REAX #28 by Joel

CANVAS

an art premier

Friday, Sept. 26th

8pm-1am Free Admission Live Music Local Artists Killer Coffee

2702 Causeway Center Dr. Tampa FL 33619 www.canvas813.com

sponsored by: REAX RELEVANT DaSilvas Coffee Caritas Clothing ADCO Printing iamelement.org

0606

CONTENTS

ISSUE 28

ISSUE: 26

SOUNDCHECK SOUNDCHECK 08 INTRODUCTION 08 INTRODUCTION SEE SOMETHING SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING SAY 10 SOMETHING CALL AND RESPONSE 10 CALL & RESPONSE 11 DEAR GLOFFY 11 DEAR GLOFFY 12 STEPABOUT BY STEPARCHITECTURE 12 DANCING 14 BEHIND THEBAND LENS 14 YOUR BLOWS SOUNDBITES SOUNDBITES 14 THE STILLS 15 NINJA GUN / WHY? 14 ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI 16 THE EXPLORERS CLUB / THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM 16 HILL COUNTRY REVUE 16 LEGENDARY JC’S 18 LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE 18 STACY EPPS

THEME FEATURE

THEME 20 FALL FEATURE FILM PREVIEW 20 PHOTO ESSAY HOT MESS CONFIDENTIAL

YOU ARE HERE

LOCAL MUSIC YOU ARE HERE TAMPABACK BAY TO SCHOOL EDITION SPECIAL 01 HOT SPOTS TAMPA BAY 02 GREYMARKET 01 HOT SPOTS 02 SPRINGFIELD CUBS 03 ALBUM SPOTLIGHT / RETAIL SPOTLIGHT 03 ALBUM SPOTLIGHT 04 EVENTS 03 EVENTS ORLANDO + CENTRAL FLA ORLANDO 06 HOT SPOTS 07 THE SUGAR OAKS 08 ALBUM SPOTLIGHT 08 EVENTS GAINESVILLE 10 HOT SPOTS GAINESVILLE + NORTH FLA 10 ALBUM SPOTLIGHT 11 MORNINGBELL 12 EVENTS

06 07 07 08

HOT SPOTS BAND MARINO ALBUM SPOTLIGHT / RETAIL SPOTLIGHT EVENTS

GUILTY Publisher Publisher Joel Cook Joel Cook jcook@reaxmusic.com jcook@reaxmusic.com Queen Finnie Cook Queen ﬁnniec@reaxmusic.com Finnie Cook ﬁnniec@reaxmusic.com Editor Scott Harrell scott@reaxmusic.com Editor Scott Harrell Head Writer scott@reaxmusic.com Michael Rabinowitz miker@reaxmusic.com Head Writer Columnist Michael Rabinowitz Jeremy Gloff miker@reaxmusic.com deargloffy@gmail.com

Circulation Manager Circulation Manager/ Scott Jensen Street Team Manager scottj@reaxmusic.com Scott Jenson Sales Associates scottj@reaxmusic.com Emily LaDuca emily@reaxmusic.com Sales Associates Emily LaDuca Shawn Kyle emily@reaxmusic.com shawn@reaxmusic.com Interns Shawn Kyle Amy Beeman shawn@reaxmusic.com abeeman@reaxmusic.com

Interns Molly Hays molly@reaxmusic.com Amy Beeman abeeman@reaxmusic.com Contributors Timothy Asher Columnist Molly Art Director JoeHays D’Acunto molly@reaxmusic.com Jeremy Gloff Mike Delach Mike DeLancett delach@cookwaremedia.com Jason Ferguson deargloffy@gmail.com Jack Gregory Contributors Illustration Justine Grifﬁn ArtNoah Director Timothy Asher Hooper Deledda Ryan Patrick Joe D’Acunto Mike Delach noah.deledda@gmail.com Sean Kantrowitz Mike DeLancett delach@cookwaremedia.com Becca Nelson Photography Susie Orr Jason Ferguson Tony Landa Lance Robson Illustration Jack Gregory landa@reaxmusic.com Trevor Roppolo Justine Grifﬁ n Noah Deledda Susie Ulrey Ryan Patrick Hooper noah.deledda@gmail.com General Manager Carrie Waite Sean Kantrowitz Marshall Dickson Photography Susie Orr marshall@reaxmusic.com Tony Landa Lance Robson landa@reaxmusic.com Trevor Roppolo REAX Music Magazine Phone: Susie Ulrey813.247.6975 P.O. Box 5809 www.reaxmusic.com General Manager Carrie Waite Tampa,Dickson FL 33675 www.myspace.com/reax Marshall marshall@reaxmusic.com Reax Magazine is published monthly and is available through SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO: restaurants, independent Florida businesses, musicOUT venues, Volcom, American Apparel, Rage, Store 101, record stores, outdoor boxes,Poetic and F.Y.E. stores. Reax is Skatepark of Tampa, Revolve, Tribeca also available nationally at over 160 recordColorSalon, stores. Go to Winston Massey, Adams, EditTeam.com reaxmusic.com forBrian a full list.

10 HOT SPOTS 11 ODD KNOCK 11 ALBUM SPOTLIGHT / RETAIL SPOTLIGHT COVER STORY 12 EVENTS

REAX Music Magazine P.O. Box 5809 Tampa, FL 33675 Ph: 813.247.6975 www.reaxmusic.com www.myspace.com/reax

REAX INTERVIEWS COVER STORY 42 THE MELVINS 40 THE DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS 44 TRIVIUM

Reax Magazine is published monthly and is available through Advertisers warrant and represent descriptionsindependent of their Florida businesses, music venues, the restaurants, products advertised are true in all respects. Reax Magazine record stores, outdoor boxes, and F.Y.E. stores. Reax is also assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All available at oversent 160torecord stores. Go to reaxmusic. lettersnationally and their contents Reax Magazine become the sole comproperty for a fulloflist. Cookware Media, LLC. Use or duplication of material

40 MY MORNING JACKET

REAX INTERVIEWS REAX SPOTLIGHT 42 46 FLEET MATES FOXESOF STATE 48 MATT THE PRYOR 44 SWORD 50 THE WEEPIES 46 BEN NICHOLS OF LUCERO 48 CALEXICO SOAPBOX 50 ATMOSPHERE 52 NEW RELEASES 53 54 55 58 60

HANDS ON SHOW REVIEW: SPIRITUALIZED MUSIC REVIEWS GAME REVIEWS CONTESTS

SOAPBOX 52 NEW RELEASES

PAGE 6 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • SEPTEMBER 2008

used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Cookware Media, LLC.

CONTINUED SOAPBOX Advertisers warrant and represent the descriptions of their 53 HANDS ON REVIEWSReax Magazine products advertised are PRODUCT true in all respects. assumes noMUSIC responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All 54 REVIEWS letters and their contents sent to Reax Magazine become the 58 VIDEO GAME REVIEWS sole property of Cookware Media, LLC. Use or duplication of material used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Cookware Media, LLC.

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SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC Magazine • PAGE 7

SOUNDCHECK ISSUE 28

LISTEN CLOSELY.

an you hear that, way out there somewhere? That sub-electric hum that just barely reaches your ears?

That’s the sound of van engines revving. Of strings being tuned. Of processors whirring as potential show dates and venues are typed in and then deleted in favor of better shows and more efﬁcient routes. Of tube equipment heating up and air conditioners shutting down. It’s almost fall in Florida, and that means it’s almost time for the touring bands to come back, like the brightly colored leaves would if we had anything approaching seasons to freakin’ speak of. All the big traveling summer festivals that kept so many bands out of the clubs are over, and the Florida shindigs that wisely wait until the temperature drops to tolerable levels - Fest, of course, and Alachua County’s ambitious,

PAGE 8 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • SEPTEMBER 2008

brand-new Real Big Deal - loom, bringing acts that will be looking to make the trip worthwhile with some other dates around the state. Some groups won’t be hitting the road as hard this year; gas prices have dropped a bit, but they’re still a bitch, and not everybody’s making guarantees. But most of the best are addicted to it, and the costs and the hassles and the downtime be damned.

THEY’RE COMING. So get ready to show your gratitude. And if you talk to anybody from up north or out west, go ahead and tell ‘em it’s already starting to cool off. And hurricanes? What hurricanes?

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Studio #4 210 South Kings Av Brandon, FL 33511 813.654.9990 Studio #5 1118 34th St N St. Pete, FL 33713 727.322.9999 Studio #6 1512-B Fowler Ave. Tampa, FL 33612 813.910.7777

Studio #7 8238 W. Waters Ave Tampa, FL 33615 813.884.4445

www.atomictat SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 9

CALL & RESPONSE READER MAIL ISSUE 28

SEND FEEDBACK TO REAX@REAXMUSIC.COM RE: CHARITY-ANNE HOPESWELL’S LETTER IN ISSUE 27 My husband picks up your REAX mag every week and it is VERY informative of the things going on in Orlando, but when I picked up this issue to read this morning, my reaction is OH MY GOD!! I am talking about the MAIL!! The one letter I am talking about is from a woman with the name of CharityAnne Hopeswell ... GREAT name, right?! WRONG!! THIS woman, I take it, is a Christian. God Bless her soul, she “BEAT” her daughter “silly” JUST because she had the REAX mag in her backpack ... GOD, HOW Christian can you get, right?! Well, she goes ONE STEP further and blames REAX for the “roughly 45% of domestic violence in the religious community, in the US alone.” OMG, AGAIN!!! Lady, IF you are beating your child, THEN YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS!!! To blame a magazine, because YOU CANNOT control YOURSELF is DISGUSTING!!! To USE the Bible as a REASON to beat your child, is DISGUSTING!!! You DISGUST me and I hope your daughter gets away from you as soon as she is able to ... YOU are the disease here!! Reax ... I doubt you will print this in the next issue for her to see, as she seems to be “hellbent” on keeping you out of her daughter’s life, but I want you to know that you are doing an awesome job, keep it up!! Like “Charlie” from siftermag.com says, “I know kudos are few and far between”, but YOU deserve them!!! - Misha

FROM REAXMUSIC.COM COMMENT ON “MELVINS: NEVER OVER,” BY RYAN PATRICK HOOPER: “Everyone hates to be a prick, but someone’s gotta do it (this is the internet, after all). ‘... utilizing the double-drummer onslaught of Warren and Willis ...’ - don’t you mean Crover and Willis? ‘On their latest release, Naked with Boots, the Melvins ...’

- don’t you mean Nude with Boots, as mentioned at the close of the piece?” - Concerned Dude, Aug. 26 COMMENT ON “SURPRISE! STP AND SCOTT WEILAND CANCEL TAMPA SHOW,” BY STEPHANIE BOLLING: “Awwwww. BRMC would have been great, but this crowd should have saved their money for one of the Smashing Pumpkins shows. They could see a band that takes their job and art seriously truly explore their music for nearly 3 hours!” - John Prinzo, Aug. 25 COMMENTS ON “TAMPA BAND MAKES NATIONAL AD BAND FINALS,” BY SCOTT HARRELL: “Way to go MIKE! We are so proud of you! Best of luck from your old LT gang! God Bless! Ms. Terri” - Terri Koenigsfeld, Aug. 25

“Hey, I’m Mike’s Aunt and he’s the bomb! Plus I am the bomb since I am the best Aunt out there that will promote her nephew’s band!!! It is so great to be a ‘young, cool’ Aunt and have this nephew that is a great friend. Wish I still lived in Tampa to be there in person to cheer him on. I need everyone’s help to vote for him and the rest of the band!!” - Aunt Laura, Aug. 21 COMMENT ON “CHINESE DEMOCRACY HEARTS WAL-MART,” BY MICHAEL RABINOWITZ: “The deals with Wal-Mart work like this: Wal-Mart BUYS a boatload of your CDs up front. No returns. So, let’s say Wal-Mart buys 1,000,000 copies of the new GNR. There is NO way GNR will sell 1,000,000 copies these days if they do it traditionally. This way ... GNR wins by selling 1,000,000 copies ... and the record can totally blow, as it probably will anyway. And Wal-Mart (kind of) wins because you can only buy it at Wal-Mart and they can sell it for whatever they want to sell it at. Of course, they will end up paying much less

PAGE 10 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • SEPTEMBER 2008

per CD than they’ll be selling it for. After 6 months, when they’ve only sold 137 copies, because there will be at least 137 idiots out there that will buy it, then Wal-Mart can sell it off to some liquidator that will pay like .05 a CD and put it in dollar stores. Rock n Roll kids!” - Tony, Aug. 15

You know that guy you recognize in bars but don’t know his name? That’s Asher. Ragingly unremarkable, you may have met him on several occasions and simply forgotten. It happens. Despite a penchant to tip big, he also remains nearly invisible to bartenders and wait staff alike, so don’t feel bad. Despite this malady, he always manages to procure drinks and pay his tab. He’s like a ninja. A clumsy, drunken ninja. Asher believes physics get squishy around beer number four and that damn near everything is funny in the abstract. He also has a pony.

TIMOTHY ASHER

FROM MYSPACE “Awesome MMJ interview!!! Thanks so much for sharing it. : )” - Amber, Aug. 23 “Hey guys! We love REAX!! It’s such a badass magazine!! We wanted to share you our local music from Orlando!! You can also download our single, Breaking Down the Walls! Be our friends and support local music!! -Anna B.- Pretty Vacant” -Pretty Vacant, Aug. 16 “Sending love and good well wishes to my favorite reax team. xo from ARTpool! ;)” - ARTpool gallery, Aug. 7

Chris Gaughan is a twenty-five year-old, second generation Irish-American Floridian transplant from New York with an eye for disaster. His interests include H.P. Lovecraft, past life regression, Internet jokes, finishing his degree, and not letting life get the best of him. He enjoys poking fun at Mormons, pointing out inconsistencies, semantics, Dungeons & Dragons, trying to figure out what in the hell Isaac Asimov was really saying, and small furry mammals. He hopes to continue to get more of his work published, but otherwise he’s content to spend most of his time in all the wrong bars trying (unsuccessfully) to pick up straight men.

“We love Reax! You should get some Distro down in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.” - the turncoat, Aug. 4

CHRIS GAUGHAN

“Subject: Those FYE Coupons Are Dope. I grabbed an entire stack just for the coupon in the back. Been buying used cds/dvds for $2.50 all week ... spank rock, odb, kung fu, ﬂicks etc.” - Brian Disable, July 31

Popcorn is boring … I’ll eat it - but I’ll complain the whole time. I have really long middle toes Seriously, they’re weird. I own a small business – microscopic even. I like dogs but don’t want one. Commitment … I watch a lot of Lifetime … yeah, the network … R.I.P. Estelle Getty. I’m an optimist, but I’m pretty pessimistic about it. I consider myself a people person but generally hate them (people). I pretend not to care about my Gamerscore, but I do. Hotsauce makes me happy … food should hurt. I’m voting for Obama because, well, I’m not an idiot.

FROM ELSEWEB Spanish-language motorcycle magazine ChopperON had some complimentary things to say about REAX in its second issue - both magazines are hosted at virtual page-turning website issuu.com, and ChopperON took note of REAX’s layout and music coverage ... as well as the impressive number of hits we’ve been getting at the site.

TREVOR ROPPOLO

deAr GLoFFY SEE SOMETHING... ISSUE 28

AFTER thousands of dollars

and a few years’ work, my new album 1987 is ﬁnally being released on September 20 at the Crowbar in Tampa. In my column this month, I pay special tribute to my labor of love. If you enjoy reading my column, I do hope you check out my new songs at myspace.com/ jeremygloff. And let’s face it ... isn’t it very Gloffy of me to plug my own album in my column?! See you on the 20th!

deAr GLoFFY,

All I do is give to people it seems. Give give give give. It is starting to really wear me thin. I don’t mind helping people out, but at the end of the day it seems like there’s nothing left for me. I take care of my boyfriend. I let a friend of mine crash at my place for awhile. My friends always ask me for money. The list goes on. I wonder if they would be there for me? Signed, Pooped

deAr PooPed,

Sounds like you ARE wearing yourself thin! I’ve had a few friends in the same position you are, and I will tell you the same thing I told them: You cannot control how much people ask of you. You cannot be angry at people for asking things of you. The solution to the problem is found not by looking outward, but by looking inward. Why are you allowing yourself to be used? Why do you have trouble telling people no? There is nothing wrong with saying no. There’s nothing wrong with taking time for yourself. You have to be the one to stand up for yourself, so do it. Be like the character in the song “Boyfriend” from my new album, who rid her life of the “parasites and tornadoes who rip life apart.” There’s nothing more rewarding than being as strong as a character in a Jeremy Gloff song!!!

deAr GLoFFY,

This might be a strange question but I recently found out my girlfriend once was a dominatrix. She also told me she is very much into bondage and other fetishes. That’s all cool ... but I’m not interested in any of that. I say to each their own. But I also say there’s not a chance in hell I’d ever let anyone tie me up! This is all ﬁne and dandy but my only worry is that my girl will get bored if we don’t do the stuff she is into. Signed, Untie Me Please

deAr UntIe,

This comes down to percentages. What percentage of your relationship is based on sex and physical interaction? What percentage is based on mental and romantic interaction? How much pleasure are you both getting out of the sex as is? If the sex is bad, and your relationship is mostly physical ... perhaps your dame better pack her suitcase and take her whip elsewhere! However, if you two are truly in love and share a strong mental connection ... I’m sure she would have no problem retiring the whips and chains. On the title track from 1987, a man and a woman fall deeply in love ... and live happily ever after. Is there anything more rewarding than being a happy couple just like in a Jeremy Gloff song?!! Submit your questions on the Dear Gloffy page on jeremygloff.com

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 11

SEE SOMETHING... steP BY steP ISSUE 28

STEP PULL YoUr HeAd oUt BY oF YoUr Ass STEP

aving trouble hearing anything other than your own thoughts? Is your ﬁeld of vision blocked by the waste products of the digestive process? Are you constantly distracted by a lingering, indescribable stench?

BAd neWs, tHen, FrIend: YoU’Ve Got YoUr HeAd UP YoUr Ass. Now don’t panic. Each year, millions of people are terriﬁed to discover that they’re living with their heads up their asses. But the condition is entirely reversible through an easy, do-it-yourself process. Just follow these clear, detailed directions, and you’ll be enjoying a healthier and more satisfying quality of life in no time:

steP one 1 steP Locate a petroleum-based household lubricant such as WD-40 or Vaseline. Take your time, and don’t be discouraged if you knock some stuff off of the workbench or out of the medicine cabinet and into the sink - even the simplest of tasks can seem difﬁcult when you’ve got your head up your ass.

steP tWo 2 steP

Tighten the neck and back muscles and slowly pull backward. Do not jerk. Do not turn your head or neck - the easiest way to pull your head out of your ass is at an attitude equal and opposite to that at which it went in. Your head should slide smoothly and gradually out of your ass. When your ears pop, you’re home free.

Reach between your legs and upward; ﬁnd, by feeling, the place where your neck disappears into your anus.

steP sIX 6 steP

steP tHree 3 steP

Wash your hair and face. For a long time. Preferably with ﬁngernail polish remover.

Apply the lubricant liberally to the area around the neck-anus interface. Insert two heavily lubricated ﬁngers into the anus, between the neck and the interior wall of the sphincter, and run them around the inner circumference of the opening.

steP sIX 4 steP Place one hand ﬁrmly on each buttock, and apply even pressure by pushing.

PAGE 12 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

steP FIVe 5 steP

That’s all there is to it. Of course, you might have your head ﬁguratively up your ass. This is a much more serious condition than just having your head literally up your ass, and may be incurable. A lengthy and arduous treatment regimen of paying attention to what’s going on around you, listening when other people speak and shutting up when you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about might eventually save your life, but no guarantees.

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 13

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PAGE 14 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

SEE SOMETHING... YoUr BAnd BLoWs ISSUE 28

ello pretentious indie masses! It’s time for another installment where I rip the shutter shades off of your face and expose you to the light of day. I hope that you put on sunblock because as low as that AA v-neck is cut, you’re going to have one hell of a weird sunburn after this! Today my target of mass disinterest is everyone’s favorite ex-A&R expense account groupie turned pseudo-intellectual “R&B singer.” First off, let me just say that I totally appreciate the fact that someone who was employed in what has become the music industry job that requires the least talent has herself become an artist. In the days of yore, an A&R rep was the one responsible for finding raw talent and grooming them for stardom. During the course of a band’s career, their A&R would be the go-to person for help in choosing and arranging songs, and would sometimes even act as the band’s producer. These days, an A&R job consists of spending days on Myspace sifting through shit bands and throwing around phrases like “they’re amaaaazing!” or “I like them, but I’m not in love with them.” So just how awesome is it that one of these scum-sucking parasites actually became a buzz act? I am rolling around in the irony right now. Santogold’s voice has the timbre of the chain-smoking spawn of a less talented Cyndi Lauper and a more melodic Lil’ Wayne. Only somewhat sonically pleasing after being doubled and tripled in the mix and buried in reverb, this “singer” manages to come off as a nasally MIA in desperate need of every engineer’s default hide-thesuck studio aid, AutoTune (and trust me I’ll get to MIA sooner or later). Her backing tracks, some of which could’ve been Sublime songs if Bradley had been addicted to acid instead of heroin, are so lo-fi and repetitive that they resemble something that a band of stoned 13-year-olds who just got their instruments for Christmas would produce out of their garage. And oh, dear God, the lyrics! Can I be the first person to go on the record as saying that as soon as you start announcing yourself as a “creator” and an “innovator” in your music, then you are neither? If you are really creating and innovating then you

don’t have a need to scream it from the mountain; you just do it. There’s no need to beat your chest and announce to the world that you are the first to do something, especially if you’re merely following in the footsteps of a line of “artists” that stretches for decades. Honey, your press releases are really getting to your head. Maybe if your single didn’t steal the melody from a Bic Runga song that was featured on the American Pie soundtrack I could take you seriously. No … probably couldn’t even then. For those of you who are reading this and foaming at the mouth, get over it! Disconnect yourself from Pitchfork’s ass and stop believing that everything that some emaciated guy who lives in Brooklyn says is dogma. No matter how “amaaaazing!” some blogger or A&R rep or PR company says someone is, it doesn’t make them good. Ladies, in five years, when you’ve moved on from dressing in RCRD hats and leggings because your hair is all ratty from doing too much blow and your nether regions have been wrecked from the kid you popped out, you’ll be saying ‘Santowho?’ And guys, when you’re 26 and you can’t pick up the alt-girls anymore because your beer gut scares them away and your band hasn’t made it “yet,” you’re not going to care about Santogold because you’re going to be too worried about how you’re going to pay child support for the kid that you accidentally fathered with that girl who used to look good in those leggings. Just as seasons change and we all turn to dust eventually, so shall bad music disappear into the sands of time. And although Santogold, formerly a talentless industry scumbag and currently a talentless industry product, carries the namesake of a precious and durable metal, she has all the evanescent and valuable qualities of poop flushed down the drain of culture.

SOUNDBITES ISSUE 28

NINJA GUN deFYInG eXPeCtAtIons

Words: Timothy Asher Photo: Jessie Rowntree

WHEN YOU’RE FROM VALDOSTA, GA., LIFE IS ALMOST LAID OUT FOR YOU. WORK HARD, MARRY YOUR HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, RAISE A FAMILY, ATTEND CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY AND DON’T ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. SMALL TOWN LIVING AT ITS BEST. AND IT’S THE PLACE THE MEMBERS OF NINJA GUN CALL HOME. “Part of it is familial obligations, but also I think isolation breeds good art,” says J. Coody, the band’s soft-spoken singer. “[The] album is called Restless Rubes because it’s about wanting to get out and see things and because you see people that are trapped in this small town mentality, that their world is so small because they’ve never made any effort.” Restless Rubes, their first record on Suburban Home, embraces a down-home Southern feel without resorting to overly twanged clichés or hillbilly stereotypes. And while the mainstream media seem to dismiss everyone below the Mason-Dixon line as uneducated rednecks, Coody wants to show people there is a part of the South that’s not a punch line. “The whole album is about feeling like you’re the only person who holds this belief system in an area. And it sucks because there is a part of this culture that I really love, it’s a part of me because I’m from here and there are parts that are really ugly and things that you’re really ashamed of and don’t want to be associated with. And I think part of this album was to set us apart and say, ‘look, we’re Southern but we don’t hold this belief system and there are thinking people in South Georgia.’” While political themes and finding one’s spiritual way mix with songs about the small town environment, an affection for the roots rock of Tom Petty and John Mellencamp combined with pop sensibilities make it more of a front-porch chat than a lecture. In fact, more often than not you find yourself humming along

before fully grasping the lyrics. “People hear melodies,” Coody explains. “People hear how it phonetically comes off the tongue, the rhythmic changes, the phrasing, and the melody. If that’s good enough to draw them in, then they listen to the lyrics. And then there is this whole other dynamic of enjoyment from it because they’re already hooked on the melody and once the lyrics kick in, if they actually mean something, then its ‘oh, that’s good on a whole different level.’” Since Restless Rubes came out in June, Coody, along with bandmates Thad Megow (Guitar), Jacob Sparks (Bass) and Jeffrey Haineault (Drums), have been touring incessantly to get that message out. They’ve already completed a twomonth jaunt across California and the midwest, and plan on heading back to Denver for Suburban Home Records’ 13th anniversary party. After that, an East Coast Tour is being planned, which should culminate at Fest 7 in Gainesville. “We’re trying stay on the road right now. We spent so much time working on the album we kinda didn’t tour for about a year and a half,” says Coody. “I’m happy with the way it turned out, it’s just now we’re done with it, and trying to promote it and stay on the road and try and make something happen.” And if gas prices continue to rise? “You can still do it. You have to want to do it.”

MYsPACe.CoM/nInJAGUn

WHY?

InterVIeW WItH JosIAH WoLF

Words: Becca Nelson Photo: Sarah Cass

YONI WOLF IS A HARD ACT TO KEEP UP WITH. AS ONE OF THE SEVEN ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF THE SEMINAL BERKELEY-BASED INDIE LABEL ANTICON., AND THE LEAD CREATIVE FORCE BEHIND INDIE ROCK OUTFIT WHY?, WOLF HAS BEEN PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF POP MUSIC FOR OVER A DECADE. ALONG FOR THE RIDE HAS BEEN JOSIAH WOLF, YONI’S OLDER BROTHER. Currently touring for Alopecia, the band’s third full-length release, Josiah lent a bit of insight into his band, his brother, and why they have remained successful, even while defying music trend at every turn. REAX: When did you join your brother in Why? What is your creative relationship like? Josiah Wolf: I joined him in 2002 on the Mush tour. I had played some shows with the anticon. guys before that, but the Mush tour was when I decided to move to California. I joined him because I liked what he was doing and wanted to be a part of it. Our working relationship is slow and tedious and sometimes exciting. REAX: Why has your band remained incredibly successful while at the same time defying many of the courses that pop/ indie music has taken? JW: People like Yoni’s lyrics. That drives the group. The sound is based around that. REAX: What is the relationship with anticon.? At ﬁrst glance, Why? seems an odd roster choice for a label that is known more for hip-hop. JW: Anticon. started as a group of friends making music. One of them was Yoni and he is part of the label itself.

REAX: The new album, I have to admit, reminded me strongly of Sebadoh’s Freed Weed, even some Daniel Johnston stuff. What were the inﬂuences for the style on that record? JW: We were going for a simpler, livelier sound than on previous recordings. We wanted less elements, and each element to be important. We may have failed actually, but that was what we were originally going for. REAX: You guys are on a serious tour jaunt right now, for the next couple months. Is this the ﬁrst tour for the new record? JW: Yes. We started in on March 6th I believe and we are still going through November. Then I will need some time off to work on my own music. (For the full interview, go to reaxmusic. com.) WHY? in Florida: September 11 - Sluggo’s, Pensacola September 12 - Common Grounds, Gainesville September 13 - White Room, Miami September 14 - The Social, Orlando

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SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 15

SOUNDBITES ISSUE 28

THE EXPLORERS CLUB BACK to tHe oCeAn

Words: Ryan Patrick Hooper Photo: Tony Stains

THE ROLLING WAVES OF THE WEST COAST HAVE CLAIMED MANY A FREIGHT, BUT POSEIDON’S WATERY JAWS HAVE ALSO SWALLOWED A GOLDEN SOUND. WITHIN ITS WATERY GRAVE RESTS A MELODIC MIXTURE OF DREAMY CALIFORNIA HAZE POP THAT SEEMED TO HAVE RECEDED WITH THE HAIRLINES OF THE BEACH BOYS UNTIL THE EXPLORERS CLUB SET OUT TO CAPTURE THAT MATCHLESS, VINTAGE SOUND LIKE IT NEVER LEFT THE EYE OF YOUTHFUL POP CULTURE. But this time, the east coast shore would prove just as bountiful when it came to beautiful, verdant rhythms and harmonies - so much so that it would leave California crippled and crying for its beloved ‘60s-pop flavor. As most things do, “it started off as an idea,” recalls Jason Brewer, the lead vocalist, guitarist and imaginative mastermind behind the seven-piece Explorers Club. “[A friend] had the idea to do a song that sounded like Phil Spector meets the Beach Boys. We wanted to find out if we could get that drum and guitar sound down. No one really does it quite the right way anymore when it comes to that sound.” The session proved fruitful, with several friends of Brewer’s praising his ability to capture the blue-eyed, blonde-haired vibe of a distant era’s sweeping four-part harmonies and sandblasted, bass-bound rhythms. Brewer quickly called upon several musical buddies (many of them longtime friends from high school and college) from his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, to band together and produce a series of demos. The group quickly began drawing comparisons to one of Brewer’s all time favorites, the Beach Boys - a more-than-obvious influence. But does such flattery limit an up-and-coming indie band from truly taking shape? “I don’t mind the comparison,” says Brewer. “Nobody is doing that stuff at our age, no young guys are out there singing four- and five-part harmonies. There is nobody out there doing what we do, and

that’s our advantage. Think about this Capitol Records still sells 15,000 Beach Boys albums a week. That’s their entire catalog of 50-some discs, but that’s a lot. There are still fans of that kind of music out there. I mean, it’s quite an honor to be compared to the Beach Boys, but the influences are well-reaching.” Brewer speaks the truth. Although the Explorers Club debut, Freedom Wind, is heavily laced with fertile, Wilsonesque pop-song supremacy, a modern knowledge of lush layering and a knack for encapsulating nostalgic rock ‘n’ roll riffs ring true throughout the album - something that has caught the attention of a younger audience. The Explorers Club’s enchanting numbers have appeared on The OC, that former indie standard of success and exposure. But with all up-and-coming groups, a certain amount of skepticism remains - do challenging four-part harmonies and expansive explorations through a long-gone sound fall through the cracks when it comes to performing live? “That’s why we had to add a seventh member,” laughs Brewer. “It was tough to do it live when we first started to learn the record, because a lot of the record was played for the first time in the studio. [Performing live] has definitely been an experience, but we’ve got it pretty close.” The Explorers Club plays WMNF 88.5’s 29th Birthday Bash at Tampa’s Cuban Club on September 13, and Gainesville’s Real Big Deal Festival on September 14.

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PAGE 16 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM Words: Timothy Asher Photo: Courtesy of Sideonedummy

NEW JERSEY’S THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM’S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DEBUT ALBUM, 2007’S SINK OR SWIM (XOXO RECORDS), IS MEMORABLE FOR TWO THINGS. THE FIRST IS, IT’S AN AMAZING RECORD STEEPED IN THE SONGWRITING STYLES OF BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, TOM PETTY AND TOM WAITS. AND THE OTHER IS HOW ALMOST EVERY PIECE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM (INCLUDING THIS ONE) TAKES GREAT PAINS TO POINT THAT OUT. BUT THE BAND HAS NO PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE DRAWING ATTENTION TO THEIR INFLUENCES. “We almost call ourselves out before people get the chance to,” laughs singer Brian Fallon. “We’re not trying to say we invented the wheel. The most we can hope for at the end of that day is we put a new spin on an old idea, that’s it.” That new spin started two and a half years ago when Fallon, along with bassist Alex Levine, drummer Benny Horowitz and guitarist Alex Rosamilia, got together and started playing a rollicking mixture of folk, Americana and punk. For their follow up to Sink or Swim and Sideonedummy debut, however, the band decided to go a different route. “The ’59 Sound is a soul record, that’s where that is,” says Fallon. “I started to ﬁnd these Stax Records guys and the Detroit sound and Otis Redding and Sam Cooke and all that stuff. And I started to feel like that was something even cooler, so let’s try that. So we mixed it in with our sound ... we deﬁnitely try to go [into] different genres with each record so you don’t get the same thing twice.” The ’59 Sound is like a modernized soundtrack for The Outsiders. The difference is, while the Socs and the Greasers still rumble, in the end Pony Boy goes home with Cherry and Dallas just goes to jail. While the lyrics weave tales

of uncertainty, rebellion, women and a true sense of loss, the upbeat tempos and downright cheery melodies give a feeling of hope. “But that’s life, you know?” Fallon posits. “A weird mixture of bitter and sweet. That’s just the mirrored reﬂection of what it feels like every day and that’s kinda how it goes, the good with the bad. You can’t focus on one side too much. It’s more like, this is it.” After playing a few festivals in Europe, The Gaslight Anthem plan on touring the States with American Steel, Polar Bear Club and O Pioneers!!!, then ﬁnishing the year on the road with Rise Against, Alkaline Trio and Thrice. And Fallon, at least, couldn’t be happier. “I think a good motto to life is, ‘don’t have a backup plan,’” he says. “My friend Jerry said that to me, and here I am. No backup plan.” The Gaslight Anthem will be playing with American Steel and O Pioneers!!! September 24 at Common Grounds in Gainesville. On October 21, they’ll be at Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg with Rise Against, Alkaline Trio & Thrice.

MYsPACe.CoM/tHeGAsLIGHtAntHeM

SOUNDBITES ISSUE 28

LIGHT S

urviving in the “Death Metal Capital of the World” can be a difﬁcult endeavor, but Tampa hardcore scene veterans Light Yourself on Fire have managed to embrace the task at hand. Conjuring up darkly sinister landscapes, with a visceral and aggressive attacking style, their second EP, Intimacy, is set to be released on September 16 via rising Chicago imprint Seventh Rule. The band consists of four members who have been intimately involved in Tampa’s metal and hardcore scenes for quite some time now. Included in their lineup are ex-Reversal Of Man singer Matt Coplon, former drummer for The Guff Ken Karg, and ex-Scrog guitarist and bassist John Allen and Robert Winslow. I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Allen about the new CD,

and the state of the scene here in Tampa and beyond. I’ve always felt like Tampa has been stuck with a reputation as a metal town ﬁrst and foremost. Whether or not that is fair is more than debatable, but I asked Allen if felt like Tampa would ever shake that stigma. “I don’t know if that’s accurate,” he said. “I wasn’t aware that Tampa had that rep. I’m sure that overseas and in America’s metal hotspots, people are aware of the death metal bands. Bands like Morbid Angel and Obituary created something original and earned that rep. It’s interesting what people here in Tampa hear about Tampa from the outside. “I think Tampa has rep for extreme music, and I think embracing it is a good thing,” added Allen. “I don’t think we should try to shake it, necessarily.”

PAGE 18 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

Contents Under PressUre Being a band with members that have played in several other hardcore and metal acts here in Tampa, I was curious about how John feels the scene is trending these days. “That’s hard to answer for multiple reasons,” he said. “I don’t think most of us are that exposed to the scene. Most of us don’t really experience it. If there is a hardcore scene here, I’m unaware of it. We don’t make it out to many shows though, so I might just not know. [With metal], it probably follows the trends nationwide. You see a lot of doom metal with some bands delving into black metal as well. Not as corny as Norwegian Black Metal, though. I really don’t see enough metal shows.” Having roots and knowledge in both the schools of hardcore and metal, LYOF has crafted a menacing and driving sound. Their new EP is a passionate and exciting

example of what they are about as a band. “I’m sure it’s more of a hardcore record,” Allen affirmed. “It’s difficult for us to write or play anything outside of hardcore with this band. If possible, we’d like to shake those monikers. We’d rather play in old ‘90s Chicago bands like Jesus Lizard, or Helmet, et cetera. I don’t know that it’s possible for us for us to play anything but hardcore though. “We’d definitely like to be a little harder to label, for sure,” he summed up. “I would hope that is something every band is striving for.” Light Yourself on Fire plays the Brass Mug in Tampa on September 11, and Gainesville’s Atlantic on September 12.

MYsPACe.CoM/LIGHtYoUrseLFonFIre

Historically, fall was the season in which the major movie studios released the movies they didn’t want to have to go up against summer blockbusters or holiday family fare (read: films that sucked), and the independent filmmakers put out everything they had in the hope that mainstream audiences would get disgusted enough with the big-flick dreck to check out something new. It’s still that way to some extent. But with the economy in the crapper, major studios are only making movies they think will see a return on their investment, so their fall schedule has seen a fairly substantial uptick in quality. And since the market power of indies was proven in the ‘90s, there have been more and more decent art-house pics released widely year round, and fall is no exception. The slow erosion of the television-industry tradition of saving all their new shows and seasons for the fall has also inspired the folks who make flicks to offer more of an assortment to an audience more likely to not find required watching at home. It all adds up to three months’ worth of surprisingly interesting gogoleplex fare, where before there was little to attract either discerning buffs or big-bang-boom fans at large. So, without further ado, here’s a closer advance look at a bunch of stuff, most of which you’ve been watching trailers for online since March anyway.

BURN AFTER READING Written And Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Starring: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt

RATED: R Never a pair to make the same movie twice - or at least twice in a row, indiedom’s favorite brothers are following up their Oscar-winning Cormac McCarthy adaptation No Country for Old Men with an offbeat blackmail-caper comedy. Burn After Reading is the story of a couple of less-than-crafty gym employees (McDormand and Pitt) who discover some sensitive material on a CD left behind by a government agent (Malkovich), and decide to hold it for ransom; the movie looks to combine the heist-gone-wrong black humor of Fargo with the broader comedy of The Ladykillers and The Hudsucker Proxy. With a superb cast and the Coens’ track record, this looks to be required watching. Plus, Pitt plays the kind of over-the-top character that made his turns in 12 Monkeys and True Romance so much fun.

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 12 PAGE 20 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

TOWELHEAD Written By: Alan Ball, Alicia Erian Directed By: Alan Ball Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Toni Collette, Maria Bello, Summer Bishil

RATED: R This ﬂick by the creator of Six Feet Under screened at some festivals as Nothing Is Private Private, but has reverted to the title it originally shared with the novel by Erian that inspired it. In it, a young Arab-American girl is thrust into life in suburban Houston; the problems of her own culture shock, identity issues and sexual awakening are compounded by the various reactions her appearance inspires in the community. This sort of fare strives for provocative honesty, yet too often succumbs to the predictable and treacly. In Ball’s hands, however, audiences may ﬁnd some things as shocking - and shockingly funny - as they are touching and button-pushing.

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 12

RIGHTEOUS KILL Written By: Russell Gewirtz Directed By: Jon Avnet Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino. John Leguizamo, 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, Brian Dennehy

RATED: R Do you wanna hear about the plot details, which include grizzled old detectives who aren’t ready for retirement, a 30-year-old crime everybody thought had been solved, and a serial killer partial to poetry? Do you wanna run down the list of director Avnet’s questionable credits, which include Up Close & Personal, Fried Green Tomatoes Tomatoes, and an episode of the cable miniseries The Starter Wife? Do you wanna discuss the presence of folks like large, aging character actor Brian Dennehy and frightening, talentless hook-repeater 50 Cent? Of course the shit not - the only thing that matters here is Pacino and De Niro hooking up onscreen (not like that - ugh! Terse, wrinkly Method sex!) for the ﬁrst time since ‘95’s Heat, and in a hell of a lot more scenes together. They, um, ﬁght crime. Or something.

in Cusack’s portrayal of young men who were dorky and three-dimensional and thoughtful, yet still managed to ﬁnd an enviable place for themselves in their respective cultures. So they’ll just have to trust us when we say Cusack should easily carry this winking animated tale of a mad scientist’s assistant whose biggest obstacle to achieving a higher rung on the ladder of evil is his own innate humanity - as long as the studio doesn’t water it down too much.

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 19

GHOST TOWN Written By: David Koepp, John Kamps Directed By: David Koepp Starring: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Tea Leoni, Kristin Wiig, Alan Ruck

RATED: PG-13

Written By: Don McKellar, Jose Saramago Directed By: Fernando Meirelles Starring: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover

Is America over Ricky Gervais? Tough to say; the seekers at the leading edge of pop culture have moved past extras in search of the next thing, but there are still plenty of people just now discovering that The Office is a remake. And at first glance, the plot of Ghost Town - in which a man who briefly flatlines during an operation wakes up with an annoying new ability to commune with the spirits of the dead - is aimed more at a mainstream audience than the edgier early advocates of the new wave of British comedy. Those familiar with Gervais’ style, however, can’t help but hope that his penchant for clever, ironic send-ups of regular folks will elevate this rom-com above the norm.

RATED: R

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 19

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 12

BLINDNESS

This is like a perfect storm of art-house elements. Meirelles made both The Constant Gardner and the amazing City of God. (Also, he’s not from here, so bonus points.) Julianne Moore is still the female face of American indie cinema; Ruffalo’s got cred for years from Eternal Sunshine and Zodiac; and Bernal’s got cred for life from Babel and The Motorcycle Diaries (and again, exotic!). Put ‘em all together with an intimate yet odd and insanely highconcept idea about a plague that instantly strikes most of the citizens of a city blind, and you’ve got a recipe for something that some critics will undoubtedly call “this year’s Children of Men.” So, yeah, we’ll just be lazy and go with that. “Blindness is this year’s Children of Men.” (DISCLAIMER: May not actually be as good as Children of Men, because that shit is unbelievable.)

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 19

IGOR Written By: Chris McKenna Directed By: Anthony Leondis Starring: John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, Jennifer Coolidge, John Cleese, Molly Shannon, Christian Slater, Eddie Izzard, Arsenio Hall, Lay Leno

RATED: PG There is a generation of REAX readers that are too young to have grown up idolizing the earnest, individual, fringe-clique everykid John Cusack played in everything from The Sure Thing to Say Anything. They got a taste of it from High Fidelity, Anything but they’ll never know how much their fathers and oldest brothers wanted to see of themselves

CHOKE Written By: Clark Gregg, Chuck Palahniuk Directed By: Clark Gregg Starring: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald, Brad William Henke, Bijou Phillips

RATED: R Seriously, it’s Palahniuk’s best, most simultaneously depraved and hopeful novel, one many thought (and still think) impossible to film. On one hand, TV actor and first-time director Gregg undoubtedly had his hands full helming the story of a sex addict who cons his way into old couples’ hearts and wallets by purposely choking on food in fancy restaurants when he isn’t working at a historicalreenactment tourist trap. On the other hand, somebody who doesn’t know all the rules might be more adept at breaking them, and he had Rockwell (Confessions of A Dangerous Mind, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), truly one of contemporary film’s most underrated acting talents, at his disposal. (Not to mention the consistently mind-blowing Huston.) It could be a mess, and it might draw another round of Fight Club-style moral dogfighting, but it’s unarguably going to be an interesting strip of celluloid.

RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 26 SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 21

RELIGULOUS Directed By: Larry Charles Starring: Bill Maher

RATED: R

HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE

Looking for a balanced documentary on the state of organized religion in contemporary America? Well, you’re certainly not going to get it from comedian/social commentator Bill Maher and the guy who directed Borat; the graphic of the grilled cheese sandwich with Maher’s face toasted into it should’ve told you that. This is sure to be a highly manipulated affair - yes, Maher is just walking around talking to people and Charles is just ﬁlming it, but tone is all in what gets said and how it’s cut together - but at the same time, we’re certain that a lot of the people interviewed will need little help in making themselves look like nutjobs. And who knows? Maybe somewhere along the way, the scales will fall from Maher’s eyes, and he’ll repent at the end. (Spoiler: He won’t.)

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 3

CITY OF EMBER

Written By: Peter Straughan, Toby Young Directed By: Robert B. Weie Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Simon Pegg, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson

Written By: Caroline Thompson, Jean Duprau Directed By: Gil Kenan Starring: Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Saorise Ronan, Martin Landau, MacKenzie Crook

RATED: NOT YET RATED

Based on the memoir by Young, How to Lose Friends is the story of an edgy, irreverent British writer who takes a job at a classy American magazine, and struggles to reconcile his increasing straight-world success with his own self-image. Straughan has a long history of working with credible names in humor, from Billy Crystal to Larry David, and was nominated for an Oscar for his 1998 documentary on Lenny Bruce. Pegg has a tendency to deliver as well, though he may suffer from the same British Funny Guy Fatigue that could affect the aforementioned Gervais.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 3

NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST Written By: Rachel Cohn, David Levithan Directed By: Peter Sollett Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings

RATED: PG-13 It’s an indie-rock love story about a young musician who grabs the nearest girl at a gig and asks her to help make his ex jealous, sparking one of those crazy nights two strangers can only have when they’re teenagers who have funny quirks and great taste in music, and also happen to be in a movie like this. Comparisons to artier fare like Before Sunrise are being thrown around, but they’re inﬂuenced by little more than the fact that the two protagonists don’t know each other; Inﬁnite Playlist actually seems to play more like a softer, his-and-hers analogue to the raunchy one-night best-friend madness of Superbad.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 3 PAGE 22 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

On the surface, it looks like a fairly standard sci-fi deal: Mankind has lived in an underground city for 200 years, and must escape back to the surface as the only existence they’ve known crumbles around them. But the story is told largely from the perspective of the youngest members of the cast, and director Kenan ((Monster House) has a definite kid-friendly streak to his work, so expect something as humorous, fantasy-flavored and heartwarming as it is futuristic. Because you’re going to go see it. Because Bill Murray’s in it. As the freakin’ mayor.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 10

QUARANTINE Written By: John Erick Dowdle, Drew Dowdle Directed By: John Erick Dowdle Starring: Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Johnathan Schaech, Jay Hernandez

RATED: R Yeah, Saw V is coming out a couple of weeks after this one. So what? Torture porn is so 2005. Quarantine continues the Cloverﬁeld-led renaissance of the Blair Witch Project fake-doc style in which the world has to ﬁgure out what happened by watching - dun, dun, dun - the only footage ever found capturing THE EVENT. In this case, THE EVENT is the sudden sealing off of an apartment building upon the discovery of an infectious disease. The footage is supplied by a TV reporter (Carpenter) and her cameraman (Harris), who become trapped in the building while covering a story on the Los Angeles Fire Department.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 10

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 23

ROCKNROLLA Written And Directed By: Guy Ritchie Starring: Gerard Butler, Thandie Newman, Jeremy Piven, Tom Wilkinson, Ludacris

RATED: R A lot of Ritchie’s regulars are missing from his latest crime saga, most notably Jason Statham (who will undoubtedly capture the doggedly elusive A-list status he’s chased for so long with Death Race) and Vinnie “Bullet Tooth Tony” Jones. Race What most likely won’t be missing, however, are a botched criminal enterprise, tons of violence masquerading as comedy, and several accents so steeped in slang and regional inﬂections that they’re all but indecipherable. Listening to Piven deliver Ritchie’s trademarked rapid-ﬁre dialogue should be worth the price of admission alone.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 10

W. Written By: Stanley Weiser Directed By: Oliver Stone Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Thandie Newton, Richard Dreyfuss, James Cromwell, Scott Glenn, Jesse Bradford, Ellen Burstyn, Noah Wyle, Jeffrey Wright, Rob Corddry

wonderfully absurd ideas to ﬁlm himself. The plot of Synecdoche is appropriately, well, Kaufman-esque: A playwright/theater director attempts to create a full-scale version of New York City inside a warehouse as both his latest, grandest dramatic undertaking and a gesture of love for the women in (and out of) his life. The action takes place over a span of years and, as in all of Kaufman’s scripts, there’s a nod to the metaphysical elements of creating life within art that is itself imitating life, in the form of Noonan, who plays the theatrical version of Hoffman’s lead character in the mockup. Got it? He’s himself, directing himself in an ever-evolving dramatic representation of his world that he’s created ... oh, just go see the damn thing.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 24

ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO Written And Directed By: Kevin Smith Starring: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Traci Lords, Tom Savini

RATED: R So Kevin Smith returns to the stuff that originally won our hearts: raunch. And judging by his having to fight to get this flick’s rating downgraded to an R from an NC-17, he’s back with a vengeance. The film’s premise of high-school friends deciding to make a porn movie in order to make a few bucks is sitting-around-getting-high-with-your-friends simple, but it’s also ripe with humorous potential, as well as sort of generally resonant - those that haven’t ever joked about it will wonder why they never thought of it before. Rogen remains on an edge-of-mainstream roll with Pineapple Express, and die-hard Smith fans will show up just to support another Jason Mewes appearance.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 31

RATED: NOT YET RATED There isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about dependably controversial director Oliver Stone’s upcoming presidential biopic. Stone continues to refute claims by conservatives that the film is a smear-job; liberals continue to assert that Stone didn’t need to do a smear-job, that Bush did a fine job of revealing himself as an exerciser of poor judgment over the course of his life without much direction. Whatever the case, W. will undoubtedly be riveting for anyone who cares about politics or larger-than-life public figures, and the cast assembled here is nothing short of unbelievably talented.

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 17

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK Written And Directed By: Charlie Kaufman Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis, Tom Noonan

RATED: R It’s time to ﬁnd out whether or not the man who wrote some of the last decade’s most visionary ﬁlms - including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Being John Malkovich - can render his PAGE 24 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

AUSTRALIA Written By: Baz Luhrmann, Stuart Beattie Directed By: Baz Luhrmann Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman

RATED: NOT YET RATED Look, I’m a straight guy, and I enjoyed both Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge! for their crazy technicolor vision. It seems that Luhrmann has moved on to discovering his own inner Sergio Leone, though, which should excite even more straight guys than the dozen or so who would admit to enjoying his previous work. Set in the untamed wilderness to the continent’s north, Australia is basically your classic western retold as a love letter to and metaphor for the Down Under version of rugged individuality. Kidman plays a widowed English noblewoman ﬁghting to keep her ranch; Jackman plays the grizzled mystery man who helps her do it. Let love and pretty people and breathtaking cinematography ensue.

RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 14

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SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

9/20 9/25 9/26 9/27

10/10 10/23

Saturate The Josh Magwood Group INYO Alternative Dance Night with VJ Kingpin Izzy Cox - The Murder Ballad Queen The Funeral Daisies S.I.N. - Skateboard Industry Night WINA Foolish Pride Tattoo Grand Opening Party With Special Guest Moodhosa Tailgunner Joe & The Earls of Slander Unmotivated 88.5 WMNF Metal Mayhem A New Way Down

Pink Lincolns & Miami based The Crumbs "Come Get You Some Old School Punk!" 18+ $6 - 21+ / $8 - under 21 The Garage Welcomes Buckethead $18 presale / $20 at the door www.ticketmaster.com

Soon! g n

Com i

9/02 9/04 9/05 9/06 9/11 9/13 9/17 9/18 9/19

A GUIDE TO TAMPA BAY HOT SPOTS:

EATS

VENUES

CAFE ALMA

THE BRASS MUG

Where just about every band in town cut its teeth, this North Tampa stripmall bar is near USF, and specializes in punk and metal. 1441 E. Fletcher Ave. #101, Tampa myspace.com/brassmug

CROWBAR

A live room with excellent sound and a fully stocked beer garden stand out amid Ybor’s dance clubs and hipster retail, attracting everything from wellknown touring indie-rock acts to local metal legends. 1812 N. 17th St., Ybor City crowbarlive.com

EMERALD BAR

Cross the bay to St. Pete and visit the local music scene’s favorite dive, where original art adorns the walls and any sort of band or DJ imaginable might take the non-stage. 550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg myspace.com/emeraldbar

ORPHEUM

A long-running favorite for national and local indie shows, as well as hipsterﬁlled dance nights. 1902 Avenida Republica De Cuba (14th Street), Ybor City 813-248-9500 statemedia.com

PUSH ULTRA LOUNGE

A newer, seriously upscale St. Pete club that hosts A-list DJs and the occasional live band. 123 3rd St. S., St. Petersburg pushultralounge.com

THE GARAGE

Formerly heavy on the metal and industrial, this medium-sized venue is gaining new respect amid the scene for everything from movie nights to a wider variety of shows and its Skateboard Industry Night parties. 662 Central Ave., St. Petersburg myspace.com/garagepromotions

JANNUS LANDING

THE PEGASUS LOUNGE

KELLY’S PUB

THE STATE THEATRE

Consistently voted one of the best places in the Bay area to see a show, it’s an open-air concert hall housed within an historic city block. 16 2nd St. N., St. Petersburg jannuslandingconcerts.com

Another close-to-USF live-music watering hole that often caters to heavier sounds. 10008 N. 30th St., Tampa 813-971-1679 pegasusniteclub.com

A comparatively new hangout that helps legendary Tampa bar The Hub keep downtown Tampa happening after dark. 206 N. Morgan St., Tampa myspace.com/kellyspubtampa

A longtime tour stop for rising punk, rock and alt-country bands, you can catch acts as disparate as Shooter Jennings and The Hush Sound in this converted movie palace. 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg statetheatreconcerts.com

NEW WORLD BREWERY

TRANSITIONS ART GALLERY

A killer beer selection and eclectic, culture-friendly musical slate make this Ybor City bar-and-patio a local-scene favorite. 1313 E. 8th Ave., Ybor City myspace.com/newworldbrewery

It’s the Skatepark of Tampa’s edgy, extremely all-ages-friendly exhibition and performance space. 4215 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa 813-382-3477 transitionsartgallery.com

St. Pete’s favorite upscale Saturday brunch spot also offers lunch and menu dinners, as well as various nightlife events. 260 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg 727-502-5002

CAPPY’S PIZZA

Arguably the best pizza on either side of the bay. Casual, and as cheap as a lot of the delivery chains to boot. 4910 N. Florida Avenue, Tampa 813-238-1516 3200 W. Bay to Bay Blvd., Tampa 813-835-0785 2900 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg 727-321-3020 cappyspizzaonline.com

CEVICHE

Stylish and delicious, with surprisingly affordable Spanish-style tapas at both locations. 1502 S. Howard Ave., Tampa 813-250-0203 10 Beach Dr., St. Petersburg 727-209-2302

DAVE’S

Where the St. Pete scene meets the morning after for big, cheap breakfasts. Cash only. 2339 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg 727-895-6057

EL TACONAZO (THE TACO BUS)

Weird, mostly lunch-only hours, but indisputably awesome cheap and authentic eats. 913 E. Hillsborough Ave. 813-232-5889

GRASSROOT ORGANIC RESTAURANT

Reviewers call its vegan- and vegetarian-friendly menu “creative” and “tasty.” 2702 N. Florida Ave., Tampa 813-221-7668 thegrassrootlife.com

LA IDEAL

We’re not gonna get into any beefs by calling it the best Cuban sandwich in town - but it might be the best Cuban sandwich in town. 2924 W. Tampa Bay Blvd., Tampa 813-870-0150 laidealsandwichshop.com

NICKO’S

The last classic steel-exterior diner in the area, with the classic eclectic breakfast, lunch and dinner menu to match 4603 N. Florida Ave., Tampa 813-234-9301

WEARABLES IF & ONLY IF

SUNSHINE THRIFT

SQUARESVILLE

URBAN OUTFITTERS

This hip St. Pete boutique has some cool/quirky/vintage fashions, particularly for the ladies. 4336 4th St. N., St. Petersburg 727-528-9490

A longtime local favorite for vintage clothes, not to mention kitschy home furnishings. 508 S. Howard Ave., Tampa 813-259-9944

You can generally always ﬁnd something cool here, even when the other thrifts in the area are picked clean. 4304 S. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa 813-831-4377

You know the deal. 1600 E. 8th Ave., Centro Ybor, Ybor 813-242-8472 urbanoutﬁtters.com

02 A GUIDE TO TAMPA BAY HOT SPOTS:

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:

LIFESTYLE ATOMIC TATTOOS

PRISCILLA’S

FLYING FISH BIKES

SKATEPARK OF TAMPA

There are, seriously, too many great tattoo shops (including Monique’s and Mean Machine, to name a couple more) and artists in the area to list, but Atomic has long been reputable in the area, and has locations in just about every Tampa Bay neighborhood, so there you go. atomictattoos.com

A full-service shop for both recreational and serious riders. 2409 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa 813-839-0410

MAD PADDLERS KAYAK & SURF SHOP

Equipment and lessons for beginners and die-hards alike. 8808 Rocky Creek Dr., Tampa 813-243-5737 ospreybay.com

Not really a sex shop, more of, like, where you might get geared up to attend an uninhibited costume party that might turn into a swing-a-thon. Funrotica! 732 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa 813-873-1616 prisy.com

The legendary home of the Tampa Pro and Am comps. 4215 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa 813-382-3477 skateparkoftampa.com

WATTS TUBE AUDIO

Musicians, stereo hobbyists and do-ityourself ampliﬁer builders will all ﬁnd something interesting. 2323 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg 727-388-3309 wattstubeaudio.com

RETAIL AOE ART SUPPLY

Everything art. 12908 N. 56th St., Tampa 813-989-0302 aoeartworld.com

GREEN SHIFT MUSIC & COMICS Quirky but cool collision of guitars, amps and new, used and rare comics. 5226 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa 813-238-4177 greenshiftmusic.com

HASLAM’S BOOK STORE

Florida’s largest new-and-used book joint. Make the drive, and plan to spend at least half the day browsing. 2025 Central Ave., St. Petersburg 727-822-8616 haslams.com

STEVIE B’S TOTAL GUITAR

Let’s just say they know their shit, from vintage instruments to the latest tech. 650 Central Ave., St. Petersburg 727-822-3304 30111 U.S. HWY 19 N., Clearwater 727-785-9106

VINYL FEVER

Again, there are plenty of great indie record/CD shops in the area (props to St. Pete’s Daddy Kool and Tampa’s Mojo!), but Vinyl Fever has been the gold standard for years. 4110 Henderson Blvd., Tampa 813-289-8399 vinylfevertampa.com

WOODEN NICKEL

Venerable USF-area head shop. 1441 E. Fletcher Ave. #141, Tampa 813-977-0904 wnickel.com

GREYMARKET

HEY, MR. SPACEMAN: A LOOK AT GREYMARKET’S SOPHOMORE ALBUM S.O.W.N.D. Words: Chris Gaughan

What happens when you get two self-identiﬁed nerds together, mix in a laptop, drums, a guitar, an ex-girlfriend (or two), and possibly a quarter-life crisis? You get GreyMarket, and their newest self-released album S.O.W.N.D. If anything, the album is a product of life as a member of Generation Y in the cultural apocalypse of the 21st century. Like previous material from these two guys, S.O.W.N.D is laden with layered guitar and drum tracks, and enhanced by a contemporary electronic touch. The album crashes like the end of the ‘90s, but is as hopeful as the day after Y2K, and it’s more than can usually be expected from a self-produced album. It’s deceptively familiar; you want to compare this album to something you’ve heard before, maybe Interpol, or the Magnetic Fields, but direct comparison just doesn’t work. Their sound is novel and creative, selfinvolved without getting preachy, and shows you a glimpse into the lives and minds of L. Cave McCoy, an unemployed computer engineer, and Mike Gargiulo, a cubicle jockey who spends as much of his day as he can get away with on Hulu. It’s easy to label local bands as simple mash-ups of national acts, or a homegrown batch of the next “up and comers,” but S.O.W.N.D. has something more than just posturing towards recognition, something which evades that sort of derision. McCoy and Gargiulo are soulful, and they make a helluva lot of noise for just two guys.

The epic quality of the album ranges from crooning melodic post-rock in “I’d Wait Years” and “Full of Stars” to the anarchistic and frustrated landscapes dreamed up in the intro track “Lightyear Song.” “Cascade (Down the Rabbit Hole)” is bright, surreal and poppy, and it speaks to this writer like a night at the Castle: You don’t necessarily want to be there, but the DJ ﬁnally plays a good song, and the cheap beer is starting to do its job. One could call it danceable, but it ranges from that to something that evokes the angst that makes it acceptable to knock down the drunken douchebag next to you. “Hey, Mr. Spaceman” is by far my favorite track on the album, probably because it’s kind of a paradox that just seems to make sense - it’s the takeoff after you’ve hit rock bottom, like the band’s symbol, a winged spaceship. When I asked the guys what they thought might qualify as a “Tampa sound,” they both kind of said the same thing. If there is a Tampa sound, it’s eclectic, it’s individual, it’s everyone doing their own thing. It’s Giddy Up, Helicopter! and Candy Bars, it’s Guiltmaker and Auto!Automatic!!. It’s individual, unique and self-made, it’s produced in someone’s living room and played in a bar that smells like sweat and spilled drinks. And if that’s true, then these boys are it. GreyMarket’s CD Release party for S.O.W.N.D. is scheduled for September 26 at Ybor City’s Orpheum.

MYSPACE.COM/GREYMARKET

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT: ARM THE POOR BLURRING THE LINES AND SLURRING THE RHYMES (HOLD TIGHT)

There’s more than a touch of that ol’ Gainesville sound to this Oldsmar quartet’s six-song return from the ether, but they manage to inject plenty of original personality into a style that’s (maybe a little too) familiar to Florida’s punk-rock diehards. The maudlin “Yacht Rock” is particularly impressive, with a taut, moody sound that simultaneously recalls Social D, Joe Strummer and the ‘mats. The acoustic closer “Sleep With The Dogs” is a standout as well, but everything here crackles with energy, passion, and enough individuality to set Arm The Poor apart from both their peers and inﬂuences. - Scott Harrell

SPOTLIGHT:

VINTAGE CLOTHING & ANTIQUES ...WHERE VINTAGE STILL MEANS ONE OF A KIND!

TUES - SAT: 11AM TO 6PM SUNDAY: 12 NOON TO 6PM 5207 North Florida Avenue • Tampa, FL 33603 813-231-2020 • www.yesterdazevintage.com • yesterdaze@verizon.net

SHERRY’S YESTERDAZE “I gravitate to beauty and art, in general. There were beautiful pieces of fashion from the ‘20s, but also the ‘80s.” Sherry King pauses. “I can’t believe I said that about the ‘80s, but there really have been amazing designers from all eras. But it seems like fewer people today have such clever designs. “ Although Sherry’s Yesterdaze Vintage celebrated its tenth birthday in 2008, its owner and namesake King is as excited about the boutique and collectible shop as ever. Located in Seminole Heights, the store focuses on true vintage clothing from a multitude of eras and a variety of consigners, and also

features a back room full of Atomic Age furnishings and decor. “My customers are as diverse as the population itself,” Sherry says. “One common question I get is, ‘who buys this stuff?’ But it’s everyone, from the person who wears vintage fashion every day to people that want creative items and the workmanship that is no longer available, in works of art and fabric and furniture, for a lot less money.” Sherry’s Yesterdaze Vintage 5207 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 813-231-2020 yesterdazevintage.com

04 TAMPA BAY EVENTS

Hundred Handed, Foreshadow Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 05

WED SEPTEMBER 10

Mega Smegma, Vain Rachel Brass Mug, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

A Rocket To The Moon, Fireworks, Friday Night Boys, Hit The Lights Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $10/12 Time: 6 p.m.

36 Crazyﬁsts, All That Remains, The Human Abstract, Trivium Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $17/20 Time: 6 p.m.

Robots & Butterﬂies, No Inside, Steven Garrett Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $7 Time: 7 p.m.

Arm The Poor, Hero Of Our Time, The Mantics Market on 7th, Ybor City Cost: $7 Time: 8 p.m. Automatic Loveletter, Tides of Man, Win Win Winter, Tres Bien, Mumpsy, Lavin State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $8/5 Time: 8 p.m. B-Foundation, Ballyhoo!, Burning Tree, Junkierush Bourbon Street, New Port Richey Cost: $10$15 Time: 7 p.m. Dive Bar Stalkers, Midnight Bowlers League Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m. INYO The Garage, St. Petersburg Pickford Sundries New World Brewery, Ybor City Time: 9 p.m. Rebekah Pulley & The Reluctant Prophets CD Release Party Feat. Ronny Elliott, Steve Connelly, Acho Brother Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $10/13 Time: 8 p.m. Still Life, Foreshadow,Alma Vertical, Deshrived Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 06 Boon, Sunset Bridge Kelly’s Pub, Tampa Cost: $3 Time: 9 p.m. Captain Kid feat. First Crush Kid, Chaos Arcade, Oh, Clemency, Claiborne Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $5/7 Time: 6 p.m. Chaos, Fasttaker, Forever Dawn, Fore Shadow Brass Mug, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Damon Fowler Group Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $7/10 Time: 8 p.m. Skull & Bone Band, Autotrain, Roadside, Ghost of Gloria Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Switchfoot, Between the Trees State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $22/25 Time: 7 p.m. The Tim Version, The Dukes of Hillsborough, Regular Size People Fight New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m.

Chris Isaak, Lisa Loeb Ruth Eckerd Hall Cost: $39.50-75 Time: 8 p.m. Don The Reader, Underneath The Gun Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m.

THU SEPTEMBER 11 A Skylit Drive, August Burns Red, Greeley Estates, Sky Eats Airplane, This Or The Apocolypse Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $12/15 Time: 6 p.m. Izzy Cox The Garage, St. Petersburg Psyopus, S.W.W.A.A.T.S., Fuck The Facts, War From Warlots Mouth, Light Yourself on Fire, Racebannon, Left to Vanish Brass Mug, Tampa Cost: $10 Time: 7:30 p.m. The Beauvilles CD Release Party Feat. Lush Progress, Mouse Fire Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 12 Conscious Sound System, Green Sunshine Kelly’s Pub, Tampa Cost: $4 Time: 9 p.m. Double Bind, Third Society Brass Mug, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Down JR, WMP, Shades of Grey, Fourgone Pegasus Lounge, Tampa 9 p.m. Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, Summerbirds In The Cellar, Auto!Automatic!! Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $10 Time: 9 p.m.

The Rock Solid Pressure Industry Showcase 2008 Bourbon Street, New Port Richey Cost: $15 Time: 1 p.m. Saint Sweetheart, The Lake Audition, Joon, Clock Hands Strangle New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m. WMNF’s 29th Anniversary Bash Feat. Toubab Krewe, Carolyn Wonderland, Suenalo, The Dedringers, Wild Sweet Orange, The Explorers Club, Bird Street Players, Christie Lenee’s Funkgrass Groove, Tribal Style, Raiford Starke, Hybrid Groove, Edison Shine, Go-Go Nads Cuban Club, Ybor City Cost: $23/28 Time: 6 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 14 A Beneﬁt for the Jennifer Nolletti Memorial Art Foundation Feat. Basic Rock Outﬁt, The Black Honkeys, The Crunge Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater Cost: $25/50 Time: 6 p.m. Kinder Gentler Sundays Feat. Original Acoustic Music Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: Free Time: 6 p.m.

John Gold, Atlanta Burns, Called from Exile, When Valor Meant Victory, Live At The Paradox Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: $7 p.m.

Yip-Yip, Uh Oh Spades, Chapstick Cap, Black CraAow, Alien Overmind Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $6 Time: 8 p.m.

The Honorary Title, The Still Voice Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $10/12 Time: 7 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 13 1997, National Product Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $8 Time: 7 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 09

The 1st Annual Florida Death Fest Feat. Carcass, Suffocation, Necrophagist Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $35 Time: 4 p.m.

Ivory Line, There For Tomorrow, Take The Crown, In Aviate Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $10/12 Time: 7 p.m.

Finch, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Tickle Me Pink, Our Last Night The State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $16 Time: 7 p.m.

John Prine, Josh Ritter Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater Cost: $39.50-75 Time: 8 p.m. Howl, Flying Snakes, Salt Mine, Dark Castle, Liquid Limbs, Samothrace, Eating Machine Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $7 Time: 8 p.m. Must Not Kill, Burn The Kingdom, Murder In Motion, Warﬁeld, Bury The Broken Brass Mug, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Sweet City Action Kelly’s Pub, Tampa Cost: $4 Time: 9 p.m. The Shackeltons, Life Of Pi, Thomas Wynn & The Believers Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $10/13 Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 20 Burnin Smyrnins, Middle Rhythm Session, Low Frequency Shaman State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m. Circle II Circle, Doctrine, Jon Oliva’s Pain Bourbon Street, New Port Richey Cost: $12 Time: 9 p.m.

Donna The Buffalo Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $20/25 Time: 7 p.m.

MON SEPTEMBER 15 The Queers, The Independents, Dead Popes Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $10/12 Time: 7 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 16

Sarge, The Aeromen, Poetry ’n Lotion New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

For All The Unheard, Dangerﬂight Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

Wrath of the Inquisition, Altar of Reign, Aberration Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

mr. Gnome Orpheum, Ybor City

Ruby Velle and Soulphonics, Spencer Garn Quartet Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $8 Time: 8 p.m.

Foolish Pride Tattoo Shop Grand Opening Party Feat. Moodhosa The Garage, St. Petersburg

DJ Gabe Does The ‘80s Kelly’s Pub, Tampa Cost: Free Time: 9 p.m.

Tracy Grammer Jaeb Theater, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa Cost: $25.50 Time: 7:30 p.m.

The Rock Solid Pressure Showcase Pre-Party Feat. Black Tie Social, Brian Chris Band, Circle Of Thieves Bourbon Street, New Port Richey Cost: $15 Time: 7 p.m.

Christie Lenee, Elliott Cohn’s Cosmic Sweat Society, Marty Balin Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $7/10 Time: 8 p.m.

Mount Eerie Transitions Art Gallery Cost: $5 Time: 3 p.m.

Mojo Gurus, Kevin K Band, Blind Buddy Moody Dave’s Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg Cost: $6 Time: 9:30 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 07

MAGniﬁcent appleSAUCE, 3 Kisses, Marashino, Driving The Fall Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $6/8 Time: 8 p.m.

The Funeral Daisies The Garage, St. Petersburg

FRI SEPTEMBER 19

Luna Halo, Run, Run, Run, No Circus, Tailgunner Joe & The Earls Of Slander Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 8 p.m.

WED SEPTEMBER 17 Ninja Gun, The Tim Version, Nessie Kelly’s Pub, Tampa Cost: $3 Time: 9 p.m. S.I.N. Skateboard Industry Night The Garage, St. Petersburg

THU SEPTEMBER 18 Dirty Black Halo, Fasttaker Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 8 p.m. Down With Paul Riser & The Renegade Thugs, The Burn Dem Band, Roadside Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Ninja Gun, The Tim Version, Nessie Emerald Bar, St. Petersburg Time: 9 p.m. Rahim, The Tape Delay, TBA New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m. WINA The Garage, St. Petersburg

Generichrist, Hatchetface, The In Crowd, Sudden Death Symphony Brass Mug, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Halcyon Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $12 Time: 8 p.m. Optimators, Pigpen, Lazarus, The Weirdly Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. SoundFX: Live Feat. Giddy-Up, Helicopter!, Jeremy Gloff, The Crate Brothers Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $5/7 Time: 9 p.m. Tailgunner Joe & The Earls of Slander, The Semis, Joran Slane The Garage, St. Petersburg The Dark Romantics CD Release Show Feat. Zillionaire, Dignan, Matt Butcher New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 21 Black Kids, The Virgins, Magic Wands Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $15 Time: 9 p.m. Nightwish, Sonata Arctica Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $25 Time: 7 p.m. Table 13, We Still Dream, The Woodwork, Tragedy Hero Brass Mug, Tampa Time: 7 p.m. Tori Sparks, Gigsley, Southside Serenade Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Cost: $7/5 Time: 6:30 p.m.

MON SEPTEMBER 22 Cory Branan, Urbane Cowboys New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m.

THU SEPTEMBER 25 Big Trouble On Little Friday: Gonzo Boccio CD Release Party Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 9 p.m. Hollywood Undead Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $10/12 Time: 7 p.m. In It To Win It, Change of Ideas, Holfast, Spitface Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $7 Time: 7 p.m. Margaret Cho, Liam Sullivan Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa Cost: $28.50-48.50 Time: 8 p.m. Mostly About Dick, Legacy, Green Sunshine Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Unmotivated The Garage, St. Petersburg

FRI SEPTEMBER 26 Bonerama, Magadog Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Greymarket CD Release Party Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $9/8 Time: 7p.m. John Hiatt, Lyle Lovett Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater Cost: $37.50-85 Time: 8 p.m. Kayree, Sean Hill, I.D., Hyfa Kelly’s Pub, Tampa Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. Memphis Train Union, The Nine Volts, Ted Lukas, Rebekah Pulley New World Brewery, Ybor City Time: 9 p.m. Seventh Calling, Thrash Jazz, From the Embrace, CSR State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. Under The Empire, 4 Souls, Third Society, Hollow Green Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. WMNF 88.5 Presents Metal Asylum The Garage, St. Petersburg

SAT SEPTEMBER 27 A New Way Down The Garage, St. Petersburg Brother Bean Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $5 Time: 8 p.m. Bump Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin Time: 9 p.m. Clutch, The Sword, Graveyard, Never Got Caught State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $18/20 Time: 7 p.m. Gettendeep, Soulswitch, South Of Steel Brass Mug, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Grim Reality, Apocalyptic Prophecy, Fasttaker, My Own Sin Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. King of Spain, TBA New World Brewery Time: 9 p.m. Michale Graves, Misshapen Monsters Bourbon Street, New Port Richey Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m. New Riders Of The Purple Sage Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $15/20 Time: 8 p.m. Steve Harvey St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa Cost: $40.75-45.75 Time: 8 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 28 Kinder, Gentler Sundays Feat. Original Acoustic Music Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: Free Time: 6 p.m. Hiroshima Ferguson Hall, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa Cost: $49.50-60.50 Time: 7 p.m. Holopaw, Averkiou, Liza Kate New World Brewery, Ybor City Time: 9 p.m. Saviours, House of Lightning, TBA Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $8 Time: 8 p.m. Springﬁeld Cubs, Shades of Twilight Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

MON SEPTEMBER 29 Recountdown 2008 with Henry Rollins Ferguson Hall, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa Cost: $26.50 Time: 7:30 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 30 O.A.R. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater Cost: $30 Time: 8 p.m. The Revival Tour Feat. Chuck Ragan, Ben Nichols, Tim Barry Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $15 Time: 7 p.m.

A GUIDE TO ORLANDO AND CENTRAL FL EATS

HOT SPOTS: VENUES BAR-B-Q BAR

Not really a venue, per se, but it’s a great bar and it’s jammed between The Social and the Independent, so you’re gonna end up taking your business out in the old-school photo booth at some point. 64 N. Orange Ave., Orlando

BACKBOOTH

Great room and beer selection, a favorite scene hangout with an eclectic lineup of local and touring acts. 37 West Pine St., Orlando backbooth.com

CLUB FIRESTONE

It’s actually a converted Firestone building. Great club, heavy on DJ/ dance stuff but hosts trendy-cool touring bands as well. 578 North Orange Ave., Orlando clubﬁrestone.com

COPPER ROCKET PUB

Out toward Maitland, a cool little beerand-wine bar that hosts a lot of roots, singer-songwriter and rock/punk-abilly shows. 106 Lake Ave., Orlando copperrocketpub.com

HARD ROCK LIVE

Big, stylish room where you’ll see up-and-coming nationals for the last time before they hit arenas opening for someone even bigger, and the area’s top-drawing regional acts. 6050 Universal Blvd., Orlando hardrock.com

HOUSE OF BLUES

Lots of perennially cool nationals and big local draws. 1490 East Buena Vista Dr., Orlando hob.com

INDEPENDENT BAR

All sorts of hipsteriﬁc DJ and dance nights - Wave Pop Wednesdays seem to be a particular favorite - and occasional shows in the downtown space that used to house Barbarella. 70 N. Orange Ave., Orlando independentbar.com

THE AKA LOUNGE

A nightlife chameleon, where hip-hop, funk DJs and ‘80s nights rage alongside local-band lineups. 68 East Pine St., Orlando myspace.com/akalounge

THE DUNGEON

Often unknown to out-of-towners, this warehouse space caters to the extreme metal underground. 6440 North Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando myspace.com/dungeonorlando

THE PEACOCK ROOM

Downtown party spot that does a lot of DJ stuff as well as live bands. 1321 North Mills Avenue, Orlando thepeacockroom.com

THE SOCIAL

Pretty much Orlando’s default live indie-rock room, but they do more, too. 54 North Orange Ave., Orlando thesocial.org

YOU CAN FIND EVEN MORE HOT SPOTS AT

REAXMUSIC.COM

AUSTIN’S ORGANICS

LAZY MOON PIZZA

ETHOS VEGAN KITCHEN

STARDUST VIDEO & COFFEE

FALAFEL CAFE

TASTE

Organic Fairtrade beans, a surprising array of light and/or vegetarianfriendly fare, and regular nighttime entertainment. 929 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park 407-975-3364

Orlando Weekly’s Best Vegan Restaurant of ‘08 sports an insanely deep menu, including pizza and brunch offerings. 1235 N. Orange Ave., Orlando 407-228-3898

Relatively inexpensive Mediterranean radness. 12140 Collegiate Way, Orlando 407-382-6600

FIDDLER’S GREEN

One of Winter Park’s favorite hangouts, with traditional Irish pub fare and live entertainment to match. 544 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park

JAX 5TH AVE. DELI & ALE

Most older patrons are here for the beer selection, but the sandwiches are hard to beat, too. 3400 Edgewater Dr., Orlando 407-999-8934

Pizza by the slice. Cold beer. Cheap combinations of cold beer and pizza by the slice. 12269 University Blvd., Orlando 407-658-2396 eatdrinkandbelazy.com

So much more than a coffee shop. Full menu for vegetarians and carnivores alike. 1842 E. Winter Park Rd., Orlando 407-623-3393 myspace.com/ stardustvideoandcoffee

Healthy, fusion-y California-style tapas and sometimes live music in College Park. 717 W. Smith St., Orlando 407-835-0646 tastecp.com

THE PITA PIT

Bridges the gap between fast and healthy. Also, they’re open late. 1 South Orange Ave., Orlando 407-447-7482 12040 Collegiate Way, Orlando 407-380-2333 pitapitusa.com

WEARABLES DEJA VU VINTAGE CLOTHING

Deja Vu Vintage Clothing Specializes in vintage looks. 1825 North Orange Ave., Orlando 407-898-3609

HIPKAT

This boutique carries some hard-to-ﬁnd brands, and wholeheartedly supports local music. Check their Myspace page for deals and discounts. Orlando Fashion Square Mall 3201 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando 407-897-7035 myspace.com/hipkatapparel

CULTURE KINGS ORLANDO

An urban edge, with tons of upscale sneaker action. 2219 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando 407-895-3155 myspace.com/culturekingsorlando

PINK HEART BOUTIQUE

Recently featured in Lucky Magazine, this shop offers scads of accessories as well as image consulting. 4825 New Broad St., Orlando 407-228-6013 pinkheartboutique.com

07 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT: CURE FOR CASKA THE SEASONS (SELF-RELEASED)

BAND MARINO

Upon ﬁrst listening to opening track “You Left Scars,” some elements of Cure for Caska’s sound - like Matthew Hays’ plaintive vocals and Elise Jimenez’s classical strings - seem jarring against the tune’s surging posthardcore guitars. By the time you get to the quiet “No Sleep Like Ours,” though, you realize the band isn’t at all interested in aping emo trends; hallmarks of everything from folk to arena rock bleed into a still-developing yet unique take on all-ages angst. Hays relies too heavily on certain recurring melodic patterns when he sings, and the thin guitar tones and overall production evince a somewhat amateurish vibe, but this is an impressively individual and listenable effort overall. - Scott Harrell

Words: Molly Hays

Band Marino re-released their ﬁrst full length album The Sea & The Beast to indie record stores across the nation in early March. The 11-song record is an eclectic collection of styles, with an even more diverse assortment of instruments. Yet the whirlwind of sounds only further complement each other and the album as a whole. Simplicity via complexity. “The response has been gradual,” says drummer Dylon York. “Ever since we’ve been a band, everything’s been a gradual natural progression.” Since the album’s initial release in 2006, the band has been anxious to work on new material. “I think we’re kind of past it, we’re ready to move on,” York says. “We’ve been ready to move on, actually.” According to the skinsman, the band is now in a transition period, moving from touring with The Sea & The Beast to working on an interim EP and writing for the next record. “Everything we do is kind of a long process,” he explains. “We try to do our best, so, it takes a little longer than some of our peers.” Along with sifting though old demos for ideas and direction, the band is also undergoing lineup changes. Their banjo player left after getting married, and was replaced. In addition, another musician has been added just to play piano and keyboard on tour. The Orlando-based band has been together for almost three and a half years, and in that span has garnered a

reputation for live shows and fostered a community of artists and fans.

SPOTLIGHT:

“We try to make our shows events, not just another show downtown,” says York, who cites energy and crowd participation as key components of a memorable night. “We try to make every show every night a special night. Because there are touring bands every night … you’ve got to get your name out, you’ve got to be remembered, not just go through the motions.” Shifting gears, the band dipped into the ﬁlm industry by writing and recording the score to a movie called The Last Romantic. The ﬁlm, written and produced by vocalist Nathan Bond’s brother, premiered at the 2006 South by Southwest Film Festival with Band Marino in attendance. and later screened at The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival in addition to four other celluloid celebrations. Though York feels fortunate for Band Marino’s success, he says their biggest hurdle to overcome has been just existing. “We don’t rely on anyone, we’re not funded, we don’t have a recording budget or touring budget or anything like that,” he says. “Just functioning and growing properly and being productive and writing and being together, it’s hard.” Band Marino plays Beamer’s in Panama City on September 12, and The Real Big Deal at Gainesville’s Alachua County Fairgrounds on September 14.

MYSPACE.COM/BANDMARINO

REDLIGHT REDLIGHT There are roughly seven billion bars in the Orlando metropolitan area. There are lots of bars for hipsters, and lots of bars for music fans, and lots of bars for people who like to pretend they’re Irish, and lots of bars for dudes who like to wear really expensive clothes and wave their money around and shout about how they know powerful people, and so on.

of those best types of places. I mean, come on. A musically passionate and astute staff? A Top Five listing in last year’s installment of RateBeer.com’s inﬂuential roster of the world’s best beer joints? A jaw-dropping selection of draft and bottled options heavy on both Belgian standouts and the hippest upper echelon of American craft brews? Sounds like a little bit of heaven, yes?

There are also plenty of bars for people who just want to drink a good beer while listening to good music and engaging in good conversation. But Redlight Redlight is one of the best

Redlight Redlight 535 W. New England Ave., Winter Park 407-644-2578 myspace.com/theredlightredlight

08 A GUIDE TO ORLANDO AND CENTRAL FLORIDA HOT SPOTS:

FRI SEPTEMBER 05 The Charlie Daniels Band, Jim Van Fleet & The Reign House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $35-85 Time: 7 p.m.

LIFESTYLE BOOM-ART BY ROGERS STUDIO Custom pop illustrations that are simultaneously modern and nostalgic; yes, they’ll paint anything - a chair, a door, a bench, whatever. 1821 North Orange Ave., Orlando 407-895-0280 rainfall.com/crafts/boom-art/

FAIRVILLA MEGASTORE

This ﬁne purveyor of smut and smutrelated awesomeness won Orlando Weekly’s Reader’s Poll in this year’s Best Of issue. 1740 North Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando fairvilla.com

REDEFINE

A combination art gallery/clothing

boutique that’s a new part of the emerging arts district on downtown Magnolia Ave.

RON JON SURF SHOP

Sure, the original location long ago graduated from surf touchstone to tourist trap. But at least you know where to get stuff to send to your friends back home. 5160 International Dr., Orlando 407-481-2555 ronjons.com

VANS SKATEPARK

A sick concrete bowl, along with all the vert, mini-ramps and street-course obstacles you’d expect. 5220 International Dr., Orlando 407-351-3881 vans.com/vans/skateparks

RETAIL IKEA

Yes, those of us over on the west coast are dying of jealousy. Cheap, neat-looking furniture and a food court? It’s worth it just for the walkaround. 4092 Eastgate Dr., Orlando ikea-usa.com

PARK AVE. CDS

They support the local scene, promote shows and even host in-stores. 2916 Corrine Dr., Orlando 407-447-PARK UCF Student Union, Orlando 407-282-1616 parkavecds.com

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HEAVEN

Your place for vinyl - the round kind that makes noises. 1814 North Orange Ave., Orlando 407-896-1952 rock-n-rollheaven.com

ORLANDO EVENTS

THE GUITAR DEN

This place specializes in used and vintage guitars, amps and replacement parts. An impersonal big-box retailer it ain’t; just check out the info and disclaimers on their website, and you’ll know they’re on it. 5515 S. Orange Ave., Orlando 407-855-1333

UBERBOT

An awesome collectible-design shop - art, ﬁgures, designer toys, basically Cool Geek Utopia. 480 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407-788-UBER uberbotonline.com

URBANTHINK! BOOKSTORE

O-Town’s most beloved independent bookseller, complete with its own vegetarian teahouse. 625 East Central Blvd., Orlando 407-650-8004 urbanthinkorlando.com

Victor, Bad Actor, Killing Hope, Empyrean AKA Lounge, Orlando Time: 9 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 12

The Honorary Title The Social, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 9 p.m.

1997, National Product, Automatic Loveletter, In Passing, American Epic BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $8/10 Time: 7 p.m.

Night Of Joy Feat. Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Rebecca St. James, Barlow Girl, Matthew West + More Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Orlando Cost: $44.95 Time: 7:30 p.m.

Finch, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Tickle Me Pink House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 6 p.m. The Queers, The Independents, The Hi-Life The Social, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 9 p.m.

Rock The Universe Feat. Switchfoot, Relient K, Newsboys, Skillet, Grits + More Universal Studios, Orlando Cost: $44.99 Time: 4 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 13

Swansinger, Handicap Blues, Open Windows, Lucky Livingstons BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6 Time: 7:30 p.m.

Hoochie Productions and Foundation present Andy Caldwell, Ken Sherry The Social, Orlando Cost: $10/13 Time: 10 p.m.

X-Ray, Kuzmark, The Mulligan Project Peacock Room, Orlando Cost: $5

SAT SEPTEMBER 06 Christian Wilson and the Wayward Sons, Matt MacKelcan The Social, Orlando Cost: $8 Time: 9 p.m. Night Of Joy Feat. Casting Crowns, TobyMac, Fred Hammond, Marcos Witt + More Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Orlando Cost: $44.95 Time: 7:30 p.m.

Orlando Rocks Feat. Irrational, Lost In Chaos, A.M. Conspiracy, Mr. Bella, Joan Red House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 7 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 14 Between The Buried And Me, Children Of Bodom, The Black Dahlia Murder Hard Rock Live, Orlando Cost: $22.50/25 Time: 7 p.m. WHY?, Mount Eerie The Social, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 8 p.m.

Rock The Universe Feat. Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Jars of Clay, Stellar Kart, Leeland, Head + More Universal Studios, Orlando Cost: $44.99 Time: 4 p.m.

MON SEPTEMBER 15

The Romantics House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 7 p.m.

WED SEPTEMBER 17

SUN SEPTEMBER 07

Silver Jews, Monotonix The Social, Orlando Cost: $12 Time: 8 p.m.

Gargamel!, Hor!zen, Drunk Pilot AKA Lounge, Orlando Time: 9 p.m.

B-Foundation, Ballyhoo!, Hor!zen The Social, Orlando Cost: $8 Time: 8 p.m.

THU SEPTEMBER 18

MON SEPTEMBER 08

Street Dogs, Flatfoot 56, The Scurvy, Time Again The Social, Orlando Cost: $13 Time: 7 p.m.

Don The Reader, Underneath The Gun Mad Hatter Cafe, Lakeland Cost: $8 Time: 7 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 19

TUE SEPTEMBER 09 Hawnay Troof, Yip Yip, Max Green, Pardon My Carbon BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6 Time: 8 p.m.

WED SEPTEMBER 10 Sub Cam, EveryDay I, Versunova, Weszt AKA Lounge, Orlando Time: 9 p.m.

THU SEPTEMBER 11 Brian Culbertson & The Funk Experience, Erly Thorton House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $19.50-55 Time: 7:30 p.m. Fighting Presents Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, Awesome New Republic The Social, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 9 p.m. HORSE the band, Heavy Heavy Low Low, So Many Dynamos BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 5:30 p.m.

Matt Hires, Zac Brown Band The Social, Orlando Cost: $12 Time: 9 p.m. The Dark Romantics CD Release Party Feat. Matt Butcher & The Revolvers, Mike Dunn & The Kings Of New England, Dignan BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 7:30 p.m. Whole Wheat Bread, Re-form, 69 Fingers AKA Lounge, Orlando Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 20 Black Kids, The Virgins, Magic Wands The Social, Orlando Cost: $15/17 Time: 9 p.m. Clan of Xymox Independent Bar, Orlando Cost: $30 Classic Albums Live Feat. Boston Hard Rock Live, Orlando Cost: $24/28 Time: 8:30 p.m. DNS Reunion Show Feat. Gorillaﬁght, Dead Mens Dreams, Devolve BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $7 Time: 7:30 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 21

SAT SEPTEMBER 27

Clan of Xymox Independent Bar, Orlando Cost: $30

AK 1200, Bassbin Twins, Uberzone Club Firestone, Orlando Cost: $20 Time: 10 p.m.

MON SEPTEMBER 22

The High Kings Orlando Convention Center, Orlando Cost: $25-45 Time: 8 p.m.

Deadmau5, Cliff T, Sander Mendez Club Firestone, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 10 p.m.

THU SEPTEMBER 25 Clutch, The Sword, Graveyard, Never Got Caught House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $12.25-25.25 Time: 7 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 26 Henry Rollins House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $18.00-29.50 Time: 7 p.m. Nick Swardson Hard Rock Live, Orlando Cost: $28.50 Time: 6:30 p.m.

The Shoreline CD Release Party Feat. Broadway, Amely, Sparky’s Flaw BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 7 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 28 The Revival Tour Feat. Ben Nichols, Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, Chris Wollard The Social, Orlando Cost: $13/15 Time: 7 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 30 Tony Bennett UCF Arena, Orlando Cost: $65-105 Time: 7:30 p.m.

SOUTH FLA EVENTS FRI SEPTEMBER 05

SUN SEPTEMBER 14

Bendy Pastorius Group The Lounge, West Palm Beach Cost: Free Time: 9 p.m.

Finch, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Tickle Me Pink, Our Last Night Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7 p.m.

Foundation: Tribute to Souixsie & The Banshees Respectable Street, West Palm Beach Time: 9 p.m. The Rhythm Foundation Presents Chico Cesar Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 8 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 06 Soja, Supervillains, B-Liminal Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7:30 p.m. Torche Churchill’s, Miami Time: 9 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 09 All That Remains, Trivium, 35 Crazyﬁsts, The Human Abstract Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 6 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 12 In Droves, Czech Novalis Respectable Street, West Palm Beach Time: 9 p.m. Mates of State Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 8 p.m. Spred The Dub The Lounge, West Palm Beach Cost: Free Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 13 Deicide, Order of Ennead, Adrift Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7:30 p.m. Drive-By Truckers, The Beauvilles Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7 p.m. L.A. Riots Respectable Street, West Palm Beach Time: 9 p.m. The Queers, The Independents Churchill’s, Miami Time: 9 p.m.

WED SEPTEMBER 17 Street Dogs, Time Again, Flatfoot 56, The Scurvy Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7:30 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 19 Sister Kill Cycle, Human Factors Lab Respectable Street, West Palm Beach Time: 9 p.m. TV Club, Strangers Family Band The Lounge, West Palm Beach Cost: Free Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 20 Enrique Iglesias, Aventura American Airlines Arena, Miami

THU SEPTEMBER 25 Nelly & The St. Lunatics Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 8 p.m. New Riders of the Purple Sage Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 8 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 26 Clutch, The Sword, Graveyard, Never Got Caught Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7 p.m. Combichrist Voodoo Lounge, Ft. Lauderdale Leading The Heroes, The Monday Photo Respectable Street, West Palm Beach Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 27 Henry Rollins Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 28 Henry Rollins Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale Time: 7 p.m.

A GUIDE TO GAINESVILLE AND NORTH FL WEARABLES

HOT SPOTS:

AMERICAN APPAREL

VENUES 1982

All-ages friendly live-music hangout. 919 W. University Ave., Gainesville myspace.com/1982_bar

THE ATLANTIC

Cozy, eclectic bar and performance space that usually does live music four nights a week. 15 N. Main St., Gainesville myspace.com/atlanticnights

BACKSTAGE LOUNGE

Formerly Eddie C’s, the Backstage caters to more mainstream rock and alt-rock tastes than some of the area’s

more indie-centric nightspots. 1315 S. Main St., Gainesville myspace.com/backstagelounge

COMMON GROUNDS

G-ville’s premier punk/indie-rock club. 210 S.W. 2nd Ave., Ste. A, Gainesville myspace.com/ commongroundsmusic

FREEBIRD LIVE

A bit of a drive, but it hosts many touring shows that don’t hit G-ville. 200 N. 1st St., Jacksonville Beach freebirdlive.com

Award-winning sushi. Their website alone looks good enough to eat. 201 SE 2nd Ave., Gainesville 352-371-3359 dragonﬂysushi.com

EL INDIO

We think yelp.com commenter Kasey S. says all that needs to be about this G-ville standby: “Burritos are good, food is cheap, sauce is a must.” 407 NW 13th St., Gainesville 352-377-5828

FLACO’S CUBAN BAKERY

More of a diner than bakery. Popular with vegetarians, and drunk folks who really want a meaty sandwich after hitting the bars. 200 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-371-2000

LEONARDO’S 706

This meeting-and-eating spot is well known for its gourmet pizzas and Sunday brunch.

15 S.W. 1st Ave., Gainesville 352-372-2262 americanapparel.net

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES

The thrifts in most college towns are usually pretty well picked over, but this is Florida - unintentionally ironic t-shirt heaven. 3520 S.W. 34th St., Gainesville 352-376-9041

PERSONA VINTAGE CLOTHING & COSTUMES

This joint has a reputation for great threads and kitschy or unusual gifts. 201 S.E. 2nd Pl., Gainesville 352-372-0455

STORE 101

Clothes. Art. Books. Comics. Cool. 101 N. Main St., Gainesville 352-377-7044 store101.net

WOLFGANG

A more upscale place that carries the kinds of designers not usually found outside of bigger cities. 1127 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-505-8123

LIFESTYLE

EATS DRAGONFLY SUSHI

Derf. Until this hipster favorite opens its Orlando outlet store, Gainesville is the only place in Florida north of the Miami area to get all the stuff you’ve seen on all the cool kids lately.

706 W. University Ave., Gainesville (352) 378-2001 leonardos706.com

MAUDE’S CLASSIC CAFE

Opinions vary wildly, but if you want to see/overhear what the hippies and hipsters in town are wearing/doing, this is the place. 101 S.E. 2nd Pl., Gainesville 352-336-9646 myspace.com/maudesclassiccafe

BODYTECH TATTOO

MOTHER EARTH MARKET

FREERIDE SURF SHOP

MODERN AGE TOBACCO & GIFT SHOP

One of Gainesville’s biggest and most community-conscious body-art enterprises for a decade. 306 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-376-4090 bodytechtattoo.com

Named after the classic wave ﬂick. 420 N.W. 13th St., Gainesville 352-373-SURF freeridesurfshop.com

SAIGON LEGEND

Casual atmosphere, fairly cheap Asian food. People rave about their pho, a Vietnamese soup/staple. 1228 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-374-0934

THE TOP

It’s been called the best restaurant in town. Folks are critical of the service, but the full bar seems to help. Another hot brunch spot, as well. 30 N. Main St., Gainesville 352-337-1188

Organic groceries, holistic supplements, and a schedule of events and lectures held right on the premises. 521 N.W. 13th St., Gainesville 352-378-5244

Your one-stop shop for things with dancing teddy bears on them. 1035 N.W. 76th Blvd., Gainesville 352-332-5100

RETAIL RECYCLED BIKES

Rent and roll. 805 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-372-4890

HEAR AGAIN CDS AND DVDS

The sign says “Gainesville’s largest home of music and movies,” and that sounds about right. 818 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-373-1800

11 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT: LIQUID LIMBS ORQUID (SOUND STUDY RECORDINGS)

Alternately turgid and soaring, Orquid does a nice job of showcasing Liquid Limbs’ knack for chugging along heavily without resorting to regurgitating Helmet or The Jesus Lizard. It’s the sound of a band carving out its own special niche in post-punk territory, unconcerned with either associations or familiarity. Were tunes like “Hollow Me Out” and “Make Peace with War” any longer, they might start to bore, but the group keeps things tight with two- and three-minute surges, and material such as the propulsive, math-y “As Long As I Live,’ At The Drive-Inesque “Fresh Catch of Death” and oddly jaunty “Pollinate Your Thoughts” keeps things unpredictable and interesting. - Scott Harrell

SPOTLIGHT:

ODDKNOCK It’s hard to pass off Oddknock’s arsenal of soulful yet digital mayhem as anything less than a modern insurgence through a jungle of large, lily-pad snare drums, deep, resonant bass vines wrapped around tree trunks of tribal funk, and a bright blue sky that calms while reminding you of its ability to change color at any second. Could you paint such a lush, electronic soundscape with any run-of-the-mill DJ’s brush? Of course not, but then again, Oddknock considers himself a live musician above anything else. “I often sample myself and others playing live instruments to create a certain human syncopation in the music I make,” explains Oddknock, a.k.a. Jacob Timmer, a local Gainesville denizen who is currently prepping for his set at Gainesville’s upcoming Real Big Deal festival at the Alachua City Fairgrounds. “I tap into the feelings which make me jump up and dance in my studio, and translate this into something that will make others want to jump up and dance as well.” Cheers to that.

Although Oddknock may sound like a fresh name, Timmer has been a dominant force in Gainesville’s blossoming beat-and-glitch scene since ‘95, remixing such heavy hitters as A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys and David Bowie, as well as sharing the stage with the likes of DJ Shadow and the Crystal Method. However, it is not these accolades that separate Timmer from the mixing-board pack so much as his ludicrous outpouring of showmanship and natural presence another undeniable facet of his unique talent. By teaming up with Pat Pagano, an old friend and professor of theater at the University of Florida, Timmer has been able to bring a “whole new dimension to [his] live shows.” “I use visuals to bring theater to the presentation,” says the artist. “Not only are we providing the sense of sound, but also the sense of sight to the experience.”

MYSPACE.COM/ODDKNOCK

COMMON GROUNDS Like the late, legendary Hardback, Common Grounds is much more than the name of a building where they did or do some shows. It’s a pivot point, a barometer, a center of gravity - pick your metaphor - for both Gainesville original music and the alternative touring scene at large. I can’t remember exactly how many physical locations have gone by the moniker (I think, what, wasn’t it in the space where 1982 is now for a while?), but I know that, wherever it happened to be, it was always one of the places my bands, and my friends’ bands, were forever trying to get booked. Like Tampa’s old Ritz Theatre or NYC’s CBGB, securing a show there was an

achievement. Unlike The Ritz and CBGB, however, Common Grounds is still around. And how ﬁtting that it now resides in the building that used to be The Covered Dish, another widely sought-after destination for regional and national touring acts alike. The topography has changed - you have to raise your leg a lot higher to kick a front-row douchebag in the face - and the capacity has gone up, but the song remains the same: quality, mostly underground-scene music that had to justify itself before it ever hit that stage. 210 SW 2nd Ave. #A, Gainesville commongroundslive.com

12 GAINESVILLE EVENTS FRI SEPTEMBER 05

THU SEPTEMBER 11

20WT, The Bastard Suns, The Duppies, The Long Johns, Howlies Fuel, Jacksonville Cost: $7/10 Time: 8 p.m.

Eleven Septembers, Dopamean, Thunder Over Water 1982 Bar Time: 9 p.m.

Ambertone, His Name Was Iron, Society Red, The Embraced Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m. Laserhead, Malamute, Ancient River The Atlantic, Gainesville Cost: $6/8 Time: 10 p.m. Morningbell, Umoja Orchestra, Zillionaire Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. We are the Union, Set Backs, Stay Classy San Diego 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 06 Airport Factory, Chris Estes, Ignatius Wryly’s, Lovecraft Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $7 Time: 8 p.m. Fusebox Funk, The Merks, Tough Junkie Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m. Oh Sanders CD Release Party Feat: Quadrophones, Savages, Starmaker The Atlantic, Gainesville Cost: $6/8 Time: 10 p.m. The Honorary Title, Mansions Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $10 Time:9 p.m. The Monistats Reunion Show Feat. NoMore 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 07 Aeva, Dancell, Dissonant, I Am God, Whiskey Face Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. Dubconscious, Greenhouse Lounge, The Burnin’ Smyrnans Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

MON SEPTEMBER 08 The Dauntless, Homer Hiccolm and The Rocket Boys, Dignan, ARS Phoenix, The Early 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 09 Harloe, Karma For Liars, The Riff Raff, Trains Followed Us, Wicked Nick Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. Politoke, Buffyoke Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $3 Time: 9 p.m.

WED SEPTEMBER 10 A Skyline Drive, August Burns Red, Greeley Estates, Sky Eats Airplane, This Or The Apocolypse Fuel, Jacksonville Time: 6 p.m. Chasing Ghosts, Fat Satchel, Lookalive, Out Of Style, Say Goodnight, Mean Goodbye Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m. Three Legged Dawg, Kathy Sohar, Izzy Cox 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

The Queers, The Independents, The Plastic Stars Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 12 Light Yourself On Fire, Racebannon, Worn In Red The Atlantic, Gainesville Cost: $6/8 Time: 10 p.m. Wait Wait, White Elephant Gift Exchange 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. What Made Milwaukee Famous, Wild Sweet Orange Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m. WHY?, Mount Eerie Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $12 Time: 9 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 13 Apartment Music 3 Feat. Axiom Dummy, Distraction That Passes, Fiver’s Stereo, Ironing, DS McCoy, Hal McGee, Telepathik Friend Hal McGee’s, Gainesville Cost: Free Time: 1:30 p.m. Boyce Avenue, Deny The Fall Market Street Pub, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Liquid Limbs CD Release Party Feat. Owl Of Minerva, Giuseppe The Atlantic, Gainesville Cost: $6/8 Time: 9 p.m. The Real Big Deal Festival Feat. Mates of State, Motion City Soundtrack, Legendary JC’s, Straylight Run, Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s, MC Chris, Morningbell, Summerbirds in the Cellar + More Alachua County Fairgrounds, Gainesville Cost: $29/35 Time: 11 a.m. The Real Tiny Deal Fest Feat. Axiom Dummy, Big Sugar Victorious, Dubbio Nil, Fiver’s Stereo, Frog, The Ghost’s Lounge, Ironing, Kitty Boots, Hal McGee, No Limit Cycle Story House, Gainesville Cost: 6 cents Time: 9 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 14 Cartel, Yung Joc, MC Lars University Of Florida, Gainesville Cost: Free Time: 8 p.m. Silver Jews, Monotonix Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m. The Real Big Deal Festival Feat. Drive-By Truckers, Hackensaw Boys, Dubconscious, Supervillains, Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, Breathe The Sky, Toubab Krewe, Clock Hands Strangle, Treaty of Paris + More Alachua County Fairgrounds, Gainesville Cost: $29/35 Time: 12 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 16 Flatfoot 56, Nasty Crew, Street Dogs, Time Again Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $12/15 Time: 7 p.m. Laurie Anderson Phillips Center, Gainesville Cost: $20-50 Time: 7:30 p.m. Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, The Captains 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

THU SEPTEMBER 18 The Chainsaw The East Tour Feat. Harloe, Inhale Exhale, Oceana, Dead & Divine, My Hero Is Me Fuel, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 6 p.m. Christina Wagner, Johnathan Appleseed, Win Win Winter Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m. Liquid Limbs, Howl, Flying Snakes Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $3 Time: 9 p.m. Mercy Mercedes, My Favorite Highway, We Shot The Moon 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 19 Afro Enjahneers Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m. Black Kids, Sunbears, The Virgins Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $13/15 Time: 8 p.m. Clayton Senne, Corey Knight, Millhouse Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Time: 8 p.m. Rahim, Epicureans 1982, Gainesville Time: 8 p.m.

SAT SEPTEMBER 20 Copper, Stereoside Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m. Duppies, Magadog Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m.

New Riders Of The Purple Sage Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $15/20 Time: 8 p.m.

THU SEPTEMBER 25 Hands High, Hollowpoint Militia, Roseline, Shawn Fisher, Tragedy Hero Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. The Manor, Oh Archipelago 1982, Gainesville Time: 12 a.m.

FRI SEPTEMBER 26 Blameshift, The Material, And Then There Was You, Run Doris Run Fuel, Jacksonville Cost: $7/10 Time: 7 p.m. Humble Souls, Scholar’s Word Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m. Lemon Hill, Victory Blvd, Devin & Francisco’s Tabletop Soccer Team 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Margaret Cho, Liam Sullivan Florida Theatre, Gainesville Cost: $30-47 Time: 8 p.m. Zoroaster, Hope & Suicide, Dark Castle, Chill Wizard The Atlantic, Gainesville

SAT SEPTEMBER 27 Frontiers: A Tribute to Journey Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $12/15 Time: 8 p.m. The Hot and Heavy, The Riverwinds, Farewell Flight Fuel, Jacksonville Cost: $5/8 Time: 8 p.m.

Electronic SubSouth Show 45 Feat. attachedhands, Hydrogen Arm, Uh-Oh Spades! George’s Meet & Produce, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

Mernsinaries, Young Professionals Common Grounds, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

Sonia Leigh, Zac Brown Band Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

Captain Kid, JoEveritt, Society Red, The Embraced Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

Surfers On Acid 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 21 Amber Rose, The Last Of Whats Left Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. North Florida Blues Jam 1982, Gainesville Time: 8 p.m.

MON SEPTEMBER 22 Ari Hest Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

TUE SEPTEMBER 23 American Steel, Coyote Throat, O Pioneers!, The Gaslight Anthem Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/13 Time: 7 p.m.

SUN SEPTEMBER 28

The Donder, Doombot, Quadrophones, Trumpswig 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

WED OCTOBER 01 Kofﬁn Kats Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Time: 8 p.m. The Revival Tour Feat. Chuck Ragan, Ben Nichols, Tim Barry Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $12/14 Time: 9 p.m.

THU OCTOBER 02 Battle4planetfest Feat. One Last Rose, Supercollide, Words in Red, Sinerate, Daliss Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville 7 p.m.

WED SEPTEMBER 24

FRI OCTOBER 03

Action Research Show 29 Feat. Id M Theft Able, Irene Moon, Ironing, Kevin Blechdom, Hal McGee George’s Meet & Produce, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

Danger Radio, Farewell, Never Say Never, Red Car Wire, Hands High Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Time: 7 p.m.

American Steel, The Gaslight Anthem, O Pioneers! Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $10/12 Time: 9 p.m. Blistur, Circle Of Strife, Endless Vertigo, Wings Of Victory Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m.

Less Than Jake Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $18/20 Time: 8 p.m. Spam Allstars The Atlantic, Gainesville The Soulphonics & Ruby Velle Common Grounds, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 39

REAX FEATURE

PAGE 40 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

AN INTERVIEW WITH PATTERSON HOOD OF

here seems to be this gap between the people The Drive-By Truckers sing about and the people the Drive-By Truckers sing to. Upper middle class, college-aged blue-state hipsters revel in their own “bromances,” downing Wild Turkey shots and reciting the Drive-By Truckers lyrics at their shows. But the characters that inhabit the Truckers’ lyrical universe are bluecollar, red-state, tragic beings whose misfortunes litter the county roads of the modern American South, individuals who would hardly be known as fans of the Athens, Georgia group; there’s a huge divide between the two classes. “That probably explains why we aren’t more famous and don’t sell more records,” Drive-By Truckers frontman and co-lyricist Patterson Hood explains, via email. “I tend to write about what drives me to write. If I could control it better, I probably would. I’m drawn to a good story, and I grew up in a very blue-collar town.” Growing up in Alabama, and son of legendary Muscle Shoals session bassist David Hood, Patterson’s background fostered within him his inspiration of stories and characters, often romanticized through the prism of his love for film. “I’m a fanatical film nut and always view these albums more like short films - without the film - than as records, especially in regards to development and sequencing,” he says. These “films” have distinguished the Truckers from all other alt-country, altsouthern rock bands. They are concept pieces that are novels unto themselves, portraying the South as more than a mere backward culture of simple politics and beliefs. The Truckers gave life to, along with dignity and tragedy, a host of truck-stop waitresses, military veterans, meth addicts, and roadies;

an eccentric populace given a third dimension.

never been able to say that before about one of our albums.”

Southern Rock Opera detailed an epic Mason-Dixon allegory of Lynyrd Skynyrd, whereas The Dirty South debunked south-ploitation stereotypes like Sherriff Buford Pusser of Walking Tall fame. Along with co-writers Mike Cooley and, brieﬂy, former band member and emerging solo act Jason Isbell, the Truckers produced songs like “Plastic Flowers On The Highway,” “Wife Beater,” and “The Living Bubba” as a form of cultural catharsis and ironic cache.

That the concept-album-that-isn’tquite-a-concept-album approach holds together quite well - rather than folding under its own 19-track weight - is a direct result of Brighter’s pacing.

Now, with their eighth studio album, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, the tone is darker, and more sincere. While the classic rock riffs of prior efforts such as A Blessing And A Curse remain, Brighter is a dense tome of country ballads and rockabilly beats. A bit heady at 19 tracks, it comes across as a deliberate effort to make the Truckers’ creative process a meritocracy, a response to the speculation that surrounded Isbell’s departure. (Hood defends his act’s track record, saying, “we’ve always tried to give everyone all the voice they want in this band.”) But while the new album’s stories are not as cohesive as past concept albums, the calculated nature of producing a mosaic of individual stories, written by the individual band members, rather than a narrative directed by a single force, is evident.

While Mike Cooley “seldom discusses his lyrics,” Hood is open to hearing the various interpretations of his writing, since “a good song can be taken in many different directions and hold up,” adding that “part of what signiﬁes a good song is that ability.”

“All of them except for Southern Rock Opera have been pretty organic,” Hood explains. “I generally prefer to work that way. Sometimes it works better than others. We all have a particular fondness for this album. When folks say it’s too long, I assume they don’t have a fast forward button on their [mp3] player.”

“We are all very much aware of the dangers,” says Hood. “Being older probably helps to keep those kind of things in perspective. More than anything, I’m grateful not to have to go work a day job when I get home from the road.”

He adds, “a year later, I still wouldn’t change a note of this one and I’ve

“I am really fanatical about sequencing and really happy with the ﬂow of this one,” says Hood. “ I particularly like the breakdown of the four sides. I think each one of them holds up as a good EP. Each side has it’s own little implied narrative.”

Take for example “Self Destructive Zones,” where Cooley writes of being caught between a generation dying from its habits and another thinking “rock ‘n’ roll was new.” This gap between the innocence of discovering music and the dangers of its excesses is not lost on Hood, particularly when one bookends “Zones” with his tale of a burned out musician in “The Opening Act.” The two tracks are a perspective of a business in which Cooley and Hood are just now earning a solid living, a fact that grounds the two.

The one hint of irony Hood allows to seep into Brighter comes in “The Monument Valley,” where he quotes the late director John Ford, about how

“you got to frame” the scene just right. It’s Ironic in that Brighter’s characters are themselves unknowing actors with outside forces (poverty, drugs, the war) controlling their destinies, with Hood tugging the strings. “I never considered it that way,” he admits. “I’m a huge John Ford fan, and had read a book and seen a documentary about him. I wrote [“The Monument Valley”] a few days later. Controlling and not controlling one’s destinies seems to be a recurring theme on this album, with most of the songs being about folks in situations without control.” But will Hood’s love of film ever move his pen beyond just songwriting? “There’s actually two screenplays I’m not working on,” he says, admitting all too readily to the sin of procrastination. “One is as far as third draft in progress, but I don’t really have time or money to do anything further with it right now. I worked a lot last holiday season on the other but have hit a creative roadblock and again, just don’t have the time.” Yet, despite his prolific writing, Hood admits to the gap between the recording studio and the silver screen, a gap worthy of crossing when the big rock machine shuts down. “I don’t really have any current [screenwriting] ambitions, but want to learn how to do it for creative reasons,” he finally adds, “I probably won’t be touring forever, so ... ” Drive-By Truckers play Gainesville’s Real Big Deal Festival on Sunday, Sept. 14. For the full schedule and ticket info, check out therealbigdeal.com

MYSPACE.COM/DRIVEBYTRUCKERS

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 41

REAX INTERVIEWS

MATES OF STATE THROUGH BEING COOL

nce upon a time, in the crazy olden days of the late 20th century, a guy and a girl got together in the collegiate midwestern enclave of Lawrence, Kansas to make an arty, organ-driven racket. Their noise drew the attention of the sort of underground-music audiences and independent labels one might expect; Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel’s Mates of State graduated to the familiar cycle of recording, touring and sonic refinement. They released acclaimed records for credheavy imprints like Polyvinyl. They got married. They relocated to San Francisco. And somewhere in there, they began to move away from the anti-pop with which they made their bones. “It must have been natural,” muses Gardner, who sings and plays piano and organ in the duo. “I don’t even know if I can describe how we’ve evolved. When we started, we were definitely more rock and crazy and carnival-esque or whatever. “I think we were influenced a lot by San Francisco, which has a heavy pop scene, more lighthearted music than what was going on in the midwest at the time. But I still think we carry that with us, even though we’re more drawn to a lighter side [now].” It’s been more than a decade since Gardner and Hammel joined forces as college kids. Now, the pair live in the quiet suburb of Stratford, Connecticut, and they’ve got a couple of kids of their own. And while the argument could be made that the more melodic, approachable pop of albums like ‘06’s Bring It Back and the brand new ReArrange Us reflects their maturity, stability and contentment, some of the lyrics on recent songs infer that suburban adulthood brings its own conflicts and obstacles. “We’ve had a lot of friends in the past year, that have been together for the same time we have, that have split up,” Gardner says. “Not only that, but we see suburban life all the time. This record is more of our perspective, our commentary on others more than ourselves necessarily.” The novel dichotomy of the couple’s existence as both veteran fringe-rock act and heads of a quote-unquote typical household is a subject of endless fascination for many, from the press to the obsessive fans who pore over the topics and themes of Mates of State material. Gardner and Hammel are in a fairly unique position as far as lifestyles go, and some assume

PAGE 42 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

they consciously go to great lengths to document their novel position in their music. It’s difficult for artists to back away from the work that is so much a part of themselves and perceive it objectively, however, and Gardner claims to see that side of Mates of State only in retrospect. “I guess it’s just who we are,” she says. “We didn’t realize there was any kind of story behind it. It just comes out in whatever ways while we’re writing. People think there’s this huge story because we’re a couple and a family and a band, but for us, it’s just normal.” Gardner does admit that their position comes with its own issues. Like other musicians burdened by the responsibilities of family, it’s difficult to balance time on the road with time at home. She and Hammel have gotten used to bringing their four-year-old daughter Magnolia on the road, but it’s always a bit more unpredictable than hopping in the van with three other single adults, and new baby June will complicate things further. Gardner can see a time when Mates of State could become primarily a studio project, but she won’t ever give up touring and live performance altogether, calling that communal sharing “elemental to a band.” And there are benefits to growing into a stable, comfortable familial existence, as well. With experience comes confidence, and gone are the days when Gardner worried about being cool, about being trendy, about pleasing the tastemakers in the crowd. It’s much easier for her and Hammel to please themselves these days, which makes for a more pleasant life all around. “I think that’s one of the great things about growing up and having kids,” says Gardner. “I don’t know if it’s having a family or what, but my last concern is wondering whether or not peple think I’m cool. Our next record could be completely crazy, but whatever comes out, comes out. “It’s almost a mature version of the way a child thinks about music. Total purity, how they’re not influenced by anything other than how they wanna dance or sing. They don’t even know what cool is, you know? I have that clarity again.” Mates of State’s new album Re-Arrange Us is out now on Barsuk. They play Gainesville’s Real Big Deal festival on Saturday, September 13. Check out therealbigdeal.com for schedule and ticket information.

WWW.MATESOFSTATE.COM

REAX INTERVIEWS

THE SWORD INTERVIEW WITH KYLE SHUTT

ince first defiling Austin, Texas’ roots- and singer-songwriterheavy original scene in 2004, The Sword has become the American independent underground’s metal band of choice, as well as a rising phenomenon amid the global extreme-music community. With a sophomore album, Gods of the Earth, setting critics to salivating and North American tours supporting Clutch and some old-ass group called Metallica inked into its fall schedule, the band seems on the verge of an unlikely mainstream breakthrough. REAX: How were the European shows with Metallica? Kyle Shutt [guitar]: It was insane, Every day was just crazy. We hadn’t even been to those places before, so it was culture shock every day. We just finally got used to the western European countries, but I never thought I’d go to, like, Russia or Latvia. REAX: You’ve done big shows before... KS: No, man, actually, we played Bonnaroo, and that was the biggest crowd we’d ever played to, and four days later was the first show with Metallica in Norway, and that was the biggest crowd we’d ever played to, and the day after that was Russia, and THAT was the biggest, and that’s how it went.

It’s insane how many people still come out to see Metallica after 25 years, they’re rabid fans, they’re ready for it. It’s just awesome to see it, 50,000 people singing at once, it’s scary. If they all decided to turn on you, there’s just nothing you could do. REAX: Was it a shock, going from the van tour routine to that kind of production and schedule? KS: A little. The only thing that was different was ﬂying, like, dealing with Latvian airports, stuff I never had to think about before. Taking taxis everythwere, keeping your guitar with you at all times. REAX: When did you get asked to do the next batch of tour dates? KS: They’re weird about it. They just kind of say, “hey, you wanna come on tour?” And it’ll be a long time before it gets conﬁrmed. They’ll drop hints, but you don’t really ... we didn’t know for sure until Sunday, just a couple of days ago. So that was exciting, but they’d been alluding to it for a while. REAX: This is kind of a weird question, but with stuff like this happening, are you guys the kind of band that looks at where you came from, and worries if you might be getting too big for what you wanted out of playing music?

PAGE 44 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

KS: Not really. It think it’s impossible for a band to get too big anymore. We’re just happy to get as big as we can. It’s impossible to become as big as Metallica these days, bands just don’t sell that many records anymore. No, but I don’t think we’re gonna get too big anytime soon. Hopefully I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.

It’s a monster now, we don’t even know what wattage it is. That’s the only piece of equipment that’s been there from day one, really.

REAX: Do you get a lot of people on tour talking about how they didn’t know there were any metal bands from Austin? KS: Yeah, people say that. There’s always been a punk scene going on here. As far as metal goes, it’s a pretty small scene. The only band to get really big was that band Dangerous Toys back in the ‘80s ... I know when people think of Austin, they think of singer-songwriters and blues bands.

REAX: Well, what do you listen to that might surprise fans? KS: I’m totally into soul and old Motown stuff. It doesn’t really inﬂuence me musically so much ... I love Prince, too. I’m really funky deep down inside. Anything funky.

REAX: So it wasn’t ever hard for you guys to ﬁnd a place for yourselves there? KS: Not at all. We’d already been in a bunch of bands before, and known each other. From our ﬁrst show, it was easy to get shows from there on out. REAX: Is there a single piece of gear that you think is the key to The Sword’s sound? KS: Um ... I don’t know. [Guitarist/vocalist] J.D. [Chronise]’s amp head probably, he’s had it Frankensteined. It’s an Orange OR80, a reissue he bought a long time ago.

REAX: What’s on your iPod that you think might surprise fans to know you like? KS: I don’t own an iPod! What about that?!

REAX: Last question: what does your practice space smell like? KS: It smells like the man that lives in the space next to it. I think he leaves food and stuff in the room, there’s alwayts fruit ﬂies and stuff coming out of there. It’s a pretty nice space, but we could stand to get a less sketchy place. The Sword opens for Clutch at Orlando’s House of Blues Sept. 25, Ft. Lauderdale’s Culture Room Sept. 26, and the State Theatre in St. Petersburg Sept. 27. Gods of the Earth is out now on Kemado Records.

SWORDOFDOOM.COM

REAX INTERVIEWS

THE PRESETS INTERVIEW WITH KIM MOYES

ith a new album that debuted on top of Madonna and a summer vacation spent on the European festival circuit, The Presets are having a pretty good sophomore year. The Sydney-based duo released their second full-length album, Apocalypso, on Modular in April of this year. After breaking into the now-booming electro-dance scene back in 2005 with Beams, the band have cashed in on the underground-gone-mainstream sound, and now ﬁnd themselves with their hands full.

sleepy Monday night, I asked him how The Presets shows compared this time around.

I caught up with Kim Moyes as he returned home Down Under after a successful club tour of major Stateside markets. Moyes and I knew each other already, having met just about a year ago when I brought the band to Tampa, on the eve of their Winter Music Conference debut opening for Peaches at the beginning of the week’s festivities. Reminding him of the tiny but energetic show the band played at Crowbar on a

“The difference for us is, when Beams came out [in ‘05], the type of music we make, this electro-dance pop thing, was still sort of underground, and now it’s mainstream,” said the drummer/ programmer. “When the new record came out, we debuted at Number One on the charts, which is a bit surreal.”

“The shows Stateside have been a bit different, you know, everyone knows the words to all the songs and everything, which is great,” he said. “Now, the shows in random places like Salt Lake City are more like the show we did in Tampa, smaller and crazier.” When asked why, Moyes didn’t seem ashamed at all to chalk it up to the band seemingly going mainstream.

Surreal, perhaps, but the Aussies seem to

be handling it just ﬁne. As we spoke, Moyes was driving through Sydney, having only a few days at home before jetting off to begin their festival tour. Eschewing the club scene during his brief stints at home, preferring instead to stay in “cooking, reading and watching TV,” Moyes admitted to a bit of ignorance when it comes to the current climate of other Australian acts. “We are just really busy, we only have a couple of days at home between tours and so we’re not even really listening to much music,” he said. “But the scene in Australia has deﬁnitely blown up since Beams, and groups like [fellow Aussies] Midnight Juggernauts and Sneaky Sound System are getting huge, which is great. But I don’t really have a sense of the scene because I am hardly ever here.” Moyes and Presets partner Julian Hamilton, who met in music school in Sydney, are both classically trained musicians who have proven an interest in experimental

electronic music that even extends to avant garde classical stuff this writer has never heard. When I asked Moyes what’s currently on his iTunes playlist, he rattles off a long list of obscure experimental acts from Sweden. So, is that the direction they want their own project to take? “We have been able to incorporate a bit of our classical training on some songs, especially on [short, anime-evoking instrumental from Apocalypso] ‘Aeons,’ but we are very happy with the direction the band is going,” he said. “We want The Presets to be a pop group. It’s cool when we are able to incorporate a bit of the avant garde electronic stuff we both listen to, but for the most part we want it to be accessible and danceable.” The Presets’ Apocalypso is available now. The band’s North American tour continues through September and early October.

MYSPACE.COM/THEPRESETS

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 45

REAX INTERVIEWS

LUCERO’S

BEN NICHOLS PARTY OF ONE T

loyalty, heartbreak and getting out of the bar in one piece are solid, and resonate in an almost archetypically timeless way that raises them above your standard friendsagainst-the-grain fare.

“That’s good, that means I’ve [successfully] faked it sometimes,” says frontman Ben Nichols with a laugh. “There’s some shows when it’s painful. But most of them, good or bad, it’s pretty fun. We’re still deﬁnitely enjoying what we’re doing. Luckily, our fan base knows it could be a great night or a rough night, and hopefully everybody has a good time either way.”

We’ve all heard the one about the greatsong acid test, how a tune is only truly good if one voice and one acoustic guitar can bring it to life. Of course, in these days of hip-hop and laptop pop glitchiness and math-y instrumental what have you, that particular musical barometer no longer really applies across the board. But in the world of three-chord rock ‘n’ roll, and especially those sorts of it informed by roots, punk, Americana, classic country and other primal styles, it’s still a pretty good measure of quality. And this fall, Nichols is putting his and Lucero’s material to the test by joining Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan and Avail’s Tim Barry on the stripped-to-thebone Revival Tour.

Rip-ass or not, however, no band can expect to be any more than the ﬂavor of the week without solid songs. Here, too, Nichols and Lucero stand out: Their straightforwardly strummed tales of love,

“I’d met Chuck a couple of times here and there, and we did a two-week tour together beck in January,” Nichols says. “It was really cool and laid-back, it just worked. And Brian [Venable, Lucero guitarist] is having

here’s a lot to be said for being a rip-ass live band. And the Memphis, Tennessee twangrock quartet known as Lucero certainly is one - the kind of dependably spectacular in-concert act for which fans mark their calendars, and spend weeks getting psyched. They might be admirably tight, or they might be insanely loose (hell, some of ‘em might be prone in piles of overturned gear by set’s end), but those in the audience won’t ever get the feeling that they’d rather be anywhere but on stage.

PAGE 46 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

a baby this fall, so the band needed to take some time off - it’s just an appropriate time.” He adds that he, Barry and Ragan won’t be stepping into the spotlight completely alone; a few other like-minded musicians, such as Whiskey & Co. ﬁddler John Gaunt and Glossary pedal steel maestro Todd Beene, will tag along to back these punkscene stalwarts, and friends such as fellow Hot Water Music singer Chris Wollard are expected to appear at various dates along the way. Nichols hopes to road-test some brand new Lucero material on this jaunt, as well as bringing out some old favorites of both his and his fans’. He’s also looking forward to actually playing with Ragan and Barry, as well as either before or after them. “The plan is to get together with Tim and Chuck, and get a few songs we can all participate in,” he says. “I’m not sure yet how it’ll all pan out, but there’ll be some new stuff from all of us.” While Nichols is looking forward to both the Revival Tour and taking some time off the

road to write for the next Lucero release, fans shouldn’t expect him to become a stool-riding solo act, or Lucero to become a less traveled, more studio-focused affair any time in the forseeable future. He reckons the unpredictable, full-volume, ripass version of the Lucero experience still has plenty of touring, and a whole lot of shows, in front of it. “I still enjoy going on tour a bunch,” says the songwriter. “It’s actually kind of nice not to have to worry about much else. You can only do that for so long before your life goes to shit, but I like going back and forth between the two. I have a feeling touring will be part of Lucero for a long time. It’ll get even more hectic and busy before it turns around.” The Revival Tour in Florida: Sept. 27, Jack Rabbit’s, Jacksonville Sept. 28, The Social, Orlando Sept. 30, Orpheum, Tampa Oct. 1, Common Grounds, Gainesville

MYSPACE.COM/LUCERO

REAX INTERVIEWS

BEYOND BORDERS

funny thing happens once iTunes is finished munching on the advance copy of Calexico’s forthcoming full-length Carried to Dust, having assimilated the CD’s digital bits into its library. The album comes up correctly in the listings (some promo discs don’t), with all its information artist name, song name, album title, et cetera - intact. In the column for genre, however, Carried to Dust is called ... unclassifiable. Unclassifiable. Who knew a computer program could be so astute? Rock critics like to throw around words like “evocative” and “cinematic” when writing about music that inspires more than a smile or a sing-along or a couple of dance steps or the desire to get all smashy-smashy on something. They’re pointedly vague adjectives, used to describe bands that are often, in the end, pretty much indescribable. In the case of Tucson’s Calexico, though, they’re perfectly apt. The group’s trademarked sound is incredibly successful at conjuring images not only of that wide-open area of the American southwest where caucasian, Mexican and Mestizo cultures, sounds and traditions meet and mix, but also of other exotic locales as well. “I think that’s really a very important part of what we do as musicians, is to try to give little snapshots of what we’re experiencing, going thorugh on the road,” says drummer John Convertino, who formed the creative core of the band with guitarist/vocalist Joey Burns back at the dawn of the ‘90s. “It’s almost like a document, you know?” While most readily associated with a border-adjacent sound heavily influenced by finger-picked acoustic guitars, moody minor chords and mariachi brass, Calexico has always endeavored to reflect a varied array of sonic territories. The act’s last album, 2006’s Garden Ruin, was inspired by political and social outrage; recorded with a full-band lineup - a rarity for Burns and Convertino - the disc remains their most rock- or popassociative effort to date. “That’s just where we were at that time,” Convertino says. “We wanted PAGE 48 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

to try to work with a producer, which is something we really hadn’t done much, and I think we were feeling an urgency about the political situation and the way, a lot of frustrations.” For Carried to Dust, Burns and Convertino reverted to their more familiar process of building the songs around their respective guitar and drums, then bringing in a slew of respected friends and peers to collaborate. Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam and Tortoise principal Douglas McCombs appear on Carried to Dust, alongside legendary harp player Mickey Raphael, vocalist Pieta Brown and Spanish artists Jairo Zavala and Amparo Sanchez. The resulting songs stretch even Calexico’s admirable ability to evoke far-off tastes by taking the listener - via the loose narrative of a writer on holiday - to such foreign and culturally rich places as Chile, Spain and Russia. “That came after the fact - that happens a lot with these records,” Convertino says. “Sometimes you don’t know what you have until it’s done, and I think the song ‘Writer’s Minor Holiday’ was the springboard for that idea.” Still, no matter how far they wander from Tucson - and Calexico have wandered far and wide in more than a decade and a half of touring and meeting and making music with contemporaries from all over the world - Burns and Convertino never fail to incorporate that “evocative,” “cinematic” feel of the southwest’s wide-open spaces, to add their own inimitable flavors, the spare and the spicy, to whatever they do. “I appreciate the cooking analogy,” says Convertino. “I think about what we do in those terms sometimes, adding different flavors. You just go for it, you give it a try. I don’t think we intentionally try to make it sound like Calexico, it’s just what we do.” Unclassifiable? Yeah, it’s as good a word as any. Carried to Dust comes out on Quarterstick Records September 9. Calexico embarks on a brief American tour September 20 before heading to Europe in October.

MYSPACE.COM/CASADECALEXICO

REAX INTERVIEWS

ATMOSPHERE

RAREFIED AIR: AN INTERVIEW WITH ATMOSPHERE’S SLUG

t’s been a decade since Sean “Slug” Daley first hooked up with a few other midwestern kids who shared his love of urban culture, and started turning virtually every one of hip-hop’s images, cliches and stereotypes on its head. In those ten years, Slug and mainstay producer Anthony “Ant” Davis have methodically built Atmosphere - and its extended Rhymesayers family - into one of the best known and most highly respected brands in independent rap. Along the way, they used their own creativity, wit, and socially aware views to set the standards for the entire so-called “backpack” scene. While on tour in Europe promoting Atmosphere’s fifth proper full-length, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, Slug took the time to participate in an e-mail Q&A about his ever-evolving approach to writing, fiction in hip-hop lyrics and personalizing the political. REAX: The songs on the new album are fictional vignettes. Where did the idea to do an entire record of stories and characters, as opposed to more directly personal experiences, come from? Do you approach each recording project from the perspective of, ‘what’s something I haven’t done yet?’ Slug: Most of our older catalog is fiction

as well. But it’s told in the first person, so listeners assume it’s first hand experience. I blame that on the confusing keep-it-real mindstate that comes along with the genre. No other genre assumes that the singer is telling a true story. If those old songs were 100 percent, I’d have died from alcohol poisoning by now. There are a few true stories on the new album, there are a few fictional stories, much like most of our catalog. I don’t really have much of an agenda when we approach a project, other than entertaining Ant. I try to entertain Ant, he tries to entertain me. REAX: Did you find it easier to address bigger ideas and issues by folding them into character and story, instead of venting what you know and how you feel about things more directly and personally? S: That has pretty much always been my steez, yes. REAX: You’ve always been known as an introspective writer, but there’s also always been that socially conscious element to much of your stuff. Are you someone who thinks that every decision a person makes, from where they shop and eat to who they hang out with, has a political element to it? S: Yes. You kinda answered the question for me. Thanks.

PAGE 50 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2008

REAX: The music on Lemons is very moody - even something as danceable as “Your Glasshouse” has this sort of urgent, semi-dark vibe to it. Do you guys consciously strive to make the music reﬂect the lyrical content as closely as possible? How important is that to you? S: It goes the other way around. I strive to write lyrics that reﬂect the mood of the music. Or sometimes, I write to contradict the music. REAX: The music also seems to be increasingly complex and layered, but also warmer and more alive. Were there more live instruments used on Lemons? S: Every sound besides the drum programming is sampled from live instruments. No records were harmed during the making of this album. REAX: Do you think the musical evolution, and Ant’s evolution as a producer, mirror your own as a writer and MC? S: Me, personally, I think that Ant is progressing faster than me. REAX: How did Tom Waits’ participation come about? Were you more nervous, or stoked? S: I’ve never used the term “stoked.” But I was excited that he agreed to participate. I’m friends with his son, and he put in a

good word for me when I approached Mr. Waits with the idea. REAX: When this mag comes out, you will have just played the Take Back Labor Day Festival at the RNC. As a musician, obviously issues like affordable/universal healthcare and fair wages hit close to home, but do you feel a responsibility as someone with a somewhat elevated public proﬁle to weigh in on political issues, to “pick a side,” as it were, in general? S: I’m not a politician. But I have my opinions. I do not feel that it is the artist’s responsibility to their art to be anything more than a responsible artist. Ha. That said, in my own life, I do feel like it is important as a father, and a son, to voice my opinions to my family and friends. I’m just in a position to have an extended group of family and friends through my fanbase now. But I would never hold an artist responsible for voicing his politics. Atmosphere plays St. Petersburg’s State Theatre October 2, Ft. Lauderdale’s Revolution October 3, and Orlando’s Club Firestone October 4.

MYSPACE.COM/ATMOSPHERE

ON SALE NOW!

SEPT. 29 • FERGUSON HALL TAMPA BAY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Tickets and dining: 813.229.STAR • TBPAC.ORG Outside Tampa Bay: 800.955.1045

Events, days, dates, times, performers and prices are subject to change without notice.

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 51

ISSUE 28

CALEXICO

CARRIED TO DUST QUARTERSTICK

SEPT 16

Aids Wolf Angela Desveaux Bound Stems Broken West Chad VanGaalen Damien Jurado Dark Romantics Dark Romantics Don Chambers Donkeys Emilliana Torrrini Fujiya and Miyagi Growing Horse Feathers Kimya Dawson Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez Little Teeth Maserati Michael Franti & Spearhead Mogwai New Year Of Montreal Okkervil River oRSo Parenthetical Girls Pontiak Rafter Rahim Shaky Hands Tortoise Viarosa Wiloughby Wovenhand Young Widows

Psykup Radioactive Man Ruby Isle Sabertooth School of Seven Bells Simian Mobile Disco Talkdemonic The Girls Tindersticks Wroom Yelle Yoshie Fruchter

YO! MAJESTY

KRYPTONITE PUSSY DOMINO

Cities of Glass The Mighty Ship The Family Aﬂoat Now or Heaven Soft Airplane Caught in the Trees Heartbreaker The Good Kind of Sad Zebulon Living on the Other Side Me and Armini Lightbulbs All The Way House With No Home Alphabutt Why Is Bear Billowing Child Bearing Man Inventions Remixes All Rebel Rockers Batcat 12” The New Year Id Engager/Alter Eagle 7” The Stand Ins Ask Your Neighbor Entanglements Sun on Sun Sweaty Magic EP Laughter Lunglight Standards (vinyl reissue) Send for the Sea I Know What You’re Up To Ten Stones Old Wounds

RESTIFORM BODIES T.V. LOVES YOU BACK ANTICON.

Adventure Alexander Tucker Anti Flag Arab on Radar Bosque Brown Boston Spaceships Gasman GG Allin Gonjasuﬁ Ice Cube John Zorn Laika and the Cosmonauts Makes Nice Mother Mother Nick Butcher Passion Pit Peter Garland Physics of Meaning

LABEL

Skin Graft Thrill Jockey Flameshovel Merge Sub Pop Secretly Canadian Lujo Lujo Warm Dead Oceans Rough Trade Deaf, Dumb & Blind The Social Registry Kill Rock Stars K Records Carpark Absolutely Kosher Temporary Res. AntiMatador Touch and Go Polyvinyl Jagjaguwar Contraphonic Tomlab Thrill Jockey Ashtmatic Kitty Pretty Activity Kill Rock Stars Thrill Jockey Tarnished Sargent Sounds Familyre Temporary Res.

THE BLACK ANGELS DIRECTIONS TO SEE A GHOST (LP) LIGHT IN THE ATTIC

S/T Portal Their System Doesn’t Work (Reissue) Sunshine For Shady People DVD TBA Brown Submarine Superlife TBA EP The Essentials Filmworks XX: Sholem Cosmopolis TBA O My Heart Bee Removal Chunk of Change Three Strange Angels Snake Charmer & Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight We Love You All Growl Night Shot Last Days on the Island Half Asleep FABRICLIVE 41 Eyes at Half Mast Yes, No, Yes, No The Hungry Saw North of Forty-Five Pop-Up (vinyl version) Pitom

PAGE 52 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • SEPTEMBER 2008

Carpark ATP A-F Records Three One G Burnt Toast GBV, Inc. Planet Mu TKO Warp Priority Records Tzadik Yep Roc Frenetic Last Gang Hometapes Frenchkiss Tzadik Buhanan/ Trekky Seasons of Mist Control Tower Kindercore Arena Rock Ghostly Int. Fabric Arena Rock Dirtnap Constellation Arena Rock Astralwerks Tzadik

ARTIST

SEPT 23

ALBUM

MOGWAI

THE HAWK IS HOWLING MATADOR

Blitzen Trapper Brightblack Morning Light Cotton Jones Basket Ride Danielson Famile Faun Fables Friendly Fires Ghengis Tron Girl Talk High Places I Heart Lung Jenny Lewis Karl Blau Kid Sister Marmoset Max Richter Nagisa Ne Te Pauline Oliveros & Eleh Peter Broderick Peter, Bjorn and John Ten Kens Terry Lynn Tracy Shedd

SEPT 30

SEPT 09

ARTIST

Black Keys Dressy Bessy Dungen Gemma Hayes Large Professor Lords of Altamont Lymbyc Systym Madlib Mercury Rev Murs Nightwatchman NWA Various Artists Various/Public Enemy Vivan Girls XX Teens Z’s

OCT 07

SOAPBOX NEW RELEASES

Catﬁsh Haven Crooked Fingers Crystal Antlers CYNE Deerhoof Gregory & The Hawk Hauschka Jay Reatard Lambchop Land of Talk Marnie Stern Mt. Eerie Oasis Slaraffenland These Arms Are Snakes White Savage

Furr Motion to Rejoin River Strumming Fetch the Compass Kids (Reissue) A Table Forgotten EP Friendly Fires Board Up The House Remix Feed The Animals (physical release) High Places Interoceans Acid Tongue Nature’s Got Away Dream Date Record in Red 24 Postcards in Full Color Yosuga Split Home Seaside Rock Ten Kens Kingstonlogic Cigarettes & Smoke

KOUSHIK

OUT MY WINDOW STONES THROW

S/T (re-issue on Purple Vinyl) Holler and Stomp 4 Hollow of Morning Main Source The Altamont Sin Love You Abuser Remixed WLIB AM: King of the Wigﬂip Snowﬂake Midnight Murs for President The Fabled City Family Tree Notwave Sampler Vol. 2 Comic Book Vivian Girls Welcome To Goon Island Hard EP

OF MONTREAL

SKELETAL LAMPING POLYVINYL

Devastator Forfeit/Fortune Crystal Antlers EP (Reissue) Pretty Dark Things Offend Maggie Moenie and Kitchi Ferndorf Matador Singles ‘08 OH (ohio) Some Are Lakes This Is It and I Am It... Lost Wisdom Dig Out Your Soul Sunshine EP Tail Swallower and Dove I Prefer Savage 7”

LABEL

TV ON THE RADIO DEAR SCIENCE, INTERSCOPE

Sub Pop Matador St. Ives Secretly Canadian Drag City XL Recordings

Temporary Residence

Illegal Art Thrill Jockey Asthmatic Kitty Warner Bros. K Records Downtown Music Secretly Canadian Fat Cat Jagjaguwar Important Hush Star Time Int. Fat Cat Last Gang Teenbeat

PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS

FUN DMC GOLD DUST MEDIA

Bomp Transdreamer Kemado Second Motion Gold Dust Media Gearhead Mush BBE Yep Roc Warner Bros. Epic Priority Records Rong/ DFA Slam Jamz In The Red Mute Three One G

ROSEBUDS LIFE LIKE MERGE

Secretly Canadian Red Pig Touch and Go Hometapes Kill Rock Stars Fat Cat Fat Cat Matador Merge Saddle Creek Kill Rock Stars PW Elverum and Sun Big Brother Hometapes Suicide Squeeze Flameshovel

HANDS ON PRODUCT REVIEW SOAPBOX ISSUE 28

Yes, lots of movie stars have worn Persol glasses over the last few decades, but none more hip and strange than the Persol 714s as worn by the iconic Steve McQueen, who did all his own motorcycle stunts. This style was initially invented for train and rail workers who needed to protect more of their eye and be able to fold the glasses up compact. These beauties are still made in Italy, and true to the original design. Now if only the actors nowadays were still so down-to-earth and did their own stunts … www.persol.com www.theopticshop.com

Being in bands drives most people insane. Not only do you have to write, record and produce the music, drive the van, book shows, and make friends and fans, but you also have to be your own design team, T-shirt vendor and record store. Having CDs or vinyl made can be a nightmare. Do you go with the local who you can deal with face to face, or the national who has the fancy web page and the famous people on their catalog? Do you have a local artist do your shirts, or send ‘em off? My advice: Ask for samples from everyone to make sure they are legit. Ask smart questions that only someone who knows what they are doing will be able to answer. And always GO LOCAL! All major CD pressing companies send them off to the same plant anyhow. Go local and deal with someone you can see the face of, and keep your money in the community and pray that the people in that community buy your CD. Indie friendly www.progressivecds.com www.iloveimprint.com

Corporate faceless www.discmakers.com www.oasiscd.com

I drank a six-pack of Kaliber by accident, without realizing that it had no alcohol in it, and have never been more confused in my whole life. If you are going to have to have booze breath, and need to go to the restroom every half-hour, shouldn’t you be proper drunk as well to give you an excuse for it? The only thing more embarrassing than this stuff is Zima. If you ever catch me drinking a Zima, please slap me in the face … but none of this buying me a Zima so you can slap me - that’s what the police call entrapment. www.odouls.com www.zima.com

Some time has passed, and I am sitting at the desk talking to the product expert. He is doing some serious math on a piece of scrap paper to convince me that I am not interested in test driving a hybrid, because it will take six years for me to save any money by having a hybrid. I tell him I am with a magazine; “sure you are,” he says. He is nice, and he is damn good at algebra. After 15 minutes in the regular Civic, I was horribly bored, but apparently very safe, very environmentally friendly and using very little gas. I should have test driven this before the Porsche and Maserati and not after. It was like drinking Jack Daniel’s after a bunch of champagne, port, and single malt scotch; reliable but not exciting. www.honda.com

Yes, John McCain is a product of the American political process, and I will review him factually in two sentences. One, he is a brave and honorable man who, while bombing targets in Vietnam, was shot down, captured and tortured to physical and psychological breaking points over the course of ﬁve years before his release. And two, now, in 2008 and at 71 years old, he has admitted on television that he has no idea how to even use a computer, and does not know what a Mac or a PC is, but wants to be the next president of the United States of America, a country whose future, military and economic strength now depend on cutting-edge technology. Brace yourself for the following rhetorical questions, but answer them anyhow: No matter how nice and respectable someone is, would you hire them to work for you if they didn’t know how to turn on and use a computer? Really? OK, what job would you give them? Sorry that I’m a bit high-strung this month dear readers, the reality of “politics” scares the hell out of me. But then again, whenever I see a nice old man not wearing any clothes and everyone is acting like they don’t notice, emperor or not, I start to get nervous, because there must be something going on that I must not know about … which brings us to the next item for review.

The ﬁrst time I went to this legendary Ybor City fringe club, I was a naive teenager, and I was therefore scared to death. There I was, thinking that I was hip sitting at home listening to Syd Barrett and wearing paisley polyester shirts reading beat poetry, and then all of a sudden I was in a gothic nightclub being forced to dance to Adam Ant while surrounded by people that were all dressed in black. And then, there he was … the wellgroomed man in his 50s, wearing almost nothing, sauntering through the crowd with this placid look on his face. It was the Senator. No, not John McCain. The Senator … you see, he and Peter Pan are eccentric icons of the FL club scene … no, not Mary Martin … Peter Pan, you know, the guy that was on Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel … no, Conan was not at the club … never mind. These are strange things you will just have to look into for yourself. www.castle-ybor.com • www.pixyland.org

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 53

SOAPBOX MUSIC REVIEWS ISSUE 28

DELICIOUS PRETTY GOOD OK AT BEST

THE DANDY WARHOLS

...EARTH TO THE DANDY WARHOLS...

UGH INEDIBLE

STEREOLAB

CHEMICAL CHORDS

MATTHEW SWEET IS BACK WITH A POWER-POP STUNNER! "3 1/2 stars (out of 4). His gift for melody is straight from a higher power" - SPIN

AVAILABLE ON CD AND 2-LP SET WITH DELUXE GATEFOLD PACKAGING AND 4 BONUS TRACKS!

Anybody pretending to possess even the tiniest tidbit of knowledge of independent music can recognize the significance of Stereolab in the history and continuing evolution of said musical arena. But I am not ashamed to admit it: I never really got into them. Sometimes there’s just too much music for my little ears to take in; it’s very overwhelming. Thankfully, I was presented with this album for review. How would I describe it? Electro-pop with a mid-’60s feel and a clean, joyful production. Chemical Chords is sunny and bubbly, bounding from track to track. In my mind, I imagine Doozers (the lil’green workers on Fraggle Rock) working on a giant reel-to-reel to make the music come out of my speakers. It’s bright but sophisticated at the same time, which makes it easy to understand why this band is held in such high esteem by so many art-rock aficionados. And who can deny the attraction of Laetitia Sadier’s French inflections and bilingual singing? It’s positively transcontinental. Seriously, though: Chemical Chords is a great introduction to Stereolab for latecomers. I’m pleased to meet them and I hope can get to know them better soon. (4AD) - Susie Ulrey

JENNIFER O’CONNOR HERE WITH ME

With her last album, Over The Mountain, Across The Valley and Back to the Stars, former Tampa Bay resident O’Connor obliterated all indiefolk expectations in a fuzzy, captivating avalanche of electric guitar tones and raw drum sounds. This time around, she proves that she’s just as comfortable and incandescent coloring inside the lines she so successfully blurred before. From the softly strummed “The Church and The River” to the bouncing full-band pop of “Daylight Out,” from the taut, ﬁngerpicked “Valley Road 86” to the dreamy “Credit in The Cost,” and through every freakin’ thing else here, Here with Me is simply a brilliant singer-songwriter album and a pleasure to hear. If there’s any justice in the world, the title track will break O’Connor through to the much higher proﬁle she unarguably deserves, and become a cool-ubiquitous end-of-summer anthem. Look for this one on a lot of Top Ten lists come December. (MATADOR) - Scott Harrell

PAGE 54 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • SEPTEMBER 2008

In terms of sheer size, the only thing larger than …Earth to the Dandy Warhols… is Courtney Taylor Taylor’s massive ego. It would be irresponsible to credit the growth of said persona to past experience = this kind of megalomania you’re born with – but those once-coveted Seth Cohen playlist adds and the exposure in ‘60s revivalist doc Dig! couldn’t have helped matters. Having since mistaken Sundance for the Academy and obscurity for fame, Taylor and his Dandy band shed the limitations of their modest guitar-rock orientation, and with this latest paralysisinducing hour-plus space jam permanently shoot to hell any lingering pop ﬂirtations in favor of misﬁred trance drones, none of which will be featured in a K-Swiss commercial. Earth is the kind of brazen kiss-off you’d expect from a man with two last names. Each song sends a by-now familiar message: Dandys rule, OK? And so these ironed-haired hipsters rattle off a barrage of in-jokes about sex, drugs and ... drugs, Odditorium style. Remove four letters from seven-minute stoner anthem “Valerie Yum” to get the Dandys’ favorite recreational chemical! Taylor shouts in the chorus, “I just don’t care no more.” Makes two of us. This kind of barefaced disinterest might come as a letdown for those blissfully ignorant to the band’s fantasy land. After all, the title hints at a rare run-in with reality. For the few of us who know better, Earth’s self-delusional grandeur just begs the obvious question: What planet are these guys on? (BTW) - Robert Hilson

OXFORD COLLAPSE BITS

Oxford Collapse’s fourth release is a brilliant celebration of scenes from both the mosh pit and the discothèque. These cats really swing, not to mention shred. It seems like any time a band makes a danceable record anymore, there has to be equal measures of canned beats and asexual keyboard drones. Brooklyn’s favorite sons, on the other hand, provide stellar musicianship coupled with colorful love stories and magniﬁcent harmonies. The lack of any unneeded noises showcases the intricate playing of each of the band’s three members. Bits clearly serves as an exploration of the sonic gamut from funk and punk to college rock, with blues and soul thrown in for ﬂavor. In other news, the included press release implies that these boys have never produced a sour note, or at least not one that rock critics have heard. (SUB POP) - Jack Gregory

MUSIC REVIEWS SOAPBOX ISSUE 28

KOUFAX

STRUGGLERS The fourth album ďŹ nds this Midwestern pop quartet leaving a majority of its boppier, Joe Jacksonreminiscent facets ďŹ rmly and far behind it. Maturity isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always an improvement, though, especially when it comes to the cool-music fringe, and Strugglers sometimes comes off as a little too world-weary and cynically postured for its own good. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all tres stylish, of course, and exotically danceable, like a semi-retired Cure backing a watered-down burlesque at the Copa after hours. But with the exception of the energetic title track, most of Strugglers has been done better before (hello, Firewater?), and too often vocalist Robert Souchan plays an even more jaded-cool Julian Casablancas too well. Then again, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be jaded too if I suspected my new album might inspire rumblings about me being inďŹ&#x201A;uenced by The Killers, rather than the other way â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;round. (DOGHOUSE) - Scott Harrell

THE CURSE OF COMPANY

LEO MAGNETS JOINS A GANG The Curse of Company are more about sway and ďŹ&#x201A;ow than rock and roll. Leo Magnets Joins a Gang is a forever-waltzing journey through the end of an empire, and the discovery of a new life. In these unholy days of condensed sound, time taken to develop a plot and characters - let alone a base coat of thick and sexy melody - will be lost on a majority of listeners. A dense yet echoed recording serves as an invitation to get lost in Leoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room-ďŹ lling story, in the fashion of an intriguing novel. Mastermind David Wiley Rennick and his band of ridiculously talented players extend a warm welcome and are gracious hosts for the entire party. This album is tailor made for true fans of music, and storytelling. (DANGERBIRD) - Jack Gregory

THE REAL McKENZIES OFF THE LEASH

While most Celtrock bands tend to use the bagpipes as a spice, Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Real McKenzies serve it up in the main course, putting that bad ducky prominently in almost every song. And it works. Songs like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chip,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anyone Elseâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Old Becomes Newâ&#x20AC;? almost demand

you raise a glass and sing along, the pipes meshing perfectly with manic drums and amazing bass lines. That being said, this is not their best effort. Unlike past records where the party doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop, Off The Leash contains a couple of clunkers (predominately the pseudo country/folk in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Maple Trees Rememberâ&#x20AC;?) that leave you scratching your head, and the lyrics occasionally fall to the trite side. Still, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an enjoyable ride and highly recommended at high volume for your next beer-soaked soiree. (FAT WRECK CHORDS) - Timothy Asher

EMILIANA TORRINI ME AND ARMINI

Hmmm ... here we have another quirky singer-songwriter from Reykjavik. The Moz said it best: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stop me if you think that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard this one before â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? Yes, there are hints of Bjork in (obviously) her pronunciation and accent. And they both share a sweet, wide-eyed, scrappy soprano that it as endearing as it is potentially grating (if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not into to that). But luckily for Torrini, she does well in cementing herself as a solid songwriter on this, her third fulllength. It is easy to dismiss this album if you skip right to the title track â&#x20AC;&#x153;Me and Armini,â&#x20AC;? a low-rent attempt at a groove that Feist achieves without breaking a sweat. But Torriniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s try isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite so successful. Just be patient and wait â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;til the third track, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Birds,â&#x20AC;? and you may perk up at the possibility of a lovely album waiting for you â&#x20AC;Ś once you skip the clunkers. There are stronger tracks with a solid groove to them that far surpass the title track, in addition to subtle folk ballads woven nicely into the fabric of this album. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing new in the wake of the a marketďŹ&#x201A;ood of funky chanteuses with acoustic guitars tucked into their pockets. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pleasant listen. (ROUGH TRADE) - Susie Ulrey

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THE SLANTS

SLANTED EYES, SLANTED HEARTS No, seriously, The Slants arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t playing around. Not the ďŹ rst band to use ethnic slurs and stereotypes in the name of art, but they could very well be the ďŹ rst allAsian act to do so. In just over a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time they have dug out a niche between the evergrowing popularity of Anime, Sake Bombs and Hello Kitty lunchboxes. Musically, this album consists of recycled beats, borderlinesilly lyrics, and an overwhelming sense that this gimmick is not working. However, Slanted Eyes and Slanted Hearts offers one good old-fashioned rocker called â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Want Everything,â&#x20AC;? as well as the all-consuming mantra â&#x20AC;&#x153;The kids just want to dance.â&#x20AC;? Who in their right mind could argue with the freedom of an â&#x20AC;&#x153;ass-shakinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? good time? - Jack Gregory

SEPTEMBER 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 55

JJ GREY

& MOFRO ORANGE BLOSSOMS

“Rich, funky swamp grooves...Celebrates life’s most fundamental joys with unforced talent and deep feeling” –The New York Times

TOUR DATES INCLUDE: 9.10 Phoenix, AZ. Rhythm Room 9.11 Solana Beach, CA. Belly Up Tavern 9.12-13 San Francisco, CA. The Independent 9.19 Portland, OR. Berbati’s Pan 9.20 Seattle, WA. Neumo’s 9.24 Boise, ID. Alive After Five 9.27 Denver, CO. Ogden Theatre 9.28 Lawrence, KS. Granada Theatre 10.11 Atlanta, GA. Variety Playhouse 10.14 Raleigh, NC. Lincoln Theatre 10.16 Philadelphia, PA. World Café Live 10.17 New York, NY. Highline Ballroom 10.18 Portland, ME. Asylum 10.25 Boston, MA. Paradise Rock Club 10.29 Richmond, VA. Canal Club 10.31 Charleston, SC. The Pour House 11.1 Sarasota, FL. Sarasota Blues Festival MORE DATES AT WWW.MOFRO.NET

SOAPBOX REVIEWS ISSUE 28

JULIANA HATFIELD

HOW TO WALK AWAY Hatﬁeld’s ﬁrst album in three years, How to Walk Away, is a pleasing return to form. After her last two efforts (2004’s In Exile Deo and 2005’s Made in China), fans were beginning to think they’d lost the girl they had a crush on back in 1992. Her voice is just as sugary as ever, but this time around, there’s a palpable melancholy that telegraphs her maturity - as a woman, as a songwriter, and as a musician. She’s like a big sister you’ve always looked up to and now you’re a little worried about. Her fragile, disappearing frame (drink a milkshake, please?!) and sunken eyes are visible cues to a sadness that can’t be covered up with charming melodies sung with her trademark broken syllable intonations (which she has outgrown and no longer uses). It’s meatier now, heavier with the weight of experience. Maybe we’ll get some answers when her memoir, When I Grow Up, comes out later this month. (YE OLDE RECORDS) - Susie Ulrey

THE BREAKUPS

EAT YOUR HEART OUT Bubblegum hooks and sad bastards’ laments paint dreamy landscapes and possible indie movie soundtracks. Eat Your Heart Out is more of the same sunshine-drenched, Coke bottle glasses and polyester-sporting, check-out-this-rare-keyboard-instrument bologna. However, most of the tracks are well written and executed. Pop music is based on a formula of pleasing mass populations of listeners, and The Breakups should get a big ole slice of the pie with their debut release. Lead singer Jake Gideon turns in an eerie but gosh-darned funky vocal performance that will knock the socks off the most ﬁckle of critics. There is no doubt that this set of sugary grooves will spread like wildﬁre amid clouds of clove cigarette smoke from coast to coast. - Jack Gregory

ANIMO

BLOOD IN THE WATER

ORANGE BLOSSOMS The new release on Alligator Records available now at ﬁne music retailers everywhere. Hear tracks and order online at www.alligator.com or order by phone at 800-344-5609.

Let’s give Animo credit for the attempt. They’ve crafted a moderately technical pop-punk record, complete with layered riffs (a la Everclear and Unwritten Law) and appropriately placed breakdowns. The singer has a bratty/whiny voice which will make Blink-182 fans swoon

PAGE 56 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • SEPTEMBER 2008

and the songs are happy, pogo-to-the-beat affairs. However, while Blood In The Water is inoffensive, enjoyable and the perfect ﬁt to all your Warped Tour fantasies, it’s entirely forgettable. None of the songs possess a hook to speak of, and the rhyme-by-numbers lyrics fail to resonate for longer than a few seconds. This record is a lot like panning for gold - every now and then you get a nugget that keeps you interested, but for the most part you’re just wasting time. - Timothy Asher

SPAM ALLSTARS

INTRODUCING SPAM ALLSTARS I never thought at the time, a score of years ago when I met an excellent and polite solo DJ at the tiny original location of the BackBooth Orlando (across from UCF) at a strange and mismatched gig that so many years later I would be awed and inspired by he and his group’s music and rise to prominence. Many things have changed since then, and Andrew Yeomanson (DjLeSpam) along with the Spam Allstars (a pedigreed group of Latin, funk, Afro-Cuban and Dancehall musicians with resumes longer than REAX allows CD reviews to be) have garnered international praise and a title of “Hardest Working Group from Miami.” In this collection you get all of the meat without any ﬁller. All cuts on this release were selected by DJ Bongohead and this record is a sureﬁre soundtrack to any successful party. The Allstars blend improvisational electronic samples and turntables with traditional Latin, funk, hip-hop and dub to create a sound that is unique and moving. If this doesn’t make you want to shake it, you need to check your pulse. (WORLD MUSIC NETWORK) - Shawn Kyle

LaGRECIA

ON PARALLELS Having given up on doing something too mellow or twangy, Jason Shevchuk (None More Black, Kid Dynamite) has returned to posthardcore - to the posthardcore scene’s benefit. The three-piece LaGrecia runs so many different influences and styles through its own wonderfully distorted filter that it’s truly impossible to classify the music of On Parallels. The minute you’ve got them pegged as punk rockers exploring formerly untapped classic-rock roots (“Hey Medic”) they go into a twangy pop riff (the superbly titled “You Like Baseball, I like Ghosts”), and follow it up with rollicking bar-rock (“According to My Notes”). By the time the CD closes with the clanging, Far-esque groovecore of “The Montage,” however, you’re no longer confused about just what to call ‘em. You’re just glad you got to hear it. (SUBURBAN HOME) - Colin Kincaid

RADIORADIO

ALARM 1 ALARM 2 Alarm 1 Alarm 2 is a portrait of the flailing of teenage freedom, a revisited idea that shows its face in just about every musical generation. RadioRadio’s ‘80srock grooves and Oklahoma roots instantly conjure Footlooselike images of bumpkins in cowboy hats, gettin’ down on tractors and combines. Throughout the entire album, the bass lines get more intense and unavoidable, as do the infectious sing-alongs. What worked for Bowie and INXS has clearly been in influence on what’s going on here. The Okie foursome’s first release Watch em all Come Runnin was hailed as a more modern homage to the heroes of dance rock, in the vein of Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, et cetera; this EP, however, shows the band’s versatility, while paying no uncertain respect to those who paved the dance floor. (RADIORADIO) - Jack Gregory

DUCHESS SAYS

ANTHOLOGIE DES 3 PERCHOIRS Duchess Says have been called “new wave revivalists,” and in some ways that’s true. “Black Flag” is ready to be used in a John Hughes movie or a remake of Beverly Hills Cop, and “A Century Old” is an ‘80s-style rocker showcasing Annie-Claude Deschenes’ voice. But otherwise Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs is a delightfully odd experiment in noise-pop and rock. “Aeae” feels like a Sleater-Kinney song, with guitars feeding back into pounding drums, while “Ch.O.B.” is a chaotic barrier of sound. In “Tenen No Neu,” Deschenes doesn’t sing, per se, but rather uses her voice as an instrument to accompany synthesizers over funky bass lines and danceable backbeats. There is a sense of anarchy in the recording, like the band had no idea where the songs were going but held on anyway. It’s chaotic, unhinged and unabashedly fun. (ALIEN 8 RECORDINGS) - Timothy Asher

ALEXANDER TUCKER PORTAL

Avant-folk singersongwriter and visual artist Alexander Tucker has been hailed in the fringemusic press for his unique approach, which often includes oddly (read: not really) tuned guitars, ﬁeld recordings, and tape loops. Surprisingly, however, his third album, while certainly a little weird, is accessible enough that this avowed pop and rock fan can appreciate its melody and construction. Visionaries like Jim O’Rourke and John Fahey

REVIEWS SOAPBOX ISSUE 28

are certainly touchstones, but so are The Thirteenth Floor Elevators and their even more earfriendly predecessors, such as The Moody Blues. Tucker’s droning voice calls to mind old-school psychedelia, and may put off less open-minded listeners; too often, it echoes the repetitive mantra of the music exactly, inciting monotony. The cinematic atmosphere of tunes like “Poltergeists Gazing,” “Bell Jars” and “Here,” though, can’t be denied. (ATP RECORDINGS) - Scott Harrell

INTERCEPT

MAGNOLIA ROAD Intercept’s latest album, Magnolia Road, will no doubt be downloaded (hopefully legally) into 99% of the iPods walking around campuses this fall. The opening track “Stand Back” starts you off with a familiar altrock feel that continues into “Gravity,” which has that stick-in-your-head hook that would make it my pick for the first single to show up on our radios. Then comes “Two Broken Astronauts,” a cut that puts a little emo into the mix. It’s these kinds of diverse influences that make Magnolia Road appealing to so many. Too many times we see great bands release an album where all the tracks sound the same and bore us to death; not so with these guys. The classical background of brothers Christian and Jeff Knudsen adds a depth to their music that’s evident in the layered guitar riffs on “Four Letter Word.” From the acoustic feel of “Berlin” to the harder edge of “Push,” this album has something for everyone. Definitely a band to keep our eye on. - Jonathan Davis

DON CHAMBERS AND GOAT ZEBULON

Produced by the Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood, Zebulon is the new release from Athens, Georgia-based Don Chambers, whose gravely vocals and dramatic twist on the southern gothic and folk music indigenous to his hometown are showcased but wisely not polished on these 12 songs. With nods to Tom Waits in his lowkey delivery of brash truths and observances in the song “I Can Waltz,” - “all the salts in the ocean won’t heal the wounds and all the prayers are ﬂoating in mid-air ... I’ve got faults, but I can waltz” - we are dragged through the artist’s own rationale of personal checks and balances. It is the more solid track “Falling Off the Edge of the World” that ﬂeshes out this artist’s songs with a treatment that is more palitable to the average listener, with Hood’s backing vocals and an abundance of hooks, and taking elements of both the Black Crowes and Exile-era Stones to make a foot-stomping anthem. Subtle epiphanies of nonchalant episodes take tragic dustbelt turns on this record via gritty guitars, plucked banjo and singing lap steel. If you are craving the lost days of No Depression, Zebulon is worth the listen. (WARM RECORDINGS) - Shawn Kyle

KARL HECTOR + THE MALCOUNS SAHARA SWING

UNKNOWN COMPONENT

IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION First of all, whoever wrote the comparisons to Radiohead, U2 and Elliott Smith in this Iowa act’s press kit must have been shrooming - Unknown Component can be fairly ambitious for a one-man pop-rock project, but that’s really what we’re talking about here at the end of the day. Main Component Keith Lynch has a cool voice, melodic yet ragged and earnest when it reaches for the upper register, and the guy knows how to write a pretty good song; “Into The Sun” is a highlight, and the baroque “Somewhere A Light Has Gone Out” and pulsing “Never Ceases to Remain Unchanged” fare well above the average. Too bad, then, that they’re surrounded by mediocre, generic tunes like “Retrospectively Speaking,” “Between Guilt and Relief” and “Brought Up to Be Put Down,” and presented unﬂatteringly with muddy, too-quiet production that just doesn’t cut it these days, even for a homespun recording. There’s potential here, but some objective editing - like, down to an EP’s worth of tunes - and mixing expertise would’ve showcased it in a much better light. - Scott Harrell

This supergroupyou’ve-neverheard-of has made the most psychedelic slice of German afro-funk you’re likely to run across ... ever. While the members of Fela-inspired krautfunk band Poets of Rhythm (Jay Whiteﬁeld, primarily) are likely the only marquee collaborators here, the combined power of the Poets with the Malcouns’ sassy, brassy Ethiopique groove gives leader Karl Hector plenty of room to glide over. That a collision of two of the greatest forms of African funk would take place in Germany is about the last word in the globalization discussion, but that these cats do it all so well, so accurately, and so goddamned effectively is positively refreshing. Afrobeat wannabes have been plying these waters for years now, and most come up way short, polishing off all the rough edges and attempting a po-faced imitation of a sound that’s truly inimitable. Hector & the Malcouns instead go for amalgamation, herding up their inﬂuences and riding them into a weird and funky sunset. It’s even abrasive at times (the brief interludes that interrupt the album are effective psychological speedbumps), but the sheer joyful weirdness of it all makes Sahara Swing a funk gem. (NOW AGAIN) - Jason Ferguson

www.mojotampa.com | 813.971.9717

2558 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa

Located nextPettoSounds the University Mall, in the Beach Boys: same plaza Chipotle Mexican Grill & Quiznos Capitalas Records

The sounds inside Brian Wilson’s skull are now considered auditory mana. myspace.com/mojobooksandmusic Giving credence to Theremin solos, released in 1966, what was assembled inside a dark Los Angeles studio translated sunshine into intricate vocal harmonies and plush arrangements, still bringing tears and sniffles to your grandma, or even a cynical crusty stooge, forty years later. Tom Waits: Rain Dogs Island Records Across 19 tracks, a pastiche of genres drool from a heartbroken realm. Where country, polka, New Orleans jazz, and delta blues lubricate in the mind of guttural philosophy, Waits thrives, and on this, his tenth album, he delivers the idiosyncratic flavor always missing, more because its significance and richness were never appraised. Radiohead: The Bends Capital Records Between the early 90s grunge hysteria and the great leap forward to OK Computer, Radiohead compiled twelve boot stomping ditties, flirting more with distortion and electronic experimentation. Repressed on vinyl in America for the first time in almost a decade, hear clearly Yorke’s forlorn falsetto warn of the miasma which haunts all compassion. Fiery Furnaces: Remember Thrill Jockey Spanning more than fifty tracks, this three LP set further illustrates the prolific nature of the Friedberger siblings. Not only do they release a new record every year more zanier and eccentric than the previous, but all the tracks on this live album are absolutely different from their studio incarnations; with weaving medleys focusing a shine on the best jewels of their dense instrumentation. DeVotchKa: A Mad & Faithful Telling Anti Records - From Allmusic.com: “DeVotchKa have created a unique niche by mixing eastern and western traditions into the same pot. A Mad and Faithful Telling is their first release since the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack expanded their fan base tenfold, and it continues the group’s unique cultural mishmash. It’s a veritable circus of styles, none of which are associated with Colorado’s musical climate.”

www.mojotampa.com | 813.971.9717

2558 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa

Located next to the University Mall, in the same plaza as Chipotle Mexican Grill & Quiznos

myspace.com/mojobooksandmusic

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 57

SOAPBOX VIDEO GAME REVIEWS ISSUE 28

GAME REVIEW

MADDEN NFL ‘09:

BOOM! IT’S A TURDUCKEN Words: Trevor Roppolo Football season is here once again, and that means a new Madden game has arrived to empty our wallets of hard-earned green. Each August, everyone’s favorite bumbling NFL analyst makes his virtual return to our game consoles to help us relieve our burning itch for pigskin. Appropriately, Madden 09 is like Tough Actin’ Tinactin for our innerfootballer. This year’s Madden is more than just another $60 roster update. For the 20th anniversary of the franchise, EA Tiburon has put together a solid core game with some pretty cool features. New this year is the My Skill/Madden IQ tests that you run through when you first fire up the disc. The tests - which feature vector-style graphics reminiscent of Tron - determine your personal difficulty level and adapt to you as you improve. The play selection is simplified for the novice and streamlined for the veteran, making the game quite accessible for everyone.

Madden 09 is pretty much as deep as you’d want it to be. In Franchise Mode you can manage everything from individual player salaries to training your players via minigames like weightlifting. Being someone who doesn’t bleed football, micro-management seems like a chore to me; I just want to play and have fun. For me, the objective-based “Madden Moments” - which have you reliving historic moments like Micheal Spurlock’s kickoff return for a touchdown - were good for some pick-up-and-play enjoyment. After 20 years, one would expect a pretty polished product, and EA has delivered. The controls are tight, the animations ﬂuid and the graphics are easily the best in the franchise’s long history. Huddle this all together with topnotch commentary from Cris Collinsworth and 32-player online leagues and you’ve got the best (and only) full-ﬂedged NFL game on the Xbox 360.

REVIEWED ON XBOX 360

GAME REVIEW

UNREAL TOURNAMENT III:

SORRY, MY RUBBER BAND BROKE... Words: Trevor Roppolo Almost a decade has gone by since the original Unreal Tournament hit the shelves and set the standard for all future multiplayer shooters. Originally a PC game, Unreal has never meant too much to console gamers. Some less-than-mediocre showings on consoles had almost soured me altogether on the franchise, but the mushy spot in my heart made me give it one more try. The nostalgia hit me quickly as I ﬁred up Unreal Tournament III for the ﬁrst time. Like when your girlfriend dyes her hair blond, there’s a comforting familiarity underneath the exciting new feeling. Familiar music, all-time favorite armaments, and a classic map or two capture the feeling of the original that the other previous titles failed to do. The controls are tight and responsive, and the option to further jack-up sensitivity levels will satisfy even the twitchiest gamer - which is good, because everything in Unreal happens lightning fast. All of the maps are beautiful and incredibly balanced; other developers should really take a lesson from Epic Games.

UT III’s action is centered on the usual game types - Deathmatch and Capture the Flag - along with the innovative tug o’ war-style mode called, simply, Warfare. A welcome new addition is a ﬁve-act campaign (which merely consists of the aforementioned game modes with some cut-scenes) that you can play with up to three friends against A.I. bots. The story isn’t important - it’s something about an alien “skank” named Akasha - but it makes you believe you’re capturing ﬂags for a reason. Nostalgia and fun aside, my Unreal love is not blind. For a game focused mainly on multiplayer, some of its shortcomings are unforgivable. The lack of a party system makes it hard to get all your buds in the same match and on the same team (lame). And in the biggest downer off all, the in-game chat is miserably archaic. You have to hold down the D-pad to speak! I used a rubber band to hold down my D-pad, another friend used a zip-tie ridiculous! The main problems with UT III may stem from its PC roots and old-school nature, but better online tech exists, so why not use it?

REVIEWED ON XBOX 360

PAGE 58 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • SEPTEMBER 2008

SEPTEMBER 2008 • REAX MUSIC Magazine • PAGE 59

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monthlyparties

Saturday September 13

Friday October 24

Joon, Clock Hands Strangle & Saint Sweetheart New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m.

AM/PM, Oceans Rise! & Guests TBA New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $6 Time: 9p.m.

* The Lake Audition

* Ebu Gogo

Sunday September 28

Saturday October 25

Averkiou, Liza Kate & Special Guests Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $6ADV $7DOS Time: 8 p.m. Onsale Now Online!

Tailgunner Joe, Alexander and The Grapes, Brian Miller New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m.

* Holopaw

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Friday October 10

Thursday November 13

The Oaks, The Basiqs, Auto! Automatic!! & Dynasty State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $8 DOS/$5 w/ Voter ID Time: 8 p.m.

& Special Guests TBA Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $8ADV $10DOS Time: 8 p.m. Onsale Now Online!

* Rachel Goodrich

* Parts & Labor

Friday October 10

Friday November 21

and Special Guests TBA Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $12ADV $14DOS Time:8 p.m.

& Special Guests TBA Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: TBD Time: 9 p.m.

* The Spam All Stars

september 2008 & beyond

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