Radio Free Chicago

Signing Off...Thanks for Reading Everyone

RFC — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 10:13:39 -0500

Unfortunately this site has been gathering more dust than readers lately, so it looks like it's time to finally pull the plug on the transmitter and sign off from Radio Free Chicago. Hats off to all of the dedicated and talented writers and photographers who contributed to this site over the years. Great work everyone, thank you so much for keeping this labor of love alive for so long. I hope everyone out there enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed putting it all together.

Cheers all...

-Brad

Wiping Off The Dust... Of Montreal's The Sunlandic Twins

Elyssa Pearlstein — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:34:01 -0500

I recall meeting Of Montreal in 2006 back stage at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. The Sunlandic Twins had debuted via Polyvinyl in April 2005. After questioning bassist Bryan Poole, also The Late B.P. Helium, about how the psychedelic/ synth/ pop band elected their name, he narrated a tale of how Kevin Barnes supposedly used to be a skilled gymnast but devastatingly injured his ankle at Olympic trials in Montreal one year. Shortly thereafter, I discovered the story varied by article and interview. A failed romance with a woman in Montreal is another such explaination.

An upbeat drum machine drives many of the album’s tracks. Cheerful nostalgia valiantly saturates the melody of “Requiem for O.M.M.2.” “I don’t want to make a wake out of my life/ I just have to let you go,” sings Barnes. I can all too well relate to this mantra of ruminating over a romantic ember from the past while taking a momentary gulp of hopeless yearning. In fact, just before I started this review, I swallowed such an instant. The suitor fused to my first monumental heartbreak happened to be courting me during the time I discovered Of Montreal. Memories of how excited I’d be over doing even traditionally mundane endeavors with him like hiking up the road a couple miles to a shopping center ensue. Times we’d walk to the railroad tracks and playfully shoot photos … and that one dewy eyed moment he kissed me ‘just because,’ as sizable snowflakes delicately fell on a January day. Upon falling for my first love, the all too temporary euphoria of my new relationship naturally blinded me to the possibility of romantic finiteness. After all, how could two beings that complimented and flowed together so well conceivably ever pull apart?

Requiem For O.M.M.2

The night of my second Of Montreal live show, I recall excitedly trudging to the end of the Blind Pig line spanning all the way to the railroad tracks behind the venue on that cool Michigan spring night. I overheard grumbles about the Outback Steakhouse commercial featuring a slight variation of “Wrath Pinned to the Mist (And Other Games,)” a tune that begins with a bass line that, for whatever reason, reminds me of sledding. Maracas and other sounds subsequently layer themselves. “Let’s pretend we don’t exist/ Let’s pretend we’re in Antarctica,” which are the song’s original lyrics, were morphed into “Let’s go Outback tonight/ Life will still be there tomorrow.” Multitudinous patrons were convinced the musical ensemble had sold out (while they simultaneously still put forth immense effort to see the band perform.) Certain music moguls rebuttal this scenario with the challenge of full time musicians to make a living in an era or torrents; therefore, artists naturally need to supplement revenue through intertwining their music with commercial interests.

“Forecast Facsist Future” buds with a jubilant and commanding acoustic guitar riff, then mounts on motor-like synthesizers. These sounds almost emulate an aerial vehicle taking off.

Embodying one of my favorite melodies on The Sunlandic Twins, “The Party’s Crashing Us” contains thoughtful lyrics fronting another markedly infectious dance beat. “Oh well we made love like a pair of black wizards/ you freed me from the past/ you fucked the suburbs out of me.” Perhaps the ‘suburbs’ represent desolation and angst that the woman Barnes is having sex with deems herself a rejuvenating retreat from. This reminds me how many students react when moving from dull, empty suburbs to an exciting college town, myself included.

The Party's Crashing Us

Increasingly dim and mysterious compositions spearhead the second half of the album. “Skate 2" is an entirely instrumental track which beams a very pensive, somewhat twisted, undercurrent of minor notes.“Oslo in the Summertime,” which conveys a muggy and sweaty day in a foreign locale, maintains this gloomy buzz. Confusion and hazed clarity tinge the echo-laden air.

Concluding the LP, “The Repudiated Immortals” delivers the heartwarming line, “…Don’t feel sad/ because it’s a violent world/ but there’s still beauty/ I’ll take care of you if you take care of me.” I can’t help but to grin and feel my heart bake in amorous hope for humanity. The album ends by retreating its dimness to optimistic solemness.

The Repudiated Immortals

Ok Go Covering Songs I Love

abbytron — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:03:50 -0500

Most people know Ok Go for their music videos. When the band showed up on the Sasquatch! Music Festival lineup a couple years ago, I couldn’t contain my excitement, but a friend contested with (paraphrased) “but how great could their live show be when they can’t implement their video gimmickry?” I then went on to explain that, um, Ok Go is first and foremost about the music, and anyone who doesn’t realize that needs to listen to them.

It wasn’t until later I began listening to the band that I saw one of their videos, the treadmill one. “Here It Goes Again” is a fine song, but nowhere near Ok Go’s best work. So, understandably, people were more fixated on the extremely interesting and clever choreography. The band certainly has a knack for that, and it should be admired.

However, Ok Go’s self-titled debut album (2002) was a much better introduction. “Hello My Treacherous Friends” was daring and catchy, and “1000 Miles Per Hour” is like the Moody Blues meets Fountains of Wayne, which works out beautifully. The 2005 EP preceding Oh No, Ok Go’s second album, further won me over with a cover of one of my all-time favorite songs, “The Lovecats” by the Cure.

The Cure - The Lovecats

Ok Go’s rendition remains fairly faithful to the original, but delivers it in a smoother package. Drums, bass, keys, guitar and vocals all sound richer. Elementally speaking, the original is more metallic while the cover has a more woody quality. But they really master the Cure’s essence with the recording, which solidified Ok Go’s place in my heart.

Ok Go - The Lovecats

The band released the “Extra Nice Edition” of their third album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (2010) last November, which offered a ton of remixes and alternate versions of songs from the album, as well as a few other treats. One of these was a cover of the Pixies’ “Gigantic.”

The Pixies - Gigantic

Again, Ok Go refines the edges of the rock classic, but stays mostly true to its original style. Damian Kulash coos “Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul, let’s have a ball” with psychedelic flair and is a softer substitute for Kim Deal on the repetition of “a big, big love.”

Ok Go - Gigantic

What’s wonderful about Ok Go’s cover efforts is they sound distinctively like Ok Go while still honoring the integrity of those they emulate. They definitely make it worth it to shell out for the versions of their albums with bonus tracks. Never a disappointment; always a pleasure.

New White Rabbits Single

RFC — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:19:49 -0600

Check out White Rabbits April 8th at Metro...