This is pretty much the saddest thing I've seen in awhile. Poor little Colin. I know that its the humane thing to put him down, but the little battler has been nuzzling boats and trying to drink milk from them for the past six days now. He's also suffering "shark inflicted injuries", poor thing. Scientist's are saying that it would be impossible for the whale to be raised in captivity because the nutrients needed in his mothers milk are too specific and they wouldn't be able to reproduce them.
It breaks my heart that in this day and age, when doctors can perform heart transplants, people are sent to the moon, and sheep are cloned, that it's too difficult to make a milk formula for a baby whale.
)
There were a few albums that was released August 19th that we have in house for review, so I'm working my way to clear out my queue.
I also wanted to remind you that Brothers and Sisters's album, Fortunately was also released. I reviewed this album a few months ago when I thought it was released in July.
I also mentioned that at that time, there was no touring information. Well the good news is that they've finalized their tour dates, so see if they're coming to your town below:
August 22 - Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
August 26 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
August 27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
August 29 - Chicago, IL @ Town Hall Pub
September 01 - St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
September 03 - Bloomington, IN @ Cinemat
September 04 - Louisville, KY @ Skull Alley
September 06 - Dayton, OH @ Canal Street Tavern
September 07 - Columbus, OH @ Bernie's
September 10 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose
September 11 - New York, NY @ Union Hall
September 12 - State College, PA @ Chronic Town
September 14 - Washington, DC @ DC9
September 16 - Asheville, NC @ Emerald Lounge
September 17 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
September 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ M-Room
September 20 - Little Rock, AR @ Sticky Fingerz
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MAKEUPBREAKUP
makeupbreakupband.com ♥ myspace.com
I got a note that Fanatic is offering two new free downloadable tracks from electro dance-pop MakeUpBreakUp. This Providence, Rhode Island duo, Mikey Lamantia Jr. and Alexander Laorenza, have just released their EP, We Prefer Not To... last Tuesday, on SAF Records. It would seem that these guys are old friends, and in 2007, Laorenza moved to Rhode Island to concentrate on their music collaboration. Since making music, their songs comes off as sounding like 80s techno, but a little faster. It's not a surprise as their main influences seems to be from New Order. I did enjoy their title track, "Blame Game" (one of the free track), mostly because I like hearing Lamantia's (?) vocals. I only wish he has more lyrics to sing. Sometime hearing his voice on "Fall Her Love Trap", "She's Always X Rated", and "I Dream I'm Stone" reminds me of early 90s pop songs (like Information Society[W♥M] when they're doing their pop songs). It would seem that MakeUpBreakUp is currently associated with such retro acts as She Wants Revenge[W♥M] and The Faint[W♥M], and it's not a bad company to be in. I don't think they're as dancey or catchy, but given time, I can see a lot of potential in this band. Make sure to download the free tracks ("Blame Game", "Jungle City", and "She's Always X Rated") and if you love it, their EP is available for a minimum price at SAF Records. This EP is supposed to lead to their debut full length, and if the EP is any indication, I'll bet the album will be just as good or even better. |
KELLEY MCRAE
kelleymcrae.com ♥ myspace.com
As I've previously mentioned in the W♥M Video #10, I do enjoy gaelic singing-style - and Kelley McRae lives up to her Irish heritage. Well I'm pretty sure she's Irish, I think it's the "mac" that are Scottish, right? I guess it doesn't matter because McRae, is a singer/songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. Her debut album, Never Be received a four-star rating from Paste magazine. I like Paste magazine, they're one of the few magazines that I still see in newsstand at Barnes & Noble and they are generally into singer/songwriter type of music. They're also well-respected by everyone I know. Her latest album is Highrises in Brooklyn, just released yesterday on SonaBlast! Records. My favorite song off Highrises is the punchy soulful blues song, "More of Nothin'". I think this is such an outstanding song, but it really sounds nothing like her other more poppier songs ("Tomorrow", "BQE") and singer/songwriter-folk-type songs ("Highrises in Brooklyn"). If you like women-singer, definitely check out McRae. If you need songs recommendations, be sure to check out "Long Walk Home" (she sounds like in this song), the sweeping violins on "Fall", and the semi-biography song of "Sparrow" (this song sounds like it's about McRae's being a vagabond, traveling the countryside and always missing home). Sadly, it looks like she's just wrapped up her two month tour dates. She will appear again in Viriginia at Jammin' Java on August 23rd. |
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21 Aug 2008 Tempe Marketplace w/ The Airborne Toxic Event Tempe, Arizona
22 Aug 2008 Wells Fargo Arena Tempe, Arizona 23 Aug 2008 ASU Memorial Union Tempe, Arizona 27 Aug 2008 The Rhythm Room ::: CD RELEASE!!! Phoenix, Arizona 30 Aug 2008 Mia’s Lounge ::: CD RELEASE!!! Flagstaff, Arizona 31 Aug 2008 The Avalon w/ DATH Salt Lake City, Utah 1 Sep 2008 The Black Sheep w/DATH Colorado Springs, Colorado 2 Sep 2008 Oz Cafe w/DATH Wichita, Kansas 3 Sep 2008 Maintenance Shop w/DATH Ames, Iowa 4 Sep 2008 The Bottom Lounge w/DATH Chicago, Illinois 5 Sep 2008 Rockstar at Peabodys w/DATH Cleveland, Ohio 6 Sep 2008 The Picador Iowa City, Iowa 7 Sep 2008 Jackpot Music Hall Lawrence, Kansas 9 Sep 2008 The Marquee Tulsa, Oklahoma 10 Sep 2008 Hailey’s Denton, Texas 11 Sep 2008 Stubb’s BBQ Austin, Texas 12 Sep 2008 Rock Bottom Tattoo Bar San Antonio, Texas 19 Sep 2008 Bar Pink Elephant San Diego, California 20 Sep 2008 SPACELAND Los Angeles, California 21 Sep 2008 Beatles Revolution Lounge Las Vagas, Nevada 23 Sep 2008 Blakes on Telegraph Berkley, California 26 Sep 2008 The Clubhouse w/DATH Tempe, Arizona |
If only this band was called "What Lara Says", then I would've just assign the record to Lara for review. Thinks & Feels is What Laura Says' debut on the Terpsikhore label and it just came out yesterday, August 19th.
As far as I know, there are no Laura in this band, this is especially confusing because there is a woman singing on the opening track, "Couldn't Lose Myself If I Tried". This duet features an easy-to-follow, 1,2,3 beat that really sounds nothing like the country and blues song "Fashionably Moral" that follows it.
Just when you think you've got this Arizona, band pegged, they surprise you with a pop/piano number called "Illustrated Manual". Once they got me intrigued, I ended up searching online to find out more about this band - apparently NRP loves these guys.
NRP seems to generally like all-American/folk/roots music, and it's easy to see why they would like this band. It seems to me that What Laura Says are into antique music and movies. "Wish I Could Fly" sounds like it's an old-time Barber Shop song, while "Paradice" sounds like an old Cabaret (complete with cheesy sobbing in the song).
Looking at their liner notes, the band is mostly driven by two creative guys: Danny Godbold and James Mulhern (they write and sing on all their songs). The other three members (Greg, Jacob and David) is credited, but they don't list the woman singer on the first track, "Paradice", "Waves", "July 23", and "1000 Faces". Could it possibly be "the Laura" singing on these tracks?
So, anyway Thinks & Feels is out now at all online stores and catch them on tour! Keep up with their news by visiting site.w♥m.
Links:
whatlaura.com
myspace.com/whatlaurasaysthinksandfeels
Since stopping smoking (go me!) I've consumed my body weight in junk food. And even more exciting than lining up to get a shiny gold packet of fags, my new addiction let me partake anytime, anywhere and whats more, there were constantly new and exciting products to try. The drive-thru peeps at Macca's just about knew me by name and I'm pretty sure that if I continued how I was going, Coca Cola was going to name a soft drink after me. Yes, yes, I put on weight, but that really didn't stop me. I still fit my clothes (I mean that quite loosely here, as opposed to how my clothes look these days) and it meant I just had to go to the gym more often. But now, 3 months on, my poor body is screaming out for a detox. Almost nothing I eat (even if it is healthy) agrees with me anymore - which is both annoying and embarrassing. So have decided to put my fat ass on a detox. It started today.
So today is day one with no coffee. Surprisingly, I was OK until about 1pm - and now I feel like I'm swimming through a cloud of sleep, while the noise has been turned up and everything is throbbing. This isn't good.
My friend who lives in NYC is constantly on a detox and she recommended this full on one for me - its some maple syrup thing where you only drink special juice for a week-10 days. 10 days without food? Really? I don't think so. Has anyone else done a good cleanse/detox they can recommend?
My one that I've started today is: no coffee, no beer, no spirits, (white wine is OK though?) no bread, no dairy, no pasta, limited carbs - just fruit, fruit, fruit and veges... for one week.
No coffee for one week *shudders*
Soup wrote this:
Asva is a band helmed by Stuart Dahlquist, formerly of Burning Witch, Sunn o))), and Goatsnake, and recorded with members of bands like Burning Witch, Mr. Bungle, and Earth. You probably don't need to know much beyond that to have some idea of what this sounds like already, but leaving this at a paragraph wouldn't do it justice. Their new album for Southern Records (not to be confused with Southern Lord, who I initially thought was putting this out), What You Don't Know is Frontier, is a sparser, more composed, more varied take on the metallic drone pioneered by Sunn o))), and ultimately, manages to be a pretty damn good album.
The first track, “What You Don't Know in Frontier” (sic), is a Sunn o)))-style drone, sped up, with a very prominent organ in front of it. Noisy, fuzzed-out, feedbacking guitars drift in and out, and give way to atmospheric, Earth-y leads, subtle changes in the rhythm guitar, and so-slow-they're-barely-there drums.
“Christopher Columbus” is built on a subharmonic bass drone that sounds like the movement of the ocean, with cymbal crashes adding a sense of impending doom. Inevitably, the feedbacking guitars come in and drone mechanically over it, sounding something like a doomed vessel lost at sea. Drones are piled on and phased in and out over time. Drums and metallic chugging create a surprisingly rhythmic build-up to slow, actually musical sounding guitar leads.
“A Game in Hell, Hard Work in Heaven” starts out with a clean, contemplative guitar on top of a subtle organ drone. Organs overtake the guitars, evoking more of a sense of hope than anything else on the album so far. Chanting vocals in a language I honestly can't identify come in over sometimes discordant keyboards and an Earth-y lead guitar, which all eventually builds into a meandering climax of sound.
The last track, “A Trap For Judges” is a sprawling, almost 25-minute epic that builds from a keyboard drone up to a strangely hopeful sounding cloud of feedback, keyboards, and the ever-present downtuned rhythm guitar and drums trying to crush it all underfoot. This song turns into probably the closest thing to Sunn o))) these guys do on this album, with the trademark Sunn o))) guitar dynamic, with the “rhythm” guitar stomping around like an angry dinosaur, and the “lead” droning on top of it. The biggest difference is, these guys actually speed it up quite a bit, although still keeping it incredibly slow. It breaks down into an organ drone that builds into a hopeful climax and an awesome ending for the album.
I
can't find any tour dates or anything for these guys, but everything
I've read about their live set suggests that you should probably
actually wear earplugs for once if you catch them. The album is out
today on Southern Records. While I doubt this album will change your
mind if you're not into this sort of thing, generally, fans of Sunn
o))), Burning Witch, or Southern Lord style metal will definitely dig
it. More info can, of course, be found at the band's MySpace page.
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Tour Dates
08/20/08 Birch Aquarium with Shawn Mullins San Diego, California
08/21/08 Border’s Books In-Store San Diego, California 08/30/08 KUSI morning show San Diego, California 09/21/08 Main Stage - Oceanside Harbor Days - Alex Woodard and the Naysayers Oceanside, California 10/04/08 House Concert Series - Seattle Seattle, Washington 10/11/08 House of Blues with Chris Cagle San Diego, California 10/17/08 House Concert Series - Alex Woodard and the Naysayers New York City, New York 10/25/08 Casbah - Alex Woodard and the Naysayers San Diego, CA 12/06/08 Casbah - Alex Woodard and the Naysayers San Diego, CA, California 12/10/08 House Concert Series - Lafayette, LA Lafayette, Louisiana 12/11/08 Ogden Museum - Alex Woodard and the Naysayers New Orleans, Louisiana 12/12/08 Julep - Alex Woodard and the Naysayers Jackson, Mississippi 12/13/08 House Concert Series - Memphis, TN Memphis, Tennessee 12/15/08 Tin Roof I Nashville, Tennessee |
Alex Woodard's self-titled debut album is out today, and if you've kept up with site.w♥m, you'd know that you can get him to write a song about you if you pre-order his album.
The link is still available, probably until the end of today, so if you want to brag to your friends that you have a song about you...
It looks like you need to use PayPal to buy his album, and your email will then be used so they can contact you directly about your personal song. You'll also be grant exclusively to "The Woodshack" for more cool stuff with Woodard.
I wasn't offered his album for review, but based on this one song, "Reno", I thought this news was worth mentioning. It has a country/western feel to it, and I did like the duet with Sara Watkins. Her sweet southern comfort voice is a nice counterweight to Woodard's country pop vocals.
Anyway, if you got a chance to check out W♥M Podcast #19, I did mention at the end that I would like to do more coverage on international artists. Fortunately, we received enough artists for this article.
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SOUND AND FURY
soundandfury.com ♥ myspace.com
Most of the more metal/heavier rock I have given over to Soup, but on occassion, I would grab something if it looks interesting. Anyway, I thought I'd take a stab at listening to Canada's Sound and Fury's debut album - mostly because of the William Shakespeare's reference ("A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing") and their stunning cover art (who says album artwork doesn't sell a record?) The cover is a die-cut of "SF" covering most of the men in skull masks, which upon closer inspection looks like it might have been real skulls, photoshopped on their bodies. Getting past the cover artwork, this album is actually pretty rockin'. I can already hear AC/DC and early punk influences in their song (especially with the vocals and some of the frantic guitar riffs), this band sounds like they are from the 70s/80s. They seem like a relatively young band, being that this is their debut album (just released June 26th on Rebel Youth Records). Plus a lot of their subject in their songs involves early age/high school, such as "18", "Teenage Rampage", "School's Out", and "High School Hotbox"... hey as they say: write what you know! They are sure getting their names out, being recently on the Warped Tour and now supporting Airbourne and Bang Camaro, so be sure to check them out all over the US and UK:
August 20 Imperial de Quebec Quebec City
August 21 Le National Montreal August 22 Elements Kitchener August 24 Cowboy's Ranch London August 27 Garrick Centre Winnipeg August 28 Odeon Events Centre Saskatoon August 29 Event Centre Edmonton August 31 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver Sept 1 Sugar Victoria Sept 12 Pearl Street Northampton, Massachusetts Sep 13 Asylum Portland, Maine Sep 25 Double Door Chicago, Illinois Sep 26 The High Noon Saloon Madison, Wisconsin Sep 27 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, Minnesota Oct 3 King Cobra Seattle, Washington Oct 4 Dante’s Portland, Oregon Oct 5 Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, California Oct 8 The Roxy Theatre Los Angeles, California Oct 9 Beauty Bar Las Vegas, Nevada Oct 10 The Casbah San Diego, California Oct 11 Plush Tucson, Arizona Oct 24 Exit/In Nashville, Tennessee Oct 25 EARL Atlanta, Georgia Nov 1 Cardiff University Cardiff, UK Nov 2 Bristol Academy Bristol, UK Nov 5 Birmingham Academy Birmingham, UK Nov 6 Sheffield Octogon Sheffield, UK Nov 7 Liverpool Academy Liverpool, UK Nov 8 Manchester Academy Manchester, UK Nov 10 Dublin Ambassador Dublin, IRE Nov 11 Belfast Mandela Hall Belfast, IRE Nov 13 Inverness Ironworks Nov 14 Dundee Fat Sams Nov 15 Glasgow Barrowlands Glasgow Nov 17 Newcastle Academy Newcastle, UK Nov 18 Leeds Met University Leeds, UK Nov 19 Stoke Victoria Hall UK Nov 20 Nottingham Rock City Nottingham, UK Nov 22 Oxford Academy Oxford, UK Nov 23 Norwich UEA Nov 24 Cambridge Junction Cambridge, UK Nov 26 Folkestone Lees Cliff Hall UK Nov 27 Astoria London, UK Nov 28 Astoria (TBA) London, UK Dec 1 Laiterie Strasbourg, France Dec 2 Boule Noir Paris, France Dec 4 Apolo 2 Barcelona, Spain Dec 5 Theatre Barbey Bordeaux, France Dec 6 Rolling Stone Milan, Italy Dec 7 Rohstofflager Zurich, Switzerland Dec 8 Flex Vienna, Austria Dec 15 Small Vega Copenhagen, Denmark Dec 18 Grunspan Hamburg, Germany Dec 21 Backstage/Werk Munich, Germany Dec 28 Colas-Saal Ascahffenburg, Germany
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SOUTH
south.uk.net ♥ myspace.com
If their description of "Coldplay" and "Travis" doesn't turn you off, then you'll love this London-based trio, South. Although (based on their fifth album, You Are Here), they do sound more contemporary British pop/rock, they did originally started out as more of an electronic act. This is especially evident with their work with Stone Roses' Ian Brown (the Madchester scene is still some of the most influential music today) and UNKLE's James Lavelle (who was so impressed with these lads that he signed them on his own personal label, Mo' Wax).
Since I'm not familar with their earlier releases, they must've shifted gears in 2003, after leaving Mo' Wax's label. However, there is a rumor, based on singer/songwriter Joel Cadbury's blog that suggests they might return to the more dancey origins because they want to release a brand new remix album. I'm sure you'll see that soon, if not next year. Listening to their latest album, I absolutely the crazy horns on "Lonely Highs", it sounds like some Spanish flamenco song... completely out of the blue. But listening to enough music, I can tell you that the single that everyone will love should be "The Pain". This song starts off with a nice bass, followed by a very Kink-esque melody. Other songs worth checking out are "Wasted", "Better Things", and "She's Half Crazy" ("don't you know that she's half crazy?"). The good news is that if you live in the US, the album is available domestically via Bluhammock. Be sure to check out some of our coverage of their other bands: Virginia Coalition and KaiserCartel. PS, there is a hidden song at the very end of "Zither Song". It sounds like a warped record, but it's a nice bonus. |
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DONNA LEWIS
donnalewis.com ♥ myspace.com
Welsh singer/songwriter, Donna Lewis, rocketted into fame with her 1996 VH1 hit single, "I Love You Always Forever" from her platinum-selling debut album Now in a Minute. If you have never listened to pop music, just head over to her myspace and you'll be in for a treat. The song has a very catchy rhythm, and the lyrics seems to go on and on. For fans of Lewis, you'll be happy to know that she's been steadily releasing music - her latest from last year is In the Pink. I can see from her album that "You to Me" is probably the hit single, it tries to capture that "I Love You" feeling, but more acoustic and sweeping backing vocals. An excerpt of the song appears again in a reprise version, just to remind you that this is the song. Apparently I am wrong, because her single from this album is "Shout", a jangley acoustic song with a focus on her sweet voice. The title of this album, not a reference to Tori Amos, comes from her song, "Pink Dress". This track, along with "Obsession" (I love the whispery "wishing well" that sounds like she's singing "whissing well") and "Shut the Sun Out" suggests more of an electronica/dancey future for Lewis. Although I like seeing this kind of experimenting and change, I don't think her hardcore pop fans would appreciate this... but I did enjoy her dance songs a lot more than her love/sugar pop songs. In the Pink have been out since April through the US via Peruzzi Music and Redeye Records. |
SALME DAHLSTROM
salmedahlstrom.com ♥ myspace.com
Although currently based in New York, this DJ/singer/mixer/music producer, Salme Dahlstrom, was born in Sweden. Once again, the Swedes does not disappoint with this latest release called, The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade - out today, August 19th via Kontainer Records. After a short introduction to the album ("this is your brain on music..."), you're hit with an explosive dance number, "Bombastic". This is a hard-hitting song, it uses a lot of drumming and beats and it's just very catchy. I will have to point out that her "playful" imagery of a salute on the cover artwork as well as the lyrics "line up like a Nazi/watching every move that I make" might offend some overly sensitive people. Although I don't have a problem with it, I know this subject is still relatively taboo. It's also hard to listen to this album without thinking about another Swedish woman called Robyn. Especially in the easy-to-sing-along "C'Mon Y'All" (the main lyrics are "ooh la la, sing ooh la la, c'mon y'all"). She's clearly a talented woman, having written and put together all her songs. It looks like The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade might be her debut album, consisting of two previously released EPs, with three brand new tracks ("C'mon Y'All, "Bombastic" and "Wearing The Peace"). She's supposed to be on tour for support of this album, so I'll be sure to mention her tour dates if those are made available. |
My friend sent me this avatar, she thinks it looks like me:
It's Tuesday, and I'm hung over. I know. No one to blame but myself, I'm supposed to be changing my ways... and blah, blah, blah
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08/23/08 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
Discography
09/15/08 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey 09/16/08 Portland, OR @ Towne Lounge 09/17/08 Davis, CA @ The Old Firehouse 09/18/08 SF, CA @ Bottom of the Hill 09/24/08 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive 09/26/08 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
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Milwaukee-born, St. Paul-based Jeff Hanson is full of surprises. Having been briefly acquainted with him socially through a mutual friend some seven years ago I was amazed by the news: Jeff had signed with Kill Rock Stars. THE Kill Rock Stars? Yes; he mailed them a demo and they went nuts for it. Who knew THAT actually worked? My second surprise came some time later, in 2003 when my roommate walked in the door proudly holding a copy of Jeff's newly released debut. He immediately commandeered the living-room stereo and plugged the disc in. Having no idea what to expect, I was pleased with Jeff's folksy, stripped down, singer-with-guitar style. I liked it immediately. So, who's the woman singing? I asked. That's Jeff. No, no, the SINGER, I enunciated. No, no, that's Jeff. None of us spoke again for a good ten minutes; weighed down by the enormity of that concept and stunned into silence as song after song washed over us. Because, you see; Jeff sings in a whispery falsetto that would make angels weep. There. I said it. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, upon first contact with his über-soothing soprano, mistakes it for a woman's voice.
It's at this point that I'd like to take a step back and point out that I asked for this assignment, in fact I begged for it. But in many ways what I was seeking was an impossible mission. I can't describe Jeff Hanson's voice. And I've given up on trying. It simply must be experienced. Listen to the embedded track. Listen to it twice if you need to. Listen to it twice, go make yourself a cup of coffee, smoke a cigarette, or whatever your vice of choice, then come back and read the rest of this. Because if you still haven't wrapped your head around the fact that YOU ARE LISTENING TO A MAN SINGING, you really won't be paying any attention to anything else I have to say. If you think I'm overreacting: you probably haven't clicked on the embed yet.
It is my theory that Jeff Hanson has suffered somewhat as a result of his unique voice. Many see it as an oddity, an aberration. It attracts gawkers and curiosity-seekers their to pay their nickel to see The Amazing Man Who Sings Like A Woman, and having only given him a glimpse, they soon move on, presumably in search of Dogboy or The Bearded Lady.
Those people will soon realize their mistake.
Jeff Hanson has finally recorded an album - his third, "Madam Owl," released today - befitting his amazing vocals. This should in no way be construed as a knock on his previous two albums, but I firmly believe that this is the album that will finally launch him from "That Guy Who Sings Like A Girl" to "Jeff Hanson." Certainly, there still need to be a lot of introductions that will likely begin with "Check it out: this dude sounds like a chick," and from personal experience I can tell you it's quite a conversation starter. But honestly, it's past time for this guy to get some respect. It can't be easy for a falsetto-wielding folkster signed to a label known more for its Riot Grrrls than its soulful balladeers. But he's long ago made peace with that and this album is an engraved invitation for the rest of us to follow suit. The solo, man-with-guitar style that has become his signature is well-represented in Madam Owl, but unlike previous offerings, an ensemble backing band makes this album at times downright orchestral. Violin, cello, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, accordion, and… is that "saw" I see in the liner notes? As capable as The Voice is, increasingly varied instrumentation frames it in such a way that he no longer has to concern himself with the need to vocally carry the album, supported only by his single guitar. He has long done that bit well - extremely well - but much of this album shows a change of tactics that works beautifully.
I'm going to repeat myself: It simply must be experienced. Listen to the embed a third time. Download "If Only I Knew" free from the Kill Rock Stars site. Buy the album. Play it for a friend. If you're looking for a conversation starter, try: "Check it out: this dude sounds like a chick."
Links:
www.jeffhanson.net
myspace.com/jeffhanson
killrockstars.com
myspace.com/killrockstars5rc
Soup took a break from being too metal for one hand to write this:
Portland, Oregon's System and Station, formerly Boise, Idaho's System and Station and Madison, Wisconsin's System and Station, are releasing their new album, A Nation of Actors tomorrow. And it's really, really good. What we have here is an engaging Pacific Northwest style rock record with influence ranging from northwestern indie rock to classic rock to early-90's post-hardcore.
The opening track, “The Magnetic North” is a great example of this. Straightforward rock verses with post-hardcore time changes and sweet melodies tying it all together. The intro and outro are sort of “emo” in the least corny way possible, although they don't really add or detract from the song itself. “Sell Out” sounds appropriately like something you might hear on the radio or MTV, like a hit single waiting to happen, provided either of those things actually still played anything this good on a regular basis. It's a straight-up rock song featuring some cool sinewy guitars and a really, really catchy vocal melody. “A Light to Lead You Home” features a lead guitar that reminds me a lot of something Built to Spill might do, but the whole thing is arranged a lot more tightly than anything Built to Spill has done. It builds up gracefully to a classic rock influenced jam with busy drumming and psychedelic guitar, which also sounds a lot like something Built to Spill would do. “On the Way” features a bouncy off-beat guitar rhythm, without ever degenerating into a bunch of white dudes imitating reggae like it very easily could (speaking of Built to Spill...). It's a really fun, catchy track. “Rainy Days in Future Cities” is a sparsely arranged but lush sounding track that evokes pretty much exactly what the title says. This is in stark contrast to the business and upbeat tone of “Too Late Too Soon.” The reverb-drenched “The World is Run by Wires” is a slower song featuring Built to Spill style delayed lead guitar and cymbal rolls subtly building up to a gorgeous pop song. “Pictures Found in Paragraphs” starts up with a sinewy post-hardcore section that breaks down into a “twinkly” pop song that brings to mind The Flaming Lips and builds into something that reminds me of early Jets to Brazil. “Out on the Wall” takes the quiet/loud dynamic and turns it into the most casual sounding thing ever, like it's no big deal anymore, mixing bouncy pop verses, with strangely polished, distorted post-hardcore riffing, and building up into a strangely polished rock song. “Dumb Luck” doesn't even bother with the build-up. It starts out with sinewy off-time riffing that reminds me of Drive Like Jehu a little bit, and an unconventional melodic structure. This is probably the most abrasive song on this album. The last track is the title track, “A Nation of Actors.” It's the longest track on the album, and it's a great culmination of the album as a whole. It opens with kind of “ballady” verses with darkly bouncy pop choruses, all of it with some tastefully mixed in strings. After a couple rounds of this, it builds up and spends most of the rest of the track building up distorted walls of sound and breaking back down into an outro that ties it all back together.
These guys are on tour, and they're coming through Boise (which, given that they're from here, doesn't surprise me), so I'll definitely be checking it out. They definitely sound like they'd be a good time live. Here are the dates:
Aug 20 2008 8:00P Doug Fir Lounge CD Release!!!! w/ Prize Country and Ley Lines Portland, Oregon
Aug 26 2008 8:00P Lil’ Red Lion w/La Fin Du Monde Eureka, California
Aug 27 2008 8:00P Hemlock Tavern San Francisco, California
Aug 28 2008 8:00P Knitting Factory Los Angeles, California
Aug 29 2008 8:00P Chaser’s San Diego, California
Aug 30 2008 8:00P Plush Tucson, Arizona
Aug 31 2008 8:00P Atomic Cantina Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sep 1 2008 8:00P The Conservatory OKC, Oklahoma
Sep 2 2008 8:00P Replay Lounge w/ Overstep Lawrence, Kansas
Sep 3 2008 8:00P Record Bar w/ The Life and Times Kansas city, Missouri
Sep 4 2008 8:00P Melody Inn Indianapolis, Indiana
Sep 5 2008 8:00P The Frequency w/ ifihadahifi Madison, Wisconsin
Sep 6 2008 8:00P Cactus Club w/ ifihadahifi Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sep 7 2008 8:00P Empty Bottle w/ Couch Flambeau Chicago, Illinois
Sep 8 2008 8:00P T