My last day of SXSW started at the Beauty Bar to check out Shit Disco. Hailing from Glasgow, they play a mix of post-punk and distorted, fuzzy disco bass lines over impressively fast drumming. It seems like a mix of many bands that have been popular in the UK over the past couple of years, I can see fans of Bloc Party’s first record and Forward Russia getting down with this. I’ll have to listen to the record before I make any more judgments, but they put on a good show. The drumming in particular was memorable, as he played beats so fast they sound like they could quite easily be coming from a drum machine, but instead of sounding robotic, he managed to kind of ride on top of the beat which gave the whole band a really nice groove. I can imagine getting a little drunk and dancing to this should they come play NYC anytime soon.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

I next headed back for day two of the Hot Freaks party, which had a really strong lineup. I started out seeing Young Knives at the DeVille. They looked like they just walked onstage from their office jobs in the seventies, in a very pleasant, scruffy kind of way. They played straightforward British post-punkish guitar rock. Their best songs were very melodic and catchy, and I appreciate how bands like this still get played on the radio across the pond. They’re worth checking out if you’re one of the many who have a thing for British guitar bands.


Asobi Seksu were up next on the Mohawk’s outdoor stage. They’re another band I had a brief love affair with last summer, and Citrus is still a pretty engaging listen. I caught the first show of their fall tour at the Bowery and was pretty disappointed, as everything that night just sounded off. I was more than pleasantly surprised to have Asobi Sesku prove that indeed it was just a bad night: they sounded great, played together and loud but with everything balanced. I could hear the vocals quite clearly, the guitars and the keyboards got along nicely, and the band have tightened up considerably. The set was great, and I’ll have to go back and spend some quality time with their record.

The Rosebuds went on next back at the DeVille. My friends hyped them up considerably, and while they didn’t blow me away, they were a good fun listen. A very energetic, poppy band that mixes pretty guitar lines with dance drumbeats and the occasional synth melody.




I finished out the Hot Freaks party with Menomena. I must admit, though I’m a big fan of Menomena, I didn’t expect much from the when they took the stage. When I caught them last, they needed close to 45 minutes to soundcheck all their gear, and even then the layers were occasionally difficult to hear. On a loud outdoor stage with not much time to setup, I hoped for the best, and got it. They’ve been on touring for their newest record Friend and Foe for a while now, and once again the time on the road has served their live show well. They comfortably recreated the interesting juxtapositions that make their music so creative, and the vocals sounded a lot stronger than the last time I caught them. It was a perfect set for a sunny afternoon.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

Ladyhawk have been converting most of my friends to their straightforward rock ways for quite some time now, but their record has yet to really hit me. Despite this, I wanted to check them out and see what I may be missing. My friends were right: Ladyhawk didn’t give a fuck, and they belted out straight up bar rock that sounded great and felt even better. I’ll be giving their self-titled debut some more spins.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

Marissa Nadler is a singer songwriter who started her set by saying that she’d won the Cat Power award for crying onstage the day before, and would try not to tonight. There was certainly no need to, as she played and sang beautifully haunting music, just herself and an acoustic guitar. Once again, singer songwriters typically aren’t my thing, but she did it so well I’ll be on the lookout for her Kemado debut.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

I started out day three of the festival by heading to Merge’s day party for a little barbeque and to finally catch the Broken West, who I’d managed to miss both other days. I was keen to check them out as their song Shiftee has been in high rotation for a little over a month. It’s one of my favorite tunes of the year so far, and their record continues to grow on me now that I have it. The Merge party felt like going to a party in a barn with bands playing, as that what it quite literally looked like: an outdoor stage, a big barn with some kegs, picnic tables and even kids running around on a sunny day. It was really nice. But unlike the typical barn concert, the sound system was pretty good, and the Broken West sounded great. I could hear all the different instruments clearly, and the band faithfully recreated the feeling of the record, even though it was pretty early and most folks were likely shaking off a hangover. I think this band has a lot of room to grow, and with the solid songwriting and tasteful instrumentation that defines so many of Merge’s bands, I’m sure things will develop for them nicely. I look forward to catching them again in a room, or even more ideally, at a similar party but around sunset instead of at one in the afternoon. If you’ve not heard of these boys yet, head over to I Guess I'm Floating to check out a few tracks.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007, The Broken West

Next up was a brief detour to the Belmont to check out Pop Levi, another buzz group from the UK. The Belmont was a relaxed place to check out a show, with good bloody marys and a relaxed atmosphere. Pop Levi looked like a stylish UK buzz band, with attitude oozing out of everything they did, from the stringer strutting around for a few minutes while they got his mic working to the voraciousness with which the rest of the band played their instruments. I’m told they’re a pop group, but what I wasn’t told is that they only know one, maybe two chords. They played the hell out of that one chord, but I don’t care how tight your pants are, I need something a little more musically compelling to keep me interested. My buddy Tom put it best: “I love the attitude, but hate the music.” Fun to watch, not that great to listen to, but different strokes for different folks I suppose.

After heading off for a bit to the Hot Freaks party, I returned later in the afternoon to see everyone’s favorite Danes, Mew. Many of my friends are obsessed with Mew’s latest album, which I’ve only given a couple random spins and haven’t yet formed an opinion. I expected to see something interesting, especially considering that they're playing arenas in Europe. The three folks up front very much looked the rockstar part, complete in matching black leather jackets. The singer looked very earnest as he pleasantly sang about whatever it was that he feels so earnest about. The music came off as a poppy, simplified prog-rock, without too much wankery that often ruins the genre for me. The complicated layers and interplay that everyone hyped to me about this band weren’t to be found at this show, but I suspect that might have something to do with the sound on an outdoor stage. I wasn’t particularly moved, but I wouldn’t rule out seeing Mew again. They did have quite a following, as the Belmont was packed, and a lot of folks seemed really into it.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

The Mohawk ended up being my unofficial SXSW headquarters, as I ended up spending a chunk of every day there. It’s a good place to see a show (especially outdoors), and they had a pretty phenomenal lineup for the entire festival. The Hot Freaks! day parties were put on by a consortium of bloggers, who called in favors and got a bunch of their favorite bands to play. It was definitely a success; hopefully they’ll make it an annual event. On Friday I arrived in time to catch the end of De Novo Dahl’s set, they seemed like they were having a good time but I never really got into it. I headed outside afterwards to catch Imperial Teen, who have a lot of history and fans, but all that I was familiar with was the name. They said they were playing mostly new material, but I must admit that they really weren’t my thing. In fact, I was rather bored and happy that Annuals were up no too long afterwards.

I didn’t really expect a great deal from Annuals on a loud, outdoor stage, considering that they travel pretty heavy and didn’t have too long to set up or soundcheck. I was pleasantly proven wrong, as everything worked and they sounded great. I couldn’t hear all the layers I might hear when they’re playing a room, but they still sounded tight and fun, and were a good listen on a perfect, sunny Friday afternnon.

My friend Paige spent at least five minutes talking up Shearwater before they went on (she’s a huge fan), and in particular went to great lengths to describe how mesmerizing his voice is. They turned out to be a pretty mellow affair, with gentle instrumentation that clearly serves as a sturdy background for a compelling singer. His voice did sound great, and I can see why they’re local favorites. They were a bit chill for a mid-afternoon buzz with my tastes, but I’m curious to see how it all comes together on tape.

Labels: Annuals, Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

After being perpetually teased with the promise of having something “rock my face off” all day Friday, and not really having found it yet, I headed over to Jane magazine’s party to catch Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s along with Sloan. MATNSS’s are a favorite of several of my friends here in NYC, and after giving the record a preliminary spin, I didn’t quite know what to expect from the live. I arrived for the very end of their set, and was shocked by both the number of people on stage (must’ve been at least ten) and the amount of energy they brought to those songs. It sounded great, and they’re now on my list of bands to see properly.

Sloan are a band that I’ve always heard of but never actually heard. I know that they’re one of the original purveyors of power-pop, and that they’re Canadian, so they start with two strikes in their favor. What they delivered that I was very much craving was the “power” in power-pop. They rocked. It was most excellent. Those guys had their shit together, and I had stupid grin on my face for basically the whole set. They make most of the power-pop bands I come across seem like they’re playing acoustic. My friend Tom remarked to me, “Isn’t it fun to check out a band you’ve never seen before that already has a greatest hits record?” Indeed it is, and I can understand why the have a greatest hits record: for as much as I know, they played a greatest hits set, as all of those songs were awesome. I now need to go purchase said greatest hits record and put it on the next time it’s sunny out.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

Choosing the Diesel party on Friday night was easy: a bunch of bands I know that I like, one venue, free booze. Done and Done. If I had known that there was a bowling ally in the back? Icing on the cake. Regardless, it was an impressive lineup of bands. We arrived just in time to catch Illinois start the night off, and despite the sound in the hall being pretty crappy (no vocals, all guitars), they put on another excellent show that got the crowd moving. I think I even heard folks singing along to the songs at this gig, which is pretty impressive considering one, I didn’t recognize any of them from the other Illinois shows I’ve been to, and two, their EP has only been out a couple of weeks. They just keep getting better every time I see them, and they were more than worth catching twice at SXSW.

Following Illinois was another live favorite of mine, Matt and Kim. Before they went on I said to myself, “will they still manage to get everyone dancing, even crowd surfing? This is SXSW, and most of these folks are tired, hungover industry types.” I was wrong. Matt and Kim brought the fun love again, and apparently everywhere they go the kids just want to dance, and yes, crowd surf. Excellent. Matt had some pretty funny stage banter about Texas, and with only a drummer, a keyboard and a mic, everything sounded good. I look forward to catching the next party they throw in NYC.

Ah, Tokyo Police Club. I liked your first EP so much last summer, and when I first caught you at a half full Mercury Lounge, you seemed so young, charming and full of potential. Now you’ve got a lot of buzz, a growing following, and better equipment. Why am I no longer digging your live shows? You seem to sound more and more like the Strokes, but muddier and without the cool and swagger that makes that band so successful. The new material, I’m not feeling it. Maybe I’m being a fickle, hating blogger, but until you grow up, we’re breaking up. Sorry. But we can still be friends if you want to.

Like the rest of the music dork world with a pulse, I find the Girl Talk record to be fucking hot. Who knew that ADD could be so excellent? Consequently, I was pretty excited to be catching him, especially after having missed a few Girl Talk shows due to having previously bought tickets to other shows. Considering I’m one of the last to have seen him live, apparently, here are my impressions: for a man who’s basically just hitting a few buttons on his laptop to pump out extended jams from his (excellent) record of mashups, he understands his role and his place perfectly. He worked the crowd a little bit to get things moving, invited everyone up on stage to dance immediately, and got the place bumping fast. He busted out the occasional fly dance move from his computer stand, and gradually lost most of his clothing throughout the set. Whereas everyone in the decent size hall had been spread out for the other bands, everyone packed into the front half as soon as he started playing. If the back wall of the venue had moved up with the crowd, it would have been one hot, sweaty dance party. Actually, it still was a hot and sweaty dance party, and lots of fun. I want him to come spin his groove at my local bar, for me and 100 of my most attractive single friends, and then see how many of us got laid at the end of the night. I’m guessing the percentage would be phenomenal. Girl Talk was a great way to end the night, and once again, I was completely beat, and ready to get a little sleep before doing it all over the next day.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Girl Talk, Illinois, Matt and Kim, SXSW 2007, Tokyo Police Club

I started my day off with the pleasant sounds of yet another Brooklyn band I’ve never managed to see before, Dirty On Purpose. Instrumentally the show sounded great. Since they recorded their most recent record, they kicked their singer out of the band and didn’t replace her. The band members took turns handling vocal duties, and it sounded nice, but I think the band would be served well by getting a new singer to replace the old one. Considering I was fighting both a lack of sleep and the beginnings of a nasty hangover, it was a good way to start the day.


I’ve been hearing buzz about Datarock for a while, and considering the awesomeness of their name alone, I had high hopes that they would be pretty good. After some technical problems, Datarock appeared in excellent matching red jumpsuits, complete with the band name embroidered on the sleeves and cool looking aviator type symbol patches that don’t actually mean anything, coupled with big terrible sunglasses. They looked very stylish. However, their set proved to be all style and no substance. There were some promising moments, all of which tended to feel like they were just a few breaths from throwing down something Kraftwerk would approve of. But in the end the music never embraced data, nor rock, and certainly didn’t fuse the two in ways I’d hoped. But if it makes any difference, they looked great and had a good stage presence.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

CMJ just printed its 1,000th edition, and to celebrate they rented out a nice bar and booked some excellent bands to play. Apples In Stereo where actually the first “indie” band I ever saw, as they were opening up for Pavement at my first “indie” show probably ten or eleven years ago. I didn’t know what to make of them at the time, but since then I’ve developed a lot of love for this band, and was thrilled to see them again. One of the interesting things about SXSW is that in seeing so many bands, it’s readily apparent who’s got passion and talent and who’s just going through the motions for any number of reasons. This makes average or uninspired bands seems bad quick and passionate bands stand out. What’s funny is that the Apples weren’t one of those inspired type of bands on this day; they were just playing a party. But at the same time, they’re a great band that plays nearly every note perfect and has great songs, so they were still better than most of the bands that I saw, and most of the bands at the festival. I was very happy to see them and totally satisfied by their set.

I heart Les Savy Fav, and was tempted to try and see them multiple times (I probably could have seen them play 4 or 5 shows if I had tried). But discipline won out, I was at SXSW to see new bands as much as possible and just caught them this one time. The Fav are always great (or at least I have yet to catch an off show), and this was no exception. However, it was different in several ways from every other show I’ve seen them play over the last five years: one, they had a second guitar player! A long time ago they used to rock with two guitars, but those days are long over. I don’t know if it will become a permanent thing, or if it was just for fun, but it was interesting. Secondly, they played several new tracks, which sounded interesting. I’m still very excited to hear their new record (hopefully this summer), and I’ll be catching them at the Bowery in a month or two.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Les Savy Fav, SXSW 2007

The Fratellis are a band I’d not heard of before I saw them. One of my anglo-obsessed show buddies informed me that they’re quite the rockstars across the pond, with a record that spent at least a month on top of the charts. I caught an acoustic set at the Fader party, which sounded great and looked like a band that’s recently been on top of the world. The singer was very charismatic and rocking a sixties-style British afro. I feel like a lot of the crowd knew the words to the songs, and they seemed to be a band that plays good pub music. Another friend who caught an electric set of theirs didn’t like it much, but the acoustic set I heard was straightforward and excellent. I doubt that they’ll have the kind of success in the US as they have in Europe, but I wouldn’t mind seeing them try.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

A friend of mine has been digging hard on Besnard Lakes’ newest record, and insisted we go check them out. He was right, as they had a very nice seventies kind of vibe and excellent musicianship. The interplay between the male and female front-people was excellent, and their harmonizing was fantastic. I’d not heard anything by this band before seeing them, but I’ll absolutely be checking out this record. My initial description would be this: imagine if Midlake had both a female and male singer and were from Montreal. If that sounds good, I think you’ll dig this band too.

Labels: Besnard Lakes, Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

I briefly lived in Montreal about six years ago, and have had a softspot for both the city and its music ever since. Consequently, a showcase made up entirely of Montreal bands (a couple of which I’m already big fans of) was an easy choice to make. I arrived straight away from seeing Besnard Lakes (yet another Montreal band), and caught the tail of Call Me Poupee’s set. I liked what I heard, and saw just enough to be curious to investigate the band further.


The first full set I saw was a Francophone band called Karkwa. Brooklyn Vegan tells me that they’ve been developing a pretty big following in Quebec, and I can believe it: they played dark, atmospheric and arty rock that sounded captivating. They also incorporated one of the longest and most enthusiastic keyboard solos I’ve recently seen into a song. I couldn’t decide if it was awesome or if I was slightly embarrassed. Either way, I’ll be on the lookout for their record.

The M for Montreal showcase used the alternating stage set-up, allowing for concise 25 – 30 minute sets, which are the perfect length for festivals like this one. I headed upstairs after Karkwa and was pleasantly surprised with another band I’d never heard of, Creature. Creature are a tight, stylish and entertaining pop band that’s part Prince and part dance music (not that they’re mutually exclusive). The frontman had great chops, both with his voice and guitar. There was also a compelling frontwoman, who played keyboards, sang and occasionally rapped for lack of a better way to put it. This band was nothing but catchy, fun pop songs mixed with a healthy dose of funk and large amounts of energy. They looked good on stage, with dance moves and showmanship in equal parts. I can imagine hearing and seeing these folks on TV, and I’d go see them again in a heartbeat.

The next band to play was Mobile, who were commercial rock and not to my tastes at all. But I didn’t have to wait long for Champion, who earned their name the fun way. Champion consists of a DJ ringleader who lays down beats and the occasional sample from his laptop, and acts as a conductor of sorts for a bass player, a singer with mad soulful chops and four guitar players. At first I saw them set up and thought, “what the hell do they need four guitar players for? That’s obnoxious.” What I came to know is that Champion is all about a fun, dancing good time. Here’s a simple explanation of their set: crazy conductor dude starts laying down electronic dance beats, which is joined by a funky bass line from a sexy bass chick. The four guitar players all start playing the same, melodic motif that creates a happy groove. Then, a singer appears and steps up to the front of the stage (everyone else is in the back) and starts belting out something that’s part R&B and part Beth Gibbons of Portishead, but much happier. She struts her stuff for a few minutes, and the ringleader leads the band up to a big climax where the huge four on the floor beat comes in, sending the crowd into a frenzy. At some point during this breakdown, one, or maybe two guitar players will step up and lay down a surprisingly good guitar solo. The crowd was definitely into the whole set, so much so that the balcony on which everyone was standing was actually shaking from everyone bouncing up and down. Champion put on a very satisfying live show.




I headed back downstairs to catch one of my favorite new bands of the last year, Land of Talk. I’ve seen them a few times before, and they’ve consistently been excellent. Their set was full of rocking goodness, and the band were energetic and intriguing despite having already played several shows that day. They did do several new songs I’d not heard before, both of which sounded really good, and neither of which are released. I’m excited that their debut EP Applause Cheer Boo Hiss (#20 in my favorite 40 of 06) is finally coming out in the States, and that Land of Talk will also be releasing their debut LP sometime this year.

I finished out a long but great day two with Malajube. I caught them for the first time at last year’s CMJ, and thought they were pretty good then despite the sound being pretty terrible. This night the sound was excellent, and they sounded amazing. The songs were big and full, packed with energy that had the crowd moving. They faithfully reproduce their debut record, except much louder, which works quite well. I imagine they’ll only keep building their fanbase in the States, meaning I’ll have more opportunities to catch them.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Land of Talk, Malajube, SXSW 2007

I started my SXSW by meeting up with my friends at Austinist for their day party, hosted with the good folks over at Gorilla vs Bear. I caught the last moments of Earl Greyhound, who were energetic and deserving of another listen. They were also the first of many NYC bands I would ironically see for the first time in Austin.


The showcase alternated between different stages, so I head inside to catch Teitur, a singer songwriter from some island between the UK and Scandinavia who grabbed my attention immediately. I tend not to be into singer songwriters much anymore, but he was the first of several that I would enjoy greatly during the festival. His expressive, emotive voice went nicely with his steady finger-picking. Check out his cover of Great Balls of Fire here.



After jumping to another couple of parties, I returned and caught headliners Architecture in Helsinki. Friends of mine had talked this band up considerably before I saw them, though their last record never really took hold with me. However, their energetic, fun pop won me over live. I wouldn’t hesitate to see them again.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

One of my show buddies was curious about the Pitchfork-approved Twilight Sad from Glasgow. As would frequently be the case, the instruments would be too loud, causing the vocals to drown out, but what can you do when most bands are playing several times each day at one of 40 different venues. The Twilight Sad did make an impressive wall of melodic noise, which was intriguing enough to merit checking out their record.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

Pela were the first of many pleasant surprises for me during the festival; I’ve seen their name in NYC show listings on multiple occasions but hadn’t really heard anything about them, good or bad. They looked like four ordinary dudes that live secret double lives as musicians; they played straightforward, sincere blue-collar rock, and did it quite well. They sound the way I imagine a good midwestern rock band should sound, and they appealed to me in a way that I imagine the Hold Steady appeal to most folks. They’re a bit heavier than that band, and at times walk a fine line with sounding pretty emo, but without crossing it. They currently make their home in Brooklyn which means I should have many more chances to check them out. If you’ve been lacking a good bar band in your life lately, they may be right up your ally.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

After a successful day of shows and drinking, I headed over to the YR Radio party at La Zona Rosa for dinner and to check out the Rapture. Dinner was good, and was followed immediately by current indie sensations the Pipettes. The trio of cute, British ladies faithfully recreates the look and vibe of female R&B acts from days past, complete with choreography. While it was kind of fun, I have no idea why everyone was flipping their shit for this band. Yes, they’re good looking and British, and no one else is currently doing this style of music, but anything from the actual period is likely way better than this.

Like many, I was obsessed with the Rapture right around the time Echoes came out, and seeing them at the Middle East touring for that record was one of my favorite shows from my time in Boston. I didn’t really get into their newest record, because it entirely lacked the urgent, gritty and raw energy that I loved so much and replaced it with a slick, restrained professionalism that I wasn’t looking for. It’s been a couple of years since I saw the Rapture, and their live show has similarly changed. They now have nice instruments, and they’re obviously better musicians and singers after touring for several years. Everything sounds good, and their brand of disco-punk still gets the crowd moving. I’m still longing for that band I saw in a sweaty basement, but perhaps I’m just being selfish: at la Zona Rosa I saw them with around 1200, maybe 1500 people (a lot of locals came to see them), and their current record is finding a bigger audience than their previous efforts. So it goes.

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007

I met up at La Zona Rosa with a friend of mine who loves loves loves the Walkmen, so after checking out that show I told him to come see Brooklynites White Rabbits. I’ve seen them a few times before, and their tight, intense live show still wins me over. They played a good, tight set tonight and I have high hopes for their debut record, which I believe is coming out late spring/early summer. My friend liked them a lot. A funny, strange event: on Saturday, the Walkmen opened up for White Rabbits at some day party; only at SXSW…

Labels: Concert Reviews, SXSW 2007, White Rabbits

It’s been a while since I last saw Jack, who I caught a few times last summer. They’re a promising new band in the midst of recording their debut album. Since I saw them last, they’ve added a bass player and written some new songs. Having a bass player definitely brings a nice anchor to their sound, and the new material sounded good for one listen. I’ll definitely be watching this band to see how they develop.







I’ve been digging on Illinois quite a bit lately, and they’ve rewarded me by continuing to get better. I believe that they added a second guitar player since the last time I saw them, and their live set is getting exponentially better; considering that they were pretty good to begin with, I can only imagine where they’ll end up. Their frontman Chris Archibald is a natural on stage, and his band is packing more energy into these songs every time I see them. I think that this band is steadily coming closer to breaking out, especially as more folks get to spend time with their new EP. Check out some tunes and my review of their EP here.




I took a break from the Ace Fu showcase and headed to the indoor stage to catch Toronto’s Holy Fuck. This is another band that only continues to get better as I spend more time with them. I’ve been spinning their last record quite a bit lately, and the live show always seems to have the most excellent groove from which rocking electronic quirk and rock emerge. This set didn’t disappoint, and the crowd was into it. I hope they come back to NYC again some time soon, I could use more Holy Fuck on my concert schedule.



I finished out a very successful opening day with Annuals. I’ve seen them at least half a dozen times already, but it’s always interesting to see how such a young band develops. They’ve been on the road for the past six months, and I’d not seen them since the fall. All that time touring showed, as the band have their set down pat. Nothing seemed hard for them, whether it was the complicated harmonizing (they made it seem easy) or all the instrument switching (their set flows much better now). Annuals are continuing to gain confidence and supporters, as they had a nice turnout of vocal and enthusiastic supporters who unsuccessfully tried to persuade the band to do an encore of Brother.

Labels: Annuals, Concert Reviews, Holy Fuck, Illinois, Jack, SXSW 2007

I’m currently on a plane watching my alma-matter get their asses kicked in the ACC tournament (you’ve got love JetBlue), heading to Austin for a vacation and for SXSW. I’ve always wanted to go, and this year everything finally worked out. 80 degree weather, filled with bands from morning-till-night plus lots of booze and barbecue sounds like heaven after how busy I’ve been the last few months; I’m very excited. I’m going without a schedule; there are definitely a lot of bands that I already know and like very much that I can see, though I’m going to try and mostly check out acts I’ve not yet caught, with a few exceptions (*cough* Black Angels *cough*). I’ve been swamped with new music, which is good but I’m more than a little bit behind. I’ll hopefully be writing about what I see during the festival, so check back for a first person account of a music dork going to heaven.

Neon Bible finally came out, don’t forget to go buy it. I bought the deluxe edition from Merge’s website (only $15 and free shipping!) and the packaging is pretty excellent. It’s worth the extra couple of bucks. I’m really curious to see the first week sales figures: if the Shins can open up at #2 on Billboard and move 125,000 records (the entire band owes Zach Braff head for life), I think that the Arcade Fire could sell as high as 100,000 (especially if the figure cited in the excellent NY Times feature is true: they state that Funeral already sold 750,000) and debut as high as #1 on Billboard, as I think that this was a soft release week among the majors. I still think this record is excellent, and I’ve found myself frequently in discussions about it. All these discussions tend to be arguments about whether Funeral is better than Neon Bible. Most of my friends say that Funeral is better, but I’m not convinced. Funeral does have a certain aura of warmth and magic that I’m extremely fond of and that Neon Bible entirely lacks. However, Neon Bible is definitely a progression of their sound and much more sophisticated. Whether Neon Bible will become more than a record but also a moment the way that Funeral did remains to be seen, but in the meantime, when faced with a similar question, I always go the reliable back-to-back test. I listened to Neon Bible in its entirety, and the immediately followed it up with Funeral. Funeral sounded very simple and less interesting in comparison, I was pretty surprised. Not that I don’t love it, but for everyone who says that Funeral is so superior, give this a try and see if you still think so. Lastly, what I think Neon Bible has going for it that Funeral lacks is huge ambition. With this record, the Arcade Fire are openly shooting for the stars: this is the sound of a band that wants to start playing stadiums, that wants to be huge. Not indie huge, U2 huge. I hope they do it. Could this record be the one that does it for them? Maybe, I’m not sure if it has the FM radio hit they need to cross them into the mainstream. But I do believe that this record strong enough for them to continue building their fanbase across all sorts of lines, the same way their debut did.

Pitchfork gave Neon Bible a positive review, and then proceeded to yank it’s “Best New Music” status after only three days. Pitchfork is so catty, yet I read it and write about it anyway. I bring this up because the record they gave the title to, Patrick Wolf’s The Magic Position has the best cover I’ve seen in forever. Every time I see it I want to start laughing hysterically. I don’t yet have the record, but everything I’ve read and heard has been very positive, so I’ll check it out. For your viewing pleasure:


One little tidbit for you: the always excellent Fluxblog recently posted a Deerhunter song that I can’t stop obsessing over. I’m currently listening to it at least five times a day. It’s on an EP called Fluoresecent Grey, which is material record since their most recent Cryptograms, which has been getting a lot of love in a lot of places. I’m still feeling the record out, but so far I like it. But for whatever reason, I loooovvvve this song. For your listening pleasure:

Deerhunter – Wash Off

Labels: Arcade Fire, Deerhunter, SXSW 2007

Illinois – What The Hell Do I Know? EP
Ace Fu

Since I randomly caught Illinois last fall, I’ve been smitten in that delightful, fresh-faced new band kind of way. Their presence is energetic, scruffy and charming, with an easy-going charisma and sense of humor that isn’t common. They frequently reference where they’re from, a small town in Pennsylvania called Bucks County. While initially seeming like a gimmick, after spending some time with this EP (as well as an older, self released EP called The Revenge of Some Kid) and seeing them live multiple times, I realize that it’s not. Rather, there is a small town, nostalgic warmth present in their music and their identity that’s both endearing and sincere. They’ve managed to convince me that I might like Bucks County should I ever spend some time there.
What The Hell Do I Know? is their debut EP for Ace Fu, and it does well to put forward a lot of Illinois’ strengths. The music is straightforward, catchy, accessible rock that occasionally incorporates a dash of backwoods Americana by way of totally excellent banjo hooks. Their secret weapon is the understated but solid songwriting of their frontman Chris Archibald, which incorporates deceptively simple song structures that explode with energy and enthusiasm on tape. His sense of melody is also excellent, which results in these songs being stuck in my head frequently. What I like most about this EP and this band is how their music makes me feel the same way I did back when I was a teenager, discovering and believing in the promise of ‘modern’ guitar rock that you could still hear on the radio. Silversun Pickups has a similar effect on me, but unlike them Illinois aren’t totally aping mid-90’s grunge. Rather, they’ve taken the rock band template (guitar, drums, bass, singer and occasional weird keyboards) and found ways to make it feel fresh and enthusiastic again. My favorite track here is One On One, it's a good starting place. And having heard a bunch of their unreleased material at shows and what not, I can tell you that this is just the beginning: Illinois is only going to get better.

Illinois – Alone Again
Illinois – One On One
Illinois – Screendoor

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Previously

Labels: Album Review, Illinois

Yesterday, Patrick Fitzgerald succeeded in leading a jury to find Scooter Libby guilty of 4 of 5 counts against him (and they were only one juror away from 5 of 5 counts). There are plenty of news stories covering some of the facts of the trial, and some of the possible outcomes. But, as always the republican spin machine will come to life shortly and try to convince us of a few things, mostly that the conviction doesn't matter, and secondly that the conviction was bunk. So, if I remember correctly, republican logic goes as follows: it's not ok, in fact it's even an impeachable offense, to lie about getting a blow job, but it's not a big deal to lie to a grand jury about the outing of CIA agent which likely cost many American operatives (and their allies) their lives in countries around the world, not to mention damaging our national security. Fucking hypocrites. But apart from that bullshit, I present you with two very good reasons why the Libby conviction does matter, courtesy of Firedoglake. In their wisdom, they discovered that the British actually have a much better perception of everything than our media does. Via the Guardian, why the Libby conviction matters:

For two main reasons. The first concerns the ethics of the administration of which Mr Libby, as top aide to Dick Cheney, was such a senior member. George Bush came to the White House in January 2001 pledging to "change the atmosphere in Washington DC". By this he apparently meant two things: one, that he would govern in a dignified and rule-respecting way that supposedly contrasted with that of Bill Clinton; and, two, that he would try to end the intense partisan bitterness that had marked the Washington of the Clinton era. The Libby case is prosecution exhibit number one in support of the charge that Mr Bush never attempted to do any such thing. On the contrary. The Bush administration has been ruthlessly partisan, fuelled by enmities worthy of the Nixon era. The outing of Ms Plame was a criminal act against the wife of an administration critic. Mr Libby lied about it. He presumably did it to protect Mr Cheney, who wanted to punish the Wilsons. Mr Libby's conviction therefore raises very direct questions about Mr Cheney's own position.

The second reason is because, at bottom, Mr Libby's lies concerned Iraq. The administration wanted to invade Iraq. Mr Cheney, and through him Mr Libby, was not particular about how to do it. When Mr Wilson publicly questioned the weapons of mass destruction case for war he therefore made himself a Cheney enemy. As a consequence, the White House took its revenge on him through his wife. Mr Libby lied to protect not just his boss but his boss's unjust war. That's why yesterday's verdict matters. This affair is not over yet - not by a long chalk. (emphasis added)

I only wish our leading newspapers could connect the dots.

Labels: Politics

A coworker has this as their desktop and it has made me watch Star Wars movies all week

A talented graphic designer named Feltron made a corporate style annual report of his life. It's pretty awesome, and I'm pretty jealous. Also, dude seems to be living the life. I give corporate approval. (Thx Paige)

Annuals had a pretty solid week. They're opening up for Blonde Redhead, and debuted a new track on Pitchfork's wannabe blog. Speaking of which, their upcoming show with the Walkmen and Kaiser Chiefs might actually get me out to Roseland Ballroom again, which is not an easy task.

Have you ever thought, "Graffiti is sweet, I just wish I could do it with lasers?" Once again, the Dutch come through and give us yet another reason why their country rules.

Here's an interesting article about a job that sounds pretty fucking bad-ass. Dude repossesses ocean freighters for a living. (via Boing Boing)

Arcade Fire's Neon Bible finally comes out next week. Not that everyone hasn't heard it already. Granted, it's awesome, and I recently ordered the deluxe edition from Merge's website. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

This is my favorite party poster from SXSW that I've seen so far. I don't know if I'll end up making it to this party, but I can say that getting very excited about heading to Austin!

I recently got my hands on Illinois' debut EP What The Hell Do I Know? I know that I like it a lot. The song One On One is going to make this band a lot of fans, and I fully intend to post it once I have clearance from my legal department.

I recently went to Toronto for a couple of days, and enjoyed the city very much. A friend told me to check out SoundScapes, which is a totally excellent record store. I highly recommend it for all your music shopping needs in that city. Friendly staff, excellent selection. Too bad they don't have web page.

Labels: Annuals, Arcade Fire, Illinois, Links