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The Fun Police are, well, fun

Scott Mathews

The Fun Police

The Fun Police are… well… fun! A quick listen of their most recent EP, Spring Break EP, had me dancing in my seat. Released for free at their website, www.thefunpolicemusic.com, the EP is three songs long with “Gringo Merengue,” “We Don’t Want No More,” and “Rather Be Dead.” The Fun Police are a refreshing reggae/ska band from Tacoma, Wash., with an impressive range of musical talent. With hints of blues, jazz, and frequent tongue-in-cheek lyrics, the band guides listeners through layers upon layers of funky, fun music. Definitely worth the listen, even (if not especially) for those not familiar with the genre.

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March 22, 2010 Tags: ,
Posted in Artist Spotlight, MusicGeek.org, Seattle, Washington No Comments »

David Lynch, Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse project rumored for summer release

Scott Mathews

Dark Night of the Soul is an album written by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse that was planned for release with a book of photos by David Lynch. The book of photos was released in early 2009. Due to disputes with the record label, though, the album was not released with the book of photos — instead a blank CD-R labeled: “For legal reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.”

The album is now rumored for release for Summer 2010. From what we’ve heard of the album so far, this is nothing like the Broken Bells collaboration of Danger Mouse and James Mercer. It has a dark, surreal feeling — full of complex layers of mind-bending sounds and faraway vocals, all quite fitting for a David Lynch art project.

The album features a wide range of artists, including James Mercer, The Flaming Lips, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Frank Black of the Pixies, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, David Lynch, Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Gerbils. (NPR)

The book, Dark Night of the Soul is available for purchase on their official website, www.dnots.com. You can also listen to the entire album at NPR.org/music.

March 6, 2010 Posted in News, Playlists, Video No Comments »

People Eating People, Nouela Johnston’s jazzy new solo project, is catching fire

Scott Mathews

Nouela and Brian at The Sunset (credit: Christen Shaw)

People Eating People is the solo piano pop project of Seattle artist Nouela Johnston, and it is absolutely astounding. Johnston has gone through much turbulence to arrive at her current position. In 2007, Johnston was locked into a contract with Mon Frere, the band who won the SoundOff! Battle of the Bands in 2007, which she immediately regretted. Johnston dropped from the band which caused her “[…] a shit-ton of legal messes,” as she explained to The Stranger earlier this week. Unable to release her own music until, among other things, the sum of $5,000 be paid to Cake Records, and she played and toured for-hire with three other bands: Say Hi, Fall of Troy, and Creature Feature. All the while, Johnston was recording a demo which eventually reached the hands of Nabil Ayers, current label manager for 4AD, who offered to release her full-length album.

Her self-titled album, People Eating People, released in November 2009, is an emotional outpouring of jazzy vocals and piano. Johnston is classically trained in jazz piano — she began performing recitals by the age of 4. Being that she is classically trained, her music is technically masterful and complex — her vocals are to match. Her lyrics are personal and emotionally driven; we can see such in “I Hate All My Friends.” Pounding and fast jazz keys supplement her apparent anger as she sings a tale of lies and deceit. With “All The Hospitals,” Johnston shows her flexibility as a jazz pianist. Fluctuating, complex rhythms, all the while delivering the similarly fluctuating jazz-style vocals. A highly emotional tale of depression, making references to suicide amongst other things; “don’t cut too deep, take all those pills…don’t swallow… everyone you love is on your side.”

People Eating People — “All the Hospitals,” from People Eating People (2009) | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/PeopleEatingPeople.mp3]

See below for upcoming shows, live videos, and a video interview.

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March 4, 2010 Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington No Comments »

Minus the Bear debut track “My Time” for their upcoming album

Scott Mathews

Minus the Bear

Today Minus the Bear have premiered “My Time,” the first track from their upcoming album, Omni, due May 4, 2010. Immediately noticeable is the lack of guitar playing from Dave Knudson which we hear none of on the first track. Instead, Knudson has integrated a new instrument into their arrangement: the Omnichord. With the introduction of the Omnichord and lack of guitar, Knudson brings a much stronger pop sound to the track than ever before. We’re unsure of what to expect for the rest of the album, but it is likely that we will still hear the guitar on the other tracks based on Dave Knudson’s chat with Spinner.

Minus the Bear will be performing songs from their new album at SXSW Music Festival, as well as Sasquatch! Music Festival. They will also begin their tour starting in April. Tour dates have yet to be announced, but you can keep an eye out for updates on their website, minusthebear.com/tour

March 3, 2010 Tags: ,
Posted in News No Comments »

Matt Pond PA’s “The Dark Leaves” is a musically mature, folk influenced, indie-pop/rock masterpiece

Scott Mathews

Matt Pond PA (credit: Jacob Pritchard)

With their upcoming release, The Dark Leaves, Matt Pond PA has made some positive adjustments to their usual indie-rock-influenced style. Matt Pond PA, while retaining their notable pop sound, seem to be floating into folk territory with this album with the soft-spoken lyrics, acoustic guitar, mandolin, and accompanying strings — dropping much of the electronics heard in their previous album, Several Arrows Later.

The first track, “Starting,” sets us off in the right direction — poppy, flowing lyrics, strings, and keys provide us a genuinely delightful music listening experience that begs the listener to snap right along with the music. “Starting” is done in a style mostly reminiscent of their previous album, Several Arrows Later, unlike the rest of the album which gives us a new and unique style.

Matt Pond PA — “Starting,” from The Dark Leaves (2010)
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Matt-Pond-PA-Starting.mp3]

March 2, 2010 Posted in Album Reviews, MusicGeek.org No Comments »

REVIEW: Panther Attack! gives us heart-pounding, funky post-rock

Scott Mathews

Panther Attack! @ Club Tropical (credit unknown)

Panther Attack!’s full-length album, Martyr Bonus, was released in 2007. The quartet, from Seattle, Wash., is composed of a bassist, guitarist, and two drummers — with one drummer often trading out as the second guitarist. Martyr Bonus is their first and only full-length album to date, with Sharp Moments EP being their only other recorded release. Martyr Bonus is a wonderful instrumental album tilting from groovy post-punk to shoegaze.

The first track on the album, “Frolic, Just Don’t Lick,“ is slow to crescendo and has a shoegaze feel. It lays out the groovy standard to come throughout the album. The guitars have a muddy feel in this track and, appropriately, croaking frogs. Layered cleverly through the guitars, the bass pulls us slowly forward through the mud, reminiscent of plodding through a swampy, hazy field. The drums are absent through the entirety of this track.

Moving forward two tracks to “Stands About, With Dumb Look On Face,” we are immediately greeted face paced guitar and dual drum kits wailing away. Jazzy scales take us from fast and loud to quiet and slow, and back again. The drum kits in this track are a delight. They are responsible for much of the feverish feeling throughout this six-minute-long track. From here on out, the entire album feels much more jazzy than the initial two tracks.

February 25, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews, Seattle, Washington No Comments »

Matt Pond PA “Starting” 7-inch available now; new album drops in April

Scott Mathews

Matt Pond PA, credit: Jeremy Balderson

April 6, 2010, Matt Pond PA, indie-pop all-star band from New York, NY, will be releasing their latest album The Dark Leaves on Altitude Records. Currently, their single “Starting” is available for download on Paste. In November, Matt Pond PA released a limited edition EP showcasing the single. The EP, THREEEP, includes 3 A-side tracks, instrumentals, and 3 additional B-side tracks. Currently, their “Starting” 7″ is available for purchase on Altitude Records. The three song EP includes “Starting” as well as “The Colour Out of Space” and “Stopping.”

In addition to the upcoming release of The Dark Leaves, Matt Pond PA lead man, Matt, and Chris Hansen, guitarist and keyboardist – have composed a motion picture soundtrack for the feature film, Lebanon, premiering Spring 2010 at SXSW Film Festival. See more information about Lebanon here: lebanonpamovie.com.

Matt Pond PA will be performing at SXSW this year, and will be touring with The Wooden Birds through February and March; The Wooden Birds are also appearing at SXSW.

Matt Pond PA — “Starting,” from Starting 7″ (2010) | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Matt-Pond-PA-Starting.mp3]

See below for a video and tour dates from Matt Pond PA.

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February 24, 2010 Posted in Downloads, News, Video 1 Comment »

Exciting new Puget Sound psych-folk quintet The Cat From Hue embodies Seattle environment

Scott Mathews

The Cat From Hue, indie/psych-folk quintet from Camano Island, Washington, are an interesting listen. Clearly influenced by other indie bands from the northwest, Modest Mouse and Portugal. The Man, this young group uniquely portrays the Puget Sound in their lyrics alongside upbeat, folksy instrumentals. In “Welcome Back The Rain,” through well constructed folk guitar, slow drum beats, tambourine, and high keys, their music emulates the sound and feeling of a typical rainy day in the Puget Sound. Their lyrics in this song are delivered strong and sleepy, with the verse declaring “We watch the days run down to the hour change/We watch the green leaves turn around, and walk through the sleet and the rain…” and more cleverly sour lyrics regarding the Seattle music scene: “I hear the Puget Sound is Land of the Green/I reciprocate the meaning with the speech about the scene […] just a crow in my crow’s nest/tippin’ back my Seattle’s Best Coffee.”

The Cat From Hue — “Welcome Back The Rain,” from Shoreline
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/04-Welcome-Back-The-Rain.mp3]

The Cat From Hue — “Stumble On,” from Shoreline
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/03-Stumble-On.mp3]

The Can From Hue are currently unsigned and have many shows lined up. To see more information about the band visit their myspace, myspace.com/catfromhue, or visit them on Facebook. See below for a video of them live, acoustic, as well as a look at their upcoming shows.

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February 23, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington, Video 1 Comment »

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