Retroselective: The Best of August 2009
The rumor mill was really rolling during August concerning Radiohead, as many different online reports began speculating about the possibility of the band releasing a new EP, the potential that Radiohead could be done releasing albums in their conventional format, and whether or not a song that leaked on the At Ease message boards was actually Radiohead or not. Well, it turned out that it was indeed a new Radiohead track, “These Are My Twisted Words,” and while not being a part of the buzzed about Wall Of Ice EP, which never materialized (yet), the song is a slow burning, moody number that the band eventually released for free via their W.A.S.T.E. shop. And this all came on the heels of another new Radiohead song honoring the life and passing of Harry Patch, the UK’s last surviving combat soldier from World War I, who died at the age of 111 on July 25th. While “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)” is a stark, orchestral piece that is more reminiscent of Jonny Greenwood’s work in There Will Be Blood than anything Radiohead have done recently, the fact that Thom Yorke uses only quotes from Patch’s remarkable life to serve as lyrics for the song allows Patch to speak to us one last time about the horrors of war. It’s a simple, stirring track that honors the memory of a truly extraordinary man. And with the release of a new 12″ record planned for September (“Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses/The Hollow Earth”), Radiohead aren’t finished providing us with new music. [Erik Thompson]
The lazy days of August seem to have extended to the music scene lately—there just hasn’t been much to get excited about over the past month. One notable exception though was the Bat For Lashes show at the Varsity Theater. The sold out performance was upbeat and engaging, and lead singer Natasha Khan was obviously loving every minute of it (a big plus for a great stage presence). Even if Two Suns didn’t do a ton for me musically, the overall energy of the show made me enjoy the songs nonetheless. [Jon Behm]
Bat For Lashes @ Varsity Theater
The Antlers’ Hospice was re-released this month, receiving critical acclaim on all accounts. Though the record takes some patience to really delve into, doubtlessly it will go down as one of the best albums of the year. Plus, having seen the duo perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival, I am convinced that they are just as good live as they are on record. [Jon Behm]
Why? will be releasing their latest (amazing) album Eskimo Snow on Septmeber 8th, and it currently sits comfortably near the top of my favorite records released this year. As part of the build up to the disc, Why? Frontman Yoni Wolf performed a solo set for the San Fransico site The Bay Bridged, which found him playing a four great solo songs using only his vocals and his keyboard. In addition to “Brook and Waxing” from Alopecia and a cover of the Pavement song “Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse),” Wolf played two of the standout tracks from the upcoming album. Both the title track and “Against Me” show Wolf at his very best and offer a brief glimpse at why Eskimo Snow is not only the best Why? album but may be the best album of 2009. [Josh Keller]
August saw a wave of prominent hip hop shows go through Minneapolis’ First Avenue, each received various levels of success (ie: turnout was slightly inconsistent). The live highlight of the month came when coke-rappers the Clipse returned to the Twin Cities with the Sneaker Pimps tour and delivered a dominating performance to a less-than-packed Mainroom. While highlights were many, the night was fueled when the duo hit up tracks from its highly anticipated new album Till The Casket Drops. [
Clipse, Parallax & Muja Messiah @ First Avenue
I blame myself personally for having done Dan Deacon’s latest album a disservice on this site. Bromst is truly one of my favorites and it sets off a flurry of positive emotions in me every time I listen to it. When revisiting the album this past month—spurred on by the release of his “Paddling Ghost” video, I was reminded of just how deserving of some lip service the release is truly deserving of. [Chris DeLine]
The Red Stag Block Party has quickly become one of the best street festivals in Minneapolis each summer. This year found a great lineup of music featuring everything from E.L.nO to hip hop vets Heiruspecs to late night sets by high energy rockers Chooglin’ and Mark Mallman. In the middle were sets by alt-country charmers Romantica, Roma di Luna and a stirring set by the neo-soul Black Blondie. The whole day, which came at the great price of free, showed the strength and diversity of the local scene. While it sadly corresponded with the end of summer, you can’t really complain when you have a great day of awesome local food, beer and music. [Josh Keller]
Black Blondie, Heiruspecs, Chooglin’ & Mark Mallman @ Red Stag Block Party
Getting soundboard recordings of live shows by my favorite bands has always been something I’ve coveted, especially for either: a) shows I’ve been at or b) shows I really wanted to see but unfortunately had to miss out on. The three day, SPOONX3 festival at Stubb’s in Austin, TX on July 9th-11th, was certainly a batch of shows I wish I could’ve attended. Never mind the bands, handpicked by Spoon themselves, that opened these gigs (…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Low and Atlas Sound, just to name a few) but the fact that Spoon would be playing these intimate, splendid shows in their hometown, as well as previewing new material from their forthcoming record, suffice it to say I was kicking myself for missing these performances. Well, imagine my delight as the band made pristine, multi-track soundboard recordings of these performances available on their website: 56 songs, 3 1/2 hours of music, all for only $15. And longtime Spoon sound man Hot Pockets meticulously mixed these recordings at Public Hi-Fi after manning the boards at the shows, making the sound rich and dynamic. The shows are all fantastic, with varied set lists each night, and the mix makes you feel like you are right there in the heat of the club. I can’t wait until Spoon releases their next record, but these shows are enough to tide me over until they do. [Erik Thompson]
Interview with Britt Daniel of Spoon
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