The Maldives - “I Have Found”

We’ve had the whole weekend to ruminate on the awesome treat we were privy to for our birthday Friday at the Blue Moon, but words are still failing us.  Sometimes, especially on a night like Friday, surrounded by family, friends and the community we’ve come to think of as both, we really do feel like two of the luckiest kids in the world. (Of course, now that we’re 29 … we may have to stop calling ourselves kids.)

While the proper words are escaping us, we wanted to share these three videos of a few of our favorite songs from a night that I know both Josh and I will cherish for years to come.  “Thanks” doesn’t cover the scope of gratitude we feel for the Blue Moon for having us, The Maldives, Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers, and People Eating People for playing, and for all of you that came out and celebrated with us, but thank you.

People Eating People - “For Now”

Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers - “You Only Believe Me When I’m Lying”

The best part of getting older? For Sound on the Sound it is undoubtedly our Blue Moon birthday shows. For the past three birthdays we’ve been blessed to celebrate the occasion with sold out shows filled with friends, readers, and a few of our favorite bands singing on stage at our favorite dive. And this year, to celebrate Josh and my freakish same birthdays, and the last one before 30, we’ve rounded up a line-up that makes us a little weak in the knees. With the extreme kindness of a few of our favorite folks making music today, we’ve really outdone ourselves with this one.

January 15th at The Blue Moon Tavern - 21 + /5$
People Eating People
Zoe Muth & Her Lost High Rollers
& the pseudo-nymed: JD & The Schmidty Boys

We’ve booked a three band bill filled with headliners. Starting the night will be the bawdy and beautiful  People Eating People, who won us over in about 15 seconds with her clever heart-on-her-sleeve lyrics, fearless vocals, and piano wizardry, instantly becoming one of our favorite acts in Seattle today.  We suspect that Nouela Johnston won’t be Seattle’s little secret for much longer.

If any local artist is going to be covered by other musicians in 50 years, our vote is for the timeless country songs of Zoe Muth. The sweet voiced little darlin’ of Ballard’s vibrant Americana scene is writing tunes that you could easily pass off as standards from another time. Songs rueing the heartbreak of hard working women at the hand of a no good man with equal parts spunk and sadness. If you haven’t been enchanted by Zoe and her Lost High Rollers yet, the rough and tumble setting of the Blue Moon is a perfect place to start your love affair, it’s where we began ours with Zoe.

Last and certainly not least are JD & The Schmidty Boys, who you may (okay you definitely) know by another name. The band can’t use their “birth name” for the show but we can say without hyperbole, they are one of the best bands in Seattle today and that you may never have another chance to see the band in such an intimate setting.  The fact that all three of these wonderful bands have agreed to play for our birthday is the best present we’ll receive all year, no matter what our 29th year and 2010 may hold.

We hope you’ll join us to celebrate our birthday and another great year of local music ahead of us in 2010.  We look forward to sharing it all with you!

Special thanks to Terry Radjaw from Out for Stardom who we commissioned to create the perfect poster for our show — he nailed it.

This Tuesday January 12th at Fremont Abbey, the Round invites a number of our favorite musicians to trade stories, experiences and songs with some local poets, while artists are engaged in real time creation as the music and words are going on. The lineups for the latest bunch of Seattle Round’s have been stellar, and this one seems hand-created just for us. Zoe Muth, who’ll be playing our birthday show this Friday at the Blue Moon, will be sharing the stage with Jason Dodson of the Maldives and Kevin Murphy of the Moondoggies. We will definitely be in the house (or “the church” as it may be).

The complete details are below and tickets are $8 advanced via BrownPaperTickets.

JAN 12: The Round {56}

Musicians:
Kevin Murphy (The Moondoggies)
Jason Dodson (The Maldives)
Zoe Muth

Poets: Kate Lebow, Brian McGuigan
Painter: Shannon Roche, Chelsea Willett

Tuesday, JANUARY 12th
@ Fremont Abbey Arts Center,
4272 fremont ave north, seattle
8-10pm
7:30 doors
$8 advance / $10 door
all-ages, pg13
Info: www.theround.org

This list represents the strongest 25 albums we heard in 2009 from bands based in the Northwest. We approximated the Northwest as Vancouver to the North, Eugene to the South, Boise to the East, and the Olympic Peninsula West. Even though we snuck in a few Portland bands and a Vancouver band, this is largely a list of Seattle releases. We did our best to feature the vast array of the Seattle Sound in 2009, though there’s no denying some genres fared better than others–genres that you might be surprised by, genres we were surprised by. If there was any doubt left, 2009 proved Seattle isn’t just a rock town.

2009 was an incredible year for local music in Seattle. There’ve been some unnecessary put-downs of Seattle’s musical output in 2009, because the scene didn’t spawn a new Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, or Death Cab for Cutie, and the biggest local record label didn’t sign a single Seattle band. That’s “the industry” and Sub Pop’s loss, not ours. Just because the rest of the world isn’t blasting The Maldives or Macklemore yet (or even if they never do) it doesn’t reflect poorly on the scene or the talented folks who call Seattle home. From our front row vantage point, Seattle had an embarrassment of riches in the local music department.

The local hip hop scene bubbled with excitement and slowly-but-surely burgeoned into a topic on everyone’s lips, thanks to the energy of head-turning acts like They Live!, Champagne Champagne, Fresh Espresso, Macklemore, as well as the notorious antics of Mad Rad. Across town from Pike St., Ballard Avenue continued to cultivate a tight-knit community of Americana and rockin’ country bands where pedal steel and fiddle were the instruments du jour. The Maldives, The Moondoggies, Sera Cahoone, Zoe Muth and so many others inhabited both the stages and the bars at the Conor Byrne, the Sunset Tavern, Hatties Hat, and the now 15-year-old environs of the Tractor Tavern, feeding a spirit of collaboration and verve. King Cobra, a rock club which opened up in 2008 in the wake of the Crocodile Cafe’s closing, shut its doors after barely a year of rough business–just in time for a newly revamped Crocodile (without the Cafe in the name) to reclaim its place in March as one of the premier venues in Seattle to see live local music.

While Seattle didn’t spawn a new Fleet Foxes sized success in 2009, we certainly won’t be surprised if a few of the many bands on this list find national attention come 2010. No matter what, we’ll look back on 2009 with warm nostalgia as a vibrant year of local music, when we saw these bands play in living rooms and local bars: the year Seattle knew the words before everyone else could sing along.

25. Zebra by Karl Blau (K Records)

Psychedelic shape-shifter Karl Blau creates an utterly Northwest soundscape that identifies strongly with the output of the Haight-Ashbury facilitated psych movement, as well as the more modern creative likes of Grizzly Bear. “Waiting for the Wind” reminds me of Esquivel’s avant, arty piano, while “Welcome in NW” sounds like it was banged out of an actual sixties basement, fueled by homegrown psilocybins. “‘Tha Ole Moon Smile” makes me do a “Is this a Sixto Rodriguez cut I haven’t heard?” double-take every time. Each new song turns in a completely different direction. By the end you’re left dazed, trying to decipher where you started and what just happened. What happened was Blau presented a reverent journey into musical history through a warped and hazy Technicolor filter. [Josh]

24. From Slaveships to Spaceships by Khingz (self-released)

Much like D. Black’s record this year, Khingz’ From Slaveships to Spaceships finds an MC ignoring hip-hop’s self-imposed strictures about toughness and content, and succeeding through sheer force of purpose and humor. Even though MC Khalil Equiano left town for a while and now lives in British Columbia with his significant other, he obviously loves his hometown scene and returned to the Northwest with this new album in tow, showcasing a rapid-fire rhyming style and spitting dense, wordy verses filled with references to science fiction and his former life on Seattle’s Southside. This is another record distinguished by its brazen autobiographical nature and the surety of the conclusions that follow. “Intellect is a weapon,” he says in “Escape Society.” “You’re at war, please respect it, your struggle is a blessing, embrace, don’t deflect it.” Hip-hop was once widely known as a vehicle for imparting social understanding, and Khingz’ latest is his contribution toward seeing it return once more to that primary function. [Josh]

23. Life On Earth by Tiny Vipers (Sub Pop Records)

Each time I listen to this record I’m reminded that I should probably mentally prepare myself before taking in a whole Tiny Vipers record, unsure if the tears that will inevitably form in my eyes are due to the inherent sadness being communicated, or if I can attribute it to the effect of the one-of-a-kind voice of Jesy Fortino. Four songs in, “Dreamer” hits the headphones; as she coos, “I’m dying for a way out,” I feel as though I’m vibrating on an inter-dimensional frequency, able to sense every haunting ghost, able to see each person’s natural aura of sadness in hues of deep blue. Even though I know this record isn’t for everyone, and though I can’t guarantee you’ll like this record as much as I did, I can guarantee it will change your perspective. If you let it, Life On Earth will overwhelm you. Whether you like it or not, the remainder of your day after a listen is liable to be heightened emotionally because of it. [Josh]

22. The Way We Live by Erik Blood (self-released)

It’s very possible that Erik Blood went around to every hot studio in London ,yoinked every good idea he heard and used it for himself. If he didn’t, maybe they should be coming to him, because he clearly has lots of good ideas. Early on, the title track, “To Leave America,” and “Home & Walk” all synthesize the best of the expansive guitar and organ Brit-rock sound (think Doves), while later in “Broken Glass” and “Too Early & Too Late” we’re notified Blood also has a handle on turning uncomplicated rhythms into sonically interesting pop songs that also sound modern. My one criticism of the record would be that the material is all over the place, and maybe he should have stuck to a rock record instead of including the final two R&B inspired cuts. But then again, “Better Days” is one of the stronger tracks on the record, fusing soul-ish singing with very rock backing to unexpectedly great results. There is something to be said for being able to do experiment with anything and make it sound not just good, but as good as those who do it best. [Josh]

21. Ali’Yah by D. Black (Sportin’ Life Records)

Though much of the recent focus on Seattle hip-hop has been tied to the so-called “3rd-wave” of party rap, one can’t ignore the continued influence of the second wave and its socially conscious approach to concept and performance. In his second album, Ali’Yah, D. Black does a 180 from his previous effort–a stereotypical rap record where he thought he had to be hard–instead opting to be completely REAL about his choices, his identity, and his mistakes. The record is an indictment of his former gangsta self, and by dropping in “The Return,” “I can’t associate with them fake ones/to add to their fake bullets coming out of fake guns,” he’s no doubt turning his back on old friends and the possibility of success by usual means. Yet one can only come away from this record with the conclusion that D. Black is not only confident in his conviction, but righteous. As I said earlier this year, “the force of his example on this record serves to quash any weak retorts that it’s not so easy to turn your back on the game. Not simply inflammatory words, he’s genuinely attempting to engage a nuanced conversation from the inside.” [Josh]

20. Shouting At A Silent Sky by Shane Tutmarc (self-released)

For almost the entirety of his musical career, Shane Tutmarc has been on a journey through history, beginning with an intense interest in classic pop lyricists before more recently being entranced by the gospel recordings of Elvis and the songs of the South. Billed as his first solo effort as Shane Tutmarc, Shouting At A Silent Skyis also probably the most complete, and therefore satisfying, of his recent records–though the Traveling Mercies records are notable themselves for their raw pre-rock quality. By recruiting a few ringers to form his studio support (local producer Johnny Sangster among them), Shane was able to focus on just being Shane at the mic, and the practiced performer really showed through. If Shane’s music occasionally seems styled from another era, just remember that when they came up with the term ‘Rock n’ Roll’, this is what they were talking about: dirtied up blues and church numbers warning about “Crimes of Passion” and the dangers of “Idle Hands.” [Josh]

Read the rest of Sound on the Sound’s Top 25 Northwest Albums of 2009 after the jump

Read the rest of this entry »

Shane at the Tractor ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

[Editors Note: Long-time Seattle musician and Easy Street employee Shane Tutmarc will be leaving his hometown and heading for the home of his heroes. As a record store employee he's been a professional appreciator of music for some time, and as a person who's been an active contributor and personality on the scene for over a decade, he's been well positioned to keep a pulse on the best in local music as it is happening. We're sad to see Shane go, but happy that he'll have a better opportunity to bring his music to a larger audience. We wish him the best of luck on his new journey and hope to be reporting big news from Nashville soon. -Josh]

Tomorrow I will be embarking on a road trip across the country.  Unlike most road trips, though, there is no circle to the route.   Taking more of an “L” shape, my trip ends in a town called Nashville.  The musical mecca where so many of my heroes have lived and worked, and the backdrop for so many great songs.  As I am preparing to leave Seattle, my birthplace and home, I am reflecting on a great year of local music.  In my last year as a resident, I probably listened to more NW music than ever before.  And what a great year for Seattle music!  The growing success of the NW’s’ very eclectic country and folk scene kept me entertained with the Maldives, Moondoggies, Jesse Sykes, Sera Cahoone, Brent Amaker & the Rodeo – and the great local songwriters like Barton Carroll, Levi Fuller, Tiny Vipers, and Josh Ottum.  I’ve narrowed my list down to 5 albums by Seattle artists I anticipate will be on heavy rotation as my road-ready iPod provides the soundtrack to my journey across the country.

1.  The Dutchess and the Duke – Sunset/Sunrise

For starters, I admit that I really didn’t pay attention to their first album.  It came and went and seemed of little or no consequence to me.  What I heard, which was not very much, was a garage-y 60s throwback, indie rock with light folk elements.  Obviously I wasn’t listening close enough.  You could easily describe the new album that way, but that would not so easily describe the songs that I have fallen in love with in 2009.  As a songwriter, I’ve never been shy of exposing my influences, in folk and pop music no one expects you to reinvent the wheel.  This record reminds me of the good bits of 1965 British Invasion bands, with a darker modern edge.  They combine middle period Beatles-folk (“Baby’s in Black”, “I’ve Just Seen a Face”), with Keith Richards’ style guitar counter-melodies (“Paint it Black”), and with lyrics like a less verbose Leonard Cohen.  Although boy-girl vocal swapping keep it interesting throughout the record, the lyrical voice is singular.  I’m looking forward to what comes next for these two.

2. Cave Singers – Welcome Joy

When the first album came out, I remember feeling a strong affinity with their simple three-piece set up while I was getting my three-piece family group, the Traveling Mercies, off the ground. Their stomp and guitar groove on “Dancing On Our Graves” totally made sense to me as we had just recorded “Across the River” which has a similar, if less aggressive, feel.  Welcome Joy continues their groovy minimalism, but also hints at more experimentation down the road. While most of the album flows together like connecting pieces of a puzzle, “At the Cut”, probably my favorite song, has a fervor not unlike Plastic Ono Band’s most tortured moments.   These droney and celebratory meditations on life will be perfect for the long stretches of American desert and swampy terrain crossing the southwest and into the Delta.

3. Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers – Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers

Zoe Muth seemed to come out of nowhere.  I was introduced to her music through Greg Vandy’s KEXP roots show, The Roadhouse.  I love her voice.  It’s strong and confident, while still maintaining its femininity.  Her writing is equally confident.  “You Only Believe Me When I’m Lying” and “Hey Little Darlin’” are both songs that I’ve taken the time to write out the lyrics and learn the chords to play for my pleasure.  When I really love a song, I can’t resist breaking
it down to see how it works.  Another album I anticipate cranking while driving across the country.  Please visit Nashville, Zoe!

4. David Bazan – Curse Your Branches

I’ve known Mr. Bazan since I was a teenager, just starting to play around town.  He’s been a towering figure in local music since around the time I got my first band together.  He was actually slated to play drums on the first Dolour album, but at the 11th hour fate stepped in and Bazan stepped out.  I’ve always admired Bazan’s songwriting, he’s a great storyteller.  My only complaint over the years was that I wished he’d write more autobiographical songs.  Maybe because I don’t know how to write fictional stories the way he does, I wanted to see how David would write about himself.  So this is the record I’ve longed for him to write for years.  Of course, you never know with David, whether it’s a new character or his true inner-self, but I love that his songs make you question those things about him and about yourself.  I always found him one of the best writers dealing with spirituality and the big existential questions, and after releasing my own “crisis of faith” album, Shouting at a Silent Sky, it was fascinating to see how Bazan tackled similar issues.  “Please, Baby Please” is on my shortlist for favorite songs of 2009.

5. Star Anna & the Laughing Dogs – The Only Thing that Matters

This is the record for people who bought her first album after seeing a live show but were confused by the breezy, bluegrass feel of her debut.  Since releasing that first album, her band has evolved into a heavy country-rock band, while retaining its pop hooks.  She is undoubtedly, one of the northwest’s greatest talents.  She is peerless when it comes to gut-wrenching, soul bearing ballads, and she can bring the house down when she sings a rocker.  With her Lucinda Williams-esque, world-weary voice, there are times her, very proficient band, could step back a bit, and let her soak up more of the spotlight.   But anyone that’s seen her live can attest - the spotlight is completely hers.

The Moondoggies ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

These are the local songs I loved most during 2009. I can’t ennumerate the list, believe me I tried. My absolute favorites are at the top of the list, but once you get beyond the top five–I can’t really say what my 9th and 17th favorite songs are with a straight face.

What I can tell you is that these are all songs I played on repeat. That I know every word to. That I sang along to at shows. That mean something to me. That made me dance. That got stuck in my head. That I couldn’t wait to share with my friends and those of you that read the blog. If my 2009 was a mixtape, these would be the tracks.

* “What Took So Long” by The Moondoggies | download track courtesy of Luxury Wafers |
* “Alamagordo” and “Step to the Sea” by The Ironclads | download track courtesy of The Ironclads |
* “We Sing In Time” by The Lonely Forest | watch video from their sold out CD release show |
* “Technicolor” and “Lita” by Nurses | download Technicolor | download Lita |
* “Certainly Tonight” by Widower | watch video |
* “Otherside” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis | download Vs. EP |
* “Hard to Be” and “In Stitches” by David Bazan |watch video of In Stitches |
* “Scorpio” by Dutchess and The Duke  | download Daytrotter session of Scorpio |
* “Coast of Carolina” by Telekinesis | download track courtesy of Stereogum |
* “For Now” by People Eating People | listen to the debut album in its entirety on Myspace |
* “Lazer Beams” by Fresh Espresso | watch video |
* “Young Hearts Spark Fire” by Japandroids | download track courtesy of Spinner |
* “Raindrops” by Grand Hallway | download track courtesy of KEXP |
* “I Have Found (Redux)” and “Goodbye” by The Maldives | watch video of I Have Found |
* “All Things To All People” and “Going Home Soon” by M. Bison | download track courtesy of Obscure Sound |
* “The Running Kind” by Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers | download my other favorite Zoe song courtesy of KEXP |
* “Go Easy On Me” by Goldfinch
* “At the Cut” by The Cave Singers | download track courtesy of Matador Records |
* “Magic Mountain” by Arthur & Yu (with The Moondoggies) | watch video |
* “The Town” by Macklemore | watch video |
* “This Happens Every Time” by What What Now
* “I Was A River” by Pearly Gate Music | listen to a live KEXP session of I Was A River |
* “Down The Road” and “Let Me Fall” by Final Spins | download tracks courtesy of LHB |
* “Never Turnin’ Back” by Shane Tutmarc | watch video |
* “My Volvo” by Grynch | watch video |

Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Zoe Muth and her Lost High Rollers have come a ways since we  first got a glimpse of them before the band even had a name, some two and half years gone now. In that time Zoe’s grown into her music and her voice, now belting out her tunes with the presence of a sweet throated church-practiced not-so-southern belle. Not just her voice, but the whole package feels vintage country, Loretta Lynn circa Coal Miner’s Daughter. Given the timeless imagery of lead track from her debut album “You Only Believe Me When You’re Lying,” I don’t doubt people will be covering her songs in 50 years time alongside other the country classics.

As it happens both her confident performance and her new record beguiled us immediately, so much so that we eagerly asked her to play the Sound on the Sound Presents show on January 15th at the Blue Moon. And she accepted! (Do I sound like a giddy teen girl? I’m sorry.)

Not only that, but our latest obsession People Eating People has also agreed to be on the bill!

So just to spell it all out:

Sound on the Sound Presents:
Josh & Abbey’s 3rd Annual BDAY Show
Saturday, January 15th, 2010 at the Blue Moon

A SECRET HEADLINER we can’t mention
Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers
People Eating People

21+, 10pm, $5

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that once again this year we’ve managed convince a really great band to be our secret headliner. Other than to note that we may have outdone ourselves this time, I can say not a word more. As far as we’re concerned it’s one of January’s unmissable shows with just the two bands we can tell you about.

[Editors Note: With this post Sound on the Sound welcome's our second new writer in a week to the fold. Man-about-Ballard Brady Sprouse offered to commit his opinions on local albums to digital ink for Sound on the Sound, and we graciously accepted. In this first review, he's giving few props to a fellow Ballardian. -josh]

A friend of mine jokingly referred to Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers self-titled debut as “the best Emmylou Harris record in the last ten years.” The comparison is easy to make. With a voice as sharp and equally as smooth as Harrisʼ, Muth lets her songwriting style - deftly reinforced by the serious country chops of The Lost High Rollers - create a sound, and record, distinctly her own.

You gotta love that she played some of her earliest gigs at the rough and tumble The Bit Saloon. Among some of the hardest punk and hardcore acts this side of The Funhouse, Zoe was styling her sound with songs like “You Only Believe Me When Iʼm Lying,” full of glossy pedal steel and dusty mountain strings, and “Hey Little Darlinʼ” a swinging folky kind of honky tonk, with equal parts Flying Burrito Brothers and Ira and Charlie Louvin. Together they make a perfect one-two opening to a record that takes you back somewhere in time when country music wasnʼt ruled by pop templates and crossover singles.

Stream: Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers - “You Only Believe Me When I’m Lying”
Download it via KEXP’s Song of the Day (August 7, 2009)

As it evolves, the album starts to feel like driving an old pickup somewhere in Montana or the deserts of eastern Washington. The sixth song out of twelve is fittingly called “Middle of Nowhere”, which is how it sounds. A loping mosey of a song, lamenting that being home can be as far away as being lost in the middle of nowhere. “The Running Kind” with itʼs wispy folkiness and delta dobro, and “Hard Luck Love” and itʼs Cajun accordion create a couplet that keeps the listener moving through the lost times, through lost love, and eventually back home again.

The thing I like most about this record is, simply put, it sounds good in a bar. Itʼs the kind of thing you want to hear on a quiet afternoon with a beer and whiskey. Happy or sad, on the road, or two blocks from home.

The Maldives (inspire Air Banjo) ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

This should just be subtitled: The Maldives edition. This week, Seattle’s favorite Wrangler headbangers are going to be everywhere. The band is celebrating the release of their new album Listen to The Thunder with three nights at The Tractor Tavern. We wouldn’t blame you if you caught all three shows. Not just because the band is that good live (they are), but they’ve created three nights of stellar local line-ups. Each  night should have a completely unique feel and show a facet of the many different sides of The Maldives. Plus, few folks know how to put on a party than The Maldives, so if whiskey and dancing is your thing…we recommend you catch at least one of the multiple Maldives events this week.

Monday - August 24th:

Who: The Maldives - “Listen to the Thunder” Listening Party
Where: Hattie’s Hat
How (Much): Free. But buy a drink for the band and tip your bartender.
Why: Get a listen to Listen to the Thunder so you can sing along on whichever (or all) of the three consecutive nights of Maldives shows you see at The Tractor Tavern later this week. After you get a listen to soon-to-be Seattle Twang classics like “Goodbye”, “Time is Right Now,” “Cold November” and “Tequila Sunday,” the men from The Maldives will be spinning their favorite tunes. Expect an evening of stiff drinks,  a plethora of beards, and eclectic but enjoyable tunes.

Equally Awesome Alternative:
Eyede & Abilities - Nectar

You have Tuesday off…

Wednesday - August 26th:

Who: Jay Reatard
Where: Easy Street Records (Queen Anne)  - 7pm
How (Much): Free
Why: To see if all the blog buzz is worth it without spending a dime.

Thursday - August 27th:

Who: Final Spins, Battle Hymns
Where: The Comet Tavern
How (Much): At least 5$, but Less than 10$ (no price listed anywhere!)
Why: To celebrate the Finals Spins debut EP and to hear a few songs from the forthcoming Battle Hymns release. Because you’re tired of all of your favorite local rock bands have broken up and you need to discover a couple of great new bands.

Equally Awesome Alternative:
The Pretenders, Cat Power - Marymoor Park
The Maldives, North Twin, 17th Chapter - Tractor Tavern
Jay Reatard, Sonic Boom Records (Ballard) - 7pm
The Spits, The Cute Lepers, The Ononos - Chop Suey

Friday - August 28th:

Who: The Maldives, The Moondoggies, Zoe Muth
Where: The Tractor Tavern
How (much): 11$ (and going to sell out)
Why: Because there is no more perfect musical pairing in this city right now than The Moondoggies and the Maldives. Add the sweet country stylings of Zoe Muth to the bill and you have one of the best local line ups of the year.

Equally Awesome Alternative:
Carousel Festival - Various DIY Venues
The Avett Brothers - The Paramount
Mad Rad, Chk Minus, Darwin - The Comet Tavern
Harvey Danger (Last All Ages Show Ever) - Vera Project

Saturday - August 29th:

Who: The Ironclads, We Wrote The Book On Connectors, Doctor Doctor
Where: The High Dive
How (Much): 7$
Why: It’s The Ironclads last show before a very long hiatus and there are few places in Seattle more electric, dynamic, or exciting than the front row of an Ironclads show right now…especially if you know the choruses to a few of their songs. And the downer of the last Ironclads show will be handily balanced out by sets from two of Seattle’s most enjoyable and over-the-top performances, We Wrote the Book on Connectors and Doctor Doctor. If you want to dance, laugh, or sing along to your favorite new band you may never see again…this is the show for you.

Equally Awesome Alternatives:
The Maldives, Thee Emergency, Shim, Pickwick - Tractor Tavern
Carousel Festival - Various DIY Venues
The Purrs, Black Nite Crash, Blood Red Dancers - Sunset
Harvey Danger (Last Show Ever) - The Crocodile
Star Anna, Gin Betty - Triple Door

Sunday - August 30th:

Who: Carousel Festival
Where: a few of Seattle’s Finest DIY Venues
How (Much): 5$ for one show/8$ for one day (proceeds benefit Hollow Earth Radio and the Urban Rest Stop)
Why: To celebrate an integral part of the Seattle scene and some great local bands in a more intimate setting than you’ve ever seen them before…and all for a couple of great causes. (Beyond DIY music)

Equally Awesome Alternative:
The Lost Episode, Ambulance - Skylark

Iron & Wine ::: Photo by Brandrew Dice Clay

[ Editors Note: A local musician offered to write up his trip the No Depression festival on Saturday, and we accepted his offer. For now he and his photographer are using nom de plumes. -josh ]

By Sebastian Rootwell

It was a sunny and sticky Saturday afternoon at Marymoor Park for the brand-spanking debut of the No Depression Festival. Named after a current blog online music community and recently defunct magazine, the festival seems like a genius plan to spark some life into the now fourteen year old enterprise, what with the blossoming alt-country scene in Seattle. The crowd tends to be thirty-something and composed, a plastic cup of micro-brew affixed firmly in hand. We step over babies, blankets, and beers on our way to a spot front and center of the stage, where we would spend a majority of the next seven hours.

I arrive at 2PM with my partner in crime Brandrew Dice Clay. We missed out on Zee Avi’s set but arrive just in time for the No Depression All Star Revue, which is like a fantasy country rock team, put together by coach Don Slack. Mr. Slack is music director at KEXP, host of Swingin’ Doors, and an ubiquitous feature on the local music scene; a man whose tastes are bedded in a exhaustively deep knowledge of anything country and honky-tonk. Each song featured a different vocalist, ranging from the wounded, stark warble of Zoe Muth to the high-octane jug-thumping twang of the Maldives. The star of the set had to be Star Anna, pride of Ellensburg, Washington, and her rendition of “Joy” by Lucinda Williams. Note to whoever took the joy away from Star Anna: please, please give it back. She is quite incensed over the whole matter, and I fear for your life, and in fact, everyone’s life.

Jessica Lea Mayfield from Kent, Ohio was next to take the stage. I had heard her described as a hybrid between the alt-country and hipster scenes, and judging from their look and sound, I wouldn‘t disagree. She starts strong with the single “Kiss Me Again,” a song with lovely and detached ‘ahh ahh ahh ahhs’ in the chorus and outstanding guitar work by Jessica’s brother David, who gets both bass and guitars sounds as well as a formidable, mood-setting wash of reverb and feedback. But overall, her relentless apathy and clichéd lyrics suck the life from the stage. This is especially apparent when she plays a couple of songs alone, exposing some uncomplicated little ditties delivered with no particular charisma. We retreat to the shade.

Coming to the rescue was Nashville’s Justin Townes Earle, who’s got the kind of pedigree you can hardly shake a stick at. A no.2 pencil wrapped in a stone gray suit, a greaser’s hair and sunglasses, JTE’s swagger and style was pervasive from the moment he sauntered to the middle of the stage. Smiles abound as he absolutely rips through the set of honky-tonk tunes, keeping the energy piqued with his finger-picking, sing-along choruses and sly banter. Here is a born performer, an entertainer, a seducer, a story-teller. He is joined on stage by Cory Younts, mouth-harper extraordinaire, and their chemistry is unforced and fun, a beautiful thing to watch. A high point comes near the end of the set, when JTE remarks that his thumbnail is being held on by super glue. He recalls a phone-call with festival staff, where they asked whether he needed anything for the show. “Guitar strings, and, uh….super glue,” he says, grinning. And to us, winking, “That’s a good one, eh?”

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