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Why I Decree it to Be So:
As rich and substantial as a pint of Guinness, and as lovely and refreshing as an unexpectedly cool day in the middle of a DC summer, Apparitions is filled with majestic soundscapes. Light Pollution reminds me a lot of bands like Dirty On Purpose and Film School, gritty yet beautiful, with cascading walls of ever-changing noise that reverberate long after the song has ended. There’s a blend of electronic elements with more traditional song structures, and the resulting combustion is of paramount enjoyment. The noteworthy “Bad Vibes”, for instance, plays up nuanced bleepery with a big guitar sound, and slight vocal distortion, creating a masterful twist of noise that builds and builds as the song powers along. Simply blistering. Chicago might be known for being the land of baseball curses, crooked politicians and deep dish pizza, but it’s also home to an increasing number of quality new bands, such as the divine Light Pollution. All that’s left to say, really, is that you need to own this record. (SEE MORE)
mp3: Oh, Ivory! (Light Pollution from Apparitions)
OK, today's mixtapes have absolutely nothing to do with tacos, but i've clearly got them on my mind, so make of that what you will. Me, i'm thinking dinner. i know what you were thinking, though. Sinner.
Rapidly becoming LET faves, the Glitch Mob just dropped a new mixtape, Drink the Sea Part II: The Mixtape. They teamed up with the folks at MiskhaNYC to produce it, so there's that. i seem to recall recently seeing some article decrying all this recent corporate sponsorship of music, but i've got to say, the stuff coming from the fashion industry camps (Levi's Pioneer Sessions, Converse) seems to be pretty money. Hell, Red Bull Academy's stuff alone is worth the price of admission, and you couldn't make me drink that horse piss. (Yes, i realize they're not fashion, but they are corporate, which was my ill made point.) Before i digress any further, though, this mix essentially is smooth groove sailing from start to finish. Speaking of sponsored mixtapes, the folks over at Heart Music Group have put together a doozy for a warehouse party they held earlier this week in L.A. The mixtape has unreleased tracks by each of the acts that played. i snagged it based on the inclusion of LET man-crush Baths (no homo), but the entire thing is pretty dope. Blissed out beats and spacey jams here, kiddos. mp3: Nordic Laurel (Baths from Heart Symbol (freaking blogspot won't let me do the actual symbol because it keeps trying to read it as source code; uf dah))
What better way to recover after two utterly insane nights with The Brian Jonestown Massacre than with a trio of monumentally loud, breathtakingly noisy bands? There’s no other way, there’s no other way. All I could do was watch them play, and man alive it was one heck of a show. The newly-revamped DC9 floorplan took a backseat to all the sonic mayhem on the stage, and it was painfully spectacular.
MINI RECAP: This Will Destroy You = Beautifully Loudest! Light Pollution = Beautifully Louder! Slow Six = Beautifully Loud! Overall score: B+.
Up first was Brooklyn’s Slow Six. They emitted a very dreamy, very layered sound, reminiscent of England’s Yndi Halda. I definitely dug their dual-threat violin angle, probably the first time I’ve come across that in a non-orchestral setting. “Cloud Cover” was noise on a grand scale, with a misty swirl of an intro and miles and miles of glorious drone. Something dark simmers under the surface of this band, a little bit threatening and very much appealing. All the looping and swirling gave their music an ethereal quality, as it traversed all sorts of interesting places. I heard someone say “ambience” at one point in the set, and they weren’t just whistlin’ Dixie. Slow Six does indeed knock out some very ambient noise. Both welcoming and off-putting, at times the band was rather disquieting. All in all, Slow Six really impressed me. If you’re in the market for some eerie, hauntingly lovely and really loud music, you might wanna check these folks out.
Occupying the bill’s sandwich spot was Chicago’s Light Pollution, a band I’ve seen recently and was totally excited to see once more. Once again, they were totally fantastic, even from the few notes of “Cinnamon Girl” someone snuck in during their soundcheck. Their delightful mix of pop, indie rock, and knob-twiddling just makes me so very happy. They opened with a very bouncy, perky version of “All Night Outside”, which was absolutely adorable. They really started to hit their stride with “Bad Vibes”, with the swelling buzz of the keys and a feeling of being sonically all over the place yet totally in command. The awesome drum explosion in the middle of the song was incredible. “This song’s call ‘Good Feelings’. It’s about feeling good,” was our intro to the most excellent “Good Feelings”. The bass was deep and rich, and the band continued to hit all the right notes. They were totally on point, and my only complaint about the set was that it was too short! I wanted more, dangit.
As if the first two bands weren’t good enough, on came This Will Destroy You, the Texans with a penchant for seriously amazing noise. I was in the mood for inordinately, ungodly loud music, and TWDY didn’t disappoint. In a way, their music lives up to their name, because it can pretty much liquefy your brain. The music of This Will Destroy You makes me think of an inky black, cloud-heavy night where you can’t see a star through all the weight of the clouds, except on the occasion of the moon poking through for just a brief instance. It’s a little chilling, a little heavy, and exceedingly beautiful. They play lovely, delicate parts against crunchy, super loud bits and it creates a brilliantly gigantic wall of sound. The merciless pounding of the drums was incredible, and the songs were so delightfully dark. It’s a full frontal aural assault, melodic and lovely and crushing all at once. The band seemed almost methodical, working carefully to make sure every note was precise and perfect. At one point I saw a few dudes trying to block their ears with their hands against the onslaught of magnificent noise, but I can’t imagine it worked very well. Even with my earplugs in I could feel the noise seeping into my skull. Their set was so very good, it was have mercy on me good. This is a band that could soundtrack both oblivion and salvation. They’d make a great tour pairing with Mono, and I’d be at that show in a heartbeat.
In conclusion, I can but urge you to go see each of these three bands whenever you get the chance. Just make sure you bring your earplugs.
mp3: Cloud Cover (part 1) (Slow Six from Tomorrow Becomes You)
My dear partner in music-writing crime is of good Chicago stock. And half of my family hails from Chicago (the other half being Southern), but an affinity for the Windy City has somehow always eluded me (though for the record, I do love me some Bears, and the “Super Bowl Shuffle” has been in my iPod for years now). For a while, that extended to bands from Chi-Town as well (I wasn't even really totally in love with Wilco, blasphemous as that may be), though lately I’ve been warming to the way of thinking that liking bands from Chicago isn’t such a bad idea. Case in point: Light Pollution. This is one heck of a band, little loves of mine, and Apparitions is one heck of a record.
As rich and substantial as a pint of Guinness, and as lovely and refreshing as an unexpectedly cool day in the middle of a DC summer, Apparitions is filled with majestic soundscapes. Light Pollution reminds me a lot of bands like Dirty On Purpose and Film School, gritty yet beautiful, with cascading walls of ever-changing noise that reverberate long after the song has ended. There’s a blend of electronic elements with more traditional song structures, and the resulting combustion is of paramount enjoyment. The noteworthy “Bad Vibes”, for instance, plays up nuanced bleepery with a big guitar sound, and slight vocal distortion, creating a masterful twist of noise that builds and builds as the song powers along. Simply blistering.
The strong swirl of keys at the opening of “Deyci, Right On” is another fantastic effect. Sounding almost spiritual, the keys and the pervading hum give way to a sporadic, spotlighted drum, and then a full-on mass of organ-helmed racket. Light Pollution has a way with carefully orchestrating this intricate web of sounds down to the smallest detail, and their efforts are much appreciated. “Drunk Kids” is one of my favorites, shimmying along as it does with a wash of tender fuzz and a jaunty backbone. I find it to be exceptionally fantastic. Hearing “Good Feelings” and that oh-so pretty, slightly droning intro hasn’t once failed to give me good vibrations. It’s another of my favorites, and I suspect it’ll end up being one of yours.
Chicago might be known for being the land of baseball curses, crooked politicians and deep dish pizza, but it’s also home to an increasing number of quality new bands, such as the divine Light Pollution. All that’s left to say, really, is that you need to own this record. Immediately, if not sooner.
mp3: Oh, Ivory! (Light Pollution from Apparitions)
Another Chicago band, another great show. If this keeps up, I’ll have to revise my feelings about the Windy City. I was so psyched to see Light Pollution, and they didn’t let me down (the crowd, conversely, well that’s something else entirely). The pre-set music was Lush, which automatically assured me that the show would be delightful. And lo and behold, it sure was.
MINI RECAP: Light Pollution = Muy Fantastico! Overall score: B+.
Opening with the epic, noisy “All Night Outside,” the band played up their crashing drums and swirling guitars to perfection. The vocals were just a teensy bit overwhelmed by all that fantastic noise, but it didn’t detract at all. They make quite a racket, those Chicagoans, and I absolutely love it. They had great energy, great presence. Though when it comes to garnering my favor, if you’ve got a glorious blend of shoegaze, dance, and rock’n’roll, you can’t lose. And as such, Light Pollution sure do sound like winners.
I must confess, I hoped for a good show, but Light Pollution did one better than just play a good show. They totally won me over, song after song. I found their brambled tangle of ripe noise blissfully mesmerizing. If there’s one complaint I have, well, it’s that they only played six songs. I’m all for quality over quantity, but sometimes a girl just needs more than six songs. Their set was over far too soon. Other than that, well, they were absolutely splendid.
Go see them, friends, whenever you can. You’ll be glad you did. Especially if they play more than six songs!
mp3: Drunk Kids (Light Pollution from Apparitions)
Why I Decree it to Be So:
