With 2007 debut EP The Moonstation House Band, David Vandervelde redefined many music fans’ perception of the singer-songwriter. All precocious swagger and impeccable references – from the Beach Boys to T. Rex – Moonstation was a study in ambitious devotion to the dirty, beautiful grit of rock and roll. Vandervelde’s latest effort, Waiting for the Sunrise (Secretly Canadian), proves that the 24-year-old has one of the deftest studio touches in business, but it lacks much of the unselfconscious exuberance of its predecessor.

Vandervelde’s insipid lyrics make it impossible to place him in the poetic songwriter camp; apparently the poor kids has been “lied” to incessantly, and one can only rhyme “blue” with “you” so many times before falling into teen pop territory. Nevertheless, Sunrise’s lead single, “I Will Be Fine” is a gorgeous nugget of atmospheric harmony and 70’s AM golden radio sweetness.

MP3: David Vandervelde - I Feel Fine

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Another light week around here, but not without highlights and plenty to check out. Monday and Tuesday are wolf-tastic, what with the D.C.-bred experimental electro-world music of Le Loup (that’s “The Wolf” in French for those of you scoring at home) and the just-demented-enough-to-be-interesting indie pop rock of Sub Pop staple Wolf Parade. The Mae Shi could be interesting on Wednesday, and I’d like to catch hometown label Flameshovel’s darlings Bound Stems on Friday, all leading up to an entertaining Saturday night. No must-sees, per se, but plenty of options.

MONDAY, JULY 7

Le Loup @ Schubas

TUESDAY, JULY 8

Wolf Parade @ House of Blues

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9

George Michael @ United Center

The Mae Shi w/ Death Set @ Abbey Pub

Alkaline Trio w/ American Steel and The Fashion @ House of Blues

Grant Lee Phillips @ Schubas (also Thursday)

THURSDAY, JULY 10

Stay home and listen to something good.

FRIDAY, JULY 11

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ AV-Aerie

Bound Stems @ Schubas

Feist @ Ravinia

SATURDAY, JULY 12

Al Green @ Charter One Pavilion

Tift Merrit @ Fitzgerald’s

Urge Overkill @ The Bottom Lounge

Tortoise w/ Tight Phantomz @ Empty Bottle

Jenny Owens Young @ Schubas

City On Film w/ Slithering Beast @ South Union Arts

Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago Folk & Roots Festival @ Welles Park (also Sunday)

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Unlike Superbird, Superfangs will not be going back to school (yet). I am likely to take “summer hours” over the coming weeks. Worst case scenario, you may only get your oh so tasty MP3 fix every other Wednesday. Outraged? Let me hear it in the comments below.

To appease y’all, I’ve put together the first ever Smorgasbord mixtape. Yep. 13 of our favorite tracks of the summer thus far. Conveniently provided to you in zip form! Hell, I’ll even do up artwork if ya dig it.

Tracklisting
NDFY’s Summer Smorgasbord ‘08

1. Sloan “I’m Not a Kid Anymore” from Parallel Play
2. Robert Pollard “Gratification To Concrete” from Robert Pollard Is Off To Business
3. The Radio Dept. “Freddie and the Trojan Horse” from Freddie and the Trojan Horse
4. The War On Drugs “Taking The Farm” from Wagonwheel Blues
5. Aimee Mann “Thirty One Today” from @#%&*! Smilers
6. David Vandervelde “I Will Be Fine” from Waiting For The Sunrise
7. Head Like A Kite “No Ordinary Caveman” from There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere
8. Wire “One Of Us” from Object 47
9. Ladytron “Black Cat” from Velocifero
10. CSS “Rat Is Dead” from Donkey
11. The Broken West “Perfect Games” from Now or Heaven?
12. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson “Buriedfed” from Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
13. Peter Von Poehl “The Story Of The Impossible” from Going To Where The Tea Trees Are

Go get it, kids! 

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Ladies and gents, before we discuss the finer points of this week’s music calendar: Superbird has taken the plunge and is now a full-time grad school student. This may mean more posts, it may mean fewer, but bear with us as we try to keep bringing you musings about music, solid mp3’s, and tasty treats from the other side of the Nilla wafer.

Sort of a sucktastic holiday week around here, but I am pleased to recommend young newcomer Samantha Crain on Wednesday at Schubas. In a press release I got about this show, one quote described this 21-year-old Oklahoman as “bridging the gap between Radiohead and the Carter Family,” and another likened her to “Judy Garland singing Neutral Milk Hotel songs.” I agree a bit more with the latter than the former, but the fact remains that this young lady is writing far more mature tunes than most of her peers, with a wary, weary take on group singalongs and the folk tradition. To add my own comparisons, I’d say Bjork singing for a Loose Fur-Mazzy Star project. Watch out for her EP, Confiscation, out July 22 on Ramseur Records.
MP3: Samantha Crain - Traipsing Through the Aisles

MONDAY, JUNE 30

Um…take a bike ride, it’s a snooze of a music evening.

TUESDAY, JULY 1

RZA @ House of Blues

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers @ United Center

The Go w/ Thee Makeout @ Empty Bottle

Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers @ Schubas

THURSDAY, JULY 3

SND ON SND @ Darkroom (uh, yes - that’s me up there!)

FRIDAY, JULY 4

Gomez w/ Alejandro Escovado @ Petrillo Band Shell

SATURDAY, JULY 5

Headlights @ Empty Bottle

Russian Circles @ Schubas

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Tasty Swedish indie Labrador Records has seen due success recently, especially with the delectable neo-new wave electro-pop of the Mary Onettes. Now the Scandinavian label is offering up a sweet little mix for those long summer afternoons, all for free.
Check it out the tracklisting and then get yourself a copy:

1 [Ingenting] - Här Kommer Solen
2 The Sound of Arrows - Danger!
3 Sambassadeur - Final Say
4 Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Funeral Face
5 Pelle Carlberg - I Love You, You Imbecile
6 Club 8 - You And Me
7 Johan Hedberg - Grammisgalan
8 The Radio Dept. - Freddie and the Trojan Horse
9 Sambassadeur - Subtle Changes
10 Tribeca - Her Breast Were Still Small
11 Chasing Dorotea - Dark Angel
12 The Mary Onettes - Explosions
13 The Legends - Darling
14 Leslies - Take A Look
15 Irene - By your side
16 Pelle Carlberg - Go to Hell, Miss Rydell
17 Club 8 - Jesus, Walk with Me (The Sound of Arrows remix)
18 Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Trumpets and Violins
19 Acid House Kings - Start Anew
20 Irene - Little Lovin
21 The Radio Dept. - Pet Grief
22 Club 8 - Whatever you Want
23 Acid House Kings - This Heart Is A Stone
24 Loveninjas - Little Black Friends
25 [Ingenting] - Släpp In Solen
26 Caroline Soul - Been Turning (Into Something Bad)
27 Acid House Kings - Sunday Morning
28 Johan Hedberg - Var Dig Själv
29 The Legends - Make It All Right
30 The Sound of Arrows - Danger! (Ice cream shout)

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