Another great show created from the cosmic radiation.
Earth are epic, slow-plod, God-country music. Grails have put out two of my favorite releases of the 21st century, Burden of Hope and Black Tar Prophecies Vol. 1, 2, & 3. Master Musicians of Bukkake are the best band in the city. Watch Don McGreevy pull double duty as the drummer for Bukkake opening the show and super groove thunder stick in Earth at the end.
Local label Beep Repaired hosted a Turkey Day concert at the Crocodile this past Wednesday (11/21), featuring four solid Seattle rock bands: Juhu Beach, Lake of Falcons, Unlearn, and the Bismarck. Only two of the four bands are currently signed to BR, but they’re cool like that, and asked a couple of their friends to round out the lineup. Admittedly, I was there mainly to see Lake of Falcons, whose old-school melodic-punk style has intrigued me ever since my sister introduced me to them a few years back while she was still actively affiliated with the BR family. But the whole show ended up being well worth the six bucks I paid to get in. Juhu Beach opened the show, and, having never heard them before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. They answered the bell with flying colors. This four-piece played with a lot of energy, featured some notable song writing, and even threw in a flurry of non-annoying intersong banter. AMAZING!
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Powersolo is a punk/rockabilly trio (the railthin brothers Kim “Kix,” and Bo “Atomic Child” with drummer J.C. Benz) from Aarhus Denmark. This is their second North American tour supporting Heavy Trash. We sat down before their Chop Suey show to chat about their new album Egg, their love for American music and other music-good-times.
Before we could get right down to business Jon Spencer, Kim and Bo tried to organize their evening – where to eat, where to get J.C. Benz’s specs mended, and where the heck was their hotel? For some reason, unbeknownst to me, they conducted much of this planning in a British accent. We concluded that Kim was a very organized fellow, and has added “organized” to his name, making him: Kim “Organized Kix” Jeppesen. (I wonder if it will stick?)
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Hey y’alls! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are ready for tons of live Seattle music this December. I had an amazing time at the WEEN show last month. For those of you who are fans, 2.5 hrs of unadulterated WEEN. What else can I say. Gene and Dean were in rare form, the crowd was full of geeks and freaks and there was a peculiar smell in the air all night. For those of you who aren’t fans, it was everything you hate about WEEN. That I can promise. But I digress…
There are still a couple not-to-be-missed shows for November
Les Savy Fav – Friday Nov. 30th @ Neumo’s ($18 Adv)
The Cave Singers with Fleet Foxes – Friday Nov. 30th @ the Crocodile ($10)
Suicidal Tendencies at El Corozon Wed Nov 28 ($22 ADV /$25 DOS)
Now lets get to the December lineup:
The THERMALS @ Neumos – Sat, Dec 1st
It’s finally time for the December list and I can rant on about the Thermals. This Portland trio puts on an incredible live show and their newest album, The Body, the Blood, the Machine has a permanent place in my rotation. I’m pretty confident that this will remain my #1 pick
Click the link for more recommended shows
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http://www.sonicboomrecords.com/
Sonic Boom Records Capitol Hill:
514 15th Ave E.
Seattle WA 98112
To support his new record, Shelter From the Ash, Ben Chasney aka Six Organs of Admittance will be performing at Sonic Boom tonight around 7 pm. I am not sure if he’ll be solo or with accompaniment, but either way it’s definitely worth checking out and the price is right…..FREE!
Probably the biggest thing which happened for music in 2007 (as the media would have you believe) is Radiohead’s download only release of In Rainbows. Unfortunately, this only has to do with the industry and not the actual art. Various other pundits can debate what the “effects” of this will be for major labels, downloading music, distribution, etc etc etc. To me, the only thing which should be considered is whether or not the album was good and I’ll get to that later.
Hunkered down in my hole, I have no idea what really “happened” in music this year in terms of the bigger bands, important releases, trends, styles, or revolutions. None of it really matters to me since we can not tell at this point in time if any of it mattered for music qua music.
BEST ALBUMS OF 2007
A misnomer: the title should be “Albums I Have Purchased That Were Issued in 2007.” I can count them on my fingers. Here they are in alphabetical order:
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Since I was fifteen years old I have spent a large part of my time reading, absorbing music and writing about it. As a creator of music as well, I tend to agree with a sentiment of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn — our culture is at a dire time when there is more commentary on a specific art form than actual art. With the proliferation of blog pages such as these, it seems that we are moving into an era when the possibility to actually listen to music, to understand it’s historical perspective, is diminishing under the weight of the opinions of the millions out there in the blogosphere. The main qualification for having an opinion on the web, is that one knows how to type and has access to a computer. How these are confused with the right to actually say anything constructive about the topic (beyond subjective stumping) is mind-boggling. I theorize it is deeply rooted in the American concept of validity in one’s opinion — which must be true to have a democratic state (or at least to convince people that they live in one). But this is a lie. Very few citizens of this country (politicians included) have anywhere close to an inkling of the knowledge required to make political decisions.
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Let me begin by saying this: I like the Cops. I do. I’ve seen them numerous times in various venues and I’ve always left their shows impressed and satisfied. They seem like hardworking locals with a flair for guitar fights and energetic performances. They strike me as the type of guys you might want to slug back a sixer of High Life tallboys with and then go egg your buddy’s parents’ house. Even though you graduated high school in 1992. And it’s still 2007. But that’s neither here nor there; my point being that they’ve carved themselves a particularly small niche in the local landscape with a garage-punk sound predicated on pulsating and mesmerizing guitar riffs, vocalized by Michael “Mikey” Jaworski’s raspy yet passionate lyrics, with just enough primal drumming to make you want to march. In boots, goddammit. Their debut LP, Get Good or Stay Bad, was rightfully lauded for its gritty sound, political undertones, and danceable hooks (a lá Gang of Four or the Clash). But it’s this new release, Free Electricity, which has me a bit worried. After watching them at the Crocodile this past Friday (11/16) for a CD-release show, I’m led to this conclusion: while Jaworski mostly keeps to the same (successful) formula vocally, and bassist Drew Church more than holds his own, the addition of a third guitarist has left their sound a bit, well, muddled.
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At the Paramount. So sayeth their marquee.
(Will this concert be more than 15 minutes long?!?)
The Cops record release riot for “Free Electricity” ensues tonight at the Crocodile with the Pleasureboaters and the Whore Moans and they will play Portland’s Tonic Lounge tomorrow night.
“Will The Cops make my tap my foot and have a good time?” you ask? Well, KEXP included The Cops’ infectious “It’s Epidemic” onto the Free Song of the Day podcast, and pumped out the provocative “Light If Off” one morning this week while I was stuck in traffic. Check the podcast directory to get a free taste.
While walking down 5th today, I passed the location of the old Nation/I SPY and was a little bummed to see a Notice of Proposed Land Use Action signs attached to front of the building. While this site was many clubs before and since, I recall many a great night there, having seen a Sub Pop Anniversary show there featuring the Glucifer and Modest Mouse and/or Murder City Devils. (It was a long night and many years ago.) One afternoon I witnessed the manic hysteria of meth-rockers Hella and recall that Jeremiah of Modest Mouse was DJing upstairs at some point. Though totally unfamiliar with the lifestyle, I had to catch the b-boy antics of Circle of Fire at I SPY at least once. I got a plus-one for the incredible DJ Krush show there around the time of Code 4109, and I’ll NEVER forget the hilarity of the freakish tour of Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By. (How can anyone describe the sensory mash-up of Mike Patton, DJ Kid Koala, Prince Paul, and Dan the Automator with his Giant Snifter of Maker’s Mark?)
Adios, Nation and I SPY.
Late last night, I got a call from a friend with an offer for free admission to yet another KEXP VIP show at the Triple Door.
“Stars is playing,” reported Barney. “Wanna go?”
“Who is Stars? Never heard of ‘em.”
Neither had she.
By 12:30 this afternoon, there was a significant lineup already forming. We got decent seats 2/3 back, sharing a booth with quiet strangers who may have known as little about this band as me and my Canadian friend. DJ Shannon nervously introduced them and they got around to their rocking soon after 1pm.
By the third song, we formulated our assessment of the group: they were band nerds in high school. I’ll call this a double-edged sword. Their musicianship was top-notch and they obviously have been playing together long enough to be this tight. But the flip side is that they kinda take themselves a little too seriously, confining themselves to very small patches of space on stage. It was as if they were in a tightly-packed house party full of invisible people.
This didn’t keep them from performing on various instruments: the male lead monkeyed around with a synth, trumpet and some unidentified mouth organ sorta keyboard thing. The female lead switched between acoustic and electric guitars, in addition to sharing that trumpet and lead vox. (We imagined the lead male was pouting when she did this.) They also felt free enough to babble a bit between songs, introducing them briefly and joking around a bit.
The lead guitarist (“he looks like a too-tall George Harrison!” says Barno) expertly and efficiently commanded a Stratocaster, a Telecaster and a hollow-body six-string during the set, and the bassist had a variety of instruments handed to him by a mysterious arm that waited in the wings. I think the drummer was an extra in “The Secret of my Success” or perhaps “Pretty in Pink” as the Cool Guy at the party who had the Free Drugs. His white-framed wayfarers and pink pants were the bees knees.
I hesitate to jump on this bandwagon, but we agreed that Stars has a Radiohead-esque aura to their music. The also share the same tone as Two Loons for Tea, with a late-80s pop influence. I think I want to hear them in my car to capture the atmosphere of their work, minus their relatively stiff and introverted stage presence.
Stars headlines an all-ages Showbox performance tonight at 8pm with Miracle Fortress. (Not to be confused with Miracle Baby, one of my favorite underrated sensations of the late 90s.)
Also, KEXP is broadcasting this afternoon’s show at 4:30pm. Check out the archives for the whole show. Apparently one of the songs was about f*cking someone to death.
For those of you who were on the fence about checking out the TAAS show, this past Wed the 14th, those who just plain missed it or more deserving, those who loved the show and want more… I’ve got a treat for you.
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From the Sit n Spin days to the new Showbox Sodo, from the basement-chic KCMU to KEXP’s ascendancy to indie-authority, I saw some important changes happen firsthand.
I got to Denver, my new home, early today. I moved for a big career opportunity, but don’t let me trick you into thinking I’m getting a real job, hell no. I’ll still be doing photography and web design, only I’ll be teaming with two very talented people — Cameron Preston and longtime friend Brandi Shigley — who want to make a serious dent in this town.
Seeing that there has been a lot of KEXP talk on here about who gave what, who ain’t givin crap, who hates who, who loves who, etc, I’ve thought I’d avoid the politics of it all and let you know about a little sum-sumthin’ KEXP can do for YOU.
A couple times a month I’ll be listening to the KEXP and hear a song with such a strong hook or great refrain that I just can’t get it out of my head for days, weeks even. They have such a great ear for finding songs that I end up singing before falling asleep and wake up humming. Now as the cycle goes on and the playlists change, those songs tend to fall off the charts and slip into the ether. What I have discovered is that the KEXP Podcast GIVES you most of these songs for FREE!!! Once a day, some DJ’s most favoritest song gets posted/podcast/whatever just for you.. ta have!
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Not wanting to miss the Chicago-based Ponys for a second time in seven months, I made sure to ingest a healthy dose of café latté prior to making my way to the Crocodile Tuesday night (11/6). My day job as a desk jockey, you see, requires me to be awake at inhuman hours, so getting to a fucking rock show on a weekday night is a process that sometimes involves the most legal of drugs (don’t worry, I had beer, too). Turns out I should’ve said “No” to legal drugs, because these guitar heroes provided any and all necessary energy I would need to enjoy their distinct brand of garage-psych.
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The Master Musicians of Bukkake have been dormant for a few months now, coming out of hiding for a single show at the Rendezvous a few weeks ago backing Herb Diamante. No over-the-top, ritualistic psych theater that night, but instead some acoustic guitars, odd drum kits, and keyboards to feather Herb’s pillow. But come next Monday, everyone can get their Bukkake dose at the Greenhouse (2515 S. Charles). The Greenhouse is one of the greatest D.I.Y. venues in this city, considerably more low-key the S.S. Marie Antoinette (R.I.P.) or Atlas Clothing. Managing to avoid the press (meaning the articles in the The Stranger documenting the last two which, I believe, helped with their demise. Sound on journalistic ethics, but in terms of music, why report on that shit?), Greenhouse presents free shows in a great house party atmosphere.
For folks who’ve never been to a Bukkake gig and are wondering what to expect, I am at a loss to tell you. The last two times I’ve seen them were the low-key backing job and a destructive, all out assault on Portland’s minds with Damo Suzuki (Can). No two shows by this ultimate mysterioso rock mindfuck have been similar this year. I’ve seen full on dragon maks, dance parties, embriotic sacs, togas, violent attacks by a guitarist in sarong and S&M mask, appearances by Damo, Herb Diamente, and everyone’s favorite demented summoned schizoid, Uncle Jim.
In terms of freaky live experiences, a lot of shit can be tossed about, but I have never seen anything top ‘em at their best. Or even at their medium. Or anywhere in between. They don’t even operate on these levels — they are an entity unto their unknown.
A small peak at some of the madness can be found here on YouTube: Master Musicians
Also performing are Thrones and more.
While Kevin did a fantabulous job with this month’s upcoming shows, there were a few more that I wanted to call out:
The Ponys – I know, I know, this was already included, but for the love of god, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support this band! They’ve put out three (3) solid albums to date and their infectious garage rock—embellished with pop sensibilities—is sure to please. Their latest release Turn The Lights Out is awesome, but check out the previous LP, Celebration Castle, for the real goods. TONIGHT @ THE CROCODILE ($10).
Grand Archives (w/ Helio Sequence & Minus the Bear) – This show goes down at the Showbox (ugh, “at the Market”) Saturday Nov. 10th. With three solid local bands on the bill, this will no doubt be good. While Helio Sequence and Minus the Bear have received plenty of high marks before (and rightly so), it’s Grand Archives that whets my whistle. Mat Brooke (of Band of Horses and Carissa’s Wierd fame) fronts this recently signed Sub Popper. $16 Adv / $18 DOS All Ages
These Arms Are Snakes – This band is so awesome, not even the fact that their name is just the 2nd most awesomest band name ever can diminish their awesomeness. For fans of local post-hardcore (that just means it’s LOUD and AWESOME). Part of ISIS’s 10-Year Anniversary Tour. Wednesday Nov. 14th @ Neumo’s;$15 Adv All Ages.
Lake of Falcons – So, in case you were wondering, this is the band with the best name ever. EVER. Just think about it: A lake…of FALCONS. Fashioning a “throwback” grungy sound with crunchy monster-guitars and dual vocals, it’s a pleasure to see them still booking shows. They’ve been around on fantastic DIY label Beep Repaired for some time, but haven’t got their proper due. A great chance to support the hard-hats of the local scene: Wednesday Nov 21st @ the Crocodile ($6).
Les Savy Fav – This is another of my favorites…Art-rockers from Brooklyn celebrate their first release in three years. The bass lines will slice you into pieces, the guitars will make you squeal and you just might get some sort of ambiguous liquid thrown on you by satiric frontman Tim Harrington. I love this band. Friday Nov. 30th @ Neumo’s ($18 Adv)
The Cave Singers with Fleet Foxes - Can’t say enough about the beautiful, macabre folk of Seattle’s Cave Singers and the 70s AM radio-inspired musings of Fleet Foxes. Check them out while they’re still under the radar. Friday Nov. 30th @ the Crocodile ($10)
That is all.
