Tag Archives: The Regionals

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

Friday: Bel Auburn / The Regionals @ Hal and Al’s

Ashland’s Bel Auburn played their first show since 2009 (which was a rare, one-off gig; their last ‘real’ show was in 2007) in July. As a way to celebrate his 30th birthday on Friday, bassist Mark Abrams has flown in from Las Vegas and will perform with Bel Auburn at Hal & Al’s (1297 Parsons Ave). The The Regionals are also on the bill.

Here’s Bel Auburn performing, for the first-time ever live, “Piper”, a song they wrote the week my daughter was born 6 years ago, at my 40th birthday party concert.

The Regionals open the show around 10pm with Bel Auburn to follow.

MP3: The Regionals – “Run”

MP3: The Regionals – Run

A couple of months ago we alerted you to a new band, The Regionals, and praised their debut show, saying it was “rough around the edges in a good, Pavement/GBV way” and that it reminded us of “early Death Cab, before they got all tender and started to suck.” Well, now we have the first recorded material from the band. Check out first single “Run,” recorded by Keith Hanlon (The Black Swans, Orchestraville, Scioto Records), one of 12 tunes on the band’s coming debut.

Catch the Regionals this Saturday (7/10) at vegan eatery Hal & Al’s with Todd May’s Mooncussers. Maybe May and former bandmate/current Regionals singer Jason Gonzalez will play a couple of Lilybandits tunes, too? Just for old-times’ sake?

New band alert: The Regionals



After writing songs and tinkering with them in basements for a while, The Regionals emerged from below ground to debut their material at the Rumba last month, and it was probably the best first show I’ve seen. And when it was rough around the edges, it was rough in a good, Pavement/GBV way. Fellow Donewaiting staffer Mr. Chenoweth was in attendance, as well, and remarked that the band “reminded me of early Death Cab, before they got all tender and started to suck.”

You may recognize the guy on the left in the picture up there from his days in The Lilybandits. Back then people called him Jose, but he now goes by Jason Gonzalez and handles vocals & guitar. Kevin Sturdevant, from Youngstown, used to be in The Champions of All Time and plays bass. Rounding out the lineup is Jason Hambach on guitar and Paul F. Meeker on drums.

The Regionals are currently recording their first album with Keith Hanlon (Black Swans, Orchestraville). Keep your ear out..

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