Seattle Subsonic

Seattle Subsonic - October, 2009

Making the REVERB Rounds

So with 60+ bands playing 10 venues spread out through Ballard, seeing everyone worth seeing is going to be impossible-though I’ve made claims to the contrary. In looking at the schedule I found that with a little luck and a LOT of time management, I’m going to be able see almost every top priority band I wanted to. Hopfully there won’t be any shortage of “Street Meat” vendors so I can get my grub on while running between venues.
.
I’ve also worked in some mandatory time to hang at Kings Hardware for Ballard’s best bloodies and to hunker down in a booth with a bucket of gin and tonic at the Smoke Shop – just before stumbling over to the Sunset for Unnatural Helpers. Wish me luck!

.

OK, here’s how I’m hoping to spend 10 sweet hours of my day.
Below is a little map of Ballard with all the venues from my plan of attack.

3:30 Fresh Espresso at NY Fashion Academy
4-4:15 Visqueen at Salmon Bay Eagles
5:00 Drinks at Kings
5:30 Born Anchors at Sunset Tavern
6:30 Street Meat
7:00 Lonely H at Salmon Bay
8:00 Stay at SAlmon Bay for Thee Emergency
8:30 Shanendoah Davis @ Hatties Hat
9:00 Redwood Plan out at the Bit
10:00 Drinks at the Smoke Shop
10:30 Unnatural Helpers next door at Sunset

11:30 Stat at Sunset for coconut Coolouts
12:00 Maldives at Tractor

1:30 Street Meat and bed (or late night Wii.. whichever)
.

Whew!!!

View REVERB 2009 – Ballard’s Local Music Festival in a larger map
.

Variety of Rock @ Neumos Tonight

If you need a way to forget today’s rain and kick off a weekend of music (followed by Saturday’s Reverb Fest in Ballard) there’s a wide range of local rock at Neumos tonight for 8 bucks.
.
Uncle Doodad is headlining the evening with probably the loudest rock of the night. I watched them perform their self-described “Face Melting Americana” at a house (right after playing a show) and the whole house actually did shake. The neighbors also made many appearances, which ended their set early before they got through a 20 song set list. It was a great time. Their long list of songs range from heavier rock, to jam, to music with reggae influences, as the lead singer/guitarist often switches between different instruments.
.
Also, on the bill, are Lost Dogma, playing indie country americana, Noah Parriot, playing acoustic indie, and what might be one of my favorite bands of the night, Ghost Town Riot. Ghost Town Riot’s myspace defines them as “ghettotech/ freestyle/chinese traditional”, which sounds fairly implausible, but they do have an intriguing sound, similar to RX Bandits and Sublime.
.
If you are looking for a completely different fair tonight there’s a solo act which involves a stage full of supporting robots, bondage, and heavy metal; check out Captured! By Robots @ the Funhouse for $10. Best of luck.
.
Neumos/ 21+/ $8 adv
Friday Oct 2
.
http://www.myspace.com/uncledoodad
http://www.myspace.com/ghosttownriot
http://www.myspace.com/lostdogma
http://www.myspace.com/nizop8

Brand New @ Showbox Sodo

Touring in Support of their New album “Daisy” which just debut at #6 on the U.S. Billboard charts (their highest yet). Their shows almost always sell out. So get your tickets!

“The sound is old-fashioned, but the fury is fresh.”

hear a few of the new songs over at their myspace. http://www.myspace.com/brandnew

Brand New

at Showbox SODO w/ Manchester Orchestra, The Builders & The Butchers

10/14/2009 8:00

The Strenuous Satisfaction of Talbot Tagora

Lessons In The Woods Or A City, the Hardly Art-issued debut from local racket-eers Talbot Tagora, is not a record one should delve into lightly or unwittingly. That may sound like a turn-off, but it’s meant simply as a warning. I want you to know what you’re getting into, because when it comes to music consumption, particularly in today’s inhale-everything-at-warp-speed climate, we should be free to wrestle ourselves from its clutches and take the time to smell those beautiful roses across the way. We should spend the effort to dissect—and enjoy—a record without fear of cyberspace flying by and leaving us in the dust. I know I’m not the only one grappling with the hyper-saturation of our music culture. Fortunately for us, this record presents a pristine chance to slowly dive in.

.

And just what are we diving into? I’ve been listening to Lessons for a good several weeks now, and, admittedly, it’s taken some time absorb. I was excited about what I first heard out of the band many moons ago, but that was merely a snippet. Now I’m engulfed in its full form. The trio’s ardent output is rife with haunting, atypical rhythms, oblique guitars shrouded in drone and reverb, and echoing vocals cloaked cryptically in both their content and audibility. There are few refrains, and lyrics are made up of nonsensical tales, abstract imagery, and convoluted, anti-culture rhetoric. It’s an arresting collection of angled, like-minded punk songs laced with a gaunt hypnosis, a deathly fluidity that demands repeat listening. If only to figure out what the hell is going on within all that chaos.

.

Thanks to the onslaught of downward chord progressions, high-pitched spectral vocals, and crooked, off-time drumming, you’d be forgiven for being lulled into mistaking this as a soundtrack for a fast-paced film about a religiously deranged psycho. Guitarist/vocalist Chris Ando, in fact, has said the occult has influenced the band’s songwriting. This is no more evident than in “Ichthus Hop”, a spry, disillusioned jaunt galvanized by Ando and Mark Greshowak’s metalloid guitar brandishing. Their instruments sing as if unfurled from a scabbard. Drummer Ani Ricci flaunts her agility and inclination for irregularity throughout, especially on “Mouth Rainboy” and “Mixed Signals Through Miles Of Pilgrimage”. “Replacing the Northwest” is a favorite, given its robotic bass line and repetitive verse. The band gets a bit brighter on “Perception Stick”, mostly due to the male/female vox and the coy pleas of “Feed me honey / Break me out of jail”. The rumbling bass, thunderous and low, is an odd complement.

.

The band recently hinted at a pending hiatus—not a breakup—but here’s hoping they at least outlast the truncated lifespan of their namesake to make a few more records. I’m sure I’ll need some time to digest those, too.

.

Mixed Signals Through Miles Of Pilgrimage

.

Ichthus Hop

.

Mouth Rainboy

.

Replacing the Northwest

.

Perception Stick

.

Visqueen at the Tractor Tavern on 10/24; Doors open @ 8pm

I never really paid that much attention to Visqueen in prior years however their latest release Message to Garcia has made a big blip on my music radar as of late. Their newest album is a collection of songs that is a loving homage to front woman Rachel Flotard’s father who passed away from cancer earlier this year. It’s filled with power pop guitar riffs while leading lady Rachel Flotard’s unique voice is apparent singing straight from the heart and rocking at the same time. An eclectic cast of musicians lent a helping hand–Neko Case, pedal steel wizard Jon Rauhouse, The Fastbacks and The Long Winters–to create an extra-special electricity that resonates throughout the album.

Hand Me Down

[audio:http://www.seattlesubsonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/01-Hand-Me-Down.mp3]

-

Visqueen will be playing at the Tractor Tavern on October 24th with Shonen Knife. Doors open at 8pm

Visqueen at the REVERB Festival (4pm) and the Crocodile (9pm) on Saturday 10/3

I’ve mentioned this in a comment or two on Seattle Subsonic how much I enjoyed the REVERB Festival last year. Now I’m making it official in a blog post. There was just something about it that brought back memories of old Seattle. It had a feel of “big town” Seattle: super mellow, non-pretentiousness, no lines, lots of colorful character and good music. Maybe that feel had something to do with the gray day and that I was there way before the onslaught of 10pm bar-hoppers showed up in Ballard. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited to go again this weekend. One band in particular I’m looking forward to is Seattle’s Visqueen.

-

I never really paid that much attention to Visqueen in prior years however their latest release Message to Garcia has made a big blip on my music radar as of late. Their newest album is a collection of songs that is a loving homage to front woman Rachel Flotard’s father who passed away from cancer earlier this year. It’s filled with power pop guitar riffs while leading lady Rachel Flotard’s unique voice is apparent singing straight from the heart and rocking at the same time. An eclectic cast of musicians lent a helping hand–Neko Case, pedal steel wizard Jon Rauhouse, The Fastbacks and The Long Winters–to create an extra-special electricity that resonates throughout the album.

Hand Me Down

[audio:http://www.seattlesubsonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/01-Hand-Me-Down.mp3]

-

Visqueen will be playing an all ages/early show/record release party this weekend at the REVERB Festival. They’ll be at the old school Ballard Eagles (where time has stood still for who knows how long) at 4pm.  Or if that’s too early for you, they’ll be at the Crocodile later in the evening for a continuance of their CD release party.

Rain Machine @ Neumos

And I ain’t talkin’ no weather pattern. You’re familiar with Kyp Malone, lead guitarist for TV on the Radio and winner of LeDoux’s illustrious Top Beard’s of 2008 contest, right? Good. And I’m sure you’ll recall the excellent record (cool it, haters) he and his bandmates put out earlier this year, not to mention TVOTR’s other acclaimed albums? Great. Well, the man with the careful fingers and the urgent, warbling falsetto has a side job now, one that he’s dubbed Rain Machine. One where he plays nearly all the instruments and whose self-titled debut was recorded in California, including Malone’s former Bay Area stomping grounds. At first glance, it purports to be a daring, emotive venture into the spacious confines of jazz, blues, rock and afro-beat.

.

I haven’t heard the entire record, so I can’t expound on its likely creative breadth and varied nuance, but given Malone’s previous output, you can rest assured that it’ll be anything but boring. “Give Blood”, the first track released, is evocative of a grungier TVOTR song, with a few odd changes, frantic lyrics and a primal male/female refrain. Malone even goes so far as to inject a verse inspired (hopefully) by Stevie Wonder’s “Part Time Lover”. It’s good, but I like the other available track more. “Smiling Black Faces” unwinds slowly, with a heartbeat and a hovering guitar. The crescendo is slow, but the climax is exultant.

.

In the fairly interesting Rain Machine bio put out by Anti-, Malone says, in relation to his TVOTR duties, “there’s a different freedom that comes with doing something by yourself, and I think this album reflects that.” As someone who’s a fan of TVOTR’s expressive liberties, and innovative weirdos in general, I can certainly appreciate the change of direction. See him and his band defy objection at Neumos, October 1st.

.

“Give Blood” audio on YouTube

Live performance of “Smiling Black Faces” on YouTube

.

With Diane Cluck
Doors at 8 pm
$12 adv
Advance tickets on sale now at: www.ticketswest.com, Moe Bar, select QFCs, Rudy’s Barbershops

Seattle City of Music Gala @ Showbox

Seattle City of Music, Seattle’s effort to celebrate and enhance the city’s renowned music culture, announced yesterday that it will honor Quincy Jones, Fleet Foxes and radio and online music hub KEXP at the inaugural Seattle City of Music Awards on October 14, a spectacular evening of entertainment at the Showbox at the Market.

.

The evening will include performances by alt-country band The Maldives; indie folk outfit Pearly Gate Music, led by Zach Tillman; and a one-of-a-kind big band tribute to Quincy Jones from players from the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. Opening the Awards will be local young artists from the Seattle Theatre Group’s More Music @ The Moore teen music program. Tea Cozies, one of the Seattle bands featured in Lynn Shelton’s $5 Cover: Seattle, will play the aftershow, to be held at the Showbox immediately following the Awards.
.

To receive a ticket, RSVP to filmandmusicoffice@seattle.gov and include your full name, mailing address, phone number and email. Two ticket limit per person.  Tickets will also be made available to independent music retailers Easy Street, Everyday Music, Silver Platters and Sonic Boom Records on Friday, September 25. The Awards show is free of charge and open to all ages.

Minus The Bear @ Pyramid Brewery

Seattle Alehouse – back parking lot in the Snow Cap tent

A night of revelery, entertainment, and the first of the season’s Snow Cap! Doors at 6pm, music at 9pm. More details to come . . . Seattle Pyramid Alehouse 1201 1st Ave S In the Snow Cap Tent!

Freaking Minus the Bear and Snow Cap.. sounds like an amazing night to me.

Redwood Plan @ Sunset

The Redwood Plan is new construction from old growth Seattle rock and rollah. Lesli Wood, previously of Ms. Led, brings the same energy and raw talent to this project showcasing the power of XX. The Redwood Plan is playing numerous shows throughout Sept including Oktoberfest in Fremont and the REVERB Fest in Ballard, but this show at the  Sunset Tavern will put these heavy grooves right up in your face. Here’s a little taste:
.

Redwood Plan-Something to Prove
[audio:http://www.digitalwell.washington.edu/dw/1/51/a1/a1f1c9f5-aa68-41fa-99a2-fdabd9d5d1ba.mp3]
.

The Redwood Plan,

Erik Blood,

Rosyvelt

10:00 – 21+ – $8 / Buy tickets HERE