Tonight in Minneapolis: Vampire Weekend; Dallas Orbiter

Download: Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk"
Download: Vampire Weekend - "M79"
Download: Yacht - "The Summer Song"

The show that we wrote about in passive-aggressive fashion has come to fruition. Buzz band Vampire Weekend, having miraculously recovered from their werewolf attack in Salt Lake City (note to reader LauraLee: Thank God you're alright!) to play a sold-out show at the Triple Rock. Doors are at 9 p.m. for an 18+ show.

Since they've burst onto the consciousness of the blog underground via a post on Stereogum, it's been almost impossible to listen to Vampire Weekend in a wholly objective manner, i.e., without being annoyed at the massive amount of hype hoisted upon the band's shoulders. The fact that the New York-based quartet both refer to their afro-pop appropriating ancestors, as well as their supposedly privileged backgrounds in (not-so?) tongue-in-cheek fashion on "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" certainly doesn't help their cause either. That said, every cut on their self-titled debut album, while reeking of cloying precociousness, contains well-crafted, instantly hummable music. In other words, have fun trying to get these songs, whether its the aristocratic chamber-pop of "M79" or the afro-indie-punk of "A-Punk", out of your head for the next year-and-a-half. In sum, while listening to Vampire Weekend is, at times, like having harsh indie poured directly into your eyes, the experience is about as smooth, breezy and pleasant as one could hope for.

Yacht Opens

Vampire Weekend MySpace Page



Download: Dallas Orbiter - "The Damocles File"
Download: Dallas Orbiter - "Ampbuzz Is For Lovers"
Download: Two Dark Birds - "Blown"

The music of Minneapolis quartet Dallas Orbiter contains so many well-known art-rock references--the claustrophobic melodicism of Radiohead, the orchestral, synthesized flourishes of Grandaddy, the schizo-funk of the Talking Heads--that one might think that the group's debut effort, this year's The Motorcycle Diagrams, would have nothing to offer but obtuse self-indulgence. And you would be so, so, so wrong. With lyrics referencing science-fiction and Greek/Roman mythology, Dallas Orbiter create insanely compelling pop music within the parameters of their more idiosyncratic muses. Songs like "Caspian", "The Damocles File" and "Brow of Zeus" are structured like pop songs, and have great melodies, but also contain nods to trip-hop, space-rock and jazz which help give the material a greater dimension that it would have had otherwise. Upon multiple listens, the band's psychedelic world becomes a miracle, despite the band's insistence otherwise. (Is it too late to retroactively bump that B+ to an A-?)

Dallas Orbiter play a 21+ show at the Entry. Doors are at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $6.

Opening are Two Dark Birds and Mike Wisti.

Dallas Orbiter MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Dallas Orbiter - Motorcycle Diagrams

Dallas Orbiter
Motorcycle Diagrams (Princess Records, 2008)
Grade: B+

Download: Dallas Orbiter - "The Damocles File"
Download: Dallas Orbiter - "Caspian"

Even though eclectic group Dallas Orbiter mainly dabble in otherworldly art-rock territory previously explored by the likes of Radiohead, Talking Heads, and Grandaddy, the Minneapolis-based quintet incorporates stylistic touches from jazz, funk, and trip-hop to create a listening experience that’s both exhilarating and disorienting in a single song.

Like most groups who create music with a tinge of the avant-garde, Dallas Orbiter’s latest album, Motorcycle Diagrams, tries to throw its listeners a few sonic curveballs, most notably on the opening track “Caspian” and instrumental freak-out “Bzzjh”. (Don’t ask me how to pronounce that). From there, Motorcycle Diagrams consists of beautifully hallucinogenic ballads (“Brow Of Zeus”, “The Dawn & Jitters”) and quirky, upbeat rockers (“Ambuzz Is For Lovers”, “The Damocles File”). While the artful detours, like on the haunted-house beginning of “Maybe Soon The Lakeflies”, don’t really lead the listener to newfound paths, Motorcycle Diagrams has enough strong, consistent songwriting overall to make the album a worthwhile ride.

The album begins with “Caspian”, a track which sounds like the mutant sibling of Radiohead’s “Airbag” and one of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s false-start-freak-out-the-listener album openers. “Caspian” has such diverse touches as call-and-response guitar licks, a syncopated bass line, herky-jerky start-stop drumming, and a deliberately over-distorted vocal. The end result of all these techniques is utter confusion, but also curiosity. The rhythm section eventually establishes a groove which sounds like chaos theory come to life, as swells of feedback firmly entrench themselves in the background. It's a little disappointing that “Caspian” sputters to an anti-climatic end, but it doesn't do so before piquing the listener’s intrigue.

Dallas Orbiter then rewards those who are still captivated by launching into the sci-fi camp and dingy garage-rock of “Ampbuzz Is For Lovers”. At first, the track’s dissonant half-steps suggest another space oddity of some kind, but, shortly thereafter, “Ampbuzz” explodes into a raw, grungy guitar riff. The song still retains the edge of “Caspian”, but this time there’s equal amounts of tension and release. The former arrivesin the form of a gnarly keyboard solo and the latter re-establishes itself every time the guitars dig their heels into the song’s refrain. Elsewhere, “The Dawn and Jitters” either coolly invents the space reggae genre, or, more likely, adeptly adapts the funky art-rock chill of TV On The Radio and “Stabbed By Grace” combines a smooth, lounge-like atmosphere (particularly worth pointing out is the sliding bass line) with an uplifting, ethereal chorus.

Those invigorating motifs are what Dallas Orbiter do best, and Motorcycle Diagrams reaches its peak with a song called “The Damocles File”. The waves of keyboard arpeggios should have fans of Grandaddy smiling and nodding while the sharp, staccato rhythms will have everyone else heading straight for the dance floor. Structurally, “File” is standard, verse-chorus-verse pop song for the most part, but Dallas Orbiter’s tight playing still make it thrilling to hear. A couple of brief instrumental breakdown aptly demonstrate the jazz influence which occasionally creeps into the quintet’s music (see also the dub-reggae bass lines that crop up on tracks like “Pigeon”).

Of course, every peak has its valley, and while Dallas Orbiter don’t really lose the momentum gained by “The Damocles File”, they don’t quite keep up with it either. “New Chrome” has a nifty, Devo-esque, nervous twitch to it, but songs can’t sustain themselves on quirk alone. “Hallelujah, The Jetpack Dancer” fairs much better, as it recalls a doo-wop song covered by Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie. Finally, “Meet You” closes Motorcycle Diagrams on an excellently epic note. The song begins with the kind of ambient atmospherics inherent in a Sigur Ros song, but then pivots to extended, heavy, but still experimental, jamming; Stoners should approve highly.

Though Motorcycle Diagrams is neither a musical miracle, nor simply psychedelia, Dallas Orbiter show enough promise to keep curious listeners interested.

MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Dallas Orbiter CD Release Tonight at the Varsity

Download: Dallas Orbiter - "Ampbuzz Is For Lovers"

Dallas Orbiter are blessing the release of their new full-length "Motorcycle Diagrams" (Princess Records) tonight with a sweet CD Release Show with an equally sweet line-up.

Here's the info:

DALLAS ORBITER
OUIJA RADIO
THE CHAMBERMAIDS
DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN
18+

Dallas Orbiter on MySpace

(Ian Anderson)