Posts by Gabriel Scheer

Upon first listen to The Red River’s Little Songs About The Big Picture, I was grabbed by its nods to Iron and Wine, Sufjan Stevens, the Cave Singers, and Animal Collective (and even occasional hints of early Bright Eyes, as on “Grand Fasse”). However, it’s got something more… it feels like something one could listen to on one’s porch, happily sipping some summery drink while rocking back and forth. It carries a melancholic joie de vivre, if that’s possible – a sense of awareness of things beyond one’s vision, carried all the while on a melody that reminds one of life’s short, bittersweet nature.

Do you like seminal Scottish rockers Travis? Well, you’re going to like lead singer Fran Healy’s first solo jaunt, Wreckorder. Imagine, if you will, Travis, circa The Invisible Band, adding in a bit more orchestra and slightly lacking a bit of the energy brought by Andy, Dougie, and Neil. 

Menomena is a great buzz band. They burst out of Portland (Oregon) a few years back on the back of a strong second full-length album, and have gained critical and popular acclaim through an engaging, contemporary sound. They fit in perfectly with ironic hipsterdom: it’s easy to imagine them being listened to in a perfectly (fake) woodsy lodge-style bar (in a dense urban neighborhood), wearing one’s trucker hat and probably something polyester.

In a stroke of awesome with The Dance, Faithless has managed to continue that dance trend, and their careful balancing act. The opening song, “Not Going Home,” proves once again that they have the chops to own a dance floor, with what is sure to soon be (or already be) a memorable, bring-down-the-roof riff.

Ben Folds and the Seattle Symphony. For few musicians would I have fewer reservations about this potential pairing – and in Folds’ recent visit to Seattle, this critic was not disappointed. Folds played a magnificent set, highlighting the strength of his songwriting, giving the audience a window into the process of converting pop songs into orchestral pieces (or, at it’s called, “arranging”), and generally providing a great evening.

Chris Pureka follows in the noble tradition of American singer-songwriters exploring human emotion, frailty, happiness. Well-educated (she left her studies in microbiology at Smith College to pursue music), Pureka has a knack for crafting accessible, enjoyable songs that have the feel of a comfortably-worn old sweater; her voice is a deep, musty timbre (yes, musty – think depth, shadows, and a degree of disrepair) that echoes the memory of times past, both good and bad.

In short, the Pet Shop Boys provided what their fans came, first and foremost, to hear, and second, to see: consistent, nostalgic, beautiful music, coupled with a flamboyant and colorful stage show, all rounded off with an encore accompanied by the shooting of heaps of silver confetti from two large canons flanking the front of the stage.

Then there are CDs worthy of more listening, and a precious few worthy of joining my regular playlist. Nitin Sawhney’s new release, London Undersound, is one of those albums. It is a masterpiece.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a band referencing a youthful Dylan’s girlfriend, Echo Helstrom is both musically notable (all five in the band are classically-trained musicians) and poetic, writing lyrics that capture one’s imagination. Though they weren’t quite as well suited to lasers (has a band sporting upright bass and violin been accompanied by lasers without being named Pink Floyd?), they did a great job of engaging the audience and creating solid, contemporary-feeling rock.

A recent show by Seattle-based, Barsuk artist Say Hi (…), revealed a generally promising young act that could use a bit more fleshing out. A one-person recording artist (Eric Elbogen), Say Hi’s recent show featured Elbogen and a drummer, opening for Minnesota’s amazing Cloud Cult.

This article adds a new path for Glide Magazine: specifically, an effort to begin bridging the worlds of culture and sustainability. In truth, one is nothing without the other; if the planet is uninhabitable, music and art will die. Likewise, without a clear appreciation for the beauty and indeed, art that is nature, people fail to appreciate some of the most spectacular aspects of life: a light rain, dewdrops on a leaf, or a sunset over the mountains – things worth working to care for.

The Album Leaf in concert is a five-piece, multi-instrumental electronic collective, while behind the scenes, it is James LaValle, himself a talented multi-instrumentalist. LaValle’s meandering sound is beautiful: experimental electronica, pinging and bumping in all the right ways, creating nothing so much as an ambience for living. Live, the five-piece serves up a masterful blend of soaring melodies and steady beats, delivered by mostly traditional instruments (including a violin), and a video screen, projecting randomness.

It is rare to hear an album that’s different than most anything else one’s heard in quite some time. It is also rare to find one so different it both falls into that category and is enjoyable. Unfortunately, Deerhoof’s “Offend Maggie” fails to surpass that relatively high bar.  

Playing recently with the Seattle Symphony at the acoustically perfect Benaroya Hall, Brandi Carlile showcased her significant talents and impressive catalog of music.  Backed by what was clearly a talented band (in particular, Seattle twins Tim & Phil Hanseroth, who provided lovely backing harmonies), Carlile led the audience through both old songs and new. 

Ingrid Michaelson is that rare breed of performer who can come across as both humble and incredibly self-assured at the same time – without it being obnoxious.  Indeed, the woman has grounds for both.  

There’s something comforting about Richard Shindell.  He makes folk-oriented rock’n roll, simple, lovely, melodic, and lyrically engaging.  A troubadour of sorts, this Buenos Aires resident (by way of New York City) manages an engaging ease that not only endears him to the audience, but that beautifully complements the salt-of-the-earth, storytelling nature of his songs. 

rom the get-go, it is worth noting that Vienna Teng is a great musician.  She writes lyrically compelling songs that provide the perfect platform for the duet of her piano and lovely voice.  However, in a recent show at Seattle’s Triple Door, performing as part of a quartet (Teng was accompanied by three solid musicians on violin, cello, and percussion), her talent was truly on display. 

What does one get when crossing the innocent, vintage look and feel of Holly Golightly (of Breakfast at Tiffany’s fame) with the unique solo style of Joanna Newsome, both complemented by an intelligent acknowledgement of both local and national politics? Nellie McKay.

BoDeans are an engaging band who has stood the test of time. Their longevity – and the reasons for it – were on clear display at their recent show at Seattle’s gorgeous Triple Door.

Newton Faulkner’s “Hand Built By Robots” is familiar like a comfortable blanket…it doesn’t exactly push into new territory, but at the same time, listening to it is like putting on a favorite college CD: it’s good to hear it again after all these years.