Radio Free Chicago

Will Sheff, Daniel Johnston, Bill Callahan & More Join Brian Beattie's "Ivy And The Wicker Suitcase"

It's no secret that Okkervil River's Will Sheff has taken part in some of this fledgling decades most brilliant concept albums. His band, after all, has been the main purveyors of concept albums in recent years with Black Sheep Boy, The Stage Names, and The Stand Ins, three records that each show impressive and cinematic narrative skills, being released back to back. Taking this into consideration, it's not exactly unexpected to learn that Sheff is taking part in Brian Beattie's forthcoming musical, Ivy and the Wicker Suitcase, but that doesn't mean it's any less exciting, especially when you consider what a champ cast Beattie has cast Sheff alongside.

Apparently, Ivy and The Wicker Suitcase is an "epic musical audio drama wrapped inside a fully illustrated book", the likes of which would make Anais Mitchell's Hadestown look like child's play. According to the Kickstarter (more about that later!), "The story is based in Austin, Tx., in 1938. The first day of summer vacation. Hidden away down in her favorite creek, 10 year old Ivy Wire sits with her battered guitar singing to the birds and the trees. Suddenly the sky darkens and she follows a mockingbird into a nearby cave. She hears a monstrous roar and sees a tumbling wall of muddy water rushing towards her. 'FLASH FLOOD!!'. She barely escapes by scampering into a hole, but she immediately starts plunging into darkness. Thus begins her descent into the Underworld."

Ivy and The Wicker Suitcase features the legendary Daniel Johnston as the Lord of the Underworld, Bill "Smog" Callahan as a God-like diety, and the love of my life, the aforementioned Sheff, as the "chief admissions officer of the eternal incarceration system".

Daniel Johnston - Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your

Okkervil River featuring Daniel Johnston - Happy Hearts

The more astute amongst you might have noticed that I mentioned the phrase "Kickstarter" up there and you know what that means - Beattie needs your help! The cast of Ivy and The Wicker Suitcase is attempting to raise a hefty ten grand in the next twenty five days. Now, I can't imagine there's any lack of people wanting to toss a few bucks to hear Johnston warble away as Satan while Callahan's seductive croon makes ladies everywhere want to get to know Ivy's Christ-figure just a little bit more personally, but $10,000 is quite the sum to raise. Given the fact that a mere $10 will snag you a sweet poster of some of Ivy's fantastical artwork, it'd be a shame not to give to Beattie and company. Honestly, if you only back one Kickstarter this year, you should probably make it that of Ivy and The Wicker Suitcase if only for the fact that a project as ambitious as this is either going to be a trainwreck they'll be talking about for ages or a epically breathtaking masterpiece. Either way, the results will be noteworthy!

What are you waiting for? Pledge away!

Timber Timbre Creeps On

It's no secret that RFC's EIC, Amber Valentine, has an intense love for Timber Timbre, the macabre project of Canada's Taylor Kirk. I was already feverently anticipating the many great releases that will pepper the months as 2011 soldiers on when it was announced that Timber Timbre would be returning with a follow up to their 2009 self-titled masterpiece but with that news, my excitement for the coming year grew infinitely. With the unveiling of the first release off of 2011's cleverly titled Creep On Creepin' On, "Black Water", my anticipation reached an all-out fever pitch-fueled obsession, orchestarted by Kirk's latest doo-wop inspired tune so it's needless to say that when I found a copy of Creep On Creepin' On waiting in my inbox for review a week or so ago, I listened to it immeadiately... And when it was over, I listened to it again. And again. And promptly, passionately, reviewed it for sister site Mezzic.

What did I think of Timber Timbre's latest?

"The unnerving elements that were Kirk’s signature on Timber Timbre’s past three releases are still present on Creep On Creepin’ On, particularly on opening track 'Bad Ritual', a song that finds Kirk singing of a 'levitating chair' and the 'poltergeist presence in the frame of the bed', set to a backdrop of otherworldly 'oh's and echoed handclaps. 'Bad Ritual' sets you up for a record not unlike the work Timber Timbre has unveiled in the past but as the album progresses, it becomes evident that Timber Timbre has not only advanced their sounds, but their themes as well.

Timber Timbre - Bad Ritual

Creep On Creepin’ On is still a Timber Timbre record, through and through. Instrumental second track 'Obelisk' is anchored with high-pitched violins that recall a Hitchockian aura. 'Too Old To Die Young' haunts with echoing percussion. Later on, 'Do I Have Power' spins a web of seduction as Kirk’s impossibly smooth and eerie vocals are haunted by an aura of auto-harp before dissolving into a saxophone driven jazz-horror nightmare that Danny Elfman wishes he’d composed for a Tim Burton film. Elsewhere on the record, however, tracks like 'Creep On Creepin’ On' and lead single 'Black Water' expose a sunnier side of Kirk musically, drawing heavy influence from Motown and doo wop, reminiscent of Sam Cooke at Halloween. Even the more unnerving qualities of the aforementioned 'Too Old To Die Young' find themselves sharing the stage with an upbeat tempo, with precise guitar searing, before the song morphs into a romantic ballad of loss, violins swelling as Kirk 'burns his bridges', telling the object of his askew desires that he 'won’t come creepin’ to your cross'."

 

Take a gander at Mezzic for all 1,200 words of Amber's ode to Timber Timbre and pick up a copy of Creep On Creepin' On at your earliest conveinience.While you're at it, keep an eye out right here at Radio Free Chicago for Abby's forthcoming take on Timber Timbre's latest LP before the band hits Chicago and Evanston in May - Just in time for Amber's birthday! Fancy that!

Colin Huebert of Siskiyou: The Interview

Siskiyou - Siskiyou

It is an album of desire, composure and grace, as it tears at your heart strings, softly at times. Its melodically transitions accumulate like folds of luscious thick velvet layered upon a long winding wooden floor. There is simple imagery that in its essence is integral and lighthearted, though has peaks and valleys that bemuse you.

Great Lake Swimmers former members branched off and patiently learned to record and create their debut self-titled album, which was released on Constellation in the Fall of 2010.

The band is a collaboration of Colin Huebert and Erik Arensen; Peter Carruthers and Shaunn Watt joined the band to play the songs live, but have since become institutions. The band name was inspired by the Northern California mountain range, Siskiyou.

Colin currently resides in Vancouver, which is where he was when I spoke with him over the phone (from, get this, his land-line! How about it?) on a cool Saturday afternoon.

http://siskiyouband.com/listen/

 You can trust that Constellation Records will get it right, about over 100% of the time, and Siskiyou is an example - and, ahem, may I be so bold to say a testament to that?  Colin himself enjoys the artists on the label; Pat Jordache, Godspeed You Black Emporer, Colin Stetson and Do Make Say Think ... just to name a few. Here is a video courtesy of Constellation, The Land by Siskiyou

This Land - Siskiyou from Constellation Records on Vimeo.

 

1. Now for the safe word….(in case you don’t want to answer any questions, useful)

skate board

2. Favorite cheese?

Brie is my favorite

3. Robots or Dinosaurs?

Dinosaurs, stegosaurus is my favorite...

4. Strangest venue or gig you’ve ever played?

It was in Jackson, Mississippi, at a hot dog restaurant. It was infested with man-size cockroaches.

5. How did you begin your career and who were your influences?

Erik and I were (Erik still is) playing in Great Lake Swimmers until it became less enjoyable for me due to busy schedules. I learned how to record with two cheap microphones, recruited a few close friends, namely Erik Arnesen, and released the album on Constellation just recently. In the fall, we will release a new record.

Aside from music I do some tree-related work, and some urban farming. At the urban farm we mainly grow sprouts - sunflower sprouts, pea sprouts - in Vancouver. At the other farm (in the interior) there was much more land to grow every vegetable imaginable. Erik plays in Great Lake Swimmers and teaches ukulele to kids.

6. What is the most memorable show you’ve ever attended?

It would have to be The Flaming Lips performing Zaireeka in Austin, Texas. There were 40 boom boxes and they brought up 40 people from the audience.

7. What are a few items essential to your “tour survival kit”?

Sleeping pills. 

8. What are you listening to now?

Damien Jurado. St Bartlett, his latest release.  

9. What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given?

If you avoid something it will go away. 

10. If you were to communicate using one word what would it be?

Motherfucker. Two guys communicated using just that word on  “The Wire”. It was quite successful.

11. Can you dance?

Yes. Mmmhmmm (Matter of Fact tone).

12. Anything else you want the people to know? 

Our cat Pixie is an aspiring accountant. She is currently doing our taxes.

 

 Please note: This is not an actual picture of Pixie, she preferred not to be photographed.

People (Sorta) Covering Songs I Love with... Florence and En Vogue!

Anyone whose heard even a bit of a Florence song can tell that she's got Godpipes but she still manages to surprise with the things she uses her magnificent voice for! Her performance on the 2011 Grammys singing Aretha Franklin songs with the likes of Yolanda Adams, Martina McBride, Christina Aguilera, and Jennifer Hudson is probably the best example I can think of for that. I mean, of course Florence's voice is soulful, but  I never thought of it as soulful. But the more you know, the more exciting life is!

A few days ago, for whatever reason En Vogue's "Don't Let Go" bogarted its way into my brain (a couple days before that, the uninvited visitor was "Semi-Charmed Life" so let's say it was an upgrade. At the very least because I knew more than ten words to "Don't Let Go"). I went furiously YouTubing on my futurephone and came across this video from the advertising graveyard formerly known as Myspace.

 

It's Florence barely able to physically contain herself while held in the grips of this wonderful song. Her passion is contagious (and certainly swoonworthy), and it's really dope to see her giving the stank face to a song so worthy of it. While it's not really a cover, you do get to see bursts of Florence going full R&B, bringing out a new dynamic both in her image and extending the power and reach of the song. I feel like "Don't Let Go" is a kind of song that hovers in the background of pop culture, waiting for the right movie or a TV show to resurrect it and remind the world of its perfection. Well, here's me doing my little part!:

 

The Mutts - An RFC Interview

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.

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.

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.

 

 Terranaut

 From their album The Tells of Parallels

Okkervil River Continues To Be Perfect and Awesome, Brings Jonathan Meiburg Along For The Ride

I wasn't very excited for the release of Okkervil River's latest 12", Mermaid. Well, okay, I was very excited. But let's get something straight: If an Okkervil River song doesn't send me into a conniption fit that would make any outside observer think I was having a nervous breakdown so severe that I was a danger to both myself and others, I'm not "very excited". Using that grading scale, I'd say I was "moderately anxious" for the release of Mermaid. A lot of this probably has to do with the fact that, obsessive about the band as I am, I'd heard the title track to Okkervil River's latest 12", before. That didn't make it any less lovely but it did make me slightly bored with the idea that the first "new Okkervil River" I'd heard in almost three years was a song I'd already known quite thoroughly. It's nice to have "Mermaid" on an official release but what has really captivated me about Mermaid is the b-side, "Walked Out On A Line".

"Walked Out On A Line" is a song that first made it's appearance at some of Will Sheff's solo New York shows last year, which, naturally, I swooned over on RFC. Given the questionable quality of the video that was floating around, I never gave the song all that much of a chance, choosing instead to wait until the latest Okkervil River album, I Am Very Far, neared completion on a more cohesive version of "Walked Out On A Line" came into existence for my consumption.

 

Okkervil River - Walked Out on a Line

 

I first heard "Walked Out On A Line" in it's studio incarnation while sitting in my living room, after purchasing it completely legally (Just kidding, my savior Bill Baker, he of much awesomeness, sent it to me. Sharing is caring, kids!) and consuming more than a bit of wine. Immediately, I was in love. Musically, it wasn't what I expected and almost made me worry that the forthcoming I Am Very Far will be more mechanical and psychadelic than organic and singer-songwriter-esque, something that tends to taint music as a whole for me, but... Well, it's Okkervil River. I can't not love it. Out of the band's entire discography, b-sides and rarities included, there is one song I don't like. One. One out of 174. So of course I was fated to love "Mermaid" and it's counterpart, both fraught with cinematic lyrics about "the devil all dinged up and dragonfly winged-up", paried with Sheff's signature vocals, which are at turns pleadingly unhinged and beautifully crooned. What took me aback, however, was what made me actually love "Walked Out On A Line". You see, it wasn't Will Sheff at all. It was Jonathan Meiburg.

Meiburg, for those who don't know, was Sheff's right hand man in Okkervil River for years until he left to concentrate fully on Shearwater, a band originated by Meiburg and Sheff years prior. Meiburg has a remarkably powerful voice, orchestral and ethereal, and even if Shearwater's music isn't your thing, you still have to admit that Meiburg's voice has a soul shaking tone that is the audible equivalent of thunder and lightning. Even so, I never warmed fully to Meiburg until hearing him in Shearwater, maintaining the opinion that his voice just didn't mesh well with Sheff's.

The absence of Meiburg in Okkervil River, however, is noticeable. It's not noticably bad, per se. It's just noticably different. Okkervil River without the accordion skills and lilting background vocals of Meiburg is sort of like going to a family reunion and not seeing your favorite second cousin. Sure, they're just your second cousin so it makes sense they're not there and all your immediate family is there but man, it sure would be nice to see that second cousin and "Walked Out On A Line" is a beautiful example of just what wonder Meiburg brings to the band.

I don't know about you but I could listen to Meiburg yowl about black blood all night.

I Am Very Far comes out May 10th - And you know what else is on the way? An Okkervil River documentary. That's fact. Tell your pals.

NPR Unveils Timber Timbre's Latest

I've waxed poetic before on how much I adore Taylor Kirk, the man behind Canada's best band (Sorry, Arcade Fire), Timber Timbre. And as the date for Creep On Creepin' On, Kirk's latest Timber Timbre opus, approaches, NPR helps prove just how true "Canada's Best Band" accolades are for the band. Today, All Songs Considered unveiled "Black Water", the first song from Creep On Creepin' On, and it seems to show Kirk not at his darkest as one might assume given his past releases but instead at his catchiest.

From the opening notes of "Black Water", it's apparent that Kirk has more soul than he knows what to do with. As NPR says, you listen to "Black Water" and "think Sam Cooke at his most frustrated." The results are a straight up jam, a timeless song featuring the cinematicly frightful lyrics we've come to expect from Kirk with an unexpected musical backdrop.

Listen to "Black Water" here.

When Is It Appropriate To Call A Work Of Art "Passionate"?

I hate it when people label music as “passionate”. As someone who’s creatively inclined, I can assure you that if you create something for free and put effort into promotion and distribution, you care deeply about it.

Yet, there is a big difference between, say, Rage Against The Machine and The Rocket Summer. I was lucky enough to see Bryce Avary during his Of Men And Angels tour. He played his heart out and brought the house down. However, had it been a music festival and Rage Against The Machine was one stage over, I wouldn’t have hesitated to abandon Bryce.

What is it that separates them? Both are very skilled musicians and put on energetic live shows. Their only real difference, besides genre, is that Rage Against The Machine is politically focused, whereas Bryce’s goal is to appeal to as many people as possible.

Writing pop music is harder than it sounds. After all, at the end of the day, The Beatles were essentially a pop band. Part of what makes Bryce so skilled is he makes his craft look easy. On the other hand, Rage Against The Machine puts just as much time, energy, and care into their songs.

Ultimately, the difference is Bryce’s objective is to entertain while Rage Against The Machine wants to change the world. Rage Against The Machine’s goal is something that is bigger than themselves. If Bryce works hard and gets what he wants, he becomes famous. If Rage Against The Machine work hard and get what they want, the world is slightly more peaceful than it was yesterday.

Yesterday - The Beatles

What people forget about The Beatles is that they didn’t become The Beatles until they started writing something other than pop songs. Had The Beatles never taken that first step with “Nowhere Man”, if they didn’t launch the counterculture with “Tomorrow Never Knows”, if they didn’t pray for peace in “Let It Be”, all they would have managed to accomplish is write some very popular songs and influence pop music styles. In other words, they wouldn’t be the most critically acclaimed band of all time. Becoming a part of something larger than their own success is a big part of what separates them from other bands.

Let It Be - The Beatles

Passion is more than caring deeply about what you do. It’s the difference between the ad executive and the struggling playwright, J. K. Rowling and Phillip K. Dick, The Roots and Kanye West, The Wire and CSI: Miami. Passion is what makes great art special. It’s why the modern art exhibit leaves the museum and the Van Gogh stays. Now if only more artists cared about something other than money.

Secret Colours Release “Follow the Drone”

Secret Colours have only been together about a year, but their catalog is quickly growing. Since summer, the psych-rock act released a debut full-length and two singles and has been playing shows like crazy all around Chicago. Well, they’ve recently released yet another single, “Follow the Drone,” along with a B-side, “Lust (Slow).”

As its title implies, “Follow the Drone” is a heavy, drone groove with an an upbeat tempo lingering in its hazy textures. Woozy vocals sing soothing, indistinguishable lyrics beside hard rock guitar riffs and pounding, crashing drums. The B-side track, “Lust (Slow),” is also suitably titled. It opens gently with acoustic guitar and aching vocals that sing lyrics like, “Can’t I love so much. Desperate for your touch,” before the song gains momentum and unleashes with a dreamy haze of whirring guitar, passionate vocals, and vibrant, constant tambourine.

You can pick up “Follow the Drone” and “Lust (Slow)” for free at Secret Colours’ Bandcamp, where the rest of their collection is also available for purchase. And you can catch Secret Colours live when they play the Empty Bottle Thursday, February 17, with accompanying acts Young Circles and Calm Palm Vapor. The show is $8 at the door or FREE if you RSVP to [email protected].

 

Secret Colours - Follow the Drone

 

M.I.A. is Mean

For my intents and purposes, /\/\/\Y/\ is the most underrated release of 2010. It's also the most brilliantly confrontational one. It's a situation for me, where I read criticism of something and feel completely at odds with it. I think M.I.A. herself is as eloquent and multi-dimensional as she's ever been, I think the hooks are hard, I think the production is straight-up amazing.

"Tell Me Why" is as sweet a jam to me as "Paper Planes"(fingers crossed that Your Highness or something throws it in the trailer). "Meds and Feds" shreds a Sleigh Bells riff in a way extreme enough to make SB's "Treats" seem tame by comparison. "XXXO" is a perfect club burner. "Born Free" is a perfect flag burner. It's dope!

M.I.A. - Tell Me Why

Either way, M.I.A. doubled up by releasing the Vicki Leekx mixtape on December 31st. It's been more warmly received, which is a nice thing because it's also very dope! It splits the difference between Kala and /\/\/\Y/\, welding the explosive aggression of the latter to a relentless freak-the-fuck-out-in-the-club pace closer to that of the former. From "Bad Girls" to "You My Love," it has some of the illest material Maya has ever put out. 

So check it out! It's free!

http://vickileekx.com/

An Open Letter To Ice Cube

Dear Ice Cube,

 Back in the late eighties/early nineties you were the edgiest rapper alive. You were the brains behind NWA's Straight Outta Compton, the first and best gangster rap album. Your debut album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, is one of the most critically acclaimed and controversial albums of the nineties. Your sophomore LP, Death Certificate, was even more controversial. The media accused you of being misogynistic, racist, and anti-Semitic.

Your next LP, The Predator, wasn’t as strong as your previous three LPs and EP Kill At Will, but it was still a good album. Sure, it wasn’t edgy, but it was full of great tunes. It was your most commercially successful album. Fans, critics, and the media were all pleased.

Check Yo' Self - Ice Cube

But then you began to lose your edge, Cube. Your next five LPs blew chunks, and your newest LP I Am The West is the most neutered, boring, rap album I’ve ever heard. I feel like my ears are deceiving me. The same man who wrote “True To The Game”, a song about not selling out, is now directing a shitty sitcom and acting in family friendly comedies.

Here’s the thing Cube, everybody knows your gangster persona is an act. You’re not a real gangster, you’re an entertainer. Listening to you intelligently rap about controversial issues and piss off ignorant moral gaurdians was entertaining. From 1988-1991 you were the edgiest artist alive. Now you're a walking punchline. You’ve lost your cool. You've melted your edges. You’re no longer Ice Cube. You’re Water Puddle.

I imagine you’ve become who you are for your kids and wife. It’s touching that you love them Puddle, but just because you want to be more family friendly doesn’t mean you have to stop making great art. Remember Friday? It’s one of the greatest movies ever made, and your kids could totally watch it. It teaches a great lesson.

What happened to your awesome action movies like Boyz In The Hood, Three Kings, and XXX: State of the Union? Since 2007 you’ve starred in nothing but crappy comedies. Why not be the black Jason Statham? Teenagers love action movies. When your kids become teenagers, they’ll love them too.

As a general rule, family sitcoms are unfunny. Somehow, Are We There Yet manages to be spectacularly unfunny. So bad it’s bad. I’m not going to call you a bad writer, Puddle, because you’ve written some excellent raps, but you’re an awful screenwriter. Your characters are one dimensional. Your conflicts are boring. Your jokes are not funny. Filling out tax returns is more fun than watching Are We There Yet. Tax returns are less predictable.

Just because you’re a family man now doesn’t mean you have to make shitty art. You’ve got talent Puddle. Use it. It’s possible to be edgy without being offensive. It’s possible to be entertaining without being mature. When your kids age I imagine they’ll be as embarrassed of I Am The West and Are We There Yet as you should be. Don’t forget Puddle, you’re an entertainer. Right now you aren’t entertaining anyone, and you won't until you become Ice Cube again. If you continue down the path you've chosen, it won't be long until you evaporate into nothing.

Sincerely,
Clay Riedesel

New Mountain Goats: "Damn These Vampires"

I recall seeing John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats perform a concert in Durham North Carolina over the summer and grasping what exactly makes the Mountain Goats so compelling as a band. While I’ve been a steadfast fan for years, they are an acquired taste. Whether it’s the crackling lo-fi and the clawhammer strumming of his early career to Mr. Darneille’s nasal yowling and inscrutability of his lyrics, the Mountain Goats seem committed to being vaguely off-putting while crafting hyper-literate pop songs played with a disturbing ferocity. They occupy odd territory in indie rock: scene stalwarts for years at this point with LITERALLY HUNDREDS of songs available, the music they make is more visceral and adolescent than your average navel-gazing singer-songwriter, but more intimate and cerebral than a punk band. This has left them a criminally underappreciated band. They don’t court their audience and instead seem to delight in being the indie rock equivalent of the drunk guy at the party talking a little too loudly and fervently about how much how awesome the Curtis “Showtime” Stevens Vs. Jesse Brinkley fight was, or his favorite ever death metal band he saw in high school.

Darneille’s drunken antics at the show in question further cemented their claim on this territory. The show was pure punk rock, if not in its aesthetic, than in its ethic. Darneille (backed by the self-proclaimed “best rhythm section in indie rock” Peter Hughes on bass and Jon Wurster on drums) dived into the audience, grabbing fans and screaming in their ears like a man on a joyous bender. For the diehards, it was heaven (being slapped by John Darneille is an honor akin to getting a jersey tossed to you after the game by your favorite football player);  still, to the uninitiated, and even those who maybe have only listened to them on their last few relatively restrained albums, it was a spectacle that might prove… disconcerting.

Still, possibly the most vital piece of information for comprehending and appreciating the MGs came earlier in the show when, during one of John Darnielle’s signature halting, blackly funny diatribes about getting drunk and unloading on a friend about your impending divorce over lunch, he said the following: “I woke up the other day, and I wrote a song. Because, that’s what I do. I’m a songwriter, I write songs.”

Much has been remarked upon by fans of the band in regards to the shift in the MG’s sound and aesthetic, the abandoning of the much ballyhooed boombox recordings for a slicker, more produced sound (first with producer/artist John Vanderslice, now on their new record All Eternals Deck with Morbid Angel producer Erik Rutan), but I see this as a natural evolution of the boombox: after getting the meager (in comparison to what they deserve) recognition for their years of service, people started to hand Darnielle bigger boomboxes. Were there no producers or studios interested in hosting Darnielle and his demented pop legacy, he’d return to a boombox. It’s the song, not the singer.

This is basically the essence of the Mountain Goats; their steadfast aesthetic, their prolific output, their resolve to simply not give a fuck. John Darnielle is merely a conduit for songs. The entire haphazard, carefree (careless?) aesthetic of the band, from their inception to now, has been all in service of not blocking the unending flow of music that has been inexplicably routed through Darneille. He’s unconcerned about being anything but a songwriter and imparting the diamonds, rough included, as quickly as possible to avoid losing it. It’s immediacy, the most primitive and powerful you’ll ever experience.  He didn’t have time or resources in the early days to belabor the songs, and it manifested in recording hundreds of songs in the most intimate, hissing analogue format possible.

His limitations as a singer/guitar player/producer/engineer/arranger all are inconsequential: The Mountain Goats write and play songs. No more, no less.

Still, given this ethic, the MGs have been thrust into an awkward position: after toiling for years in relative DIY obscurity, starting with the brilliant Tallahassee  they’ve  given resources, time, and patient and intelligent producers. Their recordings (from We Shall All Be Healed through The Life of the World to Come) have grown more ornate, the rawness and intensity traded for beauty and dynamics. We’ve seen John Darnielle’s debut as a classical-inspired  piano player, heard him whisper in our ears about feeling like a little boy lost in a mall on Get Lonely. This has pushed the band to more challenging places with some really wonderful results. Still, those of us with a fondness for the old days of tape hiss and out of tune guitars have perhaps missed the musical kidney punch Mr. D used to specialize in.

With the impending release of All Eternals Deck, we are treated to a new track “Damn These Vampires” which, I think, recaptures a bit of that magic while reconciling the ability to have more elaborate production.

The Mountain Goats - Damn These Vampires

Reminiscent of  his “Alpha” song cycle where the metaphors all concerned being young and wasted and falling out of love, “Vampires” feels like watching a spaghetti western at noon while drunk. Finally grasping dynamics, Darnielle’s guitar and Wurster’s drums are understated, letting Hughes’ melodic bass really carry. And even for the closet popstar like Darnielle (Robyn, watch out, the Mountain Goats are comin’ for you…), the chorus hook is almost too good, with that anthemic, scream at the top of your lungs quality:

Crawl till dawn

On my hands and knees

God damn these vampires

For what they’ve done to me…

All Eternals Deck comes out March 29th on Merge records. Get excited.

Anticipating 2011: Timber Timbre Creeps On Creepin' On.

It's no secret that I'm insanely excited for the forthcoming year. On a personal level, my life seems to have stopped being "bittersweet" and just started being "sweet", which is cool, but in true Amber Valentine fashion, my anticipation for the year to come has little to do with what's happening in my "hot half life" and more to do with the music that will soundtrack the next eleven months.From long time favorites like Okkervil River and Lightning Love to acts I've only just begun a love affair with like Chris Bathgate and Great Lakes Myth Society's Timothy Monger, 2011 is shaping up to be the best year of music I've had the pleasure of living through. Imagine how much your parents were on pins and needles every time a new Beatles or Stones record's release date drew near. That's how I feel right now.

Even so, nothing's better than a surprise release from your favorite band. In the golden age of technology that we live in, fans are constantly connected with their favorite acts. For instance, months before Okkervil River's latest disc was announced, everyone knew the band was in the studio as lead singer, Austin's dreamiest dude, Will Sheff, tweeted about the experience daily. What came as a complete shock, however, was the fact that one of my personal favorite bands, Timber Timbre, would be releasing a new album in April. It was less than a year and a half ago that the Canadian act, lead by Taylor Kirk, released my favorite album of 2009, their self titled third disc, and even I, with my ear constantly to the Timber Timbre-related ground, had nary a clue that the band was recording, let alone releasing a disc in a matter of a short few months (70 days yesterday by my count, I do believe). So yesterday morning, when I checked my e-mail to find a "Timber Timbre Announces New Record, Creep On Creepin' On, Available 4/5", it was one of the most wonderfully exciting moments of my life.

I could wax poetic on why Kirk is so wonderful and why Creep On Creepin' On might just usurp Okkervil River's I Am Very Far as my top disc of 2011 but instead, I'll just leave you with the Creep On Creepin' On promotional video so you can start to get as excited as me.

 

 

Timber Timbre - Under Your Spell

Get more of Canada's premire purveyors of murder ballads via the band's amazingly bone chilling Daytrotter session. The version of "No Bold Villain" from the Horseshack rivals the already perfect album version!

 

Sidenote: Creep On Creepin' On. Best album title of all time? I think so! At the very least, it is ridiculously apt for Timber Timbre.

Another Sidenote: When I saw the e-mail announcing Timber Timbre's new disc, I excited sent out a mass text to a number of my friends that read, all in caps, "New Timber Timbre Record on April 5th!" No one was as excited as me. This leads me to believe I need cooler friends.

The Best Songs Ever (Part 1).

Editor's Note: Mark Patten is the amazing spitfire behind Meat27, one of Amber's very favorite blogs. Plus, he's the coolest British expat in California and goddamn, the man sure can rant.

I'm always a bit disappointed when publications and websites put together their lists of great, or possibly the greatest, songs. Whether it's in a specific genre or OF ALL TIME they seem to focus on material that is more well-known than popular. For example, John Lennon's "Imagine" gets thrown around a lot as one of the best songs ever written. Why though? Because of what it stands for and the impact it had at the time? As impressive as that may be, I can't think of any actual people who would list that as one of their favourite songs. I know nobody who would randomly put it on over and over again because it's just incredible to them. Can you party to it? Fuck to it? Stalk to it? See, it misses all the key life moments!

Isn't that what we should be looking for? Those special few songs that, for one reason or another, manage to mean a lot to a lot of people? Well, I am here to shine a light on those songs. The ones that, as far as I can tell, are universally loved and appreciated by pretty much everyone who has heard them. I'm sure there will be a few people who disagree with my selections but they're probably just trying to be cool by not liking something overwhelmingly likable. Fuck those people. Leave them with their impenetrable French new waves movies and fair trade chocolate that tastes like wax. You and me and everyone else smart enough to enjoy things that are just GOOD can gather together and just celebrate these songs. We all love them. Why? Who cares?! We just love them. That's enough. So here is the first part of my probably-not-very-long series of The Best Songs That Everyone Who's Anyone Loves. My first choice?

 

Brilliant Pebbles Release Funky New Disco Music

My first experience with Brilliant Pebbles was a startling one, but that’s not saying much. The weirdo glam-rockers are known around Chicago for their mesmerizing, over-the-top performances, and the first time I saw them howling, hurdling and gyrating onstage at the Empty Bottle a couple years back, it was probably just another night for them. I’ve seen Brilliant Pebbles many times since, and each time, leading lady Monika Bukowska is dressed in an even more dazzling getup – I’m talking glitter, tassels, leotards, tutus, and lots of neon spandex.

So it was no surprise when the act announced last year that, after losing a member and gaining two, they would overhaul their sound and dedicate themselves entirely to disco. Lately, they’ve been releasing this new disco music in increasing amounts, last month releasing four tracks on their Soundcloud page (also see their Bandcamp page). It’s some pretty strange stuff featuring heavy synth, dance beats, and Bukowska’s haunting vocals.

Brilliant Pebbles - Why (Bronski Beat Cover)

Brilliant Pebbles will be playing yet again at the Empty Bottle next month, Friday, February 11 with openers Windbreaker (the solo project of Nick Read from Lazer Crystal) and J+J+J. This event is $8 or FREE if you RSVP to [email protected] with “Brilliant Pebbles” in the subject line. Until then, check out this new video for “World's Best Dancer” as remixed by Mark Okoh: