Posts by Gabriel Scheer

With her second album, 1-800-bankrupt, Marykate O

As it turns out,

The album simultaneously calls forth memories of Sting, modern indie rock, and downbeat Euro-electro, taking the listener on an alternating journey through comforting, yet simultaneously discomfiting territory.

When Norwegian trip-hop outfit Flunk first gained recognition with a cover of New Order’s “Blue Monday” (from 2002’s For Sleepyheads Only), it was easy to wonder whether they would be around long. Recently playing to a bursting-at-the-seams Chop Suey, however, it was evident that they’ve stumbled onto a winning formula. Led by frontwoman Anja Øyen Vister, the band produced a breathy, atmospheric mix of tunes spanning their three studio albums.

Though now living in New York, The Stills are, in some ways, in an (un)enviable position: they hail from Montreal, the latest “buzz city” and home of The Arcade Fire, among others. While undoubtedly proving a useful boost to young, hungry bands, the current popularity of their hometown also means heightened expectations for all who hail from Montreal. Fortunately for The Stills, their live show is proof that some buzz is justified; they bring it, and bring it good.

Opening with an atmospheric instrumental that would be the perfect lead-in to an arena-rock show, Mogwai

Newly anointed kings of the Seattle indie pop scene, Band of Horses already have a lot to live up to

One of the biggest challenges of reviewing a 17 year-old singer is giving an honest opinion of her music and performance abilities, as opposed to commenting on the quality of her music and performance relative to her age. This challenge is headily evident in the case of 17 years of age, singer-songwriter Sonya Kitchell, whose impressive performance is countered by relatively unimaginative vocal stylings.

With the pre-show press releases touting David Wilcox as the next best thing to James Taylor and Bob Dylan, this reviewer went to his recent show at Seattle’s Triple Door with high expectations. Fortunately, the comparisons proved apt.

In a somewhat unusual twist on the notion of “headliner” and “opening acts,” the three women shared the stage for the entire evening, playing a single-song set each while the other two sat, then waiting patiently – or singing along – while the other two did the same.

This may sound like your grandpa

Seattle’s Rocky Votolato is an old voice for a young crowd. Opening for Bob Mould last week, Votolato inherited an audience arguably present to see an icon, and took them on a ride of his own making. With a soulfully evocative voice, Votolato and his über-competent backing trio led the audience down the musical back roads of what sounded like the American southwest, with a touch of Nashville and hint of Austin thrown in for good measure.

Unadventurous and uncharacteristically lacking in stage presence, MTB was completely inoffensive – and thus, fairly forgettable.