Duke Special - I Never Thought This Day Would Come

So I was just recently introduced to this artist by a co-worker- this morning actually - and his style and album "I Never Thought This Day Would Come" piqued my musical interest.

From the cursory information I could glean from his Myspace, Wikipedia and website (I really go in depth with my research - ha ha), Duke Special aka Peter Wilson is an Ireland native and his music is described as: "having a theatrical style inspired by Vaudeville and music hall, and often incorporate 78s played on an old-fashioned gramophone, or sound effects from a transistor radio."

His music would be an enjoyable excursion for fans of the Decemberists, Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground, Elliot Smith, or musical theatre. His sound has a very music hall, vaudeville style to it - especially tracks such as the title track "I Never Thought This Day Would Come" which has a rusty waltz feel to it - and "Digging an Early Grave" which is a creepy upbeat, jaunty show tune.

There are a huge variety of sounds on the album, and with some amazing orchestral arrangements and production work like a Broadway musical-- however by and large the strongest part of the album is the first half. The poppy track "Sweet Sweet Kisses" is reminiscent of UK alt-pop personality Patrick Wolf. The love of orchestral arrangements and the grandiose abound on the album.

Wilson's vocal qualities drift from the murky styles on "Flesh and Blood Dance" (sounds like Elliot Smith), "Mocking Bird Wish Me Luck" (sounds like Colin Meloy of Decemberists) to the upbeat "Sweet Sweet Kisses" which also sounds like Rufus Wainwright. He has a wonderful ability to convey darker songs with sincere and gorgeous melodies which is his winning combination.

UK Reviewer Nic Oliver of MusicOMH stated this about Duke Specials newest release:
"Oddly enough, Sweet Sweet Kisses is by and large in a category of its own on I Never Thought This Day Would Come. The rest is largely downbeat fare, epitomised by the first track Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck. This haunting piano ballad has the cojones to open the album with the line "I'm so unsure of myself", which is oddly reminiscent of Elvis Costello's lead-in to Armed Forces - "Oh I just don't where to begin."
By the time the listener reaches the third track Those Proverbs We Made In The Winter Must End the modus operandi of Wilson becomes readily obvious. Swirling orchestral arrangements backing nagging piano-driven melodies, with literate, articulate lyrics that never lose sight of popular appeal." - Nic Oliver (read the all article here at http://www.musicomh.com/albums/duke-special-3_0409.htm)

Overall - the album was a wonderful oddball pop record to stumble across in the AM. Strangely enough his music is a perfect accompaniment to the chilly Seattle fall weather. Check out the youtube video below for a taste of his style:



~Andrew D.B. Joslyn

Ben Sollee - Learning to Bend

So it was by a pleasurable accident that I ran across Ben Sollee - I was actually checking out my friend Ben Dean's band Caravan of Thieves - and stumbled across Ben Sollee who actually has the same PR firm as Ben.

Anyway, long story short - Ben Sollee is a classically trained cello player/singer song writer out of Kentucky, who has worked with some seriously talented musicians in the alternative folk world such as: Jim James (My Morning Jacket fame); Casey Driessen (Colorfools, and an amazing Bluegrass fiddler); Abigail Washburn (banjo, singer song writer); and Bela Fleck. (Flecktones fame)

His style of music is a fusion of jazz, neo classical, folk, and bluegrass. As far as a musician and instrumentalist his talent with the cello is fantastic - he uses a lot of Darol Anger style rhythm chops on songs such as "How to See the Sun Rise" with his bow - but also has flawless pizzicato plucking style on songs such as "It's Not Impossible." (on the album this features the banjo stylings of Bela Fleck)(check out Ben Sollee's video playing this song live on Jimmy Kimmel Live.) His right hand pizz. is a wonder to watch even for people who aren't experts with string instruments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCWVZkK24PQ

In regards to his song writing, Ben Solle has a nice mature touch with his songs, which never come across as contrived. Check out the lyrics for his song "Panning for Gold" which is about his grandparents suffering from dementia:

"I saw God by the river
Panning for gold
I saw God by the river
Weary and old

He said; ‘Son,
I used to know where I put things,
I used to know’

I saw God in the forest
Teaching Tai Chi to the trees
In the wind
And bowing to the seas

He said; ‘Son,
I used to know where I put things,
I used to know’

I saw God on the mountain
Tearing at the sky
I saw God on the mountain
With tears in his eyes

He said; ‘Son,
I used to know where I put things,
I used to know
I could have shown you all the beauty in the world
but now I need you to show me
Yes, show me’ "

His album, 'Learning to Bend' is a veritable gem of songs ranging from Bluegrass ("Bury Me With My Car"), Folk ("Prettiest Tree on the Mountain"), Appalachian ballad ("Built for This"), Pop Soul("How to See the Sun Rise"), to political commentary "A Few Honest Words" and the Sam Cooke cover "A Change is Going to Come." Overall as a album it is light easy listening, which never gets too heavy or fluffy.

Furthermore: "Per Ben's unique performance experience and creative vision trump his 24 years and traditional classical training; he is poised to emerge as a solo artist, bridging genres and demographics with earnest and dynamic songwriting. However, the single most salient quality of Learning to Bend, is Ben's contagiously optimistic worldview. Ben is not just expressing his personal quest for flexibility, he is asking the entire country to learn to bend, learn how to cry, learn how to see the sun rise... He is at the forefront of a movement that is happening right now: a zeitgeist in which a nation can face reality and empower itself to evolve and feel deeply and stand up for the power of hope." -Amazon Editorial

Check out the following video of Ben Sollee's "It's Not Impossible" -

~Andrew Joslyn

Fictional Fictionists

Utah natives "Fictionist" are a relatively unknown band in the Northwest -- however through the bizarre fluke of Myspace, I came across their somber, melodic, and dulcet pop rock sound and it instantly caught my ear.

Fictionist consists of: Stuart Maxfield - Lead Vocals, Guitar; Spencer Harrisson - Bass; Jacob Jones - Keys; Aaron Anderson - Drums; Robbie Connolly - Lead Guitar, Funktastic Effects; and Brandon Kitterman - Rhythm Guitar, Toys.

The group fondly compares itself to the classics such as the atmospheric rock of Pink Floyd, and the exhuberance of the Beatles, which isn't too far off the mark. For fans of British rock such as Travis, and Oasis - Fictionist are a nice addition to the pantheon.

Possibly some of the most stand out attributes for the group is the tight instrumentation of their tracks, but also the flawless vocal harmonies. Stuart Maxfield croons along to songs such as 'Noisy Birds' and 'Set Me on Fire,' along with Robbie Connolly singing back ups which creates utterly lush and beautiful layers of sound which just wash over you.

Jamie Gadette of the Salt Lake City Weekly praised the band: "On their Website Utah’s Fictionist observe “Life’s meaning finds form as we rearrange this ancient noise,” though judging by the local sextet’s new album Invisible Hand “ancient noise” might refer to a revolution in sound dating back just three or four decades. Fictionist wrap their record in psychedelic interludes containing little of the dark, droning vibes driving works by contemporary psych-rockers The Warlocks and The Black Angels. Invisible Hand rather leans toward the sunnier, groovier end of the spectrum with soaring guitar solos topping a pile of tasty instrumental glitter—strings and moog, loops, handclaps and the occasional toy—creating an atmosphere mixed with late ’60s/early ’70s AM radio and brooding British rock (Travis comes to mind). Besides their music, Fictionist are fast gaining a reputation for being utmost professionals celebrated by festival organizers and audience members alike. Experience them in an intimate setting before they start selling out arenas."

All in all, Fictionist seem poised for something more than the aridness of Utah.

Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground

I've been meaning to write about this band for a while - and not quite sure what caused me to delay on reviewing their recent self-titled debut album, "Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground."

The band Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground is actually the remnants of the band Gatsby's American Dream -Kirk Huffman & Kyle O'Quin who teamed up with cellist Phil Peterson. With this change, the band Kay Kay ditched the teenage angst of Gatsby and replaced it with more mature sunshine, carnival, psychedelic indie pop rock.

The album is an ever swirling mixture of random influences, but none are more prevalent than the Beatles Sergeant Pepper. Which is both the down fall and saving grace of the album. It is as if the members of Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground raided their parents old LP's and 45's from back in the 50's-60's and took all the best aspects of this era of music and injected them into their music. Because of this, the album doesn't break any new grounds or introduce any new radical sounds to their listeners.... however they are trending familiar ground and it proves to be nostalgic and one pretty damn good album. Even Phil Peterson (cellist/production) stated that with the album: "We are trying to do something that is tapping into what was great about music..." On the process of creating the record, when interviewed by the Stranger, Kirk Huffman mentioned that, "While we were doing something simple, and just kind of mimicking our favorite artists, and chopping up 12 different songs and making them --- well there is a kind of homage and tribute with this record, and we wear that on our sleeve; it is nostalgic, that when those familiar chords and chord progressions, and changes, and feels -- we were trying to mimic everything - Kyle the whole entire time was like we need to take the tambourine and pan it right - that is exactly what they did on 'Rubber Soul'." With this precision and attention to detail, it all shines through brilliantly on the recording.

Susan Frances of Absolute Punk previously reviewed Kay Kay's debut album and stated that: "The songs from Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground’s debut album have the dreamy seascapes of The Minor White, the gypsy punk sweeps of Nurses, the theatrical crests of The Dear Hunter, and the tuneful esoteric stylizing of Mika. Kay Kay’s album is made up of so many components, and yet, all of these fragments diametrically come together peacefully into a scenic Utopia. The gypsy-tinged symphonies of “Into the Realm of the Unknown” and “Simon Courage Flees the Coop” have exotic chimes lining the rhythmic beats and a theatrical-pop spirits which coats the melody with enchanting ringlets."

http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=422751

My favorite's off the album have to be 'Birds (On a Day Like Today)' - has some Ben Fold's aspects to it --- 'Hey Momma' - I included a live video of this song being performed below and 'Simon Courage Flees the Coop' with its baroque pop sensibilities.

Overall, the album is a beautiful homage to the music of an older generation, which none of the members of Kay Kay were alive to live through.... however were able to Frankenstein together a great album.

Looking forward to seeing them live at Bumbershoot this year in Seattle.

~Andrew D.B. Joslyn

Sasquatch 2009 - Saturday Lineup May 23, 2009 Part 1

So being a musician and never being to the Gorge almost seems like heresy -- prior to this last weekend, I had never been to the Gorge, Washington State's premier spot to see live music.

The band I play with, Handful of Luvin' is slated to play at the Gorge this summer in early August before Phish, and I didn't want my first experience of the Gorge to be a performer, and not as a attendee. So, my girlfriend and I decided to go to the festival and experience it firsthand.

To be honest, the Gorge was all I imagined it would be: glorious and incredibly epic. To anyone that has ever been there, just the sheer size of the grounds alone is astounding -- the max capacity for the venue is 20,000 people and the view of the Columbia river and surrounding landscape behind the main stage is spectacular - Enough about the Gorge, now onto Sasquatch itself.

Originally I had only purchased a ticket for Saturday at the Gorge, since the majority of the lineup on that day I had heard of, and enjoyed their music. (Kings of Leon, Doves, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, M. Ward and others). Thankfully, my girlfriend convinced me to stay until Monday, so we were able to attend the festival on Sunday as well.

Sasquatch Lineup:

May 23, 2009
Wookie Stage 1:30 PM - Blind Pilot

The band got off to a late start (egregiously long sound check). Overall the band was a good way to start off the festival for me - they had a huge array of random instruments (lap slide, violin, accordion, guitar, bass, banjo, accordion, keyboard, trumpet) which all added lots of layers of extra sound to help liven up the relatively laid back set. On initial listen the group sounds like Wilco - with the vocals of Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski,they have a sound like a younger Jeff Tweedy mixed with Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) sugary sweet folk pop melodies with an Alternative Folk Twang.

Unfortunately after 3-4 songs, the set became quite bland (all the songs were medium tempo, and had nothing showy.) All the parts of the group were very simple (elementary rhythms; uncomplicated chord changes; and with not much variation), so the group played it safe and easy.... the main push and drive of the band was the vocals and lyrics - which at initial listen seemed pretty straightforward... definitely something I'm going to need to listen to more in the future for a more educated critique of this Portland Band.

Main Stage 2:20 PM - The Doves

I came to the Doves set being familiar with their older albums (The Last Broadcast and Lost Souls). In the late nineties and early 2000's, the band had been described as 'The New Radiohead" - which isn't too far from the truth... however the band has roots in dance pop rock which bleeds through their songs and sound.

Their set at Sasquatch had a huge atmospheric sound to it - thanks to the 2 story speakers flanking the massive Gorge Main Stage. With the combination of percussive bass line drones, driving dance drums, chimey guitars, and soaring vocals lended to the Doves sound. The new Material from their albums Kingdom of Rust and Some Cities sounded great - and the older song "There Goes the Fear" was a fantastic closer for the entire set.

The band overall sounds very familiar to fans of Coldplay, U2 and Radiohead and 'Euro Sulk Rock' -- and fit well at the Main stage for Sasquatch.

3:25 Main Stage - M.Ward
To be honest, even though I own M.Ward's album 2006 Album 'Post-War' I'm not very familiar with M. Ward's songs. I actually was introduced to M.Ward's music after researching his associated act, She & Him (which is M.Ward's act with actress and singer Zooey Deschanel). The one song which I know and was looking forward to was Chinese Translation which M.Ward immediately blasted into at the beginning of his set.

M.Ward's sound is both new and old - if Jerry Lee Lewis never existed and then all of a sudden was a contemporary band - that would be M.Ward.

In the middle of M.Ward's set, he brought up the violinist from Devotchka (the next Main Stage band) Tom Hagerman, who played an impromptu song. Hagerman played it safe and didn't do anything fancy or embellish too extravagantly on M.Ward's tune... which was fine - I was just hoping for more of a show when he came out.

4:20 Yeti Stage, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
the group was loud and raucous... didn't stick around long enough to be able to fully critique or enjoy their set.....

4:30 Main Stage, Devotchka
....however, I did have plenty of time to enjoy this gem of a band, Devotchka. I remember seeing these guys years ago at Bumbershoot in Seattle, and I absolutely loved their set. DeVotchKa is a four piece multi-instrumental and vocal ensemble that fuses Romani, Greek, Slavic, Bolero, Mariachi (and many more styles) music with American punk and folk roots. (Imagine 'Fiddler on the Roof' in the middle of a Carnival Horror House, with 'Rancid' as your tour guide.) Their sound is quite unique, and I was pleased to see that they were giving the honor of being on the main Stage.

Here is a video I took of one of my favorite songs: Clockwise Witness.



5:50 Main Stage, Animal Collective
The set went off to an interesting start... for the longest time I wasn't sure if it was a sound check or an actual song... which pretty much sums up my impression of their entire set. Their set comprised of cacophonous noise making which to the initial listener seemed convoluted and abrasive (lots of random howling, synthetic electonic beats; twinkles, pops, etc.). I was hard pressed throughout the set trying to figure out why the group had so much hype about them... the entire blogosphere and critic circles were ranting and raving about how wonderful these guys were.... maybe I just need to get onto the band wagon and listen to this band a few hundred times and dissect what makes them tick......

The thing that frustrated me most with the group was the ever present tension that they had musically throughout the set --- it never seemed to resolve itself-- the music direction was like they were trying to get to an idea, but never reached it.... like their sound was the aural representation of the novel Ulysses (complicated and beautiful.... but god who reads it for fun?????)

-Andrew D.B. Joslyn

Meeting Andrew Bird - The More Noble Beast

Last night I went to see Andrew Bird play at the Moore Theater, in Seattle, WA, and it was an interesting evening.

So if you've ever met me - you know that I have a healthy obssession with the Chicago Multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird. With many musicians you look for idols and ideals in your own genre of music that you want to emulate, or at least pull inspiration from ---- as a violinist in a rock band such as my own, the list of musicians which you can actually draw from is significantly limited compared to say drummers, guitarists, and bassists.


For me, Andrew Bird is one variant of the ideal violinist in a contemporary pop, indie rock setting: he utilitizes music recording and onstage gear very well, he has a stellar onstage persona, and he is able to carve his own path based on his own music - which in itself is the most impressive feat - and damn can he play that violin.



Recently Andrew Bird - the violin toting, whistling, glockenspeil and guitar playing guru released his eighth studio album, 'Noble Beast' - which continues his punch into the indie rock alternative genre. Lately a lot of people have been comparing him to Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley, and even the sounds of Sufjan Stevens. Yet comparing him to other contemporary artists such as the above doesn't really fully describe his sound.

Technically his layout is extremely complex. Onstage and in the studio, Andrew Bird uses a combination of two Line 6 Loop stations linked with each other along with some other choice pedals, which allow him to build overdub upon overdub of his violin plucks, bowings, whistlings, glockenspiels etc. Sometimes the sound can be either enchanting and ethereal or raucous and overwhelming.



The amazing thing is that the majority of his compositions he can do solo, and sound like a full orchestra - with the magic of his Line 6's. When Andrew Bird first began this project, with the album's 'Weather Systems' and 'Mysterious Production of Eggs', he kept things relatively simple with just him and drummer/electronica composer Martin Dosh. And the compositions were unreal and beautiful.



With the inclusion of Mike Lewis (bass/clarinet) and Jeremy Ylvisaker (guitar) both using Line 6 loop stations, the potential for chaos is undeniable. Even when I spoke with Jeremy and Mike directly after Andrew Bird's show at the Moore Theater, they were both noticeably nervous about the topic. The risk you run with more and more musicians on stage all using loop stations trying to sync with each other, and all contributing to the ever swirling madness of digital playback... is utter cacophony. Granted, Andrew Bird and his crew are adept at keeping the chaos at bay - but at times, I missed the simple solo instrumentation of Mr. Bird plucking out a simple melody.

The show itself at the Moore Theater was initially an uncomfortable experience. The whole urban hippy, uptight Seattlite crowd had gathered in full at the Moore, and the group of friends I had brought with me was noticeably disgruntled. Andrew Bird's Music definitely caters to the more artsy, hipster crowds - and they were out in force that evening. Loney Dear, one of the newest additions to Seattle's Sub Pop records opened the show. The Swedish group plowed through their 45 minute set and garnered a appreciative response from the audience.

Once Andrew Bird took the stage by himself and began the evening with a swirling intro and broke into a alternative version of 'Self Torture' the group instantly responded positively. Immediately afterward, Martin Dosh, Jeremy and Mike took the stage and went into 'Master Swarm' (one of my favorite new songs).

The set list that followed that evening:

Self Torture (Andrew Bird Solo)
Master Swarm (full band)
Natural Disaster
Extended Intro into 'Effigy'
Oh No
Plasticites (with an extended ending)
Fitz and the Dizzy Spells

At this point, Andrew Bird made an extension introduction for his colleague Martin Dosh calling him a "prolific and established composr and drummer." The band broke into a rousing version of 'Not A Robot, But a Ghost.'

Armchairs
Anonimal
Fiery Crash
Imitosis
Table and Chairs

Encore:
Why (Andrew Bird Solo)
Don't Be Scared (from Weather Systems)



After the show was done, the Seattle hipsters filed out quickly and so did myself, my girlfriend and my friends that came with me to the show. I was determined to talk with Andrew Bird, and we decided to wait for the band to come out so I could talk with them. Unfortunately the enthusiasm I had for the band wasn't fully shared by my entire group- which was disappointing for me - since I had been idealizing this evening for a while in my own head.

After waiting 35 minutes in the miserable drizzle, I saw Mike Lewis (bass/clarinet) and Jeremy Ylvisaker (guitar). As I approached both Mike Lewis and Jeremy Yylsaker, I became instantly nervous. You realize that you have become the solicitor and the loiterer, and it was an uncomfortable position to be in for me. Once I spoke with both Mike and Jeremy, I became more at ease and asked them several questions about the Line 6 set up, and how they all met and got started with Andrew Bird.

Mike Lewis and Jeremy Ylvisaker had all played in various bands with Martin Dosh and other Minneapolis musicians - just all apart of the same music scene, so it only seemed natural that once Martin Dosh had partnered up with Andrew Bird, that Mike Lewis and Jeremy Ylvisaker would follow.

After speaking with them, I saw Martin Dosh briefly, but was unable to catch his attention. Another 20 minutes passed, and I finally saw Andrew Bird and approached him. Sometimes when you listen to someone’s music and see them perform you start feeling a bond with them, a sort of understanding of what they’re about. And as a violinist myself (classically trained, initially through Suzuki, in a band, touring myself etc.) I felt that our bond should have been stronger than any mere fan. Or so you think, until you meet them in person and realize you have nothing to say, besides maybe describing what their music means to you.



When I introduced myself I told him that I had been playing violin myself for a long time, and was hoping that would have gleaned some sort of recognition, or even an element of acknowledgement. Unfortunately it had not, and I was left with an awkward silence wanting to ask him so many questions, but I was face to face with the undeniable fact that I was merely a solicitor and not a musical kindred soul. Fortunately I was able to ask him about his violin pick up setup - but after I asked the question I felt like I had overstayed my welcome. I thanked him for his time, and walked away.


I felt frustrated by the entire experience - but then honestly didn't know what I expected from him. More than anything I wanted to be seen as an equal, or at least a kindred musican which would possibly spark a moment of connection. I guess, I will have to be content with immersing myself in his music.


~Andrew D.B. Joslyn


http://altmusic.about.com/od/reviews/fr/andrewbird.htm
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=28791

U2 - New Single - 'Get on Your Boots'

So ever since the release of 'Pop' back in 1997, I've noticed a gradual down turn for U2. All of U2's material prior to 'Pop' is always the most rocking, and honest sounding of the group. However once the discotheque, trance techno, and crazy studio production kick in, something seems to get lost. Between Bono pretending he is the devil, and giant lemons falling from the sky... Pop wasn't a great album - but it wasn't a bad album either -- it just marked a significant change in artistic direction for U2.

The next couple of albums seem to follow the same trend, even though the band states that they are trying to make a 'return to their original sound.' With 'All that you Can't Leave Behind', and 'How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb' - the band continued to enthrall millions with their sound, and gain a new following, however seemed to lose some of their loyal fans as well, as they traversed new sounds... and became a HUGE global franchise.

The thing that is difficult for me with Pop, All that you Can't Leave Behind and How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb is that it is U2 trying to stay on top, and not show their age. With all these albums they are experimenting with new sounds, sonic ideas, directions, and production styles --- in order to stay current, and sell albums. However with all of them, they just seem to steadily lose the essence which made the band a knock out band. With the countless re-issues of old remastered albums and Live DVD performances... which continually show Bono and the group's age... I was beginning to lose hope that the group would ever be able to create honest rock music ever again.

I had high hopes for 'How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb' - but I was strangely disappointed. Like a fine wine, you'd expect bands to mature with age, however the slick production of 'Atomic Bomb' and the overall presentation of the album just made it like fine lacing wrapped around rusted bolts. The sounds were not fresh or new -- all the new material seemed like rip off's of better older songs- almost like U2 had become a cover band for their own older stuff.

Ok, well it may seem like I hate U2- but I'm a huge fan, and because of that I have huge expectations for them- and it seems like a long time waiting for the next Joshua Tree from this band. Well, here comes U2's newest cut from their upcoming album 'No Line On the Horizon', 'Get On Your Boots' and its the first time that I haven't been disappointed in a while. It sounds like a cross between Vertigo, Discotheque, 'Big Girl's are Best' and Elvis Costello's 'Pump it Up' - and is hard-edged, and up tempoed. The Chorus' have a definite tinge of Brian Eno with its meandering melody line over Bono singing 'You Don't know how Beautiful you are.' All in all it makes the band sound like they are not old and outdated - but are able to put out a contemporary sound which is raw and fresh, and not just a franchise stunt.

I'm hoping that the album has more tracks like this on it, since they are well overdue for another f%&%ing rocking album. Definitely helps having the group release this single tidbit right before Barack Obama's Inauguration - a fitting homage to a new year, a new presidency, and a new era in U2's sound possibly.

Check out the new track streaming LIVE at:
http://goyb.u2.com/

~Andrew D.B. Joslyn