Nino Banana

Bob Dylan Christmas In The Heart

2009-12-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

December 11^th, 2009

Christmas In The Heart offers an array of Christmas carol classics such as "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Little Drummer Boy," and "O' Little Town of Bethlehem." The basic idea of this album is the jingle bells and soothing choir of Christmas music topped with a hint of Bob Dylan's personality. Unlike the run-of-the-mill Christmas music, listeners will actually ends up paying attention to Bob Dylan's versions because of the unique approach he takes to these songs.

Dylan's version of "The First Noel," epitomizes the album. The song starts with a calming choir in the background with the occasional bells and chimes. Once Dylan starts to sing, the entire dynamics of the tune changes. His scratchy voice turns a family-friendly Christmas tune into an original – if not slightly sketchy – cover that makes you wonder if Dylan is being sarcastic about the holiday spirits or if this is his way of being cheerful about the season.

Out of fifteen tracks the absolute listener-catch is "Must Be Santa." This originally mid-tempo jolly carol was completely reborn with a touch of Dylan. Fast-paced drumbeats and quirky-sounding accordion brings a whole different feel to the song. Where the original version makes you think of Santa delivering presents to children, drinking milk and eating cookies, Dylan's "Must Be Santa" makes you picture Santa falling down the stairs drunk and partying Christmas Eve away.

If you are sick of the same Christmas songs sang by the same cheesy voice over and over again, Bob Dylan's Christmas In The Heart is just for you. It's not the album you listen to while opening presents, having dinner with your family, or having hot chocolate with your significant other – it's the album you listen to while you sit at your cubicle alone, getting extra work done, and feeling skeptical about the holiday spirits. Yet, the ironic energy the album carries makes you smile and laugh, which is what the holiday season is all about.

- By Lily Jeong

Elvis Perkins in Dearland December 3rd, 2009 The Paradise Rock Club

2009-12-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

December 3^rd, 2009

On a rainy Monday night, one opening band was not enough to perk the audience for Elvis Perkins in Dearland. After two opening acts and three solid hours after the door opened, Elvis Perkins in Dearland came out to the crowd – but not on stage. The band entered The Paradise Rock Club from the top balcony, marching in with a drum, a trombone, and a trumpet. As the band marched into the venue, the crowd cheered, stomped, and clapped to the beat.

Elvis Perkins started the show with “Gypsy Davy,” from the band’s new Doomsday EP. The New York-based band has a collective of very tight followers. Many people from the audience were singing along and grooving to the beats. Plenty of Perkins’ songs had heavy percussions and catchy bass drum beats to it, which made it easier for the audience to dance to.

“Doomsday,” turned the festive mood around a bit. The light dimmed down to enhance the melancholy feel of the song, and people swayed and moved to the slow groove. The high-pitch and rather fragile-sounding voice of Perkins brought to mind Devendra Banhart, and the gloomy melodies the horns played added a central Asian feel to the band’s sound.

After a faster tune “Stop Drop Rock and Roll,” the band left the stage leaving Perkins alone with his guitar. “Right now is the part of the night,” Perkins told the audience. “…Where I do not know what is supposed to happen. What do you want me to do?”

Despite the fact that he tried to take requests from the audience, Perkins didn’t seem to like any of the suggestions that were thrown out there, including “Freebird.” Perkins decided to play one of his older songs on his acoustic guitar.

The band came back out after a couple acoustic songs, and the crowd energy hit the pinnacle. Although it was a cold and rainy Monday night, Perkins and his band threw a grand party at the Paradise, beating the drums, dancing around the stage, and singing with the crowd.

When the group exited the stage after their last song, the crowd cheered on and on craving more. Perkins came back out with his acoustic guitar and started to play a song, and the bassist and the drummer came out during the song to join him. Even after Perkins’ first encore, the crowd did not leave the venue regardless of the house light, so the band came out once more for a few tunes. The fact that it was a Monday night did not seem to bother these avid fans – Perkins could put up a party any day of the week.

-Words and Images by Lily Jeong

The Mieka Canon October 27, 2009 at 88.9 WERS

2009-11-02T17:09:00.001-08:00

October 27^th, 2009

The start of winter in Boston is never pleasant. The beautiful fall days seem gone forever, and the only thing that greets people on the street is the stabbing-cold wind. Despite the nasty weather, The Mieka Canon arrived at WERS laughing and cracking jokes. Even the gray sky that looked like it could start pouring anytime could not stop the band's jolly energy.

Mieka Pauley, the front woman of The Mieka Canon, is not new to WERS. She not only went to school in Boston, but she's a frequent WERS in-studio performer. She looked extremely comfortable setting up and sound checking, and the band members seemed to be more relaxed than nervous.

The Mieka Canon is Mieka Pauley's new project with Brian Cassagnol, Andrew Morgan, and Gabriel Hayes. Pauley has been playing as a solo acoustic artist for some years, but she sought for a different way to express her music with a full band. "I think I wasn't satisfied with my solo work," Pauley said. "There were people who told me that they liked it, but it's not enough for me to be happy with, and then Ryan and Andrew brought to me the music that I've always wanted to play."

The band started off the set with "Faster," which is a medium tempo tune layered with Pauley's appealing vocals. Pauley's voice was simple yet touching, and the band added filled in the blanks that Pauley's acoustic sound might have been missing.

Pauley had a hard time defining her hometown when asked where she was from. She's lived in Kentucky, Colorado, and South Florida. Her eclectic sound perfectly represents her backgrounds, which also allows her to play with many different artists such as Citizen Cope, Ben Kweller, Eric Clapton, and even Natasha Beddingfield. "Mieka is kind of bluesy, kind of R&B," said Cassagnol. "… [Citizen Cope] is so much funkier, and yet it totally works because Mieka has got that down. But then we can get on stage with Ben Kweller and we can bring out more of rock and garage sound, so it can work with Ben Kweller."

The Mieka Canon finished their set with "We're All Gonna Die." Cassagnol's back-up vocals added a spunky spice to the song. With the band behind her, Pauley seemed to be more confident and comfortable letting her sound out. It was a great idea to get a band together on Pauley's end, considering how much more versatility Pauley's music carried with the band.

-Words and images by Lily Jeong

Ben Folds September 13th Symphony Hall

2009-10-16T12:10:00.001-07:00

October 13, 2009

When news broke that Ben Folds was playing with Boston Pops at Symphony Hall, it did not come as much of a surprise. Folds' songs are all about dynamics and expressions, which is what an orchestra does best. Because of the expressiveness of his songs, Folds is also one of film industry's favorite pop artists to work with, not to mention he wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to music.

On arrival at Symphony Hall, the wide range of the crowd was surprising. It felt like a representation of Boston population. From skinny jeans wearing hipsters to mid-age men in suits, the show seemed to have attracted every kind of demographic from every age group.

Folds walked out on the stage in all-black attire that matched the orchestra's tuxedoes, and the crowd cheered out loud from their anticipation and excitement. During the first a couple songs, Folds explored the space he had in the orchestra. Although they were his songs, his melodies, and his words, Folds did not try to take over the stage. Instead, he shared the show with Pops as if it was a giant band. His emotions and stories were coming out in the most modest-yet-honest way, and the crowd reacted instantly by cheering and singing along.

Into his fifth song, Folds' presence started to take over the stage. He played songs that had personal anecdotes to them such as "Ascent of Stan," and "Landed," and the Pops took the dynamics of Folds' songs and amplified them magnificently. By the time he was playing a song for his daughter, "Gracie," Folds had complete control over the crowd. He had the evident power to move the crowd, and as if hypnotized, the full-house audience laughed and cried to his words. During "Not the Same," Folds even taught the audience the three-part harmony from his song "Not the Same," letting the crowd experience the song as a full.

About three quarters through the set, Folds shared with the audience that he had been working on a new album with High Fidelity author, Nick Hornby. Boston Pops members put their instruments down to let Folds play two new songs from the album by himself. Even though the full sound of the orchestra was gone, the energy of the previous songs carried on, and left listeners with the impression that Folds' music inherently has the power to move people. A symphonic orchestra helped Ben Folds express his sound, but it was ultimately the presence of Folds himself that enticed the audience.

Folds ended his set with "One Angry Dwarf and Two Hundred Solemn" and retired to the backstage. However, the audience kept calling and cheering for him, encouraging him to come back out without Boston Pops to play some fan favorites such as "The Luckiest," and "Army." The encore brought out the rock 'n' roll side of Ben Folds' shows that the Pops were covering up, and everyone got up and danced in order to let out the energy they had been containing the entire night. The audience energy peaked during the last song of the night "Rockin' the Suburbs," highlighting everyone's night by dropping the F-word on top of their lungs in Symphony Hall.

Attendees left the venue feeling both energized and inspired. Ben Folds fed his crowd a genuine, raw musical experience that only comes to town once in a while.

-Lily Jeong

The Everyday Visuals To Release A Self-Titled Album Soon

2009-04-02T20:32:00.001-07:00

The Everyday Visuals are frequent visitors to WERS. Lead singer Christopher Pappas and Eli Scheer (guitar / keyboards) sat down with WERS.org to talk about the band’s new self-titled album and their new website.

Interview conducted and transcribed by Lily Jeong

What have you guys been up to since your last visit to WERS?

Christopher Pappas: Making the record.

Eli Scheer: Totally just working on the record as much as we can until it was done.

CP: Now it’s done, and now we are here promoting it, putting it out among the airwaves.

Tell us a little bit about your new album.

CP: It’s self-titled, and it’s going to be out on April 14. We are really proud of it. I feel like we’ve learned a lot from making the last two records on our own, so the third one, I think we really have gotten in synch with what sort of vibe we want for the record. You know, what sort of production things we wanted to do, and sounds and all that.

ES: I think the last a couple records had a whole bunch of elements that were really representative of us in terms of: here’s one, here’s one, and here’s one. Like we said on air, it’s kind of a schizophrenia thing sometimes. This one to me – and I think we can speak for all of us – it feels more like allover representative, and it totally feels like us. From front to back, all of [the songs.] Some of them are still rockers and electric stuff, and some of them are more of the acoustic side of what we do. But they all somehow represent us more.

CP: It’s like somebody has split personalities and you’d have to combine all of them together make one person. It’s distilled. It’s like fine liquor. It’s like nice scotch. It’s like a nice blended scotch. Although my favorite is malted scotch so this analogy is bad, but a very good blended scotch could be awesome, and especially if you blend them right. I think we blended them right.

Is there a reason you waited out a couple albums to make this one self-titled?

CP: The self-titled was kind of Eli’s idea. I think all of those reasons I’ve mentioned before, I think this album truly represented us. The previous records represented us but it was disjointed. It was like, oh here is their acoustic side, and here is their electric side. But this record we combined them into one big sonic experience, you know? So I think Eli really hit on it and said, ‘This record is so us that we should just self-title it.’

I checked out your new website with your blog.

CP: Blog, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube…

ES: You can pretty much log into our website. You can almost [log in] if you have Flickr and YouTube accounts. We try to make it as inclusive and possible and stay connected to whoever might be visiting us.

CP: Right. And also, it’s just an easier update. We are not like web junkies. Our last website was all HTML, so you needed Dreamweaver to update it, so Eli and I were constantly trying to update it and keep up with it, but it was such a hassle. Now this one, I mean, I posted news items from my phone, because it’s a blog. It’s really awesome and it allows us to be current, and keep our website more relevant than our Myspace. That was our goal: trying to phase out people finding the news and tour dates from Myspace, even though Myspace is great…

ES: Hopefully people will sign up for our mailing list instead of clicking to be our friend on Myspace.

So I read your blog about asking people about weather you should play an acoustic set or an electric set for the opening acts.

CP: What do you think? Have you heard our electric set?

I have.

CP: What do you think? What should we do?

I want to say acoustic.

CP: Interesting.

ES: There is no right answer to this, because it’s an internal quandary that everybody has a different opinion on. Somebody actually commented on the blog that you were referring to on our website – they just did it today, I think – and I was reading it and it said, ‘I just saw you playing at the Paradise acoustic this last weekend, and I saw you there for the first time ever and when I bought the CD the next day I went home and heard the electric side, and I was blown away by the acoustic thing having never heard of the other, and then I went home and it was a wonderful surprise to hear the electric side of it.’ So I was like, wow. We won him over. But then he finished up by saying, ‘Not to be any help, but it doesn’t matter what you play because I am going to show up anyways the next time.’

What are pros and cons about opening acts?

CP: I think up until this point we used those sets strategically. If we are opening for a quieter band, we use the quieter acoustic set, or if we are playing in a small space like this we play acoustic. But ideally we would just love to be able to combine both of them. It goes back to the record too. We combined our identity and really distilled our identity on this record, and we wish we could do that live. Pros, you get in front of their audience, and you get new fans and new listeners. Cons are definitely that for a band like us that is so meticulous and very conscious about the way we sound, it’s hard to skimp on that aspect of a show: getting the bummer on the sound check, getting the short-end of sets, you know. But I mean, obviously we would much rather headline but we are not a type of band that snubs our nose at opening shows opportunities. We know it’s always one fan at a time and whatever gets us in front of people we love doing.

You guys do have some headlining acts coming up in New York City and DC though.

CP: We do. That is true. And hopefully Boston too. I think we are gonna do a Boston show, and try to get back up to our home state, New Hamsphire, too. We’ll see what happens.

Jen Kearney & The Lost Onion at WERS

2009-04-02T20:31:00.001-07:00

Jen Kearney & The Lost Onion at WERS

Jen Kearney playing keys at WERS. (Ross Dallas/WERS)

(Ross Dallas/WERS)

By Lily Jeong

It was a typical day of March in Boston. The grey sky had been sprinkling raindrops all day, and the air was a bit colder than people preferred it to be. Everybody seemed to be dragging their feet and trying to stay motivated, but the gloomy weather did not help the lazy vibe floating around the station. Given the lethargic vibe, Jen Kearney & the Lost Onion’s organic sound was a wonderful surprise.

When the band went into their first song “The Year of the Ox,” Kearney’s powerful voice instantly brightened up the low-key atmosphere of the studio. It felt as if the band was loosening up my stiff joints to make me sway to their groovy sound. Kearney’s scratchy yet driving voice reminded me a lot of Susan Tedeschi’s vocals; it blended with the band’s mellow and sentimental instrumentals.

Although it was her first time performing on-air, Jen Kearney seemed to be very relaxed and content. Her second song, “To the Moon,” really showed Kearney’s songwriting skills as well as her ability to express her emotions freely through performing. Peter MacLean’s crisp drums topped with soul-infused piano riffs made a great rainy-day song, maintaining a good balance of soft and hard.

“I grew up listening to a lot of Otis Redding and old soul music like Aretha Franklin,” said Kearney when I asked about where she got her soul influence, “I was a freak about it, and I listened to every little bit of it… My mom had a bunch of cool records as well.”

Indeed, Kearney’s last song of the set, “Prime Meridian,” had a strong taste of old soul. The waltz rhythm piano intro slowly lead into a jazzy tune, and the band stayed with the free spirit throughout the entire song. Carl Johnson and Kearney rocked out sharing solo spots and creating an instrumental conversation. The seamless flow of the energy made it feel like they were improvising the song on the spot.

Kearney has taken such sonic experience all over the nation: northeast, Colorado, and even Georgia. However, she plans to stay local for a while because she feels like she needs to be stable until her new album release.

“We are gonna be very busy, I think,” said Kearney, “because we are releasing a CD in May. We are looking to book a ton of shows locally, and see how far we can get with it!”

High Hopes Band Rocks Rockers on WERS

2009-04-02T19:11:00.001-07:00

High Hopes band performing their final song on Rockers at WERS.

By Lily Jeong

Live Mixes for Rockers are never disappointing. Especially after a dragging Wednesday that I spent waiting for the weekend, sitting in the studio listening to groovy beats is almost a reward.

Indeed, High Hopes Band’s live set at WERS did not let me down. The Boston-based reggae band consists of six people who enjoy sharing their music with people. They we’re also good company to keep on a hump day. Despite their various arrangements, High Hopes Band’s set-up and sound check went exceptionally smoothly with barely any problem. I was getting a good feel from the mix even before it had started.

The band started off the set with a mellow love song called “Stranger.” A popping reggae beat met the R&B feel, complimenting tender and romantic lyrics. Iron Zion’s scratchy vocals added a zest to the song, and everyone in the studio grooved and swayed to the beat, fully appreciating the positive energy the band brought on.

Shortly after the band’s first song, Iron Zion grabbed everyone’s attention with a noise that sounded like an animal roaring. It was hard to believe that the noise was coming from a person, and everyone wondered why such an effect was chosen. It started to make sense when the band introduced the song as “The Lion in Me,” a classic rocker reggae tune. Iron Zion’s roars added such an exclusive spice to High Hopes Band’s sound, and as the band continued the song a small group of people started to gather outside of the studio to watch them perform.

With the built-up energy, High Hopes Band wrapped the set up with “Doing What We Have To Do.” When the drums and the bass are the most important factors of reggae, Jules’ thick bass lines doubled up the feel of O Jinga’s drums, making everybody in the studio get on their feet. The key to High Hopes Band’s fresh sound is its simplicity. In the studio, all the band members kept their parts very basic yet crisp, which allowed those parts to come together and collectively create a full track.

After their last song, Jahsun Joseph, the guitarist from the band came into the control booth and gave the Live Mix staff members High Hopes Band t-shirts. The band was sincerely thankful for the opportunity to perform on air and share their music with people. It is just like the lines from their song “Have To Do”: “We’ve got music to play/ We’ve got work to do now/ We’ve got people to meet/ We’ve got places to go.”

Televandals: Boston And Beyond

2009-04-02T12:23:00.001-07:00

Televandals guitarist Nico. WERS, March 31. (Amanda Agueda/WERS)

By Lily Jeong

A spring day in Boston deserves a lively sound like Televandals. While the Boston rock band set up for their on-air set atWERS, late-March sunshine heated the studio, and the band members grew excited to get their sound on the radio.

Despite a few technical difficulties during sound check, Televandals hit New England airwaves running with “Dirty Lovers,” an upbeat punky tune. Along with the vibrant drums and anchoring bass lines, Nico’s spitting vocals add an attacking quality to the song.

While listening to their first song and taking notes, I tried to boil down their sound to one phrase, but it was too hard. There is no single genre that could embrace this band. They have the danceable element of every genre. Their Myspacepage defined them as “Indie/Electro/Punk,” but those three words were not enough to describe Televandals’ explosive spirit.

After warming the studio up with “Dirty Lovers,” Televandals began rocking out to“Arch Nemesis,” featuring roaring bass that shook the entire studio. J Restless’ melodic yet dreamy guitar contrasted with Ride-Out’s heavy drums, but Nick’s punky bass lines brought all the instruments together to complete a spicy dance tune. Televandals finished the set strong with “Good for Nothing,” which reminded me a lot of Talking Heads. Despite the heat in the studio from heavy lighting, band members moved and danced around with full energy and excitement. The song was a perfect example of their punk and new wave influences, and yet clearly displayed Televandals’ own taste and interpretation of the genre.

Such powerful vibe allowed the band to grow bigger than a local band. Televandals recently played at South By Southwest, has shows lined up in New York City, and has a full album coming out in a couple of months.

“… all these things happened so quickly,” said Nico listing all the highpoint of past a year with a huge smile on. “Who knows where we will end up if we keep up like this?”

Moreover, The Boston Phoenix nominated Televandals as The Best Rock Band of 2009. The band appreciates the attention and support, and only plans to strive harder. The Boston scene has been treating this electro-punk quartet with “open arms” as Ride-Out would describe, and with such enthusiasm and distinct sound, Televandals will always be welcomed not only in Boston but any place where people know how to dance.

The Brew Shreds With A Boston Cover

2009-04-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

I have seen The Brew live a few times, and every show

astounded me. The band’s solid dynamic on stage adds so much to their tightly constructed songs filled with improvisational surprises. The band dynamic is partially fed by the crowd energy, so I was interested to see The Brew perform on-air, where the audience is not visible.

The Brew opened the set with their new song “Hard Enough to Break.” The song was more of a slow tune rather than a “rager” as the band would describe. Dave Drouin’s smooth guitar melodies rolled over Chris Plante’s dreamy piano riffs while Joe Plante’s bass and Kelly Kane’s drums added a very crisp sound to the tune. Topped off with some impeccable vocal harmonies, the song generated sonic comfort. However, the band was feeling the energy through their bodies, constantly swaying and dancing around to reflect every note word they hit.

The energy level in the studio hit a summit as they went into a Boston cover: “Feelin’ Satisfied.” The studio exploded with the excitement of the Live Mix staff members, who kept yelling out “I can’t believe it,” and “These guys are ridiculous.” The Brew did not only nail the lively feel of the song but also added their talent and energy to it, which made everyone in the studio dance with huge smiles.

The Brew has been tirelessly touring from their northeast home to the Midwest and never intends to stop. Soon they will be in Virgin Islands as well, and the band is slowly yet definitely building up followings everywhere they go. With such intense touring, it is impressive they find time to write such complex music.

“Someone writes a tune and then they bring it to the band and all four of us help tweak it up and put our ideas out,” Chris Plante explained when I asked about the song-writing process, “It’s full-on democracy. If somebody has an idea, we are obligated to try it no matter how bad we think it might be at first.”

“We tweak arrangements, melodies, concepts, ideas, and sometimes lyrics,” added Joe Plante, “Everything changes throughout the whole process to be something that is sometimes a lot different than what it was originally in the first place.”

The Brew never plays the same set list twice, which makes each of their shows equally special. During two long sets, the band often plays the songs that are not featured in their studio albums - songs that are sometimes more favored than their studio tunes. The band explains that the record company makes the decision of what goes on studio albums, which they do not mind. The Brew’s open taping policy also makes it possible for fans to archive favorite non-album songs played at shows.

“The great part is, though, that we are still writing the songs and what they pick is still good with us because we wrote them,” said Drouin. “If you start recording what other people write, then you’ve got a problem,” added Joe Plante, appreciating the fact that The Brew is able to release the music that was solely created by the band.

The Brew finished the set with their classic “Change for Reaching.” The built-up momentum carried through the funky riffs of the song, and it convinced everyone in the studio to go see The Brew live the next time they were around Boston. Without a doubt, The Brew successfully conveyed their passion and musicianship over our airwaves, and the fans of the touring band will only continue to grow. The Brew is currently working on their live album, getting hyped up for the festivals in the summertime.

Words by Lily Jeong

Photo by Meaghan Ford

Local Music Week at 88.9 WERS

2009-03-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Starting tomorrow March 30, 2009 WERS is hosting over 50 bands live in studio for the station's annual Local Music Week. This year the artists include Jesse Dee, Will Dailey, Sarah Borges, and many more from all genres but all from yours truly Boston area.

I will be covering total nine mixes this week, and as soon as the article/interviews get published on WERS Wordpress blog, I will be sharing the fun with you guys on Nino Banana as well.

Artists I will be covering include The Brew, The Everyday Visuals, Jen Kearney & the Lost Onions, Avi & Celia, and many more. Be sure to check back for the articles and the interviews with amazing pictures!!!

Blitzen Trapper February 26, 2009 Paradise Rock Club

2009-03-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

Words by: Lily Jeong | Images by: Alex Nelson

Blitzen Trapper :: 02.29.09 :: Paradise Rock Club :: Boston, MA

Backstage at the Paradise Rock Club looked more like the inside of a bus than a room; in a long narrow area, mirrors replaced the windows and two liquor fridges substituted for the driver's seat. When I walked in to meet Eric Earley and Marty Marquis, I heard the ambient noise of birds singing and water flowing. Marquis pointed at a picture of a white tiger lounging in a cave against the wall. "Our sound guy is a tiger enthusiast," he explained. "This is the Zen aspect of our tour."

Blitzen Trapper has released four albums so far, and every one of them conveyed different feels and emotions. The last two - Wild Mountain Nation (2007) and Furr (2008) - received fantastic reactions from both fans and critics, but the band does not stop striving towards newness.

"I don't like to make anything the same twice, you know," said Earley. "And with this band it's good because we set it up so that we do have the freedom to experiment with things and make stuff different. It's all about moving around and changing, not staying static."

Pre-show activities included drinking, socializing, shining cowboy boots and meeting fans at the merchandise table. People were exhilarated to see the Oregon-based band, especially because it had been over a year since Blitzen Trapper played in Boston.

Shortly after Alela Diane's opening set, the band took the stage to begin with "Fire and Fast Bullets," a high-energy track from Furr. Earley's high-pitch voice complimented Brian Koch's heavy drumbeats nicely. All the instruments were striving for the same hard-rocking vibe, and the energy was directly transmitted to the crowd. The band was having fun shaking the audience inside and out, and the audience was letting the band take them wherever they wanted.

Eric Earley - Blitzen Trapper :: 02.29

When the band went into "Sleepy Time in the Western World," the crowd energy was at the spire. A couple of people in the crowd held up Oregon license plates, and Koch rushed downstage to take pictures of them. The interaction with the crowd was a crucial part of the band's stage dynamic, and the audience duplicated the high-spirits of Blitzen Trapper and fed it right back to the stage.

About a third-way through the set, everyone but Earley left the stage. Accompanying himself with an acoustic guitar, he played a few simple yet sentimental tunes such as "Lady On The Water." The dynamic change of the show was drastic but smooth, and people indubitably appreciated Earley's mellow vocals and lyrical harmonica-dappled melodies. His acoustic sound was reminiscent of Bob Dylan; Earley obviously is very much influenced by artists such as John Lennon and Dylan.

After the rest of the band situated themselves back on stage, Earley led them into a rock 'n' roll tune, "Love U," and his scratchy approach to the vocals brought a completely different feel to Blitzen Trapper's sound. Slow drumbeats and lethargic guitar riffs made the crowd sway into all different directions, making the song sound almost like Led Zeppelin's classic "Dazed and Confused." After warming the crowd up with the slow tune, the band continued onto "Furr," the title track of their newest album. Heavy kick drums accompanied the high-fretted acoustic guitar and the piercing harmonica surprisingly well, and the band successfully created a sound that is soothing yet very full.

The band wrapped the set up with "Devil's a Go-Go" from Wild Mountain Nation. The unusual third-note beat easily could have thrown the crowd off, but because of the high momentum they'd built throughout the show people were feeling the song as it was, enjoying the quirky nature of Blitzen Trapper. The band was clearly having a good time onstage with such a responsive crowd, and huge energy filled up the room with a high-spirit until the end of their two-song encore.

It was not until after I walked out of the venue that I found out the show was sold out. You know you must have done something right when you sell out the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Even after a mind-blowing set the band members manned the merchandise table to meet the fans. Blitzen Trapper's passion and enthusiasm towards their music was undeniably conveyed to the crowd, and Boston will be craving for more Blitzen Trapper in the near future.

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/16916/Blitzen-Trapper-02.26.09-Boston

Lily Jeong on Jambase

2009-03-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

You know you must have done something right if you start writing for the website you go to all the time.

Well, that is kind of my case for me. My first article for Jambase will be featured tomorrow on http://www.jambase.com/ It is the review of Blitzen Trapper show at the Paradise Rock Club on February 26th, and I will be posting the article and the photos on my blog as well, as soon as it goes on Jambase.

Thank you so much for all your support and love. I only continue to strive.

Interview with Ben Kweller February 24, 2009

2009-02-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

Ben Kweller stopped by at WERS a few days ago to play a set. Although he was late for his soundcheck at The Somerville Theatre, he shared a few words with me. All the questions I prepared were kind of corny and stupid because I figured a big artist like Ben would always get questions about his music and albums, but the interview did not really feel like an interview -- it felt more like a human-to-human conversation. I was embarrassed by my stupid little questions, but still Ben was very sincere and genuine, which I greatly appreciated.

When you are touring, what do you do before the show? Do you have any routines?
(Holds up a bottle of herbal remedy) I spray a bunch of this stuff in my mouth, Singer’s Saving Grace, and I have a humidifier backstage so I breathe the steam. And my friend Conor Oberst actually showed me the stuff that he uses called honey loquat, which is this medicinal thick honey that numbs your mouth, and it tastes really good, so I just take a spoonful of that and just kind of let it soothe my throat. And I suck on a Halls as I walk to the stage. It’s all about taking care of my voice. My voice gets very fragile because I’m always doing interviews, doing stuff all day.

If you had an opportunity to make music with an artist living or dead who would it be?
Kurt Cobain. He’s my favorite. If he could come back alive, or even back in the 80s before he was famous if I could hang out with him and write songs, that would be cool.

I’ve noticed that you’ve toured with many artists such as Jeff Tweedy, Ben Folds and Gomez. Who was the most interesting to work with and why?
Jeff Tweedy was a big honor because that was before I was even anything. I had this wreck CD that I made at my apartment called Freak out! It’s Ben Kweller, and I sent it to his manager, and they actually wrote back and said “Jeff loves it. He wants you to open for him.” He was doing a solo tour, so I got to open for him. And he really took me under his wings when I was just a no name. This is before Myspace and all that stuff. It was a lot harder to reach people.

What’s the most ridiculous fan experience you have had?
Well, I had this fan that was kind of a stalker, and she wanted my e-mail address, and I knew she was crazy. She would always bring these weird gifts, and she would always tell me how we were soul mates. So I gave her my best friend’s e-mail address, and I told him “Look, I’m going to give this crazy girl your e-mail address and tell her it’s mine.” So I gave her his e-mail address. And about a year later on my birthday my friend – he never told me that she wrote – he made me a book of every e-mail that she wrote to me. He never once responded or anything. She wrote an e-mail everyday to that address, sometimes three times a day she would send e-mails. And he made a book and bound it to make this beautiful-looking book, and he was like “yeah, half way through she breaks up with you but then you guys get back together, and she finally leaves you at the very end.” It’s a whole book! That’s the craziest thing.

If you were not playing music, what do you see yourself doing?
I could not imagine that, but the things that I love next are bass fishing, which is such a hillbilly thing but I love it. If I could be a professional fisherman, it would be so hard but I would do that. Or be a tour guide to guide people on lakes and take them fishing, that would be really fun. I could probably get a job at an Apple store because I know everything about Macintosh computers that there is. I don’t know. If music was not in my life I would be sad, but I would find something.

Interview conducted and transcribed by Lily Jeong

Photo by Al Grant

Dawes February 21, 2009

2009-02-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Vocal harmony seems to be such a simple aspect of an album, but it is hard to find bands that can nail it during their live sets. Dawes, however, impressed everyone in the studio during their set at WERS with their flawless four-piece harmony that blended into their eloquent sound.

Dawes opened the set with “When My Time Comes,” which featured haunting drumbeats and nostalgic guitar melodies. The verses felt like the lead vocalist Taylor Goldsmith was quietly telling a story, while the chorus felt like a strong statement by all four members’ impeccable harmonic sound.

I asked Goldsmith who he would like to make music with (living or dead), and his answer may explain the band's heartfelt sound: “I would have to say Ray Charles. I’d like to get some pointers on my piano skills as well as on my vocals.”

Dawes is currently touring nation-wide with Delta Spirit, another California-based band. Traveling coast to coast in a van with eight other guys must conceivably be extremely strenuous at times. However, when I asked Goldsmith and bass player Wylie Gelber about the hardest part of touring with another band, they just looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. “Delta Spirit is a good friend of ours,” Goldsmith said, “They are very nice guys as well… it just has been a good time.”

After a folky and uplifting piece, “Love Is All I Am,” Dawes ended their set with “That Western Skyline.” Swinging piano chords complimented Goldsmith’s vocals and created an incredible blues-tinged tune. The band identifies their sound as Americana/soul, and although Dawes might not typically fit into the latter category, such free-spirited sound indeed affects their audience in the same way that other soul artists have affected theirs. To their listeners, Dawes is liberating and inspiring, like Ray Charles was to Goldsmith.

Words by Lily Jeong

Edited by Ross Dallas

Grace Kelly - MIKA

2009-02-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

I usually despise pop stars. I firmly believe that there is more to music than catchy melodies and romantic lines -- music, to me, needs to be soulful and it also needs to be able to make people's heart seize.

There are few pop artists that I admire, but MIKA is a bliss to me. Some of the tracks from his newest album Life in Cartoon Motion astounds me. I cannot say the album itself satisfies me, but tracks like "Happy Ending" and "Love Today" are a huge inspiration to me. These songs are catchy, soulful, and full all at the same time.

My personal favorite track of this album is "Grace Kelly." The lyrics to this song speaks to me so directly -- this is the story of my love life.

1348 - Umphrey's McGee

2009-02-18T06:58:00.001-08:00

When I received my order of Umphrey'c McGee's new sudio album Mantis, I dropped everything I was doing and put the record on. The whole album was filled with musical surprises; it sounded like a perfect combination of The Beatles, Frank Zappa, and Metallica -- in Umphrey's style.

This is my favorite track of the album. It's Umphey's at their best, and I cannot express how excited I am to see them live at House of Blues in April. It will be a journey.

Enjoy

10 Songs I CANNOT live without

2009-02-17T16:05:00.001-08:00

This week's show is not happening due to the schedule change of Emerson College. I could have done a show last night, but I really wasn't prepared so I decided to skip a week (but then Matt Bogart was lonely in the studio without Kara so we had an interesting show about mediocre sex and whatnot...)

So instead! I thought maybe I will give you the ultimate playlist of my show. 10 song I absolutely cannot live without. This list is not in a specific order. Here we go.

1. Divided Sky - Phish

2. Stomping Grounds - Béla Fleck and the Flecktones

3. The Lighthouse's Tale - Nickel Creek

4. Hey Pocky Way -The String Cheese Incident

5. Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show

6. 1348 - Umphrey's McGee

7. Divisions - Umphrey's McGee

8. Piece of My Heart - Janis Joplin

9. Sentimental Guy - Ben Folds

10. Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix

One of my favorite songs from Umphrey's McGee's new album.

Kayo Ogilby

2009-02-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

One of the words I have heard the most while attending CRMS was compassion. When I first heard that word, I did not exactly know what to make of it. English is not by first language, so it usually takes me a while to grasp a word in a context. The word compassion especially took me a long time; it was not until I joined the telemark ski team in my senior year at CRMS.

For the last ski season at CRMS, I wanted to try something different from alpine skiing that I had been doing for two years. I had gone on a couple of fall/spring trips with Kayo Ogilby the head coach of CRMS telemark team, and he encouraged me to join the team. I hesitated not only because I am not the most athletic person but also I wanted to make sure that I had a good shot at telemark skiing before joining a competitive team, but after talking to Kayo a several times, I decided to join the team to make the most out of my last year at CRMS.

As a pretty solid alpine skier, learning how to telemark was very difficult. Kayo was patient with me throughout the whole process, and he gave me big and small tips whenever he could. I always felt bad because I thought my inability to master the turn was dragging the team, but I did my best because I did not want to disappoint Kayo who was being extremely supportive. Then one weekend when I was skiing by myself, I could all the sudden smoothly turn without losing control feeling the right kind of burn on my thighs. I was ecstatic about my accomplishment and could not wait until the next training where I could show my turns to Kayo and the team.

When the whole team was cruising on the slope the following training day, I started to rush down the hill to show off my skills but I did not see a roller coming up in front of me. Without any time to even think about landing, I shot myself up into the air and face-planted stepping with my hands. Kayo and ski patrols rushed over to see if I was hurt at all. Looking at my hands swelling up, I tried to be merry because I was afraid I might have disappointed the team once again. Although my face was covered with blood and I could not move my hands at all, I made jokes and laughed to cover my embarrassment. All I wanted to do was to be an excelling teammate, but I ended up on the ground breaking both of my hands and scaring my face.

It took me about two months to completely recover from my injury. My doctor advised me not to ski until I was perfectly well, but I was eager to get back on my skis and be a part of the team again. When I did get back on the slopes, however, the fear factor crept up on me. Every time the team was doing something slightly out of my comfort zone I got overly scared, and I found myself not having fun anymore. I also sensed a growing gap between me and the teammates because I constantly pulled back from the challenges we were facing as a team. A few weeks after my return to the team, I started to feel uncomfortable going skiing with the team because I thought I never met up the expectations, and I was also afraid I was going to get hurt again.

Deciding to quit the team was not as hard as going up to Kayo and telling him that I was quitting the team. I caught Kayo in the Science Building after the first period to talk about my withdrawal. When I knocked on his classroom door and said I needed to talk to him, it seemed like he already knew what was going on. I told him that I had to quit the team because after the injury I was not enjoying the physical challenges that the team was facing. I started to tear up because I could not believe that I was letting Kayo down after all his support and advice.

But Kayo was not disappointed in me. He said that he was very proud of me for getting to where I was from not being able to telemark at all, and that he completely understood my fear factor. He gave me a big hearty hug saying that I could come skiing with the team anytime I wanted to.

The concept of compassion was something that I had a hard time grasping during my years at CRMS, but how Kayo cared and supported me gave me a firm notion of it. Kayo was constant with his empathy and solicitude from the beginning to the end. His unconventional support and concern made me feel comfortable with who I am, and made me wish I could impact the others in such way as well. Kayo, thank you for taking me as exactly who I am and appreciating what I could offer although there was not much. For you I did get the best out of my last year at CRMS comprehending the meaning and the value of compassion.

YouJeong Jeong Class of 2007

Kirsten Price February 4, 2009

2009-02-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

Everything was late. The mix was late for the five-o’clock airtime, the band was late for the sound check, and live mix staff members were late for class. Everyone was running around making sure everything was set under the time constraint, but Kirsten Price did not seem to be under the pressure. Instead, her smiles and hearty laughs reflected how excited she was to get her sound out on radio.

Once all the staff got to sit down and breathe after the band went on air, it was Price’s turn to jump up and down, shaking the studio inside and out. Her powerful yet emotional vocals differed so much from her calm and relaxing speaking voice. Her haunting voice was the perfect medium for the lyrics that conveyed everyday emotions and feelings, and when such a small band could sound empty from time to time, Price’s fierce vocals filled up every musical crease the band might have had.

“It’s terribly hard to be objective about your sound,” Price said when I asked how she would describe her sound. “… [my music] is soul-infused, it’s continuously changing, there are a lot of different influences, but I just kind of do what I do, whatever comes naturally.”

It would not be an exaggeration even if I called the British singer Kirsten Price a rebel. Even before her debut album was released, the mainstream music industry smothered her with love calls. However, after working with a few big-name producers and participating in major TV show soundtracks, Price decided to release her debut album Guts & Garbage with her own independent record label.

“I’m just going to keep doing what we’re doing,” Price said. “I’m just going to keep going, try to do the slow burn, and head to the long term career and do what I love rather than anything else, or anything the society or the industry expects of me.”

Kirsten Price and her band are now traveling the U.S. with their “Tough Times Tour.” There are neither roadies nor a tour manager, but Price and her band mates enjoy the excessive driving in a jammed van – anything to get their music out there. Price is currently working on her new album that will be released later in the year.

Lily's Top 10 Albums of 2008

2009-01-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

1. Narrow Stairs Death Cab for Cutie

2. Hammerstrike Lotus

3. The Way I See It Raphael Saadiq

4. Furr Blitzen Trapper

5. Blind Man's Hill The Bridge

6. Fate Dr. Dog

7. Modern Guilt Beck

8. Beyond Standard Hiromi and Sonicbloom

9. Pebble to a Pearl Nikka Costa

10. Dear Science, TV on the Radio

Eleonora Bianchini November 6, 2008

2009-01-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

One of the most appealing factors of Latin music is its simplicity. Even a plain setting with a vocalist and a guitarist can make a set sound perfectly full. Latin music’s quixotic beat and relaxed melodies attract not only old-fashioned jazz heads but also the younger generation seeking for something refreshing and organic.

While Eleonora Bianchini played a set on WERS in November 6, a small crowd formed right outside the live mix studio, dancing and grooving to Bianchini’s music. All she had accompanying her voice were a nylon guitar and a shaker. Yet, her sound enchanted people that they stood outside in the rain to listen to her play.

“The goal for me of each one of my shows is to get a little better with communication,” said Bianchini. “That’s the point. It’s not that you go on the stage and you want to get better on your singing and performing. It’s communication. Making music is communication.”

Bianchini sang in four different languages: Italian, English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Although for the most part it was hard to understand the words of her songs, I could feel the emotions and the stories she conveyed through her exotic voice and rhythms. She did not communicate through words – her music spoke to people directly.

Italian born Bianchini attended Berklee College of music where she studied classical, jazz, pop, and many other genres. Among all those kinds, Latin music sucked her right in when she first heard it.

“Just listening to [Latin music] was an inspiration,” Bianchini recalled. “And I felt very very close to it. I could feel it deeply, and then I could express through it very well.”

Her talent and passion towards music opened opportunities for her to perform with major Latin artists such as Rosa Passo and Eva Ayollon. Bianchini is moving to New York City shortly, where she hopes to collaborate with more professional musicians in the field.

Photos from YMSB October 16, 2008

2009-01-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

Photos by Maeghan Ross Copyright 12008

Nikka Costa October 22, 2008

2009-01-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

During Nikka Costa’s set on WERS in October 22, only an acoustic guitar accompanied her voice. However, the amount of energy in the studio equaled that of a live show. She started off the set with her classic “Everybody’s Got Their Something,” and her lyrics were simple yet very relatable. Costa had engraved everyday life and everyday emotions to her songs so that anyone could listen to her music and easily say, “Hey, that is my story!”

Costa’s voice had very comfortable and relaxing qualities to it. Her syncopated yet controlled falsetto made the set sound so much fuller than a simple acoustic act. Before I knew, everyone in the studio started swaying to the sound. Her songs had a strange power to make people move.

Nikka Costa is an American singer-songwriter, but she did not make her debut in America until 2001. However, she released numerous albums outside of US before her appearance in the states. Europe, South Africa, and even Australia already have been Costa’s stage since 1981. She says that her international background opened her eyes not only to various kinds of music but also to different ways of living.

“Being through all these places you also learn that people are the same everywhere,” Costa explained. “I’m writing about love, human conditions, or just wanting to get up and dance. Everybody feels like that no matter where they are.”

Costa’s latest record Pebble to a Pearl is her first album released by an independent label, Stax Records. She was signed to Virgin Records for seven years prior to Stax, but Costa is enjoying her freedom outside of the corporate America.

“[Virgin Records] is not really about arts or music,” Costa commented on her decision of moving onto an indie label. “In that way it was very stifling creatively because it really wasn’t about the creative process at all… So I was really happy to get out of that system and have the chance to do what I wanted to do musically.”

Pebble to a Pearl is the extract of her enthusiasm and passion for life and music. With the release of the album, she started her own record label Go Funk Yourself, clearly embracing her love for funk music. Costa hopes that people can see her genuineness and integrity through her first record done on her own. Given her energy and spiritedness, I have on doubt that people will keep swaying and dancing to the stories she tell through her songs.

The Odyssey Years

2009-01-16T07:32:00.000-08:00

About a month after I came to college, I went through a phase seriously questioning the motives of some college students. I felt like there was nothing or nobody genuine around. Everything was so volatile but people seemed to be okay with it, although me, a sucker for solidified plans and clear motives, had a hard time adjusting to the new atmosphere. However, many people seemed to be okay with quick meaningless friendships, major change consideration every hour, and emotionless one-night-stands. There was a phrase that was an excuse for everything, "It's okay. It's college!" I thought perhaps some of my peers were taking more advantage of the Odyssey years than I was.

According to David Brooks, the Odyssey years are for people to explore and find what suites for them. He says in his essay "The Odyssey Years," "20-somethings go to school and take breaks from school. They live with their friends and they live at home. They fall in and out of love. They try one career and then try another" (Brooks). People in their Odyssey years are not afraid of change. In fact, they seek for change. They do not have such a thing as a permanent address, land line phone, or a retirement plan. One of the overused phrases among the Odyssey-ers is "Just wing it!" They are young, edgy, energetic, and capable of anything.

But where does the Odyssey years end? Does it ever end? When is the moment that the Oddysey-ers stop and say, "okay, I think I am done exploring." When do you know that the job you have, the person you are in love with, the house you are paying mortgage for, are your final decisions? When do you stop being young, edgy, energetic, and capable of anything and start your life as a serious adult? Or, my real question is, do the Odyssey years ever have to be over?

The ultimate idea that Buddhism is based on is the concept of "volatileness of life." Nothing stays the same as long as time flows. If so, the job I considered as suitable for me at one moment might not be anymore after a few seconds. That is an extreme example, but people should not settle on one job, or ONE IDEA, and be stubborn about it. People should be accepting to the change of the circumstances and the change of themselves. In that sense, the Odyssey years do not only stand for the young adult generation; the Odyssey years represent people's entire lives. For example, a mid-aged stockbroker who realized that he would live a happier life as a journalist should not be afraid to quit his job as a stockbroker and become a journalist; just because his 20s ended does not mean he cannot change anymore. If there is a colossal change in one's life, one should be accepting to the change and adapting to it. Thus, one can be young, edgy, and capable of anything regardless of their age.

So what is so special about youth then? It is the society's pressure that makes youth a "special" period of time. When constant change is very natural and omnipresent in one's life, the society considers any kind of shift to be immature and childish. Change is extremely usual and commonplace. Adults can change as much as young people can. When there is not that big of a difference, the society's mistaken standard of maturity sets the line between youth and adulthood.

However, there is a difference between exploring to find what you want and avoiding commitment. The thoughtless actions of some college students are not the result of the Odyssey years. Knowing what you want and being aware of the change of your needs is different from "just winging it" not knowing what you want. The Odyssey years are for those who constantly experiences the change of their needs and moral changes, not for those who do not have their identities set up. The thoughtless behaviors people constantly see in some young adults are due to their lack of maturity, not because they are Odyssey-ers. Therefore, the excuse "It's okay, it's college!" is not completely valid. The Odyssey-ers should know how to take the responsibilities of their actions.

The Odyssey years are for people to feel free to change and to adapt to the change. Since people tend to change constantly, the Odyssey years should not only be restricted to those who are considered to be young. Life itself as a whole is an odyssey; youth is nothing but a name to distinguish a group of odd-looking chickens that are yet to be roosters.

Yonder Mountain String Band at Somerville Theatre October 9th 2009

2009-01-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

Yonder Mountain String Band has stopped by Boston a few times during their numerous tours. Past shows, however, did not seem to draw a large crowd.

“We’ve played at Somerville Theatre before,” said Jeff Austin, the mandolin player of the band, before the show started. “And it sucked. There were probably nine of you over here. We thought Boston didn’t like us very much.”

To the band’s surprise, their show on October 9th at Somerville Theatre was sold out. It had been about a year since their last show in Boston, and obviously the crowd had grown over the year. It is no

t everyday that Boston gets to experience the bluegrass scene, and the concertgoers knew YMSB would put on a show that featured the finest of western bluegrass.

Yonder Mountain String Band is from Nederland, Colorado. Formed in 1998, the band grew very fast in the past five years. Given their bluegrass background, live sets are crucial to them because the genre highly depends on improvising. Their solid songwriting and improvising skills caught onto people very fast, and the band started to cooperate with other big jam bands such as Umphrey’s McGee and moe. Now, they do not only attract their bluegrass fan base, but a wider audience of concertgoers just looking to enjoy solid music.

The band’s first set of the night was consistent with their original songs and classic bluegrass covers such as “Shady Grove.” Scratchy voice of Jeff Austin harmonized with those of the bassist Ben Kaufmann and the guitarist Adam Aijala. Dave Johnston, the banjo player, flaunted his finger picking skills every chance he got to perform a solo. They alternated the fast tempo and mid tempo song

s, taking the energy in the theatre high and low.

Several songs into the second set, the band started a ten-minute jam within their classic, “New Horizon.” The tune almost sounded like mixture of funk and reggae rather than bluegrass. These genre-bending jams are staples of YMSB shows and a fan favorite. In contrast to rehearsed and organized sound of the first set, the band drove the crowd wild with excitement by improvising much of the second set. No one – even the band members – knew what was going to happen next, something that is the core of a YMSB show.

When the band finished their encore, the crowd gave the band the loudest cheers they have received in Boston. The band members looked up into the balcony to find their fans wildly applauding. “Thank you,” Austin said. “You guys are beautiful.”

Tours are the fuel for a bluegrass band, with out energetic shows the bands could not survive. Yonder Mountain String

Band will be stopping by Boston again soon, as I’m sure this city has finally provided them with a reason to return.

Narrow Stairs - Death Cab for Cutie

2009-01-15T13:28:00.001-08:00

After signing to Atlantic Records as a debutant to the mainstream music world, Death Cab for Cutie gained a strong following. Their gloomy sound with relatable lyrics attracted worldwide attention. However, the critics were greedy with compliments. Albums such as Transatlanticism and Plans were considered to be mediocre, receiving three stars out of five from multiple music magazines.

In their eleventh year, Death Cab for Cutie have finally satisfied the critics with their latest album, Narrow Stairs. The album hit the top of numerous charts and got great reviews, not to mention continued enthusiastic attention from listeners.

Narrow Stairs still retained Death Cab for Cutie’s sound, yet with a completely different approach. Instead of mainly focusing on the melodies and lyrics, the band intensely played with the flow and dynamics of the songs, which brought the album to life. The album's first song, “Bixby Canyon Bridge” is separated into two parts. The patronizing first verse mellows the mood with patronizing and empty sound, and after the chorus a powerful build-up comes in with Benjamin Gibbard’s catchy humming melodies. “No Sunlight” captures your attention with Beach Boys sounding beats and an infectious chorus. The song seamlessly turns into the next track, “Cath…,” which is completely different from "No Sunlight." Many of the songs follow one another so smoothly that it almost feels like the album is just one long track.

Take a nice long walk with your headphones on and listen to this album from start to finish. You won't regret it. The arrangement of the album takes listeners high and low, and reactions from both fans and critics reflect the excellent execution of Narrow Stairs.

Too Much.

2009-01-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

Note: Do not attempt this at home.

I Am a Writer for WERS.org Pt.1

2009-01-14T20:36:00.001-08:00

Coming to Emerson College in Boston after three years of sheer country life was stressful. I had gone to a high school in the middle of the Rockies with only 150 kids, so moving into a city where a subway system existed and squirrels were fat was exciting yet very intimidating. An experimental child I am, I decided to make the adjustment process harder than ever, which made me apply to be a live mix staff for Emerson's radio station WERS 88.9FM.

If you think WERS is just one other college radio station where people come in with a handle of Jenkins to get wasted and talk about rad music, well I'm sorry, but you are wrong (although later I found out those drunk activities take places outside of the station). WERS is officially the best college radio station in US according to The Princeton Review, and the faculty advisor Jack Casey refers WERS as "the varsity sports of Emerson College." It owns two of the most-listened show in Boston, and has at least three bands come in for live performances every week. It operates like a real radio station, and it is by no means anything like a beer pong club you join to have a excuse to go out every weekend. WERS is a real deal, and a freshman from Colorado was daring to be a part of it.

Filling out the application was tricky. The questions could not be more straightforward: what is your major, tell us why you need to work for WERS, yadda yadda. But there was a question that really got me, which was "Tell us about the experience you have that might be valuable for WERS." Um, what experience? Should I tell them about a sick-ass class 9 rapid on San Juan River I crossed on my rubber kayak? Or how I broke both of my hands at the same time skiing? Will my experience in desert backpacking help them? Basically I started to feel useless, and after hours of contemplation I ended up writing down "I have no experience with live mix or radio, but I am a fast learner, and I will do my best." I know. What a tool.

I thought the application was bad; the interview was worse. I was taken into the live mix studio of WERS, and while I was fascinated yet overwhelmed by the console and expensive limiters, they asked me why I needed to work for live mix. "I'm really into genres such as jazz, blues, and bluegrass. Bands like Grateful Dead, Phish..." While I was noticing that my words were not answering the questions that they asked, the interviewers' faces grew darker and darker. I had never seen such stern expressions in my life, so I felt like I had to lighten the mood up a little bit by saying, "oh my. I don't even know what I'm talking about! I screwed up!" expecting they would at least smirk. Which did not happen.

Obviously I did not get the live mix staff position, only to find out that it is one of the hardest departments to get into. I tried out again the next semester, and the similar conversations went back and forth during the interview, only this time the interviewers straight up telling me that some kind of experience was necessary. 3 months into city life I could ride the subway, talk to the homeless people without getting kidnapped, and fight the drunk Gypsy whores on the street, but I could not get into WERS.

TBC

Green Sparrow - Mike Gordon

2009-01-14T20:33:00.001-08:00

It is always easy to pick out Mike Gordon’s work from Phish songs. Gordon’s songs have the most incoherent lyrics, quixotic melodies, and expectable chord progressions. There are times he takes it over the line with his caprice; it is hard to tell what Gordon is going for when he sings, “The tires are the things on your cars that are contact to road” in “Contact.”

However, Gordon’s new solo album Green Sparrow somewhat drives away from Gordon’s oddness. For Phans who have been craving Phish reunion since the final de-band in 2004, songs such as “Dig Further Down” that Gordon cooperates with Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell can be a very satisfying factor. “Another Door” is another song that reminds the listeners of good ol’ Phish days.

If you think Green Sparrow is only another Phish-sounding album with Mike Gordon’s title on it, try out tunes such as “Voice.” Funky yet edgy bass line leads into Gordon’s dreamy vocals, and Gordon meets the fine line between the listeners’ expectations and his personality. “Doing It Anyway” is another well-executed song showing off Gordon’s bass skills and the string staccatos that remind you of The Swan Lake ballet show.

After all, Gordon has done a relatively a good job telling the listeners where he stands in his musical journey at the moment: combination of his own experiments and his sentiments to the legendary Phish years.