Tuesday Can't Come Soon Enough...

Watch "Fitz and The Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work It Out" on YouTube

Ever since they performed at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame this past summer, I have been noshing heavily on soul band Fitz & the Tantrums. It's not hard to understand why; this band is an aural dream with funky bass, sultry sax, solid drums, and a vocal marriage between the voices of Fitz & Noelle.

Throw a little tambourine in there every once and again and you're set.

My point? If you didn't buy tickets to their SOLD OUT show at the Beachland on November 15th, you are seriously missing out.

My condolences, loves.

Soulful Tunes with a Southern Charm...

It's Tuesday and I have a case of the Mondays. It's annoying. I'm trying to get stuff done, but I'm doing a really good job of looking busy while really I'm just perusing Youtube and Facebook.


UGH.


One thing I thankfully stumbled upon on Youtube was these videos:










The Head and The Heart are coming to Cleveland next Sunday. Beachland Ballroom. 8pm. $15. If you enjoy soulful tunes that evoke all those emotions you were sure you'd ditched, you'll love this.


In fact, you'll love this anyways. With its clever blend of violins, gentle guitars, and lush piano...you just can't go wrong.


I'd say this band is in the same vein as locals The Lighthouse and the Whaler or Humble Home. So, if you like those bands, you'll probably like this one. 

An Adventure in Hospitality...

A small disclaimer prior to this review: As a band, if you state you're going to guest list someone who is attending to review your show, you should probably be aware that it is fairly important to give the guest list to the doorman.


I showed up for the Heavy Pets show on Thursday, told the doorman I should be on the list, to which he responded, "I don't have a list". Thankfully, I keep a paper trail and showed him the email from the band's publicist, to which he responded, "Oh, this is a jam band. They're disorganized. They leave their shit all over the floor around the stage, they don't start on time, and they don't remember they have a guest list. It's not a big deal."


So, bands, if you're going to invite someone to review you, please be organized enough to not make their first experience (walking in the door) frustrating.


That said, I was pretty impressed with what I heard in soundcheck (at 8:24, when doors opened at 8).


First band was called The Evil Elite. It was a four piece in which the drummer doubled as lead vocals (very classic rock sound), guitarist insisted on screaming, keys were being violently bashed and the bassist looked like he may have been sleeping.


I was totally judging those guys before they took the stage. I'm prone to judge if a group of twenty-something guys if they're all sporting matching tees/jeans. I mean, seriously, this brought up (blocked) memories from the 90s when boy bands were central focus.


Gross.


Although, I do not remember BSB wearing matching skeleton tees.


Furthermore, what's the deal with the road manager for The Heavy Pets running sound? Considering his inability to deliver a guest list to the door man, you can understand my skepticism.


So, the Evil Elite start off in *gasp* A MINOR KEY. The guitar's turned up too much, kid on keys is going to get an abuse charge slapped on him if he doesn't stop hitting her like that, and honestly, I WANT MORE BASS.


Perhaps it is jam band protocol to start out with instrumental tunes. Maybe they do this frequently. What the hell do I know? All I know is they did that and now they're covering Benny & the Jets?


Alright...positivity...um...I like that this band is set up differently than usual. I like that the frontman is the drummer.


Thing is, the vocal talent of the drummer, who perhaps is particularly keen at mimicry, is quite literally drowned out by the guitarist screaming. Someone get this kid some meds and chill him out. Although, turns out, the kid CAN solo. He's got fast hands.


The drummer's got great time and when these kids jam out, I get it. Had I bought a ticket, I'd probably be miffed, but since I didn't, I'm kind of just over it.


Finally, The Heavy Pets took the stage. It was formulaic: lay down something, sing, jam the fuck out. What feels right about it all is the funky keyboard lines, the bass...


The major difference here is, I feel like THP understands theoretically the music that they're writing...they understand the genres from which they're pulling influence.


One tune (I apologize for not knowing the title of) was sung by the man on keys. That tune was gold. It was bluesy and wonderful and memorable. I kind of want to scour their discography to figure out what it was called...

A Ship Docked: The Lighthouse and the Whaler Return to Cleveland

The following is a show review from 9/18. Enjoy!

September 18th marked the first hometown show that local faves, The Lighthouse and The Whaler, were set to play. There was supposedly a national act they were opening for, but I'll never know what band that was; the national act cancelled. Thankfully, the show went on, with the bill being rounded out by two more local acts, Rob Geer and Humble Home.

I've never heard Rob play out. I went to high school with him, I've listened (briefly) to his music...but I had never been at a show he was playing. The Rob I remember from high school was sort of a scene kid. I remember his hair being shaggy, his jeans being too tight, and a guitar being his companion when his skateboard was not. Maybe I remember him wrong. What I heard when he took the stage was the vocal styling of Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump with less tonal integrity and heavier guitars. I didn't think I would be impressed and sadly, I was right. 

There was an occasional guitar lick I really liked, but there really wasn't anything interesting that would make me pick up an album. Like I said, it's been done- only better- by a band I listened to in my formative years.

The bassist, however, did do some really beautiful things. 

I'll say this: Rob was brazen enough to cover 'Skinny Love' by Bon Iver and I was QUITE impressed with his rendition of it. It had more of an alt-rock feel, which was authentic to what style he probably indentifies with, and his falsetto was gorgeous. 

Mad props on that, sir.

Next to take the stage was The Lighthouse and The Whaler. I was excited to see my friends take the stage in their first show since recording at Bear Creek. 

Call me a broken record, but what I find most remarkable about this band is their energy. Whether that's Michael dancing it out, Stephen's fancy feet, Mark's signature head bob or Matthew singing from the top of his lungs behind the set- it's always beautiful. It's always sincere. Organic.

This show was no different. Most notably, I'd like to point out their tune, 'The Adriatic'. I really love the group vocals on it, the exposed violins, their harmonies...It's just gorgeous. 

The other thing about this band that I can't wrap my mind around is their versatility, the ease in which they navigate around the stage, playing different instruments for each tune. It's just so natural for them. 

The lyrics, harmonies that conjure up thoughts of a childhood Sundays spent in church,  their humble nature, the flow of energy from one man in the next, the apparent brotherhood... all these things coalesce seamlessly. 

It is breath-taking, the juxtaposition of light, carefree music with the weighted solemnity of other songs. So much love for this band.

Closing was Humble Home. As a Cleveland music enthusiast, I'm ashamed to admit I have never heard these guys play a full set. Last time they played with TLATW, I was late. We'll call it fashionably late, as if that excuses it, but still...I think I walked in halfway through the last tune last show. 

That said (and apology implied), I am THRILLED to have caught their set this time. This band is mellow and dark in all the ways that TLATW are upbeat and light. 

The opening tune was of a parred down beauty- think Bon Iver with a thicker chordal structure, heavier guitars, and the same haunted melodies. 

If you haven't heard these dudes, check out 'Wallpaper' or 'Money'. 

All these demons, they keep me up all night...

I can't sleep. My mind is spinning. I've been wondering lately what it is that triggers certain songs to play in one's head. I keep waking up to music and then realizing it's an internal thing. It's strange.

Maybe someone needs to find a way to study this neurologically. Stick some mind probes on my head.

I'm rambling.

Anyhow, what you want to know:

- I've got three good interviews to throw at you this week (The Heavy Pets, Shivering Timbers & All Dinosaurs);
- I'm editor of the Vinyl District Cleveland. I need writers.
- I'm in need of some rad band posters.

Okay, that last factoid you didn't need, but...seriously. hook a sister up with some posters.

Unwanted, but necessary hiatus...

My apologies, friends, but it seems life got in the way for a bit there, no? I'm back now. Perhaps back moreso than ever. I've gotten through the move to the new apartment, we have wireless, and I have a lot to say. 


Foremost, let's talk about what I'm stoked about in September:

• September 8th: Coney Island Road Show. 9p. Beachland Ballroom. $7.
• September 9th: Friends. Extra Medium Pony. Sunspots. 9p. Beachland Ballroom. $8.
• September 12th: The Lonely Forest. Two Door Cinema Club. Bombay Bicycle Club. 7p. Beachland Ballroom. $18.
• September 14th: High Castle. Bandname. The Hobs. The Ground is Lava. Now That's Class. FREE.
• September 15th: Royal Headache. Bed Wettin' Bad Boys. Neighborhood Rats. 9p. Now That's Class. $5.
• September 18th: The Ragbirds. JP & the Chatfield Boys. 8p. Beachland Ballroom. $10.
• September 20th: CLASSICAL REVOLUTION. @ the Happy Dog. 
• September 22nd: The Heavy Pets. 9p. Beachland Ballroom. $10.
• September 23rd: Megachurch. All Dinosaurs. Sistered. Verma. @ the Happy Dog.
• September 24th: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Big Troubles. 8:30p. Beachland Ballroom. $13.
• September 25th: Marnie Stern. No Joy. Cloud Nothings. @ the Happy Dog.
• September 29th: One Day's Notice. Tripod City. iPhonic. 8p. House of Blues. $8.
• September 30th: Yuck. Porcelain Raft. 8p. Grog Shop. $10.

Yup. If you want to hang, those are probably the shows you should show up to. I know I'll be there. :P 

ALT to Strike Out on Solo Tour; Taurus to Release Album!

ALT frontin' the Madison Square Gardeners @ Beachland Ballroom in CLE

There’s this band from NY that my ears have been noshing on for some time now. I know them as the Madison Square Gardeners, but a few of the band members also play in a band called Taurus which is dropping an album *right now* and embarking on a tour. Lead singer, Aaron Lee Tasjan will also be droppin’ an album this fall and embarking on tour.

When these cats were in town, I had a chance to sit down with ALT to talk a little bit about chasin’ girls to Boston, makin’ rock & roll in the big Apple, and his general badassedry. Yep, this dude’s so legit one must make up words to describe him.

AP: Aaron, you’re from Ohio originally, went to Berklee for college. What took you out to Boston?

ALT: Yeah, for 6 months. Um…a girl. I was living in Ohio, moved to Edgewater NJ, this girl that I was dating went to BU, I decided to move to Boston to see what was going on in her dorm room…which was a lot of good stuff. Then I moved back to Ohio.

AP:What were you studying?
ALT: No major, I had a scholarship to play guitar there. That’s what I was supposed to be doing.

AP:How’d you end up in NY?
ALT:Well, basically, I had started this band when I moved back to Ohio from Boston, called Autumn under Echoes, and that band was very fun but super short-lived. Country-punk band, the aesthetic was a get up there, bash it out kind of thing. That band broke up and it was right around then that I met this kid named Justin who was a singer, a really great singer and he told me he wanted to start a rock band. And he and I started Semi-Precious Weapons together. I sort of pretended like I still lived in NY to be in the band…drove there, turned around and came back to Ohio. Stayed on Justin’s couch, for like three years…we had a really great time in that band and as we got more and more serious and were getting record deals, I all of a sudden was really young and had a decision to make, and I could tell if I decided to be in that band it was going to take up a lot of my time. I loved the people in it, but I wasn’t sure it was the kind of music I wanted to be doing. It was rock & roll, but not the kind I wanted to be doing.

AP:Where’d you meet all these cats?
ALT:Some of them are from Ohio as well, we all met when we moved to NY. Bryn was in Roseanne Cash, Mark was playing in Ben Kweller’s band, Rob was playing with Justin Townes Earle.

It was just more for fun, then it became more serious when I started writing songs for the band. Then I wrote some songs, one about a lesbian that we’ll never live down, apparently, that was alright.

I love getting up everyday and making this kind of music. Makes me really excited and happy. I feel very fortunate to be doing it. I’m taking a longer time to make a career, but I’m doing it on my own terms. That’s the new motto for songwriters.

AP: Where’s everyone else hail from?
ALT: John is from Westerville, Rich is from Terrytown NY, Mark is from Galeon, Rob is from E. Canton, Bryn is from Canada. He’s always speaking French to us.

AP: The first time I heard you guys I got this really bluesy, nostalgic rock ‘n roll vibe. How would you describe your sound?

ALT: I like that. That’s totally accurate, I think. We’re not really a band- I guess I’m not really a songwriter- that just does the same thing over and over again. I’ve been really interested in really developing and going as far out with things as I can. So, our band has kind of grown up in front of everybody’s eyes…I think at the root of it I’m really just a huge music fan. There’s certain kind of musicians, like Rich, Blake Mills, and you just hear them play and you’re like, “Oh my God, these guys are amazing musicians.” I’ve done nothing my entire life but listen to records and imagine myself in that band…Rolling Stones, Beatles, Birds, T-rex, Tom Petty & Heartbreakers. Oasis. It’s just basically that stuff…

Deerhoof, Grizzly Bear…I’d rather listen to Damn the Torpedoes 25 times in a row, then that. Not because their music isn’t good, but because that’s what made me do it. It’s like people in relationships, like that first girl you fall in love with…you never forget.

If you’re not scaring yourself, you’re not doing enough.

AP: So, you’re working on a four EP project. When will you be releasing the 4th EP?

ALT: That is a fine question. We’re trying to figure that out. The rest of them have been so constant, every three/four months we’ve been putting out one. Up against a time constraint, there’s some tours that a couple of other people in the band have that are going to involve them for a while…I’m going out to LA to make a solo record, then tour and put it out this fall.

There’s a whole big spiel with some vinyl after that. It’ll be worth the wait, I hope. I feel like the last one was our strongest. Not that we’re resting on laurels, but we can take some time off and think about making something really great that’ll make people happy.

AP: When you guys write, how do you approach the process? Is it more of a trial and error, or does someone in particular usually bring something to the table and say, make it happen?

ALT: Most of the time, I write & demo, send it out to everybody. I leave it up to the band to come up with their part. They all do their own thing with it. We’ve tried, we’ve made an honest effort in our band to have it be as democratic as possible, that’s obviously pretty difficult thing to do. And when you just happen to have a band full of people involved in so many different things…I am genuinely interested in what everyone’s idea are. That’s a lot of what makes a band a band. I think obviously, the Beatles are a remarkable band, like John Lennon’s rhythm guitar part on All my Lovin’… it just wouldn’t have sounded like that if he hadn’t played it like that.

AP: Do you guys play in a lot of other groups or is MSG it?
We play or have played with Butch Walker, Anna Eggy, Justin Townes Earle, Roseanne Cash, Dar Williams, and a couple of us play in Taurus.

AP: Do you have any challenges playing together?

ALT: Yes, we do, actually! We come across challenges. I think the biggest is finding a place for everybody to fit in sometimes. Especially with 3 guitar players in the band. All challenges are certainly not without their frustrations, but at the end of the day, I think it makes you be a better musician, forces you to think about things you wouldn’t have to think about otherwise. About your playing, others’ playing. Good to stretch yourself.

AP: Who are you digging on musically nowadays?

ALT: Favorite: Joe Pugg. I don’t think there’s anybody who is a better folk singer than Joe Pugg. BP Fallon. I think he’s a real poet, he’s the real deal. The Tallest Man on Earth, Delta Spirit from San Diego, Dawes, Blake Mills, phenomenal. That Breaking Mirrors record was incredible. JP Olsen. The Dead Weather. Really liked that first Dead Weather album, Horehound.

For more information on Aaron Lee Tasjan’s solo tour, check out: www.myspace.com/swigtooth