Like Passion Pit, Hockey is an American band I was introduced to last winter not by American radio but by the lovely Nemone Metaxas, one of my favorite DJs on BBC6music. I loved the exuberant “Too Fake” the first time I heard its electronic dance pop goodness through my computer speakers. My interest in the Portland band was further piqued when I learned they had toured in the UK in early 2009 as support for Friendly Fires. The problem was getting a chance to see the band stateside. The band has toured North America a couple times now, but had never played in D.C., so when I got the alert a while back that they would be playing the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel, I was chomping at the bit.
The opening act for the night were the Postelles, a New York City band that Rolling Stone has described as “channel[ing] Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello and – more recently – the Arctic Monkeys and the Strokes, building songs from brief guitar stabs and sounding like the wound-up early hours of what will be a long Saturday night on the town. There are elements of both mod and post-punk, but the Postelles have a sneering attitude all their own…” Interesting description. Frankly, they sound to me more similar to New York-based indie rockers Locksley and Sunderland, England’s Frankie and the Heartstrings, bands that have gone back in time to perfect the ‘60s pop / rock ‘n’ roll band model.
Make no mistake: the Postelles have a sound all their own and they sound great live, led by lead singer/guitarist Daniel Balk’s yearning vocals. Sometimes I wish I had the talent to come up with a good pop melody. The Postelles definitely can, as evidenced by the guitar-jangly “Sleep on the Dance Floor,” one of their set’s highlights. The title of the song “Hey Little Sister” sounds like it was written by Lennon/McCartney (do “Hello Little Girl” and “Little Child” ring any bells?), and I thought it was just amazing live, guitarist David Dargahi taking on lead vocals and mixing things up a bit. In a way, I was glad the Constellations canceled, because that meant we got a longer set from the Postelles than fans in other cities. The band’s debut EPWhite Nights was released the first week of March on Capitol Records / Astralwerks and is available now.
The Postelles Set List
Looking Glass
White Nights
She She
New song
Beat on the Brat (Ramones cover)
Stella
Hey Little Sister
Can’t Stand Still
Sleep on the Dance Floor
1, 2, 3 Stop
Hockey were supposed to go on at 10 (with the Postelles at 9) but they didn’t actually get on stage until 10:40, fortuitous for latecomers who crammed in at the front of the stage. When the band came on stage to tinker with their instruments, lead singer Ben Grubin flashed me a grin, so I knew I was in for a good show. Their debut albumMind Chaos is such a fun, fun record that I had way too high expectations, envisioning that they’d all appear dressed as colorfully as their record with hats and bandannas, and be jumping all over the stage. No such luck.
Instead, Grubin came on in a trademark hoodie but soon peeled it off to reveal a stripy white and orange tunic over black jeans. He was bopping around the stage excitedly and man-handling his microphone reminiscent of another of my favorite musicians, Londoner Patrick Wolf. Alternately between guitar, harmonica (for the folky “Four Holy Photos,” proving the band’s versatility), and a percussion set-up, he was clearly the star of the night. Seeing that Wednesday was St. Patrick’s Day and the crowd at the RnR was rowdier than normal for a weeknight, a new song that I think is called “DJ” seemed entirely appropriate, introduced by Grubin as “[Irish] jig and bluegrass music.”
“3 A.M. Spanish” was a high point of their set, the bass lines from Brian White and hot beats from touring keyboardist Ryan Dolliver just fabulous with Grubin’s hip hoppy vocal approach, punctuated by yelps for the chorus. They also didn’t disappoint with my absolute favorite song from Mind Chaos, “Song Away.” If there was ever a song that could lift your spirits, this is definitely it, with its refrain of “tomorrow’s just a song away.” And really, it is, isn’t it?
Check out this video of the song from their performance at Lollapalooza last summer. I hope this explains why I don’t have too many good photos of him, the man cannot keep still! Just thinking about it, I’m so eager to see the band again very soon.
Hockey Set List
Work
Learn to Lose
Rebels Marry Young (new song)
3 A.M. Spanish
Four Holy Photos
DJ (new song)
Curse This City
Song Away
Preacher
Wanna Be Black
Everyone’s the Same Age
Too Fake
Put the Game Down
Tour Dates
Mar 21 – Snug Harbor / Charlotte
Mar 23 – Mercy Lounge / Nashville*
Mar 24 – Drunken Unicorn / Atlanta*
Mar 25 – Cafe 11 / St. Augustine, FL*
Mar 26 – Club Downunder / Tallahassee, FL*
Mar 27 – Bottletree / Birmingham*
Mar 29 – Thirsty Hippo / Hattiesburg, MS*
Mar 30 – Spanish Moon / Baton Rouge*
Apr 01 – Warehouse Live / Houston*
Apr 02 – Emo’s / Austin*
Apr 03 – Loft / Dallas*
Apr 05 – Brewing Company / Santa Fe*
Apr 06 – Larimer Lounge / Denver*
Apr 07 – Kilby Court / Salt Lake City
Apr 08 – Neurolux / Boise*
Apr 10 – Wonder Ballroom / Portland*
Apr 16 – Coachella Music Festival / Indio, CA
* with the Postelles
More extensive coverage on Miike Snow‘s performance at SXSW is coming later, but for now enjoy some photographs detailing the fantastic dance party of a set:
Portugal. The Man have explored their distinct post-rock vision across (now) six full length albums; and that vision is full of promise. This newalbum,American Ghetto, is experimental, but “experimental” in the safest sense of the word. Fans of previous offerings will find much to celebrate and new listeners will have a great starting point.
Whereas The Satanic Satanist had a more dominant guitar sound, the name of the game for American Ghetto is layers. “60 Years” is propelled by a distant acoustic guitar hook that is enshrined with lead guitar, synths and drums—with varying degrees of percussion interspersed. “Fantastic Pace” centers mostly on a head-nodding piano part before bringing in familiar layers. These textures bear resemblance to Remain In Light: a core is established and instruments drift over the soundscape.
While the hip-shaking appeal of previous albums remains, hips will be shaking to new-wave- dirges. Many of the songs float with an airy creepiness, often aided by Zoe Manville’s haunting backing vocals and emblazoned through lyrics that focus on shallowness and washed up idols. Case in point: “Dead Dog” kicks the album off with a halting break-beat and a cautionary tale—
I gotta warn you/these people/ they didn’t try
And they lie/the lie/they lie
The level of production brought by Anthony Saffrey and Adam Taylor creates the notion of a more mature sounding band. American Ghetto is thick. The producers (who also handled mixing with the assistance of Paul Kadrie) bear mentioning if only due to the amount of time it must have taken to give each instrument its own voice within the mix. There is a sense of cohesion, perhaps aided by the appearance of a familiar character on the album cover.
Each Portugal. The Man release captures the band at a different point while retaining similar elements. American Ghetto is a welcome addition—a release that purrs with layers of vocals, synthesizers, and guitars. No lie.
Track Listing:
1. The Dead Dog
2. Break
3. 60 Years
4. All My People
5. 1000 Years
6. Fantastic Pace
7. The Pushers Party
8. Do What We Do
9. Just A Fool
11. When The War Ends
The advantage that Zoe Keating has over your band, be it present, fictional or future, is just that: Zoe Keating.
Independent in a way few others are talented enough to even attempt, this one-woman musician brings a completely new definition to the words self reliant. Packing of a cello and a handful of loop pedals, Keating manages to create a rhythm section, bridges, verses and choruses, bass and lead riffs, and a whole life of music.
I first experienced Keating a few years back as the opening act for Imogen Heap at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas. The memory of her set then prompted me to make sure to catch her in Austin. When I found out she was playing one time, at the Central Presbyterian Church, I shunned Dawes and several other listed bands to make my way to her stage. That intimate setting is simply nonexchangeable.
Keating herself is pretty nonrefundable as well. Classically trained from the age of eight, she is no hack. She’s found herself on the charts of both the classical and electronica sections of itunes, while managing to sell in upward of 30,000 albums. In addition to Heap, she’s worked with the likes of Amanda Palmer and traveled with the group Rasputina, whom she was a member of from 2002-2006. Just because you haven’t heard of her, doesn’t mean she’s not a road tested genius. She’s not that simple.
Her music is also actually quite complex. Each loop adds a layer, which build a chorus. As time passes, the movements build into full orchestrations that filled the steeples of the church in a way that those passing by might assume 50 people were playing.
But no, it was one girl. One extremely talented girl named Zoe whom you should check out.
Alternative rocker Jack White is not one to sit idle, nor is Hip hop music mogul Jay Z. The two constantly have new solo and group projects in the works and for the first time their musical giant paths have converged.
In a recent interview with GQ, Jack White revealed that he just recorded a new song with Jay Z:
“We did a song together a few weeks ago. It was incredible. I played him something that I’ve been kicking around for a while and he immediately came out with words for it. It’s unbelievable sounding.”
Both are set to appear at this year’s Bonnaroo music festival. Could a special live performance of the tune be in the works as well? We’ll keep our fingers crossed.
No word on the song’s release yet, but we’ll definitely keep you posted as it is sure to be epic.
With great sadness we report that Big Star‘s Alex Chilton has died from what appeared to be a heart attack Wednesday night. He was in preparation for his SXSW showcase.
From the Associated Press:
NEW ORLEANS – Singer and guitarist Alex Chilton, who topped the charts as a teen and later became a cult hero with Big Star, died Wednesday. He was 59.
Chilton died at a hospital in New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to be heart problems, said his longtime friend John Fry. Fry said Chilton’s wife, Laura, was very distressed by the unexpected death.
“Alex was an amazingly talented person, not just as a musician and vocalist and a songwriter, but he was intelligent and well read and interested in a wide number of music genres,” said Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent Studios.
As the teenage singer for the pop-soul outfit the Box Tops, Chilton topped the charts with the band’s song “The Letter” in 1967. Their other hits were “Soul Deep” and “Cry Like a Baby.” Chilton grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and formed the band with friends from school.
His short run with Big Star brought less mainstream success but made him a cult hero to other rock musicians, as evidenced by the title of the 1987 Replacements song, “Alex Chilton.” Big Star’s three 1970s albums all earned spots on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest.
Chilton said in a 1987 interview with The Associated Press that he didn’t mind flying under the radar with Big Star and later as a solo artist.
“What would be ideal would be to make a ton of money and have nobody know about you,” he said. “Fame has a lot of baggage to carry around. I wouldn’t want to be like Bruce Springsteen. I don’t need that much money and wouldn’t want to have 20 bodyguards following me.”
“If I did become really popular, the critics probably wouldn’t like me all that much,” he said. “They like to root for the underdog.”
Chilton had been scheduled to perform with Big Star on Saturday at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.
“Alex Chilton always messed with your head, charming and amazing you while doing so. His gift for melody was second to none, yet he frequently seemed in disdain of that gift,” the festival’s creative director, Brent Gulke, said in an e-mail.
Looking back, I learned a few things from my time in Austin, Texas as a rookie journalist at South by Southwest in 2009. After standing in line for roughly four hours last year, I arrived in Austin early, hoping to get all the paperwork and non-specifics out of the way. Dodging the Wednesday crowd really seemed to help, as I got my band and photo creds in ten minutes, leaving time to make my way over to pick up my entrance pass to the Purevolume House to catch a few bands.
By the time I got into the venue, Joshua James was finishing up his set. I shuffled through the drink line for a water before making my way to the front to set up for Johnny Flynn‘s 10:00 p.m. time slot.
Flynn and company had literally just stepped off the runway of Austin’s International airport and onto the stage of the venue for this set. It honestly doesn’t get more rough than that. Hailing from London, their bodies were left shaking off the feeling of jet lag equaling a 4 a.m. start time. Regardless of fatigue, the guys stayed the course, presenting me with a quality jumping off point for my 2010 SXSW.
Somewhere between Ryan Adams and The Swell Season, Flynn’s set showed his diversity as he wielded multiple duties between acoustic guitar, mandolin, trumpet, vocals and charm. With sweet alt. country songs and lyrics written with talent and depth, I expect big things from Flynn. I walked away from the stage a fan. I honestly plan on catching them again before I leave Austin, this time with all of their energy intact.
Following Flynn, Jakob Dylan of both Wallflowers and solo fame was set to take stage. Ironically, Dylan happened to also be the first band I caught at Austin City Limits in 2009. However, this time around his cast would be a little different. His band, Three Legs which features Neko Case, would be playing for the first time in front of a crowd. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that.
However, it does lead a person to wonder how anyone managed to get Neko Case to stand in the shadows of a project. With a presence on stage that borders on being bold and commands attention I think there are a number of musical personalities who would shy away from sharing the stage with Case. They might worry about the spotlight shifting slightly to stage left. However, in this situation, the combination would work flawlessly. Dylan shows his humility playing with a star that might honestly be a bigger name than he, while Case stands calmly by his side, performing her role as one of the legs of the band instead of trying to be the spine.
That spine is Dylan. Of all his projects, this one is the strongest. His voice is mature and wise, reminding me at times of the protest singer style that his father dawned. However at times a little Johnny Cash can be found in him as well. Beautiful slide guitar riffs fill the stage as he sings about sadness.
I’ll have to admit that I wasn’t crazy about Hynes’ debut 2008’s Falling Off The Lavender Bridge, but here he’s loaded his songs with more instrumentals and deeper harmonies. The album as a whole fits together very well, and there aren’t any songs that stick out. Every song feels like it needs to be there to make the album work as well as it does, interludes and all. You’d never think that Hynes had throat surgery that delayed this release, because it sounds delightfully smooth and lilting; and just as good, if not better, than on Falling Off The Lavender Bridge.
Starting with the melancholy “Dead Head Blues,” and into the hook-heavy “Marlene,” Hynes brings in the dance hall guitar riffs with the classical strings, and they don’t clash at all. In fact, Hynes breaks into a full-on Etude on track 13 with “Goodnight Michalek,” a less-than two minute ditty that sounds like it was meant for a Wes Anderson film soundtrack.
One of my favorites on the album, “The Big Guns of Highsmith,” also employs the classical piano, but a charming question-answer chorus of “it hurts to be the one who’s always feeling sad / oh just stop complaining!”It’s lyrics like that that keeps Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You interesting and makes you want to come back for another listen. Another of my favorites is the 50s swing-inspired pop song “Madame Van Damme,” that proclaims several times throughout the song “kill me baby, won’t you kill me?” A terribly desperate question, but sung in such a matter-of-fact and cheery way demands like I listen to it over and over again. It takes a few to get over the irony of such an upbeat song, but it’s catchy, so that’s just fine with me to listen a dozen or so times.
At the halfway mark, Hynes slows it down with “Romart,” an earnest ballad that’s so big that you almost feel like it belongs in a renaissance fairytale, but a contemporary one. The other ballad on the album, “Smooth Day (At the Library),” is jazzy and almost gloomy, but still romantic enough not to be depressing.
It was nice to have more than ten songs on this album, as it’s been the number of tracks I’ve seen lately on most new albums. Having fifteen tracks also added to the operatic feel of Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You, slightly reminiscent of The Decemberists, with the folk storytelling with instrumental intermissions throughout the album.
The quirky lyrics and vast arrangements make Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You a great release from Lightspeed Chamption – surely the best effort from him yet. And added to his already eccentric stage persona, I’m thinking that it will make for an interesting live show.
Track List:
1. Dead Head Blues
2. Marlene
3. There’s Nothing Underwater
4. Intermission
5. Faculty of Fears
6. The Big Guns of Highsmith
7. Romart
8. I Don’t Want to Wake Up Alone
9. Madame Van Damme
10. Smooth Day (at the Library)
11. Intermission 2
12. Sweetheart
13. Etude Op.3 ‘Goodnight Michalek’
14. Middle of the Dark
15. A Bridge and a Goodbye
Nothing says it’s a holiday like a free gift; so today, treat yourself to a download of Pretty Lights‘ Making Up a Changing MindEP. Trust us, these beats are sweeter than a shamrock shake.
The electronica / hip hop act has a lot of other goodies and free downloads, so if you like what you hear on this EP, be sure to check out more.
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Concert Calendar
Nov 23, 2011
HaHa Tonka @ Recordbar, Kansas City MO
Nov 25, 2011
Thee Oh Sees @ The Granada, Lawrence KS
