Mayhaps you’ve noticed that my mailing address listed on the About page has a big ol’ strikethrough across each line. Or mayhaps you’ve noticed that all the Local Action links have completely changed. Astute observers may ascertain that, indeed, Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Bloggins are movin’ on up… or out, or your preferred adverb. We’ve left the Windy City for the River City.

L-Train and I have ballin’ new diggs right in the middle of the young culture mecca of Louisville, the Highlands.  MTV Cribs is on its way to czech out the “boom boom room.”  We’re stoked.

So, what does that mean for this blog? Glad you asked. There’s good and bad news. First, the good. I’ll be able to cover more shows. Besides being easier to get press passes for certain shows, it’s also a lot less of a hassle getting to venues in general. Chicago’s Empty Bottle, for example, is awesome. But it’s in an urban middle-of-nowhere and takes forever to get to. Louisville’s venues are much more accessible, by and large, and I won’t have to bike through three feet of snow to get to them this winter. Now, the bad. Moving is time-consuming, and as the Decibel Tolls is a hobby right now (unless you, uh, advertisers want to up the ante here), I may not be able to provide the quantity of content until I get all my shit on lockdown. It’s also worth noting that my new trade may not have the same “don’t have to do much” component in the job description that I’ve enjoyed over the past year, which allowed me the quality time needed to assess psychedelic rock (and various other weirdness) and upload MP3s. So in summation, better content (probably), but less frequently (maybe).

So to celebrate our relocation, enjoy some choice tracks from my favorite Chicago band (Califone) and my favorite Louisville band (Suuleeeiiint).

MP3:::
Califone – A Chinese Actor
Slint – Carol

Perhaps it was just the acoustics of the Frank Gehry designed amphitheater, but Califone got better since last time we met. Tim Rutuli’s vocals were at their most melodic and pop-aware, meanwhile the band was increasing their sonic depth before your very eyes, unfurling louder, thicker, trippier soundscapes that were strange even for Califone. Walls of thick ambience, collapsing structures and disjointed melodies, violins, horns, jingly percussion – Califone did not fuck around. Seeing them reminded me of why I like Animal Collective, as in, there were two very disparate forces pulling away from each other at the same time. While one segment of the music moved more into the major key pop realms, the other spun off into a noisy, marshmallowy sea of sine wave shredding psych. Jesus fuck, they were really good. The hippie contingent was out in full force, too, which is always fun to see juxtaposed with all the douchey fasttrack business folk.

Sorry about the shaky video. I wasn’t allowed to approach the front of the stage (“we ask that you don’t record performances”), so I was at a distance, in addition to having a lethal amount of caffeine pumping through me. But the sound quality is great! “The Orchids,” as I recently discovered, is a Psychic TV song, though Califone’s cover is rather righteous, especially live.

Save the date, coach. Freak roots/experimental folk pioneers and Thrill Jockey payrollees Califone will bring it proper for a midday concert this Monday, Aug. 11, at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium Park. The rockshow is part of the Audible Architecture Series. Admission is free and the show is scheduled to kick off at 12:15 p.m. There really are a surprising number of “New Weird America” rippers who work downtown (like me), and they will all be there geekin’ the fuck out whilst the Cloud Gate tourists remain righteously confused. It’ll be something to witness. My lunch break’s gonna rule.

And since Califone understands the toll recession is taking on folkheads these days, they’re playing another no-dough show at the Renegade Craft Fair on Sept. 14 along Division Street in the Ukranian Village (between Damen and Wood Avenues). Free love all around. You can also get your fix in Madison at the High Noon Saloon on Aug. 16, and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis on the 18th. You probably have to pay for those, though. No word yet on any studio action. Roots & Crowns still owns, though, so I’ll just keep coastin’ to that jam hive in the meantime.

MP3 :::
Califone – A Chinese Actor