How is a mushroom like a jangly guitar riff?

Sounds like the start to a bad joke with a groan-inducing punchline, but it's meant to be an honest rhetorical question. The thing about mushrooms is: When I was a kid, I hated them. They were slimy and tasted weird, and I couldn't get over my loathing enough to even give them another shot until I was well into my teens. Wouldn't you know that when I tried a mushroom again later in life, it wasn't too bad. Within a year, I was eating them willingly, and now, as an adult, I literally go out of my way to occasionally order mushrooms in restaurants and buy them in stores. All this is really just a long-winded way of saying that I used to hate something, and now I enjoy it.

No matter what methodology of thought you subscribe to, there's no denying that our tastes change as we move through this thing we call our life. I've heard it said, nay insisted on, that one's tastes for food change about every seven years (interesting correlation to the idea of the Seven Year Itch, don'tchathink?). There may be something to that, I'm no expert--though that would be a scientific paper I wouldn't mind reading, if only because the idea of how arbitrary it seems strikes me as a bit absurd, but I digress. The simplest answer being usually correct, I generally tend to think that the reason for tastes changing results from nothing more than changes in people as a rule, both physical and mental. Meaning that the reason you like something when you're young is the same reason you may dislike it when you're older, or vice versa. (It's splitting hairs, the difference in these two ideas--the only difference is in the assignment of a length of time to these internal and biochemical changes--and in the end none of it matters, it's just a tale of two ideas, as it were.) When we're young and growing into adulthood, and we really don't know ourselves all that well yet, changes of this nature can seem at the least mysterious and occasionally downright inexplicable. But they happen...oh-bla-di, oh-bla-dah.

Again, back to myself as a youngster. I had appetites for swirling guitars and stadium-filling drums that led to an addiction to deep, ass-rocking basslines and star-reaching synth melodies; this, in turn, led me to blood-curdling needs for cinematic and orchestral mellowness, music-as-movement-as-music, and on and on and on. These different techniques and sounds led me through hundreds of genres and sub-genres over the course of nearly twenty years. And the reason any of this means anything with regard to the opening of this piece is that after all that, when I thought that, to some degree, I had heard it all (or most of it, anyway), I'm finding that my tastes are changing again.

I've been more drawn to vocals as a rule over the past year or two. I was always into lyrics and vocals, but never as pulled by them as I have been of late. Even more remarkably, there are a couple of vocal approaches that have really resonated in that time, and they are each very well encapsulated by a release from the past spring and summer. So, y'know, I thought we could talk about the approaches...and the records. Is, uh--is that cool?

The Group Vocal

With all the technology out there in recording today, it's easy to multi-track vocals to make it sound like several people are singing at once. Don't be fooled. There's only one way to do a true group vocal: several to many people singing, yelling, screaming the exact same words at one time, all recorded together. Accept no substitutes. You have to look no further than good ol' punk rock to find lots of examples of this, and there's no other way to make something anthemic than to have lots of people say it (power in numbers, right?). But there are some great examples in indie over the past decade also, see "Breakin' the Law" off The New Pornographers' first album, or "Cardinal Rules" by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.

Now, we could probably have the chicken-and-the-egg argument all day about how The Group Vocal relates to a choir. I choose not to. Surely one begat the other, but I don't care which. For me, a choir is really just the culmination of The Group Vocal--the only natural and logical ending point for the practice. The only thing better than a choir, is a choir full of children. The only thing better than a choir full of children is a choir full of children singing indie songs for a great cause and selling it dirt cheap on Bandcamp. Can you see where I'm going with this?

Stream or download it here:

http://perkinsschool.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-sound-of-life

These kids wring all the emotion out of each one of these songs, and cement themselves in as one of the greatest choir performances ever put on tape because of the novelty of the songs they're performing, all indie and folk pieces by such Pacific Northwest stalwarts as Grand Hallway and Damian Jurado. It's an ispired idea, and it works every bit as well as you think it should, not least because of the amazing use of The Group Vocal. I've been listening to this through the summer in fits and spurts, and loving a bit more each time. Hearing kids this young give all the weight and heft you can handle to a song as epic as "The Commander Thinks Aloud" (originally by The Long Winters) will make you stop short every time. Highly recommended, especially if you're into The Group Vocal to the degree that I am.

The Falsetto

Not to take anything away from some amazing releases in the past few months that prominently feature some of the best falsettos in the business (James Blake and Peter Silberman, I'm looking at you), I think one towers over them in its sheer scope and willingness to veer into new and unexpected territory: "Bon Iver, Bon Iver".

This thing is majestic, and there's literally nothing I can say about it that hasn't been said or won't be said for the rest of the year before it ends up at or near the top of every Top 10 list that matters. So I won't expend a lot of effort here trying to explain it in any real way. Just a couple of points for me personally: 1) I always have an immediate and (usually) irrevocable aversion to anything that comes along with the hype that Bon Iver hit with upon the first release, "For Emma...", a few years ago. Credit to my little sister for making me listen to it and appreciate it, for making me see past the endless hype, which, as it happens, turns out is pretty much warranted. 2) This album is above being good or bad. I know how that sounds, but the listening experience is all viscera and cerebrum--there's no room to judge the songs for their own sake, no id or ego in the equation. It is not above being liked or disliked, mind you (nothing is), but it is above notions of whether a phrase is placed correctly, or whether a bridge is unnecessary. The songs aren't good or bad: the songs serve the album, and the album is too primitive an experience to be viewed in that light. My humble opinion, of course, but spend a couple of weeks with this thing and then tell me I'm wrong.

But back to The Falsetto. Interestingly, these vocals are almost all multi-tracked. Normally, this would serve to give the illusion of The Group Vocal (see above), but in this case, the layers of Falsetto only give more and more complexity to a voice that is, by itself, without equal in the realm of heart-wrenching falsettos. So, what we have here is kind of a perfect storm of the perfect falsetto voice being given the layered treatment to simulate what would, in theory, be a near-perfect Group Vocal. The reason it can't ever be that perfect storm is that, say it with me, the only way to make a true Group Vocal would be several Justin Vernons singing the same thing at the same time. Until science can deliver us disposable human clones, that particular perfect storm of awesome will never materialize. It's OK, though. I'll be happy just listening to this one for a few years.

So, mushrooms, jangly guitars, high voices...what does it all mean? Nothing significant, I guess. It's just another way music keeps giving. As we grow and change, all of our tastes and preferences are at the mercy of our chemistry. If we grow to dislike a kind of food or drink, we kind of have to be done with it, unless we like masochism (that's a whole other essay). But music isn't that easy to shake. No matter which direction our tendencies begin to lean, music can accommodate. We can re-set the types of music we enjoy, but we can't outgrow music as long as we stay engaged in it. So stay engaged, question yourself, question music. Find what you like. It's out there. And if you're not sure, just stick it in your mouth...er--ears...and see what happens.

This is the sound of not settling...

Man, it's been a while. I mean, really, how long am I going to keep this thing going? I don't have an answer to that, but I know for certain that I am addicted to having a place to vent...a place to write words--even if no one reads them or knows to look for them. Besides that, I really like some of the stuff that exists on this blog; it would be a shame for me personally to delete it all and act like it didn't exist. So, even if only once every 4, 5, 6 months or more, I will continue to post here. And it's OK if no one knows. It's OK if no one reads. The important thing for me is that the words are there--that I wrote them and they exist.

I think I've had a breakthrough recently. A breakthrough facilitated by my beautiful wife finally telling me that I need to shit or get off the pot (although her phrasing was much more motivational and somewhat less crass). I am not getting younger. We now live in the performing/arts/entertainment capital of the free world. The time is now. It's not yesterday or tomorrow, but now--today. Today (August 27, '11) can be the day I look back on as the day I decided to turn my life back toward something meaningful. The day I finally forgave myself for not being able to make the record store work, and set my sights on the next big dream. Today can be the day I quit living days just to get through them, and started making them work for me--the day I started using my time the right way. It's taken the better part of a year, but I am done grieving for the loss of Tyrannosaurus Records, and I can begin seeing it as a valid learning experience to build on (more wisdom from Samantha--and, you know, until she said it that way it honestly hadn't occured to me).

I never had a better time than running TRx and feeling like it was actually building something. Now, I can take some of the most amazing parts and use them to build something else--and this time, it can work.

I have a new goal. The cynic in me cries out that it's much too Tony Robbins to ever really mean anything, but I don't care. The goal from here on out is to do something every day that helps me realize my dream. It could be something as simple as thoroughly and critically listening to an album, or writing a blog on this thing that no one reads, or practicing some cuts on the tables... It doesn't matter what--just do one thing every day that I can use, however indirectly, to get myself one millimeter closer to feeling like I want to feel and doing what I know I can do. And if I can take those steps every day, then today I will have taken the most important step--the first.

I am realizing that I've been conditioned to believe that you get exactly one shot at doing what you want, you can take it or leave it, and in the end it'll probably just leave you broken. I can see now that there's no way that's correct. Everything that happens in life keeps piling on skills, memories, and experiences that you keep using to achieve ever-changing and ever-growing goals. You don't ever have to be defeated. This whole time...I've been choosing defeat. Choosing it because I didn't think I deserved more. It stops now.

Music, I'm coming back to you. I've been gone for a while now, and it'll be a while before I return, but I am going to need you to set out my slippers and get my smoking jacket pressed. I'm coming back home to you--I'm going to woo you again. I can't make you love me, I can't make you give me everything I'm asking. But you may as well plan on giving me at least enough to keep me occupied, because I'm not going away. Can you hear me knocking? Music...dreams...Los Angeles...I'm coming for you all.

One possible "Desert Island" entry, or a permutation thereof...

We've all heard it. "What are the _______'s that you would take with you if you were stranded on a desert island?" This query has a lot of logistical issues (such as, "If I knew I were going to be stranded, why would I get on the boat?"), but it also has its merits--if we were faced with the possibility of nothing besides these choices, what would these choices be? I am by no means on a desert island (though there is sand here), but I similarly had to prepare to be without my records for a length of time. Knowing that, I had to choose a finite number to bring with me. Knowing, also, how difficult such choices would be, I purposely didn't put much thought into it--otherwise I'd still be in my spare room choosing records. Now I am away from the bulk of them, with only a few to get me through. What did I choose? What kind of gut-level non-thinking went into each decision? The Walkmen - Lisbon :: I chose this record basically because I haven't cracked it yet. I have listened several times, and thoroughly enjoyed it each time, but I still don't have the feeling that I have reached its emotional core. Therefore, maybe some time with it as one of only a few choices will facilitate the breakthrough. Elliot Smith - Roman Candle :: "No Name #2" and "No Name #3". What else could I possibly need to say? Not this album doesn't have other great songs, but these two are the two I always have to repeat every time I hear them. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak :: This album is so good, whether you want some fist-pumping familiarity ("The Boys are Back in Town"), or some introspective beauty ("Fight or Fall"). One of my favorite 'Classic Rock' albums, hands-down. Descendents - Somery :: This is the musical equivalent of a 5-Hour Energy, but it won't make you feel dirty afterwards, or like the victim of the worst advertising since "Winston tastes good...like a cigarette should!". Besides that, I have a lot of great associations with the music herein. It's a no-brainer for this list. Avi Buffalo - S/T :: Every time I listen to this thing, I feel like I'm missing parts of it--not in the same way as The Walkmen (above), but in the way that new things reveal themselves with each listen. What could be better on a desert island than something that is consistently engaging on an intellectual level? The Good Ones - Kigali Y' Izahabu :: Heart-achingly beautiful, nowhere moreso than on the opener, "Sara". There's something relaxing, almost meditative, about listening to songs when you have no idea what the words are. It's about the closest I get to prayer these days. Tom Waits - Small Change :: This is in case I somehow find a case of rum on my desert island. There is no better music for tying one on... Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road :: I can't think of a more kindred soul for being away from home and somewhat disillusioned by both your old home and your new surroundings than Sir Elton, circa 1973. The better copy is still at home... Paul Simon - Greatest Hits, Etc. :: Even better than the greatest hits here ("Kodachrome", "50 Ways...") is the "Etc."--chiefly "Duncan", which makes my throat tight every time I hear it and doesn't even have a vocal refrain, replacing it with an otherwordly flute melody. This is definitely one I would want if I really were on a desert island. Mimicking Birds - S/T :: Often, I turn on vinyl when I want some layered background music to provide a soundtrack to any extra-musical tasks or conversations that may be going on in the meantime. This is a perfect record for just that purpose. Every once in a while, a melody or lyric will tug at your ear and make you stop short, but mostly it is perfect for relaxing with. Pixies - Come On Pilgrim :: For someone in my age range, with my tastes, this is such a classic that I am pretty sure I don't need to explain it here. The Stranglers - La Folie :: A concept record about love (But...aren't they all?) has never sounded like such a good idea. You get rockers like "Non-stop" and "Pin Up" mixed in with more mellow numbers like "Golden Brown" (one of my all-time favorites) and the title track, which sounds like an overture in a David Lynch-helmed Valentine's Day multimedia project. Pavement - Quarantine the Past :: It's newness aside, if you want a broad swath of Pavement tracks and you have limited space, it's the only way to go. A really decent (expecting more than "decent" is nigh-unreasonable) compilation of one of my favorite band's best songs. So...that's what I have for a while. Bring on the desert island.

Half-assery, and it's cousin, Lack of Motivation.

I keep re-reading the first words of that last entry: 'I don't do anything half-assed.' Turns out, the one thing I have been WAY half-assed about is keeping this blog up. Like everyone, I have a lot of things cooking right now--it gets easy to put 'ROOOOAAAARRRR!!!' on the backburner for weeks at a time. Now I am sitting around with some Toasted Sesame Wisecrackers (where have these been all my life?!), ruminating on how I've been totally undisciplined about posting here. Luckily, the situation is easily remedied; so, y'know, in case you were wondering what I've been getting into lately, here are the most recent and notable additions to the music gallery I call my life.

1. Pictureplane - Dark Rift : This album is blowing my mind lately. I had it in my DJ book forever and I used it for sweet bass/drum loops that I could adjust the timing on because they sounded good at any speed/pitch. Now that I've been listening to it for its own sake, I am loving it. Equal parts Crystal Castles' iconoclasm and NIN's psuedo-Goth, the beats are heavy and the vox hauting.

2. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo : I had an idea of this album as a bunch of young kids making rock music, which is kind of how it's treated in the press, but there are such examples of layer and subtlety in these songs, it belies the image of a bunch of shaggy kids. I dig this--it sounds as "Pacific NW" as anything coming out of Seattle/Portland right now, even though the band is from California.

3. Ride - Nowhere : Yes, the P4K review led me to get this re-issue on vinyl--not so much because of the strength of the opinion or the review (which were both very high), but because it pointed out that I have very little music I can appropriately characterize as "shoegaze" and it seemed like a good addition, if only academically. I have been floored by this thing--the drums are cavernous, the guitars extremely melodic, the voices hushed and fluid. The album art almost perfectly encapsulates the quality of the sound. What I thought was more of an "academic" purchase has turned out to be one of my favorite finds of the past few months. God, I love surprises.

4. Decendants - Somery : This is the culmination of a years-long search for me. Ever since I moved to Seattle 6.5 years ago I have been looking for this album. I didn't care which format I got it on, or where I could find it, or what condition it was in. Many, many times I have made a bee-line to the "D" section of any one of several local record stores hoping each time was the time I would find this 80's punk classic. Never did. Until a couple of days ago. And in a testament to the often truly serendipitous nature of finding music (which is why I will NEVER give up record stores), I wasn't even looking for it. I was just casually flipping through vinyl, and there it was, smiling at me (don't ask me how)--brand new on vinyl for 12.99. Cue the sigh of relief. This album means so much to me. Part of the reason is that my very first concert ever, at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS on the night before my 16th birthday was Descendants headlining with The Suicide Machines opening. It was, I believe (?), their first tour after Milo came back, and it was everything I had ever dreamed a punk show, or any show, could be. That memory still is one of my Top 10 ever, several boots to my head notwithstanding.

5. British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall : I know what you're thinking, "Finally, something new on this list..." Well, I'm sorry. For me, it's just as fun to write about things that affect you differently over time as it is to write about brand new work. Anyway. Speaking of how things affect one over a time, it is hard to tell where this will rank in the pantheon of BSP's work. Their debut album, "The Decline of British Sea Power", is, I am pretty sure, my favorite record of the previous decade. It is a true album, a masterpiece of shifting tempos and atmospherics. "Open Season", the second album, may be one of the biggest sophomore slumps ever committed--if it were any band other than the band who had recently made "The Decline of...", it would probably be seen as a really passable effort, but given the circumstances it is sort of a monstrous letdown (That said, I do still enjoy it from time to time--as I said, it's not altogether bad.). "Do You Like Rock Music?" is the nearly-epic third album, and it shifts away from "Open Season", lending itself to a messiness found on the first work, but reaching for much greater heights--and at times, reaching them. So where will "Valhalla" squeeze in. Ask me for an official answer in about 3 months, after it's gestated long enough. For right now, I am calling it very near the quality of "Rock Music", and time could push it above. Another "Decline", it is not. But that's OK--part of what I love about "Decline" is the palpable sense of catching lightning in a bottle, the feeling that no one could ever replicate it, even the same people who originally birthed it. The greatest albums all seem like they could never be made again.

3 Albums, 3 Words

I don't do anything half-assed. At least I try not to. That is why I am still buying music from 2010, still hearing stuff from last year for the first time. I don't want to move too far into 2011 until I am sure I've heard as much of the best stuff as I can from 2010. To that end, here we go with 3 records I just bought and feel the immediate need to talk about. I decided to assign one word to each album to give myself a jumping-off point for discussion. It is the word I think most encapsulates the overall tone of the work. At the end of the day, what more could you want out of a music review than the conciseness of one word? And if you choose to continue to read my thoughts, so much the better...for me.

The National -- High Violet : SERIOUS

I can hear you out there in the interwebs saying, "C'mon, Nich--that's a cop-out. You could describe every one of their albums with that word." You make a startlingly good point--ouch. But I am not reviewing this in the context of their catalog, but rather in the context of all the other music I've been listening to over the last year or so. Why? Because I am under-educated on this band...I feel like I shouldn't tell you this because I'm not sure we know each other that well, but this is the very first National album I've ever listened to all the way through--the first one I've ever owned. I have heard enough samples of the previous work to know vaguely what to expect from their newest opus, but I finally decided to buy this one after seeing so much good press written about it over the past six months and its inclusion in so many "Best of 2010" lists. And the absolute best word I can come up with to describe it is "serious". This is a serious album. Is there humor? Sure, but it's all in a blank-faced, deadpan style--as in the title and chorus of the closer, "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks". Mostly, this is a serious-sounding record for people who have the ability to laugh at sorrow and joylessness, beginning with its title--doesn't "High Violet" sound like a disease, or some color-coded terrorist threat warning?

Lest you go thinking I am not into that, let me assure you that I freaking love this thing. The rhythms are so constantly propulsive and uplifting. Matt Berninger's voice and lyrics are so sage-like and pained. The over-arching ideas here are so lovelorn, so weary and broken-down--but the music, as it often does, has such an amazing curative effect: it's as if the protagonist of each song is hypnotized into a reasonable facsimile of happiness solely by the cathartic experience of putting his thoughts into the world. As serious as it is, this album is all about creating a fantasy in which all things can be explained, and therefore gotten-over.

Song worth repeating: "Anyone's Ghost" - Berninger channels a heart-broken Justin Townes Earle who is in-turn channeling a gut-punched Buddy Holly in this song. The hook is tragically beautiful, complete with an amazing guitar/cello melody that begs to be repeated at high volumes.

Local Natives -- Gorilla Manor : HONEST

It is easy to sit here and say that a band's sound or lyrics contain the abject quality of honesty, but two songs into this album, I was kind of uncomfortable. "Airplanes", if I am not mistaken, is a soul-wrenching ode to a lost family member (grandparent?) that is as sad as it is beautiful. That kind of honesty is always appealing--it is the one thing that a piece of music cannot have too much of: there can be such a thing as being "too accomplished" or "too cool"...there is no such thing as being "too honest"--and the honesty here permeates every note, every word, every drumbeat. I kept finding elements this band used that reminded me somewhat of an album I have been unofficially saying might be my favorite of 2010, Foals' Total Life Forever: the multi-layered vocals, the dense musicality, the overall 'big'-ness of it. One thing that sets it apart from Foals, though, is that where Foals had a somewhat muffled effect on much of their production on TLF, Local Natives keep it splashy--every instrument and vocal is at the forefront of the mix, every single element recorded is in your face as though it were somehow recorded in audio 3-D. The other obvious distinction is that Foals hail from Great Britain, while these guys are 100% California. I could not be more impressed with a debut than I am with this one.

I have to say here that I heard a lot about this album when it was released early last year. I kind of thought the reviews were too complimentary, and that's part of why I didn't check it out before. I have to give respect to everyone who kept recommending it to me. I never would have bought it without all your collective thumbs-up's. The lesson here is, as much as I try to stay on-top of what is new and good, things still slip by me--and, as inevitably happens, I end up feeling like a pig-headed philistine when I realize everyone was right. Better late than never, I guess.

Song worth repeating: "Shape Shifter" - I could have easily put something here like "Um...all of them?", but if I have to pick one (and I do!), I will take this one. From its immediately uplifting bassline/piano and drumwork to the amazing chorus, this song is...ugh...it's so damn good. Regarding the chorus: I want so badly to reprint it here (copyright laws be damned!) because it's beautiful, but instead, I am going to go ahead and demand that you go find this song and listen to it, if only to hear the chorus. I don't make a lot of demands, but this is one I feel good about. Please--listen to this song, if you haven't. If you have, listen again. I insist.

Belle and Sebastian -- Write About Love : SOULFUL

Unlike the previous two entries here, I knew what to expect from this--or at least I thought I did. I have been a fan of B&S since when it was only somewhat cool to be, which is to say, I have a passing knowledge of all their work, and an intimate relationship with some of it. The album I have heard the least of was the one previous to this, The Life Pursuit, and I find myself wondering if I might have been more prepared for this new-fangled Belle and Sebastian if that were not the case. This new version features a Stuart who is just this side of angst-y, drums that are just that side of dynamic, certifiably off-the-charts production, and multiple instruments that are fully electric. Who are these people? Intact, however, are the Golden-Era-of-Pop-Music songwriting and the lyrically erudite sensibilities--turns out it's not so different, after all.

You have to love the title of this work. Writing about love is exactly what this band has been doing for nearly two decades. It's only held together by that theme as much as any of their records is held together by the exact same theme. But there is a feeling here that they have never captured before, a stripped-down soulfulness in every vocal. This is such an accomplished album--a band who is thoroughly satisfying every time out, at the height of its powers but still not afraid to try out some new (to them) sonic techniques.

Song worth repeating: "Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John" - And I can't believe I'm saying it--this song features Norah Jones, who I've never been impressed by. But, damn it, she and Stuart Murdoch trading verses just sound so good together. This is a duet in the spirit of old Motown R&B/Soul music. It's pillow talk for wistful one-time lovers, and it is an absolute gas.

It occurs to me that I never write bad reviews--er, that is to say I don't review music harshly. Perhaps I will get there someday, but here's the thing about that: I have only ever wanted to point people toward great music they may not have heard otherwise. Therefore, I choose to write about music that I like. I think writing about music you don't like is something you do when it's your job (meaning you have to write about music at a constant rate, so at some point you are bound to have to write about something you don't care for), or when you are so moved by its awfulness that you are compelled to tell people. Rest assured there is plenty of stuff I don't like, but why clog up this blog (Ha! "Clog the Blog"! Get it?) with writing about it? If I don't like it, I just won't say anything about it. And that's why you probably won't see bad reviews here in the near future, unless (heaven forbid) I get suckered into buying and listening to something so bad that I feel like you need to hear about its badness, or you want to hire me to write reviews at the aforementioned constant rate. Otherwise, let's just keep it positive. What do you say?

That is all. Thanks for reading.

The Head and The Heart: Live @ Neumo's 1/14/11

Don't read this. Seriously. Many other Seattle-based music observers will have much better accounts of this show, replete with pictures and set-lists and name-dropping. Go read one of those. May I suggest http://www.soundonthesound.com/? They'll probably have one-on-one interviews with all the band members and professional video you can download to your smartphone... All in all, it's probably a much better use of your time. Trust me.

Me? I just got home from this show, and I still have no idea what I'm going to say... I don't know which angle I am going to try and tackle this from.

First, the openers.

Lemolo is hands-down amazing. That is all I can say. I don't know how many more times I'll get to see these ladies, but each time I've been lucky enough to do so I have been blown away. Meagan's voice has always been superb, but it is beginning to take on a life of its own. She is developing a sultriness that invokes Beth Gibbons of Portishead, and it suits her well. Kendra is not only a bad-ass drummer, but conquers the difficult task (for someone behind a drumkit) of being fun to watch--her levity brings a great contrast to Lemolo's music, which can be intense. It's nice to have the balance. If you scroll down this blog a ways, you'll find me marvelling at how much these girls don't seem like twentysomethings, but rather like a well-oiled songmaking machine that has been churning out rock-solid music for years. Seeing them do it live only re-affirms that sentiment.

Curtains For You may be the most musically talented band in Seattle. If you don't believe me, name another group who could bust out a sousaphone at the drop of a hat. These songs are marvelous: they sparkle with 60's multi-part melodies and shine with 21st century wit. Matt Gervais has an enviable range, and a penchant for making really difficult vocal parts seem effortless; and the entire band has a penchant for making really complicated music extremely catchy and danceable. Do yourself a favor and see them. Soon.

The Head and The Heart. Does one talk about how genuine this band is? How do you articulate that? I could talk about the goosebumps I get when they play. But goosebumps are so trite and played-out. Everyone talks about goosebumps. I'd like to think I might be a bit more creative than that. Do I talk about the harmonies? Everyone goes on and on about The Head and The Heart's harmonies. Sure, it's safe, and nigh-indisputable...but why retread well-worn ground?

Let's talk about how they came out to a rousing Jay-Z number. I can't imagine anything more awesomely contradictory than a band like this hitting the stage for one of their first headlining gigs in their hometown with the PA blaring "Bounce wit' me, bounce wit' me...". At the time, I wasn't sure if it was staged that way or if it was just a joke played by the sound guy: I mean, the band was droppin' 'bows all over the place like they expected it, but then again, who doesn't love that song?

I could talk about how they owned the stage... I get the feeling that this band could make Carnegie Hall feel like your living room. They bring a warmth and authenticity to any venue that breaks barriers. Anytime a Seattle hipster crowd can raise its collective fists and sing along without any hint of irony or sarcasm, it is a victory.

But here I go, back to the word "Genuine". That's the best word to describe it. These songs are not altogether unheard-of. They are made of familiar parts: Beatles-esque piano melodies, a rhythm section worthy of Crazy Horse, Charity's vocal parts channeling Alela Diane or Laura Gibson, the ability to concentrate and synthesize the downhome folksiness of any number of classic rock torchbearers, etc., etc. But many bands who have easily-noticeable influences merely sound like they are mimicking those they admire. This band uses those elements as stepping stones to create a feeling and a sound that only belongs to them. No other act I've seen can make something so universal, so visceral, out of parts so seemingly anachronistic. While they are on stage, each member of the crowd--if properly invested emotionally--gets a feeling of being loved, simply for their presence and their willingness to participate. The foot-stomping and hand-clapping becomes contagious; the lyrics become salvos of all the things we are thinking in our heads and then censoring because they ring too true.

Even though they only recently got their record deal, this band is huge. And somehow, many of us are only now noticing that they always have been. From the grandiose road-tripping of "Down in the Valley" to the stately tenderness of "Winter Song", they've been simply being--not becoming--larger than life. All this time they've been saying, "We're well on our way...", and it has been true, in ways we couldn't even begin to conceptualize.

That will never be more obvious than it was tonight.

First Listen: Besnard Lakes - "Are the Roaring Night"

An experiment occurs below. I have always imagined that music reviewers listen to a piece of work at least a dozen times before they write about it. I know I have never presumed to write about something until I know what effect time and repitition will have on it. Below are my initial thoughts on the above album by Canadian chamber-rockers Besnard Lakes--even though it came out last spring, it's still new to me. And when I say "initial thoughts", I mean these are the things that occur to me as I listen to this album for the very first time, without ever having heard a note of it. There's probably several good reasons to not ever write about music in this fashion, but it seems like a fun thing to try, so let's put the needle in the groove, whaddayasay?

Like the Ocean, Like the Innocent
--Great opener. More fluid and dynamic than anything I can remember off of "Are the Dark Horse". This song is wide, expansive. It draws you in like a painting of a meadow at midnight. Classic rock-y, in a good way--maybe some Black Mountain influence? Good start.

Chicago Train
--Ghostly vocals in the intro, very reminicent of "For Agent 13". The instrumentation is sounding a lot more forward on this album so far, not as 'underwater' as they did on "...Dark Horse". So far, I like the new direction, but there was a great claustrophobic feeling about the last album that I am very much into. Great guitar work in this song, though.

Albatross
--I think this is the single. There's an odd, de-tuned sound to the backing guitars and the bass--odd for Besnard that a bassline dominates the melody the way this one does. Great backing choir-style vocals. "And I screamed for you, 'There goes my man!'"--gotta love a band that can clown on the Pixies a bit. Wait a minute--was this whole song about Black Francis...?

Glass Printer
--If "...Dark Horse" had the quality of waves ebbing and flowing and gently lapping on the shoreline, "...Roaring Night" has the quality of tidal waves hitting a deserted island in the same perfect rythym. This song, though otherwise kind of unremarkable on first listen, really encapsulates that. Now onto Side 2...

Land of Living Skies, Part 1: The Land
--Really just a 2-minute ambient set-up for...

Land of Living Skies, Part 2: The Living Skies
--This may be the most narrative BL song I've ever heard. It has a great spaghetti-western feel, I could totally see this in a Quentin Tarantino film. It also has a for-real verse-chorus-verse structure. Whoa--even an instrumental bridge after the second chorus?! Maybe if Yoko Ono had gotten with Brian Wilson instead of John Lennon, this is the type of stuff she'd have had him doing into the late 70's...

And This Is What We Call Progress
--Love the title, so there's that. Another surprisingly rawking number. Love the rolling bass and drums--great driving music (note to self: work on that "car-mounted turntable" idea...). This song is causing involuntary head-nodding. I so did not expect that when I put this record on tonight...

Light Up the Night
--Beginning seems simple enough, but the re-curring cymbal crescendos make me think that some loudness may be forthcoming. And there is the righteous guitar solo.

The Lonely Moan
--Another hushed masterpiece. There's almost a new-wave edge to the interplay of the bass and synth here, it's like an Annie Lennox out-take. If I were sequencing this album, I don't think I'd have made this the closer, even though it is a nice and pretty comedown from the previous track.


Overall take: I like this album. It uses the best parts of "...Dark Horse" and then builds upon them. Ultimately, it's more accessible, overall prettier, and just kind of makes more sense. If there is a knock on it upon first listen, it's that I really liked the claustrophobic feel of "...Dark Horse", and the fact that it, for lack of a better way to say it, made less sense. Strangely, this band has been able to pull off making their sound easier to take in, while also making their audio profile even more complex. Not a small feat.

So, y'know...go buy the damn thing. :)

2011: Newness and its opposite

I am writing this down as a way of giving myself the motivation to actually do it.

My goal is to revamp this blog. The store is dead, long live the store. There were a lot of great things about it, and a few not-so-great things. Now, for better or worse, it is history.

But the blog can still exist, in and of itself. I mean, it has VERY low overhead cost, so even I can't run it into the ground. ... Right?

Kidding.

In all seriousness, my plan is to continue to blog about music--some local, some not. Do some reviews of albums, do some off-the-cuff essay type stuff about the things I love about music in general, or certain pieces of music. Perhaps some of you will continue to read it. I hope so. And, by all means, if you have ideas for topics for me to tackle, serve 'em up. I just might take you up on them.

Currently listening to a compilation I put together for a friend of some of my favorites from 2010: Spoon, Harlem, Crystal Castles, Efterklang...to name a few.

I love that about mixes and playlists--putting seemingly disparate songs together can make you hear each of them in a whole new way.

While I did put together this compilation of some favorites, I have been thinking I might bow out on the idea of doing any definitive Year-End lists...though I might change my mind. If I was doing a list of best lyrics of the year, though, the following would definitely be near the top:

"Someday soon you'll be on fire / and you'll ask me for a glass of water / I'll say "No-o-o-ooo" / You can just let that shit burn." -Harlem, "Someday Soon"


Anyway, whatever. I'm done. For now.

n

Extinction

I never really planned what I wanted to say here... Hmmm. I will have to make it up as I go.

You have probably put this together by now, if you've happened to walk by the store--especially if you've walked inside expecting to see music on the walls for sale--but the decision was reached recently that Tyrannosaurus Records is no longer sustainable as an entity in the same way it has existed for nearly a year and a half. The doors have to be closed.

My inclination is to write a NOVEL here about what went wrong and why I can no longer make it work. I won't do that. I just want to say a few simple things.

1. There are a lot of reasons I came to this decision, many of them I've seen coming--some of them snuck up on me. None of it matters. I don't want to dwell on the negative, so I won't.

2. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. If you have ever bought music from us, come inside to check out the store, seen one of our live shows (at the store or elsewhere), or just generally expressed good feelings about our existence, rest assured that it could not have been around as long as it was without you and your support. I thank you, humbly and fully.

3. When I started this whole thing, it was about me asking a question: "Does Renton (and the surrounding areas) care about independent music?" The answer is "Yes". I could have done so much differently to help you all get much more involved, but I couldn't know that without having tried to do it this way. C'est la vie, and lesson learned. Thank you for proving me correct, and for sharing some amazing experiences with me. YOU really were the reason I wanted to do this, and you didn't let me down.

If anyone would like to contact me about store-related matters, I can still be reached at tyrannosaurusrecords@yahoo.com. Feel free to direct any and all questions there. If you are an artist with merchandise for sale, I have it all, and will be sorting and sending over the next couple of months.

Thanks for a great year.

Keep supporting independent music!

Your friendly neighborhood dinosaur,

TRx

Andrew the Great

If you've read this blog, like, at all, you know that I like my music independent and my voices fresh and exciting. It's possible I've just found the perfect combination.


Andrew Vait is an up-and-coming Seattle-based musician who writes amazing, heartfelt, somewhat grandiose indie-pop songs that are informed as much by modern indie stalwarts (check for hints of Modest Mouse, DCfC, The Decemberists, in varying degrees) as by the demigods of 70's singer-songwriters (think Cat Stevens and Gordon Lightfoot, among others). He is a perfect voice for a generation applying the lessons of the past to the possibilities of the present--the evidence is right there in the song "Missing Teeth": over a mid-tempo beat and a catchy synth melody, he croons with the gravity of someone at least twice his age ("...we made a little bed /.../and slept on what we never said).

Gigging for his album, The Pros and Cons of Drowning, Andrew has been making the rounds throughout the PNW. He hasn't told me this specifically, but I am pretty sure he would play anywhere. Seriously, become his fan on Facebook: there are Happy Hour shows, house shows, proper club shows...you name it. Keep an eye out soon for the full band's (Andrew Vait and The Eternal Fair) album, coming soon to an independent record store (...ahem!) near you.

This guy just loves to play. And play he will.

We are so lucky to be able to bring him to Renton...check him out this coming Friday (10/22 @ 6pm) for an intimate solo performance at your favorite DTR record store. Yes, the only one. Whatever. Always have to point that out, don't you?

As always--our shows are FREE, for ALL AGES, and SUPER RAD.

Can't wait to see you.

ROAR, -TRx

An Open Letter to Music

Dear Music,

Hi. I've been listening for a while. Long-time fan. Seriously. Not to gush, or anything, but I was always the one who was off listening to you while other kids were doing stuff outside, or playing video games. I wouldn't expect you to remember. It's OK. I just wanted to write to you to explain how you've helped shape me, and thank you for all the times you made my life a little more tolerable.

So, I was recently reading somewhere that you're like, 9000 years old...? That is amazing. I mean, you don't seem a day over 6000. You've aged really well. You're always finding new ways to evolve and change to fit whatever time you're in. I mean, that's really cool. A lot of us (humans, I mean) get all stuck with what we liked at a certain time in our lives, and never really learn the skills of adaptation to what is new. I know I'm still stuck on a lot of the stuff I used to like as a kid... I really admire that you can stay so vital.

Somewhere early on, I knew that my obsession with you would last a very long time.

I mean, I've seen you change a lot over the years, and I've done a lot of research about how you were before I was around. I am continually amazed that you can always be such an inspiration for people when it feels like they are losing reasons to keep trying. Just one of your many skills, I suppose. I remember this one time: I was having the week from hell--I mean, it was bad. It was like, you name it and it was going wrong, and I didn't have anyone around that I could really talk to about it...and there may have been a girl involved. I bet you hear this kind of stuff a lot, huh? Anyway, I won't bore you with the details, but I decided early on that I was going to have to lean on you a little bit to get through that. And the whole time, you were there, like a champion, to commiserate with me when I needed it and to lift me up when I was too far down. Likewise, I have soundtracks made of you that have accompanied all the best times in my life--you know: all those times when I was sitting behind glass, watching cars pass by in a state of utter contentment; or those first meetings with people I knew would be important to me, even though I didn't know how or why I knew that at the time--it was like you already knew, and you were trying to clue me in without saying too much.

I mean, you're perfect. You're amazing. I don't know how you do it. I know a lot of your fans are too cool to say these things. I know that I might not be so cool. I am OK with that this time. I think it is important that you know we aren't taking you for granted.

Anyway, I'll wrap this up by saying that the real reason I'm writing is that I have started falling in love with you even more recently. I mean there has always been love, of course. But lately, it's as though I am hearing you with new ears. You have somehow rejuvenated me--made me start to remember that there are things that can make me happy. I feel like you are teaching me lessons all over again, the way you did when I was just a kid, wearing flannel and trying desperately not to fit in. I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable by telling you all this. Like I said before, I just think you need to know.

So, y'know, just keep doing what you're doing. It's been a great run so far. And thanks again for everything. I'll be here, listening. We all will.

Respectfully,

nich

The Perfect Playlist: "Smiles and Sighs"

So...

Who knew that people actually paid attention to me posting things on Facebook? Cheers. I started talking about The Perfect Playlist recently, and got requests to post it when it was complete (Sorry, Kendra: wish I could do downloads, but I am SO not that cool.). A brief explanation is in order before I proceed, however.

Is this The Perfect Playlist? No...and yes. And maybe. This thing was designed for a purpose. One day recently, while listening to music, as I am wont to do occasionally, I heard CHYSY's "In this Home on Ice". I thought (and even FB'd!) about the lyric "Now that I'm so sad and not quite right / I could dance all night". That lyric has a strange effect on me...makes me both sigh and smile. It gives me the feeling of being resigned to things, yet very much OK with them. It speaks of the potential for utter happiness in the midst of difficult situations. Simply put, I love that lyric. It got me thinking about what other songs give me a similar feeling. So, I set out to make a playlist of songs that gave me this feeling, songs that I was amazed people were living their lives without listening to...that said, some of the songs are relatively obvious, but most are on the more obscure side of the spectrum for those of us who don't have ridiculous amounts of time to scour the indie-verse for the next amazing band/song/album. I mean, me? What else am I gonna do? I scour, so you don't have to.

So, here it is. It is 2 hours long, and separated into 2 different "sides". Not a "Smile" side and a "Sigh" side (remember, all the songs elicit both responses--for me)--the sides are almost arbitrary, but in sequencing, it just made sense to me. Plus, I like titling things, so I was able to come up with an extra title (AKA, I was able to rip a lyric and call it a title)...here goes. I will try to explain as I go, but some of the choices need no explanation--or, if they do, I can't really explain them.

My thanks goes out to Crystal (who smartly made me feel lame when I said I was attempting "Perfection"), Annastasia (who asked first to see this diabolical scheme), Kendra (who probably shouldn't compliment me so much), Jeffrey (who is a true mix-making hero), and Laika (who paved the way for humans to travel in space, ensuring we would all always have reasons to smile and/or sigh).

Please, be gentle with your criticism. :)

Smiles and Sighs
Side 1: "...I could dance all night"

1. Ryan Adams: Come Pick Me Up
2. Band of Horses: Detlef Schrempf (Kind of schmaltzy, but my favorite of BoH's more sentimental works.)
3. Elliott Smith: The Biggest Lie (I could find an Elliott song for any mix, so...I did.)
4. Film School: Two Kinds (I can't hear this song without being surprised by the violins. So pretty.)
5. Pinback: Penelope (How many love songs are there about fish? This is easily the best of them.)
6. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: In This Home on Ice
7. Ra Ra Riot: Run My Mouth ("All my days, they end too slow")
8. The Spinning Wheels: Wrecking Ball (This band needs more fans. That means you.)
9. Owen: Femme Fatale (Not as good as the original--obviously--but I like the way it sounds here.)
10. Iron & Wine: Jezebel (Sigh. I couldn't love this song more than I do.)
11. Volcano Choir: Island, IS (I told someone recently that this song has ended up on nearly every mix I've done for the past year...PROOF!)
12. Rogue Wave: Maps (Yes, we all love Karen O. This version is better. I get being a purist about the original, but this one is SO GOOD.)
13. Loch Lomond: Wax & Wire (This one is kind of scary, if you really listen to it, but something about the rise and fall of Ritchie's voice always mellows me out.)
14. Foals: Spanish Sahara (This may be the most epic song that gets released this year. That's not meant to be hyperbole.)


Side 2: "You little mountain noise"

1. Coconut Records: West Coast (Turns out, Jason Schwartzman can write a pretty damn good Beatles-esque melody.)
2. Spoon: Goodnight Laura (Makes me wish I knew someone named Laura...)
3. Peter Broderick: Below It (I am enamored with everything Peter Broderick does, but it all started with this amazing song.)
4. Glen Hansard: Say It To Me Now (If I could sing and play guitar, I would just cover Glen Hansard songs.)
5. Neal Burton: Bandages (I was introduced to this on Aviation Records' "2021" compilation, and this guy's voice is killer. And the song embodies such a beautiful, escapist idea.)

***There is a bit of a tonal shift here, from the more grounded to the more ethereal. If I'd thought a bit more, I may have dispersed the following songs more throughout the mix, but it turned out I liked the idea of the end of the mix being really dreamlike and pensive. Totally a personal choice.***

6. tUnE-yArDs: Fiya (This is one of those songs you hear on a cellphone commercial, and just marvel about how little those advertisers knew about what they were getting into.)
7. Rauelsson: Elefantes y Ninas (Admittedly, this only qualifies as "dreamlike" since it is sung in Spanish, but I still like the way it fits.)
8. Mum: We Have a Map of the Piano (This has been a favorite of mine for so many years, it's impossible to really talk about. The title of this side comes from this song, as well.)
9. Bent: Cylons in Love (A classic of the "chill-out" genre from the turn of the century.)
10. Animal Collective: Winters Love
11. Grizzly Bear: Foreground
12. Grizzly Bear: Colorado (I have never, nor would I have ever imagined I ever would, put two of any one band's album-enders side by side on a mix. I love the way these two work. There is a first time for everything.)
13. Gayngs: The Last Prom on Earth (Another album-ender. It's kind of tongue-in-cheek, but I still think it's a really pretty song. And it cleanses the palate a bit from all the preceding heaviness.)


OK...let it fly. What do you think?

roar,

TRx

They Came from Across the Water

Who is Lemolo?

I have been asking myself this for months now. And as I've been looking for an answer that makes sense to me, I've also been trying to explain it to other people--in neither attempt have I been fully successful. While I'd love to sit here and analyze the music these girls make (which should be relatively easy, mind you), I find that I have a lot of questions.

But let's start with the facts.

A) Lemolo is Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox (respectively known as the "Band Queen" and the "Energy Specialist"). B) They are from Poulsbo/Gig Harbor, or thereabouts. C) They are in their early 20's--very early 20's, I am assuming. D) They play keyboards, guitar, and drums--typically playing either guitar OR keyboard, depending on the song. E) They write tremendous songs. F) They gig like crazy, burning up stages all over the Seattle area since this past summer. G) They are as sweet as the sugar on your Cornflakes, in every sense of the word (I can hear you arguing that saying someone is "sweet" is an opinion, but I have empirical evidence on this--it is a verifiable fact. Trust me.)



It all seems relatively simple, up to this point--I'll grant you that. But then the picture gets hazy.

How do girls this young have such a command of songcraft? They employ such delicate subtlety, especially in their slower arrangements--adding layer upon layer and change upon change until a melody that originally had an alluring negative space is full, each measure is bursting at the seams. Or, put another way, the songs are made with a patience that people this age have no business possessing--each work is fully-formed, mature in its own right. A great example of this is the aptly-titled "Old Fashioned Lover", which begins as a somewhat whimsical lament about the loss of summertime friendships, then slowly, and exquisitely, over the course of eight minutes somehow fast-forwards the listener into an autumnal plea for genuine companionship. It's breathtaking.

Who are their influences? The basic dynamic of the instrumental make-up sounds, on paper, as though it should reflect clear influences (several duos have had similar DNA, not least of all Mates of State and Beach House). While there is a bit of it, albeit fleetingly (along with noticeable nods to such heavyweight female vocalists as Hope Sandoval and Chan Marshall in the singing), this band sounds too original to be merely the sum of its elements. The sheer individuality behind this band's vision is utterly remarkable, turning simple notes into stunning melodic turns through timing and vocal interplay. How do they do it?


I speculate on these things, but when I think I have answers, I hear something I hadn't heard before (their songs are like that...), and it knocks my conclusions right back into the murk of uncertainty. Luckily, I am OK with having a little mystery in my life--after all, who wants to see a magic trick after they know how it's done?


But I know this much:

1. Lemolo is one of the most consistently interesting bands in the Seattle scene right now, if for no other reason than they sound like nothing else in it.
2. The new songs I've heard take everything I've said above and capitalize on each strength exponentially, which shows that this band is nowhere near slowing down creatively--and that makes them one of the most exciting bands in the scene as well.
3. You will love them, if you don't already. Check them out online (www.myspace.com/lemolomusic and/or www.lemolomusic.blogspot.com), or see them live sometime soon at a venue near you--namely Tyrannosaurus Records on Friday, 9/10 @ 6pm for a FREE, ALL-AGES in-store performance.


Does that answer your question?

roar - TRx

Track Reviews (Yeah. That's the most interesting title I could come up with.)

Nothing too complicated here: 3 reviews of 3 tracks off 3 new releases. One hard, one mid-tempo, one kind of folky (but still a little bit punk-rock in its delivery). Ch-check it out...



Artist: Guns for Radios
Album: losses and gains (Rockin' Stan Records)
Track: "kings and queens"

This band is made up of members of past bands who were well-respected in the Seattle scene (including Alta May and The Fluid [Editor's Note: I have since found out that this is incorrect--GfR contains no one who used to be in The Fluid. That's what I get for trusting a blogger. Sorry for the error. -n]), but has charted a new course. GfR occupies the space where 90's "alternative" (yes, kids, that's how we described music in the 90's) butted up against more traditional pop song structures, simultaneously obliterating them and giving them an entirely new life, and nowhere on the record is it more apparent than here. Starting with a snaky, distorted bassline that belies the high melodic sensitivity apparent in the higher registers of the composition, it calls to mind such disparate influences as Pinback and The Catherine Wheel. The lyrics are a chess game (get it?) of emotion and a vague heartache ("Hearts on the sleeves / of Kings and Queens"), matching wits with the complicated guitar and drum interplay. This band has started to make waves on KEXP--and this is a standout on the record, released last month. Of all the bands in the NW who are re-vitalizing sounds lovingly remembered from the "grunge/alternative" era, this is easily one of the most interesting, and most competent, I've heard.



Artist: Laura Jorgensen
Album: Feathered Arms (self-released)
Track: "Pens"

The lead-off track to Laura's new record is all about blood. Using the vivid and topical imagery of writing, she lets us into her creative process ("We sit down with our pens / And bleed ink"). But the real glimpse of her insides is in the vocal performance she delivers here--her voice lifts and falls with recklessly throat-shredding abandon, rocketing to impossible heights and cascading rapidly to barely-fathomable lows. Her voice matches the emotionality of the confession she alludes to in the lyrics--and that's all fine and good, if you can stop listening to the singing long enough to get all the words. I personally have a hard time with that. Her band, led here by Nolan Eley's trumpet mixing with her own accordion, proves a worthy match to the amazing power of her voice, providing crescendos at a moment's notice and never overplaying the role it's given. This is an amazing recording of an amazing song. I must admit, I've been in love with this song since back when I'd only heard it live and as a demo--hearing it with the full band and the full power of Laura's unbridled talent has given me an even bigger appreciation for it.



Artist: Unnatural Helpers
Album: Cracked Love & Other Drugs (Hardly Art)
Track: "The Truth About You"

Punk-rock? Garage? Indie? Yes. You know what they say: "If the Doc Marten fits..." This song is led by a BLISTERING guitar riff into a valley of sludge-tastic bass under a sea of cymbal crashes and double-kicks. The production is pitch-perfect medium-fi, allowing Dean Whitmore's voice to rage out of the muck with a caterwaul of betrayal and apathy that nonetheless lends itself to a slightly ironic twist (the recriminating "I learned the truth about you" is tempered by a rationalization: "You'd be unhappy with me") that, I'm convinced, is as much a product of the thick skin necessary to make it in the Seattle music scene as it is indicative of the thick skin necessary in matters of the heart. There is rock music, there's good rock music, and then there is F***ing Good Rock Music--this is the latter.



And there you have it--3 local bands, 3 great songs, 3 new albums. Listen to 'em! Tell me what you think! Get out and see some local music!!

'til next time,

rOaR,

TRx

A Lifetime in a Month

ROOOOAAAARRRR!!!

Oh. My. Goodness. It has been too long. The past month has been a dizzying cacophony of awesomness and hard work, and we have emerged victorious (finally) in a new space, with a new partner, and ready again to service your music needs in DTR at full-throttle. Check out my totally random list of what's been going over the past month!

1. Obviously, the big news is: we are no longer located at 914 S 3rd in Renton--instead, you will find TRx at 924 S 3rd in Renton. We have moved inside our favorite indie craft haven, Happy Delusions, and we are trying to be careful to not damage all the rad stuff in the store during random bouts of rocking--which we have been prone to since birth. Please wish us luck. Come by and say 'Hello'!

2. Our selection has gotten richer and fuller! The selection of used vinyl is growing weekly and cycling nicely (check it often for your favorites on vinyl!), and the selection of new music is growing as well, augmented most recently by new titles from Sub Pop and our newest direct partner, Kanine Records (may I suggest Viernes' new album on Kanine, Sinister Devices?--it's super-good!)!

3. We are looking forward to lots of exciting possibilities in the coming 2-4 weeks, including (but not limited to) August's First Friday, featuring music-centric arts/crafts from the always-amazing crew of Happy Delusions; and a possible live-remote radio broadcast from the good folks at KGRG!

4. Friends of the store, The Head and the Heart, have released their beautiful first album. We are so excited for them and hope to be able to offer the release soon for retail!

5. Summer has arrived! (Duh.)

6. All kinds of great, wonderful, uber-fantastic things are happening--so many I can't even wrap my mind around it enough to write any more here! You'll have to pardon my giddiness.

So get out, enjoy the weather, enjoy great tunes--don't forget to stop by and say "Whaddup?" to your friendly friends at Tyrannosaurus Records!

See you soon--

-TRx

Happy Delusions + Tyrannosaurus Records = Coolest Thing Ever*

*This is what I was trying to get across in the last post... Sorry for any confusion. No, Sonic Youth is not playing in the store. *sigh* If only... :)

"Hear ye, hear ye--"

More details and other such stuff to come on this whole thing, but the long and the short of it is this:

Happy Delusions, DTR's foremost DIY and indie art authority and retail outlet, will soon be taking on a new partner. You may know this new partner as.............us. That's right--in an epic move that is being lauded by some as "the coolest thing since cool came to Cool Town", HD and TRx will be joining forces to more efficiently spread the awesome throughout DTR and the surrounding areas.

Questions? Of course there are questions. To that end, here's a little FAQ that may tide you over until more info begins to bubble up... Enjoy!!

FAQ's: What YOU Need to Know

Q: Why merge?
A: Well, that’s what multi-national, ultra-conglomerated, corporate super-powers do. That reminds me of a joke we tell at The Club: “If you can’t beat ‘em, BUY ‘em!!”. How else would we ever get “too big to fail”?

Q: OK, but why now?
A: Would you ask a shooting star why it picked just that moment to zoom across the night sky? Didn’t think so. Let’s just say it is the right thing for all parties, and the timing couldn’t be any awesomer.

Q: Will the new name be Tyra-ppy Reclusions, or Happy-saurus De-cords? ‘Cuz I think they’re both SWELL…
A: Um, neither. Both names will remain intact and both stores will remain virtually unchanged, except for the fact they will be in the same place. The only significant change will be to the Coolness per Square Foot (C/ft²) ratio on South 3rd between Wells and Main—yeah, that’s gonna go up.

Q: What are the advantages? How do I benefit?
A: Glad you asked. 1) Extended and More Consistent Hours of Operation—once we get a chance to get our feet wet on this deal, we plan to have the store open for longer and be much more consistent on Open and Close times. 2) Consolidated Indie Goodness—remember how you used to have to walk almost a whole block to satisfy your need for sweet indie crafts and killer indie music? Those days are over! 3) This is Only the Beginning—this is Step 1 of a 10,000-step plan to take over The Universe. You’ll be able to say you knew us when we were still somewhat harmless, and maybe you’ll be looked upon with favor around Step 9,865…that one is tricky.

Q: When is all this going to happen?!
A: We’ll probably spend June preparing and moving, with a plan to be fully functional by July 1. Though it really shouldn’t take that long, so if it happens sooner than that, bonus.

Q: What about live music?
A: What about it?

Q: Will there still be shows I can go to?
A: Of course! In the first month or two, it may take some time to work out exactly what is possible within the space. Rest assured, though, with a little time, we will iron out the kinks and we will again have you rocking the days and nights away with live performances that are too cool for words.

Q: So what do I need to do?
A: Well…nothing, I suppose. If you are now or have ever been a supporter or well-wisher of TRx or Happy D., feel free to stop in some time and show some love. Otherwise, just come on in when we re-open as a two-headed monster and stroke our collective ego by talking about how awesome you think it is that two of the coolest places in DTR have joined forces. But don’t say it all sarcastically—we’re only interested in hearing it if you at least act like you really mean it. Most importantly, just be aware that the change is coming, keep an eye out for the details and updates, and have a little patience with us as we transition into your one-stop-shop for indie, DIY, and rocknroll.

WE ARE STOKED!!!!

ROOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're Resident Dino,

-TRx

Big News? What big news...?

(...as if I have to say it, Fonzie = Cool)

Big things... :)

ROaR!!!!

-TRx

Hello, our name is TRx. What's yours?

I thought a re-introduction might be in order, since it has been a while since I have blogged here.

It's been a relatively crazy 2010 so far, right? You probably know what I'm talking about. Around here, we've hosted about 15 in-stores so far--one of them being the incomparably awesome and punk-rock Exene Cervenka, we've expanded our selection to nearly double the titles we had in 2009--we're constantly scouring the PNW indie-verse for your new favorite bands, and we collaborated with others in DTR for the biggest, awesomest, rocking-est indie festival this town had ever seen--it pretty much killed.

So, now what?

What could we do that be bigger than all that? What could we do that would be so massive it would be like two stars in the sky colliding and creating a whole new galaxy of cool? Is it possible that we could out-rock even ourselves, after the near-5 month run we've put together so far this year? Is it even conceivable?

The answer, friends, is "Yes."

Things are coming. They are big things. They are gigantic, monumental things that will change they way you think about DTR forever. If you are now or have ever been a fan of radness, gnarlitude, sensational-tasticness, hearts, unicorns, babies, rocknroll, or indie...

Well...

...we have some very good news.

--TRx

Being there when they do (Show Review--Smile for Diamonds, TRx, 4/24)

Tyrannosaurus Records, Renton.

4pm or so.

Smile for Diamonds --

Seattle, WA

They came in one at a time, driving separate cars, trying to find parking on a semi-busy day in Downtown Renton. Each introduced himself. Ian arrived last.

There was lots of equipment, stacks of amps and speakers, and the drums—oh, the drums. A harmonica mic…why not? Snippets of conversation overheard during the all-important set-up phase, talk of day-jobs, other shows they’d played recently, the records on the walls. In everything they did and everything they said, a sense of this band as a living thing…or, more like a working thing. These guys worked, this band worked. Music was the job, but not in the sense of something one does for a paycheck—it was a job in the sense of something one does because they know how and no one else will do it as well: less of a job than a duty.

Mike said they were going to bring the rock back to this town. I thought of the early 90’s, all the amazing things coming out of Seattle then. I felt like I understood exactly what he meant. Until they began to play.

“Hunting Humans” began with echoing strings, eight counts, then the percussion—oh, the drums. Ian beat them like he was mad at them. He made faces at them. He mean-mugged his drumkit. It got the idea—I could tell because the drums did exactly what they were told, producing any roll he could imagine, any fill he could fit into a tiny space. The drums didn’t question him.

Pat was hidden behind a wall. His guitar thought it was front-and-center. In the small space, it didn’t matter that he wasn’t always at the mic when he shouted backing vocals. They came through loud and clear. The melodic bridge of “Found Myself” went up and down, up and down, back up—stop!—back down, swirling. All this, and Pat was behind the wall.

Mike bounced the way bass players do, heels never touching the ground. He leaned into Ian’s drums, willing the rhythms to fit. His hands slapping, holding. His bass nodding, understanding. His equipment said “Kiwi”.

Ryan was explaining himself to the amp, turning from the audience and shaking his guitar. He was explaining himself into the microphone. Explaining himself, giving us his reasons. “It’s time to get looouuuud…” After the show, he rolled a cigarette and smoked in the wind and the rain.

The set ended with “No Shame”. There is almost no way to describe this song. I could sit here and talk about what other post-punk songs it vaguely reminds me of or what other songs have a kind of similar guitar riff, but on a visceral level there is no way to describe it. It is an amazing hook + cymbals + raging guitars + deep bass + an outro from hell that seems to last forever. And it was the only way the show could have ended.

They met and coalesced in Colorado, though Mike is from New Zealand. They play songs that have purpose. The play songs with passion and desire. This is a band that works. They play songs because they have to.
..........................................................And there is nothing quite like being there when they do.

roar.

--TRx

***Check out Smile for Diamonds' brand new self-titled EP, available at Tyrannosaurus Records***