Dawes

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paddyinthepub
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Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:02 am

In the interest of time I'll share a letter I just sent to a friend

Hi Jim

Yes it has been a long time, things are crazy busy here as usual and the holidays, while lovely for most, just seem to add to the 'to do' lists which leading into the holidays are already ready to burst at the seams. Fortunately for a guy like me the music continues to relieve said stresses, mine at least, if only it worked for the boss who keeps adding bullet point items to said list. We have a little Christmas Party here at the house for 60 of Pam's teammates in Mid December which means someone around here had best get busy and fast to ready the house for the evening. There never seems to be quite enough hours in the day to balance the hard work necessary to get the jobs done and the daunting pull of an age old habit of putting things off another day. If there's a procastinator's hall of fame I might just be a shoe in someday. It takes a while to get voted in.

Nice to hear from you. The music, the new music, is pouring into the house as I discover more and more names new to me. I'm pretty high on Dawes right now. Got to see them 3 shows in a row here over the weekend with 2 shows within an hour each way of my town and a local in store. These guys are kids, from Malibu, California. Holy Chardonnay! Caught a song on the radio late one night 3 weeks ago and googled some lyrics to find out just who stopped me in my tracks in my garage. Dawes. That Western Skyline. North Hills.

They are the best thing to come along in popular music in a very long time. So musical. So very talented. Comparisons to The Eagles and Gram Parsons are spot on. The harmonies, oh my gosh the harmonies. In concert they are much more electric than the debut record, but both offer a juxtaposition that allows you to relax listening on one hand and get excited that there are musicians this young, this good, out there just trying to make a name for themselves. Live footage is all over youtube. Check it out some time.

Lineage ~ the lead singer Taylor Goldsmith is 24, his brother the drummer Griffin Goldsmith is 20. They are the offspring of one Lenny Goldsmith, the original lead singer of the famed musical group Tower of Power. On bass is a kid named Wiley, he's 21. On keys is Alex, 23. At the in store they were like kids in a candy store. They said that the setting on Saturday was the band's first ever in store performance. It was an indie record store in Manayunk and it was perfect. Taylor thanked the owner from the microphone heaping kind words on how cool the place was pointing to all the great music on the shelves in the very small space the record store inhabits. He singled out the John Prine CDs to his left, just before launching into their cover, full on 4 piece with harmony ROCKIN version of John Prine's Pretty Good (Not Bad) ~ I was in total jaw dropped admiration.

Anyway, they will tour again in February and again I'll try and be there for all I can get to. I told them to try Pittsburgh at Club Cafe or Altar Bar.

I'm hoping to get my hands on Bill's new CD and novel, soon. The 24 hour teasers from the new one he put on myspace reminded me of Bill ca. Gathering Field

Life is good!

Hope all's well, gotta get to the list. Times getting away from me again.

Thanks for dropping a line, it's great to hear from you, and yes, by all means, send the new stuff. Cant wait to hear it.

Happy Thanksgiving

Take care

Pat

Dawes ~ That Western Skyline
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:22 pm

"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Jan 14, 2010 11:48 am

Dawes on the World Cafe on NPR

Taylor Goldsmith is in Nashville all month and if memory serves he told me he was going to be there writing songs and recording an acoustic type record with the frontman for a band called Deertick.

Keep an eye out Nashville should they list a local gig...
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:59 pm

Dawes television debut on Craig Ferguson last night.

When My Time Comes
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Sun Aug 01, 2010 8:19 am

I have fallen musical head over heels for this group of young musicians that go by the monikor Dawes which is the name of the grandfather of two of the band's founding members, lead vocal guitar and songwriter Taylor Goldsmith and his brother, on drums and vocals, Griffin Goldsmith. Seems old Dawes Lafayette Goldsmith was an Okie from the Dust Bowl days who moved his family to Los Angeles and from then and there to here and now it's my great pleasure to share with music lovers everywhere: Dawes at the Newport Folk Festival 2010

Dawes at Newport Folk Festival 2010

Enjoy!
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Sep 02, 2010 1:26 am

Just a glimpse of why Dawes is my new favorite band...

Dawes at Outside Lands
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:28 am

"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Sun Mar 20, 2011 7:28 am

Dawes debut release North Hills seems ancient artifact here in 2011 with its 2009 release garnering high praise with That Western Skyline finding its way onto Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 25 songs of the year.

I've been following the band closely since first hearing the song on wxpn radio in philly one late night on radio. By the time the band started criss crossing the country playing shows first as openers then as headliners the lineup had seen a significant change in members. Gone was Tay Straitharn, piano and keyboardist, off to lend his services in prior committments to a rather large band of merriment known as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Alex Casnoff had replaced Tay on the piano and keys. His Dennis Wilson Beach Boys good looks and sweet vocal harmonies only added to the buzz that had led critics and fans alike to compare the band to Crosby, Stills, and Nash and The Eagles. Toss in Springsteen while you're at it, with principle songwriter and vocalist Taylor Goldsmith playing with the kind of prowess the music world at large embraces in superstars like The Boss and Neil Young.

A funny thing happened on the way to The Forum (with any luck at all Dawes will play a show there one day) when Tay Straitharn was again available to reprise his role in the band . Alex Casnoff left with but the memories of a magical musical life lived as a member of Dawes. Alex didn't play on the debut record "North Hills" but learned the parts. His playing and harmony vocals in concert were amazing. I likened them to the fab four of our generation. The Monkees if you will. Something about the look of those four. Youtubes abound capturing their harmony magic. Do check it out sometime. Turnabout is fair play as Alex did record the piano and keyboard parts for the next Dawes record "Nothing is Wrong" (late spring 2011) leaving Tay to learn those parts for the road. In a recent interview Taylor Goldsmith states that Alex and the guys parted amicably and as friends with a slight difference of direction the reason.


Oh, did I mention that they are also in a side project called Middle Brother, a supergroup of sorts along the lines of Monsters of Folk. It's the collaborative effort of Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit, and John McCauley of Deer Tick. The bands are on and off the stage for four hours playing their own music, joining others, and playing as Middle Brother. The name stems from the fact they won't be able to pay much attention to the project, busy as their own bands keep them.

Touring tirelessly, Dawes is the everready band on the run. Slowing down just enough over the winter to record the sophmore album, Nothing is Wrong, the band continues to make its way into the hearts and minds of new fans everywhere. I've learned recently that Jackson Browne plays on the new record due out late spring early summer. Even more amazing is the recent news that Dawes has been hired by one of their musical heroes (Robbie Robertson of The Band) to be his backing band for a few shows this summer. Taylor Goldsmith also sang on Robbie's new record.

Not bad for a bunch of music junkies from Los Angeles. What has become obvious to all that pay attention to the music business is that talent and great songs don't necessarily translate to riches in the way of big paychecks. Not like it used to be. I dare say were Dawes to break back in the heyday of MTV and VH1 they'd be household names by now. As it is, it's just me, out here on Ellis Paul's discussion board singing the praises of The Band, Dawes. They've managed to gain the attention of Ford and Chevy ad men who used their faces and songs in various car and truck commercials. Not to mention they record on Dave Matthews' label, ATO.

Dawes has an admirable work ethic and a team behind the scenes that puts to good use the tools of the trade. Here's a video that has the studio version of "That Western Skyline" (the song that hooked me straight away) set against footage from a recent concert the band played at The Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California. I went fishing for new Dawes videos on youtube and found this one this morning. A whopping 85 views. See what I mean? Dawes has some shows upcoming with Brett Dennen, as well some shows with Bright Eyes. Mumford and Sons caught them at the WXPN Xponential Festival last summer and expressed keen interest in having them join them on tour, someday. Given Mumford and Sons popularity of late, this would be HUGE exposure. I kind of knew this band was special the minute I heard them. Thinking back to that late night introduction on radio, it occurs to me today that I could have easily imagined something like: "Today, a chance encounter on a boombox radio late one night in a garage just outside Philly, Tomorrow, The World! Look for Dawes at a live concert setting near you, now and for the forseeable future and when you do, please tell them their old friend Pat from Philadelphia sent you and says hello.

Watch them smile....

Dawes at The Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California "That Western Skyline"
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:32 am

Somebody Squeeze Me :P Robbie Robertson performed on "Later With Jools Holland" tonight singing "He Don't Live Here No More" from his new album "How To Be Clairvoyant"

Robbie Robertson (with Dawes) on Later with Jools Holland
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:34 am

Dawes new record was released June 7, 2011

They performed the entire album at Paste

Dawes performs Nothing is Wrong live at Paste

Lots happening for these kids as they have backed Robbie Robertson and will back Jackson Browne on a European tour this summer.

Hope you enjoy the old school sound come back 'round.

Ellis has asked for cover suggestions and naturally I hear him doing one of these. Million Dollar Bill has a Neil Young sound I think Ellis could set fire to as well as A Little Bit of Everything, a song which brings Randy Newman to mind. Dawes are big fans of the work of Zevon and Prine, as I believe Ellis to be as well.
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
Posts: 3768
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:44 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Dawes

Postby paddyinthepub » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:00 am

"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy


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