Three Imaginary Girls - Control Group

Brazil is blowin' up w/electro talent: Telepathique

Imaginary Shrie — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:47:34 +0000

It busts through genre walls and gives niche listeners a broader musical base of interest and succeeds in exposing more music to more people, while encouraging more creativity amongst the artists.

New releases from Easy Street Records

Jflores — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:58:27 +0000

Featuring new releases from Atmosphere, Flight of the Conchords, El Perro Del Mar, Tokyo Police Club, and more. When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold.

TONIGHT! Figurines and Dappled Cities live at the Croc

imaginary dana — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:39:30 +0000

If yesterday was imaginary Radiohead day, then I hearby proclaim today as Figurines day.

Figurines live on KEXP at noon!

imaginary dana — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:15:29 +0000

This news, and my second cup of hot tea, are making me very happy early this Thursday morning. What's making you happy?

Figurines play Seattle, tour all over the damn place

imaginary dana — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 22:21:05 +0000

Denmark's Figurines are gracing Seattle with another live show, this time on Thursday October 11th at the Crocodile with Dappled Cities and Builders & Butchers, to support the release of their latest record, When The Deer Wore Blue.

Up up and away with Figurines?

imaginary dana — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:37:43 +0000

"We can't say what happened right now due to legal matters, but luckily, Christian wasn't injured."

The Cops sign to local label The Control Group

imaginary dana — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:53:21 +0000

The band has a new record coming in November and a new single to hear right now.

Figurines coming back to Seattle!

imaginary liz — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:43:59 +0000

I know at least 12 people that flip at the mention of the band Figurines (imaginary Dana flips out enough for two people. The other 25 people I know just haven't heard their album yet. And, to be fair, 2 don't like it at all.

Figurines set US release date for next record. Rejoice!

imaginary dana — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:37:11 +0000

When The Deer Wore Blue will be released in the U.S. by local Seattle label The Control Group on September 11th.

Schoolyard Heroes leave Control Group

imaginary dana — Tue, 15 May 2007 23:18:14 +0000

Seattle band Schoolyard Heroes have just announced that they're leaving longtime Seattle-based label the Control Group and releasing their third record, Abominations, on the New York-based label Stolen Transmission.

Kick Upstairs

Travis Hay — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

5.8

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CQQHQ8/wwwthreeimagi-20

thelonelyh06jan.jpg

Kick Upstairs, the debut record from local upstarts The Lonely H, is a smattering of sounds created by four Port Angeles teenagers that shows plenty of potential and marks the official entrance of another promising young pop band into the Northwest scene.

Singer Mark Fredson's vocals are straight out of the Rivers Cuomo school and his bandmates — guitarists Eric Whitman and Colin Field, drummer Ben Eyestone and bassist Johnny Whitman — do a solid job of making his wildest "Surfwax America" dreams come true on tracks like "Ken" and "Electric Change." However, as closely as Fredson's voice comes to mimicking Harvard's resident geek-chic rocker, the album both shines and falters when he forges his own identity as a frontman on the tracks that are non-Weezer soundalikes. One such track is "Marmalade Sky," a song that doesn't come close to living up to its titular Fab Four reference.

On other songs, it's tough to gauge where exactly Fredson is going with his vocals, damaging the debut with his inconsistencies. On one hand, you've got pop songs such as "Don't Worry" and "Family Friends," two shiny gems of 14-carat indie-pop proportions, and on the other hand there are the lackluster aforementioned rockers. Somewhere in-between are tracks like "Sweet Madeline" and the polarizing "Draconious," the latter song being a track that could either draw listeners to The Lonely H in droves or disappoint, because it's such a departure from the other 10 songs on the disc.

In the end, the record's inconsistency is more endearing than it is faltering. The record's closing song, "Zelda," show The Lonely H for what they are: a group of musically-talented teens who are having fun playing music together. The group's immense potential is obvious, and their enthusiasm is heard all over Kick Upstairs. The band aims to remind listeners that music should be fun to listen to as well, but it never quite maintains an agreeable flow of consistency.

This makes for a decent debut by a group of kids that likely listened to Weezer's Blue Album one too many times, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. You get the impression that once Fredson nails down his vocal issues the band will follow, making The Lonely H a cohesive and tight-knit force of indie-pop to be reckoned with.

The group's immense potential is obvious, and their enthusiasm is heard all over Kick Upstairs.

Skeleton

Chris Estey — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

8.4

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CCBBMM/wwwthreeimagi-20

Figurines06jan.jpg

Christian Hjelm leads the Danish band Figurines with one of those wonderfully-distinctive rock voices. He's capable of flowing aching, heartbroken, but stoic vocal lines over the brittle picking, strumming, and jangling of guitarist Claus Salling Johansen, tersely and tightly wound by the rhythm section of bass player Andreas Toft and drummer Kristian Volden.

Spawned before the year 2000 by three childhood pals — Volden is the latest addition, Johansen played drums on the band's debut EP The Detour (Morningside, 2001) — Skeleton is their second full-length. But sounds like the fresh debut of a sinewy, hungry new band on twisted pop bashers like the deliciously swampy "Ambush" and the 60s beat-spank of "Remember" (both potential monster singles on smart radio stations).

However, as the album progresses, elements of country music and moody folk creep on "Ghost Towns" and "Back In The Day" respectively, the former with the beautiful line "I need someone and you need someone to love tonight — who needs someone to pick a fight?", the latter with a haunted harvest moon creepiness. The album ends on the slowed down "Release Me On The Floor," in which all the fears, laments, and ruminations of the preceding songs are resolved in a chilly bed-sit blues "wondering where it all began," a perfect epilogue for a barbed wire love cycle.

Figurines are currently preparing to tour, coming to Seattle and releasing Skeleton in March 2006 on local Seattle label The Control Group, while they dominate the top spot on their homeland radio and the Danish press continues to go ape-shit. Plus they've been nominated for a Canadian "Indie" Award for this year. The album has been likened to a lot of Pacific Northwest and New York new rock bands, but I could just as well play spot the influence with artists from my old vinyl collection, and none of that would evince the rare charm of the band's performances or compositions. Let's just say if you've been waiting for that record that takes a little while to sink in, and then you can't stop punching up various tracks as you fall in love with them, until you just start playing the thing all the way through again and again, you'll probably want to buy Skeleton.

Seattle, meet Denmark. This should be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Skeleton sounds like the fresh debut of a sinewy, hungry new band on twisted pop bashers like the deliciously swampy 'Ambush' and the 60s beat-spank of 'Remember.'

Three Imaginary Girls Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll Results {20-11}

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}

#20 Math and Physics Club — Weekends Away/Movie Ending Romance EPs (Matinée)
Blending the equal parts Belle & Sebastian, Magnetic Fields, and The Lucksmiths, this Seattle band write songs to comfort the saddest of hearts, or skip with the gleeful. Without depending on depression-filled admissions or teenage angst, they tug at your heartstrings with their warm landscape of timeless melodies. {igLiz}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review} * {interview}

#19 The Pale Pacific — Urgency (Sidecho)
While changing their name to avoid a lawsuit, The Pale Pacific crafted a worthy successor to their 2002 masterpiece, Gravity Gets Things Done. Urgency is a much darker album, with denser instrumentation. "Identity Theft" — a tale of a father trying to enlist his son into a life of crime that shifts perspectives and tempo frequently — is one of the best pop songs of the year. Or any other year. {ChrisB}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review} * {interview}

#18 Schoolyard Heroes — Fantastic Wounds
(The Control Group)
Schoolyard Heroes' frontwoman Ryann Donnelly roars, soars, and frightens us in the best of ways with her astonishing vocals and her bold stage presence. Through 2005, she has led Schoolyard Heroes like a demonic prom queen through a frighteningly great release and a staggering number of off-the-hook live shows. {igDana}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#17 New Pornographers — Twin Cinema (Matador)
While mucking with weird timing signatures and a diminished role for Neko Case, it would be easy to write off the latest from Vancouver's best pop band. Fortunately, Carl Newman understands the craft of pop songwriting better than anyone since Brian Wilson. The songs here are as catchy as those on their past releases, and the harmonies from singers Newman, Case, Dan Bejar and the Newest Pornographer Kathryn Calder (Newman's long-lost niece) are irresistible, too. {ChrisB}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#16 The Purrs — The Dreams Our Stuff is Made Of (Self-released)
The darkly tinged dour-rock of The Purrs has enamoured fans and DJs alike this year, with nearly unprecedented local radio support and opening spots for luminaries like The Wrens, The Heavenly States, and Voyager One. Their brand of acerbic guitars, inky vocals, and broody atomospherics and themes propelled The Dreams Our Stuff is Made Of to the top of the local rock pack. Meow! {igDana}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#15 The Divorce — The Gifted Program (Made in Mexico)
It's a lot to ask, to follow up an album as brilliant as 2003's There Will Be Blood Tonight, but the Divorce has answered our cries with a release full of catchy guitars and confident vocals that become more addictive with each listen. They've not only grown in size (from a trio to a four-piece), but their more mature sound also combines our fave moments of the 80's and 90's into a glossy package worthy of a Spin cover in 2006. {igLiz}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#14 Tea for Julie — Division
(Self-released)
This Portland, Oregon band wails and rocks straight through 13 tracks of swirly, poppy, heavy bliss. Their buoyant energy and surreal melodies mesh to form biting and experimental songs. Anglophiles will likely find this Britpop-roots debut especially captivating. {Stella}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#13 Daylight Basement — Any Kind of Pretty (Self-released)
Daylight Basement blazed onto the field during the last minutes of 2005's 4th quarter with their game-winning, effervescent debut. Bre Loughlin come-hithers her way through jarring vocals, while new wave sugar-pop melodies muddle with murkier twinges of post-punk abrasion. And faux horns! Highly danceable, highly enjoyable, and highly recommended. {Stella}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review} * {interview}

#12 The Long Winters — Ultimatum (Barsuk)
The range of emotion found within the confines of this five-song EP follows suit with what we've come to expect from John Roderick, a guy who makes McSweeney's feel low-brow. With beautifully dancing layers of acoustic harmonies melted over intricate guitar arrangements, this immaculately produced release makes water taste like wine. {igLiz}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#11 The Hot Rollers — Got Your Number
(Sweaty Betty)
More than just sassy garage rockers, this all-girl Seattle trio has up'd the Joan Jett ante with sixties flirts and L7 gut-punches. Their sound is, at once, cheeky, clever and crafty. We love good girls gone bad. Or are they bad girls, gone good? {igLiz}
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

See all the winners in the TIG Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll (see winners #20-11 here).

Surrender!

Travis Hay — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 08:00:00 +0000

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BRP2DC/wwwthreeimagi-20

superdeluxe05dec.jpg

A few months ago I had a dream, one of those freaky dreams where you wake up and swear it was real. I don't remember much about said dream, but what I do remember is that I was listening to the latest album by Super Deluxe. And I liked it.

Now there were two crazy things about this dream. Crazy thing #1 is that this dream happened a few months before Surrender!, Super Deluxe's third full-length album and its first for local indie label The Control Group, was released. Crazy thing #2 is that without my asking, a few weeks ago a copy of Surrender! arrived in my mailbox. No joke.

For those unfamiliar, Super Deluxe is the local pop rock powerhouse that recently came out of retirement after a several year hiatus. Led by the soaring melodies of vocalist Braden Blake, the group was a bit of an anomaly in the rock world when its first record was released in 1995, which was arguably the pinnacle of commercial alt rock.

I remember going to a summer radio festival that year where Super Deluxe was the opening band on the second stage. Other acts at that festival — which was headlined by Mr. Gwen Stefani's band Bush, if you're curious — included Korn, The Presidents of the United States of America, and Everclear, all of whom were supporting their debut albums. That's the type of musical climate Super Deluxe was born into, and they managed to create one of the most pure post-grunge pop albums by a local artist to date with their self-titled debut.

That album, which is cherished and loved by many to this day, was released by Warner Bros. The band later released its second album, Via Satellite, a few years later, which was also put out by the Brothers Warner. However, that album didn't quite fare as well as its predecessor, and sadly the boys called it quits shortly thereafter.

Fast-forward more than a decade after their inception and we now have Super Deluxe's long-awaited third full-length, Surrender! On the album, Super Deluxe does something many bands try their whole careers to do: They successfully capture the magic and crafty pop style of their beloved first record, while taking that sound and evolving it into something that doesn't sound like a pathetic attempt to recycle the past, forging a new chapter for the band in the process.

Surrender! isn't the record of my dreams; surprisingly, it's better. The album is chock full of guitar-driven tracks that create the perfect backdrop for Blake's vocals. Sure, there aren't any tracks like "She Came On" or "Famous" on Super Deluxe's new record, but "Shoot" is as fun a song as any other in the band's catalog, and it's a blast to turn up loud and dance to. The spacey opening track "Come On" and its successor "Knockout," both whimsical slices of pop perfection pie, ake the album worth the purchase price. And unlike the band's debut, this record ends on great note with "Get Off," a song that hopefully signals the future direction of the band.

While Surrender! is a great record and will make my best-of list for the year, it's not without its flaws. Sometimes it almost seems like the boys in SD are trying a little bit too hard on some tracks, but they mask it well with killer melodies and great pop songwriting. If the guitars on "Know Your Enemy" were tuned down just a little bit lower it would have a Beach Boys-meets-Stone Temple Pilots vibe. The thought of a syrupy sweet band such as Super Deluxe being able to do such a thing makes my ears cringe. The rocking rhythms of "Safe and Sorry" and "She's Got It" slightly take away slightly from the record's poppy goodness, but these are minor blemishes on what otherwise is a great year-end release by a revered local band that has been gone for too long.

So here's to hoping the guys in Super Deluxe took the red pill before they decided to resuscitate their career so maybe they'll stick around a bit longer this time around.

Super Deluxe is the local pop rock powerhouse that recently came out of retirement after a several year hiatus. Led by the soaring melodies of vocalist Braden Blake, the group was a bit of an anomaly in the rock world when its first record was released in 1995, which was arguably the pinnacle of commercial alt rock.

AstroPOP! for July 2005

chilly c — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 07:00:00 +0000

Gemini {May 21-June 21}
You want to know if you're going to find true love this month? You're asking the big questions this month, Gemini, and I applaud you for it. And I'm guessing that you're onto me — I'm applauding so heartily because I don't really have an answer for you. My usual sources (star charts and Jane magazine) have failed me. So I turn to the excellent new Long Winters cd When I Pretend To Fall (Barsuk) for answers. John Roderick's deceptively complicated song structures contain just as deceptively complicated romantic situations: subtle break-up's, sleepless resignation, to feel love so much you either can't breathe or you breathe fire. The songs crash from emotion to emotion, from the plead of "Cinnamon" to the need of "Prom Night at Hater High." But guess what, Gemini: if the Long Winters can't solve their own romantic problems, how are they going to solve yours? So keep at it, and if you find the answers, please call me.

Cancer {June 22-July 22}
This month you need to concentrate on the details, Cancer. Ask yourself — really ask yourself — which book will you bring to read on the bus? Should you drink your root beer with a straw? Top shirt button: open or closed? Nothing is arbitrary, and the more attention you give the details, the smoother your ride will be. Seattle's Tableland also know the beauty of paying attention to detail. Their self-released full-length Tremulous Elemental (no label) soothes like aloe on sunburn, just in time for long June days. Check out a highlight like "Bested:" slow looped jazz drums under day-dreamy guitar that curls up with hazy trumpet and perking electronics. A place for everything, and everything in its place. Once you make all the right choices, it's easy to bliss out.

Leo {July 23-August 22}
You and your ex? Back together? That's quite a prediction, Leo. When you live inside your own head too long, you're liable to build a first-rate fantasy world. Speaking of, New York's Mercury Boy have spent so much time in their own heads that they have created a futuristic world in which David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Poison, and the Strokes all talk trash on the space bus of desire. New release Get It Goin' (Jafzi Records) has got production bombast to spare but precious little post-90's irony - making for a refreshingly earnest take on glam swagger-rock. Bold if flawed, this cd isn't likely to cause the nation to overdose on the band's artificial reality, but as long as we are talking about alternate realities here, Leo, Mercury Boy's strange mix of laser eyeliner, twin Ronson guitars, and vaguely hippie lyrics makes way more sense than you getting back together with you-know-who. And that's my prediction.

Virgo {August 23-September 22}
Sometimes, Virgo, you don't even need me to tell you how to slip through the sensors. Just look at yourself: taking it easy, driving in the far right lane, staying at home on Saturday nights. You should be listening to Mouthfuls by Chicago's Fruit Bats (Sub Pop) to mellow out even more. "Folk music" in the way that "Landslide" was folk music: it relaxes even as it hints at high drama, but the acoustic guitars, banjo, and mandolin mix with just enough tape loops and synth bursts to say "the sounds of today!" Less trad than Hem and livelier than Kings of Convenience, Eric Johnson and Gillian Lisee's harmonies on "Seaweed" sound sorrowful, sweet, and just relaxed enough. Still, enjoy this calm now, Virgo, because next month — you're getting' the storm.

Libra {September 23-October 22}
I know you're sad, Libra, but it leaves me with little to tell you, since I want to be respectful, and I know you can't just 'snap out of it.' How about some perspective instead? Remember that no matter how sad and depressed you feel, Lisa Germano will always be sadder. That said, despite (or perhaps because of) her melancholia, Germano has been able to write and record six albums of gloomy but gripping music. Her latest, Lullaby For A Liquid Pig (Artist Direct/Ineffable) is Germano at her most disquieting: ranging from hushed ("Paper Doll") to more hushed ("Pearls"), these songs are lullabies you sing to a child who you want to give nightmares to. So imagine telling Lisa Germano "come on, cheer up" and you'll understand the dilemma you've put me in, Libra. Jeez, now I'm depressed. I'm playing this cd again, ok?

Scorpio {October 23 - November 21}
"Party, Life of (the)." That's your definition, Scorpio, without a doubt. Whether it's a tailgater, a kegger, or the Math Club's Carl Gauss Annual Dinner at Red Robin, you adapt to any party situation. And you rock it like all-get-out. Your musical partner in crime this month is Seattle's own Alien Crime Syndicate. Their brand of fist-in-the-air pop-punk puts the 'awww' in 'rawk!' ACS's new ep single for Break The Record (The Control Group) dishes out singalong platters like live versions of the crunch-tastic "Do It Again" and their timelier-than-ever hit "Ozzy." What's more rock than that? How about the crunchiest b-side imaginable, a massive cover of the classic "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" with Kim Warnick on guest vocals and Duff McKegan on bass! So, Scorpio. Raise one hand because you like Ozzy and the Motley Crue. Raise the other hand because you like Elton John and Kiki Dee. Now that is a formula for a party that even the Math Club can calculate.

Sagittarius {November 22-December 21}
It's the way you speak, Sag, sometimes the things you say just sound cool. I could listen to you over and over again. You remind me of the Lights. Have you heard their new self-titled (and self-released) ep? Yah, it's that good, and remember, I predict stuff for a living. "I Am a Dangerous Snake" is one of the best singles released in Seattle this year. Like yourself, it just sounds cool: slightly distorted vocals, Black Francis lyrics, Jack White guitar. "We are the Victims of the Pleasures of the Sense of Hearing" is arch and arty like early Wire. Ok, you're calling me out on my crush, Sag, but that's fine. At least it keeps you from figuring out that I'm really in love with you.

Capricorn {December 22-January 19}
At long last, Cap, money is about to be funneled directly into your pocket — your bluster and your brazenness have finally paid off. Same with Seattle's Post Stardom Depression — after some record label up's and down's, PSD lunges right at us with Ordinary Miracles (The Control Group) like a big dog just released from a tiny cage. "The Whore I Am" is a snotty f-u that's two parts 70's blooze (Zep, the Nuge) to one part hostile Guns 'n Roses disaffection. "When It Comes To Cars" is sassy like David Lee Roth on two bottles of cough syrup. Ya know, it's really hard to type while I'm making these devil horns with both hands, but that's what this music calls for, and I must answer the call. Post Stardom Depression are about to get paid, and if you listen to their rock and do what they say, Capricorn, then so will you!

Aquarius {January 20-February 18}
So you've embraced the outdoor life, Aquarius? Hiking, rock climbing, camping. That stuff's fine in the daylight, but what do you do when the sun goes down? Leave the campsite for the great indoors, and obey the Dance Commander! Picking up where Andrew WK left off, Detroit's Electric Six slap together schlock-metal with dance punk on their full-length debut Fire. The hilarious "Electric Demons in Love" is bound to be a karaoke classic in 20 years, but I'm not sure about "Naked Pictures (Of Your Mother)," which might have been rejected by "Weird" Al Yankovic at some point. I'm not sure, but I think that this another example of is non-irony pretending to be ironic... how high-concept can ya get? Best trick: rhyming "Taco Bell" with "Gates of Hell." So. Is the world ready for a band that sounds like Falco crossed with Kiss crossed with the Scorpions crossed with the Tubes crossed with... oh I give up. Is there room in that sleeping bag for me, Aquarius? I gotta get out in the fresh air!

Pisces {February 19-March 20}
I'll keep it simple. Short words. Brief sentences. Your fleeting attention span is a problem, Pisces. Let's work on it. Listen to 1234567APE, the first ever compilation by the Primate Five (Dizzy Records). Four monkey mask-wearing spazzes, tearing through reverb-heavy, lo-fi punk — no longer than two minutes, no more than three chords. Back in the mid-90's, the P5 were garage when the White Stripes were still sleeping in one. Still with me? Good. Start slow. Just one song at a time, Pisces. Go from "C&H" ("pure cane sugar") to "Button Nose" ("I took her picture, ooh, what a pose!") to "Soylent Green Is Still People" ("what happens to people when they're dead?") Once the Primate Five have your attention, they won't let go, and your concentration problems will be solved. Sure, the P5 may have never learned a fourth chord, but considering they were apes I think they did just fine.

Aries {March 21-April 19}
I get it Aries. You 'just weren't made for these times.' Your vintage clothes are thrift store treasures, you still listen to vinyl, you even handwrite actual letters out of distrust for this whole 'internet' thing. You wear your anachronisms proudly, hmmm, not unlike the self-released ep Clever Love by Peter Fedofsky (no label). Part Pet Sounds, part Beatles For Sale, part Burt Bachrach, the six songs here take a profound love of 60's vocal pop and wrap it up with a frilly 4-part vocal harmony bow. Fellow retro-pop dreamer Ben Folds would have given his bitter little heart to have written a chord progression as earnest and lovely as "The Unwritten Letter." Still, Fedofsky isn't above using the very un-60's lyric "bullshit" in the Geroge Harrison-styled "Silly Boy Dreams," hmmm, not unlike your secret obsession with reality tv. Just a reminder, Aries, that everybody's modern.

Taurus {April 20-May 20}
Your questions are more theoretical this month, Taurus. What is punk? Is the ukelele punk? How about the trumpet? On Paradise Island, the one-woman side project from Erase Errata's Jenny Hoyston, the answer to all these questions is "yes indeed." On the new full-length "Lines Are Infinitely Fine" (Dim Mak) Hoyston breaks it down with tasty lo-fi beats and some primo stuttering ("Came From T-T-Texas"). So, had Paradise Island resuscitated electroclash, or is this some bold new experiment? Sometimes, Taurus, your questions are a little too theoretical. Like the song says, "I Came To Party."

astropop.gif

See what's in the stars -- and the record stores -- for you for July 2005, including reviews from the Long Winters, Lisa Germano, Tableland, Fruit Bats, and more.

Fantastic Wounds

Billy Corazon — Thu, 05 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000

6.9

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009IORDE/wwwthreeimagi-20

schoolyardheroes05may.jpg

A sharp little machete from Seattle locals Schoolyard Heroes, Fantastic Wounds maintains the acrobatic inter-instrumental dynamics and savagely clever, at times genuinely affecting modern-life-as-horror-movie lyrics that defined their awesome debut, The Funeral Sciences. High points include the vamp-ish, tongue-in-cheek "Serial Killers Know How To Party," the foreboding death-disco-cum-math-rock of "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and the fuggin' epic "Panic In The Year Zero," the chorus of which will definitely inspire those of us old enough to remember such things to raise our fist and "run to the hills," if you catch my drift.

Throughout the disc, bassist Jonah Bergman and drummer Brian Turner seem positively skin grafted to one another, while guitarist Steve Bonnell unleashes roaring, ravenous leviathans, sneering, manic gremlins and everything in-between through his undoubtedly bloody fingers.

Lead singer Ryann Donnelly, meanwhile, unquestionably has one of the greatest voices in local music right now. Her sense of timing and vocal dynamics cuts through the music with the precision of a surgical scalpel, although this reviewer does slightly miss the more schizophrenic approach of her earlier stuff with the Heroes. While her chops are impeccable on Fantastic Wounds, one of the things that made their first album so endearing was Donnelly's mid-song leaps between sultry Exene Cervenka-style come-ons, Betty Boop on bathtub crank, stunning, soaring operatics, and truly terrifying wolf-woman howls. Here, however, there is a note of restraint in her vocals which, in some ways, fits the material better — but one hopes is simply a step in her evolution as a vocalist that will eventually combine that restraint with the unpredictability of her Funeral Sciences-era vocal persona. (It should also be noted that the vocal interplay with Bergman's bestial howls are also noticeably diminished on this album, but, again, this is an element that will hopefully come to a bad-ass middle ground as the band evolves.)

So, while Fantastic Wounds, like many sophomore releases, lacks a bit in the insouciant exuberance displayed by its predecessor, it is ultimately rewarding upon repeated listens and lays yet another brick (bits of brain and skull still clinging to it) in the solid foundation of this promising young band.

High points include the vamp-ish, tongue-in-cheek "Serial Killers Know How To Party," the foreboding death-disco-cum-math-rock of "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and the fuggin' epic "Panic In The Year Zero"...

AstroPOP! for October-November 2003

three imaginary girls — Thu, 30 Oct 2003 08:00:00 +0000

Libra {September 23-October 22}
Death Cab for Cutie truly are indie rock's Hall and Oates: not only do DCfC possess both rock and soul, vocalist/guitarist Ben Gibbard's dreamy tenor is so unabashedly romantic that it literally spells out the M-E-T-H-O-D of modern love. Please listen closely, Libra: your usual balance is upset by love troubles this month, so having Death Cab spell it out for you can only help. On just-released Transatlanticism (Barsuk), the band understands your dilemma. The spaciousness of the songs betrays a hyper-awareness of the forces that keep lovers apart: time, distance, and longing—"where disappointment and regret collide/lying awake at night." Still, the music is heartening, not hopeless, and the instinctive, eye-for-detail charm of "Lightness" proves that Gibbard knows how to create the mood for a little one-on-one. And that's exactly what would make Daryl and John proud.
Your astrological Halloween costume: Attach half a blonde wig to half a curly brown one. Tape on half a moustache. You are simultaneously Hall AND Oates!

Scorpio {October 23-November 21}
You keep catching something out of the corner of your eye but you can never see it straight on. Your ears prick up at strange, disembodied sounds but when you turn your head toward the noises, there's nothing there. Your sixth sense is acting all crazy, Scorpio, and it's got you spooked. Give the otherworldly spirits a taste of their own medicine this month. Blast It Still Moves (ATOP), the new cd by My Morning Jacket to stop the haunting. The Louisville, Kentucky five-piece spikes its high-lonesome alt-country with a not-of-this-earth creepiness: guitars drip with reverb, ghostly vocals are multi-tracked to oblivion. When singer Jim James wails, "none of this is physical/at least not to me," he'll not only call out your demons—he'll send them packing. So don't be afraid, Scorpio... but do keep an eye on your liquor cabinet: the members of My Morning Jacket are so good at driving away spirits that they might also exorcise your bottles!
Your astrological Halloween costume: Take an old white bed sheet. Cut two eye-holes. Boo!

Sagittarius {November 22-December 21}
Your imminent career change might temporarily set you back in terms of status and income, but in the long run you're going to be a lot happier following your heart instead of doing what's expected of you. Indie darlings Belle & Sebastian sympathize with your job woes, Sag. Having taken chamber-pop as far as it can go, B&S confounds fan expectations on new release Dear Catastrophe Waitress (Rough Trade). Veteran producer Trevor Horn (ABC, the Pet Shop Boys) seasons each song with a generous helping of 80's kitsch (check those handclaps and processed vocals on "Stay Loose"), and on occasion the new sounds prove hard to balance—the record teeters like a tray full of Denver Omelets in the hands of a knock-kneed newcomer at Applebee's. But B&S never drop that heavy platter: "Asleep on a Sunbeam" recalls the band's early co-op days, and in fact the vocal melody on "Stay Loose" is one of the strongest on the album. This month, Sag, let your heart lead the way, and soon enough your new employer will be telling you, "I want to give you the job/a chance of better pay/can you start today?"
Your astrological Halloween costume: Orange jumpsuit. Strap-on keyboard. Reflector sunglasses. Sure, video killed the radio star, but your Buggles get-up will kill the competition at the costume party.

Capricorn {December 22-January 19}
Your friend who refers to every fleeting fling as a "potential soul-mate." That co-worker who's constantly repeating "that does not compute." Your roommate's humorless analysis of "Newlyweds." Why is it that everyone—everyone!—is bugging the crap out of you this month, Capricorn? It's time for you to get some perspective so you can simmer down. Listen to the reissue of Trust (Rhino) by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. By the time this watershed 5th album was released in 1981, no one had bugged, bitter, and bothered nailed more than Elvis. Everyone—everyone!—from posh suburbanites to jealous lovers to Margaret Thatcher was skewered mercilessly on "Trust"—Elvis took bile to a level of professionalism never before seen in postpunk. Cutting lines like, "you'll never be a man/no matter how many foreign bodies you can take" kinda makes your aggravation at your roommate's Hilary Duff obsession seem like child's play, hmm? Doesn't it? Cap? Doesn't it though? Oh, wait. Am I bugging you now? You better give "Trust" another spin, Capricorn.
Your astrological Halloween costume: Wear a gray wig. Walk with a cane. Shake your fist at anyone having fun. Use your anger to release the "grumpy old man" within. "Get off my lawn, you no-good kids!"

Aquarius {January 20-February 18}
Fall is here, Aquarius, and your autumnal wish-list sure makes a whole lot of sense: spend evenings indoors, drink hot cocoa overflowing with marshmallows, curl up with a good book and a great cd. That cd? Newborn Driving, the self-released debut from Seattle four-piece Spanish For 100. With a sound that blends Built To Spill's twin guitar fireworks (as well as their Idaho fixation) with Crosby, Stills & Nash's vocal harmonies, the chiming guitars and soaring vocals here are both intelligent and emotionally expressive. With its heartland-rock outlook and countryish twang, "Newborn Driving" is as autumn as pumpkin pie and the reemergence of sweaters. Plus, the cd is versatile: turn it up while you're staring out the window at the leaves swirling in the wind. Turn down the volume to background-music levels when you want to finish the last chapter in your book before bed. Either way, "Newborn Driving" has got you covered like your favorite thick wool blanket.
Your astrological Halloween costume Wear green and brown clothes, then cover yourself liberally in multi-colored leaves. You're either: a) the physical manifestation of the Harvest Spirit of Autumn or b) Marjorie the Trash Heap from "Fraggle Rock." Take your pick.

Pisces {February 19-March 20}
I'm an astrologer, Pisces. People come to me for advice, guidance, and my ability—as an outside observer—to see what can't always be seen from within. I'm recapping, in all honesty, because I'm not sure why you're here. Look at you: last month's problems resolved, next month's problems already assessed and averted—it's clear that you have no use for astrology in the trouble-free microcosm you've constructed for yourself. That said, can I still make a prediction? I'll bet your life would be even easier if you were listening to It Was High Time To Escape (54-40 Or Fight), the impressive debut from Portland, OR trio 31 Knots. Showy but not overly dramatic, complicated but somehow effortless, 31 Knots manage to mesh arty prog rock and catchy pop choruses so successfully that "wow, this sounds exactly like "Fragile"-era Yes without the fruity keyboards" becomes both a high-order compliment and a pale assessment of 31 Knots' achievements. Listen for yourself, Pisces—you're not the only one getting things right.
Your astrological Halloween costume: You're riding high this month just being you, Pisces. What's hiding behind a costume going to do for you? Wear your favorite t-shirt and go to the costume party 'as yourself.' No one would dare challenge you. How could they?

Aries {March 21-April 19}
Earnestness gets you laughed at. Cynicism makes you depressed. Instead of diving back and forth between the two extremes, Aries, try a new approach this month: walk that line. For guidance, steady yourself on the balance beam right behind Seattle four-piece Sushirobo. Overlaying Spoon-style minor-key indie pop with bubbly, organ-engineered surf-noir loops, the band has concocted a slick, spry sound that sustains itself throughout the 12 taut songs on The Light-Fingered Feeling Of Sushirobo (Pattern 25). Neither overly earnest nor deathly cynical, the band's secret is that they're in on the joke. Listen to singer Arthur Roberts' sneer over the Primus-flecked office fable "Zuckerman's Favorite Joke," or the lyrical jabs at the "milquetoast hipster" in "Heart, Lungs, Etc." The all-too-real details make it clear that the band is not above including itself among its targets, and their touch of self-effacement keeps the band buoyant. With two deep mood-chasms threatening you on either side, Aries, it really helps to have that light-fingered feeling.
Your astrological Halloween costume: What was your worst job ever? Dress up as your boss from that employment disaster, and spare no detail. Tell everyone that if they don't give you candy, you're going to eat their soul instead. You are going to have FUN tonight!

Taurus {April 20-May 20}
Despite your bullish, smarty-pants exterior, Taurus, you're a softy at heart. After all, when you're moved by the sad beauty of the first drops of rain on a Sunday morning, is it your brain that makes you want to cry? Hell no! It's your heart: your big, swollen, always-just-about-to-break valve of love. Quit ignoring it: your heart has important things to say. Touchdown Eagle, a lovelorn quartet from Seattle (by way of Iowa and Utah) definitely listens to their hearts. Their homemade debut ep Redesign Your Living Room, Redesign Your Life, is in fact all heart: lo-fi Beat Happening strum and Yo La Tengo sleepy drone create lonely, lovesick moods. The lyrics reveal a knack for the particulars of heartbreak. In "Stumblingly," a guy falls asleep with his glasses on, then he wakes up and can't quite see straight. The female narrator of "No Good Love" describes getting out of a difficult relationship, then wonders whether the person she left behind is actually happy now that she's gone. Heed your sentimental side this month, Taurus. Even if you don't find the love you've been searching for, the crying will be cathartic.
Your astrological Halloween costume: What's more sentimental than the Mom from "E.T."—a single mom struggling with three kids and hiding an alien from the U.S. government? Dress as Dee Wallace, and run like hell from anyone dressed as Peter Coyote.

Gemini {May 21-June 21}
I'll admit that I keep my counsel a little close to the chest and dole it out only sparingly. But I still tell you what you need to know, and the fact is, I really have so much advice that I'd overwhelm you if I let you know EVERYTHING that the stars tell me. And I'm not alone. Listen to Iron & Wine's new ep The Sea & The Rhythm (Sub Pop). Sam Beam surely knows much, much more than he lets on: his world-weary tenor and old-soul lyrics run circles around my constellation shop-talk. Beam chooses his words carefully, painting a careful picture that leaves out as much as it takes in. "Jesus the Mexican Boy" has more plot than a Faulkner novel—the song describes a child's birth, a carnival crashing, an elopement, and a lost wager—but it never sags with detail. Instead, Beam's clear, double-tracked harmonies and lonesome-strummed guitar tell as much of the story as the lyrics do. So while we may never find out what happens to Jesus' sister after the Vegas wedding, Iron & Wine never make us feel like something's been left out. And if you've been listening carefully to what I've been telling you, then I trust that you understand my advice for you this month, Gemini.
Your astrological Halloween costume: Your literary bent this month makes Faulkner a natural starting point for your costume: Caddy Compson in her later years? The simple Vardaman Bundren? The luckless Temple Drake? Come on, Gemini, go crazy!

Cancer {June 22-July 22}
Sometimes it's not so bad to be the type that can be brought home to mom and dad, Cancer. First of all, it shows that your sweetie thinks you have staying power. Second, it means the two of you can borrow the old man's car for ski trips—no questions asked. Third, better presents this holiday season. Just look at Plum St.. They've got that 'cross-generational appeal' working in their favor as well: you like them because they kinda sound like Elliott Smith or Michael Penn; your mom likes them because they kinda sound like the Beatles. But this is not a band of bland squares: the Seattle trio has the melody, smarts, and chops to validate these lofty comparisons. And singer/guitarist Reed Hutchinson even sings about family! Ok, it's a dysfunctional one—an older aunt leaves her husband, a helpful uncle delivers advice but brandishes a gun—but like yourself, Cancer, Plum St. realizes that playing to the family is important. So when your honey brings you home to mom and dad this month, Cancer, bring the Plum St. cd along. When everybody is in agreement over the gorgeous chorus to "Beauty and Dreams," you'll at least be getting a break from marriage talk.
Your astrological Halloween costume: Wear the most garishly colored sweater you can find, and you're all set to appear as everybody's favorite tv dad, Cliff Huxtable. Then, wrap up the sweater and give it to your sweetheart's dad this holiday season. He'll love you for it.

Leo {July 23-August 22}
It's the dilemma of every rising star, Leo. Everyone wants a stalker until they actually get one. The loss of privacy, the feeling of invasion, the constant changing of phone numbers: stalkers are scary and tiresome, and should hardly be the concern of a superstar-in-training who's got a collection of trucker hats to build and a Friendster network to grow. Then again, listen to new sensations the Fitness. First single "Gianni V" actually implores "I wish that you were stalking me"--and makes a convincing case that having an obsessive fan is, in fact, part of the package: an actual accessory that complements the trucker hats and the Friendster hits. Ok. I'm with you so far. Sonically, the Fitness' cd debut Call Me For Together (The Control Group) picks up where "The Metro" by Berlin left off: analog synths, gated drums, and robotically-intoned boy-girl vocals. I heart the 80's, so I'm still with you. The kicker? Instead of talking down, Diana Ross-style, to the hired help, closing song "Chauffeur" exalts its titular hero for knowing where to go and where to score the best drugs. It sounds like the Fitness really does have the whole package. Now, if we started sleeping outside their bedroom windows, Leo, how long do you think it'll take before they notice us?
Your astrological Halloween costume: Who are you kidding, Leo? The skinny ties, the jagged bangs, the jet-black eyeliner, the silvery shirts, the Seven jeans... you already wear a costume every day. If you really want to frighten people, show up at the party in a UW sweatshirt and khakis. Now that's scary!

Virgo {August 23-September 22}
On the left side of the chalkboard, we have the 'problem:' a dense, multi-factored scramble of terms, conditionals, and assumptions. On the right side, we have the 'answer:' a single digit, solved, reduced, exposed. My question to you: which side of the board has more power? Your urge to figure everything out can cause you to miss out on the brain-busting complexities of reality. It's like trying to determine what makes the songs on the Senate Arcade's new ep Vitamins Taste Like Dying (Chocho) sound so good. Yah, we can trot out 'answers:' the swirling math-rock intricacies; the pulverizing rhythm section; bassist/singer Todd Schlosser's powerful, MTV2-ready vocal bellow. But when that stuff gets written down on paper, it doesn't seem like it could really add up to the visceral intensity that these five songs deliver. In other words, when there's a guy lying fetal desperately shouting "I'm on the floor/I'm on the floor," the application of logic can only get you so far. This month, don't search for the answers, Virgo. See the unsolved expressions for what they are: expressions. Turn the volume up, and just listen.
Your astrological Halloween costume: Wear a button-down shirt, smear chalk dust on your hands, and find a pair of coke-bottle glasses. Oh, and carry a carving knife. You're a high school algebra teacher—out for blood!

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Your rock and roll astrological forecast for Fall 2003, featuring reviews of Belle & Sebastian, My Morning Jacket, Touchdown Eagle, Spanish for 100, The Fitness, and more.

Nabil Ayers

three imaginary girls — Sat, 17 May 2003 07:00:00 +0000

Hey Nabil. Tell us what you do.
I drum for the band Alien Crime Syndicate. I'm also the co-owner of Sonic Boom Records, and I have my own record label, The Control Group.

Coffee Specs?:
Beverage of choice:
I like single short Americanos, half-full. It's not an Americano, it's not espresso — it's potent and simple. Espresso To Go in Fremont is my favorite.
Of course, we're meeting here at the Canterbury (bar) instead of a coffee shop. So, what's your poison?
I'm a vodka and an amber beer drinker. {note: tonight's beverages of choice: Mac and Jacks and Fat Tire}.

How does it feel to be called 'the nicest guy in rock,' and how did that title come about?
(laughs) It came along because of Kurt B. Reighley (frontman for Purdy Mouth, Seattle's only gay-alt-country band). We asked him to write a bio on Alien Crime Syndicate, and it was included that comment the first draft. And it's not like one of those things you'd change... there's nothing dangerous about being 'the nicest guy in rock.'

What local artists are you liking these days?
I really like The Fitness and Post-Stardom Depression. Of course, they're both on my label, so maybe I shouldn't say that.

Hah! Well, who are your musical influences?
I liked a lot of metal in junior-high and high school. Kiss is my favorite band of all time; they're the reason I like music. Of course, I realize now that they're greedy fan-cheating shysters. They're a mediocre band, at best. They're horrible. But I still get chills when I listen to their first album. I think everything's more impressive when you're younger, because you have less to compare it to. My mom took me to see them in Madison Square Garden when I was seven.

Sound like you have pretty cool parental influences, with mom taking you to shows as a wee one and your dad as a famous jazz musician...
My mom's awesome — she lives in San Francisco, and she and my stepdad go to our shows when we play down there. As for my dad (Roy Ayers), I was a 70's love child, so I don't really know him that well, I never knew him. It's weird, lately there's been this resurgence of people sampling him... and that's kinda weird. I sure look like him.

My uncle is a musician, so that influenced me. He bought me my first drum set when I was two, and I also play guitar and bass. I've always been around music, since an early age...

What are some of the cooler bands that ACS has played with?
We played with Weezer once, at the Casbah in San Diego — it's this really small place, and kids were lined-up on the street to get in. During the sound-check, there were only four of us there, and we got to hear them play seven songs, including all this stuff from Pinkerton, which I still think is the best. It was our own little private Weezer show!

We also toured with Sugar Ray. Those were the best shows, with the best audiences, and we sold the most merch — we played half the shows in college towns, and half in amusement parks in the midwest. It was the most fun ever. They're the nicest guys — super hard-working, and they really took care of us. It was quite admirable.

We played a few shows with Andrew WK. I love that guy, and so does Mike, our guitar player. He's super smart, but super A.D.D. or something. The guy could sign autographs for 3-4 hours, and would write each fan a letter that covered the poster.

How do you feel about karaoke?
I like it, but I'm scared of it. I'm a drummer. I like to sit in the back. I've done karaoke twice — the last time I was so incredibly drunk I did the Stevie Nicks part of "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" with the sound guy we were touring with. That was two years ago. You won't catch me doing it... but I'm all for it.

One last question: how you found out about the Three Imaginary Girls website?
I was on the phone with Eric from Criminal Records in Atlanta, and he mentioned if I had heard of the site while I was talking to him — and I hadn't. I went and looked while we were talking and was like, "Holy shit! What is this?!!"

{We had that same reaction when we met Nabil, who really is as nice as they say! Thanks to Eric for the long-distance introduction of sorts, and be sure to check out ACS as they tour the west coast with TIG favorites Visqueen... or just stop by one of the three Seattle Sonic Boom record stores and say hi!}
Get some Nabil...

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Nabil drums, he sells and makes records, and he's the nicest guy in rock.