Something Like Sound

Of the many releases seen in the music world last year, this one album seemed to stand out on the top album lists of 2009. Although not a new band by any measure, Phoenix has been treated as such by many as their latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, really projected them into the American spotlight.

The French band starts their breakout album with the upbeat song, “Lisztomania.” The catchy riffs carelessly thrown into the mix can keep any listener noticing different part of the song each time listened through. The track comes off as a bit eclectic because of this, but is a solid start to the album that closely follows the same musical line.

Following the first track comes the unavoidable “1901.” It is hard to miss this song on the radio, Cadillac commercials, or numerous TV shows and movies, and for good reason. The song can easily be put as the epitome of alternative rock. From the drums to the Vampire Weekend-esque vocals to the fast, lighty-distorted guitar and good use of synth, it incorporates elements that can be heard in every other alternative rock band out there.

After “1901,” the album mellows out with “Fences,” but doesn’t remain that way for long. The catchy “Lasso” and “Girlfriend” continues out the album, but nothing quite as worthy as the starting two tracks.

The problem the last three-quarters of the album faces is that each song is indistinguishable from the previous. After listening through the album a few times, each part of the album is memorable, but still impossible to divide up into distinct songs. The guitars and synth and vocals remain constant from start to end.

While the repetition is obvious, it is not necessarily a problem for Phoenix. As stated earlier, their sound is basically the epitome of alternative rock. By that reasoning, this entire album can really be viewed as a continuous work at the peak of alternative rock. However, little stands out after the first 10 minutes and fades into the background quickly.

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is certainly deserving of its Grammy for Best Alternate Music Album since it is nothing but alternative from start to finish. However, some variety would have been nice. It’s not something to sing along to, but rather Grammy-winning background music. Good for fans of Vampire Weekend, Anberlin, and the Killers.

Photo by Steven Wooldridge

The E-Days concert once again pulled hundreds of students into Volk Gymnasium for a fun night of music. Starting off the night was a reggae band from Savannah, GA, that went by the name Passafire. While they insisted the crowd rock out, the music tended more towards a relaxed feel. Occasionally, the songs would break down from the easy-going sways into solid rock riffs that got the crowd moving significantly. The 45-minute set was pretty uniform from start to finish, but was certainly enjoyable.

Surprisingly, the reggae band was a pretty good match as an opener for the ska band headliner of the show, Less Than Jake.

After a between set break that carried on for well over 20 minutes, Less Than Jake came on excitedly and quickly got to playing. Their fast-paced songs were led by an equally fast guitar and punctuated by the signature ska sound of the trombone and saxophone. Most of their songs were fast, quick, and fun, but occasionally the set wound down to a more ska and less punk sound. Throughout their set, mosh pits were continuous and crowd surfers glided along by the dozen.

Of course, what E-Days concert doesn’t involve some ridiculous antics by the headlining band? Less Than Jake was quick to announce that they were actually the band Reel Big Fish and that they were from Tulsa, OK, neither of which is true. A few times, people were invited up on stage and asked to do one thing or another. The band ego was enormous, explaining how they were better than several other bands, such as My Chemical Romance and blink-182, based on ticket prices and such. All in all, their ridiculous attitude added to the atmosphere of the obviously ska punk concert.

Explaining that they don’t leave the stage and come back for encores anymore, they finished off their 90-minute set with three-song “encore,” and let the crowd go, finishing off a fun night.

One of the most influential alternative rock bands of the last 2 decades, Dinosaur Jr., made a two-show visit to Colorado last week. One of those shows at a moderately-filled Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins proved to be a night to remember.

First up was a grunge band from Brisbane, Australia, named “Violent SoHo.” The four men drew extensively from their Nirvana influences, from the mix of instruments to their greasy long hair. Violent SoHo was able to go from song to song with great energy and stage presence, combining grunge melodies with the broader sound of two guitars to give the crowd a chance to rock out. Their 40-minute set was solid from start to finish, technically flawless in performance.

Next was Lou Barlow, the bassist for Dinosaur Jr., backed up by the Missing Men. His pop punk set was simple, yet by no means cliché. The fast-paced songs meshed together to form another 40-minute set of driving music. The band had very little interaction with the crowd, preferring to just play music. Their love for their songs was easily seen as they enjoyed their simple, yet creative riffs.

After a 45-minute gap between sets, Dinosaur Jr. finally came on stage to the relief of the restless crowd. Quickly getting into it, they launched into their first song, setting the pace for the rest of the set. Contrary to some complaints from the crowd, guitarist/signer J Mascis simply said, “Less vocals. More guitar.” That attitude carried through the night. Even the stage set up testified to this. Two stacks of Marshal amps numbering near a dozen each framed both sides of the stage. Understandably then, Dinosaur Jr. put on a phenomenally loud show.

The guitar solos far exceeded the prevalence of any singing. What singing there was end up being completely incomprehensible as it was weakly tossed into the lake of guitar. However, this does not count against the quality of Dinosaur Jr. The guitar solos were brain-meltingly skilled and perfectly executed for minutes on end. Between songs, Mascis would show off for a minute while the bassist Lou Barlow re-tuned. Random riffs came together for short, fleeting songs that would quickly be buried by the overwhelming volume of the real set.

The second half of the set turned the pace up a notch from wandering epics to simple rock and roll. This half of the set proved to be more exciting than the former since the songs known by the crowd all fell within this half. After an hour and a half of fast-paced alternative rock, they quietly ended, bringing the night to a close.

Words by Spencer Nelson, Photos by Tim Weilert

Photo courtesy Joe McCabe from Kreative Kontrol / Denver Post Reverb

“I don’t blog about dates,” said Tim to start off our night. In his stead, I get to tell you guys about the Plain White T’s and Snow Patrol and the show they played last night at the Fillmore. In addition to not blogging about dates, he also doesn’t take pictures at dates. Therefore, I’ll keep this short since there are no pics to keep your interest.

First up was the Plain White T’s. The most memorable part of their set was that it wasn’t memorable at all, with the exception of the always popular “Hey There Delilah.” The only group of people more motionless than the band was the crowd. They played as energetically as they could while staring at their shoes. The set was a hit with the middle school crowd, which was not so prevalent at this 16+ show. After hitting every radio single from the last 4 years, they quietly left without much hesitation from the crowd.

Quickly shifting gears from the unremarkable set, Snow Patrol came out to the excited crowd with “If There’s a Rocket Tie Me To It.” However, thanks to some several technical problems that completely cut out the bass guitarist, they apologized and walked off stage, promising to come back out as if nothing happened. A few minutes later, they continued their show without glitch. About half the show came from A Hundred Million Suns, an album we rated here as the 9th best album of 2008. They managed to play all the songs I was hoping for, including “Chasing Cars” and “Crack the Shutters.” Finally, for their encore, they played the three-song combination of “Lightning Strike,” followed by another song that I forgot. They played an extra 20 minutes on top of their 50 minute set. In all, Snow Patrol put on a lively show with brilliant lighting and kept the crowd energetic through the end. Remember Snow Patrol on your next date night.

Many bands specialize in the catchy or heavy guitar riffs while others rely on a phenomenal vocalist while others gain listeners by using strange music structure and theory. Frank Turner doesn’t specialize in any of those areas. On the surface actually, Frank Turner isn’t all that special at all. No spectacular guitar solos, no massive vocals, nothing fantastic. However, the beauty of his most recent album, Poetry of the Deed, comes from it’s deceptive simplicity. Beyond the average surface, a series of creative melodies mix for something not at all average.

After the British hardcore punk band Million Dead dissolved away, lead singer Frank Turner shifted his focus from rocking out to piecing together a more in-depth folk genre. Several elements from Million Dead have worked into Poetry of the Deed in the guitars and vocal melody. All in all though, Turner keeps it simple. Waltzing around in genres from piano rock like Waking Ashland to a very acoustic folk like Iron and Wine, Turner uses his simple approach to say what he wants.

The overall tone of the album is very light and positive with few songs ever dragging along in a dark minor. Even lyrically Turner is light-hearted. The second track, “Try This at Home” concerns how rock stars are really just people, so you too should go out there and play your guitar. Immediately following, “Dan’s Song” reflects on life and how the best parts are often as simple as drinking a beer in a park with his friend Dan.

Released just yesterday, Poetry of the Deed should be high on the list to pick up, not for the shiny parts, but rather the blended simplicity of some good music.

Also, make sure you don’t miss seeing Frank Turner open for Gaslight Anthem, Murder by Death, and The Loved Ones on Sunday at the Ogden. We’re even sending one of our own, Jake, to get an interview with Frank, so keep an eye out for that next week.

Listen to some of “Try This At Home” right here (via Epitaph Records)

Hey everybody, look! Spencer’s helping me out while he’s in Texas

My summer has me placed in the armpit of Texas where the local music scene appears to be as diverse as the monotonous, muggy weather. A nice bit of relief from the Texas country that is so prevalent (no offense) came from a band that strove from the beginning to be unique. The Epilogues, a fixture of the Denver music scene for the last few years, set out with a different take on music. Their combination of synth, guitar riffs, and dance beats has achieved and surpassed their goal of a new, different style that is just as good as it is separated.

The Beautiful, The Terrifying starts with arguably their best song. Unashamed of their synth melodies, the song, “King Arthur,” is driven by the varied, yet simple tune. The rest of the album falls close to “King Arthur” in tempo and instrumentation. Synth and the guitar mutually support each other in forming the backbone for The Epilogues. Both vary in tone, style, and strength with each song. While one or the other tends to fall into the background when most bands mix guitars and synth, The Epilogues manage to keep both equal. Vocally, The Epilogues are also rather unique. It takes a bit to get used to his lispy vocals, but it’s hardly noticed when you pay attention to the music.

Also, The Epilogues put on a lively show that should never be passed up. Their lively dance beats keep every song moving and fun.

Tim’s Note: Be sure to check them out at The UMS 7pm on Sunday at TS Board Shop.

Pouring coffee on yourself is a very distressing occasion. Doing so will ruin both your shirt and your night. However, despite the vanilla latte my shirt was soaking up, my night was not all for loss as Andrea Ball and Trace Bundy filled the night with their relaxing melodies.

Filling Everyday Joe’s, a coffee shop in Fort Collins, to capacity, roughly 250 sat in eager silence as Andrea Ball picked up her guitar and started beating on it in a way somewhat musical. The song eventually took on more form as the drummer and bassist picked up the melody and continued along. Her set, simple in instrumentation and structure, progressed with Ball moving between piano and guitar regularly. Her voice led the way providing the varied strengths and weaknesses of the songs. Between songs, her dry sense of humor kept things going relating songs with influences and other random parts of her life. For more information on Andrea Ball, take a look at the album review we posted not too long ago.

Following up Andrea Ball’s hour-long set, Trace Bundy took the stage with little flair. No stranger to Everyday Joe’s, a sense of belonging aired about him as he adeptly picked up his guitar and beat it as percussion, starting quite similarly to Andrea Ball. Bundy’s extensive use of tapping, delay, and looping gave him a very unique sound that was as pleasurable to listen to as it was to watch. Between songs, stories about his travels around the world, learning how to text, and or the background for the next song filled the gaps, keeping people laughing as he tuned his guitars. For the most part, he played alone, only being joined occasionally by his violinist and, even rarer, his wife.

Bundy’s sense of humor matched his skill at the guitar. He revealed that the first song he learned on the guitar was “One” by Metallica. However, it’s become a bit too easy for him over the years. To keep the challenge fresh, he played the famous riff on his iPhone using a guitar app. His violinist also joined him with a violin app. The story behind his song “Dueling Ninjas” was equally entertaining with details about how ninjas dislike violins and were therefore angry at each other. Through the entirety of his two-hour set, the crowd sat laughing and amazed at the Colorado-native guitarist.

Words by Spencer Nelson, Photos by Tim Weilert

Rob Drabkin, named Westword’s “Best Singer-Songwriter of 2008,” is a man after my own heart. With hair doubling the size of his head, how can this Denver native go wrong? Surpassing the size of his huge hair is the size and range of his versatile tenor voice. Every corner of his talent is explored on his latest album On These Heavy Feet. With songs light-hearted and upbeat, this album is a spectacular addition to any summer playlist.

The album starts with an orchestral bit, full of strings. Although the strings make subtle appearances in the second track, they are markedly absent throughout most of the rest of the album, with the exception of the instrumental “Lullaby.” The second track, the first full length song, sets the mood for the rest of the album much more satisfactory than the first track. Drabkin’s soaring vocals waver throughout as he explores the high end of his range.

Several instruments come together in Drabkin’s music, from the traditional guitars and piano to the less conventional accordions and saxophones. The blended instruments keep at a fast, upbeat pace for most of the album. Typically, when the vocals aren’t in the spotlight, Drabkin’s own acoustic guitar leads the way with melodies both simple and complex. Metal guitarist turned jazz musician, Drabkin’s catchy melodies lead into several songs. One of the beautiful things about this album is how well all the instruments come together to make every song solid.

Drabkin’s strong, sometimes overbearing, voice is central in the album. Following this thought, his lyrics also form a large part of the feel of the album. Most songs are about love. Love of all kinds: celebrated, lost, potential. His light-hearted way of singing allows for relaxation no matter what the lyrics.

Musically, vocally, and lyrically similar to Dave Matthews Band, it’s easy to see the potential of this local band. From start to finish, this chilled album keeps interest from start to finish. Also, Rob Drabkin is quite fun to watch live if you ever get the chance. He takes the already energetic music to a whole other level with the excessive solos on all of the instruments.

Rob is on the Westword Music Showcase ballot for this year! (and he was one of our nominations). If you haven’t voted, hit that up here.Up next we just got Andrea Ball’s album (another artist on the Westword M.S. we nominated), expect to see that review soon.

While the rest of the world was tucked away in blankets sipping hot chocolate, roughly 70 people trekked out to downtown Denver in the cold, dreary weather to see one of Denver’s most non-dreary bands. Headlining at the Hi Dive, the Photo Atlas, along with the openers 1090 Club and The Forecast, put on a show that made all the hassle of driving through the downpour worth it.

As I waited for the show to start, I struck up a conversation with one of the maybe 10 people there (the rest showed up after the concert started). He said he used to write for Chicago’s version of Westword, a newspaper that especially spotlights local music. He made it a point to get to this show specifically for the first opening band, The Forecast. Hailing from Peoria, Illinois, The Forecast could best be described as a Midwest punk band straight from the mid-90′s. With the volume cranked up (almost to the point of discomfort), The Forecast blazed through songs with considerable skill as they mixed the vocals of both male and female lead singers with the ever-driving guitar. Their sound rang quite familiar since they come out of a well-explored genre. However, the songs were still distinct and there were no dead points to the set.

Next up was a band quite familiar to this blog, 1090 Club. The first content we put up here was a review of The Appleseed Cast concert where 1090 Club opened, shortly followed by a review of the album Natural Selection, which has since been released. Starting strong, the band kept a steady pace with their heart-felt vocals. Their unconventional mix including a piano and a violin, but lacking a bass, worked nicely for them. Similar to The Forecast, 1090 Club had mixed vocals frequently through their music. The darker sound of 1090 Club transitioned perfectly from the upbeat riffs of The Forecast to the minor tone of The Photo Atlas.

No newcomer to the Denver music scene, The Photo Atlas has a unique sound that can best be described as “dance punk.” Even my friend from Chicago knew of The Photo Atlas’ reputation around Denver. With an invitation for the spread-out crowd to come in closer “so we can all dance together,” The Photo Atlas started with their typical rock sound that broke down into a dance beat for the chorus. The complex guitar riffs, often reminding me of Saosin, tied songs together from start till finish. Vocals, closer to melodic yelling than anything else, fit well with their style of music. It was rather strange the first time the dance beats came in since it’s not expected at a rock concert. However, as the set progressed, people started moving more and more. Old songs and new fell together, pulling music from throughout their career. Time flew as the band played, making the end of the 45-minute set seem like it was still the beginning.

I pity all who decided against this $8 show because of the weather. We’ll keep you informed of other chances to see these guys. Video interviews with all three of these bands to follow…

Words by Spencer Nelson, Photos by Patrick Beseda

Nine Inch Nails was formed in 1988. Ilan Rubin, the current drummer for Nine Inch Nails, was born in 1988. While many people aged 20 are typically focused on passing their final exams this time of year, Rubin focuses on his life as a rock star. As if it wasn’t enough that he is the drummer for a Grammy-winning rock band that predates his own birth and the former drummer for another famous band, Lostprophets, he now has his own side project, The New Regime, consisting of just himself. Fitting the stream of the rest of his music career, his first solo album Coup is incredible.

Although known for his talent on the drums, Rubin proves time after time that he is more than a drummer; he is a musician. Stating this point, the album starts powerfully with a dark piano solo as rich in sound as it is simple. As all of the instruments that he recorded separately come together in melody, his voice comes out above it all. Like every other part of the album, every part of the harmonized, Queen-like vocals are Rubin too. Having had no experience vocally before recording Coup, Rubin did an excellent job, although he sounds more like the singer from a post-hardcore band than a rock star.

The rest of the album proceeds without too many surprises. Although the sound is fairly homogeneous, every song is still recognizable from each other. The melodies are quite clear and stay with you. Rubin has great skill on the instruments he plays. Both “The Collapse” and “Time Erase” have excellently placed piano parts bordering classical in style. Unlike most rock bands, the guitars aren’t always the centerpiece. Most of the time, they are mixed in with the rest of the instruments to form a more solid sound with no particular part standing out. There are exceptions, of course, including “Tap Dancing in a Mine Field,” which heavily relies on a catchy guitar riff.

Coup varies a fair amount within a general rock genre. Although no particular song stands out as something incredibly new and ground-breaking, the album as a whole stands its ground, well-differentiated from a majority of the mainstream, post-grunge rock bands out there. Many people are tempted to end a review by saying “It’s pretty good considering it’s only one guy.” However, that is an understatement. This is a good album regardless of the number of band members. The fact that it is one guy doing it all makes the album even more of a feat. The New Regime is highly recommended for fans of Queen, Incubus, and Nine Inch Nails.

Check out a live video of “The Collapse” right here!

For more on The New Regime, check out www.thenewregimemusic.com