Do You Believe In Blood?

Lylas - Do You Believe In Blood?

Lylas has always been a band for all seasons. They've recorded spring songs, summer songs, and two EPs full of Christmas songs. But perhaps the time of year their music is most appropriate for is Halloween. Even when they aren't name dropping the October holiday in their songs (something they do twice on their new album), their music has long been full of themes appropriate the season of ghosts and the ghoulish. It's the kind of world where courting couples sweetly embrace, only to have one of them fall back with a knife wound.

Their second full length album continues the lyrical themes that their press release accurately describes as "the strangely sweet and the gently macabre," but the addition of Features drummer Rollum Haas to their ranks has added a bit of muscle to their chamber folk/pop. Don't get me wrong, you're not going to suddenly mistake them for a rock band, but they've never previously recorded anything quite as rambunctious as "Baby Brimstone." And Kelli Shay Hix's fiddle serves to accentuate the subtle country influence that has always been present in their sound. Like a Hitchcock film set to a Django Reinhardt score, Do You Believe In Blood? is equal parts chilling and charming. If you're looking for the perfect soundtrack for sipping some witches brew while chasing frightened children off your porch tomorrow night, this is it.

Lylas - "Fix Me Dixie" (mp3)
Lylas - "Baby Brimstone" (mp3)

Beast Rest Forth Mouth

Bear In Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth

Brooklyn's Bear In Heaven was one of the bands that I saw earlier this month at Next Big Nashville and made a mental note that I needed to check them out. Turns out if I had done a better job of checking my inbox, I could have checked them out before NBN... I'd already been sent a link to their sophomore album.

Beast Rest Forth Mouth is full of moody, sequencer driven indie rock. The songs seem to float through your head, riding through aural clouds on beds of vintage synths. Even the more upbeat songs have an airy, slightly ominous feeling. On "Dust Cloud" they sound like My Bloody Valentine on valium, but the rest of the albums pulls equally from 80's new wave and late 70's prog rock. It's like if Yes' Jon Anderson fronted Tangerine Dream, and they covered Gary Numan songs. While I might personally wish for a bit more guitar to add variety to the proceedings, you can't deny that these guys create one hell of an atmosphere. It's no surprise that they're one of the buzziest bands on the blogs right now.

Bear In Heaven - "Lovesick Teenagers" (mp3)

Bluegrass Hitchcock

Robyn Hitchcock
Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN
Saturday, October 17, 2009

There was a real sense of curiosity as people were waiting in line to get into the Bluebird on a chilly Saturday night. The show had seemed to pop up out of nowhere, and most of the fans in line were saying they had just found out about it in the last couple of days. Additionally, the evening was billed as "Robyn Hitchcock Presents," so everyone was wondering exactly what that meant. But the fact that no one knew quite what to expect certainly didn't keep anyone away. The place was absolutely packed with a bizarre mix of hardcore fans and curious tourists who just wanted to see the legendary venue, and if you didn't have reservations you were out of luck.

I was almost one of those unfortunate souls that didn't get in. By the grace of God, I was in line in front of someone who had made reservation for two, and their friend didn't show up. So instead of heading home early, cold and disappointed, I found myself at a table right in front of the stage, for what ended up being the most unique Robyn Hitchcock show I've seen.

After starting the show with a five song solo set that included "The Museum of Sex," "I Often Dream Of Trains," and a cover of Gillian Welch's "Elvis Presley Blues," Robyn welcomed Abigail Washburn and Rayna Gellert to the stage. With accompaniment on banjo and fiddle respectively, they tore into a mind blowing bluegrass version of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." At that point they could have said goodnight and left the stage, and I still would have felt like the night was worth twice the fifteen dollar cover. But they played for another hour, alternating between Robyn's vast catalog and traditional folk songs and murder ballads that featured Washburn and Gellert on vocals. The show had a somewhat loose feeling, like you were watching friends jamming in someone's basement, but it also had that sense of fun that you get from seeing something completely out of the ordinary. Though Hitchcock has had a few songs throughout his career with a somewhat country feel, hearing his quirky pop played with a bluegrass tinge was a treat. Washburn and Gellert seemed to be having a great time as well, especially during Hitchcock's hilariously surreal between song banter, this time featuring recurring themes of airline announcements and "sucky olives."

For the encore, Robyn returned to the stage alone for absolutely beautiful renditions of The Door's "The Crystal Ship" and Nick Drake's "River Man" before inviting the gals back onstage for a rousing stomp through "Ye Sleeping Knights Of Jesus," a song that was tailor made for the evening's down home, folksy feel. As his guests left the stage, he began a return trip to the Jim Morrison catalog, singing "The End" in its entirety, complete with the Oedipal monologue.

Hitchcock has played the Bluebird several times before, and after recording Spooked here with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, he's obviously developed a real affinity for Nashville. But it's a safe bet to say that Saturday night was an experience unlike any of the shows he's played here before, or anywhere else for that matter.

Robyn Hitchcock - "The Ghost In You (Live)" (mp3)

To see the complete setlist, check out Miles' review at Reading Pronounciation. Photo by John Brassil - note: the photo is from a show at the Bluebird five years ago, but oddly enough, Robyn was wearing the same shirt Saturday night.

Feral Harmonic

Old Canes - Feral Harmonic

Folk music and punk rock have always been distant cousins. Often times they share a state of mind, a certain anti-establishment attitude, and a belief that anyone can pick up an instrument and make their voice be heard. Musically though, you usually lean one way or another. Either you strum an acoustic guitar and make wistful, quiet records, or you plug into an amp and raise hell. Old Canes' Feral Harmonic doesn't fall comfortably into one category or the other.

Maybe it's the way the songs were recorded. Appleseed Cast's Chris Chrisci started all the songs by recording the drums first. And though they were then layered with entirely acoustic instruments (including trumpets that sound like they were borrowed from Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"), that foundation creates a bold, boisterous, and intensely rhythmic sound. Sure there are tracks like "Trust" and "Southern Radio" that have the quiet sound like you would expect from something labeled folk music, but the majority of the album has a rambunctious energy that is usually reserved for rock and roll. Songs like "Little Bird Courage" and "I Will Be The Sun" come flying out of the speakers with an almost explosive joy. Feral Harmonic is one of the most exciting acoustic albums I've ever heard.

Old Canes - "Little Bird Courage" (mp3)

Next Big Nashville 09 Saturday Recap

My final night of Next Big Nashville didn't get off to the start I had hoped for. After a pregame nap that lasted about an hour and half longer than planned, I headed out about 9:30 and figured I'd catch the tail end of Mikky Ekko's set at 12th and Porter. But when I got there, his set had evidently ended early, and the next band was already setting up their gear. So I made my way to the Exit/In with my sights on seeing the last half of Other Girls set. What I got to see was them tearing down. With my count now 0-2, I walked over to The End just in time to catch the last minute and a half of Denny & The Jets set. After an hour and three different venues, I'd managed to see absolutely no one. Last year set a precedent of NBN shows running pretty much on time, but never in my life would I have expected three different venues to be running ahead of schedule.

My luck changed eventually though. Matt Friction and the Cheap Shots thankfully waited until their scheduled time to go on, so I did catch the former Pink Spiders frontman's new band. They've got all the pop melodies and catchy hooks of his old outfit, but they lean more towards Ryan Adams territory than the Spiders punky brashness. Part two of the evening's "night of the former major label frontpersons" featured ex-Be Your Own Pet singer Jemina Pearl. Her solo material was pretty similar to the BYOP stuff... attitude heavy punk rock jams, played with the same amount of energy but with a little more finesse.

Other than dodging cars on Elliston, I also managed to hop the shuttle to catch some of The Protomen's set at Mercy Lounge. They were thrilling an absolutely packed house with their Blade Runner meets Bat Out Of Hell opera rock. It seemed like the spectacle took precedence over the music, but the crowd was absolutely eating it up. Jim Steinman would be proud.

Infinity Cat shows often feel more like an excuse to party than an actual concert, and the label's showcase at The End Saturday nite was no exception. Unfortunately Daniel Pujol fell into the same "end of the set" curse the plagued me earlier in the night, but I managed to catch substantial bits of the rest of the bill's ramshackle garage rock. Natural Child played ragged punk rock, while Heavy Cream were a bit like a bunch of kids who broke into a music store and were trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible before the cops showed up. Capping of the night was one of the worst kept secrets of the weekend, a "surprise" appearance by JEFF The Brotherhood. Love 'em or hate 'em, their minimalist stoner rock had the sweaty crowd jumping. Towards the end of their set there was a massive surge of stage divers, though some of them found unwilling helpers in the crowd and quickly made their way to the floor (check out The Opening Acts for pics). As the last notes of their set ran out, opener Sound Tribe Sector CY made a return appearance as the stage filled up with other band members and fans, all chanting along with his Casio powered keyboard jams. Lights were swinging, people were singing, and I'm sure mine weren't the only ears that were ringing. The wild ending made a fitting coda for a fantastic weekend.

JEFF The Brotherhood - "Screaming Banshee" (mp3) from The Boys R Back In Town
Jemina Pearl - "Looking For Trouble" (mp3) from Break It Up

photo of JEFF the Brotherhood courtesy of Next Big Nashville

Next Big Nashville 09 Friday Recap

Friday night confronted me with one of those scheduling dilemmas that Next Big Nashville seems to torture you with every year. Do I head down to The Rutledge to catch an increasingly rare appearance by Venus Hum, or head to Exit/In to see my absolute favorite local artist, Cortney Tidwell. Normally scarcity would win out over favoritism, but since I was meeting friends for The Black Angels headlining set, it meant spending the night on Elliston. That also meant I would miss Lylas at The Anchor later that night, but the lineup at Exit/In was so strong it was hard to complain.

Bear In Heaven kicked off the evening with a set of new wave inspired psychedelia, or maybe it was psychedelia inspired new wave. You could tell the moment you walked in the room they were a Brooklyn band, but you also knew right away that they were pretty damn good. They did suffer from what turned out to be a recurring problem for Exit/In bands over the weekend... vocals being absolutely buried in the mix. The sound at Nashville's grandaddy of rock clubs is usually spot on, so I don't know what caused the sporadic issues over the weekend. Next up was Cortney Tidwell, who luckily didn't suffer from the same problem. I've written about her a lot on here over the years, and her set Friday night did nothing to diminish her spot as my fave local. Pulling heavily from the recently released Boys, her set built in intensity until the thundering climax of "17 Horses," which literally gave me goosebumps. How the girl doesn't have a US record label is surely one of life's great mysteries.

Between sets we made a quick run across the street to catch the tail end of Twin Tigers set. The Scene described them last week as "...like The Fiery Furnaces playing from the bottom of a gloomy, reverbed-out U2 cave." The two songs we did hear were enough to make us wish we had gotten to see more of it. Luckily we'll get the chance, as the band will be returning to Nashville to play the Basement next month. We'll definitely be delving more into them before then. Back across the street, we caught Disappears, who were dripping with both reverb and sweat.

I got to see the Black Angels play at the Exit/In last year, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect. And even though they were missing the light show and video projector they had on their last trek through town, they still put on a hell of a show. Opening with "You On the Run," their 75 minute set made us feel like it was 1969 all over again. Their droning version of psychedelic rock is like Altamont's answer to the Summer of Love... dark and foreboding, with a hint of menace.

The fact that the Exit/In was running forty-five minutes behind schedule all night meant we didn't make it across the street to catch Eureka Gold before they were finished, but there was still another night of rock and roll to be had...

The Black Angels - "The First Vietnam War" (mp3) from Passover
Bear In Heaven - "Wholehearted Mess" (mp3) from Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Cortney Tidwell - "17 Horses" (mp3) from Boys

photo of Bear In Heaven by Tyge O'Donnell

Next Big Nashville 09 Thursday Recap

Three nights, five venues, eighteen bands, and too many beers to count. That was my Next Big Nashville 2009 in a nutshell. Not quite as crazy as NBN08, but still one hell of a good time. So now that the ringing in my ears has died down, let the recapping begin.

Thursday night we kicked things off by meeting Tyge from The Opening Acts at the Basement to catch The Carter Administration. Unfortunately they suffered the sparse crowd curse that often accompanies an early slot, but they still turned in a great set of classic power pop. Bassist Andy Wilhite was MIA due to work obligations, so new guitarist (and former Superdrag and Guided By Voices bassist) Sam Powers moved temporarily into the rhythm section. It's a testament to their tightness that the casual observer never would have guessed they were operating from a deficit position. We also managed to catch a few songs of Wheels On Fire's classic garage rock before pulling up stakes and moving the party to Elliston Place.

Once we hit the Rock Block, the plan was to alternate between The End and Exit/In for the evening, but what was supposed to be a quick pit stop at the Gold Rush turned into an extended gab session with friends. We had such a good time that it's hard to complain, but it did limit our exposure to the evening's lineup. I did manage to get across the street to catch Jessica Lea Mayfield, who was utterly fantastic. With a backing band that included Richie Ghostfinger, she sounded like Mazzy Star covering Fleetwood Mac. We finished off the evening with David Vandervelde's retro-fueled shimmery pop before calling it a night.

The Carter Administration - "Oxycontinental" (mp3) from Air Guitar Force One
David Vandervelde - "Someone Like You" (mp3) from Waiting For The Sunrise

photo of The Carter Administration by Chris Wage

Thunder$troke

Beaten Awake - Thunder$troke

If you need to know how far the technology of home recording has come, just look at the evolution of the term "lo-fi." It used to be more of a description than a label. It was used for bands like Guided By Voices or The Folk Implosion to describe records that were made in bedrooms and garages on 4-track cassette recorders and boomboxes, and the results sounded every bit like the way they were created.

Kent, Ohio's Beaten Awake might share inspiration and a state of mind with the former forbearers of the lo-fi movement, but sonically their second album is a millions miles away from the likes of Bee Thousand. Thunder$troke is equal parts rocking and pulsating, mixing straight ahead indie rock with dreamy soundscapes. At times it sounds a bit like a stripped down take on Built To Spill, with a healthy dose of new wave influence mixed in. It's almost odd that an album that features two lead singers and alternates so much between guitar driven songs and keyboard-centric tunes can come together so well as a cohesive whole. But whether it's the funky fuzz bass riff on the title track, the manic guitar pop of "Danger Pins," or atmospheric closer "I shot the Mayor, not the Deputy Mayor," these songs are definitely all coming from the same fertile creative soil. Thunder$troke comes out tomorrow (October 13) on Fat Possum.

Beaten Awake - "Thunder$troke" (mp3)
Beaten Awake - "Coming Home" (mp3)

Next Big Nashville Friday Preview

It's Friday, and that means you can really throwdown at Next Big Nashville tonight. No having to worry about the alarm clock ringing in the morning, or going to work hungover. And if you're living in poverty and couting the days til payday next week, you don't even have to worry about having a badge or wristband to get a taste of NBN09. This years festival features the absolutely free Honky Tonk Takeover from 7-10 pm tonight on Lower Broad. Tootsie's will host Black Diamond Heavies, The Clutters and We Were The States, The Wheel features Blacklist Royals and Joshua Black Wilkins, Paradise Park will have Dixie Whiskey and Branded Sons gracing their stage, and The Wheels and Justin Kalk Orchestra will be playing at Full Moon Saloon.

Black Diamond Heavies - "Everythang is Everythang" (mp3) from A Touch of Someone Else's Class

But if you're not willing to mix with the tourists downtown, here's the best of the rest of tonite's showcases...

Cortney Tidwell - Hands down my favorite artist in Nashville. Her voice can go from a whisper to a scream and sound heavenly either way, and with a backing band featuring the cream of the crop of the local rock scene, they can create ethereal soundscapes or driving walls of sound to match. 9 pm at Exit/In

Cortney Tidwell - "17 Horses" (mp3) from Boys

Venus Hum - Since it's members have scattered to the four winds (well, Cincinnati and NYC anyway), appearances from Music City's premiere electro-poppers have become increasingly rare. Dance music rarely has songs this good, and frontwomen rarely have voices as divine as Annette Strean. 9:30 pm at The Rutledge

The Black Angels - One of the big names headling the fest this year, and sure to be one of the best shows. It'll also the best way to trip out this weekend and still be able to pass a drug test Monday morning. You may be merely drunk, but you'll feel like your on a peyote fueld midnight roadtrip through the desert. 11 pm at Exit/In

The Black Angels - "Doves" (mp3) from Directions To See A Ghost

Lylas - With Halloween just around the corner, there is no better time to introduce yourself to the macabre chamber folk of Kyle Hamlett and company. Never before have you heard such creepy sentiments sung with such sweet melodies. 11:20 pm at The Anchor

Since you're undoubtedly going to be having a really good time tonite, it's probably a good time to remind you about the free shuttles that will be running between venues all weekend. I took advantage of them heavily last year, and never had to wait more than ten minutes to get picked up at any of the venues. Early in the evening, they basically operate like your own personal taxi service, taking you promptly to wherever you want to go. But regardless of what time of the night you take them, they'll save you from a costly DUI.

Remember, we'll be tweeting the festival throughout the weekend, so follow us on Twitter @page300 for live updates.

Next Big Nashville Thursday Preview

Next Big Nashville 2009 kicked off yesterday, but things really get rolling tonight, with showcases happening at a dozen different venues around town, plus another film premiere at the Belcourt. As always you can play your activities at the NBN Schedule page, but if you need a few suggestions as to where to get started, here you go...

The Carter Administration - Possibly Nashville's longest running indie band, and for good reason. Tight as hell, and with just the right amount of smartass attitude, nobody in town plays straight ahead pop/rock better. 8 pm at The Basement

The Carter Administration - "The Wakeup Call" (mp3) from Here Comes The Copout

The Deep Vibration - They won't win any points for originality, but rock fueled alt-country rarely gets played any better than this. The ghost of Graham Parsons would be proud. 9:30 pm at The Basement

Dexateens - One of the most fun sets I saw last year, these guys sound something like if Lynyrd Skynrd jumped in a time machine and became an indie rock band instead of classic rock staples.
9:30 at Exit/In

Dexateens - "Neil Armstrong" (mp3) from Hardwire Healing

Oblio - These guys take all the best parts of 70s AM radio and combine them into a glorious indie-pop stew. 10:30 pm at The Rutledge

The Non-Commisioned Officers - Originally formed to record the soundtrack for Make-out With Violence and perform a few shows to promote the film, the band has had a much longer shelf life than expected, and has kept rolling due to popular demand. 10:50 pm at Mercy Lounge

I'll be out and about this evening, so you can follow my take on the action live by following @page300 on Twitter.

Next Big Nashville Wednesday Preview

I hope you've rested your liver all week, because Next Big Nashville 2009 kicks off today. There are a full slate of daytime panels before the traditional film premiere at the Belcourt. This year it's We Fun, a documentary about Atlanta's music scene that was oddly enough made in Nashville. But if movies aren't your thing, there are also a couple of showcases happening on opening night this year. The End, The Rutledge, Mercy Lounge and Cannery Ballroom all have a full slate of bands. Most popular among them will probably be the Ten Out of Tenn showcase at the Cannery Ballroom, a collective of some of Nashville's best pop singer/songwriter/solo artists. But if you like your rock and roll with a healthy dose of country & folk influences, head to The End to catch roots heavy sets from Luke and the Late Nights, Caitlin Rose, Alberta Cross and Phosphorescent.

Plan your own activities by visiting the NBN09 schedule page.

Phosphorescent - "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" (mp3) from Pride
Caitlin Rose - "Shotgun Wedding" (mp3) from Dead Flowers

Ask The Night

Orenda Fink - Ask The Night

As a total music nut, I'm always recommending artists to my friends. I love turning somone on to a great band or singer that I love, and having them love it too. Of course the downside of being the biggest pop culture geek in your circle of friends is that the reverse is a lot rarer. Last year a friend tried to turn me on to Azure Ray. It was one of those matches that on paper I should have loved... female vocals with great harmonies and a slightly shoegazer vibe. But I found them to be really same-y, too electronic, and just hard to get into. After giving it a couple of listens in the car, I stuck the CDR she gave me in the glove box and forgot about it.

So given that I couldn't really gel with her old band, I was surprised how much I enjoyed Orenda Fink's second solo album, Ask The Night. It shares Azure Ray's sparse vibe, but has a much more organic feel. The trademark harmonies are still there (including a guest appearance by Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock), but the keyboards and electronic flourishes she has surrounded herself with in the past have been replaced by slide guitars, banjos, mandolins, and even a singing saw. The various styles combine to give the album as a whole a Southern Gothic folk feel. The lyrics veer toward a coffee house confessional vibe on occasion, but luckily she never travels too far down that path. Ask The Night is out today on Saddle Creek Records.

Orenda Fink - "High Ground" (mp3)

Hopeless Melodic

Matthew Pop - Hopeless Melodic

In my lifetime, I've probably seen several hundred solo acoustic performances, and a majority of the time they bore me to tears. Let's face it... a smoky, noisy bar isn't the best place to hear singer/songwriters. It's just hard to hold the attention of a bunch of drunks without instruments that are louder than they are. So anytime someone can get up on stage alone in a dingy dive bar and hold my attention, it's quite the feat.

Sunday night my band played a gig at one of our local dive bars, and Matthew Pop followed us. It was one of those rare occasions that a solo performer not only held my interest, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. His songs were catchy as hell, and it was hard not to get caught up in his enthusiasm as he played them. On Hopeless Melodic, his pop sensibilities are on even stronger display. It's full of the kind of melodies you can only dream up after spending countless hours digesting hundreds of pop albums. He's obviously spent a lot of time listening to Brian Wilson, and he's got the hooks and harmonies to prove it. Pop plays all the instruments himself, and though the drum machine sometimes gives the songs a bit of a demo feel, the home recorded nature just adds to the album's low key charm. It kinda sounds like a bedroom made version of Fountains of Wayne... call it low wattage power pop.

Matthew Pop - "Top Five" (mp3)