Dig the New Digs Euclid Records Brings Hot Wax And Soul To Old Webster
Black Moth Super Rainbow “It’s A Lot Scarier To See The Evil In Something That’s Fun”
PLUS: Psych champs the Black Angels hit Firebird, and Bob Reuter explores the galaxy! right? git in here! Eleven Magazine Volume 9, issue 4
complimentary
elevenmusicmag.com | ELEVEN | 1
DEPT. OF
PERIODICAL LITERATURE ST. LOUIS, MO
Volume 9, issue No. 4
May 2013
froNt of the Book 5 Editor’s Note, Corrections 6 Where Is My Mind?
this MoNth iN Music The new Musicalendar 20 Charles Walker and the Dynamites
coluMNs
BriNg oN the Night Show Previews222
8 Essentials Nook of Revelations by thoMas croNe
Rosanne Cash, Blue Beat by Jeremy segel-Moss
9 Rockin Our Lives Away by BoB reuter
May Party Arties
10 Radius: Louisville, KY by aNDrew shaDBurNe
.
hot rocks Guest List 24
11 Load In by DaVe aNDersoN
by toM ackerMaN
.
Album Reviews 24 features
Parquet Courts, Kentucky Knife Fight, Javelin
11 The Black Angels by JasoN roBiNsoN
The Rebellious Jukebox by Matt harNish
14 Summer Festivals by hugh scott
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the waY Back page
16 Blues Week by suZie gilB 17 Euclid Records: Movin and Groovin by cassie kohler 18 Interview: Tom Fec by NelDa kerr coVer photo BY coreY wooDruff / coreYwooDruff.coM
Paper Time Machine 26 by paige BruBeck . The Black angels
Photo of twelve tribes bus outside bob dylan at the peabody by Evan Sult
Eleven Magazine Volume 9 | Issue 4 | May 2013 Publisher Hugh Scott
proofreader Tracy Brubeck
Editor-In-Chief Evan Sult
Promotions & Distribution Suzie Gilb Ann Scott
Special assignments editor Paige Brubeck Art DirectION Evan Sult CONTRIBUTING Writers Dave Anderson, Paige Brubeck, Ryan Boyle, Juliet Charles, Thomas Crone, Jenn DeRose, Suzie Gilb, Matt Harnish, Kyle Kapper, Nelda Kerr, John Krane, Josh Levi, Rob Levy, Ryan McNeely, Sean Nelson, Zev Powell, Jack Probst, Bob Reuter, Jason Robinson, Jeremy Segel-Moss, Robert Severson, Blair Stiles, Bill Streeter, Michele Ulsohn, Chris Ward, Robin Wheeler PHOTOGRAPHERS Nate Burrell Jarred Gastreich Nick Henderschott Patrice Jackson Lee Klawans Micah Mickles Bob Reuter Jason Stoff Bill Streeter Bryan Sutter Corey Woodruff Illustrators Sean Dove Tyler Gross Curtis Tinsley
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Consultation Clifford Holekamp Derek Filcoff Cady Seabaugh Hugh Scott III Founded in 2006 by a group including Jonathan Fritz, Josh Petersel and Mathew Strรถm ELEVEN MAGAZINE 3407 S. Jefferson St. Louis, MO 63118 for ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Hugh Scott advertising@elevenmusicmag.com calendar listings listings@elevenmusicmag.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR deareleven@elevenmusicmag.com We welcome your comments. Please let us know if you do not want your letter published.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR US? info@elevenmusicmag.com ONLINE elevenmusicmag.com twitter.com/elevenmag facebook.com/ElevenMagazine
Copyright 2013 Scotty Scott Media, LLC
Editor’s Note Just as expected, Record Store Day 2012 did St. Louis’ music crowd proud. It was a true blowout day, bringing packed crowds from sunset to sundown to all the record stores in town. Vintage Vinyl, I’m told, had lines seven hours long for the RSD exclusives, and was packed to the gills all day long. Apop Records continued their legacy of packing the corner of Cherokee and Oregon with brutal good times—all the better because the weather warmed up just in time. I was posted up at Euclid Records for their final days at the current location. It was packed and joyous and full of music and music fans. Sleepy Kitty played a set of all cover songs to celebrate some of the records we love, then we got to catch the Bottle Rockets as the capper to a day that included music from The Jans Project, Née, Cotton Mather, and Fumer, as well as surprise songs by Kevin Bachmann, Kevin Buckley, and Tim Gebauer. I went kind of nuts on purchases, scooping up some exclusives like the Pujol “Deep Cuts” 7”, a Bombino 10”, and a documentary on gig posters (though I missed Stephen Malkmus‘s take on Can’s “Ege Bamyasi,” dammit). Raiding the DVD bin scored a couple discs’ worth of Scopitones, a 3-disc set of footage of James Brown in the ‘60s, and a disc promising the “home movies” of Dylan’s drummer Mickey Jones during their
by Evan Sult
crucial 1966 world tour. Add to that some older vinyl and a couple of lucky handouts— Fumer’s “We Alone Are Death Enough,” Middle Class Fashion’s new “So Long/Kingdoms” single, and it was a scorefest! A long day—but the evening hadn’t even started yet. We stopped by InFest2 at 2720, where we got a chance to do a little thrashing to Volcanoes alongside dancin’ fool Jeremy Pevnick, then caught Troubadour Dali upstairs before tearing ourselves away to yet another event in full swing: the multi-single Extension Chords release party at Off Broadway, where many beautiful 7”s were had, including The Chainsaw Gentlemen, Tenement Ruth, The May Day Orchestra, and Beth Bombara b/w Town Cars—and thanks to John Joerns’ RSD yard sale, I even picked up a biography of Eva Braun, who “had a unique view of Hitler’s conquest of Europe...because she dedicated her life to the conquest of Hitler,” according to the back cover. Yow! And it didn’t stop there. Sunday was back to Euclid Records for CaveofswordS, who have really figured out their thing and are sounding fantastic, plus Dibiase and a set by the sublimely insane Yowie. A surprise visit to The Demo netted sets by The Feed, Animal Empty, and the surprise band of the weekend, Chicago’s The Kickback. With some reluctance they honored a request for “Rob
My House,” and in one song went from good to fucking A righteous! Keep an ear out, it’s not to be missed. We are lucky people, we are. Most cities are not taking this glorious new holiday as seriously as St. Louis does. Me, I’d take Record Store Day over Valentine’s Day any time. It feels like an authentic opportunity to not just join together in expressing a love of music (whatever kinds you like), but to make a concrete contribution to maintaining the businesses and music lovers who bring us that music. Well played, St. Louis. What a city.
Evan Sult, editor-in-chief Corrections Due to an editorial error, there were several mistakes in last issue’s article on Tim Rakel (“Plugged In: Tim Rakel and His Extended Musical Family Make the Most of Record Store Day”). Ota Benga was not in fact The May Day Orchestra’s debut release. Tim Rakel’s bandmates in the Chainsaw Gentlemen are Alvy Caby and Chad Ross, not Chad Taylor. Three fourths of Tenement Ruth is in The May Day Orchestra, not half. The lineup has not changed since the previous release. Eleven magazine regrets the errors.
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WHERE IS MY MIND? Photo by tim Gebauer
This Month in the History of Now
BrING OUTCHer DeaD!
Did you hear that BIG BOI will be celebrating Memorial Day in St. Louis this year? True story. The meat and the music starts at noon and, like any good ‘cue, it’s gonna get crowded, with sets from Dam Funk, Tef Poe, Scripts N Screwz, Nappy DJ Needles, Corey Black, DJ Mahf & Steddy P, Fishhawk, Thelonius Kryptonite, Mathias & The Pirates, and Downstereo.
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The rad new sign for the rad new store, painted by Phil Jarvis.
What staRteD as a hobby years ago for Jeremy Miller and Tim Hendrickson has turned into a part-time business, and St. Louis’ record-buying public gets to reap the rewards. Together, they are opening DeaD Wax reCOrDS at the corner of Cherokee and Wisconsin. The store will only be open on Saturdays and focus, at least in the beginning, on full-length LPs. The store is small but meticulously curated, and caters to hardcore record collectors with original and white-label pressings. They use a VPI system (the “V” stands for “vacuum”) to carefully clean dust and schmutz out of the grooves of their used vinyl, so even the bargain bin should sound way better than your average garage-sale score. In addition to used records, they will have a small selection of new releases and plenty of St. Louis-based artists, as well as vintage music equipment, like stereo receivers and turntables. “We want draw in the antique shoppers on Cherokee and their sense of nostalgia that might see a receiver that they owned as a kid,” Miller said as he served coffee just down the street at The Mud House, the hoppin’ coffeeshop he owns with wife Casey Miller. “We’ll also be buying records, of course,” he says, and promises that as a collector himself, he always wants to pay an honest price for a great record. HugH Scott performances, reintroducing these recordings to an audience that wasn’t there the first time around. But even as BDR has brought unor under-released STL-area recordings to new ears, not everything could be returned to the present: when you hear Colleen of bygone teen-girl punks The The Welders Welderscry cry “You’re wilting my corsage!” on BDR’s “Debutantes in Bondage” 7” single, you can only pine for the experience of seeing them live in a club. Now there’s a chance to hear The Welders these songs performed by modern STereO VISION noisemakers. BDR is going to be celebrating Last month the BDR LaBeL released these bands with a tribute night at Heavy an excellent collection of songs from late Anchor on May 3 featuring Trauma Harness ‘70s/early ‘80s Belleville punks Max Load. as Max Load, Bunnygrunt as The retros, Keeping with the punk/rock archivist Kimi and the Underwires as The Welders, and streak that brought us The Retros’ Inner Spelling Bee with Peat Henry as Philosophic City Rockers LP and Raymilland’s RecordCollage. It’s likely to be a night of timeings ‘79-’81, the Max Load LP’s deluxe traveling for some and new discovery for artwork is filled with vintage flyers, others, but either way it’s a great chance to Polaroids and even includes a raucously pick up some of these excellent records for awesome DVD and CD of additional yourself. Paige BruBeck
Tight Pants Syndrome. They’re all musical multi-taskers but Brian McClelland, right, just took it over the edge.
tAles of ole st. lou
theRe aRe many here among us who recall vividly the days when KSHE 95 ruled the St. Louis airwaves, bringing huge rock shows to town and fostering STL’s own burgeoning hairy rock scene in the days before that format became known as “classic.” Now, Something in the Water: a St. LouiS rockumentary lights up those glorious bygone days. Produced by HEC-TV, the doc grew out of their State of the Arts series of interviews with notable local scenemakers like Bob Heil and Steve Schankman. Something in the Water takes a KSHE-centric view of the city’s music scene in the ‘60s and ‘70s, when bands like MaMa’S PrIDe, PaVLOV’S DOG, and OZarK MOUNTaIN DareDeVILS established our region as a classic rock beachhead, and events like the legendary Mississippi river Festival were satisfying rock-hungry crowds. The bands themselves are only part of the story, of course, and they’re not always the best talkers: for that honor, look to the DJs. Johnny rabbitt, Mark Klose, and rich Dalton all contribute stories, as well as former Post Dispatch critic Dick richmond and (of course) Joe edwards. Something in the Water will be showing at The Pageant at 7pm on Friday, May 31. Fittingly, it will be followed by the musical reunion of Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ MICHaeL “SUPe” GraNDa , STeVe SCOrFINa of Pavlov’s Dog, and DaNNy LISTON of Mama’s Pride. It’ll shine when it shines! eS
lit fit Falling cars and Junkyard Dogs: Portraits from a musical Life by Jay Farrar
at fiRst gLance, the book looked like it might be annoying. As I flipped through the pages while I stood in line to buy it, I was discouraged. It looked like it could be just random thoughts or even worse, Rock Star Poetry! But it’s not. Oh no, not even close. Portraits from a Musical Life is the perfect way to describe Jay Farrar’s first book: it combines actual photographs he’s taken over the years with literary snapshots. They aren’t complete stories, most of them; some are hardly more than a couple sentences. But each vignette paints a bril-
Ahem!
The time has come for another Eleven magazine party! WHere IS My MIND TONIGHT? VOL. 2 will be going down at Mushmaus May 10 (see below for details). Hosted and selected by STL pop maestros THe BLIND eyeS, this regional best-of combines elegantly thoughtful poptimism from KC, Springfield MO, and STL. It’s immediately apparent upon listening that Kansas City’s THe aCBs share some musical DNA with THe BLIND eyeS. PLaID DraGON,
liant picture and, like looking through a photo album, by the time you turn the final page, the story is somehow complete. There are bits about Farrar’s parents, and his hometown of Belleville. There are fragments of family vacations that avoided Disneyland in favor of Mardi Gras and started to shape his musical tastes. There are a lot of bits about meeting his musical idols and how they shaped him as man and a musician. Just like the lyrics in his songs, the book tells the story of an honest man, trying to get through life in an honest way. It is dripping with Farrar’s Midwest humble sensibilities, but through that shines his love and adoration for this whole country and the musicians that have made him, and it, great. HugH Scott
from Springfield MO, weaves delicate stories from gentle instrumentation and the gorgeous, elfin vocals of singer Inge Chiles. STL’s aCOrNS TO OaKS is a musical lab in full swing, conducting experiments on every aspect of pop music presentation. Pluuus: We’re also pleased to say that STL letteretrix ZOë SCHarF will be presenting selections from her own most excellent rock poster collection. Feast your eyeholes! Find yrself some new favorite bands already! We’ll see you there. evan Sult
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ESSENTIALS 1
3
2
With the festival season upon us, here are few items that might make those hot, dusty days in the sun a little more comfortable. 1 RoCk N’ Roll PoCket AshtRAy Smokers shouldn’t litter! With these pocket ashtrays, you can dispose of your butts in a respectful manner, instead of in the grass or on someone’s tent. www.musiciansfriend.com 2 sPAtulA/Bottle oPeNeR Two of the most forgotten and yet most important items for surviving a festival are a spatula and a bottle opener. Now, the two have been combined so
you only have to remember to pack one. Trust us—it’s really hard to flip burgers on a grill with a plastic spoon. www.grilling4all.com 3 louNgePAC The all-in-one portable chair is perfect for around the campsite or for that mid-afternoon siesta after dancing all night and into the early morning. With a built in cooler, shade umbrella and footrest, it’s the most comfortable way to relax while that band you kinda like is playing before that band you really like hits the stage. www.loungepac.com
NOOK of of musical encounters by Thomas Crone NOOKOF OFREVELATIONS REVELATIONSA Achronicle chronicle musical encounters by Thomas Crone
Brick Brick and and Mortar Mortaratatthe theBorder Border A A heAdshrinker headshrinkercould couldmake make something somethingof ofthis, this,I’m I’msure, sure,but butasasI sit I sitand and type typethis thismonth’s month’spiece, piece,the thelast lasttwo twoitems items of ofphysical physicalmedia mediathat thatI’ve I’vepurchased purchasedtake take me ofof menearly nearlyback backto tothe thewomb. womb.Some Somesort sort era-specific era-specificregression regressionmust mustbe behappening happening here, here,as asIIfound foundaabook bookatatThe TheArchive Archivecalled called The TheHippies, Hippies,written writtenby bythe thecorrespondents correspondents of cover ofTime Timemagazine magazineinin1967; 1967;on onthe thefront front cover is Are, isthis thisuber-specific uber-specificsubtitle: subtitle:Who WhoThey They Are, Where WhereThey TheyAre, Are,Why WhyThey TheyAct ActThat ThatWay, Way, How HowThey TheyMay MayAffect AffectOur OurSociety. Society.Basically, Basically, you come youcan canskip skipto toany anypage pageininthe thetext textand and come up upwith withaanugget nuggetlike, like,“Love “Loveisisthe thekey keyethical ethical element elementin inthe thehippie hippiemovement. movement.Generally, Generally, hippies hippiesare areoverflowing overflowingwith withlove—indiscrimlove—indiscriminate inateand andall-embracing, all-embracing,fluid fluidand andchangechangeable, able,directed directedat atfriend friendand andfoe, foe,alike.” alike.”True True then, then,true truenow. now. inin Just Justaaday dayafter afterscoring scoringthat that$5 $5find find South SouthCity, City,IIchecked checkedthe thenew newarrival arrivalstacks stacks of ofused usedCDs CDsat atEuclid EuclidRecords Recordsand andcame came across cover acrossaapsychedelic psychedelicswirl swirlon onthe thefront front cover of the ofaadisc disccalled calledAAForest ForestofofGold GoldTops Topsinin the Land Gift Landof ofOz. Oz.Released Releasedby byan anoutfit outfitcalled called Gift Records Records(their (theirlogo logoincludes includesaacrop cropofoftipping tipping mushrooms), mushrooms),the thedisc discfeatures features26 26tracks tracks by by‘60s ‘60sbands bandslike likeLong LongGrass, Grass,Puppy, Puppy,The The Vegetable VegetableGarden Gardenand andPastoral PastoralSymphony. Symphony. As man, Asexpected, expected,the themusic’s music’srather rathergroovy, groovy, man, and andonly onlyset setme meback back$9.75, $9.75,tax taxinclusive. inclusive. The TheEuclid Euclidbuy buycame cameatatan aninteresting interesting time. will time.As Asthis thisissue issuehits hitsthe thestands, stands,Euclid Euclid will have aa havejust justchanged changedlocations, locations,shifting shiftingabout about
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physically consume our culture. Audiences physically consume our culture. Audiences today, especially young ones,ones, just aren’t today, especially young just aren’t consuming as much in the of physical consuming as much inway the way of physical media. They prefer to spend the bulk of of media. They prefer to spend the bulk their timetime hunting and and pecking for products their hunting pecking for products andand streams and and bits bits online, oftenoften withwith no no streams online, money exchanging hands. While the younger money exchanging hands. While the younger readers of Eleven are probably a somewhat readers of Eleven are probably a somewhat different breed, on balance, there’s littlelittle different breed, on balance, there’s doubt thatthat today’s collegian didn’t “grow up inup in doubt today’s collegian didn’t “grow thethe used record store.” Or bookstore, for that used record store.” Or bookstore, for that matter. matter. horses to water, I hope that that In leading In leading horses to water, I hope some of my (and(and readers) will find some of students my students readers) will find thethe same innate feelings of fun same innate feelings ofand fun discovand discovery ery thatthat I’ve I’ve enjoyed for what seems like alike a enjoyed for what seems million years. million years. It was a last-second glance at the To wit: To wit: It was a last-second glance at the newnew arrivals, a near-afterthought on the arrivals, a near-afterthought onway the way outout of the Euclid doors, thatthat netted A Forest of the Euclid doors, netted A Forest of Gold Tops. Meanwhile, The The Hippies, a slim after all,all, could bebe covered in just a couple of Gold Tops. Meanwhile, Hippies, a slim after could covered in just a couple waswas tucked just just backback fromfrom the rest minutes byby carcar or or cycle. ButBut as Ias complained volume, tucked the rest minutes cycle. I complained volume, of the spines, spotted as I scoured the rack of of loudly toto anyone who’d listen (and some of the spines, spotted as I scoured the rack loudly anyone who’d listen (and some Beat Generation literature at The who wouldn’t), Euclid hashas been part of my Beat Generation literature at Archive. The Archive. who wouldn’t), Euclid been part of my casecase did Idid setIout coursework at at Webster U. every semester, In neither In neither setlooking out looking coursework Webster U. every semester, those works. Curiosity and the with the shop adapted into real-life lessons those works. Curiosity andcuratothe curatowith the shop adapted into real-life lessons for for skills of the buyers at those about media retailing. The new location maymay rialrial skills of particular the particular buyers at those about media retailing. The new location shops conspired to bring me titles well bebe more convenient forfor everyone except particular shops conspired to bring me titles well more convenient everyone except particular flavored my recent daysdays withwith paisley me and mymy students, since it’sit’s a further trek that’ve flavored my recent paisley me and students, since a further trek that’ve patchouli. There was was a pinch of luck from the edge of of campus to the record store. patchouli. There a pinch of luck from the edge campus to the record store. andand AndAnd a little bit of wonder on what punch came with thethe closing involved. a little bit of wonder on what A one-two A one-two punch came with closing involved. might get get found next, in the packed ofof nearby Pudd’nhead Books at the start might found next, intightly the tightly packed nearby Pudd’nhead Books at the start stacks of aof local culture merchant. ofof the year, the loss of which physically stacks a local culture merchant. the year, the loss of which physically maymay theythey live live and thrive. demontrates thethe changing trends in how we we Long Long and thrive. demontrates changing trends in how mile down the road from OldOld Orchard to Old mile down the road from Orchard to Old Webster. The news, when announced, waswas Webster. The news, when announced, probably greeted byby a general sense of “good probably greeted a general sense of “good for them” byby local record collectors, though for them” local record collectors, though probably without any real passions stirred; probably without any real passions stirred; the distance between thethe oldold andand new shops, the distance between new shops,
Curiosity Curiosityand andcuratorial curatorial skills skillshave haveconspired conspiredtoto bring bringme metitles titlesthat’ve that’ve flavored flavoredmy myrecent recent days dayswith withpaisley paisleyand and patchouli. patchouli.
ROCKIN OUR LIVES AWAY
A photo and its story by Bob Reuter
Photo: bob reuter
At Large in the Galaxy I remember The Galaxy being a horrible place. I mean, crimes were committed there against rock and roll! But then The Galaxy was as hip as it got down on Washington Ave back in the last years of the twentieth century.To start with, it was nestled in amongst the most pretentious Studio-54-on-life-support canned music clubs EVER. And who’d’ve ever thought that more little black dresses per square foot than any other spot in the city could possibly be less arousing? One of my fondest memories is that of a beat-to-shit carload of drunken Southsiders slowing down just long enough to scream, “DIE DIE KILL YOURSELVES!” at the queueing lines of frat party slummers. Then there was “Ernie’s Grease Ball,” a night of rockabilly and burlesque turned “Ernie’s Grease Fire.” I had been invited down to shoot pics of the 7 Shot Screamers, only to be told when I got there that they didn’t actually have the money to pay me. They did give me five bucks for gas and I
was invited to stay and see the show. The first bland band had just finished up and I was talking with an acquaintance who asked whether I’d be sticking around. “Well,” I said, “it don’t really seem like much’s gonna be happening here tonight,” when from over the sound system came a crotch-pounding drum and bass riff, and two skinny white girls in pasties appeared in a spotlight, juggling flaming torches. I can’t speak for the artfulness of the performance but I CAN tell you that, at that time and place, the sight was strangely compelling. They were squeezing cans of lighter fluid into their mouths and spitting it explosively onto their torches so it looked like their mouths were on fire. One of the girls dropped her burning torch into a long pan of water, ostensibly to put it out, but what happened was it flared up and set off the stage rug. A fat guy in an undershirt appeared at the edge of the stage with a fire extinguisher, but he only managed to spread the flame to the dance floor. In moments we were
engulfed in smoke and were all temporarily herded out the front door. “Hey, ain’t this a nonsmoking venue?” I asked the door guy. This photo was taken in the Galaxy’s basement. Shanna Kiel, nearly half of the band Sullen, was kind of my muse back then. She was born into rock and roll: her dad was Chuck Kiel, long-time fixture in the local and regional scenes back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Sullen was passing time while some fabricated “next big thing” all-girl group being brought through from L.A. played upstairs. The “industry types” coming to see that act were unlikely to be sticking around for Sullen and we all knew it. Time had slowed to a crawl and there was nothing to do but wait. Two chairs and a tub of beer and soda down in the Galaxy’s cavernous basement. We wrote on the walls, drank and shot pictures.We must’ve been there for years… but I DO remember Sullen finally making it onstage and killing the packed crowd I was having trouble negotiating.
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THE RADIUS Each month The Radius features a city within a day’s drive of St. Louis. Whether you’re in a touring band or just want to meet some of our neighbors on the map, use this section to get a head start.
by Andrew Shadburne
260 Miles from ST. Louis, or about 4 hours by car
Bourbon. The Kentucky Derby. College basketball champions. While these are all good and true markers of Louisville, KY, the city has a flourishing and long-running music and arts scene. It’s home to one of the great ‘90s punk/indie scenes, spawning Rodan, David Pajo, Gastr Del Sol, Slint, Endpoint, Sunspring, Metroschifter, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy/Will Oldham. In many ways they paved the way for the next wave of bands like Phantom Family Halo, VHS or Beta, Wax Fang and of course My Morning Jacket.
Louisville mixtape
Record Stores Please & Thank You Coffee, Treats, & Records (800 E Market): Good coffee and an even better record collection. They get bonus points for the listening station and free stickers that say ANALOG. This is a great place to begin your day after a long night, or to stop in for some caffeine before heading back to St. Louis. Ear-X-Tacy: RIP. Not to go all obituary, but this place was rightfully legendary in its heyday. I spent many summer days and Saturday afternoons in middle school here, and was shocked and saddened to hear they were closing in late 2011. They hosted some legendary in-store performances from Foo Fighters to My Morning Jacket.
VENUES
Whistle Peak The Ladybirds: “She’s Alright” Old Baby: “Pale As Man” The Deloreans: “Gatsby” Whistle Peak: “Sailor” The Pass: “Halo” Violet Knives: “Yes (No)”
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Headliner’s Music Hall (1386 Lexington): During Prohibition this venue played the role of a rehearsal hall for big bands who routinely played shows at the Brown Hotel and the Seelbach Hotel. The public was permitted to watch these rehearsals and drink the “medicinal” bourbon bottled on the property. Thankfully, Prohibition is over but the tradition of seeing great bands—most recently, Tame Impala—while drinking the bourbon still exists at Headliner’s. It looks and feels a lot like a much bigger version of St. Louis’s own Off Broadway. Zanzabar (2100 South Preston): Tucked away near the University of Louisville campus in Germantown is Zanzabar. This is a great place to catch a great local act or a smaller national touring act, and then dance the night away after a show. After many shows,
particularly on the weekend the venue morphs into a full flung dance club with the help of local DJ’s. Z-Bar also boasts an incredible old school arcade—Ryan Adams spent an evening honing his pinball skills here during his 2012 tour. Come for dinner and stay until they shut it down. This is the perfect (and possibly closest) place to see Parquet Courts, live on July 22! Zazoo’s (102 Bauer Ave): The home of the New Vintage Showcase, Hunter Embry is the guy that books this venue and rightly gets a lot of credit for the renaissance that Louisville music scene is experiencing. He’s also helped a lot of STL acts— Kentucky Knife Fight, Via Dove, and Troubadour Dali to name a few, book good shows in Louisville.
Other Cool Stuff Nulu District: This area has been highlighted multiple times in recent years by GQ and Lonely Planet as a must see area when visiting Louisville. MEAT (1076 E. Washington St, above the Blind Pig) is an ideal place to get a cocktail, and according to Drinks International is one of the top 50 bars in the world. The Highlands: Home to the great stretch of local shops on Bardstown Road this is a great area to shop for a guitar at Guitar Emporium (1610 Bardstown Rd) or if fashion is more your thing pick up a shirt or some boots across the street at the Leatherhead (1601 Bardstown Rd). The WHY Louisville store (1583 Bardstown Rd) is also here, and it’s a great place to pick up a shirt proclaiming your love for Louisville or some LebowskiFest paraphernalia. And: on your way in, make sure to tune into 91.9 WFPK, the fantastic local radio station.
Poster by Mad Pixel
LOUISVILLE, KY
LOAD IN
Expert gear testimony by Dave Anderson
Photo of Jason McEntire by Nate Burrell
Honing the Vibe My first experience in a real recording studio occurred in junior high school: my friend and classmate (and St. Louis guitar guru), Gabe Doiron, had one sitting in his driveway. Gabe’s father owned Voice of Praise mobile recording studios, which specialized in on-site live multitrack recording for area gospel churches. Gabe and I spent our spare time during those formative years playing around in the studio, recording demos for our first rock band and honing our skills in the art of rock stardom. Little did I know at the time what a rarity it was to have such an experience at such a young age. Well, twenty years have passed and I haven’t found rock stardom as of yet. I have, however, spent quite a bit of time in studios over the years recording for myself, as well as others, and if there is one thing I have learned (partly from recording projects with Gabe), it’s that the key to a great recording is a great vibe. I recently caught up with Jason McEntire, owner of Sawhorse Studios in South City, and talked in depth about his experiences recording bands, gear, and the art of creating a great vibe in the studio. McEntire has more than twenty years’ experience as an audio engineer. A St. Louis native, he started his career with a short stint in Owensboro, KY (home of the International Bluegrass Music Museum), before coming back to St. Louis to permanently plant his roots in the music community with a four-year run at Music Masters. McEntire eventually left Music Masters to freelance, as well as work on the road with local major label signees Colony and Radio Iodine. After moving his operation around locally for a few years, McEntire opened a facility in South City, offering a second studio space to Jacob Detering of Red Pill Studios and Entertainment. Five years later, Jacob left amicably to grow Red Pill. With the extra studio available to McEntire, Sawhorse Studios also grew. “Carpenters can have the best saws in the world, but it doesn’t mean shit,” says McEntire. “It’s all how they use them!” That mentality has been the key to Sawhorse’s success. Don’t get me wrong: the studio is outfitted with killer equipment like the flag ship SSL 4000E series mixing console (previously owned by Falco of “Rock Me Amadeus” fame), an original Hammond B3 organ with two Leslie cabinets, a Baldwin grand piano
Jason McEntire, Sawhorse Studios, St. Louis (originally from Technisonic Studios, where Ike and Tina cut their first hits), and tons of cool vintage amps...not to mention huge live rooms with high ceilings, hardwood floors, and original brick walls for a truly ambient recording experience. But gear is only part of the package, it’s McEntire’s sense of flow, transparency, experience, and vibe that keep so many artists like Magnolia Summer, Sleepy Kitty, Middle Class Fashion, and The Incurables coming back. Sawhorse is run by Jason McEntire solely, and he is the only actual employee. That said, the studio is often utilized by a close network of freelance engineers and interns both past and current. With two separate control rooms and two live rooms, Sawhorse Studios can handle about anything you throw at it. All of which begs the question: what should one consider when going in to record? McEntire has some admirably simple, and useful, advice for bands heading into the studio. “Unplug and practice the song acoustically,” he says. “ Let the guitar player and the drummer practice together by
themselves, and the bass player and the singer work on the tune.” The key is not to just go through the song as a unit, but learn to listen to each part as if it was your own part...and playing unplugged allows the band to get a better handle on dynamics. McEntire shines with a band in the live room. Though he has the capability to construct a seamless ProTools production from snippets and artful cutting, his preferred method is to capture the band at its performing best, creating music as a cohesive unit. It’s this essence of relationships—the unspoken conversation between musicians—that McEntire has learned to foster over the years. Don’t be surprised to try something new and perhaps groundbreaking when you head into the recording studio. Once a decent take is captured, McEntire pushes and prods to get the artists to discover new territory in order to make a good cut a great one. McEntire also suggests (with a wry smile) that you may not want to book the release party before the recording. In other words: respect the time it takes to make an album, and don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you want a great recording of your music, spend some real time on it, and get the vibe right instead of rushing it. Sawhorse Studios is located at 5205-09 Virginia Ave, available for visit by appointment.
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Clockwise from upper right: Christian Bland, Alex Maas, Stephanie Bailey and Alex Hunt of The Black Angels, performing at Old Rock House last year.
Psych Out
Austin, Texas’ The Black Angels formed in 2004, taking their name from a Velvet Underground tune “The Black Angel’s Death Song” and taking stylistic cues from the band as well. From there these four Austinites exploded outward, inviting comparisons to Spacemen 3 and The High Dials, releasing four LPs of bass-heavy blues-riffing psychedelia with their feet firmly in the ‘70s and curating the Austin Psych Fest, which has grown into a 50-band, three-day festival featuring some of the biggest indie bands with a psychedelic bent playing today. In the beginning, according to vocalist/ bassist Alex Maas, what led the band to psychedelic rock was not a lack of ambition–something psych bands can be accused
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The Black Angels,
Hanni El Khatib, Wall Of Death
Wednesday, May 8 The Firebird
of due to the strictures of the genre, which most assume is washed-out vocals, wah-wah pedal freakery and a kind of blurry pastiche of stoner clichés–but because psych bands are more open to experimentation. Though they did started out emulating the band that supplied their name. especially initially, they learned much from an elegantly simple approach: take a simple riff or motif and keep adding layers until it becomes some-
thing else entirely. The music itself continued on a trajectory of its own, culminating with this year’s Indigo Meadow, a slab of beefy tunes in the vein of The Kinks via The 13th Floor Elevators, filled with songs that showcase their depth via hooks, smarts and a little dash of that psych-rock spirit. Recording the new album, says Maas, was driven by an almost alchemical approach, that seat-of-your-pants throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks approach you hear about in rock band biopics but rarely see in real recording. This leads to all kinds of wicked moments that are the result of trying pretty much anything, including putting a mic in the bottom of a (Continued on page 19)
PHOTOS by Jason Stoff
THE BLACK ANGELS are back with a new record and a new take on the genre they champion
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Summertime and the Living Is Easy by Hugh Scott
O
ne of the best ASPECTS of living in a city in the middle of the country is that it means we’re quite literally in the middle of everything. Now, with festival season upon us, it’s time to grab a tent from the basement, check the oil in your car, and get out to cruise the land of the free and the brave. With an incredibly diverse choice of lineups within a half-day’s drive or less, you can pick a direction and nearly any weekend find yourself at an excellent festival. And you ‘ll only have to sit through Mumford and Sons at a couple of them.
Follow the lines going south and land in Tennessee for America’s biggest festival, Bonnaroo. The headliners might not scream “Yeah baby!,” but the undercard sure does. Or head down to Wakarusa and get not only the great music, but the incredible natural setting of northern Arkansas. If camping isn’t your thing, Memphis in May is one of the best urban festivals in one of America’s most musically significant settings. Travel north and you can be at Summercamp outside of Chillicothe, IL in just a few short hours. Head a little further north for Lollapalooza, which boasts probably the best lineup of the summer, or Pitchfork, both in Chicago, IL. If those don’t fit your fancy, how about the 80-35 Festival in Des
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Moines, IA, which year and year packs a wallop with great bands. Or Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI, which is everything Fair St. Louis should be, with a lineup of great indie bands and arena-rock headliners. Heading west, Kanrocksas is back in Kansas City after taking a year off and features another stellar lineup. To the east is Louisville, KY’s Forecastle, which keeps getting better year after year. Or, you can stay right here at home at head to the Forest Park baseball fields for STL’s own LouFest, now in its fourth year and featuring 30 bands, including a couple of notable hometown favorites. In fact, St. Louis bands show up here and there in these festivals—we’ve noted them here with asterisks. Way to get out there!
Memphis In May
Where: Memphis, TN (5 hours away) When: May 3-5 Why: This is one of the best street parties in America. The crowd skews a little older than most summer festivals but there are few better places to grab a beer and some barbeque and listen to some great music on the street where rock and roll began. Who to see: Hall & Oates, The Flaming Lips, The Roots, Gary Clark, Jr, Public Enemy, Big Boi, Jerry Lee Lewis, Patti Smith, Porter Robinson, Mavis Staples, Deer Tick
Summer camp
Where: Chillicothe, IL (about 3 1/2 hours away) When: May 24-26 Why: OK, OK: this one is for the hippies. But if that’s your thing, this is the one to hit. Believe it or not, this is Summercamp’s thirteenth year, and while the bands all lean to one genre, they certainly know how to put on a great party. And year after year, the same campers return because it’s done so well. As a bonus bass player extraordinaire, Victor Wooten is the “Artist At Large” and you can be sure he’ll be laying down some phat grooves all weekend. Who to see: moe., Trey Anastasio, Thievery Corporation, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Big Boi, Taj Mahal, Karl Denison, Lettuce, Dumpstaphunk, Everyone Orchestra, This Must Be The Band, Maps And Atlases, The Wood Brothers
Wakarusa
Where: Mulberry Mountain, Ozark, AR (about 5 1/2 hours away) When: May 30-June 2 Why: The natural beauty is incredible: rolling hills, gentle streams and (usually) fantastic weather make this one of the prettiest festival locations in America. Wakarusa is what Bonnaroo once was, a jam-band collection to scratch that improv itch mixed with some really great electronic acts. Who to see: STS9, The Black Crowes, Amon Tobin, Snoop Lion, Gogol Bordello, Galactic, Del The Funky Homosapian, BoomBox, Old Salt Union*
Photo of Loufest 2012 by Jason Stoff
Bonnaroo
Where: Manchester, TN (about 6 hours away) When: June 13-17 Why: Nevermind the headliners (except Macca himself!), here it’s all about the vibes and the diversity. If you’ve never been to “The Farm,” as it’s known to Bonnaroovians, it can be a magical place where the music never stops. Ever. Bands play all night and into the morning, just in time for the next day’s acts to wake up and get going themselves. Famous for collaborations and super jams, this year the festival has almost completely ditched its hippie roots with a lineup full of icons and indies.
Who to see: Paul McCartney, Björk, R. Kelly, The National, David Byrne & St. Vincent, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Tame Impala, Portugal. The Man, Paper Diamond, Holy Ghost!, Alt-J, Father John Misty, Lee Fields, Japandroids, JEFF The Brotherhood, the Superjam with Jim James and John Oates
Kanrocksas
Where: Kansas City, KS (4 hours away) When: June 28-30 Why: It might not be the most picturesque setting,—flat on a racetrack in Kansas—but it boasts a great lineup, quite different than the many of the other fests this summer. Who to see: Tiesto, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Passion Pit, Imagine Dragons, Son Volt*, Yeasayer, The Descendents, The Polyphonic Spree, She & Him
Summerfest
Where: Milwaukee, WI (6 1/2 hours away) When: June 26-30 and July 2-7 Why: Because it’s just flat-out fun. There is no pretense, no snobbery, nothing like that. Like the city of Milwaukee, it’s blue collar and full of hidden fun. Sure, the lineup is mainstream and there are definitely some bands you want to avoid (I’m looking at Don Henley’s dad-rock band here), but it’s tremendously friendly and filled with beer. Lots and lots of beer. Who to see: Atmosphere, Dr. John, Atlas Genius, Trampled By Turtles, MGMT, Alice Cooper, Neon Trees, Silversun Pickups, Social Distortion, Cake, The Spinners, K’NAAN, Yeasayer, Cold War Kids, The Go-Gos, Talib Kweli, Amadou & Mariam, Morris Day & The Time. Skip the headliners. Except Rush.
80-35 Festival
Where: Des Moines, IA (6 hours away) When: July 4-5 Why: Des Moines may not jump right off the page as the most enticing festival destination, but now in its fourth year, the 80-35 continues to draw some of the best acts on the summer festival circuit. It’s intimate in the best way, giving everyone a chance to painlessly see the acts they came for. There’s something refreshing about a festivals that doesn’t force people to choose between two great bands playing at the same time. Who to see: David Byrne & St. Vincent, Wu-Tang Clan, Deerhunter, Yeasayer, Wavves, Euforquestra, House of Large Sizes, Tea Leaf Green, Kitty (Pryde), Jon Wayne & The Pain
Forecastle
Where: Louisville, KY (4 hours away) When: July 12-14 Why: A great festival in a great city. What
started as a small gathering of friends has grown into one of the coolest festivals in the country. This year the lineup hits every genre and has something for everyone. Plus, you get to experience all Louisville has to offer, and who doesn’t want that? And yes, Forecastly is where to get your hoola-hoop fix this summer. Who to see: Young The Giant, Big Boi, Sharon Jones, Bob Mould, The Pimps Of Joytime, Jim James, Datsik, Animal Collective, Grace Potter, Kurt Vile, Rubblebucket, El-P & Killer Mike
Pitchfork
Where: Union Park, Chicago, IL (5 hours away) When: July 19-21 Why: Whatever your feelings about the website, Pitchfork the festival is legit, especially if you’re interested in learning about a lot of bands you haven’t heard yet. It’s been getting overcrowded of late, but there are trees to help cool you down, and the crowd is generally respectful and relatable. And make sure to catch Flatstock, a poster arcade boasting thousands of the most beautiful gig posters in the world. Who to see: Björk, Wire, Belle & Sebastian, R. Kelly, MIA, The Breeders, Yo La Tengo, Parquet Courts, Savages, Mikal Cronin, Angel Olsen, Foxygen, Purity Ring, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
Lollapalooza
Where: Grant Park, Chicago, IL (5 hours away) When: August 2-4 Why: Because it’s Lollapalooza! Because Chicago is only nice in the summertime! Because it’s nice to stay in a hotel or on a friend’s floor for a festival! Because the lineup is fantastic! Do you really need more convincing than that? Who to see: The Cure, NIN, The Postal Service, Queens Of The Stone Age, Grizzly Bear, Phoenix, New Order, Major Lazer, Steve Aoki, Thievery Corporation, Hot Chip, Lana Del Rey, Beach House, Cat Power, Charles Bradley, Atlas Genius, Heartless Bastards, Wavves, Pujol
Loufest
Where: Forest Park (ride your bike!) When: September 7-8 Why: Under new management, this hometown festival has been steadily growing and there are some big changes due in its fourth year. With an added third stage, the number of bands has also risen. The weekend has also moved from the furnace of August to September’s more temperate possibilities. Who to see: Wilco, The National, Jim James, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Alabama Shakes, Toro Y Moi, Fitz & The Tantrums, Trampled By Turtles, Ra Ra Riot, The Mowgli’s, Tef Poe*, Kentucky Knife Fight*, Jukebox The Ghost, Wild Belle
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From Your Head Down to Your Shoes
BLUESWEEK supplies that lowdown dirty feeling The Good Stuff Bluesweek Stage schedule Friday, May 24 5:30-7pm Kim Massie 7:30-9pm Southern Hospitality w/ Victor Wainwright, J.P. Soars & Damon Fowler 9:30-11pm Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Photo by Corey Woodruff
Saturday, May 25
Jeremiah Johnson
by Suzie Gilb Ah, festival season: a time for sunburns, live music, large crowds, and the almighty oasis that is a food truck or hot dog stand. St. Louis is a perfect place for festivals and all-day parties—and it should be no surprise to anyone around town who knows our musical history that Blues Week is a staple in the city every summer. This year particularly, Bluesweek is more than a heaping helping of the music itself. The festival is an examination and celebration of the many elements that combine to create the genre—like, for instance, the right food. This year’s shindig offers the first BBQ Battle Royale, wherein 30 teams will compete for cash and other cool stuff, but mostly sweet, sweet glory. Co-directing the event are local foodie celebs Bill Kunz (Highway 61 Roadhouse & Kitchen) and Tom Coghill (Iron Barley), and they’re predicting that it’ll be the largest BBQ event in the city. Another new feature of Bluesweek this year is a workshop tent, which has something for everyone from music lovers to history buffs to serious musicians, including performances by Rum Drum Ramblers and local harmonica legend Eric McSpadden, swing dance lessons, guitar workshops and a good ol’ fashioned lesson in blues history with storyteller and author Fruteland Jackson. The biggest deal is the music, of course, and this year’s lineup delivers. Headlining the whole festival Saturday night is Mavis Staples. Staples was awarded a Lifetime
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Bluesweek Festival Friday, May 24 Sunday, May 26
Soldiers Memorial
Achievement Grammy in 2005, and has already been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but that hasn’t slowed her down much; you may have seen Staples easily outshine her co-stars on this year’s Grammys tribute to Levon Helm. Staples ain’t nothin’ to sneeze at, my friends. “She will bring the house down!” promises event organizer Mike Kociela. Happily, the rest of the mainstage lineup is solid too: highlights include Muddy Waters’ son Mud Morganfield, STL native Big George Brock and the always-fun Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, among others. Even with all of the additional events and workshops this year, Bluesweek is still free and all ages. “We want to welcome everyone to be a part of the historic significance that the blues have had in the development of modern American music,” says Kociela. St. Louis has every reason to be proud of the role it played in developing the texture and storyline and musicians of this uniquely American musical form. As a showcase of the blues today, Bluesweek has done an admirable job of bringing international blues musicians to our city without losing our own musicians’ contributions in the process.
12-1pm Triumvirate of jazz guitar: Tom Byrne, Dave Black & Eric Slaughter 1:15-2:30pm St. Louis Blues & Soul Revue 2:45-4pm Jeremiah Johnson Band with The Sliders 4:30-5:45pm Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials 6:15-7:30pm Marquise Knox Band 8-9:15pm Rod Piazza 9:45-11pm Mavis Staples
Sunday, May 26 12-1pm Leroy Pierson 1:15-2:15pm Big Mike Aguirre & Blue City All Stars 2:30-3:45pm Rich McDonough & Rough Grooves 4-4:45pm Silvercloud 5-6:10pm Tribute to Fontella Bass featuring Marsha Evans & The Coalition 6:30-7:40pm Scottie Miller Band 8-9pm Mud Morganfield 9:30-11pm Big George Brock
Workshop Tent Schedule Saturday, May 25 1-2:15pm Guitar workshop with Tom Maloney, Brian Curran & Billy Barnett 2:45-4pm Blues History with Fruteland Jackson 4:30-5:30pm Harmonica workshop w/ Rod Piazza & Sandy Weltman 6-7:15pm Swing dance lessons with The Sidemen 7:45-9pm Performance by Fruteland Jackson & Eric McSpadden
Sunday, May 26 1-2pm STL Blues Society meet & greet 2:15-3pm International Blues Challenge workshop 3:30-4:45pm Music industry workshop 5:15-6:30pm Performance by Joe Pastor Percussion Ensemble 7-9pm A “mini” Baby Blues Showcase featuring Rum Drum Ramblers, Paul Niehaus IV & Aaron Griffin
Movin’ and Groovin’ EUCLID RECORDS heads deeper into Old Webster, brings some new old soul to the neighborhood by Cassie Kohler
illustration by tyler gross
Euclid Records is home to Chuck Berry’s 1953 first-ever recording with Joe Alexander and the Cubans (currently on sale for $200). Jeff Tweedy did time as a record slinger behind the counter of Euclid Records—in fact, that’s where he met the future manager of Uncle Tupelo. And Euclid Records is not just a record store but a record label, releasing full-length vinyl slabs by Troubadour Dali and Sleepy Kitty, CDs by the Painkillers and The Sights, and a steady stream of collectible 45s. Euclid has been a part of St. Louis’ music culture since it first opened in 1981 in its original location at 6 N. Euclid Ave. After a shift down the street to 4906 Laclede in 1988, the store stayed put in the Central West End until 2003, when it moved out to Lockwood Avenue in Webster Groves to set up shop. And there it has stayed for a decade, serving up musical knowledge and rarities to students and hardcore collectors alike. The store became a locus for music in the neighborhood, putting on periodice
Webster Grooves: A Retro Soul Festival
with:
JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, The Bo-Keys, The Right Now, Big Brother Thunder and the MasterBlasters, Rhythm Section Road Show, Ransom Note, Papa Ray, and more
Saturday, May 18 Gore Avenue between Lockwood & the Train Tracks
sidewalk sales, Gazebo Music & Movies, live rock music at Gazebo-A-Go-Go, and lavish, weekend-long Record Store Day celebrations. Now, Euclid Records is headed in a new direction: west, to be exact, to a new home at 19 North Gore, where it will continue selling even more used and new vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, posters, music mags and audio ephemera. The move brings Euclid Records to the
quiet heart of Old Webster, just down the street from CJ Muggs. They’re taking over the building from McCaughen & Burr Gallery, knocking down walls and extensively reconfiguring the space to accommodate their gigantic album collection. (McCaughen & Burr, somewhat ironically, is relocating to the former location of Webster Records, a St. Louis music insitution in its own right for more than a half century until finally closing its doors at the beginning of 2012.) Euclid’s new location boasts two retail floors of highly organized racks and a basement for the warehouse and offices. The Lockwood location was known for their surprisingly not-terrible instore music stage, and the Euclid team is taking pains to make sure that there’s a good performance stage in the new location. “I love this new building,” says Euclid owner Joe Schwab, though he admits, “We’re trying to figure out where everything is going to go. It should have a lot of the same appeal as what we have right now, just with two floors.” It seems anyone could sympathize with the store’s reason for moving: frankly, property taxes are just too high. “Basically, it got down to the fact that we couldn’t afford rent anymore. Taxes have gone through the roof,” says Schwab. Finally, he realized that “we would actually be saving money if I bought a place as opposed to renting,” he says. “It’s property tax that forced our hand to do something.” Moving a 300,000-deep record collection presents plenty of challenges. Even though movers lend a hand with the heavy lifting, the hardest part is getting settled in. “It’s back breaking, trying to find where everything is,” says Schwab. The basement is filled with literally hundreds of boxes, all identical. “I’m looking at it all going, ‘Where’s Jazz A?’” There’s no doubt that the Euclid crew will get the set up right. “It’s organized so well,” says customer Scott Fiss. Fiss is a local DJ working under the name Left of the Dial. In his opinion, Euclid is “the only store in town with a good selection of jazz and new vinyl.” But there are risks for any business changing locations—especially record stores, which have been decimated by the rise of the mp3 and ubiquitous digital (Continued on page 19)
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Fec That Noise TOM FEC on the malevolent benificence behind TOBACCO and BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW
illustrations by Curtis Tinsley
by Nelda Kerr Black Moth Super Rainbow come from just outside of Pittsburgh, just west of Nowhere, PA, and they’re showing up at the Firebird this month to terrorize your conception of pop music with sadistic, DayGlo charm. If you don’t like the vocoder, stay home. The brainchild of Tom Fec, aka Tobacco, Black Moth Super Rainbow is kept tightly under Fec’s creative control. Since its conception in 2003, the band has been populated by mysterious characters with unclear roles and mostly unseen faces. They are partial to masks and other obfuscations, and their sixth full-length album, 2012’s Cobra Juicy, features contributions by such musicians as Iffernaut, Bullsmear, Ryan Graveface, and The Seven Fields of Aphelion (those are all the names of human beings, presumably, though nothing about the band is certain), as well as a new bass player, their fifth, who goes by the name Pony Diver. The pseudonyms help create a mystique that the band has maintained with rigor over the years. There is a distinct separation between Tobacco and Tom Fec. He uses the stage name, he explains, because “then it’s not about me. “It was never meant to be about me,” he says. The name is an exponent of his synthetic, technicolor reality. “It’s a part of that world,” he says. “It would be really boring to be just a name in that world. It’s about the idea of the person making this music, rather than the person actually making it.” Fec keeps his life very private, and has populated his projects with long-time friends. “I pretty much hit up everyone I’ve ever worked with,” he says of both BMSR and Tobacco recordings. “Mike Watt is the only guy that came to me wanting to do something.” Mike Watt, legendary bassist of The Minutemen, Firehose, and The (reunited) Stooges, teamed up with Flea and K for an all-bass cover of Black Moth Super Rainbow’s “Drippy Eye” in 2011. Fec has been racking up the accomplishments over the last decade in all of his various guises. Black Moth Super Rainbow toured with the Flaming Lips in 2007, collaborated with the Octopus Project on (memorably exclusive) SXSW sets, and recently raised $125,000 from devoted fans
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Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Hood Internet, Oscillator Bug
Wednesday, May 15 the Firebird
on Kickstarter to make Cobra Juicy. Meanwhile, under the name Demon Queen, Fec mailed tracks back and forth with Zackey Force Funk to create a wrecked rap freakollision called Exorcise Tape, due out this July. To date, though, Fec said that his favorite musical accomplishment was working with Beck on two tracks from Maniac Meat, his second solo release under the name
Tobacco. “Beck was the guy who made me understand,” he says. “That was the first music that didn’t sound like everything else. It made it feel like you could do anything and actually sound like you’re having fun doing it. And it doesn’t have to sound like it’s in the studio. A lot of [Beck’s] Mellow Gold sounds to me like it was on four-track. Even if I didn’t feel like that, how could I not have Beck on my album if he was willing to be on my album? It feels really good.“ When Black Moth Super Rainbow first started, according to Fec, no one would book them in Pittsburgh. Press was scarce too, because magazines were unwilling to print their unconventional photos, which usually depict band members in masks
or plastic bags, looking like mischievous dream-people. “Pictures of people standing against a wall—I don’t think that’s interesting,” he says frankly. “And it always pissed me off, when we started, we couldn’t get magazines to write about us because I wouldn’t give pictures like that. But it’s like, who the fuck wants to flip through a magazine and just see four people standing against the wall? And you go to the next page and it’s another four people standing against a wall. I want the music to sound like the pictures and videos, and I want the pictures and video to look like the music.” The self-contained world that Fec Tobacco creates is sickly sweet, pairing violence with play. Cobra Juicy makes this theme most pronounced, with lyrics like “Now that I got you my dreams are good / we can go fuck up the neighborhood / smash all their mailboxes and headlights / into the night.” The video for “Windshield Smasher” shows an idyllic hipster couple terrorized by a street gang in Black Moth Super Rainbow masks. The couple is force-fed birthday cake and their hair is frantically cropped before they’re left with masks of their own. I asked Fec what excites him about these themes. “Violence on its own is stupid and play on its own is stupid,” Fec answers. “Happiness and joy on its own is stupid, and sadness on its own is stupid. All those things are corny when it’s so cut and dry. Like, sometimes metal bands are so obsessed with being pure evil, that it’s like, ‘What is evil about that?’ It’s just dressed up… I think it’s a lot scarier to see the evil in something that’s fun.” It is not surprising, when listening to any of Fec’s various projects, that the phrase “psychedelic” is often applied to his work—it is fundamentally warped, and often seems to be the product of a twisted mind. But Fec resents that his carefully crafted sound is often dismissed as a drug project. “I don’t think people who do drugs are stupid,” he says. “I don’t think people who use drugs are close-minded, I don’t think they’re extra open-minded. I just think it’s a very close-minded view to credit drugs for anything you don’t understand in the first two seconds of experiencing it.”
Josh Ritter at Plush, April 20.
Black Angels from page 12 well for that perfect reverb sound. It’s that same approach that The Black Angels bring to their other efforts as well. One of those efforts is pretty gigantic: the band curates Austin Psych Fest, which pulls excellent, psych-tending bands from all over the world to their hometown. It started as a way to stand out as a band—Austin, the epicenter of music during huge festivals like SXSW, has a vibrant scene for nearly every genre you can imagine, so making an impact as a small band within a small genre can be tough. To that end, in 2008 the band worked with something called the Reverberation Appreciation Society to put together a small twelve-band showcase, which drew a pretty decent crowd, and put them on the map as ringleaders of a burgeoning psych scene. This year, the
Euclid Records from page 17 downloading. Euclid is one of the rare music stores to have survived the ‘00s—and even thrived enough to open a second Euclid Records in New Orleans last year. The current surge of enthusiasm for new releases (and re-releases) in vinyl has been a big boon. “For us, we never got out of the vinyl thing,” Schwab says. “We became a niche business for years. Now it’s sort of a different thing. We are seeing the sales go up consistently.” To celebrate the new location, Euclid is (of course!) throwing a party on opening day, May 18. Webster Grooves: A Retro Soul Festival will be a day-long event featuring vinyl-loving bands. Chicago-based headliners JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound is a band Euclid has been championing in St. Louis for a while now, and their skitchy, twitchy dance music is made for summertime in St. Louis— especially since one of their biggest hits is an electrifying soulcentric interpretation of Wilco’s “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.” “We could place ads, but I’d rather do something that’s kind of festive, and a good reason to get people to come down. Basically, we’re taking our ad budget and putting it into this festival,” says Schwab.
Photo by Jason Stoff
festival brought over 50 bands to Carson Creek Ranch in Austin, becoming an explosive exhibit of big-ticket names like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Roky Erickson, Clinic, The Raveonettes and so many more. (Seriously, check out the Austin Psych Fest site, the list is massive and impressive.) Despite having such a huge list, there’s always something weirder and freakier on the horizon. Maas in particular references all the different ways in which the psych genre has been bleeding out into others— even going so far as to say that one year, Austin Psych Fest might just reach out to Kool Keith (aka Dr. Octagon) and have him play Dr. Octagynocologist in its entirety. That’s the inclusive nature of psychedelic as a genre, Maas says: it’s really more about being experimental and trying new things than about having twisty guitars and reverb. Chicago compatriots The Right Now will be joining The Uptown Sound, as well as Memphis’ Bo-Keys, and STL’s own take on soul from, Big Brother Thunder & the Master Blasters, Rhythm Section Road Show and the always entertaining Ransom Note. Tom “Papa” Ray, the Soul Selector, brings his unwavering dedication to the turntables, alonside DJs, Hal Greens, Needles and Makossa. “People can expect that none of the music is going to suck,” Schwab says confidently. And if a day of hot buttered soul doesn’t get your needle spinning, audiographic archivist Spike Priggen is airing rare soul videos from on the stage later that night. The event takes place along Gore Avenue between Lockwood and the train tracks. St. Louis is unusually blessed with record stores, from pure used vinyl grottoes like Record Exchange and Cherokee’s new Dead Wax to mixed-format stores like Euclid, Vintage Vinyl, and Apop. Almost no city of any size in America can compare. “I think St. Louis has always been a record town,” says Schwab. “I’ve never had a problem finding records in this town. That might be a testament to a lot of different things. There’s something that’s in the air.”
elevenmusicmag.com | ELEVEN | 19
20 | ELEVEN | elevenmusicmag.com
aRRinGton de dionyso’s Malaikat dan sinGa at Blank Space
deep sea diveR, Wax Wine, Carte de Visite at Firebird*
letteR to MeMpHis at the sheldon*
tHe little BiG BanGs, Stonechat, Corrigan Brothers, Pink Sock at lemmons
tHe sWitCHBlade kid at the livery
lo-Fi CHeRokee Release paRty at Blank space
palaCe, Cowboy Indian Bear, Dots Not Feathers at off Broadway*
Tuesday, May 7
Friday, May 17
deeR tiCk, The Union Electric, Fat Tramp Food Stamp at Firebird*
Monday, May 6
Goat, Holy Wave, Tone Rodent at old Rock House*
CoRey CHisel & tHe WandeRinG sons at off Broadway*
off Broadway*
Wednesday, May 1
reCommenDeD shoWs
Charles Walker & the Dynamites
CRaWFisH Boil: Big Brother Thunder &
FiFtH annual CRaWFisH Boil with The Monads, Fattback, Deadstring Brothers at off Broadway*
saTurday, May 25
dRive-By tRuCkeRs, Old 97’s at pageant*
BlueBerry hill DuCk room, FriDay, may 24 Upon the advice of owner Roo Yawitz, I went down to the Gramophone a couple of years ago to see Charles Walker & The Dynamites, and was rocked back on my heels by the sincerity of Walker’s showmanship and the pure tastefulness of his band. Walker is a dinosaur of soul in the best way: mighty, elegant, powerful, and increasingly rare, with a stomping wail that makes the walls shake. Walker performs like his soul is on fire and like he’s got to earn our love tonight and every night. It’s a mode of stubbornly professional musicianship that somehow fell out of favor with the rise of temperamental rock artistes, and which is all the sweeter to experience in 2013. This is the real stuff of soul music, from the fiery man in front to the ace band of hardcore soul nuts in The Dynamites supporting his every move. Come ready to dance—and dress sharp, y’all, to show some respect to the real deal. Evan Sult
pHoto CouRtesy CHaRles WalkeR& tHe dynaMites
elevenmusicmag.com | ELEVEN | 21
titus andRoniCus, The So So Glos at
CHaRles BRadley & His extRaoRdinaiRes, Paul & the Tall Trees at old Rock House*
patti sMitH at Contemporary art Museum
sunday, May 5
MatHias & tHe piRates release party, Superhero Killer, Thelonius Kryptonite at the demo
CHeRokee stReet CinCo de Mayo w/ Black James, Bunnygrunt, Firedog, Mystery Band, Dock Ellis Band, The Feed, Magic City, Jon Hardy & the Public with MCs Googolplexia and Johnny V.
apop ReCoRd’s 9tH BiRtHday with Ghost Ice, CaveofswordS, Trauma Harness, Gel Set, Fielded, Umberto at plush
saTurday, May 4
BRotHeRFatHeR, Superfun Yeah Yeah Rocketship! at lemmons
BdR ReCoRds sHoWCase/Tribute Show: Max Load (Trauma Harness), The Retros (Bunnygrunt), The Welders (Kimi & the Underwires), Philosophic Collage (Spelling Bee) at Heavy anchor
Kevin Buckley is one of St. Louis’ great voices, vocally, lyrically, and harmonically. His band Grace Basement is rarely glimpsed. Attend and rejoice!
GRaCe BaseMent record release, Cassie Morgan and the Lonely Pine at off Broadway*
Friday, May 3
Don’t miss the opener! Basia Bulat fostered her feisty autoharp-driven folk by secluding herself deep in the Yukon, seeking spiritual introspection.
piCkWiCk, Basia Bulat at Off Broadway*
elsinoRe, Union Tree Review, Scarlet Tanager at Firebird
diCk dale, Lookout Joe at the Blueberry Hill duck Room
Thursday, May 2
andReW Wk, The Fuck Off And Dies at Firebird* tHe WHole eaRtH nuCleaR ukulele oRCHestRa (a benefit for KDHX) at old Rock House
tHe JunGle FiRe record release at off Broadway* BoReal Hills, Ghost Dance, Dad Jr. at Heavy anchor
el ten eleven, Michna, Nude Pop at Firebird*
t.J. MilleR, Kevin Miller at the demo
old salt union, Clusterpluck at off Broadway*
Thursday, May 16
CHuCk BeRRy at Blueberry Hill duck Room
BlaCk MotH supeR RainBoW, The Hood Internet, Oscillator Bug at Firebird*
Wednesday, May 15
BoRis, Pallbearer at Firebird
Maness BRotHeRs, Mister Blackcat, Old Capitol, Square Dance Club, Carriage House at Heavy anchor
CHaRles WalkeR & tHe dynaMites at the Blueberry Hill duck Room
Friday, May 24
Eklektrip is Screwz and Thelonious Kryptonite. This pairing plays to both of their considerable strengths.
eklektRip record release at lola
BiG Mike aGuiRRe and the Blu City All Stars at Blues City deli
FResH HeiR, Lola and the Kickbacks at the Gramophone
sunday, May 12
Thursday, May 23
saTurday, May 11
natuRal CHild, Bird Cloud at Firebird
Wednesday, May 22
soundGaRden at the pageant*
Second only to Joe’s Lounge, The Sheldon is an ideal venue to watch the Francophonic multi-instrumentalist Elsie Parker and co. elegantly accent the “Oui!” in St. Louis.
elsie paRkeR and tHe pooR people oF paRis, Bob Kramer’s Marionnettes at the sheldon*
Tuesday, May 21
JoHn lee HookeR JR., Melissa Neels Band at Broadway oyster Bar
sunday, May 19
“WHy BRy?” podCast with Kevin Smith, Bryan Johnson at Blueberry Hill duck Room
saTurday, May 118
tHis Must Be tHe Band at 2720
MaRina & tHe diaMonds, Charli XCX at the pageant*
Rosanne CasH at the sheldon*
WHeRe is My Mind toniGHt 2 with The ACBs, Plaid Dragon, Acorns To Oaks at Mushmaus
Friday, May 10
BRad paisley, Chris Young, Lee Brice at verizon Wireless amphitheather*
tHe Hooten HalleRs, The Hobosexuals, Hott Lunch at off Broadway*
CaMpeR van BeetHoven, Healing Power (formerly Pomegranates) at Firebird
kdHx’s MidWest MayHeM at City Museum
GeneRationals, Brass Bed at old Rock House
Thursday, May 9
tHe BlaCk anGels, Hanni El Khatib, Wall of Death at Firebird*
Wednesday, May 8
HaR MaR supeRstaR at Firebird
Scan this QR Code, or go to elevenMusicMag.com for a listing of club addresses. Check out our expanded calendar.elevenmusicmag.com, calendar of events at calendar.elevenmusicmag.com powered by
Mentioned this issue Comedy show * all ages
legenD
musiCalenDar
Hello Cherokee Street! Something for everyone. Our advice: if Pokey sells out, high five Humdrum at Foam, then book it up Cherokee to catch Murphy. But don’t you dare show up too cool to dance!
JaMes MuRpHy DJ set at 2720
HuMdRuM’s 100th show w/ Kid Scientist, There Is No Mountain at Foam
pokey laFaRGe album release, The Loot Rock Gang, Mariachi Los Compadres at Casa loma Ballroom*
Friday, May 31
Anything goes at the Fox
detRoit CoBRas, Pangea, Tok at Firebird
Thursday, May 30
Anything goes at the Fox
tHe HusH sound, Hockey at Firebird*
Wednesday, May 29
MeMoRial day BBQ with BiG Boi, Dam Funk, Tef Poe, Scripts N Screwz, DJ Needles at Atomic Cowboy
Monday, May 27
RoCkaBRation 3 tHe WReCkeninG: The Ottomen, Aquitaine, Picture Day, Andy Hyland, Suzie Cue, Langen Neubacher & the Defeated County at off Broadway*
sunday, May 26
an unFoRtunate WoMan at Blank space
The MasterBlasters, All Roostered Up at Broadway oyster Bar
CRaWFisH Boil: Big Brother Thunder &
Live Music
BRING ON THE NIGHT May Party artIES Apop Records’ 9th BIRTHDAY with Ghost Ice, CaveofswordS, Trauma Harness, Gel Set, Fielded, Umberto
Purity Ring at the Firebird August 26, 2012.
Jon Hardy and the Public, Off Broadway, April 8
PLUSH
Saturday, May 4
>>Preview
*Midwest Mayhem with MIDDLE Rosanne Cash CLASS FASHION, SO MANY DYNAMOS, BOTTOMS UP BLUES GANG, THIN DIMES, TOMMY HALLORAN TRIO, SHOW ME BURLESQUE and much more
city museum
Thursday, May 9
*Cinco de Mayo with Black James, Bunnygrunt, Firedog, Mystery Band, Dock Ellis Band, The Feed, Magic City, Jon Hardy & the Public, MCs Googolplexia and Johnny V. Cherokee Street
Saturday, May 4
Crawfish Boil with Big Brother Thunder & The MasterBlasters, All Roostered Up BroadwaY Oyster Bar
Saturday, May 25
*Rockabration 3 The Wreckening with The Ottomen, Aquitaine, Picture Day, Andy Hyland, Suzie Cue, Langen Neubacher & the Defeated County Off Broadway
Sunday, May 26 * = all ages 22 | ELEVEN | elevenmusicmag.com
Friday, May 10
The Sheldon* When writing about the musical progeny of famous artists, one is supposed to mention the renowned parents only in passing, almost apologetically. Otherwise, an artist such as Rosanne Cash might receive less than the considerable respect she deserves. Let’s talk about Johnny Cash for a moment. Funny thing about legendary rebels: their fans often start to believe they are themselves part owners of the legend. These fans take part in the interpretation of the artist, bending reality to emphasize a bond that makes the legend more gratifying to them. The result is a sanding down of the jagged edge that carved the icon’s rebellious path in the first place. For Johnny Cash, that jagged edge included commemorating the discriminatory suffering a Native American endured in Arizona despite his service at Iwo Jima; going on national television and singing about being stoned when covering Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down;” helping convicts up with one hand while shoving the warden into the mud with his other. I wonder how many fans who consider Johnny Cash “theirs” ignore his championing of such progressive thinking. Rosanne Cash certainly doesn’t, and she doesn’t take kindly to those who use her family for their own motives, either. When US Representative John Boehner invoked Johnny Cash in a stump speech, she
responded, “Stop using my dad’s name as a punchline, you asshat.” Further embracing the moral outspokenness of her bloodline, Ms. Cash recently recorded “Jim and George,” a song that celebrates an elderly gay couple who were her friends, with all proceeds benefiting LGBT outreach. She has similarly made a significant imprint through continuous efforts to alleviate poverty among children as well as to reduce gun violence in this country. Of course, in order to make her imprint truly her own, Ms. Cash spent many years trying to escape the long black veil of her father’s shadow, and understandably so. (Last year, after Rosanne Cash’s daughter, Chelsea Crowell, played a gig at Off Broadway, she dropped into O’Malley’s with some of us, and the musician in the corner began singing, oblivious, Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere.”) Despite her father’s omnipresence—he has indeed reached pretty much everywhere, man—Rosanne Cash has remarkably and admirably succeeded in blazing her own path. Having risen to stardom with classic albums such as Seven Year Ache and King’s Record Shop, Ms. Cash demonstrated a familiar resolve by leaving Easy Street when it led away from her own moral direction. One example: When Rosanne Cash presented her label with the album she had written during and after her divorce from fellow musician Rodney Crowell, she was informed that it was not marketable enough. After a rare career consultation with her father, who told her to “screw ‘em,” she turned her back on the Nashville estab-
Photo by Jason Stoff
= STL musician
Live Music lishment. She left for New York, where she indeed released that album, Interiors, which was her first self-produced effort and went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Interiors’ intimate portrait of suffering is among her best works. Becoming a self-proclaimed New Yorker did not end Ms. Cash’s life tribulations, of course. Since that move, she has endured brain surgery, the death of her parents, and watching firsthand with her second-grade child as a plane hit the second tower. Yet despite and at times because of such suffering, she has also created fantastic art, such as 2006’s critically acclaimed Black Cadillac, as well as her wonderfully candid memoir, Composed. She also found new love with John Leventhal, whom she married in 1995 and who will join Rosanne Cash onstage for her acoustic evening at the Sheldon. Following Black Cadillac, Ms. Cash again changed tack, explicitly embracing her lineage with 2009’s The List, a stellar sample of the one hundred standards her father had told her were the best country and American songs ever written. Now, she is going one further, recording an album of original material dedicated to the American South. Raised in California, Ms. Cash has previously described the American South as being entirely foreign territory, and
naturally, Ms. Cash’s seemingly sudden reverence towards the region has turned some heads. There is even some resentment brewing that she would dare stake claim to her own heritage. Funny thing about legendary rebels… Kyle Kapper
BLUE BEAT By Jeremy Segel-Moss
This month you will be seeing a lot of promotion for the St. Louis Bluesweek Festival on Memorial Day weekend. No doubt this will be an outstanding event full of national and local talent, blues education and barbecue. However, blues happens every single day in St. Louis. Here are three organizations to watch if blues is what sounds good to your ears. STLBLUES.NET Stlblues.net is a clearing house for all things St. Louis blues. The site hosts blues music news, CD reviews and daily updates, but its real strength is in the interactive music calendar. STLBlues’ music calendar is the most reliable place to consistently find where blues is happening in St. Louis. If you’re a blues musician yourself, it’s worth noting that posting is free and the site, according to founder Dave Beardsley, receives over a million unique visitors a year.
SAINT LOUIS BLUES SOCIETY The St. Louis Blues Society has been a part of the music community in St. Louis for almost 30 years. STLBS distributes a monthly Bluesletter, hosts several monthly events including Blue Sundays on the last Sunday of each month at the Great Grizzly Bear in Soulard, and is currently organizing to send St. Louis representatives to the International Blues Challenge. Most information is available on the website, but for a more personal experience, you can meet the St. Louis Blues Society at Bluesweek on Sunday, May 26 in the Workshop Tent from 1-2pm. stlouisbluessociety.org THE NATIONAL BLUES MUSEUM The National Blues Museum is the new kid on the block. While still in the fundraising process, the plan is to install a worldclass attraction at 6th and Washington that will host a state-of-the-art museum with a 100-seat theatre, artifact-driven exhibits and plenty of public programming. The museum is currently raising money one dollar at a time with Buck Up For The Blues, which offers anyone the opportunity to be a part of the Museum from the ground up. The Blues Museum website gives a clear view of the plan, as well as support videos from such St. Louisians as John Goodman and Denise LaSalle. nationalbluesmuseum.org
elevenmusicmag.com | ELEVEN | 23
Album Reviews
HOT ROCKS = STL release
Guest List
Each month we ask a specialist to pick some favorites. This month’s current-rotation list is assembled by tom ackerman, host and sportscaster at 1120 kmox. Grateful Dead “Eyes of the World,” One from the Vault
The best version of one of the Dead’s defining songs. Outstanding sound quality.
Widespread Panic “C. Brown,” Widespread Panic
I’ve always loved this early album. It gets better with age.
the Black crowes “Thorn In My Pride,” Croweology
Acoustic arrangements of their classics. At the 5:00 mark, this track takes off.
chris robinson Brotherhood “Tomorrow Blues,” Big Moon Ritual
All the Crowes lead singer does is make great albums.
Honey Island Swamp Band “Chocolate Cake,” Good To You
Saw them in their hometown of New Orleans on a Friday night at d.b.a. Killer show. Hooked.
the Samples “When It’s Raining,” No Room
Boulder band brings back many high school and college memories for me.
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit “Alabama Pines,” Here We Rest
Former Drive By Truckers singer/guitarist is an excellent storyteller. Windows down.
the Gaslight anthem “Howl,” Handwritten
A two-minute explosion of sound that leaves you wanting more.
Phish “Limb By Limb,” Chaifetz Arena 8-28-12
Awesome version of this song that led to a memorable finish at their most recent St. Louis show.
rolling Stones “Tumbling Dice,” Exile On Main St.
Because they’re the best. And because they played this when I snuck into their sound check at the Hollywood Bowl.
24 | ELEVEN | elevenmusicmag.com
Parquet Courts
Light Up Gold What’s Your Rupture
I was trying to get some work done at Meshuggah’s on the Loop, but no dice: the stereo was playing some killer ‘90s tracks I couldn’t quite place but couldn’t tune out. I thought I heard The Fall, maybe some obscure Pavement B-side (it’d have to be really obscure—I’ve heard them all), a Guided By Voices burner. Finally I had to ask whose mix this was. The guy behind the counter said it was Parquet Courts. Cool, I said, though I’d never heard the name. What was the song before that? Turns out the whole thing was Parquet Courts, working a line of brainy punky wordy satisfyingly hooky rock music that anyone who loves Pavement will either love or, upon discovering its recent vintage, decide to hate. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can say that I’ve missed these sounds for the last decade every bit as much as Parquet Courts obviously has, and I welcome new songs in the field. There’s some kind of chord relationship between the bass and the two guitars, some certain out-of-tune tunefulness and feedbacky yowl, that was the real alternative inside “alternative” music of a certain era in the ‘90s, the thing that tied Superchunk to Pavement to Sonic Youth to Bedhead to Eric’s Trip—to Bunnygrunt, for that matter. Parquet Courts has inscribed that tone
The Rebellious Jukebox
inside every song on this album. In the last month Light Up Gold has already grown to classic status in my head. As strong as opener “Master of My Craft” is, with its sardonic claim that “Socrates died in the fucking gutter!,” second song “Borrowed Time” is the album’s first slay track. From there it’s a juggernaut: every intro to every song triggers a cascade of angular guitar lines, driving bass, lyric-crammed verses and hook-barbed choruses. The songs flash by—of 15 songs, seven are under two minutes. So “Donuts Only” swaggers, “Stoned and Starving” kicks around New York, “Caster of Worthless Spells” builds the dissonant tension, and “Disney P.T.” thrusts us back into the action. The hooks are everywhere—in the guitar lines, in singer Andrew Savage’s anti/melodic delivery, in the loping bass. Maybe that’s part of the pleasure here: Parquet Courts feels like a band, depending on each other to keep crafting winners. Does it matter that “Careers in Combat” or “N Dakota” could have appeared on Slanted and Enchanted? (One lyric, “There are no more art museums to guard,” may even be referencing the job where Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus first met David Berman.) Or that the album cover looks like it was designed by Malkmus? Maybe, if it felt calculated instead of joyful, and if the album were any less satisfying to dive into. But I’m not going to blame Parquet Courts for exercising an enthusiasm so many of us share. This album speaks in a recognizable voice, and we’re all richer for getting to hear some new variations on the lingo. Bully for them. Evan Sult
Life at 45 RPM by Matt Harnish
I sometImes wonder If people think I make some of these records up. I mean, I certainly hadn’t ever heard of BarBara Lee before stumbling across her 45 at the Value Village a few years ago. The most I got from internet searching was that “Barbara Lee” was the stage name of one Barbara Levvintre, but that’s as far as I got. The songs themselves aren’t online anywhere, which means none of you are likely to ever hear the sass-country ladies anthem “A Single Lady In A Singels Bar.” Yeah, it’s misspelled right there on the label. Oops! The song is an unintentionally creepy snapshot of its time (1981), glibly revealing the fear & dread hiding behind the “good times” of the singles bar lifestyle in ways that Ms Lee may not have even realized. Less exciting is side two’s Jimmy Buffett-ish “I Think I’m Dying a Little Each Day,” which is a much more straightforward run through much less ambitious territory. Cassie Morgan is nothing if not ambitious on her debut vinyl release. Having made a well-deserved name for herself around town by pairing the sparse, assured beauty of her songs with the quietly Rube Goldberg-ish backing instrumentation of The Lonely Pine (Beth Bombara), Ms Morgan goes full band on this one. A full drum kit, multiple electric guitars, & even some well-placed horns provide lush backing for “A Day Longer” & “Wake Up,” without overwhelming the warm intimacy of the vocals. These songs would be just as fully formed heard on an acoustic guitar in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere, but these versions will sound better when they’re the last songs of the night on the jukebox at the singels bar.
Album Reviews
Kentucky Knife Fight Hush Hush Self Release
Jason Holler is aptly named. The fiery frontman of these Midwestern rabblerousers, whose style can be best described as Old 97’s by way of Tom Waits, can bottle up or throttle up equally well, leaving a bloody trail of tunes in his wake. Nothing survives here, not even the paper flowers. Hush Hush, the band’s third record, showcases Holler’s talent for country-fried wailing alt-country that is their signature, while tempering that raw power with some pure Southern darkness. Opener “Paper Flowers Three” is submerged in murky piano lines and a roomy hiss like it’s taking place in an abandoned hotel on the edge of a town called madness. The Paper Flowers narrative recurs throughout, allowing the album’s murderous subject matter to glisten through the darkness. Kentucky Knife Fight’s strength has always been the ensemble playing: the one-two knockout of Curt Brewer and Nate Jones on dueling guitars, gutbucket bass courtesy of Jason Koenig and tied-to-thetraintrack drums from James Baker. This time around, the effect is further uplifted
by well-placed guest vocals from Bruiser Queen’s Morgan Nusbaum and The Blind Eyes’ Seth Porter. Kentucky Knife Fight’s classic revengetherapy lyrics pierce the veil between altcountry and death metal. And that’s where Holler and company really hit their mark – this collection of tunes splits the difference between Nick Cave’s murder balladeering and Craig Finn of The Hold Steady’s seedy characterizations, knocking back stories of addiction, love, pain, death and all points in between. JaSon RobinSon
Javelin
Hi Beams Luaka Bop
It seems that spring has finally sprung, as it were, and the sun is shining on the indie scene. Electro cousins Tom Van Buskirk and George Langford, together known as Javelin, started creating avant-garde sound collages together in 2005. Indie blogs were all abuzz over their selfreleased demos, and by 2010 they signed to David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label. Hi Beams, their first official studio album, builds upon the heavy sampling and lo-fi tinkering of their previous releases, adding sharper guitars, overblown beats, and slicker production. They sound less
like a laptop version of Ween now and more like a cross between their contemporaries Tanlines and Yeasayer. The goal this time around was to construct rock-solid tracks that could be performed with a band live in concert. The album opens with “Light Out,” nodding to the raw and emotional openness of being a performer. That song sets the bar high with military snare rolls, cello hook, and seamless harmonies, but the strength of the record lies in its golden center a few tracks later on “Airfield.” Flowers bloom as Hi Beams hits the dance floor, then are suddenly paved over by the hefty rock guitars on the sing-songy “Friending.” The album doesn’t lack for brightness. In “L’Ocean,” a looping cluster of vocals promises that “Everyone around you / Will be there to help you / They’ll come out to find you,” and sunny love song “Drummachines” drips with enough pop nectar to attract both the birds and the bees. Love and desire get a little remix on closer “The Stars,” where Javelin’s close male harmonies glide above a rhythm section directly referencing Phil Spector’s rich, yearning Wall of Sound treatment of The Crystals’ “And Then He Kissed Me.” After a few years of jumbling around sounds, Javelin is right to focus their attention on writing consistent pop songs, because it’s a goddamn beautiful thing. Jack PRobSt
elevenmusicmag.com | ELEVEN | 25
Ephemera
THE WAY BACK PAGE
Black Irish Press The Black Angels, Sleepy Sun / El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, CA
Ryan Rhodes The Black Angels, Tia Carrera / La Zona Rosa in Austin, TX
Paper Time Machine
Curated by Paige Brubeck
Methane Studios The Black Angels, Black Mountain / The Earl in Atlanta, GA
Cryptogram Ink The Black Angels, Suuns / Southgate House in Newport, KY
A common route to becoming a fulltime designer/printmaker is making art for your own projects. Like many others, I set up my first “screenprinting studio” in my Chicago apartment in order to make posters for my own band, and that eventually led to other projects. So one of the most interesting challenges as a printmaker is making a poster for a band that has a designer in it. The Black Angels are one of those bands. Guitarist Christian Bland has created the Austin psych band’s album artwork, and given The Black Angels a distinct style that refers to ‘60s psychedelic art but still looks fresh and modern. If you’re not familiar, pick up a copy of 2010’s gorgeous Phosphene Dream. This month, with The Black Angels playing at Firebird, Paper Time Machine focuses on posters for the band by other designers that refer to Bland’s recognizable style without trying to completely mimic it, as well as a collaboration between Christian Bland and Rob Fitzpatrick for Austin Psych Fest 3. Also, keep an eye out for Jason Potter’s poster for their show this month here in town.
26 | ELEVEN | elevenmusicmag.com
Print Mafia The Black Angels, Vietnam / Mercy Lounge in Nashville, TN
Steve Verseckes The Black Angels, Pure X, Wall of Death / Granada Theater in Dallas TX
The Comet Substance The Black Angels / Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg Germany
Furturtle Printworks The Black Angels, Spell Talk / Urban Lounge in Salt Lake City, UT
Sleepy Kitty The Black Angels, SUUNS, Tone Rodent / Old Rock House
Rob Fitzpatrick and Christian Bland Austin Psych Fest: The Black Angels, Silver Apples, The Warlocks, Gaslamp Killer, Dutchess and the Duke, The Voices Voices, Pure Ecstasy, Sky Parade, Mondo Drag / The Mohawk in Austin, TX
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH THE MUD HOUSE
STL STYLEHOUSE
Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Why not spend all day here! Warm coffee and sweet brownies are always appreeciated when winter begins!
St. Louis-inspired wearables, custom screen printing and graphic design. You can’t spell STYLE without STL!
Cherokee Street 2101 Cherokee St (63118) 776-6599 | themudhousestl.com
Cherokee Street 3159 Cherokke St (63118) 494-7763 | stl-style.com
ST. LOUIS CURIO SHOPPE
FLOWERS TO THE PEOPLE
Everything is 100% St. Louis! We offer goods from local entrepreneurs, authors, musicians, & artists within a 50-mile radius. Shop for locally made books, music, films, fine art, jewelry, and curiosities.
Full-service floral & gift boutique, specializing in locally & sustainably grown flowers. All retail gifts made by local STL artists. Delivery available in the metro area.
Cherokee Street 2301 Cherokee St (63118) 771-6353 | stlcurioshoppe.com
Cherokee Street 2317 Cherokee St. (63118) 762-0422 | flowerstothepeople.biz
FOAM COFFEE & BEER
STRANDS
Off-beat decor, snack plates, free WiFi and weekly events and live shows. The definitive place to work by day or hang out by night.
A relaxing boutique salon in the historic DeMun area, Strands draws inspiration from the world of fashion and art to stay on top of current trends. They create designs to showcase your individual beauty!
Cherokee Street 3359 S. Jefferson (63118) 772-2100 | foamstl.com
Demun 730 Demun Ave. (63105) 725-1717 | strands-hair.com
SASHA’S ON SHAW
CITY DINER AT THE FOX LATE NIGHT CLUB
Great wines, the best cheeses, always served late! The Shaw neighborhood’s best bar, in the shadow of the garden.
Shaw 4069 Shaw Blvd (63110) 771-7274 | sashaswinebar.com
Complete with food and drink, the Club hosts a variety of unique DJs spinning reggae, ska, soul, ’60s garage, surf, and rockabilly every Saturday night from 10:30pm until 3am! Midtown 541 North Grand Blvd (63103) 533-7500
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