popwreckoning

Sometimes there are those albums that hit you in a place that haven’t seen the light of day in months. I mean, you have all the glittery pop that sinks its way into your eyeballs, the dance rock that makes your feet jitter about, the heavier rock that you feel in the depths of your stomach, and then there are albums that penetrate your cerebral cortex like Friends for Now, the debut album from the San Francisco collective Young Prisms.

This album came to my attention very late at night, in the last remaining hours of winter freedom between quarters at my University, and it couldn’t have been the better soundtrack to the occasion. Music that my elders may sometimes call “noise,” Young Prisms sound like My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth got together on a sunny day and took some acid. It’s very post-post-post-rock, almost like the falling action of the Animal Collective-esque climax, if post-rock was described in dramatic structure. Now some of you may be like, “then why the hell would I want to listen to that?” Some of you may be like, “Anything that sounds like Sonic Youth must be a work of genius,” and some of you may be like, “what, acid? I want some.”

Whichever person you are, the music that Young Prisms put out on their debut record might be exactly your cup of tea, or it might just be a special cup of tea for a certain kind of mood.

For me right now, it’s my cup of tea.

Being of the “shoegaze” variety, lyrics are often indecipherable, and therefore aren’t the most important part. Like I said before, the music (whether I can understand the lyrics or not) found its way into my brain and drowned my head in sound. Now I’m sure it would be a different experience if it was live or if I was on drugs, but as a completely sober human being I enjoyed Friends for Now very much. I will warn you however, it’s definitely not an album to belt out with your friends on a long drive with the windows down or “dance” to (I say “dance” because it would be more like swaying and…well…gazing at your shoes). The songs on Friends for Now rang from the 0:58 trippy and distorted “All Day Holiday” to the 5:57 dreamy epic “In Your Room,” but all of it flows together perfectly, and when your iTunes is set on a 10-second crossfade, it makes for quite an interesting listening experience. “Feel Fine,” “If Don’t Get Much” and “Breathless” are my stand-outs, mixing the fuzzy guitars with an easily discernible baseline, melody, and beat, which definitely makes Young Prisms more than just “noise.” Now get the album, start a pot of Yerba Mate, plop yourself down in a huge comfy chair, turn the lights down, put on your inexplicably large noise-canceling headphones, and let ‘er rip. Hopefully, if you’re in the right mood, you’ll quite enjoy it.

And I’m off to have another cup of tea.

Tracklist:
01 Friends For Now
02 If You Want To
03 Sugar
04 Eleni
05 In Your Room
06 All Day Holiday
07 Breathless
08 Feel Fine
09 I Don’t Get Much
10 Stay Awake

Find them here:
Tumblr
Myspace

The backstory of London, England’s the Big Pink is, shall we say, quite interesting. Robbie Furze (vocals/guitar) and Milo Cordell (programming/keyboards/synthesizer/vocals) first joined up to run a record label called Hatechannel. At the end of 2007, they got to the point where they wanted to make some noise of their own and see where it would lead. They’ve admitted that they originally wanted to be “the digital Velvet Underground” and “more Phil Spector than My Bloody Valentine“; these descriptions may give you some indication of what they sound like if you’ve never heard a tune of theirs. But their foundations in loving the Band (whose first album provided the band’s name – Furze’s parents were huge fans of Robbie Robertson‘s group) and soul legends like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding should not be dismissed. In fact, the duo now say they are more of a “soul band” than anything else; they are quick to dismiss the lazy “shoegaze” label that was applied to them almost immediately when they first appeared on the British music scene. They appeared at the Black Cat Saturday night with Long Beach indie rock band Crystal Antlers.

Because of the freak D.C. area snowstorm earlier and the deathly cold temperatures, I wasn’t sure how many people would actually be in attendance. Before the Friendly Fires / the xx show at the Paradise in Boston the night before, I chatted with some fellow English music fans who said the crowd for the Big Pink at that venue earlier in the week was small (around 100 people). So I wasn’t sure if Washington would make a good showing. When my friend and I arrived in our winter coats and stepped on the main stage floor at 10, my worries disappeared as I saw the crowd that had assembled and ready to receive the opening band (which, in my experience, isn’t always the case at a local show). Phew.

Crystal Antlers launched into a set of psychedelic but raucous numbers. The first question that came to mind when they started playing: do you like Procol Harum? (Their classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale” should jog your memory, if you ever listen to compilations with names like Songs of the Sixties.) If yes, you will like what organ player Cora Foxx brings to the table. Jonny Bell, the band’s singer/bassist, has a shouty style of vocal delivery that didn’t impress me much, but the audience was receptive and overall approved of the band’s sound, especially when they went for it, guitars flying and percussion crashing (drums by Kevin Stuart and all manners of other percussion by a very lively Damian Edwards). A good example of their style was “Tentacles,” the title track off their 2009 debut album.

When the crew began setting up the stage for the Big Pink, I spied strobe lights, big and small, being hauled out and carefully arranged. The last time I’d seen anything like it at the Cat was for White Lies last winter. In a ridiculous way, the Big Pink’s lights and fog far surpassed that of White Lies’s set-up in March. I think both the lights and fog detracted from the fantastic, but brief performance they put on for us. Furze stood center stage in a black muscle tank – note emphasis on the muscle. The boy is ripped. He was also sporting a Metallica tattoo on his right arm and multiple gold necklaces (with key pendants) around his neck that looked like they were stolen from the stylist’s trunk of the xx. Cordell stood behind his synthesizer, wearing a hoodie and looking completely content to let Furze take the limelight.

Live, Cordell and Furze are augmented by Leopold Ross (bass) and Akiko Matsuura (drums/vocals). One of the best moments of the night was when Furze and Ross went balls to the wall with their guitars, like in “At War with the Sun,” balanced oh so well with the wistful refrain of “Young hearts know nothing but say it all / celebrate no control / but it is enough to realize / and miss us when we’re gone / live for the words that we sung / and don’t let go.” Breathtaking. Furze slowed things down a bit with a cover of Otis Redding‘s “These Arms of Mine,” which showcased his amazing voice. The Big Pink’s far too brief set was punctuated by their latest single, the almost celebratory “Dominos,” fists a-flying in the crowd to the band’s rhythms. Bloody fantastic. Following the 2010 Shockwaves NME Awards Tour in the UK in February, the band will return to North America next year for a March-April tour – I highly recommend seeing them before they start filling bigger venues.

The Big Pink Set List:
Too Young to Love
Frisk
At War with the Sun
Velvet
Crystal Visions
Count Backwards to Ten
Tonight
These Arms of Mine (Otis Redding cover)
Dominos

Tour Dates:
Mar 10 – Great American Music Hall / San Francisco*
Mar 12 – Neumo’s / Seattle*
Mar 13 – Venue / Vancouver*
Mar 14 – Doug Fir / Portland*
Mar 18 – First Ave / Minneapolis*
Mar 19 – Turner Hall / Madison, WI*
Mar 20 – Metro / Chicago*
Mar 22 – Southgate House / Newport, KY*
Mar 23 – Grog Shop / Cleveland*
Mar 24 – Mod Club / Toronto*
Mar 26 – Cabaret / Montreal*
Mar 27 – Paradise / Boston*
Mar 28 – Maxwell’s / Hoboken*
Mar 30 – Webster Hall / New York City*
Mar 31 – Theatre of Living Arts / Philadelphia*
Apr 01 – Rams Head Live / Baltimore*
Apr 02 – Cat’s Cradle / Chapel Hill, NC*
Apr 03 – Masquerade / Atlanta*
Apr 05 – Club Downunder / Tallahassee*
Apr 07 – Warehouse Live Studio / Houston*
Apr 08 – Parish / Austin*
Apr 09 – Granada / Dallas*
Apr 10 – Bottleneck / Lawrence, KS*
Apr 11 – Bluebird / Denver*
Apr 12 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City*
Apr 14 – Rhythm Room / Phoenix*
Apr 15 – Casbah / San Diego*
* with A Place to Bury Strangers

The Big Pink: website | myspace
Crystal Antlers: myspace

Gossip is currently on tour, rockin’ the country. Last month, Sara had a chat with guitarist Nathan “Brace” Paine and talked about European radio, queers, fat girls, and their newest release, Music for Men.

Sara, PopWreckoning: In an age of music where so many genres are bent and merged, how would YOU classify Gossip?
Nathan Paine, Gossip: God, how would I classify us into a genre? I don’t know, I mean, that’s kind of a hard question. Cuz we enjoy sort of spreading out. I don’t know. How would I classify Gossip? We’re a band.
BOTH LAUGH
PW: Well what I mean is, there is so much music that’s genre bending and merged together. There’s so much music that breaks all the rules. So what would be the best way, for someone who hasn’t heard you guys before, to describe you guys sonically?
NP: Oh jeez. I like to think sometimes that we’re a soul band?
PW: I like that. You don’t have to pick just one genre!
NP: Uhhh…..a soul disco band.
PW: Soul disco! I like that!
NP: Like a soul-disco-pop ticket?

PW: I would have said something similar! I read about you talking about this Suicide Club in Portland?
Nathan: Oh yeah, yeah.
PW: Tell me about it, and why is it illegal?
NP: Umm…Maybe I shouldn’t be talking about that.
BOTH LAUGH
NP: Um well, it’s not that it’s illegal. It’s like an underground spot, in this little illegal warehouse bar. That was a dance club that I did for years in Portland that was like post-punk music and electro and sort of everything.
PW: Any chances of it coming back?
NP: I don’t know! I mean, I would LOVE to, but it’s just…I tour so much it’s hard to sort of set up a proper party, y’know? Cuz you’ve gotta take time to flyer around town, and I’m not there to flyer. But yeah, I love to DJ. I was thinking about doing a new night. So, possibly, yes.

PW: Ok, you were mentioning touring so much. You guys have….Europe has been really good to you guys, yes?
NP: Yes!
PW: Tell me a little bit about that.
NP: Yeah, Europe’s been really good to us and I can never really figure out why. I feel like we approached things the same way over there as we did over here. I don’t think there’s necessarily anything we did different over there. It’s just…people really rallied us from the get-go over there. I don’t really know why. I think, I mean, y’know… Maybe it’s cuz we’re from the South in America and it’s different, y’know? But I don’t know. And y’know the radio over there too is interesting. Cuz in America they say it’s not pay to play. But mainstream radio is COMPLETELY pay to play. And they only stick to certain playlists. The DJs have no power over what they want to play, really. In Europe, like in the UK, on a BBC or whatever, the DJs actually get to pick what they want to play. It can be totally indie, totally independent, or not. I mean, they have a few things they have to play like anything else. But it’s definitely more freedom on the radio over there. So I think that might have something to do with it as well? I don’t know.
PW: Huh. That’s interesting to hear. I didn’t know that about radio in Europe.
NP: Yeah it’s really… I don’t know if you’re familiar with Jon Pill. He’s like the British guy who….
PW: Yeah, I was reading a little bit of Beth’s (lead singer, Ditto) comments on that.
NP: I think he really started something amazing over there with this weird radio thing and playing records you like and that you want to champion that are not popular.
PW: That’s awesome. That’s really awesome. We need more like that over here.
Nathan: Ohhh… We need a Jon Pill so bad.

PW: (Laughing) Um…speaking of your guys’ success in America, you guys, last year, got some exposure from MTV on a couple of spots.
NP: We did!
PW: Did that help build your US fanbase some?
NP: Oh yeah, I remember that. I don’t know. We haven’t really played America since then. We played in Seattle recently and we’re touring in October, so we’ll see.

PW: Ok! You’ve said that nothing has changed for you guys since you broke through. Is that really true? Have there been no major changes at all?
NP: You mean personally, or whatever?
PW: In any way, shape, or form. You said that you guys still live in the same house?
NP: Oh yeah yeah….I do, we do. I mean, well, Beth just bought a house, but there have been a couple changes, but I still really feel like we’re the exact same people. I don’t think it’s effected us really. I mean, we’re on a major [label], so there’s like, y’know…there’s some better treatment or whatever. Like, the tours are cushier. But those are little changes. I don’t think personally it’s affected us really. In our day to day lives, I don’t think we really feel it.
PW: That’s cool that you can remain so grounded around all that.
NP: Yeah, it’s really important to think about, I think. I think we all try to keep ourselves grounded all the time. I think it’s important. To continue to be creative, I think you have to do that.

PW: Yeah, definitely. Speaking of things that are important, you guys have become role models and icons for both the LGBT Community as well as Beth, for plus-size girls everywhere. How does that feel?
NP: I support it 100%. I really think that Beth as this icon for girls as well as the Queer Community…I think it’s really special. She’s something that’s not really seen in the mainstream world and I think that what she’s offering up is really good and interesting and it’s also just about equality. And people say it’s not true, but it’s SO true that there’s fat-phobia in the world. How often do you see fat people on TV? I think there’s a total negativity connected to it. And I love that she’s started to change that and I think that’s amazing.
PW: Yeah that girl has balls.
NP: Yeah…
PW: She really does, I admire her so much.
NP: Yeah, it’s a really powerful statement and I really enjoy being supportive of her and being a part of it with her and the band. I think it’s a beautiful thing.
PW: I love how you use the word “Queer” in reference to the Queer Community, with complete and total pride and without any fear or anything.
Nathan: Yeah, it’s funny…well not funny…because I’m straight and I have so many friends that are gay and part of that community. It’s something that should be – something I don’t think people should be afraid of. We’re living in a time now where differences like that should not matter at all. It’s kind of a ridiculous topic to even be brought up because this shouldn’t even matter.

PW: I agree. How do you guys manage to keep things so simple while still having such a full and heavy sound?
NP: We usually try not to do…like, we’re the opposite of My Bloody Valentine, like, no guitar over-dubs. We try to keep things really simple. Like there’s no over-dubs at all. There’s one guitar line. There’s no over-dubs. There’s no bassline. We try to keep it minimal, that’s really important to us. Over-production can be really irritating to me. Somebody like The Ramones are perfect.
PW: But is there a trick to getting everything to sound so heavy while the instruments are so simplistic? Is it just passion that you guys got in there? What’s the trick?
NP: I don’t know. I guess so. (chuckles).

PW: With your best effort can you describe Music for Men sonically and how it’s different from your previous albums?
NP: Well sonically, it’s the most hi-fi recording we’ve ever done. A lot of thought went into production and mic placement and all that. So its super-well recorded. It’s really clean, pretty crisp. It’s different than other records because on this record I actually play bass and piano and synth, and on our other records it was just guitar. There was no bass or anything really. So it makes a big difference on the record.
PW: Yeah, I’m sure. Do you have any last words for our readers, or your fans, or anyone at all?
NP: Stay tough.

PW: Oh! I have one more question that I completely forgot about!
NP: Ok!
PW: Do you guys have anything that you really want to accomplish that you haven’t yet, thus far?
NP: That I personally want to do?
PW: You personally or as a band….
NP: I’d like to write a book! That would be a fun project.
PW: Yeah! Ok! And stay tough!
NP: Yep. Stay tough!
PW: Nathan, this was great. Thanks so much for your time!
NP: Yeah, I had a lot of fun!
PW: I think it was one of my favorite interviews that I’ve done so far!
NP: Aw! That’s sweet! Thank you!
PW: Yes, thank you!
NP: See ya, Sara!

Gossip: website | myspace

While Friday’s staggering lineup kept spirits pumped despite the slosh, Saturday’s sun was a fresh start with bikini tops and fedoras aplenty. We started the day off proper by discovering the backstage VIP Media area, as well as the VIP bathrooms and VIP booze. Kicking ourselves for not discovering this music Mecca when the monsoon hit the day before, we didn’t hesitate to take shade when invited to enjoy a refreshing Grey Goose with Mr. Kool Keith himself. Wrapped in a silvery-sequined-babushka and sporting a deer-in-headlights vibe, Kool Keith, Dr. Octagon, and all of his multiple personalities of dysfunction and smut, mingled backstage with Ice-T who made a special appearance during Keith’s set.  Adrian Grenier chilled out back there before his set with The Honey Brothers, as well as members of My Bloody Valentine…and all their kids.

Lured by the sounds of sweet St. Vincent, we ditched backstage and caught Annie Clark making beautiful noise. It seems as if only she can make distortion seem elegant. Then we moved on to Chairlift, a band which has unfortunately ended up being a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. While I really like their debut, I couldn’t help but feel kind of silly as tweens, in their braided headbands and high-waisted stonewashed short shorts, bum rushed the stage. Maybe it was the iPod commercial (look what happened to Santigold after her Coors commercial) or maybe it’s the fact that there are lots of bands, past and present, making dream pop with a synthesizer and a Brooklyn-based siren doing it a lot better, but I lost interest after the third song and headed over to the Main Stage for My Bloody Valentine, with a brief stop off to check out Neko Case.

I can only describe My Bloody Valentine’s set as a music geek’s wet dream. If you didn’t do your homework, you just won’t get it and I think it’s safe to say many Tool fans played hooky that day. There’s a certain danger to the music. It’s challenging, both physically and mentally. It’s deafening, ear bleeding, soundscape is an almost violent experience, yet there’s something thrilling in the sheer destruction of the sound, something refreshing in the utter obliteration that the music promises.

Crystal Castles hands down stole the night for me. Everyone showed up to see Alice Glass and Ethan Kath blow the big top off All Points West including John Norris and the MTV crew who were broadcasting from the side of the stage. Dear Alice & Ethan: please don’t do a beer commercial no matter what Norris and his ridiculous turquoise skinny jeans tease you with. Wielding a strobe as her weapon of choice, Alice fired and screeched from the top of gigantic booming speakers and revelers gave over to the piercing thrash of electronica’s reigning king and queen. Worship I did.

Educated by Tool as a teen and never having seen them live, I was hungry for a peek at Maynard James Keenan’s mug and wanted to feel the Undertow. Unfortunately, the notoriously private troupe denied photo privileges and Maynard remained cloaked in shadow throughout the entire set. While I understand that graphics and visual art play a large part in the band’s schema, there was definitely an element of disappointment. We came to Jersey to see you, not a video of a stone baby melt into some sort of unidentified arthropod. We rode the subway for an hour and a half, took the stank PATH train, a shuttle, and then walked 1.5 miles in the sulfur-simmering mud to see you.  You. There’s nothing wrong with giving fans what they want. You wanna rock about transcendence? Show Your Bones, like Karen O.

Photos: Dese’Rae Stage