Monday, February 28, 2011

Local Music Minute: North Carolina’s Paper Tongues – Trinity Video

http://www.bloginity.com/blog/2010/07/28/local-music-minute-north-carolinas-paper-tongues-trinity-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bloginity%2FGoLx+%28Bloginity%29




Local Music Minute: North Carolina’s Paper Tongues – Trinity Video


Charlotte, North Carolina’s Paper Tongues may be in an abandoned warehouse in the new music video for “Trinity,” but that’s not quite a realistic look at their experiences -- the band has been playing to sell-out crowds across the nation. Regardless of the accuracy of the depiction, you can check out the video below and enjoy the band’s unique depth of instrumentation and pop sensibility.

The high-energy septet is currently on tour in the U.S. You can download their debut, Paper Tongues, right here.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Microtia tried to tackle all at once first, such as Planes Mistaken For Stars, Between the Buried and Me, and At the Drive-In/Mars Volta.

MICROTIA – Spacemaker




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.verbicidemagazine.com/2010/08/09/microtia-spacemaker/

Microtia is a strange ear disfigurement that happens at birth, and the band holds up to their name in more ways than one. Spacemaker was released on the band’s own label; they also pride themselves on showing that being DIY can still be done in this digital age. Spacemaker is available for free on their website, but if you are a local to the Pacific Northwest, you can find a physical copy of their album built with recycled cases of beer and cigarette boxes; to top that, the band builds their own equipment, too.

The record is a mix between post-hardcore guitar and bass tones, Mastodon-esque drumming (in what the band calls “battle-rhythms”) and a taste of psychedellia all at the same time. While the guitars, bass, and keys work, the record could have used more tonal diversification to further bring itself out of the ever-terrifying pigeonhole of being labeled a generic or cookie cutter hardcore band.

The record is nine songs, 45 minutes long, and full of riffs, changes in tempo, and endless drumming. The percussion is right up the alley of someone who can’t stand a repetitive 4/4 beat that doesn’t change during the course of a song.

Microtia really has created their own unique sound carved out of many different genres, but I can’t tell if it all fits together yet. My favorite parts on the album were the interlude and the instrumental breaks/breakdowns/build-ups because those parts did not have any vocals. Most of the songs can get you head banging, moshing, hardcore dancing, or whatever you like to do to really get into a song, but once the vocals come in they take you right out of the little world they created for you. Songs like “That’s the Problem With Owning Half the State of California” and “Add Insult to Injury” delve into breakdowns that you wouldn’t expect from the band towards the end, and they handle it in such a manner that you don’t even notice what they’re up to in a style very similar to Between the Buried and Me. Songs like “Tone Mountain vs. The Body of Riffage” need a vocalist who can go all out falsetto breaking champagne glasses to get the most power and energy while at the same time giving some much needed variety to the album — again, think
Between the Buried and Me or The Mars Volta.

The vocals are stuck in this strange realm between a screaming and singing style, but without the range to actually bring it to the highest gear. The result is something that gets pegged into “aggressive singing” identical to Avenged Sevenfold when M. Shadows decided to stop screaming to save his vocal chords.

If you don’t dig on hybrids of bands/genres, you’re better off sticking to bands who danced around the areas Microtia tried to tackle all at once first, such as Planes Mistaken For Stars, Between the Buried and Me, and At the Drive-In/Mars Volta.

(False Eye Records, no address provided)

Saturday, February 26, 2011

VIDEO] Watch Paper Tongues' "Trinity" Video

http://filmifi.com/gossip/Paper-Tongues-Trinity-Video-3148581.html


Paper Tongues 'Trinity' Video



http://www.411mania.com/music/news/147361

VIDEO Watch Paper Tongues' "Trinity" Video

What do you think of this brand new video?
Check out this video from Paper Tongues for their song "Trinity."
The track is from their recent release, Paper Tongues, which also features "Ride To California". The band is managed by Randy Jackson.

Paper Tongues are currently on tour in the U.S. For tour dates and additional info, check out band's MySpace.

Friday, February 25, 2011

crank this shit up and cruise along

http://popdose.com/cd-review-judge-jackson-drive/
CD Review: Judge Jackson, “Drive”




by Dave Steed

I don’t do too many non-metal reviews these days. I generally have a hard time coming up those creative $2 words to describe how moved I am by anything that doesn’t pound me over the head with power. And I’m also usually pretty bad at comparing an artist to other groups. You’ll be hard pressed to hear me say something sounds like “Japanese Hardcore meets the Monkees on a drug binge with Husker Du” or something similar. However, there are times when a pop or rock record just falls right within my wheelhouse. Judge Jackson’s Drive is one of those albums.

If you’re looking for your music to challenge you intellectually or offer up some crazy time changes to show off the college music classes the guitarist took, then you can move on to your nearest prog-rock band and forget you ever saw this. Judge Jackson is not that — and that’s not a bad thing. What they are is pretty damn catchy, straightforward rock-n-roll. The majority of Drive is for middle-aged dudes sitting on their porch with a nice cold brew bullshitting about the girls they would totally do, you know…if they weren’t sitting on their porch drinking.

I’m a big stickler for pairing up the right music with the right singer, and Judge Jackson does that well, with their frontman, Todd McTavish. The first thing you notice is that McTavish pulls off the sound perfectly. He’s got a great rock voice with a bluesy undertone and can definitely belt out those poppier harmonies. And the riffs in songs like “Drive” and “Pickin’ Me Up” would fit in relatively well within the context of rock radio these days.

Drive is Judge Jackson’s fifth record, and they’ve had some success with their songs being used on various sports shows since they have that energetic, between-innings-highlight-package feel. And apparently they have the theme song to Victory Lane, a NASCAR-related show on the Speed network. I’m going to trust them on this since I’ve never even once had a desire to learn who’s driving the Always with Wings sponsored 64 car (although I regularly pour a quart of milk over my head for the hell of it).

Yes, the album sounds a bit like it was recorded in 2002 rather than 2010 (and is it coincidence that I totally hear the Cars in the verses of the title track?) but it’s still catchy as hell and the band would work nicely in a couple hundred person venue. They even toss a little country ditty (“Meant To Be”) in at the end for a little change. Drive isn’t going to change the scope of music, but it isn’t meant to. So here’s what you do: You put your top down (ladies, change “put” to “pull”), open up the sun roof or stick your damn head out the window if that’s all you can do, crank this shit up and cruise along. That’s pretty simple, ain’t it?

Check them out on their MySpace page. And while you’re at it you must take a look at the awesomeness of bassist Brian James who looks like he just stepped out of a .38 Special video. Rock on.

Read more: CD Review: Judge Jackson, “Drive”
Popdose http://popdose.com/cd-review-judge-jackson-drive/#ixzz0vZEFqK6m

Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Thursday, February 24, 2011

The high-energy septet is....New Paper Tongues “Trinity” Video

New Paper Tongues “Trinity” Video

http://theaudioperv.com/2010/07/28/new-paper-tongues-trinity-video/
 




http://www.pynkcelebrity.com/archives/51032
North Carolina’s Paper Tongues are coming at you from an abandoned warehouse in their new music video for their hit, “Trinity.” Take a look at the new video here, and be sure to pick up your copy of their brand new, self-titled debut album in stores and on iTunes.

The high-energy septet is currently on tour in the U.S. For tour dates and additional info, check out band’s MySpace page.

Read more: http://theaudioperv.com/2010/07/28/new-paper-tongues-trinity-video/#ixzz0v7CS6UyC

Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

kick-ass local band, The Burning Hotels.

People growing up in Fort Worth during the 1990s still talk about seeing The Toadies jam around town before Rubberneck (1994) and its smash hit "Possum Kingdom" made them famous for awhile.

The record label shunned the band's subsequent album, but The Toadies kept on rocking throughout the 1990s. By 2001, however, they'd hopped off into the horizon.




Now that lost album, Feeler, is finally being released, and The Toadies are back on stages, with a stop Saturday night at the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas. Also on the bill is another kick-ass local band, The Burning Hotels.

http://www.fwweekly.com/index.php?option=com_wordpress&p=5874&Itemid=482

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Electro-rockers Paper Tongues got their lucky break

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2010-07-29/music/paper-tongues/

Paper Tongues



Electro-rockers Paper Tongues got their lucky break before they were gigging around their hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina — something that doesn't happen often in the fickle music industry. Brian West, who produced Nelly Furtado's Whoa Nelly, invited the band to Hollywood three years ago after discovering their music on MySpace (remember MySpace?) even though the guys technically weren't even a full band yet and didn't have a headlining show to their name. During this trip to L.A., Paper Tongues singer Aswan Noth spotted American Idol judge Randy Jackson dining at the Mondrian and approached him. He handed over his name and number and the band's MySpace URL on a piece of paper. Jackson called the charismatic frontman two hours later, and the rest is rock 'n' roll history. The band released its debut self-titled disc in March on A&M/Octone Records and have been touring behind it since.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Paper Tongues head straight to the top, dawg!

http://media.www.ecollegetimes.com/media/storage/paper991/news/2010/07/29/Music/Paper.Tongues.Head.Straight.To.The.Top.Dawg-3923950.shtml


Paper Tongues head straight to the top, dawg!



Christina Caldwell
If you interrupt a music megastar's meal by letting him or her know about your band, odds are you'll be blown off and escorted out by security. Assumedly, that would be the case with a huge star like "American Idol's" Randy Jackson. But somehow that approach worked for Paper Tongues frontman Aswan North.

Fast-forward three years; Randy Jackson is now the band's manager and mentor, landing them gigs opening for Muse, Flyleaf, Switchfoot and others. We talked to guitarist Joey Signa about the band's sudden rise to fame and the bumps along the way.

College Times: You guys ran into Randy Jackson of 'American Idol' during a chance encounter. Can you tell me that story? How did it lead to him becoming your manager? Also, how many times, on average, does Randy Jackson say "dawg" in a five minute conversation?

Signa: Aswan met him at a hotel in LA while Randy was eating lunch. Essentially, Aswan interrupted his meal and gave him our MySpace and phone number and asked (well, more so told him) to give a listen. Two hours later, he calls. We meet up with him at the studio and just start hanging. And since then, he has been our coach and manager and is becoming like an uncle. He is just like he is on TV. [He's] one of the most approachable ... people in the industry. [He's] a genius bass player and business man and really down to earth. His language is a little bit more "branded" for TV, but it definitely came from somewhere.

You've opened for some pretty huge names, including Muse, Switchfoot and Flyleaf. You guys are professionals now, but at any point during your career have you been star struck? Not just with the bands you've opened for, but with people you've been able to meet?

Yes! I was like a child at the Jimmy Fallon show! First of all, as you know, The Roots are the house band. So [when] I saw Questlove in the hallway, I froze up. I shook his hand while he was on the phone and said, "I just wanted to say hi." That was it. It was pretty embarrassing because I had to interrupt his phone call to tell him that. Also, "30 Rock" is one of my favorite shows ever and Jack McBrayer, who plays my favorite character, Kenneth, was a guest on the show. I immediately found him [after the show] and got a picture with him and put in on my Facebook. I was smiling for hours.

You guys blend many different styles that, on the surface, seem like they wouldn't go together. How would you describe your sound, besides the standard "rock and roll meets hip-hop, meets soul, meets funk"?

Our music, to us, is about passion and feeling. Whatever that sounds like is what we make. We use what we know to make what we feel, and that has gotten us to this sound, that even for me is hard to describe. The best way I can describe it is listening to what your soul is saying, and connecting that to our sound.

I'm curious about the songwriting dynamic among the group. With seven members, there must be a lot of ideas floating around. How do you arrange them into one coherent piece?

We never shut anyone down. We let whoever is working work until they feel they have arrived or exhausted themselves. Then we go through everything piece by piece and pick out what we all feel works. We have the honor of working with some amazing producers that really help in this area. But [we], as a band, give each other space to put down what they are feeling.

What would you consider the highlight of the band's career thus far?

For me, it's the shows where we can feel the crowd at its most intense moments. It could be a tiny venue with 200 people, but it feels as if we're in front of thousands because of the energy floating around. I also loved playing at the Jimmy Fallon show. So much fun!

Probably some of the most interesting stories I've heard from bands are about their worst live gigs ever. What's yours?

For me, as far as intense wreckage goes, it was playing at the George Lopez show. No one other than the live audience would ever know. We recorded "Trinity" for his website and the first time we played it, my guitar wasn't working. We finished the song and I had to stop the whole production and admit that I had no clue what was going on. Then in front of the entire audience, including George, I had to sort it out. Everyone was waiting for me to fix my gear and I had no clue what was happening! It was so scary. It was our first time on TV and all the cameramen and directors and producers were rushing me and it was freaking me out. I trashed my pedal board on my hands and knees while George moved on to recording some liners until something worked. Finally we re-recorded it with my emotions in shambles.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

For any accomplished musician, leaving your established and respected full-time gig can be a tough decision.

The Memorials, The Memorials
http://skopemag.com/2011/02/14/the-memorials-the-memorials




February 14, 2011
by Skope Staff

For any accomplished musician, leaving your established and respected full-time gig can be a tough decision. The transition becomes that much easier when there is a new project waiting in the wings. For Thomas Fridgen, former drummer for The Mars Volta, it’s clear that his new project, The Memorials isn’t just a project to occupy his spare time. The Memorials self-titled debut is a raw, propulsive listen that showcases not only Fridgen’s explosive power behind the drum kit but also his ability to inject life into anything he touches.



Based out of Berkeley, this intense three piece incorporates a variety of genres into The Memorials, a relentless listen held afloat by Fridgen’s steady yet surveying backbeat and Viveca Hawkins sassy vocals. At fourteen tracks and well over an hour long, The Memorials is the kind of disc that will keep listeners engaged well on throughout the night. Tracks like “Let’s Party” with its engaging stomp and the heavy, fist in the air crunch of “We Go To War,” solidify the band’s collective ethos: they are here for the long run, and are prepared to leave listeners with a fortified taste in their mouth.



There truly is something for fans of every “Hard” genre on The Memorials. The album speaks to the depth of talent within this three piece, from the sweaty, heavy punk drawl of “Enough” to the sprawl of the six and a half minute “Real.” The Memorials may be an especially long listen, with three tracks clocking in at over six minutes and only one under three minutes. But it’s unlikely that listeners will bore of The Memorials. Instead, it’s likely that they will become engaged in the plethora of sonic opportunities and come back for more whenever possible.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Ezra Holbrook takes center stage on his new album ‘Save Yourself’

Ezra Holbrook takes center stage on his new album ‘Save Yourself’

http://oregonmusicnews.com/blog/2011/02/16/ezra-holbrook-takes-center-stage-on-his-new-album-%e2%80%9csave-yourself%e2%80%9d/


by Ana Ammann on February 16, 2011



Ezra Holbrook has drummed with and produced music for over forty different bands ranging from punk and rock, to folk and full on funk. After ten years of working on his own material, this former founding Decemberist and current member of the Minus 5, Casey Neill & the Norway Rats and KMRIA, puts forth his most authentic work to date in his new solo album “Save Yourself” which will be released Saturday, February 19th at the Secret Society Ballroom.







“I was born in Alaska in the summer of 1974. The product of an improbable romance between a bear and a lightning bolt. I spent my formative years fishing with my hands, experimenting with berries and occasionally putting out forest fires…” So begins the bio for multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Ezra Holbrook. Most in town have heard the local lore about him – he was signed to Capitol Records at 20; started The Decemberists with Colin Meloy; has had to clone himself to be able to make it to all the gigs his four bands play; is part of an intergalactic brain trust. In Portland, everybody knows his name.



As we sit and talk in a small booth at the back of Biddy McGraw’s on a rainy Monday night, I am trying to reconcile the image of the over-the-top funk rapper of Dr. Theopolis with the soft-spoken, sincere and slightly shy artist in front of me.



“Dr. Theopolis is the furthest from who I am, that’s more of an alter-ego than an actual piece of me. It’s much more who my brother (Jules Holbrook) is, he has a pretty outrageous sense of humor and he is the dude who pushes Dr. Theopolis in that direction, I just get to do some rapping and bad dancing. ”



If Dr. Theopolis – “Oregon’s most infamous commodity of funk and old school soul looking the part of fly 70s pimps” – is the furthest, then which of his many and varied musical outlets best represents Holbrook’s authentic persona? “When I play with Casey Neill, we’re a pretty loud rock band, we tear it up. Playing drums with the Minus 5 (Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck’s pop collective) is like playing the music I was listening to in high school – great high-energy, pop, punk-rock. I definitely think there are big parts of my personality invested in both the Minus 5 and Casey Neill’s projects, all of these genres of music are very close to me and what I grew up listening to, but there is not really a place for that kind of energy in my material. I think my own material is very much authentic me, the more introspective and quieter side, but I appreciate having the other outlets.”





Ezra Holbrook and Mr. Fabulous of Dr. Theopolis

“Save Yourself” is just that, an introspective, authentic and moving collection of songs that reflect upon themes of redemption, forgiveness and love with gorgeous guitars, heartfelt vocals and uncomplicated production that allow Holbrook’s songwriting to take center stage.



This release has been a long time coming for Holbrook, but to fully understand his musical odyssey, we have to begin with where his journey started a long, long time ago in the City of Angels. “I had to take piano lessons when I was a kid. I have the good fortune of having parents who made sure that I grew up with a great musical education. Shortly after I moved to LA, probably about 11 or 12 years old, one of my teachers pulled me aside after class and said ‘I noticed that you are always tapping your feet fairly rhythmically. You know, the junior high band is looking for a drummer, would you be willing to spend your lunchtime taking drum lessons?’ I started playing classical percussion and ended up joining the Cal State Northridge Youth Symphony for about 8 years. After my first few years of playing classical percussion, I wanted to play rock, so I got a drum set and found a teacher. I learned to play rock drums and started playing in bands. That grew into wanting to learn how to sing, how to play bass and how to play guitar, but I just sort of taught myself.



Holbrook’s early music projects had generated some interest from a few labels, but he moved to Eugene, where his mother was living and working as schoolteacher, to attend Lane Community College with an eye to eventually transferring to the University of Oregon.



A scout for Capitol records that Holbrook had developed a rapport with while in L.A. contacted him soon after his move and asked if he’d be willing to come back. “This guy said there was some legitimate interest if I wanted to come back down and meet with some people that had heard some of my new songs. I went back down and got a development deal from Capitol, did some demos for them and they ended up liking it, so we entered into this huge negotiating process, it was ridiculous. I didn’t care about the money, I just wanted some control. I didn’t want to be in a position where they could tell me what to do and I didn’t have a way out. That was surprisingly difficult to do. So after eight months of fighting, essentially, I sacrificed money, my only bargaining chip, and took a bad money deal to try to gain some sort of control. What I ended up with was first right of refusal. I wasn’t in control over anything, but we had to agree. Both parties had to come to some sort of agreement, and that was as good as I could get.”



Capitol was eager to sign Holbrook, and the scout that helped discover Holbrook was eager to land an A&R position. Against his manager’s advice, Holbrook, allowed the scout to leverage his own record deal to help his champion land the A&R job. “He had always helped me out and was a great friend. But the second the paperwork was signed, Capitol fired him and they stuck me with someone I had nothing in common with. A big part of why I was there was to work with this one individual who believed in me and understood what I was trying to do. Even before we started making the record, it was pretty clear that they wanted to move in another direction and wanted me to play along. This was right when grunge had blown up and Radiohead and Everclear were their big bands. Their whole marketing department was all about rock, and I was doing mellower pop, singer-songwriter stuff.



“We got the record made, which was awesome, and I got to work with all these incredible musicians I never would have had an opportunity to. That alone was totally worth it, but our relationship had deteriorated before I even started recording. I essentially told the label that if they showed up to my recording sessions, I would leave. We fought and yelled and disagreed, so I finished the record and went back to Eugene. Sure enough my manager called me a few weeks later and said ‘They’re dropping you, it’s not rock and the marketing department doesn’t know what to do with it. It’s not the record they wanted you to make.’ I was destroyed; it was a real confidence shattering experience. It’s hard not to look at that as a failure, but I was really young. By the time it all ended I was probably only 23.



Holbrook’s first album didn’t make it out on Capitol, but he released Sympathy for Toys and Puppets in 2000, made 1,000 copies and when he sold out of them, just let it go not having been fully satisfied with it. His second album, Say What You Want, was written in pieces over a decade and never released. “Making the album became this really frustrating process, it lost a little bit of its impact because it became too over thought, there were too many choices. I kept going back to the drawing board and reworking everything and changing directions.



“After spending so long on the last one, my main goal with this record was to do as little as possible. I made the decision to go into the studio with whatever songs I had done by a particular date and was going to sit in front of the mic and sing them, let someone else tell me when to stop, then do the least amount to make them presentable. This is the first record where I didn’t have specific ideas for the musicians I brought in. I just brought people in, played them the songs and said ‘what’s floating your boat?’ I just let what was going to happen, happen and let it go its own direction, which I’ve never really done before; I’ve been way more of a control freak. And of course the funny thing is I’m much happier with the results. This record is by far the most underdone thing I’ve ever done, and for the first time, this feels right. It’s got a vibe that seems to suit the material, so it’s like all of the overwork that I was doing on all the other stuff was taking me further away from my goal which was really to find where my music belonged. It’s one thing to write a song, it’s another to figure out how to present it, in the vibe and genre of it.”



Holbrook’s musical influences range from old soul singers Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, to Elvis Costello and Public Enemy. “It is kind of weird when you have really varying interests and you are trying to make a record, to have to try and pick a genre. I think that is part of the process that I went through with this last record. The progression for me has been trying to figure out how to present the music that I write. Because I don’t just love acoustic-y-folk stuff, I love rock music, Hip-Hop and R&B. So after I put this new record out I’m going to release everything I’ve ever done, soft release it online. It’s work, just about 31 songs.”



The songs Holbrook has written for Save Yourself are centered around two classic themes. “Redemption and forgiveness are two pretty big ones. A lot of the songs are about personal struggles I feel I have had that have impacted other people. Wondering, do you get another chance? Can you be a better person?



“There are quite a few songs on the record about struggling with alcohol and I think that’s been an issue for me. I used to drink a lot and I have tried to clean up my act over the years. Not that I’m a mean drunk or anything, but that impacted a lot of my relationships. That is a big theme throughout the record. And then there are a couple songs that are reflections on past relationships, whether they were romantic or otherwise. Some are about things that went wrong and there is a love song or two on there.”



Do the people in Holbrook’s life make their way into his songs? “A lot of the time, even if I am writing a song about one specific person who initially inspired it, I use that to build a bigger picture, so that it’s not too specific. My favorite kinds of songs are the ones that could be about you all the time. Direct enough that you understand clearly what someone is saying, open enough that you get that connection with the person who wrote it, but not so specific that you don’t have a connection past a certain point. I have very few songs that are about just one specific person. Usually it’s about a theme throughout relationships.”



Throughout his career in music, Holbrook has performed with and produced music for an impressive roster of musicians, well-known both locally and nationally, keeping him so busy, that in part may be why the music world has had to wait so long to hear a solo effort from him. “It’s been a really interesting experience to force my priorities to change. It almost feels selfish. I am not old by any means, but I am getting older and sleeping on floors and tour buses is getting less appealing. I would like to feel like I took a legitimate shot at something that I really feel defines me which is writing music and singing songs – whether I’m any good at it or not is not an issue, it is what is important to me.”



What was important to Holbrook early in his career, was to have an opportunity to pursue his own musical vision. It was for this reason he left one of the most successful bands to come out of the Northwest and who are currently sitting on top of the Billboard charts. “Colin (Meloy) and I were the first two Decemberists. We played a show together where I heard his songs and thought they were awesome. We went to dinner a week later, drank a bunch of tequila and it started. I was friends with a guy named Dave Langanes who plays for Stolen Sweets and brought him in to play some guitar, and he brought in Nate Query who was in Colobo with Jen Conlee, so he brought Jen in, and that was the beginning of the Decemberists.



“I played on the first EP called 5 songs as well as Castaways and Cutouts, the first full record. We got to a point when it became clear that Kill Rock Stars was going to take the contract from Hush for that album and it looked like we were going to do a pretty major summer tour. All of a sudden the wheels were turning quickly, so we had a sit down and Colin said ‘if this goes in the direction it looks like its going, everyone needs to make this their first priority, if you can’t do that, now is the time to think it over.’ I loved playing for The Decemberists, those guys are awesome and we are still great friends, but at the time I was also drumming for Little Sue and Casey Neill – which I am still doing, I had Dr. Theopolis, I was writing my own material, and at the time, I was playing a bunch solo. I felt like I couldn’t give all that up. I love drumming and it’s taken me a decade to get to this point, but I’ve always felt like this really is what I should be doing. The Decemberists was a great band to play in, but that was very much Colin’s vision and I guess I felt that if I was going to sacrifice everything for one thing, it was going to be my vision.



“The definition of success has changed drastically for me in my lifetime, just as the music industry has changed drastically. I spent my life listening to great artists and I have a lot of respect for people that have really been true to their artistic expression, even outside of music, especially those that were trying to do something that meant something to them, regardless of how it was perceived or manipulated by other people.



My definition of success these days is pretty humble. I want to be able to make records, tour when I want and tour in Europe. For me, music was such a big part of my life as a kid, I couldn’t wait to get home to run to the stereo, put on headphones and listen to music until it was time for dinner. I always had this really high regard for great writers. I don’t know exactly the right way to put this, but the most important thing to me would be too look back and feel like I somehow belonged to that world, the world I looked up to when I was growing up, that had a huge impact on my life. I’d like to know that somehow, I had found a place there.”



Ezra Holbrook’s Favorite Tracks on Save Yourself

Do People Bloom



It is the oldest song on the record. It is about second chances, coming through issues and trying to right your ship, so to speak. Even before I recorded it, I felt like this was one of the best songs I’ve ever written and one I am most proud of. Also the way people respond to it. Every time I play it, it gets a reaction.



Listen to: Do People Bloom







Save Yourself



The title track, I love how it turned out, the recording of it, the vibe of it, the people that played on it did such an awesome job. Sometimes you get that song that turns out so much better than the way you had it in your brain, like ‘Wow! Something happened there!’



Listen to: Save Yourself







Collide-Oscope



We were almost done with the record and at the very last minute, I thought we needed something else and this one fell out of my brain fast. I recorded it at my house really quickly, then Jen Conlee and Annalisa Tornfelt came over to collaborate. It was a very spontaneous thing. It still grabs me the most because of the immediacy of it, it just kind of happened. It feels really alive to me, and we didn’t have time to screw with it or overwork it. Songwriting for me these days is a really laborious process. When I was young I used to write ten songs a night, they were probably all crap, but I was constantly writing. Now one song’s worth of lyrics will take me months and months to tweak and finish. For a song to just appear like this is kind of unusual. That was nice.



Listen to: Collide-Oscope

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Relax Campfire OK, you're not …strange.

CAMPFIRE OK

http://amplifiermagazine.blogspot.com/2011/02/campfire-ok.html

Strange Like We Are


Ana-Them (02/01/2011)

Relax Campfire OK, you're not …strange. But you are different - which is a good thing. This Seattle band is among a select few, including fellow hometown favorites Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses, who are re-defining (i.e. modernizing) roots rock and Americana in the 21st Century. Ensembles that simply appropriate the classic recordings of the genre's icons (how many Neil Young, Lucinda Williams and The Band impersonators can one generation handle!) seem downright irrelevant in the company of Campfire OK. Yes, the multiple vocal harmonies, banjos, and various marching band instruments are pushed to the forefront, yet the lads and lady (who wisely identify themselves by their respective surnames - vocalist/bassist Van Der Speck, percussionist Dagworth, banjo/horn player Hannigan, pianist/vocalist Goodweather, and keyboard player Exworthy) render their compositions with extreme precision and a rather refreshing dose of complexity (Key changes! Odd time signatures!) akin to the spine-tingling performances you'd expect from veteran studio players or a Broadway orchestra. Campfire's melodies are decidedly melancholy and the songs given to mostly mid-tempo arrangements - but there's no lag time or filler. The band is most thrilling when it opts to rock hard as in "Magic Tricks" and the title track, by way of brisk, staccato rhythms, guitar feedback, ripping horn parts, and dramatic dynamics aplenty. "Bleach Blonde" a scary ballad worth of the late great Warren Zevon - is abetted with spooky vocal harmonies, slippery bass lines and off-beat bursts of percussion. One day, young bands will want to sound like Campfire OK, until then, this is the real "Americana" deal.

--Tom Semioli
http://www.campfireok.com/

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

SUDS full stream on AMP MAGAZINE TODAY ONLY

http://www.ampmagazine.com/


TODAY ONLY!

New Client ......The Janks Preview

How Thomas (the memorials) describes the project:

http://www.themusicianspotlight.com/?page_id=188

Thomas Pridgen



His accolades are well-documented. The winner of the Guitar Center Drum-Off at the age of 9, and the recipient of a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music at the age of 15, it has been clear for a while that Thomas Pridgen was on his way to greatness.

He became the youngest human sponsored by Zildjian at the age of 10, and has studied with an impressive roster of accomplished drummers from an incredibly diverse array of styles, such as: Dennis Chambers, Dave Garibaldi, Curtis Nutall, Walfredo Reyes Sr., Dom Famularo, Virgil Donati, Animal – Meat Puppets, Dave Dacinzo, and Troy Luketta.

If you ask him, he has a lot to learn, but pioneers in anything always say that. His career has included projects with Keyshia Cole, Jada Pickett Smith (Wicked Wisdom), Christian Scott, Tonex, Ledisi, Dewayne Wiggins, Omar Rodriguez, Juliette Lewis, Curren$y (Muscle Car Chronicles), Booker T, Rodney Jerkins, Martin Luther, Zenith Patrol,B2k,Too Short, Ledisi, Goapele, The Coup, and most recently, with The Mars Volta.

Since Thomas’ departure from The Mars Volta in late 2009, his focus has shifted to making his own musical vision a reality. After recording tracks for Curren$y and Mos Def, Thomas went back to his home in Oakland and readied his first attempt as band leader, with The Memorials. With Thomas at the helm, Viveca Hawkins on vocals, and Nick Brewer on guitar they took to the studio and handled business!



How Thomas describes the project:

“Looking back on how the music and ideas flowed out of us, it was natural from the start, that’s why I didn’t doubt it. Music is supposed to be people’s release. I wanted an energy there (when we were recording), and I really tried to catch everyone’s moments.” He goes on to say, “I feel that I picked amazing talents as band mates, and I’m stoked that we were on the same page.”

In November 2010 great appearance at PASIC Indianapolis!

Thomas Pridgen is sponsored by the following companies:

Audix Microphones – Certified Skateboards – DW Drums – Evans Drum Heads – Lee Greenwich Apparel – Promark Drum Sticks – Latin Percussion – Brooklyn Salsa

Westone In-ear Monitors – Zildjian Cymbals – Certified Skateboards

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

WINEBIRDS, “Séance

WINEBIRDS, “Séance


Hill” (self-released)

✰✰✰ — Falling somewhere

among Belle and Sebastian, Rilo Kiley and Fleetwood Mac come the Winebirds, a Portland, Ore., quintet whose breezy, sometimes hippie-like rock makes their first album “Séance Hill” a nice building block for the future. The 12 cuts mix breezy pop, earnest folkleaning ballads, and even some girl-group posturing (check out “Vanity” for more on that).

Their guy/girl vocal approach isn’t anything new but fits them just fine. Guitarist Reggie (they eschew surnames in all their press materials) has a quivering, hoarse approach to his vocals, giving them humanity, and he shines brightest on “Out in the

Van” and “The New Oregon Trail,” where he sounds like Elvis Costello. They score early with tongue-in-cheek “I Obscenity In Thy Mother’s Milk” (where Rose and Lauren add their lush harmonies) and closing ballad “The Hill” has a quiet winter’s feel to it. (BK)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

A rustic sounding folk rock band with as much talent as you can come by in this town, Campfire OK

http://seattlest.com/2011/02/01/campfire_ok_is_strange_like_we_are.php



Listen Up! Campfire OK is 'Strange Like We Are' (& We Like It That Way)Seattlest Music has some new features afoot. One is called Listen Up! and you are about to read its first installment below. On a fairly regular (we hope) basis we will be bringing you a small sonic tasting from bands and artists that we love by streaming their singles straight from our posts. That way you don't have to scour the 'net attempting to hear samples of the fantastic bands we've been raving about both at shows and in our album/band reviews.


We're excited about this new venture along with its sister series Look Up! (of which the post below is sort of a mixture of both song and video) where we share videos that are particularly amazing whether they be live or artistic featuring those same fantastic bands. If there's someone you'd like to hear or see, then drop us a line at music@seattlest.com. We're always excited to hear from our readers and find out what you want to listen to. We're looking forward to this new direction and hope you are too.

photo by Kyle JohnsonIf you haven't noticed, the Seattle music scene has taken quite an upturn in the last year or two. As a matter of fact, you've probably noticed a huge upswing in amazing musicians. More than a little of that success is due to the tight-knit community that has always circulated through this town of ours. It's evident in the fans and the artists that grace the tiny and not-so-tiny venues spread throughout the town like so many stars in the sky. A really good example of the family-like atmosphere in music assembled itself in the form of Campfire OK.

A rustic sounding folk rock band with as much talent as you can come by in this town, Campfire OK includes standouts Mychael on lead vocals, Melodie on vocals and piano, and Bryan on vocals and guitar. It's rare that a group of musicians can walk into a restaurant one day and sound as amazing as if they'd gone into a studio and recorded a thought out and well-rounded song, but that's exactly what they did recently at Oddfellows. You can see it for yourself below in a masterfully recorded video by Christian Sorensen Hansen.


Campfire Ok at Oddfellows from Christian Sorensen Hansen on Vimeo.


Campfire Ok at Oddfellows from Christian Sorensen Hansen on Vimeo.

You would think by now that they would have a full-length recorded, edited and on the shelves with the practiced sound we have come to know and love. Alas, this is not true, or at least it wasn't true until this Friday today. They're having a cd release party at Columbia City Theater on Saturday to celebrate and we could not be more excited. You can hear a few songs from the upcoming album "Strange Like We Are" on their site or just click play below to get a little taste of what you've been missing. You'll wonder where this music has been all your life and wonder what you'd ever do without it. There's still a few tickets available for their show and we recommend you grab them now because it's sure to sell out.

Strange Like We Are by Campfire OK

Joining Campfire on Friday will be Koko & The Sweetmeats and one of its own members in solo form, Bryan John Appleby. We're anticipating a full-length from him about as much as we're dying to get our hands on the Campfire release. He has an amazing voice like rolling water flowing over rocks in a stream or wind blowing through tall grass on a spring day; sweet and refreshing with an occasional biting sorrow. Having heard him perform at The Collective's first Best of the New showcase and then again at Conor Byrne's open mic night, we're completely hooked. This video speaks for itself.


Cliffs Along The Sea from Christian Sorensen Hansen on Vimeo.


Cliffs Along The Sea by Brian John Appleby from Christian Sorensen Hansen on Vimeo.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Paper Tongues head straight to the top, dawg!

http://media.www.ecollegetimes.com/media/storage/paper991/news/2010/07/29/Music/Paper.Tongues.Head.Straight.To.The.Top.Dawg-3923950.shtml


Paper Tongues head straight to the top, dawg!

Christina Caldwell



Media Credit: Andrew Macpherson

If you interrupt a music megastar's meal by letting him or her know about your band, odds are you'll be blown off and escorted out by security. Assumedly, that would be the case with a huge star like "American Idol's" Randy Jackson. But somehow that approach worked for Paper Tongues frontman Aswan North.

Fast-forward three years; Randy Jackson is now the band's manager and mentor, landing them gigs opening for Muse, Flyleaf, Switchfoot and others. We talked to guitarist Joey Signa about the band's sudden rise to fame and the bumps along the way.

College Times: You guys ran into Randy Jackson of 'American Idol' during a chance encounter. Can you tell me that story? How did it lead to him becoming your manager? Also, how many times, on average, does Randy Jackson say "dawg" in a five minute conversation?

Signa: Aswan met him at a hotel in LA while Randy was eating lunch. Essentially, Aswan interrupted his meal and gave him our MySpace and phone number and asked (well, more so told him) to give a listen. Two hours later, he calls. We meet up with him at the studio and just start hanging. And since then, he has been our coach and manager and is becoming like an uncle. He is just like he is on TV. [He's] one of the most approachable ... people in the industry. [He's] a genius bass player and business man and really down to earth. His language is a little bit more "branded" for TV, but it definitely came from somewhere.

You've opened for some pretty huge names, including Muse, Switchfoot and Flyleaf. You guys are professionals now, but at any point during your career have you been star struck? Not just with the bands you've opened for, but with people you've been able to meet?

Yes! I was like a child at the Jimmy Fallon show! First of all, as you know, The Roots are the house band. So [when] I saw Questlove in the hallway, I froze up. I shook his hand while he was on the phone and said, "I just wanted to say hi." That was it. It was pretty embarrassing because I had to interrupt his phone call to tell him that. Also, "30 Rock" is one of my favorite shows ever and Jack McBrayer, who plays my favorite character, Kenneth, was a guest on the show. I immediately found him [after the show] and got a picture with him and put in on my Facebook. I was smiling for hours.

You guys blend many different styles that, on the surface, seem like they wouldn't go together. How would you describe your sound, besides the standard "rock and roll meets hip-hop, meets soul, meets funk"?

Our music, to us, is about passion and feeling. Whatever that sounds like is what we make. We use what we know to make what we feel, and that has gotten us to this sound, that even for me is hard to describe. The best way I can describe it is listening to what your soul is saying, and connecting that to our sound.

I'm curious about the songwriting dynamic among the group. With seven members, there must be a lot of ideas floating around. How do you arrange them into one coherent piece?

We never shut anyone down. We let whoever is working work until they feel they have arrived or exhausted themselves. Then we go through everything piece by piece and pick out what we all feel works. We have the honor of working with some amazing producers that really help in this area. But [we], as a band, give each other space to put down what they are feeling.

What would you consider the highlight of the band's career thus far?

For me, it's the shows where we can feel the crowd at its most intense moments. It could be a tiny venue with 200 people, but it feels as if we're in front of thousands because of the energy floating around. I also loved playing at the Jimmy Fallon show. So much fun!

Probably some of the most interesting stories I've heard from bands are about their worst live gigs ever. What's yours?

For me, as far as intense wreckage goes, it was playing at the George Lopez show. No one other than the live audience would ever know. We recorded "Trinity" for his website and the first time we played it, my guitar wasn't working. We finished the song and I had to stop the whole production and admit that I had no clue what was going on. Then in front of the entire audience, including George, I had to sort it out. Everyone was waiting for me to fix my gear and I had no clue what was happening! It was so scary. It was our first time on TV and all the cameramen and directors and producers were rushing me and it was freaking me out. I trashed my pedal board on my hands and knees while George moved on to recording some liners until something worked. Finally we re-recorded it with my emotions in shambles.

Friday, February 11, 2011

MP3 der Woche – Campfire OK

MP3 der Woche – Campfire OK

http://www.nicorola.de/aktuelle-beitrage/musik/mp3/mp3-der-woche/mp3-der-woche-campfire-ok


31.01.2011 Ein Kommentar nicorola


Diesen Song der Folk-Band aus Seattle hatte ich bereits vor ein paar Wochen in einer Mixahula-Ausgabe, aber irgendwie ist der Song bei mir hängen geblieben und demnach zu gut, um mitten in einem Mix zu versauern. Die Art und Weise, wie hier das Banjo eingesetzt wird, hat eher was von raffiniertem Pop als von Folk. Erinnern mich zumindest bei diesem Song ein wenig an The Meligrove Band.

Campfire OK – “Strange Like We Are”

Thursday, February 10, 2011

The septet from Charlotte's sound is hard to define

Tongues and Trees in Pomona


http://supergoodmusic.blogspot.com/2010/07/tongues-and-trees-in-pomona-tonight.html

Two buzz bands storm the far east of Los Angeles when Neon Trees and Paper Tongues stop in Pomona at The Glass House tonight.

Both have been extremely active this summer on the Bang The Gong Tour, but Paper Tongues has been a beast on the road. The 7 piece band makes their stop amidst an 18 month tour as they parade the same talents that got the 7 member group signed by Randy Jackson. With talk show appearances recently on Jimmy Fallon and George Lopez, buzz on MTV, stops at major festivals like Bonnaroo and movement on the billboard charts with the song "Trinity" from their March 30, 2010 self titled release Paper Tongues, eastern Los Angeles is catching this band at the right time.

Paper Tongues




Paper Tongues hail from the other side of the country, but the band and their music still reflect the same American melting pot that LA bands do. The septet from Charlotte's sound is hard to define as it embraces elements from hip-hop, funk, soul and all the way to rock all at once. This might be expected when you have members of the band from all walks of life and cultures, from vocalist Aswan North to pianist Cody Blackler, but their blend is different than what you might have heard before. Tonight, 2009's "Ride To California" might be a fan favorite, but the band offers something for everyone, no matter where they are from.

Neon Trees, on the other hand, is a bit more of a niche group. They are part of the new breed of indie-rock and their sound, best exhibited on the charting and catchy "Animal," reflects their exposure to some of the bands they have opened for, like The Killers. The rest of their 2010 release Habits (which actually came out 2 weeks before Paper Tongues) carves them out as a new talent on the indie scene. Songs with toe tapping rhythm and easily repeatable lyrics, like "Sins of My Youth" and "Calling My Name," suggest this band is not going anywhere.

Unlike PT, Neon Trees are also close to their roots here in California. Not only are some of the band members originally from California (Temecula), but their name is a homage to the neon glow surrounding Cali's esteemed In-N-Out.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Campfire Ok at Columbia City Theater. Feb, 5th 2011.

W. H. Walker lives up to the hype

http://www.babysue.com/2011-Feb-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor111909
W. H. Walker - Suds! (Independently released CD-R EP, Pop)




Whoever wrote the info on the little promo sticker for this disc gets ten bonus points. The text describing this band's music immediately caught our attention: "The future of doo-wop boogie pop, lassoing the soul of 1950s and the hooks of 1970s & dragging those years through the dregs of punk into 2010." Those crazy smart folks at XO Publicity...talk about stroking our curiosity...!?! The great news is that the music created by the folks in W. H. Walker lives up to the hype. We would add a line to the description stating that there are a few subtle threads of glam running through these tunes as well. This short disc clocks in at just under 24 minutes...but even though its short the tunes pack a major punch. Killer hard pop cuts include "As The Night Goes," "Watch Your Step," and "Second Hand Store. Top pick.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Paper Tongues head straight to the top, dawg!

http://media.www.ecollegetimes.com/media/storage/paper991/news/2010/07/29/Music/Paper.Tongues.Head.Straight.To.The.Top.Dawg-3923950.shtml


Paper Tongues head straight to the top, dawg!

Christina Caldwell

Media Credit: Andrew Macpherson



If you interrupt a music megastar's meal by letting him or her know about your band, odds are you'll be blown off and escorted out by security. Assumedly, that would be the case with a huge star like "American Idol's" Randy Jackson. But somehow that approach worked for Paper Tongues frontman Aswan North.



Fast-forward three years; Randy Jackson is now the band's manager and mentor, landing them gigs opening for Muse, Flyleaf, Switchfoot and others. We talked to guitarist Joey Signa about the band's sudden rise to fame and the bumps along the way.



College Times: You guys ran into Randy Jackson of 'American Idol' during a chance encounter. Can you tell me that story? How did it lead to him becoming your manager? Also, how many times, on average, does Randy Jackson say "dawg" in a five minute conversation?



Signa: Aswan met him at a hotel in LA while Randy was eating lunch. Essentially, Aswan interrupted his meal and gave him our MySpace and phone number and asked (well, more so told him) to give a listen. Two hours later, he calls. We meet up with him at the studio and just start hanging. And since then, he has been our coach and manager and is becoming like an uncle. He is just like he is on TV. [He's] one of the most approachable ... people in the industry. [He's] a genius bass player and business man and really down to earth. His language is a little bit more "branded" for TV, but it definitely came from somewhere.



You've opened for some pretty huge names, including Muse, Switchfoot and Flyleaf. You guys are professionals now, but at any point during your career have you been star struck? Not just with the bands you've opened for, but with people you've been able to meet?



Yes! I was like a child at the Jimmy Fallon show! First of all, as you know, The Roots are the house band. So [when] I saw Questlove in the hallway, I froze up. I shook his hand while he was on the phone and said, "I just wanted to say hi." That was it. It was pretty embarrassing because I had to interrupt his phone call to tell him that. Also, "30 Rock" is one of my favorite shows ever and Jack McBrayer, who plays my favorite character, Kenneth, was a guest on the show. I immediately found him [after the show] and got a picture with him and put in on my Facebook. I was smiling for hours.



You guys blend many different styles that, on the surface, seem like they wouldn't go together. How would you describe your sound, besides the standard "rock and roll meets hip-hop, meets soul, meets funk"?



Our music, to us, is about passion and feeling. Whatever that sounds like is what we make. We use what we know to make what we feel, and that has gotten us to this sound, that even for me is hard to describe. The best way I can describe it is listening to what your soul is saying, and connecting that to our sound.



I'm curious about the songwriting dynamic among the group. With seven members, there must be a lot of ideas floating around. How do you arrange them into one coherent piece?



We never shut anyone down. We let whoever is working work until they feel they have arrived or exhausted themselves. Then we go through everything piece by piece and pick out what we all feel works. We have the honor of working with some amazing producers that really help in this area. But [we], as a band, give each other space to put down what they are feeling.



What would you consider the highlight of the band's career thus far?



For me, it's the shows where we can feel the crowd at its most intense moments. It could be a tiny venue with 200 people, but it feels as if we're in front of thousands because of the energy floating around. I also loved playing at the Jimmy Fallon show. So much fun!



Probably some of the most interesting stories I've heard from bands are about their worst live gigs ever. What's yours?



For me, as far as intense wreckage goes, it was playing at the George Lopez show. No one other than the live audience would ever know. We recorded "Trinity" for his website and the first time we played it, my guitar wasn't working. We finished the song and I had to stop the whole production and admit that I had no clue what was going on. Then in front of the entire audience, including George, I had to sort it out. Everyone was waiting for me to fix my gear and I had no clue what was happening! It was so scary. It was our first time on TV and all the cameramen and directors and producers were rushing me and it was freaking me out. I trashed my pedal board on my hands and knees while George moved on to recording some liners until something worked. Finally we re-recorded it with my emotions in shambles.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Citizens Thank Little Caesars

CD Review: Campfire OK — Strange Like We Are (Atlanta Music Guide)

CD Review: Campfire OK — Strange Like We Are


January 31, 2011 CD Reviews No Comments


Campfire OK

Strange Like We Are

Ana-Them
http://www.atlantamusicguide.com/2011/01/31/cd-review-campfire-ok-strange-like-we-are/


By Ellen Eldridge



A warm feeling, like that of sitting at a campfire surrounded by chilling winds (and, possibly, wolves) comes across when the syncopated drums and vocals close in on the peaceful piano intro for Campfire OK’s debut Strange Like We Are. The imagery in the titles of the first three tracks alone cries out to a sense of eccentricity, like a hike in the woods on a broken leg. “We Lay In Caves” ends with a chaotic mesh of horns which give way to the drums starting “Hard Times,” the album’s second track which is punctuated with the twangy pull of a banjo’s strings. The third and title-track of the debut rises from a far-off call, like something one strains to make out across a forest. The gliding vocals recall Ten Story Relapse and a similar emotive of The Very Foundation, but not as frantic.



Campfire OK possesses the necessary factors to elicit a rousing catharsis while still driving chords played on synthesizers, as in “I Would Like Everything,” with the repeated line, “So, your relapse is more what I call a cry for attention.” This track may even speak to some audiences or grab attention more quickly than the singles that start the album. Lyrically, this upfront line allows for a narrow width of interpretation and fits well into many situations where addiction to anything from street drugs to love can make a listener feel a connection to the song. Well done.



One could classify Campfire OK as Americana, with its blend of vocal harmonies and silky piano driven by drums. The pop melodies across Strange Like We Are keep the songs going while the lyrics and tone seem to want to sink or give up. The psychology behind the way that the melodies contradict the rhythms may tap into the truth of how and why music keeps us going when we feel like slouching deep into the couch cushions. The toe-tapping keeps you moving as the lyrics mask a deeper sense of sadness. To a casual or superficial listener, this release could pass as pop, but more educated audiences that take the time to indulge will enjoy a satisfying secret.



Simple piano chords propel the lines, “I’m not surprised I’m not taken aback by you,” in “Magic Tricks,” and then the song swells into a concoction of writhing horn instruments, which relent to the next track. “Brass,” which starts ever so quietly and softly, shows the dynamic of Campfire OK and marks the band as one with serious potential. The addition of brass and folk instruments, including banjo, and multiple backing vocals make Strange Like We Are a luscious treat for fans of groups like As Tall As Lions, The Very Foundation, Ten Story Relapse, and Fleet Foxes.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

A Hard Edge Meets a Soft Core: The Burning Hotels

A Hard Edge Meets a Soft Core: The Burning Hotels


http://borangutan.com/band-reviews/hard-edge-meets-soft-core-burning-hotels/



Author: Schwaz

Having enjoyed the success of their debut album, "Novels", the impressive

new band The Burning Hotels recently took the stage at Sauce. The

dark-clad, masculine foursome proved true to the nature of their name with

the intensity of their set.



Band members Chance Morgan, Matt Mooty, Marley Whistler, Wyatt Adams may

indeed be All-American Texas boys, but their musical style indicates

influences from far and distant places. With their heavy bass guitar and

epic powerful vocals they struck the audience with a post-punk meets 1970's

enthusiasm, that literally left the crowd transfixed. Chance Morgan's

scratching and haunting vocals brings to mind memories of Muse's early

successes, with a wistfulness easily associated with Coldplay.



Their solid, hard rock sound is chillingly reminiscent to that of Interpol,

and the overall experience of The Burning Hotels can be compared to a

complex combination between a hard metallic edge and a soft core. The band

presented a dynamic interplay between opposing music styles, alongside two

guitarists sharing vocals. This is the kind of band we want to continually

see in Minnesota, but rarely do. Definitely worth checking out.



To Whom It May Concern - The Burning Hotels

Links

http://theburninghotels.net/
http://www.myspace.com/theburninghotels

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Strongly rooted in the raw acoustic roots of the Smithsonian Folkways Anthology

http://www.seattleweekly.com/2011-02-02/calendar/campfire-ok/#


Campfire OK



Local collective Campfire OK is one of those beautiful, restless entities that don't stay in one place for too long but still manage to write concise, focused songs. Strongly rooted in the raw acoustic roots of the Smithsonian Folkways Anthology series, the band pushes the boundaries of the revival band stigma, incorporating subtle modern elements (synth swells and delay pedals) effortlessly atop the weathered antique frames of their songs. While the energy of their live show shifts alongside their ever-changing band roster, their debut LP, Strange Like We Are, is stocked full of pristine, elegant dirges that start simply and end up evolving into overwhelming walls of sound, capable of taking over even the most jaded and suspicious listeners. With Koko & The Sweetmeats, Bryan John Appleby. GREGORY FRANKLIN

Sat., Feb. 5, 9 p.m., 2011

Friday, February 4, 2011

February 5th at the Columbia City Theater, Campfire OK is releasing their new album

Campfire OK - Rainy Dawg Radio


On February 5th at the Columbia City Theater, Campfire OK is releasing their new album. Also there: Koko and The Sweetmeats and Bryan John Appleby, ...



www.rainydawg.org/?tag=hausu

Thursday, February 3, 2011

"Suds! All over me! Suds! I want to be clean!"

http://thevinylanachronist.blogspot.com/

"Suds! All over me! Suds! I want to be clean!"




Okay, now that this song is totally stuck in my head and won't come out, I guess it's time to tell you about coolest party album of the year--W. H. Walker's Suds!. This six-song EP, which is culled from a forthcoming split 7" LP with Clorox Girls, hasn't a moody, reflective moment on it. This self-described "doo-wop boogie pop" is all about (Suds!) raw exuberance, a lo-fi party vibe and an overall sound that jumps cleanly between The Who circa 1965 and perhaps The Jam circa 1979.



W. H. Walker, which isn't a guy but a group, stands for Welcome Home Walker. This Portland-based band rose from the (Suds!) ashes of the Soda Pop Kids, a very different sounding band that broke up in 2007, and they take such musical heroes as Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy and the Rubinoos and turn them into something that's 10% nostalgia and 90% sheer hyper energy.



While the doo-wop influences are (Suds!) obvious, the rawness of W. H. Walker seems to rise from the punk scene that emerged a good fifteen or twenty years later, especially in more manic songs such as "As the Night Goes." Throw in a cover tune from a Venice, California busker ("Watch Your Step") and a genuine soul ballad ("The Untold Death of Grady Jones") and the non-stop rush of sound and beat starts to ebb and flow and show a surprising amount of (Suds!) depth amid the cigarette smoke and the spilled gin.



So, Suds! is a whole lot of fun, a slight dirty EP that smells like the wrong but much more interesting side of town, the one where you have the time of your life before you run home and try to forget what you've done the night before. A bathtub full of Suds! will do the trick, I suspect.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Ezra Holbrook - Save Yourself

Ezra Holbrook - Save Yourself


http://thevinylanachronist.blogspot.com/






After hearing a few cuts from the latest overwrought and banal album from James Blunt, I sincerely wondered to myself if anyone could write a sweet, intelligent and romantic song in this day and age. Idiocracy aside, I just can't accept that intelligence is directly proportional to cynicism, and that a love song has to have a dark edge in order to be acceptable to your garden-variety hipster in the year 2011.



Ezra Holbrook, I believe, has the answer. Ezra was the original drummer for The Decemberists, and his new album Save Yourself combines a stunning trifecta of intelligent lyrics about love, varied and endlessly interesting instrumentation and great sound quality. Ezra's voice is surprisingly accomplished for someone who was previously just known as a drummer for a very good indie band. He mixes the slight breathiness of Sufjan Stevens with the honest, direct phrasing of Paul Simon, and the result is easy, sweet and smooth.



Best of all, he really has something to say about love that isn't maudlin, angular or overly unctuous. He's the master of the simple throwaway line that comes back to haunt you, like the simple yet poetic declaration in the song "Collide-oscope" that "Everything broken is beautiful too." (He comes back later in the same song to confirm that "You might feel broken but all of those pieces belong where they fall.") And for the record, I also sat up and took notice of the line "I would go to sleep unhappy if I could just wake up amazed" from "Do People Bloom?"; it reminded me of "You know I would die if I could come back new" from Wilco's astounding "Ashes of American Flags."



Ezra doesn't cheap out on his band, either. Like I said, it's varied, and I was constantly surprised by the sudden appearance of an accordion, a flute, a string arrangement or even a '70s-style electric piano. The gentle, jazz-tinged sax solo that ends "Another Light Off in the Distance" is definitely a welcome conceit. The sound quality is unusually warm and natural; on a couple of songs I could even hear when acoustic guitars were being strummed with the fingernails rather than picks.



Not every song is a home run--"God Help the Homeless Heart," for example, wears its heart a little too eagerly on its sleeve with its sentimental yet skittish string arrangement. But Save Yourself is a remarkably smart collection of love songs, and may be the perfect make-out record for the day you finally get that quirky, tattooed IT student who works at the local Starbucks to come over to your apartment.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Campfire OK offers free download of Strange Like We Are’s title track

http://popwreckoning.com/2011/01/31/campfire-ok-offers-free-download-of-strange-like-we-ares-title-track/#
Campfire OK offers free download of Strange Like We Are’s title track




Seattle’s Campfire OK is set to release Strange Like We Are and they’re sharing the title track as a free download now. Who doesn’t like free stuff?

Download “Strange Like We Are” from here. It’s a fun indie folk jam with a building melody line that is sure to have you singing along by the end. You can also check out a video of the band performing the song below.

If you like this song, the rest of the album will be available February 1 on various forms. They’ll also play a hometown CD release show on February 5 at the Columbia City Theatre.