GROUPLOVE • Tongue Tied

Okay, Reader, we’re back—well-rested, well-read, and well-tanned. Seriously, we’re like bronzed gods over here or something. You gotta see us.

But enough about us—we’re excited to return to you, our fine audience, with an interview and music from a new band we’re really into—LA’s GROUPLOVE, a band we’re 100% sure is going to be super-successful. Take a listen to their track, “Tongue Tied”—this week’s Song of the Week—and check out our interview with bassist, Sean Gadd (the hatted, beard-y fellow above), where we talk about the band’s debut full-length, how they all met, and anniversary gifts. …I may have been leading a bit on that last one.

Kindness of Ravens: Alright, we ask this of most everyone, but where’s your name come from? Should we read any sort of inter-band flintiness into the name or anything like that? Should I feel dirty when I tell people I like Grouplove?

Sean Gadd: Our name evolved from the name GROUP, which we used to shout when we were all together.  It had nothing to do with being a band, but when we became a band we became GROUPLOVE, it just had a better ring to it and identifies with the story of how we came together.

KoR: Nice. Oh, and, speaking of the name, typeset-wise, is it Grouplove or GROUPLOVE? And you’re talking to designers here, so don’t be all like, “It doesn’t matter, man.”

SG: Hah. See above.

KoR: Got it. GROUPLOVE. Like we’re type-shouting. We read somewhere that you all met in Crete. Is that right? How the hell did that happen?

SG: We all ended up on the island of Crete to stay on an artist commune. We came from such different backgrounds and all had many different influences, but when we were together we were as one. I still can’t believe how this all happened. It was fate. I never believed in fate until then.

KoR: That is crazy. So, what’s Crete like? I’m picturing total paradise. But were you all there when any of this economic/political unrest was kicking up?

SG: We were staying in an old town in the middle of nowhere. It was a sleepy town with not much going on, but it was beautiful to us. This was before it all kicked off in Greece. I guess it was the calm before the storm.

KoR: Sounds awesome. You mentioned coming from different backgrounds—did you mean more musically or geographically or…?

SG: Andrew and Ryan were both born and raised in LA though. Hannah was born in San Francisco but spent many years in New York, where she met Christian, who was born in the Bronx. I was born and raised in West London. We all share our love for music and love a lot of the same artists and bands, but due to us all having different influences, we are always introducing new stuff to each other, which helps opening our minds to new stuff.

KoR: Yeah, I think that kind of mismatched matching sometimes results in a jumbled sound with bands but it really seems to work with you all. How do you all write songs? Is it a group thing…no pun intended…or is there a primary writer or does it depend?

SG: Every song is different. We have no formula and I hope we never do.

KoR: And you’re based in LA, yeah? How’s the scene there, you think? A lot of New Yorkers have a somewhat superficial view of that town, you know….

SG: LA is where we started the band. We made it the city for us—it was a fresh start, especially for Hannah, Christian, and myself. I feel London and New York have more in common with each other then New York and LA do, even though they are in the same country. It was a nice feeling to be able to write songs outside in the sunshine and LA just seemed to have so much space that it was liberating, but to be honest we rarely spend much time there now. We live in the van and in motels right now, but we are very grateful to LA. That city was and continues to be good to us—it’s where we got our break and will always have a special place in our hearts, whether we are living there or not.

KoR: No, we’ve heard lovely things from lovely people but don’t know it well ourselves. Perpetual nice weather does sound nice though…. We saw that you’ve been doing shows with acts like Florence and the Machine, who’s obviously amazing. Did that work out well for you all as far as broadening your base?

SG: The Florence and the Machine shows were great for us. It gave us a good amount of exposure and was a great experience for us at such an early stage. We will always go for the best shows out there for us and play with bands that we like and believe will make for a good billing, but right now we are happy to be able to play our own shows and know that people have come for us. It’s very humbling and we are so grateful that people turn up. Seriously, that’s why we try to give each crowd the best show we possibly can.

KoR: I’m sure you won’t disappoint NYC Wednesday. Got any good/crazy stories from the road yet?

SG: We have many crazy stories from the road, but you’re gonna’ have to get me drunk if you want me to tell you them.

KoR: Done and done, sir. Oh—swear to god I heard one of your songs in a Chrysler commercial the other day. True?

SG: Chrysler commercial? Not guilty.

KoR: Whaaaaaaat? Okay, I don’t know my cars, but I thought I heard “Colours” or something the other day on a car commercial. Eh. So I guess that means you don’t have mad car commercial money to…I don’t know…buy an island or something. Ooh! You could buy Crete!

SG: Buy an island? I can barely buy a beer. I wish we did do the Chrysler commercial.

KoR: Dude, I got the hint—I’ll buy you a beer, already. So, I actually just realized your debut album comes out on our 8-year anniversary (of marriage, not of the studio)…and ‘love’ is your band’s name…. What do you think? Good anniversary gift?

SG: Yeah, the album will be a great anniversary gift and all money you spend on Never Trust a Happy Song goes towards our island, which will be a nice anniversary gift for us in a year or two.

KoR: Sounds like a plan. Was it fun to record the full-length? Daunting? Sexually-stimulating?

SG: Making the album was not daunting at all. We were so happy to have the opportunity and backing to make a full-length album, so hopefully that shows. We had a lot of fun—you only get to make your debut album once.

KoR: Hah. Well-said. Obviously the new album’s  a BIG milestone…any ‘band goals’ though? I mean, in you minds, what would be a pinnacle of success?

SG: The success that we are currently having is quite overwhelming when we stop to think about it and we’re only getting started. The pinnacle of success for me would be to be remembered and still be relevant in many years from now.

GROUPLOVE’s debut album hits the store shelves and e-shelves Tuesday, and you can order CDs, vinyl, and shirts and such directly from the band’s store. If you’re in NYC, check them out at the record release at Bowery this Wednesday.

Odd/awesome/partying/backward-y video by Jordan Bahat for “Tongue Tied” below. Top photo by Autumn De Wilde, who, appartently, has the coolest name ever.

Reader, it has been a rough fuckin’ week. Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires,VOLCANOS…If you’re anything like us, you need a break. And, long being students of the ‘Practice What You Blog’ school of thought, we are indeed taking a break. A little later in the week, we’ll be cruising out of town, late summer beats pouring out of rental car speakers as the skyscrapers and work woes shrink behind us. But, being ever-loyal to our dedicated readership, we’re doubling down before we go—proudly presenting you with TWO doses of Wednesday’s helpful home-based hints, Tuesday’s fine-tuned finds, and Monday’s music.First up—the always pleasingly poppy tunes of the esteemed Mates of State, who have a new album out September 13…probably in honor of our anniversary. I mean, I assume. We’re far from alone in possessing a long, long-time admiration for this duo. They rarely disappoint and somehow make the writing of innately emotional, catchy, substantial songs seem effortless. Jackasses.

Last week, we were lucky enough to catch a private show put on by the band’s label, Barsuk, (I know—fancy dancey, right?) that the Mates used as a bit of a tour warm-up and press showcase. In short, they were awesome. More awesome than they’ve been in the past, and they have indeed been very awesome in the past, Reader. The new stuff is built off solid, solid material that sounds unmistakably Mates-of-State-y but not at all redundant or tiresome to long-time fans. And they’re playing with this crazily humorous back-up duo that we’re positive is destined for some sort crime-caper-y spin-off sit-com.

Two of our favorite tracks from the new album, Mountaintops—”Maracas” + “Palomino” (one of this week’s Songs of the Week)—are especially dynamic pieces of music that pull you along from peaks of upbeat bounciness to tiny hollows of intimate melody. Both last week’s showcase and the studio tracks we’ve heard to date have got us hyped for the new LP—which you can pre-order here—and their supporting tour.

Yellow Ostrich • WHALE

Serendipitously enough, our other band of the week, NYC’s Yellow Ostrich, opened last week’s label showcase with a compelling set. We had already heard a track or two from the band prior to the show and liked the sound well enough, but we were especially impressed with how well they translated what came across as heavily produced, complicated studio recordings to their live performance.The hook and focal point for many of the band’s songs is frontman and songwriter Alex Schaaf’s voice. Looped, layered, and woven around and through the musical structure of the songs (skillfully replicated with a looping foot pedal live), the end result is music that’s thickly melodic, benefiting greatly from the harmonies Schaaf builds off of his own voice, ranging from viscerally rough tones to whispered swoons. The band’s got some pretty tight chops own their respective instruments too.
After a while, the layered vocals can get a little tired, causing a bit of a repetitive sound, which is why we were happy to hear the newer songs relying on that technique less than most of the album material. You can order the album on the band’s site and also download a FREE MP3 of their Beat Happening cover, “Left Behind,” which we highly recommend doing.

Alright, corvids out! CAW!

OOH! Also Found—a really entrancing, beautifully composed piece of pop music (below) via our new best-blog-friend, Electric Panda, by Australian artist Gotye. Check out EP’s write-up the artist and track on his blog.

Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) by Gotye

The band is the brainchild of ex-hardcore singer Cecil Frena—originally form Edmonton, Canada but now based out of the San Francisco Bay Area—and it blends the best of glitchy electronics with catchy, poppy, emotional song-writing, pulling it safely far from any of that washed out, cold, sterile electronic music that tends to get boring quicker than you can say “vintage drum machine.” Check out that photo, for god’s sake. These dudes will straight up fuck up your house.

Some of GOBBLE GOBBLE’s songs can veer a little close to the overly abrasive for my tastes, but it’s all totally original and most of it’s superb. Honestly, hearing “Lawn Knives” and some of the other better tracks (“Boring Horror,” “Wrinklecarver”) reminds me of the first time I heard Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit prior to band-ing up—less in terms of having a similar sound, more in terms of having a musical energy that’s ready to burst from the speakers and out of whatever self-impossed confines currently exist. You can hear more songs and purchase tracks from GOBBLE GOBBLE via the band’s bandcamp page. Along with a bunch of WEIRD album covers.

matt pond PA • Love to Get Used

Okay, this is nuts. Nuts in the sense that it’s being mixed live and is AWESOME. Madeon is, best I can tell, a 17-year-old kid from France who can MIX a fuckin’ song. We heard about him in our turntable.fm room today (New Preferred + Unheard) and had to share. Start up this video and start up the dancing. According to his posting, this is 39 songs (listed below) mashed together live in glorious harmony. Nuts. Crazy nuts. You can hear more of his stuff over at his SoundCloud page. So much social music technology…. Speaking of tech, for anyone wondering, that lighty-up-thingy is a Novation Launchpad midi controller. And yes, I want one.

Tracklist:
Alphabeat – Boyfriend
Alphabeat – Fascination
Bag Raiders – Shooting Stars
Black Eyed Peas – Gotta Feeling
Britney Spears – …Baby One More Time
Capsule – Can I Have A Word
Chromeo – Momma’s Boy
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Daft Punk – Aerodynamic
Daft Punk – Around The World
Deadmau5 – Raise Your Weapon (Madeon Remix)
Deadmau5 – Right This Second
Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed
ELO – Mr. Blue Sky
Girls Aloud – Biology
Gorillaz – Dare
Gossip – Heavy Cross (Fred Falke Remix)
Gwen Stefani – What You Waitin For (Jacques Lu Cont Mix)
Housse de Racket – Oh Yeah
Justice – DVNO
Justice – Phantom Part II
Katy Perry – One Of The Boys
Ke$ha – Take It Off
Kylie Minogue – Wow
Lady Gaga – Alejandro
Linkin Park – Crawling
Madonna – Hung Up
Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette – Boys and Girls
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
Nero – Me and You
One Republic – All The Right Moves (Danger Remix)
One-T – Magic Key
Ratatat – Shempi
Solange – I Decided (Freemasons Remix)
Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You
The Buggles – Video Killed The Radio Star
The Killers – Losing Touch
The Who – Baba O’Riley (SebastiAn Remix)
Yelle – Que Veux Tu (Madeon Remix)

The Ladybug Transistor • Clutching Stems
Last week, in interview with singer-songwriter, Meredith Bragg—a friend since college—it occurred to us, as it often does, how lucky we are to have so many talented, creative friends. Not to sound like a broken record, but the same realization has crept up on us this week as we take some time to talk with friends and musicians, Gary Olson and Julia Rydholm—two members of the seminal indie band, The Ladybug Transistor and two of our favorite Brooklynites, especially when it comes to park- and beach-going. Since their 2007 album, Can’t Wait Another Day, the band has gone through some significant line-up changes, the most dramatic of which was brought on by the death of their drummer, San, from a sudden, serious asthma attack. A lot of growth has happened since then and that’s evident on Ladybug’s seventh album, Clutching Stems, out now on Merge Records. The sound has grown more complex and contemplative and, from a listener’s point of view, it’s given the band a deeper appeal that far outlasts pop hooks or harmonic play—it’s damned fine song-writing and solid, grounded musical exploration. The new album and recent touring gave us an excuse to chat up Julia and Gary about the new album, touring the world, and songs about trees.
Kindness of Ravens: So, you’ve been a band, in name and rotating membership, since 1995. That’s—simply put—a cray-cray long time. What’s the secret to staying together and active for so long? Most bands crash and burn or at least whimper and fade before they can celebrate their 16 year anniversary (that’s silver Holloware, by the way—save you time with your gift-buying this year).

Julia Rydholm: Sharing a mutual enthusiasm and curiosity for similar music genres and music history is one binding element, for sure. Working with talented people we adore and respect also certainly helps.

Gary Olson: Julia receives her 11 year pin this fall and gets a free trip to the Caribbean. 

KoR: We’re told corporate incentives like that are imperative to optimal performance. Okay, we’re suckers for names and presentation, so I have to ask a question you likely get ad nauseum—where’s the name Ladybug Transistor come from? And don’t tell me it was one of those internet name generator things because the internet barely existed back then.



Julia: It’s a kind of radio.

Gary: I found one during my early days of thrifting. I was hoping we could keep company with The Beatles or Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

KoR: That is a pretty rad radio. Okay then, what’s behind the song/album title, Clutching Stems? Seems so poetic and…mournful, I think.

Julia: Some of my favorite Olson lyrics. The image conveys such a sense of achy emptiness. I think anyone can relate to that pit-of-the-stomach, “alone at the drive in,” lonely feeling of being stood up by or separated from someone or something significant. Feeling robbed. Hanging onto hope when there isn’t any.

There is a longing feeling those words carry, and that sentiment seems to be a recurring theme in all the album’s songs. It felt like an appropriate moniker for the album.

KoR: We like the cover shot. Are you guys on a Brooklyn beach or is that, like, Iceland?

Julia: The moon.

Gary Olson: We used our entire recording budget to get there.

Gary + Julia. On the moon.

KoR: You’ve gotta have priorities, right? Listening through the album—which, first off, sounds great—you start with some really great, upbeat hooks and melodies, and then seem to settle into this kind beautiful melancholy. I know you all and you generally seem like pretty positive people, but I know you’ve gone through some hard times as a band since the last record. Is that something you wanted to reflect in the writing of Clutching Stems or is it more that songwriting just tends to happen more when you’re feeling a bit blue?

Julia: I’ll defer to Gary on this one. He’s the wordsmith.

Gary: Well, I did spend more time with the lyrics, editing, and phrasing this time…. In the past we’ve been accused of being a bit “pastoral” and such in our presentation so maybe I was trying lower the expected dose…and have an attempt at writing more about people than trees. There is still plenty of landscape in there though, but maybe not just all of the lush green type… some arctic moonscapes. Of course losing San wasn’t easy but there is plenty of his spirit in there. He’s part of the band DNA now.
 
KoR: That’s a lovely sentiment. You’ve got some new faces in the line-up these days—most notably for us, Michael O’Neill from MEN/Hirsute—and then Mark Dzula and Eric Farber. Was it odd bringing in so much new blood? The new record sounds like Ladybug…but it also sounds different. Is that just growth or do you think the new lineup affected the song-writing and sound a lot?
 
Julia: All of them were friends first. Eric, Mark, and Kyle have known each other and played together for a long time. Michael we knew through (Amy) Linton (of the Aisler’s Set). All of them are such sweethearts, so musically talented, and they share similar musical vernaculars and had a great respect for the band’s history. They also had very patient, open approaches to working with Gary, Kyle, and me. Through collaborating everyone found their individual niche and together we found our own collective voice that drew from the past while moving our sound distinctly forward.
 
KoR: Totally agree on the resulting sound. Alright, I know it’s a bit akin to choosing a favorite child, which, I’m told is difficult but necessary, but what’s your favorite track on the new album? Why?
 
Julia: “Life Less True.” It was one of the first ones we really worked on for this record. We really honed it live first, recorded it later. The song just has this heartbreaking honesty and momentum that speaks volumes about that point in time. Playing it live feels extremely cathartic and invigorating. And fun! I could play the outro forever.
 
Gary: At the moment it’s “Breaking Up On The Beach,” simply because of the season.
 
KoR: To most anyone who knows you—especially anyone who’s familiar with Ditmas and recognizes all those street names in the album titles—it’s pretty clear you’re big Brooklyn fans. Playing the devil’s advocate here, what’s so special about Brooklyn? I mean, I’ve heard great things about…I don’t know…Staten Island?
 
Julia: It reminds me of my old neighborhood in Chicago. Very residential, approachable, and I’m close to a big ole park. Key ingredients for how I always want to live.
 
Gary: It’s all I know. Except for a few summers when I was sent upstate for summer camp I have not left the borough. Honestly though I enjoy the diversity and balance of my neighborhood. I can disappear as much as I like. A five-minute walk in any direction will bring you somewhere completely different—from old victorian homes to apartment blocks and to all of the industrial business on Coney Island avenue. Plenty of good food. Prospect Park is close by and you can get to the city or the beach within 30 minutes in either direction.
 
KoR: It is kind of a different world down there, in a really tranquil way. Okay, so, ya’ll’ve travelled like crazy, right? What’s your favorite non-US city/town/county/village/
hamlet?
 
Julia: Stockholm, Sweden
 
Gary: Melbourne, Australia
 
KoR: Favorite movie ever?
 
Julia: It’s impossible to single one out. But some of my top picks include: Breaking Away, Breathless, Foul Play, Trading Places, The Sound of Music, All the President’s Men….
 
Gary: I’m terrible at lists, but any old musical will do.
 
KoR: What? We love lists! So, cat or dog person?
 
Julia: My cats; Stewball the dog (band mate, Jeff Baron’s family dog); person? I don’t play favorites with people.
 
KoR: Oh, no, we meant do you like cats more or dogs more.
 
Gary: Dogs. I don’t own one but am close friends with a Saint Bernard and King Charles. I enjoy cruising the dog beach at the park on any given morning.

Gary + Friend

KoR: You’re totally one of those guys who borrows dogs to pick up the ladies, aren’t you? Oh, Gary, speaking of impressing the ladies—What the hell is that four-string thing you play live? Is it like a weird bass-guitar love child?
 
Gary: That’s an old Dan Electro bass restrung with guitar strings. It’s in 3 octaves of D. Inspired a little by Glen Campbell’s baritone guitar. It doesn’t really feature on the records any more but I pick little leads from it when we play live so I have something to do with my hands. It’s more of a shield. The perfect weapon for a non-guitarist.

KoR: Better than an actual shield, I guess. Favorite vegetarian restaurant in NYC and/or abroad?

Veggie Castle—RIP

Gary: I miss Veggie Castle, which was close to me in Brooklyn. It was a vegan Jamaican buffet housed in a former White Castle. They had the best veggie burgers. Sadly they lost their lease a few years ago and shut down. There is another location in Queens that I visit whenever I pick up friends from JFK airport. And abroad, I’d say Hermans in Stockholm, Sweden simply for the view. It’s a nice walk up the hill too.

KoR: Cool, little-known band/musician we should all know?

Julia: Not little known, but I adore The Radio Dept.’s albums.

Gary: In two words: Tanks Amigo!

KoR: Best D+D class/race combo?

Julia: Halfling.

Gary: I still need to learn. Is there an adult class I can take for this?

KoR: I’ve got you covered, my man. Thanks to you both. I’ll be over with my d20, capes, and fake swords later this week!

Julia: Thank you, Kindness of Ravens!

Gary: When’s lunch?

You can listen to the new album in it’s entirety and buy it over at Merge, where you can also check out their upcoming shows as they head westward.