I recently caught Phantogram within the gorgeous IFC Studio at SXSW and the experience has held onto a special place in my memory. The duo created a unique vibe in the small blue-imbued 50-capacity space that I became wrapped within until the last notes of their set. I’ve been craving that feeling since and will experience it again on Monday when they surface at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on their tour in support of The Antlers. The group is hitting major cities and smaller ones as well between now and June.
Phantogram is the sonic manifestation of junior high friends Sarah Barthel (synth and vocals) and Josh Carter (guitar, samples, and vocals). The two came together in 2007 to push boundaries of indie-electronica with their unique style of atmospheric dream-pop. The sound walks a tightrope of genres as they weave sampled and electronically-generated hip-hop beats with shoegaze, trip-hop, R&B, indie/emo and pop. With their thudding beats, lush synthesizers, psychedelic art-rock and interchange of male/female vocals, Phantogram creates expansive, dazzling sounds of unfaltering quality that float.
While the band’s sound implies the city, the duo resides in the small town of Saratoga Springs, populations 26,186. To write and record, the two drive further into rural lands of upstate New York to a farmland barn they call Harmony Lodge. The unconventional space acts as their homemade studio/practice-space/think-tank, equipped with various samplers, tapes, records, synths, drums, and percussive and stringed instruments. It is here that Phantogram melds metropolitan influences and those of their natural surroundings to create their textural, psychedelic, beat-driven pop.
The band’s debut, Eyelid Movies (Barsuk Records, 2010), is filled with grand ideas and even better songs. In speaking of the record’s title, Barthel explains: “We ran across a description of dreams somewhere that used the phrase ‘eyelid movies’ – and it really struck us both as something that fit our music.” “Daydreams, the spots you see moving around when your eyes are closed tight, and the shapes you see in the world – those are the kinds of things we want to surface in your mind when you hear a Phantogram song,” adds Carter. Barsuk Records is home to indie greats including Death Cab for Cutie, Rilo Kiley, Ra Ra Riot and Viva Voce.
There tends to be an undercurrent of loneliness and isolation in much of the band’s work, counter-balanced by awe-inspiring moments of untethered bliss. “Mouthful of Diamonds” is one of those highpoints on the record. Its gorgeous guitar melodies, repeating samples, and Barthel’s astounding voice could lift any mood. In case you were wondering, the band’s intriguing name refers to a type of optical illusion that brings 2D images into 3D, creating a lovely parallel with the rich music that this duo brings to life.
Phantogram’s Spring Tour
Apr 23 – BLIND PIG (w/ The Antlers), Ann Arbor, Michigan
Apr 24 – ROCK ISLAND BREWERY (w/ The Antlers), Rock Island, Illinois
Apr 26 – FOX THEATRE (w/ The Antlers), Boulder, Colorado
Apr 28 – CASBAH (w/ The Antlers), San Diego, California
Apr 29 – DETROIT BAR (w/ The Antlers), Costa Mesa, California
Apr 30 – THE TROUBADOUR (w/ The Antlers), Los Angeles, California
May 1 – INDEPENDENT (w/ The Antlers), San Francisco, California
May 3 – DOUG FIR LOUNGE (w/ The Antlers), Portland, Oregon
May 4 – THE BILTMORE CABARET (w/ The Antlers), Vancouver, British Columbia
May 5 – NEUMO’S (w/ The Antlers), Seattle, Washington
May 8 – WILLAMETTE VALLEY MUSIC FEST, Eugene, Oregon
May 10 – KILBY COURT, Salt Lake City, Utah
May 12- THE BELLY UP, Aspen, Colorado
May 13 – LARIMER LOUNGE, Denver, Colorado
May 14 – RIOT ROOM, Kansas City, Missouri
May 15 – RACHEL’S CAFE, Bloomington, Indiana
May 17 – GROG SHOP, Cleveland, Ohio
May 18 – MAXWELL’S, Hoboken, New Jersey
May 19 – THE BOWERY BALLROOM, New York, New York
May 20 – WRBC BATES COLLEGE, Lewiston, Maine
May 21 – JERKY’S, Providence, Rhode Island
May 22 – NORTHERN LIGHTS, Clifton Park, New York
May 31 – SASQUATCH! MUSIC FESTIVAL, George, Washington
Jun 1 – GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL (w/ The XX), San Francisco, California
Jun 2 – GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL (w/ The XX), San Francisco, California
Jun 3 – HENRY MILLER MEMORIAL LIBRARY (w/ The XX), Big Sur, California
Jun 5 – HENRY FONDA THEATER (w/ The XX), Los Angeles, California
Jun 6 – WILTERN (w/ The XX), Los Angeles, California
Pretty soon those of us in Indio will be submerged within some of the hottest sounds coming out now. Below are Lux’s picks for Coachella 2010. Sets of top priority include Thom Yorke, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Pretty Lights, Hot Chip, Fever Ray, Passion Pit, Ra Ra Riot, Beach House, Dirty Projectors, Delphic, Jonsi, Phoenix, MGMT and Rusko.
Ahh, SXSW. This 4-day conference and music festival has taken over as my favorite event of the year. Nowhere else can you experience the sheer quantity of quality artists, both high profile and emerging, back to back, all day and night long. Checking schedules for the day parties and evening showcases, running back and forth along the crowded streets between venues, wolfing down BBQ, and battling to see as much music humanly possible is the task. The reward is witnessing killer sets on intimate stages surrounded by audiences who care deeply about what is happening in music now.
Here are the 60 artists I caught this year: Band of Horses, Best Coast, Big Light, BRAHMS, Broken Bells, Broken Social Scene, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Dam-Funk, Dawes, Delorean, Dengue Fever, Diplo, Estelle, Fat Mike, First Aid Kit, Free Energy, Freelance Whales, Frightened Rabbit, Hey Champ, Hole, Holy Fuck, Japandroids, jj, Lissie, Lord T & Eloise, Macy Gray, Major Lazer, Maluca, Mayer Hawthorne & The Country, Memory Tapes, Miike Snow, Muse, Nas & Damian Marley, Neon Indian, Nick Catchdubs, Pase Rock, Phantogram, Real Estate, Rival Schools, Rogue Wave, Salem, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Sleigh Bells, Solid Gold, Stardeath & White Dwarves, Stars of Track and Field, Street Sweeper Social Club, Surfer Blood, The Antlers, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, The Black Keys, The Glitch Mob, The Low Anthem, The Walkmen, The xx, Titus Andronicus, Tobacco, and Uffie, and Yourself and The Air.
Now for the highlights…
Broken Bells Hometown: New York, NY
The band’s first performance at SXSW was in a parking garage across from Stubb’s as part of AOL Spinner’s pop-up show series. It was completely epic to see the band perform in such an obscure spot. Bizarrely enough, the sound was sonically blissful. James Mercer and Dangermouse along with their explicitly skilled band played some of the best music I’ll hear all year. Their woozy, psychedelic pop sounds even better live than on record. MySpace | Website
Nas & Damian Marley Hometown: New York, NY / Kingston, Jamaica
The smoky haze and resulting vibe in Emo’s Main Room was the perfect environment for skilled hip-hop lyricist Nas to ride atop the all-for-love energy of Damian Marley’s and his band. The gorgeous sounds of resounding djembe, female back up vocalists, and the Marley legacy contrasted with the Nas’ rhapsodic power felt legendary. Look out for their upcoming album, Distant Relatives. MySpace | MySpace
Band of Horses Hometown: Seattle, WA
The magic of Band of Horses dense musical glory was surely felt in Stubb’s on Thursday evening. The band seems to be at the height of their live performance and I recommend catching them now. MySpace | Website
Broken Social Scene Hometown: Toronto, Canada
I caught two sets by BSS, one at Stubb’s and the second at The Parish as part of the Arts & Crafts Showcase. The gorgeous complexity of their music was awing at Stubb’s and they played a large array of tracks off their forthcoming album Forgiveness Rock Record. The Parish proved to be an entirely intimate experience as I suspected. The energy inside the 425 cap room as the band announced their plan to play a 2.5-hour set was infinitely special. Kevin Drew asked the crowd to put down their cell phones and cameras and to exist with him and the band in the moment. “Just enjoy the music,” encouraged Drew. They played songs live for the first time, created suspense regarding “unknown” guests (The Beauties from Toronto), and strummed through an array of classic BSS songs in a wholly raw fashion. By the end of the night, there were only 150 left in the room, making it feel as though we were catching an early career performance. MySpace | Website
The Black Keys Hometown: Akron, OH
I had yet to be converted into a Black Keys fan until I ended up on Mohawk Patio for the band’s MOG party performance. Halfway through the 75 minute set, I was a true believer. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s impeccable musicianship and moving bluesy rock imbued with tangible metal influences produced one of the most exciting moments of my 2010 SXSW experience. MySpace | Website
Muse
Hometown: Devon, England
The British prog-pop stars played MySpace’s “Secret” SXSW Show at Stubb’s on Saturday night. Big energy from a big band that I never thought I’d see live, especially in a 3000 capacity outdoor setting. Epic. MySpace | Website
First Aid Kit Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
This Swedish female folk duo was more special than I could have imagined live. Sisters Klara and Johanna Soderberg accompanying their impassioned vocal harmonies with guitar and synth as they played through woodsy song from their recent album, The Big Black & The Blue (2010), was an epic treat. Sweden is currently producing incredibly innovative and relevant music. MySpace
Neon Indian Hometown: Austin, TX
I hadn’t yet joined the swarms exclaiming about Neon Indian, but after their psychedelic indoor set as part of the Pitchfork/Windish party at Emo’s JR, my opinion shifted. The band’s dance electro wanderings are more poignant than I had imagined. MySpace
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark
Potentially one of my favorite finds at SXSW, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour from Denmark, provided an entirely captivating experience on the Billboard outdoor stage. Not only is Mette Lindberg likely the hottest performer in her Nordic country, but her rich and boisterous voice triumphantly meets her alluring stage appeal. As my brother aptly stated, it’s Parliament Funkadelic in blonde waif form. MySpace
Hey Champ Hometown: Chicago, IL
Another lucky find came in the form of Hey Champ. I was immediately lifted by the electro-synth-dance-rock trio’s boundless energy. The set was filled with impeccable drumming and dramatic interplay onstage and with their aggressively exuberant audience. MySpace | Website
Free Energy Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
I only caught a couple songs from Free Energy, but I got it right away. Love their form of hook-laden rock that’s both glammy and classic. The explosiveness of the entire band yelling of “Bang Bang Pop Pop!” and lead singer Paul Sprangers shaping the curves of a female figure in the air while singing “cherry lips and long hair” is a lasting memory. I’m craving more. MySpace
Freelance Whales Hometown: Queens, NY
While I like the tracks I’ve heard from the band’s studio album, Weathervanes (April 2010), significantly more than what I experienced live inside the Paste party at the Galaxy Room, it was certainly a treat to catch a band that we’ll be hearing a lot from over the next year. Their pop-driven folk rock with its precarious arrangements has lasting appeal. Together the fivesome created interlocking rhythmic patterns beneath lush textural layering and group vocals. The band used whatever musical gadgets they could get their hands on during the set including harmonium, banjo, glockenspiel and water phone on top of synthesizers, guitars, bass and drums. Did anyone else hear the lead singer say that it’s not such a good idea to roll in Austin as sweat was pouring down his face? MySpace | Website
Big Light Hometown: San Francisco, CA
I managed to see around 45 bands by the time I caught Big Light’s set on the Galaxy Room’s patio. Their raging set of thoughtful indie-driven rock outshone many of the hyped artists performing over the weekend. It won’t be long before this incredible group gets its just due. MySpace | Website
Estelle Hometown: London, England
It was high on my list to see this Brit soul-rapper live and the set was worth the effort. Estelle was super high energy as she went off about cheating boyfriends and made sure the audience was enjoying themselves, including playfully threatening to come down into the crowd if it appeared anyone wasn’t having fun. She raged her hit song “American Boy” and deftly covered Coldplay’s “God Put A Smile On Your Face”. MySpace | Website
Hole Hometown: Los Angeles/London
Courtney Love is another artist I never thought I’d see live. I managed to catch Hole’s first live show in over a decade as part of the SPIN party at Stubb’s. Love’s girl garage rock unexpectedly seemed rather relevant despite the hiatus and he looked more attractive and alive that I could have imagined. Her stage banter was raucous as usual. She introduced her 2nd to last song as being the kind of song you write when you’re getting off dope and got righteously pissed off when she found out they only had time for one more. At the closing of the set she apologized to the audience for not stage-diving, saying she was too elderly!! Hilarious. MySpace | Website
Miike Snow Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
Miike Snow’s performance on the Galaxy Room Patio was truly the most out of this world show I experienced at SXSW. It’s difficult to know what to make of the combination of potent, layered synth-heavy electro topped with highly emotive, hippy-folk vocals, but the experience is one to be had. MySpace | Website
Tobacco Hometown: Parts Unknown
I stumbled in on Black Moth Super Rainbow’s frontman Tom Fec (aka Tobacco) performing a gem performance at Emo’s Annex as part of IODA’s day party. Ironically, a highly talented girl on synth contributed more than half of what was so compelling about Tobacco’s set. The duo is a must see for those moved by glitchy, synth heavy electronica. MySpace
Stars of Track and Field Hometown: Portland, OR
This band has been one of my favorites since 2007 and I catch them as often as I can, which unfortunately is quite infrequent due to their spurts of inactivity. The band played their best version of highly layered indie rock within The Parish on Saturday night. I’m consistently amazing at the vastness of sound that comes from this trio. I get completely lost inside. MySpace
Frightened Rabbit Hometown: Selkirk, Scotland
I’m as taken as most by this folk rock band from Scotland and their urgent songs dealing with emotional turmoil. The effect of Scott Hutchinson’s plaintive and passionate vocals is devastating The quality of sound in the Galaxy Room during their appearance at the Paste party left much to be desired, but the band’s raw spirit came through. MySpace | Website
Titus Andronicus Hometown: Glen Rock, NJ
A more raw, ruthless, energetic, and punk form of Bright Eyes is how I might best describe Titus Andronicus. Kept trying to leave their set to check out the next show, but Titus kept drawing me back in with their defiant vocals, heavily distorted guitars, and rambunctious, I don’t give a f**k attitude. MySpace | Website
Phantogram Hometown: Syracuse, NY
Within the gorgeous IFC studio with its vibe-inducing blue-lighted backdrop (designed by Niki Eways of Nikipedia), the girl/boy, synth/guitar duo created another reality with their downtempo trip-hop for the intimate 50-person crowd. MySpace
Street Sweeper Social Club Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
SSSC’s is Tom Morello’s best project to date since his days with Rage Against The Machine. The band had all the energy and attitude of Rage with Boots Riley from The Coup turning it hip-hop style. The crowd was rowdy, just as they should have been, and Morello’s guitar skills were jaw-dropping as always. MySpace | Website
Major Lazer Hometown: Jamaica (hmm…)
I knew Major Lazer was a nationwide sensation, but give it to SXSW to enable me on a whim to experience that up close and personal. Honestly it was the spectacle of hypeman Skerrit Bwoy jumping around and his hot bikini clad counterpart Mimi doing things such as bouncing her butt in a tri-pod headstand that took the set to its ultra-high level. Unfortunately, no Switch. MySpace | Website
Diplo Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
After the Major Lazer set, I caught Diplo at the Mad Decent/I HEART COMIX/Jelly NYC After Party. The affair was dying by the time I’d arrived, but Diplo had it going on. Packing his back to get on a 7am flight while intermittently joining the DJ on hand and shooting his finger in the air and at the crowd to pick the energy back up was insane. Yep, Diplo’s ultra cool. MySpace
And here are the artists I’m bummed to have missed, but you can’t see everything at SXSW, though you might try: Ra Ra Riot, Local Natives, Oh No Ono, Fanfarlo, Bachlorette, Wye Oak, Ortolan, Rafter, The Very Best, Javelin, Jookabox, Anais Mitchell, Joshua James, The Black Angels, Pretty Lights, Passion Pit DJs, Diamond Rings, Washed Out, Twin Sister, Matt Morris, Beats Antique, The Cool Kids, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Lights, Evan Dando, Chiddy Bang, Snoop Dogg, Stone Temple Pilots, Chamillionaire.
I’ve never been much of an Of Montreal fan, but I’m currently in love with their video for “Wraith Pinned To The Mist & Other Games”. It follows the psychedelic, Yellow Submarine-esque, slightly violent journey of little square-bodied cartoon characters and friends. Love the purple one’s dance moves at the end (3rd from the right!).
The style of their music still doesn’t entirely capture me, but… as it often seems to be, there can be things you quite like hiding around the corner from a band you thought you disliked.
Said style is theatrical techno-pop glam, one that seems to have changed over the years from a more quirky, indie pop sound. They also tend to fuse gloomy lyrics speaking to apathy, loneliness and death, with bouncy, upbeat melodies and hooks. Certainly, the music is catchy in some bizarre, deranged, and fantastical way.
One more tune. Listen to “She’s a Rejector”, just to hear Kevin Barnes sing the following:
There’s the girl that left me bitter
Want to pay some other girl
To walk up to her and hit her
It seems the Swedes have cornered the market on innovative, ambient electro pop. The intentionally cryptic new group jj are another example of this breath of fresh air. The group fuses lushly atmospheric electro-pop and world music with sultry female vocals to create a rather exotic sound. What results is irresistibly beautiful and blissful.
The duo released their debut single jj n° 1 in early 2009 and several months later released their stylistically brilliant debut album jj n° 2. It’s a short opus of nine tracks of island infused synth pop, akin to the music of fellow label mates The Tough Alliance. But the duo emerges on the softer side due to the pervasive lush vocals of Elin Kastlander. Like their peers, jj show a propensity towards sampling, irritable pop hooks, and stylistic diversity to create something gorgeously intricate that shows admiration for both the expansive realms of world music and minimalistic electro-pop. jj sit aside The Tough Alliance and Air France, on one of Sweden’s best and most consistent labels, Sincerely Yours, founded by TTA in 2006.
jj’s dance pop is built on ethereal string and synth samples along with exquisite vocals that float freely through their tracks. The songs are deceptively simple, incorporating a vast array of musical influences from reggae to electronica, new age to hip-hop. The dream-like quality of Elin’s voice is lusciously smooth and textured taking the music even further.
The group’s full-length debut jj n° 2 changes styles slightly with every song, which makes listening to the 27 minute album an unpredictable yet alluring experience. Even when they explore 90′s ambient-house, they still allow emotion to flood through the textures. jj expand on the reach of ambient music — defined, as Brian Eno once did, as music that “suggests, a place, a landscape, a soundworld which you inhabit” — offering it a new essence .
“Things Will Never Be Again” opens jj nº 2 sounding much like The Tough Alliance, tying together synth samples of steel drums and MIDI Strings, with Elin’s low vocal tones and harmonies. “From Africa to Malaga” is by far my favorite track with Elin’s celestial, reverb-effected vocals riding atop synthy Caribbean percussion. The sounds wash over you and the winds referenced sweep you up into a blissful state of ecstasy. “Ecstasy” unexpectedly drops a sample of Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” creating a track that is trippy and drug-hazy, turning the sound of the album drastically on a pin. (jj released another track with a Weezy sample in January, titled “My Way”. ) Later the album moves into more lilting folk-pop, and further into the laughing and hammer-dulcimer sampling “Intermezzo”. With jj nº 2, the duo created a visionary new sound that is bound to generate more buzz in 2010.
Fascinatingly, jj has kept to almost absolute internet silence. Seriously, not even a MySpace. Info on jj was literally nonexistent until recently, save for a few cryptic sentences, download links, and blood-splattered album artwork on their label’s site. It seems to have made the music all the more endearing and enchanting. Quite a surge of conversation has lived surrounding the identity of jj. Some rightly thought that it might be a side project of The Tough Alliance or Air France, but the mystery quickly unfolded. The enigmatic jj consists of multi-instrumentalist Joakim Benon and vocalist Elin Kastlander. The story almost ends there for now, although I did come across a fabulous interview with jj published on the Drumming On Tabletops blog several weeks ago. Here are a few excerpts.
Where does the name “jj” come from?
jag & joakim. joakim & jag. (“jag” means me or myself in Swedish)
What’s the plan for live shows? Did you originally ever expect to perform live? I ask that because it seems (from the various YouTube videos I’ve watched anyways) that the stage show is really based around the recorded music and projected images rather than the typical “live performance”.
We have grand plans for our public executions, it will be magic, soon enough. Now when we’re out there Elin is just trying to get over her social phobia and anxiety. She sings for her life, as always. And I’m (Joakim) trying to learn everything I recorded, and decide if I should play the guitar solo or the piano, the drums or the flute, or maybe get someone else to do it; so many decisions. Maybe we’ll get James Cameron to do the visuals, and perhaps Kanye will have some ideas. Whatever we do I hope people will understand that being on stage is a fucked up situation in the first place, where everything can happen: you can live more than you’ve ever lived or be wanting to die, feeling things will never be the same again.
The newest album, jj nº 3 has already leaked online. What does it feel like to have to deal with a leak? Do you mind it considering that almost every album leaks online now before the release date?
Beautiful, sad, scary, nice, confusing. It (jj nº 3) should’ve been released in September though, so it’s all good. A slightly fairer chance for anyone to keep up with us.
How much are drugs involved with your music (the song ecstasy, the pot leaf on the cover of jj nº 2)? Do you feel like the two can be separated or are they intertwined?
Our music is dope, you know that.
In December, jj signed with the indie label Secretly Canadian who will release the duo’s next LP, jj nº 3, in the U.S on March 9th in conjunction with the release on Sincerely Yours in Sweden. Following, they are set to perform 14 American dates with fellow lowercase, double-lettered electro group, The xx. These shows, along with SXSW, mark the first U.S. live appearances ever for jj.
JJ tour dates:
3/22 – Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge, LA w/ The xx
3/23 – Bottletree, Birmingham, AL
3/24 – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA w/ The xx
3/25 – Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC w/ The xx
3/28 – Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Washington, DC w/ The xx
3/29 – First Unitarian Church Sanctuary, Philadelphia, PA w/ The xx
3/30 – Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
3/31 – Webster Hall, New York, NY
4/2 – Paradise, Boston, MA w/ The xx
4/3 – Le National, Montreal, QC w/ The xx
4/4 – Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON
4/5 – Wexner Center, Columbus, OH w/ The xx
4/6 – Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Bloomington, IN w/ The xx
4/8 – Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL w/ The xx
4/9 – Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN w/ The xx
4/12 – The Nightlight Lounge, Bellingham, WA w/ The xx
4/13 – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC w/ The xx
4/14 – Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR w/ The xx
4/16 – Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
I was absolutely startled by St. Vincent when I first heard “Now Now” off her debut album Marry Me (2007). The ringing harmonics, vocal overlays, orchestral crescendos juxtaposed with guitar plucking, penetrating bass lines, plus the final ripping electric guitar solo, together sent me over the edge.
St. Vincent is the moniker under which multi-instrumentalist Annie Clark performs. Her tunes are unpredictable, quirky and bizarre enough to stand out in a sea of emerging indie artists. Clark offers a new sound and voice. She twists catchy melodies into unique arrangements filled with her rich, yet fragile voice. The music warbles with cacophonous eruptions of sound and disturbing, thought-provoking lyrics and electric guitar solos woven with the classical instrumentation of piano, flute, horns, drums and violins.
Clark began playing guitar at 12 and as a teenager, worked as the tour manager for her uncle’s band. Her family moved from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Dallas during her high school years and for college she traveled to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music. Prior to venturing out on her own, Clark performed as part of both the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens’ 2006 live band. Touring extensively in support of Marry Me with artists including Death Cab for Cutie, The National, and Arcade Fire, Clark began to excite attention from audiences nationwide. The album landed critical acclaim and Clark a No. 90 spot on the U.S. Billboard charts.
St. Vincent’s sophomore album, Actor (2009), is denser and more melancholy. While Marry Me was a colorful splash of divergent sounds, Actor is a more subtle matter. Clark again blazes a new trail filled with beauty and darkness. The first track, “Stranger”, truly soars above the rest. Flute and synth spiral among blurry eruptions of sounds providing the music with strange warps and bends. Clark’s smooth and delicate voice lilts throughout whether transformed by effects or fully bare. And the rager that Clark is on guitar is yet again unleashed with loads of distortion in between sweet accordion-laced melodies.
Clark’s live performances are unusual, confident, mesmerizing and inspired. They bestow her artistic vision as she precisely articulates it will full band in tow. Definitely a marvel to witness. I’m excited to get a taste this weekend in Denver!
Feb 13 – The Bluebird Theater, Denver, Colorado
Feb 15 – Bottleneck, Lawrence, Kansas
Feb 16 – The Blue Moose TapHouse, Iowa City, Iowa
Feb 17 – Turner Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Feb 18 – Metro, Chicago, Illinois
Feb 19- The Pike Room at The Crofoot, Pontiac, Michigan
Feb 20 – Outland on Liberty, Columbus, Ohio
Feb 21 – Diesel Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Feb 23 – Jefferson Theatre, Charlottesville, Virginia
Feb 24 – 9:30 Club, Washington DC, Washington DC
Feb 25 – First Unitarian Church – Sanctuary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 12 – Yu Gong Yi Shan, Beijing, Beijing
Mar 13 – Yuyintang, Shanghai, Shanghai
Mar 15 – Recital Studio, Esplanade, Singapore
Mar 18 – Pacific Blue Festival Clu, Wellington, Wellington
Mar 28 – Big Ears Festival, Knoxville, Tennessee
Mar 30 – Highdive, Champaign, Illinois
Mar 31 – MusicNOW Festival – Memorial Hall / University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
Jul 18 – Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, Illinois
The energetic, Swede pop perfection of The Tough Alliance immediately entangled me when I first heard “Neo Violence”. It’s spring loaded, synth heavy, techno-tropic and gets you giddily dancing. I adore their wry humor at the end. I finally dove into their last two releases and got turned on to more TTA. The songs are bright, emphatic, and uplifting, buoyant with constant explosions of sounds. I’m surprised they haven’t yet hit the scene harder in the U.S.
Check out the rad video for “Simple Games” from the New Waves EP (2006). It’s got girls jumping rope in the breathtaking, sun-dappled outdoors and projections of breaking waves (a recurring visual motif of theirs).
Childhood friends Henning Fürst and Eric Berglund formed The Tough Alliance in 2003. The Göthenburg, Sweden duo have polished their glammy blend of pop and electronica through a series of EP and album releases, first on the locally based Service label (home to Jens Lekman and Studio) and then on their own label, Sincerely Yours, beginning in 2006. Each critically acclaimed creation helped to establish them as a central force within the Swedish indie music scene. TTA began attracting greater international attention in 2007 due to outstanding reviews for A New Chance (2007) and American distribution.
Adding some color to their story, The Tough Alliance amusingly have an infamous reputation for their live appearances and receive frequent attention in the Swedish media for lip-synching to their backing tracks while ambiguously wielding baseball bats. The resulting accusations of glorifying violence and hooliganism haven’t gone unnoticed. TTA directly confronts all detractors in the lyrics of “Neo Violence”, which ascended to number 13 on the Swedish album charts in 2007.
No U.S. dates at the moment, but keep your eyes out for The Tough Alliance.
Neo Violence
No no need for a baseball bat
Don’t need no knife for a sharp attack
No excuses, no looking back
We think too much about the things we lack
This neo violence
Pure self-defiance
This neo violence
The Tough Alliance
I hardly noticed your short romance
Your careless manners and your anxious glance
Kissed and telled, got paid in advance
You’re far behind now love you missed your chance
This neo violence
Pure self-defiance
This neo violence
The Tough Alliance
Truly sorry thought you’d get the wink, it’s in our nature to be out of sync
Truly sorry thought you’d get the wink, it’s in our nature to be out of sync
This neo violence
Pure self-defiance
This neo violence
The Tough Alliance
This neo violence
Can’t stand the silence
This neo violence
The Tough Alliance
Panda Bear – Person Pitch (2007)
This album delicately led me by the arm towards Animal Collective, when I was confounded by how strange it was. 2007 saw me doing yoga to Person Pitch almost every day, allowing me to sink into what Panda Bear and, as a result, what the whole AC crew had to offer. Person Pitch is simultaneously poppy and abstract, winsome and deranging, creating elaborate and magnificent convoluted sonic collages. mp3: Panda Bear – Comfy in Nautica mp3: Panda Bear – Bros mp3: Panda Bear – Good Girl/Carrots Download Person Pitch MySpace | Website
Lily Allen – Alright, Still (2007)
This album had me rocking out in my car during many of those 2007 summer months. Allen’s smart alec, sassy attitude is emphatic. Her explosion on the scene as one of Britain’s superstars might put off some, but it’s hard not fall for her well produced brand of bouncy, horn heavy, ska-inspired pop.
Check out “Smile”, “LDN”, “Nan You’re A Window Shopper” – explicit! (can’t post!) Download Alright, Still MySpace | Website
Brett Dennen – Hope for the Hopeless (2008)
Brett Dennen inspires me. His lyrics are entirely well considered and thought provoking, and his positive, dynamic melodies are hard to deny. “Make You Crazy”, featuring Femi Kuti, is the true gem here, gorgeous in it’s entirety, speaking about our untrustable government, prisons, child soldiers, and how people treat each other to get ahead. The songs soar, speaking of love, hope, home and peace. “San Francisco” is thoroughly nostalgic especially if you’ve taken any time to get to know Dennen’s amazing city. mp3: Brett Dennen – Make You Crazy mp3: Brett Dennen – Wrong About Me mp3: Brett Dennen – San Francisco Download Hope For The Hopeless MySpace | Website
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)
By far my favorite release of the year. Since their inception, Animal Collective has wandered the territorial edges of music, seeking out boundaries previously erected and looking beyond them. They’ve imbued gorgeous indie songs with peculiar vocals and irritating noises, contrasted West African rhythms with British folk melodies, and have hung on a single chord for what seems like eternity. Merriweather feels like a culmination of all of these explorations, achieving a sound that is both accessible and thoroughly innovative. Finally an Animal Collective album that I’m moved to listen to all the way through -hooky and pop drenched in swirls of psychedelia, heavy with sonic texture. mp3: Animal Collective – My Girls mp3: Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes mp3: Animal Collective – Brothersport Download Merriweather Post Pavilion MySpace | Website
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009)
The danceable, catching indie rock of Phoenix is perfectly featured on their newest release. The tight grooves of the band’s electrifying synth pop flow loudly behind Thomas Mars’ smooth and all the while urgent vocals. Wolfgang is brilliantly sleek with sonic texture, putting the band on the map as one of the most exciting groups to blow up stateside this year. mp3: Phoenix – Lisztomania mp3: Phoenix – 1901 mp3: Phoenix – Lasso Download Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix MySpace | Website
Built to Spill – There Is No Enemy (2009)
On There is No Enemy, Built to Spill investigates an aesthetic they’ve created and honed over the years, revolving around Doug Martsch’s soft, yet penetrating vocals swimming in a bath of refracting guitar tones. The band again finds a new and interesting way to approach their sound making this my favorite BTS album since 1999′s Keep It Like A Secret. mp3: Built to Spill – Aisle 13 mp3: Built to Spill – Hindsight mp3: Built to Spill – Nowhere Lullaby Download There Is No Enemy MySpace | Website
Ray LaMontagne – Trouble (2003)
When Trouble came out it was hard not to become overwhelmed by the power and depth of Ray LaMontagne. The title track is entirely timeless, instantly bringing on comparisons to Van Morrison and Otis Redding, with Ray’s rich and impassioned vocals rising above perfectly nuanced guitars and strings, echoing his quietly devastating meditations on life and love which is the soul of this release. mp3: Ray LaMontagne – Trouble mp3: Ray LaMontagne – Forever My Friend mp3: Ray LaMontagne – How Come Download Trouble MySpace | Website
My Morning Jacket – Z (2005)
When Z came out all I wanted was wrap myself in the sonic blissfulness of “Wordless Chorus”. MMJ’s 4th album sees the band proceeding forward without fear or shame, shaping a sound distinctly their own. Fiery guitar, folk-inspired melodies, soaring rock passages, and psychedelic flashes marry sublimely with Jim James’ legendary vocals. mp3: My Morning Jacket – Wordless Chorus mp3: My Morning Jacket – It Beats 4 U mp3: My Morning Jacket – Off The Record Buy Z MySpace | Website
I’m late on getting you my list of the best albums of the decade, but it’s taken some time to dig through all of the incredible pieces of work that we’ve been hit with over the past 10 years. Since 2000, my ears have become keen to the inner workings of song and sound and it is partly due to the music below that I listen the way that I do. This decade has been an exhilarating one with bands like Animal Collective, Modest Mouse, Broken Social Scene, Death Cab For Cutie, and Sigur Ros solidifying their reach with monumental releases, and acts like Amy Winehouse, Norah Jones, Ray LaMontagne, Vampire Weekend and Bon Iver astonishing listeners with their debuts. I can’t resist including a few albums from smaller artists that are personal favorites, those of Leslie Helpert and The Slip. Dive in.
Zero 7 – Simple Things (2001)
The album combines an alluring mixture of sounds – electronica, jazz, soul, world music – featuring three talented vocalists (Mozez, Sia Furler, and Sophie Baker) to ride the top of these Air-like waves amid deep compositional swirls. mp3: Zero 7 – I Have Seen mp3: Zero 7 – Destiny mp3: Zero 7 – Likufanele Download Simple Things MySpace | Website
Download through iTunes
| 
| 
Entries (RSS)