Chatham County Line (Photo: Eric Wildes)

Live Review: Chatham County Line, Blair Crimmons
December 16, 2011, Variety Playhouse, Atlanta
by Eric Wildes

You’ve got to love the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. If there is music lover in the area who doesn’t love that venue, then I can’t say I’d have much in common with them.

This time I went to see local favorites, Blair Crimmons and The Hookers, open for Chatham County Line. Blair Crimmons. Blair Crimmons is a masterful entertainer that is equally engaging as a solo act or with the impressive backing band, The Hookers, blasting back behind him. I’ve seen him play just about every small and medium -sized venue in town, so it was nice to see him do his thing at a larger place like the Variety.

Chatham County Line came out and the place was finally filling up. They formed a semi-circle around an antiquated looking custom-built microphone stand that had several types of microphones sticking out. It looked similar to a road sign from the 1920’s converted into a microphone stand.

The band’s sound was also remarkably authentic, as the tight harmonies were impeccable, and the musicians were all very skilled. The first half of the show was done in the semi-circle and was more traditional acoustic performances. Throughout this portion of the show the fiddle/mandolin player switched positions with the banjo player depending on which part was taking the primary spot on that song. As a result the two guys would go back and forth sometimes several times during the same song.

They really excelled at blasting tight and balanced harmonies with a slick instrumentation that was classic, but sometimes unpredictable. They would occasionally throw in a minor chord or a blue note to switch from what the audience might have been expecting.

The second half of the show was designated as the electric portion. While they brought out several other skilled musicians and expanded the array of instruments to include keys, hollow-bodied guitars, and an amazing collection of vintage amps, I found this part less interesting in comparison.

Perhaps that is because it didn’t have the same novelty effect on me. Regardless, the crowd was exuberant and clearly enjoyed the show. I really enjoyed the first half and was at least moderately entertained by the plugged-in second half.

Editor’s Note: Eric Wildes is a senior writer for DeadJournalist.com. A writer, musician and teacher, you can follow him on Twitter: @Elvis_Skinner.

Yelle

Live Review: Yelle
December 5, 2011, The Loft, Atlanta
by Jenni Lynne Rowell

Truth be told, I had not been to The Loft in Atlanta since I saw Nouvelle Vague nearly two years ago. I remembered being one of not very many, but it seemed more sincere that way. There is something to be said about a crowd of 75-100; they are there because they want to be. Tonight was not much different. I was there on a cool evening on the brink of seasonal change to see yet another imported French act, Yelle.

After parking my car for free in the usual place and praying that it would be safe and without boots of any sort, upon my return, I walked toward The Loft thinking of my DVR and chocolate chip cookies awaiting me at home.

Some of you may be wondering if I am ever excited about concerts of any sort and you’ll have to take my word that I am. Thus far, it appears that I dread nearly every evening I am scheduled to spend in any venue watching any band. But, just understand that I was particularly influenced by my lack of sleep the nights prior – which is why I have the sound engineer to thank for playing YYY’s “Fever to Tell” to ready/busy the crowd before Yelle’s arrival on stage.

Comme un enfant (Second Date remix) by YELLE

It was just after “Tick” began that I saw a signal from someone off stage to the engineer and then the lights dimmed. The modest crowd cheered enthusiastically and suddenly two men appeared at the left and right of the stage dressed as bee-keepers. They drummed and drummed and kept their respective beats rather well for nearly a minute or so. A third spotlight revealed Yelle, Julie Budet. Forgive me if the reference escapes you, but she seemed to be dressed as Old Gregg. Of course I giggled and excused myself from the crowd in order to sit down in the lounge area where I could see and relax. I thought it was going to be a long night.

About 10 minutes into the set, I actually wrote down the words “I like it”. I think the true moment of conversion happened during “Qui est cette fille”. It had all of the elements of a great club dance track. I forgot that I had no idea what they were saying. It was purely catchy despite the language barrier. I just couldn’t help but wonder why I had brushed them off initially several years ago. I then remembered that my only recollection of Yelle was overly produced, commercial and contrived noise. Seeing the members dancing and genuinely enjoying what felt like a house party also helped to sell me.

The drummer, Jean-François Perrier, came to center stage and greeted the crowd to a rather warm and sweaty welcome and incited everyone to scream, and they did! After an instrumental performed by the two male members of the band, Yelle appeared back on stage after a wardrobe change. Jean-François asked the crowd if they knew how to whistle and transitioned into “Ce jeu”. At one point, Yelle moon-walked nearly the entire length of the stage in a leopard print mini-dress. I instantly recalled a New York Times best seller, “The French Diet” and I added it to my Amazon wish list. She looked amazing!

About half way through after the crowd had warmed up, “Je Veux Te Voir” started and I instantly recognized it. The band all danced around, but Yelle stole the show with her energy and totally unrestrained dance moves. The crowd was eating it up and at this point I moved from my seat to stand with the crowd. I mean, with a quintessential, handsome Frenchman telling you that he “want to see you crazy” and asking “are you hot tonight”, who wouldn’t get out of their seat?

I fell in love with the fun-loving, odd Ménage à Trois after witnessing them perform as if they were in a sold out stadium. Their charisma was nothing short of contagious. Their French accents were endearing and I found myself laughing and writing the words, “soooooo French” after Yelle had addressed the crowd telling them “we’re going to dance and we’re going to share some love”.

As all things do, the music ended and signaled the chant and screams to encourage an encore. Jean-François appeared and asked “do you want some more?” and we did! He swiveled his hips in a rather awkward way which only made him more attractive and they played just a few more songs and that was it.

Is it enough to say that I felt like a jerk on the way to my car? I had thought about staying a while in order to tell the band how much I enjoyed their performance, but felt that there was no way to say what I wanted to say without it coming across as a back-handed compliment; “I am so glad that you didn’t suck like I expected”.

Gringo Star

Live Review: Gringo Star, Sovous Radio, Light’n Ray Jackson
November 19, 2011, Star Bar, Atlanta
by Jenni Lynne Rowell

The setting: Saturday night in a smokey bar. There is an intimate stage, many guys in girl pants and most girls in American Apparel all eagerly awaiting the sounds of local talents Gringo Star, Radio and Light’n Ray Jackson. It’s the Star Bar – it’s hot, it’s smokey and I resign myself to the fact that my lungs, eyes and clothes will never be the same …

I had never heard of Light’n Ray Jackson, but I recognized one of the members; Kyle Gordon. I remember quite a bit of buzz surrounding his former project, KillGordon, and had not since heard or seen the emerging Atlanta artist. I also had no idea that he was a drummer. My expectations for the overall sound and direction of Light’n Ray were modest. I knew better than to expect complex math-rock rhythms, but I also didn’t foresee the immaturity of a garage-band disaster.

What I have to say is this; my expectations were barely met. While I was a fan of the lead vocals, I simply didn’t feel as though they were right for the style of the music. This instantly created a disconnect from which I never recovered. Light’n Ray Jackson played an adequate set of songs averaging just under three minutes each and I left feeling as though they were new to each other. All three members seemed to be on separate pages of the same book.

The vocal delivery was engagingly inconsistent and often wavering which resembled that of The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando. The drums suggested the energy of post-punk angst and hecticness. I listened patiently and waited for it all to ‘click’, but that never happened. I often found the back-up vocals sung by drummer, Gordon, to be jarring at times.

While I won’t go so far as to say that I hated Light’n Ray Jackson, I will say that I was confused at best. Even now, I am not entirely sure if they’re meant to be taken seriously. The disarranged cover of Billy Joel’s “River of Dreams” wreaked of irony. It seems a likely side project of friends that have no intention of improving.

Sovus Radio was second to play. Their sound was eerie and saturated with instrumental intelligence. The heavy guitar drone and spacey vocal effects left me entranced at times on an odyssey I was not at all expecting after the unfettered efforts of Light’n Ray.

The crowd had swelled to a more substantial size and they were as transfixed as I found myself. The sound emitting from the stage was ominous and deliberate, yet just as I found myself close to surrendering to the bass thrum, I heard a sort of yell. A strange, full-on, throaty projection from the mouth of Ty Thompson.

Imagine that you are being asked to open wide and say “ahhhh” – only, instead of simply saying“ahhhhh”, you belt it as if your life depended on it. This is what I heard several times throughout Sovus Radio’s set. It seemed fitting at times and unrefined at others.

Of the psychedelic bands that have emerged in the recent past, I would place Sovus Radio amongst the best. Even though I did feel that the vocals were oddly delivered, I accepted it as part of the package. I could get used to it.

And just when I thought I could be surprised no more – Gringo Star settled in on stage and roused the crowd – immediately filling the space with danceable, rock charisma. It seemed the product of a marriage between Sovus Radio and Light’n Ray; likable, ingenuous and exciting.

Admittedly, I had not seen them live before. In fact, I had always found the name cringe-worthy and for some reason associated them with washed-up blue-grass. Preconceptions abolished, I enjoyed the set and the way in which they performed. The constant instrument changes made me feel insanely inadequate, but it provided an opportunity for nearly every member to sing lead vocals. I am partial to bands that recognize their respective strengths. Sometimes a song is best when sung by a steady and melodic voice and sometimes it demands pitchy indulgence. I got both and it was always spot-on.

I left feeling closer to lung cancer, but definitely more a fan of Sovus Radio and Gringo Star. While I have several bands and musicians whose music I feel I need in my life and while none of these bands made that cut, they are certainly welcome in my regular rotation. And I don’t recommend the pairing of the two bands on the same bill again, but I would suggest seeing both live whenever you get the chance.

Editor’s Note: Jenni Lynn Rowell is a contributor to DeadJournalist. A a music aficionado, chef and entrepreneur, she also writes a food blog.

Architecture in Helsinki

Live Review: Architecture in Helsinki, DOM, Lo-Fi-Fnk
November 12, 2011, The Masquerade, Atlanta
by Jenni Lynne Rowell

On a night that would have been well spent curled up in front of a fire place, I decided to venture out to the Masquerade, in Atlanta, instead. I put on a pair of fingerless gloves and my trendiest denim jacket and out I went. I can honestly say that the Masquerade is not on my top 100 most-loved venues. Between the parking situation, shootings, disgusting bathrooms and the condemned-chic appeal, I can quickly think of several places within a one-half-mile radius I would rather be.

But thank God for Architecture in Helsinki for giving my evening purpose.

Before you get too excited, I have some (more) bad news; Lo-Fi-Fnk was there. Now I am just being harsh and a bit rude. Their presence was truly not bad news per-se, but I could not shake the feeling that something was missing.

Perhaps more cowbell.

But seriously, there are an endless number of low-fi talents that I cannot get enough of and I definitely had my fill of Lo-Fi-Fnk. In songs such as “Boom,” it is clear that I am simply too old to enjoy what they do. When calling up the spirits of similar artists such as Cut Copy or even LCD Soundsystem, you need to put your best synthesizer forward. I do see the potential in them, but somewhere along the line, lo-fi became synonymous with sophomoric … and that is unfortunate.

While I did bob my head and tap my foot, I was in no rush to spread the word about these two.

Thank goodness I opened this review with some positivity or else I may just seem as though I was in an ill mood. I assure you that was not the case. I can tell you that I did not love DOM either, but was definitely more impressed with their sound than the latter.

Their live show is more indicative of their musicianship than the recorded material. As with Lo-Fi-Fnk, I can see a lot of potential in this foursome as well. Experience and growth in both stage presence and overall production will take them far.

I found the lyrics to be very age-specific and judging by the strong reactions from pockets throughout the crowd, it was well-received by their target-market of late teens. I am not a complete idiot – or really a partial idiot while we are at it – and realize that people write music about their experiences and what they can relate to, but there is a way to do just that and still seem mature and I just didn’t get that from DOM.

The somewhat whiney tone of the lead vocals, as demonstrated in the track “Living in America”, reminded me a bit of Peter, Bjorn and John, but therein lies the difference between a well-seasoned group of performers and a group of dudes that have their best years ahead of them.

And now, for the part when I become less scrutinizing and actually started dancing! I don’t think that I have enough positive things to say about Architecture in Helsinki. Not only were they genuinely happy to be playing music, but they actually worked the crowd and acknowledged our presence!

I quite liked the playful introductions to songs at which time we were told that one song was about “teenage boys and interplanetary travel” and that another song was simply about dolphins. They also acknowledged the requests by fans for older material and responded with, “Do you wear your hair the same as you did seven years ago or wear the same clothes? … We have evolved and don’t enjoy playing the old songs, but here is one anyway.”

How is that for giving people what they want? There is something to be said about having the charisma it takes to admit that you dislike playing a song and play it as if you love it!

“Do The Whirwind” was the second to last song before the encore and everyone could not have been happier. Even several people from the Rockabilly Lounge night across the hall came over to have a look/listen. Many stayed for several songs. Architecture in Helsinki seem thrilled to be making and sharing music and it is evident in their performance. I don’t believe that anyone that came to see them tonight could have been disappointed unless you’re impossible to please.

I will definitely see them again and as with any great live performance, I can’t wait to spread the word and download more of their music. I would be happy to leave my house on a cold, fall evening to see them again in the future.

Editor’s Note: Jenni Lynn Rowell is a contributor to DeadJournalist. A a music aficionado, chef and entrepreneur, she also writes a food blog.

Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair

Album Review: Gauntlet Hair – Gauntlet Hair
11.11.11
by Jenni Lynn Rowell

Amid the ever-growing list of bands with strange and/or vacuous names lies Gauntlet Hair; a duo made up of Craig Nice (drums) and Andy R (guitar/vocals) rooted in Denver, Co. It seems unlikely, between the stage names and band name, you would ever take them seriously enough to give their noisy, grungy rock a chance, but I am telling you to lay aside your pretenses as well as your common sense and listen any way.

The first track I heard by the unabashed, noisy duo was called “Top Bunk”. I then searched feverishly for all available material and was met by a cool feeling of disappointment. I listened first to “Heave”, which left me feeling a bit bored, followed by “My Christ” which I simply found to be a bit lackluster in comparison to the contact-high I got from “Out, Don’t” and “I Was Thinking”, both of which were released as singles in 2010.

Suffice it say that I assumed Gauntlet Hair’s best days were a year ago – this is the point where I admit that I made a mistake. My mistake was not in having too high an expectation, but rather in listening to the songs out of sequence. There is something to be said about listening to a completed album in the order in which the artist(s) intended.

When “Heave” and “My Christ” reared their goofy faces in respective order, not only did I appreciate them more, but I liked them. It is also fair to assume that they grew on me over the course of six consecutive, full rotations. It is worth mentioning that “Mop it Up” and “Keep Time” were often repeated. Just know that I am advising you to repeat it you feel so inclined, but don’t skip! Give it all a fair chance even if you can’t understand a word of it.

At the risk of sounding even less discerning, I might as well admit that a part of me is conflicted as to why I like this band as much as I do. The instrumentation is occasionally clumsy. The lyrics, downright unintelligible, but I guess I did just as I instructed you to do: Stop thinking and just listen. More often than not, I just shout along as that is the best I can do because I have no idea what is being said.

If you reside in the Northeast corner of the country, you may be able to find Dead Oceans Records rebellious artist Gauntlet Hair in one of the handful of cities they are visiting in the coming months. Their self-titled album was released on October 18, 2011, which means it is readily available and waiting to assault your sensibilities.

Editor’s Note: DeadJournalist.com is pleased to announced Jenni Lynn Rowell is one of the site’s new contributors. A music aficionado, chef and entrepreneur; she’s one of the most wonderful people you may ever run across. She also writes a food blog. We are damn glad to have her contribute.

Beirut (Photo: Manu Muraro)

Live Review: Beirut
October 27, 2011, Variety Playhouse, Atlanta
By Manu Muraro

I have been a huge fan of Beirut since the first time I heard “Nantes” at a bar and had to ask the DJ which band that was. The mix of the horns, the ukulele and Zach Condon’s amazing voice creates an unique sound that is a breath of fresh air, especially at a time when more and more bands (even the ones I enjoy) just keep repeating themselves.

I had a chance to see them live a couple years ago at Pitchfork, but that was a shorter set in an outdoor festival. So I have really been looking forward to see them in concert in a nice indoors venue, with better sound quality and a more intimate setting. Luckily they were playing the Variety Playhouse, one of my favorite venues.

Basia Bullat was supposed to open, but didn’t and they didn’t even acknowledge that to the crowd.

Beirut came in early and I think caught everyone by surprise, since we were waiting on a second opener. They opened with “Scenic World” and from then on played a great mix of their songs from old albums and the new one, The Rip Tide, their best, in my opinion.

The whole show was a pleasure to listen and see. Not only the band sounds tight and incredible, Condon’s voice sounded amazing from beginning to end, but also they were seemed to be having just as great of a time than anyone else who got tickets to see them. They were graceful and polite, yet playful and there were smiles all over on stage. Including at the moment when Condon was starting to sing “Port of Call”, the first track of their new album, and chocked and started coughing. He missing a line or two, laughed, the band and the crowd laughed and they just carried on.

Beirut in Atlanta on October 27, 2011 (Photo: Manu Muraro)

Crowd went crazy when they played “Nantes”, of course, their most famous song. But everyone there seemed to know a lot of their songs, and there was not a lot of chattering. They made it seem that they were playing in our living room, which such an intimate and personal set. My personal favorites were “Santa Fe”, the beautiful ballad “Goshen” (with Condon on piano) and “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille”, which for some reason Condon said they were playing that one for the band. Must be a fun one to play, it was definitely a very fun one to hear and dance to.

The bass player Paul B. Collins was DJ’ing at Star Bar after the show – which apparently he does in some cities while on tour – and played some amazing music too, like Bowie, Lou Reed, lots of Brazilian music like Tim Maia and Jorge Ben, and some really trashy 80′s songs, too.

It was such a great night that the next day I got myself tickets to see them again in December in Athens, Ga. – two hours away. On a school night. It was THAT good.

Set List
Scenic World
The Shrew
Elephant Gun
Vagabond
Postcards from Italy
The Concubine
Santa Fe
A Sunday Smile
East Harlem
Forks and Knives
Nantes
Port of Call
Cherbourg
Goshen
After the Curtain
Mount Wrolai
The Penalty
My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille

Encore:
The Gulag Orkestar
Cosak

Adam Granduciel of The War On Drugs (Photo: Tim Lampe, imabearetc.com)

Live Review: The War On Drugs, Purling Hiss
October 14, 2011, The Earl, Atlanta
by Eric Wildes

Purling Hiss was stylistically unusual in the sense that they seem to be trying to capture the essence of about twenty-five years ago. While many bands are doing their best to update a sound from the ’80’s synth-rock, Purling Hiss is clearly trying to capture the tones and emotion I associate with guitar sounds of ’80’s hair bands.

However, the vocals are far from resembling those glitzy days, eschewing the dainty sounds of for hard-rocking howls and grungy hoots. As you might expect, there were some moments of blissful shredding, plenty of acrobatic riffs from the C.C. Deville catalog (in a fun way) and more than a few toe-tapping moments where people seemed genuinely transfixed by the unpretentious approach to just letting the rock and roll flow straight from the whammy bar to the audience.

There were also some stretches where I personally felt like I had maybe just heard that riff used in the last song. Mike Pollize and crew faced some challenges during the set. From the vocal microphone failing, to (what appeared to be) a low-E string breaking during a song, he handled the adversity well. In the latter case, he stopped the song mid-strum and exchanged his guitar- for one that seemed louder one of course. He started over with new vigor, at which point I’m sure that I heard someone in the audience mutter and enthusiastic “rock and roll” to no one in particular.

While I can’t say that I personally loved the guitar tone or heavy use of the wah-wah pedal as primary effects tool, I enjoyed most of Purling Hiss’ set. I do wish that they had worked some of the lighter ballads from the end of the show into the long sections of shredding during the set. It would have been a nice contrast in my opinion.

The War on Drugs took the stage looking to show off their new album, Slave Ambient. The set up on stage was a veritable smorgasbord of instruments, pedals, and amps all connected by an interstate of cables. I have to admit I was a bit shocked and definitely in awe of the sheer amount of items on stage. As they were setting up, I wanted to ask if I could get up there and take a closer look at all of the gear which felt a bit like an art gallery. Fortunately I realized that would be gauche even by my crude definition of proper etiquette.

From the first sound of the set, I was immediately taken aback by how good the sound actually was, especially at the front of the stage. Lately, I don’t always agree with the Earl’s sound guy’s interpretation of what constitutes a balanced sound, but he nailed this one right in the heart.

I hate to risk being accused of hyperbole in a review, but this show was so great, that I feel compelled to praise it effusively. As The War on Drugs started playing, a palpable shift in mood overtook the venue. The lights were suddenly cooler, the crowd was bigger and locked in, and the atmosphere seemed to morph into something darkly extraordinary for an otherwise ordinary Thursday night. Luckily, that feeling held true throughout the show.

The set got underway and Adam Granduciel’s snaking upper-body shifted like a pendulum as he played guitar and chopped through the set with his trademark-syncopated vocals. His guitar work was tasteful and he shifted fluidly from the roles of rhythm guitarist to lead melody maker.

Throughout the course of the set Granduciel would also mix in harmonica parts, and tweak the knobs of various loops, and effects. The harmoica parts cleverly placed within the hazy drones, were powerful.

The drummer for The War on Drugs, Steve Urgo, is as precise as I’ve seen anywhere. Again, I’m sure that sounds like an exaggeration. His focus seemed impenetrable whether working with samples and headphones or just straight up. The understated precision of Urgo (in tandem with the aforementioned sibilant vocals from Granduciel) seemed largely responsible for the crisp head bobbing I saw from an Atlanta audience notoriously too self-conscious to move any body parts at live shows.

Dave Hartley and Robbie Bennett were also excellent in their roles. Bennett, a power forward on the keyboards and backing guitars, added grace to the ambient (and somewhat “shoe gaze”) element of the band. His massive reach seemed to span twelve keys per hand at times. Hartley held his own on the bass and his herky-jerky movements were fun to watch. He also caught my eye when he added a haunting trumpet part during a rather avant-garde interlude.

Highlights of the show included “Brothers”, “Your Love is Calling My Name” and “Baby Missles”, but perhaps those are just my favorites from the newest album.

This was one of the best shows I have seen at the Earl in recent memory. It seems unlikely that a band could get better after losing the conspicuous talent of someone like Kurt Vile, but that is exactly what The War on Drugs has done in my opinion.

The new album is their most complete effort to date. In addition to that, the live performance is a great example of how powerful a band can be when a group of talented musicians hit their stride on stage.

With this type of synergy, The War on Drugs should continue to win the love of even casual musical acquaintances at their shows and the arrow should continue pointing up for this crew for the foreseeable future.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Tim Lampe of imabearetc.com for use of the photo.

Editor’s Note: Eric Wildes is a senior writer for DeadJournalist.com. A writer, musician and teacher, you can follow him on Twitter: @Elvis_Skinner.

Cymbals Eat Guitars (Photo: Eric Wildes)

Live Review: Cymbals Eat Guitars, Hooray for Earth
September 27, 2011, The Earl, Atlanta
by Eric Wildes

I caught the Hooray for Earth, and Cymbals Eat Guitars show at the Earl on Tuesday, September 17, 2011. Of course, I was expecting there to be less people present at The Earl than if it had been, for example, a Saturday show, but it seemed shockingly desolate for two bands with immense “street cred” and a local group like Lyonnais that has pull within local East Atlantan beard population.

I suspect that the show’s numbers were merely suffering from this latest indie craze called “baseball”. Even I fell into the trap somewhat. I was offered mostly-free tickets to the Braves vs. Cardinals and couldn’t pass up a chance to see a game that would almost certainly become a part of Atlanta’s legendary 2011 march to World Series. Someone forgot to mention that to the teams on the field.

Yeah, well what better way to forget about humiliating, soul-crushing fall from grace in baseball than a great rock show immediately after the game? Sadly, the lumbering, disheartened Braves fans made it impossible to get to the EARl in time to see Lyonnais’ act. Since they play around town fairly often so that will hopefully be quickly rectified.

Hooray for Earth is a trio that does live performance well. The band was unconventional in most ways. From the diversity of instrumentation to little details like prominently placing the drummer on the front of the right side of the stage (with his back facing the audience) they don’t do it like most other bands.

Their sound is surprisingly eclectic as well. Featuring so many beeps and blips in their polyrhythmic sound, I was actually pleasantly surprised how thick and raucous the sound was live. Despite the dance hall beats, they are a rock band at heart. Every member seemed to be also frequently multi-tasking, and tweaking sound devices during each song to great effect. For example, the guitarist, Noel Heroux, deftly played some progression on his guitar (which, by the way, looked like a possible Basquiat exhibit) then moments later picked up what appeared to be a grapefruit shaker and hammered the strings of his guitar with it for a different textures.

Nothing pleased me more than seeing the keyboard player singing backup on the vocodor. Nothing revolutionary in that, but it was nonetheless oddly awesome within the context of their sound.Hooray for Earth blended sounds with conspicuous quirkiness. I suspect they’ll have some major success touring with this recent album, True Loves. They are extremely accomplished as a live act certainly the type of catchy songs that people are going to leave the show with an album under their arm.

Cymbals Eat Guitars’ show in support of their new album, Lenses Alien, was very good. It did include one of the strangest sound issues I seen at a live show though.

At the end of the first song, it sounded like someone briefly turned the radio on in the Earl’s PA. Huh? The band members seemed to be momentarily befuddled by this, but they shook it off and went into the next song.

Something that stood out instantly in this show was the level of musicianship across the board. Most bands striving for a sound similar to Cymbals Eat Guitars don’t have the luxury having every member being top-line musician on their respective instrument.

This was especially true of Joseph D’Agostino’s performance on guitar- the type of rapacious grace I rarely see in modern indie shows. I found the guitar levels to be unfortunately too low in the mix, but D’Agostino’s arsenal of guitar tricks was impressive to say the least. The band blends well considering the tremendously busy parts being played on every instrument.

I found some of the songs to have a spot or two of cluttered confusion where I wasn’t sure which instrument was supposed to be holding my attention (or if it was all supposed be seamlessly blended) but they always effectively resolved to some kind of spiking dynamics change.

By the end of the set that familiar structure bordered on too formulaic, but the sheer power of the high points greatly outweighed what I consider to be a minor blemish. D’Agostino’s is the Mike Tyson of indie singers. He isn’t the best singer the world, but the raw power of his voice is devastating at times. It is a rare gift.

However, some of my favorite parts were when all four members were working to swell the intensity without the vocals (frequently at the end of songs). They repeatedly nailed this aspect as the band treated each of those moments as if it was the final song of the set.

The Dodos (Photo: Eric Wildes)

Live Review: The Dodos, Superchunk and Times New Viking
Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta
September 8, 2011
by: Eric Wildes

Coming of age in the 90’s, it seems like I have been hearing about how great Superchunk’s live shows were for about forty years or so. Seeing them live with The Dodo’s and Times New Roman seemed like a pretty good way to spend a Thursday.

I hadn’t been to Buckhead area since the Roxy. Considering the fact that last time I went there, I met my wife, I was fairly certain that it would not live up to my last experience. Regardless, I was curious to see the place since it became the Buckhead Theater and the lineup seemed great.

I feel like I am generally fairly cool guy, but my predilection for showing up early has cost me countless style points in the past. This time was not an exception. I hung around forever in the mostly empty lobby. This gave me a chance to check out the new version of the old Roxy. I found that I couldn’t really remember what the Roxy looked like in those magic days of the early-ish 2000’s. So, all in all, I felt like that was probably for the best. Finally the roar of massive amps beckoned me into the auditorium.

The first band, Times New Viking, had some nice moments, but seemed to be ready to just finish up for most of the set. While the drummer/singer Adam Elliott was relentless, the overall punch that was intended fell somewhat short from my vantage point. The disaffected glaze of Beth Murphy was a stark contrast to the eagerness, but the vocals were tough to hear under the weight of the volume.

In general, it was just kind of muddy, but that might be a problem related to new sound a (sort of) new place. Being lackadaisical is forgivable for the first band of three on a Thursday. On top of that the sound crew wasn’t doing them any favors. When the affable drummer unsuccessfully tried to make a personal connection with the audience by referencing “Matty Ice” of the Atlanta Falcons, I knew that it wasn’t just me. The vocals were muddy and it was tough to even understand him.

The Dodos came out, and I was blown away by how young they looked. This is especially true since their musicianship was excellent. I have no doubt that they are must be very focused musicians as their stage presence was very professional.

Hearing the songs live, I noticed that they were a little less layered than the recordings, but still with a crisper sound than the first band. I found the intricate style of treble drumming of Logan Kroeber instantly mesmerizing. Though it left me wanting more bottom end during some songs, there is no question that he has a style that is as unique as I’ve ever seen in a rock band.

Though the Dodos songs were catchy (in a good way) they were also complex and unpredictable. They sprinkle the songs with feverish guitar and wild beats all the while tinkering with subtleties like dynamics, tone, etc. There we some really great songs in the set.

“Black Night” a masterful anthem of a song that they played second, was one of the high points for me. It starts with such a catchy beat that I knew the crowd would be hooked.

The rest of the set was more of the same.

On the final number they let it all hang out and displayed more showmanship than their normal subdued demeanor. The Dodos are not the type of band to twirl drumsticks, but here, they let the flow of the songs move them on stage. It was a terrific live display.

Superchunk finished off the night in spectacular fashion. By that time The Buckhead Theater looked not dissimilar to a reunion of current/former Athens townies. Doing what Superchunk does- I trust none was left unsatisfied.

Preservation Jazz Band

Album Review: Preservation Jazz Band and Del McCoury Band – American Legacies
by Lance Burson
July 10, 2011

The banjo makes me want to punch people. Jazz music makes me angry and quite nonplussed too. Yet, somewhere around track five of the new collaboration between the Preservation Jazz Band and The Del McCoury Band, I was happy and dancing in my living room with my wife.

I grew up around bluegrass music and Dixieland/southern jazz music. My lack of appreciation for the genres stems from being forced to listen. I had the day off. I wanted to relax with my family. Instead of rocking out I married New Orleans with Appalachia and the result was enjoyable.

Preservation Jazz Band and Del McCoury Band have worked together before but this is their first time mixing musical styles ona full length album. The finished product is hearing southern instruments mix with traditional strings and horns along with Del McCoury distinctive voice that jump off the speakers.

I won’t bother saying this record isn’t for everybody. When I started listening I thought I would turn it off and figure out how not to review it. Instead, I opened my ears and my heart and found a fun mix of styles that made for a different listening experience. My favorite tracks are “Banjo Frisco” and “The Sugar Blues”. They really grabbed me.

I recommend making your CD collection uniquely pleasured. Get American Legacies from The Preservation Jazz Band and the Del McCoury Band.

Editor’s Note: Lance Burson is a contributor to DeadJournalist.com. He also writes his own blog which you can read here and you can follow him on Twitter: @TLanceB.

The Antlers - Burst Apart

I sat down a few hours ago with a clear calender and free of obligations other that working on this site. This meant one of those rare opportunities to throw in some CD’s and play them front-to-back. I have a stack of albums from the last few months that I just haven’t had time to listen to – despite forking over my dwindling cold, hard cash for them.

I decided I was going to put together a review of the ones listened to, but rather than do three posts, I’m doing to do all three here. I’m also going to do something I don’t do often, and that’s put a number on an album. Its easier that way.

I’m getting too old to not start taking the easy road every now-and-again.

These reviews are all based on one listen. Yes, I’ve heard or streamed songs from all over them, but this is based on the first listen to the entire album on physical media.

The first album I popped in the trusty CD-player was Burst Apart by The Antlers. It has gotten a tremendous amount of praise since its release and it is worthy of every bit of it. A wonderful, dreamy follow-up album the Brooklyn band. War Eagle.
93/100

When I listen to a great album, it’s kind of hard to put in another album and not expect to be disappointed, but after all the hype over Bon Iver’s new album Bon Iver, I was indeed disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good album, but after listening to The Antlers it was a little too one-sided. I’m sure it will be the best album of the year in many places at the end of the years, which is okay. Many a few more listens will change my mind.
82/100

Last up in this three-album set was Nothing Is Wrong by Dawes. I admit, I am inexcusably later to the party on Dawes. This is the first album I’ve bought of listened to by the Los Angeles-based band. Frankly, my listening has been limited to a couple Daytrotter sessions. I’ll pull out my old excuse of not being able to listen to everything. It’s an excellent alt-country/Americana album.
89/100

This Will Destroy You

Live Review: This Will Destroy You
June 9, 2011, The Earl, Atlanta
by Eric Wildes

Going to see an instrumental band play live is often a very different experience than seeing a typical rock outfit. It requires a different set of tools for the listener when you can’t passively stare at the singer or shoot a careless glance at the guitarist during a lead.

Watching Texas band, This Will Destroy You, carve lines at The Earl with its brand of bludgeon-then-swoon post rock was the quintessential example of this difference. For those in attendance willing to embrace this difference, it was an extremely powerful performance.

This Will Destroy You (Photo: Eric Wildes)

After a painfully slow sound check prolonged the start, the band quietly pressed into the first song. I have no problem admitting that I am frankly terrible at remembering song titles. This problem was exacerbated for me by the fact that This Will Destroy You doesn’t have lyrics.

The first song employed the talents of a violinist who was (almost literally) shredding on stage. It was an intensely beautiful- a remarkable atonal addition to say the least.

After this grandiose start, the band continued to do a solid job of balancing their sound (which carries a massive amount of sonic weight) throughout the show; that is easier said than done when a band has so many layers. The fact that bass and keyboard player, Donovan Jones, was in the middle of the stage was definitely an anchor for the band’s sound.

The powerful low-end sounds emitted from the five-string bass helped bind together the frenetic guitar melodies from Chris King and Jeremy Galindo. Though the two guitarists took turns alternating as “good cop bad cop” for most of the set, they often synchronized for simultaneous explosions of tremulous distortion.

When appropriate, I would have liked to hear more volume from the drums. Though the drummer, Alex Bhore, is clearly skilled, the volume was too light for my taste.

For the final number, he unleashed a thunderous blast that rattled the floor in front of the Earl’s stage. The impact was significant. The band promptly left the stage as the ring from the distortion echoed through the bar.

With its visceral blend of bone-rattling romps and delicately woven melodies, This Will Destroy You demonstrated why they are still one of the premier bands in this genre.

Editor’s Note: Eric Wildes is a regular contributor to DeadJournalist.com. A writer, musician and teacher, you can follow him on Twitter: @Elvis_Skinner.

The Middle East

Album Review: The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy
June 2, 2011
by Chuck Norton

Sometimes I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly what it is that makes me fall in love with an album. And sometimes everything about an album makes me fall in love with it.

The Australian band, The Middle East, will be releasing their debut LP I Want That You Are Always Happy on July 12, 2011. Formed in 2005, this seven-piece band comprised of Jordan Ireland, Rohin Jones, Bree Tranter, Joseph Ireland, Mark Myers, Jack Saltmiras and Mike Haydon, took three years to release this album – their first since the 2008 EP Recordings of the Middle East.

The Middle East – “Hunger Song”

I enjoyed Recordings of the Middle East quite a bit, so when I noticed an email about a new album in my in-box last weekend, I was excited to give it a listen. I was hooked instantly. After at least a half-dozen play-through’s, I can say that this is my favorite album of 2011, so far.

If you are a fan of The Antlers, Other Lives, The Clientele, Midlake, School of Seven Bells, Fleet Foxes etc., I believe will love this album as well. Its a wonderful combination of folk, dream-pop, shoegaze and all those other buzz-words that are used to describe an album lush with layers of sound and harmonies.

It is an album that makes me want to close my eyes and drift of into a haze of the music; loosing myself in the sound. It’s the kind of album that makes time stop. The album’s lead track, “Ninth Album Reverie” reached in and grabbed me in the same way that “Carry Me Ohio” did the first time I heard Sun Kil Moon’s Ghosts of the Great Highway album in 2003.

The track “Deep Water” is a ten minute odyssey that makes me wonderfully depressed. Although it sounds nothing like “Big Dipper” by Cracker, something about the track reminds me of it. It also made me think of a Vic Chesnutt, whom we all miss dearly.

Discussing the album, Jones – the band’s singer and guitarist – said, “I don’t know whether people will like it. Obviously, I hope they do and I hope they can get what they want from it. For us, I see it as an amiable first attempt and I know we can do better. In fact, I would like to try again someday.”

Once you check out I Want That You Are Always Happy, I think you’ll agree with me that this album is a wonderful album and that people will not only like it – but love it. It is an album that is worth buying and hanging on to for years to come.

And as for the band, I can only hope this is just the beginning.

Okkervil River (Photo: Manu Muraro)

Live Review: Okkervil River
May 31, 2011, Variety Playhouse, Atlanta
By Manu Muraro

I was excited to see Okkervil River live again. I have always been in love with this band, since the time I first heard the song “Black” in 2005. Then I got some of their stuff and was hooked. Finally got to see them in Athens a few years back and although they weren’t super tight live, it was still a great show.

They opened with a song off their great new album “I Am Very Far”, which dropped a few weeks ago. Followed by a few old ones, including “Black”. Then after a nice change of pace by playing the beautiful ballad “Girl In Port”, they continued to introduce the new album.

The band was focused on stage, maybe because it was the beginning of their tour. But the lead singer Will Sheff was on fire. His voice sounded amazing and was enhanced by the breaks in the instruments they would make towards the end of many of the songs. He was charismatic, looked quite sharp in his jacket and couldn’t help smiling in front of a packed and happy Variety Playhouse. He even went for a risky sing-a-long during “Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe”, but for my surprise everyone seemed to know the lyrics.

The Austin-based band played a long set that reminded everyone of how great their songs are. Some of my favorites were “For Real”, “The Valley”, “A Hand To Take Hold of The Scene”, “John Allyn Smith Sails”. After playing close to an hour-and-a-half they took a break and came back for a chorus of three songs, closing on a super-high note with the awesome new song “Wake Up and Be Fine” and finally my favorite, “Unless It Kicks”.

If I had any doubt in my mind whether I should have gone out right after a holiday in which I drove close to 14 hours and had limited sleep, I was sure I made the right call. Sorry if you missed it. But the good news is that this was their first show of the US tour, so you can still catch them somewhere else, if you know what’s good for you.

Editor’s Note: Manu Muraro is a regular contributor to DeadJournalist.com. You can follow her on Twitter @manumuraro.

Here We Go Magic

Live Review: Here We Go Magic
May 18, 2011, The Earl, Atlanta
by Denton Poteet

I like both of Here We Go Magic’s studio albums. I haven’t heard the latest EP, but I imagine I would probably like that, too. Their music will remain in my personal rotation for the foreseeable future. After seeing them live, though, I’m suddenly convinced that their studio output is really just a launching point for their unbelievable live show.

The band doesn’t just recreate the recorded songs live – they nearly reinvent them. They will frequently locate the center of the song then expand outward with gradually increasing variation, taking their music to places it doesn’t quite reach on the albums. It’s not just noodly Doug Martsch solos tacked onto the end of standard indie rock songs, either. They jam, but they do it in such a way that it sounds like the entire song is expanding into this living, breathing monster that’s a thousand times bigger than what you get when you press play on your iPod.

The volume contributes to the enormity of it all, too. They get so much louder than you might expect based on the layered, low key sounds found on Here We Go Magic and Pigeons. As the music gets wilder, so does the volume. It comes in waves that eventually overwhelm.

So does all this mean Here We Go Magic is a jam band? I don’t know, maybe. Does it really matter? The bedrock of their sound is strummy, jangly psych-folk, something that occupies a comfortable corner of the indie rock realm. Bandleader Luke Temple is a classically unassuming indie rock front-man, and for all their chemistry the band still gives off the casual vibe that has been a hallmark of independent music since Pavement. They just also happen to have a knack for expansive live reinterpretations.

Editor’s Note: Denton Poteet is a regular contributor to DeadJournalist.com. He is the also the author of Little Advances. You can follow him on Twitter @littleadvances.