popwreckoning updates

Awesome New Republic’s LA documentary
Under Cover – The Fray’s “Heartless” (Kanye West cover)
Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle – Havana Winter
Remix Mon…Wednesday: Calvin Harris “Ready for the Weekend”
Friendly Fires perform “Kiss of Life” on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Posted: 26 Aug 2009 03:45 PM PDT

Miami, Florida band to watch Awesome New Republic released a short documentary of their recent adventure in Los Angeles. The band’s colorful electro-pop is a perfect backdrop to the sun and waves, but really, it’s the footage of their explosive live show that leaves a lasting impression. I’m stoked to see them should they ever grace Philadelphia.

Awesome New Republic follow up their critically acclaimed 2005 debut, ANR So Far, with 3 EPs dubbed the Rational Geographic series. Both Rational Geographic Vol. I & II are out now and available as a free downloads on the band’s website. I personally urge you to check out at least Vol. I because “Birthday” and “Dances When” own my life.

Rational Geographic Vol III is due out October 27 on Honor Roll Music. Look for a proper full-length album this fall. Can’t wait? Download their end-of-the-world themed, guitar-and-drum-fueled single “Florida” from Rational Geographic Vol II:
Awesome New Republic – “Florida”

Watch their music video for “Digital World” from Rational Geographic Vol. I:

Tour Dates:
Sep 08 – Roxy’s / West Palm Beach, Fl.
Sep 12 – Future Classic Festival – Soho Studios / Miami

Awesome New Republic: website | myspace

Photo: Peter Richardson

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Under Cover – The Fray’s “Heartless” (Kanye West cover)

Posted: 26 Aug 2009 02:06 PM PDT

Welcome back, readers! I apologize in advance for this shortened version of Under Cover as I’m currently having a blast in sunny San Diego, California without your punkasses and am so blown away by so much natural beauty that I can’t bring myself to open my laptop to write this post, let alone check email. But of course I didn’t want to leave you guys high and dry while I hit the surf. Last week I featured a couple of Kanye West-inspired covers for “Love Lockdown” that rocked, sucked, or were perhaps even more exciting than the original. I figured let’s continue this musical exploration of Kanye by featuring a surprising “Heartless” cover by none other than mainstream rock darlings The Fray. Enjoy the track and in the words of Mr. Ron Burgundy from Anchorman: “Keep it classy!”

Kanye West – “Heartless”
Listen here.

The Fray – “Heartless” (Kanye West)
I love lead singer Isaac Slade’s voice. It’s so passionate, emphatic, and soulful. There’s so much strain in his vocals that the listener can really tell that he means what he’s singing and he’s putting every fiber of his being into the delivery. Ever the fan of the surprising cover, The Fray prove that rockers can be equally obsessed with Kanye West too with this acoustic slow jammy jam session style interpretation. Have you ever read the lyrics? Who knew Kanye’s words could have so much depth behind all those innovative and infectious beats!? I credit Slade’s ability to enunciate every syllable and word in his music for making Kanye’s heartbreaking lyrics shine through beautifully. This is one of my favorite covers of the year, hands down.

The Fray: website | myspace
Kanye: website | myspace | blog | @ virgin mobile 2008

August 19, 2009 — Under Cover – Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown” (2)
August 14, 2009 — Green Day Photo Essay and Setlist @ Scottrade Center, St. Louis (0)
August 10, 2009 — Greg Laswell “Covers” EP out Oct. 6th, “Your Ghost” mp3 (0)
August 9, 2009 — Lollapalooza: Friday, Day 1 @ Grant Park, Chicago (1)
August 5, 2009 — Under Cover – Sampling Edition, Part 1 (0)
August 2, 2009 — Zee Avi @ First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia (1)
July 28, 2009 — Interview with: Nightmare of You (0)
July 27, 2009 — Paolo Nutini with Matt Hires and Erin McCarley @ 9:30 Club, Washington DC (0)
July 23, 2009 — Jack’s Mannequin @ Kegs and Eggs, Kansas City (1)
July 22, 2009 — Sugar Ray covers Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘N’ Nite” (1)

Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle – Havana Winter

Posted: 26 Aug 2009 09:15 AM PDT

Why yes, that talent you hear leading the pack of Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle is familiar…if you owned or came in contact with a radio in and beyond 1998. Hearn is the keyboardist for pop-perfect band Barenaked Ladies, and his digital seduction of the keys is arguably what gave Stunt the edge it needed for such strong Grammy notice. And in standard musical rite of passage—under-represented band member makes a name for himself solo—Hearn joins the ranks of names like Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), Brian Bonz (Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band), and J Tillman (Fleet Foxes). Solo albums are so hip and freeing. Especially when you get to collaborate with anything that has been graced by the presence of Lou freaking Reed (thank you guitarist Mike Rathke).

An admittedly impressive resume does not a good album make. And this collection of a mere seven songs has no direct sound. All I can guarantee is a hefty dosage of experimental drifty electronic keyboard, a woman's occasional presence, and Hearn's dreamy tender play of lyrics. Out of the seven, four of the songs will instigate a little head bopping, like album opener "Coma." That track can proposition a listener to conjure a power point presentation of spring blooming, or a city waking up and shuffling around on subways on its way to work, or the point in a movie when the credits roll and a heartfelt lesson was learned. And then a wicked angsty guitar comes rasping in with no point—but that's what I like.

Despite "Coma," next song "On The Runway" keeps the upbeat notion but turns into a video game soundtrack (think Mario Kart and Raving Rabbits, not Halo) that has the percussion, swing bass, and sunny female backing of a “Copacabana” homage. That angsty guitar comes back, but this time you're starting to feel a little too Santana-ish.

"Reeling" features some strings, twang and a creepy haunting female interruption that I can't even begin to liken to anything. "Luna" continues with that slow down sound, ethereal echoing guitars and melodically soft vocals. A conclusion in "H.I.T.S." is hopeful, and wants to convey the official sound of the band, which is something like dreamy 60s popsicle Sexsmith piano play with twang and riff. I just made that up. But in Havana Winter, it seems like the band wants their image something indirect like that. Sure I hear a little bizarre Flaming Lips, even some of the playful play of The Atlas Sound. But then why am I wishing it sounded a little more earthy and manageable, like Yo La Tengo? Maybe because Hearn's vocals don't blend with the dreamy innocence he's going for.

And if it helps, I listened to the album over and over while sipping on a Sierra Mist and OJ spritzer, lounging Papasan-style in the late afternoon Chicago sun. On a balcony. And despite such relaxing accompaniments, I just couldn't wait to switch tracks. The relaxing aura they were going for was lost on me.

Fellow blogger Adam Morgan over at Surviving the Golden Age agrees: “The album does get a little too spacey for its own good. “Reeling” is the most obvious example; any lyrical quirks are lost in the seemingly banal instrumentation. Although the song is one of the shortest on the album at 3:47, it feels much longer than the others.”

Havana Winter is available now.

Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle: website | myspace

July 2, 2009 — Nightmare of You @ the Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (1)
April 30, 2009 — Kevin Devine @ North Star Bar, Philadelphia (0)
October 6, 2008 — Treasure Island Festival, Day Two (4)
August 4, 2008 — Lollapalooza @ Grant Park, Chicago (3)
August 9, 2009 — Lollapalooza: Friday, Day 1 @ Grant Park, Chicago (1)
August 7, 2009 — Fuse Fest: The Best of Lollapalooza! on Saturday, August 15th (0)
July 14, 2009 — ROTHBURY, Day 2 (1)
June 29, 2009 — Brian Bonz & the Dot Hongs – From Sumi to Japan (0)
May 27, 2009 — Kevin Devine @ The Jackpot, Lawrence (0)
May 5, 2009 — The Laurel Canyon Syndrome (1)

Remix Mon…Wednesday: Calvin Harris “Ready for the Weekend”

Posted: 26 Aug 2009 07:41 AM PDT

"Ready for the Weekend" is probably not the most suitable song for a Monday [Ed. note: It is. And even more so for a Wednesday!], but hopefully it gets you through the work week quicker. "Ready for the Weekend" is the second single off of Scottish DJ/Producer, Calvin Harris', second album of the same name, released just earlier this month.

.Calvin Harris – “Ready for the Weekend”
Ready for the Weekend is exactly, and wonderfully, in the same style that Calvin Harris always crafts his songs; silly, fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a simple style; dancey, summery, and happy. It falls into that realm of music that could be commercial but that is also really great. The song is the perfect tune to get into the weekend mindset, at the same time oozing that carefree summer vibe. The chorus is sung by Mary Pearce, who has a great big Diva voice that belts out Harris' lighthearted lyrics, "I put my shoes on and I'm ready for the weekend".

.Fake Blood Remix
Heavy breathing gets us started with this one. The Fake Blood mix changes the melody, so it's really a new tune. The fun filled vibe of summer days from the song makes way for a softer buzzing sound. There's a little techno thrown in, which could have been done without and there are hardly any traces of vocals, it's more of an instrumental composition with a few yelps thrown in. There's plenty of fun in it though.

.Dave Spoon Remix
This track is a slower affair with a piano intro surrounded by earthy, electronic waves that all smash in with bubbling drum machines and sequencers. The vocals are sparse but chorus and verse are intact at places, fit around empty spaces that create a raw aesthetic to the song. It's a bare bones mix that could've had more potential but fails to serve any real purpose.

.High Contrast Remix
This is a deathly and ominous sounding mix, particularly in the kick off with slightly creepy sounds, transient synthesizers and a robotic treatment to the vocals. It opens up to some sun a few seconds in when the piano takes center stage and Mary Pearce's chorus is continuously looped. It gets repetitive, built around a similar trance aesthetic of the other mixes, but does play around with the vocal arrangements for some amusement. This is another scenario whereby the remixes fail in comparison to the original.

Calvin Harris: website | myspace

December 22, 2008 — Remix Monday: Cut Copy’s “Hearts On Fire” (1)
August 22, 2009 — Weekend Remix: O’Spada “Time” (0)
August 17, 2009 — Remix Monday: La Roux “Bulletproof” (0)
August 11, 2009 — Remix Monday: Gorillaz “Dare” (0)
July 20, 2009 — Remix Monday: Santigold “Lights Out” (0)
July 13, 2009 — Remix Monday: Peter Bjorn & John “It Don’t Move Me” (0)
July 7, 2009 — Remix Mon…Tuesday: Marina & The Diamonds “I Am Not A Robot” (0)
June 22, 2009 — Remix Monday: Treasure Fingers “Cross the Dancefloor” (0)
June 8, 2009 — Remix Monday: Passion Pit “The Reeling” (0)
June 1, 2009 — Remix Monday: Phoenix “Lisztomania” (0)

Friendly Fires perform “Kiss of Life” on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Posted: 26 Aug 2009 07:20 AM PDT

If you couldn’t keep your eyes open long enough to watch PopWreckoning favorites Friendly Fires burn up Jimmy Kimmel’s stage last night with their forthcoming samba-inspired single “Kiss of Life”, we’ve come to your rescue. Watch their first late night American television appearance here. The band will now head home to play the Reading/Leeds Festival on August 28.

(note: we switched out the original for a better video! Enjoy!)

Fret not: Friendly Fires returns to North America as the headliners of the Nylon Winter Music Tour starting November 19 in Austin.

Tour dates
Nov 19 – Mohawk / Austin*
Nov 20 – Casbah / San Diego*
Nov 23 – Independent / San Francisco*
Nov 24 – Sacramento State University / Sacramento*
Nov 25 – Doug Fir / Portland*
Nov 26 – Richard’s On Richards / Vancouver*
Nov 27 – Neumo’s / Seattle*
Nov 30 – Triple Rock / Minneapolis*
Dec 01 – Bottom Lounge / Chicago*
Dec 03 – Les Saints / Montreal*
Dec 04 – Paradise / Boston*
*as headliners of Nylon Winter Music Tour

August 17, 2009 — Friendly Fires with the xx @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC (0)
August 10, 2009 — Gaslight Anthem add NYC, Boston to Fall North American Tour (0)
July 23, 2009 — New Friendly Fires Video on MTV, Band to Play Jimmy Kimmel and Nylon Winter Tour, Release Expanded Version of Debut Album (0)
July 20, 2009 — Jack Peñate – Everything Is New (0)
June 17, 2009 — MP3 Minute: Living Things “Oxygen” (0)
September 15, 2008 — Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires (4)
August 25, 2009 — The Heavy – “How You Like Me Now?” (0)
August 24, 2009 — The Used announce venues for Fall 2009 Tour (0)
August 24, 2009 — Sugar Ray House Party @ La Zona Rosa, Austin (0)
August 24, 2009 — The Spinto Band Fall American Tour, Stream New Tracks (0)

Wednesday, August 26, 2009