“Last year was a hard for such a long time, this year is going to be ours.”
You know when a huge movie blockbuster comes out the same weekend as a little no-name film? Like when Star Trek came out the same day as Next Day Air? Well that’s not a perfect example at what I thought of Akron/Family’s latest album, “Set’em Wild, Set’em Free,” but it’s close. When it comes to making free spirited folk-rock accessible, no one is doing it better than Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear right now.
Enter the well-respected and always diverse Akron/Family. If you’ve listened to 2007’s “Love Is Simple,” you know that this band is up there with the giants when it comes to experimental folk music. However this year’s “Set’em Wild, Set’em Free” seem to try to ride the accessible experimental folk train but end up barely hanging on. This does not mean it’s a bad album in the least bit. In fact that album is a blast with a host of unlikely instruments. The results are stunning, the complete antithesis of modern folk rock. Even that understates the depths of the now trio’s effortless vocal harmonies and gently woozy, dream-like feel. Of their contemporaries only the enigmatic Midlake and My Morning Jacket at their most rocking come close, but neither could have cooked up the Zeppelin-esqe spiritual of “Everyone Is Guilty” or its more emotionally epic companion “Gravelly Mountains of the Moon”. In fact Akron/Family’s “Set’em Wild, Set’em Free” is not about trying to be the “best indie folk band of 2008,” they’re more or so doing their own thing despite this influx of experimental folk coming down the pipe. It’s a dedication to ancient English folk songs and their later American descendants as well as 70s balls-out classic rock. They might get swept under the rug this year, but don’t let that stear you away.
I am certain this song will be in a ’summer fun” commercial at some point. I know it! Anyway, here’s Metric’s little homemade video for “Sick Muse.” Enjoy!
This hilarious spin-off cliche Norwegian Metal videos is perfect for NYC’s trash metal champions, children. Their debut album, “Hard Times Hanging at the End of the World” is great throwback to fun and loud metal. Jolly good show!
Amazing Baby have a album out on the 23rd of June, a tour with Phoenix this summer, and now this surrealistic video for you people. They’re going to be known as the “Next Best Thing” so you better jump on this now before they get too cool.
Amazing Baby – Smoke Bros.
As a huge fan of pretty much every Michael Jackson video (minus this one….eww), I absolutely love this video for Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Heads Will Roll.” Plus it has werewolves…win.
I had to post this. Ever wish songs just sang what was happening in the music video? Well now they do. Brilliant and silly.
We Vs The Shark – Head Over Heels (Tears For Fears Cover)
M83 stunned an adoring and attentive crowd Wednesday night at the Mezzanine, with an intoxicating mix of atmospheric electronica – at times slow and droning and other times fun and emotionally intense.
James Yuill
Techno-geek James Yuill opened up and came out looking like he just got out of the office. His bizarre brand of folktronica got the crowd pretty warmed up with his acoustic guitar, heavy basslines, and infectious beats. A pretty decent opening act if you ask me.
After a 20 minute set up, M83 takes the stage. Frontman Anthony Gonzalez, decked out in a black leather jacket, captivated the sold-out crowd with his extensive use of reverb effects and often softly-spoken lyrics at times submerged in instrumentation.
M83
Backed by Loic Maurin and Morgan Kibby of The Romanovs the trio played songs from their eclectic catalog, one that stretched back 8 years and four studio albums. At times they were deafening and danceworthy; at others so quiet you could easily hear Anthony’s breath against the mic, or the quiet hum of the venue’s air conditioning.
The band’s orchestral electronica fit somewhat perfectly within the spacey confines and bass-heavy speaker system of the Mezzanine. The three-piece played their set to an audience that was standing motionless at times (Moon Child) and then suddenly dancing uncontrollably (Sitting), waiting as each note faded from earshot – before erupting with thunderous applause.
M83
The highlight of the night was “Skin of The Night,” which highlighted ’s vocal ability and the band’s mix 80s synth and dark instrumentation. For “Kim & Jesse,” the audience went ballistic and sang along creating an electric and intensified mid-point to the band’s set.
If I had one complaint, it would be that the sound system seemed too bass heavy. That and the distortions were ear-piercing at times. I’m glad I brought along my ear-plugs that night. I need to more often.
M83
All in all, M83 left me in awe at a band who can relax you for one song and make you dance like a maniac the next. Truly a band that understands mood and the importance of diversity during a performance.
Chocolate Girl
Leaf House
Summertime Clothes
What Would I Want Sky
Daily Routine
Slippi
Lion in a Coma
Fireworks
Encore:
Banshee Beat
My Girls
Brothersport
You ever have one of those moments where you are at a concert, wondering whether or not what you are witnessing is real? You think you’re someplace else. You’ve just zoned out.
The other night, I had one of those moments. I’d had been looking forward to checking out Animal Collective and Grouper at the Fox Theater for quite some time. The band were one of the best live shows I’ve seen in a long time. I found myself smiling the whole time and bobbin’ my head endlessly. It was the type of show I would have kicked myself for missing.
Grouper
I mean, I guess to start with Grouper, you gotta talk about Liz Harris. Harris’ music is a mixture of softly-strummed acoustic guitar and her delicate, dreamy vocals, both of which are heavily drenched in reverb. She isn’t known for stage presence or charisma, but her ability to transport you. Playing mostly off last year’s Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, she moved me with her avant-garde guitar plucking and her quiet, hazy vocals. It was like a nightmare I didn’t want to wake up from. I mean that in the best way possible.
On a side rant: Animal Collective is gaining a new younger audience. They’re disrespectful, loud, obnoxious, and overly sedated. Not all of them, but just the few I bumped into that night. These shows need to be 21+…that is all.
Animal Collective
Almost as if to say, “We will smash your expectations”, the band opened up with two older songs, “Chocolate Girl” and “Leaf House”. Both were in the art-rock vein, “Chocolate Girl” very expansive, while “Leaf House” was more intense. But after that, Animal Collective went to the mid-way point of this year’s Merriweather Post Pavilion, with the super fun “Summertime Clothes” sliding directly into the new indie summer anthem. While appreciative of the old material, the quite-thick crowd really lit up with “Daily Routine”, and the wackier, noisier vibes of the following “Slippi.”
Animal Collective
Things continued with “Lion in a Coma” off Merriweather Post Pavilion and “Fireworks” off Strawberry Jam. The encore brought “Banshee Beat,” which I believe was an improvement live vs 2005’s Feels. However, it was crowd favorite “My Girls” that showed the most energy, a driving intensity that really reached the crowd (no doubt helped by the chorus, “I don’t mean / to seem like I care about material things / like a social status / I just want / four walls and adobe slabs for my girls. WOOO!”).
Animal Collective
So I’m back from my Animal Collective journey and let me tell you, it’s amazing out there. The locals are nice but the out of towners are getting kind of rowdy. But don’t let that deter you from this very special band. This is history in the making people. Catch it while you can.
In 2008, The Silent Years- founded by Josh Epstein – produced The Globe, an astonishing “indie dream pop” album that picked up devotees and fans of genuine rock music along the way. The Detroit band’s latest EP, Let Go, is another intensely personal set of expansive songs that blend elements of orchestral pop, folk-rock, psychedelia, electronics, and more. At times, it recalls The Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire, and even Modest Mouse. A sprawling kaleidoscopic invocation of the life force with songs that veer from jubilation to simmering prayerful meditation. The strongest tunes (Madame Shocking, Vampires Bite The Hands Feed Them), as on the previous album, remain those with a full-on wave of mutilation. They can begin softly, tentatively, before cresting, nearly without you realizing it, into giant splashes of sonic boom.
You can pick up Let Go on July 14th off SideCho Records or download it here. Or even pick up The Globe (among other albums) on their current tour.
This week The Silent Years drummer Ryan Clancy drops by the Kata Rokkar to answer the ol’ Kuestionnaire. Enjoy!
1. Of all the bands/artists in your CD/record collection, which one is your most cherished?
Well, for me that would probably have to be this copy of the Beach Boys Endless Summer that I bought from a thrift store. Only because when I got it home I found an amazing poster of Prince and the Revolution inside the sleeve. It was kinda like eating an ice cream sundae and finding a hundred dollar bill on the bottom of the dish.
2. What have you been listening to lately?
The coffee maker and the shower are both running in this hotel room in Phoenix, so I’ve been listening to that, also Mike just coughed.
3. What¹s your favorite local band?
Detroit has too many awesome bands for me to list 1… Child Bite, the Word Play, Javelins, Pop Project, Deastro, Mason Proper, Magic Shop…so many more.
4. What was the last show you attended?
I went to this weird burlesque kinda show in Detroit where this dude was hanging from the ceiling by hooks in his back, then some girl did some weird dance where she stripped out of like 20 different bras. both kinda made my palms sweat.
5. What was the greatest show you’ve ever been to?
For me it was probably Crooked Fingers/Azure Ray, Rush/Primus, or SmallBrownBike/Thoughts of Ionesco.
6. What show are you looking forward to?
I was going to go to that Animal Collective show, but it sold out, and I think I’d rather not see that band live honestly, cause I like the new record so much I dont really want anything to ruin it…is that weird?
7. What musician would you like to hang out/work with for a day?
Eric Bachman, and my brother Clance
8. What four albums you would bring to a deserted island?
neutral milk hotel-aeroplane over the sea
the god delusion (by richard dawkins)-audio book
a photo album
beastie boys-pauls boutiqe
9. Would you call yourself a music geek?
No. I just like music because slutty girls like music.
10. Any favorite music-related videos/DVDs you own?
Braid, Face to Face, Slapstick, Flaming Lips, Sigur Ros, and Refused all have good ones.
11. What’s the last book you read?
Ive been switching back and forth between this Bio book of Elvis Costello (which is rad) and the Book of Morman that I took from a hotel in Idaho, I’ve only read through the first book of Nephi, but there is adventure at every turn.
12. Do you prefer live performances or recording in the studio?
Both are great because they have that post accomplishment elation, but I think I¹d have to go with live because I get my cardio in as well.
13. Any embarrassing moments on stage you¹d like to share?
Being embarrassed is overrated.
14. Any favorite tour locations?
Santa Rosa, Portland, Boston, Detroit.
15. Lastly, what have you done today?
I woke up before everyone, which is odd, I got intimate with myself in the shower, put on some coffee, walked outside to have a cigarette and see if I could spot Dan Marley, drank more coffee, brushed my teeth, then Josh asked me to do this interview. I’m excited because we get to play with Child Bite in Lawrence tomorrow.
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!
You are currently browsing the Kata Rokkar blog archives for May, 2009.
Akron/Family – Many Ghosts
