Blog Archives

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.

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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

January 27, 2011

Another New Song From Hounds of the Wild Hunt – “Anywhere But Seattle”

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A dude I best know for screaming his head off as a Whore Moan playing jangly Mississippi blues slide guitar? Mind. Blown.

“Anywhere But Seattle” is another intriguing new track from Hounds of the Wild Hunt who, clearly, are no longer the Whore Moans. With songs like this being the “throw away” songs of the new project from old favorites, I can almost live with that. And its easier with every new song, which like puzzle pieces, introducing us to and piecing together the band’s new identity. I look forward to hearing what they share with us next.

July 2, 2010

Leaving the Whore Moans Behind: “Let it Be Known, This is a Scary Decision”

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The Whore Moans ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Tomorrow night at Columbia City Theater marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one for the Whore Moans. The band will be taking the stage for the final time under their perfect punk rock pun name and playing the songs that made them one of Seattle’s favorite rock banks for the final time, before being reborn as the Hounds of the Wild Hunt.

Changing their well-known, eye-brow raising name has been a difficult and unpopular decision for the band. Internally, the decision caused the Whore Moans’ biggest blow-up in its five year history, threatening the friendships that bind the band, and for a day, they even broke-up. Externally, fans and internet trolls alike have loudly questioned the bands decision to change their name, labeling them “sell-outs” and punk turncoats.

There is no doubt that with the decision to change their name, the Whore Moans/Hounds of the Wild Hunt are facing an uphill battle that they are bringing upon themselves. It is a fact the band is keenly aware of. Sitting on their back porch after band practice this week, bassist Ryan stopped the conversation silent by saying, “Let it be known this is a scary decision.” His band mates nodded in agreement and took deep swigs off their dwindling beers. With the weight of the five years they’ve dedicated to and succeeded with a name that has felt at times as much as blockade as an entry point for the band, leaving the Whore Moans behind wasn’t a sudden or easy decision. In fact, the band almost changed their name before their first LP was released.

As a long time fan and supporter of the band, I wanted to hear from the Whore Moans in their own words their reasons for changing the name, why they chose The Hounds of the Wild Hunt as their new moniker and what we can expect from the final Whore Moans show. Here’s what they had to say.

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So, why change the name?

Jonny: “We’d all been frustrated by the name, for various reasons, save Jason, for years. The main reason is once we had some respect for what we played and it was more than a joke, it was more than about me wearing short shorts and a sweat band and talking about punching God in the face, it was hard to be known by that pun, that joke.”

Ryan: “The more our lives revolved around it, the name spoke less to what we were doing. We were playing these new songs and it seemed absurd that these things we had poured our hearts and souls into …. it almost seemed funny that the title of those things, that were so real and serious and important to us, were being presented under the title, The Whore Moans. It felt like I was wearing a clown hat.”

Jonny: “And to then be constantly matched with other bands, no matter where we played and no matter what they sounded like, who had joke names: Butt Problems, Rape Door, Penetrator, Loaded Revulvas, Ugly Fat Kids …”

Ryan: “If a town had a band with a really funny, shitty, usually sexist name — we would be paired with them — no matter their music had anything to do with our music, just because of the name Whore Moans.”

Nikki: “It was a good name. It was good to us. It got us a lot of attention. It was part of the reason Rolling Stone paid any attention to us, they led their review with something about the name. But it came with a lot of baggage, not only for people who wouldn’t listen to you because of the name, but those who would had expectation about what a band called the Whore Moans were going to sound like.

We started to ask, what if we didn’t have this name? Would we still be being paired with bands called Rape Door or Butt Problems? I didn’t want to have to explain or justify it any more.”

Jason: “On tour we had to prove our talent night after night. And night after night we did and people would tell us they liked us in-spite of our name. It was fun proving people wrong.”

Nikki: “It was fun, but we’ve done it.” Jonny: “Over and over and over again.”

Ryan: “Plus … every drunk guy, in every town we’ve ever played: ‘Hey, how do you make a whore moan?’”

Nikki: “That is our personal ‘Free Bird.’”

Jonny: “We know every punch line to that joke. Never hearing that joke again would be reason enough to change our name.”

The entire band nods their head in agreement.

To read the rest of the interview …

(more…)

June 8, 2010

See the Whore Moans One Last Time

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The Whore Moans ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

The Whore Moans are dead, long live Hounds of the Wild Hunt.

Here’s the press release we just got from Seattle’s favorite screamers about their final show as the Whore Moans and their plans to continue on under a new moniker.

After much debate and much deliberation Ryan Devlin, Jonny Henningson, Nikki O Anderson, and Jason Kilgore have decided to finally put The Whore Moans’ name to rest. This decision was not easily made, but is due to a general feeling within the group that the current moniker does not accurately reflect its members’ mentality, motivations, or the music that they are currently creating.

However, far from throwing in the towel, the quartet is picking up a new title and starting in on a new project, Hounds of the Wild Hunt. They have plans to go into the studio this summer and tour Europe in the fall.

The Whore Moans’ last show will be held on July 3rd, 2010 at the grand opening of the Columbia City Theater. Performing with them will be Lesbian and Chinese. Come pay your final respects and see the Whore Moans one last time.

You can see the Whore Moans one final time on July 3rd for Free as part of the Columbia City Theater Grand Re-Opening.

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 27, 2009

Our Favorite Photos of 2009: The Whore Moans

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The Whore Moans ::: photo by Josh Lovseth  

Even exhuasted after three weeks of touring and (not) sleeping god knows where, The Whore Moans still put on a show that puts most rock bands to shame.  This photo is of the final scream on such a night at The Sunset Tavern this March when the band was just hours away from the bed they’d been dreaming of for weeks. It’s a moment of tirumph, agony, and punk rock all wrapped up in a classic Nikki O. and Jonny shriek. You can almost hear it through the photo.

October 9, 2009

SEA x CMJ

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Tags
Black Whales The Moondoggies The Maldives Unnatural Helpers The Whore Moans The Dutchess and the Duke Kate Tucker
mtfuji

People of New York City! Music bloggers who are lucky enough to be going to NYC for CMJ! Bookending this years CMJ festivities are two showcases featuring the talented bands and local labels of the Pacific Northwest, and we assure you, they are very worthy of your time. The Maldives, who tour minimally outside of Seattle are coming special for the Mt. Fuji showcase, so please don’t miss your chance to see them. And I think you’ve probably heard of a little Seattle label called Sub Pop and it’s offshoot Hardly Art…

October 20th at Bruar Falls, 245 Grand St. Mt Fuji CMJ Showcase featuring 10.15pm Whore Moans 11pm Maldives 11.45pm Black Whales (See the poster above)

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October 24th at the Mercury Lounge The Sub Pop/Hardly Art CMJ Showcase featuring 7pm Unnatural Helpers 8pm Dum Dum Girls 9pm Moondoggies 10pm The Dutchess & The Duke 11pm Golden Triangle 12am Pissed Jeans 1am Obits 2am Male Bonding

KEXP will be there broadcasting live performances every day and hosting a film festival. Locals the Blakes and the Moondoggies will both be stopping by to get in a session, in addition to bands like the XX. It’s actually a pretty wide ranging lineup, very much in the spirit of the fest.

There are a few other showcases which will will be featuring other Seattle area bands including:

October 20th at the Santos House Party Basement 10.30 Flexions 11.30 Unnatural Helpers

October 20th at the Suffolk 9.00 Tennis Pro

October 21st at Wicked Willies 9.00pm The Purrs

October 22nd at Googies Lounge 8.00pm Kasey Anderson

October 22nd at Union Hall 11.00pm Army Navy

October 23rd at Googies Lounge 7.30pm Kate Tucker

October 23rd at Crash Mansion (Downstairs) 9.15pm The Blakes 10.45pm Army Navy

October 24th at Union Pool 7.40pm Flexions

October 24th at the Gramercy Theater 10.10pm Blue Scholars

October 24th at the Suffolk 10pm D. Black 11.00 Champagne Champagne

This is your chance NYC to see a number of bands we’ve helped to get you to know and there’s plenty of talent to chew on from those listings alone.  Of course there is an insane number of other non-Seattle bands playing CMJ, you can find the complete schedule for the festival online.

September 6, 2009

Bumbershootin’ 2009 – Day One

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Elvis Perkins ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

Day One is done. We managed to avoid the rain completely and instead were drenched in good music and performances… a trend we hope that continues tomorrow. We’ll have full coverage later this week including posts and photos from new contributors, but to tide you over here are a couple pictures from today’s Bumbershoot. Speaking of tomorrow, we have some recommendations check them out here.

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 Hey Marseilles at KEXP’s Music Lounge ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

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Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

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Mayer Hawthorne ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

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Nick of Elvis Perkins in Dearland ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

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The Whore Moans Present! Black Atom ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

September 3, 2009

One Last Song With The Ironclads

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One Final Song ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

In the past three years of running Sound on the Sound, we’ve loved and lost a lot of great local bands. It’s the heartbreak no one warned us about when we started. Over the course of these three years, we’ve caught more final shows and sets than we would’ve liked, of some truly great bands. These shows are always bittersweet, because faced with the prospect of never playing together again, most bands bring it like never before.

Of all the final sets we’ve caught, none have come close to the emotional outpouring we witnessed and participated in for The Ironclads at the High Dive Saturday night. Rife with technical issues, it wasn’t the band’s best set, but it was unforgettable. People watched the set with quivering chins and tears streaming down their faces (and by ‘people’ I mean the Whore Moans, What What Now, this here music blogger and many others) as they sang along to every last word. The band itself fought back tears on stage and lost that battle, as a crowd full of friends and fans shouted requests, jokes, and “please don’t go’s.”  All bands have a cadre of friends, family, and significant others who come to their shows, but no band I’ve ever witnessed has had a more impassioned (and growing) group of followers than the Ironclads. Unlike any other group of supporters, their crowd mirrors the spirited verve that endeared us so to the band in the first place.

As the Ironclads finished what was set to be their final song, the bright, careening near chaos and infinitely sing-alongable “Bullet Train” — the crowd erupted into cheers of “one more song.” The audience’s cries for more were louder than anything amplified from the High Dive speakers all night. In a decision he probably regrets, but we are forever grateful for, the sound guy at The High Dive granted the audience’s wishes, by allowing the Ironclads to play one final song.

With the first frantic strains of “Cape Canveral,” the song that acted as my gateway to the addicting exhilaration of the Ironclads, it was clear that the crowd would not be contained. After some momentary mosh pit style shoving, a few brave members of the crowd stormed the stage to sing along to the ill-fated astronaut tune one last time. And after one person got on stage, the rest of the excited crowd wasn’t about to be left behind. The line of glasses hugging the stage’s edge, forgotten in order to better pump both fists in the air, tumbled and shattered with the rush of the crowd. It was chaos, but beautifully so. (Probably not so much for the High Dive, of course.)

With most mics pushed to the side by the storming crowd, the enamored audience, not the Ironclads themselves, sang lead vocals for that final song. Arms wrapped tightly around each other and heads tossed back in mix of a collective anguish and celebration, they sang louder with each repeated chorus of “CAPE, CAPE, CAN-AV-RALL. CAPE, CAPE, CAN-AV-RALL.” In that final bridge, with the plaintive a capella refrain of “I’M FREE, I’M FREE,” everyone laid bare their own overflowing devotion. And for one last wonderful moment, we were all Ironclads.

Phil and Thom ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Thom and Nora ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

A Tearful Jamie tells the Crowd There Will Be One More Song ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Jamie Enjoys Vocal Backing By Fans and Friends ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

One Last Song with The Ironclads ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Flickr: The Ironclads at the High Dive, August 29th, 2009

July 19, 2009

Wall of Song: The Whore Moans Live at The Blue Moon’s 75th Anniversary

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The Whore Moans – Wall of a Song

So good to have video proof that our Blue Moon 75th Anniversary show was as crazy as we remember it being.

As we noted in our review of the show, a gaggle of A/V Kids and art students were there to record and capture the insanity of a Whore Moans set. And boy did they ever. This video is pure punk chaos.

A big thanks to Alex Hagenah who braved the pit to record this video and for sending it our way….it’s fucking awesome.