To Be Heard celebrates their inception with Carrboro, Raleigh launch parties

To Be Heard is a new booking agency helmed by local
musicians Justin Ellis & Mark Connor

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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 website to get a full list of their roster and upcoming shows. You can also purchase tickets to The Cave and Slims in advance below:
The Cave
Slims

Video Premiere: "Broken Man" by Josh Moore

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.

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 Parted Ways. "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.

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, Parted Ways 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 Parted Ways runs forth with a defined theme of blazing trails in new directions.

Moore is set to celebrate the release of Parted Ways 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 here.

 
Josh Moore- Broken Man from Thrown Stone Films on Vimeo.

Show Review: Denzel Curry & Deniro Farrar at The Cat's Cradle Backroom

Deniro Farrar at the Cat's Cradle Backroom

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.

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 YouTube channel and Pscril's SoundCloud page.

Unfortunately, the next act, Body Games, 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, Well$, who was the act that followed Big Whiskey and Pscril. I was not too familiar with his raps, but he drew a pretty good crowd for his set. Well$ 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."

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.

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.

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 "Smoked Out". You could smell a hint of ganja in the air. He ended his set with a track he played with Deniro Farrar at Hopscotch, "Social Status", however, this time it was sans-Farrar. Check out DuRu Tha King's 12-track mixtape Indoor Plus + on his DJ Booth page.

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, "Parents".

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, "Threats", which is one of his trappiest bangers. Trap arms and bow-flexing soon followed.

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 "Big Tookie" and "Kill Your Idols". Much like his set during Thursday's Hopscotch lineup, he performed an acapella version of "Days Go By". 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 "Bow Down" and "Feel Like That". 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.

Show Preview: The “Bow Down” Tour feat. Denzel Curry & Deniro Farrar

Denzel Curry & Deniro Farrar

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.

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, Rebirth. If you have been sleeping on Deniro, you need to wake up and check him out!

The other rapper on the 'Bow Down' Tour is Denzel Curry. The 19-year-old Floridian released his debut album, Nostalgic 64, 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.

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 here:

Show Preview: Temples w/ Spires at Cat's Cradle

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.

Temples released their debut full-length, Sun Structures,  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 Revolver-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.

Sure one could say that Temples isn't the most original act around, there's not a ton of defining factors within their music that makes them characteristically them, 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.

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.

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 here:

Ears to the Ground: "Doldrums" by Dad & Dad

I'll never forget the first time I heard the slow-rise of "Moonbreath" Virgins Family Band's opening track from their debut album Honeylion. The slow sense of awe, serenity and infatuation that washed over me is indescribable. It was one of those moments where the music you've always yearned for perfectly coincided with what you were actually experiencing. Sadly enough Virgins Family Band disbanded earlier this year, but they've wasted no time in re-establishing themselves as local staples with their new electronically-oriented project Dad & Dad. They made their pseudo-debut here in the Triangle this past weekend as the bulk of Derek Torres' backing band for the massive T0W3RS set at The Pour House and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they're some of the most versatile and talented musicians in the region.

Now, on the heels of their huge Hopscotch performance, I'm absurdly excited to premiere the first track from Dad & Dad, "Doldrums." As the track slowly unfurls there's gradual bursts of bubbling synths and airy slide guitar mixed in with delayed guitar licks and washed-out vocals. It's like if you took all of the eccentricities of Virgins Family Band and dipped them in a psychedelic wash. Saman Khoujinian's vocals feel simultaneously distant and all-encompassing, as if they're narratives from a dream, guiding the listener through a transcendental adventure. Images of afghan-wrapped travelers in the distance of a blue city, far from the doldrums, propel the song's choppy narrative, but add to the disjointed and angular nature of the track.

Whether you're focusing in on the slow-churning, astonishingly spacey instrumentation or the smooth, airy vocals that help give the track its dream-like nature, there's plenty to fall in love with about "Doldrums." It's a psych-rock track unlike any I've heard before, especially from a local crew. Dad & Dad appear to blend the most agreeable aspects of electronica and psych-pop to create something entirely new and fascinating with an infinite amount of potential. When a band comes so strong out of the gate with such a clearly defined sound, it's always exhilarating to see their progression into musical excellence. Frankly I'm already giddy to hear what comes next.

Show Preview: Angel Olsen w/ Promised Land Sound

Angel Olsen performs at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, N.C.
on Friday, May 16.

Angel Olsen simply can't be described as a folk singer-songwriter and she proved this with the release of her newest album, Burn Your Fire For No Witness. Previous to this album she released an album and an EP of mostly home recordings, though incredibly haunting and beautiful, did not actually put her on the radar with her cohorts. With Burn Your Fire For No Witness being released on Jagjaguwar Records, Olsen's voice has expanded to a far wider audience and has resulted in high praise from music critics of NPR and the like.

Olsen's new bigger sound doesn't limit her and she stays true to herself in her lyricism. Her lyrics read like poetry and are almost too real in terms of relateability. Burn Your Fire... may have songs that are more upbeat with a backing band like "Forgiven/Forgotten," but in between those songs lie moments of pure serenity and sadness. These two qualities dominated her previous songs and in a way made them more personal to the listener, however, with Burn Your Fire a sense of hope lurks in between the melancholy melodies. Triangle fans have shown a particular fixation with the vexing songs that Olsen produces, so expect a packed Cradle filled with adoring fans washed in emotions and amazement at Olsen's powerful presence.

Olsen will be preceded by Promised Land Sound, a young Nashville band of dudes who like to play country-tinged garage rock. The young group of roots-rockers have earned high acclaim from Jack White's Third Man Records, being billed as one of their "favorite local bands." Their debut full-length was released on Paradise of Bachelors and was followed by a 7" on Third Man. This vigorous young group has just begun its conquest through the music industry, but all it takes is a few listens to see that they're filled with limitless potential.

Friday night boasts a solid paring of bands and sounds, making this show a weekend highlight. Fans can soak in the rustic rock of Promised Land Sound before getting emotionally wrecked by the heartbreaking warbles of Angel Olsen. Tickets are available at catscradle.com and are $12 in advance and $14 at the door.

Show Preview: Sylvan Esso w/ The Human Eyes

Sylvan Esso will perform at Cat's Cradle on Friday
May 2 w/ The Human Eyes

For the past year, fans of the North Carolina music scene have likely had one band at the forefront of their minds, an unlikely pairing with origins in folk that have blown away all expectations with their dashing electronic arrangements. Sylvan Esso is still in many rights a young band, they've barely been together for over a year but you'd never know that judging by the rich definition of their sound. Vocalist Amelia Meath's enchanting vocals slide and sway in and out of the throbbing bass and skittering synths set forth by Nick Sanborn, creating a mystifying mix of sounds that feel made for each other. When the duo played Memorial Auditorium at Hopscotch last year, the bass felt encompassing enough to rattle the dangling chandelier while Meath's smooth vocals effortlessly cut through Sanborn's high-energy mixes. Since that Hopscotch date they've toured with the likes of Volcano Choir, Man Man and Tycho, and following the release of their self-titled debut on May 13 they'll hit the road with Tune-Yards for a full US tour. Receiving acclaim from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Consequence of Sound, Noisey and countless other outlets, it's clear that Sylvan Esso breezed right past the stage of being an underrated local and were thrust straight into the national limelight. But it's a much deserved co-sign from these esteemed publications, as their sound is unlike any other, it's an effortless mix of electronic pop standards tinged with Meath's twee-folk backgrounds and washed in Sanborn's hip-hop influenced blend of club bangin' beats and heady productions.

This Friday the duo will celebrate their album release at a sold-out Cat's Cradle, a night that's sure to be one of the year's highlights in terms of local outings. With fellow promising upstarts in The Human Eyes opening the evening, fans can expect a smooth transition from the low-key 80s inspired sad-pop into the riveting displays set forth by Sylvan Esso. The Human Eyes may have seemed an interesting pairing for those that first saw the lineup, but all it takes is a trip back to their 2012 release Guiding Eyes for the Blind to realize how excellent of a combination this is. Having a high-energy act that gets the crowd moving would have been a treat, but getting a dynamic lineup such as this one is just as, if not more, enjoyable. Songwriter Thomas Costello writes melancholy songs that tackle your standard sad-song topics, but conveys them with a light of beaming nostalgia. Tracks like "It's Not The Same Without You" display some downright downtrodden imagery, but they're delivered with the swagger of an upbeat Talking Heads tune. The juxtaposition of their lyrical focus and instrumentation makes for a set that'll surely be filled with some introspective bobbing and swaying all 'round, but hey that never hurt anybody. And quite frankly it's an excellent transition into the chest rattling, sometimes heartbreaking, tunes of Sylvan Esso.

Sylvan Esso's debut full-length is a concise collection of eclectic electronic tracks that range from the house-inspired "HSKT" to the dynamic sounds of "Dreamy Bruises" and "Could I Be." Tracks glide along with jittery synth lines before a crunching bass cuts through the mix, ducking in and out with kicks and hi-hats as Meath's vocals take center stage. Whether Meath is shouting out cat calls on opener "Hey Mami" or lamenting over our constant state of flux while calling out to the hanky panky on "Coffee," the band is sure to leave listeners as emotionally moved as they are physically. Thunderous bass and gorgeous croons make for a brilliant combination, one that will leave the hundreds in attendance at Cat's on Friday night shouting and swinging along long after the tunes have ended.

Show Preview: Russian Circles with Ken Mode and Inter Arma

Russian Circles will perform at Cat's Cradle on
Feb. 17 w/ KEN mode and Inter Arma

Chicago's instrumental rock band Russian Circles returns to Cat's Cradle tonight, joined by KEN Mode and Inter Arma.

I'm very spoiled to live in such a rich music scene here in Raleigh, but I think Richmond, VA has a lot to boast about too. The quintet Inter Arma calls it home and has made a splash in the heavy rock community there. They've built up a great tour resume and have been able to successfully combine sludge with psych, with a few other arms in various genres here and there.

KEN mode (Kill Everyone Now) formed 15 years ago in Canada. Noisy, sludgy and representing the post-hardcore scene, they've gotten very positive feedback over the years for both their live shows and recorded music. Matt Bayles, who has produced and engineered albums for bands including Caspian, Mono, Cursive and Russian Circles, mixed KEN mode's newest album "Entrench." Bayles has had a knack for tackling the fine line between professional production and sounding too polished, and what bands I have seen of his catalog, overall, translate their music well to a live performance. With their experience and track record, I'm expecting a hell of a show from these guys. I'm also expecting to maybe not be able to hear for a few days -- but hey, sacrifices.

Russian Circles has come through the triangle before, and for whatever reason I couldn't make it out. I'm still hearing from friends about how big of a mistake that was. The band has put out five full length studio albums in addition to a 2004 self-titled and self-released EP, as well as single a split release with These Arms Are Snakes. The discography takes you through chunky instrumentation with metal roots to an emotive atmosphere, most pronounced and their October release of "Memorial" put out by Sargent House. Chelsea Wolfe, who has done a lot of the tour with Russian Circles, appears on the title track of the album.

Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available at the door for $15. More information can be found at catscradle.com.

Show Review: Mutual Benefit with Al Riggs

Mutual Benefit at Local 506 on Feb. 4

For a Tuesday night, Local 506 was unusually packed. The night started out slowly with the quiet drones of Al Riggs. The band had no drummer, just Al and his guitarist. Two guitars, an acoustic and an electric, intertwined in a melodic fog that was accompanied by cutesy gestures like handclaps. The doodles on Al Rigg's guitars added a layer of quirkiness to his music that set an atmospheric mood of coziness already.

Next up, in the short lineup of the night, was the headliner Mutual Benefit. When I was just expecting a one-man band, six people walked out and began tuning their instruments, which included violins and two synths. The beginning of the first song started slow and calm and kept building with sound until it felt like something was about to break. And it did. Jordan Lee's humble and soft voice broke through all the sound and "Strong River," the opening track from Love's Crushing Diamond began.

Throughout the show,  Lee's onstage banter was quiet and awkward, with a twist of dark humor that kept everyone smiling. The six piece band did a remarkable job at maintaining a beautiful haze over the whole audience. All of the instrumentation ebbed and flowed in the most calm and airy way. I felt entranced by the delicate violin melodies winding themselves around the soft drums, glittery synths and slow guitars. And I honestly couldn't stop grinning the whole time.

Show Preview: Yuck w/ Alvvays, and Estrangers at Local 506

Yuck will be performing at Local 506 on
Feb. 12 along with Alvvays and Estrangers

Next Wednesday, February 12, Yuck is coming through the Triangle to Chapel Hill's Local 506, joined by Alvvays and Estrangers.

The night will kick off with hazy pop rock of Phuzz Records artist Estrangers. The five piece's most recent album, Season of 1000 Colors, came out June of last year. Their songs are fuzzy and easy to listen to, upbeat and lo-fi. They've made their rounds playing all over North Carolina, including playing alongside Spider Bags and The Beets at Hopscotch Music Festival.

Alvvays will continue the bouncy pop vibe with female fronted and harmonized vocals, guitar, and synth. Coming all the way from Toronto, they're fairly new to the game as a band, releasing their debut album later this year on Royal Mountain Records. With an incredibly promising lead-off single, "Adult Diversion," there's a slew of excitement abound for their forthcoming full-length. They've also got quite a bit of clout as individual musicians, lead vocalist Molly Rankin has a successful solo project and comes from a wildly successful family of folk musicians The Rankin Family. Alvvays  have also been part of some great bills, including Wintersleep and Hospitality, giving the band strong footing as a burgeoning indie pop act .

I'm pretty excited to finally see Yuck. Tracks from their 2011 self-titled album have been a staple on virtually any running playlist I've had since. Yuck's sophomore album Glow & Behold came out on Fat Possum last September, a little over 40 minutes in length and also marked the first album without former guitarist and vocalist Daniel Blumberg.The transition in sound is pretty noticeable, with the newer songs being smoother and more melody-based. It will be interesting to see how much of their first studio album they revisit and how it's carried out without Blumberg. The band is also working on an EP to come out this year, so expect some sneak peaks into new material.

Door are at 8:30 pm and the show starts at 9:00 pm. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information about the show and venue, visit www.local506.com.

Ears to the Ground: "Creme Brulee" by Virgins Family Band ft. T0W3RS

Watching a band grow and evolve is probably one of my favorite parts of being a music listener. It's what makes it such a joy to find a band in their infancy, it's like aural cartography, watching this rich voyage taking place in front of your eyes. Such seems to be the story with Virgins Family Band, I was beyond thrilled to come upon the band before they released their first full-length record Honeylion around this time last year and sure enough here we are debuting their first new track since said debut.

"Creme Brulee" is a big step into the psychedelic frontier for Virgins, it's a fresh and invigorating take on a sound that was already brilliantly polished. While Honeylion was filled with sounds that just felt natural, "Creme Brulee" makes the listener reach a bit. Playing on heightened tensions and sharp synth lines, Virgins Family Band have taken my expectations and shattered them with a tightly focused bit of electronic experimentation.  The track reels the listener in with smooth melodies and throws them for a loop with brisk rhythmic changes and seemingly random guitar and bass fills, but there's a sense of structure to all of this absurdity. The vocals initially float wistfully atop the mix, reminiscent of their previous work, but as the track progresses they slowly mesh together with the instrumentation as harmonies bleed in and help to create a lush lyrical arrangement.

All in all "Creme Brulee" serves as a welcomed change to what I thought was an un-toppable sound. When speaking with the band about their inspiration for Honeylion they said that they chose the name for the album because that's what they felt their music sounded like. The same can be said for "Creme Brulee," while the base of the track is built around sweet and delectable melodies, it's contrasted brilliantly by a crunching synth,  and spastic instrumentation. Or maybe I just really dig food, who knows.

Check out the trippy, kaleidoscopic video for the track below or stream it on Virgins Family Bands' bandcamp page.

Show Preview: Mutual Benefit with Al Riggs

Mutual Benefit is performing at Local 506 on Feb. 4
Image courtesy of Pitchfork

Tuesday nights are good nights for shows that make you want to cry, so it's perfect that Mutual Benefit is playing a show on February 4th with Al Riggs. These two bands will take you on an emotional ride much less like a rollercoaster and more like a slow drive at dusk.

Al Riggs opens with songs that are reminiscent of Yo La Tengo's shoegazey drones. A North Carolina native, Al Riggs is a self described songwriter between Greensboro and Raleigh. Mixing electric guitar with acoustic and a lot of reverb. Al Riggs goes into intense psychedelic jams while maintaining grip on reality with sincere lyrics. 

Next, the headliner, Mutual Benefit will probably make you feel a lot of things at once including nostalgia, happiness sadness and everything in between. Mutual Benefit is the one-man project of Jordan Lee, but its not always a one-man band, just depends on his surroundings. His most recent album Love's Crushing Diamond is a folky, watery pop gem with songs taken from years of collaborating with friends. This album was one of the first bandcamp releases to be named Best New Music on Pitchfork which is quite a feat for a band that's been transient over the last couple of years, with Jordan Lee finally residing in Brooklyn, NY. Mutual Benefit is an absolute auditory treat that will leave you speechless and probably in a better place in your life.

The doors open at 8:00 PM and the show is set to start at 9:00. Tickets are $8 in advance and $9 at the door, you can purchase tickets at Local506.com

Show Preview: Saintseneca w/ LVLUP at Local 506

Saintseneca (website)
Clockwise from top r: Zac Little, Matthew O'Conke,
Steve Ciolek, Maryn Jones.

The last time Saintseneca made their way to our little triangle of the nation, I was supremely dejected to discover I had missed them. It was mid-2012 when I first heard their debut LP Last [spotify], and I have been listening to it, or at least tracks from it, a minimum of once a week since then. It came as some great relief, then, that Saintseneca would be back to North Carolina, and this time, not in Raleigh, but the Local 506, which is in walking distance from HQ. It was some cosmic gift: "You couldn't make it out, we'll bring them closer to you."

Accurately describing Saintseneca is problematic. No words, no matter how artfully crafted or presented, will correctly articulate their sound. They're a folk band, for sure, but a unique brand. Anchored by Zac Little's nasal voice and introspective lyricism, the band vacillates between high-energy DIY circuit inspired stomp and the traditionally flavored folk song, but with an ear for artful craftsmanship.

Their latest release Uppercutter, a single from their upcoming Anti- records debut, Dark Arc, sees them expanding on the production and arrangement of their songs, which is exciting. It's akin to giving a painter another box of paintbrushes and some new paints. While the core elements haven't changed, the presentation and craft are elevated.

The show opener, LVLUP, peals with a lofi 90's guitar rock vibe. Moving between heartfelt ballad-like tunes and heavily rhythmic, guitar-focused horsepower, these Brooklyn natives draw deep from the well of early indie-, alt-, and punk rock monoliths. Band members have specifically cited Superchunk and Pavement among their influences, as well as Jawbreaker and Lifetime, adding in a July 2012 interview, "I think it’s a given that all of us draw from bands like Modest Mouse and Built To Spill."

Saintseneca and LVLUP will be at the Local 506 Sunday, January 12th. Admission is $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

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Show Review: Gross Ghost w/ Last Year’s Men, Schooner

In celebration of Gross Ghost’s newest release, Public Housing, they threw a party with a solid lineup on Friday, November 22. The show was at Cat’s Cradle’s newly opened “back room,” located in the same building as the Cradle in Carrboro but a separate space entirely. This was my first time there and I really enjoyed the set up. You can find it by walking behind the Arts Center or the Cradle depending on where you parked. Pro tip: there’s a new parking deck that’s usable for show overflow parking, which came in handy considering the main room also had a show going on that night. Immediately when you walk in you have the bar to your left and the stage on the right. I watched the show from the upstairs area, a bit compact but great vantage point with both seated and standing room available without feeling a disconnect from the downstairs crowd.

Simply put, Schooner gets you pumped. They were a great choice to kick off the night. Bouncing around and switching off instruments between members depending on the song, they played old and new tunes. Juan Huevos joined them on stage to rap during “Still in Love,” a pretty chill track off of their newest album Neighborhood Veins. It added a different flavor from the album version and really complimented the vibe of the song.  The new songs translated well to a live performance, and as usual, the band didn’t disappoint.

Last Year’s Men followed, rocking out with a few scattered dance moves and head bangs.  It’s absolutely impossible to stand still during their shows. Within a few strums you’re inevitably going to be tapping your foot, drumming on your bottle with your free hand or dancing. A vivacious band with fast guitar riffs, they cracked some jokes between songs and easily impressed the people in the crowd who were unfamiliar with them before.

Gross Ghost, hosting the night, looked overjoyed to hop onstage and share their new songs. While most of the show focused on Public Housing tracks, they still hit all the favorites from Brer Rabbit, including “Leslie” and “Architect.” The new songs were equally as catchy, offering stomps and hooks that became earworms. Some of my favorites of the night were “You Will” and “Seeds.” The album as a whole has been getting significant play on the local college radio stations and good reviews across the board. The band brought the energy that solidified this. Vocals followed the guitar melody that came to life with Mike Dillon’s stage presence. Thankful and appreciative of the crowd, they had a hell of a set, including cameo appearances from local artists, too. Christy Smith of the Tender Fruit joined for supplementary vocals on “They Say,” and Stu McLamb of The Love Language took over bass at the end of the night. 

Show Preview: Father John Misty “Solo” w/ Kate Berlant

Father John Misty will perform a solo set on
Friday, Oct. 25 at Cat's Cradle with Kate Berlant
opening.

The night will have a bit of an nontraditional start, especially considering the catalog of musicians J. Tillman could have called upon to join him on tour. In lieu of music to prep fans for the swanky tunes of Father John Misty, Kate Berlant will perform “psychedelic, absurdist stand-up.” She’s known for her weekly comedy shows in New York and has been part of a handful of prominent comedy festivals and showcases. While part of the beauty of going to a touring concert is the potential in discovering new music that one of your favorite artists digs, I’m definitely not opposed to a good laugh.    

As with most people, I was a Fleet Foxes fan, and guilty of playing "Ragged Wood" way more than anyone ever should. I heard the drummer started a side project and was intrigued. Then I realized that this drummer was also the same one from post-rock outfit Saxon Shore. The combination of backgrounds in indie folk and ambient/shoegaze made me really curious to what Father John Misty, as a band, would sound like. Inevitably, I checked out Fear Fun (2012) and fell in love. Folk harmonies met psych influences, undoubtedly drawn from Tillman's personal background, and I was hooked.

I caught Father John Misty with full band at Bonnaroo this summer. His stage presence was simultaneously laid back and infecting, and the show marked a highlight of the weekend. I expect that feeling not to be lost in a solo show, perhaps it'll be even more amplified because of the intimacy having only one person on stage creates. The narrative he found in his lyrics tells interesting stories, easy to digest yet thought-provoking and sometimes off the wall.  

Tickets for the show on October 25 at Cat's Cradle are $20 and are available online at catscradle.com and at the door. Doors open at 8:00 PM and the show starts at 8:30 PM.