popwreckoning

Prior to Thursday night, the last time I caught a show at Merriweather Post Pavilion was back in 1998. I don’t really like the place all that much; after you’ve seen great shows in smaller, intimate clubs where you can have a connection with the band that’s performing, the lack of intimacy in an outdoor amphitheatre like Merriweather is startling. The crowds also tend to be very different than those you encounter at club shows – Columbia is quite a drive from Washington or Baltimore, so you will mostly run into older patrons and their spouses drinking beer or parents with their underage kids in tow. Pulling into the parking area, my friends and I looked at the pretty empty field and were worried that there wouldn’t be a good turnout. Thunderstorms had moved through the area earlier, making the walk around the grounds a soggy adventure. I might not go to Merriweather to see most bands, but I will make the exception for Keane.

The pavilion is pretty empty when the first opening act, Fran Healy, begins his one-man acoustic set. Frontmen are all going solo these days – Brandon Flowers of the Killers, Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, and more recently, Paul Smith of Maximo Park. Healy is better known as the frontman for legendary Scottish alt-rock group Travis. He’s putting out his first solo album, Wreckorder, in October, so touring with Keane is a good way for Healy to preview tracks from his forthcoming release. He is very funny, at one point dedicating the 1999 Travis hit “Why Does It Always Rain on Me?” to the unfortunate souls who have lawn seating, and at another point, saying that bugs were biting him and asking if Columbia had mosquitoes, saying, “back in Scotland, we call them ‘midges.‘” In his Scottish accent, it was adorable to say the least.

He also told the story about how he successfully invited Beatle bassist Paul McCartney to play on his solo song “As It Comes” and trying to come up with an appropriate way to thank the Cute Beatle, decided he and his family would go vegetarian in honor of him. (McCartney later mailed Healy three of his late wife’s vegetarian cookbooks in recognition of the gesture.) The older crowd is appreciative of the Travis numbers sprinkled in the set like “Why Does It…” and “Sing” as they are played alongside new songs like the set-ender, “Buttercup.”

The second opener was bespectacled indie pop/folk singer Ingrid Michaelson, backed by a full band. Most of the time Michaelson, dressed in a frilly, small black dress, sang while strumming a ukulele. I’m not really a fan of her music, but even I cannot escape the radio play of her songs “Maybe” and “The Way I Am.” She is obviously a talented singer/songwriter, so I think I would have been more impressed with her performance if she hadn’t played so many covers. Michaelson’s version of Radiohead‘s “Creep” – just her warbling voice and her playing ukulele – was odd to say the least. Perhaps the strangest moment of the night was her saying goodbye with her version of Britney Spears‘ “Toxic”, including a choreographed dance sequence that ended with Michaelson on the shoulders of her bandmates.

Ingrid Michaelson Set List
Soldier
Poker Face (Lady Gaga acoustic cover fragment)
Die Alone
Parachute
The Hat
Creep (Radiohead cover done as an acoustic solo)
Maybe
Locked Up
The Way I Am
The Chain
Toxic (Britney Spears cover)

Keane‘s incidental music before they came onstage was a winner, including Two Door Cinema Club, Everything Everything (the Manchester quartet who recently opened for them on their sold-out Forest Tour of the UK), and Florence and the Machine. It got me appropriately psyched up for what was a fabulously tight set of songs from the English trio. From their recently released EP Night Train, Keane rather smartly only played the best tracks from the r&b-leaning release, including “Clear Skies,” “Stop for a Minute,” and “Your Love.” The latter is now famous as the only song in Keane‘s pretty substantial back catalogue that pianist / principal songwriter Tim Rice-Oxley sings on, and it is a great showcase of Rice-Oxley’s voice. One can only hope that he will share more lead singing duties with Tom Chaplin in the future.

This is not to say Chaplin did not keep up his end of the bargain. As usual, Chaplin’s beautifully compelling voice soared on the Keane ballads we all know so well, including “Everybody’s Changing” and “Somewhere Only We Know,” while being inexhaustible for the more fun, up tempo numbers, like “You Haven’t Told Me Anything” and “Spiralling.” I am torn between Thursday night’s versions of “This is the Last Time” and “Perfect Symmetry” as to which gets my vote for best song of the show. Both are tear-inducing when you hear them live, just gorgeous pieces of piano-driven pop. Going to see Keane is an event. An event you don’t want to miss.

Keane Set List
House Lights (instrumental)
Again and Again
Bend and Break
Everybody’s Changing
Nothing in My Way
Clear Skies
This is the Last Time
Stop for a Minute
Try Again
You Haven’t Told Me Anything
Spiralling
Bad Dream
Is It Any Wonder?
Your Love
Perfect Symmetry
Somewhere Only We Know
Bedshaped
//
My Shadow
Crystal Ball

Tour Dates
Aug 07 – Mann Center / Philadelphia
Aug 10 – Riverside Theatre / Milwaukee
Aug 11 – 1st Ave. / Minneapolis
Aug 13 – Fox Theatre / Boulder
Aug 14 – Mile High Festival / Denver

Keane Photos by Catherine Sexton

Keane: website | myspace | @ Constitution Hall | Keane to Release Expanded Version of Their Debut Album, Hopes and Fears | Keane announces North American in support of new album, Night Train
Fran Healy: website | myspace
Ingrid Michaelson: website | myspace | Everybody review | “Maybe” video

Philip Selway of Radiohead will release his first solo album, Familial, August 31 on Nonesuch Records. The album will be available for pre-order late June.

A collection of sublimely fragile, haunting and heartfelt songs, Familial is likely to surprise many-and not solely because these beautifully understated performances are coming from a drummer. Familial is so persuasively good as to make a case for Selway as a natural born singer-songwriter.

The very first seeds of Familial were planted in 2001 when Neil Finn organized an impromptu gathering of talent, including Johnny Marr, Eddie Vedder, Lisa Germano, former Soul Coughing bassist Sebastian Steinberg, Selway and his Radiohead bandmate Ed O’Brien, in aid of charity. The resulting album 7 Worlds Collide was credited to Neil Finn and Friends, but when the project was revived in 2008 the singing/songwriting was divided among the ranks, which by then included members of Wilco. During those sessions at Finn’s Auckland studio, Philip came up with Familial‘s “The Ties That Bind Us,” on which he made his debut as a lead vocalist. That song, and an earlier number, “The Witching Hour”–also on Familial-appeared on 7WC’s The Sun Came Out album, released August 2009.

Back home, Selway asked Courtyard Studios’ resident engineer and producer Ian Davenport to work with him on sessions that would yield Familial. Selway then invited Germano, Steinberg, and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Sansone to join him in the studio. Familial finds these varied and accomplished creative voices working in concert to craft a subtly complex and completely hypnotic atmosphere. Curiously, traditional drumming is virtually absent from the record, which favors underlying textures and loops for percussion. At times Familial‘s beats and instrumental colours are so subtle, it seems as if the acoustic air in the room is setting the mood, leaving space for the lyrics, which clearly come from the most intimate of places.

Lawrence indie rockers The Appleseed Cast gave a special treat to local fans at the Record Bar this March: Low Level Owl 1 and 2…in their entirety.

The acclaimed records are experimental, emotional rock and the perfect soundtrack to many mid-20-some-year-old life. Low Level Owl 1 and 2 came out in 2001, and nearly ten years later, they continue to offer epic-feeling visual soundscapes.  The music was visually accentuated by a screen projecting imagery relating to the songs and the bands personality. In other words, songs tended to be backed by clips of nature, but in between, the band showcased their personality with clips from “Saved by the Bell.”

The band’s sound has a Radiohead/Mogwai quality, but its still something unique. Finally seeing them live, it finally makes sense why this band was the group to influence so many others in this local scene. Seeing the Appleseed Cast live is just as good as sitting at home listening to the group on vinyl, if not better because you were surrounded by peers with an equal appreciation for good, local music.

Check out music from the Appleseed Cast here.

On his way to Indio, California’s legendary Coachella festival, Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame has announced that his current project Atoms For Peace (formerly Thom Yorke????) will be playing select dates across the country.

The Atoms For Peace lineup remains the same as when the band performed three shows in Los Angeles last October: Yorke, Flea, Mauro Refosco, Joey Waronker and Nigel Godrich. Flying Lotus supports New York through Oakland.

Tour Dates:
April 5 & 6 – Roseland Ballroom / New York City
April 8 – Citi Wang Theatre / Boston
April 10 & 11 – Aragon Ballroom / Chicago
April 14 & 15 - Fox Theatre / Oakland, Ca.
April 17 – Santa Barbara Bowl / Santa Barbara
April 18 – Coachella / Indio, Ca.

Thom Yorke: website | myspace

Photo: Andi Watson

As a new listener to Austin, Texas – based Shearwater, I was walking into a record not knowing what to expect. Having previously met member Jordan Gieger, my only introduction to the band was that alone. I had also been informed they opened for Coldplay and have toured Europe, so my expectations ran very high to say the least.

Not only do Shearwater paint with heavy layers of instruments, but they can leave the listener with the illusion of Shearwater housing a lot more then five members. They are always building off of an initial idea, whether it be percussion, the piano or vocals. This idea is always being enhanced and is always building to the bigger picture. Think of it as watching Bob Ross. Take out the guy with the afro and replace it with Shearwater; take out the paint brush and insert the instruments. The finished product consists of 11 paintings crafted before your ears, all constructed with many different colors and techniques, which will leave you wondering how a simple group could pull so much off.

Singer Jonathan Meiburg‘s haunting voice can provide an array of moods. He is backed by a clearly talented group which delivers the same effect with their artistry to a “T.” From one end, they provide layers upon layers of strings, synths, keyboards and percussion, allowing for an intense folk rock experience. On the other end, they provide pleasant balladry that only showcases melody and simple chord voices. To bring it home, their solid quintet roots of bass, drums, guitars and keyboard create an amazing rock band commotion, all of which construct amazingly solid songs.

There is a catch.

Being an avid listener to all different styles, I realize that some bands require a certain degree of patience. I’ve got to say, a lot of music today is very easy to listen to. Three and a half minute punk/pop/rock songs have conditioned us to passively listen, but with Shearwater you can’t do that.

Shearwater can do a lot for you as a listener; you just have to let them. They build on an emotion and don’t stop. It’s a quite marvelous experience. For fans of The Swell Season, Coldplay (Circa Viva La Vida), Ra Ra Riot and Radiohead (these being the broadest of examples), Shearwater’s The Golden Archipelago is a geniusly orchestrated album.

Track Listing:
1. Meridian
2. Black Eyes
3. Landscape at Speed
4. Hidden Lakes
5. Corridors
6. God Made Me
7. Runners of the Sun
8. Castaways
9. An Insular Life
10. Uniforms
11. Missing Islands

Written by Todd Anderson

For the first time ever, Cloud Cult is issuing its first two records on a national level. 2003′s They Live on the Sun and 2004′s Aurora Borealis have been remixed, remastered and bonus tracks have been added.

The albums were originally the band’s homemade recordings at singer Craig Minowa‘s family farm. He wrote them based on his self-enforced seclusion after his son unexpectedly passed away. Despite the lo-fi local release, the band’s music quickly got them national attention and they even overtook Radiohead on college radio charts.

Now the albums are being released nationally in special green packaging: 100 percent recycled, printed with soy ink and mastered with wind energy power. In addition to the packaging, the band has planted a thousand trees to absorb pollutants from the release and touring.

Listen to a few of the tracks here and if you like what you hear, buy the double disc here.

.They Live on the Sun – “It”

.Aurora Borealis – “Breakfast With My Shadow”

Track Listings:
They Live on the Sun
01. On the Sun
02. Moon’s Thoughts
03. Turtle Shell
04. It
05. Da Dum
06. Man on the Moon
07. I’m Not Gone
08. Time
09. Radio Fodder
10. It’s Gay
11. Best Friend
12. Shortenin’ Bread
13. Took You For Granted
14. Back Again P.ii
15. Your Love Will Live Forever
16. Sleeping Days P.ii

Aurora Borealis
01. Breakfast With My Shadow
02. Alone at a Party in a Ghost Town
03. All Together Alone
04. Chandeliers
05. And It’s Good
06. Grappling Hook
07. Northern Lights
08. The Sparks and Spaces Between Your Cells
09. Lights Inside My Head
10. Beautiful Boy

Cloud Cult: website | myspace

The Appleseed Cast has signed to the Chicago independent label Graveface Records, home to Black Moth Super Rainbow and Monster Movie, and many more.

Beginning on February 24th 2010, in Norman, OK, The Appleseed Cast will embark a 26 date tour, playing their two classic albums, Low Level Owl 1 and 2 back-to-back, each in its entirety. The band will have a new live album available for sale on this tour, their first for the imprint Graveface.

The Appleseed Cast’s sprawling two-disc masterpiece Low Level Owl 1 and 2 released in 2001 found a band shedding its restraints, bucking genre qualifiers and offering up something newly experimental, truly unique and utterly epic. There was little in the band’s spiky and emotional 1998 debut The End of the Ring Wars to indicate what was to come, and just barely a whiff of the ambient soundscapes, and seemingly insurmountable slow-building waves of sound-that-would-be on its 2000 follow-up Mare Vitalis. But since that discernable shift in mood and scope, The Appleseed Cast has continued to nurture and cultivate what was planted back in 2001 with each of their three subsequent releases – Two Conversations, Peregrine and Sagarmatha.

Through the years, The Appleseed Cast has shape-shifted itself as slowly and naturally as a sand dune to become one of the most staid and sonically rewarding bands on the circuit today, an achievement that has earned them throngs of fans the world over. But certainly, the band who have drawn deserved comparisons to such stalwarts as Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Spiritualized and Radiohead, began their ever-unpredictable journey into the musical wilds with the astounding wailing crescendos, heartbreaking murmuring guitar tones and gentle ambient rustlings of Low Level Owl, which will continue to stand as one of the cornerstones of the genre, acting as foundation for all the bricks that follow.

See The Appleseed Cast perform Low Level Owl 1 and 2 this Spring:

Feb 24 – Opolis / Norman, OK
Feb 25 – Lola’s / Denton, TX
Feb 26 – Rudyards / Houston, TX
Feb 27- Mohawk / Austin, TX
Mar 1 – Rhythm Room / Phoenix, AZ
Mar 2 – Plush / Tucson, AZ
Mar 3 – Casbah / San Diego, CA
Mar 4 – Glasshouse / Pomona, CA
Mar 5 – Echo Plex / Los Angeles, CA
Mar 6 – Bottom of the Hill / San Francisco, CA
Mar 8 – Berbati’s / Portland, OR
Mar 9 – Biltmore / Vancouver, BC
Mar 10 – Chop Suey / Seattle, WA
Mar 11 – Empyrean Cafe / Spokane, WA
Mar 12 – Kilby Court / Salt Lake City, UT
Mar 13 – Hi Dive / Denver, CO
Mar 15 – Waiting Room / Omaha, NE
Mar 16 – Triple Rock / Minneapolis, MN
Mar 17 – House Cafe / Dekalb, IL
Mar 18 – High Noon / Madison, WI
Mar 19 – Bottom Lounge / Chicago, IL
Mar 20 – Off Broadway / St. Louis, MO
Mar 21 – Record Bar / Kansas City, MO

Label mates Dreamend round out the bill, opening all of the shows on this tour. Dreamend features Ryan Graveface, the owner of the Graveface label and member of Black Moth Super Rainbow. Dreamend’s latest album Long Forgotten Friend is out now on Graveface. Both The Appleseed Cast and Dreamend will have new full-length releases out via Graveface in late 2010.

The Appleseed Cast: website | myspace

Reviewing this album is bittersweet for me. For one thing, I hate all the hullabaloo that Twilight has brought along with it. It’s taken over so much of the media lately, and I’ve been sick of it since it started. When I saw the list of artists that were contributing to the Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack, my heart sank. Not because they were bad, but because they were oh so good, and the fact that they’d jumped on the Twilight bandwagon irked me so much. Secretly, I was hoping that the soundtrack was really really bad.

But I was proven wrong, because it’s so good.

Like, really good.

As of right now, I’m separating the soundtrack from the film, because the soundtrack will surpass the quality of the film no doubt. And I’ll take you through Alexandra Patsavas’ musical masterpiece piece by piece, as it’s the only way I can do it justice.

1. Death Cab for Cutie – “Meet Me On The Equinox”

As far as a Death Cab song, when I first heard this I was a little underwhelmed. But I think they’ve mixed it differently for the final soundtrack, so it’s grown on me a bit. Sure, the hook is a little generic for a Death Cab for Cutie song, but as far as a catchy single to start off the soundtrack, it works really well.

2. Band of Skulls – “Friends”

Track two had a completely different vibe as the songs surrounding it – as it’s more upbeat, and provides a lightness that the soundtrack otherwise doesn’t have. It’s the first of a few very raw sounding tracks on this album, which is something you didn’t get from the first film’s soundtrack. “Friends” isn’t a huge song, but it’s a nice departure from the other big songs on the record.

3. Thom Yorke – “Hearing Damage”

This was the one track I was dying to hear, as I’ve been a huge Radiohead fan for a long time, and it’s hard to criticize Thom Yorke for anything. And yet again, like the song says, Thom, “You can do no wrong… in my eyes.” A great throwback to Eraser from a few years ago, “Hearing Damage” is a dreamy electro track full of ominous synthesizers and tricky drums.

4. Lykke Li – “Possibility”

When I heard that Lykke Li would be contributing a song, I was expecting something similar to “I’m Good, I’m Gone,” for a less intense part of the movie, maybe when Bella isn’t seeing Edward in her head, but this slow ballad is so beautiful. It almost reminded me of “Lover’s Spit” by Broken Social Scene, with the heavy constant piano chord and lo-fi sound.

5. The Killers – “A White Demon Love Song”

This was the only song that didn’t seem to fit so perfectly with the rest of the soundtrack, but that could be the context The Killers bring with them, but I totally dig it as a Killers song. It goes back to Brandon Flowers’ natural crooning vocals without any of the frantic energy he seems to have adopted with Day and Age.

6. Anya Marina – “Satellite Heart”

To tell you the truth, the opening hook to this song sounds so much like another of Marina’s songs “Move You.” But then again, Alexandra Patsavas is also the music supervisor for “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is where I heard “Move You.” But as “Satellite Heart” moves through its verses and choruses, it gets bigger and draws you in more. The violin additions towards the end gave me goosebumps too.

7. Muse – “I Belong To You”

The original version could have easily gone in this version’s place. The remixing didn’t make it any better, nor did it necessarily make it any worse. This is by far the peppiest song on the record, which may mean something that it’s right in the middle. I don’t know, but this song didn’t wow me so much now, mostly because I’ve listened to it so many times since The Resistance came out last month.

8. Bon Iver & St. Vincent – “Rosyln”

Let me tell you, Justin Vernon’s vocals layered with Annie Clark’s and mixed with the understated acoustic guitar and banjo made for the best song on the record. By far. I could listen to it all day. It’s just…wow.

9. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Done All Wrong”

BRMC’s distinctly lo-fi sound here works exquisitely, with the hints of southern rock and blues adds a different kind of sadness to the record, which up until now has lacked the depth that blues can bring. And what’s so ironic is that BRMC was on the season one soundtrack to “True Blood,” another bit of vampire fare.

10. Hurricane Bells – “Monsters”

Similar to “Friends,” “Monsters” is very much an upbeat song, with a hint of hopefulness. As a heavy movie watcher, I think “Monsters” almost sounds like one of those songs that editors layer over a montage, but not a cheesy one. Not quite filler, but not quite a stand-out, “Monsters” is one of the middle-of-the-road songs on the soundtrack.

11. Sea Wolf – “The Violet Hour”

The second happy song in a row, “The Violet Hour” is so dancey you wonder what’s happening in the story where they play this song. It also emphasizes the vocal theme throughout the record – quieter, smaller vocals – which is different from the first soundtrack with Paramore’s Haley Williams’ loud rock-chick vibe and Chester Bennington’s raw shriek.

12. OK Go – “Shooting the Moon”

A typical OK Go song, with Damian Kulash’s soft, dreamy crooning, “Shooting the Moon” is another lighter song on the record. But what makes this song even better is the stark contrast that comes in the last minute of the song with heavy bass and strong distorted guitar riffs.

13. Grizzly Bear – “Slow Life”

Coming off an amazing record, Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear doesn’t lose any of their authentic sound here with the intentionally droning vocals from Beach House’s Victoria Legrand adding to the ominous, woodsy feel of Grizzly Bear’s music. As the song goes on, it builds to the climax which makes it fit perfectly on the soundtrack.

14. Editors – “No Sound But The Wind”

In tandem with their latest release, this marks the beginning of a new period for Editors, losing the heavy Interpol parallels and moving into a rawer, anthemic sound. “No Sound But The Wind” essentially finishes out the record in terms of rock songs, and it is the perfect ending in terms of emotion.

15. Alexander Desplat – “New Moon (The Meadow)”

It’s hard to talk about a classical song in the context of an otherwise indie rock soundtrack, but by itself, this song makes me actually kind of excited to hear the full score. It’s not too long, yet not too short, to give us just the right amount of classical to actually finish off the album.

This went on very long apparently, but hopefully it enlightened you to how awesome this soundtrack is. It moves fluidly through different emotions and different keys it sounds like one of those great mix CDs that you made for your significant other when you were going through a “rough patch.” Even if you hate everything Twilight, give the soundtrack a chance. You won’t be disappointed.

The soundtrack release date has been moved up and will be available Friday, Oct. 16.

New Moon: soundtrack site