Man Man is an experimentalrock band from Philadelphia. Life Fantastic is their fourthalbum. They play a brand of alternative that is reminiscent of the mid-90’s. It all sounds very clever, as long as you don’t pay attention to the lyrics.
The album starts well with a keyboard and a drumbeat before a xylophone descends, and the song starts. It has a bit of a gypsy punk thing going on, and it sets the stage for the remainder of the album.
The best thing here is “Oh, La Brea”. It ends the album on a pleasant, quiet note. It’s a bit jazzy, and obviously Tom Waits influenced with its gruff vocals, and shout outs to Los Angeles streets. The song is something of a lullaby, and it wouldn’t be completely out of place on Waits’ Nitehawks at the Diner.
Another highlight is the druggy “Dark Arts.” The song is full of doom, or trying to avoid doom. It’s the sound of a man in a Mexican wrestler’s mask stampeding through a ballet. The song is about surviving, somehow living despite the crazy shit the narrator has lived through. It’s fast paced, and a little surviving.
That song ends, and the xylophone returns. That strange instrument guides the song, as the carnival sound continues. This song, “Haute Tropique,” contains the albums best line: “I eat my peas like a good boy’s supposed to.” The singer barks the lines. It’s a fucking carnival.
The best thing about this album is the variety of instruments. What at first sounds like Smashmouth, full of inconsequential nonsense quickly turns into a game of “name the sound.” By the time the song “Shameless” hits you’re on your knees with the band, and your head is in the clouds. Your brain is full of strange sounds, and you’re begging for more.
Track List:
01. Knuckle Down
02. Piranhas Club
03. Steak Knives
04. Dark Arts
05. Haute Tropique
06. Shameless
07. Spooky Jookie
08. Eel Bros
09. Bangkok Necktie
10. Life Fantastic
11. Oh, La Brea
Connecticut-based modern pop duo Mates of State have finished recording their newest album, Mountaintops, to be released September 13 via Barsuk Records. Mountaintops is the band’s first since 2008′s acclaimed Re-Arrange Us. The new album was self-produced, written and recorded over the last year and a half in 6 different studios with multiple engineers, and tied together by mixer Chris Coady (Beach House, Gang Gang Dance, Smith Westerns). For track listing, see below.
1. Palomino
2. Maracas
3. Sway
4. Unless I’m Led
5. Total Serendipity
6. Basement Money
7. At Least I Have You
8. Desire
9. Change
10. Mistakes
Andy Hull and the company he keeps are gods. Five stars. Album of the year. The end.
(Just kidding, sort of.)
Words can’t explain how long I’d waited for this album. Manchester Orchestra is one of those bands I can’t get enough of. Like a Virgin Losing a Child, their first album, debuted in 2006 and the three year wait for sophomore release Mean Everything to Nothing was brutal. I was more than ready for Simple Math and it’s finally here.
I downloaded the first single, also called “Simple Math,” the minute it was available; it already has a hefty play count in my iTunes. But the time had finally come to experience the album in its entirety. And after the first spin? I didn’t have words. And even if did, the teenage superfan in my head was squealing so loudly it drowned them out. “Mighty,” “Virgin,” “Simple Math” and “Leaky Breaks” all stick out in the best way possible. They’re starkly different from each other, yet I love each of them for their uniqueness. Strings, horns, and gang vocals add depth that we have yet to see from this band. The album as a whole is still very much Manchester Orchestra though: the same warbling guitar that slides smoothly back and forth between notes, the same brutally honest lyrics, the same sing-song voice mixed with raw and screaming vocals. But this one raises the bar. It’s an epic, orchestral masterpiece made for much bigger stages than they are currently playing.
“Deer” is a great start to the album with traditional Manchester Orchestra-like sounds reminiscent of the first two albums. The song slowly builds and we soon realize it’s the calm before the storm… Because the second song, “Mighty,” is heavy and dark and the opening few seconds are deliciously metal. It’s definitely one of my favorite songs on the record, but then again it’s tied with three others so maybe I should give it more time. Strings make an appearance about halfway through the song and wrap it up nicely. “Pensacola” is a fun and playful song, probably full of sarcasm and inside jokes, but I guess we’ll never know: group vocals shout the words “alcohol, dirty malls, Pensacola Florida bars” as horns blare in the background. We still see the solid song-writing of Andy Hull though with the line “I am the greatest man that never lived and now I never sleep.”
Both “April Fool” and “Pale Black Eye” carry us nicely through the album, the screaming vocals reminiscent of Mean Everything To Nothing, and calmer parts nodding to Like a Virgin Losing a Child. Virgin, another one of my favorites, jolts us out of our groove and says “hey look at me! I’m dark and different and dirty!” with lyrics “we build this house with our hands and our time, our blood… to fall down/Never gonna be the same.” I could see this song in a stage production with professional dancers stalking around on beat to a choreographed dance number. This song is so much more than a song, it’s like a rock opera in and of itself. “Simple Math” is another high point of the album; the guitar in the beginning is bold and in your face, and holy falsetto, Mr. Hull… I love it. “The truth cannot be fractioned” is going to be one of those timeless lyrics that seventeen year old fans will be saving up to get tattooed on their skin, I guarantee it.
The eighth track, “Leave It Alone,” is a nice break; soft and intimate with the words “leave it alone, leave me alone.” Apprehension. Solid song. Nothing too crazy which is probably good. I don’t think my brain could handle much more at this point. The album comes to a close with Leaky Breaks. It’s a comfy, cozy song, reminds me of being curled up by a fire with whispered vocals. It’s calm and quiet but holds your attention and finishes well as a closer to the album.
Simple Math is the perfect mix of Like a Virgin Losing a Child and Mean Everything to Nothing with just enough new sound and maturity to make it different. Simply put, it’s a rock solid piece of work and I find something new with each listen. Dare I make assumptions about the quality of a possible fourth album? Nah, probably too soon. Simple Math. Buy it. Listen to it. Worship it. Go see a show. I promise it’s worth every penny.
Track Listing:
1 Deer
2 Mighty
3 Pensacola
4 April Fool
5 Pale Black Eye
6 Virgin
7 Simple Math
8 Leave It Alone
9 Apprehension
10 Leaky Breaks
There was a line all around the block. 7 p.m. Pike Place. It was a Tuesday. A Tuesday. Two Door Cinema Club sold out the Showbox on a Tuesday, and with an early set time, no less. It’s easy to say that I was flabbergasted by how crowded the venue was and how pumped the crowd was, but that doesn’t really say anything.
I met a girl standing in line outside, who’d come all the way from Vancouver to see Two Door Cinema Club play on this Tuesday night. That’s saying something.
Starting out the night was Work Drugs, who all came out in matching suspenders (except for the one girl in the band) and dark sunglasses. They were fun, kind of loungey synthrock, stuff that you’d hear on an incredibly hip yacht.
It made sense for them to open for Two Door, to slowly build in the energy to the inescapable dance party that Two Door shows have proven to be. Probably the best part came when the keyboardist proclaimed, “This next song is called ‘Catalina Wine Mixer’!” And he shouted away from his mic, but still clearly audible: “It’s the FUCKING Catalina Wine Mixer.” I realize, however, if you haven’t seen the film Step Brothers, that joke doesn’t make any sense. But if you have seen Step Brothers, I’ll have to know that the song didn’t sound a thing like what you’d think the “Catalina Wine Mixer” would be in an indie rock song.
After Work Drugs finished out their set, local favorite The Globes took the stage to set up their gear. As the newly-signed-to-Barsuk Records band meandered around the stage, I thought to myself, “Hey, The Globes was the first band I ever shot.” They were, in November of 2009, when they opened for Telekinesis and the Lonely Forest at that very same venue. It made me feel really nostalgic, even if it was just a year and a half ago.
I can tell you, The Globes have gotten so much better than when I saw them last. They have much more of a loyal following, and they ruled the stage. An odd choice on the lineup for a Two Door show, they played to the energy and filled the Showbox with their heavy experimental rock.
The Globes created a wall of sound that hit me so hard that I wanted to go buy their album right then and there. Unfortunately I don’t own a record player and they only had a 12” available at the time. But their debut on Barsuk does come out next month, so that’s something to look forward to. But while you wait, I highly recommend seeing this band live, because even though now they’re a “Seattle band,” they’re originally from Spokane, on the other side of the Cascades, so they definitely don’t sound like everything else coming out of Seattle these days.
After the uproarious cheering that finished The Globes’ set, a surprisingly different kind of music came over the PA system. Familiar 90’s dance hits like “What Is Love,” and “Sandstorm,” as well as some recent hits remixed beyond recognition. It was a far cry from what we’d heard all night, and it definitely got the already energetic crowd moving even more. The floor even started to bounce. As I sat up in front of the barrier, I could see the top of the water in the bottles on the stage vibrating, like Godzilla was walking down Pike Place.
Thankfully, that wasn’t happening, but there was just as much screaming for Two Door Cinema Club than there would have been had Godzilla entered the room. It was a perfect show to shoot, after a month and a half hiatus of going to shows. I’m pretty sure I didn’t stop dancing, even after I did get hit with a spray of water from a bottle from the crowd.
Two Door Cinema Club repeatedly stated to the teenagers (but not just teenagers, I’ll explain in a minute) how Seattle has been the best city of every one of their U.S. tours, and we didn’t disappoint that night. Which in any other situation might have happened, since their set list wasn’t all new songs. Out of the 13 songs in the normal set, five of them were not on their debut. “Handshake,” “Kids,” “Hands Off My Cash,” “Costume Party” and “Moon” all being the new songs, it made me really excited for what’s to come for Two Door Cinema Club’s next album. I think I’d only heard two of those songs back in November when they played at Neumo’s, so the band is well on their way to record no. 2.
It may have been because the show was a whole hour earlier than what the Showbox normally does, but it was as wild and crazy as I’d seen a show since…well since the last time they were in Seattle.
At one point during the final few songs, bassist Kevin Baird asked the audience, “Do you guys like to dance? Do you like dancing? Well here’s a song that you can dance to!” And the crowd cheered in agreement. But I thought, We’ve been dancing the whole night, so clearly you can dance to all the songs.
But the best part of the night came during “Eat That Up, It’s Good for You.” I swear the latter half of that song is one of the best things on Tourist History, and it’s no less awesome live. The floor was still bouncing and the band, in all their youth, kept up with the frantic Tuesday-night energy tremendously.
After people started chanting “One more song!” and the adorable Irish band stepped on stage one more time, I noticed a women near the back of the crowd of people, who looked to be about 40. She was short, and at first glance looked like she was there as someone’s mom chaperoning. However, I was happily mistaken. Just like the spry teens sweating in the dense crowd, this woman was dancing her ol’ heart out. She wasn’t afraid to look like a dork, and it was kind of awesome.
So it just goes to show you, some bands can span all generations, even Two Door Cinema Club.
Set list:
Cigarettes in the Theatre
Undercover Martyn
Hands off My Cash
Do You Want It All?
Something Good Can Work
Handshake
This Is the Life
Kids
Costume Party
This is Moon
You’re Not Stubborn
Eat That Up
What You Know
Oh, SXSW. Sure it sounds glamorous with all the free tacos and beers, but honestly, this is one of the most tolling festivals you can attend.
This festival lasts a week to two weeks depending whereas most festivals are a mere weekend. Hot Austin days swiftly followed by breezy Austin nights makes it incredibly hard to choose how to dress. Then you have the tiring volume of walking and standing you have to do. With something like Bonnaroo you stay on a central farm and you have the option of grass to sit on. With SXSW you might start in the 6th Street area, but end up forty blocks away at the UT campus. Ohh, the foot blisters! Want somewhere to sit? Good luck unless you’re ok with getting your skinny jeans covered in the red dusty dirt. Finally, there’s the biggest challenge of SXSW: getting your phone charge to last the entire day. Other festivals can get away with a small booklet of the set times and a single map of the location. No phone necessary. But the vastness of SXSW not just with location, but also with where to find information on who is playing where with all the surprise performances, unofficial parties and whatnot, your phone is lucky not to be drained within the first three hours. Heck, something like Lollapalooza is walk in the park by comparison (literally, Lolla is a walk in the [Grant] Park).
So why go to SXSW if it is that brutal? Because the payoff of discovering new and fresh bands surrounded by people as genuinely excited about music as you are is 100 percent worth it.
This was my second time at the festival after first attending during Spring break back in ’09. It’s a huge advantage to already know how things work and to have a rough idea where things are located, but that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t in for a few surprises.
Our caravan arrived Tuesday night and too late to pick up our wristbands. Fortunately, for those like us wanting to get a jump on the shows, unofficial parties were already happening and they didn’t care about our credentials. We wholed up at the Scoot Inn and eased into the festival with some great psychedelic rockers such as Pujol, Bare Wires and Thee Oh Sees. Pujol was love at first sight with their intense energy and Thee Oh Sees were just as much fun to watch with their crazy expressions as they were to hear. Our group retired early from this Panache Party though so we could get an early start with the first official day of SXSW Music.
Wristband check-in was a smoother process than we anticipated, so we had plenty of time to grab breakfast tacos before checking out our first band day of the day. Breakfast tacos are a must if you’re in Austin. Not only are they tasty, but they give you plenty of energy — something you need to hop from one venue to the next.
From breakfast, my comrade and I set forth for Johnny Mellow’s: a bike shop. Bands will and do play everywhere they can in Texas: actual venues, pizza shops, streets and bike shops. It’s just another part of the SXSW experience. We were planning on checking out Seattle six-piece The Head and the Heart, but along our journey, we got distracted. Though it was only 11 a.m., a large crowd had gathered in a parking lot and our curiosity got the better of us. We edged our way through the crowd until we were just feet from the source of all the attention: Jack White. If for some reason you live under a rock and have no idea why Jack White is so such a big deal, it’s because he is the founder of Third Man Records and he’s the singer and guitarist in bands such as The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs and the former White Stripes. Pretty impressive resume. He was at SXSW for his mobile record store and when we arrived he was just beginning a rendition of “Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground” from his former band, the White Stripes.
SXSW was already off to a strong start, but we were determined to make it to the Head and the Heart’s set and we had several blocks to go. So from Jack White we continued West and finally found ourselves at Johnny Mellow’s. The Head and the Heart was quite possibly one of the (if not the) best bands of the entire week. They played upbeat indie pop rock enhanced with tambourines, piano and violin. The band was all smiles during their performance, so it was hard not to fall in love with their talent and enthusiasm.
Reinvigorated by the Head and the Heart’s set, we returned to the main drag of SXSW. From the Head and the Heart, it was dance time with the cheeky tunes of Auckland’s Kids of 88 and from there to synth-heavy Xylos. We cooled down with some distorted garage rock with Weekend (not to be confused with the extremely different The Weeknd) and later some unknown rock trio that was a bit of a letdown when I was expecting electronic act Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.
I didn’t stay disappointed too long because my musical A.D.D. quickly led us to move on and go up the street to the Mohawk patio where we caught the explosive set of Givers. I had been blasting “Up, Up, Up” in my car for the last year, but never really made it on to checking out more of their songs. Well, I can now affirm that all their songs are just as catchy and fun complete with the guy-girl harmonies, dual percussion and happiness. Moments of the set were clean cut pop, but then other moments bordered on tribal, yet all of it came together to be yet another of the more memorable SXSW sets.
So how do you follow up a band like Givers? You have to pick someone equally awesome, but in a completely different genre. So from their pop tunes at an outdoor patio, we checked out the very crowded bar Peckerheads to see Portland’s Starfucker. Now this band is catchy like Givers and they also have explosive drum parts, but the sound is vastly different. They’re loop-laden electronic rock. Starfucker is one of those bands that most people have probably heard without realizing that this is the band you were listening to all that time. Their music sneaks up on you because it sounds like you’ve been listening to it for ages even though they’ve only been around a few years.
We kept the piano-dance music going by next watching the much buzzed Oh Land at Lipstick 24. Oh Land is the type of female pop music I wish would catch on – not the crap on the radio that is Ke$ha. It’s smart, authentic and entertaining. She had just dropped her album the day before this performance, so there was a song that she hesitated on due its unfamiliarity, but otherwise, this was a flawless performance. Maybe this type of music will takeover yet…
Braids literally drew us in from the street as we were walking out of Oh Land. I didn’t even have this particular performance listed on my schedule, but the music was so warm and the harmonies so simple, yet so beautiful, that we had to stop and listen to a song or two.
Paste had a sweet party going on at the Stage at Sixth Street, so we stopped in for some indie rock from Ezra Furman and his Harpoon, Sondre Lerche and Eisley. We only caught the tale end of Furman, but it was a pretty smooth transition from that set into Sondre Lerche’s, so if you’re a fan of one, you’d probably enjoy the other. Eisley changed things up a bit, but introducing female vocals, but they proved just as entertaining to the Lerche crowd. Also, being Texas-natives, there was a lot of strong local support for Eisley, making the set feel extra intimate and helped it standout just that much more.
At this point, you might be noticing a trend. 1. Pianos/synths and 2. Female vocalists. I always knew I was a piano girl, but usually I’m all about the guy vocals. Is it just that the females were just doing an impressive job representing at the festival this year? Whatever was going on with the girl power, I kept my trend going by watching Gold Motel next. That’s right, girl vocals and piano! The Gold Motel was on my list of bands to check out, but I never got around to it. Back in the day, the Hush Sound awed me with their well-crafted lyrics and piano lines that drove me to the piano to see if I could replicate them. They were the exception to the usual cookie cutter acts that Fueled By Ramen, their label, usually produced in an effort to find the next Fall Out Boy. And as the exception, they were refreshing. But then the Hush Sound broke up. From its ashes, Greta formed the Gold Motel. The Gold Motel even drew members from another Chicago band I loved, This Is Me Smiling, so it’s extra surprising that it took me so long to catch them. The Gold Motel still contains elements of both The Hush Sound and even This Is Me Smiling, but its dialed back a bit and falls more into a jazz and bluesy groove. This genre seems to be a better fit for Greta’s voice, which while it was always lovely in the Hush Sound, it could easily be overpowered by the bigger guitar riffs or her fellow vocalist’s voice in that band.
I was excited for the band immediately taking the the stage after the Gold Motel. The Boxer Rebellion is a band whose album Union really caught my attention when it first came out. Compared to many of the indie pop bands I had been watching for most of the day, the Boxer Rebellion was considerably darker musically. The band has emotional lyrics and lush guitar lines. The music has an epic sort of quality, which is probably what led them to be such a good fit perform in the Drew Barrymore film, “Going the Distance.” This is the band that writes songs for the soundtrack of your life.
Being as that we were in Texas and had driven past the Texas Motor Speedway where racer Dale Earnhardt Jr won his first Nascar Cup, it was only fitting that at some point we listen to the guy’s namesake band: Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr. The band definitely got into the spirit of their name. A big “JR” cutout flashed bright lights in the back of their set up and the guys were dressed like racecar drivers just like their namesake. There’s a wee bit of a stereotype that goes along with the Nascar crowd, so it’s a little shocking to see these guys in their racer suits open their mouths and belt out harmonies that would make the guys in the hipster-friendly Fleet Foxes envious. If we’re going off stereotypes, the way this band sounds makes it seem like they’d be the type of guys who should be embracing the plaid, not the leather. As if the shock value of the racing theme weren’t enough, the band continued the outfit surprise by breaking out a light up suit jacket. They’re serious when it comes to the music, but they know not to take themselves too seriously.
So up until now, I had been dictating what bands my friend and I should see. What a trooper! She humored my whims and never complained, so I went with her to check out the one band she wanted to see: Idiotape. This Korean trio had one–just one–performance scheduled for the entire festival. Since they were from abroad, Austin was pretty much our only hope of ever seeing them. The guys were pretty expressionless, so it was hard to get a read on them. They looked like they meant business. Then a pre-recorded robotic sounding voice, said, “first you have the drums,” and then it continued out a beat, “1,2,3,4.” As commanded, the drummer started in on a drum pattern. Then it got more complicated. It was tongue-in-cheek and had me eagerly anticipating what the next pattern and command would yield. But then…nothing. The guys just rocked so much that they blew the power in the tiny room. Not sure if they’d be able to get things back and running, my friend and I reluctantly bailed. Hopefully, Idiotape will decide to do an extensive tour so we can complete a set with them. Alas.
With our heads bowed in sadness, we trudged up Sixth Street to our next destination. OK Sweetheart, a band previously featured in a PopWreckoning interview, was about to take the stage and they had some surprises in store, which quickly cheered me up from the Idiotape incident. As frontwoman Erin Austin hinted during our interview, some string players joined for several of the songs. They were a beautiful addition to the smooth vocals of Austin; the instrumentation for these songs were so lush and graceful sounding. The album comes out this April and is worth checking out.
From OK Sweetheart we crossed the street to Buffalo Billiards for Young the Giant. This was a band I was eagerly awaiting SXSW for, but they were perhaps the most disappointing band of my day. They sounded fine, but after all the standout performances I had already seen, they came across as too generic. I thought they’d get us moving more with their radio single sounding like a big anthem, but that big engagement moment just never came.
As I walked out of Young the Giant into the neon-lit streets, I noticed that activity had significantly picked up. Austinites who had gotten off work had now joined the fray of wristbanded and badged out-of-towners. Based on experience, I knew that this was the time of night when venues hit capacity. So it was time to plan ahead to be sure I would see the act I really wanted to see: Alexander. Alexander wasn’t scheduled for another hour and a half, but I decided to trek over to the Phoenix to be sure I got in. I’m glad I got there early – the venue was near capacity and I got there just in time to see another act that would be a top contender for my favorite of the festival: Naked and Famous.
Their radio single, “Young Blood,” had a bit of a Passion Pit sound to me, but their set was a lot more diverse than just that one similar reference. It was hard not to jump up and down or dance to all of their songs, especially “Punching in a Dream.” Though I thought my body was going to die right before their set from sheer exhaustion, they got me re-amped on SXSW. Naked and Famous are poised to be the next big thing, so do yourself a favor and get their new album now.
Alexander was my final act of the night before I could retire to the comforts of my sleeping bag. If I hadn’t been anticipating this performance so much, I probably would have bailed. But for those of you who don’t already know, Alexander, is the new solo project of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros frontman. If you got on the Edward Sharpe bandwagon this past year, you’ll probably enjoy Alexander. Giant tambourines, soulful singing and good vibes continue to abound. Even some of the backing members were the same between the projects. Yet there are some differences. Edward Sharpe songs are more happy family, romance songs. Alexander, as the solo project, features less harmonies and more introspective lyrics. There was something almost religious about the experience. Maybe it was the way Alex Ebert swayed every time he sang or the revered way the audience looked at him, but it was a very spiritual and uplifting set. Alex Ebert continues to remain one of the nicest people in music and when all was done – they honestly had no more songs left even though the audience was clamoring for an encore – Ebert did his best to appease fans with hugs, high fives and pictures. It was such a happy way to end the night and the first official day of the music festival.
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Check back for more to come from PopWreckoning’s Bethany and her experience at SXSW. You can see more photos from Day 1, Wednesday, March 16 below:
I’ll go ahead and say it just to get it out of the way. Radiohead is one of my favorite bands of all time! We don’t have a thing going on, we have a full on relationship! Going back to when I was in the fifth grade when Pablo Honey came out. I hadn’t really gotten into them as the only song I had heard was the overly played (and overly abused at Karaoke nights) “Creep.” But then again, when I was in fifth grade, my best fried Josh and I rode our bikes to school from the apartment complex we lived in, taking turns sharing the headphones of my walkman while jamming out to “Rump Shaker” by Wreckx-n-Effect. Yes, it wasn’t until Jr. High that Grunge/Alternative would overtake my life thanks to a group of friends introducing it to me just like that first day you were introduced to smoking weed in college. Unfortunately I really didn’t get into Radiohead until high school. I had owned The Bends, but never really enjoyed it. I think that had a lot to do with the fact that my three favorite bands at the time were Bush, Oasis and Alice in Chains… And yes my aunt bought me a Jars of Clayalbum which ended up as a coaster for my soda on my computer desk in my room. It wasn’t till I heard Paranoid Android that changed everything for me. OK Computer was the beginning of how I listened to music and how I appreciated it for the art and not just for “a good time feeling.”
I’ll be honest, I didn’t think Radiohead was going to release a new album any time soon. Yes, I had mentioned before on my year end list, and I had heard rumors that they were in the studio. But Thom Yorke and company are very unpredictable when it comes to releasing new material… Especially being that they self release their own albums like that of Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre. This time instead of giving a release date of the new album, Radiohead decided to surprise us and announce it last week and on top of that they even released it a day early online. However, we weren’t given the “Pay what you feel” choice that was given to us for In Rainbows.
The King of Limbs starts out with “Bloom,” a piano/techno based track with Thom’s haunting vocals remixed in between. Other stand out tracks include “Morning Mr. Magpie,” which has an upbeat electronic feel to it and my personal favorite “Lotus Flower,” which has elements of “Idioteque” from Kid A. If you were expecting anything like In Rainbows you will be very disappointed, or really excited depending on what your Radiohead taste is. Radiohead decided to go back to their Kid A/Amnesiac days which isn’t a bad thing, as Kid A was masterpiece in itself. Amnesiac, on the other hand, wasn’t as great and got boring after a few listens. This album is what Amnesiac should of been.
The other problem with this album is the length. It only has eight songs and some of them are not very long, which makes you want more from this record. Could this mean we might get another album later this year like how Amnesiac was released three months after Kid A? That I don’t know. But with the way things the band is doing these days and the fact that we can’t predict when they release material, it wouldn’t surprise me. Needless to say, it’s no Kid A, OK Computer, The Bends or even Hail to the Thief. But it’s sure as hell better then Amnesiac, and to some extent, In Rainbows, which I felt was really good for what it was but left me feeling empty. (XD Note: I’m leaving Pablo Honey out of this as I get really tired of hearing “Creep” and to be honest, it was Radiohead’s weakest album to date when compared with their other releases.)
Overall, this album is very enjoyable, but very short. I can’t say it’s as great as Kid A or OK Computer (which is hard to even compare to) for an electronic/experimental based Radiohead album, but it’s a lot better than letdown Amnesiac. This makes a great chillout album for when you need one of those stress free days… Or if you’re stuck living in Laporte, IN and working at Family Video and grow tired of kids running around, you can always plug this in and zone out for the next 30-something minutes. Just don’t zone out too long, or your boss might fire you.
This week I got to hear the whole thing, and can I just say – HOLY CRAP.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s proceed, shall we?
This Alaska-via-Portland folk band set the bar pretty high with their last album, Salvation is a Deep Dark Well, drenching it with dark mythical parables and so many heavy hooks that you wouldn’t even think it possible with an acoustic guitar, banjo, and mandolin.
But Dead Reckoning is exactly what it should be – a sequel to Salvation. It takes the dark themes that album did so splendidly and runs with them even deeper into this other world that no other band I’ve heard explore. It’s what goes through our heads on our most awful days but gives it a beat you can dance to.
The album starts with “I Broke the Vein,” an epic track that builds to a grand finish, similar to the way “Golden and Green” did on Salvation. After that comes the the soul-filled groove “Rotten to the Core,” then “It Came from the Sea,” which almost hints at a waltz, but the Builders and the Butchers are always full of surprises.
“Lullaby” is by far one of the best songs of the album with the carrying interlude of “la da da da da da das” that’s undeniably catchy. Most of this album is catchy and full of great hooks, but a couples softer stand-outs are “All Away,” the most beautiful I’ve ever heard from the Builders and the Butchers, and “Out of the Mountain,” a bluesy lament with quite depressing lyrics about a black heart and setting the earth on fire, but hey, everyone has a bad day. It would be a pretty good soundtrack to a particularly downtrodden mood.
After the blues, we’re given what sounds like a demo version of “Blood For You,” which is completely unmastered, almost like they played it in a garage and recorded just from the ambient sound. It’s a perfect representation of the passion and sound that comes from this band. But my favourite track is “Black Elevator,” with shares the same soul of “Rotten to the Core,” and the same dark theme as well. I mean, the song is called “Black Elevator” for crying out loud. Builders and the Butchers, how is it that you can make us want to dance to a song about going to hell? I love it.
I just love Dead Reckoning. It’s amazing on record and even more amazing live, so I suggest you go see when the Builders and the Butchers are coming to your town next, because it’s an unmatched energy that you surely won’t regret taking the time to see.
Upcoming tour (with Damion Suomi and the Minor Prophets):
I’m just going to tell you right now, when you get the newBright Eyesalbum, you need to take 47 minutes out of your day to do nothing else but listen. You like how I assume you’re going to get The People’s Key? It’s because it’s that good.
Seriously. Nothing against Conor Oberst‘s previous efforts, because they’re lovely, but just two songs into this record, I could already sense the awesome that was yet to come.
I was right.
Unlike the mopey acoustic folk that has pervaded Oberst’s career up until now, this record is incredibly infectious without taking itself too seriously. One in particular, “Shell Games” is so bouncy and sunny without being ridiculous. I can just picture the charming-but-not-overly-adorable music video that goes along with it with clever editing and bright colors. The last time Bright Eyes made me want to dance was, well… with Cassadega, but that was country. I wanted to swing dance to do a little jig. Now I actually want to dance, and not ironically.
While I’ll admit to waiting until the last minute to listen to this one, and I was half asleep when I turned it on, the stark spoken word opening woke me up to full attention. Oberst has taken some of the twang from previous albums, electronic and artificial instruments, pop hooks, brilliant lyrics, and put together a fantastic conceptual album.
With The People’s Key, Oberst hasn’t quite abandoned his old ways, but more or less turned up the volume. He’s created a more “finished” album without it being overdone. I don’t know what happened in the last four years, but whatever it is, Oberst has taken it all in and given it back to us in the form of an awesome multidimensional indie pop work of art.
Wait, I know what happened. Oberst grew up. I can hear it in the lyrics.
“Approximated Sunlight” is a beautiful and sleek ballad, “Haile Selassie” is a catchy pop hit, and the rest is just amazing. I’d rather not try and dwell on track by track, because you honestly have to hear this whole thing together. While the songs are great by themselves, hearing all of A People’s Key is an experience all its own.
I’d dare to say that it’s the best Bright Eyes album yet.
And it makes me really excited to see them at the Gorge in May for the Sasquatch Festival. Almost too excited.
Now I just have to make sure that you sat and listened to all 47 minutes of A People’s Key in one sitting. Did you?
Track Listing:
1. Firewall
2. Shell Games
3. Jejune Stars
4. Approximate Sunlight
5. Haile Selassie
6. A Machine Spiritual (In The People’s Key)
7. Triple Spiral
8. Beginner’s Mind
9. Ladder Song
10. One For You, One For Me
With SXSW approaching sooner than you think, it is time to start planning what bands and showcases you might want to include in your itinerary. PopWreckoning would like to make a little suggestion: MidCoast Takeover.
MidCoast Takeover is a two day showcase featuring some of the best Kansas City and Lawrence-based artists down in Austin. The showcase will feature over 20 bands spread out over March 18th and March 19th at the Liberty Bar.
The showcase is sponsored by the MidWest Music Foundation (who put on a great showcase last year), The Record Machine (home label to many of the showcase artists), PopWreckoning, Ink Magazine and local KC venues such as the Record Bar, Riot Room and Crosstown Station.
The band’s haven’t been announced just yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted once that information becomes official.
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Now with SXSW still a little over a month away, you can get involved with the MidCoast Takeover now by doing two things.
First, the MidCoast Takeover needs a little help making SXSW as affordable as possible for bands. It costs money to put together a showcase, so MidCoast Takeover has a kickstarter going until March 7 to help reach a $2500 goal. If you donate, you have the the chance to earn a variety of prizes. Depending on how much you donate, you can earn prizes ranging from cds, posters, national photo passes, music dvds and private tours of the Boulevard Brewery. Go here to donate.
The other way you can get involved is to attend a MidCoast Takeover pre-SXSW fundraising show at Kansas City’s Riot Room. Local bands Heroes and Villains, Waiting for Signal, Sons of Great Dane, Vertigone and Trystyl will perform a 21 plus show at 9 p.m. More information on the show is available here.
I want to take a long drive through the mountains listening to the newthe Decemberists‘ albumThe King is Dead: in the springtime, when the glaciers are just starting to melt and it’s not so hot so we can drive with the windows down instead of using the air conditioning, with our hands making waves outside the car windows along to the breeze.
It hit me today as I was walking my dog with my earbuds in listening to “June Hymn,” one of the latter songs on The King is Dead, how much I loved it. I’d heard the song live back when I saw the Decemberists at MusicFest Northwest in Portland September, but I’d forgotten how beautiful it was.
Beautiful. If I had to come up with one word to describe The King is Dead, it would be that. A stark difference from the epic folk opera The Hazards of Love, and closer to the feeling of The Crane Wife, but far simpler. The King is Dead is a collection of truly lovely ballads, heartbreaking laments, and down-home ditties. Even though the band consists of seven regular members, many of the best songs on the album, “January Hymn,” “June Hymn,” and “Dear Avery” feature for the most part front man Colin Meloy’s acoustic guitar and his wonderful harmonies with guest Gillian Welch.
The album starts off with the upbeat “Don’t Carry It All,” which aptly begins with the harmonica, giving us a glaring hint of what’s to come. We continue on with “Calamity Song,” a song that at first listen is catchy and delightful, but with Meloy’s clever song-crafting, you come to realize that it’s about the end of civilization. With phrases like “queen of supply-side bonhomie bone-drab” and “in the year of the chewable Ambien tab,” no wonder Meloy can trick us into singing along gleefully to a song about the end of days. Nearing the end of the album come a couple of sure-hits, “This Is Why We Fight” and “Down By The Water,” the latter of which was released back in November 2010.
There are a few songs on the album that almost remind me of “yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum,” but not a campy pirate shanty. Probably due to the accordion and fiddle, “Rox in the Box” makes you want to grab a pint and hike up your skirt and do a little jig, figuratively speaking. But the Decemberists’ sound is so very much their own, none of it seems out of place.
Now I don’t like country, but based on everything that the Decemberists employ on this album, you could call it country. Country…folk…rock…whatever it is, I like it. If all country sounded like this, with the subtle mandolin, banjo, not-so-subtle harmonica, and accordion, I’d be a country fan.
Earlier I said I’d like to listen to this album whilst driving through the mountains. I lied. I’d like to listen to it everywhere. It’s a throwback to when music, when life, when everything was simpler. Even to when recording was simpler, seeing that The King Is Dead was actually recorded in a barn outside Portland.
I’d be all for a barn tour. Now that would be the perfect place to listen to it, in a barn laying in a pile of old straw with the sun creeping in through the cracks in the decaying wood walls.
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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
