This year I’ll be working at CMJ but one of the great parts of my job means I’ll be camped out at East Village Radio covering all of the action from there. My sister just sent me this interesting clip of a band whose instruments were stolen but persevered, thanks to their aps. I thought it was a fitting thing for me to share as I pack my bags to head up to the big city.
Posts will probably be a little slow between now and Monday but I’m sure to be gathering lots to write about once I have the time to do so.
After Octopus Project’s phenomenal SXSW spectacular Hexadecagon I was super excited to hear they’d be making a stop in Philly while touring their opus. I was equally curious to see how they’d translate the surround sound audio visual experience they created under that tent in Austin. Turns out they do it quite well.
After taking over the stage their huge set up – moogs, laptops, drum set, multiple guitars, keyboards, theramin etc- the proceeded to take over Kungfu Necktie. What started out as Octopus Project’s usual mesmerizing electronic rock orchestration built into a tremendous amount of energy both musically and physically as the packed audience erupted into wild dancing. The sound they were emitting was intense, in particularly when Yvonne masterfully manipulating the theramin. If you’ve never seen someone work the invisible waves that create the instrument’s music I might suggest you get yourself to an Octopus Project show as he is breathtaking to watch. Even while the delicate high pitches wafted out over the crowd the vigorous guitars and booming bass blew up around it. There is really no way to fully describe the experience but everyone in the room that night felt something charge through them.
While the group played the same video that was multiplied overhead during the original performance was a singular projection over their heads. While admittedly a little less intense it still played a part in the overall experience. As the band’s devoted followers pushed and swayed to their music I moved to the back to take it all in. See the interplay between the very composed band and the fan throbbing in time only served to make it that much more involving. It was an incredible night and I strongly urge you to find a way to catch the Austin group live at some point.
[MP3] Wet Gold (Daytrotter Session)
For the sixth edition of our Strange Sounds mixtape series, Hard Candy were tasked with choosing an artist to put together a mix. Twice monthly, a member of the Strangers In Stereocollective will take the reins and choose a band, DJ or producer to create a mix. Check back November 1st to see who’s next! For now, enjoy The Florrie Mixtape.
Below, Hard Candy and Florrie weigh in on the mix:
Over at Hard Candy we are huge fans of electropop darling Florrie. Every song and remix that she has released (for free on her website) has been a winner! When thinking about who to choose for our mix, we decided that we did not want to go with a DJ, or someone known for their remix work. Instead we wanted to select an artist whose work we appreciated and whose musical sensibilities would be in tune with ours, and who better than Florrie?
Her background with Xenomania, one of the UK’s finest and favorite remix/production teams, coupled with her outstanding solo work, made her the perfect choice to create a mix for our Strange Sounds installment. In this tremendous mix, Florrie manages to seamlessly blend some of Hard Candy’s favorite artists (Annie, Florence And The Machine) with other fabulous tracks both old and new. The Duck Sauce “Barbra Streisand” tune explodes all over the mix (there is something so wrong yet so right about a mix where Babs is the focal point).
Here are ten of my favorite tunes at the moment; some are old, some new, but they all make me wanna dance around like a crazy person with a mean bass player expression on my face. I used Ableton Live to put the mix together. I’ve opened the mix with a song called “No Sex for Ben” by the Rapture. It’s an older track but I love the way they’ve created the beat out of bits of his vocal, and it was the soundtrack of my last trip to New York. It lasted about 24 hours and I played this song a hundred of times! I’ve put some Two Door Cinema Club in there; I’m touring with them at the moment and they are preeetty damn cool. There’s some Annie too. We’ve written together recently and I think she’s awesome.
Two words: Barbra Streisand. I asked my fans what song they would choose for this mix and this Duck Sauce tune was one of the most popular. After a long awaited release it’s finally out this week in the UK and has gotta be heading for number one. It. is. brilliant. I get properly excited when I hear it!. Who next? Ah yes, Monsieur Fred Falke! He’s just done a new track with Burns and I think it’s gonna be BIG (check out the video, it’s tres jolie). I write a lot with Fred and he’s working on my album too…I love him! I won’t give away any more, you’ll have to listen for yourself…enjoy! *BARBRA STREISAND*
The Rapture – No Sex For Ben
Duck Sauce – Barbra Streisand
Cee Lo Green – Forget You
Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Garden
Annie – My Love Is Better
Delphic – Doubt
Florence And The Machine – You Got the Love (Jamie xx Rework ft. The xx)
Alex Gaudino – Destination Calabria (ft. Crystal Waters)
Burns and Fred Falke – You Stopped Loving Me
Download the full mix HERE
This concert was one I had been looking forward to for a very long time, while Tu Fawning is great and I always enjoy a Suckers performance it was Menomena that really drew me in. That I got to see them perform material from their new album Mines in the sanctuary of a church made it pretty much the ideal concert experience.
Tu Fawning has a fantastic new album Heart On Hold out this year. It is dense and layered and definitely caught my attention when it crossed my path a while back so I very curious to see how it translated live. For the most part the layers were just as alluring as they were on the record. There were five bodies moving around the stage playing instruments both traditional and homemade; it was clear that the group is very interested in noise and its potential. They presented their material in a very deliberate and stately manner that contributed to a very large sound. The only caveat I had with their performance was the blatant use of a drum machine. During the start of one song it played for a little over a minute while all five people were doing nothing on stage. This was follow by a string of three songs that bled into each other, not so much organically but at the urging of the prerecorded beats. It was very awkward to see such an unnatural rhythm to the performance. These are the kinks young bands work through and considering Tu Fawning is still fresh I expect them to sort it out.
[MP3] The Felt Sense
Seeing Suckers again, was a lot like seeing them for the first times since every previous performance I had caught was mostly in passing at SXSW so I wasn’t really able to sit back and take in the wonder that is their live performance. What may play as somewhat above par psych rock when recorded explodes into a raw burst of emotion and energy care of lead mad Quinn Walker who is the ring leader of this quartet. There isn’t a single moment that isn’t totally alive with intense drumming, complex percussion or fabulously approchable vocals.
I had never seen a sampler played with more deliberation, as each new sound was emitted there with this look of total pleasure that crossed their faces. It is enthralling to watch and even more so to hear. All four musicians played numerous instruments during the set, the drummer even rock the drums and a keyboard in a feat that even now boggles my own sense of coordination. The level of each person’s musical expertise was clear in that they are able to play as though they’ve thrown out all inhibition but still sound incredibly tight. They proved to be the perfect lead into Menomena’s set.
[MP3] It Gets Your Body Movin
From the bass that swelled up and made you feel all warm inside to the attention to small details – like a jazzy piano riff right where you wouldn’t expect it, but where it makes total sense once you hear it, or the subtle urgency created by the slide guitar- I don’t know which element of Menomena’s performance was my favorite it. The whole hourlong set was awash with the same degree on intention that drive their album Mines. The vocals were effortless but spot on building lush harmonies at their meatiest curves and a haunting sparseness when thinned out. In the sanctuary of the church every sonic element claimed it’s own spectacular presence.
The flow of the entire set played out like the soundtrack to a movie. Hearing “Dirty Cartoons’” simple and pleading delivery live, backed by bass that rattled my stomach and the fullness of the heartbeat percussion left me in tears- which I have absolutely no shame in admitting. This was that kind of performance.
“Taos” was another stunning piece, it rocked in the truest sense; percussion flared, guitars raged, pianos kept it all grounded when it reached it fully unleashed peak it was spectacular. There were a few points where I noticed changes in the material, but knowing that Menomena tries to recreate as much of their studio sound live without using backing tracks it all carried authenticity as a show not simply a live play through the album.
This one claims – and most likely will not relinquish – best show of 2010.
[MP3] Wet & Rusting
All black again with two white stripes running across you -or- you and a friend each with your own stripe!
It’s almost too easy, just dress like the person who shows you to your seat in a theater
You’re gonna need three people for this one and each of you will need to dress up like a chick since !!! phonetically is “chick-chick-chick”
Feeling really lazy? Get a white T-shirt and write Barcelona Native on it.
Bunny costumes are nothing new but maintain a frightened look for the entire night and you win.
And if you’re wondering what I’m gonna be for Halloween, well I’m dragging the boyfriend into this one…
Can you figure it out?
Hesta Prynn has been working her way to the top of the pile for a while. She’s got some fantastic ideas, enviable energy and the skills to turn those into some impressive music. She started out with rap group Norther State but recently released a solo EP which “Can We Go Wrong” is the first single. This video was shot in Central Park is ridiculously awesome and hits just the right balance of attitude and simplicity. She’s got a full length in the works so keep your eye on this chica.
[MP3] Can We Go Wrong
The Acorn “Restoration” from the album “No Ghost” from Paper Bag Records on Vimeo.
I have spent a good amount of time with The Acorn’s new album No Ghost this weekend and the more I listen to it the more I’m convinced of two things; first, it was a huge mistake not to see them when they passed through to area a few weeks ago and second, that they don’t get nearly enough recognition for their music. This video is a fine display of their creativity and talent and matched the spirit of the track perfectly. Watch then go get No Ghost it’s the ideal fall album.
[MP3] The Restoration
In every place that I’ve considered home Bob Gruen’s photo of John Lennon has hung in the kitchen. In the pictures of my first birthday you can see him just behind my frosting covered face, when I moved into my first apartment my mom showed up with a framed copy for me to hang in my kitchen and in every home since he has been the first piece of art to be hung. My mom kept John as a central image because she believed so strongly in politics and ideals he espoused in his lyrics and public endeavors. She used his words -the lyrics to Imagine were also framed and hung in the entry way of our home – and actions to teach us about political activism and peaceful living and by carrying on the tradition of placing Lennon’s photo in hub of my home I am reminded daily of the importance of standing up for what you believe in and engaging in the events and community surrounding you.
Today would have been Lennon’s 70th birthday and while he may not be around his word will live on forever.
Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday youll join us
And the world will live as one
This week’s I’ve thrown myself back into a healthy schedule of live shows. Five nights, between Sunday and Friday, this week were/are being spent taking in live music. It wasn’t intentional there are just a lot of great acts coming through Philly these days and I couldn’t pass up the opportunities. Things got started Sunday when I caught The Vaselines & Jeffery Lewis in the basement of First Unitarian Church.
Warming the stage up for The Vaselines was anti-folk hero Jeffrey Lewis who brought his intelligent off kilter tunes in the finest form. Joined on stage by a drummer, violinist and bass Lewis set about creating a sonic soup that just about matched the density of his lyrics. In true anti-folk form he tackles unusual subject matter – history, daily observations, a bus ride – with a vocabulary that allows for layer upon layer of wit to create excellent music for the thinking man. Listening to his material for the first time (which a lot of Sunday night’s pieces were to me) is a bit like listening to a book on tape because there is so much packed into each one.
He was kind enough to give us two chapters in his fantastic historical recaps set to music; the fall of the Soviet Union and the French Revolution, each with their own cartoon slide show. Considering the nature of his art doesn’t aspire to perfection in execution rather effectiveness in story telling it wasn’t a surprise that the instrumentation was a little loose but the overall delivery hit the mark, in particularly his “Mosquito Rap”. It was the most appropriate opener for the act that followed.
[MP3] Walk Into The Mirror (Daytrotter Session)
I was entirely unsure of what to expect from this Scottish duo who for the last 22 years have been dormant – save for Nirvana’s occasional resurrection of Vaseline tunes- but recently decided to give the band another go. What I got was a very fun concert, nothing too heavy or ground breaking, just good humored alternative rock. They played a good mix of old and new tunes. The old tunes were very indicative of the “scene” when the group’s first album was released (1989 – they broke up the same week of the release) brash and unfiltered; not too angry and definitely not too clean. While it was interesting to hear the music played much as it would’ve been back then there was something flat about the way the guitars and vocals blended into each other that made it awkward to fully digest.
The newer material, though, was much more dynamic and, whether is was written with new technology in mind or simply fresher in their mind, was delivered with a lot more confidence. Their song “Sex With An X” had a particularly fine guitar solo that really showed off Eugene Kelly’s chops. Regardless of what happened to cause them to break up at their peak Kelly and lead vocalist Frances McKee had a very easy stage rapport which gave the whole night the feeling you were just hanging with friends. It was a great set from a band that holds an iconic spot in alternative music history. I’m glad I got a chance to see them live.
[MP3] Son of A Gun
Mt. Desolation is the side project of Keane’s Tim-Rice Oxley and Jess Quinn. Their Irish attempt on alt country sound pretty damn fantastic. What bloomed from a half drunken conversation in a Dublin pub will soon yield their self titled album on Oct. 18th. Calling on a musical brain trust that includes members of Mumford & Sons, The Killers, Noah & The Whale and The Long Winters it is sure to be an amazing album.
Freelance Whales “Hannah” from HUMBLE TV on Vimeo.
Freelance Whales have a very magical aura about them and this video for “Hannah” is a perfect demonstration of the giddy wonder their tunes evoke. The bass lines shine in this song as does the booming percussion. Do yourself a favor and listen to it on the best sound system you have access to.
[MP3]Hannah
SHARK , need I say more? Well, yes. Voyeuristic shark!
Local Natives win again.
They’re at the Troc on Oct 27th.
Below, Pretty Much Amazing and My Gold Mask weigh in on the mix:
My Gold Mask were an easy choice for PMA’s inaugural Strange Sounds mix. Their sound is simultaneously rambunctious and delicate, confrontational and submissive. It’s the same combination that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Raveonettes have made a career after. It’s a privilege to curate a mix by a young band that showcases this much potential.
We wanted a mix that had hills and valleys, and one that sort of starts “up” and ends “down”. It has some old favorites as well as more recent discoveries. Really, we just chose songs based on how they would flow into each other and our mood at that moment. If we did a mix tomorrow, it might sound totally different.
Tracklist
My Gold Mask – Bitches (The Hood Internet RMX ft. Roxy Music)
Fan Death – Reunited
Magic Wands – Black Magic
Hole – Credit In The Straight World
Biff, Bang, Pow! – If You Don’t Love Me Now You Never Ever Will
Still Corners – Endless Summer
Siouxsie And The Banshees – Arabian Knights
My Gold Mask – I Don’t Need The Reason
Curve – Horror Head
Guards – Sail It Slow (ft. CULTS)
[MP3] Hills & Valleys