Concert Review: Belle and Sebastian/Real Estate/Perfume Genius @ Greek Ampitheater, Berkeley, CA 3/12/2015

The hipsters were out in force Sunday evening in Berkeley. Newsboy caps, beards, suspenders and quiffs were everywhere. The weather was fantastic and smiles were prevalent at the Greek Theater in Berkeley. A less than sold out show left room to wander and only added to the intimacy and enjoyment of the show.

Perfume Genius (Mike Hadreas) opened the show dressed in fishnets and high heels. His stage presence is fascinating. He undulated and posed provocatively while also occasionally winking and flirting with the crowd. He was pretty serious though, rarely cracking a smile yet singing with a purpose and intensity that was striking. At times he crooned softly and lovely and at others he screamed and whooped with emotion. His stage show is not really meant for a daytime amphitheater setting (they tried with the smoke machine) yet his talent and uniqueness was clearly felt and appreciated.

I was excited about Real Estate. Their 2014 album Atlas was one of my faves last year. The striking thing was just how young these guys are. It doesn't look there is a member over 22 in the band. Their sound is mature however, and the angular lines of guitarist Matt Mondanile's soloing complemented the psychedelic groove nicely. Sweet harmonies rounded out the sound and it was so nice to just sit back and soak it in while the sun set behind the bay.

After dark it was Belle and Sebastian. The were introduced by a steampunk woman on the video screen and proceeded to play a rousing and heartfelt set of songs. Of course, they are all about Stuart Murdoch who danced and bantered and connected with the audience. At one point he sat at the edge of the stage and sang and at another he went out into to the audience to give high fives and hugs. Additionally, they invited 50 pre-selected fans onto the stage to variously dance, cheer and perform rehearsed skits. Near the end of the set, Murdoch invited audience members onto the stage for an impromptu dance party. 

They also deviated from their basic setlist to play some of their Bay area-specific songs such as "Piazza, New York Catcher" and "Sukie In The Graveyard" (which Murdoch explained is about a real girl from San Francisco). Apparently, the "real" Sukie came out and danced but my gut tells me it was a professional dancer. Anyway, she did have "A1 body and a face to match". 

Album Review: The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World

The Decemberists' latest release What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World strays further from the ambitious, overwrought concept album Hazards of Love (which I loved anyway) and deeper into the simpler, folkier sound that dominated their last release (The King is Dead). The album begins with the semi-autobiographical "The Singer Addresses His Audience" which humorously describes the relationship between the band and their fans. The album then progresses from the horn-driven “Cavalry Captain”, through 50s-sounding “Philomena”, the guitar rock of “Make You Better” and then into the coupling of “Lake Song” and “Till the Water’s All Long gone” which echo Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks.  They then settle into a set folky Americana that would fit nicely in a Pete Seeger song collection, or a Neil Young retrospective. Toned down are the archaic literary references (e.g. "picaresque" and "palanquin") replaced by simpler, more straight-forward songwriting. While songwriter Colin Meloy simplifies the literary bend of his lyrics, the themes are still quirky (and sometimes creepy). For instance, in the song "Philomena" he sings:

All I ever wanted in the world
Was just to live to see a naked girl
But I found I quickly bored,
I wanted more, I wanted more

So I'll be your candle and I'll be your statuette
And I'll be your lash and loop of leather
And dark Philomena, if only you'd let me go
Down, down down

Interesting imagery there. But, for the most part the lyrics are about loss and longing and considering the title and song "12/17/12" are a reference to Meloy's reaction to the Sandy Hook school shootings, this is appropriate. Like the title says, this album is about the duality of existence, pain and pleasure, beauty and terror, all coexisting in this world we live in.

Concert Review: The Mother Hips @ Hopmonk, Sebastopol, CA 1/17/2015

The last time I saw The Mother Hips live was about 1993 at Humboldt State University in Arcata. At the time they were a groovy jam-band with a penchant for catchy songs a la Spin Doctors or Blues Traveler. Here they are 20 years later, long in the tooth and playing yet another left-wing bastion, Sebastopol, CA. Their sound still lies heavily within the jamband universe but  now with an alt-country americana sound that puts their feet on the earth while their heads float merrily beyond the ethers. They transitioned feels and time signatures as they rode the boundary between straight ahead rock band and freewheeling psychedelia. The sold out crowd enjoyed it immensely, dancing and singing out the words to many of the songs. We might all be getting older but we sure show we can still have a good time!

Concert Review: Orgone @ Hopmonk, Sebastopol, CA - 12/26/2014

Orgone, an 8-piece funk outfit from L.A., visited our sleepy little town of Sebastopol the day after Christmas at the Hopmonk Abbey. Arriving just as they got started, the crowd was a bit thin and mellow. The aroma of ganja lingering in the air explained some of the mellowness. People gradually started to move and about halfway through the set, the Pliny kicked in and the ganja settled down and the crowd really started to get into it. By the end of the set people were boogie-ing like maniacs. We didn't let them down.

Orgone's sound is straight-up funk, nothing really groundbreaking. Guitar, bass, drums and horn-section locked into a solid groove. Keyboards and percussion added flavor. The highlight by far was Adryon DeLeon's amazing voice. She reached stratospheric heights as she whooped and wailed with impressive power. She had a nice rapport with the audience during some call and response sections. Also impressive was the percussionist who busted out some tasty, Latin-flavored solos on congas and bongos. Sergio Rios also had some nice guitar solos, playing with energy and ferocity.

A fun show. They are worth checking out for some amazing vocals, great energy and get down on it funkiness.

My Favorite Albums of 2014

1) Spoon: They Want My Soul - Carve another notch in their gear case. 15 years and no compromises. Britt Daniel barely keeps his cracked and strained vocals in check while Jim Eno's minimalist drumming, and new member Alex Fischel ("Finally somone who can play lead guitar" says Britt) round out the threadbare rock sound that they are famous for. 

2) Elbow: The Take Off and Landing of Everything - The band provides an atmospheric backdrop for Guy Garvey's sweet, painfully poetic lyrics and film-noir melodies. Recorded in Peter Gabriel's Real World studios, the influence of Gabriel's sound on their music is apparent in the song "New York Morning" (at 3:48 it might as well be Gabriel). It's not all an "In Your Eyes" ripoff however. The songs are varied in scope and sound and the result is epic. 

3) Future Islands: Singles - When I first listened to this album, prior to their breakout David Letterman appearance, I was instantly taken by Samuel Herring's amazing voice. But after watching him perform on Letterman (a slightly pudgy, balding guy with passionate, Shakespearean gestures, chest-pounding and unforgettable dance moves) my impression was taken to another level. It's 80s-style synth-driven rock but his incredible singing and melodic songwriting transcends any cheesiness. It also helps that the bass kicks ass. But still it is Herring that transcends all. If he has been performing with that passion since they started in 2006 in North Carolina, then has earned every ounce of adulation that he receives.

4) Broken Bells: After the Disco - Danger Mouse and James Mercer (The Shins) get together for their 2nd album together. They have a great sound with Mercer's on-point songwriting and Danger Mouse's knack for keyboards, bass and rhythm. I saw them perform on the Coachella webcast and even over the internets, these guys came through loud and clear. 

5) Jack White: Lazaretto - The king of the riff is back and with a new band he gets even more into funk ("Lazaretto") and twang ("Temporary Ground") then on his prior solo album. At this point how can a Jack White album not be on any top ten list? This guy is at the top of his game and one of the brightest talents on the planet.

6) Shabazz Palaces: Lese Majesty - Remember Digable Planets? Maybe if you are over the age of 35 you do. Shabazz Palaces is led by Ishmael Butler, formerly of Digable Planets, and it does echo the alternative sound of DP but in a much more experimental vein. This collaboration with Baba Maraire (son of mbira master Dumisani Maraire) is challenging, spare, psychedelic and bumping! Turn up the bass and get lost.

7) Sun Kil Moon: Benji - I listened to this whole album in one sitting and I was floored. The honesty, the emotional intensity, the realism. This is some of the most personal, authentic work I have heard in a long time. It's not feel good music; his main themes are death, fear and doubt. But there are brighter moments, like when he expresses love and forgiveness for his father in "I Love My Dad" and pays tribute to his mother (while also addressing his fear of losing her) in "I Can't Live Without My Mother's Love". Not for everyone, but worth the effort.

8) Wye Oak: Shriek - So simple. Two musicians. Drums, bass and keyboards. That's all it takes sometimes. With that they achieve a layered sound that is accompanied nicely by Jen Wassner's semi-embellished vocals. An album to play on a rainy day. 

9) The War on Drugs: Lost in the Dream - Adam Granduciel keeps the fuzzed-out garage groove sound going on his second release after the departure of compatriot Kurt Vile. Like Vile's solo records, the sound is driving and the songs are sprawling. There is no catering to the record label here. 

10) Chad VanGaalen: Shrink Dust - Van Gaalen actually made this as the score to his animated Sci-fi film project. It's some crazy stuff. What I like about his music is how it varies from simple folk to way out there wackiness. For instance, on the opening track, "Cut Off My Hands", he starts with vocal and guitar and morphs into layered harmonies, synthesized strings, horns and a trippy cross-rhythm accompaniment. Weird and fascinating. But he also has some gorgeous songs such as "Weighed Sin" which seems to float ethereally on the strength of his voice and lovely steel guitar.

Here the song "Monster" tells a Kafka-esque story of awful transformation. 

Honorable Mention

Black Keys: Turn Blue
Cibo Matto: Hotel Valentine
Damon Albarn: Everyday Robots
Dr. Dog: B-Room
Fink: Hard Believer
Lee Fields and the Expressions: Emma Jean 
The Nels Cline Singers: Macrosope
The New Pornographers: Brill Bruisers
Parquet Courts: Sunbathing Animals
Real Estate: Atlas
Sinkane: Mean Love
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks: Wig Out at Jagbags
St. Paul and the Broken Bones: Half the City