On a chilly and windy Sunday night, Worcester, MA’s The Hotelier brought their tour into Philadelphia for the final night of their two and a half week trek. Along for the ride with them were tour mates Oso Oso and Alex Napping. Despite their most recent album being over one and a half years old, the basement of the First Unitarian Church was packed with fans eager to shout the lyrics of their favorite songs.

Openers for the night, Oso Oso and Alex Napping, gave proof that there is still new talent in a scene that has become increasingly crowded. Alex Napping put out Mise En Place, their most recent, on one of the top scouts of the indie music scene, Father/Daughter Records back in May. Through their handful of songs, the group demonstrated their knack for clever writing that teeters back and forth between catchy indie rock and an artful side of punk.

Oso Oso were no strangers for a good chunk of people in the crowd Sunday night. On record Oso Oso is Jade Lilitri, playing everything except drums, and Aaron Masih, who plays drums. On stage, things were filled out two additional members on guitar and bass. At the very beginning of 2017, Lilitri put out the yunahon mixtape, a fantastic record that will be one of the best under-the-radar albums of the year. Much of it was on display as Lilitri and company flowed from the likes of “reindeer games”, “the cool” and “the walk”.

It was a night that was almost left without its headliner. But thanks to some mechanic who The Hotelier later dedicated their performance to (and whose name I can’t remember), they made it just in time. Walking in just as the last opener is setting up isn’t an ideal way to end a tour, but such was the hand that was dealt. Thankfully, the situation did not dampen any spirits that night.

The set featured a mix of their 2014 breakout album Home, Like No Place Is There and the more recent Goodness, with a slight edge going towards the latter. The Hotelier started with the first two songs from Home, “An Introduction to the Album” and “The Scope of All of This Rebuilding”. This one-two punch is one of the best kickoffs to any record. It also happens to make for one of the best starts to a concert.

While Goodness shows the group maturing as songwriters, it’s still the sing-along anthems of “Your Deep Rest”, “In Framing” and the others that really got the crowd moving. This isn’t to say that the newer songs went unnoticed. Tracks like “Two Deliverances” and “Soft Animal” that shines on the album translated well when played live. The two instrumental interludes were even worked into the set.

Before ending with “End of Reel”, lead singer and bassist Christian Holden half-jokingly asked the crowd where exactly bands go during their break before the encore (this was in the basement of a church after all). After wrapping up their last song, the four huddled to the side of the stage for their “break” before coming out for one last crowd pleaser. Just as The Hotelier started with the first two tracks off Home, they ended with the last one – “Dendron”.

After the last notes of “Dendron” rang out and The Hotelier said their goodbyes, the crowd shuffled and prepared for the cold that was to follow shortly. People lingered and made their way to the front of the stage to get their selfies and chitchats in with the band members packing their instruments and gear up. Once again The Hotelier proved why they’re viewed as one of the tops in the music community that they call home.

It’s been two years since Philadelphia favorite Good Old War has been on the road. Their hometown gave them a huge welcome back Sunday night with a sold out show at First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia.

If anyone has been to the Church before, you know how small, intimate, hot and sweaty these shows are. This one was no exception. The show was all ages, so the crowd ranged from teens to older folk; but, people had one thing in common: appreciation for good music.

The opener Philadelphia singer-songwriter Pete Hill played a delightful thirty minute, six-song set. Hill’s musical style blends a mix of Americana, acoustic, and singer-songwriter genres into one catchy sound that is all his own. Hill performed many tracks off his December 2014 release, The Bullet Tree. The country/Americana twang of the second song  “It’s a Shame” had people bopping their heads to the beat; ‘it’s a shame you can’t get over it’, Hill sang.

The third song was a Bob Dylan cover song he threw in that everyone seemed to love. Hill then went back to originals with a track titled “Soaking” that started out very melodically, but then speeds up into a ska-like tempo. On “Soaking”, Hill had Good Old War’s drummer Tim Arnold join him. Hill then closed the set with the track “Fool’s Gold.”

The quirky, musical duo of Josh Arnoudse and Raky Sastri, known as You Won’t, housed the middle set, and boy were they out of this world. I have honestly seen a ton of bands and have never seen any other band comparable to You Won’t. Good Old War had talked up the band and how awesome they were and they were correct.

Their sound blends a mix of indie rock, punk, Americana, and country influences with Sastri playing harmonica, tambourine, and multiple other instruments, in addition to playing the drums and singing at the same time. At one point in the set, Arnoudse used an instrument made out of tubing that created this amazing acoustic sound. It allowed him to change up his voice in different ways; very unorthodox instrument and unique. Another time he used wind chimes.

Good Old War. A Philadelphia fan favorite. They haven’t toured in two years and their first hometown headlining show is sold out. In reference to my previous story on Good Old War, the band developed a pledge campaign to support their upcoming album, Broken Into Better Shape. One of the levels that fans could purchase was announcing the band at a show of their choice. A lucky pledger named Jackie introduced Good Old War to the excited sold out crowd Sunday night.

It was so good to see Keith, Dan, and Tim back together again on stage as a trio after the time off the road and Tim’s departure from the band. They opened their hour and a half set with fan favorite “Coney Island” off their debut album, Only Way To Be Alone, and the crowd was singing along throughout the song . The energy level was at ten throughout “Coney Island” and continued through the second song of the set, “Better Weather”, off the band’s third record, Come Back As Rain. “Looking For Shelter” is was favorite as it always is along with “Coney Island”.

For as many times that I have seen the guys perform live, they sounded especially tight for this show, in sync with each other, and feeding off the crowd’s energy. “Weak Man” was definitely one of highlights of the guys’ set as it is always one of the fan favorites — I’ve never heard a crowd sing so loud before.

The guys’ played most of their set from their first three records with the exception of two new songs from the forthcoming Broken Into Better Shape, including the first single, “Tell Me What You Want From Me” which was performed closer to the end of the set. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited in anticipation for a Good Old War record as I have for this one just from hearing the first single. It’s so fresh and creative, yet still classic Good Old War.

Overall, I think this is probably one of the top three Good Old War shows that I have attended.

A guitar, a drum set, and a few keys.  That’s a church.  An eyes closed, veins exposed farewell.  That’s religion.  On Wednesday night, at First Unitarian, the Rural Alberta Advantage held an hour and a half communion with a true believing audience.

Along for the service were fellow countrymen July Talk, who made some formidable muck and mire by mixing gravel with spring rain.  The gravel is a Tom Waits medium named Peter Dreimanis.  The rain, a pristine and gleeful bubblegum subversion named Leah Fay.  These two get a whole lot of mileage out of the same type of friction Fucked Up used to fuel David Comes to Life, only they run it through an even more historically problematic genre than hardcore punk: indie-Blues.  This gives all their well-choreographed lyrical arguments a sense of direction and a gun.  So much so that you worry for each of their stage persona’s safety.

Wednesday’s crowd didn’t feel ready to receive the show July Talk was putting on.  We were operating at two different frequencies.  Fay seemed to realize this, too, introducing the headlining band by reminding us, “It’s okay if you cry.”  She wasn’t joking, exactly, but I could tell that she wished we’d be buying bandages at the end of the night instead of tissues.

After July Talk filed off, the RAA set up their church: the guitar, the drums, the keys, and opened up a few hymns.  The first of which, Departing standout “Stamp”, played like a barreling synopsis for the uninitiated.  “Well all young lovers/You’ll find another/I will save you/But I don’t need you.”  Nils Edenloff, the band’s lead singer, has mastered the succinct burst of lyrical catharsis.  He only needs one or two lines to knock you on your ass. Edenloff is also something of a prism poet, which means he invokes trigger words like “love” and “afraid” so that you might begin to see your own memories in his.

Elsewhere, the band pulled up the tempo during the verses in “Our Love…”, which made its stomping chorus take aim at my gut.  There was also a re-energized take of “Don’t Haunt This Place” that successfully ditched the subduing meds of the studio version.  Then there was Paul Banwatt, who consistently fills up the drummer stat sheet on every RAA record, but was a revelation live.  He doesn’t just fill; he scoops and carries and scores.  Watching the work he put in on “On the Rocks” Wednesday reminded me of Travis Barker, only Banwatt was handling something that could break.  His touch is what separates him.  He’s usually going at 10-20x the speed of his bandmates, but his pulse is right in time with theirs.  He’s a hurricane with a sense of style.

The set ended in the center of the crowd, with Nils, Paul, and Amy joining the congregation to close out the night playing the song they should probably end every night with.  It’s called “Goodnight”, and it flickers in and out of sharp focus like the wick of a burning candle.  Nils brought his guitar along.  Paul, his kick drum. Amy, her voice and a tambourine.  Even with spare parts, lit by the flashes of a few eager cell phones, we still had a church.

“It’s actually not that different from Canada in a way that there’s so much space.”  Nils Edenloff, the lead singer and songwriter for indie-folk northerners The Rural Alberta Advantage, is talking to me about driving through Texas during the US leg of his band’s tour, but he might as well be giving a summary of their booming new LP, Mended with Gold, which was released on September 30th in the US.  “It doesn’t seem super different, but there are a lot of places we haven’t seen before.”

Pull quote conflation aside, the Lone Star State does offer a compelling analog to the sprawling, regularly frozen prairies Edenloff and his two collaborators, Amy Cole and Paul Banwatt, emerged from on their first two albums.  Both places have a vast uncertainty to them, an identity that relies on the rarely seen and conceptually untenable.  You can’t talk about the prairies in Alberta without getting lost, just like you can’t talk about the endless highways in Texas without worrying about gas.  At a certain point, all that space becomes the story.

This is what seemed to happen on The Rural Alberta Advantage’s second album, Departing, where the band’s project of mapping the heartland’s every expanse became too deliberate, inevitably slowing things down to a crawl.  It was as if their sense of perspective (which, it should be said, remains a crucial part of the band’s appeal, with their name serving as both a pair of coordinates and a slogan) had suddenly begun to swallow their instincts.  You could tell they were going for something more intimate than their first record, but all the extra effort came across as clingy and made listening to the album more or less the equivalent of watching someone follow their own farewell parade back into town.

Three years later, though, chatter around the band’s third LP was comfortably aligning itself along a new and somewhat unfortunate narrative.  Edenloff had spent some time alone in a rented cabin on the Bruce Peninsula leading up to the bulk of the writing and recording of Mended with Gold, and that’s all everyone previewing the album was talking about.  This was going to be the band’s “cabin record”, a designation which had become popular thanks to the success of a few records that had been forged among the inherent loneliness of rustic wooden shelter.  These “cabin records”, like Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago and Waxahatchee’s American Weekend, are meticulous retreats into their creator’s carefully manifested and well drawn neuroses.  They work because the feelings they want to communicate are small enough to fit indoors.  The cabin is both their mind and their heart.  It’s also, crucially, their recording studio.

This smallness doesn’t suit the Rural Alberta Advantage, they’re a collaborative group as well as a wonderfully loud one, and it worried me that moving their noise into the now proverbial cabin would cut down too much of its bulk, that the new record would draw more from Jackson Browne’s acoustic work than, say, the Jeff Mangum recklessness that drove the stronger portions of their first two albums.  

For anyone who’s heard Mended with Gold (and if you haven’t yet, you should), you already know how unfounded these concerns were.  Not only is the new album the band’s biggest and most consistently rewarding to date, it also sticks some dynamite in the cabin and invites everyone listening to light a match.  Turns out the whole cabin story was a personal anecdote that involuntarily became the band’s reputation.  When I talked with Edenloff last week, he told me that the trip was more of a breather than anything else, a chance to “get some time away and just kind of focus on getting some writing done and unplug from the city”.

Photos courtesy of RAA and Big Hassle Publicity

It’s probably more helpful, or, if not helpful, then more accurate, to talk about the whole cabin mythos in terms of hibernation, because it implies an emergence.  And this story definitely has one of those, with Edenloff coming back to his band fresh, packing memories, and itching to build something massive.  “Making the record bigger was something we’d set out for ourselves,” he tells me.  “We definitely wanted to, you know, have something that sounded larger, more expansive.”  What they ended up making is an album that refuses to retreat into it’s own head, that spills all of its big emotions early and often and doesn’t see any reason to clean them up.  At one point, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone influenced “On the Rocks”, the band even starts to use them as paint.  

This all works because the canvas these guys built in the studio is big and gutsy enough to sustain their audacity.  Most records this knowingly heavy would tip over a few minutes in.  This one glides.  Part of that dexterity comes from the band’s decision to bring in Matt Lederman to co-produce the album.  “He’s been our house sound guy for the last couple years,” Edenloff said of the hire, “and he knows our stuff better than we do.  So we figured the best thing would be to have someone who makes our live shows sound amazing help us to sort of bring that bigness to the recording process.”  

The other part has to do with how Edenloff chose to write for this LP.  It’s a very “we” and “our”-heavy record, which also ends up making it the bands most inclusive.  As a lyricist, he has always attempted to find commonality through the specifics of his own emotional stakes, letting people recognize themselves in what they can then spend the rest of the time feeling for him.  On Mended with Gold, he somehow, sublimely, manages to do both of these things simultaneously.  

The best example of this comes during “Vulcan, AB”, another Casiotone homage, when he punctuates a powerfully conflicted chorus with two lines of knockout imagery: “You and me and the Enterprise” his slightly effected, almost robotic voice warbles, “stuck in Vulcan telling lies.”  He’s of course referencing the titular town of Vulcan, AB and the Enterprise statue that stands at its center, a place about as narrow as any he’s written about before, but the repeated Star Trek allusions he hammers home do something smart: they dilate the song’s perspective and open things up even more.  We’re still in Vulcan, but zoomed out enough that you can barely tell.  This is Edenloff putting himself up against all of the universe, even if it’s a fictionalized and knowable one.  Or, what seems like another way of saying that, it’s Edenloff putting himself up against all of loneliness.  This is the anti-“cabin record”.

Mended with Gold was released about a month ago, so its reach is still very much growing.  “It’s a pretty emotional record,” Edenloff tells me about where the LP stands in his mind now, “and I think the more that we’ve been playing it, and the more people we’ve been meeting, it’s clear that it’s touching people in ways that we hoped and even in ways that we hadn’t intended.”  

The cathartic touch of the Rural Alberta Advantage is currently touring the US, and will be making its way to Philly on Wednesday, November 12th at the First Unitarian Church.  Come out and bring the biggest feelings you can get your hands on.  You won’t be alone.

Here are the shows in and around Philly that caught my eye this week. Let us know who you’re seeing with #PhillyConcerts.

Friday, October 10

Iceage @ First Unitarian Church:

The Danish punk band is kicking off a two-month American tour behind their third album, Plowing Into the Field of Love, released this week on Matador Records. With Helm and The Holidays.

Foxygen @ Union Transfer:

The California rock duo of Jonathan Rado and Sam France bring their unpredictable live show to Philly this weekend, showcasing songs from forthcoming album …And Star Power, out next week on Jagjaguwar. With Dub Thompson. Catch the band earlier in the day at WXPN’s Free at Noon.

Saturday, October 11

If you’re not tuckered out from Blocktoberfest, the South Jersey Arts & Farm Festival, or the River City Festival, Saturday night holds even more great bills.

Allo Darlin’ @ Boot & Saddle

The London-based indie pop band is releasing its third album this month, We Come From the Same Place (Slumberland). With The Pretty Greens. Look for our writer Tom at the show and check back for his review.

Jeff the Brotherhood / Diarrhea Planet @ Underground Arts

If you really want to get rowdy on Saturday night, this is the show for you. Both of these bands are known for their raucous live performances. With Left and Right and Hound opening. Look for our writer John at the show and check back for his review.

Sunday, October 12

Monday is a holiday for most folks, so take advantage and get out to a show!

Wheat / Roses / The Shivers / The Skis @ Kung Fu Necktie

I love that bands come down from Brooklyn and Connecticut to play at Kung Fu Necktie in Fishtown. All of the bands on this bill have been following their musical passion for years, but I’d especially like to see the interplay of The Shivers’ Keith Zarriello on guitar and vocals and Jo Schornikow on piano.

Check back next Thursday for next weekend’s concert picks, and no matter what show you see, tell us with #PhillyConcerts!

This Will Destroy You. A band name that started as a joke and reeked of intensity, but not flamboyant intensity. Instead, the intensity which this band provides is rather subtle, starting from the soothing instrumentals in the introduction. It’s all very unsuspecting for a new listener of the cinematic rock band, which originated from Texas in 2005. The songs then typically crescendo from a mellow rock vibe to a harder sound. The transition of which is all very smooth. It is a testament to their range and their dynamic capabilities in mastering their instruments of choice, with Jeremy Galindo on guitar, Christopher Royal King on guitar, Donovan Jones on bass guitar, keyboard, or Rhodes piano, and Alex Bhore on drums.

Of course, having been around for so long has allowed them to truly carve their niche and adapt to the changes in the music industry. “When we first started, physical copies were somewhat of a reality, so we took a lot of care (and still do) in the design of the albums. Now that most people are pirating our music, we put a lot of focus into our live performances in hopes that people will want to come see us again.”

Surely, the music industry has changed quite a bit since 2005 but the band has remained strong and steadfast despite a few minor lineup changes. One of the greatest things to observe in this band’s growth was the evolution of their sound, which was a little rougher around the edges back then. Now it has become more polished and seasoned but yet their emotional rawness has been enhanced through their expertise, which of course has also improved with the aid of new music gear.

“It’s surprising how easy it is to create when you give yourself new things to create with.” The band was also forced to redefine themselves as individuals, artists, and as a unit over the years, when all the members became a bit isolated and depressed. The issue, being that they were getting older and leading different lives from their friends.  They adjusted their lifestyle, grew up, gave up a few bad habits, and focused on being a better and healthier person, which has made a huge difference in terms of the band’s cohesiveness and stamina in this industry.

And although they classify themselves as a cinematic rock band, they refuse to pigeonhole themselves into that genre as they constantly challenge themselves to better themselves at their craft. They find too often that bands in the same genre release extremely similar albums repeatedly. This is certainly not the case with This Will Destroy. Every song is different in terms of melody and the stimulation of the auditory senses to create different visual images to accompany the song since there are no lyrics.

What distinguishes the band from all the other bands out there is their refined sense of melody, texture, and rhythm. “We make simple music with complex textures, and that in itself can change any sound.” Something else to note is that everyone in the band has equal composition duties. Inevitably, they have clashed over the melodies but they have always compromised. Providing everyone with the freedom to write their own parts, has become a strength of theirs as it allows the band to insightfully produce four vastly different creative angles.

Excitingly, This Will Destroy You released their new LP today, titled Another Language via Suicide Squeeze Records. Currently in the honeymoon phase, the band wouldn’t change a single thing off the LP and would recommend the song “Dustism” to start off with.  This LP is meant to embody the concept of searching through a series of labyrinths for a new, alien undiscovered form of communication that not only predates our own language but also post dates history.

“Principles of sacred geometry and eastern occult mysticism. Incognitum Hactenus- not known yet or nameless and without origin until now- is a mode of time in which the innermost mutations of the earth or ungraspable time scales can emerge according to chronological time. With the idea of Incognitum Hactenus,  you never know the pattern of emergence. Anything can happen for some strange reason; yet also, without any reason, nothing at all can happen. Things leak into each other according to a logic that does not belong to us and cannot be correlated to our chronological time.”

Well, certainly a hefty philosophical theme for one LP, so it’s a good thing that the LP leaves you in a rather contemplative mood. It’s not very easy to envision what the band has attempted to portray to the audience but the undercurrent tone is definitely there.

Over the next few months, This Will Destroy You will finish their European tour and start on an East Coast tour in the US. The band will be in Philadelphia on 11/1 at First Unitarian Church. Winter time will be spent relaxing and come spring, they hit the ground running and tour even more.  They hope to start working on new material after all that. They appreciate their fans and encourage them to come to their shows and check out their new album. To learn more about the band, visit their Facebook or Tumblr. 

The very notion of a Perfect Pussy is so tongue-in-cheek, the tendons that hold the body’s most powerful muscle together would probably be damaged in describing that notion. In the hands of anyone else, you can imagine this sort of name would stigma an aspiring young band out of existence. But thankfully, the inheritors of such a title are too crafty to let the first impression be the last, and Perfect Pussy have come out the gate blazing. From humble beginnings in Syracuse, this hardcore quintet has managed to conquer the heads and hearts of a lot of folks with their debut album, Say Yes To Love.

It’s a reasonable reaction to their punky sonic whirlwind. Perfect Pussy can make you recall groups as disparate as your mind can wander. Depending on whom you ask, you can get Coil, Refused, Sonic Youth, or just about anyone you could grip onto as a point of reference while they whip around you. Hardly a typical sensation from hardcore, a genre that from it’s origins has always dealt with a certain amount of rigidity and expectation. But the band’s bassist Greg Ambler finds very little to be surprised by how he and his comrades fail to comply to standard hardcore perceptions.

“It’s just been around long enough to turn into a product so it’s branded with an image and if you don’t reflect the image some people project, they see themselves for the dicks they are and get scared and lash out. Human nature is stupid and you can sound however you want as long as you exemplify the values of the lifestyle you promote.”

Lifestyle is key for a band with Perfect Pussy’s background and reputation. Almost since they’ve emerged, focus has gravitated to the lyrics of Meredith Graves. From the arrival of their demo, I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling, eyes were cast onto the way the band’s vocalist navigated the saga of human relationships through a feminine perspective, riding upon the din supplied by her comrades for maximum impact. The aesthetic and messages of the band have been just as integral to winning fans as their sonic warfare. It’s easy to comprehend why the band would be seized upon by the music press and the ever dreaded Faustian HYPE that can bring lesser bands to their knees.

“It’s always nice to have a positive response to your art,” Ambler admits, “but it sometimes brings out some total assholes.”

It’s dealing with said assholes that can really undermine a band’s diligence. However, not only the fair weather sort of fan can emerge from buzz. The fact remains that Perfect Pussy have been painted as the new messengers of a better code of ethics by certain enthusiasts. And while the band members themselves are not your staunch moralists, they do swim amongst those who use their music to support entirely differing agendas. Put a bunch of bands with messages and themes of great personal value together, and sometimes you may see the friction in the air, or worse. So how does a band like them, with such a sense of values stay protected?

“We refuse to play with bands all the time for all sorts of reasons, usually scheduling,” Ambler admits when the subject of such circumstances is offered. “But definitely if we feel someone’s band politics are fucked we will just say no. There’s no reason to have us in the same room because I don’t surround myself with assholes and have always gone my own way regardless.”

It’s a simple message, but in a realm of bands whom over the ages have fallen into the apolitical, puts Perfect Pussy in the spot of being more than simply looking to rise to new heights. They also have a conscience, a code, a standard. However, it’s the gridlock of such a constantly pensive process while remaining in their state of unusual dissonance that’s fueled them this far.

“We are all five totally different people, but everyone in this band are examples of genuine goodness so it easy to have both. Music is something that is a part of our lives and our personal politics happen to fall in line with that, so we are very lucky.”

With such high spirits, and the band still relatively young, one wonders just how far Perfect Pussy can press on, and just how many people are going to have to wrap their heads around them.

See the band on 8/28 at First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia with Joanna Gruesome.

Pop punk may be the land of pizza and never ending friendships but there aren’t many pop punk vocalists that can say they’ve been trapped in an elevator. Let alone trapped in an elevator in a haunted house – Taylor Jardine (who fronts We Are The In Crowd) is one of, possibly the only one who can say she has been.

“It was terrifying because it was shot in a haunted house.”

It happened during the filming of  the “Rumor Mill” video (off their first album Best Intentions).  Naturally, it’s not something she would want to again, but if she were to she’d be stuck with her three siblings. “That sounds so lame but they are my true foundation.”

For fans of We Are The In Crowd (and if you haven’t caught up yet, then go get on the Youtube machine) it’s good it’s only a hypothetical. Since 2009, the band has been on an upwards trajectory and their new album Weird Kids (released on February 18^th) will serve to speed up that climb to the top. The band has been listed on FUSE’s most anticipated albums of 2014.

“Which is super flattering!” says Jardine.

One listen to the album shows that they’re on FUSE’s list for good reason. It’s catchy, dynamic and incredibly honest. All things that Jardine says come together to create a great album. New albums and growth go hand in hand and Jardine says what sets this album apart from Best Intentions is their growth as people, hers as a songwriter and a long tour.

“I think touring for as long as we did on the last record was also a huge learning experience. You get an idea of what fans really like. The in-person reaction was very beneficial to us.”

She also says this album is much more personal having overcome the thought that thousands of people were listening to her lyrics. “I learned to overcome [it] on this record, which is why I think this album is so much more personal than the previous. It is the most liberating thing to be able to completely let it all out…I definitely gained more courage in this writing process than I ever have before.”

Part of being more open and personal was the track “Windows In Heaven.” Jardine says, “when we were writing this record we didn’t want to hold back any feelings. W really wanted to see what we were fully capable of.”

The track stands out for being a different style, musically and in terms of vocal delivery, to the others on the album. “So with that limitless attitude, we went for something different that really captures the mood of the song.”

We Are The In Crowd are bringing their emotional side along with their kick ass energetic side to the First Unitarian Church on February 21st. The show is after the new release and Jardine says to expect some new tracks.

“We are playing a lot of new songs but still keeping the fan favorites in there as promised. I think the flow of the set is one of my favorites to date.”

It is always interesting to see dreams come to life, and that will be the exact theme of the night on September 14th at the First Unitarian Church where virtuoso violinist Kaoru Ishibashi will lead his self-produced project, under the pseudonym Kishi Bashi. Kishi Bashi is the brainchild project of Ishibashi, who has come a long way since he began playing guitar in a rock band. After realizing that being in a full band was an unreliable situation, with members being constantly undependable, Ishibashi decided to embrace his musical independence. “I wanted to take charge of my music,” explains Ishibashi. “I don’t want to have to depend on other musicians. I like it to be just me and my violin: entirely independent.”

Kishi Bashi’s touring act, however, involves other musicians, such as a drummer and bassist, who create a canvas on which Ishibashi can let his creativity explode. Kishi Bashi’s live act focuses on Ishibashi’s violin playing, which is played through a loop station, a foot-controlled device which allows him play a phrase on the violin, and repeat it as many times as he likes. Sometimes, a loop station may be triggered incorrectly, and may result in the need to stop the song. Ishibashi basks in the energy of live musical settings that touch on the cliche of ‘catching lightning in a bottle.’

He enthusiastically explains, “Many people in a live setting forget to keep the nature of a live performance. If you want to hear the record, listen to the record. Sometimes, the loop goes wrong, and I’ll have to stop in the middle of a song. The audience actually supports me when that happens; they’ll applaud and encourage me to get it going again.”

Kashi Bashi’s most recent full-length, 151a, captures the essence of spontaneity flawlessly. The title itself derives from a Japanese phrase, which translates into the idea of living for the moment, and staying aware of the present. That energy resonates within 151a, and all of Kishi Bashi’s live performances, and is very present in his audience.

“They love to support me. They are so dedicated, and I’m very thankful for that,” he says. For Ishibashi, 151a, is not only a way to convey his ideas of good energy, but it is a testament to his own upbringing into the world of music. He grew to take inspiration from many classical composers (specifically Tchaikovsky), but references a very diverse pallet of influences, mentioning, “I love simple songs. Stevie Wonder is great, and I love Bob Dylan. Psychedelic rock had a big impact on me. I like to bring those influences to the table because they meant so much to me.”

It is obvious that Kaoru Ishibashi is a man with a dream, who spends his life trying to bring it into reality. As a musician, he understands the impact that his inspired mindset has on his own creativity, his performances, and his fans. Although he is currently on tour, Ishibashi is already producing a new album, and promises a tour to support it in 2014. Clearly, Ishibashi is one of the most passionate musicians around, and even when he is not onstage, he is magnificently sincere. “It inspires me. It inspires me to be able to provoke people with music. That is my inspiration.”

-by Matt Kelchner 

Last Friday night three highly buzzed about bands from the musical blogosphere came together at the First Unitarian Church at 22^nd and Chestnut. Temperatures outside were freezing but after an hour or so of music the fabled basement of the church turned into a sauna. Headliners Unknown Mortal Orchestra packed a sold out show with help from Foxygen and Wampire.

While the openers provided enough entertainment to alone for a full night of fun, it was Unknown Mortal Orchestra (UMO) and their fast-paced, high-energy set who ruled the show.  The trio pulled classics from their debut self-titled album as well as from their new release II.

The first band of the night was Portland’s Wampire. Led by the duo of Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps, the band currently has a 7” single out for “The Hearse”. The record acts as a preview for their upcoming debut full length album slated to be released in the spring.

Not only do Wampire share the same place of residence with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, but the two are also label mates on Polyvinyl Records. Wampire made good names of themselves on Friday night, playing in front of a surprisingly half-packed room.

With only a few blue lamps to light the stage, they got off to a slow start due to equipment problems. Once the knobs were tweaked and pedals set, they put as much as they could into their short set. From listening to “The Hearse”, Wampire give an impression of being a psychedelic, synth heavy band. While the synth lines were there, the band drew a lot of their energy from sweeping surf rock riffs. Despite only playing a short set, the crowd’s interest in the band grew with each song. Wampire set the tone early on as to what would be a night full of very musically talented acts.

Foxygen, the much hyped and the generally well-received band from the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles were next up for the night. After a rather lengthy amount of time setting up, the full band came on stage. Lead singer Sam France came out donning his best impression of Bob Dylan circa the cover of Desire as the rest of the band dressed to fit their ‘70s psychedelic rock inspired sound.

By the time the notes from their first song were played, the floor was nearly full. In what seemed to be an excellent chance for Foxygen to give Philadelphia a reason to believe in the hype, it was their lead singer that led them to a rather disappointing set.

The rest of the band provided for a great impression from their critically acclaimed 2013 release We Are The 21^st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic. France on the other hand, showcased an immature and borderline embarrassing example of how an extremely passionate front man should not act. In what started out as France expressing his feelings from the songs, his frustration quickly came to light with each bit of microphone feedback. This evolved as the set went on into acts like punching the microphone. France also did what any new band should never do, complain about the sound guy to the crowd. Despite all of this, the majority of the crowd were thoroughly enthralled with the full bands performance.

After a half-assed apology and sarcastic apology for his actions, France and the rest of Foxygen exited the stage only to be cheered back on stage from their adoring fans. The band ended with one of their strongest singles “San Francisco”. They then left the stage again to a generous roar from the crowd.

With a packed room ready for them to go on, Unknown Mortal Orchestra took to the stage roughly around 11 PM. The crowd was a diverse mix ranging from college-aged hipsters to dads who were clearly not there watching after their kids. The setup was simple, just guitar, bass and drums. And surprising in this day and age, there were no pre-recorded tracks set to play (or at least audible to my ear).

The level of intensity that UMO began with remained the same until their very last song. The band did not skip a beat throughout their entire set. While only comprised of three members, they were able to fully flesh out each of their songs. Bassist Jake Portrait and drummer Riley Geare were a tight knit duo that provided a rock solid rhythm section that allowed for guitarist/singer Ruban Neilson to go wild with each of his many guitar solos.

Compared to both their albums, Unknown Mortal Orchestra played last Friday night with an edge. It was a harder sound that was clearly adapted to translate well during live shows. Throughout their 13 song set, the band played a healthy amount from both their self-titled first album and their recently released sophomore album II. Highlights included old favorites such as “How Can You Luv Me” and “Bicycle”. They also played the song that started it all for them, “Ffunny Ffrends”. The group anonymously released back in 2010 and help launched their career. Cuts like “Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)”, “Faded In The Morning” and “No Ned For A Leader” were played from their latest album.

The night came to end as Unknown Mortal Orchestra came back out for a one-song encore. After fans had been yelling and shouting for them to play almost every older song they knew, the band decided to finish with “Boy Witch”. It was during this song that the crowd saw some of Neilson’s most impressive solos.

The hour and fifteen minute set was filled with sing-a-longs and rows of people all popping their heads and rocking out. At times there was even a small mosh pit that broke out in front of the stage (uncommon for a psych band). Each song ended with applause and requested for personal favorites. But by the time the encore had come, the crowd’s energy was drained. It was incredible how UMO was able to keep things going at such a high level.