popwreckoning

There are a few bands that I take an unnatural pride in, and being a big advocate for local music, I hold the Lonely Forest near and dear to my heart. A band hailing from the Puget Sound town of Anacortes, Wa., The Lonely Forest has come quite a long way since winning the EMP Sound Off! Competition back in 2006. They’ve released two full-length albums with Burning Building Recordings, played countless shows all around the country and around Puget Sound, and gained a huge local following of young indie rock fans.

With their new release Arrows, The Lonely Forest worked with fellow Washingtonian Chris Walla as the first band signed to his Trans Records, and they put together a fantastic album full of hometown love, epic melodies and passionate performances.

Arrows begins softly with “Be Everything,” a lovely ballad that showcases frontman John Van Deusen’s tender vocals more than any other track on the record, and then it jumps right into the catchy and triumphant “Turn Off This Song And Go Outside.” The catchiness of the song is only matched by its irony, seeing that there’s no possible way that I’d want to turn off the song.

The divergent melodies and messages of “(I Am) The Love Skeptic” and “(I Am) The Love Addict)” are a nice addition to Arrows, but in the scheme of the whole thing, they’re nothing special. I prefer the “Love Skeptic” to the “Love Addict,” for the feisty hook and simple message, “We became too good of friends, and the bullshit, it never ends.” I mean, haven’t we all had one of those?

I feel that the strongest points of Arrows lay in the middle, with “Coyote” and “Tunnels.” The former is a dark and moving track with a killer bass line, and again a seemingly simple chorus line, “I wish you’d come back home, I want to hold your hand.” That’s one of the things I really love about the Lonely Forest – their songs are extraordinarily relatable. The lyrics aren’t overwrought, because the emotion behind them comes from the performance, not the pretentious prose that some bands can fall victim to.

Before I delve into the beauty that is “Tunnels,” let’s talk about “I Don’t Want To Live There.” It’s a song I’ve heard before on the EP that the Lonely Forest released earlier this year, but I have to reiterate how nice it is to have a song that’s so obviously rooted in the Pacific Northwest. It makes me feel proud to be a Washingtonian.

I’ve waited until now to talk about “Tunnels,” because I needed to build up to it, just like the song does so well.

Seriously, this song makes me so excited every time I hear it.  The fact that I get to sing along to the lyric, “obvious contradictions, childish self-afflictions,” is already good enough for me, but the every-growing energy of the song and wall of sound – especially the percussion – exemplifies how good each member of the band is at their craft. But the best part of the song comes in the last minute and a half, where it moves smoothly into the outro of “Ramshackle House,” which isn’t a track on its own on Arrows, but it was on the EP. Honestly, hearing the transition from “Tunnels” to “Ramshackle House” for the first time gave me goosebumps. It’s so perfectly done, and it makes so much sense. That was one concern I had when the EP released, “Where is this song going to go?” That concern flew out the window when I heard the entirety of “Tunnels.”

Arrows closes out just as strongly as it opens, with “Woe Is Me…I Am Ruined,” old hit “We Sing In Time” and the title track. “Woe Is Me” is far different than previous live versions, which were more acoustic, but it’s a perfect example of how good a producer Chris Walla is. He is another reason why I’m proud to be a Washingtonian.

Even though some people might find it weird that the Lonely Forest would put “We Sing In Time” on this album seeing that it was on their last release We Sing the Body Electric, I find it refreshing. The Lonely Forest doesn’t need to follow all the rules. The fans love the song. . And it was a completely different version, with deeper, richer recording and mixing.

The closing track, “Arrows” brings the album to a complete circle, with a softer song showcasing Van Deusen’s vocals and piano. It makes for a quiet close, rather than going out with a bang.

But really, Arrows reads more like a book, with the gradual rising action, the epic climax (“Tunnels,” duh), the much quicker falling action, and then finally the resolution.

And this is definitely one I’ll want to read over and over again.

Tour Dates:

For more information on the Lonely Forest, go to http://www.thelonelyforest.com/

Casey met up with lead vocals/guitarist Gregory Dunn of Moving Mountains at the Jackpot in Lawrence in March.

Below is a short eight minute interview filled with talk about their new record, super powers, and eating a bucket of cheese.

. “Interview with Moving Mountains”

Waves is set to release on May 10 through Triple Crown Records.

For more information on Moving Mountains, check out their website www.movmou.com or Facebook.

Jesse Lacey had it right with the lyrics “I know that you’re a sucker for anything acoustic.” But we’re not talking about Brand New. This is William Fitzsimmons. This is the man famous for delicious, acoustic-y folk music and one amazing beard. His fifth full-length album Gold in the Shadow will soon be gracing your ears, and believe me. It’s great.

Fitzsimmons had me at “Please Don’t Go” many years ago, and he still has me enraptured now. It was back in the days of the tv drama “ER” when I first heard him. It was such an intense song at the end of an episode and I made it my mission to find out who it was. I frantically typed bits and pieces of lyrics into my phone, saved them as a drafted text message, and Googled until the name William Fitzsimmons came up, and I had found a Youtube video of the song. I probably watched it ten times in a row and may or may not have shed a few tears. Maybe that sounds a little ridiculous.  But that song really struck a chord deep within me. So much passion. It made me feel something that I can only describe as a hopeful sort of melancholy, and I was in love with it.

I pressed play on Gold in the Shadow with nervous fingers. Can you ever go wrong with a soft, crooning voice and delicate acoustic guitars? And then I breathed a sigh of relief. Because it’s William Fitzsimmons. There’s no way this would be a flop. And I couldn’t have been more right.

The album starts out with “The Tide Pulls From the Moon,” a perfect intro to a solid album. It’s catchy and it pulls you, but doesn’t overdo it. My favorite on the album would have to be “The Winter from Her Leaving” and lucky listeners, it’s the third song! I like instant gratification and there’s nothing better than finding the gem just three songs in. The fifth song, “Psychasthenia” immediately brings up thoughts of The Postal Service, to which I was very pleased. There’s a tinge of electronic noise throughout and it’s moody and desperate with the repeated line “cut me open please.” I may have an interest in psychology, but by no means is it my forte. So I had to consult my handy dictionary for the precise definition of  psychasthenia. Here’s what I found: a psychological disorder characterized by phobias, obsessions, compulsions, or excessive anxiety — which makes a lot of sense. Fitzsimmons has a master’s degree in counseling and worked as a mental health therapist for many years. it was at this time when he began recording music. It certainly makes for great song material. His lyrics are personal and that’s what makes his music so compelling. He speaks to you. He speaks right to your soul.

“Let You Break” is a nice change of pace, as we get some female vocals from Julia Stone, of Angus and Julia Stone. I’ve never been a huge fan of her voice. It’s a little too whiny for my taste. But in this situtaion, it works. And it’s been steadily growing on me, so much that I find myself humming her melodies instead of his.

“Wounded Head,” “Tied To Me,” and “What Hold” round out the album and give it a solid finish. It’s hard to keep a steady flow when you’re ten songs deep on your fifth major album. But Fitzsimmons finishes strong. My only qualm? The last song ends so abruptly and leaves me with a “that’s it?” feeling. But then again, maybe that’s the point. Because I find myself going back to the very beginning and starting all over.

Track Listing:

1 The Tide Pulls From the Moon
2 Beautiful Girl
3 The Winter from Her Leaving
4 Fade and then Return
5 Psychasthenia
6 Bird of Winter Prey
7 Let You Break (feat. Julia Stone)
8 Wounded Head
9 Tied to Me
10 What Hold

Spring tour starts soon, so be sure and check out dates here and pick up a copy of Gold in the Shadow. Just $7.99 on iTunes plus 2 bonus tracks.

The Holy Ghost! story begins in 2007 – when Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser, childhood friends and mutual lovers of dance beats, released a song that quickly became a dance classic, “Hold On.” It’s hard to believe it took them four years, but here we are in 2011, and the dance duo is finally releasing their self-titled debut album. No surprise they’re releasing it on their good friend James Murphy‘s DFA Records. Actually, you can trace James Murphy‘s influence in this first release of Holy Ghost!‘s: Murphy asked Frankel and Millhiser to tour with LCD Soundsystem in 2010, which forced the duo out of their comfort zone (usually presiding over the decks at dance clubs as DJs, never playing live) to come up with a Holy Ghost! live show. Interview Magazine has called their sound, “Michael Jackson meets New Order at a 1979 disco.” Right up my alley.

Indeed, songs from their debut album are currently being played while the duo, with three additional musicians, are opening for Melbourne’s Cut Copy on their North American tour, now in progress. However, Frankel has said, “I didn’t want to limit myself to making an album that could only be played in clubs,” with Millhiser adding, “we were trying to make something that people would want to listen to, front and back, at home.” Their self-titled debut album is a testament that this can be done – and can be done well. Two of the 10 tracks on this effort (“Static on the Wire” and “Say My Name”) are from the band’s Static on the Wire EP released last year, and the aforementioned “Hold On” also figures on this album. All three are superb tracks; it’s not hard for me to imagine these being played for sweaty masses on a dance floor, albeit possibly in clubbier, more drawn-out versions.

But you’d be remiss to only focus on those tracks. The album opener, “Do It Again,” is mesmerizing, with its relentless driving rhythm and shimmery synths. “Wait and See,” which DFA is giving away as a free download on Soundcloud, is clear evidence of the band’s ’70s disco / ’80s new wave and electropop sensibilities. “Hold My Breath” is cut from a similar cloth. “Jam for Jerry” is an upbeat yet wistful tune, likely to be a loving homage to the late Jerry Fuchs, drummer of LCD Soundsystem and !!!, disguised as a dance love song.

The best track on here is “It’s Not Over” – here is where I’m guessing any New Order comparisons began. The synthesized bass line sounds like it was yesterday that Bernard Sumner was surreptitiously pushing Peter Hook out of the band with programming, only that with Alex Frankel’s soulful vocal delivery and tribal drum patterns, it’s something very unique that you won’t quickly forget. As a dance record, Holy Ghost! is not in your face, and that’s a good thing. Most dance recordings are overproduced, overwrought jumbles of sound with no direction. This one hits all the right buttons.

Tracklisting
01. Do It Again
02. Wait and See
03. Hold My Breath
04. Say My Name
05. Jam for Jerry
06. Hold On
07. It’s Not Over
08. Slow Motion
09. Static on the Wire
10. Some Children

Holy Ghost!‘s self-titled debut album will be released on April 12 on DFA Records. The band is currently on tour as support for Cut Copy. The band will also make appearances this month at Coachella on April 15 and at a headlining gig at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 29.

Tour Dates
Apr 04 – House of Blues / Boston*
Apr 05 – Club Soda / Montreal*
Apr 06 – Terminal 5 / New York City*
Apr 07 – Sound Academy / Toronto*
Apr 08 – Riviera / Chicago*
Apr 09 – First Avenue / Minneapolis*
Apr 12 – Showbox SoDo / Seattle*
Apr 15 – Coachella / Indio, CA
Apr 16-17 – Grand Ballroom @ Regency / San Francisco*
Apr 20 – Granada Theater / Dallas*
Apr 22 – Stubbs / Austin*
Apr 23 – Republic / New Orleans*
Apr 29 – Music Hall of Williamsburg / Brooklyn*
*supporting Cut Copy

Holy Ghost!: website | myspace | Friendly Fires / Holy Ghost! – 12” Split Single| Interview with: Alex Frankel of Holy Ghost! | @ U Street Music Hall | @ 9:30 Club | ‘I Know, I Hear’ video | DFA Records Curating NYC DJ Residency Free to the Public

To have been listening to rock and alternative music in 1993 when Radiohead blasted into the charts with “Creep” would be something indescribable and wonderful.  I, unfortunately, was not among the privileged ears.  With the release of Pablo Honey the music industry would forever be changed by a band that would insistently challenge the industry, themselves, and the hearts and minds of their fans.

The 2009 2 CD/1 DVD edition is a special treat for the most hardcore, obsessed fans and for those who are only just beginning in the tutelage of Thom Yorke and Co.

Disc 1 is simply a re-issue of the original 1993 release.  And like the majority of Radiohead fans, Pablo Honey is my least favorite in their ridiculously solid and creative back catalog.  That is not to say that it is not a good album.  As a standalone, when not compared to their later releases, it is quite enjoyable.  The album is better than that, and I think it is always difficult to review an album fairly when in comparison to the works that made Radiohead who they are today, it will always pale in comparison.

Of course, the most popular single “Creep” is the band’s most hated.  But is it the best track?  Hardly.  Standouts are the opening track “You,” “Stop Whispering,” “Thinking About You” and “Lurgee.”

But the 2009 edition isn’t about the re-issue of the album; it is about the second disc and the accompanying DVD, the real golden treats …the nuggets.  The 22-track second disc contains demos, a remix, live versions and other b-sides from “Creep,” “Anyone Can Play Guitar,” “Pop is Dead” and “Stop Whispering” singles.  There are also four tracks from the BBC Radio One Session recording in June of 1992.

The DVD contains the music videos for the four singles, a live performance of “Creep” from Top of the Pops in September of 1993, and 9 of the 17 song setlist from the May 27, 1994 Astoria Theater performance in London.  For all you setlist junkies out there (and I am among you), the full set can be found here:  Astoria Theater Setlist.

Other goodies in the box set contain the sleeve covers for the 4 singles and the Drill EP, and an 8-page booklet with band pictures circa 1993.

Pablo Honey (standalone album) – 3 out of 5 stars
Pablo Honey (2 CD/1 DVD) – 4 out of 5 stars

Disc 2 Tracklist:
(Taken from Drill EP)
1.  Prove Yourself (Demo)
2.  Stupid Car (Demo)
3.  You (Demo)
4.  Thinking About You (Demo)

(Taken from “Creep” single)
5.  Inside My Head
6.  Million Dollar Question
7.  Yes I am
8.  Blow Out (Remix)
9.  Inside My Head (Live)
10.  Creep (Acoustic)
11.  Vegetable (Live)
12.  Killer Cars (Live)

(Taken from “Anyone Can Play Guitar” single)
13.  Faithless, the Wonderboy
14.  Coke Babies

(Taken from “Pop Is Dead” single)
15.  Pop is Dead
16.  Banana Co. (Acoustic)
17.  Ripcord (Live)

(Taken from “Stop Whispering” single)
18.  Stop Whispering (U.S. version)

(BBC Radio One Session – 22/06/92)
19.  Prove Yourself
20.  Creep
21.  I Can’t
22.  Nothing Touches Me

DVD Tracklist
(Music Videos)
Creep
Anyone Can Play Guitar
Pop Is Dead
Stop Whispering

(Top of the Pops – 16/09/93)
Creep

(The Astoria, London – Live: 27/05/94)
You
Ripcord
Creep
Prove Yourself
Vegetable
Stop Whispering
Anyone Can Play Guitar
Pop Is Dead
Blowout

Editors Note: Popwreckoning has one unopened copy of this special edition of Pablo Honey to be given away to a resident of the United States. To win, all you have to do is comment with your favorite song from the album Pablo Honey and explain why the song stands out to you. The comment that stands out to the Editors the most, wins.

Please remember to include a working email address so we might contact you for mailing information. Contest will run until June 10th.

SXSW – a time to explore, see new music, and eat a ton of street food. Also a time to meet new people and hang out with friends you wouldn’t normally get to see. Amongst all of the official SXSW showcases there are tons and tons of unofficial parties, official parties, unofficial showcases, and other cities showcasing their own talent. That’s exactly what Kansas City did.

Friday: First stop of the day, the MidCoast Takeover showcase at Liberty Bar on East Sixth. A ton of Kansas City, Lawrence and Chicago bands all drove or flew or transported down to Austin for the unofficial showcase. Seeing a band from Kansas City play in Austin at this huge festival is a little surreal to me. They’re friends and people that I see night after night at bars or at restaurants having dinner.

The first band I saw was the Slowdown. I’ve been hearing their name a lot lately but hadn’t had the chance to see them yet. Even though the sun was hot and burning my skin, they grabbed my attention enough to stand outside for the set. For more information and to listen go to their Facebook.

I missed most of Auternus‘ set due to the need of food, and of course, the free Boulevard.

Apparently it was a day to see bands that I hadn’t seen before. Even though I feel like I should have. Next up, the Republic Tigers. I absolutely love watching these guys. Vocalist Kenn Jankowski‘s energy on stage combined with the rest of the band just makes me… happy. Seemed like everyone else had the same impression too, dancing along with new tunes from their upcoming EP.

Oh, Appleseed Cast. How I kick myself for not going to a show sooner. I’ve missed out on so much. They absolutely blew me away. Actually, I don’t even have words to describe how awesome it was. They’re such an influential band to every other band that I listen to now. I had friends from New York, Chicago, and all over the country at this showcase just to see them.

The rest of my day consisted of wandering around Sixth Street, eating veggie dogs and hanging with friends. Kind of a slower midday for me when it came to shows.

Tried to make it back to Liberty Bar in time for the Beautiful Bodies, but didn’t get there until right as they were loading out. However, I did get to catch Cowboy Indian Bear‘s set. And per usual, they didn’t disappoint.

Back to the west side of the bridge for Junius at Valhalla. I had never heard of these guys, but my friend convinced me to go. I’m really glad I did too. It was intense, and heavy. I loved it.

Saturday seemed the longest and busiest day out of the entire week. Woke up late, rushed to get downtown for a few interviews with the Big Picture Media group. Look for those sometime in the next week.

That hot sun burning on my skin that I mentioned earlier? It officially conquered it’s goal and gave me a pretty bad sunburn.

Now on to the highlight of my day, the No Sleep Records Showcase. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to stay for the whole day like I wanted to due to other interviews scheduled. I did, however, get the chance to see Former Thieves. I’d been looking forward to seeing their new set all week. All songs except one were off their highly anticipated album, The Language That We Speak which will be available online and in stores on April 19. Needless to say, this album will fucking slay. They’re set was so damn good. They were in sync with each other and had a great stage presence. My favorite performance of the day.

I also saw Into It. Over It. play again on the inside stage. He gets better and better each time I see him.

After Evan’s set I walked to the Atlantic/Chop Shop Showcase to do a few interviews. Watched the Republic Tigers set and I think I liked it this time around better than the day before.

Joy Formidable played after the Republic Tigers. I couldn’t get close enough to see without lifting my camera up over the crowd that formed close to the stage. Good thing it didn’t make a difference to enjoying their set. Front-woman Ritzy Bryan‘s energy swept through the crowd and picked everyone off their feet.

Portugal. The Man headlined the showcase. I was slightly disappointed that we didn’t get a preview of their new album set to release sometime this year.

I ended up back at Liberty to catch my friend Sheppa (from the Nomathmatic)’s DJ set. Then danced the night away with friends! A perfect evening to end the week of SXSW.

Oh, and one more thing. On Sunday we had the most delicious crepes! I can’t decide if it was the crepes themselves or the atmosphere, or quite possible our totally awesomely French waiter.

See you next time, Austin.

For more SXSW photos check out my Flickr HERE.