Search Results - "Sparklehorse, Jesse Sykes "
Saturday, February 17th, 2007
If you haven’t gotten tickets for this Friday’s Sparklehorse show at the Mod Club, I can only assume it’s because you’ve overdosed on alcohol and valium, collapsed unconscious, had your heart stop for several minutes and have been confined to a wheelchair for the past six months because really, there’s no other excuse. Goodness knows I’ve been waiting for Mark Linkous (who suffered through the above scenario in 1996) to come back to town on a headlining tour for many a year and finally, in support of last year’s Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain, he is.
But if for whatever reason you’re not ticketed up for the show, I’m here to help. Courtesy of Against The Grain, I have three pairs of passes to give away for this show, which also features Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter on the bill. To enter, send me an email at contests AT chromewaves DOT net with “I want to see Sparklehorse” in the subject line and your full name in the body. And I expect an entry from every one of you because everyone should want to see Sparklehorse.
Contest closes at midnight, February 20.
MP3: Sparklehorse – “Shade And Honey”
Stream: Sparklehorse – “Don’t Take My Sunshine Away” (ASX)
EPK: Sparklehorse and the North Carolina Bureau Of Tourism (YouTube)
MySpace: Sparklehorse
Monday, February 26th, 2007
Mark Linkous and Sparklehorse have been near the top of my ever-shrinking list of current acts who I’d never seen live and could realistically expect to for a while, but for the longest while – namely the five years following 2001’s It’s A Wonderful Life – it seemed for a long while that the odds of there being new material let alone a tour to promote were getting more and more distant. But lo and behold, Fall 2006 brought us the long-awaited Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain and Winter 2007 the North American tour to support so to say that my anticipation was high for Friday night’s show at the Mod Club would be something of an understatement.
I was expecting a rather smouldering, low-key set from openers Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter – at their show at the Rivoli in September 2004, Sykes spent pretty much their whole show seated and with her long hair hanging down in front of her face. Thankfully, Sykes has since discovered the benefits of being upright and their set was not only performed standing, but with a surprising and welcome amount of energy. Drawing largely from their new album Like, Love, Lust & The Open Halls of the Soul, they were really rather terrific. I mentioned last week how complimentary Sykes’ hickory-smoked voice and Phil Wandscher’s twang-tacular guitar were on the record – live, it’s even moreso with he lifting up her earthy songwriting and she grounding his runaway fretwork.
Conventional wisdom dictates that when you’re touring in support of a new record, you play material from that record. But as anyone who’s followed his career knows, Mark Linkous is hardly conventional. Instead, on this tour Sparklehorse have been drawing from the greatest hits playbook and the set list leaned far more heavily on the back catalog, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot and Good Morning Spider in particular – Light Years was only represented by a couple of songs (give or take, I don’t have an actual copy of the set list) Whatever the reasoning – maybe the early stuff is easier or more interesting to play live – I wasn’t complaining since I’d never heard any of it live before and being reintroduced to the older songs, which I haven’t listened to much lately, was a treat.
On record, the snap, crackle and hiss production is a fundamental part of the Sparklehorse vibe, creating the distant, otherworldly vibe that’s the band’s trademark. But trying to reproduce that atmosphere live would be folly so the like ‘Horse experience strips away that AM radio filter and instead sounds a good deal fuller and more conventionally “rock” than one might expect but which still sounded marvelous. And for one with such a well-chronicled distaste for touring and generally being in public, Linkous exuded no small amount of onstage charisma (helped out by the fan at the front of the stage blowing his hair around all rock star-like) even if he didn’t seem especially comfortable being up there.
And maybe it’s that unease that’s the reason behind the suprising and somewhat disappointing brevity of the set – even including the one-song encore, Sparklehorse still played for less than an hour. Considering the catalog-spanning nature of the set list, there was certainly no shortage of material to draw on but no – with a minimum of banter and downtime between songs, they barreled through their set list, said their thank yous and were gone. To be fair, their efficiency meant that they still played a full set’s worth of material – it’s just that after waiting so long to see them, I was sad to see them gone so soon and with BrooklynVegan reporting that Sparklehorse may be a casualty of label mergers (which wouldn’t surprise me at all), who knows when they’ll be back?
Sparklehorse’s tour continues through next week and they’re also slated to headline the Astralwerks showcase at SxSW on Thursday, March 15 at Antone’s, for which I note that the organizers have allotted an hour and a half. Hope they’ve got some DJs handy. The News Observer talks to Linkous in advance of his sort-of homecoming show in North Carolina and Minnesota Public Radio has a studio session with the band from last week available to stream or download.
Photos: Sparklehorse, Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter @ The Mod Club – February 23, 2007
MP3: Sparklehorse – “Shade And Honey”
MP3: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter – “LLL”
Stream: Sparklehorse – “Don’t Take My Sunshine Away” (ASX)
Stream: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter / Like, Love, Lust & The Open Halls of the Soul
MySpace: Sparklehorse
MySpace: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter
The Guardian gets a tour of Denton, Texas from native sons Midlake.
Drowned In Sound and The Event Guide get acquainted with The Hold Steady, who wrap up their Europe-demolishing tour in Dublin tomorrow.
The Enquirer Q’s, Richard Thompson A’s.
Ex-Refreshment and current Peacemaker Roger Clyne will be in town on April 30 for a show at the Horseshoe, though it’s unclear if it’s with band or just him listings indicate it’s Clyne & The Peacemakers – full band goodness. I used to love The Refreshments and still think they deserve better than to be forever known as the band that did the theme to King Of The Hill, though I certainly don’t begrudge them the cheques that surely brings in. Anyway, tickets for that are $10.50 and on May 12, Swedes Mando Diao are at the ‘Shoe with Pop Levi and The Films for an evening of too-tight pants rock.
Toronto’s Tokyo Police Club are next up in the Daytrotter queue, offering up both an interview and downloadable studio session. There’s a new song in there that sounds pretty dang good and with them having sold out two dates at the Mod Club for April, it looks like 2007 is the year that they grow into the buzz and expectations that’ve surrounded them for the last few years. Good on them.
The National’s new album has a name – look for Boxer May 22. The label people at Beggars say it’s amazing, and even though it’s their job to do so, I believe ’em.
PopMatters celebrates the coelacanth. No, it’s not a band. It’s a fish.
If you stopped by this weekend or tried to, sorry about the downtime. Entirely out of my control but my hosting seems to be behaving itself now. Knock on wood.
Update: I KNOCKED ON WOOD, GODDAMMIT (posted at 6:30PM after another five hours of downtime).
Thursday, February 22nd, 2007
Sexy, sultry, mysterious and a maybe a bit dangerous – whether you think I’m talking about Los Angeles’ Midnight Movies or just their lead singer Gena Olivier is entirely up to you, but the adjectives apply equally to both, inasmuch as the former is defined by the latter.
Some lineup changes between their 2004 self-titled debut and the recording of their follow-up, Lion The Girl (originally slated for a March 6 release but now due out April 24), saw Olivier step out from behind the kit where she had been doing dual duty as drummer and lead singer and she now fronts the band in a more conventional manner, while also playing keyboards. She’s been replaced on drums by Sandra Vu and Ryan Wood is another new addition on bass, with original keyboardist Jason Hammons having departed before work on the new record commenced.
While this move will no doubt disappoint those who believe the singing drummer to be the pinnacle of musical accomplishment, I’ve no doubt it’s played some part in the remarkable growth evident from the band’s debut to the new album. They’ve taken the promising elements of the first record – Olivier’s femme fatale vocals overtop the darkly psychedelic atmospherics – and created a record that succeeds both as a strong collection of songs and an overall immersive mood piece, though that mood is rather like sitting in a loud, crowded club while wondering if someone slipped something into your drink and if so, where can you get more of it? Dream pop for those with unsettling dreams.
Campus Circle and The Rockit talk to Midnight Movies, who play The Hot Freaks at SxSW on Friday, March 16 at 3:30PM inside at the Mohawk and have their official showcase on March 15 at 10PM at the Blender Bar at The Ritz.
MP3: Midnight Movies – “Patient Eye”
Video: Midnight Movies – “Patient Eye” (YouTube)
MySpace: Midnight Movies
Also appearing at Hot Freaks on the Saturday at 3:30PM is Asobi Seksu – Pitchfork has info on their upcoming touring and European release plans. They’ve also released a new video from Citrus for “Goodbye”.
Video: Asobi Seksu – “Goodbye” (YouTube)
eye, NOW and The Toronto Star talk to Jesse Sykes, in town tomorrow night with The Sweet Hereafter opening for Sparklehorse at the Mod Club. What, no one wants to talk to Mark Linkous? Okay, The Phoenix, Seattle Weekly, Seattle New Times and The Westender did – just no one in Toronto. Feel the love, Mark. Feel it.
And some more country chanteuses coming to town – Lucinda Williams at Massey Hall on April 17 and Brandi Carlile at the Horseshoe on May 7. Her new album The Story is out April 3. And completely not an alt.country chanteuse, UK next big thing Mika is at the Mod Club on March 21, tickets $15.
PopMatters wonders why Arrested Development failed while The Office is a hit. And speaking of television, Studio 60 is pretty much dead while reports of Veronica Mars’ demise are hopefully exaggerated.
I finally got that SxSW torrent downloaded and on the iPod. This will be a trip.
Wednesday, February 21st, 2007
“The Sweet Hereafter” is more than just the name of Jesse Sykes’ band – it’s actually a very fitting descriptor of her music. That is, if your idea of the afterlife is sitting alone at the end of the bar in a dimly lit, smoky roadhouse at last call. The smokiness is essential to the mental picture here, because that’s what Sykes’ voice sounds like – a mouthful of smoke. It’s certainly a bit of an acquired taste being several degrees beyond husky, but if you’re attuned to its emotional frequency it hits like a choir of angels.
Sad, solemn and weary beyond words – yet somehow not a total downer – Sykes’ third record Like, Love, Lust & The Open Halls of the Soul does well to cement Sykes’ candidacy as the reigning queen of alt.country noir. It sustains a mood of regret and longing for pretty much its whole running length and while that can certainly get a bit heavy, Sykes has the perfect foil in the guitar of Phil Wandscher. The former Whiskeytown axeman is the perfect complement and counterpoint to Sykes’ forlorn meditations providing delicate atmosphere or muscularly twangy riffing as necessary. The two really do have a musical chemistry that’s rare and impressive to behold.
Sykes talks to New City Chicago about the writing process of behind the new record,
Harp about what she calls “emotional McCarthyism” and The Stranger about pop and guitar solos. She’s currently on tour with Sparklehorse and will be stopping in Toronto this Friday night at the Mod Club (congrats to Elva, Vicky and Bob on winning passes to the show).
MP3: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter – “LLL”
Stream: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter / Like, Love, Lust & The Open Halls of the Soul
MySpace: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter
Another country artist who knows a thing or two about heartbreak, Lucinda Williams, talks to Paste, The Baltimore Sun and The Phoenix about her new album West.
The Hold Steady talks about boys and girls in America with The Irish Times.
Philadelphia jam-happies Dr Dog will be at Lee’s Palace on May 2, their new album We All Belong is out next Tuesday and they’re the featured act on Daytrotter this week. Meanwhile, strange, eclectic and… strange sister duo Cocorosie will be in town on May 14 for a show at Lee’s in support of their new record The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn, due out April 10. Billboard has details.
Drowned In Sound talks to Maximo Park about their sophomore album Our Earthly Pleasures, available April 3.
Friday, December 15th, 2006
First: Sparklehorse and Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter. Mod Club. February 23. $21, on sale December 21. HELL YES.
Ahem.
Howe Gelb, who so dazzled at Pop Montreal in his Giant Sand guise is back in Toronto this Sunday with Ottawa’s Voices Of Praise gospel choir as The ‘Sno Angel Project, from whence his latest album ‘Sno Angel Like You got it’s name. Mixing new compositions with old ones rejigged for the format (compare the drunken roar of “Get To Leave” in it’s original form on Long Stem Rant with the hushed hymnal of that opens ‘Sno Angel), the record is bluesy and spiritual and despite its wintry title and Canadian origins, still carries a lot of Gelb’s trademark raffishness and distinctive Arizonan desert vibe throughout.
Released back in March, ‘Sno Angel is a slow, subtle and steady grower and has been a real late-year favourite for me – just in time for Sunday’s show. This one’s got my highest recommendation to check out, so if you’re free on Sunday night then I strongly urge you to head over to Lee’s – this is one of only three shows he’s doing with the ‘Sno Angel Project (they play Montreal and Ottawa tonight and tomorrow respectively) so you should go, if not for yourself than for the Gelb fans out there who’d probably give their left arm to be there. They go on at 9:15 – tickets are still available, $17.50 advance and $20 at the door.
He discusses the transcendent experience of the live performance with eye and the making of the album with NOW and The Toronto Star. Back in the Spring, he talked to Harp about discovering the Voices Of Praise choir and his long-simmering feud with former collaborators Calexico. And despite being one of the best-reviewed albums of 2006, I’ve noticed it to be conspicuously absent from many year-end lists which is really a damn shame.
Stream: Howe Gelb – “But I Did Not” (QT)
MySpace: Howe Gelb
Ottawa’s The Acorn are at Lee’s tonight with Elliott Brood and in regards to their new EP Tin Fist, this five-star review at eye says everything I would want to, only more articulately. It, and its short-form predecessor Blankets! are both wonderful and almost set the bar impossibly high for their full-length due out next Spring but you know what? I’m not worried. The Acorn are on at 11PM tonight.
And as long as I’m raiding this week’s eye for fodder, I’ll point out this nifty Great Lake Swimmers item – the Zunior/Great Lake Swimmers digital box set. It’s a USB drive with digital versions of the first two GLS albums, the new Hands In Dirty Ground EP, tour photos and the video for “To Leave It Behind”. Cute, eh? For those not so technologically inclined the new EP will also be available on 10″ vinyl. Tony Dekker tells The Waterloo Record to look for a new Great Lake Swimmers full-length in the Spring. And Zunior also has a free holiday mix available to download.
Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy discusses his next album, Heartland, with Pitchfork. He also talks about how he spent his Polaris winnings and his work with Arcade Fire, who are finally ready to drop their new album. It’s called Neon Bible, will be out in March and you can hear the first single, “Intervention”, at ArcadeFire.net. Update: MP3 is gone but link to BBC webcast from which it was taken is available. Expect Toronto show(s) to be announced soon-ish, as well. There are rumours flying about the where and when but I will refrain from spreading gossip until it’s confirmed.
The Sydney Morning Herald talks to Carl Newman of The New Pornographers about the art of songwriting. Newman and co will be at Nathan Phillips Square on February 3 as part of the WinterCity 2007 festival. Thanks to For The Records for the link to the sked.
Looking way ahead, Edmonton’s Shout Out Out Out Out are at Lee’s Palace on March 3, tickets $13.50.
np – The Brother Kite / Waiting For The Time To Be Right
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