Published work by Karla Hernandez

Album Review: Cheat Sheet - Songs To Yawn To

2011-01-20T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published January 20, 2011 in Redefine Magazine.
Direct link to article

Cheat Sheet
Songs To Yawn To
Self Released

While Cheat Sheet hails from Michigan, there is something about the duo's smoggy, laid-back songs that muster the dazed vibe of sunny Southern California. The noisy chaos and merged vocals on tracks "Customer Disservice" and "Expansive Ghosts" add a lot of energy to the debut entitled, Songs To Yawn To, which fans of bands like No Age, Japandroids and Tera Melos might dig -- but Cheat Sheet has yet to hone its very own sound. There are a lot of different ideas on the album, and it is not hard for a listener to lose interest when the sounds change direction. Where "Customer Disservice" is complex and clamorous, the following, "Community Chance," is more of a lazy summer day track. It has a hazy drone that could make it an ironic addition to Top 40 radio that becomes popular with potheads. Furthermore, "Variflex Vs. BMX" attempts to be an anthem for skateboarders and has the, "don't give a shit" attitude of The Black Lips, but without the gritty edge that would make it memorable. After a few listens to Songs To Yawn To, it becomes notable that Cheat Sheet shines most on tracks like "Neon Brown" and "Cassette Culture," which are full of melancholy and have a nostalgic feel of '90s indie rock. Cheat Sheet has respectable influences, but the duo needs to find an aspect that will make the undeniable Cheat Sheet sound. Then, in no time, the band will be ruling DIY house shows around the U.S.

Album Review: Pocket Panda - Pocket Panda EP

2011-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published January 20, 2011 in Redefine Magazine.
Direct link to article

Pocket Panda
Pocket Panda EP
Self Released

Listening to the 5-song EP from Seattle's Pocket Panda is kind of like the first time that you see your older brother cry. You discover that burly men with deep voices can get sentimental too. With the band member count clocking in at seven, Pocket Panda is a conglomerate of various influences and talents. Mixing orchestral movements with indie rock, instrumentation ranges from cello to bassoon and piano. Every track starts with a soft, alluring intro, but the tranquility is slightly interrupted by the unexpected raspy vocals of Eric Herbig. It takes a while to get used to the contrast between the vocals, which are usually matched with hard rock or folk music, and the delicate instrumentation. For the most part, Herbig is able to get the tone to a point where it matches the reflective and thoughtful mood of the music. However, there are also times where emotions seem to get too high and the vocals reach a semi-aggressive tone. The harmonizing with a soft female voice helps bring balance and allow arrangements to glide and float into space easily. With the exception of "Problematic Friend," the strong vocals and melodramatic lyrics make the EP a bit heavy. Still, having formed in 2009, Pocket Panda is a young band that is not afraid to experiment. The music is honest and passionate, which can help it flourish into something more cohesive.

Album Review: MiM0SA - Silver Lining

2010-12-15T08:00:00.004-08:00

Originally published in The Deli, Issue #7 (Fall 2010).
Download the PDF version of the magazine here.

MiM0SA
Silver Lining

There is something very fluid about the latest release from MiM0SA called “Silver Lining.” While the first track “The Higher Consciousness,” opens with the sound of sirens, giving an impression of mayhem, the album is very much meticulously organized. The talented producer, also known as, Tigran Mkhitaryan, crafts thoughtfully layered electronic music and is good at introducing new ideas at the right time and place. The layered beats never sound cluttered, overwhelming or forced and there are always interesting lines to follow on each track. Although there is a lot of movement, the overall affect is tranquil. One of the few tracks that features vocals is the standout “Drippin.” Laser beam and space battle sounds build a galactic vibe while crisp drum beats, synth and hip female vocals build imagery of urban nightlife. “Pushing Little Daisies” also features vocals, but short male phrases are more characteristic of dub style. Whether staying in on a rainy night or going out with friends, “Silver Lining” is a pleasant listen.

Album Review: Taylor Locke & The Roughs - Marathon

2010-12-15T08:00:00.003-08:00

Originally published in The Deli, Issue #7 (Fall 2010).
Download the PDF version of the magazine here.

Taylor Locke & The Roughs
Marathon

Los Angeles is full of show-off musicians and now Taylor Locke & The Roughs can be added to the list, but in this case, it’s in the most humbling way. Releasing two full-length albums this year, which serve as history lessons for rock ‘n’ roll, the band is proving that it can churn out fun, relatable rock songs with competence and ease. Taylor Locke & the Roughs is comprised of four well-known LA musicians, Locke also plays in Rooney, guitarist Chris Price in the band Price, bassist Charlotte Froom previously played in The Like, and drummer Mikey McCormack is a member of Everybody Else. The sophomore release, “Marathon,” opens with a 6-minute medley of mini-songs where the band showcases all of its influences, from '60s pop harmonies to fast garage rock and gritty Southern twang. Locke and his crew have nothing to hide. They like music that is raw and vintage, sing about girls and write fun sing-along choruses that reflect it.

Album Review: The Sweet Repose - Lay Your Axe to Rest

2010-12-15T08:00:00.002-08:00

Originally published in The Deli, Issue #7 (Fall 2010).
Download the PDF version of the magazine here.

The Sweet Repose
Lay Your Axe to Rest

If Drive Thru Records was still releasing music, the Sweet Repose would have most likely been the newest addition to the roster. Wearing their hearts on their sleeves, the three members of the Sweet Repose play music that is somewhere between Saves the Day and the Early November. Vocalist and songwriter Tommy Miller is a vulnerable poet who writes honest lyrics. Like all bands influenced by proper emo, the music on “Lay Your Axe to Rest” projects anguish and signs of internal conflicts. With Sunny Day Real Estate as a main influence, the Sweet Repose layer heartfelt vocals over cascading drums and interject subtle tempo changes within songs. The vocals can comfort a broken heart, but include sporadic wails that can shake you up a bit. Lay Your Axe to Rest makes up in heart where it lacks in polish.

Artist Q&A: Pepper Rabbit

2010-12-15T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published in The Deli, Issue #7 (Fall 2010).
Download the PDF version of the magazine here.

Between releasing a debut album on Kanine Records, showcasing at CMJ and touring with the Rural Alberta Advantage and Cotton Jones across Canada and the U.S., respectively, 2010 has treated Pepper Rabbit well. With the album “Beauregard,” the duo, consisting of Xander Singh and Luc Laurent, has created a heartfelt and expansive journey of wistful indie rock.

What were some things you saw or people you met that might have inspired songs while recording the album in New Orleans?

Xander Singh: We had a lot of fun recording in New Orleans. The city is so vibrant and full of life that it’s hard not to be inspired by your surroundings. The only story that really made it into a song is “In the Spirit of Beauregard”. I brought my piano to New Orleans all the way from my living room in Silver Lake, and after the journey, we of course had to get it tuned. So the piano tuner showed up and saw my friends dog, Willie. He was so convinced that Willie was the reincarnation of his own dog, Beauregard, that he started talking to Willie as if he was Beauregard. So I started thinking about Beauregard’s story and how he might have died, and the song came to life.

Eight out of the 10 songs on the new album come from previously released EPs. Did you make any changes to the songs? Why should people who have your EPs buy the new album?

Xander: Well the reason we first separated the songs into EPs is that they were mixed and mastered by a few different people. So they sounded sonically very different from each other. With this release, they have been remastered so that they flow more cohesively. And with the track listing, they work a lot better as an ‘album’. There are also 2 extra tracks on the release and there are 2 additional tracks with the iTunes release.

Compared to when this was your solo project, how has the music evolved since Luc has become a band member?

Xander: Having Luc in the process has allowed me to step outside my head a bit. I always come up with a ton, sometimes too many, ideas and Luc really helps me shape them into something that in the end really works well. It’s great to have someone by your side that’s not afraid to tell you when something works and when something doesn’t. And when something doesn’t work it’s nice have the other set of ears to help you make it work.

How did the relationship spark between Pepper Rabbit and Kanine Records and what things about the label made you want to work with them?

Xander: They saw us perform at SXSW in 2010 and we started talking to them fairly immediately after we met. They are great because they really let us do whatever we want. They provide a great support system to the music we want to make. Also their history of finding great artists before most other people do was a huge incentive. A lot of our favorite bands have put
out their first recording with them.

The album’s instrumentation includes, piano, drums, bass, guitar, trumpet, accordion, clarinet, banjo, and ukulele. How are you able to translate that to the live setting?

Xander: It wasn’t easy. After we finished the recordings, we had about a year before we could start touring and playing shows. This gave me the time to map out and gather the equipment for the live show. And it took about a year to do so. We like to keep the personnel small, and only take one other person on the road. We also are not fond of playing to backing tracks. So we use a lot of live looping and employ a trigger pad where Luc triggers samples from. A few songs we have had to rework for the live setting, as the recorded versions wouldn’t translate well in a live setting without a 10 piece band. With three people and all the equipment we have on stage, we have been able to produce and incredibly full and lush sound live, which is something that took a ton of work but I’m really proud of.

How was your tour with Cotton Jones? What shows from that tour stick out in your mind and why?

Xander: It was amazing. Those guys are like family to us now, some of the most amazing people I’ve met in my life. We learned a lot from them. Every night they were so great and so consistent, and they pushed us into being a better live band. It’s great to see a band every day for three weeks and not tire of singing along. One show that sticks out was in Birmingham, AL. It was the fourth show of the tour, and the venue let us stay in the green room, and the Airstream Trailers in the parking lot. We all stayed up until five in the morning skateboarding through the venue, running around and just getting to know each other. It was like touring camp. One of the best nights of my life for sure.

Artist Q&A: Standing Shadows

2010-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published in The Deli, Issue #7 (Fall 2010).
Direct link to article
Download the PDF version of the magazine here.

The alternative-rock 4-piece Standing Shadows has been keeping busy with the release of an EP, full-length album and 7". With plans to release a remix EP in late November and another album next year, the band has also had the joy of hearing their music on TV shows like the new "90210" and "The Shield," in addition to a few video games.

How was your experience of writing, engineering and producing the new album yourself?

David Miltenberger: "Five Years of Darkness" was a record that took us about five years to complete, hence the name of the record. We initially started writing and recording the demos in Missouri, where I was currently living, and Los Angeles, where Dan was living. I was working in the oil industry with my family and I would drive a lot to see my customers. This allowed me to listen to our demos in the car, work on lyrics, vocal melodies and whatever else we could possibly add to make the song better. I was listening to a lot of Arcade Fire, Muse, Flaming Lips, and of course, Pink Floyd and Radiohead at that time and would try to make sure our album was as creative and interesting as theirs. Dan was doing the same thing out here in LA. Since he works in the music business, he has a great ear and a sense of how to make sure the song is creative, unique and something people can hold on to.

Dan Silver: We recorded, engineered and produced the record between my studio in Los Angeles and, at the time, Dave’s studio in Missouri. Our process quickly became a ‘postal service’ style record and we had an amazing time putting the pieces together. I spent a lot of time pre-producing the demos with Dave, trying to get all the best ideas in place to eventually re-record the instruments properly. The first few years was all about flying back and forth every few months to create the songs.

David: Once I moved back to Los Angeles in 2009, we re-recorded almost all of the vocals, lots of the guitar parts, added two female background singers, who are in the band SONOS and cello player Ken Oak. Dan found our drummer, got him to record all our drum parts and email them back to us. It's kind of crazy, but I still have not yet met that drummer in person! We sent him the songs, told him what to play and he rocked it within a week or so!

Dan: A friend of mine turned me on to a great drummer, Blair Sinta, who was absolutely incredible to work with in the process. We did the whole thing online through the power of the Internet, sending sessions back and forth until everything was solid.

David: Overall, this recording process was a great experience for us. Sure, it took a lot longer than we wanted, but we are really happy with the results. We focused in on how we wanted this record to sound, what instrumentations to use and how to keep the entire record creative and interesting. Everything on this record has a purpose. With that said, we are definitely not planning on taking another five years to release the next record! We plan on releasing an EP sometime in early 2011.

Dan: This is one of my favorite albums to produce, especially considering all the elements and the way we put this together. It was an unbelievable yet rewarding haul. Regardless if anyone realizes what went into this, we hope people fall in love with the final picture.

In celebration of your 7" release, you did a special set at Origami Vinyl with an expanded line-up of violin and cello. How did that go and is that something you'd like to experiment with more in the future for shows?

David: That show was amazing! We had an awesome cello player, Jeness Johnson, who had just come back from playing in Italy for a few years to join us. She was amazing, such a beautiful tone on that cello. I remember she came in to rehearse with us and we of course asked her to play a song. I think she played some Bach piece and our jaws just dropped. We could sit there for hours listening to that great instrument. We will be adding cello and violin to more of our shows. We hope the fans are as excited as we are to keep our shows unique and as different as possible. With so many great bands out here, we really have to keep our shows exciting and different, so our fans get a new show every time they come and see us. With over 50 shows this past year, we are constantly working to make the shows bigger and better, and this means adding in more -- more synths, live cello and violin, beautiful and melodic female background singers, and more.

What parts of LA did you shoot the video for "Get it Together" and what was the inspiration behind the video?

Dan: We had several locations for the video shoot around Los Angeles. We shot the entire video in one day. We started in Hollywood and then went downtown to the Fashion District. We were hoping to find a place where there was a built in crowd and so we dove right into the massive crowd at Santee Alley. We had a small film crew with us. For a while, the entire crowd surrounding us got really into what we were doing. I was actually playing live guitar while Dave was singing out loud, so the people thought they were part of some live event being filmed. With in minutes, we were stopped by security and got kicked out. Luckily the surrounding areas are ‘public’ streets and we finished several more takes in the area. The inspiration comes from the lyrics of the song. The hook of the song is “we gotta get together," which is what we were trying to get the people on the streets to do.

Dave: The inspiration was to do a video that we're walking down the streets, hanging out, with crazy things going on around us. Lots of different cultures and by the end of the video, everyone is singing along with us when we sing "we gotta get together." It's a positive song about LA and hoping that people can 'get together,' be friends and hang out. We didn't get people to sing with us, but I do think that the result still works. We are walking through all these people, with their lives going on, and we're singing how we want to 'get together' and hang out.

Can you describe the remix contest that you recently held?

Dave: Ever since we started the song "One Way Ride," we had always felt that this song could work well in a DJ/rave type environment. We don't go to rave parties that often, but between Dan and I, we've hit some cool raves across the globe. Punta del Este in Uruguay, Ibiza, London, LA, and more. Once the record was done, we could finally put the word out, and get some great DJ's to do some remixes. Our PR company recommended the online site Indabamusic.com. We put the song up there and offered some prizes to the winners. That site worked great for us. We got some great remixes and worked with people from all over the world. Dan is endorsed by FXpansion and got the winner an awesome software package.

Dan: We spent a lot of time this summer letting the remixes sink in and deciding how to release them. In the meantime, we also worked with some of our amazing producer friends to also come up with a few remixes that would complete the EP. It’s interesting to see how many ways you can produce the same song. We’re just now finishing the final touches and excited to share with the world soon.

Dave: The ‘One Way Ride Remix EP’ will be released digitally on iTunes on November 30th and includes an amazing variety of remixes. Everything from a DJ house party, to an epic orchestra, to UK techno and more.

What is it about your music that makes it fit for TV and video game synchs?

Dan: Every scene on TV has a specific musical need. With the amount of music being released every day, it’s tough to stand out. The right song gets picked because the hook is saying something about what is going on, the tempo works with the rhythm of the action happening, the tone of the instruments play into the mood of the scenario and so on. The music we write has great energy, whether it’s slow or fast, there’s an emotional quality that drives the music and works well in a cinematic use. Most importantly, we’re writing about messages that everyone can relate to and the sound has something unique that audiences can gravitate to.

Artist Feature: The Octopus Project

2010-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published November 1, 2010 in Redefine Magazine.
Direct link to article

While movie studios compete to outdo one another with the latest in 3-D technology and even pop stars like the Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber are getting a bite of the action with their own 3-D concert films, Austin's The Octopus Project is leaving them all in the dust by thinking in terms of eight. With the desire to expand their already kinetic, spacey sound, the band has cooked up an idea that plays with a number of dimensions and would actually be experienced in a live setting, involving eight speakers, eight video projectors, and eight video sequences synchronized to music. The concept places the band in the center of a tent with an audience encircling them and the speakers surrounding the audience. Projected images on the ceiling replaces the night sky and watches over the crowd.

Before writing a note of music, the band took the performance idea to the Whole Foods Market flagship store in Austin, proposing to perform the project in the store's parking lot during SXSW 2010, says band member Yvonne Lambert. Without knowing all the specifications, Whole Foods agreed. However, The Octopus Project was then challenged with the task of figuring out how to make the idea come to life and write music that would do justice to such a colossal endeavor.

"We had a little bit of a freak out moment after they said yes," says Lambert. "It was exciting and scary at the same time."

The band named the venture Hexadecagon and the music that was created later went on to form the latest The Octopus Project album by the same name, which was released by Peek-A-Boo Records in Fall 2010. However, making the music for the two free live performances at SXSW and recording it for the album were two different undertakings.

For the live performances, the band first got all the technical aspects down and acquired the necessary equipment. The mostly-instrumental quartet, which also includes Lambert's husband, Josh Lambert, and friends, Toto Miranda and Ryan Figg, is already known for approaching music in an unconventional manner, whether it be in the live setting, where band members switch places and jump around from instrument to instrument, or with the mixture of sounds and textures that they incorporate in their music. If any Austin band among a sea of bands at SXSW were to come up with fitting music for such a task and represent the city's status as the "Live Music Capital Of The World," it would have to be The Octopus Project.

When it came time to focus on writing songs, the technical aspects that the band hammered out served as inspiration, says Josh Lambert. Some of the things that they tinkered with included making the sounds jump across from one speaker to another and also having tones move around from speaker-to-speaker in succession. The band took about three months to put the concept together and write the music. They rehearsed some aspects at their practice space and on the roof of Whole Foods, but the first time that they ever ran through the entire Hexadecagon show from start to finish was in front of the SXSW crowd. Fan-recorded videos of Hexadecagon on YouTube show band members continuously moving around, toggling all sorts of electronics and hopping from instrument to instrument, which is not too different from any other Octopus Project performance. It is not unusual to see Miranda play drums one minute and guitar the next, or Josh Lambert doing the same, while Figg switches between guitar and bass and Yvonne Lambert swaps between keys and the theremin. However, the reactions of audience members make it evident that the Hexadecagon performances were anything but ordinary. Expressions of awe dominate people's faces as they contemplate whether they should focus their attention on the band members on stage or on the images on the ceiling.

A friend of the band, Wiley Wiggins, helped create the video sequences, which are just as colorful as the music. Animal drawings, images of classrooms, and footage of two young twin girls are interesting and eerie enough to keep audience interest. What the YouTube videos do not capture is the movement of the sounds. Yvonne Lambert says that everyone essentially had a unique experience.

"Depending on where you were standing in the crowd, it was maybe a little surprising and unexpected, in a fun way," she says.

For the album, the band had to rethink the music and come up with ways to keep that element of astonishment for the average CD and MP3 listener, who most likely would not have the luxury of listening to the album with 8-channel surround sound.

"We were so used to hearing it in our space, where we practiced with eight big PA speakers around us and wrote with that in mind," says Miranda. "It was a challenge to reduce that down to stereo and still get the feel."

The band members accepted the challenge with glee. Having been a band since 1999, The Octopus Project is good at diving into ambitious projects head on and has an admirable eagerness to learn new things. While some band members did have some type of musical training as children, they all say that they enjoyed exploring different sounds and going on offbeat paths.

Their previous bands helped them improve the way they approach music, but The Octopus Project was started with a different focus.

"This band is the first one that was sort of more about the sounds," says Miranda. "Specifically, about trying to do things with sound more than just write some songs and play the songs."

Their dedication to experimenting with sounds paid off when it comes to the new album, which they recommend listening to with a pair of headphones. While not exactly the same as having eight speakers, the sounds do bounce from ear to ear, creating a sweet web of music in the listener's head.

On top of great music and interactive listening experiences, sometimes fans even get toys, which add a visual aspect to the physical releases. For the double vinyl release of "Hexadecagon," the band designed a zoetrope with eight different slides -- one for each song of the album. Once constructed and placed on top of the record, fans can view animations similar to the video sequences at SXSW. By not specifying which slide should go with which song, The Octopus Project give fans the freedom to mix and match.

"We wanted to make the vinyl release as elaborate as we could, to make it a really exciting object you would want to have in your house beyond just the music, which is obviously available digitally without any kind of physical packaging at all," Miranda says. "So if you're going to buy something, we wanted to make it something pretty intense and cool."

While touring with Starfucker, the band had the vinyl version of Hexadecagon available before its release date. The tour gave fans a taste of the new music, and some visuals were taken from the zoetrope and SXSW performances. With limited equipment at clubs, the band had to once again reconfigure the music and visuals to fit standard sound systems and one screen.

"We had to rethink the live versions kind of in the same way we did for the record," says Josh Lambert. "[It involved] just figuring out how we can make it as awesome as can be stereo-wise and visually with the projections."

Considering how well-executed the entire Hexadecagon project has been, from the SXSW performances to the album and tour, it is surprising that the band members are not pretentious. While all the band members exude a strong creative energy, they are not the artsy-fartsy type of people. They are just genuinely talented, curious, and above all, humble. They do not embark on grandiose projects to gain praise; rather, they do it to feed their wandering minds. Although they might do it without thinking about it, they are always challenging themselves.

"I think we like to keep it tense," says Josh Lambert. "I think we like to keep a really healthy balance of, 'Ohhh, everything could fall apart at any given moment.'"

"When things get comfortable," Yvonne Lambert adds in agreement, "we add a new element that could throw everything off."

Show Review: The Morning Benders, Twin Sister, Cults

2010-10-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published in Redefine Magazine.
Direct link to article

The Music Box
Hollywood, CA
October 14, 2010

When a band tours to support an album as enchanting and staggering as The Morning Bender's "Big Echo," it is likely to be a challenge. In this case, the four-piece band could have either constructed a big roar of a live show or kept the beauty simple, like a brisk California breeze. The band chose the latter, and while there were a few songs that could have benefited from a bigger bang, the show at The Music Box in the heart of Hollywood was still delightful. While three out of the four band members are originally from Southern California, the Los Angeles weather somehow knew that the guys started playing music in Berkeley and welcomed them with familiar cloudy weather. The grey skies set a nice, gentle tone for the day and show.

Opening for The Morning Benders was New York's Cults, with its bright melodies and dreamy cadences. Cult's core was vocalist Madeline Follin and guitarist Brian Oblivion, and for the live show, they tripled their army to six, to include keys, drums, bass, and a second guitar. While Cult's song, "Go Outside," has been heating up the blog world all year, the live show fell a little short. The chemistry between the band members was not strong and though Follin danced like she was enjoying the performance, she had an uneasy look on her face. Oblivion provided back-up vocals on the songs, but when he took the lead, his voice sounded unpolished. Between the lovable glockenspiel on "Go Outside" and the spookier "The Curse," Cults showed a lot of potential with its range in sounds. The group just has to work on adding some spark to the live show.

Following Cults was another group from New York called Twin Sister. The band shared some of the awkward tension that Cults had, but it worked better for Twin Sister and its music. The five-piece was lead by vocalist Andrea Estella who was dressed in '80 garb--big hair, milky skin and all. Her vocals were airy and reminiscent of Bjork and the odd tone of CocoRosie. She gripped the mic and kept it close to her as if there was a reason to protect it from others. Her gaze made her seem shy, but also like she was hiding a wicked plan. Songs like "The Other Side Of Your Face" and "Milk And Honey" had a strong '80s vibes similar to those of The Cure and the Sixteen Candles soundtrack. The set ended with a fun, upbeat cover of La Bioda's "I Wanna Be Your Lover."

The anticipation for The Morning Benders was high by the time the band hit the stage at around 11 p.m. The band members must have sensed the enthusiasm in the air and teased the crowd by playing the beginning notes of "Excuses," the charming album opener off Big Echo. Just as the hearts of audience members were filled with joy at the sound of those first notes and before anyone knew it, the band smoothly started playing "Promises." The band was foreshadowing, but it was not quite time for "Excuses."

While The Morning Benders stuck to the basics and did not exaggerate its sound with additional instrumentation, there were a few small details that added a nice touch to the show. On "Hand Me Downs," drummer Julian Harmon multi-tasked between his drum kit and a drum pad, adding a well-rounded, resonating beat. Vocalist Christopher Chu kept his voice warm and not too fervent, but when the other three guys joined him on harmonies, the songs sounded tremendous. The long instrumental sections in "Mason Jar" and "Stitches" sounded nice, but were possibly too hypnotic for the especially energized crowd.

The rawness of older tracks like "Damnit Anna," "Boarded Doors" and "Waiting For A War" were more in tune with people's energy level. Before going into "Waiting for a War," Chu encouraged the audience to bounce around, and people happily complied.

One song from "Big Echo" that should have taken some energy from the former was "All Day Day Light." On the album, the song is a divine high point with fiery zeal. Had the band members magnified the emotions of the song, it would had been an epic sight, but instead they chose to slow it down, which was disappointing. Predictably the last song of the set, "Excuses" made up for the night's bumps, as time seemed to stop for its infamous "da-dums." Chu ditched the guitar for shakers and led the crowd as everyone sang along.

As an added treat, The Morning Benders performed a lovely cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" for the encore. With ease in their musicianship and harmonies, the guys of The Morning Benders proved their deep understanding and knack for California's cordial, luminous pop sound. While there were a few lulls throughout the night, The Morning Benders bode well without any Hollywood artificial flavoring.

Album Review: Chico Mann - Analog Drift

2010-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published October 12, 2010 in Redefine Magazine.
Direct link to article

Chico Mann
Analog Drift
Wax Poetics
A

Although it may be difficult to confine the music by multi-instrumentalist Chico Mann to just one genre, it is safe to say that his sophomore release, Analog Drift, is a quintessential New York album. With a heavy Afrobeat and Cuban influences, vocals in both Spanish and English, and a number of synthesizers in hand, Chico Mann, aka Marcos Garcia, creates a melting pot of soulful and sexy sounds, much like the city that never sleeps. Previously released digitally through Garcia’s Website, Analog Drift is now expanding its audience through Wax Poetics Records and is ready to be played on the dance floors. Right from the first beat, a listener will want to put on a fedora hat and take over the town.

Considering that Garcia grew up in New York and New Jersey and that his father was the owner of a NYC Latin record label, it's easy to see the authenticity in what he is trying to do with his music. Garcia has a deep understanding of which sounds from the past, present and future can work together to induce dancing. On the first track, "Harmonia," Garcia sings, "Queremos harmonia," which translates to, "We want harmony," and harmony is exactly what Garcia accomplishes on the album. As funky bass lines and finger-picked guitar rhythms lay the foundations, synthesizers shimmer and fill out each song. All the sounds seem to respect one another, allowing each one to breathe and flourish.

On "Anima" and "All That Is Rising," the synthesizers appear to have a conversation with each other. Before any vocals kick in, the instruments follow a call-and-response pattern. "All That Is Rising" has a more dramatic beginning as percussion builds up anticipation, creating imagery of an empty warehouse or a dark alley. More movement is slowly introduced, like a city transitioning into its time for nightlife.

While there is a lot of use of electronic sounds, the songs all come off as fun and smooth, as opposed to being hyper. A sense of hipness remains consistent throughout. With a modern touch, the album incorporates all that was cool in the '70s and '80s, from roller discos to break dancing. At times, Garcia's vocals reach a higher-pitched spectrum, but remain aligned with the energetic tradition of Cuban vocalists. The lyrics are more like phrases rather than stories, and while some are memorable, the focus is more on the musical groove and getting in the zone.

With a cover of Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime," the album goes deep into the '80s and wraps up nicely with the slower tempos of "Metele Mano" and "This Love." Even as the album seeps into nostalgia, the good energy remains. There is no moment on the album where things clash or seem forced. Like the diverse history of New York City makes it one of the most fascinating places in the world, Analog Drift takes the classic and the new to make an invigorating experience.

Artist Feature: The Fresh & Onlys

2010-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published October 10, 2010 in Redefine Magazine.
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One would think that a band like The Fresh & Onlys, which has relied on a home tape machine to record material for two full-length albums, more than five 7" records, an EP, and a few cassette tapes, had found a working formula for their recordings. However, when it came time for the San Francisco band to record its third album of effervescent garage tunes, the band members were left unsatisfied with working from home, instead desiring to try something different.

"We got really concerned about being too redundant, at least sonically," says Shayde Sartin, the band's bassist. "It's kind of good to challenge yourself with a new environment."

In the hopes of expanding their spectrum and making the music sound bigger, the band--which also includes Tim Cohen on vocals, guitar, and keys, Wymond Miles on guitar, and Kyle Gibson on drums--turned to Tim Green and his San Francisco-based Louder Studios. Green is a member of the band, Fucking Champs, and also played in the renowned punk band, The Nation Of Ulysses. His work behind the recording board is just as impressive, having included clients like Tristeza and Sleater Kinney . However, it was Green's work with The Melvins and Lungfish that most impressed Sartin.

"I love how he records sonically," Sartin says. "I like how he records guitars. I like how he records vocals. So, it seemed like an obvious choice. I felt really comfortable to go work with a person who had some kind of acquaintance."

The Fresh & Onlys is still a young band, having been formed in 2008 as a project between Cohen and Sartin. So, it is nice to hear the band members already wanting to expand their horizons. For the third album, which is entitled "Play It Strange" and will be released on In the Red Recordings on October 12, the band really wanted to focus more on the production aspects, starting with recording the songs on their own, allowing Green to become familiar with the material before recording anything at Louder Studios.

"By the time we got in there, he knew the songs, and he knew that we like to work fast," Sartin says. "He likes to work fast. We had the songs figured out. We kind of wanted to get in and get the physical parts done and then work on the sonics a little more. He was really good at facilitating working on the color of the songs."

The songs were recorded in late 2009 and now, several months later, the band members are reflecting on the end result and finding themselves to still be happy with the recordings.

"There was definitely a little more [of a] confident feel as far as the performance goes on the recordings with Tim Green, as opposed to the ones we did on our own," Sartin says. "The sounds were definitely more articulate. [The album is] way more druggy than I realized it was when we were recording it, which I like. It has a certain haziness to it that is very complementary to the songs."

The Fresh & Onlys' music is known for being hazy. Taking cues from San Francisco's historic psychedelic music scene, the band layers an aura of cloudiness on top of what essentially are good ‘ole pop tunes. "Play It Strange" is poetic, but does not lose its garage rock appeal. The album is gritty, even as songs like "Summer Of Love" and "Fascinated" have a ‘60s flowery feel, and "All Shook Up" is perfect for a beach party. Cohen's vocals alternate from ghostly to that of a crooner. Simple lines like the ones in "Fascinated," where Cohen says, "Tell me what you're fascinated by," and, "You're such a pretty girl," would have made girls swoon in the ‘60s had they been sung by The Beach Boys.

At one point, The Fresh & Onlys had a female band member who sang and played percussion. Heidi Alexander, who is also a member of the San Francisco band The Sandwitches, added an even more spirited touch to songs on The Fresh & Onlys' self-tilted debut. Her Sandwitches comrade, Grace Cooper, also contributed harmonies. One of the highlights from the debut is the song "Peacock And Wing," where male and female vocals are sung in unison. With the band's sophomore release, "Grey-Eyed Girls," the female vocals were a little less prominent, and this is even more noticeable on the new album. Alexander does sing back-up vocals on "Play It Strange," but she is no longer able to tour with The Fresh & Onlys because of her time commitment with The Sandwitches.

Like any developing band, the songwriting is expected to change a little bit from album to album. In fact, Sartin claims, his involvement in The Fresh & Onlys is the first time that he has been able to evolve as a musician and songwriter. Sartin has played with a large number of other artists including Kelley Stoltz, The Skygreen Leopards and Ty Segall, but this is the first time that he has had creative input in a band. Being a member of The Fresh & Onlys has enabled him to feed off the energy and ideas of the other group members, and vice versa.

"If you are writing songs in a room and you don't have much confidence in what you're doing, you never allow yourself to evolve. But if you're getting encouragement, you're getting feedback and you're collaborating with people, then you start trying new things."

Typically, Sartin and Cohen initiate the structure of a song. Sartin comes up with a chord structure or other musical idea and Cohen will create floating vocals on top. Miles and Gibson also help articulate ideas in new ways, with Miles focusing counter melodies . Regardless of who does what, the band members attempt to flesh out every idea without putting any of them down. The process is always positive and productive.

"I'm hitting Tim with ideas musically that he normally wouldn't come up with and vice versa, so it naturally works out in the end because he's freed up some time thinking about chord structure or thinking about a rhythm, and I'm free of thinking of lyrics and melody," says Sartin.

Not only do the band members keep an open mind when writing songs, but that quality is something they look for when deciding the labels that will release its albums. Having already worked with a handful of labels, The Fresh & Onlys decided to go with Los Angeles' In the Red Records this time around--both for the people that work there, as well as its reputation for pushing boundaries.

"It's one of those labels I've always had a lot of intrigue with, because despite their [reputation] as a garage label, they've actually done a lot of things that aren't," Sartin says, "especially in the last few years with The Vivian Girls, Blank Dogs and The Ponys. They've kind of stretched out beyond being a sort of punk label, and the owner Larry Hardy is an amazing person. He has a very eccentric taste in music and it seemed like a good fit because we weren't the typical garage band."

The Fresh & Onlys' eagerness to work with a bunch of different people has resulted in many good opportunities. The band has already toured with King Khan & The Shrines in the US and Deerhunter in Europe, and they have two tours lined up for this year, beginning with a US tour with Royal Baths and finishing off the year with one with Clinic.

According to Sartin, when the two fall tours were booked, The Fresh & Onlys were originally planning to focus on songs from "Play It Strange." However, as the band members are always thinking ahead, they will introduce new songs they have written recently as well.

Though the band has been on the road a lot in the past two years and has a constant flow of new releases, its members have not lost any of the excitement when it comes to releasing new material. Every release is a step up, and the excitement only grows.

"If we do an LP and the next thing is a 7", I'm more excited for that 7" than I was for that LP before it," says Sartin. "You take every one just as seriously and you try just as hard, if not harder. To me, [with] every release--no matter how small or big--there should be a growth. There should be a sort of marker of growth."

Album Review: WOMEN - Public Strain

2010-09-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published September 20, 2010 in Redefine Magazine.
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WOMEN
Public Strain
Jagjaguwar
B

The opening track to Public Strain, the sophomore release from the Alberta, Canada band WOMEN, may sound like it is straight out of a slasher film, but there is nothing frightening about this band. Instead of pounding beats that could lead up to a blood-gushing scene, the song "Can't You See," creates the tension of a desolate night with intricate distortion and calming vocals, in tune with sophisticated thrillers like those directed by Christopher Nolan. Much like Nolan's films, especially this summer's Inception, WOMEN plays with the idea of reality and mazes, making the listener fall into a dream-like state. Yes, the vocals are ghostly, but underneath that, there is beauty and complex guitar work. Hearing this album may put listeners in a haze, but it's all part of the experience.

WOMEN shows its ability to editorialize on this album. There is not as much clatter as there was on the band's 2008 self-titled debut. The group shows restraint and good judgment as to where in a song it is appropriate to add fuzzy elements. For example, "Penal Colony" is a track that begins with melancholy vocals, a straight-forward guitar strum and steady kick drum. There is some fogginess in the background, but the noise moves so harmoniously with the rest of the song that it is hardly noticeable. Rather than the noise weaving through the song and feeling like an annoyance, it adds warmth and it is not until the tail end of the song that the static grows and becomes solitary feedback.

There are a handful of tracks where the commotion is more apparent, and the group shines there as well. "Heat Distraction" and "China Steps" are livelier tracks with grating dissonance. The vocals remain muffled, but the guitar parts are interesting to follow. The obscure guitar playing stirs up psychedelic images of strings that are out of control as they are pulled and released, while their vibrations are magnified. In that same manner, the instrumental layers on "Locust Valley" create a maze that takes listeners on a journey through lush scenery. There are moments in the song where it drops down to a simple strum and the listener is whipped out of a dream state, but there are still hints of awe.

While there are some dark moods found in "Cant You See" and "Bells" -- an instrumental track resembling a dark church hymn -- the album leaves off on a nice bright note. "Eyesore" is a folky beach tune with amiable vocals and a sweet melody. The song leaves a cozy feeling, but it is still undeniable that the journey to feeling comfortable with WOMEN's sound was a long and perplexing trek. The band's music is comparable to other groups such as Thee Oh Sees, Wavves, and Vivian Girls, but WOMEN go deeper into a listener's head. The music seeps into more inner thoughts and turmoil, which will eventually leave a satisfactory feeling, but may be harder to appreciate.

Artist Feature: YACHT

2010-03-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published March 1, 2010 in Redefine Magazine.
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For two months in early 2008, Portland-based electropop duo YACHT set up camp in a small town located in the desert of West Texas, away from the city lights, but at the threshold of a completely different type of lights. Known as the Marfa Lights, the inexplicable dashes of lights that appear every night in the sky of Marfa, Texas, impacted Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans, the two members of YACHT, in a profound way. On many occasions during their two-month stay in Marfa, the pair would grab a blanket, sit on the roof of their car, and observe the lights in the open desert. Not only did the lights go on to become the biggest inspiration for YACHT's latest album, See Mystery Lights, but they also changed Bechtolt and Evans' view of the world.

"We'd seen something truly rare, truly magic, truly unexplained, and yet evidently real," the pair explain. "Coming face-to-face with something like that changes you. It humbles you. It puts our microscopic human relevance in the grand scheme of this cavernous universe into perspective. We had long conversations about the lights and their implications to us as people. Although we're very different from one another, they affected us identically."

Bechtolt was the first out of the two to see the Marfa lights. In 2004, some people in Austin recommended that he make a stop to see the lights in Marfa while on his way to California. After seeing the lights, he drove to Los Angeles to play a show and met Evans for the first time; her band was also on the bill. Later on, while traveling together, they decided to check out the Marfa lights together.

The lights made such a lasting impression on the two that in 2008, they decided to rent a house in Marfa in hopes of producing some type of tribute to their experience. At the time, they were not sure if it would be in the form of music.

"We didn't entirely know why we had come to Marfa, except that we wanted to know what it was like to live alongside the phenomenon," they say.

The first thing that they came up with was an 8-minute compilation of mantras. Bechtolt and Evans decided to create the tribute around their own belief system after becoming interested in human rituals of esotericism and mysticism. Given pop music's tendency to feature repetitive elements, it was only natural for Bechtolt and Evans to mold the mantras into the tracks that make up See Mystery Lights.

While the songs do contain Bechtolt and Evans' thoughts on topics such as heaven, hell, darkness, and light, they do not come off as commanding. YACHT do not go off on rants; instead, they hone in on catchy one-liners , such as "It's not a place you go/ It's a place that comes to you," on the song "The Afterlife." The subtlety of YACHT's messages continue on in songs like "I'm In Love With A Ripper" and "Summer Song," where their mantras are concealed within hyper beats, metallic-sounding claps and clicks, and playful male/female vocal exchanges.

Bechtolt and Evans drew amazing energy out of the desert and Marfa lights. Whether it is the spiritual influence of the Marfa lights or the music's radiant, electronic characteristics, listening to the album is like watching the sky shift from night to morning and witnessing seasons race through time.

Considering that Bechtolt and Evans have a deep understanding of how to make a great dance song, it is no wonder they feel at home with being a new addition to DFA Records. Even before See Mystery Lights was released, YACHT toured with DFA Records' flagship band, LCD Soundsystem. While on that tour, Bechtolt wrote "Summer Song" as a love letter and salute to LCD Soundsystem.

"For us, DFA is like a golden key," Bechtolt and Evans say. "They have a kind of global recognition for being a label with excellent taste, and that vote of good confidence has given us access to all the tape decks, bedrooms, dance floors and parties of the world. People who never would have sought out YACHT have been presented with us, and have accepted us as part of the family."

In 2009 YACHT traveled all over the world in support of See Mystery Lights, including a U.S. tour with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and shows in South Korea, China, Brazil, Australia and Europe.

Being the type of people who embrace evolution, YACHT will undergo a new tour under the moniker of YACHT And The Straight Gaze; this time, they will tour as a 5-piece group. The Straight Gaze will be formed by three reputable musicians from their hometown: Rob Kieswetter of Bobby Birdman, Jeff Brodsky of Jeffrey Jerusalem, and D. Reuben Snyder of Rob Walmart.

Bechtolt and Evans have stated that they feel it is necessary to present YACHT in new forms about every six months, and this is not the first time that YACHT has presented a new incarnation of themselves. YACHT, which started in 2002 as Y.A.C.H.T. -- an acronym for Young Americans Challenging High Technology -- was Bechtolt's solo project. The now 29-year-old grew up in Astoria, Oregon and played drums in punk bands as a teenager. He became a member of another Portland electropop duo called The Blow in 2004, and for a few years was doing double-duty with YACHT. In 2007, Bechtolt began focusing solely on YACHT.

Evans, who was born in the UK and attended college in Los Angeles, contributed to a previous YACHT album, I Believe in You, Your Magic is Real, and officially became a member in 2008. Previously, she had played in various noise bands in Los Angeles and made a name for herself as a science writer, the latter of which she still does.

Bechtolt and Evans say that the transition from YACHT as a solo project into a duo was not a conscious choice, but also not totally easy.

"Collaboration is always difficult, as it requires some level of ego sacrifice -- we're no exception," they say. "However, we were lucky to have shared many powerful experiences together, most importantly the 'mystery lights.' Everything in the end has to come together, and when it does, it becomes larger than each of our personal egos or identities. It becomes YACHT."

Through their live performances, YACHT have become known as musicians who are more than just high-energy infectious music and dancing; the performances of their music also encompass visual elements. In hopes that their fans never see the same show twice, Bechtolt and Evans play around with video elements, song arrangements, and interaction with the crowd with every show.

"The visual elements are absolutely essential to our quest to radically shake people out of the preconception that the YACHT show is going to be like a 'regular' concert," Bechtolt and Evans say.

Likewise, YACHT can hardly be considered a regular band. Bechtolt and Evans see YACHT as a band, a belief system, and a business. One of the most eye- catching things on YACHT's websites and profiles on social networks is the text that reads, "YACHT is not a cult." Bechtolt and Evans find it necessary to repeatedly point out that YACHT is not a cult, as some people are quick to associate the term 'cult' with any group that expresses a belief system. But like the lyrics on See Mystery Lights, the band's websites also include statements about darkness, light, free thought, afterlife, and extraterrestrial intelligence. Bechtolt and Evans promote free expression and invite anyone to become a member of YACHT.

"There is something richly American and powerfully human about people who strike off to create their own religious or cultural identities, everywhere from starting hippie communes to having religious visions, and we really respect that tradition," the pair say . "We find it distasteful how the conservative religious mainstream condemns this kind of behavior, as we see it as true spirituality."

Despite what their detractors might say about them, YACHT have managed to take their powerful experiences with the Marfa lights and channeled them into dynamic dance music.

"We suppose that YACHT is attempting to forge connections between underground musical culture and underground spiritual culture," they say. "After all, both are motivated by the desire to create something more real, special, and rare than what is being presented by conventional organizations."

Show Review: Starfucker, Deelay Ceelay, Strength

2009-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published in Redefine Magazine.
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Bottom of the Hill
San Francisco, CA
October 7, 2009

Whoever decided to send Starfucker on tour with supporting bands Deelay Ceelay and Strength must have had a secret desire to increase the population of Portland, Oregon. After experiencing a night of fun and high-energy music from the three Portland bands, even music fans that already live in a city like San Francisco, which has its own rich and legendary music scenes, could have easily been convinced to pack up their things and move to the city in the Pacific Northwest.

With funky beats and alluring vocals, Strength turned the venue into a disco. The music encouraged audience members to get their blood flowing and dive into a night full of dancing. The three-piece had a vintage rock aesthetic similar to MGMT, but it was much more vibrant. The night had just started, but the band created an atmosphere fitting for a wicked and sultry after-party. Even though the hustle would have been an appropriate dance to accompany each song, the music was in no way tacky. Strength utilized a shimmering synthesizer and drum machine with full force and made "Metal" and "Wilderness" delightfully hip dance tracks.

While Strength got the energy circulating in the room, Deelay Ceelay heightened the audience's senses even further. A fog machine made the venue hazy and the lights were lowered as the two members of Deelay Ceelay sat at their drum kits. A kaleidoscope of images, lines, and colors moved along to the music on a white backdrop on stage. Without vocals, the duo told a beautiful story that was more than just the fast, loud drums on stage. The darting images on the backdrop and the thoughtfully timed drumming gave a dramatic feel, as if the Earth's time as an existing planet was running out. However, looping piano lines added a peaceful tone, and songs such as "Tea Drinker" and "The Deelay Ceelay Natural Anthem" were calming and stimulating at the same time, making it hard for one to decide whether to dance or just stare at the pretty images. Either way, the absolute consciousness was revived as Deelay Ceelay closed out with a drum performance over T.I.'s hit "Whatever You Like."

Despite the fact that Starfucker are in the process of changing their name to PYRAMIDDD, the band showed no signs of an identity crisis. Three of the four male members did step on the stage wearing dresses and pearls, but it was all in good fun. Neither the band nor the crowd needed time to warm up. Without hesitation, Starfucker jumped right into the dreamy and zesty "Boy Toy," and the audience members happily danced around. The vocals were a bit fuzzy, but also full of joy, which allowed the song to move along swiftly.

"Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second" best showcased the band's dynamics and set-up. The instrumentation consisted of Josh Hodges on keyboard, guitar, and vocals, Ryan Biornstad on lead vocals, guitar, turntables, and laptop, Shawn Glassford on bass and keyboard, and Keil Corcoran on drums and vocals. Similar to "Boy Toy," the song was lo-fi, but the assortment of instruments and electronic elements made it danceable. Also, scattered drums, which Hodges and Glassford played, increased the excitement and left a more lasting impression than the song in its recorded form.

The majority of the set was made up of songs from Starfucker's latest release, Jupiter, including the cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun." Also off that album was "Dance Face 2000," a mostly all-instrumental track with a thumping beat. During the more jolting tracks, Biornstad fervidly bounced up and down. At other times, he stood still playing his guitar and singing with a blank stare. His subdued state looked a little creepy, but made sense with some of the songs' contours.

Starfucker ended with a two-song encore, but even after the band members left the stage, the venue was buzzing with energy. Collectively, all three bands proved that the people of Portland know how to throw a spectacular dance party.

Show Review: Arctic Monkeys, The Like

2009-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published in Redefine Magazine.
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The Fox Theater
Oakland, CA
September 16, 2009

With songs like "Still Take You Home," which break the ice by stating, "Well it's ever so funny/ 'Cause I don't think you're special/ I don't think you're cool/ You're just probably alright/ But under these lights you look beautiful," one would get the impression that England's Arctic Monkeys are either fun, witty guys or complete jerks. Those familiar with the band's repertoire know that the former is true, and the countless number of wily remarks they make plays a big part in the equation that make their albums memorable. Likewise, performing as a five-piece, the Arctic Monkeys neither showed cockiness nor obnoxious behavior. There was some of the English lad-aloofness, but mostly, the band members were gracious, well-rehearsed, and simply confident.

Before the Arctic Monkeys presented the audience with a collection of songs off their latest album, Humbug, and fan favorites from their two other releases, Los Angeles' The Like launched into the night with a 30-minute set of sweet harmonies and sweltering swagger. The all-female band, dressed in '70s mod dresses, was an impressive balance of The Cardigans' pop sound and the edginess of Emily's Sassy Lime. However, "He's Not a Boy" and "Narcissus in a Red Dress" recalled the sounds of earlier times. The former encouraged the audience to clap along to the dreamy aesthetics of a '60s beach party, while the latter created an aura of mystery inspired by spy movie narratives.

Following The Like's set of delightful, danceable songs, the members of the Arctic Monkeys subtly walked on stage to a modest song intro and went straight into Humbug's "Dance Little Liar." It was a deceiving start, and while the song title suggests dancing, it demonstrated the more reflective moods on their new album. Much like England's gloomy weather, as well as the typical weather in the San Francisco Bay Area, the band appeared melancholy. About halfway through the song, the energy picked up, and without pause, the band followed with the more known and engaging "Brianstorm." Strobe lights also helped accelerate the pace, and the audience in the crowded theater enthusiastically started to move.

Before taking a break to address their fans, the band played two more songs off the new album -- "Crying Lightning" and "Potion Approaching." With snappy opening chords, the latter played with the emotions of those who were expecting to hear something from the band's first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. However, as soon as the pounding drums started sounding like a death march, the somber sound made it evident that it was not yet time for the real dancing to commence.

For the first time of the night, lead singer and guitarist Alex Turner thanked Oakland and lightened the mood with his accent. "I've never been here in me life," he said playfully.

Throughout the show a few fans waved a British flag and the moment that every fan was waiting for arrived with a segment that included "This House is a Circus," "Still Take You Home" and "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor." Fans began crowdsurfing, and Turner provided some laughs by picking up a jacket from the pit and declaring that it was a gift for him to keep.

The biggest surprise was dropped with the performance of a Humbug B-side, "Sketchead." Turner said that it was the band's first time performing the song live, but it was not certain if that was in fact true. Nonetheless, the song was much like the post-punk, tongue-and-cheek tracks from Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, which were performed previously. It was slightly dark in a vampire manner, but fun, fast, and catchy. The way Turner spitted out the word "sketchead" seemed as if it were a nice way of calling out somebody who he would normally describe using more profane words.

Another notable moment was the band's cover of the Nick Cave song, "Red Right Hand." In true Arctic Monkeys spirit, the interpretation was more intense and rushed than the original.

Whether a song was quick and fervent like "The View From the Afternoon" or calm and romantic, such as, "Only Ones Who Know," the band was always on point. The band members communicated well with each other, and it is obvious that they posses genuine passion and work ethic. On every song, they built up tension, leaving the audience hanging for a few moments, and then delivered with loud interludes before going back to a chorus.

The hour-and-a-half-set worked in the same suspense as each individual song. The band left the stage after "Do Me a Favour," as fans wondered if the encore would include the favorites "Fluorescent Adolescent" or "Fake Tales of San Francisco." Even though the show was in Oakland, "Fake Tales of San Francisco" would have still been appropriate, but it was not included in the set. Instead, the encore was composed of "Secret Door," "Fluorescent Adolescent" and "505." The crowd welcomed "Fluorescent Adolescent" with cheers and open arms. Always keeping fans on their toes, the Arctic Monkeys included a new section in the song, which seemed to stop time as Turner sang with a gentle croon. Leading into the nostalgic "505," the band delicately and humbly parted ways with an audience that would not have minded hours more of music.

Artist Feature: Nite Club

2009-07-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published July 31, 2009 in Redefine Magazine.
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At the turn of the millennium, in a liberal arts school 45 minutes outside of Manhattan, there was a group of young, imaginative musicians which included artists like Regina Spektor and Dan Deacon, who were studying orchestral arrangements, modern composition and studio production while brewing shining careers in the indie and electronic music worlds. Also part of the all-star cast at the New York State University, known as SUNY Purchase, was Richard Spitzer, an Orthodox Jewish schoolboy with Cuban heritage, turned electronic music aficionado.

Spitzer, who graduated from SUNY Purchase in 2002 with a degree in Studio Composition and refers to French composer Claude Debussy as his "musical hero," not only studied alongside Spektor and Deacon, but was also involved in a number of impressive projects, including a drum and bass group called Flight Crew that opened up for The Roots. The school's strong do-it-yourself ethic enabled Spitzer to create cutting-edge electronic music one day and build classical piano arrangements the next.

"Our school was very diverse artistically, and eclectic," Spitzer says. "We had all walks of art there. It was very free."

Spitzer is now adding to his alma mater's prestigious reputation with My Tronic, his first full-length release in the United States, under the name Nite Club. The album, out on New York-based Tape Theory, is a beautiful culmination of Spitzer's history and love of electronic, indie rock, and hip hop music. The album's dance landscapes and moods are just as complex and compelling as Spitzer's background.

Before heading to SUNY Purchase, where he was surrounded by an array of artists who were all experimenting with the sounds of hip hop, electronic, rock, classical, jazz and pop music, a young Spitzer was exposed to a diverse world of music in his own home and neighborhood.

Spitzer grew up in Bayside, a suburban neighborhood in Queens, New York, in a home where music was always present. His mother, who was born in Cuba and lived there until she was 20 years old, and father, who Spitzer describes as a "Bronx boy," raised him in a strict Jewish setting where spiritual prayer and singing were common practice. Spitzer attended an Orthodox Jewish school, and while his mother, who was a music teacher, played Yiddish music on the family piano, she also introduced him to the vibrant music of Cuba.

"There was always dancing going on in my house," he says. "If someone would turn on the radio, it would turn into a party, like a cha-cha line for some reason."

While music was a big part of Spitzer's childhood, and he was encouraged to play piano by his mother, it wasn't until he was 13 or 14 that he actually started playing music.

"When I was a little baby, she would chase me around the house to try to get me to take lessons, but I finally learned on my own," Spitzer says. "My family was cool enough to embrace my playing at odd hours. I'd play in the middle of the night. I'd talk on the phone with people and play piano to them. And they kind of put up with it, so I have to thank them."

However, around the same time he was taking up the piano, Spitzer says his more rebellious exploration of music caused trouble with his parents. Behind his parents' back and against religious traditions, Spitzer listened to the brash and subversive sounds of Guns N' Roses and Dr. Dre. Upon finding the albums, his parents kicked him out of the house. Ironically, Spitzer's brother, who was a rabbi, also opened his eyes to contemporary music -- to bands such as New Order and Depeche Mode.

Unlike today, where a music fan can have trouble choosing what to listen to out of the millions of bands on the Internet, Spitzer recalls seeking out bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd simply because they had built-up reputations of being legendary. His loyalty to those bands grew quickly because his focus was not pulled in countless directions by over-saturated music scenes.

As a teenager, Spitzer was also drawn to the electronic sounds of old school jungle, house, and techno that were played on college radio. By the time he was 16 years old, Spitzer was not only attending raves, but performing at them. He had a band that started out playing a fusion of jazz and prog rock, but then transformed into a band that played live jungle at both illegal and legal raves. It was not unusual to see a 16-year-old at the illegal parties where there were no bouncers, but it was a bit surprising to see someone so young getting booked to play the legal events.

As Spitzer continued to DJ raves through college, the influence of electronic music embedded itself into many of his projects, including Nite Club. Following a 2006 EP released in the U.S. and a full-length album only released in Japan on Tokyo's Blackbudget Records, My Tronic was recorded in 2008 in Spitzer's home studio in Brooklyn. With strong pulses and fast dance rhythms, Nite Club stays true to Spitzer's days of performing live jungle. However, the soft vocals and reflective background moods are also likely to appeal to fans of bands like the Album Leaf, Mogwai, and Explosions in the Sky.

Whether it was the inherent hands-on atmosphere of living in a converted hardware store or just Spitzer's strong musicianship, the process of making My Tronic included more than just the click of a mouse and the drag and drop feature of a computer program. Spitzer mainly used an assortment of synthesizers to create the fuzzy melodies and beaming waves, but he also played guitar, drums, bass and xylophone.

By mixing in guitar and live percussion with more electronic aspects, Nite Club sounds more fitting for a dance party than for a video game. The music is fun and energetic, but doesn't take on the high-pitched tendencies of some synth-pop bands. "Change Your Love" and "Left Right" are examples of songs that provoke dancing, but are cinematic and carry a sense of sophistication. It is easy to tell that Spitzer has fun creating music, but is also very thoughtful about the songwriting process and delicate in creating the layers.

"I usually start with an atmosphere," Spitzer says. "I try to create a place or color where I can go. I try to stay focused and try to see how far I can manipulate things inside there. I always try to keep a balance... the whole goal of an album is trying to have a good proportion of sentiment and then release an energy at the same time."

While the album includes older songs from Nite Club's Japanese full-length, there is no point in the music were Spitzer's diverse influences clash. Everything flows smoothly. "National" and "BK Nights" conjure up images of old school breakdancing with their tenacious beats and short vocal segments that seem to stop time, but only serve to up the energy more. The vocals are kept fairly low-key and there are no MC chants, but Spitzer's timing is impeccable. His voice is lush, soothing, and seamlessly moves from relaxed tones to quick and sharp ones.

Also on My Tronic is a cover of "Good Life" by Kayne West, which Spitzer says he was inspired to do after listening incessantly to the album Graduation. Spitzer has received positive feedback from both non-West and fanatical West fans.

"What I want is just to be able to turn people on who wouldn't normally be into it," he says. "I was interested to see if I could take my passion that I had for the music and try to reinterpret it in my own way. It was kind of an experiment, but it was fun."

While My Tronic was released in April, Spitzer has yet to formally tour in support of the album. There have been a few Nite Club shows in the New York area and East Coast, but he hopes to tour the U.S. in the fall and Japan in the winter.

For live shows, Nite Club turns into a duo, with Steve Bryant -- also known as Cru Jonez -- on drums. Spitzer met Bryant while attending SUNY Purchase, where Bryant was also a member of the group Flight Crew. Spitzer handles the vocals, synthesizers, and computer, while Bryant keeps it bare bones with just a drum kit and no electronics.

Spitzer may be waiting until fall to tour, but he has been keeping busy with various other projects, including solo DJ sets, which he says are distinctly different from his Nite Club performances.

"I think there are different art forms," he says. "I feel like I'm learning when I DJ. When I play, it's more of an internalized thing. DJing [is] more like a dialog between me and the music that I love."

Spitzer has also been working with college friends as a member of a group called Vinyl Life, of which Phil Moffa, who did programming on one of the tracks on the new Nite Club album, is also a member. The members use a lot of analog equipment and draw inspiration from '70s music, freestyle, Chicago house, and the history of club sounds. The group will be releasing its debut full-length album on Tape Theory in August and will also be touring later in the year.

On top of that, thanks to past trips to Japan, Spitzer has had the opportunity to collaborate with Japanese electronic artists such as, Shigeo, a member of SBK and the Samos. Spitzer contributed vocals on tracks by Shigeo's newest band called Mold, and the band remixed Spitzer's song "Cape Navril," which can be found on My Tronic in its original form. Spitzer plans to work on more music when he visits Japan in the winter.

Being able to work with artists in Japan is not the only great aspect about visiting the country. During his live shows, Spitzer has noticed the fans' enthusiasm to learn about American music.

"They're so hip, and they've got their ear to the street as if they were here in America," Spitzer says. "They really do their research on artists, and they study the artists' influences. They're very well-schooled listeners."

Spitzer's tireless efforts to be involved in so many music projects seems to go back to his time at SUNY Purchase and the clash of cultures that he experience as a kid. It is surprising to hear that someone who wanted to follow in the footsteps of Claude Debussy was also involved in raves at the age of sixteen. But attending SUNY Purchase taught Spitzer how to approach music using his varied influences as well as looking at music more scientifically, he says. He also values being able to learn from his peers.

"I worked with so many great producers," he says. "I felt like I was always trying to get them to rub off on me somehow."

Spitzer's eagerness to learn and find new ways to mix genres and composing techniques has paid off, and it shows through the memorable songs on My Tronic. Around the release date, the album charted on the College Music Journal's Top 200 and broke into the top 20 of its RPM album charts.

"What I want to have is different people to come together -- [to have] different styles and fashions to come together and feel the music itself," Spitzer says. "I kind of think that there's this beauty in every style. That's my ultimate happiness."

Album Review: Tea Cozies - Hot Probs

2009-07-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published July 10, 2009 in Redefine Magazine.
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Tea Cozies
Hot Probs
So Hard
A-

If the sound of blistering guitars on the opening track, "Boys at the Metro," doesn't get a listener's attention, the "hey!" shouts will make it clearly known that Seattle's Tea Cozies are not willing to go unnoticed. Following a 5-song EP, which received airplay on Seattle's KEXP and numerous Internet radio stations, Tea Cozies continue to deliver an enticing mix of '60s girl pop and swirling garage rock on their full-length debut, Hot Probs.

With sweet harmonies and 3/4ths of the band being female, Tea Cozies possess the raw sound similar to that of bands like Vivian Girls, but the energy is at a much higher level and more likely to provoke people to dancing. While there are plenty of angelic seesaw rhythms and cute lyrics, such as, "I had a boy and he had a bike and we got along real nice," vocalists Jessi Reed and Brady Harvey are also witty and sharp-tongued. Pop culture icons Steven Spielberg, Oscar Wilde, Fred Astaire and Mary Shelley find their way into songs among words of wisdom, which reveal, "Even pretty pages crack in old books/ You can't rely on your good looks."

The music arrangements are just as interesting to listen to as the lyrics. Tea Cozies have a standard rock set-up -- with two guitars, bass, drums, and the occasional organ -- but they manage to incorporate unexpected twists and turns into songs. "Like Luca Brasi" switches back and forth from an upbeat pace to a dreamy stride, which happens a bit sudden but still sounds seamless. The song, which is about a girl who is hesitant to go swimming while on a trip with friends, but is convinced to do so and ends up drowning, summarizes the band pretty well. However, unlike the girl in the story who did not listen to her instincts, Tea Cozies are very instinctive. The band members are loud and forceful when they feel the need and slow it down if they get the urge, which adds a lot of diversity to the album.

For every straightforward pop track on Hot Probs, there is one rocking garage or soothing psychedelic track to counteract the sugary goodness. "Corner Store Girls" can be best described as bibbity bop as images of bunnies hopping in meadows, bees buzzing in gardens, and couples rollerskating at the boardwalk come to mind. The song is followed by "The South Turned Him Sour," which contains rich and gritty sounds of roller derbies and hot rod racing.

Toward the end of the album, the music loses a bit of momentum as songs become slower and more psychedelic. There are some instances where the vocalists sound bored, but that could be mistaken with bravado. Even as the songs slow down, there is a strong aura of confidence, but it is never pretentious.

Album Review: Schleusolz - Running Out of Time

2009-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published July 7, 2009 in Redefine Magazine.
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Schleusolz
Running Out of Time
Schokokontrol
C

Anyone who is going to listen to Schleusolz' debut album, Running Out of Time, should be prepared to take part in some quirky dancing -- as in the type of dancing that middle-aged men in Hawaiian shirts carry out at music festivals. Doing so is not necessarily a bad thing. It just means that listeners should expect an unusual force behind Schleusolz' layered electro-rhythms that will induce much more than the standard head bop.

The Germany-based group scrambles sounds from all over the world and even what seem to be parts of outer-space. They channel a simplified version of Disney's Fantasia as if it were an '80s video game. Only a handful of songs contain vocals, but even the instrumental tracks seem to shout expressions. The music is hyper and soothing at the same time. This is what you would hear at a cheesy lounge bar, which is where the Hawaiian shirts would come in, but is overthrown by hipsters.

The members of Schleusolz self-admittedly describe their music as quirky and tongue-in-check in press releases. They say that they playfully poke fun at genres, with the desire to create the soundtrack to movies that can only be seen in the listener's mind. Some of the things Schleusolz toys with include swanky piano melodies, alien invasions, sitar, cowboy western, salsa and marching music.

The bizarre combinations may be off-putting, but there is something intriguing about tracks like "Running Out of Time" and "Neo-Liberal Coffee Bar." The former is fast and full of energy. The lovely beeping tones are interjected by moments of musical tension that would only enthuse a room full of partygoers jumping up and down. "Neo-Liberal Coffee Bar" is a tad more subdued, but also creates a zigzag of colorful images.

While there are a few songs that are majestic and memorable, others just pass by as ironic rather than entertaining. "The River of Love" has a western feel and imitates the sound of a cowboy swaggering into town as the sound of a trotting horse dominates. "Detroit Teenage Riot" is a collection of laser beams that come off sounding like a whiney conversation between the cosmos.

Even when sounds clash, the songs all contain enchanting warmth, but some need more focus. Fans of Tobacco (Anticon Records) will appreciate standout tracks, but as a whole, Schleusolz' Running Out of Time will not hit the spot for most.

Artist Feature: Hyperpotamus

2009-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published May 28, 2009 in Redefine Magazine.
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Instead of renting a practice space or spending all of his time fine-tuning his sound in a garage, basement or bedroom like most artists, Spanish musician Jorge Ramírez-Escudero, better known as Hyperpotamus, chose to take his rehearsal sessions to a place where thousands of people could hear him. Before he ever played a proper show as Hyperpotamus, unsuspecting passengers of Madrid's underground metro system witnessed the development of a musical project that would soon move up the ranks to formal music venues and internationally-acclaimed festivals.

Public transportation terminals around the world all have their share of percussionists, violinists, dancers, and singer-songwriters with guitars. However, one man utilizing nothing but his voice, a microphone, and a loop machine to create a type of layered acapella music that can easily be confused for the works of a group of vocalists, is sure to turn heads.

With a self-released full-length album and appearances at 2009's SxSW, Ramírez-Escudero is now more likely to be seen performing in more conventional settings. He has since upgraded to using four microphones, but says that his days in the underground metro played a big part in making connections and exposing his music to people who normally would have not had a chance to hear it.

After being in a variety of bands as a drummer and pianist since the age of 15, which included a shoegazer post-rock group called Abner, a collaboration with an electronic musician named Strand, and an electro-rock band called Kodama, Ramírez-Escudero decided to free himself from the constraints of shady record labels and heavy musical instruments. He started a project that would be simple to tour with and set up wherever his heart desired.

With a vocal styling that combines beat-boxing and soulful melodies with unexpected wails, Hyperpotamus overlaps and loops the sounds he creates solely with his mouth to create full songs, simply with the touch of a loop station's foot pedals.

When one undertakes a project as different as that of Hyperpotamus, it's difficult to predict crowd reactions. Ramírez-Escudero reveals that while some people would take pictures of him, others simply laughed at his expense.

"You had your typical acne-ridden thugs who didn't really know what to make of what I was doing and gave me ‘that look.' But you learn to not really pay attention," he says.

Others were so moved by the music that they would ask Ramírez-Escudero to sing "Happy Birthday," or they would decide to express their appreciation through breakdancing. Eventually people started offering Hyperpotamus gigs, but one of Ramírez-Escudero's favorite memories is that of a drunken Polish woman who insulted those passing by because they were not stopping to listen and pay respect.

"Anything can happen, but that's precisely the thrill," Ramírez-Escudero says. "You're exposed to such an extent that you become 100 percent vulnerable. It's a public space, and you have to deal with it."

After dealing with a dishonest record label, Ramírez-Escudero says, he acquired the thick skin needed for performing in Spain's underground metro. In fact, Spain's tangled web that is its music industry is what prompted him to quit his band Kodama; the band released an album, but its label's founder pocketed the gig money that was supposed to be used for promotion. Ramírez-Escudero quit Kodama in 2006, while the rest of the band continued to work with the label. Days later, he could be found performing as Hyperpotamus.

Upon first listen, Hyperpotamus sounds similar to something out of an Animal Collective album. Sounds seem to bounce around a dreamy, vaulted atmosphere. However, unlike bands like Animal Collective, which are notable for their creative use of electronic sounds, Ramírez-Escudero uses vocal lines to fill in the spots where a piano melody or cymbal crash would usually be heard.

Describing a purely acapella musical project with no distorting guitars or bizarre electronic samples almost sounds archaic, but the twelve songs on Hyperpotamus' album Largo Bailón, which means A Long Dance, positively push the boundaries of experimentation.

With influences that include Michael Jackson, Fugazi, Belgium artist Jacques Brel, African and Cuban music, and Ukrainian choirs, the simplest way to describe Hyperpotamus is a jumble of vocal sounds. Although that is not to say that the music has no structure. The arrangements are complicated and timed precisely, requiring a very well-trained ear and strong sense of rhythm.

Ramírez-Escudero, who started playing piano when he was 5 years old, says that his songwriting process varies from song to song. Sometimes he will write something on guitar or piano and then convert it into vocal lines. Random street sounds are also forms of inspiration and may be translated into the songs in vocal form.

"Dinamo Dominó," the second track on Largo Bailón, actually creates the image of a bustling street in the downtown area of some hip city. The song begins with the soft repetition of the song title's two words, which sounds like the chattering of people in outdoor cafes. Other vocal layers are quickly introduced and start resembling the sounds of an upbeat man humming a sunny melody while walking down the sidewalk. About midway, the song slows down and dips to two layers with Ramírez-Escudero singing a few lyrics in Spanish. The song then expands back to its original multiple layers.

All the other tracks are just as interesting and engaging. Listeners could spend hours picking out the layers. Lyrics are not found on every song, but when they are present, they add a soft, sensual touch. "Sunshine Juice" is an example where lyrics in English dominate and are used to move the music along in a seductive way.

Ramírez-Escudero produced and recorded Largo Bailón in a friend's studio between April and December of 2008. He teamed up with childhood friend Julián Martin to mix the album and released it on February 28. It was completely self-financed and can only be purchased at shows and through PayPal on the Hyperpotamus' MySpace page. He is proud of his work and to have made the money to cover the album's expenses in just two months, without any label help.

"Being self-released, I have control over absolutely every tiny aspect of the album," Ramírez-Escudero says. "For better or for worse, it's my responsibility. I'd love to have someone else do the dirty work, but I reap all the benefits and I'm happy with that."

While he does not completely rule out the possibility of working with another record label in the future, he does not put any pressure on himself to strike a deal, he says. The whole point of Hyperpotamus is to have fun and not take everything so seriously.

In a live setting Ramírez-Escudero does a great job at showing how much he enjoys playing music. While he was in bands, he shared the spotlight with other people and it was easy for him to hide behind his drum kit. However, he looked very natural commanding center stage during his United States debut at this year's SxSW in Austin. One performance, which took place in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel, came close to showing what it would have been like to see Ramírez-Escudero perform in Madrid's underground metro. There were plenty of people gathered around the stage, but numerous passerbyers stopped in their tracks as soon as they heard the music and saw him moving from mic to mic, adding the vocal layers and controlling the loop station.

Even as he concentrated on monitoring the music through headphones, instead of monitors, he bounced around to the beats. His motions were part robotic and part gymnast as he stretched out his arms and swung his legs in the air.

"With Hyperpotamus it's just me. No props," he says. "So I better do something about it and quick. My shows have become more physical, nothing really thought-out or rehearsed. It's just what I'd do in the privacy of my home. No kidding."

While the songs are set compositions, Ramírez-Escudero says that he sometimes throws some vocal improvisation into the live mix if inspiration hits him. He also puts an incredible spin to beloved songs, such as, The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever."

Ramírez-Escudero says that SxSW was an amazing experience and he was able to make connections with various people in the music industry, including someone that booked him a show set for August in Los Angeles. Although he has already toured in Spain, Portugal, Holland, Germany and Morocco, he is excited to return to the United States. He is also set to perform at a major festival called Bratislava this summer in Slovakia.

"In Spain, there comes a moment where my music just can't move on," he says. "Basically because there's no space or audience for my music. It's as if you have to excuse yourself for dedicating your time to making ‘non-profitable' music. ‘Get a real job,' they'd say, while in the U.S. it's much more understood and respected."

Ramírez-Escudero's love for traveling will certainly help him spread his music on an international level. Having an international banker as a father and being born in Japan allowed him to travel the world at an early age, before settling with his mother and brother in Madrid.

"Needless to say, you learn a lot about people, different cultures, and you grow up to be more of an independent and adventurous type," he says. "I love spending fifteen hours in a plane after having stopped at a German airport for a flight connection, a sausage, and a beer... then picking up a rented car and hitting the road to God knows where."

Artist Feature: Ceci Bastida

2009-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published May 11, 2009 in Redefine Magazine.
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As a 15-year-old growing up in the turbulent border town of Tijuana, Mexico, Ceci Bastida began playing in a ska/punk band called Tijuana No! in 1989. Like most politically-conscious bands, their musical influences included The Clash, Madness, and Bob Marley. It was not until after the band's 12-year career and seven years of touring as the keyboardist and back-up singer for Grammy-winning artist and former Tijuana No! member, Julieta Venegas, that Bastida started opening her eyes and ears to a wider set of musical genres, which helped shape a promising solo career.

Now based out of Los Angeles, Bastida is working with a number of musicians and producers to fine-tune her debut, full-length album. Always an active songwriter, she is enjoying the fact that she now has full control over the music. After so many years of working with Tijuana No! as one of the main songwriters, vocalists, and keyboardists, she is stepping out of the ska/punk world and experimenting with different sounds. With Tijuana No!, songwriting was more of a collaborative effort among band members, which she enjoyed, but compromising was also a big part of the equation.

"If you are a band, you are set to work as a band, and sometimes you have to do things that you don't love," Bastida says.

Tijuana No! grew into a very influential band with lyrics focused on politics such as immigration issues and the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico. The music was primarily in Spanish, although there were some covers in English, and the band toured many parts of Latin America. At a young age, Bastida learned the dynamics of the music industry as one of the first women to have such a heavy influence on Latin rock music.

Bastida's solo work still has remnants of Tijuana No!'s punk aesthetic, especially in the way of powerful energy and passion, but the music is more refined and based on dance rhythms, crossing over into the indie pop category. She continues to sing predominately in Spanish; however, with a full rock band behind her and a mix of instruments, which include trumpet, trombone and Bastida on melodica, it is difficult to confine her music to one genre. Bastida also incorporates electronic elements into her music and on occasion collaborates with a handful of hip hop producers.

Although she writes her own music, Bastida works very closely with her band, she says. Since the band records and performs live with her, it is beneficial that they know the songs inside and out. The band is pretty much a set unit, with Dave Green on guitar, James Bairian on bass, Louis Castle on keyboard and trumpet, Argel Kota on drums, and Danny Rukasin on trombone. She has known Green and Kota for many years through their respective bands, and Green introduced her to Bairian, who also serves as the man behind the board during the recording sessions.

Bastida's album entitled Veo La Marea, which translates to I See the Tide, was recorded at Hangar 1018 in Los Angeles and produced by Bastida, Green, and a Los Angeles team called the Gifted, she says. It was set to be released last year, but the process of finding an adequate form of distribution has postponed the release. Bastida has been speaking with a few labels and has also considered releasing the album herself. After all, she did go the self-release route a couple of years ago with her 3-song digital EP, Front BC. There is no set release date for Veo La Marea, but Bastida is confident that 2009 is the year.

In the meantime, Bastida is taking advantage of the extra time and has been revisiting the collection of songs, she says. She is still recording at Hangar 1018, working with some new songs that might end up changing the album's original tracklisting.

"I decided that it was a good idea to continue writing even though the album was done," Bastida says. "I didn't think that because the album was complete, I should just stop."

Two of the new songs that will be added to the album are collaborations with Brooklyn producer XXXChange, who did a lot of work with Spank Rock. XXXChange sent Bastida the tracks and she wrote and recorded the lyrics. One of the end results is a dark, electro-pulsing, sultry song called "Controlar."

Adding even more variety to the album, Bastida also worked with Rakaa Iriscience, of the hip hop group Dilated Peoples, on a bilingual song called "Cómo Será." Bastida's enthusiasm for diversity truly stands out, and it is fortunate that her voice, which is almost raspy, but silky at the same time, delivers regardless of the type of music.

"I don't put pressure on myself to come up with a certain amount of songs, but I do think it's important to keep experimenting and see what happens," Bastida says. "But at one point, I'll stop, [if] I need to. You can revisit an album forever, work on it and always find things you would change, but it's also important to stop and move on. Once that happens, I'll continue to write, but with a different mentality, ready for something new."

Bastida credits her desire to experiment with music to her wide listening habits, she says. Compared to her teenage years, she now listens to more types of music, including everything from folk to electronic. At SxSW, she noted experimental musician Michacu and hip hop artist K'Naan as two of her favorite performances from the week.

While touring with Venegas, who she has been friends with for 20 years, Bastida started exploring and rethinking music, she says. She learned how to be a better musician technically, and after supporting Venegas from 2000 to 2007, Bastida started focusing on her own music.

"I was working on her music and I loved it, but I was missing that creative process," she says. "I needed for that part of my brain to be active again."

With Tijuana No!, the music's message was always more important than the technical musicianship, Bastida says. Therefore, her solo music has carried a different outlook.

"I didn't want everything to be perfect, but not messy either," she says.

Fans of Tijuana No! will recognize Bastida's voice in her solo work, but all of them may not like the new sound. Bastida says that there have already been a few fans that have expressed their discontent with her more upbeat music, but she does not let that affect her evolving sound.

"When you're younger, you kind of freak out and want people to like you," she says. "I'm glad that I don't sound like I did 15 years ago."

Some may not be able to get past the more polished sound, but giving the music an honest listen will reveal some definite edge. On the first night of SxSW, Bastida packed Flamingo Cantina with her magnetic set. Her stage presence, whether she was just singing, playing the melodica, or pounding a hand drum, delightfully hit the audience in full force, like a high-powered rocket. Trombone and trumpet helped lift and push the songs in unexpected ways, as members of her band added energy with back-up vocals. Even without a proper album release, many people in the audience sang along with the songs.

The performance was part of the Billboard en Español showcase. In hindsight, it was a bit unfortunate that Bastida was lumped together with solely other Latin artists who attract a small, distinct population of SxSW attendees. While Bastida sings in Spanish, her music carries a strong exuberant vibe that is capable of crossing language boundaries. Santa Monica's influential KCRW caught on to Bastida's music a few years ago, but she hopes more people will be open to her music whether they speak the language or not.

"I grew up in Mexico and all of my friends listened to bands that sang in English, and even though some of them didn't speak the language, it didn't matter; they still loved it."

Album Review: O+S - O+S

2009-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 22, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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O+S
O+S
Saddle Creek

The self-titled debut album from O+S requires patience. It is not a quick and easy listen. The emotions are too thick for digesting in a hasty manner. The music is not ultra somber or serious, but listeners should prepare to spend time with the album while it grows and expands.

O+S is composed of longtime friends Orenda Fink (Azure Ray and Art in Manila) and Scalpelist (aka Cedric LeMoyne of Remy Zero), who both grew up in Birmingham, Ala. The project started with Fink’s musical artist residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Neb. For the project, she traveled from Omaha to Alabama to Haiti, collecting field recordings with the hope of sewing them into loops. LeMoyne joined to help with instrumentation and electronic landscapes.

While the end result does not utilize the Haitian culture in a revolutionary way, it is nonetheless a beautiful collection of soft, sleepy melodies. The calm rhythms and heavy bass are perfect for solitary late nights of reflection. Fink’s voice is chilling and refreshing. The music is lovely in a very simple, antique way, but it has its wear and tear.

“New Life” and “Survive Love” move at such slow pace that it is almost frustrating. They sound similar to Azure Ray songs but lack the dynamics that made the latter so charming. There are soft, little details in the background of each song, but one would be hard-pressed to pinpoint the origin.

Haitian vocal rituals are awkwardly placed at the beginning of “Toreador” and “We Do What We Want To”. Without knowing the story behind the field recordings, they sound out of place. They are not used in an interesting way and do not mesh well with the fuzzy beats and Fink’s whispering vocals.

However, the field recordings are not noticeable on most other songs, and the album’s highlights are the songs rooted in simplicity. “The Fox” has a sweet, humble sound, only utilizing guitar and vocals. Delicate humming and harmonies surround a story about love gone astray. “Permanent Scar” has more layers, but is a stunning track with great movement, staggering guitar and bits of sharp electronic sounds.

The O+S debut is a long road with a few bumps, but rich factors indicate that the uncertainties will clear with time.

Album Review: Fol Chen - Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made

2009-04-14T08:00:00.004-07:00

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Fol Chen
Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made
Asthmatic Kitty

In the same manner as all the great superheroes who lead double lives, Fol Chen travels with a mysterious aura, being careful not to reveal too much about itself. Promotional photos show band members covering their identities with cardboard faces, and their biography only reveals that they are out to stop John Shade’s plague of mischief. Not much is known about Shade, but whoever he is, his sinister antics and dark, swift silhouette is felt running throughout Fol Chen’s anomalous, electro-pop debut, Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune’s Made.

Hailing from the Los Angeles district of Highland Park, Fol Chen comes off as a group of quiet intellectuals. Knowing that catching Shade will be difficult, the band equips the album with a wide range of tactics. Songs, such as, the opener “The Believers” and “The Longer U Wait” are full of eerie tension. Raspy female and male vocals sound aloof, but as the songs build up with ghostly horns and hammering percussion, it is obvious that the band members are plotting a grand move. They are the keepers of a dark secret that they only divulge with small hints.

The band sounds best with its uninhibited characteristics in songs such as “No Wedding Cake” and “The Idiot”. Clean vocals and bouncy synth create a lighthearted façade. On “Winter, That’s All”, the sound is a bit more industrial, but cascading drums, which are immensely engaging, provoke dancing and never lose grip of the listener’s attention. “Red Skies Over Garden City (The Balled of Donna Donna)” also is a bit more airy, but strings and whistling instruments in the background produce complicated layers, similar to the changing tempos of The Fiery Furnaces.

While the upbeat tracks are fun, there still is a strong sense of detachment from the rest of the world. However, the lyrics tend to be quite personal and create balance. Intimate thoughts and confessions are most notably shared on “Cable TV”: “I thought that I knew what love was / then I saw you dancing in your underwear, too / And I think of you / when I think of you baby / my heart just triples in size”.

Fol Chen creates the bizarre feeling of a blurred dream and sometimes feels a little too devious. If the band sticks with songs such as “Cable TV” and the other danceable tracks, it can remain interesting and clever without compromising its hero status in the battle against John Shade.

Album Review: Various Artists - Dark Was the Night

2009-04-14T08:00:00.003-07:00

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Various Artists
Dark Was the Night: Red Hot Compilation
4AD

The 20th installment in the compilation series by the Red Hot Organization tempts listeners to choose a favorite track early on, but with plentiful talent, each song after becomes a strong contender for the top spot.

With The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner as curators, Dark Was the Night brings together some of the most notable indie rock artists from the past decade to support Red Hot in raising awareness about AIDS prevention, which the organization has been doing for 20 years. Named after the song “Dark Was the Night” by blues artist Blind Willie Johnson, the compilation is inspired by traditional folk themes.

The dilemma of choosing a favorite track is most severe on the first disc of the two-disc compilation, also available as a triple vinyl set and digital download (iTunes offers an extra track from Beach House). Indie royalty, such as Feist, Arcade Fire and Spoon, span across the entire compilation, offering original compositions, covers, and compelling collaborations, but the stand-out tracks predominantly are bundled on the first disc.

From the euphoric opening by Dirty Projectors and David Byrne to Antony and Bryce Dessner’s simple cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Was Young When I Left Home”, the first disc displays indie rock’s delightful dynamics. Furthermore, Yeasayer’s passion and dreamy atmosphere on “Tightrope” encompasses the mix of landscapes.

However, between two collaborations, Feist is one of the more radiant stars of Dark Was the Night. She and Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard team up for a beautiful cover of Vashti Bunyan’s “Train Song”. Gibbard’s reflective vocals and Feist’s higher-pitched voice fit together like puzzle pieces. On “Service Bell”, Feist’s voice is even more stunning, supported by Grizzly Bear’s delicate-but-vivid instrumentation.

Although the first disc is difficult to follow up, the second still is a worthwhile listen. My Morning Jacket’s “El Caporal” and a cover of Shuggie Otis’ “Inspiration Information”, performed by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, throw diversity into the mix.

The horns on Jones’ cover are pure bliss, and her soulful voice is the compilation’s only source of funk. The 31 tracks show a lot of variety, but they are limited. With the exception of a few songs, the overall energy does not travel far from a tranquil state. A few roaring peaks would have been ideal, but considering the cause, that small shortcoming hardly is crucial.

Album Review: Origami Ghosts - Short Momentum

2009-04-14T08:00:00.002-07:00

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Origami Ghosts
Short Momentum
Hand to Media

John Paul Scesniak, founder of Seattle’s Origami Ghosts, did not learn to play the guitar until his late teens, but the quirky lyrics of the sophomore album, Short Momentum, make it seem as though musical ideas have been floating in his head since he was a kid.

Scesniak has a childlike imagination, which makes a wonderful partnership with the band’s wacky and colorful approach to pop music. His words could paint the pictures to a children’s book, while also provoking thought.

On “Rearranging Furniture” Scesniak sings, “If I was an iguana, you’d wish you could be a chameleon / You could hang out with all my pretty green friends / And then you’d know a lot about me”.

The nature metaphors also dominate on “Thai Frog”, “Trees they fall like spring does into summer when I’m in winter / I like the sound the trees make when they are first discovered”.

Scesniak bends his vocals to afflict different emotions, but instead of coming out obscure and pretentious, his voice and music create a warm and humble atmosphere. At times, the vocals sounds similar to Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses and Carissa’s Wierd, while at other times, he sounds like a male version of Kimya Dawson. Scesniak is not afraid of showing his curiosity and love for exploration, as displayed on “Story?”, “Where do thoughts go when you forget them?”, he asks.

Vivid lyrics make Origami Ghosts a contender for being labeled a straightforward pop band, but cello and fuzzy guitar add some edge. The cello sits around the edges and creates a tone similar to that of Cursive and Joan of Arc – although Origami Ghosts does not necessarily sound like either of those bands.

Likewise, if the band were stripped down to its bare bones, it would sound a lot like Death Cab for Cutie and The Shins, but the styling of Origami Ghosts is more lighthearted and zany.

Album Review: Iran - Dissolver

2009-04-14T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
Direct link to article

Iran
Dissolver
Narnack Records

On Dissolver, Iran peels the volatile exterior layers that were formed on its previous noise rock albums and starts to reveal a tender core. A longtime project of multi-instrumentalist Aaron Aites and TV on the Radio guitarist Kyp Malone, Iran sweeps through the fuzz and unveils its ability to write songs that are conventionally pleasant.

Music fans last heard from Iran in 2003 with The Moon Boys, which followed a self-titled debut in 2000. Both were full of buzzing, combusting, and crashing sounds that carried engaging melodies. Dissolver holds on to a bit of the noisy aesthetic, but it is not exactly a middle ground between the blatant experimentation and straightforward pop.

Produced by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek, Dissolver is not a bad progression to a cleaner sound, but the change might be too much too soon for some fans. “Digital Clock and Phone” is the only track that truly channels the sharp clamor of previous albums, but it sounds like an ordinary jam session, rather than a mind-bending track.

Instead of concentrating the noise rock on single tracks, Iran sprinkles it in the background of each song. On opener “I Can See the Future” and “Buddy”, the band gets close to a middle ground without sounding jarring. Distorted guitars add gritty sounds to otherwise clear songs, whereas, bluesy piano adds a soft touch to “Buddy”, which is driven by whirling guitars.

On “Airport ’79”, warped sounds take a back seat to the smooth melody and instead of dominating, they complement the vocals by swiftly traveling in the backdrop. However, on “Baby, Let’s Get High One Last Time Together”, screeching sounds in the background distract from the melody and sound disconnected.

While there are a few similarities to TV on the Radio, Dissolver shines when it pushes Aites’ vocals to the forefront. Previous albums made it hard for listeners to take notice of his pleasant voice, which seems to ooze out emotions with grace and ease. He rarely applies exertion, but when there is a spike, for example on “I Already Know You’re Wrong” and “Evil Summer”, it creates delightful dynamics.

Dissolver might not be the album for those set on getting a release that echoes The Moon Boys and Iran, but it seems as though Iran still has a few more layers to break through, and it will be fun to see what the band comes up with next.

Album Review: Yes Nice - Yes Nice

2009-04-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
Direct link to article

Yes Nice
Yes Nice
Self-released

On Yes Nice’s debut full-length album, the Canadian band is close to perfecting the art of the serenade. With warm melodies and lyrics for lovers on cloud nine, the self-titled album is an easy and fun listen for any occasion and mood.

The music and gentle vocals show the utmost sincerity with charming lyrics, such as those found on the opening track, “When I Saw the Sun Going Down”.

“I believe in the words you sing”, affectionately says lead vocalist Nathaniel Wong.

Simple guitars carry a 1960s rock vibe, as well as, a touch of vocal styling similar to those of Jack Antonoff of Steel Train. The album does not stick purely to soft tempos. The songs’ dynamics and adorning of violins and xylophone maintain the listener’s interest.

The four first tracks on the album focus on the tenderness of love, but starting with “Sous La Lune”, which translates to “Under the Moon,” the band seems to have a little more fun. The track is sung in French, pushing romanticism to another level. The melody is mid-tempo and sweet. The tambourine and concertina make listeners feel as though they are sitting at a café in France.

The next track sends Yes Nice to Argentina for the song “Tango”. The violin and percussion make the song sound very dramatic, just like the dance. The lyrics are spoken, and segments of chamber chanting add a touch of Italy.

The band gets really silly on “Hay-Ay-La-Ma-Hay-Ah”, a track with high-pitched group vocals, and “Children Talk With the Old People”, which incorporates a darling children’s choir for the chorus.

Yes Nice is that sweet guy who secretly has a crush on his female best friend. He is kind, silly, and always says the right things, but fails to get past the best friend stage.

However, unlike that type of guy, Yes Nice has the potential to be more than just a cutesy band that sings about love, dreams and moonlight.

Album Review: Yes Nice - Yes Nice EP

2009-04-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 13, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
Direct link to article

Yes Nice
Yes Nice EP
Self-released

Yes Nice, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, can be fittingly described as being made of sugar and spice, and everything nice. However, the proportions of violin-infused indie rock, sunny 1960s pop, and funky bass lines on the band’s self-titled EP are slightly off-balance.

There are some great songs on the EP, and it is livelier and more varied than the band’s full-length, which also is self-titled. However, there are too many ideas for squeezing into the eight tracks. Yes Nice is capable of succeeding in many styles, but the young band, which has been together for a little more than a year, still is trying to hone in on its sound.

Yes Nice is at its best when it focuses on its winsome and mystical sound with violins, xylophone and handclaps. The opening “Flame Intro” does just that. It would be hard for a listener’s ears not to perk up with the simple but catchy sound of handclaps, accented by soft violins. The violins are reminiscent of other young bands, such as Ra Ra Riot, but are less dramatic.

The violin intro bleeds into the delicate “The Flame”. The male lead vocals harmonize sweetly with female vocals and complement the crispy sounds of fire and fireflies at the end of the song.

“Pizzicato” and “Good Old Days” are two songs where Yes Nice really shines. “Pizzicato” is an instrumental track that easily could have been arranged by Kaki King or Sufjan Stevens. Strings, shakers and xylophone help create a calming image of rhythmic, dripping water. “Good Old Days” is a fun, cheerful track that starts with the chorus, which is about the sun, flowers and time. About halfway through the song, the tempo dips down and builds back up to the entrancing guitar.

The EP’s imbalance is shown on “Demons”. The vocal style remains as soft as it is on the other tracks, but a guitar part sounds like a combination of classic rock and modern rock bands, such as Incubus and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It throws off the mood that the other songs created.

“Anywhere With You” also mixes in a different style; in this case, it is a funky, reggae sound. The latter track is more seamless and holds on to the enchanting factor with violins and xylophone, which sound like buzzing bees.

An EP is a good place to experiment with styles, and with a little more work, Yes Nice will find its ideal recipe.

Album Review: Loney Dear - Dear John

2009-02-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published February 24, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Loney Dear
Dear John
Polyvinyl Records

Unlike 2007’s bubbly Loney, Noir, the latest album by Swedish songwriter Emil Svanängen, aka Loney Dear, is emotionally strenuous. Listening to the soft, indie-pop songs is somewhat of a cleansing experience where the artist and listener sort through an array of emotions and get rid of doubts, regret, envy and grudges. Dear John has its ups and downs, which make it easy for listeners to wander off the trail, but those who finish the journey are rewarded with sweet satisfaction and high spirits.

Dear John starts on a high point with the sparkling “Airport Surroundings”. Svanängen’s voice is soft, but confident. There is a sense of urgency, like being caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella. The instrument layering builds up like a raindrop that is traveling quickly and about to burst. The strings on “Everything Turns to You” sound like thunder, adding to the high tension.

An escape from the storm is found on the third track, “I Was Only Going Out”, but the tempo abruptly slows down, as though Svanängen had the wind knocked out of him. The confidence found at the start of the album starts to peel and reveals vulnerability.

The middle part of the album is a little fuzzy and emotionally tiresome, but dashes of peppy whistles and synthesizer club beats try to keep the listener’s attention. The sun starts to shine on “Summers” with shimmering percussion and na-na-nas. However, clouds quickly conceal the sunshine with hollow organ on “Distant Lights” and the sedated “Harm/Slow”.

The last hint of unsettledness allows for a quick launch to optimism. The emotional transformation is liberating, and the last two songs flow with more ease. Dear John illustrates that with the good comes the bad, but in the end, everything will be fine.

Calvin Johnson 'documents' the decades through music

2009-01-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published January 27, 2009 in The Daily Democrat.

In many indie rock and punk music circles, Calvin Johnson is known as a musician, producer and founder of the influential, independent record label K Records. However, a better word to describe Johnson is documentarian.

As a teenager in the late ’70s, Johnson became involved with the underground art culture in Olympia, Wash., and has been documenting his community ever since. Through such outlets as, independent zines, community radio shows, cassettes, vinyl records, CDs and digital music, his experiences and creative endeavors of others have been cemented into history.

In addition to spotlighting his community, Johnson said that he has been playing music as a member of numerous bands and a solo artist for a few decades. He will be performing his solo work on Tuesday at Delta of Venus in Davis.

Johnson said that not only does the process of documenting one’s community allow for others to learn about different parts of the world, but it also equips people with knowledge, creativity and technological skills. He became engaged with events in his community while being a volunteer and DJ at Olympia’s community radio station, KAOS-FM.

“It trains people from consumers to producers,” he said.

Looking at all the things that Johnson has been involved with, whether it be writing for a music zine or starting K Records, which began as a cassette-only label in 1982, it is evident that he values creativity over following the latest fad.

“How relevant any of those mediums (community radio, cassettes, vinyl records) are, depends on how they are used,” Johnson said.

Just like the variety of mediums to express creativity, there is a lot of diversity in the K Records catalog and in Johnson’s own music projects. While the focus was on Olympia bands during the first years of K Records, the label has grown to include international bands of different genres.

By exploring the list of current and former K Records artists, examples of what one will find includes punk bands like Bikini Kill, noise rock bands like Old Time Relijun, singer songwriters like Mirah and Kimya Dawson and indie pop bands like Saturday Looks Good to Me.

Ranging from Beat Happening’s sweet indie pop in the ’80s to the funkier beats of Dub Narcotic Sound System, formed in ’93, Johnson’s music is just as varied as his label’s roster. Even his solo work has transformed from album to album.

Johnson said that his first solo album, “What Was Me,” was released in 2002 and it was very basic, only incorporating his voice and guitar. Some tracks were recorded accapella and others featured duets with K Records artist Mirah.

The following album, “Before the Dream Faded,” was released in 2005 and was a collaboration of several producers, Johnson said. The songs were expanded with the use of electronic beats.

With his third solo album, “Calvin Johnson and the Sons of the Soil,” Calvin took yet another direction by adding a full band. The album also featured a different take on some songs from the stripped-down album, “What Was Me.”

“It seemed like that they had different perspectives,” he said.

While the sound of each album is different, the passion for music remains consistent. Johnson seems to have an endless amount of ideas and he is not afraid to act on them, regardless of how strange they may seem. His droning, baritone voice calls for an acquired taste. However, the ease and honesty in his lyrics and music may help listeners overcome doubts.

Johnson has worked on music as a solo artist and as part of a collaboration with many people, but he said that he does not prefer one more than the other. As a solo artist he is able to concentrate more on his music. As a member of a group, arrangements of songs are more spontaneous and people feed off each other’s energy.

“People can influence each other in terms of the feeling,” he said.

Even when Johnson is working with bands on his record label, the spontaneous, collaborative feeling is present, Johnson said. Whether he is working with a veteran musician or a new, up-and-coming band, Johnson learns something new from every project.

“I feel like I’m their student,” he said.

Johnson said that during recent recording sessions with Chain and the Gang, he was very inspired because everyone was contributing ideas, which would lead to a string of more suggestions.

“The feeling was so good and positive,” Johnson said.

He was also in the studio recently recording his own music, he said. Fourteen tracks were recorded for a new project called the Hive Dwellers, which he projects will be released in the fall.

While many veteran musicians like Johnson often put down new music and reminisce about the “good times” of their childhoods, Johnson said that he is optimistic about the future. Music scenes are growing and improving as more people start bands and open live music venues. Johnson is just happy to continue his involvement with music.

“I’m glad that I have the privilege to work with so many creative people.”

Album Review: Her Space Holiday - XOXO, Panda And the New Kid Revival

2008-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published December 2, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
Direct link to article

Her Space Holiday
XOXO Panda, And the New Kid Revival
Mush Records

With XOXO, Panda and the New Kid Revival, Marc Bianchi, the man behind Her Space Holiday, does not have any plans to bore his fans with the same sound album after album.

“Oh I love you so very much / So much in fact I’m gonna switch it up”, Bianchi proclaims on the single “Sleepy Tigers”.

The line most likely is directed at a love interest, but it rightly describes Bianchi’s music career. Bianchi has proven his love for music and his fans by dabbling in numerous genres. In the early 1990s, he was a part of the hardcore scene in the California bay area with bands Indian Summer and Mohinder. However, for the past 12 years, he has been most known for the fuzzy electronic-fused indie pop recorded as Her Space Holiday.

XOXO, Panda is just another name that Bianchi has taken on, and The New Kid Revival is a more organic and spirited movement. The Her Space Holiday from the albums The Young Machines (2003) and The Past Presents the Future (2005) is not found here.

The whispered secrets and confessions that made listeners blush with guilt are replaced with clear and joyful chants. Synthetic string arrangements and drum machines disappear as guitars, banjo, mandolin, glockenspiel, and tambourines take center stage.

While Bianchi’s voice still is distinct, he sings with much more ease and honesty. The lyrics remain personal and, like any other Her Space Holiday song, illustrate captivating stories and images.

The newly acquired sound helps keep Her Space Holiday fans on their toes, but it is not something that would be difficult to find elsewhere. The handclaps and folk sound of “No More Good Ideas” and “The Boys and Girls” are similar to The Shins and Port O’Brien. Yet, with those same handclaps, Bianchi taps into a kid’s carefree energy and overshadows any hesitation to enjoy the album and sing along.

Album Review: Daniel Martin Moore - Stray Age

2008-11-20T08:00:00.002-08:00

Originally published November 20, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Daniel Martin Moore
Stray Age
Sub Pop Records

Daniel Martin Moore probably did not set out to be a singer/songwriter. The honesty and simplicity of his music give the impression that he possesses effortless natural talent. Moore recorded some songs, and, on a whim, sent them to Sub Pop Records. Sincerity, talent, and the unsolicited demo paid off, leading to the release of Stray Age. The calming melodies are similar to the music from the Pacific Northwest, but the bass and delicate guitar plucking reveal Moore’s Kentucky roots. The album is modest and intriguing, hinting that Moore is just getting started.

Album Review: Desolation Wilderness - White Light Strobing

2008-11-20T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published November 20, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Desolation Wilderness
White Light Strobing
K Records

If every old photo album carried a music chip, Desolation Wilderness would play at the turn of each page. Hailing from Olympia, Wash., Nicolaas Zwart is the brain behind Desolation Wilderness, and, with the help of a few friends, he created a record that reflects the lush scenery of his city. The sound is somewhere between The Album Leaf’s ambiance and Beach House’s timelessness. With heavy use of reverb, Zwart’s faint vocals travel through the instrumentation, which includes guitar, vibraphone, synthesizer and glockenspiel, in search of light. White Light Strobing is like a faded memory that resurfaces a warm, happy feeling.

Album Review: Free Blood - The Singles

2008-11-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published November 20, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Free Blood
The Singles
Rong Music / DFA Records

Since forming in 2003, Free Blood has released its music in small doses. The band started sharing its music in live settings only. When songs were finally recorded, they were released as three 12-inch vinyl singles on U.K. label Adventures Close to Home. Perhaps Free Blood was afraid people would not be able to handle its chaotic party sound in large doses. Luckily, listeners now have the chance to take a risk with the six songs and five remixes found on The Singles.

Free Blood is Madeline Davy and former !!! vocalist, John Pugh. The duo takes it a bit easy on the first track, “Never Hear Surf Music Again”, allowing listeners to warm up. The song seems harmless with Pugh’s whispered vocals and soft percussion, but the first lyric hints at the mayhem that Free Blood is about to unleash.

“There must be some fucking chemical that makes us different from animals”.

Whatever that chemical is, it has a strong presence throughout the album. “Never Hear Surf Music Again” hits a high with screeching violins and strings that sound to be flying all over the place.

Free Blood mixes a lot of different elements, but the overall sound is collected and catchy. The lyrics are phrases that partygoers could easily remember and shout out while making their way across dance floors.

With laughter in the background and Pugh and Davy trading off vocals, tracks sound like recordings of a schoolyard. Free Blood embodies the energy of hyper children, and the music is spastic. It’s similar to Hella and has infectious beats comparable to LCD Soundsystem.

At times it might be hard to differentiate Free Blood from Pugh’s work in !!!, but a few more listens reveal a more funky and free-spirited tone. Most of the remixes on The Singles are glum and do not offer the songs a distinctive contrast; however, it would not be a bad thing to overdose on anything Free Blood produces.

Album Review: Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends

2008-10-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published October 7, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Tobacco
Fucked Up Friends
Anticon. Records

In high school, my idea of multi-tasking was doing homework while simultaneously watching TV, listening to the radio and talking on the phone. Tobacco’s Fucked Up Friends is kind of like that. Sounds travel in all directions and frequencies, mystically making sense.

Tobacco’s instrumental songs are more cryptic than his work in Black Moth Super Rainbow, but still powerfully demand attention. Gripping hip-hop beats add the feel of dusty vinyl and fuzzy analog synths set the listener’s brain on coast. With guest vocals from Aesop Rock on “Dirt”, Tobacco proves that he is making friends with the right people.

Album Review: Pretty & Nice - Get Young

2008-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published October 7, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Pretty & Nice
Get Young
Hardly Art

The sophomore album from Boston’s Pretty & Nice, out on Sub Pop’s Hardly Art label, brings bands like Hot Hot Heat, The Futureheads, and, at times, The Hives to mind. However, don’t be fooled by the hard-hitting opening of “Piranha”: there is hardly anything garage rock about Get Young. The album, recorded in the band’s basement, is theatrical pop with its frantic and hyper jingle and jangle of percussion and synth. The band’s exuberance is mod but fun. Yet, it is hard to tell if they can offer anything that will set them apart from others.

Album Review: Woodhands - Heart Attack

2008-09-26T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published September 26, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Woodhands
Heart Attack
Paper Bag Records

Before superstar athletes such as Michael Phelps hit Beijing for the Olympics, Toronto-based electro duo Woodhands chalked one up for Canada. Woodhands’ Chinese debut in May made a splash with two electrifying performances that reached energy levels of Olympic proportions. Without skipping a beat, Woodhands backs up the well-received performances with its sophomore release, Heart Attack.

Heart Attack is the first Woodhands album on Toronto’s independent label, Paper Bag Records, home to Broken Social Scene and Tokyo Police Club’s back catalog. Staying true to the label’s dynamic roster, Woodhands opts out from the laptop route of making electronic music and instead records and performs with more conventional instruments. Woodhands is composed of Dan Werb on vocals, keytar, synthesizers, and drum machines and Paul Banwatt on drums and vocals. The outcome is a loud mix of piercing beats and punchy sounds that rival the high spirits of other 2008 dance records such as Hot Chip’s Made in the Dark and Girl Talk’s Feed the Animals.

Not only do Werb and Banwatt create songs that can fuel a dance party well into the night, but they also add an element of surprise to each track. “In the Woods” begins with gritty synthesizers and pounding bass, but it ends with the organic sound of hand drums. Banwatt’s drumming really stands out and is refreshing against the synthesizers and loops.

Other surprise treats include guest vocals by fellow Canadian and Henri Fabergé and The Adorables member Maylee Todd on “Dancer”. Todd’s voice on the track is graceful and wistful; unfortunately, Werb tries to add contrast with brash vocoder shouts, which end up sounding a little too harsh and distracting. Werb alters his voice on quite a few occasions, but he sounds best when his less-abrasive and natural voice is tweaked to sound spacey and robotic.

Heart Attack ends on an elegant note with the softer “Straighten the Curtain” and “Sailboats” signaling the end of the dance party but leaving the listener with anticipation for the next one.

Album Review: Pop Levi - Never Never Love

2008-09-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published September 26, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Pop Levi
Never Never Love
Counter Records

Pop Levi makes music for the alter ego in all of us. One moment he is exuberant and confident, and the next he is shy and vulnerable. Levi is a complicated man, but one thing is for sure: if you opened his brain, lavish amounts of bright colors, geometric shapes, and sonic passion would burst out.

Nothing other than passion should be expected from an album recorded at Quincy Jones’ old studio, Westlake, the same place where Michael Jackson recorded Thriller and Off the Wall. The studio’s history can be clearly heard on Levi’s sophomore release, Never Never Love, but there is also something futuristic in its sound. Levi (who was born in London but now resides in Los Angeles) takes notes from Prince and Bob Dylan and puts them through a time warp to the future and back.

The “futuristic” element in Levi’s euphoric pop songs may be credited to his time spent as Ladytron’s touring bassist. The first half of Never Never Love is filled with an array of gadgets, handclaps, and colorful beats. The title track sounds like a toy factory where knobs are pulled, paint is slapped on, and characters are wound up like a Jack-in-the-box surprise. Levi’s voice is radiant and attention-grabbing, while gritty guitars and funky baselines keep the music from becoming a joke.

The album stays strong through the eccentric-folk “Semi-Babe” and the bizarre but charming “Mai’s Space”. However, Levi loses momentum on the second half of the album when he channels what seems to be his more reflective alter ego. By softening the loud guitars and adding a gentle piano, Levi showcases his soothing vocals: he remains flamboyant, but sometimes too over-the-top. “Everything & Finally” is the closest Levi comes to singing a tribute to Prince, but gets a little carried away. On a few parts, Levi sounds like he is stuck in a room filled with helium.

Levi likes experimenting with his voice and has diverse music tastes, but Never Never Love lacks balance. The album presents Levi at a fork in the road. Without a more narrow focus, he can become the token oddball troubadour, whereas, songs like the swaggering “Dita Dimoné”, make Levi a credible musician without sacrificing his zest. For the sake of variety in pop music, let’s hope he continues with the latter.

Artist Feature: Tilly and the Wall

2008-07-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published in the Summer 2008 issue of Redefine.
Buy a copy here

Omaha's Tilly and the Wall has one piece of advice -- watch your step.

The emerging band, which has been stomping its way into the hearts of music lovers since its formation in 2001, just released its third album. The album illustrates the nurturing and delicate relationship that Tilly and the Wall has with music. One clumsy step can shatter all of the hard work that tap dancer and percussionist Jamie Pressnall, vocalist and guitarist Derek Pressnall, keyboardist Nick White, and vocalists Kianna Alarid and Neely Jenkins have poured into the music.

Tilly and the Wall cultivated the album's vision with tender care and will not let anyone stunt its growth -- a sentiment that is explained in the song "Blood Flowers."

"I waited for something to grow and flourish with time/ I counted each hopeful raindrop as it poured to its death/ I dusted the mournful frost and warmed it with my breath/ You better watch where you're walking, there might be somebody's blood flower growing/ You better watch what you're doing, don't go fucking around in the garden."

From music to the cover art, Tilly and he Wall has carefully developed an album that creates a unique experience for listeners, says Alarid. The album is technically untitled but is affectionately referred to as O because its cover is an oval-shaped frame that can be filled with anything a listener chooses to fill it with.

However, if nothing comes to minds of the listeners, they will have artwork to choose from. The band rallied numerous artist friends and had each of them design handmade prints for the album. Each cover has a limited run of 1,000 copies. In addition, each member of the band created a cover of his or her own, and they ran only 250 copies of those particular pieces.

To ensure that each cover has its own distinctive vibe, band members gave the designers very little guidance.

"Some of them would call and say 'I want to talk about the record,'" Alarid recalls, "but we would say, 'Nope.'"

The various covers are not the only things fans can look forward to; the latest release has a great amount of confidence and finesse.

While the band's debut Wild Like Children had some memorable tracks, its overall effort was subtle. Two years later, Bottom of Barrels was released and led to opportunity; the band was given the chance to play gigs at notable music festivals, such as, the Reading/Leeds Festival and Coachella.

But O is edgy and scorching with passion. Alarid credits the band's musical progression via touring and, to put it simply: time. The band has worked on learning about each other's songwriting techniques, and each member contributes to the process.

Members of Tilly and the Wall have used their abundant songwriting skills their advantage. It would be easy for a band from such a musically-inclined city to sound identical to the handful of successful Omaha bands like Cursive and Bright Eyes, but Tilly and the Wall has managed to create a lovely coherent sound of its own.

"When you have five different songwriters, it kind of makes a unique sound because you have to make five people's sound fit together," Alarid says.

Tilly and the Wall may not sound like most bands in Omaha, but the band does have strong connections with the city's music scene. Jenkins and Jamie Pressnall used to be in Park Ave. with Conor Oberst before his Bright Eyes fame. Years later, Tilly and the Wall was Oberst's first signing to his Team Love record label, a Saddle Creek affiliate.

Oberst also had a hand in production for Wild Like Children, but for O, Tilly and the Wall turned to another Nebraskan, Mike Mogis.

Mogis, who owns his own state-of-the-art studio and has worked with a lot of staple indie artists, such as, Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, and M. Ward, brought a lot of ideas to the table and allowed the band members to carry out various ideas that they previously did not have the resources to do so. Mogis suggested an array of instruments and different micing techniques for the band.

"His brain is always going a thousand miles an hour," Alarid says.

The band always wanted to included a tap dance troupe on a recording, and the vision was made into a reality on the track "Pot Kettle Black." A 10-person stomp troupe was recorded in an elementary school gym specifically for the song. The track is a powerful, tongue-in-cheek message about trash-talking; it shows Tilly and the Wall's hidden fierceness. The vocals reveal the appealing intensity of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O and Pretty Girls Make Graves' Andrea Zollo.

However, listeners should not be alarmed by the forceful passion of O. Tilly and the Wall's gleeful group chants and hand claps are still very prominent. Songs like "Jumbler" and "Poor Man's Ice Cream" feature infectious thumping rhythms and trade-off vocals between the female and male vocalists.

The cheery attitude that is the essence of Tilly and the Wall has even caught the attention of Sesame Street. The band recorded a video for their rendition of the "ABC Song," which will be featured on the show's 39th season this fall.

As for Sesame Street characters, Alarid chooses Grover as her favorite.

"Having a monster that is insecure is so cute."

Before catching Tilly and the Wall on national television, fans can experience the band's exuberant passion all over the United States this summer. Just be sure not to trample on any thriving flowers.

Summer tours conquer road

2008-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published May 21, 2008 in The Orion.
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On part of Chico punk group Gruk's 2007 summer tour, audiences heard guitarist Scribles simultaneously play guitar and bass. He did not perform a contortionist trick, but when the band's bassist unexpectedly left the tour, Scribles covered by playing through both a bass and guitar amp.

Band members leaving midway through a tour is one example of the sudden adventures that bands face while on tour, said Rachel Loveless, Gruk vocalist. In order to have a successful tour, band members have to think on their feet and quickly come up with creative solutions.

But unforeseen problems are not stopping Gruk and other Chico bands from travelling the United States this summer.

Gruk, which also includes drummer Sean "Hipmo" Cummins and new bassist Logan "Ziptie" Keyser, have been on five national tours but will visit cities this summer they have never played, Cummins said. The band will grace Knoxville, Tenn., and Waco, Texas, with its fast and gritty punk music for the first time.

Loveless and Cummins booked all the dates themselves and are excited to spend time with friends across the country that they rarely see, Cummins said.

While Gruk's tour will reach the East Coast, The Shimmies and Social Concern plan to stay west for their summer tours.

Social Concern, which includes bassist Ami Rose, guitarist and vocalist Sarah Shintaku and drummer Bryan Lyon, is taking its punk rock sounds up the West Coast, but will venture out to Montana, Idaho and Utah.

Dreamy indie-rockers The Shimmies, is comprised of Jack Gingerich on drums and brothers Jimmy and Sean Galloway on guitar and vocals and Stephen Galloway on bass. The band will travel to Seattle and down to Los Angeles, said Sean Galloway. With the help of a friend, band members also booked the tour themselves.

This summer marks The Shimmies' first tour, but Sean Galloway did not have trouble booking shows in other cities, he said. Band members have made friends with touring bands that play in Chico, and when members of The Shimmies decided to go on tour they called upon their friends.

Gruk used the same strategy, but the booking process was a little harder than most tours because the band plays a lot of house and basement shows, Loveless said. It's hard to get in contact with people because they move or no longer host shows.

Social Concern had similar booking issues with venues and also discovered dates fill up fast because so many bands plan summer tours, Shintaku said.

While booking shows may be time consuming and frustrating, there are benefits to touring during the summer.

Attendance at Gruk shows is higher during the summer because students do not have to worry about school, Loveless said.

Members of The Shimmies are looking forward to escaping the Chico heat, Sean Galloway said.

Selling band merchandise also helps cover tour expenses, said Jimmy Galloway. All three bands will be selling T-shirts and CDs.

The bands are committed to reaching out to other cities, but Chico musicians will miss some things.

Both Loveless and Scribles miss taco trucks, friends and inexpensive beer, they said.

Members of The Shimmies miss the laid-back Chico atmosphere, Jimmy Galloway said.

"The stress level is higher in some cities, and I start thinking how people in Chico are napping."

Album Review: Xiu Xiu - Women As Lovers

2008-05-14T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published May 14, 2008 in The Orion

Xiu Xiu
Women As Lovers
Kill Rock Stars, 2008
3/5 stars

Listeners who are not prepared for the dark and chaotic sounds of Oakland's Xiu Xiu may question the band's sanity.

After several listens, music lovers can appreciate the quirkiness of the dissonant sounds and find honesty.

The band is known for its avant-garde spin on indie rock and an array of instruments that seem to crash into each other. The opening track, "I Do What I Want, When I Want," seems innocent with sweet touches of xylophone and whistles, but loud bursts of saxophone interrupt the peace.

Songwriter Jamie Stewart alternates from haunting vocals to sincere whispers. Stewart is able to portray every emotion in his voice. In "In Lust You Can Hear the Axe Fall," he cries out lyrics, making listeners feel his pain. "No Friend Oh!" is a more delicate tune with piano lines and gentle vocals.

"Women As Lovers" is out of the ordinary and may not be for everyone, but those who have the patience to listen to it more than once will dig Xiu Xiu's creativity.

Mario gets a political makeover with Ayres exhibit

2008-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published May 14, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article

For two weeks, Chico State had its own arcade with classic Nintendo games.

Groups of people wandered into Ayres Hall to scope out the games as senior Ryan Fitzpatrick hosted the reception for his bachelor of fine arts culminating exhibition Thursday. The exhibition, called "Eeprompaganda," included three well-known Nintendo games with a political twist.

Fitzpatrick reprogrammed the beloved "Super Mario Brothers" and turned it into "Super Democracy Brothers: The Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism." Instead of Mario and Luigi hopping over pipes and fighting creepy creatures, players were able to choose from President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to fight Iraqi men.

The two men run around the desert, encounter men in turbans and hop over oil bins with Exxon Mobil labels. Every time Bush acquires a token, he grows taller and becomes a cowboy. The detail on the game is impeccable. The blocks the players jump on are decorated with U.S. flags.

Senior Ama Stewart had trouble picking a favorite video game, but ultimately chose "Super Democracy Brothers" because the war in Iraq is an important and timely issue, she said.

"It's a great way to get people who aren't political to see our country in a different way," Stewart said.

Republicans were not the only political party portrayed in the exhibit.

Another game in the Mario series dealt with universal health care. "Dr. Mario" was transformed into "Doctor Democrat." The words "Hillary Care" stretched across the top of the screen and players became Dr. Hillary Clinton. The object of the game was to arrange pills into a medicine container, similarly to "Tetris."

The third game in the exhibit was called "Minuteman Civil Defense Headquarters Presents: Border Stampede," inspired by the "Millipede" video game. As the game began, the words "use your binoculars to stop the invasion," flashed on the screen.

The issue in this game was immigration, and players were presented with two lands. On top, the screen was covered with desert land and cacti. The lower half was a bright green land. Scorpions, snakes and little brown men scurried down the screen and shuffled around the cacti. The player received points for every shot. If the player was unsuccessful, the game ended with the statement, "the border has been overrun."

The war in Iraq, health care and immigration are all controversial, but the games were created in good taste. The games did not show a preference for one political party, but they hinted toward changing the state of affairs.

Fitzpatrick was afraid people would miss the comical aspect of the exhibit and find the games offensive, he said. He made sure his exhibit statement was visible so people could read about his intent. In the statement, he wrote about his curiosity with American culture symbols and the influence they have on thinking.

He came up with the idea of using video games as a way to deliver his message after discovering the game Fitzpatrick said. The U.S. Army uses the game as a recruitment tool, and it is available free online.

Fitzpatrick was also influenced by political talk shows on AM radio, he said. Instead of focusing on content, hosts work to elicit responses from listeners.

"They dumb down the issues to a ridiculous level," he said.

Depicting issues through video games is a way to mock the simplification used on radio shows, he said.

However, the process of reprogramming the games was not simple, Fitzpatrick, said. The name of the exhibit is a combination of the acronym EEPROM and the word propaganda. The acronym stands for "electrically erasable programmable read-only memory." Fitzpatrick spent a year altering the memory chips of Nintendo games. The game system ran the games as if they were the originals.

The altered games had the nostalgic feeling and entertainment factor of the original games. Gallery viewers were not hesitant to play the games.

Senior Tamara Webb attended the reception and played all three video games, she said. She admired the way the games contained context regarding political issues.

"I've never seen a gallery so full at all times."

Album Review: Foals - Antidotes

2008-05-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published May 07, 2008 in The Orion

Foals
Antidotes
Sub Pop Records, 2008
3/5 stars

Foals' debut album plays out like a sad tale on the dance floor.

The band from Oxford England, follows the lead of Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys with a subtle yet powerful dance-punk sound. The instrumentation is sleek and bright, but the album has an alarming sense of nostalgia. Lead singer and guitarist Yannis Philippakis adds tension with exerted and alert vocals.

Despite the melancholy mood, "Antidotes" is undoubtedly dance party material with screeching guitars, stirring bass lines, spacey keyboards and chipping cymbals. The sporadic use of trumpet, trombone and saxophone stretches out songs to give them a lot of breathing room and allow listeners to indulge in the music.

While songs such as "Cassius" are exciting and catchy, most songs on "Antidotes" sound solitary.

Foals is off to a great start, but needs to add more personality.

Jazz X-Press to groove for benefit at Nick's Night Club

2008-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published May 07, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article

Graffiti is welcome in few places on campus, but associate professor Rocky Winslow proudly displays his decorated office walls, tagged by distinguished jazz musicians including Bobby Shew and Lori Bell.

Winslow is the director of the jazz studies program and the student ensemble Jazz X-Press. Since joining the music faculty in 2002, Winslow has helped bring big-name performers to Chico, allowing students to learn from the jazz veterans. However, Jazz X-Press will go directly to the action in June, traveling to Telluride, Colo., for the Telluride Jazz Celebration.

Jazz X-Press will be the only university-affiliated group sharing the stage with artists such as The Neville Brothers, McCoy Tyner and Joe Lovano, Winslow said. Winslow has played the festival on other occasions, but the executive director of the festival, Paul Machado, invited Jazz X-Press to perform after watching a video of the ensemble on YouTube.

One perk of playing the festival is backstage passes, which will allow students to interact with all the festival performers, Winslow said. Before the students get there, they need to raise about $16,000 to cover bus, housing and food expenses for the 25-member ensemble.

The university has been a big supporter, but the group has held performances and sought help from the community, he said. Jazz X-Press will be playing a benefit show Saturday at Nick's Night Club.

The benefit show proves Winslow is not the only person with connections because it was organized by one of the students.

Tino Marrufo, grad student in ethnomusicology, plays percussion for Jazz X-Press, but is also a member of various rock bands including Mute Witness, he said. He has worked on several rock shows with Katie Perry, founder of Chico's Devil Kat Rock Productions and booking agent for Nick's Night Club, so it was natural for him to reach out to her on behalf of Jazz X-Press.

"That's what's cool about the Chico music scene, we build relationships," he said.

The show will be a new experience for both Jazz X-Press and Nick's Night Club, Marrufo said. Jazz X-Press is used to playing venues on campus such as Harlen Adams Theatre, while Nick's Night Club usually hosts punk and metal shows. Marrufo thinks it will be a great experience and add diversity to the music scene.

Winslow sees the show as a road test, he said. The Nick's Night Club stage is much smaller than the Harlen Adams Theatre stage, so the ensemble will have to learn to adjust. The situation is much like touring, where bands usually do not know what to expect from one club to the next.

"It's going to have a big education factor," Winslow said.

Learning to be flexible will be helpful when the ensemble performs at the Telluride Jazz Celebration, which has a diverse audience, he said. Jazz X-Press is scheduled to play more than one set at the four-day festival, and Winslow hopes the group will get a chance to play a variety of compositions.

Watching how other musicians work also serves as a learning experience, because with backstage passes students will be able to talk to other musicians, Marrufo said. Jazz is known for its roots in oral tradition, and students will have the opportunity to hear stories from many of the artists that they learn about in their classes.

"The experience will be educational, spiritual and social," he said.

With such a large ensemble, good social skills are a necessity.

Tanner Johns, a senior music education major, plays lead alto saxophone for Jazz X-Press and depends on his band members to add to the learning experience, Johns said.

In order for the group to sound professional, all the members have to be committed, he said.

"You just can't miss class," Johns said.

An experienced director is also a big factor in the educational experience, he said. Johns hopes to go into teaching and is learning rehearsal techniques from Winslow. He appreciates Winslow's balance between constructive criticism and encouragement.

Spending so much time with each other creates a strong bond among the group and makes performing fun, Johns said.

"Every day is an adventure," he said.

Winslow sees the trip to Telluride as a big adventure, but the accomplishment reflects well on the university, he said.

"It's a feather in the cap for the whole college."

Album Review: Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow & Blue

2008-04-30T08:00:00.002-07:00

Originally published April 30, 2008 in The Orion

Born Ruffians
Red, Yellow & Blue
Warp Records, 2008
3/5 stars

The members of Born Ruffians are the type of guys everyone wants in their circle of friends. The Toronto three-piece plays youthful indie-rock that is perfect for accompanying high school pranks.

The band keeps its music clean, light and danceable. Born Ruffians is out to have fun with tongue-in-cheek lyrics such as "None of the girls seem to think you're cool. It's probably because you smell bad," found in "Barnacle Goose."

While vocalist Luke LaLonde leads with an energetic high-pitched voice, singing is made into a family affair with call-and-response and group chants.

LaLonde's voice sometimes gets garbled by hypnotizing guitars and punchy bass lines. The speedy, jumbled lyrics can be frustrating, but the Modest Mouse-like wails are somewhat endearing.

Born Ruffians' tricks are not original, but they are still charming and entertaining.

Seattle's indie rock darling, Minus the Bear, melts audiences with songs from new album

2008-04-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published April 30, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article

The word epic gets thrown around when talking about music - an epic jam, an epic album. Yet, nothing is more epic than a music and laser combination.

Seattle's Minus the Bear took part in the usual album-release festivities for its latest record, "Planet of Ice."

The band, consisting of guitarist Dave Knudson, bassist Cory Murchy, drummer Erin Tate, vocalist and guitarist Jake Snider and keyboardist Alex Rose, made several radio station appearances and performed in record stores. However, the most distinct form of promotion was an album-listening party at Seattle Laser Dome.

"We like the idea of actually sitting down and listening to an album in its entirety," Rose said.

He remembers Tate coming up with the idea of the laser show, but the band had no part in the creation, Rose said. The laser artists were left to interpret the music.

It is not easy to take the laser show on the road, but Minus the Bear will dazzle Chico with its reflective form of progressive indie rock Friday in the Bell Memorial Union.

The show is part of a nationwide tour with Portugal. The Man and The Big Sleep, Rose said. Minus the Bear picked the two supporting bands.

"Those two bands were just better than the others on the list," he said.

For Minus the Bear, the tour included a stop last weekend in Indio for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Rose said. The band played the festival Saturday and had time to watch legendary artists such as Prince and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters.

Playing under the hot sun is a big contrast to Minus the Bear's songs on the chilling "Planet of Ice."

The desolate album released in August is part of the band's evolving sound, Rose said. Previous albums had a lighter, brighter feeling, but band members didn't want to bore themselves or fans by recreating the same album.

The band came up with the album title and then wrote songs around it, Rose said.

"We said things like 'that sounds icy' or 'that sounds cool,'" he said.

"Planet of Ice" is one coherent concept. The cover art of an arctic world with snowy mountains matches song titles including "Ice Monster" and "White Mystery." However, the sense of coldness is not daunting. A sun and sky of clouds lie above the white mountains.

Instead of sounding depressing, the songs give a sense of hope. "Knights" is a mind-bending track, showing the band's roots in math rock. The band plays around with time signature and adds spacey electronics.

Minus the Bear also proves "Planet of Ice" is not a dreadfully somber record with its video for "Throwin' Shapes." The video shows two rival athletes jogging and dancing around a city. The two meet up for a fierce game of imaginary basketball. Most of the band's videos are visually pleasing with a goofy storyline.

"We try to make something we would personally enjoy," Rose said.

Minus the Bear makes thoughtful music, but band members are lighthearted. When the band formed in 2001, it quickly became noticed for its silly song titles. The band's debut release, "This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic" only has seven songs, but features tracks titled "Hey, Wanna Throw Up? Get Me Naked," and "Just Kickin' It Like A Wild Donkey."

Bri Saseen, a senior environmental studies major, is a big fan of the band's first full-length album, "Highly Refined Pirates." The album features a song called "Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse."

"It's definitely my favorite for its bitchin' track names," she said. "I can't tell you how many mixes are probably floating around entitled "Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse."

The band members like that others have fun with their music though, Rose said. Last year the band released a remix album of 2005's "Menos El Oso." The remix album, "Interpretaciones del Oso," contains 11 songs remixed by various artists including Minneapolis rapper P.O.S.

"It's nice to have other people experiment with our songs," he said.

Portland-based Portugal. The Man makes stop on busy tour as opening act

2008-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 30, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article

John Gourley has learned his lesson: Never make a joke about traditional Portuguese music.

The vocalist and guitarist for the amorphous rock band Portugal. The Man saw a photo spread feature slip out of his hands because an editor for GQ Portugal did not understand his humor, Gourley said.

A reporter from Portugal's GQ contacted the band, which also consists of bassist Zach Carothers, drummer Jason Sechrist and keyboardist Ryan Neighbors, not long after the band formed in 2004, Gourley said. The band's name makes people think there is a connection to the country, but the band is actually from Wasilla, Alaska.

"The reporter asked me what I thought about traditional Portuguese music, but I don't really listen to it," Gourley said.

Not knowing a lot about the country's music, he made a joke that was included in the article, but did not please editors, he said. The band was still featured in the magazine, but the content was severely cut.

The band's name, which represents an alter ego, catches people's interest, but it is the live performances and exploration of dreamy and synthesized garage rock that hook people in. The band will put Chico in a trance when its tour with equally wistful indie-rockers Minus the Bear stops Friday at the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium.

Portugal. The Man, now based out of Portland, Ore., did not meet Minus the Bear until this tour, but the bands are getting along well, Gourley said.

"There wasn't that awkward period where people are having trouble learning each other's name," he said.

However, not everything on the tour has been easy, Gourley said. The band had van trouble and missed its Toronto show. After the van broke down, a tire flew off the trailer, and the band was forced to buy another van and trailer.

Band members try not to get too upset with unfortunate circumstances of the road, Gourley said.

"Whenever something really bad happens, we seem to have a really good time that day to make up for it," he said.

Touring is nothing new for Portugal. The Man. The band goes on nationwide tours several times a year and has traveled to Germany, Switzerland and Austria, helping build a loyal fan base.

Dallas Oliver, a senior music industry major, has only seen the band twice, but has been a fan for more than four years, he said. Like most college students without a lot of spare cash, he is more likely to support a band by catching a live show and buying merchandise directly from the band, rather than a retailer.

"Rock 'n' roll has its roots in feeling raw, live energy," he said. "The band has its grasp on the edge of what's coming next in the scene and are one-upping it with every chance it gets."

The band finished its two-album contract with independent label Fearless Records last year and is now entertaining distribution ideas for its next release, which has already been recorded, Gourley said. Fans should expect another jump in the band's musical style.

For its first album, Portugal. The Man relied on synthesizers, loops and guitar riffs to create contemplative, beat-driven songs. The band's latest release, "Church Mouth," is also thoughtful and full of imagery but more gritty and influenced by Southern rock. Gourley's high-pitched voice gives a sense of urgency and great relevance to both albums.

The upcoming album, tentatively titled "Censored Colors," will be more chord-based and will feature a large array of instruments including cello, trombone and sitar, Gourley said. Kirk Huffman and Phil Peterson of Seattle's Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground have toured with Portugal. The Man and spent 2 1/2 weeks producing the album.

"I picked up a Beatles songbook and actually attempted to learn guitar chords," Gourley said.

Recording an album in about two weeks may seem outrageous, but it is how Portugal. The Man works best, he said. Gourley writes in a spontaneous manner. He wrote one song each night and worked on the instrumentation the following day.

The process is not only impressing fans, but also people in the industry. Paul Q. Kolderie, who worked on Radiohead's first albums, will be mixing "Censored Colors."

Portugal. The Man is unsure of what the future will hold for the release of the new album, but band members have definite control of its vision, Gourley said. The album, including artwork, will be completely done before they start accepting offers from labels.

Album Review: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Bee Stings and All

2008-04-23T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published April 23, 2008 in The Orion

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down
We Brave Be Stings and All
Kill Rock Stars, 2008
4/5 stars

"We Brave Bee Stings and All" is a bundle of energy that provokes listeners to sing at the top of their lungs and raise their hands in the air.

Singer-songwriter Thao Nguyen and her band, The Get Down Stay Down, perform each song on the indie-pop album with a great amount of contagious excitement. Unlike some singers who try too hard to be charming, the sweetness in Nguyen's voice is not forced.

Lively instrumentation sparkles throughout the album with chiming guitars, glorious horns and a delicate piano. A few songs take on a folk twang with fast banjo melodies.

The awe-inspiring sounds of Thao with The Get Down Stay Down are best described by the lyrics of "Swimming Pools." Nguyen sings, "We don't dive, we cannon ball."

"We Brave Bee Stings and All" is not an album that will fly under the radar - it makes a splash.

Comic books, Japanese anime brought to life for Mini-Con

2008-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 23, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article

Traveling to foreign lands and alternate worlds does not often fit into a college student's schedule, but it is a common activity for anime and comic book fans.

The Japanese Anime Club and Comic Book Coterie are teaming up to share the fun of Japanese culture and producing comics with the second annual Chico Mini-Con on Friday. The three floors of Plumas Hall will be covered with anime and comic book paraphernalia and host various activities, such as an art gallery, a swap meet and a demonstration by the coed martial arts fraternity, Mu Alpha Xi.

The anime and comic book clubs are fairly new on campus, but they support a growing interest for comics and anime, said Rachael Ambrose, president of the Japanese Anime Club.

Matt Riebold, president of Comic Book Coterie, was surprised by the large turnout at last year's free miniature convention, he said. More than 60 people attended last year and at least 90 are expected Friday.

One of the most popular activities is the cosplay contest, Ambrose said. The contest allows participants to attend the convention dressed as their favorite comic book or anime character.

"It gives you the chance to dress up in a crazy costume outside of Halloween," she said.

Many of the activities are interactive and call for creativity. The art contest and swap meet invite members of the community to be part of the convention.

Collectors Ink, a Chico comic book shop, will be one of the retailers in attendance, Riebold said.

The shop's owner, Beverly Kranz, has been promoting the convention and is excited to have a booth, she said. She has attended similar conventions and likes to help spread the word about comics and anime.

"There are comics for all interests and ages," she said.

Members from the Comic Book Coterie will also be showcasing their art and selling products at the Mini-Con, Riebold said. The club serves as more than just a place to talk about comics. Weekly meetings are spent talking about design technique and producing comics.

The club published its first book, he said. "The Anthology, Volume One" features work from five club members and background information about the organization. Members want to publish a volume every year.

Each club brings together a diverse group of people, Riebold said. Producing a comic involves more than illustration. Writers and editors are also essential for publishing an anthology.

The Japanese Anime Club also welcomes members from all majors and backgrounds, Ambrose said. A lot of genres of anime exist, and members learn from each other's knowledge.

"When someone new joins, they are the center of attention," she said. "We want to know what series they have seen."

A lot of members are international students, but everyone becomes fully engaged in the culture of anime, she said. Some members take Japanese classes so they can fully understand anime.

The convention will show the diversity of comics and anime by showing all aspects of the culture, Ambrose said. Karaoke and a video game room will also be available.

Riebold hopes people will see that comics and anime can be enjoyed by all ages, he said. In the United States comics are often associated with a younger crowd, but in Japan everyone is interested in comics.

"Here, the older guys who read comics are the ones who are thought to live in their mothers' basement."

Album Review: Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

2008-04-16T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published April 16, 2008 in The Orion

Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles
Last Gang Records, 2008
4/5 stars

Crystal Castles travels high and low defeating aliens and zombies, all while performing the most advanced "Dance Dance Revolution" moves. On the self-titled album, the Toronto band that embedded an Atari 5200 sound chip inside its keyboard, turns video games into an electro-dance party.

The first level, "Untrust Us," is the boot camp where the player explores the environment and builds stamina for fighting demons. Pulsing beats and indistinguishable vocals create a mysterious ambiance

It is not until the fifth level, "Xxzxcuzx Me," that the player is challenged with an alien invasion. For a moment things calm down, but peace doesn't last long as shrieks of zombie encounters are heard in "Courtship Dating."

The player is on top of the world in the final level, but soft guitar strums and whispers make the victory bittersweet.

Crystal Castles keeps the music engaging throughout all 16 tracks by combining the cosmic touch of Daft Punk with the aggressiveness of Death From Above 1979.

Chicano comedy group uses humor to educate on serious subjects

2008-04-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 16, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article

Move over Hillary, Barack and John. A new candidate is vying for the U.S. presidency, and his name is Pedro.

After winning the Preston High elections with the help of his friend Napoleon Dynamite, Pedro has decided to bring change to the White House. As president, Pedro will improve the national health care system by giving everyone a container of vapor rub.

Vote for Pedro.

The plan for Pedro's presidency is one of the many comedic skits that will be performed by the Chicano comedy troupe Teatro Izcalli on Friday in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium.

Nu Alpha Kappa, a Latino-based fraternity, and the Multicultural Affairs Council will be hosting the performance to bring cultural awareness to Chico State, said Heriberto Coronel, event coordinator.

The San Diego-based comedy group raises awareness about issues Chicanos face on a daily basis, Coronel said. Skits cover topics such as racism, police brutality, education and cultural-identity crisis.

Macedonio Arteaga, a founding member of Teatro Izcalli, said the skits are based on Chicano issues. A Chicano is a person of Mexican descent, but born in the United States. The issues Chicanos face can be different from the issues Mexicans or other Latinos face.

A lot of people in the United States interact with Chicanos every day, but they still do not know the difference between the different groups of people, Arteaga said. Comedians such as Carlos Mencia and George Lopez have helped bring Chicano issues mainstream, but that is just the beginning.

"People still don't know who we are or that we can be funny," Arteaga said.

Members of Nu Alpha Kappa hope students will attend the event for entertainment but also to learn more about Chicano culture, Coronel said.

"You can relax and just laugh at the issues, but they make you think," he said.

Friday's performance will touch a lot on the presidential election, but the main theme will be "Chicano rehab," Arteaga said. The topic pokes fun at extremists because every group has extremists who give the community a bad name. The seven-person comedy troupe will be playing extremists roles such as the college activist and the Native American who will all be going through rehab.

Teatro Izcalli was started in 1995 and travels around the United States, performing at conferences and universities, Arteaga said. The theater group is part of a bigger community-based organization called Izcalli. The organization was started in 1993 to provide a place young Chicano students could learn about their heritage through art and oral traditions.

The theater group was inspired by a group based in San Francisco called Culture Clash, he said. Culture Clash has been performing comedy skits and plays since 1984.

Teatro Izcalli looks to the media and the community for inspiration, Arteaga said. A lack of Chicanos in mainstream media has inspired skits such as "Bosque Gump," a parody of "Forrest Gump" that acknowledges Chicano contributions to the Vietnam War.

"When you don't see Chicanos on TV or onstage, we almost don't exist," Arteaga said.

While the skits cover Chicano issues, it is safe for non-Chicanos to laugh along, he said. People may be resistant, but the performance is supposed to be political satire.

"Laughter is healing," Arteaga said.

Griseyda Vargas plans to attend the event and thinks everyone will be able to relate to the skits regardless of culture, she said. The comedic factor is not intended to offend people but to show how anyone can feel like an outcast.

"It's empowering to the Chicano culture but in a fun way," she said.

Album Review: She & Him - Volume One

2008-04-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published April 09, 2008 in The Orion

She & Him
Volume One
Merge Records, 2008
3/5 stars

"Volume One" is from a time when music was honest - when songwriters didn't cover emotions with distorted instruments.

She & Him combines the talents of actress Zooey Deschanel and indie singer-songwriter M. Ward.

Yes, Deschanel is a Hollywood star-gone-musician, but don't run away just yet. Her lovely voice stands on its own against the talented Ward, who hardly sings on the album.

Deschanel proves her talent with a downtempo opening track. The rest of the album is playful, like the female doo-wop groups of the '50s and '60s. Ward's arrangements with sensible guitar and light strings complement Deschanel's voice.

The only downfall is Deschanel truly channels past decades by overdoing the antiquated theme of the lovesick female. Lyrics such as "Got me tucked in your pocket" on "You Got Me" make her seem stereotypically submissive.

Nonetheless, "Volume One" is a charming, sunny album that one can enjoy with their parents - and that's not a bad thing.

Uni and Her Ukelele to quirk up Cafe Coda, Crux

2008-04-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 09, 2008 in The Orion.
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Fergie has nothing on Uni and Her Ukelele. With a shimmering voice, glittery makeup and quirky outfits, Uni is "G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S."

Uni may not be "flyin' first class up in the sky" like Fergie, but she will be traveling to Chico on the Amtrak for two performances Thursday and Friday in celebration of her album, "As Gold."

Uni's appeal is not in her mode of travel, but in her music and relationship with her ukulele, Sally Luka, affectionately named by a friend's young daughter.

Fellow ukulele player and member of Chico duo Dick and Jane, Scott Itamura has played several shows with Uni and is excited to be on the Thursday bill at Cafe Coda, he said. He first saw Uni perform three years ago in San Francisco and was impressed with her combination of fun pop melodies and sunny sounds of the ukulele.

"People hear that someone is playing the ukulele and they think Tiny Tim or some other novelty act, but Uni is talented and a true craftsperson," Itamura said.

For her latest album, Uni, who grew up in Santa Rosa, gathered a group of Bay Area musicians and dubbed them the Ding! String Trio to round out her sound, she said. The trio includes cellist Fay Ferency, violinist Arias Beardslee and harpist Deirdre Egan. The performance Friday at Crux Artist Collective will be the first time the trio has played with Uni in Chico.

Uni and Her Ukelele shows are always full of magic and unexpected surprises, Uni said. The show at Cafe Coda will be quiet and intimate, while the next day will be a full art experience. Other than music from Uni and the trio, there will be art by Chico's Laura Wirtz and a puppet performance written in honor of Uni. Pat Hull will be providing the music for the puppet performance.

Uni does not know the details of the puppet performance and is waiting to be surprised, she said. The only thing she knows is the night will be based on the idea of a shimmering forest.

A diverse mix of art is not unusual for her shows, she said. In 2006, Uni and her friend Poopy Lickles started organizing a series of shows called Club Unicornbread. They organize shows about every three months at various art galleries in San Francisco and showcase a large number of riveting performers.

Shows usually begin calm with a singer-songwriter, but by the end of the night everyone in attendance joins in on a roller-skating dance party, Uni said. Past shows have included performances by comedians and burlesque groups.

"Usually it has an element of, 'We're out to have fun,'" she said.

Uni is upbeat and spontaneous, but she is serious about her music.

She has been singing and playing in bands for more than 10 years, she said. She taught herself to play the ukulele four years ago after she saw a friend play one.

Her music appeals to a large cross-section of people, she said. It is not rare to see families at her all-ages shows. Children are drawn to her personality and namesake, which comes from a unicorn, her favorite mystical creature.

"My music is not kids' music, but it's kid friendly," she said.

Uni's catchy melodies are bound to wiggle themselves into anyone's head, regardless of age.

"She builds excellent melodies with honest lyrics and sings songs that ring true," Itamura said.

Uni's talent and outgoing attitude have created a following in Europe, she said. Next month Uni and Her Ukelele will tour Europe for the second time in a year, visiting France, Germany, Ireland and England.

While Uni usually tours with eccentric performers such as cabaret and puppet groups, she would one day like to tour with an established band, she said.

"My goal is to tour with Gnarls Barkley or Cyndi Lauper," she said.

Phantom Planet revives small crowd with wit, cover songs

2008-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published as an online exclusive April 07, 2008 for The Orion.
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Los Angeles' Phantom Planet swept a small crowd off its feet with an intimate set and incomparable charm Sunday night at the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium.

The night got off to a slow start with Chico's People of the Oaks and Anaheim's Takota.

People of the Oaks, one of Chico's newest bands, played to a crowd of about 60, with half of the people sitting on the ground. The all-star band, with members of West By Swan, Birds of Fire and Casing the Promisedland, tried to entice the audience with fuzzy guitars and poignant vocals but had little luck.

"You Got Me" received the most interest with fast, tight drumming and guitar buildups. But vocalist Ryan Prado's attempt to combine a nostalgic feeling with a pinching, nasal effect, brought back memories of dismal pop punk bands popular earlier in the decade.

Band members vigorously moved around the stage, but they seemed as disinterested as the audience. In between songs, Prado talked with his back to the crowd.

Takota made its Chico debut with an array of sleek, piano driven and anthemic pop rock songs.

The six-piece dove into a mellow love song as soon as vocalist Grant Arnow mentioned Chico's reputation of parties and beautiful women. He pointed at a few women in the front row and serenaded them with silky vocals.

Arnow asked audience members to pump their fists in the air during the band's most rock-powered song. Loud guitars and pounding drums gave Arnow confidence as he boastfully sung the chorus and raised his hands in praise.

By the time Takota finished its set, the crowd doubled and anticipation grew for the indie rock sounds of Phantom Planet.

The members of Phantom Planet left the pretentious attitudes of Los Angeles musicians at home and modestly walked on stage with matching jeans and black sweatshirts.

The band quickly went into a track from its forthcoming album "Raise the Dead" and lifted the spirits of stiff audience members. Band members' peppy smiles were contagious.

Phantom Planet followed with two tracks from its earlier records and the animated motions of vocalist and guitarist Alex Greenwald inspired audience members to dance along. During "1st Things 1st," Greenwald turned from side to side, as if he was having an engaging conversation with a group of people.

In between songs he appealed to the audience with humorous tour stories and carefree attitude.

After the fourth song, Greenwald announced that the band was going to take requests, claiming members no longer write set lists.

"Request any song that has been written by this band," he said, a statement that would later not be observed.

Long-time fans asked for songs from early Phantom Planet albums, but instead the band fulfilled a request for the newer song, "Do the Panic."

The band was out to please everyone and continued its set with two older songs.

After "Last Glance," guitarist Darren Robinson took time to replace a broken string and Greenwald took advantage of the time to make sure the audience was having a good time. He asked people to show their excitement by doing the wave.

One audience member was feeling the music so much that he shouted out "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Phantom Planet lightheartedly took the statement as a request and played the grungy Nirvana track.

The spirit of cover songs caught on and another audience member requested "Walk This Way" by Aerosmith and the band had no problem playing it. The songs were big audience pleasers and brought laughs between the band and crowd.

"We're not a joke band," Greenwald said.

The night was far from ending as the Phantom Planet played a track from its new album and the band's biggest hit and "The O.C." theme song, "California."

The band was about to end with the mellow track "Anthem," but at the last minute band members had a request of their own.

Phantom Planet played one more cover and ended with Radiohead's "Paranoid Andriod." Greenwald closely matched Thom Yorke's somber vocals and the audience looked mesmerized.

Freshman Megan Tansey, who has been a fan of the band for six years, enjoyed requesting songs and asked for "Big Brat," which the band did play, she said. She wished more people had seen the band's spontaneous set.

Phantom Planet made the best of the small crowd and showed the good spirits and professionalism of a rehearsed, veteran band.

Album Review: The Matches - A Band in Hope

2008-04-02T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published April 02, 2008 in The Orion

The Matches
A Band in Hope
Epitaph Records, 2008
2/5 stars

Oakland's The Matches is not the type of band that uses the same pop-punk formula album after album, but its third release falls short of previous efforts.

The band worked with nine producers for its sophomore release, "Decomposer," and created a coherent collection of songs. Chamber and electronic music were combined with high energy and a fast pace.

Again, the band tried to experiment with varied sounds on the new album but worked with fewer producers. The result was not as successful. "Point Me Toward the Morning" sounds like very other pop-punk song. Repeating lines in "Future Tense" have an odd resemblance to the 1979 hit by The Knack, "My Sharona."

The Matches does show its versatility with the bright and poppy "Wake the Sun" and by pushing the envelope with the dark, piano-driven "Darkness Rising."

"A Band in Hope" has its highlights but does not do justice to the band's talents.

Bamboozle Roadshow: Here they come to 'Save the Day'

2008-04-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published April 02, 2008 in The Orion.
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It's true, there used to be a time when MySpace did not exist and e-mail inboxes were not flooded with impersonal friend requests from bands.

New Jersey's Saves the Day, composed of singer and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist David Soloway, bassist Manuel Ragoonanan Carrero and drummer Durijah Lang, remembers the days when bands did not rely on the Internet to promote themselves, Conley said.

Saves the Day formed in 1997 out of the New Jersey hardcore and punk scene. The band quickly gained fans through touring and its mix of fast guitars and melodious and pitchy vocals.

"Before MySpace, the only way to promote your band was with fliers handed out at shows and playing all-ages venues on weekends, hoping someone would like your band enough to book you for another show in their basement on the following week," Conley said.

The band, which now has a pop aspect on its rock sound, is not against utilizing the Internet. Saves the Day has a strong online presence with exclusive online presales for tours, including its headlining spot on The Bamboozle Roadshow, which stops in Chico tonight.

Conley's agitation with online promotion stems from the superficiality that can be attached with music, he said. Some bands do not work hard to prove themselves because it is easy for people to say they are fans without actually having heard or seen the band perform live.

Senior Angela Martinez discovered Saves the Day two years ago through a friend, but she relies on the Internet for new music, she said.

Saves the Day uses the Internet to connect with fans, Conley said. The band runs its Web site, which includes video podcasts and blog updates. Conley asks fans to e-mail him song requests, which he fulfills on the Web site with videos of him performing the songs on an acoustic guitar.

Peter Gillen, a junior media arts major from Concord, has been a Saves the Day fan for seven years and admires how dedicated the band is to its fans.

"It makes the songs more personable," Gillen said.

The band has been through a lot and it appreciates its loyal fans, Conley said. Saves the Day has had several changes, with Conley and Soloway being the only remaining original members. In 2003, the band had a nonsupportive relationship with its label, Dreamworks. The band was dropped after Interscope Records took over.

Saves the Day rewards its faithful fans with a CD series called "Bug Sessions," only sold on tour. CDs feature seven acoustic versions of old and new songs. The first volume was sold in 2006 and the second and third volumes are available on this tour.

Other than selling the exclusive CDs, Saves the Day has a few other tricks up its sleeve, Conley said. The band has prepared a master list of 70 songs for the tour, containing a mix of old and new songs.

"We'll be picking the set based on how we're feeling each day," he said. "Each night will be totally unique and much more spontaneous."

The band practiced seven hours a day for a week and a half to prepare for the assorted set lists, Conley said. Band members even worked on a new version of "East Coast," the first Saves the Day song ever written.

"The new arrangement is killer," Conley said. "It sounds like a punk rock version of a Supremes song."

Gillen hopes the band will play "Do You Know What I Love The Most?" at tonight's show, he said. The song is a fast, upbeat track from the band's second album.

The tour is leading up to The Bamboozle Festivals, taking place in April in Irvine and in May in East Rutherford, N.J. Each festival features more than 100 artists and comedians performing on numerous stages.

Band members are excited to play both festival dates because they get the opportunity to see friends in other bands and play with a variety of artists, Conley said. At last year's New Jersey date, the band played after MC Hammer and before Muse.

The road show does not showcase the diverse festival lineups, but it does feature a mix of veteran and new bands, Conley said.

"If you come out to The Bamboozle Roadshow, it will whet your appetite for the real deal on each coast," he said.

Album Review: Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams

2008-03-26T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published March 26, 2008 in The Orion

Throw Me The Statue
Moonbeams
Secretly Canadian, 2008
3/5 stars

"Moonbeams" from Throw Me The Statue is a joyful indie-pop album crafted by multi-instrumentalist, Scott Reitherman.

Reitherman uses guitars, drum machines, synthesizers, xylophones and horns, but every song sounds effortless. The nonchalant guitars create an image of Reitherman sitting on a porch casually writing songs.

The vocals could pass for Pedro the Lion's David Bazan, but Reitherman's infectious energy keeps listeners enthralled. Sounds change from soft confessions in "Young Sensualists" to hand clapping and twinkling melodies in "Lolita." Even low-fi tracks such as "About to Walk" illustrate the fun a of a hip-shaking luau.

A pop album is nothing without its share of "oh oh ohs," and this is not exception. On "This Is How We Kiss," band members get a little gritty with the guitar but keep things light with a bubbly melody.

Listening to this album will help spring arrive a little faster this year.

Touring indie-folk guitarist to showcase dark roots at Crux

2008-03-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published March 26, 2008 in The Orion.
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The looming darkness of an unexpected death hovered over Imaad Wasif while he was recording his second solo album. As he came closer to finishing the album, his fear of leaving his house and entering the recording studio grew.

Wasif is not a thug rapper or an insecure, rookie musician. He has been playing music for 14 years and was a touring musician for indie-rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Wasif's concern with a sudden death comes from the anxiety of parting with his music, he said.

"Completing the album meant that the creation had completely been purged from me," Wasif said.

With the help of producer Tom Biller, who has worked with Kanye West and Silversun Pickups, Wasif survived the recording process, he said.

Wasif and his backing band, Two Part Beast, will tour the West Coast in support of the album "Strange Hexes." The tour, with bassist Bobb Bruno and drummer Adam Garcia, will stop at Crux Artist Collective on Sunday.

An agonizing reality can be heard on the album through loud, distorting guitars and dreamy vocals. The melancholy tone of the music is reminiscent of psychedelic rock of the '60s. The ghostly songs are not like the fast and catchy melodies Wasig played with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Wasif, who has mutual friends with members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, spent most of 2006 and 2007 touring with the band as a second guitarist, but there was no crossover between his music and that of the band, he said.

"It was a strange serendipitous crossing of paths," Wasif said.

He doesn't think the experience influenced his music, but instead allowed him the opportunity to share it with large audiences, he said. Wasif opened shows in the United State, China and Korea with his solo set.

Wasif noticed he gained a few fans through his work with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but he is unaware of how most people find his music, he said.

Sean Cummins, Crux music director, did not know of Wasif's stint with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs before booking him a show, Cummins said.

"I doubt most people know who he is, but I think that a good chunk of people will enjoy his music," Cummins said.

Some members of Chico's People of the Oaks, who will be opening for Wasif on Sunday, are familiar with Wasif's music and are excited to share the stage, said bassist Zach Ahern.

"Knowing that a band is professional before playing with them is a definite plus," Ahern said.

Wasif enjoyed touring with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but tried not to get caught up in the superficial aspects of success, he said. Wasif's separation from fans reflects his desire to better understand a pure existence behind music.

He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, but spent time in India at the age of 5, Wasif said. In India, he was exposed to spiritual and classical Indian music.

Wasif moved to Coachella Valley where he continued to explore spiritualism through his childhood, he said. The desolate desert contributed to his feelings of teenage alienation.

The isolation led him to music and allowed him to bond with other teenagers with similar musical tastes, he said. He formed his first band, Lowercase, and became part of a fascinating scene of bands that would play shows by setting up generators in the desert.

Wasif has been in several bands since his days in Coachella Valley, but the desert's influence can still be heard in the music he plays today. The drums on "Strange Hexes" sound distant like the wind on a hot night. The lyrics in the song "Seventh Sign" paint a scene of desperation, "Because we've known true happiness, we can only get colder." Wasif pauses between stanzas, as if he is waiting for the next lyrics to come to him.

Following the practices of Indian musicians, Wasif devotes time every day to writing music, he said.

His daily rituals are part of meditating practices for being in the alpha state, he said. In the alpha state, a person is relaxed and rid of fear and anxiety.

Playing with a full band will help him reach the alpha state while on tour, he said. Wasif has toured by himself, but playing with his band makes shows more intense and fun. Each musician experiences the live show at different levels and help Wasif from diving into a serious state.

"They help me keep things light," he said.

Album Review: Nada Surf - Lucky

2008-03-12T08:00:00.001-07:00

Originally published March 12, 2008 in The Orion

Nada Surf
Lucky
Barsuk Records, 2008
3/5 stars

On Nada Surf's fifth album luck is not regarded as a random series of events. Fate causes beautiful, mysterious events, and it's called luck. Without it, the band would never have created such a thoughtful album.

Nada Surf has traveled a rocky road to reach its charming, melancholy and indie-rock sound. The band rode the wave of punchy, nerd rock in the '90s. After failing to create another marketable single after "Popular," Nada Surf was dropped from its record label.

Cutting ties with a major label allowed the band to reinvent its sound, aligning with bands such as Death Cab for Cutie and Belle and Sebastian.

"Lucky" starts somberly, but cello and piano arrangements shower songs with inspiring optimism. Guitarist Matthew Caws sings with honesty, and sounds like the most sympathetic man as he declares, "I only want to make you happy."

Although not as memorable as other indie rock bands, Nada Surf's approach to music is capable of warming the hearts of both pop fans and indie aficionados.

Aubrey Debauchery stomps stage with brand-new Puke Boots

2008-03-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Originally published March 12, 2008 in The Orion.
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In the world of Aubrey Debauchery and The Puke Boots, there are two types of people - those who wear wallet chains and those who do not.

Aubrey Debauchery and The Puke Boots is one of the friendliest bands in Chico, and anyone who has met the band knows it holds people who wear wallet chains in high regard.

Drummer Casey Schmidt and upright bassist Adrian Hammons already sport wallet chains, but vocalist and guitarist Aubrey Debauchery and lap steel guitarist Marc Anderson hope to debut theirs at the band's CD release and tour kick-off show Friday at 1078 Gallery.

The fixation with wallet chains reflects the strong bond between members and goofy inside jokes.

The band's music is extremely personal, and band members keep some things to themselves, including the meaning of The Puke Boots.

"You gotta either be a Puke Boot or banging a Puke Boot to know what a Puke Boot is," Anderson said.

The title of the band's upcoming release, "He's a Damn Good Liar," expresses the band's attitude toward its music.

"I'm too blunt and honest," Debauchery said.

She is not afraid of being completely open with her emotions, she said.

In the song "Aces" Debauchery opens with "Well I'm sharp as a switchblade. I'm as mean as a bull, and your girlfriend don't mean shit to me." Later in the song she says, "I could give that man all he wants, and all I'd need in return is love."

Her voice is confident and sultry while the instrumentation is fused with folk twang, making each song moody and alluring.

Debauchery's band members admire her confidence, Schmidt said.

Tino Marrufo, who played drums on the album and will be a guest musician at the show Friday, appreciates a woman who writes about things many are afraid to talk about.

"There's nothing wrong with a woman saying, 'I wanna take your pants off,'" Marrufo said.

Debauchery wrote most of the songs during the summer while she took a break from Chico and spent two months living with friends in Richland, Wash., she said.

"I was writing songs and playing a lot of video games," Debauchery said.

The band started recording in January at the Chico High School studio, she said. Her dad, Ron Pope, is a multimedia teacher at the school.

Debauchery has recorded at the school before, but this is the first time she has been accompanied by a full band, she said.

Aubrey Debauchery and The Puke Boots has been a work in progress, strategically brought together by Debauchery, she said. Aubrey Debauchery has been a well-known name in Chico for many years, but the full band is something new.

Debauchery is a Chico native and has been playing in bands since the beginning of this decade, she said. She was a member of Stars Upon Thars but started playing solo shows in 2004.

The music remained quiet with folk and country undertones, she said.

In 2006 Anderson began to play shows with her, she said. During the last year they met Hammons and Schmidt.

Hammons and Schmidt were already involved in musical projects, but Debauchery wanted them to join her endeavors, she said. Hammons started playing with Debauchery in November. Schmidt was recruited this year.

"We secretly wanted Casey in our band but didn't know how to ask him," Debauchery said.

The way the band was formed may seem devious, but it is common for Chico musicians to be inspired to play in more than one band, she said.

Rene Stephens, 1078 Gallery music director and board member, has been around the Chico music scene since 1997 and has witnessed different music collaborations, she said.

"Chico as a whole is pretty incestuous," Stephens said. "The music scene is like a deserted island where you marry your sister and then you divorce her after two kids and marry your brother."

Stephens has seen Debauchery grow as a musician since the days she played shows at the now-defunct Fulcrum Records.

"She is always in really good bands and not just the 'girl' in the band, but a vital contribution," Stephens said.

After the Chico show, Aubrey Debauchery and The Puke Boots will tour California, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The tour will end March 30 in Chico.

Debauchery is excited to tour because many people have not seen her with a full band, she said. In preparation, band members are saving money for gas and Top Ramen, they said. The only thing they are worried about is having to resort to paying for motels. However, they hope friends will help out with a place to sleep.

"We'll find floors," Debauchery said.

Album Review: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

2008-03-05T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published March 05, 2008 in The Orion

Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago
Jagjaguwar Records, 2008
4/5 stars

Bon Iver's debut solo album is the epitome of soul-searching. The sounds are eerie, quiet and intimate.

Justin Vernon, the man behind the stage name of Bon Iver, hid away in a Wisconsin cabin for three months to write and record "For Emma, Forever Ago."

The simple sounds of acoustic guitar reflect the loneliness of winter, but Vernon's falsetto voice captures listeners with sincerity.

Bon Iver prevents the soft songs from becoming depressing by making subtle tempo changes. "Skinny Love" begins at a steady rhythm, but gradually speeds up as Vernon's voice adds intensity and volume.

The lyrics read like a private journal, but listeners will have no trouble relating to the themes of love and life's mystical wonders.

Luckily, Bon Iver has no objection to sharing his thoughts with the world.

Benefit aims to make money to free imprisoned 'West Memphis Three'

2008-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published March 05, 2008 in The Orion.
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Four Chico bands are following the lead of The Cure, Henry Rollins and Margaret Cho by raising money to free three imprisoned men caught in a 15-year-old murder case associated with a satanic ritual.

The Shankers, V.E., Baghdad Batteries and Season of the Witch will be playing a benefit concert Sunday at Lost on Main as part of an international concert series called Rock for Freedom Weekend. Shows in the United States, Canada and Australia will raise money for the defense fund of the three men, who many think were falsely convicted.

Beth Davis is organizing the Chico show to inform people about the murder case and help the three men prove their innocence, she said.

"It's one common goal to set the record straight," Davis said.

Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, known as the West Memphis Three, were accused of murdering three 8-year-old boys in 1993 in West Memphis, Ark.

The men were thought to have been part of a satanic ritual after the victims were found in a creek with their ankles tied to their wrists, according to wm3.org, a Web site supporting the men.

The case has received massive attention from the media and individuals because of the lack of evidence against the three men. Musicians have raised money by auctioning autographed instruments and producing compilation albums. There are also documentaries and books about the case.

At the time of the murders, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were teenagers and had no connection to the victims, according to wm3.org. DNA belonging to the three men was not found at the murder site.

Misskelley confessed to the murders after 12 hours of police interrogations, according to wm3.org. He later retracted his statements after reporting investigators pushed him into a false confession. Misskelley was reported as having an IQ of 72, classifying him as borderline mentally retarded.

In an interview with Larry King, Echols said that personal traits such as clothing and musical tastes were also major factors used against the three men. The men wore black clothing and listened to Metallica.

Baldwin and Misskelley were given life sentences, while Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection, according to wm3.org. Echols' execution date has not been determined.

"It's pretty much a modern-day witch trial," Davis said.

The Baghdad Batteries agreed to play the benefit show because band members think it was wrong that the case involved profiling, said vocalist Justin McBurey.

"I can relate with being different," he said.

The Shankers were compelled by the case after watching one of the documentaries, said bassist Kerra Shanker.

Shankers vocalist Johnny Shanker does not agree with the evidence used against the West Memphis Three, he said.

"They were guilty before they were accused," he said.

The Arkansas media bought into the stereotypes of troubled teens, Davis said.

Early stories helped portray Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley in a negative light, she said.

"Being in a small town, that's what happens," she said.

The time of the murders also had a lot to do with the stereotypes of the three men, Johnny Shanker said. In a small town, it was rare for people to have mohawk haircuts and listen to Metallica in the early '90s.

Even though the case is 15 years old, the Internet has helped spread the word about the case in the last few years, Davis said. People are seeing that the three men were really not strange for wearing black clothing. People can also research the case before jumping to conclusions.

"On the Internet, it's not bias," she said. "You get both sides."

In the last year, parents of two of the victims have told the media they think the West Memphis Three are innocent.

Davis thinks the statements will help the case, she said.

"Maybe more people will say 'Maybe we were wrong. Let's take another look,'" Davis said.

McBurey thinks it will take more than statements from the victims' parents for the West Memphis Three to get freedom, he said. A lot of politics are involved with the case, and it is harder when the three men have already been convicted.

The money raised from all the Rock for Freedom Weekend shows will pay for DNA testing and future hearings, Davis said.

Defense lawyers requested a new hearing in October to show that no DNA from any of the convicted men was present at the murder site. A hearing date has not been announced.

Whether the West Memphis Three are innocent or guilty, McBurey thinks they deserve closure, he said.

"I just want it all to be over."

Album Review: Grand Archives - The Grand Archives

2008-02-27T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published Feb. 27, 2008 in The Orion

Grand Archives
The Grand Archives
Sup Pop Records, 2008
4/5 stars

The debut album from Grand Archives is like drinking hot chocolate near a fireplace - it's warm.

Ex-Band of Horses member Mat Brooke turns to the whimsical side of indie-rock. Whether the song is upbeat or mellow, guitars seem to cheerfully bounce from one chord to the next.

On first listen, the modest songs seem to lack enthusiasm, but they grow to be beautiful compositions. Grand Archives will not add glitter for the sake of getting noticed. Instead the band looks to create lovely, intimate settings.

Melodies are breathtaking and reasonably complemented with violins and horns. Four of the five members chip in with vocal talents. Transitions are immaculate, and harmonies are dream-like.

"Louis Riel" is so uplifting it might inspire listeners to go outside and skip on the sidewalk.

Crux connects community with map of minds

2008-02-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published Feb. 27, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article

Brian Spitzer and Owen Bettis have never met, but there is a great possibility their lives have crossed paths at one point.

Spitzer is a senior psychology and child development major from San Jose, and Bettis is from Bellingham, Wash., and graduated last year with a bachelor's degree in physical and environmental geography.

It may seem they have little in common, but they will both walk into Crux Artist Collective and try to find a connection between them as well as the entire community.

The Chico Mind Map is a social experiment being conducted from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Crux.

The experiment will map the awareness of the diverse community and try to show every individual is connected through experiences and thought processes, said Ty Gorton, Crux co-director.

The walls of the gallery will be covered with butcher paper for two days, Gorton said. Gallery members, along with their friends and family, will start the experiment by making a dot on the paper and writing down a thought or life experience that reflects their self or world awareness.

From there, other participants will be given a black marker and contribute by finding an existing point and adding a connecting thought, Gorton said. Participants can make up to 20 points.

Participants will be given few guidelines, but only black markers can be used, Gorton said. The goal is not necessarily to make art, but to have as many people participate as possible. By using black markers everyone can participate on the same basic level.

"We're not staying in our small, safe group of people we know will participate," he said.

Spitzer has never contributed to art at Crux but is excited the mind map is open to everyone in the community, he said. He has thought about his possible contributions and thinks he will be able to connect to others' childhood memories.

"I want to write messages about what I feel makes my life meaningful, with morals and values," he said.

Bettis is unsure about the thoughts he will share, he said. He has performed as part of the DJ duo, Anamnesis, for Crux events and is excited to see the connections among community members.

"I am just going to wait and be inspired," he said. "Or I will write about electronic music with the hope that people will realize how much they like it, even though they don't know it yet."

Gallery members hope people will help spread the word about the event and encourage friends and organizations to contribute, Gorton said. Members will print invitations and hand them out at various locations. They expect hundreds of people to attend.

"Anyone we see, we'll hand them an invitation," he said.

Gorton asked Chico State and Butte College professors for help, he said.

Religious studies professor Sarah Pike plans to participate in the event and is offering her students extra credit for participating, she said.

"So much in our society focuses on what separates us from each other," Pike said. "I appreciate the mind map's focus on what connects us."

Gorton wants the event to motivate people to be more inclusive, he said. Events at the gallery have been targeted at certain groups of people, but he wants the mind map to show all-inclusive events can be positive.

Bettis also hopes people will get a strong sense of unity, he said.

"I really hope a lot of people who would not usually go to the Crux will go to this event so that they can see that they are involved and connected whether they want to be or not," Bettis said.

The mapped Chico mind will come to life March 6 at a reception, Gorton said. The finished sheets of paper will be hung in rows from the ceiling. Pulsing lights and strange, atmospheric sounds will move around the sheets to add a sense of claustrophobia and make people feel like they are inside the human mind.

Judgement Day holds world's fate by string

2008-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published as online exclusive Feb. 23, 2008 for The Orion.
Direct link to article

Some may fear the Apocalypse but Oakland's Judgement Day, Chico's Red Giant and Blood of Cain attracted over 100 brave souls for a night of epic music Friday at Monstros Pizza.

The performance, hosted by the Chico Area Pyrate Punx, showed Chico music fans like their metal music in a variety of flavors.

Blood of Cain served its brutal, winding metal sound first. The room was packed by the end of the first song.

A large group of high school students occupied the space in front of the band and created a circle pit. The rest of the crowd stood on the outskirts of the room hoping they would not get bumped.

The band played a new song that will be on an upcoming album, said vocalist Frankie Swa.

The song started with strong guitars that sounded like a roll of thunder. Swa's roaring vocals invited audience members to move around. Guitarist Kirk Williams added some high-pitched screams and in return audience members gave shouts of approval.

The remainder of the night would not see any vocalists, but the music did not become any quieter.

Williams strapped on his guitar again and played with his other band Red Giant.

The 4-piece band would not necessarily be considered metal, but played loud and fast music. The first song began at a steady pace but quickly changed tempo.

Audience members were dazed by the dramatic, atmospheric music. They followed along with the band's lingering songs, and just as fans were getting into the song, the band abruptly changed themes.

The second song began with a drumbeat that sounded like crashing waterfalls. Guitars and bass kicked in and loudly built up to an eerie sounding song.

Freshman Sontian M-Stinson was expecting Red Giant to play hard metal music, but he still enjoyed its set, he said.

"I liked the music," M-Stinson said. "It was melodic."

However, M-Stinson attended the show to hear Judgement Day, he said. He invited Michelle Dodge and junior Jon Patton to share the live music experience.

Dodge knew nothing about Judgement Day, but was impressed by M-Stinson's description of the band's music, she said.

The 30-minute set change between Red Giant and Judgement Day dragged out the anticipation among audience members. The waiting became tiring as Linkin Park played over the sound system, an unlikely soundtrack for a show of independent artists.

Judgement Day was worth the wait as the band's energy emerged with the stroke of its first musical note.

Hearing the stunning sounds of a violin, cello and drums made everyone's ears perk up.

The band played mostly songs from its new acoustic EP and upcoming full-length album, said violinist Anton Patzner.

"Mark of Vishnu" began with a loud drumbeat that resembled the sound of a marching squad. The song smoothed out with the slick sounds of the violin and cello. A dramatic feeling was in the air, but the song ended with a light, nostalgic theme with just the violin and cello playing.

Band members added to the powerful effects by closely examining their instruments while they hit each note as if the future of the world depended on precisely executing each song.

The band attempted to play an acoustic song with just the violin and cello but was interrupted by technical difficulties.

The troubles continued and an unexpected 8-minute intermission took place.

As soon as the band was back on track, Patzner announced that Judgement Day would be playing in April at Lost on Main. To his surprise, Patzner received disapproving sighs from audience members, mostly made up of teenagers.

The band ended with a loud, crashing song, but the audience asked for one more song.

Judgement Day fulfilled the request by playing a song from the band's first full-length album, "Dark Opus." Patzner dedicated the song to the underage audience members who will not be able to attend the band's 21 and over show in April.

The audience was satisfied with the last song, and the experience was even life changing for some.

This was the first time junior Tim Kerber had seen Judgement Day and he thought the band's performance was mesmerizing, he said.

"I'm a better person by being here," he said.

Album Review: Chris Walla - Field Manual

2008-02-20T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published Feb. 20, 2008 in The Orion

Chris Walla
Field Manual
Barsuk Records, 2008
3/5 stars

A solo record is a musician's chance to showcase ideas too obscure for a band's repertoire. On "Field Manual," Death Cab For Cutie's guitarist/producer Chris Walla doesn't illustrate his versatility.

As a producer, Walla helps other artists such as Tegan and Sara and The Decemberists sound poised, but on his own record he sounds modest.

A multilayered track opens the album, giving the impression that a collection of experimental, bedroom-pop songs will follow. Instead, a rock anthem awkwardly ensues.

The songs do not stray far from the gentle Death-Cab sound. One difference from Death Cab albums is Walla's politically infused lyrics, but even those lack a strong driving force. Messages about the Federal Emergency Management Agency and corrupted senators are hidden behind Walla's voice and guitar chords.

Songs such as "Sing Again" and "Geometry &c." bring the album together with strong themes and memorable melodies.

Judgement Day brings metal's wrath to Monstros Pizza

2008-02-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published Feb. 20 2008 in The Orion.
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On the soundtrack to life, Oakland's Judgement Day would be fitting for moments of despair, drama and even lustful encounters. The band's catastrophic sound is loud and full of emotion.

However, it is not often that a metal band is seen playing acoustic street shows using a violin and cello.

After one year as a band, Judgement Day played outside of a show in 2004 featuring critically acclaimed, indie experimentalists Cursive, said Anton Patzner, Judgement Day violinist. The street performance impressed Cursive band members and the bands exchanged contact information. Shortly after, Cursive's label mate, Bright Eyes, invited Patzner to play violin and tour as a member of its extended band.

Judgement Day will be the center of attention when it plays at 8 p.m. Friday at Monstros Pizza, but the band has served as side project for its three members for many years, said Patzner. His cellist brother, Lewis Patzner, worked on a performance degree at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore while Anton toured with Bright Eyes. Drummer Jon Bush also worked on other musical projects.

Touring with Bright Eyes allowed Anton Patzner to learn some things that he could use with Judgement Day, he said.

"I've learned a couple of tricks of putting on a good show," he said.

Constant touring became monotonous, but he enjoyed the opportunity to play with a lot of musicians, he said. He did not expect Bright Eyes frontman, Conor Oberst, to embrace onstage jamming.

"He wants everyone to do their own thing," Anton Patzner said.

Since he has diverse music interests, he was relieved Oberst welcomed ideas, he said.

Assorted musical influences are heard in Judgement Day. One listen to the band's eerie strings and nonexistent vocals prove it is not a typical metal band. Strikingly, no guitars are in the band.

Violins and cellos in metal music are not new, but most people do not understand how strings can make a metal band, Anton Patzner said.

"Our friends would ask, 'How does that work?'" he said.

Some listeners may confuse the cello for a guitar, he said. The band manipulates sounds and creates illusions, he said.

"It's part of the challenge and fun," Anton Patzner said.

He grew up listening to movie soundtracks, he said. His first exposure to popular music was Nirvana, but he and his brother studied classical music.

Thanks to their family and its strong musical background, the brothers have been playing music for 15 years, Anton Patzner said. Their mother is a violinist for the San Francisco Ballet and their father teaches music at the College Preparatory School in Oakland.

Even though classical music is a big part of the family, the brothers' parents are supportive of Judgement Day's endeavors into the world of metal music, he said.

"They already knew I wasn't going to play classical music," he said.

Judgement Day has been working on its second full-length album and acoustic extended play, Anton Patzner said. The acoustic EP will be ready by Friday's show, but the band plans to release the full-length in May.

The show will be one of the first shows the band has played this year as a three-piece, he said. The band played a few acoustic shows in January while Bush was traveling in Israel.

Whether the band is playing electric or acoustic shows, the doom elements of its music inhabit the band members' bodies and inspire spastic movements.

Chico's Blood of Cain has shared the stage with Judgement Day and will play Friday's show.

"They make me pull out the horns," said Blood of Cain vocalist Frankie Swa. "You can mosh to them."

Album Review: The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

2008-02-13T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published Feb. 13, 2008 in The Orion

The Helio Sequence
Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Sub Pop Records, 2008
3/5 stars

The Helio Sequence's second album on Sub Pop is a fusion of the label's bands. With a roster like Sub Pop's, borrowing musical formulas from labelmates is not necessarily a bad thing.

The opening track, "Lately," begins with the tranquility of The Album Leaf. Guitars linger and the band channels the earnest sound of Band of Horses.

The Helio Sequence retains its dreamy pop silhouettes, but the softer songs on the album will surprise fans. After losing his voice on tour, singer and guitarist Brandon Summers backed down from his vigorous form of singing and worked his way up to the whispering tones heard on the nostalgic track "Shed Your Love."

"Keep Your Eyes Ahead" is a familiar sound, but the two-piece impressively re-creates the intensity of a full band and adds personality that makes the songs infectious. The chorus from "Can't Say No" sums up the album: "Even if you wanted to, you can't say no."

Workshop encourages relaxation through odd activities

2008-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published Feb. 13, 2008 in The Orion.
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In a bright corner near the tall glass windows of the 1078 Gallery, Maria Navarro sets up a table and a few chairs and lays out a collection of colored pens and markers.

What looks like a children's coloring table is actually the working space where Navarro leads a workshop in "being a stranger."

The word stranger often has a negative connotation, but the word can also mean looking at things with a pair of fresh eyes, Navarro said.

She uses the idea of looking at things with a new perspective in her workshop to encourage awareness and creativity, she said.

Navarro was born and raised in Colombia and has kept a journal since the age of 11, she said. After moving to the United States, she was trained in the Alexander Technique at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and has been teaching for 25 years.

Frederick Matthias Alexander, a Shakespearean orator, created the technique in the late 1800s.

The teaching technique focuses on body movement and the way some gestures, especially in the head and neck, can negatively affect thinking. The technique is usually taught one-on-one, but it can be structured to work in small groups.

Navarro moved to Chico when her husband, Laird Easton, was hired by Chico State as a history professor, she said. Navarro quickly became involved with the 1078 Gallery as a co-chair and member on the board of directors.

Her first workshop was Sept. 14, 2006.

While a lot of the workshop time is spent on writing in journals, Navarro uses the Alexander Technique to encourage participants to become aware and comfortable with themselves and the environment, she said.

The workshop is free, but Navarro asks for a $5 to $10 donation for the gallery, she said. Participants can also attend on a drop-in basis. The workshop is set up to welcome newcomers, but also builds up for participants who attend on a regular basis.

"I wanted to create an island in the middle of the day when people can be aware of their presence," she said.

The workshop routinely begins with an activity that Navarro refers to as "claiming your space." Participants sit down and take time to become relaxed in the environment.

Anything goes after the first activity, Navarro said. Each workshop session is different and she tailors them according to who attends.

Writing activities vary and are timed differently, she said. Some require quick unconscious thoughts while others require deep thinking.

"I use time in a playful way," Navarro said.

One writing activity gives participants three minutes to finish sentences like "Now I feel…" and "I welcome…" Another activity, called the "Dream Police" gives participants 11 minutes to list things, people and ideas they would save if they only had 11 minutes to collect them, she said.

"Just when you think, 'I don't have anything to write,' there is so much you can play with," she said.

Unlike most workshops, there is no pressure to share writings with others or the fear of being judged, Navarro said.

"You don't have to talk to people," she said. "You don't have to make eye contact."

Other activities require more movement. Navarro encourages participants to energize themselves by exploring five rhythms, identified by improvisational dancer and shaman Gabrielle Roth.

Participants are asked to move in ways that reflect the rhythms of flow, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness.

During all activities, Navarro either turns on quiet music or uses her voice to initiate rhythms.

Navarro's soft and inspirational voice is attendee Libby Shipley's favorite part of the workshop, Shipley said.

"She gains your trust," Shipley said.

The artist travels from Red Bluff to attend the workshop, she said. She learned about the workshop when she visited the gallery to look at an exhibit. The workshop was taking place and Navarro invited her to join.

"I enjoyed myself and didn't know why," Shipley said.

1078 Gallery director Pat Macias is often working in the gallery during the workshop and sees Navarro engage a lot of people who go into the gallery with no knowledge that the workshop is taking place, Macias said.

"Maria helps them fit right into this environment," she said.

Most of the participants are professionals with full-time jobs, but Navarro hopes students will start attending the workshop as a de-stressing activity, she said. Like yoga and Tai Chi, movement exercises and journal writing are creative outlets that increase awareness and clear thinking to enhance one's life.

"We are cultivating friendliness with writing," she said.

Album Review: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

2008-02-06T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published Feb. 06, 2008 in The Orion

Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend
XL Recordings, 2008
5/5 stars

It is risky releasing an album early in the year because it is likely to be forgotten when the time comes to write "best of the year" lists. Vampire Weekend took a chance with its self-titled debut, but with remarkable lyrics and a refreshing indie-rock formula, the album will be sure to top lists at the end of the year.

The band, consisting of Columbia University graduates, takes listeners on a world tour, both musically and lyrically. The first track, "Mansard Roof," begins with an organ melody resonating the sounds of a sonar system and calls attention to French style architecture.

Musically, the band relies on Africa's syncopated beats. The drumming is fun and hardly keeps a single pace. Guitar and bass lines move like a game of hopscotch while keyboards add quirk adornments.

Plus, any band that namedrops Lil' Jon and Peter Gabriel in the same album is worth a listen.

Benefits put tour money in The Makai's pocket

2008-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published Feb. 06, 2008 in The Orion.
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A smaller band usually prepares for tour by rehearsing, getting a van ready, saving money for gasoline and loading equipment. Buying plane tickets is not usually in the equation.

For the first time, Chico metal band The Makai is crossing the Atlantic Ocean for a European tour. The self-booked tour will begin Feb. 27 in the Netherlands and take the band to Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Before the band leaves, it will play two benefit shows to help cover tour expenses. Nick's Night Club will host the first show Friday, featuring a diverse lineup of metal, indie-rock and folk music.

While some band members have been to Europe as tourists, guitarist Ian Makau, guitarist Zeke Rogers, drummer Jesse Shreibman, vocalist Brandon Squyres and bassist Jeff Worrel are excited to travel to Europe as a band, Squyres said.

The Makai formed in 2004, but it was not until 2005 that the current lineup came together and started touring.

The band has booked tours in the United States, but arranging a European tour is much more difficult, Squyres said. The Internet has made networking easier, but some language barriers still exist.

"In e-mails some people wrote in broken English," he said. "Sometimes, I wasn't sure if we had a show or not."

Not being familiar with venues or bands in other countries requires more time to plan, but Rogers had help from contacts he established in the Netherlands while touring Europe with former bands, Rogers said.

The band leaves in less than a month, but it hopes to add at least 10 more shows to the 15 that are already confirmed for the tour.

"It's like an Easter egg hunt," Rogers said.

The band has already dealt with language barriers through e-mail, but that issue will diminish when speaking with people face to face, Squyres said. However, audiences may have a hard time understanding Squyres' caustic, screaming vocals.

"Nobody understands me anyway," he said.

Grinding vocals are typical of metal music, but along with grueling guitars and changing tempos, The Makai engages audiences with its high energy. Band members really get into playing their instruments and seldom stay in one standing position.

High energy will fill up the various European venues. Band members know some shows are scheduled at pubs, but other venues will be a surprise, Rogers said.

Europe has a big "squat" scene, he said. Squatting is when show organizers or bands make use of abandoned buildings and fill the empty space with live music.

The idea of taking over an abandoned space may seem second-rate, but hospitality is actually superior compared to a lot of established venues, Rogers said. The "do-it-yourself" aspects of music are cherished, and show organizers take care of the bands by providing them with meals and a place to sleep.

Meeting hospitable people on tour helps save money, he said. Renting a van, gasoline, borrowing equipment and plane tickets add up to roughly $8,000.

The Makai do not have high hopes for raising a lot money at the benefit shows, Rogers said.

"A few hundred dollars helps," he said. "But we just like playing with our friends who play good music."

Sleazy Earl Ray and the 2 Drink Minimum is one of the performers on Friday's bill and the band expects the show to raise enough money for The Makai's members to enjoy themselves in Europe, Sleazy Earl Ray said.

"We'll make, I'd say, probably about $40 worth of free drinks," he said.

The shows display more of the band's excitement for the European tour, Shreibman said. While Chico's P.A.W.N.S. and Gruk have also toured Europe, The Makai hopes more Chico bands will see they can tour outside the country, too.

Sleazy Earl Ray and the 2 Drink Minimum would like to tour Europe in the near future.

"I've heard they have good beer there," Ray said.

Regardless of how much money the band makes, touring Europe will be fun, Rogers said. The band will play a second benefit show Feb. 16 at Monstros Pizza.

After returning from Europe, The Makai wants to venture to Japan, South America, Australia and Iceland, he said. More benefit shows might be needed for those aspirations.

Album Review: Saturday Looks Good to Me - Fill Up the Room

2008-01-30T08:00:00.001-08:00

Originally published Jan. 30, 2008 in The Orion

Saturday Looks Good To Me
Fill Up the Room
K Records, 2007
4/5 stars

You never know what to expect on an album from a band with an ever-changing list of contributors. Saturday Looks Good To Me is a the electic project created nine years ago by songwriter/producer Fred Thomas.

"Fill Up The room" is a collection of well-crafted indie-pop songs with a surprising strenuous attitude. The album begins with guitars reminiscent of '50s and '60s pop, creating images of jukeboxes and teenagers sipping on milkshakes.

The album's unexpected change is largely due to Thomas taking over the vocals; past releases had female band members doing most of the singing.

The overall cheerful manner of the band is not lost. Swaying rhythms flow from song to song, violins add sweet sophistication and hand clapping creates a youthful, romantic sound.

The track "When I Lose My Eyes" builds up early, but the song hits a pleasant plateau that abruptly resumes, culminating to the climax during the last minutes of the song.

"Fill Up the Room" is a precious winter album that keeps you on your toes.

Downtown restaurant brings big-city feel

2008-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published Jan. 30, 2008 in The Orion.
Direct link to article.

Small college towns are known for fraternity parties, hipster coffee shops and modest eateries, but a new dining option downtown is bringing the excitement of city life.

Located above Jamba Juice in the former Chevy's location on the corner of Broadway and Second streets, Crush 201 made its debut in late December, said owner Gino Fiori. Along with a handful of other business partners, the restaurant is co-owned by Celestino Gencarelli, of Celestino's Pizza.

The restaurant specializes in Italian food, but the owners do not want the restaurant to be classified as "just another Italian place," Fiori said. The food is based on traditional Italian recipes, but chefs experiment with ingredients to add a modern twist.

One of the most novel dishes on the menu is the grilled lamb "lollipops," he said. Priced at $15, the lamb is seasoned with rosemary, balsamic and tomato confit.

Even people who are not money-deprived students may find it hard to splurge on the full dining experience.

"It was a treat for me," said first-time customer Karen Mullner. Prices were reasonable, but she can only afford the outing about three times a year, she said.

Dining with Mullner was Cori Ong, who said she enjoyed one of the pork dishes and agreed the prices were high.

"It was a little pricey, but it was a lot of food," she said.

On the occasions when people cannot afford to have dinner at Crush 201, customers can mingle in the restaurant's lounge.

Besides a menu with appetizers, salads, brick oven pizzas, pastas and seafood, Crush 201 has a full bar and a long list of fine wines.

"Restaurants are about elements," Fiori said.

Most drinks are $7.75 and include such popular options as mojitos, cosmopolitans, Manhattans and martinis. In addition, Crush 201 has homemade tonics used in a variety of crush drinks. The "tonic crush" is mixed with Belvedere vodka or Tanqueray Ten gin.

Additional elements that make Crush 201 stand apart from other Chico restaurants are the location and aesthetics. Light coming out of the second-floor location immediately attracts the eye when walking downtown.

"We knew this building was a critical point for success," Fiori said.

The entrance is near the building's small parking lot and upon entering, bright lights and gold stairs lead to the second floor.

Once in the restaurant, the lighting becomes low and chattering voices of excited customers overwhelm the room. The bar is located on the left, the cozy L-shaped lounge is in the middle and tables are positioned on the outskirts, overlooking the street.

Another impressive aspect is the waterfall maintained between glass panes in the right corner of the room. The display is surrounded by rock-filled adornments that dispense light currents of smoky air.

Crush 201 is quite different from the humble Celestino's pizzeria, Fiori said. The upscale restaurant focuses more on the dining experience and serves about 1,000 meals per week. Everything works on a bigger scale with 50 employees.

"Economically this is a big machine," he said.

However, the commitment to the community is no different, Fiori said. Knowing Chico has an environmentally-conscious population, the owners make vegetarian food options available. In addition, much of the produce and meat is organically grown and purchased in Chico.

The business partners of Crush 201 are in tune with the people of Chico and have a lot of experience and pride in the outcome of the restaurant and bar, Fiori said. They also understand the importance of hospitality.

"No is not in the equation."

Siblings are busy bees on latest, Widow City

2008-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Originally published Jan. 17, 2008 in Chico News & Review.
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The Fiery Furnaces
Widow City
Thrill Jockey

Listening to The Fiery Furnaces’ "Widow City" is like glimpsing the inner workings of a beehive. Worker bees buzz around, crossing paths. Some days are calm while disaster strikes on others. The queen bee is Eleanor Friedberger, making all the calls along with her brother Matthew. The tempo of Eleanor’s voice alters between spoken word and short melodic stanzas. At times, the band’s interpretation of indie rock sounds mechanical yet remains charming. Each of the 16 songs on the band’s fifth full-length is a tumultuous story, linking to the next track. The instrumentation is stunning. Grinding and ghostly guitars intertwine with angelic harps, flutes and pianos. Moods change as fast as bees change their flight. Songs like “Navy Nurse”—at 6 1/2 minutes long—sound schizophrenic, and reflect society’s habit of multitasking. Listeners may be turned off by the band’s stop-and-go tempos, but this is a great album for those who like to wander off into the world of experimental art. “Widow City” leaves the lasting sting of a bee, but it is a sweet sting.