Album Review: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

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

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

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

Originally published Jan. 30, 2008 in The Orion.
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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

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.

Relatively unknown Band of Horses follows up debut with the short-but-sweet Cease to Begin

Originally published Jan. 10, 2008 in Chico News & Review.
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Band of Horses
Cease to Begin
Sub Pop

The cover art of Band of Horses’ Cease to Begin says a lot about how the music on the album will sound. A cloudy night sky with a crescent moon over a rippled body of water reflects the band’s lovely and serene melodies. Comparisons to My Morning Jacket are more evident on this sophomore follow-up to 2006’s classic Everything All the Time. The band formed in Seattle, but band members have roots in the South, and BOH leans more heavily on its country influences here. However, the opening track and first single “Is There a Ghost” is too plain for it to be a single. It does not represent the rest of the album, which is a much more interesting mix of foot-tapping rhythms and soft, intricate patterns. If the band had more mainstream popularity, “No One’s Gonna Love You” could easily have been the wedding song of 2007. Guitar strings are plucked delicately as they accompany Ben Bridwell’s endearing voice proclaiming the song’s title. Clocking in at a little longer than half an hour, the album feels like it should go on for at least 10 more minutes and lacks closure as a result. Regardless, it’s a beautiful collection of songs, perfect for late-night drives by the lake.

Sweden's Shout Out Louds channel the spirit of The Cure

Originally published Jan. 03, 2008 in Chico News & Review.
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Shout Out Louds
Our Ill Wills
Merge

In 2005, Sweden’s Shout Out Louds released an album called Howl Howl Gaff Gaff that showed great potential with catchy lyrics and hip-shaking rhythms. The band’s latest release hits a level of sophistication that confirms the group’s ability to write meaningful pop songs. With uncanny vocals that resemble The Cure’s Robert Smith, the band’s ’80s influence is made evident as soon as the first track begins. The Shout Out Louds successfully manage to hold their own with simple melodies that evoke the deepest of emotions. “Tonight I Have to Leave It” is a bold statement about love—don’t bother with anything but real love. The album continues with a sense of vulnerability, but the dynamics are never lost. Songs that go over the five-minute mark work hard to leave a lasting impression and they succeed by stringing the heart along with airy synthesizers and cascading drums. “Impossible” and the title track have the feel and charm of an antique music box. The final track, “Hard Rain,” is in the same vein and closes the album with a feeling of satisfaction. Our Ill Wills is an album that deserves to be listened to from start to finish.

First major-label offering from Feist delivers

Originally published July 12, 2007 in Chico News & Review.
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Feist
The Reminder
Cherry Tree

Feist’s third solo album starts where 2004’s Let It Die left off. The Reminder is a cozy album with the warmth and security of a baby blanket, blending handclaps and a mix of low-fi indie-rock with elements of jazz. Leslie Feist, who has a history of working with successful indie bands Broken Social Scene and Apostle of Hustle, reaffirms that she can hold her own by showing different sides of her personality. Feist perfects the art of changing moods while keeping the album coherent. The album opens with “I’m Sorry,” a mellow, stripped-down track that sets a charming and sincere mood before jumping into the more upbeat and cheerful “I Feel It All.” And intertwining piano segments in songs like “The Water,” along with Feist’s tender voice—at times reminiscent of a singer at a swanky jazz club—make her sound vulnerable, yet powerful. While The Reminder may remind listeners of Feist’s previous album, it is nothing to complain about. This album will buy Feist some time to expand her audience while receiving play on VH1, gaining the attention she deserves.

The very American LCD Soundsystem continues its indie-dance prowess

Originally published June 21, 2007 in Chico News & Review.
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LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
Capitol

Shame on you if you think LCD Soundsystem is from England. The outfit is headed by New Yorker James Murphy, who assures that he is from North America in “Northern American Scum,” the first single from Sound of Silver. However, the confusion is not unwarranted. LCD Soundsystem’s funky beats are heaven in any English club. Sound of Silver is not any ordinary dance-punk record. While dance music runs the risk of being accompanied by obnoxious, juvenile lyrics, Murphy overcomes this by including themes that range from relationships to politics. On “New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down,” Murphy comments on a well-known political figure without losing the infectious beat: “Your mild billionaire mayor’s now convinced he’s a king.” Every song is different. One minute you’re listening to what sounds like rhythmic pounding of pots and pans, and the next you’re listening to the ocean through a seashell. Murphy’s voice goes from soft and suave to excited and boastful. The great thing about this album is that it is fulfilling whether you’re taking it easy at home or out at a party.

Electric Canyon: Making musical masterpieces

Originally published April 05, 2007 in The Buzz.

Away from city noise, up in the canyons that surround Chico, is Electric Canyon Studios, which successfully makes its own musical masterpieces.

The ears behind the preponderance of Chico’s recorded gems belong to owner and founder Dale Price, who has worked with hundreds of Chico musicians over the past decade.

Price moved to Chico from San Carlos in the 1980s to attend Chico State University. In a program that is now impacted, he graduated with a degree in music with an option in recording arts. Price was one of the first to graduate from the program and has been using those skills ever since.

Price’s love for music started well before he attended school in Chico.

“My sister says some of my first words were ‘tape recorder,’” he said.

Music was always around while Price was growing up, he said. Both of his parents were musicians and one of his grandparents was a bandleader in the Big Band era.

He learned how to play drums at a young age and was in numerous bands throughout high school, Price said. When the four-track recorder was invented, he began recording his friends’ bands.

Once in college, Price started another band in Chico. As the band played more and more shows, the need of owning a PA sound system grew.

In 1988, Price started a live sound company, ProSound, which he still operates.

A year later, he graduated from college and had the option to move to any of the musical capitals of the world in attempt to further his recording career, he said. But instead of moving to fast-paced cities like Los Angeles, New York City or Nashville, Price decided to stay in Chico and provide a unique service to the small community. He prefers the more relaxed and close-knit lifestyle that Chico has to offer.

However, just because Electric Canyon is located in a smaller city, does not mean it cannot offer the quality of a big-city studio. Price has worked hard over the years to acquire top-notch equipment and to create a good working atmosphere for musicians.

For about eight years, Price recorded bands at his home on Glenn Street, but in 2001 he moved up to Butte Creek Canyon, where he hired a designer to construct the aesthetically pleasing studio.

Price wanted to build a studio where a full band could comfortably spread out all their equipment to record, he said. Not only did he want the rooms to sound good, but also look good. The studio has one huge room to accommodate a full band and four isolations booths. The rooms look out into the beautiful canyons, in case musicians are ever lacking inspiration.

The scenery and quiet environment sets Electric Canyon apart from any of the studios in large cities. The location is also beneficial for Chico musicians who cannot afford to go out of town to record their music.

Musicians can save money and spend more time on the creative process by recording a project over several months, Price said. Several small recording sessions can be booked when the studio is close by as opposed to traveling to spend just one weekend recording.

Both Chico musicians and nationally known musicians have taken advantage of the location and expertise at Electric Canyon. Price’s Web site lists over 100 projects, including recordings for the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s television series, “Sierra Center Stage.” Artists who were part of that series include The Brubeck Brothers, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones and Marcia Ball, who was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006.

The list of Chico musicians that Price has worked with is endless, but includes Electric Circus, Mystic Roots and Mother Hips.

Even with the growth of technology and ability for musicians to record themselves at home, Price is constantly guiding musicians. Even if a band records the music on its own, the group will turn to Price to master the project. He is more than happy to help any musicians at any point of the process.

“I want all the recordings to come out of Chico to sound good,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who records it.”

Price’s willingness to share his knowledge shows his commitment to the Chico community. The only thing he looks for in return is a simple “thank you.”

“Rock and roll doesn’t have a lot of thank yous,” Price said.