ChordStrike

Sasquatch! 2010

Local writer Travis Hay and photographer Dave Lichterman covered Sasquatch! on behalf of ChordStrike this year. Wish you were there... (Heck, we wish we were there!)

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FRIDAY
The Sasquatch! Music Festival proved to be a monstrous beast of music during its three-day run. Throughout Memorial Day weekend, Sasquatch! featured more than 80 bands spread across three stages and a dance and comedy tent. Kicking off the summer concert season in the Pacific Northwest, the festival’s first day contained a grouping of buzz bands and established acts, making for a day of musical ecstasy. It was a theme that carried throughout the weekend. Set at the picturesque and remote Gorge Amphitheatre (about 150 miles east of Seattle), Sasquatch! boasted not only one of the most eclectic and indie-friendly lineups you'll find, it also took place in the most beautiful spot in the country to take in a show. The sundresses, sandals, and ponchos (the festival is known for having unpredictable weather) were in full effect.

America's perfect bar band, the Hold Steady, showed that they are also the perfect festival act. Craig Finn's story-songs helped create a rousing performance in the summer sun, filled with shout-along choruses and plenty of fists pumping in the air. As a performer Finn is like a rock n' roll Muppet, wildly gesturing, smiling, and laughing when not singing. His enthusiasm is infectious, which is what makes the Hold Steady such a fun band to watch live. Three songs--"Rock Problems," "Hurricane J," and "Barely Breathing"--from the recently released Heaven is Whenever, were peppered into the set and fit perfectly alongside Finn's other narrative tales about partying, religion, and rock n' roll lifestyle.

In the early evening, the action really picked up on the main stage, with the National (left) delivering an emotionally stirring set just before the sun went down. Songs from the critically acclaimed Boxer and this year's High Violet dictated the performance. Some of the material was sparse, while other songs carried a full sound punched up by horns that filled the Gorge. As a performer, singer Matt Berninger is so compelling that you practically feel the emotion. It made for an entertaining and highly engaging show.

Anyone who doubted the hype surrounding Vampire Weekend (below) should have seen how the nearly 20,000 people reacted to group's sunset performance. Thousands of people on top of the Gorge's hill jumped up and down while dancing to the likes of "Cousins," "A-Punk," and "Horchata." It was the biggest set and biggest response of the day.

While the National were stirring up emotions on the main stage, Nada Surf was closing down the activities on the solar-powered Bigfoot stage. The set was heavy on covers, several from their new album, the palindromic If I Had A Hi Fi. The Go-Betweens' “Love Goes On” and Kate Bush’s “Love and Anger” stood out, but the best selection came when Nada Surf turned Depeche Mode's “Enjoy the Silence” into a poppy love ballad.

The night was capped by My Morning Jacket's two-hour headlining set. Jim James and the rest of his band came blazing out of the gates with a hard-rock instrumental unlike anything in the MMJ canon, which led right into "One Big Holiday." From there "Dondante," "Off the Record," the short but extremely funky "Highly Suspicious," and about 15 others songs followed in a career-spanning set list. These touring warhorses are one of the best live rock bands in America, and their set was a fitting way to cap a day filled with a wide variety of music.

Brad, fronted by the soulful Shawn Smith (far left) and featuring Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard, morphed into the darker and heavier Satchel for two songs after Gossard left the stage. OK Go played a high-energy and hit-laden set. Power poppers Posies played a blissful set of unreleased songs, and Portugal. The Man’s psychedelic rock (left) and the excellent Afro-pop of Fool's Gold were two distinct styles of music that stood out.

Check out all of Dave's Friday photos.

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SATURDAY
Sasquatch!’s second day kicked off with a dance party on the main stage, led by the dual drumming assault of Caribou. The high noon set woke up the sleepy-headed campers that showed up early, its upbeat rhythms and tempos providing a great precursor to what would come later in the evening (hint: LCD Soundsystem).

Local Natives (right) filled the day’s quota in the soon-to-be-breakout-bands category. The quintet encompassed the entire musical vibe of the festival with a sound that is melodic, poppy, jangly, and jammy. In a festival forged around musical discoveries, Local Natives was the cream of the crop of the blog-friendly buzz bands.

Speaking of buzz bands, London’s XX (left) played dreamy, synthesized bedroom music and was one of the bright spots of the afternoon. The set could’ve been a disaster, given the music’s slow-burning leanings in such a large and expansive environment, but the material translated well, and the crowd was enamored by the music, singing and swaying along to every song.

The swaying turned to full-blown dancing when James Murphy and his band (a.k.a. LCD Soundsystem) managed to stir up the crowd with driving beats and plenty of cowbell. Highlights included the one-two punch of “Daft Punk is Playing at my House” and “Drunk Girls” from This is Happening, which was the most unstoppable dance force of the weekend.

While dancing was a dominant part of the day, the most anticipated set of the festival came from reunited influential indie rockers Pavement (right). The set was a bit sloppy and surprisingly started with “Cut Your Hair,” the band’s most well-known song. Later it got a bit messy, with a few botched intros to “Rattled by the Rush” (due to instrument troubles), but once Pavement got over the rough patches, they sounded great. Frontman Stephen Malkmus, who was celebrating a birthday, appeared to be annoyed by the minor hiccups, but the crowd didn’t seem to care much as the band played more than 20 songs from its catalog, including “In the Mouth of the Desert,” “Unfair,” “Two States,” and others.

Public Enemy (left) headlined the Bigfoot stage while UK electro icons Massive Attack (below right) headlined the main stage. The latter set was chill, moody, and relaxed, complete with a terrific light show that worked well under the Gorge’s canopy of stars. Public Enemy, on the other hand, brought the noise. Flavor Flav showed he is still hip hop’s reigning jester, while Chuck D held court with a nonstop assault of golden age hip-hop hits, heavy on material from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band played a fantastic set of math rock with progressive leaning while filling in for City & Colour, which had to cancel due to singer Dallas Green's pneumonia. Tegan & Sara almost humorously introduced “Alligator” by beat-boxing. The Long Winters (right) played unreleased material and ended their set with a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey.” And the humor of They Might Be Giants had thousands of people getting their geek on while singing and dancing along to “Istanbul (Not Constantinople).”

Check out all of Dave's Saturday photos.

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SUNDAY
Mother Nature made her presence known as the Sasquatch! Music Festival wound to a close Day with warm temperatures, a constant threat of showers, and--at the end of the day--a rainbow.

Throughout the day patches of light rain combined with spots of bright sunshine to create an interesting combination on what was the festival’s strongest day. The rainbow appeared during the summery sounds of the Zooey Deschanel / M. Ward combo, known as She & Him. It was the perfect accompaniment to Deschanel’s voice, which were the main attraction, but M. Ward nearly stole the show during a cover of “Rollover Beethoven.”

The Heavy (right) opened the main stage off with a mix of inspired British neo-soul, funk, and rock, engaging the Sasquatch! early risers with hits off of their latest album, The House the Dirt Built, closing off the set with "How You Like Me Now?". Having seen their performance earlier in the year before their explosive set on Late Night with David Letterman sent the quartet's careers into high gear, the addition of live horns added new dimensions to a fantastic set.

If Ben Bridwell’s constant smile was any indication, Band of Horses was the main stage act that had the most fun performing. His toothy grin was almost as enjoyable as the songs performed from Infinite Arms. Another band that was clearly having a blast was the Canadian indie supergroup New Pornographers, which features Neko Case, A.C. Newman, Dan Bejar, and others. It was impossible to not smile and sing along to the group’s catchy, upbeat songs.

MGMT (left) was the main course of the day, even though cult rockers Ween handled headlining duties. MGMT seemed in awe of the grandeur of the Gorge’s spectacular setting and amazed at the size of the crowd (they drew the most people of the festival), though they appeared strangely bored on stage. Vocalist Andrew VanWyngarden dedicated the Memorial Day set to fallen soldiers, started things off with “Pieces of What.” A few songs later, “Flash Delirium” began to work up the crowd, and when “Time to Pretend,” “Kids,” and “Electric Feel” finally came along, the dance party was in full force. Similar to Vampire Weekend’s Friday night set, MGMT showed they are capable of anchoring a major U.S. festival.

Sasquatch! wouldn’t have been a summer music festival without a good old-fashioned mosh pit, which is exactly what Vancouver, B.C., duo Japandroids (right) spurred on during the most intense set of the weekend. Prior to Japandroids’ set of thrashing, Canadian, post-garage rock, the deep-fried Southern rock of the Drive-By Truckers washed over the main stage crowd with a three-guitar assault. Patterson Hood’s storytelling skills were in fine form during the twisted “The Wig He Made Her Wear,” while guitarist Mike Cooley showed his skills as a frontman on “Get Downtown,” both from The Big To-Do, one of the Truckers' strongest records in years.

There were several more memorable moments from Sasquatch!’s final day, making it difficult to narrow things down to just a few. The Seattle Rock Orchestra crammed more than 30 musicians on stage to play a wonderful set of Arcade Fire covers. Aussies Tame Impala proved to be well worth the buzz they’ve garnered, creating a Wolfmother-meets-Howlin' Rain / wall-of-psychedelic sound that rang throughout the festival grounds. On the other end of the Australian rock spectrum was the Temper Trap (below), a band with modern-rock radio written all over it.

By the time the 2010 incarnation of Sasquatch! was over, it was clear that the taste-making festival is a force to be reckoned with in the destination festival circuit. Excellent music was happening around every corner at one of the most beautiful concert settings in the country. Sasquatch! is well worth the trip, and if this year’s lineup of more than 80 bands was any indication of what’s to come in 2011, you’ll want to be there next year.

Check out all of Dave's Sunday photos.

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Dave Lichterman is a programmer by day and photographer by night. "Concert photography bridges the gap between my love of music and my love of photography," he explains, "whilst making up for my complete and utter lack of musical talent. Nothing compares to the thrill of seeing and capturing musicians performing their art." Check out more of Dave's photos @ http://www.flickr.com/lavid/.

Travis Hay is a Seattle-based writer who has been covering music in the Northwest for the past decade. He was a music critic at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and started the award-winning blog and website Ear Candy. His work has appeared in Sound Magazine, The Seattle Weekly, Crosscut.com, Three Imaginary Girls, and other print and online publications.

The Stimulus Package: Best Album Art of 2010... So Far

Leave it to Rhymesayers to lead the charge in putting off the obsolescence of physical music. Last year, we made a bit of adoring noise about the very cool packaging of P.O.S.'s Never Better (in additional to naming it one of the Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2009, So Far and the 49th Best Album of the Year.. So Far), but this year, whoever's running design over at Rhymesayers has absolutely outdone her- or himself.

Freeway & Jake One's The Stimulus Package is a marvel. The music itself is definitely worth a listen if you're into hip-hop, but the design is a straight-up object lesson in concept art for music. That plastic card you see in the video below? It's got a code to download the whole album's instrumentals for free.

Back to school, designers:

     --Jason Kirk

Joanna Newsom: Have Three On Me

Criticizing an album before anyone's ever heard it would be a bizarre thing to do. Bizarrely, I think I'm going do just that.

Y'see, I'm just a little concerned about one of my favorite artists.

Joanna Newsom's Ys was one of my favorite albums of the last ten years, but she's announced her follow up, Have One On Me, is going to be a triple. There's no track listing yet, but whatever it is will be released on 3xCDs, or 3xLPs.

Is there actually such a thing as a great triple album? Serious question, I'd like to know. There must be a few, but even still - wouldn't they be improved by having a few lesser tracks chopped off to make it a more manageable double album? In fact, wouldn't the vast majority of double albums be improved by being edited down to a single?

I tend to feel that 35-50 minutes is the best length for an album, because shorter than that feels a little too short, but longer is kinda tiring. But how tiring a record is depends on what kind of music it is, too.

Aphex Twin's triple LP (or double CD) Selected Ambient Works II is over two-and-a-half hours of featureless ambiance. Even though that's a long time to do anything (a long time to have headphones on, say), it's easy to let it wash through you and only pick up on the broad movements of mood. On the other hand, Tupac's double-disc All Eyez On Me is 132 minutes --  nearly two-and-a-quarter hours -- and it's exhausting, because you have to listen much closer to hip-hop, to follow the lyrics. That kind of concentration is tough to keep up!

Joanna Newsom is not exactly easy to listen to in the first place. Her voice is polarizing, but even for those of us who like it, Ys, at 55 minutes long, was quite long enough, because her lyrics are so densely arranged that you really have to focus to keep up with them. We don't yet know how long Have One On Me will be, but if it's roughly three hours then that's surely too long to digest in one sitting. And if it's not meant for one sitting, why release it at all together under one name?

Joanna Newsom's music always seems very deliberate: every syllable is carefully measured, every flourish and flair under complete control. You can be sure that there's an explanation for the placing of every antique and animal figure on that cover, above, so the length of the album itself is no half-thought or accident. I imagine she must have some complex conceptual justification, I just can't imagine what it is!

Do you agree that triple albums are a bad idea? Or are you happier to get more songs from longer albums?

Have One On Me will be released on February 23rd. A new song, "Good Intentions Paving Company," is already streaming from her label Drag City's website.

Can You Master The SoundUnwound Genre Quiz?

Hi there!

SoundUnwound is the new music website from IMDb and Amazon. We are primarily a music database, which is editable by all users, but moderated to help keep data quality high. Recently we’ve been adding a few extra features for a bit more fun. We know some of the Chordstrike team have been enjoying them, so we thought we’d let you know too.

We’ve made use of Amazon's vast library of 30-second song samples to put together five genre quizzes which test your musical knowledge, and your reaction times. Do you think you know about pop, rock, indie, country or hip-hop? Can you tell the difference between Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato? Pearl Jam and Soundgarden? Modest Mouse and the Manic Street Preachers? Toby Keith and Brad Paisley? Jay-Z and Ludacris?

 

Yeah, of course you can! But can you make your choice within a few short seconds, before you've heard their voices? The longer the clock ticks, the less points you win for answering correctly. We’ve already seen some users rack up impressive scores. Can you join them on the individual genre leader boards, or on the overall board?

And once you’ve mastered your own specialist subject, why not try the quiz of a genre you know less about? Everything you hear is shown with links to the main SoundUnwound site, so you can find out more about any new discoveries, or add them to your SoundUnwound library.

We have to warn you: please make sure you’ve already done your homework, washed the dishes and put the cat out, because these quizzes can be addictive!

We’d love you to try them out and, if you’ve got any comments on the quizzes or on the rest of the site, please let us know in the comments here, or by sending us feedback.

Ed @ SoundUnwound

Animal Collective: A Perfect 10

This just in: Pitchfork has given the new Animal Collective song "What Would I Want? Sky," releasing on December 15 on the Fall Be Kind [EP], a perfect 10 rating. We wanted to mark the occasion since the music blog is stingy with its perfect rating (rightly so). And even though we at Chordstrike fawned all over the band and included them in our Best of the Year list, we're not quite sure if the favorable comments in the review fully justify the rarefied rating. Sure, "consistently different," and sounding like "new age or yoga or the 1990s" (things that make you go hmm), and the ability to "take a sound and turn it inside out to make something new, but something recognizable, even familiar" are all admirable if not altogether coherent qualities in a song. But are those really the things that merit a perfect 10? Indie bands take notice -- there's your new playbook for success.

--Lucas HIlbert

The 100 Greatest Live Albums of All Time

There are plenty of live albums issued solely as afterthoughts or contract fulfillments, but there are plenty that are as transcendent as the best in-person concert experiences, only with zero lines at the bathroom. For this particular list we came up with the following criteria:

• Only one album per artist.
• Albums were been performed live in front of an audience, but don't necessarily have to be culled from a single performance.
• No EPs or singles—this list is about albums
• We decided to limit this list to music, which means no comedy. We wanted to save those records for a separate list for laffers.

Of course, we exercise their judgment regarding quality and/or historical significance. If you disagree with our choices (and there's a good chance you will), let us know in the comments.

Here goes:

1. James Brown - Live At The Apollo, 1962
2. Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison
3. Frank Sinatra - Sinatra at the Sands
4. Bill Withers - Live at Carnegie Hall
5. Judy Garland - Judy At Carnegie Hall
6. Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4: Live, 1966: The Royal Albert Hall Concert
7. Ella Fitzgerald - Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert
8. Led Zeppelin - How The West Was Won
9. MC5 - Kick Out the Jams
10. Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert
11. Neil Young - Live Rust
12. Otis Redding - Live in Europe
13. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
14. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York
15. Bob Marley - Live
16. The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
17. Roy Orbison - Black and White Night
18. The Who - Live at Leeds
19. Simon and Garfunkel - The Concert in Central Park
20. Jimi Hendrix - Live at Monterey
21. Cheap Trick - At Budokan
22. John Coltrane & Thelonious Monk - At Carnegie Hall
23. Paco de Lucia, Rodrigo, and Orchestra De Cadaques - Concierto de Aranjuez
24. Maceo Parker - Life On Planet Groove
25. Portishead - Live: Roseland NYC
26. Elvis Presley - From Elvis in Memphis
27. Leonard Cohen - Live in London
28. Kiss - Alive!
29. Eric Clapton - Unplugged
30. Queen - Live Killers
31. Nina Simone - Nina Simone at Town Hall
32. Gram Parsons - Live 1973
33. Jeff Buckley - Live at Sin-é
34. U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky
35. Lucinda Williams - Live at the Fillmore
36. Thin Lizzy - Live and Dangerous
37. Dead Can Dance - Toward the Within
38. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Live in New York City
39. BB King - Live at the Regal
40. Aretha Franklin - Live at Fillmore West
41. David Bowie - Stage
42. Miles Davis - Miles Davis at Fillmore: Live At The Fillmore East
43. Art Blakey - A Night At Birdland, Vol. 1
44. Ani Difranco - Living in Clip
45. Mavis Staples - Live: Hope at the Hideout
46. Muddy Waters - At Newport 1960
47. Depeche Mode - 101
48. Deep Purple - Made in Japan
49. Isaac Hayes - Live at Wattstax
50. Sam Cooke - At the Copa
51. Parliament - Live: P-funk Earth Tour
52. Grateful Dead - Europe '72
53. Laurie Anderson - United States Live
54. Alison Krauss and Union Station - Live
55. Velvet Underground - 1969
56. Pink Floyd - Pulse
57. The Roots - Come Alive
58. Bill Evans Trio - Sunday at the Village Vanguard
59. Sarah Vaughn - Live At The 1971 Monterey Jazz Festival
60. George Harrison - Live in Japan
61. Peter Gabriel - Plays Live
62. Erroll Garner - Concert by the Sea
63. Thelonius Monk - Thelonious in Action: Live at the Five Spot Cafe
64. Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Live at Luther College
65. Janis Joplin - Janis in Concert
66. Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive
67. Willie Nelson - Stars and Guitars
68. John Coltrane - Live at the Village Vanguard
69. The Clash - From Here To Eternity Live
70. Eartha Kitt - Live from the Café Carlyle
71. Ravi Shankar - Live: Ravi Shankar at the Monteray International Pop Festival
72. Wilco - Kicking Television: Live In Chicago
73. Neko Case - The Tigers Have Spoken
74. Judas Priest - Unleashed in the East
75. Jay-Z - Unplugged
76. The Orb - Live '93
77. The Ramones - It's Alive
78. Etta James - Rocks the House
79. Soweto Gospel Choir - Live at Nelson Mandela Theatre
80. Pearl Jam - Live on Two Legs
81. Björk - Live Box Set
82. Kraftwerk - Minimum-Maximum
83. Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings
84. Lou Reed - Rock 'n' Roll Animal
85. Jill Scott - Live in Paris
86. Carole King - Carole King The Carnegie Hall Concert June 18, 1971
87. Alice in Chains - Live
88. John Denver - The Wildlife Concert
89. Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley
90. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Live at Carnegie Hall
91. Rush - Rush in Rio
92. Police - Live!
93. Daft Punk - Alive 2007
94. James Taylor - James Taylor Live
95. Neil Diamond - Hot August Night
96. Guns N' Roses - Live Era '87-'93
97. Lyle Lovett - Lyle Lovett Live In Texas
98. Blue Oyster Cult - Extraterrestrial Live
99. Aerosmith - Live! Bootleg
100. J. Geils Band - Live: Blow Your Face Out

-- Jeff Reguilon

Who Will Sign Pomplamoose?

19,000 YouTube channel subscribers, 5000 MySpace friends, and some serious buzz building... Let the bidding begin.

--Courtney Powell

Interview: Matt McCormick Discusses Music's Role in New Film

Part of Portland indie film darling Matt McCormick's heart has always belonged to the music scene. In between creating and screening his own experimental film projects, managing international film label Peripheral Produce and directing the PDX Film Festival, he's found time through the years to collaborate with musicians, compose soundtracks for some of his own short films, and direct music videos for The Shins, Sleater-Kinney, YACHT and other acts.

So it's not surprising that McCormick recruited some musically-minded friends to collaborate in his first full-length feature film. James Mercer of the Shins and Carrie Brownstein of the recently disbanded Sleater-Kinney play the lead roles in Some Days are Better Than Others, and Portland-based Matthew Cooper, better known as Eluvium, is scoring the film. The trailer was released this week. Watch it below for a taste of the four Portlanders' collaborative work.

Matt was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about the roles that music--and musicians--play in Some Days are Better than Others.

How did you decide James and Carrie were right for the two lead roles?

There were a lot of factors. The storyline of James' character actually derives from a music video I made for the Shins a long time ago ("The Past and Pending") and throughout the writing process I sort of had his image as that character. I also had worked with him on a couple other video projects and knew he was good in front of the camera, so when the time came to cast the film I gave him a shot to audition and he nailed it. Carrie originally came in to audition for a smaller role, but she asked if she could also read for the bigger role (Katrina) which she also nailed. The character Carrie plays works at a local dog shelter, and in real life Carrie works at the Oregon Humane Society, so she had a very acute understanding of the story line.

What did they bring to the table as musicians that made them interesting to work with, or different from actors without that background?

I have worked with so few actors that it's hard to say, but Carrie and James are both very smart, creative people who I think were able to bring a larger artistic sense to the process. It really just felt like one big artistic collaboration.

You've scored some of your own short films in the past - how did you approach the scoring of this film, and how did you decide to work with Matthew Cooper?

Matthew Cooper (who performs under the name Eluvium) is kind of a hero of mine. I recently met him and we realized we were mutual fans of each other's work, and it almost seemed like we were just destined to do this project together.

Several other local musicians appear in the film as well. How did that evolve?

There are some little bit parts that musician friends of mine played, but nothing too serious. I guess a lot of it comes down to the fact that I just have a lot of friends who are musicians, and it's always fun to work with them in one way or another.

Watch the just-released trailer for Some Days are Better Than Others here, find out more on the Some Days are Better than Others site, and check out more of Matt McCormick's work (including music videos for the Shin's "The Past and Pending" and "Australia," as well as Sleater Kinney's "Jumpers") on Matt McCormick's site.

Some Days are Better than Others (trailer) from matt mccormick on Vimeo.

-- Courtney Powell

Pavement Reunite!

After years of rumors, seminal indie-rock band Pavement have finally confirmed they are to reunite. New York-based blog Brooklyn Vegan was first to declare these rumors were the real deal, and on Thursday guitarist Scott Kannberg (a.k.a. Spiral Stairs) confirmed the reunion in an interview with Rolling Stone. The first confirmed date is a Central Park, New York show on September 21 next year. Referring to frontman Stephen Malkmus, Kannberg said "Steve and I just had a conversation on the phone, and we’d never talked about it before at all. We’ve talked over the years, but the subject never came up. Then our agent asked us about these New York shows, so we went around to everybody in the band, and they said, ‘Yeah, the time is right If everybody’s ready to do it, then we’ll do it and see what happens.’ There was no real impetus — it just kind of happened naturally.” Pavement split up ten years ago after releasing five hugely influential albums. While never big sellers, their reputation has only grown in the years after they broke up, so their reunion shows are sure to be attended by big crowds. "There’s festivals and stuff that we’re talking to, like Coachella," Kannberg added. "After that, anything that happens in the future is in the future."

It's also been confirmed by Pavement's record label, Matador, on their blog.

"After years of speculation, the most important American band of the 1990’s is returning to the stage, with the lineup of Mark Ibold, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West reuniting for dates around the world in 2010."

They also say that a pre-sale (password ZOWEE) for the Central Park show begins tomorrow. That's right, if you want to guarantee a ticket, you need to pre-pay a year in advance!

--Ally @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Lost Gems: Chandra

Every now and again, I get super obsessed with a record, and this week belongs to Chandra. I first heard Chandra years ago, when I was writing for a website that reviews bizarre, hip, and unique vinyl finds called Waxidermy. Someone had happened upon a copy of this long out-of-print (circa 1980) gem of an EP, Transportation, and shared some MP3s. When I heard the tracks, I was totally floored.

Why, you ask?

Because Chandra Oppenheim is (well, was) a 12-year-old girl dynamically and powerfully fronting a no-wave/experimental disco band (think early Talking Heads or B-52's, only weirder) that sounds as confrontational, dissonant, beautiful, and odd as any of the work out of the active NYC no wave/noise scene of the day. Beyond that, these were her own compositions, with subjects ranging from the city's confusing subway system, to a girl named Kate "who thinks she's really great, but she's not." (Ever since my first exposure to this song, every time I meet someone named Kate, these are the first words that come to my mind.) Hearing these well-written, exceptional tracks was, as they say on Waxidermy, "face-melting."

Is this children's music? Electronic? Post-punk? Experimental? Pop? The answer is yes.

Somehow, I missed the re-issue of the Transportation EP late last year, but I'm sure glad I discovered it now, even if a few months late! Now with four additional tracks (from a 14-year-old Chandra) tacked on, the EP sounds better than ever. The newer tracks are more accessible, and she's accompanied by an all-teen backing band to boot. Although Chandra abandoned her band to focus on school before these bonus tracks could be released, it's a thrill to get to hear them now.

Oh, how I wish I lived in a world where the Chandras of world replaced the Miley Cyruses, Selena Gomezes and Demi Lovatos.

It would sure be a lot different.

Check out some tracks below, and let me know what you think.

--Alan Wiley

Monsters of Folk: Exclusive Video

An exclusive video from Monsters of Folk is now available for your viewing pleasure. We're also hosting a Streaming Listening Party of the full album a week before street date release. 

Monsters of Folk is the Alt/Indie super group comprised of Conor Oberst (singer for Bright Eyes), Yim Yames (singer for My Morning Jacket), M. Ward, and producer Mike Mogis.

In an era chock-full of super groups (see Audioslave, Velvet Revolver, and Chickenfoot just to name a few), now Indie Music fans of the world can rejoice, too!

--Lucas Hilbert

Heath Ledger's Music Video for Modest Mouse

The 'Net's been buzzing this month with the release of Modest Mouse's music video for "King Rat," off their recent EP, No One's First and You're Next.  This video was conceived by late actor Heath Ledger, who received a director's credit.  It's a somewhat creepy animated vid--Ledger made it to protest the illegal commercial whale hunts that take place off the coast of Australia.  In an eerie turning-of-the-tables, the vid depicts a crew of whales hunting humans in order to make pet food.  It makes my skin crawl, but it's sobering, not to mention effective.  Check it out.

--Bri Nguyen

HEALTH Offer Blood, Hair and Love if You Buy Their New Album

The wide availability of free and cheap music on the internet means that, these days, it isn't enough for musicians to just make music - they have to give fans something else if they're going to sell any records. It used to be posters and specially written liner notes and "multimedia content"; now it seems to be entry into a wacky personalized competition. Earlier this year, Nine Inch Nails drummer Josh Freese offered personal phone calls, a taste of his wife's lasagna and the keys to his car to fans willing to stump up big bucks for his solo album Since 1972. Now cult LA-based noise-rockers HEALTH have hidden 66 colored tokens in physical copies of their new album Get Color. Prizes include T-shirts, phone calls, bouquets of flowers, "a lock of a band member's hair," and even an "LP test pressing autographed in our blood." First prize, for finding the golden ticket, is three days of fun with the band in Los Angeles, airfares included. "You are staying with us," they promise the winner, "We will take you to Magic Mountain. We will take you to the zoo. We will bring you breakfast in bed. We will love each other." Now there's a prize you might want to think carefully about claiming.

Whether you'd want to claim the prize or not, here's a YouTube video featuring the slightly insane second single from Get Color, "We Are Water":

--Ally @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon.

Out This Week: Good New Music You Might Have Missed

Zero 7 - "Medicine Man"
Suggested if you like: Solange, Janelle Monae, mixology

Christina Courtin - Foreign Country
Suggested if you like: Madeleine Peyroux, Jolie Holland, sweet tea

Speech Debelle (feat. Micachu) - "Better Days"
Suggested if you like: Estelle, Roots Manuva, hip-hop from over there

Kleerup
Suggested if you like: Robyn, Lykke Li, flashing lights

Drug Rug - Paint the Fence Invisible
Suggested if you like: Apollo Sunshine, Beachwood Sparks, sweet ponchos

Los Pikadientes de Caborca - "Billie Jean"
Suggested if you like: this M.I.S. cover of "Bittersweet Symphony," unlikely tributes

-- Jeff Reguilon

Capitol Hill Block Party '09

It's a beautiful afternoon here in Seattle, and the crowd is beginning to draw for Capitol Hill's annual music-packed Block Party. This year's big names include Built to Spill, the Jesus Lizard, and Deerhunter tonight with Sonic Youth, Gossip, and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart on Saturday, among many others, on three different stages over the next two days.

I started with a fast-paced, crowd-pleasing set from Seattle's own supergroup, Thee Sgt. Major III, featuring members of local legends Young Fresh Fellows, the Posies, and the Fastbacks, along with Chordstrike's own Leslie Beattie on vocals. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon!

--Alan Wiley

Out This Week: Good New Music You Might Have Missed

American Steel - Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts
Suggested if you like: the Gaslight Anthem, the Killers, pumping your fist

Generationals - Con Law
Suggested if you like: the Shins, the saner side of Of Montreal, Pop Rocks

Josh Mease - Wilderness
Suggested if you like: Matt Costa, Sondre Lerche, spending the better part of your summer submerged waist-deep in a swimming pool

Joell Ortiz Covers the Classics
Suggested if you like: Ghostface Killah, Fat Joe, repurposing/defiling the canon

Mr. Hudson - "Supernova"
Suggested if you like: Kenna, the Fashion, exploding stars

Daniel Johnson - Lazrus
Suggested if you like: the Knife, Cousteau, moodiness

-- Jeff Reguilon

The Best (And Bestselling) Music of 2009, So Far

Just because it's only July doesn't mean it's too early for us to pass judgment on 2009's song and album offerings. Below, discover not only our favorite music of the year, but also Amazon MP3 customers' favorite songs of the year. We voted with our opinions-- they voted with their wallets. Please hit the comments to let us know where we got it right and/or tell us what morons we are for leaving off your favorite album.

Editors' Picks: The Best Albums of 2009, So Far
1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
2. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
3. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
4. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
5. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
6. K'Naan - Troubadour
7. Metric - Fantasies
8. Leonard Cohen - Live in London
9. The Bird and the Bee - Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future
10. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
11. Iggy Pop - Preliminaires
12. Mt St. Helens Vietnam Band - Mt St. Helens Vietnam Band
13. Royksopp - Junior
14. Dent May - The Good Feeling Music of Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele
15. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
16. Various Artists - Dark Was the Night
17. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali
18. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
19. God Help The Girl - God Help The Girl
20. Passion Pit - Manners
21. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
22. St Vincent - Actor
23. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
24. Silversun Pickups - Swoon
25. The Crystal Method - Divided By Night
26. The Horrors - Primary Colours
27. Ben Kweller - Changing Horses
28. MF Doom - Born Like This
29. Sarah Jarosz - Song Up in Her Head
30. Sonic Youth - The Eternal
31. Cass McCombs - Catacombs
32. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
33. Finale - A Pipe Dream and a Promise
34. Ida Maria - Fortress 'Round My Heart
35. M. Ward - Hold Time
36. MIDIval PunditZ - Hello Hello
37. Rocco Deluca and the Burden - Mercy
38. Bon Iver - Blood Bank
39. Bonnie Prince Billy - Beware
40. Isis - Wavering Radiant
41. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
42. Wilco - (The Album)
43. Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light
44. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies
45. Marianne Faithfull - Easy Come, Easy Go
46. The Bad Plus - For All I Care
47. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
48. Akron/Family - Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free
49. P.O.S. - Never Better
50. Point Juncture, WA - Heart To Elk

Amazon MP3 Bestselling Albums of 2009, So Far
1. U2 - No Line On The Horizon
2. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
3. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
4. Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot
5. Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies)
6. The Lonely Island - Incredibad
7. Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe
8. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
9. Keith Urban - Defying Gravity
10. Eminem - Relapse
11. Various - Hannah Montana: The Movie Soundtrack
12. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
13. Dierks Bentley - Feel That Fire
14. Various Artists - Dark Was The Night (Red Hot Compilation)
15. Rascal Flatts - Unstoppable
16. Silversun Pickups - Swoon
17. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
18. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
19. Kate Voegele - A Fine Mess
20. Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
21. Chrisette Michele - Epiphany
22. Zac Brown Band - The Foundation
23. Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
24. Morrissey - Years Of Refusal
25. Steve Earle - Townes
26. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
27. Ben Harper And Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times
28. The Decemberists - Hazards Of Love
29. Nickelback - Dark Horse
30. Chris Cornell - Scream
31. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
32. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
33. Moby - Wait For Me
34. Crystal Method - Divided By Night
35. The Fray - The Fray
36. The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
37. Metric - Fantasies
38. Passion Pit - Manners
39. Street Sweeper Social Club - Street Sweeper Social Club
40. Keri Hilson - In A Perfect World...
41. Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
42. The Bird And The Bee - Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future
43. k'naan - Troubadour
44. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
45. Various Artists - Just Dance
46. india.arie - Testimony Vol. 2: Love & Politics
47. Bruce Springsteen - Working On A Dream
48. Newsboys - In The Hands Of God
49. Mandy Moore - Amanda Leigh
50. Seth Walker - Leap Of Faith

Editors' Picks: Best Songs of 2009, So Far
1. Phoenix - "Lisztomania"
2. Neko Case - "People Got a Lot of Nerve"
3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero"
4. Lily Allen - "The Fear"
5. Animal Collective - "My Girls"
6. Kelly Clarkson - "My Life Would Suck Without You"
7. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Contender"
8. Grizzly Bear - "Cheerleader"
9. K'Naan - "Dreamer "
10. Metric - "Help I'm Alive"
11. Passion Pit - "The Reeling"
12. Kid Cudi - "Make Her Say"
13. U2 - "Magnificent"
14. The Lonely Island - "I'm On a Boat"
15. Bat For Lashes - "Daniel"
16. La Roux - "Bulletproof"
17. Silversun Pickups - "Panic Switch"
18. The-Dream (feat. Kanye West) - "Walkin' on the Moon"
19. Dirty Projectors + David Byrne - "Knotty Pine"
20. Empire of the Sun - "Walking on a Dream"
21. Kinky - "Hasta Quemarnos"
22. Major Lazer - "Hold the Line"
23. MIDIval PunditZ - "Har Ek Baat"
24. Chrisette Michelle - "Another One"
25. Ciara - "G Is For Girl (A-Z)"
26. Doves - "Jetstream"
27. Marianne Faithfull - "The Crane Wife 3"
28. Pet Shop Boys - "Love Etc."
29. Bon Iver - "Woods"
30. Cass McCombs - "Jonesy Boy"
31. Ida Maria - "Oh My God"
32. Deerhunter - "Game of Diamonds"
33. Jay-Z - "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"
34. Molly Jenson - "Give It Time"
35. N.A.S.A (Feat. Kayne West, Lykke Li) - "Gifted"
36. Tonéx - "Bring It"
37. You're Too Gone - "Jason Lytle"
38. Yusuf - "Welcome Home"
39. John Frusciante - "Heaven"
40. Miley Cyrus - "The Climb"
41. Mos Def - "Quiet Dog"
42. The Bad Plus - "Comfortably Numb"
43. The Clipse (feat. Kanye West) - "Kinda Like a Big Deal"
44. The Crystal Method ft. Matisyahu - "Drown in the Now "
45. Bob Dylan - "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'"
46. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - "Meet Me In The Garden"
47. Mstrkrft - "Bounce (feat. N.O.R.E. & Isis)"
48. Royksopp - "Vision One"
49. Amadou & Mariam - "Sabali"
50. P.O.S. - "Goodbye"

Amazon MP3 Bestselling Songs of 2009, So Far
1. Black Eyed Peas - "Boom Boom Pow"
2. Flo Rida - "Right Round"
3. Kelly Clarkson - "My Life Would Suck Without You"
4. Various - "The Climb"
5. The Fray - "You Found Me"
6. Kid Cudi - "Day 'N' Nite"
7. Pitbull - "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) (Extended Mix)"
8. Seether - "Careless Whisper"
9. Eminem - "Crack A Bottle"
10. Flo Rida - "Sugar [feat. Wynter]"
11. Keri Hilson - "Knock You Down"
12. Linkin Park - "New Divide"
13. Keri Hilson - "Turnin Me On"
14. Black Eyed Peas - "I Gotta Feeling"
15. Sean Kingston - "Fire Burning"
16. Brad Paisley - "Then (Single Edit)"
17. Jeremih - "Birthday Sex"
18. Ciara featuring Justin Timberlake - "Love Sex Magic"
19. Green Day - "Know Your Enemy"
20. The Lonely Island - "I'm On A Boat"
21. Jason Aldean - "She's Country"
22. Asher Roth - "I Love College"
23. Carrie Underwood - "I Told You So (Featuring Randy Travis)"
24. Keith Urban - "Sweet Thing"
25. U2 - "Get On Your Boots"
26. Madcon - "Beggin'"
27. Lily Allen - "The Fear"
28. Keith Urban - "Kiss A Girl"
29. Rob Thomas - "Her Diamonds"
30. Rascal Flatts - "Here Comes Goodbye"
31. Maino - "All The Above [feat. T-Pain]"
32. Maxwell - "Pretty Wings (uncut)"
33. Lil Wayne - "Prom Queen"
34. Kenny Chesney - "Out Last Night"
35. Silversun Pickups - "Panic Switch"
36. Kelly Clarkson - "I Do Not Hook Up"
37. Ciara featuring Young Jeezy - "Never Ever"
38. John Rich - "Shuttin' Detroit Down"
39. K'jon - "On The Ocean"
40. U2 - "Magnificent"
41. Rodney Atkins - "It's America"
42. Depeche Mode - "Wrong"
43. Gloriana - "Wild At Heart"
44. Dierks Bentley - "Feel That Fire"
45. The-Dream - "Rockin' That Thang"
46. The Lonely Island - "Jizz In My Pants"
47. The Fray - "Never Say Never"
48. Phillips, Craig And Dean - "Revelation Song"
49. Pleasure P - "Boyfriend #2"
50. Colbie Caillat - "Fallin' For You"

-- Jeff Reguilon

5 of the Best Indie and Alternative Rock Albums of 2009, So Far

1. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
With equal parts Lush-inspired poppy shoegaze, black metal brutality, and epic atmospherics that bring to mind bands like Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, France's Amesoeurs' self-titled debut album (and swan song) could very well be my favorite album of the year. Unable to determine a direction for the band, they decided to call it quits before the album was even released, and it's a real shame. True, the album is a bit schizophrenic--it's completely sung in french by both a male and female singers, and sounds like it could have been recorded by 3 or 4 completely different bands--but that only adds to the "wow" factor of this record, and speaks to the level of talent behind the music. While the sound may occasionally fall on the harder side of indie and alt-rock, tracks like "Faux Semblants" and "I XIII V XIX XV V Xxi XVIII XIX IX XIX IV V I IV" elevate Amesoeurs to levels of heavenly bliss.

2. The Horrors - Primary Colours
Primary Colours, the sophomore album from (former) coffin-rockers The Horrors, who's debut album Strange House came out in 2007 to much acclaim, have given themselves a complete makeover with spectacular results. Brimming with post-punk texture, fuzz, and instruments that seem to bend sound like some kind of audio equivalent to CGI, the Horrors brought in Portishead's Geoff Barrow and acclaimed video director Chris Cunningham (who directed the video for "Sheena Is A Parasite" from Strange House, took two years off to learn audio production, and makes his debut as a music producer here) to create Primary Colours. Much like Radiohead's sophomore album The Bends, here is the evidence of a band that initially seemed like a flash in the pan novelty, and now reveals themselves as an artistic force that may be impossible to ignore.

3. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
TPoBPAH (as I will henceforth refer to them) are really awful at naming things, but they make damn good music. Take for example the terribly-titled "Young Adult Friction," an addictive, catchy tale of finding love in the library that bounces with excitement, and manages to sonically capture what it feels like to fall in love. The fact that TPoBPAH sound like a British band circa 1992 when they're in fact New Yorkers circa 2009, that they're on the legendary San Francisco Bay Area fuzz-pop label Slumberland Records, and they've virtually redefined what it means to be a indie rock nerd in the last year only sweeten the deal. A non-stop stream of relentlessly addictive songs doesn't hurt either.

4. Point Juncture, WA - Heart To Elk

Portland, Oregon's oddly named Point Juncture, WA's latest release, Heart To Elk, employs an intoxicating mix of drums, keys, vibraphone, bass, and horns, along with subtle, squealing atmospheric guitar to create visceral, inpsired sonic pop-scapes. Combining intricate, unexpected and unique melodies with equally equisite harmonies, Point Juncture, WA have, with Heart To Elk, created the kind of album you'll want to put on repeat, one that is instantly gratifying, but also reveals itself over time. Though the band has been playing together for the better part of a decade, they haven't managed to break out of their local scene until this release, which has started to see some well-deserved national recognition--expect big things in the future.

SIOUX ARROW from Hart Ryan Noecker on Vimeo.

 5. Sharon Van Etten - Because I Was In Love

From the first few notes of Sharon Van Etten's debut album, Because I Was In Love, I knew I was in love. Sharon's bell-clear, lilting voice and heartbreaking, deceptively simple melodies create a soft and comfortable bed of beautiful melancholy that's hard to resist being drawn into.  Like legendary folk mistresses Sandy Denny, Vashti Bunyan, Judee Sill, and Julie Doiron before her, Van Etten's songs are intense, beautiful, and each and every one is a gem. What makes Because I Was In Love so special is that it's so intimate--it puts itself so plainly on display, and it's sadness is tangible. Gorgeous, stunning, and essential.

I'm sure there will be complaints that I didn't call out Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, Neko Case, or (insert your favorite band here). Sorry! Share the goodness, and let us know what indie and alt-rock albums you're digging on so far this year in the comments.

--Alan Wiley

Best 2009 Albums You (Probably) Haven't Heard, but Should

D.Folks - Jupiter

D.Folks' self-released album Jupiter doesn't stay in one place very long, moving seamlessly between organic, '80s-indebted, uptempo pop and contemporary loverman R&B in a way that's more refreshing than schizophrenic. Jupiter is an album that both parents and kids will enjoy, but would probably never enjoy together as a family. Songs like "Superficial World" bring to mind not only the golden era of his fellow Virginians the Neptunes' production career, but also their label signee Robin Thicke. "Falling In Love Again," on the other hand sounds almost like a soul song for the Yacht Rock set, which is a surprisingly good thing. D. Folks' closest contemporary is Van Hunt, who is also currently working sans-label. Maybe they're onto something.

 

Matias Tellez - Clouds

As they're both from Bergen, Norway and seem to share most of the same influences, it's difficult to imagine Matias Tellez as anything but the sequel to Sondre Lerche. Clouds in particular sounds like an extension of Phantom Punch, only written by a teenager. This is charmingly spastic, raucous rock, a musical expression of what it is to be young. This will likely make you feel joyful or awkward. For me, it's a little of both.

Vosotros Presents: The Years

Assembled by a crew of some premier sidemen, this fluid set of thumping soul is the sort of album that  as fun to listen to as it seems like it was to make. With one eye pointed towards the past and the other one winking, they show love for not only the funky greats of the past 30 years, but affection for kitsch, too. Vosotros takes their motto, "music for you-all," seriously. They've made the album available as a free download for a limited time and licensed it under Creative Commons to encourage sharing. Enjoy it, remix it, and tell your friends.

Miss Li - Dancing the Whole Way Home

Though she's had a song featured on a couple of TV shows you might recognize, there's a good chance you don't know about the Swedish singer-songwriter Miss Li. "I Heard of a Girl" is somewhere between the Cure and Belle and Sebastian, only sung by a dark, unknowable pixie. Much of the rest drifts towards cabaret or '60s girl group sounds. It's pop with a weird streak, salty and sweet, all delicious.

 

One for the Team - Build a Garden

Shimmering, lo-fi, and glorious, Build a Garden feels like the early work of Beulah, only more earnest and with boy-girl vocals. Featuring more low-key revamps of four songs from last year's Build it Up and another four new cuts, my only complaint is that the serving size is too small.

-- Jeff Reguilon

Out This Week: Good New Music You Might Have Missed

Vosotros Presents: the Years
Suggested if You Like: Amy Winehouse, Al Green, velvet smoking jackets

Nicola Conte Presents Viagem 2
Suggested if you like: Astrud Gilberto, Elis Regina, mid-century modern furniture

Chumbawamba - "Rich Pop Stars"
Suggested if you like: Belle & Sebastian, Billy Bragg, totally not joking about a new Chumbawamba single being good

Krizz Kaliko - "Misunderstood"
Suggested if you like: Gnarls Barkley, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, pop songs that might not ever be popular (but should)

Bombay Bicycle Club - "Dust on the Ground"
Suggested if You Like: Interpol, Editors, voices that can be described as both "husky" and "quavering"

Naledge (of Kidz in the Hall) - Chicago Picasso
Suggested if You Like: the Cool Kids, Black Milk, the Midwest

-- Jeff Reguilon