popwreckoning

Minus the Bear…I think I owe you an apology. When I last saw the Seattle band, I implied that the quality of their performance might be venue-specific. They were in Kansas not too long ago playing an early daylight opening set for the theatrical Flaming Lips and I found them too mellow for that venue/time slot. Now I was finding myself seeing them at an even earlier set time: 8 a.m.

Minus the Bear was at the Firefly Lounge in Kansas City to play 96.5 the Buzz‘s Kegs and Eggs. This is not an easy event for any band to perform at because it is a tiny venue with a tiny stage and the audience waits since 4 a.m. in the heat just to hear a few acoustic songs. Bands typically have a show the night before and essentially have to drive straight to the venue to perform on no sleep. Plus, there is the added challenge that the radio station gives patrons free beer, so the bands play to hot, sweaty and very rowdy fans – not an easy performance situation.

So going into this, I had my doubts that Minus the Bear would be able to impress. Their songs are complicated, progressive rock songs and for anyone who spends enough time listening to their albums, they have tendency to go effects-happy with their material. Yet, Minus the Bear surprised me and their songs transitioned beautifully into mildly funk-tinged acoustic numbers.

They played three acoustic songs off their latest release, OMNI: “Hold Me Down,” “Summer Angel” and “My Time.” In between “Hold Me Down” and “Summer Angel” the band bantered with the audience about this was like a Bon Jovi concert with girls sitting on shoulders to get a better view. They quipped that they might cover, “Living on a Prayer,” but I’m glad they stuck to their own material. “Summer Angel” was my favorite of the acoustic versions: the vocals here perfectly lent themselves for an acoustic rendition and the use of acoustic drums actually gave this song  a summery sound.

Of course, “My Time” was the song most wanted to here, this being a radio function and all. Though the band is known for their signature guitar lines, this song really lets the piano shine. The fun keyboard line was all the more in the spotlight in this acoustic version. Once completed, the audience cheered for more, but the band held back from an encore, saving more special treats for their fans who would attend their evening set at the Granada.

So yes, I think I owe Minus the Bear an apology. They survived Kegs and Eggs with a great performance and positive attitudes: a double feat that few bands pull off at these sorts of events.

You can download the entire acoustic set by right clicking and saving from here. And be sure to check out video of the band performing “Summer Angel” below:

soft reeds from Zac Eubank on Vimeo.

Check out the latest video from Soft Reeds. It is the track “This Affair” from the the upcoming release of Soft Reeds are Bastards, set for a July 20th, 2010 hard copy release. However, you can pre-order the album here and land the digital release the second your press enter on your purchase.

And hell, while you’re at it. Add Soft Reeds and The Record Machine to your twitter feeds. Both are worth a look.

Mother Culture is ‘calling out’ and this is one of those bands where you’re not going want to ignore that call. Mother Culture is a Kansas City band implanted from Omaha that boasts melodic group vocals over syncopated beats and catchy guitar riffs. Lyrically, they sing songs reflective about societal consciousness. They recently released the Sold Your Voice EP with two b-sides for free download here.

Sold Your Voice begins with the titular track in a whirling guitar riff that becomes the backbone for the album. This riff creeps back in not just again in this song, but on the EP; for example, fast forward and listen just before the five minute mark on “Even Artichokes Have Hearts” and you’ll catch the band driving the musical phrase back into your brain. “Sold Your Voice” continues building bigger and bigger off that riff with speeding synth lines, big drums and back and forth vocals from Jessi Lu Rud and Justin Hayes as they repeat, “They’re calling out.”

So what exactly is Mother Culture talking about when they repeat “they’re calling out?” It all comes down to the other thing Mother Culture drives into listener’s brain aside from that guitar riff: a message of societal and cultural awareness. Mother Culture can almost be brutal in some of their lyrics about how mechanic society and how robotic people have become such as in “Paper Dolls (with Plastic Parts)” or the when they sing lines like “Pray and pray and pray, but your hearts retreating and growing cold from the self-defeating lies that keep you bleeding from the soul,” in “Even Artichokes Have Hearts.”

They’re beautifully heart-breaking songs at times, but don’t think they’re a dark, despairing and depressed band even when singing of lost mental battles such as in the piano-driven song “There’s an Empire in My Head.” Listen to their EP or catch them live, and you’ll see: their positiveness is as contagious as Jessi’s dance moves.

The whole EP, the band is simply staying true to their name, like a mother culture works to have a great impact on other cultures and its people, Mother Culture the band is working to change society, too. At least, they had an impact on me…

Track Listing:
1. Sold Your Voice
2. Paper Dolls (With Plastic Parts)
3. Even Artichokes Have Hearts
4. There’s an Empire in My Head
//Additional B-Sides//
5. Cancer for Commerce
6. Hanging on Like Lemmings

Be sure to check out our interview with Mother Culture here.

One of Britain’s brightest female pop stars is heading over to our side of the pond for a tour this September. Marina and the Diamonds (aka Marina Diamandis and her band) has announced a 11-date trek across North America on her official website. The tour kicks off on September 1 in Boston. Her debut album released here in America in May, The Family Jewels, is available now from Atlantic Records.

Tour Dates
Sept 01 – Paradise / Boston
Sept 02 – Webster Hall / New York City
Sept 03 – World Cafe Live / Philadelphia
Sept 06 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC
Sept 08 – El Mocambo / Toronto
Sept 09 – Lincoln Hall / Chicago
Sept 10 – Triple Rock / Minneapolis
Sept 13 – Crocodile / Seattle
Sept 14 – Doug Fir / Portland
Sept 15 – Independent / San Francisco
Sept 17 – El Rey / Los Angeles

Marina and the Diamonds: website | myspace

Oxford, England indie rockers Foals have announced a tour of North America for September and October. The tour begins in Minneapolis on September 23 and ends in Portland on October 21. The band also has a scheduled appearance at Austin City Limits this year. Total Life Forever, Foals‘ follow-up to their 2008 debut Antidotes, is now available on Sub Pop Records.

Tour Dates
Sept 23 – 7th Street Entry / Minneapolis
Sept 24 – Lincoln Hall / Chicago
Sept 25 – Magic Stick / Detroit
Sept 27 – Lee’s Palace / Toronto
Sept 28 – La Sala Rossa / Montreal
Sept 29 – Paradise / Boston
Oct 01 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City
Oct 02 – Music Hall of Williamsburg / Brooklyn
Oct 03 – Black Cat / Washington, DC
Oct 05 – Masquerade / Atlanta
Oct 08 – Walters / Houston
Oct 09 – Stubbs / Austin
Oct 10 – Austin City Limits Festival / Austin
Oct 12 – Larimer Lounge / Denver
Oct 14 – Casbah / San Diego
Oct 18 – El Rey / Los Angeles
Oct 21 – Doug Fir / Portland

Foals: website | myspace

As it gets closer to the release of Ra Ra Riot‘s new album, The Orchard, due out August 24, the band is offering up previews of their string heavy indie pop tunes.

In June, the band gave a two-minute tease of “Keep It Quiet,” and this month they’ve added another vignette. Head to RaRaRiot.com to check out “Too Dramatic” as directed by Taryn Gould and Emily Kowalczyk. In this preview, the band performs live to the picaresque scenery of the peach orchard of the album’s recording.

Track Listing:
01 The Orchard
02 Boy
03 Too Dramatic
04 Foolish
05 Massachusetts
06 You and I Know
07 Shadowcasting
08 Do You Remember
09 Kansai
10 Keep It Quiet

Tour Dates:
July
21 Hiroshima, Japan – Hiroshima Club Quattro
23 Yokohama, Japan – Yokohama BLITZ
24 Tokyo, Japan – ZEPP Tokyo
27 Kyoto, Japan – KSB Hall
28 Kyoto, Japan – KSB Hall
August
01 Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival
04 Columbus, OH – Columbus State Fair w/Devo
28 Toronto, ON – Molson Amphitheater w/ Tegan & Sara and City & Colour
September
05 Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot
09 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom/MFNW
12 North Dorset, UK – End of the Road Festival
18 Geneva, NY – Three Stories Benefit @ Cracker Factory
21 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
22 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
23 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
24 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
27 Northampton, MA – Pearl St.^
28 New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place^
29 Providence, RI – The Met^
October
01 Boston, MA – Royale^
02 Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero^
03 Pittsburgh, PA – Diesel^
04 Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig^
05 Chicago, IL – Metro^
07 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre^
08 Omaha, NE – Waiting Room^
11 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre^
12 Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue^
13 Crystal Bay, NV – Crystal Bay Club^
17 San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Music Festival
19 Pomona, CA – Glass House#
20 Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box @ Henry Fonda#
21 San Diego, CA – Belly Up Tavern#
22 Tempe, AZ – The Clubhouse#
24 San Antonio, TX – White Rabbits#
26 Austin, TX – Emo’s#
27 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live#
28 Dallas, TX – Granada Theatre#
29 Little Rock, AR – Rev Room#
30 Nashville, TN – Exit/In#
November
01 Birmingham, AL – Workplay Theatre#
02 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade#
03 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel#
04 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle#
05 Washington, DC – 930 Club#
13 Vancouver, BC – The Commodore*
17 Calgary, AB – MacEwan Hall*
19 Saskatoon, SK – Louis’ Pub*
20 Winnipeg, MB – The Garric*
^ w/ Chikita Violenta
# w/ Givers
* w/ Wintersleep

Alberta Cross will co-headline a nationwide tour with Dead Confederate this September.

The co-headline dates begin September 6 in Portland, just after Alberta Cross plays a few off dates with Dave Matthews Band.

The gritty blues rock bands both are known for their energetic live shows that have a quality of controlled desperation.

Tour Dates:
September 6 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR
September 8 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
September 9 SOHO Santa Barbara, CA
September 11 Troubadour Los Angeles, CA
September 12 Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, CA
September 14 Plush Tucson, AZ
September 15 The Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ
September 17 Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Telluride, CO
September 17 Sheridan Opera House (Late Night Show) Telluride, CO
September 18 Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
September 19 Fox Theatre Boulder, CO
September 21 The Firebird St. Louis, MO
September 22 Double Door Chicago, IL
September 24 Nor’Easter Festival Lincoln, NE
September 25 The Note West Chester, PA
September 26 The Middle East Boston, MA

*Co-headlining with Dead Confederate

LISTEN!

Kevin Devine sits down with PodWreck at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City.

Shit gets interesting in this interview.

Then Kevin gives us two exclusive acoustic songs: including “Big Bad Man” from his newly released EP She Stayed As Steam along with a song from his side project with Manchester Orchestra, Bad Books, titled “You’re a Mirror I Cannot Avoid.”

ENJOY.

Two Gallants‘ Adam Haworth Stephens is releasing his debut solo album September 28.

The record, We Live on Cliffs, will be released on Saddle Creek Records, also home to Two Gallants. We Live on Cliffs is a blend of alternative folk with flairs of pop over his narratives. The record is said to be similar to that of Two Gallants, but with a new edge of desperation. To get fans acquainted with the new tunes, he is offering a free download of “The Cities That You’ve Burned” at adamhstephens.com.

Stephens will have a 9-date club tour in support of the release beginning August 7 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Tour Dates:
August 7 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT
August 9 The Aquarium Fargo, ND
August 10 Gabe’s Oasis Iowa City, IA *
August 11 Bourbon Theatre Lincoln, NE *
August 12 Ogden Theatre Denver, CO *
August 14 Solar Culture Tucson, AZ
August 15 Casbah San Diego, CA
August 17 Spaceland Los Angeles, CA
August 18 The Crepe Place Santa Cruz, CA
* Indicates show with Blitzen Trapper

Friday night in Kansas City boasted a bountiful crop of local acts to check out. One of the best bets could be found at the Record Bar where The Record Machine was hosting a showcase for Soft Reeds‘ CD Release. Opening was Motorboater and Cowboy Indian Bear.

Motorboater is Dan Eaton, a musician who also plays in KC’s Queen’s Club. With his solo project, Dan trades in the guitars and pop rock jams for his Macbook and electronic-dance tunes. The music was like Passion Pit meets Yeasayer meets Metro Station – I’ll let you decide if that sounds like a good combination or not (and to make the genre even more confusing, Eaton left everyone with a Taylor Swift remix). Hunched over his computer monitor, shoulders bobbing to his tunes, I could see how Motorboater could really take off in the proper environment, but in the low key Record Bar where the majority of patrons would rather chill in a booth with beers than get up and dance, Motorboater got a little muddled.

“We’re a new band called Black Man Running,” quipped Marty Hillard after his band had already warmed the crowd up with a couple songs. In reality, Hillard is part of the very popular Lawrence three-piece Cowboy Indian Bear. This band draws in listeners with cool vocal trade-offs between Hillard and CJ Calhoun, but then blows fans away with bombastic drums not just from backbone drummer Beau Bruns, but from all the members. It’s serious music, but as Marty’s quip proved, there’s also a light-heartedness to it as well.

Since the showcase was all about Soft Reeds and the band’s new album Soft Reeds Are Bastards, the band did a few things out of the norm for a typical local band show. They began with the premiere of a music video for “This Affair,” made by Gnarly Productions. It wasn’t only the first time fans were seeing the video, but a first for the band as well. The band began their set with album opener Brave New World, a catchy rock tune with a bit of a garage rock edge. Though a bit out of order from the album, as can be expected at a CD release, Soft Reeds played through most of their songs on Soft Reeds Are Bastards until the bar turned on the lights to kick everyone out. The songs have a classic, jangly upbeat sound that make this release perfect timing to catch the tail end of the summer bbq season. Just be warned, for as happy as the major chords and and staccato key notes make it sound, lyrically and vocally, the music is juxtaposed with a gritty edge. One of my favorite Soft Reeds songs both live and on the album, “The City and the Stars” has a chorus that says, “I”m torn between the city and the stars: open spaces and lived-in bars.” Kind of fascinating sentiment if you really think about it, but a good metaphor for the type of feeling I get from this album. Yeah, you can have the cliche openness of the countryside and the stars just like you can have the clean cut cheery sounds of music like the Beach Boys or you can go with something more true to how life is – it might be a little worn-in, but it is familiar and interesting at the same time, much like the sounds of this album: familiar, a bit worn-in, but very interesting.

You can stream the new album at the Record Machine here. It is officially released July 13.

Soft Reeds Set List:
Brave New World
Bleeding Hearts
The City and the Stars
Thick of Thin Things
Wasted Time
Baby’s on Fire
Hemel Dalingen
The Sirens of Titan
This Affair