Three Imaginary Girls - Magic Marker

Pre-order the new BOAT album and be a part of the ltd. edition cassette revival

imaginary liz — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:58:53 +0000

We have been lucky enough to get a sneak listen to the new BOAT album, Dress Like Your Idols, releasing March 22, 2011 on Magic Marker Records and it rocks our sloppy pop socks off. If the album's cover art didn't give it away, the album is an aural thumbing through their personal record (and cassette tape) bins, paying homage to their influences with blatant Pixies references ("When Frank Black Says (No. 14 Baby)") and sly Pavement croons (as in "Kinda Scared of Love Affairs"). The collection of pop songs prove they are ready for prime time. They are still experts in the friendly quirk pop genre, but this time the expertly recorded songs burst with a swagger confidence (confi-pop?). And one Long Winters' inspired track, "Landlocked" even features guest vocals by John Roderick.

In true to analog BOAT cardbaord cutout form, the band has put together a special limited edition cassette gift for the first 100 pre-orders of this, their fourth studio album. The cassette features demos from Dress Like Your Idols and covers (click through to see track listing and video). Plus the b side will feature a D. Crane mix-tape.

I can't wait to see what tricks and treats the band has up their sleeve when at their album release show at the Tractor Tavern on Friday, March 25 (with Pickwick and Concours d'Elegance).

Win a fantastic BOAT package, including tickets to their CD release show on 10/22 and a custom piece of art!

imaginary keenan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:20:15 +0000

We here in imaginary land don't do a very good job of keeping our love for local chest pounding indie popsters BOAT a secret. Their TOPPS EP was at the top of my favorite releases of last year, and both imaginary Liz and I put 2007's Let's Drag Our Feet quite high on our best of '07 lists. And now, with a full length almost out entitled Setting the Paces, we can hardly contain our excitement, which is why we're happy to present you with this fabulous BOAT package!

One lucky imaginary reader will get:

- One CD or LP of their new full length Setting the Paces

- One BOAT t-shirt in whatever size you want

- Two tickets to their cardboard stage cut out filled 21+ CD release show on October 22nd at Neumo's with the Pale Pacific, Sirens Sister and The Special Places (Jenny and Corianton of Tullycraft!)

- and... one custom piece of art made by the fabulous D. Crane of BOAT (he could illustrate any kind of history you wanted!)

So come with us, you'll win! Just e-mail tig@threeimaginarygirls.com with the subject "LatelyI'veBeenOnMyBack" (all one word please!) by Wednesday at 9am for your chance to win! Period, backslash, colon, it's that easy! Just be sure to include your full name, especially if your e-mail address is imaman@whenigrowup.com.

Countdown to Top of the Croc: Tullycraft's last Seattle show?

imaginary liz — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:27:47 +0000

We here at imaginary headquarters can keep a secret. Especially when we don't want to believe it's true.

As the band disclosed on their blog, Tullycraft's last live Seattle performance will be this Saturday at the TIG Top of the Croc show. For those interested, Tullycraft's last live show (at least for a long long long long time) will be at the San Francisco Pop Fest in May.

Snow Day! Hello Seahorse!

imaginary liz — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:57:49 +0000

By the looks of the video, Hello Seahorse could easily pass for a classic Swedish indie-pop band who record their video in the Pacific Northwest. But, no, they recorded their most excellent US debut in Mexico City, MX and a handful of songs on their album are song in Spanish.

Magic Marker Records book a roadtrip-worthy anniversary show

imaginary keenan — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:23:15 +0000

You better hope gas prices stay low until February! Portland's fantastic Magic Marker Records just announced their anniversary show! And it's amazing!

Imaginary Interview: John Roderick of Long Winters interviews D. Crane from BOAT

three imaginary girls — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:19:10 +0000

The Long Winters and BOAT will be playing together on July 5 at the Showbox at the Market so we thought it'd be nifty to gather two of our favorite leading indie-rock men in an imaginary room and have John Roderick of the Long Winters to take a swipe at some questions posed by D. Crane of BOAT. But the fun didn't stop there. Roderick, being the inquisitive fellow he is, had a few questions of his own...

Don't miss the Long Winters at the Showbox in the Market this Saturday, July 5th, when they play with BOAT and the Cops. Rumor has it that the Long Winters will be debuting new songs from their forthcoming album, which makes it a sure don't miss show.

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JR: Does BOAT ever wonder what it's all about? If so, has BOAT come up with anything?

DC: BOAT often wonders what it is all about. Surely, and fairly cornily BOAT thinks it is all about having fun. If you make a mistake , if your lyrics are to precious, if you play a bad venue(see The Brainwash Cafe in San Francisco), if you don't own cool jeans to wear at the show, it can all be forgiven by having fun on-stage and bonding over band pizza/burritos. Does that sound too Steel Magnolias???

JR: When the chorus comes around, does BOAT ever get too excited and go a little over the top?
DC: Who have you been talking to? Our whole trick is overextending ourselves on the choruses. If one is not breathing hard with a red face, it is not really a chorus. It would be a departure for us not to go "over the top" on a chorus. Speaking of that fact...I saw this band on the Seattle Burn to Shine DVD and this guy totally went over the top on almost every chorus while playing lead guitar with a whammy bar...and I felt like it made an already really good rock song, better. I can't remember the name of the band though. The guy had a crazy beard. That's all I remember.

JR: Can BOAT name one positive result of the Norman Conquest?

DC: As a hardcore Cesar Milan/Dog Whisperer Fan/6th grade social studies teacher , I can easily say that the French Bulldog is the best result of the Norman Conquest. Without England and France trying to one up each other, the French Bulldog may never have gained such popularity. Without the French Bulldog, we would be missing out on a world of cuteness.

JR: Where does BOAT see itself in relation to actual boats?

DC: BOAT aims to be the first Google search result that comes up, if one types in BOAT. Right now....this isn't so. Right now people seem to be bigger fans of actual boats. This has been a hard pill to swallow.

JR: If BOAT were a Dungeons and Dragons character, what would BOAT's alignment be? Discuss.

DC: J. Goodman (BOAT's multi instrumentalist/mentalist) once said that he desired to be a badass unicorn. Although I am not sure he was a D&D player...I dare someone to try and roll some combination of twelve or twenty sided dice, that can kill a badass unicorn. He also specified his badass unicorn would be black and white. No purple horns on this one. If it were up to me, I would choose to be J. Goodman at D&D (red beard, glasses, a curly ponytail, dressed in a metal codpiece and carrying a sword shaped like a J), because he is the toughest negotiator in indie rock and roll history. If it is 2AM in Minneapolis and you tell him that a room at Motel 6 is $69.99, I'll be damned if he doesn't find a way (AAA discount/vague threats/a scary scowl) to get each person in the band his own bed for $44.99. His alignment is "strictly badass."

BOATversusLONGW3.jpg

Turns out Roderick had a few questions of his own for BOAT...

Imaginary Interview: D. Crane from BOAT interviews John Roderick of Long Winters

three imaginary girls — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:49:10 +0000

Two of the most talented and literate musician writers we imaginary girls know are John Roderick of the Long Winters and D. Crane of BOAT. Since the two bands will be playing together on July 5 at the Showbox at the Market, we asked Crane to interview Roderick, which he did. Much hilarity and wisdom ensued.

Have a read of the interview below, and make sure you don't miss the Long Winters at the Showbox in the Market this Saturday, July 5th, when they play with BOAT and the Cops.

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DC: Why the resurgence of facial hair in indie music? Is it possible to be a good band without having at least half of the bandbearded? Follow up: can Sean Nelson grow a beard? Did this lead to his leaving the band? (sidenote: He is a personal hero....ever since he taught me to open a beer in a doorjamb and then referred to me and the rest of the BOAT as lovelies.)

JR: Beards are an elegant way for young men to indicate that they are serious persons, especially if paired with western shirts or corduroy. Without a beard, an indie rocker risks seeming frivolous, especially if he has a penchant for white-framed sunglasses. It IS possible for a band to be both good and go without beards -- for instance, if they make sparkly indie-pop -- but it's an unnecessary risk. A good way to start is for the largest bandmember to grow a beard first, which will cuddlefy him. This rule applies to all-girl bands as well.

Sean Nelson can indeed grow a rather splendid beard, which he sported during his "lost weekend" period, and which he now disavows. He quit the Long Winters in order to putter around his garden in a seersucker suit and talk to rabbits, moles, and chickadees as if they were understanding friends.

What is your favorite microwave recipe?

I am actually experimenting just this minute with my new crockpot, cooking a variety of mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlics, and other goodies into a delicious stew. Crockpots seem to have the advantage of hardly need any kind of recipe at all. You just throw ingredients in, and let it cook for ten hours. Bravo! I do use the microwave every day, and my latest policy is to not microwave anything in a plastic container. I've been microwaving things in plastic containers my entire life, but just recently decided that the plastic must be shucking off some terrible poisonous chemicals, so now I only use glass. Every once in awhile I decide on a whim that something is poisonous or dangerous and I avoid it ever after.

You are a shredder (reader see also: virtuoso solos in It's a Departure), and so is J. Mascis. J. Mascis has custom Nikes, and a custom Fender Jazzmaster guitar. If Chevrolet called and said they wanted you to design a "J-Rod," what would it look like?

Hmmm. A close inspection of my guitar playing will reveal that I am a faux-shredder who masks his poor dexterity and laziness behind a scrim of silly guitar bits, but for the sake of argument I'll say: Damn right! A Chevy J-Rod would be a Pontiac, and it would be an exact duplicate of a '66 GTO convertible with white leather interior, but with modern suspension. If I had custom Nikes they would look like brogans, but have the hidden high-jump technology of Air Jordans. If I had a custom Jazzmaster it would look like a Gibson Explorer.

Coke, Diet Coke, or Ginger Ale? Explain....feel free to further expand with the follow up----can, glass with ice, plastic bottle?

I'm a devoted Ginger Ale drinker, glass with ice. I cannot stand Diet Coke and cannot believe that such a thing exists and is popular. My favorite beverage is a special mixture of fruit juice and pop, called the "Fruity Pleaser," which was invented for me by former Crocodile bartender Jeff Sparks, who now tends bar at the Dexter and Hayes Pub on Dexter Ave. The Fruity Pleaser was further developed by former Crocodile bar manager Val Kiossovski, who can now be found at the Solo Bar on Roy St. Darius Minwalla at the Moe Bar also makes a mean Fruity Pleaser. Any other Fruity Pleasers you might find are not officially endorsed Fruity Pleasers and may be in violation of copyright.

Do you guys have any special pre-show rituals? BOAT has a pregame ritual of eating at Piecora's (home of the absentee/you gotta beg for it refill).

The Long Winters are battle-hardened road warriors, so before a show we're generally sharpening our weapons, tearing hunks of meat from a fire-roasted beast, cavorting with wenches, and saying things like "Amuse me clown, or feel the wrath of my steel" and so forth. Immediately before we take the stage we summon a demon from the eighth circle of hell and strangle him with a bass string in order to sate the hunger of our lords and abate the howling of the evil wolves of Odin. But it's super-cute that BOAT go to a pizza parlor together, and I wouldn't for a minute want to diminish that experience for you guys.

BOATversusLONGW.jpg

If Chevrolet called and said they wanted you to design a "J-Rod," what would it look like?

Tullycraft tours: look out East Coast!

imaginary dana — Wed, 28 May 2008 05:29:59 +0000

Seattle indie-pop band (and TIG faves) Tullycraft are preparing to take their infectious sugar-sweet jangle-pop on the road and over to the East Coast.

Freebies from Magic Marker this holiday season!

Imaginary Kiku — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:13:36 +0000

I know that you've probably already spent your savings on extravagant gifts for your many friends and relations this season, and Magic Marker knows it too! That's why they're offering some new additions to your local pop collection digitally for zero dollars!

BOAT goes HOLLYWOOD!

imaginary liz — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:49:32 +0000

Watch out soundtrack break out artists OMD and the Proclaimers, BOAT is going to be on a big time movie soundtrack!

The Sea Navy covers BOAT's "Last Cans of Paint," your chance to enter the "Cover a BOAT song" contest are rapidly dwindling

imaginary dana — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:13:17 +0000

Have a listen to the tremolo for yourself.

Georgette Plays A Goth: The Video

imaginary liz — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:16:06 +0000

To build even more excitement about the release of their record tomorrow (October 23), Tullycraft have posted quite a cute (and dare I say swank) video to "Georgette Plays A Goth" from the hotly anticipated Every Scene Needs A Center.

TIG presents: Tullycraft, Math & Physics Club, Patience Please TONIGHT at the Croc!

imaginary dana — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:56:16 +0000

Tonight's the night, peeps!!!!! We sure hope we're gonna see your sweet faces there.

Giddiness, Giveaways, Vampires, and other reasons to be excited about our show at the Crocodile TOMORROW!

imaginary liz — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:19:59 +0000

We're soooo giddy about the show, we've got a couple giveaways to mark the occasion -- and this awesome video to sing along to...

Only TWO more days until the BIG SHOW at the Crocodile: Let's celebrate with a giveaway, video, and all out giddiness!

imaginary liz — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:56:30 +0000

Today we're going to take a look at our sweethearts Math and Physics Club. They're fresh off a mini-tour with The Lucksmiths (be still our hearts!) which capped off with MaPC's EP release show.

October has been unofficially deemed BOAT cover month

imaginary dana — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:01:43 +0000

We'd like to heartily recommend that anyone remotely motivated to cover an awesome BOAT song do it now (and stop by here at TIG to tell us that you did it).

Only three days until this Thursday's BIG SHOW at the Crocodile! Let's celebrate with a prize pack!

imaginary liz — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:59:34 +0000

We are so excited about our big Tullycraft {album release} / Math & Physics Club / Patience Please {album release} show at the Crocodile THIS THURSDAY that we want to give away prizes!

Tullycraft CD release poster awesomeness

imaginary dana — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:37:54 +0000

Know what else is so fantastic it deserves multiple "effings" in front of it? The show poster for the Tullycraft CD release show, proudly presented by yours truly at TIG.

Every Scene Needs A Center

Joseph Riippi — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 04:27:47 +0000

8.8

http://www.amazon.com/Every-Scene-Needs-Center-Tullycraft/dp/B000W1USMC/wwwthreeimagi-20

tullycraft07oct.jpg

"The Punks Are Writing Love Songs" opens Tullycraft's latest release, and it's not much of a stretch to call it "Tullycraft Wrote A Punk Song." There's something oh-so-Tullycraft about the subject—punks "mixing up the bag" by writing love ballads. But what's most important regarding this really quite amazing song is its subtle declaration that Every Scene Needs A Center redefines these Seattle vets.

Go back and listen to openers off other records: "Twee" (from 2003's Beat Surf Fun) and "Stowaway" (from 2005's Disenchanted Hearts Unite) and you'll see the difference in just the first notes. Like many Tullycraft songs, these and "The Punks Are Writing Love Songs" begin with unaccompanied guitar chords. In the case of the previous two records, the pulse of Fender Strat shimmering with tremolo and bridge pick-up softness (read: every indie-pop band's favorite guitar tone) established the upbeat playfullness of the record to come. "Twee" and "Stowaway" are, to be blunt, really fast, really pretty, and really, really catchy. "The Punks Are Writing Love Songs" on the other hand begins as if Ted Leo and his Pharmacists were behind it (i.e. really fast and really catchy and really not-so-pretty). It's only when Jenny Mears joins in with her harmonies at the end of the first line that it's clear this is Tullycraft.

Progress is a good thing, but let's not over-analyze (at least not too much). For beyond the subtle metamorphoses of instrumentation and style that time necessitates, what we're introduced to with "The Punks Are Writing Love Songs" is a wonderful new record by a wonderful Seattle band. While Disenchanted Hearts Unite remains Tullycraft's best record (but not by much), what we have in Every Scene Needs A Center is a new tact: the female harmonies have come into their own as a full-fledged member of the band, and guitarists Chris Munford and Corianton Hale seem to have discovered a new level of distortion enjoyment within themselves. Tracks like "Georgette Plays A Goth" and "Neutron" take a feedback-ing heaviness at parts that's a new addition to the tool box.

And that's not all. Back-up singers are all over the record including members of BOAT, Patience Please and even some imaginary friends. Even fellow-Seattle indie-rockers Saundrah from Math and Physics Club lends her trusty violin and Evan from "Awesome" supplies trumpet.

In a truly just world, "Bored To Hear Your Heart Still Breaks" will be a number one single on college radio and destroy both Chris Carraba and Conor Oberst's careers (sorry igLiz). Beginning with a gentle ukelele, the song takes on a '50s sock-hop vibe, and tells of the emo-kid writing songs of sadness that are a "bit too precious for us" and... well, read the title and you get the idea. There's a great "we know, we know, we know" refrain, and all in all, one can't help but think it's the best Magnetic Fields song Stephin Merritt never wrote. (Someone call Volvo!)

As for the greatest Tullycraft song ever written, we're given that as well. Seven-and-a-half minutes of piano ballad meets classic Tully-rock on "Dracula Screams Of Tiger Style (Parts One And Two)." It's their "Layla." Lyrics of absurdist comedy, melody and harmony and happiness commingle in a highlight of any album, not just this.

While as a whole Every Scene Needs A Center lacks a certain fluidity that made Disenchanted Hearts Unite so perfectly a unit, what were faced with instead contains a collection of incredible songs that, given the fact no one's going to be listening on vinyl, can be enjoyed with the same enthusiasm that emo kids "blame the stars" for heartbreak.

In a truly just world, "Bored To Hear Your Heart Still Breaks" will be a number one single on college radio and destroy both Chris Carraba and Conor Oberst's careers.

Countdown to October 18th: Tullycraft album release show with Math and Physics Club and Patience Please!

imaginary liz — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:40:43 +0000

It's been way too long (like two whole years?) since Tullycraft has released anything new and this time they're making up for it for releasing a 16-track album chock full of indie-pop goodness, catchy guitar-rifts and swoon-worthy ooohs and ahhhs that will make light-headed.