Beckett to Castle: "Come And Find Me"

A little background ... it was likely the summer of 2000, 10 years ago now, that I was experiencing the perfect summer night in Los Angeles. The Frames had probably just played somewhere to about 5 people (this was pre-Swell Season) and people were gathering at someone's house in the valley. They had a hot tub, and yes, I was in the hot tub with Glen Hansard. No hanky panky though, just drinking some beer and talking about music. I did start to think I was in heaven though, when I heard someone behind me with an acoustic guitar beautifully playing an impressive song that began "If I could trace, the line that ran, between your smile and your sleight of hand, I would guess that you put, something up my sleeve. Everytime I see your face, the bells ring in a far off place, we can find each other this way I believe... Come and find me, now ..."

Just sitting around at a house party, Josh Ritter wasn't even playing it to anyone in particular, just playing it. I thought "Am I a little too drunk or is that just about the best song ever?" Subsequently we were introduced, (he said he was from Idaho, I said "the band?"), addresses were exchanged, an EP came my way shortly and in the sober light of day I listened to "Come And Find Me" again and decided it pretty much was the best song ever. Fast forward through 11 years, five stellar albums, at least 8 or 9 incredible live shows, a lovely friendship and many more 'best songs ever', I have the great pleasure of placing the first song I ever heard Josh Ritter play into a TV show called Castle.

You can hear it the almost-romantic scene between Castle & Beckett in the episode titled "To Live And Die In L.A.", that first aired on May 2, 2011. Find the archive on ABC's Castle site.

Josh Ritter "Come And Find Me" (Don't stop with this song ... it only gets better): Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Other awesome (if I do say so myself) music in this episode:

Ferrari scene: The Californias "La La La" Official Site

Pool scene: Sloan "The Other Side" (This band is great! I recommend all their CDs!) Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Closing: Pearl Jam "Breathe" Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Until next week!

Jon Spencer Burns It Up on Castle

Sometimes you just need a little gritty blues rock to kick off a noir-influenced detective series. Blues Explosion fits the bill this week with "Burn It Off" as Castle and Beckett delve into a mystery involving competing pizza franchises in NYC. Closing out the episode, the lovely Lindsey Ray and the talented A.M. team up on a song called "Anchor Of Love".

This episode first aired on April 4, 2011 and is titled "Slice Of Death".

Blues Explosion (now known as The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and do check out their incredible catalog): Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Lindsey Ray: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Catching Up With 2011 New Music So Far

Three months into 2011, and plenty of good music to entertain us already! Here are my favorite recent new releases (and one I overlooked from last year!), in alphabetical order.

Acid House Kings - Music Sounds Better With You: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Adam Haworth Stephens - We Live On Cliffs: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Alexi Murdoch - Towards The Sun: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Bright Eyes - The People's Key: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Cold War Kids - Mine Is Yours: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Dears - Degeneration Street: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Iron and Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean: Official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

James Vincent McMorrow - Early In The Morning: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Belong: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Robert Pollard - Space City: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Sara Lov - I Already Love You: Official Site :: iTunes

Skywatchers - The Skywatchers Handbook: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Strokes - Angles: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Tapes 'n Tapes - Outside: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Twilight Singers - Dynamite Steps: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Voxhaul Broadcast - Timing Is Everything: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Walk The Moon - I Want I Want: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Castle Hopes This Gets To Her

It's a very sweet moment as Castle wraps up tonight - Castle is getting strategic as he woos Beckett, letting her think she is informing him about a cool film screening at The Angelika, when he's been wanting to go all along. Clever man! We sent them off into the elevator to the sounds of The Daylights "I Hope This Gets To You". This episode is titled "Love And Murder" and it first aired March 28, 2011.

The Daylights: Amazon :: iTunes :: official site

Takin' Care Of Business With Castle

There's always room for a little classic rock on Castle - what better song to accompany Martha's spring-cleaning binge than "Takin' Care Of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive?! This episode is titled "One Life To Lose" and first aired on March 21, 2011. Bachman-Turner Overdrive: Wiki :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Big C Season 2 Is Officially In Production!

Hooray! My colleagues are back at work on production of The Big C - it takes awhile to put these episodes together so don't expect airdates anytime too soon but I'm just glad its underway. We've had many music discussions already and we've got some big plans for Season 2 so stay tuned!

Loopy for Lou Barlow

I recently had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours chatting with Lou Barlow for a yet-to-be-announced project. Dream assignment! I would definitely call that a highlight of my last twelve months. In addition to being a talented indie rock ICON, he's intelligent, well-spoken, well-informed, AND well-versed in indie rock from the 80's right up to current day. I wanted the afternoon to just go on and on. We did the interview in a gem of guitar shop hidden away in Silverlake called Old Style, where photographer turned guitar-maker Reuben Cox handcrafts new guitars from old parts. I'm glad to see Lou's band Sebadoh from the 90's is getting some deserved (if belated) attention and in fact they are performing tonight in Echo Park and will be playing one of their classic indie rock albums, Bakesale, in it's entirety. Not to be missed! Lou Barlow: Official Site

Sebadoh "Bakesale": Amazon :: iTunes

Old Style Guitar Shop: Official Site

Castle Goes Euro With Pink Martini

This episode got a little worldly when Castle met up with a Syrian diplomat in a Euro-style coffee bar. (Of course he saved the day.) To bring in a little of that 'Casablanca' feeling, we used Pink Martini's song "Sympathique" from their album Hang On Little Tomato. This episode was titled "Setup" and first aired Feburary 21, 2011. Pink Martini: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Even The Rain

Wow. I just saw an absolutely phenomenal film. Forget the Oscar nominees, this one blows them all away. Great concept, first-class screenplay, world-class acting, stunning cinematography, and a timeliness vis-a-vis the current Middle East rebellions that the filmmakers couldn't possibly have forseen, but that drives their point home all the more. Not an indie rock song in sight, but I'm still saying, Go See It. Even The Rain: Official Site :: YouTube Trailer

A Dream Vacation With Neutral Milk Hotel

If I say "December", on the English coast, in a town called "Butlins", it might not sound immediately like a dream vacation. But a festival has just been announced that will be curated by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, who made one of the best albums of the 1990s, (In An Aeroplane Over The Sea), and then disbanded before too many people had a chance to see him play. Add in the bands he's booked just so far: Superchunk, The Olivia Tremor Control, The Magic Band, The Raincoats performing their debut LP in it's entirety, and Apples In Stereo and maybe you'll start to see the appeal. If it's just a bit too early to know what you'll be doing in December, maybe just look up this classic record by Neutral Milk Hotel and dream away to that.

Neutral Milk Hotel: Website :: Amazon :: iTunes

All Tomorrow's Parties Festival: website

Arcade Fire Wins Grammy "Album Of The Year"

If I would have had any INKLING that indie band Arcade Fire was going to win "Album Of The Year" at the Grammies, I definitely would have watched that silly show. It would have been worth sitting through the many mainstream pop acts just to feel that moment when maybe, just maybe, there was hope that a changing of the guard was not only possible, but imminent. Congratulations to Arcade Fire, manager Scott Rodgers, and most definitely congratulations to Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance who founded indie label Merge Records in 1989 with a dream that bands could sell records, find an audience and enjoy artistic freedom instead of sacrificing their soul to a major label record contract. You did it. Arcade Fire "The Suburbs":  Amazon :: iTunes

Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small: Powell's Books

Merge Records: website

Valentine's Day on Castle

EVEN though Beckett has a hot, studly, boyfriend, apparently she was not too busy on Valentine's Day to take her buddy Castle out for a drink. They cruised off into the NYC evening to the sounds of "I'll Go Anywhere With You" by The Seventeens. This episode, "The Final Nail" first aired on February 14, 2011. The Seventeens: Facebook Page

Daniel Ahearn "Long Way Home"

Daniel Ahearn is one of Los Angeles' best kept secrets (not his favorite boast, I'm sure), and I was happy to see an extensive interview and article with him in Kevin Bronson's wonderful blog Buzz Bands LA. Kevin is a talented writer who loves L.A. and has excellent taste in music. It's well worth five minutes of your time to read his piece on Daniel Ahearn, but first buy Daniel's music and then you can listen while you read! Daniel Ahearn: Buzz Bands LA article :: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Bangers & Cash for Beckett & Castle

In the episode titled "Lucky Stiff" that first aired February 7, 2011, Castle and Beckett went late-night undercover and things got a little steamy on the dance floor to "Loose" by Benny Blanco & Spank Rock from their EP Bangers & Cash. Earlier in the episode, Castle & Beckett tracked some suspects to a recording studio, where they were found rapping the soon-to-be-huge rhymes of "Get On The Floor"-- lyrics by Castle writer Alexi Hawley, and music by composer Jeff Russo (remember the band Tonic?). The opening song was "Money ($$$)" by Tim Myers (currently unreleased). I also like to call this episode "The One In Which Beckett Drove A Ferrari". "Loose" by Benny Blanco & Spank Rock: iTunes :: Amazon

Adam Haworth Stephens (from Two Gallants)

This is my new favorite album. I somehow overlooked it when it came out in late September last year. It is definitely one of the best of 2010 though. Slightly more sophisticated than his Two Gallants albums, but still that amazing voice that carries emotion so well, and his incredible songwriting. We Live On Cliffs, indeed. And we like to hear Adam Haworth Stephens sing about it. Adam Haworth Stephens: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Iron & Wine, Laura Marling, The Vaccines

I didn't go to Sundance this year and I think I might skip SXSW as well but thats okay because every week is a music festival when you live in LA! Last night I saw a double bill of Laura Marling and Iron & Wine at the Wiltern. Laura Marling is truly stunning, not just another gal singer-songwriter but a powerful presence and voice reminiscent of Joni Mitchell or an acoustic Patti Smith. Sam Beam of Iron & Wine upped the ante on this new album with a horn section that accompanied him on tour so it was a lot more lively than your average Sam Beam presentation. I ADORE the new Iron & Wine album, by the way. The show finished in plenty of time for me to skip on over to Spaceland and see The Vaccines, who had a ton of energy and a lot of very short songs, all the indie rockers were there and so was Jake Gyllenhaal! Pictures below of the Spaceland festivities. Iron & Wine: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Laura Marling: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Vaccines: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

vaccines

th closeup at vaccines

The Frames "Rise" on Castle

It's a great pleasure of mine to place one of my favorite bands of all time in the episode of Castle titled "Knockdown". The Frames song "Rise", from their 2007 album "The Cost", is heard at the end of the episode as Beckett vows to make weekly visits to the sniper she put in prison until he reveals her mother's killer. The angelic voice of Glen Hansard leads The Frames, and he is also one half of the duo know as The Swell Season, who won an Academy Award for their song "Falling Slowly" from the film Once. This episode first aired on Jan 24, 2011

The Frames: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

A Castle Proposal To Amos Lee "Flower"

amos lee mission bell

Castle 312

Although most Castle fans would love to see Beckett and Castle get engaged, they settled for a sweet proposal scene between Detective Ryan and his girlfriend Jenny to close the episode titled "Nikki Heat". She happily accepted to the romantic song "Flower" by Amos Lee, from his new album Mission Bell. This episode originally aired Jan 3, 2011.

Amos Lee: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Coveting … Fresno?

coveting fresno

I rarely find myself dreaming of Fresno (no offense, Bulldogs) but The Miss Alans are playing a reunion show there tonight (20 years, seriously?) and I do wish I was there.

The Miss Alans: Facebook :: Trouser Press bio

Big C Is Golden!

As the Big C Music Supervisor, I'm THRILLED with our show's Golden Globe nomination and Laura Linney's Best Actress WIN in the comedy/musical TV series category.  I've watched hours and hours of footage of Laura Linney acting in our series and she is, honestly, flawless.  To The Big C creator, Darlene Hunt, and the talented producers Jenny Bicks, Michael Engler and Vivian Cannon who brought the show to life, congratulations on your nomination and thank you for making such a rewarding show that I am privileged to work on. The Big C: official site