Uh, faithful readers, this will be the last post until the jump to the new website. Check back on Tues. the 26th for that special awesomeness.
WE Fest is the lil ol’ music fest that could down in Wilmington, North Carolina held at the Soapbox LaundroLounge. It started as a zine exchange gathering several years ago and then meshed into a music smorgasbord of muck of grime (not only the music genre). It’s four days every Memorial Day wknd and each day is $1. Holy moley! The price is intentionally low for the opportunity to discover new bands. I heard some rumblings that the management was handed over to some locals who just gave spots to a whole bunch of local bands rather than extending their reach far out, so I don’t think the talent is as great this year. In my few years going (not everyday), I’ve seen some good bands like Happy Birthday Amy! and I Was Totally Destroying It and The Never among others who were so awesome, I think they’re playing again and are the pick for the whole weekend–THAT IS REVEALED AT THE END OF THE POST!!!! (OH MAN!!! YOU’RE LUCKY DAY!)
Here are some of my selections for the wknd. For the full sked, check it at the WE FEST site.
Thurs., May 20
(Bands & Art from 3pm to 1am)
8pm: Hand Grenade (Myrtle Beach)–Fast and spunky punk
12am: Some Ambulance (Myrtle Beach)–Folk beats and brass w/ a vague maritime feel and random bouts of chanting
1am: LA Tool & Die (Charlotte)–Sarcastic electronic rock. Think Helvetica font and bright colors.
Fri. May 21
(Bands & Art from 3pm to 1am)
4pm
River City Ransom (Raleigh)–Laid-back post-punk (insert more hyphens here)
5pm Pistolero (Atlanta)–Rock grunge groove in a more typical song structure
9pm Dylan Gilbert (Charlotte)–Experimental, knob-twisting singer/songwriter like Bright Eyes when he was not enthralled with money
10pm Marionette (Richmond)–Quiet shoe-gaze trance inducing electronic rock
12am The Dry Heathens (Durham) Dirty distorted punk
1am Onward, Soldiers (Wilmington, NC)–Brooding Americana
Saturday, May 23
(Bands at 3pm)
10pm The Paper Jets (New Jersey and Minn)–Americana rock w/ harmonies
11pm Puritan Rodeo (Chapell Hill)–Honest straight-up country
1am Olivia and the Housemates (Washington, DC)–60’s-lite pop w/ an excellent vocalist
Sunday, May 24
(Bands start at 3pm)
3pm Gray Young (Raleigh)–Instrumental rock
5pm Pink Kodiak (Savannah, GA)–Progressive melodic electronica
6pm Ponchos from Peru (Wilmington)–Understated creative folk rock
12am Western Civ (Chapel Hill)–Spacey alt-rock
Monday, May 25
(Bands start at 6pm)
8pm Hearts by Darts (Baltimore) Good rock w/ Feist-y vocals
***10pm Terminal Reynaldo (Jersey City, Jersey)***
Pretty sure I saw these guys last year (that’s breaking a cardinal WE-fest rule), but holy cow, go see them. Some moody electronica rock, like a slowed down, more intricate version of what Titus Andronicus has been doing lately. Some nice chord changes, some unexpected upticks and beatdowns. They know the right moments to bleep and blip. Definitely the pick of the whole freakin’ weekend***
Florida band Tides of Man are taking their punk-metal amalgamate to Rise Records. They’re shooting for an August release of their debut Empire Theory . Before hitting up the midwest and the big time (that’s a spurious relationship), they’re playing a few last shows in the Sunshine State. Their sound is fairly typical for the Rise Records sound and Tides of Man will fit snug like bedbugs under your pillow. Florida dates and a vid of “Create” after the jump:
May 21 ORLANDO AKA Lounge (w/ Contest of Arms)
May 23 PEMBROKE PINES The Talent Farm (w/ The Rise of Science)
May 27 YBOR CITY New World Brewery (w/Lorien & Farewell Flight)
May 29 ST. PETE State Theatre (w/ Oceana CD Release) Read the rest of this entry »
I’m sure the phrase “burning hotels” has been a temptation for the band on their long east coast road trip, but Ft. Worth’s The Burning Hotels are swinging one more time through the south before crossing state lines back home. Their upbeat rock-dance mix mines similar ground to The Killers and Placebo with a dash of moroseness similar to Lovedrug. What it is though is very tight, very likable, and from all accounts across the great state of Texas, a very excellent live show. The Eight Five Mirrors EP is available at their MySpace and on iTunes.
Tour dates below w/ a vid of the band after the jump:
May 19 2009 9:00P Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
May 20 2009 10:00P The Double Door Inn Charlotte, North Carolina
May 21 2009 10:00P The Mercy Lounge Nashville, Tennessee
May 22 2009 12:00P Whaleapalooza at the Squid & Whale Pub Eureka Springs, Arkansas
May 23 2009 10:00P Vino’s Little Rock, Arkansas
May 24 2009 8:00P The Moon Bar w/ the Orbans Fort Worth, Texas Read the rest of this entry »
Have had my hands on this one for a couple of weeks, but I needed some time with it. Unlike some more esteemed critics, I don’t know this band. I’ve since read that they’ve presented a few killer shows, come out with a few awesome albums. But if there was a band that the term “freak-folk” was created for, it’s these guys. Once the hottest thing in Brooklyn was starry garage rock, now it’s some folksy-get back to basics-off the grid mess. Now, I don’t really know what the “freak-folk” tag means, but on the opener “Everyone Is Guilty” it means combining some of the more traditionally organic instruments into some raucous explosions and funk jams. On “Creatures,” it means quiet electronics and gentle bass beats. Something like “Many Ghosts” finds a happy medium between these two, both in instrumentation and pace with some angelic harp harmonies for good measure. The album rides back and forth between those two speeds–15mph and maybe 45 mph. This isn’t some full-on Avett Brothers folk-punk, but there are some admirable guitar jams (“MBF”) moody atmospherics and quirky brass, and sometimes all appear at once such as on “Sun Will Shine.”
But the heavy hitter and the one most passed around for good reason is “River.” It has an accessible melody and mines ground that favs of mine Anathallo and The Decembrists have already explored. Akron/Family splinters in many directions, but somehow reels it in by having the similar ideas for each song. The only difference may come in choosing a piano or a violin to play the same part. Those decisions are crucial and Akron/Family is still navigating it. Hence, the term “experimental.”
Glancing through my local event listings and noticed that the Ataris (yes, the boys of freakin’ summer) are still playing shows, still going on tour, with…wait for it…a new album this summer. Who likes The Ataris anymore? Aren’t they stuck in the dreaded no man’s land? The mainstream doesn’t know they exist anymore after their flavor of the week status has ended, yet they’re original fans remember the betrayal. No place for the Ataris to go. Maybe they should bank on whole new level of nostalgia and call themselves The N64s.
Tour dates (in case you’re interested) and the “Boys of Summer” vid for (old time’s sake) after the jump.
What’s up with mountains? Here’s the second mountain group this week: Indie Brit-pop group Shoot the Mountain releases a new self-titled EP this weekend with a show at the Basement in Nashville. The Protomen and Totally Snake. Shoot the Mountain is part surf-groove, part tangled classic rock, part dance band, part high-pitched harmonies. The show is with The Protomen and Totally Snake. Shoot the Mountain’s whole EP can be streamed here at Bandcamp.
The Magik Markers focus on rock, literally. The cover of their new album, Balf Quarry (out on Drag City) refers to a rock quarry outside of Hartford, CT. But based on your pretentious definition, songs like “Don’t Talk In Your Sleep” may be more melancholic shoegaze fuss, while something like “Jerks” is amped-up passionate spazz punk with the fuzz up to eleven. And sometimes, they go on and on in their rock with a great spoken word rant on “The Lighter Side…of Hippies.” Balf Quarry is my first intro to the duo of Elisa Ambrogio and Pete Nolan, and I like it. It’s not really down for those want a boring old rock show, but only for people who DIG new ROCK. Yeah, capitals for hidden messages are awesome, because then they’re not hidden, THEY’RE RIGHT THERE in the open. Because ROCK makes the earth able to be lived on. OR SOMETHING. And The Magik Markers make good rock.
And right now The Magik Markers are on tour w/ Ghost. These fine cities are near me in heart and spirit:
May 11 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
(w/ Ghost)
May 12 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle Tavern & Music
(w/ Ghost)
May 13 Athens, GA Tasty World
(w/ Ghost)
May 14 Birmingham, AL Bottletree
(w/ Ghost)
This video is one somebody made up to go along with the song “Taste” off a previous Magik Markers album. But it’s freakin’ awesome, with a crazy off-road race. After the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Everyone screams “Fugazi” at Durham’s Red Collar, but there’s more nuance to this band than a classic punk rock comparison. Between the dynamic interplay between Jason Kutchma and Mike Jackson there is a penchant for the dramatic, for the grand. Passionate live shows made even better by their blistering and exciting brand of punk and contemplative, motivating anthems about life, work and music. So if you ever say “Fugazi” at them, the guys and gal of Red Collar might take it another way than in a musical comparison. They will take it as an order, as a command to reach for the musical heavens for the greatest realms of musical integrity and ideals. Somehow, they have a unique gift for understanding common life experiences and elevating them to the most hopeful heights. For any doubters, listen to the live version of “The Commuter” at their MySpace and listen to Kutchma give an impassioned speech about a radio station. Was that really off-the-cuff? If so, he could sell squirrel meat to Ruth’s Chris. Their new disc is called Pilgrim and can be ordered from their website.
Do not miss if you need inspiration and a good time at a show. They’re coming closer to home in North Carolina, so the shows are sure to be doubly-inspired. Vid of “Pilgrim” after the jump:
Fri May 08 09 9:00 PM Snug Harbor, , Charlotte, NC
W/ Prabir and the Substitutes & the lights fluorescent
Sat May 09 09 9:00 PM Local 506, 506 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, US
W/ Death to the Details and The Lights Fluorescent
Tue May 12 09 7:00 PM The Camel, 1621 W Broad St, Richmond, VA
Wed May 13 09 7:30 PM The Velvet Lounge, 915 U St NW, Washington, DC
W/ noon30, Wicked Hemlocks, Triathletes, Spiral Beach
Thu May 14 09 9:00 PM The Outback Lodge, 917 Preston Ave, Charlottsville, VA
Fri May 15 09 7:00 PM The Calvert House, 6211 Baltimore Avenue (US 1), Riverdale, MD,
W/ Escape Artist + Lonely are the Brave
Pretty & Nice are killing it with snappy whiplash rock-pop somewhere between a melodic Pattern is Movement, Q and Not U and Elvis Costello. Their last album, Get Young features the quality “Tora, Tora, Tora” and “Grab Your Nets.” They released it last fall on Hardly Art and are making their way across the southeast as part of the P&N Party Adventure. Dates in St. Pete, Lake Worth, ATL, Charlotte with a vid of “Solar Energy” after the jump.
May 7 2009 9:00P Star Booty Salon St. Petersburg, Florida
May 8 2009 8:00P Propaganda Lake Worth, Florida
May 9 2009 8:00P Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, Georgia
May 10 2009 8:00P Milestone Charlotte, North Carolina
May 11 2009 8:00P New Brookland Columbia, South Carolina
May 12 2009 8:00P Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
May 13 2009 8:00P Soapbox Laundro Lounge Wilmington, North Carolina
May 14 2009 9:30P Union Hall Brooklyn, New York
May 15 2009 8:00P The M Room Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 16 2009 8:00P Rock N Roll Hotel Washington, DC, Washington DC
Pay special attention to: “Faces in the Dark” and “When They Fight, They Fight”
This is not an overstatement: Generationals are the best band I’ve heard today. All humor aside, that Generationals are newly signed to Park the Van Records makes it even sweeter, as that’s the home of recent indie buzzmakers like Dr. Dog and The Spinto Band. That good indie rock is coming from New Orleans of all places is kind of surprising–for some reason the town of infinitely good jazz, blues and rap usually has a faulty record with their homegrown alt-rock set. Generationals, formerly of The Eames Era, are an exception to those rules.
But if anybody can find the gems, it’s Park the Van. They grew Dr. Dog and Dr. Dog grew them. Not sure if in my time in NOLA pre-flood that my paths crossed with Park the Van, but ever since that time both eyes have to be on every release they put forth. The label moved back to New Orleans in Dec. 2008 after some time in exile in Philly and Generationals is one of the first results of that move back. Generationals have some classy mellow electro-pop with some distance to it–maybe something like Viva Voce, Vampire Weekend or another “V” band that I’m not thinking of right now. Park the Van is releasing their new album Con Law later this summer, but you have the best fortune ever: stream the whole album above and tour dates for Knoxville, Philly, Brooklyn and Chapel Hill are after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Just got the Akron/Family new one, Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free from Dead Oceans and will have a review up soon. Early impressions tend towards an organic Anathallo and quieter Animal Collective. But that’s later. At this moment, here’s “River” and some other songs follow. Akron/Family "River"
BTW: Dead Oceans is putting out some killer stuff here lately–the new John Vanderslice, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Phosphorescent, now Akron/Family…talk about being on a roll in 2009.
Don’t mean for this to turn into an alt-country rant, I’ll try and dig up some mellow electro-shoegaze very soon. Despite the obvious name reference, American Aquarium has more of a classic country/honky-tonk feel that makes it hard to believe they played a few dates with Against Me! Fronted by a piano this is a mellow Uncle Tupelo, but some gruffer vocals puts the “alt” and Lucero references in play. No matter, the Raleigh band is playing a ton of shows in Georgia, Florida and even hitting the no man’s land of touring groups: Mississippi and Alabama. Video of “Louisiana Beauty Queen” and tour dates after the jump:
There’s no doubt that indie rock exists in two spheres: that of independent rock of punk and screamo bands on labels like Fat Wreck Chords or Victory and that of “indie rock” stereotyped as pretentious holier-than-thou starving artist types. Is there any room to unite? Can we allow Thursday and The Thermals to exist in the same world? Or Dashboard Confessional and Colin Meloy? Maybe it’s not style, but melody versus non-melody. One of my faves in this is The Appleseed Cast. They’re on a teeny-bopper punk label for the most part, but play introspective moody math (formerly emo) rock. Please point me to common ground.
Now here comes a fairly new entrant: The Gaslight Anthem. With upbeat, competent and at times even impressive alt-country stylings, Gaslight contains the new fad of Brooklyn’s best posers as an upbeat, updated version of The Hold Steady. And Alt-Press covers to boot Williamsburg cred out the door. Good thing they’re from Jersey. Their label may or may not help. Side One Dummy contains indie rock fave Gogol Bordello along with other punk bubblegum pop like Broadway Calls.
So can the Gaslight Anthem do it? If not them, hopefully somebody and sometime soon. Vid of “Great Expectations” after the jump.
May 5 2009 ATL, GA @The Masquerade w/Heartless Bastards and Good Old War
May 6 2009 CARRBORO, NC @ Cat’s Cradle w/Pela and Good Old War
May 7 2009 Towson, MD @Recher Theatre w/Pela and Good Old War Read the rest of this entry »
Nashville and popular blog fav (uh…not this one) JEFF the Brotherhood wrap up their east coast tour before sitting back down at home for a few more dates then launching out again. They’ve got a slew of new 7″ splits and some CD-Rs that may or may not be sold out, but view the MySpace for that. For those inclined to know what the northeast looks like in the spring, here are more of the bro’s band blog antics. (band blog antics have been a fav of my as of late.)
Check JEFF for some scuzzy electro-punk akin more to melody than moshing. No word on if JEFF is jazzy or not.
Vid of “I Dream of Jake and Jamin” after the tour dates.
May 1 2009 8:00P bbb complex (bury your bike 2 fest) jacksonville, FL
May 7 2009 8:00P the end (w/ screaming females) nashville
May 14 2009 8:00P mercy lounge (w/ royal bangs) 18+ nashville
May 19 2009 8:00P new french bar (w/ turbo fruits) asheville, NC
May 21 2009 8:00P meat town u.s.a. (w/ turbo fruits) new brunswick, NJ
May 22 2009 8:00P cakeshop (w/turbo fruits) New York, New York
May 23 2009 8:00P don pedros (w/ turbo fruits) Brooklyn, New York
May 24 2009 8:00P the khyber (w/ turbo fruits) philladelphia
May 26 2009 8:00P go bar (w/ turbo fruits) Athens, Georgia
Jul 9 2009 8:00P the end (w/ jay reatard) Nashville, Tennessee
We Are The Union something like ska, but not. Heavy on the old school Less Than Jake influence.
Apr 30 2009 5:00P Sector 7G Augusta, Georgia
May 1 2009 8:00P Soapbox Laundrolounge Wilmington, North Carolina
May 2 2009 8:30P Attitudz Virginia Beach, Virginia
May 3 2009 8:00P The Artful Dodger Harrisonburg, Virginia
May 4 2009 6:30P Temple of Doom (House Show) Richmond, Virginia
Guess the only reason to write is because the album “rocks” or something, though Dish has more of an eye on Southern groove surf music with Ma Raison De Vivre Ton Amour like their pensive Orlando location would give them. Stuck between two oceans but not close enough to either, this is the musical expression of being influenced by the coast and the confederacy. (Update: their Myspace says Deland, so really that’s the Atlantic, not the Gulf…I think the “expression” statement still holds true, however).
“This Ain’t Livin” gives us the classic line “I’m so hungry I could eat my stomach” before morphing from a laid-back acoustic into a rowdy Ben Kweller breakdown (if Ben Kweller is rowdy…). But rowdy enough to cause one of the bros, Nathaniel to leave which kind of sucks…Dish bends and twists several musical styles on Ma Raison De Vivre Ton Amour, I think I was told to write by somebody something akin to the Cold War Kids, but I’m also thinking The Raconteurs, so maybe they told me to write that too. “Cold Is,” the second album track, was recently on NPR so maybe I’m way behind on this or NPR is way cool. I choose neither, except I choose Dish.
Other faves include “Death and Romance” with upbeat melodic distortion if there is such a thing; and “Family Tree” which follows the same slow, slow, faster, slow, rock, rock, rock formula of some of the others mentioend here. I hear they use a lot of pots and pans and random objects for percussion, so continue to dish up this goodness. Hopefully the bros find ways to trade music files over USendIt and keep this stuff coming.
What’s the point in writing Against Me!? I knew they were going on tour, but they’re freakin’ big time. Or I thought so until I checked out these locations–not the biggest in town, not the smallest, just where hardworkin’ punk rockers fit in. It’s amazing they’ve been around since 1997, they seem newer and older all at the same time. Maybe newer b/c mainstream indie rags are finally giving them the ink and digital space and older because they’ve been punk rock’s open secret for a long time.
According to their website, Against Me! is releasing soon The Original Cowboy out on Fat Wreck Chords, from old 2003 studio sessions.
Here are the remaining dates before a trip out to Australia:
Apr 29, 2009 Athens, GA Tasty World
w/ Off With Their Heads & Music Hates You
Apr 30, 2009 Wilmington, NC The Soapbox
w/ Off With Their Heads & American Aquarium
May 01, 2009 Columbia, SC New Brookland Tavern
w/ Off With Their Heads & Of Angels and Lions
Okay, so they’re actually from Pittsburgh. But falsehoods should not keep you from seeing The Takeover UK on their tour with Gliss. The Takeover UK mixes dirty Brit-rock with newfangled whiny pop, somewhere between Jet, The Strokes and Lovedrug. Yeah, that’s it. The songs I’ve heard off Running with the Wasters are clever, well-orchestrated and full of bravado in fun pop hooks. Give me some more cliches for “good” and I’ll throw those in there too. By the way, their tour blog from the last two months is pretty entertaining–just remember, don’t yank on any cooler doors and be wary of Pittsburgh night life. Vid of “Ah La La” right here or after the jump.
The Takeover UK are rolling south, some dates with Gliss :
Apr 27 2009 8:00P Village Tavern – w/ Gliss – 18+ Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Apr 28 2009 8:00P Local 506 – w/ Gliss, House of Fools Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Apr 29 2009 8:00P Snug Harbor – w/ Gliss, House of Fools Charlotte, North Carolina
Apr 30 2009 8:00P The Camel – w/ Gliss Richmond, Virginia
May 1 2009 8:00P Purple Fiddle – w/ Gliss Thomas, West Virginia Read the rest of this entry »
A selection of reviews from Pitchfork for this week.
Papercuts You Can Have What You Want7.4
Art Brut Art Brut vs. Satan 7.7
Woods Songs of Shame8.3
Camera Obscura My Maudlin Career8.3
Beck One Foot in the Grave 7.8
Manchester Orchestra Mean Everything to Nothing5.2
The Weight Are Men4.9
Yeah, Triangle trio Embarrassing Fruits are hitting up a tour to promote the new Community/Exploitation record from Trekky Records. There is this darker folk feeling that sneaks its way through the Embarrassing Fruits’ offerings, like a rat that isn’t supposed to be in the house, but then he is, and everyone gets used to it. No that didn’t sound right. Anyway, this tends towards the lighter side, but the songs never slight and never hold back from rockin’ in the Embarrassing Fruits way. Front guy Joe Norkus has this really easy going manner that flaunts innocence but omniscience that it is impossible to ignore the fact that these guys know what they’re doing. Or something. I’ll try again: Embarrassing Fruits are for those who prefer lighthearted but earnest country-twinged modern rock full of forward moving chords and verses and choruses that stay around for a few days. Like that rat I mentioned earlier. Love some “Nakata” off Community and “First Time” off the original EP, The First Time. And a vid follows after the jump.
Some tour dates:
04-24 Wilmington, NC – The Soapbox
04-25 Athens, GA – The Rye Bar
04-26 Asheville, NC – New French Bar
04-29 Charlottesville, VA – Tea Bazaar*
04-30 Richmond, VA – Rumors
05-01 Baltimore, MD – Talking Head
05-07 Raleigh, NC – Tir Na Nog
05-15 Chapel Hill, NC – Nightlight Read the rest of this entry »
Indie rock group North Elementary dropped Not for Everyone Just for You this past week and some southeast shows to back it up. Last time I saw North Elementary they made fun of the crowd as most of them turned a deaf ear. Then I picked up the 7″ which is a good time of elongated jam songs. Not For Everyone… features stand out tracks in “Tumbleweed Stars” and “Medical Sunset” and they’ve found a place somewhere between the Foo Fighters, Nada Surf and The Flaming Lips, with soft choruses and nice melodic distortion (is that possible?) for filling. Definitely worth checking out from Eskimo Kiss. Video of new album track “Golden Tigers” also below.
Dates:
April 23 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 w/ Pistolero, Wembley, The Popular Kids, DJ Steve
April 24 Charlotte, NC Snug Harbor w/ Pistolero and Transmission Fields
April 25 Atlanta, GA Star Bar w/ Pistolero and Thee Crucials
Instrumental provocateurs The Bronzed Chorus is wrapping up a tour in support of their new album, I’m the Spring. That album is on Hello Sir, home to such luminaries as Maserati and Cinemachina. Composed of Adam Joyce on guitar and Brennan O’Brien on drums, The Bronzed Chorus whips out punk-inflected instrumental songs like any decent orchestra would. Think Appleseed Cast, Saxon Shore as more of a heady-type experience than space-out space-age jazz mixes that some kooks are turning out.
Live vid of “Tired of Trying To Sound Smart” after the jump.
Remaining Dates:
04.22.09 Atlanta, GA @ the Drunken Unicorn w/ Bambara and Nigredo
04.23.09 Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone w/ Jews and Catholics
04.24.09 Chapel Hill, NC @ Jack Sprat w/ Gray Young, Bottle Rockets
Paste is a good mag and I used to live within spitting distance of it. In conjunction with yesterday’s Record Store Day, they’re re-upping their subscrip offer of pay what you want. Definitely worth it.
Manchester Orchestra was kind of taking off when I was in Atlanta a few years ago. Though I haven’t heard the whole new album, Mean Everything to Nothing, this one has a fuller sound, like Andy Hull is finally letting everyone participate. I’ll admit, I wasn’t always high on these guys, but they’ve come along nicely and it’s true that Hull has immense talent as a lyricist and guitar player. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for him, he started this stuff back in high school going straight to indie rock and sideswiping any punk rock diversions. So, Hull and the rest of his Manchester Orchestra are able to grab youth and maturity at the same time–this fluctuates bounces between a couple of southern-fried riffs, to a bit of alt-country, but isn’t afraid of embracing some of the more modern rock tendencies of shouted intensity. And they do all of that in one song: “I’ve Got Friends.” Less brooding, more cavorting, what’s left is Kings of Leon with cajones and something that modern rock (!) fans can enjoy rather than another dose of adult-alternative.
Here are their southern tour dates w/ FUN (former member of Anathallo) and Atlanta’s Winston Audio with a link to the “I’ve Got Friends” vid. No embedded vid link b/c Sony is apparently keeping a tight leash. Guess they’ve gotta lot banking on these guys. (Does the music industry get a bailout too?)
Apr 18 2009 8:00P Criminal Records Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 21 2009 8:00P Exit/In Nashville, Tennessee
Apr 22 2009 8:00P 40 Watt Athens, Georgia
Apr 23 2009 8:00P Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, North Carolina
Apr 24 2009 8:00P The National Richmond, Virginia
(THEN OTHER PLACES)
May 29 2009 8:00P Spanish Moon Baton Rouge, Louisiana
May 30 2009 8:00P Proud Larry’s Oxford, Mississippi
May 31 2009 8:00P Bottle Tree Birmingham, Alabama
Jun 2 2009 8:00P State Theatre St. Petersburg, Florida
Jun 3 2009 8:00P The Social Orlando, Florida
Jun 4 2009 8:00P The Social Orlando, Florida
5.9 Say Hi: Oohs and Aahs 5.3 Silversun Pickups: Swoon 7.1 The Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound: When Sweet Sleep Returned 8.1 Bill Callahan: Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
As usual, the obscure take the top prizes. They did have a review of Radiohead’s reissues, and they liked everything except Pablo Honey. Just for the record.
Saturday is Record Store Day, a time when high-minded fans get together and discuss High Fidelity and Empire Records and probably now, Be Kind Rewind. Ok, that last one is not a record store but anything made on a disc is starting to fall in that category. Speaking of discs, love records (just bought two in the last wk…), hate CDs and from the looks of things, most of the cool specials will tend towards the black plastic (or multi-colored! with sleeves!).
But if you’re in my (large) neck of the woods, the following stores I recommend for Record Store Day:
That’s how far it is from Cincy to Graceland, according to the self-proclaimed “country punk” band. The singer Ryan Mallott and crew seem to take their role of country punk preservationists pretty seriously, as the wit of the fiddle matches the three-chord chunks. Though more than upbeat bar music, they definitely hold the key to being The Hold Steady country-fied. They need to add a few more dates in Nashville or try and score a gig with The Avett Brothers while in the Carolinas to get some momentum. What’s perplexing is how they got that old guy on board (but a great addition). More perplexing for 500 Miles to Memphis is why the heck Deep Elm would offer a contract to these guys. The ever-shifting sands of the once proud Deep Elm has left the label in a bit of a sinkhole or poised to take on the next gen in a way no one has imagined yet. Their MySpace says there is an album for download at their website. But MySpace is known as a haven for those prone to lie.
500 Miles to Memphis Upcoming Dates and a vid after the jump:
Apr 16 2009 10:00P The Longbranch Saloon Knoxville, Tennessee
Apr 17 2009 10:00P The Milestone Charlotte, North Carolina
Apr 18 2009 10:00P The Garage Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Apr 19 2009 9:00P Mansion 462 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Apr 21 2009 10:00P The Palm Room Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Apr 23 2009 9:00P Lenny’s Bar Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 24 2009 10:00P The Nick Birmingham, Alabama
Apr 25 2009 9:30P The Boiler Room Lexington, Kentucky Read the rest of this entry »
Gizmodo makes selections for 10 of the Geekiest videos. Some “winners” include Weird Al’s “White and Nerdy,” Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You” and The White Stripes “Fell in Love with A Girl” But my favorite is by our deposed King of Pop, which is after the jump. But what about the Napoleon Dynamite dance sequence? Guess that doesn’t count. Read the rest of this entry »
Saddle Creek cult member Beep Beep just released their second album, Enchanted Islands. I haven’t heard all of it, but it seems a more muted and less wild edition of Beep Beep from the corporate angst of Business Casual. Oh, but the rad colored pencil drawings have made it another round. Southeast dates below and the “Executive Foliage” vid from the previous album after the jump:
Apr 15 2009 8:00P Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Apr 16 2009 8:00P The Milestone Charlotte, North Carolina
Apr 17 2009 8:00P Caledonia Athens, Georgia
Apr 18 2009 8:00P Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 19 2009 8:00P Backbooth Orlando, Florida
Apr 20 2009 8:00P New World Brewery Tampa, Florida
Apr 21 2009 8:00P The Engine Room Tallahassee, Florida
Apr 22 2009 8:00P 1982 Bar Gainesville, Florida Read the rest of this entry »
Everyone’s fav. trio Hammer No More The Fingers is hitting up the east coast of the NC in support of their new release, Looking for Bruce just released on Church Key Records. If you’ve never caught a HNMTF show, you will not believe the transformation of Duncan, Joe and Jeff from the mild-mannered nice guys they are into the total thrashers once on the stage. Their uproarious new 90s-esque alt-math-rock totally blows the mind of those minds previously unblown. Upcoming dates (includ show with Superchunk) are below and a live vid is after the jump:
Apr 10 2009 8:00P Soapbox WILMINGTON, North Carolina
Apr 11 2009 8:00P Spazz Benefit NEW BERN, North Carolina
Apr 15 2009 8:00P Cat’s Cradle w/ SUPERCHUNK CARRBORO, NC
Apr 24 2009 8:00P New French ASHEVILLE, North Carolina
Apr 25 2009 8:00P Annual Daniel PULASKI, Virginia
Apr 30 2009 8:00P Tir Na Nog RALEIGH, North Carolina
May 1 2009 8:00P Speakertree LYNCHBURG, Virginia
Finally got my hands on this, though it’s been out a couple of years. As I told a couple of friends, the introduction is worth whatever price you pay. It sums up the christian music industry of yore in a nutshell–Salomon is stuck at a church in an embarrassing situation with a pastor that wants to make sure he’s going to preach the Gospel at all costs. Then somehow, this same pastor eventually tracks him back to California and sends his kids in as spies. What the heck? What kind of Christian is that?
In a way, Salomon’s whole book is a repeated diatribe of Charles Barkley’s “I’m not a role model,” but with legitimate points. Stavesacre was not meant to be a ministry, but art. But due to what they knew, what label they were on or what have you, that was the situation that they always ended up in. Salomon allows for an understanding of his mindset, his desires and his passion and how the Christian music industry both hindered his career and gave it a spectacular rise. What will strike home for most people is how old he is. With The Crucified he was really navigating new territory as a very young man. Had he been in the same situation now–a pioneer in the Christian music ministry–with our technology, screwed would be an understatement. Read the rest of this entry »
As I’ve probably said before, I like the stuff coming out of Lujo Records. Pomegranates, The Dark Romantics, Cool Hand Luke, Look Mexico. They’ve got a new EP and here’s a video for “You’re Not Afraid of the Dark, are you?” off of Gasp Asp. They tend towards whatever the pop-punk post emo sound is these days, but I think there’s an intricacy here (listen to the bridge…) and a complexity that goes beyond their peers. And who doesn’t like pie and red wine in white shirts? In other words, a good chance for a good career.
Got a copy of Peachcake’s “What Year Will You Have the World?” in the mail last week, and think these guys are on to something. The Phoenix (I mean Carefree/Cave Creek…what a place) band has an innovative blend of punk rock and electronica, with enough brazen ridiculousness to bowl over even the most ridiculously critical critic. Live video of “Did I Just Do That or Was It Jim Carrey?’ after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Though the name is Benjamin Bear, there isn’t a bear or a Benjamin among this Seattle group. What is here is a deep, almost damning introspection that bends the will of the piano into narrative pathways that is usually assumed by the singer-songwriter with a guitar strapped on. All that remains is dark Ben Folds heady trip that does not depend on easy chorus hooks, but on full verses. They would be “soul” if the word had not already been ripped from its original meaning into a musical one. So I’m stuck with words like “brooding but hopeful” and “holy crap, this is what the Counting Crows would have been before selling out for the Top 40.” The voice of Mychal Cohen interplays with elegant sweeps on the piano to produce gems like “Russ,” whose quick tipped licks reveal a playful and honest confessions about a medical crisis with clever lyrical inversions that stick for days.
Those are the same reasons I like the second track, ‘Posterboy” which also starts in a soft but steady piano beat before plunging into a rocking chorus with jazzy drums provided by David Stern. The surprises that Cohen gives with his piano playing elevates Benjamin Bear beyond a novelty into a surefire creative force.
B/c of my past connex, I love REAX magazine. And here’s a good piece with Propagandhi, the Canadian punk band whom actually I’m not that familiar. Which means I’ve been missing the boat for sure.
The best: “I think we’re just four guys in a band and the things we’re interested in, things we care about, people call those things activism, they call them politics…I don’t identify with being a political person or being identified as being an activist, but the things we do get ourselves wrapped up in are called those things.”–Chris Hannah, vocalist/guitarist of Propagandhi
No doubt I’m a big fan of MC Lars, just got his new one–Gigantic Robot Kills in the mail. His cutting commentary about punk rock and other suburban pop topics is definitely needed. Good to see then a nat’l mag like URB is giving him some love with an interview. This is one of the few on-set, in-person interviews I’ve seen with him. (h/t Emotional punk).
And after the jump, a vid of Lars’ “Guitar Hero Hero” with a bunch of kids messing around.
The best: MC Lars: “Honestly, nerdcore to me is kind of a limited genre,” he professes. “There are all these kids now who sample Nintendo music and rap about how high school is boring, and that is so uninteresting to me. It’s hip-hop in that people are talking about their lives, but the problem with nerdcore is that it’s a joke.” Read the rest of this entry »
really, i don’t get it with this band, but i will give them credit for having the most pretentious indie rock name on the planet. that alone should give them good pub. The best: Peggy-”However, the first song my guitar teacher made me learn how to play was “Achy Breaky Heart”! To his credit, there are only two chords in that song…I think they are G and C.” (From Pop Tarts Suck Toasted)
Finally got this after deciding I couldn’t wait any longer for the vinyl. Some comments I’ve seen has said this is like Sufjan–one problem, however is Anathallo had their full orchestral bent going strong back in ‘02 and ‘03, just when Sufjan was getting his wings. Canopy Glow maintains the feel of Floating World though I was hoping for a few numbers closer to “Don’t Kid Yourself, You Need a Physician,” but those days are over. Interesting enough, the last song of “Canopy” was followed on my iTunes with the “Aaron Held His Peace” from Sparrows and honestly, I wasn’t sure of the difference. The same quiet has always been there, Anathallo has it leveraged towards its full maximum effect. And Noni’s Field and The River are remarkable songs. Vid for “Bells” after jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Punk News did a stellar interview w/ Joby Ford of The Bronx that includes a funny story about GNR and Converses. When they were on tour with As I Lay Dying, I ran into them in the chinese restaurant next to my place of business. I skipped that show, and have been kicking myself ever since. The best: It’s not just bands that are having a tough time. It’s everybody. It’s definitely not like a sob story, like “Woe is me.” No, this is a choice that we made as five people, that this is what we want to do with our lives, and so that’s what we’re doing. What comes of it comes of it. I don’t know, I’ve worked corporate jobs and it almost killed me…Being happy is more important than being rich.
Not sure if it’s actually cool to like Sonic Youth, or to like them in a ironic way–like how an indie hipster likes Justin Timberlake. SY has been around for awhile now, with so many claims of influence, I don’t see how they can keep living up to themselves. Thurston and Kim probably put on masks in the morning before looking at the mirror.
Now here’s some fiction inspired by the book, (from Village Voice) compared to actual experiences inspired by the song titles, like someone named Eric taking a trip, or someone else trying to find out the meaning of “Kissability.” Buy it from Powell’s.
It’s so nice when indie rock and lit can come together. there’s peace on the artistic earth. since those are two concerns of deckfight (maybe the only two), it’s a pretty good read on Lit Mob of what the band literati are up to, including Dan Deacon, Ra Ra Riot, Earlimart, among others. Ben Weaver is probably most similar to my interests, though I haven’t read all the books they suggested (a lot of Vonnegut all around though). Definitely want to read Hotel Theory by Wayne Koestenbaum.
Bonus: Here’s an interview from PaperMag with Lit Mob founder, Doug Perkl.
When it rains, it pours. First, the first-person of the Los Campesinos!/Titus Andronicus show, now here’s an excellent Titus Andronicus interview from Aversion. That one guitarist dude is always wearing a plaid shirt. It’s like his blanky, I guess.
The best: “You know, it’s kind of like the evolution of species. Traits become emphasized over time. I guess the punk influence on what we now today call indie music has been diluted over the years, for better or for worse. People try to seem to try and choose one or the other. We would prefer to have them both if we can.”–Patrick Stickles (From Aversion)
You know the “they.” And here’s an interview with the recipients, Animal Collective. I was sold when I heard “The Purple Bottle” for the first time on the college radio station. Looks like they’re heading out to Europe first, (besides the big three) and then hit up the states in May. This concludes the most Pitchfork-centric post I’ve ever written. The best: (Dave Portner): We don’t always like to be so forceful with what [our songs are] about, because a part of listening is developing your own thoughts or emotions about something. And volume of vocals plays a part too, because we don’t always put the vocals at the loudest level for people to understand every word of our songs. Sometimes we think we have, but even then, people don’t always understand what we’re saying [laughs].
Friday night and it’s freezing; bowling ended at 5 (I left early with still two frames left in my game) so the puppy could be fed at someone else’s house and the puppy could get slammed around by a bigger dog, and learn a lesson (he’s been learning a lot lately) and so finally we made it back on the road after stopping to fill up our car with gas and air (cold, not hot air) and after we pulled a u-turn around a smithfield’s chicken (it was crowded, like a grand opening with balloons and stuff) and opted for KFC instead (the strips come in 3, 6, or 12–they are all spicy), because we had to make the two hour trip to carrboro/chapel hill (it really is the same place, basically) and on the way while eating my chicken strips i spilled barbecue sauce on my pants and got barbecue sauce on my wife’s hand (i then switched to honey mustard) and now we’re on our way… Read the rest of this entry »
In classic Viva Voce fashion, the band announces new members to further their touring. Plus, spring tour dates! And new work coming soon (at least we can all hope).
Tour dates (what no east coast love?!?) and the vid for “Alive with Pleasure” after the jump.
“Viva Voce rise like a Pheonix (or is that Phoenix-ed.) in 2009. Forever swearing off being a
two-piece band, Anita and Kevin Robinson have broken up, reformed adding
two of Portlands finest, and will unveil a new record in the coming
months. Notably more angular songs than the previous “Get Yr Blood Sucked
Out”, Viva Voce set out to perform the new tunes on a spring tour,
ending with a Portland homecoming a year in the making.” Read the rest of this entry »
The St. Louis-based Gentleman Auction House probably put out three of my favorite songs of 2008 (or were they from 2007?). Here’s the vid for one of them, though their whole album is great, especially “We Used to Dream About Bridges.” But here’s “Book of Matches” from their album, ABCEDFGraveyard. after the jump.
Mix-up Annuals and you get Sunfold, led by Annuals‘ guitarist Kenny Florence and made up of Annuals members. More of a classic rock, guitar solo funk vibe than the indie-pop Annuals comes out with. Sunfold wears its influence on its sleeve, but moves things forward without being too much of a tribute to anything.
Of course he does. Jeff Price is the CEO of the company. But his argument actually makes rational sense. His company’s model is that a website controlled by the artist allows them to pick the advertisers off their page and get money from the revenues. Most of the media (and scenesters) have always sided with the right of Napster, Pirate Bay, or YouTube about their content–but if you were the artist wouldn’t you want some money off your song instead of giving it to those content providers for free?
This example makes the most sense: “Imagine ABC getting the TV show ‘Lost’ for free, then broadcasting it and keeping all the advertising revenue.” From HuffPo.
From last week’s Nashville Scene. I remember hearing The Pink Spiders were from Nashville, thinking, “Who are these guys?” Like the article mentions, no hometown base, no extensive touring, just kind of straight to the top. The money situation and the publishing debacle makes you wonder if they’ve ever seen That Thing You Do.
i was trying to come up with a piece about Girl Talk’s new work, Feed The Animals but this piece on Pitchfork is better than anything I could come up with.
Been in a New orleans funk today of sorts, so here is Rotary Downs of the Crescent City. They’ve got a fusion lounge sound, and the concept of this vid is a bit cheesy, but fast forward past the minute mark for the good stuff.
I was trolling around on The Militia Group website looking for info about the new Brandtson but alas it has been delayed. Not that you would find that from the militia group page.
But being there reminded me of this band, Controlling The Famous, who put out a pretty smart punk album called “Automatic City” a few years ago. They broke up last year, but this song was on Fuel TV, an acoustic version of “the easy life” which may be some sort of ironic band lament.
On the indoor stage on thursday, July 3, Cincy’s All the Day Holiday lays down the rock, in the vein of Saxon Shore but with vocals–this is pretty intense. At first, I thought they were just like a melancholy Copeland, but this is a great video–and it’s over a year ago. Definitely will be tracking these guys.
ATL’s Ocean is Theory is playing Cornerstone at the New Band Showcase on Sat. I never saw them in Atlanta, as the surburban screamo bands never really hung with the urban indie/garage rockers, for whatever reason. But there’s a lot of energy and sincerity here, and they accomplish the new breed of screamo quite well.
Here’s “a city of water” at the Masquerade last fall.
I’ll look at a whole bunch of bands playing Cornerstone in the lead-up to the June 30-July 5 festival over the next two weeks, hopefully on a daily or semi-daily basis. Here’s info on the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois.
Lakes is the new or kind of new band from Seth Roberts, the former impetus behind Tooth and Nail (and previously Bettie Rocket band–Freeto Boat anyone?) Watashi Wa. I always liked Roberts, I have one or two Watashi Wa albums, but his style really came through with Eager Seas. His voice is distinctive, and now his music goes beyond a simple punk-pop classification into alluring and upbeat modern rock. Earnest seems an apt description for Lakes, but also immensely talented.
Lakes plays Wednesday, July 2nd on the Gallery Stage.
…Bells on the wrists of the guitar player and the random guy gyrating madly probably like I would. This is from a fest in MA, but it’s a small room with everyone sitting around. Intimate setting. Bicycles and Gravel convinced the crowd to get into it by the end however, as their typical indie rock reached a swell. Not a lot new here except for energy, which is saying a lot, I guess. “Let’s get back to what got us here.”
If The Blair Witch Project had a musical interpretation, ghost punk by These Are Powers would be it. Anna Barie provides the movement, the shivers and the wild yawps, while Pat Noecker (former of Liars) provides the steady drone of the fuzzed out sound of an emergency broadcast signal or something like that. Vid from a Punkcast show at Death by Audio in Brooklyn.
…fresh out of the west coast Seattle scene, the Biography of Ferns take a low-key approach to their vid for “John the Barber.” The typical crowded garage scene and shadows highlighted by the overpowering sunlight pile on the cliches. The only thing holding this video together is the music itself–an odd jumble of indefinite lilts and riffs from the crockpot of punk rock history. The music is good; the video too basic for its own good.
Creative Loafing in Atlanta published their music guide for 2008, centering on the punk rock and hip-hop scenes of Atlanta, along with any crossovers. This article specifically focused on the idea of “black hipsters,” an idea in which one promoter should be reversed.
“If anything, we should make a subtitle for ‘white hipsters’ because black people are the original ‘cool kids,’”–From Ian Ford, an Atlanta promoter.
And of course, he’s right. I guess in the 80s, black artists lost the “hip” label as “hip” turned into “gangsta.” But, like this book and this past review says, it all started with white copying black. Is it the other way around now, at least with “indie rock?” Seems to be up for debate.
This first person essay by Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie in the May issue of Paste Magazine is a manifesto of sorts. It’s to promote their new album, Narrow Stairs, but it’s also his declaration that a band can be cool and have longevity. That a band gets better with age and popularity rather than worse. That it’s ok to sell out.
“I don’t want to go back to that period of being obscure and having nobody know who I am, let alone have to struggle to get people to come to the show. I remember what it was like, and it was shitty,” writes Gibbard in Paste.
Congratulations, Built By Snow. You are Rad Dudes. 80s video game nostalgia bleeding off the edges. Plenty of cheeseburgers to go around in the end. Punk whimsy.
…this article from the New York Press lampoons the protesters outside the new retail store in the former CBGB’s space for even trying. Blaming the protesters for being short-sighted (“Do they really believe that sitting on the sidewalk, feebly clutching their handwritten signs is actually going to bring the club back?”) is actually right on in an unintended way–do the protesters really want CBGB back? Kristal has died, and so the spirit kind of goes with it. Is the stuff in the Varvatos store better off here or worse than in some Hard Rock Cafe location?
…i think this song by Athens-based We Versus the Shark is called Song Three. Anyhow, this performance in NYC at Arlene’s Grocery shows off their punchy garage rock that may cause thrashing and gnashing of teeth from unbridled excitement.
…”Classy Penguin” is from The Books’ recently released DVD Play All. This vid is mostly about the life of boys growing up, and focuses on one infant quite a bit, and then tracks the things that boys might get into–i.e. playing guitar and jumping off of stuff. The Books’ videos are like their songs–collages of everyday life and sound.
…this is actually a homemade clip of scenes from Tokyo, but it fits some of The Books’ other vids quite well. The song has a high, heavy picking sound, and the rhythm of the songs fits the selected clips. I like the animation and the closing one of the race horses.
This article from Pop Matters calls Meloy of the Decemberists “hyper-literate.” Not sure what that means, except possibly he reads a lot and uses big words in his songs. I guess that’s exactly what it means. I enjoy The Decemberists, and refer to them as a folk band, not because of their music but because of their stories–they are all mythic in nature, like well, a folk tale. Colin Meloy sings Sam Cooke seems like an interesting project.
Saw this band last week on tour with The Honorary Title. Their catchy folk rock was a lot better than The Honorary Title’s nervous emo-lite stuff. This is “Shelter,” and the vid is about killer sandwiches, which includes a part where the sandwiches spit up a weird mix of ketchup and mustard. The band then comes in and beats up the sandwiches. Sounds like a bad trip to Subway.
bit behind with this one, but this is foxy shazam. Hyped-up lounge act on the basketball court. Touring with the tricky Fall of Troy. Does the lead singer look like Jack Sparrow?
That’s definitely how I saw Daniel Smith. Here’s a pretty extensive interview with him right after “Ships” and the DVD came out last year. Check out page three for his comments on the Christian music industry (don’t worry nothing salacious).
After Punk Planet and No Depression, Harp goes down. I’m sure there are countless others as well. As someone in publishing, it looks like we’re losing our physical realities to completely digital ones. I think magazines will last for awhile, it probably will force them to up the ante, not necessarily with their articles, but creative graphical presentations–to really push the art form of what a magazine can be.
Spazz-electro-pop band, De Novo Dahl, has a new release Shout on some label, (Roadrunner…I believe) that includes all of these metal bands. But don’t hold that against them, because this Nashville band is straight-up caffeine for the groove set. At the risk of sounding too effusive, I enjoy this band thoroughly.
missed out on some of Deckfight in 2009? check out our list of essential Deckfight posts from this year... http://bit.ly/67Vil44 hours ago
rewatching ssn 5 of lost is just as good the 2nd time. 5 hours ago
missed out on some of deckfight this year? check out the essential Deckfight reading of 2009 http://bit.ly/7FWjJm5 hours ago
kicked it 90s style & went to the gap while returning christmas presents. bought a polo shirt for $6. probably cheaper than the thrift store 18 hours ago
commentary, Huffington Post, media, music
Can bands and content providers co-exist? TuneCore CEO thinks so.
In Uncategorized on January 7, 2009 at 4:23 pmOf course he does. Jeff Price is the CEO of the company. But his argument actually makes rational sense. His company’s model is that a website controlled by the artist allows them to pick the advertisers off their page and get money from the revenues. Most of the media (and scenesters) have always sided with the right of Napster, Pirate Bay, or YouTube about their content–but if you were the artist wouldn’t you want some money off your song instead of giving it to those content providers for free?
This example makes the most sense: “Imagine ABC getting the TV show ‘Lost’ for free, then broadcasting it and keeping all the advertising revenue.” From HuffPo.