What makes Velociraptor! special is the album’s pace and feel. Overall the album has higher production quality than previous albums, which creates a magical feel to each song in the album. Combined with some sweet synth and proper drum work creates songs that easily get stuck in your head. But more importantly, songs which put on smile on your face. Velociraptor! has tons of variety some slow, some fast, but the tracks use different instruments that keep you interested from beginning to end.

Enough about the mechanics of the album, Velociraptor! is cutting edge indie rock. Kasabian is one of those bands that people will continue to talk about many years after they stop making music. They will, and have, influence the next generation of rock.

I absolutely love “La Fee Verte.” Its has wonderful lyrics and a truly infectious beat. While listening to Velociraptor!, I found myself say things under my breath like, “My god they’re good.”

Kasabian – Switchblade Smiles

Kasabian - La Fee Verte

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Dance Party Anyone?

Friday night is the most magical night of the week, I mean they only happen once every seven days. They mark the end of the work week when everyone wants to get out the house and blow off some stress and create some havoc. Many flock to their local watering holes and get assaulted by soulless dance pop. I can see the pain on people’s faces who enjoy real music. They are usually twisted in horror and shame for dancing to a Katy Perry song. I’ve even seen a couple of indie rock chicks stop at the end of a particularly bad song to start miming blowing each others brains out in a last-ditch effort to stop the pain.

Soulless pop songs were not created to inspire emotions, thought, or tell a story. Instead, they were written to appeal to the largest segment of the population, sell as many albums as possible, and most important of all, lure people onto the dance floor. Just look at the facts! They have mindlessly simple beats and words written by a fourteen year old.

Well I for one, am sick of it. Being a radio DJ for seven years makes me think i can tackle any musical dilemma. I think I can create a “dance” playlist that can still please the average Friday night dance floor enthusiast while still putting a smile on the faces of the hipsters. I know this is a tall order, but can society really continue down its current path? The playlist would consist mainly of remixes of indie rock songs. Lord knows I love a good remix. But also some electro pop songs with a dance beat.

I wanted to test this list in a smaller setting before I unleash it on a packed Friday night, in order to make sure I don’t completely embarrass myself. I volunteered to play some tunes at a house party with some of the best dancers Vermont has to offer. This one woman might have a diagnosable disorder in which, she cannot resist a good beat. She is the barometer, if a song is good enough for prime time.

I started out with a personal favorite The Big Pink “Dominoes.” She started out by keeping the beat with a toe, but that song just wasn’t enough.  Strike one, in response I went nuclear. I have DJ Downfall‘s remix of ”The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” by The Postal Service, possibly my favorite song.  That toe motion quickly turned into a foot motion, which then evolved into leg bobbing. But once the song jumped into top gear she couldn’t take it anymore and launched into full dance mode. Success! Many of the other people there were bobbing their heads while they were in conversation and had big smiles on their faces. Some may attribute that to good company and alcohol. I have to call rubbish on that. When the party started winding down and people were putting on their coats, a couple of the party goers came up to me and wanted me to start spinning tunes at the local bar on Friday nights, instead of the current moron.

I have to admit though, Friday night dance parties are not my forte. I am a little out of my element. I normally stick to indie rock. So if you have any suggestions of bands to check out or remixes to look for let me know! So far I’ve been told to check into some Hot Chip.

Below is a sample of some of the songs in the line up for Friday nights.

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It isn’t often you can get your hands on complete albums for free these days. Especially from a large group of talented musicians. If you read my posts you know I love music that feature musicians. It is astounding how many popular artists aren’t musicians and rely on synthetic noise makers to create music.

In the mold of The Roots, Phony Ppl has burst on to the scene out of the cultural melting pot that is Brooklyn, NY. I haven’t heard their fitst release , WTF, but I downloaded Phonyland yesterday and gave it a listen in my car, and then on my home stereo while I was holed up in my place during a snow storm last night. The songs are feel good jazz with an infusion of soul. The fact that a group of young people can put so much heart into a release has restored my faith in music.

Phony Ppl are a collective. They are a rap crew, a songwriting/production team, a live band, and a group of friends who live to make music. They leap across genres and destroy stages across the country, counting Plain Pat, Nick Catchdubs, Peanut Butter Wolf, Giles Peterson and Q-Tip as cosigners. The crew boasts a infectious style throughout their many projects, built on inescapable melodies, feel good hooks and advanced instrumentation. Blending hip-hop attitude with pop sensibilities, Phony Ppl speaks directly to a new, untapped generation of music lovers whose iPods are filled with music of all genres and eras. – Phony Ppl About Me

Be sure to buy and download the whole album here, and keep these guys on your radar. I expect great things.

This video is a great intro to the group, as it gives you a couple samples of their work and highlights their personalities.

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Future This, however, is a well-rounded electro-rock album. There isn’t a bad song the album. Every song compliments the next track. Two favorite of my tracks are “Rubbernecking” and “77.” The new album is pretty cutting edge. Normally when an electro rock album comes out it’s poppy, slushy, and there is nothing particularly interesting on them. Future This, on the other hand, has a variety of slow songs, fast songs, rocking songs, even some hints of dubstep, but with a romantic edge. What more could you want?

The Big Pink – Stay Gold

The Big Pink – Hit The Ground (Superman)

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• The Big Pink: Future This – review (guardian.co.uk)
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Recently I had the opportunity to “sit down” with Ryan Petrillo, vocalist/guitarist and songwriter for the band, and I asked him a few questions:

Dan Warden: Tell me about the band. Whatever you feel is important, but I’m leaning towards, when did you get together, how long have you been together, were some of you in other bands before etc.

Ryan Petrillo: What I can say about the genesis of The Bailey Hounds is that it was initially started by Gary and myself.  I had recently left my friend’s band, Liam and Me, after being on tour with them for about two years. I wasn’t a part of the writing process, and I was itching to play my own music. When I ran out of money and couldn’t afford the touring life any longer, I hunted down a Philadelphia drummer and found Gary. He had played extensively in the Philly folk and bluegrass scene and once we met and started playing, that started things off. That was about three years ago. However, the band we have today has only really been around and performing regularly for about a year. With the upcoming year, we’ll be releasing new music, new covers, and playing outside the tri-state area pretty extensively. We’re in the midst of setting up a tour headed south for early April.

DW: Who were and are your influences?

RP: I think citing “influences” is a tremendously difficult thing to do because as music lovers and musicians, we are exposed to so many artists and genres; we really take a little from all of our interests, regardless of time periods & genres. I grew up hearing Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bruce, & Zeppelin on my Pop’s record player, so I was always surrounded by that. As a teenager, I really only listened to metal & punk, and as I got older and broadened my horizons a significant amount, I really started becoming enamored with artists like Ryan Adams and Iron & Wine. I think each of us in the Hounds has our own Top 5, you could say, and we all bring a bit of that to the table—a mosaic of all the music we grew up on, whether that means Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, Hot Water Music, Tom Waits, or Pantera.

DW: I watched a YouTube video of you regarding the Dylan cover and heard you say you had been in Punk and Metal bands before.  Why the change?

RP: The change wasn’t anything consciously done. I always wrote songs for myself, and at the point where my hardcore band could’ve gone one way or the other, I decided to move to Scotland to study Gothic literature. I suppose that really ended the era for me.

DW: If you could pick one album that changed your life, what would it be?

RP: It’s not an easy task to choose a single album that changed my life, but honestly, Pantera‘s The Great Southern Trendkill and Ryan Adams‘ Love is Hell both had a profound effect on me and how I approached music.

DW: Getting to Along the Gallows, what was the recording process like?

Along the Gallows

RP: We recorded at Racetrack Sound Studios in South Philly with Shane Moore & Lance Davis, who were a real team in the process. The studio was incidentally only blocks away from my apartment, so on summer days, I’d stroll over there with the scent of Termini‘s canolli and Pat’s Cheesteaks in the air and knock out vocals for a song or two. We only recorded on weekends and I think at times the process felt like a train pushin’ an old car down the tracks or something. We’d go weeks sometimes without hearing what we recorded and when we finally did…well, it was often just a relief that we were getting the sounds we wanted. The studio was a comfortable place for us and Shane & Lance sacrificed a lot of their time getting the right feeling and shades and dynamics out of the songs.

DW: After seeing/hearing your cover of The Great Southern Trendkill, I started digging into the band.  You seem to have a decent amount of exposure, why the decision to self release the album?

RP: Ha, honestly, there was never another option besides a self-release. I don’t think it’s a decision we consciously made per se, but I think for our first album, it’s definitely something we all felt compelled to do. We put a lot into the album, even down to making the physical cases of the CDs ourselves. Every decision we made about the album was ours, and I’m not sure that would have been the case if we hadn’t released it independently.

DW: Is it difficult to book gigs in Philly with your sound?

RP: It isn’t. Many of our favorite bands we play with, like our buddies in Ruby the Hatchet, don’t sound anything like us, but I think there’s some inexplicable thing that makes us feel real comfortable playing shows together. We want to have fun, put on a good show, hang out with friends & fans, and enjoy what the bar has to offer. There’s actually a pretty thriving folk scene here in Philly, but for whatever reason, we haven’t been a part of it.

DW: Are there labels courting the band?

RP: Nope. There are no labels courting the band, but if there were, I don’t know if it’s something we’d be interested in. Being on a label doesn’t seem to have the same meaning as it did in another age. I read some comment that was posted after the Pantera video came out about how all these major labels were apparently courting the band and I was like, “Whoa! Awesome. Wait, no, no…that’s a lie.”

DW: Listening to the Album I find a common theme runs throughout.  To me it seems like loss, death and the devil but even though dark themes abound I get the idea that this album is about love and life.  A challenge to preconceived notions of love and happiness.  Emphasizing the point that death and loss are necessary for life and love.  Your thoughts? 

RP: Writing for me is a very natural process and I think all of those themes make their way onto the album. I never really thought any of these songs would ever be recorded or played with a full band, so I can’t say that I ever had any intentions about what themes might run throughout the album; I just wrote what I felt I had to say at the particular moment the song was being written. 

DW: You might not be able to answer, but what is your favorite song on the album? Or at least what was the most fun to record?

RP: Yeah, I don’t think I can say if I have a favorite. I like how “Along the Gallows” and “Devil Tree” came out. We had Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner come play pedal-steel on “Along the Gallows” and it really completed the song for me; pedal-steel is my favorite instrument, and I always heard it somewhere in the song. “Devil Tree” was just a fun process because we got to experiment so much with sounds and textures; Vince used a bow on the second-half of the track and played some ambient stuff using a quarter on the strings. Actually, I consider the two songs sister-songs, and I think having them on the album was important to me. I’m pleased with how they turned out, though if you could hear the demo versions I recorded in my room however long ago, I think you’d be surprised with how far they’ve come and developed.

DW: Enlighten me to your songwriting process.  As a songwriter myself I find talking to other songwriters that the process for each of us is a little different.  With some songs I have written, I wrote the music first then the lyrics, I have almost never been able to write lyrics then add music, and for the songs that I consider my best, I did both at the same time.  What works for you?

RP: I usually pick up my Pop’s ’76 Martin, and if something sounds good, I keep playing it. Eventually, I have a melody, and if I’m lucky, lyrics just start pouring out. After I have the skeleton of the song, I bring it to the guys and we play it till we’re sick.

DW: How did the Pantera cover come about? Just so you know I listen to it at least five or six times a week.  I have always been a Pantera fan, and also a big fan of Down. Phil Anslemo writes some amazing songs. Listening to the original, you get the idea of the lyrics, but they are expressed through anger and aggression.  Your cover puts a new spin on the idea.  It becomes personal, for me it is easier to internalize pain and remorse than aggression.  So thanks for helping me rediscover a great song.

RP: The Pantera cover was a very unconscious thing.  I had been a Pantera fan since I could buy my own cassette tapes, and I always wanted to pay tribute to the band somehow.  I had been playing this version of “Trendkill” in my room whenever I had downtime; “The Great Southern Trendkill” was always one of my favorite Pantera songs, and I eventually showed it to the other fellas in the band. They dug it, and we played it at shows a handful of times. The song—to me—always sounded like there was just dirt all over the place. Dirt in the amplifiers and grit in the crevices of the snare.  Sand in the microphone and really just this impossible rawness. I remember vividly where I was the first time I heard it in 1996. I was only about thirteen then and I think my Mom was probably thinking, “Oh no…what just happened to my son?”  When Spike Eskin of WYSP asked us to come on to play our Bob Dylan cover, I asked if we could do the Pantera cover instead­—it seemed only appropriate, figuring it was a station prone to playing heavier music. I didn’t think the video would be seen by more than a few friends & fans, so when it started spreading and Pantera posted it on their Facebook page, it was pretty wild for me. I knew some people would be upset by the approach to the cover, but I was hoping that the majority of people would recognize that it was paying homage to a band steeped in dark southern roots.  I got a kick out of some of the comments people were making, but hell, I never expected Pantera fans to even hear the cover, let alone call it anything but blasphemy. I was actually really overjoyed with the amount of positive feedback and really appreciative of all the people who understood where I was coming from.

Thanks to Ryan for taking the time to answer all my crazy questions, and at times be a gushing fan…. Again if you haven’t already check out The Bailey Hounds.

Related articles

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I love this album for a couple of reasons. First, the lyrics are intoxicating. There are songs about unrepentant teen love, finding love in graveyards, suicide – really staples in a healthy emo diet. What makes Veronica Falls particularly unique and special is how these elements come together. They are all packaged with a sweet haunting voice wrapped in this sort of retro fifties surf rock. It sounds totally bizarre, but it works wonderfully! Veronica Falls is the type of album that makes life special and magical feeling.

Second, this is an example of an album that the more you listen to it the more you fall in love. The more the lyrics speak to you. The more the drums and guitar work is magical. I promise that Veronica Falls is an album that will grow on you. I’ve been listening to it all day… actually listening is quite the right word. Listening to Veronica Falls seems to have created another compulsive behavior to add to my list.

Veronica Falls – “Bad Feeling” and “Come On Over”

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X-mas break is long gone. The first week of class has hit and its time to get back in the groove. Over the break, I was able to host Music The Vander Wey once again on KGLT. It was an incredible experience. I felt like child in some kind of a store (my New Years resolution was to try to swear off clichés, which ironically maybe a cliché in of itself). While I was flooding the airwaves of Southwestern Montana with indie rock, I held in my hands The Ettes‘ newest album Wicked Will. It’s a strange feeling to hold something so rocking awesome in your hands.

A little background first, The Ettes are an indie rock band out of Nashville. Wicked Will is the trio’s fifth album and was released back in August.

This album is striking and addictive. Wicked Will stands out in my mind as the definition of what a cool album is. It isn’t pretentious. It isn’t corny. Most importantly of all though, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.Wicked Will is made up of short intense rock songs, with Lindsay “Coco” Hames, lead singer, swooning beautifully and I am in love with her lyrics. “Teeth” is great because it’s a bit long, slower, and sets itself apart from the rest of the album. “Every time you smile you are just showing your teeth” got stuck in my mind and soul. Now Lindsay’s voice comes wafting through my mind every time I see a disingenuous smile… which is more often than I care to admit. My only complaint is that the songs are too short. They are only two minutes, which leaves me just wanting more.

I have to say though I just love their sound. First impressions leave you thinking punk, but there is a strong classic 50′s doo wop rock influence coupled with some blues. It makes for a tremendous time.

The Ettes – Teeth

The Ettes – Excuse

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Unfortunately the only way I can write about this album is by gushing about how stupid awesome it really is. It’s punk, its cool, its snappy, and worst of all its addictive. After I listen to “Romances” I can’t help but notice that there is a spring in my step and a goofy smile on my face. Suddenly the world doesn’t suck quite as bad as it did a couple of minutes before.

Wild Flag indie rock quintet from the holy land of indie rock, Portland, Oregon. The music industry has a very technical term for a band like this: “Super Group.” This term refers to an epic rock group that is made up of members of other great rock bands. In Wild Flag’s case, the band members are from the famous Sleater – Kinney (Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss), Helim (Mary Timony), and The Minders (Rebecca Cole). But with their powers combined they form Wild Flag.

You might recognize Carrie Brownstein for the IFC sketch comedy show Portlandia. She does the show with SNL cast member Fred Armisen. Season two of the series just started a few weeks ago, be sure to catch it.

I heard them first on KGLT, but then saw their performance on the Late Show with David Letterman. I have to say that I watch a fair number of artists perform on Letterman. Most are alright, but Wild Flag really blew me away. I remember being dazed and then when they finished just saying “Holy Shit.”

I will also leave you with my favorite tracks “Glass Tambourine” and “Romance.”

Wild Flag – Glass Tambourine

Wild Flag – Romance

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Allo Darlin’

In order to get your taste buds ready for the new album the quartet has leaked “Capricornia” for all to hear. It is full of pop delightfulness, with air lyrics from the voice of Elizabeth Morris.

Allo Darlin’ – Capricornia

Who is Allo Darlin‘

Allo Darlin’ are a fan’s band. They are close friends that found each other and the music they make in London. Elizabeth and Bill are from Australia, Mike and Paul are from Kent. They’ve only been playing seriously as a band since January 2009. Their debut album was released on Fortuna Pop in June 2010 to widespread critical acclaim. They spent much of 2010 on the road in the UK, Europe and America.

2012 Tour Dates

all dates w/ The Wave Pictures 

04/24 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
04/25 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie
04/26 Washington, DC Black Cat Backstage
04/27 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
04/28 Atlanta, GA 529
04/30 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
05/01 Austin, TX Mohawk
05/03 Santa Fe, NM VFW
05/04 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
05/05 Los Angeles, CA Echo
05/06 San Diego, CA Casbah
05/08 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop
05/10 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
05/11 Seattle, WA Vera Project
05/14 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
05/15 Chicago, IL Schubas
05/16 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
05/18 New Haven, CT Cafe Nine

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Below you will find a list of cities he will be stopping in, and on Wednesday Jan. 4th you will be able to purchase your tickets. The details as to where an when the shows will happen have yet to be released. Last year On the Couch writer Music the Vander Wey was able to attend one of the shows in Bozeman, MT. Here is his revue of the show “David Bazan: Living Room Tour 2011″

Tickets: Undertow Tickets

Bazan and Deerhoof's Combo 7" Out Jan. 22nd

Dates and Cities
2/15 – Portland, OR
2/16 - Sacramento, CA
2/17 - Oakland, CA
2/18 - Los Angeles, CA
2/19 - Long Beach, CA
2/20 - Orange, CA
2/21 - San Diego, CA
2/22 - Phoenix, AZ
2/24 - Clinton, OK
2/25 - Denton, TX
2/26 - Dallas, TX
2/27 - Austin, TX
2/28 - Houston, TX
2/29 - Baton Rouge, LA
3/01 - Tallahassee, FL (tentative)
3/02 - Orlando, FL
3/03 - Jacksonville, FL
3/04 - Altanta, GA
3/05 - Nashville, TN
3/06 - Asheville, NC
3/07 - Charlotte, NC
3/09 - Charlottesville, VA
3/10 - Baltimore, MD
3/11 - Philadelphia, PA (tentative)
3/12 - Brooklyn
3/13 - Brooklyn
3/14 - Boston, MA
3/15 - Buffalo, NY
3/16 - Cleveland, OH
3/17 - Three Rivers, MI
3/18 - Chicago, IL
3/19 - Madison, WI
3/21 - Minneapolis, MN
3/22 - Lincoln, NE
3/23 - Lawrence, KS
3/24 - Denver, CO
3/25 - Salt Lake City, UT
3/26 - Boise, ID
3/27 - Spokane, WA

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