American Songwriter » Brittney McKenna

Review: Supper and Song With William Tyler, Kopecky Family Band

Brittney McKenna — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 23:05:46 +0000

Though the words are often used interchangeably, there’s a real difference between a community and a neighborhood. Community comes to mind when thinking about two of the festivals that recently graced the middle Tennessee area—those festivals being CMA Fest and Bonnaroo, of course -- as each event drew attendees from far and wide who briefly united for a common cause. Just down the road from the madness that was CMA Fest, local purveyor of kick ass, high quality denim Imogene + Willie opened up their backyard for supper + song, a weekly series that embodies the culture of a neighborhood in every sense of the word. Walking up to the back lot of Imogene + Willie is like walking up to a backyard party at a friend’s house—I dare you to go without seeing at least one person you know. Maybe it’s the free punch from Holland House, but the atmosphere at supper + song always has a warmth that can be hard to find elsewhere. It’s a family affair, too, with many of Nashville’s smaller music fans camping out on blankets with plates of tacos and bottles of Coke. Even the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach got in on the action, hanging back by the Mas Tacos truck chatting with friends and enjoying the music. And despite the other attractions, the music remains the evening’s focus, with a small stage area lit by hanging lights and an old-school “TN” sign that somehow manages to illuminate most of the yard despite its size. Nashvillians William Tyler and the Kopecky Family Band provided the night’s music and proved that even with two major festivals going on nearby it’s still possible to pack a house (or a yard). Tyler himself describes his music as “equal parts Appalachian drone and ambient noise,” and, well, I can’t really think of a better way to describe it than that. His playing is something you have to see to fully grasp—his music is heady and hypnotizing in a way that remains accessible and pleasing to the ear, which isn’t an easy balance to strike. He’s into the whole neighbor thing, too—in case you missed the news, William and his sister Elise are opening a new venue, the Stone Fox, in West Nashville that will also serve as both a coffeehouse and a community space for artists and locals alike. Look for the Stone Fox to open on July 12. Following Tyler was a performance from the Kopecky Family Band. As a personal aside, it’s been so cool to see these guys (and girl!) grow over the years. From their beginnings in a Belmont practice room to a slot playing at Lollapalooza this August, they’ve come a long way in a short time, and each time I see them is a little better than the last. Their orchestral brand of indie pop was a perfect soundtrack for the setting sun (and for eating a full plate of Mas Tacos, too). Walking out of Imogene + Willie felt like stepping out of one world and back into another, which serves as a testament to what the folks at the store have worked so hard to cultivate: a gathering of people who might not be neighbors in the literal sense, but might as well be.

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Band of Skulls: Sweet Sour

Brittney McKenna — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:02:36 +0000

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Band of Skulls Sweet Sour (Pias Recordings) [Rating: 3.5 stars] As its title would suggest, Sweet Sour is a study in juxtaposition. The sophomore release from British trio Band of Skulls is a play on soft and heavy, melody and noise, and despite its idiosyncrasies comes together to form a thoughtful and cohesive work that can just as easily be listened to start to finish as it can one track at a time. This time around, vocal harmonies between Russell Marsden (guitar, vocals) and Emma Richardson (bass, vocals) often take center stage, with the band’s trademark crunchy guitar riffs serving more as a backdrop than a focal point. A track like “Navigate,” which borders on sleepy but saves itself with a gently haunting vocal melody, would have felt out of place next to Baby Darling Doll Face Honey tracks like “I Know What I Am,” but work exceptionally well in the context of what the trio built for Sweet Sour. “Hometowns” is a dreamy little ballad that feels like a love song but probably isn’t, and “Wanderluster” sounds like it should: soundtracking a slow afternoon drive with no clear destination in sight. Fans of debut-era Band of Skulls should take comfort in the record’s heavier tracks, like “Lies” and “You’re Not Pretty But You Got It Goin’ On.” The former sounds like a BDDFH-outtake (one of the verses goes so far as to reference a “doll face honey”), while a backhanded compliment served up via bluesy guitar on the latter throws in enough swagger to make this a real rock record. Lead single “Sweet Sour” kicks off the record with a tapped guitar lick that somehow feels both restrained and bombastic at the same time, another exercise in contradictions that makes for a truly interesting listen. All in all, then, the record showcases a dynamism present but not fully realized on their critically acclaimed (and still excellent) debut. Sweet Sour is the work of a band who’s grown in spades since we saw them last and likely will continue to do so. The record’s last track (“Close to Nowhere”) goes out with a whisper, but it’s one that you just know, eventually, becomes a wail.

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Heartless Bastards: Arrow

Brittney McKenna — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:58:51 +0000

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Heartless Bastards Arrow (Partisan) [Rating: 3.5 stars] Okay, let’s get the obvious out of the way first: how could you not like a band with a name like Heartless Bastards? Well, maybe if you’re Tipper Gore you wouldn’t, but I give the Ohio quartet some points for their name alone. Then there’s their first three albums, which brought out the best in the sort of swagger-induced, bluesy garage rock championed by better known bands like the Black Keys and the White Stripes. My point being: I thought I liked this band. Then I heard Arrow. The fourth album (and first on their new label Partisan) from lead vocalist Erika Wennerstrom and company strips down the crunchy guitar riffs and lo-fi arrangement to a bare minimum, and to startlingly good results. Tracks like opener “Marathon” and “The Arrow Killed the Beast” give Wennerstrom’s voice room to breathe and wail and ache its way across all of the hardships that come with love and love lost. The record can feel a bit slow at times—and maybe that’s because it’s hard to take Arrow out of the context of its more raucous predecessors—but tracks like “Skin and Bone” and “Simple Feeling” keep things moving without taking away from the record’s cohesion. The hand of producer Jim Eno (of Spoon) can be felt across the record, particularly when the arrangements get more complex than we’re used to hearing from the band. So, before Arrow, I thought I liked this band; I thought I liked them a lot, even. Having seen this new side, though, a better word would be “love,” and that’s not just because it’s Valentine’s Day. These Bastards are anything but Heartless, and Arrow proves just that.

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Vetiver: The Errant Charm

Brittney McKenna — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:11:49 +0000

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Vetiver The Errant Charm [Rating: 3.5 stars] (Sub Pop) A lot of artists use a similar formula when it comes to putting out records: write an accessible, likeable debut and develop a solid fan base, then start getting experimental when you know you’ve got them hooked and have some artistic leeway. Sub Pop indie act Vetiver did it backwards. Their 2004 self-titled debut pinned Vetiver into the “freak folk” genre with artists like Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom, both of whom guested on a handful of the record’s tracks. Later releases, especially 2008’s Tight Knit, showed that songwriter/vocalist Andy Cabic and company had more up their sleeves than whimsical arrangements and trippy lyrics and solidified the band as an understated, underrated precursor to the folk/Americana movement about to take the indie scene by storm (Mumford & Sons, anyone?). Vetiver’s latest record, The Errant Charm, is certainly more folk than freak. Opener “It’s Beyond Me” contains its fair share of ambient keys and synth sounds, but is really driven by the acoustic guitar framing Cabic’s vocals, as is much of the rest of the record. “Wonder Why,” the record’s first single, shows Cabic experimenting with a bit of pop, while throwing in some of the Townes Van Zandt sensibilities Tight Knit began to utilize in earnest-- twangy guitar solo, crunchy power chords and all. “Faint Praise” and “Soft Glass” are the closest the record has to Vetiver-era throwbacks, though they still mark the sound of a band long down a new road. Lyrically, The Errant Charm shows Cabic more than ever to be a storyteller—“Hard to Break” tells a story of longing many of us know too well, while “Worse for Wear,” perhaps inspired by the same tumultuous relationship, is a gentle ode to hope within heartbreak. Working within more traditional instrumentation seems to have put Cabic in a more straightforward lyrical mindset, as well, making for the band’s most cohesive effort to date. Die-hard fans of the Vetiver of old might be disappointed by The Errant Charm’s affirmation of the band’s new direction, but the record should also serve as a nice gateway for new listeners. After all, a record as gorgeous as this one deserves to be heard by many.

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Show Review: Imogene + Willie And Billy Reid’s Supper+Song

Brittney McKenna — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 21:04:02 +0000

photo by John Brassil

Though Bonnaroo and the CMA Music Festival were in full force just down the road, leave it to Nashville’s Imogene + Willie to put together a day of music and celebration for a packed house at their 12 South store. The Nashville clothier (maker of some of the best jeans around—seriously) partnered with Alabama designer Billy Reid—winner of GQ’s Best New Designer 2010— for a special “Supper + Song” to celebrate their collaboration on a limited run t-shirt benefiting the victims of Alabama’s devastating April tornadoes. Beneath a cloudless Nashville sky, folks gathered in Imogene + Willie’s back lot for sets by Justin Townes Earle, the Apache Relay, Deer Tick and a special surprise guest. Nashville favorite Mas Tacos, one of the original food trucks, was on hand serving up tacos and other south of the border treats, and a make-shift bourbon bar attracted visitors to the back of the lot to cool their spirits with a beer or specially-made Old Fashioned or Sazerac. Earle kicked off the day’s music with his blend of folk, blues and Americana. Sporting pin-striped pants and a flat-top hat, the self-proclaimed “fashion freak” played solo versions of tracks from his last four records, including crowd favorites “Mama’s Eyes” and “Harlem River Blues.” Following Earle, Nashville’s the Apache Relay played a stripped-down set of acoustic indie folk, with cuts from their latest record American Nomad and 2009’s 1988. Led by Michael Ford Jr., Apache continued the rootsy spirit of the day with tunes like “Power Hungry Animals,” “Lost Kid,” and “Blue Eyes.” The guys remarked on what the event was really all about—community—and there’s no doubt everyone in the audience was feeling the same thing. In Photos: Imogene + Willie And Billy Reid’s Supper+Song By the time Deer Tick started their set, the lot was overflowing with people and the hot summer sun was finally beginning to set. On the heels of a set at Bonnaroo, Deer Tick played almost entirely new material from an upcoming recording, throwing in a cover or two (including the wildest version of La Bamba I’ve ever heard) and a couple tunes from older records, like 2010’s “Choir of Angels.” Lead singer John McCauley, in true Deer Tick fashion, played the majority of the set with a lit cigarette resting between strings of his guitar’s headstock. As the guys were wrapping up, guitarist Andrew Tobiassen remarked that this was one of the first places the band had played where the guys outdressed the girls, and all I have to say is, welcome to Nashville, Andy. Shortly after Deer Tick’s set, Imogene + Willie co-founder Matt Eddmenson joined Billy Reid at the mic to introduce the evening’s surprise guest, Black Keys singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach. Beneath Christmas lights and against a backdrop of candles, Auerbach played two of his solo tracks, “Goin’ Home” and “When the Night Comes” on solo acoustic to a captive audience. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day. If I’d ever forgotten what made me fall in love with the Nashville community, this day would serve as the best reminder imaginable. 200,000 country fans might be crowding the streets of downtown, but this is what Nashville’s really all about.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: It’s a Corporate World

Brittney McKenna — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:57:46 +0000

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. It’s a Corporate World ( Quite Scientific/ Warner Bros.) [Rating 3.5 stars] An unassuming NASCAR fan giving Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s new record It’s a Corporate World a spin would likely experience the same disappointment as a tourist strolling into the American Apparel unusually placed in the center of Nashville’s honky tonk district. Despite their name, the duo of Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott craft the kind of layered, dreamy pop tunes that you would certainly never hear at a NASCAR race. Echoing acts like Hot Chip, Animal Collective, Passion Pit and Beach House, It’s a Corporate World is a layered, pretty ode to love and love lost. Opening track “Morning Thought” comes in with sampled keys, drums and guitars that could easily serve as a hip-hop backing track but instead lay the groundwork for soaring, Beach Boys-esque harmonies that sound more drenched in California sun than Detroit smog. “Skeletons” sounds like an Animal Collective/Vampire Weekend b-side, while “Simple Girl” owes its vocal melody to Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles. Standout track “We Almost Lost Detroit” combines all of these elements with a bit of Detroit soul, resulting in a groove of a track that could really bring the house down at a live show. Rare is the record that consistently offers interesting, unexpected instrumentation, but even rarer is one that backs it up with well-crafted lyrics; It’s a Corporate World delivers both. The title track explores the business of everyday life and, though it risked cliché, delivers a fresh perspective on life as a commodity. “Nothing But Our Love” gets a little cutesy, but does so delicately enough that when Epstein and Zott harmonize the line “all we have/all we have/is nothing but our love/it’s easy,” I believe them. It’s a Corporate World is a refreshing full-length debut that would serve well on any summer playlist. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. may see the world as unfortunately corporate (and who could blame them having gotten their name from one of the world’s most heavily-sponsored professional sports), but it’s a beautiful one, too.

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Lady Gaga: Born This Way

Brittney McKenna — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:21:38 +0000

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Lady Gaga Born This Way (Interscope) [Rating: 3 stars] Over the weekend, a group of Americans sat rapt waiting on what they predicted would be the Second Coming. As Doomsday ticked to an end, however, Earth still spun the same and life carried on as usual, serving as climax to an event that was all but climactic. There was something going on during those final moments, though—Lady Gaga, pop music’s resident rebel, was performing on Saturday Night Live, her legs spread wide as she “gave birth” to some goldish liquid during a particularly symbolic rendition of “Born This Way.” Lady Gaga’s record of the same title is hitting stores this week. Over the last few months, the record has been hyped by Gaga and critics alike as a “second coming” of pop music, and Gaga herself has been portrayed as something of a musical messiah for those damned to the outer fringes of society by those resting comfortably in the middle. Gaga’s SNL performance affirmed this role -- in a world of Scotty McCreerys, the fact that Lady Gaga is as popular as she is brings hope to those still looking for a little innovation in what they hear on the radio. Review: Lady Gaga's Outrageous Tour Hits Nashville Unfortunately, Born This Way doesn’t quite live up to its hype. Lead single “Born This Way,” which sounds way too much like Madonna’s “Express Yourself,” resigns itself to elementary lyrics like “Don’t hide yourself in regret/Just love yourself and you’re set.” The track needs more of its refrain (“Don’t be a drag/Just be a queen”), the tongue-in-cheek wordplay of which better lends itself to the persona Gaga has developed. Gaga’s latest single, “Edge of Glory,” is anything but edgy—it’s a soaring pop number reminiscent of an Eighties movie, but turns itself into a caricature of the genre when it devolves into lyrical aphorisms and a schmaltzy sax solo from Clarence Clemons. It’s almost as though Gaga is so consumed by singing about the identities of others that she forgets her own, giving way to lyrical and musical clichés that aren’t indicative of one of the most innovative pop artists of this generation. Identity issues aside, Born This Way is still a good pop record, and a pretty damn good one at that. Piano-heavy “Yoü And I” foregoes the cheese in favor of soulful vocals and an honest love story, and as a result it’s the best track on the record. “Government Hooker” trades hooks for barbs, layering grimy synth stabs underneath Gaga’s call-and-response vocals to excellent effect. Other standouts include symbolism-heavy “Judas” and “Bloody Mary,” which showcase some of Gaga’s better songwriting. Born This Way isn’t the landmark record it could or should be. It’s a solid pop effort and a decent dance record, though one that, stylistically, barely surpasses the most recent effort of pop veteran Britney Spears, Femme Fatale. Gaga only truly justifies the antics and the outfits when she ditches the shmaltz in favor of some grime, and her messages of non-conformity and social freedom ring truer in tunes with a bit of grit, as well. Like Doomsday, Born This Way feels anticlimactic, but this is one second coming that deserves a second chance. What’s most frustrating about this record is not a lack of potential, but an obvious display of it—potential that, hopefully, is a sign of great things to come down the road.

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Times New Viking: Dancer Equired

Brittney McKenna — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:49:44 +0000

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Times New Viking Dancer Equired (Merge) [Rating: 3.5 stars] Ohio lo-fi outfit Times New Viking is known for pushing the sonic envelope. 2009's Born Again Revisited was recorded on VHS tape, and it's that fuzzy, grainy, analog sound that initially attracted lo-fi die-hards to the band's repertoire. Their latest release Dancer Equired, hitting shelves via Merge Records, takes a step back from the garage and into the studio, resulting in a collection of songs that maintains the band's stripped-down sensibilities while putting more (needed) emphasis on melody and songwriting. The songs are short but they pack a punch. "Downtown Eastern Bloc" throws some surprising pop in the mix, while "Fuck Her Tears" chugs along like fans of the band's earlier records would expect. On some tracks, like "Ever Falling in Love" and "No Room to Live," the band even dares to get a little pretty. The vocal harmonies are loose and guitars and drums plod along with careless ease, but, while each element might seem haphazard on its own, the band comes together for a musical unity their older records-- while good in their own right-- lacked. These tracks are where you really get a sense of what Times New Viking is about-- partially because you can actually discern the lyrics, but also because the record's softer moments put greater emphasis on those where the band really wants to get in your face. This wider range makes everything feel more authentic than the band's earlier efforts, and that's saying something. Ultimately, this record shows what can go really right when artists push the boundaries. Times New Viking purists fear not, though, the grit's still there and the edges are still rough; they've just dusted off the surface so you can see a bit more of the shine that's been there all along.

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Henry Wolfe: Linda Vista

Brittney McKenna — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:42:23 +0000

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Henry Wolfe Linda Vista (Undermountain Music) [Rating: 3 stars] Henry Wolfe’s latest record Linda Vista plays like the soundtrack to a cocktail party after a sunny California day. The son of actress Meryl Streep and artist Don Gummer, Los Angeles musician Wolfe comes by his old Hollywood charm naturally, though he foregoes the glitz and glamour of his parents in favor of a more timeless, classic sound. The album, recorded live rather than track by track, is classy and tasteful, with simple arrangements and understated vocals comprising its majority. Opening track “Used to Be” saunters along with the jazzy swagger of an unadorned guitar and occasional brass, with Wolfe’s tale of a love gone wrong pushing and pulling right along with the beat of the snare. Most tracks, like “Open the Door,” “The Third Act,” and “Van Nuys” stay on the softer, prettier side, which suits Wolfe’s gentle voice and delivery. The title track, an upbeat instrumental number, allows the band to show off its musical chops a little more and is placed well within the context of the rest of the album. The record could use a little more sonic variation to move it along, but overall it’s a nice collection of songs that would be just as suited for a Hollywood jazz club of decades past as it is for driving down today’s crowded highways after a long day at the office.

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Matt Duke: One Day Die

Brittney McKenna — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:18:54 +0000

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Matt Duke
One Day Die
Ryko
[Rating: 3 stars]

At first glance, Matt Duke looks really young. But looks aren’t everything, and the songs on his latest Ryko release One Day Die tell a completely different story. The record gets at what the title suggests—that we’re mortal, that one day we will die, and how all the days that come in between can be a struggle but we get through them anyway. The 25-year-old south Jersey native possesses a sense of poetic lyricism and an understanding of human nature that indicate anything but the musings of a twenty-something, and the record could ride on his words alone.

Sonically, the album is as unpredictable as Duke professes life to be and, for the most part, that spontaneity works. Opening track “M.L.T.” starts slow and builds into an angular rocker about growing up and going home and that weird time of life where everything just starts to feel different. At his best, Duke echoes singer-songwriters like Jeff Buckley (“Shangri-La,” “Lay”), and he especially benefits from the unexpected arrangements present in many of the record’s tracks (“Kangaroo Court,” “Seriously, Indulge Me”), leaving a couple songs (like “The Hour”) to suffer from coffee shop syndrome and pale in comparison to their more intricately composed counterparts. Overall, though, it’s a promising second record from a talented songwriter that begs multiple listens.

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