New A.C. Newman video - I'm Not Talking

From New Pornographers' frontman A.C. Newman's most recent album Shut Down The Streets, check out the brand new talk show-themed video for "I'm Not Talking."

Bears and Bullets Albums of the Year: Pt. III

We'll continue today with our top 25 countdown with albums #15 through #11.

#15: Destroyer - Kaputt

Dan Bejar is somewhat off-putting at times. The super-literate and carving intellectual drive of his work with Destroyer and The New Pornographers, mixed with his Gordon Gano-like vocal renditions were a constant confinement to me; respectful of the craft and ethic, but disappointed often in the execution. As it is, Kaputt, Destroyer and Bejar's best output yet, kinda curves the perennial temperament. The free-flowing jazz inspirations aren't terrifically overwhelming (good), and play a common chord in the back on songs like "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker," placated by Bejar's indelible song-writing, that finds its place comfortably. And for all the profoundly intellectual moments that tended to make or brake the Bejar status quo, they stand firmly on Kaputt. Pitchfork found a word for the album, "redeeming," that in a very strong sense, fits well. If anything, after all my biased notions, I'm underrating it.

#14: Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
Dye It Blonde could be effortlessly tagged as a less-egotistical glam rock staple of the early 70s, with all its wistful keyboard back-pulls and single-string guitar riffs, and it'd probably be remembered much more fondly then than it would be now. That isn't to say that Smith Westerns self-titled debut is anything like Dye It Blonde. There's confounding maturity and technical prowess that allows itself to be taken seriously, even if the songs come out like dripping call-outs to love and all its nurtured positives. It's a proud leap from the band's 2009 debut, but still comes out fun.

#13: The Antlers - Burst Apart
Two years ago, The Antlers emerged out of the woods with Hospice, a charming, if not too delicate of an album. Lead-singer Pete Silberman's vocal were swept in downplayed and underwhelming pieces, which tends to work fine if there's little directive promise for much else. Burst Apart, however, allows Silberman to show that his high falsetto's can blend and carve a much more grandiose effigy in front of sparkling spirals of slow, decadent outputs. I'm not calling this anything close to stadium-esque profoundness, but the extra effort the Antlers push through is welcomed.

#12: Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
Philadelphia-native Kurt Vile rarely sounds like he's trying, whether he wants to or not. The majority of the tracks on Smoke Ring For My Halo and the rest of the Vile catalog are essentially easy progressions of the prolific singer-songwriter; loneliness, emptiness, feelings of more, etc. It's a deceptive measure of people like him, who aim not to show their tirelessness, even if their reputation says the opposite. Smoke Ring For My Halo is full of tracks that sound carelessly stacked, even behind cleverly displayed layers of musical prowess. And for musicians, maybe that's the correct mindset: work, work, work until getting it right just comes naturally.

#11: Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
How can a band like Girls that in all rights doesn't sound like they're doing anything terribly new, also sound like they're completely in their own world? Father, Son, Holy Ghost are borrowed pieces: surf rock, 60s pop, West coast garage rock, mixed with tempered sides of psychedelia and soul, that can be found anywhere in pop history, but really it's Christopher Owens that makes it stick. His well-documented background as an effeminate singer-songwriter raised in a cult (true) make him endearing as if he were some kind of well-read movie character. Maybe that's why Father, Son, Holy Ghost continues to surprise, replay after replay. You figure at this point you'd know Owens, but he surprises you with catchy, elaborate rock tracks like "Die" and you forget everything you suspect about what's next. Some albums are good because they make sense; their structure, songwriting, and progression. But here, you aren't supposed to suspect much, and it creeps forward even better that way.



We'll continue tomorrow with albums #10 - #6 ...

Tuesday Bears: New New Pornographers video - Moves

"Moves," the New Pornographers newest music video, off of Together, features an all-out ensemble that's worth watching again and again, even if the song does sound a little like Weezer's "Sweater Song."

Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Horatio Sanz, Donald Glover, John Oliver, Wyatt Cenac, John Hodgman, a cross-dressing Ted Leo, and an Independent Spirit Award nominated performance from Kevin Corrigan as Dan Bejar. Watch.

New Pornographers - Moves

Wednesday Bears: Lollapalooza 2010 Review - Day One

Lollapalooza 2010 has come and gone. And as with every year, I'll post my day-by-day in depth review of everything that happened, to me at least.

Day One:

By now, I feel comfortable calling myself a Lolla veteran. Despite the new shake-ups organizers made to the park - moving some stages and increasing size and ticket revenue - certain things about the festival have now become somewhat predictable. Now that's not me saying that I don't enjoy my time, because I certainly do, but the surprise factor has somewhat been diminished. Regardless, August 6, the festival's first full day, was one of the best I've ever had the privilege of being a part of.

The sun was out in pristine blue sky, as Chicago usually seems to this time of year, at a hot, but bearable 80 degrees. Walking in I noticed two distinct things that we're a bit different: one; the size expansion. The Lolla-area had been extended to Michigan Avenue, allowing several stages their own space, more bathrooms and easier in and out access to the park. The other was the overwhelming amount of Lady Gaga fans. They had come in black and pink droves, with colored hair, flaring costumes and skin-tight everything, parking themselves at the south side of the park for the entire day, hoping to save a seat in the enormous crowd that was growing throughout the day. It was a big change of pace for a festival that had never billed a pure mainstream pop act of this caliber. For once, the festival wasn't a haven for mislabeled hipsters and older fans looking for a fun weekend. More on that later.

So, officially, my third Lollapalooza began with Wavves at around noon. For those familiar with the band and their studio work, you'd understand the risks seeing them. Luckily, or in another sense, predictably, the band is better live than advertised. With a weekend short on surprising acts, Wavves was a good start. The noise rock trio, headed by notorious frontman Nate Williams, were a bit out there (if you know the cover of their King of the Beach album you can pretty much figure it out) for the majority of the show, accusing fans for being Ben Stein and whatnot, but they settled into their own, making them a bit more endearing than before.

Wavves

Leaving Wavves with a little time to spare, I made my way to the opposite end of the park to catch the Walkmen, the first of my many heavily anticipated performances. While the first five minutes of the show were clouded with immense, for some reason, technical difficulties, the band broke into with the first of many new tracks from their upcoming album Lisbon.

Decked in their usual casual yet formal clothing, the group, thanks most to Hamilton Leithauser's booming vocals, gave maybe the best early performance of the day, mixing in new work and more familiar singles like "In the New Year" and "The Rat" throughout the show. All in all, a pretty damn good start for just being 2:00 p.m.

The Walkmen

My eventual down-time was few and far between, but between 2:00 and 4:00 I had my first breather. I took short trips to see Ana Sia, my first visit to the updated Perry's Place, and a couple minutes with noise-gaze trio Cymbals Eat Guitars, but eventually found myself waiting for the New Pornographers to start.

Kicking off with my favorite song of theirs, "Sing Me Spanish Techno," Neko Case (draped in a sun-protecting hat), AC Newman, Dan Bejar (who came in and out often) and the rest of the group performed almost every hit they've had in their near ten-year careers, spanning from 2001's Mass Romantic to this year's Together. Needless to say, the group sounded flawless on stage, despite the direct sunlight on Case's fair frame. Friday afternoon had again spurned what would turn out to be one of the weekend's best shows.

The New Pornographers

Once 5:00 rolled around, I was caught in my first of several weekend dilemmas. Do I stay at the north side of the park and catch the Dirty Projectors? Or Fuck Buttons? Well, I knew I wasn't going to Matt & Kim on the south side so there wasn't too much worry there, so I tried my time at both and wound up just grabbing my spot for Hot Chip.

It's unfortunate to note that this was probably the only stain on day one. As I mentioned before, the plethora of Gaga fans camping out at the south end of the park eventually begun to choke the area around the main stage. And by 6:00 any person hoping to grab a spot for either Hot Chip or Gaga had to really manage their way through the sidelines. It's a shame too, because the group put on one of the best shows of the weekend, but half of time I was trying not to bump shoulders with 40,000 others. Still, it was another great show for the day.

With the first night a few hours away from closing, I geared up for day one's headliner, The Strokes. I stayed a short time at Jamie Lidell's bearded and disheveled performance, trying to rest my legs in anticipation of two and half hours of straight standing (and/or jumping). Yeah, it didn't really do much to help.

Jamie Lidell

For those who weren't aware, or don't regularly read this thing, this was the first show the Strokes had done in the United States in nearly four years. While there wasn't any new material to speak of (could be a good or a bad thing), the band seemed like they haven't spent too much time apart, performing almost their entire track list from Is This It? and several other songs from their last two albums. It's hard-pressed for Lolla headliners to put on disappointing performances, and aside from the late start and somewhat early exit (making a scheduled hour and half show into an hour and 10 minute show), The Strokes easily delivered. So for fans electing to, or adamant about staying away from anything Gaga, their night ended pretty well.

The Strokes

Best Performances: The Strokes, The New Pornographers, Hot Chip, The Walkmen
Worst Performances: None

Highlights: "Reptilia" by the Strokes, "Bleeding Heart Show" by The New Pornographers and "In the New Year" by The Walkmen
Lowlights: The Gaga crowd at Hot Chip

Day Two Review Tomorrow ...

Thursday Bears: Lollapalooza 2010 Must-See Artists, Pt. II

As the days to Lollapalooza 2010 swiftly approach, we continue the list of my top ten must-see acts of the festival. And now, here's part two.

#8: The Walkmen

A relatively under-billed, for some reason, act at this year's festival, The Walkmen are on the cusp of releasing what is expected to be another stellar album to their frequently filled catalog. Five years after the group broke into the hearts of indie-philes everywhere with their dynamic, and all-engrossing single "The Rat", The Walkmen, led by lead-singer Hamilton Leithauser are on the cusp of yet another studio release, Lisbon.

The new album, scheduled for release in September, via Fat Possum Records, is a continuation of the matured sound from 2008's You & Me, with plenty of modern saloon-esque horns cascading the slow decadence of Leithauser's surprisingly booming voice. For more on Lisbon, you can read an NPR highlight on the band's new works here.

The Walkmen will be performing at 1:00 on the Adidas Mega stage, Friday, August 6.

The Walkmen - Stranded - MP3

#7: The New Pornographers

Canadian super-group The New Pornographers - led by singer-songwriters AC Newman, Dan Bejar and Neko Case, who made her own appearance at Lollapalooza last year - will be making their first appearance at the festival as a whole group in four years.

After a successful string of critically acclaimed albums released in the first half of the 2000's, The New Pornographers, coupled with their various side projects, took a bit of a side-step with their somewhat disappointing 2007 release, Challengers. Fast-forward three years, and you have Together, a collective reshaping of the band back to the enduring sounds fans first experienced with Mass Romantic.

The group will be performing at 4:00 on the Budweiser Stage, Friday, August 6. Together is out now via Matador Records.

The New Pornographers - Crash Years (Live on Fallon)

Check in tomorrow for Part III ...

Tuesday Bears: Lollapalooza 2010 schedule revealed

Now I have nothing left to wait for but my annual Chicago vacation.

Lollapalooza announced earlier today their official schedule for their 2010 festival with their usual assortment of conflicting set times and empty hours. Let's break it all down:

Day One: Friday, August 6 marks the opening day of the festival, and is jam-packed, unlike last year's lackluster opening day. Noise-something duo Wavves will start my festival early at 12:15 p.m., with The Walkmen, playing a surprisingly early 1:00 p.m. set shortly following. Raphael Saadiq, The Big Pink and Cymbals Eat Guitars all follow until 4:00 p.m., when fans will have to decide between The New Pornographers and Devo.

Shortly following, we encounter another Day One conflict; Fuck Buttons, Matt & Kim and The Dirty Projectors will all begin their sets at 5:00 p.m. Only an hour later, The Black Keys and Hot Chip will begin their sets, with Jamie Lidell starting at 6:30.

Day One will be closed out by The Strokes and Lady Gaga.

Day Two: Compared to Day One, Day Two is a relative breeze. It starts with the Morning Benders at noon, for a measly half-hour set, then Harlem and Rogue Wave begin at 1:00 p.m. Then, I expect to cruise through Stars, Gogol Bordello, Grizzly Bear, Deer Tick, Spoon and Cut Copy, all the way until Phoenix headlines at 8:30.

It's worth noting that Green Day, who is the other Day Two headliner, will play a two hour and 15 minute set - the longest set I've seen scheduled for a long time.

Day Three: Day Three looks a bit more like Day One, with a handful of conflicts arising at the end of the day.

It starts with HEALTH and The Antlers at 11:30 a.m. through noon, then Dodos, The Cribs and Blitzen Trapper play at 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Then, another conflict; indie-upstarts Freelance Whales, Minus the Bear and Mumford & Sons all begin at 3:00 p.m. So, choose wisely.

Yeasayer begin their set at 4:00 p.m., in what turned out to be a pretty easy choice. However, at 5:00 p.m., another conflict a-la Day One arises. Frightened Rabbit, Erykah Badu and MUTEMATH all begin at the same time, so again, think carefully.

Then, another series of conflicts: at 6:00 p.m., MGMT and Wolfmother both perform. While this decision may be a little easier for some people, MGMT have a just reputation to suck live. That being said, The Temper Trap also begin their performance at 6:30 p.m. The National follow at 7:15 p.m., and then The Arcade Fire and Soundgarden will close out the festival.

So that's the jist of it, except for Perry's Place. You can check out the entire schedule below, or just head over the festival website.

Day One (Friday):

Day Two (Saturday):

Day Three (Sunday):

Thursday Bears: New ... New Pornographers Video - Crash Years

Canadian super indie-philes The New Pornographers released the new video for their single "Crash Years," off the band's recently released Together LP.

The Sammy Rawal-directed video depicts an overhead view of multi-colored human subjects marching all cute n' shit on cobblestones. Yeah, it's okay.

Together is out now via Matador Records.

The New Pornographers - Crash Years

Wednesday Bears: Neko Case on Fallon

A couple weeks after Neko Case's Middle Cyclone claimed the top slot of the Amazon editors' version of 2009's top 100 albums, the Virginia-born case hit the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon stage to perform the album's single, "Red Tide."

The part-time New Pornographers member and solo artist is currently on the final leg of her current U.S. tour, hitting the American Southwest before she departs for Australia.

Neko Case - Red Tide (Live on Fallon)