Three Imaginary Girls - Mt. Fuji

Capitol Hill Block Party 2011 preview: Virgin Islands To Play Vera Stage on Sunday, July 24

Chris Estey — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:24:56 +0000

{photo: April Brimer}

Virgin Islands is one of Seattle’s best live rawk and roil bands, souped up on speed-ball breakneck paces and reeling through the gears left behind from The Cops. Fronted by Michael Jaworski (vocals and guitars), and tuned in by two-lane blacktop hard by Aaron Ball (drums and percussion), Charles Keller (bass and vocals), and Christopher Meyer (guitars and vocals), they’re bringing dapper mayhem to the Vera Stage during the Capitol Hill Block Party (2011!) on Sunday, starting at 3 p.m. sharp.

I spoke with Mikey about the festival, the band’s recent full length debut, and love for Cap Hill!

TIG / Chris Estey: Is it a particular thrill to be playing the Block Party? What is it that's more special about playing the CHBP than a usual show in the area?

MIKE: It is thrilling to play the Block Party! It really does feel more special than a regular show in the area. In my opinion, the Block Party is the coolest and most grass-roots festival in our area and it's an honor to perform for it. It takes place in an extremely cool and vibrant neighborhood and it caters to such a great cross-section of humanity. It's just a great street party with awesome bands and we're honored to be a part of it! Not to mention, Jason Lajunesse and crew book artists that truly represent the diverse music scene in Seattle and some of the best national touring acts around. I think you'd be hard pressed to find another music festival that does it so well, especially in a block party setting.

Bumbershoot 2010: Album 101 Prep for Recommended Artists

Chris Estey — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:43:23 +0000

It is sheer madness that there are so many great live performers appearing at Bumbershoot 2010 this year. This is my personal schedule to see a cross-section of irascible indie-ness (be it indie pop-friendly Pac NW hip-hop, indie rock, Brooklyn funk, etc.) but mostly focusing on those TIG-sparking artists who either put out a great record recently (and may or may not have gotten the deserved acclaim) or have one coming right up.

So let's begin the plan, and bear in mind if you haven't heard the music that may already be available from these performers, we would recommend checking the releases hyped below out before you attend Bumbershoot 2010. This is not because you would be in any way disappointed with what you will see and hear when you hit the full-genre full-on phenomenon that is the festival this year; just the opposite, we want you to already have some of these songs down to sing/chant/rap along when they pop during the sets. All are recommended and approved.

Eugene Wendell & the Demon Rind open for The Cops' reunion tonight at Tractor Tavern

Chris Estey — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:53:32 +0000

Just a quick plug for my choice for tonight's show, an out-of-nowhere reunion of one of Seattle's best recent rock bands, The Cops! Their two albums are essential in the Naughty Oughts canon of Pacific NW punk-related goodness, and everyone who saw them when actually "together" realized how diverse and hale they were, astonishing even Dave Day of god-level Monks when he saw them at a Saturday Knights show at Havana (shortly before his much mourned passing).

It's a holiday blessing to have them back tonight at the Tractor, and I doubt they've lost any amount of that sparkle or big beat bash. Meanwhile, also on the bill is "thee" ferocious Thee Sgt. Major lll and "my new thang," roots-bastards Eugene Wendell & The Demon Rind. Singer/songwriter and long-time music business veteran Ian Moore recorded and co-wrote the Seattle band's nine song demo currently getting passed around by rock and rye, in the ditch, gut-bucket fucked up folk-rock fans. Mixed and mastered by Kurt Bloch, band focal point Kwab Copeland writes raw, rustic verse set to rollicking badland bomp.

Let's not let the Cops break up

Chris Estey — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:51:08 +0000

This week we've got three stupendous nights of Sunset Tavern burn down, and here are other reasons to be there every night, each and every one of us.

Free Electricity

ChrisB — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:40:49 +0000

8.2

http://www.sonicboomrecords.com/catalog/default.aspx?searchbox=free+electricity

The-Cops-free-electricity.jpg

I’ve now listened to The Cops’ second album, Free Electricity, about 7 or 8 times straight through over the past 4 days and I am no closer to figuring it out as I was after the first spin. My enjoyment of the album is unwavering, yet I find myself asking if I love this record because it’s a great record, or do I love it because it pushes the right buttons in my psyche? Regardless, it’s not every day that you find a record that simply knocks you on your ass – but that’s exactly what happened to this powerpop-loving writer.

Free Electricity celebrates everything I hold dear in rock and roll: dual-part, jerky guitars riffs layered upon a hard-hitting drum beat with a bassist who is not left many openings yet somehow finds them and dives the tempo by weaving in and out of the ones he’s given, and then add on a singer with a powerful voice and enough range to fit the dark mood of each song. Free Electricity rocks with an urgency not commonly found in indie rock today. In fact, it's hardly fair to call the Cops an indie rock band (with all due respect, the Arcade Fire doesn’t rock this hard and neither does Wilco). I prefer to say the Cops are a classic rock band that hasn’t become classic – yet. They are a throwback rock and roll band free of bullshit, like in the tradition of Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin, just with a garage-ier sound.

“Modern Black Flats” could be a generational anthem if it gets heard by enough people. I’m not sure if it is an update to the Clash’s “White Riot” or the Mekons’ “Never Been in a Riot” – albeit for an era where the stakes are considerably lower (or maybe the apathy is markedly higher). When frontman Michael Jaworski sings on the record’s catchiest song, “There’s blood on the sheets, Blood on the Tracks, blood on the walls of the modern black flats, blood on the seats of your Mercedes Benz” you can’t help but think he’s anxious for someone to throw a trashcan through the window of a Starbucks or commit some other act of anarchy just to shake up the status quo.

The last song, “N-99”, is my favorite. In it, Jaworski looks for some excitement in the seedier sections of Aurora Avenue (at least I think that's what it's about). He growls, “Take a ride with me up 99, make a right just past the neon sign, I got a hundred dollar bill, let’s have some fun, I’ve got a hundred dollar bill, let’s get it on.” Andrew Church’s basslines are understated but obvious – especially during the brief moments when they are layered below only Jaworski’s vocals. They drive the noir-ish feel of the number.

Listening to the Cops makes you realize that this band is more than the sum of its parts. Sure, there are great individual moments (Church’s aforementioned basslines on “N-99” or on the title track where you realize that David Weeks is a rare breed – a powerful drummer that is not in love with the sound of his own fills), but the Cops come together and find a common ideology and consistent sound.

If that, my friends, is not rock and roll, I don’t know what is.

It’s not everyday that you find a record that simply knocks you on your ass – but that’s exactly what happened to this powerpop-loving writer.

Best Northwest Releases of 2005: Imaginary Staff Picks

three imaginary girls — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

You weren't the only one we asked to vote. We asked our imaginary staffers to gather their best-of-the-year lists too! Here's what has been in highest rotation on our iPods this year.

{50-41} * {40-31} * {30-21} * {20-11} * {10-1}
{top 100} * {imaginary picks}

Overall Imaginary Staff Picks for Best Northwest Releases of 2005

The Long Winters, Ultimatum
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
The Elephants, The Elephants
The Decemberists, Picaresque
The Catch, Get Cool
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Char, Imaginary Girl

The Decemberists, Picaresque
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
Minus the Bear, Menos El Oso
Tennis Pro, Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Aqueduct, I Sold Gold
Blue Scholars, The Long March
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
Dear Darling, Songs of Friends and Family
Fruit Bats, Spelled in Bones

Dana, Imaginary Girl

The Elephants, The Elephants
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin
The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
The Catch, Get Cool
Infomatik, Technologies
Tea for Julie, Division
The Pale Pacific, Urgency

Liz, Imaginary Girl

Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Boat, Life is a Shipwreck, We Must Remember To Sing In The Life Boats
The Elephants, The Elephants
The Catch, Get Cool
The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
The Divorce, The Gifted Program
The Wedding Present, Take Fountain
Love Hotel, Masculine Feminine EP
New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite

ChrisB

A Frames, Black Forest
The Catch, Get Cool
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
Anna Oxygen, Meet Jennifer 7"
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin
Tennis Pro, Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad
The Pale Pacific, Urgency

Chris Estey

The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
Daylight Basement, Any Kind Of Pretty
Degenerate Art Ensemble, The Bastress
The Dead Science, Frost Giant
Buttersprites, Buttersprites
Damien Jurado, On My Way To Absence
The Elephants, The Elephants
The Withholders, Stay In My Corner
Tennis Pro, Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad
Sameer Shukla, There's Only One Side Tonight

Erik Gonzalez

The Decemberists, Picaresque
Sleater Kinney, The Woods
Stephen Malkmus, Face the Truth
Mon Frere, Real Vampires
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans

imaginary boy embracey, Film and Theater Editor

New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
The Decemberists, Picaresque
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Boat, Life is a Shipwreck, We Must Remember to Sing in the Lifeboats
The Salteens, Let Go of Your Bad Days

imaginary jessica

Blue Scholars, The Long March
Crystal Skulls, Blocked Numbers
The Divorce, The Gifted Program
Mono In VCF, The Voltage Control EP
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin

Joseph Riippi, Imaginary NYC Correspondent

Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
Luke Temple, Hold a Match for a Gasoline World
Boat, Life is a Shipwreck, We Must Remember to Sing in the Lifeboats
31 Knots, Talk Like Blood
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Banner Barbados, Since Your Caught My Eye Demo
Colin Meloy, Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey

sero(tone)n, Imaginary Calendar Editor

Awesome, Delaware
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
Crystal Skulls, Blocked Numbers
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
The Decemberists, Picaresque
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Minus the Bear, Menos El Oso
The Sun-Ups, The Fatal Flaw
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite

Stella

Crystal Skulls, Blocked Numbers
Brandi Carlile, Brandi Carlile
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Blue Scholars, The Long March
The Ruby Doe, Always With Wings
The Valley, The Valley
Minus the Bear, Menos El Oso
Tea for Julie, Division

Travis Hay

Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
The Divorce, The Gifted Program
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Kane Hodder, The Pleasure To Remain So Heartless
The Pale Pacific, Urgency
The Posies, Every Kind of Light
Schoolyard Heroes, Fantastic Wounds
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Super Deluxe, Surrender!
Vendetta Red, Sisters of the Red Death

{50-41} * {40-31} * {30-21} * {20-11} * {10-1}
{top 100} * {imaginary picks}

You weren't the only one we asked to vote. We asked our imaginary staffers to gather their best-of-the-year lists too! Here's what has been in highest rotation on our iPods this year.

Three Imaginary Girls Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll Results {10-1}

three imaginary girls — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

{50-41} * {40-31} * {30-21} * {20-11} * {10-1}
{top 100} * {imaginary picks}

#10 Harvey Danger — Little By Little
(Phonographic Records)
Harvey Danger catapulted back onto the NW stage with the fantastic DIY-style album, self-released and offered up free (donations welcomed) on the band's website. The striking LP showcases the Harvey Danger's leaps-and-bounds progression since their five-year hiatus. To boot, Sean Nelson's acerbic voice grew mightily into a Broadway-worthy, bell-ringing croon that can finally hold the weight of his witty words. {Stella}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#9 Mon Frere — Real Vampires
(Cake Records)
With their debut release, Mon Frere have grown beyond their EMP Soundoff (the annual underage Battle of the Bands) accolades and proven themselves to be more than three kids from Mountlake Terrace who used their study hall time wisely. This trio have a thing or two to teach us all on how to sum their parts (keyboards, soaring female vocals, and riff-driven guitar) into one mean end. {igLiz}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review} * {interview}

#8 Sleater Kinney — The Woods
(Sub Pop)
As far as indie bands go, Sleater-Kinney had it good: a comfortable home at Kill Rock Stars, critical acclaim, and tons of adoring fans. Not needing a makeover, Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker and Janet Weiss nonetheless signed with Sub Pop, hired a producer that wasn't even a fan, and rediscovered Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Along the way, the band managed to release its most challenging record to date. {ChrisB}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#7 Buttersprites — Buttersprites
(Dionysus Records)
Buttersprites are a tasty musical morsel, and they recognize the importance of snappy matching outfits, sassy live performances, and ironic covers (note the cover of Iggy Pop's "Dog Food" on this release, worth the ticket price just to hear Haruko Nishimura bark her way through). Their debut punk-pop release brought Seattle props through a coveted spot on All Music Guide, and earned the band a devoted following beyond the Northwest. More fun than Pocky. {igDana}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#6 Blue Scholars — The Long March
(Self-released)
Sabzi and Geologic together are Blue Scholars, Seattle's heir apparent to the Northwest hip hop throne. Critical intelligence floods the narratives of each song's statement. Blue Scholars explore tough topics, from dayjob futility to the war in Iraq, expressing the doubts, anger, fear, uncertainty, angst, and a myriad of other complex human emotions, yet the tone throughout remains hopeful and upbeat. And you can dance to it. {igDana}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#5 Stars of Track and Field — You Came Here For Sunset Last Year
(Mad Recordings)
With the release of their EP, this Portland, Oregon three piece have cleared the clutter of their influences and pared down to concise electro-gazer. Their brand of fuzz has a pop slant that ensconces the listener in velveteen harmonies. Confident and charismatic, we eagerly anticipate a full-length release on their new label (SideCho) in the coming year. {igLiz}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#4 Slender Means — Neon & Ruin
(Mt. Fuji)
After two+ years of playing increasingly packed local shows, Slender Means finally released a stunning debut in Neon & Ruin, a rollicking record of sweeping pop-rock gems. Featuring Josh Dawson's stunning vocals (the most mellifluous in Seattle, mark my words) and the intricate guitar mastery of Sonny Votolato, the band appears poised on the precipice of super-stardom. {igDana}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#3 The Decemberists — Picaresque
(Kill Rock Stars)
One listen through the Decemberists' Picaresque will have you pulling out your dictionary faster than if you were at a Scrabble tournament. With each song, frontman Colin Meloy becomes less of a lead singer of a band and more of a bleating narrator painting stories of love, loss, consumption by a whale, athletic injury and other such imaginative prose fit for milk-and-cookies story time. {igChar}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#2 Tullycraft — Disenchanted Hearts Unite
(Magic Marker)
It may have been three years in the making, but Tullycraft — founding member of the indie-pop worldwide proletariat — have given us a fresh take on their brand of hook-laden pop: whipsmart lyrics surrounded by guitar jangles, and enough "bah bah baps!" and "ah ah ahhs!" to send us into 2006 spinning cartwheels. Undeniably their best release, Disenchanted Hearts Unite triumphs as a near-manifesto to stellar pop songwriting. {igDana}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#1 Death Cab for Cutie — Plans
(Atlantic)
We're sure no one is surprised to see Death Cab for Cutie topping the imaginary readers' poll this year. A major label debut, multiple appearances on The OC, and a Grammy nomination have the local Death Cab boys on their way to becoming a household name. With thoughtful songwriting, pristine production, and vocals that make the girls swoon, Death Cab continues to release unshakably great albums. {igChar}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

See all the winners in the TIG Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll (see the top 10 winners, including Death Cab, Tullycraft, the Decemberists, and more).

Neon & Ruin

imaginary stella — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 08:00:00 +0000

7.8

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000A8AXB8/wwwthreeimagi-20

slendermeans05nov.jpg

Slender Means, a five-piece Seattle band who formed in 2003, have created a great debut record with an identifiable, significant sound.

Frontman Josh Dawson wrote all the songs on Neon & Ruin. Joining his vocals and guitar work are Sonny Votolato (guitars/vocals; and one of the many talented Votolato brothers who grace our local music scene), Paul Pugliese (bass), Eric Wennberg (drums) and David Martin (keys). The result is a wicked-happy half-hour of pleasant British-inspired pop, matched with top-notch production under the hands of Martin Feveyear and the band.

Slender Means' tunes are smart, if succinct, with each track falling safely within the three-minute radio single range. Track-on-track, Neon & Ruin consistently belts out swift kicks of radio-friendly tunes rarely seen on a debut release. The polished production work gleams, deftly exhibiting the striking instrumentation, dexterous song-writing, and Dawson's nearly-perfect vocals, which fall somewhere between Tim Booth (of James) and Rufus Wainright. The record sounds so professional — which results in great overall continuity of sound — though at times it leads to moments that lack diversity of music tone and chord progressions. One senses that with a bit more time, Slender Means will tap into something bombastic within their orchestrated glory, something that could truly propel them to into the realm of spectacular.

Top moments on Neon & Ruin include "Hidden Grove" and the galloping and glorious "I Could Be Cruel." "Van Gogh," the first single, features blissful melodies and 50's-style backup vocals abiding alongside Dawson's swoon-worthy croon as he sings about making his mother proud. There's a strange blip half-way through "Molecules," when Dawson inexplicably bridges into Madonna's "Like a Virgin" (whoa oh oh oh oh oh), but it's forgivable (bordering on hilarious).

With their pitch-perfect harmonies, buoyant melodies, and good looks to boot, Slender Means are ripe for success. Neon & Ruin is simply one of the most pop-perfect local albums of the year.

TIG on KEXP for October 2005

three imaginary girls — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 07:00:00 +0000

It's been eight months since our first monthly KEXP guest appearance on Audioasis and we'd been wondering when we'd get paired with the illustrious Sean Nelson. This month it finally happened. It was everything we hoped for — a full hour of chatty catching up between friends with microphones and music. In short, it was everything we ever dreamed an hour alone with Sean Nelson would be, and then some.

Here more about the specific songs we played...

{7:04} The Briefs — "Getting Hit On at the Bank"
The Briefs sound like they have earned their scars and studs on the California punk scene... and they may have, but they are Seattle-ites through and through. Their new album is "Steal Yer Heart" (on BYO Records), and was recorded at Seattle's Avast Studio with longtime producer Johnny "Fingers" Sangster. They'll be touring the west coast throughout October, with an early all-ages October 28, 2005 date at El Corazon with Hollowpoints, The Bloodclots, and The Snot Rockettes.

{7:07} Izabelle — "Said And Done"
Izabelle write picturesque songs that blend contemporary Brit sensibilities and guitar pop smarts. Their big day is October 22, 2005. Listen to KEXP to hear them perform selections from their newest album A Pleasant Fiction and then later that night they'll be at Fremont's High Dive with Mono In VCF. If you miss them on the 22nd, you can see them October 26th at the Crocodile. Also, they have the raddest band photos I've yet to see taken in the new library. Check 'em out!

{7:11} The Moriartys — "Dance Alone"
We found The Moriartys on MySpace because they had a show with another TIG-favorite, The Pharmacy. The band (who incidently named themselves after Dean Moriarty from Kerouac's "On the Road"), play dancable, extremely likeable indie-rock, as far as I could gleen from their MySpace tracks. "Dance Alone" has a Strokes' style guitar riff, a yummy Rockabilly undertone, and a great theme, I myself love to dance alone... though now that I type this, perhaps that statement is metaphorical in a Turning Japanesse sorta way? Hmmm. This question requires further imaginary internet research. I hope the band has a full copy of the release heading toward our imaginary P.O. Box so we can have a proper listen (hint *cough* hint).

{7:23} ManPlus — "we make our own drugs"
Speaking of bands we've discovered on MySpace, the latest and greatest tracks from Seattle band ManPlus sound super cool! I first saw them open for The Jeunes many months ago, and while I was floored by frontman Jared Sprinkle's incredible voice (think Neil Diamond meets Bronski Beat), I thought the band seemed a bit undercooked. The newest tracks sound more polished, like piping hot, gooey electronic pop gems with wacky lower-cased titles like "you smell pretty," "bunny brains," and the track we picked, "we make our own drugs." You can listen to or buy their latest record you smell pretty when you stop yelling on their website, and their next Seattle gig is at the High Dive on October 27 with Lotion and Tableland.

{7:26} Spy Island — "Daylight Fades (As Faketown Shakes)"
Spy Island is a Portland band on Ginger Gorilla Records. Their album, A Treasury of Great Science Fiction, is due out November 1. In the meantime, these boys need some friends.

{7:29} sno*boy — "Parris Song"
A song from the vaults! I pulled this from one of my favorite label compilations. It came from the Cher Doll Records compilation Something Cool. The entire compilation is chock full of rarities that need to be heard. This one is a particular favorite because of their part surf / part garage rock sound and use of "Barbarella" in the lyrics.

{7:33} Your Favorite Book — "A Belt Right Smack in the Mouth"
It may have taken me 48 hours and three listens, but I have grown to adore Your Favorite Book and their lo-fi nasal stylings as found on their self-released latest album Lace Up Your Fancy Chuck Taylor All-Stars. On their surface you could say they remind you of They Might Be Giants... but upon closer examination, YFB exhibits the dark simplicity of early Mountain Goats and lyrical quirks of the Weakerthans.

{7:42} Buttersprites — "Dog Food"
I got all flustered when I started talking about Buttersprites. So did Sean — and no wonder. Show me the male who wouldn't get unnerved when confronted by five hottie mostly-Asian women who play punk-pop in matching outfits (frequently nurse uniforms). The band has a dazzling self-titled debut release on Dionysus Records {read the imaginary review}, on which you can find this track, an Iggy Pop cover that features front-woman Haruko Nishimura barking like a dog for a good 20 seconds. Oh, and the band was named All Music Guide's weekly artist spotlight earlier this month. TIG is proud to sponsor a Japan Rock showcase during the ROCKRGRL conference next month featuring The Buttersprites, also with Megababe, Amppez, Tsushimamare, and Red Bacteria Vacuum on November 12 at the High Dive.

{7:45} The Cops — "Rising Sons"
The Cops Speaking of TIG showcases, I'm sure no one was surprised that we played a track from The Cops' brand new release Get Good Or Stay Bad {read the imaginary review}, since their TIG-sponsored show started mere hours after we left the station. Can you blame us for being excited? The show (which ROCKED, btw) celebrated the release of both The Cops' new album as well as the latest from Tennis Pro. I am sure Mt. Fuji Records is proud of this one, a consistently strong release with hooks and snarls all the way though.

{7:48} Tennis Pro — "Caught the Wrong Wave"
Tennis Pro! They finally have a new album Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad out on b-side records. The tasty track we played features Beach Boys-esque harmonies while still maintaining the fun, wacky Tennis Pro nature we all know and love. It's called "Caught the Wrong Wave" and is hot like fire... or maybe cool like the ocean would be more appropriate.

{7:57} Dolour — "A Matter of Time"
The surprise of the night was when Shane Tutmarc from Dolour walked into the studio and handed us his latest release, a Japanese import called A Matter of Time 2000-2005, which was put out on Quince Records. You gotta love KEXP, probably the only radio station left in the galaxy where an artist can walk in and hand a DJ a CD, and the DJ will actually play it...

'Tis true. Nothing makes us happier than a full P.O. Box so send your local CDs our way. We'll be on the air again Saturday, November 5th, so mark your calendars. That shirt looks really nice on you!

KEXP.jpg

We'd been wondering when we'd get paired with the illustrious Sean Nelson for our KEXP appearance, and this month it finally happened! It was everything we dreamed it would be, and we played some great local tunes from The Briefs, Man Plus, Izabelle, and loads more.

Get Good Or Stay Bad

Chris Estey — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 07:00:00 +0000

7.5

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BI0WOU/wwwthreeimagi-20

cops05oct.jpg

Get Good Or Stay Bad is the debut full-length album by The Cops, a new band made up of Mike Jaworski and John Randolph from Hello From Waveland, David Weeks of Kinski, and Brian Wall of Raft of Dead Monkeys (he was the kid stoned on hallucinogens running around in underpants and a monkey mask).

Though admittedly influenced by bands like the Clash and the Buzzcocks, unlike a lot of bands these days The Cops do not feel like a guilty pleasure. They have completely gobbled up the spirit of those bands' records made in the late 70s, but also the burned white soul of the artists that inspired them. They do not copy the Stranglers' mean taunts and riffs for "Don't Take It Personal, Dave," but reach deeper into the Kinks' classics that kicked that pub-gone-punk band into being.

Producer Kurt Bloch (Mudhoney, Fastbacks) captured them perfectly in the studio: the menace and aggression in Jaworski's and Randolph's vocals capturing your attention immediately, without ever having to become another instrument, like with hardcore bands. Their voices are melodic but unabashedly masculine, a brawling spit-take that neither seems excessively affected nor tattoo-collecting, Social Distortion, hot rod car wanna-be "cool."

On "Controller" back-up vocals add to the punch of the rant, and in the loping spy-rock of "We Are The Occupants" the band chants against "humans taking up time and space." This is reminiscent of punk bands like Wire, Stiff Little Fingers and the Stranglers forcing their audiences to EXIST, to CREATE on their own. This is not punk cabaret; this is men making muscular rock and roll — "How are you going to live," indeed! The lyrics could use a little broadening, tapping more into their personal lives or specific political examples, avoiding previously used slogans — the topics are right, a few different angles might help.

Regardless, The Cops can claim this sound as their own. The grinding guitar-bass interplay and drum stomping and rolling on "Invisible City" and the utterly funky "New Economy" seem completely organic, as does its inevitable dub break. The guitars never ape the Gang of Four's style, there are no XTC harmonies, no one is fashionably shaking their size five girl-jean ass. Fuck, yeah.

Their voices are melodic but unabashedly masculine, a brawling spit-take that neither seems excessively affected nor tattoo-collecting, Social Distortion, hot rod car wanna-be "cool."

Tennis Pro Interview The Cops

three imaginary girls — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 07:00:00 +0000

At the Crocodile on Friday, October 8, 2005 Three Imaginary Girls was honored to sponsor one of the most imaginary showcases of local bands possible to celebrate the hot of the presses Cops record {Get Good Or Stay Bad} AND the brand spankin' new Tennis Pro album {Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad}.

We wrangled Tennis Pro's David Drury and The Cops' John Randolph into interviewing each other. Below we've got Tennis Pro interviewing The Cops. Want to see the tables turned? Read what happened when The Cops interviewed Tennis Pro.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: How did you get those great guitar and drum sounds on the new record?
John Randolph {The Cops}:
That would be our spiffy engineer, Kurt Bloch. No one knows how he does it.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Songwriting process: does it start with a riff? A lyrical idea? A jam session?

John Randolph {The Cops}: Pretty much all of the above depending on the song. As Mike likes to say, "Start with a spliff, then hit up the riff."

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Who in the band most often comes up with ideas that everybody else groans at?

John Randolph {The Cops}: All of our ideas are submitted anonymously, and therefore we don't know the answer to this question. John's cats groan at us every time we practice at their house.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: What is the last thing all four of you did together that wasn?t band-related?

John Randolph {The Cops}: Probably hung out at a bar--The Denny's cocktail lounge, in fact. Or maybe it was playing Bocce Ball in Dave's living room.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: When can we expect an epic weepy punk ballad a la Greenday's "When September Ends?"

John Randolph {The Cops}: Probably on the next Green Day record.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: What does any one day on tour with The Cops consist of?

John Randolph {The Cops}: A typical day consists of all kinds of mayhem and sonorous celebration. But to simplify it, we wake up, drive forever, show up at a club, rock, find a floor to sleep on. Sometimes we eat. It is one of the greatest experiences of our lives.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Why are you so afraid of hitting more than 28 states in your three week tour? Don't like to venture far from home?

John Randolph {The Cops}: You guys sure do ask the tough questions. Brian is currently only allowed in 28 states. Perhaps when he's cleared, we'll do the 50 states in 2 weeks. Let's see, that would be 4 states in a day — better not let grandpa John drive.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Since all punk bands are essentially glorified cover bands by now, I?ll bet you?re pretty angry. That?s so punk rock.

John Randolph {The Cops}: Not as punk rock as our new punk band haircuts and new punk clothes we got at the mall! This question makes me horny.

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Frank "Ponch" Poncharello, T.J. Hooker, or Dirty Harry?

John Randolph {The Cops}: Jeeze, can't I say Paul Kersey? Ok, TJ Hooker then.

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We wrangled Tennis Pro's David Drury and The Cops' John Randolph into interviewing each other.

The Cops Interview Tennis Pro

three imaginary girls — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 07:00:00 +0000

We wrangled Tennis Pro's David Drury and The Cops' John Randolph into interviewing each other. Below we've got The Cops interviewing Tennis Pro. Want to see the tables turned? Read what happened when Tennis Pro interviewed The Cops.

John Randolph {The Cops}: What has been the best Tennis Pro show yet?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: We closed out the Seattle International Film Festival by playing two sets at a swanky wrap-up party a year ago. The first set everybody was a little unsure how to react to us. But by the second set the whole room was shaking it like they wanted something to fall off. I saw an art baron do the MC Hammer dance. I saw an old lady threatening waiters with a champagne bottle. The crowd took all of our stage prop vintage rackets and destroy them in celebratory violence. And Seattle Weekly staff tried to make out with our drummer.

John Randolph {The Cops}: The new record has a more complex sound to it than the last. How did you guys record it?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: With lots of love, Pro-Tools, 16 remixes, and plenty of Sparks.

John Randolph {The Cops}: Who did the lovely strings on Kidnapped?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Our own Phil Peterson and his sister, Victoria Parker. Phil is something of a Cello prodigy by day. By night he is a vampire.

John Randolph {The Cops}: Do you guys plan to tour in support of the new record?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Yes. It’s in the works. We’re looking to get out of state. And fast.

John Randolph {The Cops}: What do you tell people who ask you what Tennis Pro sounds like?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: 1. Three-piece rock band with vocal hooks. 2. Prep-core. 3. Stuffing fireworks into a Beach Boy album jacket and lighting it on fire.

John Randolph {The Cops}: Where did you guys learn to become such skilled tennis players?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Serving drinks at the country club

John Randolph {The Cops}: Is the song, "Imaginary Girl," about one of the lovely and talented ladies who hooked this interview up?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Not one lovely, but three

John Randolph {The Cops}: What record is on your turntable/CD player right now?

Phil Peterson{Tennis Pro}: Sam Cooke

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Beulah, Jellyfish, Supergrass

Sean Lowry {Tennis Pro}: Pixies, Fine Young Cannibals

John Randolph {The Cops}: Your drummer did a fantastic job cutting my wife's hair earlier this year. Can we get a group rate for The Cops?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: Sean accepts whiskey as a valid form of payment.

John Randolph {The Cops}: What lies in the future for Tennis Pro?

David Drury {Tennis Pro}: High school cheerleader scandals, dropped charges, freelance welding, parlor tricks, a tell-all biography, loose lips, sunken ships, non-dairy whipped topping huffing, Mexican weddings, space travel, and a fistfight onstage with Good Charlotte at the Teen Choice Awards.

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We wrangled Tennis Pro's David Drury and The Cops' John Randolph into interviewing each other.

TIG on KEXP for July 2005

three imaginary girls — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 07:00:00 +0000

On our latest visit as guests on KEXP's Audioasis show fell on a beautiful sunny Seattle Saturday {July 9th}. Abe Beeson was our host for the early evening set which featured the debut of a couple exclusive tracks as well as tracks from as far north as Vancouver to as far south as Portland. Our next appearance will be Saturday, August 6th. Listen in!

{7:00} The Salteens — "Time You Have Been Wasting"
This Salteens' track can be found on their album Let Go of your bad days (on Boompa Records) as well as the new Magic Marker Records compilation House Full of Friends. As proven with this song, the Vancouver quintet create sweet melodies across the board that combine all the tastiest pieces of New Pornographers and the Wonder Stuff. We are so proud that we were able to present their most recent show at Chop Suey on July 28th.

{7:04} Slender Means — "Van Gogh"
Slender Means' debut release is almost here! Slender Means' debut release is almost here! OMG the Slender Means debut release is almost here!!!!

Why are we so excited? After over two years of watching great live performances and (not so) patiently waiting, the album Neon & Ruin will be available for all on August 23rd, released by Mt. Fuji Records. Imagine the melodies of the Smiths paired with nummy Richenbacker guitar hooks, making out with the vocals of Rufus Wainright. See why we're so excited?

Thanks to the band for letting us exclusively debut this track.

{7:07} Binary Dolls — "These are My Friends"
Portland trio Binary Dolls caught our ears and our hearts with their quirky Menomena-esque song structures and mangled guitars. And mark this one down, Portlanders: Binary Dolls are playing a FREE show on September 25 at the Doug Fir Lounge. Sweet Jesus!

{7:16} The Withholders — "Anhalt Arms"
It's no secret that the imaginary girls are huge fans of local Seattle band the Malinks.

Now Malinks frontman/guitarist/songwriter/heart-throb Chris Lorraine has formed a new project with his lovely new wife, Shannon. As The Withholders, the pair have formed alter-egos Valbert and Aubrey Smart — and the Smarts have collaborated with local music heavyweights, including producer Johnny Sangster [Mudhoney, the Makers, Dear John Letters], drummer Mark Pickerel [Screaming Trees, Dusty 45's] and bassist Jim Sangster [Young Fresh Fellows]. The resulting album Stay in My Corner is slated for release later this summer (Litrag Records), and features catchy, synth-based pop, moody ballads, and influences from the soft rockin' 70s.

An imaginary record review is forthcoming. Hold yer horses.

{7:20} Argo — "Believing in Love"
We got our hot little imaginary hands on the soon to be released Argo EP. The song we played (Believing in Love) is also available for download on our site. If that's not enough Argo for you, come to their TIG sponsored show/comic book release with Joe Alterio and other local bands Pleasurecraft, Audiopoet, The Seaworthies and DJ Bruce Leeroy at the Comet Tavern on August 5.

{7:25} The Color Bars — "Eliza"
Color Bars — or in MySpace-land, Color Bars — recently transplanted to Seattle from New York City, and immediately caught the attnention of Pete Greenberg, booker at the Crocodile, trendsetter, and imaginary friend. At Pete's good word, we had a listen to their latest release Making Playthings and we're incredibly impressed with their glowing melodies, theatrical keys and horns (think "Killer Queen" era Freddy Mercury), and sophisticated recordings.

While the Color Bars don't have any shows scheduled as this goes to press, they've been playing out quite a bit, so check back to see about future live performances. I know we will.

{7:32} Blackwood Hymnal — "Run with Me"
We received the Blackwood Hymnal demo from Tarnished Records who are putting out their full length later this year. The song we chose is dark and subtle and seductively blends alternative-americana and intelligent headphone music.

That's all we've got for this time. We're already planning for our next setlist, so go ahead and send your local CDs our way. We'll be on the air Saturday, August 6th with Abe Beeson!

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On our latest visit as guests on KEXP's Audioasis show fell on a beautiful sunny Seattle Saturday {July 9th}, and featured tracks from The Salteens, Slender Means, Argo, The Withholders, and more.

TIG on KEXP for February 2005

three imaginary girls — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:00:00 +0000

On Saturday night, February 5th, we had the honor of appearing on KEXP's great local show Audioasis with the fabulous Lisa Wood. We had a blast watching the live in-studio performances by Reed and Kultur Shock, and then got play a few of our favorite local imaginary tracks of the moment.

Here's our setlist, with some info and links for each band. If you want to hear the songs (and hear us prattle on with Lisa), click here to visit the KEXP Streaming Archive, and select February 5, 2005 at 7p to hear our set.

So without further ado, our setlist:

7:03 Slender Means "Telepathic Lovesick Heart"
Slender Means is in the studio right now with Martin Feveyear, so while you can't get your hands on this track yet, expect it in the first half of 2005. Hear more Slender Means at their website, and catch them at the Crocodile Cafe when they open for Bettie Serveert on February 22nd.

7:05 The Jeunes "Time is on My Side"
Like this song? You can download it! Want more? The Jeunes have a bunch of other album and live tracks available for download on their website. The Jeunes are performing with the Catch, Infomatik, and Ms. Led at the Paradox on 2/12, and at the Imaginary Wedding on 2/20 at the Crocodile.

7:08 Tullycraft "Stowaway"
From the forthcoming Magic Marker Records release, Disenchanted Hearts Unite, Tullycraft pulls out all the stops on this song with Wedding Present-ish guitar, delicious backing vocals and a climactic drum solo. Join us in counting down to the early May release date of this album.

7:17 The Long Ranger "Burnin' (Notis Edit)"
Like the Faint? Yer gonna love the Long Ranger. This track made KEXP intern Sharlese Metcalf come bouncing into the studio and ask, "Who's the sexy band?" and made Lisa Wood crack porn jokes. Good times. The band is a brother-sister duo, and shares a member from local band the Stereo Future - hence the website address. Get ready to shake your stuff.

7:20 The Upskirts "Tube Top"
Fans of alliteration, infectious punk-pop, and tunes about articles of clothing are gonna love Tube Top Tease, the debut EP from the Upskirts.

7:23 Boat "Allergic to Us"
Boat has emailed each of the imaginary girls approximately 27 times. They once requested that we, "be the first to see our giant cardboard sailboat set sail......in the ocean of homemade rock and roll." After listening to their self-released EP Songs You Might Not Like, we were hooked on their excavation early Shins (aka Flake Music) with an art school education. We expect more email soon.

7:30 Sameer Shukla "Cheap Cheap Moon" While Sameer Shukla has yet to release, There's Only One Side Tonight yet, I bet if you email and ask him really nice, he can get you a copy. Or wait a short while — I'm sure some smart local label will scope up this pop gem soon. Fans of local band Dolour will be happy to hear Shane Tutmarc's influence on the arrangement as well as some backup vocals, if our ears don't deceive us. Catch Sameer at the Crocodile on February 8th with Graham Travis and Matthew Shaw — a stellar singer-songwriter lineup!

7:33 Key Note Speaker "In The Air"
Key Note Speaker features members from Seattle bands American School of Warsaw, and on this track they get vocal help from the amazing Jen Wood (Black Heart Procession, the Postal Service). While their album Fiction isn't quite released yet, you can listen to a track on their website, and hear them perform live on Audioasis on March 26th at 6p PST.

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On Saturday night, February 5th, we had the honor of appearing on KEXP's great local show Audioasis with the fabulous Lisa Wood, featuring great songs from BOAT, The Upskirts, Slender Means, and more.