Camp Revival

With In the Dream of the Sea Life only a month or two old, Candy Claws have another great release and they are giving this one away for FREE. Consisting of cover songs, christmas songs, a few videos (which preview some sounds they may use on an upcoming album titled Hidden Lands) and a few surprises, Glacier Prey may not be your soundtrack to summer as In the Dream of the Sea Life should be, but Candy Claws never disappoints. For track listing and more information regarding the songs and videos, go here.

I saw Metric for the first time last week. The new album Fantasies is incredible and I’ve been listening to it a great deal, so my excitement level for this concert was very high. But, Metric saw my expectations, matched them, then pogo-sticked over a rainbow with them. I would feel remiss not to share some small bit of the wonder and inspiration that is a Metric show with the awesome, spectacularly attractive, music-loving readers of Camp Revival.

I am going to force myself not to turn this into a completely mushy admonition of love for Emily Haines. That said, she has the innate stage presence and extraordinary musical talent that some people (including me) would give their right arms to have even just a fraction of.

The show opener was Connan Mockasin. He started out by apologizing for his shabby dress, because he was homeless. If that was a joke, it was a bit too believable for anyone to laugh. Throughout the show, I noticed something I’ve never seen before in an indie crowd: growing genuine concern for the band’s health and well-being. On the scale of show admiration, I think that this rates after boredom, but well before enjoyment. His voice is indescribable (in positive terms). I’ll just say that maybe his music is ahead of my time. You know that saying, each generation just doesn’t understand or like the music of their children? Yeah, maybe it’s like that. As if that musical adventure wasn’t enough.. he started bleeding too (notice his hand).

Thankfully, Metric came on eventually and played a lot of songs off of Fantasies and some old classics. Here are some images and general Haines wisdom I gathered from the excellence.

My tall, talented friend Kahran took the picture above for me.The last song played was “Live it Out.” Soooooo gooooooddd. This is “their Freebird.” The end of the video gets a bit hairy as I dive in to touch Emily. I mean, it was well worth it folks. You’d do the same.

I hope the inundation of images somewhat simulates the feeling of going to a Metric show and inspires you to do so. As for me, I am basically never going to miss a Metric show when they are within 150 miles of me.

Metric has killer music videos for Sick Muse, Help I’m Alive, Gimme Sympathy, a free mp3, AND full streaming of Fantasies which you can find here. Drowned in Sound is hosting a great documentary called The Rawside of… Metric. It is worth a watch! And Metric will be in Seattle June 4th at the Showbox, it is sold out, but Sweet Jesus, if you don’t have one and an opportunity to get a ticket comes up… don’t walk, run.

Sasquatch! Music Festival is a natural exhibition of the awe inspiring visuals that the Gorge Amphitheater provides its patrons. The performances are diverse in many respects, but all serve as compliments to the Gorge’s overwhelming beauty. I will be highlighting a band that will serve as a perfect compliment to this setting; this band is Black Moth Super Rainbow.

Black Moth Super Rainbow (BMSR) started in 2000 under the name Stanstompingcaterpillars. It was not until 2003 that the five piece ensemble brandished the name BMSR. They hail from the rural woods of Western Pennsylvania; think Witness. I regard this band’s sound as impressionist as the experience of listening to their music often feels like an after thought. BMSR will be performing on the Wookie! Stage on Monday at 1:40PM. Their performance should be a relaxing departure from Deerhoof, who perform right before them on the Sasquatch! mainstage (Way to go Deerhoof! You were born for the mainstage!). Camp Revival will be at the BMSR performance chillin’ with a $11 $9 PBR tall boy >:(

(Warning: the following paragraph contains extreme hyperbole language that may or may not cause the reader to rush out and buy the record in mention)

The latest offering from the utterly prolific Bill Callahan, the artist formerly known as Smog, is undeniably the best record to reach my headphones this year. And yes, I have heard some of the Animal Crack Box.

Do you wish to be the last one on the planet to hear Jim Cain, the first track of Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle? Of course you don’t. That would mean you would be missing out on the soft, swirling strings and world-weary confession of Callahan as he admits “I used to be darker / then I got lighter / and then dark again”. There seems to be a retreat from the lovestruck place he sings from on his previous record, Awoke on a Whaleheart. And from this place, Callahan takes the listener down through dreamscapes of perfect songs in gibberish (Eid Ma Clack Shaw), an ominous approach to humanity and love (My Friend), and an ending meditative refrain that announces that “it’s time to put God away” (Faith/Void).

I Wish We Were An Eagle is a document 0f a darker stretch that has taken Callahan back into a uncertain, but honest place. There’s a constant ebb and flow of exploring knowing and unknowingness through the entire record. As he admits on the first track, “I started out telling the story / without knowing the end”. If it’s okay with Callahan, I’d like to pull God back out just for a couple minutes- so I can say thanks for an artist who has the courage to steer clear of being the stereotypical songwriter sage, as best articulated on the song, Rococo Zephyr, “I used to be sorta blind, now I can sorta see.”

Jim Cain

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I’ve been listening to two epic charity compilations to near ear excess: Dark Was the Night and War Child: Heroes. You do not want to be without these tracks, trust me.

Good music + good causes = a damn good reason to buy and listen to some music.

This is a two-disc compilation by the Red Hot Organization to benefit AIDS awareness, which was released in February. The tracklisting of Dark Was the Night reads like a who’s who of current indie all-stars and hell, it sounds it. Witness Yeasayer above! For the full tracklisting, charity description, some song previews, and purchasing info check the official website. Contributors Bon Iver and the Decemberists will both be playing at Sasquatch! on Saturday, May 23rd and Grizzly Bear and Beach House will be playing on Monday. Kismet!

War Child: Heroes is marketed as the ultimate cover album. No arguments here! War Child asked legendary artists like Bob Dylan, The Ramones, Blondie, and Bowie to pick a favorite song to have a “new act” cover. Proceeds go to benefit “children affected by war in Iraq, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.” How cool is that? And the results are magical. A cover of Iggy Pop’s Search and Destroy by Peaches? Yes, please. TV on the Radio covering Heroes by Bowie… somebody pinch me! Lilly Allen singing Straight to Hell – WTF, but AWESOME. For more info on this project and ways to purchase this compilation go to the War Child website.

Just when you thought it was safe.

This video feature by Dark Kirchensteuer gets our award for ‘Best Black Metal Video That Should Not Be Re-Attempted At Home’ Award. Be careful, you kids- it’s a dangerous black metal world out there.

Also, it’s worth noting that the stakes have been raised. You think it’s metal to wear 8 inch spike bracelets? Try head-banging in a tree after you’ve hung yourself. Shoot, son.

Congratulations to Matty who will be seeing Animal Collective at First Avenue thanks to this video sent to us by his faithful friend, Stephanie. Matty, you owe her one.

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And remember to enjoy the crisp, refreshing taste of Diet Mtn Dew® responsibly.

Rules
Show info @ First Ave