Three Imaginary Girls - Your Favorite Book

Recommended matinee show: Your Favorite Book / Glad Girls / South Sound Bureau Chiefs at the Comet {7/16}

imaginary liz — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:10:53 +0000

Summer days in Seattle are magical. The days are (usually) warm without being too hot and so long you can fit in relaxing in the rays, getting your artsy fix, and rocking out before the sun goes down.

This Saturday, July 16th, I've a packed itinerary to accomplish all this. As you already know, I'm heading to White Center for the opening night of inspirational posters, graphic collages, and beards (likely with stop by SolarFest in Shoreline earlier in the day).

Once I've filled my arms with artwork, I'll head to the Comet to see one of my favorite Seattle singer-songwriters, Your Favorite Book. Doors are at 4pm and the music starts at 4:30pm with two Unsmashable Records bands, each with a foot firmly in the PNW Americana scene: South Sound Bureau Chiefs opening and Glad Girls taking the middle slot.

Topping off the early evening is my beloved Your Favorite Book, set to take the stage with a bass player (at least on some of the songs) this time around. I've been hooked on YFB's "candid Weakerthans melodies, John Linnell-esque nasal vocals, and early Mountain Goats lo-fi acoustic guitar" since I found the 2007 release, Scotch Hog (have a listen) and seeing him/them live is always a treat.

Fantastic and free and all ages in-stores this Saturday {1/23}: Your Favorite Book in Ballard, DJ YETI's Gospel Fest in Cap Hill

imaginary liz — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:08:44 +0000

This Saturday {1/23} is a big night for shows! But my wallet and adoration of these two fine folks will have me hitting a series of (FREE and all ages) in-store performances this Saturday night.

Saturday at 1p: Marathon DJ YETI 'Fire In My Bones' Gospel Fest at Wall of Sound in Capitol Hill
YETI mastermind and all around genius nice fella Mike McGonigal has spent the last few years compiling of rare, raw and otherworldly post-ww2 African-American gospel. The result is Fire In My Bones, a recently released 4 hour 3 CD gospel box set that has gotten rave reviews (from Pitchfork to Christianity Today).

DJ YETI will take to the decks at Wall of Sound (315 E. Pine St) from 1p-6p. The set will also be on sale for the duration of the DJ set for $23.98 (deal!)... and DJ YETI might even have a few extra goodies floating around as well.

Saturday at 9p: Your Favorite Book at Bop Street Records in Ballard
It's no surprise that with my adoration of all things Your Favorite Book I'm headed to this Saturday's (free and all ages) in-store performance of the one-man+guitar+barstool lo-fi folk project at Bop Street Records in Ballard (5219 Ballard Ave. NW).

The performance celebrates Seattle's Your Favorite Book freshly released sixth album, Thank You for the Homicide. The album is the next installment of the early Mountain Goats with a wee bit o Jeff Mangum honey. Currently my favorite track is "Hello Kitty" (listen/download) -- narrowly beating out "If the Sun Sets" which you can download from the YFB website.

The performance starts at 9pm at Bop Street in Ballard.

As I mentioned earlier this week, Saturday also plays host to the highly anticipated Seattle stop of Adam Franklin & Bolts Of Melody (Swervedriver) at the Comet and the Rock Opera-ness of We Wrote the Book on Connectors and Discs of Fury. There's no excuse to not get out and about!

Where are you headed this Saturday night?

{Bop Street Records photo: Hot Avocados Photography}

This weekend is chock full of amazing shows -- might we suggest...

imaginary liz — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:17:27 +0000

It's the weekend before Christmas which means holiday party season has kicked into high gear. This weekend there are so many shows to choose from {it's like a mistletoe'd SXSW or something} that my eggnog'd head is spinning. Might we suggest:

***Friday, December 18***

BOAT / The Exploding High Fives / Concours d'Elegance at the Sunset Tavern
A holiday party with BOAT? I'll take that! Also on the bill is The Exploding High Fives who have a song "Since You're Not Here for Christmas" on their myspace which is Ben Folds cute and catchy. This confirms I'll be in Ballard tonight for this show.

The Head & The Heart / Star Lake Drownings / Your Favorite Book at Conor Byrne
As you may know, Your Favorite Book is one of my favorite Seattle performers. Star Lake Drownings killed it at hour Holiday show last year. Also, YFB shows are rare, so I'm hoping to catch a wee bit of this show tonight.

In this month's Seattle Sound Magazine...

imaginary liz — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:51:01 +0000

I'm particularly glad that someone documented the wee electrical fire, the evening's awesome performances, and how cute Santa John Roderick was.

Best of 2007: imaginary Liz's picks

imaginary liz — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:03:21 +0000

Narrowing down my favorites for this year was HARD! I’m sure I’ll find even more 2007 releases I adore in 2008... but here’s what has been in obsessively high rotation this year.

Note: I still battle with how I can rank EPs versus full albums, or collections of previously unreleased material… but using my current logrhythm, here’s what it came out to today...

At El Corazon TONIGHT: Indie-Rock Santa, holiday hilarity, and our favorite bands gathered for a good cause

imaginary liz — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:49:18 +0000

Join us at El Corazon TONIGHT for an evening chock full of holiday hilarity, performances by our favorite bands, Indie-Rock Santa John
Roderick with all proceeds from the evening going to TreehouseforKids.org (a local charity benefiting foster children).

TIG presents: Imaginary Holiday Goodness with Tullycraft, Rachel Flotard, Jon Rauhouse, Your Favorite Book and lots of friends

imaginary liz — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:34:50 +0000

The imaginary holidays are here!

Three Imaginary has pulled together a few of our favorite folks to mark this special time of year and raise money for a great cause. You can even get your picture taken with Indie Rock Santa John Roderick (of the Long Winters).

Join us Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 at ~~the Crocodile~~ El Corazon for a fabulous night of music from:

Tullycraft
Tullycraft's latest album has been heralded by critics and commoners alike for its swift kicks of cuddly indie-pop and wit. They bring on the dancing horses and good times live too. As Pitchfork wrote, "Tullycraft kick[s] some twee ass."

Rachel Flotard & Jon Rauhouse and friends!
The night is extra special as Rachel Flotard {Visqueen} & Jon Rauhouse {Neko Case} are joining forces with a gaggle of superhero friends {Bill Herzog, Mark Pickerel, and Paul Rigby} to give us a set of holiday tunes, their regulars, and hilarity.

Your Favorite Book
YFB specializes in candid Weakerthans melodies, bookish John Linnell-esque nasal vocals, and early Mountain Goats lo-fi coustic guitar strums. This show will be a rare performance from this elusive character who usually opts to shuffle his music with crafty handmade cd releases and small, underground shows.

It all starts at 9p, it's 21+ and the $8 ticket benefits Treehouse for Kids {a local organization that benefits foster kids} so come on out and get your HO HO HO on for a good cause!

We'd love to have you join us to mark this very special night {which is also serving as imaginary Liz's imaginary birthday party! Bring on the cupcakes!}.

Also, pretty pretty screenprinted limited edition all pink versions of the poster will be available at the show. Huge bday thanks go to Rick at Seattle Show Posters for supplying all that goodness.

2007_Dec20poster-lg.jpg

Join us TONIGHT, Thursday, 12/20 for a night of great music for a good cause at EL CORAZON!

Countdown to Thursday's Holiday Party: You-Tube O-Rama!

imaginary liz — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:24:03 +0000

We are so excited for this Thursday's Imaginary Holiday Party for so many reasons. We've been able to gather some of our favorite bands of the year AND do it all for a good cause. Sure, there's been some bumps, but that just gives us more reason to come out and join together to mark this special time of year and create a ruckus with friends... and get your picture with Indie-Rock Santa (as taken by our lovely imaginary photographer extraordinaire Laura Musselman).

New venue for Thursday's Imaginary Holiday Party... El Corazon to the rescue!

imaginary liz — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:12:41 +0000

It's official! Our BIG Thursday night show has been moved from the Crocodile (RIP) to El Corazon!

Indie-Rock Santa John Roderick is coming to town (to the Crocodile on Thursday Dec 20th to be exact)

imaginary liz — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 18:44:33 +0000

Just when we thought the Imaginary Showcase marking the holidays / my birthday couldn't get any more spectacular, we have just learned that John Roderick (The Long Winters, dapper man about town) is going to be our Indie Rock Santa at the show!

All I want for the holidays is...

imaginary liz — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:23:23 +0000

The holidays are coming! More than that my birthday is coming! To mark the multiple days of celebration, Three Imaginary Girls is hosting a show next week - Thursday, December 20th at the Crocodile.

YouTube cure for the blahs

imaginary liz — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:55:53 +0000

I'm feeling so blah today so I went looking on YouTube for something to cheer me up and rev up things. Unfortunately the two posts of the White Stripes appearance on Conan last night are really unwatchable (I keep refreshing to see if anyone else has opsted better versions of the TWO appearances on his show last night)... alas all you White Stripes superfans are letting me down.

Three of my favorite things

imaginary liz — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:44:56 +0000

Today may be Monday - but today's Three Imaginary Girls homepage makes me think TIG has been personalized just for me! The two top stories focus on my current favorite things: The top album review is Bright Eyes' Cassadaga and the top live review is my recap of the Your Favorite Book show.

Your Favorite Book: Long live the hype (or lack of it)

imaginary liz — Mon, 07 May 2007 06:11:04 +0000

27 Apr 2007

yfb06may.jpg

Last Friday, while the city of Seattle was faced with the daunting task of choosing between the see- them- now- before- they- go- on- tour- with- Modest Mouse- and- hit- it-big Grand Archives, KEXP-hip Cloud Cult, or the sorta secret United State of Electronica show, I opted for the road less traveled with Your Favorite Book at a University District coffee house.

Trabant Coffee & Chai was filled out with students working on laptops and discussing final-exams – not a place a buzz for an evening show. It was the antithesis of a usual Friday night show going environment, as I had a comfortable, well-lit table at my disposal and tasty warm chai latte beverage in hand.

As 10pm hit and patrons’ laptop battery power dried up, folks started to head out for their ‘official’ evening festivities. Patrick, who is Your Favorite Book (he takes a nod from other singer-songwriter types like Mountain Goats/John Darnielle and employ a group-ish name for a singular entity), took a place at the front of the chaihouse and began the 25 or so song set. This would be a lengthy undertaking for a band at the Crocodile, but a reasonable set for someone whose job it is to entertain folks toiling away on blogs and term papers. And for someone who has been counting down to tonight’s show and listening to the new Your Favorite Book CD religiously, it was a welcomed surprise.

Hearing the songs performed live, they took on a whole new sense of passion and tranquility as the songs veered from poetic jabs at relationship missteps (“Sparrows, Sparrows”) to interpersonal solace (“Cold”). The peaks were compounded by the tenacious acoustic guitar strums which built a path for the bookish winding narratives he astutely sang without abandon. As he made his way through the set, he introduced a brand new song (interesting given he *just* released a new album), played older songs from his three-album back catalog, but mainly focused from tracks from the new album, Scotch Hog. Among all of the intrinsically affective moments, my favorite point in the set was when he launched into “Fire” with its slight ebb and flow twang and softly repeated line, “I love you, unforgiveably.”

The evening reminded me of the story about the time Neutral Milk Hotel opened for 764-Hero and The Supreme Dicks at the Backstage (which is now a fitness center around the corner from Cupcake Royale in Ballard) on July 6, 1996, on the On Avery Island tour. Because no one had even uttered the words “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea,” the place was about half full (with mostly 764-HERO fans). As the story goes, the show was as brilliant as you’d think: some songs were debuted from the subsequent Best Album of All Time, and the performer – in his pre-overwhelmingly critically acclaimed days – was at ease with the audience. For those of us who dwell on this kind of thing, the evening is the reply for the timeless last call conversation topic: If you could go back in time and do one thing…

A main ingredient of such blissfully recollected events is hype. Although hype has a negative connotation because it is usually associated with undeserving bands, there are some cases in which hype is given to worthy endeavors (i.e. the Stone Roses, Wes Anderson films and, of course, Neutral Milk Hotel). Hype gives things substance and an inherent worth (i.e. “cred”) for the masses. It's a nearly unexplainable phenomenon that you can love or despise, but you can’t deny it adds weight and status to recollections.

What separates this show from that 1996 NMH show isn’t substance (unless you count that part of the 1996 NMH show when the guy from The Supreme Dicks dropped his pants and ran around the venue with the nuts and berries in full view); rather, it's that it hasn’t been labeled/hyped by some tastemaker to the masses as being historically significant. Just like my friends at the NMH show, I sat at this show wanting to call everyone on my phone tree telling them to get there soon so they could fill with the joyous feeling of the poignant moment.

If in a few months/years, Pitchfork finally picks up a modestly packaged YFB CD on a whim and discovers its intricacies and spews online about it, we’ll be sharing space at the next YFB shows with folks who will listen to us compare this 2007 coffee house show to that 1996 NMH show.

Long live the hype, or lack of it.

Three Imaginary Girls AstroPOP! May 2007

three imaginary girls — Mon, 07 May 2007 03:42:32 +0000

AstroPOP! for May 2007 features astrologically-inclined record reviews from Sleeping in the Aviary, Grand Archives, Ether Aura, Your Favorite Book, The Icicles, Team Gina, Elk City, The Ballet, Los Campesinos!, Winterpills, Dolour, and The Rosebuds. Read, listen, and be prepared for the month ahead!

44:03 minutes (8 MB)

Seriously, you have to hear these bands...

imaginary liz — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 18:30:52 +0000

There's so many thing's to be excited about today: Los Campesinos, Capitan Melao, and Your Favorite Book.

Scotch Hog

imaginary liz — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:00:00 +0000

http://www.yourfavoritebook.org/music.html

YFB-scotchhog.jpg

Scotch Hog, the new record by Seattle band Your Favorite Book, might not turn heads for its production prowess or snazzy social networking skills, but that’s exactly what makes it so compelling. In the wake of recent marketing and friendly schmooze-fests out there, YFB’s understated acumen charms listeners with simplicity and authenticity.

The band has quietly been making music for a couple years now (TIG became acquainted with them when we played their song “A Belt Right Smack in the Mouth” on a visit to KEXP’s Audioasis radio show a little over a year ago). Scotch Hog maintains many of the delightful elements we first heard back in 2005—their candid Weakerthans melodies, John Linnell-esque nasal vocals, and early Mountain Goats lo-fi acoustic guitar—but the YFB folks have matured a bit with the songs taking a less jokey, more contemplative narrative on interpersonal relations. The tenability of each song is enhanced with the addition of gracious piano accompaniments and captivating vocal crescendos. There’s still little sign of a drum set, but who needs that when you have catchy acoustic guitar strums intertwined with apartment-style’d narratives, recorded with disarmingly lo-fi DIY enthusiasm.

The album begins with “Cold,” which spotlights YFB’s prevalent staccato guitar jabs intertwined with couplet passion, bringing to mind a bootleg version of Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Two-Headed Boy.” Even though “Mountains of Foam” features boisterous guitar jabs and forceful male vocals, the subtle female back-up vocals are brought to the forefront as the dueling vocals take different roads to the same end of the angst-ridden chorus, “Sail on / Clinging on to the flicker of hope that this world might one day feel like home again.”

“Sparrows, Sparrows,” with its repetitive acoustic guitar measures, lyrically engages with its inquisitive refrain, “What about you? / Well, what about you?” against the subsequent chorus of “What will I do? / And then a bad idea dawns: Oh, it’s on. I know what I’ll do,” to keep the tension brewing.

Scotch Hog is an album for those feeling slightly technophobic. With the heaviest of nods to John Darnielle/Mountain Goats, YFB’s songs shine with thrifty minimalism and while taking the same familiar path forged by DIY singer-songwriters with macchiato habits. The result is a balanced set of songs that are wistfully pleasant and unencumbered.

YFB’s understated acumen charms listeners with simplicity and authenticity. There’s still little sign of a drum set, but who needs that when you have catchy acoustic guitar strums intertwined with apartment-style’d narratives, recorded with disarmingly lo-fi DIY enthusiasm.

From the imaginary mailbins

imaginary dana — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Read about all the exciting new Northwest music we got in our mailbins this week, including Clorox Girls, Brush, Joy Wants Eternity, Your Favorite Book, and more!

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.