Tampa Calling

In 2007’s masterful Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer, of Montreal frontman/visionary/songwriter Kevin Barnes got up close and personal, expressing his fears, frustrations and failures against rainbow-hued synth-pop with a funky, disco-fied swagger.

Skeletal Lamping finds Barnes in much better spirits and back to mining his psyche for material, the album playing much like you’d imagine his psyche actually works — jumping from one memory to another, lingering on sexual fantasies and depravities, stopping to muse and ruminate on this incident or that person, mood-shifting from confident to downtrodden, from high and happy to contemplative to spazzed-out, thoughts and ideas spurting forth lucid and witty, or as disorienting streams-of-consciousness. Soulful ditties and synth-pop dance numbers mingle amid songs-within-songs that are made up of a few or more wildly divergent electro-symphonic movements, each with its own rhythm and sound and feel that either fits comfortably or crashes inelegantly into the movement before or after it to create an interesting and truly exceptional, if sometimes chaotic and sonically challenging, whole.

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This weekend, I am practicing restraint and missing not one but two awesome Florida festivals in favor of plunging my backed-up toilet of duties. Three if you count RibFest — but despite the fact that I could walk to it from my house, the lineup is so unappealing I can’t even manage to drum-up excitement over all that mouth-watering barbeque all in one place. But I digress.

Tonight marks the start of the Anti-Pop Music Festival in downtown Orlando, a four-day celebration of alternative indie music. This evening’s schedule is ripe with the possibility of greatness. Singer/songwriter/former Soul Coughing force-of-nature Mike Doughty and Cali singer/songwriter Matt Costa headline a show at Plaza Theatre, goodtime tongue-in-cheek rockers Black Lips perform over at The Social, and sweet-voiced acousti-folkman Jay Brannan makes tender melodies at the Gibson Showroom. Other weekend highlights that haven’t or aren’t already making stops in Tampa include Los Angeles rap artist Murs, Brooklyn electro-pop all-girrl threesome Au Revoir Simone (pictured, photo by Imma Varandela), and Mississippi bluesman Ben Prestage. Sun Kil Moon and Red House Painters frontman Mark Kozelek plays a solo set as well.

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TV on the Radio established itself as an art-rockin’, hip-hoppin’ heavyweight capable of rising above the status of mere buzz band with spectacular, well-produced first and second albums.

Many other groups would be crushed by the burden of their own brilliance. But David Sitek, Tunde Adebimpe and their assemblage of talented cohorts rose to the occasion with Dear Science, a third effort that is not only solid and well-crafted, but ambitious, masterful and possibly TVOTR’s best thus far.

The usual trademark elements are here: organic percussion mixed with drum machine beats, perfectly placed horn arrangements and electronic embellishments, stunning falsetto harmonies by singer/bassist Kyp Malone, and several well-placed appearances by Celebration’s throaty-voiced singer Katrina Ford. (more…)

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After much speculation and a hailstorm of rumors that culimated in a messageboard frenzy last night, the confirmation came this morning at around 3 a.m.: After a more than four years apart, Phish is finally getting back together.

The official email release:

Phish will re-unite to play three shows at Hampton Coliseum, March 6-8, 2009, as announced via an awesome time lapse video at phish.com. There will
be a lottery (hosted by MusicToday) for “a limited number of tickets”,
ending Friday 10/8. Public sale begins 10/18 via TicketMaster.

The legendary 2/19-21/93 Roxy shows are also being released and are
available for pre-order from Dry Goods and elsewhere as an 8-CD set.
Pre-orders for the discs alone look lower elsewhere, but shipping charges
vary, and pre-orders through Phish.com’s Dry Goods “department” include
options for an “old school” logo shirt, and a 2009 calendar. This is only
the third complete series release, following the Hampton and Island Tour
releases.

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–NYC’s most badass avant rock outfit, TV on the Radio, just announced the release date of their follow-up to 2006’s fantastic Return to Cookie Mountain. The new album, Dear Science, (comma included), comes out on Interscope Sept. 22.

–On that same note, Of Montreal has also announced a fall release, Oct. 7’s Skeleton Lamping on Polyvinyl (cover art pictured vibrantly at right). The tour brings them no closer than Atlanta on Nov. 8, but it’s on a Saturday night, so …

–Two overseas bands that don’t do alot of U.S. touring bring their sounds to Atlanta on back-to-back nights — the UK’s alt-pop sextet Stereolab (Sept. 26, Variety Playhouse) and Australia’s electro-pop purveyors Cut Copy (Sept. 27, The Masquerade).

–Amy Winehouse hubbie/enabler Blake Fielder-Civil was finally sentenced yesterday to 27 months in jail for attempting to bribe witnesses in an assault trial. Winehouse was a sentencing no-show.

–Tomorrow at 2 p.m., ColorOfChange.org and MoveOn.org will be joined by hip hop star Nas at FOX Headquarters in Manhattan to deliver 620,127 petition signatures demanding that FOX “end its pattern of racist attacks against Black Americans, including presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.”

–The case of Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” has been thrown out by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said that the FCC “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” when it issued the $500,000 fine on CBS for what was an inadvertant, split-second flash of boobie.

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Smashing Pumpkins have added two shows to their current tiny tour and miraculously, one of those is right here in the Bay area at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall. Tickets for the Wednesday, August 20 show — which are $39 and $49 — go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday, July 18; we suggest nabbing a pair ASAP as the show will most assuredly sell out.

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Rumors have been flying about Phish getting back together ever since lead vocalist/guitarist Trey Anastasio hinted at a reunion in a May interview with Rolling Stone. The flames were fanned even further when longtime Phish songwriter Tom Marshall sat down with PopMatters.com and talked at length about his recent time in the studio with Anastasio. Then, Billboard picked up a “breaking” story last Friday about the band recording a new album with producer Steve Lillywhite. (The story was picked up on this blog, too, though neither Billboard nor CL music writer Wade Tatangelo seemed to realize that the story info came from a weeks old rumor on Jamtopia.com.) This week, Phish bassist Mike Gordon weighed in with Rolling Stone as well and, not to be left out, Phish keyboardist Page McConnell also had something to say about the matter and released the following statement on Phish.com:

Given the volume of speculation and rumors that have bubbled up recently, I have been asked to make a statement…Here goes.

For me, the last four years have been great. I’ve spent quality time with my family and have watched my daughter grow. I took great pleasure and pride in writing and recording an album. I’m living a healthy lifestyle. I travel as little as possible and I sleep in my own bed. It took a couple of years after the break up to begin talking to my old band mates, but once the conversations began to flow it wasn’t long before the friendships were rekindled. And I can honestly say that I’m closer with all of them now then I’ve ever been in our 20-year relationship.

Recently the conversations have turned toward the possibility of spending some time together. Currently many of us have plans and projects already in the works, most notably Mike, who made a great album and is about to hit the road in support of it. Given that I might not even see some of the guys for the next six months, I would say that the announcement of a reunion is premature. However, later this year we hope to spend some time together and take a look at what possible futures we might enjoy. In fact the only real decision that has been made is that when we do get together, it will only be the four of us, hopefully with no distractions. I am really looking forward to that.

I want to say just a few more things. The prospect of Phish reuniting is something I consider very seriously, and I think about it a lot. And lastly, as always, there is plenty of misinformation floating around. Try not to focus too much on secondhand sources and random gossip. If there is anything real to announce, it will come from the four of us as a group.

Until then,
Page

No telling whether or not drummer Jon Fishman will offer his two cents.

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Gogol Bordello at State Theatre; photo by Philip Bardi.

The floor was overcrowded with a seething mass of bodies, arms alternately waving and pumping to the vigorous musical spectacle that shook the State Theatre stage last night. The band, NYC’s Gogol Bordello, played the sweaty sold-out show with such amped-up enthusiasm that the audience responded in kind, pushing and moshing and crowd surfing like it was the end of the gypsy punk world.

With his thick but charming Ukrainian accent, clad in tight and garishly colored trousers, shirtless and with sweat pouring down his pale chest and dripping from his thick handlebar mustache, frontman/Gogol visionary Eugene Hütz encouraged the unruliness, flirting and dancing with the young ladies who surfed onto the stage, good-naturedly tolerating the young men who inevitably followed, and leading everyone through boisterous sing-alongs that lasted throughout the night.

The multi-ethnic ensemble played a supercharged 80-minute set and 35-minute encore of lively numbers that set ska, punk-metal, rap and even some funkified grooves against brisk gyspy two-step rhythms marked by lively accordion and some of the most fast and furious fiddle-playing I’ve ever seen by a man who was old enough to be the grandfather of most of the people in the room. The spectacle was topped off by the energetic performances of Gogol’s pair of attractive lady entertainers, who alternately sang, danced, and played marching band-style percussion throughout the show.

Overall, a dynamic, highly enjoyable concert with a surprisingly large turnout for a Monday night, seeming proof that an interesting and multi-layered genre of music is successfully making its way to mainstream (read: young) audiences.

–Cross-posted from BlurbEx.com.

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Photo by Phil Bardi.

This Friday night, I had the pleasure of seeing the Adrian Belew Trio play dynamic, jazz-infused electro rock for the second time in less than a year.

And they blew my mind. Again. “Well, looks like this is going to be a very different show than the one at State Theatre,” prog rock guitarist/vocalist Belew commented near the beginning of the first set to a lively crowd of a few hundred fans at Skipper’s Smokehouse. Not that the show at the State last August was lacking in vigor – it was most assuredly a great time, but the Belew fans seemed more almost standoffish in their enjoyment of his music, whereas at Skipper’s, they made their appreciation well-known with much boisterous clapping, whooping and rowdy shouts of approval, not to mention some actual dancing. 

And the band was definitely deserving of the enthusiasm. Belew brought his usual good humor and animated showmanship to the stage, and was great fun to watch with brother-and-sister rhythm section/Philadelphia School of Rock alumni Eric and Julie Slick, who provided strong support; Julie, with her fluff of dark curly hair, long hippie skirt, and bare feet, came off as cool and collected with self-assured bass thumping and expert finger work, while Eric supplied moments of John Bonham genius. 

Belew really got into what he was doing, a unique and refreshing change from the normal prog rock stone face that so many of his peers employ. And as I remarked in my write up of the show, Belew wasn’t just the frontman but a vibrant force who owned his music. He knew when to take control with face-melting licks, when the time was right for improvisation, and when he needed to add psychedelic texture to his sizzling sonic landscape. He wasn’t just content to play his songs, but to lead his band to new horizons of aggressive improvisation, to become completely enmeshed in the fresh and appealing sounds they created together.  

I talked this show up to all my friends, pimped it in every place it could possibly be pimped, and left the show satisfied that it lived up to my hype.

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Warning: explicit language to follow.

I know, I know — we’ve heard it all before: Ticketmaster(bastard) sucks big fat donkey dick. But I feel the need to bring this matter to light again because I just finished purchasing my Modest Mouse tickets and am (as per usual) fuming over the service charges.

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The much-anticipated new Portishead album, Third — the duo’s first in more than a decade — is streaming here. So far, I’ve listened to a few tracks and am pretty stoked, which is a relief since I found their CurrentTV Portishead in Portishead premiere performance a bit dull and uninspired.

They’ve built upon the sound they perfected in the ’90’s; it’s brooding and hypnotic, but heavier and more lively at the same time, and Beth Gibbons’ voice is just as I remember, haunting and beautiful and capable of inducing goosebumps.

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Musician, promoter, local music supporter, real estate entrepreneur and overall kind soul Ted Freed passed away last night after losing his third bout with lymphoma. He was 51. 

Ted was always looking for the next new band – new local bands to manage, new national bands to bring to town – and he provided great managerial and promotional support to the bands he already represented. In fact, I met Ted back in May of ’05 when I was writing a story about his Clearwater-based music promotions company, Rising Jupiter, and Uphonia, the festival he was pretty much funding all on his own. We became fast friends after that, finding common ground in our mutual love of music and the desire to spread it ‘round.  

He conquered cancer twice and was good-humored throughout, confident that his positive attitude would help his health as much as the chemo treatments he was receiving at Moffit Cancer Center. Last November, Ted discovered that the cancer had returned in full force. In order to prepare for a stem cell transplant, Ted underwent an aggressive series of chemo treatments. Unfortunately, the tumors that riddled his body didn’t shrink enough and he was too weak to endure a transplant, anyway. He was brought home and spent the majority of his last few weeks visiting with family and friends.

I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye, but I keep telling myself that he would’ve wanted me to remember him as I last saw him, smiling and happy and enjoying good vibrations at Skipper’s Smokehouse. 

He is survived by his wife Laura and his sons, Jared and Alec. 

The funeral will be held graveside this Friday, March 7, at Chapel Hill Memorial Park, 12905 Wild Acres Road, Largo. A benefit for Freed’s family to help them pay for his outstanding medical expenses will take place at Skipper’s Friday, March 21. Uncle John’s Band, COPE, Rob Pieniak (formerly of Buffalo Strange), and Christee Lennee perform; admission is $10.

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My Morning Jacket at Langerado ‘07
Photo by Phil Bardi

Tomorrow morning, my story about Langerado 2008 – the multi-day, multi-genre outdoor (camping optional) music festival – hits newsstands. Tomorrow night, my husband and I hit the road to South Florida with our friends, Matt and Orel, for the sixth annual fest, which has been moved 60 miles inland from its metropolitan Sunrise setting to the gorgeous natural landscape of Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. We pick up the RV and supplies in Ft. Lauderdale Thursday morning, and make our way to the reservation later that evening. 

What makes me sad: Vampire Weekend, my new obsession, has just pulled out of their Saturday Langerado slot to play Saturday Night Live instead. 

What makes me happy: I still have more than 80 bands to choose from and can look forward to a extra performance by funky UK foursome, The New Mastersounds, who’ve taken over the set that VW vacated. Plus, it’s my first experience camping in luxury and I’m quite looking forward to it. 

Stayed tuned for my story and follow up blog post. 

Langerado Music Festival, March 6-9, Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.

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