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July 6, 2011

Sound on the Sound Presented the Return of Iceage Cobra and Hopscotch Boys

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Iceage Cobra

Iceage Cobra ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

The nice thing about getting to put together our own shows are the opportunities to act on little more than a lark and a dream and still have things work out. Our dream was to bring the best of the Blue Moon Tavern circa 2007/2008 to Columbia City Theater, but that would involve reunions and cross country travel.

Our bill on Friday July 1st, truly was a lark and a dream, though its success wasn’t certain at all in our minds. If we could wrangle the bands, would a Blue Moon crowd come to Columbia City Theater? These were questions that could not be answered ahead of time. But as 9:30 struck and the room filled with old familiar faces on and off stage, we had what we’d hoped for all along: a full-on return to the Blue Moon Tavern circa 2007/2008, a one-night only reunion of Iceage Cobra, the return of the Hopscotch Boys and current favorites What What Now.

What What Now have an entire catalog of catchy melodies and incredibly catchy pop-punk lyrics, which felt even larger as we were given a set of new songs on a new stage. What What Now craft the kind of lyrics and melody that inhabit your unconscious until just the right moment a day later, and you’re suddenly headbanging in vegetable aisle, “Tired Head! Tired Head!” The foursome launches into just about every song, a kicking off of the momentum of Rob Dyrdek careening through a playground of obstacles, navigating his board over and through avoidable hazard after avoidable hazard while never falling off. Its youthful disregard braking is slightly crazy but ultimately thrilling and fun as hell.

Friend of the blog and Blue Moon Tavern booker Jason Josephes agreed to wrangle his band the Hopscotch Boys for the special occasion of an honest-to-god rock show under the Sound on the Sound Presents banner. Frontman Blowdog arrived on-stage with hum bao Hooters, a blonde wig, and a menacing orange ski mask, and entered the crowd to challenge our collective personal space before the first song was over. His beady eyes peaking out from just big enough holes amounted to Blowdog’s creepiest stare yet. As he pulled off the mask (but kept the wig) and began pulling hum bao from his pants shirt to stuff in his mouth the night descended into that hazy place where you’re not entirely sure if you just saw what you think you saw, where drinking is called for to help you process and forget it all at the same time. By the end of the night marshmallows and hum bao carcasses littered the floor under the place where a minor pit spun up and the crowd was more outright grins than uneasy smirks.

We started Sound on the Sound in search of rock and Iceage Cobra was one of the first to emerge to us as the best of 2006′s crop. Thus, with just one record under their belt, Iceage Cobra’s 2008 demise was far too soon for us. Guitarist Jordan West is Angus Jr., a swirling mayhem of hair and kicks and guitar play. The songs were penned with testosterone on the mind after all so the rest of the band sweats their share of male prowess: Hobosexual’s Ben Harwood on bass is a guitar god in his own right, and Mitch Brasch who took some time to visit from higher education to break his symbol at soundcheck and give a go at the same for the rest of his set during his hour on stage. Few bands we’ve seen since feature in one song’s time the same balance of showmanship and fist-pumping anthemic rock that Iceage Cobra dishes out with every song, and seeing it all in action again, separate from the era in which it existed, it stood up on all levels. Far from a slapdash one-off “reunion,” the threesome delivered for their gathered fans in spades, and sweat it out like every other show before it. It’s no favor for them to have followed the Hopscotch Boys, and yet even today the presence of Iceage Cobra effectively stomps out the thought of all others.

Word is Hopscotch Boys might be lurking around a bit more in the coming months so be on the look out for that. As for me, hum bao will never quite look the same. Thanks to those of you who came out and fulfilling our dream of bringing the best of the Blue Moon to Columbia City Theater. You know what I mean when I talk about hum bao never being the same, and Friday wouldn’t have been the same without you.

Hopscotch Boys

Hopscotch Boys ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Find some photos from Friday night below the fold… (more…)

June 28, 2011

Win Tickets to See Iceage Cobra, Hopscotch Boys and What What Now

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Columbia City Theater Sound on the Sound Presents

 

Iceage Cobra ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

 

 

Before there was Iceage, there was Iceage Cobra. And when they played their final show in September of 2008, eager fans actually drank the sweat from the dripping t-shirt of lead singer Jordan West. Their heavy hook, antic-filled anthems and their gigantic stacks of amps were better suited for arenas than the Blue Moon, but for those of us watching Cobra from the front row, fists in the air and heads thrown back to best scream along … it might as well have been the Coliseum. There was a talk box, head-banging, high kicks, hanging from rafters, mic-swallowing, crowd surfing and knife play involved after all.

 

Hopscotch Boys ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

 

 

And then there’s the Hopscotch Boys. They’re a delightfully disturbing trainwreck of a band, who write twisting riffs so good, you don’t even notice you’re bopping your head and singing along to a tale of the torture of a teenage prostitute, until it hits you like an open palm. The most mellow Hopscotch Boys show I ever saw took place in the clubhouse of a biker gang in a section of South Seattle mostly populated by cargo containers and I still worried I might be arrested for attending. I can only imagine what the band has planned for their first performance in over three years.

 

What What Now ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

 

 

Last and certainly not least is What What Now, who while not yet a band in 2008 when Iceage Cobra and Hopscotch Boys played their final shows, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us in the front row at both finales. One of Seattle’s most underrated punk rock bands, What What Now plays with a frantic energy that screams and claws and shakes. While lead screamer Brittian Piper wails like a man painfully dying after a life of chain-smoking and whiskey swilling, there’s a surprising pop rapport between lead guitarists Mike Kalnoky’s robust riffs and the jauntiness of Brian Weza’s bass playing. This is pop punk, if only that term hadn’t been tainted by The Offspring, Blink 182 and a generation of cargo short wearing tribal-tattooed copy cats.

What we’re saying you already know if you were there at the Blue Moon during the summer’s of 2006, 2007 and 2008 … the return of Iceage Cobra and Hopscotch Boys are not to be missed. It is those of you who weren’t there who we’re hoping will take a flying leap of faith and come see a couple of our most missed Seattle rock bands.

To win a pair of a tickets to see Iceage Cobra, Hopscotch Boys and What What Now at Columbia City Theater this Friday, just leave a comment below. We’ll pick the rowdiest one by noon Thursday and see you in the pit.

April 13, 2011

Yellingham Festival 2011

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Do you remember that scene in Death to Smoochy when Edward Norton is dressed up as the purple rhinoceros known as “Smoochy” and he is playing campfire songs to a group of children? During this scene, along with many other scenes in the movie, Norton is riding on a teeter totter that is dangerously close to the brink of insanity. He tells the kids in order to release their feelings they must howl at the moon. The children are not as clairvoyant as you would think, not a single one tells Mr. Norton that they are shooting on a sound-stage. What happens next is the most riveting, primal experience in the history of American film. This is the scene that inspired what is now known as Yellingham Festival.

I’m kidding but I wish I wasn’t. Yellingham Festival is a musical event that takes place in Bellingham, Wa. of all places. Strange, I thought they pulled that name out of a hat. There are 40 bands, split into a 11 different shows over the span of 72-hours. You have your riot-starters of the pacific northwest rock scene (Helm’s Alee, Grenades) alongside your “What do you call rock and roll that has a violin?” (Baltic Cousins, The Solvents) Paired with your “What do you call that, punk?” bands (What What Now, Monogamy Party). There are also other familiar acts like Shelby Earl and Karl Blau, if name recognition is something that you get off on. I think there are two really cool things about this festival:

1) There are a ton of bands that I’ve heard about but never actually seen. Surely, I’m not the only person in Western Washington that feels this way.  Cat From Hue, Mountainss, Footwork and Wildildlife are just a few names that I’ve seen on posters or heard on the lips of strangers but have never witnessed for myself. Maybe you’ve seen those bands but haven’t seen one of the other three dozen bands that are rocking this weekend. Now is the best time to do so. Is there anything better than a good house show? The correct answer is no.

2) Yes, this entire festival takes place in houses all over the Bellingham area. I implore you to use your manners at all times. Don’t be a dick. Don’t trash someone’s house because you are caught in a moment of rock and roll passion. I don’t speak for those who are opening their houses for this event, but if someone fucked up my house after I was kind enough to let them in…guess who is grabbing a large kitchen knife and giving you a child-like three count to get-the-fuck-out? That would be me, your generous now incensed host. The hosts of this event are not making any money so don’t pretend to use that as a motivator to act unruly. The suggested donation is $5 per show. No booze. No drugs (smoke pot in your own damn car, hippie). All-ages.  Shows will be taking place on April 15th, 16th and 17th.

April 12, 2011

What I’m Loving Now: Posse and Smokey Brights

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Posse

Like most of vitamin D starved Seattle, my desperation for sunshine and temperatures not requiring multiple sweaters is reaching previously unknown levels. I was born and raised in Seattle, I can deal with some gray and rain with the most stoic of people, but after last years summer fake out, I’m fiending for t-shirt weather like never before.

While Seattle has only physically offered us golden glimpses of sunshine, musically there are a number of new bands whose sun-washed sounds transport me from our long winter straight to summertime. Considering my craving, it should come as no surprise these are a couple of the local bands I’m listening to most.

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Sounding more San Francisco than Seattle, Posse’s rough around the edges indie-pop equally satisfies my need for moody melancholy and toe-tapping catchiness. There’s a sunny slur to the songs, like the year’s first trip to the beach where its the brown-bagged booze that keeps you warm instead of the sunshine and Posse has me drunk. For your first sip, I suggest “Sarah.”

Posse is playing next Friday (April 22nd) at The Comet.

smokeybrights

Smokey Brights by Dylan Priest

If Posse sounds like the beginning of the summer, Smokey Brights is a lazy August day gorged with sun. A new project two years in the making from Ryan Devlin, best known as the bassist for Hounds of the Wild Hunt, Smokey Brights featuring members of What What Now and Armed With Legs. Sounding little like the bands its members are best known for, Smokey Brights combines retro r&b sounds with a touch of Ballard Americana and highlights Devlin and Co’s skilled musicianship and his knack for catchy pop. Parts of “Everyday” sound like Seattle’s answer to The Hold Steady’s Boys and Girls in America era anthems, while “Waiting on A Light” is surprisingly delicate, like a sweet slow dance.

Smokey Brights play the High Dive this Thursday with Youth Rescue Mission (COI statement: I currently do PR for both the High Dive and YRM) and they’ll be celebrating their CD debut on May 26th at The Tractor.

Everyday by Smokey Brights

Waiting on a Light by Smokey Brights

Wildflowers- Smokey Brights by Smokey Brights

February 3, 2011

Shake, Rattle and Roll at the Comet Saturday Night

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The Blind Shake

Elvis is the king of rock and roll a piece of shit.

Gentle reader, come close. That’s not good enough. Come close enough to feel the words leave my lips. This Saturday night at the Comet, the best show of the month of February is taking place. Yes, I said it. I might even go a step further and say that this is the best show of 2011 thus far. There are a few bands that I would like to add to this bill, (Police Teeth, Helms Alee, the Badlands, the Damage Done etc) but then it would be a festival. Or just another show at Studio Seven where you have nine bands you have to sit through. That’s way too much drinking time. Rock n’ Roll is for the young. Adults can’t spend that much time standing in one place with their arms crossed, pretending to be cool and interested. During this show, there will be no pretending by those who are of age. The rock action is that good. What What Now, a proud contributors to our “Best of 2010″ list will be there. Lead singer, Brittain Piper has a broken hand and will be playing the role of exuberant front-man instead of radical guitarist. The group is armed with new songs that are incredibly good. I would like to commend the band for getting creative and having a friend play Brittain’s guitar parts instead of bailing on the show. Such a display of on-the-fly ingenuity demonstrates to me that this band is dedicated to its craft. It also tells me that this band reads books. What What Now are smart enough to realize this is an incredible opportunity that should not go to waste. Kids, don’t ever stop reading. The more you know, the greater your chances of playing a spectacular Saturday night show at the Comet become. Just kidding. Reading books cuts into your guitar time. If you read too much, you might never leave the open mic circuit. I’m not talking about Conor Byrne either.

Battle Hymns are different than you might expect. When I first see that name, I thought of The Suicide Machines. Shutup, I don’t actively listen to ska. I just really liked that song “New Girl” back in the day. Battle Hymns are nothing like the aforementioned ska/punk band. I tried listening to Battle Hymns via the browser crippler that is known as Myspace, but it didn’t work out that well.  Every time I went to their site, someone’s comment on their site would start playing instead of the band. The confusion led me to believe that For Arlene was a terrible song. In fact, that’s far from the case.  I would have to describe it as “midnineties, midwestern.” The first thing that comes to mind is a less optimistic, more simplified version of what Chamberlain did in its latter years. Although it’s not what I thought it would be. I welcome Battle Hymns contrast to the other in-your-face acts at the Comet on Saturday night.

Virgin Islands! *delightful squeal* It’s been far too long. Nevermind the fact the name of your debut EP Age of Anxienty might describe my life more often than I’d like to admit these days. Your songs are catchy and not an obvious deriative. Did I mention you look good doing what you do? Well I just did. Just in case you were unaware, Virgin Islands release their debut full legnth album Ernie Chambers v. God on May 10th on The Control Group. This means if you come to the Comet on Saturday night, you’ll probably hear some songs from their upcoming album. This is the part where you get really excited. But not too excited, you have to keep reading because I’m not finished talking. The Blind Shake are merrymakers from Minneapolis, Minnesota but they are officially endorsed right here in the Emerald City. Two guitar, no low end and uniform in appearance, this band are the dreamers of dreams. Sound wise, they are similar to Virgin Islands but not really. Noisy punk that’s rough around the edges. You could name drop a hundred different bands ranging from Unwound to The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower to The Birthday Suits and none of them would be quite accurate. Those who have witnessed the Blind Shake in the past have told me the most promising tales. I close my eyes and imagine discordant sugarplum ferries, slam-dancing in my head. Seattle, I encourage you to embrace your Midwestern brethren. Let them out of this blizzard and into your warm bosom.

The show starts at 9pm. Tickets are $8.

January 31, 2011

Sound on the Sound’s Top 25 Northwest Albums of 2010

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Damien Jurado Dan Mangan Drew Grow & The Pastor’s Wives Fences Pearly Gate Music Ravenna Woods The Head and the Heart The Lonely Forest The Moondoggies Wild Orchid Children Sound on the Sound Presents
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We’ll be the first to admit this list is arriving, oh, at least a month late. On the other hand, 2010 was an expansive year for Northwest music in many regards and worthy of chronicling one last time with thoughtful and focused intention. So we hope you will see that the extra time we’ve given this piece has led to more in-depth reviews of each release in a way that a December 31st publish date didn’t allow. Hopefully you’ll read one of them and discover a great local record that you missed in 2010 proper.

Unlike some other lists who will cite being on a Northwest label as being a candidate for a “Best of the Northwest” list, ours only includes bands from and making music in the Northwest right now. We’ve expanded to include Vancouver to the north, south to Cottage Grove, west to Forks and east to (at least) Billings, however there’s no denying, our list is heavily Puget Sound area-centered, and mostly Seattle at that. We didn’t pay as close attention to Portland and Vancouver as we should have in 2010, something we plan on remedying in 2011.

With that please enjoy our take on the 25 most significant records we heard from the Pacific Northwest in 2010.

 

 

 

25. Fences – s/t

“Clocking in just over 30 minutes, the long-awaited debut establishes it was worth the wait with the first strums of “Girls With Accents,” whose chorus of “I’m fucking up, I’m fucking up everything” is destined to become a teenage anthem. But this album isn’t just for moody teenagers. Fences sings sad songs filled with snide sweetness, self-deprecation and a confessional honesty that hits home to anyone whose been brave enough to admit they fucked up and flawed enough to do the same thing all over again.” [abbey]

 

24. Wild Orchid Children – Are Alexander Supertramp

Were you ever young? Nod your head “yes.” What did you do when you were young? I’m not talking elementary school age, that’s real kids stuff. Let’s focus on the beast that is adolescence. What did you do when you were young? Did you do what your parents told you? If so, you probably listen to (insert conventional musician using complex social analysis matrix here). Were you a bookworm or liked to secretly play with action figures even though you were probably too old for it? If so, you probably listened to Hum. (editor’s note: Hum totally rules…I swear I left the GI Joe’s alone.) Did you get inebriated in the woods behind a strangers house on the beer you kept buried in the ground, then had Roman Candle fights in a neighboring cul-da-sac? Did you go skating at night and drink beer out of your own Vans sneaker? Did you do acid and see thousands of David the Gnomes come parading out of your bathroom as you tried to sleep? If so, you probably listen to Wild Orchid Children.

That’s exactly what this album is like. It’s like lighting your friends’ parents roof on fire by accident then instead of calling 9-1-1, you decide to make Smores on the ashes. The insurance company has its eyebrows raised. Are you an arsonist? You tell them to fuck off go kick rocks. You are Alexander Supertramp. [Phil]

 

 

23. Lesbian – Stratospheria Cubensis

Lesbian enjoys buttering up the listener with unassuming riffs at the beginning of their songs. Take the beginning Raging Arcania or Black Stygian for instance. The former being otherwordly while the latter is an obtuse delight. Eventually Lesbian decides your peace of mind is a bad joke and they’re not laughing. Insert weird metal breakdown here. Lesbian does something a lot of metal bands don’t but should. The band will throw in thrashy parts out of nowhere, creating quite the tempo shift. During these “brutal” fits, you would expect conventional usage of blast beats but Lesbian will not cave in to the needs of mundane metalheads across the globe. They stay true to their original outlandish form. After a few minutes of putting your mind in a blender, Lesbian decides that your pain bores them. The magical mushrooms that the band ingested before they decided to fuck-with-you-for-the-fun-of-it have worn off. They decide against taking you to Harborview because you don’t have insurance. They suture your skull back together with rusty, mostly heavier gauged guitar strings. That’s exactly what listening to this band is like. A prime example of this occasionally interrupted mayhem is the album’s title track. [Phil]

 

22. Language Arts & Def Dee – Gravity

Though it was a tough choice (a really tough choice) between the two full length albums LA put out this year (the other being Roll With The Winners with producer Blu-Ray), it may have been the warm feeling of nostalgia that surfaced while listening to Gravity that kept it on repeat for such a large part of the year. LA is arguably the most lyrically sound MC in the area code, from street-side cyphers to formidable entries on wax, and Def Dee’s classic east coast style, lowest-fi production, the sixteen tracks feel timeless. [Todd]

 

 

21. Baltic Cousins – s/t EP

“I’m the same as I was that day…” – Break Bread

It’s like they were there, but they weren’t.

All of us can reach back into our past and select a day. Depending on which day we take hold, the meaning and the outcome of those moments would be different. Close your eyes and think for a second. What day did you choose and would you change anything about it? Did you say the right things? Did you make the right decision? Has anything about you changed from the brief moment you selected? Is regret a shadow that follows you constantly even though we never see the sun around here?

The self-titled demo released by Baltic Cousins resonates heavily with those who hear it. There is not much to their bare approach to songwriting. No bass. No keys. No additional percussionist. This Bellingham supergroup doesn’t need the bells and whistles of the current dog and pony show that is indie rock. What Baltic Cousins lacks in number of members or presentation they make up for with remarkable honesty that is manifested in both lyrical and musical form. [Phil]

 

20. Frog Eyes – Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph

My husband suggested the following review for this album: “Weird, but worth it.”

Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph is an intricate concerto of noise, Bach for the rock and roll era. Seemingly influenced by everything from Dinosaur Jr. to Baptist preaching, this record is a master class in bringing together a slew of disparate influences into a harmonious – if not particularly melodic – whole. Sometimes delicate, sometimes rushing and rattling like a runaway train, Paul’s Tomb is a howling journey through frontman Carey Mercer’s brain. [Brittney]

 

Read the rest of our Top 25 Northwest Albums of 2010 after the jump (more…)

January 16, 2011

Abbey’s 20 Favorite Local Records of 2010

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Damien Jurado ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Our big, written properly, not just a list of The Top 25 Northwest Albums of 2010 is coming soon, really, WE PROMISE. But today I wanted to share my personal favorites of 2010. Also, my number one most listened to local album of 2010 was basically a “Best Of” compilation, so I decided not to include it. If I had though, Carissa’s Wierd’s They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave would be perched near the very top.

1. Damien Jurado – Saint Bartlett 2. The Moondoggies – Tidelands and You’ll Find No Answers Here 3. The Head and The Heart – s/t 4. S – I’m Not As Good At It As You 5. Dan Mangan – Nice Nice Very Nice 6. Avians Alight – s/t 7. Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives – s/t 8. Hoquiam – s/t 9. Mt. St. Helen’s Vietnam Band – Where the Messengers Meet 10. Ravenna Woods – Demons and Lakes

Ravenna Woods ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

11. Lemolo – Singles EP 12. The Lonely Forest – s/t EP 13. The Lights – Failed Graves 14. What What Now – Fingers and Toes 15. Baltic Cousins – s/t EP 16. Joseph Giant – s/t 17. Salmon Thrasher – What Gives and Thrashin’ USA 18. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis – The Vs. Remixes 19. Hobosexual – s/t 20. Shannon Stephens – s/t

Four albums I love that I haven’t had enough time with to make a judgment … my best guess though? Had they come out earlier in the year, they’d be in that Top 20:

The Solvents – Forgive Yr. Blood Drew Grow – The Comfort Feel EP Le Sang Song – s/t Cobirds Unite – s/t

January 11, 2011

My 2010: In One Ear and Out The Other (the “Live” show)

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Baroness at Bumbershoot ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Ladies and Gentlemen, hold on to your hats, this is for all the marbles….

“You’re Not From Around Here…Are You?” – Best Live Performance By A Touring Act

Winner(s): Goodie Mob. Coalesce. Baroness. Almost Winner(s): Jay Electronica.

Judging by the fact that I have multiple winners listed, this was a difficult decision to make. Goodie Mob gave me a reason to believe in the concept of “reunion tours” again. I graduated from the school of thought where if you break up once, you should probably stay separated. Unless you’re a fan of daytime television or have the desire to construct a Greek tragedy in which you are the star, it’s probably in the best interest of all parties involved. This Goodie Mob tour could’ve went a lot like a Naughty By Nature (who?) reunion tour. But it didn’t. Big Gipp rocking a bullet proof vest in tongue and cheek fashion. Cee-Lo playing the part of the big bad wolf by blowing the “house” down with his vocals. It was a thing of beauty. Coalesce took a decade of mockery by yours truly and shoved it down my throat and into the pit of my stomach. I’m still removing the crow from my teeth and the show happened back in May. Baroness may be the crown jewel of this trio. They braved the elements. an unfavorable set-time (competing with lots of other acts at Bumbershoot) and still came out as the undeniable kings of the mountain. They literally destroyed generations of people. Never have I seen someone who isn’t old enough to know the mathematical concept of “multiplication” rock out so hard. They performed with a precision and charisma that was unmatched in the calendar year of 2010. Kudos to them. On the other hand….

The Thermals at Bumbershoot ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

“Who Are You Boning For Your Success?” Worst Live Performance By A “Touring” Band

Winner: Free Energy. Almost Winner: The Thermals.

For as long as Free Energy are in existence, this is their award to lose. The kings of pomp. How many Mick Jagger “How To Be A Frontman” VHS tapes can we watch in one night? No. Let’s choreograph the moves we see in RockBand.  Maybe if we wear makeup, people like us more? Suddenly we’re opening for a souless, cowardly Weezer. Go figure. The Thermals are a band that I enjoy, at times. Here’s where I utter the predictable “I like the first album, but that’s it” go-to critic line. I saw them in the KEXP Bumbershoot Lounge or what have you. Easily one of the most boring, uninspired performances I’ve ever seen. Billy Corgan is looking in the mirror, shining his bald head and mocking toasting this display of live mediocrity. Well done. The well-trained people in the audience clapped after every song. Why? Was it because it was live radio and that was your job as a studio audience? Sheep. I wanted to “boo” and maybe “hiss.” Tomatoes would have been heaved in the Thermals general direction. There is the possibility that the Thermals were saving their passion for the Broad Street Stage later on that tonight. That’s not a legit excuse in my opinion.

Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

“‘It’s Getting Better All The Time…’No Seriously Your Band Is Like That Beatles Song…” Live Show Award.

Winner: Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives. Almost Winner(s): What What Now.

I’m just stating the facts. Every time I see Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives, they are better than the time before…and they are always really good. After the first four or five times this happened, I was shocked. Now this is just something I expect. It’s too bad for them, they’re fucked by their own greatness.  Sooner or later I fully expect Drew Grow to utter this in the middle of a live performance: “While all of you had your eyes closed during It All Comes Right, Seth and Jeremiah have built a spaceship out of your adoration. Look around you. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are currently floating in space…I’m not kidding.” I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest. In fact, I demand that this happens the next time I see them. Don’t mind me. I’m a first child. We’re the spoiled ones.

See the rest of Phil’s live favorites (and least favorites) after the jump… (more…)

December 29, 2010

Twenty Songs I’m Giving a “10″ in 2010

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the morning benders

The Morning Benders at the Crocodile ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Though choosing any number songs to represent my year for a one such as myself is a challenge, the spare unordered listing below of twenty is about as complete as I can hope to make any such effort. For some of these songs I was smitten at first listen, for others I’ve come to them over the course of the year via live performances. Though I’ve now seen it live probably more than ten times in course of the last year, every time I’m treated to “It All Comes Right” by Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives my body responds with shivers as strong as the first time I heard it.

2010 was personally a year of the highest highs and lowest lows I’ve experienced yet in life, and these songs were my soundtrack. It’s a surprisingly non-emo grouping considering how this year has gone…

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“Rill Rill” – Sleigh Bells Sleigh Bells – Rill Rill by marinak

“Albatross” – Besnard Lakes The Besnard Lakes-Albatross by inertiamusic

(more…)

December 27, 2010

My 2010: In One Ear and Out the Other (Songs)

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Unnatural Helpers ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Hey, you remember that time that Kanye West put out his first decent album since College Dropout and received a perfect rating from Pitchfork? Wasn’t that crazy? Or what about that time that the Arcade Fire put out their least memorable studio album to date and ended up on everyone’s “Best Records of 2010″ list? Wasn’t that kind of weird? Have you ever seen a pre-school child eat those goldfish cracker snacks? They devour them. You could drop them on the on a public bathroom floor and those kids would not blink. They have one goal in mind and that is to put those little golden crackers into their stomachs. I like fishes because they’re so delicious. Gotta go fishing. Music reviewers can be the same way. An artist they love can do no wrong. Ever. Before the goldfish album drops, the music critic has already decided to eat it up. What else can they do? Judge it for what it is? No way. That’s wasting food blogosphere credibility. Why think, when you can GroupThink?

This is not really a “Best of 2010″ list. Most of the music I continue to enjoy is rarely released within the current calendar year. Ever since I was a youth, I have let albums find me. Rarely do I go seek an album out. It’s a blessing and a curse. For instance, I still have not heard the National’s High Violet. I like the National’s past releases a great deal, why am I being so sluggish in giving their latest effort a listen? I don’t have an answer for that. I just know that when the time is right, I’ll have that record and hopefully enjoy it. The following couple hundred words is just a list that relates to individual songs. I’ll post additional lists that reference albums, live performances and moments that you may have missed during the past year. Actually it’s more of an awards show without live video. Maybe next year.

Local Song of the Year: “Sunshine/Pretty Girls” by the Unnatural Helpers

I know what you’re thinking, “How the hell did this song win ‘Local Song of the Year’?” I’ll tell you how. At first, I hated this song. I thought that a handful of kids that got rejected from Seattle’s School of Rock could probably craft a better tune. It’s got three chords, barely. If the lyrics were written on anything besides a two day old pizza box it would be a travesty. Everything about this song screams “novice” and “Hey, want to listen to the band I played in during high school?” However, this song rules and your high school band sucked. I can listen to this song anytime, anywhere. It has not left my head or I-Pods (plural, bitches) since I got over my initial disdain for it. Let’s dim the lights and get sensitive for a moment. The song’s subject matter of “sunshine” and “pretty girls” happens to be my two favorite things on Earth! Incredible! The author pretends not to care about them and that’s fine he can let the listener do that for him. This song is about vanity, stubbornness and fun. Incidentally, those are the only three personality traits I have. Winner.

Other local songs that I love that could have won this award:

“Simple Fates” by Ravenna Woods * “All the King’s Men” by Hounds of the Wild Hunt * “Bobby O” by What What Now * “Capital 5…” by Shabazz Palaces * “Break Bread” by Baltic Cousins * “Poisonous Witchball” by Lesbian* “I Want You To Come Home Now” by Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives * “Gasoline Rainbows (Jesus Is a Blackman)” by Wild Orchid Children * “Whale Song” by Lemolo * “Rivers and Roads” by the Head and the Heart * “My Oh My” by Macklemore “Floorplan” by Youth Rescue Mission * “Emerald City Dollar Bin” by Partman Parthouse

Any song that is going to appear on the upcoming Helms Alee album. If I knew the names I guarantee you that at least one song would be listed here.

My five favorite songs of 2010 that were not released this year (But I heard them for the first time this year):

“In My Wake, For My Own” by Coalesce * “Salt” by Portugal. The Man * “Victory Is In My Clutches” by Jay Electronica * “So You Wanna Be A Superhero” by Carissa’s Wierd “Freeze Me” by Young Dro f. T.I and Gucci Mane