Instrumental Analysis

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Springing forth from the revitalized Bay Area indie music scene, San Francisco’s Low Red Land continue to impress with their latest, Dog’s Hymns. Throughout the album the band takes spare folk and country melodies and morphs and bends them in unexpected and beautiful directions, often building to dramatic, noise-drenched conclusions.

The songs ebb and flow between alt-country twang and yelping harmonies, ATDI neo-prog freak-outs, the earnest post-hardcore of Sunny Day Real Estate and the driving, over-driven guitars of a Neil Young and Crazy Horse garage work-out. Even more impressive, each song flows into the next, the album as a whole comprising a single, fully realized composition. Truly heady stuff for their second full-length release.

I’d recommend grabbing a good pair of headphones, picking a particularly forlorn and rainy night, and immersing yourself in Dog’s Hymns for a little while – it’s that kind of record.

Even better, mark your calendar for Low Red Land’s show at the Red and Black on October 25th. I’ve heard the live shows are particularly intense and not to be missed.

10/25/08: The Red and The Black, Washington, DC

mp3: Dog’s Hymns
mp3: Better Angels

My last week was spent largely sitting in traffic jams in my hometown of Los Angeles, often desperately seeking something to listen to on the radio. Imagine my surprise when I tuned to the once legendary – but of late truly awful – KROQ and low and behold, heard some interesting indie-pop! Earlimart, Aushua, Kingsize and an artist I hadn’t heard before, The Western States Motel.

Well, here I am back inside the beltway and what do I see in my inbox, but a missive from the Western States Motel, asking us to give a listen to “Oh World” and the rest of the the new Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun EP, out September 30th.

Carl Jordan, the man behind TWSM, has truly crafted a hidden gem of an EP, building upon a foundation of softly sung observational lyrics a la Elliot Smith and Iron and Wine (“Powerlines”), the more art rock leanings of the Shins (“Oh World”), and the hazy stoner rock of the California high desert (“New E Blues”). Also for a bit of odd trivia, it turns out “New E Blues” was featured in a slightly different form on one of the final episodes of The OC. Unfortunately, no one was watching that train wreck by then, otherwise I’m certain TWSM would be huge already!

mp3: Oh World

A few weeks ago, a little band going by the name Previously on Lost contacted IA about their music and I immediately gasped in blithesome intrigue. Perhaps this makes me bias, but as a massive fan of ABC’s Lost, listening to peppy, indie pop about island horrors and watery shenanigans is exactly how I want to spend the time I am not spending in front of my TV re-watching seasons 1-3 of the series. So, here’s my hearty fist pump and joyful “God bless you!” to the band members for taking on a sub-genre project like this.

Much like the wildly popular Wizard Rock genre, based on the Harry Potter books series, Previously on Lost (dubbing themselves a “TV recap rock band”) has taken happenings from season four of the show and immortalized each one in song. From hilarious to catchy, you don’t really even have to be a fan of the show to appreciate the craftsmanship used in the writing and recording. Even so, if you too find yourself waking up in a cold sweat having recently dreamed of kidnapped babies, massive back funnel clouds, female convicts or the physical moving of islands, this is most definitely the band for you.

Oh, it just so happens that they are finally making their way to DC and it’s a free show. See you there!

11/10/08: Millenium Stage @ Kennedy Center, Washington, DC *Free*

mp3: Just Wink

Chris got a little tied up with school and asked me to fill in and put together the weekly mix for him. Enjoy!

Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s – A Children’s Crusade On Acid
Fredrik – Black Fur
State Bird – I Don’t Love U Anymore
Elsiane – Mend (To Fix, To Repair)
A Brief Smile – Bigger Lies (via RCRD LBL)
Awesome New Republic – 2k3012
Arsenal – Estupendo
Team Genius – Take Me Home
Tigersapien – Youth & Vitality
Marvelous Toy – Waiting For The Fire

The weekend is finally here and it is loaded with shows to see.

Rachael Yamagata is set to release a new two part album A Record in Two Parts: Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Hear. After playing a few shows in the area recently, she is at the World Cafe Friday for XPN’s Free at Noon.

Weezer is back on tour for the Red Album. Opening is Canadians Tokyo Police Club. Friday they are at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Maybe after the show you can catch them on the gaming floor. Saturday, they make the short trip to Camden and the Susquehanna Bank Center.

mp3: Tokyo Police Club – In a Cave

Three cities, three shows, Black Kids don’t stop. Joined by The Virgins and Magic Wands, they are playing Black Cat Friday, Ottbar Saturday, then First Unitarian Church Monday.

mp3: Black Kids – Hurricane Jane
mp3: The Virgins – Private Affiars (Daytrotter)

Local folk-jam band Hoots and Hellmouth head west to the Capitol Theater in York for a Friday night show, then head back home to Philly for a Saturday show at Johnny Brenda’s with troubador Jim Bianco.

mp3: Hoots and Hellmouth – It’s Close, I’m Undone

Friday

Geek rock is alive and well and the high priests They Might Be Giants are still going strong. I believe they have some of the most entertaining shows around. Catch them at The Chameleon Club in Lancaster.

Lancaster’s Kheris heads across the river with The Thrives for a show at the Harp & Fiddle in downtown York.

Danger Danger Gallery has an interesting line-up featuring Virginians Hot Lava joined by Philly locals Gang, Reading Rainbow and Hermit Thrushes.

The district’s own Five Four is playing a hometown show at DC9.

mp3: Hot Lava – Blue Dragon
mp3: Five Four – Crazy

Saturday

Dressy Bessy just released a new album, Holler and Stomp and is out on tour. Opening for them is Squaaks at the Talking Head in Baltimore. Hot Lava joins the line-up for a Tuesday show at the Black Cat.

Robert Pollard’s Boston Spaceships and The High Strung join forces for a show at the Black Cat. Philly fans, you can catch them Monday at Johnny Brenda’s.

Chicago-based The Interiors is in the midst of an East Coast swing. They make a stop at The Red & The Black. The North Star in Philly has the honors on Wednesday.

mp3: Dressy Bessy – Just Once More (Daytrotter)
mp3: Squaaks – Fire
mp3: The High Strung – Beautiful Summer (Daytrotter)

Sunday

Indie hip-hop is a breath of fresh air into a genre that has become way too corporate. Sunday, The Fire in Philly is guaranteed to be raucous when Mr. Lif takes the stage.

Kerr Park in Downingtown is hosting Karmafest. What is karmafest? Don’t ask me, check out the website for more answers. Anyway, Philly’s musical siblings Sisters 3 and the always playing Cheers Elephant just so happen to be performing.

Later that evening, Cheers Elephant makes another appearance, this time in Fishtown at the Manhattan Room. Creeping Weeds and Butane Variations add to the fun.

Down in Baltmore, The Dodos are playing Sonar with Au and local darlings Wye Oak.

Prabir & The Substitutes are in Arlington at Galaxy Hut.

mp3: Sisters 3 – Bermuda Triangle
mp3: Cheers Elephant – Wide Eyed
mp3: Creeping Weeds – Long Way Down
mp3: Butane Variation – Jackie
mp3: The Dodos – Fools
mp3: Au – Are Animals
mp3: Wye Oak – Warning
mp3: Prabir & The Substitutes – Slow

And be sure to check out the other posts about those playing this weekend

Theresa Andersson
Throw Me the Statue
Multiple Shows

We Landed on the Moon! recorded their self-titled debut album in 2006 after Jay Chandreskhar (Super Troopers, Beefest), asked them for a song for the soundtrack of the Dukes of Hazard remake. After that, and although they’re said to have enclosed astronaut ice cream in each media package (note: still waiting for ours), the band, which blindly sent out their record to radio stations around the country, made a few non-solicited waves. They’re about to release their newest LP, These Little Wars; an album composed of so much catchy indie electronic-ish pop that I’m already beginning to count the number of times that I’ll be putting it on repeat. Perfecting the art of musical layering, We Landed on the Moon! comes off as the smoother, classier sister of indie sweethearts Black Kids.

mp3: Re: Your Letter

It is definitely Autumn. The weather is getting a bit cooler, kids are back in school and bands are out on their fall tours.

It’s the last hurrah down the beach. The Dewey Beach Music Conference starts tonight and runs through Saturday. With over 100 bands from all over the country at 7 different venues, it is sure to have something for everyone. The best part is all nighttime shows are absolutely free! Local acts playing that we have covered are Philly favs The Swimmers and Hershey’s The April Skies. And it’s not just a local showcase either. Milwaukee’s Fever Marlene and Brooklyn’s In Flight Radio are just a few non-regional acts making their way to southern Delaware.

mp3: The Swimmers – St. Cecilia
mp3: The April Skies – Here Comes the Rush
mp3: Fever Marlene – Lemon King Mahoney
mp3: In Flight Radio – Red Flags

Big shows tonight and tomorrow as Cut Copy comes through the area with countrymen The Presets. Also on the bill is synth-pop duo Heartbreak. You can catch them at The Troc in Philly tonight, but it is a little late if you don’t have tickets to the Friday show at 9:30 Club as it is sold out.

mp3: Cut Copy – Lights and Music

Another set of indie darlings are doing the city swap. SubPop artist Oxford Collapse is taking the stage tonight at Black Cat with Takka Takka. Then they head up to Philly for a show Friday at the Manhattan Room.

mp3: Oxford Collapse – Please Visit Your National Parks
mp3: Takka Takka – Everybody Say

Salt Lake City’s Alt-country group Band of Annuals is joined by Hymns for two shows in the area. Starting Thursday at DC9, they end up at The Fire Saturday.

mp3: Hymns – Stop Talking

For a more local flavor, The Talking Head is featuring Rahim supporting new album Laughter with the Snowmen and Deleted Scenes. Over at IOTA, Bellflur is on stage with Pree.

mp3: Rahim – Through a Window
mp3: Deleted Scenes – Trying to Remember
mp3: Bellflur – First to the Moon

The middle of September in central Texas. Football is the main focus on most peoples minds. It is usually still damn hot, but it is also time for one of the best musical festivals in the nation, the Austin City Limits Festival. In its seventh year, it shows no signs of slowing down, getting the greatest acts from around the world and showcasing the best of new and local music. Some of those on this years line-up are: Beck, Iron & Wine, G. Love, Band of Horse, Silversun Pickups, Black Keys, Okkervil River, Vampire Weekend, Philly’s Man Man and so many more I cannot even list them. One thing that is difficult is knowing what, where and when things are going on. Some one stepped up and created an electronic scheduler. Click the bands you want to see and you can print out a personalized schedule. From past experience, the pamphlets they hand out with the line-up get very worn by the end of the first day or so or lost or water-logged, so they are almost useless after the first few hours. For those of you going, enjoy. Drink plenty of water, enjoy the local food and flavor, and rock out like no tomorrow.

Photo By Mark Maryanovich
In theory, the idea of a female Black Keys strikes me as simply brilliant. Fortunately, it works for me in practice too, as The Pack A.D. knock it out of the park on their latest, Funeral Mixtape. The duo, comprised of Becky Black and Maya Miller, play the type of skuzzy, garage-based blues/rock that personally gets me going. While comparisons to the White Stripes are inevitable, the sound is much closer to the aforementioned Keys, complete with spastic guitar and “woman possessed” drumming.

The CD opens with the almost-but-not-quite rockabilly goodness of “Blackout” before churning into the ’80s Clapton-esque “Don’t Have to Like You.” “Making Gestures” slows the tempo slightly, but with no loss to swagger whatsoever. Things arguably hit their crescendo with “Build”, but there’s never any lack of balls-to-the-wall (boobs-to-the-tubes?) goodness here.

mp3: Making Gestures

Photo By Miranda Penn Turin
It’s a little unfair, because Theresa Andersson is half Swedish, which means there’s virtually no way that I won’t like her. But, I only noticed this fact after I listened to her music for a few minutes and already decided I liked the sweet indie pop coming out of my speakers, so bias averted. The New Orleans performer grew up on a wool spinnery in Sweden. She recorded all of her album, Hummingbird, Go! in her kitchen and regularly recreates it for a live audience. My tiny indie soul is in multi-instrumental heaven. Check out an mp3 and tons of regional dates below.

09/25/08: The 8×10, Baltimore, MD
09/26/08: World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
09/30/08: DC9, Washington, DC
10/23/08: Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA
10/24/08: IOTA, Arlington, VA

mp3: Birds Fly Away