1. T-MODEL FORD
VEIL VEIL VANISH
XIU XIU
THE WHISKEY GENTRY
SPITZER SPACE TELESCOPE
PEARL HARBOR
THE MUSICIAN’S RESOURCE MAGAZINE // APRIL 2010 performermag.com
STEVIE CROOKS
THE SHILLS
Challenging audiences
DAMON MOON AND THE
WHISPERING DRIFTERS
Change the dynamic, render the art
7 orange abc
The thinking man’s band
PREPPING YOUR VOCALS FOR THE STUDIO // CLAUDE KELLY: SONG MASTER
++
Putting DSP
to work
Putting DSP
to work
2. 58 APRIL2010 PERFORMERMAGAZINE
The ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO puts you
face to face with some of the world’s most
successful songwriters, composers and
producers who willingly share their knowledge
and expertise to give you the know-how to take
your music to the next level.
MASTErYOurCrAfT
register early for the biggest
discounts and find more info at
www.ascap.com/expo
Celebrity Q & A’s • Master Classes
Songwriting & ComposingWorkshops
Attendee Song Feedback Panels • Networking Opportunities
State-of-the-ArtTech Demos
Leading Music Industry Exhibitors
Publisher & Business Panels • DIY Career BuildingWorkshops
Showcases and Performances • One-on-One Sessions
APRIL 22-24, 2010 • LOS ANGELES, CA
LYrICS
In YOur HEAd
MELOdIES
In YOur HEArT
rHYTHM
In YOur SOuL
Follow ASCAPEXPO on Twitter and find out about panelists,
programming, news and connect with other attendees,
participants and EXPO fans: twitter.com/ascapexpo
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8. 6 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
TFacebook
launchesband
featurewith
iTunes
Similar to the evolution
of MySpace, Facebook
recently launched an
entirely new section
that allows bands to
create their own profiles
and make promotional
content available to
Facebook users. Tracks
will be streamed on the
page and will be linked
to iTunes, so fans can
purchase music directly.
NRadiorevenue
downtorecord
lows
2009 may have been
the worst year in history
for radio, according to
figures recently released
by the Radio Advertising
Bureau. The data shows
that total revenue,
including on-air, off-air
and digital, decreased
by 18 percent, making
just over $16 billion. The
advertising drop was
even more astonishing at
20 percent, only pulling in
$13.2 billion. Digital radio
revenues did increase 13
percent to $480 million,
making it a small ray of
hope for the industry.
NGuvera
launchesfree
downloadingsite
Guvera, a search website
for “free but paid for”
music and digital content
downloads, recently
launched in the U.S. after
a successful beta launch
in Australia. The service
uses a system where
advertisers pay for the
downloads. Consumers
select the brand that will
pay for each piece of
music they search for, so
the advertising displayed
for each person is more
relevant to their interests.
Guvera’s mission is
“Make music free for
the people, prosecute
no-one, pay the artists
full price, share the love.”
Xwww.guvera.com
//// SOUNDBITES /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
NGetyourmusiconRockBand
Among the thousands of unsigned artists floating in the sea of MySpace accounts
and open-mic nights is an innovative new tool for fans and gamers alike to play
your music right along with you and your bandmates: the new Rock Band Network
from Harmonix.
To get your music in the game, there are essentially three steps: using a set of
authoring tools for coding; a submission process built around the Xbox 360; and
selling your tracks in an upcoming online store. Membership to the Rock Band
Network is free, but users need a $99 per year XNA Creators’ Club premium
account to submit tracks.
After signing up, members can peer review other artists’ music without limitation,
in exchange for feedback on their own. Once uploaded, bands can set their own
pricing for their tracks and receive 30 percent in royalties on everything they sell.
John Drake, Harmonix communications manager and Rock Band Network program
manager, believes the Rock Band Network could become an essential promotional
tool for up-and-coming artists. “Any band passionate about what they do, already
has the tools for this,” says Drake. Not only has he been a part of developing the
service, Drake has also been on the receiving end of its benefits. Drake is the drum-
mer for Boston-based band, the Main Drag, who has already put their music on the
site. The band released their third album, You Are Underwater, this January and in
March uploaded its entirety onto the network.
Despite the short amount of time their music has been featured, the Main Drag
is quickly gaining fans due to the exposure. “It is early still, but we’ve already had
downloads as a result,” says Drake. “The program is new, it’s experimental, and it
will allow fans and bands to network and share their music.” XMichelle McNickle
Xcreators.rockband.com
9. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 7
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TBrownPaperTicketstakesontheticketingmonopoly
You’re in a band. You want to get your tickets to your fans so they can see you’re
show. Simple, right? With online ticketing, for the past year or so you’ve basically
had two options: Ticketmaster or Live Nation.
With these conglomerated ticketing corporations, fans will often sit in front of a
computer, refreshing the page since an hour before the ticket sale time, only to find
that not even 10 seconds after they’re released, they’re sold out. Ticketmaster and
Live Nation have long been suspected of payola, essentially meaning that tickets are
given out to everyone and anyone they see fit in exchange for promotion or payment,
ensuring that the general ticket-consuming public does not get their tickets. If by
the grace of the ticketing deities a fan does somehow make it to the payment page,
they then have to face a slew of charges including venue fees, ticketing fees and even
charity fees (which defies the meaning of “charity”). In addition to these issues, most
contractually obligated bands selling through these companies are barred from
playing any venues that aren’t hosted by the ticketing agencies.
It’s about to get more complicated.
With the musical landscape changing and becoming more and more fragmented due
to digital mediums, fewer bands can fill up entire stadiums. As a result, Ticketmaster
and Live Nation are merging. If you’re worried about it being more monopolistic than
it already is, the Department of Justice has your back. They’ve allowed the merger,
but on the condition that they license their ticket-selling software and sell a division of
Ticketmaster, essentially creating two competitors, AEG and Comcast-Spectator. The
latter will deal mostly with college sports. Because smaller venues and shows have
smaller fees, the new company, called Live Nation Entertainment, is focusing on large
arena concerts, which will most likely leave those smaller acts and venues behind.
But what are you going to do? Do you have other options?
An interesting alternative to this system might a Seattle-based company called
Brown Paper Tickets. They call themselves “the first and only fair trade ticketing
company” and profess that they are a “not-just-for-profit” group. Any artist or venue
can sell tickets through the website for free and buyers will always pay a flat fee.
Under 10 bucks is $.99 and over 10 bucks is $1.99. And they donate 5 percent of their
profits to charity. The tickets are secure, complete with holographic foils, black-light
imaging and bar codes, and they even have a print-at-home option. There’s no con-
tract, so you’re not bound to anything. The company will even print you extra tickets
if you decide you want to sell them through your website or another medium. There’s
also a bunch of services available to artists and promoters, including marketing.
If more bands and venues start working with Brown Paper, the ticketing world could
have its first fair trade rival. XLee Stepien Xwww.brownpapertickets.com
N WeathervaneMusic:nonprofitartistsupport
As technology shakes up the music industry, many musicians these days find
themselves without label support and with limited means to promote themselves.
Producer and recording engineer Brian McTear wanted to lend a hand to these artists.
The idea first struck in 2002, but it wasn’t until 2009 when McTear and a handful
of other music lovers launched Weathervane Music, a nonprofit organization that
strives to promote independent musicians through a series of recording projects.
Weathervane’s staff all genuinely care about the music they promote, and hope
their business strategy will change the industry.
Most of Weathervane’s work is based around its program Shaking Through, in which
independent artists and bands are invited to the Miner Street Recordings studio in
Philadelphia. Only 10 acts per year are selected. The musicians spend two to three
days in the studio, recording an original new song while a production crew films.
Afterwards, videos profiling the artist as well as discussing the technical aspects
of recording the song are released online. The program collaborates with WXPN,
a non-commercial radio station at the University of Pennsylvania, which promotes
the Shaking Through artists as well.
McTear believes Weathervane’s model of promotion will make a big difference, both
for the Shaking Through artists and in the music industry. “If nothing else, we are
demonstrating a model for developing new artists’ careers that other organizations
can adopt,” he says. “I am not saying this will change the entire way things are done,
but to my knowledge there is no nonprofit business strategy in the popular music
industry that has taken up this very necessary cause. If we are successful, even at our
own very small scale, I believe Weathervane will open the thought process for many
others to follow.”
Ultimately, Weathervane relies on other music fans to spread the word about their
favorite Shaking Through artists. “We hope that by bringing the general music-listen-
ing public into the artistic process of music, the artist’s vision and all the surrounding
details, we’ll start to build a population of music fans that will actively support
musicians they love,” McTear says. XChrisanne Grise Xwww.weathervanemusic.org
11. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 9
Vintage Rock
Explores the
New Millennium
7ORANGE ABC WENT THROUGH A GRUELING DEBATE before
agreeing on a band name. After months of deliberation and posting a
list in their shared kitchen with the top 30 picks, they finally decided on
a cynical prediction of the future. “I thought about how many bands there
are and how many bands there will be,” says drummer/vocalist Daniel
Wright. “It seems like all the decades had their patterns when it came
to band names.” What happens when all the choices run out? Will bands
just have to be classified with numbers letters and colors?
All five members of 7 Orange ABC are songwriters, hailing from
different parts of the globe with extensive musical backgrounds. They
became friends while studying music in Boston. Beginning as a 12-piece
ensemble called Yes-Theory, each week members would bring material
to work with. Slowly they found and pushed limits: how dirty, how pretty,
how loud, etc. Twelve became five and they mutually decided to move
from Boston to the Bay Area. In Berkeley since May 2009, they have
already established themselves locally with a solid amount of gigs includ-
ing Red Devil Lounge and the legendary Hotel Utah in San Francisco.
Experimenting with sound is what Wright had in mind years ago
when he started his music, poetry and storytelling collective workshop
in Boston in the form of a band. For example, Wright’s own “special hi-
hat” that he created himself is a Wuhan China cymbal on the bottom, “the
cheapest, nastiest-sounding cymbal you can buy,” and a Paiste Signature
splash on top. “Individually they sound amazing and together they sound
more like a snare than hi-hats usually do,” he says.
Many of their songs feature polyrhythmic passages and vocal harmo-
nies that slowly build up to a heavy climax followed by a break down. It’s
minimalist rock, where the space or air between sounds is integral to song
construction and tempo.
7 Orange ABC layers vocal harmonies reminiscent of Crosby, Stills,
Nash and Young. Like Young’s Harvest Moon, the writing style – matched
with the raw folkiness of Ethan Glazer’s acoustic guitar strumming –
create a feeling of nostalgia and introspection.
“Directions,” off their self-titled EP, presents eerily mystical acoustic
tones morphing into choral background harmonies comparable to early
post-Syd Barrett Pink Floyd, pre-Dark Side of the Moon. “This is Not
the End” sounds like the Beatles meets early Radiohead.
In addition to Wright and Glazer, Trevor Bahnson plays guitar
and sings and Mateo Lugo plays guitar. Haggai Cohen-Milo – who was
born and lived in Israel, playing jazz there until he was 20 – plays some
electric, but mostly upright bass. “There is a cultural background to the
music I’m bringing,” he says, considering his role. “Israeli jazz grows out
of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It’s music that results from being in
an emergency situation since birth.”
7 Orange ABC are a solid unit. “Living together and practicing every
day isn’t easy, but the prevailing feeling is we’re doing something special,”
Bahnson says. Raised in New Mexico, he discovered Hendrix and Stevie
Ray Vaughan as a teenager. He only listened to those two artists and
nothing else for a whole year while learning how to play. Bahnson doesn’t
particularly like new guitars, because they “don’t feel played enough.”
He brings a classic guitar sound to the band with his 1971 Gibson SG.
At this point, 7 Orange ABC has released two EPs, each with four
tracks. Bahnson says the band won’t perform anything unless it’s true
to them on a deep level. “Deliver it and mean it,” he says. “Better to blow
one person away and piss off the rest than to half-ass the thing and let
people feel nothing.”
The last EP was recorded on two-inch tape and transferred to digital
at Ex’pression College in Emeryville. The band mixed it themselves at
home using Logic. Now they’re moving toward recording their first
full-length in the studio.
“Recording is its own beast,” Wright says. “There’s recording, and
then there’s music, and there’s how they react. Performing right now is
the most important thing for this band.” Considering how recently they
moved to the Bay Area, the quintet has done a solid amount of gigging,
converting Bay Area indie-aficionados into a blossoming fanbase. Show-
goers have dubbed them “the thinking man’s band,” with their attention
to minute details of their music and a tendency to get involved in intense
debates concerning aspects from dynamics and time signatures to tex-
tures and soundscapes.
12. 10 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Glazer, who grew up in Thousand Oaks, Calif., says he has always
had an enthusiasm for crafting music. “My approach to songwriting has
always been very focused on lyrics and vocals, whereas Haggai and Mateo
approach writing from a more compositional standpoint – creating a sym-
biotic relationship,” he says. Wright adds, “Mateo is doing things on guitar
that are beyond my instincts, and I do the same for him with lyrics and
melodies. Together we create something bigger than both of us.”
Guitarist Mateo Lugo grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and plays a
Gibson ES-335 and a Dobro 1976 resonator, using a slide on each. Lugo
brings a spacey, experimental, futuristic sound to 7 Orange ABC, compli-
menting the classic sound of Bahnson’s guitar. Last summer, after reading
books on everything from circuit bending to soldering, Lugo built his own
square wave oscillator. “I’ve been discovering that sound and sound combi-
nations have a will of their own, they travel in a certain way,” he says. “Like
a sculpture or building, things fall together because we’re on earth in this
way. What I’ve been doing is catching those things and trying to be aware
of what these sounds want to be and how to express that.” The oscillator he
built, named “The ABC Box,” has three oscillators, one stutter, one starve
button and a chip that takes all the frequencies and divides them – creating
unpredictable sound. “It has this whole indeterminate quality which has
become an important part of my music,” he says. “It’s all about chance –
always different – which I find remarkable.”
7 Orange ABC’s plan for the long run involves making music together,
music that will continue to evolve. Wright says it’s similar to a relation-
ship, in that you find new ways to work and be within it. “The music has to
change or it ends, as do all things in the world,” he says.
Xwww.myspace.com/7orangeabc
“Better to blow
one person away
and piss off the
rest than to half-
ass the thing and
let people feel
nothing.”
-Trevor Bahnson
16. 14 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
thebandswhereRyrieandSicilian’sbandcameinsecondplace(“Thefirst
timeweeverhadapackedhousescreamingforus,”Ryrieremembers).When
Gallerywasn’tworking,theirvocalistleftandthroughCraigslisttheguysfound
Murphy.Thatwas2004.Sincethen,thebandhasputoutthreerecords:TheShills,
GanymedeandanEP,Push.
TheShillssoundissomethinglikeprogressivepoprock,“amixofmodern
rockandpopsounds/feels/instrumentation–anintentionalefforttoberelevant
andnotfollowtrendsinthoseworlds,”Murphyexplains.Sometimesitcomesoff
asaguitarriffthatismorehardedgeandalmostmetal.Here,Murphywillsingin
falsettoorscreamtomatchthatinstrumentalintensity.Thensometimesthefocus
isonabasslineandgroovethatismoredanceoriented.Andthereareafew‘70s
straightrockersaswell.Overall,theShillsaremelodicandveryvocaldriven.
Murphywasagreatfitfortheband.Hestudiedcompositionandjazztrumpet
(heardontherecords)attheEastmanSchoolofMusic.SicilianandZanergradu-
atedwithaudioengineeringandmusicproductiondegreesfromBerklee.Ryriehas
noformaltrainingasidefrompointersfromhisfather,butwhocantell?Withsuch
afluidsoundit’salmostunbelievabletheseguyshaven’tcaughtarealbreakyet.
“Ourgoalistomakemusicthat’schallengingtotheearwithouttheaudience
knowingit’shappening;tobeourselvesandgrow,”Murphysays.“There’sasafe-
nesstootherbandsthatwecan’teventhinkabout.Wehadtofigureoutwhowe
weresowecouldthengoexplore.”
Andthattheydid.Ganymedeisaconceptalbumbuiltwithpureandthorough
attentiontodetailaboutamisanthropicguywhocrasheshisboatonanislandand
killshimselfaccidentally.Eachsongisanodtowhat’stocomenext.It’sadecided
detourfromthetrendofthesinglethatmarkstoday’smusicscene,assongson
Ganymedearevagueandalmostlost(desertedmightbetheproperwordhere–
seethealbumcover)whenlistenedtooutofsequence,thoughtheyeachcertainly
standontheirownmusically.
“Ganymedeisthefloralarrangementontopofthefirstrecord(TheShills,
2007),ourfoundation,”saysRyrie.“OurfirstalbumwasthebasementoftheShills
soundandGanymedeislikethegrown-upversionofwhatwedidonthatalbum.”
“ThemostdifficultmusicalthingI’veeverdoneistopiecethistogether,”
Murphysaysofthealbum.“Wewentoutonalimbandsurprisedourselves.”
ThealbumwasrecordedatBlueJay,whereZanerisasoundengineer,onetotwo
songsatatime.Thenthey’dspendoneortwoweeks,orevenamonthafterfocus-
ingoneachtrack.ManyofthesongsonGanymedecamefrompiecesofsongsnot
usedonTheShills.
Last November, the band toured from Boston to Nashville, where they
played two shows to healthy crowds of friends and a respectable number of
new fans. But, as they know, they need to break out beyond Boston and New
York City, their Northeast comfort zone for the last six years, if living off their
art is to become a reality.
In 2010, the Shills aim to play 6 to 10 cities regularly. They just finished a
month-long residency in January at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston. Admission earned
fans a card to download their new single, “Chasing the Aftermath.” Along with
this, they’re working on 11 new songs and are putting together a compilation of
live tracks – the best of the best from the residency.
The band members’ personal taste in music hugs close to home and
stretches far beyond, matching their eclectic sound. Murphy notes Queen as
his favorite rock band; but yes, Frank Zappa, Spacehog and Animal Collective
are other likes. Sicilian names Pedro the Lion and funk music in general.
Zaner likes pop rock, punk and fast beats. They’re also quick to give props
to fellow local bands who they also count among friends. Ryrie and Murphy
name bands such as Left Hand Does and Shoney Lamar the Equal Rights
almost simultaneously. “Musically they’re perfect,” Murphy says. “They’re
like getting the star on Mario Brothers.”
Someone pipes in with Lady Gaga as Zaner names Them Crooked Vultures, Josh
Holmes and John Paul Jones. “I listen to Lady Gaga for research,” Zaner says matter-
of-factly, a sly grin on his face. Some of the other guys grumble.
One thing no one can argue is that Lady Gaga has a label. Currently label-less,
the Shills hold high hope of being signed to their dream label: one that will let them
make the music they want to make. “We’ve built a good trust among ourselves, so we
can trust what we think is the right idea is the right idea,” Murphy says – and the guys
concur. Xwww.myspace.com/theshills
“There’s a safeness to other bands
that we can’t even think about.”
-Bryan Murphy
17. Audio-Technica’s newly upgraded 3000 Series wireless systems now offer up to 1001 selectable UHF frequencies and
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19. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 17
Damon Moon
vthe whispering drifters
Hitting the trail with true space cowboys
S
TUMBLINGUPONGeorgia’s
DamonMoonandtheWhispering
Drifterswasakintosteppingout
oftherealmofconsciousness
andbecomingbrieflycapturedwithina
mesmerizingalteredstateofreality,where
stunningmelodyaboveanamalgamation
ofnoise-infused,psychedelicfolkrockhasits
waywithyou.Likeadrug,it’saddictiveand
powerful–neverprovokingthesameexperi-
encetwice.
Thislisteningexperiencewasinspiredby
Moon’svividdreams,thefulfillingyettaxing
timespentinvariousplacesontheroadand
theAtlanta-basedband’sdynamiclineup,
whichhas“haphazardly”switched-uponmul-
tipleoccasions.Currently,thebandincludes
DamonMoononelectricandacousticguitar,
JacobSmithplayinglapsteelandbass,Charlie
Bennettonbassandkeys,ChrisCookehan-
dlingelectricguitardutiesandShawnJacoby
ondrums.AccordingtoMoon,“Thedifferent
lineupshavedefinitelytranslatedabitintothe
tunes.Someofthethingswe’redoingnow,I
can’tseeeverbeingabletodowitholderline-
ups.I’mdefinitelynotafraidofchange.”
By Nadia Lelutiu E Photos by Dave Greer
20. 18 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Moon puts emphasis on art and creativity in his performances and record-
ings, one of the reasons he doesn’t fear an overhaul of his lineup. He interprets
change as an opportunity “to let the songs kind of reinvent themselves, letting
the songs breathe a little and evolve – or devolve for that matter.” Moon’s phi-
losophy on songwriting also helps to instill magic in the music. “I just think it’s
selfish, as an artist, to ‘finish’ a song and place those limitations around it,” he
says. “After all, who am I to say when something is in its final form of creativ-
ity? Ultimately, I just want to respect the song and let it use me as a form of
expression, rather than the other way around. I know that I’ve definitely had
lineups and done tours where ‘tightness’ was the goal. That’s fine, but after
doing it night after night, it gets to be an act and eventually I think you become
a bit more of a performer than an artist. It’s all about finding balance between
the two, and that’s different for everyone.”
DMATWD’s first album – the self-produced Meridian Road – was
recorded in a home studio in Flowery Branch, Ga, mastered by the illustri-
ous Rodney Mills and released in 2009. Tracking began soon after Moon’s
departure from Atlanta band Ocha La Rocha and much of it was recorded as
the songs were being written, or conversely, written as the recording ensued.
Moon recently licensed the sludgy, melancholy “Dream Forty-One” to a
movie called Person of Interest, which has been through a few rounds of film
festivals this year, but as of now it’s unclear when it will hit the big screen.
Success like this again proves the exquisite intensity and kaleidoscopic
atmosphere in the band’s folk-inspired rock, along with its melodic vocal
drones, is working. The group is currently busy on their sophomore effort,
which Moon describes as a departure from Meridian Road, though the
new content is still in its infancy. The band is taking the new songs on
tour this spring.
The road has become a familiar friend and foe to DMATWD, as this will
be their third completely DIY U.S. tour. Their first proved to be a valuable
learning experience, in terms of triumphs and failures. Though the tour ended
midway through, “due to a blowout, some shows falling through in middle-
America and all around financial woes,” Moon views the entire experience as
a success – especially considering it was his first shot at booking a tour, for
which he admittedly didn’t know whether what he was doing was right or
wrong until they were out there in the thick of it. He sums up his adventures
as, “liberating, frustrating, dirty and taxing” and believes the most fulfilling
aspect is “definitely the 30-45 minutes I spend every night just creating.” He
continues, “On tour, there’s so much to think about throughout the day, like
wondering when will be the next time you’ll have a warm shower, a clean pair
of socks or the Holy Grail – a bed! But for those 30 minutes, it’s amazingly
fulfilling to let all of that go, stop thinking and just do what you’re there to
do. Also, being on the road with a band, some serious bonds get made and you
figure a lot out about yourself.”
Damon Moon and the Whispering Drifters is an example of a band beauti-
fully functioning independent of the support of management, agents or a label.
“Honestly, I’ve been completely DIY thus far for a few reasons,”
21. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 19
he says. “Mostly, I like being in control of my art and how it’s represented.
Also, the actual work that goes into something like booking a tour, though it
gets extremely taxing, is quite rewarding when you try and fail a time or two,
and then get better and succeed. A lot of bands pay big money for someone
to book them a tour. That’s awesome, and those agents are definitely worth
their weight in gold, but anything they can do, you can do as well. You’ll be
really bad at it for a time, and that can cost a lot of money over time, but a
completely DIY band like mine doesn’t have the money upfront to pay some-
one like that, so really it’s the only option right now. It’s starting to pay off
and it’s really rewarding.”
Moon doesn’t knock the music industry that exists, though he does
observe an indefinable shift occurring. “The model for a successful band
these days is all messed up,” he says. “The industry is in shambles, but I think
anyone can tell you that. The truth is that no one knows what to do right now.
Everyone is kind of shrugging their shoulders, waiting to see who’s going to
make the next big move. I’m not at all opposed to signing to a label or contracts
in general, but whoever is on the other end of that contract is going to need
a pretty convincing argument that they know a path to higher grounds – one
that I couldn’t reach on my own. Until someone approaches me with some-
thing I can’t do on my own, I feel like I need to keep recording, keep releasing
and keep touring as much as possible on my own. I don’t see that model ever
not paying off, at least on a personal level, and ultimately, if I’m not in it for
that reason, what am I really doing?” Xwww.myspace.com/dmatwd
“I just think it’s selfish,
as an artist, to ‘finish’
a song and place those
limitations around it.
After all, who am I to
say when something
is in its final form
of creativity?”
-Damon Moon
22. 20 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
////studio diary /////////////////////////////////////////////////
Leopold and his Fiction
San Francisco storytellers lock themselves
up for two weeks to record Golden Friends
Produced by Thom Monahan Daniel James // Engineered mixed by Monahan
Mastered by Steve Hoffman // Diary by Daniel James (guitar/vocals)
Recording schedule: Therecordingwasspreadoutintovarioussections.
AsabandwespentthesecondtwoweeksofthispastAugustattheHangar
inSacramento,recordinglivebandtakesandvariousinstrumentalover-
dubstotape.Wewererecordingfrom10:30a.m.to10p.m.everydayfor
twoweeks.TherecordingswereconvertedtoProToolsandmademobile
tofurthertrackinstrumentalsandvocalsatmyfolks’houseinLos
AngelesandinmyapartmentinSanFrancisco.FromSeptemberthrough
November,agooddealoftimewasspentmakingsureeverysonggrewinto
itsowncharacter.AndaftertouringinDecember,thesongswereonce
againcombed-throughonelasttimetomakesuretherewerenocracks
intheirarmor.WealsorecordedsomevocalpartsatproducerThom
Monahan(DevendraBanhart,Vetiver,LittleJoy)’sstudiointhevalley
ofLosAngeles.
Notable instruments/gear used:ThegearattheHangar–ownedbyJohn
Baccigaluppi,creatorofTapeOpmagazine–isofthebestquality.Every
pieceofvintagegearyoucanimagineisimplementedwhilerecording
there.Weused16-track,2-inchtape,andinthemixingprocessweusedthe
BX10,20andareverbplate.Weusedmostlythesamegearweuseonstage
totracktheinstruments.ThombroughthisancientP-Bass,floodingthe
albumwithaMotownprideandanarrayoffootpedalshehasacquiredover
yearsoftouringandmakingalbumsallovertheworld.Micayla(Grace)also
playeda‘73GuildJS,throwinginalovelyFenderTwinwithanappropriate
amountofdialed-inreverb.
Iusedawallofampsweswitchedarounddependingonthecurrents
ofthesongsandwheretheirtideswereleadingus:aFender‘71Bassman
anda‘65Bandmasterheadthroughoneortwo12-inchcabs,a‘59Gibson
Falconandofcourseallthejunkyardcabinetsandparallel-to-none-in-
tonemechanisms-turned-amp-headsBryceGonzalesoftheHangarhas
equippedtheplacewith.OthergearIusedincludedaLesliecab,aLes
Paul,ageneric‘58Kayguitar,a‘67GibsonCountryWesternacousticand
amid-’70sredlabelYamahaacoustic.Forkeysweusedacreepy,oldupright
piano,aWurlitzer,aRhodesandaHammondA-100atmyfolks’house.
Jon(Sortland)playsdrumsandaFarfisaMiniCompactorgansimulta-
neously.ThekitheusedwasatransparentorangeFibesandfromtime
totimeanoldRogerskit.
The story behind the album:Thisalbumisafurthersearchintothekindof
storytellingLeopoldandhisFictionalbumsareaccustomedto.Therewere
afewattemptstorecordpartsofthisalbumpriortogettingtogetherwith
ThomMonahan,whotookintoconsiderationpreviousworksandcommon
interestsandinspirationswhilemeetingwiththebandattheHangar.The
songsweremostlyintactandcarefullydefinedbeforeenteringthestudio.
Someweredevelopedinthestudio.
How does it compare to your last album?Withtheadditionofnewband
members,thewritingandrecordingprocesschangedsignificantly,with
newideasbroughttoanever-evolvingstorycraft.Therewerenewcharac-
teristicsofeachmemberandverydifferentneedsashumanstoconsider
aswewereinatwo-weekstudiolock-in–asopposedtogoinghomeevery
nightafterafulldayofwork.Somethingsdidstaythesame,though.Iwas
abletorecordonmyowntimeoutsideofaformalstudiotoreallyfeelout
thecharactersineachsong.Eachprotagonistgottheirundividedattention
vocallyandsonically,andspecifictonesandcinematicre-occurrencesare
feltthroughout.Songsonthisalbumtendtoventureoutalittlefartherfrom
thebluesstructuresofthepast.Butthegritisintact,aswellasthefamiliar
start-to-finishtheatricsandentertainmentofvoyage.
Any lessons learned from the last album that you wanted to change?The
lastalbumIrecordedandeditedalmostentirelyonmyown.IlearnedIdefi-
nitelywantedhelp,aguidewhoknowsthepathwell.Withthebandlineup
beingwhatitis,Ithoughtwereallyneededtogointoaformalstudioand
closeofftheoutsideandgetdowntoit.Thomknewexactlywhatweneeded
toaddtoouralreadytrustedmethodsandheprovidedawonderfulplatform
forourideastoflourish.
What’s your philosophy on full-band takes versus individual tracking? Every
thingwecandolivewecapturedasbestitcouldbecaptured.Thereisalot
wecandolive,buteachsongofferssomuchversatilitywedidnotlimitour-
selvestoonewayortheother.Ifeelanalbumismadetoexpresssongsinthe
bestpossibleway.Ifsomethingiscalledfor,goaheadanddojustthat,don’t
holdbackbecauseitcan’tbeplayedlive.Therearealotoftechniquesinthe
studiothatmagnifythebrillianceofthesignalandthetake.
Special guests?Three-fourthsoftheDolancstringquartet.
Any obstacles in recording? Everythingwasratherseamless.Preparation
andvisionisagoodportionoftheprocessofmakinganalbum,asissponta-
neityandgoingwiththatflowyoucreateforyourselfwithproperplanning.
Xwww.myspace.com/leopoldandhisfiction
23. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 21
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/////////
24.
25. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 23
/////spotlight /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
GROWINGUP,PiperCaplanwantedtobethesingerofabandlike
JemandtheHolograms,that“maniacal,glittery,iridescentfantasy”
cartoonbandfromthe‘80s.“Theyencapsulatemychildhoodperspective
onwhatacoolbandwas,”shesayswithalaugh.“NowI’mactuallygetting
tolivethatdream,albeitonaverysmallscale.”
Caplanfirstpickedupthebassaboutayearagotoplaywithher
youngersister,Skyler.Skylerwasonly15,buthadalreadybeenplaying
guitarforanumberofyears.Somewhereinthemix,Caplanalsotaught
herselfhowtoplaykeysandprogramsongs.Withnofamilialhang-upsto
speakof,thetwobreezilycombinedforces.Skyler’samblingguitarriffs
complementCaplan’scharminglyhonestvocaldelivery.Theirexploratory
lo-fipopmelodiesareadreamythrowbacktoanothertimeandplace,
inspiredbythingslikecolorfulfictionalbandsand,morerecently,byafew
ofCaplan’streasuredcrate-diggingexcavations.
Normally,theself-proclaimed“BeverlyHillbilly”isabusyDJaround
hometownL.A.,pullingfromarobustcollectionofabout500recordsa
littleoverahalfadecadeinthemaking.“I’vegotthisinsatiableappetite
formusic,soI’malwaystrollingforrecords,”Caplansays.Hermostrecent
purchasewasaPanoramaalbumby“thisreallycool‘70s,blissed-out,pop-
fantasydudeChrisRainbow,”whoworkedwiththeAlanParsonsProject.
“It’sprettykiller,”shesays,beaming.Reviewingsomemorefavorites,
CaplanliststhelikesofForeverAmberandMartinNewell.Herencyclo-
pedicknowledgeofmusic,especiallyinreferencetoobscureclassicrock,
isveryimpressiveforsomeonewhohasonlybeenaliveforabouttwo
decadesherself.
“IwantedtocallourbandAmerica,buttherearesomeguyswhobeat
metoit,”Caplanjokes.SheandhersisterchosethenamePearlHarbor
becausetheywantedto“shinealight”onaplacethattheyfeltrepresented,
“thatkindofall-American,workingclassaesthetic.”Shecontinues,
“‘MuckrakersoftheNewMillennium’:Iguessthat’swhatourfull-length
isgoingtobecalled.”
The group has already perfected a handful of songs, but Pearl
Harbor is not in any rush to set a date for their debut. Plus, Caplan
likes the idea of releasing singles. “I think that’s better than putting out
something with six good tracks and a bunch of scrap tracks,” she says.
“[Producing an album] is not about flooding the market with product
for no reason other than to just do it; there’s nothing worse than plagu-
ing the world with more bad music. I want to wait and put 100 percent
into every song.”
The girls find it tricky coordinating practice time between Skyler’s
demanding art-school curriculum and Caplan’s college classes, but
the two are rehearsing as much as possible to get their live show
together. Caplan says, “Obviously there’s only so much you can do
with one instrument, but we try to put our own twist on it stylistically.
If our song’s going to have a throwback [element], I want it to be
our own take.”
This year the girls will open their stage to some new members,
including friend Jessie Clavin, former member of recently dissolved
L.A. punk group Mika Miko. “She’s so solid on everything,” Caplan says.
In terms of self-promotion, Caplan is “pretty stoked” on the
Internet. “I like any form of self-promotion that doesn’t actually involve
me having to do anything,” she says. “We don’t have a publicist, so
everything that’s come our way has, essentially, come from us initially
uploading songs onto MySpace and us just letting everything happen
as it happened. You can’t beat that.” So far this has got them smaller
gigs, but Caplan says she prefers the intimacy. “At this point, at the level
we’re at – haven’t quite hit the big leagues yet – we’re still playing kind
of dive-y spots that have a roof, but not necessarily the greatest sound
system,” she says. But this could begin to change soon, as Pearl Harbor
took their dream-pop beyond the Hollywood Hills last month to the
SXSW music festival. Jem would be proud.XLulu McAllister
Xwww.myspace.com/pearlescentharbour
Pearl Harbor
Lust for the dreamy and sentimental
PaulA.Rosales
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27. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 25
ONE LATE THURSDAY EVENING, the members of Veil
Veil Vanish sat down on my living room couch in San
Francisco. The dark-pop quintet consists of Amy Rosenhoff
(bass), Keven Tecon (vocals, guitars), Cameron Ray (guitars),
Robert Marzio (drums) and Justin Anastasi (keys). They released
their latest effort, Change In The Neon Light, this February on
Metropolis Records.
The new album is layered with electronic and synth overtones,
as well as intense vocals from Tecon. He says writing on different
instruments, including bass and keyboard, inspired the sound. Tecon
also searched for tools of the trade in rather unconventional places.
“I ended up getting a few keyboards that produced a bunch of different
sounds at garage sales for free or cheap,” he says. A couple of them
actually ended up on the record.
To get the kinds of sounds vVv wanted for a somewhat shoegaze-
like quality, Ray reveals they used different pedals. “I don’t want to get
into too many specifics, but there’s this cool (Electro-Harmonix) Little
Big Muff pedal that Amy uses that can get pretty fuzzy if you tweak it
just right,” he says.
When it came time to write lyrics, there were noticeable shifts
and threads within the ethos of each song as they developed. Tecon
believes it was a combination of things that led him to approach writ-
ing Change as an organic evolution, rather that any forced notion.
“On the surface, the lyrics come across as being more romantic or
glorifying,” he says. “When you listen further, there is a sense of inward
disillusionment. From the frustration of living in a big city like San
Francisco, to everything that is happening on an even larger scale in
the world, the album reflects the times that we are living in.” Although
the band stresses that the lyrics aren’t deeply personal, Anastasi
believes they are unlike anything they’ve ever worked with before.
“The lyrics are definitely more introspective,” he says. “The attention
to detail is almost meticulous.”
Veil Veil Vanish has evolved steadily over the course of its three-
year existence, having performed in cities such as L.A, New York and
Austin. The new album is atypical of many records being released
by American bands. It is stylistically more European, with songs
like “Anthem for a Doomed Youth” that could easily be a staple in a
London dancehall or underground club in Paris. The band’s sound
has been called goth, but they prefer not to be pigeonholed. “I think
that our music is a bit catchier and accessible to a wider audience,”
says Tecon, who prefers a pop designation in the best and broadest
sense of the word. XMarisa Lopez Xwww.myspace.com/veilveilvanish
Veil Veil Vanish
Adarkersideofpop
KristinCofer
/////spotlight /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
28. 26 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
The Whiskey Gentry
Bluegrass that’s not afraid to rock
////spotlight //////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Irecently had an opportunity to meet with the Whiskey Gentry
backstage before their hometown show at Smith’s Olde Bar in
Atlanta to find out what stimulates the primary auditory cortex of this
eclectic group of talented musicians.
The bluegrass band brought me into their world of Southern hos-
pitality, giving me the stage to indulge my curiosities. These guys were
very relaxed, yet they still maintained a sense of determined ambition
that spoke volumes on just how serious they are about telling a story
with the gift of music. They all come from diverse backgrounds both
musically and geographically. Lauren Staley, the main vocalist and
lyricist, was in England for some time, which led me to wonder if the
band’s name might have been spawned from her travels abroad. But,
I was surprised to find out that a Hunter S. Thompson quote describ-
ing the 1970 Kentucky Derby inspired her and surprisingly, these
bluegrass gypsies are not fans of whiskey at all. Their preferred poison
is Jägermeister.
As we talked, I realized just how multi-faceted they are as artists.
Staley and Jason Morrow (lead guitarist) are the eyes of the band’s
creative vision, but the others are just as instrumental in the writing
process. I found their subtle incorporation of other genres very fascinat-
ing, to say the least. Both Morrow and Sam Griffin, the bassist, tap the
spine of punk rock – Social Distortion being one of many influences.
The song “Pirate” is a good example. Their inspiration also pulls unex-
pectedly from rockers like Slayer and old Rod Stewart.
Without taking away from the others, percussionist Price Cannon
was quite the token of charisma. He kept me entertained with his
celebrity impersonations, while I went through my round of questions.
Cannon’s influences go all the way back to songs like “Love Bites” and
“Rocket” by Def Leppard, and it showed in his performance.
Which mainstream band or musician would be the Whiskey
Gentry’s dream collaboration? The sometimes-reserved Staley grace-
fully inserted that it would probably be Loretta Lynn, if anyone. I should
mention that Staley used to practice singing in her closet as a child.
So what are some of their favorite cities to play? Of course, Atlanta is
the first, but others include Tampa and Gainesville.
Speaking of which, it was finally time to see Gentry in action. We
parted ways briefly, while I made my entrance into the upper room,
which was packed so tightly I could barely fit between a trash can and
one of the security guys. This is always a good sign, though. I could feel
the energy and anticipation of the crowd as they waited for the curtains
to open.
Suddenly, I heard the voice of Christopher Walken coming from
none other than the Gentry’s comical drummer, Cannon. Then Staley
opened up the first song (“Dime Short of a Dollar Bill”) while strumming
her Blueridge acoustic, singing the words, “I see you here most every
Wednesday when I’m drunk right off my ass.” Chesley Lowe danced his
fingers on a five-string Nechville Aurora Borealis Banjo and Morrow
ushered in the rest of the band with a bluegrass bang, as he electrified
this country tune with his Tele. Griffin rumbled in with his Fender
Hot Rod P Bass, as Cannon charged with hard-kicking rock beats. The
newest addition to the band, Dan Emmett, described as “the holy grail
of fiddle playing,” melted his harmonies with the others as the Whiskey
Gentry’s songs began to take on a life of their own. As I was enjoying
the show, I couldn’t help but think how they would’ve made the perfect
soundtrack for the ‘80s classic, Urban Cowboy. After a few songs, Staley
and Lowe (Lowe switching to a vintage accordion) dominated the stage
with one of my favorites, “Four Horsemen,” a sad and deeply personal
ballad that Staley had written to Morrow during difficult times in their
relationship.
The Whiskey Gentry plays with an elegantly tight design, filled
with power and calculated instrumentation that keeps your pulse from
slowing down. They are a perfect combo of hard rock beats, bluesy guitar
riffs and punk-inspired bass lines, accompanied by the sweet and soft
hallowing voice of a gospel singer. They’ll have their CD release party
at the Star Bar in Atlanta on April 3. XJudas Moon Xwww.myspace.com/
thewhiskeygentry
MattOdomatAtaricharm.com
29. 70 Bands, 5 Stages, Admission Only $1
Independent Culture Independent Artists
May 27-31 // 3pm-2am Each Day
The Soapbox Live
255 N Front Street
Wilmington, NC
www.wefestival.com
SPONSORED BY:
31. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 29
THE KINDNESS KIND
Sunset Tavern // Seattle, WA // March 4, 2010
THE KINDNESS KIND CUT A SLEEK SILHOUETTE on the
Sunset Tavern stage, five members in black under a single red
light. The Moog/keys set up with an array of pedals under it gave the
impression that keyboardist Nicolas Danielson was the man behind the
curtain for the band’s expansive sound. Promoting their opening slot at
the upcoming Moore Theatre tribute to David Bowie by the Seattle Rock
Orchestra, the Kindness Kind loaded their already packed set with a
cover of “Life on Mars.” The lyrics sounded just right coming from singer
Alessandra Rose.
The band held nothing back and by the third song, “Suckerpunch,” the
Kindness Kind seemed choreographed and completely in tune with each
other. It was a feat considering drummer Adrian Vanbatenburg and bassist
Scott Teske just joined the band last summer. The band’s understated stature
allowed the audience to pick up on the cadence of their intricately structured
sound; a cadence dictated by syllables sung by the captivating Rose.
“The Lusk Letter,” off their self-titled sophomore album, embodied the
way their sound creeps up you. As it began, Rose kicked her leg backward
like a horse at the bit, ready to burst free. This stallion of a song seemed
unassuming, but sped up, pounding like so many hooves, until Rose sang,
“help me, help me, God,” and careened through the ending with a canter
of cymbals. The drummer managed to combine dance beats and sparse,
crashing, unapologetic rock.
The Kindness Kind’s set of warped pop songs included new mate-
rial. One song, tentatively titled “Castlevania,” did what they do best:
contrast the high-pitched cracks in Rose’s voice with the sultry warble
of her words over reverb packed, Blonde Redhead-esque keys. The song
seemed likely to fall apart, splintering between sudden switches in time
signature, but the vocals and keys wrapped around the other instru-
ments, lending cohesion.XChelsea Werner-Jatzke Xwww.myspace.com/
thekindnesskind
LIVE REVIEW
///////// REVIEWS /////////
ChelseaWerner-Jatzke
32. 30 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
“Definitely not
medium”
ITtheverb
Happy Mediums
Whitman/Marsh-
field, MA
Produced by Nolan Sullivan
Mark Hylander
NolanSullivanandMarkHylandermakeupthe
brilliantduofromMassachusettscalledITtheverb.
SomewherebetweentheMarsVolta,Yes,John
ScofieldandKingCrimson,anincrediblerecorded
fusioncalledHappyMediumswasborninthe
mindsoftwoveryprogressiveyoungmen.“Chinese
Takeout”isaninventive,modern,hard-driving
symphony,whichtakesyouthroughanobstacle
courseofsonictexture.“2AM,NewYork”beginswith
asimple,strummingguitarleadingintocomplexruns
intertwinedwithdrums.It’snotoverplayed,butbusy
enoughtoexciteanylistener.
TheFugazi-like“Sushi”onceagainshowsa
brilliantrelationshipbetweentheguitaranddrums
inthisfantasticpuzzleofsound.Itsarrangementisa
masterclassofdrumtechnique.“SimpleMachines”
////Reviews ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/// intelligentlybringssparklingguitars,thickchordsand
complexdrumbeatsintoamoldofnice,experimental
distortion.Thesmartandcreativearrangementtakes
youonawildridebutstaysincontrolthroughout
thepiece.Thewarm,jazzyswingof“Rob’sWindow”
showstheversatilityandbroadinfluencesofthis
bandclearly,andScofieldandAbercrombiewould
becomeeasilyaddictedtothisoneasthebottomend
flowslikelavawhilethesongmovesthroughtime.
“AboutLove”isasweetarrangementwithfinely
placednotesmixedwithpowerfuldrums.Thebril-
liantdrumconclusionshowsyetagainthepuretalent
ofHylanderbeyondtheshadowofadoubt.Thecon-
cludingtrack,“ContagiousFaces,”isasharp,hooky
rompthroughanotherforestofchangesandchemis-
try.Thisduoprovesthatthemediocreandpredictable
isnotwhatmusicisallabout.(self-released)XBryon
Turcotte Xwww.myspace.com/ittheverb
“Proof that side projects can be gold”
Old Canes
Feral Harmonic
Lawrence, KS
Recorded in pieces between 2005 2009 on Pro Tools in Chris
Crisci’s basement
AppleseedCastfront-
manChrisCrisciisback
withhissideprojectOld
Canes.Theirsophomore
album,FeralHarmonic,
isimpressivetosaythe
least.Criscisteersaway
fromthepost-rock,shoegazeysoundofAppleseed
Castandventuresbacktothebasicswithsomegood
old-fashionedacousticguitarsandplentyofdrums.
Overthreeyearsinthemaking,FeralHarmonicbegan
withdrumtracksinCrisci’sbasementandevolved
withthehelpofhisfriends(membersofWhiteWhale,
theCasketLotteryandMinusStorytonameafew)
whoassistedinlayeringtheplethoraofinstrumentals
thatmakesthesesongsshine.
FeralHarmonicisanalbumthatiseasytolisten
toonrepeat,especiallyifyou’reafanofthestripped-
downfolkthatSaddleCreekisknownfor.It’sa
testamenttothefactthatnotallsideprojectssuck.
Infact,theycanbedamngood.Thedrivingdrums
andacousticspairedwiththetwinklingtoypiano
andCrisci’slyricsonopener“LittleBirdCourage”
willhaveyouhooked.“WhenI’mthirsty/Youarethe
33. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 31
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
T-MODEL FORD // TEN FOOT POLE CATS // ERIN HARPE
P.A.’s Lounge // Somerville, MA // Feb. 25, 2010
T-MODEL FORD, LEGENDARY ASS-STOMPIN’ blues man
from Greenville, Miss, kicked off his national tour right here in
Somerville. With his 90th birthday coming up, T-Model may be the oldest
man to do this.
In spite of the stormy weather, fans came rushing in from everywhere
and before long, P.A.’s was packed to the limit. Erin Harpe opened up
the night with a sweet Delta blues set, captivating the audience with her
nostalgic Southern twang. Next, Ten Foot Pole Cats exploded onto the
stage with stripped down blues punk that got everybody in the mood for
whiskey. Scratchy vocals, dirty harp, a driving beat and reckless strum-
ming emanated in all directions, compelling even T-Model to get up and
dance, playing his cane like a guitar. Then came the moment everybody
had been waiting for, and you could sure as hell taste the anticipation in
the sweat of the guy next to me.
Marty Reinsel, drummer for GravelRoad, pounded infectious rhythms
as T-Model coolly reeled out song after song, many from his brand
new album, The Ladies Man. This recent release is truly reflective of
T-Model’s swagger; recorded in one casual take with snippets of conversa-
tion like, “It’s Jack Daniels time!” Beginning his songwriting career in the
LIVE REVIEW
late ‘90s, T-Model Ford was in the loop at the Southern-based Fat Possum
Records along with blues masters R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough.
T-Model played for over a good hour, proving that a man of his age can still
stomp some ass and keep the crowd going. After the crowd cheered for an
encore, the duo finished up strong with one last number. The announcer
promised that T-Model Ford would be in the back to sign merchandise,
but all I wanted to do was thank the blues boss and shake his hand, which
I did. Thoroughly satisfied, I left laughing at the quote, “T-Model Ford is
going to remember you sorry fuckers how it’s done.” XRurik Schtaklef
fountain/Inthefaceofdanger/I’mnotafraid,”he
sings.Thetrack“Sweet”willbecomeafastfavorite
foranyonewholikesagoodbuild-upandsomeocca-
sionaljamming.Italsodoesn’thurtthatitincludes
glockenspielandtrumpet.Whilethedrumsand
guitarsaretheshow-stealersintheseaofinstrumen-
tationfoundonthisfolkalbum,it’sCrici’ssincere
vocalsandheartfeltlyricsthatmakethesesongs
complete.FeralHarmonicmarksthetriumphant
returnofOldCanesandprovestobewellworththe
wait.(SaddleCreekRecords)XJackie Miehls Xwww.
myspace.com/oldcanes
“Medieval, punk rock
rapscallions”
The Crux
Now, Ferment
Santa Rosa, CA
Produced, engineering mixed
by Ross Harris
Punkrockcan
beprettypasséthesedayssoit’snicetohearthat
someoneistryingsomethingnew,likemixingpunk
sensibilities(andlyrics)withbanjos,harmonicas,
violinsandclassical(notclassic)guitarriffs.What
happenswhenyoubringthesethingstogether?Well,
formostofthisalbumyouendupwithsomething
prettypleasanttotheearsandquiteentertaining.
“LouisXIVLovedHisLegs”wouldgeteven
themostpretentiousIvyLeaguersmilingandthe
drunken“EveryCrookedFinger”wouldmakeShane
MacGowandizzywithenvy.Althoughnovel,they
aren’tnovelty.“ClownandBard”showsofftheir
musicalprowessandon“131stFloor”theyshowtheir
penchantsforpolitics.
It’stheEasternEuropean-tinged“TheHouseOf
TheClingingAndTheHouseOfTheGentle”andeven
moreso“Don’tNeedNoMan”thatarethehighlights
ofthealbum.TheCruxsoundsmostathomewhen
theyarebringingdownthehouseorbringingoutthe
tears.Andtheysoundliketheyarehavinganawfullot
offunnomatterwhattheyaredoing.It’snowonder
thattheywerevotedatop10livebandintheirlocal
NorthBay,Calif.,rag.
AlthoughtheymightwindupontourwithTom
Waits,theywouldappealtoanyonefromRusted
RootfanstothedirtiestCrassfan.Notanalbum
foreveryone,andveryclearlytheyarecomfortable
withnottryingtobeaswell,sincethereisnopre-set
audienceformusicthisunique.(BiteTheHand
Records)XAndrew Fersch Xwww.myspace.com/
thecruxandfriends
“A folkloric renaissance folk bard”
Spitzer Space Telescope
Spitzer Space Telescope
Boston, MA
Recorded by Dave Suchanek in
East Lansing, MI // Mastered
by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in
Chicago
Gatherroundthe
crackleofthefireand
listentoDanMacDonald
tellstoriesfromatime
longago,aboutincrediblevoyagestotheedgeof
theworldanddeepintotheNetherworld;talesof
unicorns,phoenixesandaslewofotherfantastic
creatureslikeGraknils,GerkinsandMynocks.This
modern-dayminstrelmasqueradesunderthename
SpitzerSpaceTelescopeandhe’sreleasedafull-
length,self-titledvinylLP.
Themusichasafreshsoundforthepresentfolk
resurgence.It’spartoldworldacoustics,partsea
shantyandepisodicfolklore,allwithaslightIrish
flare.Folkisaprettytraditionalformatforwarprotest
songs.However,whenMacDonaldsingsofbattles
in“HouseofSevenSisters,”youknowit’sgottobea
completelydifferentkindofwar–thekindwheresol-
diershavetomarchfordaysoverfoggy,lushhillsides
andfightwithantiqueweaponry.Thentherearetunes
thataresostrangelyupbeatanderraticallysillylike
“SongofVoyage”and“GraknilsandGerkins”thatyou
maybecompelledtolaughorgetupanddoajigwhile
listeningtothem.
Performinglive,MacDonaldisasighttobeseen.
RurikSchtaklef
34. 32 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
////Reviews ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
XIU XIU
The Drunken Unicorn // Atlanta, GA // March 6, 2010
WITH THEIR LATEST ALBUM, God, I Hate Myself, having been
released only a week and a half earlier, Xiu Xiu opened their latest
U.S. tour at the Drunken Unicorn to a crowded, enthusiastic audience
who surrounded the stage as close as possible, much unlike many Atlanta
shows, where bands actually have to ask the crowd to come closer. It was
clear that they commanded attention.
This is Xiu Xiu’s seventh album, but Jamie Stewart and Angelo Seo
were selling their own merchandise, setting up, breaking down and pack-
ing their own equipment like they were touting their debut. When asked
for a setlist, Stewart wrote one by hand because the songs were memorized
and not copied by a computer – right after operating the hot pot that pro-
vided water for the herbal remedy or hot toddy from which he drank before
each song.
After mic checking “Meow” and thanking the opening bands, Xiu Xiu
began a sonic assault that ranged from tenderness and almost absolute
quiet to extreme crescendos. There was a wide range of instrumentation,
from Stewart’s raw, emotional singing and electric guitar, to the percussion
instruments that he and Seo both wielded, to various whistles, flutes, Seo’s
wonderful Korg R3 keyboard, effects machines including a Korg Kaoss Pad
and a Nintendo DS played as an instrument using the Korg DS game.
By the second song, “Apistat Commander,” the audience had begun
to dance. By the fifth song, “Muppet Face,” Stewart began stomping and
building excitement in the crowd. Seo held strong, providing steady
beats on her keyboard, keeping the drum machine running, playing the
Nintendo DS and hitting the cymbals wildly at times. Other audience
favorites included “This Too Shall Pass” and “Chocolate Makes You
Happy,” both from the new release. Usually referred to as art pop, Xiu Xiu
gave an excellent performance of heartfelt emotion and sonic excitement
that had goth and experimental musical elements that intrigued and satis-
fied the audience. The evening ended after Stewart hit the merch booth
once again, chatted happily with the customers and posed for a few fan
photos. XGail Fountain Xwww.myspace.com/xiuxiuforlife
LIVE REVIEW
Withaguitarstrappedonandmaybeaharmonica
aroundhisneck,hehasanotherworldlyenergy.He
strumserratically,makinggoofyfacialexpressions,
runningallaroundthestageandoccasionallyraises
hisguitarneckhighintotheairasifitwereacannon
outofwhichhefiresdangeroussounds.
SpitzerSpaceTelescope’sfirstreleaseisan
archaicjourneywithanunmatchedtalentforcreating
expansivemythicplaceswithafewwordsandchords.
(GoodPeople)XLeeStepien Xwww.myspace.com/
spitzerspacetelescope
“Gloomy, driving
guitar rock”
Retribution Gospel
Choir
2
Duluth, MN
Recorded by Eric Swanson at
Sacred Heart Studio in Duluth //
Mixed by Matt Beckley at Faux Rock in Sherman Oaks, CA
Forthebetterpartofthe15yearsleadingupto
2007,slow-movingandcrawlinghavebeenthepre-
dominantcharacteristicsdescribingAlanSparhawk’s
work,particularlyinregardstohispioneering
slowcoreband,Low.Whatremainsmostlyunnoticed,
however,isthatSparhawk’scareerhasbeenmore
orlessdescribedthroughhisuseofatmospheric
earnestnessandtense,loomingdynamics.Yetmany
weresurprisedwhenheformedRetributionGospel
Choir–agroupdefinednotonlytothelikesofan
increasedtempo,butalsoaloudersound!
However,thisisnotacompleteseachange
forSparhawk.Whatmosthaveoverlookedinhis
endeavorswiththisprojectisthatthegroundwork
fromLow–deliveryanddynamics–remainsintact.
RetributionGospelChoirdoesleanawayfromLow’s
minimaliststyle,though,fallingclosertothelikesof
BlackMountain,QueensoftheStoneAgeandother
stoner-rockcontemporaries.
RetributionGospelChoir’ssophomorerelease,2,
openswitharesolvedpurposepreviouslyunreached
bythegroup.“HideItAway”poundswithadeter-
minedmid-tempo,angst-riddenrock,asSparhawk’s
repeatedlycries“You’rerunningaway/Youhideit
awaychild.”Theirresolvedloudness(relativetothat
ofLow)continuesthroughoutmostof2,particu-
larlythroughtheeffortsofSparhawk’sfull-bodied,
psychedelic-lacedguitar,aswellasdrummerEric
Pollard’sthumpingwork.
Betweenthegloomyhazeof“YourBird”andthe
accessiblefocuson“WorkingHard,”Retribution
GospelChoirhaveappearedtohittheirstridewith
thesetightlycraftedtracks.Theremainderof2,
however,stretchestowardstheexperimental,and
attimesoverreachesthegroup’scapabilities.“Poor
Man’sDaughter”buildsupintoaborderlinepsyche-
delic-thrashing,while“ElectricGuitar”featuresa
sprawlingsix-stringattackthatdrudgestowardsa
noisyclimax,beforeeffortlesslycollapsingintoafade
away.Whiletherearesomeexcitingmomentshere,
thesetwolengthynumbersareratherhitormiss.
RetributionGospelChoir’s2enduresasa
progressionofAlanSparhawk’sslowascenttowards
thefasterandlouder.Itstandsinatimelyplacein
Sparhawk’scareer,asitstillbearsresonancetohis
past,yetoffersplentyforthoseunfamiliarwithhis
priorwork.(SubPop)XMaxBlauXwww.myspace.com/
retributiongospelchoir
“Listen to a dream
come true”
The Mary Dream
This Kind of Life
Nashville, TN
Produced by Elise Bellew
Blake Ryan Dayton // Mixed
Mastered by Richie Biggs, F. Reid
Shippen Greg Calbi at the Art House in Nashville
The latest from Nashville’s the Mary Dream
is not your average indie recording. This Kind of
Life paints a beautiful portrait of overwhelming
honesty. Elise Bellew and Blake Ryan Dayton have
GailFountain
35. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 33
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/taken truth and emotion to a magnificent level.
“Deeper” starts with moody vocals drifting
over a steady, driving beat. “Sing” has a nice groove
riding along on a distant piano. The sound is
reminiscent of bands like Madder Rose who with
grooves, vocal effects and hooky drums delivered
a very memorable sound. This Kind of Life hits
with a waltz-like mood, thick bottom and wash of
guitar and leads you down a path of intelligently
written poetry. “Wrong Every Time” grooves
innocently through Bellew’s vocals. “Below Zero”
softly caresses after successfully pulling your
heartstrings. “The Best of Me” takes your ears
on a nice lyrical journey filled with warm chorus
arrangements and wide, flowing bridges. “Home”
starts with distant piano slowly pushing through
subtle accents of cello and guitar, making this
a masterpiece of devotion. “Lighten Up” is very
similar in color, but dances effortlessly over the
guitar’s background. “Best Thing” comes crashing
like a huge wave of sound washing around you with
soft, subtle ambience. “Burning Bridges” holds the
momentum with sweet piano and warmth, but as
the recording concludes, we are given “Save You,” a
beautiful ending to a masterpiece of musicianship
and songwriting.
This recording will make any listener crave a
warm embrace from Bellew far before the music
is over. Excellent chord progressions, intelligent
dynamics and wonderful production fuel this piece
masterfully. (Super Universe Records)XBryon
TurcotteXwww.myspace.com/themarydream
“Bob Seger, by way of
Ryan Adams, traveling
along Route 66”
The Reverend
John Delore
Ode to an
American Urn
Brooklyn, NY
Produced by John DeLore, Bryan Pugh Steve Lewis // Recorded
mixed by Pugh at Gödel String in Brooklyn // Mastered by Justin
Shturtz at Sterling Sound
Wisconsin native and Brooklyn transplant
John DeLore maintains the rural textures of
home, blending them elegantly with life amongst
concrete, steel and strangers. Ode to an American
Urn plays out like a Midwestern man warmed
and scratched up by the big city and is meaningful
like a heavy handshake with an old timer. DeLore
writes catchy songs with easy melodies and his
gravelly, soulful voice echoes Dr. John and Patrick
Sweaney. It’s Americana mixed with traditional
rock and the sentiments are tangible like dirty
hands, while a fair amount of restraint leads to
ambiance and warmth. DeLore never boils over,
making sure to simmer like butter on a hot plate.
“Don’t Fall Asleep at the Wheel” is fun yet
tempered, a love song as much as a road song. The
narrator says to someone making their way home
to “turn up the radio, just sing along to whatever
comes on, make up words.” “Jerusalem” bears a
‘50s swagger matched with Muscle Shoals flavor-
ing. “Slow Down” digs deep with simple tribal
beats and sparse piano playing and DeLore sings
as if in the distance, his voice reaching from the
past. For the Izzy Stradlin-flavored “In’Shallah,”
the steady backbeat stomps with driving piano
funk. DeLore paints imagery with lyrics, such as
“I cut my tooth in a city where there is no orchard
on a hill / where the undertaker kicks a stone
down the street / I guess even death has lost its
thrill.”
With Ode to an American Urn, DeLore
crafts music and literature, topography rich
in American scenery and weary hearts. (self-
released) XBrianTuckerXwww.myspace.com/
reverendjohndelore
DAVEGREERPHOTOGRAPHY DESIGN
www.davegreer.cc
hello@davegreer.cc
36. 34 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
////Reviews ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/// “Lyrically John
Mayer, musically
Del McCoury and
altogether something
pleasantly familiar”
Joy Kills Sorrow
Darkness Sure
Becomes This City
Engineered by Eric Merrill // Produced by Merrill Joy Kills Sorrow
// Mastered by Dave Sinko
Itmaycomeasnosurprisethat2006John
LennonSongwritercontestwinnerBridgetKearney
wrotemostofthehighlightsofthisalbum.Kearney
alsowrotesomeofthemostlyricallyclichésongs,
here,rivalingtheliteraryqualitiesofJohnMayerat
hisbest.SingerEmmaBeatonsoothinglycarriesyou
throughseveralofthemorecountrycompositionson
therecord.
“Books”isaslow-movingpleasantrythat,
althoughenjoyable,doesn’tholdacandletothebeauty
ofasonglike“ThinkingofYouandSuch.”Buton“All
theBuildings,”it’seasytolosesightofthatbeauty
withlyricssuchas,“Whydon’twestayinmyroom/
wasteawaytheafternoon…allourfavoritesongs/we
canprolong.”Noteverythingneedstobealyricalmas-
terpiece,butonecannotrelyonmusicalone(unless
youarethemosttalentedgroupofmusiciansalive).
Asfarasthatgoes,thisshouldbeoneofthemost
talentedgroupsofmusiciansouttherewithBerklee
flatpicking-championmandolinplayerJacobJolliff,
guitaristMatthewArcaraandCanadianFolkSinger
oftheYear,EmmaBeaton.Atthesametime,while
listening,youwishtheirskillswereshowcasedlittle
more.Thehighlightofthealbumactuallyhappens
tobe“NewShoes,”aCalebKlaudercover.Itjustgoes
toshowthateventhebestsingersandsongwrit-
erssometimesneedalittlehelpfromtheirfriends.
(SignatureSounds)XAndrewFerschXwww.joykillssor-
row.com
“Hip-shaking,
stabbing, fuzz-rock”
Thick Shakes
Ooh Mommy
Boston, MA
Recorded mixed by Jerry
MacDonald
Iusuallydon’tpay
muchattentiontobandnames.Theyseemtocome
fromhappenstanceandrarelyhavemuchtodowith
aband’ssound.NotthecasewithThickShakes.Yeah,
it’sareferencetomilkshakes,butit’salsoarefer-
encetodancing.ThickShakesconjuresupimagesof
dancinginacrowdasthickasaDairyQueenBlizzard
andtheOohMommyEP,ThickShakes’firstofficial
release,providestheperfectsoundtrackforsuchan
occasion.Therearesurfacelayerpunkandsurf-rock
influencesthatmakeyouwanttomovehere,butthere
isalsoaslow,sinisterdrivebeneaththissurfacethat
deliberatelydragsandthenpops.
Thislayeringismostsuccessfulintheopening
track“Starfish”andtheMagneticField’scoverof
“Underwear.”Themelodyin“Starfish”soundslikea
crossbetweenLeeHazelwood/NancySinatraandthe
Ventures.It’scatchyandpunky,butalsohasthesame
finger-shakinggirlpowerthatappearsonthesongs
ofNancyandLee.Also,comparingtheircovertothe
MagneticField’soriginalversionuncoversalotof
whatisatworkhere.Whiletheoriginalissparseand
ominous,ThickShakes’versionbothspeedsitupand
intensifiesthemelodybyaddingafiercedrumbeat
andsomefiercevocals.
TheentireEPwasrecordedthroughtelephone
microphonesandgivetheEPasoundsimilarto
TheeOhSee’srecordings.Thisalsomakesthelyrics
indiscernibleattimes,butwhocares?Theimportant
onescomethroughandtheunclearonescomeoff
asadelightfuloutburst.(SnuggleHoundRecords)
XAshleyThomasXmyspace.com/thickshakesmusic
“The best dance-in-
your-chair ‘60s throw-
back pop Jersey
has to offer”
Status Green
Cheap Sunglasses
Asbury Park, NJ
Recorded mixed by Ron Haney
Bart Schoudel of NEAR Studios, Joe Dell’Aquilla of Exeter Recording
Studio Jay Agel Rob Kinowski at Sony NYC // Mastered by Tom
Ruff at Asbury Media
Fromtheveryfirsttrack,“RoomToPlay,”you
feellikeyou’rewalkingintoamodern-dayversionofa
beachmovie–onlydarker.It’sadancetunejustbeg-
gingforsomeonetostepuptotheplateasthemodern
FrankieandAnnette.Thissongisagreatwayforthe
Jerseybandtointroducethemselves,assomething
aboutitjustfeelsepic.Infact,everythingaboutStatus
Green’slatestalbumremindsyouofeverythingthat
waseverfabledtobegoodaboutthe‘60s.
Anundefinablepartofthisbandelicitsremi-
niscencesoftheKillers,eventhoughthesongsare
nothinglikeKillerssongs.They’refartooupbeatand
straightforwardforcomparisontotheoft-ambiguous,
alt-rockband,yetthesemblanceisthere.Someofthe
songsontheCheapSunglassesreleasearedarkerthan
others,buteventheedgieronesarestillprettysing-
along.OneobviousparalleltotheKillers’HotFuss:
youcanlistentoeverytrackonthealbumwithout
hittingabadsong.
Thereareweakertracks,namely“Guessing
Games”and“WhatINeed.”Iflistenersgetthrough
thisslighthiccuprightinthemiddleofthealbum,
theywillberewardedwithagratifyingfinishasthe
finalsixsongsareaburiedtreasureofchair-dancing,
popgold.Thestrongestsongsonthealbumare
“Circles”and“Diana”(buriedastrack11),whichare
ascatchyandalluringasanyouttoday.(self-released)
XKateDavenportXwww.status-green.com
“Hip-hop that’s gritty,
witty and delicious
at once”
Stevie Crooks
Diamonds and Guns
Los Angeles, CA
Mixed mastered by RJ at
Fullrange
Stevie Crooks is a striking individual to say
the least. At nearly 7-feet tall, it doesn’t take much
more than a ski mask to clue you into his swagger –
oh, and he does wear one. He’s a crook after all; the
L.A. native once held up his own listening party as
a way of introducing himself.
According to his MySpace, Stevie’s mask is
representative of a Robin Hood-esque view of the
hip-hop game: the rich have gotten richer, the poor
have gotten poorer, the “kingdom” has been over-
run by greedy tyrants and standards have fallen
abysmally. Mr. Crooks is here to steal the game
back and bring into it the essence of love, passion
and pure soul that it was founded on in the first
place.
And he he doesn’t mince his words. In
“Gnarly,” he has this to say: “Somebody do me a
favor / buy me that Wayne CD so I can take a dump
on it later.”
Stevie’s second mixtape, Diamonds and Guns,
brings the same raw quality he came with on his
first, CTSC, and both are worth a good listen. His
flow is catchy and witty as usual, though some-
times dips into some more personal and poetic
thoughts. He’s equally strong lyrically as he is with
the aesthetic of his voice – even lines that would
sound forgettable from someone else will echo in
your head. One particular track that stands out
lyrically and conceptually is “Seeds of Change,”
in which Stevie revisits the story of two parents
having an unexpected child (possibly based on his
own past). The child tells the story from inside the
mother’s womb, watching the interaction of the
parents and hoping they make the right decision
for him.
Diamonds and Guns seems as if it might lack
some of the diversity of CTSC and feels a bit
more poppy – but it’s a smooth ride nonetheless.
XMadelineReddington Xwww.myspace.com/pvjf
37. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 35
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
LIVE REVIEW
HIROMI UEHARA
Dakota Jazz Club // Minneapolis, MN // March 9, 2010
HIROMI UEHARA IS STILL THE BEST thing jazz has going. Her
work with legends including Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Anthony
Jackson, Lenny White and her own chops-busting Sonic Bloom band is
tearing right into the image of jazz as a stiff, old white man’s medium and
injecting a healthy dose of bubbly, sexy charisma back into it without
sacrificing one iota of musicality.
For her second set at Minneapolis’ Dakota Jazz Club, a venue the
artist has called “one of the best,” it was troubling to see her slink into
a stereotype of Japanese musicians, which she has previously system-
atically obliterated. Sure, the execution was next to flawless, but the
delivery was a little cold and some of the cheap parlor tricks weren’t
helping. Uehara opened with a road-burned “Tom and Jerry Show,” a blis-
tering boogie woogie-inspired tune that has gotten untold mileage since
her 2003 debut. The highlight of the evening followed, “If,” off of 2004’s
Brain. But after the majestic dynamic cascading contour of the piece died
down, technique and gimmicks began to take hold.
“BQE” followed before Hiromi jumped into “Somewhere,” a tribute
to Oscar Peterson. Between songs Uehara would talk in her moderately
conversant “aww shucks” colloquialisms about each song that had nearly
every patron lapping up every drop. The second highlight of the night
came again from Hiromi’s Brain album, Desert on the Moon. “Pachelbel’s
Canon” followed, with muted strings to emulate a clavichord (aforemen-
tioned parlor trick) and then “Bern Baby Bern,” “Cream Puff” and the
encore “Place to Be.” In all, it appears (and feels) cynical judging harshly
such a technically virtuosic performance that seems so outwardly earnest,
but in this case, to quote Flea, it felt like there was a lot of flash and not
enough crash. XJoe Lang Xwww.myspace.com/hiromimusic
WoodyWolfe
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SoundAffair_3.5x2.25_Color_Perf v1 11/18/09 7:01 PM Page
38. 36 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
MAUS HAUS
The Mezzanine // San Francisco, CA // Feb. 27, 2010
IWAS HAVING ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS where nothing seemed
to run smoothly. The bus left without my friend and I just as we
arrived at the station, a woman berated us as we sipped whiskey from a
flask and after arriving at our stop, we got horribly lost trying to find the
Mezzanine, which is tucked away inconspicuously in an alley. Seemingly
by kismet however, the band I came to see, San Francisco’s Maus Haus,
started playing the moment I walked through the door. I felt like they were
waiting just for me. The place, a mix between an underground warehouse
venue and a trendy dance club, was packed and the whole crowd had
their eyes glued to the stage. People cheered after their opening chords in
anticipation of the song to follow.
Maus Haus put on an inspiring show. They don’t sound like anyone
else, and yet also sound completely familiar and accessible. I told this
to singer/keyboard player Josh Rampage after the show and his reply
was, “That’s ridiculous! We steal from all sorts of people.” It’s true, they
do “steal” from other artists, but their music is greater than the sum of
its parts. Maus Haus has a way of making sketches of songs and weaving
them together that is perfect for our generation. Akin to a modern novel’s
way of communicating stream of consciousness, the structure of Maus
Haus’s songs relate to the sublime experience of everyday life.
The truly impressive part about their music is that they do all of
this heady stuff and maintain the fun. That night, the crowd was danc-
ing and jumping up and down in excitement (definitely not the reaction
most people have to reading Joyce or Faulkner). The band pulls this off
because, like Animal Collective or Olivia Tremor Control, they use pop
and go beyond it, leaving us with sincere yet transcendent music. XAshley
Thomas Xwww.myspace.com/maushausmusic
LIVE REVIEW
JesseHoff
////Reviews ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
“Seattle art-punk
dream team”
Past Lives
Tapestry of Webs
Seattle, WA
Produced, engineered mixed
by Steve Fisk at Avast Studios in
Greenwood
Foralltheirflaws,Seattle’sstill-relevantBlood
Brothershavemanagedtospawnatleasttwonotable
bandsintothepoolofthePacificNorthwestinthe
pasttwoyears.WithPastLives’TapestryofWebs,
theythickenthegenepool.
TapestryofWebswasrecordedbetweenthe
summerandfallof2009withlegendaryNorthwest
producerSteveFisk(Unwound,BeatHappening,
Low)pressingbuttonsforlocalfavoriteSuicide
SqueezeRecordsatthealsolegendarystudioAvast.
Therecordfindsthebandtryingalittleharderto
figurethemselvesoutandperhapsalsotheaudience
withwhomtheywanttosharetheirsentiments.They
certainlymakesomeinterestingpledges,suchas
“AerosolBouquet”wheretheyusebeautifullittlegui-
tarschismsalongsidesomenearlymutedsynthesizer
partsthatbalancesbetweenpepperingtherecordand
blanketingbetweentracks.
Similartotheband’sfirsteffort,theStrange
SymmetryEP,thereisstillplentyofhaunting,lyrical
andbuildingguitarcircles.Andyetagain,drummer
MarkGadjaharfailstodisappointwithanotherround
ofpercussionloopsthatleavesyouwonderingifhe’ll
everrunoutofideas.
PastLivesretainthebasicelementsthatmade
theBloodBrothersadesirablemess,transitioning
betweentumblingandfuzzyguitarlinesthatare
meanttobeenjoyedlive,butsubtlystraddlethatline
andsuitablyimpressonrecord,too.It’stoneddown.
Infact,youcanunderstandwhatBilliesingshalfof
thetime.“Ifyou’vegotsomethingtosay,sayitatthe
topofyourlungs”hesingson“HospitalWhite.”
Thisisago-betweenrecord;itfindstheformer
BloodBrothersimmersedhappilyinthenextelement
oftheircareers.Theyareasuncertainasweare.
Thereisnolawagainstarecordthatseguestothenext
one,infact,itcanmakeforacompellingtrip.Likeany
bookworthreading,itmakesyouanxiousforthenext
chapter.(SuicideSqueezeRecords) XClintGoulden
Xwww.myspace.com/pastlivesmusic
“Poetic folk without
the cliches”
The Wooden Birds
Montague Street
Austin, TX
Self-recorded produced
TheWoodenBirds’AndrewKennyhaslongbeen
achampionofthehomespunsound.Theformer
AmericanAnalogSetfrontmanhascollaborated
withBenGibbardofDeathCabforCutieforapurely
acousticEPaspartofthe“Home”series,givingita
natural,untouchedfeel.TheWoodenBirds’other
members,includinganotherformerAASmember,
LeslieSisson,andMattPondofMattPondPA,are
alsowell-versedinstripped,acousticperformances.
Beforetheband’sdebutalbumMagnolia’screation,
andbeforehismigrationtoAustin,Kennyworked
diligentlyfromhishomestudioinBrooklyntodefine
thegroup’ssound.Namedafterthelocationwhere
itwasrecorded,thenewlyreleasedMontagueStreet
EPfeaturesfourpre-Magnoliarecordingsselected
fromKenny’shomeworkshopsessions.Guidedbyan
obviouslycarefulhand,theorganiccutsarefilledwith
serenityandgentleness.
Kenny’srichtenorglideseasilyoveracoustic
guitarlinesthatdripwithawarmthandresonance.
Thereisanatmosphereofsomerareandquiet
equilibriumthatmakesithardtobelievethatthe
albumwasrecordedanywherebutinalogcabin,
muchlessNewYork.Kenny’stypicalpoeticprosefits
inperfectlywiththeacousticsongs,andtitlessuchas
“BelieveinLove”and“TheOtherOne”instantlygive
theirromanticizedcontentaway,butmanagetoavoid
39. APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 37
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/akitschydoom.Kenny’scrooningisn’tallinnocent,
however.Themaliciouslyricsof“Choke”sound
almostcomicalagainstthesweetlystrummedguitar
thataccompaniesthem.It’sthesleepyandquietly
moving“Bad”thatsustainstheEP,though.Thesoft
strumshaveaclarityandtruthaboutthem,andare
bothheavywithpurposeandlightontheearsatonce.
Overall,MontagueStreetwasasuccessfulroadmap
forthefutureofWoodenBirds,layingthefoundation
forunabashedlyhonestfolkalbum.(self-released)
XAbbyJohnstonXwww.myspace.com/thewoodenbirds
“Electronic funk mired
in mysticism”
Rafter
Animal Feelings
San Diego, CA
Produced, mixed recorded by
Rafter Roberts
RafterRobertsbrings
akindofjoytotheartofmixingandremixingsongs
inadditiontoputtingouthisownrecords.Hecomes
acrossasaguyhavingfun,doingwhathefeelsis
best.AnimalFeelingsintroducesfanstoahybridof
electronicfunk,dance-popandrockrhythms.From
theopeningtrack,“NoFuckingAround”totheclose,
“BeautyBeauty,”listenerscanexpecttheunexpected
inthemesandstyles.Thevocalsarepleasingtothe
earandmeshwellwiththeinstrumentation.
Happychoruseslike,“I’dknowthatyouloveme
ifyoushareyourfruitwithme”makefordanceable
tunesinsongslike“Fruit,”whichcarriesabouncy
rhythmthroughthesoundofclappinghands.The
titletrack,“AnimalFeelings,”swoonswithcrescendo
inharmonizedvocals.Inspiredbypunk,itpacksa
punch,butitconformstopopstandards:easytoplay
onmostmajorradiostationsandtrendyenoughfor
danceclubs.Theelectronicmovementthroughallthe
songsmakesthewholealbumfeelfun.
Rafter’sprojectsremainentirelytheworkof
RafterRoberts,amanwhoacquiredhisnamefrom
ajokemadetohispregnantmotheraboutbeing
conceivedinaloft.Hisrootsinpunkmusicencourage
thespiritofindependence,whichhetemperswith
morepalpablepopbeats.(AsthmaticKitty) XEllen
Eldridge Xwww.myspace.com/rafterroberts
“An education on
‘90s indie-rock”
Mass Solo Revolt
Bend in Time
Athens, GA
Produced by Martin Brummeler
// Recorded in Athens at M. Ca-
det the Bakery by Brummeler,
Joel Hatstat Russ Sherman // Mixed mastered by Brummeler
MartinBrummeler’sMassSoloRevoltstarted
asaprojecttochannelhisdissatisfactionandangst,
buthassinceburstintoafull-fledgededucationon
theindie-rockrootsthatthecollegetownofAthens
hassincetransitionedanddevelopedfrom.Although
highlyreminiscentoflandmarkbandssuchas
PavementandBuilttoSpill,thebandtakesthese
solidindiebuildingblocksandcraftssongsthatare
nostalgicyetincrediblyfresh.
“It’sAllCircles,”beginstherecordwithwhat
becomessomeofthealbum’sindispensablefun-
damentals:asolidcadenceintheformofdrummer
RussSherman’sprecisebeatsandbassistJames
Frye’ssteadyyetintricatebasslines.Theguitars
bellowandbuildwithtremolo,delayandvarious
othereffects–providingcolortoallthetracks–while
Brummler’shonestandearnestvocalsprovidesooth-
ingandrevealingwords.Thepost-rockbuildon“Let’s
Pretend”showcasesMassSoloRevolt’sabilitytobe
dramaticandappropriatetothesong’ssubjectmatter,
whilethebandsassemblyofaninfectioushookon
“Swallow”willhaveyoupressingtherepeatbutton
morethanafewtimes.
Theparamounttrackonthealbum,“Youin100
Words,”incorporatesapost-punkclimaxandatruth-
fulmixofself-reflectivelyrics.Thearpeggiopeak
towardtheendofthesongisoneofthebestresolves
toasongI’veheardthisyear.Witharevampedlineup,
MassSoloRevoltispoisedtotakeon2010inimpres-
sivewaysandbringbackasoundtoacityteeming
withyoungfanseagertohearsomethingaccessible
andjustplaingood.(Hop-SkipRecords)XAlbert
OpraseuthXwww.myspace.com/masssolorevolt
“ADHD shred by
Nintendo”
stOrk
stOrk
Los Angeles, CA
Produced by Shane Gibson
Thomas Lang // Recorded by
Nick D’Virgilio at Guitar Ogre
Studio the Garage in L.A. // Mixed by Jeremy S.H. Griffith //
Mastered by Maor Appelbaum Mastering
Ifyou’veseenKornlately,thenyoumayhave
noticedoneoftoday’spremier“shred”guitarists
tuckedinthecornerofthestage,quietlywaitingfor
thespotlight.HisnameisShaneGibsonandheis
outtosetyourmindsandfingersafirewithhislat-
estrelease,stOrk.Forthoseofyouunfamiliarwith
the“shred”genre,itsstarsincludeSteveVaiand
Buckethead(theguywiththeKFCbucketonhishead
thatmakesyouwishyouhad15fingersonGuitar
HeroII).Foraspiringguitaristsunfamiliarwiththese
twonames,justthinkofanythingthatyoucannot
play.It’sonthisalbum.Shaneisaguitarist’sguitarist,
agraduateofBerkleewithuniqueideastospareand
bettersweepingtechniquethanyourgrandparents.
stOrkalsofeaturestheexcellentbasschopsofEloy
PalaciosandaCostco,bulk-sizeheapingofuber-
complicateddrummingfromThomasLang.
Standingoutarethegroovy“Moonrock,”the
frenetic“ChangingLanes”and“Loki,”whichmay
takeayeartodeciphertheaccentpatterns.Bythe
timeyoudo,youshouldresembletheguythatstared
attheArkoftheCovenant.“PreludeintheKeyofShut
theHellUp”willpleaseclassicalpurists,while“Metal
Fatigue”soundsinhuman.
Ifyou’relookingforgreatmetalandagoodtime,
avoidthebathroomstallsatyourlocaltruckstopand
pickupacopyofthis.(self-released)XDamionSanchez
Xwww.myspace.com/officialstOrk
“Electronically-in-
fused, pumped-up
rock ‘n’ roll”
We Are Wolves
Invisible Violence
Montreal, Quebec
Produced by Radwan Ghazi
Moumneh We Are Wolves //
Engineered by Arlen Thompson // Recorded by Moumneh at Thee
Mighty Hotel2Tango // Mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market
Mastering
Upon first listen to We Are Wolves’ new
album, Invisible Violence, I found myself in a
zone of recognition. The sound was so familiar,
yet the idiosyncrasies that stood out within the
music make it difficult to place. The opening
track, “Paloma,” is a guitar-driven, high-energy
compilation of catchy riffs, exploding drum
beats and flawlessly placed synth accents. The
music brings to mind the Killers and Franz
Ferdinand, as easily as it does Black Sabbath and
INXS.
The vocals of Alexander Ortiz, reminiscent
of the powerful emissions of Ozzy Osbourne,
soar above the electronic creations mingling
with a post-punk-influenced rock soundscape.
“Reaching for the Sky” is another highlight
track that starts out with a fluttering keyboard
and crescendos into an all-out whirlwind of
danceable, discotechque-worthy rhythms,
interspersed with strong guitar licks and an
ethereal melody. The album closes out with an
exquisite track, “The Spectacle of Night,” which
oozes with fun, punk-inspired vocals that run on
top of contagious rhythm and bouncy keyboard
riffs, similar to what we got from Devo, without
the ‘80s tinge.
The entire album maintains the energy
40. 38 APRIL 2010 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
////Reviews ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////found at the start, making it an indulgent listen
the whole way through. The Quebec-based
group even includes lyrics sung in French on
several tracks, such as “La Rue Oblique” and
“Paloma.” Invisible Violence is neither invis-
ible nor violent, but rather distinctly rapturous.
(Dare To Care) XNadiaLelutiuXwww.myspace.com/
wearewolvesnoussommesloups
“Deep, dark, haunting,
ethereal and gloriously
orchestrated classic
rock”
Arcanum
Sleepwalking on the
Highwire
Atlanta, GA
Produced, engineered mastered by Brett Schieber, Tree Profes-
sor Ace in Atlanta // Mixed by Dave Desbordes // Mastered by
Rodney Mills
The riveting statement “We don’t know
what it truly means to be free” echoes near the
chorus of “Let Me Go,” a stirring epic ballad
and a tune that encapsulates the entire rich-
ness of sound and atmosphere in this new EP by
Arcanum. It’s an album of dark, ethereal colors
and textures, and much creativity and sweat must
have gone into its making. The first two songs,
“Sleepwalking on the Highwire” and “Scar,”
epitomize a fully orchestrated epic brewing with
strings, morose and dark vocals and punching
drums – bringing out deeply hidden emotions.
Perhaps that was the reason Arcanum had for
initially getting together and writing the record.
Morehauntingmusicpopsupinthelushacous-
ticguitarsandgorgeousbaritonevocalsontrackfive,
“President.”Thevocalsarepowerfulandgripping,
showingthegroup’svulnerabilityandversatility.The
majorityofthealbumisfurtherexperimentation,as
theycontinuetoreinvent“Scar”invariousversions.
Itshouldbenotedtheremixesgivetherecordits
meatandweight,aprojecttakenonbyICON71,
AerochordandProfessorAce.
Probably not considered a mainstream
album, Highwire won’t likely be featured on a
commercial radio station, but look out film and
TV industry! Arcanum have a true stronghold
on the mood and feel they wish to capture, and
these songs fit the bill for a perfect match with
visual mediums. (self-released) XShawnM.Haney
Xwww.myspace.com/arcanummusic
“Hazy, ethereal
shoegaze-punk”
Bambara
Dog Ear Days
Recorded mixed by Joel Hat-
stat David Barbe // Mastered
by Hatstat
With Dog Ear Days, Bambara’s follow-up to
their self-titled debut, the trio dials down the
conventional song structure and augments tex-
ture and atmosphere. Each of the EP’s six tracks
focuses around slowly evolving guitar effects,
sudden explosive shifts in dynamics and muddy,
obscured vocal melodies.
At the forefront of the band’s sound is gui-
tarist/singer Reid Bateh. His guitar technique
retains some melodies of his earlier work, but
has expanded to incorporate larger doses of
ethereal, reverb-soaked pedal textures and cha-
otic, disquieting shards of noise. “Stay Gray” in
particular showcases this more abrasive side.
Twin brother Blaze Bateh’s drums, always
a pummeling force, have assumed a more tribal
bent; many of the drum passages comprise
mostly toms and snares (“Feed the Pigs”), while
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