Chapstick

Moments before a figure emerges from a thick fog, the cloud-wall moves, jerked in currents and streams by the sudden approach of something travelling at a great speed. Something massive. Something danceable, intangible!

(It’s going to be the best album ever…I can’t wait.)

The figure, the awoken (or sleepless) beast that is the new Beck album, has not only begun to stir, but is barreling forward at a breakneck pace. I had the intense pleasure of pre-viewing his new tracks over the weekend (you can too, if you foolishly don’t want to download it yet – beck.com), and if I hadn’t already pre-ordered this album, I would get it right now. As in, F you, I can’t wait for this album.

Driving, 60’s teeny-pop drumlines electrified by Danger Mouse (Yeah, that guy from Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz) provides buoyancy for layers of bouncy, heavy keys and unfiltered, unabashed guitar licks. Where Danger Mouse ends and Beck begins is hard to say, and their natural fusion is apparent on this effort.

OMG! I can’t waaaaiiit.

Seriously let’s get so serious for a moment. Seriously. Metaphors aside, Beck has a stethoscope that hear music’s sublime beating heart and breathing lungs. I’ve seen it.

Let’s abstain from using words like “re-invent” and “experimental” from describing every new Beck album. He moves more subtly through the shifting tides of music’s capabilities, creating his only consistency through his continuing, adaptive ability to find synthesis in all things that are beautiful (something that Lao Tzu could only call succeeding).

Are you as hot as the music you’re snapping to? Here are a few fashionable tips to cool you off at summer shows.

Bangs, buns, everywhere! Braids in your hair
Take the time to look like
You didn’t even care!

Keep denim to a minimum! A pair of shorts or a dress
Jersey knits or cotton
Can absorb sweat the best!

Roman in your gladiators
Chillin in your chucks!
Flops and pastel polishes
Are definitely a must!

Ya dig?

When dressing for the summer swing, remember cool comfort!

…

“What the heel were you thiking? those won’t help you dance!”

Submitted by Katie^2 of Savvy Salon in Broad Ripple.

I had the privilege of getting to interview Owen from The Elms, and his thoughtful, compelling responses merited a rendering in full. Here it goes!

Your music sounds re-inspired, especially with The Shake! What is guiding this inspiration? New music you’re listening to? New vibe in the air?

Oddly, I don’t listen to much music these days, so it’s probably not that! We’re just much more confident than ever before, and it certainly creates a type of fearlessness. I think all the boys in the band are inspired by each other. Everyone in the band plays so well, they’re all very capable and in control. For me, I’m just thrilled to do this with these guys, my closest brothers. That’s the most inspiring part for me, and all the most precious parts of it are rooted in the time we spend together.

Is this just a continuation of the inspiration that you felt fueled the changes seen in Chess Hotel from your earlier work?

We’re notorious for taking too long to make records, so when we made The Chess Hotel, we resolved to have it finished in a matter of weeks. We recorded for 12 days, then mixed in four, and it was done. We’re very proud of that record. Now, we’re digging a little deeper, searching for the finest songs we can possibly write. The record will take some time to make, we’re back to our old ways. It’s a totally different process from TCH. We’ll record a bit, then write a bit. We do it in waves, in cycles. We’ve got 80 tunes written. I’d love to make a double album, or sell half and give half away free. I think it will wind up being very uplifting lyrically.

It seems like you are still doing a lot of your own promotion, if not the majority of it. What are your thoughts about the music distribution technology out there, i.e. the interweb, MySpace, iLike, HypeMachine, and Muxtape?

We’re very hands-on online. We embrace the bulk of what’s going on with social sites, but ultimately want our official site to be the hub for our online operation. It’s hard for MySpace to not be seen as the priority when bands are so obsessed with how many plays they’re getting. It just seems to breed such silly, frivolous competition. Our official site gets far more activity than our MySpace, which is how we like it. It does my ego good when our MySpace is getting thousands of hits versus hundreds, but who cares? Online, we’re most dedicated to offering as much interaction and information as possible to people who want it. We can do that on our official site and offer many more amenities to fans of the band. MySpace is just sort of clunky. iLike is more far-reaching, and offers better downloads. But we do what we can to push people back to our official site in order to create our own community.

Does your band benefit from this ease of listener access? Or do you think you lose in potential sales?

We’re more interested in people hearing the music than anything. The accessibility online is far more an asset to new bands than a hindrance. We’ve always released CD’s with record labels. People don’t realize that in order to see mechanical royalties from your label, or actual dollars from records sold, you have to recoup all costs of making, marketing, and releasing your record. Most bands never enjoy that type of success, you really have to be a superstar act for that to happen. Then, once you do recoup, you’re only contractually entitled to a very small percentage of the profit. Most bands live off touring income and publishing royalties, we certainly do. So our priority will always be to get people to shows, get the music used in film and television, or to let people support us in tangible ways, like our online store. Things are sustainable that way.

How important is establishing and maintaining a sort of music community?

Very important. Nowadays, it’s probably THE most important thing. The internet has nearly destroyed the idea of the aloof, untouchable rock star. Bands who succeed for more than five minutes are very in touch with their supporters. By in touch, I don’t simply mean that they know their fans’ desires. I mean they legitimately communicate with them whenever possible. At shows, online, wherever.

How often do you play music with people outside your band?

I don’t. I’m not interested in it and have no need for it. The idea of moonlighting doesn’t do anything for me. And if I’m being honest, the idea of playing music with guys other than Thom, Chris, and Nathan sounds miserable. This is only a matter of perspective, though. I guess it would just seem to compromise my efforts, and I love the old Pat Riley quote, “You’re either in or you’re out. There’s no such thing as a life in-between.”

How important is keeping up with the available technology that is available for musicians to use, i.e. electronic drums, sequencers, synths, loopers, etc.?

We use very little digital equipment as it pertains to our personal gear onstage, maybe just 5%, for things like a guitar pedal or click-track. We do record digitally, though, and it’s made the process of recording music very efficient. At one time, we only recorded to analog tape, but found that the sacrifices in sanity and functionality outweighed the sonics, so we go digital in the studio now. It’s cheaper too. Most of the guitars and amps we use are older than we are.

Do you ever picture incorporating more electronic instrumentation into your music, even something as common as synth keys or something like that?

Some great records of the last few years have strong electronic elements, like M.I.A. or MuteMath. But again, our band gravitates to simpler, raw stuff. We’ve had small electronic bits on records before, but it will probably never become a prominent part of our band’s sound, unless Chris really starts getting into Kraftwerk, which is unlikely.

From reading about you, it seems that your initial rise in the music ranks was thanks, in part, to the ballooning world of the Christian Rock genre. What other things do you think allowed you to separate The Elms from the pack?

Maybe the gospel genre is thriving, but I don’t know about “Christian rock.” I don’t really have my finger on that pulse. It was funny, though, because we signed a record deal with a gospel label called Sparrow in 2000, right when we were getting started. I mean, when you’re 19 and someone offers you a deal, you don’t think much about it. Immediately after our first record came out, people were saying things like, “You’ll never make it in this market,” or, “These people aren’t going to understand you.” At first, I didn’t get what that meant. I thought that if we were good, they’d like it. But it’s a very different scene, with much more complicated criteria than just being a good band. We’re much happier in front of rock audiences, even though there’s a spiritual bent to our music. As far as being separated from the pack goes, we just ended up where we were most likely to thrive, and that wasn’t in gospel music.

In a single line, describe what you think your music sounds like. Be as creative as you like (eg. like two trees grown together on the horizon, like the breath you take before jumping into icy cold water, like a German tourist masquerading as a Belgian philanthropist).

That’s tough. I guess we just sound like we’re trying to do our best Kinks impersonation.

Catching up with Switches at the Vogue

Richard Edwards fronts Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s on stage with a calm, conversational style, letting the music speak for itself, mostly. Away from the stage, he is much the same.

I spoke to him at a stop on his tour, in an unidentifiable city somewhere west of here (close as I can guess is Lawrence County, Missouri, playing that night at a place called The Jackpot). After getting there, a label-organized national tour with a major label release pending and a set recording contract for more music, what is left for this Indianapolis band?

“Our goals? We want to keep making better records. To continue growing…working hard,” said Edwards.

Well said: the ethereal future for this band whose explosion continues to ripple outward, it seems, isn’t dotted with concrete markers along its way. But how did they get to this vantage point? How does a band make it out of the humdrum, barely-supported scene for local music here? What separates this band from other bands? It is a constant musing of mine

“If I had to give just one answer, I would say extreme sacrifices. We all moved in to a small house together, toured together with no money.”

And I suppose that is exactly what I can see in the bands that typically circulate Indianapolis. An “as long as its fun” approach to making music, centered on me and I.

Specifically to do with The Dust of Retreat, Edwards gave a fitting description, “It’s like the first time a little kid uses a curse word: articulate and charming.” There is obvious talent and power in their music, and their approach does seem to come from the intrigue of discovery. He continued, “We are some people who are very passionate about getting their message across, throwing everything at it. Dust of Retreat has some good examples of that.”

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s are now on tour in the Western United States. Their next release, Animal! is set to come out the middle of this summer (as accurate as I can get).

Well, hello spur of the moment decision! I am reviewing Mardelay, a local Indianapolis band that contains my friend, Mo (alias Emily Richardson), in the capacity of Cello/Keys/Backing Vocals.

I caught up with them on Saturday night at the Mine Shaft in Broadripple, but…let’s rewind to a more distant past momentarily. To Birdy’s.

Birdy’s Nightclub, a mile-ish distance from the Broadripple strip has a creeping decoration of wall-to-wall band flyers, posters, stickers, and other memorabilia. It is a place for a band to come and cut their proverbial teeth, giving local bands an opportunity to share the stage with rising national acts, and to perform in the shadow of famous after-hours appearances including Prince.

The high stage sits in an isolated corner of the room, no less than 16 ft. away from the tall tables and chairs that line the back wall between the back door and the bar. A balcony overlooks this expansive, mostly unused, dance floor from the far side of the room. There are vacant pool tables in well-lit back rooms.

Mardelay played their second set of the evening, the first being at another small local place. Their singer had strep throat or something of that nature.

Even so, their performance was practiced and dignified. Opening unexpectedly with a guitar/cello duet with a primacy on vocals, the band quickly silenced the surrounding chatter and replaced it with a melodic intro.

As the other band members meandered casually onto the stage, their instruments added to the mix, eventually providing a full-fledged onslaught of overdriven sound. I was surprised and pleased to see the incorporation of keyboard on a few songs, as well as background vocals on several tracks.

Although the grace of this introduction song was not quite captured again, the band’s sound seemed to be very deliberate in its style and presentation. The members obviously have been working hard together, and their ability to take cues from each-other on stage was apparent.

Mardelay’s EP release is expected this July. Check them out!

Entering the Metro to a DJ mix from DJ Bald Eagle (you don’t like DJ Bald Eagle, well you can giiiiit out), smoke machines on overdrive, and volume turned low, I didn’t know quite what to expect. Ghostland, new on the national scene from Austin TX, is a simple duo that creates a lot of sound with their music.

Once the concert began, little was needed in way of expectations.Ghostland erupted in a fury of energy, lights, and innovative music that was among the best I’ve seen live. The music man, playing drum, keyboard, electronic things, keyboard, etc. and decked out in a cape remained relatively fly-on-the-wall, but the front man.

I know I say wow a lot, but wow. His entire being displayed the vivacity and wonder needed to lift an entire Metro crown up on his shoulders and still dance under the weight. Wearing his hair in American-Indian style braids, sunglasses, a light leisure suit, and crotch-highlighting tight white pants, he moved to the inspiration of the music he was creating. We, in the crowd, all followed suit.

Worth mentioning is the incredible light/strobe/fog display that the band used. I haven’t seen a lot of concentration on light work, as it seems most bands leave the light effects up to the house. But the more intense light show definitely contributed to the overall experience of the concert.

First thing’s first, the live bake-off went great.

We arrived in Chicago at full speed, parking a few blocks away from the Vic. After unloading a few tickets, we made our way into the already over-crowded Vic just as Hot Chip opened up with their first track.

The Vic is the Old Victorian Theater – and it is an old Victorian theater. The layout includes downstairs and balcony seating areas, with a large dance floor up front. We didn’t really get an opportunity to explore through the venue, but we did pound our way up to the front area very quickly.

As the show was All Ages, there was a wide spattering of disrespectful, inconsiderate people of all ages throughout, all happy to spill your beer on your face then stare at you as you tried to move about in a danceable fashion.

This being said, after 10 minutes or so, I was well on my way to being a beer-smelling sweaty bastard, dancing precariously close to the drug-riddled, teenaged neighbors, and generally greatly enjoying some of the best live music able to be heard.

I love Hot Chip. I can’t tell you enough how much I love them. I am unphased by their recent boom in popularity. I was disappointed when the concert ended….but I was re-enlivened when they announced an after-party at the Metro.

So, to the Metro I went to enjoy hours more of dancing and drinks before I tumbled back to the Swissotel for the night to sleep and dream right through the biggest midwest earthquake in years.

Here’s a hot tidbit. One of the current members of Hot Chip is also a current member of LCD Soundsystem. Here’s a hotter tidbit: I’m going to see them on Thursday in Chicago.

Clay, Taylor, me, and the elusive Katie Jones are travelling up to the windy city for some Hot Chip music. Guarunteed ridiculousness will ensue.

I am going to karate-chop a live panther. Right in the neck or square in the head.

I am also going to participate in a live bake-off on stage as a piece of performance art with inspiration provided by the music of Hot Chip.

Not really either of those, but I do expect to shake my legs to rubber and wear clear through the soles of my shoes by the end of the show. If you haven’t seen the surprise 70’s twist that Taylor can get himself locked in, or the Fashionable Flamingo demonstrated by Katie Jones, then you can’t imagine the amount of fun that this event will produce.

Packed in the imaginary suitcase: a 6 ft. rubber dinosaur, 4 tablets of Metamucil, one 60lb oxygen tank, 14 clean pairs of white underwear, a late-model defibrillator, one unisex bed pan, and 60 individual servings of salted cashews.