It seems like a while since we got a new record from singer/songwriter Andrew Bird. Though the record still has a few months to go until it’s release, “The Noble Beast” will be released on January 27th. Bird is a very unique musician and one great multiinstrumentalist. I can’t even imagine what he will come up for the new record, which hasn’t even been leaked yet. A video of one of his new tracks titled “Oh No” has been floating around on the internet. The first two minutes include him playing ukelele, violin, guitar and whistling before he launches in with his heavenly voice. If the rest of the album sounds like “Oh No” we are really in for a treat. Even Bird was quoted in the New York Times recently stating that even he liked the new record a little too much. Apparently he can’t stop listening to it. Oh no indeed. It must be brilliant.
Hollerado is perhaps my favorite new musical discovery of the year. When I heard that they were opening for The Stills at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, I was very intrigued to see what they had to offer live. The Montreal quartet will be a name to look out for in the next few months. Quite frankily, they gave The Stills a run for their money onstage that night.
I had the opportunity of sitting down with the band after the show for an interview. The band is made up of singer/guitarist Menno Versteeg, guitarist Nick Boyd, bassist Dean, and drummer Jake Boyd. These are the nicest and most entertaining guys you’ll ever meet.
As I turned on the tape recorder to start the interview, Menno looks at it and says “Thats the part where we get unfunny!” At this point the whole band stares at it and agrees, but its only the beginning of the amusement.
How did the band come together?
Menno: We lived on the same street. We grew up in the same neighborhood. These guys (Nick and Jake) are my next door neighbors and they’re brothers. Then we met Dean.
Jake: Where is Dean?!
Menno: Who knows! at this point Dean returns
Who are you influences?
Menno: Very wide ranging. I like the classic American bands. Tom Petty’s my favorite, Billy Bragg, Bruce Springsteen.
Nick: I like British people like The Beatles and David Bowie.
Menno: Did you say The Clash?!
Nick: Oh yea The Clash for sure.
Jake: As far as drums go for me, Nirvana, Dave Grohl, the obvious ones. Some say Ringo or John Bonaham, so I pick Dave Grohl as my favorite.
How does the new record differ from the ‘Demos in a Bag’ idea?
Menno: Well we just hear the new record yesterday so that makes me not qualified to answer it (laughs)
Dean: Its a lot slower, its more diverse…
Jake: Its more one headspace!
Nick: Yea, “Demos in a Bag” we were recording it at different sessions that were months apart from each other.
Dean: We were in different times and all and doing different things, different friends getting drunk at different times. This time we all got drunk together!
Jake: And tea, we drank the same tea. I think it was Lipston, it was totally only Lipton. I guess the other one (“Demos“) was all different types of tea and the new album is like Lipton Tea…
Nick: And there’s coffee a lot on the last one too
Jake: Yea we weren’t drinking any coffee
Nick:I had. I couldn’t get to sleep at 4 in the morning and I had to drink 6 straight beers. There was no way I was getting to sleep. I prayed to God I could get to sleep.
Jake: Coffee is a crutch man, I’m off that.
Menno: So we were praying a lot during the record…This record in conclusion is more tea and more praying.
Jake: But nondominational praying, its not a specific God we were praying to.
How did you come up with the “Demos in a Bag” idea?
Nick: Its cheap! We found out when we went to try and make it, that packaging costs more than what you put into it. We had a bunch of plastic bags hanging around…
Was it a specific brand like Ziplock? Did you try anything else?
Menno: We tried a demo in a vase but it was a pain in the ass. We also had a demo in a box.
How did you get Dave Foley (From Kids in the Hall) to star in your video for “Americanarama”?
Menno: We asked him nicely!
Jake: Yea, its just a really good way to get what you want in life. Just ask them nicely.
How did you get to be on tour with The Stills?
Jake: I think we actually asked them nicely too! (laughs)
Menno: We also have the same manager so that made it easier.
Jake: We also asked our manager nicely (laughs)
What is your least favorite part about touring?
Dean: Waiting around like the last 4 minutes before you go on stage and you have to ‘poo’. Usually we deal and talk about how badly we have to go.
Jake: You need to be full of shit when you’re onstage!
What is your favorite part about being on tour?
Dean: The 4 minutes after you get off stage!
Jake: Hanging out with the other bands man.
Where did the name Hollerado come from?
Jake: I think we asked it nicely! (laughs)
Menno: Sam’s cousin! Sam’s cousin came up with it. That kid right there (points to a guy in a blue sweatshirt)
Which album do you wish you had written?
Menno: Bruce Springsteen “Born in the USA”
Jake: I don’t know, probably a photo album with pictures of parties and people looking like they are doing fun stuff.
Nick: Thats a different kind of album.
When is the new album out?
Menno: Uh we have no clue. If it comes out we’ll be stoked (Laughs)
Nick: Around November or December we think. Late this year.
Do you have a name for the new album yet?
Dean: We have nothing yet.
Jake: Melissa, do you have any ideas?
Yea I got nothing!
Menno: I like “More Awkward Than Heavy”
Band nods in agreement
Nick: Thats cool, yea. I like that lot.
Jake: How about just “Awkward”? We’re pretty awkward guys (laughs)
What do your parents think of your music the first time that you played it for them?
Nick: You mean Hollerado?
Dean: They like Hollerado.
Menno: They like it because its so much better than all the other shit I ever made, like throughout my life. We take it seriously and they’re really happy for us.
Okay, last question…What game can you totally kick anyones ass at?
Dean: MONOPOLY JR! (with such excitement it was hillarious)
Jake: Really you said Monopoly?!
Dean: Yea!
Jake: Oh then, real Monopoly.
Nick: I don’t know. I’m not a great board game player….Oh! Risk!
Jake: When we were kids Nick would want to play Risk and I’d be like ‘Dude, we have to play Monopoly so I can beat you!’
Just in time for the interview to end, The Stills were hitting the stage. Hollerado was excited about seeing them play tonight. Maybe its because in a year they’ll probably be headlining the Bowery Ballroom themselves. Trust me, they will.
When Of Montreal takes a band on tour you expect them to be good. Upon hearing the news that the Swedish rock outfit Love is All is opening for the band at the beginning of the tour, including their NYC date, I got pretty excited. You probably don’t know this about me, though why would you, but I absolutely adore Swedish indie bands. There is just a super energy that they have. Its almost like they are trying to kill you with excitement.
Love is All may remind you a bit of The Sounds at first, but they mangage to pull off a real retro sound to their recordings that is almost like a warm vinyl sound. You can also dance your ass off to them. Love is All will be releasing “A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night” on November 11th.Be sure to also make it out early if they are opening for Of Montreal in your town. Its going to be one hell of a show. Of Montreal and Love is all blend perfectly together.
The Decemberists seem to be taking a little page out of the Bishop Allen book lately (almost). Though The Decemberists will be releasing an album sometime in 2009, first they are releasing “Always The Bridemaid: The Singles Series”which will come out in three volumes starting in October. They will be released digitally and on vinyl, but oddly there is no word about cd format. It keeps it more interesting this way, and plus the vinyl release is colored.
The First Volume titled “Valerie Plame” comes out October 14th, with Volume Two coming out on November 4th called “Days of Elaine”.Volume Three out on December 2nd is titled “Record Year”. Keep in mind that these will be only 2-3 songs. I guess this will hold us all over until The Decemberists go back in the studio to make another full length, but it is pretty safe to say that the singles series is going to be spectacular.
The Decemberists are going on tour later this fall so be sure to check out the tourdates on their Myspace www.myspace.com/thedecemberists
And here is one of my favorite things, The Decemberists performing ‘O Valencia’ on Letterman a couple of years ago. (I would put up the new song but Capitol Records is real strict and I don’t feel like getting sued this week) Enjoy!
Chairlift has just announced that their release party will be taking place tomorrow night, September 30th, in New York City. Of course this is for their upcoming release “Does You Inspire You” out tomorrow on Kanine Records.
The fun takes place at The Tribeca Grand, 2 Avenue of the Americas, New York City. It starts at 9pm and ends at midnight. The band will be playing live. This is beyond awesome. I’m telling you, this record is going to be indie rock huge. Go see it if you can!
The Bird and the Bee were my musical obsession all last winter. Their debut album sent chills down my spine, and it made the perfect record for a winter’s day. The duo are due to release their second record titled “Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future”on Blue Note which will be out around January 2009.
Yes this seems like a wait, but I’m expecting nothing more than genius from this new record. From the tracks that have been leaked you can tell they are taking their sound up a notch but still remain to be the same band we love. The Bird and the Bee are also on a short tour which will be expanded of course when the new record comes out.
Album Tracklisting
Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future:
01 Fanfare
02 My Love
03 Diamond Dave
04 What’s in the Middle
05 Ray Gun
06 Love Letter to Japan
07 Meteor
08 Baby
09 Phil
10 Polite Dance Song
11 You’re a Cad
12 Witch
13 Birthday
14 Lifespan of a Fly
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