Author Archive
A Short & Sweet Post for Spoon
You can listen to Spoon’s latest — Transference streaming on NPR. It’s going to be released on January 19th so it’s a special sneak peek.
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See, what did I tell you, short & sweet.
Pavement to Play Sasquatch
Pavement will make it to the NW after all. They’ll be the headliners of the Sasquatch Festival next Memorial Day weekend (MAY 29th-31st). Looks like I’ll have to reschedule my Chicago trip! Discounted 3-day passes went on sale this past Saturday and no other acts have been announced.
DJ Throatslice is Back to Bring Out Your Inner Zombie
Leaves are changing, the weather has gone from 80-something one day to high 50s the next, the gray has set in and so has the rain. October is full bloom in Seattle and Halloween is a mere 15 days away. I wonder how many versions of the late, great Michael Jackson we’ll see this year? Thriller Michael, Billie Jean Michael, Alien Michael. Just so many to choose from! And… Halloween does fall on a Saturday this year, perfection for a spook-a-rific rager.
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To get your Halloween dance party started, DJ Throatslice is back with another ghastly endeavor with Flesh Eating Freaks. Flesh Eating Freaks is a culmination of spooky sound effects and techno beats married with cinematic elements and prankster “gotcha” moments. It’s an entertaining listening experience that will not only bring back those childhood memories of goofiness and cheap thrills but will get your inner zombie twitching like M.J. on the dance floor.
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Paralyzed by Fear, Maggot Smile and Back to Hell! are just some of the titles you’ll find if you’re in a mood for a little terror. And with any great Halloween album, Flesh Eating Freaks has no shortage of screeching cats, howling wind, screaming damsels in distress, and ghoulish laughter and taunting.
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Born from the fetid bowels of Detroit, Boston, and Portland, Maine, DJ Throatslice came onto the scene at the start of the millennium and has been kicking corpses ever since. With beat-driven horror songs and Halloween-flavored tunes, the only question he asks is “why aren’t you playing this music at Halloween parties?” Looking to fill homes with fear and dread, DJ Throatslice turns out yearly Halloween mini-albums and proper recordings for your listening dread.
Visqueen at the REVERB Festival This Weekend
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.
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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
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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. See you there.
Telekinesis! Making the Rounds
Jeez… Where has the year gone? I walked past Bartell’s downtown and the jack-o-lanterns and skeletons dressed up in pirate garb were on display (not to mention the fun-sized candy has shown up in the office). And when the Halloween stuff comes out of the closet, my mind automatically jumps to “it’s almost Christmas” and when I get to the Christmas thought, I automatically start thinking about the next year <insert impending stress here>. I know, I know, I really should just take one day at a time and concentrate on the present but I already started to think about my top music picks for 2009. However, do I have any? Well, yes, I have one for sure and that’s Seattle band Telekinesis! but what else, hmmmm… I got nothing, I think. I really struggled so far this year finding anything that really struck my chord as awesome. Good news is I have 3 months left so, come on music, wow me!
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At any rate, I digress, this post is about Telekinesis! who has been making their rounds and is now off on a European tour. The multi-instrumental-talented Michael Benjamin Lerner (the heart and soul of Telekinesis) earlier this week played on NPRs All Songs Considered: Tiny Desk Concert. It’s really quite picture perfect and makes me wish I was there sitting at the tiny desk with them.
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However since I wasn’t invited, I’ll have to fondly hold onto my memories of catching them at Bumbershoot a couple of weeks ago. I signed up for KEXP’s secret show and if you haven’t been to one (KEXP’s secret show) before, I highly recommend it. We got there somewhat early and were able to sit in the front row. KEXP’s set up was pretty much what any concert go-er would ask for. Not only was Telekinesis! up close and personal but the band played a super tight show and the sound was right on. A friend of mine who has not only been in several Seattle bands but also composes music for video games said the drum sound (MBL was on drums) from that show was so good that it felt like we were actually on stage, in the band. All day we kept saying that Bumbershoot would be downhill after the 1pm show with Telekinesis! because nothing could really top what we got to be a part of –and we were right.
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So if you haven’t made Telekinesis! part of your album collection yet, you should. In my humble opinion, it’s one of the best of the year. And with just 3 months left of 2009, I’m really hoping there will be more than just one band on my list! I’m sure I’ll be able to dig up a few more by the end of the year. Dan Auerbach’s was released this year, right?
Pavement is coming to a town near you!
Yes, you heard me right! This news is really one of my dreams come true! After years of speculation, the 1990s indie darlings, Pavement, will be returning to the stage with the lineup of Mark Ibold, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus (the man with the dreamiest hair ever) , Bob Nastanovich and Steve West reuniting for dates around the world in 2010.
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The first confirmed show will be September 21, 2010 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. According to Matador “Things worked out really well when Diana Ross played Central Park in 1983, and we have no reason to suspect Pavement’s return to the live arena won’t generate similar headlines.”. Still waiting to hear about when they’ll be in Seattle so stay tuned but if you’re interested in the New York show, a pre-sale begins tomorrow at 10AM EDT – password is “Zowee”.
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Matador also emphasized that the tour is not a “prelude to additional jaunts nor a permanent reunion” so don’t get your undies in a bunch thinking this is a forever thing or that they’ll be recording new tracks. They will however be releasing a greatest hits compilation to support the tour. Hey, we’ll take anything we can get, right? B/c lemme tell you, I’m tired of seeing Steven Malkmus and people yelling out in the crowd to play Pavement songs when it’s the Jicks on stage.
The New Crocodile: Hot or Not?
I was so excited for last Friday night. A party with full spread and open bar near Madison Park for the first half of the evening and then off to the CD release party for Telekinesis for the second half at the Crocodile. My friends and I figured that we would stay at the party until 10ish then head on downtown to catch Telekinesis at 10:45 as they were the third act. Sounds logical, right? Third act 10:45ish, fourth act on by midnight? Well to our dismay that was not the case. When we got there, at 10:50 – Telekinesis was breaking down their stuff and the next band Throw Me the Statue was setting up for their set. Talk about major disappointment. What the hell? Do we live in Florida or something, home of the early bird special? The next disappointment was the new Crocodile. The minimalist interior hit a sore spot that made me miss what brought me to Seattle in the first place.
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I very much consider myself an old school Seattle fan. The reason I moved here from the Midwest, away from family and friends mind you, was largely due to its character and quirkiness accompanied with the lush greenery and majestic beauty. 15 years later, where did all the character and quirkiness go? Well, I’ll tell you… down the toilet. So long to so many great places that oozed colorfulness, mind you dirty coloful, yet they had soul like the Frontier Room, the original Moe’s, Sit ‘n Spin pre-band room where beer wasn’t yet on tap, Eileen’s, and of course, the Crocodile. But this post isn’t supposed to be a big boohoo about missing the old Seattle. There are still things I love like being able to have a citified life while living in a house with a yard. But now, with the new Crocodile, just hammer a new nail in the proverbial quirkified coffin. Yes, there are new owners with new style. Sure, the dreaded blocking weight bearing beam is gone but so is the character too. And I’ll insert a nod to the musicphiles out there, who love the sound guy and the sound system however it’s just another drone-like sterile establishment on the beaten path of Belltown. Maybe I’m jaded b/c I’m just not a Belltown fan. And I like places to have soul to them however I felt like I was in a small warehouse with stage and bar and that’s about it. A room to see music with nothing else to stimulate the senses. I realize it’s all new and everything and I’ll give it the benefit of doubt–maybe the interior decorator hasn’t finished yet but I’m one who likes my music with more than just a dash of atmosphere. And that’s something the Crocodile lacks. Like I said, maybe they’re still working on it however first impressions mean a lot and I wasn’t impressed. Perhaps I’ll make it back again to see a band I LOVE, note the all caps, but as for a place where I’d like to hang out to go check out a new-to-me local band, I’ll just mosey on up to the Comet where I’ll get my music fix on with the good ol’ dingy ambiance of dollar bills stuck to the ceiling circa 1985. Or maybe Neumo’s . Or the Sunset. And I like the Showbox (ahem, “Market”) for what it’s worth.
From the Coast of Carolina to Tokyo with Telekinesis
I love indie pop music. There’s just something about it that catches my ear each time those sugary poppy hooks stream on the air. It gives me the same feeling that warm sunny days and margaritas do–makes me happy and all warm & fuzzy. That’s pretty much how I felt when I first heard Coast of Carolina last fall by Seattle’s Telekinesis. I liked it so much that I went straight to KEXP’s website to see who was playing which I rarely do. Next stop—the band’s myspace page discovering that actually it’s not a band, but just one guy, where I promptly emailed him asking if I could write about his album. However to my dismay, it wasn’t ready at the time. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I found out that Telekinesis’ new LP, Telekinesis! is ready to be released…today.
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Coast of Carolina.
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Telekinesis is the project of Michael Benjamin Lerner who recorded his latest with Chris Walla (of Death Cab for Cutie fame) touting the role of producer and engineer. Michael wrote and sang all of the songs constructed of vintage pop hooks of the 60s and 70s blended with indie flair. Each of the songs were tracked and mixed to analog tape in a single day before moving on to the next song in order to avoid over-thinking or over-working the spontaneous enthusiasm of the music. And, not only is Lerner the talented frontman, but he played nearly all of the instruments on the album. While he’s out touring with Ra Ra Riot though, he won’t be solo but with a full band of Seattlites backing him up.
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Telekinesis! is filled with 11 quintessential pop tunes, 3 of which have already hit the KEXP airwaves: Awkward Kisser, Tokyo, and Coast of Carolina (the latter getting the heaviest rotation). With the opening song Rust about a rusty heart that’s afraid to love, it’s easy to set yourself up for a more dreamy melancholic experience however that feeling soon dissipates once the sunny, catchy Coast of Carolina comes to play. As the songs progress, so does the fearlessness and intensity of the music with Tokyo, an homage to Lerner’s love for Japan, Look to the East, All of a Sudden and Foreign Room which eases in gently then peaks with power pop force. Telekinesis! wraps up as it started, on the softer side but with not so much of the melancholy. I Saw Lightening is a sweet melodic love song which makes you think that maybe that rusty heart got a jolt, or possibly some oil, to make it not so afraid after all.
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Lerner and crew will be in town on April 17th with the Banyans, Say Hi and Throw Me the Statue for their CD release party at the Crocodile. So if you like what you hear here, be sure to go check them out next week.
Be Patient! You’ll Get Your Derby Fix Real Soon
First of all, excuse me while I brush the cobwebs off of my keyboard …dfjdkf;e934’sf#%$…. ok, all clear. So I got a shout out from one of our favorite Portland pop trios, Derby, mentioning that they’ll be in town on April 18th at the Comet if you’re needing a little indie pop music fix. I’m sure they’ll be playing our favorites from last year’s release Posters Fade and some new stuff too.
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In addition to Derby News, they’ve also launched a brand new blog chockfull of videos, photos of their smiling faces, demos, upcoming shows, band news and so much more. Be sure to check it out and/or check them out on the 18th at the Comet.
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DJ Throatslice Brings the CREEP to Your Halloween
I’m officially stating for the record, Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. I love October with the change in weather, Autumn colors, pumpkin carving, mini candy bars, dressing up, and oh did I mention… it’s my birthday just a few days before Halloween? I grew up having the best birthday parties ever–many thanks to my mom. Often she’d turn me and my slumber party guests out to terrorize the neighborhood with rolls of toilet paper to throw up in the trees if my birthday fell on Devil’s Night. She’d dare us to stick our hand in the box of horrors which included brains (raw ground beef), eyeballs (peeled grapes) and worms (cooked spaghetti with soap). She’d then tuck us into our sleeping bags and put Monster Mash: Sounds of Terror on the record player to fall asleep to. Anyone ever try to fall asleep to a person buried alive trying to claw his way out of the coffin? I don’t think so.
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With all things scary and halloween-like ingrained in my soul, I was the instigator many times in conducting séances, calling out to Bloody Mary in the mirror, asking the Ouija board if Chris Hueter liked me (which I still have today, the Ouija Board, not the crush) and making it my mission in life (as a nine year old) to create the scariest recording on tape–ever. This included me and my friends taking my “old school” tape player (product of the 70s) into the basement and recording ourselves screaming, moaning like ghosts, rattling chains–you know, concocting all sorts of things that go bump in the night. What I would do to get my hands on one of those tapes just to listen to today! Well little did I know, just a few miles away from me lived a young boy in Beverly Hills, Michigan who had the same fascination as me. He loved Halloween from an early age and listened to many sound effects cassettes and records (like Walt Disney’s Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House and Ride Of The Headless Horseman) in his bedroom every October imagining scary graveyards and eerie haunted houses. While my mission was long forgotten after my tape player was sold at a garage sale, his persevered. He grew up to be DJ Throatslice. And for 2008, he’s created It Creeps!, a Halloween mix that offers up chills to the trick-or-treaters, dance grooves to Halloween party goers and a fiendish companion for your dark side when you’re alone and vulnerable (insert Vincent Price’s evil laugh here).
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It Creeps! leads you into the dark side with the Blood Skull Trance. With its Twilight Zone feel, it sets up the mood and tone for the entire bewitching compilation. Burning Witches, the next track, has the creepiest computerized voice ever. When I listened to it via headphones for the first time, it literally gave me goose bumps. Next up, DJ Throatslice maneuvers out of the ominous with C.R.E.E.P.S, a techno tinged mix with electronic gurgles and screams as added ingredients, then on to Devil’s Night Dub with its gritty drum and bass hooks. And that’s just the beginning. It Creeps! is a classic Halloween album with both light and dark sides to the music. Some tracks are more serious like 666% and Burning Witches which have themes dealing with satanic serial killers and burning witches at the stake, while other tracks like It Came From The Portal and Surrounded by Werewolves are more of a tribute to the old ghoulish Disney and Pickwick Record’s Halloween classics with their spooky music and sound effects.
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Surrounded by Werewolves
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DJ Throatslice perfects the Halloween sound compared to much of the low-quality and cheap sound effects out there. What he adds is a gritty soul and beat to the music that makes it highly versatile so it’s fun to listen to and adds the ambiance needed to create the perfect spooky setting without the hokiness. So get on it, check out It Creeps! or his 2008 Halloween EP for yourself. There’s only 15 more shopping days until Halloween, the most fabulous holiday of the year.
Does It Offend You, Yeah? Dance Party, Please.
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A couple of months back Kevin, our blog maestro, shared some tracks from a little band from Reading, England: Does It Offend You, Yeah? Being a slow summer for me music wise, my ears took immediate attention–this is just what I’ve been looking for. A mix of electro-rock, dance party and 80s new wave, their first full length You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into was an album one could say had ADD but in a very good way. One minute, it will getcha thinking B-52s (Attack of the 60 ft Lesbian Octopus). Next minute, 80s style new wave: Dawn of the Dead (clip below) and Being Bad Feels Pretty Good. Another minute LCD Soundsystem with We are Rockstars. Now who doesn’t love cowbell? And then there’s With a Heavy Heart ala Rage Against the Machine.
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So when Seattle Subsonic was offered up the chance to go check them out at Chop Suey last Wednesday I was totally up for it as DIOY,Y? was the most played album in my iTunes library all summer long. Plus, I was especially ready for another dance party after seeing !!! at Bumbershoot and knew DIOY,Y? had the potential to produce.
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When I showed up at Chop Suey around 9 pm, I was a little worried. The crowd was pretty dismal and the energy level was low. I started to think, damn, there goes the dance party I was looking forward too. Meanwhile, the first band took the stage, a punk outfit out of NYC named Team Robespierre. That’s when people slowly crowded around the stage and energy levels started to rise. During their set more and more people began to trickle into the club just in time to for DIOY,Y?. At that moment, Kevin, who was also in attendance, said to me, “You may get your dance party yet!”
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We made our way over to the stage to set up camp. The band went on shortly after 10 opening with electro-infused Weird Science. Instrumentals were tight living true to form as if streaming seamlessly from the stereo. I turned around to check out the crowd and was happy to see that it numbered in many. And after their first song was up, as if reading my mind, James Rushent (vocal/bass), asked thru the microphone to “dim the lights, we want a dance party.” Yay! The set went on and the dance party ensued with DIOY,Y? playing every inch of You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into however somewhere towards the middle, my right eardrum decided to give out to the loudness. Ouch!
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Featured as song of the day on KEXP:
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We are Rockstars
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The best songs of the night were the instrumentals and the OMD like 80s prom songs (as I like to call them) straight out of Pretty in Pink. I was also surprised that many on the floor knew the words to their songs. Very impressive considering I haven’t heard them played once on KEXP. What was missing was the raucousness that I’ve heard much about “they sound dance and act rock” but I really only chalk that up to the fact that they were completely sober as mentioned a couple of times by lead singer James Rushent. Was it b/c Chop Suey doesn’t allow alcohol on stage? Or they just didn’t get a chance to drink beforehand? Either way, these guys are from England for crying out loud, give the boys some beer. All in all, a fun night. Seeing them live was the sticky tape that brought the songs together into a cohesive genre crossing package. Oh, and if you happen to find my eardrum on the floor of Chop Suey, please let me know. Just drop me a line over at Seattle Subsonic headquarters.
Telepathique Electronifies at the Paragon
Friday night after $1 PBRs at the Nitelite, I found myself stumbling into the Paragon to see Brazilian electro-pop trio (usually duo) Telepathique. The Paragon you may be wondering, well I was wondering too. I pretty much associate the crowd at the Paragon as where the Belltown scene was born. Guys with stripey shirts (why???) and girls with halters were there galore. However mixed in was a handful of the hipster persuasion, all in slight denial that they were actually hanging out at the Paragon.
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Not really conducive for any type of rock show to take center stage, Telepathique came out around 10 or so and crammed themselves into a corner of the packed Paragon with their computer gear, turntables and drum kit. As soon as the beats sounded, the belltown-like scenesters made their way to the back of the bar and the hipsters crowded around giving their full attention to the band. Telepathique, from Sao Paolo, Brasil, is normally just 2: Mylene with her sort of a disheveled Courtney Love meets Belinda Carlisle appearance on vocals and Erico Theobaldo, manning the drums, turntable and programming. Plus in attendance on Saturday was another Brazilian guy playing the guitar.
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Telepathique put on a pretty good show, one that would make many (even a Seattlite) get out to the dance floor with their mix of electro-pop, rock, and baile funk. You know, I’m beginning to love more and more the integration and blending of electronica into different genres of music (especially after seeing The Helio Sequence in July) . And I’m starting to figure out that the key to great live electro-<insert your genre here> is to create a seamless sound where computer beats mesh perfectly with the live instruments. This would be one of the critiques out of this past Friday’s show – when Erico kicked it on the drums, it distracted from the overall sound. Also, the vocals were sort of drowned out. But this could have been a problem with the venue too. Overall I’m glad I caught their act. Aside from the sound problems—they were there to please and have fun. Their attitude was infectious, well with the hipsters anyway.
