Tag Archives: Black Swans

Video: The Black Swans – “Where are You Tonight?”

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Here’s a brand new video from The Black Swans for their song “Where are You Tonight?” off the band’s most recent and excellent Misra release Occasion for Song. Filmed here in Columbus, it features local Elvis impersonator Billy Cash (aka “The Columbus King”) goofing around with Black Swans singer Jerry DeCicca.

Video premiere(s): J.P. Olsen & Jerry DeCicca “You’ll Never See My Face in Kansas City”

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Last year we hinted at a project that Malefactors of Great Wealth’s main dude JP Olsen (also of Beetkeepers/Burn Barrel) was working on with the Black Swans’ Jerry DeCicca. The project, titled “You’ll Never See My Face in Kansas City,” has reached completion, and we’re proud to premiere the two resulting videos for each musician’s song.

You can read the full background at the project website, but the gist of it is, Olsen became fascinated by artist Chris Burden, who, as part of a 1971 performance art piece, wore a ski mask for several days in Kansas City without taking it off. Olsen called DeCicca and challenged him to write a song with the aforementioned title, and he Olsen said he’d do the same. You can watch these videos (more akin to short films) to hear the resultant songs — both striking and well worth your time — and you can also order a 7-inch or digital download from the website. Or even bundle the 7-inch with a custom-made replica of the mask that Burden wore.

Photos: Independents’ Day 2012!

Independent’s Day 2012
September 15, 2012
Corner of Gay and Pearl

Forest and the Evergreens
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R. Ring (Kelley Deal)
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Flotation Walls
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Video: The Black Swans – “Mask from Memory”

On Friday American Songwriter premiered the video for the Black Swans song “Mask from Memory,” from the band’s excellent new album, Occasion for Song. I talked to singer Jerry DeCicca quite a bit about the record for an Other Paper story, particularly how DeCicca has been processing the death of his friend and former Black Swans violinist Noel Sayre, and how that grieving process made its way into Occasion for Song.

DeCicca delved into a bit more detail about “Mask from Memory,” in particular, when speaking to American Songwriter, saying, “The song is story of process and dreams… imagining yourself creating a mask of your friend that died to see things through his eyes. The mask is the memory you see the world through; the construction is the song’s metaphor for engaging your own thoughts and feelings in hopes of learning something about yourself.”

Tonight: Southeast Engine, Black Swans, Moon High @ Tree Bar

If you haven’t been to the revamped Tree Bar yet, tonight’s a pretty good night to check it out.

Favorite Albums of 2011: Joel Oliphint

This year’s list of favorites is fairly sedate (even for me), with just a little ruckus here and there. Lots of morning-coffee music, which I guess says something about my 2011. But music’s strength is its pliability. It can be whatever you need it to be at the moment, especially when we have instant access to virtually any song ever recorded, often for free. Judging by this list, I needed music to be a salve more than a release valve this year.

I also never expected my favorite album to come from someone who held the spot previously, but the iTunes “most played” playlist doesn’t lie. It’s a divisive one, but people who like it really like it.

I picked 15 favorites and several honorable mentions, plus a Favorite Columbus Albums list below — separate but equal in enjoyment and quality. As usual, I limit my lists to albums, so some EPs and 7”s I liked (e.g. Envelope, Sundown, Malefactors of Great Wealth, Dolfish) aren’t listed.

That is all.

15. Wussy – Strawberry

MP3: Grand Champion Steer

As Chip said about Wussy’s Chuck Cleaver, “One wouldn’t expect the heavily tattooed Cincinnati songwriter to produce his best collection of songs this late in his already highly-prolific career, but that’s exactly what he’s done.”

14. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light

TV On The Radio – “Will Do” by Interscope Records

13. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient

MP3: Come to the City

12. Tom Waits – Bad As Me

Tom Waits – Bad As Me by antirecords

I’ve never been a Tom Waits fanboy, but this record grabbed me and didn’t let go. Continue reading

Win tickets: Adam Remnant/Jerry DeCicca living room tour, Gang Gang Dance

MP3: Gang Gang Dance – Mindkilla (Lee Scratch Perry Remix)

Gang Gang Dance is coming to Outland Live on Tuesday, July 12, and we’re giving away a pair of tickets. To win, send an email to contestdonewaiting@gmail.com with the subject DANCES WITH GANGS by the morning of July 11.

Also, Southeast Engine’s Adam Remnant and The Black Swans’ Jerry DeCicca are embarking on a Living Room Tour this month, kicking off next Thursday, July 14, in Sunbury. To win two tickets to this show, send an email to contestdonewaiting@gmail.com with the subject REMNANTS OF JERRY by July 12. Full tour details after the jump.

Sometimes you win things by reading Donewaiting.
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Video: Black Swans live from Spain

Watch live streaming video from rag_tv at livestream.com

More Black Swans news: vinyl fundraising campaign on Kickstarter, new video for “Rooster”

As the boss man mentioned, the Black Swans have a new album coming out on Misra and have delved into social media and streaming. Misra Records is releasing Don’t Blame the Stars digitally and such, but the band is raising funds for the vinyl on their own. Watch the video (Jerry DeCicca’s acting debut), read about the album and make a pledge. You can pledge at various levels to get a signed limited-edition 45, demos, have the band play at your house, have the band write a song about a topic of your choosing, etc.

Second, the Black Swans just released a new video for “Rooster,” off last year’s Words are Stupid. Watch below. It involves roosters. Sort of. Continue reading

Joel Oliphint’s Favorite Albums of 2010

If 2009 was the year of Larry Jon Wilson, 2010 was the year of Bill Fox and the Gibson Bros. I think I listened to Bill Fox’s two reissued albums — Shelter from the Smoke and Transit Byzantium — more than anything else. (Shelter got a deluxe vinyl reissue, and Scat promises a similar treatment for Transit in 2011.) Go get ’em. And working on a story about the Gibson Bros. reunion show back in July occupied my brainspace and held my interest for months. I don’t know if CDR has any copies of the Build a Raft reissue left, but if they do, it’s required listening for any Columbus music fan or anyone with a passing interest in twisted, noisy country/blues/rock.

But in terms of new stuff, here’s what I liked this year, starting with national releases and ending with Cowtown LPs.


1. Strand of Oaks – Pope Killdragon
I didn’t immediately hit repeat when I heard this album, but once I came back to it, I never stopped. Who knew a record with songs about John Belushi (from the perspective of Dan Akroyd), a 12-foot man and JFK could be so engrossing. Devastating, too. If you think Tim Showalter is just another pretty-voiced folkie, the layers of synth and Sabbath-like riffs on “Giant’s Despair” prove otherwise. The best way to get Killdragon digitally or on vinyl is through Strand of Oaks’ Kickstarter page.


2. The Black Keys – Brothers
Ditto Duffy.
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