The Shackeltons at Bumbershoot 2008 ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Bumbershoot’s just relesed their full schedule and added a few more big name bands to the bill. As of today, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Cold War Kids will both be gracing the Mainstage on Saturday.

Even a cursory glance at the showtimes reveals some major scheduling dilemas. Notably: Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground vs. The Long Winters on Friday and Black Joe Lewis vs. Lonely Forest vs. Grand Hallway on Sunday. I’m still scratching my head over Elvis Perkins in Dearland placement on the NW Court stage, but you better believe I’ll be sitting their cross legged and enamored.

Taking a peek at the schedule certainly makes me more excited for Bumbershoot to come, so I suggest you start your planning and the difficult what-show-when debates now. Here’s the full Bumbershoot Schedule.

Cold War Kids ::: Photo by Josh

I’ll be honest. I’d pretty much written off Cold War Kids. Their latest album left me lukewarm, and their performance at Sasquatch last year also lukewarm. Since that time I’ve hardly thought about them other than to post a new video or two. Fast forward to yesterday, when the stars aligned and a photo pass was kindly arranged for me by Dagmar of BackBeat Seattle. It was the first show of a short west coast diversion from their April supporting slots with Death Cab For Cutie, where, as the headliner, the band handily proved once again that they are still one of the most compelling live bands around.

Fellow Southern Californian’s Crystal Antlers were supporting the Kids for this diversion, and color me impressed with them as well. Occasional psychedelic instrumental detours thankfully remained short and focused, while lead singer and bassist Jonny Bell had a whole lot more soul and strength to his voice than I expected. A varied and active set list kept me interested the whole time. Not really being too familiar with their material, I’ll just say that I’m now resolved to remedy that unfortunate situation.

Much of my early experience with the Cold War Kids was built around under-attended shows at the old Crocodile back in 2006, and a tiny SXSW backyard show in 2007. I was able to be up close and experience the band in a contained setting, feel the heavy bass drum thump on my chest, occasionally evade wildly swinging guitar necks at the edge of the stage, and feel the exhilaration of cowering under the direct stare-down of bassist Matt Maust. A Cold War Kids show wasn’t simply about going and watching and listening, it was about catharsis.

Needless to say, a main-stage set at the Gorge makes that sort of intimate and affecting experience difficult, and I felt disappointed for all of the people who from now on weren’t going to be able to have that chance since the band was growing out of smaller clubs and into arenas. In the confines of a venue such as the Showbox though, with frontman Nathan Willet’s son-of-a-preacher-man voice thick and booming in the mix, and guitarist Johnny Russell’s hollow-body tone echoing off of the walls, this is where this dynamic band can shine the best I think.

The Kids per usual said little, but not per usual, seemed visibly happy to be up there. Most likely contributing directly to that was a horde of devoted all-agers who sang practically the entirety “Hospital Beds” for Willett. (In addition they made my taking a picture a little bit more difficult by effectively shutting me out of the front row. And I got there 20 minutes before Crystal Antlers even started. Sheesh.) The newer songs were more affecting live and in a room instead of at the Gorge; the details that were lost to me in the wind last time, re-lit the spark of interest in the band in me this time. I wasn’t even sad that they hardly played any old songs the newest songs sounded that good.

After another headlining gig at the Doug Fir tonight (already sold out), the Cold War Kids are back on tour through the rest of April with Death Cab again starting tomorrow in Spokane at Gonzaga University.

Cold War Kids ::: Photo by Josh

Cold War Kids ::: Photo by Josh

Crystal Antlers ::: Photo by Josh

The Cold War Kids have just posted their latest video for the song “I’ve Seen Enough.” And as I suspected, they are continuing with the black and white aesthetic.

As Noah mentioned earlier, the Cold War Kids are coming to the Showbox at the Market on April 22, with the Crystal Antlers.

You know, I’m pretty sure that I’m coming in almost dead last on recognizing just how amazing Crystal Antlers are.  I’ve been doing a bit of research on this ball of psych-noise-guitar-riffing madness and have found more information about an upcoming full length, than the EP I’m dredging this track from.  Nonetheless, my good friend Whiskey Pete played this for me a few drunken weekends a go, and I actually believe the left side of my brain melted a bit.  Since hearing this track, it’s been difficult for me to throw with my left hand, my left eye has been wetly blinking, and words starting with ‘z’ and ‘q’ are slurred and drooly.

Crystal Antlers I blame you.

What I’m try to get at here is that this song is a mind fuck.  A blast of concentrated distortion fueled psychedelia that will leave you slack jawed, pawing blindly in the searing brightness of rock and roll.

Crystal Antlers are coming to Seattle, soon, but sadly as an opening act for careening dick smacks Cold War Kids.  This does not make me happy.

Crystal Antlers - Until The Sun Dies (Part 2)

Crystal Antlers on Myspace

I’m going to start this out with my truthful, and completely SOTS-opposed opinion of the new Cold War Kids album: it’s really, really disappointing.  I’ve been badgered by friends, co-workers, people on the street, a child in a movie theatre, two elderly folks damn accurate with their pointy canes about “giving it another listen” and “not being such a pretentious asshole” and I have and I’m trying.  But here’s the thing: it’s still a really disappointing album.  Where Robbers & Cowards moved and pulsed and wrapped itself around Nathan Willett’s nasal-whine, Loyalty to Loyalty alienates it, surrounding it with slow off-beat progressions that at most expose the limited aspect of his vocal range.  I found this album to be grating, almost off-putting on first listen, and now, many many many listens later, I feel the same.  Hate me if you will, but that’s my honest truth.

That said, the first five track off this album are good, if not great tracks, with the highlight being the single “Something Is Not Right With Me”.  A solid, repetition based Cold War Kids album that introduces a new sound to their, limited repertoire - disco bass.  You heard me, mix Cold War Kids with a late-70s era ass-moving disco explosion and, surprisingly, it works, like a charm.  It actually makes me interested to hear what an album of electronic-based instrumentation would sound like with Willett’s distinctive whine over it.  Nonetheless, I’m disappointed in the album, because I loved the first one so much, and this, in comparison is nearly the definition of sophomore slump.

Enjoy this track though, it’ll shake your ass, hard.

Cold War Kids - Something Is Not Right With Me

Cold War Kids at Sasquatch ::: Photo by Josh

“Something is Not Right With Me” is the first video featuring a song from the forthcoming Cold War Kids LP Loyalty To Loyalty due out September 23, and you can watch it below. The video itself is in the typical black-and-white style that is their preference, and simply features scenes of the band recording and practicing and goofing around while wearing ties. We even get a shot of bassist Matt Maust doing a bit of silk-screening as he is known to do from time to time. I’ll fully admit that I didn’t get this song the first time I heard it at Sasquatch, but pumping the audio into my headphones has changed my mind about it. Through Johnny’s guitar and Willet’s voice the the song’s title is made manifest, and for the entirety of it’s short 2 minute lifespan it seems to exist at the edge of breakdown.

The Cold War Kids are rolling through the Showbox at the Market later this month on the 29th. For those of us die-hards like me who can’t make that showtime, at 6pm earlier that same night, they’ll be doing a free in-store at Easy Street Records. I will definitely be there.

Devendra Banhart makes a video for the song “Carmensita” with his GF Natalie Portman. Strange. (See above.)

The Blakes visited Daytrotter.

Cold War Kids debut a single on their myspace. “Something Is Not Right With Me” will appear on this foursome’s forthcoming second LP Loyalty to Loyalty, set to arrive September 23.

Speed of Dark interviews Josh Tillman, now drummer for Fleet Foxes. In the interview we learn that his next album, Vacilando Territory Blues, is set for release in Europe early next year but has no US release date, and he already has a batch of songs for another album titled Lady, Be Still.

The fork giveth, and the fork taketh away. And they aren’t apologetic for what they do. Usually. Until now. OUCH.

Cold War Kids at Sasquatch 2008 ::: Photo by Josh

Back in 2006 when these ‘Kids’ were getting their fair share of internet and KEXP love they stopped by Seattle a couple of times. They were scheduled to hit the Paramount as openers for the White Stripes late last year, but that tour was canceled by the Stripes, and we’ve been left wanting ever since (not counting this year’s stellar Sasquatch set). Today, the Paramount announce their date from the as yet unnanounced upcoming tour, and lucky us, Showbox is a stop.

Here are the important details:

COLD WAR KIDS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
9:00pm | General Admission | All Ages
SHOWBOX AT THE MARKET
Tickets available at Ticketmaster Noon on June 27. $17.

My thoughts on the cover song:

1. Don’t do it unless your going to knock it out of the fucking park. An okay cover of a great song is equivalent to a shitty song.

2. Don’t do it unless you’ve derived an interesting take on the material. You’re not Etta James and you most likely don’t sound like her, so you better best be turning “At Last” upside down, or not turning it at all.

Simple rules, yet many fail to follow them. Luckily for us, Florence and The Machine, on their new single from IAMSOUND have followed them to a tee. British-lass Florence has a powerful voice, and when it’s applied to the Cold War Kids’ “Hospital Beds”, a new creature is birthed. The trembles and shakes and explosions of her vocal range placed ever so lightly over the lightest of guitar strums and back-up vocals, sand-blasted the presence of the original from my slighty-soggy brain pan. For the moment, I’m calling Florence and The Machine’s version of “Hospital Beds” the definitive version.

No download today, but you can purchase the 2-song single from IAMSOUND’s website for less than a ten-spot.

LISTEN: Florence and The Machine - “Hospital Beds” (Cold War Kids Cover)

Myspace: Florence and The Machine

Sunday ended up being my favorite day of the festival. Not unexpectedly, the bands that we hyped did well. And another band who we were thinking and hoping might steal the show did.

We started the day early, making the veteran move by going to the short ticket line and promptly being let through. So we were in before the first act, Seattle band Awesome on the mainstage. The first thing I thought to myself was “Finally! A stage that the entire band will fit on!” They joked R.E.M. were actually the ones opening for them, albeit with a 13 hour interlude.

A local band I’ve been bumping for the past month or so on my iPod and have been ready to see is the Maldives. As we walked up to the Yeti Stage it was obvious we made the right decision in coming up. Vintage sounding folk-rock at its finest. Not long after them Truckasaurus emerged and stirred up the Yeti Stage field with a generous dollop of dance.

J Tillman was the winner of most sets played at Sasquatch this year, clocking in at three, one solo, and two as the new drummer of Fleet Foxes. For his solo set to a lounging crowd in the Yeti field, he told us he realized it was “a tall order” hanging out there instead of being at Blue Scholars, who’s beats occasionally overwhelmed Tillman’s sparse strums. Tillman still managed to deliver a set of his best though, powering through the occasional swell of sound from the mainstage whilst remaining the consummate quiet performer.

As suspected Cold War Kids broke out no less than five new songs, starting the set with “Avalanche” and naming a few other new cuts as “Mexican Dogs” and “Every Man I Fall For”. Perennial favorites “Hospital Beds” and “We Used to Vacation” also made an appearance.

The set of the day though had to be Death Cab’s sunset entrance on the mainstage as they opened for the Cure. Ben Gibbard, garbed all in tight black remarked “I wear black tonight for two reasons. I wear black because of the way I feel on the inside. And I’m wearing black because I’m so effing psyched to see the Cure tonight!” Yes he really said that. They engineered a pretty rockin’ set that included many new numbers, but also a few of the fan favorites like “Sound of Settling” and “I Will Follow You Into the Dark.” No more “405″ kids, sorry. My personal pick of the night though was a pretty rad rendition of “We Laugh Indoors.” These guys have really grown into the arena rock mold. I am genuinely happy for their success.

While Ben might have been super excited for the Cure, I was interested but mostly just indifferent. Indifference seemed to be the word of the day for the Cure too as they simply were bored and boring. They had pristine guitar tone and played the music well. They just seemed uninterested and like they didn’t want to there. And as a result I just wasn’t very moved. The light show was cool I guess. But that was about it. Blue Scholars or M.I.A. should have headlined instead. I heard they both killed it.

Death Cab For Cutie ::: Photo by Josh

Flickr: Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge, Saturday May 25, 2008