If there's one thing I love doing, it's making Top-10 lists. You might remember a minor overuse of them during Hip-Hop Week, but it's been months and I think it's ok now...
[10. The Sedgwyck Agents and Your Best Friend: Papa Pete's 3/5/10]
The first time I heard about Your Best Friend, the conversation literally went like this:
Much-cooler friend: What are you doing tonight?
Meg: Aw, I don't know.
MCF: Your Best Friend is playing a show at Corner Bar!
M: ...my best friend? .......who........?
MCF: NO, have you ever heard of the band, YOUR BEST FRIEND?!
She was/is way cooler than me, but now I know! Anyway, the Detroit-area band Your Best Friend will be bringing the hotness to Papa Pete's on March 5th! I saw YBF at Papa's last summer, I believe, with Ghosts of the Great Lakes and others. And, though those were my pre-blogging days (can you imagine? I can't), I still feel that I may tell you that they rocked my fucking face off.
For the record, I once had a similar conversation about Something Corporate ("Do you listen to Something Corporate?" "I listen to a lot of corporate music"); I swear to God that happened. Anyway...
Opening for Your Best Friend will be Kalamazoo's own Sedgwyck Agents. These masters of garage-grunge, also chock full of face-rocking goodness, mash heavily-distorted guitars, riotous cymbal-crashing fury and snarling, Johnny Rottenesque vocals: the kind of music you jacked up way, way too loud when you were an angsty high-school asshole (no worries, I've been there). Your parents' worst nightmare... but (ugh oh) your best friend.
Check this show out. Promise.
Also, look for my upcoming feature on Sedgwyck on Kalamazoo NOISE! for whom I will soon be a contributing writer. These guys rock-- bookmark this page to keep in the loop about Kalamazoo and southwest Michigan shows, as well as check out band profiles, etc, etc, etc.
[9. Ghosts of the Great Lakes' new full length "Erasing You"]
That's right, the band who once likened their sound to "shiny dirt" are releasing their sophomore effort. With a revamped lineup, Ghosts promise that "We are not fucking around in the least on this album." (from their blog); and vow additionally that it will "be loud." And while they brought the pain on their last release "The Death of the Party," which was favorably reviewed by Recoil, Revue and others, it will be interesting to see what they come up with this time around, having taken a minor hiatus from playing live shows and generally been off the proverbial radar.
And in case you've been curious about what they've been up to, they've released the a track list from the upcoming album on their blog. Though I can't see a reason to do this other than just liking the songs' titles a lot, they are officially... released. With promises that we will finally hear the music behind the titles in... June.
Anti-climactic, much?
Regardless, given the endlessly creative take on modern rock with which Ghosts have made a name for themselves in the Kalamazoo scene, I'm stoked for their next release.
See ya in a few months, guys!
[8. Elm Street Riot (formerly Bermuda Groove)]
Elm Street are sort of the new kids on the block of Kalamazoo indie-rock, blending classic 90s alt rock and gritty garage-blues with an indie perspective (think Cage the Elephant, the Black Keys and Ryan Adams' more "rock" stuff).
When I saw them in the fall at the Strutt as Bermuda Groove, I was confused and almost disappointed that they weren't more like this, given their name. But, I kicked back and enjoyed the set; they're kind of like seeing the first high school garage band you were really impressed by; like, "oh, you can be THAT cool and sound like that?! That's really good!"
Anyway, it's still in the early days of Elm Street Riot's tenure on the Kzoo scene, but I'm expecting to hear MUCH more from these guys in the coming months. In the meantime, you can check out their EP here and rock steady; during which time, please be advised that Elm Street "is sure to make your ears bleed in the best possible way."
[7. Trixy Disco] (what is "Dutch Pop?")
Another new band I've happened upon since selling out to MySpace: Trixy Disco. With a name like "Trixy Disco," a MySpace wallpapered in mosquitoes, and (most of all) their funky, experimental hard-rock sound, I was instantly intrigued. Though they only have one song up on MySpace, the headbanging "C'mon Sunshine," their sound has a presence and a uniqueness that you can't fake-- or ignore.
It might be a little premature but I'm expecting fantastic things from this band... they will be rockin' out the dungeon that is Corner Bar on March 19th, so I guess we'll see?
[6. Their Teeth Will Be Of Lions CD Release Show 4/17/10]
What the band rightly calls a "strange collaboration of talent and compassion" on their own MySpace is Kalamazoo's indie tour de force Their Teeth Will Be Of Lions. Taking us on an experimental-indie roller coaster ride of sound since their first release "Everyone Made it Out Alive.. Almost!" and through the darker "The Death... The Reincarnation... And The Unfamiliar Tales Of:" the band brings us their third album, "True Stories Are Harder To Make Up" in April.
Preferring their dance-y first album to the more brooding sophomore effort, I felt that their original B52s-meets-Rocky-Horror-Picture-Show antics suited the quirky seven-piece a little better than what they've been coming up with lately;. for example, "We Plunge Our Hands Deep Into The Sand:" an almost-harmonizing a cappella intro, leading into bass-driven indie, festooned with Sci-Fi synth and overdubbed with an excerpt from Obama's presidential acceptance speech... A little much? I think so.
However, while I don't know quite what to expect from the third-- a bridge between ridiculous-but-fun and serious-but-overbearing? or a third direction we don't even see coming?-- I'm sure that the CD release show will be worth catching. While naysayers can say what they will about Teeth's recorded work, there is no denying that they have always put on one of the most fun shows in town. And, alongside a killer lineup of some of the area's best bands-- The Skies Revolt (Grand Rapids), Hello Victor, Ghosts of the Great Lakes, Spacelift, and Toro and the National Guard-- this show is guaranteed to be killer.
[5. Reggae Dancehall Xplosion 2010]
What do you get when you mix the resurrection of one of Kalamazoo's greatest venues of all time (the Kraftbrau... nowadays "Old Dog Tavern") and the amazing island-inspired world-beat dance music spun by WIDR's Selector Jonathon/ "Dread I Sound?" That's right: a "Reggae Dancehall Xplosion" the likes of which this town has never seen. Spinning a combination of "roots music, afro-beat, dub, nyahbinghi, rock-steady, dub-step, one-drop, dancehall, rockers, acoustic, dubtronic, lovers, tropical, soca, steel pan, modern roots, calypso and the occasional non-reggae African-based music" (from the Reggae Revolution MySpace), Dread I Sound and DJ Assane (who I mysteriously cannot find anywhere on the internet, and consequently cannot provide you with a link; sorry) revive a long-lost art: the reggae dance party.
You might remember Dread I Sound from Bob Marley Birthday Bash this year; and, in true irie spirit, he has generously sent me playlists of his radio show, which I am thrilled to say IS AMAZING. Alongside super obscure reggae-oriented acts from all over the world (not just the Caribbean, but as far-flung as Sardinia, Italy, Sweden, the UK, France, and Belgium; and even the US and Canada... who knew?) are names you'll recognize from mainstream radio and probably your own music collection... Sean Paul, Matisyahu, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Rancid (?! what are you doing here, Rancid?) and more.
And, well, it's not spring yet. So if you need a break, hit up Old Dog Tavern, crack open a Red Stripe and post. Dread I Sound has a gift for turning what is often misunderstood as a very homogeneous genre and turning it into a truly diverse and amazing tessellation of styles, cultures, and sounds. Interested? You bet your ass you are. Check out the next Reggae Dancehall Xplosion on March 18th; until then, Reggae Revolution is on WIDR (89.1 FM) Tuesday nights from 10-midnight.
[4. Dead Scene Radio's Full-Length; release date TBD]
Wellllllll if you read my last post (was that the last one? damn) you already know how I feel about Dead Scene Radio.
You know then, indeed that we are expecting a full-length from them coming up, the details of which should be released any time now now.
What they do have up is this video, which, even without vocals, sounds killer and falls squarely within their tried-and-true indie/pop paradigm, and resembles the rest of their music: laden with upbeat, electric instrumentation, bright melodies and subtle vocal harmonies.
Anyway, I'm going to try to set up an interview with these guys and see if we can get in the loop. In the meantime, check out their current stuff if you haven't: a feel-good blend of old-school Beach Boys/ Buddy Holly pop/rock and roll plus indie rock.
[3. Hello Victor: full-length due out in June 2010]
You might remember one of my very first local reviews, Hello Victor's EP, "1623" last fall.
After my mostly-favorable review of their EP, I saw them play a few times-- most recently over Christmas Break, I think-- and now can say that I thoroughly believe in this band. With an increasingly-killer live show to amplify their already impressive studio work (available on MySpace and anjuno), Hello Victor is building suspense for their first full-length, due out this summer, releasing a song or two at their recent shows but keeping fairly quiet about what they're up to in the studio.
During an unofficial interview with Hello Victor, I learned that they have been keeping quite busy; with a new management deal and studio options being discussed, the band seems to hope to live up to the buzz that their EP and live shows have generated, continue playing live shows (including a slew of Kalamazoo-area dates and a show in Chicago) in the coming months. With moderate lineup changes (including adding members of the now-defunct Kzoo indie gem The Rock and the Hive) and a notable feeling of newfound assurance in their music, Hello Victor is looking pretty good these days.
[2. Mustard Plug at Papa Pete's 3/16/10]
AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My favorite local(ish) band EVER and one of my all-time faves, MUSTARD PLUG, is playing at Papa Pete's in a mere TWO WEEKS!
I've seen this band I think around nine times (I lost track at seven) and they have never, never disappointed me. I checked them out for the first time when I was 15, at State Theatre. I think it was the first concert I ever went to. It was summer. I wore sandals. It was painful. I had an awesome time.
One thing I love about Mustard Plug's shows: consistency. They are consistently the most fun shows I see. Despite having serious ska chops and being a mainstay in the national ska scene-- and, now an internationally-performing band-- these guys are mindblowingly down-to-earth, allowing for an anything-goes atmosphere at their shows. I'm talking skanking, crowdsurfing, stagedancing and any other beer- /Beer- fueled shenanigans you can imagine, an elbows-and-knees melee over soaring requiems of 2 Tone chaos.
I can promise you that THIS WILL BE THE SHOW of the season in Kalamazoo. Except for...
[1. Fruit Bats 3/5/10 @ the Strutt]
At last, Fruit Bats are making their triumphant return to Kalamazoo after Barking Tuna 2009.
If you didn't catch my Barking Tuna coverage last fall, here's a synopsis: despite having played an amazing show at State Theatre on Night Three, the Fruit Bats received little attention in Kalamazoo, even from a city with what I observe as a pretty indie-centered music scene.
But still, it seems like people are fairly excited about this show; in a rare move, The Strutt is pre-selling tickets (they are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, I believe.). I know I am.
With a delightful, Shins-rendered style of indie-pop, Fruit Bats (currently on the music snobs' Most Infamous Label: SubPop) exemplify everything that is great about indie: intricate-but-accessible, tone-conscious guitar parts, weaving flowing harmonies with cerebral lyrics and the occasional piano jam. Frontman and principal songwriter Eric Johnson has an incredible combination of the characteristic indie sensibility with roots in classic rock; think Jeffy Tweedy meets Loud Reed meets the Beatles' "Let It Be" (Phil Spector style or "Naked," you decide) times indie, minus whining; to the tenth power.
Also, check out their blog; their latest chronicles a session with Sean and my boys over at Day Trotter!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Communist Musicfesto [part 3: Wheatland]/ Recent Discoveries
First things first: apparently Wheatland has not announced their 2010 lineup yet this year... my bad. (If they have and I just haven't found it, lemme know!) What I have gleaned is that tickets go on sale in May, so hopefully we will all have some more info by then.
Luckily, there are some more things in the proverbial news. I feel like changing things up a bit, so this post is going to be kind of all over the place. Here are some of my recent local discoveries:
[Fishlips]
This is a band I've been meaning to review for quite some time (mostly to save my Myspace inbox). I haven't caught this band's live show yet, so all I have to go by is what's on their Myspace. But, I'll start with their words, instead of mine, both to be fair and to give you an idea of what they're like: in the "genre" line of their Myspace they have: "Comedy/ Acoustic/ Rock."
Take what you will from that and we'll do a track-by-track rundown of their posted jams.
1.) "Delyla" You might remember a ubiquitous Top-40 Single about a lady of the same name (albeit correctly spelled in that instance.) And, ringing it at just under two minutes, this song (Fishlips') is that much less painful, and just as listenable (read: barely).
2.) "The Last Thing I Remember" This 6:8-tempo ballad has a little bit of a waltzy feel to it that's actually quite appealing; however, musically, it's sort of an inexplicable match for what is, lyrically, a hangover narrative: "What happened to the mirror, who broke the furniture? Did we have a party or did we have a fight?" This song is actually really well put-together: with its melancholy strumming and a gentle melody, with the right lyrics over it, this song could work a lot better than it does.
3.) "TimeCard" (inexplicably one word). "Punchin' in my time card, I'm still three sheets to the wind;" I'm picking up on a theme here! Another morning-after ditty-- probably my favorite of the bunch-- this song is a little more uptempo, still acoustic, and exhibits their best use of the sought-after Catchy Chorus. This is also their best use of backup vocals, with a pleasing harmonies on the chorus and throughout. However (and there's always a however, right?) this also contains some inexplicable horror-movie "MUAHAHAHA" overdubs (why, guys? Why?) and the positively cringe-worthy rhyme of "oh my my, oh hell yes" with "party dress" (...where have I heard that before? C'mon now. There's a difference between an homage and an all-out ripoff).
4.) "Billy's Lighter" I'm not entirely sure what this song is about... I think lighting a dog on fire? I guess it's not important...
This song, perhaps the most "country" of the bunch, is decorated with some bayou-harmonica for a pretty nice effect. It gets a little busy through, with some parts that end up sounding like they have 100 vocal parts.
5.) "If I Had a Hammer" Opening lines: "If I had a hammer/ I'd hammer your brains in/ Smash all your teeth out and bury you in the yard/ It wouldn't be hard." Comedy? This schizophrenic jingle, more than a little on the frightening side lyrically-speaking, and more than a little on the bland side musically-speaking, is another country tune... when I could ignore the scary lyrics and listen to the music and the melody (which took several listens to accomplish) I quite liked this song. But dude.
6.) "Lay Your Carpet" This contains another chorus I'm pretty fond of. I could see it as an intro/ montage song in a latter-day Adam Sandler movie. But when the vocal line dips from normal to an obnoxious growl, it's fist-clenchingly, eye-rollingly bad.
7.) "Alzheimers" Ok. I was about to say that I really liked this song! (Which I do!) But, in a strange and quite unprofessional (if I may say so) move, they included as part of this recording an OVER-TWO-MINUTE-LONG voicemail from their harmonica player, Muffin, re: quitting their band. I'm completely puzzled by this. Completely.
The bottom line. Fishlips: stop fucking around. I can tell that you guys are working with some good stuff musically and creatively. Take out the overdubs, the creepy vocal dips, the "comedy" and the goddamn voicemail-- and I'd love to see what happens.
[Cullen Anderson]
You might have guessed by now that writing about music is not my job; in fact, I work in advertising, and if I was going to write a commercial about Cullen Anderson, it would go something like this:
[VO {"voice-over," for the lay-person} by a smooth, almost too-smooth, like, MORMON-smooth voice: "Life is full of simple pleasures. Some say these are the best things in life. Meet Cullen Anderson."]
Believe it or not, that really is my job.
Anyway. I was privileged to be able jam with this dude last weekend. From what I remember it was a hell of a lot of fun. And somehow, he managed to impress me.
With gentle, four-chord guitar parts and an incredible voice-- a husky, vibrato-heavy croon vaguely reminiscent of John Popper or Chris Robinson-- Anderson weaves well-rounded, campfire-singalong-ready, acoustic easy-listeners. Aside from the relatively more-complicated "Get 2 U" (available on his Myspace; I highly recommend checking it out), which adds a drum part and electric guitar, they're all just stripped-down, acoustic-and-voice duos: simple, and a pleasure to hear: the kind of music that just makes you smile. Anderson is a wizard with vocal parts; using his voice as an instrument in and of itself, he takes the simplicity of acoustic-and-voice sound and ups the proverbial ante with another dimension of sound, allowing the vocal part to decorate the guitar sound, and not the other way around. Simply awesome.
He doesn't have any shows listed on his Myspace, but I have a feeling he'll be playing in a garage somewhere around here; I'll keep you posted.
[Dead Scene Radio]
Ok, ok, I can't really file DSR under a "recent discovery;" I've seen these guys several times in bars and basements all over Kalamazoo. But they have some exciting stuff going on and I'm tryin'a keep you posted, b!
With rumblings of a full-length TBR sometime next month, I think we're all pretty stoked... I know I am. At the forefront of Kzoo indie-pop, DSR concocts some of the catchiest stuff I've heardfrom a local band EVER. Duly billed as "powerpop," one tries desperately not to compare them to the Plain White T's, who have (unfortunately) become almost synonymous with the powerpop style; however, these guys sound a lot more like the Beach Boys time-machined into the indie movement.
Wisely starting their Myspace track-list with the poppy jam "Don't You Know," DSR weaves percussive, flashy guitar parts, intricate basslines and an adrenaline-surge of a chorus into a college-radio anthem the likes of which I haven't heard in a long time. After an ADD-conscious guitar solo, they tie it up with a clap-along chorus (the first word in catchy) toward the end, leaving the listener breathless and eager for the next track.
They follow suit throughout the rest of their tracks, reminiscent of everyone from Alkaline Trio to Belle and Sebastian to the Dead Kennedys. At least to a nerd like me.
Suffice it to say I'm stoked for their full-length, and even though I won't be able to catch them at
----> THE STRUTT THIS FRIDAY <----
I'm strongly urging you to.
Well, kids, that's all for today. In the works: EXCLUSIVE [t.v.j.] INTERVIEW with neo-glam hard rockers GHOSTS OF THE GREAT LAKES (featuring a new bass player, Ben Bojanich, formerly of Jealous Radio). Be on the lookout for this, as it is sure to be juicy.
Luckily, there are some more things in the proverbial news. I feel like changing things up a bit, so this post is going to be kind of all over the place. Here are some of my recent local discoveries:
[Fishlips]
This is a band I've been meaning to review for quite some time (mostly to save my Myspace inbox). I haven't caught this band's live show yet, so all I have to go by is what's on their Myspace. But, I'll start with their words, instead of mine, both to be fair and to give you an idea of what they're like: in the "genre" line of their Myspace they have: "Comedy/ Acoustic/ Rock."
Take what you will from that and we'll do a track-by-track rundown of their posted jams.
1.) "Delyla" You might remember a ubiquitous Top-40 Single about a lady of the same name (albeit correctly spelled in that instance.) And, ringing it at just under two minutes, this song (Fishlips') is that much less painful, and just as listenable (read: barely).
2.) "The Last Thing I Remember" This 6:8-tempo ballad has a little bit of a waltzy feel to it that's actually quite appealing; however, musically, it's sort of an inexplicable match for what is, lyrically, a hangover narrative: "What happened to the mirror, who broke the furniture? Did we have a party or did we have a fight?" This song is actually really well put-together: with its melancholy strumming and a gentle melody, with the right lyrics over it, this song could work a lot better than it does.
3.) "TimeCard" (inexplicably one word). "Punchin' in my time card, I'm still three sheets to the wind;" I'm picking up on a theme here! Another morning-after ditty-- probably my favorite of the bunch-- this song is a little more uptempo, still acoustic, and exhibits their best use of the sought-after Catchy Chorus. This is also their best use of backup vocals, with a pleasing harmonies on the chorus and throughout. However (and there's always a however, right?) this also contains some inexplicable horror-movie "MUAHAHAHA" overdubs (why, guys? Why?) and the positively cringe-worthy rhyme of "oh my my, oh hell yes" with "party dress" (...where have I heard that before? C'mon now. There's a difference between an homage and an all-out ripoff).
4.) "Billy's Lighter" I'm not entirely sure what this song is about... I think lighting a dog on fire? I guess it's not important...
This song, perhaps the most "country" of the bunch, is decorated with some bayou-harmonica for a pretty nice effect. It gets a little busy through, with some parts that end up sounding like they have 100 vocal parts.
5.) "If I Had a Hammer" Opening lines: "If I had a hammer/ I'd hammer your brains in/ Smash all your teeth out and bury you in the yard/ It wouldn't be hard." Comedy? This schizophrenic jingle, more than a little on the frightening side lyrically-speaking, and more than a little on the bland side musically-speaking, is another country tune... when I could ignore the scary lyrics and listen to the music and the melody (which took several listens to accomplish) I quite liked this song. But dude.
6.) "Lay Your Carpet" This contains another chorus I'm pretty fond of. I could see it as an intro/ montage song in a latter-day Adam Sandler movie. But when the vocal line dips from normal to an obnoxious growl, it's fist-clenchingly, eye-rollingly bad.
7.) "Alzheimers" Ok. I was about to say that I really liked this song! (Which I do!) But, in a strange and quite unprofessional (if I may say so) move, they included as part of this recording an OVER-TWO-MINUTE-LONG voicemail from their harmonica player, Muffin, re: quitting their band. I'm completely puzzled by this. Completely.
The bottom line. Fishlips: stop fucking around. I can tell that you guys are working with some good stuff musically and creatively. Take out the overdubs, the creepy vocal dips, the "comedy" and the goddamn voicemail-- and I'd love to see what happens.
[Cullen Anderson]
You might have guessed by now that writing about music is not my job; in fact, I work in advertising, and if I was going to write a commercial about Cullen Anderson, it would go something like this:
[VO {"voice-over," for the lay-person} by a smooth, almost too-smooth, like, MORMON-smooth voice: "Life is full of simple pleasures. Some say these are the best things in life. Meet Cullen Anderson."]
Believe it or not, that really is my job.
Anyway. I was privileged to be able jam with this dude last weekend. From what I remember it was a hell of a lot of fun. And somehow, he managed to impress me.
With gentle, four-chord guitar parts and an incredible voice-- a husky, vibrato-heavy croon vaguely reminiscent of John Popper or Chris Robinson-- Anderson weaves well-rounded, campfire-singalong-ready, acoustic easy-listeners. Aside from the relatively more-complicated "Get 2 U" (available on his Myspace; I highly recommend checking it out), which adds a drum part and electric guitar, they're all just stripped-down, acoustic-and-voice duos: simple, and a pleasure to hear: the kind of music that just makes you smile. Anderson is a wizard with vocal parts; using his voice as an instrument in and of itself, he takes the simplicity of acoustic-and-voice sound and ups the proverbial ante with another dimension of sound, allowing the vocal part to decorate the guitar sound, and not the other way around. Simply awesome.
He doesn't have any shows listed on his Myspace, but I have a feeling he'll be playing in a garage somewhere around here; I'll keep you posted.
[Dead Scene Radio]
Ok, ok, I can't really file DSR under a "recent discovery;" I've seen these guys several times in bars and basements all over Kalamazoo. But they have some exciting stuff going on and I'm tryin'a keep you posted, b!
With rumblings of a full-length TBR sometime next month, I think we're all pretty stoked... I know I am. At the forefront of Kzoo indie-pop, DSR concocts some of the catchiest stuff I've heard
Wisely starting their Myspace track-list with the poppy jam "Don't You Know," DSR weaves percussive, flashy guitar parts, intricate basslines and an adrenaline-surge of a chorus into a college-radio anthem the likes of which I haven't heard in a long time. After an ADD-conscious guitar solo, they tie it up with a clap-along chorus (the first word in catchy) toward the end, leaving the listener breathless and eager for the next track.
They follow suit throughout the rest of their tracks, reminiscent of everyone from Alkaline Trio to Belle and Sebastian to the Dead Kennedys. At least to a nerd like me.
Suffice it to say I'm stoked for their full-length, and even though I won't be able to catch them at
----> THE STRUTT THIS FRIDAY <----
I'm strongly urging you to.
Well, kids, that's all for today. In the works: EXCLUSIVE [t.v.j.] INTERVIEW with neo-glam hard rockers GHOSTS OF THE GREAT LAKES (featuring a new bass player, Ben Bojanich, formerly of Jealous Radio). Be on the lookout for this, as it is sure to be juicy.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Communist Musicfesto [part 2: Hoxeyville]
Hoxeyville: my second most highly-anticipated MI festival of this summer. With a fairly impressive lineup (blues superstar Buddy Guy is headlining) including plenty of Kalamazoo, regional, and Michigan acts, it really should be a fantastic time. Representin' the 'zoo:
[Greensky Bluegrass]
Kalamazoo's most prominent bluegrass band (one of our most prominent bands period, I think) and a band I have seen and enjoyed on several occasions, Greensky Bluegrass, is a staple at Hoxeyville, and jam-scene royalty in Kzoo and throughout Michigan. With a name like Greensky Bluegrass, you might be expecting a gimmicky, predictable, wedding-reception-bluegrass band, and, truth be told, you wouldn't be too terribly far off: ranging from country-folk, Willie Nelsonesque road balladry (check out "200 Miles From Montana", available on their Myspace) to the stereotypical modern bluegrass sound (a la mainstream soundalike Nickel Creek), this band doesn't leave their audience with much reading to be done between the proverbial lines.
Having said that, Greensky is the only Kzoo act to have ever played at the festival-leviathan Rothbury, these guys are definitely at the forefront of the roots/ bluegrass/ Americana scene in Michigan and throughout the Midwest.
A rundown on their sound: Greensky utilize the aforementioned mainstream/ modern bluegrass sound throughout their set, occasionally flowing into fluent, mountainy jams that are really somewhat exciting (if you're into that sort of thing); the essence of which they sometimes manage to capture in their recorded work (check out "In The Rafters," also on Myspace). I have to say that they tend to play it kind of safe; this is the kind of bluegrass that you really have heard before. But they know what they do, they do it well and with a certain amount of (country) swagger, and an attention-getting precision. If you can't get enough jingly, standup-bass-driven, dobro-decorated, steering-wheel-tapping bluegrass, do check out Greensky; while they're probably not enough to convert someone who isn't already a bluegrass believer, they're sure to make a tasty treat for the devout up at Hoxeyville.
[Who Hit John?]
I saw Who Hit John? on Night Two of Barking Tuna Fest in October alongside Michael Beauchamp and the Barn Roughs, as well as Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, and I am stoked that they are going to be up at Hoxeyville (as well as fellow [non-Kalamazoo] Tuna veterans, Airborne or Aquatic) and stoked to be listening to them again.
While Who Hit John? is quite a bit on the country side of things-- a side I'm firmly on the record for being NOT on-- they're a hell of a lot of fun to listen to; not the "supernatural" experience I had hoped for, but they're extremely listenable, even to me. They are reminiscent of 'zoo country comrades Brother Bill (only a little more sober and considerably less hyper).
Though Who Hit John? was not on my list of noted best (or worst) Barking Tuna bands, after consulting my infamous Rod Stewart notebook of show reviews and revisiting my notes, I rediscovered that I had an awesome time at their show (of course). Their lively, clap-along canter makes for a hell of a listening experience, whether live or recorded; they swim flawlessly through the roots spectrum from straight-up hillbilly ("Cooter Brown") to an organic, almost Celtic sound ("Conscription Man") to a backwater-Baptist, Ozarks goin'-to-meetin' stomp ("The Plan") (all selections are available on their Myspace.)
If you're thinking about catching these guys to get a little taste before Hoxeyville (I know I will be), you're in luck; Who Hit John? has several Kalamazoo dates coming up... consult their 'Space for further details.
And that's kind of it for Kalamazoo bands at Hoxeyville, but I trust that both Greensky and Who Hit John? will represent hardcore. (Figuratively hardcore, of course.) AND, there are tons of other great acts at Hoxeyville, both regional and national.
My faves: EOTO, ekoostik hookah, Airborne or Aquatic (one of my fave Tuna bands), Daisy May, Shout Sister Shout (a Rachel Davis-fronted, Antebellum-gospellish project; I saw them at Kraftbrau ages ago and loved it), Macpodz, UV Hippo, and lots, lots more!!!
Stay tuned for more MI festival previews! And if you need to forget the raging snowstorm outside, just curl up with a pair of headphones, close your eyes, and warm up from the inside out to your favorite festie bands.
[Greensky Bluegrass]
Kalamazoo's most prominent bluegrass band (one of our most prominent bands period, I think) and a band I have seen and enjoyed on several occasions, Greensky Bluegrass, is a staple at Hoxeyville, and jam-scene royalty in Kzoo and throughout Michigan. With a name like Greensky Bluegrass, you might be expecting a gimmicky, predictable, wedding-reception-bluegrass band, and, truth be told, you wouldn't be too terribly far off: ranging from country-folk, Willie Nelsonesque road balladry (check out "200 Miles From Montana", available on their Myspace) to the stereotypical modern bluegrass sound (a la mainstream soundalike Nickel Creek), this band doesn't leave their audience with much reading to be done between the proverbial lines.
Having said that, Greensky is the only Kzoo act to have ever played at the festival-leviathan Rothbury, these guys are definitely at the forefront of the roots/ bluegrass/ Americana scene in Michigan and throughout the Midwest.
A rundown on their sound: Greensky utilize the aforementioned mainstream/ modern bluegrass sound throughout their set, occasionally flowing into fluent, mountainy jams that are really somewhat exciting (if you're into that sort of thing); the essence of which they sometimes manage to capture in their recorded work (check out "In The Rafters," also on Myspace). I have to say that they tend to play it kind of safe; this is the kind of bluegrass that you really have heard before. But they know what they do, they do it well and with a certain amount of (country) swagger, and an attention-getting precision. If you can't get enough jingly, standup-bass-driven, dobro-decorated, steering-wheel-tapping bluegrass, do check out Greensky; while they're probably not enough to convert someone who isn't already a bluegrass believer, they're sure to make a tasty treat for the devout up at Hoxeyville.
[Who Hit John?]
I saw Who Hit John? on Night Two of Barking Tuna Fest in October alongside Michael Beauchamp and the Barn Roughs, as well as Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, and I am stoked that they are going to be up at Hoxeyville (as well as fellow [non-Kalamazoo] Tuna veterans, Airborne or Aquatic) and stoked to be listening to them again.
While Who Hit John? is quite a bit on the country side of things-- a side I'm firmly on the record for being NOT on-- they're a hell of a lot of fun to listen to; not the "supernatural" experience I had hoped for, but they're extremely listenable, even to me. They are reminiscent of 'zoo country comrades Brother Bill (only a little more sober and considerably less hyper).
Though Who Hit John? was not on my list of noted best (or worst) Barking Tuna bands, after consulting my infamous Rod Stewart notebook of show reviews and revisiting my notes, I rediscovered that I had an awesome time at their show (of course). Their lively, clap-along canter makes for a hell of a listening experience, whether live or recorded; they swim flawlessly through the roots spectrum from straight-up hillbilly ("Cooter Brown") to an organic, almost Celtic sound ("Conscription Man") to a backwater-Baptist, Ozarks goin'-to-meetin' stomp ("The Plan") (all selections are available on their Myspace.)
If you're thinking about catching these guys to get a little taste before Hoxeyville (I know I will be), you're in luck; Who Hit John? has several Kalamazoo dates coming up... consult their 'Space for further details.
And that's kind of it for Kalamazoo bands at Hoxeyville, but I trust that both Greensky and Who Hit John? will represent hardcore. (Figuratively hardcore, of course.) AND, there are tons of other great acts at Hoxeyville, both regional and national.
My faves: EOTO, ekoostik hookah, Airborne or Aquatic (one of my fave Tuna bands), Daisy May, Shout Sister Shout (a Rachel Davis-fronted, Antebellum-gospellish project; I saw them at Kraftbrau ages ago and loved it), Macpodz, UV Hippo, and lots, lots more!!!
Stay tuned for more MI festival previews! And if you need to forget the raging snowstorm outside, just curl up with a pair of headphones, close your eyes, and warm up from the inside out to your favorite festie bands.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
The Communist Musicfesto [part I: Dunegrass]
So you've probably heard the news already: Rothbury '10 is not happening. The one thing that had kept me going when I was dragging my trash can up the driveway through 6 inches of snow: 4 days of friends, fun, and the best live music lineup in America-- damn skippy, Bonnaroo-- definitely not happening.
There are rumors circulating that the "real" reason is that the neighbors were complaining about the noise, and the surrounding communities passes some sort of noise ordinance... Rothbury maintains that they "are not able to move forward with the integrity and high standards that we demand from ourselves and for the festival." Another rumor, which might actually support that one, is that Gorillaz were supposed to headline, and backed out (but DAMN how tight would that have been). I refuse to believe that the citizens aren't allowing it; West Michigan is not that dumb-- to refuse thousands of tourism dollars flowing into your community over a few nights of noise-- but, I guess we'll never know.
The good news is that bands will always tour and stoned college kids will always congregate.
2010 Festival Preview
[Dunegrass]
Dunegrass is a roots festie which takes place on the lovely Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. I've never been, but from what I can glean it seems extreeeeeeeemely laid-back, "user-friendly" (attn first timers) and a whole lot of fun. There's a fantastic lineup this year, including a couple of Kalamazoo bands:
First and foremost, may I discuss:
[ROOTSTAND!!!!!!!!!!]
That's right, Kalamazoo's own Rootstand is perched conspicuously near the top of the Dunegrass lineup (second only to Steppin' In It, from Lansing). You might remember my review of a Rootstand show at Bell's last October... ("might" being the operative word there).
Rootstand is exactly what you want to hear when you think of Midwest roots culture: a highly danceable, uptempo style of country/ bluegrass/ folk, a style that the band (very aptly) describes as "swashbuckling." I mentioned in the aforementioned Rocktober post that one of the members of this band was a housemate of mine, and I'm recalling now that I'm listening to their Myspace a certain Rich & Rare-fueled jam sesh I sat in on with a couple guys from this band. And let me tell you, as someone who has seen these guys out of the context of a show: their musicianship; their sheer love for roots and for what they do-- these are the kind of guys that are MADE of music. And you can't fake that.
Alas, to call them a roots band wouldn't do them justice. You have to hear a whole set to understand them, but Rootstand's set ebbs and flows between sounds that I hesitate to call "genres" for lack of depth; from the heart of the Ozarks to the underground voodoo clubs of New Orleans, to the grimy pubs of Dublin to-- yes-- Bell's beer garden-- Rootstand summons the powers of the grandaddies of folk, blues, and-- let's face it, whatever the fuck they want-- and harnesses it into a thrilling set that, well, just might change everything you thought you loved about music into something newer, deeper, more ornate. Rootstand, thanks for making the Kzoo scene proud.
[Graham Parsons and the Go-Rounds]
Admittedly, I've never seen Graham Parsons play... however, you might remember he sort of MCed the Boogie Records Revival show at The Strutt (was that last week? perhaps the week before?) with Michael Beauchamp. And while I found what I described in my notes as their "shuckin' and jivin'" to be charming, I have heard good things about Graham Parsons and would have liked to see him play. But no dice.
However, I'm listening to his Myspace right now and it is... well, ungodly impressive.
Hearing his music created for me one of those "wait, are you an old black man? Oh, you're a skinny white college kid" moments (a la Johnny Lang). Silky, silky smooth... Almost John Legend-esque: soulful, fluent, rich as a cup of hot cocoa on a cold February day in Michigan.
Parsons is dangerously talented; nestled snugly in the perfect place between the dichotomy of smooth, effortless vibrato and a soulful rasp, his vocals alone are schoolgirl-crush-inducing; alongside his band (vaguely reminiscent of the Black Keys) the effect is like buttah.
Like two sticks of buttah.
As far as I've been able to determine, those are the only Kalamazoo bands playing at Dunegrass, but it is a largely Michigan-oriented festival; there will be other regional acts playing. A few of my faves: Steppin' In It (Lansing); Rachael Davis Band (Lake City); and Covert Operations (Flint).
I think tickets to Dunegrass are around $45... Gorgeous Michigan panorama and incredible music, featuring some badass Kalamazoo bands? What more can you ask for?
There's more to come for my Michigan summer festival preview: Hoxeyville, Wheatland, and maybe even more!
To be continued...
There are rumors circulating that the "real" reason is that the neighbors were complaining about the noise, and the surrounding communities passes some sort of noise ordinance... Rothbury maintains that they "are not able to move forward with the integrity and high standards that we demand from ourselves and for the festival." Another rumor, which might actually support that one, is that Gorillaz were supposed to headline, and backed out (but DAMN how tight would that have been). I refuse to believe that the citizens aren't allowing it; West Michigan is not that dumb-- to refuse thousands of tourism dollars flowing into your community over a few nights of noise-- but, I guess we'll never know.
The good news is that bands will always tour and stoned college kids will always congregate.
2010 Festival Preview
[Dunegrass]
Dunegrass is a roots festie which takes place on the lovely Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. I've never been, but from what I can glean it seems extreeeeeeeemely laid-back, "user-friendly" (attn first timers) and a whole lot of fun. There's a fantastic lineup this year, including a couple of Kalamazoo bands:
First and foremost, may I discuss:
[ROOTSTAND!!!!!!!!!!]
That's right, Kalamazoo's own Rootstand is perched conspicuously near the top of the Dunegrass lineup (second only to Steppin' In It, from Lansing). You might remember my review of a Rootstand show at Bell's last October... ("might" being the operative word there).
Rootstand is exactly what you want to hear when you think of Midwest roots culture: a highly danceable, uptempo style of country/ bluegrass/ folk, a style that the band (very aptly) describes as "swashbuckling." I mentioned in the aforementioned Rocktober post that one of the members of this band was a housemate of mine, and I'm recalling now that I'm listening to their Myspace a certain Rich & Rare-fueled jam sesh I sat in on with a couple guys from this band. And let me tell you, as someone who has seen these guys out of the context of a show: their musicianship; their sheer love for roots and for what they do-- these are the kind of guys that are MADE of music. And you can't fake that.
Alas, to call them a roots band wouldn't do them justice. You have to hear a whole set to understand them, but Rootstand's set ebbs and flows between sounds that I hesitate to call "genres" for lack of depth; from the heart of the Ozarks to the underground voodoo clubs of New Orleans, to the grimy pubs of Dublin to-- yes-- Bell's beer garden-- Rootstand summons the powers of the grandaddies of folk, blues, and-- let's face it, whatever the fuck they want-- and harnesses it into a thrilling set that, well, just might change everything you thought you loved about music into something newer, deeper, more ornate. Rootstand, thanks for making the Kzoo scene proud.
[Graham Parsons and the Go-Rounds]
Admittedly, I've never seen Graham Parsons play... however, you might remember he sort of MCed the Boogie Records Revival show at The Strutt (was that last week? perhaps the week before?) with Michael Beauchamp. And while I found what I described in my notes as their "shuckin' and jivin'" to be charming, I have heard good things about Graham Parsons and would have liked to see him play. But no dice.
However, I'm listening to his Myspace right now and it is... well, ungodly impressive.
Hearing his music created for me one of those "wait, are you an old black man? Oh, you're a skinny white college kid" moments (a la Johnny Lang). Silky, silky smooth... Almost John Legend-esque: soulful, fluent, rich as a cup of hot cocoa on a cold February day in Michigan.
Parsons is dangerously talented; nestled snugly in the perfect place between the dichotomy of smooth, effortless vibrato and a soulful rasp, his vocals alone are schoolgirl-crush-inducing; alongside his band (vaguely reminiscent of the Black Keys) the effect is like buttah.
Like two sticks of buttah.
As far as I've been able to determine, those are the only Kalamazoo bands playing at Dunegrass, but it is a largely Michigan-oriented festival; there will be other regional acts playing. A few of my faves: Steppin' In It (Lansing); Rachael Davis Band (Lake City); and Covert Operations (Flint).
I think tickets to Dunegrass are around $45... Gorgeous Michigan panorama and incredible music, featuring some badass Kalamazoo bands? What more can you ask for?
There's more to come for my Michigan summer festival preview: Hoxeyville, Wheatland, and maybe even more!
To be continued...
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