High Places exist within a realm of experimental sounds. Repetitive samples, home-crafted percussion, and minimalist vocals imbue their sparse electronica-pulsating world. The outcome feels both foreign and warm. Mary Pearson and Rob Barber have together created a unique sound steeped in soft, wispy female vocal melodies, brisk beats, and rhythmic lines produced on folk percussion and household objects. It is music inspired by beauty and nature, whose artistry leans towards organic resonances. The subtlety of their music whispers images, allowing the listener to fill the landscapes with their own contemplations. This association might bring to mind the amorphous, dream-inspiring work of Animal Collective’s Panda Bear.
Live, the two create layered recordings with Pearson manipulating her vocals with delay and reverb, playing hand percussion, and creating and controlling various loops. Barber triggers percussive sounds from his drum pads, adds ambient vocals, and plays an array of rhythmic instruments to create the certain tone that is High Places. The songwriting is expansive and fluid, while the musical ideas produced are concise. A state of meditation is encouraged by their creations and this seems apt as Barber has been on record saying that music is pretty much the only thing that calms him down and enables him to relax.
High Places’ self-titled debut was recorded in Pearson and Barber’s Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood apartment in Brooklyn in 2008. And the music has that true, artsy Brooklyn feel. The two met in 2006, when Pearson was living in Michigan and both were pursuing solo projects. Once she moved to New York, they began collaborating, exchanging ideas and giving each other little bits to work off of and respond to. Their unexpected first performance came in May of 2006, when Rob was offered a gig that he didn’t want to play alone. A demo and U.S. tour dates came soon after. In 2008, the group signed with Thrill Jockey Records to release their debut and, shortly thereafter, a collection of singles under the title 03/07-09/07.
The band’s most recent record, High Places vs. Mankind (March 2010), offers a new era of the band’s experimental pop. It takes their music to a more densely atmospheric place with slow dance-heavy grooves. The sound is more mature, more complex, with Pearson’s voice more prominently set against High Places’ thick psychedelic landscapes.
The recently transplanted from Brooklyn to Los Angeles where they frequent the mountain-filled parks that now surround them. The pair’s name actually refers to a place where one has a better vantage point and can gain broader perspectives, so this spot seems apt. Their music tends to speak of their love of mountains, rooftops, and other metaphorically high places. Yet the sounds of the city aren’t far away, which likely prompt the ever-present looping of industrial utterances within their music.
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.
Brooklyn duo MGMT will release their 3rd full-length album, Congratulations, on April 13, 2010. They’ve offered a taste by making the track “Flash Delirium” available as a free download through their website. The adventurous Bowie-tinged exploration veers in a variety of mind-bending directions within its 4 minutes. The confusion it unleashes become more manageable with subsequent listens. Psychedelic lyrics offer this gorgeous sentiment: “Dance until the heart explodes and we’ll make this place ignite.” “Some will love it, some will hate it,” Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone of Congratulations‘ stylistic shift. “We want to freak people out.”
MGMT have so far debuted three other songs off the release, “Congratulations”, “It’s Working”, and “Song for Dan Tracey”, at recent shows. The album was recorded in Malibu by ex-Spacemen 3 Brit Pete Kember (aka Sonic Boom) and mixed by Flaming Lips producer David Fridmann. The record is the follow-up to 2007’s Oracular Spectacular, which crushed with over 1 million copies sold worldwide. Upcoming U.S. tourdates include Coachella, Bamboozle, and Sasquatch in April and May.
Flash Delirium
Mild apprehension
Blank dreams of the coming fun
Distort the odds of a turnaround
Gut screams out next to none
So turn it on, tune it in
And stay inert
You say “I’ve got the backbone”
The back way to escape the gun
Climbing a tree with a missing limb
And not saving anyone
And now it hurts to stay at home
And see flash the mirror ball’s throwing mold
You can’t get a grip if there’s nothing to hold
See the flash catch a white lily laugh and wilt
But if you must smash a glass first fill it to the hilt
Plants, as far as i know are still,
Still bending toward the light
And if we dance until the heart explodes
It’ll make this place ignite
And even if this hall collapses
I can stand by my pillar of hope
It’s just a case of Flash delirium
Here’s a growing culture
Deep inside a corpse
Ages stuck together
Takin it to the source
Timeless desperation
Pictures on a screen scream
“Hey people, what does it mean?”
Comfort keeps us nice
So quick to donate everything
Die wolken drifting blinding smiles circling (einkreisen)
And time’s tingling spines
Attaching hands to floor
The rosy-tinted flash
The hot dog’s getting cold
And you’ll never be as good as the Rolling Stones
Watch the birds in the airport gathering dirt
Crowd the clean magazine chick lifting up her skirt
(Why close one eye and try to
Pledge allegiance to the sun
When plastic ghosts start terrorizing everyone
Geometric troops aligning
Carried up to the burial mounds
My earthbound heart is heavy
Your heartbeat keeps things light
With the violence forever threatening the night
And even if this hall collapses
I can stand by my pillar of hope and trust)
Lines when I close my eyes and just
Aim blindly at the sun
And hear love
When the ghosts start singing terrorizing everyone
Geometric troops aligning
Carried up to the burial mounds with gold
It’s a heavy time but your
You rhythm makes it light and explode
Like a violent star keeps threatening the night
And even if this hall collapses
I can stand by my pillar of hope and trust
That our heads won’t bust
66 55 red battleships
40 earthlike planets
3 holes 2 tits
1 fork in its side
Zero tears in their eyes
Eue the spiders
Sink the Welsh
Stab your facebook
Sell sell sell
Undercooked
Overdone
Mass adulation not so funny
Poisoned honey
Pseudo science
Silly money
You’re my honey
The buzz over the collaboration between Shins singer/guitarist James Mercer and producer/multi-instrumentalist Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) has been mighty. The pair announced the project in September of ‘09 and released their self-titled album this week. The two acclaimed musicians (Danger Mouse is half of Gnarls Barkley and produced the Gorillaz’s 2007 album Demon Days) were inspired to put their heads together after connecting at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival in 2004 when they discovered they were fans of each other’s work. They began recording in secret at Burton’s Los Angeles-based studio in March of ‘08 and the culmination of their efforts is now out on the table.
Take note that this is not just a “produced by Danger Mouse” one-off. The two are apparently in it for the long haul and have plans extending past this first album.
Eyes closed, this is a Shins album. The wonderous indie sensation expanded upon their sound throughout their 3 albums (2001, 2003, and 2007), and this feels like it could be the fruit of the next step in that progression. Due to Mercer’s distinct voice, the line between The Shins and Broken Bells is rather blurry. That is an exciting reality for Shins fans in that Mercer and his bandmates have had a sour parting. Burton’s contributions are somewhat restrained, but he seamlessly infuses his creativity and influences into a realm of music heavy with melody and sparse on beats. Overall, the partnership works well. The balance of styles, Burton’s hip-hop and soul and Mercer’s inventive song construction and lyricism, produce 37 minutes of pure quality. Other than string arrangements by composer Daniele Luppi, Danger and Mercer play every instrument on the 10-song album. Mercer sings and plays guitar and bass, while Danger tackles drums, organ, piano, synth, and bass. Danger also serves as producer.
“The Ghost Inside” is the standout track on the album and offers a clear illustration of Mercer and Burton getting their hands dirty together. It’s a fabulous synthesis of Mercer’s falsetto, warbly back up vocal overlays, handclaps and unforgettable synth melodies. Lyrically, the album is direct and insightful. “Vaporizer” delivers a potent message atop sanguine organ lines: Let go of fears and unrealized hopes and live without the squashing need to know where you are going. “The Waiting Game” speaks of the elusiveness of love among buzzy synths and spacey effects. Gone are Mercer’s cryptic lyrics. He speaks truthfully of loneliness, love, and dreams falling short. “Citizen” just punches with its beat and harsh chorus, encompassing the dark feel that pervades many of the tracks. The album is missing a tad of soul and doesn’t necessarily push the envelope, but it gets inside the head.
Vaporize
What amounts to a dream anymore?
A crude device; A veil on our eyes
A simple plan we’d be different from the rest
And never resign to a typical life
Common fears start to multiply
We realize we’re paralyzed
Where’d it go, All that precious time?
Did we even try to stem the tide?
Why should we waste it on
Buying into the same old lies?
The longer we wait around
The faster the years go by
It’s not too late
To feel a little more alive
Make an escape
Before we start to vaporize
Doubtless, we’ve been through this
So if you want to follow me you should know
I was lost then and I am lost now
And I doubt I’ll ever know which way to go
Now it’s time to figure out how Broken Bells sound live. The duo has performed 5 shows to date over the past four weeks in L.A., Paris, London, Brooklyn, and on Letterman. You can find Broken Bells in L.A. on March 14 and in the clubs of Austin at SXSW March 17-21. Stay tuned for more dates…
Like any great album should, Big Light’s full-length debut Animals in Bloom (2010) draws me in more completely with every listen. The songs endlessly unravel as one’s ears open to the nuances. I’ve been enamored with the band since they debuted in San Francisco near the end of 2007 and it’s all in the combination. Skillful songs, prodigious musicianship, and a certain sincerity. It’s the kind of music you want to sit back and take in and also the kind that you want to move to and lose yourself within. It’s the best of all genres, melding the weight of rock, the earnestness of folk, the edginess of indie, and the transcendental psychedelia of jam. The band’s sound is easy to love and hits with an immeasurably depth. As my friend Melissa and I would say to each other back then, “Big Light plays just the kind of music I want to hear.”
From the grittiness of “Triceratops”, to the tenderness of “Departed”, to the touching words, melodies, and guitar riffs of “Rainbow Eyes”, Animals in Bloom gets inside. “Good Time of the Year”’s youth-filled intimacy is undeniable and “Monster” strikes with washes of sound. “Heavy” just tears it all apart. It’s not just the raging guitars that send you to oblivion but the band as a whole progressing, ripping, lying deep within the groove. Unabating until the raging finale moments of “Bonebreaker”, the album is a solid realization of Big Light’s limitless potential. The album’s lyrics are poetic, pensive, inspiring and filled with color. The songs catch inside your head and refuse to let go. It’s intimate and makes you feel included.
The San Francisco foursome features Fred Torphy (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Bradly Bifuclo (drums), Steve Adams (bass, vocals) and Jeremy Korpas (lead guitar, vocals). After several shifts in lineup, this band feels like the one Torphy needs to convey what’s inside his head. Torphy’s voice morphs from track to track all the while staying endearing and real. And his guitar solos soar. Bradly Bifulco contributes a strength of foundation and depth that stands out on every song. ALO’s Steve Adams exemplifies what this incredible player can do when offered an alternate existence. And the most recent addition of Jeremy Korpas seals the force of Big Light. Korpus’ ripping playing which has earned him the name “Swordfish”, raised the bar of Big Light’s musicianship, allowing the band to travel where it was ready. A nod to the benefit of timing and luck, Korpas’ inclusion came by chance after needing a place to crash when first moving to SF. By way of a friend he landed on Torphy’s couch and later joined the band. Together these four individuals gesture gratitude to the great bands that inspired them – Dr. Dog, The Slip, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket – yet seamlessly unite to create a sound that is undeniably Big Light.
Yesterday, I got to chat with songwriter Fred Torphy about the album…
How does the current state of Big Light compare to what you imagined when you originally formed the band?
Torphy: Probably closer to what I imagined it being. More professional and cohesive and focused. That was something we had to work for, a permanent lineup. You saw a lot us in the formative days. It was sprawling then and you never knew who was actually going to play. That was always really hard to deal with as a bandleader. All the coming and going of the personal and getting the band staffed probably. You don’t want to push any of those things. It needs to happen on its own. Give it time. That happening was cool. I’m just stoked that it’s where it’s at right now. And that we are more lean and mean. More focused.
Are there any unseen insights into the album that you want to share?
Torphy: Mechanically we got really experimental and went deep. There are sounds you might not hear unless you’re listening on headphones. There are all of these undercurrents of noise that prevail from the beginning to the end. We capture sounds that aren’t musical in some senses. Detuning ukuleles or dropping an amplifier on the ground so that it makes a crazy thunderous sound. We put ghosts in the recording so that they could be heard later when someone is listening a little closer.
The one thing that probably nobody one knows is that there’s one guitar amp that we ended up using for 90% of the record that we got from this dude who lives in an apartment that’s next to the studio where we recorded. He’s this guy Kidd Candelario, Jerry Garcia’s right hand man for like 30 years, his guitar tech and all this stuff, and he has a bunch Jerry Garcia’s old gear. He gave us this Fender Twin that had belonged to Jerry and that Jerry used on stage for a really long time. We went back and looked at pictures and saw this thing. We had this modified Fender Twin that was Jerry Garcia’s primary guitar amp and we used it in every situation imaginable because it was cool… it sounded so different from everything else because it was modified for him. It was really loud and you could do crazy shit with it. It was fun playing with that thing. The history, recording the album in San Francisco… We’re not a Grateful Dead leaning band at all in any respect. I mean we like improvisation, we love that band, but they aren’t a model for Big Light in any way. But we did love using that guitar amplifier to make all the cool guitar sounds.
Who’s singing the words before the chorus on “Rainbow Eyes”?
Torphy: We call that the “gang vocal”. Our friend Ty Roberts and his family, Sabrina & Ted, Chris Joseph, Ray (Bradly’s wife)… There are probably 40 voices. We threw a whiskey and pizza party one night in the studio and invited our supporters and friends and asked them all to yell “rainbow eyes”.
Below is a teaser for Animals in Bloom featuring studio and tour footage and clips from their December ‘09 performance at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, all set to an excerpt of the new track “Triceratops”.
For Big Light, club dates have translated into high profile gigs, including appearances at Outside Lands, Noise Pop, Wanderlust, and High Sierra and at renowned California venues such as the Troubadour and The Roxy in Los Angeles and The Fillmore in San Francisco. They’ve also been placed on bills with Spoon, Broken Social Scene, The Mother Hips, Dead Confederate, Surprise Me Mr. Davis, Everest and Howlin Rain. As a fan from the beginning, it’s truly exciting to stand back and watch Big Light constantly progress and evolve at such an electrifying rate and receive due recognition for their musical journeys. Big Light’s CD Release tour for Animals in Bloom kicks off with a performance at San Francisco’s Independent on March 4th (TODAY!).
Mar 4 – The Independent, San Francisco, CA – Animals In Bloom Release Party w/ Guns for San Sebastian and Everest
Mar 5 – 50/50 Brewery, Truckee, CA
Mar 11 – The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
Mar 13 – Sullivan Hall, New York, NY
Mar 17,18,19,20 – SXSW, Austin, TX
Apr 8 – Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, NV
Apr 16 – Cooper’s, Nevada City, CA
Apr 17 – South Lake Tahoe Earth Day Festival, South Lake Tahoe, CA
July 1,2,3,4 – High Sierra Music Festival, Quincy, CA
Animals in Bloom is for sale on the Big Light’s website, at Amazon, and on iTunes where you can download the added bonus track of “Piece Together Wings”, co-written with Nathan Moore and featuring Dan Lebowitz (ALO) on pedal steel. Jeremiah Kille of Conspiracy Surfboards created the memorable album artwork for Animals in Bloom. Check out more of Jeremiah’s work.
In addition to their previously announced set at Coachella, Thom Yorke’s solo band will hit several major U.S. cities this April on a two-week, eight-date tour. Thom Yorke broke the news on Radiohead’s blog Dead Air Space on Thursday, Feb 25th. Southern California’s electronic / hip hop artist Flying Lotus will support the band all eight nights.
The name of the band? Atoms for Peace. Aside from being the name of the stand out track on Yorke’s solo album, The Eraser (2006), Atoms for Peace refers to the title of a speech delivered by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the UN General Assembly in New York City in 1953. The speech was likely a tipping point towards inspiring international focus on peaceful uses of atomic energy.
Atoms for Peace (the band) features Beck/R.E.M.’s Joey Waronker on drums, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea on bass, Mauro Refosco of David Byrne and Bebel Gilberto on percussion, and longtime Radiohead/Yorke producer Nigel Godrich on guitar/synths/laptop. This lineup is the same one that backed up Yorke at the Echoplex and the Orpheum Theater in L.A. in October.
Tickets are being sold via Ticketmaster as well as on Radiohead’s ticketing site, W.A.S.T.E. On sale info below.
Atoms for Peace Tour:
04-05 New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom * – onsale through TM March 2nd at 10am EST
04-06 New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom * – onsale through TM March 2nd at 10am EST
04-08 Boston, MA – Citi Wang Theatre * – onsale through CPAC March 2nd at 10am EST
04-10 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom * – onsale through TM March 3rd at 10am CST
04-11 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom * – onsale through TM March 3rd at 10am CST
04-14 Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre * – onsale through TM March 4th at 10am PST
04-15 Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre * – onsale through TM March 4th at 10am PST
04-17 Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl * – onsale through TM March 3rd at 11am CST
04-18 Indio, CA – Coachella
* with Flying Lotus
TM = Ticketmaster
CPAC = Citi Performing Arts Center
Pre-sale tickets are being sold on W.A.S.T.E. Tickets (Radiohead’s ticketing site) on the following schedule:
New York – Roseland Ballroom – April 5th & 6th – On sale through Tickemaster
Boston – Citi Wang Theatre – April 8th – On sale through CitiCenter
Chicago – Aragon Ballroom – April 10th & 11th – On sale March 3rd via W.A.S.T.E.
Oakland – Fox Theatre – April – 14th & 15th – On sale March 4th via W.A.S.T.E.
Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara Bowl – April 17th – On sale March 3rd via W.A.S.T.E.
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
For those of you already enamored by The Avett Brothers and especially those who aren’t yet, check out this view of “Murder in the City”. It captures the brothers candidly sharing their song about family. The video is frank and touching, sweet and intimate. The song is off of The Second Gleam EP (2008).
Their upcoming tour begins at the end of the month and takes the Avetts across the states and beyond to both Europe and Australia.
During a recent visit to Australia in November to promote the release of their new album Contra (Jan 12, 2009) Vampire Weekend performed an exclusive concert for Triple J radio. Previous Triple J radio Live At The Wireless artist include Lily Allen, MGMT, Modest Mouse, and Air.
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
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