Koo Koo Kanga Roo is all about dancing, yelling, and bringing the party. Founders Bryan and Neil won’t be satisfied until the entire room has joined in on the fun. Think the Beastie Boys multiplied by Sesame Street plus the driving dance beats of Daft Punk and the live show antics of the Flaming Lips.
Performing in an indierockband was fun…for a while. Then the constant lugging of gear, half an hour sound checks, and an audience who was only ever half interested in the music they were playing began to take its toll. Bryan and Neil agreed there was more to being in a band than just playing music for their fans. The goal was to create the most fun interactive live show that no one had seen before. The tools to accomplish that goal were; a giant roll of paper (to cover their dorm walls with ideas), a few sharpies, their super weird imaginations, and no rules. A few months later, with those goal accomplished, a dance duo was formed, and that duo was Koo Koo Kanga Roo.
Koo Koo Kanga Roo have just launched a “Bestest Friend” cover contest and the winner gets a Koo Koo Kanga Roo show at their house. The band wants you and all of your friends to cover their new song “Bestest Friend” off their new albumMidnight Slushie which comes out September 13. Click here for the song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wGcmW5A5CI
It’s only 3 Easy Steps:
1. Video Tape a One Take, Single Shot Video of you and all your friends covering “Bestest Friend” live on your instruments and stuff. (No Edits, use your computer camera, etc.)
2. Post on Youtube with the Title (Koo Koo Kanga Roo “Bestest Friend Cover” – Name of your group)
Normally the commercial-ready power pop punk doesn’t sit well with the indie-kid vibe of Bumbershoot, but Motion City Soundtrack are just nerdy enough to still appeal to the regular festival crowd. And besides, Weezer was playing the main stage that night, and they fit perfectly into the smaller stage lineup for the day.
Plenty of young’ns ventured over to the Center Square Stage to catch Motion City and their catchy tracks, spanning from Commit This To Memory back in 2005 all the way to My Dinosaur Life which came out earlier this year. I particularly liked “Her Words Destroyed My Planet” off the newalbum, which to be honest I was little underwhelmed with this year. But seeing it live gave me that extra push to enjoy it to its full potential. There were several technical difficulties, as frontman Justin Pierre had to tell the sound guys repeatedly to turn up his guitar, which slowed the set down a bit, but once they got going, they didn’t stop.
Plus, don’t you just love how relevant Pierre’s shirt is?
Calling My Dinosaur Life, Motion City Soundtrack‘s fourth studio album, one of the most anticipated albums of 2010 is a bit of a stretch considering that listeners will have to wait a meager 19 days into the new year for the album to drop. However, that shouldn’t discredit Motion City Soundtrack’s chances at securing the reputation or ability to compose an album of the year recording.
But anyone who knows Motion City Soundtrack should already realize they have the potential of releasing album of the year quality recordings. Their previous three albums have all caused a stir among listeners. Yet, unlike most bands plagued by the hype of their next release, Motion City Soundtrack has released three substantial full lengths in their three attempts. Tried and tested, they leaves fans little reason to think their fourth will flop. I assure you, it has not.
While My Dinosaur Life is truly Motion City Soundtrack’s darkest and most angry album to date, it also remains alive and full of the raw and blatant honesty that grabs listeners from spin one. The album’s pop-punk structures have a tendency to lean slightly more towards the mohawk side of the spectrum. Collecting the spirits of their I Am the Movie past, their do it yourself styling allow them to hang with any punk band on the scene. While it’s true they’ve shared genres with overly polished bands, their influences to me tend a touch more Agent Orange. The album’s opening track, “Worker Bee” is a prime example of this. Rocking tongue and cheek wit, the band tends to feature a class clown kind of sarcasm. Justin Pierre slyly suggests of his life, “I’ve been a good little worker bee. I deserve a gold star,” charming listeners in a way that only a true smart ass can.
However, it’s important to remember that Justin Pierre is truly a smart ass with a heart of gold. As noticed in his lyrics, his sarcasm and biting bitterness often stems from a strong case of depression and situation life problems. Addiction and damaged relationships tend to be an ongoing theme throughout this and all Motion City Soundtrack albums. This is never more obvious than within, “Her Words Destroyed My Planet.” Pierre states, “I just want you to be happy/or something/but I guess anything is better than the time you spent/sitting and waiting for me to get it sorted out.” It would seem, in my opinion, Motion City Soundtrack seems to be at its best when Pierre’s life is at its worst. That level of reality simply cannot be faked or processed by any studio technician. From his frantic screams for medication in “Disappear” or life questions in “Skin and Bones,” deeper issues simply drive this band. It is this fact that separates Motion City Soundtrack from those pop-punk bands who “dance, dance” or want you to “close the goddamn door.”
But don’t be fooled into assuming Pierre’s papercut heartache is a dagger in the spirit of the album. The heavy handed storylines are stewed with a healthy mix of pop culture references to lighten the mood. The mention of Veronica Mars, silly rabbits and “go go gadget arms” lend listeners a bit of relateable nostalgia, placed casually over busy drum beats and flowing keys. Hell, the moog part in “Hysteria” alone is worth the cost of the cd.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. The week prior to My Dinosaur Life’s January 19th release on Columbia Records the album will be streaming in its entirety on the band’s myspace. If one listen isn’t enough to make you snatch up this well manufactured album, you might think about reconsidering your taste in music, because this album is a keeper.
Track Listing:
1. Worker Bee
2. A Lifeless Ordinary (Need A Little Help)
3. Her Words Destroyed My Planet
4. Disappear
5. Delirium
6. History Lesson
7. Stand Too Close
8. Pulp Fiction
9. @!#?@!
10. Hysteria
11. Skin and Bones
12. The Weakends
To help the band win, register at 101 the Fox’s web site and then vote for The Dead Girls to open for KISS at the Sprint Center before 9 p.m. Dec. 7. The show is Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.
As a thank-you for helping the band out, enjoy a free download the band made with Motion City Soundtrack‘s Justin Pierre when he was recently in Lawrence. Just right click and save as:
I already loved Justin Pierre of the moog-friendly Minnesota rockbandMotion City Soundtrack. And what’s not to love: funky hair, phenomenal lyrics that balance just the right amount of goof with soul-sharing and a killer knowledge of pop culture. But hearing him defend “New Moon,” to a room full of hipsters swearing they’ll never see that movie and I have to admit, I kind of fell in love with him a little bit more. He sure has some gumption.
Now it isn’t every day that you hear your favorite singer in a record shop talking sharing a movie review, but with Pierre’s Dino Campaign Trail, an acoustic tour in support of the upcoming album out this January, anything could happen. The tour itinerary was decided entirely by twitter and this led Pierre to Lawrence’s Love Garden Sounds to tape a live movie review with Lawrence’s Scene-Stealers.com.
This was their first time in front of a live audience and for such a popular movie, it was not so popular with the audience that considered themselves above such a film. Pierre gave it a solid review though and after hearing his thoughts on the movie, I kind of have a new perspective on it, too. Although, I kind of feel he was really giving “Face Punch” the solid rock fist and not “New Moon.” Oh, “Face Punch. Punch to the Face. Pow pow.”
The movie review was just an added bonus to having Justin in town. The real show would come later, but after the review, he played about four songs acoustic for the audience “Midwest Love Affair,” “Broken Heart,” “Disappear,” and “Fell in Love Without You” and even plugged in his iPod to play a few tracks off the new record. After getting a taste for the pieces, I’m excited, but it sounds a bit different than previous material – more tempo changes and different styles. It might take some getting used to, but knowing them, it will still be good.
As for the actual performance, there was some confusion where it was. Lawrence has plenty of venues, but this show was set at a warehouse for the Blue Collar Distro T-Shirt company. And after driving past several warehouses in an attempt to find the right one, we finally found it with a small group of shivering kids waiting for Justin to finish tuning up so the show could begin. Justin was ready a little before the promised start time, but insisting on waiting to begin at exactly 7 p.m., we held a moment of silence. It was short-lived and I’m glad because Justin is so rarely silent. Heck, during his performance he would even sing the solos of the other instruments.
At first I was sketched out by the location, but as the intimate set determined by requests that included “Indoor Living,” “Future Freaks Me Out,” “Everything Is Alright,” “Fell in Love Without You,” “LG Fuad,” “Disappear,” and more, I realized that this warehouse with green mannequins, t-shirts for up and coming acts and walls covered in not only Motion City Soundtrack posters, but Get Up Kids and Appleseed Cast and other scene-determining bands was the perfect location. It was historic. It was epic.
Justin answered questions dropped some pop culture references and finally called it a night as his voice started giving him some troubles and he still had one more day to go on the dino trail. My MCS-virgin friends that accompanied were eager to go home and check out the band’s other songs as they were impressed by how “pretty” Pierre’s voice was.
I was sad to call it a night, but glad to a part of such a special occasion. I filmed the whole thing and if I can figure out how to break it up to get on YouTube or something, I’ll be sharing it with you all soon, I promise.
As a special holiday treat, while in Lawrence, Justin Pierre recorded a song with local band The Dead Girls. The song is called “It’s All Happening.” And you can download it for free. Just right click and save as. Happy Holidays.
Recently, you might have been sucked into another viral campaign fanfaring “Cat Heaven.” It seemed to have some mysterious connection to Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, the Matches and Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack.
Well the mystery is over. The Keys to Cat Heaven is the name of the newalbum from pop quintet This Is My Suitcase. A few years ago, you might remember their lo-fi gem of a MCScover where they turned a Motion City song into a Thanksgiving song.
Their album The Keys to Cat Heaven is available now. Check out the title track:
Oh and for those of you who did see the viral campaign and were curious of the following:
I SAW WELCOMETOCATHEAVEN.COM AND WHAT IN GOD’S NAME DO YOU HAVE TO DO WITH PATRICK STUMP/THE MATCHES/MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK/LIMBECK/BOBCAT GOLDTHWAIT? IS THIS SOME NIGHTMARISH SUPERGROUP?
Patrick Stump (most notably of Fall Out Boy wealth) has been a friend to us and a fan of our music for the past few years. in fact, he is the very person who wisely encouraged me to thematically arrange The Keys To Cat Heaven.
The Matches have been both friends and fans of our band since we opened for them several years ago and tied the knot; furthermore, Shawn Harris (the brilliant frontman for the matches) is vocally featured on our album in the song “Jesusfreak.”
Justin Pierre (the cool-as-frost frontman for Motion City Soundtrack and Paper+Plastick’s own Farewell Continental) was one of the earliest supporters of This Is My Suitcase many moons ago, as well as the sweetheart who recommended us to our label Paper+Plastick; Sir Justin Pierre is also vocally featured on our album in the song “Stay Here.”
Limbeck are dear friends of ours for the last few years. gotta’ love Limbeck!
Liberty Hall is a breathtaking music venue, and sometimes a movie theater, with a blue ceiling with swirling, glittery stars. As much as I love the venue, I was a little surprised that Motion City Soundtrack was playing this particular place and I was even more surprised that there wasn’t a barricade for what I anticipated would be a rather pushy set.
To Reinvent started the show and these indie rockers seemed to enchant the audience with their female pianist Kari Gray, but they may have been too laid back to open for a group like MCS as their music came off as a little dull in the grand scheme of the show.
Next was the local group The Dead Girls (formerly Dead Girls Ruin Everything), a group sprung from the ashes of Ultimate Fakebook and Podstar, but this new project seemed to lack in the luster of the original Lawrence and KC staples it grew from. Although, they guys in this group did look more confident moving around the stage than the younger To Reinvent that preceded them.
Dear and the Headlights followed. I caught these guys opening for Jimmy Eat World in the spring and it was a blast to see them in a more intimate setting. Ian Metzger‘s vocals got mixed reactions. But, of all the openers these guys instrumentally shined and it was a thrill to watch different band members come up and hit cymbals throughout the set.
There is no doubt that Motion City Soundtrack deserved to be headlining this show. They delivered a killer set with a great mix of songs from all their albums. And even though they had a great set prepared for the show, they threw in “Hold Me Down” after the audience persistently requested it.
The special award for the night has to go out to their crew who kept really busy throughout the night grabbing the crowd surfers as they landed on stage. I’m sure they’ll rethink the no barricade thing next time. Although, Justin Pierre didn’t seem to mind sharing the stage with the surfers and even took the time to talk to a few.
“What’s your name?” Pierre asked one girl, who replied, “Katie.” When he asked her how to spell it, she yelled “K-State!” Which left Pierre looking a little confused, since I’m not sure he knew he was in the rival school of KU’s town, but he nicely recovered saying, “That’s not how you spell that. What are they teaching in these Kansas schools?” Everybody was in a playful mood and loving the show. Jesse Johnson threw a bottle cap at Pierre at one point during the set.
The music was fun, as usual, the band banter was hilarious, and this can be chalked up as yet another phenemonal performance from this band.
Set List:
Better
My Favorite Accident
When You’re Around
Make Out Kids
Capital H
Last Night
I Fell In Love W/O You
Attractive
Broken Heart
Time Turned Fragile
This Is For Real
L.G. FUAD
It Had To Be You
Hold Me Down
Perfect Teeth
Everything Is Alright
//
Point of Extinction
The Future Freaks Me Out
Motion City Soundtrack tugged on our heartstrings with their Acoustic EPand now there’s a video to accompany their absolutely brilliant acoustic rendition of “Fell in Love Without You.” You can check it out here: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSx9R_1aWTg]
Sure it doesn’t have their signature Moog or Justin Pierre‘s signature big hair, but give it a watch and we’re sure you’ll be as pleased as we were.
Now if for some reason you don’t have their Acoustic EP, which we gave a glowing review, make sure you pick it up now via iTunes.
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Concert Calendar
Nov 23, 2011
HaHa Tonka @ Recordbar, Kansas City MO
Nov 25, 2011
Thee Oh Sees @ The Granada, Lawrence KS
