Was "Paper Planes" an album track?
Maybe this is what I get for downloading albums, but it definitely isn't on the version of Kala that I picked up online a few months ago. I'm still not as into her as pretty much the rest of the internet, but this song is pretty damn killer. Floating along on a dreamy Clash sample, it's pretty damn peppy for a song about holding people up.
Here's the video - I'm not even going to bother talking about the MTV controversy as it's been done to death all over the internet already.
Not bad, though the Beastie Boys cameo is a little out of nowhere and not totally necessary. I will say this - as superficial as it is, she looks damn good in that Metallica tshirt.
As good as the track is - and it is good - Diplo did us all a favor by upping this remix, featuring Bun B and Rich Boy. B and Rich Boy absolutely kill it, riding that beat for all it's worth. The original almost sounds a little naked afterwards.
Get into it.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Chris Colohan Is A Fucking Genius
Chris Colohan is a fucking genius.
I don't really think there are many people who have been into hardcore in the last ten years or so who would dispute that statement, and there's good reason for it - everything the man touches is total gold. Looking Colohan's musical history is like looking at a list of some of the best bands of the last decade - The Swarm, Left for Dead, Ruination, Cursed, and Fucked Up just to name a few. I feel like Haymaker and Chokehold were also Colohan bands, but I could be wrong.
Left for Dead is absolutely one of my favorite bands ever - their Eat Shit LP is one of the most berserk live recordings I've ever heard. The very first song - "Who D'You Know?," is just a total encapsulation of everything that's great about hardcore - an insane, grinding buzzsaw guitar riff, with a breakdown that is absolutely perfect - heavy as hell, but not falling into the "meathead" category. And let's not forget the lyrics...
It sounds like this show was an insane experience - there are fireworks being set off during the opener, as well as a few other songs. One of my favorite moments on a live album ever also takes place during "Who D'You Know?," as well; during the repetition of the line "I don't care who you know," someone manages to get up to this mic. He is right up in the mix for the first half of the line, but as he hangs on to the "know" in the lyric, it literally sounds like he's falling into a pit. He fades away - I'm sure he just moved away from the microphone but is still getting picked up, but it seriously comes off sounding like "KNOWWWwwwwwwwwwwwww" like the the dude is falling into some chasm or something.
Basically, the record is punishing, heavy, and insane from start to finish.
Left for Dead's brother, sonically speaking, is definitely The Swarm. Parasitic Skies basically sounds like a Left for Dead record - punishingly fast, chaotic, but still retaining the heaviness that slower moments like "God's Little Acre" display. The album also has my favorite straightedge songs ever, "On Our Knees," which is twenty-five seconds of the words "I don't want it" and "I don't need it" being screamed at desperation volumes over a blistering riff. The album has some metal moments, too - "Upside Your Head" is reminiscent of bands such as Entombed. "Monopolized Reality For The Maintenance Of Order" is a genuinely disturbing spoken-word detail of a subway suicide.
Ruination finds Colohan in a slightly more punk-rock influenced mode; it's easy to see where the inspiration to join Fucked Up came in when you listen to this band. The songs are more rock-ish, and that might be why I've never been able to get into the band that much.
Cursed is the Chris Colohan vehicle with the most mileage attached to it, and with good reason. Dark, brooding, and raw, Cursed is definitely one of the best bands of the last few years. Metalcore without the makeup and "mosh parts," Cursed combines the best parts of the two genres to create something that is equal parts Black Flag and Entombed. Most purists would pick One as their favorite record, but when I was in England I absolutely fell in love with Two. For me, it's Colohan's masterpiece - the songwriting is most polished, and the mood is even darker, as if that were even possible. The production is also a little more fleshed out on Two, still dirty and stripped down, but a little more professional than on its predecessor. Lyrically, Two is possibly the darkest and most honestly disturbing hardcore record I've ever heard. Cursed is almost set to release their third LP, titled (ready for it?) Three, and there's a couple tracks up to check out on the Goodfellow Records myspace. That, along with Blacklisted's new full-length, are the two records that I'm most looking forward to in 2008.
Chris Colohan is a genius. A fucking genius.
I don't really think there are many people who have been into hardcore in the last ten years or so who would dispute that statement, and there's good reason for it - everything the man touches is total gold. Looking Colohan's musical history is like looking at a list of some of the best bands of the last decade - The Swarm, Left for Dead, Ruination, Cursed, and Fucked Up just to name a few. I feel like Haymaker and Chokehold were also Colohan bands, but I could be wrong.
Left for Dead is absolutely one of my favorite bands ever - their Eat Shit LP is one of the most berserk live recordings I've ever heard. The very first song - "Who D'You Know?," is just a total encapsulation of everything that's great about hardcore - an insane, grinding buzzsaw guitar riff, with a breakdown that is absolutely perfect - heavy as hell, but not falling into the "meathead" category. And let's not forget the lyrics...
"Sick of your attitude
Sick of you
Your social clubs
Your flavour of the month
I don't care you know
You don't know shit
Fuck your popularity contest
I wanna see a murder contest
Why are you even here?
Who do you know
And who fucking cares?"
Basically, the record is punishing, heavy, and insane from start to finish.
Left for Dead's brother, sonically speaking, is definitely The Swarm. Parasitic Skies basically sounds like a Left for Dead record - punishingly fast, chaotic, but still retaining the heaviness that slower moments like "God's Little Acre" display. The album also has my favorite straightedge songs ever, "On Our Knees," which is twenty-five seconds of the words "I don't want it" and "I don't need it" being screamed at desperation volumes over a blistering riff. The album has some metal moments, too - "Upside Your Head" is reminiscent of bands such as Entombed. "Monopolized Reality For The Maintenance Of Order" is a genuinely disturbing spoken-word detail of a subway suicide.
Ruination finds Colohan in a slightly more punk-rock influenced mode; it's easy to see where the inspiration to join Fucked Up came in when you listen to this band. The songs are more rock-ish, and that might be why I've never been able to get into the band that much.
Cursed is the Chris Colohan vehicle with the most mileage attached to it, and with good reason. Dark, brooding, and raw, Cursed is definitely one of the best bands of the last few years. Metalcore without the makeup and "mosh parts," Cursed combines the best parts of the two genres to create something that is equal parts Black Flag and Entombed. Most purists would pick One as their favorite record, but when I was in England I absolutely fell in love with Two. For me, it's Colohan's masterpiece - the songwriting is most polished, and the mood is even darker, as if that were even possible. The production is also a little more fleshed out on Two, still dirty and stripped down, but a little more professional than on its predecessor. Lyrically, Two is possibly the darkest and most honestly disturbing hardcore record I've ever heard. Cursed is almost set to release their third LP, titled (ready for it?) Three, and there's a couple tracks up to check out on the Goodfellow Records myspace. That, along with Blacklisted's new full-length, are the two records that I'm most looking forward to in 2008.
Chris Colohan is a genius. A fucking genius.
Monday, December 17, 2007
2007 Year In Review
I'm back. I know it's been a long time, but I'm back. I apologize to all six of my readers for the long break, but real life gets in the way sometimes. Between school and some other circumstances, writing just wasn't happening. I did do some work - and still am doing some work - for the Peoria Hardcore zine Failure To Communicate. You want one? Get at me. It's good stuff.
I'm gonna try to keep this blog almost exclusively hardcore and metal related from now on. Not totally exclusively, but mostly. It's easier for me to write about and at least sound like I know what I'm talking about.
My Top Ten list from 2007 turned into a Top 20...but that's just as fun.
My Top 20 Albums of 2007
20. The Horrors - Strange House
I saw this band on Subterranean on MTV2 looking like a bunch of tools who were trying way too hard to be brooding and dark. That may still be right, but this is still a pretty great rock record. The horror-film thing is something that's been done to death it seems, but this takes a slightly different way of going about it - campy instead of gore-obsessed. Pretty great Link Wray cover on there as well.
19. Maserati - Inventions For The New Season
It's pretty hard for me to give a fuck about "post rock" or whatever you want to call it anymore. On the whole, it's a genre that's pretty stagnant and repetitive for me (coming from a hardcore fan I know that loses some punch), and I'd say the scene is getting pretty damn saturated. This record was still able to blow me away, and that says a lot.
18. Obituary - Xecutioner's Return
Obituary...still fucking killer.
17. World Collapse - Deustchland, Deustchland! Into the Night
Can a six-song EP be on a "best of" list? Who cares. This record is awesome. Hardcore/Pop/Electro blend that is just gorgeous, and was basically the soundtrack to my entire summer. Check out this band.
16. Pulling Teeth - Martyr Immortal
"What are you so afraid of?" Brutal, heavy, blistering hardcore. I wasn't sure it'd be able to top last year's "Vicious Skin" but it did just fine. Hate-filled and hard as fuck, and this record also reminds everyone that solos still have a place in hardcore. One of the few bands who get hyped to death and totally deserve it.
15. Silversun Pickups
Though I'm starting to tire of them thanks to the excessive pimping being done by MTV (do I want to know if the dude in this band has been tested? Honestly?), I still love this record. Glistening pop magic that, as corny as it sounds, makes me want to lie on a beach or something. And I hate beaches. This band has always reminded me a bit of Portastatic, and that's a good thing. I'd say it's the vocals more than the instrumentation, but who cares?
14. Turbonegro - Retox
Turn up the glam. Front to back, this record rules.
13. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81
This one just came out so I haven't gotten a real good feel for it yet, but it's pretty goddamned good. This record really goes back to a more straight-up rock sound than "Howl," which is both just fine (the dudes are great at it), and a shame (I loved the country/gospel vibe that "Howl" had). I obviously like it already, and I'm sure I'll like it even more once I really sink my teeth into it.
12. Mayhem - Ordo ad Chao
Raw and dark as fuck. Hellhammer is still absolutely inhuman behind a drumset, and whoever produced this record really knew their shit - it maintains a traditional lo-fi black metal sound without sacrificing any sort of intensity or weight. More guttural growling than nasal screaming vocals-wise, which is also a change and a plus.
11. Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty
This band just keeps getting better and better, and is one of the more "commercial" hardcore (or hardcore-influenced, or whatever) acts that I can still get behind. I wasn't very happy with "Gutter Phenomenon" but this record just kicks its ass. Still vaguely hardcore-ish, but at the same time able to kick into almost Molly Hatchet-style grooves. Keith Buckley is still the perfect lyricist for this band, as well - I've never heard anyone make absolutely no sense so poignantly.
10. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
I'm convinced that it is impossible for this band to make a bad record.
9. Kanye West - Graduation
Was it awesome? Yes. Was it as good as many people claim? Maybe not. Every time I listen to it, though, I notice new details that I'd missed the previous time. Fact is, I can't think of a truly "bad" song on this record, which is a total rarity in hip-hop today. I'm not sure I'll ever forgive the Chris Matin-ization of "Homecoming," though.
8. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3
It frightens me sometimes the vast capability for creative output that Lil Wayne has. How is it possible to put up so many guest spots, so many mixtapes, and STILL put out a double (double!) tape that is so fucking good? The dude has his haters, and I am absolutely not one of them. The second disc might taper off, but this is still exceptional.
7. Modern Life Is War - Midnight In America
Just see my older post. Gets better every time I listen to it, and I'm interested to experience this band live again.
6. Interpol - Our Love To Admire
It's interesting that this band has basically put out the same record three times, and I could not possibly care less. "Our Love..." is a little bit slower and darker than their previous releases, with a more brooding atmosphere. Basically, this was the record I listened to when I wanted to be bummed out at work. Good stuff.
5. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
I'm not sure what to say about this one specifically, other than the fact that it's the White Stripes "returning to their roots," which is great despite the fact that I fucking love "Get Behind Me Satan."
4. Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde
See my older post. Exactly what "post rock" needs...someone to inject something new and shake things up a bit. Gorgeous.
3. Ghostface Killa - Big Doe Rehab
The antithesis of "8 Diagrams," but just as crazy. Ghost is intense as fuck the entire record, rapping in that screaming, almost out of breath style, and the beats are of the stark screaming-soul-sample variety. There are a couple misses, but the hits make up for it, big time.
2. Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
Good God. Two Wu-Affiliated albums in the top three, and I didn't even do that on purpose. For me, this record has confirmed the fact that RZA has gone totally batshit insane, and it makes for one hell of a record. Production-wise, this is easily one of the darkest and most atmospheric hip hop albums I've ever heard, and it's Wu so even the weak verses are pretty good by most standards.
1. Weekend Nachos - Punish and Destroy
That's right. Weekend (fucking) Nachos, "Punish and Destroy" is the greatest record of the year. Am I just sticking up for a local band, for my friends? Absolutely not. I have never in my life seen a record with a more appropriate title. Every track (all clocking in at under 1:30) is absolute punishment, lyrically and musically abrasive. Powerviolence seems to be the "hot" thing in hardcore this year, and this is the only record that really deserves the label - or hype - in my opinion. The production is flawless, the lyrics cutting, and come fucking on, even the 8-minute outro is awesome.
Disappointments of 07 In a Sentence or Less
1. Type O Negative - Dead Again
Just not very good.
2. Ministry - The Last Sucker
I think I'm the only person alive who hated this record
3. Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me
You fucking pussy.
4. A Life Once Lost - Iron Gag
"Hey guys, remember those good songs we put out? Let's not do that this time."
5. Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
Who am I kidding? I knew this would suck.
6. Blacklisted - Peace On Earth, War On Stage
People suck these dudes dicks so hard, I love them, but this just wasn't up to their standard.
7. Klashnekoff - Lionheart - Tussle With the Beast
I'm just gonna keep listening to "Focus Mode" and pretend this never happened.
Surprises of 2007 In a Sentence or Less
1. 108 - A New Beat From A Dead Heart
Though it would suck...it rips.
2. Gallows - Orchestra of Wolves
Where the hell did this band come from?
3. Anaal Nathrakh - Hell Is Empty, And All The Devils Are Here
Crushing death metal with some great melodic elements.
4. Swizz Beats - It's Me, Bitches
Yeah, just one song...but it's a total mindfuck of a song.
5. Smoking Popes - The Party's Over
Maybe I was hasty in assuming it would be hard to write another "Destination Failure."
6. Throwdown - Venom and Tears
Pantera > Straightedge
Things I Ignored in 2007
1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Because I don't like Radiohead, go figure.
2. M.I.A. -Kala
So...it's a hot Sri Lankan girl who plays dance music? So?
3. Justice/Daft Punk/etc
When I DJed as a hobby in high school I played French House. Antoine Clamaran, all that shit. That was five goddamned years ago. This is not a "new hip thing." Fucking hipsters ruin everything.
I'm gonna try to keep this blog almost exclusively hardcore and metal related from now on. Not totally exclusively, but mostly. It's easier for me to write about and at least sound like I know what I'm talking about.
My Top Ten list from 2007 turned into a Top 20...but that's just as fun.
My Top 20 Albums of 2007
20. The Horrors - Strange House
I saw this band on Subterranean on MTV2 looking like a bunch of tools who were trying way too hard to be brooding and dark. That may still be right, but this is still a pretty great rock record. The horror-film thing is something that's been done to death it seems, but this takes a slightly different way of going about it - campy instead of gore-obsessed. Pretty great Link Wray cover on there as well.
19. Maserati - Inventions For The New Season
It's pretty hard for me to give a fuck about "post rock" or whatever you want to call it anymore. On the whole, it's a genre that's pretty stagnant and repetitive for me (coming from a hardcore fan I know that loses some punch), and I'd say the scene is getting pretty damn saturated. This record was still able to blow me away, and that says a lot.
18. Obituary - Xecutioner's Return
Obituary...still fucking killer.
17. World Collapse - Deustchland, Deustchland! Into the Night
Can a six-song EP be on a "best of" list? Who cares. This record is awesome. Hardcore/Pop/Electro blend that is just gorgeous, and was basically the soundtrack to my entire summer. Check out this band.
16. Pulling Teeth - Martyr Immortal
"What are you so afraid of?" Brutal, heavy, blistering hardcore. I wasn't sure it'd be able to top last year's "Vicious Skin" but it did just fine. Hate-filled and hard as fuck, and this record also reminds everyone that solos still have a place in hardcore. One of the few bands who get hyped to death and totally deserve it.
15. Silversun Pickups
Though I'm starting to tire of them thanks to the excessive pimping being done by MTV (do I want to know if the dude in this band has been tested? Honestly?), I still love this record. Glistening pop magic that, as corny as it sounds, makes me want to lie on a beach or something. And I hate beaches. This band has always reminded me a bit of Portastatic, and that's a good thing. I'd say it's the vocals more than the instrumentation, but who cares?
14. Turbonegro - Retox
Turn up the glam. Front to back, this record rules.
13. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81
This one just came out so I haven't gotten a real good feel for it yet, but it's pretty goddamned good. This record really goes back to a more straight-up rock sound than "Howl," which is both just fine (the dudes are great at it), and a shame (I loved the country/gospel vibe that "Howl" had). I obviously like it already, and I'm sure I'll like it even more once I really sink my teeth into it.
12. Mayhem - Ordo ad Chao
Raw and dark as fuck. Hellhammer is still absolutely inhuman behind a drumset, and whoever produced this record really knew their shit - it maintains a traditional lo-fi black metal sound without sacrificing any sort of intensity or weight. More guttural growling than nasal screaming vocals-wise, which is also a change and a plus.
11. Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty
This band just keeps getting better and better, and is one of the more "commercial" hardcore (or hardcore-influenced, or whatever) acts that I can still get behind. I wasn't very happy with "Gutter Phenomenon" but this record just kicks its ass. Still vaguely hardcore-ish, but at the same time able to kick into almost Molly Hatchet-style grooves. Keith Buckley is still the perfect lyricist for this band, as well - I've never heard anyone make absolutely no sense so poignantly.
10. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
I'm convinced that it is impossible for this band to make a bad record.
9. Kanye West - Graduation
Was it awesome? Yes. Was it as good as many people claim? Maybe not. Every time I listen to it, though, I notice new details that I'd missed the previous time. Fact is, I can't think of a truly "bad" song on this record, which is a total rarity in hip-hop today. I'm not sure I'll ever forgive the Chris Matin-ization of "Homecoming," though.
8. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3
It frightens me sometimes the vast capability for creative output that Lil Wayne has. How is it possible to put up so many guest spots, so many mixtapes, and STILL put out a double (double!) tape that is so fucking good? The dude has his haters, and I am absolutely not one of them. The second disc might taper off, but this is still exceptional.
7. Modern Life Is War - Midnight In America
Just see my older post. Gets better every time I listen to it, and I'm interested to experience this band live again.
6. Interpol - Our Love To Admire
It's interesting that this band has basically put out the same record three times, and I could not possibly care less. "Our Love..." is a little bit slower and darker than their previous releases, with a more brooding atmosphere. Basically, this was the record I listened to when I wanted to be bummed out at work. Good stuff.
5. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
I'm not sure what to say about this one specifically, other than the fact that it's the White Stripes "returning to their roots," which is great despite the fact that I fucking love "Get Behind Me Satan."
4. Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde
See my older post. Exactly what "post rock" needs...someone to inject something new and shake things up a bit. Gorgeous.
3. Ghostface Killa - Big Doe Rehab
The antithesis of "8 Diagrams," but just as crazy. Ghost is intense as fuck the entire record, rapping in that screaming, almost out of breath style, and the beats are of the stark screaming-soul-sample variety. There are a couple misses, but the hits make up for it, big time.
2. Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
Good God. Two Wu-Affiliated albums in the top three, and I didn't even do that on purpose. For me, this record has confirmed the fact that RZA has gone totally batshit insane, and it makes for one hell of a record. Production-wise, this is easily one of the darkest and most atmospheric hip hop albums I've ever heard, and it's Wu so even the weak verses are pretty good by most standards.
1. Weekend Nachos - Punish and Destroy
That's right. Weekend (fucking) Nachos, "Punish and Destroy" is the greatest record of the year. Am I just sticking up for a local band, for my friends? Absolutely not. I have never in my life seen a record with a more appropriate title. Every track (all clocking in at under 1:30) is absolute punishment, lyrically and musically abrasive. Powerviolence seems to be the "hot" thing in hardcore this year, and this is the only record that really deserves the label - or hype - in my opinion. The production is flawless, the lyrics cutting, and come fucking on, even the 8-minute outro is awesome.
Disappointments of 07 In a Sentence or Less
1. Type O Negative - Dead Again
Just not very good.
2. Ministry - The Last Sucker
I think I'm the only person alive who hated this record
3. Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me
You fucking pussy.
4. A Life Once Lost - Iron Gag
"Hey guys, remember those good songs we put out? Let's not do that this time."
5. Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
Who am I kidding? I knew this would suck.
6. Blacklisted - Peace On Earth, War On Stage
People suck these dudes dicks so hard, I love them, but this just wasn't up to their standard.
7. Klashnekoff - Lionheart - Tussle With the Beast
I'm just gonna keep listening to "Focus Mode" and pretend this never happened.
Surprises of 2007 In a Sentence or Less
1. 108 - A New Beat From A Dead Heart
Though it would suck...it rips.
2. Gallows - Orchestra of Wolves
Where the hell did this band come from?
3. Anaal Nathrakh - Hell Is Empty, And All The Devils Are Here
Crushing death metal with some great melodic elements.
4. Swizz Beats - It's Me, Bitches
Yeah, just one song...but it's a total mindfuck of a song.
5. Smoking Popes - The Party's Over
Maybe I was hasty in assuming it would be hard to write another "Destination Failure."
6. Throwdown - Venom and Tears
Pantera > Straightedge
Things I Ignored in 2007
1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Because I don't like Radiohead, go figure.
2. M.I.A. -Kala
So...it's a hot Sri Lankan girl who plays dance music? So?
3. Justice/Daft Punk/etc
When I DJed as a hobby in high school I played French House. Antoine Clamaran, all that shit. That was five goddamned years ago. This is not a "new hip thing." Fucking hipsters ruin everything.
Monday, October 29, 2007
An Interview With Blacklisted
This weekend I had a marathon trip to Philadelphia and back for the Floorpunch reunion/Redcheeks benefit show, and while I was there I had the opportunity to speak with Shawn, the drummer from Philly's own Blacklisted. They played the best I'd ever seen them that night, and confirmed their status as one of the biggest, if not the biggest band in hardcore right now.
Shawn was a great guy, and despite both of us saying we didn't have a ton of time, the interview went pretty long...not that I'm complaining. Here it is.
First of all, I just want to apologize...you guys played Peoria over the summer and we gave you shitty mics, or the PA was bad, or something.
That's alright man, it happens sometimes, you just...sometimes you gotta roll with it, you know?
Everybody was just as disappointed and frustrated with it as you guys were, trust me. And secondly, I'm working on 20 minutes of sleep in 36 hours so if this interview goes like shit...my bad. So uh, first of all...good fucking show.
Cool, man. Yeah.
I've seen you guys around six times and this was the best I've ever seen. I'm sure playing a big show like this in front of a hometown crowd was great.
Yeah, it was cool, you know, it was a change. We hadn't really played a show in like...a month, we've just been spending our time writing and recording and stuff, so to play a show again, especially in Philly, was pretty dope. It was a good cause, and some awesome bands, so it worked out.
Definitely. Speaking of recording, how's it going?
It's going great, man. We...everything's done, we just gotta go back...everything's done minus vocals, so there's vocals and then mixing, and uh...after that just mastering and artwork, and that kind of stuff.
Any title yet?
Title? Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God...it's out there on the internet, in case you couldn't catch that.
Oh wow. Shit.
[laughter] Nah, it's cool. But uh, yeah, so...it should be out in early March. That's what we're looking at right now, so...
What about the sound? More like the last seven inch, more of the melodic type stuff? Something in-between?
It's like...elements of both. There's definitely melody in there but it's still hard music. It's like the big brother of the EP, of Peace on Earth. So, if you're into Peace on Earth, there's no reason that you couldn't be into the LP that's forthcoming.
More just standard rookie-interview questions, I guess...favorite place to play.
Hoooo...
...besides home.
Philadelphia, that's an easy answer, yeah. Besides Philly...uh, I'm gonna have to go international and probably say, like...Belgium.
Yeah?
Yeah, and we just played Iceland, too, so that was...uh...(at this point someone really loudly half-interrupts the proceedings) really cool...she with you?
Um...no.
Oh, I was gonna be like "come on, we're doing something here!" But overseas places kind of take you by surprise sometimes. Belgium was really cool, Iceland was dope, especially since like you don't go to Iceland that much. California has really been steppin up, like California's been really, really fucking cool for us, um...Chicago's always been dope...
That's right.
Illinois just in general, dude. It's pretty cool. The Midwest is pretty good, Florida has some good spots...I don't know. If I had to like, single out places I'd probably say like...I'd probably say like, Anaheim, Chicago, Montreal used to be really good for us but we haven't gone there in a really long time, long story. I can't really think of anything else off the top of my head.
That's cool, that's a bunch of places man. So...whose idea was the blog?
Me and George had been just kinda wanting to do something like that for a while, and we saw Fucked Up had one, and like...no one else had one. It's kind of different, because we don't have like a proper website, because the one we had ran out and none of us are gifted at like, websites and shit so we just said alright, let's do the next best thing. The blog was just gonna be like, updates from the road and stuff like that, good shows, videos, pictures. But it kind of...the introduction was kind of like, let's just give people the background history of the band, where it started, where we are now and everything in between. George kind of wanted to catapult the blog and we kind of agreed that it would be a good idea.
What is it that got you into hardcore? Bands, shows, feelings?
Oh, man. I think the intensity of the whole vibe, the music and stuff. I'm a pretty hyperactive person anyway, so I think it's more natural for me to, uh, be into something that's harder and more aggressive. Not that I'm an aggressive person, just more of a hyperactive person, so it fits my like, my style more. As like a person, and more importantly as a drummer, I couldn't play slow music. Like, I couldn't play jazz - I can play jazz, I just don't want to play jazz, you know? It's just the faster, harder stuff and like just all the elements together just kind of sum up together what I am now and what my best interest is.
Plus it was something different. The shows were smaller, it wasn't like you go to see a rock show, and you'll never be able to say to the bands onstage like "oh hey, your music is great," or whatever. Hardcore was like, if I saw a band and was really into their music, I could tell them "that was an awesome set," or "those lyrics on that record are amazing," or like "that part's hard as hell." It's kind of more accessible to me, and it kind of just fit me as a person.
What is it about Philly? It seems like this town has one of the strongest scenes in the country, has a lot of great bands.
I don't know if it like, churns out bands, because like...I mean...I don't know, I guess to an outsider, I guess it does seem like there's a ton of bands from around here, but at the same time there's not that many bands so it seem like when bands come around that are going off, or doing their thing or making a name for themselves it kind of brings more attention to the city...whereas like if it didn't happen, no one would really know that there was a strong scene here. There is though, and I think Philly is just like an easy place to identify with as far as like "oh it's hardcore, it's Philly," kind of has a certain ring to it. And like, a lot of out-of-state kids, like South Jersey kids call it their scene - even though they have a scene...but I don't know. Philly is just like...you love it and hate it all at the same time. There's things I hate about it, but some of the things I hate I end up embracing and in turn you end up loving. It's where I'm from, it's where we're from, I was born and raised here, so it just feels different. When I'm at a show here compared to somewhere else, it doesn't have the same vibe. I'm home man, it just feels that way, it's just totally different. I like it, I like that you don't get that feeling from other shows.
I know you guys are on Deathwish, which is probably in terms of like, hardcore or "underground" labels or whatever you want to call it is about as "major" as you can get...not in terms of attitude but in terms of like, size and selling power.
Yeah.
It definitely gets shit out there a lot more. Do you think that exposure and easy mainstream accessibility is good or bad for hardcore?
Yeah, definitely. It's a great label, I mean they've been there for us every step of the way. They've supported everything this band has ever wanted to do, and you don't really find many labels like that in hardcore. I've heard horror stories from other bands on other labels, and I'm not going to namedrop any labels or bands, but you know, I've been around, I've heard stories. If Deathwish did some shit like that, dude...so fast I'd just be totally turned off on hardcore and being in a band after being on one of those labels. But those bands, they stick it out because they have to, because they sign these contracts with these crazy labels and they sign their lives away in the process. But yeah, Deathwish is awesome. They're willing to work with us on every level.
I feel like I should clarify my question a little bit. The fact that you can get Deathwish stuff on iTunes, or buy the new Cold World DVD at Hot Topic, do you think that kind of accessibility kind of...dilutes things a little bit? Does that make sense?
Yeah, I know what you're saying. Yo, you know what? It's 2007. Maybe like, eight years ago or shit like that, that'd probably be weird. Like back then it'd be like "oh man, this punk or hardcore band, it's so weird, you can see their shit at like, Hot Topic or Best Buy" or something like that. It'd probably have been weird....(at this point the interview gets interrupted again) thanks for being in the interview.
But it's 2007 now. It's the internet age. Most kids get records on iTunes because they don't have to leave their house. So it's like, I think it's just like one of those things that people kind of accept now. I don't think it necessarily takes away from what hardcore is, or what a label is, and stuff. It's kind of weird to explain and somewhat hard to understand to people who might not really like know...I think that's the age we live in now, it's kind of natural. As long as all the labels and all the bands do it the right way and it's not like, cheesy or exposed or whatever...you've got to get your music out there to people, that's the only way people are going to hear it.
Well, hey. It was a great show. Thanks for the time. Come back to Peoria anytime.
Yeah man, no problem. We'll be back there.
http://imwithblacklisted.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blacklisted
http://www.deathwishinc.com
Shawn was a great guy, and despite both of us saying we didn't have a ton of time, the interview went pretty long...not that I'm complaining. Here it is.
First of all, I just want to apologize...you guys played Peoria over the summer and we gave you shitty mics, or the PA was bad, or something.
That's alright man, it happens sometimes, you just...sometimes you gotta roll with it, you know?
Everybody was just as disappointed and frustrated with it as you guys were, trust me. And secondly, I'm working on 20 minutes of sleep in 36 hours so if this interview goes like shit...my bad. So uh, first of all...good fucking show.
Cool, man. Yeah.
I've seen you guys around six times and this was the best I've ever seen. I'm sure playing a big show like this in front of a hometown crowd was great.
Yeah, it was cool, you know, it was a change. We hadn't really played a show in like...a month, we've just been spending our time writing and recording and stuff, so to play a show again, especially in Philly, was pretty dope. It was a good cause, and some awesome bands, so it worked out.
Definitely. Speaking of recording, how's it going?
It's going great, man. We...everything's done, we just gotta go back...everything's done minus vocals, so there's vocals and then mixing, and uh...after that just mastering and artwork, and that kind of stuff.
Any title yet?
Title? Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God...it's out there on the internet, in case you couldn't catch that.
Oh wow. Shit.
[laughter] Nah, it's cool. But uh, yeah, so...it should be out in early March. That's what we're looking at right now, so...
What about the sound? More like the last seven inch, more of the melodic type stuff? Something in-between?
It's like...elements of both. There's definitely melody in there but it's still hard music. It's like the big brother of the EP, of Peace on Earth. So, if you're into Peace on Earth, there's no reason that you couldn't be into the LP that's forthcoming.
More just standard rookie-interview questions, I guess...favorite place to play.
Hoooo...
...besides home.
Philadelphia, that's an easy answer, yeah. Besides Philly...uh, I'm gonna have to go international and probably say, like...Belgium.
Yeah?
Yeah, and we just played Iceland, too, so that was...uh...(at this point someone really loudly half-interrupts the proceedings) really cool...she with you?
Um...no.
Oh, I was gonna be like "come on, we're doing something here!" But overseas places kind of take you by surprise sometimes. Belgium was really cool, Iceland was dope, especially since like you don't go to Iceland that much. California has really been steppin up, like California's been really, really fucking cool for us, um...Chicago's always been dope...
That's right.
Illinois just in general, dude. It's pretty cool. The Midwest is pretty good, Florida has some good spots...I don't know. If I had to like, single out places I'd probably say like...I'd probably say like, Anaheim, Chicago, Montreal used to be really good for us but we haven't gone there in a really long time, long story. I can't really think of anything else off the top of my head.
That's cool, that's a bunch of places man. So...whose idea was the blog?
Me and George had been just kinda wanting to do something like that for a while, and we saw Fucked Up had one, and like...no one else had one. It's kind of different, because we don't have like a proper website, because the one we had ran out and none of us are gifted at like, websites and shit so we just said alright, let's do the next best thing. The blog was just gonna be like, updates from the road and stuff like that, good shows, videos, pictures. But it kind of...the introduction was kind of like, let's just give people the background history of the band, where it started, where we are now and everything in between. George kind of wanted to catapult the blog and we kind of agreed that it would be a good idea.
What is it that got you into hardcore? Bands, shows, feelings?
Oh, man. I think the intensity of the whole vibe, the music and stuff. I'm a pretty hyperactive person anyway, so I think it's more natural for me to, uh, be into something that's harder and more aggressive. Not that I'm an aggressive person, just more of a hyperactive person, so it fits my like, my style more. As like a person, and more importantly as a drummer, I couldn't play slow music. Like, I couldn't play jazz - I can play jazz, I just don't want to play jazz, you know? It's just the faster, harder stuff and like just all the elements together just kind of sum up together what I am now and what my best interest is.
Plus it was something different. The shows were smaller, it wasn't like you go to see a rock show, and you'll never be able to say to the bands onstage like "oh hey, your music is great," or whatever. Hardcore was like, if I saw a band and was really into their music, I could tell them "that was an awesome set," or "those lyrics on that record are amazing," or like "that part's hard as hell." It's kind of more accessible to me, and it kind of just fit me as a person.
What is it about Philly? It seems like this town has one of the strongest scenes in the country, has a lot of great bands.
I don't know if it like, churns out bands, because like...I mean...I don't know, I guess to an outsider, I guess it does seem like there's a ton of bands from around here, but at the same time there's not that many bands so it seem like when bands come around that are going off, or doing their thing or making a name for themselves it kind of brings more attention to the city...whereas like if it didn't happen, no one would really know that there was a strong scene here. There is though, and I think Philly is just like an easy place to identify with as far as like "oh it's hardcore, it's Philly," kind of has a certain ring to it. And like, a lot of out-of-state kids, like South Jersey kids call it their scene - even though they have a scene...but I don't know. Philly is just like...you love it and hate it all at the same time. There's things I hate about it, but some of the things I hate I end up embracing and in turn you end up loving. It's where I'm from, it's where we're from, I was born and raised here, so it just feels different. When I'm at a show here compared to somewhere else, it doesn't have the same vibe. I'm home man, it just feels that way, it's just totally different. I like it, I like that you don't get that feeling from other shows.
I know you guys are on Deathwish, which is probably in terms of like, hardcore or "underground" labels or whatever you want to call it is about as "major" as you can get...not in terms of attitude but in terms of like, size and selling power.
Yeah.
It definitely gets shit out there a lot more. Do you think that exposure and easy mainstream accessibility is good or bad for hardcore?
Yeah, definitely. It's a great label, I mean they've been there for us every step of the way. They've supported everything this band has ever wanted to do, and you don't really find many labels like that in hardcore. I've heard horror stories from other bands on other labels, and I'm not going to namedrop any labels or bands, but you know, I've been around, I've heard stories. If Deathwish did some shit like that, dude...so fast I'd just be totally turned off on hardcore and being in a band after being on one of those labels. But those bands, they stick it out because they have to, because they sign these contracts with these crazy labels and they sign their lives away in the process. But yeah, Deathwish is awesome. They're willing to work with us on every level.
I feel like I should clarify my question a little bit. The fact that you can get Deathwish stuff on iTunes, or buy the new Cold World DVD at Hot Topic, do you think that kind of accessibility kind of...dilutes things a little bit? Does that make sense?
Yeah, I know what you're saying. Yo, you know what? It's 2007. Maybe like, eight years ago or shit like that, that'd probably be weird. Like back then it'd be like "oh man, this punk or hardcore band, it's so weird, you can see their shit at like, Hot Topic or Best Buy" or something like that. It'd probably have been weird....(at this point the interview gets interrupted again) thanks for being in the interview.
But it's 2007 now. It's the internet age. Most kids get records on iTunes because they don't have to leave their house. So it's like, I think it's just like one of those things that people kind of accept now. I don't think it necessarily takes away from what hardcore is, or what a label is, and stuff. It's kind of weird to explain and somewhat hard to understand to people who might not really like know...I think that's the age we live in now, it's kind of natural. As long as all the labels and all the bands do it the right way and it's not like, cheesy or exposed or whatever...you've got to get your music out there to people, that's the only way people are going to hear it.
Well, hey. It was a great show. Thanks for the time. Come back to Peoria anytime.
Yeah man, no problem. We'll be back there.
http://imwithblacklisted.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blacklisted
http://www.deathwishinc.com
Saturday, October 27, 2007
OiNK Is Dead...And I Couldn't Care Less
Once again, school has gotten in the way of keeping this thing updated as much as I would like, and for that I will voluntarily catch a huge late pass on finally writing about the demise of the invite-only BitTorrent music site known as OiNK.
I got an OiNK invite around July, and it was, at the time, one of the happiest musical days of my life. I remember referring to OiNK as the "Music Downloading Valhalla," and other such nonsense. I worked my way up to the original 10GB pre-ratio download limit relatively fast. Once I slowed down the downloading to preserve my ratio, though, I started to miss OiNK less and less, and started relying on other websites for my lawbreaking needs (Albumbase, Sordo, Deek, ANR blog, etc...).
I think part of my beef with OiNK was the fact that it was geared so heavily towards such a geeky audiophile crowd. Yes, 128kbps obviously sounds worse than 320, or V0, or whatever...but is it really such an awful thing to allow? I've never been one to complain about bitrates. Mp3s are such a lossy format as it, why complain if you shit is only slightly less lossy than something else?
And all those FLAC nerds...don't even get me started. There is no way all those people have the stereo equipment necessary to really tell the difference...and I'm wondering just how big their hard drives are in order to store such a massive file format.
Really, it was just the general holier-than-thou attitude that purveyed the entire operation that got on my nerves. Some people would say that this just guarantees that there aren't things like "shitty rips" or whatever clogging up the servers, but I would argue that it just prevents people (like myself, on occasion) from sharing something they know will be enjoyed because of a fear of missing one of the requisite hoops that needed to be jumped through. It took me a while to start posting my owns rips on OiNK, mostly because of the absolutely insanely complex "How To Rip" tutorial that was presented on the site - which involved downloading a third-party ripper, encoding with LAME, and other such nonsense. In the end, I finally just said "Fuck this" and ripped around 10 CDs with iTunes and posted them...with no complaints.
Yes, the content was great. But did I find everything I was looking for? Fuck no. The only thing I ever used OiNK for was mainstream leaks, and relatively obscure (in the mainstream sense) hardcore or late 90s screamo. Was it nice to find the Chairshot Politics EP on there? Yes. But where was Powerbomb Anthems? I'll enjoy the Neil Perry and Jerome's dream discographies and all the other things that I obtained, but it just really wasn't all that much better than, say, Albumbase in my opinion.
The fallout in the internet community from this bust has been insane. So many of these people are truly, deeply convinced that they are doing absolutely nothing wrong that it just blows my mind. Let's face it: OiNK was an illegal site, taking users donations to help upkeep servers on which they exchanged copyrighted material, illegally. To continue using the site, you had to keep your share ratio up - in other words, enable others to steal as well. It's an incredibly brazenly illegal thing to do. I download music...a lot of music. If something is especially good, I go out and buy it once I can afford it (recent purchases: Stierkampf - (He's A) Grunge Whore + 4 and Gogogo Airheart - Real Live Kill...Ripe From the Vine). I realize what I'm doing is illegal, I just don't really care.
What is truly amazing to me about this whole thing is how committed some of these former OiNK users are to the idea that the recording industry/the concept of copyright/the concept of intellectual property is just completely totally fucked up and wrong. Guess what people? You are not changing the recording industry. No matter how morally or philosophically right what you think you're doing is...it isn't. It's stealing, and I don't feel any damn sympathy for myself or anyone else who has been locked out of downloading that new Deerhoof record because OiNK is down.
Go buy some music. It's what I'm doing this weekend.
I got an OiNK invite around July, and it was, at the time, one of the happiest musical days of my life. I remember referring to OiNK as the "Music Downloading Valhalla," and other such nonsense. I worked my way up to the original 10GB pre-ratio download limit relatively fast. Once I slowed down the downloading to preserve my ratio, though, I started to miss OiNK less and less, and started relying on other websites for my lawbreaking needs (Albumbase, Sordo, Deek, ANR blog, etc...).
I think part of my beef with OiNK was the fact that it was geared so heavily towards such a geeky audiophile crowd. Yes, 128kbps obviously sounds worse than 320, or V0, or whatever...but is it really such an awful thing to allow? I've never been one to complain about bitrates. Mp3s are such a lossy format as it, why complain if you shit is only slightly less lossy than something else?
And all those FLAC nerds...don't even get me started. There is no way all those people have the stereo equipment necessary to really tell the difference...and I'm wondering just how big their hard drives are in order to store such a massive file format.
Really, it was just the general holier-than-thou attitude that purveyed the entire operation that got on my nerves. Some people would say that this just guarantees that there aren't things like "shitty rips" or whatever clogging up the servers, but I would argue that it just prevents people (like myself, on occasion) from sharing something they know will be enjoyed because of a fear of missing one of the requisite hoops that needed to be jumped through. It took me a while to start posting my owns rips on OiNK, mostly because of the absolutely insanely complex "How To Rip" tutorial that was presented on the site - which involved downloading a third-party ripper, encoding with LAME, and other such nonsense. In the end, I finally just said "Fuck this" and ripped around 10 CDs with iTunes and posted them...with no complaints.
Yes, the content was great. But did I find everything I was looking for? Fuck no. The only thing I ever used OiNK for was mainstream leaks, and relatively obscure (in the mainstream sense) hardcore or late 90s screamo. Was it nice to find the Chairshot Politics EP on there? Yes. But where was Powerbomb Anthems? I'll enjoy the Neil Perry and Jerome's dream discographies and all the other things that I obtained, but it just really wasn't all that much better than, say, Albumbase in my opinion.
The fallout in the internet community from this bust has been insane. So many of these people are truly, deeply convinced that they are doing absolutely nothing wrong that it just blows my mind. Let's face it: OiNK was an illegal site, taking users donations to help upkeep servers on which they exchanged copyrighted material, illegally. To continue using the site, you had to keep your share ratio up - in other words, enable others to steal as well. It's an incredibly brazenly illegal thing to do. I download music...a lot of music. If something is especially good, I go out and buy it once I can afford it (recent purchases: Stierkampf - (He's A) Grunge Whore + 4 and Gogogo Airheart - Real Live Kill...Ripe From the Vine). I realize what I'm doing is illegal, I just don't really care.
What is truly amazing to me about this whole thing is how committed some of these former OiNK users are to the idea that the recording industry/the concept of copyright/the concept of intellectual property is just completely totally fucked up and wrong. Guess what people? You are not changing the recording industry. No matter how morally or philosophically right what you think you're doing is...it isn't. It's stealing, and I don't feel any damn sympathy for myself or anyone else who has been locked out of downloading that new Deerhoof record because OiNK is down.
Go buy some music. It's what I'm doing this weekend.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Alcest "Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde": Gorgeous
Originally, I was going to write this entry about not only this band, but another French metal project called Blut Aus Nord. Since the two are barely connectible, I decided to let the other one wait for another day - they're equally worthy of my praise, just not right now.
With the absolutely inane amount of post-rock bands clogging the music universe right now, it takes a lot for a band with that general sound to jump out and really make something not only incredibly beautiful, but also innovative. There's a lot of crap out there that follows one of the two standard post-rock formulas of "long crescendo" or "pretty then heavy," and even the genre's visual aesthetic seems to be getting a bit worn...lots of dudes with beards.
What Alcest has done is bring something new to the table in combining two genres that, at first glance, seem relatively incompatible, but upon further inspection, seem to work together in a way that is pretty close to perfect. Alcest is based in Avignon, France, and was originally formed as a rather straightforward black metal band. Vocalist Neige eventually tired of the rather narrow realm of possibilities traditional black metal offered, and Alcest became what it is now: a one-man black metal/shoegaze hybrid.
"Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde" sounds like a meeting between Slowdive and Burzum, essentially, and even that description doesn't quite do the sound perfect justice. The songwriting certainly errs more on the side of shoegaze or post rock, with dreamy vocals that sound more than a little reminiscent of Neil Halstead and airy instrumentation. There are several moments, however, when the band's black metal roots shine through - the occasional double-bass fills (which are never overstated), the treble-filled guitar tone, the foreboding and plodding intro to "Sur l'autre rive je t'attendrai," the borderline baroque sounding "Tir Nan Og." Black metal has always had the ability to be a beautiful genre musically, and there are many acts who have been able to take it into that realm - Burzum, Emperor and Shining spring to mind - but this record takes the gentler aspects of black metal and brings them together with a genre that seems almost tailor-fit for them, and makes a great, great fucking record.
This isn't really a black metal record, obviously, but I'd definitely put it in a branch incredibly close to it on the family tree. This is an absolutely beautiful record, and I'd recommend it to any metal fan looking for something a little more ambient...or someone who really, really misses Slowdive. Check it out for yourself at http://www.myspace.com/alcestmusic .
Overall....9/10
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Live: Elephant Gun @ Das Fun Haus
Every once in a while, ISU feels like a "legitimate" college town. Every time I've been to any larger university, it seems like there are constant live music performances that stray away from standard bar-band territory. Most Big Ten school campuses seem to have a real DIY sort of atmosphere among an at least measurable part of the student population, and ISU just does not have that at all. There's a tangible atmosphere of complete and total apathy surrounding campus here, and it goes way beyond the sports teams. It just seems that people can't really give a fuck about anything - Kanye West couldn't even sell out Redbird Arena (though ticket prices were somewhat to blame), and the Smashing Pumpkins show at Braden Auditorium has generated barely any buzz around town despite selling out.
Live music - at least the kind that I'm interested in experiencing - is a definite rarity here in Normal. Thankfully, some very close friends of mine as Das Fun Haus (myspace.com/dasfunhaus) are working very hard to change that. This past Friday was the second show that they've had in their basement, and from what I've heard both times have been a rousing success.
Friday night was dubbed "Alt-Country" night at the Fun Haus, which I guess is a fair enough name for what went on display. Admittedly, I wasn't too blown away by the show until Elephant Gun came on, but for the sake of fairness I will mention the other two bands as well. Bridges Burning (myspace.com/bridgesburningnow) were two local kids with acoustic guitars with the general shout-along Against Me!-ish sound that I just really can't get into at all. Some girl who was shouting along also really got on my nerves, which admittedly has nothing to do with the band themselves. Mayhew the Traitor (myspace.com/mayhewthetraitor) are a three-piece who play some dreamy, jangly folk-rock that erred on the side of jam-band one or two times. I was into it.
There was a decent-sized crowd at the house, but not many people were in the basement until Elephant Gun set up, at which point it became pretty packed. The crowd itself was a rather interesting mix - your usual art major hipster types, hardcore/metal dudes, and "normal" looking college kids - but every single person in the room was very into it. The show flier described Elephant Gun (myspace.com/elephantgunchicago) as "think Uncle Tupelo, and if that means nothing to you then think about what happens when kids that have an appreciation for Hank Williams have an equal appreciation for The Replacements," which I don't entirely agree with, but still gives a pretty good idea of the general sound. The band incorporates a rather normal 3-acoustic guitar, bass, organ, multiple singer setup - occasionally featuring trumpet, tambourine and harmonica. The whole set was an absolute blast - from what I've heard online it seems the live set has much more energy (not to say the recorded material was bad at all) . I'd describe it as indie but with a very distinct country-flavored, folk sound - foot-stomping music.
The night was great - a bunch of people crowded into a hot basement dancing and having fun to some absolutely stellar music. This shit seems pretty heartfelt and genuine, it's obvious everyone who played Friday was there because they loved what they did. I left with a smile on my face.
Live music - at least the kind that I'm interested in experiencing - is a definite rarity here in Normal. Thankfully, some very close friends of mine as Das Fun Haus (myspace.com/dasfunhaus) are working very hard to change that. This past Friday was the second show that they've had in their basement, and from what I've heard both times have been a rousing success.
Friday night was dubbed "Alt-Country" night at the Fun Haus, which I guess is a fair enough name for what went on display. Admittedly, I wasn't too blown away by the show until Elephant Gun came on, but for the sake of fairness I will mention the other two bands as well. Bridges Burning (myspace.com/bridgesburningnow) were two local kids with acoustic guitars with the general shout-along Against Me!-ish sound that I just really can't get into at all. Some girl who was shouting along also really got on my nerves, which admittedly has nothing to do with the band themselves. Mayhew the Traitor (myspace.com/mayhewthetraitor) are a three-piece who play some dreamy, jangly folk-rock that erred on the side of jam-band one or two times. I was into it.
There was a decent-sized crowd at the house, but not many people were in the basement until Elephant Gun set up, at which point it became pretty packed. The crowd itself was a rather interesting mix - your usual art major hipster types, hardcore/metal dudes, and "normal" looking college kids - but every single person in the room was very into it. The show flier described Elephant Gun (myspace.com/elephantgunchicago) as "think Uncle Tupelo, and if that means nothing to you then think about what happens when kids that have an appreciation for Hank Williams have an equal appreciation for The Replacements," which I don't entirely agree with, but still gives a pretty good idea of the general sound. The band incorporates a rather normal 3-acoustic guitar, bass, organ, multiple singer setup - occasionally featuring trumpet, tambourine and harmonica. The whole set was an absolute blast - from what I've heard online it seems the live set has much more energy (not to say the recorded material was bad at all) . I'd describe it as indie but with a very distinct country-flavored, folk sound - foot-stomping music.
The night was great - a bunch of people crowded into a hot basement dancing and having fun to some absolutely stellar music. This shit seems pretty heartfelt and genuine, it's obvious everyone who played Friday was there because they loved what they did. I left with a smile on my face.
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