Paint the Town Orange

May 16th: Piano's - New York City, NY - Cotton Jones Basket Ride

Images and Review by Dominick Mastrangelo

Bands go on hiatus all the time. Members have side projects, other sounds and interests they want to explore. Sometimes what was once working no longer is, sometimes they outgrow their sound; they mature. I don't need to list off examples because they are everywhere. Sometimes the band gets back together and sometimes they don't. The biggest fear, as a fan of the shelved project, is what will the new project sound like? And it always eases the transition when the new stuff is just as good or better than what came before. So it goes for Michael Nau and his new band the Cotton Jones Basket Ride. Nau indefinitely shelved his more famous band, Page France, and has been focusing on his new band for about a year.




Gone is the wide-eyed, dreamy folk/pop and in are darker, dustier sounds. Nau's voice is lower and less plaintive since we last heard him. And the songs, well, they are good - real good. And tucked into the small performance space in the back of Piano's in the Lower East Side on Friday, among a list of six completely different sounding bands (and no real headliner), Nau and Co. got to work well after midnight spreading the good word of the CJBR. Because the other part of starting over is that not only are you cultivating a new sound and direction but a new fan base as well.




Those who were there to see the band or had drifted in from the loud music and even louder chatter of the bar out front were treated to something special. Songs off the new Archery EP were well represented; "Chewing Gum" and "Midnight Monday and a Telescope" (mp3) were moody, bluesy numbers that crept along Doors-esque keyboards supplied by Whitney McGraw (also a member of Page France) and shuffling drums with a hypnotic guitar melody. Nau also tacked on a bit of Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" onto one song eliciting a smattering of applause among those who picked up on it.




"Gone The Bells," the one song that momentarily shed the film noir canvas the band was creating, also happened to be the best. Bouncing along an airy organ and bass line the song swayed as well as any ballad you would hear off of say, Wilco's Summerteeth. (And there was swaying.) The lovely vocal duet between Nau and McGraw as they sang "I was looking for your heart, through the flowers in the park" was moving in a way that doesn't fully come across when you listen to the song on their MySpace page a couple dozen times.



With EPs and a full length ahead there is plenty to be excited about and to look forward to from Cotton Jones. The least of which is the knowledge that with most of these releases, there will most likely be some touring to support. Best get on the ride now while there's still room.

Tues May 20 - Norfolk, VA - The Boot
Wed May 21 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
Thurs May 22 - Charlotte, NC - The Milestone
Fri May 23 - Charleston, SC - The Village Tavern
Sat May 24 - Athens, GA - Caledonia Lounge
Mon May 26 - Lexington, KY - The Dame
Tues May 27 - Nashville, TN - The End
Wed May 28 - Cincinnati, OH - Southgate House
Fri May 30 - Charlottesville, VA - Tea Bazaar
Sat May 31 - Fredericksburg, VA - The 3rd Floord
Wed Jun 11 - Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place
Thur Jun 12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern
Fri Jun 13 - Bloomington, IN - Bear's Place
Sat Jun 14 - Champaign, IL - Mike N Molly's
Sun Jun 15 - St. Louis, MO - Bluebird
Mon Jun 16 - Lawrence, KS - The Replay Lounge
Tue Jun 17 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room
Wed Jun 18 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
Thur Jun 19 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry
Fri Jun 20 - Iowa City, IA - The Picador
Sat Jun 21 - Dekalb, IL - The House Cafe w/ Venna
Sun Jun 22 - Madison, WI - Cafe Montmartre
Mon Jun 23 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's w/ Brendan Losch
Tue Jun 24 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club
Wed Jun 25 - Detroit, MI - Alvin's
Thur Jun 26 - Toronto, ONT - Silver Dollar
Fri Jun 27 - London, ONT - London Music Club
Sat Jun 28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Brillobox

New Release Tuesday

Music:

Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head (stream)

Collections of Colonies of Bees - Six Guitars (one-sided vinyl release)

Indian Jewelry - Free Gold! Listen to: Temporary Famine Ship (mp3)

Islands - Arm's Way

Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us Listen to: My Only Offer (mp3)

The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia...

Explorers Club - Freedom Wind

Windsor for Derby - How We Lost

E for Explosion - The Heartbeat

DVD:

National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

Strange Wilderness

Castanets - Tendrils

Paint the Town Orange

May 15th, 2008: Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY - Los Campesinos w/ Murder Mystery
Review and Images by Dominck Mastrangelo

Time Out New York suggested last week that Los Campesinos! add a few more exclamation points to their name to fully convey the Welsh band's high-energy, punk/pop sound. Yet in the wake of their performance last Thursday at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, I suggest this slight adjustment - LOS CAMPESINOS!!!!!

The seven-piece outfit from Cardiff burned through their hour-long set like Wayne Rooney on a breakaway, clear on goal. The quietest moment of the set was the final minute of their first song, "Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats." Lead singer Gareth, likely knowing this, took the opportunity to sit down, cross legged, back to the crowd. From that point on there was little time to catch your breath. The rambunctious "Death To Los Campesinos!" with Gareth and Alexandra trading lines and finishing each others sentences chased the equally upbeat "Don't Tell Me To Do The Math(s)" (mp3) with it's pretty chorus delivered by Alexandra.

And on it went until the slow build up of the much anticipated dance/punk-pop anthem "You! Me! Dancing!" (or, perhaps, YOU! ME! DANCING!) that had the packed crowd clapping rhythmically all the way through the two-minute intro as guitars and violin and drums crescendo to the simple guitar hook before whole band exploded again. This was followed by dancing and the crowd singing along in full voice "It's You! It's Me! And there's Dancing!" as well as to the line "If there's one thing I can never confess, is that I can't dance a single step." You can now add Los Campesinos! to that rare list of bands that in concert you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun; a shortlist that contains bands such as the Flaming Lips and Decemberists.

Opening were New York band, Murder Mystery, and I would personally find it troubling if one wasn't caught up in the pure joy the band exudes during it's set. Smiles were abundant during their 40-minute set and with plenty of snappy, rock songs in the vein of Magnetic Fields or For Sale-era Beatles and even a dash of the Strokes for good measure, it's easy to see why. Jaunty rockers like "Huggin'" with it's shuffling beat and sharp guitar work and the under-two minute "What My Baby Said" took you back to a time when bands were sharp enough to say everything that needed to be said in less than three minutes. And there was hardly a moment when drummer Laura Coleman wasn't swinging her head back and forth or up and down in mannerisms alarmingly similar to a certain drummer in a rather famous British band. Oh and of course she was smiling out from behind her kit the entire time. Though most of the material came from their new record Are You Ready for the Heartache Cause Here it Comes, the band did work in a new song, "Apple," and then closed with Heartache's synth-induced "Love Astronaut" (mp3) Let's add them to the shortlist too.

Murder Mystery was recently featured over at Daytrotter... read and download here.

Los Campesinos will be in Chicago @ the Empty Bottle on May 26th and 27th. For all of their upcoming tour dates visit their myspace page.

The Orange Spotlight

K.M Dersley & Adrian Manning Next Exit: Six (Kendra Steiner Editions #80)

"Walking through the mist/of centuries of curing,/it clings to the clothes/and invades the lungs/ coughing with the effort of it all" from Craster, Northumberland

If it weren't for Morrissey, Faulty Towers, and that English Lit class in college I would know nothing about England, and I still know nothing about England. Reading through Next Exit: Six, the pictures Dersley and Manning paint are so vivid, fulfilling the childhood whims and fantasy of what English life might be like. Images of herons, tea, century old churches, and harbours filled with fishermen. Images of Suffolk, Yorkshire, and Essex, there is no need to have a starting point, the details are supplied and the history implied. Overall this is a collection about change in a country that seemingly hasn't changed in centuries.

The beauty of the Next Exit series is that the poems stand alone without the ownership of the poet. Each poem speaks to its given town and not its creator. The point is not to decipher who wrote what, but to experience a small slice of where these two writers come from.

Next Exit: Six is the 80th release from Kendra Steiner Editions. It was printed in a run of 59 copies, and I am holding copy #20. There are a very limited number of copies remaining so contact Bill Shute today.

Cotton Jones Basket Ride The Archery EP (May 13th, 2008)

"This EP is basically an off-topic brainstorm, written/recorded during a needed break from recording the full length. Whitney and I recorded it in the home studio, using one microphone running into an old 8 track tape machine for each individual track pass." ~ Michael Nau on The Archery Ep

With summer approaching the kids begin to fantasize about pools, water balloons, and vacation, but the adults dream of something different. Summer nights just beyond dusk, the grill still smoldering, the beer still cold, the stars just beginning to appear, and streets reaching a calmness and quite. Sitting in lawn chairs on the patio and the speakers are blowing a hazy soundtrack through the chilled relief from the heat of the sun. The sounds that should be coming through your speakers in the upcoming summer nights are those of Cotton Jones Basket Ride.

The latest project for two members of the indie-folk band Page France, Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw, Cotton Jones is a plotting drift through vast pages of psychedelia. The dusty rhythms and contemplative lyrics bend and reach through nostalgia and into a whole new level of relaxed rock. Recalling The Doors, Dylan, and more, this is a culmination of influence and inspiration. The Archery Ep will be followed by a full-length release hopefully in fall called Paranoid Cocoon.

Chewing Gum/Silver Piano Man/Blues From a Nest/Lords of Columbia St./Midnight Monday and a telescope (mp3)/I Don't Suppose

Orange Alert's Music Minute

"The Prairie Spies, were, once upon a time, called the Sharks. They formed in order to play a single show at Ronny's in February 2006. It was great fun - the bar's proprietor even roasted a pig! - and they decided to keep playing shows around the city. Three practice spaces later, they finally released their first EP, Bridget Quits, in October 2007. Since Bridget really had left the band, they decided to change their name to the Prairie Spies. They hunkered down in the basement of the house that three of them live in and recorded Surplus Enjoyment. It sounded better, but a lot stranger. They're quite proud of it and hope you enjoy it - even more than you should!"

Surplus Enjoyment was released on Friday (May 16th) on Comptroller Records. It is a fine addition to the already impressive catalog for this tremendous Chicago label.

Listen to: Murder, She Said (mp3)

On June 10th, Afternoon Records will release twenty-four year old Haley Bonar's fourth studio album. Big Star is an intimate album that packs a lot of power and truth. Haley embarks on a tour with Hayden in June.

6/03 - Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom *
6/04 - Boston, MA @ Great Scott *
6/05 - New York, NY @ Knitting Factory *
6/06 - Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw *
6/07 - Philadelphia, PA @ North Star *
6/08 - Arlington, VA @ Iota *
6/10 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 *
6/12 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater (CD Release Show)
6/13 - Apple Valley, MN @ The Minnesota Zoo ^
6/17 - Tucson, AZ @ Plush
6/18 - San Diego, CA @The Casbah *
6/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour *
6/21 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord *
6/23 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre *
6/24 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern *
6/27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center *
6/28 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas *
6/29 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Bag *

* = w/Hayden
^ = w/Amos Lee

Listen to: Big Star (mp3)

Known for their live performances, Iowa's The Poison Control Center hit the road in May.

5/18 – Iowa City, IA@ Yacht Club **
5/19 – Lincoln, NE@ Box Awesome **
5/20 – Omaha, NE@ Waiting Room **
5/21 – Denver, CO@ Benders Tavern *
5/22 – Salt Lake City, UT@ Kilby Court *
5/23 – Nampa, ID @Flying M Coffeegarage
5/24 – Portland, OR@ Towne Lounge
5/26 – Missoula, MT@ Badlander
5/27 – Bozeman, MT@ Filling Station
5/30 – Minneapolis, MN@ Nomad Pub
5/31 – Des Moines, IA@ Vaudeville Mews
** w/Heavenly States and Head of Femur
* w/Heavenly States

This July the wild antics will only continue as the Poison Control Center release the Make Love a Star EP featuring 4 stellar b-sides.

Listen to: Make Love a Star (mp3)

Mates of State have announced more dates in support of Re-Arrange Us, the duo’s fifth full-length album, due May 20th via Barsuk Records. Adding to the previously-announced May gigs, and a collection of summer festival appearances, Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel will take their show on the road throughout the Midwest, and up and down both coasts in June and July.

05-16 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
05-22 San Francisco, CA - Slim's
05-24 Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater
05-25 Sasquatch Festival - Washington Gorge Amphitheater
05-28 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
06-06 Lawrence, KS - Wakarusa Music Festival
06-07 Omaha, NE – The Slowdown
06-08 St. Louis, MO – The Bluebird
06-10 Oklahoma City, OK – Bricktown Ballroom
06-11 Dallas, TX – Granada Theatre
06-13 Austin, TX – Emo’s Alternative Lounge
06-14 Little Rock, AR – Rev Room
06-15 Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone
06-17 Newport, KY – Southgate House
06-18 Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Small’s Theatre
06-21 Philadelphia, PA – Popped! Festival
07-25 Pemberton, BC - Pemberton Festival
08-01 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza Grant Park
08-08 Liberty State Park, NJ - All Points West Festival
09-26 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival

Listen to: My Only Offer (mp3)

cllct.com Musician of the Week: Dustin & The Furniture

It was last November when I first discovered Dustin's music, and with each new song I hear I am more and more impressed with this bedroom musician. It's that perfect blend of lo-fi electronics, acoustic guitar, and deep emotional vocals. Releasing six albums in the last three years (some split albums with other musicians), Dustin has perfected the DIY release. His covers are incredibly artistic and the quality is great. His latest release, In the Snow, is a "break-up" album written over the summer of 2007.

Recently touring Germany and the UK with Real Live Tigers, Dustin's music is fun and heartbreaking all in the same breath.

Listen to: No Secrets (mp3)

The Watch List

Listening:
1. The Atomica Project: One of the most beautiful projects to come out of Chicago in a long time. They remind me a lot of Everything But The Girl, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Hopefully there will be much more to come on Wade Alin and vocalist Lauren Cheatham. Listen to: Gravity (mp3)
2. This Ivy League: Billed as one of the best pop groups of 2008! Listen to: The Richest Kids (mp3)
3. Sumkid: On the count three, one, two, three.... Chuck Norris on Drugs (mp3)

Reading:
1. "Where I Live" by Jill Summers: The best pure storyteller in Chicago.
2. "Telepathy (for D.A. Levy)" by Bradley Mason Hamlin: Incredible pace and imagery
3. "What Disappearing Tastes Like" by Andy Bailey: Sights and thoughts while jogging.
4. "The Coffin Makers of Ghana" by Matt Rager: What would you like to be buried in?
5. "The Greyhound" by Chad Halliday: A story about life and addiction.
6. "Phelp's Grove" by Colin Bassett: I read this story. I drank more coffee.
7. "Scrape" by Utahna Faith: "Eat it or I'll Shoot"... oh yeah!

Wishing:
1. Speakerdog Says Get Out & Play PowerBook GelaSkin by Ben The Illustrator
2. Obama Spoke Cards: I want these not to put in bicycle spokes, but to remember how cheesy and comercial this election has been. $1

Getting:
1. Iniciativa Colectiva Issue 10: Still the best pdf art zine around!
2. Revolution Art Issue 12: Art, Music, Modeling (?), Advertising (at least they're honest), and Design.
3. MP3 Goodies: Amplive - Of Montreal vs MGMT (mp3), Poison Control Center - Make Love a Star (mp3)

Watching:
1. Interview with John Gall that deals with publishing and cover design.
2. Mike Doughty: "Fort Hood" (Here is the youtube link)
3. The Dollar Store Reading Series returns! The Hideout May 23rd @ 7:00pm $1

Band of the Week

The Box Social

"Get Going"

That phrase, Get Going, is filled with such urgency, action, energy it makes you want to move. It also implies that you have somewhere to get to, like your life had purpose and you just have to go there. Like it is time to accomplish something, now go... get going! Madison's The Box Social have that same feeling. Their music moves with a purpose, demanding movement, action, dancing, singing, living. Honest pop tones with clever lyrics, Get Going, is fast-paced rock album with out fail.

Formed in 2001, The Box Social, has gone through several changes over the years, but one constant has been the voice of Nick Junkunc. Releasing a couple of CD-R's, they signed with No Karma Records in 2005 and released the Blown to Bits Ep in a limited run of 1,000. Then touring and changing, evolving, recording, in 2007 the released their first official full-length Get Going. In the process Nick has grown as a songwriter and musician.

Recently, Nick was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): I read that you took your name from a Simpsons episode. Is that
true? Are you still a Simpson's fan?
Nick Junkunc (NJ): Yes, that's true. A lot of bands seem to get their name from The Simpsons, and I'm not entirely sure how they manage to accidentally come up with all of these rock band monikers. Regardless, it's a show that I've been following since my earliest childhood and something that I am still a big fan of. There have been a lot of sub-par seasons in the last ten years but I think that the show makes up for that with its classic aura and characters that you actually care about. The show has heart, which is a lot more than can be said for some new age garbage like Family Guy.

OA: Having formed in 2001, going through a few line-up changes, and learning the ropes in a great underground scene, do you think the sound of the band today is better then it has ever been? What is one thing you have learned about music in the last seven years?
NJ: I can say without a doubt that the sound of the band today is better than it has ever been. We've finally come to strike a balance between all of our major musical interests and have our body of work still sound like a cohesive grouping of material. Some people may prefer the more hard-edged consistency of the Blown To Bits EP, but I feel that the diversity of the tracks presented on Get Going incorporates all of those elements and then some. We still get heavy and dirty because we still love that kind of music, but I feel that allowing your repertoire to be open to expansion, evolution, and exploration is a more reliable way to lengthen your band's shelf life. It's important to turn your musical roto-tiller every so often to keep things fresh and exciting.

If there's one thing I've learned about music in the last seven years, it's that being in a band isn't all fun and games. On the contrary, it's very rarely the pure clowning that the rock and roll myth would lead you to believe. There's a lot of bullshit to sift through in every aspect of your existence, be it playing shows, booking a tour, recording an album, or even dealing with childish scene politics. It's tough. You have to really enjoy the music you're making in order for it to be worth it at the end of the day. Also, a word of caution to anybody reading this who thinks they may fancy themselves taking a stab at the glamorous indie rock fantasy lifestyle: prepare to be broke.

OA: What is The Box Social live experience like?
NJ: You'd honestly have to ask someone else, because I simply have no idea what the experience is like for an observer. When I'm performing, I'm pretty much completely in my own head space. However, I can tell you that we at least try to make our live shows lighthearted, honest, and full of energy. We also occasionally try to play well.

OA: Your latest album was released by No Karma (the same label that released you debut ep) and Bright Ideas. In fact, this was the first release by Bright Ideas, and I can't find any info on them. What can you tell us about Bright Ideas, and what has your experience been like
with No Karma?
NJ: Bright Ideas is a label founded and run by The Box Social for the purposes of releasing and promoting our own music. Someday it may be fun to expand and incorporate other bands, but for the time being it's just not economically possible. No Karma still does the distribution for us though, so that's why their logo is also on the back of the record. They were the sole label support for the Blown To Bits EP, but they opted not to fund Get Going due to their own financial situation. To make a long story short, we needed to figure out a way to put the record out ourselves - enter Bright Ideas.

Our experience with No Karma was always a positive one. Indie labels these days seem to be little more than a cool kids club or a bush league loan sharking enterprise, rarely taking the time and effort to actually push the bands that they represent. This was never the case with No Karma, which seems to be saying a lot in this day and age.

OA: I love to cover design on Get Going. In your opinion, how important is cover art in this an mp3 era?
NJ: Thank you, I think it's great as well. Anybody looking for anything similar can contact the artist for more information: siebers@wisc.edu

Call me old-fashioned, but I always take a lot of pride in the physical product of a finished record. I've always taken a strong liking to album art, so much to the point where it can affect my experience with the music in the most extreme of cases. I also have an art background and will be receiving my BFA in December from UW Madison, so it's something that's very important to me. If someone is going to take the initiative to spend their hard-earned money on our album, I want it to be a quality product that can stand up to any other major label release with an expensive design firm backing them up. I also feel that not too many people put much thought into their artwork these days, so well-designed packaging really stands out. It's always something that I will take very seriously.

OA: What's next for Nick Junkunc and The Box Social?
NJ: For the time being we are focusing on graduating from college and writing our next album (tentatively to be recorded in early 2009). We've been writing a ton of material that will most definitely amount to being a great record. We're all very confident in the new material we've been producing. The plan is to hit the road hard as soon as it is released - we're all very excited for 2009, since it's the first time we will all be able to commit to this band full time.

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is
your favorite coffee spot?
NJ: No coffee for me. Beer, please.

OA: What was the last great book you read?
NJ: Jurassic Park. Sorry, I'm not much of a reader. I'm working on fixing that.


Ginger Ale/Easy Does It/Big It (mp3)/Coming Around/Why Oh Why/Galoshes/KC MO/Hot Damn! (mp3)/Pay Attention/A New Low/Happy Little Mistake

For more information on The Box Social please visit their website.

Reader Meet Author

Brian Fugett

When do you know that an idea or a project is so much more then you could have ever imagined? When starting out you feel like you are doing something that you would enjoy, but only hope that others may feel the same. Regardless of quantity of viewers you move forward with only quality in mind and the hope that you might be reaching someone. One day you turn around and realize that not only you have been successful, but you have created a recognizable brand. The question then becomes, what do you do next? How far can this creative space reach?

Brian Fugett, editor/publisher of Zygote in My Coffee, was faced with these questions several years ago and his answers have been quite successful. Taking Zygote from just another on-line lit journal to an edgy journal, a quality small press, and much more has been a noble mission. However, Brian is always looking ahead, amazed of where he has been, but confident of his place in the future.

Recently, Brian was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): I've heard the history of Zygote, what are your thoughts on the current state of the zine? Where would you like to see it go next?
Brian Fugett (BF): To be honest, I am truly astonished by the success of Zygote in my Coffee. When I first started publishing the online-mag back on New Years Eve 2003, I never imagined it would evolve into the beast it is today. I initially felt that interest from the general public would peter-out after about a year or so and that Zygote would fold like so many other small press lit-zines had in the past. But it didn’t happen that way. Interest, readership and submissions kept growing exponentially since day one. After the first 2 years, it occurred to me that I might be on to something really unique with Zygote, so I felt obligated to keep this sucker alive and growing. I am proud to say we have managed to publish 106 online issues as well as a total of ‘9’ print books under our Tainted Coffee Press label in the span of just a little over 4 years. And you know, I gotta give a lot of credit to my co-editors Karl Koweski and Aleathia Drehmer as well as my wife Allison Wentland (the very 1st co-editor I ever had), as Zygote in my Coffee wouldn’t be where it is today without their help. Naturally, I’d like to see Zygote thrive both online and in print for at least another 5-10 years! Hell, who am I kidding, I’d like to see Zygote become the 21st Century’s equivalent of Black Sparrow Press. I know those are some big shoes to fill, but you gotta aim high, right? Otherwise, what’s the point?

OA: I've heard you are looking to produce a video project. Given your knowledge and experience in film it does seem like a logical next step. Is there anything brewing on that front, maybe Tainted Films?
BF: HAHA! You’ve been doing your homework on me, haven’t you? Tainted Films? That sounds awesome! Maybe if subscriptions to Zygote in my Coffee increase by like 150% and I receive backing from Harvey Weinstein then I might have the budget to start a full-fledged movie production company. But in the meantime, yes I am looking to produce some short, very LOW-budget video projects to be featured on Zygote in my Coffee. I definitely intend to feature a special VIDEO-COLUMN where I showcase my trials and tribulations as a small press editor/publisher. I intend to present folks with a candid view of what it takes to keep a small press mag such as Zygote afloat. One of the earliest episodes will take readers/viewers step-by-step through the production process of a PRINT PUBLICATION here at Zygote. Think ‘reality-TV’ meets the small press! It promises to be fun & entertaining whether you give a shit about poetry & publishing or not, especially since I intend to show how being an editor affects my personal life as both a husband & father. This video series will make its debut sometime in late 2008/early 2009. So watch for it!

OA: Tainted Coffee Press recently released a beautiful chapbook (honestly, one on the best looking chaps I've seen in a long time) by Justin Hyde and I've heard you are working on a collection for Chicago's Jason Fisk. How important to you, as the publisher, is the appearance and presentation of these chaps?
BF: Yeah, I agree, Justin Hyde’s book, Down Where the Hummingbird Goes to Die, turned out to be one of the best looking books we have published to date. I have to give a lot of credit to the cover artist, Andrew Lander. In my opinion, he is by far one of the BEST artists currently involved in the small press scene. His art style never disappoints and he has the quickest turn-around time of any other artist we have ever commissioned here at Tainted Coffee Press. And you know, it helps that Justin Hyde’s brand of poesy is pretty much some of the BEST you’re gonna read in the small press or beyond. I shit you not! This homeboy from Iowa has it going on. Not only is his poetry phenomenal, but he is one of the most prolific poets I have read in years. Quantity + quality are a winning combination in my opinion. And it amazes me that Justin still finds the time to be a father, husband & poetry editor over at Thieves Jargon. I both admire & envy that bastard. He’s got something special going on.

Yes, you have heard right, I am working on a collection of poetry by Chicago’s Jason Fisk. His manuscript “Deflated” is slated to be a part of the Zygote ‘69’ FLIPBOOK CHAP SERIES. The Zygote ‘69’ FLIPBOOK CHAP SERIES is a unique combination of 2 chapbooks by two different poets packaged together in which one side will feature the poetry of ONE poet & then you flip it over & it will feature a whole DIFFERENT poet! And each side will have its VERY own cover art! It’s kinda in the same vein as those flipbook style of comic books from back in the late 70’s – early 80’s! Matter of fact, the very 1st book in this series made its debut on May 4th; it features the poetry of S.A. Griffin and C. Allen Rearick and is available here.

I tell you what, as the publisher of these chaps and many other print publications, I do take a lot of pride in the appearance and presentation of each and every book we publish (and that includes the ONLINE edition of Zygote). Personally, I strive to publish perfect bound books that poets, authors and readers are going to be proud to display on their bookshelves alongside their copies of Bukowski, Kerouac, Vonnegut, Acker, Burroughs, and Hunter S. Thompson or whoever else they might idolize. I think it’s extremely important that publishers in the small press strive to publish & release some of the absolute best and aesthetically pleasing stuff they possibly can. Why, you ask? Well, I have heard countless small press publishers and poets rail against the corporate/academic sponsored mainstream scene for years now. They rant about how much SHIT is published. Yet I have seen very few small press publishers (with the exception of Sunny Outside, Main Street Rag, Bottle of Smoke Press, Thieves Jargon, Poesy and Centennial Press) deliver anything that might remotely compete with the mainstream. I have received & read numerous chapbooks and mags that have been printed on one side of typing paper or marbled resume paper, with a couple staples holding it together. I regret to say it looks like something my 2 year old daughter could slap together. And that really disappoints me. I think these small press poets/writers should be better represented than that. If small press publishers are serious about uniting and providing any sort of competition for the mainstream, then they need to quit bitching & start producing a product that is worthy. The talent is definitely there, but the commitment and means to present it are not. It is our goal at Zygote to print & publish books that provide small press poets, writers and cartoonists with the opportunity to get their work READ, NOTICED, and RESPECTED.

OA: Do you feel there is a sense of competition between the various on-line and print journals or is there more of a sense of community?
BF: Wow! Great question! Ideally, I’d like to say there is more of a sense of community between the various online and print journals in the small press—as there should be. But unfortunately, beyond a few reciprocated LINKS, that really hasn’t been the case. During my 5 years as a publisher, I have found a lot of small press publishers (both online & in print) tend to flock together in there own little selective groups. That’s sad but true. And if the small press doesn’t rise above this adolescent shit, it’s gonna remain this way forever while the boring-ass , mainstream/academic presses continue to poison future poets & readers with their sub-par poesy and unrealistic expectations. It’s kinda like high school all over again, eh?

OA: I'm sure a lot of your time is spent on Zygote projects, are you working on any personal projects?
BF: Glad you asked. Yes, numerous Zygote projects do dominate & dictate nearly every spare minute of my time, but I am excited to announce that I will eventually be publishing a COMIC BOOK with fellow cartoonist Dan Scannell. It will be titled ‘ZYGOTE IN MY COMICS’. It’s slated to come out in late 2008!

OA: What is next for Brian Fugett?
BF: Geez! Given the full-plate of projects currently in the works, I think it’s a bit premature for me to speculate as to what exactly might be next for me. But if I ever find the right artist, I’d love to publish a comic book version of my one act play “Zygote in my Coffee”! This play is very precious to me. Not many folks know this, but its title became the basis for ZYGOTE IN MY COFFEE. If I don’t find an artist for this book, then I might illustrate it myself. And if I don’t have the time to do this myself, then I might just publish it as the very 1st TAINTED COFFEE PRESS PLAY! Only time will tell.

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee (sans zygote)? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
BF: My favorite type of coffee is anything that might give me a stronger buzz than a 5th of vodka mixed with diet coke! But if copious amounts of booze aren’t available, then I tend to settle for a GRANDE MOCHA from the coffee shop at the local Borders Bookstore.

OA: What type of music do you enjoy? Who are a few of your favorites?
BF: Sheeeeit! This is the hardest question yet! I dig all kinds of musical genres. Some of my personal favorite musicians and bands are: Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Giant Sand, Calexico, Wilco, Ween, They Might be Giants, and Radiohead.


For more information on Brian Fugett and Zygote in My Coffee go check it out!

Artist of the Week

Geoffrey Todd Smith

Life is filled with details, and each detail no matter how small takes time. As details and time builds the entirety of a project or a life is amassed. You don't always realize that you move in a particular pattern or that you travel in a similar route each day, but there comes a day when you turn around and reflect on what these details have created. To view the mass of your life can be overwhelming or it can be beautiful, you may feel dizzy or you may feel satisfied. I imagine it depends on the choices you make, the lines you draw, the friends you chose. This is how I view the work of Chicago artist Geoffrey Todd Smith.

Working with gel pens, Geoffrey creates intricate patterns and designs. The details that he collects and goes over and repeats are numerous, and as they build colors begin to blend and shift. There is certain amount of history and change and movement contained in these pieces. Every angle is a different story, a different set of details in the collective work of Geoffrey Todd Smith.

Recently, Geoffrey was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.


Orange Alert (OA): How would you describe your work?
Geoffrey Todd Smith (GTS): They’re beautiful, elaborate and hand made representations of my visual experiences. Everything that has ever caught my eye has been filtered through me and released back into these images. I don’t try to make them look like anything specific. I look at them closely during their creation and afterward to recall their influences. They are intense. It’s exciting and challenging to make them.

OA: How much planning goes into creating one of your pieces? Are they sketched first?
GTS: They are never really planned. I think about a mood or energy I want for a drawing and I imagine what I want the image to look like. As the work develops I respond to choices I’ve made in the process and this always begins to transform the original thoughts. I am very flexible and pretty willing to take chances. No sketches.

OA: Using gel pens as opposed to paint does that limit your choice of colors? What are some ways you work around a limited palette (i.e. light/dark or pale/bold)?
GTS: It is important for me to set up limitations while making these drawings. The gel pens are just part of that. I also use gouache but I never mix my paint. The only mixing is an optical blending of the colors by the viewer. It is all based on the relationship between several colors. Their value, color and whether or not they are shiny or matte is ultimately what creates the vibration.

OA: Your work seems like it would very time intensive, how long does a typical piece take and when do you know it is complete?
GTS: The longest it has taken me is about 240 hours on one image. That one was kinda big. The small ones are usually between 20 and 60 hours. It really depends on how elaborate I want to make them and how much I drank the night before. Even the mildest hangovers make for painful days. I also have to take a lot of breaks. If I don’t I have a hard time driving when I leave the studio. My depth perception gets all fucked up with some of the color combinations.

OA: What are your thoughts on the art scene here in Chicago? (opportunities, individuals, organizations, etc)
GTS: I just read this interview with Scott Anderson on the Fecal Face website. I thought it was really generous and thoughtful. He made a comment at the end of it that suggested young artists think about their commitment before they embark on this difficult lifestyle of being an artist. People got so pissed off. I thought it was really appropriate in relation to your Chicago question. It is really fucking hard to be an artist and Chicago has a pretty limited number of galleries. It takes a lot of time to develop your work and establish relationships. Chicago can be a great place to do that if you are patient. I was really lucky to get to show my work at Western Exhibitions and I am grateful that the gallerist, Scott Speh is so dedicated and professional. I have had some other experiences that were anything but professional. Western Exhibitions is one of my favorite galleries and it was awesome to be invited to be a part of it.

OA: What's next for Geoffrey Todd Smith?
GTS: I have a couple group shows at the end of the summer. One is in Las Vegas at a new place called Main Gallery and another is in San Francisco. The one in San Francisco is at Fecal Face’s gallery and is curated by Ryan Christian. It features myself, Scott Anderson, Frank Magnotta, Michael “Tuffy” Rea, Neil Whitacre and a couple more.

In the fall I have a solo show at Main Gallery (same as above) titled, You Looked Me Up To Look Me Up & Down. The gallery director, Andreana, befriended me on Myspace a few months ago. I suggested that since we are now friends I should probably have a show at her gallery. She agreed.





Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
GTS: Yep. I like coffee. I am not too picky. Sorry that couldn’t be a bit more interesting.

OA: Do you listen to music while you create? Who are a few of your current favorites?
GTS: Today I listened to Xiu Xiu, Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Brightblack Morning Light, Lightning Bolt, Jens Lekman and the Microphones. I listen to cd’s from start to finish. I don’t have an Ipod.

For more information and more pieces by Geoffrey Todd Smith visit Western Exhibitions.

Paint the Town Orange

May 8th, 2008 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY - El Perro Del Mar/Lykke Li/Anna Ternheim
Review and Images by Dominick Mastrangelo

There's always an awkward moment during a show when you realize that the support act was really the better act. For me, this happened about three songs into El Perro Del Mar's set at the sold out Bowery Ballroom last Thursday. A half an hour hadn't passed since Lykke Li left the stage and I and the people around me toward the front of the ballroom knew it. Perhaps it was the pre-show buzz, perhaps we weren't expecting Lykke Li to come out with a stage presence so commanding and fully formed or perhaps EPDM's Sarah Assbring was just a little off her game.

But one thing was very clear, Lykke Li is the real deal. Mixing her new US Little Bit EP with her Swedish full-length release Youth Novels, Lykke Li brought hand claps, bull horns, disco and a host of other goodies to get everyone dancing. Or as much as a room full of hipsters will allow themselves to dance. Opening, perfectly enough, with the song "Dance Dance Dance" (mp3) she strutted across the stage, threw her head back, leaned on the mic stand as the rhythmic drumming echoed across the ballroom and she sang "When I'm shaking my hips, look for the swing, the words are written in the air."

"I'm good, I'm gone" with it's creeping piano and her breathy delivery as she crouched over as if passing trade secrets to those in the front row and "Little Bit" with a heavier bass line than the recorded version perpetuated the feel-good atmosphere. She also proved she could slow it down with the ballad "Tonight." She pushed every bit of emotion into the repeated chorus, "Won't you let me go, let me go tonight."

Assbring slipped onstage with her acoustic guitar to begin her set with a couple of solo numbers before the rest of her band joined her. The songs, many off the new record From The Valley To The Stars, were solidly performed, but in concert you need emotion and you need a connection with the audience. Unfortunately, there wasn't much of that going in either direction. Assbring's expressionless face placed a somber tone on the set, which is frustrating when much of her sound is taken from the 60's R&B girl groups. The sleepy "How Did We Forget" slowly shuffled along. It wasn't until the poppy "Somebody's Baby" that the set sprang to life. That was followed by Lykke Li joining EPDM for a couple of songs including a haunting version of "Inner Island." And after Lykke Li left the stage Assbring led her band, acoustically at first, into the excellent "God Knows."

But the highlight of the show was the encore. With both bands taking the stage Assbring and Lykke Li performed in perfect girl group tandem a sped up version of Wendy Rene's "After Laughter (Come Tears)" each taking turns on lead vocals before falling back into formation for the chorus.

Fellow Swede, Anna Ternheim, opened with hushed, beautiful, confessional songs that hearkened to Beth Orton (You Mean Nothing to Me Anymore) as well as slipping in a great version of David Bowie's "China Girl." Her new album, Halfway to Fivepoints was just released in the US a couple weeks back. "The Swedish are taking over," she announced a couple songs into her set.

Remaining Tour Dates:

May 14 - Red Room - Vancouver, British Columbia

May 15 - Triple Door, Seattle, WA

May 16 - Doug Fir - Portland, OR

May 18 - Bimbo's - San Francisco, CA

May 19 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

New Release Tuesday

Music:

Cotton Jones Basket Ride - The Archery Ep Listen to: Midnight Monday and a Telescope (mp3)

The Black Angels - Directions to See a Ghost

Bellrays - Hard Sweet And Sticky

Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Dj Yoda - Fabriclive 39

Dosh - Wolves & Wishes Listen to: If you want to, You Have to (mp3)

Duffy - Rockferry

Tobias Froberg - Turn Heads

Essie Jain - Inbetween

Local H - 12 Angry Moths

The Presets - Apocalypso

Wars of 1812 - Status Quo Ante Bellum Listen to: Radios Unsigned (mp3)

We Are Scientists - Brian Thrust Mastery

DVD:

The Great Debaters

Mad Money

Untraceable

The Orange Spotlight

Richard Krech In Chambers : The Bodhisattva of the Public Defender's Office (Sunnyoutside Press, February 2008)

"The jury not only deliberating my client's fate this time, but their own as well: will they too be guilty of murder?" from "Premeditated Deliberated & Intentional"

I have always had a mild fascination with the legal system and the idea of justice. In the fact that everyone is presumed innocence until proven guilty, and how lives stand waiting for the facts to build in one direction of the other. The position of the defense attorney is noble, and at times morally challenging. To defend someone who is clearly guilty of a violent crime must be trying, and in Richard Krech's latest chapbook, In Chambers, he writes inventive poems about life in and around the court room.

"The advocate strides into the hell-worlds of the steel bars, of the squeezing tongues and hungry ghosts."


A Bodhisattva is a being that is so enlightened that they refuse Nirvana in order stay and fight for others to achieve Nirvana. Some texts refer to this person as a "Buddha in training". To think of an attorney as a person who is forgoing their own happiness to fight for the happiness and freedom of others is, for me at least, a marvelous revelation. The poems in this collection paint that exact picture, it is a battle but there is a constant hope that justice will outweigh evil, and that the truth of fact and evidence will serve its purpose.

Arms Kids Aflame (Melodic Records, June 30th, 2008)

Todd Goldstein plays guitar for an indie-pop band called Harlem Shakes. For most that would be enough, but not for this Brooklyn-based musician. Since 2004 he has been sneaking away and recording lo-fi bedroom pop and self-releasing colorful eps filled complex lyrics and ukulele strums. In late 2006, Todd singed to the UK label Melodic Records, and now we are on the verge receiving his full-length debut album, Kids Aflame.

The first time I heard the song "Kids Aflame" it was in fall of last year and I immediately was fascinated by its sound. Distant yet warm, the words rolling pure and free over gentle strummed ukulele. It echoed on until its end and left me wanting more. I then found a version of "Whirring", and was pleasantly surprised by the upbeat guitar. The contrast was sharpe, but still Todd's vocals were smooth and inviting. Todd has a gift for melody and has crafted a honest album filled ghostly ballads.

Sabretooth Typist/Whirring (mp3)/Construction/Kids Aflame/Tiger Tamer (mp3)/Sad, Sad, Sad/ Shitty Little Disco/The Frozen Lake/Fall/John the Escalator/Eyeball/Pocket/Ana M

Orange Alert's Music Minute

Tigers with limbs holding hearts and kicking snakes... what else could that be but the new cover from Sunny Day Sets Fire's debut album Summer Place (IAMSOUND, July 8th). The craziness of the cover might be a reflection of the band eclectic background. Combining Italy, Hong Kong, UK, Canada can be a complex cocktail. The album will be released on July 8th, but the label decide to release digital version to itunes and emusic this past week to avoid the dreaded leak.

Listen to: Brainless (mp3)

As you may have heard, Black Kids have recently signed with Columbia Records. Here's the deal: Black Kids have signed to Columbia (where they join MGMT, the Gossip, Ting Tings, and more) for North America, and Almost Gold for the rest of the world. Their full-length album, Partie Traumatic, will be released in North America July 22nd, and the rest of the world, July 7th. Black Kids are currently on tour with Cut Copy, dates below.

May 5 - Omaha, NE at Waiting Room*
May 6 - Minneapolis, MN at 7th Street Entry*
May 7 - Chicago, IL at The Abbey Pub*
May 8 - Detroit, MI at Magic Stick*
May 9 - Toronto, ON at Lees Palace*
May 12 - Boston, MA at Paradise*
May 13 - Brooklyn, NY at Studio B*
May 15 - Washington, DC at Black Cat*
May 16 - Philadelphia, PA at Pure*
May 17 - Baltimore, MD at Sonar*
May 18 - New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom
*with Cut Copy

Black Francis (aka Frank Black) is back with a new seven song, mini-LP entitled Svn Fngrs, available now from Cooking Vinyl Records. It is not only is this a new release from a indie rock legend, but it is the orangest cover I've seen so far this year and that counts for a lot in my book.

Black Francis with Stone Temple Pilots

6/24/08 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
6/25/08 - Tucson, AZ - Anselmo Valencia Amphitheatre
6/27/08 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
6/28/08 - Woodlands, TX - Woodlands Pavilion
6/29/08 - Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Live
7/2/08 - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
7/4/08 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest

Listen to: The Seus (Infadels Remix) (mp3)

A band that needs no introduction, but a cover that may need some explanation. They have a legacy, a brilliant catalog of music, and a new album Red Carpet Massacre (itunes) (Epic Records).

Watch the video for "Nite-Runner"

DURAN DURAN TOUR DATES
May 6 - Dodge Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
May 8 - Valley View - San Diego, CA
May 9 - The Joint - Las Vegas, NV
May 10 - The Joint - Las Vegas, NV
May 12 - Wells Fargo Theatre - Denver, CO
May 14 - Rosemont Theatre - Chicago, IL
May 15 - Masonic Temple Theatre - Detroit, MI
May 16 - Summit City - Whitesburg, KY
May 17 - Chastain Park Amphitheater - Atlanta, GA
May 18 - UCF Arena - Orlando, FL
May 19 - Mizner Park Amphitheatre - Boca Raton, FL
May 21 - Koka Booth Amphitheatre - Raleigh, NC
May 22 - Mann Center for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA
May 24 - Atlantis - Paradise Island (Bahamas)
May 27 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD
May 28 - Agganis Arena - Boston, MA
May 30 - Central Park Summerstage - New York City, NY
May 31 - Central Park Summerstage - New York City, NY

cllct.com Musician of the Week: Patrick Ripoll

Here is a new weekly feature for you, each week I am going to select a different member of the excellent community over at cllct.com. I am starting with Patrick Ripoll, not only because I enjoy and respect his music, but because he handed me a hard copy of Praise The Lord several weeks ago.

Patrick is a man of many talents, on Praise the Lord he flexes his punk-folk scream n' strum, but on Disorient he twists the knobs and layers the samples and mashes the tracks. He is a punk-folk-DJ! A person who is down for sampling Dinosaur Jr. is cool in my book.

Listen to: The Big Furry Monster (mp3)

Back to Praise the Lord, the album opens with a shouting trash can banging near Public Image Limited sing/chant. I stand shocked, but smiling. The album is mostly acoustic, but not at all laid back. Patrick strum aggressively while he asks all of the questions that most people wonder on a daily basis... "What wrong with me?", "Why don't I fit in?", "Why won't she smile at me?", etc. The highlight of album for is the personal track "Generation". "I ain't no friend with no Kimya Dawson replacement"... classic!

Listen to: Generation (mp3)

The Peel Back: Squirrel Nut Zippers "The Inevitable" (Fontana Mammoth, 1995)

In my life I have gone through many different musical phases. When I was younger they each had their own distinct period in time, and now I draw on each of them fondly. There was heavy metal, hip hop, Christian rock, alternative, punk, electronica, industrial, grunge, swing, jazz, and many more. There was one time when I only wanted to watch Swing Kids and listen to Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday/Cab Calloway, Mel Torme (I shook the man's hand once), and Squirrel Nut Zippers.

The Inevitable only validated my obsession. If anyone ever questioned my interest "If it's good enough for Granddad, then it's good enough for me" was my reply. This was new swing, I no longer was only listening to music that 40+ years old. I wanted a zoot suit, a pocket watch, I wanted to be hep to the jive. I ignored anything that was not jazz for at least three years. One calm Chicago night I ventured out to the Park West to finally experience this Hot band in person. Gorilla suits, mardi gras bead, and swing dancing filled the classy club as I (wishing I could swing) watched in amazement. Half way through the show band stopped to introduce each other, and the words "our special guest tonight right here from Chicago... Andrew Bird on Violin" still ring in my ear. Magical!

Lovers Lane/Danny Diamond/I've Found a New Baby (mp3)/Anything But Love/Good Enough For Granddad (mp3)/Wished for You/La Grippe/Lugubrious Whing Whang/Club Limbo/Wash Jones/You're Drivin' Me Crazy/Plenty More

The Watch List

Listening:
1. Alan Wilkis: Babies Dream Big, the latest album from Brooklyn musician Alan Wilkis, was sent to me electronically this past week and I can not stop signing it. Alan walks the thin line between pure cheese and electro greatness. '80's synth with '70's funk and souls, Alan knows how to craft a fine tune. Listen to: It's Been Great (mp3)
2. Clair: On June 3rd, Brooklyn based band Clair will release a full length a filled beautifully pop melodies, rich female vocals, and sparse piano driven tracks. The Long Road is not to be missed! Listen to: Every Day (I Walk Over, I Walk On) (mp3)
3. Company of Thieves: Chicago is home to this quartet led by Genevieve Schaltz. Their latest release is called Ordinary Riches. Listen to: Oscar Wilde (mp3)

Reading:
1. "The Platypus Pt. 2" by Zach Plague: This is the second installment previewing the forthcoming novel from Zach Plague to be published by Featherproof Books August 1st.
2. "Star's Jar" by Kate Beauford: This is a long one, but worth it.
3. "In the Restaurant" by Bradley Sands: I don't know where this restaurant is, but I want to go. 4. "Surviving The Art of Futurism" by Sarah Mattson-Fishman: Fleshy Parts!
5. "The Horror and The Hero" by Kevin Shamel: "Crows in my coffee"... great line.
6. "T-Bone Licker" by Match Ryan: Disgusting, yet funny.
7. "The Process of Decay" by Michele McDonnald: Big Zygotey thoughts next week on OA... Go Michele!

Wishing:
1. The Green Flash: A flash fiction literary magazine published quarterly out of Chicago, Illinois. They publish stories told in 1,000 words or fewer that are wildly visual, immediately engaging, and fully complete. They will be having a reading on May 21st. That's a Wednesday night, 9pm, at Town Hall Pub (3340 N Halsted).
2. Elbis, the book: Hand crafted by Mulele Jarvis In addition to giclee print sequences, each book contains individually hand-painted art. Each book is unique; no two books are identical. Very limited edition of 20 books. 16 X 11 cm, 198 cm unfolded, 3000 Yen
3. Wallet 2.0: Wallet 2.0 is made out of very soft silicone, available in 5 colors and comes with a patent pending system of refill sheets that allow you to be really organized (at least in your wallet). Think of the refill sheets as a manila folder in your wallet, giving you immediate access to the item you are looking for. $35

Getting:
1. Echo Nest: Newly launched (May 8th) for all of the fans of the RIYL reviews (of which I am not) and for those who google "sounds like .... M.Ward, etc.". Echo will recommend up to 15 similiar artist for each that you put on your profile.
2. RMP/WTWDAOA Interview Series: Have you ever been a featured writer/artist/musician on What to Wear During an Orange Alert? RMP has teamed up with Orange Alert in bringing Rural Messengers Press contributors' interviews to print, we are offering a free copy to anyone who has been featured on the Orange. Contact RMP (mailto:rmpress@gmail.com) for your copy.

Watching:
1. James Eric (OA's honorary videographer) chronic cataloger of a things indie and musical in Chicago has sent me four videos from the show at South Union Arts this past week. My favorite is Emperor X (watch) (not because I'm in it either), also included Porches (watch), CT Ballentine (watch), and of course Real Live Tigers (watch).
2. "Drink Paint" by Willie Smith: Gives a whole new meaning to "taste the rainbow".
3. Megafaun "Lazy Suicide" and Interview... Greatest electro-gospel-folk band ever! (and no that is not Seth Rogan singing lead)

Band of the Week

Evan Voytas

There are many names for it, escape, retreat, getaway, splitting the seam of reality and sliding in between. Whatever you prefer the principle is the same, to move away from the craziness of life to focus on what you love the most. That is what 24 year old Pennsylvania musician Evan Voytas did. Somehow finding himself on tour playing lead guitar and singing back-up for teen-pop phenom Teddy Geiger, he felt burned and needed the solitude of a rural farmhouse to figure out what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it.

The result is a debut ep, Introducing Evan Voytas, filled with lush indie pop. What is unique about this ep is the gritty electronics sets him a part from traditional pop music. It really is a pleasing mixture of both '60's pop sensibilities and modern electro bubbles and glitches. Evan plans to return to tour with Teddy Geiger, but for now he is reveling in and talking about what he has created.

Recently, Evan was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): Well traveled at 24, how have the various locations you have lived in affected your music? Do you pick up a new sound in each state?
Evan Voytas (EV): New Mexico has probably had the most influence on my music. I didn't work on music at all when I lived there, but the music sounded different after I left. That place feels so big.

I think maybe the spirit that has kept me moving around affects the music. I like exploring and adventures.

OA: You have a strong background in Jazz composition, do you apply this knowledge when composing pop songs?
EV: It does come through, but maybe not in the most obvious ways. I used to be pretty absorbed in atonal harmony. In New York I would hang out in my apartment, drinking tea and singing atonal melodies from books written by Scandinavian dudes. I think the fact that I got so involved in dissonance made me eventually have a reaction against it. Now the music I write has very simple melodies. I really fell in love with simplicity.

I learned a lot from spending so much time improvising. It made me comfortable with the idea of letting my mind go to a place where it can stream new ideas, and I just get out of the way and let that happen. I think of my music as documents of that specific experience.

OA: Teddy Geiger... How did you come to play with a teen pop star? What was that experience like?
EV: It's been wonderful. Pretty confusing, but great. I had about a week left in college, and a friend of a friend said, "Want to go on the road with a teen pop star?" and I said, "OK." I thought it would be an interesting summer job, but we ended up being on the road for almost 3 years! Teddy and I became best friends, bonding over all the bizarre things that were happening around us. Musically we somehow had a lot in common, despite our very different backgrounds. Playing those shows has been so much fun. Teddy's fans have been awesome and really supportive.

OA: What was it that attracted you to the farmhouse in Pennsylvania? Do you feel it play a role the actual recorded sound of the ep?
EV: I was tired of the city. I needed something that would feel a little more like "real life" to counteract the world of teen pop.

It probably did play a role in the sound of the ep. I recorded the song "Everything is Fine," when the sun was coming up one morning, and you can actually hear birds singing in the background.

OA: You have said you plan to tour this summer. What is the hardest part of putting together an independent tour? What cities do you plan to hit?
EV: This is the first time I've really dealt with booking shows, so that's been an early challenge. I guess I'll discover all the pitfalls as I go along.

I'm playing 2 solo electric shows, May 16th at Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn, and May 20th at the Fire in Philadelphia. After that, I'll be touring with Teddy's band in June and July, then hopefully more solo shows in late July and August.

OA: What's next for Evan Voytas?
EV: I have a lot of new music that I'm excited about. I can't wait to put together a full-length album.

Listen to: The Yellow World of '83 (mp3) and We'd Be Good Together (mp3)

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
EV: When I'm at home, I drink coffee all day. I like strong black coffee. When I'm in New York I like to go to Oslo in Williamsburg, friendly folks over there.

OA: What was the last great book you have read?
EV: "Concerning the Spiritual in Art" by Wassily Kandinsky

For more information on Evan Voytas please visit his website, and to order a copy of the album go here.