Monday Feb. 8th 2010
Revolver Underground Radio (New Show) on LPM Voice!
Week Two
Come listen in on this weeks New Show for Revolver Underground Indie Radio on LPM Voice!
Featured Artists of the WEEK:
Hung At Dawn
Raging Apathy
Painted Grey
Brian Copeland Band
Press on Randy
Let's Get Lost
Take a LISTEN!
Friday, Feb. 5th 2010
Alkaline Trio and Cursive together at Neumos
By LB
It is not every day that you can find a show of this caliber at a venue the size of Neumo’s. But, on February 20, 2010, Alkaline Trio and Cursive, two bands that regularly sell out the Showbox at the Market, will take to the stage at Neumos to rock our faces off. Fresh off of starting their own record label (Heart and Skull), a joint venture with Epitaph, Alkaline Trio sets out on this tour to support that release, This Addiction, which actually comes out three days after this show. Alkaline Trio started out on Asian Man Records in 1998, home of other such bands as Less Than Jake and Skankin Pickle. On the strength of two popular full-lengths, they moved on to Vagrant Records, where they began to receive wider acclaim. With the release of 2003’s Good Mourning, they reached a mainstream audience and had a single on the radio and MTV. As they moved away from their straight forward punk origins, and moved more towards a sound full of lyrics about death and the occult, their fame grew bigger and they became one of the biggest up and coming mainstream punk bands around. After a short stint on Epic Records, they find heir new home and hope to move closer to their roots, combining the production and themes that lead to their new found fame with the stylistic flair of the past. This makes their concerts even better, as they play the old songs with better musicianship and greater enthusiasm.
Omaha indie rock darlings Cursive join the bill, on tour to support their latest release, Mama, I’m Swollen. After several records on Saddle Creek that stormed the college charts, Cursive broke into wider acclaim with the release of 2003’s The Ugly Organ....
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Tuesday, Feb. 2nd 2010
Avant-Jazz Loves Wallingford
By Matt Mason
The last two weekends held the 2nd annual Is That Jazz? Festival at the Chapel Performance Space in Wallingford. The purpose of the festival, which is the brainchild of Tom Baker of Seattle Composers Salon, is to present acts on the fringe of traditional Jazz. Artists from Seattle and the greater northwest are given priority along with national acts with ties to Seattle.
Tom saw so many talented musicians that weren't welcomed at the local jazz venues and wanted to provide an outlet for them. He makes it clear that he isn't trying to be provocative, simply inviting people to question their preconceptions. The genre of Jazz is often strictly associated with improvisation. This year's performers however, highlight improvisation within composed works.
On the first Friday, Sunship (http://www.myspace.com/sunshipmusic ) started the night with a fantastic performance. It was like a variety show, opening up with a beautifully eerie didgeridoo solo by multi-instrumentalist Stuart Dempster and moving onto duck calls and a giant conch shell. Dempster was joined by Brian Heaney on guitar and saxophonist Michael Monhart, both formerly of the band Stinkhorn. Supported by the rhythms of David Revelli on drums and Andrew Luthringer on bass....
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Friday, Jan. 29th 2010
Street Lights For A Ribcage
By LB
So, I’ve had Street Lights For A Ribcage pretty much on repeat for the past ten days. This, as you may know, is the first LP from local robot-rockers Sleepy Eyes of Death, released in 2007. It’s turned out to be one of those records that I bought a while ago and is just now dominating my cognizance. Funny how that works. In short, it’s highly recommended.
In long, it’s a fantastically dense sci-fi record of cyborgian proportions, filled with caustic synthesizers, shimmering vistas and thundering drum crackles. There are scant vocals, and only of the vocoder variety. One gets the sense that this could be the “singer/songwriter” album of a gentle yet erratic T-1000 in a post-human war-torn compuscape. In fact, there’s an alluring (for fans of artificial intelligence, anyway) string of thematic imagery that combines both the organic and the synthetic in bombastically beautiful ways. In the album’s title, in the song titles (i.e. “Tired Channels”, “Capsule-Collapse”, and “Static For Blood”), and even in the arrestingly varied moods found throughout....
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Tuesday, Jan. 26th 2010
The Northwest Music Scene in Black and White
Photos & Review By Nathan Watters
I’ve been shooting a lot more film lately. While I haven’t been using it to photograph concerts these days, I’ve noticed while sifting through my digital files after a show, that I’m gravitating toward the use of black and white more and more in my music photography. It could be nostalgia for my old college film classes, or maybe it’s the time of year; all of the images in this photo essay were taken during the fall and winter when everything has that cold, grey shadow cast upon it. But concerts are not typically cold or grey. They are bright and loud, full of color and music, and usually packed with hundreds, if not thousands of intensely energetic fans.
Something about a black and white photo allows all of those elements to be seen even more clearly than in a color image. Where colors may distract the eye, the black and white image lends a more intense focus upon the subject itself. Emotion and expression are revealed from beneath the contrasting lights and darks without disruption.
When I shoot a concert, my objective for the viewer of my photographs is to experience the show without actually having been there. Much of the time, this means including in the picture the multitude of bright colors and the ever-changing prism of lights in order for the viewer to see the show as it occurred visually...
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Monday, Jan. 25th 2010
I Live for Nights Like Tonight!
By Nik Christofferson
If you knew what was good for you, you'd get down to El Corazon tonight to behold ex-Botch brute force Dave Verellen along with former These Arms Are Snakes guitarist Ryan Fredericksen crush it all in Narrows. The local hardcore outfit is playing a one-off set before heading to the UK, and it should not be missed.
Joining them is Heiress, the post-Himsa sludgecore project of John Pettibone and Josh Freer. Plus, the noisey as fuck Constant Lovers and crustmongers Countdown to Armageddon. There is even an afterparty in the main bar featuring Requin.
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Friday, Jan. 22nd 2010
Easy Street Records Owner Matt Vaughn's Top 50 In-Stores of the Decade
By Nik Christofferson
I thought this was super cool, and wanted to share if you haven't already been over to easystreetonline.com to check out owner Matt Vaughn's countdown of the top 50 Easy Street in-stores of the decade.
http://easystreetonline.com/blog
If I had to list my favorite Easy Street in-stores of 2009, I think it would go something like this:
1. The Cave Singers
2. Pelican
3. Langhorne Slim
4. Sweetwater
5. The Moondoggies
Other memorable in-stores from the past:
1. Mudhoney (2006 & 2008)
2. Eagles of Death Metal w/ Josh Homme on drums (2006)
2. Team Sleep (Chino of Deftones) w/ Rob Crow of Pinback (2005)
3. Jack Endino (Met Jack after show)(2005)
It's no surprise what ended up in the #1 spot. I swipped the awesome story of how it went down, but make sure you check out the rest of his list over on easystreetonline's blog as well. Very cool story's about each performance. I can't wait to see what Matt and my favorite record store have "in-store" (sorry, couldn't help it) for 2010...
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Wednesday, Jan. 20th 2010
Mostly Dimes were Mostly Awesome
By Susie Nazzaro
SHiPS, Erik Blood, Daniel G. Harmann & the Trouble Starts, Mostly Dimes @ The Coment, Jan 8th
On January 8th, I was not at the Shabazz Palaces debut at Neumo’s, which followed their excellent record(s) and a palpable excitement about Ishmael Butler’s return to the stage.
I was across the street, where the Comet hosted SHiPS, Mostly Dimes, Erik Blood, and Daniel G. Harmann & the Trouble Starts, in a remarkably refreshing show.
The night started with Mostly Dimes, whose lively songs were restrained by dark, cynical, and entirely timely lyrics. During a song whose theme evoked images of thugs preying on the poor and destitute on streets overrun by the unlucky victims of this recession, a resigned “Detroit is the make and model for us all” was sung, the kind of line that makes you stop nodding your head along to what seems like a happy melody and listen, just to make sure you heard that right. They were also the only band of the night where I couldn’t easily discern the influences upon which their song writing was based. They easily transitioned from guitar-led songs to pieces focused around trumpet, clarinet, and mandolin, suggesting that no one record, genre, or band guides their sound. And they did so with a calm energy that matched the mood of their music. Though quite good already, there is certainly more they can do with the range of instruments and sounds they have at their disposal, and I’m excited to see where they can go...
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Monday, Jan. 18th 2009
[BUMMER] RIP Jay Reatard 1980-2010
By Nik Christofferson
I wanted to wait and be sure that the rumors plastered all over the internet were true, and sadly it seems they are. I saw Jay Reatard 4 times over the past few years, and each show was more manic and defeaning than the next. The Jay Reatard show at the Croc back in May '09 was specially awesome, as a visiably drunken crowd came together into a pretty wild mosh pit. It was the first time I had scene crowd surfing at the Croc new or old ever. He was a talented dude, and both of his recent solo records 'Blood Visions' and 'Watch Me Fall' are totally rad. Sucks.
Jimmy Lee Lindsey, Jr. died in his sleep on Wednesday morning. He was 29 years old...
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Monday, Jan. 11th 2010
Happy Birthday, David Bowie
By LB
I don’t talk about too many “older” musicians here, but today I’d like to pay small tribute to the illustrious Thin White Duke, Mr. David Bowie, on his 63rd birthday. Born David Jones—he took his stage name from the famed Alamo hero and knife namesake Jim Bowie–in London on January 8, 1947, the chameleonic artist is quite simply one of my favorite musicians of all time. ALL TIME, PEOPLE. Only Pixies rank higher. He could be my desert island pick, easy. I’ve always had an affection for his music (who hasn’t loved at least ONE of his songs somewhere along the way?), but it wasn’t until about five or six years ago that I really began to dive into his discography. I started with a compilation, because, well, that’s an easy way to familiarize oneself with “the hits”. Plus, it fed the karaoke demon that lives inside me. Needless to say, I needed more.
I went straight to his space-age, glam-rock masterpiece, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and subsequently had my mind blown—just as the Starman had predicted. I quickly gobbled up the post-apocalyptic trash rock of Diamond Dogs and the space-jazz/ honkey-tonk fusion of Aladdin Sane (A Lad Insane—heh, I love that), and it was as epiphanous as anything I’ve ever experienced. This was a bonafide genius: a prolific, gender-bending, bombastic mastermind that completely opened my eyes. The preposterous, cosmic Stardust world he created was somewhere I wanted to live: the heavy (Mick Ronson-led) guitars, the rollicking pianos, the operatic plot lines, the extravagant costumes...
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Tuesday, Jan. 5th 2009
Listen To The New Laura Veirs Album
By LB
NPR is currently streaming the new Laura Veirs album, July Flame, as part of their Exclusive First Listen series. You can (and should) listen to it here. Veirs, based in Portland, is easily one of the best solo artists to come out of the Pac Northwest (for those interested in picking nits, yes, she grew up in Colorado). And I’ve only really listened to two of her records prior to this one. To me, 2005’s Year of Meteors is a highlight of her catalog, and where that release had a bit more of a bouncy, filled-in loveliness to it, July Flame, while not without its brighter moments, delves more into her spartan, folk-driven leanings. I don’t normally like to list off a bunch of other artists when describing a musician, but I’m instantly reminded of both Chutes Too Narrow by the Shins and Only As The Day Is Long by Sera Cahoone while listening to this. I think it’s mostly the voice—hers is a mid-range, tomboyish flight brimming with both confidence and anxiety—but the moods and tones and instruments and arrangements also recall those two excellent records. Lots of piano, banjo, pedal steel, violin, and good ol’ regular guitar to boot.
I think the title track will be the focal point of most listener’s affection—and for good reason, it’s awesome, and about a peach!—but the entire record is fantastic. So far, I’m also really diggin’ on “Sun Is King”, “Summer Is The Champion”, and “Wide-Eyed, Legless”....
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Monday, Jan. 4th 2009
LIST MANIA: Nik's 20 Favorite Records of the Decade Part 2
By Nik Christofferson
Here is the next installment of my 20 favorite records of the decade list for your reading and collecting pleasure. I present to you the second 5.
Old Man Gloom – Christmas (2004 - Tortuga)
In my mind this 2004 standout was the holy grail of experimental sludge and doom metal of the time. Featuring the roaring vocals of Converge bassist Nate Newton as well as a stellar cast of musicians including Aaron Turner of ISIS and Caleb Scofield of Cave In, this particular OMG record weaves seamlessly between psychotic brutality to experimental drones and back again. From the devastation of opener “Gift” to the oddly fascinating voiceovers of “Something for the Mrs.” to the molten spew of “The Volcano”, “Christmas” is an all around compelling listen with epic bi-polar highs and minimalist lows...
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Tuesday, Dec. 29th 2009
LIST MANIA: Nik's 20 Favorite Records of the Decade Part 1
List by Nik Christofferson
The last 10 years have been filled with constant musical discovery, I mean shit I’m only 29. Prior to age 19 I was a huge music fan but in a very different way than now. For the last ten years I have been defining and redefining my musical tastes. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way for sure…remember nu-metal? I have also made plenty of great choices as well this decade including discovering outside of the box resources like KEXP and they’re appreciation of the eclectic side of life, as well as also continuing to explore and grow my taste for heavy music. Needless to say it’s been a sweet decade for music, it started rocky in my opinion but much good has come from it. Now without further adieu, here is the first 5 of my 20 favorite records of the decade in no particular order since I couldn't decide on the exact value of each, only that they have had more spins than any other records from the years 2000-2009.
The Haunted – Revolver (2004)
Many have said that “Made Me Do It” is the best Haunted record. I couldn’t disagree more. This record is great for many reasons but most of all the return of original vocalist Peter Dolving is the deciding factor. His melodic insane asylum howls are very unique and on stand out tracks like “No Compromise” and “99”, Dolving sounds like he’s possessed. The thrash guitar attack by Anders Bjorler and Patrik Jensen and the tight technical bass and drums by Jonas Bjorler and Per Möller Jensen reeks of a more melodic At the Gates. The apple continues to not fall far from the tree and that rules....
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Monday, Dec. 21st 2009
LB’s Favorite NW Albums of 2009
By LB
As is custom, below is a handy-dandy list of those local (Pacific Northwest, actually) records that really reverberated in me this past year. And it’s all quite varied, which was a nice surprise: some garage, some psych-pop, some desert-rock, some hip-hop, some art-punk, some dance-punk, some black metal, and some glue-wave. Three Portland bands made the list (five counting the Honorable Mentions), and one from Anacortes, one who may not ever make another record and one big smart one who isn’t really local anymore. DO YOU HATE IT? OR HEART IT?
10. The Curious Mystery – Rotting Slowly (K)
“Rotting Slowly, their debut on K Records, is a crawling, creeping panoramic desert-rock vista that intently blazes your brain, parches your senses, and allows you to quench with sweaty vocals and twist-heavy garage psychedelia dirges. Gothic Americana layered thick with ramblin’ hippie blues…My favorite so far is “Nicaragua”, a cinematic soundscape that earnestly plods through the grass fields, palms outstretched, searching for that familiar country home. Gonzalez masters his strings like a snake charmer, and the final flourish from a hypnotized Hudson really delivers.”
9. Talbot Tagora – Lessons in the Woods or a City (Hardly Art)
“The trio’s ardent output is rife with haunting, atypical rhythms, oblique guitars shrouded in drone and reverb, and echoing vocals cloaked cryptically in both their content and audibility. There are few refrains, and lyrics are made up of nonsensical tales, abstract imagery, and convoluted, anti-culture rhetoric. It’s an arresting collection of angled, like-minded punk songs laced with a gaunt hypnosis, a deathly fluidity that demands repeat listening. If only to figure out what the hell is going on within all that chaos...
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Friday, Dec. 18th 2009
Mew Was Rad
By LB
In hindsight, I probably should have waited until after the Mew show at Neumos last Thursday (12/10) to publish my ‘Best Shows I Saw This Year’ post, because this would’ve surely made it into the top five. My reasoning? The fancifully experimental Danish band took their stunning record No More Stories… and translated it perfectly to the stage for a sold out Seattle crowd.
I’ll be honest, I was pretty slammed during this show and I didn’t take very good notes, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one. The light brigade, however, was in full force, shocking our eyes into a color pandemonium of sorts: hot pink, bright white, alien green, and sun-surface orange. I imagine the film school background of Bo Madsen (guitar) and Jonas Bjerre (vocals) is responsible for the visual aesthetic of the band’s stage set up, as all sorts of projections made their way to the back wall, including the face of an old woman, a hypnotic circular thingy and creepy deer-headed skeletal creatures. Hot Tip: you can even watch all sorts of short Mew-made “films” over on the band’s website....
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Thursday, Dec. 17th 2009
This Decade in Music: The Naughts Revisited
By Susie Nazzaro
On Open Salon, salon.com’s blog that is open to all kinds of contributions from all kinds of contributors, MJwycha wrote what he thought to be the 20 biggest trends and influential moments in the history of the music of the naughts. It’s an interesting list, as all lists like these are. I love these sorts of things in music: lists that are meant to spur conversation, discussion, disagreement, pointless and incredibly enjoyable musings over endless beers at the Summit. It’s what makes being part of something subjective so interesting, often much more so than peddling in the parts of life that are fact-based, and as a result the musing necessarily ends at some point because there’s a fact out there somewhere.
Anyway. Gladly this list is perfect for endless review, and I for one think he missed a lot of things, a lot of really important things that gave this decade its musical footprint. His list? (With my thoughts on the side)
20. The Return of the 80s (A defining trend? Don’t think so)
19. Phish Perform Biggest Concert of the Millennium at Big Cypress (nope)
18. Great White and The Station Nightclub Tragedy
17. America Gets Its Festival On (Not so much)
16. Kanye West Crowns Himself Music’s Biggest Douche Bag (Totally true, but as irrelevant as it is true.)
15. Phil Spector Murders Lana Clarkson....
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Wednesday, Dec. 16th 2009
EYEHATEGOD @ El Corazon LIVE REVIEW
By Nik Christofferson
I can think of only a few other bands that have spiked the hair on my arms with possibility and anticipation quite like the way legendary New Orleans sludge band EYEHATEGOD did when I found out they had announced plans to regroup and tour in 2009. Leader Mike Williams’ storied history of drug abuse, other projects from the band members, and a devastating hurricane have all played a part in keeping EYEHATEGOD a far off distance from any Seattle venue that I know of in the past decade. You could imagine my amazement and utter bewilderment when I received the press release stating they were headed to the west coast of all places. One of the most important bands ever to come from the NOLA metal scene was finally in town and at El Corazon Friday December 4th, and a full house of metal heads young and old were more than ready to hear choice cuts from records like ‘Take Pain as Needed’ and ‘Confederacy of Ruined Lives’.
EYEHATEGOD drew support from an impressive cast of local metal including all-female doom band Grey, progressive metalists Lesbian, hardcore veterans Akimbo, and another doom outfit Samothrace featuring the man with a million bands Joe Axler on drums. Each of these bands showed individually that Seattle does have a pretty damn good local heavy scene and we aren’t all just a bunch of beardos listening to the Fleet Foxes. Despite the excellent performances and priming by the openers, everyone including myself was there...
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Monday, Dec. 14th 2009
Basically, I Just Wanna Say How Cool Dinosaur Jr. Is
By LB
Dudes, not much time for canoodling, but I wanted to record some thoughts on one of the more awesome shows I’ve seen this year. The KEXP BBQ was actually free this year (the wife remarked that “it was about time” they offered up some goods here in Seattle; as opposed to New York, where, you know, it’s bigger and cooler and a better radio market or some shit), and with a mostly stellar lineup it was an easy decision.
Having seen Champagne Champagne several times and not being enamored with Born Anchors (his voice just bugs me), we timed our arrival for Vancouver, B.C.’s Japandroids‘ 4:30 set. I took an ear gander at the duo’s Post-Nothing the day before and found it both delightful and bothersome. At times, it’s a bit too ‘epic’ for its own good, but on the other hand, the noisy garage balladry often warms the heart (case in point, the “I don’t wanna worry about dyin’!” chorus from “Young Hearts Spark Fire”). I enjoyed their performance more than I thought I would. You can listen to the entire record on their myspace...
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Friday, Dec. 11th 2009
Heiress, Grayceon, The Abodox & Dog Shredder @ the Funhouse
By Nik Christofferson
There is nothing I like better than a healthy dose of heavy music, better yet there is nothing I like more than heavy music from right in my own backyard. Ok, 2 of the 4 bands that ascended on the Funhouse last Thursday are based in Seattle another Bellingham, but close enough. The forth band made its way up north from the Bay Area to grace us with their presence. Keeping it interesting the bill for the evening was quite eclectic and the four featured bands each seemlessly blended different styles of metal.
I can’t say enough about my first two encounters with Bellingham’s newest and possibly brightest metal export. Dog Shredder is absolutely shredtastic, which is not a term to be taken lightly. Guitarist Josh Holland possesses out of this world chops and the bands quick pace changes and wicked bottom heavy jams are pure stoner thrash metal ecstasy. They currently only have a 3 song cd-r demo, but it’s well worth the $3. I cannot wait to see what happens with this band in 2010. They kill it...
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Wednesday, Dec. 9th 2009
Mew Is Fantasy
By LB
I’m not sure how many of you have caught onto Mew, a fantastical prog-pop trio from Denmark, but their new album is quite good. In the event that you are familiar with the band, you’ll agree that their output can be…a bit much. First off, let’s start with that title: No More Stories Are Told Today I’m Sorry They Washed Away No More Stories The World Is Grey I’m Tired Let’s Wash Away. Holy crap, that’s pretty much the longest album title I’ve ever seen. It’s the lyrics to one of the album’s interludal tracks— “Hawaii Dream”—and one of the first indicators that you’re not quite in Kansas anymore. In fact, sometimes I wonder if Jonas Bjerre, Bo Madsen, and Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen are indeed apparitions from another fairytale world, bequeathing the soundtrack to their wondrous and magical lives unto us flawed and depraved humans. Eh, probably not, but for a band whose dapper appearance and upper-class suburban background fuel arguments that they are simply wealthy eccentrics with too much time on their hands, it might not be such a bad idea to believe in such an impossibility.
The word “epic” often comes to mind when listening to Mew, and if you’re the type drawn to sparkling fantasy and glimmering white magic, or extreme depth and wild excitement, their operatic and incredibly inspired thunderstorm rock will be right up your alley. Oftentimes, I feel like I’ve been dreamily transported to the kid-friendly fantasias of The NeverEnding Story or Return to Oz. In composition, No More Stories…
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Tuesday, Dec. 8th 2009
GWAARGGGH!!! @ King Cat Theater
By Nik Christofferson
I’m always a sucker for a good old fashion metal show even if it’s going down on a Sunday evening. Last Sunday in particular was an ass kicker because the mighty Gwar was in town at the King Cat Theater celebrating their 25th anniversary with support from Job for a Cowboy and The Red Chord.
Both openers have been frontrunners of the nu-school class of American death metal or more technically deathcore in recent years and both bands were of course punishing to say the least, which was expected. The Red Chord caught my ear in 2005 with ‘Clients’ and I saw them on many occasions between 2005 and 2006. They seemed to tour relentlessly, most of the time coming through on great bills much like Gwar’s 2006 stop in Seattle which also featured Municipal Waste. For some reason 2007’s ‘Prey for Eyes’ fell flat for me but I have been giving the band another listen with 2009’s ‘Fed Through the Teeth Machine’ (great album title by the way). The thing about The Red Chord is they are a band best experienced live, mainly because Guy Kozowyk’s unbelievably powerful and guttural vocal style and the bands tight death chug are conducive...
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Monday, Dec. 7th 2009
You Should Check Out Explode Into Colors
By LB
Explode Into Colors. Is that a fantastic name or what? (Don’t say ‘what’.) It combines the raw unpredictable energy of an eruptive blast with the dynamism and vigor of a multihued existence. And as band name syntax goes, it cleverly capitalizes on the oft-abused, seldom-successful phraseology approach: it’s a sentence, with a verb and a subject and just three words long. Yet it’s also the name of an entity. I love that; and I love it even more when envisioning its action. Whether we like to admit it or not, band names matter to us (just check all the recent hoopla over Starfucker as evidence). When so much is in (cyber)print nowadays and we’re sifting through seemingly endless bands, seeing and reading a band name can have just as much impact on us as the actual music, much like a wine label or book cover. I know, I know, we’re not supposed to be judging books by their covers, but we’re certainly allowed to let them pique our interest. Explode Into Colors, with that rare moniker combination of top-notch imagery and distinctive phrasing, does just that.
But how’s the music, you say? Well, would I be blathering on if it wasn’t any good? Not likely. Sprouting from that relentless little sister city to the south, Portland, the band is a trio of ladies dead set on conjuring your ghastly spirit with subversive galloping grooves, neo-primitive drum roundhouses, and banshee-friendly, trance-like vocal calisthenics. Throw in the ever-popular melodica ( “blow-organ”, if you must), some well-placed cowbell, a DIY aesthetic and the all-too-familiar PDX groundswell and you’ve got one spine-tingling musical séance. It’s as if the future ghosts of dub’s forefathers returned to try their hands at feminist afro-punk...
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Friday, Dec. 4th 2009
With Friends Like These (CD Release)
By Nik Christofferson
I have a new local band to tell you about that I’m currently digging. Actually I already mentioned Seattle’s With Friends Like These in a brief show preview last week. A relative unknown at the moment and because the only other press coverage they’ve received in the city belongs to a couple very brief touches by The Stranger, I’m going to go ahead and take credit for bringing this fledgling rock tour-de-force to your attention.
Recently signed to local indie label Sound vs. Silence which also boasts Shawn Smith as part of their current roster, With Friends Like These have released a fine debut record entitled “Dead and Gone” that is a must hear for fans of bands like Against Me! The record is choked full of hard driving post-punk tunes, the kind you scream with in your car while fighting traffic on your commute not to mention the kind you raise your drink to and sing along with live in concert. Last Wednesday at The Croc, with a supporting cast of other local up and comers Palmer Electric Company, Ships (featuring ex-members of The Lashes and The Divorce), and Patrol, With Friends Like These captured every bit of the emotion contained....
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Thursday, Dec. 3rd 2009
Del tha Funky Homosapien @ Neumos Dec 6
By Tom Blodgett
You know Del. Even if you haven’t heard his solo albums, futuristic concept album with Dan the Automator (and Kid Koala), or any work from the super indie rap collective, Hieroglyphics; Del tha Funky Homosapien has been in your head before before.
There are few emcees with as distinct a voice and style, as Del’s. In the mainstream, he should be recognized from the 2001 Gorillaz hit, “Clint Eastwood”, which still sounds fresh every time I hear it getting air play. Or, if you’ve played the classic PS2 game, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Del’s funky song, “If you must” stood out on a killer compilation.
I first heard Del on the rap opera concept album, “Deltron 3030″, which someone made me listen to, after a disappointing (and short) Ludacris concert (yeah…we all started somewhere). This was the first time that I had heard a hip hop album with constructive lyrics. His solo albums did not disappoint, good lyrics (often playful) and beats that were indeed funky, and different than anything else I had heard. Ironically, as much as his music set itself apart from the rest of the rap scene, I finally found out that his first album (in 1991) was helped along, by his cousin and pioneer of a different scene, Ice Cube (this still intrigues me)...
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Wednesday, Dec. 2nd 2009
Municipal Waste @ El Corazon
Review & Photos by Nik Christofferson
Last Tuesday I got totally WASTED! Those forever touring hard partying thrash metal maniacs Municipal Waste were back in town and played their millionth show at El Corazon. I didn’t have a single adult beverage that night but was succumbed by the Waste’s shredtastic take on 80’s crossover instead. The venue was only half full which allowed for some pretty sweet circle pits, but the craziest part of the night was the multitude of 100lb string beans that immediately made the stage their own. Municipal Waste worked the crowd into a frenzy early; one after another kids bombarded their way on the stage then proceeded to back flip into a sparse crowd that was barely big enough to cushion their landings. These dare devils didn’t even seem to mind splatting on the floor once and while, most hopped up and went right for it again.
After seeing hundreds of metal shows, stage diving of this caliber was nothing new I suppose but for some reason on this night with the leaner attendance it seemed extra risky and just plain nuts. I personally have never possessed the testicular fortitude that a stage diver needs to flip onto a bunch of drunken metal heads, plus for as long as I can remember I’ve weighed twice as much as the kids who were taking the leaps all night anyway so be thankful I never landed your head.
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Tuesday, Dec. 1st 2009
The xx Stirs It Up @ Neumos
By LB
The xx must have some sort of ‘x-factor’. No, really. The sold out crowd, at Neumos to see the tender London trio’s first stop in Seattle, was—other than druuunk—rowdy, raucous, and rambunctious. The three R’s of interactive audiences. But mostly with their voices, as if they ostensibly took on the same method the band themselves employ, where vocal-driven soul/rock/r&b ballads have a way of charming one’s pants off. All of this disquiet and good-natured cat-calling felt somewhat odd, though, given the soft and subdued complexion of their music. I, frankly, didn’t expect the people to be so riled up. But they were, and the band seemed appreciative of the candor (there was little talk from them).
I dodged opener Holly Miranda, as well as headliner Friendly Fires, so no report on them. But it was plainly evident from my vantage point that many of the tickets were sold simply to ride the new wave that is the xx, and I’d wager the crowd was at its numerical peak when the surging second band played the first notes of “Intro”. Just as it does on record, it set a heavy goth-romance tone. “VCR” came next, and then “Basic Space”, which might’ve elicited more hoopin’ and hollerin’ than any other song, save for maybe “Crystalised”. As expected, Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim’s voices weren’t as crystal clear as the recordings, but it didn’t matter. “Shelter” led me to the realization that many of the xx’s songs are built on the slow, often creeping upwards in a crescendo. The elevation on this song was more intense than any other....
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Monday, Nov. 30th 2009
Brandi Carlile In-Store @ Easy Street Records
By Sandy Anderson
Photos by Jason Tang
Brandi Carlile, singer / songwriter and Maple Valley native, recently finished the first leg of her tour for her third album: Give Up the Ghost, a collection of timeless alt-country tunes, both rockin' and vulnerable. Friday's in-store performance at Queen Anne's Easy Street Records was originally scheduled for October before her sellout Paramount show, but was pushed back a month due to rumors of Brandi's voice being road-weary. And if you've heard her voice, you'll be glad she rescheduled and was able to give it her all as part of Seattle Weekly's Reverb event series. She'll be touring again next year, including a Bellingham stop at the Mt Baker Theatre in March, and before that, she'll appear at The Mountain's Winter Warmth Concert at The Moore on December 6th.
My husband Donny and I couldn't pass up a free mini-show in such an intimate setting after seeing her at the Paramount last month. It was a cold, windy night downtown, and after a couple of Pagliacci slices and Elysian ESBs, we headed to the record store to wait. One hour before starting time, and the place was not quite half-full, but soon would be at capacity. We staked our spots, and listened to the conversations around us, including a guy who had Brandi's middle school yearbook and was showing pictures of himself standing near her in 6th grade...
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Saturday, Nov. 28 2009
The xx’s xx is xcellent
By LB
If you’re “on the internet”, you’ve likely heard many folks singing their praises for this budding band out of London, the xx. “Subtle and sexy” you’ve maybe heard, or “naked soul” perhaps. As with most British bands these days—thanks to the UK press corps’ astounding affinity for slamming superficially fleeting bands down our throats based on a single hook—I glared from afar with a skeptical eye. But when I gave it a chance (or succumbed to the curiosity), I, too, found myself drawn to its stark and sparse infinite night time rock ‘n soul.
The band was started by lifelong pals Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft all the way back in 2005 and, given ample time and space by their label (Young Turks), developed a sound and concocted their first album, xx. This name they’ve chosen is not a reference to some idealistic statement against band names, an underground art movement, or even algebra variables. Instead it refers to the Roman numeral for 20, the age each band member reached before their record was finally released. Yes, they are young. But the music has an air of sophistication and restraint not often seen in a music landscape saturated with audacious and extroverted rock star wannabes. They’re friends with and toured with Micachu & the Shapes (”Basic Space” even sounds a bit like a sedate Micachu song), if that provides any context to you.
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Thursday, Nov. 26th 2009
LIVE REVIEW: Wolfmother & Heartless Bastards @ Paramount Theater
By Nik Christofferson
When Wolfmother first arrived on the scene in 2005 they lead a small explosion of heavy but surely accessible bands some deemed, “hipster metal”. That first Wolfmother record had some redeeming qualities; bottom heavy classic rock riffs, Andrew Stockdale’s Ozzy Osbourne wail, and undeniably catchy and mildly stony songs about wizards, unicorns, mountains, and rainbows which quickly caught the ear of stoner metal fans as well as indie rockers who were in search of a heavy but not scary band to call their own. For a brief period of time even I gravitated toward their brand of caffeine free diet Black Sabbath. Let’s just say they wore out their welcome almost immediately. You can blame “Woman” or Guitar Hero or just the fact that it all seemed so contrived and almost insultingly dumb after awhile. The only thing good about Wolfmother is that they may have had a hand in opening the door for other heavy bands blossoming at the same time. The Sword for instance was laying it down thick and convincingly, and all the while gaining actual credibility in both communities.
I went to see Wolfmother last Friday just to make sure my feelings were warranted in case I had misjudged their intentions, music or whatever. ‘White Unicorn’ and ‘Dimension’ sounded good and I was glad to hear the stuff from their debut at least once live. Overall, the show was big, their sound was big, Stockdale was impressive on guitar, and the laser light show was sweet. It had all the elements of a kick ass rock show....
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Wednesday, Nov. 25th 2009
Jaworski Is My Sherpa; Non-Scientific Observations of The Mt. Fuji Records Showcase
By Julianna Boggs
9:54 pm- Enter Sunset Tavern, pay $8 at the door for Mt. Fuji Records Showcase day two.
9:55 pm- Approach bar. Purchase 1 bottle of Ranier for $4.50, turn north by northwest towards stage to behold Cleveland duo mr. Gnome absolutely killing it.
Emitting a rock n roll utilitarianism that I can respect in a tank top, jeans, and no-frills ponytail, front-woman Nicole Barille croons into her mic as she channels a howling Karen-O meets PJ Harvey psychedelic sentiment. Drummer Sam Meister wears a cap and grins away, licking his lips with every beat. They appear to savor every moment they have on stage, which is a pleasure to behold. A track with blast beats and a screaming guitar line has the entire room hooked; as the crescendo grows so does the tension until the crowd convulses into a singularly orgasmic, head-bobbing release...
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Tuesday, Nov. 24th 2009
Wanna Win a Wuggie!?!?
By Kevin leDoux
Rivers Cuomo is either really into infomercials or is a huge fan of Sky-Mall (and who isn’t?!). One product in particular has apparently piqued his interest. He and the rest of the Weezer gang have become the #1 advocate for Snuggies. They like the snugglie blankie so much so, Cuomo recently performed in a custom leopard-print Snuggie in CA and now they have decided to put their own fleecie product out there dubbed the “Wuggie.
” As Rivers puts it, “A Wuggie is basically exactly like a Snuggie, except it says Weezer on it.” Wow.. crazzzzy right?
Well, just as a coincidence, Weezer also recently released their 7th album, Raditude on Nov 3rd. The title alone would lead you to believe it’s… um, rad, but you can decide yourself here...
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Monday, Nov. 23rd 2009
Nothing Nice to Say #6
By Mitch Clem
Saturday, Nov. 21st 2009
LIVE REVIEW: Russian Circles @ Neumos
By Metal Matt
I hate waiting for shit. I especially hate waiting to see a band that I know is going to kill it in unimaginable ways. So sitting in Moe bar on a cold, rainy, windy Seattle evening trying to kill the few hours that separated me from Russian Circles was complete fucking torture. Well, torture with beer. But still torture.
At last the doors opened and the show was underway. Kudos to Neumo’s for blaring the Shrinebuilder album between sets, very choice indeed! Helms Alee was the first band to hit the stage, and chugged through a set of tunes from their record ‘Night Terror’. I only had a chance to listen to the album a few times before the show, but I can say the band pulled off the material really well. They sounded great and had energy and charisma. Even though I’m not a huge Helms Alee fan, and I couldn’t tell you specifically why this is because I would still describe them as ‘worth a listen and for sure see a show’, I enjoyed their set and would likely see them again.
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Friday, Nov. 20th 2009
Viva Rose City
By LB
When did this record come out? May? Jeez Louise, it really takes some time to get around to these things. I meant to pick up Viva Voce’s Rose City when it was released, but I never did; and not until after their excellent show at the Seattle Center Mural was I finally compelled to get my grubby little paws on it. I think you’ll be glad I did. Or, at least, I’m glad I did. Can’t really say what you’ll think.
I had a hard time choosing which songs to focus on and that’s because this album is so astonishingly solid. No track-skippers here. If you find yourself drawn to splendid songwriting (minus the frills), heavy crackerjack guitars (sometimes clear, sometimes hazy), dual male-female vox, and slow psych rock jams interspersed with swift, agile boot-rock, then give this record a spin. You can try a couple on for size below.
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Thursday, Nov. 19th 2009
Mudhoney Annihilates at Neumos
By Nik Christofferson
November 13th, 2009 - Mudhoney, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, Unnatural Helpers @ Neumos “Grunge” was the word of the hour last Friday evening at Neumos in celebration of a new book of rock photography by Michael Lavine. Lavine is a prominent photographer who while working for Sub Pop in the early 90’s captured many of the era's great Seattle bands in their heyday. Michael’s book "Grunge" highlights the 90’s punk and grunge scene, and while it heavily showcases the likeness of Kurt Cobain, it also features some of the notable figures on the night’s bill, as well as a few of the spectators in attendance. (Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil was one such notable spectator)
While the book is cool and everything but I was interested purely in the rock. The killer sounds of a stellar local lineup consisting of Unnatural Helpers, Tad Doyle’s Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, and the incomparable Mudhoney is what I wanted and rock I did receive....
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Wednesday, Nov. 18th 2009
Dutchess And The Duke, Nothing To Fear But Happily Ever After
By Julianna Boggs
This is an album for those of you who are moving right along in your life. You’re anywhere from 25-32 years old and you’ve got a pretty cool job. You exclusively sign 1-year leases for places in “nice” neighborhoods (note: “nice” when you were 21 meant its proximity to liquor stores and bus lines, “nice” when you’re 26 is proximity to a brick-oven pizza place with an extensive wine list [and bus lines]). You’ve been together with your boyfriend/ girlfriend for some time, and as of late they’ve been making suggestive comments about how it could “be like this forever” and they would be “totally happy”. Then one day, maybe you see it coming maybe you don’t, your boyfriend/ girlfriend is pregnant. What the fuck/ congratulations!
It’s this essential crux of adulthood that really makes you a man/ woman. It’s also the time when the fearful adolescent in you longs for the freedom you see quickly slipping away. Suddenly the good old days of impromptu binge drinking and unprotected, bisexual orgies never seemed so sweet. But that’s all behind you now. You’ll soon be a mother/ father, and in order to avoid all the mistakes your parents made it’s time to say goodbye to 40 oz. of Old English and tag-teamed Craigslist Casual Encounters, no matter how prematurely it seems that time has come....
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Tuesday, Nov. 17th 2009
Paramount Pixies
By LB
There was one thing, outside of the actual music, that my mind kept returning to during the Pixies concert on Friday night at the Paramount. I couldn’t stop thinking about how each band member might view this new ‘20th Anniversary of Doolittle‘ reunion. Are they genuinely excited about it? Or are they in it just for the money? Are they surprised by their current popularity, or did they expect it? Do they think it’s silly, all this fuss over an enigmatic punk band that broke up 16 years ago? Or do they feel validated, or vindicated somehow, by their can-do-no-wrong rep? Much of my questioning was born out of watching each player throughout the performance, taking mental notes from their facial cues, body language, and stage banter (or lack thereof). Essentially, Pixies are an group of four endearing weirdos who sonically coalesced and it’s easy to assume the variation in the answers each would give.
Kim Deal was beaming the entire evening, leading me to believe her reaction to my queries would mirror an optimist’s. “B-Sides!” she yelped right before they jumped into the first song “Dancing the Manta Ray”. Much to my chagrin, she was the lone person to address the crowd. If you’ve ever seen or heard an interview with Black Francis, you know what we were missing. Admittedly, I probably studied the frontman more than the other three...
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Monday, Nov. 16th 2009
A Night at the Funhouse with Warning:Danger!
By Nik Christofferson
I just want to premise this post by first letting the cat out of the bag so to speak about one of Seattle’s best kept secrets. Spoiler Alert! WARNING: DANGER! friggin kicks ass! They rule! Go see them live ASAP! The band not only brings an entertaining and amusing shtick and stage show to the table, but also a scathing display of pure punk rock as well. You will not only walk away from their show overcome with joy, but you will thank me by throwing money at my feet, which I will then turn around and give to Warning:Danger!, so that they will go make another record. Thank You.
From my experiences, you can always expect a few sure things when taking in a show at the Funhouse. 1. There will always be plenty of frosty cold Olympia cans available for consumption. 2. You will encounter some of the more “interesting” people in Seattle. 3. The restrooms are more disgusting than many of the restrooms you’ll encounter in India (from my friend Jerry, who just spent over a month in India). 4. You will see some of the best local DIY punk/noise/metal bands the city has to offer, and once in awhile somebody like Destroyer 666 will make an appearance. (It was back in 2006, and was pure destruction)...
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Friday, Nov. 13th 2009
The Raveonettes at Neumos
By LB
The Raveonettes were a blitzkrieg of light, smoke, and sound last Friday night. The sleek, beautiful duo tantalized the audience by starting off with a new song, “Gone Forever”, then followed with a handful of older tunes, including “Lust”, “Black Satin” and “Dead Sound” from Lust Lust Lust. I didn’t pay much attention to the crowd, but their electricity after each song matched watt-for-watt with the onslaught of blinking strobe lights. The band, too, seemed to harvest energy from the eye-popping display of wavelength radiation.
There wasn’t much chit-chat from Sune Rose Wagner or Sharin Foo, content instead to let their guitars do the talking, or screeching, as it were. If they were going to get through a set with 20+ songs, they had better get to work. On “Break Up Girls!”, Wagner and Foo’s abrasive opening stanza was followed with a minimal, dub-worthy heartbeat. The already-sparse song was stripped to the ankles and sounded even starker. The strobes really kicked into gear at this juncture. Foo climbed behind the stand-up drum kit for “The Beat Dies” and “Heart of Stone” (supplanting whoever it was behind there already), and showed off her multi-instrument prowess. I could really only make out her stick-straight blond hair bobbing about in the background....
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Thursday, Nov. 12th 2009
A Little Love from LOVER at the Funhouse
By Matt Mason
Rich Crook stood outside having a smoke, as local Seattle act, "Fried Pony", warmed up the small but inviting crowd at the Funhouse this last Tuesday night. Wearing his iconic Berlin trucker hat, he happily sat down for a little chat before "LOVER!" took the stage.
From Natchez, Mississippi, Crook is a down to earth, heavy on the manners, kind of guy. He has been part of many acts including the "Reatards", "Knaughty Knights", and "Lost Sounds". It wasn't until his stint working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that he really discovered, by necessity of a creative outlet, his ability and gift as a songwriter. It was a "miserable experience" he said but it afforded him the time and seclusion to write. It also supplied inspiration for his lyrics that he said are, "nightmare stories translated through music". He joked that he one day hoped to write a record, "for the girls to love"...
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Wednessday, Nov. 11th 2009
RECORD REVIEW: Baroness - "Blue Record"
By Metal Matt
‘Blue Record’ is one of those albums I was looking forward to without really looking forward to. Having heard and enjoyed 2007’s ‘Red Album’ I knew that Baroness were good but had some room to grow. I knew the next album would most likely kick ass and hoped they would thicken up their sound a little with that magic metal sauce that makes both stereos and my ears very happy (side note: I think, but am not positive, that this sauce is a molten concoction of a James Hetfield guitar pick, one of Geezer Butler’s busted strings, half of a lukewarm PBR and a copy of Aqualung on vinyl, for some reason).
Well? They did. About twenty seconds into ‘The Sweetest Curse’ you know Baroness has made a motherfucker of an album. The sheer girth of shreddage that is ‘A Horse Called Golgotha’ is enough to make a guitar nerd like myself yell ‘YES!!’ at the stereo, provoking odd looks from those nearby....
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Tuesday, Nov. 10th 2009
Mount Eerie’s Ode To The Wind
By LB
Has anybody else been listening to Wind’s Poem? It’s the new album from Mount Eerie, or native Anacortan Phil Elverum. Taken by its elegiac, methodical march, the beautiful behemoth has me cradled in its giant palm. I’m compelled to kneel before some sort of Dark Lord and succumb to his intoxicating assurance of malevolent glory. Elverum the auteur might argue that there is no Dark Lord other than the blustery gusts of wind he’s chosen to exult in this ode to the atmospheric force. The record, predicated on Elverum’s proclaimed affinity for black metal (a genre, mind you, that I’m inadequately prepared to analyze), is stirringly epic, stoically powerful, and enigmatically soothing. The theme is unmistakable: humans and the natural world being thrust to and fro, lulled to sleep or whipped in a frenzy by wind in all its comforting, revealing, and destructive forms. Just listen to the sparse storytelling of “Summons”: “I can’t say it, so I’ll let the wind / come wind, destroyer of worlds, speak to me / show me shapes in the swirling dust”—and prepare yourself accordingly.
“Wind’s Dark Poem” is the first track and begins the subdued onslaught with a blunt avalanche of stormy distortion. The maelstrom of menace finally subsides to fully reveal Elverum’s mysterious mumble. It’s a poignant beginning to a record that will subtly change pace over its entire course....
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Monday, Nov. 9th 2009
Liam Finn and EJ Rock the Croc
By Nik Christofferson
When I took the trip up to Vancouver in April of 2008 for the back-to-back Eddie Vedder shows as part of his first solo tour I never expected that his opener would steal the show on night 1. A New Zealander by the name of Liam Finn, son of Crowded House main man and close EV friend Neil Finn put on one hell of show while showcasing the infectious songs off his debut record “I’ll Be Lightning”. The talented beyond belief Finn seemingly built songs from nothing by layering and looping various guitar parts into fully realized compositions that included upbeat lyrics and at times climaxed with Finn mounting an empty drum kit and impressively bashing out a previously absent drum beat. Helping Finn recreate his songs live was Australia native Eliza-Jane Barnes, who supplied percussion, backing vocals, and various effects.
Since discovering Liam Finn I have been a fan, and for a time “I’ll Be Lightning” received some major turntable time at my house. When I heard he was returning to Seattle with his musical partner in crime EJ Barnes I was stoked to see him for the fourth time in a year and half. Liam and EJ are currently touring in support of a new EP entitled “Champagne in Seashells”, and his show at the Croc last week marked his third visit to Seattle since March 2008, where they played the High Dive. He also came back in September 2008, and easily sold out the High Dive after quickly becoming a favorite of local Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder fans....
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Saturday, Nov. 7th 2009
Atlas Sound and Broadcast on Halloween
By LB
You never quite know what you’re gonna get with Bradford Cox. Those expecting a spooky replication of Atlas Sound and its dreamy new record might’ve been somewhat caught off guard last Saturday when the band—Cox backed by opening ambient-groove-rockers the Selmanaires—played a fairly straightforward (for him) organic set of guitar rock. “Bet you thought this would be more spooky”, Cox said in the middle of the show. “Me too”, he continued, “but I can only be myself. I was born spooky.” He then went on to lament how he’d become less spooky recently, shopping at the Gap and Whole Foods. He’s a funny guy, and his mock glorification of dub music—using his pedal to broadcast an echoed voice and a short little riff—was hilarious. Was I bummed the music wasn’t more Halloween-y? No, not at all. I was too busy enjoying my buzz and letting the altered sounds of Logos saturate my head. Hey, I was in costume, and so were a lot of other people. I’ll admit to a little dissatisfaction when his reply to my shouted request for “Washington School” came back, “that’s a good song! …but I can’t play it.” Didn’t bring the glockenspiel, I suppose.
Getting into the spirit, Cox continually called up some lucky, costumed folks to the stage for spotlighting throughout the night. He gave a girl dressed as an apple with a worm coming out of it (clearly homemade) her choice from the merch table, the same with a tall, goth-looking blonde bride, who he said reminded him of himself....
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Wednesday, Nov. 4th 2009
Nothing Nice to Say #5
By Mitch Clem
Tuesday, Nov. 3rd 2009
Le Loup And Nurses @ Chop Suey
By LB
There’s a transformation that occurs between studio and stage for pretty much every band. Of course, there are those that replicate their studio sessions on stage very well, and vice versa. On the flip side, there are also many bands who have trouble replicating their live sound on record, and vice versa. Some bands simply don’t give a rat’s ass. Le Loup seems to fall into one of the two latter categories, and I’m pretty sure it’s a case of having a difficult time translating what’s a very lovely and spacious record in Family to a small venue like Chop Suey.
Last week, I had some nice things to say about Le Loup’s sophomore record; today I have some not so nice things to say about their recent performance. Family is a record crafted and built with significant beauty and space between its separate parts, floating, lilting, pounding and finally coalescing into a very enjoyable sum. Unfortunately, the album didn’t translate well to the stage. Not from my vantage point, anyway. From the first song, “Saddle Mountain”, through the next several including “Beach Town”, some older ones, “Grow”, and “Family”, each instrument was muddled and the spirit was drowned in a mess of a mix....
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Monday, Nov. 2nd 2009
The Formula Of The Raveonettes
By LB
By now, you’re either a Raveonettes fan or you’re not. You’ve either been sucked up into the hurricane or dutifully dodged it. Sounds trite, right? Maybe, but not entirely. Since 2003, the Danish duo (Sune Rose Wagner now spends most of his time in NYC and L.A.), has concocted four increasingly addictive albums that don’t differ terribly from one single-dose narcotic formula. That formula, for those caught unawares, is essentially created by dissolving an infatuation with lovesick, pre-hippie American pop into a trashy, drug-and-sex induced obsession with 80’s shoegaze storms. Maybe my favorite piece of trivia, in case you haven’t yet unearthed this little fact, is that their name is a combined salute to Buddy Holly’s version of “Rave On!” and sweetie-pie 60’s girl group the Ronettes. Their name wins copious style points, let alone the leather-jacket-wearing, motorcycle-riding, pinup-loving image they played up in their early years.
Wagner and his cohort, Sharin Foo (1/4 Chinese), suffered from inconsistency on their first two records until they hit pay dirt with 2007’s Lust Lust Lust. That record, with its ‘for whom the bell tolls’ kind of dread and incredible guitar ecstasy, turned on a light bulb in my head. “This shit is good,” I said to myself. Multiple times. Over and over. Its candy-coated arsenic (”You Want the Candy”, anyone?) ended up placing fifth in my illustrious ‘Favorite Non-NW Albums of 2008‘. No lie....
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Friday, Oct 30th 2009
1969 Cover Night with Kinski
By Nik Christofferson
Last Saturday I got a call about a pretty killer show going on at Rendezvous. In celebration of Kinski drummer Barrett Wilke’s 40th birthday count’em eight bands were on the bill for a night of 1969 cover tunes entitled 1969 vs. 2009. When I showed the booze was a flowin’, and the smallish group of Barrett’s close friends who had gathered in the Jewelbox Theater were well on their way towards a Sunday hangover.
The Kinski guys and gal supplied the back line and with no setup necessary, each of the 8 bands one after another jumped on stage for 20 minutes to showcase their chops on some classic rock tunes from arguably one of the greatest years in rock and roll history. In 1969 -- Sabbath, Priest, King Crimson, and The Allman Brothers all formed, The Stooges released their self titled debut, Led Zeppelin released I and II, The Beatles released “Abbey Road”, Bowie released “Space Oddity”, and of course a little festival called Woodstock took place on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York. The bands involved with the tribute to Barrett and his birth year included Welcome, The Thing Changers, Little Champions, The Scraps, The Lights, Spoils, KINSKI, as well as the debut of Skipper the Eyechild....
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Thursday, Oct. 29th 2009
A Funeral to Look Forward To
By Kevin leDoux
This is a rare occasion when the announcement of a funeral is a good thing. It is a night when the event will represent a rebirth rather than death. On, Tuesday November 17th the Seattle Rock Orchestra is deconstructing The Arcade Fire’s iconic album “Funeral” and recomposing it in it’s entirety to be performed by 50 piece orchestra at the Fremont Abbey. Not only is this a great opportunity for the chance to to dip into the classic side of Seattle’s music talent pool, but “Funeral” also lends itself perfectly to the genre with it’s hugely theatrical makeup.
On stage will also be a backing band and a laundry list of guest vocalists including Matt Bishop (Hey Marseilles), Ian Bell (Black Swedes), Jima (the Purrs), Alessandra Rose (The Kindness Kind), Matt Shaw (With Friends Like These), Jasen Samford & Danny Oleson (Exohxo) & Shenandoah Davis.
Since December of 2008 the Seattle Rock Orchestra has accompanied local artists Jeremy Enigk, Jesse Sykes, Damien Jurado, Rosie Thomas, and bands Black Swedes and Grand Hallway....
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Wednesday, Oct. 28th 2009
Yo La Tengo, Jackie-O Mutherfucker @ Showbox Sodo
By Nik Christofferson
Last Thursday, everyone’s favorite long running indie rock band Yo La Tengo, spent two hours showing why they have endured and flourished for the last 25 years. The founding husband and wife team of guitarist/vocalist Ira Kaplan and drummer/vocalist Georgia Hubley, as well as long time bassist/vocalist James McNew took the Showbox Sodo crowd on a roller coaster ride of their mellow elevator shoegaze, fuzzed out pop, and ear drum perforating experimental noise rock.
Ira Kaplan looked like a kid in a candy store, wowing the crowd with his guitar distortion acrobatics. He has perfected the art of guitar distortion effects, and was a hoot to watch while he maniacally and methodically twisted, turned, banged, shook and any other verb you’d care to insert his guitar all the while creating a deafening and purely awesome wall of reverberation....
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Tuesday, Oct. 27th 2009
Spend Some Time With Le Loup’s Family
By LB
Le Loup, a young band founded by one Sam Simkoff in 2006, is deeply interested in humans and their innate connection with the surrounding world. The band wonders how these beings spiritually append themselves to a confounding and magnificent rock floating in space. It explores the fabric of communal life, focusing on ancestors, communities, tribes, gatherings, people and planet.
It follows suit, then, that the second record from the D.C.-area band, courtesy of Hardly Art, depicts an amorous, wide-eyed view of the universe and its indigenous contents. Entitled Family (naturally), it’s a collection of songs that should be experienced in the presence of an outdoor landscape, with a macrocosmic frame of mind, or with a circle of friends. It’s an album that is best described using terms such as ‘percussive’, ‘tribal’, and ‘folk’; or ‘pastoral’, ‘rustic’ and ‘anti-urban’....
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Monday, Oct. 26th 2009
Logos Is Dreamy
By LB
I suspect—with the aid of several clues, including interviews, records and blog posts—that Bradford Cox has a rampant imagination. The kind of imagination that would make inventive children jealous. And in some ways, the Deerhunter frontman and Atlas Sound wizard still creates his music through the kaleidoscopic mind of a child, albeit a melancholic one. It’s this sense of sadness and internal strife, stemming from an awkward, diseased (he suffers from Marfan Syndrome), sexually confused childhood, that has manifested itself quite plainly in much of his work. But he also has that creative brain power we all crave, and you know what that imagination is good for? Dreams: those blurry, nebulous brain reflexes that confound us during our sleep and enchant us during our day. Logos, the new offering from Atlas Sound, essentially plays out like one shifting, streaming dreamscape, filled with a thousand different snippets of sound and image, unfamiliar characters making brief appearances, jarring jubilation and drifting despondency, all buoyed by Cox’s trademark hypnotic rhythms and doo-wop desires...
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Friday, Oct. 23rd 2009
Sunny Day Real Estate @ Paramount Theater
By Nik Christofferson
On my way to the Paramount Theatre last Friday, as I walked through a typical fall deluge of rain, I was greeted with a glowing marquee that Seattle had been waiting for 15 long years to see. It read in big black lettering: Sunny Day Real Estate. We were finally getting our day of nostalgia with the incredibly influential local band that fizzled out way too early in their promising career. I have to admit that even though I was as stoked as anyone in the Paramount that night, I had already experienced the original reunited lineup in all their glory back on Sept. 18th as part of Portland’s MFNW (read my review here). When the early tour announcements were officially made, Portland was the only city on the schedule, so I quickly jumped on some tickets and scheduled a mini PDX road trip. With that said, I had a pretty good idea of what kind of show it was going to be, though nothing could match the excitement of seeing the band on their home turf...
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Thursday, Oct. 22nd 2009
The Grizzly Bear Film
By LP
Watching Grizzly Bear perform Friday night was a bit like the experience of watching a dramatic film. A visually stunning, beautifully crafted, uniquely intricate film. First, you had the audience, watching intently from the shabby Moore Theatre confines and hanging on every breath of the players. Secondly, you had the hypnotic lighting backdrop—made up of Mason jar-looking devices hanging from T-shaped scaffolds—captivating and enticing the rods and cones of every human eye present. I really can’t stress enough how much pleasure this added to the overall show. The firefly lights flickered, bounced, beamed and floated with almost every beat, and when combined with the overhead lighting and smoke machine, resembled either a red hellish underworld, a vibrantly green fantasy forest, a purple and orange nod to the season, or a bright blast of illuminating white light. Third, you had the irregular plot lines framed by the ever-so-esoteric lyricism of Daniel Rossen and Ed Droste, both of whom use an Expressionist’s hand to paint their stirring stories of heartbreak, awakenings, and everyday life...
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Wednesday, Oct. 21st 2009
Nothing Nice to Say #4
By Mitch Clem
