Autumnal Vibin' (a mini-mixtape of local releases for your enjoyment)

Lately, I've been listening to a playlist of recent local and sorta local releases on my trusty Galaxy SIII (hey, at least it doesn't explode!).  I think these bands all go together in a mellow way appropriate for the fall season.   Since I never have time to review records, and this is only a small selection the the many great local releases to come out in the past few months, I thought I'd share some here.

Beauty World and Moon Racer celebrate their two releases Saturday at the Carrack in Durham.  Eston Dickinson recently released a collection of songs that's decidedly more lo-fi than the his last, AM Gold (fully fleshed out with his Carolina Wrecking Crew).  But this set of tunes shows that if the songs are good, production is secondary.  Sort of the same thing can be said for SE Ward, who's recent EP is stripped down compared to the full band she's been hitting stages with of late.  But either way, the songs are good; and damn if her voice doesn't sound awfully Southern for being from Vermont.  Oh, and BTW, Eston will be on Raleigh Little Radio tonight from 9:00-10:30.

While Flock of Dimes may not be considered local (listed as Baltimore on their bio), Jenn Wasner now calls Durham, I think, home.  And Davíd Garza, though not a local, was a big part of my scene coming up in Baton Rouge.  He's always been an Austin guy, but came east to play Red Stick a bunch of times when I was hosting local radio show back then, so he's kinda "local" to me.  Plus, for the first time since I've moved here, he plays the Triangle!  (Nov 1 at the Pour House, with Gaby Moreno).  I can't recommend that show highly enough; and show up to catch Garza opening!

My short little mixtape closes with Greensboro's Echo Courts, kicking it up a bit (though this song is mellower than most of the psych-romps on their new LP, In the Garden).  So here's a short little playlist of that stuff.  Be sure to check out the full releases! (which you can jump to from each of the tunes below)

Hopscotch Music Festival Day Three - Saturday Day Parties (Raleigh, NC, 9/12/15)

To start off Saturday at Hopscotch, Grandma Sparrow provided a whimsical introduction for Flock of Dimes over at the Pour House.  Click this LINK to see a video of that.

Grandma Sparrow...

After that bit of silliness, Jenn Wasner's beautiful voice was a perfect way to steel oneself for what would be a long, last day and night of Hopscotch.

Flock of Dimes...

While awaiting the "Indie" (east) stage of the outdoor Makers Market day party to kick into gear (and after just missing my last chance to ever see Astro Cowboy, the Wilmington indie-punk band that is sadly no more), I decided to drift over to the "Americana" (west) stage.  Caught a few songs by the rootsy, southern-rocky Michael Rault.  This guy came all the way from Alberta, Canada!  

The variety Hopscotch brings by just stepping a few yards over to another stage is amazing.  It's really the single best thing about this festival.  

Michael Rault on the Makers Market west stage...

Anonymous Hopscotch attendee shops for artisanal dog treats at the Makers Market...

I had hoped to catch another beautiful voice , that of Skylar Gudasz, and maybe Dead Tongues, at the west(ern?) stage later, but I hadn't seen one of my favorites, Jenny Besetzt, in quite a while.  Great great songs, and one of the best drummers of any local combo (they're from Greensboro); also sporting a new keyboard player since last time I saw them.  See the video below for their performance of Always from their debut album, Only.

Jenny Besetzt on the Makers Market east stage...

Some monks walking down Blount St. (no doubt heading home after a hardcore show)...

After the outdoor fun, I had to catch some of what is always among the best day parties at Hopscotch:  the Phuzz Sounds Day Party at the Hive.  Estrangers were another favorite Triad band that I hadn't seen in way too long.  Fun show, and their new(ish) bass player is all over the place.

Estrangers...

Then I was SO glad I stuck around for Naked Gods.  I'd only seen this Boone, NC, band once before, and a long time ago.  I liked'em that time.  But this was simply an AMAZING show.  Singer Seth Sullivan casts at once an intimidating and lovable stage presence, a big bear that's as likely to hug you as he is to scream in your face or climb all over you.  He migrated in and out of the crowd as he sang songs that are a much more intense experience live than the jangly psychedelia one hears on record.  

See the video at the bottom of this post... second best show of Hopscotch IMHO.

Naked Gods...

After a brief chill, I headed north again for the close of the day party at Person Street Bar.  There was a full line-up of great bands here earlier, but I had seen See Gulls and Ghostt Bllonde in the previous 2 days (and many times before), and Wild Fur, well, was just too early.  I did, however, catch Schooner.  So my day parties this year ended the way they started, although I only managed to hear Reid Johnson's voice echo through the parking deck as I approached Slim's on Thursday afternoon.  

Notably, this set was Patrick O'Neill's last of 6 (count'em, SIX) sets at Hopscotch this year... with The Wyrms, Schooner (2X), Some Army, Jphono1, who am I forgettin'?  Dwight Yoakum?  X?  Was he backing up Pusha T?  Anyway, O'Neill's playing second guitar to frontman Johnson in the photos below, and he's still standing! (though from what I understand, Reid was havin' a little trouble after this set due to dehydration... glad yer feelin' better dude!).  

Hey, at least summer's over... I think the last Hopscotch day party has become the official National Weather Service indicator of the start of fall.

Schooner...

Here's dem videos.

Jenny Besetzt performing Always on the outdoor stage...

Naked Gods performing Picture in a Picture (the sound quality's not quite as bad if you plug into some decent speakers, but it still ain't great)...

It was a fun last day of day parties, with an even better last night of club shows to come.  Coming up, X, Zack Mexico, and much more...

Sylvan Sprites - Sylvan Esso w/ Flock of Dimes and Ivan Howard (Carrboro Town Commons, 4/3/15)

The first time I saw Sylvan Esso, all I knew about them was that they were an up-and-coming Durham duo with members of two bands I hadn't really listened to:  Amelia Meath from rootsy vocal trio Mountain Man, and Nick Sanborn from local favorites Megafaun (hell, I really just knew Sanborn as a sometime member of the Love Language from way back in 2011).  Dance not really being my thing, they were still fun when I saw them open for the Love Language many months ago.  This was just before they graduated from "up-and-coming local act" to "genuine international buzz band".  Despite being pre-album release and very few live shows in, they already had the audience eating out of their hands.  In that setting, though, I couldn't quite hear what has since become so appealing to me about this band.

But upon listening to their eponymous debut, Meath's liquid, layered vocals began to draw me in, begging to be drunk... to become drunken with them, to drown in them.  In songs like Hey Mami, H.S.K.T., and Play It Right, you can definitely hear a rootsiness.  This made sense since her previous band was one often compared to folkies the Roches, a similarity I (probably not coincidentally) noticed in her Sylvan vocals despite never having heard that earlier comparison.  But with Sylvan Esso, the pastoral is mixed with a siren-like worldliness more befitting a smoky cabaret or, yes, a dancefloor... but perhaps a dirt-strewn, moonlit dancefloor, as on this night.

Meath...

Not to ignore Sanborn's input.  He's the one doing the layering of her layered vocals (no trio to harmonize with here).  He's providing the rhythm, adding the accents, just making the damn thing whole.  Complex yet sparing beats perfectly complement the vocal melodies.  Truth be told, there are scores of stunningly beautiful vocalists out there.  Without Sanborn's skillz, Meath's excellent vocals (as talented as she is) might frankly get lost in the crowd.  But the chemistry between the two of them creates something much more exciting and relevant than just great singing.

Sanborn...

It is for me, however, that voice.  And, back to the setting, that voice could ask for no better space to fill than a grassy field in Carrboro on a stunning spring night.  Christ, the full moon was rising just as she crooned "The modern WOLF..." (the opener to the song Wolf).   It was all smoothly led into by the Rosebuds' Ivan Howard's solo set, and the singularly intense vocals of Jenn Wasner playing as her solo project Flock of Dimes.  This built to an eventual mellow-pagan dancehall vibe, ending with the encore of Come Down, the beautifully resonant closer from the album and perfect postscript for the night.

Carrboro Town Commons adds a great large outdoor venue to the Triangle scene, especially for nights like this one.  Here's hoping they use it more often (and provide more bathrooms, PLEASE!).  Both Wasner and Meath (no strangers to touring) said the crowd of around 4,000-5,000 was the largest they'd ever played before, and it's good to know we gave it to them.  The scene here can do that for more touring (and bigger local) bands.

Ivan Howard...

Flock of Dimes,...

Sylvan Esso...

Ahoooo!