We’re experiencing one of the nastiest heat waves on record here in the Northeastern United States. Unaccustomed to relentless temps above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, folks are grasping at anything to keep cool. One newspaper article I saw suggested that ‘thinking cool’ simply must be part of the equation if one is going to weather this heat wave with any sort grace. In that spirit, I’ve been casting about for music that makes me think of cooler climes. Happily, there’s a great deal of terrific Scandinavian pop that’s fueling my wishful dreaming.
A prime example is Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar (rough paraphrase – the local bar has terrific ambiance), the US Debut CD of Norwegian electro-pop collective Casiokids. It’s touted as the first Norwegian language pop release in the States. And, while apart from a few Nibelung names, my Norwegian is virtually nonexistent, I can attest that there are no musical language barriers here.
As their moniker indicates, Casiokids happily channel eighties era synth pop signatures. But they mold these into a disparate soundscape, that encompasses both dance pop and more avant electronica: often simultaneously! The results are apt to capture both one’s intellect and their choreographic impulses. I’d dance too – if only it weren’t so darn hot!
Casiokids have been championed by a number of indie stalwarts; chief among these advocates are their label mates Of Montreal. One can see why they’re excited by the catchy yet substantial fare. Indeed, several tracks from Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar have inspired remixes. “Fot i Hose” has been the recepient of particularly fruitful attentions. Courtesy of our friends at RCRDLBL, check out the song below.
Casiokids Tour Dates:
Wed 8/18 – San Francisco, CA – Cafe Du Nord
Thu 8/19 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Fri 8/20 – Seattle, WA – The Vera Project
Sat 8/21 – Vancouver, BC – Media Club
Tue 8/24 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
Wed 8/25 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
Thu 8/26 – Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
Fri 8/27 – Toronto, ON – Supermarket
Sat 8/28 – Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands
Sun 8/29 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
Mon 8/30 – Washington, DC – DC9
Fri 10/8 – Los Angeles, CA – Spaceland
Jamie Lidell’s new CD, Compass, is slated for May release on Warp. He released a sneak peek today: a video for “The Ring.”
Tour Dates
April 27 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom)
April 29 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
May 7 – Koln, DE – Burgerhaus Stollwerck
May 8 – Hamburg, DE – Knust
May 9 – Berlin, DE – Festssall Kreuzberg
May 13 – Zurich, CH – Kaufleuten
May 14 – Lyon, FR – Nuits Sonores Festival
May 17 – Brussels, BE – Nuits Botaniques Festival
May 18 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
May 19 – London, UK – 229 (
May 21 – Paris, FR – Alhambra
May 22 – Roma, IT – Dissonanze Festival @ Palazzo dei Congressi (
May 29 – Antalya, TR – SunSplash Antalya Festival
June 9 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe
June 12 – Toronto, ON – The Mod Club
June 14 – Vancouver, BC – Venue
June 16 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
June 31 – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival
Making the classical aspects of the burgeoning indie classical movement abundantly clear, crossover albums are now crossover marketing musical scores. Via his website, composer Owen Pallett has released a limited edition score for the music on Heartland, his latest Domino recording.
Owen Pallett's Heartland
Joined by the Czech Symphony Orchestra and a host of guests (including composer Nico Muhly) Pallette has crafted his most consistently engaging music to date. In some critical circles, indie classical has, rightly or wrongly, been under the microscope for making pop into a ‘longhair’ genre, robbing it of its immediacy in favor of overt sophistication. I’d submit that this vantage point doesn’t give enough credit to indie audiences, who seem to be just fine grappling with orchestral arrangements by Pallett and electronic experiments by Animal Collective alike.
What’s more, recordings like Heartland amply demonstrate that one can, if they’re talented, craft sophisticated music that has just as many catchy hooks as a three-chord, three-minute anthemic single. A case in point is the loop-laden and jaunty “Lewis Takes off his Shirt;” the music, and the video below, suggest that pop can indeed combine sophistication with immediacy, and that its orchestral incarnation can be downright cheeky!
For those of your with a case of ‘artifact avarice,’ the full orchestra score for Heartland is $46 and has been printed in a limited run of 300. In addition to the music it also provides lyrics and a chart of diagrams of patches for the ARP 2600.
Owen Palett’s touring a bunch in support of Heartland. Here are some dates:
04-08 Toronto, Ontario – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
04-10 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
04-11 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
04-12 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall
04-13 Columbus, OH – Wexner Center
04-14 Pittsburgh, PA – Andy Warhol Museum
04-15 Washington DC – Black Cat
04-18 Indio, CA – Coachella Festival
04-20 Boston, MA – Institute of Contemporary Art
04-22 New York, NY – Webster Hall
04-24 Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
04-25 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
04-27 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
04-29 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
04-30 Austin, TX – The Mohawk
05-05 San Francisco, CA – The Independent
05-08 Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
05-09 Vancouver, British Columbia – The Vogue Theatre
05-10 Victoria, British Columbia – Alix Goolden Hall
05-11 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
05-13 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
05-14 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Kay and I went down to Barrow Street to hear the second Keys to Future concert last night. In addition to some pieces with which I was very familiar, the program also included works that were new to me. Discovering a new piece or previously unfamiliar composer in a live venue can be thrilling; especially when Amy Briggs and Stephen Gosling are playing! It was an excellent show; my review of it should post on Musical America later this week.
We got to the Village a little early, and had time to enjoy a preconcert dinner and stroll around the shops on Bleeker Street. A browse through Bleeker Street Records reminded me of one of the reasons why I’m so glad that there still are a few brick ‘n mortar stores around; and why I’d be sad if they went away. ‘Digging’ for vinyl or CDs can reveal sought-after treasures; but it can also lead to pleasant digressions and discoveries. While looking for something else, one of the CDs I grabbed off of the rack struck my visual fancy. I have no idea who the band is, what style of music they play, or whether they are any good. The artist who rendered their booklet cover, on the other hand, had such a vivid imagination that it was worth the five bucks just to see if the music could compare.
One of the debates as we ‘go green’ and cut costs is about the efficacy of digital distribution; whether we really need artifacts or whether digital copies, with all their conveniences (and foibles) instead suffice. I have grudgingly converted to obtaining some recording acquisitions via digital download. Even with the current sonic compromises of MP3, the convenience and comprehensiveness factors of many digital stores are seductive. And the 30-second sonic snippets can be handy for triaging selections.
Still, the experience of digging through shelves of recordings in person and having some album art catch your eye, paging through the storybook of lyrics and wondering if the musical rendering will compare – that’s magical!
One of my favorite places to browse in the digital domain is Silber Media. The imprint specializes in experimental artists, particularly of the alt-electronica persuasion. A number of their artists are on tour this summer; dates below!
The mystery CD from Bleeker Street is in the changer. I’m about to press play – wish me luck!
Silber Artists on Tour
Aarktica ( www.myspace.com/aarktica )
May 21 2009 8:00 PM
AARKTICA w/ Mark Van Hoen (Seefeel), Millimetrik, Luxa (Loveless Music Presents) New York
Hotel Hotel ( www.myspace.com/hotelhotel ) – post rock
May 22 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ rgrs denton, Texas
May 23 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ the foundation kansas city, Missouri
May 24 2009 8:00 PM
hotel hotel @ nomad pub minneapolis/st. paul, Minnesota
May 25 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ LEMP st. louis, Missouri
May 26 2009 8:00 PM
hotel hotel @ tba columbus, Ohio
May 27 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ bela dubby cleveland, Ohio
May 30 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ friendship cove montréal, Quebec
May 31 2009 8:00 PM
hotel hotel @ tba boston, Massachusetts
Jun 1 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ goodbye blue monday bushwick, brooklyn, New York
Jun 2 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ the khyber philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 3 2009 8:00 PM
hotel hotel @ the good cherry forest, Virginia
Jun 4 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ caledonia lounge athens, Georgia
Jun 5 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ kavarna decatur, atlanta
Jun 6 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ the blind mule mobile, Alabama
Jun 7 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ tba new orleans, Louisiana
Jun 9 2009 9:00 PM
hotel hotel @ superhappyfunland houston, Texas
Remora ( www.myspace.com/remora ) – post apocalyptic pop
May 25 2009 9:00 PM
Remora @ The Nightlight Chapel Hill, North Carolina
May 30, 2009 – 8:00 PM
Remora @ BFF Bog Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Small Life Form ( www.myspace.com/smalllifeform ) – aggressive ambient
May 31 2009 8:00 PM
Small Life Form @ Badgerhaus Raleigh, North Carolina
Sharon van Etten
Because I was in Love
Language of Stone
Brooklynite alt-folkie Sharon van Etten embarks on a European tour starting today. While we wish her bon voyage, listeners who can’t make one of her European shows (dates below) will have to content themselves with her new debut LP. Because I was in Loveis slated for release on May 26. It’s sparely adorned, placing van Etten’s vocals front and center accompanied by acoustic guitar. There’s a homey quality to the proceedings, which sometimes manifests itself in rough hewn moments, such as the approximate guitar tuning on “Some Dream.” But Because I was in Love is an LP that can catch you in the gut six different ways to Sunday. Lovely, disarming moments are found on “I Wish I Knew” and the ceaselessly vulnerable “I Fold.” This is doubtless due to the indescribably haunting quality of Van Etten’s voice. ”Consolation Prize,” an evocative, achingly sad ballad, is my favorite tune thus far; hope she keeps it in reserve for the encores!
Sharon Van Etten in Europe 5.08.09
The Forum w/ BEIRUT and Shearwater
5.10.09
Festsaal Kreuzberg in Berlin w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.11.09
UT Connewitz in Leipzig w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.12.09
Beatpol in Dresden w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.13.09
Kreuz in Fulda w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.14.09
Manufaktur in Schorndorf w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.15.09
Cultureel Podium Roepaen in Ottersum w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.16.09
Le Botanique in Brussels w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.18.09
St. Bonaventures in Bristol w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.19.09
Dulcimer in Manchester w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.20.09
The Cluny in Newcastle w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.21.09
Twisted Wheel in Glasgow w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.22.09
Glee Club in Birmingham w/ Great Lake Swimmers
5.23.09
Borderline in London w/ Great Lake Swimmers
Hard to believe that Austin rockers Explosions in the Sky have been making music together for ten years. If you haven’t heard 2007′s All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone, get thee to a record store! Better yet, get out and hear them this summer – tour dates below.
TOUR DATES AND SPECIAL GUESTS
6/27 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium with No Age and Eluvium
Mainstream rockers Better than Ezra release a new album on 5/12. The band is giving listeners a taste of Paper Empire with a free download of the single “Absolutely Still.”
BTE is also touring throughout the US this spring and summer; venues and dates below.
Apr 25 – TPC of Louisiana – Avondale, Louisiana
Apr 26 – Jazz &Heritage Festival – New Orleans, Louisiana
May 1 – The Windjammer – Isle of Palms, SC
May 2 – Rosewood Crawfish Festival – Columbia, SC
May 29 – House of Blues – New Orleans, Louisiana
May 30 – House of Blues – New Orleans, Louisiana
Jun 2 – Flytrap Music Hall – Tulsa, OK
Jun 3 – Harrah’s Whiskey Road House – Council Bluffs, IA
Jun 5 – Taste Of Fort Worth – Fort Worth, TX
Jun 6 – House Of Blues – Houston, TX
Jun 7 – House Of Blues – Dallas, TX
Jun 9 – Soul Kitchen – Mobile, AL
Jun 11 – City Limits – Delray Beach, FL
Jun 12 – Jannus – Tampa, FL
Jun 13 – HOB – Orlando, FL
Jun 14 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
Jun 16 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
Jun 17 – Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA
Jun 18 – Alive At The Square – Buffalo, NY
Jun 19 – Irving Plaza – New York, NY
Jun 20 – Paradise – Boston, MA
Jun 23 – House Of Blues – Cleveland, OH
Jun 25 – Vogue Theater – Indianapolis, IN
Jun 26 – 4th Street Live – Louisville, KY
Jun 27 – House Of Blues – Chicago, IL
Jun 28 – Summerfest – Millwaukee, Wisconsin
Jul 24 – Kansas City Live – Kansas City, MI
Jul 25 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MI
Jul 30 – Alive @ 5 – Stamford, CT
Oct 7 – Walt Disney World Resort – Orlando, FL
Oct 8 – Walt Disney World Resort – Orlando, FL
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