Thursday, February 2, 2012
Note For Note: Wes Montgomery, 700 West
Posted by Jon R. LaFollette on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 4:30 PM
This installment of Note For Note features mysterious recordings from a Naptown jazz legend, and a "Best Of" from a long-defunct New Palestine studio which shed light on the history of Hoosier music.
Wes Montgomery - Echoes of Indiana Avenue
★★★★
Salvaged from a collection of tapes obtained by a collector and restored by a team of veteran jazz producers / historians, little is known about the music which makes up Echoes of Indiana Avenue. Presumptuously recorded over a period of three sessions, including two live stints, around the time of Montgomery's signing to Pacific West Records in 1958, the music shows a budding virtuoso well on his way to the success he would later find over the next decade. Montgomery's guitar work is sublimely nimble and calmly zigzags its way through the arrangements, and at times seems to dissolve behind the other equally notable musicians - which include his brothers Monk and Buddy, who contribute bass and piano respectively on "Straight No Chaser". Yet the unsung hero is pianist Earl Van Riper who sets, and at times carries, the mood in the album's second half where all of the live recordings are found. His work on "Take the 'A' Train" is every bit as quick and fluid as Montgomery's, and his spacious use of chords on "Misty" gives the other instruments room to wiggle. But Montgomery resumes control on the improvisational finale "After Hours Blues," where he unleashes a barrage of staccato notes so confident yet understated it sounds like hollow gunfire. Talk about killing them softly.
Various Artists - The Best of 700 West, Vol. 1
★★★★
The 700 West Studio, an unassuming house in New Palestine, recorded a plethora of demos for a host of bands from a diverse collection of genres during a ten year span before closing their doors in 1983. This 2004 disc, a collection of songs amassed by the studio, sounds every bit the hodgepodge you'd expect. R&B-now-called-funk, rock-now-called-classic, folk-now-called-Americana and experimental-now-called-prog are tossed in with a ballad, a hymn, a swingin' jazz number, a radio ad, an avant-garde instrumental, a protest song, and a Christmas jingle. Not everything sticks on this 80-minute long record, as time has not been good to genre pieces like "The Invincible," a Kanasas-esque song from a concept album by The Buccaneers. But, with 23 tracks, there are plenty of nuggets to be mined from this sprawling compilation. Iron Horse's "A Hard, Hard Year," a quaintly sad country tune, becomes the instant favorite for its simple use of melody and brilliantly understated percussion that keeps the tempo up, even when the lyrics keep the mood down. Melancholy not your thing? "It Will Pass," an I-believe-in-Jesus tune from J.D. Redmon, is an earnest, if cheesy, moment that's so sincere it can warm the soul of even the most ardent atheist. It certainly won over this non-believer.
Jon R. LaFollette is also the founding editor of pop culture blog PopTometry.
Super Indy: Fitz and The Tantrums
Posted by Scott Hall on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 2:20 PM
With a niche style and barely an album’s worth of indie recordings, Fitz and The Tantrums have made an impressive splash in their three years of existence.
The L.A.-based retro soul sextet has broken into radio, played the late night shows, toured with Maroon 5 (judge that as you will) and provided songs for primetime TV.
Now, booked to perform Feb. 3 in Georgia Street’s Super Bowl Village, the band faces a high-pressure moment. After 15 months of touring the U.S. and Europe, they’ve blocked out the next three months to record their sophomore album for fall release.
“It’s going to be interesting to see where we take it,” says Noelle Scaggs, co-vocalist and onstage foil for frontman/bandleader Michael Fitzpatrick.
“We’re going to have to write 40 songs before we can even get 10 for the album. You don’t want to fall into that pocket of being the band that could only do one album, so we definitely want to keep the same focus that we had on writing great songs that can stand on their own.”
The Tantrums began as a solo project for Fitzpatrick, a singer-songwriter who engineered with producer Mickey Petralia (Beck, Flight of the Conchords) and whose chance acquisition of a vintage organ inspired a batch of ’60s-style original tunes. With help from saxophonist James King, whose baritone blast still anchors the band’s wall of sound, he assembled a five-song 2009 release, Songs for a Breakup Volume 1.
When the EP sparked a buzz, Fitzpatrick enlisted some session veterans to play live shows and work on a full-length album, 2010’s Pickin’ Up the Pieces. The lineup grew to include keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna, drummer John Wicks and bassist Joseph Karnes, whose funky bounce recalls Motown studio legend James Jamerson.
And then there’s Scaggs, a singer and writer who spent the previous decade fronting a prog-R&B band, The Rebirth. Joining a new project with an already established sound presented a challenge for her.
“I was trying to figure out where I could fit, because I’m not a backup singer,” she says. “It’s just trying to find the balance between myself and him without interfering with what’s going on.”
Most of the band’s output has been recorded at Fitzpatrick’s home, using analog equipment and old school techniques to capture a classic ambience rooted in ‘60s pop, but filtered through the lush Philly soul of the ‘70s and perhaps even the New Romantic scene of ‘80s Britain. Fitz knows the tricks, Scaggs says, such as having her stand across the room from the mike and record multiple layers of vocals to create a huge sound.
“He has this magical way of making it turn out the way we had it in our heads,” she says.
Scaggs’ biggest impact so far has been on stage, where she dances, plays tambourine, counterbalances Fitzpatrick’s early-MTV persona, and generally enhances the group’s visual as well as sonic appeal.
“As we progressed as a band, that really became part of the show, that male and female dynamic,” she says. “It just took on this kind of Ike-and-Tina vibe.”
Also a fan of Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell tunes, Scaggs co-wrote the only duet on the first album, title track “Pickin’ Up the Pieces.” For the second album, she expects all the bandmates to add more of their own flavors.
“We have a lot of different influences that end up unconsciously getting melted into the pot,” she says. “I think with this record we’re really going to expand upon that.”
Rock / Roots Big Head Todd plays Super Bowl Village
Posted by Rob Nichols on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 2:00 PM
As Big Head Todd and the Monsters were getting ready to start a four day East Coast run of shows last week, I talked via phone to Todd Park Mohr as he was hanging out before a show in Connecticut. He and the band (all the original members, and together since 1986) come to Indianapolis on February 1, playing the Verizon Stage in the Super Bowl Village. We talked with the Colorado native - now living in Chicago - about his recent Robert Johnson “songbook” album, what teams he follows in the NFL, and what he means when he says “a song belongs to everybody.”
Todd Park Mohr: Obviously it’s all Robert Johnson material and are songs from a really special time period. That is a fascinating and wonderful part for me. I loved the group nature of recording it, with a lot of musicians involved. They were very spontaneous and fast sessions; it took just three days and was fun to do something that was very uninhibited and about making the moment right. We were in Memphis, which as fabulous place to be, especially for blues music.
(Editor's note: Todd will be a part of a concert to honor blues guitar legend Hubert Sumlin, which will be held February 24 at the Apollo Theatre in New York City, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Levon Helm and dozens more are on the bill, honoring the life of the influential guitarist from Howlin’ Wolf’s band. Sumlin died in December, 2011, and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards paid for Sumlin’s funeral.)
NUVO: What are you listening to these days?
Mohr: I listen to a lot of blues before 1945, like Charlie Patton, Son House, and Mississippi Fred McDowell. I am kind of obsessed with that era right now. I listen on my iPod; I like my shuffle. I also like having access to lots of individual songs, and to be able to listen to stuff immediately.
NUVO: Any new music in the pipeline?
Mohr: I have been performing some new material both solo and with the band; we are going to be in the studio in the fall for a release for early next year.
NUVO: You must have some things you like about Indiana, since you come back here all the time.
Mohr: We have some friends in Indiana who like to drink a lot of tequila. (laughs) It’s a party town. We have been coming there [for] 20 years now. It’s always a lot of fun for us.
NUVO: In the next two months, you are on the road a lot. Is that what you do, or is that busier than normal?
Mohr: We do tours in moderate doses these days, but still play 80 or 90 shows a year. Most of those are on weekends, so I am at home a lot during the week. [I] have a pretty decent family, so I can’t complain. The upcoming three months are going to be a little bit busy.
NUVO: Tell me about the quote I read from you, describing a song as something that “belongs to everybody.”
Mohr: Nobody really owns songs. When an artist does a song, you add a verse here or there, but you are rendering the tradition and hopefully adding something of your own in there, which is totally different idea from the pop hit song mentality — I guess it is more of a communal idea. The music and the language is a traditional thing rather than something that you pretend is original. Just a different way of looking at it.
NUVO: Do you have a favorite NFL team?
Mohr: I am a fair-weather Broncos and Bears fan. For the last six years, I have been living in Chicago, so the Bears have become the only team I can watch on TV, so I thought I better root for them.
Rock / Roots Super Indy: Otis Gibbs brings folk home
Posted by Rob Nichols on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 8:50 AM
Indiana native Otis Gibbs is a folk singer who rocks. His Steve Earle-like rabble rousing serves him well. He’s successful in Europe. Friends from here know him as the guy who plays acoustic guitar, gets on stage by himself and sings. He's the oddly mysterious Hoosier songwriter with the long beard. He’s looking for the truth.
Gibbs will hoist his guitar over his shoulder and get climb the Pepsi Stage in the Super Bowl Village and play his Hoosier folk on Thursday, February 2. In the process, he will spend about an hour doing what he has done his whole career: Sing songs about people. About struggles. About seeking redemption. And about how it is rarely easy.
Otis, who has also revealed an ability to take soul-capturing photographs, currently resides in East Nashville, Tennessee with his long time girlfriend, Amy, their dog and two cats.
NUVO: Let’s start with this: You take a lot of photographs, and are pretty good at it. How did you discover that you had a knack for interesting pics?
Otis Gibbs: Thank you for the kind words. I kept it to myself for about ten years, but friends encouraged me to post some photos on my website. I ended up getting a very positive reaction from people who saw them. I could honestly care less what camera I use. Contrary to what advertising would like us to believe, it's one of the least important parts of the process. (See photos of his travels at otisgibbs.com)
NUVO: You live in East Nashville, right? Other musicians who you hang with that we would know? What’s the musical vibe there?
Gibbs: My inner Hoosier is stopping me from namedropping, but there are a lot of creative folks that I get to see and hang with on a daily basis. East Nashville feels a lot like Broad Ripple in the early 90s. There's a thriving rock scene and you can't walk down the street without stepping on ground where a notable event in music history took place. It's a fun place to be if you're a creative person.
NUVO: Any new music in your near future?
Gibbs: I have a new album that will be released on February 28th in the states and on May 7th in Europe. It will be streaming at otisgibbs.com will also be available for pre-order about the same time.
NUVO: What do you like about coming back to Indiana?
Gibbs: Indiana is still home to me. I toured in 11 countries and 22 states last year and I was introduced every night as the man "from Wanamaker, Indiana, Otis Gibbs." About once a week, I find myself craving Mug N Bun root beer or apple cider from Adrien Orchards.
Gibbs: I've been a football fan since I was a little kid. I have a lot of mixed feelings about Indy hosting the Super Bowl. It's great to see the city get some national attention, but I'm not a fan of tax money going to build stadiums for sports teams. I truly hope that when this is all said and done, it becomes a huge windfall for the people of Indianapolis.
NUVO: Anything else we need to know up here?
Gibbs: I was at the Melody Inn and Birdy’s a few weeks ago and ran into some old friends who had no idea what I've been up to. After telling them about my European tours and realized that I must be doing a terrible job of getting the word out. I've always hated listening to someone hype themselves, but I guess there's a time and place for everything.
Review: Los Campesinos! at The Bluebird
Posted by Grant Catton on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 8:45 AM
Jan. 26
The Bluebird
Wales-based Los Campesinos! became an indie darling almost immediately after they hit the scene with two full-length albums in 2008 and for good reason: this seven member band plays raw, wild, angsty but orchestrated music with traces of punk but with rivers of self deprecation, self doubt, and unfiltered emotion. And incidentally, they know how to put on an incredible live show, as they demonstrated last Thursday night at The Bluebird.
Los Campesinos! opened their set with “By Your Hand,” the first song on their 2011 album Hello Sadness. The song starts out with a simple, thin melody on the keyboard, before breaking into the kind of multi-layered, bass-and-drum-laden chaos that so completely captures everything that’s great about this band. And then the chaos stops and the keyboard takes over again, with percussion lines and vocals coming back in one at a time until the song breaks open again. Those kinds of pace changes have a way of forcing you to stay engaged, and give a five minute song with the feeling of multi-stage epic.
Lead singer Gareth Campesinos! is stocky and ginger-haired, looking a little bit like a young Richard Harris. It is a face you’d expect to see in some smoky Welsh pub, a pint of lager in one hand and a cigarette in the other. The kind of guy who probably, thirty seconds after meeting you in that bar, would be your best friend: buying you drinks, laughing and sobbing on your shoulder, and then—a few drinks later—threatening to kick your ass for god knows what accidental slight. His stage presence exudes the kind of confidence, ebullience, and unrestrained charm of a madman.
During the set Gareth joked periodically about a sound technician at the Bluebird who had apparently taken off and left them with a substitute sound person. “You’re basically watching Los Campesinos! in a band practice,” he said with a toothy grin. However, if he hadn’t called attention to said problems, no one in the club (myself included) would have noticed, except for one electronic “pop” that followed after the sound tech seemed to dart behind the stage for some reason only he knows about. The popping sound merely elicited another grin and a head wag from Gareth, who continued, chuckling his way right into the next lyric.
The vocals seem to match directly with the band’s overall fast-paced rythym, with Gareth delivering the syllables in staccato sometimes, almost like another percussion piece. This effect seemed especially pronounced on “A Heat Rash in the Shape of the Show Me State” (or “Letters From me to Charlotte”). This song also stood-out for a certain Cure-like, British post-punk sound. It's a fast, driving, wide-open sound that owes a lot to the bass player Ellen Campesinos!. Standing off to the side, cool and almost disengaged, as bass-players often seem, she provided what was one of—in my opinion—the biggest under-girding factors that made Los Campesinos! sound roar out from the stage from the opening note to the last.
It seems the rest of the band, red-haired keyboardist Kim Campesinos! especially included, have to adopt a bit more stoic posture, if anything as a way to counteract Gareth’s irrepressible stage antics; now he’s laying on the floor, now he’s trying to stick drumsticks into some low-hanging wires above the stage, now he’s left the stage, set the mic down, and has ordered a shot at the bar…now he’s back on stage. But whatever the equation (talented showman + stoic yet awesome band) Los Campesinos! have nailed it. I'd have kicked myself for missing the chance to see these guys live.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Special Events Interview: Rolling Stone's Matt Mastrangelo
Posted by Katherine Coplen and Mamie Silver on Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Matt Mastrangelo, the publisher of Rolling Stone, hates thinking of his magazine as a legacy. Instead, Mastrangelo argues, Rolling Stone is as influential in pop culture as ever and therefore should be considered an icon.
Rolling Stone has been an icon in music, politics and entertainment coverage for over 44 years. The magazine is known not only for its liberal coverage of current events, but also for its creativity in photography and cover art. Editor Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason founded the magazine in 1967 and dubbed it “not just about the music, but about the things and attitudes that music embraces.”
For nearly half a century, Rolling Stone has reported on America’s most compelling issues. Journalists like Hunter S. Thompson has given way to those such as Matt Taibbi, but passionate writing and compelling coverage remain.
NUVO spoke with Mastrangelo about the magazine’s first Super Bowl party, its political coverage for the election year, and his personal musical interests. Mastrangelo considers himself “classic Rolling Stone” in that he listens to everything from Kanye West to The Beatles, but he sticks to the mega-hits. And, in accordance with the magazine’s history of great writers and even greater stories, Mastrangelo shared advice for aspiring journalists. But first, we had to talk Super Bowl.
NUVO: Tell us how you got involved.
Matt Mastrangelo: This is the first time that we have done a big Super Bowl event. Michael Provus, who is our associate publisher, was born and raised in Indianapolis and went to IU. He was twisting my arm and saying, “If you are going to do a Super Bowl party, you have got to do it in Indianapolis.”
NUVO: Why is that?
Mastrangelo: Well obviously [Provus] is from here, so he is probably a little partial. He was talking about the community, talking about how it is a midsize city. It’s big enough where you have a great music scene, but it’s small enough where you’re not overwhelmed. We came out and we met with a lot of different owners and venues about five or six months ago.
There were two options that we had: we could just do what everybody else does and buy out a venue, throw the Rolling Stone party, make lots of money, pack up the bags and head back to New York. Or we could work with a venue and an owner in partnership. That’s when I got turned on to Gary and the team at Crane Bay.
I’m hoping that when Rolling Stone leaves, we aren’t taking the money with us. What I hope is that when people put their money down, they are going to put it down for an Indianapolis group like the Crane Bay as opposed to a promoter from L.A. or New York. We are helping to employ five or 10 people in permanent jobs and we are helping bring in 200 hundred jobs just for our event. That’s what really turned me on about it. It’s about community and that’s so much what we [Rolling Stone] are all about.
NUVO: Talk about the selection of the talent.
Mastrangelo: That was a fun couple of weeks (laughs). If there is one thing that people like to discuss, it’s music. What we wanted to do was blow the doors off and have multiple acts on a bill. We also wanted to get multiple acts in who were chart-toppers. We have LMFAO; right now, [“Party Rock Anthem”] is the number one song and [“Sexy And I Know It”] is the number nine or number eight song. You have Cobra Starship, who right now I think is the number 17 song. Gym Class Heroes have two top ten hits; they have another one that I think right now is in the Hot 100. Lupe Fiasco has three Grammy nominations. We wanted to put together a selection of artists that are not duplicative, so it’s not the same type of music.
NUVO: Are you a personal fan [of these artists]?
Mastrangelo: Am I a personal fan? I think they’re all fun. Like I was saying, you turn the radio on and LMFAO is on and you’re boppin’. It's party music. Cobra Starship — great pop, I don’t want to say bubblegum, but great pop rock. Lupe — I love Lupe — I think he is so underrated; he is under the radar. We like him because not only is he a great artist, he is a really great guy.
NUVO: What are you listening to right now?
Mastrangelo: I’m classic Rolling Stone; I listen to everything. There are a couple bands that I’m really into right now. One that I really like is Das Racist. They are fantastic. Honestly, I love a lot of what the women are doing right now. Florence and the Machine, stuff that she is doing. I think Gaga is great; she’s bigger than life. She’s got this total attitude.
NUVO: Take me through a typical day in your job at Rolling Stone, I imagine it’s pretty surreal.
Mastrangelo: Because we are published every two weeks, it’s a constant flow of high energy at the maximum level. Obviously Jann Wenner, who is our owner and founder, is working everyday and editing. Keith Richards will come in, or Bruce Springsteen will come in and play his new record, or you have the guys from the Black Keys coming in. Actually, tomorrow, Cobra Starship will have lunch. It is a highly creative, high energy type of environment, but the environment and the job doesn’t end when you leave the office. I will probably be going to two, three, four shows a week, going to small clubs, listening to great music, going out with clients, going out with agents, going out with managers, until one o’clock in the morning and then you’re back in at 7:30 a.m. You have to have this passion.
NUVO: How involved are you on the cover path? How far are the covers planned?
Mastrangelo: Some covers are planned out well in advance, others are done spur of the moment. The covers themselves [are a] total editorial decision. Mr. Wenner is the master in the editorial team.
NUVO: Any plans from your esteemed political guys for this new presidential election?
Mastrangelo: Oh, yeah! The thing that we have always had a very strong connection to is our political coverage. Matt Taibbi writes for Rolling Stone and most people say he is doing the best political [and] Wall Street reporting than anything today. As we go into the election year [political coverage] will be an important part of our package. It is about youth and empowering them with the knowledge and information that allows them to have an intelligent conversation about politics.
NUVO: Who is your key demographic right now [in 2012]?
Mastrangelo: It hasn’t changed much. It is still that 21 to 35 year old that is usually passionate about music, entertainment, and pop culture. The magazine was founded on the premise that its not just about rock and roll, it’s about everything that rock and roll impacts and affects. That’s where we layer in the politics, the movies, all of the national affairs pieces as well.
NUVO: So as a legacy print product, how involved are you in the music blogosphere?
Mastrangelo: What we have been able to create is we have this — I hate to use the word “legacy,” let’s use the word “iconic.”
NUVO:Why do you hate [the word] legacy?
Mastrangelo: Because “legacy” seems like your time has passed. An iconic brand is a brand that has been able to stay current and relevant. And I think that this brand is an iconic brand because it has stayed true to its core value for over 44 years. It hasn’t wavered from that commitment. Fads and trends have come and gone, but our core value proposition to our reader has not changed. With that being said, we have our print property. Print property is really great investigative journalism, feature writing, great photography, great record reviews. Circulation is at an all-time high; audience is at an all-time high.
NUVO:And that has come under you —
Mastrangelo: Well, that has come under the editor, from a circulation standpoint. We have had to give away some of the things that would be in the magazine to our digital property, because they can do it better. Things that are happening right now in music and entertainment — like when Cee Lo Green changed the lyrics to John [Lennon’s] song at the New Year’s celebration. If that had run in the magazine, it would have been too old.
NUVO: Where did you think you would be when you were starting out, graduating from college?
Mastrangelo: Well here’s a funny story (laughs). I went to school at a small little school in West Virginia, Bethany College. I was the music director at the [radio] station, I was a station manager, I was a huge music fan. Then I had my internship at MCA Records doing local promo, so I did promotion for them. Then, I was in the ad business, so I worked at BBDO.
I interviewed at Rolling Stone for a direct response sales job and I didn’t get the job. When the publisher told me that I didn’t get the job, I said to myself, “I will have your job someday.” I was so pissed and I knew that at some point in my career I would get back into the Rolling Stone offices. I have been with the magazine now for 10 years and I started off as the advertising director. I have done a number of jobs within our company and started a couple of divisions. I was a publisher at Men’s Journal for a while and then took over Rolling Stone.
So, when I think about back in college or what I thought I was going to do, I think I’m doing what I always had a passion to do. I am just incredibly grateful.
NUVO: It’s a discouraging time to be studying journalism and English [literature] in college, so what advice would you give people that want to be doing what you’re doing?
Mastrangelo: I have always said to [interns] that the key thing is about forgetting your first job, because your first job gets you your next job, and your next job gets you your next job. When I first got out of school, I took any job that I could get. My mentality was that the only way I am going to get the job I want is to have the job that I don’t really want. This generation right now has gone through so much —wars, recession, and practical depression. The strains and the struggles that they’ve gone through is setting up for a generation that has the potential of being hugely successful, because they have to work really hard.ν
Rock Hotfox to travel to SXSW
Posted by Katherine Coplen on Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 9:57 AM
In non-Super-Bowl-related-but-completely-awesome-news, we'd like to extend our congratulations to local art rockers Hotfox, who rallied their local support into voting them to the top of the JanSport-SonicBids Battle of the Bands. They've won the chance to perform at annual music, arts and tech festival South by Southwest in Austin, Tex.
Hotfox advanced to the final round in early January, competing against 49 other bands from around the nation. Their support helped them advance to a top ten round, where they were judged by a group of event sponsors.
They'll travel (all expenses paid!) to SXSW to perform in the JanSport SXSW Music Showcase in March. Cheers to local music on a national stage. Hotfox thanks A-Squared Productions, Musical Family Tree and many more for rallying behind their grassroots social media campaign.
You can listen to their latest work, You, Me, and the Monster. Keep your eye on NUVO for more SXSW coverage as we inch closer to the mega-festival's date!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Rock Note For Note: The Division League, RX & Shiftee
Posted by Jon R. LaFollette on Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 4:47 PM
Today's edition of Note for Note features brief letters from the planet Lo-Fi.
The Division League - A Sword Through Your Heart
★★Mooresville's Dayton Ray Neely is all that remains of The Division League, a decade old lo-fi act that mixes Kid-A ambiance with Animal Collective aloofness. On this six song EP, stretched to a half hour running time, Neely seems preoccupied with exploring a relationship gone stagnant. "It's always been the same. We lose our will to change," he whispers on "Plummet," a modestly propulsive opener. It's hard to gauge what else makes Mr. Neely so bummed simply because it's difficult to decipher exactly what it is he's trying so hard to not enunciate. He drowns much of his vocals in reverb, and misty production that, after repeated listenings, gave the single impression of "sadness." Which is fine, but I'd care more about sadness with a personality. Oh, and shorter running times. Just because it took two years to record an album doesn't mean it should take two years to listen to.
RX & Shiftee - Space Ace Remixes
★★★
A dance music production team from the NYC, RX & Shiftee concocted last year's Space Ace, a three-song lo-fi / dubstep EP, that would go on to become 2011's highest charting release for local label Rad Summer. This four song remix collection, released by Rad Summer as well, features the talents of Wonder, Archie Pelago, Zeppy Zep and Lamin Fofana, who inject more color and muscle into the music. While the opening song, a rhythmically pounding rendition of the title track, drives the point home before running it into the ground, Pelago's electro-jazz rendition of "Orbit", while detached, is the standout if for no other reason than being the least dub of these dubstep ditties. The songs are effective enough for what they were designed to do, but it may seem unnecessary to the uninitiated, mostly because it is.
Jon R. LaFollette is also the founder of the pop culture blog PopTometry
Monday, January 30, 2012
Rock Review: Kopecky Family Band and more
Posted by Micah Ling on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Friday, January 27
Kopecky Family Band, Jascha, Quiet Corral
Radio Radio
The Kopecky Family Band, hailing from Nashville, Ten., took the stage around 11:30 p.m. They’re not really family, in the biological sense, but they get along the way you wish your own family did. They look like they’re on a porch killing a summer evening. Don’t get me wrong: this is no sleepy-time band—put away your tea. Think Modest Mouse and The National. There’s a lot of energy on this stage. They certainly put on a show: loads of instruments, tons of dancing. “Howlin’ and the Moon” goes over very well.
But let’s jump back to the band between the opener and the headliner. Sometimes you go to places like Radio Radio to discover something you don’t expect: this was one of those nights. Quiet Corral was on fire. From Lawrence, Kan., these guys are overly happy. Their music is like a really rocking Americana version of David Gray. It’s a six-piece band that might as well be 60-piece. The percussion just shook the place. Keep an eye on them—they’ll be back.
Kopecky Family Band - "Little Baby Sister"
Punk & Metal Review: Anthrax at The Egyptian Room
Posted by Wade Coggeshall on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 3:05 PM
The sign was posted Friday night in the lobby of Old National Centre.
It read Scott Ian and Charlie Benante wouldn’t be performing with their band Anthrax that night in the Egyptian Room.
Turns out Ian contracted a viral infection on Wednesday that forced him to be hospitalized near Los Angeles, while Benante returned to New York to be with his terminally ill mother.
Obviously those are bad circumstances that would force most bands to cancel shows or an entire tour. But for a group that’s seen its share of adversity over its 31 years of existence, Anthrax found a way to keep it together.
In this case, the opening acts pitched in during Anthrax’s set. Testament drummer Gene “The Atomic Clock” Hoglan replaced Benante behind the kit and Death Angel guitarists Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar played Ian’s parts on a number of songs.
It seemed like singer Joey Belladonna and bassist Frank Bello were working extra hard to appease the audience, particularly when they only performed as a four-piece on raging new tracks like “Earth on Hell” and “Fight ’Em Till You Can’t.” Lead guitarist Rob Caggiano has enough meat to his instrument to keep the sound full anyway.
But a lot of credit goes to Hoglan, who played back-to-back sets like a champ. It’s not like this music is Sunday morning fare. The playing is fast and furious, and Hoglan handled it perfectly. If there was any disappointment from the crowd, it wasn’t noticeable. There wasn’t much moshing, even during the song “Caught in a Mosh” from which the practice got its name. That’s probably due mostly to the venue threatening to eject overly zealous attendees. It still didn’t stop some from turning manic during thrash classics like “Indians” and “I Am the Law.”
As much hardship as Anthrax has endured over the years, this was merely a blip on the calamity map. Though their set was limited to 12 songs, the show was overwhelming confirmation of their resolve.
