hearsay

Last month M83 performed live with Southern California “edgey” and “eclectic” music stalwart Nic Harcourt on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. The performance, surprisingly well-mixed for a live radio recording, reinforces Anthony Gonzalez’s return to his shoegazer roots. The five tracks selected, four off the new album, Saturdays = Youth, released April 15th on Mute Records and one off the 2005 release Before Dawn Heals Us, blend almost seamlessly. Recording credits for the recent release go to Ken Thomas (known for his work with Sigur Rós, The Sugarcubes, Boys in a Band, Cocteau Twins and Suede), Ewan Pearson (who has also produced for Tracey Thorn, The Rapture and Ladytron) and Morgan Kibby (of The Romanovs, and Morgan and the Hidden Hands).

The tracks are a nice compilation of the best material since Nicolas Fromageau left the band after the stunning 2003 release Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. Arguably, Gonzalez has not been able to match that finally crafted sophmore release, but this collection has certainly come close.

: 01 Kim & Jessie :
: 02 Graveyard Girl :
: 03 Skin Of The Night :
: 04 Don’t Save Us From The Flames :
: 05 Coleurs :

Because I use this site more to recommend upstart bands and forgotten favorites, I’ve spoken more in private than on here about my affinity for Okkervil River. I was excited when Pitchfork reported that, just as Black Sheep Boy merited an Appendix of excellent tracks that were brushed aside in crafting the album, The Stage Names leftovers will take the form of The Stand Ins. The first hint at the new album came in their recent session for WOXY, which was kicked off with “Lost Coastlines.”

Among the reasons I love Okkervil River is the thought and effort that goes into the creation of their albums. People have focused on how much of a shift The Stage Names was from Black Sheep Boy, and what is surprising to me is how similar the approach is. Just as Black Sheep built off on the theme of a Tim Hardin ballad, The Stage Names showcases Will Sheff’s scholarly knowledge of music in an entire album built on influences of Joni Mitchell, John Cale, ? & The Mysterians, and The Beach Boys (amongst others). The difference this time around is that the point of departure was diverse, rather than singular – resulting in a more varied listen than the emotionally dark Black Sheep Boy. I also like the way that Okkervil uses their influences: it isn’t as simple as appropriating the sound of a band like Joy Division, they create a dialog with music history by appropriating lyrics and re-contextualizing them, a technique that is much more prevalent as a way of recognizing one’s elders in hip-hop than indie country, or whatever we are calling this genre these days.

In that regard, the interview (which I’ve omitted) is the highlight of the WOXY session; where we get Will’s explanation of the Golden Opportunities mixtape that the band released, footnoting with covers the songs that helped to shape The Stage Names. Still, the 4 songs they play (each from a different album), all presented without drums, are an interesting offset to their more upbeat and rocking album versions. “It Ends With A Fall” is my favorite.

[image and session by WOXY]

: 01 Lost Coastlines :
: 02 A King & A Queen :
: 03 A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene :
: 04 It Ends With A Fall :

It seems that every 6 months I have to play catch up with songs I’ve been meaning to include on a mix for a while, just to clear the queue. This is one of those months. It also marks a year of doing these mixes, or maybe last month did that… look, this is a blog, don’t expect any fancy arithmetic out of me. Or simple addition.

There are a couple local bands in this mix that I’ve listened to for some time but never got around to including: The Movies and Demolisten-regulars and last-month Spaceland residents, Mezzanine Owls. Usually this is the part of the post where I go through the bands one-by-one, but even more frequently I am lazy, so instead here’s a quick plug of the new French Kicks album. It’s good. See, wasn’t that easy? It’s also their third ridiculously good album in a row (that makes a ’string,’ right?). And, barring a surprise rating from the arbiters of taste, are totally discounted (I’m predicting a rating in the 5-range from the Fork and in the 60%-range from the guys who didn’t bother to check the band lineup in their review of the last album). And while I definitely associate individual songs with each album, the consistency is such that you could easily confuse what was on what, much as one might look back and place “Like Spinning Plates” on Kid A instead of Amnesiac. But whereas those two albums were spawned from the same sessions, the Kicks’ albums are spaced apart at even 2-year intervals (throughout which there have been band lineup changes). “Abandon,” the album opener would have been the obvious selection for the mix, but “All Our Weekends” is probably my 5th favorite song from the album (yeah, it’s that good…), so it just had to be included.

[banner photo by me, from London]

June 2008 Mix
01 The Movies – Rock In The Slingshot
02 Oh! Custer – Post
03 Oranger – Crones
04 The Chameleons – Nostalgia
05 The Grace Period – Bartley Ride Armor
06 French Kicks – All Our Weekends
07 Shannon Wright – Everybody’s Got Their Own Part To Play
08 Saturday Looks Good To Me – Meet Me By The Water
09 Superchunk – Detroit Has A Skyline Too (acoustic)
10 Mezzanine Owls – Moving Ground

I don’t know what I can say about Evan Voytas that has already been said. Repping Kutztown, PA, I can’t find much online about him, save a strange fansite that looks like it was made using a standard world-wide-interwebs template in 1994. Needless to say and considering the quality the music, Evan is demeanorly (if not criminally) under-heralded, and well worth a free download at the very least.

I found out about Evan the way that me and the rest of the lazy blog world learns about new music: he emailed me a sample and it sounded pretty boss. “The Yellow World Of ‘83″ is an undeniably solid track with a health dose of bass and a kick-ass serving of reverb. The song made it on to the April mix, and his cover of “Never My Love” is equally Evantastic, with heavy sampled drums anchoring a true to the original but much less sleepy version of The Association’s classic ode to everlasting commitment.

For the record, ‘I want that’ Detroit shirt like a Tupperware housewife wants a seaworthy model frigate.

: Evan Voytas – Never My Love : (The Association cover)
: Evan Voytas – The Yellow World Of ‘83 :

Just needed to point out the obvious. Go take your fad and shove it up your foot. Oh, and while we’re at it, heaven forbid we buy something direct from the source rather than iTunes, Amy. As if self-released is somehow a negative…

I’m off for two weeks to the UK + Ireland. We’ll have a good time.

: Clear Tigers – Boredom :

For those that are keeping track, April was quite possibly the month of quality releases this year. And I’m lucky for that because the new releases will hopefully be my saving grace after doing this mix last minute. I hope you’ll forgive me for doing a quick roll call of the included bands, because it’s getting late and I ‘m tired like I’m in the center seat on a red-eye flight and the 2 guys flanking me are named “Sneezy” and “Dopey.”

I shouldn’t have to mention Frightened Rabbit, but their new album is really amazing – and lived up to the unreal expectations I had of it. It goes against my better judgement to make outlandish predictions like “ZOMG! Album of the year!” – but if I wasn’t of sound mind at this moment, I’d be shouting that all over the place. I very nearly put “Old Old Fashioned” on this mix, but with an album filled with a full sequence of ridiculous tracks, “Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms” managed to be this month’s selection. I’m a sucker for the slide guitar action. But the surprise of this year may go to EMC, the album out of 41 year old hip-hop legend, Masta Ace, along with his accomplished tourmates; Punchline, Wordsworth & Stricklin. I love “The Grudge” for its honest memory of youthful spite, and in a month where my favorite local cuisine has been threatened by some ill-intended city legislation and my cellphone was stolen by an airline employee, I definitely have a grudge (and I’m not gonna budge). I also thought there was supposed to be a Les Savy Fav live album out yesterday, but it turns out that it’s a digital-only release.

I’m finally sticking the unbelievable Walter Rocktight track, “Make Love” on here, along with some of the most upbeat drum programming you’ll hear me listening to. The Hectors are making a second appearance on the monthly mixes after Octavius finally gave me their new EP that I asked him to pick me up probably about 6 months ago when I wasn’t able to make their release party. The blog world is familiar with Alaska In Winter as being a pseudo-side-project of Beirut, but I think it stands on its own and “Your Red Dress” is a testament to that. The Sound of Arrows is so upbeat and poppy you have to know it has to be a new Labrador signing. And capping of the selections is Under Electric Light – a band from Montreal that recently sent me along some tracks that are fucking awesome in a Radio Dept/New Order sort of way, but totally mature in a way that you wouldn’t expect of a band with those sort of influences. Ok, I’m off to bed.

[banner photo by stadtbild]

May 2008 Mix
01 EMC – The Grudge
02 Frightened Rabbit – Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms
03 Big Star – O, Dana
04 The Hectors – I Drove All The Way From Bridgeport To Make It With You
05 Alaska In Winter – Your Red Dress
06 Walter Rocktight (feat. Chauncey) – Make Love
07 Leadbelly – Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
08 The Sound of Arrows – Danger!
09 Tsunami – Hockey
10 Under Electric Light – Your Rainy Days

I promise not to constantly fill up this site with videos from Pitchfork’s new .tv site, but today’s airing of Bill Callahan’s rooftop set seemed mentionable, and it is worth noting how well put together the site is – collecting videos along with exclusive live sets, interviews and occasional documentaries (The Pixies 2 weeks ago was great). I must admit that the Luddite in me only worries that the video side of music helps established acts and shuts out the unknowns… But it is very well thought out and programmed: it loads fast, has good quality video (try it in full screen mode), and is easy to browse through. And in context, I don’t think it is unfair to compare Pitchfork’s new venture to that of Stereogum… Gerald is not entirely out of line in labeling the latter ‘an abortion.’

The last time Wilderness came through L.A., they headlined a show that was under-attended and inexcusably short. I don’t remember exactly how few songs they played, but it was a 30 minute or so set, and my disappointment with their lack of stamina overshadowed what was otherwise a pretty engaging show. They played almost entirely songs off of their recent release at the time, Vessel States, but based on what appeared to be a disdain for the L.A. audience (combined with their relative silence since), I got the impression that it would be the first and last time I’d have a chance to see them.

But I hoped to hear more from them. I even put them on my most anticipated list for the year (though Zoviet was quick to point out that with no news from them, it was unlikely anything would be coming). And so it came as complete surprise to find out that Wilderness was back, and playing only 4 shows on the west coast of all places. They played Spaceland last night and will be ending this short exposure tomorrow night at The Casbah in San Diego.

If you aren’t already into Wilderness, I don’t really know how to help you. Forget comparisons, they are unlike anyone else out there. My least favorite music reviewer’s assesment of Vessel States mischaracterized this uniqueness in comparisons to PIL, Fugazi and Lungfish. You could not possibly listen to Wilderness alongside any other band and think that they sounded like them. They may give hints of their influences – I’d add Joy Division – but to say they sound like anyone else is ridiculous. They only play their most recent songs at shows; much as the 2006 show at The Echo consisted of only tracks from their recent LP, the show last night consisted entirely of new songs (well, actually I think I might have heard “Living Through“). The vocals are uncanny (I have to stand by my assessment back in 2005 that James Johnson’s chant-like singing sounds like a Lord Of The Rings wizard conjuring up a spell). Their drums are far more inspired than other acts that get credit for their percussion. Probably the most conventional aspect would be the guitar and bass, but even these have a fullness with minor-key harmonies that one would be hard-pressed to match.

I find myself captivated by the band’s live intensity and last night was as intense as ever. They don’t even take a break between songs. I guess I’m also captivated by Johnson’s slow-motion kung-fu dance moves. Its as if everything about Wilderness is unique to the band – right down to the stage performance. Regardless of some sub-par mixing (the vocals were totally muffled), the new songs were good. I’m assuming that these represent the next LP, and that this left-coast tour is an opportunity for them to try out the new songs away from home. I’m just happy that the show 2 years ago didn’t turn out to be the end.

: Wilderness – Living Through :

Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks that today’s “avant-garde” is tomorrow’s Kenny G. And this is not to say that I have a problem with our modern-day adult contemporary on the face. Actually, I think it’s great that more people are listening to indie rock – which I often think of as being better, more artful music (Sufjan would exemplify that). And while I find a some of these bands boring (Great Northern, I’m looking at you), I still think they make decent music – just not music that I especially want to give my attention to. What bothers me about indie-adult-contemporary are the empty acts that treat their audience as a ‘market’ and cater to them with shit songwriting that is as generic as it can be to cater to the broadest segment of this market. And to the public who listen to and perpetuate it. Yet again in America, status is assumed to be something that can be bought; and so if you buy an iPod, you automatically have acquired taste through the act of consumption.

I occasionally belay the fact that I don’t think especially highly of Nic Harcourt’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. The backstory of my distaste stems from the fact that I am essentially forced to listen to it almost every morning at my office. The show is littered with the exact sort of yuppie-market bands that succeed when people desire to buy “indie,” rather than enjoy music on its own merits. I hope that I’m not the first to say that Nic’s new favorite, Glass Pear (warning: not safe for ears), plays some empty, worthless and unimaginative garbage. Can’t we find a more original way of expressing feelings rather than whining “I love you” over and over again? That shit is straight up adult contemporary.

In other other people’s adult contemporary news, Feist will make an appearance on Sesame Street. I’ll give that a fully-non-sarcastic “awesome!” And here’s a Cap & Jones mix that kicks off with Fabolous over Peter Gabriel. Now! that’s what I call adult contemporary!

: Cap and Jones – 1970s Heron Flow :

Where’s the empty dance floor? We own those Tuesday nights. Raise my glass for a cheer; this time all the tears came out. I’m starting this one off casually with Brian Eno’s “The Big Ship,” which has been forever changed for me since the song was featured in the intro/build-up of Adam Curtis‘ The Power Of Nightmares BBC series. If you haven’t seen it and have never really understood what the hell is going on in the world, take some time and let him connect the dots for you. I still get goosebumps every time I listen to it. Evan Voytas sent me a few tracks last week and I can’t stop listening to “The Yellow World Of ‘83.” I have no idea what the idea behind the title is, but I do know what a healthy amount of 90s-style reverb is and this one serves it up a la Helium. Then there’s PWRFL POWER, a project by Kazutaka Nomura that Catbird released recently. His simple, but unexpected lyrics (”You are not that attractive / But something makes me feel that you are going to be my girl”) have a cute feel that might pique the interest of Moldy Peaches’ fans. I especially like his slight Japanese accent and inflection (note his pronunciation of “boobs”). A Mad & Faithful Telling’s “New World” is among the most epic DeVotchKa tracks to date, complete with a “How It Ends” feel, without really sounding formulaic. OK, maybe just a little bit. It is the album closer and probably would have made sense to close out this month’s mix, but I saved that spot for The Van Pelt this week. “We Intersect” was my favorite track off of the Souls Of Mischief’s self-released post-Jive album, Focus, and was the track that convinced me that A-Plus was at least the second best producer in the Hieroglyphics crew (for the record: I’ve since come to think that Opio has surpassed him). I like the new Magnetic Fields album, but I’m using an older track because Colleen reminded me about it recently on her show and it’s too good not to use it. Oh, and Meiko… She might be the realm of this new indie-adult contemporary genre that I harp on, but she’s good. Think Feist.

[banner photo by Gabriel Mendes]

April 2008 Mix
01 Brian Eno – The Big Ship
02 Evan Voytas – The Yellow World Of ‘83
03 Azure Ray – Rise
04 PWRFL POWER – Alma Song
05 DeVotchKa – New World
06 Souls Of Mischief – We Intersect
07 The Magnetic Fields – All The Umbrellas In London
08 Meiko – Reasons To Love You
09 Marmoset – Pass It Along
10 The Van Pelt – Do The Lovers Still Meet At The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial?