Merriweather! Merry indeed

Okay, just admit it. You have downloaded the Animal Collective leak of their new album "Merriweather Post Pavilion." It was a wonderful Christmas gift for the entire blog community. Hm. You haven't downloaded it you say? Well my friend, as much as I love to spread the good word of support the artists, this album cannot, and I mean absolutely cannot, wait till January 20th. It's just too good.

Upon first listen, I was already blown away. The sounds and melodies are blended together beautifully and there is already more to each song than ever before. They feel bigger and bolder and stronger; Panda Bear said this was the best album Animal Collective have recorded, and I have to agree with him. It rivals all their past ones (and mostly certainly out does the mess of "Strawberry Jam").

My personal favorite on the album? "Summertime Clothes" would have to be chosen, but "Lion in a Coma" ("lion vs lying?" come on, they're just messing with us) has to be extremely close behind because it is incredible in it's break out moments and just all around.

To be played in enormous stadiums, dance parties, small clubs, or even just a gathering of fine high times with your friends...it really does feel like a universal piece. Epic.

Congratulations Animal Collective. This is amazing. On top of it all, your album cover is an optical illusion. Oh god that is sweet. Let's get summer tour dates going here.

To my dear readers: seriously, go buy it when it comes out though. If you're city is hosting a listening party, head to it, because it's about to be amazing and awesome. Bay kids: San Francisco has one! 21+ plus we have one nonetheless.

Animal Collective website
San Francisco listening party

Eargasms here!
First track on album - In The Flowers
Last track on album - Brothersport

For the full album!
The amazing Flaming Milk blog has the album up
Click here

Clues!

Bear with me folks; this show is not related to the San Francisco area, but as I have recently trucked it over to Vermont (planed would be more appropriate) so it has become difficult to keep writing about shows in the SF area (obviously). Hence, I am taking this oppurtunity to just start writing about bands in general, to get them out there I suppose.

Last night the band Clues played Bennington College, where I am currently going to school. If you have not heard of Clues yet, you may want to know that it is the new project of ex Unicorns member Alden Penner and ex Arcade Fire member Brendan Reed. Get yer ass on this man, it's hot. Unicorns and Acrade Fire? Damn. In any case, it would seem they contacted my school and asked if they could play a show on their way through. The show was small, subdued; barely anyone showed despite strong buzz around the campus and whispers of the words "The Unicorns!" and "extra indie cred points, alright!".

And yet even with the small crowd and rare turnout, the show was amazing. Those of us who did come smushed up against the stage into a pile of dancing, richocheting, jirating joy. We cheered and yelled and even got them to come out for encore (an encore for 15 people! Wow).

Clues put an extremely good show. They are energetic, different, and into what they are doing. The whole band functions perfectly together like gears turning in motion. The show was danceable, full of frenzy and fun and there was an all around feeling of bonding between the band, crowd, music, school...everyone present felt it. For the encore, one of the Clues members passed me a tambourine and I played it for the whole song.

Clues currently has no album out, but two songs have been leaked. They played both of those as well as about 7 or 8 other songs. All sound different and epic, and I cannot wait for the album.

Rumors say the album should be appearing in winter '09 and that is to be called "Rad Boo Horror & The Glory". Any other info on the band is extremely sparse right now; the only website for them is their record company page, there is no wikipedia article, and even Pitchfork Media only seems to have two pieces of news on them (Oh God!). Just bear with Clues. They are going to do great things.

Leaked for your love:
Clues - Perfect Fit
Clues - Rad Boo Horror & The Glory

More info:
http://www.last.fm/music/Clues
Pitchfork article on tour
Record label: Villa Villa Nola

Los Campesinos at Bimbo's 365

All photos by me. Thank you.

If you have listened to Los Campesinos, you'll know it is incredibly impossible to not at least tap your foot or bob your head to their music. This fact manifested itself entirely at the band's show at Bimbo's last night. The entire audience, whether there just for a night out or to see a band they absolutely adored, was a perpetual body of people bouncing to the beat. Even people sitting at the tables, enjoying a nice dinner or after dinner aperitif, couldn't help but move their head in time to the catchy poppy and bouncy music that is Los Campesinos.

The opening band of the night, Parenthetical Girls, is a group you might just have to check out. Intriguing the entire audience as the lead singer, Zac Pennington, descended from the stage and proceeded to sing the whole first song from the floor of the venue, illustrates exactly what the Parenthetical Girls seem to do best: intrigue. While most of the rest of the band stayed highly platonic during the set, Pennington was lively and awake. This sharp contrast added an element of creepiness but also, you guessed it, intrigue.

Instrumentations using glockenspiel and loud guitar chords with smashing drums evokes an almost death-march like tune, yet with so much energy and feeling you'd swear the person for which the march is for is springing back to life. Their songs are definitley full of emotion and you can feel it in the way they all play, but perhaps the most in the vocals of Pennington.

Their music is compared to the likes of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone and Xiu Xiu, but I would akin it more to something like a minimalist Animal Collective slowed down or Casiotone with tons of caffeine and helium. Depends on what song they are playing. While I spent most of the set debating whether I liked them or not, I decided at the end that I had thoroughly enjoyed their set. You may be confused as to what you think at first, but I believe Parenthetical Girls will capture you like they did me. Definitley give them a holla. Sidenote: Pennington asked us midway through if we have our name on Google Alerts...no one really responded, but I guessed this means he does, so hey man, I'm tagging your name, in case you read this.

Los Campesinos took the stage with stride. While Bimbo's was full, it was not crowded, and I learned the show had not sold out. So despite all the hype surrounding this little indie pop group, you'll be happy to know they remain easily acessible and down to earth.

Los Campesinos played all the favorites, from "You! Me! Dancing!" to "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives". If there was a song someone wanted to hear, they played it. It's impressive how fully LC can play their songs live. On the record, you might think at some points that one particular song is pratically inachievable live, but no. LC played them all and they sounded just as good, if not better, live. Their handling on their instruments and the domain they hold over their sound shows how rounded they are in their music, and how well they know themselves. LC also covered a Pavement song, rendering it their own but also paying hommage to the original in a wonderful way.

Their stage presence is nothing to be trifled with. With seven people commanding the band, they fill up the stage in a big way and are ever present in each and every instrument, from glockenspiel to guitar to violin to random noise makers. The singer Gareth's incredibly energetic stage presence of running around, throwing his arms and jumping is contrasted to the second singer Aleks' timidness and quiet demeanor; there is a contrast onstage that makes this band unique. Yet all members are obviously invested in their art.

LC haven't lost any personal touch either. They showed us they can make the "SF" symbol with their hand, and used to to apologize for the fact that they think "Frisco" sounds good (a sidenote: it definitley does not). Gareth also explained that they have been rating their audiences. "You're better than Sacramento!" he said. Unfortuanetly, we are only in second place behind Eugene, Oregon. "At least you beat LA!" Gareth exclaimed. True that.

After leaving the stage, LC came on for one more song and then they were gone, almost as quickly as they had taken the stage. I guess the only thing that would show their grown popularity would be that at their GAMH show in November last year, they came out right away after it was over, while at this show there was no sign of them. Their bus has also grown in size immenseley.

Still this is not a problem, as long as LC manages to keep true to their roots, and stay in touch with who loves them. As proven last night, they have.

Freebies!
Los Campesinos: Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks
Los Campesinos: Drop It Doe Eyes
Parenthetical Girls: The Weight She Fell Under