popwreckoning

As a record label, Paris’s Kitsune seem unable to make a misstep when signing bands. The latest artists they took a chance with that made it huge here in the U.S.? Hopefully La Roux and Two Door Cinema Club ring some bells for you. And it’s quite possible that the first album Kitsune releases on this side of the Atlantic, thanks to a recent deal with Cooperative Music and Downtown Records, could be just as big. As might be expected from their name, Is Tropical, a dance trio from London, make tropical music. And their debut album Native To, which quite possibly might be “the” soundtrack to the summer, is dropping just in time for the warmer weather, this Tuesday.

Early on in the game, Kitsune gave away “The Greeks” as a free download. With its quick guitar line, infectious chorus and relentless beats, it’s no surprise it’s been a runaway success online. Certainly, some of its popularity has to do with the unveiling of its NSFW promo video featuring kids in shooting each other, cartoon blood flying. Not really my thing at all, but I guess dubious promotion is better than no promotion. I like “South Pacific,” the opening track, much more; it’s got the same guitars as ‘The Greeks’ but is more mellow and less frenetic, which is better for summer driving music anyway. It’s like a tropical version of the The’s “This is the Day”. Watch the video for it below.

The tropicalia vibe continues through “Land of the Nod,” sounding like it could easily be placed as the background music for a Club Med advert, and “Clouds,” suitable for a Super Mario game set in the islands, mon (if Nintendo ever decides to go there, that is). “Think We’re Alone” will remind you of Cut Copy. And I did say this band was “dance”, and this is clear in the track “Lies” (not to be confused with Fenech-Soler‘s “Lies”). Compressed synths stretch around this track’s corner, and the words “they don’t love you / they just need a little sex sometimes / gotta shine through / don’t beat yourself up for being too blind,” while cynical, they ring true about some of the worst liaisons, don’t they? “Berlin” sounds like Kraftwerk redux, but with more heart. And vocals echoing all the while.

Here is the main problem I have with Native To: while of course there is echo and reverb on dance albums, for some reason, there’s too much of both on here. I admit that to some people, this is endearing because it gives the music a “lighter”, floating on air-type of quality. But a song like “Zombie,” with a dark vocal and even darker buzzing synth, tells you this band is capable of being a heavier band. It’ll be interesting to see what direction they take for future material – whether they stick with the tropical, dance beat formula or go somewhere else.

This is a good question, because there are songs on here that just don’t relate to the others. “What????” isn’t satisfying, with quickfire rap as an overlay on an otherwise hohum synth base. After Lupe Fiasco “lifted” the chorus from Modest Mouse‘s “Float On” for his recent single, “The Show Goes On,” you should be looking at the Is Tropical tune “Take My Chances” with a jaundiced eye. The melody’s a bit similar, isn’t it? Groan. The album ends with the instrumental jam “Seasick Mutiny.” It’s okay, just repetitive. While there are definitely some worthwhile tracks on Native To, I can’t call it a 100% stellar album. But it’s definitely worth looking into if you want to equip your car with some fun new tunes this summer.

Native To by Is Tropical will be released in North America on June 14 on Downtown Records.

Tracklisting
01. South Pacific
02. Land of the Nod
03. Lies
04. The Greeks
05. What????
06. Clouds
07. Take My Chances
08. Oranges
09. Berlin
10. Think We’re Alone
11. Zombie
12. Seasick Mutiny

Is Tropical: website | myspace

Indie-pop quartet Funeral Party will be opening for Panic! At the Disco along with fun. at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City this Sunday,  June 12^th. Their debut album, The Golden Age of Knowhere (released March 29^th), was produced by Lars Stalfors (Matt & Kim, The Mars Volta) and mixed by Dave Sardy (Band of Horses, LCD Soundsystem, Oasis). They’ve already performed on David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel, and have supported the likes of The Faint, Cut Copy, The Mars Volta, and Crystal Castles.

Amongst the insane amount of momentum they are gaining globally, Funeral Party is an Alternative Press Band to Watch for 2011 and they performed several sets at SXSW last March in Austin. With all of this press, they are definitely a band to see sooner, rather than later!

So how would you like two tickets to go see Funeral Party and fun. supporting Panic! At the Disco at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City on June 12^th? Leave a comment below by 12pm on Friday, June 10^th telling us the name of your favorite Funeral Party song and why. The comment that stands out to the Editors the most, wins.

Please remember to include a working email address so we might contact you about picking up your tickets.

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

In Washington last year, two adjacent businesses on H Street Northeast, the tiny live music venue Red and Black Bar and the burlesque house Palace of Wonders joined forces to create a combined venue, the Red Palace. I’d seen some shows at the Red and Black and while it was intimate, the ambiance was nothing to write home about. The new and improved Red Palace, I am happy to report, is a revelation. The performance space is on the top floor of the place and is as intimate as my other favorite venue in the city, DC9 (no wonder, it’s owned by the same folks) and it cleans up real nice. For my first show at Red Palace, I was there Saturday night to see the band who provided my best gig of 2010, the Postelles of New York City.

There were two opening acts for the night. Toronto rock band Dinosaur Bones was up first. Bass player Branko Scekic endeared them to the audience by starting their set, whispering, “We’re Dinosaur Bones. And we’re from Canada. We’re a long way from home.” Enter the “awwws.” Interestingly, he was the one delivering the jokes for this band (not their singer Ben Fox), commenting how much he loved Washington, saying, “my favorite [thing to see in DC] is the Washington Monument, because everyone knows what it looks like, no dicking around.” Laughter.

But let’s talk about the music. Listening to them live the first time, I had trouble thinking of how I would describe them. They’ve got Led Zeppelin riffs; disaffected, post-grunge Aaron Lewis (Staind)-like vocals, and the occasional feel of Creed? “Royalty” was a sure highlight, what a sexy bass line and great guitars accompanying it. It’s also worth nothing their lead guitarist Joel Clifton has an uncanny resemblance to Megadeth‘s Dave Mustaine. Make of that what you will. The band’s debut album, My Divider, will be released soon.

Snowmine, the other opener, is a Brooklyn psych pop band. When I think of “Brooklyn” and “psych pop” I think of Bear in Heaven. Similar, but Snowmine has a more tropical vibe. Think Bear in Heaven meets Cut Copy. If Jurassic Park had a house band, it would sound like Snowmine. Their first track, “Danger in the Snow!”, began with prehistoric programmed rumblings. But most of their songs involve maraca and tambourine shaking and big beats, and I also thought of the new wave of Men at Work and Toto‘s “Africa” as possible reference points. Cool vibe. I was definitely into the more upbeat numbers like “Penny” and “The Hill.” They also have an album coming out soon, called Laminate Pink Animal. Check ‘em out.

It’s hard for me to comprehend that the guys of the Postelles are barely into their twenties. I’ve seen them three times now (once, opening for Hockey, and twice as a headliner), and they play like seasoned veterans. It may be because of the many times they’ve played in our town, they always get an amazing reception, and who doesn’t play a great show when you have a great audience? Their debut album has been delayed for a long while but rumor has it that it will finally be released in April; physical copies of The Postelles were available at the DC show.

They previewed two songs newer than those on the debut album, “Bum Bum Bum” and “Running Red Lights,” both of which were in the standard Postelles vein of classic rock ‘n’ roll. In these days of high-tech gadgets, programming, and autotune, it was so nice to see four guys singing and playing guitars, bass, and drums without relying on electronics. Their songs are so poppy and peppy, it’s impossible not to have a good time letting while this band is playing. The crowd, while interested in seeing the band, appeared stiff at the start of their set, but everyone was dancing by the time the band got to “Sleep on the Dance Floor” (with its killer bass line) and “White Night,” right before the encore. It wasn’t much of an encore, because as quickly as they had jumped offstage, they jumped right back on, singing “Boy’s Best Friend” (an ode to a ex-girlfriend who turns out to be a lesbian) and a raucous rendition of “Beat on the Brat” by the Ramones that will forever be cemented in my mind. (It’s not every day a faithful blogger like me gets to duet with one of my favorite bands!)

The Postelles Set List
Bum Bum Bum (new song)
Looking Glass
1, 2, 3 Stop
She She
Stella
Hey Little Sister
Hound Dog (Elvis Presley cover)
Running Red Lights (new song)
Sleep on the Dance Floor
White Night
//
Boy’s Best Friend
Beat on the Brat (Ramones cover)

Tour Dates
Feb 16 – Maxwell’s / Hoboken
Feb 18 – First Unitarian Church / Philadelphia

The Postelles: website | myspace | interview with | @ Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel | The Postelles Premiere First Promo Video, “White Night” | The Postelles Announce Fall North American Tour
Dinosaur Bones: myspace
Snowmine: website | myspace

Melbourne’s synthpop act Cut Copy have released their third studio album Zonoscope, recorded over several months, in their hometown and then mixed by Ben Allen (Deerhunter, Animal Collective and Gnarls Barkley) in Atlanta. The album was released on Modular Recordings on February 8. With their fame being stabilized by their second album, In Ghost Colours, released in 2008, the new album has been in the making since the comedown of their second album. Zonoscope is in the same ballpark as LCD Soundsystem and Phoenix, but throw in some 70s and 80’s, with just a dash of tropical summer beats.

The band, being around about a decade now, is very ambitious in the sense that they devoted a 15 minute block to the song “Sun God.” The song is one of the more immediate tracks in the sense that it has a more distinct sound and an entire minute of the mantra: “You’ve got to live, you’ve got to die, so what’s the purpose of you and I?” Then the song is swept away into a spiraling instrumental until the end of the album.

Though in that ambition, it could alienate those who were looking for a continuation of In Ghost Colours. Especially with the stark contrast from 30-second fillers that filled In Ghost Colours to the abstract instrumentals that divide the tracks, giving the listener a flowing album and something that wasn’t expected. These could easily be mistaken as flukes instead of the miniature bits of genius they are.

Even in the small bits of chaos throughout the album, the band’s soul is in every note that they hold on to and every lyric that frontman Dan Whitford sings is a dazzling soft silky tone that also hides a bite. The band has it all for sound, upbeat kaleidoscopic synths, soothing vocal hooks, tropical percussions, bouncing disco beats and a Caribbean vibe. The album in itself is a melting pot of all of these ideas with the same shimmer that led to the band getting to where they are now. “Take Me Over” is a brilliant display of almost all of these aspects, and with the catchy hook: “take me over, take me out, through the jungle, through the night, to paradise,” it is one that can be instantly loved. “Where I’m Going” is an explosive festivity of a rock ’n’ roll core with kaleidoscope synth. It explores a new place that the band has yet to go and a possible hint into where they could be going.

Zonoscope is the most pure form of Cut Copy and their boldest effort to date. It is something new and the band has been consistently making new music and pursuing new territories. Also, keep in mind that the childish mindset that was seen in In Ghost Colour is still there at the core, but has started along the path of maturity and is shown through Zonoscope.

Track Listing:

1. Need You Now
2. Take Me Over
3. Where I’m Going
4. Pharaohs & Pyramids
5. Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution
6. Strange Nostalgia for The Future
7. This Is All We’ve Got
8. Alisa
9. Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat
10. Corner of the Sky
11. Sun God

Melbourne, Australia’s Cut Copy will be touring North America this spring in support of their forthcoming album, Zonoscope, due out February 8 in America. The Aussie synthpop band will be supported on all (non-festival) dates by New York’s Holy Ghost!

These North American dates follow a European tour. The band will also be making appearances, naturally, at Australia’s Laneways Festival in February, as well as Miami’s big electronic music festival, Ultra, on March 26.

Tour Dates
Mar 26 – Ultra Music Festival / Miami
Mar 28 – Masquerade (Heaven Stage) / Atlanta
Mar 29 – 9:30 Club / Washington DC
Mar 31 – Trocadero / Philadelphia
Apr 02 – Terminal 5 / New York City
Apr 04 – House of Blues / Boston
Apr 05 – Club Soda / Montreal
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 – Grand Ballroom @ Regency / San Francisco
Apr 20 – Granada Theater / Dallas
Apr 22 – Stubbs / Austin
Apr 23 – Republic / New Orleans

Cut Copy: website | myspace | @ 9:30 Club, 2009

Weary festival goers clutched their Starbucks cups closely on the CTA. The enthusiasm for day 2 of Lollapalooza was there, but the energy was not. Friday had been hot and filled with a combination of lots of dancing and walking. The evening was packed with after shows and after parties, so passengers suavely tried to glance at the tangled wrist bands of others to see what Chicago venues they had ended up at or in some cases, were just now returning home from.

For those that thought Saturday would leave thoughts of Gaga in the dust, they were wrong. One of the first bands I saw that day paid her an early afternoon tribute. Over at the BMI Stage, I caught the pop rock act: Skybox. These guys are Chicago-based, but they also have a Kansas City (where I’m from) connection. So I already, felt a bit of a bond to these grandiose rockers. The band’s singer, Tim Ellis, quickly had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he bounced around the stage singing catchy hooks and amping the crowd up for the rest of the day. When it came time for their last number, he said they were dedicating it to Lady Gaga, and he disappeared. When Ellis re-emerged, he was wearing a sparkly bra with his striped pants. Once past the initial shock of his change, we went with it and started dancing and having fun. It was like a big party in front of the stage. Fantastic.

Wild Beasts were one of those surprise bands that I ended up loving and had just kind of stumbled into. I honestly, didn’t know a thing about these ethereal rockers, but from the sampling I saw, I’m recommending everyone check them out.

Dragonette continued the trend of the BMI stage featuring synth-heavy, up-and-coming rock bands that were great for dancing. Considering that Gaga was able to blow up after her hot mess of a set on the BMI Stage a few years ago, I wouldn’t be surprised if this tight performance launches Dragonette into even bigger stardom.

Speaking of hot messes, I was less of a fan of the poptart I saw at the Hard Rock Music Lounge: Kristine Elezaj. She wants to be the next Britney or something, but with her over the top performance for a bunch of already established music industry people was a bit much. Honestly, we don’t need to see some over produced act feeling herself up while we’re trying to enjoy lunch. Ugh. Disgusted, I hurried back to the festival for some guaranteed good music.

More from day 2 soon to follow!

Tomorrow, Friday, August 6, Lollapalooza kicks off. Here are our recommendations for Friday survival and fun.

Tip 1: Let’s start things off with the weather. Unlike last year, it is supposed to be sunny all weekend! Yay! However, this means it will also be hot, even with the festival being set up next to the lake. So stay HYDRATED. And as awesome as it is, beer is not a means of hydration. WATER is a must. Fortunately, Lollapalooza, does have water stations set up (you can usually find them by port-a-potty areas). So there’s no excuse for not drinking water. And when you’re done with your plastic bottles or cups, make sure you recycle. Lolla has plenty of recycling stations throughout the park.

Another tip: Sleep. Especially tonight (Thursday) because between the actual fest, stuff to do in Chicago, and after shows, you won’t get much sleep the rest of the weekend.

Tip 3: Show up early. Especially on the first day when they have to put wristbands on. If there’s a band you want to see, it will take awhile to get through the check-in and over to the stage, so don’t plan on seeing a 1 p.m. band showing up at 12:50. It isn’t going to happen. There are two entrances to help people get in Grant Park quickly, but it will still take some time. Also, show up early because there are some great bands that start playing really early in the day. Don’t regret missing These United States at 11:15 a.m. because you were still watching TV at your hotel.

Tip 4: RSVP. There are tons of free events going on after the festival. More great bands, free drinks and more fun. But there’s a catch. A lot of them require RSVPs. So plan your post show fun now and double check if you need to RSVP. There’s some good recommendations on free after events here.

Tip 5: Watch bands you’ve never heard of. Look at the schedule. I’m betting you haven’t heard of quite a few of the bands playing, but go check them out. Did you know that just a few years ago, Lady Gaga played one of the smaller stages during the day? No one really knew who she was then, but now she’s headlining! So go discover someone awesome.

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Five bands to check out each day:

Friday: These United States (11:15 a.m.), Jukebox the Ghost (1:45 p.m.), My Dear Disco (3 p.m.), Devo (4 p.m.), Lady Gaga (8 p.m.)

Saturday: The Morning Benders (12 p.m.), Skybox (12:30 p.m.), Dan Black (3 p.m.), Gogol Bordello (3:45 p.m.) Cut Copy (7:30 p.m.)

Sunday: Health (11:30 a.m.), The Antlers (12:15 p.m.), The Dodos (1 p.m.), Freelance Whales (3 p.m.), Yeasayer (4 p.m.)

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PopWreckoning will be at Lollapalooza! We’ll post our reviews, photos and interviews over the next few days here. For more immediate coverage, follow PopWrecker Bethany on Twitter at twitter.com/glowah.

Lollapalooza is an intense experience, but a fun one. Should you manage to find energy after already having spent 12 hours listening to music in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park, then it’d be in your best interest to continue the festivities with official Lollapalooza afterparties.

Thursday after shows include Devo with Dirty Projectors, Slightly Stoopid with Collie Buddz, The New Pornographers with The Dodos, The Big Pink with Night Gallery, and Cymbals Eat Guitars with Young Galaxy.

Friday shows include MGMT, Cut Copy with Dragonette, The Walkmen with Warpaint, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros with Freelance Whales, Wild Beasts, and Rogue Wave with Gamble House.

Saturday shows are The National with The Antlers, The Black Keys with the Morning Benders, Minus the Bear with Miniature Tigers, Blitzen Trapper with Avi Buffalo, The Soft Pack with Royal Bangs, Wavves with Harlem, Gogol Bordello, and Precision Guided Musicians featuring Hot Chip (live), Rusko, Steve Porter and more.

Sunday ends with Phoenix with Toro y Moi and HEALTH with Chandeliers.

Tickets for the after shows go onsale Friday, June 25 at 10 a.m. Get them here.