Live: Purity Ring/Young Magic @ The Mohawk 1/22/13

Shows don’t really sell out for bands in Austin. Usually, no matter how popular or how much buzz is behind an band, and trust me when I say they will still draw a huge crowd, it is near always possible to just go to the venue and grab a ticket there. So when the blackboard outside the Mohawk read "SOLD THE FUCK OUT", that should give the proper sense of how much people wanted to see Purity Ring and Young Magic. The emails, texts, and phone calls I made to make to make personally to secure my own ticket just to see the show was more effort than I have ever invested in order to see a show. But after I emerged the show, sweaty from uncontrollable dancing and experiencing minor seizures from the lights, I honestly think I can say it was all worth it.

Young Magic



Young Magic managed to set the vibe of the night early with their set. They came on stage without a peep, and proceeded to play a blend of deeply atmospheric blend of modern psychedelic-electronica infused with bits of a post-Merrieweather Post Pavilion sound. Dark, moody, blood violet lighting was shined on the band throughout their set while various film clips were projected on the right side of the Mohawk; the band was trying as hard as they could to draw the crowd into trance-filled, other-worldly sound. Unfortunately, despite being able to craft the night’s atmosphere, Young Magic didn’t really succeed with their own music. Live, Young Magic’s music gained unattractive drone quality that while fitting in with the general hypnotic tone, also made the music blend together too. Also, being cramped under Purity Ring’s stage set-up and their projects going unnoticed as well as being obscured removed solid chunks of their aesthetic that probably help to rise their live show. Instead, Young Magic set just felt meandering, going in no particular direction until it ended.

Purity Ring



Purity Ring’s set, on the other hand was just the opposite of Young Magic. They roared to life, from the moment Megan James and Corin Roddick stepped on stage, the entire place lit up, both metaphorically and literally from the catacomb like light rig the band uses to enhance their both bright but off-kilterly dark style. It has been deeply impressive to see how Purity Ring’s live show has evolved through the years from when they were using mini-pipes to produce their beats live, to the introduction of the light-up, beat triggering lantern rig and homemade backdrop that followed. This show felt like a cumulation of all that, from the fully manipulated light scheme to the aforementioned illuminated catacombs that hovered over the band to the smoke machine that was the perfect last bit of atmosphere instead of tacky add-on. Not to mention the band was an absolute fine from, sounding pitch perfect the entire set through with James shining like a crystal and Roddick never missing a set with his production duties, mechanically jumping between his sampler, the lantern rig, and back. Purity Ring were so good that the Soulja Boy cover they included near the end of their set made perfect sense rather than feeling like a “why the hell did they do that”. While not every aspect of Purity Ring’s songs managed completely to come alive during their set (the more sinister and darker aspects being obstructed by the positive vibes of the dancing front row), at times did feel like hearing Shrines being constructed right before your eyes, something that should express how impress the duo was onstage.

Top 25 Albums of 2012

Every year for about the past five years, at one point or another some publication will releases an article talking about the "death of the album as we know it". And every year since those articles have begun to appear, bands worldwide have continued to put out thought-out, cohesive,  40-80 suites of music designed to be listened as a unit. Here now, a little after 2012 and looking back at the year, there were some truly incredible albums released during those 366 days. No trends, no requirements: just 25 really excellent albums that everyone should have gotten last year.
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25. Gap Dream-Gap Dream: I want to call Gap Dream’s debut simple, but that feels like it is doing it a disservice somehow. Gap Dream feels like it’s from another era, 10 cuts of AM Gold influenced, burnt out psych from the mind of Gabe Fulvimar. It’s hazy in nearly every aspect, from the production, to the mood, to even the cover art itself. Still, it manages to claw its shimmering hooks inside the brain, its demented take on the genre(s) so well-crafted in the likes of “58th St. Fingers” or “Leather” that it feels like the album was actually plucked from the ‘70s, albeit an alternate dimension version of the decade.

24. Born Gold-Little Sleepwalker: Reinventions are nothing new with electronic artists, but rarely are they as much of a flip as Little Sleepwalker was with Born Gold. Completely stepping away from the creative bombast of Bodysong, Born Gold fully embrace mainstream pop, Burial style dubstep, and cut up synthpop, to craft a deeply twitched and new sound on Little Sleepwalker. Born Gold goes so far as to shift his vocals several octaves higher to change his sound even more. However, as current as Little Sleepwalker sounds, it is still a Born Gold, meaning that no matter what root Born Gold starts from, the end result is more off-kilter, more different, and more creative than where he started from. And that is no different with the ethereal Little Sleepwalker.

23. Royal Headache-Royal Headache: It seems so simple and so stupid at the same time; craft honest, genuine soul songs and have them backed by a garage-punk band. It could have easily turned out horrible, but Royal Headache’s self-titled debut instead turned out sort of really great. Shogun’s vocals are powerful, and well, deeply soulful, while the album’s clean production lets every instrument shine through, while still retaining more than enough energy to give every track a small, rough-around-the-edges quality. If this is what soul-punk is, less than three minute blasts sharply articulated of love and life, than I’m all for it.

22. Andrew Bird-Break it Yourself: I feel like Andrew Bird has never gotten the credit he deserves for his past few records, despite how solid each of his releases has been since The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Break it Yourself is another album to add to that cannon of quality works, a more cohesive album than expected that allows Bird to stretch out his legs sonically. Only two of the fourteen tracks are under four minutes, yet nothing feels unnecessarily long or forced. Instead, Break it Yourself is just as breezy as its predecessors, its hour length passing in the blink of an eye. Brilliantly constructed and intelligent indie-folk that feels instantly timeless. But what’s new for Andrew Bird?

21. Divine Fits-A Thing Called Divine Fits: Super groups, indie or not, will always get the short end of the stick with music history, not only having to create music of merit, but also having that music stand in the shadow of each member’s other musical accomplishments too. This is nothing new with music, or any musician who starts a new band after their initial one breaks up. Still, I feel it was that perspective that robbed people from fully appreciating A Thing Called Divine Fits. A deeply moody record that nicely balances Dan Boeckner synthier style to Britt Daniel’s bare-bones indie rock, ego doesn't prevail with Divine Fits but substance does. The pure intensity of “What Gets You Alone”, the sparse dance-rock of “Like Ice Cream”, the pitch perfect, and near haunting rendition of “Shiver”; if A Thing Called Divine Fits was nothing but the leftover scrapes from Boeckner and Daniel, they were more than substantial.

20. Dan Deacon-America: If America is what Dan Deacon sounds like grown-up, I do not mind him growing old at all. The shift is noticeable from the very beginning with “Guilford Avenue Bridge”, a track that begins with Deacon’s usual sonic barrage but instead tempers out to something more digestible half way through. Then there is the new found lyricism of “True Thrush” and the minimal, electronic burst (for Deacon) of “Lots”. Though what clenches Deacon’s stylistic shift is the epic, four part “USA” suite that ends the album. In those four tracks that can only be seen as a whole, Deacon creates something truly poetic and memorizing that he has never managed to accomplish before. America is a beautiful, chaotic, beep-filled sprawl, much like the thing it’s named after.

Purity Ring-Fineshrine

I don't know why I like Purity Ring. By every standard, the clear R&B influence, to the the crystal like electronic beats and uber pristine production, I should completely reject Purity Ring with every fiber of my being. But instead, with every new song they release, I fall in love with the band a little bit more. And with the release of "Fairshrine", I just might have to propose.

There have been people who have say that "Fairshrine" might be Purity Ring's best song to date and the thirty plus listens within the past day do not contest. The glory of "Fairshrine" lies in the way it is the fulfillment of everything Purity Ring have been building to. The production is at once eerie and glowing. It is what would be playing in a subterranean cave you just discovered lit only by strange, cave light. The lyrics only add to the juxtaposition of the song. Purity Ring are know for grotesque and surreal lyrics, but few bands could have the line "Cut open my sternum and pull" as a chorus line and not only make it work, but manage to attach some absurd beauty to it as well. "Fairshrine" is just unbelievably striking, proof Purity Ring haven't even scratched the surface of what they can do, and above all else one of the best electro pop songs of the year.

(mp3) Purity Ring-Fineshrine

Links:

Purity Ring's Website
Pre-order Shrines here, from 4AD Records

Purity Ring-Obedear

Purity Ring like to take their time with things to get them just right. That's clear from their music, which is hyper produced to perfection with every click, beat, cut up vocal layer, and effect placed perfectly together. It also plays to their live shows, which are minimalistic, but fine tuned to be perfectly entrancing with their effect producing live machine and  the lone analog drum on stage. It even plays out in their output, opting to release songs slowly despite being such a hyped band. 

However, that has changed as Purity Ring's debut LP draws nearer. Titled Shrines, and coming out in July, the band has released the first new taste with "Obedear". "Obedear" is the bands most subdued song yet, trading the pronounced punch of their earlier songs with a quiet sense of mini atmosphere. It's dark and moodier, best represented by the cover art, at once both familiar and warm as well as being different and off in just a right way. Megan James' vocals are even more ethereal here than ever before, if that is even possible. It's the song that everyone wanted to hear Purity Ring release; one that fits perfectly in their too small catalog and solidifying that they are worth every piece of praise that is mounting everyday.

(mp3) Purity Ring-Obedear

Links:

Purity Ring's Website
Pre-order Shrines here, from 4AD Records

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011: Day 2 (Part 1)

Purity Ring



How does a band that has barely any songs, which are also more suited for an atmospheric night club perform an early slot in the middle of the day? By being super impressive of course. I am kicking myself for missing most of their set, but am more than happy to have caught the few bits that I did. Somehow they managed to turn the Blue stage into an intimate setting, drawing the crowd into their hypnotic, electronic world. As a finale the band played their last songs on a pipe system they had miked up to produce the songs' beats. It was astonishing and something that truly needed to be seen to believe. One can only guess if Purity Ring's buzz will hold, but from the moments I saw, it only looks bright for the duo.







The Joy Formidable



The Joy Formidable will never be big. Not in the indie Grizzly Bear or Animal Collective sort of way. They will always be a little too unhip for all the cool kids to like with wild abandonment like they do with other bands. Which is a shame because as The Joy Formidable proved with their wind filled set, they are fucking great. They rage with the intensity of the greatest shoegaze bands but throw in genuine, indie rock hooks that rise the songs to thunderous, anthem like levels. Ritzy Bryan is an incredible frontwoman, creating explosions from her vocals and guitar. They tipped of their set with the inflation of two giant, black cats that felt out of place, but for a band this grand, they deserve rock star moments like this.







tUnE-yArDs



Coming off that guitar filled high, tUnE-yArDs' was there to deconstruct it all for me. Seeing Merrill Garbus put together her songs piece by piece is really an experience, one that manages to be so much more captivating than one would think. The chants, the fragments, the tribe like garbs to a certain extent all draw you in so slowly that you don't notice as you are yelping along with Garbus without knowing it. The compete minimalism that tUnE-yArDs didn't transfer completely off the stage and into the crowd (the far too few songs they were able to play made the end feel sudden as well), but the band still made deconstructed, off-kilter, jazz horn filled, Afro-pop groove filled with bright, neon colors as captivating as they could.







Dan Deacon



Dan Deacon's live shows aren't about the music so much as they are about the experience. While usually this a backhanded way of saying "this band sucks live" with Dan Deacon that not at all true. Deacon is a master of the live form, using his music to soundtrack wild/insane dance parties. Discarding the stage to set up in the crowd, he orchestrated the crowd to have a dance competition, and managed to get some fans to walk on the crowd, Iggy Pop style. It's a pity half the set was devoted to Deacon dealing with audio problems and trying to fix them, otherwise this would have been a incredible set. But that never stopped him trying to give the crowd everything, so I don't think he'll mind settling for "pretty good".