Blog Archives

June 10, 2012

“I will try and know whatever I try, I will be gone but not forever”

by

Tags
Pickwick Cataldo
20120605-dsc_0068

Cumulus ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The real truth about it is no one gets it right The real truth about it is we’re all supposed to try

- “Farewell Transmission”

For those who gathered on stage and off Tuesday night at The Barboza to honor the contributions that Jason Molina has made to all of our lives, the feeling in the room was distinctly different from nearly every benefit show I’ve attended. Those that I spoke with almost all had a personal story to relate about what Molina’s music meant to them, or having met the man himself in past years. He and his bands have provided inspiration for so many, and for many others at a critical time in our lives his songs were an indication that we were not alone in our deepest of miseries.

I walked in on Bellingham’s Keaton Collective tearing through a set of Magnolia Electric Company jams, the three electric guitars ably matching the density of the original songs. Someone remarked that the covers up to this point had been pretty straight. I responded that though that might be so, and as much as we’re drawn to his lyrical output, for over a decade Molina has been also cultivating a muscular guitar-driven aesthetic that at least to my mind wasn’t simply a retread of the previous three decades. That the Keaton Collective were reverently flexing their own muscles in this way felt right. As the night went on though, bands who weren’t equipped with all those axes began taking more liberties to customize their covers while still meeting the substance of the songs head on.

Prior to Cataldo’s set, benefit organizer Mark Baumgarten related that he’d received a call the day before, and that none other than Molina himself was on the end of the line wanting to send his appreciation for everyone’s concern and efforts. Then the reading of a message of assurance and thanks that Molina had later posted to Facebook marked a public acknowledgement of our concern that amounted to a strange moment of triumph and a lifting of the spirits in the room that I’ve never experienced at a benefit show like this. I think everyone just wanted to know Jason was okay, and now we do.

The generally acoustic Cataldo appropriately seized the energy of the moment, lead singer Eric Anderson at times bouncing around on stage and singing with more grit than we ever see from his mellow acoustic pop outfit. Their chosen four songs represented a batch of what I think are some of Molina’s most iconic in both sound and state of mind. The opening duo of “The Dark Don’t Hide It” into “Doing Something Wrong” are two of my all-time favorites, and when sung by Anderson it seemed like they could’ve been written by him and come from the same cycle of songs as his most recent record Prison Boxing (Sound on the Sound’s #4 Best Northwest Record of 2011). Closing with “Farewell Transmission” Cataldo delivered the song of the night, in that moment fully transforming from a subtle pop band into psych experimentalists.

Headliner Pickwick’s two songs were both deep cuts they’d reworked, and by their treatment you’d never know they were a soul band. Still present was the dark cloud, but they’d taken liberties and were going full on psych, a lot like they did for a Damien Jurado cover earlier this year. Their first song saw almost the entire band in a percussion role and getting weird, working on a throbbing rhythm with wood block and cowbell for the entire length. After telling a nice story about how Molina’s music brought this band closer together, the night’s closer of “Pyramid Electric Company” saw the six going on a full on acid trip (see the video of the story and the song below) channeling something like a Fear of Music era David Byrne and Co doing “Memories Can’t Wait.” They keep warning me that their new record won’t be quite like what anyone expects. Their approach to this song is the strongest indicator of that impending change yet.

A huge thanks goes to Mark Baumgarten for making this happen. It was a night for the ages. A full setlist of songs is below the fold.

 

 

20120605-dsc_0073

Cumulus ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

20120605-dsc_0078

Mark Baumgarten reads a message from Jason Molina himself ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

20120605-dsc_0090

Cataldo ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

20120605-dsc_0098

Jason Dodson ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

20120605-dsc_0104

Ben Fisher ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

20120605-dsc_0105

Cumulus and Ben Fisher ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

20120605-dsc_0116

Pickwick ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

20120605-dsc_0126

Pickwick ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

(more…)

June 4, 2012

In Tribute to Jason Molina this Tuesday at Barboza

by

Tags
Pickwick Cataldo
molinabenefit

 

Under what I wish were better circumstances a group of Seattle musicians is doing what they can to help a fellow songwriter by singing his songs. Known as Songs:Ohia, Magnolia Electric Company, Pyramid Electric Company or simply as Jason Molina, since 1997 with the support of Secretly Canadian Molina’s been pursuing his own vision of American music, often working with Steve Albini and sometimes releasing multiple records in a year. A few years back his band Magnolia Electric Co. lost it’s bassist to a house fire, and following a tour in his honor this previously prolific figure essentially wasn’t heard from since. In the time that’s past folks have learned of Molina retreating from view to recover his own well-being.

As a close follower of his music, it’s certainly no surprise to me that Molina is no stranger to struggle. Songs:Ohia and his voice therein is a document of tortured soul, one searching for meaning among pain. As I explored my own internal turmoil along with him over the course of years, I learned many of these songs myself singing alone in my bedroom, and as a result to this day I probably know more Jason Molina songs on guitar than any other single artist. If I still feel his songs deeply in my bones, I rarely ever play those songs with the fervor I used to. Though that time of struggle is largely past for me, it’s not yet for Molina himself.

Hearing of Molina’s situation local music scholar and scribe Mark Baumgarten (seen his Song Show or his new K Records History?) gathered local musicians with a similar reverence and this Tuesday June 5th at Barboza are saluting Molina’s career and sending all proceeds to his medical fund. We’re pleased to see a bevy of familiar faces among the lineup including Pickwick and Cataldo.

Tickets are $8 ahead of time online, or $10 at the door.

March 6, 2012

Win Tickets to Vetiver, Listen to the New Cumulus Single

by

Vetiver

Vetiver at Sasquatch 2010 ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Sub Pop’s many tentacles intertwine endlessly. Currently with Sub Pop, Vetiver’s Daniel Hindman recently contributed electric guitar to former Sub Pop artist Damien Jurado on his latest record Maraqopa. Gold Leaves is the project Grant Olsen, formerly of Sub Pop project Arthur and Yu. Now on Sub Pop imprint Hardly Art, Gold Leaves played the Seattle record release show for Maraqopa. Next weekend Gold Leaves is also opening Vetiver’s Seattle’s show happening Saturday March 17th. After spending a few days with Vetiver, Gold Leaves will do some dates with Sub Pop’s Fruit Bats in April.

Leading up to the next weekend’s show the first opener Cumulus has just released her own online single with a full band version of her song “Little Ghost,” previously recorded as the first song from her Cumulus EP on her own, it still retains it’s hushed lullaby qualites:



If you want to snag yourself a pair of tickets to this show courtesy of us, drop your name and a real email address in the comments and we’ll choose a random winner 12 Noon this Friday March 9th.

Get your tickets to the show ahead of March 17th via BrownPaperTickets for $10. This is a show your going to want to get there for all three bands.

December 21, 2011

Our Favorite Photos of 2011: Cumulus

by

cumulusheart

Cumulus ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

One of our favorite finds of 2011, even if she had nothing new out this year was Cumulus. We spent many foggy morning with her bedroom EPs, endeared by her sweet lyrics and impressed with her catchy hooks. Now backed by a full band of some serious heavy hitters, Cumulus’ puts on some of the most polished indie pop shows in Seattle. When I first saw her live I exclaimed to one of her bandmates that Alex was “2011 Seattle’s answer to Lisa Loeb,” which by the horrified look on his face, he took as an insult. But I meant it wholly as a compliment. Cumulus’ songs are whip smart, a little sad and insidiously charming … and could I imagine her wandering around an empty loft singing a song I’ll still know all the words to in 20 years? Absolutely.

We love this photo of Cumulus too. Sure, technically it is nothing special, it’s not perfectly framed, the pink light is out of control … but the moment is just right, the emotion that Alex felt in her chest and that I felt in mine, captured.

Cumulus is opening for Gold Leaves (who IS responsible for one of our favorite records of 2011) at The Tractor Tavern, January 14th.

September 13, 2011

Win Tickets to See “Jacket Summer,” Brother Bear and Cumulus

by

Tags
Columbia City Theater Sound on the Sound Presents

 

 

With one last lovely Seattle summer week behind us, it seems we are destined to don our jackets again till next July. Which is just fine with our headliner this Friday and the progenitor of the term, “Jacket Summer.” Known better by his own name, this iconic local songwriter is changing things up this Friday, playing with a full band and showing a side of himself and his new record that none of us have seen yet and we may never see again. Despite a label and decade spanning career, we think he’s writing the best songs of his life right now and we are so excited he’s agreed to play another show for us, whatever name he has to go by.

Secret is out … JACKET SUMMER IS DAMIEN JURADO, with a full band.

Joining Jacket Summer will be Brother Bear and Cumulus, two bands that credit our headliner as huge inspirations in the creation of their own songs. You can hear his influence in the songs of both acts:

 

Demos for An Account of the Happenings At Wretched Knob by brother bear

 

 

 

 

With a weekend forecast for showers and 60 degree temperatures, we’ll all be members of Jacket Summer soon enough. For two lucky readers, they can get an early start for free. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and include your real name and an email you check regularly. We’ll pick two winners Thursday at 3pm, whose names will be on the guest list Friday. Sorry underage readers, this is a 21+ show.

If you don’t want to chance it to fate, and considering what we’ve heard is in the works for this show, you don’t, you can buy your tickets on Brown Paper Tickets at their reduced early purchase price.

September 1, 2011

My Most Played: August 2011

by

Lana Del Rey – “Video Games” (Not keen on the video, or her in the video rather, but the number of times I played this song this month is embarrassing) Gem Club – “Twins” Lemolo – “On Again, Off Again” and “Fort Warden” Dolorean – “Don’t Leave Town” Boyfriends – s/t 7” Keaton Henson – Metaphors 7” Cumulus – s/t EP Carissa’s Wierd – “Meredith and Iris” Wild Ones – “You’re A Winner” Aquairum Drunkard – Clifton’s Corner mixes Damien Jurado – “The Loneliest Place I’ve Ever Been (Is In Your Arms)” Big Sur – “I’m Not Leaving” Dan Mangan – Oh Fortune Lowlands – “Give Me Love” Cataldo – Prison Boxing Richard Swift – Blanch Runderton Presents: “Smelly Iceburg”

Blanch Runderton Presents: “Smelly Iceburg” by Richard Swift

August 25, 2011

Sound on the Sound Presents: “Jacket Summer”, Brother Bear and Cumulus

by

Tags
Sound on the Sound Presents
20110822-jacket-summer-1

 

 

If you’re not going to see Drew Grow & the Pastors Wives, Whalebones and Widower already (gah it hurts to miss that), may we suggest you spend September 16th with Jacket Summer, Brother Bear and Cumulus for the next Sound on the Sound Presents Show.

Special guest “Jacket Summer” is the progenitor of the term to describe summer in Seattle 2011, one of those stubbornly gifted Northwesterners who refuses to take off the heavy flannel even in July and is just fine with the 9 months of grey, thank you very much. It promises to be a night with an iconic local artist unlike you’ve ever seen him before, as well as an introduction to two new(er) artists we’re incredibly excited for: Brother Bear and Cumulus.

Brother Bear:

Demos for An Account of the Happenings At Wretched Knob by brother bear

Cumulus:

This EP was just recorded with Alex solo, but we saw these songs with a full band last night and they were transformed into sad, surfy dreamy, summer hits. Get there early enough to see her, we promise, you don’t want to miss her.

You can buy your tickets for the show on Brown Paper Tickets.