REVIEW: The Height of My Devo-tion | Tera Melos, Speedy Ortiz, with And the Kids

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Words and Photos by Kara Kokinos

Attending this show was the height of obstinacy on my part.

Going to see your most recent, former flame’s favorite band is not something I recommend or usually indulge in but I would be DAMNED if I missed a Halloween show with Speedy Ortiz on the bill. Again, I do not advise this as a general move but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t worth it.

And the Kids were kicking off the night at the Sinclair and although my exposure to the band has been minimal to say the performing trio blew me away would be an understatement – the openers pulled their set off like seasoned professionals. The local(ish) act might have been my favorite act of the night, bringing “Existential Glitter Popsicle Crisis” to an audience that was entirely onboard. Vocalist and guitarist Hannah Mohan’s poppy vocals capture innocence and vomit it back out – which was exceptionally appropriate given her Cindy Lou Who costume. While their member Megan Miller remains unable to tour in the US with the rest of the band, And the Kids still manage to craft a full live sound that captures all of the fun of their recorded material.

Speedy Ortiz brought their own magic as Boston’s pseudo-local punks. The band, all dressed as characters from the show Bojack Horseman, took the stage to the show’s theme song, ready to serve up a healthy dose of unapologetic shredding. Actually there was one apology – frontwoman Sadie Dupuis took a brief break to explain the state of her voice, noting that earlier that day she had been diagnosed with vocal nodules. A trained ear may have noticed the slight difference in vocal delivery – there was a bit less growl coming from Princess Caroline – but the spooky announcement just served to demonstrate the obscene amount of dedication and passion Dupuis and her cohorts have for their live show. Drummer Mike Falcone even made it through a significant portion of the set without taking off his horse head – only fully removing the plastic mask to deliver clean vocals. As usual, the band’s set was a mix of the old and new but with the same emphatic delivery that is characteristic of them.

I was only able to catch the first half of Tera Melos’ set as the band performed as Devo – they apparently did a cover of the band later in the night – but the songs I caught were more than enough to capture the intensity that this band is able to deliver. The amount of complexity the trio packs into a single song is absurd. Each band of the night took experimentation with rhythm and technical ability up a notch with Tera Melos serving as the culmination.

It made me glad I’m more Devo-ted to music than avoiding exes – because those are the regrets that will haunt you.

REVIEW: What You Do See | A Night with Julien Baker at Somerville Theatre

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Words and Photos by Kara Kokinos

I’m not crying, you’re crying. Wait – we’re both crying? Sick.

Julien Baker, Half Waif, and Petal played the Somerville Theatre last Saturday as part of Baker’s aptly named ‘Turn Out the Lights’ Tour. The balm of great storytelling was at the heart of the night. 

Petal kicked things off with a solo set; Kiley Lotz accompanied herself on guitar and had no shortage of appreciation, both for the audience and lineup. The sold out theatre was in rapt attention – the bare bones approach coupled with raw emotion was a more than appropriate introduction to the night.

Sharing multiple members of Plunkett’s project with Pinegrove has brought the addition of Robin Baytas on drums but the switch has been relatively seamless. There is no shortage in complexity of arrangement for the group, and Baytas is already proving themselves adept at the live and preprogrammed, a crucial element to the group’s sound.

The band has also added several more elements of the electronic, best demonstrated in the transition between their two closing tracks, “Tactilian” and “Cerulean.” Layers of harmony and elements of the symphonic were added to their live mixes but new additions to their set include more than just retinkering – Plunkett performed a track off of Half Waif’s upcoming release, “Lavender Burning,” a haunting ballad that deals with the pain of nostalgia and fear of the future. Plunkett’s songwriting strength is often in the complex and intricate layers she builds around often atypical chord progressions but the stripped back song felt like a breath of sweet, perfumed air.

When it was time for Baker’s set, there was a wave of tears released in the audience but there was no dwelling in pain. Although she is able to wrap the personal up in the universal, the strongest element of Baker’s storytelling may be the immediate catharsis of it. The acknowledgement of flaw, fear, and self-doubt is enough to face the reality.

Baker’s voice is highly adept – her live vocals include advanced microphone techniques, controlled tone and breaks, and absolutely no strain. Although we lose some of the harmonies that often cause shivers in recordings, the purity and heartbreak are still there. Baker alternated between acoustic guitar and piano throughout the night and brought along Camille Faulkner to accompany her on violin. The new tracks resonated deeply despite the release being so soon to the show date – the title track and the particularly heartbreaking “Claws in Your Back” were standouts of the night.

Closing the night by bringing out Plunkett and Lotz to lead the room in singing “Good News” guaranteed that this show would be etched into the mind of everyone present for good.

Hanging Out with Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile at the Orpheum

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Review by Matt Ellis
Photography by Corwin Wickersham

Have you ever gotten together with your friends and thought to yourself, Hey why don’t we all quit our jobs and start something—anything—together? After a certain age we self-select our friendships and most likely end up hanging out with like-minded individuals with similar interests and passions. The thought of turning those connections into a career are intoxicating but eventually fall to the wayside due to the vagaries of life.

Well, Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile scoff at your general laziness and inertia. The duo teamed up this year to record the lovely and perfect collaboration Lotta Sea Lice. The album is an impeccable blend of their particular strain of indie/folk rock. Barnett’s trademark lyricism mixes well with Vile’s looping, hazy style. The two are in such lockstep that it would have been a surprise if they didn’t end up working together. Throw in an all-star backing band that includes Janet Weiss (!) and you’ve got a hell of a recipe.

Barnett and Vile stopped by the Orpheum on Saturday to hang out, play some tunes, and generally just have a good time. Sparse stage decorations, the Orpheum’s lack of air conditioning, and the prodigious amounts of flannel both on stage and in the crowd made the show feel like everyone was stopping by their uber-talented friends’ garage rehearsal.

The band wasted no time and launched right into the stand-out single “Over Everything.” Barnett and Vile quickly proved their chops. It was evident to see why they chose to tour together. The song sounded as good as it does on the record with both performers easily handing off verses and guitar parts. The backing band with Katie Harkin on the keys and Stella Mozgawa on drums (Weiss had finished touring with the band by the Boston date) were tight and provided an extra edge to the sometimes languid atmosphere.

While the attraction of the night was the chance to see two charismatic musicians share the stage, Courtney Barnett stole the spotlight. Lotta Sea Lice hems more towards Vile’s musical sensibilities than Barnett, but at the Orpheum it was clearly the Courtney Barnett show featuring Kurt Vile. And that’s not so say she shoved him to the side; Vile was more than happy to concede the spotlight to Barnett. Vile had a curtain of hair in his face most of the night and intermittently engaged in some light banter. But nothing got the crowd going like Barnett shredding or the band launching into one of her songs.

Owing to the recency of Lotta Sea Lice’s release and the sheer popularity of Barnett and Vile’s solo work, the biggest pops of the night came from hits like “Depreston,” “Pretty Pimpin’,” and set-closer “Avant Gardener.” There were noticeable sing-alongs in the crowd during those songs and the energy in the room picked up. The evening was easy, relaxed, and charming. There were no egos, no fighting for attention, and all of the focus was on the music.

Not every concert has to be a life-affirming or changing experience. There’s something to be said about seeing a group of talented musicians get together and have fun. Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile clearly like each other and enjoy working together. Their show at the Orpheum proved that sometimes it’s ok to chase your dreams and work with your friends.

REVIEW: Grizzly Bear w/ serpentwithfeet at House of Blues (11/1)

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Words by Ashley Puk
Photos by Tiffany Law

On November 1, Grizzly Bear played their first Boston show in four years at House of Blues to promote their latest LP, Painted Ruins. This was the first time the Brooklyn-based band has played Boston since 2012, when they took up residence at the Orpheum Theater to promote their 2012 release Shields, and diehard Boston fans were eager to hear what they might bring.

Opening the show was relative newcomer serpentwithfeet, a one-man act who held his own presenting an unconventional though riveting performance. Improvising between and during his songs and with a penchant for talk-singing, he was able to lighten the mood with laughter and then surprise guests with his powerful voice, most notably during his final song “four ethers.”

The unconventional opener heightened the anticipation for the headlining act, whose fifth studio album was released to highly favorable reviews, praised for maintaining their trademark bittersweet sound but evolving as all good bands tend to. The album is characterized by its expansive, at times somber, sonic quality. Boston’s House of Blues tends to be a raucous venue for live music, but the cavernous auditorium was fitting for the dulcet tones of co-vocalists Daniel Rossen and Ed Droste to overwhelm the space.

The stage was modestly decorated with a translucent textured fabric, draped on both sides and hung to reflect the stage lights. As one fan in the crowd described it: “Dirty laundry?” though they might have been going for something more high-brow than that. The veils created a feeling of otherworldliness, as if to be peered through but still impenetrable. Admittedly not as exciting as some stage designs, it was effective in its simplicity.

The ability of the two veteran vocalists to harmonize and weave their voices was most apparent during Ruins track ‘Neighbors.’ In fact, the entire band has a knack for harmonizing and doing it well, as heard in their performance of ‘Sleeping Ute.’ A New Yorker article from several years ago compared the quartet to a boy’s choir– and the comparison isn’t far off. Grizzly Bear’s ability to combine that sort of chamber pop and carefully-composed art rock has become their signature style and regularly copied by newcomers to the scene.

Droste’s vocals were the most memorable part of the show, expressing all the anguish and longing Grizzly Bear’s lyrics often betray. Even during upbeat songs like ‘Two Weeks,’ the way Droste sings, “Would you always/Maybe sometimes/Make it easy?/Take your time,” makes you feel like crying with relief.

The skills of Chris Taylor, bassist, saxophonist, flutist, etc. and Chris Bear, drummer and percussionist, should not be understated. Bear’s ability to end a song in perfectly executed discordance was on display at the end of ‘Yet Again’ and ‘Fine For Now,’ with immersive drumming you could feel in your bones. Taylor was the multi-instrumentalist of the night, flawlessly switching between playing the saxophone, keyboard, and clarinet in addition to his usual bass guitar.

The highlight of the night was in their final encore song “Sun In Your Eyes,” a bombastic six-minute force that slowly crescendos upward to reach its peak and crash right down, trumpets and all, creating a catharsis the entire crowd was able to ride out together. At their fifth album, the band clearly has mastered their art and it is a massive joy to experience. It’s safe to say the diehards slept soundly that night.

WATCH: DUMP HIM LIVE SESSION

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by Matthew Hamer

Northampton/Boston based queercore band DUMP HIM came by back in September and ripped a session with us. They played a new song called “Unimportant” as well as two songs from their 2016 tape Venus in Gemini: “What’s Yr Deal with Kim” and “Route One, Saugus.” The band is currently in the process of writing and recording for an upcoming record and we’re excited to hear it.

Catch them at these upcoming gigs:
+11/5 @ Lesley University w/ Worriers, Thin Lips, Katie Ellen
+11/11 @ Dyke Palace (a house in Boston) w/ Prior Panic, Space Camp & readings by Julissa Emile, Madeline Lessing
+11/13 @ Sues (Rollinsford, NH) w/ Vacation, Notches, Second Becky
+12/2 @ a house in Amherst w/ Noel’le Longhaul, Luke Halloween, and Snowhaus
+12/9 @ Flywheel w/ Freezing Cold, Nanny

DUMP HIM also would like to take this opportunity to promote this GREAT gig:
+11/12 Bully + Aye Nako @ Great Scott

Watch our session with DUMP HIM below:

INTERVIEW/PREVIEW: Worriers on Their Way to Cambridge (11/5)

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by Jackie Swisshelm
 
 
 
If you slept on the new Worriers album, Survival Pop, listen right here, right now (or like, open the link and save the tab for later so you can keep reading this whilst at work/in class).

This carefully-crafted, solid punk album features lyrics as in tune with the state of our country as the state of lead vocalist and songwriter Lauren Denitzio’s experiences. Out in September via SideOneDummy Records, the 12-song LP fiercely addresses themes like fading friends, phantom limbs, and being too hard on yourself. Songs like “Self Esteemed” evoke that feeling of hearing and resonating with punk music for the first time; Not surprising, since punk legend Laura Jane Grace produced their 2015 album. All written through a queer lyricist’s lens, Survival Pop is totally cathartic, almost like a rallying cry for anyone who’s had bad shit happen to them. 

But you know what’s even more cathartic? Seeing songs like these live— as in, at their all ages show this Sunday at Lesley University.
 
Until then, Denitzio took time out of their tour schedule to answer a couple questions ahead of their stop in Cambridge. Read our interview and more info about their upcoming show below!
 
Allston Pudding: Looks like y’all just finished up playing FEST in Gainesville, is that right? Do you have any highlights from the weekend? Or thoughts on FEST in general?

Lauren Denitzio: This was my 12th Fest and it was just nice to play such fun shows in Gainesville again. We played a Fleetwood Mac cover set and I was not at all expecting so many people to be SO into Fleetwood Mac but it turns out the punks love it! Finally getting to see toyGuitar was great and I was also really psyched to see Rainer Maria and Superchunk.

AP: How have fans been reacting to your new album, Survival Pop, so far?

LD: It has been really well received with folks who are familiar with us and I think people can see the progression and thematic significance of this one, which I really appreciate.

AP: How has playing the new album outside of the studio felt for you and the band?

LD: We love it! We haven’t wanted to play all the new songs until it was out so it’s just nice to be able to play them together again. It’s fun to find the way we’re supposed to play them live and play things at gig speed!

AP: A lot of artists are moving to both Brooklyn and Philly. As someone who’s lived in both cities, what do you think about the art scenes in those places? Do you have any feelings or thoughts on the ways that these cities are changing?

LD: Well both cities are being gentrified pretty rapidly (though Philadelphia less so) and I think that’s really sad. It’s what made us move to Philadelphia because there was absolutely no chance to have a financially healthy future in Brooklyn. I think you see creative communities really being watered down by different levels of housing crises and it’s pretty heartbreaking. And that’s not even considering the impact on longer term lower income communities in those cities. As much as I miss the “art scene” in New York, and the overwhelming amount of events and opportunities there, Philadelphia has let me be more intentional about my creative process and make connections with my peers that I never had time to do in New York. I think there’s so much going on on the East Coast in general that it all cross pollinates in a way. 

AP: You mentioned before that you have more time on your hands now that you’re in Philly, so I’m curious— are you working on any new musical or otherwise artistic projects? If so, how were you inspired to start these projects?

LD: I’ve just been doing more drawing and painting when we’re not on tour and this winter I really want to start doing more home recording and demo-ing things for fun. I had a small exhibition of my artwork this past summer that was mostly work based on female, Queer and gender non-conforming friends and I’m looking forward to doing more with that next year.

AP: Can you name some Boston and/or Philly bands you’re really excited about right now?

LD: Dump Him, Loone and Fucko are some of my Boston area favs. In Philly, I’m most excited about Big Nothing, Soul Glo, Thin Lips (who we’re on tour with!) and Swanning. 

Worriers, Thin Lips, Katie Ellen, Dump Him
Sunday, November 5

Lesley University Alumni Hall
FREE for Lesley Students | $8 for non-students
Doors 7:30pm  | All Ages | Facebook event

Get to know ANSON RAP$, the newest face on the Boston hip hop scene

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By Cara DiFabio
All photos by Ovstills. 

ANSON RAP$ might be a new name in the local music scene, but that’s not stopping him from diving in head first.

Born and raised in Boston, ANSON RAP$ — whose real name is Anson Frazier — is looking to blur the lines between visual art and music. From designing his own posters to incorporating his photography into his marketing, it’s clear that Anson is an artist in all respects — and happens to be wildly talented. 

His latest project is a curated music experience at Sonia in Cambridge this Sunday, November 5. With names like Oompa and Billy Dean Thomas on the bill, this show is one of the season’s highlights.

We caught up with Anson via email to chat about how ANSON RAP$ came to be, his latest song MVMNT, his creative process, and, of course, the show. Check out what he had to say below.

Allston Pudding: How did you first get into music? Has it always been a passion of yours?

ANSON RAP$: My passion for music started at 10. I wrote a song with my mother and my older brother for his music class homework, which led to me and my brother constantly making songs in our room all through high school. I used to skip my 7th period study to go sneak into his music class to record and we both continue to write almost daily.  
 
AP: How has your love for visual art and music intersected? Have they impacted each other at all?
 
A: At first they were separate entities. I would never be in an art space and tell people I rapped and vice versa, maybe out of fear of being judged as a show-off or an overachiever. But as my art and music matured, I began to incorporate my love for art as a tool of visual artist development and my newfound love for photography in the way I market myself as well as designing mostly all of my graphics for show posters and promotion materials. I am pushing to be a staple for what art and music look like when they marry each other. If you really think about it, hip-hop doesn’t exist without the two coexisting.  
 
AP: You’ve talked about dropping out of art school at Framingham State. Did leaving school enable you to pursue music in a greater capacity than before? 
 
A: Art school was an amazing experience, imagine four teachers educating the entire art curriculum. They knew us and we built tight bonds. But after leaving, that blanket of security school gives you vanished. The “real world” teaches you lessons very fast. I was actually drawing about eight hours a day after I left school. I would ride trains for hours trying to quickly sketch a passenger before they got off at their stop, that was the hardest drawing class I ever took. 
 
I kept in contact with my 2D & Advanced Drawing teacher Tim McDonald, and he pushed me to merge my mediums of photography, illustration, and music, which was the beginning stages of the rebranding of ANSON RAP$. 
 
 
AP: Tell me a bit about your song MVMNT. What was it inspired by and how did it come together?
 
A: MVMNT is basically a PSA to myself saying: stop trying to impress everyone else and impress yourself first. Either they’re gonna rock with it or they’re not, simple as that. This was the biggest shift in my self awareness as an artist. I spent a long time writing songs wondering whether or not someone would like it or not. 
 
The song was produced by Marco Marcel of MEGAZOYD, a longtime friend of mine and a producer of a lot of my work. I heard him playing this song at a session & I began mumbling the chrous, which led to me grabbing my rhyme book and scribbling stream of consciousness until I ran out of a beat. 
 
AP: Talk about your approach to songwriting in general. What is that like?
 
A: I only write in composition notebooks! It’s been a tradition since I was 10 years old. Something about the length of the page and the feeling of filling one up inspires me to write more. Generally when I really like a beat, words immediately come to me. Other times words come with no beat, they may come from an enviornment, maybe a trip to the arboretum. Something about isolation in nature helps me form stronger concepts. There’s a book I study called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, which talks about this thing called your “daily pages” where you freewrite whatever you feel for three pages every morning and keep it private. It helps you get the filler ideas out of your heart so when it’s time to produce art you are sharp and concrete. That exercise navigates my ability to react in real time during times of inspiration.  
 
AP: How did the show at Sonia come together? Did you help choose the lineup, and if so, why did you choose those artists? 
 
A: SURPRISE! A Music Experience is a dream come true. Amanda Schaefer (my manager) and I wanted to do something with full curation abilities. We picked the artist, built the production team, designed the flyers, and developed our marketing strategy for the show. We are both fans of every artist on the bill and they all have new music coming out around the same time, so we figured it would be the perfect SURPRISE mashup. 
 
AP: What do you ultimately hope people take away when they listen to your music? Are there messages you’re hoping to share?  
 
A: I hope they feel the energy. I am a pretty reserved person that puts all of his feelings and passion into the art. The message I want to cut through with my music is: EXPRESSION should not be a luxury, it’s a necessity. Do it in every form you can possibly think of, you need it just as much as you need water for survival in this boxed out world.  
 
AP: What sort of plans do you have for your music? Anything we can look forward to? 
 
A: So many SURPRISES! Expect new visuals and new musical collaborations with artist like Dutch ReBelle, Treva Holmes, Cyrus Brxxks, Oompa, NuMero, MEGAZOYD, and more! 
 
Check on ANSON RAP$ on SoundCloud, and don’t miss his headlining show at Sonia on Sunday, November 5. 

INTERVIEW: Yukon Blonde Discuss New Music, Productivity And Extra Space

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Yukon Blonde

Photo by Vanessa Heins

 By Harry Gustafson

Yukon Blonde are a synth-heavy indie rock band from British Columbia. Over this past summer, they released two songs, “Crazy” and “Emotional Blackmail,” part of a slew of new music they’ve been working on as they gear up to release a follow-up to their 2015 album On Blonde. We sat spoke with Jeffrey Innes, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, about their tour and upcoming projects. 

Allston Pudding: Jeffrey, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. How’s your tour with The Rural Alberta Advantage been so far? 

Jeffrey Innes: It’s been awesome so far. We just got started and only played a couple of shows on the eastern coast of Canada, which were very, very nice. We played the nation’s capital last night, and it was a bit of a sleeper, but it was still okay. Rural Alberta are really nice people.

AP: Have you known them long?

Jeffrey: No, which is actually a bit different for us in terms of touring. We’ve typically gone with bands that we’ve sort of met here and there. Two years ago, we did actually go through the States with a band called Lieutenant, which is Nate Mendel’s side project. He plays in the Foo Fighters and they had people from Fleet Foxes in the band. We went out with those guys, and we had never met any of them before. Some of them were our heroes. 

AP: You’ve had a single called “Crazy” out now. Is that leading up to a new full length?

Jeffrey: Well, yes. Those songs aren’t going to be on the record. We had been spending so much time recording this record. It’s done now, thankfully. It’s being mixed currently by Tony Hoffer, who did Air and Beck and our last record. He’s fucking wicked. Oh, sorry for swearing. He’s so good. We sent him On Blonde, and I talked with him for a little while.

Air was one of my favorite bands growing up, and he told me a bunch of stories about recording that record [10 000 Hz Legend, 2001]. Then we got into the brass tax of what we were doing, and I felt like, “Jesus dude, I sent you garbage.” We’re talking about this record that I hold in such high regard, and then he’s like, “Well I’ll do your guys’ stuff.” Anyways, he turned around and made our record sound so good, that we were like, we have to work with him again.

But the whole process took so long that. We recorded so much music. Once we finally got what we wanted to do with the record, we basically mixed some songs that we felt like weren’t going to be on the record. Instead of putting them out as post-content, we were like, “Let’s see if we can shoot for some pre-content, some singles that won’t be on the record. 

AP: Those are kind of bygone days. There used to be a lot of bands who would release singles that never ended up on an album but are now considered some of their best singles.

Jeffrey: Yeah, New Order! Every record. 

AP: So what are some of the things you discussed with the producer regarding what you want to do with the new album? What’s been new in the band’s life since the last album that might be informing the new music?

Jeffrey: We did a European leg of the On Blonde tour, and I met a girl in Spain. Classic story. So I ended up spending most of the year in Spain because I was with her. I ended up having a freakout. I live in Vancouver- well, I don’t anymore, because I’d be in Madrid so much. When I’d come home, I didn’t really want to be in Vancouver. So I moved to Galiano Island. The majority of the record is written there and in Madrid. It’s weird, because it’s sort of a relationship record. I met this girl, and the song “Crazy” is sort of about that.

But writing and recording the songs took so long that at one point it sounded like a really lovey record. But then we broke up. So there’s the whole thing, the beginning- it’s almost like a concept record [laughs]. It’s like, I’m here, it’s wonderful, checking out new things. Then we start to struggle, then we break up, then that’s it. That’s the end of the record. It’s kind of funny. I don’t think anyone intended for it to be a record about that. But it’s kind of about the journey about making the record with this person in your life, and then not.

AP: Well, sorry about that, but it sounds like it left you in a productive space to make the record. Was that breakup part of the reason you wanted to get out of Vancouver?

Jeffrey: No, that sort of happened at the same time I met this girl. We were just touring a lot and I was spending a lot of time in Europe. I’d go into Vancouver and I didn’t have a place. I had no place to write, I had no place to think. The rent in Vancouver is insane. It’s so much money. It’s happening to all these places that are, I guess, sort of tech hubs.

AP: Yep, calling from Boston, and we’re going through that, too. 

Jeffrey: Yeah. It’s insane. The rent in the metropolitan area, for any artist or songwriter or anybody who kinda wants to do something but you don’t have a conglomerate billionaire paying you to work and live there, it’s almost impossible to survive. It’s almost impossible to do your own thing and survive. I was getting really disheartened with trying to make music in a bedroom that I was renting from a friend of mine. It just started to piss me off. I’d go on tour and come home excited, super inspired to write music. But I’d be in this bedroom on a computer. I was like, “I hate this. I can’t even play my guitar through an amp.”

So I found this really cheap place, right on the beach, and it’s been amazing. I can have all my gear setup. I have a drum kit setup in my bedroom. I’ve been recording with that lately. It’s been really nice. I feel like a positive effect of that is we ended up recording a lot of the record ourselves just because I have the space to do it now. I think that moving forward, we’re going to record a lot, if not all, of our stuff. Just having the space to be able to create is suck a life-changer. It’s amazing.

I feel like having physical space just to work on paper, just to have a room all to yourself, and you can think out loud. You can talk to yourself. You can be totally weird! There’s no fear of somebody hearing you in the apartment next door. Your environment is so crucial. So that’s a big part of the sound, just what comes from all that. I feel like the record and “Crazy,” just being whatever they are – I mean, I think they’re a little indulgent, they’re a little over-the-top – I think the space has dramatically changed the manner of our recording. Ironically, it’s been way more synthetic, and I don’t know how that happened [laughs]. 

AP: Do synthesizers help you explore this new extra space?

Jeffrey: I’ve always been into synths. They were my first instrument. I met the [band], and they played in rock ‘n’ roll bands. But I wanted to be in a band so bad. The first few years that we played in the band, there was a metamorphosis. I learned so much about rock ‘n’ roll. It kinda blew my mind. I felt like I really “got it” for the first time, and that’s cool. But I feel like there’s something in you that you’ll always return to your 16 year-old self musically.

I did a solo record that was essentially an electronic record. I think it proved, in a way, that I wouldn’t ruin our band with synths [laughs]. And now everybody’s completely embraced it. Our drummer’s gone down this wormhole of drum programming and putting triggers on his live kit so he can sort of sit back live. It’s funny: I’m writing some new music right now, and it’s just all guitars. I feel like once I get some stuff together, they’ll be like, “What the fuck man?!”  

AP: It’s good to stay fresh!

Jeffrey: Yeah, keep everyone on their toes.

AP: So you’re the principal songwriter?

Jeffrey: Yes, however on the upcoming record, there are four songs out of nine that I didn’t write, that are two written and sung by our bass player James, and two  written and sung by our guitar player Brandon. Those are all co-collaborated, co-produced. Everybody got in on the action. It’s the best thing. We sort of have this ethos where the best song always wins. So to have four of my songs kicked of the track listing because there are just better songs is the best thing ever. We’ve been playing two of the songs live, and I don’t have to sing, and it’s so nice to just chill back and play, just kind of groove. I’ve never gotten to do that. It’s cool. But everybody in the band’s got home recordings. Everybody’s got projects and we’re all sort of doing different stuff. 

AP: You’re playing in Boston on November 2nd. How have you’re past experiences been? 

Jeffrey: Past experiences have been good. We’ve played- there’s one pub, I think it’s in Allston…

AP: O’Brien’s? Great Scott?

Jeffrey: Yeah! We’ve played both of those places. We played for about three people at O’Brien’s. I feel like those guys had just come to a casino or something, and were excited to be spending their winnings. I really like it [in Boston]! I do feel that it’s really polarized in a socio-economic way. It reminds me of Vancouver in that way. But every time we’ve been there, everyone’s been real and cool. Everyone’s been hospitable. I’m kind of bummed, though, that they changed the name of the Boston Garden to the – what is it? – the TD Garden? TD is a Canadian bank, too. That’s very weird. 

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Check out Yukon Blonde at the Sinclair on November 2nd with The Rural Alberta Advantage, and be sure to listen to their new single “Crazy” and it’s B-side “Emotional Blackmail.” on Spotify!

Yukon Blonde, Crazy

REVIEW: King Krule at Paradise Rock Club 10/26

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King Krule

Words by Harry Gustafson; Photos by Tiffany Law

Even those who have been following King Krule (aka Archy Marshall) since his self-released 2010 EP U.F.O.W.A.V.E. (released under the moniker Zoo Kid) are still amazed by the idiosyncrasies of his music. It’s not just the songwriting itself but also his voice. Marshall, a slight, wiry red-haired Brit, sings with a deep baritone that ranges from melancholic moan to gravelly roar. Looking at him, it’s hard to imagine that voice coming out of this lanky 23 year-old.

Yet, it does, and his crooning is instantly recognizable to his modest but loyal following of fans, who came out to last Thursday’s sold-out show at the Paradise with energy and enthusiasm. Fresh off releasing The Ooz, his second full length album, King Krule found support for his jazzy-punk grooves with some help from the opening act, Brooklyn’s experimental punks Show Me The Body. If you’re looking for a connection between the two acts, both have collaborated with New York’s Ratking in the past. 

King Krule’s lyrics — especially fan favorite “Easy Easy” and just about every track off The Ooz — sound like Billy Bragg wandering the streets of London at dawn after a night out at the clubs. His characters are desperately yearning and seeking some impossible-to-find salvation (“And now you spend your evenings /Searching for another life,” Marshall belts out on “Easy Easy.”) 

While his albums often explore ambient spaces, his live performances bring a Pixies-like variety in the way he and his backing band can flip an energetic switch to up the track’s intensity. Though the songs often eschew the standard verse-chorus-verse format, there is still an anthemic quality to the songwriting; and the crowd did their homework, singing along to just about every line. While The Ooz is still fresh, the songs from 2013’s 6 Feet Beneath The Moon got resounding responses, especially opener “Has This Hit?,” “A Lizard State” and “Easy Easy.”

At the end of the night, King Krule came out for a quick one song encore. He came out by himself at first and began to play the low-key “Out Getting Ribs.” As the rest of the band joined him onstage, they sent the crowd off with as uplifting a line as they are capable of: “Don’t you worry about a thing.” And no one did. 

King Krule

La Femme w/ Jacques at Brighton Music Hall (10/26)

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by Nick Stalford 

Last week, psychedelic punk rockers La Femme and Jacques Auberger brought a taste of France to Boston when they played Brighton Music Hall. When the doors opened, fans hurriedly pushed their way into the venue and out of the rain, finding opening act Jacques already at work on stage. With his head shaved straight down the middle like a medieval monk, Jacques made an immediate impression on the crowd as he stood grinning between two massive boards loaded with various musical equipment. And rather than simply warming up, he continued straight into his set, playing non-stop for the next hour and a half.

Though there were few clear demarcations between Jacques’ songs, his oddball assortment of musical (and non-musical) instruments and tools served a similar purpose of transitioning between beats. Beginning with synthesizers and bass, Jacques continued to loop and overlay new sounds such as his voice and a tambourine. But these sounds grew wackier throughout the night, ranging from a ringing dinner bell to a snipping pair of scissors to a squawking rubber chicken. And while on paper Jacques may sound gimmicky, in both appearance and sound, his performance was anything but. So although these oddball details helped to draw the crowd’s interest, they also enhanced his music, and creating a fun, wacky, and unique show.

In addition to himself, Jacques was joined on stage by various members of La Femme. Seemingly oblivious to the show, members of La Femme hopped on and off stage throughout Jacques’ set, treating it like a friendly jam session. As guitars and microphones were passed around, Jacques continued to adapt his music in an incredibly improvisational, even involving the crowd by passing down a tambourine. One of many standout moments from this collaborative set was when La Femme vocalist and keyboard player Marlon Magnée walked off stage with his guitar and stood amidst the crowd as he continued to play. Later in the night, vocalist Clémence Quélennec made a similarly inspired move, playing her guitar from the steps of the stage.

When it approached time for Jacques to leave the stage, he was given a five-minute warning by an employee (visibly giving concerned glances at the mess of instruments to break down), which Jacques promptly ignored. Well past the warning, Jacques showed no sign of slowing down, as the employee desperately attempted to gain his attention. When he finally did, Jacques just smiled and asked for more time, continuing to play for another several minutes, much to the delight of the crowd. At 9:35pm, Jacques finally acquiesced, speaking to the crowd for the first and only time of his set, saying, “okay, see you guys!” as he began lugging away his gear.

With Jacques gone, roadies hungrily attacked the tangled rat-king of a mess of wires, cords, and various instruments. As the floor began to clear, members of La Femme delicately checked their instruments, and then joined the fringe of the crowd, sipping Coronas and cocktails, and bobbing their heads to French music as they waited to go on. By 10:00 pm, La Femme was finally ready to play, starting the set with trippy track, “Sphynx.” And while their songs were more defined than Jacques’ had been, La Femme sustained his raw energy with a similarly spontaneous performance, with the six musicians extending and improvising upon many of their songs. In addition to encompassing Jacques’ free-spirited vibe, La Femme also had a certain mystique, perfectly suited to the cold and dreary Fall night. Many of their songs, such as “Septembre,” “Paris 2012,” and “Sur La Planche” encompass eerie sounds, lyrics, and themes, transforming the venue into a lively haunted house.

Throughout the show, Magnée and Quélennec fluidly switched lead vocals, both using what free space they could to work the crowd, pushing the crowded stage to its limit as they teetered over the edge. The other members were equally flexible in their playing, as bassist Sam Lefèvre occasionally took charge of the mic, and keyboard player Sacha Got joined drummer Noé Delmas on a snare. But after Jacques peeked his head out from the balcony, goofily swinging his arms along to the music, the crowd roared for him to join the band. Back on stage, Jacques immediately stole the show, hopping on guitar and dancing maniacally as he jammed along, stripping down to his slacks after an eccentric strip dance.

After finishing the final track of their set, “Wake Up,” the band took a brief rest before jumping back on for a two-song encore. Following, “Vagues,” La Femme ended the night with a wild and thrilling performance of “Antitaxi.” Both the stage and floor became pure chaos, as the band turned up their amplifiers and went all out. Quélennec lay flat on her keyboard as she continued to sing, Magnée stalked along the edge of the crowd, and the rest of the band (plus Jacques) rocked madly around the stage. At the end of their nearly two-hour set, both La Femme and listeners collapsed in exhaustion as the final “Antitaxi” reverberated through amplifiers, and the band said headed to the door for a well-earned smoke.