The band’s debut LP, “And Now… Le Switch,” is being released September 30th, 2008 on Autumn Tone Records, the label-arm of popular music blog An Aquarium Drunkard.  ”And Now… Le Switch” was produced and mixed by drummer Joe Napolitano – with additional mixing conducted by head Radar Brother, Jim Putnam. The record is sure to bring to mind early-1970’s records like Ram, Nilsson Schmilsson, Muswell Hillbillies and  Leon Russell’s Carney mixed with contemporaries such as Dr. Dog. The new record puts the lyrical intensity of signer Aaron Kyle against the backdrop of the band’s well-drawn arrangements.  At times the lyrics are even sensitive and longing – but the beer and bourbon still soak the sound.

The band’s self-released debut EP, “Hello Today,” came out in early 2007. Soon, Eastside Angelinos couldn’t escape them – they played shows pretty much every week at The Echo, Spaceland, Little Radio, Silverlake Lounge, El Cid, El Rey, The Scene and the Viper Room. Those gigs led to live appearances on KXLU and Sirius Satellite Radio as well as airplay on Indie 103.1 FM and KROQ 106.7. Local bloggers like Aquarium Drunkard, LAist, You Set the Scene, Radio Free Silver Lake, Amateur Chemist, Rock Insider and Passion of the Weiss praised their EP and their passionate live performances. They all lauded the band, but couldn’t decide if Kyle’s voice was more “raspy” or “whiskey-soaked?” One even worried that Kyle might someday sing so hard that his uvula would explode. It hasn’t yet, but the old debates will surely reignite upon listening to And Now…Le Switch.

Le Switch : Tonguetied

Le Switch : Living in Another World

You can’t get any louder than Middle Class Rut aka MC Rut. They don’t deal with sound guys, especially those that don’t set up monitors properly. They just turn it up so that they can hear themselves. Add to that: no earplugs. Hard core.

These guys hail from Sacramento, but you’d think they were from Los Angeles or Colombia because the angst they expel is ferocious. Lead singer Zack Lopez doesn’t sing, he roars. Painful roaring. His voice, at times melodic and pop circa early 90’s Perry Farrell, but when he’s on fire he rages like another Zack, a de la Rocha. Drummer Sean Stockham first appears as the sadistic one–a ‘for sale’ sign painted or tattooed on his chest–and later pummels his drums to prove he’s not going for cheap. Is it angst I witnessed or was it pure passion? I don’t know, but their delivery was impressive and the often mellow San Franciscans in the crowd loved and feared them.

Listen to ‘em here.

I have nothing exciting to say about these tracks except that they’ve grown on me. El Perro Del Mar is very catchy, subtle, simple, comforting. I like that Sarah Assbring, the persona behind El Perro, has such a bold name. It can’t be her real name. How many pseudonym’s can an artist have? 

Lykke Li ’s music seems to follow the same simplicity that makes El Perro’s sound so appealing. Makes sense that they’re currently touring together. There’s something almost tribal about their music. Wonder if their live shows will feature an ensemble of strings. I don’t think there’ll be much dancing. Or maybe a new kind of dance will emerge?

Ed Harcourt’s got an interesting thing going. He’s a bit Rufus Wainright, a bit Cold Play, and a bit pretty. I like that his freebie track below gives a shout out to prostitutes, taxis, and Marxists. Now that’s bold lyricism. Do the kids even know who Marx was anymore? 

And what about You, Me and Iowa you ask? Oh, you didn’t ask? Well, it’s simple: They seem to be having lots of fun with their music. And isn’t that how it should be? Why even write a song if you’re not feeling it? I think these folks are feeling it. Now you feel it. Listen below.

Lykke Li : Dance, Dance, Dance
El Perro Del Mar : Glory to the World
You, Me and Iowa : Dress the Stage
Ed Harcourt : Revolution of the Heart

Whenever I hear the word “hello” followed by a city’s name, I am reminded of the “Hello Cleveland!” scene from This Is Spinal Tap. Who doesn’t, really?

Hello Tokyo is nothing like that. They’re a cool power trio from Brooklyn led by a singer/ keyboardist named Kat who’s voice I’d also describe as “cool.” Their songs are crisp and upbeat, and I’d bet they put on a good show. Guitarist John and drummer Sam (no last names given in the liner notes, and those given on their MySpace page are fake) round out the lineup ably, but for me it’s definitely Kat’s show. Her voice is a nice blend of a furious Corrin Tucker and a sultry Debbie Harry– and at times, Jeff Buckley.

Of course, just because Kat steals the show doesn’t mean that Hello Tokyo is a synth band– they’re not. Songs oscillate between power- chord Pixies rock and syncopated U2- style atmospherics. The best track on the record for me is “The Affair,” and I look forward to them coming to San Francisco.

Hello Tokyo website
Hello Tokyo on Myspace

Words by Lee

I always thought it was cool that Eric Avery opted not to capitalize on the various Jane’s Addiction reunion shows over the years. I saw both tours:  the first one, with Flea, was seriously one of the live music highlights of my life. The second, with the, uh… other guy– Peter DiStefano from Porno For Pyros–was one of the worst shows still that I’ve ever seen. And so it goes.  

Yet even in the back of my early twenty- something mind I knew that Perry Farrell warbling “Cash in now, honey!“ at me was more than just a little ironic.

And speaking of cringe- inducing, “Hope- I-die-before-I-get-old” -isms, my favorite Jane’s Addiction song was always “Idiots Rule,” which of course contains the line “You know the man you hate?/ You look more like him everyday!”  And when Eric Avery’s new album, Help Wanted, came across my desk, I immediately thought of this couplet and hoped–knowing that I’d pull a Tim Russert on him here–that he wouldn’t suffer the same cliched fate as his former band mates.

He doesn’t. Instead what we have is a mostly downbeat, left- of- center, deconstructed and then reconstructed record that sits very comfortably I think in the 21st century.  

Surprisingly, it turns out that Mr. Avery’s world- weary singing voice has a lot in common with both The National’s Matt Berninger and with one Thin White Duke. Indeed, David Bowie’s influence, especially the Eno stuff and “Diamond Dogs” (though there is no “Rebel Rebel” moment), seems to be all over the record. The cover art and liner notes appear to suggest that Los Angeles has been attacked by aliens (anyone remember the television show “V”?) and many of the lyrics are about dreams, dystopia, nuclear war, flying, and falling to Earth– all very Bowie, and Pink Floyd’s The Final Cut, to me, but also very Arcade Fire and Radiohead at the same time. Everything goes in cycles.  

Avery is backed up on most tracks by Taylor Hawkins (the Foo Fighters’ hard- hitting drummer), in what must be a departure for him, in that there aren’t a lot of hard- hitting, dynamic moments–the Fighters’ signature. Garbage’s Shirley Manson collaborates on one song, as does Flea, though he is on horns only.

Flea’s inclusion brings me to the only pointed criticism of the album I really have, besides that lyrically the album isn’t very varied: Where the hell is the bass?  Jane’s Addiction’s bass lines were some of the most memorable in all of late 80’s/ early 90’s rock n’ roll (“Mountain Song,” “Three Days,” “Summertime Rolls,”) and on Help Wanted there seems to be more discernible xylophone than bass. Call me crazy, but doesn’t that seem like a grand, or gross, misappropriation?

Nevertheless Help Wanted is a cool record whether you prefer 70’s Bowie, Disintegration-era Cure, Love & Rockets, or The National. Just don’t buy it if you’re expecting “Mountain Song” or “Idiots Rule”–there may have been a time, but Eric Avery is comfortably saying “none like now.”

Words by Lee

My wife and I just got back form a trip to the roots of classic rock, Detroit, where we saw a free show by The Romantics (that wasn’t the reason we were there). We were in the same hotel with these guys and I got a chance to chat with Wally Palmer, the sometimes singer often bass player, for about 1 minute on our ride up to the 50th floor at the Renaissance Hotel. I said, “thanks for the show” and he said: “right on”. What else could I say? Something like: “The way you guys played ‘What I Like About You’ totally knocked me out. There was a true fire there–even the third time you played it. Man, and ‘Talking in Your Sleep’ never sounded so good.” Ok, I shouldn’t be a prick. He was actually a very nice guy and perhaps I’m just
jealous these guys have made a living off of two mediorcre tunes.
Whatever. Rock on!

After leaving Detroit we headed to Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan and what seemed like the largest Art Fair I’ve ever come
across. Some folks call this stuff art, but I witnessed very little ‘truth and beauty’. It was more like a crafts fair of objects I couldn’t imagine actually buying. Do people actually make a living
from this stuff? But what really excited us was the Ear Fair taking place at a brewery called Leopold Bros. It was great to get a chance to witness a thriving indie/folk/pop scene alive and well in Ann Arbor. We got to the show at 9PM after being told by the folks at Leopold’s that the show might sell out and that industry types might be coming. I had no idea. I was there to see Canada. The line up consisted of about ten acts each with 30 minutes to play. It was an amazing variety of music from quiet acoustic folk to blues to hard rocking pop. The last act was Canada. They went on at 1:00AM! By far the most interesting music came from the top three headliners: The Silent Years, Mason Proper and Canada.

The Silent Years had that indie look and sound down complete with animal portrait tee’s and a combined band member weight of 150lbs. They mostly played an edgy pop, but at one point they did do some toned down, melodic stuff that went over quite nicely, but it was the rocking, off balance, hoppy rock that got the crowd to finally get the nerve to surround the stage and sway. I heard a bit of ‘Shudder to Think’ in their sound. Immediately following came Mason Proper out of Detroit with an equally reverent, indie pop ensemble, but displaying a harder drumming and louder guitar rock. At times they played a quirky, Devo type pop, but overall retained a very unique, can I say it? I must say it! NEW sound that everybody in the place seemed to be very familiar with. Listen below for samples….

Canada was a much different crew. Unlike the text book indieness of the former bands, Canada displayed a more authentic and ‘lived in’ style and sound. They describe themselves as Folk Pop which is a good description, but don’t assume that means boring or holistic. They were a very large ensemble led by accoustic guitars as well as two cello players (one of which is Amy who I had heard about Canada from). The music was very soulful and to my pleasure the lyrics referenced trees in almost every song. Amy rocked so hard that she actually broke her bow! Regardless, she continued to play after bandaging it with electrical tape.

Canada : Beige Stationwagon
Canada : Hexenhaus
Canada : Hooray for Shipwreck
Mason Proper : The World is Smaller Than You Think
Mason Proper : A Chance Encounter
Mason Proper : Mr. Charm
The Silent Years : Make Up
The Silent Years : Smoke Signals

I just can’t get this band out of my head.  When they first contacted me I thought (because of their name) they were some kind of undercover Christian rock band, but as of yet, I’m not sure.  After seeing them live at the Hemlock some weeks ago, I realized how special their sound and performance were to me.  They are a three piece out of Canada that utilize keyboard loops, drum machine, a drummer, guitarist and two frantic singers.  Think About Life do project that Arcade Fire-esque sound, but much less produced and even more gutteral.  What is it with Montreal anyway?  Is it that French resistance nationalistic passion that has found a home in the bands that have been coming out of there?  It’s everything the American music scene needs to jumpstart our own tired, corporate, imperialoist indieness: a good stroke of Canadian socialist angst! 

Their self-titled debut is full of gut stretching, vein popping love.  They even feature a rap and a few ballads, but DO NOT FEAR, I’m not talking Phil Collins!  I’ve preciously posted a but on these guys, but here’s the info again incase you missed it:

Think About Life : Paul Cries
Think About Life on Myspace

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Some folks believe a live High Llamas show lacks enthusiasm or pizazz, but I disagree entirely. Sean O’Hagen, the genius behind the music, is a subtle and unmatched wit at times. Recently I checked out a show at San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill (with Joanna Newsome opening the show— I’ll devote a post entirely to her beautiful sound sometime soon). Don’t know if it was the intimate setting or O’Hagen’s poignant political comments on our current administration that cushioned the evening, but what a display of musical professionalism and discipline I witnessed that evening.

Thanks to that wonderful archive at KVRX I can relay these live-in-studio sounds to you:
High Llamas : Nomads
High Llamas: Lobby Bears

The interview is from 2002, but it’s still a treat to hear the gargling genius talk about his influences (does Terry Gross know what she’s talking about?).

Tom Waits on Fresh Air

Other Tunes:

Tom Waits : Jesus Gonna Be Here (live)
Tom Waits : Falling Down (live)
Tom Waits : Sea of Love (amazing, live!)