Beware! The Leopard

Between the Beautifuls

Hawksley Workman - official site

Ok, he's not really new, and I'm a day late, but does it really matter when we're talking about Ryan Corrigan? 

Ryan, aka Hawksley Workman, has been on the Canadian and international music scene for almost a decade.  He had some mainstream success in the early naughties with "Striptease" and "Jealous of your cigarette", but then faded back into the underground realm which I think he probably prefers.  This is also great for his supporters because it means we get to see him in intimate venues which give us the full Hawksley experience.  I had the pleasure of seeing him perform on Saturday evening, and I picked up his latest album "Between the Beautifuls" at the show.  Both are wonderful experiences.

First the album.  "Between the Beautifuls" is a fantastic continuation of Workman's last effort, "Treeful of Starling".  The driving guitar rock that he eschewed on "Starling" is subtly joined with the more mellow ballads and cabaret pop that many of us have come to love.  This album shows Hawksley stepping into his prime.  There is no more wishy-washy "I'm a cabaret singer, no wait I'm a rockstar, no wait I'm weird", this is Hawksley saying "I'll be whatever the fuck I want to be and you can enjoy it".  It is definitely an album to pick up.

The show on Saturday was an equal to the album in every way shape and form.  He played a number of his older hits (sometimes done up completely differently from the album which is super cool).  He was backed on stage by a baritone clarinet, a violinist, a great backup singer, and of course Mr. Lonely on piano.  The first 3/4 of the show was great versions of the mellow stuff, including an opener played entirely on toy instruments (and if you haven't seen two grown men sitting behind a toy piano and drum kit, you haven't lived).  The last 1/4 of the show they switched up the tempo, stuck Hawksley behind a proper drum kit, and let loose.  It was great to hear them bash out "Addicted" as their encore, as it is a song I tend to relate to.  Imogen Heap and Sarah Jane Morris also made great guest appearances on one song each, which added to the  spectacle.

Hawksley has a stage presence all his own, and one thing that makes his performances and his albums special is that whenever you hear them, you think he's singing just for you.  Go check him out, live and on disc, he is more than worth it.

Call and Response

Call and Response   - Myspace

What has cheery pop tunes, a xylophone, and great vocal melodies?  The answer is Bay area music ensemble Call and Response.  These guys are not new, they've been creating music together since 1998 but they were unknown to me until a good friend put them on the hi-fi while we were attempting to win our rent money playing in an online internet poker tournament.  The sweet sounds coming out of the speakers did create a bit of a distraction, but they ended up being cheerily consoling when we busted out in 26th place.  Upon first listen I thought I was listening to a lost Stars or Stereolab album, with the female vocals right up front and the rest of the instruments sitting so perfectly mellow behind them.  But then I realized that Call and Response actually precedes Stars in musical history, and is a bit younger than Stereolab.  And that remains the best way of describing this band, they sound slightly more modern than Stereolab but not as "indie-Montreal" as Stars. 

According to their website they don't have any tour dates lined up anytime soon, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't pick up their album, put some headphones on and close your eyes.  I promise that no matter what mood you're in, their cheerful tunes will leave you with a smile on your face.

We are scientists

Ok, so maybe they are not a "new band", or even "unknown", but they are wonderful ear candy.  Those that have been following the various incarnations of my online persona will remember that when their first album "with love and squalor" came out that I listened to it almost incessantly for about a week, and ever since then it has been in regular rotation on my mp3 player.  Aside from its clever pop hooks, fantastic rhythm section, it also forced me to investigate some of the meanings behind the words.  For example, "With love and squalor" is actually a partial title of a short story written by J.D. Salinger, and once I found that out, I actually went out and read all his short stories (which are absolutely incredible must reads by the way).  It is very rare that a pop record touches me in this way, so I was eagerly anticipating the second release from the Scientists entitled "Brain thrust mastery". 

As we are going to see the band play at the Shepherd's Bush Empire next week, we wanted to make sure we were familiar with the new songs, so we picked up the album as soon as funds allowed, and let me tell you, they've done it again, but in a completely different way.  I was a bit skeptical initially upon learning that drummer Michael Tapper, the phenomenal drummer, had left the band (comprised of him, Chris Cain on bass, and Keith Murray vocals and guitar) before this album was completed.  They haven't released the details of the split, but it doesn't appear to be particularly acrimonious.  In the meantime, the remaining duo have picked up a couple of great session players for live gigs and to finish the album. 
And what an album it is.  The Cain/Murray duo have obviously been listening to their 80s greatest hits a lot over the last year.  Gone are the thundering guitar hooks, gone is the interplay between the bass and drums.  Instead, you get synth, sax, clever lyrics, and a good dose of Tears for Fears-ish ballady songs.  Now to some that might sound like a bit of an insult, but honestly, this album is still enjoyable.  It is NOT as good as their debut, but despite being a very different record, you can still tell instantly that is was created by the Scientists.  I don't know how they manage to make such a departure from their signature sound and still maintain that Scientists edge to it, but they do, and after a few listens, you too will realize that although they will never be classified as a truly influential band, they do make extremely pleasing ear candy.

OMG he actually posted on time!

Bon Iver - Myspace

So a friend of mine pointed me in the direction of Bon Iver a few weeks ago, and though I haven't gone out of my way to download the album, I have been incessantly listening to them on myspace ever since.  Yes, I have been repeatedly listening to two tracks, over, and over again; they are that good.  If these two tracks are any indication of the strength of the album, then a fabulous album it sure to be.

The sound of Bon Iver is the sound of wilderness, of log cabins, of shotguns and coon skin caps.  This is Americana at its most glorious.  Justin Vernon's haunting falsetto, harmonized with his own natural voice, is extremely eerie and touching at the same time.  There is something almost religious about the tunes, reminiscent of old delta blues  with a hint of gospel and a touch of 1960s Haight Ashbury.  While I would hesitate to say that Bon Iver is the creme de la creme in the latest trend to be an acoustic singer/songwriter,  if I was a gambling man, betting on his horse would not be a bad shout. 

Mamas and Papas

Sons and Daughters  -- Myspace

When I first heard the name of Glasgow based quartet Sons and Daughters all I could think of was that they must in some way be related to their genealogically logical forefathers, the Mamas and the Papas.  With thoughts of California Dreaming in my head, I surfed over to the website of this fearsome foursome, and plugged in expecting to hear some variation on the American roots/folk music that is becoming ever so popular over here.  Colour me surprised when instead of jangly guitars and vocals about better days, I found myself listening to pounding drums, cracking guitar riffs, and an awesome female vocalist.

Now I know that some of you will get on my case over the next phrase, but I normally don't dig female rock vocalists.  I guess it's that I don't find the female voice suited to angry driving rock music.  There are obvious exception, Deborah Harry, Tegan and Sarah, Emily Haines, among others.  But having grown up when Alanis decided to shed her pop princess background for angst-laden rock, female rockers became - in my eyes - a bit of a joke.  Adele Bethel surely helps me to cure my sexist thoughts on rock vocalists, as her voice is perfectly matched to the sound created by the rest of the band.  This is great rock that has elements of 1960s and 70s riff based rock, punk, and pop, all in one.  Their third album, This Gift, was released in January and is already getting rave reviews.  They are currently on tour of the Western US, before returning to Europe and then the UK.  I definitely hope to check them out, and you should too.

The Dilettantes

The Dilettantes

When Joel Gion takes time out from playing percussion for San Francisco based psychedelic band the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and he's not busy acting as awkward tambourine guy #2 on the Gilmore Girls, he fronts another San Francisco based outfit called the Dilettantes.  Their debut album, aptly titled 101 Tambourines, is a frothy mixture of psychedelic 70s guitars, and simple drum patterns.  If you plaid this album to a teenager, they'd probably say that it was recorded in 1973.  There is absolutely no gimmickry, what you see is what you hear.  This about as pared back a sound as you're going to get in this modern age, and frankly, it is refreshing.  In a day where albums are overproduced, full of samples and effects that are impossible to reproduce on stage, it is nice to know that a group of musicians can come together and make original music with little more than guitars, amps, and drums.  My only complaint about this album was the mixing job.  The vocals are a bit too upfront for my taste, and given that Gion is no Pavarotti, his Tom Waits-ish scratchy voicebox would sit a little better further back in the mix. 

The Dilettantes are currently touring the UK, and are coming down to London on Saturday, where I hope to check them out.  I suggest you do as well.

I wish I had been a cub scout

I was a Cub Scout

Some of you may have heard me rave about this band before.  There single Pink Squares had me dancing all over my office last fall, I must have had it on repeat for about 3 days, it was just so infectious.  The new album by the British duo entitled "I want you to know there is always hope" continues their contagious dance beats and couples them with poignant lyrics.  Imagine a hyped up version of the Postal Service, and you will kind of get where this act is coming from. 

I managed to catch IWACS live at the Underworld in Camden a couple of weeks ago.  Initially I couldn't hide my disappointment.  The promoter had chosen the worst bands to play with them (Rolo Tamassi -- a fantastic name, but a horrible act -- and Pictures -- equally bad, but with less screaming).  It is unfortunate when you have to spend the first 2 hours of a night listening to horrible music that doesn't even fall in the same genre as the act you came to see.  But luckily IWACS made up for it with a killer set.  Their energy had the crowd bopping, and I was particularly pleased that they finished the set with Pink Squares, which made my night.  The boyz are now touring around with Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly and are also playing the SXSW festival in Austin, so if they are in your area, be sure to check them out, I promise it will be worth it.

The sea and cake

What does one do when they have two hours to spare on a train ride to the middle of nowhere otherwise known as Leeds?  They write a blog post about the band they are currently hot about.  The Sea and Cake, named after a misinterpretation of "the C in cake", is a band out of Chicago, Illinois.  Led by Sam Prekop who I have previously mentioned, and Archer Prewitt, these guys make accessible indie-pop and have been doing so since the 1990s. 

There latest offering, Everybody, is far less jazz-infused than their previous efforts which detracts a bit from their sound, and does raise questions about whether or not they are trying to make themselves more palatable to the masses.  That being said, there is still a very original vibe to this record, and some neat instrumental sounds that make it worth while.  This album will delight fans of the Shins, and other such laid back indie-pop acts. 

Check out some of their tunes on their Myspace page.

Dirty Projectors and Final Fantasy

Last Friday evening, I managed to check out the Maximum Black festival at the Forum in Kentish Town, featuring Six Organs of Admittance, the Dirty Projectors and Final Fantasy.  The bill had been put together by Owen Pallett (aka. Final Fantasy), and it reflects his diverse tastes.  I had two other bands lined up to take this week's Bands to Watch post, but I was so amazed by this show that it was that the other selections will have to wait until next week's post. 

The show started with Six Organs of Admittance, and unless you enjoy watching two guitarists throttle cats on stage, I would suggest ignoring they exist.  That they have somehow managed to get into Pallett's favorite list really isn't a surprise given their weirdness, but screeching guitars just wasn't my thing.  Up next were the Dirty Projectors, fronted by Dave Longstreth.  These guys are really good in a Talking Heads kind of way.  Longstreth even does David Byrne's chicken-head movements, and if he had been wearing a really big suit, it would have completed the image.  They function well as a band, and the drummer is killer.  The projects latest album Rise Above is a take on Black Flag songs, and they do it really well.  The only downside is that the quirky front-man and female harmonies get a little bit old after 45 minutes.  Longstreth puts together new groups of musicians for each Dirty Projectors album, so each album sounds very different.  Unfortunately it means that its difficult to play tunes from other albums where the musicians onstage haven't had a had in the creating of the music, so they avoid it.  Thus, the set was entirely composed of tunes from the new album.  Worth watching, but I'm waiting for a little bit more from this group.

The real treat of the night was Final Fantasy.  Owen Pallett's one man act named after the famous video game is just phenomenal.  Seriously.  This is easily one of the top shows I have seen live.  Pallett works wonders with a violin and a looper, and when that is coupled with his sweet tenor voice and visual effects courtesy of a projection artist working her magic (whose name I unfortunately have forgotten), the show is mesmerizing.  Pallett straddles the pop/composition/classical world with soaring violin solos, awesome rythmic sounds, and lyrics that at times can make you weep (just listen to "The CN tower belogs to the dead".  Final Fantasy is his beautiful creation, and his latest album He Poos Clouds, is worth every penny.  The fact that he is from my hometown, is an obvious geek, and appears to not take himself too seriously, only adds to his charm.  I can't wait to hear what other gems he comes up with.

Caribou? Caribou!

Caribou!

When was the last time you visited the late 1960s on acid?  Daniel Snaith, the brains behind Dundas, Ontario based Caribou, was obviously there yesterday.  It shouldn't really come as a surprise that Snaith claims to have come up with name "Caribou" whilst tripping on LSD in the Canadian wilderness with some friends.  Caribou is so psychedelic it almost hurts.  The sounds Snaith creates evoke memories of tie-die t-shirts, love-ins, and lots and lots of drugs, even though I was born almost a decade after the 60s ended - that's how good this stuff is.  Check out their myspace, and find a show near you.  They are touring all over Canada and Europe so for my readers on  both sides of the Atlantic, it should be possible.