Of Montreal Updated
The Apparitions
So I have this scar that runs diagonally acroos the tip of my left index finger. I slammed the finger in the car door of my parent’s orange, ’73 Ford Pinto. I had locked the door so I couldn’t just open it again. I screamed at my mother to open the door for me, but it took awhile for her to figure out what was going on. Imagine that scene in A Christmas Story where Flick gets his tongue frozen to the flag pole; instead of his tongue it’s my finger; instead of the pole it’s the Pinto. This not so pleasant memory came rushing back when I heard “Electricity + Drums.” In the song they reference the Boy Scout Oath. See, that day I slammed my finger was a day my mother had been haranguing me all day about wearing my Scout uniform to school (because Scouts was immediately after school). I tried explaining to her that doing so guaranteed certain banishment from any group of friends who were halfway cool. She let me dress in civilian clothes that day, but she let me have it when inevitably we were late for Scouts. Things got really tense between us when we arrived at Scouts only to remember that it had been cancelled. We should’ve laughed it off, but I got on her for harrassing me for nothing! At home I tried to punctuate my comments with a good slam of the door. That’s what I get by not following the Scout Law, which encourages you to be, among other things, kind, obedient, and cheerful. Well these good fellows in The Apparations are brimming with cheer on “Electricity + Drums.” Sounds like southern-fried Pixies, or super-cheerful (early) R.E.M. And on “God Monkey Robot” you get their Kentucky version of de-evolution, or, depending on your point of view, evolution. Both tracks are from their forthcoming album, As This is Futuristic.
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Ahhhh, the sounds of Sunday. Brothers and Sisters, put your hands together for the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir! In reality, there’s no choir, the gospel they preach is the saving grace of rock ‘n’ roll (“Yet you’re saved by the graves/Of old men whose names play on the jukebox”), none of the members are incarcerated, and they’re based in Chicago (although one of the principal members, Elia, was born in Wales). A couple years back the band found themselves supporting bands like Arcade Fire, Spoon, Olivia Tremor Control and seemed to be well on their way to indie rock success. Then in October of last year, co-founder Matthew Kerstein left the band to pursue his own project. Elia continues recording under Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, and should have a new album out next year. Not that I advocate taking sides, but Matthew wrote the first song offered here, Elia the second. Both songs will suck you into this unfolding drama.
Podcast #15: Reader’s Picks Included
Madman Moon
A good friend of mine used to regularly harp on me using the line, “Sean, you don’t know anything about music before 1979.” He was referring to the year XTC released their album Drums & Wires, the first album I ever bought with my hard-earned, paper-route cash. In a way he’s right. I didn’t have older siblings whose album collections I could pilfer from. I started with XTC and moved forward, not looking back much. Admittedly, my ability to reference back to classic ’60s and ’70s rock is lacking. Had I ever gone back and done a bit of homework I’d be able to better situate Madman Moon in that spectrum, because they fit in there somewhere. Shades of Bowie, ELO, and even The Doors come through, but there’s another connection or two in there that I just can’t nail down. Anyone else care to take a stab at it?
Cub Country
Cub Country is Jeremy Chatelain who’s done time with bands like Jets to Brazil, Handsome, and (taking it way back) the SLC hardcore band Lumberjack — a band I interviewed on my first radio show, a little punk rock thing called “Unrest on the Seventh Day.” All-around quality this kid Jeremy. Cub Country began while Jeremy was living in Brooklyn as an outlet for his own songs that had no home. Ironic that a move out east initiated his western sound. It’s 2006 (a new year for all of us, have a happy and safe one!) and Cub Country is now situated in Seattle and should have a new album tracked and ready to go soon. Email Jeremy and tell him you like what you hear and can’t wait for more. Oh yeah, and tell him I said hello.
The Colour
Groovalicious, danceable rock straight outta the OC. Following in the footsteps of The Killers, The Colour released an EP in the UK through the Lizard King label, and are heading to Nashville early in the new year to start work on their album. I expect you’ll be hearing and seeing plenty from these lads in ’06. You’d have to be colourblind (ouch!) not to notice.
Sean’s 2005 Year-End List
Matt Costa
I’ve been dying to post Matt Costa. And he recently put up one of my favorite songs from his album, “Cold December,” a song that sounds as great in July as it does in, well, December. So just in time for the holidays… Now in the past couple years I’ve watched Matt go from playing my radio show, local clubs in and around L.A., and a small showcase at SXSW to huge ampitheater shows opening for Jack Johnson. No matter the size of the crowd Matt makes fans because A) he can play, B) he’s cuter than 90% of the men in this world which — surprise! — helps with the ladies, and C) he’s got the songs. Mark my words, you’ll be seeing and hearing plenty from Mr. Costa in the zero six. So start now and get used to it.