I don’t know why sometimes the electronic, new-wave, Brit-pop type sound appeals to me, but it does. Maybe it’s a reminder to me of the 80’s. (Should I have written that??)
Anyhow.
Deluka has been stirring it up in the UK for awhile, but with their newly-released self-titled EP they are getting attention here in the US as well. What’s really interesting is that with the tracks I posted below, I actually heard the acoustic version first, and that’s what caught my attention. It wasn’t till I listened to the second, electro-Brit version that I realized what kind of band they actually are. Obviously, I still like ’em. Try it yourself; listen to the acoustic version first. See whatcha think.
When LnZ Kade of A Melodic Daydream sent me their latest project, A Little Weird, I wasn’t quite sure how to describe what I was hearing.
Oh, I can’t help it. The pun is just sitting there waiting to be used. It was a little weird.
Not that the music itself is weird, or the record, or even LnZ Kade and Chris Newton, the duo-couple who call themselves A Melodic Daydream. It was weird because I’m used to indie music being a different sort of vibe–esoteric, postmodern, experimental, coffeehouse, that kind of thing. Instead, while this record probably fits into the adult-alternative genre, it also has this almost ’70s pop/rock sensibility that reminds me vaguely of classic Fleetwood Mac-meets-Olivia Newton John. Not the dated kind of 70’s rock; the timeless kind. (People still listen to Fleetwood Mac, in case you didn’t know.)
And yet, A Melodic Daydream is decidedly indie by all accounts. Kade and Newton are self-published, releasing their own material with their own publishing company and label, along with several other creative efforts. Definitely indie spirits–but their vibe and sound are their own, and based on their own influences. They are being who they are–and that’s what being indie is all about. And the music itself? Quality. Hook-laden songs, solid arrangements, and Kade’s memorable girl-rock voice over the top of it all.
So after finally having time to give their record a decent spin, the phrase that came to me is “indie for grownups”–a style, a vibe that will appeal to more than just the younger coffeehouse crowd.
I saw these guys for the first time during their debut performance on David Letterman, and I was immediately captivated. Four guys from London doing their own unique take on folk/bluegrass? London’s gotta be, what, 4000 miles from the Appalachians? But they make it work. Here’s the clip below: listen for yourself. (And does anyone know what that instrument is that the third guy from the left is playing? It looks like a guitar and sounds like a banjo. A banjitar? A guitarjo?)
This is a supplementary post to my article on Examiner.com.
Given the band name, the title of this post sounds a little ironic. Planning an attack with The Battleship Agenda? In the “war room” with The Battleship Agenda? Those sound a bit more apropos. But hanging with them? Doesn’t really fit.
But when the band sat down with me recently to talk about their journey and the successes they’ve had since starting a mere 8 months ago, it didn’t feel anything like a battleship, or an agenda. It felt like hanging out. In fact, when I asked them where the band name came from, all they would do is crack jokes. “If we tell you, we have to kill you,” said Kat Barnes, the band’s lead singer. [laughter]
“I had nothing to do with it,” said Chris Brinson the drummer, who apparently came on board after the name was already chosen. [more laughter]
“So, okay, you don’t want to tell me,” I said.
“It isn’t that we don’t want to tell you–it’s that we’re not legally allowed to tell you.” [more laughter] I never did find out how the band got their name.
The thing is, the impression I got when talking to them and asking them questions was that this is a band that puts a lot of value on relationships. The current band formed out of several pre-existing friendships, and it’s apparent from their banter and conversations that they enjoy…well…hanging together. And in the course of our conversation, it was also apparent that the band considers the friendships they’ve made to be one of the greatest payoffs of the journey so far.
“I’ve made more friends [being] in this band than with any other one,” says guitarist Nick Ferro.
“We love it when we get to hang out with people,” said Tyler.
That said…The Battleship Agenda really does have an agenda. Part of why they’ve gained so much attention in less than a year out in public is that they’ve thought like professionals, planned out their steps and done things strategically to make their efforts count.
As to the “battleship” part…well…that makes more sense when you listen to their music or see them play a show.
Speaking of that…if you’re here in Denver, you can see them play a show this weekend, if you like. They’re on the bill with The Northern Way at the Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer Street in downtown Denver. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door; show starts at 7:00 PM.
You can also pick up The Battleship Agenda’s EP on iTunes.
(This post is supplemental to my article on Examiner.com.)
I admit I’m a bit of a skeptic. When I hear or see a lot of buildup or hype over something, I usually get a little put off, because too many times the “something” doesn’t measure up to the hype. I figure if you have to work that hard to tell everyone how good something is, it probably isn’t. So when I started seeing the high-quality posters and handbills for the huge upcoming CD-release party (and film festival??) for John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light; then saw the articles in Westword; then heard about it on the radio–I thought I’d better check it out, but I was prepared for it to be less than it was cracked up to be.
Thankfully, the event measured up this time.
When I walked into Casselman’s Bar and Venue Saturday night for the event, I was handed a CD of the new release, and a complementary first drink. These guys had everything prepared. They knew that fans would be there, critics, bloggers and the like, waiting to be impressed. There are many blogs and review sites these days, for everything from music to o2 UK Priority reviews. If you can score some good reviews on popular sites, that means there’s a good chance you can gain more listeners, and, potentially, fans. Tables and chairs were set up lounge-fashion, the stage was set, and fog machines were creating “atmosphere.” A huge video screen was running slides. And the display table to the side held a box art exhibit from local artists who drew their inspiration from the record. The video screen, I was soon to discover, was for the “film festival”–four short films by local filmmakers, again themed on songs from the CD, selected from fifteen participants, and shown between acts. The whole evening was literally set up as a party as well as a concert, celebrating the creativity of local artists, all the while turning attention to the CD in a variety of ways.
It was extremely well-planned and creatively designed, and presented in a highly professional manner. I must admit I was impressed. But never having heard John Common before, I wondered: would the band measure up to all the buildup?
The event wasn’t without its snafus. (Few events are.) Actually, the night’s biggest weakness actually had nothing to do with the artists or bands, or even the planning. The second act, Achille Lauro, was obviously a good band, but was plagued with sound problems where most of the room could not hear the vocalists sing or speak, and thus they could not hold the room’s attention. By the time they finished, the room was restless and the party was drifting. I began to wonder if this highly-pumped event was going to turn out mediocre, like all the others that have admittedly made me a skeptic.
When John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light finally took the stage, my doubts faded away. By the third song, I was a fan. By the fifth song, I wanted to join the band.
It was definitely a risky undertaking all around. Beautiful Empty is apparently quite a step toward “down-tempo” from John Common’s previous work; it’s acoustic, reflective, even melencholy. In addition, the band itself contained two violins, two cellos, a keyboard/organ/glockenspiel player, a drummer, bass player and female “background” vocalist (actually she sang more as a duet with John Common and is strong enough to solo on her own). And John played piano and acoustic guitar (not at the same time). Quite a lineup–and again, risky, because it takes a lot to get that many band members to play well together.
But the music was very nearly flawless–great sound, great arrangements, great vocals, great musicianship. The fact that the songs were more reflective did not take away from the power and passion of the performance. It was one of those “good for the soul” music moments for me.
Bottom line: John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light were every bit at the level of excellence that their event promotion suggested they would be. And their new CD is definitely worth a listen.
HighRaceVine at the D-Note. Photo: Shelby McQuilkin.
I’ve observed two schools of thought when it comes to band debuts. On one hand, several bands I’ve talked to deliberately refrained from “going public” until they had played together for months and maybe even made a record first. Then on the other side, there are bands who choose to evolve publicly, being willing to step out there and play gigs during their formative phase, letting the experience shape them.
I’d place Jay Ryan and his new band, HighRaceVine, into the second category.
Jay, you might recall, hosts the weekly open stage at the D-Note in Olde Town Arvada. He’s all about encouraging people to get up on stage and explore the possibilities. Indeed, the three talented musicians who make up HighRaceVine really had their origins jamming on the open stage, experimenting together. They discovered that a classic blues-rock guitar, a bass guitar and a cello played like a rock-and-roll instrument just might put a new spin on the whole rock sound thing. They decided to try it.
Tuesday night, in home territory at the D-Note, the fledgling band had its inaugural concert. They did lots of cover tunes, covering rock-and-roll from The Beatles to Kings of Leon, threw in a couple of originals, and even wrote a song on the spot using the “random song generator”–asking the audience for random information and forming a chord sequence out of it.
Was it rough? Sure, it was rough, at least in spots. But remember, this is a band from “school number 2”. All three musicians are skilled veterans who know when something sounds good, and when it’s rough. (“The more you drink, the better we sound,” Jay quipped.) They weren’t there to knock it out of the park on the first swing; they were there to grow together, to evolve, and they’re letting us in on the process. It actually takes a level of self-awareness and humility to join school number 2, if you think about it.
And you know what? There were some really awesome moments, also. We liked the cover tunes, because they showed us that these three instruments really do put a twist on rock-and-roll, without sounding cheesy. We heard some of the cool sounds that made these musicians want to start this band in the first place. We watched three friends who really enjoy playing together, having a good time with the music–and it made us have a good time, too.
And isn’t that what it’s about?
So welcome to the Denver music scene, HighRaceVine. We look forward to watching the evolution.
I’ll cut to the chase: of the six Denver bands mentioned in this article, two of them I had picked two months ago as bands with promise. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake is one. The other, and the one I want to focus on at the moment, is Churchill, whom I specifically wrote about here and here as a band worth watching. Just newly formed this past year, Churchill was voted into the Hometown for the Holidays Top 3 local bands–right alongside two other veteran bands who have been in the Top 3 before. (I’ll be interviewing them about this sometime soon.)
Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks this band is worth watching.
This past Friday, Churchill played in a four-band lineup at the D-Note, not too far from where I live; so I went to followup and see for myself how they are progressing. To say I was pleased is an understatement. They’re still finding their “stage legs”, but they’ve grown more comfortable onstage, they’ve tightened their vocals, and they’re writing great new material. A fully enjoyable set of folk-rock with a bit of newgrass thrown in. It’s still hard to describe them, harder still to describe their appeal; but trust me, the appeal is there. It’s that intangible sense of sound, flavor and personality that just grabs you and makes you want to hear more. It’s music that stirs the soul.
Some might think it’s way too early in the game to call it, but I’m willing to go out on a limb. I’m telling you, keep an eye on this band. Whatever “it” is, they’ve got it. Churchill is still developing, but if they stay on course, they’re on a trajectory that’s going to take them all the way to the top.
One year ago today, guitarist Dylan Busby’s solo project morphed into Ft. Collins band DB and the Catastrophe. With a diverse sound fluctuating between pop-punk and ska, the band’s contagious enthusiasm recently garnered them a Top 12 slot by voter-listeners in Channel 93.3’s Hometown for the Holidays contest.
This week, DB took a few minutes to answer some questions.
OOMPH: How did DB and the Catastrophe form? How long have you been a band?
DB: Well the band started out as I (DB) was trying to start a solo project. I was piecing together a band of a bunch of awesome musicians. While in the process of doing this I realized I surrounded myself with people whom I have tons of fun with and feed off of while making music, and that is when we decided to just turn it into a band. On our gig on the 8th of January we will officially be a band for one year. It has been only a short while, but it has gone by wicked fast, and we have done so much! We also hope to bring even more out to the people over the course of the years to come.
OOMPH: Who would you consider to be your greatest inspirations or influences as a band?
DB: Wow, we have a lot of different pulls. For our punk side, we pull from bands like Anti-Flag, Bad Religion, The Clash, Green Day, NOFX, The Offspring, Operation Ivy, Pennywise, Rise Against, Social Distortion, and Sum 41, just to name a few. For some ska stuff we look to bands like Big D and the Kids Table, Goldfinger, Less Than Jake, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Reel Big Fish. From there we are have our personal favorites, like 311, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Nirvana, Pennywise, and Thomas Lang.
OOMPH: Making the Hometown for the Holidays Top 12 is quite an achievement. What good things have happened with the band to help you get to that point?
DB: The things that got us here are great opportunities and tons of work. Since we aren’t very old as a band, it took tons of work to get where we are. We always have to stay on top of emailing people, trying to book gigs, and getting the word out about us. Usually when all of your work seems for nothing something pulls through. Like a radio DJ finally checked you out and really digs you so they play your song and come to your gig. Or some one wants to do an article on you or a review. Also the time we played at the Hard Rock Café that was a big boost. Honestly, though, I think the best tool to achievement in this business is the fans. If you can reach some one and get them to talk about you to their friends, you just pulled in ten more people.
OOMPH: What does the songwriting process look like for you and the band? How do song ideas happen for you?
DB: First DB comes up with a riff. Then it either goes two ways: we either collaborate, or DB sits in his basement and gets a good base for the song, and then we collaborate. Sometimes we completely morph a song from what it was originally, or sometimes we just throw on another guitar part and let it be simple. Ideas usually come for a song when something happens in one of the band members’ lives, something happens in the world, or DB reads about something or sees something. Then was the motivation is found DB writes about it.
OOMPH: What role has the Internet played in your success as a band?
The Internet is a huge tool, especially for being a small indie band. It allows us to get in touch with our fans easily. It helps us communicate with other people in the industry too. Most of all it helps us get to more people!
OOMPH: What does 2010 look like for you? What projects are in the works?
2010 is going to be a very busy year for DB and the Catastrophe. We can’t even begin to think about how many things we are getting our hands into. We are looking at some festivals over the summer, and we are pretty confident that there is an EP/LP in our near future.
You can catch DB and the Catastrophe live tonight, January 8, 2010, at the Marquis Theater in downtown Denver, on 2009 Larimer St. Show starts at 7:30 PM, and tickets are $8.
Local Denver band Vices I Admire, an alternative indie band recently voted into the Top 12 Bands for Channel 93.3’s Hometown for the Holidays, is headlining a concert tonight at the Bluebird Theater to celebrate the release of their sophomore CD release, The Politics of Apathy. Concert starts at 8:00 pm, ages 16+. Tickets are $10 at the door, but if you present a ticket pre-printed from their website http://www.vicesiadmire.com/, admission is $5.
Drummer Mark Towne was kind enough to have coffee with me to talk about the band and their CD release and overall direction. The thing that impressed me most was their work ethic and dedication to make the band a success. They treat it like a business, to say the least–practicing five nights a week, doing their own promotion and publicity. Very professional, if you ask me.
And their music isn’t half bad, either.
These guys are worth a listen. Go check them out tonight, if you get a chance, and see what you think.
Alright, I know this is a bit obvious–I mean, shouldn’t I be profiling bands nobody knows about?–but the fact is, my hometown is doing pretty good in the music scene these days. In the past few years, Denver has produced a number of bands that have gained national attention–including The Fray, 3Oh!3, OneRepublic and a few others. If some of you who aren’t from Denver haven’t yet heard of The Flobots, you probably will soon. And I’ve got my eye on a few others I think will draw national attention in the next few years.
That said…Meese is a band just now getting its share of the spotlight with a musical blend of guitar-driven rock, electronic programming and piano pop. They released their first national recording Broadcast on Atlantic Records this past summer, and have been touring to promote it. They’ve had a few things go their way in getting this far–including being friends with The Fray (who ironically used to open shows for Patrick Meese’s previous band before hitting it big) and getting some major plugs from local radio stations here. And they got a huge boost last summer when the author of the Twilight books, Stephanie Meyer, discovered the band playing her favorite song was Meese, and made a big deal about it.
Actually, Meese’s relationship with The Fray (and other local bands) is of particular interest to me, because I see a pretty cool sense of community happening with the local musicians here. A lot of these guys and girls have played together, not just on the same stages, but swapping musicians between bands. I’ve talked to a few other bands and artists, and they tell me that the tendency is to affirm and support one another, rather than compete. The Fray opens for Patrick Meese’s band; then The Fray gets signed; then they invite Meese to open for them! I love stuff like that, and it’s that kind of openness and support that breeds creativity. And I think it’s part of why Denver is becoming a musical force to be reckoned with.
I like Meese’s melodies and their sound, and I think the single “Next In Line” is very catchy. YouTube won’t let me embed it, but I’ve put a link below to one version of the video, and you can also sample the record below.
I don’t know why sometimes the electronic, new-wave, Brit-pop type sound appeals to me, but it does. Maybe it’s a reminder to me of the 80’s. (Should I have written that??)
Try it yourself; listen to the acoustic version first. See whatcha think.
