TGIF Birthday Hodge Podge – Dr. Dog + The Cave Singers + Belle and Sebastian

It’s been a pretty hectic week for me here at Citizen Dick’s Chicago outpost.  Between cracking down on the job search, scrambling to find a new apartment before the first, and preparing to get my birthday on this weekend I haven’t had a whole lot of time to listen to new music.  As such, today’s Hodge Podge is going to be short and sweet.  Now I know I’ve said that before and then gone on to type neatly 1500 words anyway, but this time I mean it.  Besides, it’s my birthday and I make the rules, so even if I do end up rambling on what are you really going to do about it anyway?

Given the last few weeks, I imagine that most of you regular readers are expecting me to start off the day with the low down on where to see the best free music in Chicago this weekend.  Well, you’re in luck.  This weekend the best street festival music hands down is going to be at Taste of Randolph.  As far as party atmosphere goes, it pales in comparison to SummerFest celebration going on in Lincoln Park, and because it takes place along restaurant row ad focuses on great food, the eats (and drinks) are a little pricey by street food standards.  The tradeoff there, however, is that you will be feasting on op-notch treats from some of the cities best restaurants rather than chocking down overpriced “chicken” on a stick.  And as for the booze, if you aren’t sneaking your own alcohol into a street festival anyway you are doing something wrong.  So if you end up having to pay $8 for a can of Amstel Light that’s your bad, not the festival’s.

As for the music, Taste of Randolph offers possibly the best headliners you will find all summer long in Chicago.  My personal pick is Dr. Dog (that’s them up there, not a gang of vagrant train conductors, in case you were wondering), who is headlining the main stage on Friday night at 8:30pm.  Our love for their last album, Fate, is well documented by its inclusion on our ‘Best of 2008’ list, and we have also praised their spectacular live set when Kevin and Brian reviewed the spectacular show they put on recently in Columbus.  As such, there’s a good chance you will find me somewhere near the front of the stage celebrating my birthday later tonight.

The rest of the weekend’s headliners are equally stellar as well, in case you were wondering.  Saturday night features the weirdest supergroup ever, Tinted Windows, hitting the stage at 9pm.  In case you haven’t heard, the band consists of Taylor Hanson on vocals (yes, THAT Hanson), James Iha from the Pumpkins on guitar, Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne on bass, and Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick on drums.  It’s a complete motley crew, but I promise they sound better than you probably imagine.  Finally, Sunday features seminal indie gods The Hold Steady.  For most people they are probably the highlight of the weekend, but I’ve personally never been a huge fan.  I mean, I respect the fact that they are a good band and that they are ‘relevant’, I’m just not a huge fan of their sound.

In the spirit of giving others gifts on MY birthday, and because I’m keeping things brief and only featuring one “hot new” track today, here’s am mp3 from each artist to get you pumped for the festival this weekend.  Enjoy.

Dr. Dog – “Army of Ancients”

Tinted Windows – “Kind of a Girl”

The Hold Steady – “Your Little Hoodrat Friend”

Buy all of these artists @ Insound!

Today’s first and only new track is the first leaked cut from Seattle trio The Cave Singers’ upcoming sophomore effort Welcome Joy.  Their first album, 2007’s Invitation Songs, was a favorite of mine for quite some time, so when I heard that a follow up was finally in the works for this year I was pretty damn excited.  The lead track that I’m posting here certainly didn’t disappoint, showing off the sublime brand of countrified Americana that made me fall in love with them two short years ago.  I actually wanted to showcase this track last week, but having only heard it a coupe of time at that point I decided to hold off and get better acquainted with it.  I’m glad I did because it has given me an excuse to spin it on repeat for the better part of this week.  I have a feeling you will end up doing the same.  The new album drops August 18th on Matador Records (new home to Harlem, in case you haven’t heard), so mark your calendars and expect a full review in a month or so.

The Cave Singers – “Beach House”

Buy The Cave Singers @ Insound!

Today’s vault track is from an old favorite of mine, Belle and Sebastian.  Despite the fact that they are liars (their name would lead you to think that there are only two of them, which is radically false), I’ve been a big fan for a long time now. I consider heir 1996 sophomore album If You’re Feeling Sinister one of the best indie albums of all time (top ten at least), and I am also partial to 2006’s The Life Pursuit.  Their inclusion today, however, has less to do with nostalgic favorites and more to do with wishful thinking.  Since I first heard it three of four years ago, I have considered the bright, poppy “Another Sunny Day” to be a quintessential song of summer, making its way on more solstice playlists than I can possibly recall.  In anticipation of beating the odds weather-wise for my birthday weekend, I’ve been spinning it a lot for the last few days.  Maybe if we all listen together Mother Nature will cooperate and bring some sunshine our way.  I know it’s a long shot, but either way we get to hear a pretty kick ass song, so there’s really no downside to my proposition.

Belle and Sebastian – “Another Sunny Day”

Buy Belle and Sebastian @ Insound!