…we were loving our locals at The Funhouse.

Considering the incredible line up of The Mistress and the Misters, Junkface, Coconut Coolouts, and The Hands–The Funhouse should have been packed. But all you guys decided to spend 25 or 30 bucks and crane your necks at The Showboxes to see Ghostland and the Black Keys. So, while the audience at The Funhouse may have been criminally sparse, those of us who made it out were treated to an incredible show. Not even a mediocre band on the line up…my ears are still pleasantly ringing from the rock.

Mistress and the Misters (Spokane)

Junkface(pdx)

Coconut Coolouts

The Hands

Every week AOL’s Spinner streams full albums about to be released for your listening pleasure. I immediately went to the site when I saw that they were offering Ghostland’s latest, Robotique Majestique but I about died when I also saw my local boys, The Hands debut album streaming on the site.

Congrats Hands! That’s great exposure!

A smattering of news from around the local music scene …

Matador Love Jaguar Love. Label Matador has signed on Jaguar Love to a record deal. Jaguar love, made up of former members of the Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves, have already been on tour with Queens of the Stone Age in their short existence. |reverb|

King Cobra opening Friday. The rechristened space will just be opening the bar until the stage is finished sometime in March. It will be staffed by many former Crocodile and Kincora’s employees. Jenny Bendel, former booker of 4 O’Clock Rock at the Sunset, has accepted head booking duties with Jason Rothman at the new King Cobra space. This is apparently old news though. |lineout and reverb|

Ghostland Observatory ready themselves for 2008. Following a February 26 release of their new record Robotique Majestique the duo of GLO have scheduled one date in Portland on April 3, and then two dates at the Showbox on April 4 and 5. Expect these shows to sell-out fast. No extensive tour dates have been posted as of yet. |kexp blog|

Local Gig Calendar Updates.
Stencil, The Quiet Ones, Fresh Cherries from Yakima at Chop Suey on February 5
Jens Lekman and guests at Neumos on March 25
Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, The Quiet Ones at Neumos on April 18

According to my television, The American Music Awards are on tonight and there are “ten performances to make it an unmissable event!” Unfortunately, I recognized one name on the entire list of performers (Beyonce) and couldn’t identify the rest if they assaulted me. Who are these people? And what music are they exactly being awarded for making?

While I feel pretty knowledgeable about music, that which I know exists completely outside of the realm and scope of “Top 40,” music videos, corporate radio, and music sold in malls. So, perhaps it’s not a surprise, I don’t know anyone who would be honored at an industry event/major label awards show. Reading the names of the nominees and winners, I was shocked just how ‘out of touch’ with mainstream music I am. I spent the first ten minutes scratching my head, wondering  if someone who plays a generic beat with a few choreographed dance moves can sell 10 million records? Why can’t great bands, with original material and insane stage performances, like local rockers Thee Emergency, Austinite’s Ghostland Observatory, or east coaster’s The Shackeltons sell just as many or more? These bands seem to have more talent in their pinkie fingers than these “award winning stars. ” I spend a lot of time at shows wondering why such and such band isn’t the biggest band ever…. and an award show like the American Music Awards, just compounds that question. And further more, in an age of successful and acclaimed musicians existing far outside the realm of mainstream music, do award shows like the AMA’s matter at all? In such a diverse market is “top 40″ obsolete? Is that kind of fame, even what the bands I love dream of attaining?

When my father and I discuss music, which is every time we speak, he often laments that ”There is never going to be another Beatles. …or even another Rolling Stones.” There are just too many choices and great bands out there, to many ways to be exposed to music, that one band will never be as dominant or popular as The Beatles were. The idea of “the biggest band in the world,” now all depends on point of view and preference.  And certainly, as “The American Music Awards” prove, just because your the biggest, doesn’t mean you are anywhere near the best. I’ll take my locals every night of the week, over those award winning stars and “unmissable” performances.

[Editors Note: I owe Becca a public apology. She wrote this the day after it happened and I never posted it for her. I've been low key about the blog lately simply because I've been feeling burned out, and it slipped by. My bad. Reading it right now, I feel extra bad not posting it day of. I'm sorry. -josh]

Ghostland Observatory
Showbox (at the Market) 
October 12, 2007  

So I have to work today, and I am writing this during my lunchbreak, so forgive the brevity of this review about last night’s stellar show-I’m sure I’m leaving a lot out, but honestly, I was so speechless after seeing Ghostland Observatory (except for mustering phrases like, “Wow!” and “Holy Crap that show was awesome!”) that I’m surprised I came up with this many words so far.

I have never danced so hard at a show in my entire life (and speaking as a former denizen of the jam band scene, this statement speaks volumes). Apparently, neither had any of the folks in the crowd who were ALL boogying with silly grins plastered on their faces, at times crushing against each other because the  energy was the most insane- literally, insane- I have witnessed at a live show in Seattle, like, ever. So wacky that two girls took it upon themselves to jump on the stage; one decided to flaunt some sexy dance (or whatever you call running your hand near your crotch while shaking your hips) for the crowd, and was quickly ushered off the stage by security; the other ran up behind Aaron, wrapped her arms around him, and basically did what I can only describe as “molest” him before being ripped from his torso by, you guessed it, security. Later, another person -a man this time- attempted (rather unsuccessfully) to dive from the stage. I guess he was ok soon afterwards, because we resumed our dancing, including (I think?) the dude who bit it, and good thing too, because it was during Silver City, my favorite GLO song.

And speaking of Silver City, the rest of the setlist was pretty amazing. I was especially stoked to hear “Shoot ‘Em Down”, “Ghetto Magnet” (eeeeee!), “Move With Your Lover”, “Rich Man”, “Stranger Lover”, and of course, a Ghostland show wouldn’t be complete without “Sad Sad City”, which had the entire crowd singing along and bouncing about like a bunch of children hopped up on Pixie Stix. Even the new songs were pretty good, as the crowd never stopped dancing once, a pretty impressive feat that I’ve only seen GLO pull off.

At one point, Aaron acknowledged the crowd insanity in his Texas drawl, jokingly remarking about the crazy folks in the crowd, and how he felt “violated” (by the “molester” chick), closing with, “How do you expect me to dance in these conditions?”  Luckily, there were no more distractions (save the failed crowd surfing attempt), and Aaron continued to gyrate in that scrumtrilescent way of his throughout the show.

Anyway, I wasn’t all that bummed to miss my bus afterwards and walk all the way from the Showbox to my house near Volunteer Park, because my steps were perfectly in sync to the tunes I’d just heard still ringing in my ears. I even beat the bus I could’ve caught-had I waited an hour for it-home.  All in all a good time was had- and in my opinion, this was by far the best show of 2007.

That’s right folks, the number one celebrity gossip blogger, Perez Hilton has found a new favorite band…. Ghostland Observatory. Not only that, his favorite new song is Sad Sad City. Perez says: “We wanna put on some roller skates, some hot pants and carry around our boombox as we listen to Ghostland Observatory.”

Bad mental image, but very high praise. I mean, we’ve been rocking Ghostland, and telling you how amazing they are for over almost a year now, but we don’t have 14 million daily hits. Great news for two of our favorite guys from Austin.

Read the surreal post here

You can catch Ghostland Observatory on October 12th at The Showbox.

A number of Seattle bands, including a few of my favorite, are making the trek to SXSW this March. As confirmed by bands MySpace pages and this handy list “Austinist” has up:

Ice Age Cobra
Thee Emergency
The Trucks
Aqueduct
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter
Rocky Votolato

Some of my favorite non-Seattle Bands are playing too:

The Mountain Goats
Cold War Kids
Ghostland Observatory
Amy Milan (of Stars)
Interpol
Voxtrot

Now if I could only find a way there….

11. Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
After their 2005 EP (Pikul)  I eagerly awaited Silversun Pickups’ full length release. Carnavas did not disappoint. Even more impressive- Carnavas is filled with brand new material, not a single song from Pikul was included. Similar to Built to Spill, no matter where I come in on a song, I know when     it’s Silversun Pickups. And it’s not just the lead singer’s trademark raspy yowl; it’s the structure of their songs, the layers of instrumentation, the fuzzy-fullness of their sound.  While this can lead to their album sounding a bit formulaic at times- it is a winning formula and it’s all their own. In a year these guys (and gal) have gone from playing Neumo’s with little fan-fare to selling out one of Seattle’s larger venues The Moore Theatre. Their skyrocketing year all culminated in booking an early 2007 gig at Key Arena, home of the Seattle Super Sonics. And for once, I’m glad… I think these guys are gonna be the 2000’s answer to the Smashing Pumpkins.

10. Cursive - Happy Hollow
Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you: I love me a concept album. I understand, however, that this is treacherous territory, as most concept albums come across as self-important and trite. This is currently being made painfully clear by HotTopic-hipster’s, My Chemical Romance’s: Welcome to The Black Parade. Blessedly there are bands who excel at the concept album, most notably, mid-westerner’s: Sufjan Stevens and Cursive. Cursive already had one successful concept album under their belt with 2003’s The Ugly Organ, which tended to the theatric and personal. With Happy Hollow, Cursive focuses their lenses on the modern dystopic American landscape under the specter of Christian Fundamentalists and the Bush Regime. It features songs about religion trumping science (”There Was a Big Bang Once”), homosexual priests (”Bad Sects”), the War in Iraq (”Flag and Family”), and the challenges of being a non-believer in an increasing fundamentalist country (”Rise Up! Rise Up!”). Maybe it’s the angry Atheist in me… but every song on this album speaks to me, not in a whisper but a SHOUT: from the lyrics that are used, to the beautiful fury of instrumentation.

9.  Ghostland Observatory - Paparazzi Lightning              
Beer, dark chocolate, strong espresso … some of the best things in life are an acquired taste. Austin’s Ghostland Observatory could easily be included on such a list.  I’ve had a number of readers write asking “Really– is Ghostland Observatory worth the hype? Because I think he sounds like my neighbors dog when he’s been left out too long.” And I answer, without hesitation: YES. Ghostland Observatory is worthy of any and all hype they are receiving. While most of the praise is focused on Ghostland’s manically inspired concerts/dance parties, it is not just their performance that’s worth lauding. Paparazzi Lightning is a great album all on its own. It is probably the only “dance” album I have ever liked, and other than the requisite copy of Thriller, it’s certainly the only one I actually went out and bought. While I own Thriller for posterity’s sake, I own Paparazzi Lightning because even the saddest of sad bastards needs an album that’s so good that they can’t help but boogie…and this album is it. I challenge you Seattle… put on “Ghetto Magnet” or “Sad Sad City” and try not to move… it’s physically impossible.

8.  Figurines - Skeleton
Initially, I was disappointed with Skeleton. I’d just seen the Figurines live, where they put on an ear destroying, raucous, punk show.  I went in expecting the album to sound the same, with the fire and furor of their live performance. Thus, on first listen, Skeleton came across sounding a little too produced, the instrumentation too tight, and the voices too silky. But today, I can appreciate Skeleton for exactly the album it is– an album filled with one great song after another. The songs may not be super complex, but they are insidiously catchy and they translate amazingly live. One song after another, I hear them and think… why hadn’t someone written that before? The album is even more impressive, as it’s not written in the band’s native tongue, which is Danish. (Though I have gotten a tremendous laugh trying to imagine an American band writing and recording an album in Danish…)

7. Built to Spill - You In Reverse
An album that was truly worth waiting for. There is only one song on this album that I don’t absolutely adore. (Track 9,” Just a Habit,” if you’re curious) A number of tracks from the album are battling for my favorite Built To Spill song of all time (a coveted title).  I love that whatever part of a song (drums, vocals, guitar) that you come in on… you know it’s Built to Spill within moments. This is a band people try to sound like… there have even been some decent imitations, but no one does it like Doug Martsch and the boys from Boise. There isn’t a bad Built to Spill record out there, but this is one of their best.

6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
I know you’re supposed to be glad when good bands succeed and get noticed- but I rarely am. When a band I love signs to a major record label, I am filled with dread. When a band as beloved as The Decemberists signed with Capitol, I was sick to my stomach. What would the demand for commercial success do to the unique sound and stories spun by Colin Meloy and Crew? Would the songs about pirates and lyrics with olde english and GRE words be banished to B Sides? Thus, it is with great joy, that I include The Crane Wife on this list. It is an album which saw The Decemberists stay true to themselves, while continuing to evolve as a band. Who else could have a major label release with such compelling songs about Japanese ghost stories, civil war lovers or meat cleaver murders? No one.

5. Thee Emergency - Can You Dig It?
Thee Emergency are pure rock’n'rollers.  These guys could light a guitar on fire or destroy their instruments after a set and not seem cliché at all. Because in 2006 Thee Emergency managed to make a classic 70’s rock album. I listen to it and think… if this came out in the 70’s it would be the biggest thing ever… giving bands like Zeppelin and The Who a run for their money. If it comes out later that Thee Emergency is a State Department experiment in cloning or cryogenics, I truly wouldn’t be shocked. Rock and Roll this authentic, this good… just isn’t made anymore.

4. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine  
An incredible Northwest release AND a stirring concept album?!?!  Add in plenty of religious imagery, driving punk riffs, great vocals, ridiculously clever lyrics… and this half of SOTS is the closest she’ll ever be to heaven. The Body, The Blood, The Machine brings the political and disenfranchised back to punk. It’s like someone created an album out of George Orwell’s nightmares and prescient visions. Despite starting the The Body, The Blood, The Machine with one of my favorite songs of the year, “Here’s Your Future, the album manages to build momentum with each track. The songs are succinct; lyrically and musically, while still containing much to be explored and contemplated. The Thermals write songs filled with lines that make me think–”damn! I wish I’d written that!” And I imagine I’m not alone in that feeling. I’m pretty sure The Body, The Blood, The Machine is the album Green Day wanted to write when penning American Idiot, ditto on Cursive’s beloved Happy Hollow. Consider the following lines from, “Our Power Doesn’t Run on Nothing”, and tell me that Billy Joe isn’t kicking himself.  “They’ll give us what we’re asking for, cause God is with us and our God’s the richest. Yeah our power doesn’t run on nothing. It runs on blood. And blood is easy to attain, when you have no shame. We have no shame. …You think we’ll cease? You see a reason? Do you think its fair? Do you think its fair? Do you think we care?”   

3. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
Neko Case managed to make an album which is at once beautifully antique, as well as thoroughly modern.  I listen to it and hear an album that would’ve been hugely successful, no matter the decade it was released. I mean, tell me that “That Teenage Feeling” wouldn’t have been a huge hit in the early-60’s? That “Star Witness” couldn’t go hand in hand with the great teenage death songs of the 1950’s? Or that the Carter Family wouldn’t do a great version of “John Saw That Number?” Though the album is filled with one standout song after another, “Hold On, Hold On” is on a completely different plane of greatness. It is a song Lennon/McCartney could’ve been proud of. A song that Willie Nelson listens to and thinks - “Why didn’t I write that?” When I hear “Hold On, Hold On”, I hear an instant classic, something that could become a “standard.”  I don’t think many artists could have managed to pull off this album with the grace and authenticity that Neko Case does. There’s nothing kitschy about it… it’s not a throw back album or a take on Americana, it’s Fox Confessor Brings The Flood and it’s just about perfect. 

2. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
Putting The Days to Bed is doubtlessly my most listened to album of 2006. The Long Winters write songs that sound instantly familiar, in the best way and which have been scientifically proven to be impossible not to tap your foot too. Featuring gems like “Pushover” and “Teaspoon,” this album is pop the way it should be, made by the nicest guys in rock’n'roll. Like the Long Winters themselves, Putting the Days to Bed, is witty, loud, welcoming, unafraid of displaying quirks and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. These are guys who have a ball making music together and it’s obvious. To me, it’s all like watching the early Beatles, before the feuds and insane fame.  Indeed when reviewing the album, I made not one, but multiple Beatles references. And while it may be “old school” of me, such references are rare and compliments of the highest order. My most recent Fab Four thought is: The Long Winters could (and should!) pull off making a movie like “Help!”

1. Elvis Perkins ­- Ash Wednesday
Elvis Perkins was my single best discovery of 2006. I bought Ash Wednesday after hearing only a fragment of one song live. I couldn’t even wait for the song to end (much less his set) … not wanting to spend another moment without his music in my possession. It is likely the best ten dollars I have ever spent. Ash Wednesday satiated me like no other album, yet left me wanting infinitely more. In fact, one of my favorite Elvis Perkins songs, “How’s Forever Been Baby?” didn’t even make the cut for Ash Wednesday. Trying to describe the album’s title track, the power of its lyrics and melody, leaves me painfully wordless. (It’s going to be my generation’s “Hallelujah…”)  Each time a decent young songwriter comes around, they get the “new-Dylan” label, but Elvis (and this album) are actually worthy of such lofty comparisons.

Most Noticeably Missing -  Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
While Cold War Kids were the best live act I saw this year, as well as being the authors of my favorite song(s) of 2006, their debut album fell flat. The vocals are too produced, lacking the growl and passion that make Cold War Kids so extraordinary. Despite choosing to release material from their previous flawless EP’s (Up in Rags and With Our Wallets Full) they made a mistake by revising and over-polishing the tracks. Perhaps if you’d just heard the album without knowing the truth of just how fucking incredible the Cold War Kids really are, you’d think Robbers & Cowards was amazing. To me the release was one of the great disappointments of 2006.

We have appropriated what I am sure is a very personal moment from an Elvis Perkins song and named our MVP awards after them. Since we are small blog we don’t have any cool graphics or actual velvet space helmets to give out. Maybe next year. I prefer it in my imagination for right now anyway. Without further ado, onto the awards. 

Most Valuable Live Act: Cold War Kids
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the Cold War Kids three times this year and the boys NEVER dissapointed. When seen lives these guys are fucking incredible, blowing their much lauded record out of the water. Live the sweet rawness of the vocals and the jangly, jarring blues of the song-writing really comes through. To add to the great pleasure:  the (very intense) bassist looks like a T-Rex (the dinosaur, not the band), the guitarist is soaked in sweat by the end of the first song, the lead singer trades back and forth between guitar and piano with ease, the drummer is flawlessly on time and loud, and the entire band makes like Pong on stage–bumping into and off each other.

Most Valuable Opening Act (Show Stealer’s of the Year): It’s an unprecedented three-way-tie. This year I saw a number of live acts who easily stole the show from the “Big Name” on the ticket. I’ve stopped avoiding opening acts and started coming early to shows, thanks to these performers: Cold War Kids, The Figurines who unquantifiably out rocked their headliners Tapes n’ Tapes, and lastly, but not least, Elvis Perkins and Dearland who won my heart, despite playing before the impeccable Cold War Kids and The Pernice Brothers.

Most Valuable Performer (female): Dita Vox of Seattle’s Thee Emergency
Holy shit this girl has PIPES!! I saw Dita perform in 90 degree weather, as the very first act in a killer festival-ish line-up. There were literally ten or so of us standing in the front rows, but Dita sang like she was playing Woodstock. I have written before that her performance reminded me of recordings of Janis Joplin concerts.  She growled and cooed, making love to the music, while screaming a battle cry. Though I love the work that other female artists like Neko Case, Regina Spektor, and Jenny Lewis  have done this year; Dita stands alone for rocking out, rocking hard, keeping up with the boys, singing her ass off and looking damn sexy doing it.

Most Valuable Performer (male): Aaron of Ghostland Observatory
In a span of two days I saw Mick Jagger (the iconic front man) and Aaron from Ghostland, and the latter was embarrassingly superior. I think I get what people felt like when they saw Elvis shake his hips for the first time. If you haven’t heard- Aaron’s got moves like a dorky, pre-Neverland Michael Jackson with the King’s hips and 1990’s bump’n'grind. Watching him perform, you feel like an voyeur… and yes, the tightness of the acid wash jeans paired with pelvic thrusting, just might have something to do with that.
Honorable Mention: John Roderick of The Long Winters
The funniest man in rock and roll.

Most Valuable Improved Live Act: Tapes n’ Tapes
A year of touring has done these boys good. Now their live performance truly stands up to the amazing feat that The Loon is. And we here couldn’t be more pleased….because they really fucking rock.

Most Valuable Venue (Seattle): The Crocodile Cafe
Which has become Sound on the Sound’s second home.

I am pleased to say that choosing the best songs of 2006 has been a daunting task with all the incredible tunes that have been released this year. The following are, after much consideration, a thousand listens, and just about as many changes… my favorite songs of 2006:

1. (Gasp! A Tie!) “Hospital Beds” and “We Used To Vacation” - Cold War Kids - Up In Rags EP Hospital Beds
2. “Hold On, Hold On” - Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood Hold On, Hold On
3. “While You Were Sleeping” - Elvis Perkins- Ash Wednesday
4. “Fire Island, AK” - The Long Winters- Putting the Days to Bed
5. “Here’s Your Future” - The Thermals - The Blood,The Body, The Machine Here’s Your Future
6. “Samson” - Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
7. “The Phantom Limb” - The Shins - Phantom Limb Single
8. “Flag and Family” - Cursive - Happy Hollow
9. “The Funeral” - Band of Horses- Everything All the Time
10. “Cream”- Thee Emergency- Can You Dig It? Cream
11. “Moon Over Goldsboro” - The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely
12 “Future Foe Scenarios” - Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
13. ”Sad Sad City” - Ghostland Observatory- Paparazzi Lightning Sad Sad City
14. “Just A Thought” - Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
15. “Bad Education” - Tilly and The Wall - Bottom of Barrells
16. “Start of Something” - Voxtrot - Raised by Wolves EP
17.”Good Weekend” - Art Brut- Bang Bang Rock & Roll
18. “All Fires” - Swan Lake- Beast Moans All Fires
19. “Handle With Care” - Jenny Lewis with guests Ben Gibbard, Conor Oberst, & M. Ward- Rabbit Fur Coat
20. “Jah Didn’t Kill Johnny” - Sage Francis - A Healthy Distrust

Beloved Songs of 2006, That Were Not Released in 2006

“Lisa” - Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers
“The River (live)” - Atmosphere w/Heiruspecs - from First Avenue, Mpls
“No Children” and “Best Ever Death Metal Band Out of Denton”- The Mountain Goats
“I Found a Reason” - Cat Power
“Breathe Me” - Sia
“Heartbeats”- Jose Gonzalez