Jason Lytle Recent News

Anti Records Reviews An Exceptional 2009

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800

Legendary Artists, A Breakout Album for Neko Case, A Triumphant And Soulful Offering From The Swell Season, Six Grammy Nods for Anti Artists, Tom Waits Live Album and Much More

William Elliott Whitmore: Animals in the Dark - On his Anti debut Whitmore reflects on life and loss and the world surrounding his Iowa horse farm on the banks of the Mississippi. The album showcases Whitmore’s classic songwriting and mastery of the acoustic guitar and banjo, but adds elements such as strings, an organ and a pedal steel, giving the songs a more expansive, cultivated sound. 2009 saw this unique artist captivating audiences around the world with his haunting and timeless sound.

"Animals reinforces his reputation as one of today's most transcendent folk artists." - Kansas City Star

"There's a time-honored truthfullness to William Elliott Whitmore that can't be rehearsed and most certainly can't be faked. It's tonally apparent in the world-weary ache of his baritone voice; it's lyrically manifested in the god-fearing mannerisms of simple protagonists; and it's buried deep within the gutsy pride and righteous integrity with which the Americana singer confronts issues of moral wrongs, institutional control, and fundamental rights throughout Animals in the Dark." - The Absolute Sound

NASA: The Spirit of Apollo - A joyfully sometimes surreal musical expedition overflowing with inspired collaborations -Tom Waits growls over Kool Keith, Karen O taunts while Ol' Dirty Bastard gives shout-outs to Wu Tang and N.A.S.A from the grave, and David Byrne, Chuck D and others expound on the evils of "Money." In spite of the range of performers, the pairings make perfect sense. Live the band features dancing aliens which is always a plus.

“The Spirit of Apollo is what happens when the imagination is let out of its cage. Good things happen.” – Urb

N.A.S.A.'s dope beats and wet-dream collaborations make Apollo an absolute must-have. - Alternative Press

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone – A stunning album by one of the preeminent songwriters and performers today. This is the record that finally transported Case from heroine of the underground into a deservedly larger spotlight. A riveting tour de force which has already graced many best of polls including those of Spin, Pitchfork and the top position on Amazon’s “Best Music of 2009” list. The album has also received Two Grammy nominations for “Best Contemporary Folk Album” and “Best Recording Package” (for the striking album cover)

“Case has one of the most powerful sets of pipes in pop” - Rolling Stone

“Neko Case’s songs are full of claws, wolves, tornadoes, birds of prey and the occasional gust of wind. But her voice is the real force of nature.” – New York Times Magazine

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: A Stranger Here - The renowned troubadour steps out of the country/folk arena that has shaped his legend and examines pre-WWII blues songs in a wholly unique way. A Stranger Here proves another wonderful tome in the library of one of the great American storytellers. The album has been nominated for a Grammy in the category of “Best Traditional Blues Album” and has garnered the album’s esteemed producer Joe Henry a nomination in the “Best Traditional Blues Album” category.

“Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is, along with Pete Seeger, one of America’s finest living folk singers. Seeing him play is a treat, but hearing him tell long, meandering stories — he didn’t get that nickname for nothing — is transformative.” - New York Times

“Both beautiful and brave in its purity" - Performing Songwriter

Bob Mould: Life and Times - A cathartic and vital album by an influential artist marks the respective anniversaries of the formation of Husker Du and Mould’s lauded solo effort Workbook with an album of unflinching self-reflection. Standouts like "Wasted World" and "I'm Sorry Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Anymore" highlight an artist completing a cycle decades in the making, his talent undiminished, his perspective acute.

"Passion, beauty, intelligence, grace: it's all here." – Filter

"This newest collection is moody and minimalist, and it showcases Mould’s introspective side. The most compelling songs evoke the speed, energy, and passionate commitment that justly made Mould an icon." - New Yorker

Jason Lytle: Yours Truly, The Commuter - Two years after Grandaddy's demise, Lytle returns with an immaculately crafted pop soundscape that mirrors both the dramatic environment of Lytle's newly-adopted Montana and the vintage twang of the Central California farmland that inspired hiss earlier work. Electronic flourishes collide with acoustic guitars and soulful piano parts, perfectly recreating Lytle’s signature lo-fi-electro atmospheres.

“A richly textured work that is lovingly crafted and affectingly poignant." - Alternative Press

“A textured homage to the lush and laid-back West Coast dream life of his youth…it’s like Bruce Springsteen’s open highway finally reached a melancholy kid from Modesto.” - Spin

Booker T: Potato Hole – The trailblazing soul man has written the most audacious chapter of his career with his first solo album in decades. Backed by the Drive-By Truckers with Booker's signature Hammond B3, the album bristles with energy and heart. The album has earned a Grammy nomination for Jones in the category of “Best Pop Instrumental Album.”

“There are no chart-baiting superstar guest vocalists or gimmicks, just gut-punching, funky, loose-limbed, rock 'n' soul jams recorded in down-and-dirty sessions without an inch of fat.” - Boston Globe

“Potato Hole proves as extraordinary, delirious and laugh-out-loud weird as anyone might dare hope.” – Uncut

The Field: Yesterday & Today - The innovative sound artist expands his ever transfixing audio palette, continuing the oblique sampling strategy of his critically praised “From Here We Go Sublime” while building up the rhythmic architecture to startling new heights.

“Full of driving, dirty beats, crisp bells and hats that delicately pepper the high end, this sonic treasure offers plenty of infectious grooves.” - DJ Times

“Yesterday & Today is gorgeous, overwhelming, lush and (mainly) wordless, and it reeks throughout of inarticulable emotion.” - Prefix Magazine

Bettye LaVette: Change is Gonna Come Sessions – The soul singer extraordinaire revisits her forgotten post-Atlantic Records years as a nightclub singer and Broadway performer with a mix of classics including a heart wrenching rendition of Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child" and an acclaimed version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," which LaVette performed at the Obama Inaugural Celebration.

"There's no one more soulful than Bettye LaVette…Bettye makes great music now because of her obstacles. She has a fire in her belly and a passion that was never squashed over the years...you just hear it and feel it in everything she sings." - CNN.com

“a compelling and intimate set of songs that adroitly combine a smoky jazz club, Saturday night rent party and Sunday morning church service. “ - Creative Loafing

Busdriver: Jhelli Beam – The art rap progenitor returns to jolt rap back into shape with virtuoso vocal stylings and poignant (and at times dadaist) lyricism. This record not only effortlessly trumps all previous mind-bending performances of his earlier works, but gives them new context; highlighting their dexterity with nuggets of election year paranoia and absurdist humor.

"Everything on Jhelli Beam makes sense. Every word is a picture. Every sentence pushed over the one before it the way dominos fall when they're lined up in a row....This is creativity - this is the reason for being: to preceive/ingest, and digest, and poop it out." - LA Record

“Busdriver's crazy, quick verses sprint from inside-out humor to social criticism alongside challenging beats that reward repeated listens. Exciting, odd stuff." - Chicago Tribune

Solillaquists of Sound: No More Heroes - With this release the Orlando-based hip hop quartet have accomplished the rare feat of creating a body of work that's as palatable to the public as it is groundbreaking, imaginative, and rewarding to listeners looking for something more in the soundtrack to their lives.

“authentic and raw, blending elements of dubstep, afrobeat, folk, most
obviously hip-hop, but surprisingly more synth-beats infused in a background of beautiful harmonies.” - 7x7 Magazine

“A lyrically potent, melodic, and danceable piece, make sure to cop one of the best records the year has to offer.” – Sputnikmusic

Joe Henry: Blood From Stars - The revered solo artist and Grammy-winning producer’s music spans many genres but the dominant sound on Blood From Stars is a rich blues tonality that swells into ravishing epics that jump the rails to incorporate folky jazz and bent Sinatra-esque washes of sampled strings. Henry’s eleventh album is a tour de force of lush arrangements and seductive song lines. The acclaimed musician/producer was also nominated for a Grammy for his work guiding Ramblin Jack Elliott’s release, A Stranger Here.

"Joe Henry is like that unexpected piece of dark chocolate at the bottom of the ice cream dish: something rich, sweet and so surprisingly good that you wonder how it escaped you before. This album captures a sensuous musicality, whether it's torch songs or avant-garde and traditional jazz, raw blues or pumped up soul escapades." – RELIX

“For connoisseurs of craft, Henry’s writing is an absolute joy, drawing effortlessly on classic pop, roots, and folk traditions and alchemizing these various strains into a single, sweet sound.” – American Way Magazine

Os Mutantes: Haih or Amortecedor - Still psychedelic, influential, political and playful after all these years – the near mythical has crafted triumphant return with their first record in 35 Years. Revered by luminaries such as Kurt Cobain, the Flaming Lips Devendra Banhart and Beck, the Mutantes have delivered one of the most original and enjoyable albums of the year.

"a superb, politically tinged reunion effort....their new songs remain as bold and fascinating as their old ones." – New Yorker

"Haih Or Amortecedor is rhapsodic, an endearing tribute, and a welcome addition, to one of pop music’s strangest group of musicians." – Popmatters

Islands: Vapours – The ever evolving Montreal outfit returns with an album that flits back and forth between moody synthesizers and drum-machine-heavy beats and an array of intriguing sonic textures, all the while remaining firmly rooted in the classic pop sensibilities and melodic hooks the band is celebrated for. 

"infectious and weird....masterful, refreshing synth-pop, served up pure and simple.” – Blackbook

"one of our favorite albums of the fall. It's just some lush, pop goodness." – Paper Magazine

Rain Machine: Rain Machine - Kyp Malone’s solo project features ten unflinchingly original and emotional songs mixing elements of modern jazz, blue-grass and blistering guitar driven rock into a refreshing new sound. As singer and guitarist for celebrated band TV on the Radio, Malone proved himself both a captivating and delightfully unpredictable musical force. On Rain Machine, he shows himself a singer and a lyricist of startling talents.

“Malone steps out with an emotionally open debut just as experimental and daring as his work with TVOTR.” – USA Today

“The tunes sound a bit like a rain dance—tribal bells, trance-inflected refrains, the occasional howl—but one that's been fed through the post-apocalyptic fury of TV On The Radio. The result proves a compelling sonic exploration, knotty and exultant as ever.” – The Onion

Dead Man’s Bones: Dead Man’s Bones - Initially intended as play about a monster-ghost-love-story, Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling eventually scrapped the stage show and recorded Dead Man’s Bones, a refreshingly original album featuring doo-wop songs about werewolves, haunting melodies telling tales of zombies with broken hearts, and children singing the joys and pains of being alive or being dead.

“Simultaneously sweet and spooky, heart-stirring and imaginative; a wonderful requiem to our forgotten fear of the dark" – LA Weekly

“A decidedly beautiful thing" – MOJO

The Swell Season: Strict Joy – The follow up to their Oscar winning “Once” soundtrack, Strict Joy finds the duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova evoking the bittersweet aftermath of their real life romance and breakup with an album of stirring folk tinged blue eyed soul.

“a lush, lovely, heartfelt gem.” – NPR

“Strict Joy is a joy from start to finish, as few bands manage to mix intimacy and sweeping songcraft with such finesse.” – All Music Guide

Alec Ounsworth: Mo’ Beauty - a soulful and intriguing solo endeavor from celebrated singer/songwriter Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Recorded in music-steeped New Orleans with an all star cast of local talent, the end result is a display of masterful songwriting and arguably Ounsworth’s best work yet.

"Mesmerizing and profound" – The Onion

"The sharpest arrangements and best songwriting of his short career: Almost every tune on Mo Beauty equals or betters those on CYHSY's lauded 2005 debut, mixing spooky folk with frantic fun. Ounsworth's regular band may have a shaky future, but he doesn't." – Spin

Tom Waits: Glitter & Doom Live – This two disc collection perfectly documents Waits' sold out, acclaimed 2008 “Glitter and Doom” tour. The music disc features Waits' in his eclectic glory shifting seamlessly from an array of characters: carnival barker, preacher, country singer, soul balladeer; cabaret singer and storyteller. Disc Two is a selection of the comic bromides, strange musings, and unusual facts that Waits traditionally shares with his audience during the piano set.

“One of the most charismatic and straightforwardly entertaining live artists you are ever likely to see or hear. (..) Pick disc one for the uninterrupted junkyard blues and bewilderingly tender crooning: choose disc two for trivia and lies dredged from the back pages of the Fortean Times and delivered sans songs with the impeccable timing of a seasoned professional still in love with the stage and his audience.” – Time Out London

“Equal parts Captain Beefheart and Louis Armstrong as he examines the full spectrum of life, from the grimly grotesque to the sweetly sentimental… It’s an utter delight.” - NME

* Mavis Staples: Live: Hope at the Hideout - While technically released at the end of 2008, it’s worth mentioning that Mavis’ blistering live album has just earned the legendary soul singer a well deserved Grammy nomination in the category of “Best Contemporary Blues Album.” Mavis was previously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 Grammys for her collective work with the Staples Singers.

Ex Grandaddy Frontman Jason Lytle Plays West Coast Dates

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:10:00 -0700

Jason Lytle, renowned for his work as singer/songwriter for acclaimed indie cult favorites Grandaddy, will be touring the West Coast of North America in support of his extraordinary solo album Yours Truly, the Commuter. A striking collection of haunting ruminations on isolation, loneliness and perseverance, Yours Truly, The Commuter has received unanimous critical acclaim:

"his songs work because they are deeply sincere, and that sincerity makes them sound all the more awestruck and imaginative." - Pitchfork

"A textured homage to the lush and laid-back West Coast dream life of his youth...its like Bruce Springsteen's open highway finally reached a melancholy kid from Modesto." - Spin

"Lytle has truly gathered his strength for one hell of a re-emergence with Yours Truly, The Commuter. Basking in the same soft-to-the-touch surrealism as Grandaddy, Commuter drifts between lush downers and wistful vocals, playing its fuzzed-out rock close to the chest while tugging sweetly at the heartstrings." - American Songwriter

"Defiantly straining for hope while haunted by past failures, it's a deeply human document of one man starting over, exactly the kind of emotionally rich and melodically direct album we've come to expect from him. - Death and Taxes

"Sweet, weird, cosmic-sounding indie rock doesn't get much better than this." - Interview Magazine

"a starkly personal and ultimately triumphant record...the Modesto, Calif., native is still making gorgeous, uplifting starry-skied music." - Minneapolis Star Tribune

"It's a fragile recollection of California rock from more auspicious times, with stately melodies and vocal chorales over jerry-built foundations: elegies for vanished certainties." - New York Times

Tour Dates:

Jason Lytle will be performing his beautiful and inspirational songs on selected dates with melodic New Zealand songwriter Liam Finn.

10-22 Echoplex, Los Angeles, CA
10-23 Independent, San Francisco, CA
10-24 Dante's, Portland, OR
10-25 Crocodile Café, Seattle, WA

Jason Lytle Concert on NPR's All Songs Considered September 3rd

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:08:00 -0700

A captivating live performance by singer/songwriter Jason Lytle will be featured on NPR’s popular online music program All Songs Considered on September 3. Lytle, acclaimed for his work with previous band Grandaddy, has been touring in support of his remarkable new solo album Yours Truly, the Commuter, collection of cinematic like ruminations on isolation and resilience that Spin described as “a textured homage to the lush and laid-back West Coast dream life of his youth” and the BBC called “an adventurous and engaging record that gives more on every listen.”

Lytle and band recently played a set at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City which featured both new songs off Yours Truly, the Commuter, some notable Grandaddy favorites and a startling cover of Merle Haggard’s “Today I Started Loving You Again.” The entire performance can be heard on All Songs Considered this September 3rd.

Jason Lytle’s Set for “All Songs Considered”

1. Chartsengrafs
2. Ghost of My Old Dog
3. Levitz
4. Yours Truly, the Commuter
5. Brand New Sun
6. This Song is the Mute Button
7. What Can't Be Erased
8. Stray Dog and the Chocolate Shake
9. Our Dying Brains
10. Birds Encouraged Him
11. I am Lost (and the moment cannot last)
12. Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)
13. AM 180
14. ENCORE - Rollin' Home Alone
15. Today I Started Loving You Again (Merle Haggard Cover)

Jason Lytle will also be heading west in October to perform a few select shows accompanied by melodic New Zealand songwriter Liam Finn.

Jason Lytle Tour Dates

Oct 22, Echoplex in LA
Oct 23, The Independent in SF
Oct 24, Dante's in Portland
Oct 25, The Croc in Seattle

Jason Lytle Interview and In-Studio performance

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:06:00 -0700

Jason Lytle Interview and In-Studio performance on National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" June 11

Former Grandaddy Singer on Tour with Neko Case, Adds East Coast Dates in Support of Solo Debut Yours Truly, the Commuter

Jason Lytle will take time from his busy schedule in Los Angeles later this week – which includes a headlining show in Long Beach June 11 and opening for Neko Case at the Greek Theater in Hollywood June 12 – to visit NPR West in Culver City to talk and play on NPR's popular midday news talk show Talk of the Nation on Thursday June 11. To find stations and broadcast times for Talk of the Nation, visit www.npr.org/stations.

Lytle is currently on tour with labelmate Neko Case in support of his new solo debut Yours Truly, the Commuter, which has been garnering the former Grandaddy frontman praise from critics:

"Lytle has truly gathered his strength for one hell of a re-emergence" -American Songwriter
"Sweet, weird, cosmic-sounding indie rock doesn't get much better than this." -Interview
"A richly textured work that is lovingly crafted and affectingly poignant." -Alternative Press

Jason Lytle on Tour (all dates with Neko Case unless otherwise noted):
06/08 San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord (headline show)
06/09 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
06/11 Long Beach, CA - Art Theatre (headline show)
06/12 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
06/14 Merced, CA - The Partisan (headline show)
07/01 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club (headline show)
07/02 Chicago, IL - Congress Theater (with Explosions In The Sky)
07/03 Columbia, MO - Tonic (headline show)
07/07 Newport, KY – Southgate House (headline show)
07/08 Columbus, OH – The Basement (headline show)
07/10 Brooklyn, NY – Union Hall (headline show)
07/11 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom (headline show)
07/15 Cleveland, OH – The Grog Shop (headline show)
07/16 Grand Rapids, MI - Meijer Gardens
07/17 Indianapolis, IN - Clowes Hall
07/19 Kansas City, MO - The Uptown
07/22 Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot
07/23 Buffalo, NY - Thursdays at the Square
07/25 Nashville, TN - Ryman
07/26 Atlanta, GA - Cobb
07/28 Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live
07/29 Philadelphia, PA - Kimmel Center
07/31 Pittsburgh, PA - Riverplex Amphitheatre

Grandaddy's Jason Lytle Keeping Busy with Release of Solo Debut May 19

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:04:00 -0700

Neko Case Tour in June and Appearances on Upcoming Danger Mouse/Sparklehorse Collaboration and The Crystal Method Album

Former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle officially ended his creative hibernation last month as he played half a dozen sets at the South By Southwest music festival, making both rabid Grandaddy fans and the hosts at NPR's All Songs Considered very happy (watch Lytle's music video session for NPR here).

Now with the release of his long-awaited solo debut, Yours Truly, the Commuter, just around the corner, Jason Lytle is seemingly busier than ever. He recently contributed vocal performances on Divided by Night by The Crystal Method, scheduled for release May 12th, on the upcoming Dark Night of the Soul album, a collaboration between Danger Mouse and Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse, not to mention the new critically acclaimed M. Ward album Hold Time.

In addition to stints in various studios, Lytle will also support labelmate and current It Girl Neko Case on a handful of shows. Together, Case and Lytle will perform at the historic Greek Theater in Los Angeles along with a number of other west coast dates.
 6/4 SEATTLE PARAMOUNT THEATRE 6/5 PORTLAND CRYSTAL BALLROOM 6/7 EUGENE MCDONALD THEATRE 6/9 SAN FRAN WARFIELD 6/12 LOS ANGELES GREEK

Early praise for Yours Truly, the Commuter:

"One of the things I love most about Lytle's music is his storytelling: Few songwriters can craft a tale as well as he can, and they always cut to the bone." – Robin Hilton/NPR's All Songs Considered
"A textured homage to the lush and laid-back West Coast dream life of his youth…its like Bruce Springsteen's open highway finally reached a melancholy kid from Modesto." - Spin
"Defiantly straining for hope while haunted by past failures, it's a deeply human document of one man starting over, exactly the kind of emotionally rich and melodically direct album we've come to expect from him. – Death and Taxes
"a richly textured work that is lovingly crafted and affectingly poignant." - Alternative Press

Jason Lytle's "Yours Truly, the Commuter" Digital Single Available on iTunes April 7th

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:03:00 -0700

Former Grandaddy Frontman to Tour with Neko Case in June
First Solo Appearances at SXSW Steals the Show

On April 7th, Grandaddy singer and principle songwriter Jason Lytle will release a digital single for "Yours Truly, the Commuter" off his forthcoming solo debut full-length also titled Yours Truly, the Commuter, out May 19th on ANTI- Records.

On June 3rd, Lytle will meet up with labelmate Neko Case in Vancouver for a number of west coast shows. Neko is currently riding high on her new release Middle Cyclone which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts.

Lytle is currently recuperating from almost a week of appearances, some of his first as a solo artist, at the 2009 South By Southwest music festival. By all accounts, his live performances of material from Yours Truly are upholding the torch lit by Grandaddy, understated but immensely moving and melodic.

Click here to see Jason Lytle's performance of "Brand New Sun" on NPR's All Songs Considered.

Click here to see his in-studio interview with John Norris for Spin/Myspace.

Jason Lytle on tour with Neko Case:
6/3 VANCOUVER, BC The Vogue
6/4 SEATTLE, WA The Paramount
6/5 PORTLAND, OR Crystal Ballroom
6/7 EUGENE, OR MacDonald Theater
6/9 SAN FRANCISCO, CA The Warfield
6/12 LOS ANGELES, CA The Greek Theatre

Jason Lytle Reveals Yours Truly, The Commuter Album Artwork, Adds Appearances to SXSW Schedule

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:03:00 -0800

Former Grandaddy Frontman's Solo Debut Makes NPR's All Songs Considered's "Best of 2009 So Far…"

Today former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle revealed the album cover for his long-awaited debut solo record Yours Truly, The Commuter, out May 19th on ANTI- Records.

Like the music on Yours Truly, the album cover hints at earlier Grandaddy work, a reassuring turn for Grandaddy fans looking to fill the void left by the band's quiet demise in 2003. NPR's All Songs Considered producer Robin Hilton is one such fan, recently including Your Truly in his top ten best records so far in 2009 writing, "Lytle was the frontman for one of my all-time favorite bands, Grandaddy. I was so bummed when they split up. But he's back with his first solo album, and it feels like nothing's been lost." Yet, again mirroring the sound of the new record, the album artwork is filled with a subtle progression of substance and style, perhaps attributable to Lytle's complete vision and control hof his music and his newly adopted home of Montana.

Lytle will be ditching the Montana snow for sunnier climes of Austin Texas when he makes half a dozen appearances at the SXSW Music Festival this month:

• Thursday, March 19 @ Room 710 - Pirate/Epitaph Party -Set Time: 4pm
• Friday, March 20 - Under the Radar Party/Flamingo Cantina - Set Time: 4pm
• Friday, March 20 – Official Showcase Central Presbyterian Church -Set Time: 1am
• Saturday, March 21 -Hot Freeks Party/The Mohawk (Outside Stage) - Set Time: 1pm
• Saturday, March 21 - Mess With Texas/Waterloo Park - Set Time: 2:20pm
• Saturday, March 21 - The Ship Party/Homeslice - Set Time: 5:15pm

ANTI- RECORDS INVADES SXSW

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:03:00 -0800

N.A.S.A Hosts Spacecamp, Jason Lytle Makes at Least 6 Appearances in Support of Yours Truly, the Commuter and More…

Representing a wide musical swath, ANTI- recording artists - ranging from the firebrand freestyle of Sage Francis and the machine gun flow of Busdriver to the Brazilian-funk-meets-modern-electronica DJ sets of N.A.S.A and the lovely introspection of Jason Lytle - are set to take over South By Southwest.

N.A.S.A, whose debut album the Spirit of Apollo came out February 17th, will be hosting a day of music at Bird's East on Thursday March 19th that includes an afternoon appearance from labelmate Busdriver and culminates in a N.A.S.A set that night, complete with glittery booty girls and grooving space aliens. the Spirit of Apollo set the bar unreachably high by pairing the 40+ guest vocalists, including Kanye West, M.I.A, Tom Waits, the famous half of the Wu Tang Clan, David Byrne, Karen O and dozens of others, in wholly original and unexpected ways, and anchored the whole thing with deep Brazilian-flavored tracks. The result, according to Rolling Stone: "sounds like a celebration."

Jason Lytle will be enjoying the Texas sunshine after a winter of self-enforced hibernation in his newly adopted home of Montana, which resulted in the evocative gem, Yours Truly, the Commuter. Lytle's first, and long-awaited, solo recording since disbanding his well-loved brainchild Grandaddy, Yours Truly is filled with the signature vintage synths, affecting melodies and fuzzed-out guitars that made Grandaddy a predominant force of the indie rock scene of the late 90s. Yours Truly, the Commuter comes out May 19th.

Busdriver will be celebrating the completion of his yet-untitled follow-up to 2007's RoadKillOvercoat with several appearances at SXSW. Of the Busdriver live experience, the Village Voice said "a display of pure skill, Busdriver's live show is truly impressive; he seems to freestyle a lot of his stuff completely off the top of his head without ever slowing down or losing the beat," while the New York Times added "within the barrage of syllables were inventive rhymes and complex commentary on politics and culture."

Sage Francis will be taking a break from recording to make a single appearance at SXSW. "He rhymes like a champ," Alternative Press praised in a 4 (of 5) star review of his latest, Human the Death Dance. Meanwhile, Filter asserted, "You can call it emo or you can call it hip-hop, but you have to call it some kind of wonderful."

N.A.S.A.
Spacecamp
Thursday, March 19th
Bird's East.
1107 East 6th Street
Set Time: 6pm

Windish Showcase
Thursday, March 19th
Emo's Annex
600 Red River Road
Set Time: 10pm

Spin Party
Friday, March 20
Stubb's
801 Red River Road
Set Time: 3:40pm & 4:40pm

Filter Party
Saturday, March 21
Cedar Street
208 West 4th Street
Set Time: 5pm

Busdriver
Spacecamp
Thursday, March 19th
Bird's East
1107 East 6th Street
Set Time: 2pm

LA Record Showcase
Thursday, March 19th
The Independent
501 North IH 35
Set Time: 12am

Mess With Texas
Saturday, March 21
Waterloo Park
15th & Red River Road
Set Time: 8pm

SXSW Hip Hop Showcase
Friday, March 20th
Back Alley Social
303 West 5th Street
Set Time: 1:15am

Jason Lytle
Pirate/Epitaph Party
Thursday, March 19 @ Room 710
710 Red River Road
Set Time: 4pm

Under the Radar Party
Friday, March 20
Flamingo Cantina
515 E 6th Street
Set Time: 4pm

OFFICIAL SHOWCASE
Friday, March 20
Central Presbyterian Church
200 E 8th Street
Set Time: 1am

Hot Freeks Party
Saturday, March 21
The Mohawk (Outside Stage)
912 Red River Street
Set Time: 1pm

Mess With Texas
Saturday, March 21
Waterloo Park
15th & Red River Road
Set Time: TBA

The Ship Party
Saturday, March 21
Homeslice
1415 South Congress
Set Time: 5:15pm

Sage Francis
Strange Famous Showcase
Saturday, March 21
Scoot Inn
1308 East 4th Street
Set Time: 1am

Jason Lytle Storms South By Southwest

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:02:00 -0800

Spring Thaw Brings Former Grandaddy Frontman out to Support ANTI- Records Debut Yours Truly, the Commuter

After emerging from a self-enforced retreat during the first winter in his newly adopted Montana with a brilliant new record Yours Truly, the Commuter (out May 19 via ANTI- Records), Jason Lytle is making the most of the sunnier climes of Austin TX with three days of appearances at SXSW 2009.

Lytle's sudden reappearance on the music scene after Grandaddy's quiet demise three years ago has been welcome news to both fans and music writers from Pitchfork to Spin to Magnet who are all eagerly awaiting the release of Yours Truly. And they will not be disappointed. Lytle's first solo record, with its swirling vintage synth sounds, affecting melodies and fuzzed-out guitars, recalls his acclaimed decade of work as singer and principal songwriter for Grandaddy. Yet there are new elements running through this current record. Perhaps it is the broad vistas of the Montana skyline or the newly-found freedom of writing and playing every single note of music himself, but somehow the themes of loss and redemption, highs and lows that have been present in all of Lytle's writings, are less tragic, more forgiving, especially towards himself.

Jason Lytle at SXSW (more sets and set-times to be announced):

• Pirate/Epitaph Party: Thursday, March 19 @ Room 710 / 710 Red River / w/Jessica Lea Mayfield, Say Hi, Hot Panda, Blue Eyed Blacks / Doors: 12pm / 4pm

• OFFICIAL SHOWCASE: Friday, March 20 @ Central Presbyterian Church / 200 E 8th St. / w/Ceci Bastida, Fanfarlo, Low Anthem, Lisa Hannigan, Laura Marling, Howe Gelb / 1am

• Under the Radar Party: Friday, March 20 @ Flamingo Cantina / 515 E 6th St. / TBD pm (30 min set)

• The Ship Party - Location TBD / Saturday, March 21 / Jason: 5:15pm

• Mess With Texas / Saturday, March 21

Jason Lytle's Long Anticipated Solo Album Out May 19th on Anti- Records

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Yours Truly, the Commuter Provides Terrific Fix for Grandaddy Fans

After the quiet conclusion of Grandaddy's extraordinary decade-plus run in 2006, fans were left wondering what would become of one of indie rock's most affecting personalities, Grandaddy singer and songwriter Jason Lytle. With the release of Yours Truly, the Commuter on May 19th that question will be answered, for Jason Lytle is back with a record that promises to surpass all expectations of even the most fervid enthusiasts.

Seen most recently as a featured artist on the new M. Ward record Hold Time and live at Terminal 3 of the San Francisco International airport as part of the experimental holiday program "You Are Here," Lytle has thus far left little clue of the masterpiece up his own sleeve.

On Yours Truly, the Commuter, dreamy soundscapes mirror the dramatic environment of Lytle's newly-adopted Montana, where the record was written and recorded, while the twang of central California farmland remains in the inflection and phrasings of the Modesto native's unmistakable voice. Electronic flourishes collide with acoustic guitars and soulful piano parts, recreating Lytle's signature electro-lo-fi atmospheres. The fuzzed out rocking of "It's the Weekend" is balanced by the beautiful heartbreak of "Rollin' Home Alone," but it is the opening lines of the first song that so neatly encapsulates the past few years of Jason Lytle's life, and his future as an artist:

"I may be limping, but I'm coming home"

Yours Truly, the Commuter tracklisting:
1. Yours Truly, the Commuter
2. Brand New Sun
3. Ghost Of My Old Dog
4. I Am Lost (And The Moment Cannot Last)
5. Birds Encouraged Him
6. It's The Weekend
7 Fürget It
8. This Song Is The Mute Button
9. Rollin' Home Alone
10. You're Too Gone
11. Flying Thru Canyons
12. Here For Good