Dan Mangan bringing intelligent folk-rock to Chicago

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

Canadian artist Dan Mangan's introspective songs continue to win him critical acclaim.

This week, Mangan released the 7-inch vinyl release "Radicals," which contains the song "We Want To Be Pleasantly Surprised, Not Expectedly Let Down," a song left over from last year's "Oh Fortune," as well as a cover of Yukon Blonde's song, "Stairway."

Mangan, www.danmanganmusic.com, will open for fellow Canadian band The Rural Alberta Advantage Oct. 29 in a sold-out show at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago.

I had the chance to talk to Mangan about his latest activities.

Q- Congratulations on your recent wedding. I understand that Yukon Blonde was your wedding band. What did they think of your cover of their song, "Stairway?" What inspired you to cover the song? 

I was up late one night and had the song in my head. I think because I was tired I started hearing it really, really slow, and thought - that might be cool.

I was happy to hear that they really liked the cover, actually. They've been tweeting about it. 

They were incredible at the wedding. Their cover of Bowie's "Let's Dance" basically made my head explode.

Q - You collaborated with many musicians on "Oh Fortune." How did you go about choosing who you wanted to work with on the album?

Well I've been lucky to have been surrounded by incredibly creative people. Vancouver has this underground avant-garde music scene that lots of folks don't know about. It all started with my drummer, Kenton Loewen, who brought in Gord Grdina on guitar. 

Those guys have been blowing minds in the free-jazz world for years. Once I had Kenton and Gord in my band, I could basically ask anyone in town to jump on board. 

Eyvind Kang was the wild card - we pulled him up from Seattle. He's a total genius, and has worked with Laurie Anderson, Beck, Bill Frisell, etc. He played viola and wrote a lot of the orchestral arrangements.

Q - Of course, you picked up two JUNO awards this year, with "Oh Fortune" being named "Alternative Album of the Year" and you receiving an award for "New Artist of the Year." Is it humbling every time you receive an award?

Yeah it's crazy. I'm programmed to assume we'll win nothing, so it always feels awesome. But then you have to forget about it a few days later.

If you think of yourself as an "award winning artist", then it changes your creative process. All that industry masturbation has to be a consequence of your music, not a muse for it.

Q - You received the "New Artist of the Year" award even though you've been on the music scene for several years. Is that frustrating?

Not really. To be honest, I do actually feel like I'm just beginning to get a hold on what it means to make music.

I've played thousands of gigs and made a bunch of recordings, but most of that time I had no idea what I was doing - it still might be that way. 

Q - How do you think your music has changed and evolved since making "All At Once?" 

Oh god. I'm sorry you know about that. I got that demo in the hands of Ed O'Brien of Radiohead many, many years ago. 

I then got a very honest and constructive note of feedback basically saying it was a pile of crap. But he was totally right, and it was the best thing that could have happened to me.

I'd tricked myself into thinking it wasn't a pile of crap, but deep down I knew there was so much more that was possible. Sometimes a tasteful bit of tough love can make you work harder. 

Q - You've been called one of the most thought-provoking artists of your generation. How do you take such a compliment and does that put a lot of pressure on you?

By not really believing it. If you define yourself by what people say, then you have to believe the bad stuff as well as the good stuff. 

It has to come from inside, not outside. That's a kind quote, though.

Q - Your music is very reflective and introspective. Is it refreshing to you that there is an audience for your music, especially when the music industry at large is so hits driven?

Yeah it blows my mind. Our crowds are getting bigger all the time everywhere we tour, and musically we're getting more chaotic and strange all the time. 

We could get more or less popular, but I'll still sleep at night so long as I know we're doing our best to grow and evolve as people/musicians.

I want to have a long and weird enough career that people can describe their favourite "era" of it. That's right, in Canada we spell favoUrite with a "U".

Jet W. Lee injecting new energy into Chicago music scene

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

Rock's future is safe in the hands of Chicago band Jet W. Lee.

The band's latest album, "Western Nightmare," barrels out of the gate with full force, ignoring any stop signs ahead.

 

The record provides a taste of the relentless energy Jet W. Lee, www.jetwleeband.com, creates on stage. The next hometown gig the band plays is on Nov. 24, when Jet W. Lee performs at Ace Bar, 1505 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago.

I had the chance to talk to guitarist Jesse W. Johnson about the new album.

Q - In sitting down to make "Western Nightmare," what were your goals? Do you think you achieved them?

As far as sound goes we wanted to make a rockin',catchy, and high quality representation of our live performances. I definitely think we achieved that.

We're all about doing a high-energy, seamless show and if you listen to "Western Nightmare," it's pretty much like a standard set we play on tour with quick song transitions and a few slower, reflective songs mixed in with rockin' tunes. 

That's our favorite formula with other bands so we definitely wanted that for us.

Q - Any meaning behind the album's name? How does the band go about writing songs? Is it a collaborative effort?

"Western Nightmare" is the name of a song I wrote in high school. At that time I had a whole tracklist for an album and it's still up on the bedroom wall at my parents'house.  

That song doesn't really hold up to newer songs,but when I was thinking about a bunch of the songs on the album,I remembered the name and thought it fit really well.

A number of the songs deal with disillusionment and some nightmarish stories so it works!

I usually write the core of the songs and then we work on arrangements and everything else together. It's definitely a collaborative effort, and I love seeing what the song evolves into after we've worked on it. 

A great example of that is the song "Down for the Bounty." I had the lyrics and chord changes written, but Patrick and Pierre came up with the idea of starting with the bass line. 

Then Patrick thought of the little riff that comes in between the chorus and verse and we all worked on getting the transitions in the solo and song ending right. 

We also wanted to make an album that would enable us to tour the country, get a lot of album reviews, and resonate with as wide of an audience as possible. So far that's going great, though I really want to get a ton more album reviews. 

On tour, we play coffee shops during the day and bars/clubs at night. We've been really pleased with the response to the acoustic sets and sometimes the coffee shop shows are the best!

Q - Any meaning behind the band's name?

Yeah, the name is a mixture of a few things that a friend of ours said as a joke when we were trying to name the band. It's my middle initial, Jet Li, Robert E. Lee, anything else, ha ha. We liked it cause it was unique and sounded fun. One reviewer said it sounded like "a mode of travel for Civil War generals" and we dig that.

Q - In forming the band in 2009, what were your goals? How do you think the band's sound has evolved since you first formed?

Well, when we started the band, Patrick and I definitely wanted to make a living playing music. That's something we both have wanted to do for awhile and it made sense to work together towards it. 

With "Western Nightmare" and the tour, this is the first time we have been playing music full time without working or school. It's awesome and I'm super glad we are taking the risk and going for it. 

It's great to wake up and know exactly what you're working for and why. Now we're still doing everything ourselves and definitely don't have any illusions of grandeur. 

After this tour, we will probably have to work again for awhile, but we're fine with that. The point for us is that we're taking the leap and know that it is what we want to do.

Our sound has definitely changed since we formed. First of all, I think we're all better players than we were and are able to play faster, more rocking songs with the finesse that they deserve.

Then with the new album, we've mixed a little bit more story-telling songs into our sound and I'm loving that. Patrick said something recently like "we're a rock 'n roll band that listens to a lot of singer-songwriters," and I really like that. 

All my favorite bands can rock out and get serious within the same album and I'm happy that we're going for that territory.

Q - I'm sure that you've seen many labels put on the band by people trying to put you in a certain category. How would you describe the band's sound?

Yeah that's a hard one! Or at least weird, cause labels like "indie" or "alternative" are so widely used. We've got leg in both of those for sure but we're a rock band first and foremost. Usually we say we sound like Neil Young mixed with punk rock. 

Q - Would you say the band fits comfortably in the Americana genre? It seems like there has been renewed interest in Americana bands in the past few years. Why do you think that is?

I really want to say yes to this, ha ha! Definitely yes in regards to song themes. We actually played a cover set as the Avett Brothers a few years back and it was AMAZING! 

We did find a lot of ourselves in that music and I think one of the things that fits us in that category is the way Patrick and I sing together. We've been working on it a lot and are really happy with how it's going. 

In general, I think some people find a more straight-forward musical and lyrical style in Americana music and that can be very attractive. 

When I listen to Avett Brothers or something like that, I love how easy it is to connect to the words. That's not to say that these people are writing "simple" songs though. 

There's some of the best lyrics out there in country/americana stuff!! Some real screwed up stuff, which I love. Check out Jessica Lea Mayfield. She's the BEST!! I saw here recently at a Chicago street fest and she absolutely rules. 

Q - Do you think the band's strengths are in a live setting? Did you try to bring some of that energy into this record?

YESSS!!! It's super important to us that we sound as close to the record as possible live. Right now, we're picking up most of our fans at live shows, so we want our albums to deliver the same things that interested people enough to buy them in the first place. 

You're not going to find a french horn on a JWL record anytime soon!

Q - Where do you see the band fitting into the Chicago music scene?

We love Chicago and have had a wonderful time growing up as a band there. At this point we feel right at home anywhere except for a dance club, ha ha. 

We often have the best times at bars like Cole's and Ace Bar, but also have had a great time playing at places like Reggies and Double Door. 

I think we're a band, along with our buds Hospital Garden, Mutts, The Safes, The Noise FM, The Blackbelts, Panoramic & True, Hemmingbirds, The Canoes, The Dyes, and many more that are injecting new rock into the Chicago scene. 

That's important to us. Chicago MUST rock!

Chicago band The Congregation releases first album

By ERIC SCHELKOPF
 
Chicago garage soul band The Congregation got its music out to more people this summer by opening for the likes of Wilco, The Flaming Lips and Garbage.

Now, The Congregation is likely to keep those people in their seats through the release of their first full-length album, "Right Now Everything."

The CD kicks off in celebratory fashion with the rollicking title track, where lead singer Gina Bloom gives listener a taste of her explosive and expressive vocals.

"Right Now Everything" showcases the band's myriad of influences, with enough soul and rock to keep all music fans happy.

The Congregation will celebrate the release of the new album by performing Sept. 28 at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.

Chicago bands The Shams Band and The Sometimes Family also are part of the bill, with DJ sets by DJRC. The show starts at 9 p.m., and tickets are $12, available at www.martyrslive.com.

 

Chicago band Hemmingbirds pushes musical boundaries on new album

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

Chicago band Hemmingbirds is not afraid to take musical chances.

The band charts a new musical direction on its new album, "The Vines of Age," set to release on Sept. 25. To celebrate the new release, Hemmingbirds will perform Sept. 21 at the Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Av., Chicago.

Milano, Northpilot and Glittermouse also are on the bill. The show starts at 8:30 p.m and tickets are $8, available at www.ticketweb.com.

I had the chance to talk to Hemmingbirds' Yoo Soo Kim about the new album.


Q - You started Hemmingbirds as a solo project. When did you discover that you wanted to make it into a band effort?

I think I always had the project in mind to become a band when [it] first started. “Death Wave” was arranged for a band so it seemed like that was the only option. 

I’m most comfortable in a full band setting, so I wouldn’t have wanted the record to sound like one person anyway.

Q - "The Vines of Age" is heavier and more soulful than the group's last release, "Death Wave." Do you think that is a result of this album being more of a band effort?

Matt, Tim and Zach listen to a good amount of heavy music, so I think they had a very strong influence in that. I also believe that it’s easier to get heavier when you’re writing songs in a full live band. 

Feedback and rocking out carry a better energy when played live than when recorded track-by-track by yourself.

The soulfulness was a conscious decision by us to move toward a different direction. The folk influence from “Death Wave” was sort of residual from the last band I was in and by the time we started to write for “The Vines of Age,” I was interested in trying something new.

Q - Do you think fans who liked your last album will be taken by surprise by the band's new musical direction?

I’ve sent this new album to my friends and close fans to listen to and prefaced each email wearily with “it’s a lot heavier, noisier, and different.” I’m a little afraid of what people will think of our transitioning sound, and I do think there will be an element of surprise to the record when they hear it. 

Hopefully it’s a pleasant surprise.

Q - "Death Wave" reached #109 on CMJ's Top 200 national charts. Did that surprise you and what are your aspirations for your new album?


 
We were all very surprised by that we charted well on CMJ. It was our first college radio campaign and we had no idea what to expect. 

It gave us confidence that we actually have songs that people enjoy hearing.

For the new record, we’d like to top everything we did with “Death Wave.” We really tried to be as ambitious as possible with this record, and hopefully it all pays off. But it’s really hard to say from the perspective of a musician what people will like, so I guess we’ll see!

 
Q - You've also been called a local band to watch. How do you think you fit into the Chicago music scene? How do you think the Chicago music scene compares to other parts of the country?

Chicago is a large city with a very diverse scene, and I think we have our place in it with bands that have similar sounds and aspirations to us. The only other music scene I was actively a part of was Champaign-Urbana’s, which is much smaller than Chicago’s, so it’s hard for me to give an accurate judgment on how we compare to elsewhere. 

I think Chicago has great bands, great venues, and arguably the greatest lineup of summer festivals, so we can hold our footing pretty well against other major cities.

Q - There are plenty of resources available to musicians these days to get their music out there. How is your band taking advantage of those resources and what are the challenges you face being an indie act?

It’s incredibly amazing how easy it is to be a musician who can release material worldwide for anyone to hear. I think there are a number of bands that have achieved success from the advent of Facebook, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, etc and the ease that those sites provide. 

At the same time, there’s so much music now that it’s harder to stand out as a band among the thousands of other artists trying to do the same thing you’re doing. You’re no longer just the band that put in the investment to pay for a record, because the cost of that can be so low now. 

James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem was asked a similar question and he responded about how he hated it because there’s too much music out there and a lot of it isn’t good. I wouldn’t go as negatively as he did about it, but there are definitely pros and cons to these numerous resources.

Still, we’re trying to stay ahead of the curve on all the new sites and such where you can release music. We joined Frostwire and NoiseTrade and and got great responses from that. 

I think in the end, though, that while the challenge of becoming a successful band is now very different, success still boils down to whether you have great songs or not. 

I’ll hear about bands that will be at it for years without garnering much recognition, and then I’ll hear about a band like Passion Pit where the front man made an EP for his girlfriend, and then the tracks went viral.

Q - What are the band's short-term and long-term goals?

In the short term, we’d like to promote this album as much as possible to have it be as successful as it can. Ultimately, we’d like to be in a place where we can play music and have it support us financially. 

Not sure how and when that will happen, but...