After my amazing SXSW experience I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this year’s Bonnaroo lineup. I went through the list from the bottom up. I tried to focus on bands that I have never seen live and that I expect big things from. I tried to pick from different genres but some crossover with each, they are too good to pass up. My common theme always seems to be my love of a good rock band, which you can definitely see from this list. All set times have been pulled of Bonnaroo’s website check there for the most up to date information.

The Staves - Sunday The Great Taste Lounge 6:40 p.m.

I only caught wind of these three gals after SXSW and was bummed  I might not be able to see them again for some time since they're from Watford, England. However, I am being given a second chance to catch these sisters. Their set is scheduled for Sunday evening and am looking forward to closing out my weekend with their angelic voices. Watching a video they recorded while in Austin with several members of various bands, I was blown away when I heard the soulful female vocals and had to find the source. BAM, The Staves and I haven’t separated since. If you want simply beautiful folkie songs played by three very talented ladies then make sure to check them out.

Fly Golden Eagle- Sunday Great Taste Lounge 12:00 p.m.

This band's name alone makes me want to see these guys. Tagged on their bandcamp as garage, rock, soul, psychedelic, Nashville, was what sold me on them. After checking out a couple of songs online, I can only expect to hear amazing things live. Having an early slot on my Sunday line up at noon, I am beyond ready for a sunny lo-fi psychedelic rock experience.

Black Box Revelation - Sunday That Tent 11:15 a.m.

This garage rock duo from Belgium had me hooked the second I heard the opening of “High on a Wire.” Obvious comparisons to The Black Keys are sure to made also with the added flare of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. From everything I have read, these guys put on a kickass rock show that will be the perfect start to my last day at Bonnaroo.

Alabama Shakes - Thursday This Tent 11:30 p.m.

This band makes amazing Southern rock, plain and simple. Having received accolaides from critics across the board, I'd be stupid to miss this group. I chuckled the other day when I saw another band’s tweet stating how they were bummed they were missing Alabama Shakes’ set at the festival they were both playing, to me that says a lot. Having  vocals compared to Janis Joplin should be enough alone, but these musicians mean business with each perfected note. Once their Thursday night set begins I'll officially know my weekend of amazing music has begun.

Ben Howard - Friday That Tent 1:45 p.m. & Friday Sonic Stage 5:30 p.m.

I couldn’t finish this list without a kick butt storyteller with an acoustic guitar. They are certainly doing something right over the pond. The soulfulness in his voice carries throughout the songs. With a song like “Keep Your Head Up”, you know he's talented, but give the song a minute or so for the harmonizing chorus to join in, That's what separates him from everyone else. I am thrilled to put this man on my list and am hoping for a lovely Friday afternoon in the shade enjoying his beautiful songs.

 

In the middle of her set at the Independent in San Francisco, Thursday night, Nicki Bluhm removed the green sweater she was wearing over a black backless shirt and began to belt out Linda Ronstadt’s country hit “You’re No Good” from when Ms. Ronstadt was a country artist. It wasn’t Linda Ronstadt that I thought of though. I mean, sure the hair is similar, she has the singing chops, hell the vocals may be even better than Ronstadt’s, but it was someone else with more of an edge that came to mind. When Nicki Bluhm was writhing on stage while Dave Mulligan dutifully strummed the acoustic guitar and Deren Ney shredded the electric, it was Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders that came to mind.

Nicki Bluhm is an artist that has become an Internet phenomenon with her “Van Sessions” cover songs used to pass the time while on the road. It was a brilliant idea, but on Thursday she showed she was more than that. She performed songs from her debut album, Toby’s Song, and her sophomore effort, Driftwood, (set to be re-released in July) and the Gramblers, her backing band, were so in sync with her that you’d think they’d been together for 10 years instead of the measly three they've been.

It's hard to categorize the singer and that’s to her advantage. When you think she's a country artist, she’ll sing a song like “Burnt” off her debut album, a soulful Regina Spektor style track. Bluhm gets on stage and belts out tunes with so much style and charisma that it’s a wonder that it took YouTube to really put this artist on everyone’s radar. When Mulligan and Bluhm started into “Santa Fe Runaway” off of his six song EP, Runaway Blues, the energy was off the charts while Bluhm slithered around the stage with a tambourine and Mulligan showed John Sebastian style smoothness to his voice.

When they played what I consider to be their best song, “Jetplane,” the patrons swayed in unison and the ease with which the vocals emitted from her with such emotion and precision was unlike anything I’d seen before. It is rare to see an artist with such confidence in themselves without making it seem arrogant or phony, but Bluhm is so natural on stage. The song has a ‘70s country kind of feel to it. It’s laid back, comfortable and when Bluhm sings, with her effervescent charm, the audience listens intently to the lyrics, “I don’t know my brother, I don’t know their pain. Each one will tell you the same damn thing, life is like a jet plane.”

In the world of Nicki Bluhm, things are going nowhere but up. Internet phenom, be damned, this is an musician that conjures up images of artists with staying power, star power and the ability to turn an otherwise indifferent audience into a whooping, hollering group of maniacs. What she does is remove any suspicion that she is a gimmick. What Nicki Bluhm does is capture the hearts and souls of people who have long forgotten they had such things.

After a long wait, BestNewBands.com faves Saint Motel have finally unleashed news that we've been anticipating for some time: details about the release of their debut album. Titled Voyeur, the record set to be released on July 10 and the band will follow that with a national tour. For those of you who can't get enough of this new about the Los Angeles-based indie rock outfit, have no fear. Here is a free download of "1997" the first single off the album and available only for a limited time. So get ready Saint Motel fans as the long wait is over and this promises to be an album that rocks your socks off. Here's the track listing along with tour dates:

Voyeur Tracklisting:

01. Feed Me Now

02. Benny Goodman

03. Puzzle Pieces

04. Daydream / Wetdream / Nightmare

05. 1997

06. Honest Feedback

07. At Least I Have Nothing

08. You Do It Well

09. Hands Up Robert

10. Stories

11. Balsa Wood Bones

Tour Dates:

07/12 San Francisco at Pop Scene

07/14 Los Angeles, CA at El Rey

07/17 Denver, CO at Larimer Lounge

07/19 Madison, WI at Univ. of Wisconsin

07/20 Minneapolis, MN at 7th St. Entry

07/21 Chicago, IL at Schuba's

07/22 Lansing, MI at Mac's Bar

07/23 Toronto, ON at Drake Hotel

07/25 Philadelphia, PA at Kung Fu Necktie

07/27 New York at the Mercury Lounge

07/28 Brooklyn, NY at Glasslands

07/29 Washington, DC at DC9

07/31 Atlanta, GA at The Masquerade

08/01 Nashville, TN at The High Watt

08/03 Houston, TX at Rudyard's

08/04 Austin, TX at Stubb's

08/06 El Paso, TX at Lowbrow Palace

08/07 Phoenix, AZ at Rhythm Room

08/10 Santa Ana, CA at The Observatory

08/11 San Diego, CA at The Casbah

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

Now armed with a UK press rap sheet longer than your arm and an attitude that defies convention, Australian four-piece and winners of the 2012 Australian Music Prize The Jezabels have not only conquered their home land but 2012 sees them casting their own brand of highly charged rock, like a malevolent storm, across the oceans and into the UK.

In just 3 short months the band have played to 2300 people at their two sold-out London headline shows and on the day their critically acclaimed album Prisoner was released in the UK, they announced their biggest London headline show to date, at the 1500 capacity Brixton Electric on Thursday 17th May 2012

Following up from the album release (which went straight into the Aussie charts at no.2) The Jezabels will be releasing album track CITY GIRL on Monday 14TH MAY. From the opening bars CITY GIRL bears all the hallmarks of The Jezabels’ sound: it’s a widescreen epic with guitarist Sam Lockwood’s expansive FM radio riffery, coupled with drummer Nik Kaloper’s thundering drums and Heather Shannon’s chiming layered keys all poised behind singer Hayley Mary’s now distinctive and remarkable vocals.

Catch The Jezabels live in the UK during May,

Thursday 17th May London Brixton Electric
Friday 18th May Liverpool Zanzibar
Saturday 19th May Dublin Button Factory

more UK shows and festival dates to be announced.

Emerging Brooklyn band The Echo Friendly is a name you may start hearing more often. They’ve gotten recent recognition for having their song “Same Mistakes” in the closing credits of the fourth Girls episode, but they also have a band and life philosophy more withstanding than that. In a conversation with band members Jake Rabinbach and Shannon Esper, we talk about their mumblecore sensibilities, and how their real life relationship and what’s important to them has inspired their music.

Kelly Knapp: When did you guys start making music as The Echo Friendly?

Jake Rabinbach: Well, our first show in New York as The Echo Friendly was almost exactly a year ago. Shannon and I started the entertaining the idea of singing duets together in Fall 2010. That’s when we first started thinking about it and I started writing some songs for us.

KK: Is that how it all came about – you guys were already friends and decided to start a band?

JR: Shannon and I made a movie together in the summer of 2009 called Open Five, directed by my friend Kentucker Audley. Kentucker and I wrote it together, and I acted in it, and so did he, and then we cast Shannon. Shannon and I also went to the same elementary school and Jr. high school in Montclair, NJ.

KK: Oh, so you guys go way back.

Shannon Esper: We weren’t really friends, but we knew each other.

JR: Yeah, we were in jazz band together – Shannon played flute and I played guitar. So, she was recommended to me by somebody else we cast in the film. I was looking for a really strong female lead that I believed I would be attracted to in real life. So the other person in the film recommended her, and I knew her so I emailed her, and that’s how we met.

SE: That’s how we met, and then we were friends, and then we dated, and then we stopped dating, and then we started dating…

JR: And I basically was trying to…we were dating, but we’ve always have a sort of turbulent time. I was sort of looking for a way for us to communicate, really, and to get Shannon to come over to my house. I had this one song called “Boats,” that I was working on, and I had been on tour with this band called Francis and the Lights for a long time, and “ Boats” was the first song that I wrote when I came home from being on that tour, and I had done some recording with my old band, and I wanted to start new. I wrote the first half of “Boats” and I saw Shannon, and we went to a record fair, and I made a joke about her singing with me, and she was like, no wait, seriously? And then I said I had already written a song, which wasn’t true. I had already written half a song, and then I went home and I wrote a verse for her to sing, so she would come over. That was Sunday, so she would come over on Wednesday, and then I wrote another one in between so we’d have more time together. So, there was an urgency for me to try to get more songs together so Shannon would hang out.

KK: And is being in the film world with Open Five how you know Girls Lena Dunham?

JR: That is actually how I know Lena. I met Lena because Kentucker was in New York casting Open Five, and she was a fan of Team Picture, his first movie, and they did a short together called Family Tree, and Lena sent her first feature form Oberlin called Creative Nonfiction, and Kentucker and I loved it, so we wanted to see her and hang out with her in New York. This was in summer 2009, before Tiny Furniture came out. We hung out, and talked about making movies, so we knew each other from that.

SE: And she was a fan of Open Five.

JR: Yeah, she was really into Open Five, so I emailed her our music video for “Same Mistakes,” and just said hi, this is what I’m working on, haven’t seen you in awhile, looks like you’re doing great! And she loved the song and wanted to use it, which was an unbelievable blessing for us.

KK: It’s kind of perfect for the show (Girls).

JR: It’s amazing. I couldn’t think of a better placement, and I just feel really lucky.

SE: When we were in SXSW and saw their hastag, #mistakesgirlsmake we were like, yes!

KK: What was the inspiration behind the song “Same Mistakes”?

SE: Mainly, everything’s effed.

JR: Yeah, I was upset, I was beating myself up, and I was sitting in my bedroom, which was the backroom of my mom’s office, where I lived for a while, where I wrote most of our songs. I literally was so angry and upset, mainly about things with (Shannon), and I just said, I’m going to write the dumbest thing I could possibly write. I’m going to write something that no body will ever hear, that I thought was just stupid for me, in that moment. I wrote two verses – the first two - and I played it for Shannon a couple days later, and she was like, that’s the best one you ever wrote.

SE: We are definitely recording that, it is so good!

JR: And I really wouldn’t have known. I really would have just not even played it for anybody. It was for us to sing and I played it for her. Then I wrote the other verse about my friends being a drag and that was just stuff that we were talking about. Like, for a while your friends all want to hang out late and party, and have a good time, and then they all get into relationships. And when all your friends get into relationships – and for me especially; I was living on the upper west side, far from all my friends in Brooklyn, and I felt really isolated. I was just like, everybody is fucking in relationships, they all want to go to bed early, I stay up till 4 or 5 a.m. Shannon was the only other person who was up late and was also single, and going through hard times, and trying to be an artist. She was the only person I really could connect to at that time. I think that’s a lot of what the song is about too. As much as it’s about everything being effed, it’s about us finding each other, and we share that feeling.

KK: That’s really great, because it’s a simple concept but something that everyone feels at some point.

JR: Yeah, I think often, that’s the best thing. Those are my favorite songs. My favorite pop songs are super simple. It’s nice that everybody likes it so much.

SE: We knew they would, though.

JR: I guess so. For a long time I had lost hope, because we released it as a single last summer, but now people are writing on Twitter that they feel less alone, and they feel understood, and it’s making their day better and helping them sleep. I’m overcome, that’s amazing. If we can do that, we don’t have to do anything else. That’s what I’m trying to do, is just have that conversation with a lot of people.

KK: Do you have an album that the song is on, or just the single?

JR: Yep, we do. Nobody’s heard it yet. It’s not out. It’s an album about our relationship, and our ups and downs, and what we’ve been through together. It’s all really personal, factual, 100% - I don’t think I made up anything.

KK: Is your relationship your main inspiration?

JR: I mean, at a certain point, I felt like I didn’t know how to write songs. I was feeling sort of lost, and I was like, I think the only thing I can do here is just say what happened. And if I say what happened, then they’re not bad lyrics. I started doing that, and it became easier and easier. I write Shannon’s parts in the songs, but she writes - we would be up late on g-chat or hanging out or something, and I would really try to get her to…one time I asked her to write me an email, and just say something you’ve never said to me before.

SE: And the band almost broke up.

JR: It was devastating, horrible.

SE: But we wrote a really beautiful song.

JR: Yeah, so I really just started taking facts from our life. Sometimes that was hard, sometimes that was awesome.

KK: Did the things that you never said before end up in a song on the album?

SE: They did end up as a song but that song’s not on the album.

JR: It’ll come out someday.

KK: Is that something that you think differentiates you guys from most other bands?

SE: I think. I don’t know another band that does this.

JR: We’re really big over-sharers, which I think is more in common with mumblecore movies; the way I write lyrics. That’s like when I read a Tao Lin book, I feel like, whoa, that’s really saying exactly what happened in this really simple, beautiful way. I would definitely aspire to do that; that’s what I would like to do. It’s not literary, and I don’t even think of it as confessional, it’s a conversation. I don’t think there are really other bands that are doing that right now. I don’t know, I’ll probably start writing different kinds of lyrics soon. Even if you get toward the songs that were at the end of the record, I’m starting to branch out into larger concepts, but I really for a long time just felt like I don’t know what else to say. I have nothing else to say, except exactly what happened. I don’t know how to talk about this any other way, especially if she (Shannon) was going to be there and be a part of it. I can’t get away with making shit up and just having it be my perspective if she’s going to be singing it. I have somebody else that I have to account for, it’s not just my thoughts…which is challenging, and frustrating, and also the reason that I’ve been able to write as many songs as I have. It’s like a set of parameters.

SE: The craziest thing is just how well we know each other. He’ll send songs to me and I’m like, I don’t even remember saying that, but I know I said that, and now here it is in this song and I’m going to say it again, so many times. Fuck!

KK: So when is this album coming out?

JR: We don’t know yet. We’d like it to come out as soon as possible, but we want it to be right. We want as many people to hear it as possible.

KK: Are you planning more shows, some touring?

JR: Yeah, we want to do it all. The goal is to tour and have a relationship with our fans, and do something meaningful. We went from a week ago not really being sure who was going to listen. Now, there’s people who seem interested in hearing our music, and we want to tour and get this new album out.

KK: Who else are you listening to right now? Who would you want to tour with?

JR: I like so many bands right now, I don’t know. I’m really excited about the new Twin Shadow record coming out; I really loved his first record. I loved EMA’s record last summer. She’s unbelievable. The Youth Lagoon record is great, the Cloud Nothings record is great. I don’t think we sound anything like any of these bands, though. I’d go on tour with any band that I liked, even if we didn’t sound like them. I love the War on Drugs record, the Kurt Vile record, Smoke Ring for my Halo. I like that Daughn Gibson record that just came out. The White Denim people have a label, and they put it out. It’s all country music samples and it’s awesome.

KK: So what is coming up in the near future for you guys?

JR: That’s the big question. We don’t really know. This is the first show we’ve played that we’ve ever played that we sold a lot of advance tickets, and we know there’s definitely going to be a lot of people there.

KK: And it’s like your one-year anniversary.

JR: Yeah, it’s awesome. I think right now we’re just trying to enjoy this week and play this show, and tomorrow is Shannon’s birthday.

KK: Oh, happy birthday!

SE: Thank you very much!

JR: The thing I’m thinking about right now is that I don’t have to hide in the backroom and just hold my breath and hope that people come. That’s awesome. My mom’s coming, Shannon’s parents are coming, it’s going to be a nice little celebration.

We’ll probably release another single soon, and let it trickle out. I think that if people love the song, they’ll probably like the rest of the record – there’s a real sound on it.

KK: Do you already have a song in mind for the next single?

SE & JR: Yeah.

SE: And the video. We shot a video for it and it’s being edited.

JR: Yeah. I don’t want to say what it is.

KK: So it’s a surprise?

SE: Yeah, it’s a surprise.

JR: And I could change my mind. And also, if one video is ready before another – we’ve been working on a lot of video stuff.

KK: That’s cool that you guys are also involved in film, and can really collaborate on a couple art forms.

JR: Yeah, we’re really interested in the visual element of this band, and we know a lot of film people, and those are the people who have been super supportive and helpful.

SE: They’ve been really reassuring for a really long time.

JR: Yeah! A lot of the times when it was hard and we didn’t know what was going to happen next, our friends in the film world would be like, let’s do this. And that would be a project for us to work on that was creative, but also about building the business. That’s been really fun, so people will see more of that from us, for sure.

SE: We have really talented friends.

JR: These people are world class, amazing. Also, it’s wonderful to share back with them. Our friend Paul directed the “Same Mistakes” video, and he’s so talented. I saw him in a bar last night and he was like, yeah your video has like 10,000 fucking views on Youtube. And I was like, yeah I know! That’s so great, and that I could give that to him, he can get more exposure too...it’s just family vibes. That’s part of why collaborating is so fun, is that you get to share it with people. And that’s what I feel about making music with Shannon. Regardless of where we’re at in our relationship, and friendships, we love each other. I don’t know what the point is if it’s not about doing stuff with people you like to be around, and you know and understand and feel close to. It’s not fun, otherwise. It’s like, do something else where you might make money.

Over the past few months, we’ve been writing a lot about Meiko, and deservedly so. Though her debut album was released in 2007, she’s still a relatively new artist being that this is only her second release. After reviewing her live show at SXSW and an Artist of the Week feature, her album The Bright Side is finally out everywhere and let’s get to business and show you what we thought about the record.

The opening track, “Stuck To You” is a folky number that opens with the sound of snapping fingers, always a plus. When we spoke to the Georgia-native a few months ago, she told us that the tone of the album was going to be upbeat since she’s at a better place in her love, mostly because she’s in love now. This song demonstrates exactly that. It’s an ode to her special someone where her lyrics are heartfelt and fits the upbeat music well. Not only is it a tender tune, it’s a great way to set the tone for the album. Also, being very poppy without losing the coffeehouse sound that made her first album likeable is an added bonus.

In fact, the poppiness she told us about back when we interviewed her is still the defining sound on the album. But what makes this album different than her debut is that she exudes confidence throughout. She’s in love and not afraid to say so (especially on the aptly titled “I’m In Love” and lead single “Leave The Lights On” is stellar as wel) and proves that a good pop song doesn’t have to show venom at a lover or have nonsensical lyrics. Meiko makes feeling good, well, feel good. She talks about being in love on most tracks and that can get a bit old and redundant, but hey, if the gal is in a good place, then more power to her.

Another factor to why this album flows so well is the understated production. On each track, Meiko takes chances by mixing up the songs with different sounds, like her experimentation with synths and yes, even a trace of dream-pop. By not affiliated with a major label, she’s able to make a more natural sounding album where the songs don’t feel forced or are catering to a certain demographic. That’s why the production here is solid and fits what the singer is trying to do. For this, we can thank her talented production team, which featured Belgian producer Styrofoam and Jimmy Messer amongst others.

While there are songs from across the board, the star of the show here is Meiko’s soothing vocals. They’re the lynchpin that holds the album together. Whether she dabbles in coffeehouse rock, ‘90s pop or dream-pop, the singer’s pipes are what makes this album distinctly her. Even when she’s pissed off, like on “I Wonder,” she makes it sound good and strikes an emotional chord with the listener It took the singer a long time to ready The Bright Side, but now that it’s out and ready for mass consumption, people should be excited to hear what this talented musician has in-store for the world.

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.

I learned a new term this week – “cloud rap.” I hope you’re proud of me.

Anyway, I came across said term while doing some research on Lushlife, a Philadelphia-based producer and emcee whose hypnotic beats are often laced with an intoxicating burst of ambiance and fluffy psychedelic.   From that brief description of his work you can probably see how the “cloud rap” moniker might fit.

Clouds, like dreams, bring to mind a pastoral, uncomplicated concept that none us really understand (how many of you are meteorologists or neuroscientists?  Yeah, that’s what I thought) yet we all know rather innately through our own experience.  You know what a cloud is, you know what a dream is, and you know that both come with a certain pre-established literary/artistic significance.  It’s difficult to describe, something that floats halfway between science and aesthetic, yet that particular je-ne-sais-pas is so hard to miss that it could never sneak away.

Plateau Vision, Lushlife’s second full-length, comes hot off the heels of his No More Golden Days mixtape, which Lushlife released last fall.  If you liked No More Golden Days, you’ll get into this, too, most likely.  Same style, same guests, and even some of the same songs abound (sorry but, no, we don’t get the masterful Katy Perry “Teenage Dream” remix, again).

The album kicks off with “Magnolia,” a jazzy introduction to Lushlife’s overall style with a bouncy bassline and some glistening harp flutters.  Lushlife says something about Zola Jesus, Henry James, wallabies, Coney Island, and whatever.  He’s got a tendency to show off how many references he can throw into one track (ain’t that hip-hop?).  Sometimes it’s impressive – come on, you gotta admit that you never thought you’d see Zola Jesus and Wallabies in the same song – though sometimes it’s downright annoying.

Thankfully, Lushlife’s production is usually so spot-on with inventive flourishes and fly-by-night flickers of genius, that even when he gets overly verbose and hyper-referential the backing track is still strong enough to slay my miniscule attention span.   Just to circle back to the whole cloud rap thing, his strongest moments are those where he ignores topicality and lets the mood takeover with layer upon layer of foggy, blissed-out synths, samples and 80’s-tastic drum fills.

Imagine Washed Out, but a hip-hop version.  Sounds sweet right?

Plateau Vision features an expansive guest list (well expansive by indie standards…by hip-hop standards this is more like a happening than a party) with Styles P, Andrew Cedermark, Hemes and Cities Aviv rolling through the liner notes.  Each one adds a little something new, usually by way of guest verses and sung choruses.

Nonetheless the real star of the album is Lushlife’s pure understanding of atmosphere.  Inventive production tactics and hypnotic flourishes are this guy’s calling and he doesn’t disappoint.  This isn’t hip hop for nodding your head and rolling in the Benz – this is something best pulled out at your next black light and face paint party or whenever you decided it’s a good time to lie back and turn off your mind.

For more on Lushlife and Plateau Vision check out lushlifemedia.bandcamp.com

FIDLAR are very excited to announce that this June they will be hitting the road with The Hives. They will be joining the band for their East Coast leg in the second half of the month.

They have also released another track, "Got No Money", from their Don't Try EP, along with another tour video. Head over to I Guess I'm Floating to watch and listen.

In other exciting news, FIDLAR are happy to announce they will be playing Lollapalooza this summer, on August 4h. The lineup already includes, Black Sabbath, Jack White, At the Drive-In, The Black Keys, and many more! Head over to theLollapalooza website for more info and your tickets.

Tour With The Hives

June 19th - Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
June 20th - Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
June 22nd - New York, NY – Terminal 5
June 23rd - Boston, MA – House of Blues
June 25th - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
June 26th - Toronto, ON – Sound Academy
June 27th - Pontiac, MI – Clutch Cargo
June 30th - Chicago, IL – The Vic