Album Review: Nada Surf - Lucky

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

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

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'

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

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

Originally published Feb. 27, 2008 in The Orion.
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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

Originally published as online exclusive Feb. 23, 2008 for The Orion.
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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

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

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

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."