My review (and photos) from last night's show — also at Chop Suey. I'm hoping that it's a little more lucid than the last, if only because I'm writing it at 2 a.m. instead of 5. And though I only caught the last two acts (Rooney and opener Locksley) I'm pretty psyched on the night.
My review (and photos) of last night's show at Chop Suey: Freeway, D.Black, Cancer Rising and Jay Barz. I love 206 proof hip-hop!
My review of tonight's (last night?) concert at Neumos. Hint: the opening bands rocked!
7.6/10
At first glance, Beck’s latest album is much easier to digest than his last handful of releases. “Modern Guilt” feels like some sort of return to the days of 1996’s “Odelay,” with upbeat and catchy melodies. If anything, however, a close listen makes it clear that the buoyant production is a counter for the increasingly dark and disillusioned artist.
Overall, the trouble felt by an artist who built his persona on fun is painfully tangible. The latest LP is more consistent than past albums, in both sound and lyrical content, but the two don’t match up. That may be a sign for the future of the artist known for his experimentation across nearly every genre, but for now there’s nothing to do but sit back and listen.
Though he doesn’t ditch the traditional nonsensical lyrics, Beck also balances the album with some politically charged undertones.
“Walls,” one of the album’s best tracks melodically, is also one of its strongest lyrically: “You got warheads stacked in the kitchen/ You treat distraction like an instant religion…/ Hey, what are you gonna do/ When those walls are falling down/ Falling down on you?”
Likewise, “Gamma Ray” combines a party beat with an environmental warning: “If I could hold hold out for now/ With these icecaps melting down.”
“Modern Guilt” shows signs of producer Danger Mouse’s handiwork if they’re being searched for, but — as in the case of his work with The Black Keys — the sound is still ultimately Beck’s.
The album also features indie-starlet Cat Power on the album opener “Orphans,” creating a beautiful purring harmony and at others.
The album is incredibly short, with 10 songs clocking in at just over half an hour. Short punches of melody and lyric make sure none of the time’s wasted, leaving the album to seem much more full than it actually is.
“Chemtrails” is the album’s best piece of Beck’s home turf psych-rock, featuring a drum backing by longtime collaborator Joey Waronker. Interestingly, it’s also the only track that doesn’t include any Danger Mouse beats or loops.
The album ends with “Volcano,” a strikingly personal prophecy of sorts: “I don't know where I've been, but I know where I'm going/ To that volcano/ I don't want to fall in, though/ Just want to warm my bones on that fire a while.”
LISTEN: BECK - "GAMMA RAY"
After thoroughly enjoying The End's Summer Camp earlier today (yesterday?), I've made some important revelations. One, very important, was that I truly love music. The other, slightly less important, was that I cannot stand emo kids.
I was about to review this show, or day of shows, when I thought to myself, "You know, you're going to be reviewing music all summer — why not take this day and just enjoy it without critiquing?" So, that's what I did. The results were amazing.
I was able to just lose myself in the music. The feeling I got, especially during the sets of Flobots and MGMT, was surreal: I felt lifted, absorbed. I felt mesmerized. I felt these things and remembered why I was drawn to music in the first place and why I can never seem to escape (as if I'd want to).
The only thing shaking me out were the obnoxious emo/punk kids who were clearly there for either Armor For Sleep (the former) or Pennywise (the latter). I mean come on — who moshes while there's a cello onstage? It's an unspoken rule, or at least one I never thought would need to be clarified.
I was really proud of Nada Surf frontman Matthew Caws for calling these kids out during their set: "This isn't that kind of show you guys. If you want to punch each other in the face, that's fine, but do it somewhere else." That drew a lot of middle fingers, and one of the crowd threw a belt onstage. Between songs, drummer Ira Elliot buckled it around his neck and yelled out, "Hey, thanks, this is awesome! Brown on one side, black on the other — it goes with everything!"
I was part of an oddly diverse crowd. On one hand, there were hoards of brace-faced teens and tweens who really seemed to young to be at a punk rawk show. On the other hand, there were more than enough big, tattooed, beer-drunk men. Oh yeah, and the one guy wearing a slasher mask: really? But if nothing else, my fellow audience members kept the day interesting.
And, despite the need to defend myself from the annoying alcohol-and-testosterone-fueled antics of a few, my first experience at Marymoor Park was a great one; as usual, music conquered all. And, because I couldn't completely turn off the reviewer part of my brain, here are a few thoughts:
• Flobots' Brer Rabbit can dance. Like really, really dance, beyond words. Props.So, a really good day — good bands, good weather (suprisingly enough) and good friends to enjoy it all with. Thank you 107.7, KNDD, The End. Taking over the world.
• The lead singer/guitarist of MGMT, Andrew Vanwyngarden, is a total psychadellic badass.
•Destructive on-stage antics are only funny for so long. Luckily, Armor For Sleep frontman Ben Jorgensen took the first dive, throwing his guitar and then falling backwards into a stack of amps. And when Nada Surf's Daniel Lorca threw his base, well, that was pretty great too.
•Putting a cymbal above your head is a really cool thing for a drummer to do, especially if you drum for Nada Surf. More power to you Ira.
•As much as I love them, Pennywise didn't feel as fresh as I thought they might. Guitarist Fletcher Dragge was so pissed off — first at the government, then the Microsofties, and finally the on-call paramedics — that it actually became a little tiring. Warped Tour might be a better home for the prolific punk-rockers.
• That being said, the "Blitzkrieg Bop" cover played by Pennywise featuring Flogging Molly's Dennis Casey on vocals was one of the high points of the day.
•Flogging Molly is, was, and forever will be the most talented and entertaining Irish musicians to ever explore and transform the punk genre. That, and the best spokesmen Guiness could ever hope for.
I just got back from a quick study break at Trabant Coffee and Chai, where my buddy and fraternity brother Jason Barber played a few of his songs at open mic. I popped off a few shots while I was there — open mics are a great chance to shoot live music in a chill setting — and headed back home. For the record, I was actually really impressed, especially with his first song. I'd never heard Barber play his own stuff before, but it's good to know I'm getting guitar pointers from a guy who knows what he's doing. Back to the photos… after a brief interruption by a drunken wrestling match that will surely go down in Xi Deut lore, I decided that editing up a few photos would be a much better use of my time than studying labor history. Screw you Samuel Gompers.
Enjoy.
The latest from NYC rapper Nas, in collaboration with DJ Green Lantern, is a the latest in a long line of support for Obama from the music community. The brilliant piece of pro-Obama hip-hop comes off of the new mixtape "The Nigger Tape," just after Bob Dylan's endorsement a few days ago and the viral Will.I.Am song and video "Yes We Can" from earlier this year.
Not only does he remix Obama's acceptance speech, but the hook is sampled from 2Pac's "Changes": "And though it seems heaven-sent, we ain't ready to have a black president."
The track boasts a smart set of rhymes, too; Nas brings up Calvin Coolidge's KKK connection and Andrew Jackson's mixed Native American blood. As the Obama clip in the beginning says, "They said this day would never come." And Nas respons with the rallying cry, "Yes we can, change the world."
LISTEN: NAS - "BLACK PRESIDENT"
When I heard that Ludacris dropped his appearance at Bumbershoot 2008, I was more or less crushed. After seeing Lupe Fiasco and Wu Tang last year, I know just how amazing a headlining hip-hop show at Bumbershoot can be (though tragically I missed Kanye the year before).
BUT guess what? It was just announced tonight that T.I. will be there in full force. How great will that be?
Check out the rest of the as-of-yet announced lineup here. We're talking Band of Horses, Stone Temple Pilots, Anti Flag, Neko Case, Minus the Bear, The Black Keys, Beck… and a whole lot more.
Can. Not. Wait.
“The Office” star sits down at the Sasquatch! Festival with Nick to talk about music, his new movie “The Rocker,” and UW’s parking fine conspiracy…
Photo Courtesy of 20th Century FoxAfter a few bottles of bourbon, the five-piece band from Georgia — Hardy Morris (vocals and guitar), John Watkins (vocals and keys), Jason Scarboro (drums), Walker Howle (lead/slide guitar) and Brantley Senn (vocals, bass) — sat down with Nick at the Sasquatch! Festival to talk rock and roll.
Photo by Skylar ReevesAfter their early set at Sasquatch!, Seattle’s very own hip-hop trio — Brainstorm, S.E.V. and Fearce Villain — along with producer Bean One sat down with Nick to talk about the rap game, their past and their future.
All the pieces came together for the festival’s last day — the sun was shining, the rain was gone and a nice breeze kept everyone comfortable. With the exception of a few acts like Ghostland Observatory, Battles and Delta Spirit, there was little reason to leave the Sasquatch! main stage.
The main stage kicked off early with Seattle’s own Dyme Def. The up-and-coming hip hop trio, along with producer and DJ Bean One, easily filled the stage presence requirement. Though it was early and the crowd wasn’t huge, those who were fortunate enough to see the “three bad brothaas” were captivated.
The Hives put on the ultimate rock and roll show, with all the pomp and circumstance and craziness of a supergroup. As they’re known to do, lead guitarist Nicholaus Arson went nuts on stage and lead singer Pelle Almqvist jumped onto amps and surrounding railing. It was one of the most fun sets to watch of the whole festival, and according to Almqvist if it had gotten any better The Gorge would’ve collapsed.
Sadly, Built to Spill sounded great but were boring to watch; even lead singer and guitarist Doug Martsch looked a little bored at times.
However, the mind-blowing talent of Mexican duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela was a sight to behold. When nothing but two acoustic guitars can whip up the pit and captivate thousands, something is going right.
Flight of the Conchords, though confined to a short set, proved to be a festival favorite. Their comedic brand of folk-style music even caused a fan to throw her bra onstage after the song “The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)” to the amusement of the New Zealand duo.
The Mars Volta thrashed around on the main stage to a full pit, but the sound was horrible and lead singer’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s antics (which involved throwing a cymbal and an electric fan at the audience) were annoying and dangerous. It was clear that the crowd was really there to see festival headliners The Flaming Lips and their surreal U.F.O. Show.
The actual U.F.O. was a gigantic disc structure covered in lights and mirrors, from which lead singer and guitarist Wayne Coyne emerged in a giant plastic bubble after it was lowered from near the top awning and rolled around on the hands of the crowd. The sound was great, and the show was surreal; the crowd was coated in confetti and streamers and the stage shrouded in fog.
The Flaming Lips got political too, urging audience members to vote — Democrat — and playing a rendition of “Taps” dedicated to fallen soldiers.
After Coyne mentioned that “The Song Remains the Same” by Led Zeppelin, which they were about to cover, always made him think of summertime and nudity, a group of naked girls rushed in from the side of the stage and began dancing with him.
“Alright motherfuckers, you don’t get to see that at every show do you?” he said. “Only at Sasquatch!”
Though the sun that was out and hot to kick off the morning was quickly dampened by on-and-off pouring rain, it eventually triumphed and resulted in a day worthy of the festival’s lineup.
The band Awesome and 65daysofstatic kicked off the Sasquatch! Stage, but the first big pit-packer was Seattle’s very own Blue Scholars. The duo repped “that real Northwest hip hop music” and played some new songs, possibly making the most crowd-pleasing performance of the day.
Indie rockers White Rabbits played an easy to enjoy set on the Wookie! side stage that was fun and poppy, not to mention the guys were all matching in their collared shirts and Ray Ban Sunglasses.
The pure voices of Tegan and Sara carried over an immensely packed main stage. The duo was modest and thankful, dedicating songs to producer Chris Walla and Death Cab for Cutie.
Back on the Wookie! side stage, Mates of State performed an energetic set as the weather finally began to cool down a bit. The duo’s sound was phenomenal, and the violin and cello backing brought the act together.
Michael Franti and Spearhead, whose sound can best be described as Bob Marley combined with Duran Duran’s “Rio,” whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his poppy and political tunes.
Though they were nearly an hour late going on, British act The Kooks still drew one of the largest sides stage crowds of the entire festival. Though they overlapped with Death Cab for Cutie, people stuck by their decision to see the act which easily could’ve been on the main Sasquatch! Stage.
Pacific Northwest favorites Death Cab for Cutie played an inspiring set, opening with “Bixby Canyon Bridge” from their new album Narrow Stairs and continuing on with a wide variety of new and old songs. The group was dressed in black, because, according to lead singer Ben Gibbard, “I’m so fucking excited to see The Cure you wouldn’t believe it.” He dedicated “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” to them.
Unfortunately, headliner The Cure was a boring performance. Though the smoke and lighting was brilliant, the actual band was less than captivating. That didn’t seem to matter to the thousands packing into the pit and spilling up the hillside.
The first day of the Sasquatch! Festival was everything that it should have been.
Seattle low-fi indie group Fleet Foxes opened up the Sasquatch! Main Stage with a solid performance that kept fans excited throughout the day.
In the meantime, Southern rockers Dead Confederate made a solid — and very loud — appearance at the Wookie! side stage. The five-piece group from Athens, Ga. was the epitome of heartfelt rock.
Because of a bus breakdown, The National was forced to postpone their performance on the main stage and move to the Wookie! side stage. Fleet Foxes covered for their set.
Another notable side stage performance was Destroyer, whose lead singer Dan Bejar also plays in The New Pornographers. The two bands sets overlapped on different stages, but Bejar rushed over and made most of his other band’s main stage appearance. Both group’s performances were amazing, and The New Pornographers performed a fun cover of “Don’t Bring Me Down.” Covers seemed to be the popular theme, with The Breeders covering The Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun.”
M.I.A. was clearly the night’s biggest success, bringing even the audience sitting in the terrace to their feet. The act turned wild when she literally said “Well, fuck it,” and pulled fans from the pit to the stage, turning it into a packed dance floor. Security had no idea what to do.
Though some light rain thinned the crowd, Modest Mouse kept the energy going with a hit-filled set. And, apparently, every member of the band can play multiple instruments — other than the drummers every member played at least two instruments, including banjo, keyboard, piano, upright bass, trumpet on top of the usual.
The night was closed by oldie-but-goodie R.E.M, who put on the type of show that’s kept them successful for the last two decades. As lead singer Michael Stipe said when the band left, “We are R.E.M. This is what we do.”
PHOTO: Fans cheer wildly for hometown heroes Minus The Bear at their North American tour finale on May 8 at Showbox at the Market. The sold out performance was a huge hit for fans and the band with a wide variety of old and new songs.8.2/10
Though they’ve been making lots of noise in Reading since before their European LP debut on Feb. 18, Pete and the Pirates’ US debut will undoubtedly be a spectacle.
“Little Death,” the Brit-popsters’ first full-length album, is upbeat, poignant, tender, raw, raucous and refined. Saying they bring a new sound to the scene would be a lie, but that doesn’t mean the well-kept rhythms and smooth, catchy melodies are any less impressive.
The sound really isn’t original; there are smatterings of Interpol, Bloc Party and Editors all mixed together. But, though I wouldn’t give them good marks for originality, it doesn’t matter in the end. The formulaic sound for successful and catchy British indie-rock is always a winner when it’s done well, and Pete and the Pirates do just that.
Though many of those bands, once up-and-coming, have moved on to bigger and better studios and a more refined sound, Pete and the Pirates do well to latch onto an urgent and energetic sound. Hopefully they’ll be able to hold on to that in the future.
One note to keep in mind is that the album is incredibly short, clocking in at just less than 36 minutes, but with 13 tracks it doesn’t feel undersized. The alternation of upbeat and slower songs keeps the album moving until the end.
The single “Mr. Understanding” is easily my favorite track on the album; it embodies everything that a pop-rock indie song should be. The music video is pretty entertaining too, in all of its apparently homemade splendor.
There are other great singles on the album too. “Knots,” the album’s first single release, is another great piece of pop-rock indie-ness, and “Moving” is a slowed-down track that rides on singer/guitarist Tom Sanders’ soothing vocals. Even the latest single, “She Doesn’t Belong to Me,” picks up after a slow start.
Though they don’t have any tour dates lined up outside of Europe yet, it would be worth it to keep watch. And now that “Little Death” has made it stateside, you should probably pick it up.
LISTEN: PETE AND THE PIRATES - "MR. UNDERSTANDING"
Here's my review of The Roots' latest (which, I'd just like to add, I rated the exact same as Pitchfork — crazy!):
7.8/10
“Yesterday I saw a big girl crying/I walked up and asked ‘What’s wrong?’/She told me that the radio’s been playing the same song all day long/So I told her ‘I’ve got something you’ve been waiting for…’”
So says “Rising Up,” the first single from The Roots tenth studio album Rising Down. The beats are steady, and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter’s flows are as fluid and seamless as ever. But the Philly hip-hop group, whose original lineup was formed over 20 years ago, doesn’t need to prove their musical worth.
Though the group always pushes the envelope with their sound, what’s much more important here is their message. The political nature of Rising Down is visible beyond the music. Its name comes from William T. Vollmann's 3,300 page treatise on violence titled “Rising Up and Rising Down,” and the release date falls on the 16th anniversary of the Los Angeles Rodney King riots.
The album was supposed to be headlined by the track “Birthday Girl,” an “easy pop song” with a chorus sung by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. Instead, the track was turned into an exclusive iTunes release, and I’m glad — it’s a great song, but would have been utterly out of place on this release.
Instead, “Rising Down” is a starkly real portrait of a Philadelphia where drugs, guns and a crime culture are pushing the murder rate higher than one a day and the mindset that its created.
“Criminal,” a track dedicated to Sean Bell, is a reflection on the streets and unjust persecution. Bell was shot and killed by New York Police Department plainclothes detectives in 2006 outside a Queens strip club. The four officers, who fired a combined 50 rounds at the unarmed man, were acquitted of all charges last Friday.
There are some powerhouse guest appearances, Common, Talib Kweli and Mos Def included. But to get a real feel for the deeper ideas and message of “Rising Down,” it makes all the difference in the world to listen to the album’s freestyles like “@ 15,” “Unwritten,” and the album’s hidden track.
As much as the group insists Rising Down shouldn’t be a downer, it sort of is. The opening track is a recorded shouting match, and the only real chance to breathe is the track “Singing Man.” Despite that, the message is what shines through any issues with sound or tempo.
As drummer ?uestlove said in a Vanity Fair interview earlier this month, “Our approach has to be that Looney Tunes image of that professor having the mallet behind his back — unsuspecting and then mashing it over someone’s head. We’ll see. I just don’t know if people listen anymore. That’s the problem. You have to spoon-feed it to them. We'll try to open some ears.”
LISTEN: THE ROOTS - "RISING UP"
I wrote this review for The Daily a few weeks ago, but I had to post it here if only because I really think this is one of the best albums I've heard all year...
9.6/10
Though I don’t generally make the connection between great indie music and Canada, there’s definitely something to be said for the combination. And, as one of the biggest and most anticipated releases out of our neighbor to the north in a while, Tokyo Police Club’s “Elephant Shell” follows through on its way to be one of the best albums of the year.
TPC, a four-piece Ontario outfit that formed in a basement in 2005, has completely blown up in the short time they’ve been together. Last year was huge for the group, with appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bumbershoot and the Glastonbury Festival as well as a guest spot on “Late Night with David Letterman.”
Up until now, the only recordings available for purchase were two short EPs — “A Lesson in Crime” and “Smith EP” — but the former still spawned three singles. The strength of their latest release makes me think they easily could show up that number.
“Elephant Shell” flows seamlessly from track to track; nothing feels awkward or out of place. And, beyond that, there’s really not a single weak track. As a whole, it’s more connectable than anything I’ve heard in a long time. Even when the album slows down with tracks like “The Harrowing Adventures Of” and “Listen to the Math” the melody is strong and the music powerful.
I almost hear Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard in bassist and lead singer Dave Monks, which is definitely not a complaint. I wouldn’t call it an imitation, but more like a similar pleasantness and comfortable ease.
“Elephant Shell” contains the hit single “Your English is Good,” a track that was originally a non-album success of its own. It’s insanely catchy and powerfully poppy, and does a really good job of tying the bass line and keyboard melody into something you can’t get out of your head. The video’s worth a watch too — makes me miss summer.
Their latest single, “Tessellate,” also deserves it’s own mention. It’s special when you can move past hearing a song and actually feel the music, and the poetry involved — “broken hearts tessellate” (form into a mosaic) — literally gives me goose bumps.
In the band’s blog, keyboardist Graham Wright described “Elephant Shell” absolutely perfectly, in the way only an artist and creator could:
“When the party’s over, and you’re giving a ride home to the girl you have a crush on, thats when you put Elephant Shell on. Its the record that you listen to when you’re driving around town in the dark, wondering if she likes you, wondering if you should have tried to flirt more, or less.
So many of my favorite records still give me that nostalgic feeling, the feeling of falling in love with girls and with music and with life. Maybe that’s stupid. It sure looks stupid, now that I type it out. But it really is how I feel, and Elephant Shell makes me feel the same way.”
