Music Snitch

There was Scottish invasion of the loveliest kind here in Atlanta a couple of nights ago, with Fat Cat artists, Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks descending upon the Old Fourth Ward.

First to take the stage was, We Were Promised Jetpacks, the band I was least familiar with going into the show. While I was instantaneously intrigued by the band after hearing their single, “Moving Clocks Run Slow”, the album, ‘These Four Walls’, as a whole didn’t resonate with me. Now, after seeing them live, it is obvious why. We Were Promised Jetpacks is a young, rough around the edges band, and it’s the raw, non-technical details that seem to make their music and character appealing. This band looks good with a bit of dirt on their face.

Even though it was Thompson’s fervor filled vocals that occupied a majority of my attention, the four-piece also shined without words…they let their sound speak for itself. Their set-list included the tracks such as, “It’s Thunder And It’s Lightning”, “Ships With Holes Will Sink”, “Quiet Little Voices” and “This Is My House, This Is My Home”.

Next up to take the stage was The Twilight Sad, whose sophomore album, ‘Forget the Night Ahead’, was released about a week ago. To be honest I was not very into their set, even though all the instrumental constituents sounded on point. I am a fan of their debut album’s cold, remote sound and figured their set would be introverted, but the band seemed totally disconnected with the audience. I am not even sure Graham noticed that there was a crowd by his feet, and I’m pretty sure the three other members standing on the stage didn’t move more than an inch the entire time. Although, I can say that I fully enjoyed listening to their live rendition of, “Reflection Of The Television”.

For the final act of the evening, out walked Frightened Rabbit. For me, it was love at first listen with their album, “Midnight Organ Fight,” so I was certainly curious to hear the lyrics of “Twist” played live and in person. The mostly plaid wearing four-piece was charming on stage, and songs like “Backwards Walk” and “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms”, sounded even more earnest in a live, slightly dingy setting. The Frightened Rabb crew also debuted a new track, “Nothing Like You,” which is from their forthcoming album (2010). For one of the last encore songs of the evening, Scott Hutchinson stepped onto the stage, with an acoustic guitar, and without a mic for his organic version of “Poke” and pretty much lulled the audience.

Last week a friend mentioned that a band from New Orleans was passing through Atlanta, and that I should check them out because they are a must see.  Their name, MyNameIsJohnMichael, sounded a little familiar but when I listened to their album, I didn’t recognize the music. Apparently the band came to fruition based on a dare.  In 2008, John Michael, was bound to create one song per week and post the results on his website…the end result was 52 new tracks in a year and a six-piece band (consisting predominantly of Loyola students).

As far as the concert goes, the band was great and I was rather impressed. On the way to the show, I was listening to their album (which was built on fan choices), and while I could certainly sense their talent, I had a sneaking suspicion that a stage, opposed to a studio is their sweet-spot .  During the first song of the night, in the empty Earl, I decided that MyNameIsJohnMichael can only be fully appreciated in a live setting because recordings don’t due them justice (Like fellow NO natives, MuteMath).  Plus, it’s rather impressive to watch the musically inclined  band members switch off and on with various instruments.

I honestly don’t know enough about MyNameIsJohnMichael to rattle off song specific feedback, but from a newcomer’s prospective, I can say I prefer the percussion heavy, slower side of the band.  I also adore the fact that they incorporate a New Orleans, street feel into their tunes…whether it be a song featuring the sound of a tin garbage-can being hit with a chain or a track featuring the trumpet accompanied by some tambourine and keys.

Oh, and I must mention, Larry.  You know you are in the presence of infectious live music when an older gentleman wielding an umbrella cannot help but wiggle around the dance floor, shoulder shrugging and jazz stepping, without a care in the world!

Take A Listen: The One from MyNameIsJohnMichael

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download: The One (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox)

I recommend checking out their live performance of “The One” (not taken at this show).

It has been a long time in the making but it finally happened, I got to see The National live in concert. I was kind of bummed I didn’t grab a photo pass, but, I figured it gave me more time to just sit back, relax and enjoy one of my favorite bands. The show was at the Tabernacle in Atlanta…a historical venue with plenty of charm and character.

(Photo not taken by M.Snitch)

I must admit that I was rather perplexed when I saw that the opener was Colin Stetson (a solo saxophone player) but I walked into the venue with an open mind and some cash for beer. After the first few seconds it was obvious that Stetson is insanely talented and certainly takes a unique approach to sax playing, however, I wouldn’t cry if he cut his songs down to about one minute in length…maybe even 30 seconds. He just seemed like an odd choice to serve as an opening act for The National. Don’t get me wrong it was interesting watching Stetson play his gigantic contrabass saxophone, while attempting to use his mouth clicking as a percussion beat but the contrived noise ended up sounding similar to an elephant mating call (yes that’s an industry term).

The National appeared on the dimly lit stage along with a three-piece horn section (Colin Stetson included) and kicked the show off with a brand new tune, ‘The Runaway.’ The crowd seemed to be listening extra hard, fixated on making out all the beautiful new lyrics, so the venue was relatively hushed until the unfamiliar transitioned into a National staple, ‘Start A War.’ The National has a substantial amount of material, so I was anxious to see how their set-list would pan out. A number of the songs played were from their most recent album ‘Boxer’ but there were a few ‘Alligator’ tracks in the mix along with a couple brand new, unreleased songs. The set-list included, Squalor Victoria, Slow Show, Fake Empire, All The Wine, Apartment Story, Secret Meeting, Mistaken For Strangers…etc.

The band as a whole is so impressive, Berninger’s vocals radiated with honesty, the multiple guitars coincided without intruding on each other, the drums kept the music fluid and the keyboards added a dash of character. Plus any band who can rotate instruments from one member to another without missing a step is pretty stellar in my opinion. After their extended encore Berninger tipped his wine glass and slipped off the stage.

Take A Listen: The Runaway (Live) by The National

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download:The Runaway (Right click on link and select “Save Target As” in IE or “Save Link As” in Firefox)

I was hooked on Bear Hands after the first listen to their EP, Golden. I was pretty excited to see the Brooklyn band live at the dirty little Drunken Unicorn.  I was not however excited when I caught a glimpse of the opening band, ouch, my poor ears.  It was weird that a heavy metal-ish band was sharing the same stage as Bear Hands but perhaps they were a local band, I don’t know.  The crowd was rather dismal, so Bear Hands’ set didn’t have that vibe I would expect it would have if they played to a sold out crowd at Mercury Lounge in NYC.  Rau’s voice sounded good…I am a fan of the imperfections that come along with an unpolished vocal tone.  The band played well together and I often found myself watching the drummer and the bass player, who also lent a hand on percussions.

Their set-list was rather short on account of them having one album and it was pretty relaxed and casual.  I liked Bear Hands and believe that they will continue to get better as they age like fine wine.

Video: “Sickly Brunette” from Bear Hands

The Airborne Toxic Event (named after a section of the book White Noise by Don DeLillo) have not been a formal band for any great length of time but they certainly have aged chemistry amidst the five members. The Airborne Toxic Event was birthed as an idea in 2006 in the small sub-city of Los Feliz in Los Angeles, California with just one member, singer and guitarist, Mikel Jollett. The single man band soon became a due when drummer Daren Taylor was tapped for his talent …the pair grew a bit larger with the additions of guitarist Steven Chen, keyboardist/violinist Anna Bulbrook and bassist Noah Harmon. After seeing them live, it is obviously that each member plays an intricate role within the band and they are all extremely talented.

I had the pleasure to catch The Airborne Toxic Event last year in NYC and most recently at the Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta. Heading into the show I already knew that I was going to hear some amazing live music but when I walked into the venue, I thought the chances of actually seeing the band on stage would be a mission. It was a sold out show and the smoke filled Drunken Unicorn was packed like pickles in a pickle-jar.

As soon as The Airborne Toxic Event took the stage the crowd was thrilled and involved. The band has great stage presence and their music worked perfectly in the dark, dingy venue. Anna and Jollett balance each other out well and they are playful with one another on stage. Plus three members of the band took their turn on keyboard duties, which added a sense of movement and variation to the stage. (I am not really a fan of stationary bands…snooze)

Their set-list included songs such as Missy, Sometime Around Midnight, Gasoline and Papillion. Plus they did a cover of the creepy song from Silence of The Lambs, Goodbye Horses, and Jollet’s voice was seemingly built for this type of tune; I loved it. When they tried to depart the stage the crowd was not having it, so they sang a couple more songs, one being Does This Mean Your Moving On. It was a stellar show and even better than the first time I saw them…I recommend checking them out if they pass through your town.

Video: Gasoline from The Airborne Toxic Event

I am a fan of Tokyo Police Club so I was rather excited to go check them out live at The Earl, and surprise, surprise, there was an added bonus…Harlem Shakes just so happen to be on the bill. Those of you familiar with this site understand why seeing The Shakes live (again) was kind of bitter-sweet.

Ruby Coast opened the show and they were ok, they sounded pretty good live and reminded me a little bit of, Los Campesinos…except the lead singer had a more soothing voice. They have potential, just need a little more seasoning.

First let me clarify, I did not say that Harlem Shakes sucked, in fact I mentioned that I thought their music sounded tight and fresh.  Yes, I realize that I referenced Mumbles in regard to the lead singer’s voice, but it’s what popped in my mind while listening to him.  Ok, glad we got that out of the way and can move forward.  This time around, I actually enjoyed Harlem Shakes and I was especially impressed with the guitar player; he is a talented fellow.  I was also fond of the keyboard player and the drummer…they mixed well together.  Lexy, the lead singer’s voice is still not my cup of tea as it tends to reach a level where it is not enjoyable but I could sense some improvement. I am not sure I can say that Harlem Shakes have grown as a band because I am pretty sure they have a few new members but it can be said that this show was monumentally better than when they opened for Vampire Weekend a couple years back.

Now on to the band who I charged my camera batteries for, Tokyo Police Club.  Their songs were short and sweet and they absolutely had the crowd by the collar, especially with their fun little game of Mad Libs.  TPC played a good mix of songs and their set-list included tracks such as: Nature, Box, Juno, Shoulders, Spark and Paste.  I am a bit more intrigued by their older material but in a live setting I rather enjoyed the tracks from Elephant Shell.

Video: “Juno” from Tokyo Police Club

I went to see Radio Moscow last night @ The Earl in Atlanta and was a little shocked to find out they were not headlining. They were the second band in a three band gig, the venue was near empty but they still tore up their instruments and jammed out.  Apparently everyone in the tiny crowd was there to see Radio Moscow…and of course the main attraction, Mr. Parker Griggs.  Some dude saw me taking pictures and was like, “Hey, we drove here all the way from Tampa, Florida to see this show…take our picture.”  Which was kind of ironic because Tampa is where I initially saw Radio Moscow.

Anyway… they were amazing as expected, and when Parker announced it was time for their last song, the mesmerized  crowd became a tad irate and chanted for the band to stay on stage. As for the set, they played some older material such as Frustrating Sound and Mistreating Queen and introduced a few new songs off their upcoming album, Brain Cycles.

While getting directions to the Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta, I noticed a recurring comment regarding the venue.  Apparently this much raved about concert haunt is near impossible to find your first time there.  There is no sign, no phone number, and it is underground…literally.  Thankfully after about 20 minutes of wandering around looking for a flock of dudes wearing skinny jeans, I got some much-appreciated help from a gentleman of the homeless persuasion.

I thought that Kyle Andrews would be playing with a band but turned out it was him solo, singing with an acoustic guitar backed by a laptop.  Not a lot to say about his set really, he sounded ok and the beats were pretty catchy at times…not sure if I would dig more than 25 minutes of his music though.

Before seeing The Submarines, I had only heard a few of their songs and was ambivalent about their music.  However, after a few minutes into their set, my ambivalence faded when I started enjoying the band and their trusty laptop.  The vocal duties were split between John Dragonetti & Blake Hazard, so there was a nice bit of mood variation. John played conductor with the laptop, Blake switched between various instruments and the fluffy haired drummer could not escape my vision…the live drums meshed well with the synthesized sound.  I don’t know if it’s because they are married but the two singers seem to compliment each other nicely on stage.  The crowd was definitely enthralled in the show and seemed rather comfortable shouting out song requests.  The Submarines did a nice job at rotating the tempo of their set and I rather enjoyed the songs, Swimming Pool and Vote. * I think the drummers name is Jay.

The Morning Benders‘ music seems shiny and fresh, yet reminiscent of the era when pop rock was softer, smoother and a bit lofty.  The DIY, not too complicated way The Benders create music gives them and their tunes, character and charm.  The quartet seemed really relaxed and comfortable on stage, especially the fresh-faced lead singer Chris Chu, who has an unconventional swagger about him. The Morning Benders‘ songs are typically short and sweet, so their set moved right along, including songs from their latest album, Talking Through Tin Cans as well as their older EPs.  Oh, and it looked as if the drummer was using a maraca as one of his drumsticks (is this common?). In a live setting, the Morning Benders kind of reminded me of Vampire Weekend…which is a good thing in my concert book.