AMR Podcast #8: Typhoon - Offerings and Chamber/Baroque Rock

Instead of making the entry 1st and then making a podcast, I decided to do the opposite previewing what may be in the Chamber/Baroque Rock/Pop/Folk entry.

Also initially sparked-by Offerings, just giving initial thoughts on this great new album from Typhoon.

I do think there is almost a yearning to do something soon about progtessive college rock in the 2000's and nostalgia. Maybe a Top 10 Albums or something, initially. Maybe make a podcast or video about that specifically.

I of course didn't mention every name, namely Sufjan Stevens who may be the most successful/popular/influential artist making Chamber Rock, but so be it. He'll be included in the actual entry.

I also failed to mentioned The River Empires as well..but there's many others of course.

The Polyphonic Spree - Yes, It's True (2013)

5/22/13 11:08PM

story

Here's an update; so apparently the cover art they shared with the Kickstarter update was premature? or maybe there could be 2 covers?

They are playing at The Varsity Theater again on June 28th, although I may or may not go. Considering the number of concerts lined up right now this Summer (Josh Rouse, Fitz and the Tantrums and Yes) I may have to think more about that show.

Also the official Street/Release date for this album is August 6th I guess.




1 You Don't Know Me
2 Popular by Design
3 Hold Yourself Up
4 Carefully Try
5 You're Golden
6 Heart Talk
7 Blurry Up the Lines
8 Let Them Be
9 Raise Your Head
10 What Would You Do?
11 Battlefield



3/2/13 1:02PM
So below is a press release for The Polyphonic Spree's upcoming LP "Yes, It's True" sent as an update to the Kickstarter Backers (as I am). May 28th release date.

Also included were 2 songs, 1 which I heard most of "You Plus Me" which isn't on the album, sounded very Orchestral? or Pastoral?..it was odd, and had no vocals from what I could tell. "You Don't Know Me," which is the 1st track on Yes, It's True, sounds more traditional in their spiritual pop style.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2013

'Yes It's True,' Rock's "Heavenly Choir" The Polyphonic Spree Return, 5.28

On 'Yes, It's True' (May 28, Good Records) - The Polyphonic Spree's first studio album of original material since 2007 - "the idiosyncratic Dallas symphonic pop collective" (Los Angeles Times) delivers its most personally charged work to date while retaining the "exuberance of a heavenly choir" (NPR).
Frontman Tim DeLaughter describes 'Yes, It's True' as the band's most unorthodox recording session to date, producing the album in stages and recording a holiday release midway through tracking. As a result, the 11 tracks are particularly diverse, ranging from the euphoric "You Don't Know Me" and somberly anthemic “Blurry Up The Lines," to the reflective “Battlefield,” which DeLaughter describes as his "most personal contribution."
'Yes, It's True' caps a whirlwind 2012 for The Polyphonic Spree in which the band recorded two albums, traversed the US on two tours, debuted their rendition of 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' in London, captured a live concert DVD, and released 'Holidaydream: Sounds of the Season Vol. 1.' The band has released four studio albums, headlined major US and international festivals, and even performed at the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

1) You Don't Know Me
2) Popular By Design
3) Hold Yourself Up
4) Carefully Try
5) You're Golden
6) Heart Talk
7) Blurry Up The Lines
8) Let Them Be
9) Raise Your Head
10) What Would You Do?
11) Battlefield

Upcoming Tour Dates
Tuesday 3/12 Club Deville 900 Red River St 6:45pm All Ages
Tuesday 3/12 Red 7 Patio 611 E 7th St 1:00am All Ages
Thursday 3/14 The Main 603 Red River St 12:30am 21+
Friday 3/15 "Brooklyn Vegan" The Main 603 Red River St 5pm 21+
Saturday 3/16 "The Big One 2013" 1100 Warehouse 1100 E. 5th Street 4:45pm 21+

The Polyphonic Spree: Kickstarter

Kickstarter Link



Pretty large sum there, but given the number of things they are looking to help *kickstart* (Live CD, Documentary DVD, new studio record), and the number of people involved with the 'Spree, 100K may not seem so outrageously high.

Plus it's not like they're a completely obscure band (despite their hiatus of sorts from '2008-2010). I still say, all the lemmings who kiss the ass of Arcade Fire should appreciate these guys a ton more. But whatevah.

They're at 30K with 44 days left. With others I have been skeptical, but after seeing most of those succeed, I'd be a bit surprised if this one did not succeed as well.

Mutemath w/ Canon Blue @ First Ave (2/18/12)

Mutemath is a band who I have now seen live 6 times. And unlike even some of my favorite and best live bands, they still have yet to perform an even so-so show. Every concert I've seen from them has had this great energy. The group drumming especially, as I've said about them and the other A-list live bands in recent years, really could show all the so-called "jam bands" actually how to "Jam" without the jams going on way past their welcome.



So this 6th concert of theirs on Saturday night, included those jams, and actually a LOT MORE.

A lot more I say, because for a band who have done so much with their live shows, this show still included more things that were unexpected, which I wasn't sure they could/would do.




those were things such as beginning the show, marching from the back of the crowd up to the stage.

-Paul Meany crowd surfing on a LIGHTED UP mattress that was pushed/moved by the full-size crowd, while he he was doing his vocals, along with confetti being sprayed into the air ala The Polyphonic Spree or Sigur Ros

-Darren King playing at least 1 snare/kickdrum into, on top of the crowd. While sporting a bow tie, which was sort of Mayer Hawthorne-esque and fitting, given a Couple at the show were just married and not changed since their ceremony

Playing the entire new record Odd Soul live. Here's a setlist I found online, which I'm assuming is the same.

Odd Soul
Prytania
Blood Pressure
Spotlight
Tell Your Heart Heads Up
Sun Ray
Allies
Clipping
Backfire
Plan B
Cavalries
Obsolete
Walking Paranoia
One More
Stall Out
In No Time
Noticed
Chaos
Equals
All Or Nothing
Control
Break the Same
Quarantine

Reset
Collapse
Typical

So it was probably a bit longer than any of the 5 previous Mutemath shows I've seen, being around 2 hours in 15 minutes (assuming the band began at 7:45PM like they said they would on twitter/facebook, in order to avoid the curfew problems of the 2 previous shows).

Despite a few sound issues early on (on 1 track, I'm thinking Spotlight perhaps?) the crowd even assisted in singing/humming the vocals and guitar melody at 1 point. And what seems almost predictable at 1st Ave among other venues, the frequent intermittent BRIGHT WHITE LIGHTS, which I failed to have shades to assist my avoiding. The issue I have with those lights, was slightly annoying, but didn't detract from the show much. Although I guess my beef with them at 1st Ave and other places (Station 4, Varsity namely) is probably better due for another entry/soapbox altogether.

Overall though, this was definitely better than their last (1st?) show at First Ave in 2009 (which wasn't a bad show itself) and one of the best shows I've seen from them and in 2012 thus far. They're just never boring, frequently engaging, and always seem to keep your attention. And the Odd Soul stuff works great live. The funky/groovy stuff especially. I think I've come up a little bit on that record in that it may be their best. It's certainly close, and seeing it in its entirety live, enhances it to me, as that can often happen. Darren King alone is pretty mind blowing to watch. He's so remarkably tight on his fills. He has a tiny kit, but he gets such a FAT sound out of his snare, and has those lightning quick fills. He's almost like Keith Moon in that sense. He's maybe even more notice-able on Odd Soul, than their other records.

As far as Canon Blue, even as short a set as they had (about 35 minutes?), they were also impressive playing a handful of tunes off their great new album Rumspringa which I picked up on Vinyl. I liked, how like Mutemath, they get their whole band it seemed, involved in the percussion. One of the members of their band is Jeremy Larson, and in speaking with Daniel James (who now I understand, is more or less Canon Blue), Jeremy is involved with Darren King of Mutemath and Stacy Dupree-King from Eisley in the new project Sucré.

But Jeremy Larson, I guess is classically trained, and has a great background with composition/arranging strings and other chamber/baroque featured instrumentation. Which honestly, if Sucré is even half as good as I think it may be, I am going to want to check out his previous music. It wouldn't surprise me if he had something to do with some of the extra instrumentation with Rumspringa.

I.e., could he be in the class of a Casey Crescenzo, Jessy Ribordy or even Brooke Waggoner? if he is, I'm rather curious.