Reading Festival 2011 - Report from the front line and playlist

So I'm back. I've bought back a terrible cold with me, and cold sores on both lips, but I'm still in one piece. So I'm going to talk about three bands from each day that I saw entire sets from, and how they defined the festival experience for me.
(All photos taken from the Reading + Leeds Festivals section of the BBC website, more of which can be found here.)


Friday
The Antlers
Festival Republic Stage, 17:25
Foster the People played the Festival Republic stage just before the Antlers, the second-smallest stage of the arena, and the influx of people wanting to experience their particular brand of "pumped up kicks" was so great we were forced to turn back. I managed to sneak back here later however, and happily the Antlers' set was one of the most intimate I had at the festival, with an audience of just a few hundred. Opener "Corsicana" unfortunately lost some of its studio sheen, but the closing three songs "I Don't Want Love", "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out" and "Putting the Dog to Sleep" more than made up the distance. I also saw the start of the new Mercury Music Prize favourite Anna Calvi's set just before I had to leave too. Needless to say, I wish I could have stayed.
SBTRKT (DJ Set)
Dance Stage, 21:10
Hot new UK producer and masked marvel SBTRKT may have only released his debut album a couple of months ago, but festival organisers made the wise decision to give him second-headline slot on the one-day-only Dance Stage. He began with what can only be described as his remix of Radiohead's "Lotus Flower", that I reported a while ago. Now, I haven't been able to find supporting evidence for this anywhere, so you're going to have to take my word that he debuted it here and I will verify it assuming it sees the light of day soon. He also spun favourites from the likes of Jacques Greene and Hudson Mohawke, all in his signature "post-dubstep" style. The set finished with his signature hit "Wildfire", which surprisingly turned into a modest group sing-a-long, ending on a high. James Lavelle's mysterious UNKLE Sounds project was to follow, however despite being intrigued I left to go and see...
The Horrors
Festival Republic Stage, 22:30
A late-night show of Horrors indeed. Faris Badwan's vocals ached over the hour-or-so set that took cues from all three of the Horrors' albums. Though putting these songs side-by-side may not have quite done the set justice in terms of consistency and continuity, it was nice to hear a retrospect of the band's progress up to this point. Although I can see myself in danger of being biased I do think that the tracks from their most recent  album Skying translated the best into the small Festival Republic tent, the loud shoegazey guitarwork of Joshua Hayward resonated aggressively through "Endless Blue", adventurously through "I Can See Through You", and wistfully through "Still Life". A great way to see one of the most celebrated bands in the UK, and to end the first night of music Reading had to offer.

Saturday
The National
Main Stage, 18:45

Working our way towards one of the best vantage points of the Main Stage, we started the magnificent Saturday three-band run with the National. Their particularly broody and angsty performance was the necessary polar opposite to the crowd-pleasers earlier in the day like Seasick Steve and Madness. Their set was nicely balanced between their huger cathartic ballads ("Terrible Love", "Bloodbuzz Ohio") and softer, more horn-led tracks ("England", "Fake Empire"), and represented their previous two albums, Boxer and High Violet, especially well. Although not as well-known as the Strokes, the National have been working together for just as long, and their expertise showed as the sun set over the festival arena, ushering in the night of fine indie-based rock music to come.

Pulp

Main Stage, 20:15

"Are you ready?" read the backdrop screen, and again for what seemed like forever, until finally it read "Do you remember the first time?". Pulp had finally returned, and Jarvis Cocker made it clear to everyone that the gap between their first appearance at the festival in 1994 and 2011 would be bridged. Virtually every song from Different Class was played; but of course "Common People" was left for the grand finale. One of Britain's all-time great live bands were bound to attract the highest of expectations, but Pulp managed to easily meet and exceed what anyone could have expected, just as electrifying and more importantly relevant as the titular "first time". If you've never seen live footage of them before, I implore you to click here.

The Strokes

Main Stage, 22:15

If it wasn't clear before Pulp's set that the Strokes would have the most pressure to deliver their audience into the night, it certainly was afterwards. Julian Casablancas and co. threw as many great songs from their catalogue as quickly as possible to create a turbocharged run that ended with the heartfelt "Someday". Ironically it was down to "the Jarv" to pick the pace back up again, the Pulp frontman joining the stage to perform the Cars' classic "Just What I Needed". It was worth waiting for the encore; Is This It's "Hard to Explain" and "Take it or Leave it" ending just as the band had started, proving worthy headliners and reminding us which side of the Atlantic rock and roll really comes from.

Sunday

Friendly Fires

Main Stage, 17:20

The image of the bird of paradise which features on the cover of Friendly Fires' recent sophmore LP Pala seemed to be the perfect indicator of what was to come during the band's Main Stage stint. They played as passionately as singer Ed Macfarlane danced, and the audience participation was so much that almost everyone got onto their feet. The crowd size also grew significantly as the set went on. "Hawaiian Air" introduced Hawaiian dancers, and "Kiss of Life" crescendoed into a rapturous grand finale, Macfarlane reminding everyone "This is your last chance to dance". Colourful, inspiring and energetic, Friendly Fires certainly delivered, no less weary after their huge UK festival tour they've already journeyed this summer. This is why they're favourites.

Death From Above 1979

NME/Radio 1 Stage, 19:00

I had to be sure that my most anticipated band of the festival, the one I had been waiting all weekend for, would not disappoint, and they certainly didn't. Death From Above 1979 played an hour-long set featuring every song from their sole album and more, and from the extended "Turn it Out" intro Sebastien Grainger and Jesse Keeler didn't let up once, thrashing monstrously in the same spot I'd seen the equally as energetic Odd Future and Fucked Up perform earlier. One of the highlights of the whole festival was when the newly beach-blonde Grainger jumped up from his drum kit during "Romantic Rights" and grabbed the microphone, and sang screechier then I'd ever heard him before, before returning to send the sucker home. You get the feeling these guys have four balls each.

The Streets

NME/Radio 1 Stage, 20:20

In a choice between Elbow and the Streets, Mike Skinner's long-running garage pop project came out on top. For me they turned out to be the best surprise of the festival. Skinner and the fans became one as they hung onto his every word, as though wishing him well in his new endeavours beyond the soon-to-be terminated Streets. Key singles "Blinded by the Lights", "Dry Your Eyes" and "Going Through Hell" were met with the most joyous singing, and it was hard not to get emotional each time Skinner announced "I die here tonight". Little did I know this was to be the Streets final performance, and I was so enthralled that the next day after returning home I went out and got a copy of Original Pirate Material on CD to find out exactly what I had missed out on. Best of luck in the future, Mike.

Other artists I enjoyed full or partial sets of, but are not mentioned here included Mount Kimbie, Kirk Spencer, Simian Mobile Disco, Seasick Steve, OFWGKTA, Fucked Up, Frank Turner and Muse.

If I were to make a playlist of the festival, it would look something like:

Moumt Kimbie - "Before I Move Off"

The Antlers - "I Don't Want Love"

SBTRKT ft. Little Dragon and Drake - "Wildfire RMX"

The Horrors - "Endless Blue"

Seasick Steve ft. John Paul Jones - "Walkin Man"

Mellowhype - "64"

The National - "Terrible Love"

Pulp - "Do You Remember the First Time?"

The Strokes - "Someday"

Fucked Up - "Queen of Hearts"

Frank Turner - "I Still Believe"

Friendly Fires - "Jump in the Pool"

Death From Above 1979 - "Pull Out"

The Streets - "Dry Your Eyes"

Muse - "New Born"

The Strokes ft. Jarvis Cocker - "Just What I Needed"

Watch clips/festival highlights of many of the artists at Reading Festival over at the Reading + Leeds Festivals section of the BBC website, here.

Top 10 bands I’m anticipating seeing at Reading Festival

I’m currently writing this from a café in the village of New Quay, Wales; the only place I can find with free Wi-Fi, and it’s been open since Saturday. The connection’s quite bad, but from what I am getting from back home I’m probably better off here for now, safe from the riots that have been happening across the country. I’m going to be at this year’s Reading Festival in a couple of weeks, as I’ve probably already mentioned, so I’ve decided to compile the top 10 bands I’m most looking forward to experiencing there. I was at first reluctant because I thought a report after I came back would be better, but I need something to do here, so here it is. The order is in how much I’m looking forward to seeing each group based on my experience of their studio output, and will probably change once I’ve actually been to the festival.

Note that line-ups for both Reading and Leeds festivals are nearly identical, the differences being Reading’s Friday will be Leeds’ Saturday, Reading’s Saturday will be Leeds’ Sunday, and Reading’s Sunday will be Leeds’ Friday. Also the Strokes and Pulp will switch times for Leeds, and there may also be minor differences I’m not aware of, so plan ahead if you’re going to Leeds. Of course if you are you’ll probably already be aware of these differences. I’ll only post Reading’s (approximate) times as that’s the festival I’m going to be at.

10. Metronomy

When?: Friday 26^th August

Where?: NME/Radio 1 Stage

Who?: Brighton dance project of Joseph Mount. Reading’s Friday will be the only one with the Dance stage, which will feature such great artists as SBTRKT, Cold Cave and Mount Kimbie, and I’ll likely spend a lot of time there. Metronomy just about pips them to the post in terms of priority. Their album The English Riviera released earlier in the year was pretty entertaining, and I hope they match its quality with their live set, given I see it.

Sounds like: Mostly like other UK non-subculture dance projects, for the most part, like Hot Chip or Friendly Fires (the latter are also incidentally playing on the main stage on the Sunday). Around half of their songs also show a casiotone influence which doesn’t sound too bad. Also reminds me of Passion Pit.

Song I hope they play: "The Bay"

9. Interpol

When?: Sunday 28^th August

Where?: Main Stage

Who?: Modern post-punk band who made almost as big an impact as the Strokes did. In fact much of Reading and Leeds this year seems to revolve around bands celebrating ten years of something. However Interpol’s ultra-modern sound helps them sound essential and timeless. Much like the Strokes they’ve wavered a little as they’ve stepped further away from their debut, Turn on the Bright Lights, but manage to stay on top with quality songwriting, production and delivery. Recently they’ve been working with cult director David Lynch, so the set’s visual effects will hopefully be off-the-wall.

Sounds like: Joy Division is usually seen as the key influence, certainly Paul Banks' baritone vocals bear more than a similarity to Ian Curtis’. The post-punk guitar stabs draw as much from the book of Wire and Gang of Four.

Song I hope they play: "Obstacle 1"

8. 2 Many DJ’s

When?: Sunday 28^th August

Where?: NME/Radio 1 Stage

Who?: The side project of Belgian rock group Soulwax, who have been playing this spiel since the late 1990s. There are a few reasons why I’m choosing these over main stage headliners Muse. For one getting to the main stage at that time would be disastrous and I’d probably get a terrible view. Secondly Muse are playing their unfamiliar 2001 album Origin of Symmetry in full for whatever reason, and not being much of a Muse fan anyway I’d probably be less than impressed. 2 Many DJ’s on the other hand are the foremost exponents of a genre coming out of the early 2000s known as bastard pop, one that throws seemingly unconnected songs together to create something danceable and apparently shameful. Having recently got my hands on As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt 2, I can tell you it is a lot of fun.

Sounds like: Ever wanted to hear the Stooges’ "I Wanna be Your Dog" over Salt-N-Pepa’s "Push It"? Skee-Lo’s "I Wish" over the Breeders’ "Cannonball"? Destiny’s Child’s "Independent Women Part 1" over 10cc’s "Dreadlock Holiday"? Of course you have! That was from a set ten years ago though, so it’ll be exciting to hear what they have in store now.

Song I hope they play: N/A, sort of

7. The National

When?: Saturday 27^th August

Where?: Main Stage

Who?: Having enjoyed something of a popularity boost recently, due to the release of High Violet last year, Ohio's The National have found themselves in the unlikely spot of the Reading Festival’s main stage, warming the crowd for the Pulp/Strokes double headline sets. A field full of thousands of people doesn’t quite seem the natural place for Matt Berninger's croon or the Dessner brothers’ cavernous instrumentation, but I won’t know until I see them. With these and the two headliners Saturday should be an unforgettable night.

Sounds like: A folkier-sided Walkmen perhaps, or a gutsier Grizzly Bear? Okay I’m stumped on this one.

Song I hope they play: "Bloodbuzz Ohio"

6. The Strokes

When?: Saturday 27^th August

Where?: Main Stage

Who?: New York’s foremost rock & roll revivalists, that’s who. Headlining the main stage on Saturday in support of their latest album Angles no less. Though like most people there I hope they stick to the classics and don’t dig too deep into that album. Across their four albums they have enough quality tunes to make up a killer set, and being one of this festivals’ big four they’re expected by many to deliver the goods. And despite my thoughts on that last album, Julian Casablancas and co. are definitely going to keep me entertained, easily worthy headliners.

Sounds like: A modern twist of the 70s CBGB and Max’s Kansas City bands from their native city that made them so popular. Listening to their influence on any modern guitar band since ought to be evidence of their popularity and respect.

Song I hope they play: "Hard to Explain"

5. Fucked Up

When?: Sunday 28^th August

Where?: NME/Radio 1 Stage

Who?: Canadian punks fronted by man-mountain Pink Eyes, or Father Damien Abraham, who sound pretty much as their name suggests. After their 2008 album The Chemistry of Common Life wowed critics they returned earlier this year with the un-punk 78-minute rock opera David Comes to Life, a sure-fire Album of the Year contender. I missed the opportunity to see them on tour with Iceage a few months ago, a mistake which I hope to redeem myself on at Reading.

Sounds like: Very melodic as far as punk rock goes. I don’t think a Foo Fighters comparison is too out of place. Though your ears (and possibly eyes) will undoubtedly be drawn to Pink Eyes’ presence, his volcanic grumble and roar being the main live attraction. Just forget about your previous experience of "rock opera".

Song I hope they play: "Turn the Season"

4. OFWGKTA

When?: Saturday 27^th August

Where?: NME/Radio 1 Stage

Who?: OFWGKTA, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, or Odd Future are a group of rappers, skaters, producers and music video directors from California, USA. They rose to the height of white indie popularity back in February when leader Tyler, the Creator released his self-directed video for "Yonkers", and they’ve been inescapable since. Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that their set will be one of the most energetic of the festival, and as I sit more on the side of like than hate there’s no excuse for me not to be there. The noticeable lack of black music and musicians means this might be one of my few chances to enjoy such music during the weekend, albeit not in the traditional mould. Probably not the cultural revolution some thought they were going to be (ask anyone on the street who they are and you certainly won’t hear them say the next Wu-Tang) nevertheless they have one of the most loyal fanbases around, and are sure to draw a crowd.

Sounds like: The Wu-Tang Clan connection comes from the size of the group, with at least a dozen or so members. The rhymes have the dark humour and shock of Eminem circa The Marshall Mathers LP, though Tyler’s dark voice is his own. Their energy has also been compared to hardcore punk groups such as Black Flag and Fugazi.

Song I hope they play: "French!"

3. The Horrors

When?: Friday 26^th August

Where?: Festival Republic Stage

Who?: At first they were perceived as nothing short of a fashion statement when they arrived in 2006, being hyped as NME’s next big thing, a clearly 80s goth image, appearances in TV shows like "The Mighty Boosh", a Chris Cunningham-directed video right off the bat ("Sheena Is a Parasite"), and names like Faris Rotter and Joshua von Grimm meant that even I ignored them until recently, with the release of their third album Skying, which I’m very impressed with. It’s a shame it’s taken me this long, I hear 2009’s Primary Colours was very good. It earned them a Mercury Music Prize nomination and proved they had added substance to match their style. Thankfully I’ll be forgiven for my sins when I’m baptised in the river of their headline performance at the Festival Republic Stage on the Friday.

Sounds like: A continuation of the psychedelically-looking New Romantic bands of the 80s, like the Psychedelic Furs and the Cure, who in turn owe a lot to Syd Barrett. And to all those who think the Horrors sound in any way like Simple Minds, they don’t.

Song I hope they play: "Still Life"

2. Pulp

When?: Saturday 27^th August

Where?: Main Stage

Who?: If I envy the Leeds incarnation for anything, it’s that Pulp follow the Strokes, whereas it’s the opposite order for Reading. Both bands are probably equal in their contribution to rock & roll history, so it’s arguably a fair decision to co-headline the two, but I reckon that Pulp will manage to steal the limelight from under the Strokes’ noses. Last year they announced their comeback with a string of festival dates, the ones already crossed off leaving behind nothing but glowing reports: Isle of Wight, Primavera Sound, and their surprise set at Glastonbury almost upstaged Radiohead’s. Overlooked during their time between the two warring Britpop titans Oasis and Blur, Pulp nevertheless carved their own niche into the musical landscape of 90s Britain with their politically charged smash albums Different Class and This Is Hardcore, despite beginning their career in 1983. Given today’s political climate, they’ve returned at just the right time.

Sounds like: Pretty much what you’d expect from a typical British indie band in terms of sound. They stick out from the competition with their superior songwriting and lyricism, courtesy of Jarvis Cocker, one of rock’s greatest and most theatrical frontmen. Best of luck following them, Casablancas.

Song I hope they play: "Sorted for E’s and Whizz"

1. Death From Above 1979

When?: Sunday 28^th August

Where?: NME/Radio 1 Stage

Who?: Another recently reunited band, DFA1979 almost broke Austin, TX’s SXSW Festival earlier this year when they played their first gig together since 2005, such was the rush to experience the power of their thunderous rawk. Like many garage rock bands, they create a huge sound despite being a two-piece: Sebastien Grainger covers drums and vocals, and Jesse Keeler handles bass and occasionally keyboards. They only released one studio album during their first lifetime, yet if anything has salvaged this holiday’s terrible weather, it’s staying in and playing You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine over and over. Originally simply known as Death From Above, the 1979 came about from James Murphy politely asking them to change their name (to avoid confusion with his DFA label, which also stands for Death From Above). He did them a favour.

Sounds like: I’ve heard them described as dance-metal before; although that’s kind of ridiculous, it gives an idea of the combination of incredible volume and slinky, tight grooves they achieve. Think about where the Black Keys and Lightning Bolt overlap, that’s as close of an analogy I can give.

Song I hope they play: "Blood on Our Hands"

And you can expect the report on how I actually found the festival’s artists to follow when I come back, around Tuesday 30^th-Wednesday 31^st August. I’ll come up with another format for that. That’ll explain both why there haven’t been any updates in the past week or the weekend Friday 26^th to Sunday 28^th August. Hope to post some reviews in the near future.

There are just as many I’m looking forward to seeing that didn’t make the list, and I’ll try to visit as many as possible to give you my best experience of the festival. I’m partially writing from memory as well, what with my currently limited internet access. There probably won’t be any photos when I’m there unfortunately. I’m a really bad photographer anyway.

If anyone has been to either the Reading or Leeds festivals before, are planning on going this year, or have seen any of these bands live before, I would like to hear, this being my first time and everything.

In The News: Flying Lotus, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, David Byrne

Quite a few things to get through this time around. I only planned to do a couple but things kind of got out of hand. Oh well.


Flying Lotus

This is the cover of hip-hop spacemonger Flying Lotus' gargantuan new mix, Lovers Melt 2, the sequel to his Stones Throw Podcast #66: Lovers Melt he provided for the label a few months back. It's nigh-on two and a half hours long. You know my previous post, Summer Playlist For 2011? Yeah, forget about it, for it has been overshadowed. FlyLo says "Some of my favorite songs ever.. Some you know, some you might not..". Download it *here or pick it up from his Brainfeeder label's site.

Radiohead

Meanwhile FlyLo's buddy Thom Yorke's band Radiohead have been busy recording their special From the Basement episode, the show from longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. The episode shows the band playing their recent album The King Of Limbs in its entirety, and showcased two new songs: "Staircase" and "The Daily Mail". They were also joined by Portishead's drummer, Clive Deamer. As they say, two 'heads are better than one, (moan).

The band have also commissioned a series of 12" remix singles of the TKOL album tracks. The first features Caribou's take on "Little By Little", whilst Jacques Greene tackles "Lotus Flower", and is out now. The second is reported to feature a take on "Morning Mr. Magpie" from Nathan Fake, and two "Bloom" remixes from Mark Pritchard. SBTRKT is supposedly also working on a Radiohead remix, though we can't be entirely sure at this stage whether it'll be officially released as part of this series. Here's hoping.

The special From The Basement episode premiered on Spain's Canal+ last Friday, and is available below, thanks to the magic of Youtube. Check your TV schedules to see when it'll be broadcast in your country (via BBC Worldwide). Also below is the first remix single for the streaming.

Arcade Fire, David Byrne

Arcade Fire's Spike Jonze-directed short Scenes From the Suburbs has finally surfaced. A shortened snippet served as the music video for the title track from The Suburbs last year, but now the entire 30 minute film is available right about here. Scenes From the Suburbs will also soon be packaged with the deluxe edition of The Suburbs, alongside two new bonus tracks: "Culture War" and "Speaking in Tongues", the latter of which features contributed vocals from Talking Heads' David Byrne, appropriately enough. Now that's three Heads in one post!

Music video for "The Suburbs" is below, as well as a trailer for Byrne's documentary Ride, Rise, Roar, which has recently been released on Blu-Ray and DVD by Eagle Rock Entertainment. The film, directed by David Hillman Curtis, documents Byrne's 2009 tour behind the Everything That Happens Will Happen Today album, a collaboration with Brian Eno. Check Amazon, as I always say.

Lastly, Brian Eno's new album, Drums Between the Bells has just been released via Warp Records, and might just be the best thing since sliced bread, in this bloggers humble opinion. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

Summer Playlist for 2011

A list of songs from the past twelve months to get ready for the summer weeks ahead. These are the ones I'll mainly be spinning, though of course there are others from previous years that have become mainstays, just trying to be original. Great for any upcoming barbecues, or journeys to and from festivals. I'd give them a shuffle mind, as they'e largely come straight from memory, with no particular order to them. I might come back here to add more if I think of any. Sit back with a choice cool beverage and enjoy.

Cut Copy - "Take Me Over"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Heart in your Heartbreak"
Belle & Sebastian - "I Didn't See it Coming" (Richard X Remix)
Smith Westerns - "Weekend"
Washed Out - "Eyes Be Closed"
Nicki Minaj - "Super Bass"
TV on the Radio - "You"
Toro Y Moi - "New Beat"
Hercules & Love Affair - "My House"
Beastie Boys - "Make Some Noise"
Battles ft. Matias Aguayo - "Ice Cream"
Death Cab for Cutie - "You Are a Tourist"
Cults - "Go Outside"
My Morning Jacket - "Circuital"
Times New Viking - "No Room to Live"
Thee Oh Sees - "I Need Seed"
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Ffunny Frends"
Givers - "Ceiling of Plankton"
Gruff Rhys - "Honey All Over"
Pure X - "Dream Over"
Antlers - "I Don't Want Love"
Fleet Foxes - "Battery Kinzie"
Yuck - "Get Away"
Metronomy - "The Bay"
Foster The People - "Pumped Up Kicks"
Dom - "Living in America"
Anamanaguchi - "Airbrushed"
The Lonely Island ft. Akon - "I Just Had Sex"
Jamie xx - "Far Nearer"
Beastie Boys ft. Santigold - "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" (Major Lazer Remix)
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - "Senator"
Sun Airway - "Wild Palms"
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Fright Night (Nevermore)" (Dâm-Funk Remix)
Duck Sauce - "Barbra Streissand"
Handsome Furs - "Bury Me Standing"
Black Lips - "New Direction"
Dum Dum Girls - "He Gets Me High"
Clams Casino - "Motivation"
Marissa Nadler - "The Sun Always Reminds Me of You"
Kurt Vile - "Jesus Fever"
Woods - "Pushing Onlys"
No Age - "Fever Dreaming"
Panda Bear - "Last Night at the Jetty"
Deerhunter - "Desire Lines"
The Horrors - "Still Life"
Ty Segall - "You Make the Sun Fry"
The War on Drugs - "Baby Missiles"
Frank Ocean - "Nature Feels"
Gunnar Bjerk - "Back Then"
Fucked Up - "Queen of Hearts"
Bibio - "K Is for Kelson"
Holy Ghost! - "Wait and See"
The Go! Team ft. Bethany Cosentino - "Buy Nothing Day"
Cold Cave - "The Great Pan Is Dead"
Gang Gang Dance - "Glass Jar"
Big K.R.I.T. ft. David Banner - "Sookie Now"
The Strokes - "Under Cover of Darkness"
The Rapture - "How Deep Is Your Love?"
Aloe Blacc - "I Need a Dollar"
PJ Harvey - "Written on the Forehead"
Justice - "Civilization"
YACHT - "Dystopia (The Earth Is on Fire)"
Sufjan Stevens - "Too Much"
Lykke Li - "I Follow Rivers" (Dave Sitek Remix)
Lupe Fiasco - "The Show Goes On"

Review: Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Listen to Bon Iver - Bon Iver below, and download the album track "Calgary" here: *mp3: Bon Iver - "Calgary"

Let me start with a confession. I never really have totally gotten into For Emma, Forever Ago, the 2008 album that was the first release songwriter Justin Vernon released under the name Bon Iver. That debut may have received universal acclaim everywhere else, but for me it resembles a collection of sparsely recorded acoustic, melancholic folk songs, nothing more, nothing less. Don't get me wrong, Vernon was clearly capable at what he was doing, but for some reason the songs have never clicked with me as of yet. But I'm hoping they will someday, and Bon Iver's sophomore full length has given me more than enough reason to keep that particular door ajar.

Certainly everyone else's reaction to For Emma was much more positive, in terms of both critical acclaim and sales. Part of the reason for that is likely to be in the story behind the record. Who can resist the romantic idea of a lone figure seeking refuge in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere, complete with he breakup of his previous band and relationships, and leaving with a record of such emotional turmoil? It seems as though every one of Vernon's peers have attempted it since. Meanwhile Vernon was out there working on other projects, after For Emma had helped him to shed his skin: a follow-up EP Blood Bank, the Volcano Choir, Gayngs, and most recently vocal contributions to Kanye West's most recent album, each one of them proving that debut was more than just a fluke, and each one raising the status for its true sister record to bear, the almost-self-titled Bon Iver.

Supposedly three years in the making, though only announced a couple of months ago, it was clear from an early point that any successor to For Emma would be a much more distant relative. And the release of "Calgary" proved that. The Bon Iver style before now has been known to be relatively silent and minimal, however "Calgary" is a complete 180 of that idea. Every space has been filled with lush sounds, a huge number of merged instruments, both acoustic and synthetic, each building the song's momentum to cap it off with a huge aching crescendo, and the feedback as the recording technology fails to contain each sound's individuality. Perhaps the only immediate tie any of Bon Iver's previous songs can hold to this or any of the songs on Bon Iver (or Bon Iver, Bon Iver) is the haunting falsetto of Justin Vernon, the only element of his previous songs that was prepared to step out of the cabin and tackle his subject matters face-to-face.

Despite the added instrumentation it is still this voice that guides the songs, which is probably the reason Vernon decided to publish his lyrics on his website shortly after the album had been sadly inevitably leaked. Both Vernon's words and their delivery are at the heart of the music of Bon Iver, and as a songwriter and a singer he remains as sharp as ever. The images he paints for "Michicant" are my favourite, the childhood and adolescent memories and longing for the past: "I was unafraid, I was a boy, I was a tender age". And of course Vernon can hold a tune like none other, whether it be on the hushed "Wash.", the stronger country-shuffled "Towers", or the brash, autotuned closer "Beth/Rest".

Speaking of that final track, it has proven to be the most divisive of all, sounding somewhere between Vernon's soft-rock project Gayngs and the production of the Kanye record he more recently featured on, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (although Blood Bank's "Woods" is a truer starter for Vernon's foray into vocal effects). "Beth/Rest" sounds like a cloudy, forgotten 80's radio rip, with confident guitar lines cutting up the track's Casiotone keyboard sounds. It makes sense for this to be the ending track on the album, it shows a totally different Bon Iver, one that is completely strong and unashamed, a symbol of the complete change from the For Emma period, and hope for the future. It remains conscious, not reactionary or strategic, and all songs on Bon Iver retain themes of isolation and introspection regardless of the money, fame, production values and instrumentation, a very difficult balance to have preserved.

Bon Iver and For Emma, Forever Ago are in fact more similar than they may seem, and a great number of criticisms the new record have already and may continue to attract can in truth be projected onto the first, particularly regarding the sound quality and atmospherics, which do justice to the sounds of both albums. I'm often of the belief that a change is usually a good thing, despite its initial intimidation, and if you've noticed my previous blog post this is reflected in many of my favourite albums of the year so far (Radiohead's The King of Limbs and Battles' Gloss Drop spring to mind). The fact remains that Justin Vernon remains one of the best vocalists and songwriters of our times, and the public seem to have responded to this. Bon Iver is currently sitting at the #2 position on the Billboard charts and is at #4 in the UK, both after the albums' first week of release. Bon Iver the project is also here to stay, and all the better for it. Even though there are mixed responses to this release under the name, I predict that the superior songwriting, lyricism and sheer beauty of this record will eventually warm the hearts of many, just as one day For Emma will warm mine.

9/10

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Top Albums of 2011 so far

Yeah, thought I ought to do something like this to make up for the inactivity over the last few months, not to mention the first couple of months before the blog started. Although I divided the albums into genres as to avoid direct ranking there is definitely some overlap to be had. If you consider yourself to be a fan of a particular genre, I highly recommend checking out each of the albums displayed under the relevant heading. Only albums and EP's from January to June 2011 have been included, and no decision is ever final, more of just an idea of what I think of right now (a few might be the result of being recently passed through my speakers, but hopefully I've eliminated a great deal of bias). I'm bound to have missed a few good ones, so this is a great chance to start leaving me comments. Also apologies if the images are a little small, its the best my creative skills could manage.


Pop

(l-r)Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes, Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo, The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts,
Givers - In Light, tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l

Rock

(l-r) TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light, Fucked Up - David Comes to Life, Radiohead -  The King of Limbs

Punk/Post-Punk

(l-r) Times New Viking - Dancer Equired, Iceage - New Brigade, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong,
Deerhoof - Deerhoof vs. Evil

Rap/Hip-Hop

(l-r) Death Grips - Exmilitary, Beastie Boys - Hot sauce Committee Pt.2, Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva,
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up, Tyler, the Creator - Goblin

Dance

(l-r) Cut Copy - Zonoscope, Junior Boys - It's All True, Metronomy - The English Riviera,
Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact

R&B

(l-r) The Weeknd - House of Balloons, Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra, Beyoncé -  4

Singer/Songwriter

(l-r) Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts, Julian Lynch - Terra, PJ Harvey - Let England Shake,
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

Electronic

(l-r) Burial - Street Halo EP, Prefuse 73 - The Only She Chapters, James Blake -  James Blake,
Africa HiTech - 93 Million Miles, Panda Bear -  Tomboy

Indie/Folk

(l-r) Bon Iver - Bon Iver, The Antlers - Burst Apart, Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues, Destroyer - Kaputt

Garage/"Lo-Fi"

(l-r) Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania, Black Lips - Arabia Mountain, Dum Dum Girls -  He Gets Me High EP,
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unlnown Mortal Orchestra

Instrumental/Other

(l-r) Battles - Gloss Drop, Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges,
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Tao of the Dead,
Clams Casino - Instrumental Mixtape/Rainforest EP

Any thoughts?

Electronic, Hip-Hop and Dance Playlist for June 2011

Here are a few electronic, hip-hop and dance tracks I've been playing this month. Pretty broad for a playlist but I think it matches the quality of the music I feel the need to compile, much of which will feature on albums I'm really looking forward to hearing.. Although I'm bound to regret this later I've embedded a load of players linking to appropriate tracks, and many of these tracks are downloadable, in particular those with *asterisks. I'll let the music do the talking for me:


Nas - "Nasty"
*Gold Panda - "MPB"
Jamie xx - "Far Nearer"

YACHT - "Utopia"

*Thundercat - "Daylight"
Zomby - "A Devil Lay Here"

*Balam Acab - "Oh, Why"
Ford & Lopatin - "Channel Pressure"
SBTRKT - "Wildfire"
Clams Casino - "Treetop"

John Maus - "Head For the Country"
Washed Out - "Amor Fati"

Shabazz Palaces - "Swerve... The reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not Withstanding)"

The Rapture - "How Deep Is Your Love?"
*Sun Airway - "Wild Palms"
Brian Eno - "Pour it Out"

And just in case that multimedia onslaught is too much, here's the list again without any fancy distractions:

Nas - "Nasty"
Gold Panda - "MPB"
Jamie xx - "Far Nearer"
YACHT - "Utopia"
Thundercat - "Daylight"
Zomby - "A Devil Lay Here"
Balam Acab - "Oh, Why"
Ford & Lopatin - "Channel Pressure"
SBTKT - "Wildfire"
Clams Casino - "Treetop"
John Maus - "Head for the Country"
Washed Out - "Amor Fati"
Shabazz Palaces- "Swerve... The reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)"
The Rapture - "How Deep Is Your Love?"
Sun Airway - "Wild Palms"
Brian Eno - "Pour it Out"

Apologies for any mistakes, or any number of things at could go wrong. Enjoy.

10 Noise/Drone Greats

To begin with, this isn't the most comprehensive or "pure" list of the genres of noise or drone music, and I'm aware that elements of both can be traced back to classical and pre-twentieth century origins, which I would know next to nothing about. But here by naming ten disparate instances where music of these kinds can be found I will attempt to arrive at a definition for both noise and drone music, and come up with a comprehensive introduction to the genres.


John Cage - Experiments with "chance" (1950's, 60's)

By the time the words "noise" and "drone" were being used as descriptors of music in the early 1980's, composers such as La Monte Young and John Cage had already released some of their greatest works and experiments in early forms of the genres some twenty years previous. Cage, perhaps more renowned these days for his "silent piece", 1952's "4'33"", was one of the most forward-thinking composers of his time, relying less on the rigid score and incorporating any unexpected found sound into the piece. For Cage, anything that was a sound was music, be it prepared piano, radio static, running water, his audience's laughter, or indeed apparent silence. Cage has often been cited as an influence on later noise musicians, as his redefinition of music reverberated throughout the twentieth century, and is still a major cornerstone for music study today. Below check out the grainy clip of Cage performing "Water Walk" on the show I've Got a Secret, from 1960.

The Beatles - "Revolution 9" (from The Beatles (The White Album), 1968)

Just in case further proof was necessary that the Beatles were the defining band of their generation (or quite possibly ever) they can also be credited for being one of he first bands to embrace and experiment with the experiments of Cage, Young, et.al., and use their popularity to freak out a whole generation of listeners. Although the Fab Four had previously toyed with tape loops ("Tomorrow Never Knows"), sustained chords and "orchestrated chaos" ("A Day in the Life"), nothing is quite as "out there" as The White Album's "Revolution 9", the band's longest, most challenging and "scariest" combined effort. Well by "combined" I refer to the credits, but "Revolution 9" was specifically John Lennon's brainchild, fresh from recording Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins with Yoko Ono, herself an acquaintance of Cage and Young. The responses were, as one might expect, mixed: Paul McCartney wished to have no association with it. Genius or madness, it's one of the ballsiest statements of the Beatles career.

The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat (1968)

The second Velvet Underground album, though not quite as influential as the first, is notable for being one of the harshest, challenging listens in rock music's canon. From the first few seconds of its opening title track it promises a 40 minute punishment through the realms of the avant garde, and the origins of punk and indeed noise. Singer Lou Reed picks up where the previous album The Velvet Underground & Nico left off in  pursuing themes of eroticism, violence, murder, urban mysticism and debauchery, accumulating in the chaotic finisher "Sister Ray", a 17 minute improv so distorted it would make today's shitgaze musicians cringe with excitement. It's no wonder that the band's subsequent self-titled album would be considerably cleaner and accessible. Lou Reed would also release an album in 1975, Metal Machine Music, a composition of pure feedback, being one of the most infamous rock 'n' roll career decisions in history.

Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power Iggy Pop Mix (1996, original release 1973)

Not a noise/drone record in itself per se, but a definite precedent to noise rock, as well as virtually every punk album, the Stooges' Raw Power is infamous not only for it's gargantuan influence on every late 70's musical fringe movement, but also for being one of the loudest albums ever. Particularly the 1996 Iggy remix: the original album was produced and mixed by David Bowie, however due to limitations on label Columbia Records' part he was given only a day to do so. Stooges frontman Iggy Pop was asked by the label to remix the album for it's 1996 reissue, and he used the opportunity to push the boundaries of volume and gain to extremities, creating the true punk masterpiece he'd intended. He spoke of it in the liner notes as being "a very violent mix", and it's live feel was made to match the destruction of the band's legendary live shows. Opinion is still divided whether which is the preferable or definitive record, even amongst members of the band. Through the other end of punk came several other movements, one of which was New York's No Wave scene, one of the few to match the fury of the Stooges' protopunk, and one which later evolved into noise rock.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985)

On UK shores noise was finding it's way into other post-punk movements. Glsagow's The Jesus and Mary Chain's trademark sound borrowed the early noise efforts of the Velvet Underground, and used them to push the melodies of 60's girl bands and the dreamy textures of another Scottish band The Cocteau Twins. The original lineup consisted of brothers Jim and William Reid and Bobby Gillespie, who later left to front his own band, Primal Scream. They immediately became a cult band, in part thanks to their early single "Upside Down", and their debut album Psychocandy is regarded by many to be a classic, cited as a precursor to shoegaze, Britpop, and later British indie.

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1988)

Sonic Youth came from NYC's underground music scene; guitarists Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo were members of No Wave composer Glenn Branca's guitar ensemble. The band's wide range of influences, including the alternative tunings of Joni Mitchell and admiration for avant garde composers, incorporated into their No Wave and post-punk beginnings (as well as the roots of those genres) to become one of the most respected and influential of their day. Although the band released many great records in their early years (Evol, Sister), Daydream Nation was a game-changer, a true underground artistic statement that has since become one of the most celebrated records of the 80's. A real triumph for noise and drone, as the record ranges from blasts of feedback to long, rolling waves of distortion, backed by otherworldly lyrics and memorable punk melodies.

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)

My Bloody Valentine's first (second?) album, Isn't Anything, was an entirely new breed of guitar-based indie music. Although the "You Made Me Realise" single marked a change in the band's style from straightforward, twee indie-pop, few would have predicted the outcome of their first studio LP. It became perhaps the first of a genre later known as shoegaze, a highly-amplified and distorted version of Phil Spector's "wall of sound", with a more "alternative" feel, owing to influences from Sonic Youth to Dinosaur Jr.. As many British indie bands decided to release shoegaze records of their own, it was up to MBV to reassert themselves as originators of the movement. After a lot of time, effort and expense a sequel was released in 1991. Loveless was more than anyone could hope for, and is frequently described as one of the greatest albums of the 90's, so much so that the band have yet to release a follow up in the 20 years that have followed. Probably because they've realised they're unlikely to beat it.

Boredoms - Super æ (1998)

Boredoms are nuts. Fronted by enigmatic frontman Yamantaka Eye, the Japanese noisemakers began releasing recordings from the mid 80's, and sound like no other band before or since. Eye's screams sound as if they're propelling the whole chaotic wave of sound he and the rest of the band produce, showing some sort of great yet incoherent virtuosity buried underneath the vastly eccentric and nihilistic haze. Super æ showed Boredoms' change in attitude from their zanier early albums, working more towards a glorified, powerful vision of their own. Yet this vision was vibrant, energetic and intense, as in through the destruction something new and positive could be made, a marked difference from many of their contemporaries, stepping out of the shadows of grunge.

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)

Wilco's fourth album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, was mixed by famed noise producer Jim O'Rourke. Jeff Tweedy's beloved alt-country outfit had started to experiment with darker lyrical themes on previous album Summerteeth, and presumably Tweedy was interested in matching these themes with a noisier aesthetic. As recording sessions progressed it became evident that the band's label Reprise Records (owned by Warner Bros. records) were dissatisfied with the change in direction; as a result Wilco bought the album's master tapes and left, finishing YHF and releasing it on Nonesuch Records. The finished result is a real triumph: a post-9/11 indie success story, and an exercise in how far Wilco could push their traditional sound into another, in the Kid A template set out only shortly beforehand. A demonstration of the effectiveness of noise in a seemingly unconnected genre, and how this merging of sounds became a trend throughout the 00's.

The future of noise and drone (2000-
Yeah, perhaps too easy a way to finish off the list. But to choose one band to represent 21st Century noise and drone would be a real injustice, as the influence they've had upon independent music in particular is incalculable. The last couple of years alone represent decades of change in the diversity and experimentalism of these types of music. No Age combine more traditional noise rock with power pop song structures. Sleigh Bells have taken it to bratty dance-punk. Deerhunter have recently done the opposite, subverting their former noise sound into "ambient punk". The electronic soundscapes of Oneohtrix Point Never, as well as Daniel Lopatin's work with Emeralds rely on synthetic drones, as do Fuck Buttons; whereas drone metal band Sunn O))) create terrifying, very "real" drones using just guitars and huge stacks of amplifiers. Colin Stetson has found a way of exploring noise using traditional instrumentation, namely saxophones, purely by being inventive and skillful. The vast number of lo-fi recordings over the last few years can be directly attributed to noise rock. And one of the biggest indie rock releases of recent times, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion may have been "too mainstream" for some, still was miles more experimental than anything it shared its chart position with that year.

Attitudes too have changed towards noise as its spread has increased, no longer perceived as the refuge of the oddball music fan and the masochist as they once were. The examples listed are sufficient reason in themselves why. They are the results of the innovations and inventiveness of the minds who perceived and enlightened new ways of composing, recording and performing music. In turn new musicians are likely to innovate and produce strange, harsh, dissonant and unconventional sounds in the future in new ways. Which is proof, if ever needed, that today's music scene is as great as it has always been.

3 New Hip-Hop Videos: Big K.R.I.T., Tyler, the Creator and Kanye West

Been slowly working on a feature, which I hope to post in a couple of days. In the meantime, three cool hip-hop videos have come out in the last few days, so I thought I'd post them. Watch the clips for Big K.R.I.T.'s "Country Sh*t (Remix)" (ft. Ludacris and Bun B) and Tyler, the Creator's "She" (ft. Frank Ocean) below. The finished version of Kanye West's "Monster" (ft. Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross and Bon Iver) is up over at his website, and comes with a disclaimer attached.

In the News: My Morning Jacket, Yuck, Battles, last.fm

I'm expanding this blog slightly, as you can tell. on-Tenori-on is far from a hotbed for the latest musical occurrences, but if I find a cool thing or two to share this'll be where I do so.


My Morning Jacket

Firstly, Southern-tinged rockers My Morning Jacket's new LP Circuital arrives on the 31st of this month (on ATO), and to tie in with that release the band will stream a live concert from The Louisville Palace Theater that same night from their Vevo channel on Youtube, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes. The webcast is part of American Express' Unstaged series, in partnership with Youtube/Vevo, which has seen artists team up with directors; in the past these have included Arcade Fire and Terry Gilliam, John Legend and the Roots and Spike Lee, and Duran Duran and David Lynch. Todd Haynes' previous forays into musical work have included his music video for Sonic Youth's "Disappearer", and the movies Velvet Goldmine and I'm Not There, the latter of which featured MMJ frontman Jim James singing "Goin' to Acapulco" with Calexico in one scene. I can vouch for that film. It's very good. And so is Circuital, which you can stream for a limited time via NPR here, as well as download the title track below (after giving your email address). The live webcast starts at 9pm ET, 6pm PT and 2am GMT (therefore on 1/6/11), by the way, stream it from here closer to the time, but for now there are a few trailers and other tidbits to enjoy.

Yuck

Last Tuesday 90's indie revivalists Yuck featured on the BBC2 show Later Live... with Jools Holland, playing an excellent rendition of their debut album opener "Get Away". Although when I reviewed that album a few months ago I may have painted it as less than flattering, "Get Away" was definitely a highlight of which I was more than happy to be reminded of. Chances are I might decide to see Yuck when they play Reading Festival later this summer, still undecided whether I'm to do a feature on the blog about that yet. Watch Yuck's performance below, the whole show is available to UK, licence-paying residents at the BBC iPlayer (i.e. here) which also featured Friendly Fires, Beverly Knight, Donovan and others. The Friday show (technically Saturday, 00:20) will feature new live (prerecorded) performances from all of the above too,

Battles

As my excitement for the new Battles LP Gloss Drop becomes ever more palpable, (6/6/11 on Warp Records) the band release the video for the first single "Ice Cream", featuring vocal contributions from Matias Aguayo. The single is has now also been released on limited edition 12", appropriately in three flavours: Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate, with 1000 copies of each. The as-of-yet unreleased "Black Sundome" features as the B-Side. Find out more about that release here.
Though that's not the only Battles news. The band also featured in the latest instalment of La Blogotheque's Take Away Shows, performing a new song "Wall Street" in Paris' Hôtel De Ville, fine wine included. It kicks ass. Look for it below.
Finally, although it was announced a while ago, Battles will be one of three curators to host one of the two Nightmare Before Christmas All Tomorrow's Parties events in December. The weekend, which will run from 9-11th December sees Battles curate Saturday's events, with Les Savy Fav and Caribou hosting the Friday and Sunday respectively. Other musicians appearing across the weekend include Flying Lotus, Gary Numan, Four Tet, No Age, Marnie Stern, Toro Y Moi, Surfer Blood and others. There's a small chance I'll be attending, but if not at least I'll probably see Battles take down the HMV Institute on the 27th June. Info on the ATP weekend is here. Tour dates and info on everything I just mentioned can be found on the band's website here.

last.fm

Finally, something which I failed to mention sooner, is that on-Tenori-on is now on last.fm, though there's not a lot to see there other than my playlist for the top songs of this year and my Radiohead fetish :P I found that I generally suck at making playlists so don't expect to see too many, although if there are any I'll probably make space for them here as well. The 2011 song playlist will be reduced to form the basis of my end-year list. Just don't expect me to update too regularly. Here I am anyway.

Changes to the blog

Haven't been able to get onto the blog for a while now, and that isn't likely to resolve itself for a number of weeks, so regulars such as Mini Reviews will be put on hold for the indeterminable future. However I have just added a couple of nifty "Song of the Day" and "Album I'm Currently Enjoying" gadgets, which I will be able to update regularly, even if they do look ridiculously out of proportion for the time being. I'm learning, slowly.
There may just be a feature of two in the near future, so stay vigilant. Less regularity means more to come back to, right?