[interview] Smith Westerns

Within the first couple weeks of this year, Chicago youngsters Smith Westerns put out what is sure to be considered one of the best albums of 2011. Dye It Blonde perfectly exemplifies that bridge between the late teenage years and the early twenties with its jangly guitar glam rock.

Tomorrow, Thursday the 5^th, the band will be playing a JazzFest after show at One Eyed Jacks with Bass Drum of Death and Brass Bed. Doors are at 8. Art/Official spoke with Smith Westerns’ co-founding member and guitarist Max Kakacek about the band’s recording process, being on tour with Wilco, and what they think of New Orleans.

art/official: How did you guys first get together?

Max Kakacek: We were just childhood friends. I met Cameron (bassist) and Cullen (guitarist) in high school, and we started playing music together.

a/o: For someone who has never heard your music before, can you give a firsthand description of it?

MK: What we try to do is make really catchy guitar pop that’s a little more complex than just straight up pop music, but at the same time keep the listener reeled in. We take ideas from all kinds of guitar bands that have existed over the past 30 years or so like any classic rock from the 70’s like David Bowie, southern rock bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd even, 90’s bands like Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, Teenage Fanclub, and combining them into our own thing.

a/o: What was the inspiration for the title of your most recent album, Dye It Blonde?

MK: It comes from the last song off the album. Cullen had a lyric for it, and we all thought it sounded really good. It was short, sweet, and classic.

a/o: It seems like everyone received that album extremely well. Do you guys feel more successful after having released it?

MK: I think we all feel pretty good, but I don’t think there’s any kind of complacency. We’re just motivated to do more.

a/o: How was its recording and writing process different from that of your self-titled debut that came out in 2009?

MK: The writing process was similar. Cullen and I pretty much write all the songs half and half, and record them on to our computers to make demos of parts of songs and then combine them later on. The recording process for the second one was different. We had a much bigger budget to work with so we got to go into the studio with a producer. We really lucked out with Chris Coady (TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grizzly Bear, Beach House, Massive Attack) who helped with lots of sounds on the record. This is compared to the first record where we just did it in my basement with a tape recorder and a 4-track.

a/o: Do you think any kind of collaboration could come out of your tour with Wilco?

MK: We’re just about to meet up with them. It’d be pretty cool — two Chicago bands working together. I have no idea, though. I’m really looking forward to just sharing a bill with them, and am really flattered they liked us enough to take us on tour with them. I hope we can develop some sort of mutual respect where we can talk to each other and hang out a little bit.

a/o: What’s been your experience with playing shows in New Orleans in the past?

MK: We played one other show there a while ago with Magic Kids and Girls. It was really cool. We had a couple days to stay in New Orleans. We drank lots of hurricanes [laughs].

a/o: What are your next steps and future plans?

MK: After this tour, we’re going on another tour with Yeasayer for about three weeks. We’re playing some festivals, and then we have time off in the summer.

Watch the video for "Weekend," Dye It Blonde's awesome lead single:

Smith Westerns - "All Die Young"

Smith Westerns - Imagine, Pt. 3

Watch a mini-documentary on the band:

Article and Interview Composed and Conducted by: Connor Crawford

[show review] Man Man @ One Eyed Jacks

The weirdos and freaks were out in droves on Monday night, which could only mean a lot of things, but this time it meant Man Man was making their triumphant return to the city. Though One Eyed Jack’s seemed a bit empty at first, the floor quickly filled as openers Shilpa Ray and her Happy Hookers took the stage and pounded the crowd with their pump-organ driven, moan-and-scream heavy hard rock. When they finished, the stage was ready to be set for what could I whimsically described as “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse on mushrooms.” The stage itself was decorated with glowing lights, a TV, a starry backdrop, and half of a bicycle, which nobody could figure out why the hell it was there.




With a new record in hand, I wasn’t sure what Man Man were going to bring to the table. The last time I had seen them was at Rothbury in 2009, where they played a pretty even mix of songs from their three records, with the focus being on Rabbit Habits and Six Demon Bag. I knew I was not about to be disappointed when the band took the stage and jumped into the latter’s opener, “Feathers.” The first new track of the night, “Piranhas Club” embodied the band’s more doo-wop sound, and got the crowd moving early. Standard live cuts like “Mr. Jung Stuffed,” “Hurly Burly,” and “Top Drawer” kept the crowd alive between new cuts that, while totally awesome, were sometimes lost on an audience largely hearing them for the first time. For those like myself, who are waiting anxiously for Life Fantastic, the prospect of hearing new tunes was well met, and the band dropped 8 throughout their set.

Where Man Man truly shined, however, was their choice of deeper cuts from their old records. The last time I had seen them, I was blown away when they played songs like “I, Manface” and “Push the Eagle’s Stomach,” but this time they went even further with cuts like “Spider Cider,” “White Rice, Brown Heart,” and the often overlooked gem “Sarsaparilla,” which finally showed us what that fucking bike was for. Not to mention that when they played “Engrish Bwudd,” I’ve never heard so many people scream “get the fuck outta MY house!” so loud in my life. Except for my dad that time I did that one thing.




Needless to say, this show was awesome. Though the heavy focus on new tracks may have rubbed some the wrong way, and some people there were just not down to party (who the fuck tells people to “calm down” at a show? I mean seriously), Man Man gave a hell of a performance. Anybody who didn’t make it missed out on a great concert and should make a point to see this band as soon as possible.

Setlist:
Feathers, Hurly/Burly, Piranhas Club, Mr. Jung Stuffed, Top Drawer, Dark Arts, Haute Tropic, 10 lb. Mustache, Easy Eats of Dr. Galapagos, Doo Right, Bangkok Necktie, Shameless, Sarsaparilla, White Rice Brown Heart. ENCORE: Life Fantastic, Engrish Bwudd, Futurismo (non-album cut?), Spider Cider, Oh La Brea, Van Helsing Boombox





Check out the stream of the entire new album Life Fantastic by clicking here!


- Article written by Jason Kutno- All photographs by Joshua Brasted

For more pictures from the show,

check out Joshua's Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brasted/

[show review] Okkervil River @ One Eyed Jacks

Three or four songs into to Okkervil River’s intimate set at One Eyed Jacks Thursday night, frontman Will Sheff removed his thick-rimmed glasses to reveal a knowing pair of droopy eyes. The lyrics and sensibilities of his staunch brand of hyper literate brood-folk serve as an indicator of what those eyes have seen, and they are deservingly weathered. Lines like “Oh, I'm a weak and lonely sort/Though I'm not sailing just for sport” or “The world is trembling and weeping/And at the point of believing” characterize Okkervil River’s music, but don’t define it as depressing or pessimistic. It's theatrical folk music that teases the listener as to what's going on backstage. If you can at all relate to any of the characters in the songs, they provide warmth, comfort, and an abstract understanding.

In concert, these sentiments are personified by the Austin-natives’ mellow, yet inspired performance. Dressed like an indie rock college professor, Sheff led the band through a set of favorites like “For Real,” “Our Live Is Not A Movie Or Maybe” and “Lost Coastlines,” as well as cuts from their forthcoming new album, I Am Very Far. They are still in the process of working out the new album live, making it an endearing experience for the audience to witness rough-around-the-edges versions of the songs. In so many cases these days, touring bands are such well-oiled machines that what you hear on stage and what you hear on record are exactly the same. Seeing a few botched intros and missed cues just made the show all the better.

Okkervil River’s appearance in New Orleans was announced only a week or two before the show, and it was scantily promoted, so everyone in attendance was a true fan. You would look around the room and see folks quietly singing along every word to every song. When the band came out for their encore, Sheff asked for the lights to be turned down, justifying with “I feel like I’m being interrogated.” The lights dimmed, and the venue transformed into your best friend’s living room — just with Okkervil River in the corner playing their hearts out.

Watch the video for "Wake And Be Fine" from I Am Very Far here:

Review by Connor Crawford

Photos by Nicole Nolan

Making Out With Randoms --

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti



As mentioned in the Deerhunter review, Fun Fun Fun Fest took place last weekend in Austin. So Monday night not only did we get the Deerhunter/Deakin show, but a wonderful appearance by OS Mutantes and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. After Deerhunter I was able to make it for Ariel Pink.

Any performance that starts with the lead singer jumping into the crowd to make out with anyone in sight is bound to be interesting. In an of Montreal-esque fashion, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti fashioned face paint and an array of psychedelic outfits including Ariel Pink in an old woman's blouse and clogs.

It was nice to see a major influence of chill-wave artists such as Neon-Indian, Small Black, Toro y Moi perform live. I had heard negative reviews of the live shows, but I much thoroughly it. For the most part the band was tight, though it did seem at times that Ariel Pink was wasted drunk.

The highlight of the show was "Frightnight (nevermore)" into "Round and Round." Unfortunately this also ended the what seemed like a very short set. As the audience (small because most left when OS Mutantes concluded) applauded for an encore, the curtain on the stage closed. I was left feeling slighty bitter towards Ariel Pink as I found it a bit rude, but putting his character aside, the show proved to be a very enjoyable little dance party.



In case you still haven't heard Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffitti (as the show was pretty empty) give it a listen!
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti: Round and Round
-Article by Aaron Saltzman
-Photos by Josh Brasted

For more pictures from the show,

check out Joshua's Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brasted/