Writing Recap: New Athens Blur, O+S, Matt Boynton

 

 Issue 7 already? | Cover image courtesy Athens Blur

Hooray! Another new issue of Athens Blur! If you live out in the Athens area, be sure to pick up a copy while you're out and about. I wrote two music spotlights for this issue, one on Roxy Epoxy and one on pop group Tinted Windows.  Have you seen their lineup yet? Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) all in one band. It kind of hurts the brain, doesn't it? Schlesinger was a bit weary of talking about the bizarro lineup, but after talking to him it all makes sense. Pick up the new mag to find out how.

It was also great catching up with Roxy Epoxy. I caught her former band, The Epoxies, at the 40 Watt back in 2005 with Against Me! on the Fat Tour and, boy, did they know how to put on a show. She's a super awesome chick and was a blast to speak with. I was sicker than a dog when I did the interview, but she made it a fun experience nonetheless. The album with her new band, the rebound, entitled Band-aids On Bullet Holes is out now. 

 

Oh, and if you haven't seen it yet, Athens Blur has a new blog. Check it out! 

O+S | Photo courtesy Saddle Creek 

In other news, my interview with Orenda Fink of O+S is now live on Stereo Subversion.  I am near-obsessed with this album. When I was presented with this assignment, I wasn't sure what to expect but I was blown away. The premise is this: originally an art project, Fink collected massive amounts of field recordings from all over.  The field recordings were then sorted through and turned into loops that songs were constructed on top of. The results are fabulous. A lush, haunting effort, this album is definitely on my "Best of 2009" list so far. 

I also recently interviewed my first producer, and that was a really cool experience. I spoke with Matt Boynton from Vacation Island Studios (formerly of the Magic Shop) for the April editon of the Sound Bites Dog E-zine. His reputation is that he's both hilarious and knowledgable, and he definitely was. Ever wonder what it's like to hold the Rolling Stones' master tapes in your hand? This guy knows.

That's it for now, kids. I have some super-great things in the works, especially an in-depth piece on the U.S. Air Guitar Championships! Heck yes!

A "Special" Movie

Special is not a comedy. It's not a super hero movie. It's not the typical goofy fluff that the basic plot could've easily devolved into. The story of a man convinced he has developed super powers, Special merely uses this premise as a jumping off point for a beautiful, poignant, heartbreaking and occasionally humorous look at life, and the role we play in it.

After seeing him in the dreaded and, thankfully, doomed Fox sitcom "The War at Home," Michael Rapaport has often been a deterrent for me. But I recant any Rapaport-related naysaying after seeing his performance in this film (though, I stand by my opinion that "The War at Home" was an abomination). He completely consumes the character of Les, an average, mistreated, easily manipulated parking cop who, upon entering into an experimental drug trial to shake up his "happy" life, becomes "Special". He believes that he has super powers with such conviction, that, regardless of how unbalanced his mental state becomes, we still root for him. We want him to have the powers he so desperately believes that he has. It's a performance that, had it been in a larger, more well known film, may have seen Rapaport nominated for some of Hollywood's biggest honors.

The symbolism is a wee bit overstated, (He's stalked and beat up by men in suits, and this isn't the Matrix)  but the great thing about this film is that it, ultimately, triumphs all of us who aren't "special", the non "suits" of the world who believe in or are living a life far different from the status quo. Although the DVD cover may claim otherwise,  Special is a deeply emotional film that gives a unique glimpse at the human spirit, and just how much it can take.

 It may not have been what we were expecting when we walked out of Blockbuster, but no complaints here.

Watch the trailer:

CheshireNat Designs

 

So much duct tape! | http://CheshireNat.etsy.com

For those of you who don't know me well, in addition to being a music junkie and writer, I'm also an avid crafter. I've been sewing and gluing and taping as long as I can remember with projects ranging from a teddy bear made from carpet samples to purses made from old t-shirts and my own variant on duct tape wallets.

After years of being told by friends and strangers to put my stuff up for sale, I've actually taken the plunge.  Please check it out and let me know what you think!

Songs to Obsess Over, Case File #2: The Decemberists - "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid"

 

They seem at home here, don't they? | Photo by Autumn DeWilde

It's almost halfway through 2009 and The Decemberists have runaway with my favorite album of the year. Their folk-rock opera The Hazards of Love runs the gamut from country twang to metal riffs while telling its tale, which involves a rake, an evil forest queen, a charming girl named Margaret, some dead children, and an ill-fated hero. As I said in my bit for the Internal Debate at Stereo Subversion on this album, it feels like the album The Decemberists were destined to make.

The best track on this album, though, is easily the 6:26 epic "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid". The pivot point of the narrative, where the plot goes from sleepy fairytale love story to complicated disaster, "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" is a dialogue between the hero, sung by Decemberists ringleader Colin Meloy, and the forest queen, sung by Shara Worden (aka My Brightest Diamond). Part folk ballad, part metal bombast the track tugs between the two moods with suspense that heightens down to the last second. Arcade Fire approved "Oooohs" and supreme vocal performances are only part of the over-the-top, sonically delicious madness that ensues here. The entire album is superb from start to finish, but this is the track that really holds everything together.

In other Decemberists news, Meloy will be back on The Colbert Report for a remach April 27th. Too much awesomeness in one show! My TV may implode.

The Great Twitter Punk

 

I've seen worse. | Photo via Advertising Age

So, as many of you have noticed via this blog, I have become madly obsessed with Twitter. It's quick, easy and a fun way to interact with others throughout the day that is way less demanding, immediate or intrusive than an IM (which can be my death when swamped with articles and projects. Damn you, Facebook!).

But recently the social-networking, blog-ish interweb whatchamacallit sparked a furious battle between two very unlikely adversaries: television news juggernaut CNN and film and television star and entrepreneur Ashton Kutcher.

I follow  neither, as both don't really fall within my need-to-know-ASAP radar (though Colin Meloy's love of Cilantro does, so what does that tell you?), however it has come to light that Kutcher's "win" was impacted by Lamar's donation of billboards in major population centers. Critics are claiming that this makes Kutcher's win entirely inauthentic, even questioning if he should be disqualified.

Publicity stunt or not, the outcome would have been positive regardless of who won as both parties had pledged to donate significantly to malaria relief in Africa. The only major change is bragging rights. So before getting uptight about some donated billboards, just be glad that the charity is winning out in the end, anyway. 

As Kutcher continues his lead over CNN (numbers are Kutcher: 1,149,454, CNN: 1,060,023, currently), people should be far less concerned with the role these advertisements played in the battle (CNN is a 24-hour news network--how often did they mention daily to follow them?), and more concerned that people are more interested in what the guy who created PUNK'D is up to  than keeping up with what's happening in the world. CNN is hardly the end-all, be-all of news, but if the choice is between staying informed and keeping abreast of what the guy from That 70s Show has to say to Perez Hilton...well, shouldn't the answer there be obvious?

For all you twitterers here's a shameless plug, follow me @CheshireNat. 

Back to the Future

This makes me want a Delorean almost as much as the Neon Neon album did. Maybe more.

I love you, Oxford Comics.

Athens is still a 'Blur'

 

Best photo of BK ever? Yes!

 

Did anybody miss the latest issue of Athens Blur? Don't live in the Classic City? Never fear! You can download it here! 

Issue 6 has my article on A.C. "Carl" Newman of the New Pornographers and a feature story I wrote on the new trend of Fan Funded albums. There are also fabulous stories on The Vinyl Revival and a spotlight on Adele, so check those out as well. 

In other Athens Blur news, I recently interviewed Roxy Epoxy and bizarro supergroup Tinted Windows for the next issue. Can't wait to see it!

The Metric System

 

Making math cool: Metric | Photo courtesy Big Hassle Media

Oh, Metric, how I love thee. Although their new album, Fantasies, is certainly far more slick than anything else they have done to-date, it also boasts some of the group's best tunes. From the first chance I had to hear "Satellite Mind", "Gimme Sympathy" and "Stadium Love", I've been addicted. I've danced. I've cleaned. I've vacuumed. I've driven. I've partied. I've cooked. I've written. I've sewn. I've duct taped. I've rocked out Fantasies for all of it. 

And it seems that I'm not alone.  2009 just might be Metric's year. The disc just hit stores this past Tuesday, but it's already sitting pretty atop the Billboard Heatseksers chart, the result of an early iTunes feeding frenzy. This milestone is nothing to scoff at, especially when considering that the album is released independently via the band's own MMI label. Keep your eyes on this band. They're paving their own road, and seem to be on the right track.

I recently had the chance to interview Metric's leading lady (and one of my total heroes) Emily Haines for a feature over at SSv. I'm a fan of not just her work with Metric, but with Broken Social Scene and her solo albums as well, so it was a pleasure to speak with Haines. 

I also contributed to SSv's new series Internal Debate about this album, so in case you don't want to take my word for it, check out what we at SSv thought of the album.  And you can pick up the album directy from the band, here.

Taking it Personal

Although I haven't been following the Chris Brown/Rhianna story all that closely, I felt that there was an interesting element here that makes this story bigger than the run-of-the-mill celebrity scandals.

Not that I in any way condone Brown's actions, but it will be interesting to see how this story continues to play out as far as public opinion. Not because of who he is or what he did, necessarily, but because of who she is. 

Let's take R. Kelly, for instance. Although the alleged sex crimes of R. Kelly and Brown's alleged assault against Rihanna are far different altercations--the proverbial sex versus violence, though both were assaults on women--who they involved (or in Kelly's case, who it didn't involve) has an impact on each singer's ability to recover in the eyes of the public.

It's hard for me to believe that had R. Kelly thrown the waterworks on an up-and-coming super-starlette, one as beloved by the MTV crowd as Rihanna, against her will, that he would still be seen as any kind of a hero. Although his offenses are often just seen as a punchline to a joke, or just some acceptable fetish kink, had the victim been famous as well, Kelly may have been singing a different tune.

Because knowing who the victim is makes it personal. For us.

Because, as it's been reported, Brown physically assaulted Rihanna--not just an unknown girlfriend, but a superstar--his reputation may not be salvageable. For fans of Rihanna and, to some extent, general music fans alike, Rihanna is somebody that we know. We know her face, her voice, bits of her personality. She seems as real to many people as their sisters, friends, acquaintances. The feigned familiarity that her fame has allowed us to experience makes Brown's actions personal to us. It hurts us. He assaulted somebody that we feel we know, even though we don't really, and that will make this altercation something all together harder for him to recover from.

As for Brown's fans who feel that they know the R&B star personally, beyond the shock that someone they admire has done something so atrocious, knowing the victim as well may make it too hard for them to stand by the singer after his actions. Not that they should, mind you, but it is often strange what celebrities can survive with their fan base in tact.

When this story eventually blows over, Rihanna will come out stronger and will, no doubt, have a larger stable of fans than ever before cheering her on. As for Brown, if being dropped from two endorsement deals and from rotation on at least one radio station already is any indication, it's going to get a lot worse for him before it ever gets better. And that's a big if.

Blurring the Lines

I don't usually watch SNL and I  missed the super bowl, so I'm a bit behind
on this one.



Basically, SNL produced a series of Pepsi commercials for the soda giant starring it's popular McGruber character, a bumbling McGuyver parody. The three commercials increase in what I'll call "Pepsi awareness" and clearly makes fun of itself in the process:

"Are you sponsored by Pepsi or something?" the real McGuyver asks McGruber during the ad that ran during the Super Bowl. "Maybe I am,"  he responds.

BUT, innocent though the skits/commercials may seem, the first of the series in particular sets an uncomfortable precedent for the cross between entertainment and advertisement. As more and more films begin to feel more like two-hour advertisements (I'm looking at you Transformers), in ten or, more realistically, five years maybe that's what they will be.

Although these SNL slots still rub me the wrong way for that exact reason, I can't really say anything negative on NBC's part: the actors were paid separately for the ad, apart from their SNL wages. And the NBC logo did dissappear during the advertisement that ran during the SNL broadcast.  And, short of running a tag along the bottom screaming "HELLO! I AM AN ADVERTISEMENT!" the network couldn't really do anything to make it clearer, especially in the second and third ads.

Really, it all comes down to media literacy. Most formats of mainstream merchandisable expression--movies, music, television, even magazines--already play host to any number of product placements and as advertisers get smarter, so should we. You can't really blame them for trying to pull one over on us--and, sorry, all the re-branding jargon and attempts at a new image aside, Pepsi wouldn't have done it if that wasn't one of their underlying objectives--if we don't have the smarts to see through it. Being able to spot a liar is an invaluable skill that will only become more important as the advertising industry becomes more and more clever, and that's just one benefit.

As for myself, Pepsi can co-opt every good SNL character and it still won't make me like soda. So at least there's that.

Reunited and it feels so (not) good...

 

Please, no more Nu-metal! | Photo by Holly Karrol Clark

Following the unbelievably awkward announcement at the Grammy's of Blink 182's reunion, another late 90s act has followed suit: none other than nu metal "pioneers" Limp Bizkit.

Interesting here is that both of these acts are pretty  much in the same boat. For these reunions to work, these bands need to bank pretty heavily on two things: late '90s nostalgia and the likelihood that current 12 year old boys are still interested in the same things (this should be the easy one). As often as these two bands butted heads on the now defunct "TRL" it's only fitting that they should make similar announcements within the same week. Well played, Durst. Steal that thunder.

Interesting too, is that both bands broke up for similar reasons. Both bands came apart at the seams due to personal conflicts within the bands, which, if anyone saw Blink at the Grammy's, seem to not quite be done with. Although the Blink 182 statement simply refers to these conflicts as "friendships reformed", Limp Bizkit doesn't quite make amends but commits to live with the issues:

"We decided we were more disgusted and bored with the state of heavy popular music than we were with each other. Regardless of where our separate paths have taken us, we recognize there is a powerful and unique energy with this particular group of people we have not found anywhere else. This is why Limp Bizkit is back."

There's nothing like putting up with people you can't stand--in a creative relationship no less--for the cold hard cash, right guys?

What's my age again? Again?  | Photo courtesy blink182.com

To Blink's credit, I firmly believe that, if this reunion is for real, the trio has a decent shot at a rebound. The trend in mainstream music that they began (and, really, co-opted from Green Day) is still going strong. Fall Out Boy and Paramore are both in Blink's debt and, worrisome though this makes me, many studded belt and Chuck-clad teens view Mark, Tom and Travis as pioneers. Not to mention that the success of Tom DeLonge's Angels and Airwaves should bring along even more fans for the ride. As for Fred Durst, though, when was the last time you heard anybody name drop "nu metal" in a positive light? Probably close to never.

The Limp Bizkit reunion, to me, appears less as the band's response to their own popular music boredom as much as it's clear that Fred Durst & Co. haven't really had, you know, careers since Limp Bizkit went the way of the dodo. And the band's appeal was always far more about the frontman's brash attitude and MTV appearances than it ever was about the music. Really. Though that time, for him, has certainly come and gone. I can't imagine a scenario where it's appropriate to unleash Fred Durst upon the music world once more, but I guess the industry really will try anything these days.

Oh, the smell of freshly printed magazines...

I'm a little late on this one, but wanted to give a shout out for the new issue of Athens Blur that made it's way to my mailbox two days ago. My cover story streak is over (haha) but you won't be dissapointed by DeMarco Williams's feature on Ludacris. My two-page story on the All-American Rejects and my spotlight on The Bird and The Bee are also within the periodical's pages.

Although I've never really claimed to be an All-American Rejects fan, their catchiness--and penchant for writing radio-ready pop tunes--can't really be denied. My favorite here, though, is my piece on nostalgic pop duo, The Bird and The Bee. If you're new to the group--comprised of chateuse Inara George and production mastermind Greg Kurstin--check out their latest disc entitled Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future. I won't be shocked if it turns up on my "Best of 2009" list come December. Yeah. It's that good.  The Bird and The Bee is the most musically knowledgable band I've interviewed to date, but also one of the funniest, and the article is one of my favorite I've written for Blur.

If you're in the Athens area, definitely pick up this latest copy. Now on it's fifth issue, Blur is looking better than ever. I am so proud of my editors Alec Wooden and Nicole Black for putting together such a great magazine in such a short amount of time.

Perks of the Job

 

Sing it, Brody! | Photo courtesy Spinnerettemusic.com

Sometimes when I do interviews, I get the added bonus of a little bit of advice. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Brody Dalle, former frontwoman for The Distillers, on her new project, Spinnerette. Somewhere in the conversation she even gave me a bit of astrological advice and, seeing as my 26th birthday is fast approaching, assurance that growing up is, in fact, a good thing:

"And I’m not trying to scare you, but you have to grow up. You have to. You have no choice and if you don’t, then you’re fucked for life."

Pretty obvious, but Dalle would certainly know this to be true better than anyone. Having gone through her fair share of public scrutiny as well as personal and professional trials over the past few years,  the punk vixen sounds like she's finally found peace on the other side of 30.

The interview is certainly one of my recent favorites. Although it didn't make it into my write up,  Dalle even put me on hold breifly to give her husband (none other than Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age) a kiss goodbye. It was unbelievably cute. The entire interview is now posted over at Stereo Subversion. Check it out, here. 

Hurm

 

Cronch cronch cronch | Photo courtesy Watchmencomicmovie.com

Those of you who know me, know that one of my all-time favorite books is the classic Alan Moore-penned, Dave Gibbons-drawn graphic novel Watchmen. More than a mere superhero comic, Watchmen is crafted with intricacy and themes that oftentimes escape even traditional novelists. Yeah, its characters parade around in costumes, sometimes, but they also face the realities of impotence, living in the shadow of our parents, and the other myriad trials and tribulations that make up a life. They are real people (as far as fiction characters can be) and they live in a real world: what ours would be like had all those golden age super heroes been real, rather than colored inkblots on the printed page, for better...and for worse.

Seeing as the long-awaited film adaptation of the novel has finally become a reality, I have been following its press pretty religiously. Although I have certain beefs with adaptive changes that I won't spoil for anybody out there in blogland, I am still super stoked to see the film when it hits the silver screen on March 6th. That is, if it gets there.

Fox, who up until now had little-to-no interest in making a film of Watchmen, has sued Warner Bros. claiming it owns at least distribution rights to the film. I know, right?

Well, Watchmen producer Lloyd Levin has posted an open letter about the debacle via Hitfix. Despite Fox's obvious, according to Levin, early disinterest in the Watchmen film, one wonders why now, after the movie has been filmed, edited and is nearly ready to go, that studio would suddenly want a piece of the heavily-Warner Bros.-invested pie.

Isn't it obvious? 2008 was a knockout year for comic book films, most notably Iron Man and The Dark Knight. Both films were huge hits and critical successes. They starred actors, as does Watchmen, that had yet to really prove their worth as box office draws (What's the last chart topping Robert Downy, Jr. film?) and yet both films made bank. Had comic book adaptations not become the new Hollywood trend, you can bet that Fox would want no piece of the action.  Although one could also argue that neither would have Warner Bros., or at least that studio wouldn't have given as much leeway with the project as it has, the fact remains that Warner Bros. picked up the project back in 2005...when the biggest draw from the graphic medium was the Spider-man franchise (which didn't exactly star an A-lister at the time, either).

Oh, and don't forget that Zach Snyder, a virtual-unknown director at the time he was chosen for Watchmen, also spun Frank Miller's 300 into a mega-blockbuster film (also starring virtual unknowns, see a pattern here?).

The bottom line? Fox knows Watchmen will be huge, despite their reservations three years ago. Anyone afraid the film won't make it to screens come March is missing the point. Fox doesn't want to stop Watchmen, it just wants to reap the benefits. Besides, the best-looking comic film they have coming down the pipeline is Wolverine. Not exactly Watchmen caliber, is it?

Three films

After months of staying away from the Cinema, this week i've managed to settle into the cushy, rocking seats with oversized cup holders three times for three films. Here's a recap:

Sunday night, Regal Cinemas Atlantic Station:
GRAN TORINO
Rating: Awesomeness X 1,0000



In limited release until tomorrow, I was completely taken by surprise by the awesomeness of this film. Invited to tag along by a fabulous friend of mine, I admit that I had little interest in seeing this movie based upon the less-than-interesting TV spots I had seen. Boy, was I wrong.

Clint Eastwood, who also directs, plays his emotionally closed off curmudgeon to perfection, simultaneously grouchy and lovable despite the barrage of racial slurs coming from his mouth. More than just another movie about a kid and gang violence, Gran Torino examines the relationships that redefine family and bridge cultures and age--and it does it all without without being preachy (*cough* Crash *cough*). Hilarious and shocking, Gran Torino is a fantastic film and I have rarely been more pleased to be proven wrong.


Monday Evening: Regal Cinemas, Atlantic Station:
THE SPIRIT
Rating:  Move along, nothing to see here



Frank Miller, what happened? You are the mind behind Zach Snyder's 300 and Robert Rodriguez's Sin City. You are even responsible for reinventing Batman as The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan owes you big). So how could you make such a lackluster movie?

Instead of a kick-ass comic book flick, The Spirit is downright boring. Rodriguez knew how to adapt a comic book for the silver screen when he took Sin City bigtime back in 2005, but Miller clearly was thinking more like a comic book artist than a director, allowing for long scenes of little movement accompanied by long-winded monologues. Even could-be-awesome lines like "I'm gonna kill you all kinds of dead" could work under different circumstances, but amongst the rampant cheesiness these quotables are just cringe-inducing.

Visually the movie has several striking scenes, as expected from a writer-artist, however they feel like Sin City leftovers at best, and odd distractions at worst. Campy acting by the typically fabulous Scarlett Johansson and super-bad Samuel L. Jackson only draw further attention to the film's many miscalculations: odd product placements, awkward, lengthy flashbacks and, the biggest offender, updating The Spirit to present day and leaving his world devoid of color. In the lead role, Gabriel Macht is one highlight in an otherwise bland movie, but by the end of the film even he can't save the billionth she-is-the-city-and-I-am-her-spirit monologue. Ok, already, we get it.

Tuesday Afternoon: Regal Medlock Crossing:
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Rating: Cinderella's got nothing on this kid



An ode to all the little things we learn in a lifetime wrapped up in an unconventional love story, Slumdog Millionaire is an American fairy-tale set in India. Told mostly in flashback (and done well, unlike The Spirit), the film moves from hilarious moments to ones that are hard to watch, all of which weave together to create the present day scenario--a young man accused of cheating on India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. There's a lot of buzz and numerous accolades behind this film and they are all warranted. A fantastic premise and a fantastic director (Danny Boyle) have taken typical themes (boy-finds-girl, boy-loses-girl etc.) and reinvented them to recapture the magic that can only be found in movies. If you go see it, don't leave before the credits--what you see will put a huge smile on your face even if the ending doesn't make you as giddy as it did me.

Blast from the Past

 

Got empty wall space? We can help!

In an otherwise unsurprising article from the AP lamenting the further decline of album sales, I came across this awesome little nugget of information:

Ironically, as digital downloads grew, vinyl album sales also climbed. In 2008, more vinyl albums were purchased (1.88 million) than any other year since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.

According to the article, the biggest offenders were Radiohead’s In Rainbows (guilty as charged), The Beatles' Abbey Road and, strangely, Guns N’ Roses' Chinese Democracy.

But what’s causing this surge in vinyl consumption?  As purchasing music without any type of physical form seems to become more and more the norm, it seems strange that the largest and least convenient format for playing music is seeing a surge. One somewhat obvious answer is that the group most likely to still purchase music in a physical form are its most devout fans: the record collector.  Casual music listeners are content to purchase via iTunes (or, much more accurately, download their tunes for free online), but the rock music faithful still seek out hard to find CDs and vinyl records that provide that soothing hum as it spins on the turntable.

Second, vinyl is hip. Even if you don't have a record player, vinyl albums make for great wall decor. Urban Outfitters has been selling record album frames for the past several years, and even Hot Topic is in on the action, selling new vinyl albums for a variety of bands (including the Radiohead LP).

And therein lies one major answer: even with the album collectors and hipster decorators, the truth is that vinyl is more available today than it has been in decades. More bands are releasing new albums in the antiquated format, and more stores--like the aforementioned Hot Topic, Urban Outfitters and numerous independent record shops--are offering these versions for sale.

Oh, and many of these vinyl albums come with an added mp3 download of the album. How about that for the best of both worlds? I, for one, am sold.

Conundrum/Congratulations

Which came first, the music or the misery?  A famous question from Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity, many times the music is greater when the misery comes first. Some of the greatest, most heartfelt, honest songs and albums have grown from that pit-of-darkness, that inescapable sense of despair. Without it, artists like Elliott Smith, Radiohead and countless others never would have written the albums we love to hear and vent our own miseries to.

But what happens when these musicians take the Partridge Family’s lead and (gasp!) get happy? Bands like Aerosmith certainly took a turn for the worse after kicking their drug habits, but what about misery addition? What happens then? 

 

Zooey and Ben...Gettin' hitched!

Time will certainly tell for Ben Gibbard, the lonesome bard for Death Cab for Cutie. It will be interesting to see if the indie rocker’s repertoire will still consist of cleverly poetic, albeit unrequited, love songs as the shaggy haired frontman has recently become engaged to actress and She & Him chanteuse, Zooey Deschanel. 

Wipe your tears, though, indie boys. Deschanel may be off the market, but it may not mean the end of Gibbard's lonesome cries. Hopefully, though, it will lead to a guest spot on the band's next album, sickeningly cute though it may be. Misery or no, may this new mine produce even greater Death Cab fodder than that found on Narrow Stairs.

Fifty-two

Although in-person interviews are definitely the way to go, sometimes phone interviews certainly have their perks. This is definitely true for singer/songwriter and DIY pioneer Ari Hest. I had the pleasure of speaking with Hest twice this year, first in February for Stereo Subversion, and again in late October for the Sound Bites Dog E-zine and both times his surroundings made for some interesting conversation.

Ari Hest, rockin' DIY | Photo by Reid Rolls 

For the SBD interview, which recently went live, Hest called me up from one of my favorite places: The Container Store. Details, such as where the interviewee is calling from, can give a bit of a glimpse into that person’s life. Hest is obviously the type of guy who shops at The Container Store, a fun detail I was sad to leave out from the article.

Storage chatter aside, the real reason for the interview was to discuss his year-long project, entitled 52. One of my favorite stories from 2008, Hest sought to record and release one song for every week in the year. For those of you counting, that’s 52 songs for 52 weeks. Songs were then sold in a variety of formats via his website, either as a subscription, per song or in seasonal clusters. The best tracks from the year-long endeavor will be compiled for a proper album in 2009.

In some ways a continuation of the conversation he and I began earlier in 2008 over at Stereo Subversion, catching up with Hest for a Q&A for the Sound Bites Dog E-zine sated my curiosity for how well one of the year’s most interesting projects fared. Read all about it, here.

Fan Funded

No band or artist can survive for long making music without fans. It’s kind of a given. However, some bands are finding a new way to incorporate their fans into the recording process. Beyond studio diaries or exclusive studio videos, some independent artists are taking matters into their own hands: asking their fans to help fund their records.

It makes perfect sense. Who wants a band to put out a new album more than the fans? Nobody. Fans can “donate” money in exchange for prizes, which can include anything from a digital or physical copy of the CD, a thank you in the liner notes, or even a chance for the artist to play your living room.

Although joke-metal band Psychostick and pop singer/songwriter Jill Sobule (“Supermodel” from the Clueless soundtrack) raised funds via their own specially set up websites, Bandstocks.com offers artists, such as Patrick Wolf, the chance to, well, basically do the same thing..

The site is set up on a three-tier system. In the first stage fans can vote for bands they would like to have the opportunity to donate money towards. Fans (or “investors”) then donate money to bands or artists, like Wolf, who make it to round two. Then, once the needed amount is raised, albums get put into production and, in addition to getting a copy of the album and other perks, investors can even make a little bit of extra cash if the album does well.

The coolest thing about this new trend is that artists with a loyal fan base don’t have to wait for record labels to take interest anymore. Instead of depending on the labels to put up money for the album upfront, bands and artists can take their needs to the fans. Labels are very quickly becoming a thing of the past, and this is just one more option for struggling musicians to get their music heard.

A Spectacular Accident

The new issue of Athens Blur magazine hit stands last week, with my article on MGMT gracing the cover. Check it out:

 

The issue also features pieces I did on both the soft voiced Denison Witmer and long-lost pop punkers Sugarcult as well as a slurry of other awesomeness.  It's pretty, it's free and it's all over the Classic City. There's no excuse not to pick it up if you're in the area. 

I spoke with Ben Goldwasser for the article. He's a super fellow and much more down to earth than you might expect from one of the year's biggest buzzed bands (need proof? They topped Filter's Top 10 of 2008!).  It's rare to find musicians as shocked at success as Goldwasser and partner-in-crime Andrew Vanwyngarden. 

In other news, the January issue of Blur is shaping up to be great as well.  Just finished up a Q&A with Mike Kennerty of the All-American Rejects and should be chatting up The Bird and The Bee later this week.

Until next time, stay classy, blogosphere.