Since last December when I named The Head And The Heart's self-titled debut one of my favorite albums of 2010, the band has been pretty busy - they announced that they had signed to Sub Pop records, toured with both Dr. Dog and My Morning Jacket and played pretty much every major festival you can think of. Not a bad year. Still, before last Friday the band had never played a headlining show in Boston. From the time they took the stage at a very sold out Royale, a rowdy Friday-night crowd made the Seattle-based band feel welcome.
They humbly announced "we're The Head And The Heart, we're from Seattle Washington...let's have some fun" before launching into album opener "Cats & Dogs". The capacity crowd was vocal from the start, singing along with every word and screaming their approval at the end of each song - and often in the middle of the song. At times I was taken aback by the response, and the band seemed genuinely surprised as well. In any case, I've never seen a crowd at Royale so enthusiastic, and the band returned the favor.
As expected, the set drew heavily from the self-titled debut, but also included a few new/unreleased songs that I hope might be a preview of the band's sophomore LP. "Josh McBride", a song that has been circulating for a while, pairs softly crooned vocals with gently-picked acoustic guitar - one of the most tender songs in the band's catalogue. Another of the new songs (title help?) features a bouncy piano line, harmony vocals and tempo changes that recall the Dr. Dog. Neither strays too far from the folk-pop formula that found success on the band's first record.
An early highlight came halfway through the set as the band played "Lost In My Mind" while the crowd absolutely lost theirs. From there the show built to it's second climax, the singalong set-closer "Rivers & Roads". A two-song encore started with "Gone, a new song played solo-acoustic by Jonathan Russell with backing vocals from everyone else in the room. "Down In The Valley" closed the show, and provided one last chance for the crowd to sing along at the top of their lungs.
Live, the band plays each song as a near note-perfect recreation of the studio version, but what might be lacked in spontaneity is more than make up for with enthusiasm. It's obvious that the band is having a great time on stage, led by Charity Rose Thielen who dances and smiles her way through every song, and the energy is contagious.
The full set is available for stream/download below in fantastic sound. Huge thanks to the staff at Royale and The Head And The Heart - if you download the recording please support the band and buy their music. Check back for recordings from Thao with The Get Down Stay Down and The Devil Whale.
The Head And The Heart Royale - Boston, MA September 30, 2011
You’d be hard pressed to find another band like Typhoon. They are 13 (or so) members strong, and, while lead singer Kyle Morton writes startlingly dark lyrics, they produce some of the most infectious, triumphant and intense music you’ll find. Their sound is a study in contrasts: between deathly quiet and riotous crescendos, between lyrics that cut deep and rhythms that make you want to stomp your feet and clap your hands, and between the delicate melodies and blaring horns and yelled choruses. Whether you know it or not, you need to be listening to Typhoon.
There’s a point around the 2:10 mark of ‘The Honest Truth’ where I find it impossible to stop myself from stomping and yelling along, no matter the setting I find myself in. I’m inclined to believe that you may not be alive if you can keep still from that point on in the song.
I feel as though ‘Summer Home’ is a pretty perfect example of what makes Typhoon so special. The words are heavy, a rumination on those childhood memories we can’t relive and the struggle to let go of it all, but, like all Typhoon songs, there’s a sense of redemption and hope underlying it all (this time in the form of handclaps and that age old question: can you wait for summer?).
‘Common Sentiment,’ an unreleased song they played as part of their recently released debut Daytrotter session, proves that the best is yet to come for this band. There’s just something about this song that causes me to hit the repeat button each time it’s done.
Over the past two years the Nor'easter Festival presented by Eastern Mountain Sports has become one of my must-see annual events, and the end-cap to summer music festival season in New England. The festival, which was held at Burlington VT's Waterfront Park this year, caters to outdoor sports and music fanatics alike. A mashup of rock climbing, cycling and music from Okkervil River, G. Love and Special Sauce, Rivery City Extension, Aunt Martha, Kingsley Flood and more, all set along the picturesque banks of Lake Champlaign - well, there really isn't a better way to spend a fall weekend. I could only make it for the first half of the festival this year and as painful as it was to forego Okkervil River, Aunt Martha, Tan Vampires and The Toughcats - day 1 provided more than enough highlights to make it worth the drive.
I arrived early Saturday morning after a nearly 4-hour drive from Boston to hear Kingsley Flood soundchecking in the misty rain. The band went on to play a trademark energetic set to a handful of early-birds - clearly un-phased by either the sparse crowd or grey drizzle. The set featured favorites from Dust Windows as well as tracks off their upcoming EP set for December release. River City Extension were up next, blending punk-spirit, mariachi horns and folk earnestness into folk-rock anthems. On paper it may seem incongruous that the band played both the Warped Tour and Newport Folk in the past year - but after seeing them live it somehow all makes sense. As I saw the lead singer of each band head-bobbing to the other I thought what a great double-bill Kingsley Flood and River City Extension would make...
As the sun finally broke through the clouds, Providence's Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons took the stage. White Lighter was one of my favorite albums of last year, and it was great to hear the songs echoing across the Burlington waterfront. Songs of gritty desperation, pain and loss aren't normally what you think of as lighthearted festival fare - but Fletcher & co. sounded great as mandolin and fiddle echoed down the Burlington waterfront. It was somewhat surreal to see Kingsley Flood and Joe Fletcher - two of the local bands I would put my chips behind to break out of the New England scene - on a big festival stage. Nevermind the fact that they were playing to a mostly-empty field, it seemed like just a preview of things to come.
Truth be told, those were the three bands I made the drive for. Mariachi El Bronx surprised me though. As the G. Love crowd slowly filled in, the punk-cum-Mariachi band was starting to heat things up. I couldn't help but scratch my head as the very much non-Mexican lead singer (think younger Frank Black or Herc from The Wire) led the band through what sounded to these un-trained ears like note-perfect traditional Mariachi. Kids were dancing, heads were bobbing - this was my surprise of the weekend. Closing out the night was G. Love and Special Sauce. I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan, but the band's most recent Avett-produced effort Fixin' To Die has piqued my interest. Seeing him live I found a new appreciation for the R&B / funk-influenced sound. Set opener "Milk & Sugar", an ode to the magical powers of coffee, is the kind of mantra I can get behind.
And while music was the draw for me, the main attraction is without question The North Face Open - a United Bouldering Championship event that draws hundreds of climbing enthusiasts. For those that have no idea what "bouldering" is, it basically turns rock climbing into a competitive sport - as climbers must complete problems (as in, get to the top of a big-ass wall) as a five-minute clock ticks down. Some of the nuances of the sport may be lost on me, but after two years at Nor'easter I have to call myself a fan - it's really a jawdropping, holy-shit-did-you-see-that?! display of athleticism and skill.
But that brings me to my only complaint about Nor'easter: it has the potential to be a great music festival, if the music aspect of the festival was better-marketed. The pieces are all in place, but last year and again this year, no one is there for the music. If Kingsley Flood and River City Extension are playing to food vendors, and G. Love is playing a few hundred people - an opportunity is being missed. Until then, this festival will remain a sort-of secret hidden gem, but either way I know I'll be returning year-after-year.
The Hold Steady's Craig Finn on stage at Life Is Good Fest in Canton, MA
Words // Todd Harrington Photos // Todd Harrington
The weather may have been a little threatening most of the first day of the Life is good Festival but it held out. The festival made its return to Prowse Farm in the shadows of Blue Hills in Canton, MA for a second year and the fans came out in droves.
The festival grounds are spread out well enough were the two larger stages almost face one another, but the music would be on pace so once one set ended you could turn, walk a few hundred yards and check out the next band.
Not interested in the band at the time, take a walk and see the dozens of local vendors, learn about organic farming, kick a soccer ball with a New England Revolution Player, or hang out in “Chillville”, a section with a “mellow vibe”.
Music began before noon on the “Good Kids Stage” with Ben Rudnick and Friends performing for the families that had arrived early. The kids stage was under a large shed and huge bean bag chairs were tossed about for families to be comfortable in. The band announced from the stage it was their 17th time performing at the Festival. The kids stage would have the same line up both days with Keller Williams second, The Laurie Berkner Band and finally “Imagination Movers”. Williams performed acoustic and told the audience about how his gear could record something, and then with him pressing a foot pedal he could “loop” the effect. Keller was engaging and was later seen hula hooping with kids during the festival. Laurie Berkner had the stage full for happy sing alongs and audience participation. Parents were singing and dancing along with their kids. Imagination Movers had the area swelling with the masses. The band who wear colorful one piece suits went right to the audience, walking down and hi-fiving the dancing masses. The kids were going wild, and the parents seemed happy that the band made the efforts to include the kids whenever possible. The kids stage, as expected, was a fun and safe area. Positivity and being happy were keys, and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone not leaving without a smile.
The main stages over the two days were diverse with super fans of a band embracing new fans. When a person stands on the rail in front of the stage in the hot sun for over an hour you know they mean business. While waiting for The Hold Steady to perform on the Good Vibe Stage in the late afternoon I overheard people talking, asking what the Hold Steady was like. After a little back and forth one asked the other “Who are you here to see?” to which the response was “Ingrid Michaleson”. As the story goes these two fans drove ten hours from Toronto to catch Ingrids set. They were on the rail well over two hours before she'd play. Before the Hold Steady set was Dwight and Nicole a group that blended the blues and rock followed by Tristan Prettyman who led her band through a mix of acoustic rock that hand a little folk and a little soul. Prettyman has professed her adoration for singer Ani DiFranco and her style was similar. The Hold Steady rolled out and announced “We are the first rock band you've seen today” and they tore through their set. Rumbling through tracks like “Southtown Girls” and “Chips Ahoy” very few fans were seen leaving the area. The Good Vibes stage wrapped up with Michaleson who switched instruments after each song and would offer some fun stories about their time on the road. Michaelson has had songs on Grey s Anatomy, Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. She played a funny few lines and said “don't worry that will end up on next weeks Grey's Anatomy”. She noted they had not played live in some time as they had been working on a new album. The band was hardly rusty and I am sure the two ladies who drove ten hours were thrilled with her set.
The Main Stage on Saturday kicked off right at noon with Barefoot Truth. The group of guys got the earlier arrivals bobbing their heads and up out of their chairs. The band thanked the audience for their support as their recent album had found its way on to the iTunes chart. The roots rock band did much to impress. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band provided that New Orleans deep groove that really got everyone moving. Martin Sexton, who had just arrived from Europe, arrived on stage with just his guitar and sang a hybrid version of the Star Spangled Banner before his hour long set. Sexton has a powerful voice and he most certainly had folks paying attention. Former founding member of the band Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy was Michael Franti + Spearhead who seemed to have the days first really ravenous fan participation and reaction. Franti worked the stage front to back, side to side inviting the audience to sing along, be happy and be nice. Franti blends funk, reggae hip hop and rock for a frantic set. A Led Zeppelin tease late in the set was greeted with a thunderous roar. The day concluded with the Avett Brothers. Taking the stage at dusk the full festival was in their hands. The band hardly stood motionless giving every ounce to the audience that had waited all day for them.
Sunday I arrived a little later and caught most of the Maceo Parker set on the main stage.. Parker was the saxophone player for the James Brown band for many years had little trouble in getting the audience to dance along. Brandi Carlile's set opened with a pounding drum solo before she and the rest of the band arrived on stage. She'd play a strong set with highlights being a rowdy cover of the Johnny Cash tune “Folsom Prison”. Carlile was backed with members of the Boston Pops string section. The Levon Helm Band followed. As anticipated by most in attendance their set concluded with “The Weight” which featured the Boston Pops as well as Ray LaMontagne.
On the Good Vibes Stage Ryan Montbleau preformed a solid set that mixed soul and blues. Montbleau was later seen near the merchandise table singing cds and meeting fans, something this reviewer noticed him still doing for well over one hour. Robert Randolph and the Family Band was a highlight. Randolph is a virtuoso on the lap steel guitar. The set was, for lack of a better term, electric. He owns his instrument and the band is extremely tight. Their set turned many a head. The Good Vibes stage concluded with a rocking soul set by Raphael Saadiq. Saadiq who started out in the 80's pop band Tony! Toni! Tone! has come a long way. Dark suit and horn rimmed glasses Saadiq and his band ran through a fun intro before launching in to “Heart Attack”, the lead off track from his new album “Stone Rollin”. He quickly got the audience to sing along and the band just brought it. Male and female backing vocals added to the power and Saadiq,who later had Randolph sit during his set, ended the Vibes stage perfectly.
Over the course of two days twenty two bands played for the young and old for a very good cause. The organization raised over 1 Million dollars. The music was diverse and thus the fan base was equallyas diverse. Attendees were respectful of one another and the grounds of the event. Life is Good was a very well run festival, one that this reviewer would strongly suggest to others, as a “can't miss” event.
Like so many others, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was my first introduction to Wilco. It was the summer of 2001 and I must have read a glowing review in whatever music publication mattered to me at the time. I remember feeling super-cool as I walked out of the record store with both The Strokes' Is This It? and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. In retrospect, that one trip to the record store has defined and shaped much of my musical life. But in the months that followed, I wore out Is This It? while Yankee Hotel Foxtrot gathered dust. I didn't get it. I guess I wasn't ready for it yet.
I distinctly remember sitting in my freshman dorm reading a year end "best of" list that probably annointed YHF as an instant-classic, digging out the CD and putting it on. And again, it fell flat. But I gave it time and eventually it clicked, and with that revelation a whole new world of music opened up before me. Music that was challenging, songs required focus and patience. Music as art suddenly made sense to me.
Since then, Wilco's music has been a constant and important part of my life. I dove head-first into the band's back catalog, anticipated and obsessed over A Ghost Is Born and saw countless live shows. But over the last two studio albums I saw my devotion starting to wane. I found Sky Blue Sky lifeless and, while I was initially drawn to Wilco (The Album) because it reminded me more of previous Wilco albums, the veneer of novelty wore off quickly. That isn't to say that those albums aren't good, but they lacked and edge and spark that the earlier albums had. It was starting to notice a trend, and it wasn't good.
That all ends with The Whole Love - an inspired collection of songs that stands tall alongside the band's very best work. Art-rock album opener "Art of Almost" pulses with energy, blips beeps buzzes and finally devolves into a screaming Nels Cline guitar freakout. It's a ballsy opening track and it makes a big statement, landing a shot across the bow of "dad-rock" detractors. It's as far as Wilco has pushed the experimental envelope to date, and it shows a welcome willingness to take risks. The opening track demonstrates the lofty ambition and flawless execution that appears throughout The Whole Love, but sonically the album draws from all corners of the band's repertoire. "Black Moon", "Rising Red Lung" and "One Sunday Morning" are hushed, tender Tweedy solo takes that feature some of the songwriter's most affecting lyrics in recent memory, adorned with subtle accompaniment. "I Might", "Dawned On Me" and "Standing O" are catchy power-pop throwbacks to the Summerteeth-era and the band's best shots at a radio hit in a while. "Sunloathe" and "Capitol City" are playful, vaguely psychedelic, Beatles-esque pop.
I think the band flailed a bit on the last two records trying to fine-tune the studio dynamics of the current lineup. In the live setting they're dialed-in, but finding the right use of Nels' guitar histrionics in the studio has proved a more difficult challenge. On these songs Nels strikes the right balance - playing within the songs instead of overpowering them, except of course when the song calls for overpowering, in which case he lets it rip ("Born Alone", "Art of Almost"). The Whole Love also feels more like a product of the studio than any album since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. There are subleties revealed with each listen - new textures, noises and nuances - yet it never sounds artificial or sterile. This may be the best sounding record the band has released, finding a perfect balance between the organic, live sound of A Ghost Is Born and the obsessive studio tinkering of Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.
The truth is, there isn't much of a weak link on The Whole Love. The record covers a lot of stylistic ground and, while it mostly works as a cohesive unit, it does feel a bit disjointed at times. There is no doubt in my mind that this is Wilco's best studio work of the Nels Cline era; and while the record's ultimate place in the Wilco canon will be a matter of personal preference, it's certainly no stretch to say that The Whole Love stands alongside the band's best work. It feels good to have my favorite band back.
The Whole Love is out September 27 on dBpm Records. Preorder it here.
Photos from the band's typically-brilliant show at The Wang Theater in Boston earlier this week
It doesn’t take long into Little Wind, the sophomore album from Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps, to realize that they’ve taken a step forward sonically. Before the end of the first verse of album opener ‘Tanktop’ you hear an electric guitar, reverb, pounding drums and some distortion on Caroline Smith’s voice, all things largely (or entirely) absent from the bands debut album. The extra layers and instruments add a punch not found on their previous work and helps to differentiate them from the myriad of bands they could be lumped in with.
The Good Night Sleeps provide fantastically crisp and pleasant backing for Caroline Smith, who’s voice (a sort of mixture of Jolie Holland, Charity Rose Thielen from The Head and The Heart and Sallie Ford) is the star of the album. It stuns and disarms on the haunting ‘Eagle’s Nest,’ manages to sound sweetly dangerous on ‘Denim Boy’ and bursts and blooms perfectly on standout ‘Calliope.’ Little Wind is a collection of songs that shows a band trying different approaches and styles while always remaining true to their core sound, that of a refreshingly honest and sincere indie pop band.
Little Wind is out now and Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps are currently on tour throughout the country. Enjoy two cuts off the album, ‘Calliope’ and ‘Tank Top’ below.
Talking Prison Boxing, Cataldo's latest album, has been one of the oddest endeavors over the last week or so. Eric Anderson, the guy behind Cataldo, made the album available to the masses to hear just last week, but those who contributed to his Kickstarter project have had the album for almost 4 months as a reward for helping the album see proper release at all. So, you know, I'm talking about something that is new that I've had for 4 months. Whatever. Doesn't matter. The album is great.
Prison Boxing finds Eric Anderson at his most polished yet, crafting a heartfelt album of what he calls "break-up/soul searching jams." It's an album of varied paces, sounds and moods though remaining sincere and undeniably catchy throughout. I've found myself falling for each of the 9 songs at various times over the last 4 months, but at this very moment "Fog on the Glass" is my favorite offering from Prison Boxing. There's something about the anxiousness of the rhythm built by the drum clicks and pounding keys throughout that has been continually gaining access to (and taking over) my brain lately. That's the mark of a quality jam.
Prison Boxing comes out physically on Tuesday, but you can head on over to Cataldo's Bandcamp page to take a listen to the whole thing and grab a digital copy now. Make sure to poke around the rest of his catalog too - there's a lot to love on his previous releases as well. Enjoy.
Last year we made a last minute decision and headed up to Loon Mountain in Lincoln NH to check out the Nor'easter Festival. With a lineup that included The Walkmen, Dr. Dog, Gaslight Anthem, Alberta Cross, Eli Reed & The True Loves and more, I knew there would be great music - but the festival exceeded all of my expectations. I'm sure festival organizers were hoping for a better turnout, but the small-ish crowds made for an intimate and relaxed experience. World-class bouldering and cycle-cross events provided a great break from the music, and the gorgeous setting in the early-autumn White Mountains was perfect. Our most popular post of 2010, a live recording of The Gaslight Anthem was recorded at the festival, along with another popular recording of The Walkmen.
This year the festival moves north to downtown Burlington VT, on September 23-25. The location may be different, but the great music lineup and outdoor sporting events are back again. The 1-2-3 punch of Kingsley Flood, River City Extension and Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons to open Saturday's festival is worth the price of the weekend pass on its own - not to mention headliners Okkervil River, G. Love & Special Sauce and rjd2, more solid undercards including Aunt Martha and Toughcats and a full lineup of bouldering/cycle-cross competitions. Tickets are still available here. Don't miss out one last chance to get out of town and experience live music outdoors this year. Full lineup and mp3s below, along with photos + video from last year's festival:
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 7:31AM 
