Radio Free Chicago

RFC Round Up: October!

 I know, I know, a post or two (or three!) a day is sometimes a bit much to keep up with. So, I thought, how's about if, at the end of every month, I link back in one giant post to some of the most noteworthy things to hit RFC? I am, after all, here to make your life easier! So starting this month, and hopefully continuing onwards into the distant future, enjoy this: An RFC Round Up! (Full disclosure: This idea may or may not have been snagged from a celebrity gossip site. I please the fifth.)

• - At the beginning of the month, Gayngs hit The Metro. Of course, just one post about the super-sexy supergroup is not nearly enough. So, we've also got a whole slew of Gayngs news, reviews, and interviews for you, as well as Amber's piece on sister site Indie College, "Audio Orgasm: One Girl's Sexual Relationship With Gayngs". Still not hip to Olson and his band of "sex people"? Well, clearly someone doesn't like getting laid.
• - Want a hint at what's going to end up on more than a few "Best of 2010" lists? Twin Shadow.
• - New recruit Sara Jacobsen cuts her teeth on an editorial on why Deerhunter isn't the only dears worth your time. How about The Dear Hunter?
• - Another new recruit, Adam, turns in his first piece on RFC. Man, it's been a while since we've had some punk around these parts. Check Adam's review of The Brokedown's Species Bender. Speaking of punk, we got some Riot Fest coverage via a three part photo editorial  from Katie Hovland!
• - Chocago rock four piece Archie Powell & the Exports released a cd and played a show!
• - Likewise, The Walkmen did something similar by releasing Lisbon, and playing the Metro, with Miniature Tigers in tow!
• - Guest blogger Abby Holmes became a regular contributor and man, that was swell. Check out her review of the Daytrotter approved Ben Weaver and a tried and true Abby favorite, The Moondoggies!
• - Radio Free Chicago started tossing up some mixes! First, Amber Valentine was "Left With Nothing Left To Lose" and then Shani Silver churned out "Break Up, Drink Up" in RFC's first collaborative mix. And, you know how that Amber is. Once she makes a mix, she starts makin' a million. Thus, The Sad Bastard Playlist was born. Emanuel joined in the fun and tried to make Amber care about Animal Collective. And what would October be without a spooktastic mix of creepy songs? Nothin' I tell ya'! Nothin'!
• - A new weekly was started called "RFC Thinks You Should Know", all about artists that RFC staffers, well, think you should know. This month, we hope you turned an attentive ear towards Wolfgang Schaefer and Amber's favorite non-folk band of possibly ever Lightning Love, as well as the ever lovely Bicycle Voice!
• - A new not-weekly was started as well, thanks to Matt V. called "Wiping Off The Dust". Read why you should swiffer your copy of Pixies' Come On Pilgrim!
• - Not everything at RFC is all puppies and sunshine. It was with great collective saddness that we reported the loss of a great man, Eyedea.
• But c'mon, let's get happy with that awesome new Ravens & Chimes track.

What's coming up in November? Only time will tell, kids! But I hear the month's gonna start out with some brand new mixes and a ton more of your favorite weeklys, RFC Thinks You Should Know and People Covering Songs I Love! Until then, preview an artist RFC doesn't just think you should know, but thinks you should love with all your little heart, Gun Lake. Followers of RFC's twitter and facebook page might be a little familar already because seriously, this Gun Lake record that's going to be coming out "eventually" (Before 2011, guys? Please?) is going to be For Emma, Forever Ago good. This is Black Sheep Boy material. Don't be fooled by the video of the two piece that appears below, however. In their four piece incarnation, Gun Lake is somethin' else.

 

And who did Gun Lake share the stage with that night? Chicago's very own Gold Motel!

Gold Motel - Don't Send the Searchlights

No Such Thing As Ghosts: Timber Timbre Haunts For Halloween

If yesterday's Halloween mix didn't getcha all amped up to vomit (either candy corn induced or liquor induced, your pic), how's about a little Timber Timbre to darken the mood?

Timber Timbre - Demon Host

Timber Timbre - No Bold Villain (Live at Daytrotter)

An RFC Mix: I Might Be Dead But My Heart's Still Alive

Sure, Halloween parties are swell and all - You get to dress up, drink, dance and indulge in enough candy corn to make you vomit. But what's the good of a spooky shindig unless you have a spooky soundtrack to orchestrate the whole shebang? 

Well, we here at Radio Free Chicago have your back. Below, you'll find my personal Halloween soundtrack with everything from perennial classics ("Monster Mash" anyone?!) to tunes about slaughtering co-eds in the forest (Okkervil River's "Westfall" because what's an Amber made mix without some Okkervil River?) and everything to do with corpses, funerals, and spooks in between.

I Might Be Dead But My Heart's Still Alive

A Spooky Radio Free Chicago Mix

 

Bobby 'Boris' Pickett - Monster Mash

 Eisley - Many Funerals

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Black Tongue

 Andrew Jackson Jihad - Bad Bad Things

 Okkervil River - Westfall

 Agent Ribboms - Obituary

 Aimee Mann - Frankenstein

Ben Collins - Minnie Quay

Eels - Going To Your Funeral [Part 1]

Ferraby Lionheart - Before We're Dead (Live At Daytrotter)

Fiona Apple - Sally's Song

Rasputina - The Donner Party

 

   

Jeremy Messersmith Revisits His Reluctant Graveyard

Two things have come to my attention in recent days and they are both in regards to the career of one of RFC's favorite sadsacks, Jeremy Messersmith.

1. There are still people out there who don't know who Jeremy Messersmith is. This is a bummer and ought to be remedied.

And...

2. Apparently, that heartwarming video he made for "Tatooine" has made him quite famous amongst Star Wars nerds.

Interestingly enough, I found out both of these facts at the same time, from the same person. My roommate and I were hanging out with some pals and the subject of Messersmith (and our mutual adoration of the crooner) came up. I said "Tatooine" and the ears of the biggest nerd among our group (Which is saying something because... My roommate and I might be attending an anime convention this weekend) instantly perked up. "Tatooine?! Do you know what Tatooine is?!" Of course, I know what Tatooine is. Duh. I mentioned Messersmith's video and the fella lost interest, apparently having never heard of the Minneapolis troubadour. Later that night, when I sent him a link to the video, his response was that of immediate recognition. "Does he know how big he is in Star Wars circles?!"

Big as he may be amongst friends of Admiral Ackbar by reputation (as, you know, the dude who made that video of Star Wars in three minutes with construction paper), he is not known by name. Which he should be! Why? Because Messersmith's latest disc, The Reluctant Graveyard, is one of the year's best, most accessible discs. It's by far the poppiest long player about death of 2010 and I, for one, am genuinely hoping that Messersmith doesn't get relegated to his own career graveyard, at which his tombstone reads "Nerd Internet Phenom, 2010 - 2010". Like "Tatooine"? Well, guess what? Messermith has worked with Eric Power, the man behind "Tatooine"'s heartwarming graphics, for a third time! And this time around, it's for my personal favorite Messersmith song, "A Girl, A Boy, and A Graveyard".

 

Is it wrong that we're sincerely hoping Messermith and Power team up for every song on The Reluctant Graveyard and re-release the disc with a bonus DVD and "Tatooine" tacked on to the end of the disc?

Jeremy Messersmith - A Girl, A Boy, And A Graveyard (Live From Daytrotter)

Sleigh Bells Leave RFC Speechless... In a Bad Way.

Let's get a few things straight. I was terrified, sustained a kidney injury, and I think I cracked a rib. Those things aside, this was a good show. Forgive the fact that fans were left outside 15 minutes past the listed doors time in a line that reached back around the venue to Addison, or that the show started half an hour late, or that Sleigh Bells set was short. You paid to see Sleigh Bells, you got Sleigh Bells. There isn't much to say about the tornado that was their performance, mostly because I was focusing on survival as opposed to music. So you'll simply have photos to enjoy today, and dammit you'll like them. I'm gonna go ice my spine now.

Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars

Show Review, The 1900s at Fireside Bowl

Missing someone is a surefire way to flatter them, and by this logic The 1900s should be blushing. You weren't the only one wondering where they went, and wishing on stars for a speedy return. Its been three years since they released "Cold & Kind", but you wouldn't know it from Ipods on the El and stereos from here to Humbolt Park. We're still into it.

Some downtime and a band revamp later, they're back. The Chicago faithful got a little reminder of how quality this band is at Fireside Bowl last night. Infectious energy and 70's era harmonies carried across a humble bowling alley stage and into our plaid-clad, bearded, and bespectacled faces. The 1900s' music is relaxed but polished, somewhere in between a Sunday porch swing and a Saturday dance hall. Check out more photos here.

Sorry to state the obvious, but there's an undeniable Fleetwood Mac quality to their music and their vibe that makes the heart happy. Well, it makes my heart happy dammit and I know I'm not alone. We constantly look to the future when it comes to technolgy, laws, etc., but with music, all we want to do is go back in time. Thank The 1900's for indulging us in an elegant way that isn't the least bit contrived or tired.

Their second album, "Return of the Century", arrives on November 2nd. There's one track below to tide you over, but we've waited this long, so what's one more week? If you missed last night's impressive performance, mark your smartphones with their December 3rd show at The Empty Bottle.

Preorder "Return of the Century" here .

The 1900's - Babies

Listening to Ben Weaver is Like Listening to a Buttoned-Up Flannel Shirt Set to Music.

It was March of 2009 when I discovered Minnesota native Ben Weaver. The folk musician had performed a Daytrotter session that warmed my cockles.

What really grabbed me was "40 Watt Bulb," the one song in the session from 2004's "Stories Under Nails" (the other three were from "The Ax in the Oak," as it was his most recent release at the time). With a deep, weathered voice he sang "There's a knot only idiots tie/ from the wings of a dirty dove/ It's called love," perfectly accompanied by the metallic strum of a banjo.  It's one of the greatest gifts Daytrotter has ever given me — one of the greatest Weaver's ever given me.

Ben Weaver - 40 Watt Bulb

The lovely "Stories Under Nails" implements percussive devices that sound like they were gathered from an old tool shed. No matter what Weaver does, his songs always seem as though culled straight from the midwest soil, even as "The Ax in the Oak" breaks out electric guitar in lieu of the banjo. However, Weaver's at his best when he keeps things simple.

This is apparent on his newest album, "Mirepoix and Smoke," his songwriting stripped to bare bones, accompanied only at times by the backing vocals of Erica Froman. Otherwise, it's mostly just him and his stringed instrument (acoustic guitar or banjo). A naked song can often leave listeners bored and feeling deprived, but Weaver is in his element as a soloist. His sound is better than ever on "Mirepoix."

An RFC Mix - Emanuel Thinks RFC Should Know...Animal Collective!

Okay, so while talking on (what else?) Twitter, somehow Amber and I got on the subject of Animal Collective. More specifically that she doesn't like them. And then during an RFC staff e-mail session, more Animal Collective un-enthusiasts came out of the woodwork to voice their skepticism about MY FAVORITE BAND OF THE ENTIRE LAST DECADE. Now it's my job to show them all the considerable error of their ways. I apologize to all of the readers who do not happen to be living in crazyland with these thugs, but some things just are not okay.

 

 

 

Ways to Get Into Heaven

A Radio Free Chicago Mix

 

Animal Collective  - Prospect Hummer

From a collaborative EP with Vashti Bunyan. Feel like there's a perception held by people only 
familiar with newer AC that all they can do is stand around and turn knobs. Nahhhhh

 Animal Collective - College

also underrated: Animal Collective's lyrical ability.

 Animal Collective - Grass

Soooo happyyyyyyy

 Animal Collective - Fireworks

SOOOOO HAPPYYYYYYY

 Animal Collective - Street Flash

One of my favorite AC slow jams. Even their EPs are filled with really excellent material. The screams during the middle portion get me so much.

 Animal Collective - La Rapet

It's one thing to jump across genres. It's another to create them at will, inhabit them for a while, and then toss them aside like it's nothing. This song is so majestic and stirring. The angelsssssss

 Animal Collective - Someday I'll Grow To Be As Tall As The Giant

An interstitial from the same record as "La Rapet," Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished. I really love the title, and it's just nice. 

Animal Collective - On A Highway

From their most recent release, the Fall Be Kind EP. The production on it is really sweet and the lyrics are surprisingly direct. It's probably their darkest song. FBK is my favorite of their EPs, the whole thing is so incredible. 

 Animal Collective - The Purple Bottle

The first Animal Collective song I ever heard. Still my favorite. Never have heard a song come close to its ecstasy.

 Animal Collective - Visiting Friends

Something to just lay around with headphones on to. The wobbling vocals slipping in and out of the mix are so cool, and help separate it from their similar Campfire Songs-era strum-a-thons. It really has a feel of its own. Inscrutable.

 Animal Collective - My Girls

I've jumped and stomped around to this with my best friends so often. It's probably stereotypical that I'll view this song as a representative of a defining moment in my life, but that's even more exciting to me. It's well-deserving as an anthem. 

 Animal Collective - Daily Routine

I think usually I would have put "Leaf House" here. It's the opener to my favorite album of theirs (Sung Tongs), and one of their signature tunes. But for some reason, I'm just feeling "Daily Routine." I don't even like Merriweather Post Pavillion, the album this is from, like that. It gives me a headache. But the throb of Daily Routine is just right. And I remember being high and listening to the goooorgeous ending with my friend Pat on my headphones when the album first leaked. It was like past midnight, we were sitting in a playground near where he lived and we were just quiet and wide-eyed. It was so LAME. 

If I Seem A Little Callous, I Assure You, It's Just A Scratch: Sad Bastard Playlist.

 It all started with a tweet. A request from my friend Shaun asking for more tracks for his "Sad Bastard" playlist. Well, if there's two things I am, it's sad and a bastard! Wait... No. That's wrong. I'm not really either of those things. Regardless, however, I listen to more than my share of "Sad Bastard" music. From the newest Menomena disc (how's that for a downer?!) to Tim Kasher's many projects (if he's not a sad bastard, I don't know who is) to Neko Case (don't let the gender fool you - She is such a sad bastard!), I've got the "Listening To Sad Bastard" music market cornered, so to speak. So naturally, instead of @'ing Shaun with a list of my favorite "Sad Bastard" tracks in 140 characters or less, I figured, heck, why not make another RFC mix? Because, frankly, this  is a pitch perfect example of why mix making is so damn cool. Last time around, I made a mix to assist me. This time? It's to assist a pal.

To be completely honest, I'm not sure what (if anything) Shaun's even bummed about. He usually is a champ at makin' like the Hold Steady by staying positive and I can sure as heck guarantee that this dude ain't no bastard. But hey, if he wants to wallow is some self-pity, I am not going to stand in his way. Instead, I'm going to give him a bunch of songs to make him mope even harder! Because that's from friends are for, right?

If I Seem A Little Callous, I Assure You It's Just a Scratch

A Sad Bastard Playlist

Courtesy of Radio Free Chicago

Menomena - Queen Black Acid
I made myself an open book, I made myself a sitting duck

The Good Life - I Am An Island

Baby, I quit. I just can't fake it anymore. I'm a dull, jaded, selfish, abusive, dysfunctional fuck up.

Beck - Modern Guilt

It feels like everything's starting to hit me. I lost my bearings ten minutes ago.

M. Ward -  Sad, Sad Song

The hardest thing in the world to do is to find somebody that believes in you.

Hiss Golden Messenger - Super Blue (Two Days Clean)

Double shots, that's what I bought, to forget who I am.

Brand New featuring Kevin Devine - Jesus Christ

This problem is gonna last more than the weekend.

Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On

Now it's the devil that I love and that's as funny as real love, and that's as real as true love.

Aimee Mann - Save Me

Could you save me from the ranks of the freaks who suspect they could never love anyone?

David Bazan - Hard To Be (Live At Daytrotter)

 It's hard to be a decent human being.

Josh Ritter - Best for the Best (Acoustic)

If the best is for the best then the best can be damned.

Pearly Gate Music - I Was a River

If I still loved you, I'd swim through valleys carved out of the sea and I'd take you places without decided, I'd forget everything in all of my sleep but if I still loved you, I wouldn't be free.

Cursive - What Have I Done?

Are these the best tales I can spin? A boy waiting to begin? A man with no memoirs?

Okkervil River - Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979

You win on every issue. Now can I kiss you? Don't you care how long it's been? It's been so many years I've lived my yearning.

RFC Thinks You Should Know... About When Katia Saw Astronautalis at the Turf Club In Minnesota!

Like any good Minnesotan, when I venture back home I make it a point to head to all the usual old stomping grounds.  The Turf Club in St. Paul has a rich history when it comes the Twin Cities music scene and  I happened to venture to back on the right night. Astronautalis, (Andy Bothwell) rapper, accomplished freestyler and cat lover, this Jacksonville, FL native who now calls Seattle home was performing. Bothwell started freestyling when he was a preteen, and thank god he was afraid of girls and needed something to occupy his time because I can genuinely say that his rhymes and his tempo are of the same caliber as Atmosphere and Aesop Rock.

The Turf Club was half full as I wandered up to the bar to order a whiskey-ginger ($4, I love it here). Most people seemed to be crowding the bar area, and I had only hoped that by 9pm when Bothwell was to take the stage it would thicken up. It did, the placed filled about 3/4 full and to my delight sitting next to stage right was Stef Alexander, aka P.O.S, local hip hop genius and Doomtree family member. That is one of the great things about the hip hop scene in Minneapolis, it's a close family, and once you are involved even if you aren't a Minnesotan, you have support here. Hell, they don't call it, "Minnesota nice" for nothing. Sure it's wasn't an uncommon sighting, considering the two are best friends and are releasing an album, The Four Fists based on the work of F. Scott. Fitzgerald due out at the end of this year or early 2011. 

Donning a black fedora, jacket and white button down Bothwell mingled through the crowd with ease before he took to the stage. But let's face it, it really doesn't matter what he wears (women would agree here, the less articles of clothing the better-i digress), but it's all about what comes out of this mouth. Before the show Andy joked with me, "I've got to go rap now. Maybe when I'm done you can rap and I can take notes." Little does Andy know that this Mexican/Russian Minnesota native has a sharp tongue and the wit to match. We'll schedule a battle for next time, just make sure my friend Jim Beam is invited.

As he took the stage he encouraged the crowd to move from the bar area and get close. So close that he wanted to be able to steal the contents of your pockets. Also he gave a PSA announcement, "I want you all to keep your windows open a crack. I am going to climb in and give you all a kiss on the cheek...and then I'm going to steal your X-BOX. You'll get a kiss on the cheek and a slap on the ass and I'll get an X-BOX.". Note to self: buy X-BOX.   Standing upwards of 6 ft. this blonde haired, blue eyed Floridian has a voice equal to that of Tom Waits. He started his set with a pound thumping beat and rhymes that spouted out of his mouth as if he were a word geyser. I don't know how this man finds a beat to breathe, I surmise that is in part due to the care and time he puts into his writing. If you are familiar with the iambic pentameter you can follow his rhymes and you know exactly when he is breathing and on which beat. If you are not, it's almost magic that he is still standing after each speedy verse. 

This man most certainly doesn't lack confidence when on stage. In between songs he would joke with the crowd. "You should quit your jobs and become a rap musician." "This is the part of the night I like to call the freestyle." Bothwell took suggestions from the audience his only terms were, "They have to be something no one has ever rapped about before, and something that wont get me arrested. I gotta be up tomorrow to buy cheap suits and get tattoos." The crowds suggestions were:

• Garbage Pail Kids (Muscular Molly to be particular)
• Ragtime
• Ford Pinto
• The Silk Road
• The Bar at the beach that used to brew their own root-beer in Florida (before they started buying that IBC..)
• Hard Salami

Freestyling over the beats of Outkast's Miss Jackson, he did everyone in the crown proud. Leaving no suggestion untouched, especially about the hard salami Bothwell's freestyling skills went mad. This man is a freestyle magic machine. "Sometimes you have to talk about hard salami." He said afterwards. Rapping about everything from eating doughnuts with 2 Pac to his grandfathers karmactic stroke, and now hard salami there is no word, or phrase that it too challenging for him. He even invented a new dance, "Do the hand sausage." -I guess you have to see it, but you all have imaginations.  His shows have proven to be all about audience participation, engagement and making everyone happy. Every single ounce of his body is in involved with each performance. It's easy to see and understand just how much heart and love is placed into each intricately chosen word.

Eager to meet, greet and give praise fans lined up at the merch booth he was manning. He greeted every fan warmly, signing albums, shirts, and engaging in friendly conversation. "Dude that was some sick energy up there." , one fan spouted out. As the crowd subsided Andy and I spoke a bit more about music, and after a series of about 5 "Choose Your Own Adventure"-esque questions he helped me figure out a name for my new kitten, Sir David Attenborough. We decided to call him Sir, for short. 

If you have the chance to see Astronautalis perform live, do it. If you live somewhere close to a town where he is playing, drive, take the mega bus, take a plane, find a winged unicorn. I don't care how you get there, (although I prefer you carpool, ride a bicycle, or use public transportation for nature's sake) you wont be disappointed. Bothwell channels his inner spirit animal, which seems to be a wild, yet smartly tamed beast. Everything you thought you knew about freestyling will change, you will have developed a crush and you will leave inspired.  If you are disappointed, you are at the wrong show, and you are not doing the hand sausage dance properly. 

 

Astronautalis - The Story Of My Life (ft P.O.S.)

RFC Thinks You Should Know... Bicycle Voice! Whilst Reviewing "'Tis The Ghost of Martinellis"!

Demographically speaking, I do not know much about Meg Webb. I do not know her full name, her age, her educational background, or her employment status. I have no idea what kind of car she drives, nor if she prefers public transportation. If Meg Webb is a homeowner, an activist, a student, or a genius janitor that solves an allegedly impossible equation on the chalkboard in a prestigious university’s hallway…well, I just don’t have a clue. Alas, thanks to the straight-forward and unexaggerated songwriting of her band Bicycle Voice, I can make plenty of other assumptions about Meg Webb.

The first assumption that I can make about Webb is that she is a talented multi-instrumentalist. When I was presented with this album, I was told Bicycle Voice was a “girl with a ukulele.” I mean no offense to the messenger, but if I were to try to sell you on Bicycle Voice by pitching her as just another girl playing uke, I think I’d be guilty of offending Webb herself. Truth be told, the ukulele is one of the stars of the debut album ‘Tis the Ghost of Martinellis, but very early on in the first track “Ellis the Trellis” Webb shows that she also knows her way around a guitar. The second song is heavy on percussion (which is attributed to a cohort by the name of Alex Cardwell on Bicycle Voice's Bandcamp page), but by the stunning third song “Red, Red, Blue” and its wide-eyed follow up “The Prologue to Snow” Webb has displayed first class chops on both piano and violin, as well as a few other effectual instruments that I probably shouldn’t embarrass myself by incorrectly identifying (Bells? Xylophone? A synthesizer? I’m just not sure).

Webb’s voice is an instrument worth mentioning as well. A good portion of the album’s appeal lies in her range and her accompanying restraint. Her vocals can be equally as dramatic (“You Are Graveyard”) as they can be playful (“Shine”), and she is able to slip in and out of her various characters with taste and grace.

Bicycle Voice - Freshman

The second assumption I can make about Webb is that she is fairly young. Most pictures you find upon searching Bicycle Voice on the web feature an adorable girl that looks like she wouldn’t even be allowed in the door of a bar to play a set. I have doubts that she is even old enough to see an R-rated film without a guardian. I have to hand it to the gal, though – she has either survived enough heartache and soul searching at a tender age to sing about it with conviction, or she really fakes it until she makes it.

Assumptions four and five about Webb are that she is a partial geek at heart and that she knows how to have fun with her art, which I came to via assumption three: Bicycle Voice hearts Harry Potter. The album is mostly filled with sweet and summery “will we or won’t we, and do I even care anymore?” odes to romance, but Webb slips a shenanigan of sorts on to the album’s roster with “Hermione’s Meeting Us at the Store.” The song is almost too silly to be present amongst all of the other pretty little gems on ‘Tis The Ghost, but it will still make you grin (especially if you are a bit of a Harry Potter nutter as well, and may or may not have watched the show “Hogwarts: Creating the Wizarding World of Harry Potter” on television last weekend like a certain review writer did...ahem). I offer a word of caution, however: I had the lyrics, “Hermione’s meeting us at the store, Hermione’s meeting us at the store – hopefully she won’t run in to Malfoy!” in my head for 16 hours after my very first listen.

Besides the chorus that wouldn’t quit, the only conclusive criticism I have of Webb’s debut LP is that the recordings are a little rough, sometimes burying her voice underneath the copious instrumentation. Hopefully the polish and pizzazz of Bicycle Voice will only flourish over time; I’m definitely an early fan left wanting to know more about Meg Webb.

Editor's note: Not familiar with the lovely author of this lovely article about a lovely girl and her ukulele? Well, guess what? Her name's Mylynda and she's pleased to meet you. She runs Indie College, a sibling of RFC. I write there for her. Most recently, I gave her a steamy editoral on the sexual significance of Gayngs called "Audio Orgasm: One Girl's Sexual Relationship With Gayngs". Read it!

RFC Reviews: Blue Water White Death, "Blue Water White Death"

When it was announced that Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg and Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart were collaborating on an album, a lot of people were a little puzzled. If you think about it, though, the two artists are a good match—the leaders of their respective bands, each is known for a sort of introspective experimentation. The only real difference is in the choice of voice, with Meiburg preferring expansive, moody folk and Stewart favoring more uptempo, synthy prog. The music they've made together as Blue Water White Death is a dark blend of the two, with Meiburg's atmospherics drifting in and out among Stewart's noise and synth loops. In my review last month of "Song for the Greater Jihad," Blue Water's first track release, I called it "art-rock at its finest." Having now become more familiar with the album (and the song), however, it seems more fitting to simply call it "art."

By now, anyone following the release of Blue Water White Death should be familiar with its inspiration. The album and the band are named for a 1971 documentary about a group of filmmakers searching for the great white shark off the coast of Australia (it was also, apparently, part of the inspiration for Jaws). There’s no mention of sharks on Blue Water White Death, however; instead, the record is a study in dread. Over and over, it creates the illusion of calm, then undermines it. The listener gets the feeling of being at the mercy of something huge, powerful, and unseen. "Song for the Greater Jihad" was the right choice as a first release, as it best showcases the juxtaposition of the collaborators' styles as well as the project's overall theme.

 

Blue Water White Death - Song For The Greater Jihad

The song opens with the violent pluck of a low string. As the rattle subsides, gently reverberating fingerpicked acoustic guitar drifts in, followed by swelling cello. The quiet and reverb create a sense of vastness, giving the far louder, jarring creaks and rattles an overwhelming closeness and weight. There's a feeling of uneasy peace, overshadowed by an unnameable threat.

There are other standouts, as well. Of all the tracks, "Gall" seems the most Shearwater-like. The penultimate track, its thick piano chords and slightly-more-traditional structure finally stand up to whatever has been lurking beneath the surface. It isn't long before the music begins to drown in noise, but it never completely submerges. Rather than defeating the foreboding that permeates the album, it coexists with it. "The End of Sex" feels like a companion to "Song for the Greater Jihad," with similar opening pluck and fingerpicking. Easily the most melodic piece here, it eschews jarring noise for a low, slowly-growing rumble.

It's difficult to say whether Blue Water White Death succeeds as an album. It's far too cold to ever develop the sort of personal associations that make a record classic and, once its unsettling effects have worn off, it's anyone's guess if it possesses much staying power. As a work of art, though, Blue Water White Death impresses with its ability to generate a mood and sustain it over eight tracks. It's moving and transporting, like the best Surrealist paintings. For fans of Shearwater and Xiu Xiu, Blue Water White Death is an interesting project that further illuminates its collaborators' craft. For others, it's a fascinating oddity, a work to be absorbed, appreciated, and likely put away.

Editor's Note: I swear, this won't happen with EVERY REVIEW WE POST EVER but there's another take on Blue Water White Death written by yours truly, up now on sister site Mezzic!

When Can A Band Be Deemed "Old School"?: An Examination of Age In Indie Rock Featuring Electric Six.

I'm leaving out names to protect the idiotic here. I realize that the phrase "idiotic" might be harsh but I feel as if anyone over the legal drinking age should know when to use and when not to use the phrase "old school" when describing a band. It's one of those phrases like "awesome" that just gets tossed around too much these days. Is something actually worthy of awe? Are you in awe of it? No? Well, then it's not awesome!

Granted, it's a little harder to define what is "old school" and what is not, especially since age is all relative. For instance, one day my nephew is going to call The National "old school" and while he'll be correct in doing so for his age group, it'll just make me feel damn old as they formed when I was a junior in high school. For Allen, however, they are old school. They formed the year he was born. Plus, he'll probably have fond memories of ol' Auntie Amber driving him to guitar lessons blasting "Bloodbuzz, Ohio" as he sulked in the passenger seat and asked if he could look for his mom's Eminem CD.

However, I think a few ground rules need to be set when it comes to "old school". See, Radio Free Chicago is here for you. No one likes a facepalm moment and we're looking out for your best interest. So before you find yourself saying "Fleet Foxes? I saw them in '09! They're so old school!", you need to ask yourself questions like these:

1) Was the band formed before you born? If so, they might be "old school" to you but before saying they are "old school", please look around you. If you are an early 20's college kid surrounded by 30-something hipsters, do not call Neutral Milk Hotel old school as these people were probably in high school when In The Aeroplane Over The Sea was released.

2) Was the band formed before you have coherent memories of life? See above.

3) Did the group disband or the lead singer die before you entered middle school? Once more, see above.

Now... Here's the real question...

4) Is the band Electric Six? If so, then they are not old school, especially if the person saying such slanderous things is my age or older. Yes, Electric Six has an "old school" sound but if you are saying that the band themselves are "old school", you need to severely re-evaluate your use of the term "old school".

Detroit superstars Electric Six formed in 1996. As previously mentioned, they do have an admittedly "old school" sound but that's just how we did in the D in the '90's. The White Stripes? The Sights? The Von Bondies? Guess what? They aren't old school either! Does it make them any less awesome? Of course not. But before you go saying Jack White is "so old school", please refer to the above rules. No one likes to feel old and, even if you are in your mid- to late-20's, calling a band that rose to fame during my later years in high school does just that: It makes me feel ancient. Plus, you're just sort of embarrassing yourself.

Electric Six - Nuclear War

 

Full disclosure: My grandpa did get around quite a bit but to my knowledge, no, I am not blood related to lead Electric Sixer Dick Valentine. We are, however, brethren in awesomeness.

The National Release "Alternative Version" of "Terrible Love", Girls Everywhere Swoon

Can someone tell me what it is about Matt Berninger of The National that is so swoon worthy? He, like Will Sheff before him, has this effect over women (We'll call it the "Sheff Effect") that most men can only dream of. You see, Berninger doesn't just have this effect over a handful of gals like your average fellow. He has the effect on everyone. I'm pretty sure most of my straight male friends have man-crushes on Berninger, to be honest. Perhaps it's the dapper clothes or the fact that he's in a band or his seductive voice that makes girls everywhere weak in the knees. I'm not exactly sure but I can guarantee you one thing: If you are female and you are a fan of The National, you have fantasized before about going home with Matt Berninger. In real life, of course, a guy who tells you he's dreamed about you for 29 years before he met you shortly after telling you to "put me in a chair, fuck me, and make me a drink" might have you feeling slightly uneasy but in your Berninger fantasy, it's not off putting. In fact, it's very on putting, if you know what I mean. (Wait, what? Does that make sense?) 

So whenever The National does anything, not only is my interest piqued but my heart gets all a-flutter, school girl style. And the best part is that The National are so goddamn great that it doesn't matter how dreamy Berninger is, the fact that he and the rest of the band are so full of sheer talent means that whether or not you've had that Berninger fantasy (Admit it, you have), you can still love The National.

 

 

The National - Terrible Love (Acoustic)

 

No Need to Go to The Library to Check Out These Bad Books! Part 2: The Review.

Let me just start by saying that I love Kevin Devine. So when Amber Valentine asked me if I wanted to write a review on his newest project, Bad Books, I was more than happy to do so. Upon listening to the album, I soon discovered that not only were Mr. Devine’s vocals present, but also Manchester Orchestra's Andy Hull! “What a winning combination,” I thought to myself. It was pretty much safe to say that there  would be no way for me to not like this album.

Only a couple of days after hearing that I was going to be reviewing this album, I was flipping through the newest issue of AP Magazine, and noticed that there was already a review for Bad Books in there. Naturally, my first instinct was to just copy this review and see how long it took anyone to notice, but I figured that some people might be upset about that, so I guess I’ll just have to write my own damn review.

 I’ll admit that when I first heard Bad Books, I was not entirely impressed. I began at the end of the album for some reason with the song “Texas”. My immediate response to this song was “Oh boy, another mellow indie band. How exciting”. However, this opinion was quickly swayed upon listening to the rest of the album. Bad Books pretty much brings fans of Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra the best of both worlds. The album encompasses the styles of both artists and brings them together in a way that is nothing less than wonderful.

The opening track, “How This All Ends”, begins slow and calm, but soon transitions into a song that makes me feel as though I should be frolicking through a field of flowers. This might just be my reaction, but I have reason to believe that since I mentioned it, you might get that feeling too when you hear this song. You’ll have to let me know. All in all; however, “How This All Ends” is definitely a fine way to start of this particular album.

 The previously mentioned review that I read in AP Magazine will tell you that the song “I Begged You Everything” “might be [Hull’s] best song ever”. While I agree that this song is definitely one of the best on the album, I personally do not think that it is the best. Although, this could be because I generally prefer songs that are a bit faster paced. However, I will say that “I Begged You Everything” is extremely strong both vocally and lyrically and very worth your time.

Bad Books - Please Move