The Decemberists/Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames @ Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL, 09/30/09

Night two of our eventful excursion to Orlando brought us to The Decemberists on their "A Short Fazed Hovel" tour, an anagram (oh, aren't they clever) of "The Hazards of Love", which is, of course, their long-awaited release from earlier this year.

Sadly, the venue didn't allow cameras, so I have no photographs to share with you of what was a truly phenomenal experience. On discovering exactly what I was heading in to see, i.e., a full play-through of the latest album, I have to admit I was a little disappointed. There are too many older songs that I would like to hear more, I thought, but oh, was I ever wrong.



The full theatrical performance of The Hazards of Love was massive, intense, moving. It melded everything I could want from theatre, musical theatre and a straight-up rock concert. Bringing along Becky Stark from Lavender Diamond and Shara Worden from My Brightest Diamond to voice the parts they created on the album was absolutely essential and nothing less than inspired.



Perhaps that's the way things can be now, in an era where music seems to happen so fast, where so many new albums are released every week; the internet allowing near-limitless expansion while the street stores dwindle away to nothing. Perhaps that allows the artists more time and flexibility to take a break from their day jobs and go on tour with another band entirely. Lucky for us.


Sometime during the course of the "first act," I became convinced that Colin Meloy must have sold his soul to the devil. How else, how else? How else, indeed. Act two, on the other hand, perhaps unsurprisingly, seemed to be primarily about blowing off steam. They played some fun songs ("Billy Liar", "The Chimbley Sweep", "The Sporting Life", "O Valencia!") and the banter was unstoppable.

The highlight BY FAR was when Becky and Shara returned to the stage during the encore for a scintillating cover of Heart's "Crazy On You", and then they closed it out with a lovely albeit disconsolate rendition of "Sons & Daughters". So, if there are shows left to be had, if "A Short Fazed Hovel" is coming to your town or a town near you, I highly recommend that you attend.



It would be unfair of me to fail to mention Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames. I have to admit that I was so excited by the prospect of the upcoming--my first--Decemberists show and so off-put by what I took to be Ms. Veirs' faux-awkward-and-shy/Liz-Phair-esque demeanor that I failed completely to appreciate exactly what was going on on stage vis-a-vis the opening act.

Yet, somehow, thanks to the Resident Photographer, we managed to walk out of Hard Rock Live that night with signed copies of her 2005 release, "Year of Meteors", and the upcoming "July Flame", scheduled for release in early 2010. And, you know what, the albums have grown on me. They're pretty darn "tight," if you will, as expressed by one of the Flames. So, if you haven't already, give the girl with the pigtails and the guitar a chance, would you?

Frightened Rabbit/the Twilight Sad/We Were Promised Jetpacks @ The Social, Orlando, FL, 09/29/09

It's awfully tricky to get to live shows when one lives in a veritable cultural wasteland, but we make the effort from time to time, and this was one of those times. The Resident Photographer and I trekked up to Orlando recently for a two-night stand with some of our latest favorite and enduring favorite and entirely new favorite bands. Night one was Frightened Rabbit, fronted by Scott Hutchison, pictured below:

Like many, I fell madly in love with Frightened Rabbit's sophomore album, The Midnight Organ Fight, last year (I'm pretty sure Andy Whitman at Paste Magazine can be blamed for that, click through and read #5 on his personal list of top albums of 2008), and, recognizing that this may be the peak of the band's career, especially after picking up their somewhat less than stunning initial offering Sings the Greys, I felt it was imperative to get up there and see them NOW, and boy did it pay off. The live renditions of songs that I have grown to love were filled with even more passion and fire than the studio tracks. (This should always be true, but it is not always true.)


The Social proved to be an excellent venue, with nary a bad seat in the house. Even when occupying prized real estate at the bar, I was only ten rows away from the stage. I counted.

Opening for Frightened Rabbit were label-mates the Twilight Sad. I had read some recent buzz about them, and was excited to see them, but ultimately, they were not really my bag. I remember seeing Mogwai in the late '90's and being somewhat underwhelmed - I recognize that it's not them, it's me - and the Twilight Sad certainly falls into that post-Shoegaze, Mogwai-born category.

Opening for the Twilight Sad were label-mates We Were Promised Jetpacks. I found them to be a little rough around the edges, but The Resident Photographer has not stopped playing their album since we got home.

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Keeping Warm

Apparently it was the last night of the joint tour, and you could tell that the majority of the band members were sad about it. There was a lot of love in the room, some of it from the bands' family members, and we were told several times that the boys were all heading to Islands of Adventure the next day, heck, we even saw a few of them there while waiting for the Laura Veirs/Decemberists show to begin ... but that's a subject for another post ...

ETA: evidence that i might be wrong about that flash-in-the-pan assessment

The Decemberists just wanna use your love tonight

Ok, so this cover is about five years old, yet it's totally new to me. Decemberists' guitar player Chris Funk finally steals center stage away from Mr. Meloy and sings the crap out of a song that is pretty much impossible to fuck up. You know the one that goes "I just wanna use your love tonight, I don't wanna lose your love toniiiiiiight". Yeah that one.

I think Chris Funk should just hit the road as a one-man-80s-one-hit-wonder cover band. That'd be way more epic than The Hazards of Love. Just sayin'

The banter at the end is also hilarious, but I don't want to give anything away so just listen for yourself.

Your Love (The Outfield cover) - The Decemberists

We took the longest shower ever yesterday.

Our Zoop II review is coming, we promise.
But while we're still in the process of decompressing check out our reviews of The Decemberists at Radio City Music Hall and Band of Horses at Carnegie Hall(!) (see above photo). We get all pheklempt seeing our favorite indie bands play such historic venue. My how they've grown up!

The Wanting Comes in Waves/ Repaid - The Decemberists
The Funeral - Band of Horses

The "Hazards" of Rock Operas

(As originally written by me for Crawdaddy)

The Decemberists have always been more opera than rock. Their songs have frequently featured intricate plots, with often tragic endings. The music itself is also cinematic in scope veering on the theatrical and/or orchestral. On The Hazards of Love, the opera part of the equation is indeed present, but more significantly so is the rock.

For those of you who haven’t read the press release, here’s the plot in the nutshell. A pregnant girl named Margaret journeys through the woods looking for her lover William and in the process is confronted with shape-shifting animals, a forest queen and a nefarious rake. The story is characteristically complicated and is essentially standard fare coming from a band known for crafting a discography of their own lore and mythology.

It’s easy to get caught up in the convoluted, occasionally incomprehensible details. You’re not likely to follow the story arc unless you give the album your undivided attention, as the narrative is as dense as forest the characters inhabit. So if the myriad of thesaurus-worthy lyrics isn’t the first thing you notice upon first listen, what will be? Undoubtedly, the music.

Never before have the Decemberists quite indulged in their prog-rock tendencies as they do on Hazards. While they have exercised the occasional muscular riff before, particularly on The Tain EP, past efforts merely acted as a foot in the water. Now they’ve jumped headfirst into the pool. While this shift in sound shouldn’t come as a total surprise it is still a little jarring, especially for those who prefer the music closer to the band’s folksy roots.

The near metal assault (yeah I said metal) of “The Queen’s Rebuke/ The Crossing” is unnerving at first. While “Wont Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)" totally cops a couple of chords from Radiohead’s “Punch Up at a Wedding”, which admittedly is a pretty damn good song to mimic. However the relentlessness of such prog-folk meanderings does come off at times as self-indulgent. Sometimes its best for a band to stick to what it does best and in the Decemberists case, that’s melody – something there isn’t quite enough of over this hour-long romp in the woods.

Ironically, the best tracks are the ones that work just as well devoid of narrative context. “The Wanting Comes in Waves/ Repaid” features a swelling chorus that resounds with intense yearning. It’s a romantic sentiment that even those of us not roaming an enchanted forest in search of lost lovers can relate to. The reprise is especially gorgeous and intricately orchestral. “Annan Water” which is equally sentimental, is one of the folksier numbers, reminiscent of the band’s earlier material. Best of all is the scrappy “The Rake’s Song” which describes the rascal’s back-story as a lascivious lover and murderous father. It’s a delightfully catchy character study, something the band has long excelled at since the days of “Leslie Anne Levine”.

Among the other aspects of this album that work best: the guest vocals. Should he ever quit his day job, Colin Meloy should most certainly take on work as a casting director. My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden absolutely slays her role as forest queen. Her howling wail actually sounds better over Meloy’s heavier arrangements then on her own band’s more ethereal material. Her voice, like her royal forest domain is a force of nature to be reckoned with, which almost makes you feel a little bad for Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark, who voices doe-eyed innocent Margaret. Stark’s girly coo is perfect for her role as well, although she can’t help but be overshadowed by her more majestic counterpart.

Overall, Hazards marks another strong entry in the Decemberists’ oeuvre. Forgiving its flaws and occasional overindulgence, the band should be applauded for it continual ambitions. It becomes remarkably clear after listening to their latest album that they undoubtedly won’t relent anytime soon.

The Rake's Song - The Decemberists

Caroling with the Decemberists

OK, so, I feel slightly guilty for posting this, BUT it's just too fun not to share. Colin Meloy and Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists sing a couple of impromptu Christmas carols at a private holiday benefit held by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, but oh look what happens when Colin spots the camera...

Top 26 Songs of 2008 (Jess Edition, Part 1)

Here's my list of fave songs of the year. Stay tuned for the other gals' lists of songs. And then check back at the end of the month for our cumulative top albums list.

26. Mykonos – Fleet Foxes
This is the song that convinced that Fleet Foxes were waaaaay more then Grizzly Bear-lite. Swelling harmonies and tribal rhythms rarely sound this compelling.

25.Run (I'm a Natural Disaster) – Gnarls Barkley
It’s all in the little “woos” and “las”. Simultaneously menacing and dizzyingly fun.

24. Slapped Actress – The Hold Steady
With this song, The Hold Steady finally managed to become epic. Massive crescendos, lots of “woah woah woah-ing” and Craig Finn’s as-always urgent delivery work in perfect unison.

23. Pieces of You – Islands
Ultra-bouncy and deceptively intricate song that bubbles its way into full-fledged orchestral grandeur.

22. Another Day – Jamie Lidell
The sunniest single Motown never released (by a British white boy, no less).

21. Too Drunk to Dream – The Magnetic Fields
The title says it all –a bitingly witty (and boozy) ode to my two favorite verbs.

20. Chasing Pavements – Adele
While most of the British neo-soul songstress’ debut album errs a bit on the sleepy side for my taste, this song just explodes once it hits the chorus. Heartbreak rarely sounds as bombastic as it feels.

19. The Crook of My Good Arm –Pale Young Gentlemen
Theatrical crooning, a clanging bell and one of the catchiest choruses I’ve heard all year (RUN! RUN!) make for an awesomely frantic song - from a damn-underappreciated band at that.

18. Dying is Fine – Ra Ra Riot
e. e. cummings’ poetry and rocking cello make for an epic combination.

17. Heart of Chambers – Beach House
Victoria Legrand, oh my, your voice! Oh my, this song! Where does it come from? I’m thinking it’s gotta be from some otherworldly realm where Nico and woozy organ drones collided to form a black hole of exponential melancholy.

16. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear (Live on Letterman)
It’s a bit more sprightly then their usual hazy-as-codeine sound. And by that I mean it has a lot of bouncy keyboards. Yet it still retains the haunting-as-fuck aesthetic of anything they’ve ever recorded. In other words, it’s the sound of a group howling at the moon while dancing in its light.

15. Raincoat Song – The Decemberists
Songs about rain and loneliness are by no means a rare thing and Colin Meloy manages to breathe a breath of fresh air into the fowl weather canon with a sparse acoustic melody and wistful lyricism. “You sleep like a spinster and you’re twenty-eight/ you’ve been thinking late, you couldn’t catch a cold” Sadly, some of can relate.

14. Id Engager – Of Montreal
Sure the album, was a bit choppy (and let’s face it, nothing’s gonna top last year’s Hissing Fauna) BUT we’re talking about songs here and as far as songs go, you don’t much more audaciously sexually playful then this (unless of course you’re Prince). Kevin Barnes coos out from a jungle of swooping synths and a self-proclaimed “phalocentric tyranny”. Baby, I’ll play with you any day!

Stay tuned for the final 13 songs later in the week...

The Decemberists @ Terminal 5, NYC 11/5/08

Is it funny to say that the most patriotic I've ever felt was at a concert? Because The Decemberists' show yesterday, better known as President Elect Obama: Day 1, was one of the most joyous, collective celebrations of hopefulness I've had the priveledge of experiencing. Chanting a call-and-response refrain of "Yes We Can" and "Yes We Did" along with 3,000 others during the particularly timely "16 Military Wives" seemed a euphorically aptway to commemorate such an historic occasion. "America says its so!" Indeed! Later on Obama himself (ok, a cardboard cut-out, not like the actual president-to-be) made an appearance and even crowd-surfaced. He's super-cool like that.

The best prop of the night, however, had to be a peacock feather someone in the front row handed to Colin Meloy. I mean, who doesn't bring a peacock feather to a rock show?? It's like totally the new hipster accessory of choice. Meloy being the master improv showman that he is used it to violently strum his guitar in full rock-god style. Because all the best rock-gods sing about Victorian era chimney sweeps.



Set highlights included:
New single: Valerie Plame mp3
Fleetwood Mac covers?! Dreams mp3
and the yet to be released, but beautifully melancholic: Raincoat Song mp3

(All photos taken by me or good friend Deb)

Happy Mother's Day

Send her a card, or hey, better yet, make her a mix of all things maternal:

• Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Happy Mother's Day.m4a
  
• Neutral Milk Hotel - Mother (live with Chris Knox).mp3
  
• Beulah - Your Mother Loves You Son.m4a
  
• Voxtrot - Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives.mp3
  
• Jeff Buckley - Mama You've Been On My Mind (Bob Dylan cover).mp3
  
• The Decemberists - My Mother Was A Famous Trapeze Artist.mp3
  
• The Knife - We Share Our Mother's Health.mp3
  
• Elliott Smith - Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?.mp3
  
• Kanye West - Hey Mama.mp3
  
• Sufjan Stevens - Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For Your Stepmother!.mp3
  
• Willie Nelson - Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.mp3
  
• The Beatles - Your Mother Should Know.mp3
  
• Paul Simon - Mother and Child Reunion.mp3
  
• Tori Amos - Mother.mp3
  
• John Lee Hooker - Mama, You Got A Daughter.mp3
  
• Neil Halstead - Two Stones In My Pocket.mp3
  

(Your mother's arms will keep you safe, however you may be)

Apology Accepted

As you've probably heard by now, The Decemberists have cancelled their "Long and Short of It Tour" due to a member's illness, rendering thousands of people's concert-going weekend plans in disarray, yours truly included. Get better, undisclosed member of The Decemberists!

Two days before this disappointing announcement Wakey! Wakey! somewhat aptly (and precognitively) released a cover version of "Apology Song" as a part of their 10-week series of free downloadable covers. It's pretty damn awesome. Maybe it will hold you over until the next Decemberists tour? In the meantime, try and catch Wakey! in a town near you.
Apology Song - Wakey! Wakey! (Decemberists Cover)
Go Your Own Way - The Decemberists & Death Cab For Cutie (Fleetwood Mac cover)

Videos of The Decemberists @ WWU, Bellingham, WA, 05/05/07

This was the Cinco De Mayo show held in Western Washington University's red square (no, not like the one in Moscow). Fortunately these folks had decent weather. My Brightest Diamond opened (I'm still trying to dig something up of them). Here's some videos passed on by fellow alumni* who were fortunate enough to be in attendance (I tell ya, tickets were impossible to get).

Classic Rock Soundcheck! About two minutes in they play "Sweet Home Alabama." I always thought that song was lacking in accordion. Good thing Meloy and company rectify that:


Sixteen Military Wives:


Sons and Daughters:


The Crane Wife 2:


*Special thanks to Lisa for her videos!