1 CHEATAHS – Cheatahs
2 TOY – Join The Dots
3 WARPAINT – Warpaint
4 DUM DUM GIRLS – Too True
5 HOLY WAVE – Relax
6 JUAN WAUTERS – N.A.P. North American Poetry
7 PAINTED PALMS – Forever
8 JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW – Post Tropical
9 DISTRICTS – The Districts [EP]
10 GARDENS AND VILLA – Dunes
11 LAWRENCE ARMS – Metropole
12 SNOWMINE – Dialects
13 STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS – Wig Out At Jagbags
14 SLOTHRUST – Of Course You Do
15 DADS – Pretty Good [EP]
16 KRONOS QUARTET WITH BRYCE DESSNER – Aheym
17 TOGETHER PANGEA – Badillac
18 BAND OF HORSES – Acoustic At The Ryman
19 DOG BITE – Tranquilizers
20 GRIZZLY BEAR – Shields: Expanded
21 MT. ROYAL – Mt. Royal
22 CIBO MATTO – Hotel Valentine
23 THEE OH SEES – Singles Collection, Volume 3
24 DAMIEN JURADO – Brothers And Sisters Of The Eternal Son
25 AUTUMN DEFENSE – Fifth
26 BAD THINGS – Bad Things
27 QUILT – Held In Splendor
28 HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF – Small Town Heroes
29 CYMBALS – The Age Of Fracture
30 TRAPS – Boom Pow Awesome Wow
Preview: Jack Deezl and Aaron Ruxbin Live @ WKDU (2/20/14)
By Chris Burrell
Drexel Alumni Jack Deezl and Aaron Ruxbin approach the craft of DJing from two extremely different angles, but both coalesce at the intersection of passion and obstinacy. Refusing to succumb to the pressures of conformity both within the stigma and equipment typically associated with being a popular disc jockey, these men find themselves on the polar opposite spectrum of what defines DJing: one playing only vinyl records, the other [mostly] originals. One pure analog preservation, the other digitally manipulated live. The unifying factor being an emphasis on challenging the listeners expectations, advancing an amalgamation of sounds new and old, and digging for the deepest cuts; whether unearthed from years ago or synthesized earlier today. You won’t hear any top 40 in these sets, but you will hear something brand new, every time, guaranteed. Two special live in-studio sets from across the sonic spectrum. Put on your thinking caps and lay out your disco pants, Jack Deezl and Aaron Ruxbin are going VAHN DEEEEPEEERRRR!
Jack Deezl and Aaron Ruxbin will be performing with RJD2 at Union Transfer on February 21. Tune in to The Halfway House on February 20th to catch their Live @ WKDU session.
Review: Neutral Milk Hotel @ The Tower Theater (1/29/14)
By Nick Stropko
So, it has happened. Years of anticipation, speculation, and blind hope have culminated, and the day has gone and passed. I have seen Neutral Milk Hotel.
Naturally, I have rapturous praise for the concert. Of course Jeff Magnum’s voice has retained it’s power, its winding intensity, its ability to reach just a little higher than it probably should and sell it regardless (he did have the slightest of problems during “Two-Headed Boy, Pt. 1,” but it really just served to humanize what has become a deified figure). Of course it was gratifying in a way Jeff’s solo shows were not to see the whole band together–Julian Koster rotating in place with his bass and playing the singing saw, Scott Spillane working an array of brass instruments, and Jeremy Barnes frantically keeping everything together. They really nailed the eclectic instrumentation present in NMH records, with the singing saw, zanzithophone, and electronic bagpipe, among many more, making appearances. Of course standing in a room full of people singing along to “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” with Jeff Magnum is going to send chills down your spine. Of course, of course, of course.
However, rapturous praise is kind of boring. Pretty much every account of the show I have gotten has been overwhelmingly positive. Instead, I’d like to offer an array of stray thoughts I had during the show.
- While Magnum’s voice has certainly not lessened in intensity, it seems like his range has become ever so slightly more limited. I think a few of the songs were played a few steps down, and he reaalllyyy had to strain to hit that note in “Two Headed Boy, Pt. 1.”
- I can’t really tell if I like Jeremy Barnes’s drumming or not. Maybe I’m just being silly, but it seems like he has trouble maintaining the beat during fills. Is it possible that Jeremy Barnes is actually not a very good drummer at all? Is this just a weird stylistic thing that I’m not grasping? THIS IS OF GRAVE CONCERN.
- I really enjoy the stage dynamic of Neutral Milk Hotel. Jeff was pretty much unrecognizable–he received no applause when he walked onstage, his mess of hair making him look like a roadie in a fantastic sweater. He spoke little but seemed gracious, maintaining his weird indie god aura while not coming off as too stuck-up.
- Isn’t this whole tour kind of remarkable? Maybe this is well-tread ground, but I think it’s worth restating every now and again that a band can sell out major venues across the country largely based on the strength of a record they put out on an indie label in 1998.
- The “Ghost”–>”[untitled]”–>”Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2″ combo during the encore was phenomenal. Phenomenal. When I saw them break out the electronic bagpipe, I kind of freaked out and definitely sang along to a bagpipe part. No shame.
- Fuck it, I can’t think of anything else that’s negative. It was a really great show, and I’m thankful I got to see it.
If you missed out on Jeff and co. last week, fear not! They’re playing at The Mann on July 21st. I highly recommend you attend.
Top Played Artists 1/28-2/3
1 WARPAINT – Warpaint
2 JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW – Post Tropical
3 TOY – Join The Dots
4 THE DISTRICTS – The Districts [EP]
5 PAINTED PALMS – Forever
6 LAWRENCE ARMS – Metropole
7 GARDENS AND VILLA – Dunes
8 DUM DUM GIRLS – Too True
9 DOG BITE – Tranquilizers
10 HIGH HIGHS – Open Season Deluxe Edition
11 LOS CAMPESINOS! – No Blues
12 DADS – Pretty Good [EP]
13 DAMIEN JURADO – Brothers And Sisters Of The Eternal Son
14 HOSPITALITY – Trouble
15 CYMBALS – The Age Of Fracture
16 TENNIS – Small Sound [EP]
17 WOODEN SHJIPS – Back To Land
18 THEE OH SEES – Singles Collection, Volume 3
19 GRIZZLY BEAR – Shields: Expanded
20 BOY AND BEAR – Harlequin Dream
21 STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS – Wig Out At Jagbags
22 YOUNG AND SICK – Magnolia [EP]
23 AUTUMN DEFENSE – Fifth
24 SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS – Give The People What They Want
25 CIBO MATTO – Hotel Valentine
26 QUILT – Held In Splendor
27 TOGETHER PANGEA – Badillac
28 SAINT RICH – Beyond The Drone
29 JACK NAME – Light Show
30 SKY FERREIRA – Night Time, My Time
Concert Review: Dr. Dog at Eletric Factory 2/1/14
There really is nothing quite like a Dr. Dog performance. If there’s any band that can instantly turn my mood around, it’s them. I was lucky enough to catch the band for my fifth time at the Electric Factory. February 1st’s show was their second of two sold out shows in Philly and the energy from the night before carried into this show as well. The Pennsylvania locals played a high octane set that lasted almost two hours. The entire range of their albums were covered, including “Say Ahhh” from their 2002 album Toothbrush to singles from their latest release entitled B-Room.
Crowd favorites like their Architecture in Helsinki cover of “Heart it Races” and “Lonesome” had the entire room singing along. Vocalists Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken took turns with belting out their respective songs as well as joking around in between tunes. They also expressed their gratitude for Philly’s overwhelming support of the band through the years. During their encore they had the Philly Phanatic join the stage during “Oh No.” Steve Marion from the opener Saint Rich joined the band as well to solo on “Easy Beat.” Marion is also the mastermind behind the band Delicate Steve.
Overall, Dr. Dog did not disappoint the sold out crowd at the Factory. They will continue their extensive tour that goes well into March in support of B-Room.
Top Played Artists1/21-1/27
1 JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW – Post Tropical
2 DAMIEN JURADO – Brothers And Sisters Of The Eternal Son
3 TOY – Join The Dots
4 DADS – Pretty Good [EP]
5 TENNIS – Small Sound [EP]
6 DOG BITE – Tranquilizers
7 HIGH HIGHS – Open Season Deluxe Edition
8 WOODEN SHJIPS – Back To Land
9 LOS CAMPESINOS! – No Blues
10 GRIZZLY BEAR – Shields: Expanded
11 FLASHLIGHTS – Don’t Take Me Seriously [EP]
12 WHITE DENIM – Corsicana Lemonade
13 BLACK HOLLIES – Somewhere Between Here And Nowhere
14 GOOD OLD WAR – Live From The City Of Brotherly Love
15 STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS – Wig Out At Jagbags
16 SKY FERREIRA – Night Time, My Time
17 DROWNERS – Drowners
18 PAINTED PALMS – Forever
19 SAINT RICH – Beyond The Drone
20 THEE OH SEES – Singles Collection, Volume 3
21 DUCKTAILS – Wish Hotel [EP]
22 GRINGO STAR – Floating Out To See
23 SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS – Give The People What They Want
24 MILOSH – Jetlag
25 CIBO MATTO – Hotel Valentine
26 PEGGY SUE – Choir Of Echoes
27 AUTUMN DEFENSE – Fifth
28 WARPAINT – Warpaint
29 HABIBI – Habibi
30 FUZZ – Live In San Francisco
Top Played Artists 1/14-1/20
1 TOY – Join The Dots
2 JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW – Post Tropical
3 DUCKTAILS – Wish Hotel
4 TENNIS – Small Sound
5 PAINTED PALMS – Forever
6 WOODEN SHJIPS – Back To Land
7 GRIZZLY BEAR – Shields: Expanded
8 THEE OH SEES – Singles Collection, Volume 3
9 WHITE DENIM – Corsicana Lemonade
10 LOS CAMPESINOS! – No Blues
11 MARIJUANA DEATHSQUADS – Oh My Sexy Lord
12 SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS – Give The People What They Want
13 YUCK – Glow And Behold
14 GRINGO STAR – Floating Out To See
15 SKY FERREIRA – Night Time, My Time
16 CULTS – Static
17 FUZZ – Live In San Francisco
18 HIGH HIGHS – Open Season Deluxe Edition
19 SEASICK MAMA – Tip Top Shape
20 THAO AND THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN – We The Common
21 BEEDEEGEE – Sum/One
22 DAMIEN JURADO – Brothers And Sisters Of The Eternal Son
23 MILOSH – Jetlag
24 LONELY FOREST – Adding Up The Wasted Hours
25 GRISWOLDS – Heart Of A Lion
26 LA LUZ – It’s Alive
27 BLOOD ORANGE – Cupid Deluxe
28 BIG TREE – My, How You’ve Grown
29 HISTORY OF APPLE PIE – Out Of View
30 HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER – Bad Debt