Okkervil River released a new album last week, I Am Very Far, and it's amazingly good. That the new album is great comes as no surprise, which is itself rather remarkable. What's truly remarkable about this band is how they give each of their albums its own distinct sound and style, and yet have consistently been putting out great album after great album going all the way back to 2002's Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See. Really, other than The Stand Ins, a companion album to its predecessor, each Okkervil River album could be described as a pretty dramatic change in sound from their previous work. Few bands can do that for so long and never have the quality falter. It's a real testament to Will Sheff's ability as a songwriter.
I'm going to go on a little tangent here. I've seen a few people express disappointment at this album. Personally, I definitely liked it on my first listen, but wasn't yet sure I liked it as much as Okkervil River's other albums. By now I've realized I had no reason for doubt. That's actually not an uncommon experience for me. I remember listening to The Suburbs by Arcade Fire for the first time and thinking it was definitely not as good as Funeral or Neon Bible. Now it's one of my favorite albums of all time (although I still like Funeral just a bit more). In fact, it's almost always the case that I if I like an album, I will enjoy it more after a few listens than on my first listen. This leads me to believe that a significant factor in our enjoyment of music is its familiarity. The interesting thing is that the degree to which my enjoyment increases with additional listens varies immensely from album to album. Is this related to how "challenging" an album is? To how much it diverges from expectations? Perhaps.
With all that said, it really makes me wonder how many times professional music critics typically listen to an album before reviewing it. I have no idea what the answer is, and if anyone reading this can provide some insight that would be great. I do know that to me, the idea of making a definitive judgment about an album after just one, or even two or three, listens is absurd.
I've now given sufficient attention to I Am Very Far to be able to declare that it's another brilliant addition to Okkervil River's catalog. Opening track "The Valley" is a good preview for the album as a whole. It's big sounding, somewhat chaotic, and lavishly orchestrated with all sorts of flourishes from piano and strings. The second track, "Piratess," will sound familiar to many long-time Okkervil River fans. It's a new version of their old song "Murderess." The decision to remake a slow, low-fi acoustic song into a slick-sounding number with a disco-esque beat is a little curious, and I've seen some serious bitching in the song's last.fm shoutbox (this goes back to that familiarity idea, no doubt). For me, though, the song really works.
After a strong start, the album just gets better. "We Need A Myth" is the centerpiece, and a contender for the strongest track. There's so much going on in this song, and Sheff's lyrics and emotion-wracked vocals about searching for meaning in the world bring it all home.
What we're after is just this
A myth
And I'm sick
Of all these picture books that try
To steal some old reflections for their light
But desperate measures point to desperate times
Which is why
We need a myth
Strong lyrics are one thing you can always count on in an Okkervil River album. To me, Sheff's way with words surpasses any other songwriter out there right now, and it's really not even close.
"Show Yourself" is another definite standout. Incredibly atmospheric in sound, it's so unlike anything the band has done before (perhaps sounding more like a Shearwater track), and yet so, so good. I really hope this one will be a regular in their setlists; I imagine it would be stunning live. And speaking of Shearwater, Jonathan Meiburg lends some excellent backing vocals to a number of tracks on the album. He and Sheff's voices really work so well together, and I was saddened when it was reported that Meiburg would no longer be with Okkervil River, so it's great to hear him contributing to the new album.
The album concludes very strongly as well, with raucous, irresistible first single "Wake And Be Fine" leading into the absolutely gorgeous closer "The Rise." What it all comes down to is that this is yet another classic album from Okkervil River. I'd be very surprised if a better album is released this year.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Rural Alberta Advantage at the Beachland Ballroom
Canadian indie rockers The Rural Alberta Advantage rolled into Cleveland on Easter Sunday for the last stop of their U.S. tour in support of their new (and highly recommended) album Departing. They played a great show to a very appreciative audience in the Beachland Ballroom (a step up in venues from their last Cleveland show in the Beachland's smaller room, the Tavern - it's good to see the band's audience expanding). Before I expound on last night's concert, though, I'd like to talk about an experience the previous night.
On April 23rd I went to Columbus to see The Decemberists play at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. It was, quite frankly, a disappointing experience. The LC's indoor venue holds 2200 people, and it was sold out. It turned out that it really wasn't my kind of atmosphere for seeing a concert. I can't fault the Decemberists for getting so popular - I certainly think they deserve it - but I can definitely fault all the people at the show who were more interested in getting drunk and talking to their bros than in watching and listening to the band perform. It came close to ruining the show for me. By the end of the night, it was, overall, an enjoyable experience. Especially "The Mariner's Revenge Song," which is just an amazing thing to witness live. Then, at least, being in a crowd of two thousand people all screaming as if we were being devoured by a giant whale added to the experience rather than detracting from it. When the band opened by playing The Tain in its entirety(!!!) and people all around were talking the whole time, on the other hand...
Colin Meloy definitely noticed it, as he made a comment at one point in the concert about how the people toward the back didn't seem to be paying attention. It makes me wonder whether bands might sometimes prefer to play for somewhat smaller crowds who are all paying them rapt attention. It's hard to imagine an artist wishing that less people would listen to their music, but there are tradeoffs to popularity, I suppose - both for artists and for their fans.
Moving forward one night to the show at the Beachland, the atmosphere couldn't have been more different. The crowd was at best one-tenth the size of that at the LC, but everyone who was there was there to see music performed.
I very much enjoyed opening act Lord Huron. I had never listened to any of their music before, but after the show I ended up buying both of their EPs. They play a breezy brand of indie folk-rock. At times in the show I was reminded of a folkier Local Natives. I've also seen "a tropical Fleet Foxes" used as a descriptor, which I could see. I've since learned that the EPs were a solo project of the lead singer, and he has now put together a band to play shows and write new music. Lord Huron could work on their consistency, as I found some of their songs to be just decent. Several of the songs they played, on the other hand, were just outstanding, including "The Stranger." I'm pretty sure some of the songs I most enjoyed are as yet unreleased. They really had some killer harmonies, so I'll definitely look forward to the full band's recorded output. This is a band to watch.
The RAA took the stage next, and performed a roughly one-hour-twenty-minute set that covered the large majority of their two album catalog. I recently reviewed their new album, so I would find it redundant to describe their music in great detail, but suffice it to say that they are even better live than on their albums. Each of the three members of the band brings a tremendous passion and enthusiasm to their performances. Nils Edenloff really packs the emotions into his nasal, at times heart-wrenching vocals. Amy Cole's synth parts and pretty backing vocals provide a vital complement, and Paul Banwatt's drumming is just a marvel to behold in person. Here's their setlist (I managed to snag Amy's after the show):
Luciana
Muscle Relaxants
Don't Haunt This Place
Under the Knife
Rush Apart
Tornado '87
Ballad of the RAA
Two Lovers
The Breakup
Eye of the Tiger (Nils solo)
Four Night Rider
Edmonton
Frank, AB
In The Summertime
Drain the Blood
The Deadroads
Stamp
___________
North Star
Barnes' Yard
Sleep All Day
The Dethbridge in Lethbridge
Good Night
Some of the highlights to me included "Frank, AB" and "Stamp," but really, the whole set was great. When Nils introduced "Dethbridge" as the last song, I was thinking, "No! Play 'Good Night' too!" ("Good Night" was not on the written setlist.) So when Nils led the band off of the stage and down onto the floor among the crowd as "Dethbridge" came to its close, I was both thrilled and relieved. The band closed, as they had the previous time I saw them, by playing "Good Night" unplugged standing in the middle of the audience. It's really a special thing to experience. I couldn't help but think about how this would never work with the crowd at the previous night's show.
Nils said on stage that this was the last night of their tour, and they couldn't think of a better way to end it. He was obviously very sincere in his gratitude for the great audience response, and it was a really cool thing to see. All three band members were eager to chat with the crowd by the merch table after the show. I absolutely love this poster, which they were happy to autograph:
It was just a fantastic night, and I'm really appreciative of both a great band, and the great venue I got to see them in.
On a related note, the same night that The Decemberists played Columbus, another band I really like, The New Pornographers, played in Cleveland at the House of Blues. I saw them play the Beachland (with Okkervil River opening, truly an amazing show) a few years ago. As reported in Cleveland Scene, during the show Neko Case said, "I like the Beachland about 8000 times fucking more" than the House of Blues. As if I needed any more reason to like Neko Case!
But I guess this goes back to the idea of tradeoffs that I mentioned earlier. For me as a fan, I kind of feel like the RAA are at a near ideal level of popularity - they tour regularly, and I can see them with a good-sized but not overwhelming crowd in an intimate venue for pretty cheap. And of course, they clearly very much enjoy playing such shows as well. But if they grew to a Decemberists level of popularity, they would undoubtedly be able to be more comfortable making a living from music. I wonder what the musicians' feelings on these matters are?
On April 23rd I went to Columbus to see The Decemberists play at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. It was, quite frankly, a disappointing experience. The LC's indoor venue holds 2200 people, and it was sold out. It turned out that it really wasn't my kind of atmosphere for seeing a concert. I can't fault the Decemberists for getting so popular - I certainly think they deserve it - but I can definitely fault all the people at the show who were more interested in getting drunk and talking to their bros than in watching and listening to the band perform. It came close to ruining the show for me. By the end of the night, it was, overall, an enjoyable experience. Especially "The Mariner's Revenge Song," which is just an amazing thing to witness live. Then, at least, being in a crowd of two thousand people all screaming as if we were being devoured by a giant whale added to the experience rather than detracting from it. When the band opened by playing The Tain in its entirety(!!!) and people all around were talking the whole time, on the other hand...
Colin Meloy definitely noticed it, as he made a comment at one point in the concert about how the people toward the back didn't seem to be paying attention. It makes me wonder whether bands might sometimes prefer to play for somewhat smaller crowds who are all paying them rapt attention. It's hard to imagine an artist wishing that less people would listen to their music, but there are tradeoffs to popularity, I suppose - both for artists and for their fans.
Moving forward one night to the show at the Beachland, the atmosphere couldn't have been more different. The crowd was at best one-tenth the size of that at the LC, but everyone who was there was there to see music performed.
I very much enjoyed opening act Lord Huron. I had never listened to any of their music before, but after the show I ended up buying both of their EPs. They play a breezy brand of indie folk-rock. At times in the show I was reminded of a folkier Local Natives. I've also seen "a tropical Fleet Foxes" used as a descriptor, which I could see. I've since learned that the EPs were a solo project of the lead singer, and he has now put together a band to play shows and write new music. Lord Huron could work on their consistency, as I found some of their songs to be just decent. Several of the songs they played, on the other hand, were just outstanding, including "The Stranger." I'm pretty sure some of the songs I most enjoyed are as yet unreleased. They really had some killer harmonies, so I'll definitely look forward to the full band's recorded output. This is a band to watch.
The RAA took the stage next, and performed a roughly one-hour-twenty-minute set that covered the large majority of their two album catalog. I recently reviewed their new album, so I would find it redundant to describe their music in great detail, but suffice it to say that they are even better live than on their albums. Each of the three members of the band brings a tremendous passion and enthusiasm to their performances. Nils Edenloff really packs the emotions into his nasal, at times heart-wrenching vocals. Amy Cole's synth parts and pretty backing vocals provide a vital complement, and Paul Banwatt's drumming is just a marvel to behold in person. Here's their setlist (I managed to snag Amy's after the show):
Luciana
Muscle Relaxants
Don't Haunt This Place
Under the Knife
Rush Apart
Tornado '87
Ballad of the RAA
Two Lovers
The Breakup
Eye of the Tiger (Nils solo)
Four Night Rider
Edmonton
Frank, AB
In The Summertime
Drain the Blood
The Deadroads
Stamp
___________
North Star
Barnes' Yard
Sleep All Day
The Dethbridge in Lethbridge
Good Night
Some of the highlights to me included "Frank, AB" and "Stamp," but really, the whole set was great. When Nils introduced "Dethbridge" as the last song, I was thinking, "No! Play 'Good Night' too!" ("Good Night" was not on the written setlist.) So when Nils led the band off of the stage and down onto the floor among the crowd as "Dethbridge" came to its close, I was both thrilled and relieved. The band closed, as they had the previous time I saw them, by playing "Good Night" unplugged standing in the middle of the audience. It's really a special thing to experience. I couldn't help but think about how this would never work with the crowd at the previous night's show.
Nils said on stage that this was the last night of their tour, and they couldn't think of a better way to end it. He was obviously very sincere in his gratitude for the great audience response, and it was a really cool thing to see. All three band members were eager to chat with the crowd by the merch table after the show. I absolutely love this poster, which they were happy to autograph:
It was just a fantastic night, and I'm really appreciative of both a great band, and the great venue I got to see them in.
On a related note, the same night that The Decemberists played Columbus, another band I really like, The New Pornographers, played in Cleveland at the House of Blues. I saw them play the Beachland (with Okkervil River opening, truly an amazing show) a few years ago. As reported in Cleveland Scene, during the show Neko Case said, "I like the Beachland about 8000 times fucking more" than the House of Blues. As if I needed any more reason to like Neko Case!
But I guess this goes back to the idea of tradeoffs that I mentioned earlier. For me as a fan, I kind of feel like the RAA are at a near ideal level of popularity - they tour regularly, and I can see them with a good-sized but not overwhelming crowd in an intimate venue for pretty cheap. And of course, they clearly very much enjoy playing such shows as well. But if they grew to a Decemberists level of popularity, they would undoubtedly be able to be more comfortable making a living from music. I wonder what the musicians' feelings on these matters are?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Jeff and Cara's Day Off
About two weeks ago, on March 26, we made the drive to Chicago to see Godspeed You! Black Emperor play at the Metro. This was something I never thought I'd get to do, until Godspeed announced these shows last fall. I got into the band some time after they went on hiatus, I love their music, and I'd heard about their legendary live shows. When they came back from hiatus to go on tour, I knew this might be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I had to go. Fortunately, one of the Chicago dates fell on a Saturday, making it a convenient opportunity for a weekend away.
Unlike Cara, I had been to Chicago several times before. I have a lot of memories there. My most recent visit had been for the 2009 Neuroscience conference, when I fell in love with the food in Chinatown. Further back, I had been there for three cross country meets and one indoor track meet.
For the first of the three cross country meets, the men's team actually raced at Notre Dame on Friday, and we then went on to Chicago, where the women's team raced on Saturday. The next two years, both squads raced in Chicago. Also notable is that the indoor track meet, the conference championships, was the last time I competed for my school. I knew going into that race that I was outclassed by the competition, and I intentionally went out at a faster pace than I thought I could handle in the hopes that I was actually in better shape than I knew. Not surprisingly, this wasn't the case, and I came in last (although not by an embarrassing margin), but it was a good effort. The next day's 12-miler along the lakefront was probably one of my favorite runs ever.
I've had a lot of good runs in Chicago, actually, including my fastest 8 kilometer cross country race ever my senior year. So yeah, lots of memories...
I actually really enjoy going to a place like Chicago with Cara and getting to show her things I've seen before but that she's never experienced. Chicago is an awesome city. Our first experience there on this visit, though, was being stuck in horrendous traffic. This was at about 4:30 on Saturday afternoon, and I shudder to think about what it's like during rush hour on weekdays. I could never put myself through that every day.
We made it to our hotel without too much trouble, though, and after unwinding for a bit we headed out to get some of the famous Chicago-style pizza at Giordano's. A big part of visiting any city for us is experiencing the local food, and Chicago is definitely quite a place in that regard! We both agreed the pizza was fantastic.
Next on the agenda was the main attraction on the trip. Cara and I have enjoyed traveling to other cities to see concerts in the past, and it's always been a great experience. It had been quite a while since we had made such a trip, though, since October of 2008, so in a way this was like old times. And as usual when we travel to a concert, this concert was a very memorable one.
We arrived at the Metro to find it, not surprisingly, already very crowded. Fortunately, we were able to make our way to a spot in the balcony with a decent view of the stage. Opener Eric Chenaux was already playing. Neither of us found his music particularly interesting (an opinion we felt was not uncommon in the audience), so we were glad that he didn't play for too long. Then, the waiting...
Godspeed began their set with a long drone number. One by one, the members of the band came on stage, each adding their own touches to the "Hope Drone." Once they were all set, they moved into the next number, the first two movements of "Storm" from the album Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven. It was so beautiful, I was almost moved to tears.
I love music. Sometimes, on rare occasions, a really great concert can be like a spiritual experience. This was one of those times.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor play powerful instrumental music that I'd describe as an appropriate soundtrack for the end of the world. Some of their compositions could fittingly play as one ascended to heaven. Some would be more appropriate accompaniments for visions of fire and brimstone. And much of their music could track a more mundane conceptualization of the world's demise - decaying cities and landscapes ravaged by industrialization and over-consumption.
To my amazement, the band played for two and a half hours without a break. It was, no question, one of the best concerts I've ever been to. They closed by playing the Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada EP in its entirety, with extended versions of both "Moya" and "Blaise Bailey Finnegan III." Wow. Seriously, it was just spectacular. As the concertgoers slowly filed out of the venue afterwards, there was a palpable sense that we had all just experienced something utterly staggering.
Also, something extremely loud. Godspeed are known for loud shows, and I warned Cara repeatedly to bring earplugs. We both were very thankful we had them; we also noticed that many attendees did not. This, to me, seems like the height of stupidity. The folly of youth, I suppose.
Cara had not listened to GY!BE much before, but was just as blown away by the show as I was. (Incidentally, I'm listening to a bootleg as I write this; I'm always grateful when there are recordings available of memorable shows I've been to. It's nice to relive the experience.) So, for the concert alone, the trip was well worth taking. Luckily, the fun was not over yet, as we had some time to be tourists the next day.
We started with a trip to Montrose Harbor. This is a place which I remember well - it's the site of the aforementioned cross country meet. Going to a place that you've visited before and remember well but haven't seen in years is an interesting experience. Memories rush back at you. In a way, I'm a different person now than I was then, yet there's obviously a very strong connection with my past self.
Even had I never been there before, Montrose Harbor would be well worth visiting for the views of the city alone.
We also took a walk out along the beach there. It was a chilly, windy day, but quite gorgeous.
Next, we went downtown to Millennium Park. It's a really cool place, and the sunny day made for fantastic sightseeing.
Cara got a neat picture there.
More pictures!
We finished up our time in Chicago with a visit to Chinatown, where we ate at Joy Yee Noodles. I'd been there on the Neuroscience trip, and loved it, so I wanted to share the experience with Cara. They have my favorite bubble tea in the world - I go for the coconut. Our food was also wonderful.
This will certainly not be the last time we see Chicago. If we're really lucky, maybe it also won't be the last time we see Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
Unlike Cara, I had been to Chicago several times before. I have a lot of memories there. My most recent visit had been for the 2009 Neuroscience conference, when I fell in love with the food in Chinatown. Further back, I had been there for three cross country meets and one indoor track meet.
For the first of the three cross country meets, the men's team actually raced at Notre Dame on Friday, and we then went on to Chicago, where the women's team raced on Saturday. The next two years, both squads raced in Chicago. Also notable is that the indoor track meet, the conference championships, was the last time I competed for my school. I knew going into that race that I was outclassed by the competition, and I intentionally went out at a faster pace than I thought I could handle in the hopes that I was actually in better shape than I knew. Not surprisingly, this wasn't the case, and I came in last (although not by an embarrassing margin), but it was a good effort. The next day's 12-miler along the lakefront was probably one of my favorite runs ever.
I've had a lot of good runs in Chicago, actually, including my fastest 8 kilometer cross country race ever my senior year. So yeah, lots of memories...
I actually really enjoy going to a place like Chicago with Cara and getting to show her things I've seen before but that she's never experienced. Chicago is an awesome city. Our first experience there on this visit, though, was being stuck in horrendous traffic. This was at about 4:30 on Saturday afternoon, and I shudder to think about what it's like during rush hour on weekdays. I could never put myself through that every day.
We made it to our hotel without too much trouble, though, and after unwinding for a bit we headed out to get some of the famous Chicago-style pizza at Giordano's. A big part of visiting any city for us is experiencing the local food, and Chicago is definitely quite a place in that regard! We both agreed the pizza was fantastic.
Next on the agenda was the main attraction on the trip. Cara and I have enjoyed traveling to other cities to see concerts in the past, and it's always been a great experience. It had been quite a while since we had made such a trip, though, since October of 2008, so in a way this was like old times. And as usual when we travel to a concert, this concert was a very memorable one.
We arrived at the Metro to find it, not surprisingly, already very crowded. Fortunately, we were able to make our way to a spot in the balcony with a decent view of the stage. Opener Eric Chenaux was already playing. Neither of us found his music particularly interesting (an opinion we felt was not uncommon in the audience), so we were glad that he didn't play for too long. Then, the waiting...
Godspeed began their set with a long drone number. One by one, the members of the band came on stage, each adding their own touches to the "Hope Drone." Once they were all set, they moved into the next number, the first two movements of "Storm" from the album Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven. It was so beautiful, I was almost moved to tears.
I love music. Sometimes, on rare occasions, a really great concert can be like a spiritual experience. This was one of those times.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor play powerful instrumental music that I'd describe as an appropriate soundtrack for the end of the world. Some of their compositions could fittingly play as one ascended to heaven. Some would be more appropriate accompaniments for visions of fire and brimstone. And much of their music could track a more mundane conceptualization of the world's demise - decaying cities and landscapes ravaged by industrialization and over-consumption.
To my amazement, the band played for two and a half hours without a break. It was, no question, one of the best concerts I've ever been to. They closed by playing the Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada EP in its entirety, with extended versions of both "Moya" and "Blaise Bailey Finnegan III." Wow. Seriously, it was just spectacular. As the concertgoers slowly filed out of the venue afterwards, there was a palpable sense that we had all just experienced something utterly staggering.
Also, something extremely loud. Godspeed are known for loud shows, and I warned Cara repeatedly to bring earplugs. We both were very thankful we had them; we also noticed that many attendees did not. This, to me, seems like the height of stupidity. The folly of youth, I suppose.
Cara had not listened to GY!BE much before, but was just as blown away by the show as I was. (Incidentally, I'm listening to a bootleg as I write this; I'm always grateful when there are recordings available of memorable shows I've been to. It's nice to relive the experience.) So, for the concert alone, the trip was well worth taking. Luckily, the fun was not over yet, as we had some time to be tourists the next day.
We started with a trip to Montrose Harbor. This is a place which I remember well - it's the site of the aforementioned cross country meet. Going to a place that you've visited before and remember well but haven't seen in years is an interesting experience. Memories rush back at you. In a way, I'm a different person now than I was then, yet there's obviously a very strong connection with my past self.
Even had I never been there before, Montrose Harbor would be well worth visiting for the views of the city alone.
We also took a walk out along the beach there. It was a chilly, windy day, but quite gorgeous.
Next, we went downtown to Millennium Park. It's a really cool place, and the sunny day made for fantastic sightseeing.
Cara got a neat picture there.
More pictures!
We finished up our time in Chicago with a visit to Chinatown, where we ate at Joy Yee Noodles. I'd been there on the Neuroscience trip, and loved it, so I wanted to share the experience with Cara. They have my favorite bubble tea in the world - I go for the coconut. Our food was also wonderful.
This will certainly not be the last time we see Chicago. If we're really lucky, maybe it also won't be the last time we see Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Rural Alberta Advantage: Departing
Canadian indie rockers The Rural Alberta Advantage really struck gold with their debut album Hometowns, going from being unsigned when they made the album to having it reissued on the Saddle Creek label, home of Bright Eyes. Last week they released the followup Departing. Having the pressure of high expectations placed on them this time around, could they come through and deliver more musical excellence? The answer is a definite yes.
Departing is ten more tracks of the RAA's signature sound - Nils Edenloff's Jeff Mangum-esque vocals over purposefully strummed acoustic guitar and propulsive keyboard and percussion. The RAA are a three-person band, and they don't put anything extraneous into their music; every part of each song feels like it should be there. This lends a real vitality to the music.
The first five songs on the album are all quite good, but generally not truly exceptional. If the rest of the album continued in the same way it might be seen as something of a sophomore slump. Instead, the album really picks up in the second half as the ensuing two tracks, "Stamp" and "Tornado '87," are easily two of the band's strongest ever. When I saw the RAA live in July 2009, I was particularly struck by the intensity and precision of Paul Banwatt's drumming. His talents are on full display in "Stamp." The video for this song is worth watching. I rarely find music videos very interesting, but this one is hilarious, and it's a great song too.
Album closer "Good Night" is another standout track. It's one where the vocals are the focus - Edenloff's incisive, nasal lead vocals and Amy Cole's pretty backing vocals as the perfect counterpoint. In concert, the band has a tradition of stepping off from the stage to play this song among the audience, sans microphones. It's an amazing thing to experience - here's a video I found from the show I attended, although being there in person was far better than watching it on YouTube. The album version does a remarkable job of recreating that. It sounds like a really good live recording, closing out the album wonderfully.
As a whole, Departing is not much of a departure in sound from Hometowns. The band does let up from their typical frenetic pace on more of the tracks of the second album than on its predecessor, but all the emotional intensity is still present. None of the songs on Departing would sound out of place on the RAA's debut. When the music is so good, though, this isn't really anything to complain about. (Maybe if their next album or two also lack much evolution, then I would start to be bothered.) Actually, my biggest complaint about Departing is that it's too short, and anytime you can say that it's pretty certain that you have a good album on your hands.
Departing is ten more tracks of the RAA's signature sound - Nils Edenloff's Jeff Mangum-esque vocals over purposefully strummed acoustic guitar and propulsive keyboard and percussion. The RAA are a three-person band, and they don't put anything extraneous into their music; every part of each song feels like it should be there. This lends a real vitality to the music.
The first five songs on the album are all quite good, but generally not truly exceptional. If the rest of the album continued in the same way it might be seen as something of a sophomore slump. Instead, the album really picks up in the second half as the ensuing two tracks, "Stamp" and "Tornado '87," are easily two of the band's strongest ever. When I saw the RAA live in July 2009, I was particularly struck by the intensity and precision of Paul Banwatt's drumming. His talents are on full display in "Stamp." The video for this song is worth watching. I rarely find music videos very interesting, but this one is hilarious, and it's a great song too.
Album closer "Good Night" is another standout track. It's one where the vocals are the focus - Edenloff's incisive, nasal lead vocals and Amy Cole's pretty backing vocals as the perfect counterpoint. In concert, the band has a tradition of stepping off from the stage to play this song among the audience, sans microphones. It's an amazing thing to experience - here's a video I found from the show I attended, although being there in person was far better than watching it on YouTube. The album version does a remarkable job of recreating that. It sounds like a really good live recording, closing out the album wonderfully.
As a whole, Departing is not much of a departure in sound from Hometowns. The band does let up from their typical frenetic pace on more of the tracks of the second album than on its predecessor, but all the emotional intensity is still present. None of the songs on Departing would sound out of place on the RAA's debut. When the music is so good, though, this isn't really anything to complain about. (Maybe if their next album or two also lack much evolution, then I would start to be bothered.) Actually, my biggest complaint about Departing is that it's too short, and anytime you can say that it's pretty certain that you have a good album on your hands.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Zoey Van Goey: Propeller Vs. Wings and The Cage Was Unlocked All Along
I've been meaning to write something about Zoey Van Goey for some time now. I discovered the Scottish indie pop band close to a year ago, and really fell in love with their debut album The Cage Was Unlocked All Along, but never got around to writing about it. Now that they've released their sophomore effort, Propeller Vs. Wings, I figured it would be worth covering both albums in one post.
The first piece of information you might want to know about Zoey Van Goey is that Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian produced their first single ("Foxtrot Vandals"). Now, Zoey Van Goey are hardly Belle and Sebastian sound-alikes, but like Belle and Sebastian, they play indie pop music that I would describe as, well, rather charming. Both bands are also from Glasgow. So if you like Belle and Sebastian, you might want to check out Zoey Van Goey.
The Cage Was Unlocked All Along was released in 2009. When I put together my list of favorite albums from that year, I had not yet heard of Zoey Van Goey. Looking back now, they would in fact occupy second place on that list; the album is that good. It's hard to name standout tracks; the songs are almost uniformly very good from start to finish. This is impressive for such a young band; also impressive is Zoey Van Goey's ability to vary their sound from song to song and excel in each. Witness "We All Hid In Basements," containing a heavy guitar part near the end of the track that would sound right at home on a post-rock album. It's followed right up by the beautifully dreamy "Two White Ghosts," and then the more straightforward but incredibly catchy, handclap-laden pop of "Foxtrot Vandals." Clever lyrics, lush instrumentation and girl/boy vocals add to the irresistible nature of Zoey Van Goey's music. The Cage is a fantastic debut that indie pop fans should not miss.
After such a strong first album, I was very much looking forward to the followup. Propeller Vs. Wings picks up nicely where its predecessor left off. In general, it's more of the same sort of charming indie pop. Kim Moore's vocals are even stronger on Propeller than on The Cage; she especially shows off her vocal pipes on "Escape Maps." All in all, though, I have to admit I'm slightly disappointed in the album. Don't get me wrong, it's very good, it's just hurt by how great its predecessor was. There is what I would consider a mis-step on third-to-last track "Robot Tyrannosaur" (The Cage's weakest track was also in the third-to-last slot, but "Nae Wonder" was a much smaller mis-step comparatively.) I don't want to focus too much on negativity, though, as the album is well worth listening to. And while "Robot Tyrannosaur" has lyrics that are a bit, well, dumb, amusingly affecting lyrics abound on other tracks, such as "You Told the Drunks I Knew Karate":
I do the dumbest things for you
Why do I do the dumbest things for you?
I almost broke my collar bone
I didn't care, you were the most exciting thing I'd ever known
I go back to that word "charming." I think that's the best way to describe Zoey Van Goey's music. It's also consistently catchy, fun, and at times beautiful. I very strongly recommend The Cage Was Unlocked All Along, and if you like that album, definitely check out Propeller Vs. Wings as well. Each album has a free track available on Amazon:
The Best Treasure Stays Buried
The Cake and Eating It
The first piece of information you might want to know about Zoey Van Goey is that Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian produced their first single ("Foxtrot Vandals"). Now, Zoey Van Goey are hardly Belle and Sebastian sound-alikes, but like Belle and Sebastian, they play indie pop music that I would describe as, well, rather charming. Both bands are also from Glasgow. So if you like Belle and Sebastian, you might want to check out Zoey Van Goey.
The Cage Was Unlocked All Along was released in 2009. When I put together my list of favorite albums from that year, I had not yet heard of Zoey Van Goey. Looking back now, they would in fact occupy second place on that list; the album is that good. It's hard to name standout tracks; the songs are almost uniformly very good from start to finish. This is impressive for such a young band; also impressive is Zoey Van Goey's ability to vary their sound from song to song and excel in each. Witness "We All Hid In Basements," containing a heavy guitar part near the end of the track that would sound right at home on a post-rock album. It's followed right up by the beautifully dreamy "Two White Ghosts," and then the more straightforward but incredibly catchy, handclap-laden pop of "Foxtrot Vandals." Clever lyrics, lush instrumentation and girl/boy vocals add to the irresistible nature of Zoey Van Goey's music. The Cage is a fantastic debut that indie pop fans should not miss.
After such a strong first album, I was very much looking forward to the followup. Propeller Vs. Wings picks up nicely where its predecessor left off. In general, it's more of the same sort of charming indie pop. Kim Moore's vocals are even stronger on Propeller than on The Cage; she especially shows off her vocal pipes on "Escape Maps." All in all, though, I have to admit I'm slightly disappointed in the album. Don't get me wrong, it's very good, it's just hurt by how great its predecessor was. There is what I would consider a mis-step on third-to-last track "Robot Tyrannosaur" (The Cage's weakest track was also in the third-to-last slot, but "Nae Wonder" was a much smaller mis-step comparatively.) I don't want to focus too much on negativity, though, as the album is well worth listening to. And while "Robot Tyrannosaur" has lyrics that are a bit, well, dumb, amusingly affecting lyrics abound on other tracks, such as "You Told the Drunks I Knew Karate":
I do the dumbest things for you
Why do I do the dumbest things for you?
I almost broke my collar bone
I didn't care, you were the most exciting thing I'd ever known
I go back to that word "charming." I think that's the best way to describe Zoey Van Goey's music. It's also consistently catchy, fun, and at times beautiful. I very strongly recommend The Cage Was Unlocked All Along, and if you like that album, definitely check out Propeller Vs. Wings as well. Each album has a free track available on Amazon:
The Best Treasure Stays Buried
The Cake and Eating It
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Moving Mountains at Peabody's Pirate's Cove (and prior adventures) (and NEW Weaver at the Loom!)
Moving Mountains, who played in Cleveland on Thursday, are a band I'd been hoping to see live for a long time.
Well, I should clarify that. I'd seen them twice before. But I never felt like I really saw them play a proper set until now. Both of the previous times were, shall we say, interesting experiences. The first, in fact, was quite an adventure.
On July 4, 2009, Moving Mountains (whose music I'd describe as heavy post-rock with emo vocals) played a show in Youngstown, Ohio. Being a pretty big fan of the band, and never having had the chance to see them before, I decided to make the hour-plus drive down to Youngstown for the concert. I had seen on the venue's MySpace page that the show, which featured three bands in total with Moving Mountains headlining, was supposed to be at noon. This seemed a little odd, but since it was the 4th of July holiday, I accepted it. So I drove to Youngstown and arrived in the early afternoon. When I got to the address, it looked like a somewhat run-down house. I approached the building, and when I saw someone, said I was there for the concert.
I was very early, as it turned out. The show time had been moved to 4. So I had several hours of free time to kill in Youngstown, a city I'd never been in before.
Youngstown is honestly a pretty depressing place, and this is coming from someone who loves Cleveland. I managed to make a good time of it, though, having lunch at a local restaurant and then going for a nice long walk in Mill Creek Metro Park. When I made my way back to the venue, there was still a good amount of time to wait before the music actually started, which turned out to be closer to 6, as I recall. The show was an outdoor concert - the house itself was in the process of being converted into a concert venue. So imagine seeing a concert in someone's yard; that's basically what this was. The members of the three bands and a handful of concertgoers hung out in the yard, eating hot dogs. I watched the members of Moving Mountains (conveniently four in number) play cornhole.
When it came time for Moving Mountains to play their set, just before they started, the lead singer went off to a Port-a-John. He returned to the makeshift stage to announce that he had gotten sick. So the set was off to an interesting start. Moving Mountains gave a great performance full of energy, but only played for about half an hour. And not surprisingly, given the venue, the sound was lacking. It felt odd to have driven so far for that, but I did enjoy myself.
The second time I saw Moving Mountains was far more disappointing. They played at the Beachland Ballroom, the first of four bands in a show headlined by Say Anything, who were also supported by Eisley and Moneen. Honestly, I was only going to the show to see Moving Mountains, and my interest level dropped with each subsequent band on the bill. I felt a little odd paying as much as I did just so I could see the first band in a four band lineup, but I really wanted to see them in a proper venue after the Youngstown adventure.
The show was scheduled to start at 8. I arrived at 7:50 to find a long line outside the building. I had not expected this at all - the doors were at 7; why was there a line now? The problem apparently stemmed from the fact that this was a show with a very young audience compared to most shows I go to. The line moved dreadfully slowly, at times seeming not to move at all. When I finally got in, it was 8:10, and I had missed half of Moving Mountains' set. Yes, they only got to play for twenty minutes, and I missed half of it. I was quite angry at the time, but it was my fault.
So when they announced they would be playing a headlining show in Cleveland, I was pretty pumped. Amazingly, the same thing nearly happened to me as at the Beachland. The show was scheduled to have doors at 7, and according to Peabody's website shows generally start an hour after doors. There was one opening band. I arrived at 8:25, thinking I might catch the end of the openers' set. Instead, I found Moving Mountains already getting ready to play. They started just ten minutes after I arrived.
I had never been to Peabody's before. The Pirate's Cove, the smaller of two venues in the building, is actually a surprisingly cool place to see a concert. It's a small room, but with a nice, elevated, well-lit stage, and a good sound system. There's even a balcony. I wished I had brought my camera, but that's okay.
Finally, more than a year and a half after that July 4th adventure, I was getting to see Moving Mountains play a proper set. They did not disappoint. Each time I've seen them, they've brought tremendous energy to their performances, moving around a lot on stage and really getting into the music. This was easily the best performance from them I'd seen. They did not let up the intensity through a 50 minute set, mixing up new songs with tracks from their previous releases Pneuma and Foreword. I have to say, the new stuff really sounds great. It tends toward the heavier side of their sound, from what they played, at least. In general I don't listen to much music where the vocals contain screaming, but with this band, it really works for me. I can't wait for the new album, which should come out next month.
As I write this, I'm listening to another band that fans of Moving Mountains would be well advised to check out. That band is Weaver at the Loom. They, like Moving Mountains, could be described as post-rock with emo vocals, although they have a more atmospheric, mellow sound and no screaming. Both bands are masters at creating really epic, emotional songs. And lo and behold, I've just learned that Weaver at the Loom have released new music for the first time in years! This is something I'd feared would never happen. They've only previously released a five-song EP in 2007, and I've been returning to those five songs again and again. "You can't evade them" and "Without fear of their return" in particular give me chills. Apparently the band is now just one guy, but he's the one who's been the creative force behind the project the whole way. There are two new songs out new; I'm listening for the first time and I like what I hear!
Well, I should clarify that. I'd seen them twice before. But I never felt like I really saw them play a proper set until now. Both of the previous times were, shall we say, interesting experiences. The first, in fact, was quite an adventure.
On July 4, 2009, Moving Mountains (whose music I'd describe as heavy post-rock with emo vocals) played a show in Youngstown, Ohio. Being a pretty big fan of the band, and never having had the chance to see them before, I decided to make the hour-plus drive down to Youngstown for the concert. I had seen on the venue's MySpace page that the show, which featured three bands in total with Moving Mountains headlining, was supposed to be at noon. This seemed a little odd, but since it was the 4th of July holiday, I accepted it. So I drove to Youngstown and arrived in the early afternoon. When I got to the address, it looked like a somewhat run-down house. I approached the building, and when I saw someone, said I was there for the concert.
I was very early, as it turned out. The show time had been moved to 4. So I had several hours of free time to kill in Youngstown, a city I'd never been in before.
Youngstown is honestly a pretty depressing place, and this is coming from someone who loves Cleveland. I managed to make a good time of it, though, having lunch at a local restaurant and then going for a nice long walk in Mill Creek Metro Park. When I made my way back to the venue, there was still a good amount of time to wait before the music actually started, which turned out to be closer to 6, as I recall. The show was an outdoor concert - the house itself was in the process of being converted into a concert venue. So imagine seeing a concert in someone's yard; that's basically what this was. The members of the three bands and a handful of concertgoers hung out in the yard, eating hot dogs. I watched the members of Moving Mountains (conveniently four in number) play cornhole.
When it came time for Moving Mountains to play their set, just before they started, the lead singer went off to a Port-a-John. He returned to the makeshift stage to announce that he had gotten sick. So the set was off to an interesting start. Moving Mountains gave a great performance full of energy, but only played for about half an hour. And not surprisingly, given the venue, the sound was lacking. It felt odd to have driven so far for that, but I did enjoy myself.
The second time I saw Moving Mountains was far more disappointing. They played at the Beachland Ballroom, the first of four bands in a show headlined by Say Anything, who were also supported by Eisley and Moneen. Honestly, I was only going to the show to see Moving Mountains, and my interest level dropped with each subsequent band on the bill. I felt a little odd paying as much as I did just so I could see the first band in a four band lineup, but I really wanted to see them in a proper venue after the Youngstown adventure.
The show was scheduled to start at 8. I arrived at 7:50 to find a long line outside the building. I had not expected this at all - the doors were at 7; why was there a line now? The problem apparently stemmed from the fact that this was a show with a very young audience compared to most shows I go to. The line moved dreadfully slowly, at times seeming not to move at all. When I finally got in, it was 8:10, and I had missed half of Moving Mountains' set. Yes, they only got to play for twenty minutes, and I missed half of it. I was quite angry at the time, but it was my fault.
So when they announced they would be playing a headlining show in Cleveland, I was pretty pumped. Amazingly, the same thing nearly happened to me as at the Beachland. The show was scheduled to have doors at 7, and according to Peabody's website shows generally start an hour after doors. There was one opening band. I arrived at 8:25, thinking I might catch the end of the openers' set. Instead, I found Moving Mountains already getting ready to play. They started just ten minutes after I arrived.
I had never been to Peabody's before. The Pirate's Cove, the smaller of two venues in the building, is actually a surprisingly cool place to see a concert. It's a small room, but with a nice, elevated, well-lit stage, and a good sound system. There's even a balcony. I wished I had brought my camera, but that's okay.
Finally, more than a year and a half after that July 4th adventure, I was getting to see Moving Mountains play a proper set. They did not disappoint. Each time I've seen them, they've brought tremendous energy to their performances, moving around a lot on stage and really getting into the music. This was easily the best performance from them I'd seen. They did not let up the intensity through a 50 minute set, mixing up new songs with tracks from their previous releases Pneuma and Foreword. I have to say, the new stuff really sounds great. It tends toward the heavier side of their sound, from what they played, at least. In general I don't listen to much music where the vocals contain screaming, but with this band, it really works for me. I can't wait for the new album, which should come out next month.
As I write this, I'm listening to another band that fans of Moving Mountains would be well advised to check out. That band is Weaver at the Loom. They, like Moving Mountains, could be described as post-rock with emo vocals, although they have a more atmospheric, mellow sound and no screaming. Both bands are masters at creating really epic, emotional songs. And lo and behold, I've just learned that Weaver at the Loom have released new music for the first time in years! This is something I'd feared would never happen. They've only previously released a five-song EP in 2007, and I've been returning to those five songs again and again. "You can't evade them" and "Without fear of their return" in particular give me chills. Apparently the band is now just one guy, but he's the one who's been the creative force behind the project the whole way. There are two new songs out new; I'm listening for the first time and I like what I hear!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Who the hell is Arcade Fire?
Arcade Fire winning Album of the Year at the Grammys has been an unexpected source of amazing entertainment.
I've always thought the Grammys were a joke that were more about popularity than quality of music. I'm not some total elitist who thinks popular music is inherently bad, I just think that the correlation between quality and popularity is fairly weak, at best. On the night of the Grammys, Cara and I watched a little of the show while eating dinner, then decided to watch a movie. The only thing still coming up that I was interested in was Arcade Fire, and I certainly didn't expect them to win.
(The movie was Winter's Bone, which Cara had had recommended to her by some friends, but unfortunately we both found it terribly boring.)
After the movie, we went back on the Internet and saw, to our great surprise, Arcade Fire had won Album of the Year! The best part of this was how shocking it was to everyone. The video is great, because you can hear the confusion in Barbara Streisand's voice when she announces the winner, and then see how completely dumbfounded with shock and giddiness the band members are. The first words out of Win Butler's mouth in the acceptance speech are, "What the hell?"
I loved seeing the disdainful reactions of some people on the Internet like "Who the hell is Arcade Fire?" and "I've never heard of them!" It seems so funny coming from my perspective where, among my favorite bands, Arcade Fire is easily one of the most popular. Plus, a band that played a sold out Madison Square Garden can't really be called obscure.
The whole thing is both awesome and hilarious. The Grammy for Album of the Year went to the album that was, in fact, my favorite album of the year? I looked up a complete list of Grammy winners and the only other time that's ever been true was when Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band won.
It will be interesting to see whether this has any broader effects on popular music. I could envision the airwaves being filled with crappy Arcade Fire knockoffs, but somehow I don't think that's likely to happen. It would be nice, though, if this did help bring more attention to all the great music coming out of Canada these days. (Especially if Woodpigeon could gain enough popularity in the States that they would tour here!) Something about the Great White North really seems to inspire musical artistry - or at least music that appeals to my personal tastes! I just checked my last.fm stats for the last year, and a remarkable six of the top eleven artists are from Canada (along with three U.S. and two U.K. artists). For a nation of thirty million odd people, that's certainly more than would ever happen by chance.
As I think about it more, my worldview as a whole is more in line with a typical Canadian than a typical American point of view, and I wonder if there's any connection. Obviously, my taste in music and my opinions on any other subject all arise from the same brain. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some sort of relationship there -both involving the internal processes of my brain and how those processes have been shaped by my life experiences. It's really quite interesting to ponder.
Oh, by the way, I'm a neurobiologist, and clearly a huge nerd!
I've always thought the Grammys were a joke that were more about popularity than quality of music. I'm not some total elitist who thinks popular music is inherently bad, I just think that the correlation between quality and popularity is fairly weak, at best. On the night of the Grammys, Cara and I watched a little of the show while eating dinner, then decided to watch a movie. The only thing still coming up that I was interested in was Arcade Fire, and I certainly didn't expect them to win.
(The movie was Winter's Bone, which Cara had had recommended to her by some friends, but unfortunately we both found it terribly boring.)
After the movie, we went back on the Internet and saw, to our great surprise, Arcade Fire had won Album of the Year! The best part of this was how shocking it was to everyone. The video is great, because you can hear the confusion in Barbara Streisand's voice when she announces the winner, and then see how completely dumbfounded with shock and giddiness the band members are. The first words out of Win Butler's mouth in the acceptance speech are, "What the hell?"
I loved seeing the disdainful reactions of some people on the Internet like "Who the hell is Arcade Fire?" and "I've never heard of them!" It seems so funny coming from my perspective where, among my favorite bands, Arcade Fire is easily one of the most popular. Plus, a band that played a sold out Madison Square Garden can't really be called obscure.
The whole thing is both awesome and hilarious. The Grammy for Album of the Year went to the album that was, in fact, my favorite album of the year? I looked up a complete list of Grammy winners and the only other time that's ever been true was when Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band won.
It will be interesting to see whether this has any broader effects on popular music. I could envision the airwaves being filled with crappy Arcade Fire knockoffs, but somehow I don't think that's likely to happen. It would be nice, though, if this did help bring more attention to all the great music coming out of Canada these days. (Especially if Woodpigeon could gain enough popularity in the States that they would tour here!) Something about the Great White North really seems to inspire musical artistry - or at least music that appeals to my personal tastes! I just checked my last.fm stats for the last year, and a remarkable six of the top eleven artists are from Canada (along with three U.S. and two U.K. artists). For a nation of thirty million odd people, that's certainly more than would ever happen by chance.
As I think about it more, my worldview as a whole is more in line with a typical Canadian than a typical American point of view, and I wonder if there's any connection. Obviously, my taste in music and my opinions on any other subject all arise from the same brain. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some sort of relationship there -both involving the internal processes of my brain and how those processes have been shaped by my life experiences. It's really quite interesting to ponder.
Oh, by the way, I'm a neurobiologist, and clearly a huge nerd!
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