KSUB SEATTLE DOT ORG

A Lull @ the Comet Tavern, January 20th

2012-01-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

From the outside snowpocalypse that overtook Seattle for a while to the inner sticky floors of the Comet Tavern, sticky warm bodies huddled together to listen to the boom of A Lull’s beats. The large crowd that gathered this past Friday on January 20th gleaned an understanding of what A Lull stands for; heavy drum beats and harmonious vocals and Bruce Springsteen covers, (it was only fitting that the show be loud and filled and fueled by percussion since each member of the band had been a drummer at some point in his career.) Tying the end of the show together, the primal group of three played their most well known tune, ‘Weapons for War.’ Of course the crowd began to nod head even faster as Nigel Evan Dennis began “la do da do da do da...”

Peace,
Bridget Elizabeth

Ps. For a quick video of A Lull's performance
www.tunebridge.tumblr.com

EXCLUSIVE SEAPONY ACOUSTIC SET!

2011-11-21T00:11:00.000-08:00

This past Friday, KSUB hosted Seapony for our weekly "KSUB Presents" concert series. The band played their first-ever acoustic set, mellowing out their songs for an intimate show. The audience participated in an question and answer session with the band, asking about new music and what it was like to open for Built to Spill.
Special thanks to the band for joining us!

Be sure to check out a KSUB Presents show every Friday at 8pm in the lounge for FREE!
--Julia Paleski, Promotions Director
All Photos Copyright Julia Paleski

FIT FOR HOUNDS FILLS THE LOUNGE!!

2011-11-16T20:02:00.000-08:00

This past Friday, FIT FOR HOUNDS completely filled the KSUB Lounge with fans as part of our "KSUB Presents" live concert series. The band invited the audience to clap and dance along to songs off their new EP, which is available on their Facebook and BandPage. As a special treat, the band did a Q & A session with the audience, with topics ranging from how they got their name (think Shakespeare), what they would describe their "sound" as, and, of course, LARPing.
Many thanks to the band for stopping by,
be sure to check out a show every Friday at 8pm in the Lounge!

--Julia Paleski,
Promotions Director

All Photos: Copyright Julia Paleski

WES GONZALEZ SOLO SET IN THE STUDIO!

2011-11-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

Seattle U's own Wes Gonzalez captivated the weekly "Locals Only" crowd with a solo, acoustic set in the studio on Friday, November 4th. Wes played a range of his original tracks, as well as entertained us with an awesome cover of Death Cab for Cutie's "Lightness," as well as a Citizen Cope cover and a Brand New cover.
If you haven't been to a Friday night show in the Lounge, why the heck not?! They're all ages, FREE, and there's always plenty of candy corn!

--Julia Paleski
Promotions Director

All Photos: Copyright Julia Paleski

Fruit Bats @ Neumos! (11.19.11, 21+)

2011-11-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

HEY YOU. Interesting, catchy music with a hint of soul is hip and in style. So are The Fruit Bats. Playing at Nuemos & presented by KSUB - The Fruit Bats will make your heart leak some love. They have some synthesize sizzle going on that sounds like happiness in an open field.

The band of five formed around 1997 under Eric Johnson’s influence. Johnson worked as an instructor at a school of folk music and had a space-rock band called Rowboat, which eventually evolved into The Fruit Bats. The sound is old world, a bit like something from the 70s. My recommendation is that if you enjoy Rogue Wave, Tame Impala or Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, see this show - and if you aren’t sure, go anyways because Nuemos is such a neato venue.

The Show is 21+ on November 19th. Advanced Tickets: $12 @ Moe Bar.

Peace.

Bridget

Photos from Ames Henry

2011-11-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

All photos property of Bridget Elizabeth.

AMES HENRY TURNS KSUB INTO A DANCE PARTY!

2011-11-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

This week's "KSUB Presents: Locals Only" guest was Seattle U's very own Ames Henry, a DJ of the "intelligent dance music" genre. As a pre-party to everyone's "Halloweekend" Ames Henry got people dancing and loosened-up with his seamless mixes and samples, one of which was just the word "swag." Ames Henry was the first DJ we've had in-studio and the night was a great success!
Thanks to Ames Henry, and make sure to check out the shows every Friday at 8pm.
--Julia Paleski
Promotions Director

All Photos Copyright Julia Paleski

"AMBULANCE" SAVES US FROM THE RAPTURE!

2011-10-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

This Friday's "KSUB Presents" guest was "Ambulance," a trio that formed while the members were all attending Ballard High School together. The band cites the Strokes and Interpol as its influences, and they captivated a large in-studio and online audience with their "pop-punk" sound. With a large stash of candy corn and Swedish fish, the band and the audience waited-out the "predicted rapture" together that night. (Through the power of pure rock, of course, we survived.)

Thanks to Ambulance for playing!

--Julia Paleski
Promotions Director
All Photos Copyright Julia Paleski

KITHKIN TAKES OVER KSUB!

2011-10-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

This Friday, our "Locals Only" guest was SU's own Kithkin. Fresh off their gig opening for Young the Giant in Bellingham, the group managed to pack the entire KSUB lounge with their enthusiastic fanbase. The band is currently promoting their new EP, "Takers and Leavers." Describing themselves as "jungle rock" and citing "mythological creatures" as their influences, the band inspired much dancing and singing along.

The lounge was completely full on Friday night--many thanks to Kithkin for putting on an awesome show!
Be sure to check out "Locals Only" every Friday at 8pm.
--Julia Paleski
Promotions Director
All Photos Property of Julia Paleski

Kithkin @ KSUB 10.14.11

2011-10-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

Reptar, Cults and Foster the People - Showbox SoDo Sunday Oct. 9, 2011

2011-10-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Clad in overalls, eager to set the mood of the Sunday night crowd - Reptar began their set with hoots and howls: characteristic noises found within every tune of ‘Oblangle Fizz, Y’all.’ Keen on synths, the four put their motto, “Reptar likes to first and foremost make people dance,” into groove- beginning with saturated arm gestures in song “Blastoff.” The enthusiastic quartet have been known to represent similar beats to their big brother band, Animal Collective, and vocals much like the Talking Heads. Though their first album was just recently released (August 2, 2011) by many well-known artists, (Ben Allen of AnCo, Matt + Kim, Gnarls Barkley etc...) the group has been around since 2008. The cheery disposition and passion they put forward into their performance this particular Sunday evening, would certainly be something interesting to see with better lighting and a more excited crowd. Reptar is comparable to those grow toys where water needs to be added, they’re growing, and likely to be quite large.

Second in performance was the group, Cults. Sultry, garbed in blouses- long-haired band members put their soulful vocals to work. Reminiscent of old sweet radio voices, particular songs, “Go Outside” and “Abducted” were among crowd favorites. A few lighters showed up during “You Know What I Mean,” a somber mood was certainly prominent, a good thing considering the message of the tune. What separates the Cults’ songs from so many other bands is their proficiency with the clinking xylophone. Though the crowd wasn’t too rowdy for the set, Cults did wish for a longer set and more energetic bunch to dance to it, and then they introduced Foster the People.

Attracting such a diverse crowd from the one the band attracted last year, was headlining band, Foster the People. Containing everywhere from couples that probably had children in adulthood, tween girls wearing glasses without lenses, to that typical independent ‘hipster’ clustering that Seattle is so well reputed for. It’s no wonder Showbox had to move the sold out show from Showbox ‘Market’ to Showbox ‘Sodo,’ a venue for larger crowds. Grooving began right away, thick blue lights cut darkness and “Houdini” began. The audience lip synced along with closed eyes and noses to the sky throughout the set and Mark Foster leaped around the stage. Upon requesting an encore, Foster the People played a piano song, one not yet recored to an album titled “Ruby.”

Finally, a real treat for the audience, was an unexpected collaboration. Heavy booming drums and exaggerated motions to play them were back on from the original Reptar set, (along with Reptar too,) and an untamable remix was played by the three performing bands. Going quite wild, the crowed undulated and bobbed with excitement as strobes flashed every which way. The stage was busy with musicians of all three groups doing their part for the grand finale. Leaving with a sense of spectacular wow within their chests, the audience filed out and went out into the night.

-Bridget Baker (Photos property of Bridget Elizabeth Photography)

Born Gold’s Bodysongs

2011-10-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

Gobble Gobble has evolved from a turkey creature, into one of elite eagle status. Listening to the newly named group Born Gold is still like riding a high-speed neon carousel on amphetamines while whirs of bright lights pass by. (Throwing it in there right now their genre is called ‘Terror.’)

Bodysongs is their latest offering, a collective album of old and new. Held as proof that this eagle still is a turkey creature at heart, it has Gobble^2 classics like “Lawn Knives,” and “Wrinklecarver,” on it. Of course, there is new stuff to be heard as well, “Decimate Everything,” offers that classic fast paced beat with twinkling noises on the side. Raw, jagged and organic. As a whole, the album offers zero moments of dull, or lullaby. Whether that’s a positive or not depends on your attention deficit disorder.

Gobble Gobble fans don’t have anything to be disappointed about. If anything, they’ll have a nostalgic moment, reminiscing over the turkey creature. They are gold now - a highly valued material in today’s economy, they were born that way. (8.5/10)

-Bridget Baker

Reptar’s Oblangle Fizz, Y’all

2011-10-11T14:50:00.001-07:00

Thrusting any motionless being in the earhole with funky beats, hoots and hollers is electric, neo-soul group, Reptar with their latest EP, “Oblangle Fizz, Y’all.” With Animal Collective’s Ben Allen as their producer, Reptar’s style isn’t too far from AnCo’s itself, with vocal fluxes like Talking Heads as well.

Beginning the five track auditory experience is “Blastoff,” one inviting listeners to parade along with the booming chants of the animalistic quartet. As their website states, “Reptar likes to first and foremost make people dance,” and beats don’t stop for a full minute within this collection, making it a bit easy for an audience to feel worn out after a few listens.

Though for a first release, “Oblangle Fizz, Y’all” is a mighty one, Reptar may not be the missing link, but it is certainly a unique creature. (8/10)

-Bridget Baker

TOMTEN Packs the KSUB Lounge!

2011-10-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

This week's "Locals Only" guest was Tomten, a quartet described as "baroque pop," citing the Kinks and the Rolling Stones as influences. The group happily joined us in the KSUB Lounge on Friday, eating their fair share of candy corn as well as raiding the KSUB vinyl library for the cheesiest-looking album covers to put up as they played. The KSUB Lounge filled up fast, and soon there was standing-room only. The band absolutely killed it, and gained many a freshman fan that night.

Many thanks to Tomten for playing, and for everyone who made it to the show! It was a huge success! If you haven't attended a "Locals Only" show yet, what are you waiting for?! Every Friday night at 8pm in the KSUB lounge.

--Julia Paleski
Promotions Director
(All photos property of Julia Paleski)

ARMED WITH LEGS Rocks the KSUB Studio!

2011-10-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

Seattle-based duo "Armed with Legs" joined us in the KSUB studio on Friday, September 30 as part of our new "Locals Only" slot. Every Friday at 8pm KSUB is proud to present a local Seattle band performing in-studio and streaming live online for FREE.
Armed with Legs, which takes their name from a conversation about ninjas that drummer Nick Krivchenia had with a buddy, absolutely killed it this week. Calling themselves "clever," their sound definitely attests to this: live loops interweave with singer Jim Vermillion's haunting vocals and Krivchenia's heavy drumming. They have previously opened for Seattle's own Bone Cave Ballet, and their self-titled EP is available on iTunes now.
Many thanks to the duo for stopping by; tune-in to "Locals Only" every Friday at 8pm, or join us in the KSUB studio.

--Julia Paleski
(All photos property of Julia Paleski)

Interviewing Jesse Tabish from 'Other Lives'

2011-09-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

Hey, You’re listening to K.S.U.B - Seattle University’s student run radio station. This is Bridget with Jesse from Other Lives.

Bridget: If you and the members of Other Lives were animals - would they be tame, and what animals would you all be?

Jesse: I would say, we’re probably closest to maybe - apes - and I think if we were trapped in a zoo, we would be really upset and try to break out. I think we’re the only animal that is tame, I think all the other animals are in their right places.

Bridget: What is the best part about being in a band, and what are the drawbacks of it?

Jesse: You know, being able to express one idea with several people, that’s rare in art. The drawbacks are probably, anything ranging from being on the road, and being away from home - living with other people every single day. After time though, it becomes a family and you grow and learn how to deal with each other, we really love each other. It’s a relationship and you have to work on it.

Bridget: Aside from music, where do you draw your inspiration from? What was the primary inspiration for your latest album, “Tamer Animals”?

Jesse: I really think when we are on tour, a big inspiration to me is being able to look out the window and see various landscapes. So that, really, observing, that has kind of become something to me, writing music to that picture, that scene.

Bridget: Do you and the group have any pre-show rituals?

Jesse: You know, we don’t actually. I think everyone just kind of spend a little time away from each other, we’re usually pretty goofy before a show to keep things light hearted.

Bridget: What is the most memorable show you have performed thus far?

Jesse: Oh that’s interesting. I mean, there’s been a lot of memorable ones. Maybe our first gig in London that we just played this last summer. It was the right crowd, and we just played really loud. I’ve played a lot of shows but in recent times that one in particular stands out.

Bridget: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Jesse: To not eat Indian food before going stage...and I’ll pass on answering why.

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Beginning their US tour on the Pacific, Other Lives will perform at the Paramount with Bon Iver on the 26th of September, be sure to check them out, as well as their latest release “Tamer Animals.”

JIMMY EAT WORLD @ THE SHOWBOX SODO

2011-06-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Eat World - Showbox SoDo, Seattle

May 20, 2011

It takes two buses to get there, out past Safeco Field in the Industrial District, from SU. Sitting on 1st Avenue South - not the most walkable of Seattle streets - the Showbox SoDo is, apparently, not a patch on the one At The Market (I wouldn’t know, I’ve haven’t been there yet). There’s not a lot of room, it’s very flat and not the most aesthetically pleasing, and most of it is roped off to keep out the minors; it’s a nuisance to me now, but I’ll likely be grateful for it and the 21+ shows I’ll be able to attend in a few months. All of this sounds like it might not be the most enjoyable experience.

But really, I would go see Jimmy Eat World if they were playing beneath an overpass.

Let’s be fair to the venue though, the staff was very nice, and one thing SoDo does have going for it is its compactness, which means a lot more intimacy with the performing artists. You’ll never be half a mile from the stage, but still, I wanted to be as close as I could get, because this was my first Jimmy Eat World show, and it’s been a long time coming.

Before they even start, you can tell that performing is their favorite part of the job. They seem almost as excited as the audience. Which was about half as excited as I was.

Bleed American opens the set, as seems to be tradition, followed closely by A Praise Chorus, which leads the attendee to get excited for what might be the entire album Bleed American start to finish (which has indeed been happening this year, more so near the end of their North American tour, as 2011 marks the ten year anniversary of the release of their most commercially successful album, the one that made everyone know who Jimmy Eat World is). But not this time, as My Best Theory follows. But later on, the lead singer Jim Adkins announces this anniversary and says they’ll celebrate by playing an “older” song, Cautioners. It makes me laugh, to think of anything off Bleed American as their older material, but in reality that’s exactly what it is. Ten years it’s been since their fourth release, the first one I ever bought, and three albums and a number of EPs have followed after. But it seems like yesterday that I used a free iTunes download from a Pepsi bottle cap to download Sweetness, a song and a band I had never heard before.

And now here I am, singing along with every goddamn song.

They do an excellent job of playing an equal amount of tracks from their five most recent albums, meaning that long-time fans are rewarded, but with the heavy presence of singles, from Lucky Denver Mint (ever seen Never Been Kissed?) to the more recent Coffee & Cigarettes, anyone just barely or not at all familiar with the band is guaranteed to have a good time as well. They play with the same energy they started out with in 1993 (I wasn’t physically there to witness this way back then, of course, but that’s the beauty of handheld cameras and Youtube). It’s amazing to think that these guys, most of whom if not all have families and kids and all that, are still doing what they love to do, and with youthful vitality.

While many groups don’t translate well from studio albums to live shows, Jimmy Eat World looks and sounds simply amazing in person. Never boring, never half-assed, never something to walk out on. And whoever the sound guy was on the night of the 20th of May, pat yourself on the back. Your skills are very much appreciated.

At one point a certain vocal audience member declaimed the band’s use of a “mister” (is that what the kids are calling fog machines these days?) and after going through one song, Jim Adkins addressed the audience member, laughing and telling a story about a previous show reviewer who had lambasted the band, their music, and yes, their use of a mister. But Jimmy Eat World has been at it too long, and love their job too much, for that to bother them. The band has had more than it’s share of detractors, but this show was enough to convince me that they are utterly confident in what they do (though very humble about it). I didn’t get to talk to any of them after the show, as I had to get back to campus by midnight so as not to incur any late fees for my bus pass, but based on their onstage banter and their grateful attitude towards the audience, they are some of the nicest, humblest, most well-adjusted guys around; in a business full of assholes, that’s really saying something, and they get on with each other just as well as with the crowd. It’s impossible think of them ever breaking up from some internal strife (knock on wood), and I think, much to the delight of their devoted fan base, these close friends will be performing and putting out records together for years to come.

They close the show with the classic 16-minutes epic off of Clarity: Goodbye Sky Harbor - inspired by the novel A Prayer For Owen Meany, for all you John Irving fans. Just as it’s done on the album, Jim sets his guitar down after a teeth-rattling intro and puts his foot on a pedal, creating a hypnotic lullaby out of intricate vocal loops.

But of course, that’s not all, and prompted by a chanting audience, the band returns to the stage with an encore composed of Invented, The Middle, and, seemingly just for the guy with the biggest grin in the building, Sweetness. Oh yes. What a dizzy dance, indeed.

geoff

Setlist:

Bleed American

Praise Chorus

My Best Theory

Coffee & Cigarettes

Lucky Denver Mint

Let It Happen

Cautioners

Futures

Big Casino

Dizzy

Action Needs An Audience

Pain

Evidence

For Me This Is Heaven

Hear You Me

Work

Blister

Goodbye Sky Harbor

Encore:

Invented

The Middle

Sweetness

(excuse the crummy cell phone photos)

Quadstock 2011

2011-05-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

QUADSTOCK 2011:

KSUB-SPONSORED STAGE ROCK UNION GREEN

by Julia Paleski

This past Saturday, May 21, was SEAC's 22nd annual Quadstock event. The mainstage on the Quad hosted Seattle U Battle of the Bands winner Kithkin, The Hood Internet, Phantogram, The Thermals, and headliner Del the Funky Homosapien. KSUB sponsored the Student Stage on the Union Green, which hosted seven Seattle U bands: Cig Bros, The U Crew, The Brain Cooks, Camp 10, Apollos, Patchwork, and Conduct Party.

Though the weather was overcast for most of the day and it began to rain as the evening went on, the crowd stayed positive and audience response to the KSUB stage was great.

Patchwork rocks out on the KSUB stage

Fans dance to Patchwork

Kithkin guitarist Alex Barr

Kithkin members Bob Martin and Alex Barr

Fans enjoy a post-rapture Hood Internet set

The Thermals

Conduct Party at the KSUB stage

Show Reviews and Album Reviews by your fellow KSUB staff!

2011-03-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

Of Montreal: False Priest
I’d give False Priest an 8/10.
★★★★★★★★✩✩

Of Montreal takes us through a whirlwind of tunes with R&B-influenced album False Priest. Singer Kevin Barnes’s vocals combine with Solange Knowles (the fact that she is featured on a song was interesting enough for me to check the album out) in “Sex Karma”, a playful back-and-forth with a somewhat cheesy but amusing line, “You look like a playground to me”. Janella Monaé is also featured on tracks two and five. Funkier tracks including “Girl Named Hello” and “I Feel Ya Strutter” are danceable and full of funk, while others like “Casualty of You” are a little more toned-down for the group.

Overall, I would recommend this, especially to fans of The Beatles, Animal Collective, and The Flaming Lips.
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Jimmy Eat World - Invented

Jimmy Eat World has never put out a bad record. Well, Chase This Light may have been a bit too poppy, and their self-titled debut (you know, the one you've never heard of) was pretty much just a practice run, but everything in between was top notch. If you agree, you'll like Invented, partially because the influences from earlier albums is unmistakable, such as the the every-other-song-is-a-single catchiness of Bleed American, the emotional heights and depths of Futures, the songwriting intricacy of Clarity - their most critically acclaimed and commonly hailed as the seminal "emo" album (just don't call them that to their faces) - and, for the long-standing fan, a few traces Static Prevails, which call to mind JEW's punk origins. But, it wouldn't be much if it was simply an amalgam of the past; Jimmy manages to take these familiar styles and sounds in a new direction - something they seem to accomplish with every new release - climaxing in the penultimate track 'Invented', a simmering duet unlike anything they've recorded before. Seven albums and sixteen years on, and if their next record is half as memorable and original as this one's title track alone, I'd say Jimmy Eat World is as strong and reliable an act as they've ever been. 9/10.

-Geoff Vincent

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Melechesh

The Epigenesis

Although not quite up to par with earlier albums, The Epigenesis is still the catchy, Eastern-inspired black metal that we know and love. Melechesh explores the full gamut of their talents on this album: showcasing everything their from straight thrashy black metal their much more subdued instrumental tracks. While this is a fascinating combination, it leaves the album feeling somewhat disconnected and scattered. Still, The Epigenesis is definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 8/10

Ashley Tharpe-Bloxom

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Bring Me the Horizon
There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret
October 4, 2010
Visible Noise

You’ve got to set aside at least twenty minutes to talk about Bring Me the Horizon’s newest release. One of the reasons being, the title is so long that it doesn’t even appear on the cover of the album. There Is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let’s Keep It a Secret is the next chapter of this England based band ushering in a new generation of music lovers into the world of metalcore. They’ve remained independent from the commercial success of Suicide Season (2008) to present something darker that we only saw glimpses of on their previous songs (“This Sadness Will Never End”, “Pray for Plagues”).

There Is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It… is a twelve-song onslaught of soul-crushing intensity that makes Bring Me the Horizon the reigning champions in the scene, not something I ever expected from across the pond.

The album has more experimental tones (see the electronic influence on “ “), than previous albums, but it only showcases Bring Me the Horizon’s ability to grow and still remain true to their roots.

Even with the lineup change in early 2009. Bring Me the Horizon continues to function as the cohesive metalcore unit that stunned the scene with the release of Count Your Blessings in 2006. Their passion, intensity, and the vehemently emotionally raw sound is what keeps the scene and hardcore kids always coming back to Oli Sykes.

Bridget Madamba

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Artist: Withered

Album: Dualitas

Label: Prosthetic Records

Blistering black/death metal from Atlanta crew Withered. Their last album, Folie Circulae, was one of my favorites of ’08 and Dualitas tops that suckah! Infusing a core black metal sound with elements of death and the South’s own native sludge sound to bring something entirely new to the metal soundscape. Also, two of these guys where in a band with half of Mastodon before they were Mastodon, so check this record ouuuuutttt.

All Clean

Recommended Tracks: 1, 5, 6

Jake McCune

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Welcome 2 Detroit was released shortly after Slum Village's Fantastic Vol. 2 in 2001 and is Dilla's first solo album. while Dilla's reputation within the underground hip hop community was already cemented by this release, the variety and quality of the musical styles conquered within the running time make this album an impressive and influential solo debut. personally, this is my late night album right now with the smoothness of tracks like "Think Twice" and "Featuring Phat Kat" paired with the weird electronic/psychedelic vibe of "B.B.E" and the griminess of "It's Like That" and "Pause." the way Dilla composes this album allows it flow seamlessly and effortlessly with interludes that immerse the listener in the culture of Dilla's Detroit. the addition of musical snippets/short songs ranging from afro beat to bossa nova give this album organic sheen that makes it feel easy, something which few producers (in all genres) have the ability to inject into their music. all in all, this is a must listen for fans of Dilla, but may be a little too deep for those not familiar with his roots and style, although i don't think this album is too esoteric for the average listener to understand. so do yourself a favor and succumb to the love of Dilla and forget god, it feels really good.

Kyle Jordan

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Jenny & Johnny: I’m Having Fun Now

Anyone who slightly knows me is aware of my obsession of female singers. Well obsession sounds kind of creepy—I’m more envious… I just wish I could be that cool, right?!

Often times, female artists are restricted to singing about vapid, cutesy love songs, or they’re stuck backing up their boyfriend or male lead singer by adding cute little harmonies. However this has never been the case for Jenny Lewis: she is one bad ass chick! Even on this new collaborative album with her boyfriend, she still seems to be the one at the forefront. Jonathan Rice and Jenny Lewis were introduced by Conor Oberst in 2005 and soon began featuring on each other’s albums. When Jonathan was touring with Jenny for her Acid Tongue world tour, they casually began making some songs together; however when they realized how freaking awesome it turned out, they decided to record with the help of a little guy called Mike Mogis. Now I’ll admit, when I first found out that she was coming out with a new album with Jonathan Rice, I gagged a little bit. What happened to being the independent and highly successful woman, Jenny, you don’t need a guy to sing by you; he’ll only hold you back and then leave you like they all do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kidding, sort of?

I’ll also admit I was let down at first: the album was and is not another Acid Tongue. Yet after a few listens it really started to grow on me. Moving from Rilo Kiley, to a solo career, and now to Jenny and Johnny, Jenny always seems to be the one in charge, and that still seems to be the case on this album. However their chemistry is undeniable – I’m Having Fun Now is pure pop at its finest: It’s upbeat and melodic, with just the right amount of cutesiness. They let loose and had fun– hence the name – and I have fun listening to it. Don’t be fooled by the bubbly feel though, because their album has this surprising element of darkness that I really like: whether it’s about singing about California’s crappy economy in the Big Wave, or slowly crooning about lost love in New York Cartoon – these somber lyrics are disguised under these catchy tunes. End of story: it’s no Acid Tongue, but it’s pretty damn good.

Sounds Like: Rilo Kiley & Jenny Lewis… duhh Recommended Tracks: Animal, Big Wave

-Meghan Addison

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Neumos Show Review:

Ra Ra Riot, Givers & Pepper Rabbit

Jan. 27th 2011

The much hyped about band, Pepper Rabbit, (listed as many a blogs’ top ten favorite after the release of their sophomoric album - Beauregard) started out Neumo’s sold out show for the first half hour. Starry-eyed became the audience once the well known tune, “Older Brother” streamed from Zander Singh’s lusty vocals / ukulele and the consistent, plush beat of Luc Laurent’s drums. Finishing their set off with “Harvest Moon,” band leaders Singh and Laurent put on a lovely performance in all, with their peppered and eclectic style. (See KSUB’s blog for Bridget Baker & Brandon Kim’s recorded interview with Pepper Rabbit!).

Following a performance worth swooning over, was Louisiana’s Givers band, also worth a swoon, (or maybe even two). As soulful female-lead vocalist and percussionist, Tiffany “Teddy” Lamson’s solo hit the ears of the the crowd, vibes of the nearly full room had fallen to a silent and dreamy state. Expressive Taylor Guarisco (also a lead-vocalist), had begun warming the crowd up soon after - making all yearn for a dance in the musty, yet cozy Neumo’s Crystal Ball Reading Room with springy floors. Flutes, trumpets, ukuleles, the Givers band gave a pleasant variety of sounds to nod-cranium to.

Event Headliners, Ra Ra Riot, in single-filed manner, emerged from the lower level. As another group of five, the band hailing from Syracuse, NY had a not-so-common array of instruments as well; inclusive of a harp and a violin, (they give that whir of zest to Ra Ra Riot’s style). Beginning with newer songs from this past year’s 2010 album, “Orchard” - the band transitioned into 2008’s well known “The Rhumb Line” album. By classic song, “Too Too Too Fast” the audience had become giddy and spirited en youth. Closing time was a difficult thing for the crowd to fathom - they cheered for an encore. Feeling Ra Ra Riot’s music the most and showing so in wild dancing motions, the crowd twirled to a passionate and lively version of “Ghost Under Rocks.” This left attendees feeling dreamy and fantastic.

Given the nature of an all ages show, age range was quite diverse. Yet, everyone fell into their place in a content way; feisty girls lusting up in front, their counterparts heavily bowing and nodding to the tune of the violin, drummers thrust and ubiquitously other nods in sync. Behind this scene, came softer feet, calmer nods, and the occasional girl that had too much to drink. Slightly mixed in, but more so standoffish, was the crowd of age to be in the level above’s bar, but preferred being among the soul of the sound. The production as a whole was nothing less than that of a good time. For those who did not attend, or could not due to the show being sold out, (-and even for those that did), it is possible to live or relive this show vicariously through Pepper Rabbit’s latest album, Beuregard, the Giver’s self titled EP, and both of Ra Ra Riot’s albums, The Rhumb Line and Orchard. They are most definitely worth it.

-Bridget Baker

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Sick Of Sarah - 2205
Coming out with their second full album (fifth release counting EPs), Sick of Sarah is a power-chick-rock fivesome from Minnesota. However, their lyrics show they're meant to be taken seriously and that they can do just as well as any guy rock band out there. This CD starts out strong with "Overexposure," and ends up on a sadder tone (as you can expect from chick-rock) with "Shattered." Though the CD changes so drastically from start to finish, all the songs are worth listening to. If you need help overcoming your sexism, this is definitely an all-girl band that you can believe in. 8/10 Stars. I recommend tracks 1, 2, and 4.

-Billy Koch

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Radiohead: King of Limbs

i was immediately intrigued by the sale of this album because of the deluxe newspaper edition that came with something like 150 pieces of art and 2 vinyl plates costing 43.99 (i remember that cause i was too broke to buy it). i was further intrigued to find out that no one else really knew about the specifics of this release, which made me think that radiohead was playing around with their mechanism for album distribution like they did for In Rainbows, which they were: radiohead decided to have their own sale of the album about 2 weeks (or so) before they distributed it to record stores. i don't really have an opinion on the process, but it's nice to see artists trying different techniques to forward their material to the public since we're in a different world than 15 years ago so to succeed we must use different strategies than we did 15 years ago for success

Initially with this album, i was stuck on the drums. most of the songs have the same drum pattern throughout, which isn't to say i'm critical of it because 1) i always hear drums/bass first 2) the rhythms are cool and most importantly never detract from the song. without sounding too wishy washy though, i think some of the songs could really benefit from a roll or variation on the main pattern to climax with the surrounding sounds.

as with every radiohead album, there is a lot to listen to here: lots of neat, little production tacks that really add to highlight the specific sounds they wanted you to hear. but one thing that is missing with this album as some previous albums is a true sense of connectivity, of implicit cohesion between the songs, which makes me feel like there are high quality songs here on this album, definitely some cool musical ideas, like always, but these songs won't be able to evoke the same emotional draw as some other albums. this may make me sound disappointed with this album, but i'm not: i still get to hear some really great music that i will enjoy for some time. as a responsible fan, i can never expect another ok computer or kid a or whatever, i must judge each collection of art individually before i judge them together.

Kyle Jordan

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Concert Review: Joshua Radin

“It’s so nice to be back in Seattle with my own show,” Joshua Radin told the Showbox on Wednesday night. Radin had only ever performed as an opener in Seattle, but this time came back to a sold out crowd. With his third record, Rock and Tide, recently released he has moved away from just acoustic melodies and onto songs with more upbeat tempos. His audience, a sea of girls with boyfriends in hand, were all just as enthused about his new music as they were about his older songs such as, “Winter,” and “Brand New Day.”
As Joshua started to sing in his soft melodic voice, the phrase “I love him” was coming out of girls mouths all over the concert floor. Radin is not only a great live performer, but also a great storyteller. Each song had a story connected with it and you can be sure each one was nothing short of witty and heart-felt. Radin’s sentimental songs, ethereal voice, and anecdotes that can only be described as charming, make him a favorite on the acoustic music scene. Radin played some songs from his new album, but recognized that the crowd wanted to hear some of his older songs. At the end of the show Radin was encored back onto stage, and sang his last song while standing in the audience with the whole Showbox crowd gathered around.
Before Radin came on stage, Laura Jansen along with Cary Brothers opened for him. Jansen is relatively new to the music tour and will have her first album out March 22. Her soft voice accompanied by piano makes her comparable to Ingrid Michaelson or Regina Spektor. Radin personally picked her for his tour from Hotel Café, a small music venue in Los Angeles filled with up-and-coming artists. Laura Jansen and Cary Brothers both performed a great show, making it an overall successful night for acoustic folk rock.

Mariah Harvey

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Formerly know as Finaly Fantasy, now Owen Pallett has creating dreamy, airy, chamber pop songs down to a science. A Swedish Love Song is just more proof to this fact. Whimsical strings make these songs fun, while his voice soars through each song. Simple beats round out these songs, and they are quirky as always. Think of the kind of music you would want to listen to while frolicking through a beautiful field.

Sounds like: The Fiery Furnaces, Final Fantasy, Arcade Fire

Favorite song: Scandal At The Parkade

Rachel Palmer

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Will Cullen Hart, Laura Carter, Julian Koster, Robbie Cucchiaro

Derek Almstead, Peter Erchick, Scott Spillane, Bill Doss

John Fernandes, Bryan Poole, Andrew Rieger

(maybe Theo Hilton was pooped after touring with Defiance, Ohio)

From somewhere amidst the audience, the band opens the night, appropriately, with some a capella Major Organ: "You're going on a trip/Your mind is not quite fit..." The lyric may just as well describe the band--now sporting a mess of neon colors and silly hats--as it does the sold-out crowd. But if such is the case, unfit minds have never looked so glorious.

As they play their first song, immediately striking is Julian Koster on drums, his arms squiggling and flailing. His headgear of choice is an asymmetrical sock-thing--knitted and blue, it fits snugly around his head, but one end dangles by his chest. It'd be weird on anyone else, but here it's just another appendage, flailing with abandon. As he both looks and moves like an animated character (and later, as he tells weirdly adorable stories), I think, 'This man deserves his own children's television show.'

I then notice Scott Spillane--his magical beard, and his wildly squalling guitar solo. But as he starts singing the next song--The Gerbils' "Lucky Girl"--he morphs into the most tender creature. He closes his eyes as he plays his horn; maybe it's just the mechanics of the thing, but he holds it close and tilts his head gently, and I can't help but picture him cradling a loved one. Adding to the pathos is the memory of late Gerbils' member Will Westbrook; a recording of his guitar work introduces the song.

But this is by no means a sad show. The solemn moments--like the mention of Chris Knox's stroke, for example--are marked by the same sense of intimacy that makes for lighthearted camaraderie onstage. At one point, Peter Erchick, from behind the keys, takes a moment to gush, "This is kind of blowing our minds." And someone from the audience reciprocates, "You guys are geniuses!" Bryan Poole then jokes that Peter should wrap up his little speech; "I'm a genius too," he laughs, and he needs his stage time.

When another audience member asks how the band feels about flash photography, she receives several smart-ass answers: "Well, it was revolutionary..." Also, apparently the flash turns Julian into a werewolf. But when the band finishes messing around, Peter, this time on guitar, offers the girl a good-natured handshake. At the base of all the joking is really a sense of mutual respect.

At some other point, Bill Doss slips into the back to grab some water bottles, but he's unsure of how to transport them to the other members. There is, after all, a chaos of amps crowding the stage--this, along with an organ, two drum sets, and a toy piano, leaves only just enough space for the one line of musicians up front. Bill pantomimes throwing a bottle, but Bryan and Will Cullen Hart, at the other end of the stage, shake their heads 'no' and smile.

This playfulness also infuses the music, which is obviously the focus of the night. One of the songs is a recording with an Eastern European flavor, and despite being accordion-driven, it's supposedly played by the "mechanized organ-playing tower." This is a DIY-looking contraption with a dome of decorative foil, and as a pulley rotates, two wooden, hand-shaped paddles duck in and out. Julian accompanies with staccato scrapes on the singing saw.

Later in the night, he also plays a song with a delightfully odd back story, in which he explains his ties to a Romanian circus family. He tells us that if we're "familiar with circus culture" (duh), we should know how remarkable it is that this family's signature act was never replicated. I don't want to give everything away here, but what's especially beautiful, Julian says, is how the family's secrets were not passed on orally, but through music. He laments that no one surviving can decipher the code, but "only the songs remain"; and thus he begins "Spare the Dark Streets." Hairs fall out of his bow as he slides it over his banjo, but again, their flailing only complements his aesthetic.

Another wonderfully weird thing about the night is the 12-foot inflatable snowman in the corner, presumably for the "Holiday" Surprise Tour. Its purpose is revealed later; one of nine contestants must guide the snowman's arm (a scoop) and throw a "snowball" at the moon (a tissue-covered hoop). Thus the snowman can melt and its soul can be freed. After eight contestants and a bit of hoo-ha, the ninth guy finally wins to uproarious approval. For his prize, he gets the band members to play "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (maybe not the best track to showcase their abilities, but a classic nonetheless).

Besides, they bring great energy, regardless of what they're doing. Clarinet is arguably the most boring instrument on stage, yet John Fernandes is so compelling to watch. Notes flow smoothly from his woodwind, gluing together the collage of other sounds. Paradoxically, he plays the strings with such fury, I think he might spontaneously combust. But for one song, he plays both instruments; when the violin isn't needed, he keeps it under his chin, and his bow rests in the bass clarinet's bell.

Even intermissions fail to be boring, as strange recordings play of birds chirping, or of distorted voices talking about cross-dressing in lace panties.

At the end of the penultimate song (and what would have been a lovely closer), the band reaches feral chaos. The same vocal chords that made lovely harmonies of shoop-shoops and la-las are now yelping, beat-boxing, growling. Julian smashes a tambourine with his saw--a move he's done before, but this time the tambourine falls. Without any less effectiveness, though, the saw continues crashing onto the cymbal beneath. Eventually, a mic stand goes down as well.

For the finale, the band members take on Sun Ra's "Enlightenment," which they continue playing (and singing!) as they parade off stage, into the audience (where they started), and out of the showroom/into the lobby. We follow and leave for the night.

Now, I think it's worth mentioning that no Neutral Milk songs were played, and honestly, part of me was disappointed. But ultimately, the band knows best; no one wants a stale rehash of the past. Elephant 6 is known for music that is inspired and original, and last night didn't deliver anything less.

Isabelle Germar

KSUB Presents: the Oh! Deers & the Brain Cooks

2011-03-01T17:05:00.000-08:00

If you're not doing anything Thursday, March 3 at 7 pm, then come on over to KSUB's Winter Concert, featuring The Oh! Deers and The Brain Cooks.

If you ARE doing something, stop that immediately and come on over to KSUB's Winter Concert, featuring The Oh! Deers and The Brain Cooks.

Support some of the best student bands Seattle University has to offer, for absolutely no monetary cost on your part! Just bring yourself and a friend or 12 to the Student Center Hearth - first floor, in front of the fireplace, in case you don't know what a hearth is.

Confirm your attendance at the facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195405670487811

See you there!

Warped tour 2010

2011-01-29T16:24:00.000-08:00

So our experience at the Warped Tour started as my experience at the Warped Tour, and began at 4:30am. Upon hearing that a close friend was looking to get tattooed in Boise while I was there I, being someone who is always on the lookout regarding opportunities to get new ink, found an artist in Boise that I knew was good, and made an appointment. Unfortunately, the artist could only fit me in at 2pm on the Thursday before the concert.

I think the overall lesson here is plan ahead.

For those of you who don’t know, the Vans Warped Tour, which has been going on for something like 12 years, is a travelling festival that begins in Texas at the beginning of the summer, and winds its way across the country over the next few months, finally ending, this year in Oregon, somewhere near the middle of August In order to avoid the sunburned disaster that is The Gorge in the middle of the summer, my co-host, Lina, and I decided to head to Boise, ID. Given that getting press access to something like this tends to be kind of a crapshoot, we also thought that the fact that Boise is a smaller market than Seattle would help us get this most elusive of press credentials.

When I left Seattle at 4:30 am the morning before the show, we still didn’t know whether or not we had been granted access to the artists, and we still hadn’t heard when I arrived at my tattooist’s, who happens to live in Boise, at 2:00p. At this point the uncertainty began.

That night at about 11:30, we finally received word that we had indeed been granted interviews, as well as review tickets. Upon looking online to learn the latest on the tour was from those who had seen it the day before, I discovered much to my dismay, that most of the bigger acts had fallen off the tour to continue their own headlining gigs in Europe and South America. There would be no interview with Portland’s Everclear, or with All-American Rejects. While disappointed, I was not swayed, as the ever popular Reel Big Fish, as well the Dropkick Murphys, and personal favorites Whitechapel and Emmure were still along for the ride.

The next morning, we awoke to a gorgeous day, and headed out to Idaho Center to see what all the fuss was about.

We arrived, applied the obligatory sunscreen and went off in search of the Press Entrance. Upon locating the right table and fighting through the crowd of double-dyed girls trying to convince the guy at the table that they had somehow gotten separated from “the band” and did, indeed, belong backstage, we got our special wristbands, tickets, and press packets and took off to fins the press area inside the show.

The Warped Tour was originally intended to incorporate skating and music, and still does to this day, albeit in a way that I found a little contrived. All of the skating that I saw that day was done by maybe ten guys and 2 girls, and took place on a small half pipe off to the side of the main concert area. Not being a skater myself, I wasn’t that tore up about the whole thing, but this was the first installment of what would become a day of misdirection and disappointment.

The roster I was given still had on it all of the bands that started the tour in May. I once again reminded that I would not be talking to a few bands that I had been excited about. Upon making our way to the stadium floor (Warped Tour is an exclusively outdoor event), I was also informed that not all the bands that were still on the tour were available for interview. We got to know Deborah, the woman that would control our fate for at least the next few hours, signed up for interviews that we wanted to do, and sat down to wait.

I won’t spend much time on the interviews here, as they are available to read, as well as listen to in their entirety on this blog, but I will say that some folks, such as Andrew WK and AM Taxi kind of surprised us with how dickish they were. Given, the Boise show was the fourth to last stop on the tour, and they were likely sick of dealing with the same shit every day, but I would expect at least some professionalism, as promotion is the first step to notoriety. There were others, Emmure, Reel Big Fish, Whitechapel, and Closure in Moscow, for instance, that were very nice and kind, providing us with some good material and making us, nervous as we were to be in that situation, feel at ease.

After completing our obligations at the Press Spot at about 4:30, we reapplied sunscreen and ventured out of the cool sanctuary of the arena to the freakishly hot convection oven that was the concert area of the festival.

The lineup at VWT changes from day to day, and we consulted the inflatable board of doom, and discovered, again much to our dismay, that Reel Big Fish had played at 12:30, shortly before they had made their way to the Press Spot. We gave them the “we’ve been playing for 20 years, we’ll play when we want to” excuse, and took a good look at who was coming up on the various stages.

Upon seeing that Emmure would be playing at the upper stage shortly, the decision was made, and off we went. I was met with an 808 drop like nothing I’d ever heard. The first, ear-splitting riffs of “10 Sings You Should Leave” raised my blood pressure, and I began, at that moment, to have a great time. Part of having a press pass is getting access to the photo pit, so I grabbed my camera and headed to the stage apron. After three songs, and with my face appropriately shredded, I retreated to the back of the crowd, met back up with Lina, and watched Frankie Plamieri (singer for Emmure) work the crowd into frenzy.

Lina and I both needed an emotional break after Emmure’s set, and, having a little while before the next “must-see” set, we took off to explore the other part of the VWT, which is artist access and merchandising. We waded our way through the 14yo throng, often coming upon a group of sullen little kids that refused to move and allow us passage, requiring Lina and I to physically move them out of the way. I’m not 100% sure what the point of their holistic rebellion was, but I do know that kids their age are easily moveable.

The best part of the Warped Tour experience is by far the access that one gets to the artists. Even without our coveted press passes, we would have still had a chance to meet the members of each band at a sponsored tent, get an autograph, and a chance to tell them how great we thought they were. Along with that, the free swag permeated every part of the festival, making available free t-shirts, stickers, demos, label samplers, and energy drinks. We gathered as much free crap as we wanted/could carry, consulted our list of bands and stages, and decided that we would try to see Eyes Set to Kill, a band that we had interviewed, and had only heard the night before. They’re great, with twin sisters Alexia & Anissa Rodriguez serving as lead vocals/rhythm guitar and bass guitar respectively, and have a unique sound so rare in the metal scene. The problem arose, however, when we attempted to find the stage that they were scheduled to play. We could hear them begin, play a whole set, and thank the crowd as we searched in vain for the stage, which we later discovered, while attempting to hear Anberlin, to be placed far away from the rest of the festival, in a spot so separate that, had we sat there all day, we would have never even known that there was more to the festival. Clearly an error in planning that I would find common among summer festivals.

Disgruntled and slightly sunburned, we made our way inside for a cold bevy a hotdog. Upon entering the lobby of the Idaho Center, which served as concession spot for the day, we were met with a sea of humanity of an overall pinkish color, I’m pretty sure I was the only guy wearing a shirt, and that Lina was the only girl not under the influence of some unknown something pilfered from mom’s purse. There were kids on the floor everywhere, so much so that I had to navigate my way through the overindulgent masses to get some mustard for my $6 hot dog, the equivalent of which is available at any IKEA for about 50 cents.

After discussing the evils of overpriced festival concessions for about 5 minutes and coming to the conclusion that someone, definitely not us, should probably look into the issue, we went back to the upper stage to see the spectacle that is Whitechapel.

When you ask for three words to describe Whitechapel, you generally are met with one of three responses, “Whitechapel? Holy Shit”, or “Heaviest Band Ever”, or my favorite, the inevitably stoned “Dude, they are sooooooo fucking good!” The band lives up to all of these evaluations and more. Three guitars provide an absolute onslaught of groovy, heavy-as-hell riffs that melt face at an alarming rate. Bass lines drip with evil, and the drums are, as you would expect, spectacular. The real show stopper, however, aside from the size of the vein that bulges from vocalist Phil Bozeman’s neck when he sings, is the vocals he’s able to unleash. When listening to the album, it’s easy to imagine that he’s 6’8” and 260lbs. Given the sound of his voice, but this is about as far from reality as possible. He’s just a little guy, but his sound is amazing, and is responsible for putting the band on the map in the first place. We had interviewed Kevin, one of the guitarists, earlier that day, but saw the nice, quiet guy we had met transformed into a riff-spitting guitar god, chin thrust out defiantly, and giving the masses that for which they craved.

Fully satiated and mostly exhausted from running around all day, Lina and I decided to retreat to the lawn above the main stage and listen from afar as the rest of the bands played. The main stage, as it turns out, was split into two stages, so at any given time, we had no idea which was playing. While the band one side played, the next band was busy setting up on the other, which was the source of some confusion. It took me about 30 minutes to realize that what I thought was one stage was actually two, with barriers dividing the crowd, and independent schedules.

The schedules between the two stages didn’t overlap (thank god), so we were able to watch the acts on both stages from one spot on the hill. First up, Andrew W.K.. During the interview that afternoon, he seemed like he might be high on some unknown something, his eyes behind his sunglasses glassy, pupils blown. Onstage, however, he was a dervish; high-energy, loud, and seemingly having the time of his life. Accompanying him onstage was an oddly placed dancer, who seemed to be a remnant form Olivia Newton John’s “Let’s Get Physical” video—high cut unitard, leg warmers, and a headband to match. He lived up to his reputation as a showman, but one can only sing about partying so much before the genre is fully compensated for, and there are no new angles to come at the subject from.

It took us three full songs to realize that Dropkick Murphys had begun. A mandolin at a punk show has a great impact on the crowd, giving them something wholly new and original, and giving them something with which to jam. The show was great, as one would expect from veteran performers such as they are, but they seemed tired, echoing their statement during our interview with them, during which they said they were anxious to get home.

As the rest of the bands played, we began to detach, and had more fun making fun of the people around us, from the two 16yo engaged in heavy petting and, shortly thereafter finding themselves the target of a water attack, to the obviously stoned, overweight kid in the banana costume, seemingly lost, and wandering, a free range banana.

As the evening wound down, we decided to bail and go to our favorite place in Boise, Piehole. On the way out of the festival and back to the car, we stumbled upon the stage that we had failed to locate earlier, and found it to be right next to the entrance and the port-a-potty forest. Not the best spot for a stage, especially considering the caliber of acts scheduled to play there. We needed to gain some satisfaction from our earlier failure, so we hung out for a minute, listening to Anberlin play, and reflected on the day.

There were ups and downs, things I would have done differently had I been in charge, and bands that had gone un-interviewed, but it was, overall, an overwhelming success. I guess the lesson learned that day was that one should limit one’s expectations when going to a summer music festival. Such an outlook increases the odds that one will be impressed, and lessens the chances of disappointment.

So sayeth the Doctor, so sayeth the Nurse.

Don’t forget to tune into The Madness every Saturday at 6pm PST to hear more from Andrew (Dr. Madness) and Lina (Nurse Awesome).

Get to know your DJ's

2011-01-29T16:18:00.001-08:00

Get to know one of our DJ's! Finn has his show from 10-12 every Thursday night.

KSUB SEATTLE DOT ORG: Get to know your DJ's

2011-01-29T16:17:00.001-08:00

KSUB SEATTLE DOT ORG: Get to know your DJ's

Get to know your DJ's

2011-01-29T16:17:00.000-08:00

Get to know one of our DJ's! Finn has his show from 10-12 every Thursday night.

Interview with Dark Tranquillity's Mikael Stanne

2010-03-13T23:33:00.000-08:00

We Are The Void was just released this past week. Are you happy with it?

We love it, we think it’s awesome. I don’t think we’ve ever worked as hard on an album as we did on this one. We had to make sure it was new and different. Last year we celebrated our 20 years as a band we were thinking that this is the album that kicks off the next 20 years. We felt pressure to prove that there’s a reason we’re still around. So there was a lot of pressure, anxiety and self-doubt but it turned out really really well.

We wanted to explore all the different aspects of our sound; everything from the faster thrashy stuff to the ultra melodic and melancholy parts and we think we accomplished it.

Do you have a favorite track on the album?

I like “The Grandest Accusation” and “The Fatalist” a lot. There’s also an iTunes exclusive song called “The Bow and The Arrow” which we’re very proud of.

Do mind if we step back a bit and look at The Gallery? It’s considered a metal masterpiece and you guys were only 21 when it was recorded.

For me it was really special because we just changed the lineup. I started singing so I didn’t have to worry about playing guitar anymore and we added Fredrik who is an amazing guitarist and it was like, finally we don’t have to worry anymore – we could play and not fuck up! We could get really technical and progressive or whatever and we could pull it off. It was so exciting; it was the first time we felt like an actual proper band.

“Punish My Heaven” was the first song we ever wrote with that lineup and it was really exciting. We moved to a new rehearsal studio and there was just a lot of new stuff going on in the band; it was jut very exciting. We would rehearse for hours and hours and days on end. We liked it, but we really needed it too. It was the first time we had worked with Fredrik Nordstrom and that was great. I had been there before when I was with In Flames but it was just exciting being in a studio where the producer understood our kind of music. As opposed to Skydancer where we were working with some rock and roll guys.

There was a lot of video from those days when were just playing in garages that was on our Where Death is Most Alive DVD and it’s actually really embarrassing! It’s taken us a long time to gather the courage to show that to anyone outside of the band. There is some other material not suitable for public viewing…but it was a lot of fun digging up all that old material. Niklas and I sat around watching tens and tens of these old video cassettes and just laughed at how silly and horrible we were.

It was just inducted into Decibel’s Hall of Fame. How do you feel about that?

It feels pretty good! I actually haven’t read the article but the guy who wrote it is a really good friend. He interviewed each of us, even Fredrik Johannsson the old guitar player about it and we normally don’t do that. I can’t wait to actually sit down and read it. But it’s really an honor to be in there. I’ve read Decibel for years and there are some pretty amazing albums on that list. Perhaps one day We Are The Void will be on there too!

After your switch to vocals do you still find time to play guitar?

A little bit, but mostly just acoustic guitar back at home for my own personal pleasure. I don’t write any riffs for the band, just lyrics, but I help out with arrangements and stuff like that.

Dark Tranquillity has toured the world multiple times, released 9 studio albums, 2 DVDs and numerous compilations. Is there anything that you haven’t done yet that you still want to?

The goal is always to make a better album, like the ultimate Dark Tranquility album. That’s always on the horizon somewhere. We Are the Void is as close as we can get right now, but 2 years down the line we can probably do even better. And the same goes for shows, we want to tour countries we haven’t been to, we want to make bigger and better shows production-wise and we want to sound better. It’s all those constant improvements we strive for that keep us going and keep us interested. But there will always be countries we want to go to or festivals we want to play but the biggest thing is to just have better performances and write better songs.

We’ve heard talk about you coming back in May for a headlining tour. Is this true?

Yes, that’s true! We’re going to start in South America and then coming up here and then going around Canada as well. It’s going to be very cool, finally a proper headlining tour in the States.

When you guys play live, you aren’t your typical death metal band. Most bands try to look intimidating, hardly interact with the crowd and just try to act as ‘brutal’. DT always looks like they are having a great time, smiling and talking to the crowd a lot.

I guess we just try to have fun. I don’t get that whole thing about bands just trying to look cool. That’s never really been our thing, I guess. Sometimes we do act like that when but that’s only when we aren’t enjoying ourselves. If the sound is horrible or the audience isn’t really there with us we have a bit of a different stage presence but those nights are rare. And of course beer helps. But Seattle is a little bit different for us because we have a lot of friends here and they are always in the audience and that makes me a bit happier.

Other Melodic Death Metal bands (Carcass, At The Gates) have been breaking up and getting back together while your lineup has been relatively stable. Why do you think that is?

We just don’t have any other friends! I think it’s more of a work ethic thing; we need this to keep our lives together. After the first couple of years we realized that the band was something bigger than the 6 of us – something that we thought should exist no matter what. It became such an important part of our lives that we couldn’t imagine a world without it. And of course we really enjoy it. We love writing together and creating something out of nothing because it’s a challenge and we love touring the world and rehearsing. It’s also a fear of being without it. I cannot even imagine…whenever I get frustrated or angry I can channel that into my music and that’s what I need is to be in the rehearsal room and just scream for a couple hours. It’s just something that we need to do. We don’t reflect on it much or really even think about.

You recently had a lineup change with the addition of Daniel Antonsson on bass. How involved was he with the writing on the new record?

He wrote most of “Dream Oblivion” which turned out amazing. He has a bit of a different background even though he’s from Gothenburg and we’ve know him forever. It took him some time to get into the way of communicating the way we do when we write. Over the years we kind of developed our own language during the writing process. I mean none of us are classically trained or anything so we just have to figure it out on our own. Once he got into that groove it worked out really well.

What are some of your favorite records of 2009?

Well, we’re touring Europe with Insomnium this fall and their record was fantastic. And I loved Crack the Sky by Mastodon and Mars Volta’s Octahedron even though that really isn’t metal.