R.I.P. singer/songwriter Ed Askew, 1940-2025

Sadly, Connecticut-born singer/songwriter Ed Askew – who cut "Ask The Unicorn" for ESP-disk in '68 – has passed away at 84.

LINKS
Exclaim Ed Askew has died

The Believer An interview with Ed Askew (2013)

Watch Margo Price & Sharon Van Etten sing "Radio" on The Late Late Show

Margo Price was joined by Sharon Van Etten for a performance of "Radio" off Margo's great new album Strays out now. 

Yoko Ono tribute album Ocean Child curated by Ben Gibbard out Friday

Flaming Lips, David Byrne, Yo La Tengo, Sharon Van Etten and Death Cab contribute covers of Yoko Ono's much-maligned tunes. 

Here's the scoop...

Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard, frustrated with the way Yoko Ono's music has been unfairly assailed over the decades – largely out of ignorance – has decided it was time for a rethink of Yoko's songwriting accomplishments. So he called up a few celebrated pals who also happen to be Yoko fans,  including David Byrne, Sharon Van Etten, Stephin Merritt, along with the members of Yo La Tengo,  Flaming Lips, Deehoof and US Girls, to revisit a few of Yoko Ono's compositions and perhaps offer a fresh perspective. 

The result is the 14-track Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono tribute album set for release by Canvasback Music/Atlantic on Friday, February 18th which happens to be Yoko's 89th birthday. Looking over the tracklist, it appears that Gibbard missed an opportunity to have the members of Redd Kross resurrect  their Tater Totz alter ego to reprise their raucous version of "Don't Worry Kyoko" which got them booed off the stage by angry Beatles fans at BeatleFest 1988 in Los Angeles (watch the entertaining footage after the track listing below).  

To coincide with Ocean Child's release, there will also be a podcast hosted by Gibbard and Rolling Stone contributing editor & Sirius XM personality Jenny Eliscu who will speak enthusiastically about why Yoko Ono's songs are so darn wonderful with the artists who chose to cover them. 

Check out the preview trailer, David Byrne & Yo La Tengo's lullabye-style update "Who Has Seen The Wind?" and Death Cab's jaunty run at "Waiting For The Sun Rise" followed by the track listing and the vintage Tater Totz performance footage from L.A.'s Bonaventure Hotel. 

Various Artists – Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono

Toyboat - Sharon Van Etten

Who Has Seen The Wind? - David Byrne And Yo La Tengo

Dogtown - Sudan Archives

Waiting For The Sunrise - Death Cab For Cutie

Yellow Girl (Stand For Life) - Thao

Born In A Prison - US Girls

Growing Pain - Jay Som

Listen, The Snow Is Falling - Stephin Merritt (of Magnetic Fields)

No No No - Deerhoof

Don't Be Scared - We Are KING

Mrs Lennon - The Flaming Lips

No One Sees Me Like You Do - Japanese Breakfast

There Is No Goodbye Between Us - Yo La Tengo

Run Run Run - Amber Coffman

Sharon Van Etten, Nilüfer Yanya @ Danforth Music Hall, Monday

Check out "Seventeen," "Jupiter 4" and "Comeback Kid" off Sharon Van Etten's latest album Remind Me Tomorrow out now. 

Sharon Van Etten w/ Etiquette @ The Drake Hotel, Saturday

Sharon's new single "Not Myself" was written for the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting.

I was home with my parents in New Jersey when I heard of the shooting at the nightclub in Florida. Hate, violence, and intolerance has always upset me, but I haven't been this overwhelmed with sadness and disbelief in a long time. The victims were only trying to be themselves and be comfortable and safe in their surroundings. That safety was violated out of fear and with a gun.


I originally wanted to raise money for the victims and their families, but I knew the issue was bigger than this. I wrote "Not Myself" for the victims of this horrific event, but I chose to support the research and awareness work of the Everytown for Gun Safety support fund: a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities. In the memory of those trying to be safe and be themselves, I hope we can all come together to help prevent another massacre like this and end gun violence.

Sincerely,
Sharon Van Etten

Sharon Van Etten on Jimmy Fallon tonight

Having recently finished work on her new album Tramp, bound to be a breakthrough release for Jersey girl Sharon Van Etten, the gifted singer/songwriter makes her network television debut this evening on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The lead off track Serpents suggests that producer Aaron Dessner (of The National) had the good sense to focus on Van Etten's voice and the additional instrumental support of pals Matt Barrick (Walkmen), Zach Condon (Beirut) and Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak) doesn't hurt. Tramp is set for release on Jagjaguwar on February 7, in advance of Van Etten's return to Toronto for a Lee's Palace show with Shearwater on February 21, but you can pre-order the album right now by following this link.

   
SHARON VAN ETTEN TOUR DATES

Tue. Jan. 17 -- New York, NY @ WNYC’s Greene Space (Soundcheck)

Fri. Feb. 10 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's w/ Shearwater

Sat. Feb. 11 -- Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Shearwater

Sun. Feb. 12 -- Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle w/ Shearwater

Tue. Feb. 14 -- Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center w/ Shearwater

Thu. Feb. 16 -- Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall w/ Shearwater

Fri. Feb. 17 -- Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall w/ Shearwater

Sat. Feb. 18 -- Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center w/ Shearwater

Tue. Feb. 21 -- Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace w/ Shearwater

Wed. Feb. 22 -- Montreal, QC @ Il Motore w/ Shearwater

Thu. Feb. 23 -- Boston, MA @ Paradise w/ Shearwater

Fri. Feb. 24 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Shearwater

Sat. Feb. 25 -- New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom w/ Shearwater

Thu. March 1 – London, UK @ Cargo

Fri. March 2 – Paris, France @ Point FMR

Sat. March 3 – Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique – Rotonde

Sun. March 4 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso

Tue. March 6 – Berlin, Germany @ Gruener Salon

Tue. March 20 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Avalon w/ The War On Drugs

Wed. March 21 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Independent w/ The War On Drugs

Fri. March 23 -- Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater w/ The War On Drugs

Sat. March 24 -- Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret w/ The War On Drugs

Sun. March 25 -- Seattle, WA @ The Neptune 

Tue. March 27 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room w/ The War On Drugs

Mon. March 28 -- Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater w/ The War On Drugs

Fri. March 30 – Iowa City, IA @ Mission Creek Festival

Sat. March 31 -- St. Louis, MO @ Luminary Center for the Arts w/ The War On Drugs

Sun. April 1 -- Bloomington, IN @ Rhino's w/ The War On Drugs

LINKS 

Label http://jagjaguwar.com/artist.php?name=vanettensharon    

Site http://sharonvanetten.com/

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/SharonVanEttenMusic

Twitter http://twitter.com/w/ Shearwater!/SHARONVANETTEN

The benefits of Sharon

A terrifically twangy Horseshoe Tavern performance by the banjo-powered Megafaun would be special enough on it's own – those hairy hombres don't travel this far from Durham, North Carolina every day – but the added bonus of an opening set by Brooklyn's Sharon Van Etten promises to turn tonight's show into an immense event however intimate. Van Etten's beautifully bittersweet Because I Was In Love (Language Of Stone) album, magnificently recorded by the Espers' Greg Weeks, announced the arrival of a hugely gifted songsmith with a knack for wedding memorable melodies to entrancing narratives with conversational ease.
Needless to say, Because I Was In Love made my Top 50 of 2009 list and I can't wait to hear what Van Etten has planned for the follow-up. Hopefully we'll get a glimpse at Horseshoe this evening at 9:15 pm.   

For You by Sharon Van Etten



LINKS
myspace  www.myspace.com/sharonvanetten 
site  http://www.sharonvanetten.com
label  http://www.languageofstone.com
Live at Bowery Ballroom Dec.15, 2009