Radio Free Berry 02.22.06
Posted by Brian Berry on 02.22.2006
Sasquatch festival line-up, The Walkmen return, Arctic Monkeys history, and a Serge Gainsbourg tribute album featuring Portishead and Tricky…all in RFB #13!
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS…
Salutations and welcome to the thirteenth edition of Radio Free Berry. You can look to RFB for the freshest indie/college rock reviews, up to the minute news, tour and new release dates, and an assortment of pop culture related rambling.
I left the county for a few days and returned to find news on an upcoming festival with a great line-up, info on a new tribute album jam packed with indie heavyweights, and the return of one of my favorite young bands, The Walkmen!
Getting away from the computer for a few days of camping in wine country proved to rejuvenate this weary writer, although I was an ice cube at night (even with my honey and eight layers of warmth). I've since unfrozen and discovered several burns on my hands and forearms as a result of fire making mishaps. It's an act of God (or Satan, whomever you prefer) that I'm able to type right now.
I spent the early part of last week finalizing my Top 100 Albums (to be posted early summer) and Now That's What 411 Calls Music (to be posted in the coming weeks) lists. I also posted a review for a Talking Heads reissue album, which you can see by clicking here.
I managed to get my hands on copies of the new Stereolab and Quasi releases this week. Both of which are due out at the end of March. The Stereolab is a good, business as usual effort that fans will appreciate. The Quasi album on the other hand (titled When the Going Gets Dark) instantly jumped on top of my early list for album of the year (meaning it'll probably end up somewhere in the twenties when the list is completed). More details to come when the release date approaches.
If you have questions about bands, need recommendations on what to buy, or you need help identifying a song shoot me an e-mail. My knowledge of music exceeds the realm of indie rock and I'd be more than happy to help you out. Holla.
It looks like the American festivals are giving the United Kingdom a run for their money, in terms of the caliber of line-ups we've seen in the past few years. With impressive performers for Coachella (Indio, California), Bonnaroo (Florida), and Lollapalooza (Chicago) announced and/or taking form, the U.S. can now boast one more successful acquisition of performers for Seattle's 2006 Sasquatch! Music Festival. (Beck)
Sasquatch, now in its fifth year, will take place over Memorial Day weekend from May 26-28. As always attendees can camp on-site near the stages of George, Washington's Gorge Amphithetre.
While many artists are still yet to be announced for this year's festival, a few handfuls were released today. Highlights to this reporter include day one's Nine Inch Nails and And You Will Know Us By the Trail Of Dead, second night bands Flaming Lips and Gomez, and day three's boasting of Beck, Queens of the Stone Age, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
Check the list below to see all the officially announced bands and a link to the Sasquatch homepage.
May 26
Nine Inch Nails, H.I.M., And You Will Know Us by the Trail Of Dead, Wolfmother May 27
Ben Harper, The Flaming Lips, The Shins, The Tragically Hip, Neko Case, Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Gomez, Rogue Wave, Architecture in Helsinki, Sam Roberts, Constantines, The Brunettes, Matt Costa, Bedouin Soundclash, Tim Seely, Korby Lenker, Common Market May 28
Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, Queens of the Stone Age, Matisyahu, The Decemberists, Nada Surf, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Blue Scholars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Arctic Monkeys, We Are Scientists, Chad VanGaalen, The Heavenly States, Rocky Votolato, Laura Viers, The Village Green, Mercir Click here for the Sasquatch Festival home page
Don't hold it against them that they performed on an episode of The O.C.. For my buck, The Walkmen are one of the best live bands working today and their first two albums were nearly flawless (and cricitically acclaimed across the board).
(The Walkmen)
As far as 2006 new releases are concerned, I can't be more excited for anything than The Walkmen's May 23rd album, A Hundred Miles Off. In an interview with Billboard.com, vocalist/guitarist Hamilton Leithauser described what to expect from the new album: "There are no dips, so it is very different in that regard. We've always been pretty heavy, and this seems a little lighter. I mean, it still sounds like the same band. But it has a lot less organ involved."
Leithauser went on to explain that some tracks will sound familiar, such as "Danny's At the Wedding." Others are said to take on uncovered ground, like the Leonard Cohen inspired track "Louisiana."
Look for The Walkmen to open a few shows for the legendary Pogues next month in New York City, an appearance at the Coachella Festival, and a full U.S. and U.K. tour in May/June.
Why these guys haven't seen the exposure and success of The Strokes, Interpol, or Franz Ferdinand is a sham. One listen to their debut Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone or 2004's Bows and Arrows and you'll find these New York city dudes are a superior rock band to most of the flock on American modern rock radio (and without the obnoxious flashiness).
Tracklist for A Hundred Miles Off:
1. Louisiana
2. Danny's At The Wedding
3. Good For You's Good For Me
4. Emma, Get Me A Lemon
5. All Hands And The Cook
6. Lost In Boston
7. Don't Get Me Down (Come On Over Here)
8. This Job Is Killing Me
9. Tenley Town
10. Brandy Alexander
11. Always After You ('Til You Started After Me)
12. Another One Goes By
3. SERGE GAINSBOURG Tribute
Serge Gainsbourg was the man in France during much of his lengthly career (his first album was released in the late-50s and he passed away in 1991) but he only saw success in the U.S. with help from the single "Je T'Aime…Moi Non plus." A tribute to the legendary crooner, titled Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisitied will hopefully revitalize interest in his catalog after its release next month. (Serge Gainsbourg)
Artists such as Cat Power, Franz Ferdinand, Jarvis Cocker (of Pulp), and Placebo will lend tracks to the effort that also includes covers by trip-hop pioneers Tricky and Portishead.
Gainsbourg is an icon for lyrically crushing taboos in his native France while becoming wildly popular throughout most of the world. His songs often involved tales of alcohol, sex, drugs, disease, and murder. Many of these themes were not too far from home for the eccentric vocalist.
I highly recommend the Serge Gainsbourg retrospective, titled Initials S.G., for those unfamiliar with his music (translator not included).
Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited Tracklist
1. Franz Ferdinand and Jane Birkin: "A Song for Sorry Angel" 2. Cat Power and Karen Elson: "I Love You (Me Either)"
3. Jarvis Cocker and Kid Loco: "I Just Came to Tell You That I'm Going"
4. Portishead: "Requiem for Anna"
5. Faultline, Brian Molko, and Françoise Hardy: "Requiem For A Jerk"
6. Michael Stipe: "L'Hôtel"
7. Tricky: "Au Revoir Emmanuelle"
8. Marianne Faithfull and Sly and Robbie: "Lola R. For Ever"
9. Gonzales, Feist, and Dani: "Boomerang 2005"
10. Marc Almond and Trash Palace: "Boy Toy"
11. Placebo: "The Ballad of Melody Nelson"
12. The Rakes: "Just a Man With a Job"
13. The Kills: "I Call It Art"
14. Carla Bruni: "Those Little Things"
This is the abbreviated story of Sheffield, UK's Arctic Monkeys so far:
Prior to getting signed to a record label, the Arctic Monkeys set up a Myspace.com page and became immensely popular via word of mouth. Last year they released a single ("I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor"), which debuted at #1 on the UK singles chart. They were instantly praised as the "next big thing," "the biggest new band in England since Oasis," etc. Shortly thereafter, the ultra hip Domino Records signed the young band.
When their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, was released in the UK it sold a mind boggling 118,000 copies. To put this in perspective, one hundred thousand units would likely land a top three debut in the United States but we're talking about the UK here, whose population is a fraction of the US. If you aren't impressed yet consider this: their first week sales were greater than the remainder of the rest of the UK top 20 COMBINED. (Arctic Monkeys
The buzz has been building and a tour of the United States sold out almost instantly. Months before their debut was released, huge music magazines like Spin, Rolling Stone, and Alternative Press began running stories on them.
On February 21, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not was released in the U.S. The album will receive a ton of airplay and will likely sell like crazy shitcakes here.
Now, you're all caught up on the band's history in terms of success. With that said, I'd like to add that I'm confused on what the hubbub is about. Their sound works well for alternative rock radio but they aren't offering anything new to the table. Most of the album contains short, catchy tunes focusing on teenage angst, girls, and uh, more teen angst.
I've heard comparisons to the far superior Libertines, which I think are unwarranted. Carl Barat and Pete Doherty are far better musicians and their lyrics feel more natural than what Artic Monkeys' Alex Turner is singing. Arctic Monkeys made a pretty good debut album that has created a hype train unparalleled by any band since The Strokes. Don't expect the Arctic Monkeys to knock you on your ass as you may have been lead to believe.
Check out Tim O'Sullivan's review of Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by clicking here.
5. RADIO FREE BERRY'S BOOMBOX PICKS OF THE WEEK
Big Star-Third/Sister Lovers (Rykodisc)
The M's-Future Women (Polyvinyl)
Quasi-When the Going Gets Dark (Touch & Go)
6. PARTING THOUGHTS/PLUGS
· If you liked Radio Free Berry, you'll love:
...all of the writers at 411 Music. We're all wildly talented writers who deserve to be read. Read everything and enrich your mind, body, and spirit.
(Beck)
(The Walkmen)
(Serge Gainsbourg)
(Arctic Monkeys
