are his backing band, and
they are amazing.

11.) Blind Melon- Blind Melon
Probably the most cringe-worthy name on this list, but back in '95
this album blew my f'n mind. At their best, Blind Melon was an amazing
"heavy rock jam band".

12.) Live Monsters- Big Head Todd & The Monsters
BHTM are still one of my biggest personal influences, and this is a
live compilation of all their best songs.

13.) Outpost- The Samples
This was the soundtrack to my early 20's, and apparently in my early
20's I was gay.

14.) Ready To Die- The Notorious B.I.G.
The first time I heard this album, I crapped my pants... and was
confused... and loved it.

15.) Teenager of the Year- Frank Black
There are like 60 songs on this album, and I think Frank Black wrote
and recorded them all in the span of three hours, yet they are all
pure genius. This was the soundtrack to my high school years.

16.) I'm With Stupid- Aimee Mann
The quintessential (and best) Aimee Mann album that made me a fan for
life. It's more poppy than her later, super-downer albums.

17.) New Jersey (Live)- Pete Yorn
This is cheating because it's a live recording of all his best songs,
but Pete Yorn definitely deserves to be on this list.

18.) From Here To Infirmary- The Alkaline Trio
I went through a phase where I loved this band (probably too much) and
this is their best album.

19.) Day Three Of My New Life- Knapsack
Another band that I was obsessed with for years, and they're still one
of my all-time favorites (and major influences).

20.) Question The Answers- Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Believe it or not, this was my favorite album for a significant period
of time in my life. Yes, I was completely lost in college.

Rationales Album Lists: GREG

Here is what the esteemed Mr. Greg Gagnon had to say on the matter of favorite records:::

I'm not going to name a Dylan or a Beatles album. I have favorites, but it's too hard. Also, I could cherry-pick a dozen singles from each of the first three on this list. It was really about 78s or 45s then, not LPs.

1) Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings (1936-37)
The man who sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads. These are the recordings that influenced Clapton, The Stones, everybody who plays blues, rock, folk, whatever. Heavy stuff. Key track: "Me and the Devil Blues."

2) Patsy Cline - 12 Greatest Hits (1961-63)
This is the (relatively) later Patsy stuff, the crossover stuff, when she signed with Decca. The Nashville Sound. Lush Strings. Tic-Tac Bass. The Jordainaires. The whole bit. Key track obviously being the Willie Nelson-penned "Crazy."

3) Hank Williams - 40 Greatest Hits (1946-52)
The clever, concise country songwriting, the croon, the console steel guitar of Don Helms, the Nudie suits, the drug overdose in the back of a Cadillac on New Year's Day. Country music starts and ends with Hank. Key track: "Your Cheatin' Heart."

4) Nick Drake - Pink Moon (1972)
One guitar. One voice. One piano overdub on the title track. Really dark in the same way that the Robert Johnson stuff is. Quintessentially British. Brilliant fingerstyle playing. Weird tunings. I heard this album before I heard his first two albums with Robert Kirby's string arrangements. Those albums are great, too.

5) Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger (1975)
Willie's concept album, about a preacher who's wife leaves him for another man. Naturally he shoots dead his wife and her lover. I dig how sparse and yet varied the textures on this album are. Squeezebox accordian, sleazy barroom piano, etc. Key lyric: "...and they died with their smiles on their faces."

6) Van Morrison - Moondance (1970)
Blue-eyed soul at its finest. Jazz-inflected piano, simple, well crafted alto/tenor sax parts. Big fat singing black women on "Crazy Love."

7) Joni Mitchell - Blue (1971)
Joni's music is songwriting masquerading as poetry masquerading as songwriting. This album is about Graham Nash and late 1960s California. I not so secretly desire to be Graham Nash in late 1960s California.

8) Graham Nash - Songs for Beginners (1971)
This album is about breaking up with Joni Mitchell. If that's not something to write about, I don't know what is. The third verse of "Wounded Bird" is sublime, especially listening with headphones. Nash really got the folk/country/rock/pop balance right on this album.

9) Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto (1964)
Jobim plays piano, contributes several tunes. Astrud Gilberto's first album. Getz is at his height. This is THE Bossa Nova album. Milton Banana's drumming (yes, that's his name) is a study in how to play a trap kit sensitively/sparsely/quitely. Also, this album makes you want to have sex with Brazilian women.

10) Chet Baker - The Best of Chet Baker Sings (1953-1956)
Chet sings, Chet plays trumpet, Chet does alot of heroin. 1950s androgynous West Coast jazz cool. His vocal delivery, like his trumpeting, is unemotional, detached. Icy. This album also makes you want to have sex.

Rationales favorite albums list: MATT

Here is what Matt had to say in response to the assignment:

Alright, so you all know I have pretty weird music taste, so I tried to gear it towards rock and folk, though I veered off a good bit... Anyway, here are 15 albums that I like a lot and that inform the way I think about American music. They are in choronological order in terms of when I came across them.

1) Graceland - Paul Simon

My dad used to dance across the floor with me on his shoulders to the horn solo in Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes.

2) The Last Waltz - The Band

My first introduction to rootsy classic rock.

3) Pearl - Janis Joplin

One of my favorite albums growing up. Now I also realize it also has some of the best keyboard/organ playing I've heard on a classic rock album.

4) Autumn Leaves - Bill Evans Trio

An album that majorly influential in forming the modern idea of a jazz trio.

5) Pieces Of Africa - Kronos Quartet

Wild time and African harmony played by Kronos Quartet - one of the great interpreters of modern music.

6) Senor Blues - Taj Mahal

Sparse forceful blues from one of my favorite players. This is my favorite of his albums.

7) Shoot Out The Lights - Richard & Linda Thompson

A Richard Thompson classic - probably the first album I appreciated songwriting on.

8) If I Should Fall From Grace With God - The Pogues

Weaving rock badass-ness with celtic badass-ness worked out to be pretty friggin badass... Or maybe that's just Shane MacGowan...

9) Discography of SAR Records - (2 disk set of the full recordings of Sam Cooke's record label)

This is an amazing picture of gospel music in the 50s and 60s.

10) Solo Piano - Sun Ra
A little out there I admit (or a lot), but hearing him solo makes his craziness a lot more cohesive.

11) Soundtrack of The Harder They Come - Various Artists

So thats what reggae is...

12) Simple Gifts: Shaker Chants and Spirituals - Boston Camerata

Haunting all-vocal melodies in the American tradition.

13) O - Damien Rice
A mix of folk and experimentation - beautiful songs. Also, Lisa Hannigan's voice is super sexy.

14) Notes From The Underground - Medeski Martin and Wood
A mix of hard-core groove and improvisation.

15) Hello Starling - Josh Ritter
This is a new development. Now that I'm in the rationales I'm actually paying attention to songwriting... and man this guy is good. He's my new heart-throb.

Rationales favorite album lists: DAVE

Kevin McMahon, Guitarist extrodonaire was recently on a rooftop considering jumping into a swimming pool. A young journalist from rolling stone asked him for his last words. "I dig music" was all anyone heard before the splash.

Kevin, in addition to being a killer guitarist, is often the catalyst of cool little band projects. Last week's homework was for each of us to follow Kevin's lead in putting together a list of records that had been important to us. Each of us approached it a little differently - some listing their 'favorite' albums, some their ideas of the 'best' albums. My take was a bit more along the lines of 'albums that made a big impact on my life or otherwise changed the way i approached music going forward'. So without further ado here's my list: (watch for the other rationales' lists over the coming days.)

Exile on Main Street, The Rolling Stones, 1972
the stones at their best. this album represents all of what was encompassed on their great records like beggars banquet, and let it bleed, all made a little sleazier and conveyed like it was 3am and the devil was in the next room. It became my favorite album in high school and however much i try to escape it - i always come back. I always consider exile and sticky fingers as parts of the one big album (in fact a lot of the sessions overlapped) and taken together the two records encompass all the rock and roll (with its roots on display) that i would ever need again in my life.

Document, REM 1987
i had just discovered REM when this album came out. All i recall is taking the T into harvard square softmore year of HS and wandering around in the fall air (heading to second coming records for led zepplin bootleg LPs at $40 a pop) but mostly wandering mass ave and the cambridge common listening to the jangle of Document. A great album that can rock, jangle, preach and stupify with beauty. Also it was one of those records that i knew every note top to bottom inside and out before i ever knew one thing about the band - it wasn't till i saw them live that i even knew that they guy who turned out to be bill berry wasn't the singer.

Swordfish Trombones, Tom Waits, 1982
This is a representative entry as i LOVE all Tom Waits - but Swordfish is the one i come back to most often - he had spent the 70s as a jazz fan piano man boozer - but all of a sudden - swordfish appeared. it had been coming (hints on heartattack and vine) but BAM - swordfish was killer. it started a trilogy of mid 80s albums (Raindogs, Franks Wild Years) that all but cemented Tom as the king of kings of alt.cool. There's a lot of zanyness - but a ton of heart and i never stop marveling at the images that he welds into his lyrics.

Blond on Blond, Bob Dylan, 1966
Again - somewhat representative - could easily have been highway 61, john wesley harding or even time out of mind, but again - while i seem to listen to hw61 most often in summer for its sense of fun, and john wesley harding in fall and winter for its sense of nature, - its blond on blond that has the songs that just floor me. Johanna alone is worth the price of admission - but pledging, mobile, leopard skin, obviously, etc. are dylan at his rocking best. You also get the first recordings of the band (sans levon) backing him here, and just a sense of the awesome. A note on my enjoyment of this album - i ALWAYS skip rainy day women, (and left it off my ipod) -its a nice single and a fun song. but the feel and flow of the album changes 100% for the better without it.

Kerosene Hat, Cracker, 1992
without a doubt my 'most listened to' record in my life - i believe i wore out 4 cassette copies, 3 cd copies and its tops on my itunes plays list as well. Its a bit more loosy goosy than Cracker Brand (which also deserves to be on this list) and certainly more well known. I could go song through song listing thoughts, feeling and events connected to each one. Lowery and Hickman with Farragher still aboard weave tales, yarns, rave ups and laments into this amazing record - guitars like you dream about - songwriting, sound, vibe - all while keeping the desert as a member of the band, Movie Star, Infirmary, Everything, Goodbyes, Go for a Ride, Loser, just an amazing collection. I loved this album so much that the damn B sides (whole lotta trouble, sunday train) are among my favorite songs of all time. Can't go wrong with this record and, opposite of blond on blond above, even if you hate 90s hits - you'll be amazed that in context of the record - how well Low still holds up as a valid part of the record - it's all desert and drug.

Music from Big Pink, The Band, 1968
I can't even begin. It goes so far back that I can recall trying to crawl under the 'bridge' created by my dad while he was doing pushups as a todler listening to 'the weight.' Taken together with the brown album the collection of songs and feel and musicianship and just the vibe are an amazing amazing thing. I know i've said more about the other albums and should be more eloquent here- but rest assured... from the squelch of the guitar on tears of rage to the end of the shimmer on released...i go somewhere else everytime i hear this record. as close to perfection as a band can get, the voices, the collaboration, the feeling of creation. I read recently that the weight has been covered more times than any other song - and that the society of music publishers have deemed it the last song to become a 'standard'. thats what this album feels like - something outside of business or music or scene or whatever - just something that is. as if it had always been. heartbreaking and uplifting all in one.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco, 2002
i was going to leave off things other people picked - but this one was huge for me - everything Kevin said and more. I recall when they started streaming it on their site in 2001 - i had been a tweedy fan since the earliest days of uncle tupelo - and had run my course, being done with wilco after tiring of bennett's stage antics and their run-of-the-mill mermaid setlist live shows in 2000. Then i heard those piano notes of war on war looping on the wilco site. the intro of IATTBYH - and i just connected. connected with the disconnected beauty - the sense of distance and disconnect that was palpable in every song - mixed with the beauty the feeling induced. It shook me. It was also around the time of this album that i reconnected with my love of LISTENING to music. i've always been a music guy - the years before this were a period of vorocious acquisition of cds - i would 'put on' music and i would evaluate it, i would form opinions about it, i would get excited about it - but i wasn't LISTENING. like "lie on the floor in the dark with headphones on and see the colors and the shapes in your mind" listening - really listening - and YHF hit at just about the time i realized that i wanted to start doing that again. and what a better album to do it with.

Siamese Dream, smashing pumpkins, 1993
ah, the pumpkins. blurg. never have i been so wrong about a band. I really though - pre-blow-up - that they were going to be the best thing ever. Apparently it was all butch vig i was hearing. I got turned onto gish early - it was a nice holdover after the transition out of my metal years and into more sensible rock. they had so much beauty in those songs - Billy's hushed double tracked vocals, the fury of the big rock outs, all of it - the wait for Siamese dream was so long and so when it arrived it was game changing. Its hard now to think back to pre-shaved head billy pumpkins - but up until late 93 they were just a band - who put out really good dramatically beautiful and poignant music. Before the songs got MTV'd to death - before billy became the Curt Shilling of rock, before they decided it would be fun to be vampires, basically before we got to know them - they played some damn good rock and roll... mayonnaise, sandoz, quiet, luna, ooof. i thought they would be the saviors of music. i was wrong. as soon as they broke big they went overboard and drank the wrong cool aid. i stopped listening altogether after the double album. (plus i was moving into a country thing by then)

March 16-20, 1992, Uncle Tupelo 1992
So very amazing in so many different ways. Tweedy and Farrar working together, singing in harmony, bringing it all back home. "Gun" and "if that's alright" had been a starting point on the previous record - but here is where tweedy really came into his own - black eye, wait up, fatal wound, solid writing, fun tempo changes, etc. and while no one would say he seemed adrift before- its where farrar really settled into the personal sound that carried him through trace. Again - someone could argue with me that i discount albums that are more well known and that Anodyne puts it all together a bit more completely (and that i listened to it more when it came out) but over the years - the songs i most want to hear from tupelo are all on March. ahhh sandusky.

achtung baby, U2, 1991
I spent 87 - 92 as a u2 superfan. Joshua Tree was amazing. (so many layers of sound buried in the mix - its where i learned that i always wanted to bury lots of extraneous guitars on my recordings - shimmery guitars that you could only hear with headphones on your 200th listen) Rattle and Hum rocked my world - and you could sort of feel it - that they were about to stop being moral boys and get dirty - which would be good. When The Fly debuted on MTV (during the andrea-gale-sinking-perfect-storm-Halloween-weekend-91 btw) it was astounding. Yeah i could have done without the 'personas' that Bono had on for the next few years - but they were all better than ponytail/leather vest guy. But the songs - acrobat, wild horses, end of the world, love is blindness. oooffa. amazing. nothing so much as the earth shaking Zoo Station. the guitars were everywhere and filthy. and the rhythm section - it was amazing. Achtung baby and a record by the church may have been all i listened to at all for that semester.

Let Me Come Over, Buffalo Tom, 1992
u2 were finally knocked off my cassette deck the following spring and oh my were they ever. I had been well aware of birdbrain but i'd more or less dismissed BT to this point as they had too much of the abrasive dino jr. thing going on and i wasn't so much in love with 'abrasive' at that point- of course in hindsight the first two BT records have plenty of beauty in them - but let me come over hit me out of the blue and amazed me - not unlike the feeling that i'd got from my days of listening endlessly to document - from this first bass notes and suspended chords of Staples. i was hooked. every single song was the soundtrack to my life - when i think of college one of my most pressing memories is of driving my old 78 chevy impala down route 12 in fitchburg though the snow listening to porchligh over and over. ahhh. Crutch is one of my top 10 songs ever. Listening to that as i regretfully left san francisco to come home to boston is still burned into my mind as well. all above the moon.

The Poet Game, Greg brown, 1993?
I always liked folk - started with my dad and his 70s singer songwriters. Then in college we would roadtrip up to New Hampshire to Peterborough NH to this cool restaurant folk club called the folkways. anyhow - somewhere along the line i picked up on Greg Brown. again a representative entry as i could easily pick his 'further in' 'slant 6 mind' or 'covenant' albums but poet game is such an amazing collection of songwriting, warmth, and imagery. Bo Ramsay - brown's friend/guitarist/producer (went on to make albums like car wheels on a gravel road, etc) is all over the place here. spooky, poignant, heartbreak and longing. anyone who doesn't know 'lord i have made you a place in my heart' or 'driftless' or 'the poet game' is missing out on something in life. one of my favorite records.

turning turning back, Alex Digrassi, 1978
a windahm hill acoustic instrumental album. i grew up thinking it was multitracked and it was still the most amazing display of calming, beautiful guitar music i'd ever heard - then i found out later that every song was 1 live take. holy shit. windahm hill (the label) pumped this sort of album out like cookies for 10 years - but this one stands so far above the rest - just inspiring guitar playing along the lines of Bill Frissell only more new agey.

Animals, Pink Floyd, 1978
Floyd were huge to me - everything from meddle to momentary. Animals is sort of a 'cooler than thou' pick over people who'd pick dark side or the wall - but it was the floyd album that i love the most. had all of the stuff the others had plus some really deep/dark/beautiful instramental parts. complex long songs. great gilmour guitar, great vocals, waters is full on insane but not singing about his daddy - which helps. lambasting the political/social system we live(d until last month) under. haha.

get your wings, aerosmith, 1974
no dave list would be complete without aerosmith - a goof of a band in a lot of ways but this album is above the fray of all their image baggage - their first disc had been an attempt at being a funky rock band, with rufas thomas covers, james brown ripped groove parts, etc. and was ignored at the time - but for get your wings aerosmith discovered what they did best - sleeze, evil, dark and sex, (and the abandonment of tyler's dumb experiment with closed throat singing. ) All without the cartoonish aspect that came later - this was again - like Siamese Dream - the last chance to hear a real band being a real band before they went on to get bigger and buy into their own hype. (one could argue toys in the attic falls under that umbrella too - but it was played out after the fact. and one could argue that Rocks dances circles around both of them) but on Wings you get such great moments as Seasons of wither, SOS, woman of the world, lord of the thighs, etc. sure tyler is already into the cheese and innuendo - and apparently perry was too stoned to play and a lot of the solos are actually Dick Wagner from alice coopers band - regardless - this record shaped a lot about my take on music (always underlay an acoustic track, always ask your drummer to play the beat as a drum into, sing one word backing vocals during someone else's verse) haha. i still love this album.

others that would be on my list that are on kevin's - ok computer, southern harmony/amorica

other's that are on my list but that i don't feel like writing any more right now -
Starfish - the church
Talk is Cheap - keith richards
In the Reins - Iron and Wine/Calexico
Cure for Pain - Morphine
ToyBoat-toyboat-toyboat - o-positive
Hollywood Town hall - the Jayhawks
Gentlemen - the afgan whigs
Harvest/Goldrush- Neil Young
sweetheart of the rodeo - the byrds
Fireworks on TV - Bill Janovitz & Crown Vic

important to me and where i'm coming from but not 'albums' per se for a list like this
atlantic rhythm and blues box set
harry smith's anthology of american folk
stax/volt box
rounder bluegrass compilations circa 1990s

talkin bout last night

No offense to some of my blogging friends - but I've tried to stay away from the sort of posts that say - last night i was doing this and the Red Sox won and blah blah. (apparently i instead try to focus on high quality literature about drug and defective psyche induced adventures from the 90s.) But today "my friends" i share with you this tale of what happened last night "my friends" i hope you enjoy it "my friends" blink. blink.blink.

No seriously though - we rationales had a nice rehearsal early in the evening. Then Matt Rationale and Dave Rationale headed off towards the lizard lounge. Matt Rationale rode a bicycle, planted sustainable crops and read Dostoevsky on the way. Dave Rationale drove a gas guzzling SUV, ran over endangered birdies and littered on the way! (no - not really). But - Dave Rationale did get there first. Why this strange race to the lizard lounge at the ungodly (to some) hour of 1015pm!?

Why to see the BillyBillyMattandPhilly Review - otherwise known as Bill Janovitz and friends (what? polce trademarked crown victoria or something?)

They're doing this residencey at the lizard every thursday in October and it has been fantastic thus far. Last night was evern more betterer thern usuuralal though pardner. (sorry. was thinking of appaloosa for a second there). Anyhoo - as occasionally happens Sean Staples from Session Americana joined the boys on mandolin - but last night we also got two great songs with Tanya Donolly singing - and on top of that at least half the second and third sets were embellished by the beautiful pedal steele playing of a certain Mr. Matt Pynn (check out Ruby Colored Halo - track 6 on the rationales The Going and the Gone, for more of Mr. Pynn in action). Plugging ourselves aside - sean and matt really added a nice layer of texture to the songs, and there were some surprising additions to the setlist - including a stunning "Red Balloon" and an amazing rendition of "Almost Beating" which i've been waiting to hear live for 4 years. it was worth the wait.

The vibe was cool and friendly - lots of familiar faces in the crowd. maybe a bit subdued when news spread through the TV-less room that the sox were certain to be eliminated with a 7-0 deficit facing them in the 7th inning.

Suddenly news came that they'd tied it.

Within 10 seconds not only were all 30 some members of the audience gone upstairs, but the band was as well. It was a cool field trip from the show to have the entire crowd/band/staff of what had been a rock show - suddenly congregating together in the 10 foot lobby of the upstairs restaurant watching the 9th inning of a tied ballgame...

Upon the winning run coming home and our celebration subsiding - everyone made their way back downstairs - billy started to play "dirty water" and what sounded like a gag turned into an amazing rendition of the tune. the set continued and all was well with the world.










Check out the lizard lounge on one of the next couple of thursdays - you won't be disapointed.


Photos by Cathy Piantigini