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December 30, 2009

Josh’s Favorite Releases of 2009

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Tags
Damien Jurado David Bazan Elvis Perkins J Tillman Grizzly Bear Kaylee Cole Macklemore Macklemore & Ryan Lewis The Ironclads The Moondoggies Widower Nurses

The Maldives ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

These are the albums that defined my 2009. Some I consider to be the strongest local albums of the year while others held my attention and memory in a special way such that I kept coming back to them. While many of these albums are admittedly made by bands whom I’ve also developed a strong affinity for over the past year, this is an albums list, and not simply a “my favorite bands who over the last year put out a record list.” Seven of the top ten are acts I was not familiar with at prior to the start of 2009. This includes the Ironclads. Man, a lot has happened this year.

Though the concept of the “album” may not be as relevant as it once was, I still consider myself to be an album person, for me such a group of songs is an important body of work for helping me come to relate to and really like a band. A single song usually just doesn’t do it for me. Simply put, these are the releases from this year that I listened to all the way through, over and over and over again.

 

LPs

 

1. Listen to the Thunder by The Maldives on Mt. Fuji Records Listen: Download an mp3 of “Tequila Sunday” courtesy of Mt. Fuji Records If any band conquered Seattle in 2009 it was the Maldives. For so many reasons, this record was the most important record in my life this year.

2. Curse Your Branches by David Bazan on Barsuk Records Listen: Stream the entire record at Barsuk.com David Bazan isn’t simply a musician. He is a religious philosopher. You might say this is “The Book of Dave.” A deeply personal record with very real ramifications for those who might have questions like he did about the consequences and realities of his long held beliefs. Though I don’t count myself particularly religious, I identified. To my mind this is the best album about religion and family that Bazan has ever done.

3. Apple’s Acre by Nurses on Dead Oceans Listen: Download an mp3 of “Caterpillar Playground” courtesy of Dead Oceans Through the power of the Internet I came into the possession of a 30-minute single-file live recording of Nurses. I can say without hyperbole that this recording is the most played “song” of the last year on my iTunes. They are playful, unique sounding, and completely DIY. This is the quintessential example of what everyone hopes a Portland band can and will be.

4. The Space Between the Maps by The Ironclads (self-released) Listen: Download an mp3 of “Alamagordo” courtesy of the Ironclads Advanced garage pop that’s well traveled and downright bombastic. Inventive lead guitar work and imaginative storytelling are this foursome’s forte and the record is a successful recreation of their live aesthetic.

5. Lust for Life by Girls on True Panther Sounds Listen: Watch “Laura” on Youtube Sad Bastard pop that doesn’t make me sad. Sign me up!

6. Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers by Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers (self-released) Listen: Get an MP3 version via KEXP Song of the Day I’m waiting for one (or three) of these songs to be covered by Dolly Parton. Another record like this and Nashville is gonna scoop her up, post haste.

7. A Strange Arrangement by Mayer Hawthorne on Stones Throw Records Listen: Watch “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” on Vimeo A DJ becomes a soul crooner, FTW. An album that you never want to turn off.

8. Keep it Hid by Dan Auerbach on Bloodshot Records Listen: Download an mp3 of What’s old is new again. More please. Other bands should take notes. The Blues are your friend, and mine.

9. Fanfarlo by Fanfarlo on Canvasback Music Listen: Stream the record at Fanfarlo.com Fronted by a clarinet playing choir boy, Fanfarlo take the cake for making this year’s most accessible orchestral pop record, and the best thing I heard out of the U.K. all year long.

10. I and Love and You by the Avett Brothers on Columbia Listen: Stream via theavettbrothers.com The Avett Brothers made a massive followup effort to Emotionalism, that drops the emo that marked it’s predecessor while striking a more hopeful and romantic note. This is another album that I feel wrong turning off in the middle.

11. In Dearland by Elvis Perkins on XL Listen: Watch “Chains, Chains, Chains” Directed by Seattle’s Sean Pecknold Elvis and his cohorts delve deep into old Americana and early rock for a record that is uniquely sad in it’s disposition, but overflowing with happy in the energy and passion of the full band performance.

12. Vecktamist by Grizzly Bear on Warp Listen: Stream the Video for Two Weeks Maybe this album should be higher on the list, but when I first got a hold of it I felt like it was just too much. Now, I’ve come to feel like this is a bold statement, and these guys are the vanguard of modern pop.

13. Year in the Kingdom by J Tillman on Bella Union/Western Vinyl Listen: Download an mp3 of “Earthly Bodies” courtesy of Western Vinyl Just when I thought J Tillman’s voice was an ideal, he goes to work for the Fleet Foxes and comes out the other side an even stronger singer.

14. Logos by Atlas Sound on Kranky Listen: Get an mp3 of “Walkabout” via FADER This was my official go-to chill record this year.

15. The Life of the Of the World to Come by the Mountain Goats on 4AD Listen: Download mp3 of “Genesis 3:23″ courtesy of 4AD As many of John Darnielle’s albums can be, this one is a grower, that really hooks you after you listen to it by yourself for a while. Seeing the songs performed live with a bit of Darnielle’s humor added in between songs for context allowed me to listen anew, and understand better than how the songs initially came off on the record.

 

EPs

 

1. Widower by Widower (self-released) Listen: Stream at Myspace

2. VS. by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, (self-released free digital EP) Listen: Download EP via Myspace

3. The Moondoggies by The Moondoggies on Hardly Art Records (for Record Store Day), Ltd. Ed. Listen: Stream at Myspace

4. Don’t Piss into the Fire/Magic Mtn Single by Arthur & Yu for a Sub Pop Singles Club release for Record Store Day Listen: Stream via Myspace

5. Fun & Laughter Land of Talk on Saddle Creek Records Listen: Watch “The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Shuffle)” at Vimeo

 

The ones I missed in 2008 and I banged the most in 2009:

Hometowns by The Rural Alberta Advantage (originally released 2008, digitally released with eMusic November 2008, then re-released by Saddle Creek Records in mid-2009).

We’re Still Here Missing You by Kaylee Cole (self-released in November of 2008)

The one from last year’s list that’s stood the test of time and stayed strong into this year

Caught In Trees by Damien Jurado, SOTS’s #20 Northwest album of 2008. In retrospect, I should’ve probably lobbied for a top 10 spot for this album on that list.

December 29, 2009

Josh’s Favorite Shows of 2009

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Tags
David Bazan Grizzly Bear Hopscotch Boys Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Macklemore Zoe Muth Widower What What Now The Whore Moans Thee Emergency Nurses Pearly Gate Music The Lonely Forest The Maldives The Moondoggies

The Ironclads CD Release Show ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

As a person who goes to grippa shows, it’s a hopeless task to put properly put into any meaningful order the favorite shows they’ve been two beyond saying a few were the very best or stand out as special moments and deserve recognition as such for the annals. So I’ve chosen a list of twenty shows and sets from this year that I’ll never forget, presented in chronological order.

Blind Pilot @ The Triple Door (January 2009) – read the full review

The Murder City Devils first show back at the Showbox at the Market (February 2009) – read the full review

Dan Auerbach at the Showbox at the Market (March 2009) – read the full review

The Ironclads CD Release w/ Hands, Whore Moans, What What Now (April 2009) – read the full review

Blue Moon 75th Anniversary Show w/ High Class Wreckage, Thee Emergency, Hopscotch Boys, and The Whore Moans (April 2009) – read the full review

The Lonely Forest CD Release at the Vera Project (April 2009) – read the full review

Bon Iver at Sasquatch (May 2009) – read the full review

Nurses at the South Pole (DIY venue) (June 2009) – read the full review

David Bazan in a Living Room in Edmonds (June 2009) – read the full review

 

Robin and Josh ::: Photo on Film by Josh Lovseth

Robin Pecknold at Neumos (July 2009) – read the full review

Rural Alberta Advantage at the Sunset Tavern (July 2009) – read the full review

Widower, Pearly Gate Music, Final Spins at Sunset Tavern (July 2009) – read the full review

Doe Bay Fest (August 2009) – read the full review

The Maldives CD Release at the Tractor Tavern w/ The Moondoggies and Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers (August 2009) – read the full review

Macklemore at Bumbershoot (September 2009) – read the full review

Dirty Three at the Crocodile (September 2009) – read the full review

Fanfarlo at Chop Suey (September 2009) – read the full review

Grizzly Bear at the Moore (October 2009) – read the full review

Black Eyes & Neckties Last Show (October 31, 2009) – eulogy never written

Regina Spektor at the Paramount (November 2009) – read the full review

 

Taking in the Bay at Doe Bay Music Fest ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

December 16, 2009

Our Favorite Photos of 2009: Dan Auerbach

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Dan Auerbach (with Hacienda) ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Last night between abbreviated sets at our local alternative rock station’s holiday mega-show at the WAMU Theater, the house music featured some Animal Collective, but most often some choice Black Keys cuts. Black Keys guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach was in the early running for one of my favorite albums of the year with his all analog solo effort Keep It Hid, and it still remains high on my list. Backed by Hacienda, his set at the Showbox in March was without question one my set’s of the year. The material is incredibly strong, and he and his band’s musical skill not only did justice to the musical influences, but set a standard in my mind that I doubt few bands in my future (if any bands at all) will ever be able match.

June 30, 2009

2009: The Best So Far

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The Moondoggies ::: Secret Set at The Blue Moon ::: photo by Abbey

We’re half way through 2009, which means it’s as good a time as any to reflect and share what were my favorite releases, songs, and shows in what’s proving to be an exciting year of music.

I’m not ready to list these in any sort of ranked order just yet, you’ll have to wait for Decemeber for that. But these are the albums, eps, songs, and shows that have helped make 2009 a memorable year of music, so far. (No Animal Collective or Dirty Projectors necessary!)

wesing1

Best Albums So Far:

The Ironclads – Space Between the Maps Elvis Perkins In Dearland- Elvis Perkins In Dearland The Lonely Forest – We Sing The Body Electric J. Tillman – Vacilando Territory Blues Kaylee Cole – We’re Still Here Missing You Neko Case – Middle Cyclone  The Curious Mystery – Rotting Slowly Nurses – Apple’s Acre Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid Shane Tutmarc – Shouting at a Silent Sky

I had to whittle down that list to a round, solid 10, which is pretty exciting considering there are albums scheduled to come out from the following bands in the remaining months of 2009:

The Cave Singers, The Maldives,  The Dutchess and The Duke, Black Whales, Black Eyes & Neckties,  Thee Emergency,  J. Tillman, and David Bazan.

Bon Iver at Sasquatch ::: Photo by Abbey

Best EPs or 7” So Far:

Bon Iver – Blood Bank See Me River – The Great Unwashed The Moonodoggies – Terreberryy EP/Record Store Day EP What What Now – Self Titled 7”

J. Tillman ::: photo by Abbey

Best Songs So Far:

“We Sing In Time” – The Lonely Forest “Blood Bank” – Bon Iver “Steel on Steel” – J. Tillman “Shampoo” – Elvis Perkins “Alamagordo” - The Ironclads “Airplanes” – Local Natives “The Hardest Part” – The Moondoggies “Folding Chairs” – Regina Spektor “Magic Mountain” – Arthur & Yu “Gossamer Hair” – Pearly Gate Music “Driftwood Doll” – The Traditionist  “Car Wreck” – Kaylee Cole “The Ballad of RAA” – The Rural Alberta Advantage “Coast of Carolina” – Telekenesis

(I have to admit, 2009 has been a year of albums/EPs/7” much more so than singles and songs, so I feel like this is more a list of my favorite songs from my favorite albums than the best singles or songs of ’09. I’ll work on broadening that a bit before December.)

The Whore Moans Play Our 2nd Blue Moon Birthday Bash ::: Photo By Abbey

Best Shows, So Far:

* David Bazan – House Show, Edmonds * Sound on the Sound Celebrates the Blue Moon’s 75th Anniversary * Ironclads CD Release Show at Holy Mountain (with What What Now, The Whore Hands) * Built to Spill does Perfect From Now On * Sound on the Sound’s 2nd Birthday Bash’s at The Blue Moon and Neumo’s * Blind Pilot at The Triple Door * Nurses at South Pole  * Jenny Lewis at UW * Bon Iver at Sasquatch * The Moondoggies at The Blue Moon

March 13, 2009

Auerbach is God

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dan auerbach

Dan Auerbach ::: Photos by Josh

“Auerbach is God.” Were I one of the lucky under-agers to witness Dan Auerbach’s performance at the Showbox on Tuesday, this is what I would be rabidly scrawling in my notebooks and on school bathroom stalls the following day. It’s not 1966 anymore, and while Clapton is certainly still around, these days few other blues guitarists can claim to capture the popular adoration from both modern rock and blues guitar players as the Black Keys guitarist can. And after Tuesday, “adoration” doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel in my bones about one of my favorite modern musicians. Since we aren’t lucky enough to have a subway walls here in Seattle on which to declare the truth (bus tunnels don’t count), and since I’m twenty-eight and this is 2009, I think I’ll just limit my graffiti to the good ol’ World Wide Web and this here blog. I’ve done it already but I’m going to do again and take my statements even further. Let me be not the first and hopefully not be the last to say: Auerbach is God.

Lucky enough to spy Jordan of Magic Mirrors holding down front row when it wasn’t too crowded, I snuck in next to him and got a good spot for pictures during opening act Those Darlins and a good conversation between sets. A peppy mix of shit kickin’ punk, this trio maybe wasn’t respected enough by the heavily male audience who unfortunately talked over the entire set. Also opening was Hacienda, a band who’s latest record was produced by Auerbach, and who for this tour were picked as the band to serve as Auerbach’s backing band. I pretty much loved their rippin’ blues rock and was drooling over that vintage gold Les Paul that the guitarist was representing. Had I been drinking I think I would have really loved it and really rocked out. Instead I took mental notes on guitar technique and barely took any pictures anyway.

It was easy to see how they fit the mold as a multi-faceted backup band for Auerbach. To extend my earlier metaphor, they with the addition of percussionist Patrick Hallahan, who’s other job is principal on the skins for My Morning Jacket, make up Auerbach’s all-star blues band, a modern incarnation of the Bluesbreakers if you will, and as the night went on I would find them easily living up the potential of their frontman.

I had many questions going into Auerbach’s set. How many different guitars would he use? Only Two. Both hollow-body’s. Would they all be older than me? Both appeared to be. Really though the mouth-watering part of the night, was being center stage, directly in the path of Auerbach’s double amp setup, able to reach a true understanding of his fidelity. I know that sounds kinda dorky, but for me the blues played well really conveys truth in music, and the blues played live more so. And I can honestly attest that I don’t believe I’ve ever witnessed heavy blues-rock played live better than Dan Auerbach in his last two visits to Seattle in the span of a year, six months past owning Memorial Stadium at Bumbershoot with the Black Keys, and this time around on his own. Save a frail John Lee Hooker who could barely wield a guitar at the time I saw him, I don’t know if I’ve ever personally seen or experienced a blues-man with the same command of the medium of the Blues in general as Dan Auerbach. He’s developed an identifiable musical perspective as surely as B.B. King or Clapton has, both living legends whom I’ve yet to be lucky enough to see live.

Just about every song from Auerbach’s new record Keep It Hid (still streaming at myspace!) made an appearance, with my favorites being of course “Street Walkin’” and “I Want Some More,” headbangers that when delivered around midnight had the properties of still really getting the house going again instead of deteriorating into a lull. Without question a fair number of hardcore Black Keys fans were populating the crowd (with a douche or two pushing their way into the front for dickhead displays of fandom only to sense how unwelcome they were and leave three songs in), but nobody seemed disappointed with the change of scenery for their beloved guitarist, because really he wasn’t leaving his blues rock roots at all, he was simply expanding his repertoire to include sounds he personally loves, in psychedelica and soul. In truth for me, the quieter numbers “Whispered Words” and “When the Night Comes,” both of which feature primarily Auerbach’s voice prominently, were just as revelatory as his guitar skills.

Dan Auerbach will be in San Fransisco tonight (Friday), LA tomorrow night, and in Austin at the Parish for SXSW before heading off to Europe. If you have a chance to see Auerbach’s solo material live, I implore you not to miss that opportunity.

dan auerbach

Dan Auerbach

hacienda

Hacienda

those darlins

Those Darlins

Flickr: Dan Auerbach, Hacienda and Those Darlins at the Showbox at the Market March 10, 2009

March 9, 2009

Auerbach’s In Town

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Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach is now on tour in support of his new solo effort, and will be at the Showbox at the Market tomorrow, Tuesday March 10, with Hacienda and Those Darlins. For this project he was able to expand beyond his usual two person setup and explore any possibility at will in his analog heavy home studio. The record, titled Keep It Hid, is currently streaming at Auerbach’s myspace page, and if you need convincing to come out to the show, I highly suggest giving it a listen. Diverging some from the roaring blues-rock of the Keys into a range of American styles, in my opinion Auerbach has crafted one of this years first notable records.

MP3: “Trouble Weighs a Ton” by Dan Auerbach from Keep it Hid (via Nonesuch Records where you can download two more tracks or buy the LP)

For Tuesdays show tickets are $20 (plus fees).

Auerbach is also in town a day early, and today (Monday) will be doing a KEXP live radio session at 3pm PST. In like 2 hours. Listen at KEXP.org.

February 10, 2009

Auerbach on the Prowl

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Dan Auerbach – “Trouble Weighs a Ton” from Keep it Hid

In our book the Black Keys are a band that musn’t ever be overlooked. With just two members, they produce blues rock that’s equally vintage and modern. Guitarist Dan Auerbach decided to put out an album of his own in a more open format, with him playing different instruments, employing different musicians, and recording with all analog gear in his new home studio. The album is titled Keep it Hid and it is out today.

The lead song “Trouble Weighs a Ton” is featured in the video above (and mp3 below), and right off we’re noticing this is not the usual Black Keys. Threads from all parts of the American musical experience are pulled together for this album, alternately featuring adventurous psychedelic blues and reverent soul (and sometimes both). Auerbach does provide us with some of the rippin’ blues we’ve come to expect, but on this record also exhibits a range of more restrained and thoughtful sounds. In just a few listens, it’s already snagged us and good. Not that we expected any different.

MP3: “Trouble Weighs a Ton” by Dan Auerbach from Keep it Hid (via Nonesuch Records where you can download two more tracks or buy the LP)

For this week only you can stream the entire album over at AOL. I highly suggest you do.

Auerbach comes to Seattle at the Showbox Market on March 10 with Hacienda and Those Darlins. Tickets are $20 (plus fees).