Just a week after having the brilliance that is Kate Miller-Heidke introduced to my ears for the first time I had the luck of catching her headlining gig at World Cafe. Currently on tour with Ben Folds she dropped into town for one of the few solo shows she has booked for her North American visit.
Miller-Heidke travels light – she was joined on stage by her husband Keir Nutall (on guitar) and a keyboard – but this woman really needs nothing other than her absolutely stunning voice to take your breath away. Stripped bare of drums, effects, background vocals and other elements present on her album her classically trained voice provided all the quirk, charm and emotion she is known for, and then some. At times her voice was flawlessly delicate, skipping lightly up and down through an astonishingly wide vocal range. I teared up during her silvery rendition of “Our Song,” the spare arrangement was perfect for the sweet piece. At other moments she grabbed hold of a song and really sunk her teeth in; adding bits of vocal percussion with operatic dexterity to achieve the necessary richness.
Miller-Heidke’s has a very casually theatrical stage presence and a comfortable wit that tied the set together. Talking her way into her pausingly sad song “The Last Day On Earth” she noted it gained her a lot of attention because it was featured on a tragic episode of the Australian show Neighbours during which a teen mom died. So, she suggested, to feel the song’s full effect just imagine a young mother dying. It was a humble decoy though, no disclaimer was required to recognize the song’s beauty. Even while singing she gave playful visual flourishes, at one point she held a note for an very long time all the while making faces.
Humor is also a key element in Miller-Heidke’s music. She did a fabulously jazz/scat cover of Britney Spear’s “Toxic” that I wish I could have recorded and ended the set with the other song she is well known for “Are You F#*king Kidding Me,” an ode to Facebook. Now, having seen Kate Miller-Heidke live I hope she recognizes the benefit of less-is-more and records an album it the same style she performed that night. It was amazing.
And so we come to the end of another week. Hopefully everyone got their taxes off and census forms filled in a whoosh of civic service. Now you and I can both sit back and enjoy our weekends. Of course, I have grand plans of posting some brilliant missives and observations on what I’ve been listening to for the last hot second but for now I’m simply run down some of the better bit that took a dip in my stream of consciousness this week.
The tireless team behind Buffetlibre have proudly released the finished project they’ve been curating to raise funds for Amnesty International. Peace is a compilation of 180 tracks from artists all over the world (50 countries in all); by far the largest assortment of musicians united for a cause I have ever encountered. Artists like Patrick Wolf, Mogwai, Mundy, Vieux Farke Toure and 176 others have contributed remixes, covers, live versions and new material to incentivize you to donate some dollars to Amnesty’s cause. The variety of genre’s and influences are astounding. Clearly Buffetlibre has put in a great deal of effort to provide you this incredible opportunity to help an honorable institution while also gaining access to a rich library of music. Click HERE to make your donation.
[MP3] Army Dreamers (Kate Bush cover) – Patrick Wolf
Continuing on the theme of tremendously inspiring endeavors I need you bring your attention to The Voice Project. The non-profit is raising funds to support the women of Northern Uganda who have banded together to care for their communities, in particular the numerous orphans left in the wake of Africa’s longest continual war. Using the power of song – broadcast on radio and by word of mouth – to let soliders know they are forgiven they hope to bring an end to the atrocities and start rebuilding their communities. In an effort to build awareness of their cause and raise funds for the women the Voice Project was launched. Starting with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, whose song “Home” was covered by the Gulu Choir a cover chain was begun. The episodes have featured artist like Dawes, Brett Denan, The Submarines and Andrew Bird and are posted on The Voice Project site. Watching Dawes cover Edward Sharpe’s “Carries On” left me in tears. The lyrics capture the spirit of the project and Dawes’ rendition is simply beautiful. Click on through HERE and donate because no matter how bad your day seems nothing compares to the reality faced every moment by the women and orphans of Northern Uganda.
Dawes » Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros from The Voice Project on Vimeo.
“Home” in Gulu from The Voice Project on Vimeo.
Finally, here is your reminder that tomorrow is …
Philly the fine people of Philebrity commissioned this hand drawn map of where the haps are at around town tomorrow. I know AKA has Meg Baird, Beautiful World Syndicate in South Philly will have Kurt Vile plus some noms and Main Street Music in Manayunk has rounded up Blood Feathers for a set. Get up, get out, get records.
[MP3] I Don’t Want To Talk About It (Rod Stewart Cover) – Meg Baird
Last Friday found me up at North Star Bar, again, to see The Canon Logic and Plushgun. They were the middle of an interesting line up also featuring opener Pants Velour, whose excellent cover of the Jay Z/ Alicia Key’s “New York” was all I caught, and the geektastic synth band Freezepop.
Hitting town in support of their fantastic new release FM Arcade The Canon Logic were the main focus of my night. On their album the group’s sound is very polished; lead Tim Kiely’s voice is smooth, the guitars, bass and piano are all well balanced and spot on. All of which make FM Arcade a deliriously catchy pop album but I was curious how they would present it on stage. A few short minutes into their set it was clear we were going to see an unfiltered side of the five guys from Brooklyn.
At first I was a little worried they would simply stand their and play the music just as you hear it one the record. Their stage presence was a little timid and although they brought on some powerhouse sound there wasn’t anything fresh. About 2/3 of the way through their first song though they started getting loose and tearing into the meat of their arrangements.
As Kiely’s energy level started to rise his voice stretched and flexed some major sonic muscle. By the third song they were all moving around the stage, not only rotating instruments but simply getting into their music. For a bunch of fellas in plaid the real glam pop nature of their songs was on full parade. Particular lines carried more wight in their live form; like the manic guitars on Villain In America, when interplayed with Kiel’s wail and the interspersed harmonies they become the heart beat of the song. The piano and percussion lines also contributed more audibly to the richness of The Canon Logic’s sound.
All the members filled out the harmonies throughout the set and, especially once they reached maximum comfort levels, their solid vocals pushed the entire show to unexpected heights. I can confidently say there are few new groups out there right now that can hit their harmonies as absolutely as they can. Listening to their record now that I know the fullness that really lies within their arrangements I am left wanting more. More of the energy and passion that they all have for this project. Buying the album is a good intro but do whatever you can to get a dose of The Canon Logic live.
Next to take the stage was Plushgun in all their studded skinny jeaned glory. Further amplifying The Canon Logic’s glam pop cred was the awesomely dancey electro pop that Plushgun has mastered. If you don’t already own some Plushgun get on it. They could pump even the squarest of squares up and out of their chair with their relentlessly up tempo beats and live it gets that much more fun.
Trio keep their stage set up simple because lead singer Daniel Ingala needs a lot of room to dance around. The energy their putting into their music is multiplied 10 fold when run through their synthy percussion driven treatment. At one point they took advantage of the crazy lighting scenario at the North Star trying out the red lazer disco ball effect. Ingala never slowed down always having a total blast while singing his heart out.
Honestly I wasn’t sure what more they could add to their music to make it even better live. I walked away realizing they didn’t need to add anything. Recorded or live Plushgun are able to rip you out of the deepest of funks and get you dancing around like a crazy person. The crowd was totally feeling it and I openly admit I joined in the frenzy. It was a perfect pick me up set to end a long week.
[MP3] Avenue Of Criminals – The Canon Logic
[MP3] A Crush To Pass The Time (Don Diablo Remix) – Plushgun
The Thermals + Past Lives April 15th First Unitarian Church
I caught the Thermals last summer at Monolith Festival in Colorado; they were one of the highlights of the weekend. They’re bringing their addictive punk rock to the Church next week and dragging Seattle’s Past Lives along for the ride. Get a ticket, get rowdy.
Owen Pallett April 25th Sanctuary of FirstUnitarian Church
Otherwise know as Final Fantasy, Pallet is a wonder with a violin; bringing the instrument into an electro realm like no other. His most recent album Heartland is a beautiful exploration of strings and synths. As if oozing talent weren’t enough, Pallett is a consumate performer. I promise you whatever he puts out there on the 25th will astound you.
Frightened Rabbit + Bad Veins April 30th First Unitarian Church
If you visit The World In A Paper Cup on a regular basis you’d know of my total swoonage for the boys of Frightened Rabbit. They’re coming back to Philly in support of their fantastic new album Winter Of Mixed Drinks. The Glasgow natives know how to put on a show you’d be foolish to miss out on this opportunity. PLUS another TWIAPC fav, Bad Veins are the opener making this a bill I’m beyond bummed to be missing myself.
Mumford & Sons + The Middle East May 16th TLA
The set I saw Mumford & Sons do last fall during CMJ will go down in my personal record books as one of the most skin tingling events I have witnessed. Hearing their harmonies live and watching as they put their hearts out there for the captivated audience’s complete pleasure solidified Mumford & Son’s place in my heart.
They have lined up Aussie group The Middle East who’se nuanced echoey folk music will make for the perfect amuse bouche for your ears. I saw them in Austin during WXPN’s SXSW showcase and despite the chilly temps on the outdoor stage the troop that is The Middle East gamely soldiered on. Putting on a set that gave their music a whole new character. Buy tickets and be prepared for greatness.
If none of these shows ring your bell then check out the TWIAPC Show page for other shows that grabbed my attention or share other upcoming shows you think I should toss up there.
[Mp3] Lonely – The Middle East
[MP3] Lewis Takes Off His Shirt (Dan Deacon Remix) – Owen Pallett
John Hughes had a gigantic influence on my awareness of the effect music can have on a movie. Films like Pretty & Pink, Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day off are just a few of his movies where music plays such a large role it is almost a character. He had an knack for pairing the perfect pop song with the emotional impact of what you were seeing on screen. The boombox scene from Say Anything (above), probably the most iconic Hughes moment. Hughes passed away this year and there have been all sorts of tributes; from the Brat Pack reunion at the Oscars to a slew of montages posted on Youtube. Last week I got a musical montage of hughes lines & music from Matt Foley & Genevan Heathen which weaves together commentary, film bites and soundtrack moments from some of Hughes’ best movies. It is a solid 33+ minutes of sonic nostalgia. The DL link is below as well as two covers of ’80′s gems by The Arcade Fire & Angie Hart . Enjoy the tunes then go and rent yourself some Hughes flicks.
[MP3] The Music Of John Hughes
[MP3] This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads) – Arcade Fire (via You Ain’t No Picasso)
For some reason, recently I have been into exploring groups garnering praise their harder rock and roll ways. Chalk it up to the taste left by Megaphonic Thrift or simple pursuit of my musical curiosity. Whatever it is, it lead me to North Star Bar for the third week in a row to get a dose of some tenacious rock and roll care of Band Of Skulls & The Whigs.
Britain’s Band Of Skulls started the night off properly with a mighty charge straight into the beginning of their set. Band Of Skulls’ music is layered and plays like a slow burn. You don’t immediately realize its potency until you’re already caught up in the intensity of the galloping drums and wafting guitar riffs. The trio has a much calmer stage presense than what I was expecting. They put all their energy into their playing to the great benefit of their sound and live show.
Technically, Band Of Skulls aren’t terribly intricate. The bass lines constructed to counter weight the more nuanced guitar and drum solos. The vocals bassist Emma Richardson contributes however give the group a smokier flavor, a bit of soul you might say, than are typical of a rock group.
They held the audience’s attention for the entire set. At times raising them to the fist pump synchronized head nodding level. When playing from their album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey they let themselves stray away from the refined sound you hear on the recordings. When allowed to get a little dirty on the familiar “Blood,” as well as, “Death By Diamonds & Pearls” BoS reveal the true depth of their talent. The group even strutted out some new material which suggested they’re looking to dabble in both punk and pop waters. It will be a welcome evolution for the group who clearly have a grip on how to interpret classic genre’s in their own voice.
Following Band Of Skulls sonic wallop was Athens psych rockers The Whigs. On record you’d expect a delivery similar to Band Of Skulls. Instead there was a display of much greater musical dexterity. This trio has built some carefully constructed musical compositions. It isn’t conveyed well in their recordings but when you watch as Julian Dorio militantly pumps his percussions and Tim Deaux races adroitly through his bass lines you recognize just how excellent The Whigs are.
Lead singer Parker Gispert’s soaring spacey voice gave the intense instrumentals a southern rock sheen. This meant songs like “Half A World Away” came off as softer anthems while, on the other end of The Whigs’ spectrum, songs like “Like A Vibaration” got a gritty agressive pulse. The trio’s stage presence was equally focused and authentic. All three seemed to trance out while they played without sacrificing a sense of the whole sounds. It was a testament to their skill that despite their slightly autonomous playing style the set rocked out seamlessly.
The Whigs, commonly associated with a psych rock sound, surprised me during their set when they pushed into glam pop territory. While playing “Kill Me Carolyn” the bass and drums hit whirring pace and Gispert’s voice hit 11 there was an undeniable pop vibe. It made their live show that much more alluring. They’re touring all over the place until May so if you want the perfect live soundtrack for your spring get yourself a ticket. The Whigs are well worth your dollars.
[MP3] The Kids Are Alright (The Who) – The Whigs
[MP3] Death By Diamonds & Pearls (Daytrotter Session) – Band Of Skulls
Crazy energetic Brooklyn quintet MiniBoone are coming to Philly tomorrow for Pilam’s Human BBQ. To get you all properly excited for their set (730ish) I tracked them down to find out a little bit more about what fuels their music making ways.
TWIAPC: You guys really charged out of the shoots on the tails of your album release in January, popping up all over the blogosphere. Clearly you didn’t appear outta nowhere; what is MiniBoone’s history as a group?
James: Craig and Doug were in a group before. That group broke up, but the two of them kept writing music together. They asked me and then Taylor and then Sam to join their new group one by one. I had my own group during all of this and quite ridiculously my group had 80% of the same members (Doug, Craig, and Sam). So one day, Taylor had the common sense to say “hey, why don’t we join the two groups.” Taylor is a smart boy.
Craig: Doug and I made a whole record as a duo before we were a five-piece, but we sent it mostly just to our friends. It formed the basis for some of the songs we’re performing now. “Big Changes” was the first thing we recorded as a five-piece and it sounds way better, and we’ve been pushing it a lot harder.
TWIAPC: Your music is infused with pure pop energy how do you guys ensure that is conveyed in your live show?
Sam: It feels really lame to stand still while playing a MiniBoone song. So we don’t. Lots of running and jumping around, banging on things, screaming along. All of the little flourishes and ornamental noise on the recorded songs that might be too subtle to come across live we try make up for with extra craziness. Onstage, I like to imagine myself as a hyperactive 4 year old covering MiniBoone.
James: Yes, Sam is totally nuts on stage. I never really realized it because I am always also going nuts. But one day I saw a picture of Sam on stage, and I was like whoa.
TWIAPC: As we head into summer and people begin amassing their sunny playlists I’m sure Big Changes will be featured in a number of those. What music would be on Miniboone’s playlist?
Doug: Oh man! Summer Jams are my favorite type of music ever, which is one reason I wanted to call the song “Summer Jam”, “Summer Jam”. I love this question.
Collectively, we will be listening to the following this summer:
Gene Pitney’s Greatest Hits
Phil Spector’s Greatest Hits
Major Lazer
Lagos Disco Inferno
The new Robyn EPs that we are anticipating to be great
Music that cannot even begun to be imagined, and other future music
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
The new Big Boi record
Lots of Freestyle
Journey
James Brown Singles Collection Volumes 1-8
That air horn sound that all the hip hop DJs use all the time
TWIAPC: Your video for “Cool Kids Cut Out Of The Heart Itself” features you all in various stages of hair play. Where did the idea come from?
Sam: “Hair play” sounds sort of like an icky fetish…Anyway, this winter we realized we were close to developing ZZ Top amounts of facial hair between us, so that seemed like a good starting point for a video. We had a bunch of ideas of where to go from there, but after a couple weeks of debate we just decided to make a list of all the funny things we could think of to do to our faces and spent a day squatting in a warehouse, with our friend Jesse behind the camera, shooting and making a really, really disgusting mess. Seriously, by the end of the night we were literally up to our ankles in shaving cream, skittles, confetti, fingerpaint, fake blood, hair and other assorted items, mostly from the dairy case or the dollar store.
TWIAPC: I take from the <3 over Brooklyn you draw a lot from your homebase. Are there any other factors, geographically or otherwise, that influence the music you make?
James: Right now most of our songs are about growing up in the suburbs and falling in love. So those.
TWIAPC: Any plans for an extended tour?
Craig: As soon as we sell James’s grandpa’s Grand Prix and buy a van, we’re hoping to drive all over the place. Right now we’re just sticking with little weekend jaunts along the East Coast. We’d love to be an opener for some other band if they will take us with them. I hear MGMT is doing a world tour?
Let me begin my introduction to the music of Kate Miller-Heidke with a profession of total swoonage for the brand of delectable witty pop she is creating. Her new album Curiouser came from a burst of inspiration. Working with her husband Keir Nutall to unabashedly exploit her “experimental, hooky, unashamedly pop” charm. She dosen’t strive to be too obtuse with her orchestrations but doesn’t shy away from indulging in a good bit of wit. Some of the tracks, “Can’t Shake It,” have a strong electronic component that plays well with her strong distinct voice.
Miller-Heidke isn’t cutesy; she has total confidence in her pop sensibilities which gives her the room to be playful. She has some fun poking fun at Facebook with her live cut “Are You F*#king Kidding Me.” Yet proves she can slow things down as well with “The Last Day On Earth.” She has had a following in her native Australia for a while but with this gem of an album she is trying to earn her place in American hearts. From the looks of her video’s she knows how to give a stellar live show too! She is playing Philly Sunday [at World Cafe Live] then moving on up to New York to play with Ben Folds. Get out and get atter.
Saintseneca are a gang of Ohioans that have come together by chance to stomp, fiddle, strum and warble. The product is most enjoyable. Although there music rolls out with a backwater ease it would be doing them a great disservice to suggest their isn’t a lot of skill that goes into their music. Far from it; in fact, I’d say the skill is in making it sound so easy.
There is a lot going on in their arrangements – at various times you’ll hear violin, banjo, dulcimer, hand claps – but the center point are the groups vocals. Lead Zac Brown has a very unique voice that, when standing on its own, triumphs over the instruments but when the group harmonizes it all bleeds into lushness. They have just released their first EP Grey Flag on Paper Brigade and hopefully they’ll be touring soon to support it.
Another fresh act out of Ohio these four fellas are taking a note from mid-ninties alternative acts and putting an aussie new wave spin on it. A solo project that has grown organically to include a three other like-minded musicians. The group, in this incarnation, is still relatively new but seems to have found sure footing in where they want their sound to go. Come On Caboose’s guitars are the heart of their arrangements from which simple bass lines and punch drums take their lead. Lyrically they are also a step ahead of the average young band. Dynamic verses and subtly catchy choruses are sung primarily by Coran Setter but boosted at times by the others. The still have some work to do on carving out their own recognizable place in the indie market but their new album Wave Maker is a good step in that direction.
Last week I finally got to see two acts I have been really digging for a while now; Philly’s Charles Latham (aka Death Panel) warmed the Northstar Bar stage for Nashville’s Tristen.
Up first with a genuine dose of anti-folk humble-pop was Charles Latham who, depending on the minute, also goes by Death Panel. He is but a man on a stage with a guitar but his songs evoke the presence of a variety of characters from the objects of his affection to the voices in his head. His lyrics are often self-depreciating vignettes – sometimes literal to an awkward degree- and always delivered with a choir boy honesty.
When you see Latham live the candor of his anti-folk approach is central to his performance. He possess the musical skill to play catchy guitar riffs and the fact that he has chosen to pair what otherwise could easily be another radio friendly indie track with lyrics about rejection and hard ons that are disarmingly alluring. Giving each song a quick intro he professed his performance theory of “flying without a net.” To a certain extent the social discomfort expressed in his songs is constantly present on the stage but after a few minutes I warmed to the discord and balls out attitude conveyed by Latham. It was the perfect way to start pulling folks in from the bar for the rest of the evening’s line up. He has a new album out soon and while the record doesn’t possess the awkward charm of his live set it does demonstrate his skill at writing some damn catchy tunes.
Tristen sneakily took the stage next and with little warning jumped directly into her brand of retro twang. Accompanied by another guitarist and a bassist on stage the set was a pared down version of the lush tracks you can hear on her excellent tour EP Deceivers Are Achievers. Without the additional instruments Tristen proved the flexibility of her vintage vocals. At times simple and childlike, as on “Special Kind Of Fear,” and at others she really let loose belting out the words with a raspy twang that just blew me away.
Her stage presence is modest and shy. It took her a few songs to really look comfortable on stage but once she did a playful hue was cast on the entire set. She was clearly at ease with her backers and the three of them knew how to manipulate the material just right so that, despite being a smaller group than I was expecting, the songs maintained their quirky appeal. The addition of a ukelele for a few songs broke the guitar centric arrangements up a bit and added a tone of variety. Tristen’s strongest asset is her voice and it was plenty strong to carry the show but ultimately I would love to see her with a full band so that the softer more subtle channels in her voice could contribute the nuance heard on her EP. I think we can expect greatness from Ms Tristen especially if she really pushes her vocal boundaries.