Various Artists: Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine
At last, the tribute he deserves The songs of dirt-road troubador John Prine are malleable—simple, elegiac tales of people living out simple lives. They’re easy tunes to cover, which means this smartly-assembled tribute album is long overdue. It draws from the legion of neo-folk acolytes Prine has helped shuffle into the spotlight, with the Avett Brothers, My Morning Jacket and the Drive-By Truckers, among others, scribbling the margins of his well-thumbed volumes in their own shorthand. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver welcomes “Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)” into his misty, distant world, and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsListen Up: On Crying and Having Absolutely No Idea Why
It wasn't all-out boo-hooing... read more
Found in: Music, ColumnsMMJ, Avett Brothers, Those Darlins, Conor Oberst Contribute to John Prine Tribute Album
When he’s not busy reminding Paste editor Rachael Maddux of Jeffrey Lewis, country music’s poet John Prine stays busy creating some of the best songwriting out there. He’s currently working on Twistable, Turnable Man, a tribute record to Shel Silverstein with the likes of Andrew Bird and Black Francis. Meanwhile, he’s getting a tribute of his own.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsBest of What's Next: Anaïs Mitchell
Twenty-nine-year-old singer/songwriter Anaïs Mitchell lives in a little house... read more
Found in: Music, FeaturesThe Tallest Man on Earth Signs with Dead Oceans, Plans New Album for April
The Tallest Man on Earth (AKA: Kristian Matsson), is one of the many cool kids from Sweden (see Lykke Li, Jose Gonzalez, jj, etc.) who have, of late, burst onto the American independent-music scene. Matsson has opened for Bon Iver and grabbed critics’ attention with Shallow Graves, his quietly wonderful debut. Now, his second LP will be out in April via Dead Oceans.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsTickets On Sale Now for Brooklyn Vegan Haiti Benefit Featuring Zach Galifianakis, Britt Daniel and Justin Vernon
If you live in Brooklyn (or can get there before tomorrow), you should be refreshing your browser every 30 seconds to get your tickets to the benefit show for Haiti put on by Brooklyn Vegan. Tickets for the Saturday night show went on sale at 12 p.m. EST today for $35 (they will be $40 at the door, but the event will likely sell out). They’ll also have more expensive VIP tickets available for fans with the funds. All the money goes straight to Haiti, part to an orphanage there and part to the Red Cross.... read more
Found in: Concerts, NewsBon Iver's Justin and Nate Vernon Planning Hometown Cultural Space
Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and his brother and tour manager Nate Vernon have been given the go-ahead to build a cultural space in their hometown of Eau Claire, Wis., according to Volume One.... read more
Found in: Music, NewsHigh Definition: Chuck—The Best Music on TV
Chuck managed to avoid the axe after its second season, an impressive feat for an NBC show these days. It’s a fun show—the story of a regular guy who gets U.S. intelligence downloaded into his brain and becomes the government’s most valued secret agent. He bumbled his way through two seasons before an upgrade gave him the ability access the knowledge of kung-fu, Russian or boxing, all Matrix style. Season 3 has also kept things fresh by putting Chuck Bartowski’s brother-in-law, Awesome, in the role of reluctant spy.... read more
Found in: Music, ColumnsListen Up: Miley Cyrus Is Kind Of A Music Snob Too (Like Yeah)
Two weeks ago, after writing about how a couple of Paste folks liked a Miley Cyrus song... read more
Found in: Music, ColumnsThe 12 Best Concerts I Saw in 2009
We talk a lot about albums and songs at Paste, but nothing compares to hearing music performed live... read more
Found in: Blogs, List of the Day
