Three Imaginary Girls - New Faces

Capitol Hill Block Party 2009 {Saturday}

Chelsea Werner — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:39:53 +0000

25 Jul 2009

As I approached Block Party from Broadway on day two of Block Party, I heard the rising wave of Hey Marseilles on the main stage. Upon entering, my half hung over self was immediately swept up in their orchestral swell. Their performance only got better and better until the last song where their improvised musical meanderings became overwhelming.

By 3:30 the Saturday heat smothering the Vera Stage was intense and as Collin English, drummer of The Pica Beats expressed in their video interview, losing three pounds playing their set was the highlight of the show. It wasn’t their best set, but the use of a horn section in lieu of recently losing their keyboardist, worked extremely well, especially on the extended version of “Territoire” (watch the imaginary interview).

The shade in Neumo’s during The Girls hardly offered respite from the heat, as the floor was packed for their set that started off with an Elvis Costello feeling of light-heartedness, but became more cut and dry rock as their songs employed Nirvana-esque feedback and shredding solos. Personally I’m of the opinion that the world does not need another guitar solo. So I left to join the smiles beaming up at the main stage as Brooklyn-based, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart began to play a set that was all crashing and soft, like a two ton truck full of angora bunnies had been dumped on the crowd.

Let’s say a crap-load of extremely furry bunnies had been hoping around during their set, we all could have started knitting scarves and gotten really down with the twee that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart were already draping over our shoulders. I had been looking forward to seeing TPOBPAH perhaps more than any other band at Block Party, considering this was their first show in Seattle. I wasn’t the only one; you’d think they had played many times and were beloved by all, based on the audience reaction. Their boy-girl harmonies were not perfect and that was fine with me, in fact I wish I could have heard the vocals better over the rolling fuzz of sound. I swear strangers were making friends as “Everything With You” began and by the end of their set, I felt kinder towards everyone around me and psyched for the upcoming release of their Higher Than The Stars EP, out September 22nd on Slumberland.

Next I caught New Faces playing the Vera stage and wondered when the post-punk revival of Interpol had been revitalized and if this wasn’t another post-post-poster band. However, the new material they played used a decent amount of keyboard that managed to uplift their sound and add an interesting dimension to the warbling vocals of Nico Janssen. The crowd had a conspicuous amount of parents in it, but everyone was clapping along to almost every song.

The Thermals took the main stage as the sun was setting but I could see enough to catch the fist-pumping on stage during “How We Know” before breaking into a cover of Nirvana’s “Sappy.” Despite our location making this cover a safe-bet crowd pleaser, somehow this seemed ballsy in The Thermals’ unabashed admittance of their influences. Not content with one cover, they also played The Breeders’ “Saints.” This brought me great joy as I feel like they probably play a tighter live version of this song than The Breeders themselves.

(Thermals photo by joshc as posted in the TIG flickr photo pool.)

Sauntering into The Lonely Forest’s set I was impressed by the way that this band didn’t limit itself to any one musical genre. Their sad slow songs became yelled laments, harnessing a slight amount of grungy introspection. They were consistently melodic, never plain old noisy, and during “Malconstitution” it began to rain with sincerity almost equal to that of the singers vocals. However, despite the yelling, the tight melodies and the sincere-soaked lyrics, The Lonely Forest never became emo, or even screamo. They managed to coat their songs in a softness that didn’t allow the emotions expressed to feel feigned.

While watching The Gossip cover Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody,” I was debating taking Thurston Moore’s advice during his live KEXP interview that we all go home and deactivate our Facebook accounts tonight. But how could I focus on that as Beth Ditto said “Cheers bitches,” and we all started to drink. The Gossip rocked out, Ditto’s breathy powerful vocals backed by the forceful and fun tunes being weaved together by Paine and Billie. They seemed to being having a blast, Ditto breaking into a rendition of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” before they trailed into their own hits.

(Thermals photo by joshc as posted in the TIG flickr photo pool.)
Next was the set that I was perhaps most surprised by. Future of Left was inside Neumo’s, and even though it seemed like everyone was outside for the end of The Gossip and the beginning of Sonic Youth on the main stage, it was packed. As aggressive as their albums may be, The Future of The Left’s live show had the floorboards caving under the collective pounding of the band and the audience. Someone had their crutches in the air, clapping along to Andy Flakous’ synthesizer playing. Mclusky fans may feel that FotL’s use of a synthesizer is too divergent from the guitar driven rock they loved, but don’t be fooled, this element is what made these songs more than just testosterone packed pounding.

Thurston Moore told us that Sonic Youth’s set would be mostly tracks off The Eternal, and I knew it would be widely covered, so while I stayed to absorb some of their set, since I adore them, I quickly headed to Vera Stage to end my night with Vancouver band, The Japandroids. I’m pretty sure guitarist Brian King brings his own fan with him on tour so that he can stand in front of it and blow back his glorious curls. If this was just a fluke, he should consider making it a staple of their live show.

For two people they packed a lot of f-ing energy into their songs and were still asking the sound people to make them two times louder. The drum kit was facing the side of the stage rather than the front and while drummer David Prowse sang on “Rockers East Vancouver,” a slightly emo jam, King stood with one foot on Prowse’s bass drum, strumming away. You could tell that these two boys have a lot of love for each other and were having a seriously good time defying the festival, saying, “We’re just gonna keep playing till they pull the plug. Heck, we’re in Seattle, not Vancouver.”

And so day two ended, leaving me with the knowledge of just how loved Seattle is, with almost every band citing Seattle as one of their favorite places to play. Maybe they say that everywhere they go, but I for one felt it.

All of the photos without photo credit noted above are by Trickshot Photography... see them all!

Photo of the day: New Faces {playing CHBP this Saturday}

imaginary liz — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:30:58 +0000

Only one more day until the Capitol Hill Block Party!

To prep, I've been perusing the to see what I have in store.

One of the most talked about Seattle bands as of late is the New Faces. They may be one of the younger bands on but they have the kicks to keep up with the likes of the much more seasoned bands. They remind me of a young Kinks with their heaps of serious hooks and solid songwriting. Make sure to head over to the Vera Stage at 4.45p on Saturday (July 25) to see for yourself.

What are you going to see at the CHBP? Want some ideas? Check out Chelsea's Capitol Hill Block Party preview.

(Photo by Chona Kasinger from the Sparkly Indie Pop Flickr Photo Pool)

Noise for the Needy starts tonight: Slender Means + New Faces VS Coulter + Skeletons

imaginary liz — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:10:47 +0000

This year's Noise for the Needy festival starts tonight! We're so excited for the five day fest. The organizers have really put together a slew of great bills from now until Sunday.

Tonight's batch of shows kick off the festivities with a bang. I have a hard time choosing between tonight's two shows.

Monday morning check-in

imaginary liz — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:04:36 +0000

Wow there was a lot to choose from this weekend, including just hanging out in your friend's back yard pondering how to make it to all the shows happening this summer (yay warm weather tour season!).

By the looks of Amelia Gyde's photos from Friday's Lonely Forest / New Faces show at Vera... that *might* have been the place to be Friday night. It also sounds like Bloc Party was stellar on Saturday night and last night, Redwood Plan tore it up at the Crocodile with Ida Maria.

What did you see / do this weekend?

Local music brings the Crocodile back to life

imaginary sher — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:48:59 +0000

25 Mar 2009

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"The Crocodile is alive again," I thought, as opening act The Globes pounded out rhythms like a heartbeat: BAH-BOOM, BAH-BOOM, BAH-BOOM. As drummer Marcus Ourada led the percussion into the first song of the night, the revived rock club on the corner of Second and Blanchard came to life once more with the sounds of great local music.

Joining Ourada on stage to round out the Globes were singer/guitarist Erik Walters, lead guitarist Kyle Musselwhite, and finally bassist/keyboarder Sean McCotter (who is also a bass teacher at the Paul Green School of Rock) Though the band debuted their self-titled EP in 2008, they have been playing together for years - and it shows through their cohesively tight style.

While Walters has pleasant vocals, there is a heavy emphasis on instruments and pure sound. The rock melodies are powerful and have the ability to swell to great heights. At one point a guitar solo leads into the drums of the next track for a perfect transition between songs. The keys are soft and barely audible, a noticeable contrast to the loud, full-force of the music. It's clear the Globes are one of Seattle's most promising young bands. After their set, an observant stranger to my right remarked to me that "they were epic!" and I agree.

Though the show had started with a modest crowd, when the following band Romance came on there was definitely a large audience for a Wednesday night. This band was older and had a stronger stage presence, though a bit more theatrical. They were the only act of the night to use black and white stage lights, and were sharply dressed with slicked-back hair in true gothic rock fashion. Reminiscent of post-punk revivalist's Interpol and the Strokes, who drew inspiration from earlier acts like Gang of Four and Joy Division, Romance played dark yet danceable music characterized by fast paced guitar riffs and toe-tapping beats. Lead vocalist/guitarist Drew Jackson and crew had great enthusiasm and the crowd generally enjoyed them.

Fresh from representing Seattle at SXSW, like Romance, rising local stars New Faces took the stage third. The teenage trio of singer/guitarist Nico Janssen, bassist Kyle Hove, and drummer Conor Sisk played upbeat, catchy pop tunes complete with hand claps and shouts. New Faces were the most lyrically dependent band of the night. With simple, subtle lines like "I don't want you / because you want me / you're too easy" their songs were both quick to remember and enjoy, and Janssen's low baritone gave their pop songs just enough of an edge.

Like the Globes, who won EMP's Sound Off! competition in 2007 under their former band name For Years Blue, these talented kids won last year. Shortly after, New Faces were signed to Loveless Records (and their debut record, Two Years, was the [surprising] winner of TIG's reader's poll for favorite northwest album for 2008). I believe their momentum has only just begun.

The final band of the night, Hotels, stepped out on stage wearing collared dress shirts and name tags – as if they were really supposed to be working the night shift behind the front desk of the a Best Western and decided it would be more fun to headline a rock show. Though Hotels share many of the same influences as the other bands of the night, they’re a bit more new wave - with plenty of reverbs, spacey synth sounds, and great hooks. At this time I decided to call it a night, but I hope to catch more of Hotels' set in the near future.

I left the show feeling rejuvenated. The two youngest bands of the night, New Faces and The Globes, give me great hope about the future of the Seattle music scene.

"The Crocodile is alive again," I thought, as opening act The Globes pounded out rhythms like a heartbeat: BAH-BOOM, BAH-BOOM, BAH-BOOM. As drummer Marcus Ourada led the percussion into the first song of the night, the revived rock club on the corner of Second and Blanchard came to life once more with the sounds of great local music.

Tonight's recommended show: Hotels and New Faces at the Crocodile

ChrisB — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:58:25 +0000

Aside from the trial run last week, this will be the first entirely local show to take place at The Crocodile - and it's a good one, with four solid bands filling out the bill.

Best of 2008: Top Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll Winners

three imaginary girls — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:08:31 +0000

Upset. The word of the our 2008 Best Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll is upset.

With the Fleet Foxes winning readers and critical polls alike, who would've thought they wouldn't get top honors in our humble little Northwest poll? But they didn't -- they placed a distant second to New Faces, another debut record from some very talented, very young Northwest fellas.

We had other surprises as well, with unsigned newcomers such as Hey Marseilles, the Kindness Kind, and Kaylee Cole cracking the top ten, beating out Northwest heavyweights such as Death Cab for Cutie. We did not expect that. And we love it when you surprise us, dear readers.

We imaginaries like to champion the up-and-comers from the Northwest, and our results indicate that you do as well. We think you all also have fabulous taste, as always. Thanks to everyone who participated in our poll. We couldn't be more proud or thrilled to present the top 50 winners on your behalf...

Winners of the TIG Top Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll:

50. Michael Vermillion - Last Night on Earth {info}
49. Jared Mees and the Grown Children - Caffeine, Alchohol, Sunshine, Money {album review}
48. Destruction Island - Destruction Island Preaches the New Wilderness
47. Boy Eats Drums Machine - Booomboxxx
46. The Apple War - Alarm Bell City {live show review}
45. The Hungry Pines - Golden You {info}
44. Hypatia Lake - Angels & Demons Space & Time {info}
43. All Girl Summer Fun Band - Looking Into It {live show review}
42. The Dandy Warhols - ...Earth to the Dandy Warhols... {info}
41. By Sunlight - By Sunlight
40. Blue Scholars - Butter and Guns {info}
39. Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements {album review}
38. Your Heart Breaks - Love is a Long Dark Road
37. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt {info}
36. H is for Hellgate - Come for the peaks stay for the valleys {info}
35. Andrea Wittgens - In The Skyline {info}
34. Common Market - Black Patch War {album review}
33. Colin Meloy - Colin Meloy Sings Live! {album review}
32. Chris Walla - Field Manual {album review}
31. Head Like a Kite - There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere {album review}
30. Lake - Oh, the Places You'll Go
29. BOAT - Topps {info}
28. 31 Knots - Worried Well {info}
27. Gutter Twins - Saturnalia {album review}
26. Moondoggies - Don't Be A Stranger {info}
25. Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands - Cody's Dream {album review}
24. Tea for Julie - The Sense in Tying Knots {album review}
23. Central Services - Central Services Presents... The Board of Education! {info}
22. These Arms Are Snakes - Tail Swallower & Dove {info}
21. Speaker Speaker - Call It Off {info}
20. Sera Cahoone - Only As the Day Is Long {album review}
19. Dutchess and the Duke - She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke {live show review}
18. The Saturday Knights - Mingle {album review}
17. Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams {album review}
16. Helms Alee - Night Terror {live show review}
15. Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Glistening Pleasure {live show review}
14. Death Cab for Cute - Narrow Stairs {album review}
13. Voyager One - Afterhours in the Afterlife {album review}
12. Shane Tutmarc and the Traveling Mercies - Hey Lazarus {album review}
11. Black Nite Crash - Array {info}
10. Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees {album review}
9. Blitzen Trapper - Furr {album review}
8. Grand Archives - Grand Archives {album review}
7. Hey Marseilles - To Travels and Trunks {live show review}
6. Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead {album review}
5. Man Plus - Hungarian Suicide Songbook {album review}
4. The Kindness Kind - The Kindness Kind {info}
3. Kaylee Cole - We're Still Here Missing You {live show review}
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes {album review}
1. New Faces - Two Years {album review}

Bestof2008-180.jpg

Upset. The word of the our 2008 Best Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll is upset.

Bumbershoot 2008: Day 1

three imaginary girls — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:36:21 +0000

30 Aug 2008

bumbershootday1.jpg

Bumbershoot is a musical extravaganza, spanning the three-day Labor Day weekend with more bands, arts, and elephant ears than anyone can possibly capture. We had a posse of imaginary writers (ChrisB, Chris Estey, imaginary elle, imaginary dana, and Cory), and photographers (Chona, Kyle, Nathan, and Andrew) all over Seattle Center, trying to capture the frenzy and mayhem of Bumbershoot 2008. Below you can see and read about our adventures during the first day, which kicked off with local electronic duo Beehive and ended with superstar Beck, and covered over 20 other bands in-between.

Enjoy!

Beehive, Wells Fargo Stage

Beehive must be one of the most hard-luck bands in Seattle. The local electronic duo had gotten a difficult timeslot - Saturday at noon but tried to make the most of it. They played an energetic rock set that lasted about 35 minutes, simulating a rock band with electronic instruments. To get the crowd on their side early started off with two covers known by everyone in the fairly large crowd - "We Will Rock You" and "Helter Skelter." Overcoming a scratchy microphone, they got a lot of the crowd to stand and even a few danced. They found their groove early and singer/programmer Alethea, or "Butterfly Beats," delighted the crowd with her soulful voice. (ChrisB)

Beehive photos by Andrew Waits.

New Faces, EMP Sky Church

I've seen this band a bajillion times -- I practically stalk them -- and this was a very good show. They had a great dynamic with a pretty big turnout. They owned that huge stage. (Chona Kasinger)

New Faces. Photos by Chona Kasinger.

Throw Me the Statue, Rockstar Stage

An important aspect to booking festivals is kicking things off with a band to set the right mood. Throw Me The Statue was just such a band, with their undemanding pop tinged with elements such as a backing horn section. Their crowd was comfortable enough to stand or sit, a few head bobbers sprinkled here and there. (imaginary elle)

Throw Me the Statue. Photo by Chona Kasinger.

Throw Me the Statue. Photo by Kyle Johnson.

Neko Case, Samsung Mobile Mainstage

It makes sense to put former Washingtonian Neko Case on the mainstage at Bumbershoot because it was the first time I've seen her in a venue big enough to contain her voice. She played for about 75 minutes and was funny and likeable throughout, making note of playing depressing country songs in the middle of the day. "Deep Red Bells" and "That Teenage Feeling," played back to back sounded enormous and expansive - especially with three different guitar parts (Jon Rahouse on petal steel, Paul Rigby on electric guitar and Case herself playing acoustic guitar). She and longtime collaborator Kelly Hogan joked midway through the set that it was too early in the day for them to get wasted. Their humor was hilarious and provided a necessary balance for the emotional content of her set. {see the setlist} (ChrisB)

Neko Case and Kelly Hogan. Photo by Nathan Feder.

Neko crowd. Photo by Kyle Johnson.

Das Vibenbass, Wells Fargo Stage

The aptly titled quartet Das Vibenbass bring the jazz vibe and bass to the 21st Century music listener, bringing the genre to a more accessible level. Hell, as their set progressed, I started to realize I wished we were listening to the local band--an upright bass, saxophone, drums, and vibraphone--in an exclusive, smokey hidden jazz club with a gin, rather than out in the sunshine on fold able chairs. Wait a minute… are they playing a jazz rendition of "Black Hole Sun" not in a cheesy Kenny G covers Top 40 sort of way, but a very slick, enjoyable way? Never mind, they do know how to bring jazz to the modern ear. Their entire set was brilliant, definitely fetching all the praise they have received, such as being nominated in the Seattle Weekly for Best Jazz act. Doesn't hurt that their saxophone player was a good looking, well-dressed fellow as well. (imaginary elle)

Das Vibenbass photos by Kyle Johnson.

Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, KEXP Lounge

Thao and the Get Down Stay Down photos by Andrew Waits.

The Girls, EMP Sky Church

In the dark crowded Sky Church at the Bumbershoot Festival yesterday afternoon there was briefly the flavor of a late 70s small club show, with the one "wavo" band in town that "got it." The transgressive energy of sleazy humor ("Fixing The Chairs"), light-hearted Futurism, clipped robot rhythms, weird stop-starts ("TV Glow"), and shuffle beats from Shannon Brown (vocals), Elie Goral (drums), Derek Mason (keyboards), Vas Kumar (guitar), and (bassist) Griff happily entranced the hometown Seattle mob. The crowd wasn't frenzied but it was very cheerful. Just like the shared similar aesthetic Figurines and Futureheads, The Girls is even better live than their recordings, wishing they would add more of that spontaneity and rawness next time out to their songwriting. It would be great if this city had its next Screamers, and this band maybe could be a contender for that role. (Chris Estey)

The Girls. Photos by Chona Kasinger

Grynch, Fisher Green Stage

Grynch photos by Kyle Johnson.

Mono in VCF, KEXP Lounge

Nada Surf, KEXP Lounge

The KEXP Lounge is such an amazing refuge from the hurried, elephant-eared pace of Bumbershoot. There a few hundred lucky fans can see bands in a intimate dark (air-conditioned) setting. Catching Nada Surf acoustic style was definitely a highlight of my Bumbershoot experience; Matthew and Ira's spot-on harmonies positively sent chills down my spine. Also of note: the bassist for Osma did an admirable job filling in for an injured Daniel Lorca. Watch a video of the band performing "Weightless." (imaginary dana)

Nada Surf photos by Chona Kasinger.

Fall of Troy, Exhibition Hall

Fall of Troy photos by Kyle Johnson.

PWRFL Power, EMP Sky Church

The Walkmen, Rockstar Stage

The Walkmen. Photos by Chona Kasinger.

Estelle, Fisher Green Stage

Estelle, the British R&B/soul star, delivered what will be one of my favorite sets of the weekend. Playing before a huge crowd on the Fisher Green stage, she more than lived up to the buzz surrounding her new <em>Shine</em> album. On stage she reminded me of a cross between Sharon Jones and Lily Allen - two of my absolute favorite performers. Her band was tight and funky - although I wish they would have been funkier; their obvious influences are Parliament/Funkadelic, The Famous Flames and The Dap Kings and only on a few songs ("Pretty Please" and "American Boy") did they seem to break out. "American Boy", the #1 UK single that also features a cameo from Kanye West, closed the set and the enormous crowd sang along and danced - it was one of those great moments where a huge and diverse crowd shares a fantastic performance of a song that is the soundtrack to a whole lot of summers. (ChrisB)

Estelle. Photos by Nathan Feder.

Saul Williams, Fisher Green Stage

Saul Williams. Photos by Kyle Johnson.

Man Man, Rockstar Stage

Man Man. Photos by Chona Kasinger.

Man Man. Photos by Andrew Waits.

Nada Surf, Starbucks Stage

Nada Surf. Photos by Chona Kasinger.

West Indian Girl, EMP Sky Church

West Indian Girl. Photo by Andrew Waits.

West Indian Girl. Photo by Chona Kasinger.

West Indian Girl. Photo by Kyle Johnson.

Kinski, EMP Sky Church

Kinski. Photos by Kyle Johnson.

!!!, KEXP Lounge

I really enjoy !!!, the Sacramento-based, punk/funk/jam band but writing about them gives me fits with MS Word's grammar check; using Google isn't any easier. Still, their 30+ minute set in KEXP's music lounge was great fun. Playing mostly newer songs (singer Nic Offer even said that they would give us "a hit and a half"), they still delivered the same dance punk they are known for. Offer might have forgotten a few times that this performance was being broadcast on the radio because he dropped the f-word a few times. The funniest time was when he said that he thought the room was full because we were all "the fucks who are going to see Beck tonight" (!!! and Beck is the most unfortunate scheduling conflict of the weekend) and threatened to give a crappy performance for the last song. They didn't; in spite of their threats, they still rocked. (ChrisB)

M Ward, Rockstar Stage

M. Ward. Photo by Andrew Waits.

Beck, Samsung Mobile Mainstage

Did you think Beck was watching a legend in action, as Imaginary Kiku did? Or did you think he was, in a word, bullshit, as ChrisB did? Our imaginary coverage has a little something for everyone.

Beck. Photo by Kyle Johnson.

Enjoy!

Two Years

Chris Estey — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:33:58 +0000

7.6

http://www.lovelessrecords.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LR&Product_Code=LOV029

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New Faces consists of Nico Janssen on lyrics and lead vocals and guitars; Kyle Hove on bass and shouts and claps; and Conor Sisk on drums and those ever-present shouts and claps. These three young men from Port Townsend astonished judges into giving them first prize at the EMP Sound Off this year out of over one hundred entries. The band has been getting play on KEXP and hitting all the requisite block parties and regional festivals besides.

Produced and mastered by Blakes' winning studio team of Brian Brown and Martin Feveyear, there is an unholy confidence from the beginning of Two Years onward, starting with radio-feeding single "Impulse" through the torched intimacy of "You To Me" ("you're twisting up your heart on me").

I confess that I actually downloaded the album into my favorite listening device backwards though, and thought it bizarre a fresh new band's first full-length would start off with the maturity and depth of the melancholy "End Of A Time" (actually the last track here) with Janssen's handsome baritone and all-the-way-through-quotable lyrics: "Not the same anymore / days of old are days of old." That wizened punch goes straight into one of the best bridges I've heard lately: "While pessimists create apocalypse / there's some young girl getting her first kiss." This is timeless alternative rock as meaningful as the Stranglers in the 70s, the Call in the 80s, or any other sort-of dark philosophical group with a crisp lyricist and a deep danceable sound. (Next time out I would love to hear Janssen really go off in his guitar playing; somehow, with the arch construction of their tracks, I doubt that he will.)

Back to what the music seems to be about: There's a lot of empathy in these songs, as in the observations about a girl in "Across The City" ("Just in from a night of pain / her hopeful evening turned to shame"), and the spidery bass lines of Hove and great percussive syncopation from Sisk keep everything from ever getting near ponderous or morose. I'm not going to say there isn't a lot of familiarity in the heavily compressed and over-the-top catchiness of "Impulse" and elsewhere; but knowing how thrilling this band is live, it's refreshing to find out how deep and strong the songs would get -- arguably a lot stronger from beginning to end. You don't expect that much potential shown on a debut these days.

This is timeless alternative rock as meaningful as the Stranglers in the 70s, the Call in the 80s, or any other sort-of dark philosophical group with a crisp lyricist and a deep danceable sound.

Capitol Hill Block Party: New Faces

ChrisB — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:57:57 +0000

26 Jul 2008

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The New Faces are good. Maybe even very good.

They're not rewriting rock or doing anything innovative (but who is these days anyway?). They borrow liberally from The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, and Interpol and are not subtle about it. To be fair, though, those bands also cribbed extensively from the Velvet Underground, Gang of Four, and Joy Division while finding their own sound. But hey -- the New Faces shouldn't be penalized for listening to CDs, and they certainly shouldn't be penalized for listening to the right ones.

That's where the criticism ends, though. The New Faces packed a crowd into The King Cobra on Saturday afternoon and they delighted them. Although they're all under 21 (they were the winners of EMP's Sound Off! contest this year and only one band member has graduated from high school), they rocked an audience that was exclusively older than they are. That is no insignificant feat.

New Faces signed to Loveless Records shortly after winning Sound Off! and it is easy to see why. They have a poise and on-stage presence many bands twice their age will never see. I have heard a few songs from their debut album Two Years, and they are tight and focused. Their songs are catchy and upbeat and they rock both live and on Memorex.

Their influences are obvious but they do them justice.

The New Faces are good. Maybe even very good.

2008 EMP Sound Off winners New Faces sign to Loveless Records

Mike Mess — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:57:27 +0000

Seattle's youthful darlings 'New Faces' have signed a deal with Loveless Records to release their first record which has already been recorded and will be release sometime this summer (we hope!).

Flickr photo of the week: New Faces

imaginary dana — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:02:20 +0000

From the Flickr TIG Sparkly Indie-Pop Photos group, this promo shot of New Faces made me swoon a bit...

Noise for the Needy 2008: New Faces, Kate Tucker, BOAT, Math & Physics Club

imaginary liz — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:05:52 +0000

13 Jun 2008

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I'm not going to rely on hyperbole to explain how fun Friday's Noise for the Needy benefit show at King Cobra was. It had been a crazy week, and it seemed like more than a coincidence that it was Friday the 13th. The show was just the elixir I needed to set things right.

New Faces, fresh from their EMP Sound Off 2008 win, put the audience under their spell. The Port Townsend trio was a wily bunch that mixed the richness of Interpol and the catchy rifts of Franz Ferdinand.

Kate Tucker & the Sons of Sweden were up next, and this is when the 'elixir' part of the evening took hold and things went up a notch. By the time my beloved BOAT came on, things were in high gear. Like a good imaginary girl, I had a notebook in hand and had every intention of taking notes about how tight they were and seamless their set was. I was going to namecheck the old and new songs they played and list off the ordering info for their brand new extremely limited 7" record (out on Magic Marker Records). But alas, a girl only has so many hands, and mine was holding a PBR (thanks Noise for the Needy sponsors!).

I was, ahem, over the moon elated with the Math and Physics Club set. They played their signature sweet, humble pop songs and even included my favorite of their covers, "Shaking Through" by REM. Bass player Ethan proved himself to be superstar of the group pulling off a better (and dare I say cuter and more stylish) Mike Mills than Mike himself.

I'm not exactly sure why, but by the time the 'secret' headliner (The Lashes) took the stage, my night had come to a close.

As my friend Lily Allen eloquently said, "Kids, drink responsibly or you'll end up looking like this, not pretty! Was quite fun though, from what I can remember."

(awesome photos by Nathan Howard)

I'm not going to rely on hyperbole to explain how fun Friday's Noise for the Needy benefit show at King Cobra was.

NPSH, Copy, and New Faces at the Vera

imaginary chona — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:50:37 +0000

10 May 2008

NPSH08may.jpg

Many moons ago (actually late last summer during a magical, whimsical time called Bumbershoot) an expecting Imaginary Dana, Ed, and I stood inside the EMP Skychurch eagerly anticipating the entrance of local unsigned act Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head. Having already been introduced to their live show earlier in the summer at Capitol Hill Block Party, we dutifully planted our feet and gleefully took in the fringe and spandex spectacle. Dana likened their sound to that of the B-52’s and danced like only a pregnant granola-toting music buff could. Months later, the band still hasn’t lost its charm. The Vera crowd Saturday night was surprisingly young (I think I’m getting too old for my 19-year-old self) and impressively patient (I think I was just too cold) as they stood in the snaking line that encompassed the venue.

Sound Off victors New Faces opened up the stage for the night with bassist Kyle Hove busting his bass string before the end of the first song, prompting guitarist/vox Nico Jahnsenn and drummer Conor Sysk to launch into another song while an adequate replacement was scouted. Seeing their live show, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic for all the 1990’s bands I never saw live. Their sound incorporates several aspects of several ages of music. New Faces ended their set with a song sounding very much like an homage to the central riff in Hendrix’s "Purple Haze."

Having already opened for acts such as the Shackletons, I’m saying again what I said before: Be ready for these guys, they’re going to be all over the radar. New Faces are already slated to play at Capitol Hill Block Party and Bumbershoot this summer. With an EP out and full-length on the way in June, I foresee a future brighter than neon windbreakers.

Copy, a one-man act based in Portland, took the stage next. With nord keytar in hand, he took the young crowd through threads of well constructed beats and keytar riffs, offering an all around good time. “Man you are awesome!” an ecstatic kid to my right called, cuing a gracious grin from mix mastermind Marius Libman. Well received by the audience, Marius disassembled his gear at 30 minutes end while chatting with enthused fans in the front row.

A then fling told me that he would shield from the “crazy moshers” and held his word, as I repeatedly evaded the arms of several ensuing fist thrusters and dancing kick boxers last summer when we caught Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head- a band we “absolutely could not miss”. A kind sentiment on his part, I definitely felt for the girls being smashed into the DJ’s turntable area (at one point myself), as his macbook nearly crashed off the table along with a load of mixing gear. True story: Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head have a ridiculously bubbly (and possibly repressed?) local fan base.

Favorites from “Beard Lust” to “Sideways Ponytail” were all performed, much to the crowd’s delight. Always a treat to encounter, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head brought out the dancer in everyone. Claire England performed a lovely (and surprisingly really, really good) rendition of “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child for the set’s encore. NPSH, like New Faces, competed in 2007’s EMP Soundoff. There’s no denying that the competition served as a bouncy springboard into the public eye. NPSH have already had the honor to open for Brazilian breakout band CSS. I can’t wait to see what’s next for these guys.

True story: Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head have a ridiculously bubbly (and possibly repressed?) local fan base.

What Northwest bands are playing Bumbershoot 2008? Let the rumors begin...

imaginary dana — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:13:31 +0000

But I know they usually wait till closer to the date to annouce the lucky local acts. So -- to that end, I propose a good ole fashioned imaginary rumor machine. Friends... Who have you heard is playing? Or who do you hope is playing?

The Shackeltons rock pants off at Neumo's

Deborah Barnard — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:55:53 +0000

10 Apr 2008

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The Shackeltons rocked the crowd Thursday night, and the rest of the lineup at Neumo's featured local Seattle bands you should know more about too.

Openers Born Anchors played with enthusiastic hearts. The lead singer liked to wail more than a bit, and the drummer played with a maniacally-happy smile, as my plus one for the night pointed it out with a smile on his own face. The vocals tended to blur together and sound alike, but the band exceled at instrumentation with tight blends and a fast pace.

The guitarist used an e-bow (a nice little machine that lets you concentrate on fingering while it strums for you). Also, this band won for t-shirt design: a bird perched on an octopus tentacle that, from far away, looks like a peacock sitting on his own feathers. But no. So much more awesome than that. Plus, they're a super-local band: they hail from three blocks away from Neumo's.

New Faces are a trio of youngsters from Port Townsend who won the 2008 EMP Sound Off competition. They play catchy-as-hell, simple Britpop beats (think a local flavor of Franz Ferdinand), with Brit-kid haircuts to match. It's the kind of music that can get pleasantly stuck in your head, the kind that drives you to make converts of your friends so you have people you can gush with. While I was bopping along to their short set, I wish I could've heard their lyrics--but Neumo's sound quality is what it is and now I've got an excuse to snag their new EP.

It was a lovely set.

The first thing I noticed about the Hands was their interpretive guitar sex (aka the friendly antler-locking between the bass and guitar). The second thing I noticed was the best tambourine playah evah. The third thing was their solid commitment to rock your socks. Every time they screamed "I don't wanna die," my call and response instinct kicked in and I'd yell "neither do I!" The band's intense interactivity made their set a joy to watch. As much as Born Anchors impressed me with their playing, THIS was the band to study for instrumentation. I recommend them to the serious Rock Band players who enjoy playing intricate fingerings more than head-nods toward familiar songs.

When the Shackeltons took the stage, lead singer Mark Redding launched into a pre-play speech exactly as deadpan and random as King Missile's "Detachable Penis." He then started waving white blossoms and tree branches in the air, explaining that they were taken from a landscaping truck that had cut down a tree earlier that day. The branches were waved like incense then flung everywhere. This was a prelude to the only thing you need to know about Redding: he is super insane, maybe in a good way, maybe not. Dilated eyes and speeches about "Nyquil" that appears to be whiskey but "don't tell [his] mom" were followed by even greater show-stealing antics: he fell backwards, straight and hard, to sing while laid out flat on his back on-stage, "I want to fall in into love." Songs were mainly spoken or screamed.

Later, when he dropped the mike and left it lying on the stage, guitarist Erik Fisak gently/reproachfully put it back on the stand. You could tell the whole band is used to his antics. Mark Redding flies too high; if there's one thing I was sad about during this set, it was that there's a good chance The Shackeltons' singer will flail into rehab before they finally take off. Despite that, Redding held it together during the songs (for the most part) and pulled off what I've expected since I first heard the band's debut album: a punk-pop set that was one of the best I've heard in a long, long time.

The Shackelton's sole encore was the first song they ever wrote, a fast-paced little punk rock ditty called "Jenny" that wasn't half-bad. Afterwards, Redding encouraged everyone to "go to sleep."

The band pulled off what I've expected since I first heard their freshman album: a punk-pop set that was one of the best I've heard in a long, long time.

EMP Sound Off winner!

imaginary stella — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:58:11 +0000

Did New Faces deserve the crown?

EMP Soundoff Finals Week Uno

imaginary chona — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:15:17 +0000

9 Feb 2008

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Hosted by 107.7’s DJ Harms, EMP’s annual SoundOff kicked things into high gear. Straws were drawn, play order was determined, and all four bands put on shows that truly embodied the spirit of the all ages crowd…energetic, spunky, and ridiculously talented.

New Faces

The New Faces are more than likely new sounds for your old ears. For all you first timers, think Paul Banks vocals meet Arctic Monkeys hooks with old Brit Punk sensibilities. This Port Townsend three-piece's cohesiveness far surpasses their suggested ages of 16 and 17.

With music catchy as the pox and a brilliant live show to tout, I can’t imagine this group won’t go far. With wisdom far surpassing their years, I quote a recent interview with New faces did with What’s Up Magazine:

“If the music is good, that’s all that matters. It doesn't matter if a band sounds a bit like someone else. In fact, it’s pretty unavoidable not to sound like somebody else.”

An art form…or any substance for that matter, can be reduced only so far. Music is atoms and atoms are electrons, protons and neutrons that become quarks…but then what?

Bottom line: these guys, despite their age, seem to have a firm grasp on what is right in their world. Reading this stance on all their preemptive comparisons made me love them 40x more than I already did.Sounding years older than his age might suggest (aurally and lyrically), lead singer, Nico Jahnsenn, along with bassist Kyle Hove, and drummer Conor Sisk carried their audience through an impressively mature and refined set. With airplay from our buddies over at KEXP already under their belts, I really do think this band has potential of local domination, if not world domination in the future.

True indie-rock contenders!

The Dead Are Judged

“Uhh… these look really gloomy, you guys…” I mumbled when I shot the Dead are Judged for the first time earlier last month. “Good!” they responded, triumphantly. This Duvall five-piece definitely turned the volume up. Vocalist Alex Pasibe, with the passion only a teenager in a metal band can harness, worked the stage, pacing back and forth, spitting out lyrics like a champ.

The skillful double pedal drumming and progressive guitar tapping were of an uncharacteristic caliber for guys so young. Definitely a crowd pleaser.

SouthGate

Hailing from Pendleton, Oregon; the group’s “no nonsense” attitude was something I could sense from the first time I met them. Founded by brothers Shane and Jess Cooley, the visceral musicianship fueled by throaty growls and synchronized head banging surely hit every metal lover in the room hard in the heart.

Emotive lead singer Chris Kittridge screamed with the conviction of a wounded forest animal. “Brutality is a beautiful thing,” cites the band’s MySpace page. Indeed, it is.

The Batteries

“Sci-Fi Horror” was the first description I was offered in preparation of meeting this eccentrically dressed Duvall five piece. I found the group to be as enchanting as the luminescent eyeballs on the short pile television sets the band had placed on the Level Three stage last weekend.

This quirky and tremendously fun five-piece left not a frazzled hair in the room. Lead singer Kyle McCarthy had a way with the audience. His incredible confidence and showmanship propagated the band rapidly through their allotted slot. He charmed the hell out of the venue and left the stage’s floor devoid of any untread ground. I thoroughly enjoyed their 30 minute set, as did the raucous audience.

A couple imaginary drum rolls and several catcalls and chants later, Port Townsend’s New Faces emerged victorious.

Empowered and inspired by the end of the night, I left the EMP looking forward to a long night with my weapon of choice: dusty reissue strat. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one that night. With weeks two, three, and four in the works, time will only tell which of the competitors will win the coveted Bumbershoot stage late next summer, and invaluable studio time with seasoned record execs.

A couple imaginary drum rolls and several catcalls and chants later, Port Townsend’s New Faces emerged victorious.