popwreckoning updates

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Beaumont Club, KCMO
Popwreckoning Presents: Priscella Renae
The Bye Byes cancel Battle of the Blogs show
MP3 Minute: Suckers’ “It Gets Your Body Movin’”
Regina Spektor on “Good Morning America” and Letterman in support of “far”
Interview with: Matt Abbott of Skint & Demoralised
Happy Birthday!

Posted: 04 Jun 2009 03:55 PM PDT

In the music dictionary, right after awesome and before the word god, is the two-word definition to badassery: Karen O. The front woman for rock group the Yeah Yeah Yeahs defines what any man or woman in rock should aspire to be.

Dressed in a sequined outfit with a red and blue spiral pattern and cords draping her arms as faux sleeves, her neon green leggings reflected the lights from her the glow luchador mask she occasionally darned. Karen O is as bold in outfit as she is in her songs.

However, with how memorable Karen O was, it made it very easy to forget the show’s openers. That isn’t to say they were awful, just not quite up to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs standard. David Pajo, better known Papa M and touring as an extra musician for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, opened with covers of the Misfits. A talented musician in a full-piece, but watching a lone guy never looking up from his guitar doing less than enthusiastic covers of the Misfits was not the way to kick off this show.

Grand Ole Party was a vast improvement. The San Diego three-piece is fronted by singer and drummer, Kristin Gundred. The coordination when doing both of those is not an easy task and she did it with her head held high (or maybe it just looked like it was being held high by the seated singer who looked tall compared to her surprisingly short band mates) as she sang a few songs from Humanimals mixed with many new tunes. Gundred has a voice similar to Karen O, but tends to go for a smoother croon. If the two women were the cartoon angel and demon consciences on your shoulder, Gundred would be the former and Karen O would be the latter, and both a very seductive result.

Yet even after Grand Ole Party won over the crowd, the second the lights dropped and the mysterious white orb on stage swiveled around to reveal a giant eye a la “Zero,” all mind’s were focused on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I would say all eyes were focused, but for as nice as the newly remodeled Beaumont Club is, slanted or tiered floors were not part of the remodeling plan and many in the sold out crowd struggled to see the stage. Despite this minor (or major depending on where you stood) inconvenience, the show was still phenomenal.

Giving up on the neck strains just made it more fun and a lot easier to throw up arms and dance as songs from It’s Blitz, the radio and more from past albums and radio singles alike reverberated through the venue. For those who could see, they got to see some amazing stage theatrics. Karen O often opted to hit her long notes by biting down on the microphone and letting out a chilling yowl. After every swig of water, she arched her back and spit a fountain straight up into the fog, showing she can quite easily keep up with any man in rock. It’s probably safe to assume that after hr performance, every man and woman in that venue had a crush on her.

Though she definitely was the heart of the show, Karen O was accompanied by several musicians who complimented her theatrics well. The crowd loved everything about this show and the band did, too. After dedicating the encore performance of “Maps” to the openers and Kansas City, Karen O reaffirmed her love for KC yelling, “I DOOOO” after singing, “They don’t love you like I love you.” After debating whether to end with “Tick,” “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” or “Date With the Night,” “Date” was finally picked and the crowd went off into the night completely enamored from that phenomenal show.

Set List:
Heads Will Roll
Miles Away
Dull Life
Gold Lion
Black Tongue
Pin
Cheated Hearts
Skeletons
Hysteric
Honey Bear
Zero
Y Control
//
Maps
Date With the Night

Band Info:
David Pajo: website | myspace
Grand Ole Party: myspace
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: website | myspace

Photos by: Joshua Hammond

April 27, 2009 — Yeah Yeah Yeahs Announce US Tour (1)
April 13, 2009 — Remix Monday: Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Zero” (1)
March 24, 2009 — Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It’s Blitz! (2)
September 16, 2008 — Monolith Music Festival @ Red Rocks, Denver - Saturday, Sept. 13, Pt. I (3)
May 26, 2009 — Third Eye Blind @ Ribfest - Soldierâ€™s Memorial Park, St. Louis (2)
May 6, 2009 — Interview With: The Thermals (0)
February 20, 2009 — New Yeah Yeah Yeah’s track “Zero” (1)
February 18, 2009 — N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo (0)
February 17, 2009 — Sasquatch! Music Festival 2009 Line-Up, Ticket Info (0)
February 5, 2009 — 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists (0)

Popwreckoning Presents: Priscella Renae

Posted: 04 Jun 2009 02:45 PM PDT

Priscilla Renea is a prime example of how media has turned a corner in the age of the internet. Her major label release, Hello, My Apple comes on the heals of an overwhelming surge in popularity due to a substantial amount of self promotion through the her YouTube channel. With over one million views on a handful of her videos and 30,000 channel subscribers, Capitol Records quickly realized that they had a star in the making on their hands. priscilla3

Renea, who harbored dreams of being a star on Broadway throughout her high school career, discovered in her senior year her craft of writing hook laced pop singles. Renea threw all her momentum into songwriting and social networking with potential fans.

You also can get on the Priscilla Renea bandwagon now, before she snowballs out of your reach. Start by checking out the three tracks from her Hello, My Apple EP, available now on Itunes.

Stream: Hello My Apple

Priscella Renae: website | myspace

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This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Bye Byes cancel Battle of the Blogs show

Posted: 04 Jun 2009 12:42 PM PDT

It has been confirmed that Philadelphia’s The Bye Byes have had to cancel their appearance for Popwreckoning at the Philadelphia Battle of the Blogs.

The Bye Byes - "I Know It's Hard"

**In related news: if you’re a Philly band and want to play the Bye Byes’ slot for the June 18th Battle of the Blogs at North Star Bar, please email Jessica!**

The Bye Byes: myspace | @ the khyber | interview with | @ the m room

May 29, 2009 — The Bye Byes join Popwreckoning for Philly’s Battle of the Blogs (0)
November 26, 2008 — The Bye Byes, Arizona @ The M Room, Philadelphia (0)
October 5, 2008 — Interview with: Pete Shauger of The Bye Byes (2)
July 21, 2008 — The Bye Byes @ the Khyber, Philadelphia (9)

MP3 Minute: Suckers’ “It Gets Your Body Movin’”

Posted: 04 Jun 2009 10:32 AM PDT

Tonight, Brooklyn’s Suckers will be playing the M Room in Philadelphia’s Fishtown section, along with Rock Plaza Central, in support of their new self-titled EP out now on IAMSOUND.

Their reverb-drenched riffs, hooky beats, horns, whistles and moody keys will get your body movin’, albeit somewhat lethargically before picking up at the end, with single “It Gets Your Body Movin’”.

Suckers - “It Gets Your Body Movin’”

Don’t miss their video for “Easy Chairs”, released last month. The poppy tune features fun harmonies and the video is chock full the band taking the form of extraterrestrial creatures.

Suckers -”Easy Chairs”

Tour Dates:
Jun 08 - The Vollrath / Indianapolis
Jun 10 - Empty Bottle / Chicago
Jun 11 - Beat Kitchen / Chicago
Jun 12 - Pike Room / Pontiac
Jun 13 - Lee's Palace / Toronto
Jun 14 - Soundlab / Buffalo
Jul 01 - Prospect Park Bandshell / Brooklyn, New York (SOLD OUT!)
Jul 09 - Piano's / New York City (Residency)
Jul 16 - Piano's / New York City (Residency)
Jul 23 - Piano's / New York City (Residency)
Jul 30 - Piano's / New York City (Residency)
Oct 04 - Austin City Limits / Austin

Suckers: myspace

Suckers
Price: USD 4.98
22 used & new available from USD 1.48

May 11, 2009 — Brian Williams and Deer Tick (0)
May 6, 2009 — Jenny Owen Youngs with Jukebox the Ghost stop by Johnny Brenda’s on national tour (0)
April 22, 2009 — MP3 Minute: The Sounds “Dorchester Hotelâ€ (0)
April 10, 2009 — Man Man “Rabbit Habits” video, Spring tour (0)
April 8, 2009 — MP3 Minute: White Rabbits “Percussion Gun” (0)
April 7, 2009 — Beirut to play Philadelphia’s Electric Factory (0)
April 1, 2009 — Brasstronaut @ The M Room, Philadelphia (0)
March 27, 2009 — Bishop Allen Tour Dates and Mp3s in Support of “Grrr” (0)
March 24, 2009 — Golden Bloom 7″ Giveaway and Philly show! (3)
March 7, 2009 — Telepathe to tour with Ladytron and The Faint, release debut “Dance Mother” in April (1)

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Regina Spektor on “Good Morning America” and Letterman in support of “far”

Posted: 04 Jun 2009 08:50 AM PDT

Sire Records is thrilled for the upcoming worldwide release of far, the highly anticipated new album from Regina Spektor, set for a June 23rd US release and globally June 22nd. Spektor’s first single, “Laughing With”, has seen the video shoot up to #1 on iTunes’ alternative video chart within it’s first 24 hours and the song was met with immediate approval among fans, resulting in over 500,000 plays and a tremendous amount of action on message boards.

Spektor will perform “Laughing With” on “Good Morning America” on release day, June 23rd, and “The Late Show with David Letterman” on June 26th. Before embarking on a European tour that begins at The Glastonbury Festival on June 26th, Spektor will headline New York City’s Beacon Theatre on June 17th.

far is now available for pre-order on iTunes. Within 24 hours of its initial availability, far had reached #20 on the overall album charts on iTunes.

Regina Spektor - "Laughing With"

Tracklisting:
01. The Calculation
02. Eet
03. Blue Lips
04. Folding Chair
05. Machine
06. Laughing With
07. Human of the Year
08. Two Birds
09. Dance Anthem of the 80’s
10. Genius Next Door
11. Wallet
12. One More Time With Feeling
13. Man of a Thousand Faces

Regina Spektor: website | myspace

Far (Special Edition CD/DVD)
Price: USD 16.99
1 used & new available from USD 16.99

May 9, 2009 — MP3 Minute: Regina Spektor “Laughing With” (3)
June 4, 2009 — MP3 Minute: Suckers’ “It Gets Your Body Movin’” (0)
May 29, 2009 — Regina Spektor “Laughing With” video (0)
May 11, 2009 — Brian Williams and Deer Tick (0)
May 9, 2009 — MP3 Minute: Prabir and the Substitutes “Who Is Going To Love You” (0)
May 8, 2009 — MP3 Minute: Jeremy Enigk “Life’s Too Short” (0)
May 7, 2009 — Up End Atom: A Tribute to Atom and His Package (0)
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Interview with: Matt Abbott of Skint & Demoralised

Posted: 04 Jun 2009 07:15 AM PDT

In November 2008, English pop duo Skint & Demoralised got the endorsement of a lifetime when BBC Radio1 indie rock oracle Steve Lamacq picked their first UK single, "The Thrill of Thirty Seconds", as one of his "Top 60" picks of the year. Lamacq said of S&D’s sound as “latter-day Northern Soul meets zeitgeist poetry from a Yorkshire teenager who shows ace potential.” Interestingly, Matt Abbott, the 20-year old front man and songwriter behind the group, started out doing spoken word poetry in pubs in and around his native Wakefield, England, before making the transition to pop music. Several days after I had the chance to see S&D at the Dot to Dot Festival in Nottingham, England, on 24 May, I was lucky enough to sit down with Matt in a pub in London and talk to him about how he joined the world of pop and S&D's forthcoming album, and discuss his literary and popular music influences.

Mary Chang, PopWreckoning: The first question I have to ask: you started out with spoken word, as a poet – how did you make the leap to pop singer?
Matt Abbott, Skint & Demoralised: I never intended to be a singer in a band when I first started performing my spoken word poetry, but as time went on I started to crave more, although I didn't have the resources to be able to really make a go of it because I can't write music or play any instruments. One day I received an offer of collaboration online that basically placed my spoken word pieces over the top of some instrumentals and we took it from there.

MC: How did you meet your collaborator, the mysterious MiNI dOG?
MA: It was a friend request and a message on MySpace in May 2007. He was the person who contacted me with the offer of collaboration and immediately something seemed to twig. We chatted on the phone every day and eventually decided to meet up. It became immediately apparent that we had a connection and the work flowed from there - Skint & Demoralised officially became a duo.

MC: Now the name Skint & Demoralised – that's a fairly accurate assessment of most young people's finances. And it sounds like the current state of my bank account. (chuckle) How did you come up with the band name?
MA: When I chose the name in late 2006 there was no talk of a global recession or credit crisis, but as a teenager with a part-time job who was veering towards the inevitable leap into the adult world, it certainly felt like an appropriate name. I've always been a fan of tongue-in-cheek cynicism and one of my main idols, John Cooper Clarke, was the master of it. It's a strange name, but it feels perfect for what we're doing, especially in the current economic climate.

MC: The four-leaf clover emblem is intriguing too – how did you come to it?
MA: I work with a designer called Julian House on the artwork and logos. The four-leaf clover emblem is a cross between the Yorkshire Rose for my natural heritage and also the Irish roots that I have in my family. It's similar to the old Soul badges and it's pleasing on the eye, so I think it works perfectly.

MC: Who were your literary heroes growing up? Have they affected the way you write songs? Is there someone out there today that you look to as a role model, either as a singer or an entertainer?

MA: In terms of the literary side of things, the first person that I admired was Seamus Heaney when we studied poetry Anthologies in our English Literature classes at school. During college I was introduced to a man called John Cooper Clarke who remains my favorite poet of all-time, and they both have an impact on how I use words and express the thoughts in my mind. They're very strong and inspirational writers. I have a few role models and they're all a very important part of who I am today - Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, Alex Turner [of the Arctic Monkeys], Morrissey, John Cooper Clarke, and (believe it or not) Robbie Williams. I've always loved Robbie Williams since I was about eight years old. I didn't know who Take That were when he released his debut album, so that's my main excuse.

MC: Your debut album Love, And Other Catastrophes is set to be released in October in the UK – very exciting. As a writer, did you go into the studio with a journal full of lyrics, ready to be put to music? What's your writing process like?
MA: We had demos of the songs that we wanted to use recorded and mastered before we signed the deal, so it really was just a matter of heading into the studio and producing some high-quality versions for the record that we were fully satisfied with. We'd never head into the studio unless we had something solid to write because we don't write together. A song is born when I write the lyric on my laptop, which I then sent MiNI dOG in an e-mail. He'll then write and record the music in his studio at home and sing a vocal melody over the top, which he'll then send me to learn. The first time that we meet face-to-face is when we're in the studio to record the final version.

MC: In addition to the S&D MySpace, you also have another page under the nom "Matt Skint." As a poet, what inspires you? Is it different than what might turn you on as you try to write a pop song?
MA: My poems are very different to my lyrics and the main reason why I'm inspired to write them nowadays is because it allows me to be very current. The trouble with lyrics and songs is that it takes a few years before they're released - most of the songs on the album will be over two years old when it's released in October, so the second album will probably be a similar age. My poems are inspired by current affairs and trending topics, and I love the fact that it allows you to hear exactly what I'm thinking right now. They can be online and available for free download within thirty minutes of me writing them, which I love.

MC: I really like "This Song Is Definitely Not About You" and have to admit I get a little carried away singing along to the chorus. I detect a 60s vibe with it – was that intentional?
MA: We've always tried to inject a little Northern Soul/Motown sound into our songs as we're both highly influenced by this genre of music. We didn't want to do this as an out-and-out style because we wanted to maintain a certain amount of authenticity, but we wear our influences on our sleeves with pride. Recording with legendary soul session band The Dap-Kings at their Daptone Studios in Brooklyn allowed us to really capture the essence of the sound, and we're very proud to have done so.

MC: You recently made the move from Wakefield [in County West Yorkshire, England] down to London. How and when did you decide to do it? What do you miss about your hometown?
MA: As soon as I started making regular trips down to London at the start of 2008 I fell in love with the place. It's one of the greatest cities in the world and it's so incredibly exciting for anyone who is bursting with energy and ambition. Obviously it's a very big step for me to make so the timing had to be right, and I had to be aware of the financial implications, but it's changed my life for the better. As soon as I turned 20 at the start of this year I felt like a completely different person, and flying the nest was something that I simply had to do. London is very intense, and so I miss the relaxed nature of Wakefield and also the countryside. Obviously I miss my friends and family as well, but they all understand that this was the right thing for me to do in order to pursue my career.

MC: What has been your most memorable gig to date and why?
MA: That's a difficult question! I've only done 48 so far but there have been some very profound moments, at opposite ends of the scale. Performing to a venue filled with 600 people at Camden Crawl in April was an incredible feeling, but I'd have to choose an S&D headline show because they mean so much more. The gig that we played in Leeds at the end of our first tour was brilliant - it was like a homecoming celebration and the crowd was amazing. I can remember feeling physically sick even when I'd stepped on stage, but I've never had as much adrenaline in my life. Amazing.

MC: You recently performed in Stoke for the social cause Love Music Hate Racism, of which I am also a staunch supporter. Tell me how you got involved with it.
MA: I first worked with LMHR as a performance poet before S&D ever became a musical outfit. I was travelling back from an anti-War demo in London and the guy sat next to me on the coach worked for LMHR, so we started chatting and he invited me to perform at one of their gigs. This was in April 2007, and we've continued to work together ever since. It's something that I'm extremely passionate about, and unfortunately the issue doesn't seem to be going away, despite the fact that it's 2009!

MC: Thanks so much Matt, it was great to meet you and see you perform in Nottingham, best wishes to you, and cheers mate.
MA: It was lovely to meet you too, thanks ever so much for coming to our gig.

Skint & Demoralised's third UK single, "Red Lipstick," is out on 13 July. Their album Love, And Other Catastrophes is set to be released on 5 October in the UK.

Skint & Demoralised: website | myspace
Matt Skint: myspace