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Green Day’s ‘Warning’ an album screaming political transition

Matthew Montgomery

Warning

Green Day is an influential and largely controversial punk-influenced rock band that came out of the punk/ska scene of Berkley, Calif., in 1987. The evolution of their albums suggests a move from self-involvement, indulgence, and youthful unrest to a higher, more universal, and more political purpose. Warning, released in 2000, is a pivitol album on the road to later, more politically charged, albums. It mixes angst, sex, and social commentary and is their most musically eclectic album to date. Their political voice is more honed and relevant with every album — everything about Warning screams transition. The band is made up of three extremely talented men, and the music is only getting better as they get more popular, more visible, and more political.

The first and title track addresses a society that is concerned with their safety and taking great measures to ensure it:

“Better homes and safety-sealed communities
Did you remember to pay the utility?
Caution: Police line, you better not cross.
Is it the cop, or am I the one thats really dangerous?
Sanitation, expiration date, question everything.
Or shut up and be a victim of authority”

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February 25, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Album Reviews, Features 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.

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Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews, Seattle, Washington No Comments »

SPOTLIGHT: Lightspeed Champion releases new full length LP

Jared Montgomery

Lightspeed Champion

Lightspeed Champion is the brain child of Devonté Hynes and has been active since 2005. In 2007, he released Falling off the Lavender Bridge to critical acclaim. This record was recorded and produced in Omaha, Nebraska with the help of Saddle Creek producer Mike Mogis.   Mogis is most famous for his work with Connor Oberst and Bright Eyes. Falling off the Lavender Bridge has a star studded guest list, including Nate Walcott, pianist and trumpet player for Bright Eyes, and The Faint drummer Clark Baechle.

Now, in 2010, Hynes has finally released the followup to 2007’s Falling off the Lavender Bridge, titled Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You and is a bit more complex than the initial Lightspeed Champion release. Where Falling off the Lavender Bridge is often simple and poppy, the new record is thick and speckled with new sounds. Now, it’s not to say that Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You doesn’t feel like the same band that captured the indie folk scene’s heart back in 2007, but it is definitely a departure from the earlier release. Devonté’s voice is definitely stronger on this release. The 2007 release had a kind of sweet nervousness to the vocals, which have since been replaced with vocals soaring with confidence and intention.

You can currently purchase the both Lightspeed Champion albums at Domino Record’s website on vinyl for $12.99, CD for $8.99 and digital for $7.99. The band is currently touring the UK and western Europe.

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Posted in Albums in Brief, Artist Spotlight, Reviews, Video No Comments »

Incendiary new Alkaline Trio album smashes into stores

Jared Montgomery

Alkaline Trio

Alkaline Trio

On February 23rd, 2010, Alkaline Trio released their 7th studio album, This Addiction. The album opens with the explosive title track, “This Addiction.” Fast paced and full of catchy guitar riffs, if the opening track is any sign of what’s to come with this album, it’s sure to be an instant hit. The album continues with “Dine, Dine My Darling,” which is full of big guitars and anthemic vocals. From the first two tracks alone, it’s obvious that the band is trying to get back to their punk rock roots, and it seems to be working.

Alkaline Trio started in 1996, releasing their first full length EP in 1998, Goddamnit. In the last 14 years since Alkaline Trio’s inception, they have seen great success with their often dark and macabre lyrics mixed with catchy punk rock guitar. The band saw their first big success with the release of From Here to Infirmary in 2001. Nine years later, the band has left their major label and self-released the new album on guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba’s own Heart and Skull label, in conjunction with Epitaph. Skiba has attributed Alkaline Trio’s move from major label Epic to their own label to releases such as Nine Inch Nails’ Ghosts I-IV (2007) and Radiohead’s In Rainbows (2007).


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February 23, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Album Reviews, Released this Week, Video No Comments »

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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Posted in Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington, Video 1 Comment »

Unique multi-instrumentalist Whitney Flinn of Hooves and Beak advances to Sound Off! finals

Scott Mathews

Hooves and Beak, credit: Brady Harvey

Whitney Flinn of Hooves and Beak, originally from Lawrence, Kansas, is currently on extended hiatus in Seattle, Washington. A participant in the Sound Off! Battle of the Bands, Flinn advanced to the finals of the Sound off! Battle of the Bands with a performance Saturday.The Sound Off! Finals will be held on March 6th at the EMP|SFM, the Experience the Music Project, and Science Fiction Museum.

Flinn is the sole member of Hooves and Beak and an inspiring musician. She masters the layering of strong, emotional vocals with harp, piano, accordion, banjo, and guitar — all self-taught. The vocals in her current recordings are vaguely reminiscent of other female indie vocalists — namely Joanna Newsom. Setting her apart is the clear emotional influence behind her words and supplemental strings. Flinn plays her harp in a colorful, folk style unlike any I’ve heard. Her voice is strong and clear, and her strings emulate this. In “Doorman’s Song,” Flinn sings of lost love, an addiction to drinking — all wrapped in her uniquely forlorn harp she creates a heart-wrenching and beautiful anthem.

More information about the Sound Off! may be found at their website, empsfm.org. You may also hear Flinn’s recordings on her Myspace profile, myspace.com/whitneyflinn.

February 22, 2010 Posted in Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington No Comments »

SPOTLIGHT: Jack Conte, one-man band, destined for limelight stay

Jared Montgomery

Jack Conte

Jack Conte

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jack Conte. He is a San Francisco native that has only been on the scene for about three years, but will stay in the limelight for much longer than fifteen minutes if he continues releasing EPs like he has in the past.

I first discovered Conte after finding “Lonely Ghost” on YouTube. I made the mistake of not watching the video the first time I listened through it, but thankfully glanced a peek after feeling hypnotized into listening to the song a second time. It was then that I discovered that he is a one-man band – something you don’t see very often. At one point he even uses a homemade method of voice distortion by singing into a tube and waving it vigorously in front of a microphone. He then proceeds to put the beat down on some organ pedals. It is clearly stated in the YouTube description that there are no hidden sounds: “If you hear it, at some point you (will) see it.” Also included in the video: an electric Wurlitzer and him releasing a can of confetti, played in reverse. (more…)

February 21, 2010 Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artist Spotlight, Reviews, Video No Comments »

SPOTLIGHT: Panther Attack! sets jazzy, groovy standard

Scott Mathews

Panther Attack! @ ChopSuey 4/18/07

Panther Attack! have, to my mind, set a new standard for post-indie/punk/instrumentals. They have a unique ability to create a profound soul unmatched in their genre. Their dual-drum kits, bass, and guitar (often multiple) meld together to create free-flowing instrumental bliss — almost jazzy, definitely groovy.

They are from Seattle and have been preforming together since 2002. Panther Attack! has a self-released full-length album, Martyr Bonus, released in 2007, and in 2008, they released Sharp Moments EP on vinyl. Panther Attack! is not on tour, but they are currently booking new shows. The latest information about when and where they are playing can be found on their MySpace profile at myspace.com/pantherattack, and detailed bio, release info, and more here at the site for Triple Down Records, their record label, tripledownrecords.com.

Continue reading for a video of Panther Attack! performing in Glendale, Calif.

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February 17, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington, Video No Comments »

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