Premiere: Foxx Bodies – ‘The Walk’ music video

January 28, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Foxx Bodies

Desert punks Foxx Bodies didn’t come to play around. They moved to Los Angeles from Arizona not quite two years ago and have made a lot of noise since their arrival.

In between a few music videos, endless shows and recording their new album Vixen, they opened for the now-disbanded Sorority Noise on their “You’re Not As _____ As You Think” and now Foxx Bodies are in the process of filming a documentary about their own history with the abuse that came to inspire so much of their material.

Last year was a busy one for the foxxes, but 2019 promises to be even fuller. Before they drop their sophomore studio effort, they wanted to release one more video in support of their self-titled debut, calling it a proper send-off as they move onto the next phase of the band.

“Our first record was recorded in a day, after we had only been a band for a month,” guitarist Bailey Moses explains. “It’s rough and sloppy and punk as fuck. We’re really excited to show everyone this music video as an end cap to that first chapter of Foxx Bodies. This is the first one we filmed in Los Angeles, making it the perfect bridge between our old and new music.”

Foxx Bodies - 2019 Winter Tour

Fox Boddies’ sound is fun, impossibly infectious and self-described as “feminist surf punk,” but the message behind their music is far from light — something that’s readily apparent in lead singer Bella Vanek’s trademark screeches and palpable vocal emotion.

The quartet spent a few weeks in Seattle last fall, recording its upcoming LP with legendary indie-rock producer John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Death Cab for Cutie) and promising that it will continue to talk about the very things that make so many people these days uncomfortable.

“Vixen continues on the Foxx Bodies theme of talking about the hard shit, the things that stem from your childhood trauma,” Moses says. “Our first record focused largely on sexual abuse, but this one explores the aftermath of that. Mental health, religious stigmas, eating disorders … all of the shit you end up having as an adult and need to process. We want this album to be something people can listen to easier, but still feel that punch in the gut when they pay attention to the lyrical content.”

Foxx Bodies are hitting the road next month for their first tour in 2019, and their live show is truly unmatched (parental discretion advised). They’re playing in both LA at the Viper Room on February 15th and in the Bay Area at the iconic, non-profit Berkeley club 924 Gilman — or known by locals as just “Gilman” — in March, so make sure to take a peek at their new music video for “The Walk” below, which we have premiered exclusively here at Showbams, before copping tickets to one of their shows.

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Father John Misty wins our unofficial NYE 2015 photo contest

January 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Father John Misty

Known for some of the best stage banter in the business and his classic improv-snark, which includes his 1989 antics just a few months ago, Father John Misty was back at it on New Year’s Eve, deadpanning in true FJM fashion.

In what’s become an ongoing series of Instagram photos (now up to a total of 10) that shows our No. 4 favorite live music act of 2015 glued to his phone, whether he’s playing air hockey, doing a television interview or performing live, Tillman made us laugh — as he often does — with his latest offering on NYE, sitting by himself with a drink in hand while checking his phone in a decked-out hotel room full of colorful balloons at the famed Chateau Marmont, one of his favorite spots in Los Angeles.

https://www.instagram.com/p/__JEFmjU4R/

Around this time last year, we asked if “Father John Misty is playing a character”, and while we still don’t have a definitive answer to that question (and who knows if we ever will), we admittedly just can’t get enough of the FJM persona, whether partially manufactured or not.

We can only assume that Tillman was hanging out with LA-based pop artist Alia Penner since she was tagged in the photo (serving, presumably, as a photo credit) and due to the fact that she documented the scene sans Tillman with her own Instagram photo shortly thereafter, but based on what we saw via social media from across the music industry Thursday night, “Mr. Honeybear” undoubtedly won our unofficial NYE 2015 photo contest before the ball dropped on 2016.

Father John Misty

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Why we need digital streaming services like Spotify

October 5, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Spotify

Thanks to the rise of streaming services, the music industry has overturned their revenue slump and received a boost in sales, the biggest it has experienced in years, according to the Daily Mail. Despite people’s opinions on free streaming versus paid subscriptions, there’s no doubt that services such as Spotify and Pandora have breathed new life into the global music industry.

It’s no big surprise that mobile music apps have replaced album sales as the driving force of a musician’s profitability. We’re obsessed with having the latest technology, and anyone that hasn’t jumped on the digital bandwagon yet is clearly falling behind.

The advances in mobile technology are affecting businesses across all industries, from music providers like iTunes whose recent iOS updates included an entirely new music listening experience, not unlike what is currently being offered in existing streaming services like Spotify. Even gaming sectors around the world have been suffering from the competition’s success with digital platforms, with land-based casinos declaring bankruptcies while the Coral Group, which runs the Gala Bingo brand, report record profits from their mobile operations.

Like the gaming industry, music revenues have dropped tremendously over the past decade. According to Music Business Worldwide, profits fell below $15 billion last year, a 43 percent drop from 1999 revenues. Digital streaming is what is currently driving the dying industry, yet many are hotly contesting the idea of supplying unlimited streams for free.

Spotify is easily the biggest villain for musicians given that the ad-supported app doesn’t put a per-stream value for royalties, which in the musicians’ minds don’t provide the proper compensation for those long hours spent in the studio perfecting their album. But if 70 percent of revenue generated by Spotify goes back to labels and artists, ideally there shouldn’t even be an issue of how the company streams their music. If it were indie groups and small-time musicians making the complaints (and not one of the industry’s top earning artists like Jay-Z and Taylor Swift whom have no problems in terms of income), then this would be a different story. Although even if that were the case, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Digital streaming is what will keep artists afloat for now.

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Run the Jewels drop remix album ‘Meow the Jewels’ as free download

September 25, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Meow the Jewels

What started as a joke is now a reality.

After Run the Jewels announced a year ago that they would release an alternate version of their critically acclaimed sophomore LP Run the Jewels 2 (read our community review here) using strictly cat sounds if they raised $40,000 on Kickstarter — which they collected and more in merely a month — the electrifying hip-hop duo featuring El-P and Killer Mike have done just that.

Behold, Meow the Jewels:

The cat-remixed album features some clever track titles, including “Meowpurrdy”, “All Meow Life” and “Paw Due Respect”, while El-P and Killer Mike welcome guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Dan the Automator, Baauer, Massive Attack and Portishead’s Geoff Barrow.

We weren’t sure if this day would actually come, but well, it’s finally here — even if it came relatively late on a Friday night (after 10 p.m. ET) of all times. So, before the group’s website crashes, make sure to download your free copy of Meow the Jewels here.

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Father John Misty wakes up, deletes ‘1989’

September 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Father John Misty

By cosmically lassoing Monday’s pop-scene zeitgeist, Josh Tillman and company (heretofore known as The Father John Mistys) found themselves trending in the hearts and minds of the post-modern millennial class by releasing their Velvet Underground-inspired versions of the Ryan Adams/Taylor Swift 1989 experiment in aesthetic appropriation.

As if it were all a dream (and since nothing on the Internet lasts forever these days), the songs disappeared early Tuesday from FJM’s Soundcloud page.

Haunted, allegedly, by the ghost of Lou Reed, Tillman explained his decision — in plenty of detail — on FJM’s Facebook page:

I had a very strange dream that I abruptly woke up from around 3am early this morning. I was crab-walking around a neighborhood in New Orleans that, though it does not exist, is a recurring location in my dreams. My childhood friend Brian Kawamura was was telling me I still owed the tennis rental place $7000 when the French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan was suddenly standing over me, saying over and over, “The only thing crazier than a peasant who believes he is King, is a King who believes he is a King.” He put one of those birthday Burger King crowns on my head and out of the clouds a sort of “Switched on Bach” version of “Ode To Joy” began to play. A crowd which had formed around me began to sing along, with tears streaming down their faces. The crowd was obviously hypnotized and I assumed if I crept away discreetly no one would notice. The earth became a sort of treadmill, and though the locations (The Great Wall of China, a McDonald’s where I had my 3rd birthday, the town from Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon, Vignola’s restaurant in Rockville, Md.), “Ode To Joy” and the crowd remained all around me. All of a sudden it was time to soundcheck, which I was late for, and Barack Obama offered to give me a ride on Air Force One. He told me he needed urgent advice regarding some important policy decisions, and we spent the day in Hawaii playing basketball, petting his dogs, golfing and the like when I, gripped with anxiety, told him I really needed to get to soundcheck so we needed to discuss the ruling of the free world. By this time he had turned into an obscene visage of my Father and said, “I have one injunction for you, son: That you enjoy life. It is by this mandate that all is ruled. It is the true tyranny; the equalizing force that binds us all.” I jumped out of Air Force One and landed on top of this massive pink, sparkly, glowing blob that stretched for miles beyond miles, covering entire cities, and I had to keep gulping down chlorophyll because the thing was emitting insane levels of EMF’s, so my mouth and hands were stained dark green. Down inside the blob I could see thousands of familiar faces and one of them was Lou Reed on a catwalk hand-cuffed to supermodels who had adopted babies handcuffed to them and Lou said, “Delete those tracks, don’t summon the dead, I am not your plaything. The collection of souls is an expensive pastime.” Then I woke up.

Listen to Father John Misty’s take on “Blank Space” below while you still can.

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Mac DeMarco debuts new material at listening party, BBQ in Brooklyn

July 8, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Mac DeMarco

Are you anxious to hear Mac DeMarco’s new mini-album Another One?

Some lucky fans in Brooklyn, N.Y., were able to hear tracks from the record on Wednesday at the brand-new art space named Our Wicked Lady in Bushwick (check out the Kickstarter for its rooftop bar here) as Mac himself grilled up some hot dogs on a couple of open-flame BBQs (only for those who brought a canned food donation, though) and debuted some new tunes over a set of car speakers.

For those who couldn’t make it to the listening party/BBQ, DeMarco was still nice enough to put out a soundtrack entitled Some Other Ones (or as Mac calls it, his “BBQ Soundtrack”) for fans, with all the songs being written and recorded not too far away in Queens over the past several days. Another One is scheduled to be released August 7th via Captured Tracks.

Next month, DeMarco will play four straight sold-out shows in NYC as part of his 2015 world tour before heading to Los Angeles to perform at FYF Fest a few days later. The three-month-long tour also includes an early stop off in San Francisco at Outside Lands 2015 on Saturday, August 8th.

If you remember back in April, DeMarco threw a raging 4/20 party at The Independent, which included an epic stage dive from the king of slacker rock toward the end of the show.

And as you can see from the photos, it looks like Mac and friends had a grand ‘ole time.

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Kevin Parker links to new Tame Impala track “Disciples” via intriguing reddit AMA

April 29, 2015 by 2 Comments

Tame Impala

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Mike Frash //

Tame Impala mastermind Kevin Parker took to the reddit AMA community format on Thursday to answer questions from the masses for an intriguing information dump.

He also linked to a new track from Currents titled “Disciples.” Listen to it now:

Parker spoke on his favorite guitar petal (surprise! it’s reverb), how he’s developed his singing voice over time, along with the evolving nature of Tame Impala’s album artwork. His current artistic inspirations include Kanye West, Tyler, The Creator and Caribou.

The big takeaway? When he was asked about people downloading and streaming music for free:

Eh…. I feel like music will be free sooner or later, and i think I’m all for it. There’s all this talk of music needing a monetary value, this ownership of music, even that it needs a physical form. But intrinsically… it’s MUSIC, it should be better than that. Some of my most important musical experiences were from a burnt CD with songs my friend downloaded for me at a terrible digital quality… I didn’t care… it changed my life all the same. For me the value of music is the value you extract from it. You want to know a story? Up until recently, from all of tame impala’s record sales outside of australia I had received…. zero dollars. Someone high up spent the money before it got to me. I may never get that money. Then Blackberry and some tequila brand or something put my song in an ad. Then I bought a house and set up a studio. I know what you’re thinking… “wait so…when I bought an album I was helping some businessman pay for his mansion on an island somewhere, and when some dude bought a mobile phone he was helping to pay an artist? WHHHYY?” I’ll tell you why, IT’S MONEY. It doesn’t always go where you want it to go. It’s like a shopping trolley with a bung wheel. As far as I’m concerned the best thing you can do for an artist is LISTEN to the music…fall in love with it…….talk about it………get it however you can get it….Let the corporations pay for. This is just my brain rambling remember, I’m sure there are holes in my theories… for example I realise not everyone’s music is suited to a mobile phone ad, and it would be lame if artists tailored their music for that purpose.

Zero dollars on record sales until recently? This is a brutally honest indictment on the music industry as a whole. Also, what a refreshing artist take on music streaming, one that doesn’t feel forced like Jack White’s recent Tidal-cross promoting proclamations that “music is sacred.”

Parker also was asked about Tame Imapla’s LP3, Currents, and if it will be “more pop based” in line with “Let It Happen” and “‘Cause I’m A Man.” He said:

Pop you say….. That’s a broad word… I’ve always thought all Tame Impala was total pop (whatever pop is these days) (I guess because I don’t hear the oceans of reverb and distortion… which can influence ones perception of the “genre” of a song no doubt…). Like I heard this full on piano ballad R&B cover of Backwards once, and I was like woah! is that my song??

There’s a lot of different stuff on the new album, It definitely has the most variation of any album I’ve done in the past.

In response, a reddit user asked “Come on man, link me that shit, I wanna hear it,” and Parker replied “youtube bro. it’s all there.”

The promotional effort is clearly gearing up, Tame Impala played Conan between Coachella appearances, and still there is no album release date on the books. It makes you wonder if Parker might drop it out of nowhere on us. Is it possible the new album is spread out all over YouTube, ready to be discovered by internet sleuths? Probably not, but that would be fun and parallel to Parker’s statement on music streaming.

The most important revelation of the day: If he weren’t a musician, Parker would be a scarf designer “Because a well designed scarf is hard to come by…”

Tame Impala

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Help contribute to Surfer Blood guitarist Thomas Fekete’s GoFundMe campaign for cancer treatment

April 29, 2015 by 1 Comment

Surfer Blood - Thomas FeketeWritten by Molly Kish //

Ahhh, crowdfunding … the latest fad to sweep our great nation, offering an endless supply of business endeavors for us to cipher through and play philanthropist for the day. In an era desensitized by fabricated capitalism and questionable business ethics, many of us find ourselves more captivated by ironic campaigns of trivial nature as well as over-genuine causes in need of backing.

Conceived as a practice where a pool of investors can contribute to worthwhile projects, crowdfunding has made otherwise financially debilitating goals for entrepreneurs, small businesses and community-based ventures achievable. Websites such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo and RocketHub have been at the root of some of the most amazing triumphs of crowdfunding in addition to hosting some of the most hypocritical success stories to date.

For instance:

With the current content on crowdfunding sites becoming more or less lost in a sea of sensationalism, once in a while you come across a cause so genuine in its goal that you can’t help but be reminded of the idealism behind this type of practice.

And that cause is Surfer Blood guitarist Thomas Fekete’s GOFundMe campaign.

Recently diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive and cancerous sarcoma, Feteke is currently undergoing a rigorous and extremely costly treatment process in an attempt to keep his illness from further spreading past his lungs and spine. Feteke remains optimistic despite the limited amount of research done on his rare condition and has started an alternative treatment plan, along with chemotherapy, that unfortunately falls outside the parameters of his insurance coverage. Attempting to raise enough money to cover his medical bills, the 24-year-old has taken to GoFundMe for additional aid.

With Feteke less than $1,500 away from his goal as of this writing, we encourage everyone to help pitch in for a life-saving cause. Feteke released this statement recently:

Hey all,

A few months back I had a major surgery to remove a large tumor from my abdomen. I was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive cancer (a sarcoma), which unfortunately has moved. A few days ago, my doctors informed me that it had spread to my lungs and my spine.

The lesion on my lower spine will be treated with radiation, and I’ll also start chemotherapy this week. Because my cancer is so rare, there is very little research on it (cancer treatment is a business after all), so going to a typical doctor and getting loaded with all types of drugs would probably kill me. However, I found a doctor who is on the cutting edge of cancer treatments, and we have assembled a team of brilliant doctors who all seem to be extremely confident in an alternative treatment plan, to complement the chemotherapy. Because these doctors are doing things a bit differently, insurance will only cover a portion of my treatment. I never in my life thought that I would be asking for money publicly, but the universe works in funny ways.

Any bit of help would be massive for me, as I’m no longer able to tour and make a living, and my wonderful wife/best friend whom I just married in November will now be leaving work to help me throughout my treatment. If you can’t help, no worries whatsoever, all I ask is that you spread the word. Any extra funds collected when this is all said and done will be donated to further my doctor’s alternative cancer research. I not only feel great, but I am in great spirits, and I know this will soon be over like a bad dream. Please take care of yourselves, enjoy every single day. Life is beautiful. Love and light always.

-Thom

Take action and lend your help to the cause by donating here or sharing this article and the campaign page via your social media channels. Remember, every bit counts and even the simplest share can make a lifetime of a difference.

Surfer Blood - Thomas Fekete

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Tame Impala flash back to 80’s pop on new single

April 5, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Tame Impala - 'Cause I'm a Man

Australian neo-psych rockers Tame Impala are in the process of recording their third LP Currents, which is scheduled to be released later this year on Interscope Records, and continue to show why it will be one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2015.

Just hours after announcing the title of the new record, the group revealed a new single, “‘Cause I’m a Man,” on its Facebook page early Sunday morning in the U.S. (consider it a little present from the Easter Bunny if you want).

Frontman Kevin Parker has recently said that the band would be taking a new approach to its songwriting for Currents, and the four-minute track sure isn’t anything like what we’ve heard from Tame Impala before. Right from the start, Parker injects a heavy dose of 80’s pop, taking us for a smooth ride before eventually turning to lines like “‘Cause I’m a man, woman / Don’t always think before I do / ‘Cause I’m a man, woman / It’s the only answer I got for you” during the song’s chorus.

With Tame Impala set to play Coachella next Friday, there’s a decent chance fans headed to Indio will get to hear this one played live for the first time ever, unless Parker and company decide to lay that honor on their Southern California fans in Pomona next Wednesday night when they kick off their two-month-long tour across the U.S.

While the new single doesn’t quite reach “Purple Rain” stature, even Prince might dig it.

Let us know what you think in the comments section after you listen to the track here:

You can also check out the music video here:

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Mac DeMarco appears to have a new album on the way

April 4, 2015 by 2 Comments

Mac

Mac DeMarco’s fourth studio album appears to be on the way. Mac shared a compilation video on Friday afternoon that includes snippets of five new songs being mastered in the studio — along with a variety of wacky faces.

https://instagram.com/p/1BxPPnpvrt/

Ever the king of keeping it loose, this mini-preview of new material sounds like a natural extension of Salad Days, one of our favorite albums of 2014.

Does this mean Mac will have new material to tout on the road this year, including stops at Coachella & Outside Lands? That would be nice.

7.mac-demarco2

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James Murphy makes statement on LCD Soundsystem four years to the day since last show

April 3, 2015 by 2 Comments

James Murphy

It’s been four years since LCD Soundsystem broke up, something that seems to be weighing heavily on the mind of the captain, James Murphy. He posted this on the LCD Soundsystem Facebook page on Thursday:

it’s been 4 years to the day since the last show. so, if “post lcd” was college, we’d be graduating from “post lcd” now. assuming we didn’t get an incomplete in, say, comparative lit, and need to turn in a paper later in the year. it’s been a fun four years for everyone, all the music from New Build, Museum of Love, nancy doing stuff with The Juan MacLean, The Crystal Ark, tyler’s tropical techno nights on Berlin Community Radio. i miss everyone being in one room, of course, but it’s been a wonderful 4 years of freedom for everyone, i think. thank you guys for listening to us, and for continuing to care. it means a lot.
james

Murphy tends to post on the LCD Facebook page regularly, helping to promote Pat Mahoney’s project Museum of Love, post nostalgic TBT-like items and engage with fans directly — so this shouldn’t be taken as a harbinger for an imminent return. Murphy is living the dream now. It costs 30 bucks to listen to him spin obscure records from the 70’s. He takes on fun projects like Subway Symphony, where he turned the “beep” sound you hear when going through the NYC Subway turnstile into an aurally pleasurable experience. The success of LCD Soundsystem has created a world for Murphy where he can do whatever he wants.

If there were to be a reunion or even another album, it would have to be relatively soon, right? The end of the band seemed pretty resolute in Shut Up and Play the Hits, and the final tour was explicitly billed as just that — the end. But if LCD did come back, they’d be surefire festival headliners and could bank cash quickly without relentlessly touring.

It reminds me of another band with a fervent fan base: Phish. Phish frontman Trey Anastasio was done in 2004, flaming out in a spectacularly drugged-out mess (quite the opposite of LCD). But Phish resolutely called it quits with their extended hiatus, and they were gone for four-plus years.

Upon returning, Phish toured much less, playing maybe 25 shows a year in three-week spurts. They bring along their families, and each member has their own bus — and they do it sober. Most importantly, they returned on their own terms. LCD Soundsystem can have this.

In 2012, Murphy told SF Weekly, “Health is a big reason [to end LCD]. Life is a big reason. I didn’t live a normal life for a long time. I toured and made records and toured and made records. I didn’t want to be stuck being in a professional band and not having a life.”

The most memorable part from Shut Up and Play the Hits is his thoughts on going gray from touring, then pondering, “What’s going on inside? I don’t want to, like, die.”

The tone of this Facebook status update from Murphy exudes the feeling that he misses LCD Soundsystem. We miss you, too. Please come back on your own terms when you’re ready.

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I heard the new My Morning Jacket album and it’s amazing

April 1, 2015 by 6 Comments

MMJ3By Pete Mauch //

On the eve of April Fools’ day, Jim James and Bo Koster of My Morning Jacket invited about 50 people to a listening party of their new album, The Waterfall. Sonos Studio in Los Angeles began to fill up with everyone from Hollywood executives, interns, photographers and just a few die-hard fans like myself who won the My Morning Jacket Roll Call contest.

Huge projectors throughout the room displayed the album’s cover of psychedelic waterfalls amongst bean bags, cushions and fancy couches, adding to the overall chill atmosphere of the evening — not to mention the free beer.

Jim James arrived, explaining that he first fell in love with waterfalls in Portland, Ore., especially Bridal Veil Falls. My Morning Jacket plans on painting murals all across America using the album cover, the first to be adorned in Venice Beach, Calif. For you Angelenos, it’s on Lincoln Blvd. and Vernon Ave.

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1.”Believe (Nobody Knows)”
The initial track could have been an extension of the recent Jim James solo LP, Regions of Light and Sound of God. We find out later this was the last track he wrote for the album, and James feels it gave the whole album credibility and cohesiveness. The lyrics are uplifting, especially the prose of “Roll the dice, sail the ship, and all doors will open,” which to me means take the chance and you will be rewarded.

2.”Compound Fracture”
This is a bass-heavy, fast-rocking tune that jumps right out of the gate and doesn’t let up. This song is made for the live setting, and I’m sure many people will compare it to the style Jacket uses on Evil Urges. Koster really stands out on this track, especially towards the end as he wails on his keyboard while James belts out “how long till the mix runs dry” or something of the sort. This one’s a keeper.

3.”Like a River”
The album was mostly recorded in Stinson Beach, Calif., and Koster was very quick to point out that “Like a River” is the song that captures the time they spent there best. It’s a slow “streaming” folk song that makes us recall the At Dawn era of My Morning Jacket, which is never a bad thing. In fact, it’s an amazing thing. James flexes his vocals on this one, which reminds you how a voice can be a damn great instrument.

4.”In Its Infancy (The Waterfall)”
The title track might have the best section in the whole album during the breakdown. The song starts off slowly, then builds and builds until it climaxes into pure bliss. I can’t wait for die-hard Jacket fans to hear this one. James explains The Waterfall is a metaphor for people who have so much shit on their plate that they wish they could just stop time and slow it down. He goes on to explain he’s been infatuated with wanting to stop the flow of a waterfall just to watch it stand still. And he wishes humans can do this with their own hectic lives. The chorus is a beautifully uplifting lyric that reads, “I stop the waterfall by finally feeling / I stop the waterfall by just believing / I gotta stop the waterfall.” 

5.”Get the Point”
“Get the Point” is the breakup song on the album, and it’s a fine one at that. James very openly states, “The feeling is gone, but I wish you all the love in the world.” He doesn’t love this gal anymore, but he still wishes her well. I think we can all relate to that. After this song, James explained that all the songs on this album are live takes, with overdubs added after the fact.

6.”Spring (Among the Living)”
On the sixth track and second single, James states that he’s ready for the change of season and that he’s “done hibernating.” Patrick Hallahan leads the charge with a strong drumbeat that carries the song forward until it reaches a magnificent climax that once again showcases Koster’s sick keyboard playing and Yim Yames’ always amazing vocals. Listen below:

7.”Thin Line”
“Thin Line” is the oldest cut that MMJ decided to bring to the table. The story goes that Tom Blankenship was handed a very short demo by James around 2001 and remembered that it would fit perfectly into the song they were working on. The result is a pure rocker with wailing guitars by Carl Broemel and James that leads toward a seriously amazing ending that has James screaming “between love and a waste of time.” That seems like quite the thin line to me.

8.”Big Decisions”
“Big Decisions” is the song that all “Jacketeers” already know, as the crowd present in LA got a little more into the experience. James said this song is about wanting to make decisions for your friends. Everyone has a friend who complains that they hate their job or they hate where they live, and this song is about wanting to be able to just go ahead make that decision for them. Get a taste here:

9.”Tropics (Erase Traces)”
The penultimate song starts with a ripping guitar solo, then mellows out as James starts to sing, “first time in a long time.” This song could very well be my personal favorite after one listen. The ending is beautiful chaos full of fuzzy guitars, loud keyboards and serious drumming that could please any rocker.

10.”Only Memories Remain”
“Only Memories” brings the album together with another Stinson Beach-like vibe. It’s a slow chiller that creeps up on you, especially the poignant lyrics “names of places have all changed, but the identity has stayed the same.” The slow song showcases some serious slinky guitar work by both James and Broemel.

After the album ended, James and Koster came out and did a full Q&A, which I got to be a part of. I told them how I felt the album reflects on days of old jacket like At Dawn and Tennesseee Fire and if this were a conscious effort to bring back the folky vibe as opposed to the avant-garde Circuital style.

Yim Yames answered with a simple “YES!” and then elaborated how he never goes back and is always pushing forward, but that it’s difficult to stay away from the basic guitar. After the interview disbanded, James and Koster hung out and mingled with the crowd and was gracious enough to sign my poster that I had brought and even took a picture. They stayed until everyone got to meet them. What an awesome time with an amazing band.

The Waterfall will be released May 4th via ATO/Capitol Records. Pre-order it here, and check out My Morning Jacket’s tour dates here.

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How to Dress Well reinterprets ‘Pour Cyril’ with orchestral backing // LISTEN

March 25, 2015 by Leave a Comment

How-to-Dress-Well_postPhotos by Marc Fong & Sterling Munksgard // Written by Mike Frash //

Tom Krell is as close as you can get to a male siren — his voice is simply that beautiful and hauntingly dynamic.

And now we get to listen to a highlight from How to Dress Well’s “What is This Heart?”, “Pour Cyril”, stripped down with assistance from local luminary Minna Choi (from Magik*Magik Orchestra). It’s gorgeous — listen here.



Also, listen to the most recent episode of Song Exploder, in which How to Dress Well deconstructs “Pour Cyril” and tells the story behind the song. This was recorded at Swedish American Hall during Noise Pop.



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Filed Under: Featured, Music Story, New Music Tagged With: ,

Bored DJ turns airplane ambiance into mile high dance jam // WATCH

March 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment

plane

“When you’re bored on a plane make music.” Enjoy the view outside.

This is how you turn boredom into creative productivity.

Filed Under: Music Story Tagged With:

Phish announce 2015 summer tour and festival

March 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment

phish-tour-2015Photo by Sam Heller // Written by Kevin Raos //

Jam-band titans Phish have announced their summer tour plans, including the annual Labor Day run at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado.

Additionally, they have announced their 10th festival, the Magnaball, to be held August 21st-23rd in Watkins Glen, N.Y. Tickets for Magnaball GO ON SALE THIS FRIDAY! All information for this festival can be found here.

All of ticketing information can be found here.

2015 SUMMER TOUR DATES

7/21 Les Schwab Amphitheatre, Bend, OR
7/22 Les Schwab Amphitheatre, Bend, OR
7/24 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
7/25 The Forum, Los Angeles, CA
7/28 Austin360 Amphitheater, Austin, TX
7/29 Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, TX
7/31 Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
8/01 Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
8/02 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa, AL
8/04 Riverfront Park Amphitheater, Nashville, TN
8/05 Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO
8/07 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
8/08 Alpine Valley Music Center, East Troy, WI
8/09 Alpine Valley Music Center, East Troy, WI
8/11 The Mann, Philadelphia, PA
8/12 The Mann, Philadelphia, PA
8/14 Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC
8/15 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
8/16 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
8/21 Magnaball at Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY
8/22 Magnaball at Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY
8/23 Magnaball at Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY
9/04 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
9/05 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
9/06 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

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Killer Mike’s ‘fuck boy’ chant in response to fuck boy SXSW fan is all time

March 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Run-the-JewelsPhotos by Alfonso Solis // Written by Mike Frash //

The music portion of SXSW got underway on Monday in Austin, and Run the Jewels were busy continuing their rise to the throne at the Spotify House. Then some shit went down …

Killer Mike was likely having a good day — Kendrick Lamar gave the substantive spitter a massive shout out in his new track, “Hood Politics,” which unleashed on Sunday. In contrast to Kdot’s “Control” verse that took on the genre at large, the praise for Killer Mike is particularly loud due to the lack of shout outs to others.

So as RTJ was firing up “Banana Clipper,” someone from the audience walked up on stage like he owned the place and looked to be on the hunt for El-P.

https://instagram.com/p/0TiTGRDvSV/

Killer Mike takes the role of bouncer with security seemingly minimal and hunts down the stage crasher with gusto.

The most appropriate part: this is the song where Mike later says, “I sent they mom a little cash and a sympathy letter/ Told her she raised a bunch a fuck boys, next time do better/ Bitch.” Mike reiterates this in his response to the situation:

https://instagram.com/p/0Tp-WSTc3Y/

“Fuck boy” is RTJ’s catch all for weak ass phonies, and the phrase is sprinkled throughout their two LPs. It represents everything El & Mike are against in their populist, antics-driven crusade for real. And Mr. Render’s response to the altercation feeds into RTJ’s growing influence and the moment perfectly.

The best part: Mike has El’s back and vice versa. These guys truly are brothers.

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Help protect SF music venues from developers & new noise complaints with one minute of your time

March 14, 2015 by 4 Comments

ggb-stars_postPhoto by James Nagel // Written by Mike Frash //

San Francisco is changing. Rapidly. As technology jobs increase every day in the Bay Area, high-income people from all over the world are moving into San Francisco, which has always been a transitory City.

Case in point, the February median price of a one-bedroom apartment:

SF Rents February

Supperclub, I-Beam, Cafe Cocomo, Lucky 13 & The Lexington, have all bit the dust or have a significant threat to their existence. There is development in the works near both The Independent & Slim’s…the threat to the arts in San Francisco is real and it’s happening now.

Supervisor London Breed is introducing legislation that to protect nightlife venues from new developments. The legislation prevents venues from being shut down if they are operating within their permits, requires developers to work with venues before they start construction, and ensures that all potential tenants of a new development know about the local venues before they move in.

SF bar & venue owner Ben Bleiman has organized this petition you need to sign (it will a take a couple minutes), which aims to gather support for Breed’s new legislation.

300 more signatures are needed in the next four days to fulfill this petition (at the time of publishing), which will show a unified voice to SF City Hall. It’s the only way to ensure our world-renowned nightlife will continue to thrive throughout this period of rapid change in SF.

Click here to sign the petition.

Bleiman writes:

As a bar/venue owner in San Francisco, I have seen time and time again how one new neighbor or a group of new neighbors from a recently developed “market rate” property can force beloved nightlife venues to endure lawsuits, harassment and even closure. These venues’ only “infraction” was conducting their businesses legally and as they have for years before the new developments. Supervisor London Breed has bravely and rightly proposed a commonsense solution, and I enthusiastically, wholeheartedly support her legislation!

Protect live music in San Francisco by joining this petition and spreading the word.

RELATED: Best Live Music Venues in San Francisco // Bay Area

San-Francisco1

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RUMOR: Why not Phil Lesh or Trey Anastasio for additional Fare Thee Well Bay Area shows?

March 14, 2015 by 37 Comments

GratefulDead-ADMAT-1024x1024By Steven Wandrey //

After the most hyped shows of our lifetimes sold out instantaneously, a million people (literally) were crestfallen and left without tickets. Scalpers’ prices currently range from insulting to outrageous for the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows in Chicago over Fourth of July weekend.

After overseeing a sell out of epic proportions, the Dead 50 camp surely has dollar signs in their eyes. And why shouldn’t they? If they could stand to pocket millions more dollars by playing four to six more shows, they should.

Now that the rumored date additions at Levi’s Stadium and New York City are seemingly close to fruition, the rumored performers for the Santa Clara shows in late June at Levi’s stadium are: Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Jeff Chimenti, Steve Kimock, John Mayer and Mike Gordon.

While John Mayer pulls some mainstream weight, it’s truly a testament to how strong the Chicago demand was that promoters believe this alleged lineup will safely sell out Levi’s for tickets over $100 face value.

Most importantly, why the possible omission of Phil Lesh and Trey Anastasio? It seems like a slam dunk that Lesh would be a part of his homecoming shows, a short drive from his own venue Terrapin Crossroads.

So what changed? The only obvious change is the swapping of Anastasio for Kimock. Does Lesh have a personal problem with Kimock, who has performed with Phil & Friends in the past? Why would Lesh possibly sit this one out? We’ll update as this one continues to develop.

Watch this performance of “Loser” with Bruce Hornsby and band along with Steve Kimock and Phil Lesh from 1998.

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Shouldn’t Spotify let you follow along to your friend’s song selection in real time?

March 1, 2015 by 1 Comment

Spotify_postFeature request written by Mike Frash //

The socialization of music has been both a boon and detriment to artists. Awareness and engagement has never been easier — but monetizing can now be more of a struggle.

Streaming service titan Spotify gets most of the negative press surrounding unfair artist compensation (see Thom Yorke, Taylor Swift and Bjork as recent examples), but they’ve done better than their competitors in connecting listeners to their friends — corralling an evolution of human interaction that thrived on real life word of mouth for centuries until Napster, peer-to-peer sharing came along.

The right sidebar of the Spotify application shows what your friends are currently listing to, which is one of Spotify’s best features. It brings to you the music that is trending with your Facebook friends.

So, isn’t the next natural step to patch into your friends’ song selection process, essentially choosing to make your friend a digital DJ? If I notice my friend play three songs in a row that match my mood, wouldn’t it be valuable if there was a simple “DJ” button to click next to each user’s name? Then you’d be listening to your friend DJ live. More importantly, you would be listening to music together in real time. This would also inject a higher level of thoughtfulness into user curation.

I would use this feature often — what better way would there be to have music curated for you than by the people you wish you were hanging out with instead of being in that 40-hour-a-week cubicle?

Spotify users — would you dig this feature?

Send your feature request ideas to ShowbamsSubmit@gmail.com.

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Tickets for the last Grateful Dead shows are reselling for as much as $4,000

February 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment

HeaderBy Mike Frash //

Grateful Dead nation is split into two distinct factions after the Ticketmaster on sale Saturday morning for the group’s final shows — those who scored tickets and the other ones left with none. This is arguably the most in-demand concert series in recent years, and most Deadheads knew what they would be up against after only one in every 10 mail order tickets were awarded for purchase.

Many folks have reported Ticketmaster crashed at the on-sale time of 10 a.m. CT. From there, many hopeful attendees had their souls crushed as the Ticketmaster waiting room minute countdown continued to fluctuate one hour later, which is common for instant sellout events.

The final three shows, dubbed “Fare Thee Well” for the 50th Anniversary of the Grateful Dead, will feature Bruce Hornsby and Phish’s Trey Anastasio filling in the Jerry Garcia role over Fourth of July weekend at Chicago’s Soldier Field. The injection of the phanner community has helped to make these three shows the hottest tickets of the year.

In opposition to the ethos of the Dead, premium tickets are being sold for as much as $215. And of course, many 21st century scalpers took notice of the demand and have taken to third party sellers for mad, mad profit.

A sign that the day of granting miracles to show-going hopefuls might be kaput, tickets for these shows are selling for as much as $4,000. Granted that could be a deal between a greedy scalper and someone that gives no fucks about spending money, but the overall median for sold tickets so far is $933 for the first show and $941 for the second at 11 a.m. CT.

GD50 Stubhub1

So if you’re considering the idea of dropping $1,000 to get into this show, don’t let that deal go down. Ticket prices will likely go down from here and will be broadcasted in some way. But come on, it’s not like Jerry’s coming back for the event — that I’d pay a grand for.

What are your thoughts on this over-demand fiasco?

https://twitter.com/ztrebeil/status/571727146567122944

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