Indie Music Chatter

After almost a week of having DNS problems (my new broadband service provider sucks as much as the last one), I’ve finally been able to access the internet again.

While I was on my forced exile from cyberspace, I busied myself doing other things — I catched up on some reading, attended to some important matters for a couple of business ventures I recently started and cleaned up the house. But temptation has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. And temptation came in the way of Guitar Hero III.

Guitar Hero III is the newest sequel to the massively popular rhythm game that brings your rock star dreams to life. I won’t elaborate on the game mechanics anymore because I’m pretty sure most of you guys know it anyway.  What I will say though is that the Guitar Hero series is providing a great service for budding rock fans and music fanatics. I find it both sad and infuriating to see so called “rock” kids only reference bands that are no more than five years old. Any band that can be traced for more than ten years are unfamiliar to these people anymore. For a music fan that is an unforgiveable oversight. One can only really appreciate music in all its forms if there is an openness to listen to different genres in different time periods and a desire to really find out the history of rock. It makes for a more satisfying music experience. That’s why I really like the fact that the Guitar Hero games feature bands that the average music listener won’t even know about. Besides, any game that can reference Foghat is cool as cool can be in my book.

Guitar Hero III, rock, music fan

I’ve been listening to Pour Away The Ocean the debut album from Hoax Funeral. I have to say that I am quite impressed by the level of assuredness from the band. For a debut album, Hoax Funeral has already established a sound that is distinct and filled with confidence.

The UK-based Hoax Funeral, as the band states, plays alt-folk. I do agree that they can be easily pigeonholed into this sub genre, one that is actually gaining a lot of proponents because of the continued rise in popularity of the Weird America movement led by folk impresario Devendra Banhart. But unlike the other Weird America disciples, Hoax Funeral puts the “weird” safely in a drawer and tap into a more accessible form of folk. They have been compared to acts as diverse as Shearwater, Low and Tunng. I do, however, think that they share some similarities with Mazzy Star, The Cowboy Junkies and with the US-based indie folk group Hem. I also hear very distinct bluegrass influences on Hoax Funeral’s sound, a bit of Nickel Creek comes out a little in some of their songs.

But back to the album. Pour Away The Ocean is one of the most heartfelt albums I’ve heard this year. I think Anjy Hall is one hell of a vocalist. Her pixie-ish delivery actually reminds me of a more tuneful version of Drugstore’s Isabel Monteiro. She gives Hoax Funeral’s songs a level of child-like vulnerability that compels you to listen. And this is most apparent in their short cover of Leadbelly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night. Now, this song became “popular” because Nirvana covered it. But while Kurt Cobain gave the song a world weary delivery, Hall made the song less of an accusation, and more of a desperate plea. Too bad, it was such a short cover.

The songs in Pour Away The Ocean, is not just a centerpiece for Hall’s voice but also for the virtuosity of the rest of the Band. Chris Gregory, AJ Jordan and Cherish Burke bring to the table. Who would’ve thought that atmospheric almost shoe-gazey guitars can have a place in an alt-folk setting? It really does work and Hoax Funeral has cornered the market for it.

Hoax Funeral has made the ultimate indie decision by deciding to handle all aspects of production, distribution and marketing on their own and they have to be commended for this. Although this may mean that not as many people will be able to hear them initially, I am sure that the promise that the band holds will win out in the end. Hoax Funeral is not a band that has to be selfishly kept to one’s self. They deserve a far larger audience. And Pour Way The Ocean ensures that they will be heard.

Hoax Funeral, Pour Away The Ocean, Nickel Creek, Hem

I accompanied my wife today as she went around the city as part of her responsibilities as an editor in chief of a famous magazine. Her last appointment was a meeting with a possible story subject and since it would be awkward bringing along a husband with her to a meeting she just told me to wait for her in a restaurant. I was not prepared for this eventuality so I didn’t bring anything as a form of entertainment. I didn’t have my iPod, a book or my trusty Nintendo DS. Fortunately, my wife brought her iPod so I just borrowed it.

Now, my wife and I are polar opposites when it comes to our musical tastes. Her musical preferences are more or less limited to the popular pop artists, more accessible forms of jazz and classical music. I was afraid that her iPod won’t have any kind of music that I would like. Fortunately, as my wife’s appointed personal handler of her iPod, I forgot that I placed a few albums from my stash of MP3s. So there I was listening to Jill Cunniff, Jose Gonzalez and even Rilo Kiley. I was a happy camper! Those artists though also made me think. Does my wife appreciate these artists and their work? I would like to think so. One thing going for her is that she is open to new things. I love to think that when she’s at work, she casually flips through the albums I’ve put in her iPod, excited at what she might discover.

Jill Cunniff, Jose Gonzalez, Rilo Kiley

Anyone who has at least a semblance of good taste in music will most probably be listening to Radiohead’s newest album right now. In Rainbows was released a few days ago on their official website — and yes, you cheap mofo, the electronic version can be had for free if you want.

Radiohead is testing the limits of indie style distribution and publicity with In Rainbows. First of all, marketing the album is very unconventional in that the existence of the album was only announced a couple of weeks before its actual release. Then there is the fact that the band has left it up to its fans to decide how much they want to pay for the album. Yup, you can get it for free if you’re cheap (a physical boxed set of the album will be made available this December though). This simple decision alone has left the recording industry reeling from the ramifications of Radiohead’s move. Even though the band is not the first one to really explore the avenues of self distribution (Prince and Ani DiFranco have done it before), their decision has, nonetheless, bode ill tidings for the well established (and creatively stifling) corporate setup. If Radiohead succeeds in this endeavor it could signal the death of the music industry as we know it. Radiohead would have sent a clear signal that the middleman could now be cut off and the artist can now directly communicate and distribute his music to his fans.

I hope this is an experiment that Radiohead succeeds in.

Radiohead, In Rainbows

I woke up feeling a bit nostalgic this morning so what I did was revisit the discography of one of my favorite bands — Pearl Jam.

I chronologically played their albums starting from their debut Ten up to their self titled album. Listening to an artist’s work chronologically really gives you a better perspective on the artist’s growth, any risks he may have taken, any setbacks he may have experienced. It also gives the listener a very general (though not so accurate) idea of the creative steps that may likely be taken in the future.

Listening to Pearl Jam’s discography really gives you a sense of scale as to the magnitude of risks the band has taken over the years. This is one band that is not afraid to really undermine what they have established in the pursuit of a real and sincere creative vision. Any other band may have taken a predictable, maybe even more commercial, direction following the massive success of their first three albums. But not Pearl Jam, they have proven that their creative vision cannot be compromised. Some may look at this as their biggest witness — after all a band should always look at what the fans want. Pearl Jam may have made some very crucial mistakes (though this is really debatable) along the way and this may have resulted in fans jumping ship because they felt that they are alienated. But I admire Pearl Jam’s tenacity and adherence to maintain the purity of their vision as well as the strength of their commitment to their music and, yes, to their fans as well.

Pearl Jam could arguably be one of the most indie of rock bands for heroically adhering to an independent spirit that would, for better or worse, help cement its reputation and contribution to rock and roll.

Pearl Jam, Ten

Okay, so I’m officially a year older. I celebrated my 36th (!) birthday last Monday. I was actually hoping for something exciting to happen on that day. I didn’t even work, hoping that some of the people I work for might call me demanding to know what I’ve been doing. In short, I was looking for drama. And predictably, I never got one. It was, for all intents and purposes, a boring day.

I tried to bring some form of indulgence on my “special day” by playing the extended edition version of The Lord of The Rings: Return of The King with my home theater cranked up. It really gave my humongous subwoofer a good workout, I had a little fun but it was not enough to really mark my day. I really tried to do something that would make me remember my 36th birthday — I ate a lot of sugar even though my glycemic index is already in the upper registers. I tried to smoke some cigarettes but ended up throwing it away (I can’t stand the stuff now). I even played some of my video and PC games — nothing. I am ashamed to report that I had a dull day, nothing memorable happened. Nothing that would make me look back ten or twenty years from now and say to myself, “that was a fucking awesome day.”

My kooky sister-in-law talked to me last weekend and asked how old I’d be on my birthday. When I told her that it was my 36th birthday, she told me that some cultures believe that we go through nine year cycles and that my 36th birthday marks the beginning of a new cycle in my life. I hope to God she’s right, I don’t think I can stand another nine years of being bored out of my wits.

video games, home theater, Lord of the Rings

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Now playing: Semifinalists - Origin Song
via FoxyTunes

My new Amazon orders arrived a few days ago. I ordered the new albums from both Spoon and Pinback as well as Superdrag’s In The Valley of Dying Stars.

Listening to Superdrag’s first album after their disastrous relationship with a major label (yes, I’m looking at you Elektra) the first thing that will strike you is the quality of the songcraft in this album. This is one of the qualities that I love about Superdrag — it’s the masterful construction of their songs. You never get bored listening to their songs and each one sits well in the album, even the fillers sound like they have a definite purpose in their placement in the track listing.

But back to John Davis’ amazing song sense. Superdrag songs are an entertaining pastiche of different musical styles. Davis really puts his musical influences to the forefront but not in any way that would make it sound derivative. On the contrary, he manages to pull a distinctive Superdrag style that revolves around catchy pop hooks, witty lyrics and an obvious love for melody. This is the kind of music that would not only make you want to rock out, you’d want to sing along with it, too.

I was really disappointed when I heard that Superdrag disbanded a few years ago but with their reunion tour this year Superdrag fans are hoping that a new album would be released soon. Consider a public appeal to John Davis and company to make a new Superdrag album.

Superdrag, John Davis, Elektra

My friend Dodo sent me an SMS a few days ago informing me that Amazon is currently having another indie music sale. The last time Amazon had this sale was about four months ago and I really went crazy over the number of titles that were finally put in the 7 to 10 dollar range. I immediately went online and checked out the titles for sale, and although the prices and the titles on this present sale pales in comparison to the last there are still some really good bargains to be had.

One of the first titles I looked up was Death Cab for Cutie’s Photo Album. I missed it during the last sale, opting to get We Have The Facts and We’re Voting Yes instead. The price is a dollar more expensive than the last sale but, damn, I really want to complete my Death Cab discography so badly! Yes, folks, I’m an obsessive music collector who has to complete the album discography of bands that I love.

Another band that I have set my sights on is Pavement. I’m a huge Pavement fan and I really lucked out during the last sale when I got the two-disc remastered Slanted and Enchanted for 10 dollars. In this sale both the remastered two-disc editions of both Wowee Zowee and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain are now on sale. Just like with the Photo Album, the price is not as low the one given for Slanted and Enchanted but it’s still a great discount so I’m really seriously mulling over getting these two remastered editions to complement my other Pavement albums. Remember, this is the same guy who obsessively collected The Cure’s remastered Deluxe Edition releases.

Amazon, Pavement, Death Cab for Cutie

I’ve been hearing about the infamous GG Allin ever since I got into punk in my teens. But because of the obvious limitations of the 80s when the internet was just a pipe dream and the ability to buy albums and films from another country was just too difficult and time consuming I never really got to sate my curiosity aside from the occasional short features I would read in magazines.

I finally got to a taste of what GG Allin had to offer a couple of years ago when I listened to some songs from his album with the Murder Junkies. Listening to your first GG Allin song is akin to the feeling you get when you see your first porn — you feel dirty, you feel maddeningly curious, you feel a bit violated, and more importantly, you feel that some part of your innocence has forever been lost. GG Allin is subversion personified and listening to his music is like being caught in the maelstrom of his mind and his personality — you get the feeling that you have been sucked into his controlled, deliberate madness.

Hated, Todd Philips’ documentary on GG Allin, should be a must -see for any music fan who wants to get a glimpse of the tortured artist and want to experience the chaos, the brutality and the depravity of a typical GG Allin set. The first time I saw the unedited footage of his show at The Gas Station in New York City (if I’m not mistaken the last show he did before dying of an overdose), I had to fast forward in some parts. It’s like watching a horror movie where you just could not stand not knowing what will happen next. It’s that feeling of losing control and relinquishing that control to Allin that makes his show so visceral and so in-the-moment.

He may have been considered as one of the most hated men in rock, but there is no denying the fact that he also embodied rock at its most hard core.

GG Allin, The Gas Station, Murder Junkies

I just got a phone call from one of the handlers of a project I’m working on… to cut a long story short, I was unceremoniously removed from the project. The worst thing was that they retained another person who so obviously did not have the necessary experience in online publishing, only that this person was personally recommended by the project leader. I, on the other hand, who got in through the strength of my experience in online publishing and content writing, was left out in the cold. It really left a bad taste in the mouth. It makes you want to go Sylar on them. But, hey, c’est la vie. If they can actually build a whole website without the expertise of a seasoned online content editor then my hat off to them.

I’m too riled up to really think tonight so I’ve opened a bottle of Shiraz and pulled out some choice CDs to act as my unofficial musical score. Definitely, Nine Inch Nails is gonna figure prominently in my playlist. The Fragile seems like a good choice. I also want to get some vintage Tom Waits in to make me feel like I’m in some honkytonk bar drowning away my frustrations on a bottle of moonshine (although the shiraz is way more preferable). I’m also playing What’s Your Problem by The Players — a smoky, frenetic acid jazz stomper along with their other song It’s Not Over Now, which is more of a slowburner.

I’m still pissed off, but looking at the bright side, I’ll have more time listening to my albums and getting the online content services company I’ve been dreaming about off the ground — clouds and silver linings, right?

The Players, Tom Waits, Nine Inch Nails

A month ago, Sarah suggested that I check out this band she discovered on MySpace. I did check out the band but only got around to writing about it today.

The band is called Spotty Dogg and they are from Scotland. I have to say, Spotty Dogg follows the beat of their own drum. They do not sound like any other Scottish bands I know. What they do have in common is a desire to innovate and present a new sound — and they do have one that is quite unique. Spotty Dogg plays 80’s style power pop with a bit of rap influence (two songs I’ve heard had rap fills in the middle). Think Bon Jovi with Ultravox’s sense of earnestness mixed in with a little hip-hop filler and you’ve got Spotty Dogg.

What I like about them is that earnest quality to their songs. They really do mean it when they sing. I am particularly reminded of the spirit that exudes from JJ72 or even a young U2. One song that I love is The Cheater. It has a raw quality and I think a purer distillation of the sound that they want to achieve.

If you want to rock out 80’s style you can either dust off your old records or just pick up Spotty Dogg for a fresher take on 80’s music.

Spotty Dogg, Scotland

Last weekend, I decided to go through my old cassette tapes to get rid of albums that I’ve already bought on CDs. It was a great nostalgia trip because of so many albums that I have forgotten about. looking through my stash I came upon my copy of Garageland’s Exit to Garageland. I eagerly looked for my old Walkman and played the tape with much excitement.

I have completely forgotten how much I love the music of Garageland. This New Zealand band was a constant staple on my old component system way back in the 90’s. I absolutely loved their lo fi pop aesthetic that harks back to Pavement, but with a more melodic bent that would remind you of 60’s pop rock groups. Up to now I still sing Beelines to Heaven, which I think is a perfect pop song.

I hope I can find a CD of Last Exit to Graceland — that would be so awesome.

Garageland, Last Exit to Graceland, New Zealand

My son was totally enraptured this afternoon as he watched his Blues Clues DVD. The episodes contained in the DVD had Joe as the host/lead character. Watching Blues Clues actually made me think of former lead Steve Burns who left the show a few years ago. I’ve always thought of Steve as the quintessential Blues Clues dude. Joe may be ok, but Steve was the one that I have come to associate with the show.

Even though Steve Burns is not on TV anymore, he lives on in my iPod. Not many people may know this but Steve actually started a band when he left his successful children’s show. His self titled band was a great revelation to me. His debut album Songs for Dustmites contained some really strong songs, which was made doubly interesting because of his collaboration with Flaming Lips’ Steven Drozd and producer Dave Friedmann. Burns’ songs are quite low key but it contains amazing hooks will intrigue you enough to give it a few listens.

Who would’ve thought that Blues Clues’ Steve had an indie rocker hidden behind those candy colored sweaters?

Steve Burns, Blues Clues, Songs for Dustmites

The good folks at Terno Recordings – the label of Filipino indie darlings Up Dharma Down — sent a couple of songs a week ago as a taste of what indie fans should look forward to from the company this year. I received a song each from Sleepwalk Circus and Musical O and needless to say, what I heard made me sit up and listen.

I’ve always maintained that the arrival of Up Dharma Down could be a sign of things to come in the Filipino music scene — a watershed that could herald the emergence of bands and artists that would remap the musical landscape in the country. Sleepwalk Circus and Musical O just proves my point.

Sleepwalk Circus’ Wakewalking has a groovy trip-hop/dreampop thing going on with a drum n’ bass rhythm boiling underneath. The description may sound like some musical Frankenstein made up of different music genres but, surprisingly enough, it does work. The vocals on Wakewalking are spot on, I don’t who their vocalist is but I have fallen in love with her voice.

A purer sound comes from Musical O. The track I listened to - M.O. - is just a rough mix, but boy, this is one powerful piece. It is sophisticated, groovy and very intellectual. I can’t believe a rough mix can sound as good as this. M.O. incorporates a number of different rhythm changes that seamlessly flow and fold unto itself. As I’ve said earlier, Musical O seems to approach music from a more intellectual perspective without losing its emotional component. I can’t help but compare them to Pinback — they are that awesome.

Sleepwalk Circus and Musical O are definitely bands to watch out for. They, along with Up Dharma Down, have what it takes to really break into the international music scene — and I’ll be there rooting for them every step of the way.

Terno Recordings, Up Dharma Down, Sleepwalk Circus, Musical O

Pitchforkmedia.com has established a reputation for being the “go to” site for all things indie. The reputation, to my mind, is well deserved. They have done a great job covering the indie scene and it has been a useful resource for fans who want to find out about their favorite bands. It has also been instrumental in bringing attention to more obscure bands.

Having said that, I have to say that I am bothered about the cult that is surrounding Pitchfork. Devoted fans of the website have completely bought into the Pitchfork philosophy and taste. These fans blindly follow the so-called taste makers of that website. Any band they declare as good are immediately considered as great bands by these fans. Alternatively, any album that gets a poor review from the website is largely ignored, or worse, branded as bad records. Individual critical thinking has been thrown out the window and replaced with a hive mind collective.

Pitchfork has its benefits but it is not the sole authority on what is considered “cool”.  It should be up to the listener to ultimately decide what he likes.