posted by Leigh on March 4, 2012
Blair at Glasslands in Brooklyn, NY, February 2012. Photo by Leigh Celent.
There is something refreshingly pleasing about musicians who are just themselves, no gimmicks necessary, allowing the music and their talents to speak for themselves. Blair, the musical project of Brooklyn-based singer / songwriter Blair Gimma, falls endlessly into this category. No overachieving sadly gobbled up images here. I caught a recent show at Glasslands in Brooklyn, and her performance mirrored what I had already heard in her music: helplessly charming modesty, understated presence and a romantic genuineness that amplified her music’s overall appeal. Blair is none of the falsehood; experience her music for what it is, as what it is is quite lovely.
Blair released her first full-length album, Die Young, in 2010. “Hello Halo” exemplifies that airiness, that ephemeral element of her vocals no matter what the subject matter (listen closely) … “Got a radio in my head, and it tells me what to say, and it makes me talk this way … “ “I don’t know what I’m saying,” but it all sounds like a motto for many a cultural generation. “Wake Up Shake Up” brings her New Orleans roots to the forefront, a bit of a modern pop take on the city’s jazzy appeal. And, one can’t help but smile as a curse or two are discerned in her satin-like, angelic vocals.
If you like what you hear, check out all of Die Young, and be prepared for what 2012 has in store: an EP, to be followed by another full-length, both as charming as Die Young, I’m sure.
Blair – Hello Halo (Downloaded 198 times)
Blair – Wake Up Shake Up (Downloaded 232 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Dark • Female vocal • Fuzzy • Poppy • Sugar
(6 votes)
Loading ...posted by Patrick on February 14, 2012
Short and sweet: We wrote about indie darling Ingrid Michaelson last week, but this cover is just too perfectly mopey-yet-catchy not to post today. Enjoy!
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(7 votes) Loading ...posted by Loren on March 1, 2012
Outsiders view Los Angeles as a place where personality is cultivated differently, stunted mainly; where inflated egos outnumber the innocents who are few and far between. PAPA, a duo of Darren Weiss and Daniel Presant, summon these underwater portraits of the chase and the fall between man and woman, an all too true ambivalence called love that is attained but so easily drowned in the idea that people aren’t really who they say they are. ‘Halloween to Me’ beach balls through dancing bass picks and funnels 50’s-like tough influences into a garage reverbed sound that is compelling and misleading. Amidst an upbeat melody are proclamations of “Baby, I’m fine,” insisting that despite the trough of leaving and hurting there is an upward shout of salvation in walking out the door. Everything turns around.
‘I Am the Lion King’ is a suggestive tune that resembles more of the aforementioned concept of a fledgling love and suffocating friend zones. “It’s not a means to an end” is the plea of a man attracted to beauty and willing to pursue every ounce of its majestic features. The guitar picks speed the rhythm among a pop-filled drum set that dares PAPA’s woman to take the bait. Tisks and ricocheting vocals bite and tear at the inner workings of the excitement in being at the heels of what you want. Reminiscent of Bibio’s translucent “Lover’s Carvings,” PAPA creates a pop sensible, glowing tune that bleeds for attention. You can catch the sunlight and appeal of PAPA at SXSW this year or opening for Temper Trap or Ra Ra Riot elsewhere. Their newest EP, A Good Woman Is Hard To Find, is out now.
PAPA – I Am The Lion King (Downloaded 234 times)
PAPA – Halloween To Me (Downloaded 202 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Catchy • Male vocal • Poppy • SXSW2012
(7 votes) Loading ...posted by Tina on March 3, 2012
I know it’s been awhile Indieball friends….I apologize for the hiatus. I could never stay away forever.It’s music that drives us from deep within our soul. It’s just so powerful that no matter what mood you’re in…music either amplifies that mood, or changes it. If you have not yet heard about Wye Oak, then I’m happy to bring some of that powerful music to you.To me, this duo out of Baltimore, Maryland keeps Indie rock alive and popular.
Comprised of Jenn Wasner (vocals and guitar) and Andy Stack (drums and all the rest of their sound including back-up vocals) Wye Oak brings pleasing guitar sounds along with a measured balance of drums. Their latest release from March 2011 is one of those CDs that I can put on and just let it play over and over. If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead, you ‘ll recognize “Civilian” from last week’s episode as the exit music. A great tune to be heard if you’re on the passenger side of life. “Dog Eyes” is a tune that puts you in a trance, then wakes you up so you can really absorb the guitar sounds to their full extent. To me it seems the “duo” bands are becoming more and more popular in the music world. No longer do you need a slew of members to create an amazing sound that makes people stop and listen. I look forward to more music from Wye Oak and hope to catch them live sometime. Should they come to your town, be sure to grab tickets as soon as you hear about a show, as I gather they sell out quick, and be sure to tell Indieball what you think.
Wye Oak – Civilian (Downloaded 273 times)
Wye Oak – Dog Eyes (Downloaded 210 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Clever Lyrics • Female vocal • Indie • Vintage
(6 votes) Loading ...posted by John on March 29, 2012
{photo by John McNicholas}
I walked 50 miles, attended some great music panels, and saw so many bands that it’s hard to know where to start.
Tuesday night I ran down Sixth Street just in time to catch Leslie Sisson (also in The Wooden Birds) perform a great, but short, set of indie-pop with her band at a pirate-themed bar called Treasure Island, and with that the week had begun.
Wednesday kicked off with some fantastic pop-rock by Library Voices, and Caveman at the Paste Showcase. That night the NPR showcase at Stubb’s BBQ was standing room only from the first note. Fiona Apple, Sharon Van Etten, Dan Deacon and the Alabama Shakes put on amazing performances back-to-back-to-back. Later, I caught great sets by Bahamas, Dirty Ghosts and The Drums, who generated so much energy onstage that it literally rolled through the audience and out onto the street by the time the lights came on and people filtered out.
Thursday’s highlights consisted of an amazing keynote from Bruce Springsteen, and a few bands that were completely new discoveries for me. Yukon Blonde rocked a day show while The Arkells held their own and then some while opening for the loud and confident The Jesus and Mary Chain, who were nothing short of amazing after all these years.
Friday night I attended the Merge Records showcase, featuring an amazing lineup of bands including Crooked Fingers, Hospitality, The Love Language and the newly signed Bob Mould. There was even a Kim Deal sighting.
Finally the end was in sight. Saturday night I decided to catch the New Granada Records showcase at Skinny’s Ballroom and then bounce around to catch a few other acts. Standouts that night included Rec Center and Sleepy Vikings from New Granada and a fun solo set by Brooklyn hip-hop folkie, Tim Fite.
I’ll be writing up several of these bands over the next few months. Leave a comment if you’re a fan of any of them and I’ll bump them to the top of the list.
Sleepy Vikings – Horse Song (Downloaded 103 times)
Hospitality – Friends of Friends (Downloaded 105 times)
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» Meaningless labels: SXSW2012
(3 votes) Loading ...not sure if this counts but i’m in sleepy vikings! my name is conner & i play guitar and sing. thanks for the mention & i’m pretty jealous that you got to see jamc, springsteen’s keynote address & bob mould. i was also pretty curious about fiona apple, but i thought that set could be a disaster. did you make it out to see girls @ stubb’s? they were the highlight of my sxsw
I didn’t get to see Girls at Stubb’s, need to catch them next time they come through town! Fiona was great, super intense and powerful. Thought your set was great, digging the SV tune a lot.
posted by Jessica on April 27, 2012
Chicago Cubs’ fans have no enviable fate, but JD McPherson’s propulsive performance of “North Side Gal” on opening day had listeners all over the city ready to root for Wrigley Field. The first single off McPherson’s debut Signs & Signifiers is a wicked ride that’s rooted in swinging R&B and rock ‘n’ roll with up-to-the-minute attitude.
Originally recorded at Chicago’s Hi-style studio, an all-analog space built by producer and bassist Jimmy Sutton, Signs & Signifiers was re-released by Rounder Records on April 17th. McPherson was recently kind enough to chat with me about the experience of recording the album. “The quality of the old rhythm mics and tape equipment had a lovely impact on the warmth of the sound,” he said by phone. “On an atmospheric level it was cool stuff to be around. Similar to the equipment, the studio has an antiquey, industrial vibe right down to Jimmy’s record collection. There’s a strong aesthetic quality, which is good because we didn’t really leave the studio during the recording process!”
Growing up, the Oklahoma native was as much influenced by the American roots heritage as punk and surf rock. “There is a ton of great music out of Oklahoma and not everyone is influenced by Bob Willis and Woody Guthrie or the fact that Buddy Holly recorded at Tinker Air Force Base, but it definitely affected me. On the other hand, Jimmy’s first concert was The Ramones and my favorite band was The Pixies.”
For all of its rollicking rhythm and throwback hat tips, Signs & Signifiers doesn’t feel dated but rather timeless. “Early 50’s R&B is the drive and focus we were excited about on this album, says McPherson. “Yet most of the comments we receive agree that the influence feels contemporary. People can tell we’re not coming from a place of falsehood, and that we want to write songs that are relevant today.” This earnestness, it seems, is what invigorates these musical traditions – a return to what made people rock in the first place.
On the seemingly heady album title for an enjoyably forthright style, the former teacher admits to deliberately jabbing his art school background. “In the ideals of post-modern art education you get trained to have to analyze things in code. With this album I was trying to make something that is pretty straightforward.” McPherson’s degree in experimental film and MFA was put to use in the making of videos for “North Side Gal” and the soulful, lingering “A Gentle Awakening.” He and Sutton shot the videos, which he then edited. Although McPherson’s visual arts pursuits are on hold at the moment, he did recently direct a video for Nick Lowe.
Chicago has become something of a second home to JD McPherson. “In an overarching way, it was the perfect place to record this album.” He mentions the musical legacy of the city’s blues tradition, Chess Records, Vee-Jay and the “spiritual sense of influence” their records had on his music. “Chicago is my favorite American city,” he says. “It’s comfortable because it’s still Midwestern but has incredible culture and the best food.”
As for all those aspiring north side gals, the title of his breakout single is not specific to the Windy City. “It can be about Chicago,” McPherson acknowledges, “but it can also be about the north side of Tulsa or Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. It’s for everyone.” McPherson’s music is for everyone – everyone who resonates with a distinctive style and the infectious abandon of new-old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll.
JD McPherson – North Side Gal (Downloaded 140 times)
JD McPherson – A Gentle Awakening (Downloaded 116 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Bluesy • Male vocal • Soulful • Vintage
(7 votes) Loading ...posted by Loren on May 6, 2012
LA-based Francisco the Man has been trying to break through the proverbial wall into mass appeal. Just ask lead singer Scotty Cantino. On the band’s tumblr, via an interview with the music blog yvynyl, Cantino says the band went through a guitarist quitting, touring, graduating, and a variety of life’s travails, all in the last 5 years. But when life threw them lemons, FTM made guitar riffs. Exploding through the underground indie scene in L.A, Francisco the Man has established themselves among hipsters and the anti-rock-god following with their folk-meets-garage songs. The city has a knack for fusion; it’s a staple in the most paradoxical and confused sort of artistries. It is music transcribing heavy influences of psychedelic rock alongside hints of post-punk, manifesting a gauntlet of wavering sing-alongs and power chords. They whisper their pain as not to awaken yours, too.
Copy and paste the cornerstones of Lower Dens guitar tabs; now cut and paste doses of Beach Fossil and Rogue Wave influences. Understanding songs like ‘Rain Drops’ and ‘Broken Arrows’ requires conjuring the images of these rock-pieces and then quickly rinsing your mind with any type of sativa. The shreds of amped-up guitars and willowing lyrical fantasies embody the addicting ballads of a very fledgling discography. Much as the source in which the band name derives (Marquez’s novel 100 Years of Solitude), the lessons in both the band and the novel are about transcending generations. Much as the music spilling from their EP evokes, lay back and allow the time travel. Listen in and tune it up, you’ll like it.
“Broken Arrows,” released in April 2011, is the band’s latest release. The song of the same name (below) is one of my favorites.
Francisco The Man – Broken Arrows (Downloaded 103 times)
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May 6th, 2012 at 8:11 pm
This girl has a retro feel to her voice here~like the late 50 s or early 60 s when you could still hear the finesse getlne nuances in a singer’s voice. Inspires me to want to slow dance (w/ a little dash of cha cha cha thrown in) w/ my honey~tender but sexy. My only regret is that it isn’t longer. A few more verses w/ a full orchestra instrumental in the middle would be very satisfying. When will the girls who belt their voices grind their hips learn that wistful sweet is often much sexier