We’re going to be M.I.A. for the next few days during CMJ.
(Hopefully) we’ll have show reviews and photos coming in a good amount of the week. Otherwise hold tight and they’ll be up next week. We will be running around the festival day and night, so if you see us say hi. We have postcards, buttons and all kinds of fun stuff.
We will also be live tweeting at www.twitter.com/modernmystery
Also check out our CMJ After Party on Sunday!
Second time around,building fires, they’ve sailed back. An Icelandic, indie-folk band, Seabear are pioneering their music over the Pacific coast of the United States. Modern Mystery got to catch up with the band during their quick stop in New York City and discuss the new material and their current ongoing tour.
What is the history behind the band’s name, who came up with it?
Sindri:It was something that I wrote in my sketchbook when I was living in London. It was some sort of stupid slang that these British art school kids used.
How long did you live there for?
Sindri:Only about a year, I was planning to go to an art school in England, but I ended up going home to Iceland and finishing school back there, London is very expensive.
How has your music-making process changed since the beginning when Seabear first got together? Is it still the same?
Sindri:A lot of it was done piece by piece, I would record bits by myself, then we would all work on it. Other parts for drums we would record in a bigger professional studio, and then used mixed techniques to combine it all together. We didn’t really record it all at once, people would just come in and we would work on it. The newer material is more of everybody’s work.
What is different about your new material from the EP While The Fire Dieswhen compared to your album Ghost That Carried Us Away?
Sindri:It’s more of a band sound, some of the songs on the EP we actually played live before we put the record out. What tends to happen when you play the songs live, you play faster and louder, which for me is more fun, so a lot of the songs were influenced by the energy of the shows. We had some old songs that we took and worked on, re-recorded on it too.
How long did it take you to produce it? Are you satisfied with it?
Sindri:Well, the writing part didn’t take a long time, it was the recording that ended up being a bit long. We went back and re-adjusted some songs.For the next album we hope it moves a bit faster. I haven’t listened to it since we released it, because by the time we were done working on it, I was tired of hearing it. But in my mind, I’m happier with the EP, than with the first album.
This is your second time touring in the United States, what are your goals/preconceptions for this trip?
Sindri:Well, we’re doing more of a west coast this time. We also did SXSW.
How was it?
Sindri:It was great, very fun, we all really liked Austin. We were there for almost a week, then we went up to Washington D.C. We’re flying to Denver after this show in New York and then driving up the west coast and playing shows.
Is there a noticeable difference between the fans from Iceland vs. U.S.?
Halldór : We don’t have fans in Iceland!
Sindri: Our parents are our fans! (laughs) No, in Iceland during a lot of the shows, we get support from our friends and family, and to be honest I’m always more nervous when we play back home.
What is your favorite venue to perform at?
Sindri: There is a place in Berlin called People’s House, that was probably one of the best ones we played at, but it’s hard to say.
Describe your typical day while touring.
Seabear: Wake up pretty early, eat something, drive for many many hours, be late, unload stuff, soundcheck, eat, play, load back in, sleep, repeat.
Sounds, very monotone.
Guðbjörg: It is, but the highest point of course that keeps us going is playing the concert.
What albums have you been jamming to lately?
Sindri: A lot of The Fall and we all really enjoy listening to Beach House. Last time we were traveling in America we would always put on Bruce Springsteen. We always have a few songs we like to listen to when we’re having fun, we also like Wu Tang Clan.
What are the next places that Seabear want to tour/launch their music?
Guðbjörg: ASIA!
Sindri: We want to go to Japan, China, Thailand, you know, North Korea, haha! But we also would really like to go to Australia.
-Viktorsha Uliyanova
White Denim proves that the best things in life actually are free.
The band is giving away a brand-new CD for $0.00. You can get the album The Last Day Of Summer for absolutely no charge right here.
The band says in a letter to fans that they are still hard at work on an untitled LP that they are finishing right now.
Furthermore, White Denim will be on the road this fall/winter with Portugal The Man. So if you really really like their free album, you can show your support by going to see them at…
Oct 18 2010 – the loft – dallas, tx.
Oct 19 2010 – opolis – norman, ok.
Oct 20 2010 – the bottleneck – lawrence, ks.*
Oct 21 2010 – the waiting room – omaha, ne.*
Oct 22 2010 – fox theatre and cafe – boulder, co.*
Oct 23 2010 – fox theatre and cafe – boulder, co.*
Oct 26 2010 – launchpad – albuquerque, nm
Oct 27 2010 – club congress – tuscon, az.
Oct 28 2010 – clubhouse music venue – tempe, az.*
Oct 29 2010 – house of blues – san diego, ca.*
Oct 30 2010 – el rey theatre – los angeles, ca.*
Oct 31 2010 – mercury lounge – goleta, ca.
Nov 1 2010 – the – independent – san francisco, ca.
Nov 2 2010 – spaceland – los angeles, ca.
*with Portugal the Ma
The Brooklyn Based band of brothers return with the release of their new EP Low Back Chain Shift, and a substantial US tour to follow it. The quartet just ended a massive tour with Matt and Kim and are getting right back on the road with some more big names such as The Futureheads and the Mantles.
The EP was released last week and is same punk rock influenced, high energy sound that the band is known for. But most importantly they are bringing that same high energy sound back to New York where it all began with a five borough tour in celebration of the release. Check out the tour dates below and definitely give the EP a listen.
Five Borough Tour
October 21, Martini Red, Staten Island
October 22, Pianos – Force Field PR Showcase, Manhattan
October 23, Shea Stadium, Brooklyn
October 24, BBQ Manitee at Silent Barn, Queens
October 25, Paul Shaffers House, The Bronx
The Rest
October 12, Austin, TX – Emo’s w/ the Futureheads
October 14, New Orleans, LA – The Circle Bar w/ Carnivores
October16, Atlanta, GA – The Earl w/ The Coathangers, Woven Bones, Carnivores
October 20, Philadelphia, PA – Danger Danger Gallery w/ Carnivores
Last year, duo Charles Rowell and Brandon Welchez caught the attention of many with the dark and druggy post-punk Summer of Hate and its less than subtle influences of The Jesus And Mary Chain. And while Crocodiles lean heavily upon these influences, almost mimicking them, their sophomore album, Sleep Forever, shows that their music is starting to form its own identity, becoming good enough to stand on its own.
With James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco producing this album, the layered instruments are bolder, complimenting the more developed, sharper song-writing of the San Diego band. The opener “Mirrors,” begins with slow and subtle beats, unfurling into an 80s-esque upbeat blend of psychadelic synths and echoing vocals. “Stoned To Death” follows by immediately jumping into a swampy, drum-heavy repitition of distorted riffs and distant vocals, later accompanied by an organ. “Hollow Hollow Eyes” is one of the better and funkier tracks, where the band’s heavier use of the organ helps to swing the song into a mesmerizing swirl of sound. Crocodiles explore their range of sound with the slower, romantic “Girl in Black” and the more poppy “Hearts of Love.” With the explosive sing-along chorus, accompanied by a tinkling glockenspiel, “Hearts of Love” might be the catchiest track on the album.
Sleep Forever is an improved extension of the smeary, gritty sound of 2009’s Summer of Hate. It’s eight tracks of louder, fuller and more concrete jangle noise pop. I would commend Crocodiles for their progress. Still, the album retains a similarity to the last–it’s enjoyable but certainly not revolutionary.
Modern Mystery 
You must be logged in to post a comment.