BAT COUNTRY!!!!!!! Twinkle twinkle Killer Kane edition

Sorry again for the radio silence.  To be honest, I was having a bit of a crisis in wondering whether to keep the blog running.  I suppose that is natural- I am a busy boy, after all.  But after talking with a couple of new friends I realize that Portland itself seems to be going through a weird musical slump.  So thanks to all you enthusiastic music submitters- I'm sorry I can't get to you all!  What really changed my mind was being asked to record a gear demo for Malekko Heavy Industry, who you may remember from the first Gear Review podcast.  I spent a fun afternoon touring their plant, meeting the staff, and playing in a guitar pedal wonderland.  We're lucky to have such a cool boutique pedal manufacturer here in Portland- but more on that later.  Now, SOME VIDEOS!!!!

It was a really beautiful day here in PDX, so I think this video is what we needed.

The song is a little busy, but I like it.

Why are the good band names taken? If you're going to work it, work it.

 There are always fads in female vocals...
And I'm glad to hear someone who doesn't follow that, and just sounds good and themselves.

 Goldie, this one's for you.
I'm all for ironic metal covers, but Andrew WK? Isn't it a little early for that?

 Sweden.. FUCK YEAH
This one tricked me. I was expecting some Joy Divisiony stuff at first, but I think you indie kids will like it. 

Wait... why is awesome doom metal band Ghost now called Ghost BC? (Video NSFW)
Changes like that never bode well. Think of what happened to Green Jello.

 Man, it's awesome band name day, isn't it?
Hmm, tricked. The beginning had me hoping for some sort of awesome black metal, but nope...

 Light Parades?
More like... um, damn. I had something for this. Nevermind.

 Dammit, James Franco! Your shitty band has now ruined Kenneth Anger! Stick with acting!
And I thought youtube still censored the breasticles...

Okay, now I'm pissed
.
Let's watch Stacy Keach finally have enough and beat the shit out of Richard Lynch.

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Public Recognition

Public recognition. It doesn't happen much to writers, unless you're Stephen King, but it
happened to me recently, and it was because of this blog.

I was trudging home with some groceries when I heard a voice behind me calling my name. I
turned and beheld an attractive young woman approaching me. "Are you Lee Widener?" she asked.
Resisting the urge to reply "Who wants to know?" I instead opted for the simple, tentative,
"Uh, yes..."

"I'm Jennifer," she said, offering her hand. I shook it. "I'm your neighbor. I recognised your
picture from the Crappy Indie Music Blog."

This was surprising to me. I'd only written two articles for the blog, and only because
blogmaster Jess Gulbranson wouldn't take no for an answer. It was unfathomable to me that
anyone would have read those articles, and that they would then connect a photo online with
their next door neighbor.

"Do you still write for the blog?"

I didn't really know if I did or not, so I offered a non-committal "I wrote a couple articles
for them."

"I'm in this band, Denim Wedding," Jennifer continued. "We just finished this CD. I'd like to
give it to you." She handed me a CDR.

Still dumbfounded by this chance encounter, I promised to give the CD a listen and write
something if I liked it.

Not knowing what to expect, I slipped the CD into my laptop and sat back to listen. What I
heard transported me back thirty-five years ago, when I lived in the college town of Eugene,
Oregon. One of my first girlfriends, Marj, played percussion in a number of small folkish
bands that performed in coffee shops and organic restaurants. The music was always based
around acoustic guitar and full of lyrics about hope and dreams.

Denim Wedding makes that kind of music. Their name is spot on- this is the music you'd expect to hear at a wedding where everyone wears denim. It's languid, heartfelt, sincere music about love. dreaming, adventure. Sometimes Jennifer sings. Sometimes Brian sings. Sometimes they both sing, and they're tastefully accompanied by just the right compliment of side musicians. It's never too showy, and it's never too spare. They've honed their sound into a perfect balance.

The CD I was given, titled Fancy Diving, is well produced. The sound is clear and rich, the lyrics are front and center, because above all, that's what Denim Wedding is about. It's a good CD for a lazy afternoon when it's too rainy to go out, or a cool night on the beach, or anytime you feel like spending a few minutes with good tunes from good friends.

You can check out Denim Wedding at:

Denim Wedding Website

Fancy Diving is only $5.

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Valentine's Day Playlist!

This was totally not my idea, especially since my wife and I just found out there's a significant risk of our unborn babe having Down Syndrome, and for a romantic Valentine date, I get to take her in for amniocentesis.  If you're not familiar with that particular festive occurrence, they stick a honkin' big needle into the poor expectant mom's uterus and try not to poke the baby in the leg.  Eek!

Anyway, I don't mean to bring anybody down, just saying that neither of us are really in the romantic mood at the moment.  Our love is not flashy, it's quiet and solid and fierce, and I love her.  Soooo.... in the spirit of sharing that, I'm compiling a Valentine's Day playlist including some fresh new indie music from around the world.  Get ready!

Sweet memes are made of these.

J.P. Rose- "Princess" and "If You Ask Me"

If you can get past the slightly creepy stalker vibe of his picture (just messing with you, J.P... your other pictures are fine!) what we find here are some very sweet straight-up electropop songs.  I'll be looking into J.P.'s stuff a little closer for the next BAT COUNTRY.

Don't look behind you.

Shannon Whitworth- "You Are In Love"

Yes you are!  I'm sort of getting a Suzi Quatro vibe from this.  Or have the pills started to take effect? Anyway, I like it.  Hope you do.

Now that's what I call odalisque!

Suzi Quatro- "If You Can't Give Me Love"

Shit, why not?

Aww, they really do love each other.

Glowing Screens- "Alien Lover"

I'm a sucker for husband-wife musical teams!  You know I am!  They don't even have to be all sweet and gushy, either.  To me, a married couple who can make weird jokes about alien sex are just as romantic and beautiful as anything.

Guess who.

Charlotte & Magon- "The Mining"

Speaking of creator couples!  Charlotte & Magon's newest, Life Factory, is out.  I'll be doing a more thorough review coming soon, as well a Q&A with Magon.  And of course, I always recommend stuff off their last album, which was possible the sexiest and most romantic album I've ever heard.

That little censor bar over Delia Derbyshire's face can't fool the massive boner I have for her.

Harshist- "Threads"

Remember, not everyone's sweety likes sweet things.  Some sweeties like noise rock.  So consider this track from Harshist's latest, featuring longtime friend of the blog and my hero, Travis Wiggins, something of a... palate cleanser before we move on to more of the romantical stuff.

"Look busy."

Fou De Toi- "Pick Up Your Phone"

If you and your special person like Tom Petty and/or sappy guitar rock, then it's a Swedish love-fest right now!

Quick, sneak past while he is asleep!

The Police- "J'aurais Toujours Faim De Toil"

Gratuitous French hath summoned the dread specter of Sting!  You knew he would show up eventually!!!

Photo credit: Heather Palecek, wherever you are!

Boxed Wine- "Cheap, Fun"

I think a wise man once said "If your daddy's rich, take her out for a meal.  If your daddy's poor, just do what you feel."  So true- V-Day doesn't have to be about diamonds and shit, it can be about getting drunk and dancing to indie rock.  Or getting a medical procedure.

That's it for a little Valentine's day fun- thanks to all our readers.  You're beautiful.  Also, my wife, who is even more beautiful.  I love you, Kayla!

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WE DESERVE BETTER, Part 1: No Doubt

EDITOR'S NOTE: This first installment of WE DESERVE BETTER, a series about recent releases that haven't knocked our socks off, is courtesy of guest blogger Emily Popek. Thanks, E!

I’m going to be totally honest here - I kind of like No Doubt. I was in denial about it for a long time, pretending like I actually hated them. Their breakout single, “Just a Girl,” was pretty damned annoying, and don’t even get me started on “Spiderwebs.”

But somewhere along the line, they wormed their way into my consciousness. I grudgingly enjoyed Gwen Stifani’s vocals on the Dr. Dre-produced Eve single “Let Me Blow Your Mind.” And when 2001’s Rock Steady came out, I just plain liked it. With its playful, dancehall-inspired beats, it was fun, catchy and just different enough from the rest of the pop landscape that it actually seemed creative.

For 2012’s Push and Shove, the one-time ska band is sticking with the formulas that have brought it such success up until now: dancehall- and ska-tinged pop tunes; harder-driving “rock” songs tinged with electro; and the occasional ballad that allows Stefani to swan around in a music video looking like a starlet.

But there’s a problem...

...and its name is Santigold. In the intervening 10 years between Rock Steady and Push and Shove, she moved in and started doing what No Doubt does, only better and fresher and newer.

Push and Shove opens with the track “Settle Down,” which is so Santigold-like at the outset that the casual listener could be forgiven for thinking it is her - right up until Gwen Stefani says she’s “hella positive” about something or other, and breaks into a whiny chorus reminding us that, as Madonna and Paula Abdul proved, you don’t need range to be a pop star.

“Looking Hot” is like a repackage of Rock Steady’s “Hella Good,” without the catchy hook. And it’s downhill from there.

In a way, it’s not really fair. No Doubt were technically there first, signing to Interscope when Santigold was still 10 years away from starting her music career. But when her eponymous album came out in 2008, Santi managed to make blending ska, 80s pop and dance music sound totally original, as though No Doubt had never existed.

If there is a standout track here, it’s “Settle Down,” and that’s only because it sounds so different from the rest of the bland pop offerings dished up on Push and Shove. Overall, this is an album without a reason to exist - and one that fails to stand up, not only to the competition, but to the band’s own back catalogue.

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BAT COUNTRY!!!! Tweed Jacket Edition

Daddy Lion is a friend of the blog. They make nice music.

Check out their newest album!

Callow are working on something very interesting here.

We should keep an eye on them.

WHAT THE JESUS IS GOING ON
"You cannot be serious!"

Stay in school, kids.
And don't do drugs.

The National Rifle combine two things that I love: creepy critters,

The National Rifle - Coke Beat (Official Video) from The National RIfle on Vimeo.

and more creepy critters.

We're pretty psychedelic today.

Thanks, Fonda!

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THE KNIFE and Junip, News from Mute

A couple things from the fine folks at Mute.  I think you're going to like this.

First off... Jose Gonzalez.  Everybody likes Jose Gonzalez.  Some have described him as a "buttercup of joy."  Others (myself, if you must know) have declared that "he could crap in my hat and still get a good review".  This is strong praise from cynical, jaded me.  His most recent project is a little group called Junip, and their debut album Fields was a sublime masterpiece.  I've always felt that Gonzalez's work with Zero 7 was some of their (and his) finest work.  Junip seems to be, if not a direct extension of that, then certainly a spiritual successor.  Big deal, right?  Well, Junip has announced a new album coming soon, and have released their first single, "Line of Fire".  Listen to it here.

What else can I tempt you with?

How about a new The Knife album.

Yeah, you heard me.  It's been a long time coming, but the Gothenburg duo have finally announced their new release, Shaking The Habitual.  Sure, they've been busy in the meantime, but I think the world was ready.  To celebrate this, they've released their first single "Full of Fire" along with a short film (what we in the biz used to call a 'music video') by filmmaker Marit Ostberg.  Ostberg had this to say:

“The film ‘Full Of Fire’ started to grow as an embryo in the song´s lines ‘Who looks after my story’. Who takes care of our stories when the big history, written by straight rich white men, erase the complexity of human´s lives, desires and conditions? The film ‘Full Of Fire’ consists of a network of fates, fears, cravings, longings, losses, and promises. Fates that at first sight seem isolated from each other, but if we pay attention, we can see that everything essentially moves into each other. Our lives are intertwined and our eyes on each other, our sounds and smells, mean something. Our actions create reality, we create each other. We are never faceless, not even in the most grey anonymous streets of the city. We will never stop being responsible, being extensions, of one another. We will never stop longing for each other, and for something else.”

Well, yeah!  The ol' net of dharma is pretty hardcore.  Shaking The Habitual comes out April 9th, but you can preorder now from itunes or the Rabid Records store.  That's a ways off, but I'll remind you.  Anyway, enough of my rambling.  Check out the new video, which if I say so has a very Swedish style, and would I be remiss in my criticism if I didn't notice a hint of homage to Kenneth Anger's Scorpio Rising?  See for yourself:


Full Of Fire from The Knife on Vimeo.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  I'm an idiot.  For some reason I kept referring to Jose Gonzalez as Jose Rodriguez.  This is what I get for having too many tabs open.  Thanks WG!

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AIDS Awareness Benefit February 1st w/ Fatha Green and Alexis Whitney

This just came in under the transom, and it's a small world here in Portland, because like a week ago I was bugging Fatha Green personally to do some musical collaboration.  Anyway, here at CIMTB we support benefits for good causes, and this is a great one!

From the press release:

A^6 (African American AIDS Awareness Action Alliance), Is putting together a community awareness benefit Friday, February 1, 2013 form 6-9pm @ Maranatha Church in NE Portland off 12th and Skidmore.

This is a free, open to the public, community event. 

(FACEBOOK LINK)...https://www.facebook.com/events/125235537645029/?ref=ts&fref=ts...

Friday, February 1, 2013

6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Maranatha Church Fellowship Hall

4222 NE 12th Ave

Portland Oregon

Free HIV Testing

Free Food

Games and Activities for the whole family

Entertainment including:

Fatha Green... http://fathagreen.com

Alexis Whitney

Event supported by the African American AIDS Awareness Action Alliance (A6) and the Portland Chapter of the LINKS, Inc

And check out Fatha Green for a taste of the music that will be at this event:

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Crappy Indie Contest: Remix David Bowie's New Album Cover

Let's get this straight- I fucking love David Bowie. I have always loved David Bowie.  Not always actively, at first, but yes.  I remember being like 7 years old and watching a laser light show set to Space Oddity with my ultra cool dad (who turned me on to some of the best music I've ever listened to). I didn't start actively listening to Bowie until high school, and only really got into him when Outside came out.  That dark cyberpunk masterpiece was the soundtrack to me striking out with amazing college girls, and those events would later be novelized.  Outside is pretty edgy and not on a lot of Bowie fan's lists, but it is seriously underrated.  Later I'd get into Ziggy-era bowie, then shitty 80s Bowie, and Berlin-era Bowie... you get the picture.  Hell, it was just earlier this year that I actually really listened to The Man Who Sold The World, and was completely blown away.  It may be my favorite album now, and I was kind of pissed that nobody had told me Bowie was Black Sabbath for a brief period of time.  It's a tribute to the strength of the corpus that a person can continually be amazed and surprised by new offerings from an established artist's back catalogue, even in this day and age of "download whole discography in 10 minutes."

And it's not just me.  I won't speak about Bowie's appeal to the rest of the world, because in many ways that's like saying "in many portions of the world people get wet when it's raining". However, I will speak about my daughter Amelia.  Facebook friends and longtime readers of CIMTB may remember her as the coolest fucking person to have ever walked the face of the earth.  She just turned 4.  She loves David Bowie.  Yes, it started with his performance in Labyrinth, but she has gone on to appreciate his music for its own sake.  Bowie was also her gateway to Iggy Pop- his collaboration with Death In Vegas being one of her favorite videos. And now she's loving some Alice Cooper... I guess it's all about showmanship for her.  But then again, what are we talking about?  Highly jaded music critics and their wonderful small children can both appreciate the same artist... the wonderful David Bowie.

Of course, sometimes it seems like David Bowie can do anything, but as we all just found out one thing he can't do is stay retired.  His new single was just released, including a terrifying video about which the less said the better.  Not just a single, though- be still my beating heart- a new album, The Next Day, due out for release March 13th.

But there's a problem.

An album has to have a cover, right? And Bowie's have been some of the most iconic.  Sure, he's had some stinkers- what the fuck is up with Lodger?- but overall there's evidence of a strong visual aesthetic.  So for this first album in a decade, what does an elder Bowie do?

...the fuck?

So let me get this straight.  He took the awesome cover of Heroes, and had some motherfucker MS Paint a white box and the title of the album over it?  Wha?  Art designer Jonathan Barnbrook, please fucking explain yourself:

"The “Heroes” cover obscured by the white square is about the spirit of great pop or rock music which is ‘of the moment’, forgetting or obliterating the past."

Okay, sure. We didn't ask you to time travel to 1973 and snort whatever that white powder was on James Osterberg's leg, we just wanted you to actually make an album cover, not some sort of half-assed philosophical statement. You can read the whole interview by clicking the link in the quote, not that I would recommend it.

Look, I'm as much on minimalism and iconoclasm as the next guy.  Maybe more.  Actually, a lot more.  But this just reeks of a joke.  I don't even want to think about the possibility that it's serious.

Anyway, down to the meat of things.  I think that you- dear faithful reader- could create a better album cover for The Next Day than Mr. Fancy Pants Art Designer up there, and that's exactly what I want you to do.  Here, I'll start.

There, see, isn't that better?  Well, not better exactly, but it's certainly not any worse, and that's the point.  Here's your assignment- take the cover image from Heroes, use your crudest tools, and make a better cover. Now, I wouldn't expect you guys to do this for free- send 'em in, I'll feature the best ones on a future post, and the winner of my choosing will receive a CD and shirt from new friend of the blog, SKULK THE HULKING.  Get to work!  Send entries to crappyindiemusic@gmail.com !

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