Rooftop Playlist

Better late than never:

Last Wednesday I caught The Black Keys at the Frank Erwin Center for the 3rd time in 2 years. Though I do not count the 2nd time, as it was hot outside in New Orleans and part of me was jamming out just to keep from passing out. I was skeptical at first because I still cannot fathom the idea of the band doing an arena tour, especially when one of the arenas is the Frank Erwin Center.

For a band that claims to be all about “good” music, I don’t understand why they would subject their great sound to such an awful venue with acoustics that are hit or miss. In the last few months I have seen two shows at the Frank Erwin Center besides The Black Keys, both of which were not terrible but not up to par. I will say this; the arena is not made for rap, and Drake sounded mediocre, while Radiohead sounded crisp but their sound still lacked fluidity, but neither performer was at fault.

Fortunately, The Black Keys’ music works for an arena like the Frank Erwin Center. The Black Keys are rock-and-roll-heavy with a lot of soul. Their sound, though not perfect, works with the acoustics of the venue. Putting my venue griping aside, The Black Keys can rock any space. I saw them in a more intimate setting during their Brothers Tour and it was by far the best show I saw in 2010. The same goes for their El Camino Tour.

The one thing that arena concerts force you to do is sit there and engage with music. Auerbach and Carney do exactly that; they both have a massive stage presence. The sound was loud and it amplified their usually brash, hard-hitting chords and pounding drums. Their set list (which you can see below) was heavily on El Camino and Brothers, but they added a few songs from various albums here and there. The Black Keys hit every note and key in stride. The encore was visually beautiful as they lit up the arena with their signature huge disco ball(s). With these guys, 90 minutes of music just isn’t enough.

Setlist: the highlighted denotes encore songs:

“Everlasting Light” by The Black Keys at the Frank Erwin Center:

If you have not already heard, Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes has resurrected his 2001-2002 band Desaparecidos.  Personally I am ecstatic to hear something that is not folky rock but more gritty, lo-fi, garage rock.  Unlike his solo efforts, Bright Eyes, and Monsters of Folk, Desparecidos packs a lot of energy and engages the listener to, do I dare say it, head bump.   Desaparecidos will be doing a short tour mostly on the west coast.  That is a HUGE disappointment for all the Midwest and East Coast fans.

Below is one of the two new songs Desaparecidos have been playing,  “Left is Right.” The quality is not that great but man can you feel the intensity their music brings.

And of course from Read Music/ Speak Spanish, “Manana”

This past weekend I found Thriller by Michael Jackson while shuffling through used records at my local record restore. I was immediately filled with excitement and a lot of nostalgia. Though the video for the song “Thriller” was made a few years before I was born, it was still playing often after it was released. I must have watched the music video for it as often as the television would play it. Even now to think about the album as still one of the most sold in history is astonishing.  The music video for the song Thriller was pretty innovative for a music video in the 80s. I can’t recall too many short film music videos around that time.  Now it seems to be a main gimmick.

Watch the music video for “Thriller” below:

In March of 2012 The Shins released a brand new album called Port of Morrow after a span of five years since their last album release titled Wincing the Night Away. For a lot of artists, after a long period of time between albums you tend to notice a drastic difference in the overall presentation of the new album. In some instances it could be a bad thing and in some it could be great. The Shins’ Port of Morrow left me yearning for that missing album.

In previous albums, the band’s sound was more of a new wave sound with the synthesized sounds and their music was very guitar-heavy but what I loved about it was the light folk electric and acoustic sound.  In Port of Morrow, the band kept it heavy on rock elements in their music but the new wave sounds or folk sound from previous albums sounded as though it lacked fluidity and a bit of intricacy.

The Shins are no longer The Shins but rather James Mercer and new members and it shows. This is not for me, a bad album but it is not The Shins album.  It is just a good effort that maybe should have been labeled a solo effort by James Mercer.  After all, he did release it under his label.  I do want to note during their LIVE performances (at least during SXSW), it is clear with the removal of band mates and the addition of the new members even their old songs sound different.  It is still enjoyable but just awkwardly too different at times.

Do not get my wrong, I like the album and the sound. It is still well written musically and lyrically, and Mercer’s voice still is unique and well focused but when I put it on, it is not The Shins I am hearing.

Saturday April 14th I checked out Cursive along with two other bands; The Conduits and Cymbals Eat Guitars at Mohawk’s in Austin, Texas. Cursive is one of my favorite bands or maybe it is just Tim Kasher I am a fan of because as he said at the show he’s an asshole but for me that is part of his charm. I have seen Tim Kasher twice since I have been in Austin; his solo tour and, twice in Phoenix as Cursive and The Good Life prior to moving to Austin. It would be an understatement to say I am a huge fan of his music as each of his respective musical acts differs lyrically, vocally and musically.

Each band had almost a full hour-long set and the energy in the venue was high all the way from beginning to end. The Conduits kicked off the night with a great set. Their sound was rather bass-heavy but that could have been because it was a live performance and not an album. All the band members had great stage presence, particularly the bassist who seemed to be enjoying herself every song. I wish I could say the same for the lead singer who appeared to lack enthusiasm.

Next up was Cymbals Eat Guitars and they brought the energy level up even higher with their performance. Their performance was a bit heavier both musically and vocally. And to my surprise their sound seemed straight out of their albums. Lead singer Joseph D’Agostino’s high-range vocals fit perfectly with the guitar-heavy sound from the entire band. He even took time between songs to interact with the crowd, even if the crowd seemed to be made up of douche bags. But D’Agostino took it with a smile.

I don’t mean to take anything away from either of those two bands but I have to say the highlight of the night was definitely Cursive’s performance. The energy in the crowd and the whole venue was definitely at its peak by the time Kasher and the rest of the band hit the stage. I was impressed with the set list that was heavy on the best of their new stuff and the peak of their old stuff. Their set clocked in just under an hour and a half with an upbeat, vigorously played tempo. The 5-piece band of Cursive looked and sounded in sync playing off each other’s energy with raw energy and finesse. The highlight of the night was hearing Tim Kasher throw in a little TLC with his song “Art is Hard.” Who knew “No Scrub” could fit so nicely with Cursive’s hard-hitting progressive rock.

Check out Cursive’s new album I AM GEMINI.

I’ve always wanted to catch local Austin band The Zoltars but I always seem to miss their set when frequenting live music around town. I decided to drop by Trailer Space Records to FINALLY catch a set of theirs during SXSW. They will be putting out their debut full-length album Should I Try Once More? in April. This 4-member band takes a slow-moving, simple approach using only the basic bass, guitar, vocal, and drum arrangement but this arrangement helps the gritty, dark, and enduring lo-fi rock sound that weaves through their music. Even though there was a very small crowd in attendance, the lead singer still interacted with the people there. The singer’s high-range vocals mix very well with the melodic guitar sounds in their music and this was very apparent in their performance. Unfortunately, due to time constraints their set was cut a bit short but The Zoltars definitely did not disappoint in their performance, I would love to catch a full set around Austin in the future.

One of my favorite performers during SXSW was Spoek Mathambo not just because of his music but also he was genuinely a nice guy in person; happy to sign autographs while exchanging more than a few words with you. Spoek Mathambo recently released his second full album, Father Creeper which is full guitar, catchy and danceable beat. Mathambo is pumping out some creative and progressive music that’s an instant like. His opening track “Kites” immediately gets you hooked. The entire album moves all over the place in sound; rock, rap, funk, synth, and even a little metal elements but Mathambo makes it work well. As for his live performances during SXSW, no matter where he was, he was dominating every performance.

Key Tracks: Kites, Pump Some Red On It, and Let Them Talk

Live at the Spotify House in Austin, Texas

I recently received an early birthday present. I had been eying this case for my records/vinyls for quite some time. I have ZERO complaints but there is a slight odor which is not smelt until you open it but it’s not necessarily bad. The Odyssey Gear LP Case (CLP200P) is a beast. It’s large, carpeted, and durable. The construction is well designed and the $100 - $120 price tag is worth it. However, it does not hold 200 LPs even with one record jacket. But it definitely holds over 100 LPs. My favorite part is the removable lid that you can take off completely or leave on the hinges. I’m in love.

http://www.odysseygear.com/odyssey-products/clp200p.html