The National, Jaguar Love.

Tonight The National will be at the House of Blues. I will be in attendance. I like The National, but haven't gotten a chance to give a dedicated listen to the album I have.

If I can swing it, I'd like to leave the show at the House of Blues (which starts at 8) in time to catch Jaguar Love at the Beauty Bar. Jaguar Love is yet another post Blood Brothers project (to join the ranks of Head Wound City, Soiled Doves, Neon Blonde, Past Lives...) made up of Johnny and Cody from Blood Brothers, and Jay Clark from Pretty Girls Make Graves. Johnny Whitney is playing a piano and singing. Cody Votolato is on both guitar and bass, and Jay (who was the shit in Pretty Girls) is playing drums, bass, and keyboard. This sounds interesting. It must be nice when your popularity in your previous band(s) can afford you all these one time, one album, one giant headlining tour projects. It's yet to be seen whether or not this band is more than just a recording project. They're on tour right now in the US and heading to Europe in June with plans to continue through the summer. Some of their shows will be opening up for Queens of the Stone Age, but they have a bunch of headlining gigs too. They have a 3 song EP set for release next Tuesday, June 6th on Matador Records, and a full length on the way called "Take Me to the Sea," slated for late August. The Matador website has an mp3 of "Bats Over the Pacific Ocean," from the full length available for download, here. I listened to it, and like it. It's much more rhythmically straight forward than the last couple of projects for Johnny, but his familiar vocals (screech included) go well with a more driving and upbeat accompaniment.

The rest of the the Blood Brothers (Jordan, Mark, Morgan, and orginal Guitarist Devin Welch) are also in a new band called Past Lives. They've played out in Seattle already, and are booked to play the Che in Sept. They kind of remind me of Kill Me Tomorrow.