To be fair, it wasn’t really the band’s fault to start with. The venue that Death Cab played at in Chicago is generally not an Indie band scene. Jay Spritzer Pavilion is an acoustically and aesthetically grand open air stage set in Millennium Park, right across the way from one of top tourist spots in Chicago, the Bean. The Pavilion allows for guest to come and spread out their blankets on the grassy promenade, whip out the Chardonnay and Whole Food’s Hummus or what not, and gaily listen to the sounds of whoever is playing on stage that night. With tickets priced at 10 dollars for the lawn seats, Chicago’s finest suburbians and local hipsters snatched up the tickets quicker then you can say “I-Pass” and told their friends and coworkers for weeks about how cool it was that the band they were going to see all of sudden had their songs on the radio and fancied themselves cultural for going to the park after work instead of home to watch “Dancing with the Stars”

Before I become hypocritical, everyone becomes a fan at some point. I began to like Death Cab after hearing “Photobooth” on one my brother’s mixes. In any occasion in life, there are very few people there in the beginning; probably less then 100 people saw Michael Jordan catch his first alley-oop pass, few probably read Robert Frost’s first poem, and no one remembers that Francis Ford Copolla thought Robert DeNiro was too ugly to be in the first Godfather. The point of this though isn’t to be the guy yelling “I was there! I saw them in ’93! I knew they were cool before you did!” (Interruption: Listen to LCD Soundsystem’s “Losing My Edge” for more on this sensation) No, the point is to look at its unattended effects, especially on our culture. People for the most part are bored, unhappy, and dissatisfied with their lives. Numerous studies show it, it’s even been a focal point of Barack Obama’s recent championing of the “Change” campaign in his election bid. Where does this come from? Crappy Jobs? People have had crappy jobs forever. I don’t think one of the dudes laying bricks for one of the Pyramids who died before it was ever finished probably thought his job was too sweet. There are obviously numerous explanations and theories, but I think at heart, people are not embracing things they truly enjoy. One of them is music. With record companies and radio shoving Nickelback down our throats, people lack choices. So the mainstream latches on to what is available to them.

This was on display at the concert on Tuesday night. With a vibe more reminiscent of a Cubs game, chattering, people watching, and gazing at the skyline all took precedence over the music. Odd sights were seen, such as two 50 year olds exuberantly dancing with each other to the song “Tiny Vessels”, a song about using a girl for her looks. It was also the first time a person with a baby perched on their shoulders blocked my view of the stage. Overall, there was a sense of confusion from the concertgoer , a sense of “What’s the big deal about this band?” and “Why isn’t he playing any of those Postal Service songs?” It was almost like watching someone play golf for the first time, duffing the ball all day, and wondering how this could be a fun game. This left the people who were true fans of the band and their music feeling like outsiders, a unique situation at a concert.

Which is all in all unfortunate for Death Cab, they deserve better then to continue to be hit with this onslaught of phony popularity they have been riding since their appearance on the O.C. Admittedly, their moving past their peak as a band judging by their old albums, but their new album Narrow Stairs, is a fine album. Tracks such as “Cath…” and “Grapevine Fires” are as good as any songs they have produced in their career. Hopefully they felt the vibe on stage themselves and will go back to playing in smaller venues and embrace the fans who helped them become the band they are today.

I’m telling you the show was pretty decent, besides the short run time of less than 1 hour. Zooey had lost her voice, so refrained from talking between songs. But, surprisingly, it didn’t affect her singing all that much… she trudged on with the occasional cracked note and sang her signature Folk-Americana-Country-Jazz-Indie sound; surprisingly representative of the album. M. Ward takes a back seat to this collaboration, but nevertheless provides amazingly smoky, soulful background that enhances the overall sound She & him is going for.

The hyped ‘Why Don’t You Let Me Stay Here” lived up, as Zooey rocked out on Keyboard, and her voice rang true to the sentiment of the song. “Change is Hard” slowed the crowd down to just the right pace. A great interlude and a solid way to showcase the voices of Zooey and M. By far the most crowd enjoyable tune of the evening was the finale of “Sweet Darling” – a late 60’s throwback with the backbone to get a crowd moving and wishing for more.

I’ll say the best part of the night was seeing Zooey’s youthful enthusiasm for being on stage. When M. Ward would be rockin a solo, she was wide eyed, grin from ear to ear, looking at the crowd with the admiration we were equally returning. I say it was great as it’s refreshing to see artists who don’t expect admiration, don’t expect praise. They preform their craft and create music for themselves that we, the crowd, loves. There’s something to say about musical inhibitions when its clearly overshadowed by raw talent.

If you aren’t fortunate enough to live in NYC, LA, or San Fran, you may be out of luck to catch them. They chose to debut their songs on a whopping 3 city, 4 date tour. I think their expectations under estimated the true impact of their music.

I highly recommend checking them out… it will mix up the typical indie tunes with some solid country throwbacks. If you get the chance to see them live, hit it up. Ifor no other reason than the beautiful Zooey Dechanel.

Blake - Antidotes, the first full album release from the UK-based band Foals is not average. The band sticks to their experimental math rock roots, using plenty of atypical rhythm structures throughout. I’ll admit that the first time I listened to the album, a lot of the songs sounded the same - but after a few listens I could really appreciate each one. Overall, I give this album a 4/5, but here are some clear 5 star songs (Olympic Airways, Big Big Love, Hummer). Overall favorite… Big Big Love, for that sick intro. Foals is signed to the Sub Pop record label who’s lineup also includes Band of Horses, the Helio Sequence, and the Shins.

Dan - Let’s start things off by answering the obvious question first: A foal is a horse that is one year of age or younger. Foals, on the other hand, is a five-man Oxford-based outfit that is no longer a secret thanks to their superb debut album, Antidotes. Either way you look at it, the band is young, on track, and leading the proverbial indie rock horse race. Moving along, the record kicks off with a sprawling track [The French Open] that eventually tears into a crescendo of math-rock beats before seguing perfectly into the band’s first single, Cassius. Utilizing a myriad of instruments that include horns, synths, and laptops throughout, the band has created what I refer to as a “musical epic”. The mixing and arrangement are perfect and succesfully take the listener through a journey of emotions that can only be achieved via well articulated sound. I’m giving this record 5/5 stars and expect big things from them in the future — starting with their performance at Lollapalooza this year. Personal favorite tracks: Olympic Airways, Balloons, Big Big Love, and Hummer.

Phil - Solid album. I feel like I’m listening to Bloc Party, The Editors, and a Sega Genesis all at the same time. Combine this jam with massive Bose headphones and a pair of Converse All Stars and this classic instantly makes me forget about Randy In the Morning on shitty Connecticut radio. Try searching Foals on YouTube to check out the behind the scenes creativity of these guys 4/5 stars.

Checkout
Muscles: Guns, Babes, and Lemonade
The Field: From Here we Go To Sublime
Buriel: Untrue
Skream: Skream
Calvin Harris: I Created Disco
Timputer: Partyficial Intelligence (underground mixtape circulating around the DC metro area)
Chromeo: Fancy Footwork
Simeon Mobile Disco: Attack Decay Sustain Release
DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist: The Hard Sell (See it live on their nationwide tour)
Justice: Cross (featuring the euro hit D.A.N.C.E.)
Matthew Dear: Asa Breed
Daft Punk: Alive

Two other albums worth mentioning from 05/06 are:
Ellen Allien and Apparat: Orchestra of Bubbles
Mylo: Destroy Rock and Roll

On the Indie rock front, Vampire Weekend is dropping their self-titled debut at the end of the month. This band grabbed a lot of buzz at the end of the summer with their release of Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, a really great track. Look out for the release.

08 should bring great things.

• 7/4 (Shoreline) (Broken Social Scene)
  This song is unbelievable. So many sounds. So many great sounds. Such a bad description. Just listen to it.
• Darkness Between the Fireflies (Mason Jennings)
  “Jealousy, ain’t got no use for me”
• Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts (Maritime)
  Just listen to the first few chords… you’ll like it too.
• Rest My Chemistry (Interpol)
  With mean guitar riffs and lyrics that paint a picture, it was this one that stuck out immediately on the new (very good) album.
• I’d Rather Dance with You (Kings of Convenience)
  You know, I didn’t like their name when I first heard it (and I still don’t really), but the super talented front man, Erlend Øye, makes the song. And I would rather dance with you than talk to you.
• O Valencia! (The Decemberists)
  The Decemberists are pretty polarizing. You love them or hate them (Tad hates them). I love them, especially when they consistently deliver lyrical, story-telling songs like these.
• Collarbone (Fujiya & Miyagi)
  These guys get lots of real estate on this blog because they’re good. Really good. This song takes me back to Kindergarten. And let’s face it. It’s all been down hill since then.
• Young Folks (Peter Bjorn and John)
  I’m still whistling this song more than I care to admit. Great video too.
• Robot Rock (Daft Punk)
  OK. Hard choice here. Obviously I would pick a DP song, but which one? This one just reminds me of the great time we had a Lolla this year. Two words in the whole song. Genius. Starts the party.
• Hospital Beds (Cold War Kids)
  We saw these guys in Milwaukee before they hit it big. The lead singer has PIPES and steals the show.

Honorable Mention:

• Your English Is Good (Tokyo Police Club) This is only honorable mention because I couldn’t find it on Deezer to play for you. Damnit. Great song.
• Night Ripper album (Girl Talk) Impossible to appreciate it with one song. This guy is an artist with his crazy mash-ups.
• Discovery album (Daft Punk) Do yourself a favor and rent Interstella 5555… You’ll understand, just do it.
• Bohemian Like You (Dandy Warhols) The most intellectually satisfying song I’ve heard in years. Best Lyric - “I really love your hairdo yeah, I’m glad you like mine too, See we’re looking pretty cool”

Upcoming Shows
25 Sep 2007 - OTTOBAR - BALTIMORE, Maryland
26 Sep 2007 - JOHNNY BRENDAS - PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania
27 Sep 2007 - BOWERY BALLROOM - NEW YORK, New York
28 Sep 2007 - HALL WILLIAMSBURG - BROOKLYN, New York
29 Sep 2007 - MIDDLE EAST - CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts
2 Oct 2007 - LAMBI - MONTREAL, Quebec
3 Oct 2007 - LEES PALACE - TORONTO, Ontario
4 Oct 2007 - THE EAGLE THEATER - PONTIAC, Michigan
5 Oct 2007 - EMPTY BOTTLE - CHICAGO, Illinois
6 Oct 2007 - 7TH STREET ENTRY - MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota
9 Oct 2007 - RICHARDS ON RICHARDS - VANCOUVER, B.C.
10 Oct 2007 - NEUMOS - SEATTLE, Washington
11 Oct 2007 - DOUG FIR LOUNGE - PORTLAND, Oregon
12 Oct 2007 - MEZZANINE - SAN FRANCISCO, California
13 Oct 2007 - ECHOPLEX - LOS ANGELES, California
16 Oct 2007 - CLUB DEVILLE - AUSTIN, Texas
9 Nov 2007 - RECYCLART - BRUSSELS, Belgium

Official video for Ankle Injuries


Fan tribute video for Photocopier

Kris:
1. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
2. Radiohead - OK Computer
3. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
4. Death Cab - We Have The Facts
5. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
Tad:
1. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
2. Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
3. Daft Punk - Discovery
4. Bob Dylan - Street Legal
5. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Dan:
1. Bob Marley - Legend
2. Mason Jennings - Use Your Voice
3. Interpol - Antics
4. Bright Eyes - I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
5. Guster - Goldfly
Blake:
1. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
2. The Postal Service - Give Up
3. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced?
4. Sigur Rós - ()
5. Weezer - Blue Album