Mates of State - "Rearrange Us"

Mates of State - "The Re-arranger"

Mates of State have delivered what I am dubbing "The Best Record of 2008, So Far." Fully-loaded with great pop melodies, interesting arrangements and overt husband-wife references, the record picks up right where "Bring It Back" left off: a hard-working band just getting better with every release. Here is one of my many favorites off the new "Rearrange Us" (Barsuk).

Click below to pick up a copy.

Buy from Barsuk Records
Buy it on Amazon

Mates of State on MySpace


(Ian Anderson)

Live Review: VHS or Beta, May 9th

Download: VHS or Beta - "Burn It All Down"
Download: Tiger City - "Are You Sensation?"
Download: Maps Of Norway - "Manners"

Friday, May 9 was my first-ever VHS or Beta show, my interest fueled by their reputation for putting on a fantastic live set, coupled with my love for their latest album, Bring On the Comets. They had been a recent discovery for me, after a friend of mine gushed about seeing them at Coachella, claiming, “Their energy is addicting like crack. They are so much fucking fun.” After listening to the rest of their catalogue, I needed to see them in all their glory at 7th Street Entry. Opening were the local Maps of Norway and Brooklyn-based Tigercity, who I had seen perform with Chicago’s OFFICE back in December, and absolutely loved them.


Maps of Norway “opened” the show around 8. I say “opened” because they started off rather clumsily; it was almost as if they didn’t have time to tune or set up properly, and while I’m pretty used to openers often tinkering with sound and fidgeting with instruments, they seemed to be off in their own little world for most of their set. Vocalist Rebecca Leigh was all about eye contact with the band and not so much about connecting with the audience, save a few friends of hers who she came down to greet before the set even ended. The songs themselves weren’t half bad (bass playing was fantastic), but I was so distracted by their stage presence it’s difficult to say. I had heard decent things about Maps of Norway live, and I don’t know if they were just having an off night, but I was confused and a little disappointed.


True to form, Tigercity followed and brought the fierceness of their fun, synth-soaked songs, with vocalist Bill Gillim jamming out with his amazing bravado and fabulously massive gold chain necklace. Tigercity played favorites from their ‘Pretend Not to Love’ EP, including songs ‘Are You Sensation?’ and the electropop jam ‘Other Girls.’ Tigercity have such a fun disco sound, and I can safely say I didn’t see a single body within my vicinity standing still.


By the time VHS or Beta hit the stage, 7th Street was brimming over with bodies, clinking beer bottles and roaring shouts of excitement. Amber spotlights glared forward into our eyes, and 5 silhouettes burst into the starter notes of “Burn It All Down,” stimulating a synchronized bounce from the masses. Newer tracks were definitely the main focus of their set, peppered with older hits like ‘Night on Fire.’ The audience was a literal sea of hands clapping while shouting, ‘Put your hands together and we’ll light this night/We’ll light this night on fire.’ VHS or Beta’s overall sound was clean, sharp and soaring – like their records, only amplified. The guitars during their set were nothing short of brilliant; Craig and Zeke did a phenomenal job of blaring each note and losing themselves in song. We as an audience became our own entity for the time being, which is every concert-lovers’ dream. Nothing else mattered except the music and good company, and when their set ended, you could definitely feel the pulse of energy and excitement lingering with everyone who experienced it.

VHS or Beta MySpace Page
Tigercity MySpace Page
Maps of Norway MySpace Page

(Tara Rogan)

This Weekend In Minneapolis: The Birthday Suits, The Long Blondes

(Birthday Suits live in Chicago.)

Not one, but two opportunities to see garage-punk band Birthday Suits tonight. First, for an all-ages show at 5, second a 21+ show at 9. Both shows are $6 and are at the 7th Street.

Birthday Suits MySpace Page


Download: The Long Blondes - "Here Comes The Serious Bit"
Download: The Long Blondes - "Guilt"

UK quintet The Long Blondes seemed to have a pretty good thing going when they released their debut album Someone To Drive You Home in 2006. The group's sound was a sleek, sensual and feminine reminder to all of the post-punk revival boys that, hey, Blondie was once considered punk as well. So it's a bit of a surprise, then, that for "Couples", the band's latest effort, the band has done not-so-much an 180 degree shift, so much as an 75 degree shift. The odes to sexual frustration are still there, but, because the band has inevitably gotten older, the perspective is much more bitter, as on the title track, where singer Kate Jackson laments how people in relationships "have the nerve to tell me they're lonely" when she, in fact, is the single one. As far as how "Couples" actually sounds, the music still has an hi-hat-snare-drum driven pulse, but the reference points here are more Pet Shop Boys (albeit with a less synthy sound) than Blondie. It's a stylistic shift that I'm not sure the band needed to make, but it's one that they do pull off more often than not, especially on songs like the disco-chic "Guilt" and the minimalist art-noir of "Too Clever By Half". Less successful are self-consciously "different" tracks like "Round The Hairpin", which is too turgid and goes nowhere, but those low-lights are made for by the manic, frantic energy and lyrical wit of "Here Comes The Serious Bit" and "I'm Going To Hell", the latter being a funny, defiant exercise of grace under bad judgment. Though "Couples" isn't entirely successful, it has enough pleasures to make it a contender for one of the most underrated albums of the year.

Show is 21+, and tickets are $13. More show info here
.

(Jonathan Graef)

New Muja Messiah - "Oh, Silly Me" (Feat. Slug of Atmosphere and HAP)

Download: Muja Messiah - "O Silly Me"

Switchblade Comb debuted this new track from Minneapolis hip-hop artist Muja Messiah yesterday. It's an excellent track from a record called Massacre: Soundset 08 Edition. "Oh Silly Me" has got a rumbling bass hook that should sound greatly coming out of car speakers--that is, if any of you are still driving. Listen for guest verses by fellow Minneapolis emcee Slug.

Switchblade also revealed that Muja's new album, Thee Adventures of a B-Boy/D-Boy drops via Black Corners on July 29th.

Listen to "O Silly Me" at the top of the post.

Muja Messiah MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Toki Wright Reflects On The "Best Week Ever", Plays the Blue Nile on Friday

Download: Toki Wright - "Future Rock"

Toki Wright, as he stated a few weeks ago on his website, has been chronicling the past week of his life in a series called "Best Week Ever". As he has done for the past two weeks, reggae/hip-hop influenced artist and rapper Wright has uploaded the latest edition of "Week" to his MySpace Page. Here's what he had to say about the week of May 16th:

Another eventful week has passed. People are graduating from college. Nearly 50,000 people were buried alive in an earthquake in China. Kevin Garnett is one game closer to getting a ring. Hillary Clinton smashed Obama in West Virginia though its almost impossible to catch up. People were saying "hell no I didn't vote for no colored" (verbatim) in the exit poll interviews. Obama picked up a John Edwards endorsement. You caught your baby momma creeping out of your cousin's window. Whatever the case may be. Every week is another week to appreciate living. So whatever is on your brain be at ease. Relax. Release.

There surely will be relaxation and release this Friday, when Wright plays the Blue Nile with St. Paul Slim, as well as many others. All of the relevant information is at the top of the post.

And, just in case you think Wright is being hyperbolic about West Virginia, take a look at this:



Toki Wright MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

New Doomtree - "I'm Talking"

Stream: Doomtree - "I'm Talking"
Download: Doomtree - "Flex"

After triumphing in the City Pages Best Of, where they won the "Best Concert of The Past 12 Months" Award for their blowout at First Ave, the Minneapolis-based hip-hop collective Doomtree returned the scene of the crime in hopes of giving another award-winning performance. But in order for a group to play, there needs be music that's worthy of a live setting in the first place. This, and other observations, can gleamed from Jon Graef's Big Book of Whoopty-Fucking-Do!, to be released in paperback this Fall by Simon & Schuster.

What's perhaps less of an obvious statement is that Doomtree are a very prolific force in Minneapolis hip-hop, and that they continue to churn out great work. Their newest track, "I'm Talking", was premiered exclusively on the band's MySpace Page two days ago. The song is a mid-tempo track driven by smooth guitar doublestops and keys/strings, a device that the Wu-Tang Clan has used on many am occasion. It's a technique that provides "I'm Talking" with a haunting, mournful, and soulful atmosphere that permeates to the lyrics as well.

But even if things sound dire in camp Doomtree--indeed, the emcee warns the listener that "there ain't no message in that bottle/it's hollow", as apt an visual metaphor for hopelessness as there can be--the collective still manages to come up with a chant that could get the crowd riled up. The fact that the chant is "It goes on/and on/and on" is filled with existential dread about life's future is a particularly ironic stroke of genius.

The titular lyric may be "I'm talking/but no one's listening", but as long as Doomtree continuing to record hip-hop that's as simultaneously thoughtful and thought-provoking as "I'm Talking", the collective all but ensure that they'll be definitely holding the fervent attention of their loyal fans.

Stream "I'm Talking" at the Doomtree MySpace Page.

(Jonathan Graef)

Atmosphere Performs For "You" on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien"

MPLS hip-hop duo Atmosphere performed one of When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold's more accessible tracks on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" last night. You can watch the video of it right at the top of the post. The lineup consists of backup singers, a guitarist and, of course, Ant on the ones and twos.

(Jonathan Graef)

Lykke Li To Release Full-Length Debut Album, Youth Novels, on August 19th

Download: Lykke Li - "Tonight"
Download: Lykke Li - "Dance Dance Dance"


Swedish pop songstress Lykke Li may have just issued her Little Bit EP stateside this past week, via her own label LL Recordings, but that doesn't mean that Li can't be focused on future releases. Indeed, as the NME reported yesterday, Li is planning on releasing her first full-length long player on August 19th. The record's title is Youth Novels, and it will also be issued by LL Recordings. The 14-track album was produced by Bjorn Yttling of fellow pop-minded Swede craftsmen Peter, Bjorn and John.

Here's the tracklisting, courtesy of NME:

'Melodies & Desires'
'Dance Dance Dance'
'I’m Good, I’m Gone'
'Let It Fall'
'My Love'
'Tonight'
'Little Bit'
'Hanging High'
'This Trumpet In My Head'
'Complained Department'
'Breaking It Up'
'Everybody But Me'
'Time Flies'

Youth Novels is out on August 19th.

Lykke Li MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

New Sunfold (Feat. Members of Annuals) - "Sara The American Winter"

Download: Sunfold - "Sara The American Winter"

As you may or may not know, Sunfold are an offshoot of beloved blog buzz band Annuals. In fact, Sunfold pretty much are Annuals, but with band member Kenny Florence in the lead role instead of regular frontman Adam Baker. Earlier this year, Annuals/Sunfold released what was essential a split EP with themselves called Wet Zoo. Now, Sunfold is going to have the spotlight all to themselves, courtesy of Annuals' newly re-formed collective/label Terpsikhore Records.

On July 22nd, the label's first release will be...that's right, you guessed it! Frank Stallone Sunfold. The record is titled Toy Tugboats, and its first absolutely adorable single is called "Sara The American Winter". As you probably ascertained, Annuals and Sunfold have some sonic similarities to one another.

However, the differences are notable. The emphasis for Sunfold's sound seems more grounded in jazz and soul than psychedelia and rock. That said, lovely harmonies? Check. Epic chorus? Double check. Nods to world music? Triple check, especially during the breakdown of the song, where the wordless chants echo a certain afro-pop tune about lions sleeping. In sum, this is solid, but seems unnecessary on the whole. The track essentially sounds like a band imitating Annuals, but doing a good job of it.

Toy Tugboats is out July 22nd.

Sunfold MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Top Ten Tracks on Elbo.Ws Reviewed in 50 Words or Less: 5/01/08--5/16/08

Ok, ok, so this is a little late. Alright, a lot late. But, in my defense, I did a lot of moving over the past week-and-a-half or so. Not only for myself, but for others as well. As a result, I haven't given these tracks the consideration they are due. So this will be an especially quick 50 words. And the word count may skew closer to 65, or 10, depending on how stream-of-consciousnessy I'm feeling. So here we go! The top ten tracks on Elbo.ws for the first half of May.

1. The Radio Department - "Freddie And The Trojan Horse"

Download: The Radio Dept - "Freddie And The Trojan Horse"

This track by the Swedish trio (formerly a quartet) is a subdued bit of New-Wave pop with political overtones relevant to the government of their homeland Sweden. This sounds splitting the difference between The Cure and one of the many anonymous synth-pop one-hit-wonders that topped the US Charts twenty years ago. Not bad, but needs more bite.

Grade: B

2. No Age - "Eraser"

Download: No Age - "Eraser"

Once the novelty of the nifty soundscapes wear off, as they do upon multiple listens, I'm surprised at how simplistic, in a bad way, this song is. Not that I dislike it now--the main section of "Eraser" is too much of a good-natured romp to not enjoy--but maybe the musical honeymoon is over?

Grade: B-

3. Brendan Canning - "Hit The Wall"

Download: Brendan Canning - "Hit The Wall"

The latest member of BSS to make the solo plunge, Brendan Canning debuts a cool, smooth ambient-pop song that, like its antecedents in the Broken Social Scene canon, takes its sweet time getting to an expansive, horn-drenched refrain about life's regrets. It would seem counterintuitive that bitter sounds sweet, but "Hit The Wall" does a great job of proving us wrong.

Grade: A-

4. RATATAT - "Shiller"

Download: RATATAT - "Shiller"

Lovely, and strangely reminiscent of The Fucking Champs, but anti-climatic. I should greatly enjoy this, given my musical tastes toward shoegazer and ambient music. That said, despite the sonic gymnastics, I still felt bored, like I was listening to a segue track while waiting for a proper song to begin. Should the song prove to be very popular, perhaps it will grow on me.

Grade: C+

5. Tokyo Police Club -Tessellate (Tom Campesinos Remix)

Download: Tokyo Police Club - "Tessellate" (Tom Campesinos Remix)

This remix of Tokyo Police Club's (the inferior North American answer to Arctic Monkeys) by Tom Campesinos--hey, where's the exclamation point?--reminds me of "Plainsong" by The Cure, in terms of the instrumental interplay on an epic scale. This remix does a very good job of placing the vocals in different context without sounding to "remixy".

Grade B+

6. Sunny Day Sets Fire - "Brainless"

Download: Sunny Day Sets Fire - "Brainless"

Given how much I loved "Stranger", I was highly anticipating this track. What a shame that this song, in comparison to "Stranger", is an anonymous piece of blog-rock, filled with POPPOPPOP and no other distinctive characteristics. Oh well.

Grade: C

7. Usher - "Love In This Club" MSTRKRFT Remix

Download: Usher - "Love In This Club" (MSTRKRFT Remix)

Layla? Seriously?. Whatever gets me dancing, I guess. Daft Punk would be proud.

Grade: B

8. This Is The Ivy League - "The Richest Kids"

Download: This is the Ivy League - "The Richest Kids"

This is like being strangled by twee cute and vintage 60s pop. Certainly catchy, and well-crafted. But on the other hand, Belle & Sebastian, or maybe The Zombies, should sue. That said, am I going to have this song's chorus stuck in my head the rest of the day? Survey says...

Grade: C+

9. Mates of State - "My Only Offer"

Download: Mates of State - "My Only Offer"

Speaking of adorable overload, here come Mates of State. Again, well-crafted, and certainly melodic, but also hardly distinctive. But also again: Will I the chorus of this song alternate in my head with the Ivy League? Survey says...

Grade: B-

10. Four Tet - DJ Mix

Download: Four Tet - "DJ Mix"


This is actually pretty awesome, but I more than understand if you don't have the time to listen to it. Still, this makes for a hell of a soundtrack for walking in the city.

Grade: A-

(Jonathan Graef)