When trying to come up with a mission statement for Over the Rhine, songwriter Linford Dertweiler joked that the band kicked around a few ideas. "We make sad people happy," Detweiler said from stage at The Old Rock House, "and happy people sad."
"We skipped the Prozac and went straight for the sad songs," singer Karin Bergquist added, with a laugh.
All kidding aside, Over the Rhine is not the saddest band on the planet. Sure, they have their share of serious tunes -- "Latter Days" first comes to mind. But, I'm not sure if this is wrist-slitting music we're talking about here. Actually, it's really hard to describe Over the Rhine's sound, mostly because each album they create is different. You can thank Detweiler and Bergquist for that; he is an intelligent, versatile songwriter, one who is supremely underrated in my book, she is a singer (and sometimes songwriter) who can sing almost anything and make it sound fabulous.
Their latest album, The Long Surrender, shows every side of their twenty-year career as a band: it's deep, it's bluesy, it's folky, it's jazzy, and yes, it's sad in parts. It was the focus of their 90-plus minute performance, which was done as a six-piece for this tour -- a big ensemble for Over the Rhine -- but the songs on The Long Surrender warrant this kind of musicianship and preciseness. The stage was a tight fit, and the energy was present, especially during the first two songs, "The Laugh of Recognition" and "Rave On," the latter featuring an outstanding upright bass solo that rocked the room.
They kept delivering doses of The Long Surrender until Bergquist charmed during "I'm On a Roll," a playful tune off 2007's The Trumpet Child that is quickly becoming one of the band's "newer" go-to songs in its live show. With so many albums and songs in their arsenal, they could easily pick a few tunes off Ohio or Good Dog Bad Dog and go through the motions, but what this performance showed me was that Over the Rhine is very much committed to living in their present work, and while that means no "Latter Days" or "All I Need is Everything," the show didn't suffer.
Instead, performances like "Oh Yeah By the Way," a beautiful ballad that was written for a friend, and "Only God Can Save Us Now," felt more engaging. During the latter, Bergquist told a lengthy story about her mother, a former nurse who has been living in a nursing home after a devastating stroke, and the other patients in the home. Each has his or her place in "Only God Can Save Us Now," and Bergquist did a good job of explaining the origins and stories of the people she and Detweiler (her husband) have met over the years -- people whose stories are often untold.
But that's what Over the Rhine does -- they tell stories with their songs. Some, like the ones on 2005's Drunkard's Prayer, are their own. Others, like "Infamous Love Song," are stories about "the human race," which one fan once told Detweiler. Actually, it's not, but it's also not another cheesy rundown of Jack loved Jill, and they carved their names into a tree. Over the Rhine's stories get your attention because you've never heard them before.
There -- I just named their music. It's music you've never heard before. And it's only getting better with time.
On Friday, Ben Sollee and his band (and his cello)
will be back in St. Louis performing at The Old Rock House, and we've got two free tickets to giveaway!
As you may know, Sollee is on tour supporting his new album, Inclusions, which was released on May 10th. Here's the video for one of his new songs, "Close to You."
To
enter, all you have to do is one of the following:
1.
Simply copy and paste this into a tweet: I entered to win 2 tickets
to see @bensollee on 6/3 @oldrockhousestl on
@speakersincode! You can, too - just retweet this to enter!
2.
Send an e-mail to jason.speakersincode@gmail.com.
Seattle-based songwriter Grant Olsen knows a little bit about Robert Frost. In fact, it was Frost's appreciation of the ephemeral beauty of nature, and one of his most famous lines "Nothing gold can stay," that inspired Olsen to name his new solo project Gold Leaves. And while the name hearkens images of sunny autumnal days, the music moves well beyond into each season.
Just as foliage buds and changes color, so, too, does the meaning our Jam of the Day, "The Ornament," assembling curios and souvenirs from a specific period in Olsen's life, yet these tokens will carry a different currency for each listener.
Memories fade, emotions change... and songs take on new meaning. Only time will tell if the music of Gold Leaves will endure the test of time, but at the moment, his debut solo effort, The Ornament, certainly sounds like an old favorite in the making.
Download it below, and pick up the debut LP by the same name here when it is released on August 16th.
I'm want to live Like a free-roamin' soul On the highway of our love
Happy Memorial Day, everybody!
Sometimes you have to look back to look forward. Here's a song taken from the best concert I've ever been to: "Looking Forward" from Neil Young's solo acoustic performance at The Fox Theater on April 14, 1999. It's hard to believe that was twelve years ago, but the entire show is still fresh in my mind; Young's performance showed me the power of live music, even when you're not wailing on an electric guitar.
“I don’t see myself as a singer that plays piano," says Danish singer-songwriter Agnes Obel. "It always feels weird
when people refer to me as a singer, because to me being a singer is
secondary to the music. The songs and the melodies are the most
important to me. But I’m not sure what you call that.”
We're not quite sure to call that either. Whatever it may be, Obel has caught a spark with her music in Europe, as her debut album, Philharmonics, has been certified double platinum in her native Denmark. As beautiful as the songs on Philharmonics can be, it was her cover of Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars" that really got our attention. Here, have a listen.
We're proud to have Obel take part in our 10 to Spin series. Her playlist below is simply titled "Agnes' Favorites," which we think is some pretty nice listening for a relaxing Friday. Enjoy!
Gonzales - Gogol
Because it's like a story.
The Pixies - Where is My Mind?
Reminds me of very good times.
Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You in the End
The out of tune guitar, his voice, and his words.
Nina Simone - Ne Me Quitte Pas
The fusion of jazz, pop and classical… and because no one can sing a song like her.
Grizzly Bear - Ready, Able
I just love how this track moves: dynamic and dreamy.
Satie - Gnossienne 3
The hypnotic simplicity.
Nino Rota - The Godfather
Without a doubt, my favorite film score.
Fleet Foxes - Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
I don't know what to write. I just like this song so much. Maybe because it's like from another time. Or simply because it's just great.
Like a fishing bobber off the coast of their native Queensland, The Middle East have been submerging and resurfacing for quite some time now. The band made its initial splash at SXSW way back in 2010. Following that, The Middle East released a highly anticipated EP, Recordings of The Middle East, which met stellar reviews from fans and bloggers around the globe. Then, they all but disappeared.
Well finally, on July 12th, the seven-member collective will release its debut album, I Want That You Are Always Happy, and we could not be more excited. Take, for example, the quality and sheer beauty of our Jam of the Day, "Hunger Song." It's a gorgeously layered slice of country-folk, driven by knee smacking percussion and playful harmonies that should make those fellas in Fleet Foxes want to step up their game a little.
Download it below - and if you like it, pick it up when it comes out July 12th. It's set to be one of the year's best.
The sounds of Summer Fiction (Philadelphia singer-songwriter Bill Ricchini's new band) have been buzzing in and out of my ears since, well, last winter. That's when I first heard the lead single, "Chandeliers." Oh yeah, sure. It's catchy enough. It has this despondent sock-hop vibe that reminds me of Weezer going all Happy Days in the "Buddy Holly" video. Except, it's way less happy and way more forlorn, in a hip, teenage angst sorta way.
It wasn't until I heard today's Jam of the Day, "It's Getting Dark" that I felt an authentic Summer Fiction spark. Perhaps it's just a more appropriate time of year to be listening to '60s inspired pop.
But, really, I think I needed to hear the album tell its entire story to really get it. It's an assortment of journal entries that document a young girl's coming-of-age (as told through the eyes of all the guys who fall for her along the way). It's a tad gloomy, to be sure. But, I never bought into the glossy Cunninghamlifestyle, anyway.
Summer Fiction's debut album is out now. You can buy it here.
When Brandi Carlile and her band made their way through the thick, sold-out crowd at Gruene Hall minutes before they took the stage, it signaled something rather obvious: this show was going to be a little different. Never had I seen an artist as "big" as Carlile have to fight through her fans to get to where she needed to be. Gruene Hall, Texas' oldest dance hall built in 1878, may not have been built for a night like this. But, in the end, the little quirks that it offered -- like the bathrooms being behind the stage -- made the concert experience all the better for Carlile, her band, and Texas audience in attendance, in the sense that we all felt close for a couple of hours.
And Carlile's music deserves this kind of engagement. Take her unplugged performance of "Dying Day," for example, midway through the show. You could argue that an acoustically-challenged barn that is Gruene Hall is one of the worst places to try an unamplified experiment, but Carlile and her two guitarists, twin brothers Tim and Phil Hanseroth, pulled it off the best as they could, gathering the crowd close, and, more importantly, getting everyone to shut up for a few minutes. Carlile's voice didn't carry as much as it would in a nice theater, but the end result was still pure magic, much like her most recent live album, Live atBenaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony.
Aside from that moment, much of the show focused on energy, and the "country-ish" side of Carlile's music. It would be a poor description to categorize Carlile as a country artist -- she's far from it -- but the singer-songwriter was in the heart of Texas, playing in a legendary place that energized many Texans' careers. So, naturally, she twanged it up a bit at times, even playing Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" in the encore.
During a mini solo-acoustic set, Carlile paid tribute to Patsy Cline, effortlessly singing her hit, "Crazy," and she even dusted off an unreleased country tune, which Miranda Lambert recently recorded, called "Same Ole' You." Before playing it, she told a story about calling her mom after she wrote it, and playing it to her over her cell phone, to which her mom replied, "that's your hit!" And odds are Lambert will make it a hit.
Aside from the twangfest that Carlile took part in, she and her band also delivered a slew of favorites -- even opening the show with four crowd-pleasers in a row -- "Dreams," "Looking Out," "Closer to You," which segued into The Beatles' "I've Just Seen a Face," and "What Can I Say." Carlile also shared some new material that she and her band recently recorded, the best of the bunch being a rollicking song called "Rattle My Bones," which she joked was once mistakenly titled somewhere on the Internet as "Rattle My Balls."
The end of the main set brought a trio of songs that perhaps best define Carlile's career so far -- "Turpentine," "The Story," and the climactic "Pride and Joy." In the very end, Carlile sat down at her keyboard, covering Alphaville's "Forever Young," a hidden track on Live atBenaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony. And yes, even though it was a cheesy synth selection from the 1980s, the crowd knew exactly what to do -- follow Carlile's lead and sing along before retiring outside under the Texas sky.
You gave up a long time ago But I’m searchin’ now Not finding A better part of me ‘Cause I want it back I want it back
Jill Andrews is back on June 7th with her first full-length, The Mirror, which follows her 2009 debut self-titled EP. Recently, while playing live, she recorded a video with Live & Breathing for one of her new songs, “Sinking Ship.” Stay tuned for our upcoming interview with Jill, where she talks about The Mirror; for now, please enjoy the video below. And remember, she'll be performing at Vintage Vinyl and at Twangfest on June 9th!
The Swedish band Junip, fronted by Argentinian-born Jose Gonzalez, released an eclectic, electronic folk album last year that resulted in, at most, a moderate blip on the indie rock radar. Fields should have been all over the place, buzzing like Gonzalez's other albums of intimate guitar and vocal work. But for some reason, it never quite set things on fire. Blame the attention span of the blogosphere if you wish, but it's one of those anomalies that will never be decoded.
Our Jam of the Day, “In Every Direction,” brings the muted passion in Gonzalez’s unique voice to the forefront, while the intricate acoustic guitar rhythms and delicate drums keep things in check. The song then verges on breaking into something mainly electronic but is dialed back at the edge of the proverbial electro-cliff. Just in time.
Check it out below and pick up the debut, or the In Every Direction EP, here. Also, download the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. remix below it.
And, thanks to the good people at Twangfest, we're going to send one lucky winner to all four nights of the fun!
Let's have some fun with this contest, shall we?
To enter, please let us know your favorite lyric from an artist/band who is playing Twangfest 15, or who has played Twangfest in years past (previous lineups can be foundhere). You can post this lyric in one of two ways:
Junior Boys' new record, It's All True, is set for release on June 14th (Domino), and the Ontario, Canada electro-pop duo have themselves an epic lead single in the deliciously titled "Banana Ripple." A nine minute rhythm and blues synth-groove behemoth, "Banana Ripple" will have your head bopping and your body poppin' and lockin'. The track is lengthy to be sure, but it is also refined and self-contained. No beat, blip, or lyric seems out of place or unnecessary. Every second is pure entertainment as the track arcs and peaks ever so slightly and then brings us back down ever so gently.
Un-peel "Banana Ripple" below. Pick up It's All True on June 14th.
When I first interviewed Brooke Fraser in 2008, talking to her was a joy. She was polite (almost too polite) and she gave thoughtful responses, two things that are far from sure things during interviews. But, as I soon learned, Fraser, the person and the musician, is a different, eloquent breed among her peers.
In her hometown of New Zealand, she's already a superstar. Her first three albums, including 2010's Flags, have gone platinum, and her fan base there is only growing. Yet, in the U.S. she's still seen only moderate success despite writing and recording music that, in my opinion, is accessible to many different tastes.
If anything, this has kept Fraser humble as a growing artist. You could argue that her song "Albertine," with lyrics like "I am responsible" and "faith without deeds is dead," only served to add pressure on her, in the sense that she's an equally important role model, and not just a person who writes songs. Except, I don't think Fraser is wired in a way where she's always looking to prove something.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a certain politeness that surrounds Fraser and everything she stands for, but as a live performer, with her stage banter, she's rather funny. After she walked out by herself and played a solo acoustic "The Thief," which was immediately gorgeous, she was soon joined by her band, a guitarist and drummer, and Fraser used every moment in between songs to chat about being a New Zealander touring in the U.S.
She told us of how her last name is almost never pronounced correctly, that Americans tend to default to "Frazier," like the old television show. "You wouldn't pronounce 'laser' as 'lazier,' would you?" she sheepishly asked us. It was all too charming, and her talkative mood would soon lead into tales about eating at Denny's for the first time (where she ate a Maple Bacon Sundae, which horrified her), to stopping for custard "somewhere in Illinois" (where the custard lady had never heard of New Zealand).
I mention all of this because, let's face it, Fraser's songs are mostly serious, and sometimes heartbreaking. She actually delivered two of her biggest tearjerkers back to back on keyboards, effortlessly singing her way through "Who Are We Fooling?" and "Flags," effectively stealing my heart away with every word. Her set focused on Albertine and Flags, punching the audience with songs like "Betty," "C.S. Lewis Song," "Albertine," and the main-set closing "Something in the Water." Fraser even added a rousing cover of Coldplay's "Violet Hill," which turned out to be a passionate highlight of the evening.
In the encore, Fraser treated us to a tender version of “Sailboats,” which was written for her husband, and the rocking “Coachella,” a song about the California music festival that inspired Fraser to write most of the songs on Flags. As she closed out the night – all smiles, strumming her acoustic – I had to wonder: does Brooke Fraser have any idea how talented she is?
The answer to that, it seems, is irrelevant. Like everything else Fraser is involved with, her work clearly speaks for itself. Yes indeed, faith without deeds is dead.
Music, for most, is something that is categorized internally. And while you may keep your record collection in alphabetical order, the virtual playlist in your head tells you exactly where songs, bands, even albums fall -- and when exactly you should play them. There are the inevitable falling asleep albums, like Sigur Ros'( ). There are the 2 A.M. and you're still awake albums like Twilight as played by the Twilight Singers. Then there are the albums that either hit the turntable when you're going to the gym or trying to start a party.
Erika M. Anderson, or EMA if you're nasty, has created at least one song that falls into that last bucket. Our Jam of the Day, "Milkman," turns it up in a way that would make Sleigh Bells blush. It's to a level that is almost too loud...but in a really good way. The synth, drum machine, and guitar are tied together with vocals that are beautiful and completely raw at the same time. I don't know who the milkman is, or what the hell he did, but I'm glad he inspired this. Keep gasping, EMA.
Erika's debut album, Past Life Martyred Saints, came out last week. So download the song below, then go grab that shiz right here, folks. From what we've heard, it's pretty musically varied so it may be one of those albums that, as a whole, is impossible to categorize.
Canadian singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega isn’t a country artist, but she’s a got a little Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, and Waylon Jennings in her. Of course, Emmylou swears she isn’t even country these days, so I’m obviously digging myself a hole here. Or, maybe I just don’t know how to categorize artists like Ortega these days. Is it possible? I'm not sure. Frankly, it doesn’t matter. When I hear a song like Ortega's "Little Lie," I'm hooked from the beginning: it's playful, and it's memorable. And I get a sense that Ortega is a pretty cool gal, perhaps an outlaw type. We need more artists like her -- the ones who will do what they want, when they want.
Ortega's upcoming album, Little Red Boots, will be released on Last Gang Records June 7th. Listen to "Little Lie" below.
This Saturday, the second round of the LouFest Music Festival High School Battle of the Bands will take place at Off Broadway from 5:00 - 8:00 PM. We first announced the competition back at the beginning of March, including the fact that Jason and I would be two of the three judges for both evenings of the Battle. It's seriously been so much fun to be a part of this event and to witness the extreme talent that Saint Louis' teenagers have to offer. So, we came up with a list of ten reasons you should get yo booty to Off Broadway this Saturday for round two of the big event.
1 It's at Off Broadway. Should be 'nuff said, but we'll explicate a titch bit: it's one of the best venues in town.
2 Meet the LouFest crew! Brian, Rich, Jeff, and Mike - four of the nicest guys in music festival planning history - will be on hand at Saturday's event. They've worked their asses off to bring our fair city the LouFest Musical Festival for a second year in a row, and Saturday would be the perfect time to thank them for investing their time and energy into Saint Louis.
3 Steve Leftridge of Pop Matters is the emcee. He flat out knows his music, and he's got a silky smooth voice to boot.
4 It's a high school fashion extravaganza! On the first night of the Battle of the Bands, there were more trends going on in the room than I had fingers and toes to count. Jorts. Flock of Seagulls haircuts. White skinny jeans. These kids know how to dress the part.
5 There will be some serious stage presence going on. Two Saturdays ago, Jason and I were blown away by the confidence that oozed from the youngins' onstage. We're talking talented-beyond-their-years readiness.
6 Adult beverages will be served. In some weird twist on a backwards prom or something, you can stand around and indulge in your favorite local brew while kiddos entertain you. My initial thought was that the bar would surely be closed while the bands played due to the raging amount of minors on the premises. But au contraire, mon frere. And, drink up, buttercup. (Just have a designated driver handy.)
7 Feel the love. Not gonna lie, it's really cool to see the kids' families and friends come out to support their bands. Last Saturday, I saw a cute five-year-old girl mouthing the words to her older brother's rock 'n' roll songs, and it was apparent that these musicians are loved.
Last week's contestants: Dubb Nubb, Feedback, 21 Days, Since 1902, Clockwork, and Belief
9 Listen to LouFest artists in between sets. Unfamilar with some of the names on the 2011 LouFest line-up? No problemo! Last week, we jammed to Old Lights, TV on the Radio, and Jon Hardy and The Public. This Saturday, you'll have a chance to get to know the other fantastic artists who will be playing this year's LouFest Music Festival in August.
10 The high school bands in the competition seriously rock hard. Have you ever had your ass metaphorically kicked by a preteen on a guitar? You haven't lived until you do. Last week, we were blown away by the talent of the first night's line-up. You'll hear at least eighteen original songs, across a multitude of genres like indie-folk, jammy shoegaze, and heavy pop-metal. The Battle is a fantastic way to not only support creative teen artists but to support LouFest as well. The winning bands will get to play a set in Area K on the LouFest grounds, which, you know, is a pretty big deal.
Hope to see you at Off Broadway on Saturday! Come say hello.
For the second day in a row, we've opted to feature a track from a band on the Jagjaguwar roster. We swear: we're not trying to suck up. We just can't help but be blown away by first, the badass The Cave Singers and now by the return of Bon Iver, the band that knocked us flat on the ground in 2008 with its debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago.
Justin Vernon & Co. released the first single, "Calgary," this week. Gone are the days of Bon Iver's melancholy reflection, pulled from secret chambers of the heart and laid to rest on For Emma by a snowed-in, acoustic guitar. That album, while, of course, absolutely freaking gorgeous, feels definitive with its diction and goddamn comfortable in its solitary.
"Calgary" feels expansive, searching, dynamic. When I close my eyes and listen, I can't help but imagine a wide open highway. The synth instantly drags Bon Iver from the cabin in the woods, and the dense lyrics now wash the band in abstract mystery.
For Emma needed just one look; the new album, if "Calgary" is a good example, requires a double take.
Pitchfork (and others) just announced yesterday that certain pre-order bundles of the new album (out June 21st) will contain a Bon Iver 12" that features not one, but two Bonnie Raitt covers including the 1991 smooth (non)love jam, "I Can't Make You Love Me." Wow, does that take me back to the day.
In the past, we've posted about songs that make us feel like everything from dancers to old people. The Cave Singers, however, have given us a song that makes us feel like friggin' badasses. Don't believe us? Just start playing it below while you read the rest of this. Go ahead. Really. We'll wait...
Good lord, do you hear that beat? And the driving rhythm? And the vocals cut through it all like a damn chainsaw wearing a leather jacket, or bandana, or something a true badass would wear when buying a forty at a liquor store. It basically begs you to say something, and when you do, it pops you upside the head and calls your mom a slut. Yeah, it's like that.
In all seriousness, the song is awesome, and the album as a whole is well worth the money. Get it here. Also, The Cave Singers are currently opening for Fleet Foxes, so if you get a chance, make sure to see that.
Here's one to warm up your Monday, wherever you are.
If you haven't discovered Matthew Mayfield yet (read our interview with him here), he released a beautiful album called Now You're Free earlier this year, and it's quickly becoming a favorite of ours. The video below features one of its best songs, "Missed Me;" it's heartwarming, it rocks, and it will make you smile. It's basically what we've come to expect from the rising singer-songwriter.
Back in February, we made Delta Maid's "The Changes Made" our Pajammy Jam of the Day. It felt like home, we told you at the time. We still think that's an accurate description of Maid's music, and she proved it once again on "On My Own," which was recently made into a video. Set a aside a few minutes of your time to check it out:
Recently, we asked the singer-songwriter from Liverpool to take part in our 10 to Spin series, and she didn't let us down. Many of the songs she picked are classics, and we thank her for bringing them back into our lives.
Maid released her debut album, Outside Looking In, last week. You can purchase it here.
Please enjoy her 10 to Spin below!
I am often creating playlists, either for personal use or to share, but they are particularly crafted with a general thread or common purpose. Here, because I love the fact I’ve been asked to compile one, I’ve decidedly chosen songs that have randomly cried out to the forefront of my favourite-song reservoir. It could be argued that picking songs at random renders the choices fortuitous but I think songs that call out to you mean something, like dreams... OK, so I’m getting a little deep, I won’t analyze it further! These are songs that have always meant something to me, but for some reason today in particular. --Delta Maid
"Today In Particular"
1. India Arie - Video I admire how classy this is but still says two-fingers up and screw you.
2. Judee Sill - The Kiss [listen] Mystical and beautiful, words fail...
3. The Staple Singers - Stand By Me A song never forgotten and a voice to match.
4. Rory Block - The Golden Vanity [listen] Now this is an old traditional folk song that she does (I’m a huge fan), but this story is intriguing and powerful; I could never get bored of this story.
5. Dan Auerbach - Trouble Weighs a Ton I always nod in agreement to this one.
6. Ralph Stanley - O Death His voice and sentiment make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
7. Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops Love.
8. Frank Sinatra - I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter “And make believe it came from you”...
9. Richard Thompson - Persuasion I wish I wrote this.
10. Blues Run the Game - Jackson C. Frank Can’t listen to this without a tear.
When England electropop outfit Metronomy released its debut record in 2006, they seemed a little more electro and a little less pop. With the release of the quartet's third album, The English Riviera (Because Music), and a change in the band's members, the tides have turned, at least for the time being. Metronomy's sensibilities now seem a little less electro and a little more pop.
"Everything Goes My Way" is a refined, stripped-down, laid-back love song that showcases the group's new pop penchant. The tune revisits the common sentiment that when one is out of love, life is dauntingly difficult, and when one has love, all aspects of existence seem a little more favorable. New drummer Anna Prior's sweet and smokey voice gently carries us through the tune and leads listeners through a captivating hook filled with lovely "ooh oohs," polite hand claps, and the rhythmic rattle of maracas. Get this tune on your most cool and relaxing summer playlist.
Buy The English Rivierahere. Listen to "Everything Goes My Way" below.
There is something about the spring in Wilmington, North Carolina that is filled with energy. Yet, it's peaceful in a way that draws your mind back once winter’s final breath is complete. The days are warm, sunny, and breezy – typical for a coastal southern town. But as the sun dips below the horizon, the air begins to cool as cicadas start their nightly song. The resulting feeling is palpable, and heartbreaking to anyone who's spent more than a year in the Port City and decided to leave.
“Tell Me Again,” by Wilmington’s Mike Blair and the Stonewalls, stirs that affection, drowning all lyrical meaning with its smooth rhythm and silky phrasing upon first listen. But by the third spin, the true meaning of the song shifts to the front, and you’re left with the same emotional dichotomy as the memory of those long-spent seaboard nights. Is it beautiful or depressing? Soothing or painful?
I think the only realistic answer is yes.
Download the song below, and pick up their new EP, The Print, right here.
The first line of today's Jam of the Day gives it away -- these dudes are Canadian. I mean, if you're singing about being unable to find a station on the radio while driving through North Ontario, you're either a Canuck, or you just got really lost. Luckily, The Trews aren't lost. They're just Candian rockers who are pretty awesome.
"One By One" doesn't rock as hard as some of The Trews' other tunes, but that's okay by me. Most of the time, I'm a sucker for melody and harmony, and that's what caught my ear here. That and when they sing, "every heart is a loaded gun." That's my kind of anthem.
The Trews' latest album, Hope & Ruin, was released on April 12th. Purchase yourself a copy after you listen to the JOTD below!
Seriously, how in the world has it been over a year since I first wrote about the yummy goodness that is GIVERS? "Up Up Up," from the band's self-released EP, was my first introduction to Louisiana quintet's unique blend of funk, afro-pop, and island flavors. And, I loved it instantly.
Needless to say, the looooong wait for the "promised in 2011" GIVERS debut album has been hard. But, Houston, we have a release date! On June 7th, the band will offer up In Light on Glassnote. To celebrate the announcement, I've chosen another fabulous song off the EP as today's JOTD: "Saw You First."
GIVERS - "Saw You First"
From what I've read, it sounds like the album will be full of GIVERS' signature "unrelenting positivity." Lead singer/guitarist, Taylor Guarisco, commented on the sound: "Being from the South, we have all learned how to slow down and appreciate life as it is here now--something that in most parts of the world is totally lost. All of this is directly reflected in every aspect of our music, as well as every other celebratory music in Louisiana--whether it be Zydeco, Cajun, Creole, jazz, or funk.”
Hey, who doesn't like a party?
And guess what? Just last weekend, we noticed a new post on the band's blog that announced an upcoming Saint Louis show at Cicero's. After getting confirmation, we are psyched to say that GIVERS will be in town on June 27th with Pepper Rabbit and 1, 2, 3! We'll let you know when tickets go on sale.
If you have yet to hear of twenty-year-old rapper Tyler, the Creator, a member of the crazy rap collective Odd Future (Wolf Gang Kill Them All), you're more than likely not paying too much attention to indie music. This has been their year thus far, successfully reaching blowing-the-fuck-up status by killing every appearance they've made. From South by Southwest, to a head-scratching/mind-stretching appearance on Fallon, to Coachella where they stole the show enough to end up being featured in the Sunday New York Times, they make frenzied fans out of everyone who dares lay eyes on them.
Our Jam of the Day, "Yonkers," from Tyler's second solo record, Goblin, is a pulsing, bass-laden, lyrically evil track. Seriously, it's dark, but the awesome kind of dark that makes you grimace as he wishes death upon B.o.B, tells Jesus to quit bitching, and threatens to stab Bruno Mars in his esophagus.
Goblin is out today, pop on over to your local record store, or grab it here. You can check out "Yonkers" and its insane and disturbing video below.
In what should be a can't-miss show, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band will be making their return to Off Broadway in Saint Louis on Friday, July 22nd. This will be Ritter's first appearance in Saint Louis since his last sold-out show at Off Broadway on July 28, 2009.
Tickets ($20) will go on sale today at 6:00 PM at Off Broadway's website. Opener TBA.
Chicago's Hey Champ lambasted us last summer with glossy electro-pop via their LP Star, a solid tutorial and exercise in '80s inspired dance rock. After a tour that took these Midwesterners (and their dynamic live shows) as far as South America, the trio has recently been toiling away in the studio, crafting tunes that will make up a new EP set to drop this summer.
The group has released "Anything At All" as the first single from the upcoming EP. The track is an infectious synth-driven tune that is paced and restrained at the start but gradually builds to a boisterous payoff. While the musical composition is sanguine, the lyrics are cynical and self-critical, if not downright dark. Vocalist Saam Hagshenas exorcises his self-perceived naivete, re-analyzes an optimistic outlook that has let him down in the past, and takes a more critical position on what lies ahead: "I was all for the future when the future was possible." The combo of upbeat electro-sounds and not-so-upbeat lyrics give "Anything At All" some valuable depth and make the track much more than a simple dance inciter.
Listen to "Anything At All" here (as well as additional new EP tracks "Stereode" and "Silver City") and download it gratis below (if you give up your precious e-mail address).
BONUS! For a taste of Hey Champ's older tunes, check out the slow-mo, sweat soaked vid for "Cold Dust Girl," an absolute JAM from Star. Pick up Starhere, should you get the itch.
Referring friends to check out your favorite music blog on Facebook can come with some serious effing perks. Take for example this, our Jam of the Day, hand selected by uber-fan Britt Holzmacher, featuring a little up-and-coming band known wittily as "The Beatles." It just so happens to be her favorite song in the world, and now, it's an official Speakers in Code JOTD!
This track from the U.S. version of Rubber Soul, and more famously from the Help! soundtrack, uncharacteristically features jangly guitars and foot stomping percussive goodness. A bit of a departure from their trademark Brit-pop sound, the semi-country feel frames another beautiful Beatles love ditty. And as with many Beatles loves songs, there is an immediate emotional connection. This one should bring up some feelings inside anyone who has ever loved a face, before loving the person behind it.
Download it here, or wherever music in general is sold. And also, just try not to hum it for the rest of the day.
When we asked Australian singer-songwriter Lenka to be part of our 10 to Spin series, we were pretty sure she would want to boogie. After all, her new latest album, Two, is filled with beats that will make you want to shake it in every way possible, and its first single, "Heart Skips a Beat," is good evidence of that. Here, just have a quick listen:
With that, we bring you Lenka's 10 to Spin (okay, it's actually a dancing dozen), which she describes as "songs that make me want to burst into spontaneous dance."
1 Hey Ya! by Andre 3000
This has got to be one of the best dance songs ever made. It's so infectious and the lyrics are rather inane and also sexy, which helps switch the brain off. Clearly, I will shake it like a polaroid picture when Andre commands it.
2 Rollerskate by Matias Aguayo
I only heard this song last year on Thanksgiving and i give thanks for discovering it because it has the smoothest groove that just makes me wanna do body roll isolations. It sounds like his voice is melting and also the video is radical for this song. The best of dodgy video art.
3 Cobrastyle by Robyn
Wicked wicked detailed groove. And when she says "boom" or "fool" it makes me feel like a gangster. I dance kinda like a raver to this song. Lots of box-shapes with the hands.
4 Don't Stop Me Now by Queen
I went through a stage in high-school when I would HAVE to do cartwheels every time I heard this song, and it was a very popular track for house parties in the 90s! Nowadays, I just get up and have an ironic boogie, but it still effects me a lot.
5 Germ-free Adolescents by X-Ray Specs When I first heard this song, years ago, I had this sensation like I wanted to puke and orgasm at the same time. I don't know what it is, but my dance moves to this song probably look quite strange. The lyrics are so so awesome. This is possibly the only punk song I like, but I like it a LOT.
6 Only Girl (In the World) by Rihanna
This is my jam at the moment. It makes me wanna get really arrogant on the dance floor, just as the lyrics suggest. The way that synth line carries on throughout the verses is so effective, it kind of puts you in a trance.
7 Big Time Sensuality by Björk
This is a song about partying and letting your body take over your mind, which is exactly what one should do on the dance floor. All early Björk sends me into a dance frenzy, because she is the first artist who made electronic music that I actually liked. And she's a goddess.
8 Get Ur Freak On by Missy Elliott
This video had awesome dancing in it and was so cool when it came out. I used to listen to it a lot on the treadmill actually, so I get an urge to jump up and start jog-dancing.
9 Jimmy by M.I.A.
I like to pull some vaguely Indian disco moves when I dance to this. Also, my husband's name is James, so it works great for me. So fun.
10 Crazy In Love by Beyonce
It's all about that body pump move she does in the bridge. I am inspired to emulate it best I can.
11 Eagle Rock by Daddy Cool
This was one of the few bands I heard as a kid that wasn't Trad jazz or blues. It makes me feel all loose and groovy. Like I'm a 70's parent going to a party in the Aussie bush. I guess there's a buried memory in there somewhere…
12 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton
It's got that feminist passion that makes me wanna pump my fist and swing my hips. Best done with a few other chicks surrounding our purses on the dance floor, but also very effective whilst doing the dishes.
Those are the lyrics I chose to feature for this song, because I think they're beautiful and honest, and they show what kind of potential Amanda Shires has as a songwriter. But really, the entire song is a lyrical gem; I listened to the tune about six or seven times in a row on my drive home after I saw Shires perform last month in St. Louis, and it's been permanently floating around in my head ever since.
We've all had people in our lives who immediately leave their influence on us the first time we see them, or the first time we hear their voice. They have that spark about them; they're "carrying lightning," as Amanda Shires would say. I think that's a magical way of putting it -- that this electric kind of energy or charisma is so undeniable that you really have no choice but to be affected.
I'm not sure I can take it
I've nothing strong to hold to
I'm way too old to hate you
My mind is full of razors
To cut you like a word if only sung
But this is my song
Those are lyrics from "My Song," the first Brandi Carlile song I ever heard live, and it's the one that made me fall in love with her music. I don't know what I was expecting when I saw Carlile perform for the first time, but it wasn't an immediate burst of powerful lyrics about being bitter, about getting older...about not getting what you want in life. If anything, I was expecting a quiet evening, or a "mid-tempo" evening of music -- maybe one or two moments that really made me think. But, I learned quickly that Brandi Carlile is mostly about heart and emotion, and you're always thinking; there's little surrender in her artistry.
And the more I see live music, the more I'm convinced that Carlile is one of the best live performers out there. I've yet to see of a show of hers where the intensity and focus hasn't been anything less than stellar, and that's not even commenting on her voice, which is quite heavenly and has infinite range. Carlile and her band are a special live act, one that I'll gladly travel any distance to see again and again.
Which brings me to her live album, Live atBenaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony, released yesterday. Live albums can be hit or miss in my book, but not this one. Carlile's is an impressive moment captured in time; it features a full symphony, her unyielding band, and a perfect collection of her songs, like "Before it Breaks," "The Story," "Dreams," and "Turpentine," to only name a few.
If you can't make it out to see her on her upcoming U.S. tour, Live atBenaroya Hall is a fine consolation prize. I recommend turning up the volume and closing your eyes.
Luckily, we were able to catch up with Carlile over the phone before the release of Live atBenaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony.
So, Brandi, the last time I saw you was at Bonnaroo last year...
Oh, I'll never forget that show, that was fun.
It was a great, rocking performance. But, your live album is a little different. You're performing with a full orchestra. What sort of mindset do you and your band need to get into for a show like that?
Well, it's an experience that's so refined all day long. Because, first of all, you have to come up with the charts for the songs. You work with a composer who composes these charts for the symphony, and it's complicated -- sometimes, there are thirty to sixty instruments involved in this. So, you come up with the charts, and then the symphony gets the charts like a month in advance, and they learn these songs. And, they are a different kind of a musician than we are, you know. We all started playing guitar to...you know, to get girls. And they started playing instruments to go to college and please their parents. So, they have totally different perceptions of why they play rock 'n' roll!
You get to the venue, and it's so highbrow all day long. You have a highbrow rehearsal, you have a highbrow schedule, and it's so refined. And then you get out on stage, and it's still your fans, and your audience, and they're nuts, and you go nuts. It's this meeting of raucous rock 'n' roll culture, with this refinement -- and what you come out with is something that's huge, very regal and profound, and it makes for a really great performance.
Definitely. And the sound of the live album -- it's so clear. It's a different experience for the listener, I think. Is that what you were going for?
Yeah, well, you know, there's depth to it, because there are so many musicians involved in this. And everyone is having their own experience. And there is an underlying element of "liveness" that I've always believed in, when it comes to the art of recording, anyway. Which is that, you can feel when something is recorded live, and it's something that definitely gets captured. What it is, is it's the knowledge that anything could have derailed at any moment. In a lot of recordings, you don't get this, because they're constructed in such a way where there is no risk involved. When we record a song live, anyone can break a string at any moment, and there's this on-edgeness about that energy. And that's what makes a live album so exciting.
Well, when I heard that you were releasing a live album, it made total sense to me, because I fell in love with your songs when I saw you live for the first time.
Cool.
Yeah, that's when I understood you as an artist. Hearing that, is that a compliment to you?
It is a compliment, because at the end of the day, we're a live band. And, that's all what we ever really wanted to be, so, we're constantly in the process of learning how to capture that, and how to make recordings as a live band that is rough around the edges. So, if your first introduction to us is a live show, and that brings you to our songs, that makes so much more sense to me than your introduction to us being our songs bringing you to the show. That's why I love the concept of the live album, because this will be the first thing we've ever done that is truly and exactly who we are.
And you tour pretty much all the time. When do you ever find the time to write new material?
You know, you end up writing a lot when you're on the road. You have a lot of time, but it's not the kind of time that you need to really relax. It's just time and space -- waiting for sound check, waiting for the show to start. And, a lot of times, you fill that space with a guitar in your hand, and you end up writing songs. We've just recorded, actually, nineteen songs for our next album -- we finished it! Of course, all nineteen won't make it, but... (laughs) Do you write songs?
Ha, I wish I could!
Well, when it happens, it happens. It's like, when it comes to you, it almost doesn't matter where you are, you have to write it down. You can be in your sleep, and you wake up and write it down on whatever piece of paper you can reach from your bed. So, as far as whether you write on the road, or at home, or at some retreat you go to -- you can't make it happen.
On your current tour coming up, when people hear the presentation of the live album that's coming out, do you think they will be anticipating that kind of sound, even if there won't be an orchestra?
No...I don't think so. Even if they are, we can get pretty close to at least being able to emote that much. Even if the strings aren't there, we do have a cellist on stage, and he'll probably pick up a lot of slack. It's less about that and more about the environment you create. We know there has to be an element of weight to our performances in the next year. I think we'll be able to pull it off, but we'll let you be the judge of that! (laughs)
Well, I'll be down catching you in Gruene, Texas at Gruene Hall.
Oh yeah! Gruene Hall is amazing, I love that place!
I'm really looking forward to it. That place...and I'm no musician, but I would think that would one of the best places to play.
Yeah, and it's legendary, too.
You've played there once, right?
Yeah, it was amazing, I loved it. I've been trying to get back there. I've been asking my agent, "can you guys get me at that Gruene Hall again?"
It's like an old barn in the middle of nowhere.
And it's half-open, too. What it is, it's an old dance hall.
I can't wait.
Yeah, me too. See you there!
Well, I have a couple more questions for you. When I first heard your live album, the one song that struck me was "I Will." And the performance if it, I thought the lyrics really stood out. Can you talk a little bit about that song, and how it is to perform it? It's a wordy Brandi Carlile song!
You know, I've been writing a lot of songs like that lately, actually. It comes from a really deep place in me as a songwriter. I don't typically write those songs very often -- those songs come along like once a year. And, they're the kinds of songs where the lyrics are what are totally overtaking my mind. Like, all those things are there, and I need to say them. And I try to make them rhyme, and I try to make all of the different play on words and the vernacular sit within something that's slightly musical. But, then I have to construct music around it, like a platform for this kind of lament.
It's difficult because a lot of times these things don't have choruses or verses, and I have to add them later, and stuff like that. But, they always end up meaning the very most to me, because it was something I had to say first, and that's what "I Will" is. And I've been writing songs like that lately, and like I said, they are fewer and farther between, but they end up being the ones that stand out to me through the years as my favorites.
From an emotional aspect, it's one of my favorites.
It gets heavy when I sing that one, too. There are others like that -- "Before It Breaks" is like that. I tend to get heavy when I sing that one, because I'm so nervous when I play the piano. But, "I Will," when I'm singing it sometimes, I go back to the place that I was in when I wrote it, and I feel a little overwhelmed with whatever it is.
You know, one of my favorite moments in a Brandi Carlile show is when you're playing "The Story," and you get to strap on an electric guitar and rock out!
Yeah!
How does that feel on stage, Brandi? Because that's one of the bigger moments in your show, I think.
I don't know, it feel great! Because I love playing that electric guitar, and I'm going to try to play it a little more on tour than I have been in the past. I like being turned loose at that point in the song. What it does, is it really gets me ready for what I'm about to do, which is scream at the top of my lungs! (laughs)
Yes!
And, it's a little harder to do that with an acoustic guitar, but you can make it work. My favorite moment in the show actually comes just about thirty seconds after that, when I'm getting ready to do the big, "All of these lines" line...
Sure.
And the whole audience just stops breathing for a second, because they wonder what's going to happen -- is she going to hit the note, is she not going to hit the note? And there's this element of nerves, and it overtakes the room...and it only happens for three seconds a night, but it's a golden moment of what live music is to me, where everybody is listening, everybody is wondering if I'm going to be able to do it. And, I get nervous, like, 'Am I going to be able to do it?' It's just this exchange of energy, and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. As many times as I've sang that song, it's still my favorite song to play.
