Seattle Subsonic - Music
Whoa. Sub Pop Scores Major Coup, Signs Shabazz Palaces
Per KEXP. (Update: And now the label itself. You can get a free 5-song sampler there.)I think this is an incredibly smart and intelligent move for both band and label. Sub Pop has always shown an ability to morph with the times (their recent world music collaboration with Jon Kertzer a good example), and teaming up with Seattle’s most innovative and intriguing hip hop act in years, if not ever, should reap benefits. We should see some exciting exposure for Butterfly and his mate, Tendai Maraire, and of course, new music. Kudos to one of the best labels around, period.
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Funny anecdote: When I was looking up on Vimeo that Jaill video I posted last night, I noticed Sub Pop also had added this Shabazz video to their profile, which I thought was weird. “Weird,” I said to myself. Now I know why. AND KNOWING’S HALF THE BATTLE. It’s old, but I never posted it, so here you go, watch it again.
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More on Shabazz Palaces from me here (.mp3s) and here (CHBP review).
FYI: New Les Savy Fav Album Streaming On Spinner
Go here. I’m just listening to it for the first time, so I can’t tell you much about it. Buuuuuut, it IS Les Savy Fav, so chances are better than average that it will be awesome. The first two songs certainly are.
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It’s called Root For Ruin, and will be out on Frenchkiss Records (that of LSF bassist Syd Butler) September 14th. I think iTunes has it now.
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Autolux Rocked Neumos Saturday
I caught Autolux at Neumos on Saturday with openers Mongrel Blood and This Will Destroy You. Mongrel Blood was up first and their set was… alright. They started out a little sloppy and… well, basically this seemed to be their style. I am not one to rag on a band or their live show, but Mongrel Blood just wasn’t my cup of tea. Here is how it goes: Mongrel Blood is Cameron Elliot, Eric Fisher, and Spencer Moody (of Murder City Devils fame). So they are just a couple of buds from Seattle out to make some messy music. And for that one and only promise they did great. They were just kinda up there making a party and having some fun. I wasn’t really feeling the feedback situation but I was feeling the guys thanking the crowd by saying “thanks for coming early to see a couple of assholes.” That was just a classic line. If you are a fan of the style of this band I would recommend you checking them out in action at the Carousel Festival on August 29.
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Next up was This Will Destroy You, and holding true to the name, they kinda did… destroy me, that is. I didn’t look into this band before rolling out to the show and I was pleasantly surprised by this Texas band’s ability to produce some stellar ambient music. It was a good mix of pretty rough rock and some super chill melodies. I liked the variety. There was not one word uttered by any of the band members until finally you hear a voice about 45 minutes into the set say that the next song would be their last. It was kind of like a no-bull situation, they were not on stage to make friends just music. They had a stellar sound and a light show that would give a small child a seizure. I was stoked on This Will Destroy You and will likely pick up some of their music.
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Then, about a half past eleven Autolux finally rolls on stage. My initial observation was that this was the smallest crowd I have yet to experience at Neumos, the whole mezzanine was closed. There was a perfect ratio of songs from both of their albums. The crowd seemed to really enjoy the songs from their first release Future Perfect more so than from their latest. It was easy to gauge this by the amount of smart phones lifted to record the earlier songs in particular. There was a lot of dead air, not so efficient instrument changes and moving around, basically just down time where the band was fussing on stage but not uttering a word to the crowd. I thought this was kind of clumsy but then remembered this is just how this band is. They have that awkward stage presence and they don’t really focus on the small talk. I really dug their set though, they did great as far as sound went. I especially appreciated when Carla Azar took to the vocals, her voice was just so enigmatic. The band finished well past the given time of 12:15 then came back on for the encore and played two more. Despite their relatively silent set, Autolux was amazing to catch live. I was glad to see this band early on in their stacked tour. They are due to be on the road roughly a month and are basically playing nightly, it looks like a rough set up.
Ha Ha Tonka’s Spectacular Show
So I roll up to the Sunset Tavern right at the start of the Grandtours set. They are already pretty much rocking it hard and I was stoked to see that this Seattle band had some amazing style to back up their sound. The Grandtours set was really amazing, the sound was awesome, it worked really well with the venue. They had some great back and forth with one another as well as the sparse crowd, I think there was a joke made about how they reached the double-digits as far as crowd numbers went. My absolute favorite was that their last song happened to be a killer cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” - blew my mind. Everything worked so well together. Mad props to this band, I checked out their scheduled events and they are playing at the High Dive on the 18th. I definitely recommend checking them out live.
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Next was Chris Mills. I liked Chris Mills, really, he seemed like a great guy that you want to be friends with. He had tons of witty banter with the crowd, talking about how much American Airlines sucked, and his song being used in the TV show Criminal Minds, and how that all goes. When he first rolled up on stage his first words were something cool like: “This is how is all started.” Great guy. It was just Chris and the drummer Gerald, and I have just one complaint about their set and that is that the drumming was just too much. There was only Chris’s guitar to match and it was usually drowned by Gerald’s fervent beating of the drums. From what I was able to catch that wasn’t drowned out by the drums was that Chris’s songs are usually about television shows or some other form of media, that is just classic. I really liked his style and felt a little bummed that I couldn’t focus on much else besides the pounding on my brain.
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Then there was Ha Ha Tonka… and oh man, they were spectacular. The energy, the mix, the vibe… no really, this band was off the chain- amazing. Everything about these guys worked so well. They would mix up the main vocals, sometimes it was Brian Roberts, sometimes it was Brett Anderson (who has the voice of an angel), sometimes it was all four with Lennon Bone getting off the drums to harmonize the situation. And no matter what you could always hear Lucas Long’s low baritone voice coming through- man if this guy could just sing me to sleep nightly, that would be stellar. Keeping true to their Southern style – Springfield, MO that is- these guys just screamed southern gentlemen. So gracious and appreciative of the crowd, Roberts kept thanking everyone- KEXP, the Sunset, the girl in the front whose birthday it was… And the energy was just mind-blowing for the band and the crowd. A regular dance hall erupted on the more upbeat numbers. The crowd and band got especially rowdy for the final song, which the band came back on and played after a particularly calm number, it was a cover of Ram Jam’s Black Betty, and it was perfect. Everyone just got crazy.
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According to Wikipedia, these guys have been playing together since roughly 2003 when they recruited Anderson. And it shows in their live show, they are perfect together, working off of one another with the harmonizing, the riffing, everything. This is definitely one of my favorite live shows thus far of 2010. I got all flustered when Roberts informed the crowd that Ha Ha Tonka would be touring with Rocky Votolato in the fall, the chances of them coming back through Seattle are high and if its true I am stoked-city, and already planning to be there. I would highly recommend catching these guys live.
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Again, my apologies- the pictures are crap, I know, the camera is crap.
Titans of Industry Thursday 8/19
| Thursday, August 19, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 pm |
I’m pretty stoked on checking out this band, Titans of Industry, on Thursday, August 19. Their sound on their latest EP, LMNO EP, suggests that they will do great things live and I am counting on that. I also am intrigued by this venue the Mars Bar/ Venus Cafe. Time to check out the sitch.
Who: Titans of Industry, w/ Electric Leaves and The Cat from Hugh
When: Thursday, 8/19 @ 9pm
Where: Mars Bar in Greenlake
How: Im not sure about the cover actually…
Titans of Industry EP
I gotta give some props to Seattle band Titans of Industry (aka Titans’ve Industry) I just checked out their latest EP, LMNO EP, and Im really digging it. They have this sound that is a perfect mesh of catchy and sophisticated.
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The EP starts out with the attention grabbing These Cold Hands, with the piano keys making you want to move. On the third track, Millionaire Station, emerges a beautifully orchestrated composition that I did not see coming, completely catching me off guard on the slow intro moving into the harmonized crooning “Fuuuuck you baaaaaby.” Which, I gotta say, was a quite enjoyable.
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So I checked into the situation, formerly called Miniature, this is the Titans of Industry third EP. And a strong EP it is. Things that I really enjoyed about it was the mixture of style. There was only four songs to enjoy on this EP and each one of them had their own flavor going, and yet I would say that each one was catchy and sophisticated. This leads me to believe that the Titans of Industry have carefully crafted their style over the past few years and have emerged with their sound, heavy on the keys, with a little pop in the step. Its good mood music for sure. Check out These Cold Hands from the EP below. Then you can roll over to Mars Bar in Eastlake on Thursday, Aug 19 to catch the Titans of Industry in action.
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These Cold Hands
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The Best Venue You Have Yet To Go To
I got the chance this past week to get a behind the scenes tour of the newly revamped Columbia City Theater. Kevin Sur, resident booker and historian, and Abbey Simmons, press relations, gave me the low-down on the Theater, where it’s been, and where it’s heading.
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“The Columbia City Theater was built in 1917 and is the oldest vaudeville theater in the state of Washington. Having played a major role in the Seattle Jazz boom in the 40′s, the theater played host to the likes of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Fats Waller.” [taken from Columbia City's website] It’s reportedly one of the first venues at which Jimmy Hendrix performed in the 1960s.
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The current owners, CB Shamah and Rob Hillman, were originally looking to open a bar. They wanted a place that could house fun and unique events. They found out the theater was for sale, and brought on Kevin Sur to take on the task of putting together one of the finest music venues in town—and he succeeded. After about five months of renovations and updates, the Columbia City Theater now hosts a beautiful stage—the type with deep red curtains and fantastic moldings that really makes you feel like you are watching a show back in the vaudeville days. The lighting in the theater is beautiful as well, using old halogen bulbs instead of L.E.D.s (which many venues use), lending a wonderful warmth to the space.
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Jim Anderson (of The Crocodile fame) was brought in to handle sound for the remodeled theater. He came in with a different, “less is more” approach, and he was able to get the best sound I have heard in Seattle. The room was built with such great acoustics that it does not take much to get optimal sound in the place. Just two main speakers and four massive subs fill your ears with the beauty of the music and nothing else.
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Kevin has put together one of the finest places for touring musicians to have a chance to play. The Theater now boasts a full bath and shower—and for anyone who has been on the road touring, there is nothing like a shower to make you feel human again. They also have two great green rooms for artists to relax in. Perfect places to kick back and forget the troubles of the road.
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One of the best things that I got a chance to see and learn was the Theater’s recording studio. Gary Mula, who used to be over at The Dutchman (which was home to many early Sub Pop bands like Mudhoney, and Soundgarden) runs the studio Sunday through Thursday, enabling the Theater to offer any musicians who play there a live recording. I had the chance to hear a few tracks from the recent Maldives show, which sounded great, since they have multi-track recording built right into the sound board. In the future, they plan to release more live recordings and even DVDs of live performances.
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With a fantastic D.I.Y approach to space and sound, the guys and girls over at the Columbia City Theater are ushering in a new era to the local music scene. If you have yet to catch a show there, they have plenty of great artists coming up. Head over to their website to find out more about upcoming shows and events.
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Big thanks to Abbey and Kevin for Showing me around!
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Three Songs in a Year, The Hannah Montana Song, Live Wire, The Length of One Song
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“I think the kick drum needs more … thud,” Doug says as we mix the last song of the three song self-recording that has been a year in the making. It can happen when a band does it all on their own. A different set of elements comes into play when not watching the track meters and the clock at the same time. And these things sometimes mean that projects draw out, they stretch from weeks to months to a year, hopefully not years. We have only three songs though. And we’re finishing the last one, a rocker called Virgil Sollozzo.
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“Virgil who?” I hear you asking. Audiences are the same way so we sometimes say it’s the Hannah Montana song because sadly, even audiences at rock clubs with beers and whiskeys in their hands and bellies know who she is. Hell, the fake title even gets applause sometimes. “This next’s one is called the Hannah Montana Song,” Katy will say. Invariably there will be a “Whoo!” and some claps and cheers.
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I dial in the tone of the kick a little more. It’s fighting with the toms and this song has a lot of toms. It’s a great live tune, gets people moving, gets the heads bobbing and the bodies bouncing. It’s a bit tricky in the mix though since we did of course layer a few extra things that we cannot do live. The bass is really coming through in the mix though, but then that’s me playing bass so I guess that’s expected since I’m doing the mix. Doug is the drummer, and he wants more kick drum. I tweak it a bit. I’d had it cut a little at 160 so I lessen the cut, the same at 400. I bring down all the other drums a couple db and then raise the master drum fader on the mix bus. I hit play again, and we listen. It works.
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“Cool,” Doug says.
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There is indeed a “thud” now. It thumps too. We raise the kick in a little more in the chorus to drive the whole thing even further, add a touch of the frantic. That works too. We’re making progress. The third song will be finished this evening. We play, stop, talk. I bump up the reverb on the snare Read the rest of this entry »
Attn: Unsigned NW Bands!
Verbicide Unsigned 2010, presented by VerbicideMagazine.com and Imprint Indie Printing is looking to name the best unsigned band and load you up with a slew of prizes.
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We know that getting the press to recognize unsigned musicians is an almost impossible task. (though bribery often helps) That’s why Verbicide Unsigned 2010 will focus on unsigned musicians, giving up-and-comers, the little guys, and the next-big-things a chance to be seen and heard as the best of the best are sorted from the rest.
Not only with the top bands receive press coverage — they’ll be receiving much more. VerbicideMagazine.com has teamed up with an array of partners to award the grand prize winner free CD manufacturing, gift certificates for music gear, and more!
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Word on the street that not one NW band has entered the contest yet, so let’s represent!, VerbicideMagazine.com is hosting an open admissions process that will give everyone an opportunity. Any unsigned musician can apply. Enter by August 27th. Fan voting will end on September 27th, and winners of the Judge’s Choice and Reader’s Choice will be announced in the following week!
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To enter, see the entry rules and guidelines here. Oh and Don’t for get the very important prize list… after the break:
Bumbershoot Music Lounge Acts filling up fast
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Amongst the hustle and bustle of Bumbershoot, there is a tiny reprive. The Music Lounge sponsored by KEXP features some of the best bands at the event nestled into intimate venues around the grounds. Below you’ll find the bands that will be featured at this year’s Bumbershoot. In order to reserve a seat you must visit the KEXP website and register, but hurry, seats are filling up fast!
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Saturday, September 4: Plants and Animals, Justin Townes Earle, The Budos Band, Visqueen, The Raveonettes
Sunday, September 5: Fences, David Bazan, Aterciopelados, Horse Feathers, Surfer Blood
Monday, September 6: Ra Ra Riot, The Moondoggies, Bomba Estéreo, The Thermals, The English Beat
Ha Ha Tonka @ Sunset 8/12
| Thursday, August 12, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 pm |
So now that I am a big fan of the very cool venue The Sunset and this band right out of Springfield, MO, Ha Ha Tonka, Im thinking this is going to be a killer show. They have been spreading their folky goodness on tour since late July. Cheeeck them ooouuuuut.
Who: Ha Ha Tonka w/ Chris Mills, and the Grandtours
Where: The Sunset Tavern
How: $8
When: Thursday, Aug 12 @ 9pm
Kendra Morris is Back and is as Souful as Ever
Once upon a time on a blog that I wrote for long ago, I introduced Seattle to a stand out young crooner from the big apple, Kendra Morris. She’s out of the closet, where she once recorded her jams and has stepped up into the big time with a new self titled collection of soulful and heart-gripping tunes. You’ll hear tinges of Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys and Erykah Badu mixed in with 60s soul; what comes out is purely and uniquely Kendra.
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One might never expect such a rich and mighty voice to emerge from Kendra Morris’ petite frame. Her potency as a singer and performer grew from a childhood immersed in music, traveling with her family to perform gospel in the prison ministries and asylums of St. Petersburg, Florida. Kendra moved to New York in 2003, making music inside a tiny closet with only a guitar and 8-track recorder, always keeping it simple – an aesthetic that continues to shape her sound. The southern influence of the soul and humidity in her voice adds a raw energy that one would attribute to a generation long lost to the internet and digital media.
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Morris’ voice is a courier to a world where story telling is the only means for passing on life’s lessons, humor, and drama. After releasing two self-produced EP’s she teamed up with seasoned producer Jeremy Page (The Cars, Ed OG, That Handsome Devil) to work on this self-titled EP. The collaboration has birthed a collage of tracks that echo the music and experiences of her childhood. Kendra’s real strength lies in combining mysticism and the strange emotions invoked by the human spirit.
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Kendra’s powerful voice has been featured on projects for MTV networks, Nair, Electro-Harmonix and an upcoming collaboration with rapper AZ. You can purchase the EP for $5 (and hear it too in its entirety) at: www.kendramorrismusic.com.
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