Raise Your Voice! to support public broadcasting

170 Million Americans for Public Broadcasting is a terrible name for an activist group, but at least it's to the point. It also promotes a cause that's very dear to me. And, courtesy of ANTI- Records, they've assembled a great lineup for a compilation you can get free by signing up for the campaign with your e-mail address, which I encourage you to do.

Raise Your Voice! features Tom Waits, Wilco, Lost in the Trees, Neko Case, Dr. Dog and more. The marquee track in my mind is "Progress" by Booker T. Jones featuring Jim James of My Morning Jacket; the video's embedded above. It's apparently from Booker T.'s album The Road from Memphis, which was released earlier this year. Who knew?

If supporting causes isn't your kind of thing, here's a mariachi band serenading a beluga whale.

Lost in the Trees

Another lament for a missed show... Lost in the Trees played on Friday night, but despite a strong, trusted recommendation, I dragged my feet in grabbing tickets and it sold out. I've been trying to make up for it by playing their fantastic album, All Alone in an Empty House, on repeat for the past few days. Em gave it a nod way back in '09, but it's recently been gussied up for a wide release on their new label, ANTI-.

Here's how bandleader Ari Picker stated his goals for the album:

"I wanted it to be able to sound like it was recorded around a campfire – very acoustic guitar-driven and folky and simple. Then I wanted these orchestral sounds to come out of the woods and make a brief appearance and leave. I wanted it to be like an isolated person playing these songs, with all these textures weaved around it and suddenly disappearing."

Well, he nailed it, as is exemplified by the slow burn of the tense and sweeping title track. I've also included "Tall Trees" from their '07 EP, Time Taunts Me.

All Alone in an Empty House [mp3] (iTunes)
Tall Trees [mp3]

They're coming back to town in February, and I won't miss them. Here's the rest of their upcoming dates so you won't either:

1/13 / Gainesville, FL / Common Ground
1/14 / Jacksonville, FL / Underbelly
1/15 / Orlando, FL / The Social
1/16 / Fort Lauderdale, FL / The Monterey Club
1/17 / Tampa, FL / The Orpheum
1/18 / Tallahassee, FL / Club Downunder @ FSU
1/19 / Charleston, SC / The Charleston Pourhouse
1/20 / Macon, GA / The 567 Center
1/21 / Asheville, NC / Sage Cafe
1/22 / Charlotte, NC / Snug Harbor
1/23 / Atlanta, GA / The Earl
1/28 / Carbondale, IL / The Hangar 9
1/29 / Chicago, IL / Old Town School of Folk
1/30 / Columbus, OH / Wexner Center
2/1 / Woodstock, NY / Bearsville Theatre
2/2 / Providence, RI / Lupos Heartbreak Hotel
2/3 / Boston, MA / Wilbur Theatre
2/4 / Northampton, MA / Calvin Theatre
2/5 / Westhampton Beach, NY / Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
2/7 / New York, NY / Mercury Lounge
2/9 / Washington, DC / Black Cat Backstage

Lost in the Trees

Lost in the Trees is an orchestral indie pop/rock group from N. Carolina led by smooth-voiced Ari Picker. As a firm believer that variety is the spice of life, I find myself really digging this 10-piece band. Their music ranges from soft, sweet acoustic singer-songwriter type stuff to grand, dramatic orchestral overtures. Then there's also a few catchy rock 'n' roll numbers, like my favorite track, "Fireplace," from last year's album, All Alone in an Empty House.

Fireplace [mp3] - (iTunes)