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Reviews Archive
Paid To Smile: Sarah Jaffe at The Parish [5.4.12]
Fans could feel Sarah Jaffe’s affinity for Austin before she even played her first song.
“I am so, so happy to be here,” the Denton-based singer-songwriter exclaimed to a sold-out crowd at The Parish Friday night, pulling her bass guitar over her teased bleached hair. Friday’s show marked the band’s first night of their summer tour.
The Body Wins, the follow-up to Jaffe’s 2010 debut Suburban Nature, was released just last month—though it didn’t seem so new according to the crowd; fans were singing along with Jaffe’s every word, on new songs like opener “Sucker For Your Marketing” and infectiously danceable single “Glorified High.”
I’d seen Jaffe last spring, and noticed an instant difference in the songwriter’s updated live set: Friday’s show was electric and tech-driven, including two keys players, one of whom juggled effects on a propped-open laptop.
Jaffe appeared chicer in general—clad in all white, and sporting an edgy, pompadour hairstyle.
She seemed to have matured since the last time I’d seen her—both musically and personally. She was gracious onstage, yet visibly comfortable and coolly confident. Her new songs translated well live, for the most part—her upbeat songs livened-up her growing sea of slow tunes, which I appreciated toward mid-set.
Though mostly showcasing her new material, Jaffe also revisited some Suburban favorites like “Clementine,” and the sugary-sweet “Vulnerable,” with which the crowd sang along. “I love that,” she said between lyrics, smiling. “Go ahead—sing with me.”
Jaffe was repeatedly complimentary of her adoring crowd—and of Austin, in general.
“I don’t think we could have asked for a better first night,” she said, later pointing out her Texas-centric bill (which included ZHORA and John Singer Sergeant). “Texas music, y’all,” she smiled.
The feeling appeared mutual among the crowd, who seemed more than pleased to claim Jaffe as a fellow Texan.
“Your love and support is appreciated,” she beamed, before closing out her first set with The Body Wins’ title-track.
“This is all I could fucking ask for.”
Mon May 7 2012 · Posted in Reviews
The Rant: At The Drive-In @ Red Seven [4.09.12]
Last night’s At The Drive-In show was the first since the band’s long awaited reunion, which they announced in January via Twitter and their website. It was a bit of a scene outside Red 7, with folks holding “Need tickets (Will buy drinks!)” signs, and crowds later listening to the show from outside.
While the band ended on a high note in 2001, as ‘Relationship of Command’ was met with wild success, rabid fans were left confused and sad at the band’s unexplained break up. Later formation and success of bands Sparta and The Mars Volta may have helped to heal the pain, but it was clear based on the frenzy following these recent show announcements, that fans may have forgiven but they’ve not forgotten.
From pretty much the first chord, the crowd became a seething mass, singing along at top volume with opening tune ‘Arc Arsenal’, fists in the air, and smart phone cams snapping. Even as they slowed it down a bit for 'Lopsided' early on, the on-stage enthusiasm they’ve become known for remained in tact. "Thank you for your time, your patience and all your love," Bixler-Zavala said before the band powered through last song of the night, (and last song on ‘Relationship of Command’) 'Catacombs'. There was no encore.
Word of the Austin show came hot on the heels of last Thursday’s news of an intimate performance in Marfa, and a few hundred lucky folks scooped up all the tickets in about ten minutes. Tonight’s sold out performance at Trees in Dallas will be the second in what’s quickly becoming a tour including Marfa, Coachella, and the Leeds and Reading festivals in the UK.
Perhaps you’ve already seen Brooklyn Vegan’s spoiler pic of the setlist posted on Twitter during the show last night, or of Cedric hanging from the rafters about third song in. If not, here’s what the influential El Paso band played:
‘Arc Arsenal'
'Pattern AgainstUSer'
'Chanbara'
'Lopsided'
'Sleepwalk Capsules'
'Napoleon Solo'
'Quarantined'
'Rascuache'
'198d'
'Enfilade'
'Metronome Arthritis'
'Pickpocket'
'Non Zero Possibility'
'One Armed Scissor'
'Catacombs'
Tue Apr 10 2012 · Posted in Reviews
The Rant: Galaxy Express (Korea) @ The Mohawk [3.25.12]
Galaxy Express is one in a cluster of amazing shows that I’ve caught on Mohawk’s inside stage recently. Between seeing Cloud Nothings and Friends during SXSW day parties, and Twin Sister a few months back, I am starting to fall in love with the little room. The setting is cozy and flanked in fresh-cut firewood (well, almost), and pretty much guarantees an intimate show.
Galaxy Express (갤럭시 익스프레스) was formed in 2006 in Seoul, South Korea. Bassist Lee Joohyeon and guitarist Park Jonghyeon trade-off on vocals, while Yoon Honggu takes complete charge of the drums. I was personally very excited to see this band because I’ve watched them play multiple times at dirty little clubs in Seoul, when I lived there from 2006-2009. They were the city’s garage rock darlings, loved by young, hip Koreans and considered saviors by expats like myself, who were dying for some edgy, original tunes in a sea of manufactured K-Pop. If you ask me, these guys are kind of a big deal. They have managed to cut through the largely homogeneous Korean mainstream to win national awards including “Best Rock Album”, and they have played many of Asia’s biggest music festivals. Their last album, Wild Days, released in 2010, was ambitiously written, recorded, and released in 30 days, with their fan base watching closely via the Web.
Meanwhile, their buzz over here seems to have been growing since at least 2011, when they played the Seoulsonic Showcase at SXSW Music (held at Easy Tiger before its trendy boulangerie transformation). When I saw that the band was back for another official SXSW show this year and a spot at Mohawk a week later, it was clear to me that their momentum had not slowed.
Following a swift sound check, the fellas dove right into a fast hard groove and after the first song, the guitarist quietly urged everyone to come closer. Lee is the epitome of super cool, almost always seen in a black leather jacket and sunglasses. Although Park seemed happy to be giving the last performance of their tour, which included no less than seven shows during SXSW, they were loose and still had plenty of energy for the crowd who quickly warmed up. The trio plowed skillfully through a litany of garage rock tunes, and by the last song, they literally had us all singing along.
Detroit’s MC5 are clearly an influence, as witnessed by an onstage tribute to Mike Davis, who passed away in February 2012. Park lamented the loss of the legendary bassist before launching into a vicious cover of Kick out the Jams. For more evidence, watch this cover of Ramblin’ Rose from 2007:
Tue Mar 27 2012 · Posted in Reviews
Beat Connection: Girls - Live at La Zona Rosa [3.8.12]
San Francisco band Girls makes music that will tug on your heartstrings. With the direct and earnest lyrics and vocal delivery of singer/songwriter Christopher Owens, Girls has become known most for their ability to connect with listeners on a deeply emotional level. When Girls hit the stage on Thursday, March 8 at La Zona Rosa, that connective ability seemed to be enhanced ten fold. It's one thing hearing the pain and honesty in Owens' voice on a record but it's quite another when you can see the singer cringe and strain against the sincerity of his lyrics, making it clear that what Owens is singing is coming directly from the heart and looking out among members of the audience, it was clear as well that a great deal of them understood the feelings being conveyed. Playing tracks from their outstanding sophomore record Father, Son, Holy Ghost (2011), almost the entirety of their Broken Dreams Club EP (2010), and a few select cuts from their debut Album (2009), Girls put on a lush, gorgeous show that ranged in style from high energy rockers to low key sunshine pop. High profile openers Unknown Mortal Orchestra started the night off with an impressive and enjoyable set, with driving krautrock inspired songs that would often lead to spontaneous jamming. UMO threw in a cover of the Syd Barret era Pink Floyd classic Lucifer Sam and a faithful run through of their hit "Ffunny Ffriends" to set the stage for a set by Girls that was emotionally affecting and beautifully played.
Sun Mar 11 2012 · Posted in Reviews
The Rant: Saul Williams @ The Mohawk [3.3.12]
Saul Williams walked onto the Mohawk stage beating a drum homemade from a shallow wooden box. He was backed by CX Kidtronix on laptops, a trombone player, and a drummer. I remember a distinctive wave of nostalgia rolling over me, both for the memories of Williams’ music in that formative time in my life, and for the Mr. T haircut on CX Kidtronix.
Williams’ songs and poems burst with lightness, optimism, empowerment, and at the same time darkness, cynicism, and realism. That balance has manifested onstage as a pair of incantations invoking muses both male and female (from Gaia to Nostradumus to Nikola Tesla), and in album form through works such as The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust, both a satire and a celebration. Also, the album cover is amazing. If you love jewelry, kittens, and/or red eye patches, this is for you.
Tue Mar 6 2012 · Posted in Reviews
Beat Connection: Cloud Nothings - Live at Red 7 [2.25.12]
When one thinks of the great buzzing hubs of indie rock stardom, Cleveland, OH doesn't exactly sit on par with the likes of Brooklyn, Austin, or Portland. While the great state of Ohio has given birth to great indie rockers like The National and even more notably The Black Keys, it hasn't exactly claimed a spot among the trendiest of hipster music locales. However, the buckeye state does remain the home of Cloud Nothings, who's outstanding sophomore LP Attack on Memory (2012) has the strength of songs to hoist it among the ranks of one of the year's early great records. Cloud Nothings have been hitting the road hard in support of their new LP with a massive tour schedule that extends at least into June of this year and includes multiple appearances during South by Southwest and a slot at this year's Pitchfork Music Festival. On their heavy schedule was a headlining show at Red 7 on Saturday February 25th and Cloud Nothings proved why they have become one of the most talked about bands of the new year blasting out raw pop punk with heavy influences from hardcore, Jade Tree era emo, post-rock, and metal. Cloud Nothings whipped the packed audience into a frenzy with their visceral dynamics and alterations between punk fury and pop catchiness.
Wed Feb 29 2012 · Posted in Reviews
Paid To Smile: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks at The Mohawk [2.22.12]
Editor’s Note: Today, I’m stoked to present the first installment of Paid To Smile, a new column by Neph Basedow. She’s starting off just right with a review of the Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks show at The Mohawk earlier this week. Enjoy!
I’m no stranger to Stephen Malkmus. (And these days, who is?) I’ve seen him a handful times, both with his wildly influential ‘90s alt-rock outfit Pavement, as well as with The Jicks. Most recently, I caught a couple of Pavement’s 2010 reunion shows, at Chicago’s Pitchfork Festival and at New York’s Central Park Summerstage.
Those shows... more or less sucked. They contained no heart. I could nearly see dollar-signs in Makmus’ glazed-over eyes, and envisioned the band at perpetual war backstage--if they were even speaking at all.
But such was not the case at Mohawk last night, as the Pavement/Jicks frontman stepped into a clearly more comfortable spotlight and onto the venue’s newly revamped outdoor stage.
Malkmus appeared lighthearted from the get-go-- jovial and loquacious with the crowd, as the band opened with the infectiously funny “Senator” from last year’s Beck-produced Mirror Traffic.
Fri Feb 24 2012 · Posted in Reviews
Beat Connection: Twin Sister live at The Mohawk [1.29.12]
Sunday night at The Mohawk was something of an idyllic scene. The night was clear, there was a brisk chill in the air and to beat the cold, a sold out audience packed the Mohawk's inside room to catch the dreamy pop of Long Island's Twin Sister. The evening couldn't have been better for a performance from the band that showcased the sound they have been refining for the past three years and showed off a few different directions they could go in as well. Openers Ava Luna kicked the night off with a bang bringing some vigorous white boy soul that grabbed the crowd's attention and likely startled a few audience members in ways that few opening acts typically do. Combining funk, R&B, blues, noise, and electronica Ava Luna's set was an excellent introduction for newcomers to the young band and a display of their prowess for established fans. As the inside room began to fill up, Twin Sister took the stage and prepared themselves for an outstanding performance that was at times both thrilling and intensely intimate.
Wed Feb 1 2012 · Posted in Reviews
Beat Connection: Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory [Album Review]
Memories shape our perspectives and ideas about the world around us. They are the images and ideas that create identities and personalities and the basis of a great deal of general knowledge. Memories can often be a source of comfort, warm nostalgia, and can often leave us feeling good about the world around us but on Cleveland outfit Cloud Nothings' sophomore LP, that comfort is exactly what the band is out to destroy. The album's title Attack on Memory (2012) of course could not be better suited for such a mission statement, but with perhaps a nod to bare bones producer Steve Albini, being anything other than direct would be pandering to the audience. The band's debut LP, the self titled Cloud Nothings (2011), was recorded in full by singer/songwriter Dylan Baldi, a young artist from humble beginnings who recorded the earliest Cloud Nothings material in his parents' basement. Filled with sugary sweet hooks and a mid level production quality, Cloud Nothings was a pop record's pop record, easy to digest and to make sense of. From the onset, Attack on Memory seeks to completely dismantle that view of Cloud Nothings as a band. The album is substantially rougher, rawer, and louder than the group's debut as the simple three chord pop song no longer seems to be on Baldi's mind. Nodding to late 80s indie rock, post-hardcore, no wave, and noise rock, Attack on Memory thoroughly manages to distance itself from the perception Cloud Nothings previously were characterized by without totally abandoning the pop intuition that made the band's debut so appealing. Attack on Memory comes as a mature and powerful record that hits like a ton of bricks but knows just when to offer slices of pop sweetness to offset the hard rock sour.
Mon Jan 23 2012 · Posted in Reviews
Sonic Snogg Live @ Fun Fun Fun Fest: Mates of State
The Fun Fun Fun Fest Orange Stage upped its indie pop and cuteness factor by at least a factor of ten the moment Mates of State launched their set at 3:30 pm on Sunday, November 6, 2011. Mates of State formed in 1997, when Kori Gardner (keyboards/vocals/synthesizer) met Jason Hammel (drums/vocals/synthesizer) while they were both were playing in the band Vosotros in Lawrence, Kansas. Since then, the two have been inseparable. In 2001, after relocating to San Francisco, Hammel and Gardner married, were signed to indie darling label, Polyvinyl, and headed out on tour with Superdrag and The Anniversary. Thereafter, Mates of State released their second LP Our Constant Concern (Polyvinyl 2002), which served up sticky-sweet synth rock combined with equally sugary, starry-eyed lyrics. After taking a hiatus, The Mates of State moved to Seattle-based label Barsuk, beginning with the release of their fourth album Bring it Back (Barsuk 2006), illustrating stylistic maturity and adding greater dimension to their sound after the inclusion of guitar and bass. With the release of Re-arrange Us (Barsuk 2008), the Mates of State officially expanded their line-up to become a quartet, adding Lewis Patzner and Anton Patzner of Judgement Day to play various instruments. 2010's Crushes: The Covers Mixtape includes the Mates’ take on artists that may not often covered: Girls, Tom Waits, The Mars Volta, and Daniel Johnston, to name a few. The Mates of State recently released and have been touring to promote their sixth studio release, Moutaintops (Barsuk 2011), with their two adorable young children in tow.
From the moment the Mates of State start to play, the audience is immediately transported into an indie rock/pop-synth circus. Looking around, there is not one face in the crowd that isn’t smiling and not a single person who isn’t moving to the beat even as the misty rain comes down. Throughout the set, the unparalleled rich male/female harmonies showcase Gardner and Hammel’s intense and confident vocal style, neither afraid to swing into their upper registers. Lyrically, the Mates of State deliver supremely honest and often romantic musings, “I had a dream last night we lost the fight,” during “You are Free” off the Re-arrange Us album. The highest point in the set is the moment Mates of State deliver “Goods (All In Your Head)," off the All Day EP (Polyvinyl 2004) unleashing one of the most sing-a-long friendly indie songs and a dull roar of “duh, da, da, da, da, da, daah, ah,” ensues. Hammel closes out the set by sincerely saying, “We are the Mates of State. Thank you for listening and have a good festival!” As I walk away from the stage, I keep singing “it’s all in your head,” in my head and know it’s already been a great festival thanks, in part, to Mates of State.
Wed Nov 23 2011 · Posted in Daily, Reviews
Sonic Snogg Live @ Fun Fun Fun Fest: We Were Promised Jetpacks
It’s Sunday, November 6, 2011 and Scottish lads, We Were Promised Jetpacks, storm the Orange Stage, appearing unphased in their challenge to rock the faces off the exhausted and hung over audience barely awake even at 2:30pm on day three of Fun Fun Fun Fest. Kicking off the set with the first song off their newly released record, In the Pit of the Stomach (Fat Cat Records), “Circles and Squares,” the foursome deliver forcefully melodic riffs that melt over the male-dominated crowd like butter. One of my favorite We Were Promised Jetpacks’ songs “Quiet Little Voices,” off These Four Walls (Fat Cat Records, 2009), comes mid-set, instantly energizing the sluggish mob with its infectious and repeating chorus, declaring “I’m young again.” New tracks off the Stomach LP are intermixed with older tracks throughout the set. We Were Promised Jetpacks play their fast-paced and drum-heavy single “Medicine” played early in the set. New track “Act on Impulse” is the set’s peak despite its uniquely slow pace and delicate sound. This song’s complex and instrumental segments calm only for moments at a time, allowing crisp, confident vocals to creep in. The overall effect of this performance is near perfection. As the band finishes playing their final note, pure delight with a shot of adrenaline emanates from the formerly weary faces in the crowd, now appearing prepared to greet the final day of Fun Fun Fun Fest.
Mon Nov 21 2011 · Posted in Daily, Reviews
Sonic Snogg Live @ Fun Fun Fun Fest: M83
It’s 5:30 pm on Saturday, November 5, when M83 enter the Fun Fun Fun Fest Orange Stage, instantly greeted with grateful applause. The opportunity to see M83, fronted by Frenchman Anthony Gonzalez, certainly doesn’t come around too often and the audience anticipation resonates accordingly. Gonzalez settles in behind a waist-high, black gear rack, adorned with florescent pink and green embossing as his lovely band mate, Morgan Kibby, draws equal attention from behind her keyboard, clothed in gold shoes and a fly-away black tank. M83 kick off their set with “Reunion” off their new LP, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Mute Records, 2011) and the tone is set- upbeat, electro synth-pop that forces your body into involuntary, continuous motion. “Kim and Jessie” off the album, Saturdays = Youth (Mute Records, 2008) is the third song in the set and M83 waste no time serving up one of their most admired (and 80’s-inspired) sing-a-long singles. A few tracks later in the set, M83 declare, “it’s coming…it’s coming now,” during the dreamy track, “We Own the Sky.” I recall first hearing M83’s new single “Midnight City” while sitting through previews at the Alamo Drafthouse and falling instantly for the song’s airy vocals and infectious beats. Since the first listen, I have been wildly obsessing and thinking that all movie previews would automatically better if synched to this track. When M83 finally plays my favorite song near the end of their set, I can barely contain myself and I am not alone. The crowd sways to the beat as the set comes to an inevitable end, leaving no body unmoved and no mind unsure their high expectations have been thoroughly met.