Ashley: The dynamic duo Tegan and Sara recently reached a rare landmark few have seen with the release of their sixth studio album, Sainthood, at the end of 2009. I was first introduced to Canada’s Tegan and Sara back in 2007 with their release The Con. The title track lured me into purchasing the album, but I always felt like the majority of Tegan and Sara’s songs left me hanging. Lasting barely longer than two minutes, and ending on a note that felt awkward and unfinished, I always kept waiting for the long pause between songs to pick up right where the last song left off.
If there is one thing I hate about going to a lot of shows, it is having to sit through the same shitty local opening band that somehow manages to get on every show I go to. I mean it can get to the point where I know words to songs by these terrible musicians solely because I’ve seen them so many times. However, every now and then a really good band is that local opener, and lately for me that band has been Elgin, IL’s The Brokedowns.
“Sean Spencer” by The Brokedowns
This foursome has been playing shows in and around the Chicagoland area on a seemingly daily pace recently, while putting out releases just as quickly as they’ve released split EPs with The Copyrights, The Arrivals, and Turkish Techno within the last year. In addition, their 2007 full-length New Brains For Everyone was re-released on vinyl just last week via Traffic Street Records. These guys are the definition of workhorses. Read more…
I introduced you to Gold Motel a little while ago, and on Saturday (3/20) songbird Greta Morgan and her new full band graced the stage of Subterranean, much to our benefit.
I arrived just in time to catch The Orwells, which as far as I can tell, I’m going to be glad I caught early in their career. The Orwells fuse a mellow, psychadelic vibe with just enough pop to remind you of The Killers and just enough rock to qualify them as a rock band. The band members are too young to vote but know their rock history well enough to cover The Stooges and count the Rolling Stones as a major influence. It’s clear from their live performance that as their collective musicianship develops their career could very well take off.
After The Orwells’ four-song set, Gold Motel took the stage. It’s always refreshing to hear a voice like Greta Morgan‘s, whose vocals are warm and inviting. “Even though it’s cold outside,” she warned the audience, “We’ll keep it warm in here.” On their second song, “Stealing the Moonlight,” guitarist Dan Duszynski joined Greta on vocals, perfectly complementing her natural, earthy sound. Gold Motel’s welcoming vibe makes it seem as though we’re all part of a group sing-along, even when no one can be heard singing along. Next they slid into “The Cruel One”, which opens with a skip-down-the-street-in-the-sunshine keyboard arrangement and eventually reaches a drum beat that might actually put that skip in your step.
I could continue to list the songs of their set telling you why each is special but I will sum it up by saying that while ultimately Gold Motel is a folk-pop band, Greta’s vocal arrangements and skill betray the underlying sugary tone. All of Gold Motel’s songs could be the soundtrack to your next beach vacation and at the same time they are deeply personal. Greta makes you feel like she’s divulging her innermost feelings and as she lets you in you can’t help but smile widely and dance your feet off.
I spoke to Ms. Morgan after the show about the process behind the band’s multidimensional sound, the merits of our fine city, and Gold Motel’s secret weapon against the music industry. Read on. Read more…
Spring is almost here, Chicago! This past week has been generous to us and as I sit on the windowsill, warm breeze rolling in, I’m ushering in the season with City and Colour: my Winter-to-Spring transition soundtrack.
City and Colour is the solo project of Alexisonfire‘s Dallas Green. It started as a simple collection of his own songs, which he recorded with nothing but his voice and an acoustic guitar. The recordings soon appeared on the Internet and started making the rounds among Green’s fans. Despite being a complete departure from his prior work (Alexisonfire is a post-hardcore band; City and Colour delivers acoustic folk reminiscent of Bon Iver), the tracks were met with praise. In 2005, Green released his first solo full-length, Sometimes, under the name City and Colour. The release was followed by a cross-country Canadian tour, a sold-out UK tour opening for Barfly, and several awards including Alternative Album of the Year at the Junos.
City and Colour’s second studio full-length, Bring Me Your Love, was released in March 2007. Recorded entirely on vintage equipment in a church-turned-studio, the tracks “[complement] the warmth and honesty of Green’s compositions… Instruments and vocals were carefully recorded live off the floor, giving the songs depth and intimacy… The album feels like a throwback to the days when an album’s thrills and beauty were found not just in exceptional songs and musicianship, but also in its blemishes and simplicity.”i Indeed, listening to Bring Me Your Love gives you the feeling Green is in the room with you, playing his acoustic guitar casually and singing off the cuff.
City and Colour provide the perfect soundtrack to complement a morning walk along the lakefront, a budding Spring romance, or even just a nap.
I went to my first concert when I was 7-years old. Since that concert, I have easily logged over 1,000 live music concerts (not to mention sporting events) over my 21 years of life, and one thing has always been the same… I have never worn ear plugs. Am I proud of this? No. I AM extremely lucky to have the hearing range I do today, but now I am more aware of how important it is to take care of myself. If I were to ever loose my hearing I would be a miserable person.
What do Neil Young, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Thom Yorke and even Bono have in common? They all suffer from Tinnitus, “a perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.” Tinnitus is not a disease, it’s a symptom that in all of these men was caused from their repeated exposure to loud music, a noise-induced hearing loss. For example, amplified rock music is played at 110-130 decibels, at this range your hearing can be damaged as quickly as 3 minutes into the set.(2)
What can we do? We can learn from our elders, especially those of us who plan on making a career out of the music industry. Read more…
As many of you know South by Southwest, the annual indie music conference in Austin, TX, is coming up and what better way to prepare you than to remind you fo my favorite bands that are going to be playing there? As you schedule your concerts and parties for the week, I urge you to keep these exceptional performances in mind.
I introduced you to Cavashawn in August 2009. They’re a solid four-piece pop-rock band from Ohio (now in Chicago) whose music delivers super catchy sing-along choruses and a Grease-era vibe (see “Keep the Light On”). Read more…
Singer/songwriterClaire Stahleckerhas been given a gift, between her ageless songwriting and a voice that will stop anyone in his or her shoes, Chicago-native Stahlecker is planning on a godzilla-like take over Nashville this summer. Her latest EP release titled “A little Piece of Heaven” under her belt, Claire Stahlecker is definitely one to keep an eye on -enjoy this week’s feature of Artist of the Week.
FYW: How have your experiences at Columbia helped you grow as a musician and performer? Have you found other students to collaborate with?
CS: My experiences at Columbia have helped me grow as a musician in many ways. I knew diddly-squat about theory and harmony before attending Columbia, and now I can actually play and communicate with fellow musicians. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with tremendously talented vocal and instrumental coaches who knew how to push me to my full potential. I’ve collaborated with many students in the music department and formed my own band.
We are putting a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (well maybe not so much blood), into this project. Check back for video updates, concert updates, and love. We need you now, help us spread the word!
–     Visual Artists     –    Writers    –     Musicians    –     Composers     –    Designers     –
Need legal advice? Check out this webinar. Yeah, I said Webinar. It’s short for “web-based seminar.â€Â I didn’t know such thing existed until I found this thing. Basically, it’s an online seminar, but not to be confused with a webcast. Webcasts are one way – the people talk at you and you watch. But webinars are interactive. You have the ability to give, receive and discuss information in a webinar.
The ARTS & BUSINESS COUNCIL of Great Boston is putting this webinar shenanigans together. Unfortunately, there is a fee of $20, but hey, cheat the system. Just have five friends come over, and then you only pay $4 each. Not bad, eh? Read more…
For those of you familiar with Mew from their recent release No More Stories… (Sony, 2009) and tour with NINs- check out their early beginnings, with my personal favorite: Frengers (Sony, 2003).
Danish quartet Mew tugs at the heartstrings and digs deep into the emotional pit of yearning for love with Frengers. Mew has crafted a beautifully fragile album, defined by vocalist Jonas Bjerre’s high falsetto crying out melancholy lyrics and held intact by triumphant instrumentation. The optimistic music contrasting with the somber lyrical themes evoke an ironic sense of loneliness and fulfillment in their songs.
