Three Imaginary Girls - Ghost Stories

Best of 2007: Sero(tone)in's picks

serotonein — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:01:25 +0000

Every December I go through over 80 albums and try to codify them some way. Though it may take until after Christmas before my final top list (and mix cd) is ready, my favorite albums of the year are always fairly obvious to me by now. These are the ones that meant the most to me.

Top NW Albums

1) Grand Archives - s/t
2) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3) Menomena - Friend & Foe
4) Tullycraft - Every Scene Needs A Center
5) Shake Some Action - s/t
6) Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
7) The Cave Singers - Invitation Songs
8) Welcome - Sirs
9) Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
10) Awesome - Beehive Sessions
11) Carolyn Mark - Nothing Is Free
12) Grand Hallway - Yes Is The Answer
13) The New Pornographers - Challengers
14) Ghost Stories - Quixoticism
15) The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

Overall Top 10 Albums of 2007

1) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3) Emma Pollock - Watch The Fireworks
4) Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
5) Feist - The Reminder
6) Menomena - Friend & Foe
7) Blonde Redhead - 23
8) Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound
9) Apostle Of Hustle - National Anthem Of Nowhere
10) Radiohead - In Rainbows

Best of 2007: Erik G's favorite albums

Erik Gonzalez — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:12:43 +0000

Sometimes I think it takes me waaay too long to come up with my Top 20 albums of a given year. There are a lot of internal debates and arguments that really have no right answer. Really, you reach a point where all the albums are good but how to rank them gets to be quite the challenge. This year was chock full of good music (not matter what the naysayers might groan). I counted something like 175+ albums worth mentioning in 2007, and that is only a tip of the iceberg when it comes to everything that was released in the year. However, I did whittle it down to 20... well, 22 if you count my 2 EP exception (EP's don't count as real albums).

If you're interested in some sub-lists, like my albums "with apologizes" (albums I didn't hear but should have) or "best imports" or "most disappointing" (hint, the band who made it rhymes with Milo Biley), check it out here.

So, here we go:

#21 The EP's - Two EP's made me happy this year, and really, they would be in the top 20, but it seems unfair to me to include EP's versus albums. They're both UK pop, and they're both brilliant in their own cute way.

Los Campesinos! Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (Thanks to igLiz for this band!)

Tonight's Recommended Show: Okkervil River, Sera Cahoone, and Ghost Stories at Neumos

imaginary liz — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:53:40 +0000

Tonight's the night! The final show of the Noise for the Needy week of shows is tonight at Neumo's and, boy oh boy is it a humdinger.

Quixoticism

Erik Gonzalez — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 04:16:18 +0000

7.6

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/B000M53GJA/wwwthreeimagi-20

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Quixoticism might not be the most exotically new-sounding album you’ve ever heard, but it's quite a satisfying treat from a Seattle jack-of-all-bands. Ron Lewis, beyond Ghost Stories, finds himself in the Joggers (sometimes), Grand Archives, and the Fruit Bats, along with being a purveyor of cheesy comestibles.

Ghost Stories is more or less a one man show and what you get is a highly adorable pop record in the vein of XTC, late 60’s Beatles, or Michael Penn, chock full of catchy melodies and fun lyrics from start to finish. Everything seems very pleasant on Quixoticism, with a musical sincerity that is seriously lacking in a lot of modern rock these days without turning into monstrous twee (not that there is anything particular wrong with twee, but sometimes change is good). It's sort of hard to get across the pleasant feeling I get when I listen to Ghost Stories – the best I can do is that it feels like the sonic equivalent of watching snow fall from inside a nice, warm house in the middle of winter. Something like that, like kittens dancing in unison in slow motion. Pleasant enough for you?

“The Upper Ten/The Lower Five” starts off with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-like feel that then slowly morphs into a disturbingly accurate Andy Partridge impression that then arrives at a very fine Beatles song, and, in a nutshell, that is what to expect from Ghost Stories. “You Were It Like a Stained Glass Window,” beyond its fabulous title, is an infectious two minute pop song that deserved airplay more than most summertime hits. Ghost Stories shows off its quieter side on the Elliot Smith-meets-Belle & Sebastian number “Secret Life of the Union, Part II,” a song broken in half by pleasurable chimes and bird sounds – a modern rock lullaby. This less-desolate Elliot Smith sound is returned to on “The Pink Princess Eskimonia,” a cute little ballad. “Secret Life of the Union, Part I” (which comes after Part II if you’re keeping score at home) is livelier, more like an Arcade Fire song, but with a little more Beatles-like pop sensibility that breaks into as anthemic of a song you might expect from a one-man band. You get a more Decemberists flavor on “The Black Hand,” which is driven by a Baltic rhythm and an oddly Cash-like guitar that grooves into a full-blown bleak-pop gem.

If anything, you just have to appreciate Lewis’ dedication to creating infectious melodies, because once you get to “Isn’t It Appropriate That Way,” the aggressive XTC sound has blossomed and you wonder if you’ll ever be able to get this album out of your head. The album closes with an absolute marvel of self-loathing song naming – “Even a Vampire Wouldn’t Drink My Blood” – and the song comes through like a perfect prize to end the disc. It starts with a marching beat that breaks down into a stripped down verse that rebuilds the song piece by piece until you’re sucked in like a black hole of pop-rock flawlessness waiting for the instruments to drop out and Lewis half-sing, half-whisper the song title.

Ghost Stories have clearly put their best foot forward with Quixoticism by creating an album that knows what it wants to do, does it and doesn’t care that it isn’t shocking the audience into submission through unwarranted noise and experiments. This album caught me by surprise, and now it can catch you by surprise because if you’re looking for a great early summer soundtrack, this is exactly the sort of album you need.

Quixoticism is one of the most pleasant surprises so far this year - hock full of catchy melodies and fun lyrics from start to finish.

Tonight's Recommended Show: Tiny Vipers, Arthur & Yu, Ghost Stories at Chop Suey

imaginary dana — Tue, 15 May 2007 15:45:18 +0000

Much like Dean & Britta, the pair evokes a nostalgic, 1960's romanticism with their gentle, quirky harmonies and echoic production values.

Fests are upon us: Part 2: Noise for the Needy

imaginary dana — Wed, 02 May 2007 19:07:13 +0000

The organization is as worthy as their lineup is spectacular this year.

Tonight's Recommended Show: Indie Rock meets Indie Style

imaginary dana — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:45:23 +0000

The show not only features two great local bands -- Siberian and Ghost Stories -- but also will have local models displaying the latest fashions by independent designers before, between, and after each act.

More on Grand Archives: Pitchfork and show scoop

imaginary dana — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:54:56 +0000

I think Eric Grandy over at the Stranger might be as huge of a Carissa's Wierd fan as I am, as he's doing a stellar job keeping me and the rest of Seattle up-to-date on the haps of Grand Archives, a brand new band featuring Mat Brooke (Carissa's Wierd's somber front-man) as well as Ron Lewis (Ghost Stories, ex-Mines) and Curtis Hall (ex-Jeunes).

Tonight's Recommended Show: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PETE!

imaginary dana — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:13:37 +0000

Join TIG and most of the Seattle music community tonight at the Crocodile Cafe where we gather together to wish Pete Greenberg, booker extraordinare and all-around amazing fella to know, a super happy birthday -- with what else but live music?

Three Imaginary Girls AstroPOP! January-February 2007

three imaginary girls — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 +0000

The first AstroPOP! for 2007 featuring rock and roll astrological reviews of releases by the following bands: Tom Brosseau, The Trolleyvox, Ghost Stories, Indigo Girls, Dave Fischoff, Camera Obscura, Euros ChildS, Cranebuilders, Menomena, The Besnard Lakes, Chin Up Chin Up, and Bossa Nova.

52:25 minutes (8 MB)

Tales from a Brave Ulysses

Joseph Riippi — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 08:00:00 +0000

XXVI. "Prodigal Thoughts w/ the Long Winters"

The plane was unloading and I was in the back. I remained seated for about ten minutes, after we felt the slight jolt confirming our having stopped outside the B terminal at Sea-Tac airport. After waiting for everyone in front to gather their bags (which might have shifted during the flight) I stood, swung my canvas bag across a shoulder — thus temporarily yanking a headphone from my left ear — and, with my coat draped under an arm replacing the headphone — enter Philip Glass piano chords, stage right — saluted the flight attendants and red-nosed pilot before making my way up the jetway. The initial draft of cold, evergreen air was delicious. It has been 11 months since last I was home.

Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Crocodile Café.

Tonight's bill: Ghost Stories / Slender Means / Long Winters

What do you do when you haven't been to the Crocodile for a long time? You get there earlier than you need to and sit alone at a table with the first hard copy of The Stranger you've held in the past year and politely order a coffee and bowl of veggie gumbo. After the gumbo arrives, you immediately order a glass of water; without ice.

You've arrived at the Crocodile early because you've been looking forward to this show since you bought your plane tickets from Newark to Sea-Tac. You've never seen Slender Means before — but having heard them on a friend's wedding soundtrack, you're looking forward to it — and you've never heard of Ghost Stories (but being on this bill, they must have something crazy-cool to offer). You've seen Long Winters several times; enough in-stores and appearances at Sasquatch! side-stages you can't really remember if you've actually ever seen them at the Croc. Probably; definitely at Sunset.

Seattle is great. This is what you've been thinking while you've been sitting there. Seattle is great. All the men have beards and plaid. The women have no makeup, tangled hair and sweatshirts. Everyone looks like they wear to work the same thing they sleep in the same thing they go out in. It's great; it's home. No pretension and no performance. The bands are in the audience and the audience may as well be onstage; enough other bands here for that. Everyone is just like everyone else is just like their dream, narcissistic mind-in-the-mirror image of themselves. There are no backstage personalities or hidden interiors between strangers, and strangers are only one or two friends away from being connected. The network is tight. But in New York, everyone is a competitor; everyone is bent on getting somewhere other they where they are right that second. To a New Yorker, the future is just a block away, and if anyone gets in the way, they're gonna get run them over.

But in Seattle, everyone is where they want to be; everyone is in a constant state of becoming that which they hope to become. Often, we don't know what we want to become; someone happy, someone proud, someone stronger, wiser, more accomplished more talented; but we know that if we are on a track that keeps us happy, if we are in a happy state of becoming, that ephemerality will only lead to something greater, which we will be easily able to define as Loved.

You look at things differently here. You wake up on Capitol Hill on a clear day and look west to Queen Anne and the Space Needle, out past to the water and out past further to the mountains. Possibilities of distance and time and beauty. You say hello and notice the people on the street. You meet people in coffee shops and know the names of the different staffs at Sonic Boom Ballard versus Sonic Boom Fremont; you remember the Long Shoreman's Daughter and the gumbo and the Croc, and you get there early to enjoy it because you feel like you're being run over by trucks in New York. You're content with being someone living in the present, because you're content being in that state of becoming. You're in New York to try and become a writer, and you're only there because New York is where you have to be if you want to make money for that sort of thing. Thus, the melting pot of talent; the leftover stew of ambition and shit and struggle - high in carbs and protein, low on taste.

In New York, and along most of the East Coast, people are more worried about what they will become than whether or not they are becoming right now. They worry because they are so worried about the future that they don't know where they are in the present.

So now you're at the Long Winters show. Ghost Stories plays, succeeds on half the songs to get the crowd excited and buzzed, succeeds on the other half to entrance a third with subtle intensity of what they call "slower songs" and send the other two-thirds into conversations or the line for drinks. Ghost Stories, or at least the guys from the band, stand next to you as fans for the Slender Means set, which is a raucous, circus orchestra set; the crowds is bumping and buzzed and smoking like chimneys, lighting them up before the smoking ban falls like a net, dragging hot orange dots out the door to surround a tin bucket full of butts.

You make your way round and round, running into friends, meeting new friends, talking to people you just met about how the live version of "Ultimatum" that John plays solo is worth the price of admission alone. The Croc is jammed — full capacity, on a holiday weekend. You think for a moment that it might be strange for everyone to be out the day after Thanksgiving. Aren't people home for the holidays? Shouldn't people be spending time with their families? Then you think, I got here early.

Pushing out into that same crisp evergreen air at 1 am, thinking about the plane ride 36 hours away and getting ready to drive home, you take a deep breath through the nostrils and look around at the moon and the green neon above your head. The taller builings down 2nd Avenue, and you think how this looks so much different than the 2nd Avenue you love on in New York.

This is a small town; a community of friends, built on watery, green hillsides where great music is loved, and great loves are made into beautiful music.

Or maybe it's all bullshit? Maybe this is just your way of wishing for something greater than the present…hoping or thinking that Seattle must be better than New York. Maybe everyone is subject sometimes to "the grass is always greener…" syndrome.

Whether or not, it doesn't matter. You need to become more productive. Set yourself to work with the Long Winters playing in the background and a Ghost Stories pin on your jacket. Start writing something — a better column is just another type of better mousetrap, and my finger hurts.

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Tales from a Brave Ulysses is a traveling epic through modern art, music, and culture. This week's installment: Prodigal Thoughts w/ the Long Winters.

TIG on KEXP for December 2005

three imaginary girls — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 08:00:00 +0000

Make sure you tune in to KEXP this Saturday, January 28, at 7p! Three Imaginary Girls will be making our monthly guest appearance on Audioasis, the local Northwest music show, and we've got some great new local songs of the moment to play, including songs from Easterly, Branta, and The Online Romance (from Portland, not to be confused with Romance, from Seattle).

And, in case you haven't heard, not only will we be spinning songs, we'll be performing!

Well, kind of.

Seattle band Boat will be playing a few songs at 8p, and they've asked us to be part of their rhythm section {rhythm section duties include and are limited to clapping along to the beat for a portion of two songs}. Being the perfectionists we are, we've been feverishly practicing our clappling for weeks.

Well, kind of.

I'm especially excited to play a sneak-peak single from a collaboration between Ian Parks of An American Starlet and Sarah Paul Ocampo from Love Hotel. I don't want to give too much away, but it sounds like equal parts of Mazzy Star and Neko Case. Tasty!

This month, we'd love to hear what YOU think of the songs we play. Visit us on MySpace and post comments about the bands we play on Audioasis.

But before we go on the air again — we realized that in the excitement of the holidays and the Seahawks finally making it to the Superbowl, we forgot to post our setlist from our December appearance {on December 3rd at 7}. It was our last radio performance of 2005. There was laughter, there were tears, there were CD's that wouldn't play. Here was the setlist!

December 2005 Three Imaginary Girls Setlist on Audioasis:

{7:03} Marlo — "Earthsuit"

{7:11} Friday Mile — "Dry"

{7:15} The Swim Team — "Dubya"

{7:24} Estocar — "Capable+1"

{7:27} Young Sportsmen — "Under The Rocks And Stars"

{7:30} The Sea Navy — "The Truth About Christmas"

{7:42} The Elephants — "Oh, Tina"

{7:43} Ghost Stories — "Even A Vampire"

{7:47} Daylight Basement — "Just Kiss Me"

Tune in at 7p on Saturday to hear more great local music from Three Imaginary Girls!

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It was our last radio performance of 2005. There was laughter, there were tears, there were CD's that wouldn't play... and there were tracks from Marlo, Young Sportsmen, Friday Mile, and more.

AstroPOP! for December 2005

Chris Estey — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 08:00:00 +0000

Your monthly imaginary horoscope told in album reviews!

December 2005 AstroPOP! is brought to you with musical reviews by Chris Estey.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
"The boss man says there is no work this winter, so go on home now and check back in the spring," Rocky Votolato observes within the bleak "The Night's Disguise," one of many lines he utter-plausibly sings on the twelve songs that make up his way-long-awaited release, Makers. Through masculine, subterranean, absolutely convincing street-level vignettes like the mini-opera "Where We Left Off," the updated Simon and Carbuncle "Uppers Aren't Necessary," and the romantic debris arranged and rearranged for "Portland is Leaving," this album is one a young Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits would have taken a few years off to let ferment, too. The album combines bitter experiences in the real world elongating into haunted expressions of metaphysical proportion. The acoustic-based rock is pleasantly full and mellow, while paradoxically nail-tough vocals and sagacious lyrics consistently grab you by the black pea-coat lapels with juxtaposed images of aching hope, and hope achingly deferred. Yet this robust Barsuk release reminds the Sagittarius in all of us that challenge can make one great. This is a preliminary plug for an album so important that we had to warn TIG readers (Sadj and otherwise) to be ready to add it to their Top Ten lists as the new year commences (release date is late January 2006).

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
Once you have made up your mind, Capricorn, you cannot stop making things your own way. Like Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, who has never been tempted to make anything less than the most soulful music he can. When Lanegan met Belle & Sebastian's Isobel Campbell in Glasgow, dropped a hint that he'd love to make a record with the divine-sounding chanteuse. Now V2 has released the resulting Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell collaboration, the paradoxically gritty yet pretty Ramblin' Man EP, which is a little taste of Ballad of the Broken Seas, the upcoming full-length they've recorded and plan to release next year. The Hank Williams title track is the sort of dark night of the soul you go through this time of year, Capricorn, despite your upcoming birthday. "Come Walk With Me" is a balm to the bitter soul, their voices interlocking magically. The two B-sides also included feature Campbell, and are necessary jewels for any B&S fans' obscure gem collections (she was born to record "St. James' Infirmary").

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
"Even a vampire wouldn't drink my blood," Ron Lewis sadly admits on the opening track to his four-song taster (ha!) for his band Ghost Stories. But Aquarius thirsts, and once this Fruit Bats drumming, Rogue Wave-supporting artist behind Ghost Stories (helped along live by members of Blessed Light and Blue Sky Mile, among others) pours his intelligence and wit into a pop song, you can't help but take a big gulp. "Even a Vampire" starts with squeaking keyboards and chunking drums, and Lewis hauntingly tells a story of romantic desperation that borders on pathological, while "Isn't It Appropriate That Way" chugs with musical joy even if Lewis trembles with fear in its anxious lyrics. While Ghost Stories sound absolutely nothing like XTC, the elements of perfectly creative pop are here in similar ways, willing to be psychedelically abstract but driving at the same time. In other words, Aquarius, keep your head above water — the end is in sight.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Judas was a patriot and a humanitarian, as well as being a Pisces. He hated the corruption of Rome, a nation that exploited the countries surrounding it. For those willing to take an uncomfortable stand in history, say, by moving from Seattle and leaving behind his band Mines and taking up residence in a Brooklyn studio-home, Chad Nelson's songs for Field Notes sound like something that could make pop culture history themselves. Shining most on the intricate and intimate mesmerizing parlor room pop of "Full Circle" and the 80's style post-punk dance rock of "Sister Says," Color of Sunshine is proper solo journeying, inflected with pastels at dusk. Don't know what they make of this sort of thing in Brooklyn, but in backyards here it's a perfect sound track for Pisces to watch leaves fall in the plastic pool.

Aries (March 21 - April 19)
Aries are aggressive. But because they don't show bruises, they look pretty no matter how hard they're playing. For Purple Blaze, Christopher Paul Richards, AKA Ris Paul Ric may not be still making music as angular and avuncular as his original band, Q AND NOT U. In fact, he's crafting early Shins-style acid-afternoon raindrop-pop (the splendid, gently-ranting title track) with light psychedelic-Michael Jackson bedroom folk-funk ("Run Up Wild On Me"). Touring with Dan Caldas of Black Eyes, many have been able to come out and feel his soft Armageddon vibe this fall; and now they can play his sensual miniatures at home, pretending that Syd Barrett is Prince of the Air.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Hot-headed, the builder, the producer: Taurus needs music this month to inspire her through the seasonal paralysis. Theo Prince's punchy, occasionally trashy-sounding gutter-pop band The Weapons has an EP called Formula For A Fight, which, while not blazingly original, is sturdy Saturday afternoon getting drunk punk ("40 oz.," "Jawbreaker"). Reminding me of seeing Love As Laughter at the Velvet Elvis in the late 90s, this Northwest-crawling neo-pub band has already hit the High Dive, The Crocodile, and venues elsewhere. This five-song debut is a good way to see if you care to spend some time out with them some night, Taurus — as we know you're not going to want to stay home no matter how dark it gets...

Gemini (May 21 - June 21)
For Gemini, whose colors of green and red are perfect for the holidays, we present two perfect yuletide season albums, to match your dualistic moods. First, there's Los Straitjackets doing sparkling, driving, Surf and Tex-Mex-inspired Christmas instrumentals for Yep Roc, including a Tarantino-flick sounding "A Marshmallow World," with its big drum opening, and a "Feliz Navidad" in a car crash with "La Bamba." The Mexican wrestler-masked Los Straightjackets unwrap similar surprises throughout, which they'll be showing on the road (and in Seattle on 12/10) with the amazing-dancing' World Famous Pontani Sisters! Meanwhile, for those Geminis who choose spoken word over instrumental rock, V2 has released the soundtrack and DVD for "The Aristocrats," possibly the most offensively-hilarious movie ever made, in which a single vaudeville joke is repeated ad nauseam (for some, literally, particularly when things get scatological to the extremes). "92 Comedians, 1 Joke!" the cover says, and some of the former include George Carlin, Paul Reiser, Richard Jeni, Bob Saget (!), Andy Dick, Rita Rudner, Judy Gold, and many others doing outstanding versions of the same filthy classic set-up over and over. If you have the stomach for it, it will bust it right open. Was it all a hoax by Penn & Teller? Who knows, but Rita Rudner's variation ("The Cocksucking Motherfuckers") is worth admission alone. If you missed the movie in the theater, buy this in both film and album versions (one for the house, one for the car!).

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)
Being a natural leader and organizer, Cancer, it's strange that you're attracted to full-on aggressive past-times, but Boot To Head Records from Portland, OR puts that kind of stuff out for you, so there are at least two Christmas presents you're going to want this year. The first is The Clergy's transcendental gutter-punk, perfectly captured on their All Who Fly album, a strange mixture of remarkable emotional vulnerability and overt spirituality (the latter which may put many off). Christie Simonatti's voice is better than ever, with as much passion as she had on their early 90's indie tapes, but the band is more capable of subtle interludes now, and Kevin Collins' classically shrieking guitar mingles perfectly with Jim Swanson's sonorous bass-lines. The other Boot to Head release, The Stivs' Sweet Heartache and the Satisfaction is fairly pedestrian garage punk, although a near bombastic Stooges feel on a few songs sometimes takes the rudimentary rock into more transgressive territory. While Jack Endino does a fine job producing, they could just get a little scarier, and leave the Squad 5-0 cum Black Halo cliches behind. Mix tape keeper: "The Satisfaction."

Leo (July 23 - August 22)
Leo is an effortless charmer, destined for long relationships, and a happy family life. Hush Records' new shining star is Toothfairy, a sweet and tender collection of hooligan midi journal entries, with character-rich vocals talk-singing slices of life full of delightful humor ("I Was Kicked Out of The Band," which quotes "I Melt With You" and "Stephanie, My First Crush") through layers of exquisite keyboard melodies, blips, and hand-claps. The on-the-one bedroom funk of "Buzz Cut" will be hitting indie play lists from coast to coast, if that isn't happening already. Toothfairy's Chad Crouch (who actually is Toothfairy) used to be in Blanket Music, which was praised by Magnet and Pitchfork, and while admitting a Postal Service influence, I find his observations and experiments less chilly and more inviting — just like you, dear Leo.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22)
You're a practical person, Virgo, and not given to utopian schemes. Thus we recommend thejohnbenders new four song EP, The Single Sided Conversation in which good old emo-core fuses with modern crunch rock, delivered by four men who obviously want to help and change the world (playing Tsunami Benefits, etc.). The worshipful vocals ("sweet forsaken one") and spiraling, spindly guitar-lines of opener "Overpass" make the inevitably ferocious shouted chorus seem appropriate, as if drama is occurring, not just drama queens being shrill from one moment to another. The band recorded this debut with Kane Hodder producer Tony Dallas Reed in Port Orchard's Temple Sound, and the almost rock opera vastness of the results are impressive. Funny, just as this sort of thing seems played out, some bands use it to evolve rock itself.

Libra (September 23 - October 23)
You are sexually attractive, personally magnetic, entertaining, and affluent, Libra, so what if you have to occasionally knock off someone or you get a little depressed in the lonely wee hours? Just like Frank Sinatra, who recorded his rawest, most artful work after his big band years and before his 60's cinematic aspirations, with such elegantly despairing songs as "Angel Eyes" and "It Was Just One Of Those Things." Those two classics are just one of many great black-and-white early television performances captured on Frank Sinatra Show with Bing Crosby and Dean Martin, one of the best DVD reissues from MVD. Dark, grainy, filled with forced humor and strangely avant-garde choreography, the world of Sinatra never seemed more stark or inviting.

Scorpio (October 24 - November 21)
You're a twisted freak, Scorpio, but at least your sociopathic nature makes for fun and games. Life with you is never dull, but try to keep it light and frothy this dark month. Listen to Scissors For Lefty's Bruno, a scraggly collection of homemade disco and singer-songwriter spoken word with tinkles and beats, delivered with truly fantastic and diverse vocals, showing why this band has been able to share stages with everyone from Grandaddy to Black Heart Procession. "Ghetto Ways" is delightful dance floor illegal rave, "Softly The Sea Swallows the Sun" has a great slattern feeling with juicy shuffles, and "More Than The Summer" is for perfect winter heavy rotation with its breathy rap and Donovan style chorus. Put the knife away, Scorpio, and chill with some slacker progressive mini-mall trip-hump.

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See what's in the stars -- and the record stores -- for you for December 2005, including reviews for Toothfairy, Rocky Votolato, Scissors for Lefty, Field Notes, and Ghost Stories.

The Imaginary Live Show Rundown

three imaginary girls — Sun, 21 Aug 2005 07:00:00 +0000

21 Aug 2005

Has Seattle ever been this hot? And no, we're not talking about the un-Seattle-like broiling temps — we're talking about all the amazing live shows we've seen so far, as well as the great shows we're looking forward to in the coming weeks. Sizzle, I say!

Two of our imaginary highlights of the summer so far both focused on new Seattle record releases: the Math and Physics Club EP release show at Chop Suey, and the Argo EP release show at the Comet.

Argo has long been an imaginary favorite, so we were thrilled to sponsor the release show for their latest EP, The Needs (Ana-Them records). And what an extravaganza the night was! In addition to new Argo music, the night also celebrated the release of local artist Joe Alterio's comic book 365, and featured antics of the Audiopoet, DJ Bruce Leeroy, and the disco-down-ability of local band Pleasurecraft.

And let's not forget about the Seaworthies. Straight outta Kennewick, Washington, the Seaworthies were the super-cool surprise highlight of the night for me. The boy/girl duet were just wacky and unexpected in the best of ways with their dreamy sort of lo-fi electro-pop. Don't be sad if you missed the show. The Seaworthies be playing at the Slender Means CD release show at the Crocodile Cafe on August 27th {see our recommended upcoming shows, below}.

I sadly missed all that was the Argo EP-release show, but I had a blast at the Math and Physics Club EP release show.

MAPC just released their second EP Graduation Day on Matinée Records, and the show was just another testament to their (incredibly well-deserved and fast-growing) fanbase. Which is my long-winded way of saying: the show was packed, and the atmosphere at the all-ages show was positively jubilent.

TIG-fave Tullycraft opened with their hand-clapping sonorous sing-along vocals, and the Salteens from Vancouver closed the night. From the piercing four-part a cappella opening notes of their set (our friend Steve charmingly called them, "tighter than a Bangkok lady-boy"), the Salteens surprised (and thrilled) the crowd with their shit-tight harmonies and stage presence galore. Despite being the only non-home-towners on the bill, the Salteen's managed to keep people out late on a school-night, and earn themselves an encore to boot. No easy feat in these parts...

Our new all-ages friend Justine from Mercurial Sound came to the show and wrote a few kind words about it. In her own words, "Tullycraft sounds exactly like summer would if it had its own album. With perky melodies and guitar riffs, and vocals that sound just like that cute neighbor boy who’s got a surprise, Tullycraft brings out the exact same feelings, for me at least, as games of capture the flag, neighborhood barbeques, and riding the fast rides at the town fair. Okay, I probably wasn’t singing along to "Fuck Me I'm Twee" in my capture the flag days. The feeling though, was the same, and probably more fitting than capture the flag in a 17 year old’s summer vacation."

It's funny 'cause it's true! Do check out Mercurial Sound. It's a great run-down of the all-ages scene in Seattle...

You'd think that I would spend a bulk of this article talking about how much I cried at the beauty of the Teenage Fanclub show {8/3/05, Neumos}. But actually, that show rather paled in comparison to the Boat show a few days prior {7/29, Mars Bar}. Boat charmed the fairly packed Friday night Mars Bar audience with selections from their limited-edition first album, yet-to-be-released EP and a few covers (including but not limited to Neil Diamond and Velvet Underground songs).

Our posse was so taken by their catchy lo-fi Shins-esque vocals and smart quirky lyrics that we couldn't help but handclap back-up parts from the first and second row positions we had staked out. They combine early Kinks know-how and beef it up with Graham Coxon moxie. The end result is clever, earnest, and damn catchy. Boat even when the extra mile with their construction paper cut-out stage decorations and a drummer with a paste-on moustache.

It has been a while since I have been as excited for a Monday night show than I am for this Monday, August 22nd at Chop Suey {again, see our recommended upcoming shows, below}.

Now that you've finally gushed about your love for all things Boat, are you finally going to tell everyone about your travels now, Liz...?

Holy cow — yes! I just got back from the Athens PopFest. I was there last week for a two-day portion of the four-day festival. It was organized/presented by the swell folks at Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records. Huge thanks to Mike and Eric who really outdid themselves putting together quite the sampling of today's indie-pop community.

I came back with a whole new pile of bands to love, like Fabulous Bird, the Mega Hurts, the French Horns, and the Smittens.

You should read my entire Athens Popfest rundown to learn all about it.

You really should read it. It's the best place I know to meet your newest twee infatuation.

By the way, did you see TIG mentioned in the September issue of Spin magazine? Right there on the first page of the cover story on Death Cab for Cutie?

Okay, so maybe they didn't *spell out* www.threeimaginarygirls.com, but I got a quote in there and that is enough for my mom to tell her bridge group about. That's me! "Liz Riley, Deathcab fan."

And in case you live under an indie-rock rock and somehow missed the news, the official word on the street is that on August 30th, Death Cab for Cutie will release their sixth full-length album and major label debut, Plans, on Atlantic Records. Tickets for their Seattle performance at the Paramount on November 18th go on sale this Saturday, August 27th.

Could we be more excited? No. Especially for Liz, world-renown DCFC fan.

Speaking of excited, let's talk about upcoming must see shows. What pre-Bumbershoot shows are you two looking forward to?

As I already mentioned above, Boat is going to be playing with another one of our local loves, the Elephants, and Barsuk's Little Champions on Monday, August 22nd. Rumor has it Boat will finally have some t-shirts and copies of their first and second releases for sale... both of which are fit for display on your mantle. Don't get me started on how those Boat guys know how to wield a glue gun.

Just look at this album art. When was the last time you saw such craftsmanship, I ask you?

I do love me the Boat. I'm also looking forward to the Portland lovefest at the Crocodile on August 25th, with Tea For Julie, Derby, and The Village Green. You should go out to celebrate that three of Portland's finest are making the I-5 northly trek simultaneously.

On August 27th, you have a dilemma: It's the Slender Means CD release show at the Crocodile. Their debut full-length Neon & Ruin is breathtaking, and their live shows are always incredible. The Crystal Skulls and the Seaworthies are also on the line-up.

But then over at Chop Suey, it's the Fruit Bats album release, with an incredible local lineup rounding out the bill: Dolour, Lillydale, and Ghost Stories. Shane Tutmarc from Dolour told us that this will be Dolour's last show of the year, as they're busy writing and recording, preparing for the release of three (3!!!!) new albums. According to Shane, the show will feature almost all new material too.

It's like, which show's more historically significant? Dolour is hard to resist... but the Slender Means new release is amazing. And both shows have such great supporting line-ups too... especially that Fruit Bats show, with Ghost Stories (great indie-pop from members of Mines/the Joggers), and the lovely Lillydale. It's not like you have much chance of show-hopping. I wish we knew how to guide you on this one, imaginary readers.

At least there's no such quandry on August 31st. You must come to Chop Suey to witness the debut of Daylight Basement. The band, which started off as a lo-fi electronic project of Bre Loughlin from Kuma, has fleshed out into the most promising lineup we've heard in ages, featuring Bre (guitar and vocals), Dejha Colantuono from Rotten Apples (bass and vocals), David Bos from the Jeunes (guitar), and Davis Martin from Maktub (drums). Move over, New Pornographers — looks like Seattle has a super-band of its own now!

If that's not enough to get you outta the house, Seattle's favorite dance sibs the Long Ranger and EMI recording artist the Juan McLean round out the bill. Come witness what just might be Seattle musical history in the making {and dance/sweat/party in the process}.

See you at a show, suckas!

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A rundown of great live shows we saw, and ones we think you should see in the coming days, featuring Argo, Boat, Teenage Fanclub, Math and Physics Club, the Athens Popfest, Slender Means, Daylight Basement, and more.