popwreckoning

Currently on tour with Manchester Orchestra and Cage The Elephant, O’Brother is gearing up for a late summer album release, as well as touring throughout the year. The band just released a new song performed with Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra. Check out the video below:

http://vimeo.com/23962007

www.myspace.com/obrothermusic

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

Monday just got a little bit better. The Dear Hunter is offering “Deny It All” for free download.

“Deny It All” is the first song to be release off the forthcoming 9 EP collection, The Color Spectrum. “Deny It All” will be on the first of the Red EP. The song guest features Manchester Orchestra. Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull also helped produce.

To download the track, go to thedearhunter.com. You can also pre-order The Color Spectrum here. Watch a lyric video of “Deny It All” below:

Day 2 – Saturday

A full day off to enjoy the festival and beautiful weather? YES.

We didn’t plan on getting to ACL until 2:00 so Jason showed us around town.

Know the way to a girl’s heart? Take her to the most amazing grocery store she’s ever seen. Central Market in Austin is a place for food lovers, beer lovers, soda lovers, oh and especially cheese lovers. This place seriously has it all. They even had a Boulevard Brewery section!

Well and after you take her to Central Market, make sure you check out the highest point in Austin. It’s beautiful and overlooks the entire river, along with downtown.

Onward to Zilker Park for the fest!

As we were walking in the gates, Lucero’s distinct vocals were blaring over the crowds. We stopped for a minute to catch a song, then walked the distance of the park to the Budweiser stage where Gaslight Anthem were.

I absolutely love Gaslight Anthem, and this was no exception.

This is where I rant about how amazing Manchester Orchestra was: HOLY SHIT! I’ve seen them a total of 4 times now and each and every time they just get better. Opening with “Shout It Out” and even quoting friend/bandmate in Bad Books, Kevin Devine towards the end. The only set that I could actually stay for the whole time and loved every minute of it. Guitarist, Robert McDowell looked into the camera to say hi to his grandmother since the performance would be airing on the internet. Andy Hull then leaned into the mic, “guess what, Grandma? Robert’s drunk!”

Okay, you get the picture. They rocked it.

Walked over to see the end of Silversun Pickups, who were awesome, then on to the Austin Ventures Stage for the majority of the night.

Local Natives blew me away. I knew they were good, but I didn’t expect them to be this good. One of my favorite bands of the day.

The other favorite band of the day? Monsters of Folk, of course. I absolutely love Conor and have since the day I heard a Bright Eyes song way back when.

Opening with their single, “Say Please,” MoF immediately got the crowd involved. Throughout their set, members switched instruments and roles between every song. For their second song, Conor took over. “Soul Singer in a Session Band” moved the crowd in such a way that I haven’t seen in awhile. Beautiful.

Next – LCD Soundsystem! Once again, would have been much better at night instead of 6:30 in the evening. Even still, there was tons of dancing. A perfect warm-up for Deadmau5 who played directly after on the neighboring stage as the sun set.

On our way over to see headliner, M.I.A., Matt and Kim were shutting down their set. They were in the middle of a cover of Mario’s “Just A Friend.”

Halfway through M.I.A’s set (which she was super energized and awesome to see live), we decided to beat the rush out of the park and head back.

We then tried out 6th Street for a bit, which is a whole story on it’s own.

Read Day 1 here.

I am doomed to remember two boys with haunting voices – not because of their voices, or because they were responsible for my favorite live music moment, or even because they were the instruments of Jesse Lacey’s death, but because they are the reason I still believe in pop/indie music; I am a continued indie music fan because of Bad Books.

[Note: this is the altered first sentence from the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, a book everyone should read at least five times. Also, neither Andy Hull nor Kevin Devine have plans to kill Jesse Lacey, though I do feel they are partially responsible for the decline in the popularity of Lacey’s music as they have picked up and ran with the torch he once held proudly…but I digress.]

The above may have been a hyperbolic statement, but as with most good hyperbole, there’s a lot of truth to be found there. Let’s talk first about Andy’s and Kevin’s voice(s). Separately, they each sing with a distinctive and vulnerable style that can easily switch to an aggressive yell if necessary (see Exhibit A: “Cotton Crush” by Kevin Devine and Exhibit B: “100 Dollars” by Manchester Orchestra). Together though, they sound alternately like Elliott Smith doubling his own vocals on “Needle in the Hay” or like Guy and Ian trading shouts during Fugazi’s heyday. Sounds too divergent to be true? Give a listen to “I Begged You Everything” and “Please Move” in succession (Tracks 7 and 8 respectively) and you’ll understand completely.

Of course, two great voices (even those that mesh so wonderfully) nary a band or an album make. The attribute separating Mr. Hull and Mr. Devine (and thus this collaborative project) from so many others is their songwriting prowess; in fact, their unparalleled ability to write basically whatever kind of song that they wish is what prompted me to think of A Prayer for Owen Meany and my belief in indie music. You want a catchy, sing-along pop song about something seemingly dark (an abortion maybe?)? You’ve got “Baby Shoes.” How about a sad song of introspection with just a voice and an acoustic guitar? “You’re A Mirror I Cannot Avoid“ is waiting for you. A quirky pop song with melodies that have more in common with 1969 than 2009? “Holding Down the Laughter“ fits the bill. And on it goes; this album is as varied as it is brilliant, and I would feel as confident playing it for my 9 year old goddaughter as I would for my jaded too-cool-for-school music snob friends. And you, dear reader, will enjoy this album as well. Unless you’re an asshole or something. You’re not an asshole, are you? I didn’t think so.

One final thought (aside from wondering why I use so many parenthetical statements): collaborations always pose unique questions that put them in a different category than other albums. Primarily, people want to know if the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If I haven’t answered this question in so many words, then I haven’t done my job. YES! The answer is a resounding, enthusiastic YES! Don’t miss this album. You’ll only kick yourself in ten years when cool indie kids are citing it as an influence for their overwrought songs that will be easily forgotten. I’ve already written several.

It’s difficult to describe the feeling of seeing your favorite band live for the first time. A lot of words come to mind – incredible, intense and spectacular (just to name a few).

All of those words describe the Brand New and Manchester Orchestra concert last week at the Uptown Theatre.

The beautiful, unique venue hosted a three-hour onslaught of pure rock music.

Waiting through the line that wrapped around the outside of the building, you could feel the anticipation of the excitement about to come. These people had come to rock out.

The first band, Sybris, came on with powerful rock instrumentals and a very talented female vocalist.

This was the first time I heard the band and was very impressed by their level of musicianship. This is not the last we will hear from this band, and I expect them to move up in the indie rock world in the near future.

After their short set, Manchester Orchestra took the stage.

To say they melted people’s faces off with their intensity would be an understatement.

Andy Hull, lead singer and one of Manchester Orchestra’s guitar players, instantly commanded audience attention with eerie guitar tones and his vocal range.

After opening with the slower track “Pride,” they moved straight into “Shake It Out,” to get the crowd moving.

Songs such as the radio single “I’ve Got Friends” kept the set list moving fluidly. Fittingly, they ended their set with the song “Party’s Over/The Only One.” It was the end to their 30-minute party, filled with emotion, intensity and overall fun.

This band is going places and I would be shocked if they don’t have their own headlining tour soon.

The anticipation building before Brand New was thick enough you could have cut it with a knife.

This being my first time seeing them in concert, I was both nervous and excited. The whole day I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve – you know something big is coming, but you don’t quite know what to expect.

When the lights went out, the crowd immediately went into a frenzy. People began to push forward in anticipation, knowing they were about to experience something truly incredible.

From the first note of “You Won’t Know,” the show was intense.

Frontman Jesse Lacey’s vocals were truly powerful and mesmerizing. And even though he was sick, you could not tell it was affecting him in any way.

The next few songs switched between their albums The Devil and God and Deja Entendu.

A pleasant surprise was thrown in when they played “No Seatbelt Song” off their first album, Your Favorite Weapon.

This marked the next transition in the show. The backdrops came on and they began to play songs off their most recent record, Daisy.

It was very appropriate how they marked that shift because it showed how different the band is from their early days. The songs off Daisy are very emotional, dark and really captured the crowd.

The most emotional song of the night, by far, was “Jesus Christ.” It is extremely powerful and has a lot of meaning.

To wrap up their set, they performed “Play Crack the Sky,” and Hull, of Manchester Orchestra, joined them on stage.

It was a great ending to an incredible show.

I highly recommend listening to all of these artists and catching a show if possible.

A+.

Band Info:
Manchester Orchestra: website | myspace | Mean Everything to Nothing review | @ radio room | interview with Chris Freeman | @ lollapalooza | @ record bar
Brand New: website | myspace | Daisy review

Written by: Casey Osburn and Jacob Brewer
Photos by: Joshua Hammond

After already popping my Lollapalooza cherry in 2008 and coming back home actually looking like a cherry, I came prepared to Lollapalooza 2009 with lots of sunblock and summer dresses. However, Friday quickly showed that 2009 would not be like 2008 in that regard. As a cold rain trickled throughout the day, I spent the entire day shivering uncontrollably and cursing that I had left my sweatshirt 30 minutes away at the Catholic worker house that I was crashing at. In an attempt to warm up, I even tried to buy one of the absurdly expensive festival sweatshirts, but every booth was sold out, leading me to curse some more.

I was not alone in my cursing of the way events transpired that day. As Hockey kicked off the day over at the PlayStation Station, severe technical difficulties cut their set abruptly short. The large crowd which had gathered to hear the band that has exploded onto the scene since JC Penny started playing them in a commercial was disappointed, but Hockey tried to make up for the sound problems by jamming out with an impromptu drum solo and then throwing beer into the crowd (which I am sure made security happy as who knows how many minors caught those cans).

It was a tough call to choose between Manchester Orchestra and Hey Champ. Manchester Orchestra is a band I’ve seen several times before and they have always impressed, but Hey Champ has been getting a lot of buzz lately, so I wanted to see them too. I watched a few Manchester Orchestra songs first. I was impressed with how extra intense the yowls of Andy Hull were and how extra beardy he looked. Despite Hull’s chops, Chris Freeman always steals the show with alternation from keyboard playing to air guitar.

I dashed over to catch some Hey Champ and as I was walking up, they warned the front row to “cover your faces because this next song will make them melt.” Now, while there wasn’t a re-enactment of Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Arc, the fun electropop rock of Hey Champ might have at least rocked socks if they didn’t melt faces. I’m not sure I saw enough to decide if they were worth all the hype, but they are worth looking into further.

The Knux were next on my schedule. Despite not being a part of the usual genre that I like, it was fun to watch as the hip hop/rap crew invited fans on stage then proceeded to teach us how to do a dance and “put it in the air.” Despite the unnecessary swearing and the confusion of what song was about to be played (they would start a song, say it didn’t feel right and play something else), it was a blast to be in the crowd.

I was again torn at 2:00 p.m. as to whom I should see. I started with a bit of Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem. I’m not sure if if was them, sound problems or the weather, but something was just off and I left early, unimpressed. I went to the opposite end of the venue to watch some White Lies, which started to lift my spirits in the cold rain, but still was not enough to wow me.

The “wow” band was soon to come. And I caught Kevin Devine tucked away on the BMI stage. The crowd wasn’t the largest of the day (Bon Iver was a few stages over and LeAnn Rimes was getting ready to play as a special guest over at Kidzapalooza), but the people there were excited to see him. I was especially excited to see him get his own set at Lollapalooza this year after he surprised us last year by joining Brand New on stage for their performance. Kevin sang his heart out, but the crowd got distracted when they noticed Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull sitting on stage mouthing along to the set. As the overzealous crowd yelled for a guest performance, Hull eventually left the stage to let Kevin enjoy his moment in the spotlight. Hopefully no hard feelings, the crowd did not mean to make diminish his performance with their request.

I took a break to do an interview and got back in time to catch some Ben Folds. His piano chords carried throughout the streets and as  I heard “You Don’t Know Me” start, I ran over in hopes of seeing a surprise guest of some sort do the Regina Spektor part. The song was great, but I was disappointed to see that no guest would be joining him and a recording track would take care of the part. Alas.

The perfect harmonies of the Fleet Foxes warmed me up a bit, and I especially enjoyed their good humor as they joked about their beards. I would have liked to have heard some more new songs, but like many Lollapalooza bands, they stuck to what people knew and shied away from anything that was still in the works.

Tummy grumbling from a long day, I skipped the Decemberists, whom I heard were a bit of a let down, and walked past the jams of Thievery Corporation to grab some food and wait for Of Montreal.

As I expected, Of Montreal owned the day with their clusterfuck of a stage show. Costumed characters, balloons, confetti, trippy videos, glitter and more, they not only were tight as musicians, but they were the best performers of the day, really interacting with the crowd. They even had the best surprises. Janelle Monae joined for a few numbers, some of the stage performers surfed the crowd in an inflatable boat and to end the set, the singer tossed his guitar up in the air twice. When it didn’t break he just handed the whole guitar to a kid in the front row. Imagine going to a festival and leaving with a souvenir that was an entire guitar. Mind-blowing.

It was actually really hard to be super impressed after that set. Kings of Leon were kind of boring for a follow-up to Of Montreal. Depeche Mode was cool, since they’re fairly legendary and influential to some of my personal favorite bands (Killers at Lollapalooza on Sunday!!!), yet again, they couldn’t beat out Of Montreal as my most memorable act of the day.

Lollapalooza doesn’t end at 10 p.m. People flooded off in all directions to hit up after parties, both official and unofficial. I hit up one that was supposed to feature Kid Cudi and the Knux and an open bar (holla!). After a bit of a Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist moment–where’s bunny–they told us we had the wrong entrance and the line of people mad dashed to the other side, we finally got into this party. The acts did show, but went relatively unannounced and only did like one number, but the open bar was still pretty ace. The only performer who was there the whole time was a very intoxicated Hollywood Holt, but he was just enjoying the party.

Lollapalooza: Friday in summary:
Best set of the day: Of Montreal
Best surprises of the day: Of Montreal giving away an entire guitar, Janelle Monae, LeAnn Rimes
Breakthrough of the day: Kevin Devine
Biggest let downs of the day: Kings of Leon, Decemberists
Crazy crowd moment: Saw a woman taking a dump in the middle of the crowd at Depeche Mode…ew!!!

Lollapalooza: website | schedule | set lists | saturday