9:00 Beep Beep
10:00 UUVVWWZ
11:00 Old Canes
12:00 Orenda Fink
1:00 Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
This Thursday, October 22nd, Beep Beepkicks off Saddle Creek’s showcase in the appropriately placed Knitting Factory; appropriate, because it is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and a hop, skip, and a jump from my front fucking door! Beep Beep is an eclectic 5 piece with band members ranging from Darren Keen, one man beat dropper of The Show Is the Rainbow, to Ian Francis, lacerating drummer from The Machete Archive, a progressive postrock bud of a band making noise in Nebraska (check out Keen’s newest release Wet Fist, definitely worth a listen, and The Machete Archive’s debut Tempus Omnia Vorat).
Beep Beep is textured with threads of comfortable androgyny. Their music is a soft velveteen seduction, punctuated by the jarring insertion of an almost violent outburst of guitar and drums. Come prepared to swallow the groove, to ogle the hot one in the crowd, to watch Beep Beep set the cool and smooth in motion only to knock each other off center, exposing the slightest tension in an otherwise graceful fusion of romance and erotic emanations. It is like listening to Sade, Morrissey, and the Rapture at the same time. YUM!
Other bands gracing the stage are UUVVWWZ, a band that has come a long way from their humble beginnings. This band personified all that was musically confected in 2007; I knew it was only a matter time before someone caught on. Jim Schroder still plays his masterful guitar. These guys are quite the fucking experiment so it should be interesting to some and lost to others.
Old Canes, fronted by Chris Crisci of The Apple Seed Cast, is an amazing acoustic oriented Americana act that keeps its home in Lawrence, Kansas. This will be an great addition to the lineup. I know that Mr. Crisci and I share a love for Sunny Day Real Estate.
Next is Orenda Fink, wife of Todd Fink of The Faint, is an excellent folk singer armed with an arsenal of talent. Her bucolic lyrics and melodies are simply gorgeous. She could have been the Muse that possessed 27 year old James Agee to write Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.
The night ends withMiles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, a surprisingly young dude with a very strong voice and a unique approach to making pop music, which seems to be his forte. This man’s emotions may get the better of him, but as he explodes on stage, it will be a powerful unraveling.
Here we have a great recording of a show that took place back in March. I was fortunate enough to get to see Cursive on their spring tour and it was beyond expectation. These guys have only gotten better with age. Mama, I’m Swollen is a masterpiece. Check out my show review Tim and Damien are a Spectrum.
As noted last month Tim Casher and his fellow native Nebraskans will be playing Brooklyn this Monday at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. The following evening they will cross the East River to play another Bowery venue, the Bowery Ballroom. The last time I saw Cursive was under a starry sky on the campus of UNL. I am not sure who will be traveling to NYC, but I know that this will be a great show by a band that helped build the foundation of everything that is Nebraska indie rock, which many of you know is an extraordinary and unique scene.
In addition to Cursive, those who attend Monday’s Music Hall of Williamsburg event will be glad to hear that Peasant will be opening the night. There will be a sharp contrast between the tonal eccentricities that will flow from each act. Peasant, as I have often written, is delicate and somber, offering a literally perfect emotional performance. Cursive, on the other hand, will be heavy and dynamic. Tim Kasher’s signature croon/scream will introduce a level of aggression, while still maintaining a sense of vulnerability. The show is sold out so, either you took our advice and bought tickets last month, or you are willing to shank someone from behind, because only the rare idiot will sell you their ticket to this show.
Our friends from Head of FemurMatt Focht and Eathan Janney are on the road this month with Connor Oberst. I suppose this means their stint together in Nebraska yielded good chemistry. Focht and Janney will be traveling with a few new folks under the moniker The Matt Focht Band. Unfortunately they seem only to be touring Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and of course Illinois. What I wouldn’t give to see this lineup at the Vic Theater. Lucky bastards. If there is a chance they might continue together eastward, I’ll get the word out. Can’t we get Focht to Terminal 5 in November?
The Matt Focht Band and Conor Oberst Tour Together October 29th 2008 8pm @ FIRST AVE. Minneapolis, Minnesota October 30th 2008 8pm @ TURNER HALL Milwaukee, Wisconsin October 31st 2008 7pm @ VIC THEATRE Chicago, Illinois November 1st 2008 7pm @ VIC THEATRE Chicago, Illinois November 2nd 2008 8pm @ ROYAL OAK MUSIC THEATRE Royal Oak, Michigan
Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst
August 5th 2008
Merge Records
A cynic might note that Bright Eyes singer Conor Oberst has never really been known as simply a member of a band. He has always been the perceived heart and celebrated soul of Bright Eyes. Whether or not this is true does not exactly enlighten as to why Oberst has decided to release a record under his own name. We can’t quite call it a solo album can we? While Bright Eyes has permanent members, it is Oberst’s presence that is requisite. Simply said, Conor Oberst is Bright Eyes. Perhaps it is this conventional knowledge that provoked this moniker removal. In somewhat of a logical observation, Oberst can be seen to be taking a brake from himself and the persona that has been constructed by both his own efforts and those of industry tastemakers, eager to turn out a unique and compelling story; the results of which range from sincere critical praise to unfortunate narratives proffering Oberst as some sort of Doogie Houser of Indie Folk.
On an academic note, the Nebraska native’s introspection exemplifies the angle from which we, the audience, are intended to view. Oberst’s mythology is invariably rooted in his belongingness to Nebraska, a no-name, know-nothing state somewhere other than where most people live. Omaha is the locus that anchors much of his storytelling. Oberst’s proximity to home is in many ways the heart of his work; it is the referential space that is established in his lyrics as a place to be missed, a place in which to be misunderstood, and a place to misunderstand. These references are not always direct, but they are ubiquitously intertwined.
“He taught me victory is sweet even deep in the cheap seats…”
Even as he releases a self-titled record, suggesting biography, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band offer a personal narrative that is reflexive and acutely aware of where his lyrical perspective is anchored. Released on Merge Records rather than our beloved Saddle Creek, Conor Oberst is a record that disconnects from the iconic figure that the songwriter has become, allowing for the reclamation of personhood. By naming the record after himself he contrasts what would be expected from him as Bright Eyes and what he would offer when striped of ambiguity. It should not be contentious to note this provocation.
“Bitch in heat, the alpha male, not something she’d ever tell, except when she was deathly high. Then out it came, like summer rain, washed the cars and everything felt clean for just a little while…”
With that said, Conor Oberst delivers one of his most lyrically impressive efforts to date. Taylor Hollingsworth, Nik Freitas, Macey Taylor, Nate Walcott, and Jason Boesel have signed on to tour in support of a record removed from the weighty expectations of studio refinement. Instead Oberst and a few friends absconded to Tepocztlán, Morelos, Mexico and put together a dozen tunes recorded in a make shift studio. It is a largely upbeat folk rock record that at times sees Oberst return to his most lip quivering form. The references to Latin life and the open road conjure images from Jack Kerouac and Hunter S. Thompson. While this might unfairly reduce Oberst’s incredible story telling, make no mistake, Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band have made a record entirely in tune with Beat culture. While Dylan comparison may be appropriate, it is Oberst’s anachronistic membership to the larger artistic tradition that in some ways allow him to be viewed as a peer, rather than a derivative of the Blonde on Blonde architect.Conor Oberstis as beautiful as it is provocative; it is anthropological. It is exactly what was needed to avoid the impending caricature of the passé boy genius in favor asserting an identity beyond the artifice of a clever name.
“There is nothing that the road cannot heal…washed under the blacktop, gone beneath my wheels…There is nothing that the road cannot heal…”
Bright Eyes Cassadaga- 2007
Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005)- 2006
Motion Sickness: Live Recordings- 2005
Digital Ash in a Digital Urn- 2005
I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning- 2005
A Christmas Album- 2002
Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground- 2002
Fevers and Mirrors- 2000
Letting Off the Happiness- 1998
A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997- 1998
Desaparecidos
Read Music/Speak Spanish- 2002
Commander Venus
The Uneventful Vacation- 1997
Do You Feel at Home?- 1995
Tour
9/2 Amsterdam – Melkweg
9/3 Brussels – Botanique
9/4 Luxembourg – Den Atelier
9/5 Zurich – Rote Fabrik
9/7 Munich – Backstage Werk
9/8 Zagreb – Studenski
9/9 Vienna – Arena
9/10 Prague – Roxy
9/11 Cologne – Gloria
9/12 Larmer Tree Gardens, North Dorset – End of the Road Festival
9/13 Paris – Nouveau Casino
9/14 Mannheim Alte Feuerwache
9/15 Berlin – Columbia Club
9/20 Omaha, NE Anchor Inn w/ Jenny Lewis
9/21 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium w/ Jenny Lewis
9/22 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre w/ Jenny Lewis
9/23 Fayetteville, AR George’s Majestic Lounge w/ Jenny Lewis
9/24 Oxford, MS The Lyric w/ Jenny Lewis
9/25 Tulsa, TX Cain’s Ballroom w/ Jenny Lewis
9/27 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits
9/28 Austin, TX – La Zona Rosa w/ M. Ward
10/02 Melbourne, AUS The Palace
10/03 Brisbane, AUS Tivoli
10/04 Sydney, AUS Enmore
10/07 Honolulu, Hawaii Pipeline Cafe
10/21 Los Angeles, CA Music Box @ Fonda
10/22 Los Angeles, CA Music Box @ Fonda
10/24 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
11/08 New York, NY Terminal 5
11/09 New York, NY Terminal 5
Nebraska again has the pleasure of welcoming home a favorite son back to Omaha and Lincoln for a special performance at the end of September. Matt Focht of Head of Femur fame will be on stage at the Anchor Inn in Omaha and Duffy’s Tavern in Lincoln. With the help of 6 newly enlisted rockers, Focht will debut new material. He will be in great company too:
Tokyo Police Club
Elephant Shell
April 22nd 2008
Saddle Creek
Tokyo Police Club‘s new album, Elephant Shell, is everything but the shot of adrenaline that was the band’s explosive debut, A Lesson in Crime.
We were so impressed with A Lesson In Crime, a 6-song EP released about two years ago, that we wanted more of the same. An album about robots taking over Earth, A Lesson In Crime begins with this warison call: “Operator, get me the President of the World!” From there, the listener becomes lost in a 16-minute maelstrom of grinding guitars and synthesized clapping.
Those things are present on Elephant Shell, but the volume has been turned down. The album features a calmer, almost restrained Tokyo Police Club, with front man and chief lyricist David Monks in a much more contemplative mood. “You and your soapy eyes called it off so late at night, but your hands and your heart and your head’s always right,” Monks sings on the song Juno. The album is a slapdash collection of childhood memories. It’s all sprained ankles, kickball games and awkward romantic encounters on schoolyard jungle gyms.
The lyrics are smart; there’s no doubting that. Monks quips on Listen to the Math, “If I am the joke, then you’re the punch line.” We’re just concerned he and his band mates are growing up too fast. It’s not just the lyrics either. The somber sound of a cello heard on the ballad The Harrowing Adventures Of…– while perfect for the song – seems out of character for a group that describes itself on its My Space page as a “swift kick in the pants followed by a raucous dance party.”
Nevertheless, Elephant Shell gets a passing grade. But here’s to hoping Tokyo Police Club shapes up and stops acting their age on the next album.
Other Music
A Lesson in Crime EP- 2006
Smith EP- 2007
Tour
May 12 2008 8:00P @ The Starlite Room Edmonton, Alberta
May 14 2008 8:00P @ The Habitat (SOLD OUT) Kelowna, British Columbia
May 15 2008 8:00P @ Plaza Club Vancouver, British Columbia
May 16 2008 8:00P @ Plaza Club Vancouver, British Columbia
May 17 2008 8:00P @ Sugar Nightclub Victoria, British Columbia
May 18 2008 8:00P @ Neumos Seattle, Washington
May 19 2008 8:00P @ Hawthorne Theatre Portland, Oregon
May 22 2008 8:00P @ Bluebird Theatre Denver, Colorado
May 23 2008 8:00P @ Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska
May 29 2008 8:00P @ Barfly Cambridge
May 30 2008 8:00P @ Bodega Nottingham
May 31 2008 8:00P @ Cockpit Leeds
Jun 1 2008 8:00P @ Night & Day Manchester
Jun 3 2008 8:00P @ Barfly Birmingham
Jun 5 2008 8:00P @ Le Bontanique Brussels
Jun 6 2008 8:00P @ Rock Am Ring Nurburgring
Jun 7 2008 8:00P @ Rock Im Park Zeppelinfeld
Jun 8 2008 8:00P @ La Maroquinerie Paris
Jun 10 2008 8:00P @ King Tuts Glasglow
Jun 11 2008 8:00P @ Other Rooms Newcastle
Jun 12 2008 8:00P @ Academy Oxford
Jun 13 2008 8:00P @ Marquee Hertford
Jun 16 20088:00P @ Digital Brighton
Jun 17 2008 8:00P @ Thekla Bristol
Jun 18 2008 8:00P @ Scala London
Jul 20 2008 8:00P @ Rogers Picnic Toronto, Ontario
Sep 14 2008 12:00P @ Monolith Festival Red Rocks, Colorado
Darla Farmer
Rewiring the Electric Forest
March 24th 2008
Paper Garden Records
There is no need to dissect Darla Farmer into parts; the constitution of their style is quite clear. Their full-length debut Rewiring the Electric Forest is an amalgamation of Louisiana brass jazz, swing, gypsy rock, Americana, hardcore, and the slightest undertone of that frightful three letter word, ska. This audial cocktail is not, as one would suppose, an all out assault on the senses. Darla Farmer textures their music in unconventional ways without demeaning their well worked melodies. Clint Wilson’s vocals have the immediacy and anxiety of Tim Casher and the quirky pitch of Amedeo Pace. That’s right, I said Amedeo Pace. I know I find a way to compare everything to Blonde Redhead but really people…listen to Falling Man followed by Darla Farmer’s The Vigilant Mr. Lynch…yeah that’s right.
The burlesque attitude of Darla Farmer is delicious. The bright eccentricities sound as if they were lifted out of a carnival sideshow. Rather than overcompensating for the inherent problems that come with recording horn sections, the loose and live feel of the horns was captured and exploited very tastefully. Too often these types of recordings come off sounding like metronomed midi files, but the dirt is left on and the atmosphere is kept thick.
Recorded at Mike Mogus’ studio in Omaha, Nebraska (Bright Eyes, Saddle Creek), Darla Farmer has produced a good record that is as aggressive as it is intricate. The Cow That Drank Too Much, Mechanical Thoughts, and Tree on a Hill underscore the range that this band commands. Much of Rewiring the Electric Forest is a throwback to familiar melodic templates, however when the elements are infused some real meaty stuff is made. They should look into touring with Chicago’s Skybox. Their energy and eccentricities are totally compatible. While the horns may be overly emphasized, Darla Farmer are sure to improve the balance in time. In any event these 7 Nashvillans sound as if they would put on one hell of a show.
After The Jump/Paper Garden Records/Indie Outlaw SXSW Day Party
3/15 – Austin, TX @ Lucky Lounge
Team Grizzly / Stranded In Stereo SXSW Day Party
3/15 – Austin, TX @ The Pangae Patio
3/21 – Cincinnati, OH @ Blue rock Tavern
3/22 – Columbus, OH @ Scarlet & Grey Cafe
3/24 – Pittsburgh, PA @ TBA
3/25 – New York, NY @ Club Midway
3/27 – New York, NY @ Piano’s (w/ The Heavenly States)
3/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ TBA
3/29 – Reading, PA @ The Silo
TBA – Washington, DC @ TBA
Eric Bachmann/ Henry Mena
Southpaw
January 30th 2008
I am not sure how I even heard of Saddle Creek singer/songwriter Eric Bachmann, but for whatever reason, I decided to bust out of Bushwick to see his show. He was playing in Brooklyn, I liked what material of his I had heard, and it was only a measly $15.00.
For those of you who haven’t been to Southpaw before, it is a pretty cool Park Slope venue with cans of beer for $4.00 and pints for $5.00. It has plenty of space, a beautiful dimly lit bar, and a locked up and covered pool table. There is even a coat rack for people who wear coats. I was slightly surprised when I found myself surrounded by nicely complected, upwardly mobile twenty-somethings, all of whom had black pea coats. I was almost convinced that I had walked into a secret society’s monthly meeting. It wasn’t until Henry Mena walked on stage that I remembered that I was at a show.
Now I say, if you can avoid seeing Henry Mena I would suggest it. Some of you out there may enjoy poorly crafted sing-songs; if you have ever considered buying a Hootie and the Blowfish record, Henry may be your man. For the rest of us out there, Henry Mena is poison to the ears. This may come off as a little harsh, but his lyrics are like a 6th grader’s Valentine’s Day card. He could be likened to a train wreck. His affected stage presence was so hard to stomach that for a second I was sure I was enduring a poorly played SNL sketch.
He can say one thing for himself however, he is positive, optimistic, and confident. He’ll love you baby, and if you can’t feel his love, well then, he’ll show you to the door, cause there is a lot of love to give in this world and there are others out there who will join him on his sweet, sweet journey. I know it takes a lot of guts to get up on that stage and sing. No one should tear another artist down; we should build each other up. But this guy was just not my cup of tea, and it shouldn’t be yours either. Does that about cover it? Good.
So as the saying goes, “Without the sour the sweet ain’t as sweet.” This was true for that cold January evening. After Mr. Mena’s set, Eric Bachmann took the stage and arranged his gear. He had trouble getting an ancient looking pedal to power on, and I became a little concerned. Dressed in slacks, a coat, and a flat cap, Bachmann invoked the spirit of the labor worker. Down to his thickly dusted boots, he looked as if he had finished a shift at the mill and come directly to Southpaw to articulate to the pea coat clad audience his blue collar woes.
He exquisitely sang beautiful ballads about love and strife without sounding contrived. His lyrics had a Yeats quality that allowed him to be a little obvious, yet entirely genuine. This dynamic gave a measure of depth to his songs. After the show I almost asked him if he knew that Ireland has a voracious appetite for singer/songwriters such as him. Yes Mr. Bachmann, I am suggesting that you move to Ireland in order to skyrocket your career. It was simply great to see someone with that much talent interact with the audience.
He asked for requests and played them even if he barely remembered the lyrics. This aspect did not annoy the audience, rather it demonstrated that Bachmann considered himself one of them, a part of the people for whom he played, not someone above them. When he could not remember them, he would surgically stop the song to recall the words and the begin again as if the music had never been segmented. The ability to express bitter sweet pain leaves no doubt that his music was made for county Cork.
Was it worth the price of admission? No, I don’t think so. Will I buy his record? Yes, his talent is amazing.
