popwreckoning

The future of Seattle grunge rockers Alice in Chains was held seriously in doubt when charismatic lead singer Layne Staley died tragically in 2002 of a drug overdose. In the years following, members guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney played some reunion shows with Comes with the Fall vocalist William DuVall, but there was no indication they would record new music.

Earlier this year, Cantrell revealed that they completed recording of their first studio album in 10 years and are currently in the process of mixing tracks. Their new album with new label Virgin/EMI is slated to drop in September. If you want to catch them live, your next chance is on July 18 at Comerica Park in Detroit, where they will be playing alongside Kid Rock and Cypress Hill.

Alice in Chains: website

Our 2,000th post!

Welcome back, readers to Under Cover: Annie Lennox.  Some kids played with Barbie and Ken dolls, dreaming up scenarios of them living together as husband and wife in the Barbie dream house.  But if you were like me, you used to fantasize about David Bowie and Annie Lennox teaming up and becoming the most badass husband and wife music team since, well, no one?  Ever the rock and roll match-maker, I always thought they belonged together.  I mean, both are legendary blue-eyed soul singers, British, dynamic stage performers, the de facto King and Queen of androgyny, and are practically gay icons for LGBT music lovers everywhere.  They sang duets together (although not nearly as often as I’d have liked), they could have easily shared clothes, applied each other’s make-up and provided each other with fashion tips… so why didn’t it happen!?  Alas, it wasn’t in the stars and I realized long ago that it was just another musical fantasy I had to tuck away in my hope chest.  But whether or not David Bowie is by her side, Annie Lennox is still one of the most exciting female singers and one of my personal favorites.  Whether she’s begging “Why?” or “Walking On Broken Glass”, this Diva is “Honestly” a tribute to music “Womankind” and I would rather look Medusa in the eye before giving up her unique discography.  I know Annie said “No More I Love You’s” but I can’t apologize for loving her so much when clearly it’s all her fault!
–

.The Lover Speaks – “No More I Love You’s” (original 1986)
I’m usually a huge fan of British new wave, but The Lover Speaks‘ original version of “No More I Love You’s” is slightly irritating and unremarkable at best.  The male vocals are grandiose and dramatic in the vein of a cheap Erasure imitation, the tempo is slow and unmoving and stagnant, and even the saving grace – the female background singer with her do-do-do-do-do-ohh’s – can’t seem to to wake this song up from its overwhelmingly languid manner.  I’m not quite sure what they’re trying to sell here, but I sure as hell ain’t sold on anything.  Lead singer David Freeman alone sings in a less than compelling style that may mesh well with the overall monotonous sound yet still makes the listener feel like he doesn’t even want to be there.  This version doesn’t exactly save the Queen… instead, it puts her to sleep.

.Annie Lennox – “No More I Love You’s” (cover, 1995)
Wow!  Leave it to Miss Lennox to make a diamond out of a lump of coal.  She took the limp original and completely breathed fresh new life into this cover tune that is quite simply a musical triumph.  Her operatic vocals soar above the music, the background vocals are soft, innocent, and pure, and she manages to communicate the beautiful lyrics a zillion times better than the original by virtue of the fact that you can actually hear what she’s saying.  Plus, her vocal delivery is so genuine, sincere, and aurally pleasing that it only matches the simple message of this love song gone awry.  And when she sings “No more I love youuuuuuu’s, the language is leaving me in silence” you actually can tell she means it.  The originally could barely create a single goosebump, but this song gives me chill upon chill everytime I hear it.
–

.Neil Young – “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” (original 1970)
Gotta love a song called “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” that actually has a way of bringing you down whenever you listen to it.  Neil Young would be the genius behind this bluesy rock anthem for anyone in the throes of cognitive dissonance.  This song is downtrodden and mellow, manages to be therapeutic while simultaneously perpetuating the blues, and just sways back and forth like a couple slow dancing.  While Young’s vocals always sound stung out and strained, he manages to lull listeners into this lingering state of listlessness and ennui that almost seems like a desirable destination.  But don’t get excited- the song starts and ends in the same somber place with no resolution in sight.  I can’t stand this track as much as I actually kinda sorta of love it.  It’s the perfect musical paradox.

.Annie Lennox – “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” (1995)
Some of you may recognize this track from that climactic scene in American Beauty when Kevin Spacey‘s character almost succumbs to the temptation of his 16 year old daughter’s best friend (Mena Suvari), who just so happens to turn this song on the stereo.  I absolutely love Lennox’s creative attempt to revamp Neil Young’s sullen version into something that starts of decidedly blue but somehow manages to end on a positive note.  The synth is full-bodied, moody, and definitely contributes to this overall feeling of tension and heaviness, yet her vocals almost sound like tiny churps that take the listener to a place beyond the gloom.  I like how the music swells and the background vocalists fill out the song as Lennox comes at you with much more fortitude as the song progresses.  This cover version is the kind of mood music that helps listeners lose the ‘tude.  Keep them coming, Annie!

In this third and final installment of my three-part interview with Friendly Fires‘s Edd Gibson (guitar) and Ed Macfarlane (vocals/synths/bass), we turn to weightier issues. I get suggestions from the boys on what to pick up at the record shop round the corner. We get into a deep philosophical discussion about the state of American and English popular music and come to the surprising realization that we don’t listen to our countrymen as much as we probably should. And they look forward to their oh so little precious time off in the coming months they’ll have to record Friendly Fires’s album number two. Read on and enjoy.

Parts 1 and 2 of this interview are available here and here.

Mary Chang, PopWreckoning: So, what kind of music are you guys listening to now?
Ed Macfarlane, Friendly Fires: I’ve been listening to a band called Nomo, American band. I wish I knew more about them, they’re from the northern part of America. [Author's note: Nomo are from Ann Arbor, Michigan.]
MC: What kind of music is that?
EMac: It’s kind of Fela Kuti-inspired, it’s got like a jazzy feel to it. It might be Afrobeat, I dunno. I dunno know what proper Afrobeat is.
MC: It’s not like Vampire Weekend?
EMac: No, it’s not like Vampire Weekend at all. It’s like quite jazzy meets postrock meets…but not Do May Say Think…more jazzy. If that makes any sense at all. The head guy plays an electric kalimba, which is like an African instrument with metal tongs. It’s like a thumb piano, but with a jack on the back. It’s full of hooks. It’s not like pretentious, arty noise. It’s got beautiful and interesting, really great trumpet and saxophone lines and is really engaging. It’s the perfect combination of artiness and actual catchy, interesting music.
Edd Gibson, Friendly Fires: Are there loads of them [about the number of members]? Do they have a brass section?
EMac: Yeah…about 10?
MC: Whoa, big band.

EMac: So, what are you listening to, Ed?
EG: A lot of hip, ambient, drony music. Yeah, a band called Seefeel, and Cocteau Twins, who I haven’t properly listened to them before but I’m just getting into them because when we signed with XL [Recordings], they’re part of the Beggars Group, so we got to raid their warehouse. Gather up all these old LPs, CDs. Going through all of that. Really incredible. So for me, it’s Seefeel and Cocteau Twins.
MC: Seefeel…are they an English band?
EG: No, they’re American. [Author's note: After a search on MySpace, I believe he's referring to an ambient band based in London.]
EMac: To be perfectly honest, we haven’t heard that much English music lately.
EG: Yeah, English music sucks at the moment. (Edd and Ed laugh)
MC: No, don’t say that. I don’t listen to much American music, just a lot of British radio.
EMac: (looks shocked) You’re missing out!
MC: It [American indie music] just never gets played on the radio.
EG: What, English music? (puzzled)
MC: No, American indie music. Like the Airborne Toxic Event, they’re from L.A., and they’ve been to the Black Cat, all over America, all over the UK. They get played on 6music but they wouldn’t have a chance on local radio. And don’t get me started on local radio stations that have no DJs ands are just 7-hour continuous loops.
EMac: American indie bands, this is just a generalization, but I feel like they have less of a desire to sound poppy. Or popular. Whereas in England, it seems like lots of people are trying to write accessible, poppy music. Which is…there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that at all, but I think it means it’s harder for American bands to…I think Vampire Weekend was the last band to have penetrated the English market because their songs are very popular.
EG: And MGMT.
EMac: Yeah, MGMT. But then, their songs are really straight up pop melody and pop hooks. Anything remotely arty or that isn’t trying to be pop or poppy doesn’t really succeed in England. (turns to Edd for agreement) Is that true?
EG: Um, well yeah…I mean, you’re not going to get loads of artsy music [on British mainstream radio].
EMac: Not artsy music, but do you know what I mean, it’s got to be accessible and catchy and poppy in order for it to break in England. But that may apply to American music as well.

MC: I didn’t think Fleet Foxes would become so popular in England. But they did, and then the whole folk-rock-pop thing happened. They’re another band I first heard on British radio. They didn’t become popular in the U.S. until they were massive in Britain first.
EG: Yeah, they got loads of love in the broadsheet papers here and then middle-aged people started listening to them. Saying “Crosby, Stills, and Nash is cool again, but it’s got a different name!”
EMac: I was never a massive fan of Fleet Foxes, but when we were driving through middle America, surrounded by endless fields, someone put it [the Fleet Foxes album] on the soundsystem, and I thought, “now this works, now I get what this is all about.”
MC: Yeah, you might need the right scenery to go with the music.
EMac: The perfect soundtrack.
EG: Their EP was quite good too, but I thought the album was really boring. I think the new Grizzly Bear album is fucking amazing, I think it beats the shit out of that one. (chuckles) So, so beautiful.
EMac: The new Grizzly Bear sounds…”Two Weeks,” “While You Wait for the Others” – they sound like Beach Boys tracks.
EG: And they can pull it off live as well. I don’t know if Fleet Foxes can can do that. Hearing these harmonies live, really amazing.
EMac: It’s funny, I can’t really think of many English bands I listen to. I mean, I enjoy Foals live, but really, Foals sound like they’re a band emulating American bands. I feel like we kind of don’t emulate anyone. Or maybe a little bit. Maybe Do May Say Think in a post-rock sort of way?

MC: We’re almost to the end of May, heading into June and the rest of 2009. What are you most looking forward to doing the rest of the year?
EG: We’re playing Calvi on the Rocks, a festival in Corsica, which is really out of the way. It’s supposed to be one of the most idyllic places. That should be good!
EMac: (smiles broadly) The line-up is brilliant. All sorts of music we love. Good house music. Superpitcher‘s playing. James Murphy DJaying. It’ll be incredible!
MC: So a sort of Ibiza vibe?
EMac: Ah, a little bit, no…it’s kind of not as gross. (all laugh)
EG: (interjects) …unspoiled, untouched…
EMac: A little bit more classier, let’s say. You know, it’s French!
EG: If you take an amazing line-up that you’d be happy to see anywhere, and transport it to some otherworldly, beautiful place. Yeah! That’s what I imagine it to be like. I’ve never been to Corsica! (chuckles)
MC: That sounds like it’ll be a fun time.

EMac: I’m looking forward to finishing new songs, so we have some new material to play onstage. Yeah, that’s what I’m most looking forward to.
MC: Are we going to hear anything new tonight?
EMac: Not tonight, no.
EG: But the brass sections are new.
MC: I haven’t heard “Photobooth” live either.
EG: (puzzled) Have you not?
MC: No, you guys didn’t play that in D.C. [24 March, the first date on the "NME Presents" 2009 tour of North America]
EMac: (frowns, shakes head) That’s because we were made to support, when we were actually supposed to headline.
EG: (to Ed) No, in D.C., we were made to headline but were supposed to support. But they [White Lies] were in L.A or something…
MC: No, they were taping David Letterman in New York.
EMac: (to Edd) They were late, and so we had to support, and then they turned up, they came out.
EG: Oh yeah, you’re right.
EMac: Had we headlined, we would have played it. But, to be fair, we kind of changed “Photobooth” around and added brass to it, so I think it’s good you’re over here now to hear the new live version of it. It’s way better. (grins) But yeah, looking forward to having new songs done, and yeah, being able to have some fucking free time to write some music. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing live, but when you play live all the time, you’re like, you really want to write something new and interesting. A different part of the whole creative process of being in a band. If you’re not doing that creative element, you’ll go insane.
EG: It’ll be good to have another load of songs to choose the best from.
MC: Do you think you’ll be done with the new material before the end of the year?
EG/EMac: No, no way! (both laugh loudly)
MC: (laughs) Sorry, I don’t know what your time frame for finishing songs is!
EG: It’d be amazing if we could. It’s because we haven’t had a proper chance to sit down and do it. It took 2 years to do the first one. Hopefully this one won’t take as long…
EMac: I dunno, maybe 5 years to do the next one… (both laugh)

MC: When will you guys be able to get off the road and go home?
EMac: It doesn’t seem like we ever can! I mean next year, I think we’re booked through June.
EG: We’ve got definite chunks off between September until halfway through October. Towards the end of the year there’ll be patches of free time.
MC: Oh yeah…is it true you’re touring with Maxïmo Park in the fall?
EG: (nods) Yeah, in Germany. They’re huge over there.
EMac: It’s one of those things where it’s a good opportunity, and we get to play to lots of people and yeah, see if we can steal some fans. I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a massive fan of Maxïmo Park, but it was nice of them to ask us. So yeah, so we can to play to a lot more people than perhaps we would on our own.
EG: And people like that are bound to like what we do.
EMac: (laughs) Yeah, if they like them, I’m sure they’ll like us!

MC: Well guys, I think that’s all the questions I have. Is there anything else you’d like to say to America?
EG: (grins) Now I feel like I’m Bernie Mac. (attempts a lower-pitched voice) “Listen up America!”
EMac: But Bernie Mac’s dead though.
EG: Yeah, I dunno then…we love you America!
MC: (to Edd and Ed) Come back to America soon and often, please?
EG: Yeah, and America, keep coming to our shows, please! (smiles)

Author’s note: I’d like to thank Edd and Ed of Friendly Fires very much for taking a large chunk of time out of their day in Nottingham on 24 May for this candid interview and for being so gracious. You chaps are ace – best wishes to you all and cheers.

Three-part interview conducted and transcribed and gig photos in this post by: Mary Chang

Friendly Fires: website | myspace | Friendly Fires album review | Remix Monday: Friendly Fires “Skeleton Boy” | @ Black Cat, Washington D.C. | @ Dot to Dot Festival, Rock City, Nottingham, England | Dot to Dot Interview with: Edd Gibson and Ed Macfarlane of Friendly Fires (Part 1) | Dot to Dot Interview with: Edd Gibson and Ed Macfarlane of Friendly Fires (Part 2)