Three Imaginary Girls - Stars of Track and Field

Top 10 band names from song names

elle — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:40:46 +0000

If there's any one question most bands tend to dislike it's how they got their band name. A band will most likely answer with, "Well, this one night we were drunk..." or something similarly dissatisfying and anti-climatic, which is I avoid the question during interviews.

Stars of Track and Field tour... with Smashing Pumpkins (?!)

imaginary dana — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:57:28 +0000

HOLY SHITE they are playing with the EFFING SMASHING PUMPKINS for part of their tour.

Tonight's Recommended Show: The Long Winters at the Showbox

imaginary dana — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:23:04 +0000

Three Imaginary Girls have long been Long Winters super-fans. At last count, we've written about no fewer than 15 live show reviews of the band.

"I Saw Them When"

Jeremy Downing — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 08:00:00 +0000

19 Feb 2007

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What could possibly motivate a couple of college students to embark on a one-day, 360-mile round trip drive from Seattle to Portland and back again on a school night? What in the world would be worth draining the meager billfolds of our theater student budgets for the sake of pricey gas and enough junk food to last us through nuclear winter? Either A) we were absolutely insane, B) we were bored out of our wits, or C) there was a damn good concert going on down there (or, perhaps, all of the above). Give up? I'll give you a big hint: on President's Day, Portland natives Tea For Julie, Stars of Track and Field, and The Thermals each took the stage of McMenamins Crystal Ballroom for 94.7 KNRK's aptly titled "I Saw Them When" concert.

By the time my friend and I arrived at the Ballroom, the crowd was eagerly buzzing with anticipation. I wove my way through the compacting crowd to the edge of the stage, and soon afterward Tea For Julie were all ready to get the show on the road. Of the first seven songs they played, all but one — their KEXP single "Hello" — were brand-spanking new numbers. "Hello" was wowing as ever, especially toward the end when vocalist Michael Deresh began sailing his series of falsetto hello's over the echoing arpeggios of his guitar.

The new songs were equally impressive. Their third song, "Big Difference," was performed so energetically that at one point bassist Denver Warner's pick went flying several feet from his hand, and he proceeded to finish the tune with his bare fingers as if nothing had happened. Around halfway through the show, Jad Simpson abandoned his drum set and placed himself in front of a metallophone, with a mallet in one hand and a tambourine in the other, and the band played a beautiful new song called "Snow Globe." With Simpson away from his drums, the song began with a prerecorded drum track, which the band accompanied with a smooth, cool rhythm of reverberant keys and strings. The dynamic sound that Tea For Julie fostered while writing and recording Division was on full display in their new material, and the continual sense of sonorous experimentation in the music they've written since — with the help of [relatively] new guitarist Travis Stanek — has given the band a whole new breadth of possibilities. My personal highlight of the set was when Deresh dedicated their next song to everybody who had trekked from Seattle, and then went right into "1000 Colors" (my favorite Tea For Julie song). I could have died happy right then, but thankfully I didn't, because there were still two more wonderful bands to come.

Stars of Track and Field were next, dressed in their Monday best. During the setup interval before their set, Jason Bell was to my right, shaking hands with a few enthusiastic fans while Kevin Calaba was to my left demonstrating the different effects of his various guitar pedals to the crowd in front of him. These simple acts exemplified the deep sense of accessibility and connection between the crowd and the performers, and this breaking down of the fourth wall was a theme which permeated throughout the concert, much to the pleasure of the audience.

Once everything was ready, Daniel Orvik started off with the eight quick drum pounds which signify the start of "Say Hello," and the set was underway. As bronzed and polished as their recorded work sounds, that's how brisk their live performance was. In fact, it surprised me how different they can sound once they shed their veneer of production. Calaba's voice, naturally rich with sympathy and vulnerability, perfectly befitted the bare bones sound their live show offered, though unfortunately the harmonies which accompanied them (arguably one of the band's best traits) were sometimes lost in the mix. Bell's guitar solos had a raw, brazen, and somewhat improvisational feeling reminiscent of grunge before it became the rad thing to listen to. I can only hope that if Stars of Track and Field become the next rad thing to listen to, they won't lose the band-next-door quality of their live performance.

Coming into this concert, The Thermals were the band I had known most recently, learned the least about, and heard the least of. Walking out of this concert, they became one of my favorite live acts. There's something about a great punk show that just releases all of the stress we all have bottled up, carbonated, and shaken inside of us. There's a certain beauty to the "my sweat is your sweat" mentality of a crowd that completely loses its sense of politesse (not to mention hygiene) to the steam engine of sound coming from the stage.

The Thermals' performance was an adrenaline-injected, irreverent yet levelheaded force of human nature. They were natural crowd-charmers, directing the banging heads and mosh pits that were unleashed in front of them. At one point, the crowd began a chant of "PORTLAND! PORTLAND!" which the band embellished with a ridiculously amusing impromptu accompaniment (I wonder if this little number will make the cut on their next record... they did suggest as much, if only jokingly).

Though they are great live, The Thermals don't seem to expose their best qualities, and though that may suit punk it doesn't serve them as musicians. Musical intricacies, which were usually inundated by ordinary bar chord progressions and major-scale melodies, seemed to come secondary to the energy of their presentation. Even further understated were the admirable internal rhymes and assonance of the lyrics, which were buried far beneath the overwhelming volume. Perhaps that is one of The Thermals' most interesting attributes: many of their best qualities are just below the surface, and only those who pay special attention to them can fully appreciate their music as more than just fun punk songs.

I had never been to Portland for longer than it takes to pass through it, and as far as first impressions go, this was a damn good one. There's more to this city than meets the eye, and it seems to be meeting my ears one great band at a time. So keep an ear out for what this city has to offer, and someday you too will be able to say, "I saw them when."

The Thermals, Tea for Julie, and Stars of Track and Field rocked a totally roadtrip-worthy bill.

Jason Bell of Stars of Track and Field

Diana Salier — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 08:00:00 +0000

{Imaginary writer Diana is a *huge* Stars of Track and Field fan — and who can blame her? We've been following the Portland trio for years, especially since their debut EP You Came Here for Sunset Last Year placed in the Top 5 in our Top Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll.

The band has since signed to Wind Up Records (home to Evanescence and Creed {!}), and officially released the full-length Centuries Before Love and War this week. Frontman Jason Bell took some time from his busy rock and roll schedule to answer a few questions for Three Imaginary Girls. Thanks Jason, and congrats!}

Three of the five tracks from You Came Here For Sunset Last Year made the cut for your debut album. How did you decide to include the songs you did? Why did you decide to leave out "Let Ken Green" and "Foreign Snow"?

The songs that were included for the album -- "With You," "Arithmatik," and "Say Hello" -- were selected simply by the three of us voting. We felt they were in line most with the other songs, and since we didn't have the budget to record all new songs, we decided on those three to complete the theme of Centuries Before Love And War.

Where do you get your ideas for lyrics? Are they usually personal or do you ever make up characters?

I really have no idea where my lyrics come from. Moreover, I really don't want to know. I usually write the music first and begin writing lyrics based on whatever emotion the progression brings out of me.

On a related note, and mostly out of sheer curiosity, who is Ken Green?

A few years back I was at an estate sale in Portland, OR, and found this cool old tape recorder, very early. Ya know, like early eighties elementary school kind of thing. I noticed a cassette tape inside and immediately bought the thing. When I got it home, I freaked. The voice identified itself as Ken Green. He was an elderly man who would make these tapes talking about his daily life or recording conversations with friends. The voice over sample on the song "Let Ken Green" comes right from that tape.

For a studio recording, Centuries Before Love And War has a very huge and present feel to it and sounds as though it could have been recorded live. Why is this? How did you achieve that in the studio?

That's cool you think it sounds that way. Trying to make something raw and polished is a contradiction in terms, but of course that was what we tried to do. A lot has to do with the production and engineering by both Tony Lash and Jeff Stuart Saltzman. Using weird mics and filter passes to degrade tones. Trying to pair big sounds with small tones. The whole record seems to be a contradiction. Vintage, modern, acoustic drums, drum machines etc.

When I saw you perform, I noticed that you have some bass lines programmed in digitally with the drums. What do you feel the advantages are of simultaneously lacking a bassist and essentially having two drummers? Would you ever consider including a bassist?

In fact we sequence all our bass lines. The most obvious advantage is not having to tell a bassist to stop soloing. Just kidding, but keeping the opinions limited to three artists is a real advantage for this particular group. I would definitely be into a bassist at some point. I feel like when the time is right, we will expand by multiple members, not just a bassist. As it stands now, each of us has a ton of responsibility and relaxing the workload on stage would free us up and allow us to entertain the crowd and ourselves a bit more. We recently had our friend Jeff Klein play with us at Doug Fir in Portland for New Year's Eve and it was great watching Kevin have the freedom to command the stage as a singer/front man instead of having to continually play an instrument. Plus he has mad dance moves.

Is the songwriting process pretty collaborative or does one person bring in most of the music and lyrics?

Kevin and I write the music and lyrics. We generally alternate, which kind of happens naturally. While the band is working on say my new song, Kevin will be finishing his new song to be ready for the group when mine is done and vice a versa. Once the music and lyrics are completed, one of us will bring the song to the band and the three of us hash it out from there. However, Dan writes nearly all the programming and most of the bass lines plus his drum parts. All three of us work on the arrangements together.

Were any specific songs easier or more difficult to finish?

"Lullaby for a G.I." was the most laborious. It originally had this really huge chorus with big guitars etc. But it just pissed me off. Sounded too lunk headed. I decided it should be mellow and Dan rallied the mad programming and Kevin wrote the bridge both in the studio which saved the song from the dustbin.

I've read that besides the themes of loss, Centuries has a lot to do with the current war – what was your original purpose in writing these songs? Was it meant to be a sort of concept album?

The "concept" thing happened in a peculiar way. When we started thinking about what songs to include for the record, Kevin and I took a look at what we were writing and realized there were these three dominant themes, the cost of war, love lost and maligned memory. So when finishing up the last songs for the record we took that into account and realized that Centuries Before Love And War encapsulated a message we felt needed to be communicated. It is rare to have two songwriters in one band and I think more rare that our themes are so similar on this record.

What, if anything, was your biggest concern about releasing Centuries, in terms of critical reception? Did you ever worry about it not being "mainstream" enough for the mainstream critics, or was that never really a concern for you?

Unfortunately, I tend to worry about what the "hipster" crowd thinks. A habit I'm desperately trying to break. So far we have garnered great reviews from Billboard and Amplifier as well as cool indie publications that the band actually reads like yours. Now that we have been touring a lot and meeting so many different kinds of musicians I'm trying to step out of my shell, there is just too much cool music that doesn't get a chance in that hipster scene because it doesn't meet these strict guidelines of underground or cool music. Time to stop being so painfully self-aware.

Centuries was recently named VH1.com's Must Hear Album; you've been interviewed for Gothamist, and written about in Amplifier Magazine. How do you feel about all the attention that the band has garnered in 2006 in the wake of You Came Here For Sunset? Has it changed anything within the band, or about your musical or artistic goals?

Well the private plane, gobs of blow and supermodels have been nice. Really, I think we naturally have adjusted our ambitions accordingly. When we started the group and released the EP. We thought it would be fucking great to get some good press and some good shows. Thankfully, Dana and the ladies at Three Imaginary Girls were one of the first important music sites to actually listen to the songs and praise them publicly. Then we thought it would be cool to get a deal and make a record. Well, we got two deals and so on and so forth. I think we are learning how to appreciate our limited success so far and not get caught up with the "next step" while also trying to play to bigger crowds and write better songs.

It's probably safe to say that the band has set a very melancholy course for itself – do you think this will continue in your next release? How do you feel about being labeled melancholic or sad?

I wouldn't say that we are sad people, but our music sometimes comes across that way. The pairing of anthemic major chords with downtrodden melody and lyrics has always interested me. It's so bittersweet and introspective. Maybe it's the weather? I would like our next record to present something more raw and personal. Strip down the production. For my own part, start writing lyrics that are a bit more literal. I have always written in metaphor, setting moods instead of describing personal events. I'm feeling myself needing to be a bit more personal and let people in a bit more.

Who would you list as your top five musical influences?

I am too far in the forest to see the trees on this question... so how about I list the top five artists that are inspiring me right now: Andrew Bird, Jeff Klein, Robert Altman, Anna Maj Michelson and Willie Nelson.

The band is named after a Belle and Sebastian song, but sounds nothing like them. Is there anything of their influence in the way that you think about the songwriting process?

Not really. They are a great band and hope they appreciate the homage and don't think we are bunch of wankers. But as you know music is riddled with bands taking their name from songs of other artists.

You toured in support of Jeremy Enigk in 2006, and there is a hint of Sunny Day Real Estate in older songs like "Movement," from your 2003 self-titled release. There's also a lot of heavy but sparse guitar work on Centuries with big drums -- was the band ever influenced by the old wave of emo bands like Sunny Day, Christie Front Drive, or any of the others?

No. I had never heard a Sunny Day song until we heard we were going out with Jeremy and I downloaded a few. I know that's total sacrilege in the Northwest, but there is a whole period of my life where I didn't listen to music and focused on my painting. Once we toured with him, I couldn't stop listening to Return of the Frog Queen. Of course 10 years after he released it, but what an amazing record.

What, if anything, has changed about you guys as a band and as musicians between the release of You Came Here for Sunset and Centuries?

We are lucky enough to not have day jobs for the time being. It has been really awesome to just work on music. It is also a bit nerve wracking. I want to do this as my job forever but that is just so unrealistic.

Which song do you think best sums up the album, and why?

I think the first song "Centuries." It's lyrically haunting, has intricate programming and a big, epic end to it -- kind of like great sex. I wish I could claim I wrote it, but Kevin did and I will hate him forever for it.

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He was an elderly man who would make these tapes talking about his daily life or recording conversations with friends. The voice over sample on the song "Let Ken Green" comes right from that tape.

Centuries Before Love and War

Jeremy Downing — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 08:00:00 +0000

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000FBFTIM/wwwthreeimagi-20

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For those of us who have been avidly following Stars of Track and Field since their You Came Here for Sunset Last Year EP days, Centuries Before Love and War is a composition of euphonious delight, with a slight tinge of disappointment. I'll start with the slightly disappointing news: three out of the ten songs are duplicates from the EP. I know it's a bit selfish of me, but I can't help but get that feeling — you know the one — where all of a sudden, I as a fan am not quite so special for having heard all of a band's original classics, because now everybody can listen to them. I guess I'll just have to latch onto "Let Ken Green" and "Foreign Snow," the precious two remaining EP originals, with all of the selfish elitist oober fan-ness I've got left.

Now on to the good news: The album is amazing.

I may be biased (with my self-proclaimed oober fan-ness) but hear me out. Throughout the history of Western culture, many of the greatest works of music, theatre, and literature have followed a certain formula. They begin unassumingly, to introduce themselves and establish context; then they build slowly upon themselves, adding new elements and emotions; and finally these elements build to a climax, leading ultimately to a resolution. Stars of Track and Field songs encapsulate this formula. Of course, I by no means intend to aggrandize Stars of Track and Field to the level of history's greatest, but they are certainly in good company. I have not heard a contemporary band show a greater aptitude toward building a song from the ground up, save but for Coldplay in "Fix You" — and that was a one-time accomplishment even for them.

In stark contrast to the formulaic build of the music is the record's theme. The lyrics constantly allude to loss — specifically, loss of love by means of heartache, loss of life by means of war, and loss of faith by means of betrayal. They are poetic to the point of ambiguity, but not so much as to make them completely obscure. The spectral vocals of Kevin Calaba and the harmonies of Jason Bell seesaw gently between the loss of the lyrics and the build of the music, but never get swept too far to either extreme, while the percussion/programming of Daniel Baker Orvik provides a beautifully consistent framework for the music to construct itself upon.

Amid all of the contradictions in Centuries Before Love and War, there is balance, and there is progression.

The lyrics constantly allude to loss — specifically, loss of love by means of heartache, loss of life by means of war, and loss of faith by means of betrayal.

Imaginary Indie Tunes Podcast September 2006

three imaginary girls — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 07:00:00 +0000

Our September imaginary indie tunes podcast, featuring songs from Trevor Dickson, The Pharmacy, Birdwatchers United, Shorthand for Epic, The Doll Test, The Drug Purse, Stars of Track and Field, Sirens Sister, and Math & Physics Club.

45:21 minutes (8 MB)

SXSW 2006 Rundown

three imaginary girls — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 08:00:00 +0000

15 Mar 2006

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South by Southwest, where have you been all my life? If I believed in an afterlife, this is what my idea of heaven would be: endless days and nights with no greater concerns than caffeine, alcohol, and indie rock. Except there would be fewer lines, and more cabs.

I can't believe a world where so many (really attractive and nice) people care about new and interesting music exists. What an amazing experience. I'm booking my hotel room and pass as soon as they announce the 2007 dates. Who's with me??

Please note that the photos were taken by us; we can't rule out intoxication, but we also can't rule out that we're just that unskilled with a camera. Oh! Except for the gorgeous Long Winters photo, provided by the amazing Gregory Perez.

Without further ado, read our SXSW 2006:

Top 10 of the Pops!

Honorable Mentions

Totally Overrated

Thank Yous

Top 10 of the Pops! (in alpha order):

Art Brut
I can't stress this enough. If Art Brut comes to your town, go! Whether you are familiar with them because of their placement on KEXP's playlist or you've yet to be introduced, you will love them within one song of their live performance. The cockney-heavy vocals a la The Streets and the hooky guitar jabs spotlight the clever lyrics that are ideal for constant quoting among your group of friends. Move over, quips like "You're so money you don't even know it" — we've now got things like, "This IS my singing voice" and "I've seen her naked... twice!" Thanks Art Brut. "Popular culture, no longer applies to me."

Band of Horses
Band of Horses featured slide guitars, emotive vocals, and nothing less than I expected from two former members of one of my favorite Seattle bands of all time, Carissa's Wierd. While CW expressed life's sadness to the level of morose, Band of Horses were more in the "tear in my beer" cathartic vein of indie-melancholy, and I'm sure will (or have) drawn comparisons to other twangier indie-rock luminaries like My Morning Jacket and Wilco. The fact that they were playing in a field outside Poke-e-Joe's BBQ only added to the Texas of it all.

Billy Bragg
I think I experienced the luckiest day of my life in Austin. How else could I have found myself at a picnic (with free booze and tacos), surrounded by an audience of about 50 people watching Billy Bragg as he played his entire first album in order? Crazy! As you'd expect, the man was armed with timeless songs and sharp banter that could inspire action from even the most humdrum of souls. In between songs he offered words of solace to our blue-state comforted selves. He encouraged us as he talked about how he felt pride when he saw how the outrage and compassionate minority is gaining strength in our nation. He jumpstarted my belief that music can bind people, give weight to ideas and, music industry be damned, fuel change. Take that Toby Keith.

Figurines
Brit bands are a dime a dozen. Bring on the Danes! I had the pleasure of seeing Danish indie-rock sensations Figurines at the Crocodile in Seattle just days before SXSW. Here's my theory on Figurines: you need to hear them three times. The first couple of listens, you think, "Wow, nice songs!" By the third listen, you realize that not only will Skeletons undoubtedly rank in your top 10 of the year, but that you also plan to name your as-yet unconceived children "Christian" — as half the band members are called Christian — even though you are a devout agnostic. Spend some quality time with the record, and you're hooked — or as the fellas sing, "It takes time to get it together for a long time." Figurines have it all: spot on guitar work, inspiring lyrics, rugged hooks, distinctive and appealing vocals... plus swagger, pout, sweet dispositions, and hipster good looks. Think Northwest edge meets Euro-charisma. Now imagine standing right up front, watching these likely superstars rock you on a true Texas dive bar floor. It's surely a 'tell-the-grandkids-about-it' sort of SXSW memory...

Galactic Heroes
I've loved the Galactic Heroes since the first time I heard the sweet jangle of "Coffee And Pastries" from their album Every Sidewalk. Their repertoire embodies all that is sweet and nice and queen bee. Their songs hopscotch through tales of love, friendship, baby blue Volvos, and gleeful happenstances without turning trite or phony. But, given that the two leading members live in different cities, seeing them perform these tales of joy together in lovey Seattle has felt like a pipe dream.

Thank goodness for a massive 1000+ band festival for bringing us together. Live, they broke new GH ground... mainly due to a sudden, unfortunate event that forced their drummer to miss the show. That, on top of the fact that the guys hadn't been able to practice together in quite a while, made for a certain air of... uncertainty. So what did they do? They rocked the house! They gave homemade shakers (made from plastic Easter eggs filled with rice) to the 25 audience members in the front so that we could provide a backing beat to the songs. Then, halfway through the set, Mike (who had just started learning the drums) took to the set and simultaneously sang and drummed. As you would expect, the songs were scaled down but the end result was a lo-fi Lucksmiths-esque set that left the audience grinning from ear to ear.

The Gossip
Playing at 1am on a stage in a parking lot, I was able to fully appreciate the force that *is* Gossip front-diva Beth Ditto. Against the evening chill after a hot Texas day, she channeled that old soul of hers to exorcise the traditions and skeletons of the South. This, with intense, archaic, bare bones rock foundation laid by her two fellow Gossip-ers (Brace Paine and Hannah Blilie), made for a set of hymns for hipsters. As Beth chimed lines like "I don't want the world, I just want what I deserve." I was reminded of all that is great about independent music. Whereas the masses accept songs from The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs as the end all of soul inspired, angular anthems, The Gossip are the real thing. Glory glory hallelujah!

The Long Winters
Long Winters' frontman John Roderick has the rare ability to win over the drunkest/surliest of audiences with the power of just one sideways pleasantry. In between eloquently espousing about the his excitement of sharing the bill with Smoosh and the underlying music industry presence at the festival, Roderick made the crowd sway to the LW songs old and new. Poles on each end of the spectrum were hit as we enjoyed old favorites ("Stupid," "Unsalted Butter"), newbies ("the commander thinks aloud" from the recent Ultimatum EP), and we got a sneak listen to songs from their upcoming release (to be released in July?). I was so relieved to not only hear the new songs, but find out that they are glorious! Countdown to the new Long Winters album begins... NOW!

The Magic Numbers
As my friend Barbara said to me during the show, the world can't be too bad a place when a band as amazing as The Magic Numbers headlines a major label showcase (Capitol Records) at SXSW. As talented as they are unlikely, this band of two sets of siblings charmed the audience with their extraordinary song writing, their incredible vocal harmonies, and more importantly, with their dazzling sense of joy expressed through music. They've been compared to the psychedelic Flaming Lips as well as the folksy 60's of the Mamas and the Papas; both comparisons are apt. More joyous than an afternoon spent with good friends and free Jack Daniels!

Margot and the Nuclear So-And-Sos/The Rakes
OK, I cheated to sneak an extra band into the Top 10 list. But you have to hear about them both, and both have new US releases on V2-affliated labels, so I thought it only fair to munge them. Margo and the Nuclear So-and-Sos — I agree, that name is tedious at best — were a complete surprise, a dense wall of delicious sounds emanating from no less than eight people onstage: two percussionists, trumpet, cello, two vocalists, and all the rock standards. Their debut release drops end of March, and the hype machine has aleady whirled into motion, so expect to know their name soon (even if you can't quite remember all of it). As for The Rakes, I saw them headline two showcases, at the UK show case at Flamingo and the V2 showcase at the Blind Pig. Equal parts updated Blur-pop and JCrew's autumn pullover collection, these savvy Brit rockers got the floor moving with their exuberant performances, and frontman Alan Donohoe has the best angular, nerdy dance moves since Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club

Okkervil River
Will Sheff just might be the most atypically sexy performer alive. As frontman for Okkervil River, he brought to each song so much passion and angst and emotion, rolling over expansive melodies and closed-eye mic grinds, it nearly felt like each member of the crowd had been intimate with him by the end of the {screaming, sweaty, yet all-too-short} set. Musically, the band spins a unique blend of folk earnestness and indie-rock pathos with poignant lyrics, and Sheff's inimitable gravelly voice, which can murmur or howl with equal ferocity. This just might be what igLiz sees when she watches Conor Oberst. I barely made it into this show at the end of the final night (thank you, Heather Hydra!), but it easier was one of the most memorable and electrifying shows of the weekend.

Honorable Mentions (in alpha order):

The Black Angels {Jim Morrison meets Perry Farrell, if you can believe that.}

Camera Obscura {Lovely and precious as I ever imagined.}

Conner {Great new signee to local label Sonic Boom Recordings}

The Cops {Why is it so fun to see hometown bands play in Texas? I dunno, but it is!}

Morningwood {Audicious and crazy and maybe all the free Jack Daniels didn't hurt either},

The Pale Pacific {If I didn't already know of the splendor that is the Pale Pacific, this would have been *that* sxsw showcase... wandering into an under-attended showcase midday, not knowing what to expect... and being blown away. Knowing the Pale Pacific in no way dimished my joy at their too-short-but-oh-so-sweet set.}

The Pretenders {yes, OMG *The* Pretenders!!}

Schoolyard Heroes {If I'd caught more than just the last song, I'm sure they'd have made the top 10}

Smoosh {I can't believe how much more assured and talented they have become. And Asy announced that their next release in June would be on Barsuk Records (!!). The label declined comment, but smiled broadly when asked.}

Something for Rockets {Especially when USE's Noah jumped onstage like a sprite and joyously bounced alongside them}

Stars of Track and Field {Dreamy and swirly despite technical issues}

Sukpatch {They've mastered the synth driven, guitar pedaled, lo-fi psychedelic vocals line up in the vein of bands that they predate (specifically Grandaddy and The Postal Service). The intimate show was like a mid-evening siesta. The swirling keyboards with soothing guitar waves and whispery vocals rejuvenated the saucy crowd.}

Tullycraft {The Tullycraft-ers certainly made Seattle proud as they debuted four new songs to knock the knee high socks off pony-tailed girls across the globe. With their signature guitar hooky, harmonizing vocals and nimble lyrics, the set spanned the spectrum from cute to crack-up. They made the audience feel like they were having the Spring Break that popfest dreams are made of as the band members joked about their rockstar moves and rewarded the best dancing audience members with t-shirts. Surely, their set was the sprinkles on the cupcake of my SXSW experience. Thanks to Dan Machold for the amazing photos.}

Two Gallants {Oh how I love the Two Gallants' way of mixing Bright Eyes and the White Stripes into an authentic / original / religious experience.}

Totally Overrated (in alpha order):

The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster {blew their wad on the first song}, Battle {dull, uninspiring}, Sound Team {so forgettable I couldn't even remember their name}, Two Gallants {I know I'm gonna catch shit for that one, but perhaps my expectations were too high?}.

Other than the bands I had to miss because of double booking, I don't have any regrets. With 1,000+ bands to choose from and limited time, if I suspected something wasn't going to knock me off my feet, I headed next door. There was always something stellar 10 feet away, even if it was just a bathroom with no line.

Thank Yous:

SXSW 2006 would not have been the same without love, support, and cocktails from the following amazing people: BreEllen and April {you RULE, ladies!!!}, Marc at 1 Percent Promotions, Gabe, Cameron, Justin, and Greg {thank you, Cingular!}, Lindsey at V2 {those wristbands ruled!}, Chris the cab driver, the free JANE photo booth, mimosas as the Driskill, DJ Phil and DJ Mike, Heather Hydra, Noah and the USE crew, Derby, Barbara, Scott P. {your list was life-saving, and your company, even better!}, Jason {happy birthday!} and Nabil, the Slender Means van ride, Tes, Jackie, Sarah Q., Paul Tao and the Aversion fellas {and the terrible Las Maritas service}, and the taco stand behind Emos {Seattle totally needs one of those!!}. Woot! Woot!!!

Thanks to everyone for the unbelievably good time. I'm still detoxing from the fun! Too much fun gives you a swollen tongue and a head cold, right?

Read about some of their fave performances from SXSW 2006, including Okkervil River, Art Brut, The Rakes, Billy Bragg, the Long Winters, Galactic Heroes, Figurines, The Gossip, the Magic Numbers, and more. Viva le Austin!

SXSW 2006 Preview

three imaginary girls — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 +0000

16 Mar 2006

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The Three Imaginary Girls posse is heading south and partaking all that is South by Southwest. For years, we've heard recounts of the good times and once in a lifetime showcases. Folks, we are beyond excited to experience it for ourselves.

My head has been reeling with each 10 page highlighted print out igLiz hands me. There is so much amazingly fun stuff to do and see and I don't want to miss a minute of anything. Obviously my overachiever self will need to take a Texas-sized (veggie) chill pill in order to focus on the matter at hand: musica, musica, musica!!!

Yeah, I had a hard time figuring out what would make the list and what to prioritize. I created an indie-rock logarithm that, among other factors, weighed out the probability that a band would come to Seattle + the historical nature of their performance + the likelihood that I'll be able to get into the venue before it reaches maximum capacity (nothing like being denied and long bathroom lines to marsh the mellow). Given these factors, I found those Nordic bands rose top!

And for you non-Seattle-ites, we are proud to have a slew of our highly recommendable local bands representing there. If you aren't coming to SXSW from the Pacific Northwest, make sure to check out those fine Seattle / Portland folks! And if you really want to go where the cool kids are, make sure to stop by any one of the KEXP events taking place at the festival.

Break out the SXSW venue map, the show schedule and the cowboy hats 'cause here's our list of must sees:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
Bourbon Rocks
8:00 p.m. The Carrots {Austin TX}

Buffalo Billiards
12:00 a.m. Derby {Portland OR}

Dirty Dog Bar
1:00 a.m. The Ark {Malmo SWEDEN}

Emo's Jr.
11:00 p.m. Aloha {Cleveland OH}

Emo's Main Room
9:00 p.m. Voxtrot {Austin TX}
11:00 p.m. Serena Maneesh {Oslo NORWAY}

Eternal
9:30 p.m. Jose Gonzalez {Gothenburg SWEDEN}

Flamingo Cantina
12:00 a.m. The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster {Brighton UK}

Lava Lounge Patio
12:45 a.m. Maritime {Milwaukee WI}

The Parish
8:00 p.m. Envelopes {Stockholm SWEDEN}
12:00 a.m. The Ponys {Chicago IL}
1:00 a.m. Art Brut {London UK}

THURSDAY, MARCH 16

Austin Music Hall
8:00 p.m. the Zutons {Liverpool UK}
9:45 p.m. Morrissey {Manchester UK}

The Drink
Nordic Night
8:00 p.m. Astrid Swan {Helsinki FINLAND}
9:00 p.m. Loney Dear {Stockholm SWEDEN}
10:00 p.m. The Latebirds {Helsinki FINLAND}
11:00 p.m. The Royal Highness {Copenhagen DENMARK}
12:00 a.m. Disco Ensemble {Helsinki FINLAND}
1:00 a.m. Sign {Hafnarfjord ICELAND}

Emo's Jr.
10:00 p.m. Headphones {Seattle WA}

Karma Lounge
1:00 a.m. Figurines {Copenhagen DENMARK}

Molotov Lounge
12:00 a.m. The Hidden Cameras {Toronto ON}

The Parish
8:00 p.m. smoosh {Seattle WA}
Barsuk/Saddle Creek
9:00 p.m. John Vanderslice {San Francisco CA}
10:00 p.m. The Starlight Mints {Norman OK}
11:00 p.m. Two Gallants {San Francisco CA}
12:00 a.m. Mates of State {East Haven CT}
1:00 a.m. Nada Surf {New York NY}

The Parish II
Barsuk/Saddle Creek
8:30 p.m. Detachment Kit {Brooklyn NY}
9:30 p.m. Rocky Votolato {Seattle WA}
10:30 p.m. The Long Winters {Seattle WA}
11:30 p.m. Criteria {Omaha NE}
12:30 a.m. Aqueduct {Seattle WA}

Redrum
Sidecho/Made In Mexico Showcase
8:00 p.m. The Catch {Seattle WA}
9:00 p.m. Some By Sea {Seattle WA}
10:00 p.m. The Divorce {Seattle WA}
12:00 a.m. Stars of Track and Field {Portland OR}
1:00 a.m. Damien Jurado {Seattle WA}

The Velvet Spade
8:00 p.m. Velella Velella {Seattle WA}

FRIDAY, MARCH 17

Antone's
1:00 a.m. Neko Case {Tacoma WA}

Blender Balcony at the Ritz
11:30 p.m. volcano! {Chicago IL}

Blender Bar at the Ritz
8:00 p.m. Brakes {Brighton UK}

Cedar Street Courtyard
9:30 p.m. Billy Bragg {London UK}

Dirty Dog Bar
9:00 p.m. Isobel Campbell {Glasgow UK}
10:00 p.m. The Lashes {Seattle WA}
11:00 p.m. OK GO {Chicago IL}

The Drink
Nordic Night
8:00 p.m. Ane Brun {Stockholm SWEDEN}
9:00 p.m. Real Ones {Bergen NORWAY}
10:00 p.m. Sarah Hepburn {Copenhagen DENMARK}
11:00 p.m. Animal Alpha {Oslo NORWAY}
12:00 a.m. Veto {DENMARK}
1:00 a.m. Quit Your Dayjob {Malmo SWEDEN}

Latitude 30
9:00 p.m. Tilly and the Wall {Omaha NE}
10:00 p.m. Sukpatch {Minneapolis MN}
1:00 a.m. Tapes 'N Tapes {Minneapolis MN}

La Zona Rosa
12:00 a.m. Arctic Monkeys {Sheffield UK}

Molotov Lounge
11:00 p.m. The High Violets {Portland OR}

Red Eyed Fly
8:00 p.m. The Brunettes {Auckland NEW ZEALAND}
11:00 p.m. Band of Horses {Seattle WA}

Stubb's
10:00 p.m. The Subways {Welwyn Garden City UK}

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

Antone's
11:00 p.m. Superchunk {Chapel Hill NC}
1:00 a.m Robert Pollard . {Dayton OH}

The Drink
1:00 a.m. The Village Green {Portland OR}

Emo's Annex
Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar
9:15 p.m. Richard Swift {Los Angeles CA}
10:15 p.m.Pink Mountaintops {Vancouver BC}
11:15 p.m. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness {Austin TX}
12:15 a.m. Okkervil River {Austin TX}
1:15 a.m. Magnolia Electric Company {Chicago IL}

Emo's Jr.
11:45 p.m. Ester Drang {Seattle WA}
12:45 a.m. David Bazan {Seattle WA}

Habana Calle 6 Patio
7:30 p.m. Dressy Bessy Denver CO
8:30 p.m. Bedroom Walls {Highland Park CA}
Magic Marker Records
9:30 p.m. The Galactic Heroes {Portland OR}
10:30 p.m. The Owls {Minneapolis MN}
11:30 p.m. Tullycraft {Seattle WA}
12:45 a.m. The Bats {Christchurch NEW ZEALAND}

The Hideout
10:00 p.m. Instruments {Athens GA}
11:00 p.m. Gerbils {Athens GA}

The Jackalope
1:00 a.m. The Spits {Seattle WA}

Maggie Mae's
10:00 p.m. The Joggers {Portland OR}
1:00 a.m. Plan B {London UK}

Our recommendations for SXSW 2006 can't-miss shows.

Best of 2005 Winners' Showcase at Neumos!

three imaginary girls — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

Three Imaginary Girls, Sonic Boom Records, and KEXP present Daylight Basement, The Pale Pacific, Stars of Track and Field, and The Elephants. Friday night, January 20th, at Neumos in Seattle, WA

Seattle, WA, January 10, 2006 — Three Imaginary Girls just posted the results of our Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll. If you haven't read that yet, you might want to take a break from this article to check out all the winners...

Back? Good. Can you believe how many great records were released in the Northwest in 2005? It was such a great year for music that we couldn't just leave the results online. In typical imaginary fashion, we decided to celebrate by hosting a Best of 2005 Winners' Showcase, featuring some of the winners: Daylight Basement, The Pale Pacific, Stars of Track and Field, and The Elephants.

The event will be held at Neumos on Friday, January 20, 2005, and is co-sponsored by the amazing Sonic Boom Records and 90.3 KEXP.

Headliners Daylight Basement barely made the 2005 deadline, bursting on the scene in early December 2005 with their stunning electro-pop debut, Any Kind of Pretty to rank #13 in the readers' poll, and #2 in the overall imaginary staff picks. The Pale Pacific had two releases in 2005 — the Rules are Predictable EP and their full-length, Urgency — the latter of which secured them #19 in the imaginary readers' poll, and also demonstrated their ability to grow beyond simple (great) pop songs to write deep, swirling indie-rock near-manifestos. Portland's Stars of Track and Field raced up our charts with their debut EP You Came Here For Sunset Last Year, claiming the #5 spot with their fuzzy pop electro-gazer charms. And lastly, Tacoma trio The Elephants are here to break your hearts with their disarming, catchy-yet-irreverant melodies on their debut self-titled LP (#28 in the reader's poll).

"I like that all the bands share an I-5 heritage. We've got Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Bellingham all represented," noted igLiz.

"The quality and diversity of Northwest music — and the enthusiasm of the fans supporting it — is simply staggering," proclaimed igDana.

"Viva le I-5 corridor!" proclaimed igChar.

*************************************************

Do your imaginary homework before the show...

Daylight Basement:
{official website} * {buy it} * {review} * {interview}

The Pale Pacific
{official website} * {buy it} * {review} * {interview}

Stars of Track and Field
{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

The Elephants
{official website} * {buy it} * {review} * {interview}

*************************************************

THE JUICY DETAILS
WHAT: Best of 2005 Winners' Showcase
WHERE: Neumos {925 E. Pike Street}
WHEN: Friday, January 20, 2005. Doors open 8p. 21+.
COST: $8. Advance tickets available online through Ticketweb!

*************************************************

ABOUT THREE IMAGINARY GIRLS
ThreeImaginaryGirls.com is a Seattle-based website that showcases the great music of the Northwest to music lovers worldwide. During the past three+ years, the site has featured reviews of albums, live music, film, theater, interviews, political commentary, and even love advice, in Seattle and beyond. The girls also book music showcases, contribute to other music publications (including The Stranger, Tablet Magazine, and In Seattle Music), and make guest radio appearances on 90.3 KEXP. The girls were voted "MVP of Seattle Music 2004" by readers of the Seattle Weekly, and were listed in Seattle Magazine's Most Influential People issue. Intrigued? For more information, contact: tig@threeimaginarygirls.com.

ABOUT KEXP 90.3 FM
KEXP 90.3 FM is a public radio station in Seattle with a mission to enrich people’s lives with a unique wide and deep approach to music programming. Knowledgeable hosts hand-pick music including indie rock, world music, blues, jazz, hip hop and electronic from its collection of approximately 500,000 titles. The station also broadcasts more than 250 live performances each year. KEXP programming is also heard on the web at KEXP.org. KEXP 90.3 FM is governed by Friends of KEXP, an independent non-profit organization with an agreement to operate 90.3 FM on behalf of the University of Washington which holds the FCC license.

ABOUT SONIC BOOM RECORDS
Sonic Boom Records your source for Northwest and Indie Label Records and CDs. Located in Seattle in Ballard, Fremont, and Capitol Hill. Sonic Boom offers free, all-ages in-stores for many regional as well as touring bands. You can find the winners of the Best of 2005 Readers' Poll on display at all three Sonic Boom locations.

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Three Imaginary Girls, Sonic Boom Records, and KEXP present Daylight Basement, The Pale Pacific, Stars of Track and Field, and The Elephants.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You Came Here For Sunset Last Year

Chris Estey — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 08:00:00 +0000

7.5

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BHN7PM/wwwthreeimagi-20

starsoftrackandfield05dec.jpg

To paraphrase a famous song we all love, you float till you learn to swim. Produced by Tony Lash (Elliott Smith, Dandy Warhols) and Jeff Salzmann (Malkmus, Sunset Valley), Portland, Oregon's Stars Of Track And Field's debut is a five-song deep sea dive.

You Came Here For Sunset Last Year showcases Kevin Calaba's suave, stylishly anomalistic vocals, full of sweetness and perfectly paced to the melancholy minimalism of Daniel Orvik's beats, dancing between the flickering sheets of Jason Bell's lavish guitar. A dollop of sampling, a dribbling of piano here and there, helps to build atmosphere. Stars Of Track And Field's decision to trim down from a four-piece indie rock band to a more experimental yet sheer pop trio seems to have been exactly the right decision. The diversity of acts they've supported live, including The Long Winters, Village Green, Harvey Danger, and Carissa's Wierd — all quality bands but equally uncategorizable — show that they too are distinctive and can't be pigeonholed.

Despite being catchy and demanding repeated listens, the songs seem to be primarily concerned with the awkward persistence of maligned memory. While a sense of dystopian overflow reminds one of how Chris Ott described Joy Division as "the end of pop," it never gets too dark. Third track and EP title touch-base "Arithmatik" is the centerpiece of the disc, referencing a lover's favorite film ("flickering"); it's utterly hypnotizing with its big six string chorus swell and "No, Yes, No, Yes" refrain. "What did they say about you? I can't really recall." If Calaba wasn't so convincing a singer, so in character and confident, this would all come off as empty or "trying to look cool," as the next track, "Let Ken Green" says. Instead, the effect is haunting, while still being accessible.

Comparisons have been made to Coldplay, and the mood might be similar. But a leaner, meaner version of Peter Gabriel's fluid creativity and rhythmic singing comes more to mind midway through grand guitar gusts like "Say Hello" and "Foreign Snow." While their songs in the future could probably use a bit more diversity in tone and tempo, the emotional precision and sweep of tracks like opener "With You" just makes one anxious for more of anything the band have to offer.

AstroPOP! for July-August 2005

three imaginary girls — Mon, 18 Jul 2005 07:00:00 +0000

Our monthly imaginary horoscope told in album reviews, for July-August 2005

AstroPOP! is brought to you with musical reviews by igDana, igLiz, stella, jenncassie, and igChar.

Aries
You're always on the move Aries one, but this month you are actually going to be experiencing a physical move of some sort. Sure it will be hard and you don't know exactly what to fix, but don't beat yourself up. Sit down with Movie Ending Romance, the new EP by Math and Physics Club on Matinee Recordings. The tempo of this new release is a bit slower than their EP of yester-February (Weekends Away) but the soft vocals and warm melodies will comfort when you are rundown from packing boxes (physical and metaphorical). From the title track to their cover of the Beach Boys classic, "You're So Good To Me," the four-song collection will keep you focused on the task at hand — getting you from point A to points B, C, D, and E without breaking a sweat. (Mark your calendar for Math and Physics Club's 'Movie Ending Romance' EP release show on Thursday, July 28th at Chop Suey with Tullycraft and The Salteens. It is ALL AGES and doors are at 8p.)

Taurus
This month is all about alchemy, and I know how you hate to blend at times, oh bullish one. I command thee: merge your friends, mix-up your daily routine, hell, blend a new cocktail. I wanna see it all blur. Take lessons from Seattle's Common Heroes. While they are are all about the rock, they combine elements of punk, classic, and grunge (gasp!) to create an annihilation of a debut self-titled album. The song "I'm Just Asking" has a definite Soundgarden influence, while "Phantom Limb" shows they can do more than just rock out, with vocals reminiscent of Thom Yorke. I know you're stubborn Taurus; I know you prefer to keep your peas separate from your carrots, but sometimes amalgamation creates a whole far great than its parts.

Gemini
Summertime is a great time for nostalgia. Sail On, Sailor!, a trio from Kenmore, Washington, proffer sweet, stripped-down little love songs in the vein of old Hush Harbor or Spinanes; the perfect fit for a summer-sweater-clad crowd. I know how you still yearn for the quaint and lovable, Gemini. You long for authentic experiences, ones unmarred by hype and over-production. This way too short but equally as sweet EP of quiet, lilting pop melodies will keep you moving forward this summer, even when you feel more like wallowing — whether in your past, or in your present sorrows. Stay buoyant!

Cancer
You won't have a shortage of places to be on your calendar this month. Use the new Alan Astor album (Everything is Possible on Mental Monkey Records) as your "get ready to go out" music. Alan's m.o. might be to be the future of pop music, but the sweat of his songwriting skills dish out danceable beats that ooze from the depths of experimental rock and jazz jam sessions. Stay out of the commotion, listen to "Play the Night Away" (track 7) a couple times and think about all those bad habits you've been amassing recently.

Leo
Leo, get your sweet ass in gear! It's time for you to grab your best compadres, load the cooler with ice and goodies, and take a road trip. Despite their frigid name, Michigan's sweet, twee-pop band the Icicles will bring shit-hot good times to your wayward summer days via their latest release One Hundred Patterns {Microindie}. Think of them as the midwest's indie-licious answer to the All Girl Summer Fun Band. And isn't that what you want on a roadtrip — to find something familiar to love in the unlikeliest of places? Face it, Leo — you want to find a bit of yourself in everything. And why not, when you look (and they sound) as good as this?

Virgo
You have big plans for this month Virgo — but before you Marcia Brady out, take a step back and figure out what EXACTLY what you do and don't have time for. Quit the little league, bowling and curling team so that you can focus on badminton. The music to tone down your obligations to is Boyracer's Insults & Insights EP (Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records). With 8 tracks fitting into this 24-minute release, this trio knows how to pack a punch in a limited timeframe. The songs shine with Thermals punkpop intensity and record store clerk smarts. Take Boyracer's lead and don't waste time with the fluff — focus on getting the most bang for your buck.

Libra
This month's slogan is "Safety First". Flying objects may be headed your way so make sure to dodge those airborne items (and the bossy folks throwing them at you). You might need to stay late at work to protect yourself and, possibly, get ahead. Arm yourself with the new White Stripes album, Get Behind Me Satan (V2). There is nothing like a few tracks of Jack White to make you feel like there is a superhero force field to get you through this month. The evangelical musings, the ironclad guitar rifts and the addictive simplicity of the song structure will empower you and keep any nervous thoughts at bay.

Scorpio
Aren't you just the Romeo / Juliet this month. Watch out, your charms over the next few weeks are going to be invincible. Set your sights on someone / something good this month because you are going to get it. Pop Chunnel Autumnal by Pipas into your music-playing device and watch the cuties line up. We've all been waiting with baited breath for them to reissue their first album... and, thanks to Matinee Recordings, it is available once again — this time with three bonus tracks! The songs, humbly recorded on their laptop by this London pair, are grounded in indiepop, and spiced up with drum/bass, bossa nova and electronica. Their critically acclaimed pop licks and unabashed innocence will make you fall for them, just like the honeys for you.

Sagittarius
If I were a music biz mogul I'd focus my eyes (and ears) on Portland, Oregon. At the moment, they have more great local bands than wacky high bridges spanning the Columbia river. If only others could see the prowess that's so clear to you, Sadg. Good news: this might be your month to pitch your great ideas to the sorts of people who can act upon them (read as: rich people). I'd set my sights on Stars of Track and Field. Their latest full length You Came Here for the Sunset Last Year brims with delicious shoe-gazer guitars, melancholic melodies, and towering vocals. Tell the music execs, or at least make some sort of daring move for power this month, Sadj. Regret never truly fades.

Capricorn

Charm me, Cappy. Your wit, your newfound dance moves, your effortless discourse... everything about you pleases me. Which reminds me: have you picked up your copy of The Baskervilles' latest record Midnight yet? Ahh, of course you have. A tastemaker such as you would recognize it as the must-have it is. Chock full of witty story-telling and gracious hooks galore, the wise Baskervilles bring enough darkness to keep things interesting and humane, yet enough levity to sweep your heels, tap your toes, rattle your bones, etcetera and so forth. In a phrase, they move me — much as you have the power to move those around you this month, Capricorn. Just make sure you continue to use your swirly magic for good.

Aquarius
Choose your battles wisely, Virgo. Sure you can pub brawl with that guy who looked at your lady all funny. But what's that aggression gonna get you? We all know you're strong, but now's the time to show your strength, if you know what I'm saying. Play it cool. Tell your estranged lady, "If the phone don't ring (you'll know it was me)," just like Seattle alt-country four-piece the Bourbonites do on their latest release This is Just a Drem. (What's a drem? I don't know, and neither do you. Why you gotta obsess like that, Virgo?) Let go with the male harmonies spiced with a bit of grit and pedal steal, and check them out at the Stanwood Hotel on July 23. You'll know it's them.

Pisces
I'd like to forecast that soon you'll be cruising around our Sound-side town on hot summer nights, windows down, your retro-chic feathered hair blowing in the wind, jamming to the 1970s throwbacks Baby Teeth (Lujo Records). But it's grey and raining right now, and our summer traditionally begins long after the fireworks end — so that picture may not be entirely accurate. The Baby Teeth Album, with its Elton John meets The Mooney Suzuki rock-soul vibe, perfectly captures that sunny rainbows and rollerskates mood. A keys-drums-bass pop trio from Chicago, they may be kitsch, but they're certainly not all cheese. The sexy "Celebrity Wedding" is the perfect soundtrack to a Tom Collins-fueled backyard shindig, and the lusty ballad "Loving Strokes" will appropriately ooze from your 8-track as you eye that hot number in the passenger seat on the ride home. It's all very apt for a summer that will soon see "Dukes of Hazzard" replay on the big screen, hotpants filling out boutiques (and ample bottoms), and salons just maybe reviving Breck-girl hair.

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See what's in the stores -- and the record stores -- for you for July-August 2005, including the latest releases from Baby Teeth, The Icicles, Pipas, Boyracer, Stars of Track and Field, and more.