I can't wait to see Carolyn Mark live again. She's back at the Sunset this Thursday night, April 29, with long-time troubadour Ian Moore and Texas' own Buttercup coming up first.

The first time I saw her was in 2007 for a free noonday Seattle City Hall set, harmonizing and rollicking her heavenly and hale hillbilly miniature masterpieces in the Seattle sunshine downtown, opening for Visqueen. The pair of lead performers really fit as a perfect set, the one-two punch of swinging, sassy folk-rock matched to Ms. Flotard's blend of blues-pop punk. Canadian singer-songwriter Mark learned her licks and crowd-allure as in a duo with Neko Case called the Corn Sisters, and has the same verve, humor, and je ne sais quoi they had starting back in the late 90s, and Ms. Case is ultra-known for today.

The sometimes dark, beat, but still boisterous quality of Mark's top quality song-craft can be seen in the cover art representing her collaboration with Juno-award winning NQ Arbuckle, and their song "Officer Down."

more...

Sneak Peek @ SXSW Line-Up

more...

Every December I go through over 80 albums and try to codify them some way. Though it may take until after Christmas before my final top list (and mix cd) is ready, my favorite albums of the year are always fairly obvious to me by now. These are the ones that meant the most to me.

Top NW Albums

1) Grand Archives - s/t
2) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3) Menomena - Friend & Foe
4) Tullycraft - Every Scene Needs A Center
5) Shake Some Action - s/t
6) Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
7) The Cave Singers - Invitation Songs
8) Welcome - Sirs
9) Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
10) Awesome - Beehive Sessions
11) Carolyn Mark - Nothing Is Free
12) Grand Hallway - Yes Is The Answer
13) The New Pornographers - Challengers
14) Ghost Stories - Quixoticism
15) The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

Overall Top 10 Albums of 2007

1) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3) Emma Pollock - Watch The Fireworks
4) Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
5) Feist - The Reminder
6) Menomena - Friend & Foe
7) Blonde Redhead - 23
8) Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound
9) Apostle Of Hustle - National Anthem Of Nowhere
10) Radiohead - In Rainbows

at Seattle City Hall Plaza

A midday treat: Visqueen live in the sunshine!

more...

It's a flawlessly sunny day. And it's VISQUEEN!!!!

more...

If this isn't just the kinda news to get you through a gray, dreary Monday, I don't know what is: Seattle band Visqueen will be playing a free show this Thursday (8/23) at noon.

more...