Attention any and all in Kentuckiana:
Kenny Bloggins wants you to be there!
Monthly Archive for February, 2009Page 2 of 2
Last Tuesday, Stephen Wilkinson, better known as Bibio, finally released his 3rd full-length Vignetting the Compost on Mush Records. I’ve been feverishly awaiting this album since rumors of it first began circulating last fall, making due with the tease of his absurdly intricate Clark remix from 2007’s Ted EP. If you’ve never checked out Bibio before (I forgive you in advance) this is a great opportunity to get acquainted, because here he makes good on all the potential his past recordings hinted at.
Bibio took his moniker from the fly lure his Father would use during their outdoor excursions together, and the rest is history. Having studied “sonic arts” in college, and being an avid electronica fan, it’s obvious that his unexpected output is equally influenced by the native geography of those fishing trips. Wilkinson grew up in Black Country, England, and pays homage to this lore-soaked land with his idyllic sound-scapes (and dope Flickr account). In fact, this album is so made for outdoor listening that it pains me to hear this knowing fully well that it’s 23 below outside so I can’t go scrape Pippi Bongstockings and frolic to the nearest woods.
Upon the release of his first album Fi in 2004, Bibio was famously championed by his long-time heroes the Boards of Canada as being “the antidote to the modern laptopia of pristine electronic music,” (no pressure, dude). A hefty claim, but Fi certainly did carve out a unique spot in Mush’s roster. Less akin to the modern process meditations of Fennesz and Tim Hecker, Wilkinson reached further back to channel the likes of John Fahey and his protégé Leo Kottke in achieving his signature wall of sound. The opener in particular, “Bewley in White,” plays like a smudged out-take from the more tender moments of Kottke’s 6 and 12-String Guitar.
Emerging from the haze with 2006’s Hand Cranked, the wagon-drawn pace picks up speed. The ambient interludes that comprised half his debut are omitted in favor of a bustling mix of phased acoustic picking and parlor-style piano. On “Above the Rooftop,” Wilkinson drops the guitar and tickles the cracked ivory keys exclusively, narrating some turn-of-the-century river town’s morning commute.
Vignetting the Compost successfully negotiates the territories of his two previous efforts with dense polyphonic riffs that both compliment and antagonize each other, quavering like an over-cranked machine. It is on this album that we learn of Wilkinson’s vocal abilities, which fit snugly between 60’s folk-rock and contemporary warblers like Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. The album’s single, “Mr. & Mrs. Compost,” even hints at singer-songwriting prowess, with his voice confidently navigating the horizontal growth of his stark finger picking.
Wilkinson’s love-affair with electronic music does bleed in as the album progresses, but never takes the foreground. His electronica influence rests like a thin layer of emulsion atop the sepia-toned guitar waltzes. The album’s charm is in it’s humble ambition, and while it hints at the transcendental, Bibio is much more concerned with earthly comforts. On “Amongst the Bark and Fungus,” the contrast between the sharp twang of the guitar and the muffled synths create a deeply Proustian, womb-like sensation enhanced by a strong emphasis on location recording, and application of background atmospherics, that create a delicate room noise to frame the compositions, or as the album suggests, vignettes.
Vignetting the Compost is available now on Mush’s web-store. Also, be on the lookout for the follow-up EP, Ovals & Emeralds, to drop sometime in the near-ish future.
MP3 :::
Bibio – Mr. & Mrs. Compost
Bibio – Thatched
Behold the playlist from Thursday’s show. You also can behold the full recording after the jump. I’ve replaced “behold” for the phrase “czech out” for linguistic reasons…
Fairport Convention – Reynardine – Liege and Lief
The Incredible String Band – Koeeaddi There – The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter
The Left Banke – Barterers and Their Wives – There’s Gonna Be a Storm: 1966-1969
Olvis – Time Capsule – Blue Sound
Vetiver – Hurry on Sundown – Thing of the Past
Penny Arkade – Color Fantasy – Not the Freeze
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Helen – Haunted House
Sic Alps – Bathman – U.S. Ez
13th Floor Elevators – Nobody to Love – Easter Everywhere
MV & EE with the Golden Road – Anyway – Drone Trailer
Dead Meadow – Drifting Down Streams – Live on WFMU
Belong – Late Night – Colorloss Record
Cloudland Canyon – Krautwerk – Lie in Light
High Places – Gold Coin – High Places
Can – Paperhouse – Tago Mago
Indian Jewelry – Swans – Free Gold
Odd Nosdam – Ethereal Slap – T.I.M.E.
Broadcast – Look Outside – The Noise Made By People
Space Needle – Old Spice – Recordings 1994-1997
Hush Arbors – Water II - Hush Arbors
Faust – It’s a Bit of Pain – Faust IV
Mayo Thompson – Worried Worried - Corky’s Debt to His Father
Frank Zappa – Lonely Little Girl – We’re Only in It for the Money
Marmoset – Torn Cup Fly Up Above – Record in Red
Grouper – Stuck – Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
The Great Northwest – Chief John – The Widespread Reign
The Angels of Light - Song For Nico – How I Loved You
Yoko Ono – Mind Holes – Fly
This Heat – Sleep – Deceit
Continue reading ‘Technicolor Underground – 2.12.09′
Despite the economy, The Decibel Tolls is going through a period of aggressive expansion. For one, I’m proud to announce two new members to writing staff. That brings the payroll to three, which is totally exciting. Also, The Decibel Tolls has moved analog, and is now on the airwaves in Louisville. Continue reading ‘Two Big Announcements’
I love Odd Nosdam. Love him. I love Clouddead. I think Mr. Dave Madson is a visionary musician, far beyond any and all labels ascribed to him. Odd Nosdam is incredibly prolific, and though I’ve loved every album, remix, and collaboration so far, an artist with as expansive of a repertoire as his is, statistically speaking, bound to misstep every now and again (for my taste at least). T.I.M.E. is that misstep… sort of.
Anything from Odd Nosdam that one could consider a “misstep” is still unequivocally an enjoyable listen and decent record, something that cannot be said for 99% of indie rock right now. For me though, when an artist has truly carved a niche, or really mastered an original and brain-burnin’ sound, I hate to see him/her/them deviate too much. Though experimentation is the cure for stagnation, Odd Nosdam’s signature sound is so extraterrestrial that I don’t think he need worry about becoming stale… ever. Continue reading ‘Odd Nosdam – T.I.M.E. Soundtrack’
Any discussion of white boys playing the blues generally has to involve a purist going on about how “derivative” or “inauthentic” it is with frequent references to long-dead always obscure bluesmen with claims that they were the originals.
But, once you face the reality that everything and everyone is somehow a product of influences and predecessors, the argument fizzles. Just bring up the fact that Wallace Willis, a Native American, wrote Swing Low, Sweet Chariot back in the mid 19th century and then walk away from the blank stares. In reality it was the adaptation of that tune by the Jubilee Singers that made it a timeless classic. I’ve made my point so let me put the lid back on this can of worms before it turns into a Ken Burns project.
The lesson my friends is to appreciate the music for what it is rather than trying to DNA test it for lineage. It’s the serendipitous melding of experiences and influences that keeps music fresh. While I like Mozart and all, I’d be pretty disappointed if we hadn’t moved on to other things in the last 300 or so years.
By this time you’re all thinking, ok I’m with you but… who is Dr. Hoffmann and where does Bo fit into this? Continue reading ‘Stuff White People Play and the Legacy of Dr. Hoffmann and Bo Diddley’
Mercurial weird beards and proteges to crazy ol’ cowboy Michael Gira, the ever-revolving freak folk collective Akron/Family, have big things coming up this year, including their first record as a trio (meaning possibly stripped down?) Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free. It’s out May 5th on Dead Oceans. With a much more expansive tour this spring than last winter’s New England-only tour, Akron/Family traverse the great Manifest Destiny throughout the intervening period, including a few residency shows. They’re still passing up Louisville though (what gives guys? C’mon, creepy Will Oldham’s for real tryin’ to see you). Regardless, Set ‘Em Wild promises to be sick and I’ll have some songs for you all as soon as I get to hear it.
Also of note, fellow Young God-er Larkin Grimm is supporting the /Family for a few shows (well, one), and you can catch her tonight at the awesome 21C in Louisville with Sandpaper Dolls. Her parents were in a cult!
Sun. Mar. 1 – Santa Monica, CA @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop w/ Ben Harper, Howlin’ Rain (Chris Darrow tribute show)
Fri. Mar. 6 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern w/ Avocet
Sat. Mar. 7 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern w/ Citay
Sun. Mar. 8 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern w/ Howlin’ Rain (acoustic)
Mon. Mar. 9 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Brookdale Lodge
Tue. Mar. 10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Steve Allen Theatre w/ Charlyne Yi, the Hollywood Hotshots
Wed. Mar. 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Steve Allen Theatre w/ Golden Animals, Max Maven
Thu. Mar. 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Steve Allen Theatre
Fri. Mar. 13 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Aruba @ Neon Reverb Festival
Tue. Mar. 17 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theatre
Wed. Mar. 18 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk – 5 PM – Austinist/Gothamist Party – SXSW
Thu. Mar. 19 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk – Dead Oceans/Jagjaguwar/Secretly Canadian Showcase – SXSW
Sun. Mar. 22 – Hamilton, ON @ The Casbah w/ Rock Plaza Central
Mon. Mar. 23 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dees w/ Born Ruffians
Tue. Mar. 24 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dees w/ Born Rufians – SOLD OUT
Wed. Mar. 25 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore w/ Born Ruffians
Thu. Mar. 26 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore w/ Born Ruffians
Fri. Mar. 27 – New York, NY @ The New Museum w/ The Lexie Mountain Boys
Sat. Mar. 28 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool w/ Gold Sparkle Band
Sun. Mar. 29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool w/ Larkin Grimm
MP3 :::
Akron/Family – Don’t Be Afraid, You’re Already Dead
Larkin Grimm – Dominican Rum
Storsveit Nix Noltes play ethnic jams that thankfully sound nothing like the tunes you get ferociously blasted with inside an Epcot gift shop. Although their name suggests they might be the Nordic fan base of this American heart-throb, they’re actually Iceland’s newest(only) Balkan-tinged 11-piece ensemble to sign with FatCat Records. The band was formed in 2004 by classmates at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, and features a few noted players, including Múm veterans like Kría Brekken, and Sigur Rós’ horn section. Continue reading ‘Storsveit Nix Noltes – Royal Family Divorce’
…so says the bold proclamation on the backside of Swervedriver’s 1993 album, Mezcal Head. And while one can only speculate, I’m a firm believer that, sandwiched somewhere between The Rapture and The Temptations, you’d find Swervedriver on JC’s ipod.
My first taste of the band was back in ’91 on MTV of all places. Yes kids, it was back before the advent of the internets and easy access to MP3 downloads and streams. It was also when the “M” in MTV stood for “music” not “mindless” and alterna-VJ Dave Kendall hosted the regular “120 Minutes” program announcing bands with his lispy British accent. “Next up, Swuuuuuhhvdrivahhhhhhh!!” From the kitchen I heard the machine-gun drum riffs opening “Rave Down” and it was the beginning of a 15 year love affair. Of course, as with most love affairs, the sex sometimes got boring and I would occasionally get drunk and wake up to The New Pornographers. But after all this time I still get turned on by the fat-bottomed bassline in “The Other Jesus”…
Landing at Creation Records in the early ‘90s was probably more curse than blessing for the band despite some of the legends spawned by the label. Sheer A&R genius couldn’t keep Creation from bleeding pounds sterling and, after the release of Raise and Mezcal Head, Swervedriver was ultimately flushed by not only Creation but A&M which had distributed the band’s CDs in the US. By the late ‘90s you’d have had better luck finding that Moby Grape first pressing than Swervedriver in your local record emporium. Recorded right before the band was punted into record label purgatory, Ejector Seat Reservation was never released in the US and would become one of those elusive collectibles only available in hand-wrapped cellophane. And in one final kick in the nuts by the record industry, Swervedriver was subsequently signed then sacked by Geffen before it could even release its final studio effort, 99th Dream. Lesser bands would’ve packed it in.
But enough industry insider bullshit. What about the music you say?
Raise chugs along like a freight train, opening with the sheer muscle of “Sci-Flyer”, dripping with fuzzy wah-wah goodness and a brutish rhythm section that sits heavy on your chest and dares you to breathe. Perhaps the only shortcoming here is Adam Franklin’s lost-in-the-wilderness vocals which simply lack the horsepower to rise above. While the band was often tagged as shoegazer – whether due to its thick layers of guitar or Franklin’s unassuming stage presence – take a listen to something like Sugar’s “What You Want It To Be” and you’ll hear more similarities there than you will in anything by My Bloody Valentine. The B-side cut “Flawed” borrows from SST-era Dino, Jr but without the trademark slop of Mr. Mascis.
With the band’s follow-up, Mezcal Head, the Swervies slow things down with sprawling epic hypno-drones routinely stretching past the 5 minute mark. “Duel” lives up to its name alternating between growling power chords and delicate arpeggios. It’s the third album, Ejector Seat Reservation, where the band’s sound turns the corner from stock-in-trade tube stack to a Byrds-meets-the-MC5 kinda thing. Jangly guitars, harmonizing and synth cut through the slabs of distortion and Franklin’s vocals actually sound like a feature rather than a bug.
After a decade supported by little more than a couple of modest fan sites and Adam Franklin’s occasional solo work, Swervedriver staged a reunion tour last year and its first three albums have finally been “reissued, reissued, repackaged”. I caught them last May at Denver’s Marquis Theater and they burned down the house with an ear-splitting show every bit as tight as my last encounter with the band at Slim’s, San Francisco in ‘98.
Back then, as a cash-strapped deadbeat, I wandered up to the modest merch table and could only scrape up $10 toward a $15 shirt. In a rare gesture of rock ‘n roll charity, the grizzled roadie spotted me the difference. My ex now has custody of the shirt, but I still recall the incident as emblematic of a band in it for the long haul. Despite the occasional siren song of the ‘next big thing’, Swervedriver keeps me coming back for more.
EDITOR’S NOTE: I’m happy to say that this is the first article by new contributor Xavier Van Zandt, an American writer currently on assignment in Tajikistan. Far out. He’ll be introducing himself soon, but the dude knows his shit and seems to be nicer than I am. Look out for more good stuff from him. Since the Decibel Tolls now has three writers, the names with be included at the end of the article, which presumes that you, the reader, cares which one of us scaliwags waxed intellectual today.
MP3 :::
Swervedriver – The Other Jesus
Swervedriver – Year of the Girl
For all intents and purposes, everything’s been done before – more often than not by Frank Zappa specifically. Above we have a nice Gorey-esque ink sketch done by my girlfriend (click to see full resolution) featuring a vaudevillian Paul McCartney snaggin’ another good idea from Frank Zappa (which as we all know, he didn’t take too kindly to and recorded the album We’re Only in It for the Money as a retort).
There are many instances of artists doing strange, unexpected, or otherwise self-defeating things during television performances. Frank Zappa did it first by playing a bicycle on the Steve Allen show. Live.
And while you hear a variety of music industry insiders complain about the follies of the music business, Frank Zappa prophesied it.
And before Bono was dining with Kofi Annan, Frank Zappa was being a badass and calling out the eggheads on Crossfire. As history demonstrated, of course, the PRMC lost and Zappa’s instrumental Jazz From Hell received a parental advisory label. Hilarious. The first clip is from 1985, and his treatment on the show probably influenced his demeanor in the last two clips from 1987. Robert Novak’s lookin’ good at his younger age.
When in doubt, it’s safe to assume Frank was there first. Though I can’t empirically prove it, I find it a valid statement. Enjoy two of my favorite brainwaves from Mr. Z.
MP3 :::
Frank Zappa – Who Needs the Peace Corps?
Frank Zappa – Who are the Brain Police?
