Three Imaginary Girls - Film School

Kyle Johnson's Top Ten Local Live Music Photos of 07

Kyle Johnson — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:42:26 +0000

2007 was the first year I really got into shooting live music. Its a great form of photography that you cannot fully apreciate until you have shot it. Every show is a challenge. You often cannot be sure of how much time you will have, lighting conditions, how many other photographers are shooting, where you will be able to shoot from, etc.

That being said, I have seen countless amazing Live shots from our talented NW Photogs. I decided to include five shots from other photographers and five of my personal favorites I shot from the past year. Aww the memories. In no particular order...

Film School KEXP members-only show

Kyle Johnson — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:52:45 +0000

10 Oct 2007

filmschool07oct.jpg

Today's KEXP members-only Film School show was just one more reason why we are truly blessed to have such an amazing station in our town. The LA-based band credited KEXP for discovering them and repeatedly thanked them for their continued support and airplay.

The band took the stage for an intimate afternoon of atmospheric rock and roll at the always swanky and enjoyable Triple Door. The eerie lighting fit Film School's cinematic entrance and so began an explosion of their unique, moody, disorienting rock music. Guitarist Dave Dupuis was a blast to watch as he was clearly enjoying the energy in the room and giving off plenty back. The set included songs from many of their records, but "Letric" was the highlight for me. Its progressive, psychedelic feel is everything I love about Film School and their impressive live show.

I've followed Film School for awhile and their newest record Hideout is definitely worth picking up {review}. The band is kicking off a five-week tour and are getting plenty of buzz. including a recent review in Playboy Magazine. Once again, KEXP finds the bands people need to know and helps get them out there to the listeners.

The eerie lighting fit Film School's cinematic entrance and so began an explosion of their unique, moody, disorienting rock music.

Want free tickets to see Film School on Oct 10th at the Croc?

imaginary dana — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:03:58 +0000

We thought you might. We have a pair of tickets to give away... like, RIGHT NOW! Email us to enter to win. We're picking the winner in two hours. So don't dilly dally!

Hideout

Toby Kahn — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 03:11:23 +0000

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000T7QX5A/wwwthreeimagi-20

filmschool07sep.jpg

Film School has always frustrated me. The band effortlessly cultivates a deep and impalpable sense of cool in every note they’ve ever played, yet their foggy, atmospheric heavy compositions rarely crystallized like they promised to. Glimpses of space-rock perfection such as “Like You Know” teased me: they could be my favorite band! Alas, they were a singles band putting out disappointing albums... until now. On their third album, Hideout, Film School clothes their pop compositions in the same heady atmospherics and post-punk sensibilities that they’re known for, but this time out, they manage to achieve a high level of consistency. They’ve been threatening to craft an album of great psych anthems since the early 2000s, and this is it.

Hideout isn’t a major departure from the band’s previous work; the same delay heavy guitars and driving beats are here and they continue to be the current inheritors of Ride’s legacy. However, Hideout does see them joining the crowds and pilfering a bit more from My Bloody Valentine as well. This doesn’t come off as mimicry so much as an expansion of their sound. Shoegaze revivalists are a dime a dozen these days but Film School manages to mold those familiar sounds into moods that are distinctly their own. “Lectric” begins with an aggressive bass line and quickly incorporates a rapidly shimmering guitar line and Greg Bertens falsetto vocals. By the chorus the track is stumbling frantically and dreamily through an icy landscape. The mood is sort of anxious and sort of ominous and sort of something that is difficult to define and uniquely Film School.

“Two Kinds” shows Film School’s comfort with the pop format as they shimmy up close for some Coldplay or Snow Patrol style lovin’. Like those Brits at their finest moments, this song shows a band that understands what a pop song is. It shifts and moves at just the right times, ebbing and flowing into chorus, bridge and verse just when it should. The casio-strings interact beautifully with the guitar while Bertens pulls out one of the best vocal melodies on the album to create a package that is much more interesting than the two bands mentioned above. “Go Down Together” is yet another excellent anthem on this record. It falls a bit short of fist-pumping territory, but it does bathe the listener in flickering rhythm guitars while synths and lead guitars spar; and that’s cool with me. “Plots and Plans” features some shameless Loveless influence, but it’s so well done that I’m not even the slightest bit offended. The female-male vocal interaction is gorgeous and the MBV by way of Boards of Canada synth line is brilliant.

Hideout manages to flow like an album should. Though Film School exhibits an excellent command of pop, they have a tendency to let their songs become a bit bloated and overextended. Maybe one third of the tracks on this album don’t need to be as long as they are. Film School shines when they allow the atmospherics to become the icing on the cake rather than the main attraction. There are some points when Film School fails to show restraint in this respect but when everything comes together, it is breathtaking.

On their third album, Hideout, Film School clothes their pop compositions in the same heady atmospherics and post-punk sensibilities that they’re known for, but this time out, they manage to achieve a high level of consistency.They’ve been threatening to craft an album of great psych anthems since the early 2000s, and this is it.

Film School

Salvador Santos — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 08:00:00 +0000

8.4

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CQQHOU/wwwthreeimagi-20

filmschool06feb.jpg

By about the fourth songs on Film School's self-titled debut on Beggars Banquet, it becomes painfully obvious that frontman Krayg Burton spent most of his teenage years singing Cure songs in the shower. But, what with all the buzz and hubbub from pop-media elitists such as NME, Music Week, and Jane Magazine, this San Francisco fuzz-rock band seems poised on the doorstep of breakthrough. Like recent up-and-comers Arcade Fire and TV on The Radio, Film School have managed to turn our collective heads with a sound which successfully combines at least four decades worth of influences into sublime pop confections.

And what a better label to take on this ethereal rock bliss than the one who introduced us all to the likes of Gary Numan, Bauhaus and Love & Rockets? The UK label Beggars Banquet has always had a penchant for taking on extremely gifted, slightly left of mainstream artists, and Film School should have no problem fitting right in.

Like a collage or (pardon the Bush-ism) "human-animal hybrid" of genres, there are moments where you will swear you are listening to a more indie Echo & The Bunnymen. Similarly, you'll have to look at the CD packaging on more than one occasion to remind yourself that you are not listening to a Robert Smith collaboration project with either Mogwai or Kevin Shields (although that would kick ass). While songs like "Sick of the Shame" bring to mind the transcendental gauziness of Slowdive, laced throughout the record you will also hear throwbacks to 70's psychedelic bands such as The Who and Pink Floyd.

This is not to say that this record is "derivative" (my new favorite buzz-kill word), but rather that it is familiar, albeit dressed in new clothing... most likely tight pants with white belts. Familiar is a good thing when you can do it right.

I'd be damned surprised if these guys weren't invited to play on Conan O'Brien within the next six months.

It's like a Robert Smith collaboration project with either Mogwai or Kevin Shields...

Public Display of Affection: The Sound of Independent Radio

JimiC — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 08:00:00 +0000

yes

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002JELU4/wwwthreeimagi-20

pda.jpg

Compilation albums can be pretty sketchy animals. Personally, I'm a big fan. They're usually cheap and you can get a taste of artists/styles/labels you might otherwise ignore; as long as there's one recognizably good artist or song, you're generally getting your money's worth.

This comp was put together by four DJs from public radio stations scattered across the country, most notable to many readers here because one of those DJs is KEXP demi-god John "In The Morning" Richards. It highlights a broad spectrum of artists, some signed, some unsigned, all helping to keep alive the spirit of independent broadcasting, "the spirit that led you to your first record purchase, your first concert, your first 'after show pass' where you nibbled from the cheese tray alongside the college radio DJ and a writer from the Bob." The big question now is, "How did they do?" Because I'm a compulsive list-maker, here's the breakdown of who chose what for this comp and how I rated 'em: <

John Richards KEXP Seattle
(Cowboy Curtis - 7, Passenger - 6, Filmschool - 9)
Rita Houston WFUV New York
(Milton - 1,The Sharp Things - 5 , Willy Mason - 2)
Dan Reed WFPK Louisville
(Ruby Vileos - 7, Hell's ½ Acre - 7, Benzos - 6)
Bruce Warren WXPN Philadelphia
(Amy Correia - 8, Eleni Mandell - 9, David Berkeley - 5)

Here are all of the gory details...

One of John's selections opens the the album, "Longway Around" by Cowboy Curtis. On my first listen through, this one felt a bit generic, distinguished only by a couple of gimmicky production tricks, but on repeated listenings the effected guitar "hook" became more and more compelling. After a few spins, I was totally sold on this one. Quality indie guitar pop here; so far so good.

Ruby Vileos is up next with a mellowish pop song that put me in mind of a less introverted Chan Marshall. The song feels like it should be building to some sort of explosion, but then it never explodes. I actually think this is a good thing (the whole soft-bit,/loud-bit/soft-bit alterna-style of songwriting tends to grind my last nerve). A couple of songs in and I'm thinking this compilation just might be one of the good ones afterall.

Another John selection is up next, it's called "Driving You Home" by a band called Passenger. Yawn. Excuse me. I think I liked this band better when they were called Travis. Or Coldplay. Not horrible, but really uninspiring. Next. "Hold On (The Prison Song)" by Amy Correia has, most obviously, stylistic references to folk and blues music, but transcends both. Lovely mood and melody, plus I'm a sucker for strings, and this song has strings. Not to mention tons of character in the vocals (I'd say quirky, but I imagine she hears that- and hates it- a lot), there's almost a boozy/woozy quality that's a bit intoxicating (not a million miles from Rickie Lee Jones). Two enthusiastic thumbs up. Note to self — must find out more about Amy Correia...

Imagine John Mayer had a chest cold that wouldn't go away... wait, I don't have to imagine it. I just heard it in the form of Milton's "In the City." This is inoffensive acoustic rock that sounds like something you'd here in a frat house basement on a Friday night. No. Nonononono. Good day sir. I SAID GOOD DAY!

Time to shift gears with a little country rawk. I don't remember where, but I've heard Hell's Half Acre before, though this is my first time with "Sun Comes Up." The voice sounds a bit like Dave Lowry from Camper Van Cracker, which is pretty cool in my book. Dirty alt-country feel to the music with a nice little guitar breakdown about halfway in and catchy choruses ("we'll get high and watch the sun come up again"). Nice.

Another familiar name, Eleni Mandell, pops up next. She's been around for a bit and for my life I can't figure why more people don't know her. I hate to admit how little I knew about her before I gave this comp a spin, but this song drove me to the record store to find out more. Her sexy, soulful voice is the most prominent feature of the track included here entitled (appropriately enough) "Can't You See I'm Soulful." Smooth, understated country licks carry the rest of the load. She's inspired by X and has some ties to Tom Waits, she's been described as an American (or, more recently alt-country) PJ Harvey. It's not only a pretty fair and convenient description. She's covered a lot of ground in her career, recently leaning more toward the kind of country vibe on display here (check her earlier records for a darker, more rock/pop feel). This track is definitely one of the highlights of the disc.

"Red" by David Berkeley is the next song, and it's a bit of a disappointment. Berkeley's an award winning songsmith (and you can hear why in the well written traditional narrative of the lyrics), but the production and performance is very middle-of-the-road, lacking any real character. It's solid, but after hearing the song, it seems like he's better suited for behind the scenes than in front of the mic. Consider this cut damned with faint praise.

Filmschool is the only band on this compilation to which I had any real previous exposure. I caught them (accidentally, really) live just a couple of months ago and, not really knowing what to expect, was very pleasantly surprised. I got an earful of atmospheric guitar-based pop with an appropriate name, as Filmschool seemed to have a cinematic feel in their mood and dynamics. I picked up their EP that night and they had a fan. The overall vibe was spacey and psychedelic and pretty mellow. The track included here, "Harmed," is a bit rockier and serves to increase my interest exponentially. Another highlight of this compilation.

The Sharp Things spin proceedings in yet a different direction with a mellow chamber pop song ("Demon of Love") that calls to mind Burt Bachrach and other sixties pop writers of that ilk. The vocals remind me a lot of Mark Hollis from Talk Talk. In spite of those two big pluses, the tune just doesn't work that well. It falls somewhere short of its wide scale ambition and feels more like a genre pastiche than a distinct song of it's own. Not horrible, though I get the feeling these guys are capable of more.

The guitar hook driving "All the King's Men" forward from the intro bodes well for the penultimate cut included here. Benzos are a New York six-piece with ideas rooted in electronica, but lush guitar work and soaring lead lines that lay somewhere between U2 and Radiohead. The rhythms are reminiscent of that angular post-punk the kids are into today. This song should sound tired and derivative, but it actually works pretty well. I have a feeling we'll be hearing more from these guys, which should work out fine for all parties concerned.

The collection winds down with the acoustic "Oxygen" by Willy Mason. Multi-tracked vocals and an acoustic guitar. I somehow suspect he was very pleased with his lyrics, I wasn't, though. The voice is like a less polished American version of Chris Martin from Coldplay. The guitar is strummy. I have very little else to say about this one. Bored my socks right off.

Brief let down at the end aside, this is a pretty solid set. Overall the comp gets a solid six. Not too shabby. My discovery through this set of songs of Eleni Mandell is enough, though, for me to recommend this collection. Thank you, Nettwerk.

his comp was put together by four DJs from public radio stations scattered across the country, most notable to many readers here because one of those DJs is John Richards from KEXP. Includes songs by Cowboy Curtis, Eleni Mandel, The Sharp Things, and Film School.