Live Review White Rabbits with The Subjects & Feral Children @ The Crocodile 6 22

review by Jason Kinnard
photos by Alex Crick

Last Monday night was my first time inside the newly remodeled Crocodile Cafe. The place is definitely a lot different than I remember, but it looked much more polished than last time I had been in. Nice big stage at a proper height, new lighting, good sound; all the elements were there for a great show. Local 5-piece Feral Children started things off with a full compliment of instruments; their unique blend of experimental yet melodic rock sounded fantastic as Jeff Keenan and bass-player Jim Cotton traded vocals. I loved how they used multiple drum sets and switched instruments. It was only the second time I had seen the band play after a long hiatus. They draw deserving comparisons to bands like Modest Mouse and Animal Collective, but they have definitely their own unique vibe. I loved their opening performance. This was shaping up to be a fantastic night of music.

Next up was Brooklyn band The Subjects. I didn’t know anything about this band going in, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was excited to hear a band I had never heard before. I also knew they were touring with headliners White Rabbits so that couldn’t be a bad thing. Their music was different and for some reason the first thing that came to mind for me was Vampire Weekend. They sounded very harmonic but also pretty relaxed; the Croc crowd wasn’t exactly sure how to take them in either. Then a song like The Hounds of War kicked in, and they sounded like they were exactly where they belonged. Another New York band for Seattleites to fall in love with.

Finally, Brooklyn transplants the White Rabbits took the stage. The Croc was quite full at this point and I had a great vantage point of all the action (aka the bar). The sight lines of the club are definitely a lot better now and it sounds every bit as good as the old joint. Another stage full of members, White Rabbits are a six-piece who use every single member to produce their signature sound. I was into the band when Fort Nightly first came out, but the material from their new album, It’s Frightening, just explodes off the stage. Songs like Percussion Gun sounded fantastic alongside original classics like The Plot. The band played an efficient, near non-stop set of just about every song from their new album plus an encore. The piano was an important element to the band, but I thought the drums and vocals really stood out. Singer Stephen Patterson definitely doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves for being a first rate showman. This was the type of performance that would have swayed even the casual fan. They may really be onto something with this new album. It was clear the Brooklyn / Seattle love connection was in full effect and the crowd ate them up. What a great night to get re-introduced to the Croc.

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Song of the Day Smith Westerns – Weekend

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Each and every Friday we offer songs by local artists. Today’s selection, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Weekend” by Smith Westerns from their 2011 album Dye It Blonde on Fat Possum.

Smith Westerns – Weekend (MP3)

A rock trio out of Chicago made up of brothers Cullen and Cameron Omori and Max Kakacek, Smith Westerns were just in their junior year of high school when they started listening to MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular, but just a few years later, they were adding MGMT as one of the bands they’ve toured with.

Their self-titled debut might have had a scrappy “garage” quality to it, but their sophomore release, Dye It Blonde, has got the sheen of a band who believes in themselves. Rather than the quality of thrown together basement recordings, which might work for some other bands, and work well, Smith Westerns wanted to go for something less dated, and something that would stand out more. “Weekend” truly does stand out with its big sound and poppy guitar hooks, and with subtleties like chimes and multi-layered instrumentation buried amongst all the noise and glee, seeps in an ounce of maturity. The jaunty, jollity of their Beatles, Bowie, T.Rex-influenced sound leaves more of a warm spot in my soul, than the cynical obviousness less talented bands might evoke.

After playing a slew of supporting dates to audiences who may have enjoyed their sound, but nevertheless weren’t there to see Smith Westerns, they now get a headlining tour of their own in support of the new album. You can catch them real soon in Seattle at the Crocodile on February 17 — and live on KEXP that same day! For various other dates and venues, check out their MySpace page. Now, to leave you with a video of today’s song:

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Live in Chicago, Day 1

KEXP is broadcasting for the rest of the week from Chicago during the Morning and Midday shows. Currently, we’re at Engine Studios with live bands like The Watson Twins, T-Model Ford, David Vandervelde, and a whole bunch more. Today, you can hear Mahjongg, Sleep Out, Chamber Strings, and Au. Tune in all week and check back for plenty of photos and interviews with the bands. This weekend, we’ll be at the Pitchfork Music Festival.

John, Cheryl and Kevin Suggs at Engine

setting up

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Song of the Day Reykjavík! – Hellbound Heart

photo by Scott Holpainen

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased tracks, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Each and every Friday we offer songs by local artists. Today’s selection, featured on the Midday Show with Cheryl Waters, is “Hellbound Heart” by Reykjavik! from the 2011 album Locust Sounds on Kimi Records.

Reykjavik! – Hellbound Heart (MP3)

Boston did it. Chicago did it. But those are names of bands you might not consider pioneers or role models if you’re a hard rocking band from Iceland. Still, the guys of Reykjavík Nike Air Max ACG! chose to name their group after their current home base, and the most populous city on the island nation, not to mention the location synonymous to outsiders with the seemingly endless supply of amazing music. In all, it’s a fairly bold move, one which Reykjavík! embraces (and punctuates) emphatically. Yet, the exclamation in their name is a gross understatement considering their high-energy, high-decibel, high-screaming live shows. Part raging punk, part bludgeoning metal and part searing post-hardcore, Reykjavík!’s music is a cathartic release, like the billowing plume of Eyjafjallajökull.

On their third, 2011 release, Reykjavík! the band — featuring singer Bóas Hallgrímsson, guitarist and singer Haukur Magnússon, guitarist Valdi Jóhannsson, guitarist Gummi Halldórsson (yes, there are a lot of guitarists in this band!), bassist Geiri Sigurðsson, and drummer Kristján Halldórsson — finds the softer side of screamcore. Okay beats by dr dre solo, songs like “Internet” and “Fire Fire Fire Ocean Ocean” are still blistering throat-busters, but Locust Sounds tends toward more melodic rockers like “Sneak,” “Cats,” and “Mountains.” Today’s featured song, “Hellbound Heart,” is one of their most accessible and infectious. It’s so anthemic it’s almost uplifting… that is, if you don’t actually listen to the lyrics. Inspired by the Clive Barker novella of the same name, which itself inspired the infernal cult classic Hellraiser, “Hellbound Heart” is told through the eyes of Frank, the depraved hedonist who seeks to escape the hell he called up for himself and the demons who hold him there, like the fan-named “Pinhead.” But there’s a power in the music itself, and regardless of lines like “after pain has purified my soul” and “in this hell is where I will roam,” you’ll still want to chant “feels like I’m coming ho-oh-ome!” at the top of your lungs… even if it is back to hell.

You might wish yourselves there if you try running around town trying to find Locust Sounds in a local record shop, but you can get the MP3s through links on the band’s website or through Iceland’s own Gogoyoko. If you want the hard copy, you’ll need to get it from Kimi Records’ website. And unfortunately, you’ll probably need to make a trip to Reykjavík to actually see Reykjavík monster beats in ear! For now, though, you can content yourself with this video, originally conceived of as a “placeholder” video for the band to release their song to YouTube viewers but which turned out so nice it was nominated for a local video award. Depicted here is the notoriously treacherous flight (a 230 degree turn to the runway) to the northwest town of Ísafjörður, where most of the band members actually hail from, and thankfully not the actual malevolent subject of the lyrics:

Live at the Capitol Hill Block Party Cults

photos by Dave Lichterman dr dre beats

It is not often that someone says something about music that totally changes the way I think of a band. Bob Boilen, host of NPR Music’s All Songs Considered podcast, did this in his recent discussion of the best music of the year so far. Choosing Cults’ opening cut, “Abducted,” as his favorite of the year so far, he described them as “creepy and beautiful,” often pairing haunting lyrics (“He tore me apart because I really loved him”) with joyful pop instrumentation. For me, this gives depth and meaning to a band that is not doing a whole lot new – most of their songs are reworkings of mid 21^st century pop genres. Cults is perhaps nostalgic for a worry-free mid-century era of American dreams, pairing this bliss with a sense of realism, an acknowledgment that the world is in a lot more trouble now.

I was not very impressed with either of the last two times I saw this band -– they were a bit timid, lacked confidence, and had a general demeanor of indifference. Yet, it’s amazing what several months can do -– the release of their brilliant self-titled debut and constant touring has given this band a wonderful live show. Front pair Madeline Folline and Brian Oblivion utilized call and echo vocals on several songs. They swayed back and forth, Folline often marching in place, her hair persistently covering her face.

Definite highlights included their second song performed, soon-to-be-released 7”, “The Curse,” which comes out in December. Additionally Coach Sling Bags 2012, Cults played “Rave On,” the closing track on the album and part of a Buddy Holly tribute album titled Rave On Buddy Holly.  This band seems to be living up to the hype surrounding them. If you haven’t yet air max 2012, give their debut album a spin. It is easy on the ears, catchy as can get and leaves you wanting to turn around and listen to the whole thing again.

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>> Yesterday I took a teensy trip to Philadelphia (for numerous reasons... ) and snapped this intriguing store front of what is known as the 'Shirt Corner Plus'.  Had I not been about to get in a taxi,Nike Air Max Classic BW Womens, I would have ballsed it up to go inside to investigate.  I say 'ballsed' just because a) ostensibly I look like someone who's just being a voyeuristic snoop and b) it is a menswear store only.  Still,Nike Air Max Classic BW Mens, I was struck by the styling in the windows, the guy in the very well-cut coral jumpsuit with a tape measure who looked like it might be able to measure me out an equally well-cut shirt/jacket and then another guy came out in a well-tailored bomber jacket and matching parachute trousers as well as a sheer white shirt with embroidered polka dots.  I didn't manage to snap him but he pretty much affirmed Shirt Corner Plus as a potential store to add to my list of "Unlikely Fashion Sources" along with John Lewis' school uniform department, fabric stores on Kingsland Road...

...as well as the legendary Blustons in Kentish Town in London, a women's clothing store that has been around since the 1930s and I think stocks things that are from the 1930s.  Actually I've been working up the balls to go in and ask if I can do an investigative blog post on Blustons but I'm thinking I might lose the staff in there once I start banging on about "blog".  Still, seeing as those bust-heavy mannequins have been given the nod by Miuccia and Marc, when I get back, having missed out on my zoot suit opportunity in Philly, I'll atone by walking into Blustons and working on my "So...I have this blog..." spiel...

Turf's Up

Funny how a collection can take a roadside swerve in to a totally different direction and surprise you from behind.  When I last saw rising knitwear designer Lucas Nascimento in the studio, he was looking at graphic Japanese landscapes and kimono cut-outs.  Instead, for his A/W 12-3 collection, he looked closer to home - his home in São Paulo and got inspired by the idea of refining and distilling the city's graffiti and skateboard culture.  Back in February, at the stunning Two Temple Place where powerhouse PR agency RelativeMO staged a day of well-thought out, well-crafted presentations,Monster Beats Mixr, Lucas Nascimento made his LFW show debut and demonstrated why we should be paying attention to this new knittist.

What marks Nascimento out is that his work doesn't look like knitwear at all as he sets about choosing his yarns carefully to knit up his own textiles and create novel textures that go beyond visible wooly knit and purl. The waffle knit looks like a continuation of the jersey cordweave texture created for his S/S 12 collection and once again he sticks to sleek and uncomplicated shapes like pencil skirts, button-less jackets, puncuated by the flash of a yellow poloneck.  A chenille type yarn is woven into a tactile texture resembling the look of a carpet that mysteriously changes in different lights because you've rubbed your hands over it, causing the fibres to change direction.  When this structured carpet-esque fabric is tailored into shift dresses, the effect of a minimal shape vs. maximal texture is quite arresting.  Nascimento may have also created a strapless dress that I finally like with a purple tube dress rising into a peaked rectangle at the bust like a piece of armour.  Astroturf green pops alongside deep purple and yellow as references to Brazilian drinks bottles or in my mind, the nation's obsession with footie and the green pitches. 

The focal point of the collection though lies in the tinsel yarn worked into graffiti print pieces.  Nascimento has elevated the graffiti paint spray to a condensed and precise pattern that was carefully pre-ordained by a computer and a knitting machine.  It's this level of control over the potentially wayward knit,monster beats by dre headphones, that is extremely impressive and again, he restrains himself on shape, sticking to straight-lined shift dresses with a down-to-earth nod of pockets at the hips and gently cocooned coats.  Who knew wearing head to toe tinsel could look so refined?  This isn't lady-lady refinery either.  It's to-the-point and startlingly mature for a designer who is only a few seasons in.   

Here's a heads up of Lucas Nascimento's sample sale going on tomorrow at his studio if you're in London,Sennheiser, with price starting from a bargainous £40.  I sneakily got in there and nabbed a few things before I left for Australia but I promise I didn't leave the rails bare...