Damien Jurado + JBM / Andy Warhol Museum / 05.17.2012

Words by Brendan

Whether or not you already know about Damien Jurado, he deserves your attention, and his music deserves your ears, hearts, and minds. He signed to indie stalwart label Sub Pop back in 1997 and has been releasing album after album of impressive material since then, continually reinventing his sound, from acoustic folk to punky garage pop to pyschedelia, on his latest, Maraqopa. We’re pleased to announce that (a) Jurado is coming to Pittsburgh tomorrow night for an already SOLD OUT show and (b) we can offer you TWO TICKETS! Big thanks to Damien for these tickets, and best of luck to you fervent fans. Click through to read more about this fantastic artist and how to enter the contest!

Damien Jurado / Nothing Is The News
Damien Jurado / Museum of Flight
Damien Jurado / Paperwings

I am, admittedly, somewhat new to the world of Damien Jurado, but I am becoming a quick study and fan. That is, I am as much of a “study” as I can be of this man and his prolific musical output. Maintaining critical success and devoted fans over the course of 12 studio albums in 15 years requires a serious amount of talent and intrigue, and Jurado clearly has the gusto and chops to keep that up. His first few albums skewed toward the introspective, quieter folk side of the spectrum, but weren’t without their hints at rock ‘n roll tendencies. At least, they garnered well-deserved comparisons to both Neil Young and Bob Dylan; you can’t go wrong with that. In the 2000s, Jurado explored the indie rock spectrum, fleshing out electric guitar-scapes, and transitioning to the Secretly Canadian label.

Damien Jurado / “Nothing Is The News” / Maraqopa [Secretly Canadian, 2012] / dir. Nathan Vollmar

Along the way, Jurado has explored a variety of sounds that make his discography impressive, in retrospective, and his live shows undoubtedly engaging, in the moment. Having this multitude of genres to explore, right at one’s fingertips and vocal … cordtips, can make for an absolutely stunning concert. I Break Chairs explores his punk rock side, while On My Way to Absence re-explores his introspective, acoustic side. Thankfully, though, Jurado refuses to quit maturing, and Maraqopa introduces a lush, psychedelia tinge to his folk rock persona. The songs on this new album are deep and nuanced, worthy of multiple listens and an attentive live show stare. Check out the video for opening track “Nothing Is The News” above, and read into it as much as you can see fit about Jurado‘s apparent disillusion with his previous sound. This is an artist on the change and the continual rise and those are few and far between, trust us. The only comparison I can think to possibly make is with my other favorite modern guitarist and singer/songwriter David Dondero, who has a similar blend of acoustic folk, punk rock, garage pop, and familiar humanity. If I had to stretch it, I might say that Jurado could be compared to an angsty, 90s rock version of Nick Drake, or a spacey, weed- and beer-induced version of Bill Callahan. I mean all of those descriptions in the absolute best way possible, too. Trust me.

So here we are. You wanna attend this show. (In addition to buying Maraqopa at Insound or iTunes or Amazon). Ok then! Here’s how you can enter: leave a note on our Facebook wall (like us first or it won’t count!), @ us on Twitter (with the hashtag #JuradoPGH, and follow us first!), or send me an email to enter the contest! Just say “Everything is the news with Damien Jurado” or “I’m On My Way To Presence at a Damien Jurado show” or the like. It really doesn’t matter. We’ll pick a winner (at random) TOMORROW (Thursday) at NOON and let you know who the lucky guy/gal is! Best of luck and enjoy the show!

Damien Jurado on the web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Insound
JBM on the web: Website / Facebook / Insound

Words by Rick

OK, so when all else fails, start your album with feedback. Even that long-awaited disco album slaved over in your home studio deserves the added spunk of some hi-pitch amplified noise (plus friends will think you’re less of a dweeb for recording a disco album). On their new LP, Slices not only preps listeners with a shot of feedback but then accelerates into a punkified Thin Lizzy-like guitar riff on opener “Trying to Make a Living” after a muscle car revs its engine, as if signaling, “Fasten your seatbelts—here we go!” From there, 20+ minutes of ear bruising rock haul us through the world of Slices, and once you’re inside, you won’t want to leave.

Gents from past and present bands like Tusk Lord, Brain Handle, Warzone Womyn, and Pay the Rent corrupted Pittsburgh’s innocent ears years ago when they formed Slices. Jamming some Black Flag-esque face-punching hardcore, the zealous energy at their shows guaranteed good vibes, even when they eventually focused less on speed and more on raw power (like Iggy Pop always sang about). At shows you’ll likely get shoved like a flimsy ragdoll or leave covered in spilt beer, so maybe imagine them as an aggressive party band (assuming you want beaten up at parties?). In fact my only letdown with new album Still Cruising is the absence of a free 24-ounce can of PBR with every copy (marketing gimmick guys—consider it).

Seattle’s Iron Lung Records launched Still Cruising (Slices’ last album was named Cruising … get it?) both online and in print (for sale at most record stores). After bumping Slices’ first LP in 2010, Iron Lung’s steamy Pittsburgh love affair continued last year with Kim Phuc’s Copsucker (Mitt Romney’s favorite album of 2011, I’ve been told). The label also helmed last year’s most underrated release: Total Control’s Henge Beat … remember when I declared “One More Tonight” the year’s best rock song months ago? Yeah, it still rules.

Still Cruising’s speedy running time mimics a Slices gig. Each song bleeds into the next, as if Mike Kasunic (bass), Mike Ovens (drums), Greg Kamerdze (screamy, fuck-you vocals), and John Kasunic (guitars) tracked everything in the studio without stopping (every studio engineer’s dream). Excluding the RPG-like prologue “Forever Cruising,” the album’s momentum never breaks. Tracks like “Class Time” and the 39-second “Human Resources” roar but thankfully don’t duplicate too much hardcore machismo like so many other modern-day hardcore punkers. Dabbles of melody and classic rock guitar riffs sneak into the mix…much like how that painter Bob Ross snuck some clouds into his paintings at the very end of each of his episodes (after you thought the painting was already complete…dude fooled you every time). Favorite tracks like “Greensleeves” and “All My Life” are equally catchy and brutal, and even though they least resemble the band’s earlier material, they’re the strongest stuff Slices have released.

Like more well-known colleagues Pissed Jeans and Ceremony, Slices never try to over-complicate things. John’s guitar tone is thick yet straightforward; Greg’s vocals stick within a limited range; and they never muddy the songs by over-reaching with unnecessary experimentation that would sound out of character. The album was produced by Matt Schor, the same fella who honed The Ceiling Stares’ new seven-inch. I’m fine with Mr. Schor producing any Pittsburgh band who demands gigantic amplified sound. His production is fucking great.

After spinning through the album a few times, now you must rent a tux or brush off that dusty dress, because May 18th marks the Slices Prom: a kind of belated unofficial LP release show at Bloomfield’s ever-endearing Caliente (one can probably spot the ridiculous red sign from space). If it’s like my high school prom, you’ll spot me chilling against the wall while my date dances with some other dude. This time I’ll at least be aided with a beer in my hand and actual good music instead of shitty 90’s R&B. Punk Prom 2012: be there.

Slices on the web: Bandcamp / Twitter
Buy Still Cruising from Iron Lung Records

Words by Chris

If you look deep into a doggie’s eyes, you see either pure innocent love of life or the kill-or-be-killed instinct sewn into their DNA by their savage wolf heritage. Here’s some songs right on that line.

“Dogs’ Eyes” / Wye Oak / Civilian

If you wanted to nod your head and groove around your apartment in your underwear to the strange and inevitable relationship between the beauty of life and death, here is your song. It changes direction crudely and awesomely about four times in three-and-a-half minutes, which is enough to get your blood pumping, and your speakers to blow out. Jenn Wasner sings over her own bouncy guitar line, “Can you see yourself in evolution the history of our creation? So dog’s eyes, smiling, scare you when I’m dying.” Just as it dawns on you how fucked up that is, the song silences completely and her guitar comes roaring back like a dead dog from the grave, now you believe it.

Wye Oak / Dogs’ Eyes

Buy at Insound

“Wolves (Song of the Shepherd’s Dog)” / Iron & Wine / The Shepherd’s Dog

Sam Beam’s job is to construct irresistible little Southern worlds where every object and personage in a picture book comes to life briskly. There’s unlimited great lines and descriptions of people and places in this song (and all his songs), the restlessness comes through via the relationship between the “She” and the song of the shepherd’s dog, casted as many absurd and troubling things. “The song of the shepherd’s dog, a ditch in the dark in the ear of the lamb. Who’s gonna try to run away? Whoever got that brave?”

Iron & Wine / Wolves (Song of the Shepherd’s Dog)

Buy at Insound

“Bulldog Front” / Fugazi / 13 Songs

“Ahistorical: you think this shit just drops right out of the sky. My analysis: it’s time to harvest the crust from your eyes,” says Guy Picciotto, telling you, goddamn it, that they’ll throw down whatever the hell you think is true, whatever you latch onto lazily instead of striving for what’s real. Sure, that’s vague, vague enough to be an anthem probably, and this song is Fugazi at their best. All they ask is that you look a little deeper at what is there at face value. If you wanna figure it out, throw down that bulldog front. Yep.

Fugazi / Bulldog Front

Buy at Insound

“Love Dog” / TV On The Radio / Dear Science

TV on the Radio command at all times multiple genres and disciplines, combining sounds into a type of electronic soul music that serves the song first and foremost. This one is definitely one of their most excellent somber songs, about conceiving a resolution to heartbreak. Every great song has a little piece of mortality at large within it, and this one, amid the breakbeat, trumpets, orchestral strings, and Tunde Adebimpe’s fabulous vocal, shows that it could be as simple as following the stream to the ocean, “Lonely little love dog that no one knows the days of, where the land is low is where the water flows to, and holds you.”

TV On The Radio / Love Dog

Buy at Insound

“Come a Little Dog” / Palace Brothers / Days in the Wake

Don’t why it works and why this song is so fucking strange and good, but all of this is true. The song sounds like it was recorded with one track in a bedroom, with Oldham chanting or trying to conjure a spirit, “Come a little dog, had a little dog, come a little dog…” Where the song goes toward its end is where the restlessness is, “I had a little dog, I killed a little cat and I killed a little dog, come a little dog.” I’ll leave all that to you. Have a good week, everybody!

Palace Brothers / Come a Little Dog

Buy at Insound

Is this list barking up the wrong tree? Are these songs too ruff to listen to? Should CC take a bow wow? Ok, that’s enough of that. But really, leave us some comments and share some other “dog” songs we’ve missed!

Words and puzzle by Brendan

Welcome back to this monthly feature! Be sure to check out the previous puzzles—Puzzle #1 and Puzzle #2 and Puzzle #3—and their solutions are posted there, too. The theme of this here puzzle is on the harder side, but there are plenty of musical references and easy clues on the non-theme entries to get you started. I’ll even give you a hint in the line below this one; just highlight the text to make it appear.

Keep in mind that it’s okay to write more than one letter in the same square…!

Anyway, have at it! Happy solving!

I’ll remind you of the free AcrossLite software to open and solve .puz files on your computer. Highly recommended. There’s an iPhone/iPad app for that program, and there’s Shortyz for Android. If you’re a novice solver, check out some helpful tips and get started on some Monday puzzles from the New York Times.

Here we go, solve away! Email me with any questions or comments or issues you have. Most of all, enjoy and share the puzzle!

Leave us some comments with your thoughts on the puzzle! What did you think of this one? As easy as advertised? Harder? How long did it take you? Let us know, we’re curious!

There’s nary a moment of let-up in Royal Headache‘s self-titled debut. Guitar, bass, and drums all kick in at 0:01 on opener “Never Again” with maximum energy and seriously hookiness, and exactly 30 seconds later, the vocals join in and grab you and you know you’re listening to something new and special. Far from being an “in your face” heavy punk record, though, this is actually soulful garage pop, scuzzy and lo-fi and rumbling in all the right places, while the vocals are deeply steeped in Motown hits. Imagine Otis Redding fronting The Ramones and you’re getting close. I can’t stop listening to this album.

We’re going to help you out and get you listening to this record, too. Check out a couple songs below, and read on for details about how to enter to win a vinyl copy of this LP from the band’s record label! FREE STUFF YAY!

Royal Headache / Girls

I was enticed to listen to Royal Headache last week when I saw NPR’s writeup on the album for their First Listen series and they called it “an unabashed throwback to an era full of blue-eyed men copping and caffeinating the moves of Motown and Memphis, when rock stood in awe of soul music’s ecstasy and agony.” That intrigued me, and it is absolutely accurate. Over the album’s 12 songs and 26 minutes, vocalist Shogun (yup, that’s his name) throws out all manner of “Oooh yeahhh”s and “No no no”s and “Oh girl”s, plenty enough to draw R&B comparisons. But the biggest appeal of this album is how Shogun, and his bandmates, filter those influence through the kind of lo-fi, fuzzy garage rock that was birthed in the 60s and has seen a virtual rebirth of late. Bands like Male Bonding and Mikal Cronin and The Men have gained popularity—quite deservedly, in fact—for rehashing rock ‘n roll’s focus on guitars and scuzz while doing so in a fresh way. I’d argue that Royal Headache are making the most inventive and listenable music in this whole area.

What I really enjoyed at first—and still do, of course—is the energy of this album and how it just won’t quit. The rumbling bass on “Never Again” really sets the tone right off the bat. The quick and heavy riffage on “Psychotic Episode” rivals that of your favorite pop-punk band. The cymbals and building drumbeats on “Wilson Street” manage to make the album’s noticeably more downtempo (and instrumental) number sound and feel almost like a blistering rock tune even though it’s really not. With most songs clocking in around the 2:00 to 2:30 mark, these guys—Law on guitar, Joe on bass, and Shorty on drums—clearly know how to get that melody out, support it with the rhythm section, and get out of there when it’s done. Nothing overstays its welcome, nothing is out of place, and nothing is missing. These songs have perfectly catchy melodies and some of the most pleasing and complementary bass lines I’ve ever heard. If The Beatles strove to be a strictly garage rock band, I’m not sure they could have done as well as this.

Overall, though, it’s the vocals that have really opened up a lot of the album for me, and keep me coming back for listen after listen. Something about Shogun’s voice hearkens back to the soulful tunes I’d hear on the oldies radio my dad would play in the car when I was young. He sings powerfully to cut through the fuzzy backing sounds, of course, and he can really wail when he needs to. Just listen to the choruses on “Psychotic Episode”, or the curtailed yelps in “Never Again”, or the swirling and voice-cracking “Ooooooooohhh” in the middle of “Girls”, or … there are so many examples, but “Honey Joy” might be the best. Over that droning keyboard chord, as Shogun repeats “honey joy” in a rising pitch, you really get the sense that he’s singing from the heart, and that he’s got a whole stack of worn out Stax singles back at home. The lyrics, too, are mostly about love and heartbreak (when you can make them out, but that’s part of the fun). I can see this album helping you through a tough breakup. Maximum volume recommended, either way.

This Australian band came together in 2008 and released this debut earlier this week, on May 8th. It was produced by produced by Mikey Young (Eddy Current Suppression Ring) and Owen Penglis (Straight Arrows), and you can find it on R.I.P. Society Records in Australia, and What’s Your Rupture in the US, or … YOU CAN WIN IT FROM US.

Here’s how you can enter: leave a note on our Facebook wall (like us first or it won’t count!), @ us on Twitter (with the hashtag #royalheadache, and follow us first!), or send me an email to enter the contest! Just say “This album gives me anything but a royal headache” or “I’m really in two kinds of love with Royal Headache” or the like. It really doesn’t matter. We’ll pick a winner (at random) next Thursday and let you know who gets the vinyl! (We’ll need your address at that point to send it to ya, so be prepared.)

The band will be on a three week-long US tour in late May and June, and then in Europe in September, so be on the lookout for a show near you. In the meantime, dig the album, stream it on Spinner for this week only, and good luck in the contest!

Royal Headache on the web: Facebook / Bandcamp / Insound
Buy Royal Headache from the band’s website or iTunes

Words by Rick

OK, so The Ceiling Stares rocked their 7″ release show at the Brillobox on April 13th (at least I think they did—a 24 hour stomach flu trapped me in bed), so fuck me if this review isn’t fashionably late. Don’t get me wrong—my first listen to their new single incited some immediate written praise, but I’m terrible at finishing things. (My stolen copy of The Red Badge of Courage from 9th grade still sits with bookmark in place. My apologies, Mr. Crane). At least a solid amount of the review was drafted, so below are my initial thoughts unedited from early April. Remember … I’m no psychic. Enjoy!

With zero chances of winter-jacket weather, April’s looking like the most glorious month of the year in the ‘Burgh. I mean it’ll be only another three or four days before the stupid University of Pitt bomb threatener is caught, oh, and our former senator Rick Santorum will surely visit us dozens of times and score this Republican nomination in the butt (cue the endless parade of glitter bombs)! So much excitement! [Ed. note: This is hilarious to us, now.] Oh, and how about The Ceiling Stares’ April 13th 7” release show?! Nothing, I say, nothing will block me from the Brillobox that night. [Ed. note: This, too! Sorry Rick, schadenfreude wins here.] In anticipation I’m scribing this review for the Draw Us Lines masses as quickly as possible!

My soft spot for formed a few years ago after they opened for the legendary Polvo. I left the gig with ringing ears and good vibrations from the Stares’ gritty playfulness. Now, after a lineup shuffle last year, their live show is tighter than ever. A relationship between the band and Pittsburgh’s 7” label Velocity of Sound also blossomed since then, which led to the birth of the band’s second 7” single (congratulations, guys—it looks so cute in all of the photographs!).

Besides sharing the title of a long lost Ed Wood film, “The Day the Volcano Screamed Death” is also the Stares’ fresh-off-the-press single. I appreciate their refusal to mimic the sound of any one band. Instead their resulting noisy pop seeps from each member’s musical chops. The single’s title track is a clear example of this. The Jesus Lizard-like bass crunch shares the song’s intro with Laura Hughes’ warbling yet not-too-cutesy synth line. Quite the menacing drumbeat then ventures us through five minutes of bold psychedelic rock with Stephen Patchan’s splintering guitars and his Michael Gira (Swans)-like vocals serving as a guide.

My “inner punk” desired a much dirtier studio presence at first … maybe more over-driven drums or a shitty-sounding children’s toy keyboard (just like all of those older garage rock recordings)? Soon the wannabe All Music-writer in me declared my “inner punk” as a shit-for-brains. The band’s booming sound (thanks to producer Matt Schor) and hidden-in-the-mix gems like Laura’s fiery backing vocals and plenty of extra keyboards wouldn’t hold the same merit with a lower-fi recording—its rock n’ roll couldn’t handle a shittier sound.

Oh, and it gets better! Unlike last year’s split release with The Super Vacations, we’re given a double dose of Stares. While “Where the River Narrows” isn’t as dynamic as the A-side, its dancey beat and murky pop melodies imitate David Bowie’s “Modern Love” had Bowie maybe hung with The Butthole Surfers instead of Tina Turner through the 80’s (though a Bowie/Turner/Surfers collab would’ve probably saved [or destroyed] rock ‘n roll at the time). Both songs are a hint better than their already-awesome previous vinyl and tape releases, which work for me, since I’ll need some top-notch tunes to hold me over until the Penguins’ Stanley Cup victory in May. [Ed. note: Too soon! ]

Too many killer bands still ignore Pittsburgh on national tours (for whatever reason), so we rely on locals like The Ceiling Stares to excite, surprise, and spoil our brains with musical clarity. Hologram technology will someday allow late musicians to rock or rap onstage, but until then, I’m fine with 2012’s hodgepodge of Pittsburgh bands, and The Ceiling Stares are near the top of the list. A May 11th show at the Shop on Main Street (with Frizz and The Bloated Sluts) and a June 2nd Howlers date provide opportunities for us to hear these songs live, but in the meantime, support your local record store AND the band by snagging the new single.

The Ceiling Stares: Bandcamp / Facebook / Blog
Buy the vinyl single from Velocity of Sound, and get free mp3s at Bandcamp

Here We Go Magic + Hospitality / Brillobox
05.15.2012 / Doors 9:00 / $8

Words by Brendan

Next Tuesday night is going to be a night of truly interesting pop music at the Brillobox. Between Here We Go Magic‘s swirly synth folk and Hospitality‘s quirky indie pop, there will be so many hooky melodies that you best be sure not to accidentally leave your ears at the venue! Both bands have new albums out this year (with Hospitality‘s being a highly auspicious debut) so we’re quite excited to get out there and see them work their … ahem, magic in a live setting. You can join us, too, since we have TWO FREE TICKETS to give away, thanks to Opus One! Read on for more about the bands and how to enter the contest …

Here We Go Magic / Make Up Your Mind
Hospitality / Betty Wang

Here We Go Magic started in 2009 when Luke Temple released a solo LP under this whimsical moniker after a couple of self-titled folk albums. The inventive mixture of folk tunes and hazy electronica garnered some early critical attention, and as he expanded the band and added three more members, more and more great songs followed. Temple’s vocals remind me of a brooding Paul Simon and they can really anchor these songs strongly, providing an emotive, unwavering backbone around which the instruments swirl. The guitars emerge beautifully from a shimmering background of synthesizers and soft but steady drumming. It’s truly gorgeous and doesn’t quite sound like anything I’ve heard before, making it that much more noteworthy. The band’s newest release, A Different Ship, officially comes out today on Secretly Candian and was produced by the legendary Nigel Godrich. (The story is that the band played a festival show in 2010 to a mostly lackluster crowd only to find two dancing dudes right up front enjoying the hell out of them. Those dudes were Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich.)

Here We Go Magic / “How Do I Know” / A Different Ship [Secretly Canadian, 2012] / dir. Sean Pecknold

 

Hospitality‘s music can be summed up as a remarkably fresh take on twee pop as done by a jangly guitar outfit from Brooklyn. I’m sure many of those reference points have you shuddering at bad examples of each, but trust me, there’s nothing here but the best of all possible worlds, and Merge Records has highly trustable eyes and ears. Singer Amber Papini’s voice cuts incisively, both in sound and words, but has globs of honey hanging from its serrations. For a trio, they squeeze just the right amount of guitar riffage and pop drumming in the mix, too, channeling a mix of Belle & Sebastian and Dr. Dog. I’m digging it all, and especially this standout single, “Friends of Friends”. (You might recognize one of the stars as Maeby Funkë, too!)

Hospitality / “Friends of Friends” / Hospitality [Merge, 2012] / dir. Scott Jacobson

 

So yeah, you want those tickets, eh? Here’s how you can enter: leave a note on our Facebook wall (like us first or it won’t count!), @ us on Twitter (with the hashtag #HWGMpgh, and follow us first!), or send me an email to enter the contest! Just say “Here we go to Here We Go Magic!” or “I wish to partake in Hospitality’s sonic hospitality” or the like. It really doesn’t matter, but we do appreciate wit. We’ll pick a winner (at random) this weekend and let you know who the lucky guy/gal is! Best of luck and see yinz there!

Buy tickets for this show: Online / Call 412.621.4900 / Brillobox website

Here We Go Magic on the web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Insound
Hospitality on the web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Insound / Bandcamp

Words by Chris

*Movie trailer voice* In a world with Grassy knoll. Bunker Hill. Hippie Hill. Mulberry Hill. Now Draw Us Lines will thrill you where no one is safe and only the brave will survive and nothing can stop it and hold on tight this summer the hills will have you!

“Harrowdown Hill” / Thom Yorke / The Eraser

If you haven’t seen the video for this song, stop everything and check it out. It’s quite the video. This is a fantastic song about mob mentality, and how fucking depressing that shit is. The lyric and the nervous yet funky beat build this wild energy about being snuffed-out by a police state. “Did I fall or was I pushed? Then where’s the blood?” The video shows footage from crazy riots where people are getting run over, which of course calls to mind some more recent riot police troubles. “We think the same things at the same time, there are so many of us so you can’t count.” The bass line for this song can stop rubber bullets.

Thom Yorke / Harrowdown Hill

Buy The Eraser at Insound

“Winter Hill” / Doves / Kingdom of Rust

Possibly the polar opposite of the last song is this nostalgic one by my favorite Manchester band. And speaking of videos, this one has a group of British children chasing a BMX daredevil around a small town. So how’s that? Well, the song implores you to “climb” and “return” and be in love and stuff. This kind of music makes young kids invincible for four-and-a-half minutes so leave them (and, sniffle, me) alone.

Doves / Winter Hill

Buy Kingdom of Rust at Insound

“Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill” / Hüsker Dü / New Day Rising

Amid the impenetrable fuzz and smashing that is Hüsker Dü’s sound, there is a heart-warming description of a charming young lady that will get you drunk and have sex with you at her parent’s house. Bob Mould’s blistering solo is like the relentless speed-freaked pursuit of this high school buzz. Kind of a cool experience, that.

Hüsker Dü / Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill

Buy New Day Rising at Insound

“I’m Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill” / Grouper / Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill

Liz Harris’s music is so quiet it sounds like a very faint echo of a memory, some strange sketch of one unearthed from childhood. That photo on the cover of her 2008 record, Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, is one of the more frightening things I’ve ever seen OR one of the cutest, and I think that is a good description of this music. It’s a lot of vocal (especially this song) but it’s so watercolor-like that it moves past the ear like ambient music. I hope this deer was consumed, because that would be humane.

Grouper / I’m Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill

Buy Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill at Insound

“Grace Cathedral Hill” / The Decemberists / Castaways and Cutouts

Reaching all the way the hell back to the Decemberists’s first record, and giving props to the shin-breaking hills of San Francisco—not fun to walk up and down but it is quite beautiful. This song is like a big cozy blanket, so I’d like to wish you a day like the one this song describes, just slinking away into the city lights.

The Decemberists / Grace Cathedral Hill

Buy Castaways and Cutouts at Insound

Great picks, CC! Can you think of any other “hill” songs that might belong on this list? Leave us some comments!

We shared some upcoming Pittsburgh shows we’re excited for, and now it’s time to talk about the music, and the music of Pittsburgh bands in particular. Local musicians are putting out all sorts of great material, and we’re pleased and honored to be able to listen to as much of it as we can and share what we like with you. Some of the albums/songs/videos here are really new, some are yet to come out, and some are a few months old and we just kinda missed them until now. That happens. But they’re all great and deserve a listen. Dig in and see what you like!

Also, we try to keep up to speed on some upcoming new music, but most often we just don’t know about it until it’s out there. If you know of something great coming out soon (or is already out), let us know, and be sure to tell us you’re local. Okay, enough of that, onto the music!

This band is pretty darn new to us but is quickly creeping up our “need to see live” list. The Color Fleet have played a few shows around town but we have yet to catch them, and this pair of songs has really piqued our interest. Recorded by the band themselves and then mixed by our buddy J at J Bird Studios (that’s our Echo Chamber sound man, too!) these two songs are upbeat, catchy, harmonious, and rockin’. J and the band have managed to capture something special in these recordings, playing up some echoey sounds and clearly capitalizing on the band’s committed enthusiasm. It makes for an engaging and inviting digital single, and leaves us waiting for more good stuff from The Color Fleet. Stay tuned!

Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter

A solid EP of self-described “bombastic folk” songs, which is one of the more accurate descriptions from a band I’ve heard in a while. There are touches of Grizzly Bear‘s chamber folk melodies (like on “Beats in the Hills”), both upbeat and languid, with a bit of Beatles by way of Olivia Tremor Control pop sensibilities (like on “Jesus Keeps the Bomb Away”). To keep with the comparisons-via-name-checking—and perhaps because I’ve been listening to both lately—it sounds, to me, like songs by Fresh & Onlys‘ Tim Cohen as sung by Fleet Foxes‘ Robin Pecknold. Just listen to all of them and you’ll kinda see it. Or, at the very least, I hope I’m making you give some thought to a band that clearly has a lot of talent and commitment to their sound. Big tip of the hat to Pgh Music Report for the introduction to these guys.

Website / Facebook / Soundcloud

Mace Ballard might be the most energetic band in the city, and this single only furthers that description. The band has an EP, The Time It Takes To Rewind, available for free download on their website, and a new LP, The Next Time You See Sky, available on their Bandcamp page. This new single, though, is part of their campaign in the Iron City Sound Ambassadors competition. I feel a little bad promoting this now that the voting has closed, but hey, you can still go and enjoy this song and see the band around town. It’s all about spreading the Pgh music love, right? The winner of the voting contest will be announced on May 14 on the Iron City Facebook page, FYI.

Website / Facebook / Bandcamp / Twitter

This FREE album was released in January, but I’m just stumbling into it now. This is some excellent garage rock here, folks, and begs to be played at full volume. Clearly big Neil Young & Crazy Horse fans, The Buffalo have funneled all sorts of 60s & 70s rock paradigms through their 21st century psyches and come out with this rowdy LP. The title and the fact that this was mixed in mono add to the intrigue, but it’s the fuzzy guitar riffs and raucous energy that keep me listening over and over. Dig this and check them out live. I bet it’s a rollickin’ good time!

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp

Two new songs from Harlan Twins! This band continues to be one of the best live bands in town, kicking up the energy and rockin’ out. Here, they’re stripped down and acoustic, hanging out in their living room and jamming some tunes, but there’s no loss of energy, that’s for sure. “These Are The Days” has an insistent little percussion line and an ear worm of a banjo riff to go along with Carrie Battle’s solid lead vocals. “Long Black Veil” is a little slower and quieter with group harmonies and makes for a perfect flip-side. Yeah, this pair would be a sweet 7″ single. Keep your eyes and ears out for more new stuff from Harlan Twins and catch them at the Brillobox next weekend, too!

Facebook / Bandcamp

Last Full Measure / Places, Everyone

A rich 10-song LP of sprawling rock ‘n roll and folk, seemingly drawing on anything and everything from Neil Young to FM alt-rock to Bright Eyes. “Sellout” is a particular standout, and a perfect soundtrack for a lengthy road trip or just a stroll down the street to your local watering hole. I couldn’t place it for the first couple of listens, but then it struck me that opening track “This One” sounds exactly like Neva Dinova to me (which is a huuuge positive sign, trust me) and then the rest of the album totally opened up in my ears. This is really good stuff, so who cares that frontman Brendan Walsleben makes this music in Philly (and that this was released in January)? Hat tip to Dave Cerminara from Legs Like Tree Trunks (and WPTS radio) for the link to this one!

Website / Facebook / Bandcamp / Twitter

I first talked about the folksy stylings of Essential Machine in March’s edition of The Lookahead, and here we are again with something new to share. The band is participating in National Songwriting Month which is pretty much what it sounds like. They’ll be posting a new song every day (!) in May on their Soundcloud page so you can follow along and see what they come up with. The first few songs are pretty good, with the debut “Divide” being my favorite. Kudos for even undertaking a project like this, you two!

Website / Facebook

Legs Like Tree Trunks‘ solid debut EP came out last summer and we totally dug it. They’ve been hard at work on a follow-up LP, recording at Milkboy The Studio in Philadelphia, which is due sometime this summer. In the meantime, they’re whetting our appetites with this random collection of “rarities”, with demos, remixes, and a live tracks. The demos are great and have me even more excited to hear this new record, the live cut is swell, and the remixes are … admittedly, not my thing, in general, but maybe you’ll like them. Now, join me in eagerly waiting for more news from these fellows …

Facebook / Blog / Twitter / Bandcamp

This Pittsburgh collective of artists and musicians formed just a couple months ago, and we think it’s a great idea. It seems like a big group of friends who support each others’ art and music, which is cool, and we’re looking forward to see what they do to promote local creativity. Their first big step is putting out this FREE mix CD full of songs from their musical roster, including (hey, look at that!) Legs Like Tree Trunks (math folky rock), Ivory Weeds (ambient folk), Dean Cercone (shoegazey pop with lots of effects), and Rivka (experimental dance pop), among others. Check it out and find something new, and keep your eye out for what these guys and gals do around town.

Blog / Facebook / Twitter

I already mentioned the details surrounding this release in a previous post, so I’ll keep this brief: The Slow Reel are breaking up at the end of this month and are going out with a big BANG by releasing this cassette album and playing a bunch of shows. They’ll be at our show with Mount Carmel on the 13th and at the Brillobox on the 25th, and then that’s it. No more Slow Reel. So you gotta make it to one of these shows and pick up a cassette, or at least go over to their Bandcamp page and buy the mp3s on the cheap. This is just more great classic rock sounds from these guys, all solid and fun songs as usual.

Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp

This musical project of Jennifer Baron (ex-Ladybug Transistor) released an album back in December called Melody Elder. You can check that out on her Bandcamp page and/or buy it on cassette via Night-People Records. The exciting news is that this video for “Nature-Nurture” is now in the running for a Design, Art and Technology Award from the Pittsburgh Technology Council. She worked with Pittsburgh-based filmmaker Keith Tassick, who “created the video from some 700 still photographs of television images taken by Jennifer. A custom application was written to create random sequences of the images, which were then selected, layered and looped to match the pulses of the music. For the past year, Jennifer has been obsessively photographing the nightly television news in order to interpret and recontextualize the media’s treatment of local Western Pennsylvania occurrences, people and places during the early 21st century. A seemingly mundane act, her images are filtered through her desire to examine the intersection of the ephemeral and the sensational, the authentic and the artificial, and the sublime and the ghastly.” Interesting! The video is cool and kinda creepy and it’s remarkable how the images flow with the music. Enjoy the music, and check out the announcement of the award winners on June 7th!

Blog / Facebook / Bandcamp

That’s a lot of local music! So many great releases of late, and there’s so much more out there, too! Tell us your thoughts on these songs and albums and videos, and let us know about anything else we’ve missed.

I know it’s pointless (and trite) to gripe about Pittsburgh weather but, hey, we all do it anyway (whence the triteness). I don’t know about you, but this back-and-forth winter-summer crap we’ve had instead of a nice normal spring has been really annoying. Luckily, though, it seems like it’s coming to a close, and the last couple of days have been quite warm. That can only mean one thing: summer concert season is just about here! For the first of our May Lookahead posts, we have a big list of upcoming concerts happening here in Pittsburgh this month. There’s plenty of variety, so dig in and mark your calendars with the shows you just can’t miss!

As usual, these are just the shows we have on our radar that struck our fancy, so we surely missed something cool. Check our concert calendar for other listings, and leave us some comments about the shows you’re looking forward to, as well. We wanna know about ‘em!

Photo from Pittsburgh City Paper

This Pittsburgh noise pop band is finally set to release an album, which they self-deprecatingly, jokingly say is “long awaited”. Handsome Fugue is the title and it is bursting with sloppy, lo-fi, fuzzy, shoegaze guitar pop that has been accurately (I must say) described by WPTS as “A more slopped up, gross version of Pinkerton-era Weezer and Pavement“. Sports Metaphors rocks live, too, playing loud and proud, so don’t miss this one! Also playing are local rockers Skinless Boneless and Psychic Boots, rounding out a full night of sweet guitar rock.

$5 cover / Facebook event / Sports Metaphors / Skinless Boneless / Psychic Boots

St. Vincent / Cruel

We’re Annie Clark fans all the way here, and Strange Mercy was our number ONE album of 2011. Boo-yah. She’s a guitar wizard, is incredibly creative and pushes boundaries, and her live shows are awesome. Alas, this show is already SOLD OUT, but maybe you were one of the lucky ones to score a ticket? If so, enjoy the show and let us know how it goes! You’ll also be treated to the gorgeous, cinematic folk rock sounds of Shearwater.

St. Vincent / Shearwater

This guy has an incredible backstory, and is very much an “indie” artist in the truest sense of the word. His father is a renowned Nashville bassist who played sessions with many famous people you’ve listened to and is in the Musicians Hall of Fame. R Stevie Moore started working with his father at an early age, and this developed the impressive musical chops that have carried him through a long and prolific career as a DIY artist. He has recorded and released over 400 (!) cassettes and CD albums in his life (he’s 60 years old now), mostly from a studio in his New Jersey apartment. He also makes his own music videos (see above) and has a quirky sense of humor to go with his ability to make catchy song after catchy song. He played here last year on his first ever tour (!) and had so much fun that he’s back in town again, so don’t miss him this time, either! Also playing is local artist with a similar prolific DIY career, Weird Paul.

Tix: $8 adv/$10 door / R. Stevie Moore / Weird Paul

Mount Carmel / Swaggs

Man oh man, are we pumped for this show. I introduced Jim (and you, dear reader) to Mount Carmel in a post last month and we were both digging them hardcore. We said, “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if they played a show here?” and then a light bulb went on. We asked around, Manny worked his magic, and KABOOM, Mount Carmel are coming to town! Our favorite Pittsburgh classic rock wizards Carousel and The Slow Reel will join them and complete the time travel trip back to 1972. This will be one of The Slow Reel‘s last shows ever, too, so be sure to join us!

Tix: $7 / Mount Carmel / Carousel / The Slow Reel

Here We Go Magic / Make Up Your Mind

Silliness of the name aside, there really is something magical about the songs of Here We Go Magic. They’re a little bit of folk pop, a little bit of chamber pop, and they have that all-important mysterious element that catches your ear and keeps you listening over and over. It’s hard to describe that catchiness, the sonic and/or emotional hook, but it’s all over the band’s new album, A Different Ship. They teamed up with the amazing Nigel Godrich for this one and, together, they’ve produced an absolute gem of an LP, which you can stream over at Spinner this week. Touring with them are Merge Records’ newest indie pop signing, Hospitality. Stay tuned for a ticket giveaway for this one, too!

Tix: $8 / Here We Go Magic / Hospitality

La Sera / Please Be My Third Eye

Kickball Katy Goodman shreds guitars in Vivian Girls and treats us to sweet pop as La Sera, and we’re thankful for both of those ventures. Her second album of this solo project, Sees The Light, came out in March and the band is on a US tour now. Lucky for us, they’re swinging into town to play the 31st St. Pub, a venue perhaps more suited for a Vivian Girls but no matter, we’re just glad they’re coming here at all! Also playing are two locals, Alexei’s New Band and Andre Costello & The Cool Minors, who I actually know nothing about, so forgive me on that one. You’ll just have to join us at this show and see how it all shakes out!

Tix: $5 / La Sera / Alexei’s New Band / Andre Costello

Over a career spanning 15 years, thus far, Damien Jurado has released nearly as many albums and explored all corners of the folk-pop genre, innovating and reinventing his sound along the way. His latest LP, Maraqopa, came out in February, and it is stunningly gorgeous and haunting, in places. It is his second collaboration with musician/producer Richard Swift, and here’s hoping they keep up that relationship. We can’t imagine a better venue to see Damien Jurado than the intimate Warhol Theater, too, so grab a ticket already! The similarly beautiful and ghostly folk sounds of JBM will open the show.

Tix: $12-$15 / Damien Jurado / JBM

What can we say about The Polyphonic Spree? They’re wild and crazy and unique and must be absolutely stunning to see live. Just imagine the whole lot of them spread out on the stage at Mr. Small’s, dancing around and making sounds with dozens of instruments and shouting. It will practically be a religious experience. In fact, as I type this out now, I’m realizing that I have to see this. The band’s last album came out in 2007, but they have a new single out now, which perhaps hints at more new material coming soon … Folk musician Sweet Lee Morrow is on the road with the band.

Tix: $22 / Polyphonic Spree / Sweet Lee Morrow

We are very new to the world of Polica, but from the handful of videos I just watched, this should be an excellent show and the band is deserving of the buzz they’ve generated lately. They’ll pack into the Club venue at Stage AE and hopefully incite some kind of dance party for this all-ages show.

Tix: $10adv/$12doors / Polica

The Avett Brothers / I And Love And You

Yes, it must definitely be summer concert season when Stage AE starts the outdoor shows. The Avett Brothers are back in town after a successful sold-out show at this very venue last summer. They’re set to release a new album sometime this year, and this show being “An Evening With…” type event, they’ll no doubt play a whole bunch of new songs along with the old hits. So head out there and take it all in, rain or shine. This was also one of our most popular ticket giveaways, so if you don’t have a ticket yet, grab one soon because it will definitely sell out again!

Tix: $38adv/$40doors / The Avett Brothers

I saw Joe Pug play here at Club Café just about a year ago—with Strand of Oaks—and what a stunning show that was. I was there to see SOA but stuck around to see what this guy was all about, and clearly everyone else was way ahead of me on that one because the place was packed to the gills, people sitting on the floor near the stage and others peering over shoulders from the back. I was immediately floored by the power of Pug‘s voice and his heartfelt lyrics and friendly demeanor. He played for quite awhile and had everyone cheering and hollering. Trust me, you gotta see this! Upbeat southern folk band David Wax Museum will play, too.

Tix: $12 / Joe Pug / David Wax Museum

The Slow Reel / Kids in the Van

The Slow Reel have treated Pittsburgh to most excellent Southern-style classic rock over the last few years, but they’ve announced that it’s time to move on to other things. They’re off on a Midwest tour right now to share their tunes far and wide, and they’re playing that Mount Carmel show we mentioned above, but at the end of the month, there will be no more Slow Reel to speak of. They’re celebrating their breakup with one last big Brillobox bash, playing with fellow folk rockers Chet Vincent & the Big Bend and (in on a special visit from out of state) Nik & the Central Plains. Have a listen to the band’s newest album, and get out to this show to party on down one last time and thank them for the memories!

Tix: $5 / The Slow Reel / Chet Vincent & the Big Bend / Nik & the Central Plains

There ya have it, our special picks for this month. Will you be at any of these shows? Any cool concert announcements we missed? Let us know in the comments!