I had the pleasure of finally being able to see Bon Iver at the Wilbur Theater in Boston last Sunday. It was a great show, albeit in a weird space. I always enjoy general admission over sitting, but sometimes bands (or managers) like the relaxed atmosphere and extra space provided by larger venues. It’s always been my opinion that people pay to hear the music, and do not pay for comfort. When I bought my ticket I was somehow under the impression there would be no general admission/standing room space. I was wrong. So, I sat in the first balcony and watched the show from 100 yards away.
The absolutely best thing that could happen to me, happened. The opener was fantastic, and worth the price of the ticket by himself. And he was - by himself. The Tallest Man On Earth was an amazing act with equally amazing songwriting. His fingerpicking was soft and mellow at times, but he was able to vary the mood thoroughly throughout the show. His dynamic range on his guitars is very impressive, especially among the current pool of pop and folk musicians that play at one of two volumes - soft (aka “I’m so deep and thoughtful”) and loud (aka “I’m angry. Listen to what I have to say”). His songwriting might be considered melodramatic at times, but the listener is not bored to tears by unrealistic protest songs or flowery poetry - this is folk music, and I am not embarrassed to say it.
Ok, Kristian Matsson is his real name. He is Swedish, and he music comes straight out of his mouth (often, we are used to musicians’ songs coming straight from their ass). At times the songs seem to be playing him - very “shoot from the hip” style. He played each song without much hesitation, or at least with time to ponder which guitar to play. The music sounds very comfortable …
In the United States we are unfortunate to have so little contact with music from other countries. To listen to a band from Britain is enough for most people, and the only contact with Australian music comes from pop groups like Silverchair, pop/country acts like Keith Urban, and pop/folk groups like The Waifs. “Goth Country” is a genre pioneered (”pioneered” is a term I used lightly when talking about country) by groups out of the western US; bands like 16 Horsepower and The Handsome Family (also on Carrot Top Records), from Colorado and New Mexico, respectively, have shaped how we listen to new country music, and returned the genre to it’s former dust and ashes glory. Yes, murder ballads and jilted lovers are what country music is all about, and these Aussies have shown that they’ve got the stuff.
Ron Peno, the Darling Downs’ frontman and songwriter also sounds amazingly like one of my other favorite country/folk singers - Robert Fisher from the Willard Grant Conspiracy. Dry and forceful in his upper register and resonating in his lower register, Peno’s voice sends a chill down your spine and embraces the listener in reverberating darkness. Lovely.
Darling Downs’ sophomore release From One To Another jumps to it’s feet right away; perhaps a little more upbeat than expected from my previous descriptions. The first track is lead by a steadily picked guitar, accompanied by strictly country countrified vocal riffs, giving the listener an different expectation as to what is coming for the rest of the album. The lyrics themselves follow the theme of the album, but for a first-listen, everything comes across a little more positive than it actually is. Following the opening track A Moment of Despair, comes Gather ‘Round (Stomp It Down) - a stripped down and bright banjo driven melody with eager, almost hollered lyrics.
After the first two songs, the album really gets going (and by that, I mean “slows down”). Everytime We Say Goodbye has a slightly lazy feel, with …
…except for omitting spaces. It’s confusing to me.
The dirty rockabilly-esque sound and tight drums representative of Jon Langford and the wailing (in a good way) vocals and experimental sounds of Kat Ex string together quite nicely in this new collaboration from KatJonBand. The minimalist guitar riffs are a kickback to early punk and 3-piece rockabilly. Add in a driving sixteen beat, and you have a strange post-country-folk-punk thing going on. The sound varies from straight, driving, call-and-answer (Do You?) to a more British folk-shanty feel (Albion). The British folk-punk sound is strong in this album, and is something I don’t really have enough of. The stripped-down punk seems to be in vogue these days with guitar/drums duos popping up all over the place. On the other hand, the duo format is not something that is generally done well - I’m happy to report that KatJonBand pulls through with room to spare.
Given both Jon and Kat’s histories in European punk, their pairing is a logical combination, and seems to be more reined in than either of their recent albums. Jon Langford has also had a long history with the Ex (pre-Katherine Ex) - starting with a co-producing role with The Ex’s third album Tumult. Both individuals stand out on their own, but it is the minimal sound that brings the separate rhythms and riffs together to form an intentionally gritty and powerful sound.
17-09 New York NY(USA), Knitting Factory
18-09 Brooklyn NY (USA), Union Hall
20-09 Chicago IL (USA), Hideout Block Party
23-09 Madison WI (USA), Frequency 24-09 Minneapolis MN (USA), 7th Street Entry
26-09 Chicago IL (USA), Hideout Carrot Top Party
Yeah, I’ve been really busy the last few weeks, but now I’m back. At least until I have to go get married in a month. At any rate, I’m back for now, and I’m going to do my best to overload you with posts until I have to leave again. This one has been on my plate for a while, and I can’t say enough about it. I really like this album.
The last time I checked, the Old Believers were a sect of the Russian Orthodox Church that cross themselves with three fingers instead of two, and have very long beards. To prove me wrong a group calling themselves the Old Believers sent me an album to listen to. I don’t know what their “old belief” is, but it seems to be a form of very minimalistic folky-country with just a taste of wispy vespers-like vocal arrangements. Sign me up - the shit fits.
The Old Believers are playing solid folk, heavy on the downbeats, and with a heavy-handed style - along the same lines as Mason Jennings, adding a swaying sea-shanty sound similar to the Great Lake Swimmers. Maybe it just has to do with living near the north, but this temperament is not generally seen in popular music, and the driving sounds of country and folk don’t blend in a way conducive to a full album’s worth of listening. I listened to the album from start to finish, and now I can’t put it down.
The Old Believers have officially released their album, and are currently on a short West-Coast tour. Hopefully they’ll do an East-Coast tour soon! *Hint.
Mon Jul 14, 2008:
Cozmic Pizza - 199 W 8th Ave Eugene, OR
Tue Jul 15, 2008:
Gypsy Town Music - Nevada City, CA
One of my favorite bands, the Willard Grant Conspiracy, released a new album at the beginning of May. Although it is meant to be a continuation of “Regard The End” (2003) it seems to be musically aligned with “Let It Roll” (2006). Topically, however, it is definitely the successor to “Regard The End” with an abundance of religious/spiritual themed lyrics. In addition to these aspects, it is also the first time the Robert Fisher has attempted to write and arrange an album containing many musicians - dubbed the “Willard Grant Conspiracy Orchestra” in their tour schedule. All personal critiques aside, it is a huge change in style, and one that should be commended.
Robert Fisher’s wavering bass conveys a feeling of emptiness and solitude, and while it doesn’t always mesh with the orchestral arrangements, it is the perfect instrument for his lyrics. “Lost Hours” pushes into a lush stringed arrangement toward the end - similar to the choral buildup in the following “The Great Deceiver.” Maybe I’m used to looser production, but it was at this point that I became very skeptical of the additions being made to the standard instrumentalization of WGC. The choral arrangement is tight and a little overpowering, effectively draining the emotion from Fisher’s own voice.
The segue into “Jerusalem Bells” is smooth, and the feeling once again slips briefly into the simplicity I am accustomed to. “The Pugilist” provides dispersed and soulful choral and string accompaniment, giving the album its first possible single. One is immediately reminded of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer,” but there doesn’t seem to be any relation to the two. The album continues along this theme until “Miracle On 8th Street” and my self-appointed favorite from the album “Painter Blue.” The album finishes with the slow, spacious “Vespers” and an short untitled (Great Deceiver reprise) track.
Reactions:
I really like the album, but it took a few times through the album to really start warming …
Yes, nearly two years after the Southern Manners EP, the Watson Twins have signed with Vanguard Records and will release their new album Fire Songs. In contrast to the Southern Manners EP, Fire Songs retains some of the whimsy and carefree sounds of Rabbit Fur Coat (with Jenny Lewis, 2006). The song lyrics (as on Rabbit Fur Coat) are not necessarily as light as the accompanying melodies, but that reads more to the success of Rabbit Fur Coat than the seriousness of Southern Manners. The Twins strike a fine balance in lyrical balance, and can turn the heaviest topic into lighter pop song - as seen in How Am I To Be and the not-quite-bluesy Bar Woman Blues.
What I’m really digging in this album is the stronger turn to the country sound (see: Sky Open Up and Old Ways). If Rabbit Fur Coat can be seen as mostly bluegrass-influenced, then Fire Songs has to be looked at as significantly country-influenced. This seems a little peculiar to me, as the sound doesn’t really reflect Los Angeles or Bakersfield country. This is definitely a more southern sound, but saturated in pop and folk goodness. Of course, the Silverlake bands are known for great pop sound, but not necessarily for anything within the aforementioned genre. There is a great balance of genres happening on Fire Songs, and with any luck it is a sound that will become more prominent.
I feel it necessary to post my impressions of the War On Drugs Barrel of Batteries EP in anticipation for the soon-to-be released Wagonwheel Blues album. The new album will be available from Secretly Canadian on June 19. I am really looking forward to this release, and blame my obsession on the free download of the Barrel of Batteries EP. There is not a better business model in existence - once I get a taste of something I like, I am hooked. So far I haven’t seen any information about a pre-release, but I’ll keep you informed.
The Barrel of Batteries EP starts off with a quick and light ambient diddy called Set Yr Sights. It provides a quick bit of foreshadowing for the rest of the EP, but doesn’t really give out any clues to the second track, Arms Like Boulders, which initially caught me off-guard. I was expecting something a little more relaxing (ambient!), but the song reads more like a rocked-out bandstand Bob Dylan with the Byrds backing him up. The song builds on it’s own riffs in true ambient fashion, but plays down the electronic side of the band’s repertoire.
The EP continues in this feel for the remaining songs, giving a more electric feel to Pushing Corn and the more carefree Buenos Aires Beach. The little instrumental tracks are a nice interlude, and definitely makes me curious to hear what the upcoming album might sound like in its entirety.
Secretly Canadian has made one track available for download off of the upcoming album, so I am also posting it here in the hopes you will also check it out. It is definitely a little heavier in the bottom-end than the EP, with better overall sound quality. Keep your eye out for this one!
And again, you can download the Barrel of Batteries EP in its entirety here.
I began writing this review for the last site I contributed to, but then our server crashed and we lost all of our files. This had the unfortunate timing to correspond with the site administrators own hard drive crash, as well as my own laptop failure. All of these things happened within a week-and-a-half period or so. So, now I have my own website, a new server, and a place to post this review. Thank jebus.
Kid Dakota has been a favorite of mine since I picked up the So Pretty EP from mp3.com back in 2001 or so. Its darkness haunted me, and begrudgingly drug me through the depths of snow, lightless days, and emotional doldrums of the Minnesota winter. When I feel depressed I listen to So Pretty from beginning to end, and even though it puts me in a very dark place, I know that things could be much worse. It’s grungy, grinding, and powerful.
In 2005 Kid Dakota followed on So Pretty with The West Is The Future which didn’t immediately live up to my expectations. A more open sound, cleaner production, and a more positive lyrical base (only slightly) were characteristic of this album, although the drug allusions were still everywhere. Ten Thousand Lakes brought back the raw rehab-induced power of So Pretty, with my favorite Minnesota reference:
but I’m optimistic, but I’m off to Mystic
cause I’m feelin lucky
I grew to love this album, and anxiously waited for news about the next album.
As soon as I heard that A Winner’s Shadow was going to be available on pre-order, I ordered it immediately. It has been a few years in the making, and truth be told, it hasn’t quite made the best impression on me. The album still contains everything I like about Kid Dakota, with some major changes. Although not necessarily brighter or more positive, it has moved into a vein of emo-saturated rock so typical of the …
Perhaps more than 3500 years old, the tangelo is a citrus fruit resembling an orange, but is in fact a product of crossing a grapefruit with a tangerine. A tangelo is characterized by a slightly dark rind than an orange, and a sweeter taste than a grapefruit. They are, like this blog, thin-skinned and juiceaaaay.
The Man
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