Monthly Archives: October 2011

There’s just something about dysfunctional musical relationships that capture the imagination—the way that great music so often comes from talented musical minds on the outs with each other, outgrowing one space and pushing each other back and forth for control of it. The 2002 documentary I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, chronicling the making of the seminal Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, manages to capture such a clash between Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett. The Tweedy-Bennett songwriting team produced many of Wilco’s most memorable musical moments in spite of—or maybe because of—the growing tension in their relationship. Years later, the Ashes of American Flags documentary captured quite a different dynamic. The group, four years into what is now the longest run of any lineup in the band’s history, had come a long way from the arguments and migraines. In their place, we got longtime bassist John Stirratt offering around soundcheck cookies and Tweedy commenting on drummer and father-to-be Glenn Kotche’s habit of sitting on the bus hi-lighting parenting books. If the chaos of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was the sound of a band straining at its seams, the straight-forward 70s rock of 2007’s Sky Blue Sky and its underwhelming follow-up Wilco (The Album) came to be heard as the sound of this new comfort, or worse, complacency. Read More »

Jens Lekman produces enough witticisms and oddball humor in his new EP An Argument with Myself to convince someone that he’s actually a sarcastic English-lit major moonlighting as a Swedish indie-pop musician. Indeed, while listening to his songs, I felt distracted – in a good way – by his lyrics from the actual music, which is a shame because I thought the music was quite interesting itself. Archaic string samples and percussion beats with a more international flare are heavily dispersed throughout Lekman’s guitar-based pop. Definitely interesting, but sometimes a bit out of place – this time, not in a good way. Read More »

A musical artist makes a very bold statement when he (or she) names his musical act after himself. He not only chooses to be the seen as the sole creative force behind the music, but also ties the personal identity of his person with the nature of the music. It is because of this dynamic that the most powerful tool of the singer-songwriter is the ability to cultivate intimacy, and the easiest way to access the creative and artistic inklings of another human is through the human voice.

It is apparent from “Freeclouds’” first track that Carter Tanton can sing. The former songwriter, guitarist, and lead singer of the now defunct act Tulsa has a voice which is effortlessly expansive yet manages to remain tender and softly intimate. Listening to Tanton sing on “Murderous Joy:” “I need just a little time, to sing you a line, you won’t soon forget,” you can’t help but wonder how Tanton manages to make his skinny, reedy voice sound so big. Read More »

The Head and the Heart

Last Friday, September 23^rd, I was fortunate enough to catch The Head and the Heart at the 9:30 Club. After seeing them for the first time at Bonnaroo this summer and missing them at Newport due to a scheduling conflict with Middle Brother, I was determined to see them again, and this second performance did not disappoint. The first opening band, Salt Lake City’s The Devil Whale, brought the energy to start off the night. Unfortunately, after studying in the library until 4 AM the previous night, I was not quite bringing the energy yet. Still, their spirited rock got my feet moving and inspired me to look them up after the show. I did perk up quite a bit when Thao with the Get Down Stay Downcame onstage. Their catchy tunes were a lot of fun live, and I knew it was going to be a good night when they launched into one of my favorite songs, “Bag of Hammers.” I felt a bit spoiled with these great acts in addition to The Head and the Heart. Read More »

We hope to see you all this Saturday, Oct. 22, from 5:30-7:30 in Bulldog Alley as we gather to have a reunion of WGTB alumni and current DJs! We’re really excited about this event, and we hope you can all make it.  Read More »

As the leaves start changing colors, I begin feeling nostalgic for summer adventures and being carefree. Luckily, the upbeat rock sounds of GROUPLOVE’s debut full-length album lift my spirits and evoke memories of running care-freely under the summer sun. Never Trust a Happy Song, released on September 13, 2011 by Atlantic Records, is comprised of 12 fast-tempo songs that illustrate the satisfactions of being young and lighthearted. Read More »

To start off this column, Don’t Miss This, I’m going to go with a classic of the 2000s, by a band that continues to dominate its music scene, Death Cab for Cutie. The band released Plans in 2005, and what made the album different from everything the band released previously was the attention to detail; this is not an album that can be fully heard through your laptop speakers. Seriously, listen to “Different Names for the Same Thing” with headphones if you haven’t before. Read More »

Feist is not Zooey Deschanel. Sure, her song “Mushaboom” might have been featured in the latter’s film 500 Days of Summer and her hit “1234” was in an infectious commercial for Apple’s iPod nano, but the Canadian singer’s latest album proves that she is more than a simple folk-pop artist with a penchant for catchy and upbeat tunes.

The monumental success of 2007’s The Reminder is a tough act to follow. It took Feist four years to pump out Metals, which was released by Cherrytree/Interscope Records to eagerly awaiting fans. Unlike some artists who change their sound to suit mass audiences, Feist seems to have returned to her folksy roots. Although she has been an on-and-off member of Broken Social Scene since 2002, Metals is not a product of her time with that band nor does it seem to follow the trajectory of her past two albums, The Reminder and Let It Die (2004). Read More »