The early word on Field Manual

When Death Cab for Cutie lead guitarist Chris Walla's solo effort was first announced on this blog, it was with tepid enthusiasm and moderate hopes at best. The gravest doubt that plagued anticipation of this album was that Walla's skills as a musician, not to mention a vocalist, would not match his abilities as a producer. We here at NLtS suspected that Field Manual would not be worth the wait.

Now, three bonus tracks have been released - you can get them for free if you buy Field Manual from the Barsuk Records online store. Ever the Eager Critics, a copy was ordered for review by NLtS. Upon listening to the three bonus tracks ("Like A Spark," "Sing Again," and "Our Plans, Collapsing") it seems our suspicions were unfortunately quite correct.

Walla's skills as a producer are admirable, but not conducive to the acoustic demo format these three songs assume. The bare production here does little more than reveal the bleak mediocrity of Walla's songcraft. Anyone who listens to these three tracks will hear the rest of the album - whatever shimmering production Walla piles on top of it - for precisely what it is: production value and little else. These three songs have put on parade all of Walla's weaknesses, namely his mediocrity as a guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist. His vocals are off pitch, his guitar is messy, and it is not in a raw, Dylanesque way, just in a hurried, careless, unfinished way that belies a lack of skill rather than a stylistic choice. These three tracks do not bode well for the rest of the album, as they confirm all our worst fears: this is going to be a record whose only merit is its production. The songs, the guitar, and the vocals will not be able to keep up.


-PTC

Tokyo Police Club LP

Though Saddle Creek, on either April 22 or 29 (Tuesdays in "late April"), Toronto wunderkinder Tokyo Police Club will be releasing their first full length, Elephant Shell. The tracklist is as follows:

1. Centennial
2. In A Cave
3. Graves
4. Juno
5. Tessellate
6. Sixties Remake
7. The Harrowing Adventures Of...
8. Nursery Academy
9. Your English Is Good
10. Listen To The Math
11. The Baskervilles

So it will include previous single "Your English Is Good", which clocks in at just over three minutes. So a full length from TPC may mean less than half an hour, based on the brevity of their existing oeuvre. Most of the songs appear on the setlist from their show I caught last year, most of which sounded like solid TPC material. NLtS, needless to say, are on the edge of their seat.

Lil Wayne's suspicious arrest

Wednesday, this blog's favourite rapper, Lil Wayne aka any number of things was arrested in Yuma, Arizona courtesy the DEA. It seems especially suspicious that a New Orleans-based hip hop artist is getting detained in flyover country, reflecting a bizzare trend. It was never really made clear why Bay Area-based Mac Dre was killed in rural Missouri. Granted, Weezy had a ludicrous quantity of narcotics (105 grams of marijuana, 37 grams of cocaine, and 21 grams of ecstasy) in his motor coach, but I imagine that can't be even above average for a prominent musician. It seems obvious that the DEA chose to take down Carter in such a law and order state, as opposed to California or Louisiana. But given that the Feds could arrest just about any person of colour at any time in any state, Lil Wayne seems like a poor choice, as opposed to actual drug pushers in a grim city like LA or NO, and not sleepy Yuma.

No wonder on how the arrest will affect the release of forthcoming Tha Carter III. NLtS will keep you up on Lil Wayne's status.

Live: Mirah and The Blow 1/23

Great American Music Hall in San Francisco has a way of making not-so-legendary artists appear larger than life. It's a quality that it shares with its big sister, The Fillmore. Case in point: the K Records extravaganza that was Mirah and The Blow. Both women had stellar performances, rock star-like even. A pretty good showing for two minimalist artists on THE minimalist label. It's this cycling irony that makes both artists worth paying attention to, the notion of normal person as rock star as normal person.





Opener Cryptocize were impressive not for any Rolling Stones apery (hell, not even Hold Steady apery), but for their insanely twee aesthetic and cheap instruments tied by a strong sense of melody, breakneck stops and starts, and obvious chemistry. Both guitars were funnelled through $100 5 Watt Vox amps and the drummer was without a snare, only a tambourine. The thought of an entire record label, nay genre, of bands this shoestring is enthralling.





Khaela Maricich slash The Blow next took the stage, weaving mostly cuts from Paper Television into an often laugh-out-loud narrative about the universe, boys, girls, drugs, and boys again. Her banter covered her songwriting process, at least allegorically, and her creative debt to former collaborator Jona Bechtolt (who's now making MacBook cases?), Mirah, and James Taylor. All in white, sporting some of the best robot dance moves I've ever seen, her voice lost a great deal of intensity at the set went on. Near the end, it would have seemed wise to cut back on the story-telling to preserve her voice, but she closed the set with gusto. Never underestimate the power of a woman and a drum machine.



For the first time all night, more than three musicians were on stage for Mirah's set. It was well, given that many of her songs come across as dirges live, rather than the warm studio versions she cultivates. The melodic heft of a full band was a welcome departure from the rest of the night, especially her drummer, who was especially excellent at moving ever the slower songs around. The set list drew heavily from newer material, including an upcoming collaborative concept album about insects (for serious). The less familiar songs fit in well with the classic cuts, including an early take on fan favourite "Jerusalem". An excellent night for the international pop underground.

-RJR

On Loop: Mark Ronson feat. Lily Allen - "Oh My God"

This is a song that you need to get.



-PTC

Massive festival news

In response to the just-released-and-disappointing-to-some Coachella lineup, this blogger did some digging about rumours surrounding this year's other festivals. The rumour mill is very much up and a-churning. Here's what I've found:

Sasquatch! Festival
Many names have been tossed out pell-mell, among them:

The Gutter Twins, Common Market, The New Pornographers, Band of Horses, Chris Walla, Radiohead, Feist, Klaxons, Black Kids, The Black Lips, Portishead, LCD Soundsystem, Jens Lekman, Beirut, Gang of Four, Nada Surf, and Modest Mouse

Also, the following bands have confirmed: 65 Days Of Static, The Heavenly States, Fleet Foxes, and The Cure (they will headline the last day)

All Points West Music and Arts Festival
Word has come down the wire that Radiohead has been confirmed as a performer at this brand spanking new festival in Jersey City this August 8-10. Quite a maiden voyage.

Bonnaroo
Lots of confirmed acts for this one, including:
BB King, Pat Green, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Willie Nelson

It has also been confirmed that Radiohead, Neil Diamond, Foo Fighters, The Flaming Lips and Lily Allen all will not be performing.

Rumoured acts for this one include:
ALO, Ani DiFranco, The Black Keys, Brett Dennen, Cracker, Led Zeppelin, Les Claypool, Mike Doughty, moe., My Morning Jacket, Patti Smith, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilots

Lollapalooza
Radiohead and the Foo Fighers have an open tour date during the festival, but few other rumours have surfaced surrounding this typically quite balmy late summer Chicago affair.

SXSW
A massive number of confirmations here, including:
A Place to Bury Strangers, The Aggrolites, Alina Simone, All Time Low, Bella, Birdmonster, The Black Crowes, The Black Keys, Black Joe Lewis, Black Mountain, Born Ruffians, Bowerbirds, The Breeders, British Sea Power, Broken Teeth, The Brother Kite, Brutal Knights, Bun B, Carbon/Silicon, Chester French, Colour Revolt, The Cool Kids, Constantines, The Cribs, Dandi Wind, Daniel Lanois, David Banner, Dead Confederate, The Devil Makes Three, DeVotchKa, Dizzee Rascal, The Dodos, Dokkebi Q, Dolly Parton, The Donnas, El Jesus De Magico, elephone, The Epochs, Eugene Mirman, Evangelicals, Fanfarlo, Film School, Fleet Foxes, Future Clouds and Radar, Gallows, Hanne Hukkelberg, The Hard Lessons, Headlights, HEALTH, The Heavenly States, Holy Fuck, HorrorPops, Hot Water Music, Hotel Cafe Tour, Howlin Rain, Ingrid Michaelson, Jay Reatard, Jens Lekman, Joe Lean + The Jing Jang Jong, Joesph Author, Kate Walsh, The Kills, Kimya Dawson, Le Loup, Liam Finn, Lies in Disguise, Lightspeed Champion, Lions, The Lisps, The LK, Lykke Li, Magic Bullets, Mala Rodriguez, Man Man, Maps and Atlases, The Matches, Mezzanine Owls, MGMT, Moby, MSTRKRFT, My Brightest Diamond, My Morning Jacket, Nada Surf, N.E.R.D., Nicole Atkins & the Sea, Nortec Collective, Nyles Lannon, Office, Oh No! Oh My!, Old Man River, Panda, Parts & Labor, Pato Banton, Pinstripe, Phosphorescent, Please Quiet Ourselves, Popup, Port O’Brien, Q-Tip, Ra Ra Riot, Radar Bros., The Raveonettes, R.E.M., Robyn, RX Bandits, Sally Shapiro, Sam Champion, Saul Williams, Sean Hayes, Shout out out out out, Sia, Simian Mobile Disco, Sissy Wish, Smalltown DJs, Smalltown Supersound, Solid Gold, Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin, Sons & Daughters, The Stills, South, Steel Train, Sunny Day Sets Fire, Tapes ‘n Tapes, Team Robespierre, TECH N9NE, The Terrordactyls, These New Puritans, Tilly and the Wall, Two Gallants, Uncrowned, Uffie, Vampire Weekend, The Vines, The Voom Blooms, X, Was (not Was), Watershed, The Weakerthans, The Whigs, White Williams, Why?, Wooden Shjips, Yeasayer, Yo Lo Tengo, Your Favorite Enemies

By all accounts, this is the lineup to beat. NLtS favourites include: A Place To Bury Strangers, British Sea Power, DeVotchKa, HEALTH, The Hotel Cafe Tour, Jens Lekman, Black Mountain, Eugene Mirman, MGMT, My Morning Jacket, Phosphorescent, Oh No! Oh My!, Sia, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Tapes 'n Tapes, These New Puritans, Tilly and the Wall, Two Gallants, The Weakerthans, and Yo La Tengo.

More festival news as it comes. Stay tuned.


-PTC


Addendum: This information was offered as a tip from a reader. We cannot be sure where it came from, but it has come to our attention that the information given herein can also be found at http://www.consequenceofsound.com.

Colin Meloy solo album (drool)

Fasten your Victorian-era seat belts, ladies and gentlemen. Indie rock mainstay Colin Meloy will release his live acoustic solo album (aptly entitled Colin Meloy Sings Live!) this April 8th (on CD via Kill Rock Stars and a bonus track vinyl edition via Jealous Butcher). Keep your ears to the weathered ground.


-PTC

Coachella lineup announced

Here officially is the long-awaited, much-speculated lineup to the 2008 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. For your convenience, we've bolded acts that we think anyone who attends the festival should be sure to catch:

FRIDAY, APRIL 25: Jack Johnson, The Verve, Raconteurs, The Breeders, Fatboy Slim, Tegan and Sara, Madness, The Swell Season, The National, Animal Collective, Slightly Stoopid, Mum, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Stars, Battles, Aesop Rock, Midnight Juggernauts, Does it Offend you, Yeah?, Minus the Bear, Spank Rock, dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip, Diplo, Adam Freeland, Santo Gold, Jens Lekman, John Butler Trio, Vampire Weekend, Dan Deacon, Architecture in Helsinki, Sandra Collins, Busy P, Cut Copy, Black Lips, Datarock, Professor Murder, Reverend and the Makers, The Bees, Porter, Rogue Wave, Modeselektor, American Bang, Lucky I Am.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26: Portishead, Kraftwerk, Death Cab for Cutie, Cafe Tacuba, Sasha & Digweed, Rilo Kiley, Dwight Yoakam, M.I.A., Hot Chip, Cold War Kids, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, DeVotchKa, Flogging Molly, Mark Ronson, Turbonegro, Scars on Broadway, Islands, Enter Shikari, Calvin Harris, Boyz Noize, Junkie XL, Cinematic Orchestra, Jamie T, The Teenagers, VHS or Beta, Carbon/silicon, Erol Alkan, Yo Majesty!, Little Brother, Bonde Do Role, St. Vincent, Akron Family, MGMT, Institubes DJs (Surkin, Para One and Orgasmic), James Zabiela, Sebastian, Kavinsky, Dredg, The Bird and the Bee, Grand Ole Party, New Young Pony Club, 120 Days, Yoav, Electric Touch, Uffie

SUNDAY, APRIL 27: Roger Waters (“Dark Side of the Moon”), Love & Rockets, My Morning Jacket, Spiritualized, Justice, Gogol Bordello, Chromeo, The Streets, Metric, Danny Tenaglia, Simian Mobile Disco, Booka Shade, Murs, Dmitri from Paris, Autolux, The Field, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Les Savy Fav, The Cool Kids, Sons & Daughters, Sia, Holy Fuck, Black Kids, Black Mountain, The Annuals, Kid Sister w/A-Trak, Man Man, Duffy, I'm from Barcelona, Manchester Orchestra, Deadmau5, The Horrors, Austin TV, Shout Out Louds, Plastiscines, Brett Dennen


All in all, the lineup is thoroughly underwhelming, especially when viewed in comparison to last year. The headliners, with the notable exception of Mr Waters, are quite unextraordinary. Serious point deduction for booking Jack Johnson at all, let alone as first day headliner. This analysis ignores the bitter disappointment caused by the absence of My Bloody Valentine from the playbill. There are some acts worth seeing, and the festival shouldn't be a total wash, but don't expect the same completely badass experience last year delivered. Maybe hold out for the Sasquatch lineup.


-PTC

RIP Heath Ledger (1979-2008)

Though it is a break from our customary indie coverage, this is a story of some import, and we would be remiss if we failed to make some mention of it. 28 year-old Oscar nominated actor Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain, The Four Feathers) was found dead today in his New York apartment today in what appears to be a drug overdose. Pills were found in the vicinity of the bed upon which Mr Ledger was found, leading to speculations about suicide.

The Australian born Ledger created a buzz surrounding his role as The Joker in the latest installment of the Batman saga. He was previously nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Brokeback Mountain

Tapes 'n Tapes will Walk It Off on April 4th

The sophomore album from Minneapolis-based Tapes 'n Tapes has a name (and a tracklist, and a projected release date). It's called Walk It Off, and it's due on April 4th from XL Recordings. Produced by Dave Fridmann, here are the track titles for TnT's newest:

1. "La Ruse"
2. "Time of Songs"
3. "Hang Them All"
4. "Headshock"
5. "Conquest"
6. "Say Back Something"
7. "Demon Apple"
8. "Blunt"
9. "George Michael"
10. "Anvil"
11. "Lines"
12. "The Dirty Dirty"

Obviously, the most pressing question here is whether or not the ninth track here is an Arrested Development reference in the tradition of St. Vincent's Marry Me? Time will tell. Further bulletins as events warrant. This is one to look forward to.


-PTC

Record Review: The Magnetic Fields - "Distortion"

Rating: 5.4 / 10.0

In music, there are those who shirk the norms, and those who imitate them. Throughout their lengthy and illustrious career, the Magnetic Fields have consistently broken from tradition, marched to the beat of their own drum. “69 Love Songs” is an immortal testament to the Fields’ quirky style of songwriting and performance. Stephen Merritt and company have always boasted acerbic tongues, but have never stopped wearing their hearts on their sleeves. The result was sometimes strange, sometimes difficult to swallow or appreciate, but always charming, always different.

That’s why “Distortion” was such a letdown. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a good album. There really isn’t a weak track on it. All the songs display a mastery of song craft rarely encountered in modern music, but we’ve come to expect that from the Fields; all their albums showcase Merritt’s immense talent as a writer, and “Distortion” is no exception in that regard. That’s not why this album disappointed me. The thing that really got my goat about this album is that all the originality and endearing weirdness about the Fields’ previous work is completely lost on this album. Too many of the early tracks sound like rejects from Challengers. That’s right: rather than bittersweet indie rock peppered with cellos and banjos, complimented by Merritt’s delightfully caustic wit, we get New Pornographers b-sides (see “California Girls,” “Old Fools,” “Xavier Says,” and “Please Stop Dancing”).

“Too Drunk to Dream” is the standout track on the album, and in many ways, I regard it as the first track on the album (it’s from this point on that the band seems to remember its identity; the last six tracks sound like songs off the new Magnetic Fields album). “Too Drunk” song hearkens back to the Fields we know and love: the a cappella introduction (not unlike “How Fucking Romantic” off “69 Love Songs”) leading into a danceable study in self-deprecation: “So why do I get plastered, / and why am I so lonely? / It’s you, you heartless bastard / You’re my one and only”.

Maybe I’m too hard on the Fields. It’s true, I hold them at a higher - or different - standard to the rest of the artists out there. So take this review with a grain of salt if you will, but I think the Magnetic Fields are better than this record. Listen to “i” and then listen to “Distortion.” There is truly no comparison. For a band that has proven time and time again that they don’t need to imitate the work of others to be effective, this effort is not inspiring in the least. I’d guess the best way to sum it up is that “Distortion” is a fun album that could very well disappoint fans. Unless of course those fans are not familiar with A.C. Newman.


-PTC

Coachella lineup to be announced today

The Coachella promoters are set to announce the lineup for this year's festival in the desert today in Mexico City. It should pop up on forums tonight and on the official site tomorrow, as well as Pitchfork. Of course, we'll post it as soon as humanly possible on NLtS. The big news: The Raconteurs are confirmed, according to the LA Times.



Also, in addition to the So Cal festival, the Coachella promoters are poised to add a second festival in Jersey City, NJ with Jack Johnson and that English band we like to talk about headlining. We'll bring you more as details develop.

Indie beatmaker makes the new Mac fit to mail

The Blow/YACHT contributor Jona Bechtolt has created a sleeve for the pending Macbook Air, Mac's new ultrathin notebook. Peeping the ad will make it seem all the more clever of an idea.



Check the sleeve at manilamac.com.

-RJR

The last hurrah of 2007.

The loyal readers of Pitchfork have had their say. The annual readers' poll was released, with a short list of the albums of the year. Here is that list:

1. Radiohead: In Rainbows
2. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
3. Panda Bear: Person Pitch
4. The National: Boxer
5. Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam
6. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
7. Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
8. Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
9. M.I.A.: Kala
10. Battles: Mirrored
11. Feist: The Reminder
12. Okkervil River: The Stage Names
13. Jens Lekman: Night Falls Over Kortedala
14. Sunset Rubdown: Random Spirit Lover
15. Wilco: Sky Blue Sky
16. Menomena: Friend and Foe
17. Justice: †
18. Burial: Untrue
19. Deerhunter: Cryptograms
20. Iron & Wine: The Shepherd's Dog
21. The Field: From Here We Go Sublime
22. Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrypha
22. Kanye West: Graduation
23. Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
24. The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
25. Band of Horses: Cease to Begin

Additionally, they released a list of the best songs of the year:

1. LCD Soundsystem: "All My Friends"
2. Panda Bear: "Bros"
3. M.I.A.: "Paper Planes"
4. Battles: "Atlas"
5. Animal Collective: "Fireworks"
6. LCD Soundsystem: "Someone Great"
7. The National: "Mistaken for Strangers"
8. Feist: "1 2 3 4"
9. Justice: "D.A.N.C.E."
10. Arcade Fire: "Keep the Car Running"
11. Radiohead: "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"
12. Radiohead: "Nude"
13. Arcade Fire: "Intervention"
14. Spoon: "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb"
15. Of Montreal: "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse"
16. Spoon: "The Underdog"
17. Okkervil River: "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe"
18. Animal Collective: "Peacebone"
19. Beirut: "Elephant Gun"
20. UGK [ft. Outkast]: "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)"
21. Rihanna: "Umbrella"
22. Wilco: "Impossible Germany"
23. Jens Lekman: "A Postcard to Nina"
24. Caribou: "Melody Day"
25. Band of Horses: "Is There a Ghost?"

There were other lists offered as well; the complete collection can be found here:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47707-2007-pitchfork-readers-poll


-PTC

Coachella update

Courtesy of the Coachella message boards, here are a few acts of interest grouped by confirmation status. The official lineup is supposed to be out this week, so this is likely to be null and void in the near future, but just talking about Coachella gets this blogger excited.

1. "Confirmed"
Portishead
The Breeders
Death Cab for Cutie
Deltron 3030
Cold War Kids
VHS or Beta
The Cinematic Orchestra w/Heidi Vogel
Sons & Daughters
Goldfrapp
Animal Collective
Simian Mobile Disco
The Verve
My Morning Jacket
Islands
Tegan and Sara

2. mentioned by the LA Times blog
Justice
Jens Lekman
Dan Deacon
Battles

3. scheduled on the West coast with no LA show
Gutter Twins
Les Savy Fav
Hot Chip
Blind Melon
Dwight Yoakam

Still no one in the "confirmed" section worth getting riled up about, but the lineup looks to be of pretty high calibre. An excellent Mojave Tent (primarily indie dance) seems to be shaping up, with Hot Chip, Les Savy Fav, Dan Deacon, and VHS or Beta. 2008 looks to be the year of reunions nobody asked for, with Blind Melon, The Verve, The Breeders, and Portishead dredging up only vaguely nice memories from the 90s. It's also worth noting that the LA Times blog bands smack a little too closely to this blog's album of the year list from 2007. Perhaps buzz is being invented by dropping names of all the shamelessly overblogged acts from last year. Look forward to more "no spin" Coachella news in the next week!

-RJR