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My Morning Jacket has been a rising star in music since the band’s inception in 1998. Although their debut, The Tennessee Fire, was a landscape of spacious folk and a gorgeous slice of americana, as was the follow-up, At Dawn, My Morning Jacket broke through to a wide audience with 2003’s It Still Moves. The album was coated in a beer batter of southern rock – fried with bits of sweet, lush vocals that carried their previous work. Then came 2004’s Acoustic Citsuoca: Live at the Startime Pavilion, a live EP of a Jim James solo performance. Merely five songs, Acoustic Citsuoca solidified the reason why My Morning Jacket was so appealing – not their southern rock rumbles, psychedelic ramblings, or roomy, melodic ripples, but Jim James remarkably powerful, yet intimately welcoming voice. In 2006, the band released Z, an inspiring mélange of folk, rock, R&B, blues, and pop music. Z was a heartfelt speech, a call to arms – it was a statement. It showed the band experimenting with sounds that distinguished them from every other rock band, including My Morning Jacket itself. But, more importantly, in all of its exploration, Z kept on track, keeping Jim James vocals at the head of the pack. The album catapulted My Morning Jacket to headlining status, finding mainstream success, but maintaining its jam band-type fanbase. Now we reach 2008 and face Evil Urges, the band’s fifth full-length and, unfortunately, the exploration of Z has led My Morning Jacket over a cliff. But, lucky for us, we have Fleet Foxes.
There is certainly something to be admired about Evil Urges. Again, it is a bold statement in music, blending the flair of southern rock with a synthetic, R&B panache, but is overall just too audacious. Despite the intriguing influences that pop up throughout the album, anywhere from Prince to Faith No More, Evil Urges fails to highlight My Morning Jacket’s best attribute, which is Jim James voice. Even in songs that slip back into My Morning Jacket’s signature southern sound, such as “Thank You Too” and “Two Halves,” James’ voice comes off weak. And, although the James has never been known for his lyrical wit, the lyrics in Evil Urges fall very flat. “I believe in a perfect world you’d rule your own universe. The only company you’d need would be in your brain.”
Fortunately, Sub Pop released Fleet Foxes’ self-titled debut album, which takes the best parts of My Morning Jacket’s catalog, laces it with Beach Boys harmonies, and infuses it with the urgent, yet dreary sound of Fleetwood Mac. Fleet Foxes seems to be the album that My Morning Jacket would progress towards, one that is vocally robust and musically dusty. Robin Pecknold’s lead vocals even resemble Jim James’. The backing vocal harmonies emphasize the strength of Pecknold’s voice and the touches of reverb emulate the brawn of a southern gospel choir. In fact, “White Winter Hymnal” sounds like the chant of a Southern Baptist choir singing at the bank of a rushing river, watchin a minister baptize a newborn in the river. The album treads the waters of southern folk-rock on a ship made from the sunshine pop of the Beach Boys and The Zombies. It is a sandy beach along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is the summit of the Smoky Mountains breaking the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
If it is the fear of being pigeonholed that forced Jim James to make Evil Urges, such fear led him into an inescapable corner. Rather than running from his southern roots, James should have embraced them, as Fleet Foxes did. Fleet Foxes is the album that My Morning Jacket fans wanted to hear, if not deserved to hear, as it accents Pecknold’s gorgeous voice and maintains a folk quality that is as pleasing Neil Young’s Harvest. Sadly, My Morning Jacket’s exploration on Evil Urges is similar to Neil Young’s exploration on Trans, in which he attempted to navigate the murky waters of innovation, but got lost in the fog. “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Part 2” is the album’s only saving grace as it appropriately accents Jim James’ voice along a forceful musical backdrop. But, if you’re looking for a full remedy, Fleet Foxes is your answer.
Do you remember The Notwist? If you do, you’re probably familiar with 2003’s brilliant Neon Golden. The majority of the album consists of heavy pop electro-beats that back soft, yet strained folk-like vocals. Like the eye of a storm, amidst the clamoring electronic percussion, rests the title-track, “Neon Golden.” It is a softly sung, glitch-folk song that represents a peaceful valley surrounded by treacherous mountain terrain.
Good Arrows, the new album from Tunng, consists of both calm glitch-folk tunes as well as heavier electro-beats, each backing Sam Genders’ soft British croon. However, Good Arrows takes the opposite form of Neon Golden. The majority of the album consists of their signature “folktronica,” a blend of folk-pop fuel and electronic fire. At the heart of the album hits “Soup,” like spontaneous combustion. It begins with what sounds like the twinkle of a toy piano, then combines with a beautiful acoustic guitar melody, all floating above the backdrop of electronic ambiance. In unison, they yell, “Soup!” and an intense electric guitar kicks in and is followed by a thick electronic beat. The song slowly fades away, but leaves you with an ominous feeling, like dark, overcast skies after a recent storm.
The surrounding tracks are lovely “future folk” songs that bear a resemblance to Adem’s craftsmanship, but with more electronic percussion or The Flaming Lips with a little more folk flare. Sam Genders’ acoustic guitar and soft, droning vocals are a nice contrast against Mike Lindsay’s electronic production. Tunng’s Good Arrows was definitely a standout record of 2007 and the album’s elements of folk and electronica should garner praise from fans of both genres.
Emerging as The Microphones in the late ‘90s, Phil Elvrum built a cult following, common amongst K Records artists. Once the millennium turned, he created, arguably, two of the greatest records in recent history: 2000’s It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water and 2001’s The Glow Pt. 2. The albums were covered with folk, but were bleeding with stereo noise and were masterpieces in terms of lo-fi production. After a few more releases, including his brilliant concept record, Mount Eerie, Elvrum ditched the moniker, The Microphones, and continued on as Mount Eerie. He released several albums since changing his title, including 2005’s fantastic, but somewhat overlooked No Flashlight. Somewhere along the line, he changed his actual name to Phil Elverum. Now, as Phil Elverum and Mount Eerie, we are given the Black Wooden Ceiling Opening EP.
So, there’s your brief background, but let’s ask the burning questions that rack every Elverum fans brain. Where the hell does this guy come from? Where does he come up with this stuff?
Well, the answer to the former question may answer the latter. Elverum hails from Anacortes, WA, which is at the tip of Fidalgo Island, northwest of Seattle. It is a rural, yet industrial town that exudes the nautical, yet forestal aura associated with the Puget Sound. It has an end-of-the-road atmosphere, but is a jumping-off point for the San Juan Islands. It has a hometown feel, but attracts a decent amount of tourism. It is full of binaries that seemingly contradict each other, but have a way of blending to form something unique and very appealing. This is precisely what defines Phil Elverum’s music. At its core, Elverum’s work is derived from folk and pop music, simple and accessible in melody, but the layers on top of his work are painted, sliced, and hammered with experimental virtues. His songs have a lo-fi sound, but have a glaze of pristine production on the surface. His voice is boyish and charming, but his lyrics are incredibly profound. These are the traits of Phil Elvrum and Phil Elverum, The Microphones and Mount Eerie. Like those of Anacortes, these traits conflict on paper, but somehow seem to mesh when brought together.
On the Black Wooden Ceiling Opening EP, these traits are omnipresent, but rather than having a core of folk and pop music, Elverum bases these songs around rock music, which is a delightful change. Loud, fuzzed guitars and a sea of metal-punk drums swell and crash on these jagged rock shores. Elverum’s lyrics are, at times, quite dark, particularly in opener, “Appetite.” He sings of a satiated bear, but one whose appetite quickly boils up. “Are you coming over for dinner? Are you coming over for blood?” he asks, as guitars redline. It is a reference to consumption, our own appetites never satisfied, so our hunger keeps us wanting more. “It was my appetite, curious and wide-eyed. Two question marks and then the door blew down.”
“Domesticated Dog” sounds like an old Pavement song and Elverum’s voice even resembles Stephen Malkmus’. This is the lightest song on the EP with its ‘90s rock guitar ruffs and drum beats. “In Moonlight” begins light and is very, very beautiful as Elverum sings, “I will find you,” in his boyish croon. But, then the hardness and eeriness return as Elverum is pummeled by loud guitars and drums singing, “Where I find will be found easily when I’m not looking for it, without looking for the morning in the sunset.” Elverum is intensely philosophical here, referring to his own quest for answers, but such a philosphy is universally applicable. We’ll most likely stumble upon the answers we seek. Sunlight may guide us, but we have no control over that. So, while we’re in the moonlight, we’ll have to walk blindly.
The EP is packaged with an 11-song live recording that aptly represents a Mount Eerie live experience – intimate and interesting. Black Wooden Ceiling Opening is available through P. W. Elverum and Sun.
There is so much music that exists and thus, it will always be superfluous. There is beauty in that idea, though - everyone has the freedom to create and be artistic within music, regardless of what may be gained from it, such as fame or fortune. But, the mass media machine inundates us with so much music that it is hard to get to everything. This makes the stamp of many albums ephemeral and, even worse, can allow them to completely miss their time in the spotlight that was and remains to be deserved. I suppose that's just the nature of the beast. Nevertheless, it is sad to see brilliant albums shunned, whether it's due to timing or just a lack of effort to get it out there.
Determining the albums that didn't get the recognition they deserved requires one to experience the time when the album was released. I could argue that Can's Ege Bamyasi was shunned back in 1972, but I wasn't alive then, so all the information I have is hearsay.
Here are some of the albums that didn't get the recognition they deserved in recent history, ones that I was there to see come and go in the public eye, but remain my own treasures. Be sure to listen along at the bottom.
1. Sunset Studies - Augie March
This Australian oufit released it's debut full-length in 2000 and built a decent native following. However, the album did not see an international release and, from a global perspective, went far under the radar. Glenn Richards' vocals and lyrics are as compelling as any frontman in music. The opening track, "The Hole In Your Roof," begins with an electro-drone as guitars and drums trickle in. It sounds as if Talk Talk made a pop version of "New Grass". As it builds, Glenn Richards' supple voice coos and the guitars begin to drive hard until it all drops back into the initial electro-drone. "There is No Such Place" was a single from the album, one that failed to achieve the "single" popularity worldwide, which was a terribly sad result of limited promotion outside Australia.
2. Big Lionhearted and the Gallant Man - Boddicker
This album was released in the Spring of 2007 and garnered praise from several great media outlets including Rolling Stone Australia. However, the album didn't catch on as many people speculated it would - heartbreaking because Boddicker's yelping delivery makes his simple lyrics come off with such candor. Songs about love have never sounded so genuine. And, his music is effectively eccentric, forcing you to dissect the layers of what seem to be folk/pop/rock songs, but are much, much deeper. "When I Go Out" begins with a muffed guitar strum that has a percussive element to it. A piercing organ chimes in as oddball guitar effects bubble up. Then it rockets off into outer space where it explodes into the most luminescent array of shrapnel that my ears have ever heard. "Mississippi Beautiful, You Know I Love You," is a traditional rock song, but a rather unconventional love song. Again, it is lyrically simple, but is delivered in a quirky enough way to come across genuine.
3. Sharpen Your Teeth - Ugly Casanova
Ugly Casanova was a side project, but also a supergroup, similar to Rockstar Supernova, but good. The band was headed by Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) and included Tim Rutili (Califone), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), John Orth (Holopaw), and Brian Deck (Red Red Meat). This album is filled with odd, yet strikingly more accessible songs than early Modest Mouse records. Although it was released on Sub Pop, the album didn't seem to explode, as a supergroup's album should. Brock's erratic behavior hindered promotion for the record and also limited touring. So, many Modest Mouse fans have not heard some of Brock's greatest lyrical achievements. "Barnacles" begins with a whirled guitar melody and creates the atmosphere for a slumbering tune about the perils of breaking up, but not letting go. "Hotcha Girls" toils with the inner turmoil of growing old, the loneliness it brings, and the best memories from the past that can't be re-lived. This song is sung, and I assume written by John Orth, whose voice perfectly matches the dreary autumn tone of the message.
4. L.S.T. - Shugo Tokumaru
Shugo Tokumaru's debut album, Night Piece, was a scattered collection of electonic-infused folk songs that held the characteristics of Superman. The tempos would jump from one to another in a single bound, from slow, drifting time signatures to ones that are faster than a speeding bullet. Overall, they were more powerful than a locomotive, mainly because of the contrast between these random song structures and Tokumaru's soft voice. His sophomore effort, L.S.T., was a more refined sound, production-wise, but maintained the erratic nature of his debut. More significantly, Tokumaru accentuated his best attribute, his pillowy voice, singing like Sufjan Stevens, climbing octaves in a whispering manner. "Kiiro" begins with washboard clacks and a blend of twinkling melodies. Then, what seems like an entirely different song jumps in and as the chorus begins, a stablilizing flute builds a platform for Tokumaru's voice to shine. "Yukinohaka" is a more consistent song and far more atmospheric but, similar to "Kiiro," the chorus is where his voice shines, injecting a sense of urgency into the song. I recently spoke with Tokumaru via e-mail and he is on the verge of signing an international record deal. Hopefully this occurs soon because he is one of the most talented hidden gems that we'll ever see.
5. Now It's Overhead - Now It's Overhead
Headed by Andy LeMaster, Now It's Overhead includes Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor from Azure Ray. The album came out on Saddle Creek in 2001 and many critics praised the label's turn from folk, but didn't seem to take kindly to the band's sound. Thus, you might think it would be more appropriate to call this album underrated. However, the album still didn't get much of a push from the label and, hearing how accessible it is, could have found a much wider audience. "Blackout Curtain" is the opener and begins with a rattling drum beat while Fink and Taylor's breathy vocals create the atmosphere. The chorus is accapella, sounding almost African and choir-like. The drumming in "Wonderful Scar" rolls over the guitars like big rig wheels while LeMaster sings a lovely vocal melody from high to low. Throughout the song, Fink and Taylor's ambient vocal harmony is present and, although it is seemingly unnoticeable, it is vital to the song as a means of tying each instrument, change, and melody together.
So, these are the albums that came to mind when I thought of the topic. What albums do you think fell under the radar? Or, what albums do you consider underrated? I'd love to hear about any genre and any time period. Hopefully I'll discover something new to love.
Did you know Anthony Gonzalez has a magic box? From this box, flashes of light that span the entire visible light spectrum burst forth, blinding all who see it. But, what is most fascinating about this magic box is that it releases a swell of sounds that span the sonic terrain of outer space. This is true. I saw it with my own eyes. I heard it with my own ears.
Last night, Anthony Gonzalez and his band, what we've come to know as M83, unveiled this magic box. Accompanied by a guitars, keyboards, and drums, Gonzalez shot these sonic blasts into the air, the walls, the upper atmosphere, our ears, and our hearts. His set mainly consisted of tracks from his latest album, Saturdays=Youth, which is arguably his best. The album is mainly comprised of synthetic sounds and is often so loud that it creates a wall of sound, which, together, make it very difficult to perform live. No worries for Gonzalez though, because he managed to pull it off by slowly building tension and releasing, thrusting himself into gyrating body movements. Unfortunately, the crowd didn't mimic Gonzalez's motions, but I would blame that on poor lighting. More flashing lights would definitely have enhanced the show and freed the crowd up a bit, but, regardless, it was a magnificent performance from a band that is, ironically, on the cutting edge of electro-rock music with its '80s sound.
I won't forget to mention openers The Berg Sans Nipple, one of Team Love's emerging gems. Although just a duo, these two managed to create a powerful sound, floating from electronic wails to percussion-heavy chantdowns, and melted pop essence. Be sure to pick up their latest release, the de la mort ou de l'amour EP.
The 2nd annual Treasure Island Music Festival Line-Up has just been announced and, with artists like TV on the Radio, Vampire Weekend, and Aesop Rock playing this year, it will surely top the 2007 festival. On September 20th and 21st, these artists and others will take over Treasure Island in San Francisco, CA. It will be a two-day affair that combines some of the best music around, local artists and designers, food and drinks, and even a Ferris Wheel. What's even more interesting is that the Treasure Island Music Festival strives to be an environmentally stable event, achieving a 72% waste diversion rate during the 2007 festival and a goal of increasing this rate during the 2008 festival. One way of reaching this goal is by providing free transportation to the island on bio-diesel buses, which is just another reason to buy tickets now. Single-day tickets will go for $65 and two-day tickets will be $115, which are really great prices for such a great event. VIP packages are available and word on the street is that a limited number of discounted two-day passes will be available during the festival pre-sale. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 30th at 10am through the Treasure Island Music Festival site.
Oh, and get a load of this line-up:
Saturday September 20th JUSTICE TV ON THE RADIO GOLDFRAPP HOT CHIP CSS ANTIBALAS AESOP ROCK AMON TOBIN FOALS MIKE RELM NORTEC: BOSTICH + FUSSIBLE
Sunday September 21st THE RACONTEURS TEGAN & SARA VAMPIRE WEEKEND SPIRITUALIZED OKKERVIL RIVER TOKYO POLICE CLUB THE KILLS DR. DOG JOHN VANDERSLICE THE DODOS FLEET FOXES
Anthony Gonzalez will be rolling through San Francisco this coming Wednesday, riding the wave of his brilliant new M83 record, Saturdays=Youth. The show will go down at the Great American Music Hall and will soon sell out. So, get your tickets ASAP! If you're not in San Francisco, here are the remaining tour dates:
20 May 2008 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, California 21 May 2008 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, California 23 May 2008 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon 24 May 2008 - Richards on Richards - Vancouver 25 May 2008 - Neumos - Seattle 28 May 2008 - Triple Rock Club - Minneapolis 29 May 2008 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, Illinois 30 May 2008 - The Mod Club - Toronto 31 May 2008 - Cabaret Music Hall - Quebec 2 Jun 2008 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, Massachusetts 3 Jun 2008 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, New York 4 Jun 2008 - Bowery Ballroom - New York 6 Jun 2008 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia 7 Jun 2008 - Black Cat - Washington
To listen, hit up the player. To buy the album, hit up Insound.
Two Danish bands came through San Francisco this past Monday to declare that the Danish put on the best live show. Although I've never seen Radiohead live, these two bands put one of the most energetic, aurally-pleasing shows I've ever seen. Efterklang headlined the show and focused on vocal harmonies and sporadic changes. I've only heard one track from their new album Parades, but I'll have to pick it up soon because I loved their music. There were eight people on stage, including a violinist, which makes anything sound better than it already is. During their encore, Slaraffenland came up to play percussion, which entailed banging drumsticks on anything available, whether it was the roof, the walls, or a random piece of a drum kit.
As I mentioned before, I hadn't really heard Efterklang before. So, why was I there? SLARAFFENLAND. These guys are amazing, not just as musicians, but as people. They really are the nicest guys and their label, Home-Tapes, is amazing as well. Check out their releases to see some of the best album artwork in music. Anyways, their show was brilliant and, actually, quite similar to Efterklang, but with more of a post-rock sound. "I'm a Machine" from the new Sunshine EP was a highlight, as was closer "Watch Out." Their drummer, Bjoern, is incredible, adding a jazz element to their sound. Atop that, Slaraffenland's melodies and harmonies are stunning, particularly when Jeppe and Niklas come in with the horns. And, Mike and Christian hold it all down on guitar and bass.
Remember, these guys are from Denmark, so they're not always going to be touring the U.S. You must see a show on this tour if you want to continue to be human. It's the only right thing to do.
These are the remaining dates: 15. May Casbah San Diego, CA 16. May Plush Tucson, AZ 17. May Modified Phoenix, AZ 19. May Haileys Denton, TX 20. May Mohawk Austin, TX 22. May Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, GA 23. May Local 506 Chappel Hill, NC 24. May Rock and Roll Hotel Washington, DC 26. May The First Unitarian Church Philadephia, PA 27. May The Space Hamden, CT 28. May Knitting Factory New York, NY 29. May TT The Bears Boston, MA 30. May Zoobizare Montreal, PQ 31. May El Mocambo Toronto, ONT 02. June The Empty Bottle Chicago, IL 03. June The Record Bar Kansas City, MO
Many thanks to Muhammad for the pics. He has plenty more from this show and others at his Flickr page. He also has a great song he wrote up on his MySpace page, which I recommend checking out.
When Jack Kerouac’s seminal novel, On the Road, was released in 1957, he was catapulted into the spotlight and declared the voice of a new generation. Being a wandering soul still struggling to find his way, this instant fame was virtually unbearable. For several years, Kerouac battled the fame with a debilitating liquid cure until he retreated to a cabin in Big Sur along California’s central coast. His 1961 rehabilitation attempt was thwarted by alcoholic withdrawals, but more importantly, his need for social interaction, which, consequentially, exasperated his alcoholism. So, when he returned to San Francisco, Kerouac continued to drown himself until he succumbed to liver cirrhosis in 1969.
Similarly, the life of Kurt Cobain was one full of misery when he was thrust into the mainstream after the release of Nevermind. Any similar case in music would be hard to come by, as those that attain instant fame usually strive for it. The case of Death Cab for Cutie is certainly not one of those cases. After years of independent label-released records, the band made the jump to a major in 2005. Their major label debut, Plans, did bring them into a much brighter spotlight, although the band experienced dimly-lit indie fame for several years. But, moving from minor to major fame is still a difficult task, one that can stir up the same conflicted emotions that Kerouac experienced, albeit in a much shorter timeline. Such was the case with band leader Ben Gibbard, who looked to finish Kerouac’s rehabilitation when he retreated to Kerouac’s cabin in 2007. Although he was not dealing with alcoholism, Gibbard attempted to escape the burdens of major label stardom and re-discover himself. He tells this story in “Bixby Canyon Bridge,” the opening track from their latest album Narrow Stairs. As always, Gibbard vividly paints the scenery with as much beauty as his voice, describing his trek beneath the picturesque Bixby Bridge.
“I descended a dusty, gravel ridge, beneath the Bixby Canyon Bridge / Until I eventually arrived at the place where your soul had died. / And barefoot in the shallow creek, I grabbed stones from underneath and waited for you to speak to me.”
Gibbard connects with Kerouac’s struggles, even beyond the transition from minor to major fame. He connects with Kerouac’s wandering soul, fearing the doom of the undiscovered self, which everyone at some point deals with. Whether we skip or traipse through life, we all reach a point of introspection, a crossroads, where we must choose a path, which is a heavy, heavy burden.
“And I want to know my fate if I keep up this way. / And it’s hard to want to stay awake, when everyone you meet, they all seem to be asleep. / And you wonder if you’re missing the dream. You can’t see a dream.”
The line is repeated multiple times as drudging guitars mimic the chaotic thoughts that this burden brings. Sadly, Gibbard realizes that his attempt to channel Kerouac is merely a fantasy and the weight of self-discovery is something that cannot be lifted by anyone but himself.
“And then it started getting dark, I trudged back to where the car was parked. / No closer to any kind of truth as I must assume was the case with you.”
Narrow Stairs is full of introspective narratives, ones that describe pivotal moments in the pursuit of self-discovery and the failure to find one’s own path. Musically, the band has shied away from the crystalline production of Plans and has returned to the live-recording sound of Transatlanticism and We Have the Facts…. “Cath..” tells the story of a girl who had many suitors, but chose the wrong one to wed. The song chugs along a Built to Spill-style bass line while chastising the girl who made the wrong decision. “I Will Possess Your Heart” is an epic song that is again driven by the bass line and it describes a man who attempts to capture the one that got away. “Your New Twin-Sized Bed,” is lighthearted in sound, but is critical in verse, telling the story about downsizing from a queen to a twin after a lover has moved out. “What’s the point in keeping the things that go unused,” Gibbard asks. It is a song about a turning point, picking up the pieces and moving on.
Critics will argue that these songs are drenched in love and despair, as they usually do with Death Cab for Cutie. Of course, Ben Gibbard often sings of lost love, but there is something deeper in his words than just heartache. The lyrics of Narrow Stairs reflect the turning points that Gibbard has faced, whether caused by lost love or something even bigger. Like Kerouac, Gibbard takes a hard look at himself, questioning the decisions he’s made and the decisions he must make. And so, lyrically, Narrow Stairs is the darkest of their albums and, as far as sound goes, it leaps back into the late ‘90s indie rock world, but scratches the edges to make it a bit rougher, resulting in their most honest-sounding record to date.
There's no better venue in San Francisco than The Fillmore. In fact, of all the venues I've been to around the world, it's definitely in the top 5. There's a rich, rich history at Geary and Fillmore, which is evident by the classic posters that line the walls. And, the sound is pristine. It can even make a band sound better than their studio record.
Such was the case this past Saturday when Tapes 'n Tapes brought their straight-up indie rock to The Fillmore. Their new record, Walk it Off, is decent, better than most current indie rock, but the album has a lo-fi fuzz that sounds like you got unlucky with Napster and accidentally downloaded 96 kbps tracks rather than CD-quality 128 kbps. When they played these songs live though, they sounded much clearer due to the sound system and thus, much better, particularly "Le Ruse". "Conquest," "Headshock," and "Hang Them All" were other great standouts from Walk it Off. From their debut, The Loon, "10 Gallon Ascots" was awesome and was probably the best song of the night. That is, until they came out for their encore and threw down "Omaha." What a beautiful song.
The most surprising portion of the night was definitely openers White Denim. They have a spastic, garage/blues rock sound with stellar changes and a very raw energy. Their song structures were erratic, which was awesome, but what was more impressive was that they were very tight, staying right on cue while remaining physically lively. And, it always fascinates me when only a few guys, in this case a trio, can make so much noise.
There's only a few Tapes 'n Tapes shows left with White Denim, so get to it! 05-12 Portland, OR - WOW Hall* 05-13 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards * 05-14 Seattle, WA - The Showbox * 05-16 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue * 05-17 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater * 05-28 London, England - The Garage 05-30 Birmingham, England - Barfly 06-01 Manchester, England - Academy 06-03 Paris, France - Nouveau Casino 06-04 Brussels, Belgium - Recyclart 06-05 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso 06-06 Njimegen, Netherlands - Doornroosje 06-07 Berlin, Germany - Bang Bang Club 06-09 Hamburg, Germany - Logo 06-10 Cologne, Germany - Gebäude 9 * with White Denim
You'd think that the fanbase of indie pop-rockers Death Cab for Cutie are forgiving. Those that were there in the olden days (i.e. Something About Airplanes and We Have the Facts...) witnessed the transition from lo-fi, well, maybe "mid-fi", to clean production when The Photo Album came out, which really sugar-coated their sound, making many fans skeptic. Still, they continued to support the band. Then they jumped ship from the independent label they built, Barsuk, and signed with major label Atlantic. Again, fans questioned the move, but bought the records and went to shows, even when the fratboys across the hall started playing drinking games to "Soul Meets Body." So, you would think that these fans forgave and forgot. But, no, these guys are still here for a reason and the Death Cab loyalty is because they're a really good band. Sure, Ben Gibbard may sing about heartache a bit too much, but he could be singing about fratboys across the hall who play drinking games to "Soul Meets Body" and still we would listen. His voice is just too good. And, he comes up with an array of perfect pop melodies that draw you right in.
I was there in the olden days and I still won't let these guys go. So, I'm very excited to hear Narrow Stairs this coming Tuesday. As an introduction to the new record, or even a great introduction to the band, take a look at Current TV's half hour documentary on Death Cab for Cutie and buy the album this Tuesday, preferrably from a record store. Also, go see Slaraffenland and Efterklang on Monday at Bottom of the Hill!
In the mid-1970s, bands like The Ramones, Sex Pistols, and Patti Smith created a genre that was rooted in raw rhythms, simple chord structures, and civilian angst known as punk rock. Punk rock was straight-ahead rock music that stripped away the guitar solos and glamorous outfits - no bullshit - and it built an anti-establishment movement that pissed in the mainstream. Many genres spawned from that period including grunge rock, post-punk, and pop-punk, which is, of course, an oxymoron. In the late '90s, a derivative of punk rock, known as noise-rock, began to emerge, led by Japan's Boredoms and followed by many experimentalists. Noise-rock picked up cues from early punk rock and each subsequent genre. Recently a new genre came to being, crawling up from the depths of L.A.'s DIY scene: noise-punk. Wait. Hold on. Who really cares about this genre talk? Like punk rock, I'm going to have to cut the crap.
In 2007, Fat Cat released No Age's Weirdo Rippers, a collection of EPs that received much critial acclaim and created a decent amount of hipster hooplah. But, with the recent release of Nouns, No Age has jumped head-first into the sound that they were striving to create on their debut. On their sophomore release, No Age has created a sound that is, at times, as artistic as Liars, as volatile as Lightning Bolt, and as inspiring as Nirvana. Nouns is a tsunami of loud, distorted guitars and violent drums, but riding each wave of noise is a melody that softens the blow. Like hydrogen peroxide, each song stings then soothes. It seems as though there is a constant level of static that, strangely enough, blends each guitar riff, drum beat, and self-recorded sample together. Although such static is, alone, just noise, it plays a significant, pleasing role as an atmosphere for the little melodies and loud instrumentation to mesh in. There are times when the loudness retreats and melody comes to the forefront. The most beautiful song on the album, "Things I Did When I Was Dead," begins with a lovely distorted guitar melody on top of a piercing sample melody that is completely off-putting if not for it's rhythmic contortion. But, when the keyboards slip in to bring in the chord changes, a sunny pop song suddenly bursts out, only to quickly fade away into the raucous of "Cappo." This transition is precisely the trend of emotions that Nouns evokes. It is a world in which you feel welcome, yet shunned at the same time, but, ultimately, you are fully allured. It is as bright as campfire flames, but hot to the touch. It is a perfect blend of noise, rock, and melody that draws you in, kicks you around, but makes you want to stay for more.
In July of last year, I was in God Knows Where, North Carolina for the recording of an Antiques album at Scott Solter's Baucum Road Studios. The living room of the house was converted into a control room while an entire half of the house was gutted to form the tracking room. The studio/house rested on an acre of property next to an endless field and distant houses. The days were hot and the evenings were warm, which kept us mostly indoors, not to mention the work that had to be done. The band, myself, and Solter, spent every waking hour together and we were forced to become a family, for better or worse, during the short 21-day studio time. As a family, during tracking and mixing breaks, we would indulge in cheap wine and rich stories. Now, Solter is renowned for his production, recording, and mixing work with bands such as Spoon, Mountain Goats, and Okkervil River. But, those that know Scott well will surely admit that he is an animated fellow with Roald Dahl's story-telling ability and allmusic.com's musical knowledge. He has a vinyl of every Niagra record on German import. He has a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s. Solter informed me of music before the terms "indie" or "experimental" or "krautrock" were ever coined. And, he can wax poetic on any musical period, revolution, or mishap. So, when it was time for father Solter to tell a story, I came prepared with my wine glass full and the bottle by my side. One such story began when I bashfully admitted that I hadn't heard Talk Talk before. Upon hearing such news, Solter slowly tilted his head down and covered his face with his hands in full disappointment. Luckily, he knew I could be taught.
He recalled a time back at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco, which is owned by John Vanderslice. Solter was recording Okkervil River's Down the River of Golden Dreams, a highly-overlooked album that is lyrically lush and, of course, pristinely recorded. He started discussing Talk Talk with Jonathan Meiburg, Okkervil's multi-instrumentalist and head of Shearwater. There was a lot of in-fighting during the recording of Laughing Stock, to the point where wives threatened to leave their husbands and band members were constantly threatening to quit. Both Meiburg and Solter agreed that the hell Talk Talk went through was undoubtedly worth it. Vanderslice happened to overhear their conversation and disagreed, even though he had not heard the record before. Vanderslice felt that fighting during recording is childish and bands that let their immaturity get the best of them are not doing things properly. Meiburg and Solter looked at each other without saying a word. Then they looked at Vanderslice and said nothing more than "Just listen to the record." Reluctantly, Vanderslice took the record home that night. When he returned to the studio the next morning, he said, "I take back everything I said last night."
After our conversation, Solter gave me his copy of Laughing Stock as a homework assignment. I had never heard anything like it.
Talk Talk began as an new-wave pop group, scoring a hit in 1984 with "It's My Life," which was recently made even more famous by No Doubt. Then the band began experimenting with their sound, abandoning their former new-wave tendencies, eventually releasing The Colour of Spring in 1986. Although their label, EMI, disapproved, it did garner some popularity with the hits, "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World." In 1988, after a lawsuit and severance from their label, EMI released Spirit of Eden, which melded jazz, rock, classical, and ambient music, a commercially-unfavorable blend. After leaving EMI, the band continued it's trek into experimentation and created Laughing Stock, arguably the first "Post-Rock" album ever made and arguably one of the best albums ever made. Released on Polydor in 1991, Laughing Stock was a commercial flop, but, critically, it was a classic. It remained to be the jazz-rock-ambient sound of their previous work, but was sharpened to the point that it became their masterpiece.
Laughing Stock is ethereal, yet robust. It is melodic, yet sparse. It simultaneously evokes the emptiness of outer space and the overwhelming nature of city life. Mark Hollis' voice is restrained, yet frantic and the music is intimate, yet detached. There are so many conflicting emotions that this album conjures that it makes you think beyond each song. It is a profound statement in music that is virtually impossible to match.
"Myrrhman" opens the album, but has a much greater impact once you listen to the rest of the album, when you have a better grasp of what the band is going for. It is as spacious as the stratosphere and only upon several listens do you begin to find a pattern in the emptiness. "Ascenscion Day" crashes in as Lee Harris taps his ride cymbal and an acoustic bass rocks like an old pirate ship. In what seems like an off-beat, lazy manner, a grinding electric guitar thrashes in like thunder, similar to Jonny Greenwood's muffed chords in "Creep," but much more potent and all the more mystifying. Tim Friese-Greene's organs flutter up then rescind, creating a sudden sense of panic and release. As mentioned before, the band members were at each others throats during the entire recording process. One topic of destruction dealt with the ending of "Ascenscion Day." The band couldn't decide when to end the long outro of thrashing guitars and rowdy percussion. The topic erupted into a shouting match and finally, Hollis walked up to the tape reel with a razor and yelled, "This is where it ends," severing the tape.
Although the in-fighting and thrashing guitars suggest a loud and obnoxious sound, there are moments of serenity throughout the album. The subtle organ backdrop of "After the Flood" is like a mountain stream, but the waters are agitated during the minute-and-a-half long guitar distortion solo. In "New Grass," both the guitar melody and organs are like soft pillows and, again, Harris' ride cymbal drifts you off to a dream land. It is baffling to hear him ride that cymbal in a 3/3 count for over nine minutes while maintaining a polyrhythmic kick-snare count above it. The tamborine and harmonium come in simultaneously, which seems like an odd pairing, but once you can wrap your head around the album, you realize that every instrument used, when they are used, and how they are used, are precisely calculated. The album is full of odd instrumentation, space, lyrics, and time signatures, but, as a whole, it is oddly perfect. Talk Talk's Laughing Stock is stunning, a gorgeous blend of jazz, rock, ambient, and classical music. And, despite all of the fighting that occurred during its creation, I'm sure the band is as pleased as Solter, Vanderslice, Meiburg, and myself are that it was finished.
Guitar-drummer, rock-n-roll duos may get their own genre. It seems as though a new White Stripes is birthed every week. I think the Black Keys released ten albums after I first bought The Big Come Up, but haven't heard one of them. Nevertheless, they still keep plugging away. Local H would find such news copacetic, but I've always considered guitar-drummer duos to be novelty acts. However, there are times when these two-pieces can create a full sound, channeling quintet instrumentation, not just by being loud, but by intertwining vocal and guitar melodies, adding appropriate effects, and filling in space with timely percussion. Both The White Stripes and The Black Keys have, at times, perfected this. Just listen to the Stripes' "Ball and a Biscuit" or the Keys' "The Breaks." And, I'm sure many other duos have managed to create a powerful sound from time to time. However, no guitar-drummer duo has been able to create a more full, ethereal, yet noisy sound as Cleveland's mr. Gnome.
Sure, comparing the blues-based Stripes and Keys with post-punk, alt-psych rockers, mr. Gnome, is not necessarily comparing apples to apples, but this is precisely the point. mr. Gnome transcends the boundaries of "duoism," whereas other duos seem to stay warmly wrapped in an occasionally great, but always simple sound. mr. Gnome does not sound like the emotionally-charged musical outlet for vocalist/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister. Rather, it sounds as if these two are backed by the melodic, rhythmically tight Blonde Redhead and the explosive nature of Death from Above 1979 or Deftones. This duo makes the sound and impact of a ten-piece through Barille's breathy, sometimes explosively punk vocals, which are fittingly layered and reverberated throughout the album. Her guitars create atmospheres that stretch from the Icelandic hot springs of post-rock to the Lower East Side dive bars of punk rock, while Meister's drumming carries the rhythm by accelerating and crashing through each song. mr. Gnome is not a duo. mr. Gnome is a full band and their debut album, Deliver this Creature is superb.
Listen to "Rabbit" from Deliver this Creature - Out today!
I headed out to Playboy's Rock the Rabbit Party this past Saturday at the Mezzanine. This was my first time at the Mezzanine and I was very impressed with the venue. I'll have to return for a show. Anyways, the party didn't live up to the hype, which spawned from their SXSW madness, but was still a decent time.
I have to admit, I didn't actually see a Playboy bunny and the bands were novelty acts, which was a disappointment. Although there were way too many guys there, I did meet some cool girls and ended up having a good time with them as we picked our favorite centerfolds in the magazine. I would have loved to meet the crew from +1 Entertainment, who did a great job in putting on the party, but couldn't find them. I even randomly asked a few people if they were from +1, but they looked at me like I was a fool, which I always find hilarious. Maybe next year.
On a separate note, this band is the best in the world:
Slaraffenland's Private Cinema was one of my favorite records of 2007, #20 to be exact. So, I am excited to announce that these great Danes will be releasing new material in the form of the Sunshine EP.
If you've been lucky enough to see these guys live, you've probably heard the first track from this EP, "I'm a Machine," which you can click to download. Although the Sunshine EP will be made available soon by the absolutely wonderful people at Home-Tapes, you can pick it up at a show as they tour the U.S. with fellow Danes, Efterklang. I'll definitely be at the Bottom of the Hill this coming Monday, May 12th.
Tour Dates
05.06 - Denver, CO @ Lorimer Lounge 05.07 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 05.09 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir 05.10 - Seattle, WA @ Nectar Lounge 05.11 - Eugene, OR @ Wow Hall 05.12 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill 05.13 - Visalia, CA @ The Cellar Door 05.14 - Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland 05.15 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah 05.16 - Tucscon, AZ @ Plush 05.17 - Phoenix, AZ @ Modified 05.19 - Denton, TX @ Hailey's 05.20 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk 05.22 - Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn 05.23 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 505 05.24 - Washington DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel 05.26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Sanctuary 05.27 - Hamden, CT @ The Space 05.28 - New York, NY @ Knitting Factory 05.29 - Boston, MA @ TT The Bears 05.30 - Montreal, Quebec @ Zoobizarre 05.31 - Toronto, Ontario @ El Mocambo 06.02 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle 06.03 - Kansas City, MI @ Record Bar
