Seattle Subsonic - April, 2010
K and Kill Rock Stars (Plus One Free Sampler)
Somewhat spurred by Quasi‘s voracious new alt-punk record American Gong, AND a recent chance meeting with Calvin Johnson at my sister’s shop/studio in Portland, I’ve been spending a lot of time on the websites of Olympia’s two preeminent labels: K and Kill Rock Stars. Sure I’ve visited before, but sometimes it’s really fun just to surf a (good) label’s website for an hour or two. You can find all sorts of worthy and super stuff. K has a cool little flash player on their main page with a bunch of great music. Favorite Find? Jeremy Jay, a white skinny dude making good use of disco and funk in his slithery and sunny alterna-pop. Least, that’s what he did on Love Everlasting from last year; sounds like he’s a bit of a sound chameleon. You can listen to his new album Splash over on his myspace. I also finally picked up Chain and the Gang‘s political parody album Down With Liberty… Up With Chains!. For beatniks, funksters, and anti-capitalists.
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As for KRS, Sleater-Kinney wailin’ frontwoman Corin Tucker is releasing a solo album this October. Who knew? (Die-hard S-K fans, that’s who.) In this informative interview, she intimates that a) the record is not yet titled, b) it’s more of a “middle-aged mom record” (her words), and c) it might be more acoustic sounding than anything she did with S-K. Plus, KRS is having a sale on a slew of Elliott Smith’s albums, including the reissue of his stellar debut Roman Candle. Who, I ask, doesn’t love Elliott Smith? And the best find of all? This free Best Sampler Ever from the legendary label featuring some of their recent successes: the Thermals, Gossip, Bikini Kill, Quasi, Deerhoof, Elliott Smith, the Decemberists, and many more. 21 tracks total. Download it here.
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Tracklisting for the sampler after the jump/cut/fold/whatever.
Record Store Day Is April 17th
Hi y’all. The 4th Annual Record Store Day is this Saturday and if you value cool, independent music retailers and the musicians they support—like all responsible music fans should—I’d encourage you to make it out and purchase some product. Take in an in-store performance, even. From the website:
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“This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on.”
GLOBAL, yo. But, as we all know, Seattle has a veritable wealth of choice record stores, more so than most cities (feel lucky!) and they will be participating in full force. Go-to heavyweights like Sonic Boom, Easy Street, Everyday Music, and Silver Platters will all have a great selection of those “special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products”, but the smaller specialist type stores—Bop Street, Wall of Sound, Jive Time, Georgetown Records, etc.—will need your business just as much. Go here for a list of all participating stores in Washington.
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Sonic Boom, the store I frequent more than any other, will have bargain bins, free promos and performances from Minus the Bear (Capitol Hill) and Danny Barnes (Ballard). Both Easy Street locations are taking 10% off all new and used CDs, DVDs and vinyl (sale items excluded). Everyday Music will have a one-day-only sale of 20% off used and 10% off new merchandise. Here’s a comprehensive list of what you can expect to see. Quantities will be limited so get there early!
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Update: Sub Pop put up a bunch (8) of tracks for you to stream; Soundgarden included!
2010 Sub Pop / Record Store Day Mix by subpop
Bumbershoot clued in to getting you what you want
OK, OK, I know it’s way too early to start planning for Bumbershoot, but some very interesting information has come to light about tickets this year. i.e. We don’t have to pay for Fergie. Let me explain.
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In light of many issues revolving around the Main Stage shows Bumbershoot will try offering ticket choices that allow you to attend or avoid the Main Stage. The tickets will work on a sliding scale either charging you a higher amount if you’d like to hit up the big headliner or discounting your tickets if you’re more of a little band kinda fan. Purchasing the extra option eliminates the need to get get in line for the gates to open, get in another line to get your wristband, and get in a THIRD line to POSSIBLY get into the main show. Bummer, right? On the other hand if you’e not at all interested in seeing Fergie, well my friend, then you don’t have to PAY for Fergie. It’s a beautiful thing.
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The only flaw I see in this plan so far is that the comedy stages are bundled with the Main Stage. (both tix get Comedy Stage access) Overall though it seems like a win/win. For more deets, check out the Bumbershoot Site (fresh with a new “monster-free” design).
OMG, This IS Happening
Woo hoo! Waiting impatiently for the new (and possibly final) LCD Soundsystem record to “drop it like it’s hot” on May 17th? Wanting to hear it *NOW* without unethically “getting” it from the online getting place? Can’t wait for the distinctive and delectable DFA band’s hotly anticipated Sasquatch! set this coming Memorial Day weekend? Need something to follow up that salaciously subtle neo-disco cover of Alan Vega’s “Bye Bye Bayou”?
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Me too! Well you, my sexy little friend, are in a complete fortuitous situation! What luck! James Murphy, no doubt exhausted with “the internets” and music swallowers’ insatiable lust for new tunes, has somewhat preempted the leak of LCD’s new album This Is Happening by streaming it on their website. GO LISTEN, you cheeky bastard!
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And, while you’re at it, go catch up with his hilarious (if infrequent) myspace blog. He’s friends with Aziz Ansari! I used up my exclamation point quota for the week!
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Recent performance of a new song!
Death Cab For The Mariners
Just saw this photo on the Mariners facebook page; thought it was kinda interesting. Death Cab For Cutie is playing a couple baseball songs for Opening Day this afternoon down at Safeco and this is them rehearsing. No, Chris Walla did not grow a beard and put on 30 pounds. That’s John Roderick, from the Long Winters…how should I know? I guess he’s playing with them today.
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Did you guys know that I (probably) pay more attention to the M’s than I do to music? I know, it’s weird but true. I’ll be down there this afternoon with my pops, trying to forget the absolutely dismal roadtrip the team just crapped out. I’m actually not really a fan of either DCFC or the LWs, but of all the choices the team could’ve made for this, I’m pretty happy about it. Which songs do you think they’ll play? I’m thinking John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” has to be one of them, right?
The Ruby Suns, Toro Y Moi, & U.S.F. at Chop Suey
The Ruby Suns almost didn’t make it to their show at Chop Suey last Thursday (4/8). I think the high/happy/hippie crowd was glad they did. Using warm music to offset a chilly spring evening, the three bands who played each incorporate a varying degree of synthetics to their sound, and on this night the level and the lineup graduated from most to least.
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Young local duo U.S.F. (Kyle Hargus and Jason Baxter) are primarily laptop jockeys augmented with a few other knobby devices for creative tinkering. As their self-description goes, “Kyle’s a Mac, Jason’s a PC”, and sure enough, there was Hargus standing behind his silver Mac and Baxter planted behind his white HP (I honestly thought it was illegal for musicians to use PCs until I saw this). Hargus does embellish their tropical tidal swells of obliquely washed out electro-waves with quiet and pretty guitar lines. There were no vocals. I don’t see a lot of electronic music live, but I was in the right mood this night. U.S.F.’s continual stream of watery, beat-centric, sand-in-your-toes tribal pop had me hypnotized. I picked up a copy of their album Ocean Sunbirds at the end of the night and am really glad I did. It’s neon new age with a psychedelic sun-baked laissez-faire twist. Here’s a video I shot of one of their mellower tunes.
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The one-man-band of Chaz Bundick—a boat-shoe-and-dirty-hat-wearing bespectacled little guy with a sweet voice—is the buzz band known as Toro Y Moi. I really like this name, but it just doesn’t roll off the tongue very well. I’ve only sparingly heard his hype-heavy debut Causers Of This, so most of his set was new to me. I really enjoyed the first half, which was a bubbly font of electrified disco-soul and cheerful chillwave, mixed and smeared with deep bass and smooth R&B. The kids and I were all groovin’ pretty good, not to mention Bundick himself. He reminded me at times of Mos Def when the rapper utilizes his underrated singing voice (YOU know how he do). The second half, however, kinda bored me as he played a more chopped up and less focused electro-dub sound that fell a bit flat (his production style has been compared to that of J. Dilla). The guitar-only songs didn’t quite stand up either. One thumb up and one thumb down, I guess.
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You probably realized from my preview of this show that the Ruby Suns were the big draw for me. Fight Softly is part new wave, part reggae, part ambient, part folk and a big heap of electro-pop. It’s a captivating, starry-eyed positive vibration of a record straight from New Zealand. Ryan McPhun and his two mates were the most conventional “band” on the bill, despite their ability to spice it up with a little wo’ pop, some off-balance songwriting and blissful electronics, and I thought they sounded great. Maybe not as detailed or full as on record—save for McPhun’s voice, which is really a thing of beauty—but they got the eclectic crowd moving. They started off with “Two Humans” (the song that wins the award for most times stuck in my head) and went into “Mingus and Pike”, which McPhun said was about Seattle (wooooo). They played “Cinco” and “Cranberry” and “Dusty Fruit”, regrettably skipping “Closet Astrologer” and “How Kids Fail”. Major bummer dude. The set was too short, but Chaz Bundick came out on stage for a one-song, two-man encore rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”. It was a nice finishing touch.
Rogue Wave @ Neumos
| Saturday, April 10, 2010 | ||
| 8:00 pm |
Before you go lauding MGMT for cornering their own brand of synthified indie pop, you should understand that Rogue Wave has been fingering the knobs since aught two. This Saturday, they’ll bring the show to Neumo’s in support of their latest release, Permalight.
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I’m not too proud to admit that Pandora radio introduced me to this band. I’ve never seen them live but this band covers so much ground that I feel pretty confident recommending them. Just from what I’ve heard, I can anticipate a very diverse show full tasty pop sundries. Just about any music fan (save death metal loyalists) should be able to find something they can sink their teeth into. And just as you’re about to climax on a sound wall of pure synth ecstasy, I think they’ll help you come down with an apt serving of acoustic guitars and shakers.
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That’s nice of them.
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SUGAR WARNING: This music contains syrupy-sweet melodies that once have found a home on such programs as Friday Night Lights, the OC, Scrubs, and One Tree Hill. In fact, their music has been licensed out so much I’m guessing they’ve had to hire a pimp to wrangle in all the dealings. Like I said, they cover a lot of ground, but I’m not very close to faulting them for slutting it up. It’s one of those instances where you’re happy to see a talented band getting paid. And seriously, what else are you going to do? Fill out your census card?
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For fans of: The New Pornographers/AC Newman, MGMT, Helio Sequence
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Rogue Wave @ Neumos
Sat Apr 10
$15 – 21+
Rogue Wave, Saturday @ Neumo’s
Before you go lauding MGMT for cornering their own brand of synthified indie pop, you should understand that Rogue Wave has been fingering the knobs since aught two. This Saturday, they’ll bring the show to Neumo’s in support of their latest release, Permalight.
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I’m not too proud to admit that Pandora radio introduced me to this band. I’ve never seen them live but this band covers so much ground that I feel pretty confident recommending them. Just from what I’ve heard, I can anticipate a very diverse show full tasty pop sundries. Just about any music fan (save death metal loyalists) should be able to find something they can sink their teeth into. And just as you’re about to climax on a sound wall of pure synth ecstasy, I think they’ll help you come down with an apt serving of acoustic guitars and shakers.
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That’s nice of them.
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SUGAR WARNING: This music contains syrupy-sweet melodies that once have found a home on such programs as Friday Night Lights, the OC, Scrubs, and One Tree Hill. In fact, their music has been licensed out so much I’m guessing they’ve had to hire a pimp to wrangle in all the dealings. Like I said, they cover a lot of ground, but I’m not very close to faulting them for slutting it up. It’s one of those instances where you’re happy to see a talented band getting paid. And seriously, what else are you going to do? Fill out your census card?
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For fans of: The New Pornographers/AC Newman, MGMT, Helio Sequence
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Rogue Wave @ Neumos
Sat Apr 10
$15 – 21+
Archie Bronson Outfit – “Shark’s Tooth”
ANCIENT FUTURE. PSYCHO-SPACE EARTH-QUAKING FUSION.
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New, trippy sci-fi video cheese from London’s Archie Bronson Outfit seems to be just that. I waited four flipping years for this trio’s third full length, and they didn’t disappoint. Coconut, much like Derdang Derdang, is a kinetically pulsing record that grooves, rocks and boogies. A bona fide handpocket hip-shaker. It’s insistent in it’s shimmy and cautious in it’s frenzy. And “Shark’s Tooth” isn’t even the best track. Vocalist/guitarist Sam Windett’s constant urgency is semi-maniacal, even in tempered Devo-esque romps like “Chunk”, but especially in the agitated psych-billow of “Magnetic Warrior” and the swift, four-on-the-floor swank of the exceptional “Hoola”. Dorian Hobday and Mark Cleveland are a band of boot-clad beat brothers, soldiers on an unmistakable rhythm-mission. And they are winning.
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Guess Who Changed Their Name Back?
So goes the rumor, anyway. And this poster. More info here and here.
Beethoven, Hoedown, Fazil Say
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I needed me some Beethoven while driving, the sonatas, Pathetique, Appasionata, Moonlight. All wonderful stuff that I listen to more than anything else these days, although in the last week Kerretta could give Ludwig a run for his money. Anyway, if you haven’t listened to Bee you need to do so now …
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but first, consider this.
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I have two CDs that contain only those three sonatas. One is a recording of pianist Rudolf Serkin, the other of Claudio Arrau.
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Let’s compare.
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First, Rudy: The beginning of Appasionata (Allegro assai) is light. The notes are clear. It bounces a little but this should not bounce. The chords that should be massive merely bounce along seeking clarity over power. One can distinguish the individual notes and therein lies the problem. The chords are collections of thin individual notes, they are not “chords”, they are notes. There is clarity to be sure. I hear some of the notes I have not heard before but they all fall flat. Those ascending chords should almost break the piano, but they limp along, tapping and skipping like an elementary school girl in a dress in a park on a sunny day. There is no brooding power. There is no force, no tone. It’s lame.
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I hit the next button a few times and get to the first movement of Moonlight (Adagio sostenuto). Rudy begins playing. I want to like it but it’s hard. The notes do not sustain. The notes are still thin. The tempo is way too fast. It’s Moonlight Hoedown, not Moonlight Sonata. Throw in a banjo, a spoon player, perhaps someone scraping on a washboard, and it would blend well. But I don’t want a hoedown now. I turn down the volume and hit the eject button. Goodbye, Rudy. I remember now why I haven’t listened to you in so long. Perhaps you played well on other recordings or other music, but not this CD, not this CD at all.
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Next up, Claudio Arrau: I put the Claudio CD in, click up to the beginning of the Appassionata for direct comparison and Read the rest of this entry »
The Ruby Suns, Toro Y Moi, U.S.F. Will Play Together Later This Week
There’s actually a concert this weekend that I’m more excited about, but this one happens on Thursday, so it comes first. 10 dolla at Chop Suey.
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I kind of ignored the first Sub Pop record (Sea Lion) from the Ruby Suns a few years back. It just seemed too sprightly and cartoonish to me. Too much over-the-top world-beat from a white guy (which was the intention, actually). I tend to be skeptical of such musical indulgences so, naturally, I took a pass. As the universe would have it, I’m unable to ignore Fight Softly, the third overall LP from the electro-trop-entranced globetrotter/daydreamer Ryan McPhun. Plus, dude’s from New Zealand, a land held special in my heart for personal reasons.
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Fight Softly is a different record than Sea Lion, though, focusing more on elastic synths, positively persistent percussion, a sky-creeping swirl of digital headspins and McPhun’s R&B-style falsetto. I know those descriptors may not distinguish the two records in the minds of some of you, but he’s essentially taken his organic formula and spun it synthetic (it reminds me of a busier, more ambitious Family or a caffeinated, wider-eyed Person Pitch). I don’t know what the live show will entail, exactly, but I expect obtuse projected visuals, a card table full of indecipherable gear and sublime beats built for either boogie or headtrip. And drumsticks, lots of drumsticks.
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Listen:
How Kids Fail / Cinco / Cranberry / Dusty Fruit
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I’m also pretty stoked to check out local duo U.S.F. (née Universal Studios Florida; they had to, uh, abbreviate their name). I don’t possess any recordings but have been visiting their myspace from time to time to clear my brain with their CGI’d tropicalia and Animal Collective-inspired electronic wanderings. South Carolina’s Toro Y Moi is on the bill and follows a similar path as the other two. Chillwave, glo-fi, hipstergogic (a corruption of ‘hypnagogic’) are some of the phrases being bandied about by music fools with blogs (the nerve!) to describe this fluid, laid back style of aural illumination and amateur beach-hypnotism. I gotta say, I’m pretty into it.
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Universal Studios Florida – New Cub from Filmed in Stereo on Vimeo.
