Playing Emo’s April 30th in Austin, Yeasayer and Man Man.
After the Emo’s show: La, la, la, laaa. I can’t help but crave old Smurf episodes after listening to Man Man. Their songs play out like cartoon themes with a raunchy pirate lead, singing lyrics that are too deep, dark and insightful to precede anything that isn’t real. As was expected, the band didn’t stop moving. Neither did the crowd. This crowd I speak of included jumpers and arm throwers, head bangers and shoulder climbers. One of the pack attempted to climb the rafters, while a guy much taller then I exclaimed, “dude, there’s people f***king crowd surfing at a Man Man concert!” The packed house included other word exchanges like, “last time I saw them here, you could actually walk around”. Man Man took a break only once to return to the stage with more energy in a lengthy encore that included favorites like “Van Helsing Boombox”. Their live show will make you crave their albums more. Yeasayer was a great opener to set the momentum. With Anand Wilder’s left hand constantly moving and pointing to the sky, the group belted out great rhythmic harmonies with deep bass lines and drum beats. An all together must see that left me sweaty and tired, but too wound up to sleep. And alas, I say this as your typical arm-crossed, toe-tapping silent observer.
Man Man - Van Helsing Boombox Lyrics
Only time will tell if I’ll allow the scenery around to eat me alive. I want to sleep for weeks like a dog at her feet, even though I know it won’t work out in the long run. So I burn down the walls, breathe like a shadow. Those arms I once knew, hold me like ghosts. I learn how to speak forgotten language. I fall in the sea, but forget how to swim. When anything that’s anything, becomes nothing that’s everything, and nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have.
———-
I prefer listening to Yeasayer over Man Man, but the latter is said to put on a must-see live performance. Post-show comments contain phrases like “best live show ever” and “damn, I never stopped moving”. In Man Man’s own words, the band doesn’t stop moving. “Man Man does not break between songs during their live shows, but rather moves, revolving-door fashion, from one song to another, commandeering and discarding any of number of the instruments lying at their feet as the mood strikes and the music dictates.” Instruments played on stage include the piano, clavinet, microkorg, sousaphone, flute and marimba. Random noise makers include pots and pans, squeaky toys, cap guns, chopsticks, old shoes, fruit and stuffed frogs. Stuffed frogs? Yeah, stuffed frogs. Honus Honus notes that of his influences, being broke is one of the biggest and he is also fueled by the ever-so-famous musical motivator of “being in and out of relationships”. The opening act, Yeasayer (pronounced: yay-say-er), has been known to move the crowd in a different way both visually and musically. They often play different variations of their songs during live shows and their vocal harmonies are said to be well worth witnessing in person. With a sound that is hard to classify, the band notes their genre as Visual/Gospel/Showtunes. A trio well worth checking out.
Something told me it was over, when I saw you and that girl talkin’. Something deep down in my soul said ‘cry, girl’ when I saw you and that girl walkin’. Oh I would rather, I would rather go blind boy, then to see you walk away from me.
Man Man – I’d Rather Go Blind (Etta James Cover)
2006
Playing Emo’s, April 27th in Austin with Fuck Buttons.
AFTER THE EMO’S SHOW: CARIBOU-Nothing I’d heard or read pre-concert prepared me for the drumming. DRUMS, DRUMS, DRUMS. They opened with an amazing version of Sundialing and never lost the beat. Snaith and the percussionist battled it out throughout the set and when you saw each hold a single stick in the air, you knew it was about to get better. The drummer sits on the front right of the stage, which is fitting since he sets the rhythm for the show. Most drummers do, but this was different. The light show was a trip and the rainbows came out when the bells were played. Amazing live show, one of the best I’ve seen in awhile. FUCK BUTTONS-Andrew Hung from Fuck Buttons blocked my view partially mid-set to throw some air punches to the beat of Caribou’s songs. I didn’t mind. Their show was out of this planet earth as well. With laptops on each side, it looked like Fuck Button’s Hung and Power were playing an elaborate game of electronic battleship with one another. One that made an amazing sound.
First Song of the Set: Caribou - Sundialing Lyrics
Of pictures and of promises, an arrow drawn in time. That’s pointing to me standing here with your words on my mind. And every night I dream of you, while lying in my bed. And ever since I was a boy, keeps running through my head. Promises, promises, promises, promises. And when we meet, my mind is making promises of you. And when you go, I know, you know, it breaks my heart in two.
If you google “Caribou band”, the first thing you’ll see is the same line that is repeated in most articles about the group, “Snaith is quoted as saying that he chose the name “Caribou” while on an LSD trip”. Their music is quite a trip and if you checkout a real Caribou, their horn/body ratio is something that one may expect to see under some sort of influence. LSD is probably the most widely known psychedelic, and Caribou is of the psychedelic genre, but the fact that Caribou’s Snaith has a Ph.D. in mathematics is a bigger trip. I’m assuming the drug-induced name has deterred others from focusing on this tidbit.
To further the love for Caribou’s psychedelic trips and music, their live shows are said to have the power to take the audience back in a time when rainbows ruled the earth. Their live performances have been described as “mind-blowing”, “captivating” and “intense”. Via a piece taken from the New York post: “With swirling rainbows of colors projected over them, Caribou took the audience on a trip to the 60s. Apparently, the band’s name came to Snaith while on an LSD trip in Canada, and the tight mix of psychedelic pop with krautrock played by Caribou certainly fit with the color projections to make for a trippy experience. Every time the overuse of pre-recorded music started to be a let down, the band took things to a higher level to totally redeem themselves. Snaith, who plays everything on record, switched back and forth between guitar, keyboards and drums flawlessly, even occasionally playing the recorder.”
This is a must see, so be there with bell bottoms on. If we’re going to the 60’s to “trip out”, we may as well dress for the occasion.
Hardcore Barack Obama supporters, Kidz in the Hall, released the video for their first single “Drivin’ Down the Block” on Tuesday. Their new album is due out on May 13th and will feature not one, but two versions of the song. Can The Cool Kids get any cooler? I’ll place bets that this remix alone is better than all 17 of Rhianna’s Umbrellas (and here’s hoping radio listeners aren’t still singing along to that that that at at eh eh eh song).
See the wheels on my car go round and round.
Kidz In The Hall – Drivin’ Down the Block
from The In Crowd, 2008
Ed Harcourt - Until Tomorrow Then Lyrics
If the world did end, would you be my apocalyptic friend?
Until tomorrow then.
If the skies did fall, would you pick up my last call?
Until tomorrow then.
Navigate to the moon.
Flee the planet this afternoon.
Until tomorrow then.
With the waves rising high, we’d be the first most likely to die.
Until tomorrow then.
I guess, it’s you, I miss, ’cause I just stare at the ceiling.
My stomach knots and twists, you’ve created this feeling.
And I may be out of style, but do you know what true love is?
I’ll make this all so worthwhile, so let’s rise above this.
Rise above this.
So I dug a tunnel underground, and waited patiently to be found.
Until tomorrow then.
All my ideas make them laugh, but in the end you will see they’re not so daft
and we’ll have sorrow to spend.
I guess, it’s you, I miss, ’cause I just stare at the ceiling. My stomach knots and twists, you’ve created this feeling.
I may be out of style, but do you know what true love is?
I’ll make this all so worthwhile.
So let’s rise above this. Let’s rise above this.
Let’s rise above this.
The video for Mates of State’s - “Get Better” came out today. It’s another video following the Furry Fandom flurry that has taken over the indie music scene. Their new album will be released on May 20th, 2008. There have been other bicycle-riding animal mask wearing video’s and I’m sure there are more to come, but Mates of State will always have my heart.
UPDATE: Jason Hammel (the husband of the husband/wife MOS duo) responded to my request to fill in the blanks. So here they are, revised. From the man himself, “Here are the completer lyrics from our album. Enjoy.”
Mates of State’s - Get Better Lyrics
Forget all your politics for awhile, let the color schemes arrive.
Forget all your politics for awhile, let the color schemes arrive.
Come onboard, it’s a curious sight.
Absorbing sound that’s never been right.
Never ahead of, never behind it.
Occasionally guarded, just keeps us surrounded.
It’s luck.
Every thing’s gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better. Ahh.
I propose a less serious boat.
But don’t mistake it for a party of jokes, who are never ahead of, never behind us.
Floating in circles there’s more to remind them
of less.
Done, I’m done, I’m done.
Every thing’s gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better. Ahh.
Forget all your politics for awhile, let the color schemes arrive.(x6)
Every thing’s gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better. Everything’s gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better.
Mates of State - Get Better
from Re-Arrange Us, 2008
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin – Modern Mystery Lyrics
It’s a pointless, small place
on a map in outer space.
Every second, everyday you’re gone.
I’ve got a job that I can’t keep working on.
Yeah.
I think you are so anointed,
that’s why you get so disappointed.
I swear you are so important.
Nothing you do is pointless.
Yeah.
There is no modern mystery,
no mystic chords of memory.
There is no modern mystery,
we’re making up our history.
And I’m so glad I don’t hear you say no.
I’m so glad I don’t hear you say no.
You could really put me in my place,
on a map in outer space.
you’ve got a real cool constitution,
and it’s a come on,
but it’s not an illusion.
There is no modern mystery,
no mystic chords of memory.
There is no modern mystery,
we’re making up our history.
There is no modern mystery,
no mystic chords of memory.
There is no modern mystery,
we’re making up our history.
There is no modern mystery,
no in-between ancestry.
I didn’t mean to hurt ya.
Thought I was done, but I heard ya.
There is no modern mystery,
no mystic chords of memory.
There is no modern mystery,
we’re making up our history.
And we may fight with each others shadows,
but I’m so glad I don’t hear you say no.
Yeah, I’m so glad I don’t here you say no.
I’m so glad I don’t hear you say no.
The April 20th Cat Power show at Stubb’s in Austin has been rescheduled for October 11th due to Chan’s damaged vocal chords.
Chan canceled a tour in 2006 as well, for health issues of a different sort. Following the release of The Greatest, Chan’s alcohol abuse and suicidal tendencies led to her admittance to a psychiatric ward in Miami. She gave her first interview about the incident to Spin that same year where she is quoted as saying, “When you’re that depressed, it’s not even “depressed” anymore. You’ve just given up.” Instead of giving up, she cleaned up her act both figuratively, and literally speaking. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her sober chain-smoking performance from a front row spot in 2007, which leads me to be more distraught over not getting to repeat this action sooner. The October show is one you don’t want to miss, so get your tickets at Stubb’s before it sells out.
Some info on the condition that caused the cancellation from the Cat Power site: “Chan’s voice never really seems to get a rest because even when she’s not on tour she has to do interviews, people are talking to her, she’s singing and making up songs, talking and singing to her dog/friends/whoever. When her voice starts to go it kinda gets raspy/whispery and quiet. It’s no way to do a show. So if you wait till October, use your same ticket (if it’s in the U.S), and see/hear a better show.”
Checkout the fan made video for “The Greatest” below. The footage coupled with the lyrics to the song are brilliant. That’s my opinion anyways…most of the youtubed comments call it “weird”.
Cat Power - The Greatest
from The Greatest, 2006
(Fan made video)
From Wikipedia, “Some have speculated that (I Don’t Blame You) was written about Kurt Cobain. Although this has never been confirmed or denied, she did, however, sadly discuss Cobain’s 1994 suicide in an interview with Nylon Magazine, saying she would deal with fame the same way he did.” (Nirvana’s former drummer, Dave Grohl, played drums on Chan’s “You Are Free” album. Coincidence? Maybe not.)
