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Month: July 2011 Page 1 of 3

Pick Your Poison: Friday 7-29-11

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On 07/29/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

Another grand weekend coming up, and unlike the last couple, if you’re in the Chicagoland area, it’s gonna be nice. Moderately hot, but still better than severe weather and a number of other issues. And hey, that also means it’ll be great out for the pair of Paul McCartney concerts going down at Wrigley Field on Sunday and Monday. I’m going to one of those shows, and am super excited about it. One could even say I’m more excited about it than Lollapalooza next weekend. But we’ve got plenty of time between now and then for my excitement to build. At the moment I’m most thrilled about this edition of Pick Your Poison. It’s yet another solid one in a long line of solid ones. Today I can give a thumbs up to tracks from Abstract Artimus, Comet Gain, The Grownup Noise, Jonathan Coulton, Magicks, Prince Rama, The Sweet Ones and Turf War. In the Soundcloud section I’ll also say that songs by Youth Lagoon and Neon Hitch are worth streaming.

Abstract Artimus – 27 Club

Alpines – Cocoon (Nocturnal Sunshine Remix)

Comet Gain – An Arcade From the Warm Rain That Falls

Canasta – Reading the Map Upside Down

Conductive Alliance – Dark Flowers

Gabriel Miller Phillips – Star Crossed

The Grownup Noise – Carnival

Jonathan Coulton – Nemeses (ft. John Roderick)

Jonny Rodgers – Swung On A Swing (Live)

Magicks – Cycles

Peg Simone – Wait for Night

Prince Rama – Rest in Peace

Sorrows – Bad Times Good Times

The Sweet Ones – Every One Marches

Turf War – Cheers to the Years

Under Electric Light – Waiting for the Rain to Fall

The Wandas – Do or Die

SOUNDCLOUD

The Cinema – Picasso

Neon Hitch – Bad Dog

Salli Lunn – Mirror Girl (Scott Solter Remix)

Youth Lagoon – July

Album Review: Little Dragon – Ritual Union [Peacefrog]

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On 07/28/2011

In album review, music


If you want to get technical, Swedish band Little Dragon has existed for 15 years now. That their recorded output has not matched that lengthy period of time is likely no fault of theirs. Call it a product of wasting away in the void of the millions of unsigned bands out there, they were signed to Peacefrog in 2007. After a self-titled record from that year and a sophmore effort “Machine Dreams” in 2009, interest in the band began to rise steadily. Still, they were viewed as almost a secret (at least in the U.S.) until they did a few high profile guest spots on a few different albums in the past couple years. Most notable among them is likely the two tracks featuring the band on the last Gorillaz album “Plastic Beach”. In fact, their work on the song “Empire Ants” impressed me so much that I named it my 22nd Favorite Song of 2010. It was primarily Yukimi Nagano’s smooth-as-silk voice that drew me in, and additional appearances on records by Dave Sitek (as Maximum Balloon) and SBTRKT only provided further evidence of Little Dragon’s worth. Suddenly the band has not only my attention, but the attention of millions more people than were aware of their last record. Striking while the iron is hot is important for any artist, which is why we’re now getting “Ritual Union”, Little Dragon’s third long player.

Having only heard Little Dragon from their guest work on other artists’ records, it’s interesting to hear what the band sounds like when the burden is fully on them. There is a reason why SBTRKT and Gorillaz were attracted to the band, and the way they handle beats and synths and other electronic elements provides that reason. They’re remarkably economical when it comes to putting together their compositions, ensuring that every instrument is utilized to its full potential without sounding overblown or understated. The sound is also remarkably smooth, and “Ritual Union” glides along on an almost futuristic track, which goes a long way towards helping to make the band’s sound relatively unique. All the elements are very familiar, it’s the way they’re put together that defies easy description. Anchored down by Nagano’s achingly beautiful vocals, there’s also an innate warmth that permeates these songs in spite of the rigidity a standardized beat structure can bring. All this without even mentioning that there are some pretty solid hooks via tracks like the title track, “Shuffle A Dream” and “Nightlight”. In fact, that opening title cut is very much the definition of what it means to start strong. One of the record’s biggest issues though is what happens after that.

There’s a certain high achieved at the very beginning of “Ritual Union”, both the album and the song, where right out the gate you’re left energized and impressed. The drop off is a steep one though, and when “Little Man” steps out next, it comes up, to turn a phrase, a little short. The song itself is likable, but it fails to fully grab you, as if there’s something slightly off about it. That pattern continues and bleeds into a handful of the album’s tracks, such as “Please Turn” and “Crystalfilm”, where you get the sense the band had the right idea and the right elements, they just were unsure precisely how to put it all together. Add to that some issues with the lyrics, in that they can tend to be on the bland or cliched side, and this record’s shiny exterior begins to lose much of its gloss. Throw in some darker and more depressing elements, and even the warmth contained in many of the songs also are pushing a stiff breeze behind them. Speaking in terms of progression, while I can’t speak for the band’s previous two records, I will say that much of this new material bears a lot of the same markings as their guest appearances with Gorillaz, Maximum Balloon and SBTRKT. At the very least they seem to know what works for them and are attempting to make this a continuation of those “featuring” roles that earned them so much acclaim and attention in the first place. It’s just a shame that when left solely to their own devices, they can never quite reach that high watermark. Perhaps if they’d brought in some guest stars of their own “Ritual Union” would have wound up with more peaks than it does valleys.

Buy “Ritual Union” from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 7-28-11

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On 07/28/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

Happy Thursday. The weekend is so close you can almost taste it. I don’t have much time today, so let me get right to the point. Tracks I can recommend in today’s Pick Your Poison come courtesy of Astronautalis, Equals, Matthew Friedberger, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, and Van Hunt. In the Soundcloud section you may also be interested in hearing a song from Oscar winning actor Russell Crowe, among others.

Astronautalis – Dimitri Mendeleev

Brown Shoe – Colt Rider

Cut Copy – Sun God (It’s Overture’s Street Player Edit)

DiMi Marc – Boom (ft. Mr. Harvey)

DJ Wilson – Doutro Mundo

Equals – False Light

Jenn Mierau – Hush

The M Machine – Trafalgar

Mammoth and Saber – Howler
Mammoth and Saber – JRLA

Matthew Friedberger – The Comforts of the Coffin

Mayda – Sylvia

Noxious Foxes – Heavenly Spectacular
Noxious Foxes – Doth Shalt Noth

Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward – Skin and Bones (Live)

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside – I Swear

Speed the Plough – Something to Say

Tiger Waves – Fireworks

Van Hunt – June

SOUNDCLOUD

Axis of Awesome – Can You Hear The Fucking Music Coming Out Of My Car?

The Blam – Blow Wind Blow

Chris Devotion & The Expectations – A Modest Refusal

Fabian – Last Flight

Freestyle Fellowship – We Are

Russell Crowe and Alan Doyle – Too Far Gone

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 7-27-11

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On 07/27/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

Is anybody else concerned about the state of the debt ceiling right now? Better yet, how about the government? It’s less than a week before the deadline officially hits, and the two political parties appear to be holding firm to their own sides of the spectrum. I’m not here to lecture or push for my own opinions on the matter, but my main concern right now is that it just gets done. In order for that to happen though, somebody’s going to need to swallow their pride and cross some aisles. Let’s hope cooler and smarter heads prevail. Alright, let’s get on talking about today’s Pick Your Poison. Tracks I can recommend come from The Features, Fool’s Gold, Geoffrey O’Connor, Howth, No Age, Oh Minnows, Release the Sunbird and Total Babes. In the Soundcloud section there are some good ones too, in particular from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Widowspeak.

Baby Teardrops – I Don’t Wanna Go Home (I Wanna Go Home

Brown Shoe – Colt Rider

Colin L. Orchestra – Nothing to Say

D. Gookin – Unbraid the Knot

Fay Wrays – Painting Dollar Bills (WAV)

The Features – Content

Fool’s Gold – Street Clothes

Geoffrey O’Connor – Whatever Leads Me to You

Howth – Deep in My Heart

Jordan Bolton – Duluoz Nights

Mapuche – She Unsaid (Aborn Remix)

No Age – Male Masturbation (The Urinals cover)

Oh Minnows – You’ll Never Know Us

Paul Brill – Sunny Guy

Release the Sunbird – Always Like the Son

Right on Dynamite – Duck

Total Babes – Be So True

Valient Thorr – Sleeper Awakes

SOUNDCLOUD

Alex Winston – Velvet Elvis

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Atlas Hands

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Atlas Hands (Mike Skinner Remix)

Extra Arms – Powerlessness

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Tomorrow Dies Today

Widowspeak – Nightcrawlers

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 7-26-11

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On 07/26/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

It’s Tuesday, and in my world (and hopefully yours), that means media release day. Go to your local store, or look online to purchase the good new music and movies being released. In terms of music, summer can be a bit difficult when it comes to album releases. This week’s pretty thin, but things I’ll make note of are records by Little Dragon, Inc. and Debbie Neigher. I’ve heard 2 out of those 3 and have featured all of them in editions of Pick Your Poison. Speaking of which, today’s edition has some great stuff from Belgrave, The Black Ghosts, Br’er, Extra Arms, St. Lucia and UME. In the Soundcloud section, there are solid tracks available for streaming from Fyfe Dangerfield (of Guillemots) and The Jezabels, among others.

Belgrave – Six Minutes

The Black Ghosts – Diamonds

Blind Willies – Soon My Work Will Be Over

Br’er – I’m A Kid Again
Br’er – Emily the Bear

David Berkeley – George Square

DJ Die – Bright Light Funk (Futurecast’s Funkafied Rockers Mix)

Extra Arms – Best Disguise Is No Disguise

The Horrors – Moving Further Away

Oreo Jones x Action Jackson – Black Fabio

Penguin Prison – Fair Warning (Disco Bloodbath Remix)

Pete and the Pirates – Winter 1 (Phewneral Remix)

Shiny Toy Guns – The Sun 2.0 (Mackintosh Braun Remix)

St. Lucia – All Eyes On You

Theme Park – Wax (Halls Remix)

Translations – I’ll Keep It With Mine

UME – Captive

Vas Vega – The Living Dead (Remix ft. Drex and Fresco P.)

SOUNDCLOUD

Binary – Dynamo (Demo)

Bird Call – Waltz In The Snow

Franc Cinelli – Burn (Acoustic)

Fyfe Dangerfield – Super Injunction (aka #QSong)

The Jezabels – Endless Summer

Will Hanson – Deathbed Conversion

Album Review: Pictureplane – Thee Physical [Lovepump United]

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On 07/26/2011

In album review, mp3, music


Did you listen to electronica back in the early 90s? This was the time when artists like Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers were making big waves around the world both for their beats as well as their unique music videos. What made these artists so popular was their ability to not simply rely on synths and other typical electronic textures, but to innovate and incorporate more elements of rock music into the mix. It’s a big reason why you heard “Smack My Bitch Up” or “Busy Child” on alternative rock radio. Unfortunately like so many trends, that sound eventually died out, and that’s part of the reason why Prodigy haven’t put out much worth mentioning in the last several years and why The Chemical Brothers are at the point where the soundtrack to a movie seems like a good idea (to be fair, they did a nice job with the “Hanna” soundtrack). There are still plenty of people nostalgic for that “90s electronica” sound, even whilst chillwave or glo-fi tries to adjust to survive. Considering that 90s garage rock has been having its own resurgence in the last couple years via bands like Yuck and Japandroids, electronica might as well have its turn. Thanks to Pictureplane, that’s more of a reality than ever. The project of Travis Egedy, Pictureplane burst onto the music scene in 2009 via the album “Dark Rift”. Songs like “Goth Star” provided some darker, more interesting twists and turns to the traditional mode of electronic music and pretty much signalled the creation of the subgenre of music known as “witch house”. The new Pictureplane record “Thee Physical” is cut from a similar but by no means the same cloth – commercial accessibility and smarter song structures take precedence, helping to make this one of the more fascinating electro albums so far this year.

The relationship between Pictureplane and the band HEALTH has been one of mutual admiration and friendship it seems, and the result of that has ultimately bettered both acts. For HEALTH’s sake, Pictureplane has served as helper and remixer on their last “DISCO” album, work that actually went a long way towards making the band’s somewhat difficult record a bit easier on the ears. In turn, HEALTH’s Jupiter Keyes played a large role by co-producing to help shape “Thee Physical”‘s sound into something more pop-friendly compared to the last album. There are far more active hooks, melodies that generally flow and loop better, and a stronger balance between the use of samples and live vocals. Egedy handles the vocals on close to every track, though often he’s not alone thanks to a number of quick one-word samples peppered in amongst the beats. With the melodies and beats carefully concocted, Egedy makes better and smarter use of his energetic but ultimately shaky vocals by placing them a touch farther into the background compared to his last album. They’re still remarkably functional and discernible, but without the potential hazard of having them appear weak or generally lacking. Yet in some cases the vocals are essential to make the track work. Opening cut “Body Mod” nearly stalls out until Egedy’s voice kicks in and propels the song in a very forward direction. Elsewhere the samples take free reign while Egedy’s singing plays second fiddle on a track like “Post Physical”, yet it does nothing to harm the song’s commercial appeal.

Not everything on “Thee Physical” works though, and those couple small issues do some remarkable damage to an otherwise solid effort. “Trancegender” contains what’s one of the strongest and most engaging hooks on the entire album, but gets bogged down in an excess of synths and beats all pushing for darkness and atmosphere. A similar darkness prevails on “Black Nails”, but while the track’s mixture of Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode-esque styles is compelling, the multiple layers of beats throw the main melody just a slight bit off-kilter to the point where you feel like it could have been so much more. At least the album is thematically sound, even if the subject matter tends towards the highly sexualized. One glance at the album cover’s leather-clad hand, along with song titles like “Sex Mechanism” and “Techno Fetish” should provide you with all the information you need as to what the overarching theme of the album is. Such subjects undoubtedly work well with the bump and grind of the dance floor, but not every track is built with that in mind. A couple of the songs featuring guitars, in particular a track like “Thee Power Hand” which closes the record, play closer to the rock and roll side of things, again with the 90s electronica references in place. Those minor detours create friction in the overall flow, thereby decreasing the impact an album like this could have. Taken individual track by track, there’s rarely an issue, but as a full piece there are noticeable missteps. Still, that doesn’t prevent “Thee Physical” from being a stronger and more exciting effort than Pictureplane’s debut, and the more commercially accessible pop-friendly melodies should bring a lot of new fans on board. Without a doubt, the next Pictureplane record could be the one that takes Egedy to the front doorstep of electronica’s greats.

Pictureplane – Post Physical
Pictureplane – Real Is A Feeling

Buy “Thee Physical” from Amazon

Click past the jump to stream the entire album!

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Album Review: Washed Out – Within and Without [Sub Pop/Weird World]

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On 07/25/2011

In album review, mp3, music


Do you recall when people were trying to suggest that the chillwave/glo-fi sound was the future of music? The thought was that this wasn’t just another hyped subgenre but instead something that would become an evolutionary sea change. Personally, I chalked it up to more blowhards talking out of their asses, and assumed the chatter would die down like it always does, when the “next big sound” arrives. That hasn’t necessarily hit just yet, but the electronic sound with the lo-fi production is dying a slow death. Some artists, such as Memory Tapes, appear either slow or entirely unreactive to this evolution, using their most recent full lengths or EPs to hold steadfast in the same sounds they first arrived on scene with. Others, such as Toro Y Moi, have played it much smarter by upgrading to a far more clean-cut and “normal” approach. It’s a survival tactic, but it’s also a great way of showing that underneath the poorly produced exterior lies an album’s worth of highly catchy and easy to love synth-pop songs. This is where Washed Out comes in. The project under which Ernest Greene operates, Washed Out’s sound has been very much a direct indicator of what the name suggests. As such, you might expect Greene to stick with that same path for the new record “Within and Without”. The good news is that music is about so much more than just a name.

Freshly signed to Sub Pop Records thanks to two strong EPs worth of chillwave, Washed Out was given access to a professional studio and other such monetary advantages to help create “Within and Without”. The results are as you might expect – glossy and vibrant, with the synths riding up front and the vocals not much farther behind. It’s dance music, but not nearly in the traditional sense of the word. Subtlety is the name of the game, and the melodies will often slyly sneak up on you and snatch your attention when you least expect them to. There are no immediate hooks or blatant singles like “Feel It All Around” was on the “Life of Leisure” EP. Instead, a track like “Soft” may pass you by on the first go-around as being nice to listen to, but ultimately unmemorable. Then you’ll give it two more close listens, perhaps once with headphones, and suddenly that melody just won’t leave you alone. That’s just one example out of several across the album that reward multiple listens, drawing you in the more attention you devote to it. The relaxed pace is a big part of what makes “Within and Without” work as well, and there’s a certain truth contained within the album cover that features two people lying naked together in the heat of passion. Making love to things like the title track or “You and I” is perfectly sensible and nearly encouraged. But even if you don’t have somebody to get it on with while listening to this album, the sheer ambiance and warmth of it is great to put on at a party or in the background while you’re working or even after a long day where you need to relax. Despite the adjustment in fidelity, this is still CHILLwave after all, and the point is sort of missed if you don’t “chill out” while listening to it.

One of the issues this record runs into is that it might be heard as overly smooth by some, the better production values actually reducing the effectiveness of the material. There is the potential for the entire 40 minute album to slide right past without much notice, but that’s more the result of a poor attention span than it is poor content. From the small bit of cello on “Far Away” through much of the live percussion that unveils itself via a song like “Echoes”, it’s the little things that make “Within and Without” the best set of recordings from Washed Out yet. And even in spite of the better sound quality, that doesn’t make Greene’s vocals a whole lot clearer or more discernable. Between some attached reverb and the placement of the synths and other elements higher in the mix, you’ll likely still be left wanting if the hope was to comb over each and every word and the potential meanings behind them. Greene isn’t a bad singer by any means, but it’s clear that he’d like the focus to be squarely on melody. Besides, you can pretty much already discern from themes and song titles that these songs are about love and longing and summertime and the general sadness of time passing. Sometimes words don’t do those emotions justice anyways. To me, this record is the sonic equivalent of swimming underwater in a crystal clear pool on a sunny day. If that doesn’t seem like an amazing idea to you, then maybe this album or Washed Out in general just won’t click in the proper way. For everyone else, be warned that there’s only a couple months left of summer during which this album will be at its peak enjoyment level.

Washed Out – Eyes Be Closed
Washed Out – Amor Fati

Buy “Within and Without” from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Monday 7-25-11

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On 07/25/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

I just want to take a moment to write a brief bit about the major music event that occurred over the weekend. I’m talking, of course, about the death of Amy Winehouse. It’s really such a sad story, made that much worse by the fact that nobody is surprised by it. She was a habitual drug user and abuser, among other things, and despite a few trips to rehab, she never could quite fully commit to staying clean. The extra dose of sadness is that people like Keith Richards continue to live on despite a lifetime of drug abuse. Everybody’s body is different I suppose. Amy Winehouse was a very talented individual whose contributions to music may have been brief but nonetheless impactful. People keep talking about “The 27 Club” when discussing her death. If you’re not already aware, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison are just a few of many musicians that died at the age of 27, most of them in their prime. Winehouse now joins that club, even if she wasn’t quite on the same level as those legendary figures. Over the weekend I took some time out to listen to “Back to Black” a few times. I haven’t listened to that record all the way through in a couple years. It still sounds great, and is largely responsible for opening the door for similar musicians like Adele and Duffy. So she did make a fair amount of difference in her lifetime. I wish her family and friends the highest of condolences, and hope she has now found peace herself.

I suppose talking about Amy Winehouse and then immediately moving on to Pick Your Poison could seem like poor taste. If that’s the way you see it, apologies. In this case, the “poison” cannot harm anything but your ears via bad music or high volume. Today’s songs meeting with my seal of approval come from Botany, D/Wolves, Mates of State, P.G. Six, Southerly and VHS or Beta. In the Soundcloud section be sure to stream tracks from Balam Acab and an old school Dan Deacon cut.

Botany – Waterparker

The Crossfaders – Body Stalk (DISCOFORGIA Remix)

D/Wolves – Tell Me Why

The George-Edwards Group – Nevada

Kites With Lights – Cosmonauts

Kyle Rapps – Universe Traveler (ft. Talib Kweli)

The Ladybirds – Shimmy Shimmy Dang

Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Mover Shaker Remix)

Life Size Maps – Mechanical Man

Mates of State – Maracas

Metronomy – The Bay (Clock Opera Remix)

Navet – For the Show

Nig-Heist – Walking Down the Street

P.G. Six – January

Punks Jump Up – Chimes (Younger Than Me Remix)

Southerly – Suffer

Tim Cohen – Daylight Moon

VHS or Beta – Breaking Bones

SOUNDCLOUD

The Amends – Bored and Mean

Andy Steele – Here Comes The Sunshine

Balam Acab – Apart

Dan Deacon – My Own Face Is F Word

Lotus – Blacklight Sunflare

Montalban Quintet – Lonnie’s Lament

Interview: Marissa Nadler

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On 07/23/2011

In interview, mp3, music

For those of you that remain unfamiliar with Marissa Nadler, the Massachusetts-based folk-singer songwriter has been generating plenty of buzz the last several years for her starkly beautiful yet dark and haunting records. The tales she tells and the melodies she weaves are intricate and intimate, anchored down by a voice that soothes while simultaneously demanding your attention. She just released her fifth record last month, a self-titled effort that was made in the most independent fashion possible, free from the wheelings and dealings of traditional record label culture. In many ways it is also her best – continuing to push her songwriting to new emotional heights that bring you in closer than ever before. It is just one of several things she’s accomplished over the last couple years, but ultimately it all comes back to an undeniable passion for music and the art of creative self-expression. I had the chance to sit down and talk with Marissa for a short while before her set at Schubas last Thursday night. Here is the transcript of our conversation.

Give me a brief outline of the last couple years and how you’ve developed into your own fully independent artist.

Basically I just wanted to stop working with labels, and decided to put my own record out. So I went about doing anything I could to make that happen.

And Kickstarter was the way that you chose to do that.

Yeah, I heard about that through some friends and gave it a try and it was really successful, so I was able to fund the recording of the record and then decided to manufacture it and put it out myself. I don’t want to go over all the last couple years, I mean it’s pretty common knowledge at this point. I stopped working with my label, and it was not an amicable split at all. I sort of had to do it, it wasn’t like I wanted to do it. I think it’s a great thing for artists, but I also don’t want it to be connected with my art at all, if that makes any sense. It’s a great tool for artists, especially in America where the government doesn’t have any funding for artists.

Is there anything that you miss about being signed to a record label that’s not your own?

There’s a lot of things a label can do that I can’t do and I’ve kind of learned that. I’ve been driving myself around from town to town and am really exhausted. Labels give you a sense of security and family. In some ways I do miss that. They pay for a lot of stuff. They’re good, it’s just that you can’t mistake the fact that they’re really not your friends. They make it so you think that you have this great support system and this family, but then when it ends it’s just nothing. I do miss having a support system, because I do everything myself, and it’s pretty hard work I’ve found. Doing all the driving, and I have booking agents and stuff like that, but it’s exhausting. I’m a little worn out right now, especially since I drove 10 or 11 hours yesterday. There’s so many things, like for instance my record has gotten a lot of press in the United States, but I couldn’t afford a publicist in Europe, so even though Europe used to be my best place, now I don’t even think that’s it’s really known that it’s out yet over there. There’s just a lack of money to make that happen.

Outside of all the driving around and the lack of a support system, what are some of the biggest challenges you have found going it alone?

Basically just that my reach is not that far. There’s only so much I can do. You have to pay for everything. It was really a sad day when I realized that a review in a magazine meant that somebody paid for it to be there. Like I used to think that everything with Rolling Stone is because they just have really good taste in music or whatever. Then I remember being really disappointed when I found out that even in indie music it really is like even indie labels, it’s like you have PR and there’s hype. My reach is not that far because I’m not willing to pander to the hype. I’m not willing to adhere to a style that’s popular. I just do my own thing. So I struggle to tap into an effective way to…the hardest thing is just not being able to do everything myself. Like I have my limitations. I want the music to be the most important thing. I don’t want to be in front of a computer all day crunching numbers, but that’s what running your own business entails. That’s something I may not want to do forever. I’d rather just write songs, but I didn’t feel like going through the process of sending my record again and again to labels after having seven or eight years of touring. I felt like I paid my dues and never didn’t really get like a lucky break and didn’t feel like having to prove myself. So I was just like, “Fuck it, I’m gonna do it on my own.” People that like my music like it, and it may not be huge but I just didn’t want to send it to every indie label to have it rejected.

So now you’ve got your own label, Box of Cedar. Is there anything you plan to do with it other than release your own music?

Maybe. It depends on how well my record sells and if I have any funds to put towards other people’s music that I like. Yeah, I might in the future release other records if I can afford it.

Have you had anybody approach you asking to be signed?

People have, actually. I feel like I’ve done a good enough job at making it look like a real label because I’m getting asking if I’ll put their records out. So, maybe.

Let’s talk a little bit about the new record. You chose to self-title it. What was the reasoning behind that?

I just felt that I had always wanted to self-title a record and I really like this record a lot. I felt like it was a really strong collection of songs. The thought process was not, “This is the definitive Marissa, and all other records are not.” I still like all my other records and I’m happy with the continuation of my body of work. I just felt like self-titling it because I hadn’t yet.

In many ways I think that the new album is a little more honest and a little more personal than your past records. At the same time, a lot of the same character that have been on your earlier records re-appear here, and instead of them being in more fictional situations, now they seem more reality-based. I’m curious as to how you’ve tried to reconcile the difference between the previous ways we’ve gotten to know these characters and how they’re represented here.

The old songs were never fictional, it’s just that I used to make up names for people that were in them and have situations take place in other settings. I just decided to not do that anymore. I felt like writing more in the first person. All my music has always been very personal, and I think it’s a misunderstanding from the way that the press has been recycling information, because I know that’s in my press release. I that my records have always been really personal and really honest, it’s just that there was the difference between using third person vs. first person or using fake names instead of real names. The emphasis behind the songs has always been really honest.

Do you feel that it’s tougher to write a song about a much more personal experience in your own life versus something that happened to somebody else that you know?

I think it’s easier to write songs about real life or in first person. I don’t know if it’s easier or not, I just write songs when I feel like I need to write some I guess. It’s hard to explain it into words.

I’m curious as to how much work you put into sequencing your records. There’s something about how the new album flows – the songs very much seem to compliment one another.

I did put a lot of time into sequencing. You have to. I had 18 songs, and five or so ended up on the upcoming EP. It’s just a matter of listening to the songs you have and trying to choose the best ones. You don’t want songs that sound the same-ish to be next to each other, you don’t want anything too different…it’s kind of a guessing game.

Any idea when the EP is going to be out?

A couple months probably.

Tell me a little bit about some of the more collaborative work that you’ve done. I know you recently recorded a couple songs with the band Cloud Seeding.

Yeah, he’s [Kevin Serra aka Cloud Seeding] a friend of mine and he asked me to sing on that project and…I did. I like to do collaborations because it gives me a chance to sing some different styles of music and stuff like that.

Do you find the creative process to be a little different considering that you normally write and compose your own songs? In collaborating with another artist there’s this whole other dynamic you’re entering into.

Well yeah, but usually like with Cloud Seeding I wrote the melody and the lyrics for it. I usually will not sing other people’s melodies or lyrics. I don’t see the point in doing that. I’ll collaborate with somebody, like with Xasthur, the black metal record I did, I got to sing what I wanted, so it made it a lot better for me.

If there’s one thing you want people to know about your new record…

[Lightheartedly] Just to listen to the fucking record! I really think regardless of how it was made, I don’t think when a person puts a record out on a label that they talk about the label constantly. If you want to know what the songs are about and the lyrics are about, you should listen to the record. Cause it’s really hard to describe what the influences behind an entire record are. I keep getting that question and it’s just like, listen to the songs because it’s really obvious. I don’t mean to say that in a bitchy way at all, but there’s nothing really I have to say about any of the music other than what you can listen to. If I wanted to be a writer, I would be, but I write songs so you can listen to them and then know what I mean. I don’t know how to explain when they’re obviously about love and loss and sadness and anxiety and whatever, but if people want to know that all they have to do is press play.

Have you ever thought about trying to write an exceptionally upbeat or happy record, or is that just not in your nature?

No, that is not true to my nature. Not at all. I think aesthetically I’m drawn to melancholy.

Thanks to Marissa Nadler for the interview. If you haven’t already, please buy her new record. It is very good. A sample mp3 for your taste testing pleasure:

Baby, I Will Leave You in the Morning

Pick Your Poison: Friday 7-22-11

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On 07/22/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

If I had things my way, this site would feature a lot more artist/band interviews. It’s something I genuinely enjoy doing, and it’s also more of a challenge than you’d think. While I do ask a lot of “normal” or obligatory questions, my favorites are always the more creative ones that often take an artist off guard (in a good way). When an artist tells me that I’ve asked a question about something they’ve always wanted to talk about but never get the chance to, there’s a small twinge of happiness I get out of making that sort of connection with the music or the creative mind behind the music. That being said, I am not an interview whore. I don’t just go begging to do interviews with artists, nor do I agree to interview artists whose music I don’t wholly love and respect. I get emails all the time from people and bands, many of whom I’m happy to feature here on Pick Your Poison, curious if I’d like to interview them and talk more about their music. Please don’t be offended or angry if I either don’t respond or say no to your inquiries, because in addition to the things I’ve already outlined in this paragraph, I have very specific ground rules for any interviews I do. I don’t do interviews via email. The answers are often very choppy and unconversational, plus it gives the artist plenty of time to carefully script an answer to their liking. That lack of spontaneity is detrimental to interviews as an art form. Secondly, I don’t do phone interviews. While they carry the much better cache of being actual non-scripted conversation, the cellular telephone has yet to be perfected. Dropped calls and cutting out are a big part of that problem, but then even if you’ve got two land lines the whole thing is a hassle to record unless you’ve got professional equipment. So my policy on interviews is strictly in-person only. Surprisingly (or not), it’s not the easiest thing in the world to set up those kinds of interviews. Artists have schedules to keep, I’ve got a schedule to keep, and even if the stars do align it doesn’t always mean that if I ask they’ll say yes. In the history of this site, I’ve only featured about one artist interview a year courtesy of the points I’ve outlined above. Tomorrow I will be posting an interview I did this past Thursday with Marissa Nadler. Keep an eye out for that. It was great to do and I repeat that I’d do more if I could. Okay, onwards with your weekend-starting edition of Pick Your Poison. Tracks I can seal with my approval come from Apricot Rail, Bon Iver, Cymbals Eat Guitars, David Bazan, Dum Dum Girls, Gold Leaves, Her Space Holiday, Say Hi, Yellow Ostrich and Teen Daze. There’s so much to love here. Have a great weekend.

Apricot Rail – Surry Hills

Bad Sports – Teenage Girls

Bon Iver – Holocene

Cold Heat – Hard to Chill

Colossal Gospel – Bloody Boat

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Rifle Eyesight (Proper Name)

David Bazan – Wolves at the Door

Dum Dum Girls – Coming Down

Gold Leaves – Cruel/Kind

Grandpa Was A Lion – Mobile Alabama Blues

Her Space Holiday – Ghost in the Garden

The Human League – Sky (Plastic Plates Remix)

Laubfrosch – Gone

Mathieu Santos – I Can Hear the Trains Coming

Nerves Junior – As Bright As Your Night Light

The New Division – Opium

Say Hi – Dots on Maps

Scenic – Another Sky

SSION – PSY-CHIC (Nightfeelings Remix)

Tasseomancy – Healthy Hands (Will Mourn You)

Teen Daze – The Harvest

Yellow Ostrich – Whale

SOUNDCLOUD

Jodie Marie – Single Blank Canvas

Keb Mo – The Reflection (I See Myself In You) (Acoustic)

Kids at Risk – Doing The Best That We Can

Show Review: Timber Timbre + Marissa Nadler + Faces on Film [Schubas; Chicago; 7/21/11]

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On 07/22/2011

In chicago, live music, mp3, music, show review

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a heat wave taking over Chicago and most of the country right now. It has created a problem and a half for so many people and businesses, though I’m sure the ice cream shops are experiencing a super boom. Power outages at a time like this can be fast and furious too, with so many people cranking the air conditioning. The good news is that despite it being 90+ degrees outside, outages were minimal, though not a lot of people were walking around outside. Inside of the classic Chicago venue of Schubas, they do not have air conditioning. Fans are their only means of keeping cool, and in their concert room they were on full blast. The less warm bodies in the room, the cooler it was. It’s part of the reason why it paid to show up early to see the triple bill of Faces on Film, Marissa Nadler and Timber Timbre.

For those unfamiliar, Faces on Film is the moniker under which Boston singer-songwriter Mike Fiore records. He’s got two full lengths out, and I’ll readily confess that I’ve heard neither of them. It’s not that I’ve actively avoided Faces on Film, but there are so many artists out there and I’ve only got two ears and so much time. After seeing him play though, I have to say that I was won over. Singer-songwriters are often a hard sell, primarily because there are just so many of them. Have a strong sense of melody, play guitar with precision, and sing with range and power, and hopefully the right kind of attention will come your way. Fiore played his entire set solo, just him and a guitar, along with a respectful audience. As it was still early in the evening, there were only about 20 people that bore witness to his soulful and heart-on-his-sleeve performance. The response was louder than you’d expect though, and it helped that Fiore was charming and had some solid stage banter. After playing an acoustic guitar for close to half the set and an electric guitar for much of the second half, towards the end he pulled out a new instrument he had bought on eBay. It’s difficult to describe except to say it was like a small lap-confined autoharp that sounded like a synthesizer. That said, he told everyone before pulling it out that it hadn’t been working properly ever since he got it, and that he’s yet to make it through a full song using it. It brought a fun bit of extra entertainment to the set as everyone held their breath the instrument would work for an entire song. The end result? We got half of a song out of it before it crapped out. That one instrument may not have survived a song, but Fiore not only did that, but pulled off a full set in very smart and economical fashion. Faces on Film is one to watch for the future, that’s for sure.

Moon’s Row by Faces on Film by Faces on Film

Hear more music from Faces on Film via Bandcamp

While it technically wasn’t what you’d call a “triple headliner” bill, all three artists on it played for almost exactly the same amount of time and almost exactly the same number of songs. Only the order of the artists constituted what might otherwise be desrcibed as a “pecking order” of who people came to see. It actually surprises me a bit that Timber Timbre is playing last on this tour, if only due to their fewer number of albums and experience compared to somebody like Marissa Nadler, who just put out her fifth full length last month. The only logistical reason she wouldn’t be playing last at a show like this is because of musical style. I’m almost positive her fan base is bigger than Timber Timbre’s (at the moment), even if Timber Timbre are rising pretty strongly in popularity. At the very least let’s say this is a double headlining bill, and the quieter, much more fiercely independent Marissa Nadler wound up playing second for that exact reason. The crowd had built steadily by the time she took the stage, so the 200+ person room was moderately full and eager to hear her melancholy folk songs. In my pre-show interview with her, she mentioned to me that she’s got a pretty bad case of stage fright, so there was just a hint of apprehension on her face before starting that first song. Yet like the brave soul that she is, and like she’s done so many times before, she pushed onward and through. After taking the first three songs completely solo, she brought a friend of hers on stage to play cello, which brought some extra richness and depth to the rest of the set. Songs like “Little King” and “Alabaster Queen” had just a touch more dramatic flair and intensity than on record, and the crowd’s attention was affixed only on the stage. Mike Fiore aka Faces on Film also came on stage in an assist capacity for the last few songs, freeing Nadler up to focus exclusively on her rich and haunting vocals. In a sense then, Nadler had her own backing band for once, and though they didn’t quite have enough people to throw some light drums into the mix, in the end it didn’t matter. By the time she closed with “The Sun Always Reminds Me of You”, you could have heard a pin drop in that room. I’ve been to far too many shows at which people will have open conversations with one another as music plays right in front of them. Most of the time such behavior results from somebody being bored and feeling that chatting will be more interesting. So many great artists have been forced to ignore idiots that choose to disrespect a performer in such a way. It’s to Marissa Nadler’s credit that I heard not one bit of conversation during her set, save for her own stage banter, which was primarily confined to introducing and telling us a little bit about the song she was about to play. For as quiet as it was, it was also an overly heartwrenching and passionate performance – one you simply just couldn’t ignore.

Marissa Nadler – Baby, I Will Leave You in the Morning

Buy “Marissa Nadler” from Amazon

Last but certainly not least was Timber Timbre, a band I’ve done a minor amount of advocating for in recent months primarily due to their weird and unique take on music. Here is a band that brings together a number of familiar sounds, but not in any way you’d truly expect. At their heart, these songs are like what Nick Cave might sound like were he to attempt a doo wop album. There’s this almost scary waltz-like tempo on virtually every one of the songs on the band’s newest record, and the marriage of minimalist textures seguing into violent instrmental bits makes it that much more haunting. Speaking of haunting, the three piece chose to create their own stage lighting rather than use the traditional overhead can lights. In place of them were three construction lanterns with red bulbs inside, hung from makeshift poles next to each band member. It pushed the eerie atmosphere that much farther while crafting an intimacy that made the now packed room feel as if it were a sealed-off cave from which there was no escape. Given that we were all “trapped” in this situation, Timber Timbre made the best of it and played an assortment of songs from their catalogue. Even outside of the lights, the stage setup was odd courtesy of how each band member was surrounded by multiple instruments. Frontman Taylor Kirk did triple duty by playing the guitar and singing while simultaneously stomping on a bass drum. Mika Posen would alternate between keyboards, violin and a floor tom drum. Simon Trottier was sort of the everyman in the band, doing guitar but also autoharp and a number of various electronic gizmos that created unique sounds or backing tracks. So while the set up lacked a couple of the elements that are on the most recent Timber Timbre record, in particular saxophone. tracks like “Bad Ritual” and “Do I Have Power” still thrived in slightly different form. My personal favorite out of the set was “Lonesome Hunter”, which flew into a dischordant rage at the very end of it – something that felt entirely earned. The crowd, again holding deathly quiet throughout, threw an avalanche of applause on the band when they finished their set. Who knows if they legitimately had planned on doing an encore or not (as with pretty much every headlining band, such things are standard), but they did walk off and then back onto the stage after a few moments to seal the night with a grand rendition of “Trouble Comes Knocking”. It marked an almost triumphant end to a night that was really anything but.

That’s not to say anything was bad, in fact there wasn’t really a bad moment across all three sets. I’m speaking more to the extremely subdued and hushed nature of the entire evening. Unlike so many bands that infuse all sorts of energy and thrill-a-minute gimmicks into their shows, here were three artists that make uncompromisingly dark, quiet and slow music. That’s not something to be celebrated, but it is something worth praising. So many of us go out and have lighthearted, happy-go-lucky lives that we never truly connect with the sadness of others. We avoid emotionally stressful or challenging situations because of the fear we’ll get dragged down along with that other person. Yet no healthy, emotionally strong person strives for happiness each and every day of our lives. We need that sadness, that darkness, to help stay balanced and truly appreciate the better times. What these three artists did on stage, whether they were fully aware of it or not, was to help us access those feelings we choose to keep locked away from most of our friends and family. Nobody was about to break down and have a good cry, but when you talk about empathy and sheer drama, there was a wealth of it spread across 3.5 hours. When all the music was finally over, most everyone in the crowd filed out of Schubas in the close to silent fashion we had arrived. With the pitch black night sky overhead, that dark passenger stepped out onto the sidewalk with us, a gentle reminder that sometimes sunshine, lollipops and rainbows are completely overrated.

Timber Timbre – Black Water

Buy Timber Timbre’s “Creep On Creepin’ On” from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 7-21-11

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On 07/22/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

I’d love to idly sit by and chit chat like I normally do for these Pick Your Poison posts, but today I simply do not have time. So here’s my list of recommended tracks from the list below. Be sure to check out songs from Balkans, The Consonance, Jenny O., M83, Roadside Graves and They Might Be Giants. Check out the Hercules and Love Affair remix of The Irrepressibles in the Soundcloud section too.

Balkans – Flowers Everywhere

BigBee of Whitetree – Beautiful (Peyote Version)

The Consonance – Song For My City

Femme Fatality – I You We

Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks (Acid Invaders Remix)

Fredric De Carvalho – Radio Freak

Geoff Geis – Mother of All

I Am Love – Trumpets and Cliffs

Jenny O. – Well OK Honey

Jodie Marie – Silver Dagger (Traditional Folk Song)

The Kenneth Bager Experience – Sound of Swing (Julius Sylvest Remix)

Kuato – Afghanistan Rogers

M83 – Midnight City

My First Earthquake – Nice to See You

Photovoltaik – Zoetrope

The Piney Gir Country Roadshow – The Sheriff of San Miguel

P-Styles – Control (2010 Mix)

Roadside Graves – Double Feature

They Might Be Giants – Judy Is Your Viet Nam

The Travelling Band – Battlescars

Yellowbirds – Beneath the Reach of Light (Live for Serious Business on BTR)

SOUNDCLOUD

Daniela & Ben Spector – Cut it out (ft. M. Jack Bee)

The Fearless Vampire Killers – Tell Me What You’re Trying To Say

The Irrepressibles – In This Shirt (Hercules and Love Affair Remix)

Outfit – Two Islands

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 7-20-11

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On 07/20/2011

In mp3, music, pick your poison

HEAT WAVE! If you’re in one of about 40 of the 50 U.S. states, chances are you’re dealing with some seriously hot temperatures. Enough to make you not want to go outside. Hopefully you’ve got some air conditioning to hang out in, and electricity with which to power it. Music can also help make the hot weather that much more bearable, so let Pick Your Poison be like an auditory fan blowing cold air on your skin. Tracks I can recommend today include ones from The Coastals, Heroes of Popular Wars, Humans, Inc., and The Weather Station. In the Soundcloud section you’ll find a solid track from Pusha T that features Tyler, The Creator.

Aficionado – The Things You Like

AIVA – Pink Moon (Nick Drake cover)

The Coastals – Bottle Up and Explode (Elliott Smith cover)
The Coastals – Know Your Onion (The Shins cover)

Dave Cloud and the Gospel of Power – Boogaloo

Glowmobile Recording Company – Wave
Glowmobile Recording Company – The One That Got Away (MillionYoung Remix)

Heroes of Popular Wars – American Loser
Heroes of Popular Wars – She’s A Microscope

Humans – Avec Mes Mecs

Inc. – Swear

Kyla La Grange – You Let It Go (The Kill Van Kulls Remix)

Lemi Vice – Lemons

Little Star Dweller – Catch A Killer

Lucas Santtana – Circa Regina E Nana

New Navy – Zimbabwe

Serianna – Fragments

Shuteye Unison – Our Future Selves

Warning Light – High Watershed

The Weather Station – Everything I Saw

Young & Sick – Room 48 (young & sick – room 48)

SOUNDCLOUD

Beta Hector – Jupiter Mission

New Animal – Lift You Up

The Other Tribe – Businessman On Diazepam (DISCOFORGIA Hardfloor Remix)

Pusha T feat. Tyler, The Creator – Trouble on My Mind

Theme Park – A Mountain We Love

Pitchfork Music Festival 2011: Day 3 in Photos

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On 07/20/2011

In chicago, live music, music, music festivals, photos, pitchfork music festival, pitchfork music festival 2011

Click past the jump to see a whole lot of photos from Day 3 of the 2011 Pitchfork Music Festival. You can see photos of Yuck, Kurt Vile and the Violators, OFWGKTA, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Baths, Superchunk, Deerhunter, Cut Copy and TV on the Radio.

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Pitchfork Music Festival 2011: Day 2 in Photos

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On 07/20/2011

In chicago, live music, music, music festivals, photos, pitchfork music festival, pitchfork music festival 2011

Click past the jump to see a huge number of photos from Day 2 of the Pitchfork Music Festival. Artists in this photo set include: Julianna Barwick, Woods, Sun Airway, Cold Cave, No Age, Wild Nothing, Gang Gang Dance, Destroyer, The Radio Dept., The Dismemberment Plan, Twin Shadow, Zola Jesus and Fleet Foxes.

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