Mix Mondays: Volume 37

Welcome to the War on Pop's 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-37. Each week's playlist will also be available on the top right column.



Volume 37: 5/31/2010

1. Caribou - Odessa
2. Yeasayer - Rome
3. Janelle Monae - Tightrope (Ft. Big Boi)
4. YACHT - The Afterlife
5. Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em
6. LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change
7. Animal Collective - My Girls
8. Dan Deacon - Snookered

The Hold Steady: 5/27/10 at the Variety Playhouse (Atlanta, GA)

Throughout the majority of their career, The Hold Steady’s name has held quite true, as reflected in their remarkably consistency body of work. Among four excellent records and a reputation for concerts that few can surpass, they have constantly produced music at the highest of levels. Over the past six months, however, the band has traversed a shaky transition. After losing longtime keyboardist Franz Nicolay, their work has seen significant repercussions, most particularly in their recent release of Heaven Is Whenever—an album standing as their most polished and least authentically energetic album to date.















While there were a number of issues with that record, the potential silver lining with the current state of the band remains their live act—a statement that rang true throughout their Atlanta performance at the Variety Playhouse. The Hold Steady came out fronted by Craig Finn’s sweet, unadulterated and grateful smile as the band kicked off their set with the Heaven Is Whenever twang-laced opener “The Sweet Part of the City.” From there, The Hold Steady kicked off their set full of their signature passion and seemingly ceaseless energy, efficiently and consecutively making their way through their anthemic classics “Constructive Summer” and “Hot Soft Light,” as well as the riff-ridden numbers “Rock Problems” and “Magazines.”

The one distinct difference with the rearranged band is the noticeable movement of their keyboards and synthesizers away from the forefront. Despite this, the now sextet has managed to embody the same amount of energy as in the past. “Stuck Between Stations” and “Sequestered in Memphis” had the infectious piano nearly reworked out of the song in the absence of Nicolay.

Even with this questionable revamping, the Hold Steady counteracted this by performing a surprisingly balanced set, playing nearly equal amounts from each of their five albums, even reaching for older, guitar focused tracks like “Sweet Payne,” “Barfruit Blues,” and “Most People are DJs.” Craig Finn’s stained and road-worn guitar, sweat-drenched button down, and constantly animated gestures indicated his long-standing commitment to truly bringing his all to the live arena each and every night. New cuts “The Weekenders” and “Hurricane J” seemingly passed the test, while the fan favorite “Chips Ahoy” and the reverb-heavy “Slapped Actress” provoked sing-alongs.

The band returned for a four song encore, starting off with the Heaven Is Whenever track “We Can Get Together” as everyone raised their hands with Finn, alluding to their most recent album cover. The Hold Steady efficiently rocked out “Your Little Hoodrat Friend” and “Southtown Girls,” before ending with the short but sweet, poignant yet powerful “Stay Positive.” And as Finn convincingly repeatedly asked for the crowd to “Stay Positive, Atlanta,” his band’s actions seemed to provide fans hope that their reputation as one of the most invigorating live shows in recent memory would remain intact.

Set List
“The Sweet Part of the City”
“Constructive Summer”
“Hot Soft Light”
“Rock Problems”
“Magazines”
“Going on a Hike” (New Song)
“Barfruit Blues”
“Chips Ahoy”
“Stuck Between Stations”
“Cattle and the Creeping Things”
“Stevie Nix”
“You Gotta Dance (With Who You Came to the Dance With)”
“Sequestered in Memphis”
“Hurricane J”
“The Swish”
“The Weekenders”
“Sweet Payne”
“Most People are DJ’s”
“Massive Nights”
“Slapped Actress”

Encore
“We Can Get Together”
“Your Little Hoodrat Friend”
“Southtown Girls”
“Stay Positive"

Album Review: The National - High Violet

Artist: The National
Album: High Violet
Record Label: 4AD
Release Date: 5/11/2010
Rating: 9.0/10


I know I may be the one of the last people to review High Violet, given that it was released on May 11th, but nevertheless I felt compelled to write about this album. The National have emerged as one of the steadiest indie-rock bands of the last decade, slowly but steadily producing album after album of melancholic warmth and moving excellence. The band’s fourth album Boxer, to simply to put it, was not only their best album to that date, but one of my personal favorite albums from the past decade. Leading up to its release, High Violet faced the tallest of orders in matching up to its predecessor. And while the New-York quintet falls short of matching the greatness that is Boxer, it is by no means a stumble, as High Violet continues The National’s well-worn path of remarkable stability.

The album opens with a mellow instrumental haze over “Terrible Love,” before opening the gates to drummer Bryan Devendorf’s provocative pounding. Combined with lead singer Matt Beringer’s anxiously comfortable baritone voice, this opening track maintains the band's epically anthemic roots established by theur past two albums. “Anyone’s Ghost” draws striking similarities to the mid-tempo bleakness of “Mistaken for Strangers,” while “Afraid of Everyone” is a despondent cry for help.

Live staples “Blood Buzz Ohio” and “Runaway” take similar forms in their studio versions, each showcasing a different side of the band. On one hand, “Blood Buzz Ohio” overflows with an energetic pulse and orchestrated warmth again driven by the ever-constant Bryan Devendorf. On the other hand, “Runaway” remains beautifully sparse as Berninger’s croon reaches near-indescribable moments, as he cries out “What makes you think I'm enjoying being led to the flood? / we’ve got another thing coming undone / and it's taking us over.” Like Boxer, High Violet’s second half slowly reveals its allure over repeated listens. Along with “Runaway,” tracks like the delicate intricacy of “Lemonworld,” and explosive buildup of “England” rank among the band’s most underrated songs.

The awe striking, breathtaking moment of High Violet, however, is saved until the last four minutes of the album with “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.” Ranking among the band’s best closing tracks (one’s their best penchants), this song is a slow and sweeping mover, marked by its subtle combination of all the band's great components comprising The National’s laidback side. The track’s heart-wrenching minimalism is perfectly accentuated in all the right places, including the vaguely haunting lines “All the very best of us string ourselves up for love" and “I’ll explain everything to the geeks.” Without a doubt, High Violet ranks among the best of The National’s work. It may not be their greatest, or most readily accessible album, but it comes pretty close, standing as a release most likely to be embraced by fans and newcomers alike.

New Arcade Fire single "Month of May" out (full version)!

There's a ton of buzz today surrounding the release of the first Arcade Fire single off their upcoming third album. After last week's preview of "Suburbs" and its B-side "Month of May," BBC Radio 1 debuted the latter on the radio this afternoon. 107.7 The End was fortunate to close capture the full song, and are streaming it over at their website. Check it out here!

UPDATE: You can now also listen to "Suburbs" as well! Check that song out here.

Drive-By Truckers - "This Fuckin' Job" (Video)

Check out the Drive-By Truckers' new video for their song "This Fuckin' Job," offtheir latest March release The Big To-Do (directed by Scott Teems).

Repeat Offenders #19: 5/26/10

The premise for "Repeat Offenders" is simple--take 8 songs that I have played continuously over the course of the past week, and share them with you. Classics, new tracks, hits, rarities--anything goes, as long as I couldn't get it out of my head! Now to the songs, in no particular order.














The Fratellis - "Chelsea Dagger"
In honor of my hometown Chicago Blackhawks making the Stanley Cup Finals, I'll start this week with their goal-scoring anthem

Band of Skulls - "Light of the Morning"
Hard-hitting throwback reminiscent of a late 60's classic rock number

A Band of Bees - "Chicken Payback"
Another modern band doing the retro thing, this time a British band attempting some catchy rockabilly

David Vandervelde - "Learn How To Hang"
Nashville rockers combining the Band of Horses' indie-country roots and War on Drugs' lo-fi folk-rock

Ambulance LTD - "Country Gentleman"
Shoegazers add a little twang on this song

Real Estate - "Let's Rock The Beach"
New Jersey lo-fi rockers continue to find themselves continuously in my playlists

Secret Cities - "Boyfriends"
Brian Wilson-influenced indie pop

The National - "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"
Haunting, minimal, and simply amazing

The Roots - Dead God 2.0 (Featuring Monsters of Folk)

The Roots have continued their run as one of hip-hop's premier acts as they move closer to release their ninth studio album How I Got Over (due June 22nd via Def Jam). Created during their residency as late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon's house band, the album is expected to be full of guest appearances including the Dirty Projectors, Joanna Newsom, John Legend and more.












Their first single off the upcoming record provides us with one of these collaborations, as The Roots work with indie-rock supergroup Monsters of Folk to create "Dear God 2.0." It's an interesting reworking of MOF's "Dear God," yet takes it to another level beyond just a simple remix. Check it out below.

The Roots - Dear God 2.0 (Featuring Monsters of Folk) by waronpop

Album Review: Jamie Lidell - Compass

Artist: Jamie Lidell
Album: Compass
Record Label: Warp
Release Date: 5/18/2010
Rating: 7.5/10


From his beginnings as an experimental electronic musician to his more recent endeavors as a throwback soul-stirrer, Jamie Lidell has paved out a musical career marked by constant change and evolution. His last album Jim pulled him away from his electronic roots and more towards his neo-soul aspirations. On his fourth album Compass, however, we see both sides of his career merging closer than at any point thus far. Rather than continuing to partake in an exercise of revivalism, Compass endures as an exploratory effort combining Lidell’s wide range of talents into an intriguing work.

Much this album’s allure comes from its collaborative nature, featuring the likes of Beck, Feist, Grizzly Bear members Chris Taylor and Daniel Rossen, Wilco’s Pat Sansone and Nikki Costa, among many others. Between Lidell’s ensemble of guests and his penchant for experimental production, Compass emerges as a freewheeling and expansive display of creativity. Between the layered liveliness of “Your Sweet Boom,” the gushing Prince-heavy “I Wanna Be Your Telephone” and the dirty blues stroll “The Ring,” Lidell’s songwriting and production are as dexterous as the musical styles are diverse.

As usual, Lidell’s voice continues to act as his best friend, enabling his songs to be augmented by the strength of his voice, as in the pensive opener “Completely Exposed” and the short vintage calling “I Can Love Again.” This time around, his friends have provided timely additions complimenting his standout voice, including Beck’s dark and morphing production on “Coma Chameleon” and Feist’s harmonic contributions on the heavy and crawling “Big Drift.”

The only downside to Compass stands in its relative lack of cohesiveness. Whereas Jim was a tight set of neo-soul numbers and Multiply predominantly featured his trademark looping, Compass contains a little bit of everything, spanning across a wide range of musical territory. While Lidell may overreach at times, it’s a relatively small complaint for an otherwise compelling album full of introspection and artistic development.

Mix Mondays: Volume 36

Welcome to the War on Pop's 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-36. Each week's playlist will also be available on the top right column.



Volume 36: 5/24/2010

1. Ray Lamontagne - Jolene
2. Tallest Man on Earth - Wild Hunt
3. Peter Wolf Crier - Crutch and Cane
4. Bon Iver - Beach Baby
5. Iron and Wine - Southern Anthem
6. Neil Young - Only Love Can Break Your Heart
7. Low Anthem - (Don't Tremble)
8. Band of Horses - Part One

Album Review: LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Album: This Is Happening
Record Label: DFA
Release Date: 5/18/2010
Rating: 9.5/10


Like many others, I fell in love with LCD Soundsystem’s 2007 masterpiece Sound of Silver—an album that was near perfect in most regards and widely considered one of the best records of the past decade (present company included). So when I first laid ears upon the New York-based dance-punk group’s follow-up release This Is Happening, it was undoubtedly with the highest of expectations. Even with my guard up, frontman James Murphy and company’s third (and rumored final) album This Is Happening impressively managed to hold its own against the greatness of their past catalog.

“Dance Yrself Clean” meanders through its own minimalism for the album’s first three minutes before blowing the doors off with its retro-minded synth hooks, pristinely bright drums and infectious energy. From there, the energy persists throughout the album, including tracks like as “Pow Pow,” immersed in its own disco-funk drive, emerging as a cross between the droning “Get Innocuous” and the rambunctious “Watch the Tapes.”

In his signature fashion, Murphy’s thematic focus remains a mixed bag. The lighthearted electro-punk affair “Drunk Girls” speaks the truth in a hilarious depiction, while the tongue-in-cheek “You Wanted a Hit” features Murphy’s continual defiance of expectations (“You wanted a hit / But maybe we don’t do hits / I try and try / It ends up feeling kind of wrong”). On the other hand, “I Can Change” exemplifies much of the group’s past romantic sentiment, making a valiant attempt at recreating the emotion found within the LCD-classic “All My Friends” with its drawn out glory and ceaseless conviction.

As the record progresses, it seemingly touches all bases in all the right proportions. One of the album’s best moments, however, is the closing track “Home”, continuing LCD Soundsystem’s tradition of concluding with astoundingly ambitious numbers. This time, “Home” resembles a darker, more reminiscent version of The Talking Heads’ “This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody).” With its combination of tropically-warm timbre and reverb-drenched chorus, this eight minute display ends the album in anthemic splendor.

Track for track, This Is Happening has nothing as wonderfully epic as “All My Friends” or wistfully subdued as “Someone Great.” Yet, as an entire body of work, LCD Soundsystem approaches the greatness of Sound of Silver, more so than previously most anticipated. At the very least, This Is Happening prevails a frontrunner for this year’s best record. And if this does in fact happen to be the band’s last work together, then they sure know how to go out with a bang.

Album Review: The Black Keys - Brothers

Artist: The Black Keys
Album: Brothers
Record Label: Nonesuch
Release Date: 5/18/2010
Rating: 9.0/10


I drove around in my car listening to the Black Keys’ Brothers for weeks before I even started trying to nail down exactly what about it makes me feel so good. I played it for all my friends and even sat down with them for an unprecedented length of highly-focused discussion. Not one person could find anything negative to say about this album. As one friend declared, “listening to these songs makes me feel cooler than I actually am.” I probably can’t sum it up much better than that, but I’ll give it a try.

Unlike a lot of bands that start out rock and end up pop, the Black Keys remain loyal to their sound, sculpting it into a masterpiece just as alluring as it is timeless. Brothers is a progression rather than a departure from Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s rock-solid trajectory. Deeply textured by the vast sum of knowledge and ability they possess, the duo harvests divergent genres with the greatest of ease. Here we have quintessential rock and roll effortlessly adorned with the woeful slide of blues, the layered distortions of psychedelia, the raw intensity of punk and even the hard-hitting groove of funk.

From the very first listen I fell into this album like a featherbed, lulled into a contented state of sonic bliss usually reserved for the kinds of bands distinguished enough to require only single word identification (Stones, Dead, Zeppelin…you get the idea). Yet the more I listened, the more I realized how brightly each individual track shines. The quality of this album as a whole is a result of its excellent parts.

The brilliance begins with “Everlasting Light,” the coolest straight-up love song I have ever heard, layering Auerbach’s scratchy falsetto and just a touch of tambourine over the kind of immortal strut that makes it impossible not to bob your head. But then, just when you are feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, here comes “Next Girl” with the bitten declaration “my next girl/will be nothing like my ex-girl/I made mistakes back then/I’ll never do it again.” It seems, somewhere in the space between tracks, the everlasting light has gone out. For Auerbach, we come to learn, love is not everlasting; it is messy and unfair and destructive and cruel. He is “bound to fall,” as he laments in the album’s winning single “Tighten Up” amidst sexy guitar riffs and a deliciously breezy backbeat. And fall he does.

Here is the human experience, from the yearning of “Howlin’ For You” to the loss of “She’s Long Gone” to the haunting realization of “Too Afraid to Love You,” in which Auerbach sings “I wish loneliness would leave me/but I think its here to stay” as soulfully as Roy Orbison might. Brothers progresses in fits and bursts, sailing over this rocky terrain with sweltering passion and relentless lucidity, sucking you into its jagged dimensions as they shift and shrink and swell.

Sometimes the demon, sometimes the victim, sometimes the frightened child, Auerbach covers a full range of emotions in a way both decidedly masculine and insistently nonexclusive. He understands the flawed and maddening cycle of the human condition, the mistakes we recognize and learn from but can’t stop making no matter how determined or self-assured we may be. “I am the bluest of blues/Every day a different way to lose,” he howls in “The Go Getter,” a rueful lament bringing to mind not only the classic blues of Muddy Waters but also, more specifically, the desolate languor of Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher.”

“Never Give You Up,” functions as the penultimate love song for the undeserving lover, paired with a sweet-as-sugar guitar riff that sounds almost wedding-like, and provides a worthy transition into the album’s final track, a ballad that reaches no real resolution but finds a kind of deprecatory sense of peace in acceptance. In essence, what it’s like to be human. “These Days” is not another cover of the inveterate Jackson Browne/Nico song of the same title, but its tone resembles the original’s melancholy self-reflection and provides a final tip of the hat to all the influential predecessors that made Brothers possible.

Clearly, to say I am obsessed with this album would be an understatement, but I’ve waxed poetic enough for one review, so I’ll wrap things up with one final analogy. Ready? Okay. Like a classic car with a brand new engine, the Keys are nostalgic, functional, and utterly badass. And they have the power to move you.

-Written by Hilary Cadigan

Hangout Weekend Blends Diverse Combination of Intriguing Acts

Saturday at Hangout proved to be just as perfect as the first both in its weather and performances. While Friday primarily featured American-based genres such as blues, country and bluegrass, Day 2 offered a more eclectic and diverse lineup with artists such as John Legend, The Roots, The Funky Meters, Gov’t Mule, Ozomatli and more. While I stopped by to catch a glimpse of numerous artists, the following were the ones that particularly stood out as impressive.



Ozomatli

While I have had limited experience listening to the eclectic Los Angeles natives Ozomatli, their show early Saturday afternoon emerged as one the more unexpectedly exciting concerts of the weekend. This part-funk, part-mariachi, part-hip-hop fusion group opened up the day with a blast of hybrid energy, determining to keep the liveliness pumping throughout their set. Between their infectious brass and synchronized dance moves, their set livened up with the Latin-American rock of “Can’t Stop,” the Spanglish-infused “Afterparty” and the rap-heavy “Saturday Night.” Ozomatli’s set showcased their ability to bring their studio work alive in a new and exhilarating light.

Gov’t Mule

Warren Haynes simple question asking how the crowd was doing drew a louder response than most of the acts preceding him over the past two days—a testament to the amount of jamband fans at Hangout as well as the legacy of the Allman Brothers great. As Haynes played his way through “Blind Man in the Dark,” his raspy and worn voice rang with as much conviction as ever, leaving no question of who was in charge of Gov’t Mule. The jam-blues outfit continued through a number of their most recent tracks off their latest album By A Thread, before ripping through fan favorites “Slackjaw Jezebel” and “Thorazine Shuffle.”

But the highlight of Gov’t Mule’s all too brief performance came near its close. For Gov’t Mule’s last two songs, Haynes collaborated on covers with two of the youngest artists playing at Hangout. First, Davy Knowles of Back Door Slam let his beyond mature voice reign free throughout a resolute rendition of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Almost Cut My Hair.” Despite the impressive effort between the two, Knowles took a backseat to Grace Potter as she put on her best Stevie Nicks impression while she and Haynes crooned through Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust Woman.” And while these two covers seemed to possibly reflect the passing of the torch from this great musician, Warren Haynes defiantly continued his longevity as he demonstration why he so revered among his fans.

The Roots



I’ve personally been waiting for this a long time. After deeply regretting missing The Roots on several previous chances to see them, Hangout now provided me with a last minute chance to see the beloved hip-hop group, who were filling in after Flaming Lips member Steven Drozd’s was hospitalized, forcing the band to cancel their set. Despite filling in on relatively short notice, the “legendary, hard working revolution—The Roots Crew” came out with their trademark energy and intelligent creativity.

While their reputation as performers precedes themselves, their live instrumentation was phenomenal, exceeding my expectations. The title track of their upcoming album “How I Got Over” featured breakdowns as Black Thought would repeat “Thank You God Bless Goodnight”—resulting in all the lights shutting off and everyone freezing in position like toy soldiers, before going back into motion and ending the song in full force. Although the band played well-known tracks such as “Here I Come” and “Break You Off,” The Roots in concert are not simply an experience about hearing songs being replayed in the live arena. Rather, The Roots are all about performance and entertainment, and these aspects resonated throughout their set. From odes to Fela Kuti and J. Dilla to the riveting dueling drums of percussionists ?uestlove and Knuckles, The Philadelphia natives pulled out all the stops during their show.

John Legend



For the second night in a row, I had to privilege to listen to a headliner with whom I had very little familiarity with. On this night, it was Grammy Award winning R&B star John Legend, and my experience with his music ran as far as his mega-hit “Green Light.” Again, I came to watch with an open mind, and was pleasantly surprised with his efficiently produced 90+ minute show.

Legend came out to a large, built-up and orchestrated set as he dove into his polished and soulful brand of R&B—playing a selection of tracks from his three albums to date. Opening with “Used to Love U,” Legend and his accompanying ten-piece outfit made their way through an evening of neo-Soul, classic Soul and everything in between. Highlights from his set included the slow-stirrer “Let’s Get Lifted,” the Marvin-Gaye-channeling “Slow Dance” and the R&B throwback “Number One.”

Legend also played his luck with a number of covers, performed at varying levels of success. These featured smooth versions of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes’ “Wake Up Everybody” and The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy). The headlining act climaxed near its finish, as Legend pulled off three stellar performances of his hits, including a rousing version of “Green Light,” “Ordinary People” with its mellow subtlety and an extended epic version of “Stay With You”—one that differed entirely from its album version, bringing a live element that featured the young soul star at his finest.


Day 3

Torrential downpours postponed the festival for several hours and forced organizers to cancel numerous acts, including Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears and Matisyahu. Despite the flash flood and tornado warnings, Gulf Shores cleared up in time for abridged versions of all the major artists’ sets as well as a full slot for headliner Trey Anastasio and TAB. While many people hung out through the ominous weather, Hangout promoters also made a last minute decision to open up the festival to the public, in order to ensure enough people were in attendance.



Michael Franti and Spearhead

The first act to perform after the festival postponement and beach evacuation, Michael Franti took the stage determined to give the crowd their money’s worth, as he affirmed “I didn’t drive 9 hours to Alabama to complain.” With his island-fused carefree sentiment and catchy pop-rock sound, Franti offered the crowd an entertaining set to restart the last afternoon at Hangout. Between Yell Fire” and “Hey, Hey, Hey,” the group’s engaging performance livened the crowd. Franti closed with “Say Hey,” his biggest song to date, closing an entertaining and slightly gimmicky show, but one that fit the context well.

Ben Harper and Relentless7



As an avid fan of Ben Harper’s work over the course of his career, I do believe he is one of the more misunderstood and wrongly perceived artists in recent memory. Often being lumped into the dubious ‘college-rock’ genre due in part to his more popular singles such as “Burn One Down” and “Steal My Kisses,” Harper is more closely linked with the likes of Jack Johnson and G. Love than he ever should be. In recent years, Harper has been an evolving artist, refusing to solely rely on his singer-songwriting chops, increasingly immersing himself in soul, funk and hard rock than ever before.

Harper’s most recent endeavors have resulted in his new group Relentless7—a blues-rock group whose foundation somewhat recalls Led Zeppelin. This show was my both my first chance to see Harper with his new outfit, and probably my favorite of all his performances I have seen. The quartet not only played their gritty, soul-laced numbers from their 2009 debut album White Lies for Dark Times, but other tracks from Ben Harper’s catalog including some riveting covers. The show opened with the reflective calm “Diamond on the Inside,” before turning to awe striking performances of Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House” and Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker.”

The most memorable moment of the set, however, came through Ben Harper’s plead to boycott BP in the wake of their catastrophic oil spill. His politically charged activism on behalf of the Gulf Coast crowd promoted “F-U-C-K-B-P.com”—leading to the crowd chanting “Fuck BP!” as the band segwayed into droning call of “Better Way.” From Harper’s active musical exploration to his activist calling, Ben Harper is a man moving forward throughout his career in all possible facets.

Ray Lamontagne

Ray Lamontagne is an enigmatic performer to say the very least. No one can doubt the power of his voice—one that becomes stunningly surreal in person. With that, however, he also withcarries the image of a troubled artist, resonating with his well-known media-shy tendencies and general aloofness on stage between songs. Both sides of Lamontagne were never more present than in his performance at Hangout. Between having the stage cameras positioned away from him and not allowing the press to shoot photos in front of him, the set continued his intently private approach to performance.

It didn’t really matter though, as his immense talent washed away anyone whose attention lie elsewhere. He opened with the beautifully stunning “Jolene,” featuring just Lamontagne and his bassist in an eerily peaceful moment as dusk settled in over the Alabama beaches. The striking nature of his work continued with the warm twang of “Hold You In My Arms,” the conviction within “Trouble” and the tender concern of “Shelter.” The introspective singer and his accompanying band finished off their set with the determined “Three More Days” and the new funk-folk song “Repo Men.” Those seeing Ray Lamontagne witnessed him in the perfect setting—one that only helped to increased the shivers caused by his voice.

Trey Anastasio



When it comes to Trey, the legend precedes the artist. The longtime Phish frontman and guitar virtuoso took the stage as the final act of the inaugural Hangout Music Festival along with his supporting band TAB. As a longtime Phish fan, but one who has not followed Trey’s solo work, I was eager to hear his set both out of curiosity and admiration. For those who were unaware, myself included, TAB consists of members on keys, drums, bass as well as a brass trio. While seeing a Trey Anastasio outside of Phish will inevitably be compared to his work in Phish, TAB provided an excellent substitute for the beloved quartet.

Trey and TAB opened with an extended rendition of the Phish tune “Gotta Jibboo” that was brought to life by the brass section. Throughout the show, the horns’ funky riffs synced up with the flashing stage lights, creating a stimulating effect of the horns hitting like literal and figurative bursts of light with each passing note. The group attempted the second cover of “Devil Went Down to Georgia” by a headliner over the weekend, but with a non-traditional twist as Trey’s guitar and the brass section replaced the fiddle parts. Trey and TAB also completed a rousing version of The Band’s “It Makes No Difference.”

Unfortunately, I had a 6 hour drive through the night back to Atlanta awaiting me, so I was only able to catch about half of the set. The group played some new songs—including the medium-paced stroll “Burn That Bridge” and “Sailboat Man”—a calypso-reggae hybrid. Trey remarked that the latter was written specifically for the “Hangout Festival on the beach…because we are hanging out too.” And with that, I had to say goodbye to the Hangout.

Hangout Music Festival Opens with Americana-Heavy Lineup

After traveling six hours from Atlanta, Georgia to Gulf Shores, Alabama; I finally made it to the beach hosting the inaugural Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festival. This is not a festival near the beach, but actually one held on the beach. Named after a local attraction and restaurant The Hangout, the festival grounds were unsurprisingly built adjacent to this touristy restaurant. Despite residing right in the middle of an overly-commericalized, tourist-filled beach town, the festival itself displayed a fantastic view of the Gulf of Mexico, as well as some picture-perfect weather throughout the day. Friday’s performances were distinctively marked by their Americana and Country roots—featuring headliners Zac Brown Band, Alison Krauss, Girl Talk, Black Crowes, Robert Randolph and more.

North Mississippi All-Stars

I arrived in time to catch a few moments of the blues-rock outfit North Mississippi All-Stars. Featuring Brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson, the trio made their way through numerous jam-filled numbers including an extended cut of “K.C. Jones (On the Road Again).” I only stayed for a few songs, opting to claim a better spot at Robert Randolph’s show at the opposite stage.

Robert Randolph and the Family Band



After staking claim to a spot near their stage, Robert Randolph and the Family Band graced the stage shortly after. As Randolph took his seat at his trusted steel guitar, he quickly led the band into a dazzling 75-minute exhibition of soul-laced blues-rock, opening with the gospel-driven “Look Where He Brought Me From.” For those who have not seen the band live before, keep in mind that Robert Randolph is a steel pedal guitarist virtuoso. However, his music is not only compelling due to his immense talent, but also the combination of that and his raw and powerful emotion that make his performances come alive. His guitar becomes another voice, wailing and bellowing through his extended solos and predominantly instrumental numbers—including the epic journey and fan favorite “The March.” Randolph continued the display of his prowess throughout the concert, including his cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze”—where he even managed to quickly fix and re-tune a broken string during an extended jam without any issues, before jumping right back to his solo in full force.

While Randolph’s initially emerged as an exceptional talent making primarily instrumental albums, he has more recently incorporated his band at the forefront of their work. Shifting from a jam-based approach primarily focused on his skills, into a style fully incorporating all the talents of the entire Family Band. As a result, their tracks lean slightly towards being more pop-oriented and tightly crafted, yet manage to keep their full attack of their groove intact. Between more recent tracks such as “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That” and “Deliver Me,” Robert Randolph and the Family Band have struck a near-perfect middle ground harnessing their instrumental dexterity and songwriting chops in proper proportion to one another.

The Black Crowes



In their 20th year together since the release of their chart-topping success Shake Your Money Maker, The Black Crowes continue to create and perform their blues-heavy, Southern rock revival with remarkable consistency. Marked by lead singer Chris Robinson’s distinct Southern croon along with guitarist brother Rich Robinson, these now forty-something old rockers have emerged from a hiatus to release two new records over the last three years.

The band opened the set with their track “Good Morning Captain,” from their most recent album Before The Frost…Until The Freeze in typical Black Crowes fashion. Chris Robinson remarked after the song “Oh the Southern children like their rock and roll,” before leading the band into “Jealous”—one of their many classics off their 1990 album Shake Your Money Maker. Chris Robinson danced around the stage throughout the show, looking all the part of a 70’s rock revivalist with his bell bottom jeans, Lennon shades, and a seemingly free spirited attitude that reflected the band’s notable influences.

While band continues to make new music and displayed a good amount of this work, their live performance seemed predominantly dependent on their hits from Shake Your Money Maker—a sentiment shared by much of the audience. While the band efficiently went through the freewheeling “Twice As Hard” and the well-adapted Otis Redding cover “Hard to Handle,” it became readily apparent no matter how good their new music may be, the Crowes will continually be tied to these best-selling songs. “She Talks to Angels” was played for the seemingly millionth time, turning into a sing along that the crowd loved, but seemed far repetitive and redundant for the band itself. Once the band made it through many of these older fan favorites and attempted to play newer material, the crowd slowly lost interest and dissipated. While I personally enjoy some of their new work, I also decided to leave a little early to walk around and explore the festival grounds before Girl Talk’s performance.

Girl Talk



Having just arrived a few minutes before his set started due to travel delays, Greg Gills promptly opened a beer on stage (something he “doesn’t usually do”), before infusing the crowd with a change of pace for the predominant amount of American-based Rock and Country throughout the day. Juxtaposed as an alternative to his schedule counterparts Alison Krauss and the Zac Brown Band, Girl Talk brought some much needed energy to Hangout with his fusion of dance-driven Mashup and passionate MCing. Having seen Girl Talk before a couple of times in the past, the show remains relatively the same, but it’s the crowd that brings new life to each show. Gillis always welcomes an onslaught of his fans to join him onstage to dance and liven up the rave-like experience his music creates. I personally opted to sit down and relax before the headliner after about 30 minutes into Girl Talk’s set. But for what it’s worth, those who partook in the Girl Talk experience seemed to love it.

Zac Brown Band



In full disclosure, I’ll admit that my knowledge surrounding the Zac Brown Band is limited to their 2010 Grammy Awards, their hit song “Chicken Fried” and a crash course on his popular album The Foundation on the drive down to Gulf Shores. So forgive me if I am skeptical about this newcomer representing Hangout as their inaugural headliner.

At the time, I couldn’t really complain though. I was on a beach looking out into the Gulf of Mexico about to listen to some heartland Country. It was the right setting to experience this immensely popular artist at the top of a meteoric rise—one that I would admittedly never give the chance to if the circumstances were different. So I decided to keep an open mind, and take in his performance with an open mind.

The stage lights dimmed to the sound of “Georgia on My Mind” as the Atlanta-based sextet took their respective places onstage. Given that the band has only one album to its name, they played most of the material from The Foundation¬, including “Whatever It Is,” “Highway 20 Ride,” “Toes,” “Free.” In addition, the rest of the 135 minute set was filled by a combination of new songs from the upcoming album and a host of Americana covers, featuring Ray Lamontagne’s “Jolene,” Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.”

For the most part, Zac Brown Band’s performance was mildly entertaining, at times even musically impressive (especially their cover of “Devil Went Down to Georgia”). Their Jimmy-Buffett-meets-the-South act succeeds as a form of lighthearted, soft-country pop. My problem, however, was not so much with the music itself, but the blatant commercialized product that this band represented. My case is as follows…

Plug-ins during the concert:
1. Zac Brown Band Sailing Southern Ground Music Festival Cruise
2. Zac Brown Live DVD
3. Forthcoming Zac Brown cookbook
4. Landshark Beer
5. Dodge Ram

These were not subtle in any way, but readily apparent signs of an act riding the wave of commercial success and cashing in on their laurels.

Many people at Hangout were not there to see the Zac Brown Band, which is probably why the band waited to save their carefree Southern anthem “Chicken Fried” as their second to last song. When “Chicken Fried” did come on, the crowd lit up one last time to partake in the largest display of Southern inhibition I have ever witnessed. The crowd relished in their beloved song. I struggled to embrace its novelty. Maybe I’m just a Chicagoan who has found his way a little too far South.

-Written by Max Blau, Photos by Jonathan Primm

Check back tomorrow for recaps on Days 2 and 3!

2010 Austin City Limits lineup revealed!

Among the last festivals of every year, Austin City Limits typically provides music fans with one last glimpse of the summer season. While it annually resides in the company the great American festivals along with Bonnaroo, Coachella and Lollapalooza, this year's lineup may take the care as the best of 2010.

The Eagles, Muse, M.I.A., Phish, and The Strokes are headliners at this year's festival, along with other solid additions such as LCD Soundsystem, Spoon, Vampire Weekend, Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, Norah Jones, The National, Band of Horses, Monsters of Folk, Broken Bells, Yeasayer, The Black Keys, and Deadmau5.

Check out the rest of the lineup at ACL's website, or in the image below:

Festival Preview: Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festival

Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festival
May 14-16
Gulf Shores, AL

The Hangout Beach, Music and Arts Festivals will take place for the first time on May 14-16 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Over the course of this weekend, Hangout will play host to a talented and eclectic variety of bands on what will be the first large-scale festival held on a beach. With 35,000 people expected each day during the festival, attendees will be treated to a cast of all-star performers. Nationally known artists and Grammy winners that will take the stage during the three-day event include the Zac Brown Band, Trey Anastasio, John Legend, The Roots, Michael Franti, Ben Harper, the Black Crowes, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Ray LaMontagne, Matisyahu, Gov’t Mule, Keller Williams, Guster, Alex B, Gift of Gab and Big Gigantic.

Despite the explosion and destruction of BP’s Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig, Hangout expects to carry on as scheduled. With the catastrophic disaster affecting the entire Gulf Coast, the focus of the festival has shifted from simply an inaugural celebration to a opportunity for environmental action to take place. Beyond hosting a stacked lineup, much of the community at Hangout will aim to organize volunteers, raise public awareness, and continue to fundraise to help those severely impacted by the catastrophe.

While Hangout’s concentration may have shifted over the past month, Hangout will simultaneous play its part in the cleanup efforts while featuring artist performances on four stages in the Gulf Shores beach. I will be bringing you coverage on both all things Hangout throughout this weekend, so check back soon for more festival coverage.

Band of Horses stream upcoming album Infinite Arms

Band of Horses have slowly built up the release of their 3rd album Infinite Arms over the past few months, releasing several singles early ("Factory," "Laredo," and "Compliments"). With their new album Infinite Arms schedule to be released next Tuesday (5/18), the band has provided fans a chance to hear the full album in its entirety a week early. See the embed below to listen!

Infinite Armsbybandofhorses

Infinite Arms out May 18th via Columbia

Repeat Offenders #18: 5/12/10

The premise for "Repeat Offenders" is simple--take 7 songs that I have played continuously over the course of the past week, and share them with you. Classics, new tracks, hits, rarities--anything goes, as long as I couldn't get it out of my head! Now to the songs, in no particular order.














Titus Andronicus - "A More Perfect Union"
New Jersey rockers unite between the influences of Bruce Springsteen and Dinosaur Jr

The Beatles - "Got To Get You Into My Life"
One of the more underrated tracks from this legendary quartet

The Clash - "Police and Thieves"
Amazing cover of Junior Murvin's dancehall classic

Magnetic Fields - "Papa Was A Rodeo"
Among Stephin Merritt's finer contributions to his band's magnum opus 69 Love Songs

Paul Simon - "Gumboots"
The track that inspired Simon's late 80's resurgence with his South African-influenced masterpiece Graceland

The Avett Brothers - "St. Joseph's"
Introspective Southern folk from this brother-led trio

Kissaway Trail - "Sdp"
Danish soaring indie-rock in the vein of Broken Social Scene and the Arcade Fire

The Antlers - "Wake"
Evocative buildup as Peter Silberman resolves repeats, "Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve that"

Mix Mondays: Volume 35

Welcome to the War on Pop's 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-35. Each week's playlist will also be available on the top right column.



Volume 35: 5/10/2010

1. Camera Obscura - French Navy
2. Phoenix - 1901
3. Generationals - When They Fight They Fight
4. Hot Chip - One Pure Thought
5. The Thermals - Now We Can See
6. Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
7. The Clash - Spanish Bombs
8. Free Energy - Dream City

The Besnard Lakes - "Albatross" Video

Check out this new video from Canadian post-rockers The Besnard Lakes for their epic track "Albatross" (via Pitchfork).

Antony and the Johnsons announce new album Swanlights

Antony Hegarty is an unique musician to say the least, with a voice standing as one of the most hauntingly perfect and eerily unique demonstrations of melancholic splendor that I have witnessed in my life. His third album with his backing band the Johnsons, 2009's The Crying Light, continued to explore the depths of his defining emotionalism through an increasing focus and sophistication, without ever losing the defining authenticity inherent within Antony’s earlier work.

Earlier this week, Antony and the Johnsons announced the release of their fourth album Swanlights due October 5th via Secretly Canadian. Swanlights will also be released in a special edition featuring a 144-page art book of Antony's paintings, collages, photography, and writing. No previews of the album yet, but check out the album cover below (created by Antony himself).

Repeat Offenders #17: 5/5/10

The premise for "Repeat Offenders" is simple--take 7 songs that I have played continuously over the course of the past week, and share them with you. Classics, new tracks, hits, rarities--anything goes, as long as I couldn't get it out of my head! Now to the songs, in no particular order.














Shout Out Louds - "Fall Hard"
Irresistible Swedish indie-pop quintet's latest work

Janelle Monae - "Many Moons"
The Lupe Fiasco of female soul artists

Ramones - "Sheena is a Punk Rocker"
Straightforward Power-Punk shines in its embodied display of punk aesthetic

Television- "Guiding Light"
Off one of the great late 70’s records, this mid-tempo features legend Tom Verlaine’s songwriting chops

Vetiver - "More of This"
Indie-folk outfit displaying their jaunty, natural pop

Washed Out - "Get Up"
Good Chill Wave

Small Black - "Despicable Dogs"
Better Chill Wave

Beach House: 4/29/10 at The Earl (Atlanta, GA)

A few months since the release of their highly acclaimed third album Teen Dream, Beach House has embarked across the U.S. in support of their record. The Baltimore dream pop act returned to Atlanta for a Thursday night performance at The Earl. Despite having the ability to draw a crowd larger than the 250-person capacity of The Earl, Beach House opted to make their fourth appearance at East Atlanta Village’s intimate venue.



That decision paid off as their show filled up with lucky fans wise enough to purchase their tickets early, as the show sold out several months in advance. But for those who were able to catch a glimpse of Beach House in action we able to witness a band playing in full stride throughout the show. The stage, adorned in silver, shiny tasseled decorations, provided a dreamy background as singer/keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally took the stage, opening with the resolved, ambling “Walk in the Park.”

As Beach House meandered their way through their, atmospheric performance, the group’s sound came alive as they primarily played the majority of their songs off of Teen Dream, as well as selections from their older albums Devotion and Beach House. Between the looming riff of “Gila” and the chaotic slide on “Master of None,” Alex Scally’s subtly textured guitar work transformed into a more dynamic presence. As usual, Victoria Legrand’s voice remained at the forefront, particularly on the single “Norway.” Combined with an accompanying live drummer, the overall combination of the duo-turned-trio brought the typically subdued, mellow act to life, heightening their sound to a whole other level as a live act.

Preferring to perform in total anonymity, Beach House repeatedly requested that all the lights be turned off—a move which left the crowd immersed not only in the show, but the ambient, ethereal feeling present in The Earl. The band felt all the more comfortable on the darkened stage, as they closed their set with the chilling “Heart of Chambers” and Teen Dream closer “Take Care.”

The trio wasted no time making the crowd wait in anticipation as they returned for a two song encore, including “Ten Mile Stereo”—another track that seemingly took on another dimension live compared to its studio version. As a band who listeners may peg as suited for the bedroom more so than the concert hall, Beach House managed to convince a whole lot of people otherwise.

Mix Mondays: Volume 34

Welcome to the War on Pop's 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-34. Each week's playlist will also be available on the top right column.



Volume 34: 5/3/2010

1. Bon Iver - Flume
2. Nick Drake - Place to Be
3. Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day
4. The National - Green Gloves
5. Neutral Milk Hotel - Communist Daughter
6. Beirut - The Penalty
7. Iron & Wine - Weary Memory
8. Cat Power - The Greatest