Upon releasing his Sub Pop debut, Fear Fun, at the beginning of the month, Father John Misty has not only received praise for the record, but has also made his late night debut on The Late Show with David Letterman and Last Call with Carson Daly, performing songs “Everyman Needs A Companion” and “I’m Writing a Novel.”

The brainchild of Josh Tillman (former drummer of Seattle’s flannel folk gurus Fleet Foxes), Father John Misty has already announced a slew of North American shows accompanying Young Lagoon during July and yesterday announced a number of international performances stopping in Spain, Germany, UK and Australia among others.

The musician has been recording solo records since 2003 (under the moniker “J. Tillman”), but this is his first under Father John Misty. What’s so appealing about this project is its sincerity. The tracks seem dark and morose, and it’s because Tillman began gestating the album during what he describes as an “immobilizing period of depression,” in his former Seattle home. After hitting the road with nothing but a grip of mushrooms, Tillman drove down the coast with no destination in mind. During this journey, he began to write a novel, which developed the narrative voice he portrays in this release.

His voyage brought him to Laurel Canyon, where the songwriter currently resides. Once settled, Tillman sent his demos to LA producer Jonathan Wilson, and the two brought Fear Fun into fruition.  Get a feel for the album with videos for “This Is Sally Hatchet,” “Nancy From Now On,” and “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings,”, which features Aubrey Plaza of Parks & Recreation.

Tour Dates:

Jun 02--Barcelona, Spain-- Primavera Sound Festival

Jun 03-- Berlin, Germany-- Privatclub

Jun 04 -- Utrecht, Netherlands-- Ekko

Jun 06 -- London, United Kingdom-- Shacklewell Arms

Jun 07-- Antwerp, Belgium -- Trix

Jun 08 -- Paris, France-- Fleche D'Or

Jun 10-- Welbeck Abbey , United Kingdom -- No Direction Home Festival

Jul 05 -- Denver, CO -- Bluebird #

Jul 06 -- Omaha, NE-- Slowdown #

Jul 07-- Madison, WI --High Noon Saloon #

Jul 09 -- Cleveland, OH -- Grog Shop #

Jul 10 -- Buffalo, NY -- Town Ballroom #

Jul 11 -- Ottawa, Ontario -- Ottawa Bluesfest

Jul 12 -- Toronto, Ontario -- Opera House #

Jul 13 -- Pontiac, MI -- Crofoot #

Jul 15 -- Minneapolis, MN -- Varsity #

Jul 18 -- Missoula, MT -- Top Hat #

Jul 20 -- Seattle, WA-- Capitol Hill Block Party

07-21 -- Vancouver, British Columbia -- Venue #

07-22 -- Portland, OR -- Wonder Ballroom #

Jul 27 -- Melbourne, Australia-- Corner Hotel

Jul 28 -- Sydney, Australia-- Oxford Art Factory

Jul 29 -- Byron Bay, Australia-- Splendour in the Grass Festival

# w/ Youth Lagoon

In 2006, high school friends Thorben Seierø Jensen and Sune Sølund formed Alcoholic Faith Mission after stumbling upon Brooklyn’s Apostolic Faith Mission and joking around about swapping the “Apostolic” with “Alcoholic,” because alcoholics have faith in booze like the devout have in religion. It stuck, and now six years later, the band has grown to a sextet and resides in its hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark. With four full-length albums under its belt, including the recently released Ask Me This, the indie/alternative outfit has turned its focus on touring and has spent the last month in North America, headlining venues across the U.S. and Canada. Amidst the chaos of life on the road, AFM vocalist, Jenson, was kind enough to chat with me about the group’s collection of awe-inspiring music videos, working with producer Tom McFall (R.E.M., Weezer, Stars), and the band’s drink of choice.

Katrina Nattress: You are known for your breathtaking music videos. What makes a music video special to you?

Thorben Seierø Jensen: It’s all about the narrative. Watching videos with a band performing in the woods or a singer trying to be sexy just seems pointless. Sometimes stupid videos are watchable too. Like the Ok Go videos. Don’t really care much for the music, but the videos are amazing.

KN: Do you feel music videos still have the same impact as they did, say, ten years ago?

TSJ: It’s definitely different now. The big TV stations don’t have the same impact anymore, but now you’ve got YouTube. Everybody can post his or her own video and even small bands can get success making good and creative viral videos. Ten years ago they’d never stand a chance.

KN: Do you plan on releasing your videos as a collection package?

TSJ: Haven’t really thought about it. But it sounds like a good idea.

KN: You have spent a lot of time in both America and Europe, how does touring differ between the two continents?

TSJ: It’s actually quite different. In general, the circumstances at the small or medium sized venues we usually play are better in Europe. Over there the venues usually treat you like a rock star with free beer and champagne, two meals, free accommodation and really sweet and welcoming people. [In America], it’s just business as usual. Most places you get two beer tickets and that’s it. Only a few venues provide a decent green room and although we’re easy going and humble (at least we feel we are) some of the people at the venues couldn’t care less about you. Of course it’s not always like that, sometimes you run into really good people as well. We think it might have something to do with competition. Bands from all over the world love to travel to U.S., and that could conceivably make the venues somewhat spoiled. Often they’re able to book quite big names as well as having 3-6 bands on the poster each day without paying much. In Europe, it’s the opposite. Fewer bands tour, so many venues spoil the bands to attract their attention. Also there are only one or two acts each night. This doesn’t mean we don’t like touring US. We love it! And we meet shitloads of good people. The treatment at the venues is just different.

KN: Where is your favorite place to play?

TSJ: There are definitely a few favorite places. Of course we love playing our hometown Copenhagen and we also have had very good experiences every time we visit New York. But for some reason the safest bet seems to be Hamburg, Germany. We have been there five times and can’t wait to go back.

KN: What’s been your most memorable performance?

TSJ: There were a lot of memorable shows last year, but one was extraordinarily good. It was our official gig at Swan Dive in Austin during the chaotic SXSW. Ten minutes before our show the venue was empty, but it got packed in no time. It was the last show of seven in three days, so we just gave all we had left. It was the most amazing 40 minutes, and the show is why we have our current setup over here.

KN: You have released four albums thus far, how does Ask Me This differ from its predecessors?

TSJ: As a new thing, everybody in the band now participates in the songwriting. During the creation of the songs we also tried to bring in some new inspirations, which led us to some experiments with the genre. A lot of people have mentioned there’s almost a classical touch on a couple of the songs. Also, we usually do everything ourselves. We still do, but this time Tom McFall participated as a co-producer while finishing up the songs.

KN: Tell me about working with Tom McFall.

TSJ: He’s amazing! He contacted us late 2010, some months after our release of our third record Let This Be The Last Night We Care, and asked if we were working on something new. We didn’t know him, but we definitely knew of his work with R.E.M. and Stars, so we were very honored by him reaching out. He came over for a weekend to try it out and immediately we clicked. He had the same unpretentious and playful way of doing things as us, so we decided to do this, and we’re really happy he joined us for ten days in the end.

KN: I have read that alcohol is integral in your recording process. What is your drink of choice?

TSJ: Whiskey. During the recordings of Ask Me This, it was expensive bottles of Scotch, usually the peaty ones from Isley, always neat, of course. These days, we’re more into ryes and bourbons with lots of ice. Sometimes we prefer whisky as a part of a cocktail. Like whisky sour and old fashioned.

KN: The band formed in Brooklyn, what made you decide to move back to Denmark?

TSJ: Money. It’s expensive to live in New York, so it was only for six months in 2008. As foreigners we’re not allowed to work beside of touring and unfortunately we’re not big enough to make a living of it. Back in Denmark we all have part time jobs.

KN: Would you ever move back to the States?

TSJ: Would love to. Some of us actually stayed in L.A. for three months during this winter and left in January with the feeling of coming back soon. Next time, and to catch the perfect weather (for us at least), we’d love to stay in Brooklyn during the spring and fall and then summer and winter in LA. Not a big fan of New York during winter or summer.

Alcoholic Faith Mission is wrapping up its American tour this month. If you live in Los Angeles, catch the six-piece at The Satellite this Thursday, May 17. Find the group’s remaining tour dates here.

So Tha Boogie started anew and created a follow-up to its 2009 debut EP, Love The Boogie (Steal This Sh*t), which the two-piece entitled, Good Luck Charlie Vettuno. The title is a tribute to Vettuno Street, where the two musicians met during their childhood. And instead of releasing the EP on Raphael Saadiq’s Velma Records, like the debut, Tuko and Jet decided to release it themselves.

With this do-it-yourself approach comes with pros and cons. Where the debut is full bodied and experimental, the duo seems to take a more straightforward approach with GLCV, creating minimalist production/instrumentation and an emphasis on vocals. Tuko and Jet both have a nice set of pipes on them (as does Ani Lennox, who lends her voice on the tack, “Protocol,”) but the release is lacking that magnetizing pizzazz of their debut, which has attracted fans across the globe.

Tuko and Jet also add a bit too much filler to this release. Although the EP comprises eight tracks, three of them are interludes, resulting in a playtime that stops short of eighteen minutes.  There are some gems on this record, namely the dance-inducing, synth laden “Protocol” that features the aforementioned Lennox; the fast-paced, aggressive “SoL,” where Tuko flexes his rapping muscles, and the slow, beautifully heart wrenching closing track, “Happy Ending.” But it would have been nice to see an album full of solid tunes like these.

With monumental changes come transition periods, and it seems like this is the phase Tha Boogie is in currently. Tuko and Jet are both extremely talented musicians lyrically, vocally and instrumentally, as well as being talented producers. They just need to regain footing as a two-piece and focus on each member’s strengths. It’s good to work out the kinks on an EP before delving into a full-length, which the duo has mentioned is its next project.

While the majority of Angelinos spent their Cinco de Mayo drinking strong margaritas at unnecessarily busy Mexican restaurants, I spent mine at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood with Ernest Greene and his band, Washed Out.

I’ve been a fan of Greene’s tranquil brand of chillwave since he released his first EP in 2009, and I was one of the many who held their breath in anticipation over his debut full-length, Within and Without, last year. The record ended up making my “Top 5 Albums of 2011” list, resulting in the same eagerness to see the young producer perform his newer tunes.

I was also excited to see the Perry, Georgia native play with a full band. I had seen Greene at The Wonder Ballroom in Portland during the city’s annual music festival, Musicfest NW back in 2010, but he took the stage alone. It was incredible watching him maneuver synths and samplers solo, but with the full sound that encompasses his LP, touring with a full band was the right choice.

Greene’s wife, Blair, accompanied him on keys and vocals, as well as a live drummer and bassist. These additions enhanced the electronic musician’s samples and gave the songs a fuller, rounder sound. This (paired with the amount of tequila and Mexican beer in everyone’s system) induced a dance party. I began watching the set in the theatre’s balcony and quickly realized this mistake when I saw the sea of flailing limbs below me. After the first song, I ran down to the floor and joined the mass of sweaty, glorious, swaying bodies.

My largest concern prior to the show was the crowd’s enthusiasm. I have attended one too many concerts in Los Angeles where the audience stands stiffly during music that deserves to be boogied to, and I was terrified Washed Out would draw the same crowd. But Greene himself mentioned between songs that this was one of the livelier audiences he’s seen in awhile. Well done, Angelinos.

The four-piece played a diverse set list during its hour long performance, including Within and Without’s popular tracks, “Eyes Be Closed,” and “Amor Fati,” as well as the song that pushed Washed Out into the mainstream eye, “Feel It All Around,” which is off his 2009 EP, Life of Leisure, and is featured in the opening credits of the critically acclaimed IFC show, Portlandia. I must say, I had a pretty damn great Cinco de Mayo.

Washed Out is currently on an international tour, making stops in France, Spain and Portugal before heading back to the States for Lollapalooza and the Outside Lands Festival in August. Find a complete list of tour dates here.

The band played all of the hits off its critically acclaimed 2009 debut, Up From Below, and also gave its fans a taste of the new record, Here, which is slated for a May 29^th release. Even with twelve musicians on stage, the group’s interaction was amazing. Each member played flawlessly and charismatically, feeding off the energy of the rest of the band. But nothing compared to the chemistry between Ebert and Castrinos. When the two sang together, their dynamism was magnetizing. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. And when they performed “Home,” it was like they were in a different world. Their eyes were locked on each other the whole time, forgetting there were thousands of people honed in on them.

What astonished me the most was the length of the set. The troupe played for two hours straight without taking an intermission for an encore. And by the end, the group was just as vigorous as it was from the beginning. Ebert danced and gyrated; frolicked on the stage, and even took requests from the audience for the last few songs. The set ended with “Om Nashi Me,” a beautiful, chanting track from the debut that Ebert informed the crowd meant “Yes My Destruction,” in Sanskrit. I wouldn’t be surprised if the group’s next LA stop was the Hollywood Bowl.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros is on tour through July. Check out dates here.

Photos: Randall Michelson

Where the troupe’s earlier work was highly influenced by Brit pop, this record has that patriotic feel to it, pulling from Americana and alternative rock and paying homage to bands like Weezer and They Might Be Giants. But even with apparent influences, The Parlotones make this album their own. JTTS begins with “Freak Show,” a short, minute-and-a-half long a capella intro that highlights the pipes on each member of the band. From there, the foursome leaps into “Soul and Body,” a straightforward, catchy alternative rock track that could be played on any major US rock station.

The album continues in this direction, with swelling, anthemic tracks that prove it’s just a matter of time before The Parlotones grabs the attention it deserves in the US. And although the instrumentation is solid throughout, the highlight of the album is vocalist/guitarist Kahn Morbee’s voice. He can hit any note in his baritone range but can also seduce his listener with a smooth, breathtaking falsetto (“Save Your Best Bits,” “Sweet as a Stolen Kiss,” “Sing You to Sleep,”) that is reminiscent of Muse’s crooner, Matthew Bellamy. Another high point in the album is the band’s experimentation with Americana. Morbee flawlessly adds a hint of twang to his voice as a slew of acoustic guitars strum behind him in “Down by the Lake, “ and slide guitars accompany acoustic instrumentation in the album’s closer, “Suitcase For a Home.”

The Parlotones are meant to play in stadiums, and this record may give it that push to reach the American masses. Journey Through The Shadows is set for a May 8^th release in the U.S. via Sovereign Entertainment. The Parlotones will embark on a North American tour shortly thereafter. Click here to pre-order the album.

Tour Dates:

Three years later, the Valentines have obliged in the form of Aloha Moon. As the title suggests, the album is a cosmic, tropical romp. Soaring synthesizers, wispy vocals, and waves of guitar guide their listeners through rises and dips in a sea of otherworldly soundscapes. The record’s title track commences the journey with mellow, relaxing instrumentation that is reminiscent of The Beach Boys’ famous breezy hit, “Kokomo.” Dexy takes charge on most of the vocal duties, with Chris providing a nice backing harmony, creating a hazy duet-style execution that, if you close your eyes, can transport you to a warm, white sand beach.

Each track on the record continues to send its listener to a far off land through either imagery or emotion. “Kaleidoscope Hearts,” a light, soaring pop tune, makes its listener feel weightless, while the album’s single, “Space,” takes its listener through a dark intergalactic voyage via warbling, reverbed guitar and distorted vocals. Other songs pull from past pop legends, with the wavy, lucid track “Kiss Me Dead,” paying homage to the Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Just Like Honey,” and the guitar riff in “Teenage Love,” slowing down the playful melody of Cyndi Lauper’s classic “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

Although the mood of the album can shift drastically from one song to the next, it is able to maintain a constant pace that relaxes and settles its listener. It’s this comforting yet intriguing dynamic that has landed the duo gigs playing alongside bands like The Kills, The Horrors, The Raconteurs and The Black Keys, as well as appearances at South by Southwest, Noise Pop, and Lollapalooza. It has also placed Magic Wands’ tunes in popular television shows including The Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl.

Even with so much national exposure, the Los Angeles-based twosome is still hovering just under the radar. But with the help of acclaimed producer Dave Sardy (LCD Soundsystem) on a number of tracks, I think this debut is just the push Chris and Dexy Valentine needed to prove their role in the indie scene.

It has been a crazy few years for Matt Drenik. After being diagnosed with Uveitis, an autoimmune disease that affects the eyes, the then Lions front man saw life in a different light (no pun intended). He began to write softer songs without the help of his bandmates and decided to pack up and move from Austin to Portland. There, Battleme was born. Drenik’s debut self-titled release is slated for an April 24 release via Ghostland Observatory’s Thomas Turner’s label, Trashy Moped Recordings. Amidst the stress and excitement connected to releasing an album, Drenik was kind enough to chat with me about his musical transition, the Portland music scene, and working with the guys at Sons of Anarchy.

Katrina Nattress: You began the Battleme project in 2009 after being diagnosed with Uveitis. How did you get diagnosed?

Matt Drenik: Lions was on tour in Atlanta, and I stepped out of the van and noticed a bunch of black dots in the sky.  I thought it was sweat or something in my eye, but I couldn’t get rid of them.  Months later they were just getting worse and much more noticeable during the day.  I finally went to an eye doctor and they sent me to a retina specialist who diagnosed me with an autoimmune disease that affects the eyes.

KN: How did you feel after being diagnosed with the disease?

MD: Kind of like it was no big deal and that they would fix it.  I didn’t know much about being sick or going to a doctor up until that point.  I think I had been to the doctor once in the last 4 years previous.  So it was all new, and I just assumed that doctors would see a problem and fix it…They told me something was wrong and I went back to my life, thinking it would get better.

KN: How did this encourage you to start a new musical project?

MD: I think about 9 months in, when I saw how complicated the treatments were going to be, is when I really started writing more songs at a rapid pace.  I started to think that maybe this wasn’t going to get better, and maybe things were changing, and I wanted to write all the things that I’d been thinking about writing for so long. You get into that mode when you’re in a band, [where] you write a record and tour for about a year.  You play those songs to death, and then you go back and do it again.  It’s a cycle.  And I wanted to break that cycle.  I wanted to write tons of songs.  I wanted to have a body of work that someday someone would see and say, fuck man, that guy was writing great songs. Jay Reatard said, and I’m paraphrasing, it’s a race against time. I feel the same way.  It’s not a matter of burning out of material; it’s a matter of burning out of time.

KN: Not only did your musical style change, but you also moved from Austin to Portland. What caused this relocation?

MD: On the last Lions tour I met a girl in Portland.  We were flying back and forth to see each other off and on for 9 months.  Finally, she asked me to come to Portland for the summer and I just went for it.  It sounded cool.  I put Lions on hold and just went.  They also had a great eye clinic, Casey Eye Institute.  It was killing two birds with one stone.

KN: What are some local Portland bands you’ve been into lately that we should check out?

MD: Red Fang!  My bros from way back in the day.  I actually met my wife through John Sherman (the drummer).  1939 Ensemble is so great.  Jose owns an amazing drum shop in town called Revival. I just met the guys in Radiation City and I’ve been digging their last record for the past few days now.  Oniunu is great.  My good friend Matt Brown owns the local label he is on.

KN: Although you have yet to release an album, you have already been featured on multiple episodes of Sons of Anarchy. How does that feel?

MD: Great.  I love those guys.  Bob Thiele and Kurt Sutter have been nothing but amazing to me.  I’m not exactly sure how we ended up working so much together.  I think one thing led to another and pretty soon Bob would just call me and ask me to sing on a Forest Ranger song or cut this song for him.  I’m good under the gun…I think it helped solidify a great relationship with us, to the point where a few months back I was at Kurt Sutter and Katy Segal’s house, hanging out with the family, singing a cover song with Katy in their living room.

KN: Ghostland Observatory’s Thomas Turner has backed you from day one; tell me about working with him.

MD: He’s been a big supporter ever since he heard the initial demos I did for the record and got involved pretty immediately.  I’m not exactly sure what struck him at first.  He just heard something that made sense to him and he wanted to explore it a little more.  On a surface level, I’d known Thomas for years--the Ghostland boys were always around the Austin music scene--but the extent of my relationship with him was pretty minimal. After he heard the songs, we hooked up on the phone and just started rattling off ideas.  It was great. I don’t think he really cared about what others thought, or how many units would sell, or if we had a single.  He just really dug the songs and wanted to put out the record because he thought it was cool.  And that kind of meant everything to me.

KN: Take me through the writing/recording process with this record.

MD: I built a lo-fi studio in my girlfriend’s unfinished basement with pipes and noises and hum.  It was beautiful. I’d go down there and get lost. When you’re alone, things start to get heady, and if you just go with it, you sometimes land in places that you would’ve never thought you’d go to.  For instance, I was playing with drum triggers and beats because I had yet to buy a drum kit.  So as I’m messing around, I started thinking of an acoustic open G slide thing, and then I’m thinking of Funkadelic and all of a sudden I’m singing in this low, falsetto voice.  It’s funny, and I’m just kind of rolling with it.  Pretty soon a song starts to take shape.  One thing leads to another, and I’m recording some wild guitar solo on it and throwing a vocal line through a shitty combo amp and boom, “Cave Blues” is born.

The record kind of morphed out of those feelings.  I’d go downstairs and try to find a voice of a song.  Then I tried to find a voice of a record.  I wrote “Wire,” and that kind of triggered the voice.  Soon “Touch,” “Closer,” “Makin Time,” “Wait for Me,” and “Pocket” all spawned from that place.  They were all making sense together.

KN: You’re used to playing with a full band in your former project, Lions, what are the largest differences between this and solo work?

MD: Ah, it’s much different!  There is no filter.  No band filter.  Some people do well with it, some fail miserably.  The band filter is funny.  Every band that I’ve ever been in has it.  Someone writes a riff or a song, brings it in, the band decides if they like it, then they decide how to turn it into their sound, then they attempt to reconstruct the layout, then it’s the band song.  I’ve seen a lot of great ideas come to life from this process, but I’ve also seen some really great ideas killed before the second step.

With the solo stuff, I’m my own filter.  Usually I let all the ideas go through till the end.  Then if something doesn’t feel right, I’ll kill it.  But at least I know.  And I dig that.  I think it’s important to see things through, no matter what the initial vibe is…It’s what is in your soul. Do the gut check.  If your gut is sinking when you are writing, move on to something else.

KN: What can we expect from Battleme for the remainder of 2012?

MD: Touring.  New record being recorded.  Unreleased songs being released.  Keeping busy.

But after playing in the shadow of larger acts, the indie darlings are set to embark on their first headlining North American tour, which begins on May 17 at Santa Barbara’s Soho and makes stops at Los Angeles’ famous Troubadour and New York’s Mercury Lounge. The group will also play this year’s Lollapalooza festival, as well as reconnect with The Civil Wars for two select shows in Utah and Colorado at the end of May.

Aside from the summer-long tour, the five-piece also announced that it will be releasing its anticipated debut record.  The self-titled album was co-produced by Ryan Hadlock (Ra Ra Riot, Blonde Redhead, The Gossip) and was recorded at Bear Creek Studio, a converted barn outside of Seattle. Like the locale in which they were recorded, Milo Greene’s tracks emit a degree of humbleness, drenched in sincerity and beautiful melodies. The album includes the group’s first single, “1957,” an infectious folk-pop gem that has garnered the band a spot on Esquire’s list of “2012’s Artists to Watch” as well as ink from Entertainment Weekly. With all this hubbub already surrounding the indie troupe, I’m excited to see how much more it can harvest after this release and tour. Milo Greene is set for a July 17 release via Chop Shop/Atlantic Records. You can watch the band perform “1957” here.

Milo Greene - Upcoming Tour Dates

5/17          Santa Barbara, CA@ Soho

5/18          San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop

5/19         Phoenix, AZ@ The Rhythm Room

5/22         Denver, CO@ Larmier Lounge

5/23         Denver, CO@ Ogden Theater w/ The Civil Wars

5/24         Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot w/The Civil Wars

6/23         Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour

7/21         Atlanta, GA@ Drunken Unicorn

7/22         Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindsley

7/24         Washington, DC @ DC9

7/26         New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge

7/28         Boston, MA@ Middle East Upstairs

7/29         Montreal, QC @ Divan Orange

7/31         Toronto, ON @ The Horseshoe

8/1            Buffalo, NY@ Mohawk

8/3-5        Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza

8/7            Madison, WI @ The Frequency

8/8            Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry

8/11          Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court