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Oh my what an exhaustingly great weekend it was. Yes, my first ever visit to the Pitchfork Music Festival was a pretty positive one, and I just wanted to spend one last post sort of summing up the entire 3 days as a whole, showcasing the good, the bad and the ugly. My weekend started with a painfully long line of people waiting to get in, and ended with a blissful and massive sing-along to The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?" In between there were some good and even great bands, along with a couple bad ones, interesting trips to food tents and restrooms, and a few artist encounters that were amusing to say the least. Let me try and paint a picture, while showing you some pictures!
TORTOISE
YO LA TENGO
THE JESUS LIZARD
BUILT TO SPILL
THE GOOD There were lots of positives coming out of my Pitchfork Music Festival experience, the biggest highlights being the bands themselves. There were at least a dozen great and inspirational sets that took place over the course of the weekend, and I'm actually quite glad that there was very little, if anything, that I missed. That is, I'd like to think that when given a conflicting choice between two bands, I almost always picked the better one (in my opinion).
CYMBALS EAT GUITARS
PLANTS AND ANIMALS
FUCKED UP
PONYTAIL
The magic really got started on Friday night thanks to The Jesus Lizard, making their triumphant return to Chicago for the first time in 10 years. One of the best and most dynamic live acts back then, they hadn't lost much in their long absence. They set the bar quite high for the rest of the weekend, what with David Yow crowd surfing like crazy and the rest of the band playing like a tightly wound machine in their punk rock glory.
WAVVES
DOOM
BEIRUT
Saturday boasted greatness as well, what with upstarts Cymbals Eat Guitars pulling off a surprisingly vital set. Fucked Up also lived up to their reputation and name, what with Pink Eyes spending most of his time at the barricade destroying beach balls and beer while removing almost too much clothing for comfort. Ponytail was also interesting and fun on Saturday, though I expected just a little bit more from the band than just keeping the energy high and jumping around. Wavves started 25 minutes late, and didn't really start off on the hottest note, but the longer he played the more comfortable and good he looked and sounded, perhaps good revenge after his Primavera meltdown. Beirut was effortlessly great on stage, and The National put virtually all the other Saturday bands to shame by playing a stellar and brooding set that started early, ended late, and had a fair share of new material.
THE NATIONAL
THE MAE SHI
FRIGHTENED RABBIT
Sunday started with greatness thanks to the final show by The Mae Shi, who put on a spazzariffic and high energy set that evolved into a hip hop performance halfway through and ended with a sing-along. Weirdly cool and great. Frightened Rabbit kept me impressed with them despite Dave Hutchinson's vocal hoarseness. The Thermals' high energy set boasted plenty of covers from bands like Sonic Youth, The Breeders and Nirvana, and it all sounded exceptionally great. Japandroids played Chicago for the very first time and slayed it with a set that was far louder and wilder than you'd think two guys could pull off on their own. Vivian Girls were predictably great and one of the absolute best things about the entire festival. So was Grizzly Bear, whose sweet harmonies and gorgeous melodies were perfect for a Sunday sunset. Of course The Flaming Lips were right on target, but especially in their fest-closing set, which mixed old standards, new songs, and rarities the band hadn't played in forever. At this point I can't think of a more fitting way to end the weekend.
BLITZEN TRAPPER
WOMEN
THE THERMALS
The actual sets aside, I also had the chance to talk with several of the bands playing at Pitchfork, caused mostly by running into them at various locations around the park. I can tell you that Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear was a delight to talk to briefly. I caught Zach Condon and the rest of the Beirut band having a picnic of sorts in a grassy area, which was pretty interesting. I confronted Nathan Williams aka Wavves about why his set was delayed for 25 minutes, but all the explanation he could really give me was "there were some issues that needed to be taken care of before I could go on." And watching Grizzly Bear next to Kathy Foster of The Thermals was an unexpected treat. There are a few interviews I racked up over the 3 days, but I won't be posting them until sometime later this year.
THE WALKMEN
JAPANDROIDS
Organizationally speaking, I do very much like the way that the festival is arranged. The two large stages being right next to one another allows you to plant yourself in one spot and watch all the bands on both stages with ease. The lineup of food vendors, promotional tents and both the poster and record fairs were well-placed and fun to browse through. I liked the shady placement of the small stage in the back of the park, though the crowds over there tended to be overwhelming at times. After the initial lines to get in on Day 1, the opening of the second gate on the other side of the park eased that difficulty on Days 2 and 3. Sadly, that wasn't really the case for lines elsewhere in the park. On that note...
VIVIAN GIRLS
THE BAD AND UGLY After 5 years of doing this, I went in to the Pitchfork Music Festival thinking that most, if not all of their past problems had been corrected. I heard stories the first few years about long lines for bathrooms and water fountains and food tents, sound issues and messed up set times. These were things I hoped to not encounter, yet somehow did anyways. So it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows before, between and during the bands. Let's start with the bathroom problems. There were lines, often in the range of 15-20 minutes, which was a little annoying, particularly if you were seeking a restroom break between sets. Prior to the start of this year's festival, I was told they added extra portable toilets to accomodate the crowd, as last year it was apparently a problem as well. The excuse this year for the lines was that unlike prior years, the cooler temperatures outside caused people to stick around longer than normal, leading to the longer lines overall. Well, for Sunday they did add around 35 more portable toilets and I'll admit it helped a little, resulting in shorter lines for the most part. But the food lines couldn't be helped. The people working them were doing the best they could to serve as many people as fast as possible, but it still took 20 minutes to get a piece of pizza or some pad thai. The food was for the most part delicious, and the vendors nice and varied, but perhaps much like the restrooms, plenty of people sticking around all day made for backups most everywhere, including food/alcohol tents and water fountains.
GRIZZLY BEAR
Also a problem was the sound system, something that had been problematic in the past, but had seemingly been corrected the last year or two. The issue this year was mostly with the Aluminum Stage, which during various sets crowds would yell "turn it up!" or signal to do so by pointing straight in the air. From Built to Spill on Friday to The National on Saturday to Blitzen Trapper on Sunday, that "A" stage had the lowest volume of the three, though the small "B" stage also had plenty of volume issues as well. Thankfully the crowds were respectful enough to keep as quiet as they could to hear the music, and so it never got to the point where I was standing relatively close to the stage and couldn't quite make out what was being played. But there were times when the sonic register got so quiet it was barely audible, and while I'm thankful to be saved from potential hearing loss, it was just a little TOO quiet at times. Adding more speakers definitely would have helped matters. Speaking from a sound bleed point of view, I did notice a little bit of sonic crossover between the stages at times (which is funny, given the generally quiet speakers). Thankfully only two stages could be active at once, so it wasn't happening the whole time. Mostly the louder, more bass-heavy acts were the ones causing the crossover, paired against a quieter act on the other side of the park. Black Lips bled into The National's set. Pharoahe Monch bled into Women (there's a dirty joke in that one somewhere). For the record, I have no problem with sound bleed unless it's overwhelming. Why I'm pointing this out is because so much attention gets paid to sound bleed at a massive festival like Lollapalooza, but when it happens at Pitchfork nobody says a word. I just want to be on record saying sound bleed isn't something easy to avoid, and even a small festival like Pitchfork experiences it. Again, I have no problem with it for the most part and wasn't bothered by it at Pitchfork, but it also doesn't bother me anywhere else really.
THE FLAMING LIPS
FINAL THOUGHTS Given that the entire weekend is all about the music and very little else, the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival certainly delivered on most fronts. You got to see some great up-and-coming bands play and maybe even discover a few new ones you hadn't heard of before. Overall I'd classify my experience as a great one with a few small exceptions - those being the lines and relatively shaky sound system. When you compare these problems with the many that other music festivals can face, Pitchfork is doing pretty good overall. They're not all the way to exactly where they need to be just yet, but they're getting close, and that counts for a lot. And of course amid all this there's still the price, which has always been a bargain compared to most other music festivals. That they do so well under such budgetary restraints is actually quite admirable. So admire their effort most of all, and hope to continue to see this festival evolve (and hopefully continue to improve) over the next few years. Pitchfork has already started to make a name for itself as one of the better small music festivals around, and with any luck they'll continue to collect even more kudos for years down the road.
The third and final day of the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival featured a whole lot of bands I was itching to see. Some of them turned out well, others didn't quite score how I thought they would. Continue reading if you're intrigued to find out who did what.
My day started with the first band of the day, that of course being The Mae Shi. If you've never had the opportunity to see these guys live, you've pretty much missed out, as Pitchfork was their last show before calling it quits. Have no fear though, because they'll be back as a new band called Signals. Don't ask me why they're switching things up like that. But The Mae Shi spazzed out on early Sunday afternoon, breaking out an energy that was palpable in both their seizure-like body movements and the special things done during the set. One of those things involved throwing a parachute out into the crowd, which was a blast for one song. They also debuted some Signals songs, which were good, and then some friends came out and suddenly it turned into a hip hop show for no apparent reason. It was wildly schizophrenic and fun as all hell. Why they're not more popular is completely beyond me.
I've seen Frightened Rabbit before, and it was a fantastic experience to say the least. I was expecting something of a repeat performance at Pitchfork, but was sadly mistaken. The band was in top instrumental form, but tragically singer Scott Hutchinson was a bit hoarse. He did the best he could given the circumstances, and many of the songs turned out a-ok, but they did lose a little bit of that sparkle and charm as a result. Not much you can do about it. But the band did plenty of songs off their absolutely wonderful album "Midnight Organ Fight," and the crowd seemed into it despite the aforementioned vocal issues. Hutchinson also mentioned that the band has played Chicago a whole lot of times in the past year (most of them sold out), and so while I'd like to see them come back sooner rather than later, something tells me it'll be 2010 before the band makes it back around.
Blitzen Trapper are, by all accounts, a cool and fun band. They also seem like nice guys with good intentions. But those things don't always translate out to a great festival set. The crux of the problem with their Pitchfork set was wispy melodies with a lack of energy. Not that their catalogue is all uptempo material, but their folk-country sound didn't play so well under the beating sun at mid-day. To be clear, the band was very sonically proficient the entire time, and the only real thing missing was something you could tap your toe to a little easier. They did break out their "rock block" of songs that are a little louder and faster, and it helped, but the majority of the songs were of the slower nature and it made them just a little challenging to stand through. To be fair, when my biggest gripe is that the band "wasn't playing enough energetic songs," then it can probably be assumed it was a great set (it was) and might've only been better were the songs a little quicker (also true).
I kind of feel bad for Women. They clearly weren't ready for this big festival bill. Appearing a little nervous or just plain without stage presence, they were cold and a little offstandish for most of their set, choosing instead to merely churn through their album's worth of material in what felt like a half-hearted way. On record, they sound pretty great and I can't say they sounded horrible here, but there was just something off about the set. The crowd was just not into the band for one reason or another, and it was a little disconcerting. I too found myself apathetic towards what they were doing even though I really was looking forward to their set. Simply put, it was just plan weird and I hope the next time I see them my reaction to their live set will be changed.
Excitement ramps back up thanks to The Thermals and their effortlessly energetic set that not only included the great punk rock songs from their past releases but also a healthy dose of cover songs. From Sonic Youth's "100%" to Nirvana's "Sappy" and Green Day's "Basket Case", they did the 90's justice while servicing the 00's with their own material. It made me smile, and the uptempo nature of the entire set made it pretty much perfect for this festival setting. Overall it may not have been the best set of the fest, but it's definitely one of the top 5.
There were no plans to stick around for the duration of The Walkmen's set, though ultimately I would like to hear what a full set by the band sounds like. No, I was just biding a little time and waiting to cross the park for Japandroids but thought I'd stick around for a few Walkmen songs. And they were fine, in particular thanks to the horn section playing with them and adding a little extra pick-me-up to some of the songs. Hamilton Leithauser was in classy form and wailed his heart out, but ultimately it was the slower material that dragged the band down a little bit, at least early on in their set. Like I said, I didn't see their whole set, so consider this about a 5-song recap.
I've got little to say about Japandroids, except that they're doing themselves a whole lot of good. For just two guys, they make a whole lot of noise, and I was mostly impressed with how such a booming sound was coming from one measly guitar and a drum set. They blasted through a few songs from their lengthy new album "Post Nothing," not stopping for the "hilarious" stage banter they're apparently known for because they didn't have time. The whole thing was a delight, and the crowd seemed pretty into it, though you've got to wonder how amazing this would've sounded were they playing in a smaller club.
Vivian Girls were facing off against M83 in a time slot, and though I love both bands, I've seen M83 twice and Vivian Girls zero times, so it was time to start evening the score. The three ladies of Vivian Girls were in top notch form on the small stage, and though they powered through their set like they power through their albums, it was fascinating and fun to watch from start to finish. Actually, I'm quite upset that they didn't play for longer, as I think they had more time to do so. They also didn't play a key song or two from their one album, not that I was too upset with that. Overall I was a little surprised with how delightful Vivian Girls were live (I may like how they sound live more than how they sound on record), and they made for one of the most enjoyable sets I saw all weekend.
Oh my do I love Grizzly Bear. I've yet to see them in a small venue, but their set at Lollapalooza last year was both excellent and frustrating thanks to the intense sun beating down on the crowd. No such problems at Pitchfork this year, given the cloud cover and the late-day set time, and all those elements worked to the band's advantage. They also had "Veckatimest" on their side, and wheeling and dealing with those songs made for an even more powerful experience. Sure, plenty of people were distracted and getting all hot under the collar for The Flaming Lips up next, but for those actually paying full attention to what Grizzly Bear was doing on stage, it was a magical blend of harmonies and carefully composed songs. The epic rocking finale of "Fine For Now" was a particular highlight, as were requisite hits "Two Weeks" and "Knife". At this point, I'll see Grizzly Bear every time they come through town. They were wonderful despite their slow build sound not being suited to a festival such as this.
The main event to close out the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival was The Flaming Lips, and I know more than a few people who were excited about that. Having seen the Lips before, I pretty much knew exactly what to expect - from the random people dressed in costumes and dancing on stage to the showers of confetti and balloons to Wayne Coyne trekking out into the crowd in a clear plastic bubble. All these things happen, though one of the more notable twists is that the band had "partly agreed" to allow the evening's set list to be picked by the fans. Well, after the classic "Race for the Prize" intro, Wayne Coyne explains that they liked the idea of fans choosing the set list, but when they were handed the results, they said all the top choices were songs they would normally play during a set. So instead of going through the tops on the list, they were going to choose some "different" songs to play for us. There were two new songs, and the highly demanded 1-2 punch of "She Don't Use Jelly" and "Do You Realize?", but most exciting to long-time Lips fans were the couple of serious rarities they dusted off for the occasion. "Bad Days" and "Enthusiasm for Life (Defeats Internal, Existential Fear)" were the two lost souls making a serious comeback, and they were eaten alive with the same enthusaism as everything else. You know, you can never come away feeling bad after a Flaming Lips show as it's so upbeat and energetic, but without a doubt there are more than a few upset fans out there who demanded more from the band than just the 90 minute set they put on and had to ultimately stop thanks to the park curfew. Yes, if this were a different situation then things could go on and on, but instead the crowd was left without an encore. Tragic it had to end up that way, but given what everyone had just experienced leading up to that quick finish, I don't think too many people minded. I honestly can't think of how that festival could have ended any better.
I'll have my final thoughts on the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival, along with a massive photo post, ready for your consumption in the next 24-48 hours. I just wanted you to be aware of this now. Following that final thoughts post, I'll be returning to regular album reviews and mp3s and the like. Thanks!
Here's the play-by-play recap of my Pitchfork Music Festival experience on Saturday, which was Day 2 of the fest.
Starting my day with the much-hyped Cymbals Eat Guitars turned out to be a good idea. I can now officially confirm that they sound as good, if not better, live than they do on record. They brought forth a ferocious energy as well that served to their benefit at one in the afternoon. People coming in well-rested and content after Friday night seemed surprised to hear such a great and loud band so early on in the day. Of course for the few people left uninspired by the band, they had other tricks up their sleeve to win you over, most notably the strategy of throwing out a whole bunch of free t-shirts as they walked off the stage. People will tell you they love your band if you give them a free t-shirt. Well played, Cymbals Eat Guitars.
Plants and Animals were up next, and they brought a surprising amount of energy and honesty to their performance. For a band that adds a few extra flourishes to their music on record, in the live setting they take a much leaner and go-for-the-throat approach. That early in the afternoon it's a game of take no prisoners, and Plants and Animals did a fine job just keeping the peace with a set that pared their big material down to just the basics. It was refreshing to hear and kept the crowd interested for far longer than I expected. Of course nobody seemed completely head-over-heels in love with the band either, so maybe it was just a case of a lukewarm reaction to a band everyone was watching because there wasn't much better going on in the time slot.
When I said that Fucked Up's set was not to be missed, I wasn't kidding. By the end of the very first song, Pink Eyes had torn through several beach balls with his teeth and had his shirt wrapped up around his shoulders to expose his larger physique. One of the destroyed beach balls eventually became a hat for Pink Eyes, and the shirt would also quickly come off right before he started to halfway crowd surf. Flanked by three guitarists and a host of other band members, Fucked Up tore through their set like teeth to a beach ball, as the nearly naked Pink Eyes spent all his time either on the stage barricade or in the crowd itself. "Since we've been playing festivals in the last year or so," Pink Eyes said, "they've started to hand us lists of 'do's and don'ts'. When we got here they just told us to do whatever the fuck we wanted. That's pretty cool, and that's what we're gonna do." That quote about sums up the entire Fucked Up set. The band lived up to it's name and reputation.
There was all this chatter on the grounds suggesting that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart were "not all they're cracked up to be" live. I heard one person say they saw the band on TV (don't ask me where, I don't know) and their performance was less than stellar. Well, if that was the case, they proved any doubters wrong during their Pitchfork set. They played pretty much every song off of their album, and did so with a clean-cut energy that didn't come across as well on record. Following Fucked Up, it was a nice little reprieve that still held a similar aesthetic. Singer Kip Berman did relate back to us some advice he was given by Fucked Up's Pink Eyes, saying the band should "try to sound more like Weezer." Oddly enough, a friend of mine said that his love of Weezer might be directly related to his love for Pains. Plenty of other people appeared to love the band too - it was extremely challenging to get anywhere close to the stage unless you got there a bit early.
After POBPAH, it started to rain a little bit, and while ducking for cover underneath some trees in the park I just so happened to catch a little bit of Final Fantasy's set. I don't want to call Owen Pallett boring by any means because he's not, but his one-man show antics had a very Andrew Bird feel to them, only he wasn't quite as engaging. And if Andrew Bird doesn't do as well at festivals compared to intimate concert venues, then Final Fantasy suffered the same problem. Between the rain and the lackluster set, I'm glad I got away to check out Ponytail.
So after a quick spat of rain, things quickly got back on track with Ponytail's set at the small stage. The band came out with an energy that suggested they had been snorting Pixy Stix backstage and were on a sugar high. They riffed, they jumped around, and Molly Siegel kept her wild vocal style intact. I heard one person say that they wandered over to the stage because it sounded like they were "drowning cats" and he "wanted to see what that was all about." Yes, just like on record, you can't really understand a word of what's being said, only that there's noise steamrolling it's way through everything nearby. As fun and amusing as Ponytail was, I have to admit that it started to have a feeling of same-ness after the first 15 minutes. Fast riffs, lots of yelping, and Siegel jumping around the stage was about par for the course, and though there was never a marked dip in quality, there wasn't ever really a rise in it either.
"Problem"and "Wavves" are two words that have gone together a lot in the past couple months. What with Nathan Williams' meltdown at Primavera Sound and his freshly broken arm thanks to a skateboarding injury, the guy hasn't been on a positive streak. Those problems continued a little bit during the Wavves set at Pitchfork, which started 20 minutes late. I'm not 100% sure why it started late, but I can tell you they weren't soundchecking, and there were a couple of large security guards giving menacing stares down at audience members for most of that time. Williams came out and then went backstage again, only to return after those delays I just mentioned. The crowd was getting restless, and considering many of them were probably already going to turn on Williams anyways, the delays were not a good thing. When he finally did perform, it was actually pretty great, as he was in fine form and did faithful renditions of the songs on his latest album. And despite rumors I was hearing about heckling and people throwing objects, I can tell you at least one, possibly both of those things did not happen. The only small issue was that all the reverb applied to his microphone (on purpose) made it nearly impossible for him to do on-stage banter, which he did make several attempts at. I doubt anybody understood a word of what he was trying to say. Not that anybody really cared about what he might have to say.
Doom was up next for a little bit of hip hop flavor, and despite worries he wouldn't show up or wouldn't perform due to talk of stage fright, he made it to Pitchfork in one piece, but at the very last minute and demanding cash up front. Or at least a friend imitating him did. I don't mean to suggest the person wearing the mask and performing as Doom wasn't the real guy, but there was something fishy when he relied on a sidekick to keep the crowd engaged with chants and stage banter while he lip synched to his own songs. Simply put, Doom didn't say one word to the crowd over the microphone, which leads me to question whether it was the authentic guy or not. For an early evening hip hop set the whole thing was also surprisingly tame, though still moderately enjoyable. If it was the real Doom up there, he did a fine job pretending to do a legit show, though it'd be nice if he actually turned on his microphone and said something at least one time.
You may or may not be surprised to learn that Beirut's set was pretty much exactly as advertised. If you've ever listened to a Beirut album and you've got an idea of what Zach Condon's project sounds like, that was what was recreated in concert. They were pretty faithful renditions on the whole, and it was actually pretty cool to hear the full band do these songs note for note. To his credit, Condon also kept the set list at a nice combination between the most familiar songs and the ones with a good tempo to keep the energy at a decent clip. I heard every song I wanted to hear, and walked away from the set pleased with how it all went down, but not blown away. That's okay though, because it would have required quite a bit of work to expand beyond my already lofty expectations.
The National's set surprised me time-wise. They were the only band to start their set early (by 10 minutes) and simultaneously end late (5 minutes past the official park curfew). So that translates out to 15 extra minutes of The National, and I don't know anyone who's going to complain about that. They brought out the full 7-piece band for their headlining slot, and it helped me to learn how much benefit a horn section can be, among other things. Honestly, I do think The National made a mistake by starting their set with new song "Runaway". If you've got unreleased, new material to play, and especially if it's a more downtempo song, the start of your set isn't exactly the best place to showcase it. Of course most of The National's songs are downtempo, and when taking on a headlining slot at a music festival I'd think you'd want to try and avoid pointing that out as much as possible. It's also something that made me realize that while I do think The National deserve to be headlining at any music festival, they're also probably best suited in a smaller venue rather than a large stage in an outdoor park. The majority of their songs are too intimate and slow to register on a proper emotional level when you're there amidst 50,000 other people. Still, the band did a great job taking on top billing for Saturday night. Their set was effortlessly solid, the exciting melodies of "Abel" and "Mr. November" striking the hardest, and "Fake Empire" doing some excellent work amid a crowd quite familiar with it. Simply put, the band did themselves and the crowd a nice service, and while the set wasn't mindblowing or jaw-droppingly amazing, it was still one of the top-notch sets of the day and probably the entire weekend
My what an interesting Chicago evening it was as the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off in Union Park around 5PM CST on Friday. With dark clouds hanging overhead like a shadow over the proceedings, the evening was perpetually peppered with light drizzle and cool temperatures in the lower 60s, both acting as more of a slight annoyance than anything worth trying to avoid. It was also very befitting weather for festival opener Tortoise, whose spacey, post-rock jams feel best suited to fall weather and darkness rather than a hot summer's day.
After waiting in a surprisingly long line to get in the gates, I made my way over to Tortoise's set just a little past the halfway point. What I heard was about what I expected - the low rumblings of moody songs, yet very progressively arranged and even moderately impressive to watch. I can't quite go so far as to say I loved what I saw, but I admired the technical aspects of Tortoise's performance, along with some of the earlier catalogue selections they played (thanks to the fan-written set list). A subtle and cerebral start to the fest to say the least.
Next up is Yo La Tengo, and they start by not doing much to get the crowd out of the torpor that was started by Tortoise's somewhat sluggish set. The first few YLT songs are from their earlier material, and there's plenty of synth but little in the way of pick-me-up energy. A few songs in and "Sugarcube" strikes like a match igniting a fire both on stage and in the crowd. People are starting to get pumped up, and the thrashing, feedback-laden guitar parts are working their magic. The band breaks from the predetermined fan set list to play a new song, which they dedicated to former Cubs player (and current Cubs radio announcer) Ron Santo. It sounds, as you might guess, like a present-day Yo La Tengo song. If that's any indication of how the new album is going to sound, then it should be all right (but probably not mindblowing). The rest of the set was mixed between the poppier side of the band and the more wild and guitar-heavy side. It was a nice blend of the personalities that Yo La Tengo have offered over the years, and the set was overall pretty impressive once you got past those first 15 minutes of relative quiet.
Oh yes, The Jesus Lizard made a triumphant return to their hometown in what turned out to be the absolute best set of the day. Not that it wasn't expected, though you've got to wonder why these guys were playing third instead of headlining. They've earned that headlining slot thanks to their albums and explosive live show that tends to get out of control. As these guys have aged since the last time they played Chicago, things were slightly more sedate compared with some of the wild stories people in the crowd were talking about. I realize David Yow is one insane man on stage, but I didn't realize he was crazy to the point of dislocating his limbs and diving into the crowd completely naked. Neither of those things happened during the Jesus Lizard's set at Pitchfork, but Yow was in classic form, diving in and crowd surfing a number of times, and removing his shirt once or twice as well. Somehow amid those stage dives he managed to keep his yelped vocals relatively intact, despite being dropped a couple times. "You guys are weak," Yow told the crowd after they let him fall while crowdsurfing. Considering they were playing to a bunch of indie kids and people a bit past their prime, I'm not surprised he didn't stay up the whole time. Yow also told the crowd to demand a refund at the doors once the show was over and told multiple dirty jokes that I will not repeat, save for the cleanest one: "What's brown and rhymes with Snoop? Dr. Dre." Yep, that one's straight out of the 90's. Anyways, to call the Jesus Lizard set thrilling is undercutting it, though one has to think how much better this band can get when unleashed on a small venue like the shows at the Metro they'll be doing this November (reportedly their last shows ever). The Jesus Lizard were also the only band to do an encore, and it was a well-deserved one at that. They set the bar high for the rest of the bands at this festival.
Then it was Built to Spill time, headlining to close out the evening. The sun had just set, and the temperatures were right on the edge of 60 degrees with a heavy wind and light drizzle falling. Moving from the insanity of The Jesus Lizard to the quiet introduction of BtS's "Liar" was a telling transition. The crowd was calmed once again, plenty of people had a seat towards the back, and there seemed to be some sound problems. Most notably, after the first couple songs the crowd started to chant "turn it up" as my friends and I remarked to one another that we didn't even need to raise our voices to talk above the music it was so low. You could still hear it though, and all those people wearing earplugs and worrying about hearing loss could have taken them out and been just fine. As expected, Built to Spill went through a good set of what's essentially their greatest hits as voted on by the fans. It was nice, and Doug Martsch's guitar work was impressive to watch as always. The band seemed to be trying hard to win over the crowd, though much of that didn't come until later when they unleashed the six-headed beast that was "Conventional Wisdom".
So with Day 1 wrapped tightly in a nice little bow, the four bands that played littered the evening with the great, the good and the merely okay. The clear highlight was The Jesus Lizard, thanks in large part to David Yow's stage antics and the somewhat large number of people I saw walk away from the set a few songs in as it was clearly not what they expected. Looking forwards to lots more excitement on Day 2 tomorrow, and I'll have another recap for you once that's all said and done.
Also, if you're curious about photos, I have already taken some (okay) pictures, and will continue to do so all weekend long. When I'll be ready to post them here is still a little sketchy, but it really all comes down to how much time I have on my hands. I may do one huge photo post on Sunday night or Monday, or I might post some Friday and Saturday photos tomorrow. We shall see. Until tomorrow, my friends!
The Pitchfork Music Festival 2009 starts on late Friday afternoon, and for the first time ever, I am actually attending. The reason I haven't gone in the past is somewhat easy to explain. The first couple years I avoided it because it was a brand new music festival that I worried would be plagued with organizational problems. That turned out to be mostly correct, if all the reports of poor set-up and volume problems were to be believed. Last year I decided that I would attend, only to be told that I couldn't have the time off work (I was working weekends at the time). So after arranging things well in advance, I got my vacation time so I could finally go this year. And so here we are, right around 24 hours away from the start of this year's festivities.
Because I'll be providing you with day-by-day updates from the grounds all weekend long, for those of us headed to Union Park in Chicago this weekend I thought I'd put up a handy guide to the weekend in advance while you work on your planning. So I've listed all the acts playing this year's festival, along with their set times, stage location and a brief description of what to expect from them. The artists listed in bold font are my recommendations for the act to see in that particular time slot. You may also notice some mp3s in parentheses next to some of the artists. This is just in case you're not familiar with a certain band and want a small taste to see if they might interest you. That being said, I hope this is a helpful guide to the weekend if you're headed out there. I will see you there all weekend long, and check back here for daily recaps of all the events that transpire!
Also, though Saturday and Sunday tickets are sold out, there are still a limited number of tickets available for Friday night. You can buy them by going to the official Pitchfork Music Festival website. You will also be able to watch much of the festivities on your computer should you not have a ticket. There will be a live webcast each day that can be seen by clicking here.
5:00 (C) Tortoise (Madison Area) A built-in audience comes with Tortoise, given that the band is playing in their home town of Chicago. They're essentially legends, and their post-rock albums from the 90's are still pretty incredible and affecting. Their past few albums haven't been nearly as strong however, which is a little bit upsetting. Nevertheless, given that this is a "Write the Night" setlist, I'm assuming fans are skewing a little more towards the older material rather than the newer stuff. That should make for a great set, though I'm a little worried on how all that post-rock is going to translate at an outdoor festival with the sun still up.
6:10 (A) Yo La Tengo (Little Eyes) Yo La Tengo are pretty much always engaging on record, but they're even more so live. They're seasoned musicians and still play plenty of shows that amount to plenty of compliments. Their sets are also aided with a bit of playful humor amid the songs that are equally as fun. I doubt they'll be whipping out their alter-egos Condo Fucks during the show, given that there's so much other classic material for fans to pick from, but given that it is classic, the set should be highly enjoyable.
7:20 (C) The Jesus Lizard Another famed Chicago band, The Jesus Lizard haven't played Chicago since the 90's. At that time, they were widely regarded as one of the absolute best live acts in existence. A few recent reunion shows seem to suggest that the boys haven't lost much of anything in the time they've been away. Not only will this be a triumphant homecoming for the band, but their set also promises to be one of the wildest and most exciting experiences of the entire festival. DO NOT MISS THIS.
8:40 (A) Built to Spill Built to Spill aren't exactly a jam band, but they do like to jam out as often as they can. Their songs get lengthy and Doug Martsch goes on wild guitar solos. The man's a virtuoso and whatever the band plays will certainly be classic and exciting, but I am just a little worried about how many people might think about tuning out when there's not a ton of immediate payoff in these songs. Rest assured though, the Built to Spill set will be great, provided you go in knowing what to expect. And I like to think that the fans also know what they're doing when voting for songs.
SATURDAY, JULY 18
1:00 (B) Disappears This is not the best band to see at one in the afternoon. Yes, their music is essentially punk rock, but it's a much darker and reverb-heavy sound that's best experienced in the black of night. But those in the know should be happy this Chicago "supergroup" (of sorts- the band members each play in more popular Chicago bands) is getting some more exposure at this festival. By all means check them out if you've got some time on your hands and don't like your other options. This isn't to suggest Disappears is a bad choice, just a less viable one for the time and place and competition.
1:00 (A) Cymbals Eat Guitars The easier and better choice to make to start your Saturday would be to have a look at Cymbals Eat Guitars. Their album "Why There Are Mountains" is one of the better releases so far this year, and it's secured them a healthy amount of hype going into this festival. Their melodies are engaging and pretty crowd-pleasing while maintaining an air of obscurity that separates them from the pack. I've also heard great things about their live show, even though they haven't toured much until recently thanks to the hype shoved on them. Definitely see this set if you're not still trying to recover from a hangover.
1:45 (B) The Dutchess & The Duke (Reservoir Park) She's the dutchess and he's the duke. Kimberly Morrison and Jesse Lortz are the duo here, creating delightful melodies that warm the heart and engage the ear. Many of the songs are acoustic-based, and there's a fair share of vocal harmonies that are also effortlessly lovely. The music also has a strong nostalgia appeal, bringing to mind classic artists from the 60's and 70's such as Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Yet it simultaneously sounds current and fresh, which is also a big plus. I don't know how all this will translate in a mid-afternoon set, but I suspect it will be nothing short of mildly pleasant.
1:45 (C) Plants and Animals (Faerie Dance) Plants and Animals are hard to describe. Their songs are dynamic and exciting, mostly because you're never quite sure what's going to happen next in them. One second you've got a folk ballad, and the next you're battered with orchestral swells and horns in a grandiose and epic style. It's fun stuff, and all over the place so there's a little something for everybody. I'm sure their set will be pretty unpredictable in and of itself, and it should definitely be the more engaging of the two choices playing in this time slot.
2:30 (A) Fucked Up (No Epiphany) Wild and raucous punk rock is alive and well thanks to Fucked Up and last year's "The Chemistry of Common Life". If you've yet to hear this album or see this band live, you can rest assured they're not to be missed. Frontman Pink Eyes is crazier than crazy on stage, and to give you a little perspective, the shocking show that Les Savy Fav puts on is of relatively similar caliber. So not only is the music good, but you're guaranteed to do some serious jumping around during this set. Fucked Up are built for festivals like this, so do yourself a favor and check them out.
2:40 (B) The Antlers The Antlers are a nice band, and their album "Hospice" is actually quite good. Call it folk with larger leanings towards full orchestration and horns, maybe with a little shoegaze thrown in for good measure, and you've got a foundation for some great music. For those of you turned off by the outrageous and exceptionally loud antics that Fucked Up will provide, The Antlers will be a solid alternative to all that. For the rest of us, The Antlers don't stand that much of a chance. Which is too bad because they seem like they'd be a delight.
3:20 (C) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Come Saturday) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart enter this year's Pitchfork Music Festival being one of the more hyped bands on the bill. With good reason - their self-titled album is a glorious mix of shoegaze pop and lo-fi aesthetic. It's also thankfully got a fair amount of energy to it amid the distortion, which should make for a pretty good live set. Fueling that live buzz was some stellar word of mouth coming from the band's performances at SXSW earlier this year. Thereby it should almost go without saying that this set comes highly recommended.
3:35 (B) Bowerbirds (Northern Lights) Very pleasant and oft-orchestrated melodies are what Bowerbirds bring to this party - songs that actually remind me a bit of Andrew Bird at times. The issue is how well these generally slower songs will play in a mid-afternoon set at the park. Festivals are never the kindest to the quieter bands, though with relatively cool and sunny weather out, Bowerbirds might be a good set to find a spot in the grass and just relax for a short bit if you're still recovering from that hangover you got from the night before.
4:15 (A) Final Fantasy (This Lamb Sells Condos) Owen Pallett does a lot of orchestral arrangements for bands you probably like. He's kind of brilliant in that way, and he saves many of his original arrangements for his own project known as Final Fantasy. The songs he makes are interesting and typically beautiful, but absolutely not in a conventional way. He incorporates such an array instruments and goes down such a unique path that you're never quite at ease with what's being played because you're not sure what's going to pop up next. This should be an interesting set to say the least, though it may not be the most energetic.
4:30 (B) Ponytail (Celebrate the Body Electric [It Came From An Angel]) Next to Fucked Up, Ponytail are set to dominate Saturday with their extremely high energy live set. I fail to understand how Molly Siegel holds down such a glorious energy day after day of touring, but rest assured that Ponytail's set will be out of control in many ways. The band's last album, "Ice Cream Spiritual," has a great festival vibe to it, and the songs should play extremely well in the outdoor setting, and even though you can pretty much never understand a word of what Siegel is saying, all you really need to know is that the jaunty math rock guitar style will make you want to jump around in the best way.
5:15 (C) Yeasayer (2080) Yeasayer is a great band, and their album "All Hour Cymbals" was one of my favorites of 2007. Last year Lollapalooza won them in a bidding war with Pitchfork, and so this year means they play the other festival. I saw Yeasayer's set at Lollapalooza last year, and it was decent, though not stellar. My biggest problem was that many of the band's songs are downtempo and freak-folky, which doesn't exactly work best when being baked by the hot sun in the middle of a field. Better seeing them in a dark venue, where they really shine. Still, they're sure to play a bunch of new material during this set, and that might change everything.
5:30 (B) Wavves (No Hope Kids) Rumor has it that there's going to be some extreme heckling of Wavves at the festival, thanks largely in part to his big meltdown at the Primavera Sound Festival earlier this year. I literally know people planning to throw things at Nathan Williams on stage, just to provoke and antagonize him. The thing is, he's now sporting a cast on his arm thanks to a skateboarding accident, and is presumably taking painkillers as well. Given that his last meltdown was an illegal drug-induced nightmare, he should be almost 100% sober when his set starts at Pitchfork. Check out his extremely lo-fi set, assuming he doesn't walk off a couple songs in.
6:15 (A) Doom (Potholderz) Doom is in many ways a mystery. The man behind the mask rarely makes appearances anywhere except on record, and so the chance to see him perform live is something to immediately jump at. On the other hand, you may not like hip hop, in which case you should stay away. But I think the real question is whether or not the real Doom will be there, or if we'll get one of the many reported "imitators" who look and sound like the man, but aren't. Will the real Doom show up and throw down those amazing and often hilarious rhymes, or will everyone be duped? There's only one way to try and find out.
6:30 (B) Lindstrøm Like your electronica? Lindstrøm is for you. It may be 6:30 in the evening and the sun will surely still be up, but that doesn't mean you can't settle in for an early evening rave. Expect to dance a whole bunch at this set, which will more than likely attempt (and fail) at giving LCD Soundsystem a run for his money. Still, given that there's not much electronica going on all weekend, this is a nice respite for those of you who enjoy the club experience but don't want the mess of people in short skirts and flashy shirts.
7:25 (C) Beirut (Postcards from Italy) For the Eastern European in all of us, Beirut has quickly become known as an indie whiz kid, with Zach Condon doing his best to create complicated and gorgeous songs with horns and ukeleles as his main tools. He also doesn't tour that much, so if you've yet to see him live, now would be a good time. Coming off two successful albums and a double EP that was released earlier this year, expect to hear beauty in these neatly orchestrated pieces. I'm not entirely sure how well the songs will hold up late in the day on Saturday, but if you're looking for something more energetic and fun let me point you in the other direction.
7:30 (B) Matt and Kim (Daylight) Matt and Kim more than likely have smiles tattooed on their faces. They're always smiling, and their music suggests the exact same thing. It's high energy, giddy fun, like riding a roller coaster (if you like them), or running around a school playground. It's also pop for the masses, so they should be one of the most crowd-pleasing acts at the entire festival. I swear, I've never met a person who has anything bad to say about Matt and Kim, so you may want to head over and check them out - they'll force you into a good mood if you're not already in one.
8:30 (B) The Black Lips (Cold Hands) I keep getting told that Black Lips are a "wild" and "unpredictable" act and that they do crazy things on stage while performing. In the two times I've seen Black Lips perform, the band has been interesting, but never moreso than other acts I've seen. The craziest thing I've ever seen them do is launch their spit into the air and try to catch it in their mouths again. I wouldn't exactly call that "wild," though word has it they like to get naked on stage. Their last album "200 Million Thousand" was merely an okay and sometimes boring attempt at psychedelic rock, but their debut "Good Bad Not Evil" is actually good. They're also great guitarists and can prove it live. If this sounds interesting to you, go have yourself a look.
8:40 (A) The National (Fake Empire) One of my absolute favorite bands around right now, The National are co-headlining Saturday night, and I think they've earned it. If you've heard their last two albums "Boxer" and "Alligator," then chances are you know how both catchy and lyrically profound this band can be. Yes, they could be considered a "grower" band in that it takes a little while to appreciate what they're doing, but for those of us already in the know, this band is doing great things. With promises to play at least a handful of new songs at the festival, this can be one set to really get excited for.
SUNDAY, JULY 19
1:00 (B) Michael Columbia If you're a fan of synth rock (who isn't, right?) and like big, arena-sized melodies, the duo known as Michael Columbia could be right up your alley. Dylan Ryan and Dave McDonnell are multi-instrumentalists, and this is a band that works on the multi-tiered level of 80's hair metal nostalgia and inventive German-influenced beats. It may sound strange by that description, and their mostly instrumental songs are pretty experimental in nature, but there's also a fascinating dance element to much of it that might really work on an early Sunday afternoon in the park.
1:00 (A) The Mae Shi (Vampire Beats) For those of you wanting to start your Sunday with some no-frills, high energy rock, The Mae Shi can help you out with that. Their keyboard and guitar-dominant melodies are just about right for an outdoor festival, so their live set should be nothing short of entertaining and fun. Granted, the band can also be a little bit polarizing and difficult to get into if you can't stand the abrasive yelps and frenetic guitars that often come with the songs, but amusing is the operative word here, so maybe go check them out if only to see what they'll do on stage.
1:45 (B) Dianogah The Chicago-based band Dianogah have been around for quite some time, and you may best recognize them because they've opened for Andrew Bird on a number of his tour dates the past few years. These guys are fascinating mostly thanks to their unique musical approach of a double bass guitar and drums attack. As bass guitars are wont to do, their melodies typically come off as dark and moody, though there's often a fair amount of energy to them. I honestly have no clue how their stuff is going to play at the festival, but if you're intrigued, by all means go have a look.
1:45 (C) Frightened Rabbit (The Modern Leper) The best thing about Scottish band Frightened Rabbit is that they make completely accessible melodies that please the ear and simultaneously strike an emotional chord. "Midnight Organ Fight" is their latest album, and it's a masterwork when it comes to albums about relationship break ups. Heartbreaking while simultaneously catchy as hell and with melodies that move between acoustic guitars and electric effortlessly, this is one of those bands you should absolutely not miss if you've got the chance. Somehow this is one of those bands that only gets better and more powerful when experienced live.
2:30 (A) Blitzen Trapper (Wild Mountain Nation) Rootsy and folk-tinged are two ways to describe Blitzen Trapper, though they're a little more experimental and cooler than that. Their songs are enjoyable and catchy without pandering to sensitive ears. That is to say their melodies are somewhat unique in nature, as are their typically strong lyrics. It's one of the main reasons Blitzen Trapper have made a name for themselves and stand out from the rest of their peers. The songs are also interesting and uptempo enough to play well in a festival setting, so look forward to a good set should you be so inclined to check them out.
2:40 (B) The Killer Whales Honestly, the first time I heard Killer Whales I thought they were a joke band. Not the kind of band that makes jokes, but rather the kind of band that is so bad you can't believe they're serious about making listenable music. Yes, it was that bad. The instrumentals parts of their songs are halfway decent, but the vocals are so cartoonish you've almost got to wonder if they're like an Afro-beat version of Primus. Word has it that they are absolutely amazing live though, so it's very possible this could be one of the most oddly cool sets of the entire festival.
3:20 (C) Pharoahe Monch Climb back aboard your hip hop wagon, because Pharoahe Monch is the Sunday act that delves into that arena. Of course what separates Monch from the bigger and more powerful hip hop acts out there is his inventiveness and unique wordplay, which can be considered a cut above the rest. The guy's also got a new album coming out soon, so fans can expect to hear some new material peppered into the set. As is typical, hip hop sets work great at music festivals, so expect this to be one of the more engaging performances of the weekend.
3:35 (B) Women (Black Rice) As a note for those of you who've never heard of Women, it's a band made up of all men. They make dark melodies that are coolly experimental and often uptempo. Their self-titled debut album is one of the more underappreciated albums of last year, and with a healthy mixture of catchy rock songs and instrumentals, they make it abundantly clear that they're serious musicians and I mean that in the best way. They should have a pretty delightful set at the festival, so if you're not into hip hop, make your way over to see Women - they should be well worth the short walk across the park.
4:15 (A) The Thermals (Here's Your Future) Punk rock is alive and well thanks in large part to The Thermals. Between their latest album "Now We Can See" and their critically acclaimed previous effort "The Body, The Blood, The Machine," you can very much look forward to a blistering set that should pound you into submission with both melodic and lyrical strength. The Thermals are one of those bands you know has to be good live even if you've never seen them before, and that makes for a simple explanation as to why you should go see their set.
4:30 (B) DJ/Rupture More electronica for your ears, DJ/Rupture spins plenty of beat-heavy rhythms that mix up a fine blend of hip hop, reggae and Afro-beat, among other things. I don't want to equate him to a club DJ, because even though he does spin in clubs more often than not, he's proven himself a little more talented than your average guy spinning records. His unique method of mixing things up, often with a political bent, will make for one of the great dance parties of this year's fest.
5:15 (C) The Walkmen (We've Been Had) The Walkmen, in my opinion, have always been a little hit-or-miss. Their albums range in quality from absolutely excellent to just moderately good, and their song selection live probably pulls equally from both sides. Still, when singer Hamilton Leithauser is on, he's really on, and as far as I'm concerned they can turn any of their poorer songs into greater ones with the right performance style. The only issue is that The Walkmen tend to favor mid-tempo melodies, which on a sun-soaked late Sunday afternoon may not be the best thing to hear considering the time and place. Otherwise, The Walkmen could be right on the money.
5:30 (B) Japandroids (Young Hearts Spark Fire) Is it fair to call Japandroids the future if they constantly lean on the past? I'm not entirely sure, but here's a band that makes an incredible amount of noise for just being two guys. They viciously recall the louder rock bands of the 90's along with more scathing art-punk bands from the 70's and 80's. For a closer modern-day comparison, Japandroids reminds me a bit of the louder and more straightforward side of ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. Their upcoming album re-release "Post-Nothing" is one of the highlights of 2009 so far, and to witness these songs performed live should be nothing short of incredible. Seriously, you probably shouldn't miss this. These guys could be huge 3 months from now.
6:15 (A) M83 I love M83 quite a bit. Anthony Gonzales' last album, "Saturdays=Youth," was easily one of my favorites of 2008. Having seen M83 before in both a festival setting and in a small club, the one thing I'll say is that the smaller the space, the better experience it is. These are nighttime electronic melodies, with the newer material heavily focusing on 80's synth rock that most calls to mind a soundtrack from some old John Hughes classics. This set should be pretty good, but will have a key element missing thanks to the setting sun.
6:30 (B) Vivian Girls Vivian Girls are still riding a wave of hype that started late last year with their self-titled debut. The trio's lo-fi pop approach to things rode in on the heavy wave of that sonic trend, and they're still going today. In fact, with a new album coming out later this year, expect to hear a bunch of new songs during their set. But that's only one of many reasons to check these ladies out. Boasting a highly engaging live set that was very much the talk of SXSW earlier this year, you might regret not checking them out on the small stage while they're still there.
7:25 (C) Grizzly Bear (Cheerleader) There's actually very little I can say here about Grizzly Bear that hasn't already been said. With all the praise shoveled on their last two albums "Veckatimest" and "Yellow House," not to mention having their latest record debut in the Top 10 on the album charts, Grizzly Bear are one of the most popular indie bands around these days. With their blissful vocal harmonies and delicately composed melodies, I probably don't need to tell you twice that you need to see this band if you haven't before. As the sun sets on the final day of the festival, I can't think of a better way to wind things down.
7:30 (B) Mew The last couple Mew albums have been great. According to all indicators for their upcoming release "No More Stories...," they've once again made another great record. Their melodies are spacey and shoegazey, but with a delightful pop affectation that makes them bigger and easier to like than other bands in a similar vein. Trent Reznor certainly swears by them recently (he's taking them out on the last NIN tour), and their songs will certainly do well in the festival setting. When facing off against Grizzly Bear this becomes a tough choice, so I might just suggest you go with your gut.
8:30 (B) The Very Best (Get It Up [feat. M.I.A. and Santigold]) To call The Very Best a traditional Afro-beat band is certainly undercutting them, but if you need a one word description then I suppose that works. They do so much more though, and if you've downloaded their free mixtape, which fuses dance, hip hop, traditional African rhythms and pop along with guests such as M.I.A. and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, then you know the group packs a powerful and neat punch. Malawi-born singer Esau Mwamwaya does a soulful job on record, and they've got a studio album due out later this year. Sad that they're facing off against The Flaming Lips to close out the festival. I expect the crowd at this set to be thin.
8:40 (A) The Flaming Lips It was big news when The Flaming Lips were announced to close out this year's Pitchfork Music Festival, and with good reason. I don't think Pitchfork has ever had a headliner quite this big before, and given the sheer spectacle and well-loved live set the band puts on, this is certain to be a special experience. After getting tossed back and forth between allowing fans to pick their setlist and then suddenly not, the final decision was to allow fans to write "part" of the setlist. Also, given that the Lips have a double album out later this year, I think we can expect some new songs mixed in. Yep, between Wayne Coyne in his gigantic hamster ball surfing across the crowd and the showers of confetti, I can't come up with a more fun and classic way to end this festival. The Flaming Lips always deliver, so don't even think about going home early.
After three albums and an EP, if you've yet to hear music by The Most Serene Republic, you're missing out. They're less a band and more of a collective, measuring a total of 7 members, and sonic cousins with their fellow Canadians and Arts & Crafts label-mates Broken Social Scene. The melodies they make are beautiful and epic and sweeping and complicated, and also quite good. Their records haven't been perfect by any means, but highly enjoyable are the two words that come to mind first when thinking about the band. But today sees the release of The Most Serene Republic's third long player, titled "...And the Ever Expanding Universe," and if you like the earlier material you'll find lots more to love on this new one.
This time the band is joined in the studio by the great producer/BSS-er Dave Newfield, and the resulting album is all the better for it. The biggest problem The Most Serene Republic have had on their previous records is that with so many members and so much talent stuffed into one studio, they've had a tendency to overdo things. It typically resulted in a beautiful sonic collage, but one that could get a little too busy and overzealous at the end of the day. You simply didn't always know what to focus on.at times, and it turned into both a help (for repeat listens) and a hindrance (for non-repeat listens). "...And the Ever Expanding Universe" turns out to be somewhat of a course correction, maintaining the band's distinctive sound while boasting tighter arrangements and their poppiest melodies to date. All of their albums have been a delight in one aspect or another, but this may be the first one to actually distill their best parts into one album.
Yet The Most Serene Republic aren't simply content to rest on their laurels and simply pare back their sound. As they've done in the past, they continue to try and experiment a bit and push themselves into new directions. From the incredible mid-album instrumental break of "Patternicity" to the cruel distortion of "Phi" to the eccentric synths of "Don't Hold Back, Feel A Little Longer," this is clearly a band continuing to progress in different and exciting ways. Between the exciting pop jaunts of "Heavens to Purgatory" and the sweet and heart-tugging balladry of "Catharis Boo," so much goes right on this album that it makes me want to root for this band's success all the more.
Though I might still consider the "Phages" EP to be the highlight of The Most Serene Republic's catalogue to date, "...And the Ever Expanding Universe" places a very close second thanks to carefully composed melodies that both enthrall you with their beauty and lyrical profundity while engaging your pop sensibilities at an addictive rate. Sure, there have been some small misses along the way, something akin to getting a small mustard stain on your finely pressed suit, but right now TMSR remain a band on the up-and-up, the younger and nearly as talented unofficial successors to the Broken Social Scene legacy. "...And the Ever Expanding Universe" may not be a "You Forgot It In People," but it brings the band one step closer to the masterpiece I know they have in them. Right now let's just call this whole thing a waiting game, because sooner or later, The Most Serene Republic will be a name on everyone's lips.
The Dead Weather is not supposed to be Jack White's new band. Sure, White plays drums for The Dead Weather, but as many of us know, the drummer sits in the back and gets the least amount of attention. Think about how many drummers you can name versus how many singers or guitarists and I think you'll get a better idea of how mysterious these masters of the beat really can be. So you see, The Dead Weather is really Alison Mossheart's band. Take one look at the cover of their debut album "Horehound," and you'll see only Mossheart's face plastered on there. But not enough people know about the brilliance of Mossheart's main band The Kills, and plenty already know about The White Stripes and The Raconteurs. So Jack White is essentially the most familiar name in the band, even though he's reduced to the lowly drummer and occasional vocal contributor. Mostly I like the idea behind this band because it'll give greater exposure to Alison Mossheart by way of associating with Jack White.
Sonically speaking, The Dead Weather are all about getting your blues on. That's fantastic mostly due to the band's ability to popularize the gritty rock genre among people who might not ordinarily give it a fair chance. Of course The White Stripes also have done their fair share of blues-inspired tracks, but not quite with the emphasis and down-home dirt The Dead Weather are now doing it. "Horehound" really makes me want to travel out to New Orleans and sit by the swamp, and with this album as my soundtrack it actually sounds like something cool to do. Mossheart does what she does best by wailing and writhing around like a voodoo possessed woman, perhaps the spitting vocal equal to early P.J. Harvey. Guitarist/keyboardist Dean Fertita tears through some amazing riffs and solos, sometimes in a double guitar attack with Mossheart that simply does wonders. Bassist Jack Lawrence is about as innocuous here as he is in the Raconteurs, and Jack White does a surprisingly great job on his first-learned instrument drums, proving himself capable of sometimes driving an album even when he doesn't have a guitar or microphone in front of him. So basically, this group of accomplished musicians do an extremely classy job with "Horehound," an album that geniuinely sounds dark and dirty on purpose.
White's vocal contributions, relatively few and far between, are one of the more interesting aspects of "Horehound". He seems to be trying something a little different (i.e. a little deeper) with his voice to perhaps keep with the album's mood or merely to differentiate this band with his two other ones. And unlike The Raconteurs, which has the vocals split between White and Brendan Benson, this time White only sings when it's in direct conjunction with Mossheart, from both a duet-style vocal and a call-and-response type vocal. He never calls one song his own, though she does it for much of the album - like I said, this isn't and shouldn't be a White-centric band. But when White mixes his singing with the pure torment and mental demons in Mossheart's voice, there's just a little bit of extra magic thrown in. Also magical is the scuzzy reworking of Bob Dylan's "New Pony," which transforms the original with wild guitar riffs and the dual Mossheart/White vocal attack.
As much as I like this album, and by now you might believe I very much do, it's by no means perfect. There are a couple of dry spots amid this tortured swamp of a record, and they're enough for me to call this a good but not great album. Most everything works on some level, but here and there a hook doesn't pan out right or there's too little or too much going on instrument-wise to keep a song on an even keel. Simply put, things get messy from time to time, though with an album like this that's almost to be expected. The band recorded "Horehound" over just a couple weeks after spending very little time writing in the first place. For a band coming together on a whim and just looking for some fun it's great, but when thrown in amongst some of today's greats, including White's own White Stripes, it doesn't quite hold up. I like The Dead Weather more than The Raconteurs, and definitely hope to hear more from them in the near future - my only hope is that the next time around they're able to spend some real time writing and recording to create something effortlessly flawed and equally tortured. And I mean that in a good way. By all accounts, "Horehound" is a nice start for The Dead Weather, but I honestly can't wait to hear what happens if they try and take things to a next level.
Here We Go Magic started out as another Luke Temple solo project, but after the critical acclaim that greeted the self-titled album earlier this year, Temple recruited a full band to help perform the songs live. "Here We Go Magic" is quite the great album, and if you've not yet heard it, or at least the song "Fangela," I strongly suggest you seek it out. Of course you could always download the live version as part of this week's Live Friday. It's just as good, complete with the underwater guitar part at the beginning of the song. The group also does the also-great "Tunnelvision," along with an unreleased song called "Collector". As usual, it's a great session, and highly recommended for download, particularly since the Here We Go Magic album is one of the better records released so far this year.
In the category of odd band names, UUVVWWZ is one of the odder sorts I've heard about lately. That it's pronounced long form as "Double U Double V Double W, Zee" instead of going phonetically by how it's spelled also works as part of the strange. It also gets you mighty curious as to what this band is all about. After all, I initially gave their self-titled debut album a listen for exactly that reason. So before you think about doing the same, let me try and provide some information about the band that might enable you to make a better decision about them before simply jumping in.
My immediate admiration for UUVVWWZ stems largely from the number of risks they take on their debut. Here is a band that could quite easily make accessible rock music that might attract a large number of fans, but they instead choose to challenge themselves and avoid pratfalls like a verse-chorus-verse structure and White Stripes-esque garage rock fodder. Their songs range from loud rock spazz-outs to quieter ballads and a grand mixture of both. All of this insanity is held together by frontwoman Teal Gardner, whose powerful voice goes from Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Alison Mosshart of The Kills to Satomi Matsuzaki of Deerhoof to Jemina Pearl formerly of Be Your Own Pet in one fell swoop and sometimes in a single song. And indeed, UUVVWWZ do sound like all of these bands in one aspect or another, depending on what track you listen to. The band takes a pretty dirty and loose approach when it comes to making music, and many of the songs sound like the directions they head in were decided on a whim and a prayer rather than through some careful calculation. It's this sort of careless approach that additionally helps distinguish the band and makes them fun, though on occasion such a mentality is harmful to the album. Call it a momentary lack of focus, but it takes an already somewhat challenging band and makes them flat out easy to dislike. For the most part though, they're actually pretty accessible for what they're attempting, and that only helps matters when trying to win over new fans.
One band I've heard talked up recently has been Micachu and the Shapes, whose album "Jewellery" has gotten strong notices this year and earned them a lot of respect. UUVVWWZ are like an interesting, wilder cousin of Micachu and the Shapes, taking many of the elements which helps make that band so great and then getting a little messy about the whole thing. That's ultimately what separates the two artists and harms UUVVWWZ in the end. They're clearly a talented band with good intentions for their sound, but they just aren't quite focused enough to hammer home a truly mindblowing album just yet. My thinking is that they may attract a lot of attention to their sophmore album if some small adjustments are made, and that can be good for everybody. But if you want to hear what a pretty good but not great album sounds like, the self-titled debut from UUVVWWZ is a lovely example. From the speedy devil-may-care punk rock of "Jap Dad" to the tempered highs and lows of "Castle," there are definite shining moments here for most any music fan. It's a fine line as to whether you'll dislike, like or even love this band, so just be aware to tread carefully and put your money down for this album if you like what you hear.
Oh my what an exhaustingly great weekend it was. Yes, my first ever visit to the Pitchfork Music Festival was a pretty positive one, and I just wanted to spend one last post sort of summing up the entire 3 days as a whole, showcasing the good, the bad and the ugly. My weekend started with a painfully long line of people waiting to get in, and ended with a blissful and massive sing-along to The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?" In between there were some good and even great bands, along with a couple bad ones, interesting trips to food tents and restrooms, and a few artist encounters that were amusing to say the least. Let me try and paint a picture, while showing you some pictures!
After three albums and an EP, if you've yet to hear music by The Most Serene Republic, you're missing out. They're less a band and more of a collective, measuring a total of 7 members, and sonic cousins with their fellow Canadians and Arts & Crafts label-mates Broken Social Scene. The melodies they make are beautiful and epic and sweeping and complicated, and also quite good. Their records haven't been perfect by any means, but highly enjoyable are the two words that come to mind first when thinking about the band. But today sees the release of The Most Serene Republic's third long player, titled "...And the Ever Expanding Universe," and if you like the earlier material you'll find lots more to love on this new one.
The Dead Weather is not supposed to be Jack White's new band. Sure, White plays drums for The Dead Weather, but as many of us know, the drummer sits in the back and gets the least amount of attention. Think about how many drummers you can name versus how many singers or guitarists and I think you'll get a better idea of how mysterious these masters of the beat really can be. So you see, The Dead Weather is really Alison Mossheart's band. Take one look at the cover of their debut album "Horehound," and you'll see only Mossheart's face plastered on there. But not enough people know about the brilliance of Mossheart's main band The Kills, and plenty already know about The White Stripes and The Raconteurs. So Jack White is essentially the most familiar name in the band, even though he's reduced to the lowly drummer and occasional vocal contributor. Mostly I like the idea behind this band because it'll give greater exposure to Alison Mossheart by way of associating with Jack White.
Here We Go Magic started out as another Luke Temple solo project, but after the critical acclaim that greeted the self-titled album earlier this year, Temple recruited a full band to help perform the songs live. "Here We Go Magic" is quite the great album, and if you've not yet heard it, or at least the song "Fangela," I strongly suggest you seek it out. Of course you could always download the live version as part of this week's Live Friday. It's just as good, complete with the underwater guitar part at the beginning of the song. The group also does the also-great "Tunnelvision," along with an unreleased song called "Collector". As usual, it's a great session, and highly recommended for download, particularly since the Here We Go Magic album is one of the better records released so far this year.
In the category of odd band names, UUVVWWZ is one of the odder sorts I've heard about lately. That it's pronounced long form as "Double U Double V Double W, Zee" instead of going phonetically by how it's spelled also works as part of the strange. It also gets you mighty curious as to what this band is all about. After all, I initially gave their self-titled debut album a listen for exactly that reason. So before you think about doing the same, let me try and provide some information about the band that might enable you to make a better decision about them before simply jumping in.