popwreckoning

Saturday at SXSW was a day of great excitement mixed with a little sadness. This was the final day of the festival, which meant there some big heavyweights to look forward to, but this was also it. When the music stops on this day, it’s time to go back to reality.

I had big plans for Saturday, and sorry folks, but they didn’t include Kanye. I didn’t really care to trek all the way out to that venue just to gain street ‘cred.’ Saturday I was anticipating seeing Community’s Donald Glover rap, Panic! at the Disco‘s return with just two of the original members and of course, some of my favorite local bands.

I began my day on a very sunny rooftop (hello, sunburn) to interview some of the fantastic artists on Big Picture Media‘s roster. PopWreckoning talked to bands such as LoveBettie, Death on Two Wheels and more. We even talked to a representative from To Write Love on Her Arms. You will find those interviews posted on PopWreckoning in the come days.

After grabbing some much needed coffee after the interviews, I decided to check out the PureVolume House. I hadn’t been yet this year and was feeling guilty for already missing out on so much of their amazing lineup. PureVolume throws one of the best parties at the fest. After grabbing some free pop chips and and a drink, I found a nice spot to watch James Vincent McMurrow. I had heard the name, but had yet to actually hear any of the music. The vocals were amazing – just beautiful. The gentle folk tunes performed a nice backdrop for this guy’s standout voice.

Home Video followed with some fun pop rock songs, but I had to head out after just a song because I had a long walk to catch one of my favorite formerly-local bands.

I hope these guys know how much I love them, because it was quite a trek across the interstate to find the tiny park that the Noise FM were about to play in. My poor feet! This Chicago trio (formerly of Lawrence, Kan.) delivers fun indie dance rock songs. Singer/guitarist Alex Ward‘s voice was a little scratchy from the jam-packed week of performances, but it was still fun and his sore throat didn’t stop his good humor – there were plenty of jokes to be had about the Pabst sponsorship.

From there it was back to the main stretch of the fest to catch the ever-so-wonderful Chop Shop/Atlantic Records Showcase. (PopWreckoning has interviews to come from that showcase as well, so keep an eye out). Scars on 45 had just started when I made my way in. The six-piece British band quickly had me hooked with their catchy indie pop tunes with passionate lyrics.

After Scars on 45, I caught another performance from Kansas City’s very own the Republic Tigers. I had already caught them at SXSW at the Central Presbyterian Church, which was an ok performance, but the guys seemed a lot more together for this one. It was a huge improvement and especially showed on their newer songs, which were a lot more engaging this time around. Perhaps all they needed was that extra rehearsal, but boy, what a difference it made. “Merrymake It With Me” especially stands out from the new material and really gets you dancing.

My final Chop Shop/Atlantic performance was the rock/punk act the Joy Formidable. Frontwoman Ritzy Bryan was mesmerizing to watch as she executed some beautiful dynamic control. The petite woman has some power to her pipes.

A brief phone charge and a giant water later, I found myself in line in front of Red 7. A group of us were eagerly anticipating seeing one of our favorite NBC comedy stars: Donald Glover. But instead of performing comedy, we’d get to see him rap. Unfortunately there seemed to be some confusion about what line we were supposed to be in. Our line had merged with a line for the Beauty Bar’s “secret show.” The secret act? Death from Above 1979. It was very tempting to stay in the line I had accidentally ended up in for Death from Above 1979. Very. But I was excited about Glover and there were like 20 other acts I wanted to still see that night. If I went to DFA, I’d be committing myself to only seeing them after a long wait. I tweeted what I was considering, but settled on finding the correct line for Glover.

Some running around with a group of Glover fans and we finally found where we were supposed to be for Glover’s performance as Childish Gambino. By some crazy luck, once inside the venue, I found myself standing right next to Glover’s “Community” co-star: Danny Pudi. Nicest and most genuine guy ever. He talked to everyone around him, answered tons of questions and took photos with a people with a very authentic smile. It was great to see him there supporting his best friend, not only on television, but in real life as well. When it came time for Childish Gambino to start, Glover began with, “Alright. Where’s my boy, Danny? Let’s get a light on Danny.” A spotlight found where Pudi was standing and everyone cheered. With a big grin, Glover finally set into his first rap.

Glover’s rapping isn’t quite as smooth as his acting, but he has a lot of potential. His lyrics are hilarious and filled with pop culture refrences. Some roughness to his voice and occassional rushing of the lyrics against the music where his primary flaws, but those are things that I have no doubt he can work out with more practice and chances on stage. This was, after all, one of his first live performances as Childish Gambino.

From Childish Gambino, I found myself at Stubbs. I had no idea who was about to perform, but there was a group of guys very, very excited in the front row. I asked them the band about to play. “Tres Mountains!” they excitedly responded. They looked a bit aghast when my face still didn’t register any sign of recognition. “Pearl Jam‘s guitarist!” They finally cheered together. I admit, the music was not my type of thing. The guitar solos were pretty amazing, so I get the excitement there, but as a whole, the songs really blended after awhile: none really stood out.

In complete contrast to Tres Mountains, the band that followed blew me away. Awolnation came out and the way the audience responded, you would have thought that this was some sort of legendary act that had been around for years – not some band that just got their first single on the radio just a few months prior. Perhaps some of the excitement was carryover for singer Aaron Bruno, who started Awolnation as a solo project after his other band, Under the Influence of Giants, went on hiatus. Awolnation is atmospheric indie rock – there’s almost a spacey quality to it, but it is also very heavy, and thusly, grounded. It isn’t what I’d usually call danceable, but there’s an element of dance to it at times. It’s a big blend of a bunch of different genres and these guys pull it off well.

Bruno is very charismatic on stage. A stretch of his arms produces a wild cheer from the crowd. A reach out of the microphone gets a huge chorus response. Bruno was also the first musician that I heard bring up the tragedy of the earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan. He not only voiced his concern and support of the country, but he also wrote it on his arm.

The band I was most eager for at Stubbs was Panic! at the Disco. I know that I lose hipster points for liking such mainstream music, but I can’t help it; they’re fun. This performance was a of particular interest to me because not only were they debuting several new songs, but it was also one of their first performances since the band was reduced to just two of the original members: singer/pianist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith. Two friends filled in on the bass and guitar parts vacated by the former bandmates.

This was a ridiculously fun set. We laughed, sang and danced. Urie has one of the most animated faces that I’ve ever seen in music. Even when he flubbed some lyrics on a new song and had to peek at a cheat sheet, it was still a fun moment. I also really enjoyed when he squeezed in “super moon,” into of his lyrics: “your eyes are the size of the super moon.” This band has come a long ways from when I first saw them six years ago and brushed them off as Fall Out Boy ripoffs. I stand corrected for my younger self’s comment.

To end out my night, I decided I would hole up at the PureVolume House. They had a great lineup planned to close out the evening. One of my favorite violinists, Owen Pallett was finishing tuning when I arrived. I found some friends at the venue and found a spot to watch Pallett. They had never even heard of him and were a bit wary of a guy with a violin, doubting he could really rock out. Their jaws dropped once he began playing. Pallett is a one-man show, but he creates his full sound by engaging in loops. He plays out a line on the violin and records it. Then plays it back as he plays or sings something new. It’s fun to watch him build songs on stage. His music is sweet and breathtaking. For those unfamiliar, you might recognize his signature sound on some early Arcade Fire work. He used to heavily involved with their string arrangements and he even wrote one of his songs about the love story of Will and Regine from that band.

I had already caught a Cults set during SXSW, but they continued to impress with their mysterious lyrics and lo-fi indie rock.

It was getting late and I was ready to grab some Z’s before having to drive back home the next day. However, I was determined to make SXSW go out with a bang, so I planned on sticking around for PureVolume’s final band of the night: Das Racist. Some DJ kept the crowd awake and moving, but what should have been a fifteen minute started to turn into over an hour. Finally, the duo in Das Rascist jumped up on the stage. After all the anticipation, this was my biggest flop of SXSW. These guys were so drunk that they were barely together and coherent. It was a complete mess. Some drunk kids up front still seemed to enjoy it, but after waiting for as long as I did for the shit show, I quickly left after two songs. This was not worth it, but at least I saw plenty of other amazing acts to make up for it.

My phone had died ages ago, shortly after my last tweet about possibly seeing Death From Above 1979. So I was surprised when I had tons of missed calls, missed texts and missed tweets about what happened to me. True, I hadn’t meant to be out past four – dumb Das Racist’s fault – but the amount of worry about my whereabouts seemed a bit much. Turns out the Death from Above 1979 set turned into a riot and police had to come pepper spray and taser some of the crowd. People thought I might have been a part of that because of my last tweet. Eeks. Maybe I ended out my night the right way after all. Regardless, this was a very memorable experience and I look forward to seeing what future years at SXSW bring.
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Check back for interviews from SXSW. You can see more from PopWreckoning’s Bethany and her experience at SXSW at the following links: Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3. Check out more photos from Saturday, March 19 below:

“Hi, how are you?” opened the legendary Daniel Johnston right before starting his Beaumont Club set.

The answer? Incredibly fantastic.

Especially so because the weekend was jam packed with some of the best local talent alongside some pretty stellar national acts. The occasion was the first (and hopefully not the last) Middle of the Map Festival. This was a festival that for two days took over some Westport Clubs–Beaumont, Riot Room, Record Bar & the Union–and packed them with bands ranging from Lawrence’s Hospital Ships to Ireland’s Two Door Cinema Club to Daniel Johnston backed by locals Capybara. It was a truly unique weekend and a great way to debut the fest.

Friday I arrived in time to catch the tail end of Spirit Is the Spirit. There were several other local bands playing before them that I’m sad to have missed, but work duties held me up.

Spirit Is the Spirit is a local band that performed a lively set that was heavy on the percussion. It reminded me of a blend of the distinct ‘Seattle Sound’ that’s recently become so popular. In other words, great vocal harmonies, almost tribal sounding percussion at times, and enough of a lilt to make you want to dance. I first saw the singer in a group called Yellow Walrus, and I could hear some ties to that Death Cab for Cutie-inspired band as well. These guys were a pleasant surprise and a great start for my festival experience. Sadly, I didn’t get my camera ready in time to snap any pictures. I was so lost in their music that they were done by the time I thought to take my camera out.

Another local group called Minden followed on the Riot Room stage. I had never heard of the band prior to this festival, which I assumed from their tight, rocking set that it was because they were one of the out of town bands. Turns out they’re reppin’ Kansas City and this was only their sixth show as Minden. Although, several of the guys have plenty experience in other bands, which might explain their confident set. Minden is a band to keep an eye on.

It was time for a change of venue and to take a gander at some of the non-local bands the festival had brought in. I went to the Beaumont Club to watch Maps and Atlases followed by Two Door Cinema Club. And what a change of pace it was. The atmosphere at the Riot Room was like being at a house show – everyone knew each other and was giving hugs. The crowd was a bit older – the matured veterans of the music scene. At the Beaumont Club, however, x’s on hands were numerous. The faces were unfamiliar – these were not frequenters of shows every week, but people drawn out for a specific band: Two Door Cinema Club. The young, Irish dance pop group has started to gain quite a following stateside and in Kansas City, they’re abetted by the recent radio play they’ve been getting. This show was almost like stepping outside of the festival and into a normal concert. I do hope that some of these people that came out specifically for Two Door ventured outside of the Beaumont to see some of the wonderful local bands and discover new loves.

Maps and Atlases, who are touring with TDCC, were just about to take the stage. They had me eager for their set as a raised, sideways drum was featured right up in the front of their set up. The Chicago rock band’s experimental, yet pop-influenced sound quickly had me hooked. At times, it reminded me a bit of Minus the Bear, but then there were times when it went off in a completely different direction.

Beaumont was running a little behind schedule, but when Two Door Cinema Club finally took to the stage – the place went nuts. Immediately, people were clapping, dancing and singing along to a lot more than just the radio single. I could swear I could even see a couple of people ‘air-synthing.’ The Irish accents were thick, so while few could decipher what was being said between the songs, people still cheered and smiled. The amount of love for this band in that room was electric. TDCC played through several new songs during their set, which have me eager for their next release. “Costume Party,” especially, is sure to be a stand out. They even performed an encore, ending their set with a personal favorite, “I Can Talk.” Again: dance party explosion.

There was no better way to end the first night of the festival than with some local legends. I went back to a packed Riot Room to see Appleseed Cast. It had been quite awhile since I had seen this ambient band perform and even then was a special occasion for them to play the Low Level Owl records in their entirety. It was exciting to hear a set with even more variety from their large catalogue -and even some material I had never heard before. Watching these guys rock out with their passionate lyrics and well-thought out guitar lines, it is easy to see why they’re such an influence for so many other bands today. Truly couldn’t have gone home any happier from their set.

My Saturday had to start with a very different sort of music: classical. I had an orchestra rehearsal before I could get to the festival. So again, I sadly missed some local bands that I would have liked to have seen. However, I did arrive in time to catch what might now be my new favorite local band: Saharan Gazelle Boy. Several of the guys playing in Saharan Gazelle Boy also play in fellow festival band Capybara. I had seen their other incarnation before and was looking forward to finally seeing this new project. There are elements to SGB that are similar to Capybara – the extra drums in addition to a regular drum set, the heavy use of tambourine and the vocals – which is to be expected when you have the same primary singer for both bands. However, this is also a very different different project. This is the brainchild of Darin Seal. For the live show, he’s joined by his friends, which consequentially happen to be his Capybara bandmates and several other musicians. With Saharan Gazelle, he sings indie pop songs about finding love that are laced with fun synth melodies and upbeat tempos. I’m not a dancer, but it was hard to stand still with these guys on stage.

Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship is a garage rock band from Omaha – so practically local. “1,2,3,4″ they rapidly counted off almost every song and then a wall of sound would hit. The drummer was hypnotizing to watch. The guy was non-stop smiles as he rapidly banged across his set. The guy played hard – and consequentially broke several sticks.

After Omaha’s Noah’s Ark, KC took over again with Making Movies. I’m sure Kansas City has plenty of bands that sings in Spanish besides the few mariachi bands I’ve seen at Mexican restaurants around town, yet this is the only rock band in Kansas that I can think of that sings in Spanish and has been this successful. These guys had just driven back from a show in Texas, but they still had plenty of energy to get people to dance to their rock music with a spice of salsa. I doubt many people at the Riot Room could understand the lyrics, but it really didn’t matter. They were addicting just on their sound quality alone.

State Bird was a bit of a surprise. The clip I had listened to online had a lot of instrumentals and cutesy whistling. So I went into the Beaumont Club expecting some gentle, indie act. Instead, I got screaming and harder rock than I had even anticipated was at this fest. Sorry guys, but this was not my thing. I left after a few songs to find some friends at other venues.

I found myself back at Riot Room, which had yet to let me down with its constant lineup of killer Midwest bands. When I made my way back, it was packed for Lawrencians Hospital Ships. So packed, in fact, that I couldn’t get up close enough for any decent pictures. So I enjoyed the wave of music from the back. It sounded a bit different than the last time I heard them – which I later learned was due to them missing a few members for this particular set, but it was still quite enjoyable and I was sad to have leave early because their set conflicted with another local band that I adore.

Back at Beaumont, Lawrence former three-piece and now foursome Cowboy Indian Bear was setting up. These guys work harder than most KC/Lawrence bands and are constantly touring and writing. They’re most recently fresh off of a string of shows that carried them to SXSW and back. They started off with several new songs – some which have me eagerly anticipating swaying to a new record and some that have seeds have potential, but I’d love to hear them do more. Their older material always brings a smile to my face and I love how they’ve adapted their pieces to include the beautiful vocals of their latest addition: Katelyn Conroy. If you’ve never heard this band – it’s very chill music with lots of fun beats and some of the most haunting harmonies you’ve ever heard. It was great to see them playing to such a large crowd.

Capybara is the other incarnation of Saharan Gazelle Boy whom had already performed earlier in that day. These guys would earn the title of the hardest working band of the festival by rounding out the day with a third performance as Daniel Johnston’s backing band – most impressive and an unforgettable moment for their career. As I said earlier, Saharan Gazelle Boy might have earned the ‘my favorite local band’ spot, but I still loved Capybara. It had been over a year since I had last seen these guys perform, so it was nice to see them rocking out in the Riot Room with their blend of indie folk rock pop.

Dinner was becoming a necessity with the increasing heat and all the walking. So after grabbing some pizza, it was back to the Beaumont. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s were finishing up their set. They’re not from Kansas City, but they have that dark, folky quality that I’m finding increasingly common among Midwest bands. East Coast has a sort of grainy glam sound they fall into, while West Coast tends to embrace the surf rock sound and the South tends to be more straight up rock. Midwest has its own quality that is a bit harder to describe, but is definitely present. I loved the variety of instruments Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s used, too – violins and slide guitars. After their set, it was time for one of the most anticipated shows of the festival.

Daniel Johnston was an experience. The guy is a living legend and for that reason alone he was worth seeing, but he also has a very troubled story and a reputation for being a little peculiar on stage, which is also worth seeing. If you’re only familiar with him in name, but not sound – it is very lo-fi. Mostly just Johnston with acoustic guitar. Although tonight, he would be joined by Kansas City’s very hard working Capybara.

Johnston started with a smile, slyly asking, “Hi, how are you,” and then playing a few songs from behind a music stand. He told bizarre stories in between about dreams and things he’s seen and he even spoke of his love for root beer. Then he said he was taking a brief intermission before coming back with the band. Already, this was unlike anything most had ever seen before at a concert. When Johnston returned, Kansas City’s Capybara was with him. They guys looked nervous, but excited to be playing with Johnston. Unlike Johnston, they did not have any sheet music stands, but either they practiced a lot or were just really suave at making things up on the fly because they never seemed to have any giant falters. My pride with the Kansas City music scene multiplied by a thousand during this performance.

I thought I’d be fine to watch another Omaha band, Little Brazil, before heading over to Cursive at the Riot Room. If you’ve never been in the Union where Little Brazil was performing, it is kind of like being in a cave. The band still played a killer set despite the unusual surroundings. Little Brazil has changed quite a bit since I last saw them perform. Landon Hedges and his distinctive vocals are still the star of the show, but they had a new member with them – a girl on keys – which added a nice grounded sound to their music.

When Cursive‘s singer, Tim Kasher, took his leave from watching this set to go to his own, I figured that be a good cue to head over to Riot Room as well. To my surprise, the Riot Room was already at capacity and a huge line had formed hoping to be one of the lucky few to be let in should someone leave. Sadly, it looked as those Cursive would not be happening for me that night. Fortunately, I have seen the band several times before and though I’d have to miss it, I’m glad to see that this festival would end on such a high note. The band was getting to play to a packed house, the organizers had put together a festival so successful that it would reach capacity not only here, but also at the Raveonettes across Westport at Record Bar. And of course, all the patrons of the festival got to see some fantastic bands, even if they found themselves shut out from the last few headliners like I was. It’s hard to be too upset when the whole weekend was so great.

I think it’s safe to say Middle of the Map was a great success and I’d love to see it back next year – even bigger. There’s plenty of venues in Westport that could easily be added and with the 90 degree weather – outdoor venues should be thrown in as well. Let’s see it happen, KC.

Sympathy from Chicago’s Scattered Trees is a beautiful headphones record that almost didn’t happen. After becoming staples of Chicago clubs, time passed, and the band members began to drift. Then fate intervened- singer Nate Elseland’s father passed away and he started to write the songs that became the album. Sometimes loss fuels great creativity. Like Hospice by The Antlers or Leave Ruin by Strands of Oak. this is a beautiful album born of great pain.

The album’s first track, “bury the floors,” starts with a droning sound, and then a vocal against a single piano key, plinked softly. A chorus of harmonies play behind the lead vocal and against a tambourine. Most of the song is this simple, very reminiscent of an old Beach Boys song.

The next song, “A Conversation About Death On New Year’s Eve” is much more interesting. It starts with simple drums, bass, and keyboards. Soon the vocals kick in, followed by a fantastic, catchy chorus. “Everybody’s falling apart” sings Elseland. It’s slow, sad, and somber, but oh so beautiful.

Most of the album continues in this mode. The third track, “Love and Leave,” is a little faster, but still sad, and still featuring a great chorus. “Every day you love and leave me”, is sung but it sounds like there’s a smirk behind the whole thing.

“Sympathy” makes it obvious that there’s a theme behind these songs. They’re full of leaving, and loss, and desperation. The whole thing is produced very well, and the sadness belies a pop sensibility. It’s fantastic stuff in a lot of ways.

“I Swear To God” is probably the best thing here. The lyrics are nakedly honest in a way that’s a little scary: “now my father’s dead, and still you haven’t shown”. The “where are you Jesus” is a little hokey, but if you can get past that, it’s a great song. Brian Wilson referred to Smile as a “teenage symphony to god”, and the same thing is going on here. The song is a plea to god, and that could be the key to the album.

After that song is “On Your Side” where Elseland seems to make peace with the lover he seems to be disagreeing with throughout the album. It could be god, or his father’s ghost, or simply a woman. It’s a fascinating coda to an album that is kind of fascinating as a whole. Then the whole thing is over, and all you can do is listen to it all over again.

Track listing:
1. Bury The Floors
2. A Conversation
3. I’m in a Panic
4. Love and Leave
5. Four Days Straight
6. Sympathy
7. Five Minutes
8. Where You Came From
9. I swear to God
10. On Your Side

I was very excited when it was announced last year that The Mountain Goats had signed to Merge. My favorite band signed to my favorite label? What could go wrong? Well, at least Merge did well.  All Eternals Deck is easily the most beautifully packaged Mountain Goats CD to date. Unfortunately, it is probably their worst album to date.

Track listing:
01. Damn These Vampires
02. Birth of Serpents
03. Estate Sale Sign
04. Age of Kings
05. The Autopsy Garland
06. Beautiful Gas Mask
07. High Hawk Season
08. Prowl Great Cain
09. Sourdoire Valley Song
10. Outer Scorpion Squadron
11. For Charles Bronson
12. Never Quite Free
13. Liza Forever Minnelli

“These are my famous last words!”

That’s how the new Foo Fighters’ record Wasting Light begins.  It’s a rather stark and haunting coincidence, since the record comes out April 12, just a week after the 17^th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death.  Plus, Dave Grohl’s other former Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic was a guest musician on Wasting Light. Whether or not that was planned is beyond my knowledge, but it certainly added another layer to an already great album.

This being the Foo’s seventh studio album, a question of longevity rather than innovation is what’s at the forefront of Wasting Light. The innovation came in the marketing strategy, which played out like a game of Clue, with Easter eggs hidden all over the Internet, and short clips of songs leaked to their own website, giving the fans just a taste of what was to come on Wasting Light.

In true Foo fashion, the album begins with a swift kick to the stomach with “Bridge Burning.” And it doesn’t slow down much from there. “Rope” has more attitude than a lot of the rock newcomers with their precisely quaffed hair. I guess the attitude comes with age, at least in Grohl’s case. A slick intro partnered with a driving rhythm makes it a perfect second track (and I can only imagine how awesome it will be live).  “Dear Rosemary” is a lighter track, with a heavy pop hook, but is still signature Foo.

Honestly, the greatness of the Foo Fighters comes from their performance. I’ve only ever seen recordings of their live shows, but their albums are meant to be performed, not over-mixed in the studio to make certain instruments sound better than they naturally would. Whether it’s a softer song like “I Should Have Known” or a frantic metal-tinged hit like “White Limo,” the Foo Fighters sound like they do live – energetic, passionate, and like they’re having fun. Grohl may be one of the best drummers of our time, but he’s also one of the greatest front men.

“Arlandria” and “Back and Forth” are two of the catchiest tracks on the album, easy to sing along to, and “A Matter of Time” hints at older tracks like, “Times Like These” off One by One and “Monkey Wrench” off Colour and the Shape. By the far the darkest track on the album, “Miss the Misery” brings in some of the influences Grohl gained from his time with Them Crooked Vultures and mixes them with the Foo Fighters’ undeniable energy.

Sure, the album doesn’t necessarily break any new ground for the Foos, but it’s a perfect example of what they do best. The Foo Fighters need no prefixes to their brand of rock music; they just rock.

Track listing:

1. Bridge Burning”
2. “Rope”
3. “Dear Rosemary”
4. “White Limo”
5. “Arlandria”
6. “These Days”
7. “Back & Forth”
8. “A Matter of Time”
9. “Miss the Misery”
10. “I Should Have Known”
11. “Walk”

Go to http://wastinglight.foofighters.com/

It’s hard to see the point of this whole thing. 2001′s Tiger Pop is a pretty OK album as it stands. It might not be the classic the internet seems to think it is, but it’s pretty easy on the ears. So, to celebrate it’s ten year anniversary John Brodeur decided to re-record the album, and release it as a two CD set with the original. This would be fine, if the new version had anything to offer, but it really doesn’t. It’s mostly overproduced drivel: watered down versions of what are pretty good songs. I suppose I’m complaining for nothing though, because the album is priced as a single disc set.

I’ve already stated my opinions of the new version, so I’m going to focus on the original. It starts with a pretty exciting pop song, “Infected (so in love with you).. It definitely has a garage band thing going on, and the lyrics make me smile: “when there’s nothing on the radio I dream of you.” It’s kind of a throwback, a nod to classic rock.This album could have easily been recorded in a basement in the early ’80′s. That’s not a bad thing.

That song ends with radio tuning, and we’re on to “Remains of a Heart.” The song starts with an acoustic guitar that leads into a full band sound. The press I’ve read on Brodeur is quick to stress the fact that he is a one man band, playing each instrument by himself. It’s kind of fascinating to think about that while listening. Tiger Pop is very well produced, each instrument melding well together.

With the first two songs you have pretty much the entire album. Well played power pop, with occasionally witty lyrics. If power pop is your thing, you’ll dig this. A lot of it reminds me of XO era Elliott Smith, especially the song “Changing Your Mind (Again).”  The album as a whole makes good background music and you’ll quickly find yourself humming along. to.

When the Denver-based alterna-pop band Meese dissolved after a failed record deal, band founder Patrick Meese returned to Denver’s music scene to start a new project, The Centennial. While Meese was pure pop perfection, Patrick took The Centennial in a decidedly different direction. Patrick enlisted the talents of his wife, Tiffany, and his brother, Nate, to form The Centennial and the trio has been gaining plenty of attention over the past couple of months with their lush melodies and memorable live shows. PopWreckoning spoke with Patrick about forming the band, their creative process, and what it’s like working with family.

Brianna Hernandez, PopWreckoning: While Meese was more pop-focused, The Centennial has a more sophisticated sound. Was this shift intentional, or more of a natural progression?
Patrick Meese, The Centennial: A little bit of both. I had been writing more mellow, ambient songs for awhile before Meese ended and we started the new band. Lots of the new music developed while traveling in the van last year where I was restricted to only my laptop. When we stopped touring, I sat down and listened through all my song ideas and felt like none of them made any sense for Meese. I just wasn’t excited to write music for what Meese had become, and I took that as a sign to move on to the next thing.

BH: Is working with family members easy?
PM: At times it can be really easy. Obviously, we know each other extremely well and can sense when someone is having a tough time or needs a break. Communication is key. Other times it can be tough because we’re not afraid to blow up on each other or get honest. I wouldn’t recommend being in a band with your brother and your wife to everyone, but when it works it can be a beautiful thing.

BH: Has it been difficult to re-brand yourself as The Centennial?
PM: Yes, but we knew what we were getting into. It felt like there was a lot of expectation for us to be spectacular right out the gate, when in reality we’re a brand new band with new songs and new roles. It took years to get Meese rolling. I try not to think about rebranding or the old band. It felt right to a new project and we just have to keep doing it.

BH: What made you decide to form The Centennial? Would you ever add more band members?
PM: I decided to form The Centennial because I wanted to have a band that I would still be excited about playing in 40 years from now. The best time of my life was playing in Meese, but personally I was disappointed with where we ended up at. I became obsessed with starting a new band in which I wasn’t only a singer. Luckily, Nate and Tiff were on board and we could get started right away.

I would love to add more members. Recently we’ve been performing with Joe Pope (Nathaniel Rateliff, Fairchildren) and Adam Blake (The Films).

BH: Denver is becoming an increasingly electro-focused music scene. Is it difficult to assert your presence in Denver’s EDM-obsessed music scene?
PM: There is a lot of great music in Denver and we’re fortunate to know many of the people creating it. We have a lot of growing to do live, but every show is an improvement from the last. We’re just going to keep playing around the front range and see where it takes us this next year.

BH: The Centennial has received great reviews for your haunting sound and songwriting. What is your creative process like?
PM: The process usually starts with me demoing songs out at my home studio. Most times I start with riffs or melodies I’ve recorded into my phone. Then Tiff and Nate come in and lay down vocals and guitar and we make adjustments or decide to work on something else. I like to sit with songs for awhile and see how much they stand out once the original “new song excitement” has died down. The final step is mixing and adding the little things that give the song character. The Second Spring E.P. is self-produced.

BH: How does playing in Denver compare to playing elsewhere? How has the local crowd responded thus far?
PM: I love playing in Denver. Maybe it’s because we know everyone already. I’ve heard people say the scene is just a bunch of people patting each other on the back, but I disagree. I see bands in Denver inspiring each other and moving on to create new bands or make old bands better. Criticism and competition will always be necessary to develop a great music scene, but I feel lucky to live in a town where those aren’t the only things that make a great music scene. The local crowd has been accepting and responsive so far. We had a wonderful time playing Westword’s Artopia.

BH: What are you most proud of about The Centennial?
PM: The song “1988.” I think that’s the closest we’ve got to where I’d like to go with this project.

BH: Where do you draw your inspiration from? Who and what influences you?
PM: My friends. I’ve been playing with a few bands as of late (Nathaniel Rateliff, Josh Novak, Fairchildren). Seeing people sacrifice their time and energy to make music for almost no money is inspiring to me. It gets me off my ass and into the studio.

BH: What are you listening to currently? What are some of your guilty pleasures?
PM: I’ve been listening to more soulful stuff like Al Green and Marvin Gaye. The albums they put out were recorded so well. I need someone to school me in Soul. The last Phoenix record is one of my favorite’s in the last five years. They take what I love about pop music and make it interesting. My guilty pleasure right now is The Bird and The Bee’s record of Hall and Oates covers. It’s great.

BH: What are you excited about for 2011? What can we expect from The Centennial in the coming year?
PM: I really want to put out a full length record this year. We were planning on doing a bunch of E.P’s, which we still might do, but I’ve got an itch to put out something a little bigger. We’ll see. The Second Spring E.P. (which is still a free download off our site) was a nice break from the four on the floor-ness of Meese, but I would love to bring back the groove in some ways and write some tunes that are fun to play live.

BH: Who are some of your favorite local musicians? Favorite hang out spots?
PM: I feel like I’ve already named a bunch of Denver bands already, but two new bands I’m excited about are Glowing House and my friend Tim Hussman’s (Dust on the Breakers) solo project. Also, Churchill’s new record is excellent. I’ve been hanging out at El Nopalito at Bannock and Alameda. Super cheap and delicious breakfast burritos.

BH: Any plans for The Centennial to tour in the near future?
PM: Not right now. We’re still figuring some things out live and getting comfortable with the new tunes. But you never know when something will come along. For the time being, playing shows around here is just fine with me. We would love to do another house party show this spring, so keep a look out.

Download The Centennial’s EP, Second Spring, for free at: www.thecentennial.net and check out a stream and download of a new track below:

. “You Don’t Get to Say” – The Centennial

Christopher Browder has stolen my heart. I’ll be honest: I’m pretty new to the Mansions bandwagon, but I’m glad I hopped on when I did. I bought New Best Friends from iTunes a few short months ago and have kept it in heavy rotation since. (“Talk Talk Talk” is just so catchy, am I right?!) So when I started doing some research and realized there was a new album coming soon, I couldn’t have been more excited. Two years between debut and sophomore releases seems a little risky, but it wasn’t without good cause. (There was also Best of the Bees, a compilation of non-album tracks exclusive to bandcamp that isn’t considered an official album. But nevertheless, it’s three bucks so you might as well grab it here.) Dig Up The Dead is not being released on Doghouse Records, which in my opinion is one of the best moves Browder could have made. No pressure from contracts, no money, no complicated production. Just a guy and his guitar. Is there anything better than that? This new Mansions album channels pure human emotion and Browder connects with listeners like few artists can.

The title track of Dig Up The Dead builds and builds with a sense of urgency until it ends with Browder crying: “I’ll start again, I’ll start again, I’ll start again…” And he does just that. He’s preparing us to go on a journey with him and it’s just getting started. The pace is quickened through the second and third songs as intensity builds, and then we arrive at “City Don’t Care,” which is hands down my favorite song on the album. It’s meant to be a single and it’s meant to get stuck in your head. How can you not tap your toes and bob your head to it? But behind the upbeat, poppy exterior are the grittier lyrics. Browder reveals his personal stories and struggles and that’s what makes the album so easy to relate to. “I must admit I’m a little bit lost in space…” He gains the audiences’ trust with his admissions and keeps pulling you deeper in as the album progresses. Track seven, “Close That Door,” is another personal favorite with it’s catchy melody and anthemic lyrics. “Seven Years” is easily the most passionate song on the album and it haunts you after you’ve given it a fourth, fifth and sixth listen. “If I don’t believe in the afterlife, does that mean I can’t go?” It takes you by surprise in the midst of fast-paced indie songs; makes you stop and really pay attention. There’s a recurring theme of loneliness, invisibility and questioning in Dig Up The Dead and “Seven Years” really ties those themes together. It ends abruptly with swelling guitars and leaves you with a bit of uneasiness, a good kind of uneasiness. And just like a fine wine, the album gets better and better with time. Browder has the listener’s full attention and unlike so many pop albums these days, has solid songs all the way until the end and finishes on a solid note. “You Got Cool” and “Yer Voice” round out a spectacular album and give a strong finish.

I wasn’t completely sold upon my first listen of Dig Up The Dead. I was so partial to New Best Friends and I’m somewhat resistant to change. But patience definitely pays off. Because it gets better and better with each listen. You start to notice the little things and it all makes sense. Christopher Browder has presented us with a brilliant sophomore effort and I’m confident that it will still have a buzz surrounding it come end of the year. Yeah, it’s early, but as of right now this album’s got a spot reserved in my Top 10 of 2011.

Track listing:

1 Dig Up The Dead
2 Blackest Sky
3 Not My Blood
4 City Don’t Care
5 Call Me When It’s Over
6 Wormhole
7 Close That Door
8 Seven Years
9 You Got Cool
10 Yer Voice

Like catchy pop-tunes? Local music? FREE STUFF?!

Lucky for you we’ve got two CD’s from Kansas City band the ACB’s.

How do you get these totally awesome rad catchy dance tunes into your hands? Easy. Comment!

Say the ACB’s band name was an acronym: what do you think it should stand for? Be creative! The best two will be chosen by PopWreckoning staff to get a free CD! Contest ends on April 14.

Don’t forget to include your email address when leaving the comment or else you’re screwed and won’t be eligible to get this totally awesome rad deal.

Check out their videos for “Streetfighter II” and “Boy Like Me.”

ACB’s Links:
Facebook
Myspace
Bandcamp

We’ve got a copy of Fenech-Soler‘s debut single in the U.S., “Demons” to give away. It’s the title track of the debut EP the Kings Cliffe band have released on this side of the pond (our review of the EP posted previously on PopWreckoning here, buy the EP from iTunes here). And this single we’re giving away isn’t just any copy: it’s a limited edition, hand-numbered vinyl single.

Want to win? All you have to do is comment and tell us what you would do if you were given the chance to meet Fenech-Soler. Answers must be submitted by 12 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 15 (think of it as a tax day present from us). We’ll select the winner at that time from the comments submitted. Please use a valid email address when entering or we won’t be able to contact you if you’ve won. This contest is open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!

Fenech-Soler: website | myspace | “Demons” video | Demons EP review