The Evens

After my recent post on Soccer Team, I decided to keep it in the Dischord family and post briefly on the new album by The Evens. As most know by now, The Evens are Amy Farina (formerly of The Warmers) and Ian Mackaye (formerly of Minor Threat, Embrace, hopefully not formerly of Fugazi). The band continues to take on the socio-politically charged themes of both of their previous work, but in a largely stripped down format.

With their album The Evens Get Even, Ian's work on the baritone guitar - an admittedly difficult instrument to play - has progressed from their solid self-title debut. Amy continues her deft drumwork, but provides a greater vocal presence on this album. Her lovely alto, almost PJ Harvey-esque in character.

Check out No Money (mp3) from The Evens Get Even - a definite pick for my top 50 songs of 2006.

Soccer Team

The following statement should not be interpreted as a criticism: The Dischord family is incestuous. In the last several weeks, the longtime purveyors of DC punk/indie/harDCore/experimental music has released records by The Evens (featuring members of Fugazi and The Warmers), French Toast (featuring members of the Nation of Ulysses, Make Up, and Fidelity Jones) and Soccer Team. The latter of which features Ryan Nelson of Beauty Pill and the Most Secret Method and Melissa Quinley who has spent the last several years working in the Dischord office. The result is a beautiful marriage of sounds and styles entitled "Volunteered" Civility and Professionalism.

Soccer Team Solid Ring Fighters (mp3)

Burn to Shine 3 - Portland

The collaboration between filmmaker Christoph Green and producer/drummer Brendan Canty continues with part 3 of their series Burn to Shine. This time out they traveled to Portand, OR for a day of music curated by Chris Funk of The Decemberists. The format remains constant - each band has one hour to set-up, soundcheck and play in a house that set for destruction.

As was the case with the previous volumes shot in DC and Chicago the line-up features some big names (Sleater-Kinney, the Shins, the Decemberists) with lesser-known yet no less capable bands (The Thermals, The Gossip).

After a short intro by Brendan Canty explaining the concept of the series and providing a sense of history of the house about to be destroyed, The Thermals launch into a flawless version of "Welcome to the Planet" - further evidence that this band is on the verge of taking over the planet. Other highlights of the first half of the disc include Quasi (contributing further to my hard to explain crush on Janet Weiss), The Planet The (who may just be the west coast answer to Q and Not U), and an understated performance of "Modern Girl" by the recently disbanded Sleater-Kinney.

The second half of the disc is notable for the first appearance of a hip-hop group, The Lifesavas, in the series. The Shins provide a rawer (read: better) version of Chutes Too Narrow's "Saint Simon". Full disclosure - I don't totally get The Decemberists - I'm sorry but Colin Meloy's voice gets on my last nerve. That said, "The Mariner's Revenge Song" from 2005's Picaresque is well, not bad and definitely worth a view. The disc wraps up at dusk with The Gossip and a seductive version "Listen Up!" - one of the great highlights of the disc.

You can purchase the dvd here.

See my previous post on Volume 2 which was shot in Chicago and featured Wilco, Tortoise and The Ponys.

The Gossip "Listen Up!" (mp3)
The Thermals "A Pillar of Salt" (mp3)
Sleater-Kinney "Jumpers" (mp3)

Death Cab/Ted Leo show

In honor of Election day, today's post focuses on two politically informed groups - Death Cab for Cutie and Ted Leo/Pharmacists. I had the opportunity to see the two play together last Friday at the lovely, if not a little staid setting of the Providence Performing Arts Center. The 3000 seat theater provided for an amazing visual and listening experience, but the true experience was augmented by the almost debilitatingly funny clash of generations. The crowd was largely dominated by high schoolers and their older college-aged counterparts replete with their camera phones that were in perpetual use shooting high quality images of the bands.
Juxtaposed with the youngsters was the crack squad of blue-haired ushers (average age: 74) decked out in their white cable-knit cardigans. Can someone give these poor seniors some ear plugs?

Ted Leo/Pharmacists played an energetic 35 minute set focusing mostly on The Tyranny of Distance ("Biomusicology", "Dial Up", "Timorous Me", "My Vien Ilin") and Shake the Sheets ("Walking to Do", "Me and Mia"). With the exception of "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone", Hearts of Oak was largely ignored. They did break out one new song "Armybound" which Ted had posted on his website several months ago. The show featured the usual comic ramblings between songs and his fashion choice of a quasi Air Force flightsuit was to be commended (I think). While the set had few holes, it became obvious that this is a band that thrives in a club setting.

Death Cab, on the other hand, used the vastness of space to their great advantage. The band that employs so many layers of texture aurally augmented their sound with a bordering-on-Pink Floyd lightshow. Now I cannot say that I am that knowledgable about the band. I saw them once before, pre-The OC, in 2004 with Pretty Girls Make Graves (once again, I had gone to see the opening band only to stay and be impressed by the headliner). In the two years since that show, Death Cab have really fine-tuned their show for a larger audience. Judging by all the adolescents singing along, the setlist featured many "hits"; while the band worked hard at challenging the crowd with multiple attempts at Sonic Youth meets Sun Ra Arkestra noise collage freakouts (which frankly, totally worked). I left once again impressed.

Ted Leo/Pharmacists
Biomusicology (mp3)
Bleeding Powers (mp3)
Walking Through (mp3)

Death Cab for Cutie
Title and Registration (mp3)
Wait (mp3)
A Move Script Ending (mp3)
Song for Kelly Huckaby (mp3)
For What Reason (mp3)
Champagne From a Paper Cup (mp3)