Lunch of Champions

“Suit of Lights” – self-titled release

Suit of Lights – “Suit of Lights” (Visiting Hours)

I find myself going back and forth after listening to the self-titled debut album from Suit of Lights. I’ve heard it a handful of times but still find myself having a hard time describing them. It sounds like a group that is still trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up. Are they power pop? I can hear elements of Big Star on various tracks. Maybe they could be described as sensitive-art rock.

The album wanders at times without a destination in mind. In that way, it’s kind of like going on a road trip and arbitrarily picking the route. Who knows where you’ll end up, but chances are you are going to find some scenic views and secluded, charming stops along the way.

At the heart of the band, it is evident there is a thoughtful composer at work. Lead singer and songwriter Joe Darone has a few gems on the album scattered among the detours that make up the release. Songs such as “Goodbye Silk City,” “Lifetime,” and “Into the Light” showcase Darone’s ability to tell stories with a pop sensibility that makes you want to give this band a chance.

Even though Suit of Lights hasn’t quite figured out their identity, the debut album has enough encouraging signs and quality pop songs to keep me interested. I’ll be on the lookout for what this band comes up with next. In the meantime, you can check out their MySpace page and listen to a handful of songs. If you cannot find a retailer that carries the release, the album is also available on the iTunes music store.

Recommended tracks: “Goodbye Silk City,” “Lifetime,” and “Into the Light.”

Hockey Night | Live at MMAA Patio Nights, July 27, 2006

Thursday night I saw one of my favorite bands, Hockey Night, play for a young and rowdy crowd on the roof of the Minnesota Museum of American Art. I brought my sister, Katy, along for the ride, and she said that “they were awesome!”. I agree.

Hockey Night came ready to rock, bringing the whooping stick on Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll Part 2 (The Hey Song)” and numerous tracks off their recent release, Keep Guessin’. Katy and I couldn’t help but clap along to “Tubin’” and “For Guys Eyes Only” with help from the most raucus drummers on the planet, who were standing on their chairs leading clap alongs and throwing sticks every which way, to the crowd’s delight.

This was the first time I have seen Hockey Night since 2004, and they seem to have matured and gained a lot of confidence over those two years, while maintaining their laissez-faire symphony of guitars anchored by solid bass lines and hard-hitting drums.

Hockey Night’s next show is September 8th at the Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis, MN.

Patio Nights, on the roof of the MMAA overlooking the Mississippi River, showcases some of the best bands in the Twin Cities on a weekly basis. Come out this Thursday at 7 p.m. and see Happy Apple. Upcoming performers include Belles of Skin City, Mike Gunther and His Restless Souls, Kill the Vultures, and more!

Tapes n Tapes | Live at First Avenue – July 22, 2006

(Above: Tapes ‘n Tapes play “Jakov’s Suite” at First Avenue last night)

Last night, I saw the Tapes ‘n Tapes show at First Avenue in Minneapolis. They totally kicked ass! I didn’t arrive in time for the openers on account of the pre-party getting out of hand, and I didn’t stay for the Plastic Constellations on account of the repurcussions from the out-of-control pre-party getting out of hand. But what I did see was a shy, up-and-coming band rock a capacity crowd at Minneapolis’ best music venue.

(Above: The Pre-Party…)

(Above: Tapes ‘n Tapes rock the First Avenue crowd)

Enchanted Ape | Live at Bunkers – July 14, 2006

See more photos!

Since hearing their new album, Three Ring Symphony, a couple of months ago I have been totally excited to see Enchanted Ape live. And last Saturday, I got that chance.

Riding my bike to Bunkers, a spacious bar with an excellent stage and sound system, was both fun and scary. Fun because on the way I stopped to see a band playing in the parking lot ajacent to the Central Library; scary because you never know what’s going to happen when you roll down Washington Avenue at night on two manpowered wheels. But I arrived safe and sound and ready to see a great rock show. And see a great rock show I did!

See more photos!

Playing his first show since early spring, Enchanted Ape electric cellist, Matt Probst, broke out the whooping stick and traded solos with the lead guitar on many songs. With the crowd in a dizzy, Probst then proceeded to regularly mezmerize anyone within hearing distance with his solos, slides, and accents that are so unique to his instrument and playing style.

See more photos!

Frontman, Chris O’Brien, led the band through a solid set, which included four songs off of the new album. Probst’s cello philmandering withstanding, the highlight of the evening was the instrumental song, “Lance Link”, which featured an enthralling rhythm drum track overlayed with O’Brien’s signature rhythm guitar and chord changes.

El Punkeke And the Radio Apocalyx | Karavana Horror Disko

El Punkeke and the Radio Apocalyx

El Punkeke And the Radio Apocalyx have a scary album cover – a skull and crossbones that looks to be half rotting flesh and half computer. The inside of the album cover is scary as well, featuring photos of the band in action, clad in full goth-punk regalia, bloody lips, beet-red hair, mohawks, tattoos, cut-off t-shirts, multiple upper-nose piercings. Oh, and the music on the album is scary in a Red Dawn meets Left Behind sort of way.

“Karavana Horror Disko” is an intriguing mix of rock, electronica, screamo, and punk. It is the evil love-child of Prodigy, Nine Inch Nails, and Martin Luther King – a masochistic album that, if it were a person, would give a compelling speech at the Lincoln Memorial to end poverty while wearing a bloody goat head around it’s neck.

The multicultural influence of lead singer, Gustavo Panke, who originally hails from Argentina and also plays in local bands Apocalypse Theatre and El Punkeke and The Aliens, shines through on this album. There are moments of brilliance when Panke combines heavy metal with Spanish lyrics and vocal overdubs of a faux-president giving apocalyptic orders to a nation.

The album’s high point occurs on the fifth track, an instrumental composition that features a Latin beat overlayed with surf guitars and African tribal rhythms.

Despite the scariness of the album, Panke seems to be an upstanding member of the community – he included a handwritten note of appreciation in his promotional packet. And what’s not to like about a bloody, tattooed, pierced guy with such fine manners?

Ty Morse | St. Agnes Eve

Ty Morse

I am always on the lookout for a good summer album. The easygoing manner of Ty Morse’s “St. Agnes Eve” makes it a perfect candidate for playing in my stereo while I grill out.

The album features an enchanting mix of Nick Drake-esque melodies and 1940′s circus music. Morse’s vocal stylings have a raw quality that cries out with humble confidence. The songs are reassuring in a way that is almost uplifting. For example, on “Catch a Boat to England”, Morse sings:

I’ve never waited so long in my life.
I’ve never wanted the same old place.
I said to myself, “At least you tried!”

Morse, who has also written a rock opera about Frankenstein, shows a good deal of maturity on this record. The standout track is “Pole Swimmer”, a song whose organ part evokes memories of sun-drenched beaches and lazy summer days.

Jon Greenlee (guitar), Perkinoid (keyboard), Matt Lammers (bass), and Joey Rossetti (drums) also deserve some credit for doing a fine job of anchoring the music from a sonic perspective.

Paul Christian | Never Been Lonely

Paul Christian | “Misty Morning”

Hair is an important part of any musician’s image. The Beatles made waves with their free-flowing mop tops both during and after their meteoric rise to stardom. A large, black wig is required garb for Elvis impersonators worldwide. Two of the musicians that Paul Christian cites as influences, Roy Orbison and Chris Isaak, also have memorable poofs on the tops of their heads. Unfortunately for us rock fashionistas, the same cannot be said of Christian. His long-hair-in-a-pony-tail look bears a closer resemblance to Steven Seagal than to Bret Michaels. Fortunately for us, though, we may look past his hair misgivings, because his music is pretty damn good.

(Above: Steven Seagal and Paul Christian)

“Never Been Lonely” was inspired by Chris Isaak and Roy Orbison type protaganists that always seem to get the short end of the stick, regardless of how many little fires of hope are burning in their hearts. It features Christian’s signature, Orbison-esque crooning over some impressive guitar parts.

The lyrics on this album are sneaky in that they often lead to twists and turns that are the opposite of what you’d expect. For example, on “Misty Morning”, the song’s protagonist is sadly leaving a relationship, but in the end, he does a 360 and turns around and decides to try and work things out. It is unclear whether or not the guy will ultimately be happy with the girl, but it is this hope that things might work out in the end that draws me into Christian’s songs.

Additionally, there is some mighty fine pedal steel guitar work in addition to some solid piano parts featured on the album. All in all, Christian has created an album that I can listen to on Friday evenings when I’m kicking back with a beer after a hard week of work.

One For the Team | “Good Boys Don’t Make Noise” (but they taste like candy)

Hello fellow lunch companions, I’m Nicole (“Nic” for short). This is my first contribution to the feast, so I’m going to start with a story so you can get to know me better (during which you’ll learn that food is to me what video games are to Toby)…

I remember the first time I ate something spicy and complicated (okay, I don’t actually remember specifics, but run with me here). I seem to recall a moment where I was leaned over the kitchen sink dramatically gagging — to which my mom dutifully responded by piling more food on my plate as punishment…hmmm, but enough about questionable feeding practices… Somehow, some way, I eventually liked spicy and complicated food. Perhaps I learned to crave novelty, maybe my taste buds just came of age, or perhaps, as much as I’d like to hold this story of abuse over my parents’ heads, it was my conditioning. It’s certainly a general principle that human nature is resistant to new things. How many people that grew up with a Scandinavian-American diet call spicy squid their “comfort” food, after all? And how many times did you have to listen to your first Bjork album before you appreciated it?

I remember more fondly the first time candy became a regular staple in my life. Oh, those were shiny, cherry-colored days. My mom had done such a good job keeping candy out of my vocabulary, me thinking Bugles were a treat (not a side dish, like they were in most children’s lives) up until I was about 6 and the two of us moved in with my grandparents. I did not have a problem introducing sugar in its most pure and concentrated forms into my diet. I’m guessing this is because there is nothing complicated or unfamiliar even to the youngest of epicureans about the simplest of simple carbohydrates: sugar.

Consisting of members Ian Anderson on vocals, synth and guitar, John Krueger on bass, Elliot Manthey on drums, Bryan Sonday on guitar, Sam Gerard on synth and tamborine, and
Grace Fiddler on vocals, One For the Team is like sugar for your ears. Showcasing somehow-familiar and simple riffs and melodies, this band is immediately likeable, especially for those of us who came of age amongst a candy store stocked with blink-182, Weezer, and Sunny Day Real Estate. The guitar lines are bare-bones simple, the lyrics do not require a dictionary, nor a trip to the wikipedia or music discussion board. They are what they are: clean, honest, simple, and appealing (and just look at the pictures! they’re adorable!).

The first song on the album, Robert’s Rules of Order, begins in a typically emo, stark, and almost awkwardly frank (but in a cute, friend-who-has-a-crush-on-you) way:

“I’ve been meaning to write these songs for some time.
I hope that they don’t waste yours.
They’ve been in me for so long begging to be written down
‘Oh Please, Ian, don’t ignore me’”

Their sound will remind you of a little bit of a lot of things. I did an unofficial poll of my captive audience car passengers to help ground any biases I might have, and the album was not only unanimously liked, but everyone seemed to think some aspect of the band sounded really familiar. It always started out “Oh, they sound just like…” followed by a number of bands from my formative years, including blink-182, Weezer, REM, the Eels, Sunny Day Real Estate, and I might add even a pinch of the Hopefuls and the Replacements.

It’s good stuff…and that’s just the album. Wait until you hear what’s behind the music. That voice you hear crooning over those sugary guitar licks is 21-year-old Ian Anderson (I’m not sure if his parents had specific plans for him or not). Not only is he the frontman for this band, but he also plays guitar for Aneuretical and he’s a cofounder and booking agent for the record label Afternoon Records. Oh, and this last year he was also a full-time student at St. Olaf. It would be hard not to see big things in Anderson’s future (and did I mention that I suddenly feel old?).

In a recent article for Pulse of the Twin Cities, he is quoted as saying “I really love pop music. I’m a complete sucker for anything that’s catchy, but ever since I was 16 I’ve been writing weird indie music with Aneuretical that was consciously strange and sort of, ‘Hey, let’s play in odd time signatures because its cool.’ The creative nature and challenge of that was cool, but I’ve also still felt like I needed to write pop music and over the years I’ve written pop songs that never really fit in with Aneuretical; One for the Team really grew out of those ideas.”

Ian delivers exactly what he promises. It may not challenge your earbuds, but it sure is sweet.

Pros:
A) Easy to like
B)They made the Star Tribune’s “Best of 2006 so far” list
C) Though very emo-esque, this band includes a very charming, stylish, and, dare I even say, hot female, one Grace Fiddler.
D) One can expect great things from Ian Anderson as his music craft matures. Then you can say “Awww, that’s nuthin, I was listening to Ian Anderson back when he was playing in small venues like…”

Cons:
A) Not groundbreaking (see sibling band, Aneuretical, if this is what you’re looking for)
B) We’re yet to see the full potential of these musicians (or maybe this is a “Pro”)…

Summary: Four stars and I’m psyched to see them live when they are playing in town again!

You can check out One for the Team on July 20th at the Triple Rock and/or on their MySpace page (where you can hear four of their songs and see a schedule of future shows).

Harry and the Potters | Live at the Central Library

I had no idea what to expect when my sister invited me out to Minneapolis’ brand new Central Library to see Harry and the Potters. I was expecting a group of 40-something folgies playing cheesy songs about J.K. Rowling’s books to a bunch of toddlers. But what I ended up experiencing was one of the best rock shows of my life! Seriously.

These guys put on one hell of a show for the 200+, standing room only crowd. My sister and I had to sit on the stairs in the back of the theater, because no place else was left. It was OFF THE CHAIN!!!

After openers, Draco and the Malfoys, warmed up the crowd, Harry and the Potters took the stage to a standing ovation from the mostly highschool-age crowd. They immediately broke into one of their most popular songs, “I Am a Wizard”, off of their first album, which was released about 3 years ago.

The songs that elicited the most excitement from the crowd were “Save Ginny Weasley”, “Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock!”, and “SPEW” – a song that had the crowd chanting “GROSS!!” and “UGLY!!” in reference to the evil troll that Harry and the gang slayed in the first book.

Overall, this show was one of the best I have ever seen. EVER. Period. These guys rock.

John Swardson | Ablaze

John Swardson resides in Minneapolis, and his debut album, “Ablaze” showcases a who’s who of the establishment Minneapolis rock scene. This guy is plugged in!

Guest musicians on Ablaze include members of The AKA’s, Janis Figure, The Hang Ups, The Great Depression, Houston, The Spittin’ Cobras, Son Volt, Ben Weaver, Blue Dot Trance, a member of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and rock god, Mark Mallman. And just to add a little bit of down-home feeling, his sister adds some backup vocals. In all, 12 guests perform on Ablaze, a sophisticated and smart album which took two years to record.

The album kicks off with “Faster”, a beautiful song that will put you in a trance with it’s sad violin part, which is carefully layered on top of a softly strumming guitar and light-hitting drums.

Next, the album moves into it’s title track, which could easily be the soundtrack to a coming-of-age motorcycle trip movie. It is mature and sonically appealing.

From here, Ablaze gets more into the rock vibe with “1989″, “Beautiful Day”, and “Steady” before heading back into Swardson’s signature sound with three acoustic ballads. The album finishes with “High Above The Earth”, a compelling ballad that I presume to be about finding meaning in life. Swardson sings:

Say you’re a star. Say you’re hungriest.
Wasted falling off your chair
Say your a star. Say you’re hungriest.
Hanging in space high above the earth.
Say you’re a star. Say you’re hungriest.
Shadow lengthens. Sun slowly sets.
Say your a star. Say you’re hungriest.
Say you’re God. Why should you care?
Say your a star. Falling out of your chair.

Swardson will perform next Wednesday, July 19th at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis.

Summary: Fans of Bob Dylan and Spider John Koerner will find John Swardson’s Ablaze to be an irresistible treat.