IF STAFF Editor-in-Chief James Passarelli Layout Kathryn Freund James Passarelli Featured Writers David Amidon Kathryn Freund Aldo Juraidini Bryant Kitching James Passarelli Ryan Waring Web Design Greg Ervanian Rob Schellenberg Contributions James Emerson Michael Passarelli Titus Andronicus Photos William Tanksley Special Thanks to Brian Gibbons Š Copyright 2010 Inflatable Ferret
CONTACT US Tom Kutilek: tom@inflatableferret.com Hans Larsen: hans@inflatableferret.com James Passarelli: james@inflatableferret.com Ryan Waring: ryan@inflatableferret.com General Inquiries: info@inflatableferret.com Check us out online at: inflatableferret.com. Become a fan on Facebook or follow us on twitter at: twitter.com/inflatablef. We gladly welcome any criticism or suggestions. If you have any ideas for the magazine, or if you would like to be a part of it, please contact us at: info@inflatableferret.com. Keep your eyes peeled for daily news/updates on the website!
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CONTENTS
VOLUME U II No. 4
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Sasquatch! 2010 IF makes your Sasquatch 2010 schedule, so you don’t have to!
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Reviews Read album reviews for the Black Keys, LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses, and more
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Interview Kathryn Freund and Bryant Kitching meet up with the full Titus Andronicus crew.
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Playlist Mexican writer Aldo Juraidni offers Arizona a gift of his native land’s 80 best minutes of music.
SASQUATCH! WHO TO SEE 2O1O WORDS: JAMES PASSARELLI & RYAN WARING
Nestled in the spectacular Gorge Ampitheatre in George, Washington (yes, like the president)
SASQUATCH!
is American music’s
best-kept secret.
But as the Sasquatch Music Festival enters its ninth year, the northwestern gathering is becoming less and less of a secret. What started in 2002 as a sevenband show has grown to include over 85 acts, including big and small name artists alike, as well as a number of comedy acts. This year’s lineup boasts a slew of talented headliners, including My Morning Jacket, Massive Attack, and Pavement, and an
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equally impressive list of relative Coachella), newcomers. With arguably the Sasquatch deepest lineup of any festival cannot be denied this year, and without the a place among the disappointing biggest and best fests crowdaround today. So, where drawers do you start once you get that are sure there? The IF team devised to accompany more a complete schedule for popular festivals (Greenday and you. Don’t worry – we’ve Lady Gaga at Lollapalooza; Dave included reasons for seeing each Matthews Band and Rise Against at band. Enjoy! Bonnaroo; Coheed and Cambria at
SASQUATCH! 2010
continued
Saturday Dawes 12:00 – 12:35 Wook
In an era when so many bands are overreaching, he LA foursome approach their songwriting with a kind of humbleness and maturity that makes you stop and question their young age (ranging from teens to early twenties).
Brother Ali 1:10 – 1:55 Main
The funk-loving veteran MC is out to prove that Madison has flavor. And he’s doing a damn good job.
Minus the Bear 2:15 – 2:55 Main
The prog-rocking Seattle natives put out a number of quality records throughout the 2000’s, and this month they looked to spin heads with the funkflavored full-length Omni, which dropped May 4th. Should make for an interesting set, to say the least.
Portugal, the Man 3:00 – 3:45 Wook
You may have heard some of PTM’s records, but you haven’t yet experienced them until you’ve seen their epic jams behind John Gourley’s high-pitched vocals on stage.
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Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros 4:05 – 4:50 Woo As the name suggests, there’s an intrinsic attraction to this young ensemble. After a busy 2009 in the studio, witness the eclectic cluster usurp the Outdoor Theater.
Patton Oswalt 4:55 – 5:30 Main
A regular spot on Fox’s King of Queens, leading role on the well-received indie flick “Big Fan”, four comedy albums. The multi-talented Oswalt is no slouch on the stand-up comedy circuit, so seeing him would mean no Sas-time wasted.
Broken Social Scene 5:35 – 6:35 Main
Probably the most dominant supergroup of the late 2000’s (their only possible competition from Them Crooked Vultures), BSS continued to impress with their fourth LP Forgiveness Rock Record. Who knows if the brilliant collective will all be able to get together for another tour after 2010?
The National 7:00 – 8:00 Main
The indie powerhouse wow’d the world once again with their impressive fifth album. Lead singer Matt Berninger has the stage presence of a lion, and he’s backed by some of the most talented musicians around. And that’s to say nothing of the rumors that Justin Vernon and Sufjan Stevens will be making guest appearances.
The Hold Steady 8:05 – 8:30 Wook
Craig Finn’s coarse howls over honest, punk-influenced rock equals a gay old time. Check out the Brooklyn band’s new material, as well as some classic fan favorites.
Vampire Weekend 8:35 – 9:30 Main
The fastest growing indie act of the past few years is fresh off the release of its sophomore success Contra. Despite only boasting two LPs, this quartet might already have a sing-along set list as deep as that of any of the festival’s veterans.
My Morning Jacket 10:00 – 11:30 Main
At an hour and a half, the scheduled timeslot is about an hour and a half shorter than an average MMJ performance. Maybe Yim Yames and company have finally learned to give the rest of the bands a fair share. And that’s just a damn shame.
Deadmau5 11:35 – 11:55 Late
Regardless of whether you’re a fan of house or strange mouse masks going into the show, Canadian Joel Zimmerman will make sure you are heading out of it. One of the most talented DJs the world makes for an unforgettable show that will have you giddy with or without pharmaceutical enhancement.
SASQUATCH! 2010
continued
Sunday Caribou 12:05 – 12:55 Main
Listening to “Odessa” on headphones is quite the experience in itself. But at an outdoor festival? And with Daniel Snaith’s trippy video projections? If your doctor approves you, this show’s a must see.
Local Natives 1:30 – 2:15 Wook
The LA band already broke into the Billboard charts with their debut album, and their live show is said to be just as impressive. The only direction I see these guys going is up, so why not hop on the w a g o n early?
The Tallest Man on Earth 2:35 – 3:20 Wook
He’s just a simple guy in a high tech digital world. And he’s set out to show the world that there are still hidden treasures to be found in an acoustic guitar. Playing without any backing band, he reaches crowds in a way an orchestra can’t.
They Might Be Giants 3:25 – 4:05 Main
Probably known best for their smash hit revival of Jimmy Kennedy’s “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”, John Linnell and John Flansburgh have released fourteen studio albums (including four children albums) since 1986. And they’re a sure bet for a special concert experience.
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Mike Birbiglia 4:30 – 5:30 Rump
Mike Birbiglia is the anti-Dane Cook: subdued, understated, and constantly funny. He’s more of a storyteller than an observationists, so see him if you’re looking for a change from anecdotal introductions tenuously connected to opinionated declarations about the South, and how “people who use Blue Tooths are to full of themselves, am I right?”
The xx 5:50 – 6:35 Wook
The xx: Indio marks the spot where you can see what all the hype is about for yourself. Dubbed by many as 2009’s best debut, The xx’s eponymous release will provide the soundtrack for a twilight worth sitting through.
LCD Soundsystem 7:00 – 8:00 Main
One of the most innovative producers of the decade (last decade, that is, though I’m sure that statement will stand in this one as well). What’s more, he’s coming out with a new album, and new LCD means good things for everyone.
Pavement 8:30 – 9:45 Main
Is this even a question? One of the most prestigious acts in alternative indie has reconvened indefinitely for the first time in ten years. “Must see” is an understatement.
Public Enemy 9:50 – 10:40 Wook
Flava Flav might not have the sex appeal that Johnny Depp does, but Flav’s Public Enemy is certainly a better show than Mr. Stench’s (and believe it or not, that is Depp’s self-given nickname) 2009 stink bomb.
Massive Attack 10:45 – 11:30 Main
The kings of trip-hop make their first North American appearance since 2006, and it’s sure to be a spectacular one. If there’s one reason to pick Sasquatch over any other American festival, this might be it.
SASQUATCH! 2010
continued
Monday The Heavy 12:00 – 12:40 Main
After releasing one of the most overlooked records of 2009, The House That Dirt Built, the English “jungle” rock/soul foursome is set to boost their fanbase with a US tour. Kelvin Swaby and company’s January performance on Letterman had the host literally begging for more.
Mayer Hawthorne and the County 12:55 – 1:40 Main
An early R&B enthusiast, Mayer Hawthorne’s falsetto and laid-back throwback style would make his musical heroes proud.
Phantogram 2:00 – 2:45 Yeti
Electronic artists Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel have caught the eyes of many a critic (and many a fan, for that matter) with a couple 2009 EPs and their 2010 LP Eyelid Movies.
Drive-By Truckers 3:00 – 3:50 Main
A lot of bands have misleading names - DBT is not one of them. Their name, like their music, is straightforward and honest. The Athensbased Southern rock outfit might be the closest thing to a modern day Skynyrd.
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The New Pornographers 8:20 – 9:20 Wook
Passion Pit 4:10 – 5:00 Main
A live performance of ‘Sleepyhead’ is just the kind of remedy the titular concertgoer needs to perk back up. Passion Pit’s electric and energetic remixes make for a lively experience. The band’s been known to charge $80,000 for college shows, but you get to see them for no extra fee!
The Mountain Goats 5:40 – 6:25 Wook
With his quick wit, brilliantly passionate nasal voice, and charming quirkiness, John Darnielle leads the Mountain Goats in an always-breathtaking performance.
Band of Horses 6:40 – 7:40 Main
Bridwell and company, our number two non-headlining act from last year’s Lollapalooza, have a brand new album to work into their set list.
Hudson Mohawke 7:30 – 8:15 Rump
The 23 year-old Scottish DJ landed a deal with Warp based heavily on unofficial internet releases, and he’s now poised to take his live show to the next level.
I have always thought of New Pornographers as musical planeteers. Individually each is impressive, but with their powers combined they form quite the crime fighter against (noise) pollution. Check out the Canadian supergroup, fresh off the release of their fifth studio album Together.
Ween 9:30 – 11:30 Main
With an obsession with fish and amphibians and a uniquely weird style, Ween has developed a dedicated underground following over the past 25 years. Even with members now in their 40’s, the alt-rock legends are definitely worth checking out. Who knows? You might just become a fan.
MUSIC REVIEWS
Flying Lotus
Cosmogramma (Warp)
STEVEN ELLISON, aka Flying Lotus, has covered an awful lot of ground in a short period of time. Like many others, I first happened across his music during late night channel surfing. His music has scored many of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim commercial bumps since 2006, but it wasn’t long before his snippets took fuller form:connections with artists like J Dilla and the Stones Throw roster opened the door for his debut, 1983, that same year. With the follow-up, 2008’s Los Angeles, Flying Lotus took large strides towards becoming the face of Los Angeles’ burgeoning ‘beat generation’ scene. Much like Black Milk, he had stepped out from the shadow of J Dilla and become his own entity. Since Los Angeles, Flying Lotus’s recorded output has been sparse but attention-catching. His dubstep treatments of Lil’ Wayne’s “I Feel Like Dying” and “A Milli” grabbed headlines across the blogosphere, while a paranoid adaptation of Gucci Mane’s “Photoshoot” helped shift opinion in Gucci’s favor among
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the mass hysteria of criticism and opinion that is the modern musical conversation. He also did some progressive board-handling for artists like Finale, but these forays ultimately only felt like teases in anticipation of his next record. Surely the next Flying Lotus record would not be so simple as hip-hop beats plus dubstep… surely he could be less predictable than that. Cosmogramma is less predictable than that. When the album was first handed out for judgment, it was essentially a single track. Some tried to splice it intuitively into the standard 17-track playlist, but I felt that Ellison and Warp did a very intelligent thing in presenting the album this way. “Clock Catcher” catches one by surprise, quickly scattering a listener’s thoughts in various directions. “Pickled!” then collides Squarepusher-style bass guitar (courtesy of Thundercat) with the rumble of train tracks to create a warning: this isn’t your old Flying Lotus. These bass excursions appear consistently throughout the rest of the album, taking tracks like “Table Tennis” and “Auntie’s Harp” to a fuller potential than would have been possible in Flying Lotus’s old format. Cosmogramma is the album that finally reveals Flying Lotus’s genealogy of jazz as an essential piece of his framework, and pulls the entirety of his other influences out from the depths of his sleeves. Many of the ideas here owe obvious debt to artists who have come before. Whether it’s Thom Yorke finally getting the feature on Warp he’s longed for all decade, or the various nods to Squarepusher’s bass, the dance floor-dominating “Do the Astral Plane” or the equally
Amnesiac- and Ron Carter-baiting “Satelllliiiiiteee”, Flying Lotus proves to have mastered and accepted his influences as part of his own aesthetic. Flying Lotus, much like Yorke, Greenwood & Co., has made a definitive summary of a decade’s worth of advances in electronic music, a release that transcends genre and deserves to become a glorified phenomenon by those who experience it. I can’t tell you enough how often I’ve listened to this album, how consistently each moment of it pleasures a different piece of the musical mind, and how confident Stephen Ellison seems each step of the way. As the album fades away over a ping pong battle, Laura Darlington’s Björk-lite vocals, and the comedown of “Galaxy in Janaki”, it becomes clear that Flying Lotus is poised to be not only a name to watch in the next decade, but a guiding light and bridge to the next big things. - David Amidon
MUSIC REVIEWS
The Hold Steady
Heaven is Whenever (Vagrant)
YOU KNOW that feeling you get within the first twenty-or-so minutes of listening to an album when it hits you that this is a great album? Like when you heard the line from the Hold Steady’s second album Separation Sunday’s “Your Little Hoodrat Friend”? “He can’t stand all the things that she sticks into her skin/like sharpened ballpoint pins and steel guitar strings. She says it hurts, but it’s worth it.” Lines like this are precisely why frontman Craig Finn’s music is so compelling, the lines you don’t quite get at first listen, but suddenly hit you as completely genius the second or third time around. I’ve only seen two reactions to the Hold Steady: people are either confused and find Finn’s vocals too grating or fall head-overheels in love with the band, doodling lyrics on the inside of their Biology notebooks. A critic favorite, the Hold Steady has expanded from a barband-like, more spoken, lyrically-dense sound, weaving storytelling and clever lines in and out of songs on Almost Killed Me and on their all-around best album Separation Sunday; to becoming a more musically layered
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continued band, more melodic with a “prettier” sound on albums like Boys and Girls in America. So where are the Hold Steady going with this next album? And, more importantly, will this album be scratched into all of its fan’s souls like the ones that came before it? (Hold Steady fans…get it?) The first bluesy guitar riff is probably the first time we’ve heard anything heavily blues-influenced from the Hold Steady, and this sound makes it evident that the group is expanding their sound, combining genres in ways they haven’t before. Worries about keyboardist Franz Nicolay’s departure were all over Hold Steady message boards. The result is, predictably, a more guitar-centered sound, which guitarist Tad Kubler insists is “guitar heavy…but NOT heavy guitar.” It’s a little sad, though—guess we won’t hear any more accordion either. Some things certainly haven’t changed: Finn still shouts about their Minneapolis-St. Paul roots throughout songs like “We Can Get Together” and “Sweet Part of the City.” Their songs still center around the feeling of wandering around these cities, looking for the next good party and the next good way to get high. He continues to conflate sex and religion with great lines like “St. Theresa told me we should rattle our bones” in “Our Whole Lives.” Finn is singing more, though, like in “Smidge,” and even most hardcore of Hold Steady fans can admit that he’s best when he’s speaking; storytelling is his greatest strength. I’m okay with this, though I didn’t think I would be when I heard the rumor. This album, partially because of Finn’s replacement of speaking with singing, will probably bring the band a wider spectrum of listeners. The band seems to have found the balance between keeping their songs
interesting and avoiding predictability, while still reaching those elements out to more rock fans, maybe even making their music more listenable in the process. Tracks like “Hurricane J” and “Rock Problems” might even be at home on (dare I say it) the radio. This album might be another step (the first being the Hold Steady’s move from Frenchkiss Records to Vagrant in 2005) that moves them further out of relative obscurity into the mainstream. The record is lyrically different from earlier albums. It’s not a concept album (Separation Sunday), but it’s not just an album full of great live crowdpleasers (Boys and Girls in America). It has both of these elements. This record sees the Hold Steady become more overtly sentimental, as opposed to the slight cynicism and more subtle sentimentality shown through characters like Bar Rat Holly in Separation Sunday. Here, Craig Finn lays these heartbreaking statements in front of the audience. This is where the Hold Steady steps outside of their bar band rep. Heaven Is Whenever shows the Hold Steady as vulnerable with lines like “Utopia’s a band, they sang ‘Love Is the Answer,’ and I think they’re probably right, let it shine down on us all, let it warm us from within.” Finn again shows the Hold Steady to be romantic—but avoids excess sentimentality—when he drops what might be the Hold Steady’s thesis into “Slight Discomfort” (arguably the best song on the record): “Our struggle still feels wonderful tonight.” It picks up where Holly left off on Separation Sunday, somewhere between death and being born again, and tells us that it’s worth it. - Angela Toomer
MUSIC REVIEWS
Titus Andronicus The Monitor (XL Recordings)
IF THERE IS ONE THING New Jersey pseudo-punk band Titus Andronicus is not, it’s subtle. Teeming with even more frenzied, vehement fuck-you punk anthems than you thought you could fit into 70 minutes, Titus Andronicus follows up their debut album The Airing of Grievances with, well, more grievances, and a ready-for-war stockpile of frontman Patrick Stickles’ references and name-dropping. The Monitor, although written off by some merely as a Civil War concept album, is definitely more than that alone. While the album’s title is inspired by the ironclad Civil War battle ship, and song titles like “A More Perfect Union” and “Four Score and Seven” are oozing with Civil War period references, the songs themselves are unequivocally relevant in 2010. The album’s American history theme is really just a metaphorical device, stringing together the inner-workings of Stickles’ mind, which inspire and invigorate anyone willing to listen. The album opener, “A More Perfect Union,” begins with an
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continued ominous excerpt from Abraham Lincoln’s speech to the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois, 1838 (read by …). Setting the tone for the rest of the album, Stickles joins in with boisterous vocals summarizing a journey out of Titus Andronicus’ native New Jersey into the American unknown. In a somewhat cynical reference to Springsteen, Stickles screams, “I never wanted to change the world / But I’m looking for a new New Jersey / Cause tramps like us / BABY WE WERE BORN TO DIE!” Switching between themes of personal experience and battle-cry chants like “Rally around the flag / His truth is marching on,” the opener goes on for 7 minutes that are anything but boring. The tie between Stickles and Lincoln becomes clear, as the song ends with a reading of a letter from Lincoln, who confesses his misery. In keeping with the Civil War vs. modern day metaphor, with “No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future,” Stickles empathizes with Lincoln. Beginning with a foreboding confession of Stickles’ own anxiety, the song’s introduction suddenly builds into a screaming anthem. The whole band joins in with a battle cry-like “YOU’LL ALWAYS BE A LOSER” that makes you want to fist pump with your headphones on. With a powerful energy and undoubted charisma, Titus presents an album that isn’t bogged down by their trying too hard. Rather, Stickles’ lyrics let it all hang out, on both a personal and figurative level that is wholly relatable. Although at times one might say Stickles’ lyrics are things we’ve heard before from any angst-filled teen (such as in “Richard
II” and “Four Score and Seven”), one thing is for sure – they are sincere. Even though the end of “Four Score and Seven”’s signature Titus battle cry “It’s still us against them / And they’re winning” might be a hackneyed statement, who cares? Followed up by “Theme From ‘Cheers,’” an I’msick-of-this-town “let’s get fucked up, and …pretend we’re all okay” anthem, Titus showcases their ability to say what everyone’s thinking. Truthfully, sometimes you just need “an escape from reality.” Divided between themes of self-loathing, teen angst, nostalgia, personal and cultural references, and the Civil War, The Monitor is a collection of songs that resonate much like the victories and setbacks of any war. In the album’s fourteen-minute final song, “The Battle of Hampton Roads,” Stickles finds tentative victory in utter defeat upon returning to New Jersey after an attempted move to Boston. Stickles proclaims, “I’m destroying everything that would make me like Bruce Springsteen / So I’m going back to New Jersey / I do believe they’ve had enough of me.” Although admitting defeat and voicing our deepest grievances, Stickles is pessimistic but proud. Moving on to the next battle, the song trails off with bagpipes, a fury of guitars, and marching snares, capturing victory in song. Although not perfect in the eyes of the indie upper crust, per-se, The Monitor is full of an honest, powerful, and inspiring grittiness. - Kathryn Freund
MUSIC REVIEWS
LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening (Virgin)
ON THE OUTSIDE James Murphy seems like a hopelessly unlikely candidate for leader of the indie dance-punk movement. I mean, the guy looks like the weird, estranged cousin that your family doesn’t talk to anymore. He has a permanent 5 o’clock shadow, a potbelly, and a wardrobe that I’m pretty sure consists solely of plain white t-shirts. Is this the guy who is going to finally get hipsters to dance? The simple answer is yes. 2007’s Sound of Silver was a tour de force of an album as well as a clinic for how to make dance music. On his highly anticipated This Is Happening, Murphy doesn’t seem phased by the massive amount of pressure that accompanies the follow-up to such an album. Usually after releasing an album as acclaimed as Sound of Silver, the artist either attempts to go off in some questionable new direction (MGMT) or tries to simply rehash old ideas. On This Is Happening, Murphy has managed to create something that sounds like a superb continuation of his last
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continued record, rather than a rehashing. My ears couldn’t be happier. Opening track, “Dance Yrself Clean,” starts with a slow, electronic rumble under Murphy’s uniquely cynical lyrics. “Every night’s a different story, it’s a thirty car pile-up with you, everybody’s getting younger, it’s the end of an era, it’s true,” he exclaims towards the song’s explosive second half. It’s an adequate starting point because it’s a microcosm of everything that makes Murphy inimitable and in a league of his own. “Drunk Girls,” the album’s first single follows in the same vein as songs like “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” and “North American Scum” from the previous records. “Drunk Girls” bears a strong resemblance to The Velvet Underground’s “White Light/ White Heat,” but Murphy’s slacker sarcasm gives the song a certain comical charm that makes it all his own. After the good-but-not-great, “One Touch,” the album kicks into high gear with three absolutely killer tracks back to back to back. The middle portion of This is Happening, containing tracks, “All I Want,” “I Can Change,” and “You Wanted A Hit,” echoes the equally epic midsection of Sound of Silver, which consisted of now-indie-classics, “Someone Great,” “All My Friends,” and “Us vs. Them.” “All I Want” in particular stands out as the album’s best track. Comparisons to David Bowie’s “Heroes” aside, Murphy’s cynicism has never sounded so heartfelt and painfully melancholy. Above a whining guitar riff, he doesn’t display as much of the reverent nostalgia that drove “All My Friends,” but rather an almost sarcastic apathy, shown by
the chorus: “All I want is your pity, all I want is your bitter tears.” Something that always drew me to Murphy was his uncanny ability to acknowledge and embrace the oftenridiculous indie scene of which he has ironically emerged as one of the leaders. This was overtly apparent on his first 2005 single, “Losing My Edge,” and is echoed on another standout from This is Happening, “Pow Pow.” On the partially spokenword track, Murphy seems to mock just about everyone he can think of. He whines, “we have a black president, and you do not, so shut up, because you don’t know shit about where I’m from that you didn’t get from your TV.” This brash honesty is hard to come by in the indie-dance genre. It’s uniquely LCD Soundsystem and thoroughly refreshing. The latter half of the album is not as strong as the former, largely due to the only blatant misstep, the lackluster, “Somebody’s Calling Me.” The final track, “Home,” is an interesting contrast to the last track on Sound of Silver, “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down.” Where a couple of years ago it seemed that Murphy wanted to get the hell out of The Big Apple, now he can’t seem to get back fast enough. If this is in fact Murphy’s last release as LCD Soundsystem as he has claimed, then at least he will have gone out on a marvelously bright note. - Bryant Kitching
MUSIC REVIEWS
Black Keys Brothers (Nonesuch)
MY GREATEST FEAR about a band I love embarking on a side project is that they might confuse their side project with their original act. So, I was simultaneously anxious for and skeptical of the Black Keys’ first release since their 2009 Blakroc hip-hop collaboration debut. And while this album is sure to receive mixed reviews, one thing is certain: it won’t take more than a couple listens to know which songs you like and which ones you could do without. If I lacked a better word, I might say the Black Keys are getting too “cute”, but there are plenty of better words to describe the Akron twosome’s latest album: pristine, polished, intricate – in short, everything that the Black Keys are not. I’d like to think that over-production is not an inevitable consequence of increased exposure and a higher income, but history is not on my side. There’s nothing wrong with the Black Keys using their available resources to create a more polished sound – the fault lies in the extent of that polishing. And it’s not just over-production that bogs Brothers down, but an entire reformation of their style.
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continued We could look at this as a kind of “Dylan goes electric” syndrome, in which the Keys alienate old-time fans with a bold, new sound. Except for the fact that the Black Keys’ very purpose was to bring us back to the time before those new sounds existed. The change isn’t really startlingly new. The Keys implemented a number of new elements in 2008’s Attack and Release, from higher production to the wide array of instrumental additions (mandolin on “Psychotic Girl”, flute on “Same Old Thing”, organ and small hints of synth throughout the album). And they worked, for two reasons, the first being that they were balanced with more old-fashioned, gritty tracks like “I Got Mine”, “Remember When (Side B)”, and “Things Ain’t Like They Used to Be.” And second, the changes were subtle. The new changes are anything but subtle, and the boys give us fewer and fewer links to their less-refined past. Opener “Everlasting Light” kicks off with a hip-hop beat and an Auerbach falsetto, something that hasn’t appeared until now. “Next Girl” follows, a song with similarly big beats, in which Auerbach vows, “my next girl will be nothing like my ex-girl. I made mistakes back then. I’ll never do it again.” They’re both perfectly decent songs, but they come off a bit cheap and dull when put up against any tracks from the first half of the decade. “Howlin’ for You” begins with Gary Glitter-esque drums (the first five seconds of the song sound nearly identical to “Rock and Roll Part 2”) and ultimately falls flat with its repeated background “da da da dat da”s. “Sinister Kid” shows promise, as Auerbach begins, “well the crooks are out/and the streets are gray/you know I wouldn’t have it any other way/ Your mother’s words/they’re ringing
still/but your mother don’t pay our bills”, but the music fails to live up to the menacing tone. “The Only One” is good enough, but drags on about two minutes longer than the three-minute slot in which it could have worked. If you’ll believe me after all that, though, the album isn’t at all bad, and it contains some excellent tracks. The “hi-ho” whistles and rhythmic dance riffs on the album’s first single “Tighten Up” make it one of the grooviest tracks of 2010. You’ll take equal pleasure in the dirty blues of “Ten Cent Pistol”, and bass-heavy “I’m Not the One” sees Auerbach in an unusually and pleasantly powerful role. “Well like a toy to a kid/I said, ‘jump’/and momma, you did,” sings a man who usually falls victim to love in his songs. And perhaps the most rewarding parts of the album are the last two tracks. Faithful Jerry Butler cover “Never Gonna Give You Up” sounds more like it could have come from a Delfonics catalogue, Auerbach doing his best Diana Ross impression to a background of old R&B bells. And it closes out with the country-tinged “These Days”, one of the few songs that sees the duo musically vulnerable, as well as lyrically. Final conclusion: the Black Keys didn’t confuse themselves with Blakroc. There are a lot of ideas on Brothers. But that’s not where the problems arise. The album is smooth and well organized. It’s not even that they changed their style – Brothers is at its best when it diverges the most from the traditional Keys style. It’s just that there’s a danger with any risk like the one Auerbach and Carney took here: the danger of trading style for substance. - James Passarelli
MUSIC REVIEWS
Band of Horses Infinite Arms (Brown)
NO DOUBT, Ben Bridwell has heard the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And as Band of Horses’ popularity continues to grow (heck, John Buccigross even gave them a shout out on SportsCenter yesterday), the group’s third studio album Infinite Arms seldom strays from the formula they fashioned on Everything All the Time and reproduced on Cease to Begin. I can’t help but think that fame is putting a damper on creativity. Even more, much of Infinite Arms seems to draw inspiration solely from the previous two efforts. The title track not only shows a thematic similarity to “Is There a Ghost”, but a melodic self-plagiarism, as well. The other eleven songs too utilize their keys to past successes: soaring harmonies, pure, yet conservative instrumentation, and Bridwell’s melodious charisma. The album’s first single “Compliments” remains true to the now well-established Band of Horses sound and “Older” typifies the markedly bluegrass mark with which the group more abundantly littered Cease to Begin. “Dilly” espouses all the
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continued aforementioned traits, yet pleasantly departs from the ruggedness, almost as if Bridwell is delivering his best Ben Gibbard impersonation, to become the album’s most charming track. In the same way, “Blue Beard”, though decidedly rural, distinctly shows Pet Sounds influence, particularly its harmonious intro. Yet the more conspicuous differences are what Band of Horses left off this album. There is no monumental, ethereal anthem like “The Funeral.” Absent too are the idiosyncrasies that made tracks like “Wicked Gil” more genuine. The group lyrically emphasizes liberation from “plans” on “Evening Kitchen” and “Older”, yet the album, the result of a lengthy production process, omits these real moments for the formulaic. The innovative restraint renders the album redundant, and the routine is starting to become indigestible. The rest of the lyrics reflect this ineptitude in emotional impact. The lead-off song “Factory” and closing “Neighbor” provide the fitting bookends to an album clearly demonstrating that Band of Horses’ lyric writing is only becoming more egregious. Lines like the so-groundedit’s-practically-an-untouchable-timecapsule “I was thinking it over by the snack machine/ I thought about you in a candy bar” to the blandly ambiguous “I fell asleep to the greatest movie of the year” and “there’s a light on the porch here for someone,” Infinite Arms displays a near self-parodying regression in a department in which the group was already lacking. That does not at all signify that it only gets worse from here. True, these twelve tracks could be B-sides from
Everything All the Time, but Bridwell and company already discovered a unique, distinguished sound on that debut album. In preparation for Infinite Arms, Bridwell was quoted as saying that because of the equal input from each band member, this was really the first Band of Horses album. Maybe that is what made this album a second-rate Band of Horses record. Although certainly responsible for the regression, maybe the group’s best work does require Bridwell’s sole prominence. I am not going to compare him to Jeff Tweedy, but I seem to remember another alt-county rocker whose poor lyrics and static sound finally gave way to a hallmark indie album. Remember, kids, with the right motivation there’s a Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in everybody. Let’s just hope mainstream success doesn’t deter that impetus. - Ryan Waring
MUSIC REVIEWS
The Dead Weather Sea of Cowards (Third Man/Warner Bros)
BOB DYLAN put out his first six albums in less than four and a half years. Led Zeppelin I through IV came out in less than three years. The Beatles’ twelve original UK LP’s? Eight years. Anyone remember those days? I myself wasn’t even close to being born yet, but I’ve heard the albums. More time doesn’t always yield better results. Just ask the Red Hot Chili Peppers, or U2, or Guns ‘N’ Roses. Wait, I’m pretty sure they’re proud of their results. Somehow it’s become a popular notion that the more time and work someone spends on an album, the better it will be. The average gap between major album releases has increased to around three years over the past couple decades. Hell, Beethoven even wrote his symphonies in shorter time spans. But music is a spontaneous affair – even the most well thought-out and polished compositions are rooted in basic impulses. When The Dead Weather released their second full-length, Sea of Cowards, just ten months after their debut, Horehound, the accusations of the band being another one of selfindulgent Jack White’s indulgent side projects only grew in number. In order
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continued to address those accusations, it’s important to define two words: “selfindulgent” and “side-project.” The word “self-indulgent” almost always carries a negative connotation. It implies that an artist makes the music without any regard for the rest of the world. But what makes some kinds of music more self-indulgent than others?...And isn’t that isn’t that kind of the point? And then there’s the pigeonholing of The Dead Weather as merely White’s toy. And White does take a more active role in this album, but still not enough of one to merit the accusations. While both albums are littered with White’s signature guitar distortions and freakblues riffs, this band has more checks than the United States Government. As with Horehound, White only singlehandedly wrote one song, the rest penned by various combinations of the four band members. Funny enough, Sea of Cowards derives its name from the multitude of slanderers who use the Internet to speak their mind while at the same time concealing their real names. The cover smartly suggests this with an eerie photo of each member hiding behind a different mask. And the album has a religious undertone (or should I say overtone?). “All the white trip when I sing at Sunday service,” cries White in “Blue Blood Blues.” Dean Fertitia plays synthesizers reminiscent of warped church organs play in the background of “The Difference Between Us”, not to mention the actual organs on “Gasoline.” And in closing song “Old Mary”, that one song that White wrote himself, he cleverly recites his twisted version of the Hail Mary to a congregation comprised of co-leader Alison Mosshart in what turns out to be a hauntingly epic conclusion. Whether or not this underlying theme means the songs’ creators see this libel as a sort of religion is difficult to say. But it does add
to The Dead Weather’s already chilling atmosphere. Can “bluesiness” ever reach a peak? White, Mosshart, Fertita, and bassist Jack Lawrence are trying to find out, cramming everything blues into thirty-five minutes. It’s not a frantic or careless cramming. Most of the songs manage to flow much more easily than the separate pieces of their frantic composition might suggest. The opening bass line of “Hustle and Cuss” calmly screams blues, and it’s further complimented by Mosshart’s low rasp: “Knock on the door/the door knocks back/Joke never go n further than that.” Later in the song, Mosshart gives out delightful shrieks that become indistinguishable from the screeching, metallic guitar. “Looking at the Invisible Man” and “Die By the Drop” experiment with White’s already innovative guitar and drum styles. “Jawbreaker” is a frenetic, high-energy fusion of incessant guitar, drums, and Fertitia’s synthesizers. Then there’s “I Can’t Hear You”, driven by dueling guitar riffs, one of which is so low it’s easy to mistake as a bass. Mosshart takes charge again here with her harsh, breaking vocals, and White makes a instantaneous cameo, mimicking the backing guitar with a monkey-sounding “ah-ah-ah-ahah-ah…ah” on the best track of 2010 so far. If ten months is all it took The Dead Weather to top their outstanding debut, I can’t wait to look back as the ball drops 2020. White once again shows his ability to work just as well with nonfamily members as his White Stripes partner, and the rest of the band once again shows they’re more than talented enough to act as his equals. If only W.C. Handy could see how far his blues have come…he’d probably have a heart attack. - James Passarelli
TITUS ANDRONICUS INTERVIEW: KATHRYN FREUND & BRYANT KITCHING
DECADES AFTER the inception of such greats as Black Flag, The Minutemen, and The Clash, the punk genre seems all but completely watered down and washed up. But every now and then a band comes along that manages to capture the spirit of the tireless and reckless inventors of punk. Titus Andronicus might be the best example we have right now. Led by heavily bearded singer/ guitarist Patrick Stickles, the fivepiece group combines passionate howls and shiver-giving electric riffs to form epic neo-classic rock in punk style. Sounds scrumptious, doesn’t it? Well it is. And during their current grueling, months-long tour, Titus stopped by Fordham University in the Bronx. IF’s Bryant Kitching and Kathryn Freund were there to lengthily converse with the guys and gal while they waited for Triple A to come get the keys out of their locked van.
TITUS ANDRONICUS post- AAA’s arrival.
Left to right: Ian Graetzer, David Robbins, Patrick Sickles, Eric Harm, Amy Klein, and the infamous ferret.
Photo by Kathryn Freund
Inflatable Ferret: Where did you guys film your new video?
Amy Klein: Pretty much the coldest day of the year.
which is the best result you can expect in my opinion.
Patrick Stickles: Kittatinny Valley State Park.
IF: It wasn’t actually snowing, was it?
Patrick: There’s a lot more looky-loos.
Ian: No, it wasn’t snowing during the day. That’s a lot of fake snow we just trucked in.
Ian: You wonder if these people are going to stick around.
IF: Okay, because I was watching it, and some of my friends were like, “Dude, that looks like the Res in Mahwah!” Patrick: It’s not the Res, though the Res was on the short list for possible locations. IF: When did you guys shoot that?
IF: Do you like that? Patrick: Those were feathers, man. We just busted open some down comforters. IF: You guys are getting more popular. Have you noticed any changes since the last album?
Ian Graetzer: The 20th of February. Ian: A few more people at our shows,
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Patrick: What, having looky-loos around that come and look at the freaks from the Internet for a half hour and then go home and tweet about how it sucks? Ian: Yeah, but everybody ever is a lookyloo at some point when they’re getting into something.
TITUS ANDRONICUS INTERVIEW Patrick: It’s true. We can’t please everyone, but we’re happy to please the ones that we can. IF: So, it’s not “any publicity is good publicity”? Patrick: No, it’s all great. I’m just messing around. IF: So, you guys have been on tour for a while. Patrick: Five weeks or so…It doesn’t feel like five weeks.
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IF: Who else are you excited to see? Ian: Lightning Bolt. Haven’t seen them in a while. Eric Harm: Oh man, I’m excited to see a lot of bands at the Pitchfork Festival. I just heard they announced Wolf Parade and Broken Social Scene – two bands I tried to see a few times when I was in college, but I didn’t have the means to get to Philly, the closest major city. Amy: I’m excited to see St. Vincent and to see Ian do his special festival dance.
Amy: It feels like an eternity. IF: Can we get a demonstration of that?
Patrick: How about Raekwon the Chef? We’re going to be in the kitchen with Raekwon. Hopefully I’ll see him backstage or something, and say, “What’s up, Ice Cream Man? You got that Snoopy head for me?” Can’t eat that anymore, I’m a vegetarian. IF: What made you decide to be a vegetarian? Patrick: No, I’m joking around. The vegetarian part was true, but I can still eat the Snoopy ice cream pop because, you know, that’s not a real animal. Ian: Sponges can’t feel any pain, so you can eat the Spongebob ones.
Ian: A life sentence. IF: I felt like I just kept bumping into you guys, openers here and there.
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Ian: Well, it’s not like my festival dance. It just is the festival dance. Like, when you’re at the festival, and there’s that guy with his shirt off and he’s just standing there going like this [moves body aimlessly], and that’s pretty much 50% of the festival right there.
Patrick: You’ve got to pound the pavement. Got to get out there and pay your dues. “You Hopefully I’ll see gotta pay Raekwon the Chef your dues before you pay the rent,” backstage and say, ‘What’s is what Pavement up Ice Cream Man? You says – another band we’ll soon got that Snoopy Head be opening for. IF: Really? No way!
for me?’ Can’t eat that anymore. I’m a vegetarian.
Patrick: Well, just at festivals and stuff, with a million other bands.
IF: I read that you guys are big Curb Your Enthusiasm fans and that it may have been an influence on the album. Patrick: It’s true. Curb didn’t influence any of the content, but the methodology. Curb is unscripted, you know. So Larry gets all his buddies and has a rough outline of the story and says, “ Just get from point A to point B and do whatever you want in between.” And that’s pretty much what we told all the musicians to do. IF: Did you like the last season? Patrick: Yeah, it was awesome. Eric, you love Curb too. Don’t you want to say something? Eric: Love Curb Your Enthusiasm. That last season was particularly good. Patrick: When’s the new Eastbound and Down season going to be happening, that’s what I want to know.
Ian: Yeah, fifty other bands will also be opening for them. Patrick: But there are three free Pavement concerts in the cards for us – a bounteous reward.
Ian: Are you familiar with that show? Photo by William Tanksley
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TITUS ANDRONICUS INTERVIEW Dave Robbins: If you want to make good use of that camera I’ll just play it on my computer and you can tape it. IF: What’s the guy’s name again? Kenny…? Everyone: Kenny Powers. Amy: We pretty much watch that show non-stop. We pretty much live the life of Kenny Powers. Except that none of us are washed-up baseball players…except one [points to Dave] Did you guys know Dave was almost a professional baseball player? Patrick: He got scouted by the Oakland A’s.
Dave: I love how this in, like, every interview.
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Patrick: They were loving his lefty fastball. What was it, like 92 miles per hour? Dave: No, 88. That was the fastest I got clocked.
Patrick: That’s why they called him the Flux Capacitor. IF: Is that true? Dave: No, they didn’t call me that. My nickname was “The Judge.” Amy: Really? Patrick: Because he always brought down the hammer.
Photo by William Tanksley
Ian: You know why he didn’t get into the major leagues. They were like, “We’re going to give you a ten million dollar signing bonus,” and he was going out to his car and slipped on some ice and ruined his knee forever. And he couldn’t get that split-knuckle back. Dave: That’s actually all made up. Patrick: But the part about him getting scouted by the A’s is 100% true. Dave: That is true. I saw the Iona team here earlier, and I was pretty jealous. I wanted to play some ball again. I wanted to show them how it’s really done. They were probably thinking, “Look at these punks in their skinny jeans.” Or whatever it is they say. Then I throw it and break their birdbath. IF: So, where did the whole Civil War thing come from? Are you guys Civil War buffs or what?
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They were probably thinking, ‘Look at these punks in their skinny jeans’ or whatever it is they say. Then I throw the ball and break their birdbaths.
Patrick: I’m a bit of a buff. Do you guys like it? We’ve never really discussed this. Eric: I don’t hate it. I’m not passionate about the Civil War. IF: So, you’re un-American is what you’re saying? Eric: That’s what I’m getting at, yeah. Ian: When I was younger my grandfather was a really big Civil War buff and would try to teach me things. He’s got a lot of artifacts from that era that he would show me – weapons and what not. He’s got a lot of shit. Patrick: I mean, where did it come from? Where didn’t it come from? It’s just interesting. I think there are a lot of connections that can be drawn from that time to modern times. The study of history is a way of putting a lot of things into perspective. “Those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat its mistakes,” or something like that. We shall be no party to that sort of thing. IF: So, who does the recordings of all the speeches on your albums?
TITUS ANDRONICUS INTERVIEW
continued
Patrick: Craig Finn was the voice of Walt Whitman – he plays in The Hold Steady, he’s my neighbor, I’m his catsitter. So, he agreed to do it, because he’s a lot like Walt Whitman. The guy who did the voice of Abraham Lincoln was my high school drama teacher. The guy who did the voice of William Lloyd Garrison is this dude named Nolan – he’s the singer for this band from Baltimore called Double Dagger. It’s a pretty sweet band. He also did our album artwork. And then, of course, Cassie, who we’ll see later tonight playing with The Babies, was the voice of Jefferson Davis. You know, just friends. IF: I wanted to ask you guys what your favorite Springsteen album is. Eric, Ian, and Dave: Don’t ask me. Ian: I hate Bruce Springsteen. Dave: I’m going to say Nebraska. Ian: I’ll go with Nebraska. Patrick: You find that one to be the least offensive. Dave: I also like Darkness on the Edge of Town.
Photo by Kathryn Freund
Dave: Did you guys know who won The Masters by the way? Did Tiger Woods win? IF: Phil Mickelson. Dave: Oh, that’s right. IF: Tiger was, like, fourth. It’s pretty ridiculous that he’s that much of a robot though.
IF: [laughs] That was pretty offensive.
Patrick: It’s pretty incredible what he does…I’d love to be sharp enough right now to make some joke about strokes, like, “five strokes off his dick” or something like that.
Patrick: You heard it here first – it’s an exclusive. “Titus Andronicus not Springsteen fans!” But “The Promise” and “Racing in the Street” both from the Essential Lost Masters Volume…17 I think? There were a lot of essential lost masters. The dude lost a lot of essential masters. He’s got to watch his shit.
Dave: You guys want to hear a Tiger Woods joke? It takes, like, a minute… So there’s this classroom and the teach says, “Alright, it’s time for recess, but you can’t go outside until you tell me who said this quote.” So, the first one is “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” And this little
Ian: What’s the newest one? That’s my favorite.
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boy raises his hand because he knows it, but some girl raises her hand higher, so the teacher picks the girl. She says, “That’s JFK.” And the teacher lets her go to recess. Another quote is stated. The boy knows again, but another girl gets picked instead of him again. She says, “That was Martin Luther Kind.” And the teacher lets her go out too. So the boy gets all pissed off and says, “I wish these bitches would just shut their mouths.” And the teacher says, “Who said that?” And the boy goes, “Tiger Woods. I’m going to recess.” IF: Just wondering, what’s your favorite Smash Mouth song? Ian: What’s the hit? Patrick: “Walkin’ on the Sun” IF: “All Star” Eric: I liked the cover of “Why Can’t We Be Friends.”
TITUS ANDRONICUS INTERVIEW Patrick: What’s the song on the Can’t Hardly Wait soundtrack? “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby”?...Smash Mouth sucks. They’re the All-American Rejects of the 90’s. IF: I wouldn’t put them to that level. Ian: I would. IF: What if the lead singer went on a solo tour and asked you guys to open for him? Patrick: Only if we could be his backing band as well.
continued
and make that a bigger experience than just three dudes. Patrick: That’s true – Spider Bags is this band we’re going on tour with in a couple days, and they have an even harder time keeping people in the band than we do. So, I offered there singer Dan McGee to play bass for them on tour. But he wasn’t having it. Which is too bad, because their bass player Greg is really good at playing the slide guitar, an element in Spider Bags that I really miss. But that’s okay. Dan McGee knows best. IF: Where are they from?
IF: If you could back one band who would you back?
Patrick: Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Patrick: Like, open for somebody?
IF: What kind of stuff is it?
IF: Like, back a lead singer.
Patrick: It’s like…alternative country, I guess you could, or Americana.
Not at all like Wilco. It’s not bed-wetting music. It’s music that kicks ass. They kind of sound like…they just sound like themselves. Ian: Whatever explanation we give you is going to sound really lame because they brush shoulders with a lot of other categories. Patrick: Yeah, that’s true. But the fact that they come out smelling like a rose really speaks to their abilities as songwriters and performers. IF: My favorite song on the album is “The Battle of Hampton Roads” and, while you guys are pretty epic to begin with, but the whole album seems a lot more epic in terms of track-lengths. I was just wondering if you start off trying to write a 14-minute song or if you just start with one idea and it just snowballs.
Ian: It’d be cool to be in Spider Bags IF: Like…Wilco? Patrick: Like who, Wilco?
" Photo by Kathryn Freund
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Patrick: No, it’s not like that. I mean, all the songs when I started writing them I thought they were going to be, like, three or four minutes long, but I’m just terrible at…temporal…
I think there are a lot of connections between the Civil War and modern times. The study of History is a way of putting things into perspective.
Ian: You’ve got temporal dyslexia is what you’re saying. Patrick: Yeah. But you’ve just got to see ideas out to their natural conclusions, even though it might end up in a song that’s ridiculously way too long. IF
80 MINUTES OF MUSIC
FOR THE STATE OF arizona
WHEN ARIZONA passed its new immigration law (SB1070, or some Star Wars droid number like that) we here at IF headquarters took it upon ourselves to mend the broken race relations. We did some research, and the results of our study were astonishing. It turns out 75% of the Arizona residents in favor of the bill do so out of pure hatred of mariachi. So, we had IF writer and Mexico native Aldo Juraidini draw up an 80-minute playlist of Mexican music in tribute to Arizona. It includes gems from the underappreciated Mexican rock and rap scenes. See if this won’t change your minds, Arizona.
Venegas 4:01 01 Julieta “Me Van a Matar”
Throughout her long career Julieta Venagas has managed to remain on the outskirts of the pop scene without compromising her slightly offbeat sound. “Me Van a Matar”, recorded for the film Amores Perros, finds her in a particularly dark mood, giving the whole song a somber and eerie feeling while still retaining an approachable quality.
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Café Tacuba 7:41 “Volver a Comenzar”
Often typecast as the “Mexican Radiohead” but best described as one of the greatest rock bands playing (in the world), Café Tacuba has managed to transform with each new release. “Volver a Comenzar” finds them thinking back to their youth, filled with memories of 70’s prog rock. A seven minute odd to bands like the Who and Rush, “Volver” is one of their most interesting and inviting compositions to date.
Inflatable Ferret
3:30 03 Molotov “Frijolero”
What better song to address the recent racial tensions sparked by Arizona’s immigration law than one titled after the racial slur “beaner”? Featuring both American and Mexican members, Molotov has been making aggressive, socially conscious rock and urban music since the early 90s. “Frijolero” accurately expresses the anger and resentment of both sides of the immigration discussion.
Institute of Sound 3:34 04 Mexican “El Microfono”
Café Tacuba protégé Camilo Lara masterfully blends classical music from the 20’s and 30’s with contemporary samples that range from the absurd to the abstract. Lara owns more than 45,000 vinyl records, and his taste for music shows. On “El Microfono”, Lara isn’t simply sampling, but rather creating a panorama representative of Mexican life.
Reverb 05 Antoine “Fantastic” 2:58
Emerging as a highlight of the recent lo-fi explosion that has taken Mexico by storm, Antoine Reverb’s debut Goodbye Victorian Houses proves this quintet is here to stay. “Fantastic” has a tender, dream-like quality that shows these guys aren’t.
4:20 06 Porter “Host of a Ghost”
It took one EP and a full album for this all too short –lived band to leave its mark on the Mexican rock scene. With the unmistakable falsetto of Juan Son, and a dark and melancholic palette, Porter created an instantly recognizable sound that no other band can evoke.
4:17 07 Kinky “Donde Van Los Muertos”
Recently making appearances in shows like “Weeds,” “Gossip Girl,” and “NCIS,” Kinky has finally begun to receive notice in the US. But the Monterrey natives have long been a staple of the Mexican rock scene, evok-
80 MINUTES OF MUSIC ing 80s new wave, synth-filled “A Donde Van Los Muertos” finds them at their most radiofriendly.
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Seahorse! 4:10 08 Hello “Bestia”
Rooted in Britpop, Hello Seahorse! first attained press notice after the release of their Los Campesinos-like“Won’t Say Anything” single. “Bestia”, with its safari noise collage intro, is darker territory for them. With Lo Blondo’s vocals, “Bestia” lets you feel this band whether you can speak English or not.
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Los Amparito 3:43 “Por Medio de la Lectura”
Reminiscent of Animal Collective (the band did a mix of “Brother Sport”), Los Amparito could have been described as just another follower of the pack. “Por Medio de la Lectura” proves otherwise. Carefully mixing abstract, electronic sounds with traditional Mexican music loops, “Lectura” shows the young band’s promise.
Inflatable Ferret
Plastilina Mosh 4:45 “Monster Truck”
One of the most successful bands in Mexico, Plastilina Mosh has always been the golden standard of Latin Rock. After getting the attention of carious LA producers, including Money Mark (Beastie Boys), the band recorded their excellent debut Aquamosh. “Monster Truck” is a highlight among an album full of impressive singles.
Arjona 4:43 12 Ricardo “Mojado”
Combining witty lyrics with simple arrangements, “Mojado” is a heartfelt (if sappy) song about the reality of Mexico’s sad immigration problems.
Son 4:53 09 Juan “Mermaid Sashimi”
After breaking up with Porter, Juan Son went on to indulge in his own psycho-funk pop affinities. Throughout “Mermaid”, Son addresses the superficiality of pop culture; “Even though you don’t have feelings/I’m obsessed with you right now,” Son sings. Similar to Lady Gaga(albeit far more artistically successful), Juan Son is as much a part of the pop culture as he is a critic of it.
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Suave as Hell 5:18 “Tiger in a Cage”
Don’t know if Suave as Hell had illegal immigration in mind when writing “Tiger in a Cage”, but in the words of Brian Bilbray, “if the shoe fits”. “Tiger in a Cage” is a somber tale of an old Tiger facing abandonment in a circus after years of labor.
14 Zoe“No 3:12 Hay Dolor”
Zoe have been making great spacey, pop music for a couple of years now. Their latest release, Reptilectric, and single “No Hay Dolor” find them at their strongest and sharpest yet.
4:04 15 Furland “Las Lunas, Las Estrellas…”
Rather than fighting over the spotlight, the members of Furland allow each instrument to develop and breathe within the
confines of the songs. “Las Lunas, Las Estrellas…” is a spacey, atmospheric composition that manages to transport the listener to the quiet and peaceful landscape about which Furland sing.
Machete 4:13 16 Control “Si Senor”
One of the prominent bands of the “rock urbano” movement of the 90s, Control Machete welcomed the century with their best song to date. With an approachable melody, a horn-sample hook, and menacing vocals, “Si Senior” was a radio hit in the early 2000s.
4:58 17 Murcof “Lous XIV’s Demons”
Featuring dark and sparse classical arrangements with no vocals, Murcof’s music can be challenging. But as “Louis XIV” evinces, it can be a particularly rewarding challenge.
4:50 18 Caifanes “Afuera”
Veterans of the Rock en Esapanol movement, Caifanes have managed to stay relevant throughout the years. “Afuera” (Spanish for “outside”), coincidentally suited to the Mexican feelings over the Arizona law, is a great classic rock song about never being let inside. - Aldo Juraidini