By Alex Danger Stewart

So I was reading this Cracked article (because: shut up. that’s why) and it helped me realize two things.

1. That Ke$ha lady does have actual lyrics

2. She is completely lacking even a glimmer of an understanding of how similes work.

Take the line that everyone knows, “Wake up in the mornin feelin like P Diddy”

What the hell does that mean?  What feeling is P Diddy indicative of?  He’s a complicated dude.  I imagine he wakes up feeling ambitious.  Maybe she has woken up feeling like a man with 7 or 8 children. Possibly feeling like someone who has had multiple friends/associates murdered in hip hop feuds.   Is she just trying to say that she’s woken up feeling like a person who is so rich that they have their own vodka brand?  Then why not follow that line of reasoning through the end of the song? That would make an awesome song. Plus Diddy barely records anymore so he probably hasn’t worn out references to the awesomeness of his own life.

Still, what’s another word used to describe a rapper who is rich and glamorous that everyone already knows the meaning of?  A pimp!

“Wake up in the morning feeling like a pimp.”

I just made the object of the sentence make more sense without changing the flow. We can even change the 2nd line from, “”Got my glasses, I’m out the door gonna hit this city.” to something that still rhymes with the end of the first (because Diddy and city totally rhyme).  “Wake up in the morning feeling like a pimp.  Tripping over last night, stumbling like a gimp.”  The whole song is about getting super drunk.  As an alcoholic, Ke$ha would clearly be a bit hung over until she brushed her teeth with Jack and started feeling normal again.  Did the author of Tik Tok write a 2nd draft?

Let’s say they intentionally sat down and thought, “I’d like to make a reference to an actual person in the first line.”  If one is going to do that, one would have to expand on the thought and show WHY the speaker is feeling like that person.

For example: “Wake up in the morning feeling like Wilt Chamberlain.  Good at basketball, and fucking, and being really tall, man.”

See. I made a reference to a famous person and then illustrated why one might be feeling like that person using three well-known facts about him.  Wilt Chamberlain is famous for being one of the most dominant players in NBA history; having allegedly slept with over 20,000 women in his lifetime, and standing 7’1″ tall. That’s how it works!

I ought to be getting paid for this stuff.

by Alex Danger Stewart

Joie De Vivre-You Ruined Everything that was Ever Good

With You Ruined Everything that was Ever Good, the titular track of their 2010 tour EP, Joie De Vivre brought something so far unseen to the table: Swagger.

Prior to this song, the band’s lyrical aesthetic could best be described as, “Earnest Apathy“.  That is to say any number of songs in their catalog can be summed up by a scruffy young man yelping, “I feel bad about these things, but I don’t know how to change them.”  One could easily imagine a girl breaking up with JDV’s lyrical persona.  Upon hearing the news, the persona slumps down in his chair and says, “Oh ok.” Then the persona drives home and feels bad about himself until his friends come over with a 24 pack of beer and some old Alkaline Trio albums (incidentally it would look like this).

That’s what makes this song so different.  Maybe it’s because of the hilarious origins (see their recent appearance on our podcast), but You Ruined Everything that was Ever Good has none of that reluctance or longing usually present in a Joie De Vivre track.  Lunging forward at a pace that veers shockingly close to up tempo, the guitars bite instead of chime.  One can actually move their hips to this thing.  Singer  Brandon Lutmer’s usually propensity for stretching words out to bar length is replaced by what amounts to urgency; gnawing at the bit to get all of his words out (relatively speaking).

“Staying out all night/ to follow you home convinced me that I was right/ in letting you go.  I couldn’t wait to tell you/that things are fine,” he sings to an unnamed party.  Basically telling her, “It’s cool. I’m better now anyway.”  Then the barbs get more venomous, plainly stating, “You weren’t missed by anyone,” repeating it before ending the song with the chanted, “You ruined/everything that was ever good.  You ruined/everything that was ever good.”  Ouch.  As far as emo bands go, it’s basically a Ludacris song.  Everything is delivered with confidence and a smirk.  It almost makes you want to strut.

I’m sure that we’ll all go back to Charlie Brown moments soon enough, but it’s nice to have a rallying cry for moving on.  Give it six months. This song will be a sing along song.

Visit Joie De Vivre’s myspace page to hear the song: http://www.myspace.com/joiedevivreband

The Halfway Point: A 2010 Music Review
Songs, records, cds, downloads, whatever.
National, International, Regional, Rewinds & Letdowns

By SMS Editorial & Contributing Writers:
Chip Copeland (cC)  |  Alex Danger Stewart (aDs)   |  Dave DeCastris (dD)  |  Andrew Whorehall (aW)

We apologize for being a bit late with this, it’s been in the works for 2 months. It’s our rookie attempt to cover the first half of 2010. Below is a brief list of what Sock Monkey Sound has been listening to and recommends at the 2010 halfway point. With so little time and money, we’re sure we’ve missed a bunch so leave your comments at the bottom of this very long, hopefully informative, blog post.

Cheers.
SMS > cC  |  aDs  |  dD  |  aW
08.07.2010

_______________________________________________

cC suggests:

NATIONAL RELEASES

Admiral Radley "I Heart California"

Admiral Radley - I Heart California 1/2 Grandaddy + 1/2 Earlimart = Pure Awesomeness!

Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record Always liked Broken Social scene in the past but this record is tighter and more efficient in delivering the goods and the promise of this band. This is the kind of cohesiveness I wish Sonic Youth was still able to muster these days.

Stars – The Five Ghosts: Waaaayyy better than their last record, In Our Bedroom After the War, almost hitting the same knd of highs that were evident on Set Yourself on Fire.

Family Band – Miller Path I’ve really been wrapping myself up in this moody and exquisite album that is spooky and drenched in atmosphere in much the same way as The Nationals latest. Imagine a darker and more haunting version of Mazzy Star and you’re on the right track.

Field Music – Measure Proggy and yet still remaining very song oriented. Reminiscent at times of The Sea and Cake, an evenly enjoyable listen.

Honorable mentions:
Teenage Fanclub - Shadows

REGIONAL / INDIE / LOCAL RELEASES
Because of Sock Monkey Sound I’ve discovered more local indie artists than ever before. So most of what I’ve been listening to is lesser known bands from around here or elsewhere.

The Braves – The Leaves are Black / Quiet Hushed Animals: I make no apologies that I love this band, I know these guys and have been equally amazed at how good they all are at their craft as evidenced by their solo projects and new bands that they have gone onto form. The fucking shame about this record is that unless you know someone in Rockford, IL that knows one of the guys in the band YOU”LL NEVER HEAR THIS RECORD.

I fault the band for not being more proactive in making these songs available via Bandcamp.com or on a website. They don’t have to charge anything if they don’t want to but I think there is an audience that is willing to fork over $5-$8 bucks for an 18 song download.

Until then, folks can buy their last official release Love and Mercy on iTunes for $8.91 or Emusic and after you listen to that email thebravestheband@hotmail.com and demand that they make ALL OF their music available for download online. 30 years from now The Braves will be remembered as one of those great unsung regional acts that never found an audience in their day but influenced a slew of younger acts from Rockford.

Ex Norwegian – Sketch This Florida based band continues to craft tight yet creative power pop that reminds me of Badfinger, Big Star, and that other power pop band from Rockford that everybody talks about excessively. Can’t wait to see them at the first Sock Monkey Sound showcase show September 1st at Kryptonite Bar.

Geronimo! – Fuzzy Dreams Man, is it still 1993 or what. I wish I still owned flannel so I could sport it at the next Geronimo! show. These guys are tight but the intros at the beginning of these songs work better in a live setting than on record. A solid effort by some nice dudes.

The Felix Culpa – Sever Your Roots It’s not often that a band with no money, no label, and a 3 year gap in between albums is able to record a record as intricate as Sever Your Roots. While not a perfect record it is certainly impressive that a regional at is able reach a level of this quality, much like The Braves did on Quiet Hushed Animals. I’m interested in seeing them release something again- hopefully in a timelier manner.

The Projection People – Self Titled Once again here’s another band from the region, Madison , Wisconsin to be precise, that is making very precise and expressive music without major label support. Great arrangements and musicianship abounds on this record and if you get a chance be sure to see them live. Fans of Minus the Bear are sure to enjoy this group. See also: Jane by The Cemetery Improvement Society which features some of the members of TPP.

REWIND
Sun Kil Moon – Ghosts of the Great Highway The first line of Carry Me Ohio says it all:
sorry that
i could never love you back
i could never care enough
in these last days

LETDOWN LISTEN
Prince – 20Ten Once a great artist that has fallen prey to the trap that comes with the seclusion of being a massive star: losing touch with what’s out in the real world. The internet”s dead? F*ck you Prince. F*ck you in your stupid little ass-less pants you short little prima-donna. After you complain about not getting paid and advance for putting your stuff on iTunes how about you consider all the artists that are really struggling to make a name for themselves while making music that still matters. At least you get royalties off all the songs that continue to get played on the radio. Which won’t happen for most other musicians because major corporations like Clear Channel have a monopoly over terrestrial radio; a system that you strive so hard to fight against yet you try to perpetuate the old system of dying record labels. No amount of “genius” or “talent” can change the fact that you’re probably just an A$$hole.

_______________________________________________

aDs suggests:

The National "High Violet"

NATIONAL RELEASES
The National-High Violet:  I’ve said it a couple of times but I’ll justifiably say it again.  This album is tearing me apart.  It’s like a soundtrack to social anxiety.  Over thrumming guitars Matt Berninger sings, “Venom radio and venom television.  I’m afraid of everyone, I’m afraid of everyone. They’re the young blue bodies/with the old red bodies.”  Walking through the city on my way to class, I nod along as the whole world collapses around my headphones.  “I’m afraid of everyone,” he continues, “I’m afraid of everyone.  I don’t have the drugs to sort it out.  Sort it out.”  You and I both, dude.  You and I both.  This isn’t an album for feeling alone in a crowded room.  This is an album for feeling alone on a jam packed sidewalk, keeping an eye on the sky; waiting for a hunk of building to crumble off and come crashing down on your skull. It’s sonic self medication.  It rips open old scars and sticks a finger in the wound, just to see you squirm a bit before stitching it back up again.  Yeah, this album sticks with you.

INTERNATIONAL RELEASES
Male Bonding-Nothing Hurts Male Bonding is a band from Bristol. That’s in England, innit? I’m not quite sure what exactly this band promises but it delivers on that promise.  Simply put, this band is loud, fast, and dirty.  The tones are skuzzy and the songs are short.  This band and I share a clear love of 1990 Sub Pop.  I sing along, when I can, and shake my hair when I can’t.

REGIONAL
Geronimo-Fuzzy Dreams: There’s no two ways about it.  Geronimo will make you hurt.  They will squish your brain and punch you in the diaphragm.  Halfway through the opening song, “Thunderbattles,” one thing becomes clear: this is a band that is not afraid to write songs with riffs.  Sometimes this band likes to play fast, and sometimes they like to be atmospheric.  Though they are not always entirely sure footed, they constantly move forward with a jittery energy and another pounding of the snare.  The songs on this album make shit move.  That is, until the last song.  “Judgment Day” comes as a kiss-off disguised as a hug.  It acts as a campfire sing-along and a palette cleanser.  To say it sounds like Dust era Screaming Trees is the greatest praise I can give.

REWIND
Jim O’Rourke- Eureka I’ve always been somewhat of a fan of Mr. O’Rourke.  The albums that he worked on with Wilco and Sonic Youth number among my favorite for each band and his reputation as a Chicago composer and experimental musician is most stellar.  I spun the hell out of his 1997 album “Bad Timing,” last year.  Why then, did it take me so long to pick up more of his albums?  I don’t rightly know but 1999’s “Eureka,” has been pulling me back again and again.   As a work, it stands apart from many of O’Rourke’s albums in that it finds him molding his usual compositional elements into the form of Bacharach-esque pop songs (including covers of songs by Bacharach and Ivor Cutler).  Even within such forms, O’Rourke’s signature style shines through.  Each song beginning with an intricate finger style guitar passage, a minimal percussive rattle, or a slight buzz of synthesizer, and building from there.  There are never random moves.  Each is deliberate and gradual.  Like the cinematography in a Rossellini film, you find yourself so focused on the current image that you barely notice the change until two minutes later when it has molded itself into an entirely different song.  Then you smile.

LETDOWN LISTEN
Sleigh Bells-Treats Everything I read in the ramp up for this album described it as noise pop.  “Perfect,” I thought, imagining way too fuzzy guitars and fun, crooked harmonies to match, “I love noise and pop.”   Pitchfork said it, “…felt like rides at an amusement park, and I’d get a feeling in my stomach when the first notes kicked in: Here we go.” They used words like, “jackhammer riffs,” “beats from hip-hop and electro,” and, “supremely catchy sing-song melodies.”  Yes!  I thought I had found my summer party album.   No.  This duo sounds like all of the things that are wrong with M.I.A.’s new album (which is to say most of it).  When Indie groups use the word pop it’s supposed to mean old pop.  Not that Lil Wayne guitar album that everyone has agreed to forget.  The aesthetic of simulated stereo destruction works sometimes.  Sometimes Not when it’s used for the entirety of every song!  Clearly there is some disconnect between what was described and what exists.  One can hardly blame the band for that.  What I can blame them for is making an album that fails the only requirement of party jams.  It’s not danceable (unless the only dance move in your arsenal is the stutter step).  It doesn’t make me want to get down, or fuck, or chill, or drink.  It makes me want to hide.  This album isn’t fun.  That’s unforgivable.

______________________

dD suggests:

Spoon "Transference"

NATIONAL RELEASES
Spoon-Transference: Minimal, dark, droning, mechanically rhythmic,pop songs that build on each other, exploding into little moments. Perfect imperfections.  A fully realized production that honors their lo-fi past & recent ventures with equal amounts of focus and abandonment.  This record stands at an artistic cross roads for them. On first listen, as the cover photo suggests, “I’m bored, what are we gonna do next?”  A brilliant orange lamp siting next to the bored individual on the cover serves as a metaphor for focus and inspiration, just look at what’s around you in a different light.  “Transference” pushes their artistic ceiling slightly higher.  Their artistic foundation, Daniel & Eno, sound stronger than ever while digging deeper, continuing to search for new sounds, patterns and rhythms together unlike most veteran indie bands and musical partnerships.

ALSO:
The National – High Violet
The Mynabirds –  What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood

INTERNATIONAL
The Radio Dept.- Clinging to a Scheme Sweet, sweet, sweet sugary pop songs from Sweden that recall the finer moments of the Pet Shop Boys with a darker edge.

REGIONAL RELEASES
Joie De Vivre – The North End Young, intelligent, college kids playing off of punk emotion, setting the pace and exploding;  midwestern mood rock a decade later.  Spring love, Summer arguments, Fall heartbreak, Winter recovery,  The midwest for many of our youth growing up here. That is “The North End.”  Joie is completely out of step with today’s youth rock, they’re too smart for any scene anywhere in America right now– and all for the better.  Sit through one listen and you’ll know right away that seeing them live will be no different than putting on their record.  Like Neil and Crazy Horse, this is what ya get live too- no pretending.  “The North End” secretly implies they have no aspirations to entertain you with a light show or fancy new outfits from Hot Topic,  just empty cans of beer.   Honest brooding, rock n’ roll high on emotion and slow, steady delivery.  “The North End” owes as much respect to other regional indie acts that inspired them in their teens, The Braves, as it does to other regional & national acts that has defined the midwest underground, Mike Kinsella inspired projects (Joan of Arc/American Football/Owen).   ‘North End’ serves as a soundtrack for trying to live through your early 20s in Northern Illinois through a recession, limited opportunities, and heartbreak.  It’s a solid declaration from a young band that is only going to get louder, funnier, darker, softer and wiser with each new letdown & recording to follow.  Here’s hoping they keep it together long enough before becoming sick of each other.

Lizard Skynard – Self-Titled Lizard Skynard, despite having a perfect frontman (Lizardman) for the kids are a monstrous rock band.  Imagine Henry Rollins/ Part Deftones meets Kevin Shields and the boys from Kyuss in a train station to make space metal.  The Skynard boys (Chicago/Austin/Vancouver) feed off of lead guitarist, Jason “Mossy” Vaughn’s (Machesney Park/Rockford), wall of guitar nob turning and pedal shifting theatrics.  Vaughn’s playing is mesmerizing, turning speed metal riffs into reverb, delays, morphing into small, well-intended melodies– no different than a classical Dmitri Shostakovich film production, chaos amidst the darkness drifting into melody.  With or without Lizardman reciting monologues on top of the band, it’s a complete sound of life on earth coming to a loud, water washed horrific & beautiful end.  Produced by Greg Norman @ Electrical Audio in Chicago over the course of 1 week this past winter, this self-titled debut by a band that started as a ‘what-if’ idea in the back of a Jägermeister bus (driven around the country for 4 years to festivals and arenas by Mossy & his wife, Dana) is anything but a ‘what-if’ idea.  Every member plays as if their lives, and that of  Planet Earth’s, depends on these 30 minutes put to record for a listener’s lifetime.

REWIND LISTENS
Neil Young – American Stars N’ Bars Released in 1978, it’s often discarded as a hodge podge collection of Uncle Neil’s throwaway gems that bounce between his country rock/folk stylings and manic garage rock epic.  Often cited for featuring the magnificent, “Like a Hurricane,” a song probably more responsible for Wilco’s post Jay Bennet guitar freakouts.  Especially on their Neil inspired, “Spiders (Kidsmoke).”  Before you even get to  ‘Hurricane’ there’s country flavored ear candy in “This Old Country Waltz,” “Hey Babe,” “Hold Back The Tears,” and “Star of Bethlehem.”  After spending most of my life living in “Zuma,”  my personal Uncle Neil desert island pick, “American Stars N’ Bars” has consumed my car CD player with a few more mentioned above for the early half of 2010.

Big Star- Keep Your Eye on The Sky (Box Set) There’s a line from a famous Replacements song on “Pleased to Meet Me” named in honor for the late “Alex Chilton” (who passed away earlier this year) that goes;  “I never travel far without a little Big Star.”  I don’t think I’ve gone one year in existence since my first exposure in college to Big Star’s 1974 classic song, “September Gurls,” by a fellow classmate.  It changed the way I spell and now type, ‘gurls.’ IT inspired many songs in shoeboxes stored away trying to write any song worth having a “Gurl” in it.  It has appeared on every other cassette, cd mix I’ve made for so many people over the years.  The tragedy in sharing that one song to anyone unaware of Big Star’s brief recorded 1970s magic is that every Big Star song is worth sharing.  Every single f*cking song.  This box set, like their 3 formal studio recordings is always within an arms length for playing.

LETDOWN LISTENS
Teenage Fanclub – Shadows I expect too much out of my favorite artists I’ve grown up with.  The Fanclub’s latest is just….  a complacent listen.  They sound older, beaten… maybe that’s natural.  I’m not ready to accept this record yet.  I will return to it one day.

Broken Bells- Self-Titled I love Brian Burton’s production, his playing, everything he does as ‘Danger Mouse.’  I’ve become fond of James Mercer’s writing over the years for The Shins but not always his choice in song production or arrangements after the home made debut.  The best song he’s written is “Good For Good” on “Chutes Too Narrow.”  He’s never come close to that song’s simplicity since, lyrically or musically.   It’s a shame to these ears to want more out of the guy.  The template is there, obviously, for something more within himself.  Hearing about this project in advance had me excited thinking, “Mercer, you’ve befriended Brian Burton, you sneaky bastard.”  This is just a boring sit-through listen by 2 respectable young artists seeking mutual ground and settling for safe, electro-pop.  I can’t help but think ‘Danger Mouse’ had to take a step down to Mercer’s musical shortcomings to make this work.  Which, again, another reason I think Brian Burton is an amazing artist.  I look forward to another release by this combo but this one is the sound of 2 great talents trying to figure each other out still.  Yawn.

____________________________________

aW suggests:

LCD Soundsystem "This is Happening"

NATIONAL RELEASES
LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening If I were a woman and I had to give birth to a child because someone planted an evil, gifted seed inside me, I’d want James Murphy to provide the juice.  What a brilliant artist, performer, engineer, producer.  This record tops off a 10-year run of 3 very important modern day recordings that focus on punk, disco, classic rock, pop, glam, indie, folk, funk and electronic arrangements set to Murphy’s urban, personal, lyrical observations.  Not a great vocalist at all, but this is a great artist at his peak.  His playful instincts and ability to take his own influences to meld into wonderful, weird American records that calm and explode with ideas is never short of amazing.  See the synth freak out on the Bowie-Heroes inspired “All I Want” for an example that makes every musician, or anyone that can feel, think with goosebumps, ‘sweet Lord, punch me in the face, that’s awesome.”

ALSO:
Peter Wolf-  Midnight Souvenirs
Damien Jurado- Saint Bartlett

INTERNATIONAL RELEASES

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach Blur frontman, Damon Albarn can do no wrong.  Who else could put out a fake cartoon band doing a political record about our planet’s future demise featuring Lou Reed and Snoop D-O-Double G?  Brilliant record, brilliant pop, brilliant social commentary.  If a record could ever win a Pulitzer based on intelligence, craft, spiritual and political messages- this has the best chance.  One of those rare records you can dance to, f*ck to, eat to, work to– plus sit and think about it after it’s ended.  Repeat.

REGIONAL RELEASES
The Pimps - Fuck this shit, we’re outta here Veteran local punks, a joyous love letter of sorts to our despicable city, country, music industry and capitalism.  The Pimps tap into the same great punk, rock n’ roll, hillbilly glam spirit other legendary bands from the Midwest tapped into for shorter amounts of time.  Difference is, The Pimps haven’t changed for anyone 9 records in.  Indifference, contemplation, F words and aging rarely sounds this joyous.  Read More about the record here.

Judah The Lyrical Rev- “Rockford Files” Midwestern hip hop artist I want to here more from based on just one little song passed to me on the internets that I can’t stop listening to this year.  I believe it was written awhile ago but it should be a city anthem, a national cry for federal help.  The power in the song’s lyrics, Judah’s smooth delivery is equal parts proud, educative, angry, sad and desperate.  Like many people, like me, living in Rockford, IL

REWIND LISTENS

The Flaming Groovies- Shake Some Action One of the 70s great critically respected, but commercially unsuccessful, American rock bands.  After spending years emulating a hybrid of The Stones and Velvet Underground on great releases like “Teenage Head” and “Flamingo,”  the Groovies signed with major label, Sire, to release a late 70s power pop rock canon of songs tight on harmonies and classic pop arrangements.  Think Buddy Holly fronting the 1963 Beatles and converging in the late 70s for a record together.

Sparklehorse- Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot I remember the day I bought this at Val Halla’s in Oak Park, IL.  The kid, who shall remain nameless for now, running the counter suggested it.  He also passed me tapes of Golden Smog and Wilco practice sessions in Chicago that previous summer.  He advised me to buy this record based on a secret love for Cracker / David Lowery at that time.  Lowery produced this Sparkle thing I hadn’t heard of and I Wasn’t too happy with major label releases around this time, dipping deeper into the Chicago releases.  However, the kid with strange music connections always passing me tapes and DAT sessions I, nor anyone should have had, sold me.  Those first few Mark Linkous (who is Sparklehorse) compositions destroyed me driving in my green buick, playing it from a portable cd player rigged to a tape deck adapter driving to an awful job in Oak Brook from Oak Park the next morning.  Brittle, angry garage/glam rock balanced out by some of the most fragile cosmic folk songs I’d ever heard at that time.  What would be Side B on any vinyl copy, the amazing run of songs 7-12 plow my soul.  Hammering the Cramps/ The Most Beautiful Widow in Town / Heart of Darkness into Someday I Will Treat You Good ending with Sad & Beautiful World into Gasoline Horseys… Jesus Christ, cmon.  I get goosebumps just thinking about these songs.  Mark Linkous, I doubt you knew you’d be missed by so many strangers sharing the same feelings as you.

LETDOWN LISTENS

WZOK / 97.5 Rockford About 90% of what they play offends my ears and then my brain freaks out and quivers, I get dizzy.

WXRX/ 104.9 Rockford About 91% of what they play causes diarrea at home or epileptic reactions while driving.

Could local radio get any worse than those 2 pay to play garbage dumps?  Yes.  They’re everywhere and they are a sickness.  An awful aural disease infecting millions of Americans with poor music tastes.  It’d be one thing if the music played were just bad, but the commercials and the DJS are as horrendous to listen bable on about pop culture nothings.  Rockford radio is so bad they make the kids from MTV’s Jersey Shore sound brilliant.

By Alex D Stewart

What? Deep Blue Organ Trio at the Green Mill

Where?  The Green Mill, Uptown, Chicago

Why? Because I adore historic institutions and I live down the street

What is the thesis? A criticism of jazz ignorance by someone with a marginally less shallow understanding

Last Tuesday night I found myself at the historic Green Mill jazz club.  I’d been avoiding it for a little while because it’s almost prohibitively expensive (for me, at least.  I’m sure people with jobs have less of an issue with $6 cocktails and a $12 cover on weekends), but I had no plans and was in a musical mood.  The Mill relies heavily on its history and gets away with a lot of shit because of it (on any given night, it can be difficult to tell how many people are there for the music and how many came because of its reputation as Al Capone’s frequent hangout).  From my perspective, this is mostly forgiven by the Mill’s track record of booking live music almost every night of the week for almost 90 years now.  Even as the Uptown neighborhood saw some really, really rough years in the 60s, 70s, and 80s (aw, who are we kidding? The 90s too) the Mill kept booking music and also managed to become instrumental in the formation of the Chicago slam poetry scene (the Sunday night Uptown Poetry Slam has been running for a good 24 years now).

So that’s why I was there.  We walked in and found a scene that meshed fairly well with my expectations.  Dark, resplendently restored Prohibition era décor, and packed with white folks; the band churning away at small Swing combo and Bop era standards.  This is where I start trying to position my experience as being indicative of a larger issue with jazz:  We’re now coming up on a time when jazz has ceased to be a major market influence for almost as long as it was one.  Jazz has not moved units in any large amounts in America since the early 60s and it was supplanted by Blues and R&B as a reflection of Black culture and partying tendencies a further 10 to 15 years before that.  Even within the well established idiom of white people being the only ones to listen to jazz (or at least pretend to, as the long running joke contends) the perception has stagnated.  Asked to describe it, a random person will most likely come up with something that amounts to what was played by Dizzy Parker and their ilk.  A smoky Harlem club; clean cut men in suits wailing lightning fast notes on a Saxophone/Trumpet over a quick drum shuffle (boom chicka boom, etc), and an upright bass walking out the chords-I’d attribute this perception to the appearance of 40s/50s era icons like Buddy Rich and Dizzy Gillespie on the Muppets Show, and the Peanuts soundtrack but that’s another discussion.

Here’s why that’s a problem: It is certainly a very accurate understanding of a specific kind of jazz, but it has also not been relevant since 1954 (I obviously place myself at a higher level.  Being a fan of late era Coltrane and the free jazz of Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman and all.  You should roll your eyes).  As much as jazz is, and always was, about virtuosity, improvising, and swinging, it’s even more about pushing the boundaries of playing and composition. Literally since Morton and Armstrong began incorporating solos into the typical call and response of New Orleans jazz almost a hundred years ago, there has been a steady push against those walls formed by The Rules. So it’s fine if the style that has been found to be the most palatable combination of appealing to yet challenging a listener’s ears is Bebop- I always equate Bop era jazz with the art of Picasso.  It contains abstraction and is clearly modern & Modern, but has enough adherences to common form that it doesn’t cause viewers to push their perceptions of what constitutes art too far.  The only problem with this perception is that jazz didn’t stop.  It kept moving outward.  Freed from the confines of commercial appeal, it didn’t stop reaching.  Hell, my understanding of the avant garde really only extends to about 1970.  According to much more knowledgeable people than me, contemporary jazz has done things within both the dissonant, free styles and more melodic ideas that would seem as foreign to the players of 1968 as the outré drumming of Elvin Jones on, “Ascension,” and, “A Love Supreme,” would to those of 1950.  That’s the problem.  When I walk into a club in 2010 and see/hear people playing music that was growing stale 50 years ago, my heart loves it.  It’s just that, my brain can’t help but want more.

Once again (I’ve been saying this a lot lately) that does not mean that The Deep Blue Organ Trio are not greatly skilled at what they do.  The bandleader/organist Chris Foreman is the kind of comical archetype that one doesn’t really expect to exist in real life.  A blind, older black fellow in Ray Charles shades, Foreman has the kind of commanding virtuosity that makes one stop in their steps and say, “Wait! Is this shit real?” The movement between his right hand and the bass lines of his left hand and feet was astounding and, when it came time to solo, Foreman often lowered the volume on his Hammond B3; almost demanding that the crowd pay closer attention in their listening.  Foreman was apparently not playing with regular partners so I’m not sure of the names of the other two players but they were most solid.  The guitarist’s rhythm was nicely complementary and I appreciated the way he mostly stayed away from Wes Montgomery style octaves.  The drummer, apparently a student of Art Blakey’s pounding, pushed the beat along with swagger, dropping bombs all over the place.  Like I said, my heart and foot loved it.  I just wish they could have done something for my brain.

http://deepblueorgantrio.com
http://greenmilljazz.com

What is this? A review of the new Suns release, “The Howl and the Many/Close Calls in the U.S. Space Program”

Why is this? Because they asked us and I’m always happy to oblige.

Is that all you have to say? Pretty much.

Mister Chip Copeland sent me an IM a couple of days ago. The conversation basically amounted to

Chip: Hey, can you get a review of this finished by next week?

Me: Can I? Yes. Will I?  Also yes!

It was pretty succinct.

I’ll admit, I had never heard (or heard of) Suns prior to being assigned this review. That’s cool. I’m going into this blind and the lack of predisposed feelings will theoretically keep my reaction genuine (though I would challenge that assumption and suggest that all truthful reactions are genuine if we are mindful of those pre-existing ideas). First to our old friend Myspace to figure out who the hell this band is. According to their bio:

“New in this incarnation, but certainly not new to music itself, the players behind the up and coming six man band Suns will be making their debut at the Metro this Saturday. Hatched from the head of Mikey Russell who, having somewhat recovered from the split from his band Wax on Radio, decided to get back in the musical saddle, Suns is another example of jamming turned into something more. Made up through a collection of friends and ‘heard through the grapevine’ connections, the new band has already seen one line-up change, when original drummer (one of two), Bryan Fritz had to leave for his own personal reasons “a very sad day for our band, since he was our first drummer and also a very solid dude. We were lost for a while.” (Matt Lemke) Fortunately they found fusion in their next drummer, Clinton Weber, and since July of last year have been a solid six, including everything from guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bass to synth, glockenspiel and dual drummers.” (via reviewsic.com)

Now what do we know?  Well, one of the members was in another band and then started this band. Unfortunately a guy who used to be in this band quit the band but everyone still loves each other and plays lots of different instruments. Great. I’m still not sure of what they sound like. I think I saw Wax on Radio play once a few years ago. The entire extent of my memory consists of standing there and thinking, “This band’s name is really similar to TV on the Radio.  I have nothing to say about the music. I’m hungry.”  Still without a clue of the actual sound of the band, I decided to forge ahead to sunsband.com and finally download the release (note: they had music posted on their Mypsace page and a player on the website but I chose to ignore those sources for narrative purposes).

Upon arriving, a question struck me. I knew the two EPs were intended to be released as one complete album at some point. That means they were probably intended to be listened to as an album. What was the intended order? This baffled me for a good half an hour as I downloaded both releases and then sat pondering for 28 minutes after that. I could move from left to right as if I were reading a book (listening to The Howl and the Many first) but what if that was the opposite of correct? Few albums other than Rod Stewart’s A Night on the Town work equally well starting with side B (“The Rock Side,” as it were) as they do side A. After much hand wringing, I decided to move alphabetically because the alphabet has never let me down during our 22 year relationship (beginning with Close Calls in the US Space Program, for those playing along at home). Then I hit a snag in the listening process.

That is to say, I started listening. 30 seconds into, “You are On,” I swore.

“Shit,” I thought, “This sounds like Minus The Bear.” What I really meant was that it sounds like The Felix Culpa but even my internal monologue is trained to find a comparison of wider regard. “How on earth am I going to review music of this genre?” I have no experience with post hardcore (this is post hardcore, right?) beyond those two bands. The problem struck quickly and remained throughout the entire 39 minute listen. I found myself without any real reaction. There were certainly moments of aroused interest when I would give a doglike twist of my head at a nifty bit of instrumentation or when I finally realized how much singer Mikey Russell reminds me of Tim McIlrath. The pinging guitars and echo-y drums give the illusion of movement and the shouted, gang vocals suggest enthusiasm but I had nothing to really grab hold of and say, “Yes! I have an opinion about that!”

This is not to say that the music is bad or unskilled by any means. I’m having a very difficult time keeping this all from coming across as very negative because Suns is a band that clearly knows what they’re doing. The recordings are layered in a way that’s quite impressive. If this record was a tree I would describe it as, “verdant,” because it’s got thick green leaves everywhere! If I was a much less eloquent person I would say it was, “lousy with a shit ton of cohesive elements.” It’s just, I don’t know.  Switch to List Mode:

Real complaints:

1. These songs don’t sound or feel like they’ve got two drummers going at it.  This is obviously subjective, but when I go into something expecting two drummers, I want that element to be noticeably utilized like it’s been done by Colossal or late period Melvins.
2. After my first listen, I was surprised to find that none of the songs are more than 6 minutes long.  My 2^nd and 3^rd listens didn’t share that surprise but the feeling of over-length remained.

Things that deserve mention:

1. On the whole, I did find “The Howl and the Many,” to be more enjoyable than “Close Calls in the US Space Program,” which set the tone for much of this review.
2. “Everything Changes” brings  some grit that I found to be very helpful to the band’s sound.  The ballad, “Gladys,” is genuinely beautiful and will be finding a permanent spot on my iPod.  There’s about 45 seconds in the middle of, “Four Winds,” when Russell repeats, “Who do you think you’re fucking with? My friends are coming back again,” that sounds distinctly like late 90s Radiohead (that’s a good thing).  Actually I really dig the last three minutes of the song.

Final Verdict:

For me: Meh. I don’t know.

For people who are not like me: Check it out. There’s a pretty good chance that you’ll be into this.

Visit: http://www.sunsband.com/download/ to download the release

What: Joie De Vivre, Empire! Empire!, The Please & Thank Yous, Coping

Where: Summercamp: A punk rock house in Logan Square

When: Friday, June 11, 2010

Did you forget something? Oh shit! My parent’s anniversary was on Thursday night.

The writing is on the wall.  Discord, abuse, evil thoughts.  You can see it in their tired eyes, even on the first night of tour.  This band is not long for the earth.

“Don’t tell this to Pat, but the only reason Chris hasn’t fired him is because he looks like David Bazan.”

Was I supposed to keep that to myself?  No one seemed to care enough to hide their naked contempt; burying long, lingering glares in the backs of their band mates as they walk away from conversations.  Beyond the hatred, Joie De Vivre seems physically ill equipped for travel. Intrepid organist, Zach Staas, left Rockford with $200 for food.  His resolve broke quickly as he was seen buying sheets of blotter acid and began sending cryptic Facebook messages on his phone.  I woke up to one such message this morning, “Danger, send help,” He wrote, “Someone shot Stevie in the face.  Gore is dripping from the crumpled hole where his nose used to be but he doesn’t seem to notice.  Maybe someone would like to make a painting of it and declare its subjective quality. Haha. Fucking art.”

Horn player extraordinaire, Paul Karnatz, may be in even worse trouble.  Having taken to beginning sets by reading quotations from a Scientology text, he routinely fills quiet moments in the van by haranguing his bandmates for not joining him in ever frequent Thetan cleansing rituals. Despite these ever mounting problems, the music remains strong.  Joie De Vivre is still able to pump out songs that are unlabored and anthemic.  But for how long?  See this band while you can.  There may not be a next time.

Elsewhere on the bill we found Coping, a new band from the Chicago area.  Jagged and frenetic, Coping is straight up early to mid 90s Dischord Records(with the obligatory post hardcore nods to At The Drive In).  I’m going to pad my forthcoming criticism with the modifier that I heard the 2^nd half of their set through a closed door.  You see, I am not a strong person and it was really fucking hot in that basement.  Until the sun went down, I couldn’t stand to stay inside for more than 10-15 minutes at a time without worry of fainting. Yuck. With that in mind, it is quite obvious that Coping is a young band.  They clearly have the passion required for such music but have yet to figure out how to keep their sound from veering towards the overly loose and muddled.  Maybe they’ll have it down by gig 5.

There are two things I do not like about Empire! Empire! (I was a lonely estate).  The first is their name. It’s long and awkward to say and no one ever says the parenthetical addition (for those very reasons).  The 2^nd is that their composition does not have quite as much variety as I would hope for and can become slightly repetitive to listen to for long stretches.  In a past review I wrote, “They’re tight and it’s quite obvious why they share a label with Joie De Vivre. It is classic Emo that falls into the same description that bloggers seem to love. This band could have been on Jade Tree 12 years ago. I say that without owning any actual Jade Tree releases, but I understand what the reference means.”  I still agree with this assessment.  Also E!E! vocalist Keith *insert Keith’s last name* may or may not have broken the microphone.  He’s got a mighty wail.

What to say about The Please & Thank Yous?  Last time I described them as being, “Hopelessly shambolic in all of the right ways.”  This couldn’t be truer.  TPATY are a band of punk rock muppets.  Their bodies conform to Saturday morning cartoon physics and their music is fast, dirty, and simple.  They sing about girls, and friends, and everything feels right.

For more information about the ongoing Joie De Vivre/Empire! Empire! Tour visit: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=230675847&blogId=534153178

Here’s some video of JDV!

by Alex Danger Stewart

So I get a class-wide email last week from one of my professors informing me that Girls Rock! Chicago is looking for interns and instructors to help educate campers about the musical, technical, and creative aspects involved in musicianship. This is tremendously awesome because:

1. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s impressing young kids with my moderately skilled guitar playing and knowing how to match impedance and look badass while using effects pedals.

and

2. I REALLY need a summer job and the Illinois unemployment rate for my age group is 26%

I was all ready to apply and help the next generation of lady bands learn how to rock out with their socks out (I don’t think you’re allowed to swear at kid summer camps and I never wear shoes on stage).

One Problem:
They only want female musicians.

No fucking fair!

(Sidebar: I know the Camp Jam Chicago program is coed but they’re not hiring. And it’s all the way in Lake Forrest. Hence my outrage)

Why I’m pissed:
In not allowing me to apply for a job, Girls Rock! Chicago is only reinforcing existing gender divisions in music and perpetuating stereotypes about Girl Bands instead of the much more appealing and logically cogent understanding of bands being based more in musical and personal chemistry than in worries about gender/some 2nd wave throwback idea of sisterhood.

Do you know the first criticism that is always made against girl bands, often before their music is heard?
“People only like them because they’re attractive and it gives guys boners to see a girl playing guitar (never mind how well she does so).” Do you know who no one says that about? The woman in The Thermals; also that one who plays organ in the Decemberists. People are much less likely to come ogle you at gigs if you’re standing next to a large hairy motherfucker playing bass and threatening to take his shirt off. Yes, it’s fantastic if girls want to start a band with their female friends, but it’s just as fantastic for them to be concerned with making quality music whether it is with other men or women.

Get this out of the way:
Yes, it’s obviously great and necessary for there to be a kid’s rock and roll camp specifically for girls. They need all the encouragement that they can get to be powerful, creative people and succeed against the added barriers that society implicitly places against girls doing such things as well as the overt and entirely real roadblocks for young girls trying to enter the world of playing rock music (guitar stores are surprisingly sexist environments). My problem is that they won’t let me help (I really need money!).

Here are my lady rocker credentials:
-I’m very friendly.

-I own the entire creative outputs of Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill (singles and EPs not included) and have listened to Beat Happening, Bratmobile, and Babes in Toyland on purpose.

-I can play 8 instruments.

-I know how to teach the art of swagger and how to do old school rock star kicks, and play a Flying V like it’s your dick. That’s a good skill for anyone to know, regardless of gender.

-I know a Jonas Brothers song.

-In one misplaced moment of over-sympathy I made an argument that excused the existence of Paramore. Then another time I made a similar justification for the New Moon OST. 14 year old girls would eat that shit up.

-I have concise arguments explaining why Joni Mitchell is actually a pretty underrated guitarist and why Kira Roessler is a better bass player than Chuck Dukowski.

-I’ve been in a band with girls before (http://www.myspace.com/dangerousliaisons32). We were good, not great.

-I think I have a Slits album. There’s no reason for that.

-I’m purposely leaving out all of the mixed gender bands that I listen to just to make my resume comply with this girls only approach (except there was a guy in Bikini Kill for a while).

- I know who Lydia Lunch is. Come on!

-I have no game what so ever to speak of so there would be no threat of me hitting on all of my coworkers.

-I don’t do anything ever. As long as I don’t have to work on Monday nights, they can schedule me anytime and I’ll show up with a guitar.

Conclusion:
Look at all of that! This is basically the only job I’m qualified to hold.

Not cool, Girls Rock! Chicago. You’re on my list.

For more info about Girls Rock! Chicago go to: http://girlsrockchicago.org/

To donate to them go to: http://girlsrockchicago.org/give/

If you’d like to send your son or daughter to a more expensive rock and roll summer camp visit: http://www.campjam.com/chicago.html

Chicago’s Geronimo! have a lot of things going for them. They make awesome music and are pretty fun guys to be around. They also like to play hard and heavy. Those are two of the better adjectives one might use to describe music. Plus they feel ok about referencing Mudhoney without shame. That’s cool too. I recently sat down on my email account and interviewed Kelly Johnson (Guitar/Singing), Ben Grigg (Keys/Singing), and Matt Schwerin (Drums) about various musical topics.

On your Myspace page you claim that, “Sometimes we play really well. Sometimes we play really sloppy. We always play really loud.” What importance do you think that volume plays to rock and roll music?

Kelly Johnson: If we play really loud, we can still sound sort of cool even if we’re playing real crappy. When I see a live band, I want to be able to feel it in my groin. It’s a personal problem, really.

Ben Grigg: Volume creates a much more visceral experience for a listener in a live setting I think. One can become more readily immersed into music if you can physically feel it. It’s also seems more legitimate if you have to be screaming over the roar of the instruments to make yourself heard. It makes it seem like what you are screaming is pretty damn important or intense. Seeing a rock band set-up and play with noticeable restraint on their volume also makes them seem kind of wimpy too I think.

You recently appeared on our flagship podcast. What was that experience like?

KJ: No one at Sock Monkey prepares you for the experience after appearing on the podcast. I can barely finish a meal at Johnny Pamcakes without some chucklehead coming up and jawing off about “you guys are the greatest” or “i love how great you guys are” or “i like great things, and you guys are my favorite great thing” and the like. I didn’t realize it was going to be so tough to be so well-liked. It’s easy to be adored though. And hailed.

Matt Schwerin: It was fun. We got to talk to some buds and play some music. The end result ended up being pretty chatty

Did they offer you rum? They offered Jim Hanke rum.

KJ: We showed up drunk.

BG: No, in fact, we had to bring our own case of beer, which those greedy bastards readily consumed. I’m pretty sure they were sneaking pulls of rum while we weren’t looking too, just so they wouldn’t have to offer us any.

MS: No rum. Maybe we’ll get some next time if our album gets named best Chicago album of the year.

How much of a penis was Pat?

KJ: I’ve seen Pat in penis-mode, and he had more of a schlong thing going on that day. My favorite Pat though, is boner Pat.

MS: Less than anticipated. He did give us some ridiculous nicknames which he printed up on a sticker machine. Mine is too inappropriate to repeat.

You cited Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Nirvana, Ska, and Stoner Rock, as influences. Was that truth or a lie? Do you have any other influences that you forgot to say?

KJ: I can only speak for myself when I say these answers are true. Except not ska. I have a fascination with groovy fuzz rock and girl power pop. My quest in Geronimo! is to find a happy medium between Robyn and The Melvins. This is not a lie.

BG: The ska thing is my fault. It’s what I started listening to on my own and playing first. I have no regrets about it, but it’s not something I’m into anymore. With Geronimo! I just like to play heavy and aggressive stuff and of course I like Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Nirvana, etc, so maybe that comes through.

MS: I think I’m influenced by just about any band I listen to and enjoy. Radiohead will always be an influence, whether my music sounds like them or not. In Table Legs, there is one specific part where my drum part is directly influenced by DJ Shadow’s “Endtroducing”.

I’ve read a couple of things that call you grungy. Do you feel good about that or insulted?

KJ: We’ve been compared to Silverchair twice. I don’t give a fuck if people call us grungy. I unapologetically listen to all things labeled “grunge” and was raised on grunge bands. When I got into indie™ music, I was embarrassed to be caught listening to a band like Nirvana or Soundgarden, but in my ‘old age’ I’ve embraced it. I think the negative associations people have with ‘grunge’ deal with the mopey or depressed sound people stereotype it with, like some of the stuff on In Utero. I don’t think those representations of that ‘musical style’ hold up as strongly though, and if you look at the meat of that time period like early Nirvana, “Goo,” “Badmotorfinger,” or “Superfuzz Bigmuff” it’s just straight, energetic rock music.

BG: It seemed a little strange at first, kind of like “Why are you comparing us to this genre from when we were kids?” but it makes perfect sense to me now. Those bands are what my brother was playing for me when I was a kid. When I think of cool or heavy music, I’m somehow drawn towards that stuff. I don’t think we sound just like Silverchair or whatever but that really doesn’t bother me. I like that sound.

MS: I’m rather indifferent. I certainly don’t see it as a banner to wave around but its not insulting either. The music we play is the natural result of the collaboration between the three individuals in the band and whatever people want to classify it as doesn’t really matter.

Speaking of Nirvana, the Geronimo! Blog (http://deepwarmth.blogspot.com/) has video of you playing a cover of Breed in Little Rock, AR. What prompted that? Did you ever practice it or just decide to play it?

KJ: We practiced it, maybe, 3 times. It’s one of my favorite songs, and it’s real simple. I love that about it. That’s what floors me about Nirvana. All of the songs are jokingly simple, but there is a power in them that still lasts. Bands try so hard to throw everything but the kitchen sink into a rock song, but here you have Nirvana stripping everything down to two chords and a beefy rhythm, and it blows away what most bands could even conjure up in their best song.

I used to know every instrument part of every song on Nevermind (excluding the drum fills). Cool, huh? Even Endless Nameless??!! That song is like, half feedback.

MS: Um…yeah….

Yeah my band in high school would do an Endless Nameless thing at the end of Sonic Youth’s 100% Pretty awesome…
Have you ever tried to write a song in 7/8 time?

MS: I can’t say that I have.

KJ: Yes, it was only 87.5 percent successful. Then we decided to write one where we were soft for a while, then got loud, then got soft again. Then loud.

What is the album called and when does it come out?

KJ:The album is called ‘Fuzzy Dreams.’ It will be officially ‘released’ or what not on April 30, when we play our release show at Schuba’s (18+) in Chicago with our pals Kid, You’ll Move Mountains, polarOPPOSITEbear and Inspector Owl.

Ben and Kelly both use Big Muffs. Why do you like that pedal? Why use the Russian made muff instead of the American?

KJ: I personally just like the way the Russian model sounds. Besides the VERY first distortion pedal I ever used (the Grunge DOD pedal which I still own, blech), the Big Muff is what I grew up using. That exact pedal is the one I used in my first band in late high school/early college. I’m just comfortable with it, and I haven’t found any other pedal that sounds so close to a Tyrannosaurus Rex tearing through a jungle. I have to take a second to thank my friend Joe Robinson, who previously owned the pedal but passed it on to me. I also use his Fender Deville, which he let me borrow like 2 years ago and has not asked for it back. As you can see, Joe is essentially the reason Geronimo! sounds the way they do and the reason we are able to fulfill live obligations.

BG: I started playing with it just for Geronimo! really. It really sounds great with my keyboard and having Kelly and I play mostly with the same distortion helps to blend our instruments a little better at times. Actually, I’m not sure if it does, but it sounds cool.

Your Myspace page also says that Kelly plays, “Asscut Guitar.” What the hell is that?

KJ: When I was living in DeKalb, one night I left my car parked on the street. When I got up the next morning, someone had sideswiped it. The car is a Cutlass Ciera, and the silver ‘Cutlass’ part of the logo got knocked off. I decided to rearrange it to spell ‘Asscut’ and glue it on my guitar. The guitar cuts significantly more asses these days, and I feel it really comes through in our sound.

Ben often seems to play lines that would traditionally be played on a bass. Why use a keyboard instead?

BG: There are a few reasons, really. First, playing bass-like lines on a keyboard as opposed to a bass allows me to play things that might not be possible on a bass. I can play three or more octaves at once and throw some other stuff on top to make a really thick full sound, a big noise. I like it when a three piece sounds like a larger group so I try to make us sound bigger and more full when I can.

Secondly, I don’t play bass. I learned a few Weezer songs once for a Halloween show and that was fun, but I don’t own a bass and I don’t really know how to play one. When we first started jamming as Geronimo!, I was playing keys, so we just kept that as the formula. There didn’t really seem to be any need to add a bass player. It wasn’t so much a decision to play keyboards as bass as it was a natural move based on what the songs needed.

It’s always fun to defy people’s expectations as well. If I saw a band set up with just a keyboard and a guitar I’d probably think they were some sappy Ben Folds style something-or-other. Nothing against that, but I think I’d be pleasantly surprised if they started playing loud aggressive music instead.

The Nord Electro II is my favorite sampler ever. Would you like to comment on that?

BG: What is this, amateur hour? Total bullshit. The Nord Electro II is not a sampler. Ever heard of Google my friend? Geez Louise.

You’re right. That was a test. Good job… Did you see The Office baby special?

MS: No.

KJ: I did see it. I watched about 2 minutes of it then put it on mute and searched for band videos online. Was there a part about Jim trying to change a diaper? Jesus Christ.

No! Jim had practiced on every baby shaped object in the office so he was good at it. But Pam accidentally breast fed the wrong baby.

Anyways- What is your favorite pizza restaurant?

KJ: There is a place in Chicago called Bacci’s where they have ginormously big pieces of pizza for 5 bucks. It also comes with a small drink. I’m generally a quantity over quality man. Actually, we went to a Pizza Hut on tour this past January, and I have to say, it was really nice in there! It’d been a while since we’d all been to one and sat down, but it was real clean and warm. Like gold banister things and lots of classy green.

BG: In Rockford it’s Primo’s Pizza, followed closely by Lino’s. Paisano’s on Main St. used to be number one, but they’ve been closed since I was in high school. Sam’s and Pino’s are up there too. I have to give a shout out to Villa de Roma too for being open and delivering till like 4am on weekends. They rule. So yeah…

MS: Oh boy. There are so many good ones. In Rockford, I’d have to say Sam’s Pizza. In Chicago, there are too many good places to mention but for sheer value, I’ll say Bacci’s. We’ve had the honor of eating at many fine pizza places on the road as well, including two great ones in Little Rock.

Who is your favorite drummer? I want answers from all three. Matt Schwerin is an acceptable answer.

KJ: I don’t care if it’s obvious, I love Dave Grohl. Also, I first realized how cool it was to watch drummers the first time I saw the band Troubled Hubble play. Nate Lanthrum is a behemoth. Also Brian Chippendale from Lightning Bolt. I will say that none of them rock a Michael Jordan shirt like Matt Schwerin though, so the rest of ‘em can go to hell.

BG: I feel a little silly for completely agreeing with Kelly on this one, but I think Dave Grohl was really the first drummer I admired. A bunch of friends of mine and I played in a “band” in early high school and we had a mean cover of Everlong (I’m sure it was terrible actually), but watching my friend Mike play those fills in the chorus really struck me. Troubled Hubble definitely had a huge influence on me as well. Nate was the first drummer I remember who was really fun to watch. He still is, especially watching him and his brother Andrew play together. It’s a treat.

Of course, I have this video of Matt Schwerin playing in Columbus with his shirt off. I watch it at work constantly, and I mean all the time.

Similar to my answer to the band’s influences, I really think I take something away from every drummer that I hear and like. Not sure I could say I have a total favorite. John Bohnam was amazing, yes. I don’t really listen to much Led Zeppelin. But he had the bombast. John Theodore who played in the Mars Volta I liked, also for his bombast. Glen Kotche from Wilco, I dig. Phil Selway from Radiohead.

Finally, what are your hopes and dreams for the future?

KJ: I’m really hoping to buy an adult bed very soon. Right now I’m sleeping on a flat futon mattress in my room. The rest of the guys might say they hope to keep writing songs we are proud of and recording music together. But I know they mostly just want to see me in that adult bed

MS: I would like to continue creating music that I am passionate about. I would like to continue to travel, both while playing music and otherwise. I’d like to be able to support myself working in the photography industry. I’d like to display some of my artwork in galleries. I’d like to fall in love. I’d like to have a family. I’d like to live a life of moral high-ground and love for all creatures. I’d like to continue to grow and challenge myself until the day I die, which hopefully will be in my 80′s or 90′s.

BG: To get back to the year 1985. Preferably with the help of a crazy-haired scientist. It would also somehow involve a Delorean or something. I’m not sure. It’s kind of a pipe dream at this point.

For more Geronimo! fun go to

www.myspace.com/thegeronimoband

or

http://deepwarmth.blogspot.com

by Alex Danger Stewart

What: St. Vincent w/ Wildbirds and Peacedrums

Where: The Metro, Chicago, IL

When: 9pm, February 18, 2010

Who: Myself, the bands, that Andrew fellow, this girl named Matti, I think Greg was there, hundreds of others

How Much Did it Cost? $21 cause I was a rube and bought my tickets online instead of going to the box office

“You guys only like her so much because she’s a girl.”

A friend recently threw this barb at a group of fellows who were ganging up on her because she wasn’t as completely enamored with the music of St. Vincent as the rest of us. She said it jokingly but I’m going to pretend it wasn’t. Indie pop is serious business. That said, I completely reject the notion that I only enjoy St. Vincent to the extent that I do because Annie Clark is a (beautiful) lady. Sure, I’d love to have her appear on my upcoming reality TV show Let Me Take You out to Dinner. Continue Reading

by Alex Danger Stewart
What: The Clams, Abbot Smile, Woo-Man and the Banana, KAM!

When: January 28

Where: Subterranean, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Chicago, IL

Why are you so damn slow? It’s a complicated answer. Also I had school work and a surprisingly socially active weekend. Get off my back.

I’m not entirely sure of what today’s date (The 5th maybe) is but I went to a very good show last week. Desperate to avoid my RA’s attempts to force socializations, I made my way up to the scenic Wicker Park neighborhood for a night of local rock. I didn’t go completely blank and uninformed. I’ve seen the Clams once before at CJ’s Lounge in Rockford and I’ve enjoyed Clams guitarist/bassist Brett Daniels many times in his other (ed note: former band) band, White Moose. Once I arrived I was slightly disappointed to find that the Clams were headlining. It’s not that I don’t like hearing new bands or wasn’t willing to wait around for the Clams to play (I had already shelled out $8 at the door. Get it? Shelled? Clams? Oh my). But I don’t really like new things. If I could, I would see the bands that I like play exclusively with each other all of the time. Plus I wasn’t really in the mood for Psych-Pop. Since I started going to school here last August almost every new Chicago band I’ve seen has drawn from the same tradition of garagey, reverb drenched, fuzzed out, shoe gazey pop. It’s as if a whole generation of bands (and by that I mean like 20 people) all bought the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Psychocandy and the Nuggets box set and decided to start bands. Not that I’m complaining. I love both of those releases and prefer the previous adjectives to most others. But sometimes I’d like to hear some variety. Continue Reading