popwreckoning

Grouplove‘s humble beginnings sound like something from a Hollywood script. Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi, the band’s principal lead vocalists, met by chance in New York City and instantly felt a connection. So much so that the two shortly went to a little island in Greece together, where again serendipity stepped in, allowing the two to meet their future band members: London guitarist Sean Gadd and two childhood friends from California, Andrew Wessen and Ryan Rabin. These five people couldn’t have been anymore different, but they felt such a strong bond that they all packed up from their respective homes and went out to Los Angeles to try and record an album together. The result is the Grouplove EP, six songs that prove their friendship translates to musical harmony.

The EP opener, “Colours,” is currently on BBC 6music‘s playlist and getting a lot of airplay, a coup for any band. Zucconi’s lead vocal is brash yet fun, an indication of things to come, and it’s augmented by Hooper’s winsome harmonies. I’d seen the song title a long time ago, assuming that the band had to be British. The band recently supported Northern Ireland’s Two Door Cinema Club and Welsh indie band the Joy Formidable this past autumn, and while I missed their appearance with Two Door in DC, I did catch their energetic set in November with the Welsh rockers. Imagine my surprise that 4/5ths of Grouplove was American.

My next hesitation about Grouplove was that here in front of me was another band trying to cash in on the American / California surf pop boom of 2010, a movement that I’ve generally avoided like the plague because everyone sounds like retooled Go-Go’s (girl-fronted bands) or Beach Boys (boy-fronted ones). The difference with Grouplove is that here are five friends who really enjoy each other’s company and making music together, and this is obvious when they play live. They don’t sound like they’re trying to ape some other band’s catalog. Sure, there is the sun-dappled cheerfulness of “Naked Kids,” which has angelic vocals that make you think of ’60s surf pop bands; it’s the perfect tune to queue up on your convertible sound system on the way to the beach.

But there’s also more meditative moments, like “Gold Coast,” a melancholy look back at one’s life, and “Getaway,” another slower one where Yosemite Sam lookalike Gadd takes lead vocal duties. Despite its title, “Giddy” is anything but: it’s a slow, swirly, enjoyable track. But the best moment on this EP is “Don’t Say Oh Well,” the song I can totally see as soundtracking this summer with a raucous count-in and all of its hand clapping, foot stomping, free-wheeling guitar pop glory. Grouplove are the kind of friends everyone wish they had as best mates.

Tracklisting
01. Colours
02. Naked Kids
03. Gold Coast
04. Getaway
05. Don’t Say Oh Well
06. Giddy

The Grouplove EP will be released on January 25 on Atlantic / WEA.

Grouplove: website | myspace

One very good option this past boiling Friday night in Washington was to head into the decidedly more comfy confines (read: well air-conditioned) of the Black Cat to see We Are Scientists gig on the main stage. This time, they’d brought with them two opening acts, girl group Bad Girlfriend and Lightspeed Champion (aka Dev Hynes).

I tend to be overly critical of girl bands. Especially if they’ve got long blonde locks and are dressed in polka-dotted, super short dresses. But the truth is, they have so much to prove in the male-dominated music industry, and that means they have to really rock and prove themselves a hundred times over to audiences and critics. With the unsigned Brooklyn band Bad Girlfriend, I wasn’t too impressed with their vocals – a song titled “Blonde Rocket” isn’t really my thing – but their garage fierce guitar-playing leads me to think there’s something there, if it’s not obvious on the surface. The sound is very Californian – jangly guitars with vocals, kind of similar to what the Like and Surfer Blood are doing these days (somewhat aping the Beach Boys‘s vibe), but the songs aren’t as strong as those groups.

Next up was Lightspeed Champion. I first came to know of Dev Hynes‘s solo work by hearing the ‘tude-filled and hook-laden “Marlene” on BBC 6music, so I was expecting to hear this recent single at this show. No such luck. Hynes, seemingly always wearing his New York Yankees baseball cap, played Friday night with nothing but his guitar and a Macbook for backing. If you’re into uncomplicated sweet pop songs, this would have been the set for you.

One girl at the front knew every word to every song Hynes played, so I’m glad she was up front, but I think I can speak for the rest of the crowd, we were mostly lost. For example, “Galaxy of the Lost”, with the lyrics of ” well kiss my open wounds, and add some ice, and choke on my sick vice,” is more heart-wrenching and probably would have worked better with a less happy-go-lucky, indie rock band than We Are Scientists. Hynes has a strong singing voice as evidenced by songs like “Midnight Surprise”, it’s just that the audience there that night at the Black Cat were mostly the kind who didn’t appreciate his type of mostly baroque pop.

We Are Scientists began their set shortly after 11. By this time, the club had mostly filled up and it was feeling a little cramped in the front. The Black Cat hosts mostly all-ages shows, so by now, those who could drink had already thrown back a couple and were being generally obnoxious. The band’s latest album Barbara was just released in mid-June so I knew they’d be playing songs from that album. The most disappointing thing about the whole night was that it became crystal clear to me that most people there didn’t have a clue that the band had new songs, let alone that they had a new album out. Um, there’s this thing called the internet? “Nice Guys” started the set with appropriate high energy, but the crowd wasn’t with lead singer / guitarist Keith Murray and bassist Chris Cain. I love the song, the way it’s frenetic and poppy. But the crowd wasn’t feeling it.

The next song, “This Scene is Dead” from their debut With Love and Squalor, went down far better, everyone in the club dancing along. As the night went on, it was obvious the old favorites – “Inaction,” “Dinosaurs”, and “The Great Escape” (introduced by Cain as their best dance song) just three examples – that the majority of the crowd had come to see. Peppered throughout the band’s set was Murray and Cain’s always funny conversations with each other and with the crowd; I’m not sure if all the joking was causing them to make count-in mistakes, but it really didn’t matter because like cats, they always landed on their feet with something terribly amusing to say to us and everyone forgot that there was a “mistake” in the first place. Another mistake I spied was by a girl who had pushed herself to the front and had elbowed all of us out of the way. In her effort to be “seen” by the band, she waved her arms frantically during the last third of the set, and then clapped enthusiastically to new song “Jack and Ginger,” blissfully unaware that she was clapping completely off the rhythm. She also stole a set list from the stage later, which all regular Cat gig-goers know is bad etiquette.

I don’t know about you, but to me, a We Are Scientists gig seems to be the last place you’d see canoodling. But there was a couple right up front, making out during “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt” while me and new friends I’d made at the concert rolled our eyes and looked away to stop ourselves from getting sick. I guess if you had to choose a song to make out to, that would be the one. I just wasn’t expecting anyone to do it at a gig. I mean, really. Get a room. Or at least go to the side and get out of our way. We want to groove to “Chick Lit” and “It’s a Hit” and you’re really distracting us.

An aborted attempt of Cain’s to start encore song “Cash Cow” causes him to fool around with this bass, concocting several possible lines to be Murray’s “theme song” until Murray is happy with it and the audience cheers for him at the just the right moment. See, with any other band, five false starts would be cause for cat-calls and groaning. But not for our We Are Scientists. They’re funny, they’re real, and for goodness sakes, they play some great rock. And if you haven’t seen them live yet, go. You are in for a real treat.

We Are Scientists Set List
Nice Guys
This Scene is Dead
Inaction
I Don’t Bite
Impatience
Let’s See It
Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
Rules Don’t Stop
Chick Lit
Pittsburgh
Ambition
It’s a Hit
Dinosaurs
The Great Escape
Jack and Ginger
After Hours
//
Cash Cow

Tour Dates:
Jul 19 – Horseshoe Tavern / Toronto
Jul 20 – Blind Pig / Ann Arbor, MI
Jul 21 – Bottom Lounge / Chicago
Jul 23 – Larimer Lounge / Denver
Jul 26 – Doug Fir / Portland
Jul 27 – Biltmore Cabaret / Vancouver
Jul 28 – Neumo’s / Seattle
Aug 06 – Troubadour / Los Angeles
Aug 07 – Slim’s / San Francisco
Aug 08 – Cellar Door / Visalia, CA
Aug 10 – Kilby Court / Salt Lake City
Aug 12 – Record Bar / Kansas City, MO
Aug 13 – Old Rock House / St. Louis
Aug 14 – Basement / Columbus
Aug 15 – Brillobox / Pittsburgh
Sept 03 – Fountain Square / Cincinnati

We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | @ Johnny Brenda’s | @ Austin Music Hall | @ Electric Factory | @ Black Cat, January 2010 | MP3 Minute: “Rules Don’t Stop” | We Are Scientists Debut “Nice Guys” Single | Interview with: Chris Cain of We Are Scientists | Barbara review
Lightspeed Champion: website | myspace
Bad Girlfriend: myspace

“Are you ready to rock?” asked a jovial Barry Hyde of the Futureheads Friday night. Cheering ensued. He flashed an evil grin. “You’re in the right place, because we are too!” The Sunderland, England punk rock quartet played a blazing set of favorites old and new to a crowd raring to go at the Black Cat in Washington. Their latest album The Chaos was released in America this past Tuesday on Dovecote Records.

The first of two support acts, the Static Jacks, seemed perfectly matched to the punk sensibility of the headlining Sunderland rockers. This five-member New Jersey band is a band primed for success that you’ve probably never even heard of by name before. According to Wikipedia, tunes by this self-described garage-soul band have graced “The Hills” and “The City” and have been featured on stateside satellite radio. Despite sporting a haircut reminiscent of Lyle Lovett, singer Ian Devaney has the swagger and aura of coolness of Joey Ramone and the magnetism of the Horrors‘ Faris Badwan. I was standing in front of bassist Spencer Kimmins and guitarist Henry Kaye and nearly got hit in the head by wayward guitar necks; this didn’t put me off at the slightest, because this is what you should expect during a high energy punk set. You don’t expect the bass player to hit a suitcase with a stick like it was a drum either, but you go with it if the music is good. Despite their young age (all of them under 21, according to the Xs on their hands), they have a polished but aggressive sound. If they keep this up, expect big things from this band soon.

The Like, an all-girl group from Los Angeles, have previously toured with some heavy hitters – Muse, the Arctic Monkeys, and Razorlight, just to name a few. Given their sometimes punk, sometimes sunny pop sound, the comparison to the Go-Go’s is inevitable. There are also whiffs of the Beatles (check out the video for “He’s Not a Boy” below, which reminds me of the nightclub dance scenes in “A Hard Day’s Night”) and the Beach Boys with their harmonies. Oddly, their set sandwiched in between the Static Jacks and the Futureheads almost felt like a rest period because they couldn’t match the liveliness of the other two acts. I would have preferred if they stuck to punk (and showcase their technical chops) than with retro pop. Their next album produced by Mark Ronson, Release Me, will be released on June 15 on Downtown Records.

He’s Not A Boy from The Like on Vimeo.

Sunderland, nestled in the far reaches of Northeast England, has been criminally neglected by music pundits in the past, but mark my words, it won’t be for much longer. One of these days someday soon, America will come to its collective senses and realize the wealth of music there, from the likes of Field Music, Frankie and the Heartstrings, and Friday’s headliners the Futureheads. I should have known I was in for an amazing nights simply from a message lead singer/guitarist Barry Hyde sent me hours before the show, “we’re going to rock your socks off!”

The moment Hyde and his band stepped on the Black Cat stage, you could sense the electricity in the air. The driving count-in of “5-4-3-2-1!” of “The Chaos” was a superb way to begin a set that never let up in sheer intensity and fun. “Heartbeat Song” was prefaced by Hyde with, “imagine it’s the ’80s. You’re in a John Hughes film, and you’ve just fallen in love.” Wow. It’s the obvious earworm single of The Chaos, and was simply breathtaking live as a pop-punk masterpiece. I previously linked to the excellent promo video for the song on a tour announcement 2 months ago, but check out this “making of” video that shows you just how fun these guys are.

Their roadie had painstakingly taped down all the guitar cords onstage, and this was because guitarist Ross Millard, bassist Jaff Craig, and most often Hyde himself could be found roaming the stage while frenetically going at their instruments with gusto. By the second song in, all of them were covered in sweat. Having never seen this band before live, I was not expecting the very funny stage patter from Hyde and the interaction between him, Millard, and Craig. It made an already stellar gig even better, and I’d argue they rank up there with We Are Scientists for pure during-gig hilarity. Early on in the show, Hyde chided a drunk couple who had been chatting throughout the set, one of whom had thrown a empty glass at his feet. “You do know this is a gig, right?” The crowd cheered in response.

During their cover of Kate Bush‘s “Hounds of Love,” Hyde involved the audience in a shouting contest, as Millard was unable to do his harmonies due to a sore throat, Hyde admitting he was scared to sing part of a song that he’d never done live before. Aww. (If you were wondering, my side singing along with Craig won the contest due to our enthusiasm in participating.) For the encore, Hyde indulged a devoted fan as the band played “Man Ray” from their 2004 self-titled debut album, saying to her, “after every single song we’ve played you shouted for this.” Just goes to show that persistence, in the presence of a obliging band, pays off. After such an energetic set, it was obvious that these chaps from Sunderland could have played on for hours and hours and the crowd would have eaten it all up. I can’t wait to see these guys again soon.

The Futureheads Set List
The Chaos
Meantime
Heartbeat Song
Decent Days and Nights
The Baron
Area
Struck Dumb
Sun Goes Down
Skip to the End
The Connector
I Can Do That
The Beginning of the Twist
Hounds of Love (Kate Bush cover)
Jupiter
//
This is the Life
Man Ray
Work is Never Done

Tour Dates
Jun 07 – Paradise / Boston
Jun 08 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City
Jun 10 – Mod Club / Toronto
Jun 11 – Magic Stick / Detroit
Jun 12 – Lincoln Hall / Chicago

The Futureheads: website | myspace | The Futureheads Ready for June North American Tour
The Static Jacks: website | myspace
The Like: website | myspace

“Do you know what ‘moto’ means?” singer Esau Mwamwaya of the Very Best asked the crowd at DC9 Monday night. (I presume he was asking if we knew what it meant in his native Chichewa, the national language of his homeland, Malawi.) The crowd, smiling back at him, collectively shook their heads. “It means ‘fire’!” Funny you mention something incendiary, Esau, because on a cold Monday night in Washington, the “band” from London figuratively lit a fire under the audience at the sold-out DC9 with their brand of African tinged dance music and turned the club into an all-out dance party.

The opener for the night was the Brooklyn-based duo Javelin. Not sure where they got their name – maybe cousins Tom Van Buskirk and George Langford were good at track and field in high school? These days, I imagine the two must be flexing their muscles carrying all their gear around – a whole table full of electronics including several synths and a drum pad, colorfully painted boomboxes they call “boombaatas” that form large speaker totems, and a collection of maracas and cowbells.

Javelin’s brief but entertaining set of pop / hip hop / electronic music at times lifted lyrics from songs of days gone by like Mariah Carey‘s “Fantasy.” Another example: they commandeered the words from the children’s lullaby “Frere Jacques” and turned into something completely different. Who would have guessed that song could ever be so dancey? And with humorous song titles like “Lindsay Brohan” and “Soda Popinski,” you’d have to smile. My faves from the set were “Twyce” and “Vibrationz,” the latter name-checking Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Marky Mark (aka Mark Wahlberg when he was a singer way back when). If you’re going to name your song “Vibrationz,” it’s totally appropriate to give a nod to the only two songs from popular culture that also mention such scandalous quivering.

The Very Best is a trio comprised of singer Mwamwaya and the London-based DJ/production duo of Radioclit (Swede Johan Carlberg and Frenchman Etienne [DJ] Tron). I first became aware of them when the title track of their first official full-length album, “Warm Heart of Africa”, was added to the BBC 6music playlist. The song was an instant hit with me, buoyed by the gaiety of vocals from Mwamwaya and guest Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend (who incidentally also cowrote the song) and joyous instrumentation. I was a little skeptical how this live exhibition would turn out when Carlberg first came onstage and immediately broke out a large album full of CDs and popped a disc into his Philips player. Thankfully though, my uncertainty quickly dissolved as the band got going.

For the live performance, singer Mwamwaya alternately stood, danced, and interacted with fans directly in front of Carlberg, who played DJ and assumed additional audience warm-up duty for the evening, waving his arms back and forth vigorously to get the crowd going during songs. For added oomph, they even brought with them two energetic dancers, resplendent in jackets that read “TVB” on the back; Mwamwaya proudly announced that the girls had come “all the way from the UK!” “Julia” and “Warm Heart of Africa” from their official first album were warmly received. So was “Tengazako,” a track from their 2008 free-to-download mixtape that featured an obvious sample from M.I.A., causing everyone in the club to do the gun-toting moves that I have only recently learned are requisite when hearing her “Paper Planes.”

Generally, you can expect a headlining act to play for a significantly longer period of time than their opener. Unfortunately for those of us gathered to see this band at DC9, this wasn’t the case. The two of them were clearly not prepared for such a lively reaction from their Washington area adoring fans and as such weren’t equipped to do more than the eight songs they played us. At the tail end of their set, Carlberg asked the audience what song they wanted, and after some random shouts and murmurings, it was decided that the Very Best’s cover version of Vampire Weekend‘s “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” would be the tune. After Mwamwaya left the stage, (the crowd didn’t want to let him go), Carlberg stayed behind to spin records, and the audience continued dancing to the pulsating beats on offer. I think if they keep this up, the Very Best could very well be the next global phenomenon.

The Very Best: myspace
Javelin: website | myspace

Eddie Argos, self-professed lover of comics and lead singer and lyricist for Art Brut, has a way of conducting himself in live performance that is, shall we say, interesting. As if a cross between a benevolent general and a wacky concert conductor, he asks his bandmates at the start of every song bandmates, “Are you ready, Art Brut?” He doesn’t sing so much as emote in a speaking voice, detailing anecdotes from his reality in a humorous way, backed by his extremely animated band. And as I describe to you what I saw when I saw this band playing at the Black Cat over the weekend, you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway. But what I say is entirely true.

The opening act for the night was a Californian band called Princeton. (Forget that I thought maybe they got the name because they were all Ivy Leaguers; their Web site says the name came from Princeton Street in Santa Monica, where three of them grew up.) The band is comprised of cute-as-a-button twin brothers Jesse and Matt Kivel (lead and bass guitars), Ben Usen (keyboards), and David Kitz (drums). Being four guys hailing SoCal, they probably would not appreciate it when I say they are good at writing and playing danceable, bouncy pop songs, but I found myself tapping my feet and dancing to their appealing rhythms. Like the Beach Boys? I think you’ll love this band.

To be perfectly frank, I was not expecting a band like them to open for Art Brut, a band known to be off the cuff and unpredictable. As an unabashed lover of good pop, I found Princeton terribly engaging. I had initially decided a song entitled “I Left Me Love in Nagasaki” had to be the punchline of a bad joke, but I was pleasantly surprised by its poppiness. I also found the “musical chairs”-like passing off of guitars between the twins, the keyboardist, and the drummer between songs very cool, as if they wanted to prove that they each had more than one talent. “Shout It Out” was one of several songs that the band encouraged us to clap along to and you know what? From a cursory glance around me, the audience was game. Somehow they’d managed to charm the bohemians.

And then there was…Art Brut. Eddie Argos divulged to me before the gig that he likes being a show-off and the internet is a great platform for spreading his wit. So it should come as no surprise that the star of the evening was, in fact, Eddie himself. I’d read that he likes to jump rope with his microphone cord, but actually seeing him do this in front of an audience was another matter entirely. Another part of the Art Brut show is Argos stopping mid-song, the band patiently waiting to begin playing again as he entertained us on a variety of topics, including his insistence that if you ride on the glass elevator to the basement of Willy Wonka’s crazy chocolate factory, you will find the Batcave. He told us this in such a deadpan matter, so earnest that you wouldn’t dare not believe him. Later on he said we should all stop what we’re doing and form bands, also threatening us that if this did not happen by the next time he came to town, he would come after each and every one of us, because he never forgets a face. You can’t make this stuff up. Don’t forget, their first single was “Formed a Band”: “Formed a band / we formed a band / look at us / we formed a band / I want to be the boy / the man / who writes the song / that makes Israel and Palestine / get along“.

While Argos’s onstage antics are entertaining, you can’t discount the high energy and seemingly never-stopping soundtrack to the evening. This was provided handily by Jasper Future and Ian Catskillkin on guitars, Freddy Feedback on bass, and Mikey Breyer on drums. Everything melds together for a perfect rock noise; Future and Catskillkin are wailing on their guitars maniacally, and Feedback and Breyer are driving the tunes along with their beats. Older favorites like “Modern Art”, “Bang Bang Rock and Roll”, the thoughtful “Emily Kane” (about a childhood flame), and the previously mentioned “Formed a Band” went down extremely well with the crowd. And Argos is still funny and on top form in their newest album, Art Brut vs. Satan, as evidenced in songs like “The Passenger”, in which he walked around the stage, mimicking the wheels of a train with his hands, and causing all of us to laugh; “Alcoholics Unanimous”, with its triumphant chorus of “bring me tea! / bring me coffee!“; and “DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake”, Argos wistfully talking about his boyhood loves and how it’s perfectly natural to be a grown man and still love such things. Overall, this was one highly enjoyable night. Catch them live if you can as they make their way across North America.

Set list
Formed a Band
My Little Brother
Summer Job
Good Weekend
Rusted Guns of Milan
What a Rush
Modern Art (DC Comics version)
Demons Out
Bad Weekend
Alcoholics Unanimous
Emily Kane
The Passenger
DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake
//
Bang Bang Rock and Roll
Twist and Shout
Post Soothing Out

Tour dates
Oct 20 - Earl / Atlanta*
Oct 22 – Bottletree / Birmingham*
Oct 23 – Spanish Moon / Baton Rouge*
Oct 24 – Walter’s on Washington / Houston*
Oct 25 – Mohawk / Austin*
Oct 27 – Club Congress / Tucson*
Oct 28 – Casbah / San Diego*
Oct 29 – Glass House / Pomona, Ca.*
Oct 30 – Cafe Du Nord (2 shows) / San Francisco*
Nov 1 – Holocene / Portland*
Nov 2 – Neumo’s / Seattle*
Nov 3 – Biltmore / Vancouver#
Nov 4 – Neurolux / Boise#
Nov 5 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City#
Nov 6 – Bluebird / Denver#
Nov 8 – Slowdown / Omaha#
Nov 9 – Triple Rock / Minneapolis#
Nov 10 – Lincoln Hall / Chicago#
Nov 12 – First Unitarian Church / Philadelphia#
Nov 13 – Brooklyn Bowl / New York City#
Nov 14 – Ottobar / Baltimore#
Nov 15 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City#
*with Princeton
#with Surfer Blood

Art Brut: website | myspace | Art Brut Announce Big Fall North American Tour | Video for Art Brut’s New Single “Alcoholics Unanimous”
Princeton: website | myspace | @ SECAC Day Stage @ SXSW

Pogonophilia was alive and well Sunday night! Fleet Foxes folked it up hardcore at their second NYC show, much to the delight of some pretty enthusiastic fans. This Seattle quintet makes music that is warm, cathartic, lush, hopeful and fairly epic, but seeing them live is a whole ‘nother level of musical genius. They describe their music as “baroque harmonic pop jams.” Yeah, I just call it “awesome.”

Playing tracks off the Sun Giant EP as well as their self-titled debut, lead singer Robin Pecknold and bandmates entertained with some incredibly gorgeous vocal harmony. Sharing similarities to acts like My Morning Jacket, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beach Boys and The Shins, Fleet Foxes makes frontier-friendly music that will make you wanna hop on your trusty horse (with no name) and gallop into the sunset to a more peaceful place… perhaps, Seattle.

With songs that are chock full of unique intros, gentle yet purposeful strumming, interesting breakdowns, lingering vocals and memorable codas, Fleet Foxes put on one of the best live shows I’ve seen in a while. The music was flawless as the vocals were impeccable. Even the stage lighting was elegant– they had a backdrop that resembled a starry night sky as they joked New Yorkers “deserve one night of actually being able to see them” (hey!). Pecknold ripped on The Big Apple a few times, but then made it up by telling us how much they love stopping here on tour.

Hilarity ensued when a loud fan inquired how he spent his day; he regaled us with stories about exploring Williamsburg, Brooklyn (everyone smiled/giggled, of course) and the fancy coffee he sipped there. He then rhetorically asked questions about the who’s/what’s that invented complicated coffee flavors and why it is so damn hard to find simple java. This is NYC, so of course rhetorical questions never go unanswered. A smartass fan in the audience shouted “Blame Seattle for that!”  The audience busted out laughing, as Pecknold smiled and said “touché.”

The witty banter amongst the band and with the audience only enhanced their great live performance. They even showed off an awesome new track, “Silver City,” and Pecknold sweetly begged, “Don’t put it up on YouTube, it’s not finished yet.” They played for about an hour and a half (to make up for no encore…what?!) and informed the crowd they’re heading back to Seattle to record their new album. They won’t be touring again for some time, so I highly recommend catching them while you still can. Until then…

Set List:
Sun Giant/Sun It Rises
Drops in the River
English House
White Winter Hymnal
Ragged Wood
Your Protector
Crayon Angels (Judee Sill cover)
Oliver James
Quiet Houses
He Doesn’t Know Why
Mykonos
Katie Cruel (traditional American folk song) – unplugged!
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Silver City (new song)
Blue Ridge Mountains

Fleet Foxes: myspace | Fleet Foxes review

Photos and Writing by: Mona Sheikh

Once upon a time, way back in July (well it feels like forever ago, anyway), I caught a rare live show performed by Philadelphia’s The Bye Byes. Since that night, front man Pete Shauger and I have been playing interview tag. Over the course of a three month long conversation, we talked about our respective histories with the saxophone, the MySpace/Facebook revolution, and the band’s vacancy for an agent. Enjoy!

Jessica, PopWreckoning: I haven’t been able to find much in the way of a biography on The Bye Byes. Would you please explain how you four joined together to create the band?
Pete Shauger: Well, Steven [Binnig, bass] and Erik [Schmidt, drums] have played in bands together since their teens, most recently and notably in The Alkali Flats. Steven also knew Joel from a short-lived band they played in together. I didn’t know anybody…
But they (Steven and Erik) found me, and basically decided to form a band around me – well, around my songs. I’ve been writing for years, but with no grand plan. I always wanted to put a band together and thought, well, if it’s meant to happen, then one of these days, the right band will come along… and it did!

Pete Shauger, Photo: Jessica McGinley

PW: You certainly lucked out with Steven and Erik finding you! So many people search for band mates for ages, but it basically just fell right in your lap — how does it feel to be so lucky? [laughs]
PS: It feels great. They’re great musicians AND swell fellas to boot. I really feel like I lucked out in every possible way with them. Technically I did wait for ages, though…I just didn’t search for ages.

PW: Fair enough. When did you beginning playing music and what/who are/were the influences and motivational forces behind it?
PS: Let’s see, earliest influences… AM radio of the early, mid, and late 1970s is one. You know, the Little River Band, Paul McCartney, Dionne Warwick, Pilot (oh oh oh it’s magic!) … There was also a Beatles cassette (the Red album, 1962-1966) that we nearly wore out (but didn’t! I still have it, actually) playing on one of those old portable tape recorders. There was a Beach Boys compilation album (“High Tide” – part live, part not live) that we used to wear the grooves out of too. And then over the years I would soak in whatever my elder siblings were listening to.
Then there’s my family. My dad played the accordion, my mom and all my siblings took piano lessons. My brother played saxophone, and later guitar. My grandpa was a mean whistler and harmonica player…and my grandma (who also knew how to carry a tune) had this awesome double-decker organ we always loved to play when we visited. When she died I inherited it, and still have it. I took piano and saxophone lessons in grade school. Near the end of high school I discovered the acoustic guitar.

Erik Schmidt, Photo: Jessica McGinley

PW: I played the saxophone in grade school, too!
PS: No WAY! Did you also attempt to play “The Andy Griffith” theme song, and Men At Work’s “Who Can It Be Now” on it? I never had a problem with the instrument itself, I just hated the lessons. Same with piano. Um, same with swimming too.
PW: Totally feel you on the lessons and practicing thing. I was always last chair because I preferred playing soccer outside or something than sitting at home practicing my sax. The band director did not like that, but then in middle school I dropped band all together in favor of art classes.
PS: Good for you, way to stick it to the MAN. I usually preferred anything else over practicing. Which is funny to me because I love sitting down at the piano now, and I wish I still had a saxophone (and saxophone skills!). I think it was the structure of the lessons, the regiment of the practice, and just the pressure of it that turned me off. I’ve always been an “at-my-own-pace” kind of person. Some people really excel in that environment, but it just makes me want to shut down. Same reason I quit the bowling team at work! Stopped being fun, you know? Did you stick with art? Do you still wish you played saxomaphone?
PW: I did stick with art. Took a ton of art classes in high school and loved every second of it while my friends in band hated their lives. Or band class anyway. I’m no longer as active with art, but I’ve come full circle back to music, obviously, though not on the performing side.
I’m not too sad about not playing the sax anymore. I actually still have the one I played in elementary school. From memory, the only thing I would probably be able to play is “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” haha. I have no problem reading music, though. Let’s start a two man sax band! I bet we can find you a sweet little alto in a random pawn or vintage shop in this city of ours. [laughs] But back to your influences…

PS: It wasn’t until college in the early 90s that I discovered the late 70s early 80s new wave scene. In particular: Squeeze, Nick Lowe, Split Enz, and Elvis Costello. That was the last awakening for me. Like, oh…THIS is what I like. So when Nirvana and Pearl Jam were in every other dorm room, I was learning “Cruel To Be Kind” and “Pulling Mussels from the Shells.”
PW: You didn’t really miss much in the early 90s — I was at the age where New Kids On The Block and Paula Abdul were just the greatest musical acts of our time (I’ve since seriously reconsidered that position) but aside from Nirvana, nothing spectacular happened. Except for Radiohead, but they started in the late 80s and first found some fame in the early 90s. But anyway, the new wave-y, retro pop sounds totally works for you guys. It’s refreshing in a scene where most stuff sounds the same because a lot of bands now all have the same influences from the 90s.

Steven Binnig, Photo: Jessica McGinley

PW: How did you become involved with Home Tone Records?
PS: Well, one day while traipsing around on myspace.com, I found this band called Stingrays from Columbia, Missouri, and we began trading the occasional message. But I didn’t realize that the head Stingray, Wes Wingate, also co-ran a small label called Home Tone Records. One day, out of the blue, Wes sent me a message to say, “Hey, if there’s anything I can do to help you get your album out, let me know.” That’s it really. He offered and I accepted.
PW: For as much flack as MySpace gets, it really is servicey! I hear from so many musicians these days that all these incredible things have happened to them because of MySpace.
PS: I agree. And with Facebook now, it’s like a one-two punch. I really love what the online revolution has done, at least for artists like me. I finish a song, post it to MySpace, then almost instantaneously, fans all the way out in Australia can hear it. I think that’s awesome. Still don’t know how that translates to making a living out of it, but I can’t worry about that right now. Right now I’m just trying to make the best songs I know how.

PW: When we talked at the show, you mentioned that you’re 4 songs away from completing your debut album. What’s the process of creating the record been like? When do you expect/hope to have it completed and released by?
PS: The process is slow but thoroughly enjoyable. I hope to have all the recording done by the close of 2008, and maybe a release in the spring of 2009? We all have day jobs, three of us are married and one of us, I won’t mention names, might as well be…, and I have kiddies, so finding the time to squeeze in a recording session, let alone rehearsals and gigs, is tough.
We record a track here and there. Usually in my basement or Erik’s. I would like to record in a “real” studio someday but I also like the home-spun feel of doing it ourselves, in our homes, on our equipment. Can’t beat the price either…
PW: I can 100% sympathize with the busy lives of day jobs and, well, not so much wives or kids, but yeah, life is busy. I’m glad to process has been enjoyable, though. Taking your time is better anyway — stretch it out and make sure you’re happy with the final product. Whenever it’s completed, I look forward to hearing it.

PW: Hailing from the City of Brotherly Love, how have you found the Philadelphia music scene in terms of both other musicians and audiences?
PS: Well the bands / musicians I’ve met so far (at the shows we’ve played) seem nice. I know that sounds generic but it’s true. And the audiences have been sweet. Which is to say, they seem to like us. The scene is hard for me to gauge since I live outside the city walls. I don’t really feel part of it…which has its pros and cons. At times I like being an outsider, but other times I feel like we’d get more shows if we were insiders. Whatever that means.
Or maybe we just need an agent. Wanna be our agent?
PW: Well I do live inside the city, so I’ve got that going for me. And I’m fairly entrenched in the local musician scene. We did just talk about how both of us don’t have time for anything, but yeah. I’m in. I can be agent-y, no problem. Done.

Joel Rose, Photo: Jessica McGinley

PW: You guys have played a handful of shows in the area with some great acts, but if you could put together your dream tour, who would you want to share the stage with? Just totally run with it, it can be any band/musician ever, living, dead, broken up, whatever!
PS: Well there was a tour in 1980 that had Squeeze / Elvis Costello on the bill. That would have been an amazing tour to open for. I also would have loved to share a stage with Beulah before they split up.
PW: Oh, Beulah! I can’t even remember the last time I heard that name. Well, actually, I just read a book in which a woman gave the fake name of Beulah to someone, but it was in no way related to the band. They were great.
Costello has his own television show now. It films at the Apollo Theater in New York. As your agent, I will book you on the show and demand that Elvis jam with you guys. I just went from being completely inexperienced to being the best agent in the business. Stick with me, kid, you’ll go far. [laughs]

PW: So back to reality, what are you currently listening to? Anything you’d like to recommend?
PS: Why I’d love to. I hereby recommend the new CD by a band called Fugu. It’s been out for a while but just recently became available stateside. Just some great 70s-style sunny-day pop.
Oh and I also really like this band from Columbus Ohio called Paper Airplane. And a band from Baltimore called Gary B and the Notions. Again, more great stuff I’ve found,or they found me!, on MySpace.
PW: Awesome, thanks so much! It’s been a pleasure, Pete!

Philly loves, you can catch The Bye Byes at The M Room on Thursday, November 6th with Arizona and The Shackletons. Since no one should wait that long to check out their delightful pop sound, head over to the Bye Byes’ MySpace page to download a bunch of free songs!

The Bye Byes: myspace | live review

Earlier in the week I got a phone call from Army Navy front man Justin Kennedy. If for some reason you don’t recognize the name, you may recognize the name of former Pinwheel bandmate Ben Gibbard. Gibbard’s had some wonderful success following Pinwheel and Kennedy and company is no doubt set for the same.

During the call, Kennedy and I discussed the band’s debut album, set for release October 14th, other projects including their inclusion on the Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist soundtrack, and plans to dominate 2009. Read on for more:

Jessica, PopWreckoning: How are things working out in New York?
Justin Kennedy, Army Navy: They’re great! We had an awesome show last night. It was really fun. Have a five hour press day today. Breeze. [laughs]

PW: What question are you tired of answering because I promise not to ask it.
JK: It hasn’t been that many interviews. I guess “Where did the name Army Navy come from?” because it’s not really an interesting story.
PW: Avoided, for sure. I’m glad to hear things are going well in New York, though. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it up last night and can’t tomorrow night, either, but good luck tomorrow night!
JK: I think it’s supposed to be pretty big actually. It should be fun.

PW: Have you been to the east coast before?
JK: Yeah, we played at CMJ a few years ago. I’ve been to New York a bunch of times. I have a lot of friends out here. I come as much as possible.
PW: I know what you mean, I love New York. I’m glad you guys got to come out here for press stuff, then.
JK: Yeah, it’s been pretty fun. I think we’re going to be back for CMJ this year. We’re just trying to figure out all the details right now.

PW: Any other plans to tour the rest of the east coast? I’m just down in Philly, so if you guys wanted to come hang out, that’s cool. [laughs]
JK: Absolutely! Actually, we were thinking that if we can get our plans together for CMJ, we’re going to try to hit Boston and Philly and a lot around the area. We just need to get on top of that. There’s been so much other work with press and reviews and stuff. It’s not a nightmare or anything, it just takes a lot of time.
A tour is the next thing we’re gonna be working on. But definitely, we’d love to come to Philadelphia. I’ve actually never been to Philadelphia before. Everybody says it’s amazing.

PW: It’s no New York. It’s smaller, but great. I love it. I’ll give you guys a tour when you come.
JK: Our producer Adam Lasus lived there for years. I think he grew up there. He’s always talking about it.
PW: I had no idea. But enough about Philly. Let’s talk about you, we don’t need to talk about Philly.
JK: OK. [laughs]

PW: It seems as if October is Army Navy month. You guys have your new self-titled album coming out on The Fever Zone label and then you’re also on the Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist soundtrack and you’ve got a song on a Cure tribute album coming out.
JK: Yeah, it’s pretty nuts. We have two songs in Nick and Norah’s: one song’s on the soundtrack and we just found out that they’re actually using the song [pause] we released an exclusive track just for the soundtrack, and the other track is off our record.
We just found out two days ago that they’re using the song on our record for the TV commercial for Nick and Norah, which is pretty insane.
PW: Yeah, that’s awesome!
JK: We’ll be like everywhere! That’s fuckin’ nuts!

PW: It’s crazy. Congratulations, that’s huge! You’ll be rockin’ out at Madison Square Garden next time you’re in New York, I bet. [laughs]
JK: [laughs] Yeeeeah…that’s a lot. Hopefully some of this will help us take off a little bit, definitely. We’ve been talking about putting out a record ourselves and we’ve been talking to labels. Big Hassle came around and we felt like we got it. We had some checks come in and we thought, ‘We can do a better job than some of these indie labels that seem to have no idea what they’re doing.’
We created our own timeline for things to come out and then Nick and Norah’s was coming out, which, you know, they’re putting millions into marketing this movie. So we thought we’d just ride the coattails of their marketing a little bit because they’ll have a lot more opportunities to get our name out there than we would. We decided to just put our record out right after the movie came out since people might know who we are at that point.
The Cure thing came along, which comes out two weeks after our record, which is nuts. It all just kind of came together all at once.
PW: That’s amazing. You can’t even buy that kind of publicity.
JK: Absolutely. It’s like we have Atlantic Records putting out the record. There’s gonna be an iTunes exclusive and, basically, it’s way more than we’d ever be able to do ourselves.

PW: With the Nick and Norah thing, today it’s far more common, but back in the 90s, if a band was in a movie or commercial, that was considered selling out. What do you think…
JK: It was totally uncool. That was what my viewpoint was, as well. It was something I would never do, unless it was something really specific or whatever. I still am. I wouldn’t sell my song to an Exxon commercial or something.
For Nick and Norah, we’re sharing the soundtrack with a lot of great bands and the whole movie is about music. Nowadays, with the record industry so screwed up and no one buying records, you have to find these other angles to make money so we can go out and tour.
One thing about being in L.A., we all have professional relationships with music supervisors and people in and around the industry, so we have a lot of contacts. For us, we have some songs that would be good for that stuff and it’s paid for part of the record and for Adam’s fees to produce the record. All those little things that come and go that people don’t really think about. It’s been a way to make music our only income at this point, which is really great.

PW: Absolutely. I was going to ask what you think changed the negative stigma that used to come along with this, but you’re right. The record industry is completely messed up and people aren’t buying as many records as they used to. It’s unfortunate because there are a lot of great records out there.
The internet has screwed a lot of stuff up. It’s done a great deal to help a lot of artists just get their stuff heard, but it’s also had a negative affect on the monetary side of the business.
JK: I think us not having much overhead putting out this record, we actually could make some money on the record, because we don’t have a giant label paying for all of this extra stuff. Everything that we make goes to the band fund and we pay for it ourself. It’s just more of a chance for us to make a little money if the record sells copies. We eat and everything on it these days.
Besides, the movie looks hilarious. I saw a little bit of it on a screener. I saw the opening scene and I saw the scene that we were in, it’s pretty funny.
PW: Yeah and it’s got a lot of great kids in it, too. Michael Cera who was in Superbad and “Arrested Development.” He’s so funny.
JK: He’s hilarious.
PW: It’ll be a big movie and it’ll definitely get you guys out there. Especially being in the trailer, now.
JK: Omigod, that’s everywhere – it’s gonna be nuts. I haven’t seen it, but I hear he sells it. It’s just cool that some random people are gonna hear it that wouldn’t have before. Some people are going to hear our song on TV. People find music in really weird places these days. Those iPod commercials, they blow up.
PW: Oh yeah. Every single band that’s had one has just gotten ridiculously huge.
JK: Yeah, huge! They also run up the iTunes charts. Something like this is only going to be helpful for us.

PW: For the Cure tribute album, what song did you cover for it?
JK: “Jumping Someone Else’s Train.”

PW: Did you choose that one or had you been playing it before and someone got in touch with you about it? I honestly have no idea how tribute albums or most compilations work.
JK: My friend Paul was putting the soundtrack together. He says, “Hey, you’re a Cure fan. I’m putting this soundtrack together.” He asked us to be in it. We talked to Adam and Adam was stoked at the idea. We were actually going to do another song for it. We were gonna do a doo wop version [laughs] — that would’ve been really amazing — off the Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me record. I can’t remember which song it was.
We we kind of worked it out and then Paul said the person he’d offered it to wasn’t going to do it and then they changed their mind. He gave us a list of what wasn’t already taken. It was hard because, for us, most of these songs are kind of jammy. We had to try to find a song that sort of lent itself as close to an Army Navy song as possible. We didn’t want to make it a total Army Navy song but that one has some parts that we felt had a poppiness to it.
Our version is really fucked up. I say it’s like Talk Talk meets Nirvana.

PW: That is definitely a way to sell this tribute album: “It is really fucked up.” [laughs]
JK: [laughs] Yeah. I love it! I mean, I’m so psyched at how it turned out. We definitely took it as a recording experience. It gave us the opportunity for a song that we don’t ever really need to play live.
We tried it in probably 15 different styles. We just went in and hashed out every different way of playing it to figure it out. We love how the track turned out. We went in with Adam for a couple days and banged it out and fixed it. It will be interesting to see what people think of it.
PW: Yeah, I can’t wait to hear it after hearing that explanation.
JK: I don’t know if that’s a good explanation of it, but that’s totally what it reminds me of. It would be like later Talk Talk with the weird keyboards and really fucked up guitar. I dunno, but I’m really happy with it.
It’s a different outlet. The other bands on there aren’t bands we’ve played with before and wouldn’t necessarily be associated with. Like Bat For Lashes is on there. That’s going to be a really interesting track.

PW: What are you listening to now yourself?
JK: Ben [Gaffin, bass] gave me a copy of that Last Shadow Puppets record. I really dug that one. That kid’s from Arctic Monkeys and I’m not really a huge Arctic Monkeys fan. Mainly because we played their first show in L.A. and they were assholes to us, but they’re nice now. That record is pretty awesome.
I can’t say I’ve listened to a lot of new records, I tend to listen to a lot of old stuff. I’ve been on a really big bubblegum kick lately. Early 70s or 60s bubblegum, like The Archies. One of my buddies is into making me a bunch of CDs of a lot of really great singer-songwriters of the early 70s. Like all the soft rock-y stuff like Ricky Nelson and Neil Diamond. I’m just a big songwriter fan no matter what style it’s in, that era in the 70s had a lot of great artists and albums. The Carpenters, the Beach Boys all fall into that. A lot of old stuff.
Then my favorite classic 90s stuff: Teenage Fanclub, The Pixies. Wilco was always a favorite of mine, too. I did go to a Radiohead show, although I did kind of stop loving them a while ago. Not for any reason, but I loved the first couple records. I did go to see them last week and it totally changed my mind. I think I really like a lot of the stuff on the new record. Seeing them live really sold it to me more. It was an amazing show, a really amazing show.
PW: I’ve never gotten to catch them live.
JK: The mix is pretty phenomenal. We saw them at the Hollywood Bowl. The light show, the whole thing is pretty incredible. They know how to put on a show for sure.
PW: I should think so. They’re pretty big. [jokingly] People have heard of them, I think.
JK: [laughs] Yeah, maybe. Fuckin’ Jonny Greenwood was playing lead guitar and also playing a lead keyboard line with the head of the guitar. I’ve never seen that before. I was like, “Wow.”
PW: Now I have to go see them! Are they still on tour? I don’t even know.
JK: I think they’re tour is done. I had seen The Bends tour, which is so funny. So many years ago. You can tell they’re still up there having fun and it’s just so incredible.

PW: Do you plan on touring that big?
JK: I would love to! We’re definitely trying to spend ’09 touring as much as possible. We’ve gotta get out there and we love playing shows. When people see the live show, I think they’ll get into it. It’s more of a stripped down version of the record.
We have a lot of crazy lead guitar parts, which is amazing to see live. Louie [Schultz, guitar/keys/vocals] is a really incredible guitarist and he’s been able to transfer a lot of the stuff he does on the record to the live show. Definitely more of a hyped up version of the record.

PW: For these tour plans, if you could tour with anybody — living, dead, anybody — who would you want to play with on the same bill?
JK: I’d love to play with The Pixies. I think that would be amazing. It’s obvious to pick The Beatles [laughs]. Teenage Fanclub is one of my all time favorite bands and they would just mean more to me than any band. I would be totally stoked to tour with them and hang out with those dudes. It would be pretty amazing.
Oasis would be amazing just because it would just be so hilarious. Be able to hang out with them everyday, go to the bar with Liam [Gallagher] and try to keep up with him [laughs].
Mudhoney, I’m a massive Mudhoney fan growing up in Seattle.

PW: Yeah! I was at Sub Pop‘s 20th anniversary show so I got to see them recently.
JK: So was I!
PW: Oh, you were?! Did you enjoy it? It was the greatest weekend!
JK: Oh my god! It was good! I just wish Mudhoney had closed the show. How can Flight of the Conchords close a Sub Pop show? That’s TERRIBLE! It should have been The Vaselines, although Mudhoney were so phenomenal. They are still as good as when I saw them when I was a teenager.
PW: Yeah, I was pretty shocked at the arrangement of the line up. I guess Flight of the Conchords are pretty big now, but how are you not going to close with your legends?
JK: That’s what I’m saying! I didn’t understand that. The whole order of bands was a little weird to me. It kind of got lighter and lighter as it went. I thought that Mudhoney would’ve closed it and killed it. On the main stage, too. They played the small stage but they were still amazing. They were so good.
I didn’t go to the second day, though. I really wanted to. I was back home visiting the family so I didn’t want to spend my whole time watching a concert. They’d've gotten mad at me. [laughs]
PW: I was there for the second and it wasn’t as good. I got there on time, the morning was strong I thought, but I left pretty early. I did that with the Conchords, too, I left about halfway through their set.
JK: I wanted to do that, too, but my friends wanted to stay till the end. It was a complete nightmare trying to get out. It look an hour just to leave the parking lot.
PW: I didn’t drive, but I had no idea that the last bus from Redmond straight to downtown Seattle left at like 10:30, so I missed that bus by minutes. I ended up taking about 5 different buses and it took 3 hours just to get back.
JK: What a nightmare. It was a beautiful day in Seattle, though.
PW: Oh yeah! That was my first time ever in Seattle and I fell in love with it. It’s beautiful out there.
JK: If you can go to Seattle when the weather is like that, it’s the best thing on Earth. It’s when it’s rainy and gloomy all the rest of the year…
PW: That puts a damper on my plans to move there.
JK: [laughs]

PW: Thanks so much for giving me call, it’s been great talking to you.
JK: Me, too. Thanks for talking to me.
PW: Absolutely! Enjoy the rest of your time in New York and I look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia soon.
JK: Awesome, I’ll talk to you soon.

Army Navy: myspace