Posts Tagged → review
New Releases of Note 4/13
In the first few months of 2012 we’ve seen a rash of insanely good new releases… here are a few of the latest and greatest to whet your musical appetite!
M. Ward – “A Wasteland Companion”, April 10
M. Ward’s carefully placed voice and interlocking use of language is pristine on this record, his eighth solo offering. His lyrics always fascinate, unencumbered by fuzzy guitar or overridden drums here, laid out like a storybook. The bits of found sound like a clinking piano, creaking door or the punchy jangle of percussion lend a bit of real life to this smoothly produced album. As always, he borrows little snippets, as if from a skipping radio dial, of music from decades before; southern blues, lo-fi rock, lilting pop. Peppered with better-than-usual Zooey Deschanel chorus coos, “A Wasteland Companion” is a surprisingly breezy and satisfying record, nodding fiercely to American dirt rock, smooth 60s R&B and jaunty indie.
M. Ward with Lee Ranaldo Band (of Sonic Youth) at Higher Ground tickets here.
The Black Seeds – “Dust and Dirt”, April 10
This eight member dub afrobeat outfit has been around since 1998 but hasn’t put out a proper album since 2008′s “Solid Ground”. With their newest album just out on Easy Star, they have taken chill to a whole other level. The base of their sound is essentially reggae, which has been morphed/harangued and all around brutalized in the past by less-than-reverent utilizers, but sounds fresh and pleasantly infectious here. Intricate and interlacing keyboards and precise percussion provide the backdrop for samples of jazz, trip-hop and downtempo amid the groovin’ dub background.
Get tickets to their Boulder, CO show here.
Schoolboy Q – “Habits and Contradictions”, January 14
Schoolboy Q has had an interesting life… born in Germany, grew up in LA, joined gangs and sold a LOT of Oxycontin. He’s been AROUND. And while “Habits and Contradictions” is a filthy-mouthed rap album and gritty as all get-out, the beat is oh so salacious. Seductive saxophones make a surprising appearance (very Morphine-esque) in “There He Go” and new fave A$AP Rocky steps in on the supremely catchy “Hands On The Wheel”. This album is moody and dark, laced with the intense and emotional flow of Schoolboy Q, fettered only by the electro-introduced interlude skits so prevalent in hip hop. His rhymes are quick-witted and tempo-pushing, strange at times but irresistibly compelling.
Catch Schoolboy Q at Higher Ground May 4th and at the Fox Theatre May 12th.
Scope other recent new releases sure to tickle your ear-fancy…
- Alabama Shakes- “Boys & Girls” ———-> Tickets
- Bassnectar- “Vava Voom” ———-> Tickets
- Bear in Heaven- “I Love You, It’s Cool” ———-> Tickets
- Hoodie Allen- “All American”
- Miike Snow- “Happy to You”
- Of Monsters and Men- “My Head is an Animal”
- Rusko- “Songs”
- Sucre- “A Minor Bird” ———-> Tickets
- The Shins- “Port of Morrow”
Fun. at Warehouse Live Review
Tuesday night, I trekked down to my native Houston to see one of my favorite bands fun. perform a sold out show at Warehouse Live. Fun. is an indie pop supergroup, featuring Nate (formerly of The Format), Andrew (formerly of Anathallo) and Jack (my personal favorite) who is currently the frontman of Steel Train. I had never seen Warehouse Live, one of my favorite Houston venues, so packed! I was worried that this was due to the recent success of their youthful ballad “We are Young,” which was featured on Glee and in a Chevy commercial . But I was happy to see that most of the crowd passionately sang along to every song, old and new.
I arrived as the opening band Avalanche City took the stage. I thoroughly enjoyed their set, especially the creepily beautiful violin prevalent in many of their songs. Avalanche City is a folk band from Auckland, New Zealand and I found myself dancing along while in line at the merch table to get my exclusive fun. and Revel & Riot t-shirt. “The Streets” and “Love Love Love”, from their new EP, are highly recommended tracks if you’re just delving into the band’s sound.
Fun. took the stage to a rowdy, rambunctious crowd and opened with “One Foot” from their latest album Some Nights. I love the uniqueness of Nate’ voice, but the album is so full of auto-tuned vocals that I wasn’t sure what the songs would sound like sans digitization. The rawness of his voice live was SO much better than on the album. Jack’s guitar solos were aggressive and bold, and so much more powerful than the latest album features. The show continued with songs from Some Nights and their 2009 release Aim and Ignite. A few of my favorites of the night were “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be),” “It Gets Better,” and my most recent favorite “Some Nights.” Of course “We Are Young” was a crowd favorite, and the mood of Warehouse Live was transformed into mass frenzy when the first notes played. At Nate’s request, we belted the background “Na-na-nas” with wholehearted spirit while he pleaded “Carry me home tonight.”
Between stories about a wandering crawfish and asking what day of the week it was, the band would humbly pause and smile in disbelief at the massive roaring crowd. It was cool to see a band with such sudden mainstream success still be in awe of a devoted audience.
All in all, fun.’s performance exceeded my expectations. This was one of the rowdiest, most jam-packed concerts that I have been to and it was a sweaty, rocking, ridiculously good time.
Setlist:
- One Foot
- Walking the Dog
- All the Pretty Girls
- Why Am I the One
- All Alone
- It Gets Better
- Barlights
- Carry On
- Gambler
- Some Nights (Intro)
- At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)
- We Are Young
- Some Nights
Encore:
- All Alright
- Take Your Time
Erin L., Marketing Intern
Lollapalooza Day 2: Cut Copy!
Cut Copy got down to business at Lollapalooza for their set on the PlayStation stage (literally, look at those outfits – straight from the office). Their set consisted of cuts from both of the band’s studio releases as well as a couple of unreleased tracks that should appear on their forthcoming LP. Highlights included “Time Stands Still,” “Hearts on Fire,” and “Lights and Music” which the band used to open the set for the energetic afternoon crowd.
Lollapalooza Day 2: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
The Edward Sharpe set at Lolla this year was either really, really well planned or a happy benefactor of coincidence. The stage that the band played was tucked back in the trees, creating a sort of ‘off the beaten path’ feel to their show – like you were somewhere else entirely. Fortunately, this matches up exactly with how the band themselves and the music they create make you feel as well. Their sound, and in concert their appearance, have the ability to transport you to a different place and time and at Lollapalooza we all traveled there together.
The band took they stage to deafening cheers from the packed crowd who came out to see them. Edward Sharpe wasted no time making friends as he immediately stepped up and into the crowd before the band even played a note. The entire set had a homey feel to it that put a smile on the face of most everyone that I saw. The highlights of the set in my opinion were “Home” and “40 Day Dream,” but every song the band played was executed extremely well and with a sincerity that is sometimes difficult to find these days.
Lollapalooza Day 2! Metric
I might be biased. Ok, I definitely am, but day two at Lollapalooza may have been the high point of the festival for me musically. Several bands that I had been anticipating greatly played that day, and all of them delivered the goods. The first act I caught was Metric who put on a show stopping performance to an absolutely packed out PlayStation stage.
The band tore through material spanning their career, leaning heavily on their spectacular most recent album, Fantasies, with highlights including “Help I’m Alive,” “Sick Muse,” and “Combat Baby.” The band also played a cover of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My” during the set. Full set can be found below.
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- Black Sheep
- Satellite Mind
- Help I’m Alive
- Empty/Fight For Your Right To Party
- Gold Guns Girls
- Hey Hey, My My (Neil Young cover)
- Gimme Sympathy
- Sick Muse
- Dead Disco
- Stadium Love
- Combat Baby (acoustic)
Live From Lollapalooza #2! Hot Chip and Lady Gaga
I headed back to the grounds to catch a personal favorite act in the likes of UK dance rockers Hot Chip. I have seen them live before, and they do not disappoint to say the least. The heavy Lady Gaga crowd received the melodic beats of the Englishmen well to say the least and they kept the energy building to a fever pitch with songs such as “Over and Over” and “Ready for the Floor” which the band dedicated to Lady Gaga who would take the stage later.
Fans were eager to say the least for Gaga to get her show going, and immediately after Hot Chip wrapped up I wandered into the crowd to find a spot for the spectacle that was about to occur. A giant curtain was draped around most of the stage (see photos) up until a countdown on the screens wound down and a sheer screen replaced the velvet black and the show began. The first song was performed behind the sheer screen before it was lifted to unveil an elaborate set. Gaga’s wardrobe changed every few songs as did the wardrobe of her dancers and the entire show surrounded a journey to the “Monster Ball” that we were all a part of. Lady Gaga’s singing talent alone was enough to impress me. The choreography and her candid nature on stage only increased the sentiments. I have to admit that there was the expected weirdness at times that left me scratching my head, but overall it was an excellent performance by a very talented artist. Gaga referred to her last Lolla appearance three years ago multiple times throughout the set, and seemed to use this performance to rid herself and everyone in attendance of any ill memories from that experience and to celebrate where she is today.
Live from Lollapalooza #1!!! Devo and The Big Pink
So Lollapalooza is underway! The weather is great here in Chicago and the crowd is huge! I arrived this afternoon and after a meeting headed over to catch the Big Pink on the adidas MEGA stage. The band drew a great crowd for a mid day set and threw out all the hits for their debut album, closing out with their hit “Dominos.” The crowd, including myself, ate the set up. The band even took a few minutes to talk to fans and pose for some photos after the set.
I then made my way over to Devo on one of the fest’s main stages. In case you were unaware of this, Grant Park is huge! Huge, but beautiful. I made my way to Devo and was treated to an excellent set by the electro pioneers. The song ”Whip It” sent the crowd into a frenzy for the band, and “Are we not men?!” was met with “We are Devo!!!!!” The group was even kind enough to throw a few of its signature hats/helmets that have famously become part of their wardrobe! Check back often for more updates and follow us on twitter for live updates from Lollapalooza!
James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem at Stubb’s – Definitely Not Losing Their Edge
Last night Austin played host to a dance party for the ages, as both LCD Soundsystem and Miike Snow descended on the city. I am going to focus on LCDs show for this however, because well…I was there. Yes, that was the first of several, hopefully many, LCD song references in this review. We arrived early to catch Holy Ghost, a DFA label mate of LCD Soundsystem, who are on their first live tour ever. The fact that these guys had not done this whole “live show” thing before was not evident in the least, and they were a great warm up for the night.
A light rain was falling, and the humidity and heat were sweltering to the point that by the time LCD took the stage most everyone already had a good sweat going. The opening track ‘Us vs. Them’ set the tone for the night, sending the crowd where I was standing into a frenzy that I had not seen at an outdoor show in some time. The energy was absolutely electric. The band tore through a set that was sure to please any LCD fan, generously pulling material from all three of the band’s albums.
The shift in momentum that occurred from the pounding beats and screaming fans on ‘Daft Punk is Playing at My House’ to the next song ‘All My Friends’ showcased perfectly the exceptional balance that LCD has achieved in their catalog. Some of the people there may have been worried that this would be the last time they could catch these guys in action, but James made the comment that they would be back touring in support of this album, playing songs that they have not had the chance to play before, and doing it all until someone made a Facebook group begging them to retire (I would not recommend this as you will have an angry throng of die hard LCD fans after you if you do so).
If you were there, then you know that this was a show that you will not soon forget. You know that this show had it all. And when James belted out ‘where are your friends tonight? If I could see all my friends tonight’ all he had to do was look straight ahead, because he had over 2000 friends right there singing it back to him. I could go on about how epic every song ended up being, but really if you were there you know. I was there, and LCD Soundsystem is definitely not losing its edge.
Setlist:
- Us v Them
- Drunk Girls
- Yr City’s a Sucker
- Pow Pow
- Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
- All My Friends
- I Can Change
- Tribulations
- Movement
- Yeah
ENCORE
- Someone Great
- Losing My Edge
- New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down
- Empire State of Mind (Jay-Z cover)
Live Review: Local Natives Austin, TX at Antone’s 4-23-10
Local Natives returned to Austin Friday night after blowing up SXSW this year. I had heard a bit about the band before SXSW, but they gained a lot of momentum over the week, playing something like nine shows and wowing the crowds lucky enough to catch them. I was not able to see them then, but thanks to a friend was able to get a ticket to their sold out show at Antone’s (moved from Emo’s due to overwhelming demand), and to say the least, I was not disappointed. They even made a point of thanking everyone for coming out and that the show was the largest show on their entire tour.
The band’s album, Gorilla Manor, made its European debut in November 2009 to little fanfare in the US, but since its February US release the band has seen a surge in popularity, particularly in Austin, TX. Local Natives has garnered accolades for their ever-present harmonies and songwriting skills that saturate their music. Their singing abilities and superb instrumental talent were very prevalent on this evening at Antone’s, with the musicians switching amongst instruments frequently and seamlessly throughout the set.
Each song was well-received by the packed house, but one track stood out from the rest – “Sun Hands,” an emotionally charged and heartfelt song that had everyone in attendance belting out the chorus. Even after the band had exhausted their catalog of music and left the stage, much of the crowd stood in place, yearning for just one more song. We will all have to wait a bit longer, but from the sound of the band and the love of the fans, I would imagine that there will be more to come quite soon. I, for one, can’t wait.
Listen to “Sun Hands” and “Camera Talk,” a couple of my favorite tracks of Gorilla Manor below!
[audio:http://www.frontgatetickets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Local-Natives_03_Sun-Hands.mp3|titles=Sun Hands by Local Natives]
[audio:http://www.frontgatetickets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Local-Natives_06_Camera-Talk.mp3|titles=Camera Talk by Local Natives]
Cheers.
Live Review: Yeasayer Night 2 at La Zona Rosa
Yeasayer brought their psych pop dance party to La Zona Rosa last night for their second of two sold-out nights in Austin. The shows were originally slated to be held at The Parish, but overwhelming demand caused a second date to be added and for the shows to be moved to the La Zona Rosa, a significantly larger venue. The band is touring in support of their new album Odd Blood that came out in February 2010. Lead singer Chris Keating said that Austin is ‘the only town on the tour where the band is playing two shows’ and thanked everyone for ‘coming out so hard’ and supporting them.
The band swept through a set consisting of what I considered to be a great balance of the top tracks off of both their superb albums. Particularly high points for me were the performances of ‘Wait for the Summer,’ ’2080,’ ‘Madder Red’ ‘O.N.E.’ and ‘Amblin’ Alp,’ but the entire set was performed so well that it is hard to pick favorites. Every song was extremely well-received by the packed house and the audience seemed to be enjoying the show immensely from where I was standing with most everyone singing the words to some of the tunes and moving to the beats that the band was laying down. Yesayer has succeeded in creating a strong fan base, and if they continue on their current track, those fans will be there for some time to come. Acoustically, in my opinion, the show got better as it went on. The balance of vocals, mids and lows was quite good which is a vital ingredient for a strong show – especially for a band of their style with heavy reliance on vocals and constantly changing and blending melodies.
Give Odd Blood a listen, and if you have not taken the opportunity to check out the band’s first album All Hour Cymbals, you will not be disappointed. Both serve to establish the band’s unique style, and with Odd Blood, the ‘sophomore slump’ that sometimes plagues bands is nowhere to be seen. Enjoy the show if you get to catch these guys on tour anytime soon!
Here is the setlist from night one at La Zona Rosa – I am hoping to update with Night 2 as well. The band played a new track, “I Remember” on the second night during the encore. The song was very well received and showed that it doesn’t look like Yeasayer will be slowing down anytime soon which is good new for us.
The Children
Rome
Wait for the Summer
I Remember
Tightrope
2080
Love Me Girl
Mondegreen
O.N.E.
Strange Reunions
Madder Red
Amplin’ Alp
Encore:
Grizelda
Sunrise
Cheers.
