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FULL BLOOM

Chris ZieglerWed. January 23
 

Paperplanes waiting for a train


PHOTO by ZACK PIANKO

It got dark and I’d been waiting so I could most diligently listen to the new Paperplanes album, and so I took off Terry Allen’s Lubbock (On Everything), which contains some of the finest writing of any kind ever to come with an American credit, and I put on Paperplanes’ new album and let it roll, just as Guy Clark reminds us, and it fit like Terry himself had just been saving a seat. Paperplanes took the other road to Lubbock c. 1979—singer/guitarist Micah Panzich calls it “post-punk with twang,” which makes only half sense to all redneck mothers and El Paso assholes—and though we end up chatting happily about Pere Ubu and Velvet Underground in the cozy high-rise rehearsal space Paperplanes call the Eagle’s Nest, their new Rhinestone Republic shares only a certain purity of guitar tone and weariness of spirit with those ’70s rust-rock debasers. Rhinestone is big sky not big city—cowtown country rock (with pedal steel filigree by Cliff Kane) from the year 2003 minus 25.

Until last week, Paperplanes—Panzich, Kane, bassist/singer Pete Tavera, and drummer Rob Harvick—hadn’t showed a hair in sunlight for almost eight months, instead ensconced—a word inappropriate only until they took me up to a rehearsal studio checkered with thrift-store oils and a signed photo of Bigfoot, though not signed by Bigfoot—until they quit recording after 25 songs that they’ll be releasing as two different albums, even though Panzich says they’ve still got more they didn’t have stamina reserved enough to tape. (Since Paperplanes started in Tucson, Arizona, as Panzich’s four-track band, he figures 300-some songs have come and gone.) Transamerican Lights is coming soon and will be the “rock record,” which is more what we remember as Paperplanes—Lou Reed/Robert Pollard/maybe some Replacements trio—and here is Rhinestone Republic now with one humble honest hour that’s easily the best I’ve heard so far this short year.

Panzich sings in the high register (David Lowery when he’s sad and not sarcastic) and Tavera sings in the low middle and they sing lead on the songs they happened to write, and although the fast songs are good and sometimes so great (“Honky Tonk,” like an outlaw George Jones cover, and Panzich says Jones and Jennings are all over Rhinestone) the slow songs make the lights dim, and here I’ll find you two of the finest: Panzich’s “Number Nine,” written during the minutes Tavera was in the hospital possibly having a heart attack, and Panzich was by the home phone waiting for the call back, and as pedal steel flutters down to the telephone wire he sings, “Because you choose your own path, you’re at the end of your line / now I’m standing on the edge, waiting for a friend to die . . . ” And then Tavera’s “Full Bloom,” which could replace “Stoney” on Jerry Jeff Walker’s 1976 A Good Night For Singin’ to the benefit of all involved, and which Pete sings so fearless and true that I’d have to go lay down to wonder about my own life before I could finish typing three lines of his lyrics, and when the fiddle comes in on follower “Weekend” (very Camper van) it’s like someone shaking you awake. I did a whole interview with them but what’s good for print after that? So we grabbed beers and I looked out the big windows at Long Beach in the night and wondered how they did it. Have you heard Terry Allen, I asked? No, they said. Well, I should have said, he’d probably like to meet you.

RECORD RELEASE FOR RHINESTONE REPUBLIC WITH PAPERPLANES, LE SWITCH AND THE MOVIES THE PROSPECTOR | 2400 E SEVENTH ST | LONG BEACH 90804 | SAT 9PM | $5 | 21+ | MYSPACE.COM/THEPROSPECTORLONGBEACH OR MYSPACE.COM/PAPERPLANES

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Viewing 14 Comments

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    your prose has me interested in hearing that stuff, excellent
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    clifford kane rocks!
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    Welcome back, boys! 'Bout time!
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    i was so damned proud of paperplanes latest cd i cried,the lyrics were beautiful,intelligent,heartfelt,loving,,some somes i rocked out to some songs i just savored.peter taveras vocals were great,he sang with so much heart and love,and i knew he loved being there,micah panzichs voice was really good,his guitar work par excellence and the drums -crisp and polished.wow!i love this band!peter tavera 's voice reminded me of bruce springsteens voice and i knew id see this band again.the music and lyrics were fantastic and i chatted with peter tavera after the show hes one hell of a sweetheart,intelligent,interesting,funny,interesting,warm,friendly,i was impressed.
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    pete's voice is perfect on 'full bloom.' right on to planes!
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    ive really enjoyed some of the great writing in the district magazine and its been a big help over the years to find great things to do locally.ive seen so many great bands and dined at so many marvelous restraunts that i tried because of a great article or ad.a friend of mine owns ambrosia restaunt in long beach,ca.the patio is marvelous with fire pits and two huge fireplaces,the best thing though is the friendly staff,ive been going there for years because the foods excellent,the staff friendly and warm,the atmoshere at night is great jazz and trees and lush greenery lit up with tiny lights,a warm burning fireplace and firepits,a koy fish pond and small waterfall,tiny birds fly in and out and the owner remembers every customers name and is so welcoming hospitable and warm you feel like coming back all the time.i love the mavrodaphne wine and the greek coffee-superb service and style- what a restraunt should be !
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    a local place i think deserves kudos is the portfolio coffee house,more than a coffee house,its a center for local artists,musicians to show off their talent ,share ideas,students to work on the computers,for different clubs to gather,a social hub where the foods excellent,the staff are helpful and friendly and a great place to meet friends get a great cup of joe.artsy and eclectic,stimulating conversation,fun,friendly,and the music is amazing-i cant believe some of the great music theyve got.ive enjoyed this neighborhood haunt for about 8 years and im a loyal customer.
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    i found a little place one day that i loooove in dana point called "wicked garden"i loved the unusual decor,the arabian nights big huge curtains,couches,the whole ambiance,the food was amazing(wish the prices were better)the service stellar,we had an amzingly delicious dinner and ordered the wine "valley of the moon" and "seven deadly zins"wow! the aroma and taste of the "valley of the moon "wine is still something i remember-it was delicious!the foix gras fantastic!
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    how about some articles that show restraunts or clubs with great views,ambiance,fireplaces ,etc-id love to take my boyfriend to a restraunt that blows his mind its so beautiful and full of ambiance,the reef has a beautiful view at night of the ferris wheel and skyline and ocean,and intimate cozy booths,ti amo in laguna beach has intimate booths,great ocean views,large lit candles and its decorated like a classical home,orange hill restraunt used to have an amazing city lights view across orange county and the ocean,toppers in santa monica has a great view,im curious to know more about restaunts with a beautiful view,fantastic ambiance and cozy romantic booths or a romantic setting,wicked gardens decor alone,the booths,comfort,the private little areas,the lighting-i was thoroughly seduced!
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    an interesting club i tried was club pedro,kind of a little new orleans french decor,cozy,intimate,the staff dressed in costumes to fit the theme,it reminded me of bordellos club.tantalum has a great decor,the waterfall is beautiful but should have been in the eating area where diners could enjoy it,the deep woods and view of the ocean,comfortable seating and great food were awesome but it would have been better to make booths a bit more intimate and to have the most beautiful design elements be in the main room so diners could hear and see the waterfall as they dine,blue bayou restraunt inside disneyland was actually fun.three rivers california @the entrance to sequia national park has a restraunt called the humming bird cafe that hangs out over the kern river with tiny humming birds flying in and out,rushing river water below,a geourgeous view of the mountains and surrounde by wildlife,deer,ducks,the water is crystal clean.the food wow!i had brie,pate,a fantastic salad.best of all after lunch my boyfriend and i drove down to three rivers local swimming hole and swam till dusk,three rivers has 3 adjioning rivers connected by waterfalss that are broad and safe enough to ride,at the bottom of the river trail,we intertubed the length of the rivers ,thers a beautiful lake with camping,fishing,houseboats,and three rivers has plenty of quaint cabins with kitchenettes-fully stocked with dishes ,towels,pots n pans-if you want a no hassle vacation,you barely have to pack.the hiking trails are all over and from the kithenette i rented we could hear the river and easily walk down and swim in the morning-a really innexpensive relaxing vacation,they also have some festivals and crafts if you go in season and all the convienences of a small town without the noise and crowd.its 20 miles from sequoia national park and one or two days can be spent in the giant redwoods and a day in threerivers basking on the most beautiful broad flat rocks and swimming in pristine swimming holes some 15 feet deep,the water is peppered with gold dust and the weather is fantastic-bring sun screen and hiking clothes!any season is excellent to visit three rivers-october is green,lush ,sometimes it rains a bit but the rich landscape and lichens and rich colors in october are great for photography.chritmas is beautiful,if you can get into sequoia park the huge redwoods and chrismas lights on the snowy cabins are beautiful,the forest is magical anytime!
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    red fox bar and grill,5591 lincoln ave.,cypress,ca,90630,open 7am till 2am,7 days a week,grand opening 5/17/2008
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    cypress lodge hybrid housing,5601 lincoln,cypress ca.looking for staff,remodeling-got ideas
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    sweetestpeaches@gmail
    davincinow@hotmail.com
    my my space is "sweetestpeaches"
    And my other my space is "dana mcdowell"
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    i think dana mcdowell is the best woman who ever walked into peter tavera's life and i think he knows it!
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