I heard about these guys from L Magazine's "8 New York City Bands You Need to Hear: 2009" article. I don't know too much about the members of the 2008 class, but their 2007 selections included Vampire Weekend, White Rabbits, and Bear Hands (see my post from 2 weeks ago), so I trust their judgment. I listened to a little from each band on this year's list and I liked most of them, but the electro pop/folk tunes of Savoir Adore (French for to know love) drew me in more than the rest (http://www.myspace.com/savoiradore).
Although currently backed by a full band, their debut EP, the insanely named The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl With the Animals in Her Throat, was created with only the band's two founding members, singer/songwriter/keyboardist Deidre Muro and drummer Paul Hammer (pretty cool name for a drummer). Apparently, they co-wrote a short story, which they later converted into song lyrics for the EP, on a train taking them from New York City to record at Hammer's parents' upstate home.
The song that really hooked me was "We Talk Like Machines", which is the lead single to their first full length album, In the Wooded Forest, due out July 14 on Cantora Records (MGMT). Three of the songs to be featured on the album, including "We Talk Like Machines", comprise their Machines EP, available for a free download here http://cantorarecords.com/releases/savoir-adore/savoir-adore-in-the-wooded-forest-lp.
Additionally, they've shot a video for "MERP", another song from the upcoming album (it's not on the Machines EP). I can't tell if they're trying to be funny or serious here. I'm hoping it's supposed to be humorous because if they're for real with this one, I think I like them a little less. Either way, it's a good song. If you're not feeling it at first, at least wait until the disco funk is dropped around the 2:10 mark before you reach a verdict on them.
So you are A.C. Newman sitting around wanting to make a “Super Band”, you are pretty rad in your own right, but your band needs something more, something sexy, something unadulterated, something awesome, something NEKO!!! So you call up Neko Case and you make the indy super band “The New Pornographers”. But who is this mystery awesome woman who puts the porn in pornographers? Born in Virginia and educated by our neighbors to the north, her voice is like nothing else I have heard. The genera is technically Alt Country, but don’t be scared by the “C” word and just embrace it. While her albums are a pretty fair representation of her, I would recommend listing to her live concert at Disney Hall for your first dose of Neko (if you don’t want to listen to the whole thing fast forward to 47:40 – Hold On, Hold On).
I’ll mention briefly her latest album (Middle Cyclone, 2009) wasn’t that great; the only thing I really like off it is Red Tide. Maybe I just need to warm up to it…
Hook: Hold On, Hold On - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood Line: Star Witness – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood Line (2): Margaret vs. Pauline - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (sorry about the creepy vid, visit her website while you listen to this, or something, just don't watch the video) Sinker: I Wish I Was The Moon – Blacklisted
I saw the Rural Alberta Advantage (see my May 31st post) last night in Madison and they put on a fantastic show. There were probably only about 50 people there, but mostly everyone in the audience knew their music and was excited to see them. The smaller crowd made for a much more intimate show and allowed them to get down from the stage, have the crowd gather around them, and play "Goodnight". This song is not on their debut album and is only played at some of their live shows. The video below is really dark and from a different show, but you'll get the idea. I thought it was really cool. Probably more effective if you're huddled around the band in a dimly lit room, but use your imaginations.
Growing up in a suburb of Milwaukee, I know firsthand that there has been a lot of shit broadcasted over the city's radiowaves. Since 1979, one of the biggest stations in the city, 102.1 FM, has been owned by Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Green Bay Packers defensive end Willie Davis. You'd think that someone who had so much success with the greatest sports franshise in history would find success in any arena, however the man was clearly struggling with running a radio station. From the early 90's to mid 00's, the station went from contemporary hits to a heavier lean on rap and hip hop to modern rock to a greater emphasis on classic rock to mainstream pop and rock to hard rock to metal to alternative rock. Finally, on July 11, 2006, the current format of "FM 102.1 Independent. Alternative. Radio." was born, featuring more local and independent bands, as well as more popular bands that don't suck. It was redemption for Willie Davis and a positive shift in Milwaukee's music climate.
Another huge step in the right direction came when 88.9 Radio Milwaukee was launched on February 26, 2007. The station describes itself as "a new approach and music mix that doesn't exist anywhere else in radio. It's hand-built, designed for Milwaukee and we think it can welcome a lot of folks into the world of non-commercial radio. Every day, you'll hear the ideas, aspirations and opinons of people who care about their community and are doing something to make it better." From what I've heard (from listening myself and from friends), the station is an excellent mix of local, independent, lesser known, up-and-coming, and more established acts that play anything from rock to power pop to punk to hip hop to blues to jazz to funk to reggae to pretty much anything else you can think of depending on the dj, but they all seem to make great picks and have a vast knowledge of music.
Helping to sustain the city's new sound was the renovation of historic Turner Hall Ballroom (above), which re-opened in late 2007. The ballroom was previously used for social, cultural, and political events in the late 1800s up until it was damaged by fires in 1933 and 1941. Now, it provides a venue for some of the most innovative bands around. For example, acts like Sonic Youth, Deerhunter, and Gaslight Anthem will perform there in the next few months.
With the groundwork laid for a new music culture in Milwaukee, some local bands are beginning to provide sounds that the city can be proud to call its own. Two of the creators of such sounds are Scott Starr (vocals/guitar/synth) and Kevin Dunphy (drums/vocals) who make up the homegrown Fever Marlene (above). After graduating UW Madison in 2002, the duo moved to LA and then Chicago before settling back in Milwaukee in 2006. Shortly after their homecoming, they received steady play on both 102.1 and 88.9 and became a staple at Turner Hall Ballroom. They recorded one of their live shows at New York's Pianos in early 2007, but their first studio album, Civil War (Rev Pop) didn't come out until that summer. Their debut effort features catchy pop rock hooks partnered with garage rock (see "Red Fire"), a little Oasis (see "All the Kites in the World"), and a healthy dose of electro pop (see "We Are All Colors" and "Somethings Going to Carry You Down").
The boys recorded their second studio album, White China (Rev Pop), at New York's legendary Chelsea Hotel, and decided to switch things up for this spring 2008 release. This time around, they went a lot lighter on the drums, a lot heavier on the electronics, unplugged the guitar, often got behind the piano, and opted for gentler, more dreamy/folksy sounding vocals. Luckily, this style worked for them as well, producing gems like the title track, "Oh Berlin", and "Check for Pulse".
About a month ago, they released another live album, Febrile State, recorded last fall at Turner Hall Ballroom. The live recording features songs from both studio albums, as well as some others that did not make it on either album. Additionally, a number of guests from the Milwaukee music scene join Scott and Kevin on stage for this one.
Hopefully, these guys keep coming up with new sounds, inspire others to follow, and help shift Milwaukee out of the dark ages and turn it into a hotbed of good music.
So this band may not be new to most of you, but in the event that it is, you should step away from your computer and stash any breakable items because this is the doctor's hammer to test your dance-reflex (and in my case, put on your knee and elbow guards and protective helmet). My first Ratatat show was RIDICULOUS, while there are only technically two members of the band (Mike Stroud and Evan Mast) they toured with Martin Bonventre to play the keyboard. This guy made the show... his hair was like Side Show Bob's and he would set up two speaker monitors on either side of him (see image below, he is on the left).
During the crazy synth sections he would take a huge pull from his bottle of Jack, jump on the monitors so that one foot was on each, then blast away. The speakers were turned up so loud that his afro would viberate in sych with the bass. Sadly when I saw them the second time he was no longer touring with them. After the show I asked the sound board guy why, to which he mumbled, "He is no longer with the band" (huh? I think he means the Jack go the better of him). Anyways, if you have the chance to go see Ratatat, DO IT! It's accessable music that for some reason everyone figures out how to dance to, even you token band dancer white boy. The crowd starts off with a little head bobbing and my the end 1,000s of dance moves have been invented. The trippy music videos that play in the background are a plus too.
"Oooo La La La, oooo la le, there's a party in Paris today"
Now you know the words and can sing along! The U.K. Subs rock the house; you'll love this song, and so will everyone else in your apartment or office when you're singing it all day long!
Having recently had a conversation with one of my fellow bloggers in which we discussed the production of "smug", it has come to my attention that on occasion San Francisco does occasionally run the risk of disappearing "completely up its own asshole". Our cabs are green, our busses are green, and I work at a PR agency that runs green campaigns for oil, finance, liquor and car companies. Bummer. When it comes to music, however, shit gets real. San Franciscans love music: festivals, open mic nights, concerts, you name it. So imagine my (self)satisfaction when I realized I could buy music...wait for it....to benefit a cause. Dark Was the Night is the twentieth compilation release benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. The two disc compilation album features exclusive recordings by an impressive number of musical favorites:
Buy the entire album. It will cost you 15 bucks on iTunes (everyone knows thats not real money) and if you're really miserly, you can even write it off. I would suggest paying particular attention to the following:
I apologize for missing the past two weeks, making up for it with a new artist. I was doing online PR for this new web series from the WB called Rockville CAa month ago that made a point to try and be cool by hosting a different indie artist every week. The writing is pretty terrible and completely an OC-esque ripoff from that season where they suddenly started hanging out in a club so that FOX could sell Modest Mouse records. While the 'witty banter' sucks pretty hard, the bands on the bill are for the most part cool (The Kooks, Kaiser Chiefs, and Travis), but not cool enough to endure five minutes of visual shit.
The first episode is pretty terrible as a show, but the artist featured is an LA-based indie dreamboat by the name of Nico Stai who is definitely worth a listen. Critics have drawn a lot of comparisons from Elliot Smith, The Shins, and every other guy who wears Chuck Taylors and sounds like he has suicidal tendencies. But suicidal tendencies in a good way, not the "I cut myself alone" way.
The first single, once he ever gets signed, will inevitably be "Dead Pony" that's a little more upbeat than his other stuff. But if you're looking for something to pick up, the Dead Pong EP on iTunes is worth checking out. The first song on the EP is probably my favorite, "You Came Around". It reminded me of older school stuff like The Replacements or maybe even a more indie-d out Gin Blossoms - what up 90s rock. "Maybe Maybe" is a real lowkey track and "Miss Friday" is his take on 80s pop reinvented for the year 2009.
I haven't heard any songs other than these four, but these are enough for me to say it's only a matter of time before this guy gets featured on Gossip Girl and makes a quick million on download dollars. And by that time - he obviously isn't cool anymore. Carson Daly already talked about him, so his fall into lameness has already begun.
Sorry for missing last Friday, I was up in northern Michigan listening to all your choice recommendations. Here is a quickie to hold you over 'till Friday.
The Tough Alliance
Hook: Neo Violence - New Chance Line: Looking For Gold -New Chance Sinker: Miami - New Chance
Jay-Z is probably my favorite artist of all time. The cd I am posting was from the MTV Unplugged series. I have seen similar things on stations like Palladium but this is my favorite of this genre. Classic Jay-Z hits instrumented by the Roots band. Beautiful. Jay-Z can be a true story teller.
The day after graduation, right around this time last year, I took a trip to New York. In addition to the traditional tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and passing out on a subway train at 4am and almost missing your stop before being woken up by a homeless guy asking for change, I also wanted to see a concert. After searching through a few venues and previewing bands on myspace, Brooklyn's own Bear Hands came out on top.
At that time, the only music they had released was from their 2007 Golden EP, so their set did not last very long. There were multiple opening bands (most notably Action Painters) to give the audience more music for their dollar, but Bear hands drew top billing and proved worthy by filling the Mercury Lounge with animated post-punk/experimental indie rock sounds that have been compared to both Modest Mouse and Ted Leo.
Additionally, bassist Val Loper added some showmanship to the music at center stage with spirited head banging, jumping, occasional use of other instruments (tambourine, maraca, and drum), and frequently using his bass as a phallic symbol. Loper also ended the set with a stage dive, which was risky given that it wasn't too packed in the front, but he pulled it off. Other band members include Dylan Rau (vocals/guitar/having big hair and wearing unusual shit), Ted Feldman (guitar/percussion), and TJ Orscher (drums/vocals).
I bought the EP, containing "Long Lean Queen", "Golden", "Sickly Brunette", and "Bad Blood", and was eager to follow their progress on a full-length album.
"Golden"
Unfortunately, it's been nearly 2 years since the release of the EP, but the band is yet to put out another album. However, I remain hopeful that something new is on the horizon due to their myspace promotion of their new single, "What a Drag", earlier this year and their appearance at this year's SXSW festival. I'll keep you posted, but in the meantime, check out their EP, the new single, and a few additional tracks on their myspace page, including "Vietnam", which is one of my favorites.
Remember when you first learned what it meant to "French kiss" and you were like -WTF- I'm not doing that. And then you did it and you kind of liked it? Maybe you liked it a lot? Well, if you've never been a fan of Francophone music, Malajube is your musical French kiss. Yes they sing in French -- no it doesn't matter. I promise.
Formed by a group of friends in Montréal, the band made itself known in 2004 when they release Le Compte Complet. Though they sing entirely in French, they have a significant English-speaking following and claim that they in fact have the hardest time relating to -- no surprise here -- the French. Malajube has an interesting musical style that teeters precariously between the vivacious, though thoroughly vapid body of work compiled by 90's punk-poppers and the highly revered and respected work of Elliot Smith. Exclaim! Canada recently described the band's style as, "wracked with fatalist romanticism, while the song's grab-bag of nursery rhyme sweetness, lush layers of noise and loping prog-rockisms gives an equally accurate sonic forecast for an eclectic album full of unconventional structures."
Malajube should most catch your eye because they've managed to survive the sophomore album slump. Sophomore albums say a lot about musicians; they either exceed or fail to meet expectations. The trick, however, is that the artist has to do something new without alienating the base of fans that popularized their debut. Malajube managed to follow Le Comte Complet with Trompe-L'oeil which won Malajube three Felix Awards and put them in shortlisted competition with Canadian favorites Metric , Broken Social Scene and Wolf Paradefor the 2006 Polaris Music Prize.
In Spring of 2009 Malajube added another card to the deck. Labyrinthes seems to indicates a certain musical maturity and has a more refined, alternative sound. "It's still pretty pop," says Thomas (on keyboards) "It's not as if we felt like we had to start making experimental funk. But we'd played the old songs so much that we needed to evolve with new sounds, new ideas. So we jammed a lot, and experimented with a bunch of new things, like Gregorian chanting." Who doesn't like Gregorian chanting? Exactly.
My Suggestion?
Buy both Labyrinthes and Trompe-L'oeil and pay special attention to the following:
So let's start with a clip from their Jimmy Kimmel performace:
Tom is trying way too hard to sing though.
New Rancid Record!
It's been 6 years since these East Bay punks have released an album, and many more since they went Platinum in '94 when punk went pop, but they still have it in them. It hasn't seemed that long, actually, because members of the group have put out four albums in between with solo records from both Tim (singer) and Lars (lead guitar), as well as a Transplants (you know, they have that song from the Fructis commercial) and b-sides album.
And it's a solid effort. Rancid records always have about 17 songs on them - as many as they can fit - which also usually means there are a lot of bad ones. Half the songs you'll end up repeating 40 times, and the others you'll skip every time. This one is different though - you can listen the whole way through. But it's also different in another way - there are none of those songs that you just have to hear, that you hit "repeat" on at the end of the track, that you listen a ton of times in a row and drive your roommate up the wall with.
Also worth noting, for any of you who still buy music, is the packaging. A quadruple-foldout with panorama images of the bay area, fans are treated to not just the actual album but an accoustic version, a DVD "making of," 3 posters, and 4 guitar pics with band member's faces on them - all cool stuff.
New 5-song EP from the veteran punk act! After a ton of years in the business, Pulley raised their game for their last full-length Matters. It was a perfect Pulley album; the problem was it was just too depressing to listen to all that much (see: Atmosphere, Elliott Smith). For the new EP, the content is still the same, but the songs have a little bit more of a hopeful twist to them. For example, Mandarin is a classic Pulley song with a few Disneyland "let's go celebrate" chords thrown in, which lifts the mood of the song enough to make it replayable.
Check it out here:
Why You Should Go To Warped This Year Tour Even Though Chris! Knocked It on a Previous Post
Sure, the tour is usually home to 3,000 12-year-old-boys with eye makeup. Every 3rd year or so, though, is a "Veteran Year" when all the older (see: better) bands come back; you can see a handful of really solid acts for $25, which is about the lowest festival ticket price you will find all summer. As an added bonus, sets for main acts are longer this year at 40 minutes a piece. On the main stage, highlights include Bad Religion, Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly, NOFX, Thrice, Bayside, and Anti-flag.
Californians get an awesome bonus with the Old Skool stage, one of my favorite parts of the tour. This stage is where the tour digs out the oldest active punk bands (the Dickies, UK Subs, etc.) and pairs them with California 80's favorites (TSOL, DI,) for a 120-decibel history lesson. Icing on the cake is Punk Rock Karaoke, where members of Agent Orange, Bad Religion, and NOFX play the instruments and audience members sing the song.
Check it out; there's no way you can lose for the price.
Back in April, I wanted to find out what kind of sound would come from a band with such a ridiculous name, so I checked them out at the UW Memorial Union here in Madison. In short order, I made a few observations: 1) They wear awesome vests that appear to have been fashioned out of the couch in my grandmother's living room, 2) The drummer looks like a junior high student, and 3) They play energetic, quircky, indie rock that makes you want to dance. When I got home, I bought their self-titled debut album, released in March, and did some research on this Seattle quintet.
Before releasing the album, they promoted themselves through spoof public service announcements on youtube which lacked, almost entirely, a preview of their music. The one below features lead singer/guitarist Benjamin Verdoes and his adopted brother Marshall, the band's 14 year old drummer.
In addition to the Freddy Adu of drumming, Ben also recruited his wife, Traci Eggleston, and former In Praise of Folly bandmates Matthew Dammer (guitar/various instruments) and Jared Price (bass) to complete the group. From my observations, it doesn't seem like Eggleston does much for the band's sound other than the occasional backing vocal and smashing large tambourine sticks into the floor, but these contributions and her spirited dancing makes the live show more fun. She's also sleeping with the front man, so a little credit is due to her for that as well.
MSHVB have used many gimmicks to promote themselves, but the music is legitimate and the album has been generating a deserved buzz. In general, it features extremely catchy guitar riffs, a groovy bass, frequent tempo changes, Ben's passionate warble, and the boy wonder's forceful drum beats. It reminds me a little of a psych rock infused Franz Ferdinand. The more prominent tracks born from their typical style include "Who's Asking", "Masquerade", "En Fuego", and "Albatross, Albatross, Albatross". Departures from their basic style include the surf rock inspired "Going On a Hunt", the funky "Little Red Shoes", and the gentler "A Year or Two" and "On the Collar". My main critique is that many of the songs are similar, but I like their sound, so I can get over it. Hopefully you will too.
June 2nd was like a mini-Christmas for me, OK, that was a gross exaggeration, but I was eagerly anticipating The Sounds third album. While some people hate huge concerts like Warped Tour, this is exactly why they have some value. If you pay attention to the side stages you just might happen upon something new. I first saw The Sounds in 2003 and have been hooked ever since. Their synth-laden songs with 80’s female-front-hair-band vocals are perfectly suited for road trippin’ and impromptu dance parties. While offering nothing new, the third album, Crossing the Rubicon, also doesn’t lack what made Living In America and Dying to Say This to You so awesome. While doing my limited research I stumbled upon Rolling Stones review of the album. The album gets only 2/5 stars while listeners rate it 5/5. They go on to say, A few choruses stick, and ‘No One Sleeps When I'm Awake’ sounds like a solid Heart cover. But the rest? What's Swedish for ‘meh’?. Rolling Stone… I ask you, what’s the Swedish word for “get off your high horse and just enjoy the music!”.
If you could slip Jack Johnson a few gin martinis and convince him to drop the "life is good" shtick, he might be able to produce something about a fifth as sultry as UK singer/songwriter Fink.
In terms of vocal quality and guitar expertise, Fink and Johnson are on par; it's tone and content that sets Fink apart.
Fink is better known in the club scene as "DJ Sideshow" where he spins for the electronic/trip-hop crowd. Though he cites his early influences as Orbital and The Orb --classic acid jazz groups-- his sound is undeniably bluesy with a touch of modern folk sensibility. Unlike his synth-loving peers, trip-hop/downtempo favorites Zero 7 and Bonobo with whom he tours and records frequently, Fink rarely produces a track featuring more than bare-bones rhythm percussion, slight distortion and finger picked guitar.
After spending a few months cloistered with the 2006 Biscuits for Breakfast album I heard rumour that Fink would release new material in May.
First observation: clearly Fink is really into the wood-carved headshot album art.
Second: I must say, Sort of Revolution is
one of those albums that has a time and place. The new release is even more scaled down and stripped than Biscuits for Breakfast so if you're in the mood for something mellow, haunting and soulful, this is a great pick. If what you're looking for is an album of stand-alone hits, look elsewhere. Bottom line --Sort of Revolution is beautifully written but redundant at times.
My suggestion? Buy "Pig Tails" which incorporates squeaking string instruments and harmonica *swoon* and title track "Sort of Revolution "
Otherwise, stick with Biscuits for Breakfast and bask in the glory of the following tracks:
Pretty Little Thing: Hands down the sexyest song ever written. Ever.
Biscuits: On the album this song has wonderful piano, which I love. However, the live version is stunning as well. Just FYI this one took a while to grow on me.
I know you're all HUGE fans of Against Me!, Hot Water Music, and Bad Religion, but have you checked out their respective lead's solo acts?
First up is Mr. Tom Gabel from Against Me!; predictably most of his stuff sounds like a stripped-down version of his band. He released six songs on an EP called Heart Burns which all share the common theme of some kind of love story. Check out "Anna Is a Stool Pidgeon" below. While it isn't the single, it's one of my long-term favorites on the very awesome EP.
Next up is Chuck Ragan from Hot Water Music. A classic "road warrior" band from the 90's, HWM broke up when Chuck decided he didn't want to tour as much anymore. Fortunately, he still makes albums by himself, and the rest of the band puts out albums as The Draft (think HWM and Against Me! sound similar? they're both from Gainsville, Florida). Chuck's solo effort is also very solid; "For Broken Ears" is a great song.
Finally there's Greg Graffin of Bad Religion (<--- try "All There Is") fame. Although he leads my favorite of the three bands, his solo effort is, in my opinion, the weakest of the three (maybe I'm just not a fan of the style?). He takes the super-folksy road (backed by The Weakerthans [<---like Death Cab? Try them]) on "Talk About Suffering" below.
Just like a couple of you are keeping with the "Oh Canada" thread, I'll go ahead and follow the underground hip hop with more underground hip hop.
Although, I'm not sure for how much longer you can call Chicago's The Cool Kids underground. They had a song on Entourage, they've played Lollapalooza and Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone even listed them on their 10 Artists to Watch list last year. The duo met on MySpace in 2005 and have been recording music ever since partnering with big name acts such as Kanye, Maroon 5, and MIA.
My favorite song, by far, is "Bassment Party" (below). There was a two month stretch last summer where their album Bake Sale was the only thing playing on my iPod. The whole album is pretty great - it's a throwback to the early days of hip hop when acts like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul dominated the genre. It's fun, it's catchy, and it isn't Lil Wayne.
They just released a new mixtape with Don Cannon, Gone Fishin that you can still download for free at http://www.coolxkids.com. I've only had the album for a week, but I'm a fan. If you're ADD (alex) I suggest the tracks "Champions", "Weekend Girls", and "Summer Vacations".
You've got hip hop and hip pop, the top 40 version of hip hop...
For my first post I thought I would go underground hip hop with Binary Star. This duo was formed by two inmates in prison from Pontiac Michigan. One Be Lo and Senim Silla released two albums Waterworld (in 1998 on a $500 budget) and then Masters of the Universe after switching record labels. They have catchy lyrics and follow more of the traditional storytelling aspect of hip hop. They split in 2000ish and One Be Lo pursued a solo career dropping several albums. Although Reality Check is the most well known my favorite songs are Masters of the Universe, Freakin Flowz, Honest Expression and Double SSA. They keep it real and stay true to the essence of hip hop. "yo as long as we got the underground we got a market"
Master's of the Universe- slow intro but worth the listen and the video is mislabeled but it was the only version I could find of this song.
