The Pimps of Joytime debut new tracks at The Indy

March 27, 2013 by 3 Comments

PimpsBy Eldon Christenson //

The Pimps of Joytime //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 23rd, 2013 //

We last spoke with the Pimps of Joytime when they opened up for Trombone Shorty at The Fillmore and embarked upon the West Coast leg of their Janxta Funk tour. Kicking off 2013 with a New Year’s Eve performance at the SnowGlobe Music Festival and steadily touring since then, The Pimps of Joytime came back through the Bay Area this past weekend to sell out a two-night residency at The Independent with featured act Vokab Kompany.

Debuting unreleased tracks off of their highly anticipated third album due out this fall, the Pimps kept the crowd rowdy with their unique brand of janxta funk and their stage presence seemed elevated by the new material. Playing what they referred to post-show as their “best Bay Area performances to date,” the Pimps embraced the crowd’s energy and enthusiasm, channeling it into a back-to-back party no one wanted to end.

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Django Django, Night Moves pack in Public Works

March 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Django-DjangoBy Mike Frash //

Django Django with Night Moves //
Public Works – San Francisco
March 22nd, 2013 //

London-based Django Django returned to SF to play Public Work last Friday. The show sold out months in advance, an indicator that the hypnotic headliners have become increasingly popular since their first SF appearance in September.

Vincent Neff is the frontman for Django Django, and he did a top-notch job getting the crowd pumped up, but this foursome that met at University in 2009 is clearly a tight unit. Drummer David Maclean produced their self-titled debut record, which was nominated for the 2012 Mercury Prize. As they normally do, all members of the group wore matching outfits and are connected through someone synchronized movements on stage.

One of the most impressive aspects of Django Django is how they create sounds and make them work in a live environment. As the show was set to start Friday, about 30 noise-making devices were placed next to a swath of pedals and loopers at the foot of the stage. Django Django creates their unique sound through a plethora of methods, using claves, coconuts, cowbells and much more. Then, they loop the sounds and modulate the noises to recreate their cuts in a live environment.

The featured group out of Minneapolis Night Moves kicked off the evening with John Pelant’s beautiful, even angelic voice taking center stage. Night Moves presented songs that came off as more palatable Portugal. The Man — they are worth checking out. Night Moves will be performing with Poliça at Mezzanine in April.

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New Music Tuesday: Depeche Mode • The Strokes • Wavves

March 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks, album highlights, lowlights and important takeaways for select albums.

Depeche Mode – Delta Machine

2.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Heaven”
“Secret to the End”
“Alone”

Album Highlights: The song that grabs me the most is “Alone”, as it features Dave Grahan’s haunting baritone voice while Martin Gore lays down many layers of synth and drumbeats. The first single off Delta Machine, “Heaven” is close to the classic style of Depeche Mode, with more harmonies between the singers, and it’s fuzzy sound quality provides the listener with classic Depeche Mode peripherals.

Album Lowlight: Depeche Mode knows what works for them so they stick to it. I would of liked to see some different styles in some of the songs, but they didn’t deviate too far from their past work. It’s hard to blame Depeche Mode for sticking to their sound, as 80’s synth-based music is present today more than ever.

Takeaway: These 80’s electro-pop Veterans churned out another album of synth-heavy tunes that evoke many past memories of their previous work. Diehard Depeche Mode fans will probably enjoy this album just for the sole purpose of having new tracks to listen to, but I don’t see many new fans being won over by this record.

~Pete Mauch

The Strokes – Comedown Machine

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Slow Animals”
“Happy Ending”
“All the Time”
“One Way Trigger”

Album Highlights: A subtle step in a soulful direction, the Strokes branch out with R&B vocals and baseline tricks they have unfortunately kept hidden up their sleeves until this album. Sandwiched between choruses defined by their signature guitar riffs and lyrical structure, “Slow Animals” isn’t too far out of their comfort zone, but resonates nonetheless. Hearing Casablanca’s range in a different tone is refreshing, and the band’s baritone harmonizing is not only catchy but sheds a whole new light on where the band could be headed in the long term.

Album Lowlight: Cut “Call It Fate, Call It Karma” in half and it still would have had the same creative impact without seeming pretentiously drawn out. I may have just had too high of expectations for what the Strokes could’ve done with a traditional samba, but this one falls short regardless of my preconceived notions. The track sounds like Casablanca is drunkenly crooning in a bathtub down the hallway, trying to be drowned out by his neighbors’ french pop vinyls.

Takeaway: Taking a note from their Beggar’s Group labelmates Beirut, the Strokes introduce an electro element to the album with the accordion-simulated pop gem “One Way Trigger”. Pulsating drums, Spanish guitar and Casablanca’s gorgeous falsettos make this easily the most catchy and energetic track on the album. It’s destined for commercial airplay and chart-topping success. Summer time hit is written all over it.

~Molly Kish

Wavves – Afraid of Heights

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Sail to the Sun”
“Afraid of Heights” feat. Jenny Lewis
“Beat Me Up”

Album Highlights: Nathan Williams’ Wavves are at it again, doing what they generally do best; write angst-ridden songs coupled with his nasal voice and insanely poppy guitar hooks. However, on this current release we see Wavves take advantage of their signing to a major label, which in turn means a slight departure from the lo-fi sound. Production really shines through here for this still-young band. Lyrically, Williams has not strayed too far from his dropout, stoner ethos we have become used to. “I’ll always be on my own,” is shouted on track “Demon to Lean On.”

Album Lowlight: The release of King of the Beach many years ago cemented the band’s status as a contender in the running for the garage rock crown. A high profile relationship with Bethany Consentino of Best Coast catapulted the band further, but after many years and many similar acts, the formula is starting to wear thin for Williams. The album clocks in at over 40 minutes, an impressive feat, but can tend to drag on towards the end.

Takeaway: Fans of the band will surely eat up this album, playing it on heavy rotation most of the summertime, understandably. Though it is more polished than previous efforts, it is still gonna make the kids stage dive and pogo along at their shows, as demonstrated at Bottom of the Hill last weekend. Self-loathing has never been more fun!

~Kevin Quandt

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WKEND MIXTAPE: Madeon – Live on Triple J

March 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Wkend-Mixtape

Our featured mix this week is from Madeon, who dropped a quick 30 minute mix for Australia’s Triple J radio. Known for his condensed mixes, this one features tracks from across the electronic realm including his own alongside cuts from A-Trak, Justice, Birdy Nam Nam, Breakbot, Alex Metric and many more. Check out the full tracklist below to follow along.

For more mixes and music from Madeon check out his Soundcloud page.

Madeon feat. Zak Waters – The City
Madeon feat. Zak Waters – The City (The M Machine Remix)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)
Deorro – Bounce
Carli – Look Up
Audien – Wayfarer
Jacques Lu Cont – In The Night
Zedd & Lucky Date feat. Ellie Goulding – Fall Into The Sky
Kill The Noise, Brillz & Minxx – Saturn
Alex Metric – Rave Weapon
Mikkas feat. Amba Shepherd – Finally (Botnek Remix)
His Majesty Andre – Hymn
Fire Flowerz – Polar
LBCK – Native
Alphabeat – DJ (Madeon Remix)
Gigamesh – Enjoy (Oliver Remix)
Russ Chimes – Turn Me Out
Loops Of Fury – Church Of Fury
Brodinski feat. Louisahhh! – Nobody Rules The Street
Autoerotique feat. Marissa Jack – Roll The Drums (Torro Torro Remix)
Wolfgang Gartner – Girl On Girl
Danny Howard – Apex
Cubic Zirconia – Darko (Tommy Trash Remix)
Zedd – Shotgun
TJR – Ode To Oi
Nervo & Hook N Sling – Reason (Sick Individuals Remix)
Mat Zo & Porter Robinson – Easy
Justice – New Lands (A-Trak Remix)
Alex Metric – Prophecies
Para One – In The Night (Acapella)
Birdy Nam Nam – Going In
Black Tiger Sex Machine – Rhythm Mode (Charlie Darker Remix)
Madeon – Icarus
Deadmau5 – Raise Your Weapon (Madeon Remix Live)
Martin Solveig – The Night Out (Madeon Remix)
Martin Solveig – The Night Out (A-Trak Remix)
Oliver – MYB
Justice – Genesis
Jewelz & Scott Sparks – Toxic Rush
Breakbot feat. Irfane – Baby I’m Yours
A-Trak & Oliver – Disco Nap (Acapella)
RESET! – Monique Autoerotique
Blende – Fake Love
Lemâitre – Sceptics (Live Mix)
Wolfgang Gartner – Love & War
Madeon feat. Nicholas Petricca – Finale
Madeon feat. Nicholas Petricca – Finale (Netsky Remix)

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PHOTOS: PST LIVE featuring 9th Wonder and Rapsody at The Independent

March 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

PST-LiveBy Marc Fong //

9th Wonder & Rapsody //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 16th, 2013 //

9th Wonder is a Grammy-winning producer, DJ, college lecturer and social activist. Formerly in the hip-hop trio Little Brother, he has produced tracks for Jay-Z, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu and many more. Rapsody is signed to 9th Wonder’s Jamla Records, and the two joined forces to perform at The Independent on Saturday.

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Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band delight at Fox Theater Oakland

March 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Josh-Ritter

Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band played to a sit down audience at Fox Theater Oakland Wednesday in support of their new record The Beast In Its Tracks, which dropped in early March. Take a look at a snippet of “Joy To You Baby,” the lead single from Josh Ritter’s 6th LP below after the snaps.

Upcoming Shows at The Fox Theater Oakland:
Band of Horses featuring Jake Bugg ~ Saturday April 13
Sigur Rós featuring Oneohtrix Point Never ~ Tuesday April 16
David Byrne & St. Vincent ~ Sunday July 21

Josh Ritter – The Beast In Its Tracks Album Teaser from Josh Ritter on Vimeo.

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Conspirator elevates audience at The Independent

March 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Conspirator

Conspirator made a Fun-Friday stop at The Independent March 15 to lay down some heavy electronic fusion for dance and jam fans alike. Featuring two members of jam-staple The Disco Biscuits, Conspirator have embarked on a lengthy 2013 tour in support of their recent EP Unleashed.

Upcoming Shows at The Independent:
The Pimps of Joytime ~ Friday March 22 and Saturday March 23
Poolside ~ Wednesday March 27
Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk ~ Friday April 5

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Umphrey’s McGee display technical prowess at Fox Theater Oakland

March 20, 2013 by 1 Comment

Umphrey's McGeePhotos by Sam Heller // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Umphrey’s McGee //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
March 16th, 2013 //

Umphrey’s McGee proved yet again that they are one of the most concise and consistent bands playing live. Saturday’s show at the Fox Theater Oakland further demonstrated the technical prowess that has launched these guys from a bar band to a contending headliner across America, popular in almost every demographic.

A recorded intro welcomed the six members before launching head first into a relatively new song by the name of “Depth Charge”. “2×2” was nicely welcomed by this writer who has been seeing this band for well over a decade, as it is one they have been playing for quite some time. The guitar work of Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinniger has always been a spotlight for the band as they play so well together and push the progressive boundaries of rock guitar.

“Nemo” demonstrated their ability to showcase their talent on acoustic guitars, which was a refreshing surprise on a fan-favorite track. The longtime party anthem that is “Pay the Snuck” would end a well-received set full of funk jams and note-slaying prog-rock.

The second set opened with the Anchor Drops track “In the Kitchen” before heading into the West Coast premier of Tool’s epic “Forty Six & 2” off of Ænima. The heaviness of Tool was very well transcribed by the band as drummer Kris Myers belted out his best Maynard impression. More favorites like “The Triple Wide” kept fans moving throughout the set before culminating with the Paul McCartney classic “Live and Let Die.” Songs like this allow percussionist Andy Farag to crash his way through his extensive array of percussive instruments. Umphrey’s has few boundaries as a band, and though they may lack a little of the creative chances, they still enthrall all levels of music fans, some at die-hard status.

Set 1: Depth Charge, Plunger, 2×2, Padgett’s Profile, Conduit, Plunger, 1348[1], Nemo[2], Hey, Hey What Can I Do[2], Nemo[2], Pay the Snucka

Set 2: In the Kitchen, Forty Six & 2, The Triple Wide, Puppet String, Dump City, Hajimemashite, Puppet String, Live and Let Die

Encore: All In Time[3]

[1] with Rapper’s Delight (The Sugarhill Gang) teases
[2] with Brendan and Jake on acoustics
[3] with How Many More Times? (Led Zeppelin) teases

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New Music Tuesday: Justin Timberlake • Black Rebel Motorcycle Club • Palma Violets • Phosphorescent • Low

March 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks, album highlights, lowlights and important takeaways for select albums.

Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience

3-BamsTop Tracks:
“Pusher Love Girl”
“Suit & Tie”
“Strawberry Bubblegum”

Album Highlights: Justin Timberlake, boy band heartthrob gone full-blown-pop-megastar-actor-sex-symbol, has released one of the most interesting R&B pop albums in years. The 20/20 Experience is an album of two halves. First there’s the radio-edit half, mostly catchy pop tunes that are, for the most part, pretty standard. Then there’s the musical outro half. The dancey half, booty-shakin half. Most tracks on 20/20 are over 7 minutes, and contain an extended dance outro. Songs like “Pusher Love Girl,” “Don’t Hold the Wall” and “Strawberry Bubblegum,” to name a few, have extended dance time. This second half concept is what makes the album so interesting, and it opens the door to unlimited musical possibilities. From the dirty south to jazz clubs, this album touches upon many genres and styles. With The 20/20 Experience, Timberlake can have his cake and eat it, too.

I love it and I hate at the same time. It’s so poppy and produced, yet it hooks you with the musical interludes. There really is something for everyone on this record.

Album Lowlight: This album draws from so much of what has been done in the past. The beat in “Suit & Tie” sounds like an updated version of the beat from Outkast’s “Rosa Parks.” But it works, that’s why it’s so popular.

Takeaway: JT has created an album that contains songs with two distinct halves. The first half, the radio-friendly half, will be heard on AM/FM dials from here to Bombay. The second half, the half that makes me want to buy $10 watered down cocktails and grind on the dance floor until sunrise, will be responsible for unplanned pregnancies for years to come. Don’t expect to have a quiet evening with Pintrest and your hubbie while sipping Gewurztraminer in your snuggie with 20/20. Expect to channel your inner R. Kelly and bump n’ grind to this album. It is this yin-yang dynamic that makes this album worth a listen.

And just when you’ve had enough Justin, Timberlake announced on Monday that the second half to The 20/20 Experience is on the way.

~Kevin Raos

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Specter at the Feast

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Fire Walker”
“Hate the Taste”
“Funny Games”

Album Highlights: This seventh full-length release from the leather clad rockers signifies their return after years off the radar, and they have turned a painful time (death of crew member) into one of their best albums to date. A split album of heavy and mellow rock is evident, but doesn’t detract much as the album acts as tribute to a fallen brethren. Fuzzed out guitar and bass has made it’s way back to the forefront as demonstrated on soul-tinged track, “Hate the Taste.” The brooding tension on “Sell It” is some of the heaviest music out of these guys, and is one track you can’t resist head-banging to.

Album Lowlight: Nothing ground-breaking from this rock band. Though they weren’t active 20 years ago, the album does have a sound that might have been more palpable in the 1990s, alongside bands like Alice in Chains and Tool.

Takeaway: Specter at the Feast features the band’s return to straight ahead garage rock after flourishes in alt-country and outlying styles. Expect a big year from them as this record will win over new fans while fulfilling the desires of almost all longtime fans with a return to the B.R.M.C. sound that launched their career. A must listen for fans of harder-edged music, and a repeater for fans of leather jackets and true rock and roll.

~Kevin Quandt

Palma Violets – 180

2.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Step Up for the Cool Cats”
“Rattlesnake Highway”
“I Found Love”

Album Highlights: Reminiscent of a western themed battle hymn, the band channels punk rock roots in the format and lyrical structure of “Chicken Dippers”. Equal parts a moody ballad and rockabilly revamp, “Chicken Dippers” showcases both the band’s musical talent and songwriting ingenuity. A creative risk uncommon on most debut albums, Palma Violets pulled this track off with the bravado of seasoned professionals.

Album Lowlight: Sounding more like the band professionally edited this during a studio warm up, the lyrics to “Last of the Summer Wine” are lackluster and the song’s composition is all over the place. This track’s delayed pick up leaves you in anticipation for a climax which is never fully reached, bottoming out awkwardly into a conclusion that even the band talked through while recording. Guess they were that bored.

Takeaway: A stomp box and surf guitar riff lead you into the lo-fi “Best of Friends” that instantly hooks you from the moment Sam Fryer shrieks out the opening lyrics. An homage to the clangy Brit rock singalongs of the late 60’s, Palma Violets produce a rousing garage rock anthem bound to be a crowd favorite during live performances. This track is not only the perfect introduction to the bands overall sound, but also is the strongest representation of their group dynamic on the album.

~Molly Kish

Phosphorescent – Muchacho

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“Song for Zula”
“The Quotidian Beasts”
“A Charm / A Blade”

Album Highlights: If all “country music” sounded this good, I might be able to move away from the city. The opening “Invocation” and closing “Exit” songs frame Muchacho with such sonically delightful harmonization that the bookend helps all tracks within it shine. “Song for Zula,” the second track on the record, is surely in the running for best song of the year going forward. Matthew Houck’s spiritual voice is matched by a layering and swelling of strings. The track is striking as a timeless song at first listen, and it succeeds while hardly rooting itself in any of today’s trends. “Song for Zula” holds so much emotion it’s cinematic – the song could carry a boring montage to lofty heights and probably will. The third track “Ride On / Right On” is based around a crunchy beat and distorted guitar, creating a contrasting instrumental base for Houck’s vocals. Either way, whether featuring his voice over a symphonic, hopeful chorus or a steady distorted head-bobber, it all works magnificently.

Album Lowlight: The standard country arrangements in “Terror in the Canyons” and “Muchacho’s Tune” cause the tracks to end up hidden within the scope of the record, yet these cuts provide just enough pause to help you realize how easy this record is to absorb, and how addictive it is.

Takeaway: It’s all win for the most diverse-sounding and best Phosphorescent album yet. Muchacho is a soaring LP, and one of the best so far this year. The latter third of the record, from “A New Anhedonia” through the end, might be the strongest section. It’s power lies within “The Quotidian Beasts,” an epic track in the vein of Crazy Horse and The Allman Brothers that might serve as a rambling set-closer live. Instantly catchy yet nuanced, Muchacho achieves an elevated sound quality and long-lasting resonance through varied arrangements that serve as a continuous bed for Houck’s desperate, searching voice.

~Mike Frash

Low – The Invisible Way

3-BamsTop Tracks:
“Plastic Cup”
“Holy Ghost”
“Just Make It Stop”

Album Highlights: The subtle guitar and piano work fits perfectly with the angelic harmonies of husband and wife duo of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. The simpleness of this album is what makes the harmonies truly stand out and makes this album special.

Album Lowlight: The pace of the album is really slow, so if you’re looking for a jump start to your day this album is not for you.

Takeaway: Producer Jeff Tweedy from Wilco seemed to stay out of the way in his production duties and let the trio truly shine on their own. The harmonies and lyrics are what stand out on this album, especially the album opener “Plastic Cup,” where Sparhawk explains how our trash will be looked upon as a kings treasure in the future.

~Pete Mauch

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Greensky Bluegrass make it to the big stage in SF

March 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Greensky-BluegrassPhotos by Mike Frash // Written by Kevin Quandt //

There are few bigger honors in the San Francisco music scene than a bands first time headlining the Fillmore, and on Friday March 15th, it was Greensky Bluegrass’ night to shine on the big stage. They were not alone on this evening as Ryan Montbleau Band handled opening duties, and the one and only Sam Bush decided to make a trip out to support his brothers in bluegrass. A sizable crowd welcomed all the musicians over the night, and stayed dancing well into the late hours of the night underneath those brilliant chandeliers.

Ryan Montbleau warmed up those in attendance early with a set of his brand of folkified, soul funk. Having been a constant, and respected, personality in the jam scene for almost a decade now, he has garnered some devote fans. His style is pleasing to the ear, and can easily get a room dancing to his booming voice.

Greensky-Bluegrass

Greensky Bluegrass was anxious to get going, and wasted little time jumping head first into their dynamic style of renegade string music. Their knack for life on the road is evident by the ease of communication between the members, as they toss solos back and forth in a truly effortless manner. The quintet blazed through some of their original material in competent manner, but it was somewhat evident that the crowd was ready to expand this group with the addition of legend, Sam Bush.

Fiddle would be Bush’s instrument of choice to start out the evening, busting into a romp of an instrumental piece before the first few notes of “Same Ol’ River” rung through the venue. This standout track featured Bush on mandolin, and included an extended jam with fellow mandolin player Paul Hoffman of Greensky. Sam Bush possesses this great musical leadership skill that allows him to seamlessly play with almost any acoustic bluegrass band with such professional competence that you forget it’s not his band.

Greensky-Bluegrass

“Girl From the North Country” featured a duet between Bush and Anders Beck, who has become a highly respected dobro player in their music circle. His tone shines through on so many songs, and this one was no exception. Another duet was on deck, this time between Paul and Sam playing the crowd pleasing song, “Sailing Shoes.” A nod to Robert Johnson’s famous song “Crossroads” earned a howl and applause from the crowd before heading back into “Sailing Shoes.” “Bringing in the Georgia Mill” closed out the well built set.

A setbreak led into the Greensky Bluegrass original “Jaywalking,” a track they have become rather well known for over the past years. It was no surprise that this show was a little more anticipated than others on the tour, and the band truly nailed the evening with a mix of original songs, thoughtful covers and one legendary guest to help out when needed. “Could You Be Loved” slowed the frantic pace and allowed some clouds to billow into the lights before dedicating the next song to Fillmore founder Bill Graham. “Working on a Building” by Bill Monroe was a highlight of the second set as the vocal pitches were skillfully nailed.

The band played solidly into the one o’clock hours, picking up the pace to please dancing feet throughout. Greensky is on the up and up as contemporary string music creeps from the shadows into a more palpable, even popular, light.

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WKEND MIXTAPE: Atoms For Peace – Essential Mix

March 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

WKEND-MIXTAPE

Last weekend Thom Yorke & Nigel Godrich of Atoms for Peace (and Radiohead) took over the decks for BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix. The two-hour mix showcases unreleased Radiohead material, Doom, Atoms for Peace remixes and Thom’s own solo work alongside tracks from Aphex Twin, Diplo, Boys Noize, Shed and Steve Reich.

Atoms for Peace’s debut album AMOK is available now. Check out the Showbams review.

Tracklist
1. Chris Clark – The Pining Pt. 1 [Warp]
2. Doom & Thom Yorke/Jonny Greenwood – R Fren [Lex Records]
3. Luke Abbott – Brazil [Border Community]
4. Thom Yorke/Jonny Greenwood – Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses [_xurbia_xendless]
5. Redshape – Man Out Of Time (Major Space Dub) [Present Recordings]
6. Kuodede – Golf [Taxila]
7. Colleen Et Les Boites a Musique – Bicycle Bells [Leaf]
8. Shed – Day After [50 Weapons]
9. Thom Yorke – The Twist (Unfinished Section B)
10. Thom Yorke – Has Been
11. Macel Dettman – Ellipse [50 Weapons]
12. Luke Abbott – Modern Driveway [Border Community]
13. Radiohead – Give Up The Ghost (Thriller House Ghost Mix) [Ticker Tape]
14. Thom Yorke – Harrowdown Hill (C90 Mix)
15. Radiohead – The Gloaming
16. Boys Noize – Kill The Kid [Boysnoize]
17. Other Lives – Tamer Animals (Atoms For Peace Remix) [50 Weapons]
18. Radiohead – Harmonics Loop
19. Bad Autopsy – Ginmixer [Ramp]
20. Phon.o – Fukushima [50 Weapons]
21. Adolfo Coelho – Socana N’gam [Lusafrica]
22. Trim & Riko – Trousers
23. Apostrophi – Average Joe
24. Mr. Oizo – Stunt [Ed Banger Records]
25. Throwing Snow & Louis Vines – Too Polite [Local Action]
26. Steve Reich – It’s Gonna Rain Pt. 1 (1965) [Nonesuch]
27. DJ Tre – Ping Pong Track [Skratch-A-Trak]
28. Aphex Twin – Cilonen [Rephlex]
29. DJ Slugo – Juke Me From The Back Low
30. Thom Yorke – The Drunkk Machine [XL]
31. Firefox & Glamour – Check Da Skills [Gold Philly Blunt Records]
32. Thom Yorke – The Hollow Earth [_xurbia_xendless]
33. Macc & DgoHn – Forget Stuff [Rephlex]
34. Wishmountain – Walkman [Antiphon]
35. Oneohtrix Point Never – I Only Have Eyes For You
36. Alex Cortex – Huyendo [Klang Elektronik]
37. Radiohead – Bloom (Jamie XX Club Remix) [_xurbia_xendless]
38. Abu Sultan – Your Love Made My Head Hurt [Sham Palace]
39. Diplo & Blaqstarr – Get Off (Rob 3 Remix) [Mad Decent]

Enjoy!

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High Sierra Music Festival’s fresh, new acts

March 15, 2013 by 1 Comment

HSMFPhoto by Sam Heller

The annual High Sierra Music Festival has become a true staple of Northern California music culture over the past two decades. This year the event’s talent has deviated, just slightly, from some of the old favorites to some truly fresh acts. Here’s a look at some of the newcomers to High Sierra’s 23rd incarnation, set to take place at the Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy, CA between July 4th and 7th.

Listen to our High Sierra Music Fest playlist.

Primus – Les Claypool has graced High Sierra with his presence many times, but this year he brings his original claim to fame for a banner headlining set. Les, along with Larry LaLonde and Jay Lane, have been touring the heck out of his 90’s staple rock act the past few years, and it is only fitting we see him atop the lineup in 2013. A few years ago, Primus developed a 3D stage show to accompany their tour, and it has received solid reviews as an extra sensory rock and roll show experience unlike others. Though it appears this festival set will be in standard, human dimension.


Thievery Corporation – The DJ/production duo of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton have championed the melding of various world music influences with electronic music, both on record and the live stage. Their worldly influences range from classical Indian to Brazilian Bossa Nova to dub and everything caught in the middle. Some attendees may be less familiar with Thievery, but are sure to enjoy a warm evening’s worth of mellow downtempo music in a rare live format.

Steel Pulse – These roots reggae legends have been going strong for almost 40 years and show no signs of letting up their furious live touring pace. Luckily, Quincy will be on their summer itinerary for a premier set of Afro-Caribbean inspired roots reggae. Still as dynamic as ever, David Hinds and company are preparing yet another album to be released this year. Expect to hear some new material as well as favorites like “Roller Skates,” “Stepping Out” and my personal favorite “Chant a Psalm.”

Gramatik – High Sierra has always kept their roots in live bands, but has branched out over the past few years with the inclusion of a handful of electronic acts to draw in a younger crowd while widening the variety of music showcased. Denis Jasarevic is one of Pretty Lights Music’s rising stars, enthralling young crowds with his beat-driven style of funk, jazz, and hip-hop. His new stage dubbed “the Tesla Coil,” coupled with his inclusion of a live guitar player will up his act at the festival this year.

Lee Fields & the Expressions – Lee Fields is one of the few soul acts who is still continually touring and recording after some 43 years in the business, and will likely become a new favorite for attendees unfamiliar with the legendary name. Akin to Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones, Fields’ style of soul music includes elements of James Brown era funk, lo-fi blues and contemporary Southern soul.

White Denim – Many festival attendees are thrilled to see this Austin, TX bands name listed on the lineup for 2013, and it’s for good reason, as White Denim is one of the most exciting rock acts playing. Having won over accolades last year as the touring support to Wilco, this act is an impressive amalgamation of progressive indie rock. Their early work leans more towards the lo-fi psychedelic, while their later releases feature a more polished indie sound with room, and skill, to improvise on.

Allen Stone – The self-proclaimed “hippie with soul” is set to make his debut, and his set(s) should not be missed, as he is one of the leaders of the soul and R&B revival sweeping the nation. His years in the local church choir have aided this young man’s ability to truly feel the words that he sings. Expect the female festivalgoers to go bonkers for this pitch-perfect crooner.

Lord Huron – Ben Schneider started using the name Lord Huron as a tag for his solo material about 3 years ago, but the project has grown to a full band. The indie folk outfit has been crafting a unique mountain-folk sound, rich with harmony and a romanticized view on the distant past. Lord Huron should make for a nice break between clustering banjos and electronic funk at the Plumas County Fairgrounds this July.

Secure your spot at High Sierra

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Autre Ne Veut shows off his future-pop at The Independent

March 14, 2013 by 2 Comments

Autre-Ne-Veut

Autre Ne Veut’s new record Anxiety is one the freshest records I’ve heard in a while, but the big question on my mind was “how will it translate live?”

Well the hype is right, and Arthur Ashin’s project is on the verge of catapulting to wide-ranging success. Consisting of live drums, female backup singer/selector/effect tweaker & of course the main attraction and creative force Ashin, Autre Ne Veut created a sonic blast of energy and sound at The Independent Monday evening.

It cannot be overstated how passionate and entertaining Ashin is as a frontman. He put his all into every song, and while it was a brief set, the live versions of the cuts from Anxiety translated brilliantly. Ashin created an album worth of material that requires him to push his voice to the limit, and he proved he can replicate and even surpass the record’s sound aesthetics live. The set opened with Autre Ne Veut’s most striking track “Play by Play,” and the evening’s encore ended with the super sexy song “Counting.” “World War” was a fine way to end the main set as well.

Major props to the lighting director at The Independent, as the stage visuals consistently matched Ashin’s rapturous future-pop. Autre Ne Veut is future-pop for two reasons; Ashin’s tracks are produced by combining his impressive R&B-influenced voice with unconventional beats, strings, brass and various other noises to produce accessible music, and it’s safe to say this music will be very popular in the near future.

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Flogging Molly at Fox Theater Oakland

March 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Flogging-Molly

Seven-Piece celtic punk outfit Flogging Molly, fronted by the ever-passionate Dave King, jigged their way through Fox Theater Oakland this past Saturday. Mariachi El Bronx & Donots opened.

Marc Fong was on the Scene in Oakland getting some sick snaps.

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Sam Bush to join Greensky Bluegrass at The Fillmore

March 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Greensky Bluegrass

So, the weekend is rapidly approaching in the City, and like normal, there are lots of amazing options for your weekend nightlife. Might we suggest checking out the blistering renegade string band named, Greensky Bluegrass on Friday, March 15th at the Fillmore San Francisco. This isn’t just any night of picking and strumming helmed by the Kalamazoo native string quintet, but rather a spotlight on a rising acoustic force that will be welcoming none other than legendary San Bush onto the Fillmore stage. Opening duties will be held by folk-funk group, Ryan Montbleau Band.

Greensky do things a little different than their contemporaries as demonstrated by their poignant rural ballads, clean dobro tone, use of distortion pedals and true road warrior status. When you add the virtuosic mandolin and fiddle playing of Sam Bush to the mix, it can only produce some serious string action. It’s gearing up to be a huge year for Greensky Bluegrass with slots at some of the premier festivals; Electric Forest, DelFest, Northwest String Summit even a gig at Red Rocks.

Buy tickets to the Fillmore Show.

Greensky

Greensky

Check out the Greensky Bluegrass Facebook page.

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New Music Tuesday: David Bowie • Biffy Clyro • Devendra Banhart • Pickwick

March 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

David Bowie - The Next Day

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks, album highlights, lowlights and important takeaways for select albums.

David Bowie – The Next Day

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“The Stars (Are Out Tonight)”
“I’d Rather Be High”
“If You Can See Me”

Album Highlights: Ten years since his last album, David Bowie has returned to the studio for his 24th studio album, The Next Day. Just when you thought you’d heard the last of the Thin White Duke, David Bowie, now 66, proves he can still write a solid rock album, and keep the whole project a secret for two years!

Bringing back much of the band from his last album, 2003’s Reality, The Next Day is an incredibly self-reflective and upbeat album, despite intense themes of death. In the opening and title-track, Bowie proclaims he is “not quite dying” and “just walking the dead.” These themes of death and dying are prevalent throughout the entire album, with tracks such as “Where Are We Now?,” “I’d Rather Be High” and “The Stars (Are Out Tonight).”

The Next Day is a rock album at heart. However there are several deviations from this, the first being “Dirty Boys,” which draws on brass band elements from the dirty south. Other deviations include the first single on the album, and by far the slowest song on the The Next Day, “Where Are We Now?” The most interesting song on the album is the TV on the Radio-sounding “If You Can See Me.”

Album Lowlight: In January, Bowie released the first single “Where Are We Now?”, completely unannounced to the surprise of the world. Incredibly slow and accompanied by a string arrangement, I felt like I was hearing the last whispering breaths of a former rock icon. Not only is this track a poor choice for the first single but it does not give an accurate preview of what The Next Day has to offer – a very upbeat rock album. Perhaps this was intentional? I can hear the critics praising this as “genius” now.

Takeaway: It is clear Bowie has been doing a lot of thinking in the last decade. On The Next Day it sounds as if Bowie is coming to terms with aging and the impending reality of death. Yet despite this ominous tone to some of the songs, there is a sense of satisfaction and enlightenment. Bowie has evolved and grown with age. The days of Ziggy Stardust are long gone, yet Bowie has found a way to stay relevant in today’s diverse musical landscape.

~Kevin Raos

Biffy Clyro – Opposites

2-BamsTop Tracks:
“Modern Magic Formula”
“Different People”
“Biblical”

Album Highlights: For one of Britain’s most popular contemporary rock bands, the Scottish trio Biffy Clyro is relatively unknown this side of the pond. Opposites is their 6th long player, and it was originally mapped out as two separate records. Instead, Biffy Clyro’s new 20-track release presents metal-influenced power rock to the masses. This record is certainly ambitious, yet it’s predictable & formulaic, even though it teeters between old-school metal and newer rock and roll akin to Frightened Rabbit. The tempo changes frequently from track to track and within songs, offering ballads like “Opposite” and ecstatic Foo Fighter-esque riffs in “Modern Magic Formula.” They have some metal influenced tracks (“Stingin’ Belle”), yet Biffy Clyro will also include strings (“The Thaw”) or horns (“Spanish Radio”) to add an emotional layer. This is no one-trick pony when it comes to the energy and effort put into the diversity of sound.

Album Lowlight: Since finding mainstream success by ditching the noisy and decidedly un-pop nature of their early work and focusing more on cohesive song structure, Biffy Clyro’s music has become numbing. The third track of the LP “Sounds Like Balloons” is a prime example. The guitar riff is repetitive and annoying, and the track never attempts to search for auditory payoff. The tracks in Opposites lose emotion the more you replay the record; any meaning that was present at first listen retreats quickly. Simon Neil’s vocals are homogenous and consistently monotonous, and frequent harmonizing doesn’t make it much better. Most affronting, too many songs end up in cheesy chorus territory.

Takeaway: While they were known for being unpredictable in the early aughts, this Scottish trio is mostly churning out generic power rock now. Super fans of Biffy Clyro might see this album as genius material, but to the uninitiated, Opposites is spread too thin and mostly puzzling.

~Mike Frash

Devendra Banhart – Mala

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“Fur Hildegard von Bingen”
“Tauroboium”
“Golden Girls and a Gain”

Album Highlights: Devendra Banhart’s eighth album Mala was recorded with the help of longtime compadre Noah Georgeson, using borrowed equipment and playing most of the instruments themselves. Mala digs deep into the old bag of tricks to dust off the Devendra that we all fell in love with over a decade ago. We are not getting the album that squarely features Devendra’s whimsical voice and guitar that we all desire (see The Charles C. Leary & Oh Me Oh My). Though Mala has several nods to these beautiful nostalgic sounds with “A Gain,” “Won’t You Come Home,” and “Taurobolium,” adding to a refined, mature, and technologically advanced sound. Devendra’s warm vibrato voice, heavy treble bass runs, and bright guitar/synth riffs shine new light to a dance/electro genre hoping flow.

Album Lowlight: The sad, humorously dark love story lyrics, “If we ever make sweet love again, I’m sure that it will be quite disgusting, race to the end, race to the end,” are at least accompanied by one of the many fresh sounds on Mala, but these lyrics on “Never Seen Such Good Things” are just too jarring to take seriously. 

Takeaway: Mala sports newer electro/dance/pop influences that seem to fit into the current trend of reverb heavy dance music. These tracks like “Your Fine Petting Duck” don’t sit perfectly with the rest of the album, but we can’t be surprised Banhart has gone in this direction, for Devendra’s ability to blend genres with his musical niche is ever present. Mala is Devendra’s best album since 2005’s Cripple Crow and for that, we are thankful for Devendra, who is still quite the freak of folks.

~Sam Heller

Pickwick – Can’t Talk Medicine

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“Halls of Columbia”
“The Round”
“Lady Luck” feat. Sharon Van Etten
“Window Sill”

Album Highlights: The revamping of soul and R&B in rock music has taken the industry by storm, and the Seattle band Pickwick have added another layer of freshness to this cross-pollinated genre. These guys spent a great amount of time on their debut feature album, which is evident by their blistering production coupled with incredibly dynamic song writing, not to mention the musicianship. Opener “Halls of Columbia” fully demonstrates the power of Galen Disston’s vocals, which permeates their sound track after track. Use of the vibraphone on tracks like “Well, Well” is a rare, pleasant surprise in contemporary rock these days, and genuinely adds a warm, thick sound.

Album Lowlight: Honestly, the amount of time it took to release this effort is the only gripe I have with Can’t Talk Medicine, though a great portion of these songs have been released on EPs and singles over the past couple of years.

Takeaway: Can’t Talk Medicine is an album that truly has appeal to a wide range of listeners, and it beckons listen after listen as the songs have great depth. Melding of musical styles is always exciting, yet not always successful, so when it’s knocked out of the park, it becomes quite a thrill. One can’t help but look forward to pumping this album at warm summer BBQs and long nights ahead.

~Kevin Quandt

READ KEVIN’S LIVE MUSIC REVIEW OF THE PICKWICK SHOW LAST FRIDAY IN SF.

Filed Under: New Music, New Music Tuesday Tagged With: , , , ,

Pickwick set The Independent ablaze on their way to SXSW

March 12, 2013 by 1 Comment

Pickwick

Seattle’s rising soul-rock band, Pickwick, have arrived and music fans of San Francisco have taken notice, selling out The Independent on a windy Friday night. The band is early in their first true American tour, spanning from their Pacific Northwest home to Eastern Canada, and it was evident to see that they are charging full speed, hitting every demographic they can. The timing couldn’t be better as the band is in the midst of releasing their first album, Can’t Talk Medicine.

Sandy’s provided local support, while Portland’s Radiation City took the second slot as the venue filled up to enthusiastic onlookers. The sound of Radiation City flutters between experimental pop and nostalgic lounge rock, featuring dreamy multi-part vocals and a mildly psych sound. Early arrivals signaled a band on the rise, a common theme for the evening.

Take a look at the Showbams review of “Can’t Talk Medicine.”

PickwickPhotos by Sam Heller at Hangtown Festival 10/27/12 Placerville, CA

It was time for Pickwick’s first sold out headlining San Francisco show and the expanded 6-piece group casually walked onto stage and began the show with the soul-churning track off the new LP, “Brother Roland.” Galen Disston, the vocal powerhouse and lead man, was not alone on vocals this night as it was evident that the secret of Pickwick is out and spreading like wildfire. Exuberant fans sang along in an impressive manner and number, showing that they are a big deal, even outside Seattle and it’s surrounding areas. It’s tough to ignore such passionate and engaging music when confronted with it, and there’s no reason why these guys should not gain waves of fans across the nation over the upcoming months.

The infectiousness of their songs come from many sources, giving the ability to clap, tap or stomp along with the beat, which seems to please the crowd. This rhythm is now further augmented by new 6th member, and album producer, Kory Kruckenberg. His inclusion on this tour takes the full sounding live act to an even higher plateau as he bounces between guitar, keys, even vibraphone.

Pickwick2Photos by Sam Heller at Hangtown Festival 10/27/12 Placerville, CA

Galen Disston is a true vocal force to watch and admire as he paces the stage, truly feeling every note that he sings, treating his voice more like an instrument than a vessel for lyrical content. “The Round” displayed this vocal instrumentation paired with a warm sounding Wurlitzer and grooving bass line for one of the highlights of the night. Lizzy Ellison of Radiation City joined the band for a spirited rendition of Richard Swift’s “Lady Luck.” This cover track, appearing on a Covers EP and the new album, originally features Sharon von Etten, but on this night Lizzy coupled her sultry vocals to Disston’s tasteful falsetto while Kruckenberg plays the rarely-toured vibraphone.

From there, the band played a new song which noticeably featured even singing efforts by Disston, guitarist Michael Parker and keyboardist Cassady Lillstrom. Album opener “Halls of Columbia” was a highlight of the set, as was longtime favorite “Hacienda Motel.” Both these songs are amazing examples of the dynamic nature of their writing, blending genres into a sound which is uniquely their own.

The art of the encore is not lost on these guys as they delivered a scorcher, leaving people stunned and gleeful on there way out the doors. “The Ostrich” has become quite the energetic cover. Originally by Lou Reed, it’s a driving riff took precedent while Disston pogoed and stomped his way across the stage. One can’t help see a little bit of Jerry Lee Lewis in Disston’s possessed stage mannerisms along with his booming vocals. “Window Sill” was to be the last song of the night, leaving with a bang rather than a whisper. Many of the opening band’s personnel came out bearing tambourines and various rhythmic instruments as this track’s beat can only be aided by more willing bodies. A warm keyboard hook led into Disston and Parker belting out lyrics followed by a section of shouted “whoa”s only to be volleyed by the enraptured audience. By the time the last notes rang through, the crowd was eating it up and hungry for more, but alas they’d have to wait till next time.

Having been a fan of this band from around the time of their inception, it is nothing but a joy to see them receive the success they have prepared for over the past couple of years. Can’t Talk Medicine is sure to get attention outside of their hometown, hopefully while blowing minds in Austin next weekend.

Filed Under: Live Music Reviews Tagged With: ,

Synthpop trio CHVRCHES play first U.S. show in SF

March 11, 2013 by 1 Comment

ChvrchesBy Mike Frash //

CHVRCHES //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 10th, 2016 //

Super-buzzy Scottish electronic pop group CHVRCHES (pronounced as you would expect, “Churches”) played their debut show in the U.S. on Sunday night. The Independent in SF hosted the synth-heavy trio, which sold out their first U.S. concert months in advance. CHVRCHES have only two shows on the docket, this SF performance and one down the California coast in Los Angeles, before heading to South by Southwest to likely make a big splash.

This was a brief show (around 47 minutes), but it’s not surprising since CHVRCHES have not released their debut EP yet, let alone a full album. The good news is their songs are well-developed for the stage, and Lauren Mayberry’s vocals deliver in a live setting. Mayberry exhibited some nerves at the beginning of the set, but she grew more comfortable with each song. By the time Mayberry revealed she might have left the iron on in her hotel room and she neurotically kept thinking she might burn down the hotel even after alerting hotel staff, she had connected with the crowd packed into The Indy.

The show finished with the track that put CHVRCHES on the map, “The Mother We Share”. This addictive song, along with “Recover”, are so accessible they could be radio hits a year from now. Surely CHVRCHES are a group on the rise; any artist that can get a Monday crowd rowdy and materialize fans who sing along to songs without a proper record release foreshadows good things to come.

Setlist:
Lies
We Sink
Lungs
Now Is Not the Time
Gun
Science/Visions
Night Sky
Recover
Under the Tide
The Mother We Share

Encore:
I Would Die 4 U (Prince cover)

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: ,

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) go deeper into embracing change and pushing boundaries

March 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment

chk-chk-chkPhotos by James Nagel // Written by Molly Kish //

Showbams recently sat down with ecstatic party-starters Nic Offer (vocalist) and Mario Andreoni (guitarist) for Chk Chk Chk (!!!) hours before their headlining Noise Pop show. This performance also marked the beginning of touring and support of Chk Chk Chk’s forthcoming 5th LP Thr!!!er.

Offer and Andreoni opened up about creating new jams through a different process, bringing in Spoon drummer/producer Jim Eno to harness a greater focus, and how the new LP is different than prior albums.

READ THE FULL REVIEW FROM THEIR SHOW AT NOISE POP HERE.

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Showbams: You guys have been a band now for a little over 17 years now …

Offer: Woah, woah, woah. Jesus, easy there. We’re getting to 17 (laughs). We’re in our 16th year. It’ll be 17 this fall.

Showbams: And you’re noted for somewhat pioneering the dance-punk genre.

Offer: Umm, well yeah. You can hate us or love us for starting it all.

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Showbams: You’re also a bit of a staple on the 2013 Noise Pop bill. This isn’t your first time playing the festival, so how is this year’s performance significant?

Andreoni: We have a lot of new jams, a record coming out and different lineup than last time. That’s significant, too.

Offer: Yeah, we were just trying out a brand-new song in soundcheck. You know you write the album, then you have to learn what you wrote. There’s going to be some guess work on stage tonight. But yeah, we were just talking about the Noise Pop’s of yesteryear on the way in and there’s been some really great ones. We’re always up for a San Francisco audience, and at Noise Pop, people usually get down. So, if it’s anything like the other ones, it should be good!

Showbams: Having played various shows, venues, festivals and locations globally at this point in your career, what get’s you most pumped to be on such a lineup as Noise Pop?

Offer: It’s home-ish. You know we’re from Sacramento originally, so there are always a lot of our friends here. Seeing your friends dance in the audience is always a little more exciting. San Francisco is a big deal, it’s quite a town and the festival is just so long-standing. The first time we played it we were like, “Woah, we’re playing Noise Pop.” It’s not like the San Francisco Disco Punk Fest, we’re like, “We’re not Noise Pop …” But, but we are!

chk-chk-chk

Showbams: This is also a show leading up to the release of your fifth album Thr!!!er, coming out April 30th, and you’ve released the free digital download of “Slyd” on www.chkchkchk.net with the prelude of it being “a jam unlike jams we’ve ever done before.” How is it different?

Offer: Whelp, (looks at Andreoni), I’m just going to stop and see if you can answer that question (laughs).

Andreoni: It’s a jam we had never really had. It was sort of this high-level project we had wanted to do. Nic had suggested that we try and do sort of a “Pump Up the Volume”-type of track, and with that, we just kind of took it and ran with it. Nic and I did a lot of the “jamming” with it, and as we were piecing it together, it just felt a lot different than any of the other ways we’ve constructed a song before.

Offer: We wanted it to seem like it was made from a bunch of samples from about seven or eight different songs, like a collage piece that had some sort of center to it. It was a challenge for us. We were like, “Let’s try this and see if we can make it work.” We’ve kind of accepted the whole verse chorus verse chorus thing, so this was like a strange exercise conceptually. It was honestly really fun to work on, not having to tie it together lyrically and to figure out what kind of weird thing would happen next. It was definitely one of the funniest songs I have ever worked on.

Andreoni: So far, some of the initial responses I’ve heard is that it reminded people of Out Hud. Not having been in Out Hud myself …

Offer: You got to realize the dream, finally!

Andreoni: In spirit, there was just some sort of connection there, besides just having members.

chk chk chk

Showbams: I know you guys also recorded the album in a much more tight-knit and disciplined fashion, with help in production and engineering from Jim Eno of Spoon. Was this something that was brought about through having teamed up with him or an effort that you guys went into the studio really focusing on?

Andreoni: I think we needed more of a focus. We kept talking about who was going to be the producer and we happened to be sort of email friends with some of the people in Spoon. Things just kind of came together when we were at South by Southwest, and Nic went to visit Jim and as soon as we all assembled in the studio, we had just a big group focus the entire time we were there. There’s wasn’t a lot of dicking around.

Offer: I felt like we were definitely more disciplined working on this record, but he was definitely the taskmaster. With the six of us, you kind of need someone in charge.

Andreoni: We’ve never had anyone before say like, “This song. Let’s listen to the demo, and this is what I think is possible and let’s focus in on this song.” Before it was more like trying to get takes, assemble things post-recording, see what we can do afterward and how we can freak it out. But this time, everything was, “Let’s get to it right now!”

Offer: Just bottom line, he’s a good producer and it worked. We could feel that type of production, working with a good band.

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Showbams: What were some of the easiest and most difficult aspects of working with a fellow musician in this capacity?

Offer: I can honestly say it was one of the easiest records we made. We worked really hard, but the flow of it was good. We disagreed with him about very few things. We did, but it was just like the normal stuff. If you and I were to hang out all night, we would eventually start to have disagreements, but that’s just normal. Everything was cool, in that respect I think it was really easy.

Showbams: Many of the anticipatory descriptions from both the band and critics alike with Thr!!!er allude to it being not like any Chk Chk Chk album before, an effort made by choice to steer away from the “dance-punk” vibe of your previous four albums. What called for the change?

Andreoni: We don’t want to repeat ourselves, and with the way that the material was coming together, we just kind of went with whatever direction we were feeling on the track. The songs just kind of fell together in a different place. Before, a lot of it was that we had this sweet groove that we would just take and build on top of. With this album, there’s a little bit of that and more of a melodic structure.

Offer: Really, nobody’s successful at not changing. There’s AC/DC and Too Short, that’s it! Everyone else who’s still around changes. You have to, and the people who’ve had the longest careers like Bowie, Madonna and Blur, they’ve all changed. I feel like the basis of the group and things that we were excited by were bands that pushed and were new. So, I think we always knew that there was going to be that aspect of the band.

We knew that we would always be playing dance music because that’s how we get hit. When we saw the whole dance-rock thing happen, we knew we were going to be there afterward because it’s just what we like. But we hoped that we could push it so it felt different as well.

Chk-Chk-Chk

Filed Under: Featured, Interviews Tagged With: , ,

WKEND MIXTAPE: Star Slinger – Paris Social Club x DJ Mag Mix

March 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

WKEND-Mixtape

This week’s mix comes courtesy of the UK’s Star Slinger, with a mellow club mix for Paris Social Club and DJ Mag. The mix features a variety of Star Slinger’s own remixes of Jessie Ware, Kendrick Lamar, Bondax and Karma Kid along with tracks from Ben Pearce, Doorly, and Nina Kraviz. The tracklist is below to follow along.

For more mixes and music from Star Slinger check out his Soundcloud page.
Enjoy!

Tracklist
1. Ben Pearce – What I Might Do
2. Tony Quattro – Doubt
3. Nina Kraviz – Ghetto Kraviz
4. Mak & Pasteman – Give It Up
5. Star Slinger – Ladies In The Back (Feat. Teki Latex)
6. Jessie Ware – Wildest Moments (Star Slinger Remix)
7. Diafrix – Helicopter (Star Slinger Remix)
8. Karma Kid – Its Always (Star Slinger Remix)
9. Bondax – Baby I Got That (Justin Martin Endless Summer Remix)
10. Kendrick Lamar – Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe (Star Slinger Via London Edit)
11. Doorly – Rush (Feat. Soraya Vivian)
12. French Fries – Yo Vogue
13. Star Slinger – Take This Up
14. Todd Edwards – The Stranger
15. LOL Boys – Changes (Star Slinger Remix)

Filed Under: Mixtapes Tagged With: ,
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