Show Watch: Houston

Here are a few upcoming shows in the Houston area that will definitely be worth your while. Click on any of the following shows to get more information and/or buy tickets!

• The Shins w/ Viva Voce- Next Tuesday, March 6th @ Verizon Wireless Theater
• K-Os – Thursday, April 5th @ Meridian
• MuteMath – Sunday, May 6th @ Meridian
• Eisley w/ The Fray and Gomez – Friday, July 13th @ CWM Pavillion

I was thinking about doing a Show Watch: Texas but that would just depress you when you see all the great bands heading to Austin for SXSW but avoiding the 4th largest city in the U.S. I know, it makes no sense to me either.

Know of something I missed? Leave me a comment. That’d be swell.

Video of the Week – Week 8

The Apples in Stereo – “Same Old Drag” from the album “New Magnetic Wonder”

Pop Levi: "The Return to Form Black Magick Party"

There’s always one that you just don’t understand. An album that receives near-unanimous praise, but you can’t really understand where it’s all coming from. Pop Levi has been around for a while, making brief appearances with several other artists, the most notable of which is probably Ladytron. “The Return to Form Black Magick Party,” however, is the artist’s first solo album and first opportunity to gain fans of his own. He tries, but oftentimes the album feels more like he’s trying too hard to impress. Sometimes it works, sometimes it’s just utterly confusing. One thing’s for sure, in the 40 plus minutes of Pop Levi’s debut there’s probably something for everyone, just not enough of it.

The album actually starts off on a high note with the driving distortion and piercing vocals of “Sugar Assault Me Now.” Despite a few deliberately missed notes, the song is energetic, fun, and admittedly pretty catchy. Here, as he does throughout the album, Levi stacks layers upon layers of vocals and guitars to make the songs sound fuller and more complete. It works quite well. This great song is followed by the album’s first single and arguably strongest song, “Blue Honey.” The song is plagued by a repetitive bass line, but is saved by the artist’s vocal performance in the chorus (“It’s the way you squeeze me, baby”). It sounds like the better moments of classic rock, often stepping into Led Zepplin territory, without fully sounding like a rip-off.

“(A Style Called) Cryin’ Chic” has a steady groove to it, but not much else to offer. The lyrics here are repetitive to the point of being annoying. Essentially, Levi takes one line, repeats it four times, and then does the same thing with about a dozen other lines. The actual 2-bar guitar riff doesn’t ever change throughout the song, which just adds to the repetitiveness of it. “Pick Me Up Uppercut” is probably my favorite song on the album, despite it being the most obnoxious song since Aqua’s “Barbie Girl.” It has a very unique appeal to it, and sounds like a mix between glam rock and The Go-Gos.

The album goes off the deep-end from here, never really recapturing the energy or appeal that it began with. “Dollar Bill Rock” is a futile attempt at classic rock n roll, though one could definitely assume that it would be a better song live than it is here. “Flirting” lends the help of a xylophone to give it a more friendly feel, but like so many other songs on the album, it suffers from being incredibly repetitive. To be honest, “From the Day That You Were Born” is the album’s only real notable track throughout it’s second half. Levi plays acoustic guitar and sings, but not much else is happening. On an album that is full of layers and layers of vocals, guitars, and other noise, the song serves as a peaceful and welcomed break. It ends the album on a positive note, which is always appreciated.

If “The Return to Form Black Magick Party” is the best that Pop Levi has to offer, his career will either be short-lived or elongated on a wave of hype. Fortunately for the artist, however, the album seems to really be the tip of the iceberg for Levi. Though it’s really hit or miss, it’s high points are good enough to get even the most skeptical listener excited for what this artist has yet to do. That’s enough of a reason to give it a listen in my book. Pop Levi is a name you might want to remember, even if this album isn’t your thing.

Recommended for fans of classic rock and anyone who wants to hear what the future of indie rock could very well sound like.

Key Tracks:
1. “Sugar Assault Me Now”
2. “Blue Honey”
3. “Pick Me Up Uppercut”
4. “From the Day That You Were Born”

5 out of 10 Stars

Go News Go! – The Weekly News Recap

All the music news stories you should care about, neatly organized as a weekly blog entry!

• Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes gets naked for World Peace!
• Sufjan Stevens returns to Sounds Familyre courtesy of Ben + Vesper.
• My Morning Jacket goes to prom!
• Daniel Johnston still alive, overrated.
• More Kevin Barnes nudity, now with gay porn!
• See Lily Allen Live and wonder “What’s the big deal?”
• Joanna Newsom set to release new EP, refuses to sing like normal person.
• The return of the Sasquatch lures hippies!
• Full SXSW schedule released. College kids go broke, get high.

That’s all the notable news this week. Go away.

Video of the Week – Week 7

K-Os – “The Love Song” from the album “Joyful Rebellion”

K-Os: "Atlantis: Hymns For Disco"

K-Os has long been the sole holder of the “best living emcee” title of my heart. The man not only has incredible skills on the mic, but he is one of the few hip hop artists alive today who aren’t afraid to call out the genre’s biggest stars as being fake and selling out for the cash (“They’re steady scheming for that #1 spot, these emcees they won’t last”). For that, K-Os will always have the respect of many artists in the industry, while also receiving the scorn of those whom he clearly parallels. Beyond that, though, K-Os has time and again proven himself as a well-rounded artist who can not only rap, but sing, play guitar, drum, etc. He’s a fantastic artist. His latest album, “Atlantis: Hymns for Disco,” clearly shows off the wide array of his talents, but at the same time, it feels less focused, and less powerful than his previous efforts.

The lead-off track on the album is “ELEctrik HeaT – the seekwiLL” a song that really captures the emcee skills of K-Os in ways that many of his previous songs have failed to do. It has a classic hip hop sound to it, and it’s much more friendly that his previous opener “Emcee Murdah.” It’s a fairly decent track, though lacking anything that will make it truly memorable. It’s followed by “The Rain,” a song in which K-Os forgoes rapping for singing in a very bluesy/soul style. The chorus finds the artist asking, “When the rain comes down will you be around? When the sun comes up will you always steal my fire?” His vocal abilities are full displayed here, and the song is memorable if only for that reason alone.

“FlyPaper” is the next track, and by far my favorite on the album. In it, K-Os weaves meaningful lyrics with an unbelievably catchy chorus. He contradicts himself, saying, “I’m not one to repeat myself, but if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it,” but it’s difficult to get upset as you’re almost guaranteed to be singing along to it in no time. “Equalizer” silences anyone who has ever criticized K-Os for his lack of complicated rhymes, and it’s difficult to keep up with them a lot of times. Never fear, however, he’s sure to give you a break with a nicely-sung chorus and a catchy bridge. “Sunday Morning” is probably K-Os’ most accessible song to date and really transcends genres like no other song of his has done before. Here, he proclaims “Every day is Saturday night, but I can’t wait till Sunday morning” over a great drum beat and intricate instrumentation.

From here, the album is really a mixed bag. There are high notes, like the high energy “Born to Run” or the classic K-Os sounds of “Mirror in the Sky,” but there are also a few missteps such as “Black Ice – Hymn 4 Disco,” which is K-Os’ misguided attempt at creating a disco song. “The Ballad of Noah” features an excellent performance from Buck 65 and K-Os, where the artist once again revisits his childhood. It’s complemented by the chorus, “When you reach a dead end trail, pray to God. It never fails.”

Overall, “Atlantis” carries on K-Os’ tradition of blending and blurring genres and redefining what hip hop can be (or rather, keeping true to what it was meant to be). But in the end, fans of K-Os’ passionate lyricism as demonstrated in the past by songs like “Emcee Murdah” or “The Love Song” are likely to be disappointed. This is definitely K-Os’ lightest album, but at the same time it just might be the album that gets him recognized by the millions of people who have always turned a deaf ear to the artist. Whether that’s selling out or not is really up for the listener to decide. Fortunately, “Atlantis: Hymns for Disco” has enough good songs on it to keep anyone who listens to it entertained and inspired for some time. In the end, that’s probably all K-Os was hoping for.

Recommended for fans of K-Os and anyone who finds boredom in grills, rims, and the objectification of women.

Key Tracks:
1. “FlyPaper”
2. “Equlilizer”
3. “Sunday Morning”
4. “Mirror in the Sky”
5. “Highway 7”

6 out of 10 Stars

2/17/2007: Of Montreal w/ Elekibass – Houston, TX

Back in the day when The Beatles took on Ed Sullivan and the rest of the continent, people were instantly captivated, and a love affair with a nation began. In many ways, that love continues to this day with many Americans citing The Beatles as the greatest band ever without hesitation. In much the same way as The Beatles came on the scene, Elekibass is going to take this country by storm. Not on the same scale, but slowly, club by club, this amazing rock n roll band from Tokyo, Japan will captivate the hearts of Americans willing to overlook a slight butchering of the English language. Their music is eclectic, ranging from odd ragtimey pop music to a high energy rock sound like The Rolling Stones. But the comparison does not end there. This great band has their act down, charming their audience from the get go by ply playing their instruments acoustically as they march through the crowd on the way to the stage. The lead singer prances around like Jagger and syncopates his movements with every guitar hit. They end their final song, say “Thank You,” when met with applause, say “One more time” and play the chorus of their song again. Then they repeat that about four times, each time met with more smiles and laughter. And on the final “one more time” they play an entirely different song. They charm you, and if the world were a right and just place, they will explode across this nation like a plague…an awesome, awesome, plague.

Of Montreal hit the stage later, once again bringing their unique electro/indie pop sound to a more-than-eager audience. And once again they did it flawlessly. It never ceases to amaze me how the band can take Kevin Barnes’ complex arrangements and play them as if they were their own. As it turns out, all that money they made from the Outback Steakhouse commercial went to some good use. Awesome, flamboyant costumes, lots of cool lighting, and three projector screens are the obvious result of a little “selling out” on the band’s part. Though it was clear from the visuals displayed on the screens were the result of a still-limited budget. Overall, the music was great and their new songs sounded fantastic live, especially “She’s a Rejector.” As always, if you’ve never seen this band live, you are missing out. There are only two artists that I’ve ever seen more than once, and Of Montreal is one of those bands. There’s a reason for that. They consistently put on great performances. I guess that’s what happens when you tour non-stop.

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Video of the Week – Week 6

The Boy Least Likely To – “Be Gentle With me” from the album The Best Party Ever!

Field Music: "Tones of Town"

As a reviewer, one of the most difficult things to do is review an album that you’re entirely infatuated with. It would be easy to rant on and on about how great an album is without pointing out it’s flaws or shortcomings. And here I find myself with Field Music’s newest release. I am not familiar with their previous work, so I’m beginning with a fresh slate here. However, I cannot get over the greatness of “Tones of Town.” In many ways, it is a perfect album, stringing together 11 solid pop songs effortlessly, and completely enthralling me in the process.

Why would I call it perfect? Because these songs are all really great, and there’s really not one song that I could do away with on the album. Whether it’s the heavy guitars of “Give It Lose It Take It,” the playful melodies of “A House is Not a Home,” or the haunting harmonies of “Kingston,” there’s not a moment on this album that fails to impress. Every song is rich with complexty without foregoing a steady, upbeat pop feel. Take “Tones of Town,” for example, a song that merrily floats along in the beginning but eventually erupts with distorted guitars and vocals, only to melt away into a friendly bopping guitar solo before it’s over. Field Music is a very talented group, but unlike so many other talented bands, they’re immediately accessible. They’re not going to beat you over the head with complex riffs, and mind-boggling melodies. The mere fact that they can fully display their vast talents while still being fun is awesome.

In “Working to Work,” the singer nonchalantly notes, “Leisure is useless when you find that nothing ain’t easy when you’re working to work” over a steady guitar and drum beat. It’s a great song, and one that you’ll probably find yourself singing along to after just a few listens. Then there’s “A Gap Has Appeared” a song that opens with the delicate flutters of piano and violin before sounding like a collaboration of Queen and The New pornographers. It runs head-on into the undeniably catchy “Closer at Hand” where the singer states, “The questions we tend to ask are useless if time is too fast.”

It’s very difficult to convey the awesomeness of “Tones of Town” to someone who is not familiar with Field Music. Their music has a very timeless feel to it, and as I’ve already stated numerous times, it’s pretty flawless. It’s only real downside is it’s brevity, clocking in at just over 30 minutes. But during that time you’re almost guaranteed to smile, sing, dance, or some other carefree activity. Fans of bands like The Shins should have very little trouble liking this album as it’s not too different from that bands better moments. While 2007 has already begun to show it’s great selection of music, “Tones of Town” is definitely the most solid and enjoyable album to release thus far this year. You absolutely have to listen to it!

Recommended for fans of Field Music, The Shins, The Hidden Cameras, and anyone who wants to hear what will probably be one of the top five albums of 2007.

Key Tracks:
1. “Sit Tight”
2. “A House is Not a Home”
3. “Working to Work”
4. “Closer at Hand”
5. “Place Yourself”

9 out of 10 Stars