Monday, June 30, 2008

New Roadside Graves - "Ruby"

The Roadside Graves - "Ruby" mp3
The Roadside Graves are one of the best out of the new crop of "indie" folk/rock bands out there right now. When compared to similar groups such as the Felice Brothers, Cave Singers, and the Avett Brothers, the Roadside Graves songs always win out. Yet, I have to say that when Vince, Tara and I caught them at Trash Bar in Brooklyn last year - they proved one of the most perplexing live acts I've seen in awhile. Hailing from New Jersey, this group is a conglomeration of friends that could not look more disparate. From the 40 something looking bass player, to the 16 something looking keyboardist, they really didn't seem to make sense together. Yet, somehow they produce a fantastically cohesive AM radio sound that centers around the crackly country warble of a lead vocal. For all their odd quirks live, we still love them, and are glad to hear a new track. Thanks to Stereogum for posting this, this morning.
Myspace

Friday, June 27, 2008

Website Launch and New Record - Tim Emmerick

Stark's long-time friend and part-time lover Tim Emmerick just recently launched his new website. In the interest of full disclosure - we all know Tim real well and some of us have spent time playing in his various projects. All that aside - it's our goddamned blog so we're gonna write about him. Right now, Tim is across the pond in Bath, England working up tunes for the follow up record to his debut, North.

Emmerick walks the line between a traditional Americana sound laced with dobro and pedal steel, and a more organic roots-rock-vibe drawing influences from the Drive by Truckers to the Tragically Hip. Hit up the new site and his myspace for tunes, and keep your eye out for more new stuff in the coming months . If you live in England, go visit him and buy him a 40 for us. (Old English HG800 preferred).
http://www.timemmerick.com/
Myspace

Review: Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (Sub Pop/2008)

Wolf Parade - "Call it a Ritual" - mp3
Yes, yes. We are all aware that Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug, the two frontmen of Wolf Parade, are two different songwriters, rocking two separate styles, and heading two different side projects. Why this seems to be bumming some critics out with regard to the new Wolf Parade album is perplexing. Perhaps it's because I was joyfully mucking around in Apologies to the Queen Mary for months before I even discovered Sunset Rubdown or Handsome Furs. But the lack of cohesiveness some people are wringing their hands over is what I always thought everyone loved about this band.

The new album, by the way, is fantastic.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP...
"We are not at home," they insist, on "Language City", one of the album's best. Yet it's hard to imagine them not feeling pretty damn at home among the ornate arrangements, varied textures, and well, the pretty fantastic art created on this album. It's interesting. Some songs are drum-driven with the guitars taking a pleasant melodic, rather than rhythmic role - sometimes the keyboard is the star of the show. Furthermore, while I'm usually annoyed by a 6-minute song, (unless it's a 10-minute epic statement, you can usually say what you want to say better in 3), "California Dreamer" proves me wrong. And big ups to drummer Arlen Thompson for nailing the production of the album.

To be sure, the album has it's SNAFU's. "The Grey Estates", the 6th track (my lucky number!) is disappointingly irritating in every way. But "Animal In Your Care" is lovely, starting out fractured and brittle, though ending up beautifully defiant. "Kissing the Beehive" is the perfect 11-minute-album-ender, and some sort of proggy-amazingness.

Dan, Spencer: your band is big enough for the both of you. Too many cooks don't spoil the broth, they just make it more interesting.

P.S. if you weren't planning on seeing Wolf Parade in July, listen to the album and get back to me on that. I hear they added a second show. Who's coming with me?

Tara McCarthy--Stark Contributing Writer

The Walkmen - New Single and Tour Dates

These bright and chipper young men are indeed New York's favorite, the Walkmen. They are streaming their new single "In the New Year" from their upcoming LP You and Me, out September 16th on Gigantic Music. The Walkmen will be playing 2 dates at the Bowery Ballroom in August, and will be hitting up numerous festivals this summer. Tour dates after the jump.

In the New Year - The Walkmen

August Tour

8/18: Bowery Ballroom, New York
8/19: Bowery Ballroom, New York
8/21: Troubadour, Los Angeles
8/22: Troubadour, Los Angeles
8/23 : San Francisco, CA (Outside Lands Festival)
8/27: Doug Fir, Portland
8/28: Richards on Richard, Vancouver (co-bill w/ Man Man)
8/29: Rifflandia Festival, Victoria (Black Mountain, Destroyer, etc.)
8/30: Bumbershoot Festival, Seattle

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Girl Talk - Via Stereogum

As all the Stark writers have been pretty busy of late tryin to pay the bills - the posts have been a bit slow in coming this week. That doesn't mean we aren't still voraciously consuming music. The general consensus between most of the writers is that the new Girl Talk, Feed the Animals, is fucking amazing. Enough said. Anyone who has listened to it knows that it's a tour de force through past and present pop music, and we've all had fun picking out the tunes, and generally rocking out. My personal favorite is MIA "Boys" mashed up with the Cranberries "Dream."

Stereogum
has a great post up today - so we are stealing it. Or "aggregating" as they say in the blog world. It features Girl Talk on MTV taking us through all of the different samples they used on their new record. Dig it. Make sure you go to the actual post to see the videos. Some of it is below.

Girl Talk Goes Track-By-Track Through Feed The Animals With MTV

thumbnail icon: Girl Talk Goes Track-By-Track Through Feed The Animals With MTV

Feed The Animals has been out for a week. Anyone who's listened knows it's worth paying for, regardless of philosophical, aesthetic, or knee-jerk thoughts on whether or not Gillis's sampling process is transformative. We spoke briefly to Gillis and he mentioned that although the Feed Wiki's pretty thorough, he's including a more detailed list of source material with the physical release of the record. He also offers more details to MTV, who packed into his Pittsburgh apartment, where Gillis (and his headband) give a track-by-track tour through Feed: He mentions his favorite song, discusses the overall pace and composition, live vs. recorded Girl Talk, why he sampled of Montreal, his nod to the fake leak ("96 Tears"), the Beach Boys, and, of course, Soulja Boy.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

New Release: Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal (Back Porch/Manhattan)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41mzyKmgzlL._SS500_.jpg
Just released today, Alejandro unleashes his 9th solo album Real Animal. Taking a page out of The Boss' book (see "Always A Friend" post), Alejandro steps out of his (recent) comfort zone to produce this truly rock 'n roll infused record, echoing his early days in bands such as the beloved Nuns. Real Animal plays like an audio auto-biography of Alejandro's life. From full-force rockers to his string laced ballads, Alejandro covers all the bases of his wonderful career. This record is some of his best work. Highly recommended.

If you happen to be in Nashville on June 30, come check out Alejandro & Co. at Grimey's.
After the jump.

Artist to Watch: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

Following a recent cover feature in Fader and his newest self-titled album release, 24-year-old Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (why not?) is beginning to build momentum. Robinson, originally from Oregon, now resides in Brooklyn, playing rock/folk-style music reminiscent of his Northwest upbringing; but he plays these songs through an atmospheric haze that sounds very much like a product of Brooklyn. Assisted by members of Grizzly Bear and TV On the Radio, Robinson has found the right friends and luckily he has the songs and talent to match. His backstory is filled with strange trips through Vegas with his comedian father, addiction and a Grandmother who, upon his birth, stated that Robinson was "the oldest soul in the room." She died that night. We're talkin' true-blue American mythology stuff here. Here is a track - and make sure to keep an eye out for him this summer.
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - "Bruiedfed" mp3

Monday, June 23, 2008

Amy Winehouse: Gotta Kick That Habit

http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/amy-winehouse-2007-elle-style-awards-in-london-16tOhI.jpghttp://kenstein64.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/george-carlin.jpg
Add another malady to Amy Winehouse's ever growing list of medical afflictions. Winehouse was recently diagnosed with Emphysema which was, not surprisingly, closely linked to her on-going crack and cigarette addiction. Sources say her lung capacity has been cut to approximately 70%, rendering her performance career utterly finished, if it wasn't already. Crack is a hell of a thing. Winehouse's seminal record Back to Black, opened the door for today's revolutionized R&B-pop performers (see Adele...) Hopefully, she can regain control of her life, and get back in the studio - dubious, dubious.

We would also like to take this time to send our regards to comedian George Carlin who passed at 71. See the New York Times for details.

After the jump.

Karen Dalton - Green Rocky Road (Delmore Recordings/2008)

Karen Dalton - "Katie Cruel" mp3
Green Rocky Road, the latest release from the Karen Dalton catalog, captures the underrated and oft-forgotten folk singer in her most relaxed and surprisingly most accessible form. Whereas her seminal studio albums, most notably In My Own Time, feature Dalton with full backing band and contain some of her best work, they often come across as highly deliberate efforts (by others) to establish Dalton as part of the burgeoning folk-revival scene of the mid to late 1960s. Green Rocky Road features Dalton, circa 1962-63, at home (literally and figuratively) with just her banjo or 12 string playing folk music, not for reasons of preservation or commercial success, but to just to play the songs she loved in whatever form she felt like playing them. What resulted is a record filled with passionate renderings of folk songs interpreted and revised in the true folk tradition of Leadbelly and Blind Willie McTell, rather than the more commercial interpretations by her peers.
Video & more after the jump...

On Green Rocky Road, Dalton captures the true timelessness of uniquely American folk music. Most produced folk records of the 1960s (including Dalton's) can be clearly pin-pointed to that era. Whether it be the clear overtones of the anti-war movement or the force of communism on American culture, most folk records of the time sound dated or at least a product of their time. Green Rocky Road could have been recorded anywhere at any time. Does that make it better than the classic 1960s folk albums produced by Dylan, Seeger or Van Ronk? Debatable. Yet, in a genre obsessed with authenticity and preserving the "true folk traditions" Dalton clearly shows herself as a singer devoid of time and popular influences. What results is a record of back porch folk music that current revivalists and traditionalists will turn to as an authentic piece of true American folk music and an important link between the folk icons of the distant past and the more popular images of folk musicians of the mid to late 60s.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Look What Happened


STARK vs. BUDDY SCHAUB


An Exclusive Interview with Buddy Schaub
of Less Than Jake

by ANDREW DANIELS

It's not every day that you get to have a conversation with someone who's responsible for making music that you live by. For the better part of the last decade, Less Than Jake has served as the soundtrack to my youth. No other band has more accurately represented growing up for me as much as these five guys from Gainesville, Florida, and they've followed me into adulthood. Since their inception in 1992, they've transitioned from being the new kids in the punk rock scene, to the mainstays, and now to the legends. Over the course of sixteen years, they've seen more than a hundred releases on independent and major labels and have captured the hearts of a million sweaty adolescents on the heels of their notorious live show. With the release of their seventh studio album, GNV FLA (June 24), Less Than Jake has forged a new chapter in their career. The band left Warner Brothers Records last year, and started their own, entirely independent label, Sleep It Off Records to handle matters themselves. By all accounts, it's a re-birth. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak to trombonist Buddy Schaub about this frenzied time in the band's career: their new beginning.

So you’re still in Florida today, right at the start of your summer tour. You’re traveling the country this summer with bands like Goldfinger, Mustard Plug, Suburban Legends, Big D and the Kids Table – all bands that, in some point or other in their careers, have been classified as ska. You toured last summer with Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto. Was this a conscious decision on the part of Less Than Jake, to start touring again with more ska bands?

The tour itself is called the Shout It Loud tour. Last year when we went out with Reel Big Fish was the first batch of that, and this is the second year. We wanted to start a tour with a name, so that we won’t have to go on the Warped Tour ever again. [Laughs] I mean, not really, but yeah, we definitely consciously decided to have a ska theme going on. We’ve been out with the newer-sounding bands a lot for the last few years, and decided to go back and have some fun ska stuff over the summer.

Do you feel like there’s been somewhat of a resurgence of ska music recently? Or has it ever really gone away?

It’s never gone away. Nothing ever really goes away, it just kind of leaves the limelight for a while. We’ve somehow avoided all of those trend issues, and I don’t know how we’ve managed to survive. We’ve just stayed relevant by being a band that keeps touring. But I do kind of think that there is a little resurgence going on. Ska’s getting a little more of a public eye, I guess. But I don’t know, it doesn’t really concern us. We’ve never really tried to pigeonhole ourselves into anything, which is probably why we’ve outlasted the whole thing. We just go out and do what we do. We’ve never really tried to follow any trend. Like when the ska thing died out, we weren’t gonna change our sound to nu-metal to try and ride the wave, you know?

More with Less Than Jake after the jump.

It’s the dawn of the release of GNV FLA, an album that – by a lot of pre-release hype – is your “return to form.” Faster songs, more horns, etc. Do you agree with that assessment, that this album is a return to the Less Than Jake that people know and love?

Definitely. I feel that the last record got softened up a bit, and a lot of that had to do with the fact that we were still on Warner Brothers, and we were just searching for too many opinions instead of just relying on ourselves. None of us were really that happy with the record. I mean, I still love a lot of the songs on In With The Out Crowd, but I think that during the writing and recording process, a lot of the stuff just got jumbled along the way. After IWOTC, we went out and toured the rest of the year, and we played those six record shows, where we played each record in its entirety per night. So I think doing that actually consciously helped this record a lot. It was like doing your homework before a test, like doing a bunch of homework the whole year and then taking your midterm. So we went back and re-learned some of the songs we haven’t played in forever, and basically reviewed everything we’ve ever done as a band. It helped you kind of see, “well, we haven’t done that in a long time”, or “that works, that doesn’t work.” You know, it wasn’t really a conscious thing, but it did influence some of the way we were writing this time. And really, it was only the five of us writing this time. We didn’t have anyone else who heard the songs. Right before we got to Chicago, our producer [Matt Allison] came down to Gainesville, and that was sort of the first time anyone ever heard them or had an opinion. We kind of wrapped ourselves up and went at it again like we used to.

Does it offend you that some fans completely bastardize In With The Out Crowd, with some even refusing to count it among your albums?

Yeah, obviously. It’s like one of your children. Whenever you have a record, you’ve worked on it for a couple of years, and all of a sudden for it to be ill-received is always kind of a bummer. But when it came out, like I said, none of us were really that hugely excited about it. Like, we all liked some of the songs that were on there, and we did our best to do what we were doing, but I think there was a whole of fatigue going on with that record.

What do you think went wrong? Was it a case of the label [Warner Brothers] trying to fit square pegs into round holes? In the oral history of LTJ in Alternative Press a few issues ago, I know that there may have also been disagreements with Howard Benson.

I think in his [Benson’s] defense as well, he was getting it from all sides too. The label was whispering stuff in one ear, and we were saying stuff in the other, so he was like the middle man in the whole situation. He was trying to do what he does: make another hit record for Warner Brothers. That was also when the whole downloading thing was really taking off, and everyone at the label was starting to get worried and freaking out, like, “It’s gotta be like this!” I mean, they never said, “this is what you have to do,” and they weren’t coming in with like, charts of what we were supposed to be playing, but a lot of suggestions were made. We worked with some outside writers, and it’s partly our fault too, because we didn’t stand true and be like, “We’re not gonna do any of this stuff!” We were willing to explore all these ideas and check out what all our options were. It just didn’t end up being the most positive environment for all of us. It was an experiment gone awry, which is essentially what happened. It wasn’t really anyone’s fault. It wasn’t all Warner Brothers, and it wasn’t all Benson’s, it wasn’t all of us, all of our managers. You know, everyone who was involved with the whole thing led to what it was. That’s just how anything works. That’s why I think this record is different in the sense that we did kind of lead everybody else to the wayside. We left Warner Brothers, went out on our own and just take the reins ourselves. I think this record came out as what we are as a band.

At this stage of the game, and this far into your career, why go independent now with Sleep It Off?

When we were deciding to leave Warner Brothers, it mainly came about because we did kind of feel like “we can do this better.” We entertained other ideas. Of course, Fat Mike came up to us, and said we can go back to him any time. He’s always said that- “come be on my label.” But you know, we realized that at this point in our lives and our careers, for as long as we’ve been doing this, we’ve been done there and done that. It’s like, we’ve seen how everything works in all those different worlds. We know how to do it ourselves. Why are we gonna get someone else on board to do it again where we can just do it? It was a matter of whether or not we wanted to put in the time and effort, so we decided that the best way for it to really come out was being just us. There’s always someone else to blame when something goes wrong, whereas this way it’s all on our shoulders, so there’s a lot more responsibility involved. When something goes right, we’ll get all the rewards. I think that where we are in our careers, this is the best time to do it. And yeah, we could have done it a long time ago, like when we left Capitol for the first time. But I don’t think we were ready at that point, and now as a band and as people, we’re ready to take on this huge challenge.

Tell me about the making of the record. How did the band hook up with Matt Allison, who is known for his work with bands like Rise Against and Alkaline Trio? Was it a conscious effort to get it to sound rawer than the previous records?

Well, we chose him over other producers because we didn’t want someone who was gonna come in and be a heavy-handed producer. We didn’t want someone who was gonna say, “change this” or “change that” – someone with a lot of suggestions. We wanted someone who comes from the same world we do, and he does. With the bands that he’s done before – he’s a punk rock guy – it makes sense for us to try to make our record more on the punk rock side of things. It wasn’t because our last record was what it was – it’s just, that’s what we wanted to do. If we had done some of those songs [on IWTOC] differently, they wouldn’t have been as polished and whatever they were. They could’ve been a little more raw, like you said.

Roger [Fiorello, bassist and vocalist] shares a co-producing credit on this record. I know he’s done demos in his home studio for the band for quite some time, but in what capacity did he take on this time? Obviously he’s very involved in the creative and arranging aspect of producing, but as far as engineering, how big of a hand did he play?

You know, he’s always been from day one the guy that’s been the recording nerd in the band. He’s been learning since we were in high school, when we were doing things on four-tracks. So he’s been turning knobs for a long time. He’s done our demos, but he’s also done some other bands over the last ten years on different levels. He keeps building up his studio at home, and that’s where we pretty much wrote the whole record. We started out doing it in our warehouse, but it’s a lot easier just going into a studio setting to record some ideas, and in the future kind of play off of those ideas. It’s easier to actually work with something when you’re not just sitting in the warehouse trying to figure it out all in one step. From the writing side of it, he’s very involved in it all the time. And since we did it at his house, he’s there after we all leave at night, still tinkering around with stuff. And then once we got to Chicago, we were all in there for twelve hours a day, but he was very heavily involved beyond that. On previous records, we’ve always gotten the “co-produced by Less Than Jake”, but he’s definitely the guy that’s in there tweaking things out.

I’ve been watching the YouTube series you guys recorded for the album, and it’s a great view of each member’s outlook on the band and the album. You mentioned that with the exception of losing and adding a few members over the years, the same four core members have been in the band for sixteen years. Just how much has that helped the writing process? Is it still as democratic as it was sixteen years ago?

It’s definitely shaped the way things do happen. Chris and Roger will write a majority of the music, or have a shell of a song, like a chorus or something like that. Vinnie has scrap papers with lyrics around, and we try to shove it all together. Then JR and I figure out horn parts. It’s definitely been the same throughout the years. As Roger’s interview was saying, the way we go about writing a song has kind of changed a little bit, with the more gear that we have and the technological advances that have sprung up in the past ten years. Just being able to lay down the basic idea for the song and then working over that is a lot easier, especially when you get to the phase when you try to write horn parts and harmonies. It just makes it a lot easier to kind of build the song from the foundation. Before you could do that all just sitting in the warehouse, and try and come up with it on the spot, but that’s harder to do.

Scott from Reel Big Fish plays trumpet on the album. What was it like collaborating with him? You and J.R. [Wasilewski, saxophonist] probably spent the most time with him. Did you guys arrange the parts for him, or did he lend his hand?

We were on the road with them [Reel Big Fish] all last summer. We actually tried to get the trumpet player from Streetlight Manifesto to come play too, but they were really busy. And then we were like, “Oh, we should just call Scott.” He came in, and it was really easy, just because we hung out all summer. We had him come in and lay down some harmonies over the horn parts we had already. It wasn’t like he came in and worked with us the whole time. It was cool to have one of your friends come in and do it too, as opposed to some studio musician come in and lay something down.

Are there ever any plans to implement more of the trumpet sound in your music, whether it be on record or live?

In a live setting, no, I don't think so. The five of us have been in this band together for eight years – it’s like The Brady Bunch out here – we’re like a bunch of brothers. Trying to add someone else to that at this point would be hard to do, especially with the chemistry that all of us already have. I think JR and I pull it off well. For the record, though, we did want to try to get that extra high-end sound on there, just to have a little more punch to the horn section. Just some of the songs on the new record, we thought that having a trumpet would be really cool.

Can you compare GNV FLA to past works? I’ve heard a lot of people likening it to Borders And Boundaries. Musically, what does it revoke? Lyrically and thematically, what can it be compared to? What mindset is the band in right now? I love the meaning behind the title – changing things that didn’t need to be changed. Is that a loose theme behind the whole record?

I’ve heard that a lot too, with the comparisons to Borders. And that’s weird, because that’s not what any of us were thinking. But I guess it kind of really is in that realm. We can’t really compare it to Losing Streak or [Hello] Rockview, because of the production level on those aren’t as good as what we’ve got going now, and in terms of the songwriting, we’re not gonna go as far back to that. Borders is a good comparison because it was kind of a mix of that newer rock sound that we have mixed with the older stuff too. Like I said, I think when we went out and did all of those record shows before, it was like us gathering information on the best things we’ve done in the past. We just tried to put all of that together. I kind of feel like the new record is a conglomeration of everything we’ve ever done. That’s how I look at it. It’s hard for me to pick one album that it sounds like, because I think it’s got pieces from everything.

A lot of the songs have a bunch of different themes. The first and second tracks are about Gainesville, where we grew up as a band, and the state of Florida. “The State of Florida” is really the best example of that. It’s about how Florida’s constantly changing. Things are going up building-wise, and things are disappearing. That’s kind of what they were saying about the title. But there are definitely lots of other themes going on in the record. It’s a lot of the same things we’ve talked about before, but it’s just another angle on it.

What are your marketing plans for the album? Will Sleep It Off have the same distribution as majors? Are there any plans to work the single to radio, or to shoot a video? How big of a role is the Internet playing in the promotion?

Well we definitely have plans to make a video. It’s just about finding time at this point. We almost tried to squeeze it in right before we left for tour, but we didn’t want to rush it, you know? We do have a pretty good idea for a video. I can’t say what it is, but yeah, we’re for sure making a video. Maybe another one. Who knows where it’s gonna end? As far as radio is concerned, we’re just getting whatever we can. Whoever wants to play it – college stations, whatever – can play it. That’s fine with us. We’re not really hardcore on that side of things. Mainly the marketing that’s been going on so far has been online, a lot of viral stuff.

We’re definitely embracing the Internet. People in our demographic – teenagers to college kids, whatever – are on the Internet like, eight hours a day. Half of them don’t even listen to the radio anymore. As far as promoting your record, that’s the easiest way to do it. It’s worldwide, do-it-yourself. So we’re definitely embracing that whole-heartedly. To answer your distribution question, we made several distribution deals with different places around the world, so we have an American distribution company, which is RED, and in England and Australia we have Cooking Vinyl, and then in Japan it’s another one. So we’ve definitely got the world covered here.

Is it safe to say then, now that you’re done playing the major label game, that Less Than Jake doesn’t care about being popular anymore, or scoring that elusive hit single? You’ve got a remarkably solid fan base that’s stuck with you for more than a decade now, through the ups and downs. Do you need any more than that?

I mean, as a band, that’s kind of how we’ve gotten where we are. We always need a little more than what we’ve got. I think that’s what screws a lot of bands up, that they go for way too far out of their reach. They aim for the stars before they’ve gotten off the ground. So we’ve always tried to do a little better than what we’ve done before. So that’s what we’re trying to do now. We’re definitely going to work with the fanbase we already have, and then you always want to be a little bigger – so we’re going to do whatever we need to get to that point.But those days of getting a hit are over. We just want to get out there, tour, play to the people who love our band already, and do what we can to get the word out to people who haven’t heard us.

What are YOUR expectations for this album? Is it all self-fulfillment, or would you like to prove some of your critics wrong?

As long as everything is as good as it was before, then I’m happy. I actually think this album should take us a little further, because I really think we’ve gone up a step from what we did. Whenever you take steps like that, and move up from where you were prior, more and more people will follow along with you. And we feel good about it. I’ll use our last record as an example. You know, not all of us felt really good about it. So it’s hard to go out there and be like, “Oh, here it is! We’re gonna go take the world by storm!” Whereas on this record, all of us are really positive about it and really happy with how things came out. I think that’s going to show. And that’ll only lead to us doing better. We were talking about how the Internet is taking over everything, too. As far as like, sales, and whether or not we’re going to go out and sell a bunch of records, no one’s really worried about that. I mean, hopefully we sell a nice amount, but I don’t think any of us really view that as an option anymore. More so, your record is like a promotion tool for your tour. “Our new record is our marketing tool! Come see us play live!”

So far, what’s the reception been like to the new songs? I know the tour is really young – what, this is the second day? – but how have audiences responded to the material?

We played the song that we’ve had up online for a while [“Does The Lion City Still Roar?”] and people seemed to have a grasp of it. There are some superfans that we’ve seen at a bunch of shows, and they all knew all the lyrics, screaming them from the front row already. We played a couple of shows over in England before we came back home, and the new stuff was really well received. No one knows the new songs yet, cause the record’s not out, but I think it was good. It’s not like anyone started booing or throwing things at us, which is always nice.

With this album, have you been creatively re-energized? I guess what I’d like to know is, when you look at your future, is there anything else you can see yourself doing other than being in Less Than Jake?

I really think that turning point happened a while ago. We’ve lost some relationships over the band, and there have been so many changes. When you’ve been in a band for as long as we have, you either break up because you don’t get along with each other anymore, or you get closer and turn into this strong thing that’s just impenetrable, and that’s really what we are at this point. With the last record, just going through the whole process, it was tough, but we emerged out of it together. The way that this record was written re-established that we do still have something. That was kind of starting to worry me before… were we going to be able to write together anymore after that last record? It was such a weird thing, that whole experience. On this one, it was just the five of us, and everything went really smooth and we couldn’t be happier with out how it came out. And I think that’s really going to spur future adventures in the same way. What I’ve been saying is that we’re going to be the next Rolling Stones. We’re going to do the “Real Steel Wheels Tour”, coming out on the stage in wheelchairs with oxygen tanks. I’m excited about the fact that we’ll be doing this for a long time.

I didn't think I'd have you this long, so let me get the trivial questions out of the way while we're at it. What's your favorite city to play?

Right now it might be Chicago, just because we recorded there, and our fans have always been super awesome there. I can’t really give you more than one, can I? I’ll go with Chicago for now.

We’re based around Philadelphia and New York. What can you say about the northeast, and your fans up here?

That’s the thing, too. The whole area of New Jersey, Philly, and New York has been a hotbed for us. The craziest stuff always happens at our northeast shows. The kids there are really energetic and know how to go to a punk rock show. Whereas, if you go to the west coast, sometimes people look at each other and ask, “is it okay to move around? Should I be like him or should I be like her?” In New Jersey and Philadelphia, nobody really gives a shit.

What is your favorite Less Than Jake song? Favorite album?

Wow. That’s a rough call. Right now, my favorite album is the new record. And it really kind of is. It’s a conglomeration of all that stuff. But my favorite song that I like to play live is probably “Last One Out of Liberty City.” It always gets the crowd riled up, and it’s fun to play, and it’s not one of those songs where I’m like, “shit, am I gonna be able to hit that note?” I can nail the part in my sleep.

A lot of fans have been clamoring for an official LTJ live album. Are there any plans to release one in the future, especially with the advent of Sleep It Off?

The possibility of that is very strong, actually. Roger just put together a road Pro-Tools rig, so that we can take all 24 tracks off the board mix. There will quite possibly be something like that in the works. We can even start putting stuff online, as we go along the tour. Like, “Hey, here’s a song from last night’s show.” That kind of thing. I’m sure that will lead to a live album.

What are you listening to right now?

Let me look at my iTunes. Teenage Bottlerocket is a band I’m into right now. The Ergs. A band called The Figgs. A lot of this other stuff is just what I’ve listened to forever. I’m always huge on Superchunk, especially right now.

Tell me about Black Ice, your solo project. Are there any plans to develop it beyond what it is now?

I don’t know, it’s really just a way for me to play with myself. And then once Myspace came out, it was kind of like, “ooh, I can put this up and hear me playing with myself!” It can turn into something at some point, but it’s so sporadic, in terms of actually having the time to do stuff with it. It’s weird too, because as time has gone along, I’ve learned to do a lot more. The stuff I’m working on now I like a lot more. So yeah, I can definitely see it expanding in the future. The other thing that I do is called Coffee Project. We are planning on doing something. It’s an acoustic thing that I do with my buddy Jake. We’re putting out a 10 inch on Vinnie’s label, Paper and Plastick.

What would you say your biggest accomplishment has been in Less Than Jake?

That’s rough, because it’s weird. Throughout the span of our career, that can mean so many different things. The thing about our band is that we always set our goals only so high. Like the first time we had a CD out, which is comical now because they’re essentially obsolete, but we were like, “Wow, we have our own record.” That was huge. And then playing with Bon Jovi was big. That band was a monster when I was in high school, and then to go on tour with them was just crazy. Touring with the Descendents was a huge accomplishment for us too, because of the fact that they were our huge punk rock influence. We didn’t want to blow that. That whole tour with those guys was amazing, and it’s weird to think that they’re actually our friends now. I guess the biggest accomplishment for us is just being one of those bands in that world of punk rock… I’m trying to use the right word, and not sound pretentious… but like a NOFX. Just to be a band where people know who you are, and to know that you’ve made it in the punk rock world. That’s tops for me.

Let’s end on a downer, then. What has been your biggest regret?

I’m trying to figure out if there really is one. I mean, there are things that we’ve done as a band that have been blatant mistakes – that we’ve all looked at and said, “ooh, maybe we shouldn’t have done that.” I think we’ve learned from them, so as a learning tool, I can’t really look it any of those things as regrets. I hate to be cliché, but I look at all the negatives as positives, and try to use that half-full approach.

That's admirable.

I mean, I got divorced, and a lot of that had to do with the band, but I still don’t regret that. I wasn’t going to stop doing what I love doing. I wasn’t going to like, leave camp for something else. This is what I love, man.



-This interview was conducted over the phone on June 18, 2008. A million thanks to Buddy for the interview, and to the band's publicist, Rey Roldan, for setting it up. GNV FLA is in stores June 24 via Sleep It Off. You can hear the album's single, "Does The Lion City Still Roar?" on Less Than Jake's MySpace.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Review: Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008/Sub Pop)

Today, it has become increasingly rare to have all of the disparate opinions of music critics line up behind one artist or band. In most cases, that band is new, and proceeds to have a very big year. I give you Fleet Foxes.

This Seattle band's press file includes raves from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Blender and Fader. The list is seemingly endless. The blog world embraced them early, and more mainstream critics quickly followed suit as well. Fleet Foxes released an excellent EP earlier in the year which caught the attention of a very inviting critical pool. Subsequent tours followed, as buzz grew leading up to their LP-release-day last week. They landed the highly sought after 9.0 from Pitchfork, and sold 8,000 records in their first week. Sub Pop has found the formula for breaking new bands and Fleet Foxes are reaping the benefits.
MORE AFTER THE JUMP.

The first and most important step is, clearly, to make an excellent record. Fleet Foxes have. Their eponymous debut often lives in several worlds at once. At times it sounds like a distinctively modern "indie" rock album, with its reverb-drenched vocals and haunting Grizzly Bear harmonies. Yet, what makes this album so fantastic, is its ability to draw from old sounds and styles, as well as new. Not just old as in the '60s-influenced baroque pop their sound echos, but old as in dusty Alan Lomax field recordings. Yeah. That kind of old. There's an ancient aura at play throughout the record, drawing from rural America and medieval sounding instrumental lines. Somehow Fleet Foxes mix the country with the city, the old with the new and create a potent and highly enjoyable record.

So what happens next? In the past, when the critical cosmos has aligned in such a way, it meant big things for that artist. Small "indie" rock artists have become household names: Feist, My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse come to mind. Will Fleet Foxes be selling out Radio City Music Hall this year? No. The record lacks that one hit to land them the coveted iPod commercial or prominent TV placement. Ultimately though, they are not that kind of band. Fleet Foxes have made a complete album that, thankfully, is not a passing sweetness; it is long lasting and stays with you even after it's gone. In that way, listeners will keep coming back to Fleet Foxes, and in turn, the band will find ample amounts of success.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Nashville Review: Personal Thao Concert

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Ask most concert-goers in Nashville about Thao and The Get Down Stay Down and they will respond, "who?" "You know, the band that has been opening for Rilo Kiley all summer..." Still nothing. Well, I know who Thao and the boys are and last night they played an empty dive bar, much to my personal enjoyment - did I mention they were the headliners?

I ended up traveling solo to the show, and I am glad I did. Thao, drummer Willis, and bassist Adam were just sitting at the bar when I arrived. Immediately striking up a conversation with the trio over Red Stripes, we ended up hanging out together for the rest of the evening. They didn't know anyone at the show, and neither did I. We had that in common.

Willis explained that they had been on the road with Kiley going on six weeks now and they were looking forward to some time off. Thao admitted that she was tired and ready to head back to her current residence in San Francisco after the tours end. I had a chance to ask the band what they have been listening to record-wise while on the road and they cited Santogold, Fleet Foxes and a few others that slip my mind.

It was amusing talking to Thao about her newest record, We Brave Bee Stings & All and how some, if not most, reviewers find it a "summery" album. She laughed and said that it was obviously not her goal when she began writing, but she couldn't disagree. Thao soon slipped away to sit by herself, awaiting the call to the stage.

12:00 a.m. - Thao, Willis and Adam take the stage ripping into an amazing set, that fell mainly upon deaf ears, save a few. Come on Nashville you are better than this. Thao's beautiful auburn-hollow bodied guitar, coupled with her expert and unique playing style made for a rich sound. Stripped down to a trio, Thao becomes even more of the focal point, as does her playing ability. Willis and Adam did well to sit back, lay down the grooves and let Thao do what she does. Unusually soft spoken off stage, Thao becomes an act to behold on stage, gyrating around and screaming vocals with an unrestrained elegance. The band's presence was too big for the venue. The evening's set list read: (order of songs not exact)
-Beat (Health, Life And Fire)
-Geography
-Feet Asleep
-Bag of Hammers
-Violet
-Swimming Pools
-Travel
-Fear and Convenience

I was seemingly the only Thao fan in the audience, and after the show, the band expressed their gratefulness - they will be heading to Athens, GA., for a recording session at Paste magazine, then Virginia and then back home to D.C. Check them out if you can, and say Vince from Nashville sent you.

Thao Myspace


After the jump.

Lil Wayne Sells over 1 Million Records in 1 Week - Highest Since 2005

Since I entered the music industry world in 2005, I have seen the sales figures plummet. Each Sound Scan report came in with the same dissapointing results. Honestly, I never thought I would see 1 million records sold in a week again. If Kayne didn't do it last year with his ridiculous contest with 50 Cent, I didn't think anyone would. Then here comes Lil Wayne to drop the biggest number since 2005. Will this save recorded music? Doubtful. But this shows that the big numbers are still reachable if you make a good record and market it properly.
Get all the details from Billboard

Weekend Excitement - After the Jump Festival - Brooklyn, NY

It's hard to summarize this Saturday's music extravaganza in one manageable post. Basically After the Jump is a consortium of NY bloggers who have teamed up to put on an exciting day of music in Brooklyn. Proceeds go towards charity. I'm excited to check out HEALTH, Ponytail, and especially Titus Andronicus - I love the record, but haven't seen them live, even though they've played NY about 100 times in the past few weeks. There will be shows at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Galapagos (which is moving to Dumbo) and on Main Street! If you're around Brooklyn on Saturday stop in to see some great music. Also check out the After the Jump blogs - they are all worth the visit. More information on ATJ and schedules HERE.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

6 Reasons to See Laura Marling Tonight at the Mercury Lounge


  1. Though I can’t personally speak to this because I haven’t heard her yet (sometimes I like to go in fresh to live shows), I hear she’s the cat’s pajamas.
  2. It’s the early show, so you old peeps can get to bed on time. Show starts at 7:30.
  3. She says she likes Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and I think I believe her.
  4. It’s only $14 dollars at the door. Get some pizza or a Crif Dawg for dinner, sneak a flask in or something, and as far as concerts go, it’s like... free!
  5. It’s the perfect way to celebrate hump day…there’s no basketball on anyway.
  6. I will be there! If that’s not reason enough to bang down the doors out of sheer joy…

-Tara McCarthy, Contributing Writer

Monday, June 16, 2008

Bonnaroo Hangover

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Yes, I went to Bonnaroo. Yes, I made it to work this morning. And yes, I have a Bonnaroo hangover. What does that consist of, you ask? Combine heat stroke, a regular hangover and sleep deprivation, add sore joints from sleeping in odd places, mysterious cuts and bruises and sensory overload. Then you're about there.

I can't complain. I went to Bonnaroo for free, had press access and procured an artist pass. Here is a little recap as I come down from the 'Roo:

Who I encountered:
-Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers, Beatle Bob , The Wood Brothers w/John Medeski, Battles, MGMT, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Amie Mann, Chan Marshall (a.k.a. Cat Power, who winked and smiled at me), Sigur Ros, De Novo Dahl, Alia Shawkat (Maeby from Arrested Development) and Samuel Beam from Iron and Wine.
Best of performances:
-Metallica, MMJ, Superdrag, Battles, The Felice Brothers, The Avett Brothers, Levon Helm, Adele, M.I.A., The Wood Brothers, Two Gallants, Comedian Louis C.K., Cat Power, Sharon Jones, Sigur Ros, Chromeo and others.
Not the worst, but not the best:
-DBT, The Raconteurs, Pearl Jam, Willie Nelson, didn't stay up for it but Kanye, and Rogue Wave.
Best extracurriculars:
-Swag in the artist area, Sunday morning mimosas, free food and drinks in the radio tent, backstage access, clean Port-o-potties, air conditioned press/artist tent, the photo pit, watching the silent disco, the fire exhibit, comedy tent and more.
Worst extracurriculars:
- The coffee in the press tent, mud, security personnel, $6 for everything, the sun, not getting back stage, the main stages, press bleachers, dodging golf carts and more...

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Matt's Top 20 CDs of 2008... So Far.

01. Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances - "Titus Andron"...mp3
The energy on the debut from this New Jersey band matches nothing I've heard yet this year. It's youthful, raw and lo-fi in all the right ways. Bright Eyes comparisons are obvious, but in this record I see the recklessness and passion I loved the first time I listened to Lifted...

02. Drive by Truckers - Brighter than Creation's Dark - After a lack-luster release in 2006, my favorite band returned with a huge record this year. Although a few songs could've been cut (sorry Shonna, but hang it up) most of these tunes sound like a mature band aging gracefully.

03. No Age - Nouns - "Eraser" mp3
Similarly doing well to capture a vibrant, lo-fi, rawness, No Age are also able to master the art of melody and actual songwriting. Two things many "noise rock" bands seem to tragically overlook all too often these days.

04. Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Bee Stings and All
It was hard to put this album at #4, and it could very well see itself in a higher position at year's end. This album has proved the most consistently rewarding listen of the year. I've also seen her live about 30 times this year, and each time has been great. "Beat (Health, Life & Fire)" mp3

05. Sun Kil Moon - April
For whatever my opinion matters, earlier in the year, I called Mark Kozelek one of the best living American songwriters. April is yet another installment in his fantastic catalog. Gentle, sad and occasionally hopeful, this album is filled with rambling gems touched with folk, rock, and a classic wistful Americana.

06. Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Graves
After stumbling into an accidental meeting with his manager and eventually the "Tallest Man" himself - this has been one of the most surprising winners of 2008. Somehow the Sweedish born Kristian Mattson manages to capture the spirit of Appalachia, the melody of Nick Drake, and textures of early Dylan all in one extremely well written album.

07. Lykke Li - Youth Novels - "Dance Dance Dance" mp3
One of the most buzzed about albums of 2007 and 2008, Youth Novels holds up under all of the expectation. At once poppy and very European, Lykke Li manages to deliver catchy tunes in a girlish voice without ever sounding twee or precious. Inara George take note.

08. Beach House - Devotion - "Gila" mp3
This was strangely a slow grower. Whereas their first record was crisp, autumnal, and colorful, I thought Devotion felt too muted and rounded off. Yet, I grew to love its warmness and its closeness in the headphones - hence here it lies at number 8.

09. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
Thank goodness DFA records was part of EMI at the same time I was (earlier this year). That allowed me to send a few emails and obtain this gem of a record. It seemingly came out of nowhere with its amazing grooves, and soaring vocals from Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons). Great party record. Pick it up in July.

10. Dodos "Visiter" - "Ashley" mp3
One of the first good albums of '08, I just recently revisited this record and remembered why I liked it. It's ragged, and stripped down, yet each song manages to hold its structure. And drummer Logan Kroeber's rattling, propulsive beats are just amazing.

11. Dan Friel - Ghost Town - "In Ghost Town pt1"
Just added this one to my top selections here, but it's well worth it. At times reminiscent of fellow noise maker Dan Deacon, Friel's melodies are more infectious and stay with you longer. I'm looking forward to this getting even better over time.

The rest after the jump + more mp3s.

12.Quiet Village - Silent Movie
13. Caitlin Rose - Dead Flowers EP "Dead Flowers" mp3
14. Vetiver - Thing of the Past - "Blue Driver" mp3
15. Al Green - Lay it Down - "Lay it Down" - mp3
16. Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds, and Nigerian Blues
17.
Samamidon - All is Well
18. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down in the Light
19. Old 97s - Blame it on Gravity
20. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

Friday, June 13, 2008

Stark/Jinners Northside Showcase 2009


STARK MAGAZINE and JINNERS PRESENT:

TRISTEN
PURSESNATCHERS
APRIL SMITH
JAYMAY
XYLOS

Saturday, June 13th at Cameo - Doors at 7:30pm
93 North 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Northside Festival brought to you by The L Magazine

Free with Northside badge $10 at the door


Yes, folks - it's true. We are hosting a showcase. We're absolutely stoked to present you this epic* line-up with NY blogger/promoter extraordinaireJinners. We put a lot of time into this, so you better come. Kidding. (Not really?) Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be featuring each artist on Stark with interviews, photos and exclusive mp3s. We're really looking forward to this, as all of these artists are honestly fantastic. Keep your eye out for these features coming up. So come out, say hello, enjoy some music and swill some delicious oat sodas with us. How many effusive adjectives do you know?

Official Announcement



Black Kids "Partie Traumatic" Cover Art - Tour Dates

The Black Kids continue their rapid rise to the top, announcing headlining dates in preparation for their debut LP Partie Traumatic. From the biggest buzz band at CMJ last year, to a fresh deal with Columbia Records the Black Kids seem destined for big(ger) things this year. Here's to hoping the record doesn't suck... (apparently it's quite good actually) Full review coming soon. Video below and Tour dates after the jump.


Black Kids US Dates:
Friday 07/25/08 New York, NY @ Santo’s Party House
Tuesday 07/29/08 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey

Friday 09/19/08 Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird
Saturday 09/20/08 Orlando, FL @ The Social
Tuesday 09/23/08 Atlanta, GA @ Earl
Wednesday 09/24/08 Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club
Thursday 09/25/08 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Friday 09/26/08 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
Saturday 09/27/08 Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat
Monday 09/29/08 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Thursday 10/02/08 Boston, MA @ Paradise
Saturday 10/04/08 Montreal, PQ @ Cabaret Music Hall
Sunday 10/05/08 Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
Monday 10/06/08 Chicago, IL @ Metro
Tuesday 10/07/08 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Friday 10/10/08 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
Saturday 10/11/08 Vancouver, BC @ Richards
Sunday 10/12/08 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne
Monday 10/13/08 San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore

Ezra Furman and the Harpoons Hit the Studio - Need Your Money

Boy wonder Ezra Furman and his band the Harpoons are heading into the studio this week to begin recording their second LP with producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Josh Ritter). Banging Down the Doors (Minty Fresh) was a crisp and electrifying debut from one of the most promising young artists out there right now. If you don't have it definitely buy it. Now. Then get excited for the next one. From the band's website:

Extra! Extra! Ye old Harpoons are heading back in the studio to make a rockin goddamn rock album. And you’re going to like it. We’re in Chicago right now polishing up some songs before we go to Engine Studios with our pal Brian Deck. Our first day of recording is on Wednesday, so we’ll have some more updates soon.

In other news; we graduated from Tufts, we’re broke, and our van lost power steering today (yes that is dangerous). Ironically, our first tour ever was deemed the “Broke and Hungry” tour, yet we actually made money. Now that we’re real musicians, we’re more broke and hungry than ever before. Gimme a whattttttttttt??? Gimme a yeahhhhhhhhaaaaaahhhhh!!!

American Highway - Ezra Furman & The Harpoons

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Beck Cover Art and Tracklist

Saw this floating around the blogosphere, and since today has been slow on the old Stark site I thought I'd throw it up there. I think it's pretty bitchin'. Something about the pointy rock shoes I think. Looking forward to this one. Released in the UK 7/7 (XL) and over here in the colonies on 7/8 (DCG).

1 "Orphans"
2 "Gamma Ray"
3 "Chemtrails"
4 "Modern Guilt"
5 "Youthless"
6 "Walls"
7 "Replica"
8 "Soul of A Man"
9 "Profanity Prayers"
10 "Volcano"

After the jump.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Micah P. Hinson -"Tell Me it Ain't So" - mp3

Micah P. Hinson caught my attention in 2006 with a terrific record entitled, Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit. It’s full of dark, expanding ballads that underline Hinson's minor vocal tones. A little investigation into the artist revealed that Hinson already had the early Steve Earle lifestyle (drugs, jail, etc.) under his belt by the time he was 20 - A fair explanation for the characters in his music.

Those qualities are evident on this track "Tell Me it Ain't So" from his new album, Micah P Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra. Hinson offers lyrical atonement as a small orchestra (piano, guitar, bass, organ and strings) waltzes on behind him. The music builds to a crescendo while the singer is left with only the repeated meditation, “Please God, Tell me it ain’t so, please tell me it ain’t so…”

It’s easy to make comparisons to Kurt Wagner and Lambchop, but Micah stands on his own with a more direct approach. Hopefully the new album follow suit.
Micah P. Hinson - "Tell Me it Ain't So" mp3

-Mike Bailey - Stark Contributing Writer

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Walter Meego Interview @ Bowery Ballroom 6/5

By Matt
Additional reporting by Ashley

Ashley and I had a chance to sit down with Chicago dance/rock duo Walter Meego last Thursday before their set at the Bowery Ballroom opening for the Presets. What emerged from our conversation was a portrait of a new band striving to define themselves in an ever-changing musical landscape.

For Justin Sconza and Colin Yarck, New York was the end of a 15-date run, during which the band released their debut record Voyager on Almost Gold via Columbia/Sony. Calling New York more "lively" than their current home, LA, and former home Chicago, the two seemed glad to be back. In a year where the dance genre has made many new fans in the wake of groups like Justice and the reemergence of Kanye-fueled Daft Punk, Walter Meego seems to be striking while the iron is hot. Yet, when asked about the attention surrounding their debut release, Sconza was reluctant to credit the growing dance/rock market. “We’ve definitely been receiving more attention recently, but I can’t say it’s specifically because of [the marketplace]”

It’s hard to deny the connection between the band’s signing to a major label and the growth of their genre. For Walter Meego though, their genre and band are not as easily defined as one may think. Yarck comments, “[In Europe] we play more parties – club nights. It’s fun, it’s a different type of show.” These types of shows, while fun, elicit some frustration from the duo, who want to move from being sort of party DJs to becoming more of a band that commands the attention of an audience. Understandably.

More with Walter Meego after the jump...
Their set that night at the Bowery clearly defined the split between the two ends of the musical spectrum. Yarck stood behind a full table of mixing equipment and other electronic pedals and knobs. He moved like a DJ at a club – singing along, and dancing. Juxtaposed to this was the rather reserved Sconza standing behind the microphone, playing the guitar and synthesizer taking the role of the classic rock “frontman.” The thick beats drove the tunes, and were the most compelling aspect of the set. Interspersed between the fantastically hooky verses and choruses were some confusing guitar solos. At one point during the song “Through a Keyhole,” Sconza and guest guitarist Andrew stood at the front of the stage and engaged in dueling guitar-tapping solos reminiscent of something out of the Metallica era.

Speaking with the band’s tour manager, Al Verik, he commented that while the tour with the Presets was a great opportunity Walter Meego is looking to move away from the dance crowd and capture more of the indie-rock crowd. Both Verik and Sconza commented on their fondness
for label-mates MGMT and their desire to possibly tour with them in the future. MGMT seems to represent a band that has successfully captured the dance/rock sound and fan base that has come to the forefront in late 2007 and early 08.

More importantly, what has really driven the rising profile of Walter Meego has been their licensing opportunities. The hit show Ugly Betty featured two of Meego’s songs in their episodes. Most notably though, is an upcoming Heineken beer commercial prominently featuring the Meego single “Forever”. Verik commented that this could be a huge break for the duo.

Whatever the outcome, Walter Meego will hit the road again in August. The duo’s development is sure to be rapid, and any lingering questions about where they fit into the marketplace will be answered. Regardless of genre-tag, as long as Walter Meego continues to deliver melodic, richly produced-beats and choruses, fans will come.

Photo credit - Diana Wong

Hold Steady Myspace - Via Brooklyn Vegan

from brooklyn vegan


Stream the new Hold Steady ("Stay Positive")

Stay PositiveStay PositiveStay Positive

The Hold Steady's new album isn't out until July 15th, but they posted the whole thing to MySpace. They play McCarren Pool on June 29th .


Ben Sollee- Learning to Bend (2008/sonaBLAST!)


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Review by Vince Amoroso
Rating: 82

Ben Sollee: Think Chris Wood meets the cello. With a soulful voice beyond his years, and playing abilities to boot, Sollee combines a rustic-country feel with subtle R&B flavor on his debut album Learning to Bend (2008/sonaBLAST!) Hitting stores today, June 10, Sollee's album seems like a clever adaptation of a Wood Brothers record. There is nothing wrong with that. Substituting a cello for Standup bass, the differences are such that Sollee's LP sounds genuine. Using bowing techniques to produce a more percussive feel and fingerpicking reminiscent of Victor Wooten at times, Sollee's cello playing is unconventional to say the least - that’s the draw however.

Comprised of upbeat numbers such as the soon to be NPR stand-by's "A Change is Gonna Come" and "How to See the Sun Rise," Sollee combines with skillful musicians producing rich melodies that beget repeat listens. Bend is full of extremely accessible songs that are porous, easy to grasp and will have a long shelf-life.

Cue cameo appearances by Bela Fleck on track five "It's Not Impossible" and Sollee has crafted quite a mature and established album. The only drawbacks to Bend are the multitude of instruments accompanying Sollee on certain songs. Violins, guitar, banjo, sax, organ, viola, percussion, fiddle, vibes, harp all would be fine if Sollee's cello playing was not the centerpiece. At times, we loose the cello, when we originally bought the album because of the cello. That is what makes Ben Sollee's live performances captivating - he is stripped down, doing what he does best, allowing his renegade cello stylings to drive his music. But for a debut record, Sollee has done well for himself.

Myspace

(Special thanks to Jeff at Crash Avenue Publicity for this one)