Music

Identifying melody and emotion

2013-05-16T18:48:34+00:00

Go Murphy releases debut LP, “A is A”

By Diane Miller
Editor

In 2012, Go Murphy released their first self-titled EP, a stellar four-track rock album. This Saturday at O’Leary’s in Moorhead and this Thursday at The New Direction in Fargo, the Fargo band are making one large step forward in their career as they release “A is A,” their incredible full-length debut album.

Candidly melodic, energetic and well-crafted, “A is A” is much like the band’s EP only bigger—bigger in all ways thinkable.

Go Murphy’s musicians (lead vocalist/guitarist Marcus Rondestvedt, bassist Ryan Dahl and drummer Ryan Stetson) are quite gifted. It’s easy to tell they are music fanatics themselves. They translate what they hear into what they create – with their own stories, genetics, experiences and idiosyncrasies, of course.

As the lead songwriter, Rondestvedt especially influences Go Murphy’s music to sound like what he is indeed attracted to, which is emotionally laden, heavy and hip alternative rock and roll. His voice, for example, is like a cross between rock vocalists Jake Snider (Minus the Bear) and Geoff Rickly (Thursday). It is at times cool or subdued and other times it is wailing with emotion.

The band, as a whole, consistently use dynamics, which are a vital element to their music. It’s part of how they add vigor and emphasis, not just to the lyrics, but also to the melodies.

“That’s what I love about our music,” Rondestvedt said. “When I listen to our music the bass lines get in my head just as much as the vocal lines because they are melodies in their own right.”

Dahl said coming up with melodic bass lines is matter of “listening to the vocals.” Perhaps his playing is effective because he has strong sense of rhythm as well.

“New Year,” track 2 of the LP, is a staple Go Murphy song to use an example. The verses start out delicate with a memorable, solid bass line and a light beat on the drums, and then the song progressively shifts in energy to accompany Rondestvedt’s drastic rise in pitch and tone.

The guys said they don’t plan their songs to turn out the way they do. It just happens, hence the album’s name (which is also the album’s title track), “A is A,” i.e., the law of identity.

“We’ve always kind of said as a band ‘we are what we are,’” Rondestvedt said. “We don’t try and force anything.”

“’A is A’ is also the name of the boat that my friend Jeff had that we sailed to Cuba last year, last May,” Dahl said. “And right at just about the exact time that I had this bass line come up, Jeff passed away. So this is a bit of tribute to him.”

Cole Hooey Productions, based out of Fargo, recorded the album, most of which was done in Dahl’s or Rondestvedt’s home.

For the drums, however, they tried something a little different.

“We went down to Lisbon, North Dakota and recorded them in a church, in this huge, huge room, like 45-50-foot ceilings,” Stetson said. “(Hooey) said he didn’t use any reverb or anything like that. It’s just the natural sound of the drums.”

Stetson said he was thrilled because all the drums on the EP were programed. “I had to sit with him and tell him ‘this is 16th notes on the high hat here and breaks there …’”

The drum’s natural reverb is especially exquisite on tracks like “A is A” and “Astrolabe.”

“I think we are getting to the point where we’ve kind of found what we are looking for as far as sound,” Dahl said. “Because when that EP came out we had a fourth member and things were still up in the air as far as what the direction was. Now it’s getting to be more of a pointed approach.”

For those who cannot make it to the release, “A is A” will be available on iTunes and Amazon on May 20th.

Learn more about Go Murphy on their Facebook page or at gomurphymusic.com.

Questions and comments: diane@hpr1.com

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Go Murphy CD Release with HPP and comedians Erik Block and Matt Novotny
WHERE: O’Leary’s Irish Pub, 808 30th Ave S, Moorhead
WHEN: Sat, May 18, 9 p.m.
HOW MUCH: FREE
INFO: gomurphymusic.com

WHAT: Go Murphy all ages CD release party with Jon Davidson and Jade & The Greenhouse
WHERE: The New Direction, 14 Roberts St N, Fargo
WHEN: Thurs, May 23, 7 p.m.; doors @ 6:30 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $5

MNDR to DJ at the Aquarium

2013-05-09T16:19:18+00:00

By Diane Miller
Editor

Amanda Warner grew up in near Hillsboro, N.D. and went to high school in Fargo. Today, she is a New York pop singer/DJ/songwriter and goes by the stage name MNDR.

This Saturday, Warner will be performing a solo set at the Aquarium for the finish line of the Zombie Pub Crawl. It will be her first performance back in Fargo in five years – though expect this to be just the first of two MNDR shows in Fargo, Warner said. Saturday’s show will be an all-DJ set and her second one later this year (which HPR will be covering in advance) will be a full production set with a full band.

“I’m really looking forward to being in Fargo (this Saturday). I’m playing with my best friends, The Seawhores,” she said. “I’ve been best friends with these guys since we were in high school and they are still my best friends. Honestly, all my Fargo friends are still my closest friends.”

Just how big of a pop artist has this North Dakota-bred musician become?

Well, she co-wrote and is featured on Mark Ronson’s hit record “Bang Bang Bang” with Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. This song peaked at no. 6 on the UK album charts.

Her latest record, “Feed Me Diamonds,” just dropped last year and Spin Magazine named it the eighth “Best Pop Album of 2012,” edging out artists like Norah Jones, No Doubt, Pink and Lana Del Ray. Pitchfork and Rolling Stone also gave the album great reviews.

The MTV O Music Awards also named MNDR the Most Innovative Solo Performer of 2012.
Oh yeah, she’s also toured The Tings Tings and Duran Duran. She’s opened for The Flaming Lips. And in her previous band, Triangle, Warner regularly toured with The Shins.

This, of course, didn’t happen overnight. Warner has been musically active since grade school. She took piano lessons starting at the age of five; she was involved in Oak Grove’s music department, as well as Fargo South High’s jazz program.

She even has some great memories from Ralph’s Corner in Moorhead: “When I was a kid, Ralph’s was the only venue to play if you needed to make some more money between Minneapolis and Seattle, so it got a lot of great bands, like really iconic bands now. So it’s really amazing to be apart of that.”

Warner has lived in cities all over the country, including Portland, Ore., Minneapolis, Oakland, Calif. and New York.

“Fargo and Oakland were probably my most creative formative years, experimenting with music and different styles,” she said.

She said much of her success is a result of her deep involvement in the music scenes of every community she has ever lived in. In Oakland, for example, she played in about three different bands and lived in a “punk space” called Grandma’s House.

“Warehouse living and collective living was really big in a lot of communicates and I was really involved in that scene,” Warner said. “It was like a free space; it was like a punk anarchy space, so it was a lot of noise music, experimental music, electronic music, punk music to like indie pop music.”

It wasn’t until Warner got an offer to be a songwriter for hire in New York that she had a desire to focus on more structured songwriting.

“All of the music was about repelling people, noise and experimental music, and it was more about being inside yourself,” she said. “But pop music is sort of about connecting with everyone.”

She moved to New York in 2008, and because of her relationship with producer/ collaborator/MNDR band mate Peter Wade, in 2009 she went from working as a behind-the-scenes songwriter to performing as leading lady for MNDR.

So far MNDR have released two EPs, “E.P.E.” and “Caligula,” and one full-length album, “Feed Me Diamonds.”

Warner said they plan to put out new features every 6-7 weeks, including new singles, videos and merchandise. Fans can sign up for her mailing list at mndr.com to get the latest updates.

Questions and comments: diane@hpr1.com

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: MNDR (DJ Set), Seawhores and Gay Witch Abortion
WHERE: The Aquarium, 226 Broadway
WHEN: Sat, May 11, 10 p.m., doors @ 9:15 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $8; $6 for zombies; tickets available at http://www.ticketweb.com
INFO: 21+ only

Aussie’s UV Race make their first pass through Fargo

2013-05-09T16:16:33+00:00

By Konner Johnson
Staff Writer

Australian garage-rockers UV Race are making the long trek up north to Fargo, the city that guitarist Al “Borat” Snake pictures to be something out of the classic Coen brothers film. The band is currently on tour in support of their latest album, “Racism,” which was released this past year. The band is well-known for their high-energy performances of hard-riffing rock with tinges of
punk.

The band we know as UV Race started back in 2007, but the members knew each other a couple years before making the decision to play music with each other.

“I’ve known Marcus (the vocalist) since I was twelve years old,” Snake says.

Snake explains that he met the keyboardist, Alexandra Microwave, and other guitarist, Georgia, at punk shows back in the day. Microwaves’ previous band, named Straight Jacket, also featured band member DX, who currently plays drums with UV Race.

Soon after forming the band, they started to play shows in the Melbourne area.

“Our first show was at a community hall with a band called Brand Disloyalty,” Snake says.

After establishing their name in Australia, the group decided it was time to tour other places. They are especially eager to come back to the states because they have toured the U.S. only once before. Snake describes their first tour as “righteous, a real eye-opener for the band.”

UV Race will be making the journey all the way from Portland to Fargo on this current leg of the tour and will be off to Milwaukee after their stop here. Snake says they’re excited to play somewhere they never have before.

“We’ve got like a 20-hour drive, and it’s kind of funny to play somewhere that seems so far away,” he says.

The band plans to tour through August and will be returning to the land down under for a couple shows (they hope) in Sydney and Adelaide, a town about eight hours west of Melbourne.

The group is also currently in the process of writing new material—some of which for a movie sequel they made a while ago. They also have just released a new seven-inch EP titled, “Queens of Punk,” which can be streamed on their Bandcamp page. UV Race has done most of their recordings out of Melbourne, but recently have recorded a few songs in Adelaide.

“The newer stuff has a bit more punk than the earlier stuff, and is more diverse,” Snake says.

With an already busy year recording and touring, the UV Race are well on their way to making themselves a recognized band in the underground garage rock scene. If you haven’t heard of the group before, be sure to check them out tomorrow night with the punk group Gun Outfit out of Olympia, Wash., Fargo’s own The Edith Massey and Matt Novak & The Treat You Rights.

Questions and comments: konnerthevistas@gmail.com

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: UV Race with Gun Outfit, The Edith Massey, and Matt Novak & The Treat You Rights
WHERE: The Aquarium, 226 Broadway.
WHEN: Friday, May 10, Doors open 9:30 p.m., show at 10:15 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $7
INFO: https://www.facebook.com/events/425941610813427/

Night Moves: From DIY to Domino Records

2013-05-02T17:22:24+00:00

Rising Minneapolis group set to make its Fargo debut

By Anthony J. Iverson
Staff Writer

Two years ago, if you walked into the Kitty Cat Klub – a renowned music venue located in Minneapolis’ Dinkytown – you might have witnessed a small but enthused crowd in support of Night Moves, which was then a trio consisting of John Pelant (lead vocals, guitar), Micky Alfano (bass) and Mark Ritsema (multi-instrumentalist).

That’s about the time the group released its debut album, “Colored Emotions,” independently via Bandcamp, an online service provided mainly for unsigned or local label musicians, which gives artists an outlet to market their music. This service cuts out the middleman, relaying all proceeds from the music directly to the artists.

Night Moves released “Colored Emotions” on Bandcamp at a pay-what-you-want price, relying on word of mouth and focusing on providing their fans with live performances which properly met the caliber of their debut album.

It was not long until Night Moves’ do-it-yourself approach attracted the United States branch of global gargantuan record label Domino Recording Company.

“They got a hold of our record and came out to one of our shows in Stillwater, Minnesota,” lead singer John Pelant said.

From there, the group launched into the vast Domino catalogue, joining the likes of household indie names like the Arctic Monkeys, Dirty Projectors, Animal Collective and others.

Night Moves’ sound combines a unique blend of rock ‘n roll, country and psychedelic elements. This audacious combination of music evokes a strong sense of hazy nostalgia—familiar in feeling, yet mysteriously fleeting. “Colored Emotions” displays the group’s knack for combining their vast arsenal of influences to form an exclusive sound. Pelant’s abstract form of songwriting adds to the group’s dream-like aesthetic, seamlessly meshing the music’s serene atmosphere with forward-driven guitar on tracks like “Country Queen” and “Headlights.”

Upon signing with Domino, Night Moves withdrew “Colored Emotions” from Bandcamp and began re-recording it with Domino’s state-of-the-art equipment, polishing the record for a proper, commercial debut by revamping the vocals and making the drums more profound.

“They only asked us to touch up the album,” Pelant said. “We were fine to do so because to us we thought, ‘f*** it, we worked on this record this long, why not keep working on it? We’ve put ourselves through so many stages and mindsets regarding the record, what’s one more year?’”

In terms of respecting artistic freedom, Pelant said Domino has been providing guidance while not restricting their integrity as musicians.

“They’ve been open to our ideas,” he said. “It was fun to revisit the album and fool around with certain stuff that we always kind of wondered if it could be changed for the better.”

Night Moves recently finished a West Coast tour opening for Poliça, another Minneapolis group on the rise nationally. While on tour, Night Moves had the chance to play a number of noteworthy music venues while exposing their music to an area known for its taste-making music scene.

“It was amazing,” Pelant said. “Poliça was so much fun to party with and they were so gracious and kind to us.”

The two groups capped their monthlong tour with a sold-out show at Minneapolis’ own legendary venue First Avenue. Night Moves also performed for another sold-out crowd at First Ave back in March, opening for British psych rockers Django Django.

That sense of hometown comradery has been humbling for the group as their fanbase has gradually swelled since before the Bandcamp days.

“Local folks are great and have really supported us,” Pelant said. “We are so thankful for people coming out to the shows and helping us do our music.”

The group is currently writing songs for their sophomore record, which Pelant said will be titled “In You, Deeply.”

Fargo now awaits Night Moves’ area debut, where they will perform a free, all ages show this Saturday, May 4, at the Aquarium as a part of the eighth annual KNDS Block Party. Joining the bill will be Fargo folkies Riesage and the Minneapolis industrial electro duo Wiping Out Thousands. Following the all-ages show is a 21+ after party featuring Minneapolis artists Sean Anonymous and Strange Names, along with Wisconsin’s Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons.

Pelant said the band looks forward to sharing their unique brand of music with the Fargo-Moorhead area for the first time live.

“We can’t wait,” he said.

Questions and comments: anthony.j.iverson@gmail.com

WHAT: Night Moves at KNDS Block Party
WHERE: The Aquarium, 226 Broadway
WHEN: Sat, May 4, 7-9:30 p.m. (all-ages show); 10 p.m.-2 a.m. (21+ show)
HOW MUCH: Free until 10 p.m.
$7 or $5 with student I.D. for 21+ show

2013 KNDS Block Party delivers an awesome lineup

2013-05-02T17:05:23+00:00

By Kayleigh Johnson
Staff Writer

Saturday marks the eighth annual KNDS Block Party at the Aquarium. This event is put on by 96.3 FM KNDS and is completely organized by North Dakota State University students. It is also one of the station’s highlights of the year.

KNDS strives to provide Fargo-Moorhead with independent music and programming normally not heard in the area. The Block Party is its main fundraising event. Since it is a nonprofit/independent organization, the station relies on this event to raise money to purchase new equipment, maintain general station upkeep and create merchandise (such as T-shirts, buttons, etc.).

This year’s line up starts at 7 p.m. with Riesage, a five-piece “whiskey folk” band from Fargo. Using traces of multiple genres such as 50s Motown, post-rock ambient, Americana and blue collar rock and roll, Riesage creates and blends an amazing sound that is all their own.
Twin Cities duo Wiping Out Thousands are set to take the stage after Riesage. Their sound is filled with heavy instrumentation, subtle, nuanced vocals and an industrial/electronic feel. They have continuously gained popularity in the Twin Cities since early 2012.

The Minneapolis four-piece Night Moves will play last at the all-ages portion of the Block Party. They have been on tour this April with the successful Minneapolis indie band Poliça. Night Moves were voted best new band of 2012 by the Twin Cities alt-weekly City Pages and have been impressing audiences with their unique blend of psychedelic and twangy sounds.

Kicking off the 21+ After Party is Sean Anonymous with DJ Name. They rap with Minneapolis-based Wide Eyes, which has performed everywhere from house parties to music festivals and has generated an eclectic fan base along the way.

Strange Names, an alternative band from Minneapolis, is another After Party performer. They have toured all over the country and have a sound reminiscent of the Talking Heads.

Closing down the After Party is Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, an Americana folk group out of Wisconsin. Musical influences such as Cash and Dylan are evident in their rich and authentic rock and roll songs.

Aside from a night of great music, the Block Party has a few extra treats lined up, such as a photo booth, door prizes and merchandise for sale. All proceeds will support the station.

KNDS has been on the airwaves since October 2004, and it has only continued to mature since then. Those who want to show support for KNDS and help ensure more quality programming in the area should consider attending this annual event.

Questions and comments: Kayleigh@hpr1.com

IF YOU GO:

What: 8th Annual KNDS Block Party
Where: The Aquarium, 226 Broadway, Fargo
When: Sat, May 4; all ages show at 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.); 21+ show at 10 p.m.
How much: All ages show is free; 21+ show is $7 or $5 w/ student ID

Pacific Northwest folkie Damien Jurado returns to Fargo

2013-05-02T17:03:57+00:00

By Konner Johnson
Staff Writer

After 10 years of steadily releasing music and touring nationally and internationally, Seattle-based folk figure Damien Jurado will be returning to Fargo. In the last couple years, he’s become a widespread sensation in the folk-rock scene by constantly transforming his sound from album to album. He is currently on tour in support of his latest release, “Maraqopa,” and will be playing at the Aquarium with Dann K and Black Casket on Monday.

Since 1996, Jurado has been constructing what many would regard as one of the better independent catalogs in today’s music. Having punk-based roots, he decided to try a more stripped-down acoustic genre.

Soon, after releasing earlier records in the 90s, Jurado started to play shows predominantly in the Pacific Northwest.

“I played lots of all-ages places and house shows,” Jurado says.

So far, Jurado has released 11 studio albums on four different labels such as Sub Pop and Secretly Canadian, his current label, which has also recorded or promoted Animal Collective, Yeasayer and The War On Drugs.

For his two latest albums, Jurado decided to work with established musician and producer Richard Swift. A fair amount of the success from the last two records was in part due to the collaboration that came about from Jurado’s 2010 release “Saint Bartlett,” which brought braver sonic changes to the table.

With his newest release “Maraqopa,” Jurado brings out his folk influences, and on a couple tracks he makes a dynamic shift to bolder rock sounds. The album received exemplary praise from critics at Paste Magazine and Pitchfork. He has been on tour in support of this release for little more than a year.

Jurado has been writing material for a new record, which is expected to be released sometime next year. He plans to record the album in Cottage Grove, Ore., in the next few months.

Folk-rock lovers in the FM area, be sure to come out to see Jurado play this Monday. Since it’s his first time back in Fargo nearly 10 years, it’s difficult to foresee when he will pass through again.

Questions and comments: konnerthevistas@gmail.com

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Damien Jurado with Dann K and Black Casket
WHERE: Aquarium, 226 Broadway
WHEN: Monday, May 6, Doors at 9 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $8
INFO: http://www.ticketweb.com/fb/3513394/aquarium

Burlap Wolf King ventures on Midwest tour

2013-04-25T15:22:53+00:00

By Konner Johnson
Staff Writer

Thomas Hentges has been a recognized figure in the Sioux Falls music scene for most of the decade, writing songs under the name Burlap Wolf King. His impeccable songwriting conveys an eerie sense of truth with genuine, poetic lyrics. He is currently touring the Midwest and is stopping through Fargo on April 27 to perform at the Red Raven with special guests Nate Pitcher and Steve Burket of Inside Out Strings.

Hentges got his start by listening to a wide range of music and ultimately deciding to pick up an instrument to make music of his own.

“I remember in eighth grade discovering rock music, having an epiphany most people that age experience,” Hentges says.

Since picking up the guitar, the musician has been playing here and there. But in the last six years, he has been steadily making more music and playing more shows with several groups, including Burlap Wolf King, while writing most of the material and refining his craft as a songwriter.

Burlap Wolf King’s first album, “The Middle,” was released in 2009 and was well-received among the Sioux Falls community. It even got national attention. In 2010, Burlap Wolf King was named one of “the 50 best new bands in America” by the Massachusetts-based alternative newspaper the Boston Phoenix. Although the album was released four years ago, Hentges has been playing live under the name since 2005.

“Around that time we started to see a resurgence of bands around the area,” Hentges says.

It was in the thick of that time that Burlap Wolf King started to play more frequently, opening for many prominent Minnesota and South Dakota acts. Currently, he is touring solo with the occasional appearance of Sioux Falls-native Megan DeBoer on vocals. In the not-too-distant future—as early as this fall—Hentges hopes to play with an entirely new band and perform new songs.

In addition to “The Middle,” Burlap Wolf King recorded a five-track EP, which was released last winter.

“We recorded it live over a weekend last September in a house,” Hentges says.

The EP features more of a “band sound” and includes more presence from other instruments when compared to his prior release. Both albums can be purchased on Bandcamp.com.

With plans to start a new band and with shows already booked for the summer, Burlap Wolf King will be keeping very busy for the remainder of the year.

Hentges plans to release yet another record with a new band and hopes to have it done in early 2014.

Be sure to come out to the Red Raven this Saturday to catch this truly genuine folk singer-songwriter musician doing what he does best.

Questions and comments: konnerthevistas@gmail.com

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Burlap Wolf King with Nate Pitcher and Steve Burket of Inside Out Strings
WHERE: Red Raven Espresso Parlor, 916 Main Ave., Fargo
WHEN: Sat, Apr 27, 7 p.m.; doors at 6:30 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $3

The San Haven boys chuckle out a stellar new album

2013-04-18T19:54:19+00:00

By Diane Miller
Editor

This one time – in a galaxy far, far away – a small group of rock ‘n’ roll dudes set out to combine the forces of good, evil and awesome by forming a band. They called themselves The San Haven Chuckle and their mission was to uncover the whereabouts of the Higgs Boson through song, dance and nakedness.

Okay, so only parts of this are true. The San Haven Chuckle is a veteran rock band from Fargo. And their real mission – at least currently – is to get you to come to their CD release party on April 26 at The Legacy Ballroom, the Pickled Parrot’s upstairs venue.

And scientists just discovered this “God particle” this year so that mission has ceased; hence, their new album is named “Reason” and not “Where Are You, Higgs Boson?”

“We had planned on that title a year in advance,” lead vocalist Travis Tiberius said. “And then they found it.”

So have The San Haven Chuckle recorded a futuristic electronica-sounding record? The album artwork may suggest so: “It’s a fractal,” guitarist Patrick “Bud” Hess said. “I put a galaxy in the center of it. It’s supposed to be an imitation of the Large Hadron Collider.”

But don’t be fooled, The San Haven Chuckle’s new record is rock ‘n’ roll with some twists of punk, indie, country and jam. They are still the same band the Fargo-Moorhead community has grown to love over most of a decade.

The musicians just happen to be fascinated with science. Or perhaps they just like throwing people for a loop.

“There is a lot of nonsense in (the record) is what we are saying,” bassist Lucas Anderson said.

“I think it’s kind of like in ‘Star Trek Next Generation,’” Hess said. “They always listen to classical music cause it seems like the more things change, the more things stay the same. And we are ahead of the curve in that way.”

Humor is band’s main fuel source. Without it, The San Haven Chuckle wouldn’t exist. Or perhaps they would have lasted only a few years like so many other bands. The Chuckle have been together for seven years and they still get along like ham and gravy.

“We are all a bunch of assholes,” Tiberius said. “But it’s just because – and this comes right down to the album too – it’s the real world, we’re human beings. We’ve got ups and downs. All of us have been in prior acts and once you’ve done it for so long, you realize that people have their own crazy moods – but we can make each other laugh.”

“Reason” is the band’s second full-length album. And they say it’s “leaps and bounds” better than their first LP, “Greatest Hits Vol. 2: 1975-1985,” which was released in 2007.

Not that their “greatest hits” album isn’t awesome. It’s just that “Reason,” much to due to the production quality, showcases the band’s ideas, harmonies, instrumentation and melodies to an even greater degree.

“I can’t say enough great things about Video Arts,” Tiberius said.

Marty Halgrimson of Video Art Studios, a local multimedia production company, engineered the album. He also laid down a blazing guitar solo on track 3, “Towing,” per request of the band.

There was another – more awkward – request the band had for Halgrimson: to be “okay” with nudity in studio.

“There is one song that we recorded on the album absolutely naked,” drummer Sean Dunlap said. “(Halgrimson) wasn’t … excited about it.”

According to the guys, the song, “Wendel,” sounds particularly bright. And apparently, “You can hear it in the strings.”

They even made the track’s guest vocalists follow suit – that’s how serious they were.

The band did it as an homage to a dear friend – and undoubtedly one of the greatest supporters of The San Haven Chuckle – who died in a motorcycle accident. “Wendel” was one of her favorite tunes.

“It’s kind of an inside homage. It’s hard to explain without knowing our dynamic. It’s something that we know she would have smiled at,” Hess said.

For the record, the lights were turned down – yet, apparently not for Dunlap’s session.

Some of the songs on the new record, like “Wendel,” are old, and some are brand new. Yet everything on this record sounds cohesive and tight. Everything sounds like good, professional, honest and (ahem) balls-out rock music.

“I don’t write songs for people with two awesome parents. I don’t write songs for people who have awesome lives,” Tiberius said. “I write songs for Cody Conners and people who have one parent and people who have friends who OD. I don’t like songs that take away what life is.”

Questions and comments: diane@hpr1.com

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: The San Haven Chuckle CD Release Party w/ Carmen the Cactus
WHERE: Legacy Ballroom (Pickled Parrot upstairs), 503 3rd Ave N, Fargo
WHEN: Fri, April 26, 9:30 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $5
INFO: http://tiny.cc/pkjjvw

Record Store Day is on the rise

2013-04-18T19:50:47+00:00

Let’s wake each other up

By Anthony J. Iverson
Staff Writer

Record shops across the globe are gearing up for the sixth annual Record Store Day, Saturday, April 20—a holiday aimed at celebrating the beauty of music and the independent record stores that help make that music possible.

Record Store Day was first conceived at a conference back in 2007 by independent record store owners who wanted to celebrate the culture that has traditionally surrounded music scenes and record stores. Since then, it’s occurred on the third Saturday of every April and remained a day for musicians, listeners and merchandisers alike to honor music scenes throughout the world.

More than 700 record shops within the United States are participating this year plus thousands more internationally. This includes 24 participating stores from Minnesota and five from North Dakota.

The official Record Store Day website defines an independent record store as a shop that is not publicly traded with at least 50 percent its profits coming from music retail and at least 70 percent of its ownership residing in the state where the store is located.

Fargo-Moorhead’s very own Mother’s Music and Orange Records are two of the independently owned shops preparing for what is expected to be the busiest sales day of the year. With exclusive releases from renowned artists from all over the world, Record Store Day is a time sales boost at these locally owned stores.

Matt Oland, owner of Fargo’s Orange Records, said his store sees approximately five to six times more business on that day than any other day of the year.

“It’s gotten a little bit busier every year,” Oland said.

Last year, Orange Records saw a line flooded with music enthusiasts spanning down First Ave North toward Broadway, with some waiting in line for close to an hour.

Oland expects to see a similar turnout, if not a greater one, this year when the store opens on Saturday at 11 a.m.

“There were a couple people by the door at 10 [a.m.] last year when I got here,” he said.

Brady Bredall, owner of Mother’s Music in Moorhead, has been at the store since 2008 and has been participating in Record Store Day since 2010. Mother’s opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Bredall expects an even bigger turnout than last year, due in part to a “resurgence of vinyl” that record stores across the nation have seen in recent years.

“We’ve got our biggest order yet,” Bredall said. “It’s only going to grow in the future as more people learn about it and more bands get involved.”

Bredall also said he anticipates about six times the sales on Record Store Day compared to the average business day, but that a lot of the funds go toward other features throughout the day like hosting live music and providing food and door prizes, reemphasizing the day’s focus on the artists and consumers.

“We’re trying to help people continue to have that connection with artists,” he said.

This year’s Record Store Day Ambassador is Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather), who is placing emphasis on diverting from the digital realm toward the traditional form of physical copies of music. The idea here is that venturing to local record shops fosters the growth of music culture via spirited conversation with fellow music fans and exploration of diverse music both old and new.

“There’s no romance in a mouse click,” White says in his ambassadorial statement. “The Internet is two-dimensional…helpful and entertaining, but no replacement for face-to-face interaction with a human being.”

White’s qualifications as Record Store Day Ambassador can be found in his pursuits over the years. He is a fellow record store owner, as well the owner of his own label, Third Man Records, and is known as one of the busiest musicians in the business today.

He is also just one of many artists releasing exclusive content on Record Store Day, reissuing The White Stripes innovative fourth album, “Elephant.”

An array of other artists from all different genres and generations are also releasing exclusive content, signifying a growing interest in Record Store Day. Some of the participating artists include Atmosphere, The Cure, The Dave Brubeck Trio, The Hold Steady, Fela Kuti, Notorious B.I.G., The Rolling Stones, Tame Impala, Ty Segall and many, many more.

“(R)ecord stores, artists, labels, DJs, and journalists: we’re all in this together,” White said. “Show respect for the tangible music that you’ve dedicated your careers and lives to, and help it from becoming nothing more than disposable digital data.”

A growing problem that the music industry faces, however, is the redistribution of product. Tickets for Chicago’s Lollapalooza music festival, for example, sold out in record time this year, with those same exact tickets popping up on sites like StubHub and eBay minutes later for as much as $200 more than retail value.

To combat the issue of overpricing product, Oland said that the group in charge of Record Store Day encourages stores that sign the Record Store Day pledge to abide by its guidelines. This means stores are forbidden from hiking prices and from withholding product to sell online later.

Many of the artists who produce exclusive content for Record Store Day do so in limited quantities, Bredall said, which make these rare releases worth more than your average release.

“The pledge is basically a way of protecting both the artists and consumers because a lot of Record Store Day releases double or triple in value over night.”

Both store owners emphasized the level of value Record Store Day serves artists, vendors and fans by bringing them together and remedying the music experience from a mouse click to a tangible relationship.

“There is beauty and romance in the act of visiting a record shop and getting turned on to something that could change the way they look at the world, other people, art, and ultimately, themselves,” White continued in his release.

“Let’s wake each other up.”

Questions and comments: anthony.j.iverson@gmail.com

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Record Store Day @ Phat Kat Antiques & Vintage Vinyl featuring a huge savings on 1,000s of records, CDs and music memorabilia
WHERE: 1501 1st Ave S, Fargo
WHEN: Sat, April 20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
INFO: http://tiny.cc/klinvw

WHAT: Record Store Day @ Orange Records featuring Lava Proof Boots and DJ Morplay Katana
WHERE: 641 1st ave. N, Fargo
WHEN: Sat, April 20; store opens at 11 a.m.; music starts at 2 p.m.
INFO: http://tiny.cc/8ldnvw

WHAT: Record Store Day @ Mother’s Music featuring Go Murphy, Chaos in Question, Blind Joe, Anomic, Anthony Chaput, The Waking, Hydroponic Party Pants, Chris Muhsic, DJ Punky, Cheef
WHERE: 431 Main Ave., Moorhead
WHEN: Sat, April 20, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
INFO: http://tiny.cc/ytdnvw

Secret Cities plan big with fundraiser and new album

2013-04-18T19:41:46+00:00

By Konner Johnson
Staff Writer

For the first time ever, members of the North Dakota-based psych-pop trio Secret Cities are planning to record in the same room.

After more than a decade of exchanging ideas and recordings over the Internet, Secret Cities members say they are very excited to finally get together and record in one place, especially considering each member lives in a different state. Charlie Gokey (lead vocalist and guitarist) currently resides in Washington, D.C., Alex Abnos (percussionist) lives in New York and Marie Parker (keyboardist and vocalist) lives in Kansas City, though she plans to move back to Fargo.

The distance hasn’t been an issue before, but they want to take the next step as a band and to make music with an engineer at their disposal.

All members have been passing ideas back and forth, so now they have more than enough material for their highly-anticipated third record.

“We’re all excited to try something completely new and to push ourselves,” Gokey said.

A big goal
The band’s goal is to record for 12 days at Tiny Telephone, an all-analog studio located in San Francisco. But their big goal comes with a big price, so they’ve put together a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of raising $8,500 by Sunday, May 5, 9:57 a.m., Central Time.

With about three weeks to go, they still have about $4,500 more to raise, so they are encouraging as many people as possible to donate whatever they can.

Folks can go to http://tiny.cc/o8fnvw or Kickstarter.com and type “Secret Cities” and contribute anything from $1 to $5,000-plus. Be sure to note that money will only come out of a donor’s account if the band reaches their goal.

Each donor will get a special something from the band. Some of the gifts include music downloads, music lessons, song lyrics and even a personalized Secret Cities concert. It all depends on how much a person donates.

A short history of the band
Gokey first met Parker during band camp at age fifteen. Soon after, Gokey crossed paths with Abnos online and decided to go forth as a band trading ideas and songs between all the members via the internet.

“There were some songs that came out before we were Secret Cities, going back to when we we’re all about 19 years old,” Gokey said.

After finalizing a name and working up enough material, the band released their first full-length album, “Pink Graffiti.” It was an instant success in the underground indie scene. The album even landed them a review from Pitchfork Media.

That following year, they released “Strange Hearts,” which, compared to “Pink Graffiti,” consists of shorter, more refined songs.

“We were under a time crunch, which ended up leading towards more of a live sound. We also learned to write songs a little better somewhere in there, approaching it with more purpose and focus,” Gokey said.

Aside from their highly-esteemed albums, Secret Cities have toured where many other well-established bands have been.

“We toured Europe and Canada some time back,” Gokey said. “We also did a lap around the outside of the United States.”

After spending some time on the road, the way songs were put together changed from the first record to second.

“The band became more comfortable playing live, so that made the record seem straighter forward than ‘Pink Graffiti,” Gokey said.

For this upcoming record, the band is moving toward new ideas and sounds. According to their Kickstarter page:

“We want it to be big, orchestrated, and beautiful. We want it to rock, and we want it to weird you out. But most of all, we want to record this album together, in the same place, at the same time, for the first time ever. We need your help to do that.”

Questions and comments: konnerthevistas@gmail.com