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

Live Spotlight ::: Cold War Kids

Cold War Kids
w. Houses
Wednesday 4/17/13
The Masquerade
Atlanta, GA

Still getting settled in at the Masquerade and encountering some old friends meant I miss most of opener,  Houses, but what I heard was enjoyable. As Downtown Records lablemates of Cold War Kids it makes sense that they'd tour together, but their ambieonic sounds (which I'm a big fan of) felt a little too mellow before a band whose tempo is all over the place and you know will come out firing. I would defiantly recommend giving Houses (Spotify page)a listen though. 

Having not looked at their setlists from the Dear Miss Lonely Hearts tour, I thought for sure they'd come come out blazing with 'Miracle Mile', their fast paced shake inducing first single. 'Loner Phase' is a great set-starter, but 'Miracle Mile' feels made for the leadoff spot. Having said all of that, the stead build from 'Loner Phase' to 'Mexican Dogs' to 'Miracle Mile' had Masquerade's Heaven soaring high. Once in the clouds the foursome from Silverlake, California came with the right hook of emotion belting 'I've Seen Enough'. 

As this was my third time seeing the band it's always interesting to see how they evolve and their stage presence changes. From the first time I saw them at Bonnaroo 2011 it was clear they band could grab and demand the crowds attention and that's only strengthened. The most interesting and attention grabbing part of their show is bassist Matt Maust whose stage movements are second to only Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I liken his dynamic stage maneuvers to a game of bassist tags as routinely through songs he'd lean on another member or just come by and touch them as long as he could. Maust also ventured into the crowd three times by my count, not an easy feat with an bass guitar. The group did one of the best jobs of mixing and matching from their music catalog while supporting a brand new album. The breakdown of four songs from their new Dear Miss Lonely Hearts, 3 from Mine is Yours, 5 from Loyalty to Loyalty, 5 from Robbers & Cowards, 'Audience' from their Behave Yourself EP and 'Minimum Day' a single released in support of their Minimum tour in early 2012. The group laid down some serious jamming following 'Fear & Trembling'. For fear of coming down from their musical high the crowd didn't break their eruption following their departure from the stage, begging for an encore. They were handsomely rewarded a passion laden trio. 

Hospital Beds

Cold War Kids Setlist
1. Loner Phase

2. Mexican Dogs

3. Miracle Mile 

4. I've Seen Enough

5. Royal Blue

6. Jailbirds

7. Audience

8. Every Man I Fall For

9. Rubidoux

10. Hang Me Up to Dry

11. Relief

12. Cold Toes on the Cold Floor

13. Louder than Ever

14. Fear & Trembling

15. Hospital Beds

16. Saint John

Encore

17. We Used to Vacation

18. Minimum Day

19. Something is Not Right with Me