ChordStrike

Say it Loud, I'm a Geek and I'm Proud

Favorite quote: "I'd rather raise nerds than raise gangstas."

-- Courtney Powell

An Interview with Alice in Chains

I have to admit, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I got on the phone with Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez, and Sean Kinney of Alice in Chains (William DuVall was unfortunately unable to make it, but the guys had plenty of good things to say about their friend and fellow band member.) 

I wanted to ask them about Layne Staley, and reforming as a band, and adding a new member (William), and their new album (Black Gives Way to Blue), but I thought they might be tired of answering the same old interview questions.  Fortunately, however, conversation flowed freely, and the guys were a lot of fun to chat with.  They were genuine, honest, and engaging, and it shows.

What I found most eye-opening was their story of how Black Gives Way to Blue came into being (it wasn't planned!).  Listen to this story and more in the 17-minute interview, and check out song samples from the new album below. 

--Bri Nguyen

La Roux: Interviewed

Earlier this summer, on one of the hottest days in the history of Seattle, I sat down with Mercury Prize-nominated artist Elly Jackson, half of British electronic pop sensation La Roux, before one of just a handful of stateside club shows she played prior to her band's domestic release. With her partner-in-music Ben Langmaid, the 21-year-old Ms. Jackson has created one of my favorite records of the year, La Roux's self-titled debut, which made its much-anticipated appearance on American shores just this week.

With a bevy of UK top 10 singles ("Bulletproof," "In For The Kill," "Quicksand"), critical acclaim, and superstar status across the pond, La Roux is poised to make a big splash here in the states. We talked about songwriting, the '80s, and the band's international potential, among other things. Check out the interview below.

--Alan Wiley

Best of the Month: Draw the Line by David Gray

David Gray has come full circle back to his roots on his latest release, Draw the Line, which is significant given the fact that he could have easily succumb to the many distractions of success. Long-time fans of David Gray who gravitated to his earlier releases including A Century Ends, Flesh, and Sell, Sell, Sell will be happy to know he has not wandered far from the musical path he set out on nearly 20 years ago. The result is a humble album punctuated by his gritty baritone, layered acoustics, and a sobering thrush that comes across as an amped-up middle-aged confession half the time, and a sweet lullaby the rest.

After the overwhelming success he garnered from 2000’s White Ladder, followed by an introspective period that included more down tempo and ethereal albums, Gray returns with a bit of idyllic hope delivered with his own brand of cynicism and irony.

In my interview with him, David Gray was gracious with his time and quite conversational in talking about Draw The Line and the multiple journeys that inspired it. He admitted to being full of confidence following a long period where he was stuck in the “shock of success” that descended on him with the ubiquitous accolades and critical acclaim of White Ladder. Now liberated from that period that tested his personal demons, David Gray feels a new presence and sense of purpose as he reflects and bears his musical soul to us all, more content than ever with his life and his music.

Hear it all in the 14 minute interview, and enjoy.

--Lucas Hilbert

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

Mark Knopfler Getting Lucky

Ex-Dire Straits guitarist and front man Mark Knopfler has a new album, Get Lucky, and we talked to him about in this recent interview. Mark sounded pretty mellow, and so does the album. But fans of Dire Straits and his solo material should enjoy another fine offering from the Sultan of Swing.

And no, I did not ask him if he still wants his MTV. Damn, I wish I had thought of that one sooner. Then again, not.

Listen and enjoy.

--Lucas Hilbert

Best Classical Albums of 2009 - Stile Antico: Song of Songs

The last place in the world I would have expected a musical revolution to take place would have been renaissance vocal music. How many different ways can a group sing "Now is the Month of Maying"?  Beginning with The Deller Consort in 1948, we've enjoyed a usually high standard of vocal ensembles and since the 1970's the major universities and conservatories of the world have gestated a group of note every five years or so. Making things more unlikely, the newest kids on the block have arrived on the most well-beaten path for groups like this. Most are ex-choral scholars from Cambridge University.

The ensemble in question is Stile Antico and over the last few years they have broken into a different paradigm of performance for vocal groups of this sort.  Recently harmonia mundi released their third recording Song of Songs and they've just completed their US debut at the Boston Early Music Festival.

As the title suggests, this recording is a compilation of renaissance compositions using texts from the Song of Solomon, the biblical collection of love poetry, purportedly written by King Solomon to a Shulamite girl.

Many groups have fished in this pool before, but Stile Antico's repertoire choices and exquisite program notes (written by Matthew O'Donovan, one of the basses) draw a well delineated link between the surge in medieval popularity and the suitability of these texts for the purposes of the Marian 'cult' that portrayed the Virgin Mary as the representation of the church as a whole.

This album holds together as a concert and a concept better than any other attempt at this repertoire that I have heard (actually, all three of their albums do that) but Stile Antico really set themselves apart in the way in which they perform.  These musicians work without a conductor, which is common practice for chamber instrumentalists, but uncommon in a group of this size. Perilous as the concept might sound for a group of singers, I've never heard people present this repertoire with such a high level of commitment.

I'm currently mixing an interview with Carris Jones, one of the Altos in the group, that I'll post here, but far better than I can, Carris sums up the quantum shift the choice of no conductor makes in the collective consciousness of the group.

"It give us, most importantly, a direct communication with our audiences and it means that we cannot, any of us, go on what I would term "choral autopilot."  We're not conveying what one other person, i.e. a conductor, wants us to convey.  We're conveying a message what we have got together as a group, agreed corporately, rehearsed over many weeks and then put that practice into performance and it's a very different discipline to singing for a conductor."

I include a couple of samples so you can judge for yourself, but any of the tracks on the MP3 page show what this group is about.  Also their other releases, Music for Compline and Heavenly Harmonies offer the same exquisite ensemble and intelligent programming choices.  I know the group will be in New York in October, this year, but for a full breakdown of their concert itinerary I'd check their website.  This repertoire has never been more engaging. -- Hugo Munday

Tori Amos Interview

Tori Amos is now 45, but she’s no less provocative than when she was making landmark albums like 1992’s Little Earthquakes in her mid-20s. Her 10th studio album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, contains its trademark share of emotional land mines -- see “Maybe California” -- and also its trademark share of exquisite piano work.

But confirmation that Amos is still provocative isn’t confined to just her music. In interviews, her language is PG-13: When talking with Amazon from Cornwall, England, recently, she described her love of multi-sided albums by crafting a metaphor involving the posterior of a beautiful woman. Other topics she touched on included high-heeled shoes, power and control, and mothers as sexual creatures.

Read the full Tori Amos interview here

What is music, Wolfram|Alpha?

You may have heard of the new "knowledge engine" called Wolfram|Alpha. Billed as a step above the search engine, Wolfram|Alpha--which enjoyed its public debut this morning--delivers answers to queries directly, rather than pointing users to websites that then, in theory, answer their questions.

According to its website, "Our goal is to accept completely free-form input, and to serve as a knowledge engine that generates powerful results and presents them with maximum clarity."

With high hopes, then ChordStrike sat down with Wolfram|Alpha for the engine's first music interview. The following is edited from an hour-long interview that took place this morning. For a full-length interview, try it yourself...

ChordStrike: How old is Keith Richards?

Wolfram|Alpha: 65 years 5 months

ChordStrike: So far, so good, Wolfram|Alpha. Who wrote "Once in a Lifetime"?

Wolfram|Alpha: Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos
Result: John Dower | Mark Monroe
Basic information: Paul Crowder (co-director) | John Dower (co-director)
Release date | July 7, 2006 (3 years ago)
Runtime | 97 minutes (1 hour 37 minutes)
Writers | John Dower | Mark Monroe; genres | documentary | sport
Box office total | $ 144601 (US dollars) (unadjusted)

ChordStrike: Sorry, but we were looking for the Talking Heads. Turning to musicals, then, how far is it from Oklahoma to Chicago?

Wolfram|Alpha: 683.7 miles

ChordStrike: Accurate and precise! OK, smarty pants, what is Mariah Carey's best song?

Wolfram|Alpha: Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input.

ChordStrike: No problem. The question doesn't make any sense to us, either. When did Thelonius Monk die?

Wolfram|Alpha: February 17, 1982
Daylight information for February 17, 1982 in Seattle, Washington:
sunrise | 7:12 am PST
sunset | 5:36 pm PST
duration of daylight | 10 hours 24 minutes
waning crescent moon

ChordStrike: Whoa, TMI! So you like jazz, do you? What are the 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time?

Wolfram|Alpha: Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input.

ChordStrike: That's OK. We have the list right here. Finally, we understand you have a pretty busy day ahead of you, but one more question: What is music?

Wolfram|Alpha: music (English word)
Definitions:Show examples
Noun: activity | musical activity (singing or whistling etc.)
punishment | punishment for one's actions
euphony | any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds
auditory sensation | (music) the sounds produced by singers or musical instruments (or reproductions of such sounds)
auditory communication | an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
(5 meanings)
Word origins: Old French | Classical Latin | Greek
first recorded use: 1250 (759 years ago)
Typical word frequency: written | 1/6300 (rank: 593rd) 100% noun
spoken | 1/13000 (rank: 884th) 100% noun
(based on the 100-million-word British National Corpus
Pronunciation: (my\'oozik)

ChordStrike: Wow. Well, thanks for speaking with us today.

Wolfram|Alpha: Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input.

[How rude!]

     --Jason Kirk

Interview with John McEuen About Steve Martin's New Album, 'The Crow'

Chrissie Hynde Breaks up the Chordstrike

Chrissie Hynde was kind enough to answer some Chordstrike questions, as the Pretenders wound down their North American tour in support of Break up the Concrete.

 

Chordstrike: Break up the Concrete is the highest-charting Pretenders album in 20 years. There’s no “story” there, no hit single, no movie soundtrack. It’s just a great Pretenders album. Clearly there are a lot of Pretenders fans that think so. Before it hit the streets last October, did you feel like you nailed this one?

Chrissie Hynde: Yes, I felt good that it was recorded live and we had a vibe. There is far too much over-production out there. Not on this baby.

Chordstrike: Break up the Concrete seems particularly wistful. It opens with a “Telstar” riff and closes with a Graham Parsons kind of country song with a train metaphor. There’s a fair dose of straightforward blues in there, alongside the classic feel of the early Pretenders. It’s far from mired in the past, but would you agree that this album is nostalgic?

Chrissie Hynde: No, I don't think it feels nostalgic. I think it feels quite "of the moment." I like things that feel timeless.

Chordstrike: What was the approach you took in the studio?

Chrissie Hynde: We spent less than two weeks in the studio.  I had hardly any notes as I had been carrying the songs around in my head for a while. I explained how the song should feel and called out the arrangements as we went along. That "dak dak dak" stuff on "Break Up" was me calling out the drum fill to Keltner in an initial run-through.  Everybody said we should leave it in. I thought they were crazy, but it was "all for one and one for all," so I let them have their way.

Chordstrike: “Roselee” is a Robert Kindney tune. He’s a somewhat legendary figure in Cleveland. Were you a Numbers band fan? Is there a story behind your choice to cover the song?

Chrissie Hynde: The Numbers band is the band my brother has played sax in since the '70s. He was always the musician of the family, not me. I used to see Bob Kidney perform solo in a hippy coffee bar I used to go to in 1969, The Berth, so I've known him a long time. I was in Akron just before we were due to go into the studio and saw them play and noticed they were doing a new song. I asked my brother Terry if he could get a demo of it off Bob. He did and when I played it to the guys they just loved it. The demo was great, just Bob singing and a haunting guitar. I think we did a good interpretation. James rips it up live.

Chordstrike: “Almost Perfect” has an archetypal vocal jazz feel, from its structure, feel, and tempo, to the sexy lyrics about bad boys. Did the song start out with that approach, or did it evolve in studio?

Chrissie Hynde: That was done with the guys trying to follow my rough performance. We laughed our asses off when we listened back to it.

Chordstrike: You clear your throat in the middle of it, which is something that a producer would normally edit out. What did you like about that?

Chrissie Hynde: We just thought it had a certain charm. I would have got rid of it, but the guys seemed to like it. I have no pride.  

Chordstrike: Also, in “Almost Perfect” you refer to film director Don Siegel, director of The Beguiled, about a man that seduces and manipulates generations of women within the same family. Were you thinking of that film?

Chrissie Hynde: I was thinking more of Charley Varrick.

Chordstrike: Would you rather be beguiled or beloved?

Chrissie Hynde: I'll take what I get.

Chordstrike: “Love’s a Mystery” is a lovely, reflective, timeless pop song. As good as any you’ve written. Is love a theme that you approach with trepidation?

Chrissie Hynde: I just tell it like I see it.

Chordstrike: You’ve played a lot of large clubs and small theaters this time, some that you may have played in the early ‘80s. Do you have mixed feelings about that?

Chrissie Hynde: I love those venues, where you can see the whole audience. I've never wanted to go bigger. I don't want to do any more support slots. I can't control the catering then--the smell of meat throws me off my stride and makes me quite abusive--and it can't compare to playing to your own audience.

Chordstrike: What’s next? More touring? New record? Restaurant openings?

Chrissie Hynde: We still have to get the record out in the rest of the world. So far we only have a deal in the States.  Then tour Europe. I'd love to get to South America. Mexico. South Africa. Israel. Russia. Everywhere.  And get my vegan restaurant going in more cities. It's all about cow protection.

--Patrick

Music is the Thing: An Interview with K'Naan

Plenty of rappers rhyme about the hardships of their origins, but few hail from 'hoods like Mogadishu. The Somali capital has been one of the world's most violent cities for at least a generation, so when K'Naan portrays poverty and lawless gangsterism, you know you're not in the presence of hip-hop's historically familiar posing.

K'naan's debut album, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, was nothing short of revelatory. A musical and lyrical masterwork, the bilingual album won him major accolades in Canada--his adopted home--and yielded some of the notable connections who joined forces for the follow-up, Troubadour (coming out Feb. 24).

ChordStrike recently caught up with K'Naan in New York. Listen in:

     --Jason Kirk

Amazon.com Chordstrike Interview: Lost Highway's Johnny Flynn

I recently had a chance to talk to Lost Highway recording artist Johnny Flynn when he came through Seattle on his tour (which also featured ingenue Laura Marling). Listen to what this Shakespearian scholar, poet, and songwriter had to say about his 2008 release, A Larum, Superman outfits, and Levon Helm.

 

--Renata Sadunas

P.S. Our music team granted A Larum a spot on their list of top 10 folk albums of 2008. Click here to see our complete array Best of the Year lists.

A Conversation with Ziggy Marley

I recently had the chance to speak with Ziggy Marley, son of the legendary reggae star Bob Marley, and an accomplished musician in his own right. Listen to what he had to say about his dad, Barack Obama, and life on other planets.

--Renata Sadunas

P.S. Here's Ziggy's recommendation for a good read.

I recently had the chance to speak with Ziggy Marley, son of the legendary reggae star Bob Marley, and an accomplished musician in his own right. Listen to what he had to say about his dad, Barack Obama, and life on other planets.

--Renata Sadunas

P.S. Here's Ziggy's recommendation for a good read.

Redemption Song

I had the chance to talk to Ziggy Marley earlier this week. In prepping for my interview I came across this video of Ziggy performing "Redemption Song," with Lauryn Hill. Remember her? (Oh Lauryn, where have you gone?) She has five children by Ziggy's brother Rohan, to whom she is "spiritually" betrothed (i.e. they're not legally married). I was dying to ask him if he knows what Lauryn is up to, but I totally chickened out. We did, however, talk about his upbringing, his legendary father, and the recent elections. Stay tuned for the interview. I'll post it as soon as it's edited. In the meantime, check out Ziggy and Lauryn, in her former glory.

--Renata Sadunas

Recommended Listening: Raphael Saadiq on The Sound of Young America

As I tend to feel a tight kinship for the few dudes other than myself who are enthusiastically nerdy about comedy, books, and R&B/hip-hop music, I'm a big fan of Jesse Thorn and his public radio show/podcast, The Sound of Young America. On his most recent show, he interviews his fellow Bay Area native Raphael Saadiq, who was an original member of Tony! Toni! Toné! and Lucy Pearl, which was a supergroup of sorts featuring Saadiq with members of En Vogue and A Tribe Called Quest. He's out promoting his latest solo record, The Way I See It, which shows the vocalist/producer/multi-instrumentalist making new songs in the style and sound of vintage Motown. The album has also inspired surprisingly few critics to poke fun at the title by making Starbucks jokes. Nice restraint, critics!

Listen to the interview to learn about the benefits of old drums, obsessive secret practicing, how Prince introduces himself, superior flea markets, and what it's like to play a gig on a cruise ship when you're ten years old. You can stream, download, or subscribe to this free podcast over here.

-- Jeff Reguilon

 

Do You Know: Lightning Round with Jessica Simpson

Some people are just really good sports...

To hear the full interview, click here.

     --Jason Kirk

Campy Lisa

As I mentioned a while back, the lovely, bespectacled Lisa Loeb recently stopped by our offices to chit chat and play us a few songs from her recent release Camp Lisa. We are thrilled to announce that we're the exclusive retailer for the digital version of Camp Lisa, which releases today. Hear what Lisa had to say about her own summer camp memories; dating advice; and yes, for all of you reality TV junkies, #1 Single. Has she found her Prince Charming? I couldn't resist asking. Listen and find out.

 

 

--Renata Sadunas

P.S. Here's the link to that book Lisa recommended. I already ordered my copy!

Makana: Guitar Hero

Makana recently dropped by the Amazon Music offices to chat with Chordstrike about his new album, and give us a lesson on the traditional Hawaiian art of slack key guitar. If you like music of any kind, I think you'll find the history of slack key fascinating, and Makana's talent humbling.

Makana was recently invited to compete live in Guitar Player's Guitar Superstar Competition: an honor bestowed to only 10 artists. The winner will be decided in San Francisco on September 13. Take a listen and let me know what you think.

 

--Renata Sadunas

Behind the Mic: Scarlett Johansson Interview

You know and love her from the big screen, but more than just a lovely face on camera, Scarlett Johansson also has a powerfully evocative singing voice. On her first album of Tom Waits covers, Scarlett proves that she knows a thing or two about picking good music to showcase her voice while surrounding herself with talented musicians including TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, as well as the one and only David Bowie.

Check out Chordstrike's latest new music interview to learn more about Scarlett Johansson's self-defined inner free bird, her baritone singing voice, her approach to covering venerable Tom Waits tunes, and the collaborative partners she worked with to foment a solid soundscape for her sultry vox.

--Lucas Hilbert