Tokyo Tea

I'm so glad to finally hear this, the germ of this song has been percolating in the form of an amazngly funky jam for the past month or so. Now it's emerged fully-formed and ready to join the repetoire, very nicely balanced with Jason's bass lines and Jeff's leads, Jake holding court with some killer stacatto cymbal work.

Standing like a statue
with a rose gripped in his teeth
you know he rolls
the dice

he could take them all
except for one
and guess who his gaze is on
the only one

You know he can’t stand to lose
no not this one

You know he can’t stand to lose
no not this one

cm-on kitkat gimme the news
i ain’t got time for all this blues

She advances towards the bar
he orders her a drink
a Tokyo Tea
on ice

She knows just what she wants
and sees what she can get
she’s not surprised
to find

You know she can’t stand to lose
no not this one

You know she can’t stand to lose
no not this one

cm-on kitkat gimme the news
i ain’t got time for all this blues

Playing hard to get
Will only make you lose
Playing hard to get
Will only make you lose
Remember playing hard to get
will only make you lose
you’re mine

You know they can’t stand to lose
no not this time

You know they can’t stand to lose
no not this time

And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?

We find ourselves smack dab in the middle of a dry spell. The last show of the old year was Sullivan Hall on 12/29, and the next proper gig isn’t until Sully’s in Hartford on 1/23/10. The first McLovin’s appearance of the New Year was a guest spot by Jeffrey at the 2nd Annual Nocera Benefit. Stanley Maxwell performed the “Wish You Were Here” album by Pink Floyd and Jeffrey joined in as the guest guitarist. This Sunday 1/17/10 the McLovins will be featured and perform on Uncle John’s DEAD AIR, live on WESU radio 88.1 FM. This still leaves us with over a week until the band headlines at Sully’s Pub.

One of the reasons I started keeping this blog was the immediacy of this new media and a feeling that if the start of this journey wasn’t written down, much of it would be lost in the shuffle. We now live in an era of fast-food content, a voracious search for the newest and the most fresh, consumed and digested at a feverish pace. Live concert recordings are upped literally hours after a show has ended, armchair quarterbacks dissecting and analyzing every step or misstep. Facebook and MySpace now offer access to artists that is immediate, and personal connections are formed at a faster rate than ever before. There has been a thinning of the wall between the artist and the fan in this new era, performers can now dispense with a record company or an A&R department because they can count on their fans to do much of their promotion work, allowing more creative freedom. I’m sure this nearly month long hiatus was full of some introspection for the band and a flurry of musical growth. Coming off a volley of successful end-of-year shows, I see this band emerging energized and with a sharp focus on the future and an amazing slate of upcoming spring shows. Try and catch them live on the radio or streaming this Sunday and make sure you try and get over to Sully’s to see them live, in the past this has been a very special venue for them and it always feels like a homecoming when they play.

Uncle John's Dead Air

Sullivan Hall, NYC 12/29/09

The Mclovins Live from Sullivan Hall 12/29/09


It's hard to believe the year is at its end once again. This season is traditionally filled with good intentions and resolutions, reflections on the past and hopes for the future. The Mclovins played their last show of the calendar year last night at Sullivan Hall in New York City, the show featuring a full slate of opening acts who gave ample support for the guy's first headlining gig down in the Village. The show opened with Remember September, followed by The Electrix and finally Pleeko as The McLovins then closed the show and the year out in fine style. Sullivan Hall does a very quick line-up sound check, it takes 5 minutes or so right before the set starts, and the sound in this smallish venue is just huge. This quick set-up really helps to put the band at ease and allows them to come crashing right out of the gate. Last night was truly an epic show, the band knows how to handle the important gigs and this one was textbook McLovins. Jason and Jeff in particular both sounded raw and unchained, Jake's pummeling drumming and unrelenting vocal attack cut right through the band's curtain of sound. This is pure power trio performing, this is Cream or the first incarnation of Govt. Mule.. this is a band in full control, weaving rich and intricate soundscapes, pulling the crowd in and bringing them along.

The show was an exercise of power and control, incendiary playing from all the members, a crowd up close and intimate, with the give and take between performer and audience palpable. I could think of no higher note that the band could leave the old year behind while preparing for the challenges and triumphs to come in the new year. This year is the foundation, the cornerstone on which the future of this band will be built. The fan base is ever-expanding, and the McFamily has gained many members, Phanart Pete and Julie P, John Dailey, Greg Bell, Jonathan Blake, Jeanette O & Kurt S, Scott & Aimee D, Dave Golden, The Cheese Shack girls Annalena & Hannah, David from New Vision, David Malloy, Brock, David & Elizabeth B, Ross Taylor, Frank Moon, Drew Chadwick, Barry & Holly B, Steve H & Mike M, Wil K, Lucas & Brit, Becky S, Win and Warner, Justin V, Jeff & Anita D, Maddie & Hannah H, Adam H, George B, Tyler C and Bryan.

The acts that they've played with or opened for, Strange Design, The Flow, Keller Williams, U-Melt, The Breakfast, The Brew, The Lake & The Lion, Moe., Max Creek, Pleeko, The Electrix, Marco Benevento have all treated the guys with respect and as peers. I can't think of any mis-steps the band has had this year, so in lieu of resolutions, maybe we can dispose of a few 2009 Mclovin Cliches... "None of them are old enough to drive a car", "All they need is a keyboard player" and my favorite "I hear they're a Phish cover band". If I forgot to mention or thank any of you, sorry for the omission, thanks for a great year, and cheers to 2010.

Wil Kablik's Birthday Bash 12/26/09

Happy Birthday Wil!

Just some highlights from last night's Birthday bash:

The amazing food and those wonderful pita chips

A remarkable jam that led into Caravan which then turned into a reggae rumbler

The Funk Jam that spilled into the Tease Game during the 2nd set

Backwards Down The Number Line dedicated to Wil with a "Happy Birthday" tease

All the friends and family who showed up to celebrate Wil's birthday

that gorgeous rain-soaked Hartford skyline view all night...

Blame it on Albert...

No show tonight, The McLovins have met something tougher than they are, an over-exuberant weather forecast... by the way, if anyone has seen Albert, please contact your local authorities..

Virtual Circle EP

EP - "An extended play (EP) is a vinyl record, CD, or music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as an LP". The Virtual Circle EP offers the studio recording of this song as well as a bonus single of Hell Yeah! and is another savvy move for this band. Virtual Circle is a real revelation, the guitar work and mirrored vocals true standouts. Jeff lays his lead track over some fluidly running rhythm lines as Jake and Jason spar on lead vocals. At a little over 9 minutes this song plays out like it does live and the concert feeling is reflected beautifully in this recording. Hell Yeah! benefits mostly from a more deliberate pace than it's played live, bouncy and punchy without feeling rushed. The vocal theme in the second half of the song works exceedingly well, affording the chorus an almost "Police-like" cadence. Strong work on this EP all around, and a bargain at twice the price. This is an excellent snap-shot of where the guys are right now, propulsive rhythms, searing guitar and exuberant vocals. If you like what you hear on these songs, I urge you to go see them live, just step up and prepare to be floored.

You can pick this up on the band's website

Virtual Circle EP

Can I get a hell yeah?

We’ve now entered a second era of The McLovins. A group of new songs have joined the live rotation and as a result have supplanted some old favorites. VIRTUAL CIRCLE was the first of the batch of fresh songs, premiering at Blueback Square. STENCIL OF A LANDSCAPE showed up as a sister piece to Sea Of Wisdom at the Brewfest show in Waterbury. DEEP MONSTER TRANCE made its bow at a Sully’s show and the genesis of 20 IN A 35 was used as filler during the Boston show, when Jeff broke a string. HELL YEAH is the runt of the litter, brand new and still finding its way. These new songs have a themic connection, they come at you in a more frenetic pace as the band stretches a bit and lets the energy flow. I may miss hearing Rhyme or Reason, or Sea of Wisdom as often as I’d like, but this is the foundation of a next album and a new direction in their song-writing. I like this direction and the tightness of the band is so solid, they are on the move. Keep your eyes open, with these guys if you blink, you’ll miss something..can I get a hell yeah?