Neko Case ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Oh, the cruel games we play.

Do you enjoy mind-stimulating activities such as Soduku, New York Times Crossword Puzzles and/or Apples to Apples? If so, then you deserve a pat on the back and possibly an invitation to tutor me in a few of those areas. Especially in regard to crossword puzzles, I’m so terrible I don’t ever see myself leaving the “word find” circuit.  Luckily for people like me, there is alternative mind-stimulating game that accurately judges the content of someone’s character in three simple words. Marry. Fuck. Kill. If you want to call into question a friend’s lack of taste in other human beings, flawed thought process or how well they react under pressure, you play this game.

If you’re not familiar, let me clue you in.  You are given three options and you select “marry, fuck, kill” depending on what fictional scenario you may or may not want to happen in reality. However, I’m going to change some of the terminology. America is founded on Puritan belief (and the decimation of native populations) and I feel like we all need to get back to our Puritan roots. In keeping with the Puritan tradition, I’m changing “fuck” to “copulate with genuine feelings of desire” and I’m changing “kill” to “feverishly ignore.” Puritans had no problems with the idea of marriage, so I’m going to leave that be. I know I should have created more of an accurate “Marry.Fuck.Kill.” scenario using spreadsheets with color coded cells to signify scheduling conflicts, but those plans didn’t fit in my budget. Below the musical acts are broken down into the following categories. Some acts will just be listed while others will have brief descriptions. Enjoy.

Bands you want to “Marry” - These are bands you’ve already loved (or should have loved) for a long time,  now you’re ready to make that everlasting commitment.  You have long ignored all the flaws and blemishes related to these acts due to your blinding love for them.  They might have disappointed you with a few bad songs, a bad album or a lackluster live performance, but you stand by them because you’re suffering from the most fortunate chemical imbalance there is, love.

Bands you want to “Copulate with Genuine Feelings of Desire” – These are the bands that you’re just killing time with. Maybe you’re waiting for a more desirable band to start their set or maybe you’ve had one too many PBR’s and suddenly that bassist with the nose ring is looking hot! Easy tiger, keep your cool. You don’t want to wake up in the morning with schwag from a band that you’re not sure you like.  I’m not saying these bands aren’t worth your undivided attention, I’m just not sure you’ll have a long-term relationship with them.  Make no mistake if you find love here, I’ll be happy for you.

Bands you want to “Feverishly Ignore” – I’m not saying these bands suck, but now might be the perfect time to pretend to be having a meaningful text message conversation far away from the stage.

Read the rest of this entry »

Monday’s edition of the RUMBLE at the Havana Social Club brings together a couple of bands introducing a new spin to point’s of view that feel steeped in history. This month they’ve managed to artfully match local band See Me River to another band that makes actually sense. This is no easy task as the Kerry Zettel fronted band one of Seattle’s most noticeable and distinct Americana bands. Distinct because they aren’t trying to sound like anyone else. Noticeable because Zettel sings with an unmistakable vocal personality that makes the songs alive.

The rising act given the opportunity to build on their own name with the honor of traveling with this month’s RUMBLE is L.A.’s Rumspringa, a band rooted in the blues and very interested in building songs with a thick tone palette. Comparison’s to the efforts of the Black Keys aren’t off base, but this also doesn’t convey the range of what they’re attempting to offer. The two songs below are a nice way to start getting a sense of what mean, a modern one featuring a very SoCal musical breakdown, and another one that very effectively blurs the line between rock and blues but could be easily labeled either:

Sway by cantorarecords


Queer Eyed Boy by cantorarecords

If you like what you hear, show up around 9pm on Capitol Hill for the Trumer Pils specials and some dense, organic, West Coast music.

Magic Mountains ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Sometimes, it feels like a week of local line-ups were made just for me, but  few have ever felt more so than this coming week of wall-to-wall wonderful local line-ups.  There are always great shows happening in Seattle, but this week is extraordinary.

Here’s what I recommend you check out and the shows you’ll most certainly be seeing us in the front row for.

Wednesday May 19th

Whalebones, (( Low Hums )) , Hard Drugs - The Comet
Blunt Mechanic, SHiPs, Nature’s Bandit (who you know by another name) - The Crocodile

Thursday May 20th

The Moondoggies, Grand Hallway, Magic Mountains - Neumo’s
Grand Archives, See Me River, S  - The Tractor
What What Now, The Magic Mirrors - Blue Moon
Green Apple Quick Step - The Crocodile

Friday May 21st

BARE: An A capallea Evening with The Moondoggies, Maldives, Grand Hallway Goldfinch & More - Fremont Abbey
KEXP’s Hood-to-Hood with Damien Jurado, The Lights, Erik Blood - All Over West Seattle, All-day
Hey Marseilles, Ravenna Woods - Vera Project
Drew Grow & the Pastors’ Wives - The Loft at Urban Grace (Tacoma)
Head Like a Kite, Thee Emergency - Neumo’s

Saturday May 22nd

Hey Marseilles, The Head and The Heart - The Tractor
Curtains For You, The Hoarde and The Harem - The Crocodile
School of Rock Presents: Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett - Vera Project

“Eet” by Regina Spektor

Here is my list of thirty songs that dominated my iTunes, the songs that moved me to learn them on guitar, and the songs I will identify with 2009 forever. In no particular order. Though I suppose the top five could be my top five.

“Walkabout” by Atlas Sound + guest Noah Lennox from Logos (Kranky/4AD)
Listen: Get mp3 via FADER

“Technicolor” by Nurses from Apple’s Acre (Dead Oceans)
Listen: Download mp3 courtesy of Dead Oceans

“Lisztomania” by Phoenix from Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“World News” by the Local Natives from Gorilla Manor (Rough Trade/Frenchkiss)
Listen: Download a live version via a Daytrotter Session

“Come Monday Morning” by Widower from Widower (self-released)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“At the Cut” by the Cave Singers from Welcome Joy (Matador)
Listen: Download mp3 courtesy of Matador Records

“Comets” by Fanfarlo from Fanfarlo (Canvasback Music)
Listen: Stream at Fanfarlo.com

“Alamagordo” by the Ironclads from The Space Between the Maps (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of the Ironclads

“Young Heart Sparks Fire” by Japandroids from Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Polyvinyl Records

“Eet” by Regina Spektor from Far (Sire Records)
Listen: Watch the Video above, Stream at Myspace

“Walk Away” by The Maldives from Listen to the Thunder (Mt. Fuji Records)
Listen: Stream a Video from a KEXP In-Studio

“Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” by Mayer Hawthorne from A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw Records)
Listen: Stream the Video at Vimeo

“Ready, Able” by Grizzly Bear from Vecktamist (Warp Records)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“For Now” by People Eating People from People Eating People (The Control Group)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“Lust for Life” by Girls from Lust for Life (True Panther Sounds/Matador Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of True Panther Sounds/Matador Records | Watch the Video Below

“Lust for Life” by Girls (Safe Version)

“Lazerbeams” by Fresh Espresso from Glamour (Out for Stardom)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“The Town” by Macklemore from The Unplanned Mixtape (self-released)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“Otherside” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis from VS. (Sound Records)
Listen: Download VS. EP courtesy of Ryan Lewis Productions

“You Only Believe Me When I’m Lying” by Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers from Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Stillness is the Move” by the Dirty Projectors from Bitte Orca (Domino Records)
Listen: Stream Track via Domino Records

“Magic Mtn” by Arthur & Yu from Don’t Piss into the Fire Sub Pop Singles Club Record Store Day Release and Hardly Art Label Sampler (Sub Pop/Hardly Art)
Listen: Download Track at Amazon via Hardly Art

“Let Me Fall” by the Final Spins from THIS IS THEN/THAT WAS NOW (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Ed Jackson” by See Me River from The Great Unwashed EP (Aviation Records)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh” by Say Hi from Oohs and Aahs (Barsuk Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Barsuk Records

“Please Baby Please” by David Bazan from Curse Your Branches (Barsuk Records)
Listen: Stream a solo version at youtube

“The Perfect Space” by the Avett Brothers from I and Love and You (Columbia)
Listen: Stream via theavettbrothers.com

“What Took So Long” by the Moondoggies (unreleased)
Listen: Download a live session version via Luxury Wafers

“Summer of Hate” by Crocodiles from Summer of Hate (Fat Possum Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Fat Possum Records

“Isabella” by Lands & Peoples from Lands & Peoples EP (self-released)
Listen: Stream via Bandcamp

“Norway” by Beach House from Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Sub Pop

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!)

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

Kerry Zettel of See Me River ::: Portrait by Josh Lovseth

[This Friday, June 12, See Me River plays the Crocodile as a part of Noise for the Needy, with Grand Archives and A Curious Mystery.]

Noon. By the roller coaster. As I sat in a sunny cluster of picnic tables amidst the Fun Forest at Seattle Center, Seagulls circled and screeched overhead while curious tourists gawked before entering our town’s shiny tome to American music (and science fiction) the Experience Music Project.

This was where I was to meet up with See Me River front-man Kerry Zettel to talk a little about where his hardworking band was at right now. I had a few questions swirling in my mind that had been unanswered surrounding the transition of his focus to See Me River and the resulting dissolution of Das Llamas, a provocative rock band that I thought just wasn’t getting enough deserved attention. But I also had questions about what seemed a change in his songwriting attitude for his new band as well.

As our half-an-hour in the sun came to a close, and my questions were drying up Zettel remarked, “I think to not put as much effort into the lyrics as you do the music is to insult the listener.” It was an encompassing and revealing comment about just how serious Zettel takes being a musician.

—

SOTS (Josh): I was starting off listening to your latest [The Great Unwashed EP], and the first thing that came across as interesting was “The Great Unwashed.” Was that directly inspired by the whole Obama experience that we’ve been having?

Kerry Zettel (KZ): Well… yeah?

SOTS: Was it written before or after he was elected?

KZ: It was written before. I guess what was going on around me, and my environment probably inadvertently affected the lyrics of that song. It’s just one of those things that you can get done if you put your head to it.

SOTS: It seemed very much a song of that moment. You’d said you recorded it in December… Maybe I was drawing too much of a direct line to it.

KZ: That’s the great thing, how everything is open for interpretation. Even stuff that is specifically about stuff people have misread, or whatever.

SOTS: I’m sort of interested to see your take on this, because it seemed like when you were doing that last Das Llamas record, it was a little more “disaffected with my fellow man.” This is a flip-flop of that.

KZ: Right. Absolutely. I definitely went from being massively frustrated with humanity in general, to just being stoked that people wised up. I would absolutely say that. That whole EP is about change, whether it be negative or positive, I just felt like it was a good time for that to come out mainly because there was a lot of change going on at that time.

SOTS: Especially since you played on that word ‘change’ in “The Great Unwashed” in that first section. I don’t know if you had like a real direct interaction with somebody who was homeless or something like that…

KZ: Every day. To go to work or just walk down the street, is always a weird interaction. I understand everyone faces their own personal battles, maybe you’re bipolar and unable to whatever… but there’s different things you can do to take control of your own life, whether it be through the resources provided to you, creating your own. So I just think human life is such a precious thing to waste it on not doing anything with your own.

SOTS: Does that feed into your own work ethic at all? See Me River is playing shows constantly…

KZ: Oh absolutely. Right. It’s just a matter of getting it done. I’m here, I may as well do something.

SOTS: One thing I also noticed as a difference between this new record and the older records, maybe because this is the first studio recording See Me River, was that… I think the old records it felt much more organic. And I was trying to figure out why that was. I think maybe you didn’t use a metronome much on the first couple records and this time you used a metronome.

KZ: Absolutely. Chris Common, the guy who recorded it is really anal about timing and pitch. Which is cool, that’s the reason why we went with him. Because we don’t have the best timing. Not to mention, for Time Machine, the drums were done as an afterthought, where as regular recording you do the drums first. Until Time Machine was recorded, we didn’t really have a lot of drums on stuff. And then Kellie got a lot more active as a drummer for the Great Unwashed.

We actually have an album that we’re working on right now, that we’re hoping to record in September. We’re doing pre-production on it in August in Montana. It’s written.

SOTS: Doing it with the same people?

KZ: Oh yeah. We’re going to go with Chris again. We already have some studio time booked to do some stuff. Cause the plan record eight to ten new songs, and then take maybe three songs off of the EP.
Read the rest of this entry »

For the next little while, the Gibson Guitar Room in Pioneer Square will be hosting an exhibition of the rock photography of local photographer Kristen Traux, who’s better known as BLUSH PHOTO, and tonight is the opening party. Titled “MAKE ME BLUSH,” the show features “Portraits and Candid Moments from Seattle’s Music Scene.” Providing a musical performance for the festivities, and possibly in a picture or two will be See Me River.

Going from 6-10pm, this event is free. I hear there might even be refreshments for the early comers. The Gibson Guitar Room is located at 159 S. Jackson St, Ste 330.

We are so happy to be even loosely associated with another great Wig Bash in Spokane. Ashley Graham over at The Wig Fits All Heads PR was the first person who ever reached out to Sound on the Sound in the infancy of our blog and is a tremendous asset in the Seattle and Pacific Northwest scene. Before anyone else has seen something special in some of the Northwest’s bands, including See Me River, Shim, The Blakes, Team Gina, Hockey, and more, it’s Ashley who’s fallen for their sound and realized their potential. She’s an amazing lady, with an uncanny ear for the next big thing.

For those of your on the east side of this glorious state of ours, we’re pleased to help present Wig Bash 2009 at The Blvd. in Spokane with See Me River, Shim, Cyrus Fell Down, and Truckasaurus. Not to mention with what’s certain to be beautiful photos on display by Kristen of Blush Photo. We’ll also be involved with this year’s Seattle Wig Bash, but that’s been temporarily postponed after the venue it was scheduled at (King Cobra) suddenly shut down.

So come on out Spokane and celebrate a few of the finest folks involved with the Northwest music scene.

Kerry Zettle of See Me River ::: photo by Abbey

* The Fruit Bats - Live from Berkely on KEXP 
Finally after two years of not being able to listen to the Fruit Bats, thanks to unpleasant memories and a negative association with their stellar album Echolocation, I am so so glad to have the band back where they belong–in regular rotation. After two years off the Bats, they’re harmonies are sounding even sweeter to me.

* Shane Tutmarc - Dark Circles
Shane yet again proves he’s one of Seattle’s most talented song-writers. There isn’t a bad song on the album, but I’m especially smitten with “Idle Hands” and “Let Me Down Easy.”

* See Me River - The Great Unwashed EP
Half Smiths album, half classic See Me River, all good. Kerry Zettel has one of my favorite voices in the Seattle scene today.

* Kaylee Cole - We’re Still Here Missing  You
Kaylee Cole’s album is hauntingly beautiful. I guarantee you “Car Wreck Song” and “Uncertain World” will be high on my Favorite Songs of 2009 list.

* Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP
Ask anyone who’s been spending any amount of time with me recently (see: my co-workers) and they will tell you that I’ve been listening to the title track of this EP obsessively.

* Painted Hills - Magnolia EP
The next Maldives? Mark my words, you’ll be hearing a lot more from this band very soon.

For all of you normal folk who work 40-hour work weeks for corporate overlords under the harsh glare of micro-managing goons, it’s the weekend.  You’ve got tonight, tomorrow, tomorrow night and Sunday to drink yourself silly in the company of your friends and maybe even some of these impressive bands slogging about Seattle this weekend.

For all of you dullards like myself who work at a coffee shop, this just starts a two day period where you angrily have to wake up at 4:30 in the morning, throw on some mismatched, ill-fitting clothing and proceed to try not to punch any early morning go-getters in the face.

Regardless of your life path, there’s a lot of good music playing this weekend and I want to recommend some of it.

FRIDAY:

Police Teeth, the Bismarck, & Arbitron @ The Sunset

The last time I saw Arbitron the lead singer smashed his hand against his guitar so many times that a puddle of blood formed underneath where he was standing.  After their show, a member of the next band, leaned in to his friend and disgustedly mouthed “Is that blood?”  I laughed.  These guys are loud, loud noise rock.  Part of your face will melt off.

SATURDAY:

Pica Beats, The Purrs, Love Like Fire, Globes @ The Comet

This show has my loins stirred.  All local acts, all extremely good at what they do.  Don’t fret, the mean bartenders at The Comet aren’t attacking you personally, they’re just assholes.

Army Navy, See Me River, Facts About Funerals @ The Sunset

The guy from See Me River looks like a bearded Tiny Tim, and sounds a bit like the gentleman from Crash Test Dummies who honestly reminds me a little bit like the guy from Live but without the creepy Hare Krishna topknot.  These aren’t reasons to see them though, that would be the beautiful, sweeping music they create.

SUNDAY:

Take her easy pard’ner it’s been a long weekend of boozing, you have to get back your cubicle in the morning nice and early to finish up stapling your bosses divorce papers together.

Have a good one!