Mixtape Atlanta

Mixtape THIS: Phoenix

It’s quite impressive for any band to be on the Billboard charts for over 10 weeks, but that is exactly what Phoenix has done since their album release in May for Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Phoenix has not only seen their album move up the charts, but the hit track “Lisztomania” is featured in a new Cadillac commercial. The band has seen their popularity rapidly rise, including performances on SNL, Jimmy Kimmel, and stores across the USA. Perhaps it is not so surprising considering that these talented musicians hail from a country that is glorified for the arts, and France’s Phoenix continues to bring the arts alive in modern times.

In the same vein of Daft Punk, MGMT, The Kooks and The Whitest Boy Alive, these guys draw elements of 1980s rock synth sounds, electric dance grooves and alternative rock. Made up of lead singer Thomas Mars, Bassist Deck d’Arcy, guitarists Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz, these Frenchmen have certainly come a long way since their inception in 1999 playing in local bars performing covers of everything from American country to disco funk.

Embarking on a sold out American tour with opening act Chairlift, be sure to catch Phoenix at Little Five Points’ Criminal Records on September 30 at noon for a special in store appearance. Later that night, the Frenchmen will rock a sold out show at Variety Playhouse.

Sounds like: 80’s distorted synths, catchy pop sounds that’ll get the serotonin in your brain pumping with electric energy to put you in a good mood.

Add to your Mixtape: “Lisztomania"

Good Times at Fun City

 

Even though rain returned to Atlanta Saturday night, nothing could dampen the party or turnout at The Glenn Hotel for Esperanza and Whynatte present: Fun City with Judi Chicago. Hundreds of people crowded the lobby of The Glenn Hotel to see Social Studies and Judi Chicago make the space their own. Judi Chicago’s vocalists Ben Coleman and Travis Thatcher traveled throughout the crowd bringing their high-energy tunes from the front door to back wall. Jumping on couches and strutting down the bar, Judi Chicago made sure everyone was involved in the party. Whynatte supplied drink specials, Esperanza some fashionable gear, and Mixtape Atlanta helped get everyone in the mood with a fun themed photo booth. Everyone who stopped to get snapped in the photo booth was entered to into a raffle for cans of Whynatte, Esperanza designed Fun City poster, and signed t-shirts from Judi Chicago and Whynatte; congrats to all the winners! From the photo booth to the stage, check out all the great photos from Fun City provided by Mixtape Atlanta and our good friend Matt Smith!

 

Juliette Lewis Kills It

The Drunken Unicorn was packed to capacity Thursday, September 24 for Juliette Lewis’s headlining performance. The actress/ singer did not disappoint her crowd of loyal fans. Entering from the back of the venue, Lewis and her band danced to Patrick Hernandez’s disco hit “Born to be Alive” as they made their way through the crowd to the stage. Lewis’s stage presence was intoxicating with her dramatic feathered costume and her theatrical pink “war paint” makeup. The majority of Lewis’s set focused on songs from her recently released new album, Terra Incognita, including “Always and Forever,” “Ghosts,” and “Hard Lovin’ Woman.”

Although Lewis set a mood of dark passionate energy, she swung the pendulum in the opposite direction with more upbeat pop songs like her cover of Laverne and Shirley’s theme song “Making Our Dreams Come True,” and fan favorite from her time with The Licks “You’re Speaking My Language.” Lewis returned to her trance like musical state with another track off Incognita, “Suicide Dive Bombers.” Transcending into the crowd to repeat the song’s lyrics “shine the light/ shine the light,” Lewis made it a point to connect with every member in the audience calming their cheers but not their energy as she gained intense focus from all. Her voice may not have the greatest range, but Lewis’s art of performance and ability to get an entire audience to empathize with her through every emotion is a testament to her creative performance ability and reiteration of what film critics have said for years, “This girl has talent.”

Check out Mixtape Atlanta's photos from the show!

Kim Burdges

Here's to Y.O.U.

The members of Please Rock grace the stage for the final time as Y.O.U. at Smith's Olde Bar on Saturday, October 10. Don't miss the opportunity to see one of the most talented groups in Atlanta music.

According to Y.O.U.'s website, the band as we currently know it, is no longer.....

"We have decided to retire Y O U as a performing and recording group. It has been our focus since we moved to Atlanta in 2002 but the time has come to say goodbye.

Our last performance will be at Smith’s Olde Bar on Saturday, October 10 (tickets), at which we’ll perform our Greatest Hits (none of which were actually hits, obviously.)

Our last release, The Long Playing EP, is now available on iTunes featuring the following new and unreleased tracks: Firefly, Going Down Swinging, Honest Man, Beautiful Thing, and Moviekiss: The Lite Brite Remix.

The PleaseRock collective remains, and future plans for original music and collaboration are undecided. Tidings of new creative projects for all members of PleaseRock will still drop here." - www.pleaserock.com

Read our review of Y.O.U.'s The Long-Playing EP here. Also check out Mixtape Atlanta's photos from October 2's Yacht Rock Revue here. Stay tuned to Mixtape Atlanta for updates, coverage, and news on Please Rock projects.

Take Me Down To Fun City

Looking for a good time Saturday night? We got you covered. Mixtape Atlanta has teamed up with some of our favorite Atlantans 4th Ward Heroes, Whynatte, Esperanza, and the masters of dance beats, Judi Chicago, to bring you a night to remember. Join us at The Glenn Hotel Saturday, September 26 to celebrate the music video and single release of Judi Chicago’s “Fun City.” We will be taking over the Glenn’s rooftop and lobby. Don’t miss a night filled with music, drink specials, photo booth, limited edition prizes, and more. Did we mention it’s free? That’s right NO COVER. Party starts at 9PM so get there early to take full advantage of all the fun. Check out Judi Chicago’s video for “Fun City.”

Fun at Drunken Unicorn

Hours before Fun took The Drunken Unicorn stage on September 21, there was a line of anxious fans wrapped around the parking lot. Such a sight is normally not seen at the underground club, but is testimony to the band’s impressive popularity. Prior to Fun taking the stage, the sweaty crowd chanted the band’s name and buzzed with anticipation. Once on stage, lead singer Nate Ruess calmed the audience’s volume but not their energy as he softly started singing the opening lyrics to “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)”. The crowd sang right along with him word for word, and by the time the song’s beat kicked in there was no turning back.

Although founding band mate Jack Antonoff was not present, Fun’s other core members Ruess and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Dost rolled from one song to the next off of their debut album Aim and Ignite. “Not As Sad” transitioned into “I Wanna Be the One” and then the touching but dance igniting “All the Pretty Girls.” After years of touring and performing live with their former groups: The Format and Anathallo, Ruess and Dost had an actively engaging yet relaxed command of their set.

One…or two of the night’s most unexpected surprises came with the inclusion of two Format hits, “The First Single” and “She Doesn’t Get It”. The fact that the endless audience sing-along did not stop during these older songs was another testament to the devout following these musicians have themselves not just from their groups.

By the end of the night, Drunken Unicorn was a foggy sweaty mess from the stage to back wall. Ruess’s encore dedication of “The Gambler” to his father, who was proudly working the merchandise table, was an emotive moment and his passion behind the poignant lyrics touching; it was the only time in the night where the crowd’s endless sing-along should’ve been muted. However, unbashful crowd participation is a rarity at show’s displaying such talent and it was refreshing. Similar to how Kings of Leon are revamping and redefining American rock, Fun has created a unique musical identity that is making pop music cool again.

Check out Mixtape Atlanta’s Fun photos.

Kim Burdges

Mixtape THIS: Club Awesome

Some might say that living up to a name with "awesome" in the title would be a challenge, and living up to rumors of elevating live performances even more difficult, but on Club Awesome's debut cd, Dynamos, the band proves that they could write the schoolbook for how it’s done. Indie and Hipster kids of all ages will enjoy dancing to the light disco pop feel Dynamos has to offer. Throughout the album, the prominent strumming of the bass line helps drive the already appealing rhythms of the various songs. The indie-pop track, “Supermagical” is the perfect soundtrack for an event like Kiss Atlanta’s East Atlanta Social Club. The song “Trainwreck” translates perfectly from the car radio to sing-alongs at their live show. Club Awesome’s impressive guitar solo on “Whyte Tygre” proves that this album has something for anyone’s musical taste. The entire cd has intense danceable tunes that will make you start counting down to their next live show.

Add this to your Mixtape: “Supermagical” because it’s awesome and magical!

Interview with Fun's Andrew Dost

Before Fun took the Drunken Unicorn stage in front of a sold out crowd on September 20, Mixtape Atlanta talked with the band’s guitarist, keyboard player, trumpeter, and vocalist Andrew Dost. Fun is currently touring in support of their debut album Aim and Ignite. Stay tuned to Mixtape Atlanta for our coverage of the show.

Have you ever played the Drunken Unicorn before?

Not as Fun, but as Anathallo along time ago with Manchester Orchestra. We are so looking forward to coming back though.

What has the crowd response been like for the show?

The tour has been going really well. It’s been great. The crowd response has been overwhelming, which is a weird word. “Overwhelming” implies passing out or swooning, which isn’t really happening, but close. (laughs)

How does Fun compare to previous collaborations like Anathallo?

It’s really good; it’s not like anything else we’ve done before. It’s been good to work with Nate [Ruess] and Jack [Antonoff]. Anytime you get together to write with different people there are different forms of communication and protocol yet we are able to bring our different ideas together to yield the same result. Different people and different voices are great.

How did the writing and collaboration on Aim and Ignite go? Did you all work on it equally or divide it up?

It varied from song to song. For a lot of songs, Nate would come in with lyrics and a melody and we would go from there. Others started out with nothing and we would just chip away at it maybe starting with Jack on pedal. We were very collaborative.”

Were you conscious of creating a certain feeling or overall theme for the album?

No, which is a contrast from how I’ve done things in the past. Before I’ve done albums, which were very conceptual and thematic, but we really weren’t interested in doing that with this album. We just wanted to put a record out there with the best ten songs we could.

What is our favorite song to perform live?

I really like “Be Calm.” It is difficult to pull off live, but it’s great when we pull it off.

How long was your rehearsal time for the tour?

It all came together pretty quickly. We’re playing with a drummer that we’ve played with before so there was not a lot of preparation.

How is it translating the orchestration of the album into a live performance?

Performing live presents a new sense of challenges, because for example we don’t have a string quartet so we have to kind of abandon that sound and go more rock. It’s a fun puzzle and a challenge we enjoy. We all started in live bands so its fun to recombine songs in a live setting.

What track would you have to include on your ultimate mixtape?

It would have to be “In My Life” by The Beatles. It’s the ultimate song, and it's never been done better.

Kim Burdges

Cause Some Trouble Tonight

The summer is close to an end, but that does not mean fun or trouble is ending too. Head to Star Bar tonight for Pop Death Squad’s monthly Big Trouble In Little Five Points which is sure to live up to it’s name. The recent rage in Atlanta, Death On Two Wheels will be rocking the stage as headliners. Plan to come out early; the two supporting bands are equally rock-worthy. Local band, Dirty Pollyanna, will bring out your inner 70’s indie-female rock love when lead singer, Angie, sings, “Dynamite”. Hailing from Nashville, Oblio’s song, “Across the Table” will allow you to enjoy your PBR while the trio jams out. Forget the rain, come cause trouble at Big Trouble in Little Five.

The Constellations: On Their Way Up

You might not picture gritty, tattooed rockers, with a perpetual hangover to be the focus of this year’s music Cinderella story, but that is exactly where The Constellations are finding themselves. The Atlanta band, which took the local music scene by storm with their haunting lyrics and catchy beats about Atlanta’s underground culture, recently signed with Virgin Records. Having preformed at Virginia Highlands Summerfest, Big Fourth in Little Five, and receiving airplay on 99x for their hit “Felicia,” The Constellations have provided the soundtrack to the summer of 2009 and they are not done yet. This weekend the band headlines the East Atlanta Strut on the 99x Stage. Mixtape Atlanta recently talked with The Constellations’ songwriter and lead singer, Elijah Jones, about the band’s new record deal, sound, and future.

Take me through the signing process with Virgin Records?

It all did happen pretty quickly. Alex Shenitsky heard our record first then told Rob Stevenson [president of Virgin Records] about it. Rob flew down for a show and it just all worked out; they're picking up the record [Southern Gothic] as is.

After signing, did Virgin ask you to change anything about your sound, look, way you perform, etc.?

Not at all. We have complete artistic freedom and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. That is the only way we would’ve agreed to any deal.

Southern Gothic has such a distinctive sound. How did this sound develop? Was it a conscious decision?

Originally, the album was just supposed to be a studio project: an Atlanta record with Atlanta musicians with songs about the Atlanta scene. The gritty, nasty part of Atlanta. About what goes on after the bars close, on the streets, the characters. It was a concept record. It took awhile to record, but we wanted to make sure we did right.

The album is so uniquely Atlantan, do you worry these songs won’t have the same reaction across the country when the album is released nationally?

The songs are there as well as the feeling of the songs. It’s more about city life in general. Hopefully people can translate some of these characters into their own cities. Even though the album is very specific to Atlanta, there’s a Clermont Lounge in a lot of cities and other similar characters.

Since Southern Gothic was a concept album, do you have another one in the works?

Yes…, but it’s a secret. (laughs) I still have to write it, which I’m working on now. But, I’m mostly focused on pushing [Southern Gothic] now.

Who would you like to collaborate with on the next album?

Obliviously I want to get Ben Allen involved again. He really is the puppet master. I hope to collaborate with some musicians that were on the first one as well as some that were not on the record.

With Southern Gothic being mostly a studio album, when did you decide to form a live band to perform it?

It really happened out of necessity. As we got further into the recording, we realized that we wanted to play these songs in front of people and translate them into a live show. I’m the only original member to take the band from studio to the live shows they are now so we had to get a band together. The songs are there it is just a matter of translating them live. We recently did a Live X and it pushed us personally and musically since it was mostly stripped down. At the same time, as long as the songs are there they can exist in a couple different translations.

Speaking of 99x, how was it to hear “Felicia” being played on that station?

It was pretty surreal. I have a whole different appreciation for those guys and for them playing our song. I owe a lot to them.

You have several Atlanta shows coming up at some popular events, including East Atlanta Strut and The Most Legendary Halloween Party at Center Stage, have you played either one of those events before?

No, we haven’t. We also have another show coming up at Lenny’s on October 10. It will be our video release party for “Perfect Day.” It’s going to be a crazy party.

What can we expect from that video?

The shoot was insane. Eric De Fino from Raygun, who shot “Felica,” directed it. “Perfect Day” is not necessarily a single, but we had a really cool concept for the song. It’s not your traditional video. It was pretty debaucherous. We basically threw a house party and filmed it, and there is all kinds of debaucherous sh*t going on. I don’t think we’ll even be able to put it on YouTube so the only way you’ll be able to see it is at the party.

Any chance The Constellations will relocate from Atlanta?

We are staying in Atlanta. It’s our home. I love visiting other cities and places, but Atlanta will always be home. I’ll be here until the day I die.

What track would you have to include on your ultimate mixtape?

That is a rough question. I’d have to go with Tom Waits' “That Feeling;” it makes me cry every time I hear it. That is the marking of a good song, when it has emotion, feeling, and connects to a person. I have 15 million other songs, but hands down that one is it.

-Kim Burdges

Mixtape THIS: Owl City

Why: If anyone has questions to do with self-motivation or promotion, send them to the Minnesota based band, Owl City. Comprised of only one band member, twenty-three year old Adam Young, Owl City came to the public eye through the social and music-networking site, MySpace. Before self-releasing two albums (Of June EP and Maybe I’m Dreaming), Owl City posted the track, “Hello Seattle” on their music profile to an over-whelming response with more than five million plays. The summer of 2009 produced more hits with Owl City releasing Ocean Eyes, his first album on Universal Republic Records. Eyes' first single, "Fireflies," is a cheery-syntho-pop song about Young wanting his dreams to last longer. Currently, Owl City is on a headlining tour across the USA, including a recent sold-out show at The Loft.

For the fans of: Taking a relaxing stroll around the park while slightly bobbing the head listening to a high-spirited syntho-pop tune.

Add this to your Mixtape: Put on “Fireflies” for the days in which you would rather drift away in your dreams than live in reality.

Prepare to Strut

It is never to early to start thinking about the weekend, so go head and mark your calendars for this Saturday. The East Atlanta Strut is back for the 12th year taking over the popular hipster neighborhood of Glenwood and Flat Shoals Avenues. The day long event will start with a 5K run at 8AM, music starts at Noon, and a parade at 2PM. Two of Atlanta's biggest names in radio- 99x and Dave FM- are anchoring the music stages and both lineups are impressive. The Constellations are headlining 99x's stage, while Dropsonic is closing out Dave FM's lineup. Dropsonic recently performed at The Earl with Ponderosa- checkout Mixtape Atlanta's exclusive photography from that show. Continue to stay tuned to Mixtape Atlanta throughout the week for the latest news regarding East Atlanta Strut. 

Check out the 2009 East Atlanta Strut lineup!

New Music Video: TTM, TTS's 'The Lightning Exhibit'

Atlanta indie-electronic rockers Today The Moon, Tomorrow The Sun have just released a new music video for the title track off of their current EP, The Lightning Exhibit. The video directed and shot by Swollen Person was conceived and filmed in just five hours. TTM,TTS are currently on tour across the country and will be coming back to Atlanta later this month to open for The Walkmen at Variety Playhouse on September 25. Get tickets!

The Reel Mix: It Might Get Loud

It Might Get Loud is an intricate behind-the-instrument documentary on the electric guitar; it’s affects on music and musicians, and their affect on how it is played. Choosing three of the most well-known and accomplished electric guitarists- Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin, The Yardbirds), The Edge (U2), and Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs), It Might Get Loud examines how these musicians discovered this instrument and fine-tuned its playing over their careers.

Archive footage, personal accounts, and revisiting of past places of influence drive each of these guitarists’ stories. The film does a nice job of never loosing focus from the impact of the guitar on these men’s lives nor the impact on music Page, Edge, and White have made with it in their hands. Instead of just focusing on three different generational musicians, the filmmakers decide to bring these talents together and see what transpires. What results is an unmatched Guitar 101 with Page, Edge, and White teaching, playing, and sharing stories with each other. What is most remarkable is how genuinely interested all three seem to be about each other’s music and techniques. Their different styles are put on full display when the three attempt to jam to each other’s hits- “I Will Follow” (U2), “Whole Lotta Love” (Led Zepplin), and “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” (The White Stripes). Originally you might think that there is no song they cannot play, but watching them all attempt and teach the different styles shows how difficult and varied each one’s method is.

The scenes of Page. Edge, and White gathered together are the most interesting yet seem to lack dialogue, which in other films might be a problem. In this film, the lack of dialogue translates to more guitar playing which allows them all to express more than from words. Whether you are a musician or music fan, this journey of three men’s passion and continual quest for perfection in an imperfect instrument is insightful and inspiring.

Kick Into Gear

The Kicks (formerly The Four Kicks) from Nashville, Tennessee have been touring non-stop for the past several years throughout the country promoting their unique blend of rock-pop. With their full-length album, The Rise of King Richie, they are giving music fans a taste of what their live audiences already know: these guys can rock. Showcasing powerful chords, intricate harmonies, and radio ready lyrics, King Richie will be a mainstay in your car stereo, on your iPod, and anywhere else you feel like blaring good rock. Download the album for FREE at TheKicksRock.com. Also see them live at Vinyl for their CD Release Party on October 9 with County Line Strangers, Sequoyah Prep School and Corey Crowder. Get tickets!

The Whiskey Gentry’s Intoxicating Appeal

Lauren Staley is no stranger to the Atlanta music scene having played for years and creating a loyal following with her former band Missy Gossip and The Secret Keepers. Although her musical tendencies have always swayed to mostly country music, The Whiskey Gentry showcases her pristine lead vocals and keen ear for making traditional bluegrass rhythms sound remarkably fresh.

Cleverly infusing bluegrass, country, Americana, and folk, The Whiskey Gentry’s self titled EP sounds like a prized dusty gem found in an abandoned speakeasy: echoing the sounds of a different generation yet current enough to make you want to listen to it again and again. Staley’s vocals carry an appropriate amount of twang without coming across nasally or whiny, which some contemporary country singers tend to do. Although Staley’s vocals are intoxicating, the intricate orchestration of the group’s seven musicians, including Staley, helps drive each song and make Gentry’s sound all the more unique. The track “Clarkesville” will have you two-stepping at their live shows or in your own living room with it’s fast traveling beat and authentic bluegrass- county fair feel. Lyrics such as the chorus’- “We may fight all night ‘til morning/ By dawn we will make our peace/ I may be the broken hearted/ But you still belong to me”- showcases the beautiful marriage of anguished filled lyrics with up-tempo tunes like country greats Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash perfected so well. “Mary” echoes Parton’s classic “Jolene” but with a black comedy twist more remonstrant of The Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl.” “Mary’s” quick tempo, banjo driven beats and catchy lyrics about a woman scorned and her revenge will have you bouncing your head long to the beat even after the record ends. The sentimental melancholy ballad “Four Horsemen” illustrates the band’s range into a slower variety with an easy yet well layered arrangement.

The Whiskey Gentry’s appeal translates beautifully in their album, but their real charm comes from their relaxed onstage energy. See them tonight at The Earl; get tickets!

Add this track to your Mixtape: “Mary,” a passionate upbeat tale of love, jealously, and revenge that you will not be able to shake from your head nor will you want to.

'Hot Mess' Makes Being Bad So Good

The perfect end to a trouble filled summer: Cobra Starship’s new album, Hot Mess. With the widely released first single, “Good Girls Gone Bad,” the album lives beyond the single with every track as good and catchy as the next. Hot Mess proves that Cobra Starship has come along way since their conception in 2005. Their first album, While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets, still has a slight punk tone—yet, still extremely danceable—originating from lead singer, Gabe Saporta’s days as former frontman of the punk band, Midtown. ¡Viva La Cobra!, their second album, has more of a sarcastic tone towards the music on today’s radio. Hot Mess is another step in the band’s musical journey by bringing up-beat dance tracks like “Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We’re Famous”, a light disco feel with “Living In The Sky With Diamonds”, and the R&B jam, “The World Will Never Do” together on one album. The song where the album draws it’s title, “Hot Mess”, sets the theme of the record: that it’s fun being the “bad boy” or a girl living her life to the fullest. This album allows you to have a carefree listen, reminding you of your summer… a perfect segue from summer to fall. Listening once won’t be enough, if only summer had a “repeat” button. Check out Mixtape Atlanta's photos from Cobra Starship's recent show at Atlanta's Vinyl. 

Add this to your Mixtape: For that casual listen that'll remind you of your wild side, "Hot Mess".

The Reel Mix: Extract

Mike Judge returns to the workplace environment for his latest comedy Extract. The film is being promoted as the funniest office based comedy since Office Space; however, it falls short of those high expectations. The cast is stellar. Jason Bateman’s witty, dry humor and delivery is spot-on and his portrayal of an unsatisfied husband and boss are hilarious. It is not the performances that are lacking in the film, but the script. If only there had been more for these talented actors to work with.

There is a lack of conflict, which would have better driven Extract. In Office Space, there is no doubt that the lead character Peter Gibbons (played by Ron Livingston) hates his job; in Extract, Bateman’s character created the company and still seems to have a passion for food flavoring. Since his discontent for his job is not completely founded, it is hard to believe that he is really suck in such a professional conundrum. Granted some of his employees would drive any employer to a nervous breakdown, especially a high pitched, nagging line-worker (Beth Grant), which makes the viewer more annoyed at Bateman for not having fired her. The jealousy and unknowing that fueled Livingston and his onscreen love interest’s (Jennifer Aniston) passion and conflict in Office Space are not seen between Bateman and onscreen wife (Kirsten Wiig) in Extract. Bateman and Wiig’s scenes together are some of the film’s best, and their mutual, unspoken frustration in their marriage is comical, but if only they had more scenes together to explore it.

Extract is a pleasing movie, but illustrates how even a strong cast cannot showcase their best if it is not in the script.

Rock Overtakes The Earl

Atlanta’s Trances Arc and Nashville’s AutoVaughn have played The Earl several times; however, their show August 28 proved that the more they play the better. Orlando’s Plain Jane Automobile also added to the impressive bill and started the night off to a hot start with their indie-rock songs. AutoVaughn showcased their unique range and musicianship as their songs danced between several different genres from California pop-rock to more British indie-rock beats. Trances Arc proved to be the perfect act to marriage the sounds of the opening two with their traditional rock sound and catchy vocals. See these rockers do what they do best and check out photos from all three acts. This Friday, September 4, The Earl hosts another impressive rock lineup of Dropsonic, Ponderosa, and It’s Elephant’s.

Mute Math Scores Again

What do you get when you take the band Mute Math and add some New Orleans style horns, funky bass lines, a little hand clapping and some string arrangements? The answer is Armistice, Mute Math's second full length album. Adding those elements to their reputable hooks, riffs, arrangements and did I mention the drumming, makes MM one of the most continually impressive acts in today’s music. Being that New Orleans is their home city, it is only fitting to hear these influences added to the Art-Rock that MM has been creating since their inception in 2003; Louis Armstrong even gets a nod with the album cover art work adding to their reflections of the city in their music.

The album opens with a potential riot starter "The Nerve" and the chorus of "Set it on Fire" is bound to have crowds chanting along on MM’s upcoming tour. The album quickly moves into the rocker "Backfire," and then transitions into the sprawling "Clipping" which has a beautifully layered piano and strings arrangement with lyrics making proclamations of uncertainty. "Spotlight" makes its way onto the album in a slightly varied recording than that featured on the Twilight soundtrack. "No Response" threads a very ambient piano into a song of unanswered questions, while "Pins and Needles" is a jazz song at its roots. "Goodbye" is a love song written about the fear in losing the ones we love; Paul Meany lets us know "If you say Goodbye / My heart’s in trouble." On "Odds," tolerance and acceptance are discussed with lines like "The odds are/ we'll be better off". "Electrify" really exemplifies their complex arrangements right before they pay tribute to their home city with the title track. "Armistice" has Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas playing the funkiest bass on any MM track, a horn section, and a beat that makes me dance like I was at a Meters concert. "Lost Year" is this album’s ballad, while the closing track "Burden" is the longest song in their recording library, clocking in at over 9 minutes. This album is Mute Math at a place beyond what we heard on their debut and a fine example of moving forward without losing who you are as a band.

The album title Armistice is a reference to a war ending agreement where "all fighting ends with no one surrendering;" this is an ideology that is often unreachable yet when accomplished something special is achieved. For Mute Math, their music is a similar accomplishment. It is incomparable, undeniable and the hooks will have you losing sleep as you sing these songs in your head. If you enjoyed their debut album, Armistice is a must buy.

Tickets are still available for their November 6th, 2009 show with As Tall As Lions at The Tabernacle. Get tickets now!

Add this song to your mixtape: "Electrify"- a song about the charge of energy new experiences will cause