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Beat Connection: Pachanga Fest Preview 2012

Through the generations, Pachanga has come to mean a great deal of things. Taken as a name for styles of music, dance, and a general good time, a pachanga is above all a party and a big one at that. This Friday and Saturday May 11 and 12 marks Austin's 5th annual Pachanga Fest, the city's foremost celebration of Latino music, arts, food, and culture. With over 20 artists on 2 stages, Pachanga Fest boasts a varying line up of Latin artists with a wide range of musical styles and attitudes from the alt country of Austin's own Alejandro Escovedo to the indie rock of Girl in a Coma to the fusion of Los Lonely Boys to the traditional sounds of Chico Trojillo. Food vendors include tacos from Izzoz Tacos and La Fantabulous Taqueria, kabobs from Verts, bratwursts from Bestwurst, specialty milkshakes from Handshakes, Kettle corn from Gold Star Kettle Corn, shaved ice and funnel cakes from Snowie, paletas from Mom & Pops, as well as food from Serrano’s and Port-A-Café. Pachanga Fest begins this weekend on Friday May 11 at Fiesta Gardens, so come out and join the pachanga.

Beat Connection: Jeff Mangum live at the Moody Theater [4.29.12]

Just over a decade ago, Neutral Milk Hotel, one of the most beloved groups in indie rock, disbanded amidst a nervous breakdown from their brilliant singer/songwriter Jeff Mangum. They were a year removed from the release of their seminal sophomore LP In The Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998) and had grown tired of touring and the machinations of the music press and even though the record faced near inconsequential sales, Neutral Milk Hotel was met with immense critical acclaim and an adoring fan base which turned In The Aeroplane Over the Sea into one of the most singular artistic statements of the past half century. Mangum's completely unique style of singing and songwriting, in which he belted out mouthfuls of awkward teenage lust and sexuality, played against very real adult issues like confusion over identity and atrocities committed against his fellow man, set Neutral Milk Hotel apart and turned him into one of the most instantly recognizable singer/songwriters of recent memory. But Mangum simply couldn't take the pressure put on him by the press and by his band's rapidly escalated fan base and retreated into himself, disbanding Neutral Milk Hotel and going into seclusion for over a decade. Which was what made the concert that took place at The Moody Theater on Sunday April 29, so unthinkable, Jeff Mangum has returned. The singer/songwriter played a set with little more than his voice and his guitar to a sold out crowd at The Moody, where adoring fans packed themselves in as tight as they could to get closer to the indie rock icon. Surely everyone in attendance, myself included, never thought that this opportunity would come in their lifetime, with Mangum's self imposed seclusion reportedly being so severe, but as he nonchalantly took the stage and began strumming the chords of "Two Headed Boy Pt. 2", it was as if a dream state took over the venue, in which something almost magical was happening. Songs that meant so much to so many people were being played again by their creator, an experience that was moving and affecting in a way that few concerts can ever be.

Beat Connection: Melvins live at The Mohawk [4.19.12]

When most people think of metal, there are certain stereotypical images regarding the style of music that instantly come to mind. Big hair, jagged guitars, the color black, occasionally satanic or evil undertones, and music that is ear splittingly loud, fast, and heavy. While Washington's Melvins do apply to some of these categories, they have always felt set apart from the rest of the metal scene since their early days in 1983. Melvins were one of the first bands along with Earth and Eyehategod to eschew the ridiculous make up and flashy fretwork of popular metal to pioneer the slow, thick dirge of sludge and stoner metal. The band focused on creating an unholy soup of overwhelming guitar fuzz and brutally slow and heavy drumming to create a style of metal that was unheard of before Melvins formed as a band. The band set themselves apart by creating their own style of music but also became significant due to their association with more mainstream rock bands, most notably Nirvana who cited Melvins as an influence, and experimental rockers like Sonic Youth and Slint. The playful imagery and sense of humor the band has employed throughout their lengthy career has always felt refreshing and ahead of its time, making Melvins feel like a band always looking forward to what's next even after a nearly 30 year career. The underground metal heads took the Mohawk's outside stage on Thursday April 19 to a diverse crowd consisting of sludge devotees, hardcore punks, hipsters, and indie rockers of varying ages all there to witness a performance by an extremely influential band almost singlehandedly responsible for starting a movement in heavy metal.

Beat Connection: Frankie Rose w/ Dive live at Red 7 [4.14.12]

In the past, the recently relaunched Red 7 has played host to some of the finest acts in metal and punk, which was why I was surprised to find jangle pop songstress Frankie Rose on the venue's docket, supported by Dive, a mystical art rock group with only a few singles out in the world. The two were additionally supported by local rock and rollers The Young and Dum Dum Girls side project Cheap Curls which helped the line up hew closer to the venue's famously dark vibe, but still I initially didn't think the two main artists on the bill were exactly consistent with Red 7's past. I was quickly swayed however upon seeing the two bands perform because as it turns out, both Frankie Rose and Dive legitimately rock in the live setting. While Cheap Curls opened the show with some pretty standard girl group pop in the overwrought style of Vivian Girls and the members' main group Dum Dum Girls, The Young kick started their set with reckless abandon, blasting out old school rock with a punk thrust, reveling in the fact that it has suddenly become cool to be in a rock and roll band once again. The Young played tracks from their upcoming sophomore LP Dub Egg to be released on Matador records later this year and the songs sounded big, brazen, and in your face as the band played a relentless brand of chugging and punching music that basically grabbed the audience by their shirt fronts and forced them to take notice of the group. Next up was Dive, one of the year's new acts in the process of making a much bigger name for themselves and if Dive continues to play like they did on Saturday night, the world will be hearing a lot more about Dive in the very near future.

Beat Connection: School of Seven Bells live at The Mohawk [4.13.12]

The Mohawk was abuzz with the sound of high flying atmospheric guitars on Friday night as New York City's School of Seven Bells lit up the stage with their ethereal indie rock. Finding the common ground between bombastically driving and fragilely sweet, School of Seven Bells translated their studio heavy sound surprisingly well to the live setting with swirling guitars, liquid bass, and synthesizers and samples that rounded out the sound extremely nicely. The set felt precisely crafted and expertly paced, mixing in higher intensity guitar rock with some of the band's glitchy and more relaxed electronics for a set that had the perfect blend of mellow groove and powerful rock and roll. First up on the bill was openers Exitmusic, whose earth shattering style sounded to be coming from a band far beyond its years. Exitmusic played with an over reliance on heavy ballads as the second half of their set felt like a single long song at times. After initially starting up with some more varied numbers, the band shifted their focus towards slow burners with lead singer Aleksa Palladino taking every excuse she could to stretch her powerful pipes to the extent of their range, belting out long and sonorous notes that were certainly impressive, but gave the set an overly serious feeling, not necessarily something an audience wants from an opener. While the pacing of the set was a bit odd for a show opener, the strength of Exitmusic's songs could not be denied. Led by the howling guitar of Devon Church, Exitmusic played a powerful set displaying an impressive amount of musicianship and songwriting talent in the process from such a young group. The mood would be significantly lightened by the headliners as School of Seven Bells set up two light-up structures that featured the circular symbol that emblazons the jacket of their third LP Ghostory (2012) and played a fun and musically diverse set that sent their devoted fans home with more than satisfied smiles.

Beat Connection: Real Estate and Keep Shelly in Athens Live at The Mohawk [4.11.12]

What's the only thing better than seeing a great concert? Seeing two great concerts in the same night! It was a double header on Wednesday at the Mohawk among an intense week of fantastic shows with New Jersey's Real Estate and Greece's Keep Shelly in Athens playing headlining sets at The Mohawk's outdoor and indoor stages respectively. Playing earlier in the evening was Real Estate, whose latest album Days (2011) has become one of my favorites from last year. Opening the show was Melbourne, Australia's Twerps, a young group making a name for themselves among the year's new bands. Playing a jangling, blissed out style of indie rock, Twerps had the feel of a 1980s college rock band, a shambling folk group, and a beach pop quartet all combined into one, making use of their sense of stoicism throughout the concert. With the occasional exception of lead singer Marty Frawley, there wasn't a lot of movement or very much visible enthusiasm onstage from Twerps, but the band's conversely relaxed and driving sound provided a nice enough compliment to the set that would follow from Real Estate, who successfully combined the meticulously paced riffs of their surfy indie pop songs with a high level of energy and an ability to control the stage without looking like they were even trying.

Beat Connection: Left Brain | Right Brain Presents: DIY Sessions, March 26-30 at RISE week

With surely thousands of bands calling the city their home, countless numbers of bars and live venues, and three of most high profile music festivals in the world, it is tough to argue that there is any place on Earth better suited for music than Austin, TX. Local event designers Left Brain | Right Brain Presents are acutely aware of this and know as well as anyone that the city is bursting with young bands just itching to break out onto the scene. Beginning March 26, Monday of next week, local non-profit RISE Austin is putting on its annual entrepreneurship conference and Left Brain | Right Brain Presents is hosting the DIY Sessions, a number of free panels and conferences focused on success and failure stories in the independent music scene, Austin's diverse musical landscape, and ultimately making it in the music business.

Beat Connection at SXSW Part 2

And now the thrilling conclusion of my adventures at SXSW last week:

Thursday: The Dalles, The Handshake

My band hosted an all day house party Thursday and Friday, bringing in some of our friends' bands, some of our favorite local acts, and playing a set ourselves. Our friends from Houston, The Handshake, put on a raucous display of no nonsense rock n roll on the DIY stage set up in a backyard in South Congress. The band seemed to benefit from the lo-fi set up and space, kicking out the jams for a highly receptive audience. Local favorites The Dalles played later that night delivering a tight set of songs from their alt country/power pop leaning debut EP My Own Private White House(2012) that felt nicely rehearsed but providing for just enough off the cuff improvisation as well, bringing in sweetly tinged vocal harmonies and muscular, straightforward guitar work. The Dalles played an engrossing set in an idyllic backyard space that felt natural and pleasing.

Friday: Caveman, Titus Andronicus, The White White Lights, Shivery Shakes

I had the chance to get back out to the festival for a short time on Friday to see Caveman, another band who played a ridiculous amount of shows during the week. Caveman's debut LP Coco Beware(2011) was one of my favorite records by a new band of the year and I made sure to catch them at least once during SXSW. I got down to the Rhapsody Rocks Austin party at Club Deville just in time to see Caveman begin their set with "Thankful" one of the many highlights from their outstanding debut record. The murky art pop sound of the band was hypnotizing with synths and guitars that sounded huge and ambitious for such a young band. Caveman played two new songs that nicely contrasted each other and became set highlights, one song driven by the big tribal percussion Caveman can specialize in featuring an outstanding vocal melody and the other being a more tender, low key affair, showing off some exciting extensions of their sound Caveman could be exploring on their next album. Caveman's live set was lush and gripping with the band putting their faith in the strength of their elegant and tuneful tracks.

Beat Connection at SXSW Part 1

Another year, and another SXSW has come to a close. Amidst the corporate logos, masses of people, and long lines, somewhere along the way an exhausting but outstanding music festival was taking place with tons of new and old acts descending upon Austin. Indie rock, punk, hardcore, hip-hop, folk, metal, and country were all represented in droves at venues across the city as a comparably orderly festival came and went before we all even realized it. I made the conscious effort this year to try to catch only the acts that were up and coming and just beginning to make a name for themselves at this year's conference, forgoing The Shins and reliving some 8th grade nostalgia in favor of acts like Grimes and Beach Fossils. Though my legs currently feel like warm gelatin encased in solid lead casts thanks to hours of biking downtown and standing for hours on end, I had an excellent time at the festival and already can't wait for next year. Here are some of the sets I caught during the week:

Monday: Wavves, Beach Fossils, Oberhofer

I headed out to Mohawk Monday night having unfortunately missed Japandroids and Kool Keith but arriving just in time of some of the evening's later acts. I caught a rowdy set from young pop rockers Grape St. on the inside stage before heading out for a set from everyone's favorite California punks, Wavves. The band played a surprisingly professional set with the exception of a few choice moments of banter from lead singer/songwriter Nathan Williams, playing tracks from their hit album King of the Beach (2010) a few cuts from their back catalogue, and one delightfully sloppy Misfits cover. Wavves played loud, fast, and hard, offering a satisfying set of songs to set an upbeat mood for the start of the week. I headed back inside for Oberhofer, who have been the subject of some understated talk and were all over the festival during the week. Band leader Nick Oberhofer played with a ridiculous amount of energy to the point in which it became laughable and quickly found out that I was not in the mood for another hour of pop punk. While I am a fan of Oberhofer's recordings, the band's set seemed goofy the energy displayed by Nick Oberhofer coming off almost as condescending and unappealingly ironic. I decided to skip Oberhofer's sets for the rest of the week. Next up was the thankfully less punishing segmented surf rock of Beach Fossils who played with just the right amount of energy themselves but somehow elicited some inappropriate crowd surfing from some members of the audience. Beach Fossils became the highlight of the evening for me playing with a fervor and satisfying conviction coming from a young band looking to reach a wider audience. It was more than likely that many people who came into Beach Fossil's set not knowing who the band was left as new fans of the group.

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.

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.

Beat Connection: Grimes - Visions [Album Review]

In a world in which a person can define themselves by the content of others all too easily over the internet, it has of course altered the way new artists can define themselves. An artist can become attached to a stigma or niche simply by presenting himself or herself in a certain way and as a result, can be embraced almost as equally as they can be cast out of certain defined groups. For Montreal's Claire Boucher, her output as Grimes has come to be defined by certain internet trends. Assembling her music using the featherweight production capabilities of Garageband, Grimes' earliest material was categorized under the dubious flag of witch house for perhaps longer than the artist would care to acknowledge. Combining beats with dark sampling, airy keyboard, and piles of haunting vocal loops, Grimes's first two self released cassettes Geidi Primes (2010) and Halfaxa(2010) garnered the attention of fringe blogs in a time when groups like Salem and oOoOO were initially making waves and Grimes' embrace of the upside down cross and triangle imagery of witch house brought her even closer into that fold. Darkbloom (2011), the split LP Grimes released with D'eon last year, pointed towards a more accessible direction and revealed a greater range of influences than those found in the group Boucher was lumped in with. The sophisticated knowledge of R&B, dance rock, and K-pop displayed on Grimes' side of that LP pointed towards the direction of her newest LP Visions (2012), her first for major indie label 4AD. Boucher has said that Visions feels like her first LP and the clearer production and greater focus on darkwave electronic pop aesthetics she has taken on the album makes this feel like an almost entirely different Grimes, subsequently making Visions Boucher's strongest offering to date.

Beat Connection: Chairlift - Something [Album Review]

Up to this point in their career, Chairlift is known mostly for writing one great pop song, that being their 2008 fringe hit "Bruises" from their debut album Does You Inspire You (2008), which made its way onto one of Apple's more memorable iPod commercials. The song almost sounds as if it were written with the nonthreatening and carefree creativity Apple portrays as an entity in mind, with its twinkling synths and wide eyed professions of love and devotion, making Chairlift feel like one of many electro-pop groups amongst a sea of Brooklynites with MicroKorgs and drum machines with those same ideologies in mind. But after shrinking down to a duo of singer Caroline Polachek and multi-instumentalist Patrick Wemberly and working with Das Racist on several cuts from their Sit Down, Man (2010) mixtape, Chairlift feels like a more developed band on their sophomore recordSomething (2011), taking a more mature approach to their themes and musical ideas instead of going at everything with such youthful naivete. And while a sense of wonderment in music is certainly not a bad thing and hasn't been completely abandoned by Chairlift, the band sounds more effective now dealing in harder edged 1980s inspired dance pop and offering bits of wit and wisdom instead of focusing on trying to write a single catchy electro-pop song. Something is a major aesthetic improvement on the sound and style Chairlift first employed on their debut, coming off as smarter, deeper, and more expertly refined.

Beat Connection: King Khan and the Shrines live at The Mohawk [2.4.12]

How many times can you say that a band's frontman has graced the stage in an outfit befitting that of a tribal chieftain? Excluding perhaps actual indigenous tribes, my guess would be the only time such an outfit would be the norm would be at a King Khan and the Shrines show. Luckily for the denizens of Austin, the King himself graced the stage of The Mohawk on Saturday, February 4th for a performance that will be virtually impossible to forget anytime soon. Born in the bitter cold of Montreal and honed in the cultural cross section of Berlin, Indo-Canadian King Khan has cemented a reputation as one of punk, garage, and R&B's wildest characters with his colorful costumes (usually consisting of merely a cape and some sort of shimmering undergarment), vivacious life spirit, and dirty soul punk style that transcends time barriers, pulling equally from the likes of James Brown, The Saints, The Buzzcocks, and the Stax Records family. Also known for his work with Mark Sultan in garage punk duo The King Khan and BBQ Show, Khan hit The Mohawk with The Shrines, his multi-national band of soul rock misfits, miscreants, and troublemakers. With a stacked line up of Jacuzzi Boys, American Sharks, and DJ Richard Henry in support and a sold out audience all showing their love and admiration for King Khan and The Shrines, Saturday night at The Mohawk instantly became the biggest party around as The King himself rolled into town.

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.

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.

Beat Connection: Favorite Albums of 2011

The end of the year is fast approaching and we all know what that means: the inevitable landslide of the domineering "BEST ALBUMS OF 2011" lists. As I have perused these lists I find that I agree with the ordering and selection of virtually none of them. The idea that Coldplay and anything involving a Gallagher brother can still be considered best album of the year material continues to baffle me as it undoubtedly does for many of you as well. Well with this in mind, here is my contribution to the end of the year lists, with not what I deem to be "the best" albums of the year, but simply my favorites. You may agree with my thoughts, you may think I'm off my rocker, but maybe I'll help introduce a few of you to what I found to be some of the year's great releases. These albums became the soundtrack to my year and I can only wish that you had equally great music to soundtrack yours.

1. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

A dear friend of mine recently compared St. Vincent's discography to a varying degree of alcoholic drinks. The band's first release Marry Me (2007) was like a white russian, cool and aloof but packing a punch; Actor (2009) was akin to a long island iced tea, smooth and easy but forcing you into a drunken stupor quicker than you realize; and finally Strange Mercy being like a glass of straight scotch sans chaser, bitter, tough, sometimes intimidating, but exuding an undeniable sense of gritty attitude. Scotch is a classic and that is exactly what Texas native Annie Clark's St. Vincent project has delivered in the form of Strange Mercy, a record that twists, turns, crumbles, and rebuilds itself with virulent distortion and guitar noise, pulsating beats and crashing percussion, and lyrics and vocals from Clark that represent a singer/songwriter at the current peak of her progression. An emotionally raw and affecting record, Strange Mercy is the strongest set of songs Clark has delivered as the leader of St. Vincent, putting forward her most confident vocal performance and showing off guitar skills that would make both Thurston Moore and Robert Fripp blush. Clark sounds as human as ever on her new record, putting forward a person to person connection that makes every note and lyric of Strange Mercy compelling and thrilling. So grab a drink and put St. Vincent's Strange Mercy on your turntable, it's sure to be an instant classic.

Beat Connection: Wilco - Live at The Moody Theater [12.1.11]

Wilco and I go way back. Not on a one to one personal basis as I've never actually met any members of the band, but due to the fact that I've been listening to and have been affected by their music for a very long time. As time has gone on, and especially in the last few years, Wilco's success and exposure has been gradually increasing as the group is now playing to the largest and most diverse audiences of their careers, as was the case Thursday December 1st at The Moody Theater. Having taped an episode of "Austin City Limits" the night before, the band was on the second night of a mini residency in our fair city, to bring their one of a kind blend of folk, alt country, and artful noise rock to a second batch of devoted fans. I've always felt that I've shared some kind of bond with the music of Wilco, it's music that is comforting and reassuring but still manages to shock and sometimes scare you in ways it never has before each time you hit play. So on my third go around with a live Wilco performance, the show was like catching up with an old friend, and that friend's life has been going great. The band is at the height of their powers as a performance act, with a murders row of crack musicians including percussion wizard Glenn Kotche and experimental guitar god Nels Cline backing up frontman Jeff Tweedy, an artist who is finally becoming recognized as one of the great American songwriters of the 20th and 21st centuries. Hot off a Grammy nomination for their newest album The Whole Love (2011), Wilco seemed recharged musically and spiritually, and hit the stage with the confidence of a band who has nothing to prove and was focused clearly on providing the best show they possibly could for the audience at The Moody.

Beat Connection: Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness [Album Review]

In the late 80s and early 90s when Beat Happening and Heavenly were defining the music of a generation of bookish, bespectacled teenagers who preferred The Kinks and The Beach Boys as opposed to Guns N' Roses and Van Halen, twee was a statement. The idea of being invested in thoughtful music that dealt with feelings of being an outsider and sexual frustration played in a style that draws from 1960s pop rock seemed at least as rebellious as punk was, albeit for a much quieter group of listeners. Now fast forward to 15 or 20 years later and UK indie rockers Los Campesinos! carry on that spirit and ideology with a doleful dose of punk rock and hardcore thrown into the mix. Across three years and now four albums as a band, Los Campesinos! have been systematically refining a sound from the extremely youthful wails and personally specific lyrics of their beloved debut Hold on Now Youngster... (2008) to what is now their most recent full length, Hello Sadness(2011) an appropriately dour title for the band's most heart wrenching and emotionally taxing album to date. Where the band's general style of making music hasn't changed much, Hello Sadness is the band's most musically mature offering thus far, backing away from the raw, scorched Earth thrashings of their last full length, Romance is Boring (2010) and focusing more on crafting fully realized pop punk songs that offer blasts of jagged edges in more controlled bursts. All the while, band centerpiece, singer/lyricist Gareth Campesinos offers up mouthfuls of his darkest lyrics to date, contrasting many of the instrumentals with tales of deteriorating romances, sexual anguish, and violence both physical and emotional. By sticking to their guns and working to make their brand of "tweepunk" into a truly viable style, Los Campesinos! are making a statement of their own on Hello Sadness, that even though the generation who once worshipped Calvin Johnson have likely moved beyond twee music, it's still a medium that can connect and apply to music listeners.

Beat Connection: GWAR live at the Marchesa [11.18.11]

There are many different kinds of live performances in music today. There are bands who pull up their bootstraps, tighten their belts, and give the sheer music everything they've got; there are bands who turn lights, images, and multimedia into immersive experiences; there are bands who can whip crowds into frenzies one minute and lay back to let sound wash over a crowd in the next. And then, there is GWAR, the band of nightmarish intergalactic monsters who have been churning out hard charging heavy metal for 27 years, all the while playing infamous live shows that are one part vaudevillian cosplay, one part high octane thrill ride, and one part bloodbath, literally. GWAR is known for many things undoubtedly: the monstrous, medieval, dadaist costumes the entire band wears while playing, the buckets of fake blood and bodily fluids that spew out onto the audience night after night, the skewering of public figures, politicians, and celebrities, but most of all, GWAR is known for putting on a show you aren't likely to forget any time soon and that is exactly what the band brought to The Marchesa on Friday, November 18. GWAR charged back to Austin with the all the horrific and totally unique appeal they have made their staple to bring a bombastic show that shattered ear drums, rattled rib cages, and more than likely permanently damaged a few articles of clothing.

Beat Connection: Atlas Sound - Parallax [Album Review]

Does great suffering beget great art? The debate has raged on for centuries in reference to some of histories most tortured artists from Vincent Van Gogh to Ian Curtis and as recent events have panned out, the latest artist to join this troubled but no less esteemed group is incessant music maker Bradford Cox, known mostly for his role as the frontman for Deerhunter but no less regarded for his frequently brilliant solo project Atlas Sound. After the release of Deerhunter's critically acclaimed LP Halcyon Digest (2010) Cox found himself thrust into the spotlight, becoming the face of Deerhunter and a reluctant icon of indie rock in the process. Reaching a much broader fan base than ever before after the release of the album, Cox often expressed his disillusionment with the indie rock scene and his own fans remarking on how a great deal of the people who went to Deerhunter's concerts weren't even aware of the band's past in which Cox would dress in drag, the band would sometimes cover themselves in blood, and proceed to go into violent and hallucinatory trances in which they themselves wouldn't even remember the events of the show afterwards. It appears the disillusionment Cox has been feeling has now come to a head with the release of Atlas Sound's newest LP Parallax (2011). The project of solely Cox, Atlas Sound often casts the singer/songwriter as being starkly alone and on Parallax, Cox sounds as insular and dark as perhaps he has ever been while simultaneously putting out Atlas Sound's strongest LP to date and one of the most impressive recordings Cox has been involved in period.

Beat Connection: Black Lips live at Fun Fun Fun Fest

Flaming guitars, toilet paper, firecrackers, vomit, and enough beer to fill a bath tub, yep Atlanta, Georgia's Black Lips set at Fun Fun Fun Fest Sunday evening just about had it all. The self described "flower punks" have been banned from performing at a multitude of venues including the entire country of India in an infamous episode in which the band had to flee the country to escape Indian authorities after a particularly rowdy performance, so it was only natural that the band take the Black Stage late into the final night of the festival. With spooky, bare bones lighting and a homemade backdrop with the band's name spray painted on a white bed sheet just moments before the set began, Black Lips gave off the feeling of being in an appropriately dingy club instead of a large outdoor venue. Guitarist Ian Saint Pé began the set by quickly shotgunning a beer before the band ripped into set opener "Sea of Blasphemy", a veritable sign of things to come from a band that was already noticeably intoxicated well before the set began. That is of course a major part of Black Lips' appeal: they're dirty, sloppy, rule breakers who sometimes intimidate but more often invite audiences with their distinctive blend of blues, garage rock, R&B, country, and punk that the band somehow manages to roll up into fractured blasts of power pop. Guitarist/vocalist Cole Alexander was in top form (for Black Lips) ripping into noisy guitar solos, vomiting onstage, using his wildly swinging voice to shock and freak out the audience, and finally lighting his guitar on fire, smashing it, and tossing it into the audience. The 17 song setlist used the band's newest album, the Mark Ronson produced Arabia Mountain (2011) as a touchstone but played rousing takes on favorites like "Oh Katrina!" and "Bad Kids" as well for a set that was shocking and scary but came out as one big party through it all.

Beat Connection: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists live at Fun Fun Fun Fest

With a brutal and inconvenient sore throat on a muggy day, if anyone needed some French onion soup and a Wendy's chicken sandwich it was Ted Leo. But the tough as nails New Jersey native and pop punk lifer works too damn hard to call if quits when vocal troubles arise and as such, Leo pushed through, delivering a set full of his punchy hardcore pop rockers and a few amusingly charming surprises. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists hit the stage with all the grit and fire expected of them despite Leo's normally crystal clean vocals being tarnished. The singer pushed his voice to the greatest extremes he could take it, sometimes losing his voice entirely, but displaying classic DIY punk attitude in the process. In fact, the band's songs sounded tougher and rawer with Leo's vocals roughed up by the throaty scratch of a 24 hour bug. While Leo and the Pharmacists tore through older classics and cuts from their newest album The Brutalist Bricks (2011) with playful pop punk bounce and high musical proficiency as a trio, the real treat came near the set's end when Leo announced to the crowd "It's too damn cold" ran to the side of the stage and shortly returned in a Glenn Danzig wig and black sleeveless shirt to end the set with a few of the Misfits covers the crowd missed out on thanks to the now infamous meltdown from Danzig: Legacy. Apologizing for "his behavior" as Danzig, Leo led the crowd in rousing takes on Misfits favorites, leaping into the audience and letting fans take the mic when his own vocals couldn't hold out. WIth perseverance and good natured humor, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists won the crowd over and delighted their already devoted fans.

Beat Connection: Phantogram - Nightlife EP [Album Review]

Editor's Note: Phantogram performs at The Mohawk tomorrow night!

The perfect night out on the town is often contrastingly dichotomous, making wild swings between orchestrated chaos, catching a glimpse of yourself in the fading twilight as you dance the night away, and moments of romanticized intimacy, falling asleep in the arms of a lover in the back of a cab as the lights of the city twinkle and zip by. Unlike so few dance and electronica acts, New York City's Phantogram are well aware of this and know that sometimes the moment that makes an evening memorable doesn't happen on the dance floor and sometimes that isn't where you want it to happen anyway. Coming onto the scene last year with their debut full length Eyelid Movies (2010), Phantogram encapsulated a full spectrum of electronic music, alternating lush keyboards and spare guitar with punchy trip hop inspired beats that took cues from the likes of Moby and Portishead. The style that Phantogram self described as "street beat" lives up to its moniker as the music tends to conjure up images of hitting the bricks in the dreary post party hours once the drinks in your system have begun to wear off. After a year spent on the road and living through some of those perfect nights themselves, the duo of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter have returned with the appropriately titled Nightlife EP (2011), which works its way through a venerable sampling of dance inflected pop music. Phantogram sound more like a fully developed band than ever before on their new EP, equally ready to blissfully dance or confidently walk alongside their listeners.

Beat Connection: Dan Deacon live at Fun Fun Fun Fest

When a set begins with the words "This is going to sound weird but then again, when hasn't it?" you know you are going to be in for a one of a kind experience. Baltimore, Maryland weirdo Dan Deacon brought his unique blend of homemade electronics and endorphin rushing dance beats to the Blue Stage on Saturday bringing along his notoriously fun live show as well. Deacon got down into the crowd for direct interaction, organizing the crowd into group rituals and dance offs. Unfortunately, Deacon was beset by sound issues throughout the set and had to end his set early when he actually blew out the stage's speakers. For a few euphoric minutes however, Dan Deacon's set was a rush, being unlike any live performance out there today.

Beat Connection: Girls live at Fun Fun Fun Fest

Playing before a picturesque backdrop of festively strung bulb lights, charmingly off kilter backing panels, and elegant bouquets of flowers tied around mic stands, San Francisco's Girls played an absolutely beautiful set with a richly produced sound and a set list that comprised of a perfect mix of high energy and spine tingling low points. Girls focused on tracks from their outstanding sophomore LP Father, Son, Holy Ghost (2011) and played a few select cuts from their debut Album (2009) and one selected track, "Heartbreaker" from their Broken Dreams Club EP (2010). Girls brought the fully fleshed out sound of Father, Son, Holy Ghost to life, not skipping a beat even on twisting and turing tracks like "Die" and "Vomit", displaying a surprisingly high level of musicality without alienating themselves from the crowd. The set felt intensely intimate at times, despite the hundreds of people gathered around the outdoor stage and perhaps an overly zealous crowd, as when frontman Christopher Owens would handle solo guitar and vocals on tracks like "Hellhole Ratrace" and on the understated soul of "Love Like a River". Girls put on a set that became a Day 2 highlight, making each member of the audience feel personally affected by the music being played.

Beat Connection: Ty Segall live at Fun Fun Fun Fest

Fresh off the voodoo vibes of last week's Halloween, California garage rocker Ty Segall brought an appropriately freaky set to the Black Stage on Friday, offering up manic yelps and screams, buzzsaw guitar tones, and his signature skewed and nightmarish brand of garage punk. Segall whipped the crowd into a frenzy letting go of himself and allowing the music to take him and his band in what ever direction that seemed appropriate, playing a set that was at times downright scary, but powerful and thrilling just the same. The cuts from Segall's newest album, the more tame by comparison Goodbye Bread (2011), were given a horrific overhaul to fit the evil sounding punk sludge of Segall's earlier work, making the set feel cohesive and well thought out among the rush of anger and energy that was being displayed on stage.

Beat Connection: Yacht live at Fun Fun Fun Fest

Portland/Marfa, TX/Los Angeles' Yacht blasted out of the gate as they stormed the Blue Stage this afternoon. With an incalculable amount of live energy, Yacht grabbed the audience's attention one way or another, whether it be the smoothly suggestive dance moves of frontwoman Claire L. Evans or the irresistible bubble gum of the bouncy, pounding disco rock of their most recent album, Shangri-La (2011). Allowing spontaneity to take hold, Yacht allowed the performance's high points to exist where you least expected them as in when Evans made her way into the crowd for a few close up interactions and an electro-punk cover of The B-52s' "Mesopotamia". With showcasings of hits like "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire)", "Utopia", and "Psychic City" Yacht thrilled the crowd and became an early festival highlight.

Beat Connection: Fun Fun Fun Fest Recommended Guide - Sunday November 6

The hour is almost upon us, Fun Fun Fun Fest is under a week away! Yes our beloved three day festival at Auditorium Shores begins next Friday and while you are all undoubtedly dedicated music lovers, you may find yourself becoming a bit overwhelmed deciding exactly which bands to see next weekend against the constrains of work, school, and life itself. Luckily, this is where I come in. I present to you, the dedicated reader and Fun Fun Fun Fest devotee or first timer my recommended guide to the weekend's proceedings. Enjoy the festival, maybe become interested in some new bands, and above all else have fun fun fun!

Sunday, November 6

Asobi Seksu (1:55) Orange Stage

Kick off your final day of music and good times with Asobi Seksu, a band of blissful New York shoegazers who deliver as much punch as pop. One of the biggest names in the modern shoegaze scene, Asobi Seksu deals in dream pop similar in style to Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine with their own spaced out take on the sound. A nice middle ground between aggressive and tripped out to begin your day after shaking off the after effects of last night's activities.

Grimes (3:00) Blue Stage

As Grimes, Montreal's Claire Boucher is an artist purely of the 21st century, making creepy, otherworldly pop songs that sound like they would top the charts in galaxies far far away. Recording completely on her own using only garageband to make her airy songs come to life, Grimes has been an artist slowly making a name for herself in the experimental scene with songs that stick with you for their pop pastiche but offer a sense of the truly strange with their featherweight density. On stage, Boucher performs alone with only a microphone, keyboard, and sampler pulling off alien dance moves and entertaining with her casual style and approachable personality. Grimes is another artist on the cusp of being the next big thing, so catch her set and be able to say you knew about her before everyone else does.

Beat Connection: Fun Fun Fun Fest Recommended Guide - Saturday November 5

The hour is almost upon us, Fun Fun Fun Fest is little over a week away! Yes our beloved three day festival at Auditorium Shores begins next Friday and while you are all undoubtedly dedicated music lovers, you may find yourself becoming a bit overwhelmed deciding exactly which bands to see next weekend against the constrains of work, school, and life itself. Luckily, this is where I come in. I present to you, the dedicated reader and Fun Fun Fun Fest devotee or first timer my recommended guide to the weekend's proceedings. Enjoy the festival, maybe become interested in some new bands, and above all else have fun fun fun!

Saturday, November 5

Keep Shelly in Athens (12:45) Orange Stage

Kick off day two of the weekend with the heady electro pop of up and comers Keep Shelly in Athens. Influenced by slithering R&B, smooth jazz, ominous dark wave, and haunting electronica, Keep Shelly in Athens has been making waves lately on the strength of their newest single "DIY", a ghostly track that combines a bopping industrial drum beat against groovy looped piano and punching horn arrangements. Keep Shelly in Athens are sure to be a band to watch in the next few months so catch them early next weekend.

Purity Ring (1:30) Blue Stage

Purity Ring is another somewhat mysterious electronica group just getting their feet off the ground, but making some major reverberations in the scene as of now. Currently on tour with Neon Indian and Com Truise, Purity Ring makes a self described brand of "future pop" that combines robotic electronica, J Dilla referencing stutter beats, and angelic but angular and detached vocals. Though the term future pop can be seen as somewhat pretentious from such a young band, you do get the idea of what they're talking about as Purity Ring's songs can often sound like Beyonce collided with "2001: A Space Odyssey". Purity RIng will be another name going around, so you'll be able to say you knew about them before they blew up.

Joe Lally (1:55) Orange Stage

As a founding member of iconic punk rockers Fugazi, Joe Lally became known as one of the most influential bassists in underground music and after starting a small musical revolution, Fugazi decided to go on hiatus back in 2003. Joe Lally on the other hand has continued making music as a solo artist, working with a unique style of songwriting grounded mostly in the bass guitar and his own vocals, creating a unique style of open and fluid jazz punk with his own relaxed vocal delivery. Lally's inspired and individualistic solo work has a quiet intensity that translates well to a live concert and makes for a nice contrast to the quirky electronica of the day so far.

Trash Talk (3:15) Black Stage

Follow up the punk lite of Joe Lally with the hammering hardcore of Sacramento, CA's Trash Talk. This band does hardcore the old fashioned way, loud, fast, and angry as evidenced by their latest critically acclaimed five song, nine minute EP Awake (2011). Trash Talk is hardcore to a T, with shows often ending in bloody noses and bruised ribs, just the way a good punk rock show should.

tUnE-yArDs (4:00) Orange Stage

Beat Connection: Fun Fun Fun Fest Artist Interview - Joe Lally

As the bassist for D.C. punk icons Fugazi, Joe Lally has spent nearly a lifetime in music both as a bassist and singer/songwriter. For a generation of punks, indie rockers, and straight edgers, Fugazi has served as a jumping off point for many of the cornerstones of underground music including hardcore, post-punk, and noise rock and after the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2003, Lally took it upon himself to continue writing, recording, and performing, now with his own original solo material built mostly from raw bass lines and vocals. Lally's newest album Why Should I Get Used to It (2011) displays some of the most straightforward songwriting the bassist/singer/songwriter has ever been apart of as a solo artist and subsequently, the new album represents perhaps Lally's strongest solo offering to date. Lally will be playing this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest Saturday November 5 at the Orange Stage. I caught up with Joe Lally via email correspondence to ask about the new album, his beliefs surrounding the state of punk music, and the future of his influential band.

Beat Connection: From your first solo albums you seem to have progressed from intense self-imposed minimalism to more of a charmingly ragged feel on your new record. What accounts for the change in sound and approach?

Joe Lally: There's a few reasons for that. I couldn't sing much at first, it was more like talking. The music got built around that feeling of speaking intimately with someone. I also arranged the music in a different way. I wrote for a rhythm section leaving a space that was to be filled by a lead instrument like guitar, sax, or keyboard. That still occurred on Philosphy For Insects, but even with that song the new album is mainly different because I really knew what each song would sound like when I went in to record. I didn't know that with the first two albums. I found out as we went along.

Beat Connection: Was the writing process more collaborative on this album or more driven by your own songwriting? How has your songwriting changed as a singer/songwriter from your first album?

Joe Lally: In a way it's less collaborative. Although at times I was writing to a particular person's playing, I was actually writing more myself. For the first time I wrote guitar parts and over all I think I can hear the music coming more easily when I'm writing.

Beat Connection: Fun Fun Fun Fest Recommended Guide - Friday November 4

After giving the festival grounds a walk through and getting yourself situated, you can kick the day off with the low-key indie rock punch of former At the Drive In/Sparta/Sleepercar member Jim Ward. Ward's music carries the fire of early grunge mixed with pop leanings of groups like Pearl Jam and a subtle influence from the early emo heart on sleeve directness Sunny Day Real Estate and Weezer.

Cloud Nothings (2:20) Orange Stage

Stick around for Cleveland's lo-fi pop punk favorites Cloud Nothings. The band, raised on the bratty thrash of groups like Blink 182 and Sum 41, took it upon themselves to take what by some would be considered somewhat embarrassing influences and cover them in sloshy distortion and overdrive, creating an energetic and direct style of lo-fi indie punk that can punish as much as it pleases. Think of Wavves but from the exceedingly unpretentious Midwest.

Yacht (4:15) Blue Stage

Beat Connection: St. Vincent - live at The Moody Theater [10.29.2011]

Take one look at Annie Clark. You may fall instantly in love with her doe-like eyes, stylishly unkempt curls, and demure personality, but besides being the object of every cardigan clad indie boy's desires, there is little about Annie Clark that screams indie rock demi-god. Until you get a guitar in her hands that is, and when that happens, stand back because you'll more likely than not be blown away. When Clark played The Moody Theater as the frontwoman of St. Vincent on Monday October 24, the sold out audience knew they were in for a show, but the energy, musicianship, and overall strength of performance displayed by Clark and her band surely exceeded the already high expectations that were held before the set began. After four years working as the creative force behind St. Vincent, Clark has developed into one of indie rock's most dynamic performers and one of its most acclaimed recording artists. Her most recent release, Strange Mercy (2011) is not only a career peak for St. Vincent, but should be highly considered in the conversation about the best albums of the year. During their set at The Moody, St. Vincent drew heavily from Strange Mercy, showing the strength those songs possess outside of the recorded context and displaying Clark's prowess as a performer and songwriter. Showing off a completely unexpected vigor and vicious energy, St. Vincent solidified their reputation, for Austin at least, as one of the best live bands (and one of the best bands period) working in independent music today.

Beat Connection: M83 - Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming [Album Review]

The double album. Where multiple discs abound and an eclectic list of names sit along side each other including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and The Magnetic Fields. This deadly duo of two discs is perhaps the single most cocksure move possible in music, a statement that says, "I had too many great songs to just be contained on one album". It can be cocky, presumptive, and a little cliché, so a double album was just about the last thing anyone was likely to see coming from France's M83, a group known mostly as an 80s electro influenced shoegaze band. On past works, most prominently M83's last full length Saturdays = Youth (2008), project leader Anthony Gonzalez preferred to work mostly within the confines of guitars thick with reverb and distortion along with shimmering synths, to recreate the melodramatic pop rock of the 1980s into something more poignant for today. Singing mostly at an intimate decibel, M83 felt intentionally confined, an attribute that gave them the intimate feeling of a much smaller project and appealed to a broad base of their listenership. Enter M83's latest album, the two disc Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (2011) and what is found in terms of approach and texturing is very much the opposite of the band's last album. The band plays with a goal that could conceivably be to touch the sky and never come down with tracks flying to dizzying heights, feeling as massive and epic as songs written by groups like the Polyphonic Spree and Arcade Fire without a shred of either of those groups' self importance. M83 lets go off all inhibitions and revels in the pure joy of making music on Hurry Up, We're Dreaming and the results are, in an appropriately large word, spectacular.

Beat Connection: Washed Out - live at the Mohawk [10.17.2011]

Over what has been an admittedly brief career thus far, audiences have come to learn to expect the unexpected from Atlanta's chillwave touchstones Washed Out. Influenced by old school hip hop as much as by electronica and shoegaze, the project led by enigmatic frontman/keyboardist Ernest Greene has taken several interesting twists and turns since its inception during the chillwave boom of 2009. Washed Out began life as a reverby bedroom project from Greene that culled the Life of Leisure EP (2009), which was fueled by the popularity of the single "Feel it All Around" which was passed around, turned into a summer anthem, and caused the EP to be reissued for a larger market in 2010. Washed Out went on to work with fellow chillwavers Small Black to produce a short EP of stoned beach rock later in 2010, showing how Greene was working on expanding his sound. When Washed Out finally released their debut LP Within and Without (2011), the hazy bedroom jams was replaced by a woozy but elegant style of insular synth pop that took heavy influence from trip hop and prominently featured a batch of heavenly synth tones expertly layered to create ambiguous keyboard washes that completely enveloped the listener. The record cannot exactly be considered a thrill ride but is suited more for spending a rainy day indoors or relaxing in the late hours of the night. With this in mind, it was unlikely that many in attendance expected the set style Washed Out brought to the Mohawk on Monday, October 19. Those expecting a more atmospheric and low key performance that would seem to go along the lines of how Greene wrote the songs on his band's debut may have been thoroughly shocked as Washed Out hit the stage with only one goal in mind: to get the party started.

Beat Connection: Fun Fun Fun Fest Artist Profile – Hot Snakes

San Diego post-hardcore touchstones Hot Snakes were never designed to innovate. They were instead designed to knock down doors and kick in the teeth of anyone foolish enough to get in their way. Lacerating guitars, drumming barreling down the pike like a freight train, bass thick and heavy enough to rumble apartment walls and trunks almost too easily, the yelping vocals of Rick Froberg which admittedly don't have the thrashing grit of classic hardcore singers like Ian McKaye or Henry Rollins but still communicate a street smart confidence that forces you to stop, look, listen, and probably mosh to what Hot Snakes does best all pile into a mix which creates a thundering attack of post-punk and straight up hardcore. Directly born from the unholy union between college rock icons Drive Like Jehu and Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes is one band in a continuing series of projects that have come as a result of the friendship and artistic collaboration between guitarist/vocalist Froberg and guitarist/vocalist John Reis. Having each had a hand in countless numbers of bands and side projects, Froberg and Reis started their careers in post-punk group Pitchfork before going on to form Drive Like Jehu with Reis later forming Rocket from the Crypt. Drive Like Jehu disbanded in 1995 with Froberg leaving San Diego for New York City to begin a career as a visual artist while Reis continued with Rocket to the Crypt until 2005 but in 1999, the two friends came together to begin what would start as a "side project" and would eventually become the howling, snarling punk rock beast that is Hot Snakes.

Beat Connection: Zola Jesus – Conatus [Album Review]

Editor’s Note: Catch Zola Jesus live at The Mohawk on October 29th – get your tickets here.

When one is plunged into an unforgiving darkness, there will inevitably be snatches of light that poke their way through and one will likely emerge from such an experience with valuable life lessons and experience to speak of. Nika Roza Danilova's Zola Jesus project has often felt like this, her music often feeling like brooding funeral dirges devoid of humor and hope but acting more as experiences showing a black hearted or even nihilistic vision of art that are meant to show the darkness that can lurk in the far reaches of the human mind. The string of EPs Danilova released in 2010 as Zola Jesus explored this feeling down its deepest tunnels and trenches, with the EPs Stridulum (2010), Valusia (2010), and LA Vampires Meets Zola Jesus (2010). The EPs displayed a rich gothic imagery and a flair for operatic dramatics that Danilova has since made synonymous with the name Zola Jesus but at the end of last year, had seemingly run their course with the artist. Songs like "Night" from the Stridulum EP focused on utilizing thick drones and Danilova's powerful pipes to completely suck any breathing room from the arrangements, not making the songs sound cluttered but at times grossly heavy and conveying emotions that can often be difficult for the average person to bear. But on Zola Jesus' new full length LP Conatus (2011), Danilova steps away from the front and center emotional weight of her recent EPs to create a record that feels like the most human and accessible of her career, making songs that utilize dark new wave and goth rock sensibilities, skeletal industrial clatter, and at points, even danceable backbeats, all without sacrificing the emotional clarity Zola Jesus has become known to portray.

Beat Connection: Fun Fun Fun Fest Artist Interview – Neon Indian

Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo has never been one to shy away from an adventure. After the take off success of his band’s debut album Psychic Chasms (2009), Palomo shipped off from his Denton, TX home to Brooklyn to form a new home base and take advantage of all types of wild opportunities including working with The Flaming Lips on an EP of post-apocalyptic musical expressionism, putting out a single for Mountain Dew’s Green Label Sound label with Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor producing, developing and making an informerical for his own brand of synthesizer, and now most recently, heading out on tour with Kreayshawn, an artist that could very well be perceived as being Palomo’s polar opposite. For his band’s new album Era Extraña (2011), Palomo followed his sense of adventure in the dead of winter to Helsinki, Finland to record the album completely alone. The album that has come as a product of those sessions and that experience is one of greater musical, physical, and emotional depth than anything Neon Indian has released in the past, giving listeners an album that can be discussed and pondered over as easily as it can be danced to. I caught up with Palomo over the phone before Neon Indian was scheduled to play a show in Portland to talk about the new record, his writing and recording process, and some of that adventurous spirit that makes Neon Indian's music such a thrill.

Beat Connection: On the new album Era Extraña it feels like there’s a darker tone to the music than on Psychic Chasms and moodier arrangements. What made you want to use a broader sound palette on this album?

Alan Palomo: In a strange way many of the aspects of this album felt like a rite of passage by going into the studio and limiting myself. I guess I’ve always enjoyed the idea of tying one hand behind your back and using those limitations to help you really shape the sound of a record.
Like for example on this record it was kind of important to not use samples just because a lot of the first record was based on creating these loops from these pre-exisiting pieces of music and then write arrangements over it and then at some point I put this tape warbled sheen over everything. But this time around I wanted to work with individual sounds that were already a little bit fucked up in nature and then see if I could combine them and make a song out of that. I guess I just wanted to change my approach and keep it interesting for me.

Beat Connection: Bill Callahan at The Mohawk [9.28.11]

Whether it be the overtly parodied "We are the World", the historic Live Aid concerts, or just a few friends coming together to host a charity concert in their parents garage, music has had a long and illustrious history as a way to bring people together to help those less fortunate. On Wednesday, September 28, indie rock lifer Bill Callahan partnered with Poverty Over, a non-profit organization devoted to fighting poverty in the United States and throughout the world, to raise money for one of the world's most pressing causes. And while Callahan wasn't making an appearance next to Lionel Richie or Kenny Rogers in a posh recording studio for his charitable cause, his intensely intimate and touching performance at The Mohawk surely drew increased donations from the audience that night. Openers Mother Falcon began the night with their broad and sweeping take on orchestral indie rock that noticeably wowed the audience. With a massive band that included cellos, double bass, violins, accordion, saxophone, various brass, keyboard, acoustic guitar, and life affirming group vocals. The band sounded huge with their broad arrangements and globe trotting influences, acting as a dose of restrained grandiosity before Bill Callahan came on stage for his meticulously stripped down and starkly moving performance.

Beat Connection: Fun Fun Fun Fest Artist Profile – Four Tet

When getting into a discussion about electronica, certain names will inevitably come up. Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, Burial, all artists who have changed the face of electronic music forever but when talking about the real movers and shakers of electronic music today, it is almost impossible to pass up Kieran Hebden, the man behind Four Tet. Working under the guise of electronica producer and artist, Hebden has done more to progress electronic music as Four Tet in a few short years than lesser artists have throughout entire careers. When one normally thinks of electronica, there are certain defined sounds and a uniform style that one thinks must go into the definition of electronica, but since the end of the 20th century, Four Tet has vastly expanded the scope of electronica by embracing the multitude of genres that exist outside of the confines of the computer and the turntable. Four Tet pulls not only from the techno and ambient music that has influenced countless electronic artists but from post rock, free jazz, soul and R&B, hip hop, folk, and indie rock, and applies those myriad influences to a style of electronica that feels warm, lived in, and wonderfully human in a way that so many of Four Tet's contemporaries either are incapable of producing or shy away from. As Four Tet, Kieran Hebden is redefining the meaning of electronica to create something that is hardly like anything else being created today.

Beat Connection: Forever – Sleep ∞ Over [Album Review]

Editor’s Note: Catch Sleep ∞ Over at The Mohawk on October 17th – get your tickets here!

There is perhaps no greater slice of teenage romanticism than the idea of starting a band, writing your own songs, and touring the world. It is the ultimate act of rebellion against authority while simultaneously being a deep personal statement that allows for youthful expression of dreams and fantasies. The problem is that the majority of the people who actively chase this classic adolescent dream more often than not forget about it's stasis, leaving the young people who have real world problems, ideas, and imaginations far behind. Then there are artists like Austin, TX's own Stefanie Franciotti, who is still grounded firmly in the constraints of reality despite being able to express herself artistically and sounds to still be very much in touch with the hopes and desires of her listeners and peers. Franciotti leads the group Sleep ∞ Over, a band that has become an intimate bedroom project not through necessity but by choice after former band members Sarah Brown and Christa Palazzolo left Franciotti to start the group Boy Friend. As a result, Sleep ∞ Over has become a solo project of sorts for Franciotti as the artist was forced to handle all of the recording on Sleep ∞ Over's debut full length LP Forever (2011) by herself with the occasional help of her roommates while recording the LP at her apartment. What comes as a result of Franciotti's efforts is a lush, unpretentious collection of songs full of echoing synths, moody drum machines, emotionally charged ambient hums, and reverb blurred vocals, creating a mysterious and haunting LP that still manages to keep a good head on its shoulders.

Beat Connection: In Heaven – Twin Sister [Album Review]

There may be no more of an appropriate and gratuitously assumptive title for Long Island band Twin Sister's debut album than In Heaven (2011). On the one hand, the title is somewhat accurate as most of the album is characterized by a dreamy sense of the ethereal, conjuring up images of floating spirits against a sweeping and spectral drive through the history of left field pop music. On the other, the very nature of the phrase In Heaven suggests a supremely blissful experience that satisfies on all terms and while Twin Sister's debut manages to hit certain sweet spots, the album can't exactly be considered heavenly. That being said, In Heaven is an impressive debut from a band that has been the subject of major hype since their debut EP Vampires with Dreaming Kids was released all the way back in 2008. The band substantially added to their buzz bubble with the release of their Color Your Life - EP (2010) last year, as they worked closer to nailing down a sound that defines Twin Sister as an entity with bouncy pop numbers that drew from understated shoegaze and post-punk. On In Heaven, however, Twin Sister hasn't seemed to have retained much of what made Color Your Life - EP successful, sounding funky at certain times, smoothly and sensually wistful at others, and coolly aloof throughout almost all of the proceedings.

In Heaven draws from a veritable barrage of influences including the likes of The Talking Heads, Stereolab, Portishead, Cocteau Twins, Heavenly, 10cc, and The Sugarcubes against an intentionally thin wash of instrumental styles and identities. Though Twin Sister takes from all over the board in terms of sound, they manage to unite everything together quite nicely under a single flag, with a production style that sits between lo-fi and shimmering and the sultry coo of lead singer Andrea Estella, who's twisting and turning voice is a major force behind what makes Twin Sister firmly who they are as a band. Estella's force as a frontwoman cannot exactly be placed but there is something clearly polarizing in the shaping of each of her syllables that can range from sounding like warm liquid to curt retorts. The singer's surreal lyrics surprise as well bringing on a heady ambiguity that acts as the clear finishing touch to the rest of the band's exploration through the odder reaches of the pop universe.

Beat Connection: The Year of Hibernation – Youth Lagoon [Album Review]

In the last few years, as music has become more of an endeavor for anyone with computer access, more and more great records have come from the bedroom. Classic records from artists like The Microphones, WHY?, The Antlers, Bon Iver, Neutral Milk Hotel, Daniel Johnston, and The Mountain Goats have all come as products of general solitude, locked within the confines of those most personal of living spaces. However, with bands like Arcade Fire and Bright Eyes popularizing indie rock and making it all the more anthemic in the recent months, independent music has been opening itself to the aspect of community more frequently. Standing at the crossroads between the reclusive bedroom artist and the pounding stadium rocker is Boise, Idaho's Trevor Powers and his project Youth Lagoon. Powers does what most DIY songwriters had only once dreamed of: makes music that sounds absolutely huge and life affirming all by himself with the use of piano, keyboards, drum machine, minimal guitar and bass, and his frail and fractured tenor that delivers an extreme sense of earnestness despite often being awash in reverb. Youth Lagoon as a project and now as a band has risen to impressive heights with debut record The Year of Hibernation (2011), putting forth a record that feels intensely personal and intimate the way the best bedroom albums should but largely relatable in the way that foot stomping anthems sound. What comes as a result is an emotionally arresting and sonically pleasing work that looks forward to the future of homemade recordings and to the future of how we as listeners will relate to music being made in all corners of the globe.

Despite being the work of only Powers at its time of recording, Youth Lagoon sounds like a product of a much larger group of people, with fully fleshed out musical ideas and song structures. The fact that The Year of Hibernation comes as the work of only one person makes for an even more intriguing ideology behind the record. Where records that sound like grand statements from the likes of artists like Sufjan Stevens and the aforementioned Arcade Fire usually take massive amounts of people and musical collaborations, Youth Lagoon's debut manages to include thick arrangements and expressive impact all contained within the mind of one person with little more than a keyboard and a laptop. The repercussions behind this are potentially massive as Powers as Youth Lagoon has literally confirmed the old adage that a kid with big dreams and limited resources can create something that can move and influence an audience, as has been demonstrated on record and at Youth Lagoon's intimate live shows.

Beat Connection: Neon Indian at The Mohawk & Blazer Tag [9.24.11]

Denton by way of Brooklyn's Neon Indian are known to most fans as one of the innovators of the now infamous genre known as chillwave, a spaced out and trippy form of electronica that at its stasis emphasized relaxing on a bean bag chair and perhaps watching the entirety of the Back to the Future trilogy. However, when Neon Indian took the stage for their headlining set at The Mohawk on Friday, September 23, "chilling" was more than likely the last thing on anyone's mind. It was time to party; the band knew it, the audience knew it, and everyone was going to do everything they could to make Neon Indian's set the biggest and best bash in town. Openers Com Truise set the scene with their style of 80s inspired instrumental electronic rock, playing a surprisingly intense set that could recall vintage arcade game soundtracks being played by a punk band. Com Truise nicely whet the sold out crowd's appetite for the night's main attraction, the winking yet earnest dance rock of Neon Indian that got bodies moving and pulses racing all throughout the venue.

Between the release of Neon Indian's debut album, 2009's Psychic Chasms, and their excellent sophomore release Era Extraña (2011), bandleader Alan Palomo sounds to have done a lot of growing up. Where Palomo acted as an innovator combining sun soaked beach pop with charmingly casual techno and electronica on Psychic Chasms, he now acts as a meticulous refiner of sound and style on Era Extraña, putting more force behind the psychedelic electronics, working with traditional dance pop structure more effectively, and writing and recording music with a greater confidence than heard on his band's debut album. For Era Extraña, Palomo retreated to the tundra of Helsinki, Finland to record the album completely on his own and as a result, an increased sense of tension can be heard throughout the album, toughening up Neon Indian's sound and leading farther away from chillwave and closer to an aggressive style of dance music that incorporates elements of hardcore techno, glam rock, and shoegaze. The more active direction seen on the album can be seen in the band's live show as well with Palomo acting as a more confident frontman than he ever has in the past, showing off emotive dance moves, singing, and playing keyboards with a newfound sense of urgency.

Beat Connection: The Whole Love - Wilco [Album Review]

It can be seen in recent musical trends that in order for artists to maintain relevancy over a lengthy shelf life, those artists must be willing to evolve musically and always keep their listeners on their toes. Since the mid 90s, there have been few bands that have restructured in outlook and style as much as Chicago rockers Wilco have. Along with contemporaries like Radiohead and Yo La Tengo, Wilco have hardly ever been satisfied with staying in one place, from the band's straightforward country rocking debut A.M. (1995) to the minimalist junkyard noise and industrial clang of their beloved swan song Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002). Until recent years, Wilco seemed to be constantly moving forward, each release garnering artistic acclaim that was at least on par if not greater than that of the previous album, but the band's previous two records, Sky Blue Sky (2007) and Wilco (The Album) (2009), focused more on the country pop balladry that characterized their early work, feeling like steps back rather than the fresh takes on rock music fans had come to consistently expect from the band. Now, keeping up with a consistent release schedule even after over fifteen years together as a band, Wilco have returned with The Whole Love (2011) a record that feels like the group returning to motion and musical innovation bringing together a lifetime of influences and ideas ranging from folk music to noise pop to dance punk. While The Whole Love tends to fall short in terms of emotional weight and sincerity, it remains to be Wilco's most adventurous album in nearly a decade.

To record their new album, Wilco took an action they hadn't engaged in in a long time by taking an extended break from touring. The band retreated to The Loft, their Chicago based studio and rehearsal space, to swap new ideas and recharge their batteries and the added time spent to really flesh out song structures makes The Whole Love feel like a fully realized communication of the band's messages. In addition to slowing the pace of life down, Wilco also set up their own record label, dBpm Records, to release their new album and all future Wilco releases, perhaps giving the band even more artistic freedom than the generous amount they had with their former label Nonesuch Records. Working in this capacity, the new album sounds like the most unified recording Wilco has put out since 2004 under their current line up of singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy, bassist John Stirrat, guitarist Nels Cline, keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen, multi instrumentalist Pat Sansone, and percussionist extraordinaire Glenn Kotche. It was reported by Tweedy that The Whole Love is the record that the current band has worked on collaboratively the most as Sky Blue Sky often felt like Tweedy completely alone and Wilco (The Album) a complacent run through of American pop rock. As a result, each band member's influence shines through in different capacities as in Cline's experimental jazz guitar heroics and Kotche's willingness to branch out from the confines of the traditional drum set.

Beat Connection: Era Extraña - Neon Indian [Album Review]

Editor’s Note: Check out Neon Indian live this Friday at The Mohawk and then later that evening, catch his DJ set at the special after-party at Blazer Tag (Tickets).

When chillwave first came to prominence in the deadbeat summer of 2009, the now infamous sub-genre stood in for a physical manifestation of eternal youth and a sense of naivety with no regards to adult responsibilities. The point of listening to chillwave was to let the sun bleached synths and bloopy drum beats wash over you and effectively, chill; not to let any other worries creep into your consciousness. At this, the earliest point of its development, chillwave was in its infant stages as were the artists who worked within its confines including bands like Washed Out, Toro y Moi, Memory Tapes, and arguably the unwitting originators of chillwave, Neon Indian. Neon Indian started off as the bedroom project of Denton, TX's Alan Palomo but when Palomo's first few singles took off mining sounds that recalled both 1980s arcade machines and the blissed out vibes of a day at the beach. Neon Indian's debut Psychic Chasms (2009) garnered a hugely positive fan response as chillwave became the de facto sound of the year but now in 2011, Alan Palomo and Neon Indian have done some growing up as have Neon Indian's contemporaries and their fans have. In congruence with fellow former chillwavers Washed Out and Toro y Moi, Neon Indian has expanded to a full band set up and has greatly diversified their sound palette on their second full length release Era Extraña (2011), turning out an album of tough, moody, often experimental dance music that sounds like something that can hardly be tagged with a broad categorization like chillwave. Neon Indian moves on from a musical childhood with Era Extraña crafting an album with greater artistic and musical depth.

Beat Connection: Father, Son, Holy Ghost - Girls [Album Review]

San Francisco in the 1960s. At the time, there was really no place like it in the world. The psychedelic scene was exploding and all of the world's most forward thinking artists and musicians wanted to hone their craft in the space where Haight met Ashbury. Some of the most influential psychedelic pop bands of the 20th century emerged from the town including Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, and The Mamas and the Papas, bands that can still spark inspiration today. It makes sense then that psych pop revivalists Girls should call San Francisco their home as their debut recording Album (2009) was filled with all the acid-fried and sunshiny good feelings the summer of love in California spurned. When Girls first emerged on the scene, the duo's novelty seemed to often overshadow their music. While melancholic pop numbers like their summer hit "Lust for Life" drew in listeners, it could be easily noticed that singer/songwriter Christopher Owens' too-strange-to-be-made-up backstory was a major part of the band's appeal. As a whole, Album was a carefree slice of sunny psychedelia that smartly obscured deeper emotions of loss and broken hearts. Now on the band's sophomore release Father, Son, Holy Ghost (2011), it will be hard to deny the emotional gravity that Girls have been hiding beneath that 60s California exterior all this time. Father, Son, Holy Ghost is a difficult album and offers no songs that can be immediately latched on to, but finds Girls exploring the farthest reaches of psychedelic pop music, churning out fractured tales of love, pain, life, and the difficulty associated with feeling like an outsider as the rest of the world goes on around you.

Beat Connection: Relax - Das Racist [Album Review]

Every generation has its whip smart social commentator. Our parents had George Carlin, our grandparents had Johnny Carson, and we now live in the era where voices like John Stewart and Stephen Colbert are taking the lead in making the world a little saner through humor. But there is another voice lurking just beneath the surface, ready to unleash its timely and uncompromising wit upon the world, and that is the voice of Das Racist, or rather, voices. The Brooklyn hip-hop trio has established themselves as figureheads in a post-ironic world, in which the joke is not only on us but on the jokesters as well. They've spoken to the hipsters and indie rockers by name dropping independent music's biggest players, releasing the mixtapes Shut Up, Dude (2010) and Sit Down, Man (2010) for free online, routinely playing independent music festivals, and making the act of proclaiming you are at the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell the hippest piece of so stupid-it's-smart humor one can deploy.What has made the trio of MCs Heems and Kool A.D. and hype man Dap so successful however is their consistently clever rhymes and sense of social consciousness. In the past, Das Racist has always been able to be directly on point with what is going to hit their listeners with the most impact, dropping timeless witticisms like "I'm on the block like street meat/ Call me Dwight Shrute from the way that I eat beats" but on the group's official debut LP Relax (2011), Das Racist's quips and raps have a tendency to often fall short, never creating any lines that are directly memorable and delivering an album that is streaky and nowhere near as strong as Das Racist's audience has hoped for.

Beat Connection: Lenses Alien - Cymbals Eat Guitars [Album Review]

Eleven years after the, what some would say anticlimactic turn of the century, it appears the 90s are still alive and well in music today. With the recent revival in popularity of classic groups from indie's first era, more and more kids from that time frame are growing up, starting bands, and convincing their parents to let them tour the country in a rented van, taking the sounds from their favorite Pavement, Built to Spill, and Dinosaur Jr. records with them. Young bands like Yuck and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have all cited the gods of classic college rock as influences on their sound as have Staten Island quartet Cymbals Eat Guitars. On Cymbals Eat Guitars' self-released debut album Why There Are Mountains (2009) the quotes from indie's first wave were perhaps a little too close for comfort as playing "spot-the-influence" with groups like Modest Mouse, Sonic Youth, and Cap'n Jazz on the record was painfully easy. As a result, Why There Are Mountains was regarded as merely a "fun" record that lacked a dominant voice from a young band, despite the intense proficiency with which the music was performed and composed. Now Cymbals Eat Guitars have returned with their sophomore release Lenses Alien (2011) after picking up a label deal and a producer in the form of John Agnello. What comes from the band this time around is a record that is difficult and demanding but sees the fruition of a band stepping farther away from the shadow of their influences and finding a style that represents them as people and as musicians.

Beat Connection: Looping State of Mind - The Field [Album Review]

It's a late Saturday night. You've spent your evening under the spell of propulsive techno and electronica in some of the hippest dance clubs in town. You're in the cab riding back to your studio apartment. It's the point in the night where you're still feeling the rush of thumping beats and high flying synths but you're just about ready to crash for the night and can't wait for Sunday brunch the next morning. There are few types of music that can soundtrack this feeling, this contrast between emotional head rush and the slow exit of all of your body's physical energy. Working since 2007 under the moniker The Field, German producer Axel Willner has made it his mission to provide the perfect middle ground between forward thinking techno and ambient music. On his third full length release as The Field, Looping State of Mind (2011) Willner takes the basics of electronica and dance music, building songs from loops and beats, but layers and orchestrates them into a lush and diverse record that moves far beyond the sometimes simply crafted ideology of dance music. Working aspects of dream-pop, krautrock, shoegaze, new wave, post-punk, and ambient into the songs on Looping State of Mind, Willner has recorded The Field's most singular and expansive album to date.

Beat Connection: Handsome Furs at The Mohawk [8.26.11]

Editor’s Note: This week, I am excited to present the first installment of Beat Connection, a new blog by Chris Nordahl. In this column, Chris will be reviewing top-notch concerts and laudable records, and more. He kicks things off with a review of the recent Handsome Furs show at The Mohawk last month.

The bass is pounding in your ears, the synthesizers are flying to unnatural heights, and the people onstage are flailing their limbs and contorting their bodies in ways that simply cannot be natural for the average human being. Is this some sort of insane asylum for the dance music inclined? Some kind of bizarre, synth rock ritual? No, it was in fact Handsome Furs' blistering set at The Mohawk on Friday, August 26. The duo of Montreal based husband and wife couple Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry brought their anthemic dance punk rave ups to The Mohawk with a seemingly limitless amount of energy, passion, and vigor, delivering a set that was enthralling, life affirming, and could likely be heard for several miles down the street. On tour promoting their excellent latest album Sound Kapital (2011), Handsome Furs remarked a few times how excited they were to be in Austin in a setting that wasn't SXSW and Perry often expressed the notion that Austin was becoming her new favorite American city, a sentiment that easily won the audience over and increased the crowd's receptiveness as the night went on.

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