Heineken City Arts Festival 2011 - Preview

Male Bonding play Chop Suey, October 22 w/ Unnatural Helpers, Virgin Islands and Fucking Eagles

The 2nd Annual Heineken City Arts Festival kicks off Thursday night, featuring headlining sets from Robyn, Crystal Castles, The Long Winters, The Felice Brothers and Allen Stone. I'm hobbled a bit, recovering from a torn calf muscle, so I'll be picking one venue and sticking with it, as the distance between venues is more than my limp and I are comfortable with. Since Allen Stone appears to be off limits and Crystal Castles has some overly constrictive photo requirements the winner tonight is The Long Winters (joined by the School of Rock, scroll down for video of rehearsal for event) at the Showbox, with Campfire OK and Cobirds Unite (all bands I've shot previously, which is unfortunate, but love all the same).

Friday night features headline performances from Ryan Adams, Built to Spill, Shabbaz Palaces, Fences and Pickwick. I'm even further constricted this night by another previous engagement (living room show with SF's Roem Baur), but I hope to test out the leg walking between Built to Spill at the Moore, Pickwick at the Crocodile and Sons of Warren Oats at the Rendezvous.

Saturday features my favorite lineup at a venue for the whole event, with one of my current favorite bands in the world Male Bonding playing at Chop Suey with my favorite underrated local band opening, in Virgin Islands. After VI's much talked about performance at Occupy Seattle this past Sunday, perhaps more know about this act, but I bet it's still nowhere near enough. The other bands on the bill are nothing to sneeze at either -- Unnatural Helpers (!) and the Fucking Eagles.

Other highlights from Saturday are The Hold Steady, Mudhoney, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Man Man, Ozomatli... but you know what? I'm going to stop right there, because I CAN'T ATTEND ANYTHING SATURDAY NIGHT! My wife unit is working a great fundraising event all night, so I'll be at home with my kids for the duration (unless someone finds me a babysitter whose both available and CHEAP).

Here's a good preview of Thursday's Long Winters set, with Seattle's School of Rock lending a hand.

The Long Winters & School of Rock from Adam Pranica on Vimeo.

Now Downloading: New Releases 08.30.11

School is back for much of the country as of this week (my kids have to wait one more week), and in conjunction, we can expect the trickle of releases to start to swell to a steady stream for the next two and half months or so. Hitting the shelves ahead of this rush is the sophomore release from Drake fave Male Bonding. Elsewhere, new ones of note come from both Beirut and Cymbals Eat Guitars. Then it's a slew of veterans coming back with releases, most notably the last from Glen Campbell (who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers). There's also the return of Hella, Tommy Keene, Tommy Stinson, John Doe, Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mike Doughty, Tom Morello (Nightwatchman) and Butch Walker (& the Black Widows).

Playlist: New Releases 08.30.11

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Male Bonding - Endless Now
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

When Male Bonding came on the scene, with their tape hiss-y early singles, they were understandably lumped as part of a Dalston, UK lo-fi movement going on at the time. With Male Bonding's sophomore release, Endless Now, it's clear that the band's early lo-fi aesthetics were more a practicality than a desired end. The tape hiss of the early singles disappeared with their Sub Pop debut (Nothing Hurts), and now even the haze of the debut is cleaned up, thanks to veteran producer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, The Hold Steady, Kurt Vile and this week's Cymbals Eat Guitars release). The only other change from their melodic-punk debut is the deliciously crazed fills from drummer Robin Silas Christian have been scrubbed in place of a more within-the-song aesthetic. It's to be expected as the band cleans up their sound a bit, and while that edge is missed, the songwriting from John Arthur Webb is strong enough to make up for the rounded corners. Endless Now is filled with singles, and while much of the attraction here might be a late-80s-to-early 90s appreciation (hello Husker Du and Teenage Fanclub), it's hard to deny songs like "Tame the Sun," "Can't Dream," "Dig You Out" and the nearly six minutes of bliss that is "Bones."

Free Full Album Stream (Sub Pop / YouTube)
Free Download: "Tame the Sun" [mp3]
Free Download: "Bones" [mp3]

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Beirut - The Rip Tide
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Since his impressive debut, the Balkan folk-inspired Gulag Orkestar (2006), Zach Condon (aka Beirut) jumped countries in theme. Bouncing from France (The Flying Club Cup - 2007), Mexico (March of the Zapotec 2008) and his music getting commandeered by musicians in Brazil for "Beirutando" in 2009, it can be safely said that Condon is now a musician of the world. What the newly released The Rip Tide does is have Condon writing more straightforward pop songs while synthesizing all his music's travels into the sound, making it both the most accessible and potenntially unique sounding album that Beirut has come up with yet. While the bounce of "Sante Fe" suggests that Condon has a sunnier disposition, this is a ballad-heavy release, relying much on Condon's worthy pipes (and the subtle backing of Sharon Van Etten on "A Candle's Fire" and "Payne's Bay").

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Glen Campbell - Ghost on the Canvas
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien / Free AOL Album Stream / "Rifle Eyesight" [mp3]
Tommy Keene - Behind the Parade
John Doe - Keeper
Butch Walker and the Black Widows - The Spade> / Free AOL Album Stream
Tommy Stinson - One Man Mutiny / Free AOL Album Stream
Mike Doughty - Yes and Also Yes
Hella - Tripper / Free AOL Album Stream
Blood Orange - Coastal Grooves
Dirty Beaches - Badlands
Tom Morello: The NightwachmanWorld Wide Rebel Songs / Free AOL Album Stream
Lenny Kravitz - Black and White America
Ray Bonnerville - Bad Man's Blood
Jacuzzi Boys - Glazin' / "Cool Vapors" [mp3]
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
Doug Benson - Potty Mouth / "Cool Vapors" [mp3]
Cobra Starship - Night Shades
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Am I The Enemy
COMPILATION
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Singles Collection (1992-2011)

tags: music, album review, male bonding, beirut, indie rock, new releases

Live Video Countdown to Male Bonding's Endless Now: "Bones"

In anticipation for Male Bonding's latest, Endless Now (out Monday, August 29), Sub Pop is releasing daily videos from a recent performance where they played the album in entirety at Buffalo Bar's 10th anniversary party in London.

The second song in the countdown is the epic (by Male Bonding short-but-sweet standards) "Bones." In this setting, with the vocals occasionally off, it can seem a bit repetitive, but it's still another solid MB joint. (See previous video in countdown, "Tame the Sun.")



Download: "Bones" [mp3]

Live Video Countdown to Male Bonding's latest, Endless Now

In anticipation for Male Bonding's latest, Endless Now (out Monday, August 29), Sub Pop is releasing daily videos from a recent performance where they played the album in entirety at Buffalo Bar's 10th anniversary party in London.

Aside from the expansion to a quartet, this live vid feels as intimate as last September's set at The Sunset, which inexplicably had under 50 people -- and a third were Sub Pop employees.

Here's the lead track, "Tame the Sun.":



Download: "Tame the Sun" [mp3]

Top 50+ Albums of 2010

2010 turned out to be another pretty good year for music, but no album ran away with the top spot this year. LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening gets the nod for me, by a nose, but it's not even really James Murphy's best effort (that would be Sound of Silver). The rest of the more than fifty releases below are an eclectic collection, although my rockist bias is still probably apparent. But how many lists out there are you going to find with Ty Segall, Kanye West and John Mellencamp on it. (Yeah, the last one surprised me as well, but it's gooooood.)

Playlist: Top 50 Albums of 2010

1. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

If this is indeed the last album that LCD Soundsystem releases, and James Murphy has hinted as much, then this is the way to go. This is Happening, lyrically, is Murphy's most personal release, continuing the inward trend since LCD SS' beginnings in detached irony.

Review, May 18, 2010

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2. Deerhunter - Halycon Digest
Stream / Purchase [mp3

The slow and steady progression for Deerhunter from damaged art rock to accessible (yet still damaged) pop band has been fascinating to witness, and with Halycon Digest, they've perfected the right balance between the two for a artful pop album that rewards on repeat listens.

Review, September 28, 2010

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3. Wavves - King of the Beach
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Nate Williams rebounded nicely from an up and down 2009. Enlisting the late Jay Reatard's old band to back him, King of the Beach finds Williams still in the loner/outsider role, but now the music backing the loser-based lyrics are far more rich. Easily one of the most exhilarating releases of 2010.

Review, August 3, 2010

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4. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

With every repeat listen of The Monitor, the seams holding together New Jersey split just a little more, as the love/hate relationship Titus Andronicus has with their home state is volatile, to say the least. And this from an album allegedly about the Civil War, complete with spoken word cameo from Craig Finn as Walt Whitman (the best recording Finn took part in this year).

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5. Los Campesinos - Romance is Boring
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Romance is Boring is anything but boring, instead at times white hot and most of the time unable to sit still. It's pop at in the face of chaos. An album that seems to have been overlooked by many (maybe some were assuming they'd be releasing more like the year prior).

Review, January 26, 2010

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6. Sleigh Bells - Treats
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

As if The Go! Team's cheerleaders decided to make out with the AV club guys, sending the dial into the red. Distortion and pep don't often go together, but this noisy affair is one for the eardrums.

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7. Male Bonding - Nothing Hurts
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

The album I played the most in 2010. Combines everything I loved about the early 90s and turned the BPMs up to workout pace. Lift those knees!

Review, May 11, 2010

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8. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Much like Deerhunter, Ariel Rosenberg has graduated a bit from the lo-fi art noise of his earlier recordings, moving from the bedroom to an actual studio. The songs, however, are still warped by the sun and probably under the influence of illegal substances. So there's that. Wheee!

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9. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Might have topped my list had it been released sooner/Kanye didn't seem like such a douche bag/it weren't for my aforementioned perceived rockist bias. Certainly wins for Best use of a King Crimson song on the scorcher, "Power."

(Review November 23, 2010)

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10. Beach House - Teen Dream
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

The Baltimore duo Beach House also upgraded their recording studio this year, in their first Sub Pop debut, putting some extra polish on their already lush and dreamy sound.

(Review January 26, 2010)

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11. Vampire Weekend - Contra
(Review January 12, 2010)

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12. Ty Segall - Logos

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13. The Posies - Blood/Candy

Review, September 28, 2010

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14. Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me

(Ear on TV preview December 13, 2010)

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15. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
(review August 3, 2010)

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16. Best Coast - Crazy For You

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17. Spoon - Transference

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18. Twin Shadow - Forget

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19. John Mellencamp - No Better Than This

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20. The Fresh & Onlys - Play it Strange

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21. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

(review September 14, 2010)

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22. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

(review October 12, 2010)

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23. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky

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24. No Age - Everything In Between

Review, September 28, 2010

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25. Off! - Four EPs

26. The Walkmen - Lisbon (review September 14, 2010)
27. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
28. The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack (review February 2, 2010)
29. The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
30. Grinderman - Grinderman 2 (review September 14, 2010)
31. The Intelligence - Males
32. The Black Keys - Brothers (Ear on TV preview)
33. Field Music - Measure (review February 16, 2010)
34. Bottomless Pit - Blood Under the Bridge (review August 17, 2010)
35. She & Him - Volume 2 (review March 23, 2010)
36. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid (Ear on TV preview for May 24, 2010)
37. Jenny & Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now (review August 31, 2010)
38. Robyn - Body Talk
39. Liars - Sisterworld (review March 9, 2010)
40. Crystal Castles - II
41. Baths - Cerulean (review 05/19/09)
42. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son Of Chico Dusty (review July 5, 2010)
43. Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern
44. Yeasayer - Oddblood (review February 9, 2010)
45. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (Ear on TV preview February 15, 2010)
46. Tyvek - Nothing Fits
47. The Roots - How I Got Over (review June 22, 2010)
48. The National - High Violet (review May 11, 2010)
49. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
50. New Pornographers - Together (review 05/19/09)
Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record (review May 4, 2010)
Women - Public Strain
Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM (review February 13, 2010)
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Brutalist Bricks (review March 9, 2010)
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be (review March 30, 2010)
Hot Chip - One Life Stand (review February 9, 2010)
Perfume Genius - Learning
Boston Spaceships - Our Cubehouse Still Rocks (review September 21, 2010)
Delorean - Subiza

Previously: Top 50 Albums from 2009, Top 50 Albums from 2008, Top 100 Albums from 2007, Top 100+ from 2006, Top 50 from 2005, Top 10 from 2004

Enjoyed Male Bonding with Young Mammals last night

Male Bonding @ The Sunset Tavern, Sept. 13, 2010

With a billing that sounds like a gathering of men bonding over baby sheep, the Sunset was in fact the setting of some indie rock goodness last night.

Male Bonding, out of Dalston, London, released one of my favorite albums of the year back in May (Nothing Hurts). Considering the critical raves the album has gotten and the fact that they're on Sub Pop here in the states, it was shocking to see such dismal turn out to see them play in the relatively tiny venue of The Sunset Tavern. About 50 people saw the intimate performance and hung around afterwards to talk with the band. It was worth a late Monday night alone for the chance to see drummer Robin Silas Christian behind the kit, as he might just be the best stick man in the game right now.

The trio ripped through their entire library, including three not from Nothing Hurts, in just over 30 minutes. No need for stage banter or mid-song noodling here, just a workman like efficiency and a few seconds between songs to catch breaths before Christian's sticks strike out a rapid four count to begin the next song.

Cley Miller of Young Mammals

Houston's Young Mammals both opened and supplied the amps and drum kit for the headliners. Their off-kilter jams remind me a bit of the Black Lips' playfulness, only with a lot more complexity and artful discordance thrown in. Opening act The Dark were LOUD. They were not my cup of tea, but they seemed competent in how they ripped our faces off. My ear plugs required ear plugs.

Click through for more photos from the event.

Now Downloading: New Releases 05.11.10

Still experiencing some technical difficulties (some in part due to Rhapsody's database overhaul), but it's another quality week for releases and so the show must go on. Highly anticipated releases from The National and Jack White's The Dead Weather grab the headlines, but the real find this week is the Sub Pop debut of UK's Male Bonding, which has some Best of 2010 potential all over it. Also of note this week are the latest releases from cocorosie, Phosphorescent, Holy Fuck, Sage Francis, Gayngs and the unexpected return of Australia's Hoodoo Gurus. Have at it.

Playlist: New Releases 05.11.10

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The National - High Violet
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Going on five albums now, The National has masterfully delivered dark material in a manner similar to warm jets in a hot tub, and High Violet might just feel the most comfortable. There's nothing at all flashy about what they do, writing songs about white collar melancholy, but nobody does it better. Some have dubbed it "Dad Rock," which sounds a bit trite (coming from one Dad who's a fan of the band), but this time out, there's indeed a song about becoming a father ("Afraid of Everyone"), and it's great. Meanwhile, "Bloodbuzz Ohio" and "Anyone’s Ghost" are the accessible singles, uptempo (relative, of course, to the National's poetic plodding) and lyrically distilled enough to go down easy on the general public. It's not just for indie rock dads anymore.

Free AOL album stream
Download: "Bloodbuzz Ohio" [mp3]

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Male Bonding - Nothing Hurts
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Listening to Male Bonding's debut Nothing Hurts for the past week has been an exhilarating experience. At times, the driving guitars reminds one of Nirvana, but then the shoegaze-y vocals come in and it's suddenly an over-caffeinated Ride in the headphones. The songs are all minimal bursts of salty-sweet joy, the place where punk and pure pop bliss meet. And they're over at just the right time, leaving you wanting more. "Nothing Remains" is the highlight here, but really, there's no filler here to be had and the band keeps the listener on his toes with just enough variety (including an acoustic-based closer, "Worse to Come," featuring the Vivian Girls on vocals). Sub Pop has scored another gem, and, if pressed right now, Nothing Hurts could just be my album of 2010.

Download: "Year's Not Long" / "Franklin" [mp3]

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
The Dead Weather - Cracked Love & Other Drugs / Free NPR Stream
Holy Fuck - Latin / "Latin America" [mp3]
Phosphorescent - Here's to Taking It Easy / Free AOL album stream / "Mermaid Parade" [mp3]
Cocorosie - Grey Oceans / Free album stream / "Mermaid Parade" [mp3]
Sage Francis - Nobody's Daughter
Gayngs - Relayted / "Faded High" [mp3]
Hoodoo Gurus - Purity of Essence / Free AOL album stream
Cool Million - The Tom Moulton Session
Salteen - Moths / "Hallowed Ways" [mp3]
Keane - Fever

REISSUES
Fela Kuti - Expensive Sh*t / He Miss Road (Bonus Tracks) / Free AOL album stream

tags: music, album review, the national, male bonding, dead weather, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody