Chona Kasinger

As the 2008 Fall Membership Drive approaches (next week!), it’s a good time to consider everything KEXP gives to you: entertaining DJs, a variety of programming, exciting events like the free Concerts at the Mural series, a wealth of free podcasting, community non-profit sponsorships, and a whole lot more. Just think of how often you’ve been exposed to new bands while listening in your car, online, or through your portable music device of choice. Even a quick glance at Largehearted Boy’s list of new releases this week and every week will show you how many new bands you’ll hear on KEXP. For instance, the DJs here have been playing Joseph Arthur’s new album, Temporary People, since before he played the KEXP BBQ this summer. Just listen for one day and you’ll hear XX Teens on the Morning Show, Dungen on the Midday Show, Ani DiFranco on the Afternoon Show, Koushik in the evening with Riz, Bomb the Bass in the overnight with DJ El Toro or Chairlift with DJ Shannon. And that’s just some of the releases from this week! So be sure to pledge your support to KEXP during the Fall Membership Drive (or right now!) and listen to these great new songs with the full knowledge that you’re giving back to the station that gives to you!

by Corbett Cummins
photos by Heather Christianson
video courtesy of Kevin Clarke and Travis Vogt

Last month, the video/comedy/production team Kevin Clarke and Travis Vogt, showcased the final installation of their hyper testosteroned, post apocalyptic trash melodrama, Steel of Fire Warriors to a packed audience at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard.

Steel of Fire Warriors is like something you might catch on Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job. The production values are at the level of freshman film school students, the acting is so over the top-down-the-wall-and-through-the-gates, the script is self deprecating and the plot is predictable. This makes it extremely engrossing and fun to watch.

Kevin and Travis have been screening episodes of the movie at their monthly comedy, video and music showcase, The Entertainment Show since January. Month after month, they’ve filled the Sunset with the Steel of Fire cast members, as well as bands, comedians and their dedicated followers, making it party not to be missed. Their final show featured performances by Derek Sheen, Becky Poole, Duane Goad, and the musical mistress of the Gameboy, Leeni.

The credits of the movie are a who’s who of Seattle alternative comedy, so it’s not surprising that the bar exploded when Kevin and Travis thanked everybody.

“And nobody was a total dick about,” added Kevin, “and that was awesome.”

The Seattle comedic community is used to acting for Kevin and Travis. They have a pretty large catalog of ridiculous short movies, from a series of Mustache-Foo films to semi-fake ads for Pabst Blue Ribbon and Pagliacci Pizza, who sponsor their partners in crime, the Peoples Republic of Komedy. Most of which were done with local talent.

So it didn’t take much to convince a bunch of Seattle comedians to put on mutant face makeup and run around in tin foil and leather with fake weapons.

In an e-mail interview, Kevin said, “A year before we started Steel of Fire Warriors we had just become acquainted with the PROK people and the Seattle ‘alternative comedy’ scene and many of them were much more talented than the co-workers and friends that we usually forced to be in our videos.”

Travis added that part of the project was just an excuse to work with people that they liked. As a result they were able to give the community a chance to get acquainted with nuts and bolts of movie making, even if it was zero budget moving making. He added, “Doing a full length movie would be a good way to get all of the people we like involved. Most of the parts in the movie were specifically written for the people who played them.”

Even with the movie done, Kevin and Travis are not resting. While they work on finishing the DVD version of Steel of Fire Warriors they are taking time out to rock the Sunset Tavern this coming Tuesday, Sept 30 and will continue to do so every last Tuesday of every month. They can also be seen all around town in places that appreciate comedy and video.

You can watch past episodes of Steel of Fire Warriors and keep updated on The Entertainment Show at its MySpace page.

Doron Gild

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part 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. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Midday Show host Cheryl Waters, is “Hey Luci” by Pablo from the forthcoming album There’s Rope to Leave.

When we say we bring you the latest unreleased songs, we aren’t just blowing smoke. Today’s Song of the Day continues our Seattle-New York connection with a brand new track from an as-yet-unreleased album by NYC band Pablo. Led by Paul Schalda, who is joined by family and friends, Pablo has been haunting the hallways of KEXP for the last few years and made an appearance at KEXP’s CMJ broadcast back in 2006 and then here in Seattle at the John in the Morning at Night New Year’s Bash that same year. (By the way, don’t forget to get your tickets to this Friday’s John in the Morning at Night party at Neumo’s with Two Gallants, Head Like a Kite, Blue Giant, and Harvey Danger!) In 2008, “Hey Luci” finds Pablo moving in a slightly different direction, though longtime fans won’t be disappointed. Gone are the whispered vocals that build up to a yowl and the soulful, strumming guitar; replacing them is an uptempo rhythm right out of the gate and more assured lyrics. The great acoustic guitar work is still here, but when Shalda tears through his vocal lines in the harmonies, we’re reminded more of the Pixies than the oft-compared Replacements. Whoever this “Luci” is and whatever she might have done, she’s certainly done wonders with our band Pablo! Enjoy this new song as you wait for the completion and release of the new album.

by DJ El Toro

Almost ten years ago to the day, a small American town was overrun by flying lizards. It was a Sunday I’m sure many of us will never forget.

I am referring to The Simpsons, Episode 206 (”Bart The Mother”). Our spiky-headed protagonist, wracked with remorse after killing an innocent bird, adopts her orphaned eggs — only to witness them birth a pair of winged reptiles. He is ordered to kill them, but is too emotionally attached. Consequently, the voracious critters run amok and damn near bring Springfield to its knees, until… well, you’ll just have to rent Season 10 on DVD.

I could have warned the residents of Springfield about flying lizards. Because Flying Lizards — the British band-cum-art project of the same name — have filled my existence with joy and insanity for three decades. And this week, the chaos resumes, with the domestic CD reissue of The Flying Lizards (1979) and Fourth Wall (1981), their first two albums.

Oh, you know the Flying Lizards. Their Dada version of the ’60s ditty “Money,” littered with deadpan vocals, garbage can percussion, and incessant whooping, is a pop culture staple. 29 years after it terrorized the UK Top Ten, it still turns up everywhere from hit movie soundtracks (The Wedding Singer, Charlie’s Angels) to The Morning Show. LCD Soundsystem, Ursula 1000, Nouvelle Vague, and Playgroup are all ardent fans of the band; the latter two included Lizard tracks on recent mix CDs. UK producer Richard X even dragged original “Money” vocalist Deborah Evans into the studio for two tracks (including Bacharach & David’s “Walk On By”) on his 2003 album Richard X Presents His X-Factor.

But cuckoo covers — the ever-changing group also deconstructed Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” Brecht & Weill, and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up,” and later cut a whole album of other people’s songs, Top Ten – are only part of the twisted story. The originals are equally disorienting. My personal favorite is “The Window,” the creepy closer from the eponymous album, written and warbled by journalist and musician (Massive Attack, PiL) Vivien Goldman. The plinking “Lovers And Other Strangers,” from Fourth Wall, runs a close second; its combination of off-kilter singing (in this case, by Patti Palladin) and toy instruments really gets my motor running.

The talent roster on these two albums does my head in. Besides Evans, Goldman, and Palladin (who worked closely with Judy Nylon in Snatch, and cut an album of duets with Johnny Thunders), the assembled minions include sax iconoclast Peter Gordon (Laurie Anderson, Love of Life Orchestra), Robert Fripp, minimalist great Michael Nyman, author and musician David Toop, and members of post punk greats the Pop Group, This Heat, and Rip, Rig & Panic. Imagine if John Cage had made “pop” records, and you’re on the right track.

Be like young Bartholomew J. Simpson, and take these weird creatures to your bosom. Yes, they will send your world into a tailspin, but I assure you, Flying Lizards will never leave you wanting for top-notch oddball entertainment.

DJ El Toro is the host of the overnight show In Between Sleep & Reason, Wednesday mornings from 1 AM to 6 AM on KEXP 90.3 FM Seattle and kexp.org. His column, Weird At My School, appears every Monday on the KEXP Blog.

• We’re sure this is the beginning of a great joke, but what do you get when you combine Jarvis Cocker, Leslie Feist, Laurie Anderson, and Robyn Hitchcock? A team of musicians on a boat headed to the Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland to observe the faster moving and melting glacier (losing approximately 20 million tons of ice per day). The Arctic trek also includes Ryuichi Sakamoto, KT Tunstall, Vanessa Carlton, and Martha Wainwright. Other than one awesome jamming circle and raising global warming awareness, we have the slightest idea what these musicians and burgeoning scientists will do on this journey, but the Cape Farewell website shall fill in the gaps between now and the expedition’s October 6th conclusion.

• Two weeks ago, we spoke sadly about the impending P2P bill that would allow federal prosecutors to file civil lawsuits against file-sharers infringing on copyright law. It just so happens that our hapless President isn’t so lame as it pertains to file sharing. FMBQ is reporting that Bush’s administration is opposed to the bill as it would create “unnecessary bureaucracy” by burdening the justice system with civil lawsuits. As it happens, the Department of Justice agrees. See that, RIAA — even our government steals music.

• More collected goodness is headed our way thanks to local yokels Light in the Attic. The Seattle-based label is planning a two disc Fela Kuti collection, piecing together the early recordings of Kuti and The Koola Lobitos. The set, Lagos Baby will span 1963-1969, capturing the early dancehall favorites of Fela Kuti and band that defined his later Afrobeat sound.

• The Ears & Eyes Festival, stationed at The Hideout in Chicago, has announced its lineup for the October 24-26 run. The three day event will feature headliners Parts and Labor and Eleventh Day Dream.

• It wouldn’t be right to neglect a Chinese Democracy news bit when it comes our way. Gun N’ Roses are partnering with electronic conglomerate Best Buy to bring the long-anticipated GNR release to the retailer on an exclusive basis. Billboard reports the deal means Chinese Democracy will hit shelves before the year is out. Frankly, haven’t we heard all this before? Unless it comes with a free refrigerator or washer/dryer, we ain’t falling for it.

• Did you get a chance to see The Ting Tings on the new season premier of Yo Gabba Gabba? If not, check out out here.
  

Dan Muller

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part 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. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Midday Show host Cheryl Waters, is “Danny Callahan” by Conor Oberst from his recent self-titled solo album out on Merge Records.

Conor Oberst has shuffled through a slew of musical identities over the course of his lengthy career as a the frontman for Bright Eyes. The noisy whine of Fevers and Mirrors, the refined singer-songwriter folk of I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning, the electronic tinkering of Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, and the more slickly produced Cassadaga — Oberst has done nearly everything. Now, bereft of the Bright Eyes moniker (and band members) and plucking strings alongside The Mystic Valley Band, Oberst has finally embraced the genre he’s been skirting the edges of for his last two albums: alt-country. Yes, Oberst has been sliding down the alt-country track for his entire career, so this newest shift is a predictable one, but he manages to pull it off deftly, imbuing the at times impersonal slickness of Cassadaga with a soft-reedy warmth only an injection of old school country music can provide. Bright Eye’s purists worry-not: Oberst’s nasal delivery and razor sharp imagery still stand at the forefront of each song, while the guitars are just a little more twangy, the piano a little more rickety, and the bass just a bit more stand-up. Those biting down their nails for fear that Oberst has hung up his Bright Eyes’ boots for good, take heed; Oberst and crew will begin recording Cassadaga’s follow-up in November. Before that, he’s continuing his world tour, which includes another stop in Seattle on October 24 at the Showbox (read a review of his previous Seattle performance here). Follow up on his MySpace page for updates and for now enjoy this playful video for “Souled Out!!!”, also from the new album:

photos and review by Jeremy Farmer

One couldn’t have imagined that last weekend in Chicago contained the final fleeting moments of summer, but alas, it did. But what a way to go out. The weather put all of the previous local festivals to shame, and the energy seemed only greater, in part due to the collective knowledge that when winter comes to town, it doesn’t want to go away. And then there was the music. Collected together were acts to truly make this a worldly show. In its 12th incarnation, the Hideout Block Party partnered with the World Music Festival going on around town.

The first set I made it to was English imports Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip. Bolstered by their 0.2 Pitchfork rating for their album Angles, their set seemed invigorated by this knowledge, and it definitely defined their stage banter. I felt that the live versions seemed even stronger than the album recordings, and the overall vibe was one both amusing and well worth the 3:45 arrival time. (And yes, the gates did open at eleven am.)

Next I had the pleasure of checking out the Czech Republics’ Plastic People of the Universe. I found myself gravitating towards the sax player, who seemed hardly comfortable sitting in his chair, and even less trying to stand and hold his instrument. After a few failed attempts, he was up and the band started, and I soon realized that their relevance must have dissipated long before he started to blow the dust through his horn.

Second to last weekend of September, and blaring sun and increasing heat put me on a trek to escape this onslaught, thus missing the one band everyone is talking about now! Monotonix, from Israel, put on an insane performance, riding in garbage cans, and letting the audience aid the show by holding the drums in the air as they were banged on by the band. At the end, the singer mentioned our woes with flooding from the week past and led the band in a song against the rain. I sensed his legitimacy. No really, he seemed to feel bad about it.

Black Mountain seemed like they would have been an interesting band live. I stuck day one out by asking other people in the press area when bands were on, but must of gotten a miscue here. Standing in front of the stage for twenty minutes before they came out, I got to watch the entire ordeal that is sound check. My research into the bands for this fest fell far behind the work I had done for the other fests this summer, and some of my information rested solely on looks. These guys look pretty rad. Then, they began, and soon my ever-waning interest in stoner rock forced me to float right back to the beer tent.

Neko Case ended out night one. Fellow sirens Kelly Hogan and Norah O’Connor joined her in stunning renditions of songs spanning her career, and including a few new ones. This was but night one, and I knew Neko would be back the very next evening…

The Uglysuit was my first band for the second and last day of the block party. This was one band I wish I had heard before the show so as to of had a better knowledge of what they were playing. I found it decently fresh, and could only imagine how their sound translates into a club atmosphere.

Tim Fite. Heard the name before and had no idea what to possible expect. The follow through? Perfect. Why all the watermelons? What’s with the wood stereo and guns? No idea, but whatever. This guy is a great, albeit odd, performer.

Robbie Fulks came on, and what I thought would be one of the tamest performances may of topped it as the goofiest. His initial dapper clothing soon gave way to day-glo pajamas and Michael Jackson covers. I expected to hear Thriller, that was already on the books, but they busted out Man in the Mirror, Black or White, and Ben, complete with Norah O’Connor on vocals and a purple rat puppet helping out.

And then the dead began to walk. It was a rather important for me, what with my fascination of the undead. These weren’t the rotting stinking kind, though. These were the sexy kind that get you fresh pints at the bar. (Seriously, they were Hideout staff.) Rhymefest came out to finish off the song, as the dead lurked to him as some kind of false deadite idol.

Headlining but not at a head line slot, Neko Case returned to the stage with The New Pornographers. Word on the concrete was that they expected their fan base to be itching to get home early on a Sunday night, so they played just as the sun dipped down. I have seen them with and without Neko, and you really get the complete sound when she is there to belt out the vocals too. My appreciation for Challengers has been completely revived.

Ratatat ended my portion of the weekend. Their screen editing was entrancing and a pleasure to shoot. Arnold running through the jungle from the Predator as this crazy band finalized the outdoor summer music season? A proper denouement to the summer.

Check out more photos here.

It’s the first week of autumn and here in Seattle it didn’t take any time to weather to get cold and dark. That means I will probably not leave my home without a jacket until sometime in the spring and I’ll stop complaining about how hot it gets inside of Neumo’s. The upcoming concert calendar looks very strong in the next few months, with literally dozens of shows I am very excited about. This week is especially strong. In fact, it will probably keep me too busy from making it to the excellent Decibel Festival this weekend. Here’s a few things I advise:

Blue Scholars at the Showbox at the Market, Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27

This is a homecoming show of sorts for Blue Scholars, who have not played a proper Seattle show since last year’s triumphant Program series. The biggest and best stars in Seattle hip hop curated and headlined five consecutive nights of all Northwest hip hop and sold out all five nights. The night I night I attended, MC Geologic and DJ Sabzi were backed by full band and had a cameo from Gabriel Teodros show up. This weekend they are performing two nights at the Showbox with Hieroglyphics. I don’t know what to expect but during The Program, Geologic was insistent that everyone knew they didn’t show up for a show, but “a motherfucking party.” I wouldn’t expect anything less.

Here’s a video to their song “North by Northwest”, performed at the 2007 KEXP BBQ:

Monotonix at the Comet Saturday, September 27, and the Sunset on Sunday, September 28 at 2pm

Montonix’s set at Bumbershoot earlier this month was, by all accounts, cut short after about 12 minutes. Why is another matter. I’ve heard people who were there (I was busy watching The Offspring, if anyone is curious as to just how cool I am), tell me that the show was halted due to members of Tel Aviv’s hardest rocking band mooning the crowd, lighting their equipment on fire and because of people excessively crowd surfing (including some people crowd surfing inside of trashcans. The truth is probably one of those reasons but none of them imply anything other than this band is complete rock and roll.

Noah and the Whale with Grand Hallway, Monday, September 29 at Chop Suey

The well-regarded twee pop band from the UK just released their debut album, Peaceful the World Lays Me Down, last week and is touring the US in support of it, including several free shows along the way. This is one such free show. Opening is the lush, melodic pop band Grand Hallway, who have long been a favorite of mine. This show is probably going to fill up very fast, so I’d recommend getting there early (which I’d recommend anyway just for the chance to see Grand Hallway).

Here’s a video of Grand Hallway covering Neil Young:

And here’s a video of Noah and the Whale’s single “Five Years Time”:

See you out and about,
Chris Burlingame
*Three Imaginary Girls*

High iPod rotation:
Okkervil River
Nextdoor Neighbors
CSS

(Three Imaginary Girls is a Seattle-based website that showcases the great music of the Northwest and beyond to music lovers worldwide. We post a Seattle live show calendar to help you fill your day-planner with loads of great shows, as well as record reviews, live show reviews, and an imagi-blog to entertain you throughout the day.)

Kyle Johnson

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part 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. Every Friday the Song of the Day podcast spotlights local musicians. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Morning Show host John Richards is “Angels Sound Like Bottle Rockets” by Truckasauras from their debut album Tea Parties, Guns, and Valor available through Fourthcity.

Most often seen donning trucker hats emblazoned with imagery popular in red states, Truckasauras comes at you with carefully crafted electronic music that straddles the line between techno and hip hop. This contrast is present throughout their music as well. They blend drum machines, synths, and video game sounds to create smart yet humorous dance tunes (check out their cover of the Airwolf theme song) while incorporating trash culture icons like Hulk Hogan. They’ve been building their audience intensely this summer taking part in festivals like Sasquatch and playing around town with the likes of Sleepy Eyes of Death and Head Like a Kite. Their full-length debut is currently available with a limited edition 12 page book when you buy it from here.

Truckasauras is playing Decibel in the Park alongside Jacob London and Glitch Mob in Volunteer Park on Saturday, 9/27 (free, rain or shine!) as part of this weekend’s Decibel Festival. If you miss that, check them out during Seattle Weekly’s local music showcase Reverbfest on Saturday, October 4th. They are playing the Market Street Athlete (all ages) stage. For more dates check out their MySpace page.

Check out this wrestling inspired video for “Fak!!”:

Dan Muller

Possibly the loudest and by far the most theatrical performance at the Bumbershoot Music Lounge this year, where KEXP was broadcasting from the festival grounds, was Black Eyes & Neckties. The Bellingham band specialize in horror-influenced, punk-infused rock, and band members Ryan Cadaver (guitar), Davey Crypt (drums), Josh Homicide (guitar), and The Fist (bass) thrash about the stage in makeup to look like the decomposing dead. Add to this, lead singer Bradley Horror rolling around stage in wheelchair, thanks to a recent leg fracture, yet still able to kick over amps and somehow seduce the electrifyingly vampy keyboardist Brenda Grimm. You can read an exclusive interview with Josh Homicide here, and witness the slaughter here:

New Womb:

Grace Note:

Tonight Death Soars:

Barnacles: