It’s been four long, sad years since we last had music from the experimental rockers in SNOWDEN. Finally, we have promise of a follow-up to Anti-Anti with the announcement of an upcoming album.
We’ll accept Snowden’s apology for their absence in the form of the Slow Soft Syrup EP
The donation and digital-only five song teaser of the forthcoming album, Slow Soft Syrup opens with the slow-building 7 minute “No One In Control” and dovetails into a washed out sway with the EP’s first single “Don’t Really Know Me.” Following the 4 new original songs, the EP closes with a cover of Love and Rockets “No Words No More,” which was included on the L + R tribute record.
The EP is available for download in exchange of a valid email address at Snowden’s Web site and can be streamed in full at the MySpace.
Fleetwood Mac, 1977: original version from Rumours From as early as I can remember I have always loved Fleetwood Mac. Their sound, their music, reading about the torrid love affairs between bandmates and declining marriages that created some of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. I’m talking pre-Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal (No Doubt) shit. True love and despair, threats to quit the band, drugs, world-wide tours, managing professionalism in the studio when you literally want to kill the very person you depend on to lace your lyrics with chords. The reasons to quit are trumped by the reasons to stay because although you were driven to new realms of heartbreak, at least you got a hit record (Rumours) out of it all and cemented your place in music history. Not to mention, Stevie Nicks can still say she knew a love that shook her very core and changed her life forever.
Speaking of despair, while Lindsey Buckingham wrote “Go Your Own Way,” Stevie Nicks wrote “Dreams” as her eight-year love affair with guitarist Buckingham was coming apart at the seams. Once considered a “package deal” when signing on as new members of FM, it seems years later Buckingham wanted his package shipped elsewhere, much to the dismay of both. But they chose to rise above petty break-up feelings and instead channeled their frustration into creating the beautiful song, “Dreams.” It’s somber, it’s sweet, it’s melancholy, it’s uplifting, it’s sad… it basically is the kind of song that encapsulates all the feelings people feel when their heart is breaking. Instead of keying your ex-boyfriend’s car, or spreading Rumours (get it?!), just put this song on in the background and those bad feelings will instantly disappear. I promise.
Letters To Cleo, 1995: from Spirit of ’73: Rock for Choice Much of my adoration for this version stems from the fact that it was the very first “Dreams†cover in my collection. Lead singer Kay Hanleyis such a master of lacing sweetness with just a hint of edge during the chorus when she really begins to grow impatient with her dude’s trifling ways. The soft, jazzy guitars complement her during the tender vocal moments but wailing guitar riffs burst into a bout of heaviness with impeccable timing just as she begins to wax angry. Her vocals are perfect on this track and range from whispery, breathy, angst-ridden, yet sweet as she goes all out or holds back throughout the song.
Much like Hanley’s look in the 1990′s (blonde bombshell locks and ultra-feminine dresses that still manage to show off strategically placed tattoos), she is able to juggle lots of different personalities in her vocal delivery. She’s all girl next door with puppy dog eyes as she sings “it’s only me who wants to wrap around your dreams†that even I have a hard time resisting her pleas to stay and work things out. I especially like the intonation when she starts to string out a little during “have you any dreams you’d like to sell? / dreams of loneliness like a heartbeat / drives you mad.†And this continues when she gets angrier during “players only love you when they’re playing†in a way where she’s already predicting that he’ll be back when he comes to his senses, except it’ll be too late since she will already have come to hers.
The Corrs, 1997: from Talk On Corners If you have a jones for Celtic instruments, upbeat numbers, and top 40 sounds, then this track is for probably for you. Not only is Andrea Corra ridiculously beautiful Irish woman, but she has a lovely voice too (where’s the justice?). Along with some flawless vocal harmony of her equally stunning sisters, they’ve created a danceable number that takes the classic “Dreams†to completely different heights of listening pleasure. This track makes me want to dance around the room, even if I don’t actually get up to do so. Gifted vocalists as well as musicians, I hear a whole mess of piano, guitars, drum beats and violins here. And since this is The Corrs, my instincts tell me someone is probably playing some tin whistle on this track. Andrea changes up the notes to steer their music to a more dance-friendly and happier place, thus venturing pretty far away from the melancholy and bittersweet nature of the original that I love so much. While this makes for a good upbeat number, I’m skeptical how this track fares as a cover because it takes away the beautiful sadness that made the original as good as it is. Readers, you decide.
Cat Power (live): November 1998 I saw Cat Power open up for Interpol last year and was literally counting down the minutes until her set was over. Maybe Madison Square Garden is the wrong venue for her intimate and laid-back vocal performances, but I wasn’t ready to give her the benefit of the doubt just yet. Plus, she’s notorious for songs that start and stop with no real indication of when either is going to occur! I didn’t know whether to boo or applaud, but left realizing I’d eventually want to give her a fair chance and chalk this one up to inappropriate venue selection since she’s received much praise from respectable music sources of mine.
Well, she got her chance. Enter this live “Dreams†cover (wow!) that may as well be titled “Redemption Song†since I am now a believer. This minimalistic, raw, emotive performance is so intimate that I feel like I’m hiding in her bathroom, listening to her sing this in her shower with her acoustic guitar. Her voice, in its most primitive state, is bluesy and jazzy. And I like how I can actually hear every nuance in her intonation, every crack in voice. The sparse guitar only accentuates this slow, stripped-down, and bare-boned version, showcasing breathy vocals that somehow still manage fortitude. Her timing is completely off from the original and she changes Stevie Nicks’ notes completely, creating almost a brand new song that still resonates with the same magic of the original.
The New Pornographers, 2005: live from NYC Supposedly there’s some New Pornographers bootleg out there with a cover of “Dreams†on it, but they played this live version at Webster Hall a few years back and the crowd went nuts the moment that recognizable Fleetwood Mac bass line kicked in. Speaking of, that bass line is so awesome and I’d even be as bold to say it rivals that of David Bowie/Queen’s “Under Pressure.†But I digress…
Holy musical orgasm! Nothing excites me more than hearing one legendary female [Neko Case] covering another female rock goddess [Stevie Nicks] during an impromptu live cover. Case channels the trademark raw sexiness of Nicks so perfectly and does her an incredible amount of justice in this cover. Even the music increases the coolness factor in ways I don’t even feel like writing about because I’d rather just listen to this version again instead. Cool, calm, and unaffected, I like how Case casually laughs in between verses during a performance that plays like a musical “Fuck you, please. I don’t even need you.†And the backup male vocals of “lonely, oooh, ahhh†that tie in with Case’s “when the rain washes you clean, ohhh, you will know†are superb and just make me wonder why I wasn’t there? Damn.
– Snowden, 2006: from Fuel Of The Celebration (remix EP) What the hell is going on here? I’m all for males covering this female empowerment anthem for the irony factor, but at least do it well.Lead singer Jordan Jeffares lends vocals here that are so removed, so strange, so stoic, so foreign I find it hard to believe this band even hails from Atlanta because I had my money on Z-list German electro-rockers aiming for the American musical market. There’s a whole mess of electronic beats here that are so scattered that I actually had to turn this mp3 down a few times since I thought I missed a phone call and the answering machine was recording someone’s message. But you guessed it, no one had called and it was just some errant electro-beats that Snowden forgot to lace in seamlessly with their others. If you’re into electronica give this a listen since I’m admittedly not the biggest fan of the genre, but please listen at your own risk. I can’t be held responsible for listener’s remorse.
Yo La Tengo, 2007: live from San Francisco Bombastic spoken-word vocals, an electric feel, edgy vibe and heavy distortion always makes the perfect noise-jam. Yeah, this pretty much sums up Yo La Tengo’s cover of “Dreams.†Known for a huge repertoire of cover songs, I’m not at all surprised they performed this during a live show at Bimbo’s 365 Club last year. Lead singer Ira Kaplan marries his raw vocals with (actual wife and bandmate) Georgia Hubley’s sweet background “ooh’s” and “ahh’s.” This might blow some minds of long-time Yo La Tengo fans, but personally this is not my favorite cover. Had I been to this show I might have been super excited to witness it, but the quality pales in comparison to the original and even the live cover versions of The New Pornographers and Whiskeytown(also a male vocal). There comes a point in this song where it just becomes too noisy that I start yearning for the clarity and simplicity of the original. Basically, Yo La Tengo fan or not… this one is only good for once in a while rocking out, but not everyday listening.
The Morning Benders, 2008: from The Bedroom Covers Where does the best indie dream pop hail from these days? Well, since I’m referring to The Morning Benders I guess the answer would be Berkeley, California. Lead singer Chris Chuhas such innocent and resonant vocals that are so clean and clear.Toss in some equally dreamy background vocals and this acoustic cover shines in its sweet simplicity. I especially love the fret-tapping and gentle humming throughout the track that definitely help set this version apart from the rest. I’m really grateful that Popwrecker Bethany turned me onto this one since it’s been on loop ever since. There’s so much yearning, so much feeling, so much honesty in Chu’s musical sighs that I actually believe he’s mourning the loss of the person he is singing about. This song is arguably my favorite version of recent times and now I can’t wait to see if their original music delivers the same way this cover does.
Whiskeytown, 2008: from Strangers Almanac (Deluxe Edition Reissue) Oh Ryan Adams, can you ever do any wrong? Whining, soap operatic and drama queen ways aside, pre-Cardinals Adams took his well-known love of Fleetwood Mac to new levels of appreciation by covering “Dreams†in 1997 with his now defunct alt-country outfit Whiskeytown. With his husky vocals that wail, rock, croon, and moan all at once, he makes it impossible not to “feel†what he himself is feeling on this track. Plus, fans of The Replacements (like myself) will enjoy his particularly Paul Westerberg-esque voice here, since it’s no secret that Adams is a huge Replacements fan and has been greatly inspired by them. Save this alt-country number for a bad day when you’re feeling low and just want to lay on the couch, turn out the lights, kick off your shoes, and just dream… perhaps, about a Whiskeytown reunion tour? (Fingers crossed!)
Monolith Music Festival was just as busy and just as good on the second day, Sunday, Sept. 14. People started to come out a lot earlier for these acts. I had a long drive ahead of me, so I didn’t make it as late as the headliner Justice, but I still managed to catch a lot. Check out my pictures and reviews below. If you missed it, here is what I had to say about Saturday’s line-up: pt. I and pt. II.
I got to the venue in time to catch some of the Rosewood Thieves as they were finishing up their Dylan-esque folk rock set. I enjoyed the laid back jams I heard and wouldn’t mind giving trying to check them out another time.
2:45 P.M. to 3:15 P.M. Snowden – New Belgium Stage
After making the long trek up the stairs from the Esurance Main Stage to the New Belgium, I had the chance to catch my breath during Snowden‘s chill rock set. I really enjoyed grooving to their experimental rock, but what really caught my interest were the amazing bass lines and soulful harmonies of Corinne Lee.
Of all the bands at the festival, I must admit that Tokyo Police Club was the band I was most excited to see. This was partly because I really like their music, but also partly because they’ve canceled three shows that I’ve tried to see them at and I was finally getting to see them play live. The boys did not disappoint and put on an energetic set that had the audience clapping along. They all seemed genuinely pleased to be playing for the crowd and their enthusiasm was well-expressed in their music.
The Handsome Furs were one of those bands that I thought was really good, but maybe not as great as people are making them out to be. Denver was excited for this band because they’re not getting a visit from Wolf Paradeon their upcoming tour, so I suppose this spin-off group sufficed. However, while they rocked musically, their stage show was a little dry.
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson has been well-supported on this site by the other editors and writers and now I finally saw what the party was all about. MBAR and his supporting crew excellently swelled from mellow acoustic melodies to exploding indie rock anthems supported with big bass drums and guitar solos. MBAR treated the audience to a few new songs, which indicate the upcoming album should be amazing.
Omaha represent! Tilly and the Wall are one of the best live groups you could possibly see. They play a series of songs that has everybody dancing whether they tap or not. One Omaha guy loves them so much he follows them around in fun outfits and Tilly even let him join them on stage. This was the first time I got to hear songs from O live and they sounded much better when accompanied by their live stage show than the recording was able to capture. My only regret about Tilly and the Wall was that I didn’t plan ahead and try to carpool to Monolith with them.
When I heard the Whigs on the radio, I wasn’t blown away. For the first song of their set, I still had yet to be blown away, but once the guys loosened up their Nirvana meets The Beatles music finally caught my attention. I especially loved when lead singer Parker Gispert kicked along with every clash of the cymbal.
5:45 P.M. to 6:45 P.M. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – Esurance Main Stage
I just caught a few songs of soulful singer Sharon Jones‘ set, but she definitely has a powerful voice that will get people grooving along. The highlight of her show was when she spotted Tilly and the Wall’s number one fan in the crowd and had security bring him on stage to dance with her.
6:30 P.M. to 7:15 P.M. The Kills – New Belgium Stage
There are just two members in the Kills, but they produce a sound as full as any band. This UK group is getting a lot of deserved buzz, but I suggest you catch them now before Alison Mosshart destroys her voice with her chain smoking.
7:15 P.M. to 8:15 P.M. Band of Horses – Esurance Main Stage
Band of Horses took to the main stage to play their easy rock tunes to a packed crowd that I was glad to see actually knew the words to more of their songs than what was in commercials like “Is There a Ghost.” I saw these guys a few years and loved the vocals, but was kind of bored by the stage show, which offered little more than what you could hear on a CD. However, these guys have come into their own and feel a lot more comfortable being on stage and it shows on their songs. This was a much improved set.
I wish I had gotten to this party sooner because I was forced to listen to the electronica songs of Does It Offend You, Yeah? from the hall as the played to an overflowing room of dancing bodies. Even from the hallway, they were a fun show to listen in on.
So, you might have noticed that The Airborne Toxic Event‘s album’s reviews are slightly mixed, though we love it. However, one thing is for sure and that is that their stage show is phenomenal. While all the musicians are quite skilled, keyboardist and violinist Anna Bulbrook especially shined on stage as she climbed on amps and rocks, while playing the violin.
8:15 P.M. to 8:45 P.M. Paper Bird – Madeloud.com Acoustic Stage
Up in the rocky mountains, Colorado has been keeping a little secret, but I doubt they’ll be able to keep septet Paper Bird secret much longer. With bass, banjo, trombone and some of the prettiest harmonies of the weekend, it was hard to not to become endeared with this sweet group.
8:45 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. TV on the Radio – Esurance Main Stage
They almost didn’t make it. Van troubles in Utah threatened to keep the boys in TV on the Radio away. Rumors the entire day were that they were not going to make it, but TV on the Radio insisted they wouldn’t miss it for the world and the rented cars to speed through the mountains in. You have to admire a band that determined to not let their fans down. They barely got to the venue in time, but the drama of their drive and the lack of a warm-up did not seem to phase these boys as the ripped through a set of old and new material. The new album held up quite well next to the older songs.
Monolith Music Festival put together a great line-up of the finest indie acts. With five stages hosting one fine group after another, it is very hard to criticize any aspect of the festival. Although I wish more people had come for the entire weekend. In the future, a weekend with this solid of a line-up should be a sell out.
The other day we strongly recommended checking out this year’s Monolith Festival held September 13th and 14th in Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. We’ve already posted Saturday’s schedule and now you can check at the amazing line-up for Sunday posted below:
For anyone who might be interested in attending the Snowden, Colour Revolt, Boo and Boo Too show at the Jackpot Saloon in Lawrence, Kansas on the 25th of May:
Popfreeradio will be giving away places on their guest list to people who listen to the show. Listen all this week between 3 and 4 pm for a chance to win!
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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
From as early as I can remember I have always loved Fleetwood Mac. Their sound, their music, reading about the torrid love affairs between bandmates and declining marriages that created some of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. I’m talking pre-
Much of my adoration for this version stems from the fact that it was the very first “Dreams†cover in my collection. Lead singer 
If you have a jones for Celtic instruments, upbeat numbers, and top 40 sounds, then this track is for probably for you. Not only is 
I saw Cat Power open up for Interpol last year and was literally counting down the minutes until her set was over. Maybe Madison Square Garden is the wrong venue for her intimate and laid-back vocal performances, but I wasn’t ready to give her the benefit of the doubt just yet. Plus, she’s notorious for songs that start and stop with no real indication of when either is going to occur! I didn’t know whether to boo or applaud, but left realizing I’d eventually want to give her a fair chance and chalk this one up to inappropriate venue selection since she’s received much praise from respectable music sources of mine.
Supposedly there’s some New Pornographers bootleg out there with a cover of “Dreams†on it, but they played this live version at Webster Hall a few years back and the crowd went nuts the moment that recognizable Fleetwood Mac bass line kicked in. Speaking of, that bass line is so awesome and I’d even be as bold to say it rivals that of David Bowie/
What the hell is going on here? I’m all for males covering this female empowerment anthem for the irony factor, but at least do it well.
Bombastic spoken-word vocals, an electric feel, edgy vibe and heavy distortion always makes the perfect noise-jam. Yeah, this pretty much sums up Yo La Tengo’s cover of “Dreams.†Known for a huge repertoire of cover songs, I’m not at all surprised they performed this during a live show at Bimbo’s 365 Club last year. Lead singer Ira Kaplan marries his raw vocals with (actual wife and bandmate) 
Where does the best indie dream pop hail from these days? Well, since I’m referring to The Morning Benders I guess the answer would be Berkeley, California. Lead singer 
Oh 
