Wednesday, May 30th!
Wednesday, May 30th
TIM LARSON & THE OWNER/OPERATORS
THE RAGTONES
Doors: 7:30 pm | Show: 8:00 pm
Tickets: $8.00 | 21 & Over
Vote for us, pretty please
Ok, we don’t normally do this sort of thing, partially because I feel like “battle of the band” type things are like glorified hot dog eating contests… However, I do like Nikon products and would really like to win a few lenses. So… if you wouldn’t mind going to the website, checking out the video, and then voting for us to win this hot dog eating contest, I’d be in your debt, and I’ll take some photos of you if you come out to see us.
Deal?
Good.
Thanks in advance.
Tim
Tim’s top 20 + 1 of 2011
Everyone has a list of their fav records of the year, and people seem to be pretty evenly split on whether or not this is annoying, but I enjoy them so here are mine. Feel free to write me and tell me I’m deaf or what have you.
20. Azita – Disturbing the Air . Piano and vocals, a beautiful record. Not one you’d put on to liven up a party though.
19. Austra – Feel it Break. A guy at Amoeba Records recommended this to me because I was buying a Zola Jesus record. It’s a dancey, gothy, new wavey sort of affair. I like to think of this as Florence and the Machine without the major label money.
18. The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh. This was my after hours chill down record. It reminds me a lot of Bob Dylan’s The Basement Tapes and The Byrd’s Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
17. Wye Oak – Civilian. I believe this is their best record and I love all their records. We listened to this a lot on the drive to SXSW. The song “Fish” is my fav on the record. This one also got a lot of spins as the afterhours chill down record. I think it didn’t leave the turntable for almost a month.
16. The Black Belles – S/T. Goth Garage Rock, you say? I say, I”m in. I love this band. Great, simple, dark songs. Tongue in cheek. The single they did with Colbert is work checking out too!!
15. Bjork – Biophilia. This would probably be higher on the list if it had come out sooner. This record is incredible. I was worried that the lyrics would be a bit hard to swallow, but she doesn’t beat you over the head with any sort of “message”. Plus the Ipad/Iphone app that accompanies the records is incredible. Bjork, still consistently putting out great records.
14. The Dodos – No Color. The writer Kent Wolgamott told me about how great this record was and I picked it up. Fantastic drums, vocals, guitars, etc… Neko Case is all over it, which is a big plus. Even if she wasn’t, it’s still an amazing record. I played this record a lot at work, while driving from jobsite to jobsite, mostly to keep me awake. ha ha ha.
13. Eleventh Dream Day – Riot Now! They are one of the best bands to ever come out of Chicago. Hands down. A huge influence on me. I still listen to El Moodio at least once a month. I missed their Millennium Park show because I had to work. I’ve been kicking myself ever since.
12. Other Lives – Tamer Animals. Incredible record. Has elements of Radiohead, Wilco, but is very unique. This was the record that keeped me from freaking out on the person next to me on a flight to L.A. Whoever that person was, they thank you Other Lives. ha ha ha.
11. Radiohead – The King of Limbs. Yeah, yeah, yeah, say what you want. I’ve heard so many people moan about this record. Whatever. I love it. Jarod and I talked about it in excess. I love the way it sounds. Organic yet Electronic. I’m a fan.
10. The Horrors – Skying. This is my favorite record by them. Mikey Peterson says the last one was his. I believe we talked about four or five times, me trying to convince him. It’s rockin’, spacious, reverb drenched goodness, plus I think the songwriting is really great on this one.
9. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes. I love this record. I loved her last one. I really was into the way the vocal melodies floated over the syncopated drums. Missed her live, but I sure the hell won’t next time she comes through town, or is playing in some city I’m in.
8. Grooms – Prom. This record is dark, loud, energetic, and to me, and I could be wrong about this, sounds like they spent a lot of time working on the arrangements, cause they move around a lot and do it well. damn it’s fine.
7. Sigur Ros – Inni. I know a best of live record. Whatever, it’s insane. This record expands on their greatness I think. The video is also equally as amazing. I’d give my right arm to be in this band. My left leg maybe.
6. Still Corners – Creatures of an Hour. Sub Pop is seriously the new 4AD. I feel like all the records they put out this year sound like records I bought years ago. This being one of them. I love this record. Great songwriting and sort of laid back performances have put this to the top of the pile of winter chillout records.
5. Indian – Guiltless. Yeah, yeah. Dylan and Ronnie are my friends. Their record is f*ckin’ incredible. It’s more than the doom metal tag they get. The lyrics are some of the best I’ve ever heard. It will take repeated listens to get them, ha ha ha. The song ” The Fate Before Fate” might possibly be the best song of the year. I intend to cover it solo acoustic in 2012
4. Chelsea Wolfe – Apokalypsis. This would be the only record that I would say is as dark as ours. Cinematic at times, minimal, rocking and brooding at others. It’s a terrifying listen. Seriously, it is nightmare inducing. This is the record everyone was hoping P.J. Harvey was gonna put out.
3. Zola Jesus – Conatus. Different from her other records. I hate to say it sounds slicker, cause that has negative implications of over production and 80′s excess reverb on snare drums. But it sounds clearer, than her other records. Maybe they got better gear, or had a little more money to spend. Who knows. It took me a little longer to get into this than her previous records, but seeing her live and hearing the songs in that context really drove home what a powerful record this is.
2. Dum Dum Girls – Only in Dreams. A perfect record. Great songwriting, great sounds, great playing. I am a fan of her band Grand Ol’ Party too, but this is incredible. Bedroom Eyes, would be my other pick for song of the year. Ha ha ha, this and Indian. No wonder my neighbor knocks on my door all the time.
1. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient. My favorite record of the year. Everything I love about music is on this record. It’s a little dark, a little bright, a little dream poppy, a little folky, great songwriting, great performances, not pretentious. I recommend this to people constantly. It sounds so triumphant sometimes. Come to The City, Best Night, Black Water Falls. So, so amazing. Buy it now!!!
Plus 1. Feist – Metals. I went back and forth between this one and St. Vincent’s Strange Mercy, and I like this one better. It’s dark and minimal with tons of space. Great vocal melodies, and amazing lyrics. The opening track alone is worth the $12.99 (vinyl kids).
Here’s a few E.P.s I thought are worth mentioning too.
Weekend – Red
Dum Dum Girls – He Gets Me High
True Widow – I.N.O.
I’m probably forgetting like another 20 records, and to be honest, if you asked me tomorrow the list would probably change. The ladies dominated my stereo this year and some really amazing sounds were had.
honorable mentions to the following for putting out great records: Ume, J Mascis, Cults, Marissa Nadler, Blouse, Anna Calvi, Emmylou Harris, The Men, Cult of Youth, Crystal Stilts, Psychic Ills, Darkness Falls, Richard Buckner, M83, Male Bonding, The Mynabirds, The Jezabels, Pterodactyl, Radiation City, Soft Moon, Widowspeak, Young Widows, Wild Flag and Waters.
The cool kids were really digging on the EMA and the Eleanor Friedberger records, but I had trouble getting into those. Maybe i’ll give them another listen.
What are your’s?
Merry Christmas, Here’s a Free EP From Us!!!
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and a big thank you to everyone who supported us this year!!
Here is a free EP for you all to enjoy.
A few quick notes about it:
It was recorded at Bob Dog Studios (same as our record), in August of this year. I mixed/mastered it (if you can call it that). The personnel is the same as usual:
Nate Van Allen : Lead Guitar
Carrie Lilligan : Vocals, Percussion
Tommy Henry : The Drums
Jarod Dixon : The Bass Guitar
Me : Stuff and Things
A New Deal: We recorded a band version because it’s a completely different sounding song the way we play it, than it is on A New Deal. I love the version with Pat Ogle and myself, but I get to play with some seriously talented people, so why not. It’s a more energetic experience.
I Went Down Swinging : This is a song from my first record No Weapons, No Allies that we did a band version of. We play this one live and numerous times I’ve been asked by folks if they can get a copy. Well here it is. I think this song has been recorded like 4 times and Nate has played guitar on every version. Well done Nate, well done.
There Ain’t a Grave Can Hold My Body Down : Another song that was on No Weapons that we did a band version of. If you come to see us live, you know we close out the show with this one. I think I’ve been closing every show with it since like 2002. Again, folks ask me if they can get a copy so here it is. Why two versions you ask? Well, Rampage Lilligan is one of my best friends in the whole damn world, and without a doubt one of the most talented people I know. Her version gives the song a different feel, approach, etc… Plus I paid for the damn recording, so I’ll do whatever I want. Ha ha ha, just kidding, kind of. I love her version and I think everyone else will too.
Thank you all for supporting us in 2011, looking forward to seeing you all in 2012 with some new material.
Tim
Nosferatu Styrofoam
Hi everyone! We’re getting close to shutting down for the year, but we still have a couple tricks left in 2011. Here’s one such trick, a quick little video giving a quick glimpse behind the scenes in our not so secret practice lair.
Tim Larson and the Owner / Operators “Nosferatu Styrofoam” from Jarod Dixon on Vimeo.
Thank You All for Coming to See Us In 2011
Hi all, just a quick note to say thanks for coming to see us in 2011. This is not my end of the year wrap up post however, I’m still trying to put a few things together for that. Just a quick thank you and a little ol’ gift for you. Here is the audio from our final show of the year. It was at Schuba’s with Lydia Loveless. For those that were there, a little keepsake of the evening, for those that didn’t make it , maybe a little incentive to come see us next year.
You can listen to this using the player and download it too! Hope you enjoy!
Thanks!
Thanks to everyone that came out to see us last night – It was really nice seeing you! That will be it for live performances for 2011… but I think we may have some special internet treats in the works for the holidays, so keep on the look out!
For those of you that haven’t already, check us out on Facebook!
Show, new tunes,
been awhile since I posted here. Jarod being the webmaster, and a taskmaster at that, just kidding. A couple two tree things.
1. Show this friday. Come out.
2. We have a new EP that will be available in the next two weeks. It was recorded in August at Bob Dog Studios and finished at my little ol’ studio and Beverly Asphalt’s garage. Same details as the record. This time Carrie joined us at Bob Dog. Here’s a little preview of it.
I Went Down Swigning
3. We are up on Spotify. Check it. I know you all are loving Spotify. Us too. There’s a link to it, one post down. If I were more Word Press savvy, I’d have figured out how to copy the link. Alas, I’m Cro-Magnon man. What can you do?
P.S. Jarod made a bad ass poster for the Oct. 21st show. see a few posts below.
Now on Spotify
For those using Spotfy, you can find with some help from this link!
Tim Larson and the Owner / Operators on Spotify
