Lenny White with Stanley Clark 1976 Credit: Tom Marcello

Lenny White, best known for his work on drums in fusion jazz outfit Return to Forever, is readying his first release in ten years as band leader. Anomaly, White’s effort, comes off the back of a worldwide tour in 2008 with Return to Forever and a 2009 tour with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke — together, they make up three-quarters of the group’s 2008 tour.

“We need to restart a revolution so that we can take back the music and stop the fluff,” White said in a press release from publicity group Big Hassle. “I’m hoping that this new album is a representation of that ideal.”

White’s most recent effort includes collaboration with Pink Floyd alumnus David Gilmore and former bandmate Stanley Clarke, as well as other musicians from jazz and rock music alike.

The Five Ghosts was recorded in Montreal and features writing from all five members of the group: Amy Millan, Evan Cranley, Torquil Campbell, Patty McGee, and Chris Seligman. A U.S. tour is being planned for Summer 2010.

The Five Ghosts tracklist

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Pinpoints and Gin Joints

The album starts with a sound familiar to any fan of ska music. It’s an instant reminder that The Mighty Mighty Bosstones haven’t lost it, even after all these years. The band started in back in 1983 playing something completely new: a mixture of punk rock, hardcore and British 2 Tone ska. They were together until 2003 with few line-up changes. From 1989 to 2002, the seminal ska band released 7 albums and reached legendary status in the scene.

• Purchase Home Acres

Pavement – “Spit on a Stranger”

When I’m working, I need something that will capture my attention but not demand it — Pavement’s “Spit on a Stranger” somehow hits on the right side of the line: It’s something rare. A catchy melody and evocative guitar work define this song, and over the past few days of working, I’ve not been able to turn it off.

Good fusion jazz is invaluable in my work routine. It’s upbeat, poppy, but not annoyingly so — and there’s not a chance it’ll lull me to sleep with soothing sounds.

My Bloody Valentine – “Soon”

My Bloody Valentine flows perfectly into the background when I’m hammering out a web page: Not only does it help me keep my focus, it drowns out any distraction — for obvious reasons. Their patented wall of guitar noise provides that impenetrable density you need when you just need to get over that last hurdle in your project.

Stereolab – “Wow and Flutter”

I love Stereolab. Do I need more reason? Also, this video is really weird. Check it out.

Tortoise – TNT

TNT is easily one of the greatest post-rock albums of all time, and its inclusion couldn’t be contingent upon a single song. It’s energetic, innovative, experimental — but more than that, it’s listenable, and it can sit in the background without much to trouble you. Don’t make your first listen of TNT too distracted, though — give it a few spins before you try to work alongside it, and you’ll find it’s considerably easier.

Ben Folds Five – “Kate”

There’s something very nice about singing while you work — I suppose this song might not work so well if you work in an office, but when I’m working at home, there are few things better than being able to sing along with some Ben Folds Five while I work.

The Packway Handle Band at Groovefest 2007 / Matthew Montgomery

After a multitude of revisions by Tim and Lisa Cretsinger, the lineup for the 2010 Groovefest American Music Festival has been released. Tim and Lisa own Groovacious Records in Cedar City, Utah, and have been organizing Groovefest for nine years. Groovefest is free to the public, and the main event — two full days of music — will take place at the Cedar City Main Street Park on June 25 and 26. Further events are being planned from Wednesday, June 23 to Sunday, June 27.

Friday, June 25

• 1:00 – 1:45 John Sotter
• 2:00 – 2:45 Molly Venter
• 3:00 – 4:00 Kort McCumber Band
• 4:15 – 5:15 Karling Abbeygate
• 5:30 – 6:30 Oakhurst
• 6:45 – 7:45 John Lisi & Delta Funk
• 8:00 – 9:15 Great American Taxi
• 9:30 – 11:00 Traveler

Saturday, June 26

• 11:30 – 12:15 John Batdorf
• 12:30 – 1:15 Joe Baker & His Barefoot Brakemen
• 1:30 – 2:30 The Gabrielle Louise Show
• 2:45 – 3:45 Trevor Green
• 4:00 – 5:00 The Henhouse Prowlers
• 5:15 – 6:15 Chris Laterzo & Buffalo Robe
• 6:30 – 7:30 The New Familiars
• 7:45 – 9:15 The Scott Holt Band
• 9:30 – 11:00 Lubriphonic

The album is now rumored for release for Summer 2010. From what we’ve heard of the album so far, this is nothing like the Broken Bells collaboration of Danger Mouse and James Mercer. It has a dark, surreal feeling — full of complex layers of mind-bending sounds and faraway vocals, all quite fitting for a David Lynch art project.

The album features a wide range of artists, including James Mercer, The Flaming Lips, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Frank Black of the Pixies, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, David Lynch, Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Gerbils. (NPR)

The book, Dark Night of the Soul is available for purchase on their official website, www.dnots.com. You can also listen to the entire album at NPR.org/music.

Nouela and Brian at The Sunset (credit: Christen Shaw)

People Eating People is the solo piano pop project of Seattle artist Nouela Johnston, and it is absolutely astounding. Johnston has gone through much turbulence to arrive at her current position. In 2007, Johnston was locked into a contract with Mon Frere, the band who won the SoundOff! Battle of the Bands in 2007, which she immediately regretted. Johnston dropped from the band which caused her “[...] a shit-ton of legal messes,” as she explained to The Stranger earlier this week. Unable to release her own music until, among other things, the sum of $5,000 be paid to Cake Records, and she played and toured for-hire with three other bands: Say Hi, Fall of Troy, and Creature Feature. All the while, Johnston was recording a demo which eventually reached the hands of Nabil Ayers, current label manager for 4AD, who offered to release her full-length album.

Her self-titled album, People Eating People, released in November 2009, is an emotional outpouring of jazzy vocals and piano. Johnston is classically trained in jazz piano — she began performing recitals by the age of 4. Being that she is classically trained, her music is technically masterful and complex — her vocals are to match. Her lyrics are personal and emotionally driven; we can see such in “I Hate All My Friends.” Pounding and fast jazz keys supplement her apparent anger as she sings a tale of lies and deceit. With “All The Hospitals,” Johnston shows her flexibility as a jazz pianist. Fluctuating, complex rhythms, all the while delivering the similarly fluctuating jazz-style vocals. A highly emotional tale of depression, making references to suicide amongst other things; “don’t cut too deep, take all those pills…don’t swallow… everyone you love is on your side.”

People Eating People — “All the Hospitals,” from People Eating People (2009) | download
Download audio file (PeopleEatingPeople.mp3)

See below for upcoming shows, live videos, and a video interview.

People Eating People is being very well received in the Seattle music scene and have what seems to be a glowing career ahead. People Eating People are not currently on tour, but frequently play shows locally at just about all the venues here in Seattle. Information about show dates/times are frequently updated on People Eating People’s myspace page, myspace.com/peopleeatingpeople.

Upcoming Shows

Mar 9 2010 8:00P
Chop Suey Seattle, Washington

Mar 13 2010 8:00P
Sunset Tavern Seattle, Washington

Mar 26 2010 8:00P
The Moore Theater Seattle, Washington

May 14 2010 8:00P
Chop Suey Seattle, Washington

Band Members

• Nouela Johnston
• Recorded Drums: Mark Gajadhar
• Recorded/live Drums: Ben Libay/Brian Turner
• Recorded Guitar: Christiaan Morris