Damn, another list...

List, List, List...here we go, 2008. Lotsa of jams (in no order):

Thee Oh Sees - The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In, Thee Hounds of Foggy Notion (CD/DVD), Peanut Butter Oven EP
I'll be the first to admit, I'm a John Dwyer (Coachwhips, Pink and Brown, Yikes) fanboy. Luckily his newest band, Thee Oh Sees, remain prolific. Three great releases in one year.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - My Bloody Underground
Just like the title suggests, the Brian Jonestown Massacre unapologetically combined their My Bloody Valentine and Velvet Underground influences and we get another great psychedelic LP. Worth the four year wait?

The Fall - Imperial Wax Solvent
Since The Fall basically release and album every year, they will always be on my list. They are the most consistent band of all time. This, their twenty-something-th release, still delivers.

The Black Angels - Directions To See a Ghost, Black Angel Exit EP
More awesome Texas neo-psychedelia. Nothing has changed with this band and that's a good thing.

Times New Viking - Rip It Off
I think everyone enjoyed this abrasive lo-fi as shit pop music.

Sic Alps - U.S. EZ
Noisy San Francisco experimental garage rock that can't be beat.

Group Inerane - Guitars From Agadez (Music of Niger)
Sublime Frequencies delivers the goods as usual. I think they describe it best: "Group Inerane is the now sound of the Tuareg Guitar Revolution sweeping across the Sahara Desert and inspired by the rebel musicians that started this music as a political weapon used to communicate from the Libyan Refugee camps in the 1980s and 1990s"

Dead Meadow - Old Growth
Heavy pot music.

Awesome Color - Electric Aborigines
The young 21st century Stooges. I think their first album was better but this certainly is a band to keep watching.


Reissues/Not New:

The Clean - Compilation
A classic reissued on vinyl.

Pavement - Brighten The Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition
Another great issue of the continued spiffy Pavement remasters. I especially enjoyed the many Pavement psych-jams and covers included on the second disc, including covers of Faust and the Fall.

King Khan and The Shrines - The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines
Big-band doo-wop garage rock? Awesome. This collects the best of their past material in one nice package.

Wooden Shjips - Volume 1
Modern kraut-rock jams. This release collects all their hard to find/limited edition early vinyl releases.

Flat Duo Jets - Two Headed Cow
Various live material from the past collected for the new documentary of the same name. Loud fuzzy Link Wray jams.

Sun City Girls - You're Never Alone With A Cigarette
"Recorded in July of 1988 during the sessions that produced Sun City Girl's most popular recording, these nine tracks represent the other half of songs which were originally prepared as a 2-LP demo version of 'Torch of the Mystics' for Placebo Records in 1989."

Henry Flynt (with C.C. Hennix) - Dharma Warriors
Totality of liner notes: "Recorded to boombox Woodstock, New York 1983." Two more lengthy "celestial rockabilly" jams that no one but Henry Flynt can deliver. Keep these archival releases coming...


--Klax

My Year Of Music, 2008

Ah, the holiday season, when we all dream of sugarplums (whatever those are) and the music critic's thoughts turn to compiling year-end lists. I always feel sort of funny about doing a best-of list for the year, since I have mixed feelings about best-of lists in general. First of all, it's part of America's obsession with list making, which is so well known that even criticizing America's obsession with list making has become a cliche. The other thing I don't like about year end top ten type lists is that it suggests that the year is this discrete, objective entity, in which the same music is experienced by everyone equally. I think this idea of the experience of one year that is shared by everyone is especially invalid for music. Sometimes, the "album of the year" for me is not an album released that year, but an album that I hadn't gotten around to listening to until that year. My album of the year for 2007, for example, was probably Wolf Parade's "Apologies To The Queen Mary", released in '05. My album of the year for 2006 was probably "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)", by the Wu-Tang Clan, released in 1993. Most of the music listening a person does during the year is catch-up, not just new releases. What's more, I tend to miss a lot of the year's big releases, for a variety of reasons. I would have liked to have spent more time with Beach House and The Dutchess and The Duke, but I just never got their albums. On the other hand, critics are raving about TV On The Radio's Dear Science, but TV On The Radio just has never done anything for me. I heard a few cuts off the album, but it sounded like the same ol' same ol', and I never felt compelled to give it too much time. My friend Sam thinks I'm History's Greatest Monster for not loving Fleet Foxes, but even though I gave it the old college try (heh heh), I just am not well disposed towards toothless, airy indie-folk harmonies. And though folks loved Hot Chip's release this year, I will stick to the opinion voiced in my original review of that album for KWUR: overwhelmingly mediocre. Yes, even "Ready For The Floor". And ugh, am I done with Vampire Weekend. Which is to say that I did listen to that album a whole lot. And I got so sick and tired of it. The music is still somewhat interesting, but I got to the point where I decided that I could no longer hear the line "coffee on your kaffiyeh" again.

So instead of trying to pick out the absolute best albums of the objective year in music experienced by everyone, I'm just going to try and take you through a long, meandering tour of my year in music. Before I do that, however, I have to note one great release that really dominated my listening during the winter of '07, even though it was technically released in '08. Pattern Is Movement's All Together is not just a great album, but a unique musical experience. The combination of the simple production, the use of various homemade-sounding electronic loops, and the soaring and swaying vocal harmonies on this album gives it a peculiar feeling of intimacy, with the raw emotional content of reading a middle schooler's diary. It's an album that really sounds like nothing else out there right now.

Overall, didn't care much for this year in music, the new releases, anyway. A lot of mediocre stuff, dud albums: here, I am chiefly thinking of Of Montreal's new album, but I was also disappointed, unlike most critics, by Wolf Parade's new release, which I thought lacked the vitality and the pop craftsmanship of Apologies To The Queen Mary. Everything this year sounded bored with itself, dead-ended. I really didn't care for the set of airy, Fleet Foxes sounding stuff, with the exception of Beach House, or a lot of the noisier stuff, which didn't do a whole lot to distinguish itself from older noise. A lot of it sounded overly derivative to me, and a lot sounded escapist, totally detached from the year in which it was made, dangerously distant from increasingly troubled times.

The winter and spring of '08 sounded like We Brave Bee Stings And All by Thao and The Get Down Stay Down and Rabbit Habits by Man Man. Thao Nguyen succeeded in crafting the perfect winter album, the warmest sounding CD this side of vinyl. Beautiful, lyric-centered, simple pop songs anchored by Nguyen's distinct voice, rich and resonant as an old violin. You put this record on, and you feel no hurry to go anywhere; things are basically ok, and if you wait a while, they'll get better. Rabbit Habits dominated my spring this year, and it's probably my pick for best album of the year. I've noticed that a lot of music listeners and music critics don't share my rabid enthusiasm for Man Man, and honestly, I can't understand it. If Man Man is my blind critical obsession, so be it, but I will champion this band until they start recording Nashville covers of Christmas songs with Britney Spears and Zac Efron (in which case, I will describe the resulting album as a "rare misstep that deserves a second listen"). First of all, the sheer virtuosity of this band has to be noted. Not that virtuosity itself makes Man Man a great band, but it's a joy to listen to a Man Man song and guess at the inventive instrumentation (Is that a marimba? Are those kazoos?). When you combine the inventive sound with a bluesy pop sensibility and a soulful, all out delivery, you get an album that somehow sounds both experimental and warmly human, like a homemade appliance. It says something about this album that it has, in my opinion of course, one of the most fun, most party songs of the year ("Mister Jung Stuffed") and one of the most moving songs of the year ("Whalebones"). I can think of no other album this year that I would describe as a masterpiece, but this is a masterpiece in the very literal sense of the word: masters of their craft carefully constructing a piece in which no time, no note is wasted, a piece that sticks in your head for a long time after.

The summer for me meant listening to a lot of hip-hop. I had a boring, stay-at-home job, and I decided to kill time by listening to Jay-Z's entire discography, along with a lot of Biggie and Nas. Well, surprising nobody, it turns out that this Jay-Z fellow is pretty good. I personally prefer Jay-Z to Nas, and not just because of a geographical affinity (I too, am a Brooklynite). Nas' insistence on the romantic conception of the artist, opposed to the market, gets boring. But there's something really brilliant, interesting and subversive about Jay-Z's embrace of the ultra-capitalist conception of rapper-as-producer/rap-as-commodity. For my money, his best albums are "The Blueprint", "Reasonable Doubt", "Life and Times: Vol 3", "The Black Album" and "In My Lifetime". Again, not exactly a critical coup, but my opinion, for what it's worth.

As for the new stuff, I have to say, Tha Carter III at least grabbed my attention. It's a tremendously interesting (in this case, read: peculiar) sounding album. Lil' Wayne's rhymes range from inspired to lazily waiting for syllables to match up. Lil' Wayne's flow is also noteworthy: a petulant, adolescent hazy wheeze that might explain his appeal to similarly high, immature suburban teens. But bottom line, when Wayne's hot, he's hot. See: "Mr. Carter", or the downright amazing "Dr. Carter".

The album of the summer for me, hands down was Mates Of State's Re-Arrange Us. I once played the title song (according to I-Tunes, one of my top ten played this year) for our music director, Daniel Burton saying "This is everything you could possibly want in a song". A lot of critics have picked on this album (and Mates Of State in general) for hitting all the same old pop notes and being too sappy. Maybe, but that's sort of the point: an unbridled pop jouissance, that includes every great pop song tendency. Sing-along vocals, ABBA-like call and response and harmonies, lovely lyrics, great, driving piano lines and that good ol' call and response, this album has basically everything I like about pop music.

Although I personally didn't get to spend too much time with this album, I'd hate to overlook The Bake Sale by The Cool Kids. This album might be the most fun album ever made, just genuinely playful and cheerful. Dig the amazing deconstruction of hip-hop on "What Up Man". It's a wonder, in this age of the vocoder, to see how the spare production and goofy lyrics here add up to a great album. These guys are just having a blast, making it look easy and letting you join in.

I spent a great deal of time this fall with The Menahan Street Band's debut release, Make The Road By Walking. I don't know how they did it, but somehow, they captured a soulful Brooklyn summer night and put it on record. It's a joy to listen to this record. Once again, Daptone's got some of the best musicians anywhere, and they lay down some prime funk, but it's also just a rare, happy record. It kinda sounds like the day after election day this year felt.

The album of the end of the year, and an easy runner up to Rabbit Habits, is A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night by Love Is All. This album is my favorite kind of pop: twisted, angular, sounding as if it were an alternate universe version of mainstream pop. Josephine Olausson's voice is an eccentric, no wave sounding kind of voice, and the songs are fast, fun, and just plain crazy catchy. These songs, weird as they are, get stuck in your head. They become like a dream you remember as reality.

Those are my albums. But there are also quite a few songs that I dug, even if I wasn't crazy about the album as a whole. Call 'em honorable mentions, if you will:

Chad VanGaalen's album, Soft Airplane, is pretty swell, but the song "Willow Tree" is a freakin' masterpiece. The echoing, high vocals, the simple lyrics, laid over a casual banjo line, are piercing and haunting.

I thought The Walkmen's new album, You And Me was pretty disappointing, but "In The New Year", with that lethal seven note decrescendo and the marvelous drum swells, is the kind of song that feels like it could change lives.

Again, great song on an otherwise disappointing album: "Language City" by Wolf Parade. This is the kind of song I loved on Apologies To The Queen Mary: multi-part masterpieces, downright brilliant piano, pounding drums and vocals, a song that sounds so naturally pop that it seems grown rather than written, delivered in a heart-stopping, breathless manner that never fails to prompt a sing-along.

The Watson Twins have some of the best voices around, and when they're given time to really pound out a song, like on the ballad "Old Ways", you get something absolutely worth listening to.

I know, I know, I'm a sucker for the bombastic stuff, but you gotta give it up for the big chorus on "Waving Flags" by British Sea Power. I hear the whole album is good, but I haven't really gotten a chance to listen to it.

At the risk of getting attacked by my own DJs (heck, my own exec staff), I have to say that I generally found No Age's album uninteresting, with the exception of the song "Teen Creeps", one of those Replacements-sounding noisy punk numbers that remind you what it was like when you were in high school, angsty and loud, a fist in the air number.

I really got into The Dutchess and The Duke's Simon-and-Garfunkel-like punky acoustic number, "Strangers". If someone would be good enough to lend me the album, I'd be much obliged.

And some old-school numbers that caught my ear:

"Fool, Fool, Fool" Barbara Acklin - Definitely the best song I played on my show, Hippocleides Doesn't Care, this year. An infectiously simple wood block beat and walking bass, soulful back-up singers and Barbara Acklin's unbelievably big voice. This song makes you just plain happy to be alive, which is kinda strange, since it's about dating an asshole.


"She's Gone, Gone, Gone", Lefty Frizzell - Zak, our folk director, got me listening to this classic. Boy, I love those strings and that aching twang. I'd like to see that make it back into pop music, fuck, even country music.

"Harlan County", Jim Ford - Another gem recommended by Zak. Jim Ford was a country/soul guy who wrote a bunch of songs for Aretha Franklin and Bobby Womack. This song really has it all: country guitar, horns, insistent drums, a charming, almost hokey old school song structure, and Jim Ford's desperate, psych-soul era vocals.

That was my year in music. Not great, but it had its moments. Hope you had a good year in music, and I'm looking forward to a great one in '09.

R.I.P. Dock Ellis, 1945-2008

"Dock Ellis, who infamously claimed he pitched a no-hitter for Pittsburgh under the influence of LSD and later fiercely spoke out against drug and alcohol addiction, died Friday. He was 63."

Obituary

NPR Interview from March 2008, "An LSD No-No"

KWUR 2008 LISTENERS POLL ALLLLLLRIGHT

Hey folks,

I promised a little poll thing last week, but life got in the way and I didn't get around to making it until this weekend. Thus, without further ado...

CLICK HURRRR



Okay, a few things. First up, yeah, it looks like the Pitchfork poll but that's because the survey generator they used is super easy to work with. All of the music listed in the best album/etc. was played on KWUR this past year (with a single exception, which should be pretty easy to pick out). So, yeah, the list may not be comprehensive, but it's what we're playing. It's a great opportunity to see what you like/hate, and also what we're missing or you'd like to see us play more of.

Most importantly, if you take the survey and give us your email at the end, you will be entered to win an Of Montreal schwag-pack - including the new album, Skeletal Lamping, on vinyl, CD, a poster, and pins. Take the survey before someone steals it! (oh yeah, we're not gonna do anything with the email addresses after that, just need a way to tell you that you've won)



DO IT!!!

the Saturday Evening Post-up (Sunday edition)

SOOOO, uh, in case you hadn't noticed, it's not Saturday. I didn't quite make it to the station yesterday, so please accept my humblest humblest apologies.

Every once in awhile, a CD slips through the cracks here at KWUR. Sometimes no one picks it up to be reviewed and sometimes it literally slips into a crack and is lost for like six months. There often are stacks and stacks of unreviewed CDs at the end of the semester, and for every ten discarded turds there's a real gem. So, this week, I'm going to take a look (via DJ reviews, as always) at a couple of CDs that didn't quite make it onto the new release shelf this year. I'll offer a few brief comments after each review, as well. Let's show 'em some love:

David Byrne and Brian Eno - "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today"

These two draw on a lot of genres here - sun bleached pop, jazzy lounge, folk - and combine them to make a diverse and enjoyable album. Eno's production is top-notch and Byrne's croons are as falsetto as ever.

RIYD: Talking Heads, older Eno, Radiohead

Play: 1 (sun bleached, layered pop), 2 (ambling folk), 3 (textured jazz), 4 (standout - beautiful pop), 11 (great finish)

(ed. note)
This album, like Radiohead's "In Rainbows" or Nine Inch Nails' "The Slip," was released via the internet long before it met any kind of official physical release. Because of this, we only just received it, although it's been in circulation for quite some time now. This was the year of self-releases, and if other major bands (such as those aforementioned) follow the trend, it's going to shake up the entire industry, from the (honestly outdated anyway) Big 5 (Universal, et al) to lowly college radio outfits like us. The times, they are a'changin'.

Land Of Talk - "Some Are Lakes"

Saw them open for Broken Social Scene and fell in love with Lizzie Powell's voice. Solid album with quite a few shining moments. Good blend of drum beats, kind of jagged guitar riffs and dreamy pop-esque vocals. Give them a listen.

Play: 4, 6, 7, 10

(ed. note)
As noted in the review, these guys opened for Broken Social Scene at the Gargoyle about a month ago. I've been to my fair share of shows, and I've only been truly impressed by openers a handful of times - and I'd easily include Land of Talk in that handful. Whereas most openers tend to be watered down versions of the headliner, or even just flat out suck, they truly stood out on their own merits. It's indie pop, no doubt, but with razor sharp edges and a lot of tension boiling under the surface.

Annuals - "Such Fun"

Nice, country laced indie pop. Anthemic stuff, and lots of nice instrumentals. The vocals are a little annoying at times, got a little pop-punky, but the musicality of the band really makes this record worth your time.

Play: 2, 3 (good build), 6 (rockin good orchestration), 9 (nice piano), 10 (pretty)

(ed. note)
Back in 2006, Annuals basically exploded onto the indie scene from the ever-fertile fields of North Carolina via their debut "Be He Me." This was around the time I really started getting into "indie," and one of my friends burned it for me. I hated it. Here was a band that was lauded as excellent by a number of prominent music blogs (this was also 'round the time the "blogosphere" came into full effect, I think) and I just didn't get it. Yet, this album didn't get half the press or praise their first did, and I liked it a hell of a lot more. I don't know what that says about anything - other than maybe I shouldn't read Pitchfork so much.

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - "Sunday At Devil Dirt"

Former female vocalist for Belle & Sebastian teams up again with Screaming Trees frontman (and Tom Waits doppelganger) Mark Lanegan. Really downbeat ballads, slow, ominous folk/country. Their voices blend well together, and really fit the music. All of these were arranged by Isobel, and they're all really good.

Play: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 (really sweet), 11

(ed. note)
What the hell happened to Belle & Sebastian? They recently released "The BBC Sessions," but it's been, like, a billion years (actually 3) since they put out new material, and 10 since "If You're Feeling Sinister" (which is arguably their best work). I suppose none of that is relevant here, as Isobel's no longer a part of the group. She is, however, doing fine work with Mr. Lanegan - this album isn't groundbreaking but it's damn fine nonetheless. I think (and hope) time will be kind to their work together.

Last charts of the yeaaaaar:

Rank Artist Recording Label
1 WOMEN Women Jagjaguwar
2 VIVIAN GIRLS Vivian Girls In The Red
3 JENNY LEWIS Acid Tongue Warner Bros.
4 I'M FROM BARCELONA Who Killed Harry Houdini? Mute
5 EAGLES OF DEATH METAL Heart On Downtown
6 PAST LIVES Strange Symmetry [EP] Suicide Squeeze
7 DESOLATION WILDERNESS White Strobing Light K
8 TOUGH ALLIANCE A New Chance Modular
9 STARFUCKER Starfucker Badman
10 BOUND STEMS The Family Afloat Flameshovel
11 MENAHAN STREET BAND Make The Road By Walking Daptone-Dunham
12 THESE UNITED STATES Crimes United Interests
13 GENTLE GUEST We Are Bound To Save Some Souls Tonight Amble Down
14 ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS Another World [EP] Secretly Canadian
15 ETTES Look At Life Again Soon Take Root
16 PARTS AND LABOR Receivers Jagjaguwar
17 SEBASTIEN GRAINGER Sebastien Grainger And The Mountains Saddle Creek
18 TOBACCO Fucked Up Friends Anticon
19 MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA Let My Pride Be [EP] Sony
20 PINK SPIDERS Sweat It Out Mean Buzz
21 WINTERSLEEP Welcome To The Night Sky Labwork
22 LITTLE ONES Morning Tide Chop Shop
23 HER SPACE HOLIDAY XOXO Panda, And The New Kid Revival Mush
24 FUCKED UP The Chemistry Of Common Life Matador
25 PORTUGAL. THE MAN Censored Colors Equal Vision-Approaching AIRballoons
26 LITTLE TEETH Child Bearing Man Absolutely Kosher
27 RELIGIOUS KNIVES The Door ECSTATIC PEACE!
28 OF MONTREAL Skeletal Lamping Polyvinyl
29 ARIZONA Glowing Bird Echo Mountain
30 JAY REATARD Matador Singles '08 Matador

and that's it folks. I'll catch you again in a few weeks - enjoy the holiday.

Elliott Carter at 100

Just barely in time for the end of the day, KWUR today marks the 100th birthday of Elliott Carter, America's leading modernist composer, born December 11, 1908 in NYC, and, believe it or not, still composing and very much with us. Some recent articles about him in the last week, just before his birthday:

(1) Boston Globe, Matthew Guerrieri, Dec. 5, 2008
(2) Boston Globe, Jeremy Eichler, Dec. 6, 2008
(3) The Guardian, Nicholas Wroe, Dec. 6, 2008

From KWUR, we had a chance to air:
(a) Gra for solo clarinet
(b) A 6 Letter Letter for English horn
(c) Double Concerto for Harpsichord, Piano and Two Chamber Orchestras
(d) Quintet for Piano and Winds
(e) Asko Concerto
(f) Oboe Quartet

So, a small shout out from us at KWUR, 90.3 FM to the birthday boy, Elliott Carter, with good wishes for many more.

NYTimes: "College Radio Maintains Its Mojo"

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/television/07sisa.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/television/07sisa.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/television/07sisa.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/television/07sisa.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/television/07sisa.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/television/07sisa.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/television/07sisa.html

the Saturday Evening Post-up (12/6/08)

Hope everyone had a relaxing break. No charts this week because of there was basically no one here last week, so instead I've got a ton of new reviews, the last part of the Neutral Milk Hotel review, and a LISTENERS POLL OMG OMG OMGGGG anyway check this shit out first:

The Decemberists - "Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Series (vol 1-3)"

Colin Meloy is back with the Decemberists on this new compilation of singles. Pretty standard Decemberists stuff - horns, hooks, awesome chorus, Colin's voice, strings, etc. Pretty good tracks overall, though not exactly innovative given their previous releases.

Play: 1, 5 (Velvet Underground cover), 6

Three Second Kiss - "Long Distance"

Italian deconstructed rock trio puts out a trebly, dissonant, angular disc that offers more raw energy than darkness typical of the "math" genre. Produced by Steve Albini (!), this band bears resemblance to a busier Shellac, a more organized U.S. Maple,, or even a late Fugazi. Vocals are a groaning ESL stew. Hear!

Play: 1 (militant with distorted vocals), 2 (develops well with some classic mathy guitar riffs), 5 (clanging chords with rumbling close bass harmonies opens wider than most), 6 (chanting, minimal)

The Gentle Guest - "We Are Bound To Save Some Souls Tonight"

Combines a lot of sounds for a rhythmic, folksy, and fun album. Sounds like Reel Big Fish meets Drive-By Truckers at times, other times more like a raspy ballad of Tom Waits or Bob Dylan. The stripped down feel is like early Ray LaMontagne, only not as tender and more upbeat.

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - "Cardinology"

Pretty subtle album, definitely one of the better ones in the huge amount of music under his belt. Solid lyrics, nice hooks. Takes a couple of listens to appreciate the details but I'd definitely give this a try. A bit predictable though, not as edgy as "Heartbreaker," but still good overall.

Play: 2, 4 (a bit radio pop-esque), 7

Megapuss - "Surfing"

Devendra Banhart, Gregory Rogove (drummer of Priestbird), and others - including Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes and many from Little Joy - combine to create an all around groovy album. One of my favorites of the year.

RIYD: MGMT, The Black Keys, Devendra, Little Joy

Play: 1 (good for lovin), 5 ("too much fun..." so catchy), 9 (rockin), 10 (disclaim but rocks)

Part 3/3 of the NMH interview:

Sample: In regards to the CD (On Avery Island), all the songs run together and you can tell that there's an ongoing theme. Two or three of the songs sound rather similar in parts. I know it's not a rock opera, but is there an overriding concept? Or is it entirely subconscious?

Scott: I've got a really good answer!

Jeff: You're going to give some bullshitty... alright.

Scott: Okay, but don't put this answer in unless he wants it. He only knows two chords!

Jeff: It's more like a story than a concept in the sense that a concept can be overly done. I'm not "conceptual" in the full sense of the word. It's not supposed to be a book where the opening song is page one and it works up to the end. There is definitely a story, but at the same time, there's not a very rigid structure. Do you understand?

Sample: Well, although there's a story, I have no idea what it's about. Any explanation I've come up with is by virtue of just making something up to find something.

Jeff: I write lots of songs that relate to each other and some of them end up being released and others don't so it's an ongoing thing where the same story is continued in my songs... I just keep writing until it's finished and they cut it up into different parts. Because people are going to relate to songs and relate them to their lives, it's not just a one-sided, either you get it or you don't, story.

Sample: Are the different styles on the album used to convey or correspond with different moods? Something will be lo-fi and folky, the opening track is more pop-oriented...

Scott: It's because you forgot how you mixed and got that sound earlier...

Jeff: Each song has it's own mood... that's why I was trying to record at home. I'm into home recording, not lo-fi. Home recording gives the freedom to deal with something for a long time, not so much "Let's make the song sound shitty."

Sample: Were some of the songs on the album recorded in the studio and others at home?

Jeff: They were all recorded at home. But we had a reel-to-reel four track and a little board console.

Sample: Isn't it hard to hold down a job and tour?

Jeff: Every time I quit a job, I would say, "My mom fell down the stairs. I have to go. Sorry." And then come back in two weeks and say, "She's better," and get my job back... my mom got really mad and tired of it.

Scott: That's bad karma.

fin.


Check back tomorrow for the completely unofficial, done on the fly, KWUR LISTENERS POLL FUCK YEAH ALRIGHT!

KWUR Does Klassical @ Powell

Recently, the Saint Louis Symphony hosted a "Bloggers Night at the Symphony" at the 'Beat Movement' concert on Nov. 15. Eddie Silva, the SLSO's publications manager (and a former Riverfront Times writer), invited said bloggers to post their impressions of the concert and the scene that night, which many of them did here.

Independently, KWUR invited station DJ's to go to a "KWUR Does Klassical" night at the Symphony the night before Bloggers Night, that Friday. In a shameless attempt to ride very belated coattails on Bloggers Night, I asked KWUR people who went to that Friday concert to contribute their impressions:

B: "I didn't enjoy the bass centered piece so much. Maybe it's just me, but I like my basses sticking in the rhythm section or whatever it would be considered in classical music with the occasional solo. The violinist in the second piece was outstanding and a joy to listen to and also watch perform. The Rite of Spring was mind blowing. I was warned in advance that it would be an intense experience and it surpassed my expectations."

D: "I didn't like the two contemporary pieces. The first piece had two interesting movements, and then fell apart in the third and fourth movements, and even when it was interesting, it didn't really grab me at all. The second piece had one of the dumbest beginnings I've ever heard, although it grew on me by the end. The performance of The Rite Of Spring was really terrific, I thought, although I didn't like the subtitles."

T: "Weeks after the performance of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, I still conjure a vivid sensory image of the experience. The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra led me with a hand firmly guided through the narrow straits of complex polyrhythms, jarring dissonances, and intense dynamic polarity that make the work so personally memorable. But the vividness of my memory is not of an aural aspect; no, the experience was distinguished by its raw physicality. In The Rite of Spring, the percussion is not remembered by mallea nor inca nor stapes but by the chest cavity, moved to reverberate. The opening melody erects an indelible pattern in the minute hairs of the neck. It is a penetrating sensation. I am thoroughly amazed by a piece that in spite of its horizon-dilating erudition is able to connect with an audience on such a visceral plane."

Because I'm a regular subscriber to the orchestra, I wanted to let the others get the first word, as my own impressions are longer:

G: "The first work by Mark-Anthony Turnage surprised me by how mellow it was. I'll admit that I was expecting something a little edgier, but I knew that jazz would play a big role, given Turnage's reputation for using jazz in his concert hall works. John Patitucci did really well, as did Erik Harris in his 3rd movement duet with Patitucci. It was nice to see the orchestra shuffle its feet in appreciation after the duet. I was expecting the audience to do the same, but they didn't.

I got said musical edge at the beginning of the Mackey concerto. I was somehow put off by the beginning, but as the piece went on, I got more and more into it, and the title made more sense. As she was in John Adams' The Dharma at Big Sur last season, Leila Josefowicz was very extrovert and totally committed, and also very appreciative of the orchestra.

This Rite of Spring was my 4th time hearing it live, each time with the SLSO. The music never fails to astonish when heard in 3 dimensions live, even on a 4th hearing. I admit that I wasn't too enamored of the subtitles for the ballet's plot on this occasion. I liked them for past performances of The Wooden Prince and Petrushka, but the 3rd time wasn't the charm here. So I just focused on watching the orchestra and tried not to look at the screen.

I talked with some (non-KWUR) friends about the concert and the music. This was the first Powell concert for two visiting students from Europe. One was surprised at seeing an electric bass guitar on stage at a symphony concert, the first time she's ever seen that. The other herself thought the start of the Mackey was not to her satisfaction, but the piece got better for her as it went along. By contrast, a third friend liked the Turnage more than the Mackey."

RIP

The Saturday Evening Post-up (11/22/08)

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, so have a hearty helping of new reviews:

Religious Knives - "The Door"



Alternates between organ-accentuated, tom-heavy prog and abrasive, looped psychedelia. Pretty far out shit, definitely on the experimental side - produced by Thurston Moore, if that's any indication. Lots of female vocals that sound just a bit off key. All pretty downbeat. If this all sounds good to you, play it.

Play: 1 (bass heavy, brooding prog), 4 (monotonous vocals, organs, plodding drums), 5 (abrasive... everything. dark), 6 (quickest number here tempo-wise, female + male vocals overlaid, looped abrasiveness)

RIYD: Goblins, The Doors, no wave

Thursday/Envy - "Split EP"

Interesting move for both bands - Thursday (of emo-core fame) has more experimental, ethereal passages with their tight, clean guitar work, and long-running Japanese hardcore group Envy gives us a brighter, more accessibly-structured sound. PLAY!!

Play: 3 (fast), 5 (accessible screaming), 7 (ballad-like, awesome)

Fox Japan - "Hell"

The instrumentals aren't bad, basic garage rock stuff - but the vocals are painful. Amateurish, sad, and angry. I don't know what else to say - I can't think of anything that sounds like this because I have no idea how this got recorded.

The Tough Alliance - "A New Chance"



Made up of childhood friends Henning Furst and Eric Bergland from Gothenburg, Sweden. Their live shows have been given much media attention in Sweden due to their "unique" onstage performances that include bat-swinging. They got thrown off the stage once for doing so. Critics claim that TTA glorify violence in general and hooliganism in particular, something the duo denies.

Play: 7, 1, 3

RIYD: upbeat Panda Bear, Air France, High Places

with a side of charts:

Rank Artist Recording Label User
1 OF MONTREAL Skeletal Lamping Polyvinyl
2 BAND MARINO The Sea And The Beast Street Parade
3 FINAL FANTASY Spectrum 14th Century [EP] Blocks
4 TOBACCO Fucked Up Friends Anticon
5 PARTS AND LABOR Receivers Jagjaguwar
6 LOVE IS ALL A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night What's Your Rupture?
7 VIVIAN GIRLS Vivian Girls In The Red
8 SAM CHAMPION Heavenly Bender North Street
9 WOMEN Women Jagjaguwar
10 KINGS OF LEON Only By The Night RCA
11 RAINE MAIDA The Hunter's Lullaby King Noise
12 GANG GANG DANCE Saint Dymphna The Social Registry
13 AIDS WOLF Cities Of Glass Skin Graft
14 RA RA RIOT The Rhumb Line Barsuk
15 FRENCH MIAMI French Miami Self-Released
16 DESOLATION WILDERNESS White Strobing Light K
17 XX TEENS Welcome To Goon Island Mute
18 SUBMARINES Honeysuckle Weeks Nettwerk
19 GRAMPALL JOOKABOX Ropechain Asthmatic Kitty
20 HER SPACE HOLIDAY XOXO Panda, And The New Kid Revival Mush
21 STREETS Everything Is Borrowed Vice
22 JENNY LEWIS Acid Tongue Warner Bros.
23 ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS Another World [EP] Secretly Canadian
24 EAGLES OF DEATH METAL Heart On Downtown
25 SLEEPING IN THE AVIARY Expensive Vomit In A Cheap Hotel Science Of Sound
26 NOAH AND THE WHALE Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down Cherry Tree-Interscope
27 BAD HAND In This Line Wish You Happiness Daly City
28 JAY REATARD Matador Singles '08 Matador
29 SLEEPING STATES There The Open Spaces
30 MINIATURE TIGERS Tell It To The Volcano Modern Art

And last but not least, a slice of Neutral Milk Hotel interview pie:

Sample: So who are some of the other bands that are included in [Elephant Six] besides Olivia Tremor Control?

Jeff: There aren't really any specific bands. It's weird because now that it's something people recognize and ask for a definition, I don't really have one.

Sample: Well, it's not as fun when people know what it is. So everyone's going to be able to find you in a farmhouse and hound you.

Julian: Scott wanted to set up a tent in Vic Chestnutt's house.

Scott: Yeah, I never got around to it.

Jeff: I don't want to leave the house. I just want to stay in. Well, maybe I'll walk around the yard. I want to have a dog. A little dog.

Julian: ...and a cat.

Sample: You don't think you would get bored?

Julian: Who cares? Well, we'll record stuff.

Jeff: The plan is to be near New York City.

Julian: One of us will always be making a record and everyone else can play on it. And one of us will always be going on tour and so anybody who wants to go can go.

Sample: What's the worst show on your tour that you've played?

Jeff: There was this one member of the band, and he got killed...

Julian: I would vote for Portland or Jabberjaw [general consent].

Jeff: The Jabberjaw was pretty terrible because our amps are typically pretty quiet and we didn't have a PA...

Julian: No one could hear us.

Jeff: And then we played with the Supreme Dicks in Portland and this guy jumped on the stage.

Scott: This wacked-out, new-nazi looking guy.

Julian: It was really terrible... really gross.

Scott: Just to have something to talk about, and it had nothing to do with the Supreme Dicks, but somebody that was there at the show thought they could involve themselves for no apparent reason and tried to shit in a glass.

Sample: Did he actually pull down his pants?

Julian: He showed his genitalia...

Jeff: And he was throwing fireworks and stuff.

Scott: But the Supreme Dicks show still rocked. They're great.

Jeff: We did six or seven shows with them... it was really a lot of fun.

Sample: Are you an honorary member now?

Scott: I've been an honorary member since 1994.

Sample: Do you have a card?

Scott: No, but if I go to a show, I can get up and play. That's what honorary membership means. I played slide & whistle.

Julian: I played space echo and blew bubbles into the crowd.

::final installment in two weeks!::

Album Review: I'm From Barcelona, "Who Killed Harry Houdini?"

A lot of people are surprised by this album, but actually, the almost emo-like minor notes struck here are the natural reverse of the irrational pop exuberance of the first album. Same everything-but-the-kitchen-sink attitude towards songwriting/instrumentation: big choruses, strings, horns, massive, poppy swells and dips. Overall, OK, not great. RIFYLOP: Arcade Fire

Play: 1+++(pathos, catchy), 2+, 3, 6, 8++

The Saturday Evening Post-up (11/15/08)

In honor of Hustle Week, there'll be a new addition to the Saturday Evening Post-up this week: an interview with a band that KWUR holds near and dear to its heart. First up, though, new music reviews:

Desolation Wilderness - "White Light Strobing"



This album takes cues from both the folksy guitar of MMJ and the down-tempo ambient drone of MBV, combining them into a quiet, mostly sparse soundscape. This certainly might not be everyone's cup of tea - derivative, boring, whatever - but if you're looking for something warm, complex and mellow, give it a spin. (Also, dig up some records by Low and Galaxie 500 if you like this).

RIYD: My Morning Jacket, My Bloody Valentine, Low
Play: 1 (downbeat, twangy), 2 (hypnotic, folksy beat and dreamy vocals), 3 (more droney, excellent), 7 (shorter, instrumental), 8 (beautiful little electro flourishes)

Manchester Orchestra - "Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind" EP

Andy Hull (vocals, guitar) originally wanted MO to be a solo project. He was listening to a lot Morrissey and The Smiths so the city of Manchester fascinated him. Then he also liked the idea of being a leader of an orchestra and have his friends guest. Hence, Manchester Orchestra. Sounds like alt rock with Ben Gibbard vocals.

RIYD: Silversun Pickups, The Weakerthans
Play: 1, 3 (live, acoustic)

Noah And The Whale - "Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down"

Laura Marling & Emny The Great used to be a part of this London band before they went solo. But they still perform with the band here and there - backing female vocals here are Marling's. The band name is a combination of the movie title "The Squid and The Whale" and the director of the movie, Noah Baumbach. The band often sign emails and myspace posts with "Sic Transit Gloria," a phrase frequently used in Wes Anderson's "Rushmore."

RIYD: Pete and the Pirates, Laura Marling
Play: 7, 3, 2

Love Is All - "A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night"

Spaztastic avant-pop from Sweden - nice contrast between snarling female vocal delivery and dancey pop guitar lines/drumming. Sometimes anthemic, sometimes saxophone-fueled dance freakout, always a lot of fun.

RIYD: Shout Out Louds, CSS, Arctic Monkeys
Play: 1 (upbeat, dig the horns. spazzy), 2 (more sax, more spaz), 3 (rippin' guitar line), 5 (standout track, fucking rocks but watch the disclaim), 9 (another standout, catchy and anthemic), 10 (folk-ish, awesome female/male call-response)

CHARTS CHARTS CHARTS

Rank Artist Recording Label User Supplied Version
1 OF MONTREAL Skeletal Lamping Polyvinyl
2 CRYSTAL STILTS Alight Of Night Slumberland
3 VIVIAN GIRLS Vivian Girls In The Red
4 WOMEN Women Jagjaguwar
5 PARTS AND LABOR Receivers Jagjaguwar
6 ETTES Look At Life Again Soon Take Root
7 EAGLES OF DEATH METAL Heart On Downtown
8 RA RA RIOT The Rhumb Line Barsuk
9 SUBMARINES Honeysuckle Weeks Nettwerk
10 BEN FOLDS Way To Normal Epic
11 LOVE IS ALL A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night What's Your Rupture?
12 LENKA Lenka Epic
13 GANG GANG DANCE Saint Dymphna The Social Registry
14 GIANT SAND ProVISIONS Yep Roc
15 SLEEPING IN THE AVIARY Expensive Vomit In A Cheap Hotel Science Of Sound
16 ARMY NAVY Army Navy The Fever Zone
17 NOAH AND THE WHALE Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down Cherry Tree-Interscope
18 BOO AND BOO TOO No Tempo Ironpaw
19 MENAHAN STREET BAND Make The Road By Walking Daptone-Dunham
20 JAY REATARD Matador Singles '08 Matador
21 MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA Let My Pride Be [EP] Sony
22 PINK SPIDERS Sweat It Out Mean Buzz
23 CHAD VANGAALEN Soft Airplane SUB POP
24 TOBACCO Fucked Up Friends Anticon
25 GRAMPALL JOOKABOX Ropechain Asthmatic Kitty
26 ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS Another World [EP] Secretly Canadian
27 BEARS Simple Machinery Self-Released
28 BROKEN WEST Now Or Heaven Merge
29 WIRE Object 47 Pink Flag
30 UPCHUCK Gone But Not Forgiven Dadastic

And, as promised, (part of) the Sample 1996 interview with Neutral Milk Hotel:

Sample: How did you get together for the tour?

Jeff Mangum: Julian called me in New York and said, "Well, if you want to do a tour for the record, I can do it."

Julian Koster: [to Jeff] Why don't you start with Scott and how you guys grew up together and stuff?

Jeff: Well, you started the whole mess.

Julian: I said start with you two... chronologically.

Scott Spillane: I wasn't included in the band until the day before he left.

Julian: I thought she was more interested in where you came from... they used to be in a band called The Clay Bears together.

Jeff: I wasn't really planning on touring at all. I mean I hadn't really thought about it. It just seemed like getting a band together would be hard. I'm not really good at taking responsibility for everybody and calling up a bunch of people and saying "Hey, come on, come fuck up your life for me." But Julian sort of gave me the incentive to have the guts to do that. I knew Scott for six years in Louisiana. So I was on my way from Denver to New York, because his grandmother lives out there, and we were going to practice in her basement. Scott was living in his van in Austin, TX. He was sleeping in front of Gumby's Pizza Parlor, where he worked. And the night before I left it dawned on me that...

Scott: The night before he left he came in and it was 2:00 in the morning and he said "I just stopped by to say goodbye." Then we got hit by this big rush and I asked him to come help me make pizzas and he said "I don't know what to do." So he was slinging pizza juice around and then right before he left he said "Hey man, I just realized something. This job really sucks. So why don't you come with us," and I said okay.

Jeff: Yeah that would be it. And all he had was...

Scott: All I had was my guitar and my amp.

Jeff: I didn't even know that he could play horn or anything.

Sample: What exactly is the Elephant Six Recording Collective?

Jeff: It started out as a label and then now it's sort of a symbol for our friendship. I don't really have a definition for it. Everybody has their own little definition.

Julian: A family crest for a group of friends.

Sample: Does it involve other projects outside of music?

Julian: It does.

Jeff: We're probably going to end up living in a farmhouse somewhere.

Sample: Like a commune?

Jeff: Sort of, yeah. We all kind of want to just disappear.

::check back in the following weeks for further installments of the interview::

HUSTLE WEEK MARCHES ON! ALL NIGHT BROADCAST TOMORROW!

From 12 AM to 6 AM, yours truly will be working the board, with special guests EVERYONE. If you're in the city, come by and give us cash and I will put you on the radio probably. If you're not, listen in, for I will play hilarious oddities from our stacks and it will be a party in the pants. Also, call in a pledge at (314) 935-5952, then send a check made out to KWUR to:

KWUR 90.3 FM
Campus Box 1205
One Brookings Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63130

Groovy! On y va, citoyens!

HUSTLE WEEK CONTINUES! MERCH/BAKE SALE TOMORROW!

If you are in the general vicinity of KWUR Base Alpha (Washington University in St. Louis), come by and buy baked treats and random CD packages and t-shirts and perchance a totebag. If not, you can still donate to us by calling in a pledge at (314) 935-5952 during a show and sending a check made out to KWUR and your gift request to:

KWUR 90.3 FM
Campus Box 1205
One Brookings Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63130

Thank you! I love you!

Sub Pop Singles Club: October

Everyone's favorite Seattle institution, Sub Pop records, re-established their well known singles club to celebrate their 20 anniversary. For $75, 1500 lucky subscribers will receive a special 7inch 45rpm record every month for one year. I'll review them all right here on the KWUR Blog.

The October 7inch was, in fact, not orange, but "McDonald's yellow." The single was by hip L.A. all-girl punk band, Mika Miko.

"Sex Jazz (extended)" b/w "Bastard in Love"

This single is definitely my favorite of the three issued thus far. I liked it so much that I went and got 666, the band's single/live compilation.

The band is from the all-ages DIY scene revolving around The Smell, the same venue pictured on the cover of No Age's Weirdo Rippers.

The result is some raw lo-fi girl punk, and in my book, that can't be beat. "Sex Jazz" is a dancy punk song from the outset. It starts with some pounding bass drum, thick bass, and some saxophone. Throw in some Gang of Four guitarwork and dry female vocals and you have a party.

"Bastard in Love" is not nearly as good, mostly a forgettable not-nearly-as-danceable song. However, this isn't necessarily typical of the band, and 666 is certainly worth checking out for a full dose of hip L.A. all-girl noise-punk.

What will Sub Pop have in store for November?

-Klax

The Saturday Evening Post-up (11/8/08)

Hot damn, I nearly forgot - it's Saturday, and I am required by law to post reviews and charts. So here, have some new release reviews in celebration of our newly elected President:

Upchuck - "Gone But Not Forgotten"

Compilation of work by Seattle punk and glam rocker Charles Gerra, whose projects with the most attention were The Fags and Such in NYC. The first three tracks are from his early Seattle glam outfits, the others are almost exclusively Such. Chuck died of AIDS in 1990, but has been cited as a major influence on the Pacific Northwest's music scene that would explode in the late 80's/early 90's.

Play: 4 (industrial, dark), 7 (like some Roxy Music), 1 (late 70's upbeat punkish glam)

Sebastien Grainger - "Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains"



A super-sexy first release for the lone stallion Mr. Grainger. All the seduction of DFA 1979 is poured like chocolate sauce on this album. Good music for a long drive home or a hipster dance party - only, with dancing. Beat-heavy tracks like 1, 2, 3, or 12 are grounded by rock n roll sweetness in tracks 8 and 11 to create a balance that is just right. I really enjoy this album - but I think deep down inside, Grainger misses DFA 1979. I know I do, and it shows in this CD. 9/10

RIYL: Death From Above 1979, The Killers
Play: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12

Grampall Jookabox - "Ropechain"

With "Ropechain," Grampall Jookabox leads us into a world of taut paranoia, guiding the way with anxious growls and yelps, far-out lyrics and bizarre, everything-including-the-kitchen-sink instrumentation. Primal drum beats pound behind honest-to-God freaked-out experimental sound collision. Yet, for as weird as it is, the album is equally funny and substantive - and even accessible.

RIYL: Captain Beefhart, Animal Collective, TV on the Radio (on acid)
Play: 2 (weird but catchy as hell - play if yr feeling hyper and angsty), 3 (vocals on whippits, weird as shit), 4 (chanty vocals, shanty beats, hypnotic), 5 (funky? funny lyrics, gritty), 6 (love the lyrics, tense, good bass line), 11 (title says it all - "I'm Absolutely Freaked Out")

The Streets - "everything is borrowed"

Fourth album by the British hip-hopper. Good, rich beats on most songs, but a few are just fucking annoying. Avoid the annoying ones and you'll be fine. Not the greatest rap I've ever heard, but it's got some moments. 6.5/10

Play 1, 3, 4 (faster rapping), 6, 7, 9

Juana Molina - "Un Dia"

Sounds like folktronica, loopy acoustic stuff. Used to be a comedic actress in South America (from Argentina). Following a military coup in Argentina in 1976, Molina's family fled to Paris and lived in exile there for 6 years.

RIYL: Mia Doi Todd, Hanne Hukkelberg
Play 1, 5, 6

and charts in celebration of us playing music:

Rank Artist Recording Label User Supplied Version
1 JAY REATARD Matador Singles '08 Matador
2 KINGS OF LEON Only By The Night RCA
3 CRYSTAL STILTS Alight Of Night Slumberland
4 NIGHTWATCHMAN The Fabled City Epic
5 SLEEPING IN THE AVIARY Expensive Vomit In A Cheap Hotel Science Of Sound
6 GANG GANG DANCE Saint Dympha The Social Registry
7 ZYDEPUNKS Finisterre Nine Mile
8 MENAHAN STREET BAND Make The Road By Walking Daptone-Dunham
9 ANE BRUN Changing Of The Seasons Cheap Lullaby
10 LITTLE ONES Morning Tide Chop Shop
11 PARTS AND LABOR Receivers Jagjaguwar
12 NOAH AND THE WHALE Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down Cherry Tree-Interscope
13 RA RA RIOT The Rhumb Line Barsuk
14 JENNY LEWIS Acid Tongue Warner Bros.
15 TV ON THE RADIO Dear Science Interscope
16 THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES Tail Swallower And Dove Suicide Squeeze
17 PARENTHETICAL GIRLS Entanglements Tomlab
18 XX TEENS Welcome To Goon Island Mute
19 WOMEN Women Jagjaguwar
20 LEOPOLD AND HIS FICTION Ain't No Surprise Self-Released
21 BRIAN WILSON That Lucky Old Sun Capitol
22 BROKEN WEST Now Or Heaven Merge
23 ARMY NAVY Army Navy The Fever Zone
24 HAWNAY TROOF Islands Of Ayle Retard Disco
25 LYKKE LI Youth Novels LL
26 RACHAEL YAMAGATA Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart Warner Bros.
27 LITTLE TEETH Child Bearing Man Absolutely Kosher
28 ALL GIRL SUMMER FUN BAND Looking Into It AGSFB
29 PROUD SIMON Night Of Criminals Self-Released
30 SUBMARINES Honeysuckle Weeks Nettwerk

KWUR HUSTLE WEEK: THE 11TH TO THE 18TH

(image courtesy of jamphat.com/rap)
Hey folks,

From November 11^th to the 18^th, KWUR is conducting its fundraising drive, Hustle Week. KWUR is run on a shoestring budget that has been dramatically cut twice by Student Union in the past two years, and there is no guarantee that the budget will not be cut again in the future. In the past, fundraising dollars have been spent on essentials like shelves for the 45s and promotional schedule posters. If enough money is raised, it can be used to help pay for an improved KWUR Week, a website redesign, or even music acquisitions. If you care about KWUR and appreciate the quality alternative programming KWUR provides every day and you've got five or ten dollars to spare, we'd really appreciate any help you can give us.

If you'd like to donate, you can:

1) Stop by the station whenever there's a show and donate directly to a DJ

2) Call in a pledge at (314) 935-5952 and mail a check made out to KWUR and your gift preference to:

KWUR 90.3 FM

Campus Box 1205

One Brookings Dr.

St. Louis, MO 63130

For a ten dollar donation, you can get five random CDs, lovingly wrapped and decorated by KWUR D.J.s. For a twenty dollar donation, you can get a t-shirt, while supplies last. For a thirty dollar donation, you can get a KWUR totebag. For a hundred dollars, you can get part of the station (any part you'd like, while supplies last) named after you for a year. For two hundred dollars, you can get your own sycophantic this-is-your-life tribute show. All gifts are tax-deductible.

For those of you in the St. Louis area, we're having a couple of special events:

Wednesday the 12th, 12pm - 6pm: Live broadcast from the Danforth University Center!

Thursday the 13th, 12pm - 3pm: Merch/bake sale at the Danforth University Center!

Friday the 14th, 5pm: KWUR DOES KLASSICAL! Meet at the station to head over to Powell Symphony Hall and hear the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra perform Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring!

Saturday the 15th (really Friday night), 12am - 6am: All night marathon broadcast! We'll be playing some weird and wacky shit, KWUR's greatest hits. Stop by the station and say hey, and heck, maybe we'll put you on the air!

KWUR Hustle Week. Wait till we get our money right.

Women-- Women

FANTASTIC.
PLAY IT.

Really great early-90s style lo-fi, with lots of psychelic 60s pop influence on some tracks
CZECH OUT:

1-- Mostly just an intro segue into 2, very short.
2--good spaced-out feel, i like the layered guitar parts
4--******PLAY PLAY PLAY******** bells, guitars, fantastic vocal melody, very 60s, play play play!
5--beautiful instrumental, "Sag Harbor Bridge," arpeggiated guitar, very evocative
6--great pop song, very Zombies/Kinks/60s melody and chord progression, i like it a lot. pretty short though.
7--The start of the noisy part of the album. almost post-hardcore. tense guitar, punky bass.
8-- mellow pop interlude, nothing special
9-- dissonant guitars and chanting, ebbs and flows, builds and releases
10-- very noisy jam.

Play it, please. It is wonderful, it has so many different styles while remaining coherent and recognizable as one piece. CZECH IT OUT!

Broadcast Law on Election Day

Today, as Americans head to the polls to vote, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in FCC vs. Fox Television Stations. Up for review is whether or not the FCC can fine broadcasters for "fleeting expletives," the non-repeated use of words deemed indecent or basically dropping a few of George Carlin's Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. In the past few years, the FCC has been increasingly capricious in its regulation of fleeting expletives, suddenly deciding to step up to the plate and dole out some fines while in other cases not fining by claiming that the expletive use has artistic merit. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the FCC because of this arbitrariness.

Are we likely to see a sweeping decision today from the Roberts Court, greatly expanding what we can say over the air without getting in trouble with the FCC? I wouldn't be surprised if it went either way. Several former FCC chairs have submitted amicus briefs on behalf of the broadcasters, and the recent policy shift on fleeting expletives has been quite puritanical. Yet ideologically, the Court has shifted to the right. So who knows?

Please keep in mind, as you go to the polls today, that our next President will be appointing several Justices to the Court, unless a Ponce de Leon emerges and discovers the Fountain of Youth, and our highest court could very likely be hearing several more broadcast law cases of interest to KWUR and our audience.

Album Review: School Of Seven Bells, "Alpinisms"

Lush vocal harmonies over glitchy, fuzzy electronic rhythms. Spacey, atmospheric stuff: think Air, Psapp, M83 or a more harmonious Bjork. When the vocal harmonies build, this record goes to some special places. Really fantastic!

Play all, esp: 1+++(stacatto), 3+++(pretty vocals), 5, 9, 10++

The Saturday Evening Post-up (11/1/08)

Hope everyone had a spOoOoOoky Halloween. DJ reviews of what we're spinning:

These Arms Are Snakes - "Tail Swallower And Dove"

Intriguing post-hardcore that fulfills expectations set by their previous releases - but full of surprises in every track. Intense and moody, but not over-the-top, cliche, or monotonous in any way. Solid drums establish dance-y beats that are fun yet not pop-happy or sugary. This CD is like a ten course meal - so good, you want to eat it over and over. Track 2 is awesome, despite disclaim. Makes me wish my arms were snakes.

RIYL: The Blood Brothers, Frodus, Minus The Bears
Play: 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9

Kings Of Leon - "Only By The Night"

"Only By The Night" starts off as a fairly solid album, with some nice and slow but catchy songs. Sounds like mellow bluesy rock, starts off good but fails to hold my attention after the first few songs. The vocals can get a little too whiny.

Play: 1, 2

Jay Reatard - "Matador Singles '08"

Garage-synth-punk done right. Goes from exciting and upbeat (1-6) to dark 'n moody (7-9) to chill and cool (11, 12); but manages to stay awesome and fit together. Reatard is a freakin' genius. You're weird if you don't like the loopy beats and the DIY/garage echo of this album. It's so awesome. A perfect mix of everything synth-punk should be.

RIYL: Fucked Up, The Ponys
Play: all, but especially 3, 7, 8, 9

Gang Gang Dance - "Saint Dymphna"

NYC sample-pounders traipse their way through labrynthine synth layers on an adventure through eclectic rhythms of the world. Glimpses of reggaeton, West African, and Indian (tabla) appear, but all under one dancey, dreamy hot tin roof. This group has definitely made a move toward appeal & accessibility, in tune with Black Dice or Animal Collective. "Noise" is rare here, but catchy, audible guitar lines guide delay-drenched femme vox that fluctuate between XXY and 2nd grade squeals.

Play: 4 (slower, thickest), 6 (RIYL Tortoise + amphetamines), 8 (dancey, but sequencing is deliberately off = dreamy), 10 (standout, heavy on vocals, rock sensibility)

Crystal Stilts - "Alight Of Night"

This album is a fascinating combo of surf rock, western and no-wave, filtered through a fuzzy psychedelic filter. That is to say, the vocals are detached and remote, the guitars at once choppy and lilting, and the drumming muted. Think a Joy Division approach (circa Unknown Pleasures) to garage-surf, and you're getting there. Yet, not once does it sound derivative - everything clicks beautifully. Strange and wonderful, dreamy and detached - play the hell out of this.

RIYL: early Jesus + Mary Chain, Velvet Underground, Raveonettes, Sunset Rubdown
Play: 1 (folksy but tense, great bass line), 2 (muted surf-y guitar), 3 (western-esque), 5 (a little peppier), 6 (reminds me of a lost Joy Division single, standout), 10 (ambling psychedelia)

Charty goodness:

Rank Artist Recording Label User
1 KINGS OF LEON Only By The Night RCA
2 SHY CHILD Noise Won't Stop Kill Rock Stars
3 BEN FOLDS Way To Normal Epic
4 ANE BRUN Changing Of The Seasons Cheap Lullaby
5 RA RA RIOT The Rhumb Line Barsuk
6 THESE UNITED STATES Crimes United Interests
7 MENAHAN STREET BAND Make The Road By Walking Dunham-Daptone
8 TOBACCO Fucked Up Friends Anticon
9 BLACK KEYS Attack And Release Nonesuch
10 SUBMARINES Honeysuckle Weeks Nettwerk
11 PORTUGAL. THE MAN Censored Colors Approaching AIRballoons-Equal Vision
12 PROCLIVITIES Handguns And Dancing Shoes Self-Released
13 HOSPITAL SHIPS Oh, Ramona Graveface
14 AVETT BROTHERS The Second Gleam Ramseur
15 LEOPOLD AND HIS FICTION Ain't No Surprise Self-Released
16 RACHAEL YAMAGATA Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart Warner Bros.
17 OASIS Dig Out Your Soul Big Brother-Reprise
18 WOMEN Women Jagjaguwar
19 ALL GIRL SUMMER FUN BAND Looking Into It AGSFB
20 XX TEENS Welcome To Goon Island Mute
21 STARFUCKER Starfucker Badman
22 HOTEL LIGHTS Firecracker People Bar/None
23 NEW YEAR The New Year Touch And Go
24 BROKEN WEST Now Or Heaven Merge
25 LENKA Lenka Epic
26 MINIATURE TIGERS Tell It To The Volcano Modern Art
27 JEALOUS GIRLFRIENDS Jealous Girlfriends Good Fences-Last Gang
28 ETTES Look At Life Again Soon Take Root
29 JENNY LEWIS Acid Tongue Warner Bros.
30 OF MONTREAL Skeletal Lamping Polyvinyl

CMJ '08? I didn't have a badge!

Long ago, I was a KWUR DJ. And got to go to CMJ, with a badge and everything. In those days, banks actually had money. This year, I didn't have a badge. And look at the banks now...Being in New York, however, I had the opportunity to go to some of the events. The actual DJs have already covered all the bands that I saw, but I did get a nice little recap from some other attendees. There were lots of complaints about this year's festival, but there were a few stand-outs. So, here are some bands that people were talking about at the after party/various other parties:

Wye Oak
-Apparently, it's mind-blowing that they're only two people.

The Mae Shi
-Long story short (or short story shorter, rather), Kenny's right

Passion Pit
Lots of people wanted to see them, but no one I talked to actually did. Most people were waiting until Saturday's planned rooftop show to see them, but the show got rained out.

Kirsten Ketsjer
-Okay, no one actually said anything about them. But we saw on Friday night in what was essentially some dude's bedroom. By Sunday, their picture was in the Times. 'Nuff said.

So Many Dynamos
-Granted, this is from people who already knew the Dynamos very well. But, apparently, the new album is awesome. And doesn't come out until February. Smarmy bastards.

Monotonix
-Everybody I spoke to saw them. Suprisingly, everyone came out alive.

Sea Em Jay Blog: "My face still hurts from getting a trashcan thrown at it"

Hey folks,

Sorry I took my sweet time getting this post up, but by the time we got back last night, it was 4 in the morning, and I decided that I should at least try to get 5 hours of sleep. So, let's go back to Saturday, a simpler, wackier time.

Because of CMJ, I actually happened to be in town for the unreal vinyl collector wet dream that is the WFMU Record Fair, and I cajoled my fellow attendees (primarily sleepy Kenny) to wake up early so that we could go for just a little bit. WFMU is a thousand watt non-commercial freeform radio station based out of Jersey City, and basically, my personal idea of what KWUR should aspire to. Every year, they invite every obsessive record dealer in America to hock their wares in the city. The selection made me go cross-eyed: everything from old country shellac to impossible to find punk records to 100 dollar Northern Soul 45s to a whole big box of song poem 45s. Additionally, WFMU was broadcasting live from the air. A DJ was spinning 45s, and while we were there, a DJ actually got married on the air. Anyone want to step up to get married during KWUR's Hustle Week? I had to be torn out of the record fair, but I came out with a few groovy soul 45s, which I intend to play on my show, so, ahem, tune in, Sundays at 7.

After that, we headed to Music Hall of Williamsburg to catch the AAM party. Last time I went to Music Hall of Williamsburg, it was called NorthSix, and had a charming shithole quality to it. I remember distinctly that the toilets in NorthSix were not even in bathrooms, but merely had tall plywood boards erected around them for, uh, privacy of some sort. Alas, the folks from the Bowery Ballroom bought the venue and prettied it up. We caught the last couple of songs by Crystal Antlers, which didn't really make much of an impression on me. Next up were the Ruby Suns, a New Zealand band with an electronic, exotic, upbeat, happy New Order kind of sound. Can't say exactly why, but it just didn't grab me at all. After that, we watched A Place To Bury Strangers put on the kind of noise show that makes your lip curl up and your feet stomp through the floor. Their drummer is tight and their guitars squeal, fuzz and yelp like broken robot animals. I enjoyed the show, but I also couldn't tell you what makes them any better than any other eighties/early nineties noise rock band. I was going to leave at this point to try and catch Passion Pit, per DJ Alex Esche's request, but I found out that the show was canceled (boo!), so, having no other plans, I stuck around to watch Monotonix again. Once again, they tore it up most veritably, although because of the time, the larger venue, and the audience of mostly industry professionals, they did not do it to the extent they did in the Knitting Factory. It was really neat, however, to see them get the industry stiffs going, and to have the lead singer instruct us to go "fucking wild" at the count of four. This is the kind of rock and roll I really like, the kind that grabs you by the collared shirt and shakes the groove out of you.

We got some grub in Chinatown, and then DB and I headed over to the Bowery Ballroom to catch Marnie Stern, Vivian Girls et al. First up, noise rockers All The Saints. Most of what we saw at CMJ, especially on Saturday, were these noisy, amp fuzz bands. I enjoyed and appreciated most of those shows, but also thought that the music was generally indistinct, and yearned for those good old fashioned harmonies and the good old build-up and release of pop. All The Saints was a good example. I thought the show was alright, especially the drummer, who was a freakin' nut, but I couldn't tell you for the life of me what makes them special, or why you should keep an eye out for them. After them, Marnie Stern. I was disappointed by this show, no lie. I had high hopes for it, and while Marnie Stern's combination of weird, child-like yelped lyrics and Malmsteen-like fingertapping was certainly interesting, I yearned for just one goddamn distinct song. It all kind of blended together. After Marnie Stern, my favorite show of the night, The Vivian Girls. See, this is the kind of thing I like, a three girl trio specializing in Ramones-style surf/girl group informed punk with fuzzy guitars and lovely vocal harmonies. Y'know, it's nice sometimes to have two minute songs with harmonies and vocal hooks. I say, check these folks out, pretty good. I ended the day as I began it: Crystal Antlers. The blogs are championing these guys. I dunno, it was a high-energy, engaging show, but again, I don't know what distinguishes them from all the other noisy bands, and I certainly don't remember any one song. But hey, maybe I was just tired.

So that was CMJ, as colloquial and badly written as I can get it. I'll get pictures up for you folks ASAP. Fare thee well.

CMJ Day 2: I probably should have invested in earplugs (Kenny)

It has occurred to me that perhaps not all of you readers know exactly what CMJ is, so I'll direct you here for all the pertinent background info.

In any case, we began Day 2 with a quick(ish) visit to the WFMU Record Fair. Afterward, we headed over to Music Hall of Williamsburg to catch the AAM showcase. Here's the breakdown:

The Ruby Suns

Only caught the end of this show. The band is a multi-instrument duo from New Zealand who (on record) sound like they're channeling The Go! Team through a psychedelic filter. Unfortunately, I didn't find them to be as impressive on stage, but from what I caught, it certainly wasn't a bad way to start the day.

A Place To Bury Strangers

There was no shortage of noise rock at CMJ, but A Place To Bury Strangers was, in my opinion, by far the best of the pack. They took the stage wordlessly but not silently, blasting their dark take on shoegaze with the volume set to 11. I'd heard that these guys put on a hell of (a loud) show, and I was not disappointed. There were industrial undertones playing throughout the show, with strong tension between the solid, churning bass and the wild, almost chaotic guitar line. The visual show (rare among other acts ) was impressive as well. I stood close to the stage (which, unsurprisingly, was pretty empty) to get a few good shots of the band, and as a result was partially deaf (hence the title) afterward.







Near the end of the show, Oliver Ackermann, the guitarist, forcibly removed the strings from his guitar:



Crystal Antlers

I was in and out for this show, but I caught a full set later in the evening at the Bowery Ballroom. They, too, made a hell of a lot of chaotic noise, but only one song really stood out for me - a kinda funky, swinging melody backed by primal, forceful drumming (aided by dual percussionists). They, like many bands at CMJ, played well but not particularly memorably.



Monotonix

What can I say - we noticed that these guys were finishing off the AAM show and, with no other plans, we stuck around to see what they could do to this venue (I heard, but did not witness, that they had been forcefully removed from the VICE afterparty after setting up shop on the bar). The show was crazy (though not as outright insane as last night's) but knowing what to expect, I actually took some time to listen to the music they were making amidst the chaos. Pitchfork's photographer bitched about the quality of their music, but you know what, I thought it was pretty damn good garage rock ala Zep - and based on the reactions of those around me, I think other people felt the same way.


After the showcase ended, we grabbed a bite to eat and wandered around the city for awhile in the rain. Shainks and I decided to head back to the Knitting Factory to try to get into Dieselboy, but the show wasn't accessible with a CMJ badge and cost 20 bucks. We trekked to the Bowery, met up with Dan and Dylan, and saw...

Vivian Girls

This Brooklyn trio has been hyped by a lot of blogs - and in this case, they absolutely deserve it. They play loud, messy, lo-fi punk/garage rock (like, sounds like you're hearing it in a garage - not a bad thing), but deconstruction of the noise reveals awesome vocal harmony, jangly guitar and drumming that'll get yr foot a'tappin. This was their last show of the week (they had played 2 shows a day almost every day), and they looked a little worn down, but they sounded great. At one point, they started a song off-beat and had to begin again, and at another, Cassie forgot some lyrics. In the end, though, none of that mattered - they rolled with the punches and played one hell of a show.



We caught up with the band after the show and got a quick interview, check back here for it a little later.

That more or less sums up the shows we saw - nothing quite as nutso-crazy-awesome as yesterday, but good performances nonetheless.

Monotonix Eentarveeeww

I had a quick chance to speak with Yonatan Gat, guitarist of Monotonix, after their show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (before security kicked us out). It was barely a minute (audio coming soon!). Here is a text preview:

Me: How would you want people to remember you in 30 years?
Yonatan: Rich and bald.

CMJ Day 1: Descent Into Madness (Kenny)

NOW WITH PICTURES

UPDATE TOMORROW WE ARE FUCKING TIRED

9:30 – Wake up on the floor, get up, take a shower, have breakfast. I do not remember much – I am not a morning person.

11:00 – Just picked up badges at a church near NYU’s campus. There is a Voltaire quote on the church’s bulletin board – a sign?

12:30 – We all attend an actual conference event – “Little Stations, Big Obstacles.” It appears that other people are going through the same things we are, which is somewhat encouraging. My favorite panelist is Jorge doCouto – he is involved with East Village Radio, which is a wonderful concept executed in the much the same way KWUR is, but on a more professional level (they try to make money).

1:46 – Panel over, we head off in separate directions. I make my way to the Knitting Factory with the fine Mr. David Schainker.

2:15 – We arrive at the Knitting Factory in time to catch our first show of the festival, Carcrashlander. They make a lot of noise for three guys (drums, bass and synth) and certainly aren’t bad, but the fact that I don’t remember much of the show suggests perhaps that they were not great. Good, most definitely not great.

2:45 – Shainks departs, I get lunch in Chinatown (mmm McDonalds – an authentic, culturally stimulating meal) and head back to the Knitting Factory to catch Starfucker.

3:40 – Starfucker puts on a good show, but they seem, to me, to replicate the sound that MGMT made popular (that is to say, glitch-synth pop). The hipsters dig it.

4:00 – After a few songs, I make my way to Arlene’s Kitchen to catch part of the Team Clermont showcase.

5:00 – I’m now at the Team Clermont showcase, and I catch all of The Broken West’s set. They’ve certainly got a lot of energy, but their style of melding folksy rock and poppy hooks doesn’t do a whole lot for me. I need music that’s rough around the edges… but, I still enjoyed the show.

6:00-7:45ish – We get dinner with some KSLU folks, meander, etc, and eventually head over to the Bowery Ballroom for the next round of bands.

8:00 – Sweet Water is supposed to play first, but for whatever reason, The Muslims come on instead. It’s more than a fair trade – The Muslims kick ass. They play angry, stripped down garage punk rock with every bit of their energy focused on their instruments. One of the guitarists, face contorted, looks as if he’s trying to physically punish his guitar. It’s catchy as hell – not obnoxious but plenty loud, perhaps in the vein of Ted Leo but even more intense. My only complaint is that the show is too short, clocking in at just over 20 minutes.



9:10 – Japanese Motors is up next. I had specifically picked this band to see because we’d received a single from Vice, their label, a few days prior to our leaving and I’d liked its laid-back, surf rock/Beach Boys sound. Their live show captured that sound, and I still like that particular song, but the rest of their material is lackluster. The lead singer is a dead ringer for Iggy Pop, in looks and attitude, which wouldn’t have been a problem except: A. the music didn’t really back the attitude (punk evolved, in a way, from surf rock, but these guys just didn’t get it) and B. the lead singer made up for his overabundance of style with a severe lack of substance. Spitting beer on the crowd, really only okay if it’s a no-holds-barred, all-hell-has-broken-loose-and-the-5-0-are-on-their-way kind of show, and believe me, it wasn’t. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

9:40 – More meandering, grab some coffee in Chinatown and head to the Knitting Factory for our last round of shows of the day.

10:40 – We arrive at the Knitting Factory in time to catch the end of Akimbo’s set. I’ve got a big ol’ soft spot in my heart for stoner metal, and this hits it dead-on. Granted, the genre itself is predictable and the show followed the paradigm – loud, heavy, freak-out guitars hooks and pounding drums transition to psychedelic, spacey noodling and back again – but they hit every note with unparalleled energy. Very much in the vein of Kyuss. A good start.

11:00 – Dan Burton and I catch the end of Yip Yip’s set. He doesn’t care for them, but I like it – it’s like listening to a live, chaotic version of the Megaman soundtrack and the audience was going batshit insane. Also, I want one of those guys’ headgear.



11:10 – Akimbo mentioned that they’d be heading down to see DMBQ, so DB and I figured we’d do the same, kill time until The Mae Shi. DMBQ plays Japanese prog-rock, which I neither liked nor disliked right away. I’d categorize it as a faster and weirder cross between Black Sabbath and The Doors – garage rock on speedballs. After 10 minutes or so, the hooks and beats have been sufficiently pounded into my head, and although it’s been fun, I’m looking at my watch and considering going upstairs to wait for The Mae Shi.

And then this happens, and my night and life are changed forever:



First the lead singer dons his crazy gas-mask-mic, the bass and guitar lines meld into a high pitch whine, and then this:



And I lose it. That was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to, period. The drummer is playing ON TOP OF THE CROWD, the lead vocalist is screaming and hanging from the sprinkler system, and the people who run the venue are going nuts. My ears and mind are sufficiently blown.

11:45 – Outside, taking a smoke break and waiting for The Mae Shi to go on, I mention to DB that we should just go home now because nothing will ever top what we just saw. So wrong.

12:00 – The Mae Shi take the stage with almost religious fervor. They’re just so damn happy to be there, and it makes you happy too. Their music, played live, fluctuates between experimental electronica and hardcore. At one point they introduce a large parachute-tent sheet into the crowd:



The crowd is very much into the music, which is at once catchy and bizarre, a rare musical mix of avant-garde and pop sensibilities.

12:40 – The Mae Shi have left, and we are considering doing the same to catch Gang Gang Dance. Shainks, who has been at other venues up until this point (catch up with his antics in his account of day one, somewhere on this blog), informs the three of us that Santo’s is at capacity and that there’s no way we’ll get in. Monotonix is up next at the Knitting Factory, and we nearly leave to go home, but in the end decide to stay for it.

1:10 – Monotonix take the stage, at this point all I can offer you is pictures.





Quick rundown of things that flew through the air during the show: beer cans, cups, a pair of crutches, a garbage can, a drum kit, human bodies, blood, sweat, tears of joy.
Injuries: No idea, probably more than a few, saw a musician from another band bust his head open on a bass drum. He seemed unphased.

Every single band that had played that night was on stage during the show, while Monotonix themselves played in the pit. At one point they picked everything up and moved it to within two feet of where we were standing. The lead singer scaled a giant pillar and hung from the balcony, singing and tossing the VIP attendees’ alcoholic beverages on us. Security and techies looked on with stony faces.



The show ended in total convergence of musician and audience. The lead singer declared “ALL DRUMS UP IN AIR” – this was the tipping point, there was no going back from here. DMBQ joined them in the crowd, and together we all hoisted 4 drum kits and 4 drummers above our heads. We used whatever we could – fists, cans, discarded drumsticks – to collectively beat the hell out of the drum nearest to us. Complete, ecstatic, beautiful chaos. The show ended with security declaring to the audience that the cops had been called, and that we all needed to leave. Instead, Monotonix organized a group stage-dive – and every musician on stage, on the count of four, fell into the arms (and heads, and necks, and torsos) of the audience. I leave knowing that I have seen, for perhaps the first time in my life, an honest-to-god rock and fucking roll performance. My eyes are opened.





Thus day one ends, as I stare through a thick film of alcohol and sweat on my glasses. Stay tuned tomorrow, God knows where we’ll all end up next.