Claptrapped

CLAPTRAPPED TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2011

2011-12-31T15:05:00.000-06:00

1. Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain In the Cloud (20pts, 5 votes)

2. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (12pts, 3 votes)

3. (TIE) M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming (6pts, 2 votes)

3. (TIE) The Antlers - Burst Apart (6pts, 2 votes)

5. The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient (5pts, 2 votes)

Claptrappers Lists:

Jeff Totsch

1. Portugal. The Man. - In the Mountain in the Cloud

2. M83 -Hurry Up We’re Dreaming

3. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

4. Cut Copy - Zonoscope

5. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient

John O’Connell

1. The Antlers - Burst Apart

2. Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys!

3. Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain in the Cloud

4. Radiohead - King Of Limbs

5. Wye Oak – Civilian

Mickey Waszkowski

1. Simple Math - Manchester Orchestra

2. Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain in the Cloud

3. The Black Keys - El Camino

4. Battles - Gloss Drop

5. MMJ - Circuital

Adam Kosecki

1. Paper Angels

2. The Roots – Undun

Bryan O’Donnell

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

2. TuneYards - Whokill

3. Portugal the Man - In the Mountain in the Cloud

4. M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming

5. The Antlers - Burst Apart

Chris Berg

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

2. The Decemberists - The King is Dead

3. The Strokes - Angles

4. Mastodon - The Hunter

5. Cake - Showroom of Compassion

Daniel Haas

1. Portugal. The Man – In the Mountain in the Cloud

2. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient

3. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde

4. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

5. The Black Keys – El Camino

Album of the Week: Handsome Furs -- Sound Kapital

2011-08-30T19:41:00.004-05:00

For those who missed the quiet news, the band Wolf Parade decided to call it quits -- at least for the time being -- last year. I can't say I was surprised by the news (the most surprising part was that I heard about it months after it was announced). Their latest album, Expo 86, wasn't very impressive and almost gave the impression that the band was distracted, didn't give it their all. Given the number of Wolf Parade side projects, it's very possible this was the case.

Luckily for me, I enjoy some of these Wolf Parade side bands -- and they should be able to get me my fix during the group's (hopefully not permanent) hiatus.

Handsome Furs consists of Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade guitar player/singer) and his wife, Alexei Perry. Sound Kapital is the first album of theirs that I've listened to, and I like it a lot. At least on this album, Handsome Furs sounds closer to Wolf Parade than Spencer Krug's band, Sunset Rubdown, and I would consider that a positive thing. Sound Kapital has some electronic pop elements, but still has all the great hooks of a good Boeckner tune.

So if you enjoy Wolf Parade, give this album a listen. I could also see it being enjoyable for the anti-Wolf Parade people, so don't write it off on principle. Check out closing song, "No Feelings."

Album of the Week: Tune-Yards -- W H O K I L L

2011-08-22T18:42:00.004-05:00

When I first heard Tune-Yards, I imagined them as an elaborate tribal-type band. But in fact, Tune-Yards is made up of Merill Garbus -- a white hispterish looking woman -- along with a few contributors. Mostly, Tune-Yards is all Garbus laying down vocal loops and African drum beats.

Tune-Yards' latest album, W H O K I L L, is catchy and different. Some people may not be on board with Garbus' vocals -- they're kind of high-pitched and take some getting used to -- but I advise anyone who enjoys building, complex loops to give this album a chance. It's one of my favorites so far this year.

Check out these clips from Sound Opinions on how the group constructs their songs. Watching her build the loop for "Bizness" is really a treat.

Album of the Week: The Antlers -- Burst Apart

2011-08-15T20:07:00.007-05:00

My appreciation of The Antlers' 2008 album, Hospice, is pretty well-documented on this site (third favorite album from that year). It was a chilling album that I found myself listening to over and over.

I wouldn't say the group's latest effort, released in May, drew me in as quickly as Hospice did, but I have found it creeping into my music rotation more and more often lately. It has some electronic elements that I really dig, as well as the familiar haunting vocals and background noises.

Highlight tracks for me come back to back. "No Windows" and "Rolled Together" are really cool tunes. This band reminds me of Radiohead at times, and I think these songs are pretty good examples of why (especially the latter).

Give Burst Apart a few listens. I think it gets better the more you hear it. I'll be interested to see if it will measure up to Hospice for me in the long run -- but I wouldn't be surprised if The Antlers make an appearance on my Best Album of the Year list once again.

Album of the Week: Titus Andronicus -- The Monitor

2011-08-08T19:51:00.003-05:00

This album was released in 2010, and while I've liked it for a while, I rediscovered it lately. Titus Andronicus gets its name from the Shakespeare tragedy, but don't think this band is a mellow bunch of bookworms. In fact, they're a punk band with a ton of energy.

This album isn't your typical punk rock album, however. I grew up listening to a small sample of punk -- NOFX, Bad Religion, Operation Ivy, etc. I wouldn't call myself a punk rock aficionado by any means, but I know that most punk songs are straight to the point. Usually no more than three minutes long, with a scarce amount of guitar solos. While "The Monitor" has all the attitude of a traditional punk record, it's much more epic. Songs build, there are guitar solos, some of the songs reach 8 minutes long.

And perhaps my favorite aspect of the album is the way the songs flow into each other. This is truly an album, as opposed to a collection of songs. It may not be for everyone. If you don't like punk music, you may not like this album. But give it a chance and maybe it will surprise you.

Album of the Week: Dawes -- Nothing Is Wrong

2011-08-02T20:54:00.005-05:00

I downloaded Spotify last week and I've pretty much been hooked ever since. I figured with all this access to free new music, on a weekly basis, I'd highlight an album I've been digging lately. It might be something I recently discovered or an old favorite, but I'll try to put them up on Mondays from now on.

My first pick is Dawes' second album, Nothing Is Wrong. I didn't listen to this band's first record, North Hills, much when it was released a couple years ago, but I remember thinking it was fairly decent. I think I like Nothing Is Wrong more than the band's debut -- it's good to see the group avoid the dreaded "sophomore slump." This album is a solid folk record, with nice harmonies and subtle --but distinctive -- piano accents.

I've had this album on repeat for the past couple days. Pretty great summer album -- check it out.

A first

2011-08-01T21:18:00.004-05:00

This year will mark the first year since the inception of this website that no Claptrappers will be attending Lollapalooza. It seems strange, because Lolla has been such a focal point for this site, and has always been the highlight of the summer of music for us.

But Perry Ferrell and Co. really dropped the ball this year with the lineup. I often find myself complaining about the headliners at Lolla (aside from the year we were treated to Radiohead and Rage Against the Machine), and this year was no different. I had been dreading a Coldplay announcement for a while. I have no interest in Eminem. Muse wasn't a headliner a few years ago, and they still aren't a headliner.

But headliners aside, it was the mid-level acts that really fell short this year for me. Usually these mid-tier bands are what make the festival fun. Last year saw such bands as Blitzen Trapper, The New Pornographers, and Spoon hit the stage in early timeslots. This year has a spatter of bands that intrigue me slightly but not enough to make me want to fork over the $200 for a ticket.

However, some people must be OK with the lineup. All three-day passes -- as well as single-day passes -- are sold out. I just think it was a disappointing lineup to feature for the festival's 20th anniversary. Have to wait for next year, I guess.

Can't compare

2011-04-14T17:39:00.005-05:00

Last Friday I saw Cut Copy at the Riviera in Chicago. I came away from the show mildly disappointed, wondering if it was because of the performance or if it was because of a concert I had seen less than a week before: LCD Soundsystem's final show ever. I have a feeling that any show after LCD's masterpiece at Madison Square Garden in New York would have been a letdown.

I'll get back to the Cut Copy show, but first, the LCD finale. The first thing I want to mention is how surprised I was with the size of MSG. It was a lot smaller than I had always pictured it in my mind. Definitely smaller than the United Center here in Chicago. I had seats in the 200 level, with a head-on view of the stage. So I basically had a view of all of the fans packed into the venue, and I'll say there weren't too many sitting in their seats.

As for the show itself, it didn't disappoint. I had peeked at setlists from the week leading up to the show, and it was pretty similar. Three sets -- the first starting with "Dance Yrself Clean" and the third starting with "Us v. Them." (Side note: the version of "Us v. Them," complete with gigantic disco ball, was sick, as always.) Sandwiched in between was a second set consisting of LCD's lesser-known 45:33 (with a "Sound of Silver" thrown in the mix). I was unfamiliar with this portion, but still enjoyed it.

A highlight of the show was obviously the appearance of Arcade Fire during "North American Scum." It was a huge surprise, and even though that song is not one of my favorites, I thought it was a really neat moment. After "North American Scum," James Murphy talked about how it was one of their most well-known songs, and that they were going to play a song that probably nobody had heard of before. According to setlists I've seen, it was "Bye Bye Bayou," an Alan Vega cover. After this song, they followed up with "You Wanted A Hit," which I thought ended this string of songs perfectly. It features the line: "You wanted a hit, but that's not what we do."

So after this show, which would probably have to be the best arena show I've ever seen, I took in Cut Copy six days later back home in Chicago. They came out firing, playing a majority of their high-energy songs early in the set. This surprised me, leaving me to wonder what they would save for the end. And it ended up being a legitimate question because the second half of the show tailed off.

I like the group's new album Zonoscope, but it didn't really mesh well with the In Ghost Colours songs on stage. I wasn't shocked by this, as I remember thinking the "new" songs Cut Copy played last year at Lollapalooza were pretty lackluster.

Cut Copy came out for two encores, stating the Chicago crowd was the best crowd of the tour (not sure how genuine it was, although the crowd was going nuts). But even with the extra encore, the show clocked in at just over an hour, which was a bit disappointing.

So now I'm left wondering if I would've liked the show better if I hadn't seen one of my all-time great shows a few days previous. It just couldn't compare.

Why do I like The Walkmen so much?

2011-03-23T20:00:00.004-05:00

When The Walkmen's latest album, Lisbon, was released last year, it by no means disappointed me. I liked it, but wasn't drawn to it the way I was to You & Me. Soon after its September release, I kind of lost interest, thinking it was a solid album, but just nothing special. However, six months later, I'm finding myself listening to Lisbon over and over -- front to back.

I can't really put my finger on why I like The Walkmen so much. They don't do anything all that out of the ordinary. But I find the more I listen to them, the more I like what they do. This was especially the case with Lisbon.

They can pack a lifetime of emotion into one 4-minute song better than most bands. I really think this is one of the best bands making music today. Period.

I'd Like to Fly, But My Wings Have Been So Denied

2011-03-16T22:17:00.005-05:00

Alice in Chains founding member and original bassist, Mike Starr, passed away from a rumored drug overdose just over a week ago. Mike played with the band from its inception in the mid-'80s until 1993, just before the recording and release of the Jar of Flies EP. Starr's struggle with drug addiction was the rumored cause for his split with AIC, and later in life was well- documented on the VH1 series Celebrity Rehab's 3rd season. During the show, he often spoke of the guilt he felt over AIC's lead singer Layne Staley's death, also blamed on a drug overdose. Recently, Starr appeared on the eighth episode of the fourth season of Celebrity Rehab as an inspiration and testimony of sobriety; at the time of the taping he had been sober sixth months and seven days. On March 8, 2011, Mike Starr was found dead in his Salt Lake City apartment. He was 44.

sinking
draining
drowning
bleeding
dead

AIC - Confusion

Rest in Peace Mike.

I Couldn't Have Said It Better

2011-03-08T01:33:00.005-06:00

Myself.

There's just always been something about Elbow, the band from a greater Manchester borough, but I could never accurately describe it. Admittedly, my love for Elbow's albums is only outdone by the pure feeling of joy and wonder you experience when seeing the band live. Having said all that, their music and my feelings for it remained to me largely indescribable. I mean, how do you describe awesomeness more precisely? However, while stumbling around the Internet and reading reviews of their latest album, Build a Rocket Boys! I came across someone who has done it quite well. Alexis Petridis of the Guardian uses three simple but accurate words when describing the music of Elbow "warm, generous, and inventive."

The warm vocals of Guy Garvey, the generous layering and arrangements that give depth, and the inventiveness that makes it all quite unique, that's Elbow. And in their latest effort Build a Rocket Boys! none of that is missing. Although the album isn't as heavy as the Mercury Award winning The Seldom Seen Kid or as traditionally percussion-driven as Leaders of the Free World, the newest album definitely has a place of its own. Described at first as "choirery," the album flows over you highlighted by Garvey's soft vocals and some help from the Halle Youth Choir, but upon further listen the album becomes more. Favorite tracks include "The Birds," "Lippy Kids," "With Love," "High Ideals," and "Open Arms."

I wouldn't suggest starting with Build a Rocket Boys! if you're new to Elbow, but for now, it's a pretty good place to finish.

My take on Radiohead's King Of Limbs

2011-03-03T18:49:00.004-06:00

I’ve taken a couple weeks to let it digest a little, but I’m finally ready to put my thoughts on the new Radiohead album, King Of Limbs, down on paper – or on screen. Or whatever.

It seems like most of the people I talked to shortly after Limbs was released (a day early!) had a very similar reaction. First: Um, this sucks. Then, later: OK, this is pretty damn good!

While I didn’t hate the album upon first listen, it did definitely grow on me. At first I found it hard to be completely blown away by any particular songs – there are no all-out rockers that we ate up on In Rainbows (e.g., "Bodysnatchers," "Jigsaw Falling Into Place," etc.). In fact, Limbs features hardly any guitar at all, and most of it (especially the first half) sounds like it could be a Thom Yorke solo project. (Sorry, Ed O’Brien.) So nothing jumps out right away like the group’s masterful previous release.

But dig a little deeper and things come more into focus.

The second half of the album is really where it shines. “Lotus Flower” starts things off with a great Radiohead bass line and eerie feel. “Codex” – my favorite track on the album – is chilling and reminds me a lot of “Pyramid Song” off Amnesiac. Wrapping things up is “Separator,” which to me sounds the most like a full-band Radiohead song on the album.

After admitting to myself that I liked King Of Limbs, I still feel frustrated by it, like many other Radiohead fans. It clocks in under 40 minutes, with only eight tracks. Rumors abound about whether there will be a “part 2” to the album. When purchasing the “Newspaper” version of the album, it’s noted it will come with two vinyls. I’m not a vinyl expert, but it seems like they’d be able to fit this album on one record. And then there’s the final track of the album that repeats “If you think this is over, then you’re wrong.”

I don’t know if Radiohead will release a second part or not, but it would be nice. I enjoy King Of Limbs very much, but it definitely leaves me wanting more!

In relation to other Radiohead albums, I would probably rate Limbs middle-of-the-pack. Read my previous album rankings here. It would probably slide into the fourth or fifth slot for me -- definitely can't crack my top 3. But I don't think it's their worst album, either.

CLAPTRAPPED TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2010

2010-12-31T10:50:00.009-06:00

1) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (7 votes, 26pts)

2) LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening (5 votes, 21pts)

3) The Black Keys - Brothers (6 votes, 16pts)

4) Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (3 votes, 11pts)

5) Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (3 votes, 10pts)

Claptrappers Lists:

Bryan O’Donnell

1) LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

2) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

3) Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
4) The National - High Violet

5) Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void

Kurt Marquis

1) Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
2) Phosphorescent - Here's to taking it Easy
3) Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
4) Sufjan Stephens - Age of Adz
5) Damien Jurado - Saint Bartlett

Michael Reband

1) Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

2) Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

3) Emancipator - Safe in the Steep Cliffs

4) Cloud Cult - Light Chasers

5) Sage Francis - Li(f)e

Justin Sigalos

1) LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

2) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

3) Eminem - Recovery

4) The Roots - How I Got Over

5) The Black Keys - Brothers

Giles McVay

1) Tame Impala- Innerspeaker
2) Blitzen Trapper- Destroyer Of The Void
3) Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest
4) Deftones- Diamond Eyes
5) John Butler Trio- April Uprising

John O’Connell

1) Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
2) The Morning Benders - Big Echo
3) Beach House - Teen Dream
4) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
5) The National - High Violet

Danny Haas

1) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

2) The Black Keys - Brothers

3) LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

4) Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

5) Beach House - Teen Dream

Jeff Totsch

1) LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
2) Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
3) The Walkmen - Lisbon
4) Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
5) Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Nicolette Stach

1) Portugal. The Man - American Ghetto

2) Yeasayer - Odd Blood

3) The Walkmen - Lisbon

4) Hot Chip - One Life Stand

5) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Adam Kosecki

1) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

2) Eels - end times

3) LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

4) Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

5) The Black Keys - Brothers

Michael Waszkowski

1) The Black Keys - Brothers
2) Foals - Total Life Forever
3) The National - High Violet
4) Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
5) Rogue Wave - Permalight

Katie Edwards

1) Broken Bells - Broken Bells

2) The Morning Benders - Big Echo

3) Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

4) The Black Keys - Brothers

5) Caribou - Swim

Tracy Johnson

1) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

2) Eels - End Times

3) The Black Keys - Brothers

4) Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
5) Beach House- Teen Dream

A three-concert week

2010-11-08T20:06:00.003-06:00

I know this is kind of late, but a couple weeks ago I packed in three separate concerts into one week. It was tiring, and my ears were ringing pretty consistently after it was all over, but it was ultimately a very rewarding decision.

First up was Band of Horses at the Riviera. As could be assumed from my previous post, due to the band's new album, I wasn't super excited for this show. I got there in the middle of the second song, and the Riv was pretty packed. They sprinkled in new songs throughout the set, while a PowerPoint presentation flashed random images on the wall behind the band. At one point, they went strictly with songs from their first two albums, and I was having a good time singing along. They wrapped up with "Is There A Ghost" and "Funeral" before taking an encore break. They came out and played the first track from their first album -- aptly named "The First Song." I figured this would be the end. And it should've been. (So clever playing "The First Song" last.) However, they ended with "Georgia," a Cee-Lo cover that I felt really let the air out of the building. Weak ending to a below-average show.

A few days later I went to see Deerhunter at Metro. This show was outstanding. They played mostly tunes from their newest album, Halcyon Digest, but they also tossed in some songs from Microcastle -- the highlight being "Nothing Ever Happened," which they turned into probably a 10-minute (at least) jam. The band was tight and they sounded better than most acts at Metro. I'd definitely go see Deerhunter again, given the opportunity.

Rounding out the long week of music was the heavyweight billing of Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem at the Aragon Ballroom. Hot Chip started promptly at 8, and they killed it. We were up close, and the sound was great for the Aragon. They played a decent mix of songs from their three most recent albums, comprising a set that was longer than your average opening act. It was a perfect lead-in to LCD. I saw LCD twice this summer, and they played the exact same set both times -- noticeably omitting two of my favorite songs off their newest album This Is Happening -- "Dance Yrself Clean" and "Home."

Luckily, I didn't have to wait long to find out if they'd leave these stand-outs off the setlist once again. The "Dance Yrself Clean" opener was one of the best live songs I've seen. Ever. Amazing buildup, with an explosion of energy when the drums kicked in. They played a number of favorites they also played this summer ("All My Friends," "Losing My Edge," "Yeah," etc.) before closing with one of my favorite songs of the year -- "Home." By the time LCD was wrapping up the set, I was pretty exhausted and sweaty. But it was all worth it.

It was a great week of music.

BOH's Infinite Arms: I've tried, but no

2010-10-18T18:54:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, there have been a ton of great releases in 2010 -- many of which I was highly anticipating and then they came through big time. However, one release I was looking forward to that did not live up to my expectations is Band of Horses' Infinite Arms.

I've tried to like this album. Really, I have. But compared to their first two albums, it just doesn't match up. Infinite Arms is toned down a little. Not to say BOH's other albums are full-out rockers, but this new one is pretty tame. I like a couple of the tracks -- namely "NW Apartment" and "Older." But a majority of the album is a skip session for me. (Opener "Factory" is one song on this album I cannot stand.)

One difference on this album -- although not necessarily a detractor for me -- is that it features two songs, "Older" and "Evening Kitchen," that are sung by band members other than lead singer Ben Bridwell. The band took more of a "full band" approach on this record, which I appreciate, but maybe they're better off letting Bridwell take the reins by himself.

But then again, maybe not. As I said before, one of my favorite tracks is "Older," which was written and sung by guitar player Ryan Monroe. An article on BOH in Paste Magazine featured a quote from Bridwell that I liked a lot:

“I’ve been telling our management, or anyone involved—even Phil [Ek] before we started the record—that [Ryan’s song] ‘Older’ [was going to be on the record]. … There’s even people going, ‘I think it has a chance to be a single if you sing lead on it.’ And it’s like, ‘Fuck you, Ryan’s singing the song.’"

This quote gives me hope for the future of BOH. I don't think they're going to become the next Kings of Leon. I'm hoping they had kind of a dud album with Infinite Arms and will rebound with their next effort. I'm going to see them tomorrow night at the Riviera, so I'm hoping either they stay away from some of the new material (at least don't play "Factory" please!), or they play the new material so well that it makes me appreciate it more. We'll see.

Deerhunter -- Halcyon Digest

2010-10-11T19:52:00.008-05:00

After a somewhat lengthy hiatus, this Claptrapper is back on the beat. I feel a little guilty for not writing during this period off, as there have been so many great album releases. 2010 has been an incredible year for music makers -- especially within the past five months or so. New albums from The National, LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire, and The Walkmen will all most certainly be battling for my top 5 albums of the year. But I wasn't all that surprised that I would like those albums -- after all, those are some of my favorite bands around right now.

However, one album I recently came across that has surprised me a great deal is Deerhunter's new album -- Halcyon Digest. I'm not all that familiar with Deerhunter, but I have listened to their previous effort -- Microcastle -- and definitely enjoyed it. But nothing like this new album.

A halcyon is a bird that in ancient legend would nest around the winter solstice to calm the waves of the sea. This is a fitting image for this album, as a lot of the songs' lyrics deal with darkness and sleep, and the album as a whole has a very dark, foggy feel to it. The lyrics also are heavily influenced with themes of aging, and looking at and analyzing life in general. In the outstanding closing song, "He Would Have Laughed," Bradford Cox sings, "I get bored as I get older. Can you help me figure this out?"

The album opens almost sleepily with the song "Earthquake." It's slower and not my favorite track, but I think it's a good opener and sets the tone for the remainder of songs. After "Earthquake," it's pretty much 10 straight very solid songs. Songs that stick out for me are "Revival," "Desire Lines," and the aforementioned "He Would Have Laughed" (especially the last couple minutes of the song).

Pick up this album; you won't be disappointed! (And thanks to fellow Trapper, $G.00 for recommending this album to me.)

Best of the rest

2010-08-04T20:14:00.011-05:00

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, we were unable to complete our Lollapalooza countdown. Claptrapped would like to apologize to its loyal readers. But because the festival is still a couple days away, I thought I'd list the five bands I'm most looking forward to from the bands we didn't cover. Lady Gaga just missed the cut...

5. Spoon: I happened to start listening to Spoon soon after their previous Lollapalooza performance a few years ago, so I've unfortunately never seen them live before. They're a very solid band with a lot of good albums. Definitely won't be missing these guys on Saturday. They have a conflict with Edward Sharpe, so that might be a tough decision for some people, but not this Claptrapper.

4. Hot Chip: I kind of missed the boat with this band when they released their 2008 album Made in the Dark. It was a Claptrapped favorite, but I never checked it out until recently. Subsequently, I acquired their previous album, The Warning, and their most recent work, One Life Stand, and I quickly became a big fan of these guys. Another tough decision for Lolla attendees, as they go up against everybody's favorite: the Black Keys. I'll be at Hot Chip, for sure.

3. Yeasayer: I've seen these guys three times before, and they've gotten better each show -- by a lot. I imagine they will have to plateau at some point, but until then, I think I'm going to keep checking them out. The addition of a second percussionist really helped with the band's sound when I saw them last year, and I'm excited to see them play some of their new stuff. Yeasayer has the 4:00 slot on jam-packed Sunday.

2. The National: As Claptrapped's biggest National fan, this is probably to be expected. They're one of my favorite bands, so I can't pass up the opportunity to go see them. They have an hour-and-fifteen-minute set scheduled, with virtually nobody up against them -- Sunday at 7:15. Even though I think I like the National a lot better on their albums as opposed to live, I still can't wait to see these guys after the release of their outstanding High Violet earlier this year.

1. Arcade Fire: The thought of finally being able to see Arcade Fire makes me downright giddy -- and that was before I heard their new album, The Suburbs, which was released yesterday. I already figure this album will end up as a favorite of the year. This show is going to be epic. I know a lot of people are jazzed for Soundgarden, but there's just no way I'm going to miss these guys.

No. 27: Rogue Wave

2010-07-26T23:43:00.005-05:00

Rogue Wave was formed in 2002 by lead singer Zach Rogue (Zach Schwartz) after being laid off and devoting much of his newly found free time to recording music. The band has released 4 albums to date, Out of the Shadow, Descended Like Vultures, Asleep at Heavens Gate and most recently Permalight in March of 2010. Rogue Wave has been compared to Death Cab for Cutie and The Shins.

Probably one of my favorite bands, and probably one of my favorite stories to tell as well. Pat Spurgeon, Rogue Wave's drummer, was born with just one kidney and his struggles with touring, dialysis on the road, and the search for a donor are featured in the documentary D-Tour which was on the series Independent Lens, and the twist in this story is really stranger than fiction. Check out this film, it's a beauty. The band's three earliest albums are some of my favorite chill listening, good albums for your hangover Sunday's, can't go wrong with Harmonium, Catform, or Bird on a Wire. Rogue Wave's Permalight paints a brighter picture with songs that have a little more punch and pop, Permalight and We Will Make a Song Destroy are good examples of their maturation.

The band plays Saturday at 1pm and it doesn't matter who they're playing against because you shouldn't miss it.

Rogue Wave's video for Chicago X 12 was directed by actor/comedian Bob Odenkirk.

Bob Odenkirk's - Rogue Wave "Chicago x 12"

bob MySpace Video

No. 28: Stars

2010-07-20T19:57:00.003-05:00

Stars is a Canadian rock band that, on first listen, sounds a lot like Broken Social Scene. That would make sense, as the members of Stars also play with Broken Social Scene. Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan share singing duties, and it makes for a nice mix.

I'd describe Stars' sound as "pleasant." Since I have been in a big Broken Social Scene mood lately, I'm finding Stars somewhat appealing, but they don't carry the same energy or feel. A lot of their songs are a little too slow for me. So I wouldn't mind listening to Stars every once in awhile, but I don't see myself checking them out at Lollapalooza this year. If you're a big BSS fan, it might be worth attending their set to see if they are joined by Emily Haines from Metric (and also a fellow Broken Social Scene member).

Stars plays on Saturday at 2:15. They're not really up against anyone special, so they might draw a decent crowd.

Stars on MySpace

No. 29: Deer Tick

2010-07-19T22:37:00.004-05:00

Deer Tick is a folk rock group from Providence, Rhode Island. Lead singer/guitar John McCauley sings with an interesting raspy voice -- but I can't make up my mind if I like it or not. Deer Tick reminds me a little of Dr. Dog, with maybe a little more folksy feel. The group currently features former Titus Andronicus guitarist Ian O'Neil.

I like this band, but I'm not sure if I'd like to see them at a festival like Lollapalooza. I think a small club on a Friday night would be perfect for this band. They have a pretty good timeslot -- 5:00 on Saturday. And they really aren't up against anyone else I want to see, so it's possible that I go check them out. Or I might use this time to get some food before Spoon and Cut Copy...

Deer Tick on MySpace

No. 30: The New Pornographers

2010-07-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

The New Pornographers are what you would call a Canadian indie super-group. Most of the band were all known in the Vancouver music scene before they formed. Members of the group include well known solo artists Neko Case and AC Newman. They have been putting out solid material for the last decade now and consistently make albums that definitely sound like a mish-mosh of many talented musicians. They focus mostly on straight power-pop with crowd pleasing ballads and sing alongs. Their album, 'Together', that came out this year has the old familiar rhythmic hooks and energy that the last album, 'The Challengers' was missing. This is not to say the album doesn't have slower introspective songs as well, but The New Pornographers shine best when nailing that triumphant verse. Like say, Rilo Kiley, this is a band you and your girlfriend could like for different reasons. The guitar riffs are fun and sunny and sometimes come crashing down to reality. In recent years front man AC Newman's lyrics have become more dark and cryptic. Neko Case is not featured as much, but the sweet melodies contributed to with Kathryn Calder are still lovely. There is definitely a lot to take in when seeing The New Pornographers live. They have 8 members in the band and countless other contributors from bands like, The Dap Kings, Okkervil River, St. Vincent, and Beirut. You will here prominent piano, horns, and violin in just about every song. If you have a chance to take in a few songs in I would. They are playing on Friday at 4pm and as far as I can see Devo is the only competition they are up against. The Black Keys are on after them so it might not be a bad idea to camp out and check em out.

Single from 'Together', "Your Hands"

No. 31: Wild Beasts

2010-07-17T20:56:00.004-05:00

Wild Beasts from Kendal in England's Lake District have drawn some standard geographical comparisons to bands like Elbow and I Am Kloot. Their sound isn't as similar as their roots but I can see where a comparison may have been made. I tend to compare the band to one of my favorites, The Talking Heads.

With all that said and the high standards their comparisons have set I'm not all that big a fan of the music and that's for one main reason, the lead vocals. I've heard this complaint from others before in reference to bands such as Passion Pit, Modest Mouse, and Gomez among others and have had a similar problem with The National and Wilco, but after enough listening learned to live with and then love the peculiar vocals. My thought has always been if the music is good the vocals will fall into place. I'm not sure if that theory will continue to fly with Wild Beasts.

Hayden Thorpe's voice is said to be countertenor, and I can't take it or at least a whole albums worth. I enjoy some of their songs especially Devil's Crayon and All the King's Men and of their two albums I think I slightly prefer their latest Two Dancers, but as an entire collection his voice tends to turn me off. It may end up growing on me, it's not looking good though. Wild Beasts got a pretty good time slot on Saturday at 1:15, I may try to catch them after Rogue Wave and hope that the music drowns out most of the vocals.

Wild Beasts on MySpace

The Official Site of Wild Beasts

No. 32: Chromeo

2010-07-16T21:00:00.003-05:00

Chromeo is a 2-person electronic band from Montreal. Their music sounds straight out of the movie "Weird Science" or some other similar '80s flick. It's funky, it's pretty cheesy. I could see Chromeo being a total guilty-pleasure band. They remind me a little of Hot Chip, but with more of an '80s feel.

P-Thugg and Dave 1, as they are known, started Chromeo in 2001. They will be releasing their third album, Business Casual, on August 17. They play Lollapalooza Friday night at 7:00, right after Hot Chip. I'm not sure if I will be in attendance. I think I would have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy these guys live. And by right frame of mind, I mean really drunk. But I think it might be fun.

Chromeo on MySpace

No. 33: Blues Traveler

2010-07-15T02:14:00.008-05:00

Who hasn't heard of Blues Traveler or John Popper, pretty much everyone. This New Jersey band obviously took off back in 1994 with their album Four and hit songs like “Run-Around” and “Hook.” I actually enjoyed their next album Straight On till Morning and their second album Travelers and Thieves back in the day. I think they took a tumble when bassist Bobby Sheehan overdosed and passed away in 1999. Their albums really haven’t been as solid since. With a collection of 10 albums at this point, they have not seen much commercial success with any other album. Blues Traveler has become a standard festival band where they can pull a bigger crowd in that atmosphere because of their past fame. I've seen them a few times at these fests. Definitely not a band that is going to blow your mind, but you may want to grab a burger (or Pad Thai in OD’s case) and pop a squat on the lawn. I’ll probably be waiting in line for a Kumas Corner burger myself since they are a vendor this year. If you miss them and would like see them live, don’t fret, I’m sure they will be back next year. They play at 1:45 on Saturday.

MySpace
Band Page

No. 34: X Japan

2010-07-14T19:41:00.008-05:00

Clappers, get a load of X Japan. If you like hair bands and songs that sound like Vince Neil singing Motley Crue songs with a mouthful of marbles, then you just might dig the hell out of X Japan. If you are a fan of Adult Swim on Cartoon Network like I am, you probably already know what these guys sound like. You know how certain Japanimation cartoons like Cowboy Bebop always have those sappy songs during the end credits that are a mix of Japanese and Engrish? Well, that's X Japan in a nutshell, folks.... The band has been around in Japan since 1982, which explains the hair, and rode a wave of success in their native land up until around the early '90s and subsequently broke up around 1997. The members soon went their separate ways with some of them even joining cults. Guitarist Hideto "Hide" Matsumo went on to work on his solo career as well as his new band, Spread Beaver (Yeah, he went there.), but soon after died in 1998.

The band announced its return in 2007 and booked shows all over the world including the Taipei World Trade Center and Madison Square Garden among other coliseums and arenas. X Japan announced earlier this year at the Midwest Animation Promotion Society Convention that they would play at Lollapalooza, much to many an ecstatic manga nerds' delight. I'm always looking for new dynamic musical experiences, so I think I will check this band out.

Video For "Tears". Dry your tears with love, people... Dry your tears with love.

Note: X Japan doesn't really have a Myspace or a website... at least an American website... They sort of have a Myspace... But as you can see, it's a ghost town. Basically all I had to go on for this review is the half a song they have on their Myspace plus that "song" in the video, so I apologize to all X Japan fans who are reading this if my article seemed a bit lopsided.

No. 35: Grizzly Bear

2010-07-13T19:16:00.006-05:00

Grizzly Bear is what I would call a solid band. The Brooklyn foursome isn't flashy, but they make really good music. I guess I'd describe their sound as a variety of experimental folk. Their 2009 album, Veckatimest, was one of my top 5 albums from that year, and I still listen to it quite often. I haven't listened to much of their older albums, but I can tell you from Veckatimest that they are a very technical band -- it sounds like they worked really hard to make their songs sound great. And I think the hard work paid off.

I've never seen Grizzly Bear live, but I've read they bring the same intensity and meticulous nature to the stage (which I definitely respect a lot). As much as I like this band, I have in fact passed up on seeing them a couple times. I feel like they're a very skipable band at a music festival for some reason. Like they're the band you want to see, but instead go get a slice of pizza. This year at Lollapalooza has the potential for me skipping them again -- they play at 4:15 on Saturday, conflicting with both Gogol Bordello and Dawes. So I'm not really sure if I will be checking them out, even though I'm sure I wouldn't be disappointed at all.

Grizzly Bear on MySpace

No. 36: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

2010-07-13T19:03:00.000-05:00

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have appeared on Claptrapped before and in my first review I wrote that they sounded a bit 'chanty' and over joyous but they were no doubt a band even your Mom might like. I even picked their single '40 Day Dream' as one of my favorite tracks of '09. Over time I have now come to respect them more. They are a hard touring band and have made 4 stops in Chicago in the last year alone. I love bands that work hard for the money. They now have songs featured in Ford Fiesta commercials and the soundtrack to the John C. Reilly flick 'Cyrus'. They have really made some headway for a relatively new band. More of the songs off the record have grown on me and I can see myself bringing their debut record 'Up From Below' on camping trips with me for the rest of my life. Its a great summer disc and one that will continue to accompany other camping favorites like Fleet Foxes, Rusted Root, Old Dylan, Otis Redding, and acoustic Zeppelin.

I would definitely check out Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at Lolla. I have never seen them live, but they appear to be crowd pleasers. Their music is simple and perfect for an outdoor festival. With only one album out so far you will be sure to hear one of your favorites. Bring a wide angle lens if you plan on taking pics since they have a whole mess of people in the band. If you can't seem them at Lolla they are playing an after show at Lincoln Hall for 14 bucks.

Check out the Tiny Desk Concert they played for NPR.

No. 37: Raphael Saadiq

2010-07-12T12:33:00.006-05:00

You like old school R&B, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, The Supremes, Motown, Detroit? (okay not so much Detroit) Well if you answered a resounding Yes! you'll probably want to check out Raphael Saadiq Friday at 2pm on the South stage at Lollapalooza. The singer songwriter has been the modern representative of classic R&B since the late 80s when he was performing in the group Tony! Toni! Tone!

It's hard to criticize or praise an artist for recreating such a classic sound, it's obviously been done before, but I will say that Raphael Saadiq does it quite well. Old school bass lines, call and answer vocals, and back beat tambourines are all found in Saadiq's latest record The Way I See It, which features guest apperances by Josh Stone, Stevie Wonder and Jay-Z.

The Official Website of Raphael Saadiq

Raphael Saadiq on MySpace

No. 38: The Temper Trap

2010-07-12T00:13:00.004-05:00

Diet Coke anyone? The Temper Trap, from Melbourne, Australia, are probably best known for the commercial success of their song "Sweet Disposition" which has been featured in advertisements for Diet Coke, Chrysler and Rhapsody.

They play an alternative pop style with strong drum beats and harmonious vocals and I enjoy their debut album Conditions. The Temper Trap drew a tough time slot when closing out the Sony bloggie stage Sunday night at 6:30, overlapping the end of MGMT and the beginning of The National. That being said I will try to check out this band or at the very least the beginning of their set.

The Official Site of The Temper Trap

The Temper Trap on MySpace

No. 39: MUTEMATH

2010-07-10T16:38:00.003-05:00

MUTEMATH is an alternative rock band from New Orleans. They have a bit of a futuristic sound, using keyboards and samples, but nothing that stands out to me in particular. I guess I don't mind the music side of this band, but they lose me when it comes to the vocals. They are poppy and, at times, cheesy. And I really don't like them.

I don't know, I could see people digging this band, but to me they seem kind of boring. They play at 5:00 on Sunday at Lollapalooza. They're up against Erykah Badu and Frightened Rabbit. I probably won't be going to check these guys out, but will opt for Frightened Rabbit instead.

MUTEMATH on MySpace

No. 40: Hockey

2010-07-09T16:32:00.002-05:00

Portland, OR-based Hockey is the only band returning to Lollapalooza this year after playing it in 2009. They have become more well-known since last year, but they did not blow up by any means. I basically feel the same way about them as I did when I previewed them last year. They still sound like a mix of the Strokes and LCD Soundsystem. I feel like I should like this band more than I do, but for some reason, their songs don't really hook me.

Hockey ended up releasing their debut album, Mind Chaos, last October. They will be playing at a more impressive timeslot this year at Lolla -- 3:30 on Sunday. I did not end up seeing Hockey last year, and unfortunately, I will probably not be stopping by their set this year. It overlaps with both Mumford & Sons and Yeasayer.

Hockey on MySpace

Here's a video of one of their Strokes-esque songs, "Song Away."

No. 41: Metric

2010-07-08T00:02:00.003-05:00

Hah, Canada. Metric, originally from Toronto, is an indie/punk/rock band fronted by Emily Haines, who has also performed with The Stills, The Stars, KC Accidental, Jason Collett and along with guitarist James Shaw in Broken Social Scene. That's where I'd start when describing the band: as an underwhelming Broken Social Scene with some Silversun Pickups and possibly even a little Cyndi Lauper.

The band has released 4 albums over the last 8 years, and for the most part I think they're pretty thin. Metric's members all have at least one side project and this may be a reason for the inconsistency and sometimes muttled sound.

Metric plays the Playstation stage at 5:15 on Saturday, up against Social D, AFI, and Deer Tick. I may wander by in this time slot to check out Metric, having no huge interest in any of the other bands, but I wouldn't call that a recomendation either.

Metric on MySpace

The Official Site of Metric

No. 42: Switchfoot

2010-07-07T23:17:00.011-05:00

Switchfoot comes from San Diego and plays the definition of Alternative Rock. Which would be any band immediately played on radio station Q101 here in Chicago. Nothing bad but nothing extraordinary or unique, just pretty safe music. They are led by singer/songwriter Jon Foreman, who is also in the band Fiction Family with Nickle Creek guitarist Sean Watkins. Switchfoot is compared to Jars of Clay often because their Christian Rock influences and participation in some large Christian festivals, but I think they're a bit harder rock than Jars of Clay. They have produced 7 albums since the start of the band in 1996. The Beautiful Letdown is one of their more acclaimed albums mainly because of the song "Meant to Live" which received extended playtime on the air waves. All and all, not my kind of band but they do have a handful of solid tunes. They are playing on Sunday at 1:00 against the Dodos so I will not be in attendance.

MySpace
Band Page

No. 43: Mumford & Sons

2010-07-07T21:48:00.003-05:00

Mumford & Sons is a four-piece folk rock band from London. They have a soft, nice sound and use a lot of vocal harmonies. Think of a somewhat mellower Fleet Foxes with a touch of bluegrass. They also remind me a little of Frightened Rabbit. I have heard a lot of buzz about this band recently, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they are like live.

The group formed in 2007 and just released their debut album, Sigh No More, last February (in the U.S.; the album was released in the U.K. in October 2009). I like the album a lot. It's soothing, but not too slow, and I could really see it growing on me more and more as I continue listening to it.

Mumford & Sons plays at Lollapalooza on Sunday at 3:00. They are up against Minus the Bear, so I have a feeling I will be checking these guys out.

Mumford & Sons on MySpace

Here's a video of their song, "Little Lion Man."

No. 44: Nneka

2010-07-07T15:33:00.005-05:00

Nneka sings a style of hip hop with reggae and jazz beats accompanying her soulful voice. Born in Nigeria to a German mother and Nigerian father she remained there until the age of 18 when she moved to Hamburg, Germany, where she pursued her singing career. She has released three albums to date, I prefer her later Concrete Jungle which presents Nneka in a broader spectrum.

I enjoy Nneka and would compare her, obviously, to Lauren Hill and The Fugees, and slightly less obvioulsy, to The Roots, Speech Debelle (if you don't know her you should), and Stevie Wonder if you want to jump in the wayback machine. Nneka landed one of the worst time slots early Sunday from 12:15 to 1pm against Claptrapped favorites The Antlers and Frank Turner, as if we needed another reason to wake up early that day.

Nneka on MySpace

The Official Site of Nneka

No. 45: American Bang

2010-07-06T20:07:00.004-05:00

American Bang is a Southern rock band from Nashville. They remind me a little of pre-"Sex on Fire" Kings of Leon. Similar to KOL, they draw from classic rock influences to make some energetic, rocking songs -- but it's nothing particularly original.

If you're at Lollapalooza on Friday afternoon and in the mood for something similar to the Black Crowes, maybe head over to the Sony bloggie (?) stage and check out American Bang. I however, will probably pass on these guys and get my Southern rock fix later in the day from the Drive-By Truckers -- a much more solid option in my opinion.

American Bang on MySpace

Here's a video of a performance from the Bottom Lounge in Chicago last year.

No. 46: Fuck Buttons

2010-07-06T19:32:00.004-05:00

Fuck Buttons are an English noise-electronic band. It's a two-piece group, made up of Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power. I had never listened to Fuck Buttons before researching them for this review. I have to say, they will be one of the few bands I will listen to in the future that I hadn't heard before. (So far, at least. The other band I've really liked being Cymbals Eat Guitars.) They kind of have a Dan Deacon or Animal Collective feel to them, without the vocals.

The Buttons make spacey instrumental songs that flow into each other, while sounding pleasant and abrasive at the same time. I'm a pretty big fan of their 2009 release Tarot Sport, with its soaring crescendos and head-nod-inducing grooves.

I definitely look forward to listening to more of these guys in the future. However, I'm going to have a tough decision on whether to see them at Lollapalooza this year. They play at 5:00 on Friday -- directly up against the Dirty Projectors and Matt & Kim. It's probably between Fuck Buttons and Dirty Projectors -- but all three groups have me interested. This is unfortunate considering there is so little I am excited for on Friday.

Fuck Buttons on MySpace

No. 47: Jamie Lidell

2010-07-05T22:13:00.003-05:00

Jamie Lidell is an English soul singer. I think his music style will bring a nice change of pace for Lollapalooza this year. It's not really my preferred type of music, but I find Lidell's style easy to listen to.

His latest album, Compass, which was released this past May, was produced by Beck and also features him as a collaborator. (Side note: when is Beck going to play Lolla? This needs to happen soon.) Despite the connections to Beck, I find the album to be pretty average at times. But songs shine at times, and I would recommend at least checking it out.

Lidell plays on Friday at 6:30 at Lollapalooza. I probably won't be checking him out, as his set will be overlapping with Hot Chip and Black Keys.

Jamie Lidell on MySpace

No. 48: Son of a Bad Man

2010-07-02T22:19:00.007-05:00

Son of a Bad Man classifies themselves as Rock / Pop. I think it sounds more like Pop / Country pre-made for cheesy teen movies. They could have been the entire soundtrack of Varsity Blues. Their single of the debut album is called "20 Missed Calls" and it sounds just like you would imagine it. They hail from Jacksonville Florida and are led by a young lead singer, Shawn Fisher. Their music is just very cookie cutter and seems to have no imagination. I know I'm really hating on this band but I just don't get it. They play on Sunday at 11:30 on the BMI stage.

Myspace

No. 49: Dan Black

2010-06-29T22:41:00.008-05:00

Dan Black is British pop electronica singer who hails from London. He has some good techno mixes that reminds me of stuff from Daft Punk, but when he opens his mouth it destroys it. I agree with a reviewer from Dot Music, "However much electro trickery he has at his fingertips, he needs some songs first". For example listen to "Pass That Head Noise", starts out with a solid beat then plops once the vocals come into play. I don't think hes terrible, I just think he needs to work more on integrating his voice into his music, just doesn't sound right to me. I am one person however and he obviously has many fans. I will absolutely give him credit for playing with a full band on stage, not many electronica bands bring everything live to the stage. The best song I think is the much slower "Let Go", just seems to flow much better with the vocals. He has been around the music industry playing in the alternative band The Servant since 1998, so he does have the stage presence. Dan Black will be playing at the BMI stage at 3:00 on Sunday.

MySpace

No. 50: Minus the Bear

2010-06-29T19:44:00.005-05:00

One of two bands with the word "bear" in their name playing at Lollapalooza this year, Minus the Bear hails from Seattle. And I'd have to say, "minus" is a pretty appropriate word to describe this band. I don't hate them, or think I would immediately switch the channel if they came on the radio, but they don't grab my attention either.

At least on their latest album, Omni, which was released last May, there isn't much of anything original going on. Bland alternative rock, with a hint of psychedelic keyboard, and pretty annoying vocals don't really much for me. The group has been around since 2001, so it's possible some of their older material is better.

Contrary to what it probably sounds like, I don't completely hate this band. But I'm sure I'll be much more likely to check out the other "bear" band at Lolla -- Grizzly Bear. Minus the Bear plays on Sunday at 3:00, up against Mumford & Sons.

Minus the Bear on MySpace

Here's a video that does a pretty good job of summing up how lame this band can be.

No. 51: Drive-By Truckers

2010-06-29T17:08:00.004-05:00

One of the most explosive bands to ever come out of the cultural hotbed that is Athens, GA, the Drive-By Truckers have cemented their rightful place as holders of the contemporary Southern rock crown. But don't tell front man Patterson Hood that...... "Southern Rock" has never been a tag he's been proud of wearing. Hood would rather be associated with a much broader scope of influences, which is why he was probably ginning ear to ear when critics called his band "America's greatest rock band". For the Truckers, the road to get to that superlative has been a long and winding one. The band nearly broke up in 2006 after a nightmare tour and tensions within the band, the documentation of which can be found in the just-released film, "The Secret To A Happy Ending". Shortly thereafter, the band parted ways with guitarist Jason Isbell, an element of the band that contributed, in my opinion, some of the best Truckers songs like "Decoration Day", "Outfit", and "Danko/Manuel". Since then, the truckers added John Neff in Isbell's place and continue to rip up the road touring with Booker T and in support of their most recent effort, The Big To-Do. The album is OK, but the one Truckers album that really does it for me is The Dirty South, where guitarist Mike Cooley and Hood trade haggard tales of the Reagan-era economy in Alabama, folk heroes, World War II, and tornadoes. Shonna Tucker and Brad Morgan round out the rhythm section as Morgan's grungy beats wrap themselves around Tucker's more reserved bass and sensitive vocals.

I will definitely checking out the Drive-By Truckers at Lolla this year. I have seen them a couple times and if you like balls out rock, you won't want to miss them.

Myspace

www.drivebytruckers.com

No. 52: Dawes

2010-06-27T22:58:00.004-05:00

An appearance by Wilco member Pat Sansone on their debut album, jam sessions with Conor Oberst and having their national television debut on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson definitely put some notches in their column, not that Dawes needed the help.

Their debut album North Hills is a fitting tribute to the American folk rock bands of the past. I can picture Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young literally passing the torch to the band,Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith, Wylie Webster and Alex Casnoff. Similar bands of today would include Delta Spirit and Blind Pilot; Dawes sound is softer though with more harmonies, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Fortunately Dawes has a favorable time slot in this year's Lolla lineup, playing at half past three Saturday afternoon conflicting only with the xx and Gogol Bordello. I will definitely make time to see this Southern California band jam.

Dawes on MySpace

The Official Site of Dawes

No. 53: Los Amigos Invisibles

2010-06-23T23:17:00.003-05:00

Espanol? No? Me either. However, the language barrier did little to stop Los Amigos Invisibles and their Latin beats. The sextet from Venezuela plays a "mezcla" of funk and disco with a "obvio" Latin influence.

To be completely "honesto" my familiarity with Latin music goes about as far as the Mexican Hat Dance or "Jarabe Tapatío." Los Amigos Invisibles' high energy seemed to be a good enough translator for me, songs like Mentiras really get the "sangre" flowing. If you need an early pick up at Lolla I would definitely recommend checking out the Amigos at 1pm on Friday, if you can afford to miss the Walkmen.

Los Amigos Invisibles on MySpace

...and a short side note if you google search Los Amigos Invisibles you are referred to male enhancement sites, thought it was funny.

No. 54: Blitzen Trapper

2010-06-23T17:23:00.010-05:00

For me, Blitzen Trapper is definitely one of my "must see" bands at this year's Lolla. I was first introduced to the Portland natives about two years back by a girl I used to work with. I was always curious about the band... I had seen them in a Rolling Stone I had at the time, and was always intrigued by their logo- something that looked like it came straight off the cover from a 70's classic rock album (See their album cover for Furr for proof). She gave me a CD she burned of the aforementioned album, and while I was not fully blown away, I did really like its rusty, dusty feel, as well as the songs that seem like they came straight outta '70's pop radio (Do you see a theme here?). I became a fan after letting songs like "Sleepytime In The Western World", "God And Suicide", and the tremendous murder ballad "Black River Killer" marinate into my brain and daily consciousness for about a month straight. I even went so far as to give it an Honorable Mention in my list of top albums from 2008 last year.

Furr could only give me a hint of what was to come in the form of the just released Destroyer Of The Void. This album will, mark my words, be one of my, if not some of you other Claptrapper's top albums of 2010 before the year is through. With this album, Blitzen uses a sniper rifle with a laser sight to hit the bullseye instead of a shotgun. What I mean by that is that while I find most of their older albums enjoyable, it seems like they were trying to paint with too broad a brush. Older Blitzen albums seem to run the gamut from country twang to prog to noise rock, but Void succeeds where those don't by showcasing the more rustic, operatic side of the band. When listening to the title track, comparisons to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" come and go, but true to the influence, the song will take you on quite a journey filled with rousing and demure moments alike. The album also boasts a new murder ballad, "The Man Who Would Speak True" that is truly on par with it's predecessor in scope and hyperbole.

Please do your Lolla-going self a justice and seek out this band before you get there. Then you can be as pumped as I am about seeing them instead of another pervasive Lady Gaga knockoff.

Blitzen Trapper's Website

Myspace

No. 55: The Big Pink

2010-06-22T17:57:00.003-05:00

So The Big Pink, I've been struggling with what to say about this group for a while now. I've had their only album, A Brief History of Love, playing for weeks now and it's always just sort of there. The duo, Akiko Matsuura and Leopold Ross, are an electric rock group from London has been loosely compared to bands like Nine Inch Nails and Yeasayer, very loosely. A more appropriate and recent comparison may be The xx, another high praise band I can't seem to get. Monotonity with no hook sounds like a blast. After saying all that I'll give them which seems like my normal review they're not that bad, I just don't think they're all that good either. Then again if you enjoy The xx and don't mind missing Drive-By Truckers, Cymbals Eat Guitars and My Dear Disco you might want to wander over to the adidas stage Friday afternoon or check them out at Lincoln Hall, probably a better venue for their sound, the Thursday before.

The Big Pink on MySpace

The Official Site of The Big Pink

No. 56: Cymbals Eat Guitars

2010-06-20T19:40:00.004-05:00

I had not heard New York-based Cymbals Eat Guitars before doing this preview, but I'm glad I chose to write them up because I'm liking what I hear. By no means a super original sound, Cymbals Eat Guitars sounds a bit like Pavement or Built To Spill, but they are definitely not knock-offs.

They're a young band, and have only released one album to date: Why There Are Mountains, but I wouldn't be surprised if these guys stick around for a while. Check out the tracks "And the Hazy Sea" and "Wind Phoenix." Those are probably my favorites from the album.

My discovery of Cymbals makes me a little more excited for Friday at Lollapalooza; however, they play at 3:30, which presents a conflict with Drive-By Truckers, another band I'd like to catch. So I'm definitely going to have a dilemma on my hands.

Cymbals Eat Guitars on MySpace

No. 57: The Soft Pack

2010-06-16T22:40:00.007-05:00

The Soft Pack is a fast paced indie/rock/punk garage band from San Diego. Their songs are fairly simple but have some catchy hooks. They do have an older punk sound which they've said in interviews is what there going for. I'm not a huge fan of their lyrics. One of their most popular songs is "Answer to Yourself." Here are the first few lines.

"You gotta answer to yourself

You can't depend on anyone else

You gotta know where you stand

And what's in your hands

Yeah you gotta answer to yourself "

Just doesn't seem like much thought was put into the lyrics. They have one album which is self titled and it wouldn't be if they kept their old band name. These guys used to be called The Muslims but not shockingly got too much flack and changed their names. They will be playing on Saturday at 12:30 on the Budweiser stage. I may catch them but would not go out of my way. I think The Morning Benders who are playing earlier Saturday should have had this spot.

No. 58: Wolfmother

2010-06-16T18:33:00.005-05:00

Similar to my previous preview of Cut Copy, Wolfmother hails from Australia. However, the two groups' sounds are pretty much polar opposites. Wolfmother plays a brand of classic psychedelic rock that could be compared to Black Sabbath.

The band put out their self-titled debut in 2005, and it received a lot of praise. It looked like Wolfmother would really take off as a band, but things didn't go so smoothly. In August 2008, drummer Myles Heskett and bassist/keyboardist Chris Ross left the band due to "irreconcilable differences." Wolfmother is currently a four-member group, and their new album, Cosmic Egg, isn't much of a departure from their earlier stuff. It still has the distinctive vocals of Andrew Stockdale along with a 70s classic rock vibe.

I've heard Wolfmother is good live band, so I'm looking forward to seeing them on Sunday of Lollapalooza. They go up against MGMT, so that might be a tough decision for some, but I wasn't very impressed with MGMT at Lolla a couple years ago. So I think I might check out Wolfmother instead.

However, there is a chance that there won't be a decision to make here. Wolfmother's fan site is reporting the band has canceled its entire European tour this summer due to illness. No word on Lollapalooza and whether their show will be canceled, so stay tuned...

Wolfmother on MySpace

No. 59: Cut Copy

2010-06-15T17:35:00.003-05:00

Cut Copy is a three-member electronic dance rock band from Australia. They make up part of an interesting mix of similar-type bands playing Lollapalooza this year that includes Hot Chip and Phoenix.

Cut Copy's most recent release was in 2008 -- In Ghost Colours. I'm a fan of this album, even though it's a little cheesy. But despite the cheesiness, it features great flow, catchy tunes, and an overall fun vibe. It's a really good summer album, and I hope this transfers to this year's Lolla festival. Some tracks to check out: "Unforgettable Season," "So Haunted," and "Strangers in the Wind." The band supposedly has a new album coming out this year, but there is no official word yet.

I have not seen Cut Copy perform live, but I have read numerous reviews that have praised their skills on stage. They play Saturday night at Lolla at 7:30. It should make for a pretty interesting lead-in into Phoenix's headlining set. I'm looking forward to it.

Cut Copy on MySpace

No. 60: The Cribs

2010-06-14T19:16:00.004-05:00

Keeping with my theme of previewing "The [fill in the blank]" bands, The Cribs are an English indie rock band. They have some punk rock in them, and they kind of remind me of The Strokes. I saw them play at the Double Door a couple years ago, and they were honestly very underwhelming. The sounds wasn't great, and a lot of their songs sounded exactly the same. (Side note: Luckily, the night was salvaged by the opening band, Ra Ra Riot -- who I had never heard before. But that's another story.)

The Cribs released their fourth album, Ignore the Ignorant, last year. I haven't heard much of it (screw you Apple for shutting down Lala), but I have their 2007 effort, Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever, and it leaves me feeling pretty similar to their live shows -- not very impressed.

The group did add former Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist, Johnny Marr, so maybe he could make a difference for some people. Probably not me, though. It's basically a sure-thing that I will not be in attendance when The Cribs take the stage at Lollapalooza at 2:00 on Sunday -- they play at the same time as Blitzen Trapper, a band I am very excited to see.

The Cribs on MySpace

No. 61: The Walkmen

2010-06-11T17:09:00.005-05:00

The Walkmen formed in 2000 with members from the Washington, DC area. Musically, the band reminds me a little of The National, but probably a little more upbeat. And vocally, The Walkmen bear little resemblance to The National, as lead singer Hamilton Leithauser belts out a unique, almost Dylan-esque voice.

The band's most recent album, You & Me, is a favorite of mine. It's a thoughtful, artistic, and satisfying collection of songs. I find it hard to find a song I don't like on the album. As much as I enjoy The Walkmen's studio work, however, I find them a tad disappointing live. Disappointing might be the wrong word -- I just don't get the same satisfaction from their songs in a live setting. However, I would still suggest going to see them at Lollapalooza if you get there early on Friday. (They kind of got hosed with a 1:00 slot.)

The group should have a new album out sometime in August, so maybe look forward to some new tunes.

The Walkmen on MySpace

No. 62: Frightened Rabbit

2010-06-09T17:15:00.005-05:00

So if the Counting Crows put out a slightly more progressive album and Adam Duritz somehow picked up a Scottish accent along the way, you'd pretty much end up with Frightened Rabbit. Frightened Rabbit's lyrics center on somber subject matter such as break ups, suicide, and loneliness but they are joined by a more upbeat tone and hope filled vocals. The band has released 3 albums Sing the Greys, The Midnight Organ Fight, and their latest and least crowish The Winter of Mixed Drinks.

Give them a listen, you'll probably like the five member indie band from Scotland but I bet your girlfriend likes them more. Now it probably sounds like I'm selling them short, but I do enjoy them and I'm sure they put on a good festival show. Slotted with Erykah Badu and MUTEMATH, two bands I know little of, I'll probably check them out until I feel it's time to secure my place at the Budweiser Stage for MGMT.

Frightened Rabbit on MySpace

Videos of Frightened Rabbit

No. 63: Company of Thieves

2010-06-09T12:34:00.003-05:00

Company of Thieves is likely to put on a good show this year at Lollapalooza as it will be performing in front of a hometown crowd. Leading the band is vocalist Genevieve Schatz.

Overall, I like this group’s sound. Schatz voice is soft bought strong. The band is by no means a “chick” band. While nothing they do is over the top, everything they do is pretty solid.

Interesting enough Schatz met both guitarist, Marc Walloch, and drummer, Mike Ortiz, on two separate occasions at Union Station. It didn’t take long for them to put out their first album Ordinary Riches which has received pretty good reviews. Checkout songs “Pressure” and “Oscar Wilde” to find out what you could be in store for.

www.myspace.com/companyofthieves

www.companyofthieves.net/

No. 64: Balkan Beat Box

2010-06-08T20:15:00.008-05:00

Just take a good long look at that picture. You want to be in this picture. Better yet, you want to be drunk and in this picture. You've got a pantload of hot hipster chicks, drums and wah pedals in the audience and..... wait.... is that someone's grandpa breaking it down in there??? Admit it, that shit looks fucking fun....And as someone who has seen Balkan Beat Box perform live, I'm here to vouch that it is. Way back in 2006, I had the luck to stumble into a small Mobile, AL bar called the Cell Block to find a shirtless pint-sized dynamo by the name of Tomer Yosef crowd surfing while bandmates Ori Kaplan (sax) an Tamir Muskat (drums) ripped it up on stage. These guys had the crowd eating delicious morsels of eastern gypsy punk infused with hip hop and dubstep with accents of rockabilly out of their hand. Balkan Beat Box's pedigree as a gypsy punk band has roots in THE pre-eminent mainstream gypsy punk band, Gogol Bordello where Muskat was a percussionist. Balkan Beat Box has always had one goal from the start of their career: To bring peace and understanding of numerous cultures through their music and explosive live shows. The band has 3 releases under their belt, 2005's Balkan Beat Box, 2007's Nu-Med and this April's Blue Eyed Black Boy. The band has also exploded to 10 members from just the core trio and Chicago is one of 3 stops on its world tour this summer as the band will be concentrating on touring places like Spain, France and Israel. Just think about what those shows are going to be like and then think about the fact that you might not see this band again for a while... If you had fun at the Dan Deacon show last year, you might want to check these out as it may prove to go above and beyond that one in terms of crowd participation and balls -out crazyness. Bottom line: Don't balk at Balkan.

Myspace

www.balkanbeatbox.com

No. 65: The Dodos

2010-06-08T20:00:00.004-05:00

The Dodos are a three-piece rock group hailing from San Francisco. They have a unique sound that centers around acoustic guitar and interesting percussion. Drummer Logan Kroeber plays a kit without a bass drum, and doesn't use the cymbals much. (He does usually play with a tambourine attached to his foot, though.) But it's the unique style of drumming combining with the fast-paced acoustic strumming that makes me really like this band.

They released their fourth album, Time to Die, last year and I felt it was a step down from their previous effort -- 2008's Visiter. Check out the track "Red and Purple" from Visiter to get a perfect example of how well the guitar and percussion work together.

I'm excited to see The Dodos at Lollapalooza this year. I first heard this band at the Pitchfork Music Festival a couple years back and they really caught my ear. They put on a great live show. The Dodos will be playing on the jam-packed final day of Lolla, at 1:00. Don't miss 'em!

The Dodos on MySpace

Here's a pretty sweet video of their track "Fools," with a bit of an extended intro.

No. 66: The Antlers

2010-06-05T13:15:00.004-05:00

The Antlers are not exactly what you'd call an uplifting band. The Brooklyn-based group plays soft, powerful songs that toy with your emotions. The band's 2009 release, Hospice, was one of my top 5 albums last year; I love it. But again, it's definitely not an uplifting collection of songs by any means. Hospice is a concept album centering around the pain caused by the death/loss of a loved one.

Listening to the album feels like reading a book or watching a movie. A sad one. You feel the singer's emotions that include guilt, sorrow, and a hint of hope. Singer Peter Silberman has a great voice, but behind the lyrics is also great music. The keyboards enhance the eerie tones -- almost similar to the eerie songs on Radiohead's Kid A. Highlights of this album include "Kettering," "Two," and "Wake."

Despite my appreciation for The Antlers, I'm not sure I can award them must-see status at Lollapalooza. From concert reviews I've read, the group sounds to be as emotional on stage as on their records. I just don't know how this tone would fit in a large-festival setting. I have the feeling their quieter songs could easily be drowned out by other stages. However, I am excited to check them out and hope they prove that theory wrong.

Antlers on MySpace

Here's video of a series of songs from a Washington DC concert. It sounds pretty good, which makes me a little more optimistic for their Lolla show.

No. 67: Miniature Tigers

2010-06-03T19:53:00.013-05:00

"Save your sorries, tell it to the volcano", chides frontman Charlie Brand on the title track of his band's latest release, Tell It To The Volcano, allegedly to an ex-lover whom he is about to toss into a waiting pool of magma. These might sound like dire lyrics on paper, but to hear Brand sing them, they come out with a warm and happy tone complete with a " The Lion Sleeps Tonight" -style bridge and final chorus.... Well, that's a recipe that ultimately creates a poppy little gem that had me listening to it on repeat when I first heard it. The Brooklyn by way of Phoenix, AZ quartet has been on the rise since 2008 when its first national tour hit the road opening for Ben Folds. The band creates infectious little ditties in the same lighthearted style of Folds... Sweet, earnest, and intelligent. The rest of the band is Rick Schaier on drums and vocals, Algernon Quashie on guitar, keyboard and vocals, and Alex Gerber on bass and vocals, and help bring life to even more quirky songs about getting your fingers bit off by dinosaurs. I definitely want to hear more of this band as they sound extremely cohesive and tight and have a knack for making weird situations sound oddly cozy and warm. The band will release Fortress on July 27th.

Myspace

No. 68: Mimicking Birds

2010-06-02T19:54:00.011-05:00

Portland's Mimicking Birds are a band meant for Sunday morning. The trio just released their self-titled debut, produced by Modest Mouse's leader, Issac Brock in March of 2010, and have enjoyed a nice little run of exposure with opening spots on Modest Mouse's tour. The band was originally just guitarist Nate Lacy, and was soon joined by Aaron Hanson on drums and Tim Skellenger on guitar. The band's moniker is a fitting label for the ethereal and introspective tunes they produce. A mostly acoustic band, Mimicking Birds will no doubt draw the inevitable comparison to Bright Eyes and even though the hushed tone in which Lacy sings is reminiscent of Manchester Orchestra's Andy Hull in his quieter moments, I think their songs hold up well on their own as original works.

"We enjoy making music for scenery," Lacy says. "The sound of language and big picture issues are inspirations for our music." This statement definitely jibes with the cinematic quality of their songs, and the album's earnest tunes paint a beautiful portrait for any somber and/or triumphant scene from your life. The standout track for me is "New Doomsdays," a meandering observation of the inherent oneness of the human race in the shadow of an impending apocolypse. Hopefully the understated sounds of this band won't be drowned out by the many neighboring bands at Lolla because I think this could be a great show for anyone who enjoys beautiful songs about volcanoes and burning stars.

Myspace

No. 69: Foxy Shazam

2010-06-02T08:44:00.006-05:00

"How did I get signed up for this?" were my initial thoughts listening to Foxy Shazam's 2008 release Introducing. I could not help but find the band's lead singer, Eric Sean Nally, to be a plain out obnoxious drunk (even if he was sober). His raucous over dramatic delivery of his lyrics was way too much for me. Instrumentally the music is playful and theatrical, but not necessarily impressive. But maybe I shouldn't be a complete hater. It's punk pop for the younger generation. Seemingly attention starved, Nally's in-your-face style may just provide the erratic and constant stimulation the Y-generation needs.

Listening to Foxy's 2010 self-titled release the group has definitely gotten it together. I dig it from the very beginning in which Nally starts the album by announcing “There sure are a lot of dogs out this evening, perhaps they can assist me in a song” followed by a barking choir. This album is much cleaner and more radio friendly with evident hooks in Count Me Out and Unstoppable and power ballads like Bye Bye Symphony. From their sound, I would expect big hair, a laser light show, groupies galore, with all of the works. We will see how they hold up at Lolla.

Where you may have heard them before: their single Unstoppable was featured in Super Bowl XLIV

Sounds like: Queen, Fun.

www.myspace.com/foxyshazam

http://www.foxyshazam.com/

No. 70: Wavves

2010-06-01T20:54:00.005-05:00

Wavves is another noise rock band that, at first listen, reminded me a lot of the last band I previewed -- HEALTH. It's a one man project, fronted by Nathan Williams, out of San Diego. The group reminds me of No Age and Deerhunter -- some punk rock with lots of weird noises goin on. Wavves released a self-titled album in 2009, and it's pretty good. Give it a try if you like the type of music.

The band has some pretty interesting history when it comes to playing festivals. At last year's Barcelona Primavera Sound Festival, Williams and then-drummer Ryan Ulsh underwent a meltdown of epic proportions. Williams took the stage in an obviously unstable state of mind and eventually started taunting the crowd after the festival-goers started getting impatient. Ulsh ended up running out from behind the drums and poured a beer on Williams' head. After dodging bottles flung from the crowd, Ulsh dashed off the stage, throwing his drumsticks at Williams.

Wavves ended up canceling their European tour, and Williams issued an online apology, where he admitted mixing ecstasy, Valium, and Xanax before taking the stage that night.

I'd like to check this group out at Lollapalooza if they have a good time slot. Who knows what will happen when Wavves takes the stage?

Wavves on MySpace

Here's a clip from the festival show, before the meltdown. Definitely awkward.

LCD Soundsystem at Metro, 5/26/2010

2010-05-29T13:09:00.003-05:00

It was a packed house last Wednesday at the Metro in Chicago for LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy and co. made the crowd wait it out for a bit before taking the stage, but once they did, it was one big party.

LCD opened with one of my favorites from their Sound of Silver album, "Us v Them." I like this tune as an opener, as it sets the tone for a high-energy set and gets the crowd into the show right off the bat. When the bass kicked in and the disco ball started spinning, I had a good feeling this would be a great show.

Heading into the show, I was anticipating hearing mostly newer songs, with a heavy dose from LCD's recently released This is Happening. However, they only played four songs from that album -- "Drunk Girls," "Pow Pow," "All I Want," and "I Can Change." Of the four, I'd say "Pow Pow" was my favorite, but as a whole, I thought the new material didn't match the older stuff. It wasn't terrible, but I feel like the new songs could use a little work to smooth out some of the rough edges.

The songs from the group's first two albums sounded great, and the crowd seemed most into "All My Friends" and "Daft Punk is Playing at My House." Other highlights of the show, for me, included an extended version of "Yeah" (along with a kick-ass light show), "Someone Great," and "Losing My Edge."

The closing song of the encore -- "New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" -- left me a little disappointed. For one, I don't really like the song. Also, in general, I don't like when bands close with slow songs. I like things to go out with a bang. Something like "One Touch" or "Home" off the new album would have been better, I think. But I can't really complain. The show, as a whole, was really excellent. Can't wait to see them again at Pitchfork this summer.

Setlist:

1. Us v Them
2. Drunk Girls
3. Yr City's a Sucker
4. Pow Pow
5. Daft Punk is Playing at My House
6. All I Want
7. All My Friends
8. I Can Change
9. Tribulations
10. Movement
11. Yeah (Crass version)

Encore:
12. Someone Great
13. Losing My Edge
14. New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down

No. 71: HEALTH

2010-05-28T20:56:00.005-05:00

HEALTH is a noise rock/electronic rock band from Los Angeles. I would describe them as a classic example of a "weird" Pitchfork band: Part Animal Collective, part Dan Deacon, part No Age, part Crystal Castles. Since I've been known to enjoy all of those groups to a certain degree, a likely conclusion would be that I enjoy HEALTH. However, they don't exactly blow me away. (Side note: I'm kind of annoyed that their band name is written in all caps.)

I haven't listened to HEALTH a ton, so there's a possibility that they could grow on me. I caught some of their act at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2008 and was not very impressed. Very loud and chaotic, which I realize is their thing, but it was not working for me early on a Sunday afternoon. I do like some of the building progressions on some of their tunes, but it's not enough to hook me, exactly. I'd probably be willing to give these guys another chance at Lollapalooza this year if they have a favorable time slot, but I'm not going to go out of my way to see them.

HEALTH on MySpace

No. 72: Rebelution

2010-05-27T20:07:00.007-05:00

Hey! Anyone ever wonder what happened to that shitty rapper Snow? Yeah me neither... He's probably face down in a ditch somewhere being pissed on by a dog. But maybe, just maybe there was a kid that idolized him and that kid started a band called Rebelution based on Snow's influences. That's right Rebelution is everything you hate and more about bad reggae/ dance hall music. It's almost a bastardized Backstreet Boys- type reggae with white boys singing in that "Oh gurrrrl" style that makes your stomach turn. Rebelution might be one of the worst bands I have ever heard. One look at the cover of their live album, Live From Las Vegas At The Royal Palms, and you just know you're in for one sordid fucking affair. Just to illustrate my point, this band sounds like a cross between O.A.R. and Color Me Badd, which I hope paints a vivid enough picture for you. The band just released Bright Side Of Life and unless you're my worst enemy, you should try to steer clear of it.

You're killin me, Perry.

Myspace

No. 73: The Constellations

2010-05-27T14:39:00.001-05:00

A little bit soul rock, a little bit funk, The Constellations have seamlessly blended these and other genres of music. The eight member group, headed by Elijah Jones, son of a Baptist deacon is comprised of members of veterans of the Atlanta indie scene. First picked up by a small radio station in Milwaukee, the band is currently on a national tour that includes many prestigious events, such as Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo and Summerfest to name a few.

Their latest album really provides an entertaining listen, as most every song brings its own unique sound. “Love is Murder” is one of their more popular songs, using a driving piano riff and catchy lyrics to make this a great song. “Setback” is a really cool tune, using electronic effects and nice vocal harmonies; this song has an “easy listening” feel to it. From the songs I checked out, each song is really distinctive and likeable for different reasons. As for the future, Jones isn’t worried about creating new material saying, “as long as I can find a bar, I can write new material.”

Submitted by S. Kostal

No. 74: Javelin

2010-05-25T19:28:00.008-05:00

For Brooklyn's Javelin, life is all about samples, samples, samples. Best buds george Langford and Tom VanBuskirk are all about creating an original mix of R&B flavored beats with just the push of a few buttons, and hey, maybe I'm oversimplifying that, but I'm pretty sure that's what it boils down to.... They can probably best be described as a mix between Major Lazer and LCD Soundsystem. There are a few songs from their debut No Mas that shape up to be pretty tight little house-style ditties, but some of their other songs are a little too all over the place for me (Picture a more modest Dan Deacon). Figure all the ADD beats in with a Myspace that is an epileptic person's nightmare, and you'll get a pretty big picture of what Javelin is all about. I do have to say that the track "Soda Popinski", a fresh take on the theme song of the infamous opponent from Mike Tyson's Punch Out! from their Myspace page is pretty cool. Also, check out the remix of the Health song "In Heat" they got up there. I don't know.... I think these guys might put on a pretty good show, but right now it seems like more style over substance to me. You might want to check them out if you prefer laptop heavier bands that look like they are busting their asses to finish a spreadsheet in Excel onstage.

No. 75: The Morning Benders

2010-05-24T23:09:00.004-05:00

The Morning Benders are from California and have released two records filled with sunny pop songs. This year they took the core of their music and put layer upon layer on top of each other. Their sophomore effort, Big Echo, is much better than the first record they put out and is filled with experimental orchestral music ala Grizzly Bear and Deer Tick. They have more hooks and stronger melodies than those two bands and this record has been playing on my iPod for the past month or so. Its a great album and each song grows on you after multiple listens.
I will definitely be seeing this band at Lolla this year and I suggest you do the same.

I will be coming back with a more in-depth look at Big Echo because this album should be reviewed on Claptrapped. For now check out the video to the first song on the record, "Promises".

No. 76: My Dear Disco

2010-05-23T23:25:00.004-05:00

My Dear Disco, an electronic pop group, grew out of three University of Michigan students experimentations with a bagpipe and bass and techno drum beats. The group later added 4 additional members including lead female vocalist Michelle Chamuel. From here the band started to produce a brand of music they referred to as Dancethink.

Their first full length album, appropriately titled Dancethink, is a high energy effort filled with synthetic sounds and up tempo beats. The music brings to mind other electronic groups such as Hot Chip, Scissor Sisters, Daft Punk and Zero 7, but the prospect of their live show which has included a cover of Will Smith's Wild Wild West and a tribute to Michael Jackson is the real reason I look forward to seeing this band at this year's Lollapalooza.

My Dear Disco on MySpace

Videos of My Dear Disco

No. 77: Violent Soho

2010-05-23T23:04:00.003-05:00

So anyone remember the band Sponge and their album Rotting Pinata? Remember how the album as a whole was okay but there were a few solid songs you just needed to listen to? Well Violent Soho's self titled 2010 album is exactly like that minus the solid songs. It's definitely a flash back to the grunge of the nineties and it's not bad, but it's not really good either.

The foursome from Queensland, Australia was described in Blunt Magazine as "reviving the grunge era" and the similarity of sound is definitely there, I just wouldn't have referred to it as reviving. I don't hate it, and could see a more mature band putting together a complete album in the future, but for now I will probably skip this show.

Violent Soho on MySpace

No. 78: The Kissaway Trail

2010-05-22T20:06:00.004-05:00

The Kissaway Trail is a five-piece band from Odense, Denmark. The first thing you want to do when describing this band's sound is compare them to some other band. Take your pick: Broken Social Scene, Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips, The National...

Many people compare this band to Arcade Fire, and I agree in certain aspects. Kissaway Trail songs definitely have an "epic" feel to them at times, similar to Arcade Fire, with big crescendos and soaring vocals. But I think to say the band is a complete Arcade Fire rip-off would be unfair. (Even though they have a song called "Don't Wake Up.")

The group has one album released in the U.S -- Sleep Mountain. It was produced by Peter Katis, who has previously produced albums for The National and Interpol. Highlights include "SDP" and "Friendly Fire."

Despite their not-very-original sound, I like what I hear from this band, and I think there's a definite possibility that I would go see them at Lollapalooza this summer. So I guess this brings up the same debate we ran into with Freelance Whales -- should a band be punished just because they sound like some other band? I think this band's emotional sound would make for a good, short set at Lolla, and I'm looking forward to it.

Kissaway Trail on MySpace

No. 79: Warpaint

2010-05-20T19:30:00.019-05:00

L.A.'s Warpaint wafted, it seems, out of the local underground music scene out there just a few years back, and blew in to the national spotlight like a tempest to become one of the most buzzed about bands of the new year. What else would you expect from 3 lovely women with a cadre of hauntingly beautiful songs and a shared love of The Wu-Tang clan? The band released Exquisite Corpse last year, an album mixed by Red Hot Chilli Pepper John Frusciante, to great fanfare from the so-hip-it-hurts set. Little fun fact about Warpaint; Their first drummer just so happened to be one Shannyn Sossamon an actress best known for her work in A Knight's Tale as well as The Rules of Attraction, but soon quit due to a hectic schedule. Warpaint's sound can best be described as post-rock with vocals. I like their songs, but most seem to lack conventional structure, opting out of the verse-chorus-verse framework. There are only a couple of songs on the EP that follow this blueprint, the most notable being "Billie Holiday", a tune that finds the girls spelling out the title of the song as a chorus all while re-dedicating the song "My Guy" by Mary Wells as the verses. Interesting to say the very least. The rest of the album contains a patchwork of songs that give the overall product a sometimes wistful, sometimes vengeful split personality and creates a dark backdrop for which little melodic points of light are allowed to flicker through. Core members Jenny Lee Lindberg (vocals/bassist), Emily Kokal (vocals/guitar), Theresa Wayman (vocals/guitar) and new addition Stella Mozgawa (drums/keyboards) also shine on the album's standout track, "Elephants" where angelic guitars flutter around a tribal beat that transfixes the listener immediately. I feel like these ladies have major potential and will really start to gel on their next release, which is being recorded as I write this. I can only see myself getting more and more attached to Exquisite Corpse and will more than likely be fully hypnotized by the time Lolla rolls around this year.

Myspace

Video for "Elephants"

No. 80 Harlem

2010-05-19T22:39:00.005-05:00

Harlem (Not from New York) is the definition of a garage band to me. Hailing from Arizona and now living in Austin, this band has a crude low-fi distorted rock/punk sound throughout their two albums. They self released an album in 2008 called Free Drugs and just put out another titled Hippies which is backed by label Matador Records. Matador has an eye for talent producing bands like Sonic Youth, The New Pornographers, Belle & Sebastian, Yo La Tengo, Ted Leo and the Pharmacist, and Shearwater. I like this band for who they are, everything is laid out there. There is no mystery to Harlem, they just play solid rock music with nothing complicated. I think this band has big potential down the road and from their reviews, they play a great live show. Listen to "South of France", "Gay Human Bones" and "Friendly Ghost." They remind me of Black Lips meets The Strokes, but a little dirtier. Anyway I plan on catching these fellas at Lalla this year and hope they put on an entertaining performance.

MySpace

No. 81: Freelance Whales

2010-05-19T20:40:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine told me a few months ago about a couple of bands he liked, Owl City and Freelance Whales. The first one, Owl City, upon first listen made me think of the soundtrack to the O.C. This was not a good thing. Sure there were some songs on the O.C. that were good and the show gave attention to a new indie sound emerging through groups like Death Cab for Cutie and Sufjan Stevens. The thing was Ben Gibbard and Sufjan were original, and bands like Owl City and now Freelance Whales seem to be just rehashing what someone else already came up with. I know a lot of indie groups these days can be accused of that, but Freelance Whales are definitely a poor man's Death Cab. The music is not bad, and this Claptrapper always enjoys orcherstral rock mixed in with banjos and triumphant choruses, but after listening to the Freelance Whales debut 'Weathervanes' for about a week now, I find myself bored.

I see several bands coming out with this sound and capitalizing on the now cool indie scene that came out of the 00's. I just don't buy it. Look for a lot of faux indie rockers surrounding the stage at Lolla this year because I hear the Freelance Whales are gaining a ton of interest. I can see the commercial appeal and again want to reiterate that the actual music is not that bad, its just the unoriginality of it that irks me. Think of Pearl Jam and how they gave birth to bands like Creed. Its exactly what Death Cab is going to do to the new decade.

Freelance Whales Website

No. 82: Royal Bangs

2010-05-17T19:25:00.008-05:00

Royal Bangs is an electro-rock band from Knoxville, TN. The group started off as a 5-member band, but has trimmed its size down to 3 for this summer's festival circuit. It's difficult to pin down a certain style for this band, but all I know is that I think I like them. Most songs feature catchy guitar riffs along with electronic beats and noises. In an interview with spinner.com, frontman Ryan Schaefer describes the band's sound as "easy shred computer jam."

I definitely want to check this band out at Lollapalooza. I think they have the musical elements to be an entertaining live act (high-energy beats, catchy hooks, room for improvisation, etc.). There aren't many videos of Royal Bangs' live performances out there that I could find, so I'm not sure how they will be live, but I'd like to give them a chance.

Check out the first three songs -- "War Bells" and especially "My Car is Haunted" and "Brainbow" -- on their Myspace page. Definitely digging them. All three are on their most recent album, Let It Beep.

Sleigh Bells

2010-05-16T22:08:00.005-05:00

Sleigh Bells is an electro-pop/rock duo from Brooklyn, NY, consisting of Alexis Krauss – vocalist and Derek Miller – guitarist, beatmaker and songwriter. A friend actually introduced to Sleigh Bells this past winter and I remember checking out their MySpace page and while I didn’t hate it, I recall the song I listened to being a bit too noisy for me. I later came across Sleigh Bells’ SXSW performance and listened to it the entire way through. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t know all that much about music and it often just comes down to if I want to keep listening or not. I have to say I was captivated. Sleigh Bells is more intense than the music I normally listen to, but they have a lot of songs that just make me want to just be dancing and singing along in a huge crowd.

Sleigh Bells’ first album, Treats, which they worked on with M.I.A., is being released May 11th. You can check it out now on NPR though. While some songs like "Treats" tend to be more severe and others like "Rill Rill" (or "Ring Ring," in which the beginning makes me feel like I’m in a Big Lebowski dream) are a bit more whimsical, the overall album is melodic, yet fierce.

Sleigh Bells will be playing Pitchfork this summer and I’ll definitely to try to make it to the show.

No 83: The Band Of Heathens

2010-05-16T15:59:00.005-05:00

If you're in the mood for some twangy, shit kickin' tunes in the vein of The Band and Little Feat, The Band of Heathens might just be for you. One of the breakout local artists from the Austin, TX music scene, The Band Of Heathens is a collective of local musicians that jelled over the open mics of Austin bar, Momo's. The members each performed there every Wednesday and often collaborated with each other on one another's songs. The guys had so much fun and recieved such rave reviews that eventually Ed Jurdi (guitar, keys, vocals), Gordy Quist (guitar, vocals), Seth Whitney (bass, vocals), Colin Brooks (guitar, vocals), and John Chipman (drums, vocals) officially formed the band in 2006 and have been on the road ever since playing all over the globe. Their sound is a grateful departure from most of the other bands that have been reviewed so far that just seem to be at the fest to please the Gaga faithful. With songs about cornbread and roach motels, the Heathens keep it simple without becoming too country. They released One Foot in the Ether on Sept. 15th, 2009 containing songs that garner comparisons to Mofro, The Wood Brothers, and even Widespread Panic. I can definitely see them as a band I will seek out if their time slot agrees with me.

Myspace

www.bandofheathens.com

No. 84: Neon Hitch

2010-05-15T13:20:00.007-05:00

There is no doubt that pop singer Neon Hitch has had a more interesting life than most people. Hitch was raised in a gypsy family of circus performers where she traveled through Europe as a fire dancer and a trapeze artist. Not your usual family activities. Her music is not my taste or I can confidently say any claptrappers style. It really seems cookie cutter dance music made for clubs. So if you like dance music, you may like her sound. This seems like another attempt by the Lollapalooza to have performers that match Lady Gaga to appease the Gaga crowd. She has been receiving some exposure since one of her songs did make it on Tim Burton's movie Alice in Wonderland. So she may have a decent size crowd at lala. I will not be one of the people in attendance.

MySpace

No. 85: Frank Turner

2010-05-14T22:28:00.005-05:00

Frank Turner's 2006 EP titled "Campfire Punkrock" is a pretty accurate description of his musical style. A former frontman for the punk band Million Dead, Turner decided to embark on his solo career when the band broke up and he wanted to keep touring without the hassle of putting together a new group. Frank is a solo musician who plays an acoustic guitar along the lines of Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz and Howie Day, especially early in their careers. Now before you let the pop sensation comparisons scare you away I should tell you Turner's music is edgier and definitely takes from his punk rock roots.

Three albums were released in consecutive years from 2006 to 2008, Sleep Is for the Week, Love Ire & Song, and his latest Poetry of the Deed. I'm pretty excited to see Frank Turner at Lollapalooza this year, a little worried about how he might translate to an outdoor setting ala Joe Pug. Also check out the song Love Ire & Song very folksy, funny, and fitting.

Frank Turner on MySpace

Frank Turner Videos

Frank Turner's Official Site

No. 86: Dragonette

2010-05-13T19:39:00.008-05:00

Canadian power-synth-pop- whatever band, Dragonette are one of those bands that I'm not quite sure what to think of them. While their music isn't as bad as I thought it would be, it still has the feel of being tailor made for one of those "Confessions of a Shopaholic" movies or even the Disney Channel. The band is currently made up of Martina Sobara (vocals), Dan Kurtz (bass), and Joel Stouffer (drums). Not sure who the other guy in the picture is, but I'm sure he said "Fuck this" a while back and left the band (If I had my guess, I'd say it was the poor sap in the back that looks like someone ran over his dog). Dan Kurtz is also known for his work in the kickass livetronica band The New Deal, a band that I'm actually quite fond of.... So I guess they got that going for them... I'm not sure when Kurtz elected to make Dragonette his main gig, but I just want to scream "WHY!?!" Since founding Dragonette, Kurtz has gone on to make one album with the band, 2007's Galore, as well as an EP, 2009's Fixin to Thrill and has been focused on creating sugary poppy songs with Sobara that draw from one night stands ("I Get Around") to sugar daddies ("Black Limousine"). Sobara has a nice voice, but it walks a fine line between Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani. Because of the subject matter of most of the songs, Dragonette comes off sounding like a poor man's Lady Gaga with none of the grace or warmth displayed by other female fronted electronic bands such as Zero 7 or Portishead. I can see a lot of Gaga fans being amped for this show, but I will most likely be far far away once they hit the stage...

www.dragonette.com

Myspace

No. 87: The Ettes

2010-05-12T22:05:00.003-05:00

The Ettes are based out of Nashville and have been playing since 2004. They have opened for great bands like The Black Keys and The Dead Weather and have a garage rock sound with plenty of distortion. In my honest opinion they sound exactly like another band out there with a female lead singer, The Kills. I don't think I could tell the difference if you played their songs back to back. I guess The Ettes are a little more punk. The songs on their records seem to be short and so do their albums as a whole. The beats will get you movin' and are reminiscent to 60's punk with strong, simple drums throughout. If you want to see some simple rock and roll that won't disappoint The Ettes are a good bet.

The Ettes on Myspace
Play Crown of Age

No. 88: Semi Precious Weapons

2010-05-12T20:52:00.006-05:00

New York "glamor rock" band Semi Precious Weapons kind of makes me want to throw up a little. They have a punk sound, mixed with really bad lyrics. (First line from their first song I hear: "I can't pay my rent, but I'm fucking gorgeous." And yes, the lead singer is a guy.) The band has been touring with Lady Gaga recently, so if you're going to Lollapalooza to see Lady Gaga, maybe you will enjoy this band.

To give an idea of what this band is like, here is an excerpt from an interview on the band's fansite, Semi Precious News:

Mihal Freinquel (from the fansite): So tell me, who is Justin Tranter?
Justin Tranter (lead singer of Semi Precious Weapons): I am a genderless sea creature who has been writing and studying music since I was 12. ... My choice of shoe upsets people a lot more than my filthy mouth.

So yeah, this band is clearly not my bag. It's a pretty good bet I will not be rocking out to Semi Precious Weapons when they take the stage at Grant Park during Lollapalooza.

Myspace

No. 89: Skybox

2010-05-11T22:13:00.009-05:00

Skybox is an indie pop Chicago based band that formed in Arizona. The band consists of Tim Ellis (Lead Vocals, Guitars), Christian Fields (Keys, Guitars, Vocals), Mike Holtz (Drums) and Sean Brennan (Bass). Their first album Arco Iris came out in 2006 and they just released the second album Morning After Cuts. They were able to ride a few years from their first album partly because of the success of song "Various Kitchen Utensils." A very catchy, awkward song with ragtime piano, some distorted voices, and a mix of just about everything else. Morning After Cuts has been getting some attention as well with their song "In a Dream."

Many of their songs are a bit too poppy for my tastes, but I can see why people would enjoy their music. It's not very offensive in a musical aspect, everything is pretty easy on the ears. They remind me of Of Montreal and a more sophisticated Guster with some Franz Ferdinand sprinkled in.

Webpage
MySpace Page

No. 90: Jukebox the Ghost

2010-05-09T17:40:00.007-05:00

Washington D.C.-based Jukebox the Ghost is a three-person piano-driven rock band. The band's name originated from a combination of a Frank Zappa quote and the book "Pnin" by Vladimir Nabakov.

Because Jukebox the Ghost's songs are piano-based, many people draw obvious comparisons to Ben Folds. I'd say that's fairly accurate, but they don't sound completely alike by any means. Songwriting and vocals are shared by Ben Thornewill (piano) and Tommy Siegel (guitar), so the band has a nice balance that keeps things from becoming dull.

The group released their debut LP Let Live and Let Ghosts in 2008 and they have a yet-to-be-named album set to be released this summer. I'm not sure I would check these guys out at Lollapalooza. I don't think they're terrible, but they don't blow me away either. There will probably be better options. However, I'd be interested to check out their new album to see how (if) the band has evolved from their first effort.

Jukebox the Ghost on Myspace

No. 91: These United States

2010-05-08T21:12:00.007-05:00

These United States, TUS, hail from Washington D.C. and Lexington, companied with quite a bit of recording time in sweet home Chicago, tend to lean closer to their Kentucky home with their southern sound. Jesse Elliot the founding member and central influence of TUS is joined regularly by 4 band members, and not so regularly by a vast number of collabratrive artists at both recording sessions and live shows. The band has released 3 albums with Crimes striking me as the most favorable. TUS gets a bit too twang and country for this Claptrapper, at times reminding me of Modest Mouse with a steel geetar, but if you don't mind leaning a little country they may be someone you want to check out this year.

These United States on MySpace

Videos of These United States

Deftones- Diamond Eyes

2010-05-08T19:45:00.007-05:00

I know we are doing the whole Lolla thing right now, but I just had to make a post about an album that I can't seem to get out of my head or my stereo lately. Deftones released their 6th studio album Diamond Eyes this week and it is by far their best in quite some time. After being sidelined in 2008 as a result of a car wreck that nearly killed their bassist, Chi Cheng, and scrapping Eros, an album they had completed with Chi right around the time of the accident, most thought Deftones would never reclaim the success they enjoyed after their breakthrough album, White Pony. I have been a fan ever since high school, but kind of fell out of touch with the band after 2003's Deftones, an album I felt wasn't their best effort. A couple years back, I rediscovered them as a result of 2006's excellent Saturday Night Wrist and have been immersed in Diamond Eyes ever since its release.

Deftones are not for the faint of heart. I have always admired the way the band has melded their punishing brand of alt-metal with lyrics that crackle with an undercurrent of an almost sexual desperation. A style that is especially showcased by Chino Moreno's vocals on such tracks as "Beauty School" and "Sextape". Deftones also have a knack for cranking out jarring atmospherics like on "Prince" where guitarist Stephen Carpenter and fill-in bassist Sergio Vega (Of Quicksand) create the sonic equivalent of icepicks tearing through a satin bedspread (Imagery!). Drummer Abe Cunningham and keyboardist Frank Delgado round out the quintet with pounding beats and freaky washes on the breakneck tune "Rocket Skates" as well as the lazy stoner strut on "You've Seen The Butcher".

Diamond Eyes also represents a new direction for the band. As I have mentioned, the original lineup is not here due to the ongoing recovery of Cheng. Before the accident occured, it was reported Moreno almost left the band, dissolving it entirely. It remains to be seen how the new lease they have found with Vega will affect the band on future albums. Do they continue on this path and keep making fresh strides toward critical acclaim with Vega, or do they tread the beaten path with Cheng? It appears only time will tell. But for the present, Deftones have suceeded in making one of the most interesting albums of 2010, and the album of the year thus far for this Claptrapper.

Lollapalooza preview -- No. 92: MyNameIsJohnMichael

2010-05-07T17:23:00.004-05:00

A fitting band to begin Claptrapped's 92 bands in the 92 days leading up to Lollapalooza, John Michael Rouchell -- founder and leading man for MyNameIsJohnMichael -- released one song a week for the entire year of 2008. Starting as a solo venture with John Michael playing all instruments and undertaking much of the engineering as well, MNIJM quickly started adding the members that now make up this 6-man band. The 52 songs of '08 can be downloaded here.

A New Orleans band, MNIJM present a solidly layered sound, loosely and strangely described by this Claptrapper as a happier Death Cab meets Paul Simon, yeah I just did that. Since the marathon year of 2008, the band has released one album, The People That Come and Go in 2009. A solid debut album with highlights including "Character Piece," "Misery Runs," "Althea and the Company Store," and "We Both Know." If you're around when MNIJM takes the stage at Lolla this year I'd check them out, if for nothing else you may be able to catch a lively cover of Paint it Black.

MyNameIsJohnMichael on MySpace

Videos of MyNameIsJohnMichael

Atoms for Peace, 4/10/10

2010-04-12T19:03:00.007-05:00

I didn't realize Atoms for Peace was playing in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom until a couple weeks after tickets went on sale. I checked for tickets, fully expecting the show to be sold out. Luckily for me, they weren't sold out, because Atoms put on one hell of a show last Saturday night.

Atoms for Peace, led by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and featuring Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, played Yorke's solo effort, The Eraser, in entirety before taking a short encore break. Yorke returned to the stage alone and played three songs solo, including "Everything in its Right Place" and an unreleased Radiohead song, "I Froze Up." I was a little disappointed to hear that, on Sunday, he played "Airbag" and "Like Spinning Plates" -- I really would have liked to hear those tunes as well, but I can't complain.

After the three solo songs, which were all fairly subdued, the remaining band members returned to the stage. And they started rocking. It was nice to hear songs off The Eraser, which I knew, but these unfamiliar songs to close the show were fantastic. They were high energy, and featured Flea and Yorke dancing like madmen.

I had anticipated it being a good show. I mean seeing Thom Yorke and Flea together would have to be a real treat right? Well it was -- but those two weren't the only reason. The rest of Atoms for Peace consists of Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich (who played keyboards and guitar) and percussionists Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco. The rest of the band didn't take a backseat; they enhanced the performance quite a bit. Refosco played a couple interesting instruments, including something that looked like a giant fishing pole (Greg Kot from the Chicago Tribune confirmed it was a Brazilian bow) during "The Clock" and something that looked like an inverted metal Christmas tree. I have no idea what that thing was.

And, of course, similar to Radiohead shows, the light show was amazing. (JMOC took some videos of the show -- see below for examples.) I was kind of worried about this concert taking place at the Aragon. Most shows I've seen there have not been great. Whether it's a sound issue, or having to wait an hour to get inside the building, I haven't had the best experiences at the Aragon. But last Saturday, the sound was pretty good, and entering the building was a breeze.

Overall, a great show. No complaints from this Claptrapper.

Setlist:

1. The Eraser
2. Analyse
3. The Clock
4. Black Swan
5. Skip Divided
6. Atoms for Peace
7. And it Rained All Night
8. Harrowdown Hill
9. Cymbal Rush

Encore
10. A Walk Down the Staircase (Yorke solo)
11. I Froze Up (Yorke solo)
12. Everything in its Right Place (Yorke solo)
13. Paperbag Writer
14. Judge. Jury. Executioner.
15. Hollow Earth
16. Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses

Fanfarlo - Lincoln Hall

2010-04-10T14:47:00.004-05:00

I checkout out Fanfarlo at Lincoln Hall on Wednesday. Pretty solid indie band from London. They remind me of Belle and Sebastian mixed in with some Anathallo. I was quite surprised at how many people came to the show, it was almost sold out on a Wednesday. They played everything off their debut album Reservoir and sounded very tight. They have great harmony and you feel like they've been playing with each other for 10 years. I definitely suggest to check them out next time they're in town. I brought my camcorder to catch some video.

Below is their song "Harold T. Wilkins," I neglected to record in 1080p so it's not in HD. The video quality kind of stinks and not as good as some of our other videos. I would still check it out.

Lollapalooza lineup game

2010-03-31T18:39:00.003-05:00

Lollapalooza today unveiled a "Give Me an 'O'" lineup announcement for 2010. All bands are listed, but only the letter "O" shows up in each group's name. The Chicago Tribune, among other sources, has reported the festival's headliners will include Lady Gaga, Green Day, The Strokes, Arcade Fire, Soundgarden, and Phoenix. This lineup "announcement" seems to support those reports.

Other rumors include Hot Chip, The xx, Spoon, and Devo. What other bands can you guess from the "Give Me an 'O'" game? View the lineup here.

Joe Pug, "Messenger"

2010-03-15T22:19:00.003-05:00

Joe Pug first caught my ear during our Lollapalooza previews from last year. I loved his debut EP, Nation of Heat, with its simplicity and powerful lyrics. But then after Pug's live performance at Lolla ended up being different than I expected for me, he kind of slipped out of my mind. He was backed by a full band and the set was more country than folk.

But with Pug's release of his first full-length album, Messenger, he has returned to my listening rotation. He does have some songs with a full band -- it works well in "The Door Was Always Open," complete with banjo and backing vocals -- but he also sticks with what worked on Nation of Heat: solo folk songs with great lyrics. The two that have caught my attention right away are "How Good You Are" and "Bury Me Far (From My Uniform)." Really digging these tunes. He also included an electric version of "Speak Plainly, Diana," a song from his EP, but I can't decide which version I like better.

I have to be in the right mood to listen to Joe Pug, but when I'm in that mood his music really works for me.

Messenger - Joe Pug

Coolest Music Video Ever?

2010-03-03T19:49:00.000-06:00

Ok Go released a video this week that pretty much blows away any music video I have ever seen in my life. They hired some engineers from Syyn Labs to create a Rube Goldberg machine that perfectly syncs with their newest single, "This Too Shall Pass". Too bad MTV will probably give the best video of the year award to come crap rap video that utilizes a fish eye lens.

Bonnaroo Lineup Announcement

2010-02-09T16:58:00.009-06:00

So continuing to highlight the summer festival lineup announcements, we now turn to Bonnaroo. The line up is being announced in a less conventional and cheezily animated way, with artists announcing themselves every few minutes from the 'roo myspace page. So far we have...

The Disco Biscuits

Jay-Z

MM & W

The Avett Brothers

Dave Matthews Band
The Black Keys
The National
Blitzen Trapper
Manchester Orchestra
Lotus
The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and the White Dwarves perfom "Dark Side of the Moon"
Phoenix
Weezer

and others with more to come...

Beach House, "Teen Dream"

2010-02-08T20:13:00.009-06:00

I stumbled upon the new Beach House album, Teen Dream, a couple weeks ago when it was released ... and I haven't really stopped listening to it since. The record features a spacey pop sound with hauntingly good vocals. The Baltimore duo makes simple songs -- using keys and guitar -- that are layered to sound larger than what you would expect. It all makes for a very satisfying listen.

This album reminds me a lot of the debut album from fellow Sub Pop group Fleet Foxes, except more futuristic-sounding (and with a female singer). It has that same "magical" feel to it.

So if you haven't checked this album out yet, give it a listen. Really digging it.

Teen Dream - Beach House

Claptrapped Exclusive: Phish to Play Wrigley Field July 30th

2010-02-05T11:18:00.001-06:00

Several news outlets have been reporting that the Cubs are in talks with Phish and others to play Wrigley Field this summer. Claptrapped has an inside source who confirmed this information and went even further to suggest that it was a done deal, pending legalities, and that the Phab Phour would be playing the Friendly Confines on July 30th. Mark your calendars now! The source stated that, "All events scheduled at Wrigley that weekend are being canceled or rescheduled in order to accommodate the summer concert."

Dave Matthews Band will also be featured in Wrigley's concert bill this summer. Past concerts at the ballpark included Jimmy Buffett (2005), The Police (2007), Elton John and Billy Joel (2009), and Rascal Flatts (2009). It should be interesting to see if the neighborhood surrounding Wrigley gets up in arms about allowing Phish's wookie circus in town.

Coachella Lineup Announced

2010-01-19T12:46:00.004-06:00

Coachella, the first of the summer festival line up announcements has been made. It looks like a decent line up in my opinion, a little light on the headliners, and I'm not exactly sure how to take the Thom Yorke????. Friday and Sunday seem the best, with a light lineup on Saturday. The earlier announcements tend to help in the prediction of later festival lineups, defining what can be called the "festival circuit." Lolla predictions, thoughts Claptrappers?

Soundgarden To Reunite

2010-01-16T12:13:00.012-06:00

For me, growing up in the grunge era, there was no greater band than Soundgarden. I pretty much went apeshit over everything they did, and had pretty much all of their albums (Save for Louder Than Love, which carried the dreaded parental advisory sticker on its cover... Mom was strict about that...). I had the "Black Hole Sun" T-shirt and went fucking bananas every time I was lucky enough to catch the movie Singles on cable. If you remember that movie, you can probably remember Chris Cornell abruptly walking into a scene where Matt Dillon's character installs a shitty car stereo on Bridget Fonda's character's car and bobs along with the tunes emanating from the car until the windows of the car shatter. Or maybe you remember that great scene where the entire band makes a cameo in that little dingy bar and rocks the shit out of "Birth Ritual", their official contribution to the soundtrack... Good times...

Alas, I would never get to see Soundgarden as they called it quits right about the time I was graduating high school, plus the region where I grew up didn't really offer up the copious amounts of show opportunities a lot of people here take for granted. However, it is my hope in the near future I get to write and/or speak the following phrase:

"I just got tickets to Soundgarden."

Apparently set to leave the Timbalands of the world, to the Timbalakes of the world, and announcing the news on his Twitter account, Chris Cornell proclaims: “The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!” Up until New Year's Day, 2010, when the big announcement was made, it always seemed like a reunion would be out of reach as it appeared the band was happy with the legacy that had been carved out for them. Last summer the Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd hopped on stage with Tom Morello and Tad Doyle of Tad during his solo tour, and this appeared to be the spark that set the flame (Video below). There has been little word of when the reunion will take place, but you can bet your sweet ass this Claptrapper will be in attendance.

Vampire Weekend Review

2010-01-15T21:13:00.004-06:00

The new Vampire Weekend album is out and, to be honest, its exactly what I expected. A flop. A regurgitation of past material with an electronic direction. I heard earlier in the year when the singles "Horchata" and "Cousins" came out that they would be using M.I.A. samples and going for more dance music. Those singles didn't sound too heavy on production but I was instantly skeptical. Not that I don't like electronic music, I just knew I would not like Vampire Weekend on top of dance music. If you go back to 2008 you can see that I had their debut in my top 5 of the year so I am not just reaffirming hatred for them. This new album 'Contra' from the start made me want to seek out hipsters drinking Horchatas and see if they were doing it because Vampire Weekend told them to. The album goes on from there and is filled with eccentricities that they hold dear or are just trying to get out there and establish a new trend. The mix of a very crisp and natural guitar next to very processed sound may appeal to some but I think they have gone too far. The song "California English" is a perfect example of this and is probably one of the worst experimental songs you could ever hear. You tell me. Are they playing the vocals in reverse and what the fuck is he signing about? Rice Cakes? Ohhh you are sooo cool. Please tell me about other weird things you think are cool, I gotta write them down!

I did mention that I liked Vampire Weekend right? I liked them when they didn't find it necessary to sample so much or process their music so much. Leave that to Hot Chip. The sound they had on the first record is apparent on 'Contra" but is completely distracted by all the superficial lyrics and beat machines. I wish they would have just kept it simple again. I suppose I don't dislike everything about the record and there are moments where enticing music shines through. "Holiday", for example, sounds like it could have been on the first record and would make for a good party song. There are some smooth melodies in between the unnecessary rhythmic samples on other songs as well. Bands evolve and I usually like it, but sometimes I think this band is going to end up like the dodo.

California English - Vampire W...

Claptrappers, can you think of any other bands where you loved their first record and became completely disinterested on the next?

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot overrated?

2010-01-13T18:50:00.007-06:00

First off, I realize I am in the minority among Claptrappers in terms of my feelings for Wilco's 2002 album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, so I want to be clear I'm not speaking for the entire group here. Taking a look at our favorite albums of the 2000s, 4 out of 6 of us pegged the album in the top 10 albums of the decade -- and all four had it in the top 3. The album also made high showings on numerous other top-decade lists, including Rolling Stone, Paste, and Pitchfork.

I did not include YHFT in my top 10 of the decade, and even though I don't find the album to be bad, particularly, I guess I just don't see (or rather, hear) what all the fuss is about. I almost feel like everyone is in love with the story behind the album, more so than the music itself. Take a look at Paste's review (it was ranked No. 2).

Here's an excerpt: "Yankee has come to represent everything that’s wrong with the music business: tone-deaf executives, a gross misunderstanding of online music, an institutionalized pandering to the lowest common denominator that obstructed the release of a timeless rock classic. And yet, on another level, Yankee’s success means that the system works. The record did come out, full of glorious static and muffled drums and conflicted patriotism. People did buy it."

A vast majority of the reasoning for including the album in its top albums of the decade is not music related -- it's about the perseverance of the band. I admit, it's a good story. I've seen the "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" documentary, and it's enjoyable. But for me, I don't find the songs to have much pull that makes me want to listen over and over.

For this post, I listened to the album in entirety to see if I was forgetting something. Here are my thoughts:

- First track, "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," is a good opener. I like the drums and when the keys crescendo at the end. One of my favorite songs on the album.

- I like Kamera, too. It's upbeat and simple, with cool noises in the background. The first 3 out of 4 songs on this album are its best moments, I feel.

- "Radio Cure" is way too slow and boring for me. I basically always skip this song to get to the album's best song, "War on War."

- The next couple tracks -- "Jesus, Etc." and "Ashes of American Flags" make me think of a person yawning. They just don't do much for me. The 9/11 connection with "Ashes" (and how the album cover features "two towers") is kind of cool, but doesn't make me want to listen to the song.

- "Heavy Metal Drummer" is the most radio-friendly song on the album. I'm kind of sick of it, and out of their radio songs, I'd rather hear "Theologians."

- "I'm The Man Who Loves You" is a pretty catchy tune. I do like this one.

- The final three tracks, for me, just don't do much for me. Again, they're not bad songs, but I usually find myself turning off the album after "I'm the Man Who Loves You." I just don't think the songs have that "pull."

I knew this album would make a good showing in lists of top albums of the decade, but was surprised by how consistently high it ranked. So help this Claptrapper out -- tell me what makes this album so great. Is it the story, the mystique of the album? Or is it the songs that make it great?

Records Claptrappers are looking forward to in 2010

2010-01-12T10:02:00.002-06:00

I cannot really confirm that any of these bands are putting out records this year, but I heard they were. I think 2009 was a pretty solid year to end the decade on. 2010 has a lot of expectations from bands who have only put out one album so far and will be trying to avoid the elusive sophomore slump. While others will be trying to establish themselves as the future of music.

Hot Chip- One Life Stand
Yeasayer- Odd Blood
Cold War Kids- Behave Yourself
Vampire Weekend- Contra
Spoon- Transference
David Byrne - Here Lies Love (Project with Fat Boy Slim)
Arcade Fire- ??? (I heard May, with a single due sometime before that)
LCD Soundsystem- ???
My Morning Jacket- ??? ( I hope so...)
Fleet Foxes- ???
Band of Horses- ???
MGMT- ???(Produced by Jay-Z)
Portugal. The Man- American Ghetto
She & Him - Volume 2

Can you think of others or confirm any of my guesses above?

This Shall Not Pass

2010-01-04T22:08:00.003-06:00

Got an interesting email today about the proposed merger between Ticketbastard and Live Craption, and I felt the need to share it with everyone.

CONCERT FANS BEWARE
There's a train wreck about to happen and consumer groups say YOU will be the victim - if the two most powerful corporate interests in the live concert business get their way. But you can help stop the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The government needs to hear from music fans now. Tell the Department of Justice that you're against these monopolies amassing illegal power over consumers, before it's too late.

As a concertgoer you have already felt the pain, and if Ticketmaster and Live Nation get their way, it'll get worse. In the last 12 years, since Live Nation and its predecessor started its widespread take over of the concert industry, concert tickets have shot up 82% while the consumer price index has gone up just 17%*. We are concerned that if the two concert industry behemoths, Live Nation and Ticketmaster, were permitted to merge, the variety and quality of artists coming to local venues would be affected, and your prices could rise further and faster.

Five of the nation's most prominent public interest groups called on the Department of Justice to block the proposed merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation.

In the consumer groups' and lawmakers' words:

"Consumers deserve a fair deal in the entertainment marketplace, not the fewer choices and higher prices that would result from this merger," said Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection at Consumer Federation of America.

"This merger is an insult to both musicians and consumers," said James Love, Director of Knowledge Ecology International.

"We cannot envision a remedy that would ease this chilling impediment to competition... In the absence of other effective, expeditious remedies, the proposed transaction should be prohibited." American Antitrust Institute White Paper

As described by Senator Herb Kohl (WI) in the Senate Antitrust hearing, "This merger will not only expand Ticketmaster's control of the ticketing market by eliminating a competitor, but it is also creating an entity that will control the entire chain of the concert business - from artist management to concert promotion and production to ticketing and ticket resale."

"This merger would be a disaster for consumers. Nothing short of blocking this takeover of the ticket market by two industry behemoths will be acceptable," said National Consumers League Executive Director Sally Greenberg.

"As president, I will direct my administration to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement. I will step up review of merger activity and take effective action to stop or restructure those mergers that are likely to harm consumer welfare...," said Senator Barak Obama when he was campaigning for the presidency.

If you agree with the consumer groups and lawmakers, make a difference and LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD NOW. If you are tired of paying exorbitant ticket prices and service charges and paying for parking on a per head basis and dealing with the gouging, unregulated secondary ticket market in an effort to get good seating. If you are disgusted with paying more and more every year for the live concert experience THAN ACT NOW, CLICK ON THE LINK IMMEDIATELY BELOW AND SEND A MESSAGE TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE URGING THEM TO STOP THIS MERGER!

To email your concerns click below:

antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov

To learn more click below:

ticketdisaster.org

Public Interest Groups Call on Justice Department to Block Ticketmaster/LiveNation/Comcast Merger

Signed,
Metro / Smart Bar and The 9:30 Club, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Jam Productions, Metropolitan Talent, Another Planet, Frank Productions, Stone City Attractions, Rams Head Live, The Black Cat ...... and independent concert promoters and venue operators nationwide.

I believe it would be in the best interests of Claptrapped and everyone who loves music to follow through and voice their concerns.