The very first time we headed to Club 1808 was on the official Day 1 of SXSW (our Day 2). We’d done our exploration during the day and decided to unwind at the free Moshi Moshi Records party, where the line-up was pretty solid. The Champs were doing their funny dance when we got there. We caught Slow Club, Dark Meat, Casio Kids, Suckers and The Mae Shi in a span of few hours, and that was  just our night. The Mae Shi seems like an awfully hard-working band, and they get super pumped on stage. They closed their set with the anthemic “Run to Your Grave”, for which they had their friends Slow Club and Kid Static on stage, dancing their hearts out. It was ridiculous fun! Here is the video.

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Farzad Houshiarnejad of Drink Up Buttercup was found taking a nap.

At this strange place:

But he woke up to set the stage with the rest of the band.

He got on his knees and got right into it. This was one of my favorite shows I’ve seen in Austin so far.

These guys are known to get crazy on stage, but they do so without trying. An “instrument” like a trash can easily come across as a gimmick, or a prop, but when Drink Up plays it, the sound of smashing tin makes complete aural sense. That’s probably because unlike a lot of bands who’re great at putting on a memorable show but don’t have songs you’d want to listen to at home, the inherent design of Drink Up’s songs define all the signature qualities of their live shows. Nothing feels out of place or like an afterthought.

Ben Money has one of my favorite stage presences ever.

I love Mike Cammarata.

And James Harvey’s opera-influenced voice.

Then I headed out to the DCist party to see These United States at Friends Bar. Middle Distance Runner was playing when I got in.

After their set we stepped out to catch Joe Pug down the street at Paradise. There was music everywhere.

Joe Pug is from Chicago and he’s fantastic.

Back at Friends Bar, US Royalty was playing.

Then came These United States!

Middle Distance Runner watched intently.

We were back on the streets.

Musicians everywhere.

We headed to Ms. Bea’s for another of Todd P’s patio parties.

This time around, it was a New York Noise get-together. Box Elders were playing.

Pains of Being Pure at Heart was already there, in anticipation of their 9:00 PM set, but mostly to relax, I’m sure, since Ms. Bea’s seems perfect for a little break from all of the downtown madness.

I was there to see The Beets, from Jackson Heights, Queens, but it was impossible to judge. The sound at the venue was too washed out and muddy.

Someone hated haters:

Still Flyin’ played next.

Their guitar was broken in the course of their flight, so they played a borrowed one. They had a fun presence, and a lot of people were digging their music, but it’s not my thing.

Some people drew on the ground with chalk.

Let’s Wrestle played next.

Then we headed to Club 1808 to catch Suckers. Our cab driver told us that we were getting off at “crack central” and that he couldn’t believe we were being asked to come to this place. I don’t know where he was getting his information from. Club 1808 had a pleasant backyard with a nice stage, and the only person mean was a clean-looking white boy in a baseball cap who exited the premise yelling, “If you ain’t from Austin, you’re shit!” He was furious.

The Chap was playing. They’re British. They were really into poses that were synced with the lyrics and the music. Like this one:

And this one:

Or this, which they froze in at the end of their set for a full minute I think. Their songs were silly but their performance was really tight.

The schedule was kind of all over the place. Dark Meat wasn’t even supposed to play, but they did.

Their band members were sprawled all over the lawn and the stage.

Slow Club came on next.

They started with acoustic songs and tried out electric ones.

They ended with an unamplified song amongst the audience.

Casio Kids from Norway played next. Even though their music isn’t my type, their sound was crisp and every detail was a fine cut. They were dorky in that Norwegian dance band way, but they were fun.

The Mae-Shi were supposed to be the headliners but they played before other bands. To put on an unforgetable and engaging show is their practiced art, even though they’re a little show-off-y for my liking, and sometimes some things can feel like tricks being pulled out of a bag. But if you’re looking for an amazing concert experience, you should see the Mae-Shi.

Rebecca of Slow Club, who performed her version of The Mae-Shi’s “Run To Your Grave” later on, watched on.

There were more guest performances.

The band I went to see was Suckers, even though I’d promised myself to not run after bands I already like, let alone bands I already like that are from Brooklyn. I’m glad I went to see them though, they provided much-needed nourishment for the overworked musical sensibilities. They also played a song they’d just written on their 3-day-old tour, which happens to be their first tour ever.

Quinn Walker’s voice isn’t quite fully back yet, but he was fearlessly pushing it, and it sounds awesome even in its injured form.

After this I headed back to Paradise to catch The Tallest Man on Earth, who was set to go on at 1AM, but he never showed. I found out the next day that the schedule was all backed up, and he would’ve had to go on at 3AM if he were to catch up, so he cancelled his performance. Instead of his goodness, I was stuck with this band from LA. They played pretty good and they seem well-intentioned, but most LA bands live in a world I can’t relate to, so I was extremely bored.

20 “Run to Your Grave” by The Mae-Shi

A song to play really loud and jump to, whenever one feels the need to be an ecstatic, aimless punk, which one should feel often, I guess. Taken from Hlllyh.

19. “Oceanic” by Imaad Wasif

When Imaad Wasif played with his band at Cake Shop, the loud treatment of his songs made his delicate voice gasp for air under the weight of all that noise. Then there was a rare moment when everything was quiet and he slowly pulled his voice away from the microphone, and those few seconds had the ache of a dagger through the heart. “Oceanic” is a song where you can hear some of that; a voice that must hurl itself towards everything that will ruin it so that it can resurface all alive and resilient.

18. “Klara” by Ólöf Arnalds

The only non-English song in the list, and this one’s in Icelandic. It reminds me of clothes hung to dry, blowing through the wind, and clouds chasing in over a blue hill. Blue! Whispers of accordion from somewhere not too far.

17. “I Can’t Tell in His Eyes” by Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Mariam Wallentin prefers a highly stylized approach to singing, one that makes her sound primal and aggressive. Sometimes it sounds overworked, but most times it just sounds pretty damn impressive. This song, however, is an unusual slip where she just sings, without a cloak or a mask of any sort. Filled with scenic evocations of the everyday, it’s pretty colorful for a break-up song. Then there’s this killer: “She is the country / That deeply betrayed him / So now he’s moving to Spain / Now he’s packing his things / All of his belongings / And I can’t tell in his eyes / If he’s gonna cry or if he’s gonna fight”. Taken from Heartcore.

16. “Fools” by The Dodos

Rhythm drives The Dodos. The boyish melodies serve to hold the the drums from running too far; the words are a vessel for rhymes; and the consonants are the necessary evil to vowels. “Fools” is a good mix of these things.

15. “Bleed Blood” by City Center

What it feels like to swim under water and let yourself go. City Center’s Fred is a river that runs through Brooklyn.

14. “Dance Dance Dance” by Lykke Li

A song of sweetness, and hips; it reminds me of Vanessa Paradis. Taken from Youth Novel.

13. “The Waves” by Princeton

“The Waves” is an elaborate work of production by Princeton. It’s somewhat silly, with all its tropical inclinations; somewhat dorky, with all its literary references; but all the while endearing; and there’re quite a few places to visit here in 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Taken from their four-song EP, Bloomsbury.

12. “The Nights Pt. 1” by The Builders and the Butchers

I was lucky I got to this band at a tiny dive bar in Connecticut filled with crazed fans who knew all of the songs. Two drummers packed into the corner and faces red and wet with sweat. This is the first song off their self-titled album, a world where you must grow beards, wear big black hats, carry shovels everywhere you go, and sing loudly over beer all the freaking time. Even if you’re a woman. Plus, what an awesome band name, and so filled with character.

11. “Rapture (Sweet Rapture)” by AA Bondy

Here’s how it begins: “I don’t wanna talk about Jesus / I just wanna see his face / The trees are swinging like hanging men /And I just wanna see his face”. Then it gets better; it’s as if the shadows give over to the sun, still water begins to run, and the day breaks as the chorus hits in a swooping lift: “Rapture, sweet rapture / Won’t you lay your hands on me”. But wait, it gets better still: “Mary take that silver dagger / Put it through my throat”. Sung in that amazing voice of AA Bondy’s and taken from that amazing album, American Hearts.

10. “One Cotton Shot Short” by Matt Jones

These verses smell like waffles and they melt in your mouth. It’s taken from The Black Path, which I don’t think is out yet. I stole it from Jesse Elliott’s Mixmas.

9. “More Than Right” by Callers

I’ve been hanging on to this song ever since I heard it back in the summer, though I know little about this Brooklyn band… what a great voice, what a drunkenly staggering pace, and what a night these lovers must have whisked through. They’re playing at Union Pool tonight, the 19th.

8. “The Butcher” by Final Fantasy

Owen Pallett writes a song that sounds like rainbows and butterflies, waterfalls and waves, despite a title that suggests otherwise. Taken from Spectrum, 14th Century, one of the two EPs he released this year.

7. “Trouble No More” by Dark Dark Dark

“I’ll take these rosy cheeks of mine / And be headed south”

6. “Mister Jung Stuffed” by Man Man

A song that captures everything Man Man. Incredible musicians, enthusiastic and consistent theatrics; goofballs, hooligans, drunkards. It opens this year’s Rabbit Habits.

5. “Horn Song” by Suckers

This tune here? A soundtrack for your trip to the gate where angels drink wine, play cards and call each other whores; and you’ll be the most beautiful person when you get there.

4. “Original Bones” by Cotton Jones

“The last time I tried to be so original / I broke all my original bones”

3. “Drops in the River” by Fleet Foxes

“White Winter Hymnal” was the first song I heard and loved from these here Fleet Foxes (like everyone else), but “Drops in the River” was the one I really clung to; it’s got all the goodness of White Winter, but it travels further. I think of them as the same person at different ages, I don’t know which one’s older. This one’s the younger, probably.

There was an unbelievable overabundance of overrated crap this year (Cut Copy – what?), as was there a lot of great music that not everyone discovered and loved as deserved. Then they’re all these year-end lists that are themselves the most overrated act of every freaking year. But, I love Fleet Foxes, and the amount of love and hate that’s been directed towards them, or perhaps the obscene extent of fame they seem to have found (but fame is a ridiculously nonsensical by nature), has ultimately nothing at all to do with my own enjoyment of their songs. They use the language of music with care, compassion and devotion, they seem to understand it really well, and this language, which unleashes its power over your heart than it does your brain, is a funny thing. Right? While it’s great to be articulate about how you feel about music (despite everything, the writers at Pitchfork are really good), it’s terrible to be unable to enjoy music with your heart. I don’t understand why it matters so much that the guy from Fleet Foxes sounds a little like the guy from My Morning Jacket… I really believe in Robin Pecknold. I think he’s good for us. Us humans.

2. “The Gardener” by The Tallest Man on Earth

Heart breaker of a song, everything about it will stab you.

1. “A Day to Float the Bahnar Boat” by These United States

When I first heard this song, my blood level dropped to an all-time low. About 30 seconds in I was having an existential awakening, thinking, “What am I going to do with my life?“, and after I’d recovered, “What were they thinking?” When I made other people listen to it they didn’t quite freak out like I had, which kind of reaffirms my belief that taste is all physics. Everything to do with heart rate and blood levels and how the molecules of the songs fit into the molecules of you. For me, this is one of the most perfect songs ever: in its few words and the compassionate melodies that accompany them, it contains not one but several, unending life cycles, and there’s nothing quite as thrilling as a life. Nothing quite so filled with an exploding spectrum of emotions like hope, triumph, loss, disappointment, sadness, happiness, and so on, all of which I felt when I listened to it the first time.

It was recorded as a free track for Peppermill’s 52 weeks project, for the Spring set in particular. From what I understand, Jesse Elliott took parts from this article in the Washington Post–which was published in the week the band had been assigned by Peppermill–and rearranged them into lyrics. They’ve credited the article’s author Joshua Zumbrun for the lyrics, but that is a lie, essentially. The words and phrases may have been lifted, but the effect they have in the song owes entirely to what parts were picked, and how they were edited and rearranged. Then there’s Tom Hnatow with his haunting glockenspiel and piano…
]]> http://hoovesontheturf.com/200812/best-songs-2008/feed 7 http://hoovesontheturf.com/200807/listen-to-tonights-bands-4 http://hoovesontheturf.com/200807/listen-to-tonights-bands-4#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:45:36 +0000 sarahana http://hoovesontheturf.com/?p=1265 ]]> The entire stream is here; use the grey arrows to switch between songs:

If you don’t have your entry into Karen O’s Native Korean Rock & The Fishnets shows at Union Pool, or if you simply won’t swallow the foofaraw, other interesting options seem to be The Death Set, The Mae Shi, Ponytail, Joan of Arc and Totally Michael Muggabears at Market Hotel or Megafaun, Kitchen Cabinet and Data Dog at Silent Barn, unless you haven’t tired of twenty-dollar-plus tickets or Jarvis Cocker, in which case he’s playing at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Should you head to Market Hotel, though, you’ll want to learn the lyrics to Totally Michael’s “Casual Satisfaction” Looks like Muggabears has replaced Totally Michael.

Numbers and Letters may have taken up residence in Brooklyn, but they’re Americana all around (“…[their] songs are sparse, lush and sad, with a tinge of hope that comes from growing up in a flat, quiet place”). They’re playing at Mercury Lounge with Linfinity, who offers their EP Songs of The Weeping Willow for free. And if drinking at Pete’s Candy Store, you’ll catch Will’s Electric Space Trumpet and Chris Masterson for free. 

Playlist
The Death Set: Negative Thinking
Kitchen Cabinet: Twenty Two
Data Dog: Colour Bomb
Joan of Arc: A Tell-Tale Penis
The Mae-Shi: Run To Your Grave
Ponytail: Celebrate The Body Electric
Muggabears: Little Sisters of Beijing
Totally Michael: Casual Satisfaction
Linfinity: Martian’s Bloom
Numbers and Letters: Dark Adam
Will’s Electric Space Trumpet: Ain’t That a B
Chris Masterson: Collapsible Plans

Cake Shop was a ball last night, and tonight The Mae-Shi and DD/MM/YYYY bring their own party while the sullen Imaad Wasif and his Two Part Beast band douse you with sweet refrains // The ever so active Indelicates are playing again, at Don’s Hill for $5 // Sensitive boys Chris Garneau and Icelandic Olafur Arnalds team up for a night of languid tunes at Joe’s Pub // Mercury Lounge is covering quite a range of volume with Love as Laughter, Cheeseburger, Coin Under Tongue, This Frontier Needs Heroes // Check out Forest Fire at Southpaw, playing with The Kiss Off and Susu // Girls (ex Ariel Pink) and Suckers are playing together again, with WW (secret guest) and Hearts of Darknesses (note the plural) at The Delancy // Deerhoof free show at Prospect Park with Metropolis Ensemble: The Rite: Remixed, thanks to Wordless Music Series //  Matmos and Leprechaun Catering play the fabulous (Le) Poisson Rouge. Mewithoutyou, Maps and Atlases play an early show at Maxwell’s. For everything else, check out Oh My Rockness.

Playlist
Forest Fire: Fortune Teller
DD/MM/YY: Super VGF
The Mae-Shi: Run To Your Grave
Love as Laughter: Beautiful Crossed Eyed Young Gunz
The Kiss Off: Mother Murder
Susu: Part Bloodhound
Maps and Atlases: Every Place
Chris Garneau: Blackout
This Frontier Needs Heroes: Marxists and Marigolds
Cheeseburger: Money for the Heart
Coin Under Tongue: Coin Under Tongue
Deerhoof: Giga Dance
Heart of Darknesses: Crazy Legs Man