On the Verge: Band of Horses

Welcome to the War on Pop's weekly Tuesday column, "On the Verge", which highlights artists and bands that have received some attention and/or critical acclaim, but that are still not considered a big time act. Musicians of this caliber would most likely be have been found by major indie music critics, such as Pitchfork or Stereogum, but are not exactly ready to go be a headline or second bill at a major festival.

Bands of Horses is a American rock band, led by frontmen Ben Bridwell, that formed in 2004. Originally from Seattle, the band now resides in South Carolina. They have signed with the Sub Pop record label, releasing their debut album Everything All the Time in 2006, and following up with Cease to Begin the following year. The group is preparing to enter the recording studio sometime this fall to make their next upcoming album.













Falling somewhere within the indie-rock genre, shaded with elements of folk, country, and Americana, Band of Horses embodies a lush, organic feel that shines with earnestness and honesty. Bridwell's bursts of crying wails in his high-pitched falsetto further adds to the openness exhibited his songs. Combined with their reverb-heavy, dynamic-laden, warm sound, Band of Horses offers a majestic grandeur as beautiful as their album cover from Cease to Begin. Be sure to check out the following tracks, "Is There a Ghost," "Detlef Schrempf," and "The Great Salt Lake" down below.

Mix Mondays: Volume 2

Welcome to the War on Pop's weekly Monday column, Mix Mondays--a weekly 8 song playlist for your own enjoyment! Enjoy the mix below or at http://8tracks.com/waronpop/war-on-pop-mix-mondays-2-august-31-2009



Volume 2: 8/31/2009

1. Dirty Projectors and David Byrne - Knotty Pine
2. Paul Simon - I Know What I Know
3. The Very Best (Featuring Ezra Koenig) - Warm Heart of Africa
4. Ruby Suns - Kenya Dig It?
5. Ra Ra Riot - St. Peter's Day Festival
6. Amadou & Mariam - Sabali
7. DJ Kaos - Love the Nite Away (Tiedye Mix)
8. Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance

War on Pop Radio Show Postponed

Due to some technical issues, War on Pop's first radio show (7-10pm EST) will be pushed back to next Sunday. Sorry for the inconvenience, but be sure to stay in touch with us throughout the week.

Seen and Not Seen: Lost Cartographers

Seen and Not Seen is a weekly Saturday column that covers a band profile, album highlights, or song reviews for artists who have received either little or no attention. These artists featured are either unsigned, or are signed but are still primarily playing in their respective local scenes. The goal here is to promote musicians who fit this criteria in an attempt to give them the coverage they deserve.

Formed in 2007, The Lost Cartographers are a Chicago-based band that has so far released one full-length album, Walk On. On this release, the quintet displays a showcase of Americana highlights that has been matched by only a small list of new and upcoming artists over the past few years.

The album features a delicate blend of both upbeat country-pop tracks, such as the title track "Walk On" and "Golden Record", as well as slower ballads. On the whole, these songs draw memories of a female-fronted Wilco circa A.M., combined with the electric organ the band has featured particularly in their most recent work. Overall, the timbre of Lost Cartographers combines both the old and new of Wilco's alt-country, folk, and Americana influences.

What stands out most on this record is not the Americana feel itself, however good that may be. Instead, lead vocalist Gabrielle Schafer shines through at all points, as her sound falls somewhere between the vocal essence of Natalie Merchant combined with a slight country-twang, reminiscent of Jenny Lewis. Schafer particularly carries the Lost Cartographers on their slower renditions. In particular, her presence transforms tracks such as "Killing Time in Nashville" and "Hudson River Teenage Blues" into works of beauty.

Make sure to check out the tracks below, "Walk On" and "Hudson River Teenage Blues" to see both sides the Lost Cartographers, and see for yourself why this band deserves more attention throughout the Americana music scene.

War on Pop's Friday Short List

Short List is a Friday variety column featuring 3 of the following: short stories, comments, songs, or other tidbits from the week.

1) The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 20-1 (via Pitchfork) Shared via AddThis









2) U2's Music Becomes Centerpiece of Florida Church's Sunday Service (via Rolling Stone)

Photo: Neal/AFP/Getty

Many superfans compare listening to their favorite band to a religious experience. A church in Florida is taking that sentiment to the next level by introducing its congregation to a Sunday service that features the music and lyrics of Bono and Co., reports Twenty Four Bit. The rockin’ First United Methodist Church of Pensacola, Florida will host the U2charist — a play on the word Eucharist — which includes U2’s “One,” “With or Without You” and the service-opening prayer of “Beautiful Day.”

The debut U2charist in Pensacola took place August 23rd at First Methodist. The U.S. Episcopal Church first developed the U2charist in 2003, and the service was first conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, in April 2004. The celebration of U2’s music has since since spread worldwide, arriving in Pensacola last weekend. “It’s definitely something different,” First United’s Rev. Geoffrey Lentz told the Pensacola News Journal. “But U2’s music is so deeply spiritual that I think the corporate worship setting is the perfect place for it. It’s exciting for the oldest Protestant church in Pensacola to have a cutting edge worship service.” Lentz added that the U2charist appeals to a younger audience, and an average of 200 people attend the Sunday service.

Churches who hold the U2charist do not have to pay licensing fees for using U2’s music on the condition that the church donates any money raised by the service to charities benefiting the Millennium Development Goals, to which Bono is an ambassador. After completing the European leg of their 360° Tour, U2 will take inspirational songs and the church of “the spaceship” overseas for a North American tour that kicks off September 12th in Chicago.

3) Lil Wayne Says Stay in School!

Lil Wayne for Get Schooled from Get Schooled on Vimeo.

Thursday Artist Portrait: Animal Collective

Thursday Artist Portrait is a weekly column that goes in-depth about an established or influential band, album, or song. Rather than simply discussing these on a simple aesthetic level, this section will attempt to provide unique, thoughtful insights to those things being examined.

Over the past two weeks, I have had the chance to experience Pitchfork's list of the 500 best songs of the decade, making it the first time I have read such a detailed list about the music of which I have grown up with. One of the major things, not surprisingly, about such lists is that they do not necessarily shed light on new information, but rather enlighten those which you had already known on a certain level. Between Pitchfork's list, and their recent reviews of the reissues of Kid A and Amnesiac, they have sparked my thoughts about Radiohead, and their profound career in not only creating beautiful, melancholy music, but how they have done so by expanding the realm of what is considered listenable to all generations and types of people.

However, as you can see in the title, this piece is not about Radiohead. The intro above serves only as food for thought--that only at this moment can we look back and see the path of innovative progression that Radiohead has undertaken. What got me thinking about this was not the forward manner of genre-bending that has already happened, but instead wondering about five or ten years from now--who will be the next decade's Radiohead? Who will us music listeners look back upon in hindsight with such respect reverence for the paths they will soon take? A band in this mold needs not to just have talent and creative vision, but needs to have the potential and upside of a limitless ceiling and the ability to fuse genres in a manner which changes the way people listen to music, create expectations about music, and in turn influence a whole new generation of musicians and fans alike.

When I think of someone fulfilling the quote atop this blog's banner, and desire to see 'progression of the norm' within modern music, Animal Collective resonates as the best current example of that. But rather than becoming something so completely different beyond the norm, these musicians have the rare ability to straddle the line between convention and innovation within popular music so perfectly--they are able to create something so experimental and boundary-pushing on a sonic level, yet allow listeners to be captured further by remnants of familiarity and 'cyclical revivalism'. For Animal Collective, or Radiohead, or other bands who could do such things, it is not purely about how much you can change and innovate music, but how you can do this while enabling others to be invited into the experience through some sort of familiarity.

Take a look at Animal Collective right now. The group has had a track record of experimental textures and sounds within their music. That has always been their foundation, and that will unlikely ever change. Over their past two albums, Strawberry Jam and Merriweather Post Pavilion, they have not pushed the norm by becoming more liberal with their noise and complexity, but rather by seamlessly infusing a diverse range of influences into their sound, creating a style and genre that is unique onto themselves. Take a listen to "For Reverend Green" and you'll hear soaring, wailing lyrics, combined with the noise-wallpaper that calls out the guitars of Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine). Or "Summertime Clothes"--which mixes Afro-pop with their signature electronica backdrop. And their best known song --"My Girls"--which results in their most accessible song to date, yet leaves plenty to find amidst the haze of noise around the colorful, pulsating synthesizers. What Animal Collective does is not just combine genres. They make music that can be understood as simple AND complex at the same time through meshing genres together. The group creates in a way that can be understood on all levels, leaving as much for noise-pop, avant-garde aficionado, as they do for the casual fan. In doing this, Animal Collective is truly like Radiohead through their creation of complex, yet accessible music in a manner that has not been done before.

Weekly Update: Best Buy, Bon Iver, Yeah Yeah Yeahs,

Weekly Update is a section updated every Wednesday, highlighting selected news and stories regarding the music industry and its artists. While much of this will feature reposts from recent news, I will also contribute occasionally to this with my own interviews, concert reviews, or my own findings.

Best Buy to Sell Vinyl Records?

(Repost of Jennifer Bergen article from "The ToyBox" column on http://www.zdnet.com)

The sale of vinyl records is on the rise. But why would anyone want to buy something that can’t be easily popped into your car stereo, or placed in your computer to burn to your iPod? Well, apparently, people don’t care about those things, or they’re finding ways to transfer their vinyl collection to a digital format, and the numbers are there to prove it. According to Nielsen SoundScan, vinyl LP sales reached 1.88 million units in 2008 — an 89 percent increase from 2007.

Best Buy is smart, and is jumping right into vinyl sales. According to a New York Post article, Best Buy is the third largest music retailer, after Apple’s iTunes and Wal-Mart. Best Buy tested the vinyl sales at 100 of its stores nationwide, and the results proved to be successful.

CD sales have been steadily declining each year with the rise of digital downloads, and although vinyl sales will not make up for the loss from CD neglect, it will at least help. On average, a CD costs $13.99, whereas a vinyl LP costs around $22.95.

Many of the major record labels have taken notice of the rise in vinyl interest and have done what record collectors do best: sifted through the crates to find the best record. Some companies have found their best-selling records in their catalogs, and are re-releasing remastered versions of the albums with the original artwork and packaging.

In September 2008, for example, EMI released “From the Capitol Vaults,” which includes albums such as the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds,” Radiohead’s “OK Computer,” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Band of Gypsies.”

Best Buy is said to be considering using as much as eight square feet in each of its 1,020 stores for vinyl. Smaller record stores might be concerned that this might take away from their business, but I doubt Best Buy will be selling the rare gems you stumble upon while digging around in the crates. They’ll most likely be selling classic albums, like the ones mentioned above.

We’ll be sure to update you with more news about when you can shop the vinyl section of your neighborhood Best Buy. Viva la vinyl.

---

Bon Iver to Perform at Sunrise

(By Alex Young on August 20th, 2009 via http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/20/bon-iver-to-perform-at-sunrise/)

How’s this for an alarm clock?

On Sunday, September 27th, Bon Iver will play an early morning concert at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. The gates will open at midnight on Saturday night (slumber party!) with the performance to commence at 6am on Sunday.

Tickets are $25.00 and include admission and breakfast (coffee and pastries). Get them now via Ticketweb.com.

In case you were wondering (and you probably were), Hollywood Forever Cemetery serves as both the resting place for such iconic stars as Cecil B. DeMille, Douglas Fairbanks, Rudolph Valentino, Jayne Mansfield, and Estelle Getty, as well as a cultural center for the arts.

--

Austin City Limits adds Yeah Yeah Yeahs to '09 bill

(By Alex Young on August 24th, 2009 via http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/24/austin-city-limits-adds-yeah-yeah-yeahs-to-09-bill/)

It’s safe to say the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Saturday night headlining performance at Lollapalooza earlier this month went pretty well. So well in fact that C3 Presents, the company behind the Chicago based music festival, has decided to add Karen O. and Co. for it’s other major event of 2009.

As was the case at Lollapalooza, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been tapped to fill Austin City Limits’ vacant Friday night headlining spot left by the canceled Beastie Boys. The trio, which will play opposite Kings of Leon, will hold down the AMD stage from 8:30-9:45 p.m.

Also added to the ACL bill today were Raphael Saadiq and Ben Sollee. The former will play Lake Bird Lake from 5:30-6:30 on Friday, while the latter will hit Austin Ventures at 12:20 on Sunday. ACL has yet to name a replacement for the recently canceled Lily Allen, who was supposed to close out Lake Bird Lake on Friday night. Expect an announcement for that in the coming days.

As previously reported, this year’s festival is soldout. But if you are interested in seeing the complete list of acts playing, hit our Austin City Limits Outlook page.

Austin City Limits 2009 takes place from October 2-4 at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas.

On the Verge: Plants and Animals

Welcome to the War on Pop's weekly Tuesday column, "On the Verge", which highlights artists and bands that have received some attention and/or critical acclaim, but that are still not considered a big time act. Musicians of this caliber would most likely be have been found by major indie music critics, such as Pitchfork or Stereogum, but are not exactly ready to go be a headline or second bill at a major festival.

Hailing from Canada, Plants and Animals are the latest group to uphold Montreal's recent tradition as a bastion of talented indie rock acts. The band--comprised of guitarist Warren Spicer, drummer Matthew Woodley, and multi-instrumentalist Nicolas Basque, formed in 2005 and released their self-titled EP later that year. After following that with another EP in 2007, Plants and Animals finally released their debut album Parc Avenue in 2008.

A mixture of folk, indie rock, and chamber pop, Plants and Animals has developed a strong penchant for seamlessly shifting their sound through each of these genres. Combined with their music, lead vocalist Warren Spicer belts lyrics with a voice shaded by bits and pieces of Coldplay's Chris Martin. With their timely dynamic shifts, the trio enables listeners to get lost in the beauty of their full sound. In doing so, the band creates moments of majestic grandeur and warmth, drawing from their fellow Montreal natives Arcade Fire. Check out their music below, with the tracks "New Kind of Love" and "Bye Bye Bye".

New Kind of Love - Plants and ...

Bye Bye Bye - Plants and Anima...

Mix Mondays: Volume 1

Welcome to the War on Pop's weekly Monday column,

Volume 1: 8/24/2009

1. Wilco - Outtasite (Outta Mind)
2. Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
3. Drive-By Truckers - Gravity's Gone
4. My Morning Jacket - One Big Holiday
5. The Walkmen - Four Provinces
6. Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine
7. Okkervil River - A Girl In Port
8. The Hold Steady - How a Resurrection Really Feels

Welcome Back to the War on Pop!

Hey everyone, just wanted to welcome you back to newly organized War on Pop! After taking a couple weeks off to redesign the blog, I am back to bring you more diverse content on a variety of things concerning music. You can now also access War on Pop via http://www.waronpop.com, in addition to http://waronpop.blogspot.com.

The new War on Pop will feature a brand new column for each day of the week. Check out below for what will be featured each day:

Mondays: "Mix Mondays" - Featuring an original playlist to kick off each week.

Tuesdays: "On the Verge" - Band profile, album highlights, and song reviews for musicians who have garnered some critical acclaim and a substantial following, but still aren't consider 'popular'.

Wednesdays: "Weekly Update" - Combination of album reviews, concert reviews, music industry news and other interesting stories.

Thursdays: "Artist Portrait" - Section for established, successful, and widely-acclaimed artists. This will be more of a reflective piece on bands, albums, or songs and their respective influence within the music industry.

Fridays: "Short List" Short variety column featuring 3 of the following: short stories, comments, songs, or other tidbits from the week.

Saturdays: "Seen and Not Seen" - Band profile, album highlights, and song reviews for artists who have received either little or no attention. These artists featured are either unsigned, or are signed but are still primarily playing in their respective local scenes. The goal here is to promote musicians who fit this criteria in an attempt to give them the coverage they deserve.

Sundays: "War on Pop" - internet radio show, recapping all of the weeks artists and highlights, discussing them in greater detail, as well other music-related content. "War on Pop" will air on Sundays from 7-10pm EST, via Audiocandy+ (http://audiocandyradio.blogspot.com/).

Once again, thank you all for reading and continuing to show your support for the War on Pop, and I am looking forward to bringing you better insights on all things music.

-Max Blau

Under Construction...The War on Pop 2.0

First off, I want to thank all of the readers out there who have taken the time to read my posts and listen to my recommended music, I am extremely grateful for your interest in my blog.

Since I have started this about 2 months ago, I have primarily been posting daily songs, combined with short reviews and notes about each artist. For the next week or so, I will be working to improve and expand the format of this blog, which will include posts similar to past, as well as include the following:

-Song/Band Reviews: While this is currently what I do everyday, I will have designated days each week focusing on different levels of musicians--with one particular day looking at established bands, another on groups who have received some buzz around them, and another on smaller and unknown bands)
-Artist/Album Portraits: In-depth stories behind artists and/or specific albums.
-Weekly Radio Show: I will host a radio show that will highlight and discuss some of my weekly postings in greater detail, as well as play additional music for you.
-Playlists: My own playlists for your own enjoyment.
-Album Reviews, Concert Reviews, Music Industry News, and more!


In the meantime, check out some of The War on Pop's highlights from the past two months after the break...

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See a Darkness
Lolla Audience Eats Up Andrew Bird and His Snacks
Bon Iver at Lollapalooza
Cass McCombs - "You Saved My Life"
The National a Worthy Headliner
Breakout Bands at Pitchfork
Hipster Bingo
The Hold Steady - "Banging Camp"
Best Songs of the First Half of 2009 (#6-10)
Best Songs of the First Half of 2009 (#1-5)
Best Albums of the First Half of 2009 (#6-10)
Best Albums of the First Half of 2009 (#1-5)
Japandroids - "Young Hearts Spark Fire"
LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"
Jens Lekman - "A Postcard to Nina"


If any of you have suggestions on ways to improve The War on Pop, please contact me and let me know!

Spiritualized - "Soul on Fire"

Spiritualized, formed in 1990, has primarily been held with a constantly-evolving band membership surrounding frontman Jason Pierce. Hailing from Rugby, England, Pierce is the band's sole creator of the music and lyrics, and sings all the vocals. Spiritualized biggest success came in 1997, when NME Magazine gave Spiritualized their award for 1997 album of year, for their release Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space.

Their 2008 album Songs in A&E is the group's first album in 5 years, during which this time Pierce underwent a near-death experience with a critical case of pneumonia (A&E standing for Accident and Emergency Ward). And while the album may deal with topics on death and dying, it was mostly written before Pierce's hospitalization, so in a way these songs are interesting to look at in that light, seeing as these songs discuss the events that were to come. Check out "Soul on Fire", which shines as one of the album's highlights.

Soul On Fire - Spiritualized

The Ruby Suns - Kenya Dig It?

While originally a California native, frontman Ryan McPhun eventually settled in New Zealand, where the Ruby Suns formed. This band's sound leans towards to a heavily world-music-based influence, falling someone between Yeasayer and Vampire Weekend. Their second full length release Sea Lion (2008) establishes itself as an African influenced style fused together with indie-pop creating an euphoric catchiness. The song "Kenya Dig It?" is a complete turn around from yesterday's feature "I See a Darkness", and stands as a fun song that should appeal within its first few listens. Enjoy!

Kenya Dig it? - The Ruby Suns

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "I See a Darkness"

Bonnie "Prince" Billy (aka Will Oldham) has created a volume of work over the past two decades that has resonated with many, and has earned him a place among the forefront of great American songwriters during this period of time. Recording under numerous different names, including Palace Brothers, Palace, Palace Songs, and Palace Music, before finally settling on Bonnie "Prince" Billy; Oldham has garnered much critical acclaim despite having achieved little mainstream popularity.

A combination of folk, acoustic, and lo-fi genres, his musical style feels considerably sparse, haunting, and honest. His authenticity in describing and conveying his feeling is emphatically highlighted with his trembling and weary voice, emoting his heartfelt lyrics.

One of my personal favorite songs, "I See a Darkness" was the title track off his 1999 album, and speaks about one's thoughts about a personal struggle through depression and a fight to battle through it and live life normally, despite the stacked odds against winning. This recording is an earnest plea to a close friend for support during his darkest hours, as "a hope that somehow you you can save me from this darkness".

The narrator's attempt to not drown in his own depression is accompanied by slight touches of guitar and drums. Oldham's cries, however, are the predominant focus, and are backed beautifully by backing vocals and piano as he repeats "and that I see a darkness" over and over throughout the chorus. What makes this Bonnie "Prince" Billy song truly epic is not that it can aptly describe these feelings of depression, but rather Oldham's showcases a rare ability to make depression a beautiful thing--an effort only few singer/songwriters have done as brilliantly (Nick Drake and Elliott Smith immediately come to mind).

The following year after this song's release, Legendary country crooner Johnny Cash covered and recorded this track on his 2000 album American III: Solitary Man. On this rendition of the song, Will Oldham actually collaborates with Cash, as he sings the background vocals during the choruses.

Hot Chip - "Ready for the Floor"

Hot Chip combines synthesized-layered electronic feel with a catchy, funky, and continuous dance beat. Frontmen Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard, both sharing vocalist and synthesizer responsibilities. This London based quintet formed in 2000, and has released 3 albums since their inception. Over these three albums, Hot Chip has transitioned from a predominantly slower, Prince-influenced groove sound, to a more rounded pop sound offering their signature quirkiness along with a diverse range of influences. "Ready for the Floor", coming off of their most recent 2008 album Made in the Dark, reveals a nerdy-dance-pop tune, that is catchy enough to make nearly anyone move from side-to-side.

Ready For The Floor (Radio Edi...

The Black Keys - "Midnight In Her Eyes"

The Black Keys, comprised of guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, formed back in 2001 in Akron Ohio, and released their first album The Big Come Up in 2002. Five albums later, Auerbach and Carney have worked their way towards the forefront of modern blues-rock.

Between their seamless combination of soul-tinged blues. raw garage punk, and their earnest authenticity to blues legends preceding them, The Black Keys have staked their claim as this decade's premier blues act. Yes that's right, this duo surpasses even the highly popular White Stripes, despite the fact they are not as well known.

Today's highlighted track, "Midnight In Her Eyes", comes off their 2003 release Thickfreakness, and exhibits a fine middle ground between their harder hitting and more minimalist recordings. Auerbach's shines as a guitarist, both displaying a warm tone while still showing glimpses of rawness, and Carney's drums pound in a loose, yet forceful manner. What stands out most here, however, is Dan's voice, which sounds not of a young 20-something-year old, but rather a seasoned rasp coming from a veteran blues vocalist. While sounding so traveled in his voice, he also shows his ability to wail soulfully atop all the noise going on within the underlining music.

Midnight in Her Eyes - The Bla...

Lolla audience eats up Andrew Bird and his snacks

MaxBlau - Saturday, Aug 8, 2009(http://lollapaloozablog.windycitizen.com/2009/08/08/lolla-audience-eats-up-andrew-bird-his-snacks)

Photo by Gage Grove 91

After seeing Andrew Bird’s Lollapalooza performance last night, I feel more than comfortable saying the Chicago native aptly defines the term multi-instrumentalist. In several different songs during this show, he would play all of the following in each song: guitar, violin, xylophone, whistling, and singing. This man not only knows how to play adeptly, but is a fantastic songwriter with a great feel for dynamics within his musical style.

The Chicago native, playing in front of a hometown crowd, ran through a combination of new songs off their most recent album, Noble Beast, as well as some of his older fan favorites. The group kicked off their set with “Fiery Crash”, before settling into an array of songs from Noble Beast which comprised the majority of the first part of the performance, including “Fitz and Dizzyspells”, “Oh No”, “Effigy”, and “Not a Robot”. The band moved through this portion with particularly tight playing, exhibiting their workmanlike attitude that has come from touring with these songs night in and night out since the beginning of the year. While these songs displayed remarkable consistency, the band also performed them as if they were running through them en route to something bigger to come.

Photo by Gage Grove 91

Andrew Bird made one comment in between songs, promising that there would be “snacks” at some point during his time on stage. As the group proceeded to move away from their work on Noble Beast, the “snacks” came in abundance. They played a riveting collection of songs, mostly from their 2005 album Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs and their 2007 release Armchair Apocrypha. The band first transitioned to more recent songs such as the indie-pop of “Imitosis” and the beautiful dynamic of “Scythian Empires”. These songs were followed by Andrew Bird classics including “Measuring Cups”, “Tables and Chairs”, and “Fake Palindromes”. These older songs delivered the “snacks” alluded to by Andrew Bird earlier in the show. As the show concluded and dusk settled over Grant Park, the audience seemed more than satisfied with the performance they had witnessed as they moved on to watch Friday’s headliners.

Bon Iver: Music from a winter in Wisconsin

MaxBlau - Saturday, Aug 8, 2009 (http://lollapaloozablog.windycitizen.com/2009/08/08/bon-iver-music-from-winter-in-wisconsin)

Photo by M. Janicki

Lead singer Justin Vernon has come quite a long way over the past couple years, and has weaved quite the tale surrounding his music. As the story goes, Vernon recorded his debut 2008 album For Emma, Forever Ago, while staying in his cabin up in northern Wisconsin by himself for four months. After breaking up with his former band DeYarmond Edison, his original plan was to unwind and recover from the turmoil of that experience and other things going on in his life; however, that period of isolation turned into cathartic songwriting--or better put: "All of his personal trouble, lack of perspective, heartache, longing, love, loss and guilt that had been stock piled over the course of the past six years, was suddenly purged into the form of song." (Amble Down Records).

What came from this solitary stroke of artistic creation was Bon Iver--a cross between the folk of Iron and Wine combined with the falsetto voice of Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio. For Emma, Forever Ago rose out of nowhere to achieve popularity and acclaim by critics and fans alike. During his Lollapalooza performance, Bon Iver once again reminded the audience why they had become so acclaimed in the past year. The quartet ran through their tracks from the debut album and their new 2009 EP Blood Bank.

The dynamics and buildups in his songs opened up a chance for the audience to become intimate with his thoughts from that lonely winter, from his pain and suffering, and him moving forward as he begins to cope and understand what has happened in his life. “The Wolves (Act I and II)” stands as a melancholy call, mourning a lost love meanders through Vernon’s cries in pain, before the song implodes into the chaos of ‘what might have been lost’. As Bon Iver ran through their lonely, heartfelt songs, the group set the mood for the audience, as the rain came down on the dark and dreary afternoon.

Wednesday's Lollapalooza Preview: Vampire Weekend - "M79"

Vampire Weekend made their impression as indie music darlings throughoutthe course of 2008, and has continued on that path throughout this year. After being on the radar by many as a band to watch for the past few years, the Brooklyn-based group exceeded expectations with their 2008 debut LP Vampire Weekend. Now having caught everyone's attention, the band will now showcase their music at Lollapalooza, as they prepare for their upcoming sophomore release expected out this fall.

Deriving their sound from a combination of pop, classical music, and most noticeably afro-beat, Vampire Weekend's fusion results in one of the more lively and upbeat, acoustic bands this side of MGMT. With influences such as Paul Simon's Graceland, Talking Heads, and Peter Gabriel (which they allude to in their several of their lyrics), Lead Singer Ezra Koenig has emerged with a sound the band has coined as "Upper West Side Soweto".

M79 - Vampire Weekend

Tuesday's Lollapalooza Preview: Of Montreal - "Spike the Senses"

Of Montreal is one of the few bands from the Elephant Six collective that still is together. This group of bands, including Neutral Milk Hotel, Apples in Stereos, Beulah, and Olivia Tremor Control, have left a large influence on indie-pop today. Combining a very poppy sound, with a variety of other styles including funk, multi-part harmonies, and noise-rock, Kevin Barnes has created one of the more unique styles today, and undeniably catchy at that. "Spike the Senses" comes off Of Montreal's 2004 album Satanic Panic in the Attic.















Beyond their musical creativity, the band also puts on an elaborate show between their props and costumes. Donning makeup and flamboyant costumes, these musicians not only play their songs, but create a surreal experience that captures onlookers and brings them into their fantasy world.

Spike The Senses - Of Montreal

Monday's Lollapalooza Preview: Bon Iver - "Creature Fear"

Since Lollapalooza is happening this upcoming weekend, this week's blog posts will feature bands that are playing at the festival. In particular, I will be highlighting bands playing earlier in the day, who I think are worth checking out. I kick off the week-long preview with one of my favorite artists playing this weekend, Bon Iver.

Lead Singer Justin Vernon has come quite a long way over the past couple years, and has weaved quite the tale surrounding his music. As the story goes, Vernon recorded his debut 2008 album For Emma, Forever Ago, while staying in his cabin up in northern Wisconsin by himself for four months. After breaking up with his former band DeYarmond Edison, his orginal plan was to unwind and recover from the turmoil of that experience and other things ongoing in his life; however, that period of isolation turned into cartharic songwriting--or better put: "All of his personal trouble, lack of perspective, heartache, longing, love, loss and guilt that had been stock piled over the course of the past six years, was suddenly purged into the form of song." (Amble Down Records).

What came from this solitary stroke of artistic creation was Bon Iver--a cross between the folk of Iron and Wine combined with the falsetto voice of Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio. For Emma, Forever Ago rose out of no where to achieve popularity and acclaim by critics and fans alike. In addition, the dynamics and buildups in his songs open up a chance for us to become intimate with his thoughts from that lonely winter, from his pain and suffering, and him moving forward as he begins to cope and understand what has happened in his life. What makes this album so great, however, is not these things alone, but the manner in which all of these elements create a world for listeners to get lost in and become a part of. This song below, "Creature Fear" is one of my favorites and best exemplifies Vernon in his element.

For Emma - Bon Iver

Jamie Lidell - "Out of My System"

After starting off his career as a experimental electronic artist, Jamie Lidell over the past few years has taken an unlikely path in his music career towards that of a neo-soul singer. If his 2005 album reflected his first step towards soul, his most recent 2008 album Jim solidified his complete transition toward R&B.

The featured track today, "Out of My System," is a prime example of what the simplification of his style has done for the quality of his music. As he has focused less on his experimentation and more on his songwriting, tracks like this have been written. In fact, there are no signs of his previous styles here, only the acoustic, simple, soul sounds coming from Lidell's heart.

Out of my system - Jamie Lidell