My affinity for Post-Rock has grown infinitely over the past year. One of my favorite aspects of the genre is the seamless line between audio and visuals. In a sense, the visuals are equally as important as the audio. Take your pick of post-rock bands: Mono, Sigur Ros, Unwed Sailor etc. their physical music packaging are always pleasing on the eyes. Perhaps it could be due to the lack of lyrics in the genre which generates this motivation to create striking visuals. Regardless of the reasoning, I love it. Here’s one of my favorite Seattle Post-Rock bands Bronze Fawn integrating visuals into their live set.
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Another long over-due session.
The day after they played the Chop Suey, Young Rival was kind enough to join us at Rainydawg for some in-studio sessions. Their sound has often been compared to that of the Zombies on the musical carousel blogosphere. While that comparison is very understandable, I like to simply describe their music as familiar in the best way possible. Their guitar riffs are at times raw and rough around the edges, but not at all unpleasing or unfitting. In fact, it is this raw sound that makes listening to Young Rival such an enjoyable experience. Whenever I turn on their music, nostalgia hits me square in the face. When I listen to the breakout track “Your Island” it’s as if I’m listening to a perfectly aged song from years past. It’s the same feeling I get when I blow the dust off a classic vinyl record from decades passed and place that needle to the groove. Don’t take my word for it, take a listen.
In case you missed it, here are the individual songs, as well as the full session with an interview by Liz Pfriem.
Young Rival — Live In-Studio and Interview on Rainydawg Radio
Young Rival — Your Island (Live on Rainydawg Radio)
Young Rival — Knowing What You Know (Live on Rainydawg Radio)
For more information on Young Rival, visit their myspace.
And to close this post off, here’s Young Rival doing a cover of Master of None, originally by hometown favorite, Beach House. It’s amazing to hear how they take their raw style and apply it to this cover, making it their own song.
First off, I’m alive. I’ve been super-busy lately with school work and getting adjusted back here in Seattle. I’m living in a studio apartment in the U-District, it has treated my nicely thus far. I’ll be uploading way overdue content in the next few days.
Starting off, we have an interview conducted on Sunday October 12, 2008 by my good friend Kyle Hargus. He sat down with Warren and Nic of Plants and Animals and discussed topics ranging from the Montreal music scene, starting off their musical careers there, and working on their great debut album Parc Avenue (which you can purchase here). Be sure to give it a listen.
Plants and Animals Interview on Rainydawg Radio
Plants and Animals — Faerie Dance (Parc Avenue, 2008)
Yeah, like that one Maximo Park song. Not because I need a break or anything (in fact, that’s the last thing I need — my blog updates have been pathetic as of late). I’ll have absolutely no access to the internet starting tomorrow morning until I arrive back in the states on Saturday night. Until then, I hope everyone takes care. I’ll be checking out Banksy artwork and hanging out in Brighton with my Aunt! I hope you all can live without my totally ignorant and snobby music impressions until then.
When I spent some time with Johnathon Ford in June, I asked him briefly about some information on their next release entitled “History”. History is set to be released some time in 2009 and will be a series of reinterpretations of previous Unwed Sailor songs. Because Unwed Sailor attempts (and in my opinion, succeeds) to approach live shows with a much more rock inspired sound to reach out to the crowd, History will take previous songs and give them a jump start in a sense, using this rock theme as their main source of guidance when recording these songs.
Johnathan told me that, surprisingly enough, the songs that are most intense will be interpretations of tracks off of The Marionette and The Music Box, their most peaceful, serene work in their discography.
A sample of what is to come from History can be seen in a live performance off of Youtube. Unwed Sailor recreates the track “Behold the Cuckoo’s Clock” off of The Marionette…, aiming for a much more active and energetic song. This can be contrasted with the original version I have provided below:
Unwed Sailor — Cuckoo Clocks, The Call of The Windmill (The Marionette and The Music Box)
Also, one of my favorite songs featured on The White Ox, Numbers, will be appearing on History. Here’s a link to the video of the newer, refreshing version.
Click here to buy Unwed Sailor’s music. You really should. It sounds even better on vinyl. They’ll be touring Europe in fall.
No one local news source ever won me over in my first year living in Seattle. Whether it was The Seattle PI, The Stranger, The Seattle Weekly, etc. I always had my problems with the papers and their perspectives on different matters. Of course it’s Seattle, so everything is liberal. You just need to see what gradient of liberal-ness it is. Well, I’ve found my holy grail of news sources, and it’s Seattlest. I always loved this site from the start, mostly because my friend Tim Willis’ photographs are often featured on the site. But I’m a fan of what they do, how community based it really is, and how vast of a demographic it covers (see: dcist, gothamist, londist, etc.)
And now they have forever won me over. Capital Hill Block party is going on in Seattle right now, and with it, the sound of thousands of hipsters orgasming in unison. Last night, Greg Gillis, and his act Girl Talk played an all-ages gig (for the first time ever?) in Seattle. This is what seattlest had to say about it:
Girl Talk: We didn’t know anything about Girl Talk before this weekend, except that Cap To The Hill really likes him and so does The Stranger. The first person to come on stage was a sweatpants-clad dude (Girl Talk, natch) with a headband around his forehead: strike one. The music was pretty catchy, all rhythmic and pop, but then–and here’s where Girl Talk completely lost us–a horde of girls and boys bounded up on stage and began to dance, badly. They didn’t leave. This wasn’t some kind of flash mob; this was planned. Something about the schtick was actually offensive to Seattlest, and it’s only now, sitting here in Moe Bar, that we’re even able to figure out why; it’s something to do with the fake happiness factor, the fact that the entire set could have been an American Apparel ad, Target commercial, or a High School Musical reunion. Why does everyone love this band so much? Are we missing something? We left after fifteen minutes, because Thee Emergency was playing thirty feet away and Dita Vox is extremely hot.
Thank you, Seattlest.
Photo comes from my friend Hudson Berry, who was lucky enough to goto Whartscape in Baltimore. Greg Gillis performed as DJ Trey Told ‘Em. Not that other shit act.
^^^^ Sweet picture, I know, I’m so pro.
If you argued Grizzly Bear is making the most innovative, interesting, progressive, and brilliant music right now, I would not disagree. For making such remarkable music, I’m surprised they are not as well-known (on a global scale). Sure, they are known, but I think it’s interesting that Fleet Foxes is a “house-hold” name, while Grizzly Bear is still off the radar. I believe that Grizzly Bear’s music is a bit of a niche market and not as commercial, so that could be part of the reason.
Anyways, enough ranting. Grizzly Bear debuted their latest song, entitled Two Weeks, on David Letterman’s show, which apparently people still watch, last night. This was supposed to happen weeks back, but it got delayed. Well it’s finally here, and it’s amazing. In my opinion, it is as good as While You Wait for The Others. Of course, it is a completely different style, but the vocal harmonies are there and the mesmerizing catchy riffs are there. This album needs to come out. Now. They are currently recording in upstate New York, and one of their friends is taking some snazzy photos of the process.
Grizzly Bear is currently on tour, and they are playing a synagogue in D.C., strangely enough. I’ll be there, with lots of film, and lots of excitement. Here’s the new song:
This post is intended for my International Relations course I am currently attending at the LSE in London. I figured I’d post it here to give you a break from my musical rants.
I’ve been capturing the city of London in photographs ever since my arrival. It’s a bit daunting coming to such a famed city and taking photos. As a photographer, you want to capture a city in a manner in which no one else has ever captured it before. I believe in the power of photographs. I also believe that no two photographs are the same.
I refuse to convert to the digital side of photography. I still shoot film. The reason being, film is tangible. You can see it, feel it, and therefore connect with it. Digital Photography and Video is intangible. I feel there is a lack of connectivity between you and your work. Okay, done with the intro, as for my entry.
I’ve been struggling on deciding what to write about for my blog entry in regards to this course. I’ll be honest, politics are not one of my main interests. I don’t think I have ever mentioned politics on this blog. However, I’m fascinated by the media. I am beginning to see all the different degrees to which the media functions. Whether it be in Music, Politics, or any other field, journalism should, ideally, abide to the same formula (strive for objectivity, provide a unique perspective, etc.)
So I figured I’d use one of my favorite interests to convey an idea that no one has blogged about yet. The sheer power of photos and videos on the public.
The photo seen above was taken outside the Tate Modern. From far away, it looks as though the subject is carrying a gun; however, as you move closer to the piece, you see that it is what seems to most as a harmless video camcorder. The same camcorder that can record blase family videos can also record gruesome images of victims during and after a tragedy (see 9/11, 7/7, etc.).
We are now in an age where the power of photography and video is as powerful as “weapons of mass destruction”. In a sense, a cell phone camera is equivalent to an A-Bomb, if used correctly.
In a globalized world where citizens are now interacting with the media, in what Silverstone calls for the term mediapolis, images and video spread instantly from one side of the world to the other. Images that can ruin lives, or define conflict. For example, the whole Iraqi conflict can be summed up as a failure by looking at the Abu Ghraib torture photos which debuted on 60 Minutes.
Another example is with the Danish Mohammad Cartoons. These illustrations instantly traveled the nation and stirred up hundreds of riots resulting in injuries and deaths. What was created as a joke, turned into a world wide crisis. In a sense, a photograph or video is more powerful than any nuclear warhead on the planet. Because, not only can a photo or video travel the face of the earth instantly (reaching all people at once), because photography and videography are art, it can be interpreted any way the viewer wishes. This interpretation is what makes media the most powerful weapon imaginable.
I end with my favorite wartime photograph.
This photo, taken from the Vietnam War, is a horrific site. It evokes thousands of thoughts and emotions. This photo also brings up one of the interpretations of the concept of proper distance. Is this photo ethically appropriate?
In my opinion, it is, because it is true. The truth, no matter how harmful it is, is always the ethical route. The question I’m left with is: In an age of self-censorship, would an image such as this see the light of day in today’s world?
So many photographs are not published in today’s papers because of the concept of self-censorship. While a picture may have been worth 1000 words, today its stock is dropping fast.
Replacing its worth, is that of video, fueled by sites such as Youtube which allow the submission of User Generated Content no matter how harmful or unethical (such as video of Myanmar victims).
A few months ago, I was mesmerized by the melodic harmonies of Get Dressed, what was a four-piece Indie-Popish band out of Seattle. They did an in-studio at Rainydawg Radio which can be found here. Ever since that in-studio, they won over my heart and ears. I have listened to those live MP3s countless times, despite the poor mastering job (stupid idea running one of the mics through the soundboard). The night of the in-studio, I was so captivated by their sound, I turned up for their last Seattle show at the Vera Project.
Well, the time has come. Get Dressed Got Dressed, as they say. Their last show was this passed weekend at the Old Firehouse in Redmond Seattle, where they recorded their album entitled, Different Continents. One of my main worries this summer, would be the fact that I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on their CD until I came back to Seattle in September. Amazingly, they put it up on the internets and are allowing anyone and everyone to download it for free. If there is one band that deserves your attention this year, it’s this one. Sadly, their time has come and gone, but luckily we have this amazing work of art to remember them by. Long Live Get Dressed! This album has been in my ears all day and will certainly be in my top 10 come the year’s end. Please, give it a listen:
Get Dressed — Mezzo Sestina (Different Continents, 2008)
Get Dressed — Surgery (Different Continents, 2008)
Download Different Continents for free here. Please do it. You really should do it.
Years into his career as a musician, Conor Oberst finally releases a self-titled album. It is indeed, very strange to think this. Having numerous albums under the moniker Bright Eyes, two albums released under Commander Venus (with some help from other musicians, namely Tim Kasher), and finally one album under the short-lived but brilliant project Desaparecidos, Conor finally decides to expose the true genius he is.
Let me start by saying I had very mixed feelings with Conor’s last release, Cassadaga. I thought it had some great songs and sampled some of Conor’s best writing as a musician. However, I feel that Cassadaga lacked the authenticity of Conor’s work. I feel the same about Digital Ash, which of course, was a huge departure from Oberst’s previous works.
In effect, this self-titled album set to be released through Merge records is a return to the Conor most have learned, or at least put up with, to love. It works perfectly; as almost a cyclic process back to the days seen in A Collection of Songs… Oberst is a unique artist in that he has always been writing music since his youth. This music, we have been able to absorb and critique. In a sense, we have seen Oberst grow through his music.
This self-titled album features the peak of Conor’s musical talent and song writing. Take the track Milk Thistle, for example, which closes out the album. The song runs 5:21 (being the longest song off of the album). Yet, it is the most basic song on the album. Conor’s familiar uneasy voice is paired with one acoustic guitar finger picking bass notes and pure chords. I believe with full conviction that this is one of the best songs Conor has ever written. It’s musical simplicity clashes with the lyrics’ complexity to make it the most memorable song on the album. The song ends with what sounds like the stopping of a cassette recorder; a beautiful conclusion to complete the cyclic process of Conor Oberst’s latest work. The sound of a familiar cassette recorder that we have grown to become accustomed to in Oberst’s work, starting with A Collection of Songs…
In short, Conor Oberst’s self-titled album is arguably the man’s best work. There is an apparent bias here, as Fevers/Mirrors was one of the first albums to really get me into music; however, I have been critical of the man’s work lately, and thus I feel that this praise is somewhat objective.
I leave you with two tracks from Oberst’s latest album, as well as an earlier “demo” of one of the songs from a live show Oberst played at the end of last year in Minnesota.
Conor Oberst — Beach Bum Song (Get Well Cards Demo, 2007)
Conor Oberst — Get Well Cards (Conor Oberst, 2008)
Conor Oberst — Milk Thistle (Conor Oberst, 2008)
You can purchase Conor’s album, which is set to be released on August 5, here.
