Something Like Sound

In a continuing effort to get you to actually listen to my recommendations, here are some more links to free and legal downloads of Colorado bands.

Albums and EPs

Hearts of Palm – complete collection

Chain Gang of 1974 – Guerilla EP

Everything Absent or Distorted – The Lucky One EP

M. Pyres – & New Past Tense EP

Pretty Lights – Passing Behind Your Eyes

Katie Herzig – Live In Studio: Acoustic Trio

(only available until Nov. 15 for free)

Live Recordings (from The Flat Response)

Houses at the Hi-Dive (UMS – 7/24/09)

Danielle Ate The Sandwich at the Bluebird (10/17/09)

When classes ended at the Colorado School of Mines in May of 2009 we got a wild idea: let’s curate a compilation of our favorite local acts and give it away for free! Over the span of 6 months we managed to gather a group of songs that reflect the diversity and quality of the Denver music scene. It is my hope that everyone can find a track that they enjoy on this compilation and discover something wonderful and new. Please support the artists who contributed by purchasing their music and attending their concerts.

Track List

1. The Photo Atlas – “Jealous Teeth”

2. The Epilogues – “King Arthur”

3. Dualistics – “Last Call”

4. The Heyday – “Come In Or Stay Out”

5. Red Fox Run – “Remembering”

6. Young Coyotes – “When I Was In The Fire”

7. Houses – “We’re Alright”

8. Hello Kavita – “Sunday (It’s A Chrome Tide)”

9. Rob Drabkin – “Sweet Things”

10. Danielle Ate The Sandwich – “Handsome Girl”

11. Paper Bird – “St. Louis”

DOWNLOAD COLORADO SOUNDS

Gregory Alan Isakov has played an interesting role for the past several months. Rather than being the one with his name up on the marquee, or the man with the hot spot on the festival schedule, he’s been the humble opener. Perhaps it was this humility (and the down-to-earth atmosphere) that made his grand headlining show / vinyl release party at the Bluebird all the more enjoyable.What was even more amazing: the entirely Colorado-local lineup sold out the venue.

The first act was singer-songwriter Andy Thomas (who may possibly be the busiest guy in Denver, holding down jobs at Suburban Home Records & Westword while also drumming for Only Thunder). Thomas, armed only with his acoustic guitar, belted through a quick, folksy set that had a slight punk-feel (similar, I suppose, to Chuck Ragan, but more stripped down).

Friend to the blog Danielle Ate The Sandwich was next. What I found more amazing than just the set was the fact that the house was fairly packed by the time Danielle (& her bassist Dennis) took the stage. Not much more can be said about Danielle’s set than has been said in past reviews: it was charming and her music quickly drew in everyone present. As I recall, the sound-quality that night was superb, and Danielle’s set played incredibly well with the crowd.

Changing things up a bit, Eleanor took the stage with a full-band presence that their mellow pop-styling. The experience was moving, especially for singer Ryan Brasher, who apologized for getting choked up during the second song. Among the highlights were the songs “Would I Have Chosen You?” and the set-closer “It Takes One To Know One.”

By the time Gregory Alan Isakov and his band took the stage, the crowd had reached maximum capacity. Kicking off the set with “Big Black Car,” Isakov & Co. played through nearly every song from 2007′s That Sea, The Gambler and 2009′s This Empty Northern Hemisphere. What captured my attention was the sheer beauty, quality, and simplicity of Greg’s work. Isakov was not the only one who played a solid set, his band was spot-on.  After over an hour, everyone left the stage only to return twice for encores. I sincerely doubt that anyone in the crowd left that night feeling as though their money wasn’t well spent.

There are a few loose ends to tie up here. First, we got a video interview with Greg, it will be posted when I find the time to edit the footage. Second, our friend Lance from The Flat Response was there, perhaps he’ll post the sets from that night (I know I’d appreciate them). Finally, This Empty Northern Hemisphere is now available on vinyl, go pick up a copy from Suburban Home Records.

Since this is the first bit of free time I’ve had since getting back from the weekend’s festivities, the review will be for both days. Similar to what I did for the Westword Music Showcase review, each band gets 50 words max.

Saturday

Gregory Alan Isakov: The first set we saw all weekend was from one of Colorado’s best singer-songwriters. Gregory played a solid set, which included my favorites “Virginia May” and “Big Black Car.”

Speakeasy Tiger: We didn’t catch much of this set, but it reminded me of any number of 80′s girl-pop bands.

Lydia: It was my second time seeing this group, and I actually appreciated their set more having listened to their record. The vocals came off a little sharp, but in the end it turned out to be a well-rounded set.

Danielle Ate The Sandwich: Danielle was in her prime as she played to a packed crowd at the smallest stage. Along with her bassist Dennis, this was probably one of the best sets I’ve seen her put on.

Frightened Rabbit: Only caught a few songs there, really nothing to write home about.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: It was during this set that everything got soaked (and didn’t dry for the rest of the day). ‘Pains’ reminded me of The Clash mixed with a touch of the Smiths (at least Johnny Marr’s guitar tone).

OK GO: Their good song was good, although they didn’t have any treadmills in tow. It was danceable at best.

The Walkmen: Another set in the rain. I might have zoned out for a good portion of The Walkmen. They were good, but didn’t really have any songs that stood out.

M. Ward: While he did play a couple songs from Hold Time, I really wished he would’ve played more from that record. However, ending the set with “Roll Over Beethoven” had to be one of the highlights for the entire day.

Boulder Acoustic Society: We determined that these guys took all of the gypsy and punk aspects of DeVotchKa and boiled them down into pure energy.

Girl Talk: Perhaps the best set of the entire first day, Girl Talk didn’t let the rain keep things from getting good. It was like a high school dance on speed. Not only was it fun to dance to, I also found spotting where samples had come from as another layer of enjoyment.

Of Montreal: I was not prepared for what happened during this set. There were people in costumes and strange projections. It was probably equivalent to taking a bunch of acid then having a psychedelic trip. However, it was still an amazing set and a good way to end the day.

Note: We skipped Yeah Yeah Yeah’s headlining set to beat the traffic. Also, we were cold, wet, and feeling rather miserable.

Sunday

A Shoreline Dream: We were at it early again the next day and caught this band’s day-opening set. It was rather odd to see such a dark, prog-rock set indoors while the noon-time sun was brightly shining outside.

Jim Mcturnan and the Kids That Killed the Man: I actually ran in to drummer John Fate the previous day and he encouraged me to catch this set. I have also determined that Mike Marchant is in every band in Denver. As far as the set went, I like how Westword described it: “Dinosaur Jr. minus ten 100 watt Marshalls, a few temper tantrums and the pretension.”

We Were Promised Jetpacks: One suggestion I have for Monolith next year is do something different with the indoor stages. We were promised a We Were Promised Jetpacks set, but were forced to wait in the lobby for most of the set since the room was at capacity. However, we did catch the amazing ending to the Broncos game while waiting there, so not all was lost.

There you have it, a review about a band that really didn’t involve the band at all. Actually what we did see was quite good.

Rahzel: I am still in awe of this man’s beat-boxing ability. He had a DJ up there with him, but often just ‘boxed the beats himself. Also, he could actually sing, not something that can be said of all rappers.

Monotonix: I really didn’t know what to expect here. It was like if Borat had a cracked out old-school punk rock band. It was definitely a highlight for the entire weekend.

The Dandy Warhols: Stoner music, ‘nough said.

The Thermals: This Portland group played through a number of mildly enthusiastic songs, including a Sonic Youth cover. Overall, the simplicity of this band had me a little bored.

HEALTH: Since I had a hard time getting any good pictures, I tried to take one that reflected how it felt to be there. A violent jumble of noise and drum beats, HEALTH’s set was unlike anything I’d ever heard. It shook me to the core, but had danceable beats at certain points.

French Horn Rebellion: I got really bored very quickly with this group. It was standard electro-pop with absolutely no attitude whatsoever.

Methodman & Redman: I’m fairly certain there was a cloud of weed-smoke floating over the amphitheater during their entire set.

Passion Pit: More dance music, although this stuff had a full band, so it was more enjoyable. However, I really could not find a way around the singer’s ridiculous falsetto, it was incredibly distracting.

Phoenix: Once again, a decent band, but no real stand-out songs. It was danceable and played well with the main stage atmosphere, but kinda fell short.

Chromeo: This Canadian duo outdid most of the other electro-pop acts in that they also played live instruments.

The Mars Volta: The headliner for the second night was not a let down in the least. The energy that singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala and guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez brought to the stage had people in a frenzy. They played through a number of newer songs before playing my favorites “Drunkship of Lanterns” and “The Widow.” At one point they even played “Eunuch Provacateur,” a song from their first EP saying it was a response to the breakup of At The Drive-In.

Suggestion for how to actually sell out Monolith next year: Get At The Drive-In to reunite and play a one-time-only show.

Overall, Monolith was a good weekend, although there were several times during Saturday that I felt like going home (the weather was bringing me down). Overall there were a few gems in there, but for the most part it was a lot of hipster-dance and fairly generic rock.

Patrick Beseda // Photo By Tim Weilert

Welcome back to school! If you’re reading this there’s a good possibility that you’re at the lovely (and notorious) Colorado School of Mines. While you were off drilling for oil or designing yet another SolidWorks model, we were busy going to concerts, conducting interviews, and reviewing the best new music that Denver has to offer. Here’s some of the highlights from the 2009 Denver summer music season.

• Interviews! We got tons of them: everybody from Bad Religion, Lucero, and Big Head Todd & The Monsters to local favorites such as Danielle Ate The Sandwich, Paper Bird, Rob Drabkin, The Heyday, and Dualistics. Also, most of our interviews are in video form for your entertainment.
• Festivals! With access to the summer’s hottest festivals, be sure to read up on the Westword Music Showcase, Mile High Music Festival, The Underground Music Showcase, and Warped Tour.
• Reviews! Just scroll through a couple pages to see all the records we listened to this summer. Most of our favorites were local acts, sure to make it big soon.
• A compilation! Just when you thought there wasn’t anything else, we’re dropping this on you. Coming soon (hopefully September 4, to coincide with the Celebration of Mines), we will be releasing our first compilation of local acts on the newly formed OrediggeRecords.
• A contest! Be our 200th follower on Twitter and win!

Tim Weilert // Photo By Patrick Beseda

So consider joining the team and check out one of The Oredigger‘s informational sessions.

Saturday was different. Not to say it was better or worse than another day, it was just gray (or grey, depending on how geeky you are). It almost felt like a different festival all together, the cloudy/rainy skies certainly had me feeling a bit more mellow than normal.

Upon arrival, Jake and I checked out the full-band John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light, but left soon after, because I had just seen John on Thursday (and the songs, while being full-band, were the same ones he had done solo-acoustic). We wandered over to South Broadway Christian Church to catch Elin Palmer & Kal Cahoone, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not another Palmer set (having seen her the night before), but an entirely different experience.

We continued wandering and soon found ourselves at the TS Board shop watching Bastards of Young finish their set, then ran in to Virgil from Suburban Home. He introduced us to In The Red, and their drummer Matt Glasgow (who Virgil claims is the “Tallest Drummer in the World”). After listening to some of their hardcore-punk-rock, it was time for something completely different.

Having seen The Wheel the previous night, I was eager to catch Joseph Pope III. Yet again we found ourselves mellowing out to his folksy guitar-based songs. Next up was Dressy Bessy, a band with lots of energy and danceability (although, as Lance from The Flat Response pointed out, the crowd wasn’t in to it, so things fell a little flat on that end).

As things at the outdoor stage finished up, it was time for one of my faves: Danielle Ate The Sandwich. The Hornet got pretty crowded as people crammed in to the limited space to hear Danielle play her unique ukulele songs. It was a thoroughly enjoyable set, complete with a few covers (I think I heard some Hall & Oates, and maybe some TLC). Danielle was her normal charming self and kept the crowd’s attention, even between songs.

It was out into the rain again to get down to Indy Ink for Mike Marchant (of Widowers). I knew that we were in a good place by the other people who were there watching (I’m pretty sure I saw some of Bela Karoli, and most of Houses, more on that in a bit). Mike’s songs, although mostly “slow/sad,” played well with the weather, and his more upbeat tunes were well appreciated. At the end of the set he invited his band mates from Houses to play “We’ll See The Sun,” and I can’t think of a better way to end a set.

By this point, I was beat. Staying out until 2am for two nights in a row makes even the young (and presumably strong) pretty tired on the third day. So we called it a night and headed home.

Here comes the second, just like the first, a little bit louder and a whole lot worse.

Saturday

Joseph Pope III (Rock The Cradle, 3 pm): I haven’t had a chance to catch his solo act yet, but I have enjoyed what he has added to The Wheel.

Elin Palmer (South Broadway Christian Church, 4pm): After seeing her play Friday night, I’m impressed (and also a little intrigued to learn more about Sweden). I might not show up to this one (since I did just see her), but you definitely should check it out.

In The Red (TS Board Shop, 5:30 pm): As a band on the local Suburban Home Records, I’ve heard alot about these guys, but haven’t heard them live yet.

Astrophagus (Hi-Dive, 6:30 pm): A band that combines beautiful and trippy soundscapes with guitar and trumpet. It’s like the ’59 sound remixed.

Wardens (Hi-Dive, 8:00 pm): I met the lovely ladies from Wardens Friday night, and I said I’d be there. Plus these girls came all the way from Brooklyn.

Danielle Ate The Sandwich (Hornet, 8:15 pm): Ukulele madness! You gotta love Danielle’s unique style

Dualistics (Skylark, 9:30 pm): Get ready to rock out, plus hear some new tunes from this group.

Bad Weather California (Hi-Dive, Midnight): Another excellent closer for the evening, Bad Weather will certainly not let Saturday go quietly into the night.

Sunday

The Pseudo-Dates (TS Board Shop, 3:30 pm): Another band I met during the festival. These guys seem like a fun bunch, so why not check them out (what else would you be doing at 3:30 on a Sunday?)

Hawks of Paradise (Goodwill Parking Lot, 4:30): Last time I saw these guys was opening for Akron/Family, and I remember it being very loud (in a good way).

1090 Club (Goodwill Parking Lot, 6 pm): I already did a write up on these guys, read that.

Andrea Ball (Hi-Dive, 8:15 pm): I had “Beat Beat Pound” stuck in my head today (again), maybe she can get it stuck in yours too.

Bowerbirds (Hi-Dive, 10 pm): This group is making the trek all the way from North Carolina to croon us Colorado folk, don’t miss it.

This is our last video from Danielle’s set, enjoy. Also, get ready for some AWESOME MILE HIGH MUSIC FESTIVAL ACTION!!!!! That will start tomorrow and go through Sunday (maybe Monday, depending on how wiped-out I will be after going solo for 2 solid days at the fest).

-Tim

Note: Alright everybody, so I actually had this uploaded to YouTube like 2 days ago, and it already has over 200 hits, so here’s our official blog post about it

-Tim