Chris Walla: "Manual" for Indie Rock

The past few Spring seasons, there has been an onslaught of new releases to keep music fans happy and this year has been no different. My iTunes queue and Best Buy visits have increased greatly since the Ides of March. This also results in fits of panic in trying to keep up with the latest hits.

Field Manual, was one album I had been anticipating since a post last November on NPR's superb site, All Songs Considered. The single, "Everybody On", immediately caught my ear with its sway-worthy hook, breezy instrumentation and a unique voice. Until I read the post, I had no idea the familiar voice I heard was Death Cab For Cutie member, Chris Walla. Other than some recent promotion from a co-worker, I really hadn't given Death Cab many listens. I mostly wrote them off as "emo" and didn't give them many spins.

After a few delays and an unexplained incident with customs, Field Manual was released in January. While I wasn't able to give it a thorough listening until March, it was well worth the wait. Walla played all instruments (except drums) on the album and crafted catchy indie pop similar to his production work on Tegan and Sara's The Con. Songs like "The Score" (a political discussion disguised as a pop song) and "Everyone Needs A Home" (an ode to the hardships of Katrina) showcase Walla's ability to make bouncy and listen-able gems with an underlying message.

Field Manual outlays how to make an smart, indie rock album that performs well after multiple listens and allows Chris Walla to shine on his own. Though it probably won't reach the masses like Death Cab For Cutie's next album, hopefully it will get the props it deserves on year end album lists.

Chris Walla - Sing Again

Chris Walla - Geometry & C

2007 Wrap-Up: Showstopper Edition

Early on in 2007, I was worried that many of my favorite acts would skip Detroit for other cities. While I didn't get to see everyone I wanted (Arctic Monkeys, Ben Harper, Rilo Kiley, Spoon & Band Of Horses) and some of them still haven't made it (Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Amy Winehouse, The New Pornographers), I was more than happy with the shows I was able to attend.

#5 Copeland w/ As Tall As Lions @ Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI - 5/7/07

My first show of the year and first ever in Ann Arbor. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Copeland didn't disappoint. The audience was enthralled with lead singer Aaron Marsh's emotion and his piano skills weren't too shabby either. "You Have My Attention" and "Control Freak" were definite highlights.



#4 Tegan and Sara w/ Northern State @ St. Andrew's Hall, Detroit, MI - 11/28/07

Canada's most talented set of twins showed their vast musical talent and patience at this recent show. The crowd helped Tegan and Sara sing most of the numbers from the band's large catalog and gave a few too many suggestions as well. Short anecdotes from Tegan made for memorable moments/rants were perfect for the intamate venue. Recent hits from The Con kept almost everyone happy, but "Living Room" shined as an energetic performance. Northern State aptly opened the show with their fun and earnest female rap session. You couldn't help but smile as they ran through "Better Already" and "Sucka Mofo" while striking poses and jumping along the way.



#3 The Format w/ Limbeck, Steel Train, & Piebald @ St. Andrew's Hall, Detroit, MI - 8/31/07

Energy was abound at this show with members of each band helping out for each other's sets. The Format seamlessly and electrically played past hits and most of their latest, Dog Problems. Limbeck brought West Coast flavor, Steel Train gave a dramatic Jersey showcase and Piebald gave a rowdy effort on their last ever stop in Detroit.



#2 Feist w/ Rogue Wave @ Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI - 9/15/07

Definitely the quietest concert I've ever attended, but amazing in its own way. Feist highlighted hits from The Reminder and Let It Die with a cool backdrop that set Michigan Theater aglow. "My Moon My Man", "Mushaboom" and the encore featuring "Sea Lion Woman" were highlights. The finale even featured Feist as choir director leading the crowd in helpful edition of her biggest hit so far, "1,2,3,4". Rogue Wave had a solid opening slot and featured a rousing rendition of "Lake Michigan".



#1 Girl Talk @ Eagle Theater, Pontiac, MI - 11/10/07

Though it doesn't really qualify as an concert, the Girl Talk show was certainly the best event I attended this year. This fringe riot is probably the only time I'll ever see that many people sweating and bumping into each other like they'll never dance again. Insanity.

2007 Wrap-Up: 10 Albums In 2007

3 years ago, if you would have told me that I would be writing a 2007 Best of List that didn't include a rap/hip-hop album, I would have probably spit beer in your face. I could go into a whole rant on why the current state of Hip-Hop didn't allow me to praise the genre, but I've already done that. Instead here is a short list of the great, new music I've discovered this year. Some of my opinions have changed from previous reviews, but that is bound to happen after repeated listening sessions.

#10 Georgie James Places

After a late 2007 release, Georgie James crept into heavy rotation with their fetching album Places. The album has enough addictive indie rock to arm Impact89FM playlists for months with james like "Need Your Needs", "More Lights", and "Look Me Up".



#9 The Rosebuds Night of the Furies

Raleigh, North Carolina's The Rosebuds added a risky electronic touch to their 3rd disc, Night of the Furies and it paid off. I was hooked by the dark, yet danceable "Get Up And Get Out", while "I Better Run" and "Hold Onto This Coat" made for a solid album.



#8 Tegan and Sara The Con

Though the Quinn sisters caught some flack from fans for a more commercial sound, The Con featured some of my favorite songs to date by the twins. The title track and "Back In Your Head" are particularly cathy, but "Knife Going In" and "Dark Come Soon" showcase the duo's unique story-telling abilties.



#7 Band of Horses Cease to Begin

Although I was late to jump on the Band of Horses hype machine, I soon found Cease to Begin was a near perfect fall album. Spectral sounds and loud riffs on "Is There A Ghost?", "Detlef Schrempf", "Marry Song", and "No One's Gonna Love You" made for a bright album in the dark months ahead.



#6 Spoon Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Terribly titled, but Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is Spoon's six album and could easily be the band's best. "You've Got Your Cherry Bomb" and "The Underdog" were infectious enough to grace my i-pod countless times this year. "Don't You Evah" and "Don't Make Me A Target" were breezy, indie rock gems that rounded out the album's upbeat sound.



#5 Amy Winehouse Back to Black

As if teleporting from the past, Amy Winehouse burst onto playlists everywhere with the retro-infused album, Back to Black. While her troublesome offstage antics caught the attention of many, her soul & jazz influenced album won over critics and bloggers most. "Rehab" burned up the pop charts, while "You No I'm No Good", the title track, and "Love Is A Losing Game" gave a feel of '60s Motown nostalgia.



#4 The Bees (Band of Bees) Octopus

One of my earliest reviews was of The Bee's (or Band of Bees in the US) stand out album, Octopus. 8 months later, my opinion hasn't changed. The Bees' eclectic musical offerings from the '60s rock stylings of "Love In The Harbor" to jazzier fare on "Got To Let Go" made for an amazing album. The musings on "Who Cares What The Question Is?" could easily make for the best bluegrass impressions of the year.



#3 The New Pornographers Challengers

Canada's "super group", The New Pornographers jumped the front of the list with Challengers. With that many great musicians contributing, how could the results not be amazing? "Mutiny I Promise You" and "My Right Versus Yours" dropped light political messages, while the title track, "All The Old Showstoppers", and "Go Places" were simply great indie rock.



#2 Feist The Reminder

Leslie Feist crafted an impressive indie pop breakthrough with The Reminder. While Apple and Verizon capitaled on the sounds of "1,2,3,4" and "My Moon My Man" for marketing campaigns, "I Feel It All" and "The Water" were equally ear pleasing. I was lucky enough to see her genius in Ann Arbor this fall and The Reminder was just as perfect live.



#1 Arcade Fire Neon Bible

In 2007, Win Butler and company crafted a hauntingly good follow-up to The Funeral. Chilling vocals and an eerie pipe organ made songs like "Intervention" and "My Body Is A Cage" creepy in a good way, allowing "Keep The Car Running" and "No Cars Go" to light up the album with '80s-esque energy. Neon Bible blessed more ear drums than any other album this year. Let's hope the band's recent success and sightings with Bruce Springsteen fuel more inspiration for another smash album.



Honorable Mention: Bright Eyes Cassadega, K-OS Atlantis: Hymns For Disco (US Release in 2007), Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare, Jay-Z American Gangster, Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before The Ship Was Sinking, Kanye West Graduation, Bloc Party A Weekend In The City, Editors An End Has A Start, Maximo Park Our Earthly Pleasures, Winterpills The Light Divides

Northern State: More Than "Better Already"

When I bought Tegan and Sara tickets, I was pumped because I thought Great Northern would be opening. Upon further research, I found that I was wrong, it would actually be Northern State (an unknown band to me) warming up the stage in November. Although I was disappointed at first, it didn't take long before I realized this was a blessing in disguise.

Northern State are a trio of ladies who infuse their indie-rock talents with good enough rapping skills to make you press rewind (I guess it would be "left arrow" on i-pods). Hesta Prynn, Spero, & Sprout hail from New York and while I doubt you would ever see them on a Brooklyn corner with The Notorious B.I.G., their hip-hop flavored rhymes will bring a smile to your face. Their high strung, upbeat flow on "Sucka Mofo" might remind you of a female version of the Beastie Boys, and for good reason. After garnering buzz from their EP, "Dying In Stereo", Adrock of the Beastie Boys offered to remix one of their tracks and ended up executive producing their latest album.

The girls' most recent album, Can I Keep This Pen, dropped Tuesday and should not be ignored. Songs like "Better Already" and "Mother May I" are playful enough for casual rap listeners and experimental enough for indie fans alike. With support from Questlove, Pete Rock, and a Pop Candy podcast feature this week, the buzz should only continue.

Northern State - Better Already


Northern State - Mother May I


Northern State will open for Tegan and Sara on November 28th @ St. Andrew's Hall. Buy your tickets here.