Last time of Montreal came to town, I had to go. They’re one of my favorite all-time bands, so I wasn’t going to miss that. I met some friends there early on to catch the first opener, when the place still wasn’t packed. Not having any expectations, I was kinda blown away by the energy of CHAPPO. They were psychedelic and poppy and engaging and loud and a whole lot of other things. it was an enveloping experience, to say the least. And when they had people with huge dreamcatchers wandering through the crowd … everything felt right.
Now, the band is back on a headlining tour, playing at 6119 on Monday evening with locals Nevada Color and Chupacabra. They’re supporting their debut full-length, Moonwater, which came out last year. You can stream that LP here on their website.
We had a great email chat with CHAPPO‘s guitarist Dave Feddock. Read on for the Q&A, and stream a video and some tunes, as well. And, hey, see yinz at the show!
The last time Speedy Ortiz came through town, they were rad enough to hook up with DUL and play one of our showcase shows. I was really happy to encounter them in the wide world of music, and haven’t let them go since. Their Sports EP that I bought at that show is on my “short shelf” of records and I pull it out now and then for a high-volume spin. Good times. And now, lucky for all of us, they’re BACK to Pittsburgh for a show at 222 Ormsby. Lo and behold, they’re teaming up with two more bands we love, Legs Like Tree Trunks (who played with them last time, even) and The Gotobeds.
Get yer asses out there for one of the best rock lineups you’ll see all season. Here’s the Facebook event for ya, and read on for more words about the bands and some streamable tunes. See yinz at the show! Read more »
The last time Suuns hit Pittsburgh, they were opening for The Black Angels. (What a great show that was.) Now, they’re back on a headlining tour, and I’m not surprised at all. Their songs beg to be seen live, oozing with dark energy and atmosphere that you need to feel all around you. You’ll have the chance to dive deep into their lake of sound on Wednesday evening over at 6119!
Read on for a great interview with Suuns‘ lead singer Ben Shemie and drummer Liam O’Neill. They had a lot of interesting things to say about their new album, writing songs, touring, and they entertained my wild ideas about the album’s meaning. You can check out a video for lead single “2020″, as well.
At the ripe old age of … ahem, 20 … Iceage are already making some seriously choppy waves in the indie rock world. Four young punks from Copenhagen, Denmark they are, and their latest LP, You’re Nothing, came out on Matador Records in February. They’re making their second stop in Pittsburgh (having played The Shop a year or so ago) and you don’t wanna miss it! Read on for more words about the bands and some tunes!
There’s no shortage of extremely talented bands out there in the world, and I’m always grateful when they find their way to my ears. I got an email from TEEPEE a while back looking to fit Pittsburgh in their tour schedule. So, I clicked a link, streamed some songs and … wow. I couldn’t begin to describe their sound at the time, and I’ll probably even fail miserably here, but it’s some kind of amazing. I became excited at the prospect of seeing them live, filling a room with these awesome songs.
So we made it happen, with some help from the fine folks of Pittsburgh art/music collective Monalloh Foundry. We found a space and a time and some wonderful local bands to join in. It’s gonna be a damn good time, so get yer asses to Penn Ave tomorrow evening and join us! (Facebook event here)
Some more words about the bands (and some tunes) after the jump, but all the details you need are up above!
These ‘Label Me’ segments are a blast to write…plus they give me the chance to revisit a ton of favorite tunes from some favorite labels–some of which I forgot about. I’ll do my best to keep’em comin’ more frequently in 2013—I promise.
Last September 11th, the heads at Hydra Head Records announced the “immediate demise” of the label—as if that day wasn’t enough of a bummer. Don’t worry—they’re not closing the doors completely; they already started perpetuating their existing catalog via a rehabilitation project called “Hydra Health.” They’ll reissue classic albums, offer test pressings, and even cop out an ISIS guitar or two. They need the money to keep things going…that’s when you and your wallet come in! Read on.
Welcome back! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a crossword puzzle. I blame school and life and all that jazz. But here I am, with a brand new brainteaser for your solving pleasure, chock full of musical clues and themes. By the way, if you’re new around here, be sure to check out my previous musically-oriented constructions: all 5 (so far!) of those puzzles are collected here on this page, and their solutions are posted, as well.
This puzzle is a fun one for ya, not too hard but not too too too easy, either! If you’ve got a scientific slant, then you might be better off for it, but it’s not a requirement. Anyway, I’ll stop being such a boron and let you get to the solving …
So we typically toss a video onto a post when highlighting a new band or a show preview or something and let you draw your own conclusion about it. Sometimes we throw a change-up… strike that — let’s call it a round up. Most of these videos are of bands we have previously talked about here on Draw Us Lines, so we won’t be telling you much about those bands themselves, just some musings that really aren’t worth a damn. If a picture is worth 1000 words, then a video must be worth a million. Hold on to your hats!
Words and picks by Brendan
Today we’re featuring videos from Tame Impala, Foxygen, Brooke Annibale, Hallelujah The Hills, and White Wives.
I’ve enjoyed watching (well, listening, really) as Thao Nguyen‘s sound has progressed over a few LPs. We Brave Bee Stings and All was a stunning debut (“Bag of Hammers” still slays me), letting Thao and her voice and lyrics lead the way overtop rockin’ but folksy guitars and drums. Know Better Learn Faster found her plugging in the guitar more often and playing around with lyrics and song structures. And now, with We The Common, she and the band are mixing these two styles, with stellar effects. The banjos are prevalent throughout the album, as are some synth sounds, some strings, and some vocal guests. It’s outstanding, a true step forward for their musical work, and perhaps reflective of Thao‘s joint album with Mirah from 2011 (which made our Top 10 Albums list, at my behest). I think the lead/title track on this one is the most popular (and rightfully so, I’ll add!), but track 2 is the one I want to share. The guitar lines are fuzzier and bouncier than ever, the energy is as high as always, the innovation is prevalent (those tinkly notes on a xylophone or something? amazing), and Thao‘s lyrics are properly showcased. The song might reflect a breakup (of a love or a friendship), or just a realization of purpose in life, or … well, any number of things. The best part, though, is the conclusion. As much as the earlier riffs and vocal lines perk my ears, it’s the outro that always sticks with me:
Rest and be strong
Wash and be clean
Start a new year
Whenever you need
[Song diary is a random but reoccurring segment where we highlight specific songs that have been living inside our heads while staying away from all the album and band specifics. Sometimes they're ours, sometimes other people's. Email us if you want to do one! Think of it like a virtual mix tape that's always being updated. Click the tab up top to open a new window so you can listen to all the songs on one music player]
There are plenty of great shows happening in town in the next five days. I wish I could see them all, but I can’t, so I’m counting on you folks to check them all out and tell me how great they were. Into spacey psych rock? Check out Guardian Alien on Wednesday, or Heliotropes on Thursday. Dig the indie rock/folk vibes? Definitely see Rah Rah on Wednesday, with excellent locals Arlo Aldo. Into the singer/songwriter types? Don’t miss Brooke Annibale‘s EP release show on Saturday (see the full EP stream below, as well!). More of a punky, guitar-heavy rock lover? Bleeding Rainbow will be your bag, at WPTS’ show on Thursday. Wanna support some great local bands putting out a vinyl release? Get to the Brillobox on Friday night and buy Grand Piano and The Red Western‘s split LP. Basically, there’s something for everyone this week, so no excuses. Screw the “snow” and the “cold”. Just get out and see some live music, okay?
Yo! We compiled a bunch of ECHO CHAMBER recordings. How abouts you check out the Bandcamp page (click above) and pick these tunes up? We'd appreciate it and we know you'll love 'em.
The DUL Staff
This website's sole purpose is to help good people find and enjoy good music. If you are a musician or artist and would like your music/video removed, just contact us. Thanks!
We get a lot of emails from bands and labels. We try our damnedest to listen, but we can't like it all and we can't post about everything. We're just three American men. Don't get discouraged. Keep up the good work. You're doing great.
