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VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Vampire Weekend (XL Recordings)
By Beth Lewis, Triplearadio.com Contributing Editor
Endeavoring to define the musical style of Vampire Weekend would be akin to undertaking to define the meaning of life. No one person will give you the same answer, which is what makes the music on their self-titled debut recording so assertingly fascinating. "Vampire Weekend have been on my radar for a little over a year now," says Bruce Warren, Assistant GM of Programming for WXPN in Philadelphia. "We love their sound and freshness – imagine Paul Simon's Graceland colliding with the indie-pop of The Shins and you've got a really cool new band. These four young gents have bright futures ahead." "That's the great thing about them," remarks Rich McLaughlin, former format manager for Sirius (now with WFUV New York). "They appeal to a lot of different audiences: indie, mainstream alternative, even jam-band fans."
It is not only radio singing the band's praises, but press and television as well. Vampire Weekend became the first band ever to be shot for a Spin cover before they'd even released an album. In March, the band was on Saturday Night Live and was one of MTV's Artists of The Week.
Vampire Weekend is the brainchild of Ezra Koenig (vocals/guitar) and Rostam Batmanglij (keyboards/vocals) who first met as students at Columbia University in New York City. Together with Chris Baio (bass) and Christopher Tomson (drums) they began recording and performing around New York City - the group's first gig, in February 2006, was actually a battle of the bands organized by some engineering students. Over the course of 18 months, the band recorded the songs that would eventually wind up on Vampire Weekend...a friend's violin captured in a dorm room here, drum work in a campus studio there. Vampire Weekend producer Batmanglij burned the results onto bright blue CD-Rs that were sold at early shows and distributed to key tastemakers. By mixing Western classical, American indie-rock and South African traditional music Vampire Weekend produces a sound of their own they have called "Upper West Side Soweto."
WXRT Chicago, KFOG San Francisco, WXPN Philadelphia, KCRW Santa Monica, WFUV New York, and KEXP Seattle, are leading a clear majority of commercial and non-comm AAA stations playing "A-Punk" and "Oxford Comma" and scooting Vampire Weekend into the elite company of but a handful of true emerging artists so far in 2008.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND 2008 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR:
July 19 Pitchfork Festival/Union Park, Chicago
July 20 Rogers Picnic, Toronto
July 25 Capital Hill Block Party, Seattle
July 27 Pemberton Festival, Pemberton, BC
July 29 Pipeline Cafe, Honolulu
New Zealand - Australia - Japan
Sept 9 Headliners, Louisville
Sept 10 The Pagent, St Louis
Sept 11 Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS
Sept 13 Monolith Festival/Red Rocks, Denver
Sept 17-18 The Wiltern, Los Angeles
Sept 19 San Diego Street Scene
Sept 23 Rialto, Tucson
Sept 24 Marquee Theatre, Tempe AZ (Phoenix)
Sept 27 Austin City Limits/Zilker Park, Austin
A FINE FRENZY
One Cell In the Sea (Virgin)
By Beth Lewis, Triplearadio.com Contributing Editor
The Oxford Dictionary defines Fine as "of high quality...of notable merit" and Frenzy as "wild excitement." Alison Sudol blends the two narratives, creating what Harp magazine calls, "…a blend of sounds and influences. Where there's Ella, Aretha and Louis, there's also Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Aqualung and Keane." The sound of A Fine Frenzy can best be described as "hypnotic piano arrangements under classic American melody fused unto irresistible, atmospheric songs with the power to reach around the world." In response to A Fine Frenzy's recent opening night performance in San Francisco the San Francisco Chronicle had this to say, "While millions of people were glued to their television sets on Tuesday watching a bunch of overly groomed kids karaoke their way through dead oldies on 'American Idol,' the genuine article was spilling her guts for a small group of people at Cafe Du Nord." The accolades don’t stop there. Entertainment Weekly said of her Virgin Records debut, One Cell In the Sea, "The melodies on this debut are breathless."
In the year since the recording was released, Sudol has appeared on "Late Night With David Letterman," "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and "The Early Show On CBS." She claimed the top spot on the Billboard New Artist Chart, was featured as a VH1 artist You Oughta Know, was featured on the soundtrack to the Steve Carell film "Dan In Real Life," as well as episodes of the hit series "CSI: New York" and "The Hills." In addition, the single, "Come On, Come Out" was iTunes "Single of the Week," with over 300,000 downloads. She has been added to the playlists of WBOS Boston, KTCZ Minneapolis, KCUV Denver, WYEP Pittsburgh, KPTL Des Moines, WCOO Charleston, KRSH Santa Rosa, WNCS Burlington, Starbucks XM Cafe, XM's The Loft, and many more. A Fine Frenzy was showcased at last year's R&R Triple A Summit in Boulder and at the NON-COMMvention in Louisville.
Not too shabby for a self-taught pianist. Originally born in Seattle, Sudol spent much of her childhood years living in Los Angeles opening her creative side to music, literature and movies of all genres. She read C.S. Lewis, E.B. White and Charles Dickens. She listened to classical music, Motown, swing bands, Elton John and the Beatles. It seems no wonder then her music refuses to be categorized and continues to reap such high praise. With a certain long musical future ahead, it will be a most interesting journey to see what roads A Fine Frenzy travels.
A FINE FRENZY TOUR DATES:
3/28/08 The Parish Room, Austin
3/29/08 The Prophet Bar, Dallas, TX
3/31/08 Bluebird Theatre, Denver
4/1/08 Avalon Theatre, Salt Lake City
4/3/08 The Roxy, Los Angeles
MAT KEARNEY
Nothing Left To Lose (Columbia)
By Beth Lewis, Triplearadio.com Contributing Editor
"My goal is to try to avoid a genre -- I think it's better for people to hear the music and decide for themselves what they think it is." So states singer/songwriter Mat Kearney when asked about his unique musical style. Incorporating a distinctive combination of pop, rock, gospel and hip hop into his songs; Kearney is as much a poet as he is a musician, managing all the while to keep his music both accessible and different.
Originally from Eugene, Oregon, now residing in Nashville, TN, Kearney's studies of literature at Chico State University in California were what first inspired him to meld his lifelong loves for music and words into songs. After being introduced to producer Robert Marvin, Kearney opted to follow Marvin to Nashville with the intention of staying the summer to write some songs and record a few demos before heading back to school in the fall. Instead, encouraged by numerous offers for recording deals, Kearney decided to remain in Nashville to pursue his musical aspirations. Rather than jumping at the first (or even second) label deal offered to him, Kearney chose to hone his craft until he felt he was ready to record an album. "I played at open mic nights where, accomplished songwriters like Duncan Sheik, Nickel Creek and Mindy Smith performed. You realize quickly how much you have to learn," he says. "As a musician in Nashville, you live in the shadow of larger than life characters like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. You drive down the street and see Emmylou Harris and Patti Griffin at the stoplight. It's a daunting task to compare yourself to such accomplished artists, but it drives you to do better."
It was another three years before Kearney felt ready to record and the result was the independent release, Bullet, which led shortly thereafter to a deal with Aware/Columbia Records and his major-label debut, Nothing Left To Lose. Featuring 12 tracks co-produced by Kearney and Robert Marvin, Nothing Left To Lose blends a wide range of influences and styles that build on an acoustic base. The album has been garnering widespread attention, most notably when the current single "Breathe In Breathe Out" was featured in the annual Grey's Anatomy music video. "We feel like this track is the perfect 'Grey's' song -- emotional, hopeful and a beautiful piece of writing -- perfect for a new 'Grey's' video," says Betsy Beers, one of the show's executive producers. Kearney is no stranger to Grey's Anatomy. He's already had three songs – "All I Need," "Crashing Down" and "Where We Gonna Go From Here" on the soundtrack of the medical drama. His song "Undeniable" was used to promote NBC's Friday Night Lights and TNT used the album's title track, as the backdrop to an image-building campaign. Kearney's songs have also been heard on the television shows Kyle XY, The Unit, Without A Trace, Laguna Beach, The Hills, Bones, Jericho, Wildfire, What About Brian, South Beach, 8th & Ocean, One Tree Hill and The Closer. He has toured with John Mayer, Sheryl Crow and The Fray; and headlined VH1's first ever "You Oughta Know Tour" in the spring of 2007.
Kearney sums up his songwriting philosophy this way, "My uncle is a painter and he told me once that if your vibe outweighs your content then you are destined to be a novelty. Regardless of the style I use to get my point across, it has to come back to what is pure and real – the song has to stand on its own." If Nothing Left To Lose is any indication, Mat Kearney is destined for a career well beyond novelty status…his should be a career of longevity and substance.
MAT KEARNEY TOUR DATES:
10/12 Oxford, OH Miami University
10/13 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
10/14 Louisville, Headliners Music Hall
10/16 Madison, WI The Majestic Theatre
10/18 Covington, KY Madison Theater
10/19 Nashville, City Hall
10/20 Macon, GA Mercer University, Porter Patch
10/22 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre
VHS OR BETA
Bring On The Comets (Astralwerks)
By Beth Lewis, Triplearadio.com Contributing Editor
"Perception is everything" it has been said, so when you start out with a band name that is clever and memorable you're already ahead of the game. In the case of Louisville's VHS Or Beta their songs also fall into the category of clever and memorable, making them the complete package inside and out. Together for nearly a dozen years, the creative core line-up of the current band consists of Craig Pfunder - guitars, vocals and primary songwriter, Mark Palgy – bass and Mark Guidy – drums. When VHS Or Beta was first formed in the 1990's their primary focus musically was the indie noise-rock popularized by bands like Sonic Youth. Refusing to be boxed in to any one sound, they gradually incorporated an electronic groove into their music and by 2004's Night On Fire club rhythms had permeated their sound. With their latest release Bring On The Comets, they chose to, Pfunder's words, "free ourselves of any musical history we’ve had in our past." They must be doing something right. Rolling Stone has named VHS Or Beta an "Artist To Watch," while Blender Magazine has called them one of rock's "Best New Bands."
"We've really focused on songwriting – on creating pop songs in a time when pop has been watered down," says Pfunder. "I wanted to write a record with huge catch and melody, but also something more. It's the most profound statement we've made as a band." The recordings first single, the piano-driven "Can't Believe A Single Word," is anthemic and gripping. The song is currently breaking out at Triple A and Alternative radio, with early AAA believers including WFPK Louisville, WXPN Philadelphia, WTTS Indianapolis and WNCS Burlington/Plattsburgh.
"There's a fine line between trendy and timeless," according to Pfunder. With Bring On The Comets VHS Or Beta easily finds the perfect balance to that line. Currently on an extensive North American tour - launched 8/28 in Boston and wrapping up 9/29 back home in Louisville - Bring On The Comets is now available and in stores. The band appears on Late Night With Conan O'Brien (NBC) Monday, October 1.
GRACE POTTER AND THE NOCTURNALS
This Is Somewhere (Hollywood)
By Beth Lewis, Triplearadio.com Contributing Editor
"One of the most soulful new bands around." Not too shabby a compliment in general, but when given that Bonnie Raitt is the source, it is incredibly high praise indeed. The impressive tributes for Grace Potter And The Nocturnals run the gamut from fellow musical artists to radio programmers (Potter wowed the crowd in her debut at the 2006 AAA NON-COMMvention in Louisville) to major national press including Rolling Stone magazine, whose David Fricke states, GPN "is poised for bigger things." With the August 7th release of This Is Somewhere (their third release and first for Hollywood Records) those bigger things are about to come to fruition. One of the first signs that the group has truly "arrived" was the inclusion of the new album's "Falling Or Flying" during the opening scene in the season finale of the mega-hit TV series Grey's Anatomy. "'Falling or Flying' is an instant classic," says Grey's music supervisor, Alex Patsavas. "It's a gorgeous song, impeccably sung."
Originally formed in 2002, this Vermont-based group is made up of Potter on vocals and Hammond B3, guitarist Scott Tournet, bassist Bryan Dondero and drummer Matt Burr. Once considered up-and-comers in the modern jazz and blues scene, their captivating live shows were widely enjoyed by the jam-band community as well. Leaning more in the direction of musical influences that include The Band, The Rolling Stones, Little Feat and Neal Young, This Is Somewhere draws directly from their rock roots. Producer (former Whiskeytown guitarist) Mike Daly and Engineer Joe Chicarelli also injected their knowledge and experience into the mix. "Joe was all about sound, and Mike was all about performance," says Potter. "He wasn't looking for the perfect take; he was looking for the right take." "What's cool about this record," says Tournet, "is the balance." The songs and Grace's vocals are the centerpiece, but the other stuff is really important too—the sonic structures, the architecture and the flow. There was a lot of attention paid to the width and breadth of it."
With the first single from This Is Somewhere, "Ah Mary," currently climbing the charts and a solid schedule of touring dates (they headlined the recent WBOS Boston Earth Fest - an appearance is set for the upcoming Austin City Limits Festival), it shouldn't be long before Grace Potter And The Nocturnals fulfill their limitless potential.
SCOTT FISHER
SCOTT FISHER & 1A.M. APPROACH Step Into The Future (Scott Fisher Music)
By Dave Chaney
"The sound is fresh and original and strikes me as something really special."
—Haley Jones, KMTT (The Mountain) Seattle APD/MD
Scott Fisher is a young, Classically-trained pianist and singer-songwriter with kind of a Ben Folds meets Jack Johnson feel. The maturation of his new album brings on comparisons to Sting and Dave Matthews. A songwriter not afraid to tackle lofty subjects, the Boston University Philosophy Major independently released his self-titled debut album just two years ago, featuring "Nothing," a catchy track that firmly established Fisher with some key Triple A stations. Now the 30-year-old Portland, Oregon native has hit the road in support of his new album, Step Into The Future by his band Scott Fisher & 1a.m. Approach. And they are making plenty of new friends along the way.
The list of early believers this time around has swelled, with increasing airplay at WNCS (The Point) Montpelier-Burlington VT/Plattsburgh NY, WUIN (The Carolina Penguin) Wilmington NC, WMVY Martha's Vineyard-Cape Cod and KRVO (The River) Kalispell MT, with spins on KMTT Seattle and KINK Portland, among others. Fisher has received great press in the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and multiple articles in his hometown Oregonian. Allmusic.com has awarded the new record four out of five stars.
I caught up with Fisher just as he was packing for a Northeastern radio road trip. He feels his songwriting and musicianship have definitely been fine-tuned on the new album. "Thematically, I have more focused ideas on what I say and what I do, blending styles better." His early influences range from indie hip-hop through Zeppelin/Dead/Police, a touch of reggae and lots of jazz fusion from heroes like Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. He names Steely Dan's The Royal Scam as one of his favorite discs. It's all there on Step Into The Future, mixed by Grammy-winning Jesus "Choy" Flores, who contrasts his world-savvy sonics with Fisher's clever modern piano pop. Besides the punchy, killer title song, Triple A stations are playing additional tracks, including the soulful "Shades of Blue" and the Coldplay-ish "Forget About The Stars". Step Into The Future has already been released in the U.S. The album is set to be released in Japan September 5th. An Australian release date is pending.
Contact: Kevin Sutter, Tazmoe Music, 425.889.2822
JEFF LANG
CHRIS WHITLEY & JEFF LANG Dislocation Blues (Rounder)
By Beth Lewis, Triplearadio.com Contributing Editor
With his first child on the way and a new recording about to be released in the States, 2007 is looking to be a stellar year for Australian guitar sensation Jeff Lang. Dislocation Blues was written and recorded with the late Chris Whitley shortly before he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005. Lang had been a friend and fan of Whitley's for quite some time when Chris suggested they make a record together.
The album contains original material as well as several Bob Dylan covers and Lang and Whitley's take on the standard "Stagger Lee." According to Jeff, "A couple of the new songs I wrote just prior to the recording with the upcoming session in mind. The songs we wrote together in the studio we were literally coming up with on the spot. The title track and "Velocity Girl" were songs that Chris had already written that he thought we should try together and they worked. Chris suggested doing "When I Paint My Masterpiece" because he really liked that song and we both have a huge respect for Dylan's work. "Changing Of The Guard" was one I had grown up listening to so we instantly agreed on that one. When we first started talking about doing the record some six months earlier, "Stagger Lee" was one of the songs we had talked about so we knew going in to this that that would be one of the songs on the album." "I've always liked making records using the 'live off the floor' approach," said Lang. Dislocation Blues is no different, fully completed in just three days. "To me it's just more exciting and I find I sing better if I'm playing and singing at the same time because I’m more in the moment. There's a flow and an energy that happens and I’m more connected with that."
The last time Jeff and Chris spoke was about three weeks before Whitley was diagnosed with lung cancer (and only about eight weeks before he passed). He called Lang at home right before he was about to go out on tour and he had the final mixes in the final running order blasting away in the background. According to Lang, "We spoke for a couple of hours and he was very happy with the recording which was very gratifying. He was a really sweet guy, but he could be really hard on himself. He told me one of the reasons he wanted me to produce it rather than try to do it together was that he didn't trust his own judgment when it came to work he'd only just finished. He had a hard time accepting the inherent beauty of his musical gift. It's so heartbreaking that he's not here anymore, but it helps to know that he did feel satisfied with the project."
Although completely self-taught, Lang did not start out as a guitarist. "I have two sisters and we all tried various instruments and I really liked the sound of the clarinet. As I got older the change was inevitable because I was listening to Led Zeppelin and music like that. 'Black Dog' or any of Jimmy Page's licks just don't sound the same on clarinet. I felt a natural kind of affinity for the guitar. It felt like the instrument I was meant to play." Lang has already finished writing songs for a new solo album which he expects to record and tour behind next year.
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