tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67981910558229748772024-03-13T11:37:43.432-04:00The Bottom StringAn all you need Carolina music blogGrant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.comBlogger370125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-49183733299672358082017-03-16T10:13:00.002-04:002017-03-16T10:24:59.732-04:00To Be Heard celebrates their inception with Carrboro, Raleigh launch parties<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2PLWKJMp8EWK0mvS3ReZ9LJTBSBfDH88U22f_bnZEeoO5gc7GNlhZCGOFIL2SPOxMW6XEOhT3gE6msAxktS6YKolUF1pOoxPjrbl99IfJpbhyphenhyphenhoqMBL-m5J5gyLlBiqDo4TX6KzFtWM/s1600/16991625_262310764225760_3414867005280956463_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2PLWKJMp8EWK0mvS3ReZ9LJTBSBfDH88U22f_bnZEeoO5gc7GNlhZCGOFIL2SPOxMW6XEOhT3gE6msAxktS6YKolUF1pOoxPjrbl99IfJpbhyphenhyphenhoqMBL-m5J5gyLlBiqDo4TX6KzFtWM/s320/16991625_262310764225760_3414867005280956463_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To Be Heard is a new booking agency helmed by local<br />
musicians Justin Ellis & Mark Connor</td></tr>
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This weekend some of the most exciting acts in the North Carolina
music scene will be coming together for two stellar bills split between
The Cave in Carrboro and Slims in Raleigh, all to celebrate the kick-off
of the brand new, musician-run booking agency To Be Heard. To Be Heard
is helmed by Mark Connor (Owner of The Cave, member of SOON AD, Grohg,
The Tomahawks) and Justin Ellis (member of Happy Abandon, Clockwork
Kids, The Color Exchange) and the agency provides a unique perk that
many other agencies are unable to boast, the owners are actually
regularly touring musicians.<br />
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Night One will take place on 3/17 at The
Cave and will feature Body Games, Davidians, Al Riggs & The Big Sad,
Majestic Vistas, and Ravary. Night Two will take place at Slims and
will feature Naked Gods, Wild Fur, S.E. Ward, Peter Vance (of Happy
Abandon) and Fluorescence. Each show is $5 in advance, $7 day of.<br />
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These
two shows serve as a means of highlighting the already robust roster
that To Be Heard has gathered, ranging from shoegaze to punk to
electronica to folk, the agency is already representing far reaches of
the North Carolina scene. "The big thing with the roster for To Be Heard
is that we wanted to feature bands that we think deserve to be heard on
a larger scale," Ellis states, and they've wasted no time in working to
get the word out on these stellar acts. Connor and Ellis have already
begun booking nationwide dates for SE Ward, Happy Abandon, Wild Fur and
Naked Naps while also helping to spearhead the Fluorescence album
release show in Chapel Hill on 4/14.<br />
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As
touring musicians, Ellis and Connor provide a unique perspective to the
ever-changing realm of booking. With Connor serving as owner of the Cave
and talent buyer at Slim's and both members having amassed a vast list
of contacts throughout the country, the two not only understand what
shows are worth pursuing but also how to maneuver through the
negotiation process that may escape many musicians that just want to
focus on their craft. Taking on 18 artists that range from the
internationally acclaimed The Veldt to swiftly rising local standouts
like Zack Mexico, Naked Naps and Body Games, To Be Heard has set some
lofty goals for themselves to manage a roster brimming with such talent.
But as Ellis puts it, it's always easier to handle these things when
you've got a true dedication to the craft.<br />
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"At
the end of the day, Mark and I actually enjoy doing this," Ellis
states. "Booking a tour is like a puzzle that takes months to complete,
and you get many setbacks on occasion, but when it's all done and
announced - it feels great." Be on the lookout for a string of April
shows in the Triangle from local favorites Naked Gods and head over to To Be Heard's <a data-mce-href="https://www.tobeheardbooking.com/" href="https://www.tobeheardbooking.com/">website</a> to get a full list of their roster and upcoming shows. You can also purchase tickets to The Cave and Slims in advance below:<br />
<a data-mce-href="https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/6467500/to-be-heard-booking-launch-party-chapel-hill-the-cave" href="https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/6467500/to-be-heard-booking-launch-party-chapel-hill-the-cave">The Cave</a><br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.etix.com/ticket/v/6997/slims-downtown" href="http://www.etix.com/ticket/v/6997/slims-downtown">Slims</a>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-60023730449474593532017-02-15T09:49:00.000-05:002017-02-15T09:49:52.756-05:00P.A.T. Junior releases video for 'S.O.T.B'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In 2017 I'd wager to state that North Carolina's hip-hop scene is stronger than it's been in the past decade. It seems like stand-out emcees have been popping up left and right, each one inhabiting their own unique niche, putting a personalized spin on the genre. However, in recent years it's harder to find someone that's had as compelling an evolution as P.A.T. Junior. I remember years back at a beat show in Nice Price Books when Oak City Slums shouted out to P.A.T, he jumped on the mic and swiftly spat some aggressive, yet entrancing bars. Back then the emcee showed promise, but now he shows prowess, bobbing and weaving through the rhythmic swings of a beat like a boxer planning his next hook.<br />
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P.A.T's live shows are also quite the spectacle, boasting a live drummer and DJ, P.A.T's energy is infectious, it's raw and unfiltered but isn't weighed down by glitz and glamour. That's why tracks like 'S.O.T.B', P.A.T.'S latest single, work so damn well. The beat itself is simple, a choppy piano riff that's on a continuous loop and frequently chopped and screwed. Every now and then a bass line will swell, hi-hats will chirp and pitch-changed vocals will accentuate particular lines.<br />
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While the song is a few months old, an accompanying video directed by Corey Reid was recently released that helps breathe new life into the song. Throughout most of the video P.A.T is lurking in shadows, playing to the song's bleak, dark aesthetic and frankly just looking really fuckin' cool. "Strategy's important," P.A.T touts, "you gotta choose whether to Bruce Wayne or throw the mask on 'em". With the skill and determination that we've already seen from him this year it's pretty clear which option P.A.T. Junior has chosen.<br />
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You can check out the video for "S.O.T.B" below and be sure to check out P.A.T's upcoming show at The Pinhook opening for Hotline alongside the up-and-coming producer, Trandle. Purchase tickets for the event <a href="http://www.thepinhook.com/event/1412824-hotline-durham/">here</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UBLLkVBct4Y" width="460"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-66886115400133633012017-01-26T08:12:00.000-05:002017-01-26T08:12:37.527-05:008 North Carolina Artists to Watch In 2017North Carolina music fans, it's been a minute. Amidst a year and a half of busy-ness, I gotta say I've been missing the hell out of music writing. But regardless of our textual contributions (or lack thereof), the N.C. music scene continues to blossom on a daily basis in every which-way. Call it out-of-character, or call it sensationalism, but I feel it's important to give you a rundown on some of the artists that I've been digging throughout the past year in the forms of one of those fancy listicles that the chilrin's like so much. In no particular order, here's some of the top North Carolina artists I've been unable to pry myself away from since I last shared my musical musings.<br />
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1) Jooselord Magnus<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">J</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ooselord Magnus is a Durham based artist that completely floored me upon my first live experience with this spastic hip-hop act. He's got an unparalleled stage presence that brings an infectious energy to whatever venue he's performing in. His music is coarse and unfiltered, inspired heavily by acts like Danny Brown, Death Grips and Schoolboy Q. He zigs where others zag, he takes a road less traveled and then rips up the architecture and builds his own dystopic landscapes with boundless possibilities. His debut effort, </span></span><i style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Beware of the Laugh,</i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> boasts some gritty production work from various N.C. producers along with a feature from rising N.C. act ZenSoFly. For live performances he's joined by BrassiousMonk as a DJ and frequently tosses bottles of juice into a feverous crowd, for "he who hath Joose shalt not thirst." Listen to "Pirates" from his 2016 release <i>Beware of the Laugh</i> below and do everything you can to check out one of his live shows:</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">2) Foreign Air</span></h3>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">F</b>oreign Air is an act split between Charlotte and D.C., but you wouldn't be able to tell with how brilliantly cohesive their debut EP, <i>For The Light</i>. The duo met in Charlotte at the now defunct Tremont Music Hall as two separate touring bands and have been sharing DropBox tracks for years to build the far-reaching electro-pop of Foreign Air. They've been building quite the national acclaim as support on Phantogram's most recent tour, even earning a spot on Atlanta's Shaky Knees festival. Fans of acts like Glass Animals or Alt-J will be able to appreciate their mesmerizing blend of bedroom pop and club-ready production. Check out their most recent single "Caffeine" below:<br />
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<b>3) Travers Brothership<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE_-BX1mHUk6Q4dXjTZuoHBY0KO0NTVW9qHlb8cENoTwCj1duWdm0r59Rgd8JrBBX7hKUorRlkZRbuyExfyvTEZaLgeCye6DodTN1e0Vc-5lfPVxjq_6Yfg_JvU2HeIlPZulb5tF2Hn0/s1600/travers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE_-BX1mHUk6Q4dXjTZuoHBY0KO0NTVW9qHlb8cENoTwCj1duWdm0r59Rgd8JrBBX7hKUorRlkZRbuyExfyvTEZaLgeCye6DodTN1e0Vc-5lfPVxjq_6Yfg_JvU2HeIlPZulb5tF2Hn0/s320/travers.jpg" width="319" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">T</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">raver's Brothership is a band that struck me in a way that I'd damn near forgotten that local bands could. When I first heard the opening notes of 'Hold My Name' I was entranced, staccato guitar lines bleed into sultry horns and as Kyle Travers' raspy vocals bounce into the mix you can tell you're in for a treat. 'I am having good feelings...' he croons, and let's just say that the feeling is mutual. Travers Brothership is a refreshing take on soulful Southern rock, it's timeless and current all at once. Slide guitar, sax, trumpets and trombones are abound, but so is their deep R&B, funk and blues influences. Their songs are overflowing with infectious grooves and oozing with passion. This Asheville-based crew is one that you're going to want to keep your eyes on, as I can see them taking over the festival scene in 2017 with their bombastic blues-rock vibes. Check out their track 'Hold My Name' below: </span></span> </div>
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4) RBTS Win</b></h3>
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<span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">T</span>he Asheville music scene can feel like a bit of an anomaly sometimes. A city filled with hand-drumming crust punks and their beat-up acoustics littering the streets, but an A.C Entertainment booked venue in Orange Peel and a slew of fantastic smaller venues to help the tightly packed local scene flourish. Although Moogfest made its move to Durham in 2016, Asheville's electronic scene still continues to blossom thanks to brilliant acts like RBTS Win. RBTS Win seamlessly blends organic instrumentation with electronic foundations, a blend between psych-pop and soul that strikes the listener both in instrumental magic and lyrical content. They've got a knack for ear-worm melodies and dynamic song structures, ensuring that the listener has something they can latch on to whether it be a fuzzy bass line, airy synth line or boozy vocal melody. RBTS Win released a fantastic EP, <i>King Summer</i> in 2016 and I'd expect more great things from them throughout the next 12 months, so keep your eyes out for a show nearby. Check out "Heart Eyes," the closing track from <i>King Summer</i>, below.</span></div>
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<b>5) Lacy Jags</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">W</span></b>hen it comes to the Triangle music scene, it's hard to think of a musician that's been as diverse or prolific as Patrick O'Neill. O'Neill first thrust upon the seen as a driving member of Rogue Band of Youth, the melodic folk-rock trio driven by their gorgeous harmonies and heartfelt lyricism. Since then his musical output has evolved into a psychedelic inspired take on garage rock with his work in The Wyrms and Lacy Jags. Lacy Jags debuted in 2016with a brief 5-song release <i>Scodes</i> on Potluck Foundation, displaying their frenetic take on garage-rock stylings that seem to drip into your earholes with a beautifully psychedelic twist. 2017 will surely be a pivotal year for this young band and I can only hope that we'll get more fantastically dynamic tracks like 'Phase Out' within the next 12 months:</div>
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<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1749816576/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=1012518876/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://lacyjagsnc.bandcamp.com/album/scodes">SCODES by Lacy Jags</a></iframe>
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<b style="text-align: right;">6) Essex Muro</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">O</span></b>ne of the joys of local music is the constant change, although it's as fantastic as it is frustrating sometimes. But every now and then you'll see a shift that gets you more excited about an artist than you could have ever imagined. Such is the case with the new output from Wool's Troy Hancock, Essex Muro. Wool was known for their slow-building and melodic take on indie rock, but Essex Muro displays high-energy, punk-rock inspired tunes that invigorate listeners through their swiftly spat vocals and ever-driving rhythms. Essex Muro slowly picked up steam throughout the year and released a set of demos in September 2016, so 2017 holds limitless promise for the group. Check out their track 'Roach Garden' below:<br />
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3195779052/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=788572392/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://essexmuro.bandcamp.com/album/essex-muro-demo-2016">Essex Muro Demo 2016 by Essex Muro</a></iframe>
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<b>7) Rebekah Todd & The Odyssey</b><br />
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"<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span>f the door won't open with your hands, use your shoulders" sings the powerful and prideful Rebekah Todd on her first single from the forthcoming album <i>Crooked Lines</i>, set for release on February 17, and it's a line that couldn't be more indicative of her career so far. When I first came upon Rebekah Todd she was an acoustic act based out of Greenville, N.C. playing to coffee shops and wowing them with her jaw-dropping vocal displays. But over the year she's traversed the country and built a fantastically funky band to expand upon her already brilliant songwriting. Few artists in North Carolina can boast the presence and passion that Todd has, and she's got a main-stage slot on Floyd Fest 2017 to show for it. Her tracks are boosted by soulful rhythm sections, bombastic horns and an incomparable voice that demands your full attention, so listen up and be amazed as Rebekah Todd swiftly takes over the airwaves. Be sure to listen to "Hustle" below and check out <i>Crooked Lines</i> in its entirety on February 17:<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="150" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/298259116&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">8) Kate Rhudy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNlWW-arpjCJREmCvUFmkkCtK0MW3YkkRBzodi35XdG6JC_zLxVtK-qK3dSSJ4e3mCViVuItx5mh_uz_HwOo3-6qWYrcQYkts_5TpZTmmRXKPEXMCga9lFskc9-P0o0DaTtVWpXEnOF8/s1600/krhudy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNlWW-arpjCJREmCvUFmkkCtK0MW3YkkRBzodi35XdG6JC_zLxVtK-qK3dSSJ4e3mCViVuItx5mh_uz_HwOo3-6qWYrcQYkts_5TpZTmmRXKPEXMCga9lFskc9-P0o0DaTtVWpXEnOF8/s320/krhudy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I</span></b>n 2017 it's hard for me to be compelled by someone just equipped with an acoustic guitar, it takes some great songwriting, some seriously emotive vocals and a unique style to grab my attention. Kate Rhudy brings it all in bunches, plus the young songstress is filled with limitless potential. She's on the heels of a successful Kickstarter for her debut full-length with Mandolin Orange's Andrew Marlin serving as producer, and combining her charming lyricism with Marlin's musical prowess is a combination that makes for some brilliant output. Rhudy's track 'I Don't Like You or Your Band' is a fantastic example of this, it's simultaneously quirky and ruthless, a diatribe on middle-class white boys wrapped up in their own bullshit attitude and their own bullshit music; but it's also a brilliant display of her songwriting prowess. Rhudy calls out her former lover's shortcomings over a bouncing track filled with sprawling mandolin riffs and driving honky-tonk guitar lines, making for an exciting peak into what one can only imagine will be a fantastic debut from this promising songwriter. Check out a rough mix of "I Don't Like You or Your Band" below and stay on the lookout for her debut full-length release in 2017:</div>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="150" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/299478559&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-36173748243518439752017-01-24T14:08:00.001-05:002017-01-24T14:50:47.638-05:00Happy Abandon to release debut full length on re-launched Schoolkids Records<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0sTyXaFTydXoROF0vjEb5NoFjGWF7iw_i7acjaQbd5_n_a1dRJRuakaU91EkvPIShuFq2spUkGJSww7mwnvjAU_dP-1TiqFCssJIGOCNFgYy0EUbavnT6oQqUcw2sOR2BJOKykrG8U8/s1600/HAbandon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0sTyXaFTydXoROF0vjEb5NoFjGWF7iw_i7acjaQbd5_n_a1dRJRuakaU91EkvPIShuFq2spUkGJSww7mwnvjAU_dP-1TiqFCssJIGOCNFgYy0EUbavnT6oQqUcw2sOR2BJOKykrG8U8/s320/HAbandon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy Abandon is set to release their debut full-length record<br />on Schoolkids Records in August 2017.</i></td></tr>
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Throughout 2016, Happy Abandon proved to be one of North Carolina's most promising acts. Thanks to their powerhouse live performances and highly acclaimed EP, <i>Heavy Lines, </i>they received mention from outlets like Paste Magazine and swiftly became a local favorite in the often overwhelmingly crowded indie rock scene (which is quite the hard task to accomplish). However, despite all of their 2016 successes it looks like 2017 is set to be even more of a breakout year for the band. Just this morning it was announced that in August of 2017 the band will be releasing their full-length debut on the re-launched Schoolkids Records.<br />
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Schoolkids one of the South East's premier record stores and in 2008 owner Stephen Judge founded Second Motion Records. The past few years have seen some big adjustments for the ever-evolving Schoolkids entity, between a move from their iconic Hillsborough St. location, expansion into Chapel Hill and Durham, and now a re-branding of their label to the eponymous Schoolkids Records.<br />
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Happy Abandon will begin recording their forthcoming record next week with producers Jamie Candiloro (REM, Ryan Adams, Willie Nelson) and Jason Merritt (Tift Merritt, Hot Hot Heat), the record will be pressed to vinyl and CD and distributed through North Carolina-based Red Eye Worldwide. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Happy Abandon will be performing at Kings Barcade in Raleigh on January 28th alongside Lacy Jags and Wailin' Storms. This eclectic bill showcases a wide array of fantastic North Carolina music, ranging from the rich, dynamic melodies of Happy Abandon to the fuzzed-out psych-rock of Lacy Jags to the dark brooding jams of Wailin Storms. Admission in advance is $10 with a $12 cover day-of. You can purchase tickets for the event <a href="http://www.kingsraleigh.com/shows/happy-abandon/">here</a> and you can check out a stripped down take on their track "Choice" from the Sofar Sounds Series below:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tu9NF_izJ90" width="560"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-75051680895365354452015-09-22T13:55:00.000-04:002015-09-22T13:55:05.438-04:00Kooley High shares new song "Where I'm Going", announces 'Heights' EP<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic18HS-UyJo-OulTi6TZthnE-6HRKavGOk2L0xeFUR_fSXdgQOUZtCooaYGXjHlHo9hc9dMc2yQUFCZfmUXK2kuHm4WkuW9boz-lyD7F9ERnXYFesIkA1wIjkiycf-43sPPTXFGU4Qxr0/s1600/11999754_967684206588271_7576449660523583089_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic18HS-UyJo-OulTi6TZthnE-6HRKavGOk2L0xeFUR_fSXdgQOUZtCooaYGXjHlHo9hc9dMc2yQUFCZfmUXK2kuHm4WkuW9boz-lyD7F9ERnXYFesIkA1wIjkiycf-43sPPTXFGU4Qxr0/s320/11999754_967684206588271_7576449660523583089_o.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kooley High will release 'Heights'<br />on Oct. 9 and will celebrate its<br />release on Oct. 16 at <a href="http://kingsbarcade.com/2015/10/16/kooley-high-heights-ep-release-show/">Kings Barcade</a></i></td></tr>
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While historically North Carolina has been best known for our traditional roots and more recently our swiftly changing indie-rock scene, you'd have to be living under a rock to argue that the hip-hop scene isn't getting just as much notoriety. For every Love Language and Hiss Golden Messenger now lies a J. Cole or King Mez. The hip-hop spectrum almost perfectly mirrors that of the rock-leaning scene, a few nationally recognized acts help to shift the dynamic of the state's scene while a few headstrong acts push ever forward and leave expectations aside.<br />
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It'd be easy for acts to fall in line with the cultural trends we've seen that prove to be successful, but the acts in our scene that are gathering the most traction are those that blaze their own paths. That's why it's always exciting to hear what's to come from Kooley High. Kooley is a hip-hop collective that grew from the N.C. State cyphers and blossomed into one of the state's most established names. Former member Rapsody is swiftly becoming a household name thanks to features on tracks with Chance The Rapper and Kendrick Lamar's <i>To Pimp a Butterfly</i>, but don't for a second think that the loss of a member is slowing Kooley down at all.<br />
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"Where I'm Going," the recently release single from their forthcoming EP, <i>Heights,</i> proves that Kooley's sights are set forward both as a career trajectory but also musically. "Where I'm Going" is a track that highlights all of the group's finest aspects, a smooth buttery production that blends boom-bap styles with heady, jazzy J-Dilla influence and lends way to Tab-One and Charlie Smarts' lyrical acrobatics.<br />
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The thematic points of the track highlight Kooley's confidence as well as their forward-thinking attitudes. Tab opens the track with an effortless verse filled with quick rhymes and clever similes, never stuck on one pattern for too long. Guest vocalist Add-2 adds some versatility to the vocal cadence found on the track, but the lyricism shines brightest with Tab and Charlie Smarts. Smarts' verse boasts intricately arranged internal rhyme schemes that prove to be difficult to unravel without repeated listens. Voices blend together for a memorable hook that excellent summarizes the song's theme and rides along with Sinopsis' dreamy yet rhythmic production. Kooley's vibes feel reminiscent of acts like A Tribe Called Quest, but don't rely on a nostalgic factor to get attention, rather they feel like a call-back to these early hip-hop pioneers and elegantly maneuver their way into a modern-day context. <i>Heights</i> is released on Oct. 9th and the group will celebrate their EP release with a show at Kings Barcade on Oct. 16th. Check out the track below:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/223996282&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-57140366377724326782015-09-17T10:54:00.001-04:002015-09-17T12:23:15.932-04:00Shirlette Ammons premieres "Earth Intro" ft. Indigo Girls<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcNDwGNrEk-a-oTiprHdlhGyn9yRO2pCtebVPIhK4-CIqFK-x2O6IoqG5QCOfsrPyVMKBd3Avy7vh7M3TKvD-zHU12giEflFCBMX-vFnsuFh5-R_ybAeehkIBXEgSRcMwT_xa0q2Nstw/s1600/Shirlette-Boogie-by-Just1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcNDwGNrEk-a-oTiprHdlhGyn9yRO2pCtebVPIhK4-CIqFK-x2O6IoqG5QCOfsrPyVMKBd3Avy7vh7M3TKvD-zHU12giEflFCBMX-vFnsuFh5-R_ybAeehkIBXEgSRcMwT_xa0q2Nstw/s320/Shirlette-Boogie-by-Just1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shirlette Ammons<br />Photo by Boris Niehaus</i></td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1479231131"></span><span id="goog_1479231132"></span>While you were probably out day-drinking and Hopscotching around last Friday, it's possible that you may have missed one of our state's most impressive emcees releasing one of her most progressive tracks to date. Last Friday Shirlette Ammons <a href="https://bitchmedia.org/article/song-debut-shirlette-ammons-new-single-earth-intro">not-so-quietly released</a> her new single, "Earth Intro" from her forthcoming sophomore album <i>Language Barrier. </i>"Earth Intro" debuted on arguably one of the largest Feminist media outlets, Bitch Media and marks a huge departure from Ammons' previous releases.<br />
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Featuring Emily Saliers and Amy Ray of the Grammy Award-winning act the Indigo Girls, "Earth Intro" is a track that contains multitudes. Aesthetically it lands at a frenetic blend between indie rock, folk rock and hip-hop with echos of punk rock influences abound. There's sharply spat vocals meshed with whirring yet distorted fiddle lines, rich dynamic changes and both inward and outwardly facing lyrical content. The way vocals have a slight distortion to them allows them to dig deep into the instrumentation and serve as much textural purpose as it does to forward the song's themes.<br />
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Ammons told Bitch Media that the Indigo Girls' "gorgeous songwriting" and "fierce harmonies" help lend an "anthemic" feel to "Earth Intro", giving a brief peek into the contributions brought forth by Saliers and Ray. Both of the Indigo Girls have been active in the environmental, gender equality and gay rights movements, perfectly coinciding with Ammons' own contributions to the social spectrum. You may remember Ammons' collaboration with Caitlin Cary (formerly of Whiskeytown), <a href="https://ncmusiclovearmy.bandcamp.com/album/my-body-politic">"My Body Politic"</a> from NC Music Love Army's 2014 release. While working with folk songwriters isn't entirely out of Ammons' musical spectrum, it's exciting to see her ever-expanding boundaries of hip-hop and continually defying expectations of the genre. Ammons also noted that Meshell Ndegeocello and Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso will be serving as collaborators on <i>Language Barrier</i>, which is set for an early 2016 release. Check out the track below:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/221926644&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-7630296771793047232015-06-02T10:30:00.000-04:002015-06-02T10:30:00.589-04:00Video Premiere: "Broken Man" by Josh Moore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVrK8D58calpkE3ezgWcDqkcnd6kRkCiWaO_SdwR5jMKduNloMjk8ZZfF12HZvqDIV0f8KK5GZx2oRwCEfBvKuicD1hlYkqPshKcBtkkjI1yNcX9MPiMClX3IRskT2-gDv3RbZD1e7cw/s1600/jmoore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVrK8D58calpkE3ezgWcDqkcnd6kRkCiWaO_SdwR5jMKduNloMjk8ZZfF12HZvqDIV0f8KK5GZx2oRwCEfBvKuicD1hlYkqPshKcBtkkjI1yNcX9MPiMClX3IRskT2-gDv3RbZD1e7cw/s320/jmoore.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
I'll never forget the moment I came upon Josh Moore's music. I was in the midst of filming Mandolin Orange's excellent Bottom String Session some years back and as the session was winding down, some bearded troubadour walked into the room, sat down, and stunned me with a cover of 'Long Black Veil.' After a second cover of "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down," I became enamored with this artist. A soothing voice and gently plucked acoustic guitar was truly all Moore needed to leave me transfixed and since then I've been pining to hear a record. I'd heard rumblings and whispers that Moore was diligently working on a full-length, but heard no confirmation. So obviously, once Moore's first track premiered a few weeks back on The Bluegrass Situation, I was beaming with excitement. Even moreso when I was approached to share a video from the album.<br />
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For years Moore has been at work with Jeff Crawford on the new album, but it wasn't until 2013 that he and a wide array of locals began recording his forthcoming album <i>Parted Ways. "</i>We broke ground on this album with a successive series of monthly early morning sessions that would wind down in the afternoon," Moore says, and throughout those sessions artists like Ryan Gustafson, James Wallace, Mark Simonson and Carter Gaj were frequent collaborators. Emily Frantz, Jacki Huntington, Heather McEntire, and Skylar Gudasz can be heard contributing vocal harmonies as well, making for an all-star congregation of local musicians for this heavily anticipated album.<br />
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For those unfamiliar with Moore's catalogue, he began as the vocalist for hardcore band Beloved, but upon moving to Carrboro became ensconced in the local folk scene. Moore came in around a time where several other heavier artists were turning down and tuning into the simpler sounds, and when you're surrounded by so many talented, like-minded individuals it's a natural progression to turn down that road. Citing artists like The Byrds, Doug Paisley and Gene Clark as musical reference points, <i>Parted Ways</i> finds Moore delving into a sound that's simultaneously classic yet contemporary. After several years without recording or performing, Moore had pent up emotions to work out and <i>Parted Ways</i> runs forth with a defined theme of blazing trails in new directions.<br />
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Moore is set to celebrate the release of <i>Parted Ways</i> at what's sure to be a jam-packed show at the Cat's Cradle Backroom on June 12th alongside Jenks Miller & Rose Cross NC. Admission is $8 and you can buy tickets <a href="https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/844747">here.</a><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/128087519" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/128087519">Josh Moore- Broken Man</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/thrownstonefilms">Thrown Stone Films</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-74676974412345432262015-02-06T12:47:00.000-05:002015-02-06T12:59:34.877-05:00Video Premiere: "Sweetheart I've Noticed" by Jackson Honeycutt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Being a part of such an incredible local music scene can be overwhelming at times. There's always something newer or something hipper, always folks in search of an act that's so fresh that their songs haven't even left the dank room they were recorded in. But every now and then it's nice to have musicians fall into your lap so to speak. There's no searching involved, just an instance of being in the right place at the right time, somehow fate decides to align and make these musical findings coalesce perfectly with a particular point in your life. Artists like Jackson Honeycutt are the perfect example of this.<br />
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The young songwriter from the Raleigh/Garner region already has a handful of LPs and EPs under his belt, albeit of the lo-fi variety, but nonetheless it's an impressive level of output for such a budding songwriter. Honeycutt blends traditional folk-pop sentiments with melancholy overtones to make for a listening experience as bright and infectious as it is downtrodden and blue. "Sweetheart I've Noticed" is a single that Honeycutt recently released that's been gaining the artist quite a bit of traction. The track's been in rotation at local music powerhouse WKNC as well as WSOE, Elon's college radio station.<br />
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Riding that wave of popularity, Honeycutt teamed up with local videographer Evan Kidd (responsible for the excellent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-qblUsLsUE">Spazzfest documentary</a> a few years back) to film a visual companion for "Sweetheart I've Noticed." Filmed in Garner, N.C., the video switches between scenes of Honeycutt aimlessly roaming around town on a rainy, gray-skied day and jovial, carefree days of youth spent at playgrounds and dance parties. The video perfectly represents the emotional dichotomy of Honeycutt's music and lyricism, leaving fans eager to see what's to come from this promising young songwriter. Check out the video below:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/118432523" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/118432523">Jackson Honeycutt - "Sweetheart I've Noticed" (Official Music Video)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/evankidd">Evan Kidd</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-34792670461042051942015-01-28T09:45:00.000-05:002015-01-28T09:45:00.649-05:00Artist Feature: Temple5<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5EPHAlN-jdDedv_23upsbJnnwc_4ZbylMB2NVoFd0XC9RzOvHOTk7VgqWk05eAMZ6IBYj0cuN6i4mc_j1NWLSslGUHBBd1aYaazZIyKptH82JkSLdgUFNgrS78Y5W43rmo1HDNKYMA0/s1600/Temple5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5EPHAlN-jdDedv_23upsbJnnwc_4ZbylMB2NVoFd0XC9RzOvHOTk7VgqWk05eAMZ6IBYj0cuN6i4mc_j1NWLSslGUHBBd1aYaazZIyKptH82JkSLdgUFNgrS78Y5W43rmo1HDNKYMA0/s1600/Temple5.jpg" height="183" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Temple5 will be performing at Deep South in Raleigh<br />alongside NO9TO5 and Jswiss. Purchase tickets <a href="https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/757543?__utma=1.621555377.1422407424.1422407424.1422407424.1&__utmb=1.1.10.1422407424&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1422407424.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not%20provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=268323342">here</a></i></td></tr>
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When one thinks of North Carolina hip-hop, thoughts don't usually stray towards Wilmington. Maybe the chart-topping J. Cole comes to mind or perhaps the more underground breakout acts like King Mez or Deniro Farrar, but certainly not an eastern North Carolina act. Temple5, however, is doing their damnedest to change that mindset. Temple5 is a seven-piece act that blends elements of hip-hop, jazz and funk to create one dazzling, rhythmically driven sound. While it's easy to lose yourself in the intricately arranged pieces that comprise these recordings, this is the kind of music that you need to see live to truly experience in its entirety. You've got to watch the very obvious chemistry that these musicians have together, feel the horns wash over you as the band's lyricist Louis. effortlessly weaves together ridiculous rhyme schemes that cover everything from socially conscious messages to clever punch lines. Temple5 will be performing at The Deep South Bar on Saturday, Jan. 31 alongside NO9TO5 and Jswiss, so in advance we spoke with members of the band on the intricacies involved with their music and what to expect from the band in 2015.<br />
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The creation of Temple5 was a very deliberate process, something that seems to be have been in the works for years on end. AJ Reynolds, saxophonist for the band, goes as far as saying that Temple5 was something he's wanted to do since the age of 16, but states but waited until he was 23 because that was when he felt like he and his peers could approach this band with "the artistry, maturity and ambition" required to make it what it should be. Deliberate may be an understatement when it comes to this band. Steeped in the tradition of acts like The Roots and The Robert Glasper Experiment, Temple5 has melded the new and the old together to create a jazzy take on hip-hop.<br />
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"I’ve found the ongoing process of acculturation that has been happening in America over the past 100+ years fascinating," states trumpeter Aaron Lane. "It started with early blues and jazz which was a fusion of African rhythm with Western harmony/instrumentation," he states, and from there the music has morphed into various widely different forms. These two forms have in some way or another influenced practically every wave of popular music and has risen to the top once again with hip-hop. Now as Lane states, we see that the hip-hop has begun to revert back to its origins, pulling heavy inspiration from the jazz, funk and soul that birthed the genre in the first place. And while the whole reverse acculturation thing is a large determining factor in the birth of new and innovative hip-hop, it also doesn't hurt that having a live band just makes a performance <i>that</i> much better.<br />
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"I think most of us in the band have gone to hip-hop shows and said to ourselves, 'man, it would be so dope to see a live band up here laying it down with the emcee,'” Reynolds states. And sometimes thoughts like that ignite a spark that erupts into something much larger than anyone could imagine. When you've got so many talented musicians together in one project (they all mostly met at the UNCW Music Department through various university ensembles and jazz combo/big band projects) then it's only a matter of time until things blossom into something that's truly unparalleled. Acts like The Beast have tapped into this in the Triangle, raising the socially conscious flag while laying down some serious grooves, and now it appears Temple5 has taken this torch for Eastern NC.<br />
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"We are a unique group of guys in a unique situation with a unique goal," Lane states, "to create and grow a local community through the positive message of hip-hop." With that goal in mind, all it takes is a brief listen through to the band's two previously released EPs to grasp how passionate this crew is about their message and how intent they are on getting it right. <i>Strategic Arrival: The Statement</i> marks the beginning of the band and finds them dipping their toes into the water, toying with Barack Obama speech clips that tackle socioeconomic woes. <i>The Bap Is Eternal: The Argument</i>, found the band diving deeper into the rabbit hole, with a dedicated emcee in Louis. the crew has started take a heavy lyrical focus while still producing acrobatic instrumentation. Their forthcoming full-length <i>CompUtopia: The Solution </i>promises to find the band in the perfect place, vibing together as a crew and ready to produce a definitive statement that relays both positivity and dance-inducing jams. When Lane describes the band's writing process he relays one simple notion, "either it grooves with people or it doesn't." Temple5 most definitely grooves.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/157014724&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-56493928097090599192015-01-27T09:30:00.000-05:002015-01-27T10:06:10.425-05:00Oulipo announces new album "Kisses To The Sky" & shares track "Dolphins"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Oulipo have announced their forthcoming album<br />"Kisses to the Sky" and shared lead-single "Dolphins"</i></td></tr>
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It's hard to recall a band that's been as interesting to watch as Oulipo. From the first listen of <i>Primitive Ways</i> it was pretty clear that the band had potential to tap into a truly unique and compelling musical niche. It's been nearly three years since the release of <i>Primitive Ways</i> and it's clear that the band has made monumental growth since then, just take a peek into the work they've shared with the public to prove it.<br />
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Back in September of 2014 the band released a music video for "Shine On You Crazy Bastard," a track that showcased a new-found sense of restraint and maturity in their songwriting. With a compelling and sparse use of sampling, sprawling instrumentation and soaring melodies, Oulipo re-appeared as a potential powerhouse. Now the band's announced details of their upcoming full-length <i>Kisses To The Sky</i>, and while the release date is still forthcoming, they have shared a brand new track from the album, "Dolphins."</div>
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<i>Kisses To The Sky</i> was recorded over the course of a year at Bit Heart Studios in Greensboro and mixed by the iconic producer Mitch Easter at the Fidelitorium (R.E.M., Pavement) in Kersnersville. Recently Easter has been behind some of the state's finest releases from artists like Mandolin Orange and Lilac Shadows, but he's also responsible for mastering upcoming releases from folks like See Gulls and Birds of Avalon. Needless to say all you have to do is sit back with a pair of headphones to fall in love with "Dolphins."</div>
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Vocalist Ryan Trauley's voice subtly slides into a slowly building groove, wistfully gliding atop a steady rhythm. Though the verse carries along downtempo, "Dolphins" erupts into a triumphant chorus that finds Trauley's glossy falsetto unraveling into a soulful croon, making for a gorgeous musical moment. "Dolphins" alone is far more refined than any of Oulipo's previous releases, it's a rich and encompassing track that's built upon tightly packed, yet intricately layered pieces. Trauley's vocals elicit strong emotions from both their lyrical content and their melodic tendencies. And the interplay between Trauley's vocal patterns and the entrancing, yet grooving instrumentation is mesmerizing. The chorus reaches its peak with a passionate croon, and as Trauley soulfully sings out "I wouldn't dance with another," you find yourself ripped away from the moment you're in and become focused intently on these heartfelt sentiments turned into vibrant and robust pop music. Tracks like "Dolphins" and "Shine On You Crazy Bastard" provide a brief glimpse at the brilliance we have left to see from <i>Kisses to the Sky</i>, but you can check out the tracklist for now and just imagine how great this release is going to be.<br />
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<b><i>Kisses to the Sky Tracklist</i></b><br />
1. Nite Legs<br />
2. Dolphins<br />
3. Lovers On the Moon<br />
4. Shine On You Crazy Bastard<br />
5. Prisoner of Love<br />
6. Amsterdam Shag<br />
7. Blue Flames<br />
8. Kisses to the Sky<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/177067859&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-28297156748701753262015-01-26T07:29:00.000-05:002015-01-26T07:29:58.900-05:00Artist Feature: Bo White<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo Credit: James Willamor</i></td></tr>
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When you talk to most musicians about whether or not they had a direction in mind with their musical projects, you usually are greeted with a swift "no, it just kind of came out this way." It usually serves as an amalgamation of all of their current and previous influences, effortlessly turning into a style all their own. Charlotte-based musician Bo White seems to approach things a bit differently. Since White's youth he's been meticulously crafting music of all varieties, theres the math-y yet melodic indie pop of Yardwork, the guitarless symphonic pomp of Bo White y Su Orquesta and his most recent post-punk excursion of Patois Counselors, each with their own unique, defined sound that feels unlike any other. Patois Counselors will be making their live debut this Friday at Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, N.C. alongside acts like Diarrhea Planet, Junior Astronomers and Museum Mouth, so in advance we spoke with Bo about how the hell you can consistently make such a wide array of incredible music.<br />
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"I’m genuinely interested in most genres of music at any stage," White says, "precise to free, novice to virtuoso. I pay the most attention to unique elements that separate certain genres or sounds from others." So whereas many artists may find particular elements of a certain genre and build their sound around multiple facets, White seems to become enamored by one in particular and delve deep into the genre's possibilities. "If I want to do a different genre, I start another project," White states, which explains the myriad of acts that White has been a part of. He cites his most recent solo releases as the exception to these rules though, claiming that <i>Adornment</i> and <i>Millenial Tombs </i>were "compilations of experiments," which is quite the testament considering <i>Millenial Tombs</i> was listed as one of our favorite North Carolina albums of 2014. "I tried to think about them as little as possible," White proclaims, "<i>Adornment</i> is the compilation of what I could come up with in a weekend. <i>Millenial Tombs</i> is a compilation of what I could come up with in a few weeks while recovering from a stint in the hospital."<br />
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When you take into account that White can put such minimal thought into a project and still have it lauded as one of the best releases of the year, it kind of leaves you a bit floored as to what this musician is truly capable of at his finest. When discussing his creative output, White states that he's running at "medium capacity" when at his most prolific, stating that he could "write and record all day, every day" but, you know there's this whole thing called society that we probably need to interact with. Regardless of whether he's working at full capacity or not, it's astonishing to see how seamlessly White can craft such intricate works throughout such a wide selection of genres.<br />
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Frankly that astonishment is something that I'm not quite sure will ever go away. It seems as if each new project broadens White's horizons in a new and invigorating way, and that's because he's got well defined ideas as to how each new project should sound. "With any project I begin by imagining the end result," White says. "Do I want to eat Sunday brunch to this music? Do I want to spark some romance? Do I want to get bled on at the Milestone? From there I’ll shape the kernels into a form that is approximately a full song, say 3 minutes or so." If I had to take any guess as to which one of these coincides with Patois Counselors, I'd wager that its the latter. To date there's only two songs available for folks to soak in from Patois Counselors, a primarily synth-driven track entitled "Clean Skits" and "Free Jazz Complaint." The music of "Clean Skits" sounds crunchy and dissonant, propelled by brisk drumbeats and nervous wails from White that dip in and out of the mix as the warm, distorted synth line encompasses the listener. "Free Jazz Complaint" feels a bit more straight forward, it sounds a bit like if Damon Albarn were to take a foray into psyched-out punk rock. White's vocals take more of a forefront on this track while frenzied guitar lines pop in and out, soundtracking White's meta rants on free-form music.<br />
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"I wanted to blister some paint off the walls but do it in an anti-macho, smart ass way," White says of Patois Counselors. "I’ve played punk and noisier stuff before, but people forget. Even when I’m singing Sade soul through a cassette deck with clarinet samples, I feel like I’m doing it in a punk manner." White shrugs off the fact that this may be lost to some audiences, but when you go back and analyze his music through this lens it makes a bit more sense. White's got an inherently punk attitude throughout his work and Patois Counselors serves as an excellent outlet for that attitude. It's crass, but accessible, which is why it fits perfectly on the Reverb Fest bill. Joining some of the state's most revered punk-oriented acts, Patois Counselors will make their live debut this Friday evening with a fresh new band that's "that's taken [his] parts and made them more visceral," meaning you can probably expect things to get pretty wiley.<br />
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Listen to "Free Jazz Complaint" below and check out Patois Counselors at Reverb Fest in Charlotte at The Neighborhood Theatre on Jan. 30. alongside Diarrhea Planet, Junior Astronomers, Museum Mouth and Southern Femisphere.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/172492904&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-85769022843222658212014-12-23T07:15:00.000-05:002014-12-23T07:15:00.056-05:0020 Favorite North Carolina Albums of 2014It seems as if with each passing year the creative output of North Carolina increases with unfathomable speed. It's an exciting time to be a local music fan, and one of the things I've always struggled with is narrowing my "best albums of the year list" down to 10. So why not 20?! One thing I've seen recently though and admired was the format of NPR's best of list, an alphabetical catalogue of the publication's favorite releases. No race to the top, no questions of whose album is THE BEST (but seriously, <i>TL;DR</i> though), just a lengthy account of the albums we're most excited about here. It was a very eclectic year for North Carolina acts. Hiss Golden Messenger's <i>Lateness of Dancers</i> brought more international attention to our rich folk roots, while Sylvan Esso's self-titled album showcased some of the versatility and innovation that can be found within our state's music scene. Regardless of your preferred genre, there's no doubting that from Wilmington to Asheville and everywhere in between, 2014 was a great year for music.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Ancient Cities - <i>Ancient Cities</i></u></b></span><br />
Ancient Cities are one of those bands that you hear for the first time and wonder where they've been hiding at. It's everything you could really want from an indie-folk group, slow churning ballads, minimalistic anthems and a serious desire to hum along to words you don't even know yet. Ancient Cities tracks feel simultaneously vintage, steeped in 60s psych-pop brilliance, and fresh and exciting, mostly because it's hard to really pinpoint an act that's doing what Ancient Cities is sonically. As "Ostinato in D Major" bleeds into "Edie Sedgewick" morphing from a soaring, simplistic horn solo into a dynamic pop track that bounces along with vibrant melodies, you begin to realize that Ancient Cities seem to know exactly what they're doing here and that you crave much, much more of it.<br />
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<b><a href="http://ancientcities.bandcamp.com/track/edie-sedgwick-2">Listen to "Edie Sedgwick"</a></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Astro Cowboy -<br /><i>Hedonism<br />Colosseum</i></u></b></span><br />
Eastern North Carolina was putting in work this year. A scene has erupted in the area that feels like transmuted takes on surf rock, all taken into vastly different sonic territories. The sounds of Zack Mexico started out as stoner-psych surf and have morphed into something vaguely reminiscent of Frank Zappa. Eastern North Carolina acts have a sense of uninhibited exploration, and that's what makes acts like Astro Cowboy so exciting. <i>Hedonism Colosseum</i> is a collection of pop-punk inspired tracks that provides a keen, self aware glimpse into teenage life once more. Frustrations over pale skin and loneliness just sound great when belted out atop swift power chords and brisk drumbeats. There's a lot more to <i>Hedonism Colosseum</i> though then what's glaring on first listen. Much like the aforementioned Zack Mexico, it feels like Astro Cowboy are beginning to carve out their corner of the scene and morph into a truly unique and exciting outfit.<br />
<b><a href="http://astrocowboy.bandcamp.com/track/white-shoes">Listen to "White Shoes"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Bo White - <i>Millenial Tombs</i></u></b></span><br />
If awards were given out for the most versatile musicians in the state then Bo White would take the trophy year in and year out. Whether he's contributing guitar lines and vocals to the wily pop outfit Yardwork or conducting modern day masterpieces under his own name, you're likely to find yourself lost in unforgettable melodies and enveloping sonic soundscapes. On <i>Millenial Tombs, </i>Bo White seamlessly slides between a wide array of genres but still makes a phenomenally cohesive and personal album. While he's toying with funky bass lines, mesmerizing string sections or spacey synths he's also crafting intensely personal and creative lyrics like those founds in "Patient," a track that narrates life in a hospital bed and maintaining positivity. <i>Millenial Tombs</i> displays much of Bo White's breadth while still making it clear that he hasn't even touched the surface of his musical explorations. White effortlessly makes grandiose pop music that's both clever and emotional and that's something to get excited about.<br />
<a href="http://bowhite1.bandcamp.com/track/patient"><b>Listen to "Patient"</b></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Caleb Caudle - <i>Paint Another Layer on My Heart</i></u></b></span><br />
Frankly, this record feels like the Caleb Caudle album we've all wanted for quite some time now. Not to discredit any of Caudle's previous releases, but <i>Paint Another Layer on My Heart</i> feels like a true, unfiltered look behind the curtains into the life of a touring musician. Caudle's subject matter frequently tackles the tropes of life on the road, but does so in a manner that's so sincere that it feels unique. Caudle flexes his songwriting prowess here by making the layman listener connect with the life of a full-time musician that's living the bulk of their life out on the road, traveling from city to city, missing loved ones and fawning over days gone by. <i>Paint Another Layer on My Heart, </i>is an incredible glimpse into the life of a songwriter, but it's also an album filled with catchy, well-writen songs, which is reason enough to check it out in my book.<br />
<b><a href="http://calebcaudle.bandcamp.com/track/trade-all-the-lights">Listen to "Trade All The Lights"</a></b><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Collection <i>- Ars Moriendi</i></b></span></u><br />
Back in 2011, The Collection was an act that took my world by storm. Their EP was placed right in the midst of our favorite albums of the year, and since that last release the band has only continued to hone their craft. The Collection has begun to fill the hole that Lost in the Trees left in the orchestral folk area of North Carolina's music scene. David Wimbish's songwriting continues to sit at the forefront of these tracks, his voice welling with the rise of the band's extravagant instrumentation. <i>Ars Moriendi</i> has found the band gaining national foothold as well, the release premiered on AV Club and since then they've toured across the country with The Oh Hellos, selling out at highly esteemed venues like The Troubador in California. <i>Ars Moriendi</i> is only the beginning for this incredibly talented collection of musicians, their songs will continue to become more and more grandiose, delving into musical territories that have yet to be tread upon. But for now it's enough to sit back and soak in the beauty of this incredible artist.<br />
<b><a href="http://thecollection.bandcamp.com/track/the-gown-of-green">Listen to "The Gown of Green"</a></b><br />
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<b><i><b style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Crowdsource - <i>Bit Rot Blues EP</i></u></b></i></b><br />
From the moment I heard that Phil Torres had ended Baobab and was producing electronic music I felt an intense swing in emotions in a very brief period. Baobab was one of the most invigorating local acts in recent memory, so it's natural to mourn the loss of that creative output. But the second I realized that this meant I'd now be able to <i>dance</i> to Torres' tunes I was sold. And dance I have, as <i>Bit Rot Blues</i> compiles four brief but brilliant displays of production wizardry. Combining densely packed, house-inspired beats with obscure vocal samples, Torres builds an immense wall of sound that weaves in and out of maximalistic tendencies while still proving to be concise and infectious. I'm genuinely excited to hear the direction that Crowdsource takes musically, as the possibilities are damn near infinite given the genres being tackled on <i>Bit Rot Blues</i>. All I know is I'll be shamelessly dancing my ass off to it.<br />
<b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/xlr8r/crowdsource-gone-up">Listen to "Gone Up"</a></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Floating Action - <i>Body Questions</i></u></span></b><br />
Seth Kauffman is quite possibly one of the state's most under appreciated talents, but strangely enough I feel as if he prefers it that way. Though he's received co-signs from artists like Jim James and Dan Auerbach, Kauffman has flown safely under the radar within the North Carolina music scene and in the process has crafted an already impressive array of widely explorative albums. Just seeing the sheer difference in the first two tracks on <i>Body Questions</i> gives a solid glance as to Kauffman's array of songwriting skills. "Taking Me A Little While" is a great bit of self-critical indie rock while "Unrevenged" delves into pseudo-R&B inspired folk rock that piques the listener's interests with bright melodies countered by dark, yet occasionally quirky subject matter. "You've got a special arrow just to shoot at me/That's so gangster and so true," croons Kauffman, shortly before he laments on his fixation on not leaving these acts "unrevenged," unable to pull away from a desire to make things right while his words push him away from that goal.<i> Body Questions</i> delves into some unexpected sonic territory that will make each listen through an exciting experience to find new quirks or lines to fall in love with.<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/cpvevkR2xeI"><b>Listen to "Unrevenged"</b></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Hiss Golden Messenger - <i>Lateness of Dancers</i></u></b></span><br />
It was only a matter of time before people started catching on to M.C. Taylor's unabashedly honest folk-rock, but few could have expected that <i>Lateness of Dancers</i> would be the massive album it turned out to be. Echoes of Van Morrison are abound with lush arrangements that are centered around some seriously compelling grooves. Taylor performs vocal acrobatics but does so with humility, he's got rhythmically compelling melodies that flesh out his already stellar lyrics. <i>Lateness of Dancers</i> is the perfect album for the fall, it's wrapped in warm tones and rustic themes. Whether Taylor is singing of looking back or moving forward, <i>Lateness of Dancers</i> is always a richly introspective listening experience that's best served with a warm beverage and a desire to completely lose yourself within an album.<br />
<b><a href="http://youtu.be/Hkdsr-NpyDI">Listen to "Mahogany Dread"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Jack Carter and The Armory - <i>Billy The Kid</i></u></b></span><br />
The sounds that emanate from Jack Carter and The Armory remind me fondly of the sounds of Nathan Asher and The Infantry, and it's not just because of the similarity in names. It's because they both share the same sort of intensity, they're both vocalists who don't seem to be shouting out these lyrics for show, but because they <i>need</i> it. <i>Billy The Kid</i> contains the same since of urgency, it's an album that provides excellent pacing but mostly excels when it's being propelled at you with tenacity. Tracks like the opener "King of Michigan" roll in slowly and in turn unravel into pieces of Americana-driven excellence, however when Carter's drawl turns to a shout on tracks like "Smith & the West End" or tumbles into a growl on "Blind, I" as he scathingly sings of life in the Arab Spring and the struggles that many experience that go unnoticed. Carter tackles some lofty topics on <i>Billy The Kid</i>, but it's done with passion and frankly that's all you need to evoke emotion amongst your listeners. And when listening to <i>Billy The Kid</i>, it's phenomenally easy to become entrenched in these songs, so that doesn't hurt either.<br />
<b><a href="http://jackcarterandthearmory.bandcamp.com/track/smith-the-west-end">Listen to "Smith & The West End"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Last Year's Men - <i>Underwhelmed</i></u></b></span><br />
Last Year's Men display all of their snark and swagger within the title of their highly anticipated sophomore full-length <i>Underwhelmed</i>. After being propelled to local stardom with 2010's <i>Sunny Down Snuff</i>, the boys of Last Year's Men seemed to fall to the wayside. Their hype and momentum didn't go anywhere, but the four year wait between albums is a bit strange for locals. Perhaps it was due to mounting pressures, making sure that the album wouldn't live up to it's titular phrase, or perhaps they just enjoyed the various other projects they'd been involved in more than buckling down on Last Year's Men. Either way, whatever they did in the four-year period worked wonders, because the second that I heard the lead single "By The Way," I knew this was going to be an excellent album. Last Year's Men bring more no-frills garage rock that proves to be one of the most accessible releases of the year. Do you like guitars? Do you like songs about love and self-loathing? Big fan of brief, punctual tracks that linger in your head for days? Check out <i>Underwhelmed</i> and you'll be anything but.<br />
<b><a href="http://lastyearsmen.bandcamp.com/track/by-the-way-2">Listen to "By The Way"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Lilac Shadows - <i>No Dark/No Light</i></u></b></span><br />
Lilac Shadows have had one of their biggest and most interesting years to date with 2014. The band released their most fully realized record to date, but shortly thereafter their live show reflected none of this new expansive nature. Not to throw any shade at the band's live line-up, but a lineup change prevented these tracks from being fleshed out live as one would expect, so instead the band has driven towards a more aggressive psych sound as opposed to the dreamy soundscapes found on <i>No Dark/No Light</i>. <i>No Dark/No Light </i>is an excellent record that finds the band pushing their own musical boundaries. There's simultaneously more grit <i>and </i>pomp than there was before, the group has broadened their musical horizons as opposed to digging into a niche as local acts are wont to do. Tracks like "Tunnels," "Tsunami," and "No Dark/No Light" are wonderful examples of this fact, each one boasts a bit of its own sound, whether that be a continuously chugging bass line that drives the song, a particularly expansive vocal melody that's washed in reverb or an energetic guitar riff that fleshes out the drones of synths. Lilac Shadows have found themselves on the path to something incredible on <i>No Dark/No Light</i>, and having heard what's come next I've got to say that you're all in for a treat.<br />
<b><a href="http://lilacshadows.bandcamp.com/track/no-dark-no-light">Listen to "No Dark/No Light"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Lost in the Tress - <i>Past Life</i></u></b></span><br />
When it comes to North Carolina artists with a pronounced and compelling career path, it's hard to find one better than Lost in the Trees. From the beginning their songs were focused on ornate arrangements and heart-wrenching lyrics, not much has changed in that department. However, the tools have shifted in incredibly exciting ways on <i>Past Life</i>. Transforming from an orchestral folk band into art-rock excellence, Lost in the Trees' brilliantly woven stories are projected upon a bed of synths, electric guitars and gorgeous atmospheric harmonies. Some serious grooves are hiding within some of these songs though, the bassline on "Lady in White", the subtle swing in "Night Walking," and that unforgettable guitar riff from "Past Life." With Lost in the Trees recent ending, <i>Past Life</i> serves as a grandiose swan song for this monumental local artist.<br />
<b><a href="http://youtu.be/p7dT_rFnd1o">Listen to "Past Life"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Spider Bags - <i>Frozen Letter</i></u></b></span><br />
When <i>Shake My Head </i>was first released I knew that Spider Bags would be a band I'd grow to love immensely. When <i>Frozen Letter</i> came out that thought was confirmed. Though it'd be easy to pigeonhole them as a garage rock band, there's so much more to love about Spider Bags, the subtly infused southern-rock tinge, Dan McGee's effortless drawl mixed with snarling intensity. Whether they're rocking frenetic shouts of love infused with paranoia on "Chem Trails"or musing on a spider that's crawling across the wall like on "Japanese Vacation," they're doing so with an infectious intensity that beckons the listener to bounce and shout along. Spider Bags are crafting some of the most exciting and energetic music in the Triangle, and lately it's seemed like the rest of the nation as started to pick up on their brilliance as well. Needless to say I'm thrilled about what's to come from this band.<br />
<b><a href="http://youtu.be/fnIBH-JoTQk">Listen to "Chem Trails"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Sylvan Esso - <i>Sylvan Esso</i></u></b></span><br />
Little is left to be said about Sylvan Esso that hasn't already been covered a million times before. This powerhouse duo has erupted throughout their short lifespan, from humble Hopscotch day party beginnings to sold out dates across the nation, late night television spots, and spots in commercials. But the buzz band status hasn't changed how incredible this music is, intricately arranged tracks are driven by slowly churning bass lines, screaming snares and sharp hi-hats. The instrumentation is literally only half of what you can fall in love with about this band, Amelia Meath's inimitable vocal stylings are what really push Sylvan Esso towards the forefront. Simplistic productions serve as the backdrop for Meath's vocal acrobatics that range from a soft croon to hearty shouts and passionate wails. From top to bottom this album is damn near perfect, and by the time the closer "Come Down" is winding this brilliant debut down, you've finally had time to process just how unique and wonderful this dance-pop duo is and how ridiculously exciting it is to see where they go from here.<br />
<b><a href="http://youtu.be/juJ93KfnLC8">Liten to "H.S.K.T."</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>T0W3RS - <i>TL;DR</i></u></b></span><br />
Seeing an artist grow as much as we've seen from T0W3RS is one of the main reasons I love music as much as I do. When I first stumbled upon T0W3RS' day party set at an overcrowded Busy Bee at Hopsotch many years ago I was compelled by how forward-thinking this simplistic indie-pop music was. There were hints of Animal Collective, surely, but there was tons of originality involved as well. Syncopated rhythms took a backdrop to Torres' vividly defined melodies, even with a full band of musicians the focus primarily shifted towards the powerful lyrical nature of T0W3RS music. Stripped of a backing band, T0W3RS has turned everyone's expectations upside down once more by releasing arguably the best album of the year with <i>TL;DR. </i>Torres has seamlessly made the transition from indie-rock figurehead to electronic pop icon in North Carolina, adopting an androgynous stage persona to bring these rich, downtrodden pop songs to life. From album opener "Cups" onwards, Torres releases every innermost thought and feeling, whether that be frustration over lost friends and loves, breaking down emotional barriers or simply raising a toast to curiosity, Torres is doing so with unabashed honesty. I'd say <i>TL;DR</i> feels like Torres' magnum opus, but that would insinuate that there's not limitless talent hiding inside of his mind, which is frankly just incorrect.<br />
<b><a href="http://t0w3rs.bandcamp.com/track/cups">Listen to "Cups"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Tashi Dorji - <i>Tashi Dorji</i></u></b></span><br />
One of the things that I love most about this scene is the sheer diversity. Acts like Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba have grown to call North Carolina home despite how different their music is from others in the area. The same can be said for Tashi Dorji, a mind-bending guitarist from Asheville by way of Bhutan. Dorji has been in Asheville for the past 14 years and has steadily been releasing a wide array of incredibly compelling music composed entirely with a guitar. Dorji pushes the limitations of this stringed instrument by dabbling in some truly perplexing rhythms and melodies, making his instrument sing in a manner that others could only dream. Hell, I couldn't even <i>dream</i> up the sounds that are found on <i>Tashi Dorji</i>, an album that compiles work from throughout his career along with a few other unreleased tracks to create a compendium of Dorji's incredible songs. No doubt this self-titled effort can be a difficult listen for those that haven't delved into more abstract or avant garde pieces of music, but for those that can appreciate the art of blank space, honing in on what's <i>not</i> there and pinpointing the brilliancy found in what <i>is, </i>oh you'll thoroughly enjoy Tashi Dorji's work.<br />
<b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/hermit-hut-records/improvisation-i">Listen to "Improvisation I"</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>The Tender Fruit - <i>The Darkness Comes</i></b> </u></span><br />
From the opening track of <i>The Darkness Comes</i>, it's clear that Christy Smith's songwriting prowess is ever increasing. As Smith's delicate falsetto glides over a track filled with minimal instrumentation, it's apparent that <i>The Darkness Comes</i> will be filled with heartbreaking moments of beauty and pain that have morphed together into one conflicting entity of bittersweet glory. "We never, never, never really let go do we? We never, never, never really can" croons Smith, her voice cracking along with the words to tug at your heart strings. Whereas <i>Lateness of Dancers</i> serves as that perfect fall album to sit down and slip away into the ethos, <i>The Darkness Comes</i> is the fall record filled with introspective tracks for the lonesome homebody looking for solidarity in their sadness. Not to say that <i>The Darkness Comes</i> can be pigeonholed so easily, but much of the subject matter finds itself pretty conducive to these situations. "Tried My Best" is a song that confidently echoes these statements as Smith sings of how "All of my nights are cold now/my covers are small and lean/Though I do sleep here all alone/At least I sleep long and deep." It's a record that finds Smith and her listeners becoming comfortable with that impending darkness, boasting a wide range of rustic southern imagery and personal sentiments that gets southern folks like myself right in the feels.<br />
<b><a href="http://thetenderfruit.bandcamp.com/track/weighted-down">Listen to "Weighted Down"</a></b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">The Tills - <i>Howlin'</i></span></u></b><br />
If I had to pick and MVP for North Carolina's music scene in 2014, it'd most definitely be Phuzz Records. The outlet that's been responsible for much of Winston-Salem's recent revival brought an incredible festival to the city with Phuzz Phest 2014, but they also helped two of the state's finest records reach the masses. While T0W3RS may have received the bulk of the attention, let's not forget how incredible Asheville's The Tills' <i>Howlin' </i>is. <i>Howlin' </i>is a well polished piece of rock n' roll excellence, the songs have an excellent core with driving rhythms and sharp lyricism, but the <i>swagger</i> is what makes The Tills so great. Whether vocalist Harry Harrison is pulling out a smooth falsetto as he ponders over a meaningless future on tracks like "Gee Golly" or shouting out his frustrations over ex-lovers in "Who Wants You", he's doing so with an exuberant sense of purpose. <i>Howlin' </i>is an excellently produced record, which in a period of a lo-fi craze is really something to celebrate. If you're looking for an excellent, albeit brief, excursion into something a bit more punk than you'd usually tackle then <i>Howlin' </i>is a fantastic place to start.<br />
<b><a href="http://thetills.bandcamp.com/track/gee-golly">Listen to "Gee Golly"</a></b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Wesley Wolfe - <i>Numbskull</i></span></u></b><br />
One of the things that I love the most about Wesley Wolfe is that you're always guaranteed to have a record that's accessible, catchy, and personal. It's hard to make all of that mesh together, it'd be easy for an artist like Wesley Wolfe to delve into some piddly sonic explorations, but instead he's set on making concise pop tracks. Which he does phenomenally well. <i>Numbskull</i> is Wolfe's first album in 3 years and it certainly doesn't disappoint, from the get-go he's pulling out all the stops with introspective songs whose melodies wiggle their way in long before the lyrics. As you find yourself singing along to "Cloud Cuckoo" you realize how damn sad it gets, but you can't help but bounce and sway along regardless. "Give me back my heart/Keep my time and keep my thoughts/But give me back my heart, give me back my hopeless heart," Wolfe sings in a tone that feels numbed to the words, fumbling out of his mouth in a lackadaisical manner. <i>Numbskull</i> is made all the more impressive when you account for the fact that everything that wasn't mastering and artwork for the actual album was handled by Wolfe, the writing, the instrumentation, the recording, all Wolfe. He's the DIY king of the Triangle and I'll be damned if he hasn't made another brilliant piece of work on his own.<br />
<b><a href="http://wesleywolfe.bandcamp.com/track/cloud-cuckoo">Listen to "Cloud Cuckoo"</a></b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Zack Mexico - <i>Run out of Money and Die</i></span></u></b><br />
Aside from very obviously winning the "Album Title of the Year" award, Zack Mexico made a damn fine collection of songs as well. Whether you're reveling in the expansive pot-smoking anthem "Reputation," wondering what the hell is going on in "Reed Frost," or losing yourself in the vastness of "Lucy," you're most definitely vibing throughout it all. Zack Mexico is a band that operates on their own frequencies, that's probably why someone <i>allegedly</i> whipped their dick out mid-set at The Kosher Hut a few weeks ago. Zack Mexico isn't a band that's afraid to take chances, each of their three full-length albums they've released in the past two years have been markedly different but also felt like a well defined plunge into the psyche of these incredibly talented and adventurous musicians. The band has recently taken a break from shows to complete work on yet another album, proving that sometimes you don't have to choose between quality and quantity, sometimes you just get lucky and fantastic musicians start throwing their music at you as fast as you can consume it. Sign me up for more, please.<br />
<b><a href="http://zackmex.bandcamp.com/track/reputation">Listen to "Reputation"</a></b>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-90692129641654063062014-12-12T06:45:00.000-05:002014-12-12T06:45:00.644-05:00On Local MusicSo The Bottom String hasn't been incredibly active for the past month or so, and for that, local music fans, I apologize. But alas the train has found itself back upon the tracks and we're rolling out a lot of exciting content in the new year. 2014 has been an astounding year for local music, next week we'll have our Top 20 North Carolina albums of the year posted, but this week marks a very pivotal point in the local music scene, at least for myself. Tonight at Haw River Ballroom marks the last Lost in the Trees show "for the foreseeable future."<br />
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Change like this is natural, its an ebb and flow. But as all of you likely know, Lost in the Trees is, has been, and always will be my favorite local act. From the minute that I saw the 13-piece band jam into the abandoned shops of Old City Hall in New Bern I knew I'd stumbled upon something special. That was roughly six years ago when I learned that a mere two and a half hour drive would place me into a hotbed of awe-inspiring talent. Artists like Lost in the Trees don't come around that often, even when you're surrounded by the talent that North Carolina possesses. Albums like <i>All Alone in an Empty House</i> serve as a snapshot, a moment in time where someone's artistic output served as much needed therapy for not only the writer, but for countless others who've undergone similar experiences. Anyone who's seen a parent struggle with depression, lived in an abusive home, had their heart broken, they've connected with pieces of music just like this. But I can safely say that I've never seen a piece of work as sincere, as passionate or as moving as Lost in the Trees' <i>All Alone in an Empty House</i>.<br />
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It's easy to let the melancholy wash over you without second thought while you immerse yourself in swelling strings, sharp guitars and rich harmonies. But to stop and take in the themes and the messages will shed a whole new light upon things. <i>So surround yourself with good people. I know it's painful but we can stand...Asked to forgive when you're still angry, if I can't heal my heart then forgive me</i>. They're astonishingly powerful words that can easily get lost amidst the pomp and fanfare of the stellar instrumentation.<br />
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Maybe I'm just fanboy-ing out here because I'm about to see Lost in the Trees for the last time, maybe I'm just trying to share how incredibly important this band has been to my life, but either way it's a statement that needs to be uttered. Lost in the Trees, and artists like them, are the very reason that I've fallen in love with this music scene. I have zero doubt in my mind that Haw River Ballroom will be shoulder to shoulder, filled with fans, friends, musicians, and all around incredible people sharing beautiful moments with one another at one of the most scenic venues in the country. Being able to see a career trajectory as heart-warming as that of Lost in the Trees doesn't happen very often. From humble beginnings at Trekky Records to international acclaim with Anti, from the therapeutic symphonies of <i>All Alone in an Empty House </i>and <i>A Church That Fit our Needs </i>to the electronic whirs of <i>Past Life</i>, the sincerity and talent on display within this band is something that can never be paralleled for me.<br />
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Allow this to serve as a "thank you," to Ari and Emma, to Joah and Mark, Will and Leah, Jenavieve and Andrew, to Trekky Records, to any musician who's ever put themselves in a vulnerable position by revealing their innermost thoughts, feelings and fears and help others cope with their own. Thank you for letting some awestruck 19 year old stand in front of you with a shitty video camera for his brand new blog. You're the foundation that holds not only our music scene together, but everyone's scene. Shows like this re-ignite my passion to share local music with the masses, to shout from a mountaintop that "this band is mind blowing and you need to experience this before it's too late." Support your local scene, buy the albums, share it with friends, take them to shows, foster the community that you wish to be a part of. Most importantly, surround yourself with good people.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JixR4BjUgIc" width="545"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-33760900583261561032014-11-11T08:41:00.000-05:002014-11-11T08:41:03.834-05:00Show Review: Denzel Curry & Deniro Farrar at The Cat's Cradle Backroom<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deniro Farrar at the Cat's Cradle Backroom</td></tr>
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This was the second night in a row in which I was at the Cat's Cradle, however, this time I was going to the Backroom. When I first entered the venue, they were mixing LCD Soundsystem's "Dance Yrself Clean" with A Tribe Called Quest's "Electric Relaxation". I knew the night was going to be very interesting after delving into their pre-show playlist.</div>
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Opening the show were Greensboro rappers, Big Whiskey and Pscril. Without a DJ to mix their music, BW was left to play their music off his laptop. Regardless of the DJ situation, BW and Pscril sufficiently warmed up the crowd with some of great tracks such as "Hideaway" featuring Chapel Hill rapper Skyblew, "The Man of my City" featuring Spanish Harlem rapper Dave East, and Pscril's self-produced track, "Keep Strivin'". They ended the night with an awesome track called "Scottie Pippen", which got the crowd jumping and moshing. You can check out both rappers catalog of banger tracks on Big Whiskey's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/BigWhiskeyNC/videos" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a> and Pscril's <a href="https://soundcloud.com/pscril-1" target="_blank">SoundCloud page</a>.<br />
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Unfortunately, the next act, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/bodygames" target="_blank">Body Games</a>, was unable to make it due to "logistics beyond [their] control." I had first seen this Carrboro group perform at Kennedy Theatre during the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh. At their show back in September, they were joined on stage by Charlotte rapper, <a href="https://twitter.com/wellwellwells" target="_blank">Well$</a>, who was the act that followed Big Whiskey and Pscril. I was not too familiar with his raps, but he drew a pretty good crowd for his set. Well$ did some acapella raps in the middle of his set, which is always impressive. At the end of his set, he told the crowd to come see him at the merch table by saying "Come talk to me, I swear I'm not awkward."<br />
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Well$ left the stage soon after I finished my second Pabst, and the atmosphere in the Cat's Cradle Backroom was getting quite 'turnt'. Flat brim hats, basketball jerseys, and saggy skinny jeans were abound in this young crowd. Lana Del Rey was playing in the background as I ascended the stairs to the upper level to get a better view of the primary acts. Gazing down at the sound guy, Deniro Farrar's manager Meko was using his phone to illuminate the setlist (SCORE!). DuRu Tha King was up next followed by JK the Reaper, and closing the night was Denzel Curry with a 40 minute set and Deniro Farrar with a 45 minute set. As I was leaning over the railing, I looked to my left and caught a glimpse of Deniro Farrar and his crew hanging out in the green room.<br />
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A few minutes later, DJ Trap hit the stage to warm up the crowd with some of his beats. He is Deniro Farrar's road DJ and enjoys playing some EDM-rap fusion. When he dropped tracks at Kennedy Theatre, they fell on deaf ears, as the crowd was fairly empty as most had been drawn to The War on Drugs show. However, he dropped several tracks that had a dubstep / brostep vibe that got the crowd jumping and moshing again.<br />
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DuRu Tha King came out to a warmed up crowd, and started dropping his own tracks. There were a few tracks that stood out above all else, one of which was "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et57C6dzWeU" target="_blank">Smoked Out</a>". You could smell a hint of ganja in the air. He ended his set with a track he played with Deniro Farrar at Hopscotch, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEKx8bhScL0" target="_blank">Social Status</a>", however, this time it was sans-Farrar. Check out DuRu Tha King's 12-track mixtape <i>Indoor Plus +</i> on his <a href="http://www.djbooth.net/index/albums/review/duru-tha-king-indoor-plus" target="_blank">DJ Booth page</a>.<br />
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JK the Reaper, another Greensboro native, followed DuRu's set with his own DJ, Posh Shabbat (who also DJs for Denzel Curry). He had some serious sound issues, with some truly horrible reverb. One girl shouted "Don't let that get you down!" and others started a "JK" chant. The one line that stuck with me was "I feel like the rarest Yugioh card". The energy in the Backroom was palpable, as you see many locals dap each other and other friendly gestures. From atop by perch, I had a full view of all the different social groups and cliques in the venue, and overall, the crowd was VERY diverse. Before JK The Reaper's set ended, Denzel Curry came out on stage in his Xanax hoodie and started with one of his biggest tracks, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuiwNb-Pxcc" target="_blank">Parents</a>".<br />
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Soon after hitting the stage with his backwards Darth Vader mask, he took off his Xanax hoodie to reveal a Stankonia shirt (major props). Many times during his set, Denzel would climb up on the leftmost speaker and eat bars like a pill-head. Halfway through Denzel's set, he picked two guys from the front row and split the crowd in two. He then instructed that the two lucky guys were the 'leaders' of the left and rights sides of the crowd, respectively. Once the beat dropped, the crowd went WILD and started moshing! I took a video of it, but it did no justice to truly express the insanity that was unfolding a few feet below the balcony, as people were getting knocked around, hitting the floor, pushing and shoving. Denzel closed his set with his biggest hit, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnVI_x5g0I" target="_blank">Threats</a>", which is one of his trappiest bangers. Trap arms and bow-flexing soon followed.<br />
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DJ Trap came back out a few minutes after Denzel Curry's set came to a close and started dropping more of his EDM/Rap fusion tracks. The 'VIP' balcony next to me emptied out, which signaled the start of Deniro Farrar's set. His crew came out on stage first, but were quickly followed by the Charlotte-native, Dante Farrar a.k.a Deniro Farrar. He brought the bangers out first, with tracks such as the Ryan Hemsworth produced track "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hyyT8yOppA" target="_blank">Big Tookie</a>" and "Kill Your Idols". Much like his set during Thursday's Hopscotch lineup, he performed an acapella version of "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlro5LWFWEU" target="_blank">Days Go By</a>". His next track, "Fears", uses a slowed down version of Schoolboy Q's "Man of the Year", which got the crowd absolutely HYPE. Deniro commanded the crowd to wave "left, right, left, right". Deniro started handing out water bottles to the front row and said "Gotta keep you kids hydrated". After finishing one of his more recent releases, "Rebirth", Denzel Curry ran back out on stage! Deniro and Denzel closed out the night with their collaborative tracks "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICFJKsW963A" target="_blank">Bow Down</a>" and "<a href="https://soundcloud.com/denirofarrarmusic/deniro-farrar-and-denzel-curry-feel-like-that" target="_blank">Feel Like That</a>". These two young rappers have just blown up in the past year and just finished up the last stop of their Bow Down Tour, so expect some new collaborative work from them sooner rather than later.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18403405973986081737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-6461653487201524672014-11-04T14:07:00.002-05:002014-11-05T07:29:32.414-05:00Show Review: Temples w/ Spires<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Spires at The Cat's Cradle</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">'Take me away to the twilight zone' is the quote that most stuck with me on my drive to Carrboro to see Temples at the Cat's Cradle. If you've never been to this wonderful, local venue, definitely check it out. Every show there feels like an 'underground, secret concert' that no one knows about but every seems to be there anyways. The entrance is now in the rear due to some renovations, but that doesn't stop the Cat's Cradle promoters from attracting a wide variety of well-known artists to come perform.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">The opening act, Spires, offered up one of the best opening performances of any band I've seen at the Cradle. The airy vocals of front-man Jason mix well with their blend of dreamy keyboards and intricate guitar riffs. Playing hits such as "Comic Book" and "Sleepy Eyes", Spires more than warmed up the crowd for Temples, and even performed one of their new songs, "Parallel Lines". They closed their set with an awesome extended version of "Candy Flip".</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">After Spires broke down all their equipment, there were a few guys on stage near some old-school projectors. I also spotted an older, bearded fellow on the elevated area to the left with a modern projector. The videos I had seen prior to this show had a CRAZY visualizer. The guys on stage used translucent lens and plates to mix a concoction of colors and oils. It's difficult to describe how the visualizer looked in words, but suffice to say it was mindblowing. In the 60s, these so-called 'analog liquid lightshows' were pretty common, but the dominance of lasers, LEDs, and large screens made this ancient technology all but forgotten. The group responsible for Temple's visualiser go by the name Mad Alchemy. Check out their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mad.alchemy.5" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> for a photo gallery of their work, it's quite amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">In addition to the liquid lightshow, Temples torn the friggin' place down as the opened their set with their album title-track, "Sun Structures". The followed that with one of my personal favorites, "A Question Isn't Answered", which got the crowd clapping along to the song. During one of the 'crowd-banter' sessions, James Edward Bagshaw (Guitar / Lead Vocals) addressed the audience and a girl shouted "EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS AWESOME!" Laughter ensued soon after the comment.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Temples at The Cat's Cradle</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Whammy bars and guitar changes were rife, as the Bagshaw had to change out his axe several times. The British group melted faces with haunting melodies and synthesizers. My main focus the entire performance were the BEAUTIFUL Gresch guitars that Bagwell had at his disposal. Regardless of the brand of guitar he wielded, the entire night harkened back to a sound of the early Beatles, with a hint of Pink Floyd. If you closed your eyes, you were almost taken to the Ed Sullivan show and Ringo, Paul, John, and George (the best Beatle) were on stage playing their hearts out for the world to see. Opening your eyes, you realize you are witnessing a modern iteration of the greatest Britain has to offer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">They continued their set with hits such as "Keep in the Dark", and ended their set with "Shelter Song". In total, they only played ten songs, and the cats in the crowd were ready for an encore. After leaving us hanging for a minute while their 'guitar guy' was setting up for their final few songs, we were graced with a spectacular encore. Temples began their encore with a song with which I was not too familiar, "The Guesser". Strangely enough, this is now my favorite track off of their debut album, <i>Sun Structures</i>. Fortunately, they saved the best for last, an extended version of "Mesmerise", fitting for the atmosphere Temples and Mad Alchemy had created that magical night at The Cat's Cradle. If you haven't already, check out their music, merch, and other stuff on <a href="http://templestheband.com/" target="_blank">their website</a>, you definitely won't regret it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Expect more reviews and previews on The Bottom String very soon. You can also follow my hectic live-local music performance schedule on my blog, <a href="http://teehamusic.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">TeehaMusic</a>.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18403405973986081737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-39837708509611861212014-10-30T12:03:00.000-04:002014-10-31T08:42:58.021-04:00Show Preview: The “Bow Down” Tour feat. Denzel Curry & Deniro Farrar<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE28-ytZXnS5jXYnvJiaWqzKg1nP0YlSHiwi72Rw2N5aDFxyJyv3P4rxqQvQIe__zvoFqTFabsPqQT190TQ0KoFtpKbXn4e3dbDLekCuHUbilbjRt31DJJqxXU9vRxVchBr49-aUVgunhe/s1600/deniro-farrar-denzel-curry-bow-down-video.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE28-ytZXnS5jXYnvJiaWqzKg1nP0YlSHiwi72Rw2N5aDFxyJyv3P4rxqQvQIe__zvoFqTFabsPqQT190TQ0KoFtpKbXn4e3dbDLekCuHUbilbjRt31DJJqxXU9vRxVchBr49-aUVgunhe/s1600/deniro-farrar-denzel-curry-bow-down-video.jpg" height="170" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denzel Curry & Deniro Farrar</td></tr>
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Many people may say hip-hop is dead, and that is true if you have been listening to anything on the radio. There's no depth in pop-rap, it's just a bunch of kids that want to drink Cristal or hang with Jay-Z. Who doesn't want to do that? However, there are many up-and-coming rappers that have been making a name for themselves with meaningful lyrics over some fire beats. Two rappers that have been essential in the resurrection of the rap-game are Denzel Curry and Deniro Farrar.<br />
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My first experience with Charlotte-local Deniro Farrar was at Kennedy Theatre at Hopscotch this year. His set was right before Lunice, so the atmosphere was already quite 'turnt'. We were warmed up with one of tonight's openers, Body Games, who had a special guest, join them on their visualizer, Jonah Hill. Another of tonight's openers, Well$, joined Body Games on stage for one song as well, something I'm sure we'll see some of tonight. The only set I was not excited about though was Deniro Farrar, however, my assumptions were shattered when he hit the stage. Although the crowd wasn't enormous, it felt like the room was packed wall to wall as he threw down several bangers. Deniro has also collaborated with several well-known producers including Ryan Hemsworth and Flosstradamus. He's released 5 studio albums over the course of the past four years, and even released an EP earlier this year, <i>Rebirth</i>. If you have been sleeping on Deniro, you need to wake up and check him out!<br />
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The other rapper on the 'Bow Down' Tour is Denzel Curry. The 19-year-old Floridian released his debut album, <i>Nostalgic 64</i>, over a year ago. He got his start by posting his first mixtape on SpaceGhostPurrp's Facebook page, and since then, his fanbase has grown exponentially. He collaborated with Deniro for the first time this year with their track "Bow Down". Soon after they announced the 'Bow Down' Tour which is making a stop at the Cat's Cradle Backroom tonight. The two rappers have a stacked opening line-up with several local acts including, JK The Reaper, Duru Tha King, Well$, Body Games [cancelled], and Big Whiskey.<br />
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The show starts at 8:00 and doors open at 7:00. Tickets are $15 in advance and at the door. Check out the video for Deniro Farrar and Denzel Curry's "Bow Down" below and purchase tickets <a href="http://www.catscradle.com/event/634307-bow-down-tour-denzel-carrboro/" target="_blank">here</a>:<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18403405973986081737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-54693825943261954912014-10-29T08:51:00.000-04:002014-10-29T08:51:06.900-04:00Show Preview: Temples w/ Spires at Cat's Cradle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2014 boasts a strange musical landscape to say the least. The internet is currently exploding over a cat-centric remix of a snarling hip-hop album, and those that aren't may be slyly soaking in the new Taylor Swift album or something of that ilk. Basically the spectrum of possibilities for a "buzz-band" are endless, and thanks to folks like Tame Impala it's kind of become cool to harken back to the simplistic psych-rock of old. Not to say that acts like Temples are blasé by any means, but there's something about the band that feels far less niched than their contemporaries. There's no strange oddities or tweaked out, pitch changed oscillating vocals, just straight forward pop-tinged psych-rock. And frankly that's what has become so enjoyable about this band.<br />
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Temples released their debut full-length, <i>Sun Structures</i>, back in February and since then have been gradually building acclaim as one of the "best new bands out of Britain," according to folks like Johnny Marr and Noel Gallagher. Temples take what feels like an old sonic trope, the swirling guitars, simplistic melodies and soaring synths of yore, but puts a contemporary twist on them. While their musical pallet may not rival the likes of the aforementioned Tame Impala or the personality found within acts like Foxygen, Temples still do a damn fine job of capturing the nostalgia of <i>Revolver-</i>era Beatles and spitting out new subject matter for a generation of fans that may not be as privy to the music from decades past.<br />
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Sure one could say that Temples isn't the <i>most</i> original act around, there's not a ton of defining factors within their music that makes them characteristically <i>them</i>, but just because their tracks may be devoid of an outstanding personality doesn't make them bland or uninteresting. Frankly artists like Temples are essential, their songs are aesthetically pleasing and certainly lend themselves to a live setting, where lyrical content may not reign supreme but the melodies that carry those lyrics make all the difference. Which is truly where Temples shines, they can write a memorable hook and make it mesh brilliantly with their wistful instrumentation.<br />
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Spires will serve as an awesome dip into the psychedelic pool as well, following in a similar musical trajectory, Spires draw upon the psychedelic rock of the 60s to churn out a fresh sound that's all their own. This Brooklyn based band will provide an interesting dichotomy to see how region effects influence, they're making remarkably similar music to Temples but are doing so from an entirely different area, thus drawing upon a wide array of influences that Temples may not have delved into.<br />
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The show starts at 8:30 pm with doors opening at 7:30. Tickets are $16 in advance and $18 at the door. Check out the video for Temples' "Shelter Song" below and purchase tickets <a href="http://www.catscradle.com/event/595605-temples-carrboro/">here</a>:<br />
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vs4i41cOv0s" width="545"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-87099756124658284342014-10-23T08:56:00.001-04:002014-10-23T08:57:23.761-04:00The Collection share live performance of "The Middle One"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Collection will perform in Charlotte at<br />The Visulite Theatre on Saturday Oct. 25</i></td></tr>
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I'll never forget the feeling of elation that overcame me when I heard the opening notes of The Collection's self-titled EP. A faint banjo rolls slowly through your ears, repeating its refrain as David Wimbish's delicate, warbly vocals sneak their way in to the minimalistic track. As subtle harmonies slowly build the song erupts into a brilliantly orchestrated display of shameless emotionality and spirituality. The Collection may draw much of their lyrical content from religious subject matter, but it's not an exclusive act, as the emotions and imagery evoked from this powerful music can touch the spiritual and secular alike.<br />
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This past year the band has begun to blossom in ways that even the most dedicated fan could have never guessed. Upon the release of <i>Ars Moriendi </i>this past July, the band began to receive a lot more national attention. Their record premiered on AV Club which lead to a whole slew of new outlets and listeners finding out about this once overlooked act. Since then they've been branching out of their quaint little pocket of North Carolina and hitting the road to spread their joyful, triumphant songs and today marks the first day of their latest outing.<br />
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To kick off this month-long string of dates, The Collection is sharing a wonderfully intimate performance that was recorded in Chicago this past August. The band prefaced their time in the city by claiming that they "were not expecting things to go great" since it was their first show in Chicago, but a few songs into their set they see fans shouting along to every word, something that frankly is hard not to do once you grow acquainted with this act. And naturally, as the road is want to do, these devoted onlookers became friends and cohorts of The Collection, letting the band crash in their studio and filming a gorgeous, sparse performance of "The Middle One," a track from <i>Ars Moriendi</i>. Check out the band's performance below and be sure to catch them on tour if they're stopping through your city:<br />
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<b><u>The Collection Tour Dates:</u></b><br />
<b><i>October</i></b><br />
23 - Elkins Park Train Station in Philadelphia, PA<br />
24 - Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, NY<br />
25 - Visulite Theatre in Charlotte, NC<br />
30 - Off Broadway in St. Louis, MO<br />
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<b><i>November</i></b><br />
3 - The State Room in Salt Lake City, UT<br />
5 - Old Saint Francis in Bend, OR<br />
6 - Tractor Tavern in Seattle, WA<br />
9 - Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, OR<br />
11 - Rickshaw stop in San Francisco, CA<br />
12 - Harlows in Sacramento, CA<br />
13 - Radiant Church in Visalia, CA<br />
14 - Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA<br />
16 - Troubadour, Los Angeles, CAGrant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-78722840968627929342014-10-22T08:34:00.000-04:002014-10-22T08:34:50.026-04:00Show Review: The War on Drugs w/ Peter Matthew Bauer<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The War on Drugs performed at Haw River Ballroom on<br />Friday, October 17</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The night started out slow. Familiar for Haw River Ballroom. Long walk from the car to the door, grab a beer past the entrance, decent crowd, not too many yet we’re too far from all the major cities. Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why. Peter Matthew Bauer started the occasion. I expected a lot of Bauer—something gentle and soothing as compared to his prior sounds with The Walkmen. I had heard he’d been studying astrology, offering readings on his website for 150 a pop, the older rock star finding peace and I was excited to see how his live set would reverberate his experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bauer had a 50’s vibe, surf rock mixed with indie pop and just the slightest dash of psych rock. For me it all clicked with his track “I was born in an Ashram.” Bauer has never been a vocalist; in this track I started to see whats been on his mind all those bass-thumping years. As he chanted with band in tow “let’s leave it behind, the future is ours, let’s leave it behind, all that we say, let’s leave it behind, nothing’s illusion.” I heard the triumphant dirge of a rock star bent on striking his own chord, forming a band whose frontman would sing the songs he had been holding inside. Bauer didn’t disappoint. By the time his set was winding up, the room was full of people eager to defy Kozelek and get to a The War on Drugs show. Bauer had set the room up right. Beers flowed, old friends embraced, the haw river’s characteristic “thrills” signed pointed to a stage that promised we’d see something between psych rock and indie pop hit the stage in 1!5, maybe 20 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What to say about seeing The War on Drugs. As a wise man once said, “If you can do a half- assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind.” The War on Drugs offered up tunes, but it wasn’t my favorite show (or second favorite show) that I’d seen that week. There was no consensus among the crowd. Seemingly half-hearted woo’s sounded periodically, signifying that one song had ended and another would no doubt soon begin. Some of the people around me would leave, allowing others to shuffle forward. I myself left before the encore, by the time they played "Red Eye," third or fourth song, a characteristic hit, I felt like I had gotten a sense of the whole show I would see from then on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I may be drunk on our local music scene, starving for each show to radiate an intensity of wonder, musicians amazed at the supportive scene they play to here in Central NC. For this reviewer, The War on Drugs lacked this intensity. Not to say they were bad, they certainly weren’t. The instruments played were played well, the band’s sound was cohesive. It was that I had come expectant of a psych rock show—a genre quite open for interpretation and my personal favorite. I had heard The War on Drugs associated with the sounds of bands like Woods, Spiritualized, The Beta Band, etc. By the time they hit "Red Eye," I was losing interest in the live show which offered very rehearsed performances of studio tracks. The drum beats were kept simple, the instrumental breaks and guitar solos were played exactly similar to studio recordings. If that’s your type of thing, I would highly recommend a The War on Drugs show. If it’s not, the show may still be worth checking out, you’ll hear familiar songs and be able to put faces and movements to a sound, but it won’t be the best show you see that week.<br /><br />-Joe Wright</span></div>
Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-77597449941305284752014-10-16T08:49:00.000-04:002014-10-16T21:31:07.136-04:00Show Review: Shakori Hills Fall 2014<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paperhand Puppet Intervention Harvest Parade</i></td></tr>
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Every festival one attends has the capacity of becoming a learning experience. Many learn their limits, like how much music you can fit into one day or how many tacos you can eat in one sitting. Many learn how willing they are to stand in the middle of a rain storm to see a band they've never heard of, but for some reason strangely connect with at this point in time. But most importantly a lot of folks learn how to let go of the little things, kick off your shoes and run around in the mud, and soak in the joys of humanity. Shakori Hills is a festival that celebrates all things good in life, music, friends, family, arts and crafts, food, beer, diversity. Really the list goes on. From all around the country folks travel to this 74-acre farm that becomes a temporary mecca for people from all walks of life. Walk around the woods in the middle of the day and you're liable to find a man with peppered grey hair and a braided beard discussing music, life and everything in between with a group of drunken twenty-somethings covered in dirt. Take another turn in the same woods and you can find a couple making french toast for any festivalgoer that's willing to sing them a song. It's a place where everyone feels at home, everyone feels like family and most importantly, everyone can get down.<br />
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Whether you spent your days on a back and forth dash between tents, posted up in a lawn chair in the middle of a field, or huddled up in your campsite recovering from the night before, you've got memories and experiences you'll likely cherish for the rest of your life. Getting the chance to see members of Lost in the Trees, Loamlands, Sylvan Esso and Butterflies on stage all at once leading a massive singalong to Lionel Ritchie's "All Night Long," is something that will always stick with me. I got to watch a fur-coat clad Jonny Tunnel lead a trap-fueled dance party inside of the same tent that I saw Frank Fairfield performing hundred year old songs with a fiddle and banjo in tow. Shakori Hills provides an opportunity for people to get out of their comfort zone and listen to something they may not have heard before or befriend a stranger because you obviously enjoy the same music. It's a place where you can gladly fit fifteen people underneath an E-Z UP because it may or may not be hailing, but that doesn't matter because you'll likely be seeing music in another half hour anyways.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Loamlands</i></td></tr>
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This isn't particularly a very conventional festival review, but Shakori isn't really a conventional festival either. Sure there's plenty of absolutely incredible acts that performed throughout the festival's four stages throughout the weekend. Lobo Marino put on a riveting performance at Carsons Grove that blended enchanting instrumentation with passionate, soul-shaking vocals. Lowland Hum somehow made a stomp box feel like a cannonball as they punctuated their heartfelt tunes with brisk, sharp knocks on the wood beneath their feet. Laura Reed put on an R&B clinic, from the moment she began her soundcheck to the end of her star-studded set that featured members of Chit Nasty Band, Saints Apollo, The Beast and more, she had the crowd dancing and shouting along to every song in a joyous fashion. Dark Water Rising, as always, kicked the early afternoon on Saturday into high gear. The band started out with their anthemic song "Love Me" one that always draws folks in thanks to Charly Lowry's soaring vocals and unforgettable melodies. By the time you sprint out of the woods to see what's going on you can see people bouncing around in a field with drinks, hoops and smiles aplenty. Fans drew in close and the show continued to connect with more and more people as the crowd gradually grew. Of course after Dark Water Rising came another one of the festival's highlights, the puppet parade. Lead by an ensemble of local musicians with horns and drums and batons, a seemingly endless line of children, teens and adults alike don absurd masks and carry towering puppets throughout the festival grounds in one of the zaniest yet enjoyable parades I've ever seen. That led into another gorgeous main stage performance from Swear & Shake with absolutely perfect weather conditions.<br />
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So obviously there was a lot to love musically about Shakori, but that's only what brings everyone onto the campgrounds. But don't get me wrong the lineup is continually stellar, it features some of the most impressive musicians I see throughout each year of shows. But it's not the lineup that keeps people coming back to this festival tucked away in Chatham County, it's the people. It's the sights and sounds and smells. It's the memories you've made and the ones in progress. It's the experience of shedding yourself of your real world problems, putting life on pause, and simply getting back to your roots. And it's the duck tots. Always the duck tots.Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-20775253645092775452014-10-07T11:00:00.000-04:002014-10-07T11:00:02.400-04:00Show Preview: Shakori Hills Fall 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9I2wvPIkReN_PKhI7O6x1BAh8AZQuh64umLkrT2vgoX3-FGduDTwJSbdiNBNKCcO2zmniATX6o-d8_XwDpc6D0IZgtulIovh37VduP17Dh20nff4yhtBg3_dI45Fil8GobO9-sO6E60/s1600/079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9I2wvPIkReN_PKhI7O6x1BAh8AZQuh64umLkrT2vgoX3-FGduDTwJSbdiNBNKCcO2zmniATX6o-d8_XwDpc6D0IZgtulIovh37VduP17Dh20nff4yhtBg3_dI45Fil8GobO9-sO6E60/s1600/079.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
Once again we've stumbled upon that serendipitous time that rolls around twice a year. A time where we're sitting comfortably between two seasons with a crisp breeze to ease us into our transitions, where the leaves haven't quite turned or blossomed, but the promise lingers. There's a sense of eagneress and excitement in the air for what's to come, but most importantly theres a weekend long adventure to a place where your worries are left at the mud-covered lot that you've parked your car. Somehow every Spring and Fall Shakori Hills creeps up on me, almost as if I've lost all concept of time and didn't realize that this thing happens once every six months. Shakori Hills is a congregation of like-minded individuals on a scenic farmland with one sole purpose, to enjoy the beauty of those around us. Whether that beauty be the constant rhythms of a washboard that echoes throughout the woods or the joy of children's laughter as they flippantly chase around bubbles larger than their heads, it's hard not to get wrapped up in the culture of Shakori Hills. Whether you spend your weeks inside of a cubicle or out on the road living out your wanderlust dreams, you're just as likely to call the lands of Shakori Hills home. And that's because of the people, the family, the community that exists inside of these 74-acres.<br />
<br />
When you become a part of a such a tightly knit festival community, you can become a bit enchanted by it, perhaps lose sight of how wonderful an event it truly is. It becomes second nature, twice a year you post up in the woods and soak in the sights and sounds of a seemingly foreign land that may be a little more than half an hour away from your snug apartment building. Rarely do you <i>actually</i> consider how truly special it is that there's such an eclectic, but welcoming group of people. When you've got acts like Frank Fairfield sharing the bill with a tribal-house DJ and know full well that you'll likely see some of the same people at both shows, you've come across something unique and indescribable. That's what gets folks so excite for this semi-annual festival, theres as much diversity as their is continuity. You could exclusively see bluegrass if that's something you're into, you could learn hand drum from internationally acclaimed musicians inside of a circus-esque tent. There's a myriad of opportunities abound at Shakori, and within this post we'll outline some of our most excited acts of the weekend.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Thursday</span></u></b><br />
Thursday at Shakori is always a nice way to ease into the marathon of the weekend. Music doesn't start until 5:00 pm, so there's plenty of time to set up a campsite, get yourself acquainted with the lay of the land and still have time to hang out and meet your neighbors before the tunes even kick off. Acts like Milkweed and Steph Steward and the Boyfriends will warrant early trips down to the stages, but things really start to get essential once The Duhks take the Meadow Stage at 8:30. The Duhks are near the head of a new-grass movement that blends bluegrass sentiments with exciting elements of various other genres to make for a high-energy excursion through unfamiliar musical territory. From here it's a bit of a toss-up, as both AJ Ghent and Adrienne Mack-Davis will be performing again on Friday, but Lobo Marino will have their sole performance of the weekend. While Ghent and Mack-Davis will surely have entertaining sets, it'll likely be a better to move to check them out later on Friday night, especially since Lobo Marino will be bringing some entrancing experimental folk music to the Cabaret Tent at 10:00. If Donna is your thing, you'll likely bounce out of Lobo Marino early, but I'd recommend staying throughout the set and checking out AstroHawk, the first of the weekends electronic artists. Boasting a promising blend of acoustic and electronic instrumentation, I'm knowingly staying in the dark on this musician, as I find that acts like this at Shakori are best experienced live rather than sitting at home on your couch.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Friday</span></u></b><br />
Ah, the day that always kicks off way earlier than you feel it should. Usually there's a stellar band kicking things off bright and early on the Meadow Stage and this fall it's no different as Asheville's Woody Pines brings swing-style Americana that assures a riotous time for all brave enough to stumble forth from their campsite into the early morning haze of Shakori. However, after Woody Pines it's best to kind of bounce around and see what best fits your festival needs. Maybe it's hanging out at your campsite and immersing yourself in the community, perhaps it's a drum or hooping workshop in the dance tent. Either way you're likely to fill your time with smiles and good vibes while you wait for the gorgeous sounds of Lowland Hum to fill the air at 4:30 pm. Bringing a stompbox for percussion and two stunning voices that work in perfect unison, Lowland Hum is a local duo that's been receiving some heavy acclaim from outlets like NPR thanks to their beautiful folk music. After Lowland Hum there's a brief lull followed by the equally impressive Loamlands, another folk-centric duo that's done a bit of expanding since their last project of Midtown Dickens. Those bluegrassy days are over now though, as Kym Register and Will Hackney boast a combination of acoustics and electrics to craft sometimes haunting, sometimes uplifting roots-driven songs. After Loamlands though is when things get a bit hectic again. A wide array of sounds are on display across the farm from acts like The Flying Clouds of South Carolina to the boogie-driven blues of North Mississippi All-Stars, so it's best to hop to and fro and see what best fits your needs for the evening. It's probably a good idea to duck out of North Mississippi early to see Adrienne Mack-Davis if you didn't catch her electric take on live hip-hop, but Liquid Sound could be equally exciting for some folks. A rest at the campsite for AJ Ghent seems likely, as Camp Honeybadger is conveniently close to the Meadow Stage, but after that it's full force marathon mode for the Southern rock of Jack The Radio, the soulful grooves of Laura Reed, the indescribable latin-funk of Suenaló and lastly the highly anticipated beat-driven dance party brought forth by Spirit Posse, the new project of Jonny Tunnell (of The Never/The Big Picture).<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Saturday</span></u></b></div>
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If somehow you can muster up enough energy to roll out of your tent for Yoga at 9:00 am, it can be a really riveting experience. I stumbled through it this past Spring and felt as awake and invigorated as I was hungover and sore. But so it goes. You may just want to hang around camp until the early afternoon rolls around and that unforgettable voice of Charly Lowry belts out through the woods as Dark Water Rising takes the stage. Combining soulful roots with traditional instrumentation and rich harmonies, Dark Water Rising is the perfect Shakori band to take the stage early afternoon on a Saturday, especially considering they're right before the famous puppet parade. Immerse yourself in this zany puppet experience, there's children in ridiculous masks, massive puppets that whisk by the trees and a band at the front of the pack leading the rowdy troop through the festival grounds. Don't stray too far from Meadow Stage though, because Swear & Shake will prove to be one of the weekend's highlights with their poppy take on folk-rock. Washed in harmonies and driven by some stunning vocal performances, Swear & Shake will strike the core of you as a festivalgoer and leave you compelled to check out the whole set, a true feat at Shakori if you ask me. From here it's worth checking out Lowland Hum if you haven't already, then trekking over to Shannon Whitworth, one of the state's most underrated songwriters. Whitworth's sultry vocals display a wide range and showcase an impressive songwriting ability that will likely result in another standout performance of the festival.<br />
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After that would likely be the perfect time to hit up one of the incredible food vendors if you haven't already, there's a wide variety of things to check out, whether it be Korean tacos, Indian food, those heavenly duckfat tater tots or some good ol' greasy pizza, you'll find something worth shoving down your gullet. From here you can catch your obligatory Donna The Buffalo set or perhaps get into the swing dance workshop taking place around the same time. Either way, you'd be a fool to miss out on Auxiliary House, a brilliant combination of some of the areas most talented musicians. It's a Trekky supergroup of sorts that knows how to take some standard songs and turn them into an unforgettable live experience thanks to their incredible showmanship and charisma. Nahko & Medicine For The People will be an excellent way to transition from this inclusive Trekky dance party, as they'll surely have a communal vibe of their own going on at their Meadow Stage performance. From here it's another toss-up based on your genre preference. It'll be crucial to check out some of this late-night performance, when I saw him perform in the gorgeous Haw River Ballroom years back it left me awestruck at his talents, it'll likely be a similar display to this partied-out but attentive crew of festival goers. It'll be pretty important to catch some of The Soul Rebels as well though, a promising combination of 8 widely talented musicians that form a New Orleans brass band fused with hip-hop and soul. Lastly, the attendees will choose between a fork in the road of experiences, take the whiskey-soaked gypsy-inspired folk songs of Ellis Dyson & The Shambles or dance until your brain spills out of your ears DJ Bill Kelly, Telekinetic Walrus and DJ Richard McVay. Either way everyone wins!<br />
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<b><u>Sunday</u></b><br />
The day of reckoning, where everyone zombie walks to the porto-potties slowly realizing that their 4-day vacation is swiftly coming to an end. Folks are gradually packing up and heading out, new friends are exchanging contact numbers and helping out with the load-out and folks are napping the grass to attempt and transition back into the 9-to-5 grind. Lynda & Patty will be a nice rustic beginning to this low-key day of performances, especially since Frank Fairfield will follow immediately after. Things are fairly back and forth throughout the day until Wassa Pan Afrika Dance Ensemble takes the Meadow Stage at 4:00 pm. A Sunday afternoon world music set at Shakori is the stuff of legends, there's a particular energy throughout the crowd that just can't be denied, it's absolutely something you must check out before you depart for the day. After that there's a few more chances to check out some of the sprawling performers like Elastic Bond, The Duhks and Telekinetic Walrus, but most will post up throughout the night at the iconic Donna & Friends All Star Revue. I for one will be heading out early to check out Flying Lotus at the Cat's Cradle, topping off a positively beautiful weekend, but I'd highly recommend staying as long as your body will allow you to at this beautiful, whimsical land known at Shakori Hills.Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-277276523788745912014-09-26T13:03:00.002-04:002014-09-26T16:46:15.787-04:00Ears to the Ground: "Bllondes" by Ghostt Bllonde<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Earlier this year Ghostt Bllonde made the announcement that we'd all
been waiting for, signing to a local label. When a band experiences such
a meteoric rise in the scene, it's really only a matter of time until
they get a crew behind them that can assist with plugging the hell out
of their music in ways that bands couldn't even imagine. Negative Fun
has done such for Ghostt Bllonde, giving them not only their first vinyl
release, but helping them raise their profile throughout the region by
pairing them and various other locals with more regionally focused
artists on the east coast through their singles series.<br />
<br />
When
the band announced their Negative Fun signing they'd announced that
there would be a collection of demos and unreleased singles, and
evidently that time is nigh. This Saturday marks the 2nd annual Cassette
Store Day, and while Nice Price Books is the only local participant in
Cassette Store Day, that didn't stop Ghostt Bllonde and the Negative Fun
crew from rolling out the stops for the event.<br />
<br />
This
Saturday at Nice Price, and also at Lunchbox Records in Charlotte,
copies of Ghostt Bllonde's new cassette will be available for purchase
in advance of the official release on Oct. 7. So in honor of the band's
new release, we're lucky enough to be able to debut the lead single off
of the release, "Bllondes."<br />
<br />
Throughout the past year of
the band's existence we've seen Ghostt Bllonde solidify themselves as a
band who's got a powerful sense of direction and potential. Not only
does Marc Kuzio and company know where they want this band to go, they
know exactly how to get there. The doo-wop inspired anxiety-fueled vibes
that were present on their early work have become somewhat dissipated
in their more recent releases, traded in for a sleek swagger that exudes
confidence and creativity. Trash-pop no more, "Bllondes" opens with a
slow build of reversed guitar lines and vocal melodies before quaintly
unraveling into a subdued song that explores some seriously catchy
melodies and guitar grooves. Harmonies are abound, both creating rich
textures and a full-bodied sound for Kuzio vocals. With harmonies and
guitar lines subtly panned to and fro, the band sounds much more
polished than before. Whereas their self-recorded lo-fi sound worked for
their debut, it seems the band has realized that progression is key,
and they're certainly progressing in bunches.<br />
<br />
You can
check out the single below and purchase the entire cassette in advance
tomorrow at Nice Price Books for Cassette Store Day:
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Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-55868506127323759652014-09-24T11:01:00.000-04:002014-09-24T11:01:00.323-04:00Show Review: Slow Magic w/ Kodak to Graph & Daktyl<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Slow Magic at Kings on Sept. 21</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Electronic shows can really be a crapshoot sometimes, especially if you haven't checked in on the artist and researched what their live set-up is. It's really easy to end up seeing a handful of dudes in backwards fitted caps slamming pads and spinning knobs on an MPD for about twenty minutes, and frankly after three sets of that you're kind of done for the evening. But what took place at Kings was far from that, it was one of the most engaging and exciting performances I've seen in quite some time. While Daktyl and Kodak to Graph had markedly similar styles, and Daktyl <i>may</i> have fallen a little bit into the first category, there was enough versatility throughout the night's performances to keep things exciting until the main event of the evening came around.<br />
<br />
Daktyl started things off with a set filled with crunching bass lines, jittering synths and dreamy yet disjointed vocal samples turned into syncopated rhythms. It was a set built on quick build-ups and even swifter breakdowns, there was bukus of noise sweeps and bass drops, but it felt natural rather than formulaic and expected. With releases set in the near future for Mad Decent and some obvious talent under his belt, I'm excited to hear more from Daktyl as he evolves as an artist. There's some exciting possibilities that lie beneath these danceable tracks, hopefully he's willing to dig deeper into the rabbit hole to really define his style amidst a sea of Mad Decent-hopefuls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjrucMJrvinNSAQSIsi2w4cMSPgOSE66dIjlTvlpj2eTO28t61PetzVNyNB4_bQ4nL8J15SCGKy1rAc7rBE4BsB4uDpVEybMHTCCdDOBICK8NFzG4gKxL-re2FL1W0d7FEiTkiKWMAZs/s1600/kodak2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjrucMJrvinNSAQSIsi2w4cMSPgOSE66dIjlTvlpj2eTO28t61PetzVNyNB4_bQ4nL8J15SCGKy1rAc7rBE4BsB4uDpVEybMHTCCdDOBICK8NFzG4gKxL-re2FL1W0d7FEiTkiKWMAZs/s1600/kodak2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kodak to Graph at Kings on Sept. 21</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The evening got gradually more exciting as the subsequent artists took the stage. As Kodak to Graph's stage began to get set-up I pretty much knew I was going to dig this set. His table was packed in with a laptop, multi-colored beat pads and an analog synth that was all facing towards the crowd for some reason. I'm not quite sure as to whether this was done for aesthetic reasons or for ease of playability, but regardless it got my attention. Kodak to Graph was emanating some heavy house vibes while still making sure he didn't fall with into the new "deep-house" trends. Most of the set bounced between bass-laden tracks that were driven by either ambient vocals that were chopped into rhythmic patterns or hip-hop vocal samples utilized as percussive flair and bridges into heavy bass grooves.<br />
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<br />Kodak to Graph had an entertaining set, but nothing was going to top the energy that Slow Magic brought to the stage. I'm very glad I didn't come into this show with expectations for what was about to happen, frankly I thought I'd be taking it easy for this show, maybe sitting in the corner and soaking it all in. I was doing a pretty good job of following that plan until I saw the Slow Magic set-up and then I immediately posted up in front of the stage. Driven by two large toms and a mixture of loops and live mixing, Slow Magic put on one of the most engaging and awe-inspiring electronic sets I've seen in quite some time. Many times acts like these are marked by their impressive lights show or their gimmicky set-ups, but Slow Magic seems to do it for all of the right reasons. Shortly into the set he raised a drum high above his head, hopped into the crowd, and lead the crowd in a tightly packed burst of dance to his tribal beats and poppy production. Shortly after that he was high-fiving members of the crowd, letting the front row contribute to his percussion pads and even had members of the crowd toying with the remote that controlled his light show. It was less of a passive viewing experience and more of an immersive event that everyone felt a part of, which is a massive feat for an artist like this. The tracks were all incredible, the live drumming was nothing short of compelling, and ultimately proved to be a phenomenal way to end what could have been a very blasé show. Kudos to this remarkable showman for putting on the show he does, he's won this writer over as a massive fan.Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-88548035415846830512014-09-17T07:50:00.000-04:002014-09-17T07:50:00.056-04:00Show Preview: Slow Magic w/ Kodak To Graph & Daktyl<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxq_wnryko-ZY5kb4ieWZrCU0SZ6MPBVJvBlMaEH3Gp1untirTBCrNKhMlchR1PSE078udKnuqfigy3npgnRw9nhOIKjbaN0j3lXronpeAa3zGrWsGWMaEpxyfw4XPaKIrr5slIRMNEI/s1600/slowmagic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxq_wnryko-ZY5kb4ieWZrCU0SZ6MPBVJvBlMaEH3Gp1untirTBCrNKhMlchR1PSE078udKnuqfigy3npgnRw9nhOIKjbaN0j3lXronpeAa3zGrWsGWMaEpxyfw4XPaKIrr5slIRMNEI/s1600/slowmagic.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Slow Magic performs at Kings Barcade on Sunday,<br />September 21. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 day of<br />Purchase tickets at <a href="http://kingsbarcade.com/2014/09/21/slow-magic/">KingsBarcade.com</a></i></td></tr>
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The fact that Kings is slowly becoming a haven for heady electronic shows is one of the most exciting parts of the past year for me. While it's primarily seen by many as a hub for indie rock of all varieties, acts like Com Truise, Gent & Jawns and DJ Spinn have all graced the club within the past year. Seeing Raleigh and its surrounding areas finally coming out in full force for folks like this fills me with a huge amount of joy and excitement, especially when shows like Slow Magic come through. Even though it's on a Sunday night I have little doubt in my mind that folks will be grooving like a Friday, when you've got talent on stage like Slow Magic it's hard not to.<br />
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Little is really known about the man behind that enigmatic animal mask, but you don't need to know that much about him when you hear the dreamy sounds that emanate from the speakers. On the heels of his second full-length <i>How To Run Away</i>, released Sept. 9, Slow Magic will surely blend some of his newest tracks with bangers like "Girls" and "Hold Still," tracks that builds up to a serendipitous rise only to come crashing back down with cacophonous percussion and screaming synths. There's as much subtlety on display as there is outright abrasiveness, you can be lost within the swirling bass lines or possessed by the snapping percussion but either way you know Slow Magic has grasped your undivided attention. With a whole slew of remixes under his belt as well, you know that Sunday night's show is going to be one with a seamless flow that traverses a myriad of different genres and sounds.<br />
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These openers are nothing to balk at either. Kodak To Graph and Daktyl both fit in quite nicely on this bill, blending just enough sensual melodies with party-ready rhythms to make for an eclectic mix of sounds. Both acts have a wide range of sonic possibilities, Daktyl is likely to build up a track only to barrel through the mix with a thunderous bass and pitch changed vocal pattern. Kodak To Graph brings a lot of the same aesthetics to the table, skittering vocal samples create compelling rhythms that brilliantly counter the ethereal synth lines that lay the bedding for these tracks.<br />
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Lots of times when such similar acts get together for electronic bills like these they can all bleed together, but each artist has dove deep into their own niche within the world of cloud-rap inspired beats, blending trap percussion with high-pitched vocals to create a dreamlike soundscape with a serious knack for grooves.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/165360454&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798191055822974877.post-81877124237203770962014-09-12T14:41:00.000-04:002014-09-12T14:41:05.946-04:00Show Preview: Ty Segall w/ Wand & Flesh Wounds at Motorco Music Hall<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-F1lBjptbKPBZSr5XmTkNUZ7mXIFALS71HyO7gB40NSTxOYdaQB_wbHwjo9z8DjLETav3wE_XSR4563hiwQwwvEb5lwQ9DV-gNXtzSE1QGgvAVTkRAW3RyGRpTh_FGNZxGQfw6PemdRk/s1600/segallpromo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-F1lBjptbKPBZSr5XmTkNUZ7mXIFALS71HyO7gB40NSTxOYdaQB_wbHwjo9z8DjLETav3wE_XSR4563hiwQwwvEb5lwQ9DV-gNXtzSE1QGgvAVTkRAW3RyGRpTh_FGNZxGQfw6PemdRk/s1600/segallpromo.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ty Segall performs at Motorco Music Hall<br />on Sunday, Sept. 14 w/ Wand & Flesh Wounds<br /> </i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></td></tr>
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It's basically reached the point where the term "garage rock" has become synonymous with Ty Segall for me. With an insane amount of turnover, Segall has been churning out excellent album after excellent album for the past few years now and he's shown little signs of slowing down. Before <i>Manipulator</i>, his most recent release on Drag City, it had been 14 months since we received new music from Segall.<br />
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Usually one would balk at the insinuation that 14 months is a long wait between albums, but this is coming from the guy that put out four freakin' records last year, all of them ridiculously impressive. This manic garage savant may have slowed his frighteningly swift pace of production, but his output is just as impressive as always. If not more so frankly. <i>Manipulation</i> is by no means a slow-rolling record, but there's a lot more definition packed into these emotionally dense, high-energy tracks.<br />
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Thus, one could expect that Segall will be laying it all on the line this Sunday night at their sold-out Motorco show. The night is filled with brilliant, balls to the wall punk music that will leave this garage-esque venue damp and sweaty from all of the ridiculous attempts at moshing, crowd surfing and any other ridiculously amped crowd reaction you can imagine. Segall leads the crowd's antics like a composer, his heartfelt songs bursting forth from their amplifiers physically effects these concertgoers. It compels you to manically bob your head, smack your hands on your pockets like you'd actually know what the hell you'd be doing behind a drum set, and generally experience some cathartic sense of relief. There's just something about losing your mind at a punk show that leaves you feeling reinvigorated, ready to tackle the dull 9-to-5 that you may be headed to early on Monday morning. That's what makes this show at this seldom visited venue for myself, such an incredible outing.<br />
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Since Motorco opened it's been a vastly underutilized venue, but when the big names come through it kind of makes you scratch your head and wonder why the hell this venue hasn't taken off in a huge way. Having Flesh Wounds open the show as well just makes the night even sweeter. In recent months the band has been picking up a lot of steam after a quiet year in 2013, with a 7" release on Merge and some rave reviews from their manic energy at Hopscotch, they'll likely be permeating the frenetic vibes to get concertgoers prepped for their highly anticipated headliner later in the evening. But if Segall doesn't bring his "A" game it could be easy for these openers to steal the show, making it all the more exciting to see exactly how wild this show will truly get.<br />
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Check out Segall's recent performance on Conan O'Brien below: <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/O99Id3Iq2fw" width="545"></iframe>Grant Goldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05503133539660102595noreply@blogger.com0