I get called a dirty hippie a lot by friends that listen to different music than me. Despite the fact that I am a total yuppie and shower every day, incorrect stereotypes are placed because of a couple bands I love. Here’s an article I wrote about the Ten Biggest Stereotypes in the Jam Band Scene, it’s meant to be light hearted, enjoy:
After making it through the Chicago storms at the three day Phish run, many asked me to write an article to give to their friends going to Dick’s in case it rained. It’s since been reworked for the general concert goer, and is now published at the Westword, check it out!
Hypnotic garage bands from San Francisco absolutely do it for me. The Spyrals have risen above the rest with a more classic approach, tight drumming and dizzy guitar riffs. This trio is jangly, fuzzy, trippy, and lead singer Jeff Lewis has a great commanding presence and a perfect rock star voice, he can cry without whining the way Neil Young sings. Their album they released this summer, “Out of Sight”, is a great collection of tight, Bay Area sounding rock and roll. I know it’s a cheap cop out to say a band sounds like another, but these guys really do the early Rolling Stones sound well. Opener “Need Your Fire” sounds like it should be in a Quentin Tarantino movie, while “Such A Pain” makes you shimmy with the heavy use of tambourine and delicate repeated guitar riffs. The title track is exactly what you would think a San Francisco garage rock band would sound like, man they nail this sound.
Most of the songs clock in under three minutes, making this album very economical and great for running errands, you never have to sit in the parking lot for eleven more minutes til the song ends like you do with the Grateful Dead. While they have psychedelic tendencies live, at the end of the day this is a tight, concise garage rock band that needs to be played on everyone’s radio. The bassist Dylan Edrich has done time with Thee Oh Sees and Mikal Cronin, so fans of those should check these guys out. Future looks jangly and bright for these guys.
Listen to the album at their bandcamp: The Spyrals “Out of Sight”
This is definitely the cleanest album Man Man has recorded, and it’s radio friendliness makes me think that this one might be big. The experimental rockers from Philadelphia are about to release their fifth studio album, and it’s extremely accessible to listen to, while maintaining the flavor and spirit of their older material. This is one of those bands that you must see live, anything can happen. They are an eclectic group of musicians with various instruments and toys tossed around the stage in case they feel the need to add them to the noise, often bringing the audience into it.
The first thing you notice with the new album is the cleanness of the production. This is not the ramshackle, AM radio sound of the “The Man in the Turban” from 2004. The energy and spirit are there, but it’s glossy, there is precision, and it sounds amazing on the slower, more plaintive acoustic songs, like “Deep Cover”. While the album is missing that grittiness of previous recordings, it is full of very catchy hooks and well written pop songs that are really showcased by the cleaner production. “Head On” and “Sparks” have a sweet, almost 50’s style to them, and “Pyramids” is chock full of danceable rhythms. A few of the songs are not very memorable, but it ends with a short piano piece that bookends the album nicely.
Their darkness comes out in “Loot My Body”, synthesizers and heavy drum beats balancing nicely with a light guitar riff and post apocalyptic lyrics. At times, the lead singer Honus Honus sounds like Austin loverboy Bob Schneider, particularly on “Pink Wonton”, all raspy and full of confidence and swagger. He gets his growl on strong in “King Shiv”, a dub-tinged sexy march that is a highlight of the album. All in all, I think the album is a nice balance between dark and light, and look forward to hearing these nicely produced albums get completely destroyed and put back together live.
Check them out October 10th at the Gothic, and buy your tickets early.
Eminem released his new single on his website yesterday, and I have to say, I love this busy thing. There is a LOT going on, and in the beginning when he samples Beastie Boys I went “oh, no” in my head, but then it works as the beat keeps changing and you get other samples like Billy Squier coming in. It helps that Rick Rubin is at the helm producing, he really does have the Midas touch and does a great job of keeping it all cohesive. I think that a lot of people are going to say that this song sucks, and then it will be a big hit, it reminds me a lot of the silly bounciness of his earliest work. While I love dark sinister Marshall Mathers, I’m an even bigger fan of happy, celeb taunting Eminem. Check it out:
Where do I begin with this band. I first saw them in 2009 thinking I was going to see some smooth blues guitarist, and instead I saw a cuter, hipper, younger James Brown with a fuzz pedal and a white tank top (who can play some smooth blues for sure, though). First things first, Black Joe Lewis no longer has and the Honeybears in their name. Don’t worry, the Honeybears are still there, and I asked the very talented former Honeybear and baritone sax player Joseph Woullard today about the name edit, and he spoke about how the cohesive sound they had didn’t really require a modifier, stating “We knew what we were getting into, and welcome the discussion. Objectively speaking, the majority of people don’t even know who we are anyway, so we might as well be who we want to be”. I’d say that’s all the discussion needed, and apparently what they want to be is the dirtiest, funkiest garage rock band I’ve ever heard a saxophone even step near. The album kicks off with that wonderful electric guitar sound signifying someone is plugged in, and then “Skulldiggin'” kicks off with a thick fuzz midtempo beat, giving a taste that this album is going to be a little harder and more raw.
The next song “Young Girls” instantly reminded me of “Boogie”, one of my favorite tracks from their album Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is. It’s a fast paced boogie woogie with taunting vocals and lyrics of lust, classic BJL. “Guilty” is a great tune that really lets the horn section shine with great bursts of melody turning into a ominous, growing buildup of sound in the latter portion of the song. These guys can get such raw, pure sounds out of their instruments, they make it sound like brass and distortion were invented to be together. New party anthem “Come To My Party” is also a standout, it’s got a great confident swagger and is full of Black Joe Lewis saying improvised things that don’t always make total sense, but he sounds really cool saying them (one of his strongest talents, in my opinion). “Vampire” takes it down a notch with some dirty, slow southern blues, the horns giving you the feeling of walking late at night in the French Quarter without a friend alive. Wait- I just described a vampire’s night, the song works! I can’t wait to hear “The Hipster” live, it’s one of those fast paced dance numbers that end up turning into mosh pits at the shows sometimes. This album has made me so homesick that I have tabs open with flights to Austin, the album releases tomorrow, check it out if you are a fan of the blues, garage rock, guitar, fuzz, Austin, good times or good showmanship. Black Joe Lewis rules.
Last night, local Denver favorites Rastasaurus played their first show at the Bluebird. They have a dedicated fanbase, as they went on promptly at 9:00 to around 25 people and within about two minutes the place filled up with happy people that all seemed to know each other. They have a reggae sound that is complimented by more psychedelic jamming, my interest certainly piqued when I saw all their pedals. A “Divided Sky” tease by lead guitarist Eric Ciccone followed by his twin brother Mark on bass playing Makisupa Policeman and noticing it was in the same key as the song they were about to play made the Phish fans of the audience get all excited, but this is no Phish cover band, and the teases were left at just that. Just as well, because their originals are great. Lead singer and guitarist Justus Lacewell is a huge guy and commands the stage well, they all do. All in all, it was a fantastic showing at Bluebird for these first timers, I’ve seen many touring acts absolutely bomb there in the opening slot, so kudos Rastasaurus.
Blitzen Trapper are awesome guys. They were my first face to face interview, and while I pretty much nervously babbled and spit out a couple nonsensical questions that led to an untranscribable interview, they were perfectly sweet and charming and even gave me a new music recommendation (martial arts rockers Dragon Sound from cult classic Miami Connection, a movie the Austin Alamo Drafthouse made popular again, Erik Menteer knows how to recommend). They really energized the crowd at the festival, their first few notes played causing dozens to abandon the guacamole stand line and come get down. Highlight of the show for me was “Black River Killer”, as a friend had had much discussion regarding the key the song was played in (C#m, but live they capo it up). I plan on being at every Blitzen Trapper show from here on out, these guys are just straight up talented and cool.
Flaming Lips released the video for “Turning Violent” today and there’s no naked Erykah Badu being covered in goo, just standard shots of a white room, the band, and Wayne in all his curly haired gloriousness with some of Gwen Stefani’s face jewels from 1997 on. You get glimpses of their new stage setup with frenetic spasms of rainbow lasers and lights shocking you into a world of technicolor as tinfoil receptors hang overhead. Oh, and glitter of course. It’s as minimal as a video with lasers and tinfoil can be.
Watch the video here: Flaming Lips “Turning Violet”
On top of that, Wayne has a comic book called “The Sun is Sick” coming out this Wednesday at Comiccon in San Diego, and onsale on his website the week after. Want.
photo by leslie loudspeaker
One of my top favorites from SXSW, Cayucas have just announced their US tour dates, and they are playing everywhere! They have also released another single East Coast Girl which is every bit as catchy and beach ready as the others. I listened to this album during our past snowstorms in an effort to force summer, and today it’s sunny, so thank you, Cayucas! Can’t wait for the Denver show on June 22nd, I look forward to shooting the band with more than an iPhone.
TOUR DATES:
04/30/13 Los Angeles, CA – Origami Vinyl In-store (FREE)
05/09/13 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo w/ Hot as Sun & MT. OSSA
05/17/13 Luxembourg, NL – Food For Your Senses Festival
05/18/13 Amsterdam, NL – Tolhuistuin
05/21/13 London, UK – The Lexington
05/22/13 Manchester, UK – Soup Kitchen
05/23/13 Paris, FR- La Flèche d’Or
05/25/13 Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound Barcelona
05/26/13 Barcelona, ES – Primavera Als Parcs
06/06/13 San Diego, CA- Casbah
06/07/13 Santa Ana, CA- Constellation Room
06/09/13 Santa Barbara, CA- Muddy Waters
06/12/13 San Luis Obispo, CA- SLO Brew
06/13/13 San Francisco, CA- Rickshaw Stop
06/15/13 Davis, CA- Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
06/17/13 Portland, OR- Mississippi Studios
06/18/13 Vancouver, BC- Biltmore Cabaret
06/19/13 Seattle, WA- Barboza
06/21/13 Salt Lake City, UT- Kilby Court
06/22/13 Denver, CO- Larimer Lounge
06/24/13 Kansas City, MO- Riot Room
06/25/13 Omaha, NE- Waiting Room
06/28/13 Minneapolis, MN- 7th Street Entry
06/29/13 Chicago, IL- Schubas
06/30/13 Detroit, MI- Magic Stick Lounge
07/01/13 Toronto, ON- The Drake
07/02/13 Montreal, QC- Il Motore
07/03/13 Boston, MA- Great Scott
07/05/13 New York, NY- Mercury Lounge
07/06/13 Montauk, NY- The Surf Lodge
07/07/13 Washington DC- DC9
07/09/13 Atlanta, GA- Masquerade
07/10/13 Birmingham, AL- Bottletree
07/11/13 New Orleans, LA- Circle Bar
07/12/13 Houston, TX- Mango’s
07/13/13 Austin, TX- Red 7
07/14/13 Dallas, TX- Three Links
09/01/13 Salisbury, UK – End of the Road Festival
leslieloudspeaker 