Interview: Seabear
If you haven’t had a chance to hear Seabear, drop everything and go purchase their new LP. Aptly titled We Built A Fire, it’s the perfect album to keep you warm on a chilly night. With its lush arrangements and soothing vocals, you can’t help but be whisked away to “Seabearia” on a wave of trumpets, strings, and pianos.
Sindri Már Sigfússon is the creative force behind the Icelandic band’s beautiful melodies and heartfelt lyrics. He took some time out from mixing the new album for his solo project, Sin Fang Bous, to answer some questions for us. Continue reading…
Record Store Day: Is It Already That Time of Year Again?
Tomorrow marks what’s becoming, in some ways, more inevitable than death and taxes (the latter of which, in my case, are now officially delinquent). Yup, Record Store Day is again upon us. (more…)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band Plays Birch North Park Tonight
Photo credit: Getty Images
As part of its mission to celebrate the “art form of New Orleans Jazz,” the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will perform at The Birch North Park Theatre tonight.
In my mind, there are really only two ways to see them — either at the real Preservation Hall in New Orleans, where jazz was born — or at a place like Birch, a restored theater originally built in 1928, when “America’s only art form” was young. (more…)
Langhorne Slim to Play Casbah, M-Theory Instore Tonight (MP3s)
Kemado Records singer/songwriter Langhorne Slim has a bit of talent. (more…)
The Paddle Boat – I Wonder if the Water Ever Tires of the Sea? (Review)
When The Paddle Boat first began to play shows in San Diego, no one knew quite what to make of them. Their hushed aesthetic tended to be too quiet for bars and their century-spanning influences too diverse for easy categorization, but the band nevertheless built a reputation as one of the city’s finest live acts. Seasoned performers though they might be, the band’s recorded output has until now been sparse, consisting of only the four songs from the self-titled EP they released earlier this year.
In its eleven brief minutes, the EP demonstrated that The Paddle Boat were able to flourish within the recorded idiom, utilizing savvy production to add dimension to their already rich sound. But it remained to be seen how the band would fare over the course of an entire album. Now, the group has released I Wonder if the Water Ever Tires of the Sea?, their full-length debut and the true test of whether The Paddle Boat can be as enthralling a recorded band as they are a live one. (more…)
Halloweening It Without Jeopardizing Your Indie Cred (An O&B How-To)
Call it Halloween, call it the day after Devil’s Night (if you’re a fan of The Crow), call it the day before All Saints Day (that’s for all you Catholics out there), or just call it a pain in the ass. Like it or not, it’s time to dress up. Whether fun or a chore, it’s more important than it seems, and wearing the wrong costume can be disastrous. The right costume, however, will not only get you through the night unscathed, but it could also do wonders for upping your rep. Most important, not wearing a costume is not really an option. You’ll be viewed as Halloween’s equivalent to Scrooge. Going to a Halloween party sans costume is like not dancing to a band that moves you. Don’t be a dick. Wear a costume. Dance. (more…)
Tom Waits is the Devil (Links)
Owl and Bear contributor Marty responds to our post highlighting Califone’s Pitchfork review “While I like much of what Mr. Tangari says, I respectfully disagree that Califone has but one song to sing…[Funeral Singers] perfects the Califone project with more than subtle variations on the whole Califone/Red Red Meat oeuvre.” Flavorwire interviews Califone Hear what band leader (and filmmaker) Tim Rutili has to say about pairing visuals to songs, working with cult film star Angela Bettis, and more. Tom Waits is the devil At 59, Tom Waits has finally landed the role he was born to play: the devil. Former Beulah frontman Miles Kurosky plans solo disc After releasing beloved albums like 1999′s When Your Heartstrings Break and 2001′s The Coast Is Never Clear, Beulah broke up, and we haven’t heard from them since. Noah and the Whale’s gear stolen “I used that guitar for everything. I used that guitar to record the album…that’s my guitar. I feel like a part of my personality has been removed. It defines so much about the stuff we do, the way that stuff sounds.” Music video for “The Ruminant Band” by the Fruit Bats The Ruminant Band is out now on Sub Pop Records. The psychosocial complexities of ‘Mr. Ed’ When you blaze through an entire season’s worth of TV episodes all at once, some things stick out a little more plainly than they otherwise might. With Mister Ed’s first season, released on DVD today, this truth emerges: that horse is obnoxious. The different kinds of strangers (video) Featuring fake Philip Seymour Hoffman. Daniel Martin Moore: “Flyrock Blues” (Daytrotter MP3) I can’t get enough of “Flyrock Blues”, a coal mining song by the SubPop folkster Daniel Martin Moore.
Why Facebook is Sooooo Gonna Get You Fired (Links)
Fahrenheit 451 in Comic-Book Form As the end time for printed books draws near, Fahrenheit 451, the 1953 novel that envisioned it all, has just been published as a graphic novel. New Coen Brothers Short Film World Cinema has finally found its way onto YouTube. Tom Waits Terrifies in Parnassus Trailer Tom Waits plays Satan in Terry Gilliam’s forthcoming film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Beyond Belief The comedy scene has become the latest arena for the God debate. A new wave of irreverent, atheist stand-ups are taking on the rise of religion. Why Facebook is Sooooo Gonna Get You Fired Even more dangerous than friending your parents on Facebook? Friending a) your boss and b) the cubicle-mate you kinda can’t stand. Errol Morris: Seven Lies About Lying I had an example from the Bible, specifically about Jacob and his 12 sons. The Nine Eyes of Google Street View Never hiding its presence, but never announcing its arrival, the Street View vehicle is a systematic pursuer of fleeting moments.
Why So Modest? (Video)
In January, it will have already been two years since Heath Ledger died. And as much as the world continues to miss him, that loss is eased somewhat by the continued unveiling of Ledger’s latter-day projects. Last summer, we were treated to a little film called The Dark Knight, which won Ledger a much-deserved posthumous Oscar.
This fall, we will get to see his final film, the Terry Gilliam-directed The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (also starring Tom Waits), which finds Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell assuming Ledger’s role for the scenes left unfinished at the time of his demise.
But, in even more exciting news, today has seen the belated release of “King Rat”, an animated music video Ledger directed for indie darlings/smart-asses Modest Mouse. Completed in collaboration with LA’s THE MASSES, the video’s release is timed to coincide with Modest Mouse’s new EP No One’s First and You’re Next. The EP contains newly recorded songs from the We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank and Good News for People Who Love Bad News sessions, as well as two rare b-sides.
In addition to being entertaining, the video has a conservationist bent. According to THE MASSES:
Proceeds from iTunes video downloads in the first month of release will go toward Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization organization committed to ending the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. We encourage you to visit their site if you are compelled to make a larger donation or volunteer your time.
We’ve got the video for “King Rat” after the jump. (more…)
Poetic Memory: The Rest (List)
The last time Ontario, Canada’s The Rest played at the Casbah, we missed it. But we won’t make that mistake again. After all, according to their MySpace page, The Rest like all the things that we like: doing push-ups, shooting each other with water guns, howling at the moon, and delicious Thai food. (More details below.) We have other reasons, too. For one, their new album, Everything All At Once, is amazing. For another, they graciously agreed to write the latest installment of Poetic Memory. Also, they use the word “rascal” in their lyrics.
We’ve featured The Rest on our podcast a few times, but in case you missed it, here are a couple of MP3s. The wondrously haunting “Drinking Again” is definitely one of our favorite songs of 2009. Also, be sure to check out “Everything All At Once“, the epic titular track from their new album.
Poetic Memory is a regular Owl and Bear feature in which musicians disclose their influences—whether it’s albums, songs, artists, or something random. If you’re interested in being featured here, send us an email. (more…)
Avett Brothers Answer Our Prayers
The Avett Brothers are obviously readers of Owl&Bear. Just last week I lamented the fact that the band would not be stopping in San Diego on their upcoming tour and, lo, it turns out that the band will be playing at Solana Beach’s Belly Up Tavern on May 10th.
We’d like to thank the Avett Brothers: not just for reading our blog—as they surely do every day—but, more importantly, for doing whatever we ask of them. Of course, there is the slim possibility that this show has been lined up for a while now, and that I just forgot to thoroughly research the matter before writing a half-cocked story about it and grossly misinforming the public.
But no, I don’t like that version of reality, so I’ll stick to the one I made up. Head out to the Belly Up on May 10th and help us thank the Avett Brothers in person. And finally, just in case I do have special powers of influence over musicians: I sure would like it if Tom Waits played a show at my house.
How to Hug Your Independent Record Store
“Indie record stores,” says Chrys Hansen of Modern Music, the Caribbean’s most visited record store, “are where you go when you first realize there’s a whole new world of music for you to explore.” The Internet notwithstanding as perhaps one’s first stop when searching out what the world has to offer musically, Hansen’s words ring sentimental and otherwise true.
Independent record stores, unlike the CD sections of Wal-Mart and Best Buy, often feature carefully procured selections of good popular music and local and alternative groups that are either too vulgar or not Hoobastank-y enough for other outlets. The quality of independent record stores is only enhanced by the personal touch offered by the staff.
The Paddle Boat – The Paddle Boat
2009, Single Screen Records
As a live band, San Diego’s The Paddle Boat have built a reputation not only as excellent performers, but as a rare alternative in an oftentimes homogenized music scene. Drawing from, among other things, early 20th century folk and jazz, the eccentric trio can’t help but stand out in a sea of rock and rollers. Now the group is bestowing their first release upon the public—a 7-inch single aptly titled The Paddle Boat—but does the record capture the many facets that make the band a diamond in the San Diego rough?
Review: Tom Waits; July 1, 2008; Jacksonville, FL
“I’m like a fucking race horse.”
–Tom Waits, Jacksonville
Tom Waits’ tours are fairly infrequent, so when I heard he was headed to Jacksonville two hours away from my house, I splurged. Jacksonville? Why Jacksonville? It’s not really the red dirt, bluesy part of the south Waits wanted to see. Jacksonville is South Beach’s conservative opposite, militarized vanilla beach Florida, which tolerates the small, local counterculture because it’s essentially irrelevant. Jacksonville is by some definitions lovely, but it’s not, well, cool. When, early in the concert, Waits mused about why he’d never been to this attractive city beside a sparkling river and the Atlantic Ocean, he said his friends had always told him, “You’re not old enough.” I don’t know whether he’s finally old enough now or if the prospect of hauling the tour bus and three semis ten hours south and back north was too much for his pocketbook or his carbon footprint, but he arrived with a copious supply of merchandise–including vinyls, a chapbook in which he interviews himself, and t-shirts with pictures of oil stains he thought were cool–as well as a sweet stage set that could evoke alley-cat twilight austerity, late-night honkytonk, or red-devil cartoon hell.
The Silent Comedy – The Silent Comedy (Review)
For a band whose live performances are marked by their theatricality and infectious intensity, The Silent Comedy’s recordings can be surprisingly intimate affairs. Their debut full-length, Sunset Stables, emphasized narrative and restraint over whiskey drinking and foot stomping, and now, on their self-titled EP, they pick up where that record left off.
From the opening moments of maudlin country ballad “Daisy”, The Silent Comedy draws you into a rich world of broken bottles and shattered hearts. The song nimbly swells, retreats, then swells again, a ribcage barely containing the heart within. J. John’s vocals intertwine in a tender duet with I. Forbes’ gorgeous violin, and when he begs, “Break me, Daisy”, it’s hard to believe that she hasn’t done so already.
Interview: Tom Waits’ True Confessions – A Conversation With Himself
I must admit, before meeting Tom, I had heard so many rumors and so much gossip that I was afraid. Frankly, his gambling debts, his animal magnetism, coupled with his disregard for the feelings of others…His elaborate gun collection, his mad shopping sprees, the face lifts, the ski trips, the drug busts and the hundreds of rooms in his home. The tax shelters, the public urination…I was nervous to meet the real man himself. Baggage and all. But I found him to be gentle, intelligent, open, bright, helpful, humorous, brave, audacious, loquacious, clean, and reverent. A Boy Scout, really (and a giant of a man). Join me now for a rare glimpse into the heart of Tom Waits. Remove your shoes and no smoking, please.
Scarlett Johansson – Anywhere I Lay My Head
I must admit that, like many, I approached the concept of a Scarlett Johansson album of Tom Waits covers as one might approach a dollar bill dangling from a shark’s mouth. I wanted to disregard it, pretend it didn’t exist, scoff at anyone so foolish as to go near it expecting anything but an unhappy ending.
But in the secret recesses of my mind, I quietly hoped that, despite the odds, the album could actually be good and not tarnish the name of Mr. Waits—my favorite musical artist and one of the most important contributors to the great sloshing pool of noise we call music. Having finally listened to the album in all its uneven glory, I can say that the actual product is more complicated than either of my divergent expectations could have anticipated.
It’s clear from the instrumental first track that ScarJo is not the one running this show. That credit belongs to David Sitek, the album’s producer (better known as the guitarist for TV On The Radio and producer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs). Sitek infuses the album with that sleepy, sexy, post-modern urban ambiance that fans of TVOTR know quite well. But while TVOTR singer Tunde Adebimpe can turn a detached vocal delivery into a sharpened weapon, Johansson’s disembodied vocals sound more asleep-at-the-wheel than calm-and-cool, and it is this detachment that plagues the entire album, frequently dragging it through the mud just when it tries to soar.
Tom Waits – Orphans
2006, ANTI-
This is probably an excellent (albeit expensive if you opt for the 94-page Deluxe Edition) place for the Tom Waits curious to begin.
