It’s was a warm summer Saturday night in Portland, Maine. I’m standing outside Space Gallery on Congress Street chatting with my old friend Jeff Roberts (of the band Pinksy) and David Lopez. On this night, Dead Man’s Clothes are having their much anticipated CD release show. I’ve come out to support my favorite local band as have many other friends and well-wishers. There isn’t a hint of moisture in the air as a slight breeze coasts down the road towards Monument Square. It’s coming up on 9 p.m. Better make our way inside. I shuffle in behind a group of crust punks. Godammit. I hate being downwind. Whatever. I’ll be fine once I grab a beer. I pay my six bucks for cover and head right to the small bar inside. The girl at the counter has a PBR with the cap already popped off and waiting. She must be able to read my mind. Or just notice the fact I’m wearing Van slip-ons, cut-off shorts and a flannel. Shit. I slip her two bucks and throw another in the tip jar. The air inside is in stark contrast to where I just was. There’s hardly any ventilation, save for the open front door. The converging smell of cultures hangs in the air. I actually like the odor though. The beads of sweat running down my back I could do without . I’ve heard a lot of buzz about the opening band. They’re called Theodore Treehouse. What an odd name. Here they come. Well, let’s just hope they put on a good show.
Jesus Christ. They are doing just that.
I feel as if I had robbed myself. The Portland area had been raving about Theodore Treehouse’s live show for months on end, and not once did I have the opportunity to check them out. That night in August, I did myself a favor. Ian Ferrel, Asher Platts, Sam Chandler and Dylan Verner showed me just one part of what Treehouse is all about: a non-stop flow of musical dynamism. It was impossible to stay still that night inside Space Gallery. Those not starting an impromptu dance party in front of the stage were moving where they stood (or sat, though I don’t recall anyone not being taken over by the music). I left that night with another band to obsess over. It would be a few months until their December release of their full-length debut, Mercury Closest to the Sun, but the wait was absolutely worth it.
Mercury captures all the energy and emotion of a live Theodore Treehouse show and crams it all into 12 fervent tracks. Their opening salvo is “Maple Syrup Moon”. Asher Platts’ pulsing bassline grabs you by the hand and pulls you out of your seat and onto the dance floor. Ferrel’s hoots kick in just as your body begins to whip around to the frantic melody . The initial auditory barrage of the album shows just what type of disparity in song structures Theodore employs on Mercury. The song ends with the band chanting “It was the path I chose long ago” repeatedly in a very sing-along style. This is one of the many examples of the live show atmosphere the band brings along on the album. From Ian’s “Ooh-Ooh-Oohs” on the British Invasion-esque “My Apartment is a Boat” to the band's opening chants on “Springtime,” it’s hard not to sing along to the album on its subsequent playthroughs.
While I attended high school, I shared a piano teacher with Will Bennett, keyboardist of The White Ravens. Once, as I sat at my family’s black Wurlizter about to show off my practice progress, I recall her mentioning how she reconsidered her move from Michigan in order to instruct him longer because he was "something special." At the time, he had started to compose hybrid classical-rock pieces. My curiosity to hear his melodic musings quickly spiked.
One winter day, Amy Bennett, who had received bass instruction, tried collaborating with her pianist brother. As months progressed, I’d hear piano and drum sounds radiate from the family’s basement across the street. My mother would come in from gardening on a humid eighty-two degree Michigan summer day and say, “I hear the Bennetts practicing again!”
When I moved to downtown Ann Arbor from Saline, I lost touch with many of my old neighbors, including the Bennetts. A few years later, during my senior year of college, I began to notice the group’s fliers on lamp posts around Liberty Street. I quickly Googled their name and stumbled upon a YouTube video of The White Ravens performing the song, “In My Pocket,” at an Ypsilanti festival. I instantly noticed an intelligent, witty maturity beginning to mold Amy Bennett’s bright and throaty voice.
The siblings have collaborated with a few drummers throughout their existence, notably Liberty Devitto, who played with Billy Joel for thirty years. Vince Russo (also of The Appleseed Collective) currently plays drums.
Will Bennet’s zealous keyboard playing has been compared to Ben Folds. Moments arise when he nearly bangs the keyboard in exclamatory passion.
Billy Joel’s melodic style comprises a sizable part of the alkaline in The White Ravens’ sound battery. On that note, they perform a killer cover of “Crocodile Rock,” by Joel’s comrade, Elton John.
Amy Bennett, bassist and lead vocalist, derives humorous lyric ideas from just about anything and everything. From web-comics to Douglas Adams science fiction – if one can name it, she’ll write about it. A University of Michigan science student by day and musician by night, she iterates how the scientific method influences her songwriting because she learns “how things happen through analyzing the world,” and derives lyrical inspiration from this. She proudly highlights her vast experience working in a lab examining rat brains – perhaps inspiration for a future song?
A “School of Rock” type vibe seasons The White Ravens’ earlier musical essence. “Mr. Schonke,” for instance, describes the siblings’ frustrating experience with a manipulative and uptight teacher who would act condescending. “My teacher is a dragon/ yeah, he’s always nagging/for me to do his dirty work./ He’d set me on fire/ if I tried to think higher,” the lyrics go. Incidentally, my brother had this teacher in school at some point, which adds to the humor for me.
“Tick Tock” utilizes an image of a wind-up parrot to symbolize a relationship and the necessity of one partner to take his or her turn "winding it up." "The gears and springs/ and the pulleys and strings/ and the wind-up parrot who squawks and sings/ will sleep until you twist their copper wings," it laments.
Jukebox the Ghost played The Pike Room/The Eagle Theatre/The Crofoot on Wednesday February 16th and knocked everybody's socks off. Jukebox the Ghost has a way of charming the pants off of everybody in the room, except for maybe the couple who was getting it on against me and my fellow Ghost-goers, they probably already had their pants off, good God.
The best song of the night (including the sets of Gold Motel, Now, Now, and You, Me, and Everyone We Know - don't get me wrong, they were all very good) was Half Crazy, but I'm biased because Tommy Siegel is just about the cutest guitarist I ever did lay mine eyes upon.
There are few bands that can make an album that is termed "over-produced" by some well respected indie music gurus, and then lay it down live just as perfectly and with just as much fullness as the album. Not to mention drummer Jesse Kristin has some mad percussion juggling skillz.
And if you aren't convinced yet of the awesomeness of these Ghosts, just take one longing look into the doe-eyed keyboardist Ben Thornewill, and you'll follow these boys across the Gulf of Mexico, which you can apparently do legally now by booking a room on the Rombello Cruise. They're setting sail on September 29th of this year alongside Slightly Stoopid, Michael Franti and Spearhead, G. Love & Special Sauce, and the big ticket name on the bill: to be announced. Does a Carribbean cruise with some of your favorite bands right now sound great in the wake of cold ass horrible weather across the midwest or what? I know where I'll be come September 29th, and it won't be Michigan!
I miss you EIC Amber, let's go on a date this Monday night.
Ever since Craig Owens was let go as the lead singer of Chiodos, loyal fans have been waiting eagerly to see exactly what the vocalist’s next move was. Not long after his release from the band, rumors started surfacing regarding a new band. One by one band members were revealed and soon a whole new group of talented musicians was ready to take the stage. Almost. Gradually, more and more information regarding this “mystery band” was released until finally fans were given a taste of what was to come. Toward the end of 2010, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, or D.R.U.G.S, released “If You Think This Song is About You, It Probably Is” and left fans begging for more. Well fret not, my dear friends, because Destroy Rebuild’s first album, D.R.U.G.S, is finally here!
This particular album is easily one of my most anticipated for the year and let me tell you, I am not disappointed. In the weeks leading up to the album’s release, the band leaked a new song as well as a short video every couple of days or so. I, however, didn’t want the album to be ruined for me, so I used every ounce of strength I had and chose not to listen to any more than what I had already heard. I’m honestly very glad that I did this because I was able to experience the album in full and I feel as though I appreciated it more than if had heard the tracks previous to the album release.
One track that I was particularly excited to hear was “The Only Thing You Talk About.” A previously unreleased Chiodos song entitled “Thermacare” that I had quickly fallen in love with, I was disappointed that I would be unable to ever hear this song live. Guess who was wrong! D.R.U.G.S has vastly improved the overall quality of this song and I absolutely love it. Not to mention I just happen to love it when Craig Owens screams the word “whore.” DON’T JUDGE ME. All obnoxious fan-girling aside, this is one of the first songs on the album and it’s also one of the strongest in my opinion. Well done, boys.
“Graveyard Dancing” is another track that I find to be very well composed. I distinctly remember Owens stating when I saw D.R.U.G.S perform earlier this year that this is one of his personal favorites, and I can honestly say that I can see why. This song has some of the strongest lyrics of any track on the album. Most notably the bridge, in which Owens so passionately sings the words “Why is it I love you so much and all you do is hate, hate, hate everything you’ve become?” This line, as well as this entire song, have become fast personal favorites.
For those of us who like our music a little heavier, “Stop Reading, Start Doing Pushups” is probably the song to check out. It’s one of the more “screamy” songs on the album, and you know what, I’m okay with that! I personally like just the right amount of “screamy” in my music. Not only are the vocals spot on, but the pure musical talent of each band member is clearly displayed in this song.
Now, I realized that I have focused mainly on all of the positive aspects of this album thus far. And while I will admit that there are quite a lot of them, there are a few things that I’m not entirely fond of that I don’t feel should go unmentioned. For example, there are a few lines in certain songs that I do find questionable. Based on what I’ve read from other fans, I think many people agree that the bridge in “Mr. Owl Ate my Metal Worm” is subject to a bit of ridicule. While I do not agree with most people as to the exact meaning of the line “I’d like to keep cutting, but I can’t stand to watch myself bleed,” I do agree that this particular line sounds a bit “off.” Other than that, however, I love the song.
The only other track on this album I really was not completely fond of is “I’m Here to Take the Sky.” Not to say the song is not well written and well performed, I just feel that it is a bit inconsistent with the rest of the album. It is much “poppier” than the other tracks on the album and, to be perfectly honest, I feel as though this track would have been more suitable as a Cinematic Sunrise song. However, when listened to out of context, it’s still a really good track.
All that having been said, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows definitely delivered with this album. The passion that each band member has for music is clearly evident in each and every track and that, my friends, is what makes good music. D.R.U.G.S is definitely an album I would recommend to almost anyone and I very much look forward to seeing what this extremely talented group of gentlemen has in store for us in the future.
For those of you following me on Twitter, you have probably already realized how much fun I had going on tour with Josh LaMore. Myself along with two of my closest friends, Hailey Williams and Christina Guerrero, enjoyed probably one of the best weekends any of us have experienced in a long time. For those of you not following me on Twitter, I’m going to tell you all about it right now!
Tour got started on Friday, March 11th at Lock 16 Center in LaSalle, IL. Although the turnout for this show was particularly disappointing, every band performed as if it were for a room full of people. Honestly, there is not much else to say concerning this show other than Sean from Egon’s Unicat successfully turned a grill into a musical instrument and it was awesome. Everyone sounded amazing, unfortunately, despite our almost constant promotion, there was very low attendance at the first show on Friday night.
However, things on Friday quickly turned around when everyone arrived at 9th Street Pub. Even though Josh refused to utilize the set list that Hailey and I wrote for him (including things like "Champagne Supernova," the "Darkwing Duck" theme song, and the theme from "Titanic"), I assume he still performed remarkably well. Unfortunately, I’ll never know for sure because I had been drinking.
The following morning we all groggily packed up our belongings and loaded ourselves into Christina’s car to begin our journey to Greenfield, Indiana. This drive was hilarious, to say the least. Indiana has a lot of billboards, most of which either have to do with loving God or cows. All that aside, the Indiana show was one of the best local shows I’ve been to in a long time. I was completely blown away by this crowd. Despite having little to no prior knowledge as to who Josh LaMore was, they all gave him their full attention and even sang along when asked to do so. Well done, Indiana! Seriously though, the energy that radiated from this group of people was amazing. It was completely obvious that they were all there for the music and not just something to do.
That being said, I feel the need to mention that some of the other bands who performed on this particular night were fantastic. I was particularly impressed with The Day After, Breaking New Lines, and Forevermore. Each member of each of these bands displayed an obvious passion for what they were doing, and that’s something that I can really appreciate. It was clear that every person in attendance loved what they were hearing. I found Forevermore to be particularly intriguing because it was obvious to me that they were one of the local favorites. Lead singer, Jordan Furr, displayed amazing stage presence and the crowd was willing to do just about anything he said.
All that aside, our night in Indiana was a great one. We met a lot of really cool people, had a few laughs, and hung out with a cat named Lysander. Oh, and I got a bowl of Reeses’ Puffs out of this deal because our new friend Chris is the best host in the whole world. Also, his tiny mother snores like a lumberjack, but she is a fine lady and I love her. I just remembered that I have Reeses’ Puffs downstairs. BRB.
The next morning we, once again, groggily packed up our things (except for Hailey’s hair straightener apparently) and began the trip to our next destination, Josh’s home town of Manteno, IL. This show was all acoustic and therefore significantly quieter than the previous night’s show. I assume this is mostly because we were in the basement of a church, but that’s just an educated guess really. Hailey and I should not be allowed in a church for ANY reason aside, Sunday night on the tour went extremely well. Josh was able to perform for some of his closest friends and family which I know meant the absolute world to him.
After this final show, everyone gathered at Josh’s house for one last night surrounded by great people. It was this night that we really were able to get to know some of our new friends and, let me tell you, they are some seriously awesome people. I honestly do not think that we met one person on this tour who we just really didn’t like. That’s probably a lie. I’m sure there were at least a couple. But that’s not even kind of the point.
Early on Monday morning, it was time to head back home. Sadly, we packed up the car for the last time and made our triumphant return to our usual mundane existences. Although none of us were ready, tour was over in what seemed like a minute. There would be no more long hours in the car, getting ready in the venue’s bathrooms right before the show, or listening to Josh sing Nelly Furtado. Even though this particular tour was not a long one, it was definitely an experience that none of us will ever forget.
Most people know Ok Go for their music videos. When the band showed up on the Sasquatch! Music Festival lineup last year, I couldn’t contain my excitement, but a friend contested with (paraphrased) “but how great could their live show be when they can’t implement their video gimmickry?” I then went on to explain that, um, Ok Go is first and foremost about the music, and anyone who doesn’t realize that needs to listen to them.
It wasn’t until a couple of years after I began listening to the band that I saw one of their videos, the treadmill one. “Here It Goes Again” is a fine song, but nowhere near Ok Go’s best work. So, understandably, people were more fixated on the extremely interesting and clever choreography. The band certainly has a knack for that, and it should be admired.
However, Ok Go’s self-titled debut album (2002) was a much better introduction. “Hello My Treacherous Friends” was daring and catchy, and “1000 Miles Per Hour” is like the Moody Blues meets Fountains of Wayne, which works out beautifully. The 2005 EP preceding Oh No, Ok Go’s second album, further won me over with a cover of one of my all-time favorite songs, “The Lovecats” by the Cure.
Ok Go’s rendition remains fairly faithful to the original, but delivers it in a smoother package. Drums, bass, keys, guitar and vocals all sound richer. Elementally speaking, the original is more metallic while the cover has a more woody quality. But they really master the Cure’s essence with the recording, which solidified Ok Go’s place in my heart.
The band released the “Extra Nice Edition” of their third album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (2010) last November, which offered a ton of remixes and alternate versions of songs from the album, as well as a few other treats. One of these was a cover of the Pixies’ “Gigantic.”
Again, Ok Go refines the edges of the rock classic, but stays mostly true to its original style. Damian Kulash coos “Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul, let’s have a ball” with psychedelic flair and is a softer substitute for Kim Deal on the repetition of “a big, big love.”
What’s wonderful about Ok Go’s cover efforts is they sound distinctively like Ok Go while still honoring the integrity of those they emulate. They definitely make it worth it to shell out for the versions of their albums with bonus tracks. Never a disappointment; always a pleasure.
Montreal's Young Galaxy will be stopping by the Empty Bottle on March 25th as part of their small U.S. tour. Their recent album, Shapeshifting, was released in early February through Paper Bag Records. A complete transitional shift from Invisible Republic, the songs were given to Dan Lissvik across the vast Atlantic in Sweden to put the finishing polishes on. What came out of emails and Skype discussions is one of my personal favorites of the year, a refreshing wash of atmospheric indie dipped in electronic beats and synth (my review is over at Mezzic, as well as an interview with Stephen Ramsay). Listen to a sample, "We Have Everything" which depicts this electro-beat over Catherine McCandless' vocals.
In the basement of Double Door, I had the chance to sit down and ask The members of The Mutts a few questions twenty minutes before they went on stage...
So, The Mutts...
Mike: I have never really explained the band name before, this is an inaugural explanation... combination of liking dogs and making a living walking dogs.
First question... Most important, is, why?
Mike: Because it’s out there
Safe Word?
Chris: Booger
Favorite/least favorite cheese? (for the cheese-enthusiast)
Chris/Mike: Gouda Bob: Well, I am a vegan... so least favorite might be the cheese that smells kind of like feet.
Robots or Dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs (collectively)
Strangest venue or gig you’ve ever played?
All: The Mutiny... not that it was strange... more cool than strange
How did you begin your career and who were your influences?
Chris: I was in a few bands before the Mutts (i.e. The Hush Sound) and we all just sort of met up and rocked out.
What is the most memorable concert you’ve ever attended?
Chris: The Roots at Depaul, outdoors in the pouring rain. Mike: New Kids on the Block, my sister dragged me there when I was 8, my first concert I ever attended. Bob: My first concert was Filter. Also Cornelius.
Bob: The first record I remember digging on as a kid was Weather Report's Birdland. I was kind of obsessed with Jaco Pastorius' bass in the title track. I also really liked Joe Venuti and John Barnes live at the Concord Music Festival for some reason. I was 5 or 6. Who knows? Haha.
What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given?
Chris: When someone handed me some peanut butter and said “Eat this, you’re not allergic.”
If you were to communicate using one word, what would it be?
Chris: Aghhh (with some silent J’s) Mike: Meow Bob: Yum
How do you make those wicked guitar riffs, is it a gift or did you learn from some venerable teacher?
Mike: My piano teacher from age 7 to 13 was a 6'7", 300+ pound Hungarian man named Janus Zemzars. He had a booming voice and had to duck to get through the practice room doors at the Arts Center back in Ashtabula, OH. It was terrifying to imagine going to a lesson unprepared. But he was really a nice guy, who just happened to make a grand piano look like a toy (like a real-life Shroeder from Peanuts). I loved learning gypsy Tarantellas, Muzio Clementi sonatas, and heavy Tchaikovsky compositions. I accidentally lift riffs from that stuff on occasion.
Have you ever considered touring with some strange band whose sound is polaropposite of your own? if you had to choose what would it be? Mike: Yes - either Sigur Ros or Dream Theater. Or both!
Best part of the sandwich?
Mike: The Crust
Bob: The sandwich is all about the hot giardiniera, available only at the Subways in the Midwest. tastes like home.
The snow is covering up one third of my living room window. It makes it difficult to see what's going on in the real world. From what I can tell right now, the real world is being peppered by more snow. For some strange reason, I'm okay with this today. You see, I'm not living in the real world today. It bores me. Today I dwell in my realm of fantasy. Before I start my next paragraph, I’m going to pour two cups of coffee. One for myself and one for my imaginary guest: the wonderful Wisconsin songstress Anna Vogelzang. I’m out of creamer. I hope she doesn’t mind.
After we swap stories about Portsmouth, NH, a place I consider my weekend home and where she recorded the album Paper Boats, she begins to play me “Die Trying,” the first track of her most recent EP Secret Cedar Room. She sits on my couch, gently plucking the strings of her banjo. Her voice resonates beautifully through my apartment as a steady stream of her heart pours out through her throat as she laments “What if this is not my best? What If I could do better?” Her songs are an unspoiled intermingling of heartache, nature, innocence and metaphor. All these things invoke powerful imagery from her lyrics. “There's a secret cedar room locked inside my ribs. It houses all the guilt packed away in cardboard boxes,” she sings on "Wishbone." I know she’d probably be upset, but I want to unlock her ribs with a skeleton key right now. But I think that would be too "Pan’s Labyrinth" of me. She should keep singing.
We sip on our coffee as I show her my acoustic guitar. She asks me to play “Heart Beats Faster” with her. I say of course. It’s my daydream, so my fingers have no problem plucking away the intro to my favorite track on the EP. As we get lost in song, I can’t help myself from rattling off compliments in my head about her singing and songwriting. Her vocals seem to cut through the air like a lighthouse’s beam shining through thick night fog. Her voice seamlessly represents the type of person Anna is; resilient, assertive and revealing. At least that’s who she is in my daydream as our mugs steam away while we stay perfectly in tune for hours on end.
And seeing as it’s my daydream, we fall asleep watching "The Empire Strikes Back." The End.
It’s easy to recommend Anna Vogelzang to anyone looking for talented and charming folk-pop. Give her a listen or pick up her albums at her Bandcamp site. Or check out her tour dates on her website. You should also donate to her Kickstarter page to help her get her next full-length released. I’ll see you around, Anna. Next time, we can watch "Double Dare" and play Nintendo.
The Immigrant Song: Led Zeppelin’s softest album ironically opens with a bang. Like “Heartbreaker,” I was familiar with “The Immigrant Song” before I started these reviews. Actually, I’m pretty sure it was the first Zeppelin song I ever heard. The riff is one of Zeppelin’s catchiest, and Plant’s vocals are perfect. The lyrics are seemingly about Norse vikings or something. John is the real star here, his bass runs during the chorus sound effortless. At two minutes and thirty seconds, “The Immigrant Song” doesn’t overstay its welcome. Zeppelin is usually at their best when they keep things short and sweet. So far things are off to a good start, but will they stay that way?
Friends: “Friends” kicks off with a little studio chatter before the ensemble comes in. None of the riffs are particularly catchy or virtuosic. Page is clearly out of his vocal range here, and his voice is uncomfortable to listen to. John’s string arrangements don’t really add much to the song. “Friends” is too heavy to be a ballad, but too soft to be rock. It limply hangs in limbo for the duration of the song, never really going anywhere or shifting dynamics or tempo. Near the end the song speeds up a little, but Zeppelin feels out of control, and the psychedelic Moog riff at the end is irritating. “Friends” is one of the worst Zeppelin songs I’ve heard, let’s hope the rest of the album doesn’t continue this downward trend.
Celebration Day: “Celebration Day” starts off with the annoying Moog riff from before droning on for a while until Page comes in playing rather sloppily. When Bonham and Plant enter, the song gains a bit of composure. By the one minute mark everybody is locked into a tight groove. Bonham really shines here. His drum charts are nothing spectacular, but his sense of rhythm is strangely melodic. Page’s guitar solo is a short and sweet variation on the main melody. The song ends with Page noodling around and the rest of the band rocking out slightly harder. Overall, it’s a fantastic tune. A great recovery from the piss poor “Friends.”
Since I’ve Been Loving You: The song opens with some blues noodling by Page before Bonham locks the groove in. John’s organ playing adds a nice touch. Seemingly out of nowhere, the song gets drastically louder and everyone begins to rock out harder but still in control. Plant seems to be testing out his “sexy voice” and fails miserably. Fortunately the majority of the song is an instrumental showcase, specifically Page. John is fantastic, his organ playing adds a layer of emotion that just wouldn’t be here otherwise. Page’s guitar solo is one of the most famous in rock ’n’ roll history, and does the hype justice. “Since I’ve Been Loving You” is Zeppelin finally doing blues rock right. It’s one of the strongest songs in their discography. I’m starting to wonder why this album got negative reviews on its initial release. So far Led Zeppelin III is shaping up to be stronger than its predecessors.
Out On The Tiles: “Out On The Tiles” starts out balls to wall aggressive and only continues to get angrier as it continues. Plant’s verses are shoddy but the chorus is catchy enough to make up for it. The ensemble is at top form here. My only real complaint is that “Out On The Tiles” is very repetitive, but fortunately its repetitiveness recalls good punk rock instead of top forty pop. Overall, it’s another fantastic song. With the exception of “Friends”, the first side of Led Zeppelin III is extremely strong. Let’s hope the second side can match it.
Gallows Pole: “Gallows Pole” is a traditional folk song arranged by Page and Plant. Influenced by Fred Gerlach’s arrangement, “Gallows Pole” begins with some soft acoustic guitar picking accompanied by Plant’s vocals, which surprisingly fit well. The song is pretty boring until a minute in, when things speed up and Jones begins playing. By the time Bonham joins halfway through, there’s a nice country groove going. The ensemble is very tight, and despite “Gallows Pole” sounding unlike traditional Zeppelin, it works. I wouldn’t say it’s a great song, but it’s a nice refresher from classic rock’s status quo.
Tangerine: “Tangerine” is an old Yardbirds song reworked by Page for his new ensemble. Like “Gallows Pole,” “Tangerine” opens with some acoustic guitar riffing before Plant joins in. Unlike Zeppelin’s earlier acoustic songs, Plant’s vocals are subdued and fit the song perfectly. The song switches between the full ensemble and acoustic strumming for the first half before solidifying itself. Page’s first solo is melodic, but his guitar tone sounds like a dying mosquito. Thankfully Page redeems himself on his second solo. “Tangerine” ends before you know it and leaves you hungry for more. I’m really digging this new, acoustic Zeppelin.
That’s The Way: Completely devoid of Bonham’s drumming, “That’s The Way” is Zeppelin’s softest song thus far. Plant’s lyrics are nothing special, but yet again his vocals are good, downright pretty. Page’s guitar is smooth and flowing. Jones’ mandolin is very subtle. What’s best about “That’s The Way” is nobody is competing for the spotlight. Every member of the ensemble is sacrificing for the other. The true mark of a great band. I’m shocked how much Zeppelin is starting to shape up. By the time this review series is over, I might actually be a fan.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp: Named after a cottage in Wales, “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” is a catchy acoustic tune accompanied by Bonham on spoons and Jones on acoustic bass. The riff is really catchy, but Plant is over-singing again. “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” relies on rhythm rather than melody to keep the listener interested, and about halfway through, the problem with this becomes apparent. I stopped caring. Without something to hook me along, I had no reason to keep listening. It’s not a bad song by any means, but it certainly is boring. So much for momentum.
Hats Off To (Roy) Harper: Led Zeppelin III's final track is a psychedelic acoustic ballad. Problem is, the psychedelia is REALLY annoying and distracting. I feel like slicing Page’s strings and pouring glue down Plant’s throat. I can’t hear Jones or Bonham, but perhaps they’re there. As if it couldn’t get any more annoying, Plant loves to do this “na-na-na-na-na” thing over and over again throughout the song. This is easily Zeppelin’s worst song. I wonder if it’s some kind of practical joke on the listener? Fortunately “Hats Off To (Roy) Harper” is mercifully short. What a shame to end what was shaping up to be a fantastic album on such a sour note.
Despite some weak tracks, Led Zeppelin III is the bands best album thus far. I was fully prepared to give it a perfect score until I heard “Hats Off To (Roy) Harper”. It made me resent my eardrums, so three out of four it is.
I feel like one of the most shocking statements I've ever said is "You know who's really underrated? Sean Lennon!" This isn't shocking because Sean Lennon is overrated or because he doesn't deserve to be given accolades. To see the looks on my friends and colleagues faces, however, when I proclaim that the youngest Lennon is, in fact, a talent, you'd think I'd just told a the Pope, "You know who's really underrated? Satan!"
It's easy to dismiss the career of Sean Lennon, much as it was easy in the mid-90's to ignore the alternative rock of The Wallflowers due to the inclusion of Jakob Dylan. A progeny of someone as prolific as Bob Dylan or John Lennon, after all, has no possible way to live up to the legacy of their parents. Granted in recent years, Lennon has gotten more press for his presence during some grade A antics than his music (Those pictures of Vanessa Manillo and Lindsay Lohan holding knives to each other? Taken at Sean Lennon's digs!) but what Lennon did on his last official release, 2006's Friendly Fire, lead to Lennon producing one of the most criminally unlistened to albums of the year.
From the opening notes of "Dead Meat", a track starting with lilting piano that's later joined by strings and layered vocals that paint a dreamy picture of - fittingly enough - lush, Beatles-esque pop, it's glaringly obvious that Lennon is his father's son and he will not spend his time playing pretend, dressing up in the clothes of some rock star so unlike his ancestoral predessor, perhaps even downplaying the relation like Jakob Dylan did at the height of The Wallflowers's success. More than recalling The Beatles, however, Lennon recalls artists that weren't influenced by his father. Shades of Jon Brion and Elliott Smith are many, with the precise guitar of "Parachute" recalling a more upbeat version of Brion's "Hook, Line, And Sinker" and "Wait For Me" sounding as though Smith were attempting to compose his own version of one of his favorite Beatles tunes, the oft-covered by Smith "I'm Only Sleeping".
I feel as if it weren't for the strength of "Wait For Me", album opener "Dead Meat" would be Friendly Fire's stand out tune. "Wait For Me", however, has found itself becoming one of my favorite songs of all time. It's a simple pop song, yes. The chords are so simple that I managed to learn to play the song by ear. There's little lyrical substance but each line, no matter how forced its rhyme, has the type of vague relatability that anyone can find meaning or comfort in. "Wait For Me" is the best pop song that no one's heard. I remember driving home from work back in '06, when Lennon's sophomore release first came out, and first taking note of "Wait For Me". I ended up taking the long way home, circling the lake of the small town I lived in twice before turning towards my house, just so I could listen to "Wait For Me" again. It was as if the song were a composition from the guy I'd fall in love with one day, telling me that he was waiting and he hoped I would be too. Maybe it's ridiculous thoughts like this that keep my single. Or maybe "Wait For Me" is just that perfect.
Oh, hello. Didn’t see you guys there. Well, I’m glad you’re all here, because I have something awesome to tell you about! Come closer. Closer. A little closer. Okay, that’s good. Remember my good friend, Josh LaMore? Well, if you took my genius advice and listened to his music, then of course you do! If you like Josh’s music and want to hear it live, you’re in luck! The “Out Like a Lamb” tour is coming to a city near you! That is, assuming you live near LaSalle, IL, Manteno, IL, or Greenfield IN!
I’m honestly very excited about this tour because this will be the first time that I’ve actually been able to travel with a musician. Myself, along with my best friend/photographer, Hailey Williams, and our good friend Christina Guererro, will be traveling right alongside Josh for the entire duration of this particular tour. It’s going to be a fun-filled and mostly drunken adventure that I will be documenting via my personal twitter account, and then later on in a second article which I plan to title “On the Road with Josh LaMore Part 2: Actually on the Road”.
Anyways, the first show is Friday March 11th at Lock 16 Center in Lasalle, Illinois. This is a home town show for me, so if you want to make the trip out, you’ll get to hang out with me in my natural habitat. Other bands performing this night include my good friends, Egon’s Unicat, Dave DeMoss, and Ahymnsa. These are all a bunch of great guys playing some pretty great music, so I strongly encourage everyone to come hang out. Also, if you like what you hear at the Lock 16 show and want to hear some more while drinking heavily, both Egon’s Unicat and Josh LaMore will be performing at the 9th Street Pub in LaSalle that same night! What could go wrong?!
The very next morning, Josh, Hailey, Christina, and myself will be packing up and heading on out to Greenfield, Indiana. I had no idea that this town even existed until about 10 minutes ago when I opened the email that Christina sent me regarding this tour. On Saturday, March 12th, I’ll be hanging out at The Rick’s Theater in Greenfield, so that’s probably where you want to be. Besides Josh, acts that night will include: Forevermore, Breaking New Lines, The Day After, Rose Maylie, and Prague. To be honest, I’ve never heard of any of these bands. But they’re probably all awesome, so you should come check it out because you’ll get to hang out with me and I’m sweet as all hell.
The morning after the Greenfield show, we will be heading back to Illinois to meet up with Egon’s Unicat in Manteno for one final show. Manteno is Josh’s home town so this show should be especially fun for everyone involved. This special all acoustic show is on Sunday, March 13th at the Manteno St. Joseph Church. I sincerely hope that no one spontaneously combusts upon stepping foot inside of a church! We’re all terrible sinners aside, along with Josh and Egon’s, The Projection, At Rift’s End, and Joey Marcantonio will also be playing that night. It should be a pretty awesome end to what is sure to be a pretty awesome tour.
So, for those of you who weren’t paying attention or who don’t want to sift through all of my bullshit to figure out where you’re supposed to go for these shows, here’s the basic rundown:
Friday, March 11th:
Lock 16 Center
754 First St.
LaSalle, IL
(and then later at 9th Street Pub, which is on 9th Street in LaSalle)
Saturday, March 12th:
The Rick's Theater
122 W. Main St.
Greenfield, IN
Sunday, March 13th:
Manteno St. Josepsh Church
175 S. Main St.
Manteno, IL
So, there you have it! Now you have absolutely no excuse to not show up. “But what if I have to work or there’s some sort of emergency?!” Unacceptable. Nothing is more important than you coming out and listening to awesome music with me and my friends. That being said, I hope I see a whole bunch of you crazy RFC-ers out at these shows. It’ll be a good time, I guarantee it.
There are certain moments in your life when you realize that you've stumbled across something special that's going to stick with you for a while. It could be at a bar, locking eyes with the most beautiful person you've ever seen. Or at a concert, hearing a band you'd never heard of before that you find yourself so taken with that you have an inkling they're going to soundtrack some very important events in your future. Regardless of the who, what, when, or where, we've all gone through those moments when we first see or hear something and we know without knowing: We've stumbled across something special.
I remember vividly the first time I heard Jon Brion. I was thirteen and listening to Aimee Mann's I'm With Stupid. I was taken from the get go with the sounds - There was an inherit idiosyncratic quality about Mann's music that I fell in love with and was desperate to find out where it came from. And at the end of the album, on a hidden track, I got my answer: Jon Brion. The first bit of Brion's vocals I heard was a thirty second snippet, tucked away at the end of I'm With Stupid, after closing track "It's Not Safe", when Brion, amidst an array of masterfully played guitar, twinkling instruments, and radio static, sings "But you're the idiot who keeps believing in luck." That was all I needed to hear because at that moment, I just knew it: Jon Brion was something special.
I spent my high school years after that obsessing over Brion, cultivating tracks he'd produced, buying cds simply because he guested on them. It was a mix of his musical oddities and John Lennon-esque voice that had me so rapt with Brion's music and it's fairly common knowledge that Brion's gone on to score some of the most amazing films of our generation, including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Stepbrothers. Brion's tour de force of a score for the David O. Russell shit-show that was I Heart Huckabee's remains my favorite soundtrack to a film I hated and I do believe that "Knock Yourself Out" might be the best song ever written. This is all widely known. What isn't widely known, however, is that Jon Brion released an amazing solo cd called Meaningless in 2001.
Meaningless was originally slated for a major label release but, much like Mann's Bachelor No. 2 and Wilco's genius Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the disc was deemed unsuitable for a wide release for whatever ridiculous reason - Commercial viability? Pure spite? - and eventually, Brion released the CD himself to criminally little fanfare. Meaningless should have been a hit. It should have watched over the other releases from 2001 from a perch high atop every best-of list. It should have been raved about in Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly and it should have made Jon Brion famous in the mainstream's consciousness. At the very least, it should have gotten a vast amount of attention from NPR and the indie scene. Meaningless, however, went almost completely unnoticed and it's not incredibly uncommon to talk to a Brion fan who hasn't even heard the record. To me, this is tragic because not only is the album one of my favorite records of all time but I hold it as the best produced album I've ever heard. Fact of the matter is that Brion is a great musician but he's a genius producer, as evidenced by the vast number of huge hits he had a hand in (Kanye's "Golddigger", anyone?) and his talent shines better than it ever has, and perhaps ever will, on Meaningless.
Brion has an uncanny ability like no one else to be able to write a song in just about any genre and make it impeccable. While Brion's ballads and pop songs tend to garner him the most attention on his soundtracks (See the remarkably affecting "Here We Go" from Punch Drunk Love and the aforementioned "Knock Yourself Out" for great examples), Meaningless proves just how amazing of a musician Brion is. The album starts on a clever note with "Gotta Start Somewhere", an introspective song worthy of any indie rocker but peppered with affects that are distinctly Brion, from an interspersed whistle to the opening of a robotic voice, stating the time. It's with the second song, "I Believe She's Lying", that Brion really gains his foothold, letting his mile-a-minute wordplay and offbeat production elements take center stage. Why this song wasn't a huge deal is beyond me.
In 1979 Peter Dayton recorded Mission of Burma’s first single Peaking Spring/This Is Not A Photograph. The singles weren’t for stores. Instead, they were given out to college radio stations with the hope of promoting the then unknown Mission of Burma. It worked. MIT’s radio station WMBR loved “Peaking Spring” so much it became their most played song of 1979. The band was off to a great start. Everyone in Boston was talking about them.
The band was generating enough buzz that Rick Harte, owner of indie label Ace Of Hearts Records, went to go see them in concert. He didn’t understand their music, but he liked two of their songs. Figuring two songs was good enough for a single, Rick signed Burma and released their first commercial single Academy Fight Song/Max Ernst. Released on June 1980, within weeks the single sold out its initial 7,500 pressings and received heavy airplay on college radio throughout Massachusetts. It was good enough that music magazine Boston Rock crowned them best local band and Academy Fight Song/Max Ernst best new single. Even more impressively Academy was featured on influential magazine New York Rocker’s list of the top 10 best singles of 1980, sharing print space with mega rock stars like The Clash, Elvis Costello, and The Pretenders. Pretty soon Burma was opening for major label bands like Gang of Four, The Cure, The Buzzcocks, The Dead Kennedys, and The Fall.
On July 4, 1981 Mission of Burma released their first EP Signals, Calls, and Marches. The band received heavy airplay on Boston FM super-station WBCN, lead single “That’s When I Reach For My Revolver” topping their charts at number six. Because Signals was released over the summer it didn’t receive any college radio airplay, but regardless Signals snagged fifth place on Rockpool’s progressive charts between superstar artists Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Pretenders. By the time 1982 rolled around, Signals had sold out all ten thousand of its initial pressings.
You’d think with all the exposure and critical acclaim a major label would have sucked them up by now. Problem was, Mission of Burma sounded so different live then they did on record that people often mistook them for two different bands. On vinyl Burma sounded like a very arty punk band with smart pop sensibilities and a little avant-garde eccentricity injected into the mix. Live, Mission of Burma was impossibly loud; a sonic maelstrom of frenzied chaotic sounds. A common insult the press would write was “Mission of Burma would sound good live if they were all playing the same song”. Peter Prescott played his drum kit like he was soloing the whole time. Clint Conley shredded impossibly fast up and down his bass like he was Jimi Hendrix, while Roger Miller’s guitar amp was cranked up so loud he would wear industrial strength earplugs underneath the noise cancelling headphones they give you at gun ranges to avoid going deaf. While all this was going on Martin Swope would manipulate their sound live with a tape deck from the PA system. An impressive feat considering the sampler hadn’t been invented yet and wouldn’t for many more years.
The Mutts - An RFC Interview
So, The Mutts...
Mike: I have never really explained the band name before, this is an inaugural explanation... combination of liking dogs and making a living walking dogs.
First question... Most important, is, why?
Mike: Because it’s out there
Safe Word?
Chris: Booger
Favorite/least favorite cheese? (for the cheese-enthusiast)
Chris/Mike: Gouda
Bob: Well, I am a vegan... so least favorite might be the cheese that smells kind of like feet.
Robots or Dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs (collectively)
Strangest venue or gig you’ve ever played?
All: The Mutiny... not that it was strange... more cool than strange
How did you begin your career and who were your influences?
Chris: I was in a few bands before the Mutts (i.e. The Hush Sound) and we all just sort of met up and rocked out.
What is the most memorable concert you’ve ever attended?
Chris: The Roots at Depaul, outdoors in the pouring rain.
Mike: New Kids on the Block, my sister dragged me there when I was 8, my first concert I ever attended.
Bob: My first concert was Filter. Also Cornelius.
What are you listening to now?
Archie Powell and the Exports, Sting, Tom Waits and NPR, Big Science, Pillars and Tongues, American Football.
Old records/music that influenced you?
Bob: The first record I remember digging on as a kid was Weather Report's Birdland. I was kind of obsessed with Jaco Pastorius' bass in the title track. I also really liked Joe Venuti and John Barnes live at the Concord Music Festival for some reason. I was 5 or 6. Who knows? Haha.
What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given?
Chris: When someone handed me some peanut butter and said “Eat this, you’re not allergic.”
If you were to communicate using one word, what would it be?
Chris: Aghhh (with some silent J’s)
Mike: Meow
Bob: Yum
How do you make those wicked guitar riffs, is it a gift or did you learn from some venerable teacher?
Mike: My piano teacher from age 7 to 13 was a 6'7", 300+ pound Hungarian man named Janus Zemzars. He had a booming voice and had to duck to get through the practice room doors at the Arts Center back in Ashtabula, OH. It was terrifying to imagine going to a lesson unprepared. But he was really a nice guy, who just happened to make a grand piano look like a toy (like a real-life Shroeder from Peanuts). I loved learning gypsy Tarantellas, Muzio Clementi sonatas, and heavy Tchaikovsky compositions. I accidentally lift riffs from that stuff on occasion.
Mike: Yes - either Sigur Ros or Dream Theater. Or both!
Terranaut
From their album The Tells of Parallels
Posted by Rachel Angres at 09:00 AM in Commentary, Deranged Thoughts, Downloads, Interviews, RFC Thinks You Should Know | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: Rachel Angres, The Mutts, The Tells of Parallels