New Incubus Album "LIGHT GRENADES" Out Today

Just a quick news flash from my world of music. Incubus' new album Light Grenades was released today by Immortal/Epic. Thus far, I have only heard the track (and seen the video for) "Anna Molly," so I really don't know what to expect. But this band will always have my heart. Each of their albums has had enough ups for me to forgive the downs. Plus, their live show has consistently gotten more impressive (I saw them pretty much every time they came to Michigan from 1999 to 2005). This tour will be scaled back a little from the Crow Left of the Murder tour. The shows are booked at mid-sized theatres instead of stadiums (including a Feb 6 date at Detroit's State Theatre and a Feb 6 date at Chicago's Riviera Theatre), which is awesome for long-time fans. With any luck, the once-teenage girls obsessed with "Drive" are now oblivious to the band's existence, allowing those who appreciate all of the band's styles and strentgths to flock in numbers. Visit the links below for the entire tour schedule, as well as streaming tracks from the new album.

Incubus:
Website
MySpace

The Little Ones @ Schubas - 11/16/06

(This review was posted on thetripwire.com on November 20, 2006. Keep an eye on that website for more of my work in the near future.)

Once upon a time (about five years ago), a band from L.A. called Sunday’s Best made some of the prettiest pop music suited both for seaside lounging and mountaintop snow sports (in fact, they were featured on the monstrous soundtrack for the Microsoft snowboarding game Amped). Unfortunately, that band got tagged with the fated “emo” label, and, for unknown reasons, faded into oblivion. Now vocalist/bassist Edward Nolan Reyes (switching to guitar) and drummer Ian Moreno have moved on from that band to form The Little Ones. Joining them are Brian Reyes (bass), Lee Ladouceur (keyboard), and Greg Meyer (guitar). Their combined forces make them the most difficult to hate band of the year. A glance at their abstract yet cheery album art brings to mind The Shins CD inserts, but don’t expect this band to be a carbon copy.

Their recently released Sing Song EP (Astralwerks) is fun, to say the least. According to the band’s website, ”They came up with Uncle Lee’s Rule of Feet [during recording]. The rule stated that a song was deemed appropriate if, and only if, each of the Little Ones’ feet could shuffle.” Luckily, the self-imposed rule led them to success. Their indie pop is catchy like label-mates Phoenix, sun-soaked like older Phantom Planet, and smooth like the disbanded Sunday’s Best. But these days, a band needs an extra push to rise above redundant internet buzz. The Little Ones’ vibrant, distinctive live performance accomplished that with ease. From start to finish, Ed Reyes stood confidently at the front of the stage with his Rickenbacker guitar that shined red like a well-waxed surf board. His voice is timeless, providing the key element that makes their music so memorable. Ed and Brian were immediately recognizable as brothers, which added a familiar vibe to the already pleasant atmosphere. Furthermore, they played as if the audience were their close friends, instead of alienating the crowd as many current bands do.

The group’s sound screams of California (just like Ladouceur’s bushy, blond hair). You could practically hear sea gulls and waves crashing in the background, and hints of an ocean breeze made their way through Schubas music room. Plus, they have so much fun on stage that I almost hitched a ride to Cali with them. Most of their songs are very beat oriented, although the drums didn’t stick out over any other instrument. The keyboards are subtle but vital, adding extra flavor to the already zesty music. The separate instruments melted together as Uncle Lee’s Rule of Feet applied itself to the audience. All of a sudden, smiling and dancing were not a choice, but happened automatically for the majority of viewers.

The band (expectedly) played all seven songs from their EP. The melody on “High on a Hill” brought to mind the ‘50s pop from the movie “That Thing You Do.” The band combined that aesthetic with the ‘80s flavor of Simple Minds on “Oh, MJ.” The drawn-out “whoa” at the start of “Let Them Ring The Bells” sounded as if it were borrowed from Mates of State. The upbeat jingle “Cha Cha Cha” turned many frowns upside-down, despite how grumpy or weather-trodden Chicagoans tend to be. On “Face the Facts,” the band even dared to use a cowbell, and then managed to not sound pretentious (after all, the cowbell has become the most overplayed, albeit underused, instrument of the decade thanks to Saturday Night Live). At one point in the show, Ed Reyes warned the audience that the upcoming song was extremely dark and hoped they wouldn’t be disturbed. Even those who had heard the EP half believed him, but were relieved when the lighthearted affair was not interrupted by some depressing spell. “Lovers Who Uncover” closed the set, providing an updated take on Sunday’s Best’s airy indie rock. That song’s hand claps and “hey” chants secured the devotion of anyone left in the crowd who wasn’t already dancing.

Listeners who are still on the fence after hearing the Little Ones’ studio recordings should be much more interested after seeing them live. They affirmed the notion that a band’s true potential is demonstrated on stage. At this point, the band has a couple different directions they can take. But that’s the point of an EP; to test out the water. For the Little Ones, the water looks warm, crystal-clear, and full of little multicolored fish waiting to follow them. And since Sing Song EP is a stronger set of songs than most full length albums this year, it should hold over fans until the band can supply a full length CD of their own. Until then cherish the beautiful feeling their music inspires, and don’t fight the urge when your feet start to shuffle.

The Little Ones:
Website
MySpace

Jeff's Holiday

I'm a total douche bag of an older brother and I should have posted this a long time ago. My brother, Jeff Meador, has a recording project called Jeff's Holiday. He has a free CD available for download from his website (link below) titled Young and Restless. It is really cool, especially if you're a fan of Radiohead's Kid A/Amnesiac sessions, The Postal Service (or other indie electronica) or Cocteau Twins (or other ambient pop). He's now a freshman at MSU and writes music in his teeny tiny dorm room. Keep an eye on his MySpace page for news about the upcoming CD this winter.

Jeff's Holiday:
Website
MySpace

Rad Videos!

Here are some sweet videos that I've recently come across. I've been thinking a lot about the future of music videos. YouTube won't be around forever. It's been sold to Fox, and copyrighted material is being snatched away as I type. In the meantime, it's pretty amazing that we can view these works of art in the comfort of our homes on broadband internet.

1) "Whoo! Alright Yeah...Uh Huh" by The Rapture - These guys look like they're having more fun than the Beastie Boys ever did fighting for their right to party. Check out the jukin' moves at the end! I think the appropriate response is "BOOYAH."



2) "Over and Over" by Hot Chip - I missed these guys at Metro on 11/10, but I've fallen in love with these videos. They appear to be true musical and visual artists.



3) "Boy From School" by Hot Chip - Watch the whole thing! Wait for the end! It's worth it!

October Show Highlights

Given everything that's going on right now, I should be forgiven for occasionally forgetting to cover a show. However, these shows were stellar, and they deserve mention.

Mobius Band wsg. Baby Dayliner @ Empty Bottle 10/18

Baby Dayliner

I saw this guy, who goes by Baby Dayliner, take stage after the opening band, and I thought he was going to introduce Mobius Band. As it turns out, he was about to perform a set. It looks like he's performed with a full band before, but this time he was just singing to a CD blasing over the PA. The first song sounded like a Barry White cover, and I quickly took my hater stance in pure anti-hipster form. I saw these girls in vintage dresses and guys in nasty sport jackets and mowhawks dancing their hearts out, and I wanted to strangle each and every one of them. However, as the performance went on, it became very difficult not to enjoy it. The soul and R&B gave way to more pleasurable sounds not far off from some of Beck's best work. Baby has an undeniable stage presence and a voice that reminds me of Morissey and David Bowie. So next time bring the band along, and maybe I'll start dancing too.

Mobius Band

Mobius Band were a hit on MSU's Impact Radio while I was still a student, so I was very excited to hear their brand of electronic indie rock. For only three people, they create a lot of racket. But their EP and debut album have more memorable moments than many bands with four LP's under belt. Currently, I'm at a loss for words (that's probably why I didn't write a review and it took me so long to post anything), so let's enjoy YouTube while we still can:

Anathallo @ Schubas 10/27

Anathallo

Anathallo appears to be the little band from Michigan that could, just like that story about a train engine climbing a long mountain and puffing "I think I can, I think I can." Well, I know they can. After a triumphant set on Friday at Lollapalooza, they returned to play my favorite Chicago venue (Schuba's) on Halloween weekend. It was enjoyable, but their sound it better left outdoors. Here's an older clip I found on the Tube (not the best quality, but better than nothing):

Aerosmith in Detroit - 10/11/06

I wasn't at this show, but I have seen Aerosmith three or four times and I must say that I'm amazed they're still touring. Hell, it was amazing that they were still doing it back in '97 on their Nine Lives tour. Anyways, my dad sent me these pictures from his camera phone. So this is where technology is taking us. Those arena rock giants that once seemed so surreal and distant can now be sent via the internet to get up in your face. Aerosmith shows might be a tad predictable now, but they put on a live rock 'n' roll performance unlike any other American classic rock band. If that tickles your pickle, make sure to catch one of their shows before Joe Perry's half-robotic arms fall off, or Steven Tyler's viagra gives him a fatal heart attack. Check out Tyler's nose hair below:

Nirvana DVD Review - Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!

In 1994, not long after the suicide of Kurt Cobain, a VHS tape entitled Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! was released to the general public. Now, a whopping twelve years later, the home video project will be available on DVD format.

This video compilation is definitely not a tool to attract new audiences to the band. It is more of a note in a bottle cast off from a sinking ship. The DVD has little direction and lacks the glossy finish of their major label albums. From one perspective that is favorable, since the video plays like a brutally honest documentary of a band that swerved out of control. On the other hand, Live! would have profited from some sort of narration or timeline presentation.

The program alternates between band interviews and concert performances, and promises to be informative and surprising to most viewers. Lead man Kurt Cobain looks far too comfortable in front of the camera. Meanwhile, bassist Krist Novaselic is enthusiastic about sharing his opinions, but is too inarticulate to convey meaningful information. Seeing drummer Dave Grohl in a state similar to Novaselic, it’s hard to believe that he would go on to do the Foo Fighters so soon (and, for a short while, so well). But the band seems to get along well in interviews, taking turns to talk and complementing each other’s points.

There is a gripping segment explaining how the band dealt with the popularity of their 1991 album Nevermind, but more specifically the radio hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The band is shown playing the song on British music program “Top of the Pops” with Cobain singing an octave too low and barely playing his guitar at all. This section is followed by a barrage of media clips, including the band’s appearance on top 10 lists with Michael Bolton and Michael Jackson. The DVD is painful to watch – especially the closing moments which show the band destroying multiple stage sets – just as their music is often painful to listen to.

There is a lot of talk about the band’s influences. They were punk through their dedication to freedom of expression and rebellion against the music industry. They were pop because of the simplistic, infectious, and sometimes meaningless nature of their songs. They were heavy metal because they were loud and powerful. They were indie rock because of their wall-of-noise style, and passion and integrity. And there are specific bands that inspired them from each of those genres. Pop – the Knack; punk – the Clash; hard rock – Black Sabbath, David Bowie; indie rock – The Pixies, Meat Puppets, etc. Of course the world ditched all those descriptors for two: alternative and grunge.

There is also a lot of talk about “the next Nirvana,” a concept that comes to mind when bands like Arctic Monkeys are made into such a big deal. The band maintains that their music was about fun and freedom. It’s still a mystery how the band could have become such a worldwide powerhouse, but it definitely has something to do with the specific elements they incorporated into their music. Plus, their timing was impeccable. Generation X needed this reckless abandon and meaningless noise. When Cobain spit in and humped the stage camera, thousands of people cheered, smiled…and loved him.

The DVD presents some important questions. First, why did a band so intent on staying perpendicular to the music industry sign with a major label? Could it have been the money? By the way, Cobain topped Forbes.com’s 2006 list of Top-Eearning Dead Celebrities, while money-grubbing widow Courtney Love topped my list of worst human being ever. Second, what is the lasting impact of Nirvana over a decade after Cobain’s death? Does anyone, even former die-hard fans, listen to their albums anymore? Around the new millennium, the opening four chords of “Teen Spirit” could be heard sadly echoing down college dorm hallways and emanating from family basements. And now, the scruffy long-haired kids at their shows are in their twenties and thirties, with kids, careers, and car payments. There is no doubt that Nirvana was an important band. But their import may lie not so much in the public domain as inside of whichever fans can still relate to their craft.

Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! will be released to the public by Universal on November 7, 2006.

Amazon.com:
Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! (DVD)