Dawes Band • Page 2

I came here to say that. I kind of wish I wasn't already going to a different festival that weekend. The two fests often share acts, though, so I'm desperately hoping they come to XPN in Camden as well.

 

I'd nominate Josh Ritter (So Runs the World Away, The Beast in Its Tracks, and Sermon on the Rocks), Shovels & Rope (Shovels and Rope, O' Be Joyful, and Swimmin' Time), and Jason Isbell (Here We Rest, Southeastern, and Something More Than Free), but in the end, I'd agree that each of those artists has a weak spot in those 3.

 

XPoNential Festival is why I never made it to Newport when I lived in Jersey. I fucking love XPN. I know about so much great music because of that radio station.

 

Yeah, it's a fantastic station and festival. I'm a member and I don't even get the station in my hometown. I've gone to the festival the past five years. Have you gone to Newport since you left the Promised Land?

 

Yeah, Isbell is close, but Here We Rest for me is really only half a great record. Not sure I've actually heard the self-titled Shovels and Rope record, now that you mention it. And So Runs the World Away isn't a great album, imo. Too much filler, interspersed with a few really great songs.

 

I'm in California now so sadly no. I love that you can listen to the live feed though. And I love their commitment to playing what they like and believe in. World Cafe concerts and Free At Noons are always fantastic. I've only seen Dawes lives at XPN events.

 

The Shovels & Rope self-titled (which, if you search it out, is called Shovels & Rope but is credited to Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent) is the weak one in that trilogy.

Although I'm hoping for a new album this year (couple hints on social media, been 2 years since their last, played a new song at the 2 shows I saw earlier this year), and if it follows their upward trajectory, it could contend.

I've seen Dawes upwards of 20 times, but them at XPN is always the best. 3 years ago they got rained out, 2 years ago they played an abbreviated set opening up the biggest stage, so last year they played an awesome 1:30+ set to close out Friday night. It was one of the best festival performances/crowds I've ever seen.

 

The year they got rained out was my last XPN fest. Bands are always really fantastic when they play XPN events. I think the atmosphere created by both the fans there and the station/hosts themselves just creates a really loving and warm environment that I haven't found at any other venue or situation

 

Agreed. The relaxed environment and the friendliness of absolutely everyone there make it one of my very favorite places on earth.

 

love love love them

cool video with taylor doing a coffee and riffs session:

 

I can't remember, are you a fan of Butch Walker? I got to know Shovels and Rope through him, so I think I saw them do a set or two even before they'd adopted the band name. I also saw Trent on a Butch Walker tour back in 2009 when he was fronting the band The Films (which also included Jake Sinclair, who's blowing up for producing Fall Out Boy, Weezer, Panic at the Disco, etc.) Pretty cool how well both of those guys have done, career-wise. Trent even co-wrote a fair amount of Butch's material for two album cycles.

Speaking of Butch, he's almost got the three-album run, but I'm not quite inclined to count I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart since it's my least favorite of his "solo" records.

 

I'd never heard of him before coming to AP, but I checked him out because of how often you talk about him. I bought Left of Self Centered. I liked it but didn't love it enough to buy any thing else yet. I could always be convinced, though.

 

Ha, honestly, that's probably the last of his solo records I would have recommended to you. I love it, mostly because of nostalgia, but it's definitely the most "pop punk" or "scene" of his albums. You could pretty much take your pick of the others. Afraid of Ghosts is folk in the vein of Ryan Adams or Isbell's Southeastern. Definitely think you'd enjoy that. Trent co-wrote lots of The Spade and I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart, so that might interest you. Sycamore Meadows is his him channeling Springsteen, Costello, and Petty. The Rise and Fall... is glam rock in the spirit of Bowie. And Letters, which is my favorite, is mostly power pop.

 

Welp, despite years of collecting/scrounging/listening, I just found the bonus track "Rest Easy" from Nothing Is Wrong. Just the fact that there's a Dawes song that I don't already know all the words to is mindblowing. Both disappointed that it took me this long, and excited that it exists.

Been listening to I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart. I like it, but it usually takes me upwards of 30-40 listens to really come down on something, so I'll let you know.

 

I didn't know "Rest Easy" existed either. Will have to go find that.

And glad you're enjoy I Liked it Better. Honestly probably my least favorite Butch solo record, but it's still pretty great and I love some of Trent's contributions--particularly in "Don't You Think Someone Should Take You Home."

 

Pumped that the Middle Brother bonus EP is on the list of possible Black Friday releases. I'll definitely wait in a line for that.

 

Brian Marquis covered "All Your Favorite Bands" and put it up on Bandcamp for pay what you want. All proceeds go to the Human Rights Campaign to support the LGBTQ+ community.

 

Somehow have avoided checking this band out until recently. Newest one isn't really clicking with me, but loving All Your Favorite Bands

 

Their next tour sounds awesome. Two full sets AND a date like an hour from me. Will definitely be buying tickets to that. New album continues to get better for me.

 

Where, Craig?

 

Kalamazoo State Theatre. Been there a few times in the past few years. They had Jason Isbell last year and Kacey Musgraves this year.

 

I don't think I've seen it mentioned around here yet, but these guys recently released a live album and it's pretty darn good as is to be expected.

 

Was actually just about to put that on spotify. Caught them at ACL on TV last night. My girlfriend ended up loving them so that's awesome.

 

Yeah I've listened to it a few times. I wish it were available physically.

 

So they released We're All Gonna Live LP today for Small Business Saturday but I can't find it anywhere. None of my stores have it.