Wounded Messenger’s Top 10 Albums of 2009

Well, it’s that time of year again, where everyone from Rolling Stone to your neighbor’s pet iguana is unleashing a yearly “best of” list. As far as my list of the year’s best albums is concerned, this year is different in a couple of ways.

First, I don’t think 2009 was as aesthetically impressive as 2008 in terms of albums. Last year, my top 10 included TV On The Radio, Beck, MGMT, Blitzen Trapper and Plants and Animals, among others. This year’s crop, while amazing, lacks some of the “wow” factor of 2008’s group. But the quality of the music is equal – maybe even superior – even if the names and instant recognition are not.

Second, I haven’t heard as many albums this year as I did in 2008. While there’s little that could be done about that, what with the whole “real life” thing interfering with my ability to listen to every mildly-hyped release, this list is slightly less informed than some.  But indulge me anyway, if you will, for my favorite ten albums of the year in random order.

-Andrew Bird – Noble Beast – Revealing, intricate, scatterbrained, and gorgeous.

-Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (review) – The band’s triumphant return to great songs, not just good songs.

-SeepeopleS – Apocalypse Cow Vol. 2 (review) – Will Bradford again proves to be one of the world’s most criminally ignored musical talents.

-Circlesquare – Songs About Dancing and Drugs (review) – A woozy, shoegazey period piece for the still-young millennium.

-Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion (review) – A once in a lifetime work that made a million music critics swoon this year.

-Charles Spearin – The Happiness Project (review) – Aptly titled, this album is what happens when the world of music orbits tantalizingly and satisfyingly close to the world of art.

-Five Peace Band – Live (review) – Jazz in our present age doesn’t get any more virtuosic, expressive or explosive than this all-star collaboration.

-Emeralds – What Happened (review) – An example of thought-provoking, modern instrumental music so rare and pure that it belongs in a museum.

-M. Ward – Hold Time (review) – Great songs – now what to do with them? Ward finds perfect sonic companions for his words on every track of this masterpiece.

-Wilco – Wilco (The Album) – A routinely fantastic flourish to end an unforgettable decade of music from the veteran band.

Here are the last 5 albums I deleted from my master list, or, honorable mentions:

-The Phenomenal Handclap Band – The Phenomenal Handclap Band (review)
-Sondre Lerche – Heartbeat Radio (review)
-David Bazan - Curse Your Branches
-Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk
-Portugal the Man – The Satanic Satanist

2009 was an insane year for music and it shows in the diversity of this list. Only one round of year-end celebration to go, and I’ll be posting my favorite 101 albums of the decade tomorrow!

Wounded Messenger’s Best of 2009 Week Begins!

With not only a year but an entire decade of music to celebrate, we’ll be bringing you our “Best of” 2009 lists all week long. We begin with our favorite 10 live shows of the year, followed later this week by our favorite albums of the year and our 101 favorite albums of the decade.

Nothing could be more regionally subjective and personally oriented than naming the ten best live concerts you saw in a given year. But for the sake of my own memory and comparison with other such lists, here are the best 10 shows I saw this year, with free download links and reviews when available.

Salute to DJ Premier & Pete Rock – 12/12/09, Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC (review)
Phish - 12/5/09 John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA (dl) (review)
Widespread Panic/Allman Brothers Band – 10/11/09  Raleigh, NC (review)
Nine Inch Nails – 6/13/09 Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN (dl) (review)
Wilco – 6/13/09, Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN (dl) (review)
Okkervil River – 6/14/09 Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN (review)
Eric Bachmann – 7/22/09 Duke Gardens, Durham, NC (review)
Umphrey’s McGee – 2/21/09 The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC (dl) (review)
Janiva Magness – 7/17/09 Blue Bayou Club, Hillsborough, NC (review)
Phish – 3/8/09 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA (dl) (review)

We hope you’ll come back to check out our favorite albums of the decade and the year! Putting together these lists has been a labor of love, and we think they’re a lot of fun. We hope you do too!

Hip-Hop Legends Honored at All-Star Salute in Carrboro

One of the most invigorating hip-hop shows of 2009 occurred at Carrboro, NC’s Cat’s Cradle on December 12th, 2009. A chilly, drizzly Saturday night stood in contrast to the heat that was generated by the many fine performances as part of a Salute to DJ Premier and Pete Rock. It’s no exaggeration to say that without trailblazers like Premier and Pete, hip-hop would have never achieved its current status as a legitimate form of music and art.

9th Wonder – the prolific Durham producer responsible for some of modern hip-hop’s most recognizable tracks – was largely responsible for the putting the show together and keeping the festivities moving, and it’s clear that he was born for such tasks. Along with 6 other like-minded souls, he founded the True School Corporation as a means of celebrating the culture, music, and lifestyle of the late 1980’s and 1990’s. This was one of their most high-profile shows yet, and the entire evening was a celebration of those heady days and the unforgettable music that served as their soundtrack.

The highly skilled band, which featured members of the revolutionary, now-defunct Chapel Hill band Sankofa – did an amazing job recreating the biting drums, monster bass, and effervescent jazz samples that define Premier and Pete Rock’s style. Even more impressive were the rappers, who tackled the equally imposing lyrical challenges with respect and energy.

There was palpable energy generated by the presence of Premier and Pete. Stationed on chairs on each side of the stage, the two legends offered thoughts throughout the night but mostly soaked in the proceedings. They saw a cavalcade of rappers such as Cesar Comanche, Tyler Woods, Actual Proof, and Jozeemo come to the stage and work through classics like Pete Rock and CL Smooth’s “I Got to Know,” Nas’ “The World Is Yours” and “Nas Is Like,” D’Angelo’s “Devil’s Pie,” Jeru the Damaja’s “Come Clean,” Notorious BIG’s “Kick in the Door, “Juicy,” and “Ten Crack Commandments,” and Gang Starr’s “Mass Appeal.” 9th Wonder served as the voice of Premier and Pete’s turntables, vocally adding crucial elements like the “Mass Appeal” hook and completing the musical picture.

The timeless music, stellar performances, and artistic inspiration of this show, combined with a huge dose of humility on the part of everyone involved, helped produce a truly unforgettable night. It was amazingly refreshing to hear such a bevy of classic tracks performed with the vigor only a live setting can provide, and even more so to hear live hip-hop that doesn’t focus on cars, drugs, and guns. The supremely talented live band and nonstop procession of focused rappers elevated the concert to the highest level of live hip-hop, and many would do well to take a lesson from 9th Wonder and the rest of the involved artists.

A video from the DJ Premier Blog courtesy of 102Jamz:

Charlottesville Phish Review, Photos, and Videos

My review of the December 5, 2009 Charlottesville Phish show is now up at Glide Magazine, along with some of my wife’s photos and various YouTube videos.

Album Review: Fu Manchu – Signs of Infinite Power

It’s always a shame when once-great bands outlive their usefulness. Though some artists have forged lucrative careers by hammering away for years, even decades beyond their prime, there are some whose back catalog simply won’t allow for such half-assing. Fu Manchu is one of those bands, and Signs of Infinite Power is the final salvo of a mostly impotent decade for the band. In the last half of the 1990’s and into 2001, Fu Manchu excelled at igniting thrumming, grease-covered gobs of distortion, creating asphalt-grinding rock that reeked of both tire and bong smoke. There’s hardly a dull moment among their must-have albums – 1996’s In Search Of, 2000’s King of the Road, and 2001’s California Crossing. But On Signs of Infinite Power, leader Scott Hill’s once clever, cool, cruise-ready tunes are swapped for lyrically vapid fare like “Bionic Astronautics,” where the rhymes are nearly as predictable as the distortion-fest that they are set to. It’s not the band’s fault – this is how they sound now. You can’t blame them for preserving the same formula, and there’s no questioning that this album is Fu Manchu through and through. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to their songwriting, and much of the album treads in knuckle-dragging riffs and throwaway lyrics. The inexplicable vibrancy that used to separate their sound from the rest of the sludge-stoner rock crowd is gone, replaced by mostly uninteresting music that never quite reaches out of its own murk. Longtime Fu fans will surely find a few minutes of enjoyment here. “El Busta” is a slice of the band’s trademark irreverence, and “Webfoot Witch Hat” reaches a satisfying altitude. But Signs of Infinite Power is a good look at what happens when a band full of potential doesn’t evolve musically (they’ve evolved plenty otherwise). If anything, the inclusion of songs like “Gargantuan March” – one of the least consequential songs I’ve heard in recent memory – is a pronounced step backward for Hill and company.

Rating: 4.8 out of 10

Album Review: Mike Posner and The Brain Trust – A Matter of Time

Michigan’s Mike Posner highlights his raspy, tuneful voice and infectious songs on this “mixtape,” which plays like a fully fleshed album. Whatever you call it, A Matter of Time sounds like great practice for the recording and release of his upcoming first album, which will arrive in 2010. Posner could do a lot worse than to polish and release the songs he’s already got here, a move that would undoubtedly bring success if promoted properly.

A sociology major at Duke University, Posner has proven adept at finding the right mix of wordplay and appealing lyricism while devising appropriate musical atmospherics for the chosen subject matter. Perhaps it’s a product of his major that he’s able to tap into exactly the kind of content that appeals to a wide swath of people – not only college kids and hip-hop heads but R&B lovers, beatmongers, and high-minded music fans. There’s something undeniably charming about the album’s exuberant hooks and coming-of-age vibe, which is undercut with a touch of raw hip-hop that keeps the proceedings legit for the most part.

Alternately radio-ready and slightly subversive, the songs cover all the important issues of an artist about to graduate from college – girls, weed, the fellas, girls who deal weed, smoking weed with the fellas – it’s all very complicated. But Posner and his collaborators can wring head-nodding gold from even those played subjects – “Smoke and Drive,” for instance, features a dramatic, bass-heavy beat crafted explicitly to enhance the topic of the song (listeners who can’t gather that from the song’s title aren’t the target market), which is a lyrical swap meet between no less than 4 unique rappers.

The pinging pop of “Cooler Than Me” channels the geeky hipster-hop of N.E.R.D., blending self-absorbed lyrics with a hint of bravado and laying it over a shifting mass of 8-bit warbles, upbeat dance rhythms, and atmospheric guitars. “Drug Dealer Girl” could be one of the more unique love songs ever written, as Posner explains his affection for – you guessed it – a girl that deals weed. “Halo” might be the biggest production achievement on the album, as a litany of sounds combine to strike a melodramatic chord that suits Posner’s slightly confused, confrontational lyrics and singing.

The collection’s few missteps are to be expected from such a young artist, and one at least manages to fall into the “guilty pleasure” category. The deliberately cheesed-out revamp of Electric Light Orchestra’s ‘Evil Woman” is nothing we haven’t heard from a million mash-ups, but the totally embarrassing synth line that replaces the original song’s guitar hook breaks the mood. Still, it’s likely to turn a few heads and could be a touchstone for turning people on to the music. On that same note, “Hey Cupid” and “Losing My Mind” aren’t going to join the upper echelon of Posner’s repertoire any time soon, but they’re hardly a dealbreaker for the album.

Posner has conquered the captive audience of Duke University, as evidenced by the crowd response at 2009’s Last Day of Classes event. There’s much more real estate to be had if he stays true to his vision, and this outfit could be one of hip-hop’s potential breakout stories in 2010.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Halloween Concerts Provide Unusual Covers, Inspired Performances

Everyone knows by now that Phish presented The Rolling Stones‘ Exile on Main Street in its entirety for their “musical costume” on Halloween. Featuring the incredible Sharon Jones on vocals, along with the necessary horns, the performance is deserving of the immediate praise it received. But what about the rest of the holiday shenanigans across the nation?

Some instances of Halloween’s madness may not warrant a complete set list posting, but they are worth mentioning. At New Orleans’ Voodoo Music Fest, Drive-By Truckers took the stage with a version of KISS‘ “Strutter” in homage to one of the headlining bands of the festival. The Radiators brought their annual masquerade ball to Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Fine Line Music Cafe, where they sprinkled their show with their scariest songs and covers like The Who’s “Magic Bus,” David Bowie’s “Life on Mars,” Eddie Bo’s “Pass Out the Hatchets,” and Roky Erickson’s “I Walked With A Zombie.”

The Disco Biscuits were joined by Glitch Mob, Orchard Lounge, and Holy Fuck at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre for a night that was probably weird enough without any kind of high-minded musical costumes, but the Biscuits broke out a  first-time-played cover of Smashing Pumpkins‘ “I Am One” for good measure anyway. Meanwhile, at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, The Avett Brothers dressed as The Three Amigos and treated the audience to a jaw-dropping show full of rare songs and the unique addition of drums.

One of the most publicized and anticipated Halloween concerts in recent memory unfurled with majestic grandeur in Philadelphia, as Pearl Jam captained a farewell party for one of the oldest arenas in the nation. The Spectrum will be demolished soon, but Pearl Jam did their best to beat the demolition crews to the punch, treating fans to more than 40 songs that lined themselves up in devastating fashion. The band kept the Halloween histrionics to minimum, preferring to cloak themselves in rare songs and celebratory camaraderie. The show featured the live debuts of Bugs (a date-appropriate oddity from the Vitalogy album), Sweet Lew (an outtake from the Binaural sessions that surfaced on the rarities compilation Lost Dogs), and Devo’s Whip It (complete with the band in Devo costumes). A large donation to one of the band’s charities resulted in the first performance of Out of My Mind in 15 years, and a large portion of the show featured the Philadelphia String Quartet. I could write volumes about the show, and I wasn’t even there, so if this paragraph has piqued your interest, I’d recommend checking out the set list and downloading the show. It should be available at Etree very soon.

Here’s a collection of set lists and notes from some of the more interesting performances last night, along with links to recordings where available.

All shows occurred 10/31/09.

Gov’t Mule at The Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA (download)

The band performed a wide array of Rolling Stones songs for the first set, and the show featured guest multi-instrumentalist Steve Elson.

Set 1 (with Jackie Greene): Under My Thumb*, Monkey Man*, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)*$, Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’*$, Angie*, Ventilator Blues*$, Shattered*$#, Wild Horses, Slave*$, Gimmie Shelter*$, Play With Fire, Paint It Black, Bitch*$, Brown Sugar*$

Set 2: Steppin’ Lightly, Broke Down On The Brazos, Railroad Boy > Monday Mourning Meltdown > Forevermore, Frozen Fear > Brighter Days > Blind Man In The Dark$

Encore (with Jackie Greene): Goin’ Out West$(w/Peter Gunn Tease) > Bang A Gong$ > Goin’ Out West

* 1st Time Played
$ with Steve Elson
#with Matt on Lead Vocal, Danny on Bass & Jorgen on Drums

Widespread Panic at Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX (download)

Band Member Costumes: Sunny Ortiz – skeleton; Todd Nance – breast cancer awareness; JoJo Hermann – The Pope; John Bell – Vincent Van Gogh; Dave Schools and Jimmy Herring – cowboys/Brokeback Mountain

Set 1: Waitin’ for the Bus* > Chilly Water > Rock > Chilly Water, Trouble, Gimmie% > You Got Yours, Give, Mama Told Me (Not to Come), Red Beans (58 min)

Set 2: Come as You Are# > Bowlegged Woman, The Last Straw, Holden Oversoul > Jam > Vampire Blues, Imitation Leather Shoes > Drums > Bust It Big > Pigeons, Lake Of Fire@ > Henry Parsons Died (92 min)

Encore: This Masquerade^, Postcard, Flat Foot Flewzy

*ZZ Top, first time played
%with Norwegian Wood tease
#Nirvana, first time played
@Meat Puppets, first time played
^Leon Russell, first time played

Umphrey’s McGee at Los Tortugas Dance of the Dead, Groveland (Yosemite), CA (photos)

Band Member Costumes: The band wore mashed-up costumes to complement their Monster Mash-Up theme:
Jake Cinninger (guitar) – George Harrison Ford
Ryan Stasik (bass) – Bret Michaels Jackson
Brendan Bayliss (guitar) – Captain Kirk Hammett
Joel Cummins (keys) – Dirty Harry Caray
Kris Myers (drums) – Rod Stewart Copeland
Andy Farag (perc) – Wizard of Ozzy Guillen

Set 1: JaJunk% > 2×2 > Q*Bert > 2×2, Cemetery Walk, Padgett’s Profile, All In Time%%, Cemetery Walk II, Sweet Sunglasses*

Set 2: Jazz Odyssey > Nothing Too Fancy > Hangover > Night Gambler** > Nothing Too Fancy, FF > Professor Wormbog^, JaJunk, Mulche’s Odyssey, Land of Wappy$

Encore: 40’s Theme, Nemo’s Fat Bottomed Good Times$$

% with Smooth Criminal/Heartbreaker jam
%% with Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ jam
* mash-up of Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics), Sunglasses at Night (Corey Hart), and Electric Feel (MGMT)
** mash-up of The Gambler (Kenny Rogers), Night Fever (The Bee Gees), and Rapper’s Delight (The Sugarhill Gang)
^ with Bill Kreutzman on drums
$ mash-up of Wappy Sprayberry, Land of Confusion (Genesis), and Seek & Destroy (Metallica)
$$ mash-up of Nemo, Fat Bottomed Girls (Queen), and Good Times Bad Times (Led Zeppelin)

moe. at Washington Ave. Armory, Albany, NY

Many of the show’s songs were selected via fan voting.

Band Member Costumes: The band wore the uniforms of the Cobra Kai dojo from the film The Karate Kid.

Set 1: The Ghost Of Ralph’s Mom, Godzilla, Farmer Ben*#, You Can Call Me Al**, We Got The Party^, George, Echoes

Set 2: Stash, meat > Eyes Of The World > Echoes, Rebubula > Dark Star > Rebubula

Encore: Fuck Her Gently^^, Don’t Fuck With Flo, Crab Eyes

# Last Played 3/02/05
* with Werewolves Of London, The Munsters (theme), The Adams Family (theme), and Powerhouse teases
** Jim on piccolo bass & Al on trumpet
^ Jim on acoustic
^^ only Al (acoustic) and Chuck

Perpetual Groove at The National, Richmond, VA

Band Member Costumes: The band dressed as various characters from John Hughes films, and performed musical selections from the films throughout the night.

Set 1: Space Paranoids, TSMM > Harmonium > TSMM, At the Screen, Cairo, Oh Yeah, Mayday

Set 2: Teakwood Betz (Fakeout) > Weird Science > Teakwood Betz, Three Weeks, Speed Queen > Blitzkreig Bop > Speed Queen, Don’t You Forget About Me

Encore: Lost Connection, Twist and Shout

Allman Brothers Band & Widespread Panic Raleigh Review on Glide Magazine!

My review of the October 11, 2009 Allman Brothers Band/Widespread Panic show at Walnut Creek is now up at Glide Magazine’s Hidden Track Blog! Go here to read and see Dave Rogers’ amazing photos!

World Beer Festival, Durham, NC, October 3, 2009

Beer aficionados and assorted revelers of all types were treated to gorgeous weather, a historic setting, and an awful lot of beer, food and music at Durham, NC’s World Beer Festival, which took place on October 3rd. Upwards of 4000 attendees sampled over 300 beers from over 150 breweries – everything from local brewing mainstays, such as Foothills and Big Boss, to exotic brands from around the United States and the world. This was my first beer festival of any kind, and given my recent infatuation with craft beer, I felt like a kid turned loose in an amusement park.

All About Beer, a world-renowned magazine based in Durham, couldn’t have asked for a better day to throw their hometown festival. A nearly cloudless 80-degree day lent itself to a noon start and plenty of thirst. The $40 entry fee quickly became a bargain, as waiting beer booths covered the entire outfield of the historic Durham Athletic Park. I got right to it, first tasting Weeping Willow Wit from Mother Earth Brewing out of Kinston, NC.

Situated in the still-recovering eastern part of the state, which was ravaged by floods in 1999, the organic brewery – which started brewing just weeks ago – hopes to make a name for itself amidst a struggling local economy. They could put Kinston on the map, because the Weeping Willow withstood a host of challengers to stand as my favorite light, summery beer of the day.

As the music of Dub Addis provided a pleasant reggae atmosphere, I found myself not knowing where to go next. I made some tasting choices at random, like Fort Collins (CO) Brewery’s Chocolate Stout (nothing to write home about) and Deschutes Brewery out of Bend, OR, whose Mirror Pond Pale Ale met my approval as a beer that could be enjoyed on a regular basis. Alas, I was forced to savor the few sips I had, as their beers are not available in North Carolina yet.

After a few stellar examples of styles like Whites (Weeping Willow, Hoegaarden), Pilsners (Moon River out of Savannah, GA) and Pale Ales (Mirror Pond, Thomas Creek’s Up the Creek IPA), I began to reach out into the realm of big flavor. I tried two “smoked” beers, which was a style that I had never had before. Holland, Michigan’s New Holland Brewing boasted an impressive list of beers, but I was urged to try their Charkoota Rye Smoked Doppelbock Lager. The immediate blast of smoky flavor and savory texture was like nothing I had ever tried before. I then gave Rogue’s Chipotle Ale (Newport, OR) a try for comparison. While a perfectly good beer, the Chipotle couldn’t match the complexity and wallop of the New Holland selection.

Soon after a few more tastes of some heavy hitters, such as North Coast Brewing Company’s Brother Thelonious (from Fort Bragg, CA, which carries a swingin’ 9.3% ABV), Atwater Block Brewery’s remarkably unique Vanilla Java Porter, and Allagash Brewery’s Black Belgian-Style Stout (Detroit, MI), food beckoned. The festival boasts a selection of local food that makes deciding what to eat very tough. I eventually passed up Rudino’s, Sitar India Palace, and Revolution in favor of the best bargain at the event – a two-dollar soft taco from Chubby’s. 2009 has been a big year for Chubby’s in the Raleigh/Durham area, and the restaurant has become a much-discussed favorite since the two locations opened. I found their basic chicken and rice taco to be fresh and perfectly sized, as it did not leave me with an overly “full” feeling at all.

I quickly traversed the booths in search of sweet, light, after-meal beers, as the jazz-funk sounds of Funkuponya replaced the reggae vibe with slick, frantic instrumental jams. I found the sweet beers in spades, and experienced some of my most memorable tasting with R.J. Rocker’s Son of a Peach Wheat Ale (Spartanburg, SC) and Founder’s Cerise (Grand Rapids, MI). Where the Son of a Peach balanced mega-peach flavor with a classic wheaty, unfiltered taste, Cerise simply bombards the drinker with many levels of cherry flavor, from sweet to tart. Son of a Peach is more drinkable than Cerise, which is almost a “novelty” beer in my opinion, but both were highlights of the day.

I couldn’t attend a beer festival in October without trying some of the seasonals on tap, and I fell in love with Magic Hat’s Roxy Rolles (Burlington, VT). Out of the tap, this beer is probably the best amber ale I have ever tried. Nutty, with a malty caramel side, it also has a hoppy bite that makes it perfect for the fall. Speaking of Autumn, Terrapin Beer Company – one of the leaders in the southern craft beer market out of Athens, GA – offered their Pumpkinfest seasonal just in time for October, and it was smooth, spicy, and delectable. A special surprise was Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale (Cleveland, OH). I was hesitant to try a winter warmer on such a warm day, but the chance at such a unique beer was irresistible. I was shocked at how accessible the beer was. It wasn’t a heavy beer, as I had expected, and the flavors were simply accentuated and presented, immediately imparting a holiday spirit via cinnamon and honey flavors. The Christmas Ale was one of a handful of beers that I considered tasting twice.

In the festival’s handy guide, I marked the beers that I tasted. This reference proved invaluable when recounting the day, as there were some beers that just didn’t make much of an impact on my memory. I barely remember trying Big Boss‘ Monkey Bizz-ness Farmhouse Ale (Raleigh, NC), and they are a beloved favorite of mine. Another one of my favorite breweries, Abita (Abita Springs, LA), offered their Andygator Dopplebock, which I had never tasted. I was underwhelmed by the mild nature of the beer, though in the beer’s defense, I like to be tested a bit more. Adventurousness aside, Andygator is a perfectly fine and strong Dopplebock. It just isn’t doing much beyond that. At least Abita offered something that isn’t available in stores in my area, unlike New Belgium Brewing. I was looking forward to trying one of the prolific Colorado brewery’s many special releases, but they only offered beers that are already available in every grocery store around.

I don’t know if I’m biased because I have lived in the south all of my life, but I thought the Southern brewers shone the brightest at the event, followed closely by the Michigan contingent. Michigan scored every time I sampled the state’s wares – Atwater Block, Founders, and New Holland would be a boon to any state’s brewery lineup. Aviator Brewing Company’s Hot Rod Red (Holly Springs, NC) changed my perception of Irish Red Ales forever, and Big Boss’ Harvest Time Pumpkin Ale lived up to the hype I had been hearing. Thomas Creek, out of Greenville, SC, could soon be a force given their tasty, wide variety of styles and likable artwork and t-shirts, and Moon River has a similarly fun-loving vibe that comes through in their beer. Red Oak, a draft-only brewery in Whitsett, NC (just minutes from my home), scored big points with their Battlefield Bock. It’s not often I get to the brewery to try their special brews, so it was a real treat.

It’s as tough to convey the atmosphere and celebratory nature of the World Beer Festival as it is to explain the difference between a good “tasting” beer and a beer that can be consumed en mass. Festival favorites like Founder’s Cerise, New Holland’s Smoked Rye Doppelbock, and Atwater Block’s Vanilla Java Porter are perfectly good to inspect, analyze, and marvel at, but there’s nothing like Deschutes’ Mirror Pond Pale Ale or Mother Earth’s Weeping Willow Wit when it comes to drinkability. If you’re looking for a place to indulge your wildest and basest beer fantasies, you might find nirvana in October at the old ballpark in Durham.

Mike Doughty – New Album, Duo Tour

The first full week of October 2009 will be an exciting one for Mike Doughty and his fans, as the now-grizzled songwriter unveils his sixth “solo” release and embarks on a 31-date tour with band mate Andrew “Scrap” Livingston. The album, titled Sad Man Happy Man, will be released October 6, and the tour begins a couple of days later in Pittsburgh, PA.

The tour, another in a series of “Question Jar” tours that finds the eloquent Doughty fielding all manner of questions from his audience, features the duo format of Doughty on guitar and vocals along with Livingston on bass/cello.

Tour Dates:

• 10/08 Club Cafe Pittsburgh, PA
• 10/09 Club Cafe Pittsburgh, PA
• 10/13 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
• 10/14 The Ark Ann Arbor, MI
• 10/15 Schubas Chicago, IL
• 10/16 Schubas Chicago, IL
• 10/17 Shank Hall Milwaukee, WI
• 10/18 Blueberry Hill St. Louis, MO
• 10/20 Zanzabar Louisville, KY
• 10/21 3rd & Lindsley Nashville, TN
• 10/22 Melting Point Athens, GA
• 10/23 Eddie’s Attic Atlanta, GA
• 10/24 Evening Muse Charlotte, NC
• 10/25 Grey Eagle Asheville, NC
• 10/27 Arts Center Carrboro, NC
• 10/28 The Southern Charlottesville, VA
• 10/29 The Birchmere Alexandria, VA
• 10/30 Sellersville Theatre Sellersville, PA
• 10/31 Le Poisson Rouge New York, NY
• 11/12 Iron Horse Northampton, MA
• 11/13 Regatta Bar Cambridge, MA
• 11/14 Stone Church Newmarket, NH
• 11/15 One Longfellow Square Portland, ME
• 11/17 Higher Ground Lounge Burlington, VT
• 11/18 Revolution Hall Albany, NY
• 11/19 Westcott Theatre Syracuse, NY
• 11/20 Castaways Ithaca, NY
• 11/21 Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
• 11/22 Mountain Stage Charleston, WV
• 11/24 Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center Harrisburg, PA
• 11/25 Recher Theatre Towson, MD

Fans can already hear two songs from the album at Mike Doughty’s website: “You Should Be Doubly Gratified” and his cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Casper the Friendly Ghost.”