Nobody but you :: The Langhorne Slim interview
Raised on the rollicking farmland in Pennsylvania from which he’s borrowed a name, Langhorne Slim has released a superb album this year with his Be Set Free. I’ve been listening to it nonstop.
In the same way that someone like M Ward is delightfully anachronistic and richly soaked in the blues, Slim moves fluidly between a range of influences that I love. There’s a loosely-tied thread of jangly marvelousness cascading through so many of these songs, like it’s just barely being held together around the edges, while pulsing wild and free in the hot-blooded center.
He can also turn a lyric in a way that pierces me, and is just as sharp and clever in person as he is on his records.
This album opens with a yearning to make sense of life while also realizing that the days are wasting away. The songs wend and weave all the way to the final confident notes of knowing who he is and what he needs to be happy. I love how I can pick up on a sort of transformation on this album from the first song to the last. For all his confidence, though, the songs are gorgeous in their honest searchings. He’s a man that’s flawed but learning, one that I picture occasionally lays there in the quiet darkness with a woman, lamenting lost loves, and striving to be something better. I can relate.
…And really, any man who writes words that promise, “You can have my television, long as I got lips for kissing you…” over a technicolor explosion of gospel claps and Wurlitzer is a-ok with me.
Boots Boy – Langhorne Slim
THE F/F INTERVIEW: Go read my latest Slim shady convo over at Gigbot…
…and then come with me to see him on October 29th, or whenever he stomps through your part of town. He puts on an absolutely wonderful show:
LANGHORNE SLIM FALL TOUR
Oct 14 – Daniel Street, Milford, Connecticut *
Oct 15 – Bell House, Brooklyn, New York #
Oct 17 – TT The Bears, Cambridge, Massachusetts #
Oct 21 – The Grog Shop, Cleveland Heights, Ohio #
Oct 22 – Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, Michigan #
Oct 23 – Lincoln Hall, Chicago, Illinois #
Oct 24 – High Noon Saloon, Madison, Wisconsin #
Oct 25 – 400 Bar, Minneapolis, Minnesota #
Oct 26 – The Waiting Room, Omaha, Nebraska #
Oct 28 – Jackpot Saloon, Lawrence, Kansas #
Oct 29 – Hi-Dive, Denver, Colorado #
Oct 30 – Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, Utah #
Oct 31 – Neurolux, Boise, Idaho
Nov 2 – Tractor Tavern, Seattle, Washington #
Nov 3 – Media Club, Vancouver, British Columbia #
Nov 4 – Crystal Ballroom, Portland, Oregon #
Nov 6 – The Independent, San Francisco, California #
Nov 7 – Cellar Door, Visalia, California #
Nov 8 – Troubadour, Los Angeles, California #
Nov 9 – The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, Arizona #
Nov 11 – The Mohawk, Austin, Texas #
Nov 13 – The Basement, Nashville, Tennessee #
Nov 14 – Earl, East Atlanta, Georgia #
Nov 15 – Cats Cradle, Carrboro, North Carolina #
Nov 16 – The Southern, Charlottesville, Virginia #
Nov 17 – Rock N Roll Hotel, Washington, Washington DC #
Nov 19 – Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania #
Nov 20 – Chameleon Club, Lancaster, Pennsylvania #
Nov 21 – Le Poisson Rouge, New York, New York #
* with Murder by Death (oh yeah)
# with Dawes
[photos of course by the formidable Todd Roeth]
Name: Heather Browne
Hi-Dive+Langhorne Slim= Awesomepants.
So excited. October is jam packed full of delicious goodies, from candy corn (or those superior candy pumpkins) to ear candy.
Kathleen — October 13, 2009 @ 10:28 am
Great interview. Especially dug the part about the studio vs. live show, and that he copped to a little resentment. That part made me kinda laugh reading it, and I don’t much blame him for it either.
The dude’s live show is second-to-none, but there’s depth in the songs that make ‘em great even if you’re not dancing your ass off in a sweaty bar.
Kill More Trout — October 13, 2009 @ 10:50 am
I’m pretty excited about the Hi-Dive show. Langhorne’s new stuff is amazing, and I’m just starting to listen to the Dawes album, and so it should be a great night of music.
Jeff — October 13, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
This song will always have a special little place in my life. I hadn’t ever gotten into Langhorne Slim before, even though I had heard good things. Sometime last year I was messing around on Daytrotter, and this song was part of the set that was posted, and it absolutely blew me away. It was one of those songs that I immediately had to put on a CD for my fiance, who also fell in love with the song. Fast forward to this September when I married (my beautiful) wife and our choices for our first dance came down to that Daytrotter version (named ‘Nobody but You’) and ‘At Last.’ Had we had this version of the song we probably would have used it, as the Daytrotter one is very short (and sweet).
Anyways, long story short this is a fantastic little love song.
Adam — October 13, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
adam, what a great story and thanks for sharing it. it is indeed a fantastic little love song.
the daytrotter session you speak of is here: http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/langhorne-slim-concert/20030290-110269.html
browneheather — October 14, 2009 @ 7:07 am
best album of 09
jesselun — October 14, 2009 @ 11:46 am
Nice post.
We love Mr. Slim here in Philly
Bruce
Bruce Warren — October 14, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
I can’t stop listening to him either and wish I could see him in concert again – his performance is my new definition for passion. I wish I had even an ounce of what he puts out at a show.
Mike — October 14, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
Does this quote – “What’s more heavy than having somebody relate to something and make it their own? For me that’s a big part of what this is all about.” equal this – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vENWaT1yBzE&feature=player_embedded
Mike — October 17, 2009 @ 8:21 am
yeah that’s the same series with Ray LaMontagne and the doggie, right? my jury is mixed on that one. but then again, i despise TV commercials.
browneheather — October 17, 2009 @ 10:59 am
I caught his show last night at TT the Bear’s in Cambridge, and he went all out, from the first note to the last. I’d really been digging his folksy but rough-edged voice and his lyrics, and was not disappointed with the live version. Your blog was the first place I read about Langhorne and listened to his music, so thanks for cluing me in!
Amy — October 18, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
Great interview, Heather. Very well done. Thanks for sharing.
Shirk — October 28, 2009 @ 10:00 pm
Tuesday night in DC can’t wait
Mike — November 15, 2009 @ 11:22 pm