i see paris/ i see france/ i see you makin' the face again.

I have a harder time finding kindred spirits in the indie rock of today versus more post punk and britpop influences. So I refuse to let my writer's block keep me from posting about one of my favorite current bands!  Tokyo Police Club is a group that I've been waiting to hear live since my ears first stumbled upon "Breakneck Speed" and "Wait Up (Boots of Danger)" [from Champ (2010)] in a friends car back in the day. Nostalgia is one of the biggest factors in what music really resonates with me and Tokyo Police Club's lyrics tend to strike that factor. Thinking back to that moment in the car, I probably had a different initial reaction than my current feelings to the lyrics "I remember when our voices used to sound the exact same/ Now we just translate.", but I was definitely drawn to the songs immediately.

Going into the show on May 13th at Black Cat, I tried not to let my hopes get too high. So many album reviews were saying that the newest album Forcefield (2014) pales in comparison to "their best album" Champ. In my eyes, this is a wrong way of looking at a band, but I can be guilty of it too.  I try to go in with a clean slate and welcome an evolution in sound, so I had been listening to Forcefield to prepare myself. A show is never as fun for me if I don't know most of the songs and I grew quite fond of "Argentina", "Hot Tonight", and "Miserable". The riffs,  rebellion to inhibitions and pretension, and still-solid lyrics were aesthetically pleasing to me. The live show turned out to be energetic and diverse. They played a good mix of their music from over the years and was authentic with just the right twist. Dave Monks has the perfect onstage balance of nervous energy, humor, and even the balls to come out and sing "Tesselate" acoustically with no microphone. This would be a band I would love to tour with or work with in any capacity.

breakneck speed live at black cat

hot tonight live at black cat

setlist

wait up (boots of danger) dog music video

argentina lyric music video

pps.
"we share bottles we share gum/ when you smile you smile with all your teeth at once/ and when you smile with all your teeth/ yeah i'm done."

the walkmen go out.

The Walkmen's performance on Saturday night was their last DC show before a self proclaimed "extreme hiatus". I was excited to finally see them, yet sad that it would be under those circumstances. We did not know going in that the new Dock 5 at Union Market venue was outside. The cold had us questioning who would book an outdoor venue in DC the day before December (with only one bar!!). Luckily, The Walkman delivered with their performance.

The group was able to captivate a freezing audience with their hits. My favorite of which was the closer "In The New Year". In hindsight, I wish I hadn't left before the encore.

setlist
in the new year

rip imperial china.

I was fortunate enough to catch the tail end of Imperial China's final show Wednesday night at the Black Cat. Rushing over after work afforded me to hear the concluding three songs and it was totally worth it. Their individual blend of electronic samples, guitars, and resounding percussion created a pleasant post-punk product. This is unique because they were able to sound much bigger than a three piece. This show was no different, as everyone was hyped on stage and playing with exaggeration.

Many old-school DC heads were in attendance for this last hurrah. Folks returned from Pennsylvania and California in order to catch the band's last moments. It was great to see them go out in style and with a positive attitude. Having known the split was coming, they were able to plan a blowout last set that concluded in throwing the drum kit through the wall and selling leftover merch for "whatever you want to pay".

for more on their background/ the last six years:
washington post
washington city paper

sound city.

Dave Grohl has directed a documentary about the legendary Sound City Studios. Formerly in Van Nuys, California, Sound City produced more than 100 gold and platinum albums from 1960 until closing in 2011. Artists included Neil Young, Buckingham Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Pat Benetar, Rick Springfield, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, and more. Grohl intertwines first person accounts from the artists and employees with historical footage and a soundtrack of songs recorded at the studio.

What really resonates in this film is the technological shift from analog to digital and its influence on the studio, artist, and recorded music in general. The Neve 8028 console was innovative in 1973 at the time it was purchased by Sound City for $75,000. It played a large role in fostering the unique production and drums present in recordings. Problems arose when analog techniques could not stand up to Pro Tools and its earlier incarnations. Computers came into the picture, tape turned to compact disc, and studios were expected to do a complete overhaul to keep up. Sound City kept afloat as long as they could after the change, but in the end they simply didn't have the funds or business to stay open. Grohl ended up purchasing the console and producing a reunion album bringing together Sound City artists.

The debate on digital v. analog is complex. There are obvious innovations made possible by digital recording techniques. It is easier to fix mistakes or chop up parts of a track and put them back together. From hip-hop sampling to auto tune these new possibilities leave me with mixed feelings. A part of me prefers analog methods because it forces the artist to be good at their craft. As a singer, I think it's important to actually be capable of performing the music that is being put out under the artist's image. Otherwise, I'm supportive of new additions allowing music to progress in different directions. Digital technology has progressed to a point that home recording is a reality for the masses. I truly do appreciate that I have professional-level production at my fingertips for a nominal fee.

i am nothing without pretend.

Sunday night, Baltimore two-piece Wye Oak played at Black Cat. I have been a fan for a while so it was exciting to see them on their closeout show for this US tour.

Along with a few new songs, they played much of Civilian (2011) and finished with their classic cover of The Kinks' "Strangers". My favorite song was the title track. Jenn Wasner's strong haunting vocals and Andy Stack's ambidextrous backing additions made for an entertaining combination.

i got it, you got it, she's got it.

I haven't been to a show in a while, partially due to laziness and apathy to the current popular music. My friend and I had planned on attending Hopscotch festival, but that plan got sidelined as well. When I found out that festival headliner The Jesus and Mary Chain would be playing at the 9:30 Club I jumped at the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands who of course broke up in 1998/99 and have been playing sporadically since then.

The audience of the sold out show was more diverse in age than you would see at most 9:30 events. It was nice to see everything from original fans to younger people who discovered them after they disbanded. Reunions are tricky, as is the controversy of fifty year old musicians taking the stage. Watching recordings of The Jesus and Mary Chain at Coachella in 2007 I wasn't pleased with the sound and so it's a bit nerve wracking to think that it might not be up to all the hype. Well, they surpassed my expectations.

With these types of shows the vibe can be more important than the song choice. For a band notorious for acrimony, they seemed appreciative towards the crowd and put on a great performance. I would have loved to hear more from Darklands (1987), but as the band explained they wanted to put together a setlist full of crowd-pleasing hits for this tour. It was an enjoyable show and I hope they put out their new music soon so I can see what direction they are moving into.

setlist

SXSW 2012.

After the past few years vacationing at Winter Music Conference in Miami and Coachella in Palm Springs, I decided to take the trip to Austin for South By Southwest. My friends and I didn't buy badges, which ended up saving us a lot of money. We were still able to see pretty much everyone we wanted to by RSVPing to events. Here are my favorite parts...

A. Performances [chronological order].
1. Star Slinger at Mohawk- DJ set
2. Miike Snow at Stubbs
3. Ramesh [formerly of Voxtrot] at the old Emo's space, The JR
4. Dry the River at the Spotify House
5. Zulu Winter at Mohawk
6. Girls at Stubbs
7. Diplo at the 1100 Warehouse
8. Black Star at Google
9. The DC guys, US Royalty at Virgin House
10. Sofi at Virgin House & The W Hotel

B. Meeting interesting people, spending time with friends, white picket fences, and unlimited barbecue.

i sang "i love you, but i have to cut you loose".

Last night, I had the privilege of seeing Youth Lagoon perform to a sold-out crowd at The Red Palace. While Trevor Powers claimed he was sick, he didn't miss a beat as he played the entirety of the record. I was curious as to how the music would translate live, but it was a non-issue (my sole, minute criticism is that I wanted to hear more bells for the grandiose end of "Bobby").

Powers' live persona lends perspective to this quote:

Youth Lagoon isn't me. It's merely a part of me. I was in and out of different bands in high school and always tried to define myself by what music I played. I tried to find a sense of meaning by being in a band. But it wasn't until this last year - when I realized I was more than just music - that I was able to create music that means something to me. And that is Youth Lagoon.

He showed a far more chipper side than I think many expected. Plus, he hung around to sign merchandise and converse with eager stragglers (me included). I anxiously await what's next because along with Beirut's The Rip Tide, The Year of Hibernation is pretty much the only new music that I have on constant repeat.

don't have to be so sad about it, people will say.

Another show I thought I'd never see came to fruition last Thursday night. The Glands played a spectacular set at Black Cat backstage. The mysterious band from Athens, GA had suddenly added a short series of tour dates down the east coast.

I arrived to a buzzing section of fans, we were all wondering exactly what we were in for. That turned out to be an epic setlist of most songs off of Double Thriller (1998) and The Glands (2000), including vinyl-only tracks. The guitars and vocals made the overall message of the music even more vivid. Ross Shapiro's sardonic lyrics somehow poke fun at depressing subject matter, making the songs seem more cheerful, but still extremely relatable. These songs make me desperately hope for a new album of someone else explaining my feelings to me. Regardless, it was a priceless show and I'm really glad I got to see them play. They were extremely gracious to the crowd, playing a two-song encore, selling their own merch, and staying to chat.

Below is the gang performing my all-time-favorite: "Fortress".

i will not hear you out, you tried to drown me once.

I have found a bit of a kindred spirit in Trevor Powers' Youth Lagoon project. The songs are an introspective, honest, and sometimes eerie look at the ups and downs of living and emotion.



"For my whole life I've dealt with extreme anxiety." says Powers. "Not anxiety about passing a test or somewhat normal things, but weird.. bizarre things. Things that only I know. I sometimes feel like I'm literally being eaten up inside. So I started writing these songs. Not just songs about my anxiety, but about my past and my present. Songs about memories, and all those feelings that those bring. I know that if I can be honest about what is inside my mind, there will be others that will be able to relate to it."

there's no such thing as dragonfly pills.

I will be covering this song at a few upcoming shows with Last Tide. So excited to be singing again. Love the minimalism and high harmony.

the days whispered and shouted.

"Plains" by Wye Oak became my new favorite song yesterday when a friend sent it to me. I'll mostly let it speak for itself, but this Baltimore duo have really caught my attention with the harmony they make between soft & loud, and between languid & accelerative.

live NPR podcast (black cat).

they use smiles to bury you.

A curious band, Esben and the Witch, played Thursday night at the Red Palace. The English trio took the stage with a sense of the fairytale and a gothic touch. It was almost like a dream sequence. Vocalist Rachel Davies let her long hair flow over her face as she sang strong smooth words and provided the sole percussion. The set was magical in a way, and though they aren't shoegaze in a traditional sense, their detached synchronization worked well for the music. They have been signed to Matador, and I would like to see them continue to garner positive attention.

video:
they use smiles to bury you
marching song

i'm comin' home for you.

DC hometown favorites US Royalty just released their debut album, Mirrors. Their sound has evolved from their earlier work, but their influences remain similar. My favorite track is "Monte Carlo".



spin article/mp3

and i'm asking you, can you still love me...

Photo by Anouck Bertin.

Colonel K Speaks informed me this afternoon that Ramesh Srivastava has recently released a solo EP. This is exciting because its the first music he's made public since the dissolution of Voxtrot.

The following tracks can be streamed on his website:

1. the king
2. romeo (void)
3. recording heathen earth

As usual, Srivastiva's lyrics and vocals are on-point. He keeps things fairly simple, with strangely pastoral string arrangements and acapella segments. "Romeo (Void)" counters this with electronics and a drum machine. It seems he is experimenting with what sound he wants to move into. I am glad to see him going forward individually and am, for the most part, pleased with the result. I hope these tracks will be up for download/purchase at some point.

no one else can show us how, i feel fine.

Thursday I caught a show two new-ish duos playing at Comet Ping Pong. Reading Rainbow are out of Philly. My friend Nate showed me their music and I was interested in seeing how things would play-out live. The two things that stood out were the stand up drummer, and chemistry on stage. I was waiting for them to play "Wasting Time" and it was a good rendition, though the guitar was off-key throughout.



Coasting are from Brooklyn. Ultimately I preferred them. Their chord progressions reminded me a lot of A Place To Bury Strangers. I liked the ambiance they created, being energetic while still singing with eyes closed, gazing at shoes, and dressed for grunge.

With both bands, the common negative that I heard is that the sound can get monotonous. Bass would have added a much needed dimension. It was definitely interesting to see how bands with only two members can create songs.

i don't know what i'm gonna do about that, but i know what to do with you.

Last night I had the privilege of seeing one of my favorite bands, Chief, play before an intimate crowd at the Rock & Roll Hotel. This had to be my top show of the year. Reasons why are as follows:

1. Everyone in the band sings- melody, harmony, and then lyrics seem to drive this group. Chief adhere to my belief that keeping things simple can create great songs. Tracks that may seem one dimensional on the album came alive on stage. Each person has a role, but they can switch around at will.

2. Laid-back attitude, lack of pretension- Chief took the show seriously even though the venue wasn't packed [as it should have been]. They were gracious to the crowd and even hung around after the set. Certain DC bands could learn something from this.

3. Just plain good music- i.e Far Away, Your Direction & Mighty Proud

i knew it from the very start.

I was introduced to Girls by the song "Laura" on a sentimental summer mix for my trip to Florida. More recently, I have fallen for their newest release "Heartbreaker" off of the Broken Dreams Club EP. I'll let the song speak for itself, but I love this lyric in particular:

I will never get over you, no/ I still got a lock of your hair.

Free Download

your love is a mirror.

With my night off last Sunday, I checked out new-to-me Scottish group We Were Promised Jetpacks at the Rock & Roll Hotel. Erik Anderson had suggested them to me since he had played with them before and thought I would be into the music. Going in I only knew the song "Quiet Little Voices," and I was curious to see what their other stuff sounded like.

The crowd was rather large and actually much more than I had expected for a Sunday night. The band incorporated jet-esque sound effects in the intro and outro, which added to the hype in the room. They came out with a burst of volume and energy that showcased their talent and ability. It was nice to see a band who could hold their own without all of the smoke and mirrors. I was drawn to the vocals and lyrics in almost all of the songs, and they held my attention. The addition of xylophone on "Thunder and Lightning" rounded things out instrumentally. New songs "Hard to Remember" and one other were probably the highlight. They took the band in a similar, but more complex direction. I would love to catch We Were Promised Jetpacks the next time they come around.

bring on the major leagues.

Last Friday night I traveled up to New York in anticipation of finally seeing [one of my all-time favorites] Pavement perform live. I had purchased the tickets almost exactly a year in advance, so I was a pent-up ball of emotions and expectation. I avoided reading about their other Central Park shows, though I did familiarize myself with the set-lists. I got in line at 5:30 PM and grabbed myself a seat...then all I could do was wait.

The Beets opened. I didn't care for them and almost wondered how they gained the coveted spot. They put in a good effort though, and tided us over until Pavement took the stage at 9PM.
I was in awe, it seemed unreal that they were right in front of me. Malkmus presided over his group and Bob Nastanovich provided comedic relief, as per usual. It was great just to see them together again and feel nostalgic. Malkmus's gravelly vocals and guitar antics took me right back to the 90's. It was a marathon set, and they played a little bit of everything. My long list of favorites includes "Elevate Me Later," "Summer Babe," "Frontwards," "Shady Lane," and "Perfume-V". I can only wish they had played my all-time favorite "Texas Never Whispers" and/or Terror Twilight sleeper hit "Major Leagues".

I am glad that I made the trek to NY rather than seeing them at Virgin Freefest the next day. Though there was less intimacy than I would have liked, the show was phenomenal and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Full setlist here.