Mashup Monday - Midnight-Galactic (Beastie Boys vs M83)

For today's Mashup Monday, we bring to you a mix that's been out for a while, but is definitely one of our favorites. The track lays the raps from the Beastie Boys hit Intergalactic over the music from M83's Midnight City. The mix was done by a SoundCloud dweller from Brooklyn named "Basketball Camp" (you can listen to his other "stuff" here). Most of the other stuff seems pretty uninspired, but this mix seems so seamless, almost like this was the original song. Enjoy and let us know what you think! 

Mashup Monday - All The Happy People (Pharrell Williams vs The Beatles)

With an idea borrowed from Big Boi of Outkast, here is our first Mashup Monday post. Today's mashup was done by Kill_mR_DJ. You can find his other mashups on Soundcloud here (including a pretty awesome one of Avicii's Wake Me Up and Men At Work's Down Under). This one is called All The Happy People and is a mashup of Pharrell's Happy and The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby. Check back here every Monday for a new mashup. 

New Music Spotlight ::: A Review of SKATERS - Manhattan

SKATERS – MANHATTAN

Most collaborations occur by happenstance, being at the right place at the right time, discovering common interests, and things working out from there.  That’s the tale of SKATERS. In 2012 Singer Michael Ian Cummings (MIC) happened to be at the same party at the same “really fancy-ass house” party in Los Angeles as English guitarist Josh Hubbard. A few months after meeting when J. Hub was coming in to New York, he got in touch with MIC saying they should play some gigs together. They recruited two of Cummings’ friends, bassist Dan Burke (Dano) and drummer Noah Rubin (NoNo B). They strung together three shows mixing together songs Michael and Noah had been working on and mixed in some Pixies and the band was born. Not long after they signed with Warner Bros. and released Schemers, their first EP.

The four former-bartenders began working on their debut full-length Manhattan, at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village. The aforementioned album starts with some hi-hats laced over the sound of NYC subway sounds as the announcement “This is a Manhattan bound train” muffles through before pounding drums and convulsive guitar take over. ‘One of Us’ lays the blueprint for the “fun and games” to follow. A beautiful introduction to this punk rock influenced by the likes of Devo, Mission of Burma, and The Cars. Next is the controlled chaos that is “Miss Teen Massachusetts.” The track brings the sound from inside the eye of a tornado, tells of a last ditch love request, likely re-counting native Bostonian MIC’s past.

 From one love request to another the band’s second single ‘Deadbold’ pleas “give me one more try”. The beginning of the track has a punkish “Lisztomaina” feel to it. Seven drum beats flow into a Jamacian jam on “Band Breaker’ with calculated broken rhythms reflecting the diversity the band shares with it’s home. The album begins to click with “To Be Young in NYC”, a reflection of the member’s time as bartenders and all the things they saw on a nightly basis. The upbeat “Symptomatic” could have easily been lifted from a lost Oasis album. “Fear of the Knife” is lower key with a simple guitar hook reminiscent of simpler rock & roll. The raucous closer “This Much I Care” evokes early work from another New York staple, the Strokes.

Manhattan is roller-coaster ride for the listener; one moment an all-out assault and the next a leisurely jog through the streets. The one thing that is clearest from Manhattan is the material lends itself a live show. 

  

Top Tracks

Miss Teen Massachusetts

Symptomatic

Deadbold

This Much I Care

B Rating: 80

R Rating: 77

Overall: 78.5

Local Shows: none upcoming

Similar Artists

Cymbals – The Age of Fracture

The Strokes – Comedown Machine

Weekly Musical Spotlight ::: Late Night Television

Monday 03/17/2014 
Conan ::: John Legend
Fallon ::: Black 47
Kimmel ::: Amos Lee
Letterman ::: Young the Giant
Meyers ::: Iggy Pop
Daly ::: Robbie Fulks

Tuesday 03/18/2014 
Conan ::: The Head and the Heart
Fallon ::: Foster the People
Kimmel ::: Sam Smith
Letterman ::: Lenny Kravitz
Meyers ::: David Remnick
Daly ::: K Flay

Wednesday 03/19/2014 
Conan ::: Bad Religion
Fallon ::: Emilia Clarke
Kimmel ::: YG
Letterman ::: Sting
Meyers ::: Eugene Mirman
Daly ::: Jenny O

Thursday 03/20/2014 
Conan ::: Chad Daniels (Comedian)
Fallon ::: Billy Joel
Kimmel ::: Enrique Inglesis
Letterman ::: The Fray
Meyers ::: Band of Skulls
Daly ::: Sirah

Friday 03/21/2014 
Fallon ::: Ty Dolla Sign
Letterman ::: Little Dragon
Meyers ::: Kostya Kennedy
Daly ::: Run River North

New Music Spotlight ::: Review of Supermodel - Foster the People

Sequels have a bad rap don’t they? People sometimes have a tough time separating something new from what they remember with the original. Foster the People had an exceptional debut album, Torches, highlighted by the international smash hit “Pumped Up Kicks.” Usually, this allows the band to be “experimental” in their next release(s). Enter Supermodel. Originally, Mark Foster wanted to name the album A Beginner’s Guide To Destroying The Moon (the name of a track on the album), but the band decided it was too wordy and decided on Supermodel. The new title makes sense, as it serves as a critique of mainstream/consumer culture and the faces that drive this culture on billboards, magazines, and TV commercials. Those that liked Torches for it’s explosive percussion elements and electronically produced sound, may find Supermodel off putting.  

The first thing the listener notices on a listen-through of Supermodel is that it is more organic sounding than its predecessor. The only three songs on this album that would fit on Torches are “Coming of Age”, “Pseudologia Fantastica”, and “Best Friend”. The rest of Supermodel is a completely new experience. The former is the first single on the album and features a very Beach Boys-esque ending complete with the melodic ooooohh’s and aaahhh’s that Mike Love made so iconic on songs like “Surfin’ Safari”. “Pseudologia Fantastica” could easily be mistaken for a Passion Pit song by a casual listener. “Best Friend” falls into the familiar Foster the People motif of a song that lyrically contains serious subject matter, but musically makes you want to get up and dance. Hard to imagine the line “When your best friend's all strung out, you do everything you can because you’re never gonna let it get them down” coming from a bouncy, happy song, but it does.

On the remainder of the album, the electronic production is definitively toned down. It’s still there, but only to enhance the song, not serve as the core as it did on Torches. The song “Nevermind” has a precise, melodic vibe to it, almost hypnotic. The lyrics are very introspective as Foster wonders if we can be sure of anything nowadays. He laments, “Well it’s hard to know the truth, in this post modernist view where absolutes are seen as relics and laughed out of the room.” Supermodel also has an interesting thirty-three second interlude called “The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones”, complete with those Beach Boys oooohhs and aaaahhs. It acts as a bridge from one side of the album to the other. Unfortunately, the second half of the album is less focused and as impressive as the first, despite it containing what is probably the best track in "Best Friend".

The issue with the final songs (A Beginner’s Guide To Destroying The Moon, Goats in Trees, The Truth, and Fire Escape) is that they all sound so completely un-Foster the People. “…Moon” feels like an attempt to make a U2/Bowie collaboration, and the last three songs are slow, thought provokers. For a band whose live shows are all about getting people up and moving, it’s hard to imagine that happening with these songs. You Ought To Hear This will be at the Counterpoint festival to see Foster the People at the end of April, so how Supermodel will translate to a live setting remains to be seen.

Top Tracks

Best Friend

Coming of Age

Pseudologia Fantastica

B Rating: 82

S Rating: 87

Overall: 82.5

Local Dates: Counterpoint Music Festival April 25-27

Like this album? Try….from 2013

Arctic Monkeys – AM

Ducktails – Flower Lane

Danny Brown - Old

Bonus: Here is a live acoustic performance of "Coming of Age" from French Radio Station RTL2

Artist Spotlight ::: An Interview w. Typhoon

Ahead of their much anticipated show tonight (3/18/14) at Terminal West in Atlanta, YOTHT had a chance to catch up with Devin Gallagher of Typhoon.  Be sure to pick up their latest album White Lighter and listen as you read along below.

Get tickets to tonight’s show

Photo courtesy of Typhoon's Facebook Page 

You Ought To Hear This: Where did the electric eleven get its start? Are you all from the same area?

Typhoon: We started in Salem, OR. All of us are from Oregon except Jen (Indiana) and Pieter (California).  

YOTHT: Has there been any evolution to the band, member change, change in sound/direction?

T: Yes, a lot. We've been together for almost nine years. For an example: I was the sound engineer, then a guitarist, then the sole drummer, then a percussionist, and now I mostly play electric ukulele.  

YOTHT: When did you each get your start in music?

T: A lot of us played music in school. All of the original Salemite members played in garage bands and we were playing in coffee shops and the like through our teenage years. 

YOTHT: What are some of your individual influences?

T: We have a great many. Personally, I'd cite (in order) Motown, The Beatles, 90s alternative rock, K Records, post-millennial indie rock, and minimalist composers Glass, Young, and Riley. 

YOTHT: How did you come about deciding on a name for the group?

T: Toby, Kyle, and Tyler experienced a typhoon in Japan. A man there explained to them what the word means to him, and they thought it was good for a band.  

YOTHT: With eleven members, it must be hard to coordinate schedules for the recording process, practicing, and touring. How have you been able to get on the same page?

T: We just make this our priority. I've quit jobs, missed weddings, missed funerals, gave up a college scholarship, and dissolved businesses to be in this band.

YOTHT: With all this coordinating I’m sure being a band in the digital age has its benefits. Not only is it easier to interact with one another, but also your fanbase. How do you feel about social media these days and your ability to connect with fans worldwide and vice versa?

T: I like being able to interact with fans. It meant a lot to me when I was a kid and Animal Collective returned my email. I talk with fans most every day. 

  

YOTHT: Last summer you launched a kickstater campaign to fund your fall tour in support of White Lighter.  Talk about the success of the venture.

T: Specifically, we raised money to buy a van. It's great. I[‘m] sitting in it now. The biggest thing is it's safe, our old van wasn't. 

YOTHT: How did you come up with the different pledge “rewards”? What was the best experience you had, other than the actual tour, through this process?

T: We brainstormed a long time. Playing the private meet and greet shows was really fun.

YOTHT: At what point did you know you could make a living in music?

T: We're not making a living at this. We have day jobs. Or, I did... I had to quit a job bussing tables to go on this tour.

YOTHT: If you weren’t in music, where would you see yourselves?

T: I can't really see myself doing anything else. Maybe a different type of art. 

New Music Spotlight ::: A Review of Beck - Morning Phase

BECK – MORNING PHASE

Born in Los Angeles, Beck discovered hip-hop at an early age and it influenced his musical career in a dramatic way adding to one of the most diverse musical bags of his generation. In the late eighties he began playing clubs and coffee shops and moved to New York City in 1989. After years of devoting himself to his craft he hesitantly released ‘Loser’. The single went mainstream overnight and became the theme of the slacker crowd of the mid-nineties despite Beck’s unmatched hustle. With overnight notoriety came the typical backlash that haunted many rock acts during that time, even being dubbed a one-hit wonder. These unfounded critics only created more heat and pressure that helped form his Grammy winning rebuttal Odely. Over the years he has continued to produce highly acclaimed album reinventing his sound time and time again.

Beck’s 2014 return gives us his twelfth studio album, Morning Phase. ‘Cycle’, the opening track on his first studio release since 2008’s Modern Guild, is the sunrise of the Morning Phase. With daybreak comes, ‘Morning’ with its whispering lyrics blended with slow kick drum percussions, delicately fingered piano, and lightly strummed guitar. ‘Say Goodbye’ puts an end to the morning of the album and gets out the doors accompanied a smooth nineties bass line.

‘Blue Moon’, the first single off the album was released in late-January as an appetizer to the upcoming feast many critics expected. The cheery lyrics, folky guitar play and hint of Q Lazzarus’ ‘Goodbye Horses’ backing vocals plays with the heavy keys.  Beck also performed ‘Wave’ on Saturday Night Live, a beautiful hypnotic ballet of soft echoing vocals, an eloquently arranged sting orchestra; a refreshing afternoon nap if you will. The soft picking of his guitar, on ‘Don’t Let it Go’ reawakens the listener with its motivating nature, and builds into piano before fading into violins that usher the track out. In late 2012 Beck released a 20 track Song Reader of sheet music, hoping to inspire musicians to record their own versions. This process seemed to have had a major influence across this record including, the lyricless ‘Phase’. ‘Turn Away’ brings a Simon and Garfunkel-esque tone.  The final two songs wrap Morning Phase in a country twang with the help of rolling lyrics, rhythmic guitar, and additions of harmonica and piano.

The process of recording Morning Phase was more active than its predecessor and companion album, Modern Guild, as he was limited physically due to a serious spinal injury. The time off allowed him to develop more vocal range. A more mellowed release than his 2008 return, Morning Phase is the perfect spring awakening album. There has been a slight resurgence in concept albums lately, but this album brings on a new role of an evolutionary album taking album sequencing a step further as every song seems not only feed into the next, but build upon what came before it.

Top Tracks

Blue Moon

Morning

Heart is a Drum

Wave

B Rating: 81

R Rating: 84

Overall: 82.5

Local Dates: Bonnaroo, FireFly Festivals

Like this album? Try….from 2013

Father John Misty – Fear Fun

Dr. John – B-Room

New Music Spotlight ::: A Review of St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Half the City

ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES – HALF THE CITY

Ever head of St. Paul & the Broken Bones? Before you listen to them, here is a picture of them. Now we’re not ones to make assumptions, but when we first saw this six-piece band come across the for show announcements the initial thought was indie-folk stringers, more of what’s hot right now. Well you know what they say about assumptions. The truth is this sextet from Birmingham, Alabama has recreated a sound as rare as any in music, emotion packed soul with gospel winged tipped vocals dripping with musical talent. It’s not James Brown, Otis Redding, or Charles Bradley you’re hearing, but the pipes of Paul Janeway. Going by the stage name St. Paul, like many soul giants before him he was raised in a small town with gospel music as an influence. Matching his golden voice are the Broken Bones comprised of Browan Lollar (guitar, vocals), Andrew Lee (drums, percussion), Jesse Phillips (bass), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), and Ben Griner (trombone, tuba). The ensemble began in 2011 around the time fellow capstone state natives, Alabama Shakes (who’s Ben Tanner, produced Half the City), started making grumbling in the musical belly. Similarly styled, I hope they’re strapped in for a similar meteoric rise to the hearts and ears of music fans everywhere.

The group’s first LP, Half the City is the work of years of playing small shows, and enough enthusiastic post-gig pats on the back to give the group enough confidence to focus on the band and postpone previous career paths. With the release of Half the City those previous career plans seem to be put on hold. For having such an entrancing voice the Broken Bones shine just as bright and compliment the throttling screams. The album opens with a simple collection of percussion, bass lines, and horns that tempt St. Paul’s heavenly cords out to play on ‘I’m Torn Up’ a song with emotion that makes you feel part of the relationship. ‘Don’t Mean a Thing’, another passion filled relationship reflection likens a foregone love to losing his kingdom and even if you didn’t understand the English language you could deduce as much just from listening. At the age of 10, Janeway was being groomed to become a preacher where he mastered the pulpit as he does the stage. It’s on songs like “Call Me” that you can hear this soul-raising ability come through channeling the Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown. The record is a complete balance between vocals and instrumentals with neither outshining the other, which is difficult with the clout that each brings. ‘That Glow’ takes Half the City to a melodic stream of horn and keys to match controlled belting and a hypnotic guitar. The middle chapter of the album ‘Broken Bones & Pocket Change’ is a song that brought Janeway and former friend Jesse Phillips back together and into the studio for what later became this jaw dropping collection. It’s easy to see when this song was laid down why they realized it could be something big. ‘Sugar Dyed’ begins a string of upbeat, optimistic songs reminiscent of Chicago.

 The album closes with ‘It’s Midnight’ a story of a mother consoling her son after love lost as only a southern mother could. The perfect ending to this storybook album, the horn heavy track with tickled ivories evokes the feeling of last call on a long night. The twelve track debut comes across beautifully for a group that made their reputation on earth shattering live-performances.

Top Tracks

Call Me

I’m Torn Up

Like a Mighty River

B Rating: 85

R Rating: 89

Overall: 87

Local Dates: Thursday 03/20/14 w. Betsy Franck, Tedo Stone at the Georgia Theatre

Like this album? Try….from 2013 

Charles Bradley – Victim of Love

James Blake – Overgrown

Aaron Neville – My True Story

Justin Timberlake – 20/20 Experience

New Music Spotlight ::: Review of Lost in the Trees - Past Life

LOST IN THE TREES – PAST LIFE

The Tar Heel state has seen its fair share of talented artists over the years and this orchestral folk four-piece is no different. Started by Ari Picker (Vocals, guitar, lyrics) in 2007 as a form to create a more orchestral group, they began working on the EP Time Taunts Me. The former B-Sides member recruited local artists from the University of North Carolina’s orchestral program along with artists associated with Trekky Records. The result was a weaving of multifarious instrumentals to complement

Ari’s hauntingly beautiful vocals. The band’s leader cited a diverse list of influences such as Beethoven, Radiohead, Vivaldi, Neutral Milk Hotel, Saint-Saëns, and OutKast, among others.

Lost in the Trees returns after their 2012 release, ‘A Church That Fits Our Needs’ drew some of the highest praise that year. Esquire magazine referred to it as “a luxuriantly orchestrated remembrance that ping-pongs between introspection and celebration.” The group has since transformed from a six piece ensemble to a more streamlined, minimalistic collection of four. Shedding many of the bulbous instruments from their original set up, producer Nicolas Vernhes created more with less on Past Life.

The instrumental lineup has changed, but their latest release is littered with everything that makes Lost in the Trees unique. As the album begins, ‘Excos’ floats through a melodic piano flight with heartbeat percussions and horns underlining Picker’ vocals. The albums namesake track is an upbeat guitar driven ballad of resolve.  ‘Wake’ is backed by piano work reminiscent of a suspenseful horror flick under an optimistic violin to mix with lyrics that mind the middle. The album closes with ‘Upstairs’ a track that bleeds with the aforementioned influences of Radiohead. The rhythmic guitar play and haunting lyrics would make Thom Yorke proud.

Despite the reoccurring theme of death and afterlife, Past Life brings an overall feeling of buoyant resiliency compared to previous releases. As a whole the albums proves that sometimes less is more. Despite the reduced band overall the album combines the sounds used to create a more complete and efficient sound.

Top Tracks

Past Life

Upstairs

Wake

Rites

B Rating: 90

R Rating: 84

Overall: 87

Local Dates: Thursday, May 1^st at the Earl

Like this album? Try….from 2013

Typhoon – White Lighter

Breathe Owl Breathe – Passage of Pegasus

Hey Marseilles – Lines We Trace

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LIVE MUSIC SPOTLIGHT ::: ST. VINCENT W. NOVELLER AT THE TABERNACLE

St. Vincent w. Noveller

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Doors: 7p Show: 8p

Tabernacle ::: Atlanta, Ga

The night began with a Brooklyn composer and guitarist mesmerizing the crowd with amazing axe work. Sarah Lipstate aka Noveller took the stage in a white dress with dark pantyhose outlining her long legs. The electric guitarist wielding solo-project dazzled with her dream guitaring and her command of it. She amped up the crowd for what was building towards, an astounding performance from another strong woman. Noveller made her guitar road with the static sound from a mythical land, akin to Explosions in the Sky, but from a single guitar and paddle board. Shortly after graduating high school and leaving for college she felt compelled to learn the guitar.

@YOTHT_RC I'm self-taught and bought my first electric when I was 17 years old.
— Sarah Lipstate (@sarahlipstate) March 11, 2014

That compelling feeling lead to a strong understanding she shared with the Tabernacle crowd, using a violin bow to willing her instrument in to submission. What she produced was a sound that resonated through the layers of the venue, though her sound is made for outdoor venues/festivals. She left the stage around 8:45p and but her presence left its mark.

In our latest album review we discussed many aspects of St. Vincent, on being that she’d hold her own in a discussion for the women of indie music. After seeing he live, she’d be more appropriate to adorn the Statue of Liberty as the first woman you see coming to the land of indie music. Annie took the stage around 9:25p, a little long on the intermission between artists considering seemingly no alterations were made, and the anticipation had built to summit she more than conquered.

Taking the stage as an overhead robotic voice announced to refrain from digital recordings of the performance, no doubt a strong wink and nod to her second song ‘Digital Witness’. Post-godly voice St. Vincent and her three disciples, one on bass/synth, piano, and percussions, took flight into ‘Rattlesnake’. After her dance with the serpent the group blasted into the song that her tour takes it’s name ‘Digital Witness’. It is this song in which you’re welcomed into the incredible guitar world she’s created as she almost smugly shreds it as if it is no big deal. Cruel, arguably her most popular song, got an appropriate roar as her silvery voice filled the former church.

Emotions filled the halls with her passionate ‘I Prefer Your Love’ as she laid across her massive steps/throne belting the song she wrote for her mother as she was ill. ‘Surgeon’ of her 2011 Strange Mercy oddly enough showcased her amazing fingers along guitar strings….hair blown back by her riffing. Through the entire show, slow song, fast-paced, vocal driven or instrumental guided she held the crowd by the collar.

One of the best aspects of the show was the lighting, somewhat simple, well placed multi-layered strobe lights displayed at the right time to give the robot movement to Annie and her crew. After a short breather St. Vincent returned to the stage, to the chants of “ANNIE, ANNIE, ANNIE…” with a three song encore that was worth the price of admission. Throughout the show it was apparent that the ‘robot/digital’ theme was a big piece even more so when Annie and the bassist would break into synchronized machinelike movements with amazing C-3PO-like shuttle steps to and from the mic.

If you get the chance, and unless you’re in the wake of her east coast leg you’ll have the opportunity, check out St. Vincent whether locally or at Bonnaroo….just do it and thank us later.  

Weekly Musical Spotlight ::: Late Night Television

Kimmel is live from Austin, Tx this week at SXSW with some great musical guests.

Monday 03/10/2014 
Conan ::: Warpaint
Fallon ::: Demi Lavato
Kimmel ::: White Denim
Letterman ::: Little Mix
Meyers ::: Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer
Daly ::: Hell or Highwater

Tuesday 03/11/2014 
Conan ::: Goo Goo Dolls
Fallon ::: Juanes
Kimmel ::: Aloe Blacc, Jimmie Vaughn will be sitting in with the house band
Letterman ::: Gary Allan
Daly ::: Vanish Valley

Wednesday 03/12/2014 
Conan ::: Ian Karmel (Comedian)
Fallon ::: Beck
Kimmel ::: Damon Albarn, and Johnny Winter will be sitting in with the house band
Letterman ::: Ledisi
Meyers ::: American AuthorsDaly ::: The Colourist

Thursday 03/13/2014 
Conan ::: The Wild Feathers
Fallon ::: Nate Bargatze
Kimmel ::: Preachers
Letterman ::: Le1fMeyers ::: Lo-Fang

Friday 03/14/2014 
Fallon ::: Jake Bugg
Kimmel ::: Willie Nelson, Los Lonely Boys will be sitting in with the house band
Letterman ::: The Dough Rollers
Meyers ::: Andy Daly
Daly ::: St. Lucia

Saturday 03/15/2014 
Saturday Night Live ::: NA

Palladia Highlights
Monday 03/10/2014 
9a Storytellers - Death Cab for Cutie
10a Storytellers - Ray Lamontagne

Tuesday 03/11/2014
10a Storytellers - My Morning Jacket
11:30a Young the Giant - Unplugged
8p Red Hot Chili Peppers - From the Basement
10p Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt

Wednesday 03/12/20145p Hangout Fest 2013 - Hour 1
6p Hangout Fest 2013 - Hour 3

Thursday 03/13/2014
5p Blackberry Smoke - Live from the Georgia Theatre

New Music Spotlight ::: Album Review of St. Vincent - St. Vincent

ST. VINCENT – ST VINCENT

If a modern day Mount Rushmore for the women of indie music was erected (not a bad idea for a posting…stay tuned) there’s no doubt Annie Clark would garner her fair share of the discussion. Better known to the masses as St. Vincent, she has created a sound all her own by cultivating various elements into a wild chamber of pop-rock explosion. Raised in Dallas, Texas she learned to play guitar at twelve before working through her teens as the tour manager for her uncle’s band. She had a three year stint at Boston’s Berklee College of Music before returning to the lone star state. Shortly after her homecoming she joined the rock army that is the Polyphonic Spree. In 2006 Clark left TPS to tour as part of musical mastermind, Sufjan Stevens’ band.

After nearly a year on the road Annie began her transition to St. Vincent. Originating from Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center where poet Dylan Thomas died in 1953. Deciding a place where ‘poetry goes to die’ fit her persona perfectly. She took the moniker after hearing it in Nick Cave’s ‘There She Goes My Beautiful World’. In July of 2007 she released her debut Marry Me (yes, it’s an homage to the Arrested Development line) to rave reviews. Since her beginning she shared the attention commanding sounds shared by her former associated acts, but with her own added flair. She has since recorded and released 2009’s Actor, Strange Mercy two years later, and collaborated with former Talking Heads’ lead singer David Bryne on Love This Giant in 2012.

In St. Vincent’s opening song ‘Rattlesnake’ it’s easy to picture the violet-tinged curls bouncing along to “sweatin, sweatin” in a Walking Dead-esque summer heat. The guitar sliding track delivers her voice and brings the scene to life. On December 9^th, 2013 St. Vincent announced the upcoming album release and immediately uploaded “Birth in Reverse” for free download. The track is a manic mashing of 80s dance party meets raw Sublime-like lyrics that create a get up and go energy that won’t be ignored on any set list during her upcoming tour.  Annie’s lingering voice carries the Pinocchio-like fairytale driven track, ‘Prince Johnny’ channeling early works from the First Lady of Pop, Madonna. The Disney theme isn’t new to St. Vincent as she has stated that her sophomore album Actor was inspired by many of their films.

Beginning with the fifth track, Digital Witness, the album really becomes magical. The second single off her self-titled album came in mid-January.  The horn rich track demands “give me all of your mind, I want all of your mind” and there’s no negotiation. Movement invoking instruments leave the listener spellbound, with no choice but to nod along to beat. Not ready to release her captive audience, St. V serenades on ‘I Prefer Your Love’ over simple drums and strings. The song discusses her closeness with her mother, written when her mom was ill (she has since recovered). What is left is a sigh of relief and a beautiful account of their bond. ‘Bring Me Your Loves’ channels tUnE-yArDs like afro-beat looping reverbs into one of the more electronic selections on the album. The electric feel continues of the remaining three songs.  Throughout the album, St. Vincent shows off her amazing musical range and leaves the listener in an entranced fog. The only negative would be St. Vincent could have been better tracked.  The different sounds often come one after another and can come away as choppy.

It’s no coincidence that Miss Clark is sitting on a futuristic throne of the cover of St. Vincent. It’s a royal seat she’s commanded time and time again with each new venture. It may be time to crown the new queen of indie pop-rock.

Top Tracks

Digital Witness

I Prefer Your Love

Regret

Rattlesnake

Psychopath

B Rating:  86

R Rating: 89

Overall:  87.5

Local Dates: Saturday 03/08/14 w. Noveller at The Tabernacle

Like this album? Try….from 2013

Born Ruffians – Birthmarks

Glasser – Interiors

Bats for Lashes – The Haunted Man

Au Revoir Simone – Move in Spectrums

The Polyphonic Spree – Yes, It’s True 

Artist Spotlight ::: An Interview w. Old Man Canyon

My influences are really all artists that reach for something beyond themselves, ones that have vision and desire to bring something real to a world of falsity.

Photo Courtesy of Old Man Canyon Facebook

You Ought To Hear This gets up close and personal with a band that is sure to be one of the breakout artists of 2014, Old Man Canyon.  Jett Pace, the founder and driving force behind Old Man Canyon, was kind enough to answer our questions. Please read along and be sure to check out their phenomenal EP Phantoms & Friends.

You Ought To Hear This: Give us some backstory to the band and your journey.

Old Man Canyon: In early 2011, the band I was in at the time ended up having a pretty bad falling out, as bands often do. It really shook me up and confused me as to what direction I was going to take, and how I really wanted to continue as an artist and a musician.

The next several months were spent in my basement writing and experimenting with sounds. After about 8 months I had a group of songs I was really happy with that I felt fit well together. So I contacted a friend and local producer, Dave Meszaros, to begin working on what would become the Phantoms & Friends EP.  The next 6 months was spent recording and really just trying everything that came to our minds, not holding back creatively at all. At the end we were left with something we were really proud of. 

 YOTHT: Tell us about the members of the band and what is your instrument set up?

OMC: The band now consists of 5 of us, its gone through several incarnations, but with everything sonically I am going for 5 of us are needed. Especially with the new music that will be on the next record, it’s quite a bit different and requires more hands! The band members consist of myself, on Guitar and vocals, Josh Contant on drums, Alex Dobson on bass, Malcolm Dow on Keys/synths and Dave Meszaros on guitar, who also was the producer on the EP.

  

YOTHT: Is everyone from the same area, how did everyone meet?

OMC: It’s been a gradual formation, it all began really with me just writing songs, and after I had recorded the EP is when I really began focussing on constructing the dynamic of the band. Some of the members are old childhood friends, and others we met through friends in and around Vancouver. It wasn’t a quick process, it’s taken around a year to find the right people to fit the vision I had artistically and sonically for the band.

YOTHT: Are you guys signed to a label? If so, how was that process?

OMC: We are in the process of signing, we’re talking to several different labels right now, I won’t name them quite yet. But we should be making a decision here pretty soon. The process was quite fluid actually, at least for us, the right people took interest right off the bat and have been keeping an eye on us since the beginning, so I think that helped to get the right exposure off the get-go and make the right connections.

YOTHT: What are some of your individual influences?

OMC: I always find that a really hard question to answer. My influences are really all artists that reach for something beyond themselves, ones that have vision and desire to bring something real to a world of falsity. To name a few, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, 2pac, Prince, Bob Marley, I could go on forever.

  

YOTHT: Describe your sound and how you decided on that direction?

OMC: I still haven’t really chosen a direction, I think as soon as you box yourself into a certain format, you stop yourself from evolving as an artist. I just write what it is I’m feeling, and that usually works. My new music is a lot different from the EP, and I couldn’t more excited for it, it’s everything I think I’ve always wanted to incorporate, it just took some time to really find it.

YOTHT: What is your writing and recording process like?

OMC: I spend a lot of time in my cold basement writing and recording. I don’t really have a set way songs come about, they always come in different ways. Some start from a guitar riff, some start from a beat, and some start from a bass line or sometime a melody will just pop in my head and I record it on my iPhone quickly to come back to later. I try to always switch it up to give deferent feels to the structure of the song.  But the process really is not up to me, there are forces at work sometimes when I’m creating [that] I can’t really take credit for. 

YOTHT: Where do you typically find inspiration for writing?

OMC: I couldn’t tell you, It’s such a random process, you never know when something amazing will pop into your head. Thank god for the iPhone recorder, that thing has saved my butt so many times when I need to remember something. 

YOTHT: How did the connection and relationship to have multiple recordings on Showtime’s Shameless? Describe the recognition increase since that time and growth via social media and fans reaching out?

OMC: Right after my EP was released I signed with a great Licensing agent out of Los Angeles, and it’s been truly awesome to see the placements he has got me. It’s helped me gain a lot of exposure and has allowed me financially to keep going with music without having to get side tracked on a side-job. 

It’s always an amazing feeling seeing your work reach the world, and hearing what people have to say and how it has affected them or helped them through something, I think when that sort of thing happens to an artist, it really helps build inspiration, because you see firsthand how it is your work is affecting the ones that hear it.  

YOTHT: Your tracks seem to fit the show so perfectly? When you are writing/recording do you visualize the music being a part of a scene/video?

OMC: Sometimes when a song comes, there is a strong visual side to it for me, and sometimes not. I love film and do a lot of visual arts in my spare time, so I guess that side of it is always in my mind. As soon as one art form is created, be it music or film, I usually see the ways the other parts can fit in to it pretty quick. Some songs just seem to fit the atmosphere of something visual more than others.

YOTHT: How do you feel about social media these days and your ability to connect with fans worldwide and vica versa.

OMC: I think it’s great, it has allowed for artists to manage parts of one’s career that usually took 30 different people. Its put a lot of power back into the musicians hands, and you can see the effects of it as labels aren’t always needed in the same ways they were back in the day.

YOTHT: Are you a fan of the resurgence of vinyl records and the return of people to local record stores?

OMC: Yes I love vinyl. I think there is something in it that portrays sound how it’s meant to be heard. I have a little bit of a vintage Synth obsession, and anything analogue really, so the vinyl definitely allows for that vibe to come across easier.

YOTHT: Do you find music outlets like Spotify, Beats Music, and bandcamp are good for music as a whole and help smaller artists?

OMC: Ya, they’re great if they are used right, and you don’t depend on them solely to get your stuff heard and out there. They are just tools and the real work has to be done other ways.

  

YOTHT: Do you have any plans to tour/expand the tour? Plans for a record?

OMC: Yes, this next year is going to be a big one. We will be heading out on a U.S. tour in April, and then aiming to do a larger U.S. tour in June along with a tour throughout Canada sometime in the summer.

YOTHT: The EP is fantastic, what are your plans for a new record?

OMC: As for new music, there is a lot coming. This past year I’ve written enough for several albums, so let’s just say I am very eager to get more material out there, especially because this new music is just so much fun to perform live and I feel captures the vibe I really want to be giving off more than the acoustic guitar driven folk tunes.  

YOTHT: Do you all as a band have set goals? If so, what are they? What are your dreams for the future?

OMC: My dreams are to create something that allows people to get inspired to create their own dreams. And while doing this I want to collaborate with as many incredible people as I can and build a real community around this. 

  

YOTHT: What do you listen to in order to clear your musical palate?

OMC: I go for a walk and listen to the birds!

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