Al Lover- Distorted Reverberations (of Reverberating Distortion) (2011)

An essential part of keeping community alive in music is the remix: the act of artists reinventing another's work into their own. With Al Lover's new project in producing hip hop beats reworked from current psychedelic and garage bands, he helps to further bring a sense of connection within underground music. His last project was in the similar vein of remixing rock 'n roll as he produced Safe as Milk Replica last year, a tribute to the late Captain Beefheart. Adhering to his mission to extend the music community, all of these mixes are offered for free through Al Lover's website...and now on Huevos. Lay down a flow or let the beat ride, and enjoy the sound of legal- the way it should be.

1. Natural Child- "White Man's Burden"

2. Shapes Have Fangs- "Terlingua"

3. Oh-Thee-See- "If I Stay Too Long"

4. White Fence- "Sticky Fruitman Has Faith"

5. King Tuff- "Sun Medallion"

6. JEFF the Brotherhood- "Hey Friend"

7. Ty Segall- "Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart"

8. Davila 666- "Yo Seria Otro"

9. Night Beats- "H-Bomb"

10. Moonhearts- "I Can Go On"

Distorted Reverberations (of Reberberating Distortion)

Gig Review: Bright Eyes/Dawes at Iroquois Amphitheater, Louisville

6.7.11

It was a beautiful summer evening to hear great music at the Iroquois Amphitheater last night. Conor Oberst must have been feeling the buzz too, because I wasn't expecting a Bright Eyes show to be so heavy. Sharing the stage with them were Dawes who released their second album yesterday and performed at ear-X-tacy before last night's show. They come close to a modern Band with California style that pulses straight out of their bluesy, Malibu roots.

By sunset, it was time for Bright Eyes to take the stage. Having never attended one of their shows before, I was expecting a mostly Conor-centered experience. But the addition of a larger band aided songs dating back to I'm Wide Awake and Lifted to sound more fleshy and vibrant than their studio counterparts. He often played around the wording of these older tunes and didn't appear bored from playing them over the years. Moreover the defiant nature in his earlier music wasn't lost, but became more refined and powerful.

Even though there was only one "MARRY ME CONOR" sign, it was clear that his fanship runs deep in Louisville. To many, he is presented as a prophet. It's a unique trait he has always been able to maintain as a songwriter; people tend to hang on extra hard to his words. In the instances where Conor performed without the band ("Poison Oak," "Lua") to a quieted amphitheater, you could hear shouts of approval and agreement amongst the crowd as if he was preaching to us some kind of truth. The raw subject matter in his songs definitely make it seem that way and one could easily get lost in the emotions they may evoke. This only goes to show what a great songwriter he truly is, unknowingly touching the hearts of many people young and confused.

Conor has had past connections to Louisville as he collaborated with MMJ's Jim James in Monsters of Folk and played at Headliners last year. He explained that "A Machine Spiritual" from the new Bright Eyes record was inspired by Jim and dedicated its performance even though MMJ is currently off touring. The set ended with a cheers to the audience in "One for You, One for Me," the closing song on The People's Key and an inspiring wrap-up for the encore.

Bright Eyes- "Four Winds"

*This article also appears at Louisville.com
Photos/Video: Lara Kinne