Phantom Tails

Phantom Tails is a group I had heard once or twice on the current here in Minneapolis. I didn't know they were local until the Are You Local Show earlier this month. I was glad I could make it to the show because they are my new favorite local group. I just picked up their album "Sounds of the Hunchback Whale" I'm pretty sure they played every song from this album at the show. The opening track is very funny. Simple yet attractive guitar licks, steady drum machine, solid bass and some of the best synths I've heard since The Radio Dept. came out with clinging to a scheme.

I'm not sure what the singles are on this short album (only 8 tracks) but my favorite so far after 2 listens through the whole album has got to be The Oven of Romance or Light of the world. If you like garage band, psychedelic, light melodious metal you should give them a listen on Bandcamp. There is the type that since it is only 8 tracks might wait to see them live, or even a new album. I just met the lead singer and didn't press him on the subject. In a few months I will. Minneapolis wants more than 8 tracks.

Fleetwood Magic. The Fleetwood Mac tribute show.

The Turf Club in St, Paul, Mn had a tribute to the Mac Saturday night, and for the 2nd time in my life, the opening act outperformed all the other acts. She didn't have much of a stage presence and I can't even find her name on the Turf's website. But, she was electronic, she made the songs her own, and the rest of the bands were crap! Nightinghales, Vampire Hands, Me and my Arrow, Invisible Boy and Littlefoot. There were three highlights. 1 there were pulled pork sandwiches, 2 tall crazy drunk girl dancing annoyingly and Phantom tails' lead singer and bass player sat in with Me and my Arrow. I'm pretty certain that it was Me and my Arrow. Honestly I was having a hard time listening to some of the crap the bands were playing. If I find out the name of the asian girl that opened I will let you all know. My reviews will get better. I'm pretty bummed that I missed last nights show at the turf. Pink Mink and H.U.N.X! Damn! Next time they're here I will be there. Front row!

Senseless Hiatus.

I have not reviewed music in a few months. That is not because I have given up on music like I did once, but that was right after I heard that Tipper Gore was the percussionist in a band.

I have seen around a dozen or so concerts just in the new year. Let me re-cap a few if I may.

The first of the year really worth mentioning was The Radio Dept. I saw them at 7th Street Entry. It was a perfect venue. Since their song Heaven's on fire became such a huge hit, it was nice to not have 1,000 people screaming for them to skip ahead and play that. Instead we had 300 or so. Buy their first two albums assholes. A few friends and I got a bite to eat at The Depot Tavern next door before the show because the opening acts left much to be desired, and the guys in the radio dept were just eating dinner so I went up and talked to them for a minute. They were fantastic and the heavy accent was awesome! It was my favorite show of the year until...

Best Coast and Waaves! They were the next pleasant surprise. I arrived late so I missed the first group but was told "They killed it" so I was not very disappointed that I missed them. I hadn't thought very highly of Best Coast until I saw them live. Beth is a very good performer, involved with the crowd and chatty to the right level between songs.  She got Bob her guitarist involved and he was funny. I was standing in the front row so that's always a plus for energy and enjoyment but the sound quality always suffers. I could tell her singing was spot on though. Beautiful voice for a beautiful woman.

The last show I saw was the Are you local show. It was a kick off show for SXSW and they had a couple groups that were participating in a contest to be sent there by someone... a company a radio station? I'm really not sure I had a lot to drink. I can tell you though, the band that won, 4 on the floor are definitely hard to like. They were annoying and toolsy. They tried to straddle the line between performing for the audience and trying to impress the women and if possible distract them from their enormous beer bellies. Playing after them was Phantom Tails. A very good local group. (the singer works at electric fetus just so you know) 60s, psychedelic, psychotronic and who knows what other genres they want to go with all I know is they are great!

Jeremy Messersmith headlined that show. I had seen him a couple times before, so I knew what to expect, but I was still very excited. The man puts on a near flawless show. I say near flawless because he said he wasn't planning on doing an encore. Playing "Tomorrow" he made one mistake but after like I said a flawless set he is allowed at least one. Getting to meet him at the door and ask a couple questions was also a plus. Very friendly, awkward guy. I'm hoping for even larger stardom from him. He deserves it.

P.S.

If you see a show at The Varsity Theater and get to the very front, watch out for damn photographers. They think they own the front row. A slight nudge on their arm as they shoot isn't rude.

Rogue Valley in store show.

I stopped by Electric Fetus last night to see Rogue Valley play a few songs from their new album. This was my first in store show experience and it was a pretty nice evening. Free beer and appetizers from Modern Cafe were provided which was a nice additional draw to the free show.

Rogue Valley seemed a little out of sorts when addressing the crowd at first. We had been milling about right next to them for about 15 minutes without evening knowing who they were. Chris Koza quickly warmed up to us being so close and on the same level as him. Did a good job plugging the Minnesota Beatles project as well as a few of the bands featured on that album.

Their performance was a nice intimate set. Not once did it get to loud or to quiet. Chris seemed to channel Bob Dylan pretty well. Not sure if that is what he was going for but it is definitely the vibe I received. Their harmonizing was done very well just not often enough. Though I have not listened to a lot of Rogue Valley, after this show I have added them to my list of artists to follow and look forward to seeing them again.  I will write another review when I see them play a show at a venue that has more of a concert atmosphere.

Freelance Whales

 This was the first winter show I had been to in a long time. It was fifteen degrees outside so I think everyone was happy just to be inside away from the cold. After we had a chance to warm ourselves a group I had never heard of took the stage. Miniature Tigers is the name of that group. One song into the set the drummer and guitar player switched instruments and they brought another drummer up for the song after that, and after that song they switched around again. When bands do this too much it just seems like shtick, confusing and distracting. Thankfully they were good enough during the songs that I didn't mind it at all. The set was very good, I felt however that their drum beats were rather repetitive and more than twice did a song switch rhythm and build on just a driving two or three chords pattern and go back into the first melody and beat. Where this was best done I think was on Mansion of Misery and Lolita. Lolita was by far my favorite! That bassline following the vocals! I've listened to it a dozen or so times since the show.

 I can't say enough for their Harmonies! They were prefect. I wish I had taken notes but this is a new blog so please forgive me. Another thing I greatly enjoyed was a point in the set (I'm blanking on the name if the song) where the bass took over! Not in a bass solo way (though there was a slight one earlier) but in a resounding, overwhelming, chest vibrating way. It didn't drown out the rest of the instruments, that usually means terrible feedback. This was on time, on key and on everybody's mind the rest of the evening.

 Freelance whales had a very good set as well, but Miniature Tigers was far more memorable for me. I hadn't heard any of their music I was going for the whales but was drawn to the tigers! They were just what we needed on a frozen Wednesday and I hope they come back soon.

Freelance Whales tonight.

This is a new blog.
So there are no posts regarding music yet.
One coming tomorrow morning or late tonight after I see Freelance whales at 7th Street Entry.