Camp Revival

This is Matt. He and I played in the band Castles in high school. It faded into many other projects over the years, but he is now creating music under the moniker M. Pyres, as well as running his own cassette label, Patient Sounds. Patient Sounds is home to M. Pyres, Cochise, Lush Cola (Tim Perry of Weed Diamond), as well as Seattle’s own Cradling and Martha! Mother. Matt has played a large role in guiding my eager listening ears. Making mixes of his music and friends’ music, as well as many other bands from which I still draw influence.

About a year or so ago, he started telling me about this great scene on the east coast: Underwater Peoples, Kurt Vile, Woodsist, Mexican Summer, Real Estate, Julian Lynch. Starting to dive in further now, Lynch’s tunes are making my days brighter than a Gaga stage setup.

Julian’s music has a nice stripped-down quality to his music at most times. When there is any sort of build it really isn’t one instrument standing alone as a lead. The songs will move as if they are but one machine with synchronized limbs. His recordings remind me of some of the things Matt and I have recorded together and separately: definitely tape and definitely cared for, but not overanalyzed. As well as touring most of the summer, Julian Lynch has two upcoming releases: Droplet on a Hot Stone 7″ out through Underwater Peoples and Mare LP out through Olde English Spelling Bee.

You can order his releases here
and look at his tour poster here.

‘Droplet on a Hot Stone’

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‘Just Enough’

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The•jam•of•twen•ty•ten

‘Leaving Trails’

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Oliver is a friend of mine who is one of the most passionate people I’ve ever met when it comes to music and people and people who play music. When he is not busy with other folks’ music or booking awesome shows within the Denver DIY scene, Oliver plays music on his own. Living in Denver, he has played in many bands himself: Ate by Animals, Papa Bear, the Fainting Fansies, Mehko & Ocean Birds, and Henry Sugar, and those are just the ones I know. A couple weeks ago, he called me proposing a show called Wizard Prom, which was also a benefit for a local art program, for a band from Bloomington, Indiana.

This band is Good Luck. They are a three-piece pop punk band – Matt Tobey, Ginger Alford, Mike Harpring Jr. – and they sound like the nineties, but better. They have played in many bands together, coming across as some sort of like-minded Arts and Crafts collective. They moved to Bloomington before starting Good Luck in 2007.

With several posts on If You Make It (home of the Pink Couch sessions) and some national touring under their belts, they have developed quite the internet presence. Their music is available for download and purchase at the band’s Myspace or Bandcamp pages. The band’s full-length Into Lake Griffy was released on vinyl through No Idea Records.

The band will be playing in Seattle on Saturday May 22 at Healthy Times Fun Club (with Megabog, Agatha, and A Million Years Ago) and in Olympia on Sunday May 23 at Northern All Ages Project (with Kimya Dawson and Your Heart Breaks).

DEMONSTRATION 2010 EP:

1 – Novel Figure

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2 – Contact

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3 – Decider

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4 – When You Were Mine

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Busman’s Holiday is a two-piece band, Lewis Rogers and Addison Rogers, with a rotating string and woodwinds section. I keep thinking to myself: ‘Hey, they really remind me of someone,’ but I just can’t pinpoint it. The band does have a pristine sense for harmonies (through instruments or vocals) and musical clarity. In the video that first caught my attention, they are a three-piece string section as well as the Rogers brothers, all tucked into a pink couch for If You Make It’s Pink Couch live videos series.

Currently they are joined by a violinist and a clarinet-and-tenor-sax player. The band was recently featured on the highly acclaimed Daytrotter Sessions. The voices are haunting on this recording. I’ve always been a fan of brothers and sisters singing together; the harmonies are so cohesive, sometimes almost undetectable. With the brothers Rogers this is just the case.

Bloomington, Indiana owes bands like this for making its scene so notable (i.e. the Delicious, Good Luck (playing Healthy Times Fun Club in Seattle on May 22), the Native Young).

Daniel’s Lament from Old Friends

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Fred from Old Friends

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The Last Waltz from Old Friends

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Utah has good music and good people, and I have a story to tell. Last Friday night, a band Desert Noises showed up to a local coffee shop. Despite the rainstorm, I loaded in a PA for the show, and from a mini trailer attached to the back of their station wagon, the band loaded in their gear. We talked a little about skateboarding and shared stories of touring. I found out they had been sleeping in their car most of this tour (w/ Drew Danburry), so I offered them some beds at my house. In the end, the three boys from Desert Noises, Drew, and his drummer Travis stayed the night in my basement. Desert Noises has a self-titled EP out on Northplatte Records. You can purchase it here!

Drew Danburry also has a really great new album out. It is called This Could Mean Trouble, You Don’t Speak For The Club and was released on Emergency Umbrella Records (home to Gentlemen Auction House, Sinkane, and other greats). I picked up a copy when I saw him last in February. You can purchase it here! It seems like Drew is always on tour. I have seen him four or five times now just in my area. Be sure to catch him in your hometown. He is a true and kind person.

Here are two music videos.

“New Man” by Desert Noises (directed by Drew Danburry and Will Thomas)

“Memorial Day” by Drew Danburry (directed by Drew Danburry and Will Thomas)

David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones) is at the end of his house tour. Tickets were available on his website, listed by city in which the show would take place. Upon purchasing tickets, attendees would then receive directions to the house, making for a private audience. I had the chance to see Bazan at Everyday Joe’s Coffee House in Fort Collins last night. This show was one of several non-house shows, as well as the Ladies Literary Club (Calvin College) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a highlight of his tour, he noted seeing Cornel West speak at Calvin College’s FFM 09.

After his first few songs, David checked in on the audience to see if there were questions for him. When asked about future releases, he said there will be no more Pedro the Lion albums. Someone then asked: “What about Headphones? Any plans?” Bazan said, “Since Headphones is basically just me, I suppose there is potential for another album.” His quick-witted responses were never ending, but never too pompous. Bazan also revealed that only about 5% of his songs came naturally from inspiration. The remaining songs, he says, are hard work, taking up to a month or so to complete.

Bazan’s debut album, “Curse Your Branches,” will be released in August on Barsuk Records. His EP, “Fewer Moving Parts” was released on the Barsuk label in the summer of 2007. He is due for a headlining venue tour this Fall in support of his new album. I loved his performance last night, and I will certainly be going to see him again this year!

Cold Beer and Cigarettes

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