popwreckoning

On paper, Jamie Stewart is a little intimidating. He writes brooding, intelligent lyrics for a band that I hold in high regard: Xiu Xiu. He is opinionated, but he has the wit to back his opinions whether on politics, social issues, the economy etc. Faced by the prospect of interviewing him, I was slightly trembling. What if I couldn’t reach his standards and came off as some dumb rando?

We found a “quiet” place for the interview just a block away from the interview: Pita Pita. I sat across from Jamie and he politely mumbled an apology for eating during the interview. Then, he began to stab his cup of fruit with a straw. A small smile crept up as I watched him use the straw. There was something so grounded in his behavior. My fear melted away and we began to discuss his band, his writing process, politics and a possible collaboration with bees…

Bethany Smith, PopWreckoning: Let’s start with your songwriting process. Especially with your last album, Dear God I Hate Myself, you have a lot of dark subject material/heavier subjects, but then you have some lighthearted things. How do you balance the dark and the light and where do you get the inspiration for what goes on to a record like that?
Jamie Stewart, Xiu Xiu: There is not really any attempt to balance it at all. It’s always an attempt to talk about the things that are happening in the lives of the people that are close to me and in my life and sometimes in politics. Sometimes those things are a little bit lighter and sometimes those things are incredibly morose and heavy. So, if it is a year that is entirely filled with hilarious things, then it will just be hilarious. I hope the next record will be hilarious, but if it is a year that’s entirely filled with doom, then it will be doom-filled. I guess that answers the second part of the question, too.

BS: With the politics angle, it seemed like while Bush was in office there were more political records and you had songs about that, but with Obama, there’s been a change in the volume of political angles. What’s changed with you with Obama in office and the change of politics and the changes with stuff like health care?
JS: I don’t the President is a maniacal idiot anymore, but he’s a politician still. I mean, I like him, twenty percent more than I liked Bush. He doesn’t terrify me, but the war is still in full swing, just not being escalated. I appreciate that he’s not giving up on health care, although the health care bill is…in theory, I’m glad it exists, but it doesn’t seem like it is going to help people particularly. He’s kind of exactly the way I expected him to be and its exactly the way I expected things would get in politics. I expected things would get a tiny, tiny bit better and slightly less terrifying, which they have. I didn’t expect the worst, but I didn’t expect anything wonderful to happen.

BS: Moving on from the lyrical aspect, how do you come up with some of the musical aspects like using a Nintendo DS for a song like “Dear God”? How do you think this would be a cool instrument to use?
JS: It’s kind of just that. Before I got into song writing, I was mostly interested in engineering and spent a lot of time initially just working on sounds before I really started trying to become interested in narrative songwriting. I have a lot more experience with that than actual writing. And probably trying to make sounds as important emotionally as harmony and lyrics, a lot of times, those begin with a sound and we try to work that into a song or build up a song around it.

Joshua Hammond, PopWreckoning: Based off what she said there with the sound, you seem to be the only consistent member of the band from beginning to end, how does that affect how your sound shifts from album to album: Seven people or primarily you?
JS: Depends on the song. Like the last song on the record, “Impossible Feeling,” Ches Smith played on it and Angela [Seo] played on it, then I played on it. And a cellist, our friend, played on it, and it does have a particular sound, but then on a song like “Dear God I Hate Myself,” I played everything. And that was a different type of sound. This is an obvious answer, but different people put their own hearts and own ideas and own interests in there. I don’t feel territorial at all ,but Ches lives in New York and Angela lives elsewhere, so there are days when I get to work with them and days when I don’t want to not work, so I keep going.

BS: There’s been a lot of controversy over your music video for “Dear God, I Hate Myself.” did you expect such extreme reactions?

Xiu Xiu – Dear God, I Hate Myself from Kill Rock Stars on Vimeo.

JS: No. We were really surprised. We were particularly surprised that a lot of the criticism had a racist orientation to it. A lot of them seemed to stem from  this belief that Angela, because she’s an Asian woman, is this terribly helpless person who couldn’t decide to do something totally gross of her own accord. The whole video was totally her idea, but there was all this speculation that I coerced this poor little Asian girl into doing something like that. If it had been some other chick, no one would have said anything like that. We were really, really surprised. It wasn’t overt racism, but it was racism by proxy of making stupid, ignorant comments and people accusing me of drugging her and insane things like that. We weren’t expecting it at all. We expected some people to like it and some to say it was stupid. There is a point to it, but as with everything, we figured some would get the point and others wouldn’t get the point. The other stuff we were really surprised by.
BS: I know when I watched it, it was hard to watch it because..
JS: It’s gross. It’s totally gross.
BS: It is gross, but it does make a lot of sense with the song and it is an important thing to get out there on a subject that a lot of videos wouldn’t even mess with in a two minute sphere; it’s something usually saved for a two hour drama trying to get an Oscar nomination.

JH: In some ways do you find the controversy has helped a little bit for people who might normally pay attention to you?
JS: Oh, I think if I looked on the internet, I’d have an answer for that, but I get way too freaked out and try to stay as far away from it as possible.
JH: Yeah, I never thought of that until right now.
JS: I’m sure there are, but it hasn’t changed our career.

BS: I think with that video, a lot of what helped me understand you weren’t doing anything malicious and just trying to get an issue across is that you’re involved with charities. Like on this tour you’re working with At the Crossroads. Would you mind telling our readers what At the Crossroads means and how you got involved?
JS: How we got involved, Brenda, who is a friend of Angela’s, does it and she came on this tour with us so it makes sense we’d do some work for it anyways and what it is is a referral and counseling service for homeless youth in San Francisco.
BS: How did you come up with the idea to take images and photos with fans to give to people for it?
JS: Yeah, each sort of level of donation, somebody can get something back for it. I wish that Angela and Brenda were actually here because while I’m involved, they’re doing most of it. If you donate at all, you get a poster; if you donate five bucks you get a little device from a truck stop and we’ll mail it to you.
BS: Have you already done some of these purchase?
JS: Yeah.
BS: What are some of the devices you got people?
JS: Actually, they did those. The one thing I did, there’s a set of unrealesed Xiu Xiu songs and if we raise a certain amount of money then we’ll release those for free download. Even if we don’t make the money I think we’ll still do it because the goal is pretty high, but still. If you donate 50 then this photographer shooting us will help make a special photo book for that person out of his photos. It’s pretty cool. It’s going pretty well actually. People can do it on our website at xiuxiu.org or at shows directly.
BS: Cool.

JH: You guys, throughout your career, have done a number of pretty amazing covers. I’m a huge fan of the “Under Pressure” one.
JS: Thanks.
JH: When you pick a song to cover, how do you choose that process? Is it just songs that you guys personally love?
JS: Yeah. that’s the only criteria. That it, within one way or another, meant something to us. It’s always an attempt to say thank you to that song and those artists. The motivation is never to remake a song or be better than that artist. It is an attempt to be gracious to artists that are really important to us.
BS: Yet you guys covered the Pussycat Dolls?
JS: Yeah. Haha.
BS: How’d that get in there?
JS: It’s a really filthy song. I loved how dirty it was. I spent a lot of time on the dance floor enjoying myself to that song.

BS: Haha. Yeah, I was just like on Youtube watching your covers and being like, ok Queen, Shangri-la and Pussycat Dolls… In addition to a lot of covers, you do a lot of collaborations. Do you have any upcoming collaborations? And following that, are there dream collaborations you’d like to do someday?
JS: I just finished doing one with Jonathan Mieburg from Shearwater and with John Congleton from Paper Chase producing it. That was in February. That’s not really a Xiu Xiu thing, that’s just Jonathan and myself. And at the end of April, Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof are playing all of Unknown Pleasures at a festival and then again in New York. I think that’s all that is coming up. As for dream ones, i don’t have any dreams ones. Usually anyone I want to collaborate with, I’m friends with and it isn’t unfeasible to ask friends to do it. It’s more fun to work with people whom you are pals with and know really well. It’d have to be something really insane then..like 50 million bees or something like that or with a volcano or something completely impossible.
JH: Which makes no sense at all, but when I was thinking who I’d like to hypothetically see you work with, I was thinking I’d like to take this band and Imogen Heap together because she does interesting things like using the poles of her staircase and stuff to record. Musically, it doesn’t remotely sound the same, but creatively, I’d like to see what would happen together. I wouldn’t mind seeing something something with The Books, too, because they have an album where they just walk around and record sounds.
JS: Yeah. I like that approach to things.

BS: Yeah, that stuff is becoming more popular. Like we played a piece called “Rollercoaster” and took a chainsaw to a ladder to be the coaster going up the ramp. I’d like to hear this bee collab…For a final question, there have been talks of a DVD. Is there anything more to that?
JS: Yeah. It came out with the last record.
JH: First thousand copies.
JS: It ended up being the first 2000. It was like a video collection.
BS: I thought I saw something about a DVD history story.
JS: Oh, we were going to do that at one point, but it ended up not happening, so we did this video approach instead.

At this point we got sidetracked by Jamie’s tattoo on his left arm. A combination of a deer with a human face, but arrows sticking out of its side. Slightly unjarring, but beautiful. Jamie said it was too personal to elaborate on, so after some more small talk we moved on back to the venue to see the band perform.

The advantage that Zoe Keating has over your band, be it present, fictional or future, is just that: Zoe Keating.

Independent in a way few others are talented enough to even attempt, this one-woman musician brings a completely new definition to the words self reliant. Packing of a cello and a handful of loop pedals, Keating manages to create a rhythm section, bridges, verses and choruses, bass and lead riffs, and a whole life of music.

I first experienced Keating a few years back as the opening act for Imogen Heap at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas. The memory of her set then prompted me to make sure to catch her in Austin. When I found out she was playing one time, at the Central Presbyterian Church, I shunned Dawes and several other listed bands to make my way to her stage. That intimate setting is simply nonexchangeable.

Keating herself is pretty nonrefundable as well. Classically trained from the age of eight, she is no hack. She’s found herself on the charts of both the classical and electronica sections of itunes, while managing to sell in upward of 30,000 albums. In addition to Heap, she’s worked with the likes of Amanda Palmer and traveled with the group Rasputina, whom she was a member of from 2002-2006. Just because you haven’t heard of her, doesn’t mean she’s not a road tested genius. She’s not that simple.

Her music is also actually quite complex. Each loop adds a layer, which build a chorus. As time passes, the movements build into full orchestrations that filled the steeples of the church in a way that those passing by might assume 50 people were playing.

But no, it was one girl. One extremely talented girl named Zoe whom you should check out.

Here at Popwreckoning, we’ve officially hit a level of mail that makes it impossible for us to give full reviews to every band. However, this does not mean we believe that these bands shouldn’t be granted some for of press.  It simply means we have to scale it down a bit. Therefore, we have opted to create a feature called Bite Size Reviews, which shall appear several times a week.  This feature will contain 5 reviews each under 100 words and links to the albums website, MySpace page or label.  We believe this is the best use of our mail and hope you too enjoy the reviews. They are as follows:

Greg Laswell – Covers
In the history of the world, I would have never imagined anyone could pull off a collection of covers featuring songs by the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen, Morphine, Mazzy Star, Kristin Hersh and Kate Bush without fucking up at least one. However, the aptly named Covers, the latest EP from singer/songwriter/twitter comedic genius Greg Laswell, does just that.  Managing to add his signature sound to each number without butchering the significance of 5 bands with very contrasting styles is impressive to say the least.   His ability to handle these individual sounds while tweaking them just enough to make them his helps make Covers an album and make Laswell an artist instead of that guy singing Jimmy Buffet at for beer money at your local bar.  (8 out of 10 stars)

website | myspace | @ beaumont club | Three Flights from Alto Nido review | @ world cafe live | @ sxsw 2009 | @ martyrs

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Tiësto – Kaleidoscope
So, I need to start off by confessing to fans of Tiësto that I may not be the best person available to give a fair review of this CD.  This is because I really could live a perfectly happy life without house music.  Remixes and samples seldom give me goosebumps.  Generally, I wish the originals has been left the hell alone. However, I’m going to do my best to stay positive regarding Kaleidoscope and simply say that I was rather impressed by the selections of artists Tiësto tapped to sample. When I think of house music, I seldom expect the likes of Priscilla Ahn, Cary Brothers and Tegan and Sara to touch my ears.  This alone should warrant this CD a single listen. I’ll let you choose if you want to keep spinning it after that.  (5 out of 10 stars)

website | myspace

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Asobi Seksu – Transparence
If Asobi Seksu can somehow fail to make you feel alive you might want to run down the street to your neighborhood family physician and place your order for a bottle of uppers.  There are few bands in the business with more charm and addictive tendency than this one.  Their new EP Transparence is par for the course. Sporting three songs and a remix this vinyl only release is the perfect follow up to the groups February 2009 full length Hush.  The only drawback I can find is that i personally have trouble moving past side A, which features a pair of brilliant songs in the title track “Transparance” and “Urusai Tori”. Rather than move on to a fairly reasonalbe side B, I often find myself simly starting the disc again. (9 out of 10 Stars)

myspace

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Imogen Heap – Ellipse
Anyone who knows me, or has been stumbled across my Facebook page in the past 3 months, has no doubt I am a fan of Imogen Heap. I’ve hyped her new album Eclipse the way the United States hyped Obama as the answer for change.  Her last album Speak For Yourself was just short of perfection and her work with Frou Frou doesn’t look bad on her resume either.  However, Ellipse to me feels a bit like a step backward for Imogen.  Her songs lack the catch that sucked you in on her previous records.  There are no golden tracks like “Let Go,” “Hide and Seek” or “Goodnight and Go” mixed in with the filler of her new work, noticeably leaving little reason for me to drop a twenty on the counter.  To date, I would have to call this album the biggest bust of 2009. It is a real let down. (5 out of 10 Stars)

website | myspace

Imagine a world in which the lovechild of Imogen Heap and Owl City produced a tiny robotic offspring with a heart made out of moog. If that world existed, that robot would be Lights.  It also, would be perfect.

Thankfully, there is no need for you to look for alternate planets to score such a mix. Lights’ new single drops right at the heart of a movement overflowing with sunshine synth-pop lullabies.   This Canadian epic indie pop new single “Savior” is no doubt destined to cause a stir both on the airwaves and in the hearts of fans across the world.  Look for it to drop October 6th with the release of The Listening on Warner Brother Records.

Lights: website | myspace

There is no name more recognized the world over than Michael Jackson. Just over two months before his 51st birthday, the King of Pop was rushed to the hospital for cardiac arrest and pronounced dead yesterday, June 25, 2009. His career began four decades ago with The Jackson 5 and blossomed into a rich and successful solo careers spanning decades. Five of his solo studio albums are among the world’s best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982) with over 100 million copies sold, Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

It should come as no surprise that many are calling Michael Jackson the Elvis Presley of our generation. Personal trials and tribulations aside, Michael Jackson was a great entertainer and earned the title King of Pop. He will undoubtedly live on in our hearts and minds. Read what some have to say about the late, great Michael Jackson:

“We will always love you, Michael, always.” – Jermaine Jackson

“Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be anyone comparable to Michael Jackson. His talent, his wonderment and his mystery make him legend.” — Steven Spielberg

“He was deep.” – reader Gladys

“R.I.P. to Michael Jackson my music god. R.I.P. MJ: he lives forever in my heart. I will never forget the day he came to see me in the studio and I played him music.” – Wyclef

“It’s taken me a moment to grasp this … I understand life and death are part of the same magnificent cycle. But I literally stopped and broke down When I received ‘that’ text . Mike’s music lives in my DNA. It’s bigger than tabloids. That music shaped me. The frequency is real. My heart and artistry are truly influenced and forever impacted. Thank you Micheal for your hard work , dedication, philanthropy, and the sacrifice of your young spirit. Your vision and imagination live through us.” – Erykah Badu

The Lost Fingers – “Billie Jean”

“This has blindsided me. I feel strange. And sad. Reminders of how short life is. I’m going to profess my love to someone. you should too.” – Ingrid Michaelson

“I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.” — Madonna

“I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!” — Britney Spears

“I would rather watch “Thriller” over and over than any other music video ever made.” – Shawn Fogel, Golden Bloom

“Heal the world make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race.” – Ashlee Simpson Wentz

“Stop the gossip, stop the speculation. Take a moment for Micheal and remember his gift to us all. He was truly great. May he Rest in Peace.” – Joel Madden, Good Charlotte

“Not many people have long successful careers in the music industry, yet alone over a 30 year career. Michael Jackson did and earned his title ‘King of Pop”. I’ll never forget the first time I saw “Thriller”. His voice, songs, dance moves and ground breaking music videos will live on forever leaving a legacy where we answer ‘yes’ to ‘do you remember the time?’” – Stacy Clark

“America lost a little bit of its history today. So sad when a true genius dies! R.I.P. to the gloved one.” – Mona Shiekh, Popwreckoning

“Michael was undoubtedly a great entertainer and his popularity spanned generations and the globe. Maria and I join all Californians in expressing our shock and sadness over his death and our hearts go out the Jackson family, Michael’s children and to his fans worldwide.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

“No one better than brotha Mike.” – Q-Tip

“Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!” – Sean P. Diddy Combs

“I know we make light of me never getting sleep and overworking. But I’ll say that he didn’t go in vein. I will do my best to slow down as to not overwork myself to the point in which I can’t even enjoy life anymore. I’m  devastated over this but we all have memories. I just hope that he will get due justice in all the press memorials and whatnot. I know he was mired in controversy the last decade of his life but i think its time we let him rest in peace and learn to separate the ART and the ARTIST. –that is the MJ I will forever remember.” – ?uestlove

“Off the wall was my second record I ever bought.” – Margaret Cho

“His music is just as relevant now as it was the day they pressed record, I’m sure it will remain so for generations to come. R.I.P. Mr. Jackson” – Samantha Ronson

“There was no one like him.” – Greg Laswell

“We should never stop talking about Michael Jackson. I hope Michael will get the respect he deserved.” – Rev. Al Sharpton

“Raising a glass for Michael! Wow – I was obsessed with Thriller when it came out.” – Ariel Hyatt, CyberPR

“Michael Jackson was my inspiration. love and blessings.” -
Miley Cyrus

“Being asked to give a quote about all of this. so in shock I can’t find any words…” – Kid Sister

“Michael Jackson died? Seriously, as Wolf Blitzer said it, my stomach got knots.” – James Shotwell, Under the Gun blog

“I keep getting chills. This is crazy. Too much.” – Estelle

“Today is a very, very sad day for music. Whether you are familiar with his work or not, the impact Michael Jackson had on pop culture made him one of the most iconic artists of all time. As a fellow artist, you can see what his music did—it transcended generations; It created a movement. It’s something people only dream of doing. He was a musical genius, and by far, one of the greatest performers of all time. There will never be anyone like him—ever. Thank you for inspiring us the way you did. R.I.P.” – Tamar Kaprelian

“Thank you Michael Jackson for being my FIRST of many! My mother took me to my FIRST concert, I was only two years old. I fell in love. My fifth birthday party was M.J. themed, I insisted. My mother found a lookalike to come sing happy birthday and I KNEW he wasn’t MY Michael.” – Solange Knowles

“A strange story comes to an end. i do hope that history will remember jackson the artist/genius/pioneer.” – David Ford

“Rip MJ! Dream as if u’ll live 4ever, Live as if u’ll die 2day. U only live once, but if u do it right dats all u need! U did it Big MJ!!” – Reverend Run

Petra Haden – “Thriller”

“Both parents on the phone asking me if I remember MJ inviting me to take a pix w/ him when I was a kid. I do. It was creepy. I refused.” – Annie Heckenberger

“Noooooooo! Michael Jackson was my childhood! I loved him. So so so so sad. So nearly saw him live. Just a couple of weeks. Crying.” – Imogen Heap

“Oh god…Michael Jackson just died. one of my childhood heros. moment of silence, sorrow and reflection on a massive talent & tragic life. let’s share a shrine/moment of silence @ 7:45 pm outside @thetroubadour tonight. if you’re coming, bring candles and flowers for the king.” – Amanda Palmer, Dresden Dolls

“We just cued up “Wanna Be Starting Something” in the office. What a great song. R.I.P.” – Diablo Cody

“R.I.P. Michael Jackson. Greatest performer ever.” – Talib Kweli

“Sad, sad day for the music world & for family/fans of Michael Jackson. he was my 1st favorite artist & 1 of the very best ever. RIP Michael.” – Earfarm blog

“Thriller” was the first tape I ever bought in a record store after I saw him go supernova on the Motown 25th anniversary special.” – Cary Brothers

“R.I.P. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. what a tremendous loss in one day…. thoughts and prayers with their families and loved ones…” – Mandy Moore

“R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON: We’re in a state of utter shock. You’ll be sorely missed.” – The Music Slut blog

;_; – Diplo

“I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words. Divinity brought our souls together on The Wiz and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the ’80s. To this day, the music we created together on Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all…talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.” — Quincy Jones

Chris Cornell – “Billie Jean”

“RIP Michael Jackson . My love and prayers go out to the Jackson family…’you are not alone’.” – Lindsay Lohan

“I guess it’s legit now. RIP Michael Jackson. Shit.” – Archie Powell

“I haven’t hope in so long that news isn’t true.” – Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy

“Reeling over the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett at the same time.” – BUST magazine

“I’m looking at pictures of my 14th bday party at Neverland Ranch, these memories will last forever!” – Kim Kardashian

Lightspeed Champion – “Thriller”

“We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only Pop music but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.” — Justin Timberlake

“In shock.” – Matt, The Music Slut blog

“Sad. Michael Jackson. Dead. Bum out.” – Eisley

“When we worked together on ‘Bad,’ I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on the one hand, and of the music on the other. Every step he took was absolutely precise and fluid at the same time. It was like watching quicksilver in motion.” — Martin Scorcese

“Listening to ‘Human Nature’ by Michael Jackson and I am crying.” – Trent Vanegas, Pink is the New Blog

“Feels hypocritical not caring about Ed McMahon or Farah Fawcett, and then being upset about Michael Jackson’s death. I didn’t know any of them.” – Paco Fish

The Gay Blades

“Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ.” — John Mayer

Robert Randolph – “Billie Jean”

“‘Let the madness in the music get to you, life ain’t so bad at all, if you live it off the wall’ – Thanks for the music, the moonwalk and my childhood.” – Ali Hussain, Popwreckoning

“Michael was a great and wonderful artist and performer. We were privileged and honored to record him and his brothers here at Philadelphia International Records.” – Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff

“I remember my brother and cousin in 1987 bringing the boom box out into the living room at my grandma’s house and performing a dance to “Billy Jean” they had made up. They had to be about 7 years old and doing the classic spin move and grabbing their crotches! My mom, aunt, ME and granny WENT CRAZY! Michael Jackson made the crotch grabbing move not raunchy BUT hot!” – Kaytea McIntosh, XO Publicity

Richard Cheese – “The Girl Is Mine”

“Sony Music Entertainment expresses deep sadness and sorrow at the unexpected passing of Michael Jackson and extends wishes of sympathy and condolences to all of Michael’s family, friends and fans around the world.” – Sony

We at Popwreckoning would like to extend our deepest condolences to Michael Jackson’s survivors. His musical legacy shall live on. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Led to the Sea, the new four song EP from a multi-talented New Jersey singer/songwriter is both literally and figuratively bring J.O.Y. to stereos and mp3 players everywhere. J.O.Y., or Jenny Owen Youngs, last caught my ear with her fun cover of “Hot in Herre”. The quirky charm that made that cover so much fun is still present in full force on this EP.

The EP is framed around the bass heavy “Led to the Sea”. The sequences are so catchy, they’ll be in your head and I love the text painting when Youngs follows herself vocally with an echo on the line, “Follow the breadcrumbs into the sea.” In the first version of this song, Youngs gives some Imogen Heap vibes, and if there was any doubt that she vocally had the prowess to match Heap, it is even more apparent in the more electronica version found in the “Funny Energizer Mix”. This mix isn’t too different than the original, but does feature a few more vocal effects and a synth that bubbles up through the music as if bubbling up from the depths of the ocean.

In addition to “Led to the Sea” and its mix, this EP includes “Clean Break (Mountain Mix)” and “Nighty Night (Strings Mix)”. “Clean Break (Mountain Mix)” sounds like Fiona Apple at the French Riviera and “Nighty Night (Strings Mix)” is like listening to a waltz by Beirut. Both songs toy with harmonies and dissonance, but are unquestionably intriguing listens.

Led to the Sea is available now.

Jenny Owen Youngs – “Led To The Sea”

Tracklisting:
01. Led to the Sea
02. Clean Break (Mountain Mix)
03. Nighty Night (Strings Mix)
04. Led to the Sea (The Funny Energizer Mix)

Jenny Owen Youngs: website | myspace

As the songwriter that was cool enough to impress celebs like Ellen Degeneres and Zach Braff, Joshua Radin has garnered a lot of attention for a guy who has just released his sophomore album Simple Times. Radin took some time out from a recent tour to talk to PopWreckoning’s Joshua. Check it out here:

Joshua, PopWreckoning: Hey, this is Josh. What’s going on?
Joshua Radin: Hey man, how are you?
PW: I’m good. Let’s start with your newest album, Simple Times. You left Columbia Records where you released Here We Were to independently release Simple Times on Mom and Pop Records. Why the change?
JR: I turned in Simple Times to Columbia and felt they didn’t hear a big pop, Top 40 single and I was like, “Well, yeah, that’s cause I didn’t write one.” They said, “Keep working on it and then we’ll release the rest of the record.” And I said I wasn’t doing that so I bought myself out so I could release the record the way I wanted to release it.
PW: I think that’s great. I have actually heard the record and I think it’s wonderful and I don’t know what they were looking for.
JR: Thank you. Well, it’s a major label system these days and who knows. Everyone in the company actually heard the record and they all loved it and were excited and they’ve been doing two years of work with me and they were super excited to get a product out there, but just the guy at the very top was like, “I need one single.” And I was like, “Sorry man. I don’t do Top 40.”

PW: I think that is very commendable in a market where people will completely change their sound and change everything about them for a label. I think it is commendable to find an artist that will not.
JR: Thanks. It’s sort of scary, but at the end of the day I was told when I signed with them originally that I would have full creative control about what was released and apparently that just wasn’t true.

PW: Your songs have appeared in television shows like “Scrubs”, “Brothers and Sisters”, and “Grey’s Anatomy”, as well as movies like The Last Kiss and Catch and Release. In your opinion, how do you feel that the visual media world is helping to shape music and do you think that television is becoming the new radio, thanks to the influence of people like Zach Braff?
JR: Sure, I think for about three years in interviews, I’ve been saying that TV is the new radio. I think it’s the visual. I think there’s a form of energy of creativity in different forms of media. I think that ever since radio has become this sort of enigma of what gets played on it and a lot of people that I hang out with don’t listen to the radio and I don’t really listen to the radio, well certain stations. I listen to NPR, stations that have a backbone and play what they want to play rather than what they think they need to play. I think it’s just a new marketplace for music and songwriters. I think that’s why so many songwriters have moved to Los Angeles from New York, is to play for the music supervisors because it’s almost like playing for program directors now.

PW: In the past, you’ve recorded with Imogen Heap and Schuyler Fisk and it has add a colorful touch to your raspy voice. Who would you like to record with in the future if you were given the chance to record with anyone?
JR: Well, Imogen, we didn’t record together. She remixed one of my songs, so we never actually sang together like in terms of harmony and stuff like that. In terms of collaborations that I’ve done in the past that I’m most proud of are Patty Griffin on this record on “You’ve Got Growing Up to Do”. I would say, I did the song “Sky” on Simple Times with Meiko, she was great.
In the future I guess I would say I would love to collaborate with Feist, Leslie Feist. I’d love to collaborate with Gillian Welch.

PW: You mentioned Meiko who is a staple to the Hotel Cafe Tour. The Hotel Café Tour in my opinion seems to have become a bit of a movement. Kind of like a Brat Pack sort of thing where you guys all work together.
JR: It’s really just a, well if you look in the hip hop world, every one’s just a strength in numbers. Everyone records with each other, writes with each other and promotes each other. It’s just the same sort of thing happening in the singer / songwriter genre.
PW: I would have never thought to make that comparison, but it’s very true the way you just worded it. What is it like to perform so closely with that group of people? I’ve heard Cary Brothers say that it’s like working with your family.
JR: It’s great. Cary and I have been playing that tour since it has started and it’s always a great time. You get to get on a bus with your buddies and collaborate. Every one brings his or her own sound to the shows and get to introduce other buddies to their fans. It’s a family vibe. It’s supposed to be like SNL – the not yet ready for prime time players.
It’s a tour of not quite ready to headline. If we can’t headline, let’s all do it together and you get some special guests every now and then like SNL, we’ll have a guest host or something like that who has been successful and will come back. That’s sort of the model I guess for it.

PW: Smart marketing idea. You’ve recently performed the song “Today” at Ellen Degeneres’ wedding, winning the spot over Justin Timberlake and George Michael. What was that experience like for you?
JR: I went in. I got calls saying that Ellen wanted me to play at her wedding a couple days before the wedding. I was on tour. I said of course I would, I would do it. I flew into LA and went to her house, it was her house in her living room. Just 20 people: her family. I played like six songs and then I had some cake and hung out and it was really fun. Ellen and Portia [de Rossi] are just so cool and nice and I can’t say enough about them.

PW: What’s in the future of Joshua Radin?
JR: I think my philosophy has become you play a show in a certain town so that you can come back and play a show in that town. So that you can make another record. I just want to continue what I’m doing and build a career honestly and organically. If all continues to go the way it is going now, I’ll continue to be the happiest person alive.
I really feel like I fell into this career late in life and I feel extremely fortunate. I’ve had some good breaks and also if you just combine good fortune with being honest you’re going to be successful and if I can continue to pay my bills doing what I love to do then that’s what success is to me. That and being able to order anything on the menu.
PW: Sounds like a good life. I appreciate your time.
JR: Cool man. See ya.

Joshua Radin: website | myspace | Simple Times review

Photo by: Deborah Lopez

Boobs, beer and stab wounds. This interview has it all. With the recent release of her debut album, I Came Around, Amie Miriello’s name should be on more people’s lips. If you haven’t heard of her yet, a good place to start is with her interview with Joshua. Then be sure to swing by this sassy songstress’ MySpace page to hear her powerful songs. Even if her genre of country-rock isn’t quite your thing, you are sure to fall for her charming personality.  Check out the interview here:

Joshua, Popwreckoning: You recently released your album I Came Around. How would you describe your sound?
Amie Miriello: My sound? Like poppy, peppy, soulful music that girls and guys can relate to and probably more female type music, but something that your boyfriend wouldn’t mind going with you to see. I don’t know. I’m drunk. Drunk music. It’s drunk music.

PW: What musical influences have driven your musical career?
AM: Joni Mitchell a lot, a lot. Joni Mitchell is like my god. Um, Ani di Franco, Radiohead, Pixies. A lot of stuff, but basically rock.
PW: All that sounds awesome. You said the Pixies, I love them.
AM: Oh God, I adore the Pixies. I’ve watched a lot of the documentaries.
PW: I saw the Breeders just a few months ago. I was really surprised that they were so crowd interactive. They talked to everybody. And I was like, “You don’t need to do anything. You’re a Pixie.”
AM: Yeah. They don’t need to do a thing. Kim Deal is awesome. Does she have a twin sister?
PW: That’s what I hear.
AM: Whenever I see her…I always see them and I can’t tell if they’re girlfriends or twins. I think they’re twins maybe. I think they’re twin sisters.

PW: You recorded the song “Disarm” by the Smashing Pumpkins, how did you come about choosing that song and are there any other covers in your future?
AM: Well, the Smashing Pumpkins were getting different bands together to do their tribute albums and they asked me, well not them specifically, but the management asked me to do it. They were going to give me some random one that I had never heard of and I was like, “Nooo, “Disarm”.” And finally they let me do it. I wanted to do kind of an acoustic kind of feel to it.
PW: How do you feel about them getting back together?
AM: I feel pretty positive about it. I’m a fan and I’m a fan of stuff that people don’t like, too. So, although I’d never get to talk to Billy Corgan, I think he is amazing. I haven’t really heard the new songs. Just bits and pieces. I’m always a fan of people trying to branch out and continue trying their thing. I feel like the real fans will support their stuff.

PW: Next question. Hm, it’s supposed to say which track off your new album do you like the most to play live, but it looks like it says which cat.
AM: Which cat? Haha. Hm. I don’t like cats. I like dogs. My favorite to play live is “Brand New” because people freak out. People know the words and I don’t know why or what it is about the song, but there’s always a group of girls yelling the words to “Brand New”. As a performer, you get random people that come to the shows and sometimes I’m playing for people who don’t know or give a fuck who I am or they don’t care. “Brand New”, regardless of whether it’s a crowd of people that know it or they don’t, it gets everyone’s attention.

-enter Amie’s guitarist, Jay-
Jay: I bought you a present.
AM: What did you get?
-Jay holds up A Confederacy of Dunces-
AM: [gasps] I’m really excited. I’m pumped. I have to finish my David Sedaris.
PW: Which one?
AM: When You Are Engulfed in Flames.
PW: The new one, right?
AM: Yeah.
PW: This is like one of my favorite interviews. We got to see him in Kansas City. He sat down in this tiny ass bookstore, like no bigger than this bus, and read from his book to the people. He is really funny live.
AM: I love him. And I love gay humor, pretty much all of my friends are gay and my sense of humor is gay. I want to be Bette Midler. So his books to me, any kind of gay humor, is just hilarious.
PW: It was so amusing. So many people showed up that they couldn’t fit them in the store, so they set him at the front door with a microphone. The front door was shut and the a crowd of people surrounded the store.
AM: That’s awesome. That will make you feel cool.
PW: It was so weird. He was reading from a fucking glass box. I had a feeling that anytime somebody was going to knock on the window. He was really funny and really cool. He stopped reading at like seven and stayed there until like 1:30 in the morning to talk to people and make sure that every person that came got an autographed book.
AM: That’s awesome.
PW: It’s cool that he’s not a diva and he has every right to be a diva because he’s a fucking genius.

PW: You’ve played with a band, but what’s the biggest challenge between going solo and playing onstage by yourself?
AM: I think it’s definitely, it’s got its ups and downs, but the biggest challenge is the vulnerability that I do feel up there. First and foremost, I’m a writer and I have to play in front of people and I have to play by myself with just a fucking guitar and be really vulnerable especially when people are drinking and are waiting to see someone else, you know? And kind of overcoming that anxiety every single night without a group of guys behind you saying let’s do it or without drums and electric guitar…that commands attention. And me by myself, I have to rely on my wit, my personality and my voice. So my fabulous guitar playing, which is mediocre at best, it’s really vulnerable. So it’s like I’m like a chubby teenager with braces getting on that bus and it makes you feel like that guy again. Sometimes I have to look in a mirror and say, you’re a big kid now you have to have a drink, shut the fuck up and get on stage.
PW: It is weird how vulnerable it is to get on stage and that’s the most uncomfortable feeling in the world. Yet if you didn’t have it, you’d miss the fuck out of it.
AM: Yeah. If I didn’t have it, I’d be like ‘Oh my God, what’s going on,’ but even playing in a basement I’d have the same feeling as playing at Radio City Music Hall. I’d have the same vulnerability no matter who I’m playing in front of.

PW: Of course we have to talk about the entire theater thing. You probably get asked all these questions all the time, don’t you?
AM: Yes.
PW: Of course. How much does that suck?
AM: It beats bartending.
PW: Really?
AM: Nah, I had a lot of money.
PW: I bet the questions are better when you’re bartending, too.
AM: Bartending was awesome. I had all this money from tips.
PW: There it is. You were probably bitching about the economy the entire way here.
AM: We’re not going to bitch about the economy. We’re going to drink our sorrows away.
PW: I want to work at a bar and listen to bands that don’t suck.
AM: I want to open a bar and be a bartender and just get drunk all the time.
PW: There it is. We could be business partners.
AM: Yeah. Let’s do it. We’ve talked about music and jobs.

PW: Creating music, blah blah, musical theater, What’s the difference between being on stage there and on stage here?
AM: I’m sorry, musical theater?
PW: Yes.
AM: I don’t know how much you know about me, but it’s like a known fact that I’m a terrible actor. I’m terrible. Not because of any other reason than if I’m stage then I can’t pretend like I’m crying and shit. So every part, I’m just blank face, but I would get all these parts because I could sing really well. But I’d get up there and totally butcher shit.
So after awhile, I was like this is embarrassing for everyone. Let’s just cut this acting shit and I should just do music. But what I liked about theater is the immediacy. You get on stage and it’s not like film where you can take a million cuts. You have to be on and you have to be good at the last minute. If you knock over the microphone, you can’t be like cut. Redo. You have to be like, there’s the mike stand. Sorry. I like that. I like living things in the moment, so I like that about theater, stage, everything.

PW: I think this crowd works better for you than the scripted life.
AM: Yeah. Oh my God. I was in talks with MTV for awhile because they wanted to do this reality show of this girl in a band and I was all about it. If it exposes my music then fine. I have no qualms about who I am. But what I do have qualms about is sucking at acting. And at the last minute they were like, oh it’s scripted. And I was like, that shit’s acting. That’s what actresses do. I suck at that. Then they had that show and I remember seeing that come on and being like, ‘I think that could have been me.’ It was a show about this girl in a band like Kyla or Kya or whatever the fuck her name was. It sucked. And I was so thankful because that was just one of many opportunities that I feel really great about they sucked. I think I have good intuition about what could ruin my career totally.
PW: MTV would be good at ruining your career.
AM: Exactly. If decided to become like a TV singer or in a movie. That would ruin my chances of being credible.

PW: The crossover works for some people. I think with acting you have to be an actor first and then come over to music.
AM: Well I think if you’re a serious musician. But your company wants to exploit you as a sex symbol or as a beautician act, because for some reason you can’t be a sex symbol or a musician you have to be either. I think that there’s a fine line. As long as that line exists, I can’t take the chance of making myself a sex symbol.

PW: You think that there aren’t exceptions to that rule where you can be both?
AM: I think that there are so many exceptions. I think that Tori Amos is one of the sexiest women.
PW: Me, too.
AM: I think especially on stage. I think Madonna is amazing, but it is ownership of your sexuality.
PW: That’s true.
AM: And because I am in the public, but nobody knows who I am yet except for like some random people, to come out as a sexual being is totally not what’s going to get me covered. You are what you are and you come out and people respect it because your sexuality then becomes just another facet of things that they like about you. That’s great. Sexuality can ruin music. They’re not going to listen to it objectively.
PW: Yeah and for some, sexuality comes first.
AM: Then you get those guys at every show who just want to bang me and I’m like buy the fucking record and I’ll talk to you for like 10 minutes. Buy the record, but your drunk ass doesn’t even like my music, so please.
PW: Buy 35 records, then you’ve got a shot.
AM: Yeah. Buy 1,000 records and I might let you touch my butt.
PW: If you make me go aluminum then you might stand a chance.
AM: Exactly. I’ll show you my boobs if you buy 100 records. And that is a promise. How much money do you have on you?
PW: Not 100 bucks. Did you not miss the economy talk where we were going to open a bar?
AM: Sorry guys, not going to get it. Can he borrow some money? Haha.

PW: Wow. That’s going to be fun to transcribe. This is going to be like the time that we made fun of Ingrid Michaelson’s boobs and she read the review and I was like “fuck!”
AM: What did you say about her boobs?
PW: We took some photos at the Hotel Café Tour and she was wearing like this open ended shirt that like shit was falling out of, so we were making jokes like we missed the entire show; we were seeing Ingrid’s boobs.
AM: Are they good boobs?
PW: They were pretty great, yes.
AM: What’s the problem then? I’d be like schweet.
PW: We tried to interview her later and she was like, you don’t care about my music, you care about my boobs. I remember your blog. You’re the boob blog.
AM: You know how many boob blogs I’ve had? Come on. You get over it.
PW: She was kidding, but it was not a good moment for me.
AM: She is funny.
PW: She is really funny.
AM: And she’s so fucking talented.
PW: She is. I wish she would take a little less of a commercial route.
AM: Singing in q pretty spot on Michaelson impression. “I just want to be OK, be OK, be OK. I just want to be OK, be OK, be OK.” I’m like, you know, you could have done without that song, but on her verse, it’s fucking great.
PW: She does balance it out. She does her one commercial song and then she has her seven other brilliant songs.
AM: She’s amazing. When she’s on stage, I don’t think she’s traditionally that hot, but on stage, she’s sexy. She has this sex appeal.
PW: She’s librarian hot.
AM: Like she’s like that librarian in a porn that’s like what and takes off the glasses and the hair comes down and you’re like ohh. Where the hell did that come from?
PW: She’s like I’ll punch you in the balls hot.
AM: Totally. Her guitar player is awesome. I love her.
PW: Her name. What’s her name? [Ed. Note: Allie Moss]
AM: It’s in that second song, what is it?
PW: I can’t…
AM: She’s bad ass. What is it?
PW: Bess something. Bess Rogers? Betsy was on our tour. Betsy was fun, you should check out Betsy.
AM: No, it wasn’t it. The female voice to me is just so beautiful.

PW: I prefer female music.
AM: I mean other than like Elliott Smith.
PW: Elliott Smith is basically female music.
AM: Yeah. I have a picture of like the Great Wall in LA. I walked by it and I have to say, I actually cried when he killed himself.
PW: It’s tragic.
AM: I never cry either. You listen to his music and he hates himself so much. We can all relate to that. I can. There’s 50 percent of the days that I hate myself, but then there’s like this person who is so amazing and talented who just hated himself.
PW: The way he went out!
AM: Oh stabbed!
PW: Stabbed himself in the chest.
AM: That’s the most hardcore way to kill yourself.
PW: Jabbed himself in the heart, pulled it out and jabbed himself again.
AM: And to get through the breastplate, it’s so hard, you to have such fucking determination. You can’t just be like hmm, you have to be like, I am fucking stabbing myself in the heart. Twice! I’m going to pull it out and do it again.
PW: Unreal.
AM: It is pretty hardcore.

PW: Let’s see. You’ve opened for a lot of pretty big names like INXS, how has the opening slot taught you to perform?
AM: It has taught me a lot. You see some performers that people are going to cheer for them regardless. They can get on stage and take a shit in a fucking CD case and sell it for a $100, it doesn’t matter, people will buy it regardless because they’re famous. Famous people are going to be loved and hated and cheered for regardless.
PW: And their shit doesn’t stink.
AM: And their shit doesn’t stink. But then you open, and not to be an ass, but when you open for someone like that, you realize what it is to be a musician and have music running through you and coming out of you. And for me, it’s humbling listening to a Beatles record or a Pink Floyd record and seeing that like I suck. I hate myself and I hate my music. A great opener can make you very insecure. The insecurity guides you to be better and work harder.

PW: I think one of the greatest live experiences has been when somebody comes along and is like I’m doing this. I love to see an opening slot kick a headliner’s ass. There’s nothing better than that.
AM: And it’s hard to do.
PW: Kevin Devine did it. He’s just balls to the walls energy and he’s a lyrical genius. The next band comes out and they’re just flat. The only band I’ve ever seen him hang with emotion-wise is when he’s on tour was with Brand New. Jesse Lacey is the same way. Pure emotion. It’s amazing to watch.
AM: It’s amazing. If me and Jay suck ass, it is hard because it is hard to play acoustic. It is hard to play acoustic for this crowd especially when on a tour with INXS. Yet what I do commands the attention, and I make it so. I’ll play random shit and I’m ready to take my boobies out if people don’t shut the fuck up and they’ll shut up. But then I’ll be like I’m not taking them out. But they’ll shut up.
PW: ‘I have your attention now.’
AM: It sucks that you have to use that, but I had a to do it when I was on tour with INXS, but they have a new singer from that show with them, but whatever, they’re them. They’re so great. They can give the shit. If something went wrong on stage, they made it funny. Before I toured with them, when something would go wrong, it ruined my show. Oh my God. I messed up that note. But nobody knows. First of all, nobody knows, you’re not that fucking important and then these people are here to fucking party. They’re not here to judge you. The girls sitting in the front that hate you because you’re a girl, they’re going to hate you regardless. If you can get past all that or be opener that could give two shits about all that, then they’ll like you. I guess I realize I’m not that important and if I can get through the show and make fans, then that’s great.

PW: I think that a lot of people don’t realize that the opening slot, your job is to come back here and if there’s 300 out there, impress 10. That way when you come back through, those 10 bring 10 more.
AM: Absolutely. I feel like I would get so upset and even now sometimes, when half the crowd wasn’t even there waiting for my set. But you know what? Things to know about myself: A. I barely showed up to see the opening act. I was going drunk and getting there in time for the headlining band. Now it’s different because now I’m an artist, but you know, whether you’re impressed by the opening act or not, it takes a lot to get somebody out of their seat and spend $15 to listen to music. And they have their seat right there and they know that’s where the band is playing next. It’s a lot. If you can get a couple of people to do that, that’s cool. If you can get a lot of people to do that, that’s fucking great. And it is hard to get anybody to leave their spot, because they’re there and the don’t want to lose their spot to get a CD, but they’ll do it at the end and come and hang it is cool. I’m learning to deal with that.
PW: I see a lot of bands doing the guilt thing to get people to buy their CD. The “We’re running out of gas money, buy our CD.”
AM: I don’t care about that stuff. I don’t have any money either.

PW: I just have a last crap question, so we’re just going to keep talking. I wonder how the economy is going to affect the live music.
AM: You know what I heard is that statistically, it is really not affecting the live scene because people want to go and see theater and see live music. So instead of buying that extra pair of jeans, they’ll want to go to a live concert. As opposed to getting the jeans and the concert, they’ll just do the concert. It’s the certain things that people will allow themselves to do and I think music will be one.
PW: That’s true. It won’t affect small shows.
AM: It might affect Rihanna.
PW: That’s true. It will hurt the Green Day tour. No one will spend $50 a ticket.
AM: My shows barely cost anything for a ticket.

Amie Miriello: website | myspace | I Came Around review

The end of one year means looking forward to the next and have we got some great releases coming in 2009! Here’s a taste of what the PW crew and some of you are most anticipating for next year.

The Decemberists – Hazards of Love (Mar. 24th)
The anticipation is killing us — and you it seems! — for Colin Meloy and co.’s latest full-length. This fall’s Always A Bridesmaid: vol. 1-3 certainly whet our collective appetite!

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast (Jan. 20th)
We love it. Every single second.

A.C. Newman – Get Guilty (Jan. 20th)
Trust us when we say the album is pretty solid and worth looking forward to!

The Shins

Imogen Heap

Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream (Jan. 27th)

Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You (Feb. 10th)

Placebo

Flobots

Dr. Dre - Detox

Modest Mouse

Absent Stars

Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

Kelly Clarkson

Amy Winehouse
Does she know about this?

Mastodon – Crack the Skye

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
He’s a favorite of the PW Philly contingent.

Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Oh, Moz. Don’t ever stop.

Silversun Pickups

Wilco

The Fray - The Fray (Feb. 3rd)

Smashing Pumpkins

Metric

No Doubt

Kevin Devine – Brother’s Blood (March)
Popwreckoning co-creators Jessica and Joshua are most excited about this guy!

Jack White/Bob Dylan – Hank Williams Project

Glassjaw

Antony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light (Jan 20th)

Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion (Jan. 20th)

Noel Gallagher

She & Him – Volume Two
If Zooey can tear herself away from fiancé Ben Gibbard long enough, we’d love to hear this happen!

Ben Kweller – Changing Horses (Feb. 3rd)

As a Hotel Cafe alum and with the 2008 release of new album Firesight, Jessie Baylin is going to be huge. With her first visit to Lawrence, Kansas, Baylin took some (and by some, I mean a lot) of her time there to speak with Joshua about her album, Hotel Cafe and even astrology. Check the interview here:

Jessie Baylin: So this is Lawrence, Kansas.
Joshua Hammond, Popwreckoning: Have you never been here before?
JB: I’ve never been here.
PW: This is the greatest, hidden music scene that you will ever find.
JB: Really?
PW: Yeah, a lot of people are from here and nobody realizes it.
JB: Wow.
PW: Mates of States is from here. The Get Up Kids were from here. The Anniversary is from here.
JB: That’s incredible. I went into, is it Richard’s Guitar Shop?
PW: I love Richard’s.
JB: It’s great and every one’s so sweet in there. I was cleaning out the van and looking for a trash can and I walked in there with a handful of trash and was like, “Hey, do you have a trash can?” So I brought them all my trash.

PW: Could you take a moment for our readers and tell them what you’re new album title Firesight actually means?
JB: Firesight means, exactly where I grew up. As a young girl, my parents owned a small bar and restaurant and there was a Jazz bar section to it. That’s where I grew up and where all my sensibilities come from. It is where I learned about different characters and what it is like to be in a strange adult world. It was just a very precious moment in my life. I felt like it was the beginning of how I began, so I thought it would be fitting for the title.

PW: I was reading a little about the cafe today, like stuff you said, and you can tell that it was one of your favorite places as a kid.
JB: Oh, yeah, defiantly. It actually wasn’t spelled the same way though, it was actually f-i-r-e-s-i-t-e, but I felt like I needed to change it a little bit, to make it my own thing. I mean, I’m a fire sign.
PW: Yeah, which one?
JB: Aries. 4-4-84.
PW: Our signs play nice together. That’s rare, Capricorns really don’t like anyone.
JB: (giggles)

PW: How has the response to the new album been?
JB: It’s been great. It’s definitely been like a discovery record, which is what I wanted it to start for me. And I think that’s how most of my favorite artists I’ve found out about. Because you have that like, finder’s fee, you know what I mean? You know, like it’s yours for a minute. I feel really good about it. It’s definitely a grower and people are still buying it, which is great, you know six months after it coming out. I’m really happy about it.
PW: With the finder’s fee thing, I actually thought that when you said that totally related to that. I think one of the most, it’s a slippery slope, but one of the most heartbreaking things is finding a band that is like yours when you’re getting to see them in venues with like 30 or 40 people watching them with you and you just adore them. And then two or three tours later it’s 600 and you can’t get near them anymore.
JB: Yeah, yeah. Like you can’t go get a drink with them at the little bar next door.
PW: Yes. But you’re still happy for them but…
JB: It’s bittersweet.
PW: Yeah. We’ve had that with Motion City Soundtrack and it went that way with Brand New, too. Where we were friends with Brand New when there was like 15 to 20 people in the venue…
JB: Wow.
PW: …and now, big giant clubs.
JB: Wow.
PW: It’s rough.
JB: (giggles)
PW: But we’re happy for them.
JB: Yeah.

PW: It’s what they need to do. And I got way off topic, which is what I do.
JB: (giggles) Me too, I have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), so I’m right there with you.
PW: Me too! It’s so bad. I mean, I transcribe these later and I’m like “what the hell am I talking about?” How do you think that discovering the greats like Nina and Billie Holiday at such a young age shaped you musically and how do you think that that made you into the musician that you are today?
JB: Well, I just think that their spirits came through to me, and I think to anyone that listens to those records, so powerful. Just, you know, they were so strong just coming through your speakers, you know. You got a huge idea of who they were and what they were about and the story they were telling. And the fact that they could just stand there and sing the lyric and just be these forces of nature, just blew my mind. I wanted to be that.
Once I saw Barbara Streisand and Judy Garland, and the way they like literally like put their entire bodies into their performances, it just fascinates me. And then discovering rock and roll and seeing Stevie Nicks and Chrissie Hynde. These women are just willing to be exactly who they are and make no excuses for it and just be a force. And that’s what I want to be, that’s why I’m supposed to do this and that’s kind of my purpose.

Jessie Baylin: website | myspace | Firesight review