Weekly Update: Morrissey, Dark Was The Night, Jay-Z

Morrissey Collapses Onstage, Later Discharged From Hospital

(via Rollingstone.com 10/26/09, 9:18 am EST)

(Photo: Winter/Getty)

Morrissey collapsed onstage on October 24th, just one song into his performance at Swindon, England’s Oasis Leisure Centre. The singer reportedly had trouble breathing during the concert, according to the Times Online, and he fell to his knees after completing the first song. Band members carried an unconscious Morrissey off the stage and paramedics were called to the scene. Morrissey regained consciousness by the time ambulances arrived, and the singer was taken to a nearby hospital.

Concertgoers said Morrissey “winced” as he performed the show’s opening song “This Charming Man,” eventually falling to his knees and collapsing. Twenty-five minutes after Morrissey’s fall, a crew member alerted the audience that the singer was “seriously ill” and that the performance was canceled. A spokesperson for the Great Western Hospital, where Morrissey was admitted after his collapse in Swindon, said in a statement, “Morrissey became unwell last night. He was admitted overnight as a precautionary measure. He was seen this morning and was much improved and has now been discharged.”

The former Smiths frontman has canceled his scheduled concert tonight at the Bournemouth’s Opera House due to “medical advice,” the singer’s official Website announced this morning. Many of the concerts on the current Swords tour are rescheduled dates after Morrissey canceled a handful of U.K. shows in May 2009, citing an “unspecified illness” that prevented him from singing. In fact, tomorrow night’s concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall was originally scheduled for May 11th, 2009. Morrissey also canceled four shows in Florida in March 2009 due to illness.

The initial reaction at the Swindon concert after Morrissey was carried off the stage was a chorus of boos, as Morrissey has “a bit of a poor track record for canceling his concerts,” one concertgoer told the Telegraph. “Everybody started booing, thinking ‘here we go again.’ ” Morrissey is currently scheduled to tour Europe through late November before returning to the States for a tour of the West Coast that runs until a December 11th in Ventura, California.

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Dark Was The Night Comp Raises Hundreds of Thousands for Charity

(via pitchfork.com)

Photo: The National's Bryce (left) and Aaron Dessner with Martin Mills of the Beggars Group present the Red Hot Organization with a check

Earlier in the year, 4AD released Dark Was the Night, the double-disc compilation that the National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner compiled and produced. The Dessners managed to round up contributions from a deeply impressive list of indie A-listers: Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Dirty Projectors with David Byrne, Ben Gibbard and Leslie Feist, and too many others to name. A few months later, they rounded up many of the same people for a huge benefit show at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

Proceeds from both the album and the show went to the Red Hot Organization, which raises money for AIDS awareness. Today, 4AD's website reports that the album has, to date, raised £423,212-- or $668,358 American-- for the Red Hot Organization.

That amount represents the money that Dark Was the Night's sales raised during the first half of 2009, so it doesn't include the money raised at the Radio City show. And, of course, you can still buy Dark Was the Night, so it's not done making money.

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Jay-Z to Perform at World Series

(via pitchfork.com)

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On the song "Empire State of Mind", Jay-Z raps, "Shit, I made the Yankees hat more famous than a Yankee can." On Wednesday night, he'll get the chance to prove that boast when he and Alicia Keys perform the Blueprint 3 track at Yankee Stadium before game one of the World Series, according to MTV. Beat that, Philly.

(Editor's note: Fuck the Yankees! Go Phillies!)

Posted by Ryan Dombal on October 26, 2009 at 2:50 p.m.

Mix Mondays: Volume 10

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-10-october-26-2009



Volume 10: 10/26/2009

1. Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
2. Broken Social Scene - Fire Eye'd Boy
3. Modest Mouse - Float On
4. Fanfarlo - Ghosts
5. Sufjan Stevens - Jacksonville
6. Arcade Fire - Wake Up
7. Spiritualized - Soul on Fire
8. Andrew Bird - Fake Palindromes

Enjoy!

Dirty Projectors Demonstrate Eclecticism and Versatility Throughout a Captivating Set

(picture via Stereogum)

The Dirty Projectors have slowly developed a large following since their inception in 2002, which became very apparent as I arrived at The Masquerade this past Saturday Night to see these Brooklyn-based rockers perform. Currently a sextet, the band has been praised as one of the more innovative bands of the past decade. And as their 2009 release Bitte Orca shows, this group has continued their tradition of making experimentally catchy music.

Lead singer and guitarist Dave Longstreth, much the indie-rock version of Trent Reznor, creates and directs the musical composition for the entire band. Standing at center stage, Longstreth remained reserved and soft spoken throughout the show, appearing rather enigmatic, as he guided the band through his trademark fragmented riffs. His grooves do just enough to grab listeners' attention and get them off their feet, only to pull them back and forth between the cracks of their fragmented riffs. This is most evident as Longstreth immersed fans with “Cannibal Resource” and “No Intention”.

The vocals of the band’s three female vocalists, however, stole this show, as they showcased their harmonic brilliance, making each of their songs stand out even more than they do on their albums. Main vocalists Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian astounded onlookers not only with the powerful and dynamic ranges of their voices, but also through their distinctly unique pitches which they harmonize with. Their presence is not merely as beautiful supporting elements, but combined, they turn into a commanding instrument that the Dirty Projectors use in their eclectic style. Each of the two main female vocalists shined in their own right as well, with Deradoorian crooning through the beautifully calm “Two Doves,” and Coffman leading the band on the indie-funk groove “Stillness Is The Move.”

After a set lasting just over an hour, leaving the adorning crowd in awe, the band came back for a one-song encore of “Knotty Pine”—their contribution to this year’s mega-compilation album Dark Was The Night. The song, which originally featured Talking Heads legend David Byrne on vocals, featured Coffman and Longstreth exchanging lyrics in this short and catchy number. After a set full of the Dirty Projectors’ sprawling and beautifully broken experimental rock, “Knotty Pine” closed the night in a simple and sweet manner, showing the crowd that they have finally come into their own as indie-rock mainstays.

Tune in to the War on Pop radio show tonight!

Listen to War on Pop's radio broadcast tonight at (7-10PM EST)! The show is being broadcasted with the help of our friends over at Audiocandy+. To hear the show, all you have to do is go to http://www.audiocandyradio.com, and there will a place at the top of the website to listen in on!












I'm looking forward to bringing you 3 hours of radio tonight! Also, check back here for a playlist of the songs played.

Thanks!

Album Review: Atlas Sound - Logos

 
Artist: Atlas Sound
Album:Logos
Record Label: Kranky
Release Date: 10/20/2009
Rating: 7.5/10

Atlas Sound, the solo project of Bradford Cox, explores a softer and pop-influenced side on his second album, Logos. Although known best as the leader of Atlanta’s Deerhunter, Cox created Atlas Sound in order to expand on his own musical boundaries, which he felt did not necessarily fit into Deerhunter. And indeed, Logos does delve into another side of Cox, one that is ultimately different from his previous work.

“The Light That Failed” starts Logos off slowly, with a spacey and out-of-place feeling, as the floating movement of the song passes with an assortment of surrounding noises. Seamlessly flowing into the next song, “An Orchid,” Cox drifts along through a hazy mid-tempo feel, tinged with well-placed sounds and intricacies.

Atlas Sound breaks out of the album’s daze with “Walkabout,” which embodies a quintessential pop catchiness, combined with Cox’s signature desire to add unique textures into the body of the song. Cox collaborates with Noah Lennox of Animal Collective and Panda Bear, creating an individualistic anthem, as the song repeatedly asks listeners, “What did you want to see? / What did you want to be when you grew up?” In creating this timeless, mantra-like question, Cox and Lennox have produced a potential candidate for “Best of 2009” track lists.

“Sheila” stands as another highlight of Cox’s natural talent for creating effective indie pop. This time, his initial upbeat ambiance shows his desire to grow old with the title character, as he offers, “And when we die we’ll bury ourselves / ’Cause no one wants to die alone.” This love song, however, calls into question whether or not his affection is about Sheila, or if he fears the loneliness to come from not being with someone. Cox represents this uncertainty through the song’s mood shifts, when the overall euphoric sound fuses with occasional minor breakdowns, ending in some degree of reservation.

“Quick Canal” entrances listeners with its eight-minute journey featuring Stereolab vocalist Laetitia Sadier. The pulsating, steady electronic beat, combined with an increasing layered noise throughout the song’s progression, creates a mesmerizing shoegaze that allures us to get lost amidst its rhythmic splendor. The kraut-rock influenced “Quick Canal” builds up to the album’s loudest moment, which recalls a cross between Radiohead and Wilco’s “Spiders.”

Deerhunter fans that are drawn to Atlas Sound in hopes of more of their beloved band will probably be disappointed with Logos. While Cox created Logos in a similar fashion to his band’s slower, quieter work, his noise-rock influence is nowhere to be seen on this album. The noise level never approaches the loudness Deerhunter has produced in the past. That’s not a bad thing, though, as Cox’s sonic exploration via Atlas Sound has been equally rewarding, albeit in a different light.

War on Pop's Friday Short List: Lil Wayne, Them Crooked Vultures, Low Anthem

Lil Wayne Pleads Guilty to Gun Charges, Faces Year in Prison

(via Rolling Stone)

Photo:Hirsch / Splash News

Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a weapon in the second degree this morning in a New York courtroom; the plea bargain carries a sentence of up to a year in prison. Wayne had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were filed after the NYPD found a .40 caliber handgun on Wayne’s tour bus in July 2007. But after the court ruled that DNA evidence found on the gun would be admissible — evidence obtained by techniques Wayne’s lawyer Stacey Richman has called problematic — Wayne opted to take the plea bargain, AllHipHop reports. If Wayne was found guilty following the trial, which was set for January 2010, the charges carried a three-and-a-half year sentence.

Neither Lil Wayne nor his representatives have released any statements as of press time, and when the Grammy winner left court this morning he said only “What’s up?” to waiting reporters. According to TMZ, cops searched Wayne’s tour bus after they detected the aroma of marijuana following his show at the Beacon Theatre. When police approached the bus, Wayne allegedly tossed a Louis Vuitton bag with the gun inside. It’s expected that Wayne will serve a sentence of eight months to a year, as the New York judicial system is usually tough on firearm violators, regardless of fame. Case in point: Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in September 2009 for possessing a gun at a nightclub.

As Rolling Stone previously reported, Wayne is also facing a trial for felony drug possession and weapons charges in Arizona as the result of another tour bus search in 2008. In that case, Wayne’s bus was reportedly holding 105 grams of marijuana, 29 grams of cocaine, 41 grams of ecstasy, drug paraphernalia and a handgun.

Lil Wayne is now the second major rapper in the span of a year to be found guilty of weapons charges. T.I. is currently serving time after being sentenced to a year and a day in prison in March 2009 after pleading guilty to weapons charges. Wayne will officially be sentenced in February; it’s unclear whether the guilty plea will effect the planned December 15th release of the rapper’s oft-delayed Rebirth.

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Them Crooked Vultures Announce Debut Album at Long Last

(via Pitchfork)

Grohl/Homme/Jones supergroup's self-titled joint out next month

Ever since the triple-headed stomp-rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures whirled into existence, we've been keeping up with just about every little scrap of whomp-ass they've released into the world.

Finally, on November 17, Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and John Paul Jones will leave the shadows and come into the light. That's when their self-titled debut album will finally hit North American shelves, via DGC/Interscope. (It's out November 16 in the UK on Columbia.)

We've got the tracklist below, but all you really need to know is that Dave Grohl is back behind the drums and that there's a song called "Mind Eraser, No Chaser":

Them Crooked Vultures:

01 No One Loves Me & Neither Do I
02 Mind Eraser, No Chaser
03 New Fang
04 Dead End Friends
05 Elephants
06 Scumbag Blues
07 Bandoliers
08 Reptiles
09 Interlude With Ludes
10 Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up
11 Caligulove
12 Gunman
13 Spinning in Daffodils

Posted by Tom Breihan on October 22, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.

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New Low Anthem Video - "Charlie Darwin" (Stereogum Premiere)

The solemn, solitary pathos in Glenn Taunton and Simon Taffe's animated video for Low Anthem's "Charlie Darwin" adds another layer of melancholia to the track, offering an affecting visual counterpart to Ben Knox Miller's fragile falsetto: "Who could heed the words of Charlie Darwin / Fighting for a system built to fail / Spooning water from their broken vessels / As far as I can see there is no land." (The main character's sad, unchanging eyes are weirdly depressing.) The song's from the Rhode Island folk-rock group's Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, their third album (and Nonesuch debut). If you're unfamiliar with the group, fans of Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes should take note. Fans of Low, too.

Art Brut’s bravado shines through an energetic set

10/20/09 - The Earl

During the past decade, indie and punk-rock has moved towards a seriousness and desire for authenticity within their respective genres. Whether it is indie-rock’s attempt to be considered more of an art, or punk-rock’s consistent adherence to its scene, these genres have adapted mindsets leaning towards attempting to be more significant and ‘real’. Given such a movement within the meanings behind music, Art Brut stands as a reminder that music can, in fact, be sincerely entertaining without the need to be taken seriously.

This isn’t to say that Art Brut is a legitimate band, because they most certainly are. But the way in which they perform and carry themselves embodies an ethos that has been missing way too often as of late. Led by frontman Eddie Argos, who reminds me of a combination between The B-52’s Fred Schneider and The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, this British five-piece band remains one of the best examples of true showmanship today. Not only is Argos’s physical presence onstage commanding, as he easily outsized his other band members on The Earl’s small stage, but his witty, tongue-in-cheek lyrical delivery summarizes the ethos in which Art Brut performs each night.

Art Brut demonstrated their swagger and chops continuously throughout the night in Atlanta, opening their set with new single “Alcoholics Unanimous.” Argos, dressed in sloppily professional attire, amusingly depicts the hangover experience as he emphatically offers, “I don't know how long I can keep it hid / I'm having trouble forming sentences,” while yelling out “Bring me tea! / Bring me coffee!” during the chorus. “My Little Brother”—which finds Argos wittingly commenting on his brother getting into rock at a late age, found Art Brut expanding the song to go through his brother’s new “discoveries,” to which they broke down into a classic mini-Ramones groove while the crowd responded “Hey ho let’s go!”

“Modern Art” exemplified Argos’s command of the crowd. After shouting out “modern art / makes me / want to rock out!” repeatedly throughout the song’s chorus, he jumped off the stage and paced throughout the middle of the crowd, animatedly sharing his love of Van Gogh and his experience at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. His earnest and clever musings, combined with his relentless energy, makes this band such a fun act to watch.

As the set continued, Art Brut efficiently ripped through a combination of new songs off their 2009 album Art Brut vs. Satan (“DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshakes,” “Summer Job,” “The Passenger”), as well as older classics (“Good Weekend,” “Emily Kane,” “Bang Bang Rock & Roll”). While the show only lasted a little over an hour, what became apparent as the show concluded, based on the crowd’s reaction, was that Art Brut’s energy is simply infectious.

Weekly Update: CMJ Music Marathon, MGMT, Phoenix

The Pitchfork Guide to CMJ 2009

(via Pitchfork)

New York City, are you ready?

The 2009 CMJ Music Marathon starts today, treating NYC to an endless stream of eager bands looking to get some blog/label/fan love through Saturday night. The full schedule is a bit daunting, so we've compiled an abridged version highlighting panels and showcases that we recommend-- or are at least curious about.

Keep in mind that there are many unofficial happenings going on all over town during CMJ, but we're sticking to the totally legit CMJ shows for this round-up. Stay tuned to this space throughout the week for daily CMJ write-ups and photos starting tomorrow.

P4k CMJ 2009 guide is below:

Tuesday, October 20:

Showcases

** Subbacultcha/Pukekos/Viva Radio: Blondes, Hospital Bombers, Best Coast, Surf City, Male Bonding - Cake Shop
** Social Registry/No Quarter: Zs, Highlife, Psychic Paramount, Sian Alice Group - Knitting Factory
** Selmanaires, Atlas Sound, Broadcast - Le Poisson Rouge
** Brooklyn Vegan: the Antlers, Fanfarlo
** Panache/NY Night Train: Surfer Blood, Harlem, Lovvers, Golden Triangle - Santos Party House
** Panache/NY Night Train: Julianna Barwick - Santos Party House Basement
** Stereogum: Glasser, Free Energy, The Golden Filter, Cold Cave - The Studio @ Webster Hall
** FMLY: Fool's Gold - The Suffolk Back Room

Wednesday, October 21:

Panels

** Andrew W.K. - NYU Kimmel Center, 4th Floor, Eisner & Lubin, Room 401
** Timeless Miles: 1959 - A Pivotal Year in Music (featuring panelists Q-Tip and Rakim) - NYU Kimmel Center, NYU Kimmel Center, Room 401

Showcases

** M for Montreal: Think About Life, We Are Wolves, Malajube, Duchess Says - Arlene's Grocery
** OnSmash/Nah Right: Pill, Kidz in the Hall, Donnis, OJ the Juiceman, Styles P, Raekwon
** Ground Control: Surf City, the Love Language, Let's Wrestle, Pete & the Pirates - Bell House
** IAMSOUND: Apache Beat, Suckers, Golden Silvers, Fool's Gold - Bowery Poetry Club
** Kanine/Crashin In: Drink Up Buttercup, the Depreciation Guild, Surfer Blood - Cake Shop
** Afropunk: Saul Williams - Gramercy Theater
** Green Owl: Ninjasonik, Violens, the Very Best - Le Poisson Rouge
** Lia Ices, Javelin, the xx - Mercury Lounge
** The Selmanaires, Atlas Sound, Broadcast - Music Hall of Williamsburg
** Oya/ohmyrockness: Free Energy, Deastro, I Was a King, Cymbals Eat Guitars - Santos Party House
** Oya/ohmyrockness: Beach Fossils, Eternal Summers, Small Black, Real Estate - Santos Party House Basement
** The Rumble: Class Actress - Southpaw

Thursday, October 22:

Showcases

** Adiar Cor Presents a Celebration for Roc Raida: DJ Craze, DJ A-Trak, Rahzel & DJ JS 1, X-Ecutioners, Styles P & DJ Green Lantern, Sadat X, D.I.T.C., Busta Rhymes - B.B.King's
** Gothamist: Small Black, Uninhabitable Mansions - Bell House
** DFA/Free Yr Radio: James Murphy & Pat Mahoney (DJ set), YACHT - Brooklyn Bowl
** NME: Suckers, Yes Giantess, Delorean, the Antlers, Male Bonding - The Delancey
** Saddle Creek: UUVVWWZ, Orenda Fink, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Knitting Factory
** Choir of Young Believers, Warpaint - Le Poisson Rouge
** Paradigm: Alec Ounsworth, Sean Bones - Mercury Lounge
** Windish: Male Bonding, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Free Energy, Choir of Young Believers - Pianos
** Elitaste/Nue: Freddie Gibbs, Pill, Theophilus London - S.O.B.'s
** Musebox: BBU, Suckers, Das Racist - The Studio @ Webster Hall
** Arts & Crafts and Friends: RUBIK, Timber Timbre, Still Life Still, Zeus, Hollerado - Union Pool

Friday, October 23:

Panels

** Music Industry Myths, Gossip And Predictions For The Next Five Years - NYU, Kimmel Center, 9th Floor, Room 905-907
** The Bitter Truth: When Your Live Show Sucks - NYU, Kimmel Center, 4th Floor, Room 405

Showcases

** Polyvinyl: Cale Parks, James Husband, Headlights, Japandroids - Bell House
** Cantora Records: Acrylics - Bowery Electric
** Capeshok: Smith Westerns, Beach Fossils, Air Waves, Still Flyin' - Bruar Falls
** SESAC: the Depreciation Guild, Surfer Blood, Crystal Antlers - Cake Shop
** Paw Tracks: Drawlings, Kria Brekkan, Excepter, Tickley Feather, Dent May - Cameo Gallery
** Two Syllable/Underwater Peoples: Eternal Summers, Inlets, Pill Wonder, Holiday Shores, Frat Dad, New Villager, Claymation Velociraptor, Real Estate - The Delancey
** INSIDERS 2009: Aeroplane, Hercules and Love Affair (Live) - Fillmore
** Daptone Records Revue: Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, Menahan Street Band, the Budos Band, Binky Griptite and the Dap Kings - Knitting Factory
** Self-Titled: Glasser, Holly Miranda, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Le Poisson Rouge
** Team Clermont: Peggy Sue, Helado Negro, Bear In Heaven - Lit Lounge
** Phantogram, the xx, School of Seven Bells - Music Hall of Williamsburg
** Terrible: Arms, Little Girls, Blood Orange, Acrylics, Class Actress, Spleen United - Pianos
** AM Only: Vega, Yes Giantess - The Studio @ Webster Hall
** Matador/True Panther: Glasser, Harlem, Tanlines, Lemonade, Cold Cave, Ted Leo + Pharmacists - The Suffolk

Saturday, October 24:

** the Postmarks, Au Revoir Simone - Bell House
** Stricken City, Violens, Sharon van Etten, Rain Machine - Bowery Ballroom
** Carpark: Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez , Adventure, Montag, EAR PWR, Casino Versus Japan - Cameo Gallery
** Duck Down: Da Beatminerz (DJ Evil Dee & Mister Walt), Team Facelift, Skyzoo, Marco Polo & Torae, Blue Scholars, Kidz In The Hall, Ruse Juxx/Smif N Wessun/Sean Price/Heltah Skeltah/Buckshot as Boot Camp Clik - Gramercy Theater
** Sin Fang Bous, Múm - Le Poisson Rouge
** Sub Pop/Hardly Art: Unnatural Helpers, Dum Dum Girls, Moondoggies, Dutchess & The Duke, Golden Triangle, Pissed Jeans, Obits, Male Bonding - Mercury Lounge
** Mexican Summer/Kemado: Young Prisms, Smith Westerns, Farmer Dave Scher, Real Estate, the Amazing - Music Hall of Williamsburg
** True Panther: Restless People, Janka Nabay, Glasser, Delorean, Lemonade - Pianos
** Windish: We Have Band, the Golden Filter, VV Brown, Midnight Juggernauts, Parallels, Man Like Me - Santos Party House
** Windish: Spleen United, Lemonade, Javelin, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, HEARTSREVOLUTION, Paparazzi - Santos Party House Basement
** Panache: Turbo Fruits, JEFF the Brotherhood, Lovvers, Dark Meat, An Albatross - Union Pool

Posted by Ryan Dombal on October 20, 2009 at 2:15 p.m.

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MGMT Title New Album

(via Pitchfork)

Spacemen 3's Sonic Boom is producing

Photos by Frank Lyon

As reported by the San Francisco Examiner (via NME) and confirmed by their label, MGMT's new album is called Congratulations. Whether the title turns out to be generous or pompous, we'll just have to wait and see.

In fact, there are very few nailed-down details when it comes to the record, except for the fact that it's due out sometime next year. The Examiner piece revealed that the duo is recording in Malibu and Spacemen 3's Peter "Sonic Boom" Kember is handling production duties, while Jennifer Herrema of Royal Trux/RTX is set to provide some guest vocals.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on October 19, 2009 at 4:05 p.m.

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Stream The Phoenix Remix Album

(via Stereogum)

If you don't have enough albums to stream on the internet today, have a full listen to the heavily loaded Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Remix Collection) at CBS Radio. Love those Phoemixes. (via FADER).

Mix Mondays: Volume 9

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-9-october-19-2009



Volume 9: 10/19/2009

1. Blitzen Trapper - Sleepytime in the Western World
2. The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down
3. Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine
4. The Walkmen - In The New Year
5. Band of Horses - Great Salt Lake
6. My Morning Jacket - Golden
7. Bon Iver - Beach Baby
8. Drive-By Truckers - Angels and Fuselage

Enjoy!

War on Pop radio show playlist!

Check below for updates on the playlist. Thanks for listening!

1. Cymbals Eat Guitars - ...And the Hazy Sea
2. Built to Spill - You Were Right
3. Pavement - Old to Begin
4. Dinosaur Jr. - Feel the Pain
5. Modest Mouse - Whale Song
6. My Bloody Valentine - Cupid Come
7. Ambulance LTD – Swim
8. TV on the Radio - A Method
9. Rain Machine - Give Blood
10. Rain Machine - New Last Name
11. Rain Machine - Hold You Holy
12. Rain Machine - Smiling Black Faces
13. The Big Pink - Dominoes
14. Beck - Youthless
15. Hercules and Love Affair - Time Will
16. David Byrne and Brian Eno - Strange Overtones
17. Yeasayer - Tightrope
18. Plants and Animals - Feedback in the Field
19. St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work
20. Girls - Lust for Life
21. Girls - Laura
22. Girls - Hellhole Retrace
23. Califone - Funeral Singers
24. Bon Iver - Brackett, WI
25. Devotchka - How It Ends

Tune in to the War on Pop radio show tonight!

Listen to War on Pop's radio broadcast tonight at (7-10PM EST)! The show is being broadcasted with the help of our friends over at Audiocandy+. To hear the show, all you have to do is click on this link (http://www.audiocandyradio.com), and there will a place at the top of the website to listen in on!












I'm looking forward to bringing you 3 hours of radio tonight! Also, check back here for a playlist of the songs played.

Thanks!

War on Pop's Friday Short List: Girls, Big Boi, Karen O

Girls - "Hellhole Ratrace"
2009's version of The Beach Boys' "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times."



Big Boi - "Shine Blockas" (Ft. Gucci Mane)
Released this week, instant contender for 2009's best hip-hop track.




Karen O and the Kids - "All is Love"
-Since I'm playing to see this film tomorrow (and so should you!), I'll leave you with this song from the movie's soundtrack.

Rain Machine: 10/13/09 at The Earl

Photo by Hilary Cadigan

Kyp Malone is working the merchandise booth. The same creative genius behind the highly-acclaimed art-rock band TV on the Radio is now selling t-shirts and vinyl records to the twenty-something people in the room, as the opening act Sharon Van Etten caresses her way through a peaceful set.

That was my introduction to an evening with Rain Machine last night. As I walked into the concert room in the back of The Earl, I needed to look no further than a few steps in front of me to see the contrast in size between TV on the Radio and Rain Machine.

Just a few short months back, Malone played in front of thousands of people at various festivals such as Coachella and Bonnaroo, as well as sellout shows behind the widely praised 2008 album Dear Science. Two weeks into a tour with his new side project Rain Machine, he was lucky to have fifty fans watching him perform. Nevertheless, Kyp Malone managed to impress the crowd in similar fashion, while sharing another side of himself usually not seen in his TVOTR shows.

As Malone graced the stage, donning his disheveled hair and unkempt, gray-tinged beard in usual fashion, he remarked how different it felt to be back in front of such a small crowd, where he felt like a beginner for the “first time in a long time” as he attempted to “tune my own guitar without plugging it in.” Nevertheless, Malone appeared at ease as he led Rain Machine through most of the tracks off their recently released self-titled debut album.

Rain Machine’s music picks up where TV on the Radio’s experimentalism ends, drawing a more noise-driven sound at times, while offering an ambient lo-fi beauty on their softer tracks. Where in the past Kyp Malone’s work with TV on the Radio suggested his collaborative influence, Rain Machine shined in their own creative visions—whether through Kyp’s cerebral musings or his eclectic music style.

After starting the show with a couple slower songs, Rain Machine caught the crowd’s attention with their dynamic track “Smiling Black Faces,” and “New Last Name,” which stands as Rain Machine’s stripped down version of TV on the Radio’s “Stork & Owl.” “Hold You Holy” continued the noticeable TV on the Radio comparisons, as Malone encouraged the crowd to dance to their liveliest track.

At this point of the show, the comparisons to his former group rightfully ended. Kyp stayed onstage to perform solo on “Love Won’t Save You,” which showcased his vocal limitations as well as his creativity. As the song crawled along, slowly building with each guitar strum, Malone begins to comment, wail, and cry words expressing the dire state of world, including “Free Market” and “A-Bomb” over and over.

Once the spine-tingling and lengthy “Love Won’t Save You,” finished, the rest of Rain Machine returned to play several more songs, including the edgy, sharp “Give Blood.” Ringing full of dissonant distortion, the song contrasted nicely with Malone’s soaring voice. After reaching their loudest, the group wound down, playing one or two more songs before ending with the beautifully sprawling, over ten-minute “Winter Song,” where Malone flexed his vocal range, reaching notes that seemed unreachable by some of his stature.

In the past, Malone would have been content to not be the main focus of a show, allowing fellow TV on the Radio members Tunde Adebimpe or Dave Sitek to provide most of the live energy. Last night, however, he clearly held the audience’s attention as he placed his unique musical style at the forefront of Rain Machine.

Weekly Update: Pavement, Animal Collective, 2010 Olympics

Bob Nastanovich Confirms Fleeting Nature of the Pavement Reunion

(via Pitchfork)

Front page photo by Gail Butensky

In the press release announcing Pavement's reunion last month, there was a line that stood out: "This tour is not a prelude to additional jaunts and/or a permanent reunion." Now band member Bob Nastanovich has confirmed the "one time only" nature of the upcoming gigs in a Quietus interview. When asked if the band would "do new material" on tour, he replied with a simple-but-effective "no."

Talking about how the reunion came about, he said: "Did it take a lot of prolonged dialogue and intense meetings fueled by whisky drinking? No, our longtime U.S. booking agent Boche had dinner with Stephen [Malkmus] in Chicago this summer and they agreed to work on Pavement in 2010. The rest of us have always been willing." Click here to read the rest of the brief chat.

Sounds pretty business-like! Dudes, please don't kill our excitement for this just yet, thanks.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on October 13, 2009 at 2:05 p.m.

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Animal Collective's Avey Tare Reveals All About New EP, Film, Tour Hiatus

(via pitchfork)

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Photo by Atiba Jefferson

When word leaked out earlier this week that Animal Collective might release another record this year, it was cause for excitement. The group seems to be at their creative peak right now, thanks to the beloved Merriweather Post Pavilion. And it's true: Animal Collective will release an EP before 2010.

Dave Portner, aka Avey Tare, revealed to us that the band has a "darker" five-song EP called Fall Be Kind ready to drop in December, with a digital release coming as early as next month. We spoke with Portner about the new EP, as well as the band's "Brothersport" single, the feature film they're working on, their aborted plans to play the real Merriweather Post Pavilion, and Animal Collective's upcoming break from touring. (Note: The release date for the "Brothersport" single has been moved up to November 9 from December 8. - Ed.)

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2010 Winter Olympics rounds up Wilco, Broken Social Scene, K’Naan, and more!

(via Consequence of Sound)

By Alex Young on October 13th, 2009

Vancouver won’t be the only thing Canada will be showing off when it hosts the 2010 Winter Olympics early next year. As it turns out, the country will also be showcasing its incredibly talented and diverse music scene throughout the Olympic’s two+ week run, set to take place from February 12-28.

Broken Social Scene, K’Naan, Stars, Joel Plaskett, Steve Earle, Laurie Anderson, Martha Wainwright, Blue Rodeo, Iron & Wine, Corb Lund, Ron Sexsmith, Joan As Policewoman, and Sun Kil Moon are all confirmed to be performing in some capacity at an Olympic related event. What’s more, the boys of Wilco, who will basically be Canadians for the first part of the new Year, are also scheduled to perform at an Olympic event, this taking place on February 13th at Vancouver’s David Lam Park.

As those Canadians would say, not bad, eh? And to think, we still have a few more months to go before that ol’ torch is lit…

No Post Today

Sorry everyone, I don't have time to post a full article today. But with good reason however--I have passes to see Rain Machine--Kyp Malone's (TV on the Radio) new solo project! I'll be sure post my review on that show and his most recent album, as well as the usual Weekly Update.

Mix Mondays: Volume 8

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-8-october-12-2009



Volume 8: 10/12/2009

1. Cymbals Eat Guitars - ...And the Hazy Sea
2. Built to Spill - You Were Right
3. Pavement - Old to Begin
4. Dinosaur Jr. - Feel the Pain
5. Modest Mouse - Whale Song
6. My Bloody Valentine - Cupid Come
7. Ambulance LTD – Swim
8. TV on the Radio - A Method

Enjoy!

War on Pop radio show playlist!

Here's a list of the songs played on tonight's radio show...I will post an audio file on the show shortly.

Thanks for listening!

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
9. Avett Brothers – I and Love and You
10. Avett Brothers – Laundry Room
11. Avett Brothers – Perfect Space
12. Phoenix – Lisztomania
13. Phoenix – Girlfriend
14. Phoenix – 1901
15. Neon Indian – Deadbeat Summer
16. Neon Indian – Mind, Drips
17. Neon Indian – Should Have Taken Acid With You
18. The Thermals - Now We Can See
19. Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
20. Free Energy - Dream City
21. Pavement - Cut Your Hair
22. Jay Reatard - See/Saw
23. Gentleman Jesse and His Men - Black Hole
24. Black Lips - It Feels Alright
25. Black Keys - Have Love, Will Travel
26. Eels - Prizefighter
27. King Khan and His Shrines - Welfare Bread
28. Pixies - There Goes My Gun
29. Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
30. The Dodos - Small Deaths
31. The Dodos - The Strums
32. The Dodos - Time to Die
33. Dirty Projectors - Cannibal Resource
34. Dirty Projectors - Temecula Sunrise
35. Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Move
36. YACHT - Psychic City
37. MGMT - Kids
38. Of Montreal - Grolandic Edit
39. Diamond Rings - All Yr Songs
40. Spoon - The Underdog

Tune in to the War on Pop radio show tonight!

Listen to War on Pop's debut radio in less than an hour, (7-10PM EST)! The show is being broadcasted with the help of our friends over at Audiocandy+. To hear the show, all you have to do is click on this link (http://www.audiocandyradio.com), and there will a place at the top the website to listen in on!

I'm looking forward to bring you 3 hours of radio tonight! Also, check back here for a playlist of the songs played.

Thanks!

War on Pop radio show debuts tomorrow!

Great news! War on Pop will be making its debut on the radio Sunday from 7-10pm! Be sure to check in for 3 hours of great music, commentary, more!

All you have to do listen is go to http://www.waronpop.com during that time, where an link will be posted to the live feed!

Album Review: Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

Artist: Neon Indian
Album: Psychic Chasms
Record Label: Lefse
Release Date: 10/13/2009
Rating: 7.0/10

Given the recent onslaught of indie-electronic dance artists within the past few years, Neon Indian finds itself traversing what has become a heavily glorified genre as of late. This increased popularity has resulted in a proliferation of electro-pop artists, following the recent successes of bands such as MGMT and Passion Pit. Despite this, Neon Indian has managed to successfully find its own niche with its debut album Psychic Chasms.

On Psychic Chasms, which will be released Oct. 13, the band creates a laid-back, lo-fi electronic sound that falls between MGMT’s synth-laden dance-pop and Animal Collective’s distinctive nuanced textures. In doing so, Neon Indian showcases a compelling warmth and catchiness, while offering a fuller sound through its abundant and colorful sonic layers.

The two-person project, combining the efforts of Brooklyn musician Alan Palomo and Austin-based visual artist Alicia Scardetta, formed in late 2008 after a proposed acid trip between the two never happened. The non-occasion inspired Palomo to write “Should Have Taken Acid with You,” which eventually brought the two together to form Neon Indian.

“Should Have Taken Acid with You” captivates with its textured synth-dance display. Paying homage to the missed opportunity that ultimately led to Neon Indian’s creation, Palomo’s upbeat psych-pop attempts to recreate that lost experience, resulting in a dreamy and atmospheric number that becomes propelled through its simple, pulsating beat.

“Deadbeat Summer” exemplifies Palomo’s knack for creating infectiously catchy pop, as this mid-tempo groove entrances with its simple warm vibes. The track experienced significant hype and positive reception from indie blogs and critics during the course of the summer, including most notably Pitchfork, which rated the track a nine out of 10. “Deadbeat Summer” definitely lives up to the hype, providing what might have been the last great summer track of 2009.

Psychic Chasms continues to impress on a sustained level throughout the course of the album. “Terminally Chill” joyfully bounces with its reverb-heavy vocals and distorted electric guitar outbursts. “Mind, Drips” summons the Flaming Lips’ “Ego Tripping at the Gates Hell” with its flowing, yet nonchalant bass line directing the song through its warm ambient vibes.

Other tracks of note include the accessible “Local Joke” and the grittier, hard-hitting “Ephemeral Artery.”

While “Deadbeat Summer” and “Should Have Taken Acid with You” immediately stand out upon first listen, the truth here is that this album ultimately reveals itself as a complete piece, with plenty to offer from beginning to end.

As a result, Neon Indian’s Psychic Chasms stands out as a debut album warranting multiple listens, as it clearly separates itself from the pack of electro-pop artists that have emerged during the past several years.

War on Pop's Friday Short List: Brian Wilson, Modest Mouse, Beulah's Miles Kurosky

Brian Wilson to Complete Unfinished George Gershwin
(http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily)

Troubled Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson belongs on any list of the most important musicians of the 20th century. So does composer/songwriter George Gershwin. So the news that the two are coming together for a collaboration is pretty impressive. (No, it's not an in-person collaboration; Gershwin died in 1937, five years before Wilson was born.)

Today, the L.A. Times reports that Gershwin's estate has authorized Wilson to complete unfinished songs that Gershwin left behind when he died. According to the Times, Wilson "plans to finish and record at least two such pieces on an album of Gershwin music he hopes to release next year."

Wilson told the Times that he's "thrilled to death" at the chance to work on Gershwin's music: "I'm proud to be able to do it. Hopefully I'll be able to do them justice."

Gershwin's great-nephew and estate trustee Todd Gershwin claims that Gershwin left behind "several dozen" fragments in various stages of completion. Wilson's not yet sure what he'll do with all these pieces: "I can't decipher the verse from the chorus from the bridge, so I'm going to try to insert some new music into them. I might even write some music for an introduction."

Gershwin's estate might also use some of these uncompleted fragments on a tribute album they're planning to release next year, spearheaded by producer Phil Ramone.

Posted by Tom Breihan on October 8, 2009 at 12:05 p.m.

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Modest Mouse - "Whale Song"
(via http://www.pitchfork.com)

Here it is: Yet another awesome Modest Mouse video. This one is for "The Whale Song", from the No One's First and You're Next EP.

Director Nando Costa made the six-minute opus with assistance from the Portland production company Bent Image Lab. The effects-crammed video follows what happens after Isaac Brock uses a medieval-looking weaving contraption to conjure images of giant snails, disembowelments, and plants that play the drums. It's an epically weird piece of work, and it could turn out to be Modest Mouse's very own "Black Hole Sun".

Check out an accompanying video at http://pitchfork.com/news/36488-video-modest-mouse-whale-song/

Former Beulah Frontman Miles Kurosky Prepares Debut Solo Album

(http://www.pitchfork.com)

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Photo by Brandon Showers

Around the turn of the decade, the San Francisco indie pop crew Beulah cranked out ornate, catchy Beach Boys pastiches, generating themselves some serious buzz in the process. But after releasing beloved albums like 1999's When Your Heartstrings Break and 2001's The Coast Is Never Clear, Beulah broke up in 2004, and we haven't heard much from the band's principals since.

Well, former Beulah frontman Miles Kurosky has signed with the Shout! Factory subsidiary Majordomo, home to the Airborne Toxic Event, the Von Bondies, and Earlimart. And he's just finished work on a solo album, which is set for a March 2010 release. A U.S. tour will follow.

In a press release, Kurosky said, "Shout! Factory made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Needless to say, I've never been happier to find the head of a horse between my sheets. I'm very excited to be part of the 'family.'"

Posted by Tom Breihan on October 7, 2009 at 2:15 p.m.

Weekly Update: 2009 Album Sales, Thom Yorke and Flea,

(via Rollingstone.com 10/5/09, 5:14 pm EST)

Photo: Mazur/WireImage

Album sales are down 11.1 percent in the third quarter of 2009 compared to the same period last year, Reuters reports based on figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. That decline comes even with the influx of sales after Michael Jackson’s death and the release of the Beatles remasters, as both artists’ respective catalogs have combined for about 6.3 million in sales this quarter. Even with the unexpected push from the catalog albums, total sales are still down 13.9 percent from 2008, a year which itself saw its sales drop 14 percent compared to 2007. If the trend continues, this will mark the eighth time in nine years that the record industry has seen a decline.

According to Reuters, 2009’s biggest seller so far has been Michael Jackson’s Number Ones compilation, which sold 1.8 million copies since the King of Pop’s death on June 25th. Sluggish sales can’t be blamed on a lack of marquee releases, though, as artists who have generally gone multiplatinum in the past — like Green Day, Eminem, Dave Matthews Band and U2 — have all put out high-profile releases this year. Eminem’s Relapse has lead the charge with 1.4 million copies since its release in May. After 30 weeks on the Billboard chart, U2’s No Line on the Horizon reached platinum two weeks ago, while Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown and DMB’s Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King have yet to pass the million copies sold mark.

There is some help in the coming months, between Eminem’s Relapse 2, a pair of long delayed hip-hop albums in 50 Cent’s Before I Self Destruct and Lil Wayne’s Rebirth (Weezy’s Tha Carter III was the best-selling album of 2008), Michael Jackson’s This Is It soundtrack, the debut discs from American Idol’s Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, plus reported releases by Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, Shakira, John Mayer, Carrie Underwood, Weezer and more.

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(via pitchfork.com)

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Photos from Sunday, October 4 at the Orpheum Theatre by Natalie Kardos. Review from Friday, October 2 at the Echoplex by Ian Cohen.

On his latest album, Patton Oswalt laments how the impending birth of his first child is going to force him to quit using LSD. Apparently, acid causes him to start making up shows he went to. And he'd hate for his kid's first memory to be of him spinning a yarn about seeing "Radiohead in front of six people." What happened on Friday night at the Echoplex in Los Angeles was just as weird. The only time either Thom Yorke or Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea plays a room the size of the Echoplex, it's probably at their own house. Though I suppose there's something to this place, seeing as it has also housed "special" shows for Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails.

MORE FULL-SIZE PHOTOS IN THE PHOTOBOOK HERE

Strange: I got more questions about whether Flea kept his shirt on (he did) than about how he'd manage to fit into a band that included Yorke, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, and Beck/R.E.M. drummer Joey Waronker, men not really known as being amongst the most animated of musicians. But he might not have been the most animated guy on the stage. I mean, have you seen Thom Yorke dance? There was plenty of that, even during the complete performance of his 2006 solo album The Eraser, a rhythmic album for sure, but not exactly a celebratory one. Yorke's been known to sneak in "Cymbal Rush" during Radiohead encores, but in this setting, it was easier to appreciate what his solo work can convey once what often comes off as claustrophobic on record gets unpacked.

"Harrowdown Hill" was a ringer, of course-- since it already has slap bass, it's not hard to view it as the impetus for this collaboration. Otherwise, overlooked numbers like "Skip Divided" and "The Clock" were imbued with a new sense of purpose and locomotion, while the pillowy backing of "Atoms for Peace" was revealed to be alternately-tuned bass harmonics. I suppose it's the case with every non-Kiedis member of Red Hot Chili Peppers that you have to get them out of the band to remember that they're pretty badass musicians.

After "Cymbal Rush", Yorke said "good night," but it was probably the least convincing sign-off this side of The Black Album. In the span of time required to hit the restroom, Yorke was back at it, performing new material by himself, though you can't say it was "True Love Waits." "Lotus Flower" recalled some of In Rainbows' more riff-based back-to-basics moments, while "Skirting on the Surface" fit its title, a brief but melodically complex piano piece.

As for the new stuff with the band? Exciting to say the least. Considering the wealth of percussionists at his disposal, it should be no surprise that recently released Yorke songs like "Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses" and "The Hollow Earth" were rendered more physically in a live setting. In terms of contemporary comparisons, you might have to look to Sweden's Wildbirds & Peacedrums to get an idea of what we got, with Yorke's typically melismatic melodies surrounded by scrapyard percussion. Considering that all Yorke and Flea needed to do in order to blow people's minds was show up on the stage together, it's even more impressive that they shared genuine chemistry. Two decades in, Yorke still has a way of surprising us.

Check out video of Yorke and co. performing brand new songs "Open the Floodgates", "Lotus Flower", "Skirting on the Surface", and "Judge, Jury & Executioner" on Friday night at the Echoplex here.

Austin City Limits: Sunday Report

Alela Diane

Folk guitarist and singer Alela Diane started off ACL’s last day in front of a tiny crowd, given that the show started before noon. The group, having flown in from their European tour the night before, explained their travels comically as part of their ongoing playful banter throughout the performance. Her set showcased a five-person mellow folk outfit, which included her father performing on lead guitar. The group’s set featured “White as Diamonds,” where Alela Diane’s sweet and folksy voice shined, as she was backed by three-part harmonies. The set, however, was short, but still presented nice way to ease into the Sunday’s lineup.

Black Joe Lewis

Easily the best show I saw on Sunday, Black Joe Lewis put on a spectacular show in front of his hometown crowd. Lewis was supported by his seven-piece backing band the Honeybears, including a three-person brass section and an organ synthesizer.

The band opened with a raucously soulful “Sugarfoot,” as the band dressed in matching professional attire behind Lewis, created a hot and muggy dirtiness fit in nicely with the burning and humid afternoon heat. The group’s new song “She’s So Scandalous” crawls along, summoning the soul evocations of a raspy James Brown, combined with pieces of Bill Wither’s “Use Me.” The spirit of Brown continued into “Big Black Snake,” which provides a deep soul combined with a blues rasp.

Without a doubt, Black Joe Lewis needs to be on the radars of everyone who enjoys soul in the slightest.

The Dodos

I only caught the last two songs of their set, but this duo turned trio impressed with what I saw. The acoustic act played much harder than I expected compared with their albums. The band featured Meric Long on vocals and acoustic guitar, Logan Kroeber on drums, and the recent addition Keaton Snyder on xylophone and auxiliary percussion. The combination of Long’s swooning vocals, with the pulsating African-influenced rhythms of Kroeber and Snyder provided an excellent end to their show. The Dodos closed with their most popular song “Fools,” which was most notably used in a Miller Chill commercial.

B-52’s

The new-wave mainstays provided listeners with an extremely entertaining show, amidst a black and white backdrop that acted as a large stage-wide optical illusion. The energetic and eccentric group livened up the older-leaning crowd, as Fred Schneider, Cindy Wilson, and Kate Pierson lead the way through the hour-long set. Despite looking years beyond their age, the B-52s put on a very fun show. Schneider reminds me a lot of Eddie Argos of Art Brut. I only stayed for about half the show minutes, because I had to leave Austin.

Unfortunately I had to miss some great afternoon acts, including the Heartless Bastards, Passion Pit, Dirty Projectors, Ben Harper, and Pearl Jam...nevertheless Austin City Limits was a great experience, and I hope to return in the future!

Austin City Limits: Saturday Report

Note: Due to the heavy rain throughout Saturday, I was unable to capture these artists myself, I will add pictures from the photographer with me once they are available.

Grizzly Bear

I finally made my way to Day 2 of ACL after an extremely long, misguided walk through the rain. After arriving at Grizzly Bear ten minutes before they were scheduled to take the stage, the rain appeared as if it was going to hold off for a little, much to everyone’s delight. The crowd seemed curious about the much-hyped band to see whether or not these indie darlings were as genius as Pitchfork and many other critics claimed.

The quartet graced the Dell stage right on time, starting off their set with several cuts from their 2009 album Veckatimest. Leading off with “Cheerleader,” the band seemed intent to prove their case as they played each note and beat with meticulous accuracy and purpose in this hauntingly sparse and meandering track. “Southern Point” featured four-part harmonies and a syncopated groove, as the song slowly built up with a myriad of floating layers and textures. “Two Weeks” featured Daniel Rossen on keyboard, showcasing their catchier side. The set’s highlight, however, was “While You Wait for the Others,” which sits firmly in the middle ground between the best of their cerebral crawling beauty, and their indie-pop flair.

The rain came back midway through their set, leaving fans soaked amidst a primarily slower, more floating second half of their set. While their atmospheric performance was beautiful in its own right, the lack of raw energy could not keep much of the Austin crowd at bay throughout the entire set, sending many to search for shelter from the storm as the show progressed, rather than staying with Grizzly Bear throughout their whole show.

Flogging Molly

In contrast to the energy at Grizzly Bear, Flogging Molly embraced the weather, rocking even harder than usual. Their raucous and rowdy presence translated into the crowd embracing of the downpour. I only stayed for a few songs, but I wish I knew more of their music, because this Irish-punk group reeled in fans in downpouring rain as they rocked their performance. The highlight of the set was “Drunken Lullabies,” which had people attempting their Irish gigs while singing along. This band will definitely be on my radar in the future, and I look forward to catching a full set of theirs sometime soon.

Bon Iver

The pouring rain did not stop the crowd from catching a glimpse of Bon Iver, in what was his last festival performance of the year, and one of his last shows of 2009, ending the group’s 1 ½ years of touring behind the album For Emma, Forever Ago. The band played majority of their songs from their only album to date, as well as Dark Was The Night contribution “Brackett, WI” and “Blood Bank” off their EP of the same title. As frontman Justin Vernon guided the band with his signature style of singing, a combination of his reflective tone and falsetto, Bon Iver exhibited beautiful melancholic highlights, including their set opener “Creature Fear” and Vernon’s solo work on “Re: Stacks.”

While most of the crowd remained with Bon Iver throughout the full set, it was not until their final song that caught everyone’s attention. “The Wolves (Act I and II)” is 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’. Vernon encouraged the crowd to join him in singing that phrase repeatedly, before imploring a communal breakdown of the song, getting the crowd to scream and yell as the band intently broke down into a chaotic and random noise. The end result was a spine-tingling moment that brought the crowd and the band together.

Levon Helm Band

After the lovely set by Bon Iver, I immediately headed across the park to catch the Levon Helm Band. The former drummer and singer of the classic rock legends The Band has had a tumultuous decade, as he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Not only did Helm win his battle with cancer, but he has made a strong comeback, releasing two albums featuring his vocals. Given the combination of my strong appreciation for The Band and Levon Helm, along with his triumph return from cancer, this show was high on my list for this year’s Austin City Limits.

When I arrived at the Livestrong stage, I was extremely surprised at how small crowd was for such a legendary musician. The show started with The Band’s classic “The Shape I’m In,” featuring Helm and about ten more musicians, including his daughter Amy Helm on vocals, as well as a full brass section. Levon Helm did not sing much after this song, citing a doctor-ordered vocal rest. After the opener, the group showcased a high musical aptitude as they cruised through several blues and folk numbers, including an excellent cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Tennessee Jed.” Another one of these songs featured Levon playing the mandolin, as well as intermittingly dancing around the stage, far from the way your typical 69-year-old would.

The Levon Helm Band continued to confidently dazzle the crowd, ending their set with two more The Band classics—the heartbroken confession “It Makes No Difference” and the exhilarating “Chest Fever.” While Helm was mostly silent throughout his set, his drumming and overall presence combined with his backing band showcased a fantastic throwback set of classic tunes by The Band as well as other traditional blues and rock songs.

Devotchka

This was my first show at the Wildflower Stage—a covered stage beneath a large tent—apparently many others were cramped under the covering as well. Whether or not these people were there to see DeVotchKa or for the shelter provided was debatable, especially as the rain predictably continued.

Sound issues delayed the band’s performance by twenty minutes, and continued to have additional minor technical difficulties throughout the length of the performance. But for the time they played, the band’s eclectic and diversely-influenced sound was intriguing and captivating. This Denver-based act integrated what seemed like an endless number of genres, including eastern-European, gypsy, folk, and Mariachi. Led by multi-instrumentalist lead vocalist Nick Urata, the band added to their widespread eclecticism by utilizing many instruments, including guitar, violin, upright bass, drums, and trumpet, as well as more uncommon ones for a rock band including the theremin, sousaphone, and bouzouki.

As the band’s stunning fusion wowed the audience, the most memorable moment of this set included one song where a female acrobat climbed and swung off of a red curtain decoration, immersing the audience’s attention, which were fixated on her grace and beauty as she moved rhythmically to the song’s beat while being suspended mid-air.

Dave Matthews Band

After witnessing DeVotchKa’s beautiful variety, but short appearance, I attempted to plod my way through the messy mud fields that Zilker Park had transformed into, over to the Livestrong Stage, where Dave Matthews Band had easily netted the largest crowd of the festival through Saturday night. As I approached the stage, Dave Matthews Band managed their way through their haunting, brooding classic “Don’t Drink the Water.” Accompanied by longtime friend and collaborator Tim Reynolds, the band impressed with a surprisingly good extended version of “You Might Die Trying.” In one of their larger shows since original member Leroi Moore died, the group provided a combination of brass and woodwind musicians to fill his multi-instrumental void.

After starting off the set with much promise, Dave Matthews Band decided to shift towards a set primarily focused on songs from their newest album Big Whiskey & the Groo Grux King, including “Funny The Way It Is,” “Shake Me Like a Monkey,” and “Seven.” In doing this, the band moved away from what most people were hoping for—a classic-filled set comprised with traditional extended jams in the vein of the band’s tradition and legacy. Instead, their set was filled with primarily straightforward performances of their songs. I gave up hope after about ten songs, and opted to avoid further dousing from the rain and to beat the crowd towards the exit.

I find it very frustrating to write a negative review about Dave Matthews Band, especially when discussing their live performances. I grew up a fan of the band, and they are part of what led me down the road that eventually made me fall in love with music. And I have seen them live numerous times, some of which have been phenomenal embodiments of what live music should entail. But like many, I recognize the band has moved away from their roots, opting for a more mainstream rock over their past few albums. Perhaps my hopes for a return to their old glory were merely wishful thinking, that as a headliner, the band would put on an epic show for the fans. But alas, the past few years have brought about the birth of a new Dave Matthews Band, one that is no longer in line with the ethos that originally brought them to fame.