album review: dylan champagne - love songs of the apocalypse, vol. 1

Dylan Champagne claims to wear many musical hats and he’s not kidding. He released an acoustic album in 2008, charting on the CMJ top 200; he sings and plays guitar for a new-wave punk band called The Dysfunctions; he’s a a part of a secret society of composers who meet monthly; and he fronted the now defunct math-core band One Step Shift. And his newest endeavor Love Songs of the Apocalypse, Volume 1explores punk, prog, and 70′s pop roots with acoustic leanings. Champagne describes it as “Springsteenesque acoustic prog-punk” or perhaps “acoustic lyric-driven rock with strange time signatures, a strong pop sensibility and nostalgic themes. Read more...

album review: the airborne toxic event - all at once

Los Angeles, California indie rock band The Airborne Toxic Event traded lesser known label for a major for their sophomore release. They hired Dave Sardy (Band of Horses, Oasis) to handle production and it turned out to be a solid decision. The album All At Once has an epic, orchestral feel and doesn’t disappoint. This album is ambitious and it’s a wonder the band isn’t more well known. Read more...

album review: the wealthy west - EP 1

"Austin, Texas based singer-songwriter Brandon Kinder has made quite a name for himself. Not only is he the front man for the indie folk rock band The Rocketboys, but he’s ventured out into the solo world as well, under the moniker The Wealthy West. He used SXSW to his advantage to debut some new tunes of his own and though I wasn’t even in attendance, I can tell you they were well-received. Read more...

album review: the antlers - burst apart

The Antlers are a dreamy and mellow indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York fronted by Peter Silberman. Originally, the band was only a solo project of Silberman's, but after releasing an album under his own name he recruited two other members to constitute the group that they are today. The band recorded two EPs, Cold War and New York Hospitals, and eventually took Silberman's collection of songs and turned into the narrative that is Hospice, which they released independently. Sales soared though, the band joined French Kiss Records, and remastered and re-released the album to make up for selling out of their personal stock. For a band that probably had no intentions of "making it big," they definitely hit the jackpot, scoring a spot on Lollapalooza's 2010 lineup as well as numerous "Best of 2010" album lists. Read more...

kansas city: an horse and manchester orchestra

i made the drive to kansas city on a monday. if that isn't dedication to music, i don't know what is. the tour played st. louis the following night, but logistic-wise, and workload-wise, kansas city made better sense. plus i finally got to meet some of the popwreckoning people that i work with and had yet to meet in person. success!

i unfortunately missed the first opener (a nap was of more importance, okay? don't judge me.) but i made it in time to see australian duet an horse hailing from australia. i've heard there name tossed around before but had never given them much of a chance. they played a good set, but when it comes down to personal opinion, they're not my cup of tea. solid band though, give em a listen and make your own assessments.

up next was my one and only. there's been a lot of hype surrounding manchester orchestra's new album simple math. i had the great opportunity to get a copy early and review it and IT. IS. AMAZING. and did i mention i get to interview the band as well? yeah, i'm pretty freakin excited. but anyways. the show. i'll preface by saying that one: this was the first night of tour and two: andy was really fucking drunk. so while the show probably wasn't one of their best from a musical standpoint, it was hilarious and a lot of fun. i had originally decided not to worry about keeping track of the setlist but then changed my mind halfway through since there was so much stage banter in between songs. so while this list isn't exactly  in the right order, it's pretty accurate. we're all pretty sure that andy mentioned popwreckoning as an kansas city blog that loved them , too. pretty sweet.

pride
i can barely breathe
colly strings
april fool
wolves at night
everything to nothing
my friend marcus
the only one
shake it out
i've got friends
where have you been

and then there was some random song that i think was improvised
it is well with my soul*
built upon the rock*

*yeah, two church hymns. you read that right. and it was fucking awesome when the whole crowd started singing along

all in all, it was a really fun show and i'm glad i went. it was wonderful to finally meet some of the people i've been working with in person finally, and andy's on-stage banter was wildly entertaining.

album review: fleet foxes - helplessness blues

"Indie folk band Fleet Foxes originated in Seattle, Washington in 2006 and I'm disappointed I jumped on the bandwagon so late. My love began once upon a time when it was still cool to buy Target's "Artists On The Verge" CDs. I'll be honest. I judge albums by their covers and thank goodness Fleet Foxes' self-titled had a cool one. (Didn't hurt that it was on sale either.) I picked that sucker up without even knowing who or what I was getting myself into. Upon hearing everyone's favorite song of 2008, "White Winter Hymnal," I was entranced. With goosebump-inducing harmonies and covers all over YouTube, it's a hard one to miss. Read more... 

album review: pet lions - houses

"I'm feelin' some 80's vibes and I'm likin' it. Unpopular opinion? Maybe. But Chicago's indie pop-rock band Pet Lions work it to their advantage. This quartet already has the  Soft Right EP backing them up and debut full-length album Houses is a solid follow-up. Production by Neil Strauch (Iron and Wine, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's) really showcases the band's talent and adds a warm, fuzzy atmosphere to the album. It's not clean pop music and that's precisely why I like it. It's noisy, yet soft and laid back, perfect for a day at the beach or a late night summer barbecue. Read more...

album review: company of thieves - running from a gamble

"Company of Thieves are one of the best acts to come out of Chicago in the past couple of years and after their initial release of Ordinary Riches, I was hooked. "Indie rock band" is a popular tag these days, but add "female vocalist" and you've got something new and exciting. And Genevieve Schatz certainly does not disappoint. She may look like a fragile, pretty thing with her bouncy curls and always creative outfits, but once she belts out a couple notes I guarantee your jaw will be on the floor. She means business. Read more...

columbia: clayton jones and owen pye

this was a fun little show for a thursday night. the fact that it was at sideshow and five minutes from my apartment made it even better. i meet owen pye last summer, who's from my hometown st. louis, at the sci fi lounge when he played a show with sarah saturday on her eiy tour. (this show was on sarah's birthday, too! fancy that.) it's just him and his guitar, and a tambourine under his foot which he stomps on. if only i could play two instruments at one time and sing and still keep a beat...

sideshow was pretty empty when i got there around ten. in fact, it stayed kind of empty for the majority of the time i was there. but in a college town's terms, ten is really freakin early. especially for a bar/venue/club kind of place. but i still had a good time, love me some live music.

clayton jones of the madison letter opened and was truly amazing. i'm a sucker for anything acoustic, and even though a full band would sound even better, there's just something about a guy and his guitar. he played some of his owns songs as well as some covers, including hit the road jack and some goo goo dolls.

owen played next and had a small but interactive crowd. we chatted for a bit before and after the show. he'd been on tour for a while and had a bunch of dates to follow, with new york and california in the picture. it's amazing how people can still find ways to tour with the way gas prices are right now; definitely takes some true passion and dedication.

check out owen's music here: www.owenpye.com