Seattle based band Helvetia’s follow up to last years acclaimed ‘The Acrobats’ and fourth record, ‘Helvetia’s Junk Shop’, is an intimate and personal collection of songs that puts one into a surrealistic yet calming state of mind. This time more than just an an ode to the lo-fi world of cassette 4-track recording, Helvetia present themselves as pop experimentalists that add atmospheric guitar work and droning organs layered into a sometimes rootsy, sometimes lo-fi, and often psychedelic mix.
‘Helvetia’s Junk Shop’ will be released on September 15th, 2009 but for now, here’s a taste…
Philadelphia-based Hoots & Hellmouth are ready to charm and march their way to your heart with their brand of happy-go-lucky roots-rock. Their sophomore effort, ‘The Holy Open Secret’ continues their trek to revitalize and move forward in the name of hip shaking revival rock music. Rob Berliner, Andrew Gray and Sean Hoots return as the core trio of string slingers and harmonious vocalizers, co-producing in collaboration with Bill Moriarty (Dr. Dog, Man Man) at Philadelphia’s American Diamond Studio. The outcome is a crazy and energetic album that is wild, woolly and ready to knock you on your ass.
You can purchase ‘The Holy Open Secret’ here and check them out on tour here.
Lead singer-songwriter Sean Hoots makes his way to the Kata Rokkar and answers this week’s Kuestionnaire.
1. Of all the bands/artists in your CD/record collection, which one is your most cherished?
otis redding
2. What have you been listening to lately?
antony & the johnsons, mewithoutyou, slayer, notorious big, “good god!: a gospel funk hymnal”
3. What’s your favorite local band?
2-way tie between dr. dog and mewithoutyou (hezekiah jones gets a close second)
4. What was the last show you attended?
mewithoutyou (i’m feeling redundant…)
5. What was the greatest show you’ve ever been to?
4-way tie: morrissey, antony & the johnsons, the black crowes and animal collective
6. What show are you looking forward to?
i don’t get to go see shows much anymore…so, as a result, i have no idea who’s coming around.
7. What musician would you like to hang out/work with for a day?
ahmir “questlove” thompson
8. What four albums you would bring to a deserted island?
if i could be alone on a deserted island, i would make all my own music.
9. Would you call yourself a music geek?
i don’t call myself anything.
10. Any favorite music-related videos/DVDs you own?
jeff buckley at the metro, slayer live at the warfield
11. What’s the last book you read?
“letters to a young poet” by rainer maria rilke
12. Do you prefer live performances or recording in the studio?
they both have charm for their own reasons.
13. Any embarrassing moments on stage you’d like to share?
like the time i tripped over my shoes, lost my pants and mooned a crowd of thousands? nah, nothing i’d like to share…
14. Any favorite tour locations?
anywhere in the southeast…particularly nc/sc (family roots, y’all!).
15. Lastly, what have you done today?
ate a rockin’ breakfast at the little grille collective in harisonburg, va, then sat in a van for 6 hours en route to knoxville, tn (reading milan kundera’s “the art of the novel,” which i highly recommend) and then did a soundcheck. i assume we’ll finish off the day with our set, all things going forward as planned.
San Franciscan wunderkind Nick Haughton’s Letters & Numbers write songs so naked and heartfelt they make you feel like a voyeur just listening to them. This precocious singer-songwriter croons with the astonished intensity of a homeless Daniel Johnston singing for his supper. The production is notably bright and raw, with some songs, notably “Paradiso et Canto,” lushly swathed in locomotive-hobo folk. When his second album ‘Cat’s Walk’ is great, as on the slow-churning anthem “Bedroom Floor,” it’s superb, visionary pop music, on par with Jeff Mangum or Phil Elvrum. Anyone who can operate a play button will find much to enjoy on this vital, messy masterpiece.
You can purchase ‘Cat’s Walk’ here and catch him on tour here.
He will be at San Francisco’s Makeout Room on Sunday the 5th of July at 8pm.
You won’t see too many posts this week due to the fact that I’m in New York. So here’s a Summer Themed Hip-Hop playlist to tide you over until I return on Monday. I usually don’t post much hip-hop but I don’t really listen to it until the weather warms up…so yeah.
Is she making a video for every song off ‘Far’? Certainly seems like it. Hey I’m not complaining, more of Ms. Spektor’s pretty face for me. Anyway, here’s some more video from her illustrious career…
There are two things to say about him. He was a musical genius; and he was an abused child. By abuse, I do not mean sexual abuse; I mean he was used brutally and callously for money, and clearly imprisoned by a tyrannical father. He had no real childhood and spent much of his later life struggling to get one. He was spiritually and psychologically raped at a very early age – and never recovered. Watching him change his race, his age, and almost his gender, you saw a tortured soul seeking what the rest of us take for granted: a normal life.
But he had no compass to find one; no real friends to support and advise him; and money and fame imprisoned him in the delusions of narcissism and self-indulgence. Of course, he bears responsibility for his bizarre life. But the damage done to him by his own family and then by all those motivated more by money and power than by faith and love was irreparable in the end. He died a while ago. He remained for so long a walking human shell.
I loved his music. His young voice was almost a miracle, his poise in retrospect eery, his joy, tempered by pain, often unbearably uplifting. He made the greatest music video of all time; and he made some of the greatest records of all time. He was everything our culture worships; and yet he was obviously desperately unhappy, tortured, afraid and alone.
I grieve for him; but I also grieve for the culture that created and destroyed him. That culture is ours’ and it is a lethal and brutal one: with fame and celebrity as its core values, with money as its sole motive, it chewed this child up and spat him out.
I hope he has the peace now he never had in his life. And I pray that such genius will not be so abused again.
Kata Rokkar is a place where you can download free mp3 from artists and bands that I currently love and listen to. They are only for sampling purposes and to influence you to go out and support these artists by purchasing their records and going to their concerts. If you are a record company or an artist that is displeased with a song being displayed, feel free to contact me and I will remove it ASAP. Thank you and enjoy!
Helvetia – Grey Ghost Rides Again
Philadelphia-based 
San Franciscan wunderkind Nick Haughton’s 
