Grandlake Played Hemlock Tavern - PIctures, Review

Grand Lake performed a number of Bay Area shows in support of the release of their record Nevermint, and we managed to catch up with them at The Hemlock Tavern. The show was a solid entry into the band's rapidly expanding tally of live appearances. What's more, we were psyched to hear that the band is working on new material, and not slowing down any time soon.

Similar to the show we caught in Oakland, the band's sound continues to expand from the feel of the record. While the Nevermint has a manicured and stoic feel to it, the band's live shows really expand on the sound and give it a far more lively bent. Notably, Jameson Swanagon's guitars take the vibe from the solo on "Nevermint", and expand on it greatly. Combine that with the fact that the bass and drums are at 110% in the live setting, and you get a considerably more raucous affair than on the record.

In addition to giving the record's tunes some serious attention, the band also played some new tunes, which held up comfortably next to their recorded counterparts. We recently caught up with frontman Caleb Nichols, and apparently the band is already giving the new tunes studio time. Nichols emphasized that the band is really managing to capture their more fleshed out sound this time around, and also mentioned a forthcoming three track single. Tasty.

If you haven't managed to give Nevermint a listen, we highly recommend checking it out. It's an extremely solid dose of melodic indie pop, and will stick with you after the first listen. With the band so actively working on new material and booking dates, there really couldn't be a better time to be giving Grand Lake a little attention.

Grand Lake Spring 2009 Dates
Apr 10 The Uptown Oakland, California
Apr 17 Resource Center For Non-Violence (YES) Santa Cruz, California
Apr 18 Record Store Day! SLO ARTs Center San Luis Obispo, California
Apr 19 DIY SLO TBA KCPR I DON’T KNOW San Luis Obispo, California
Apr 29 Theee Knockout SAN FRANCISCO
May 14 Steynberg Gallery San Luis Obispo, California
May 16 Pehrspace Los Angeles, California
May 30 House Of Nostromo Oakland
Jun 11 El Rio San Francisco, California

More pictures at the HAD Archive

Grand Lake Album Release Imminent, New Video Released

We mentioned a while back that Grand Lake is ramping up to a busy release week for their EP Nevermint. Well, next week the event will be upon us with three nights (3/26 - 3/28) of consecutive gigs at Amoeba, Lobot, and the Hemlock. It's a veritable Bay Area tour! We're really digging the EP, and it's having some definite staying power on our playlist. That being said, we're always psyched for new content.

We were glad to see that the band has shot another video for the record, this time for the lead off track "Concrete Blonde On Blonde". The video is something of a day-trip through the hills and highways of Oakland, and uses a combination of stop motion photography and tilt shift technique. Put differently: it's just a really cool video. Check it out (above) right now, and get yourself psyched up for next week!

mp3: Grand Lake - Concrete Blonde On Blonde (YouSendIt, click through)

Eagle And Talon Played Hemlock Tavern: Pics And Review

Last Thursday we caught up with Los Angeles duo Eagle and Talon for a show at the Hemlock Tavern. Since we first discovered the pair last month they've apparently acquired a bassist, and as such the trio made a full appearance on Thursday night.

We'll start by saying that the band was remarkably solid, especially for having a newly acquired member. The vocals were dead on, and the band's instrumental rapport seemed natural and relaxed. Overall, many of the songs seemed to turn out perfectly. In particular, we were really digging that "Hot Caught" made it's way into the show.

In fact, many songs seemed almost too perfect. Much of the charm of the band's recordings is their irreverent instrumentation and defiance of melodic conventions. By contrast, the live arrangements seemed meticulously organized and simpler than their recorded counterparts. Frankly, the band could benefit a lot from letting loose in a live setting like they do in the studio.

Perhaps the most original moment of the show came when lead singer Kim invited someone who "didn't know it" on stage to sing the last song with the band. The volunteer that materialized insisted that he was "a rapper", and thus proceeded to rap through the whole tune. The band held up remarkably well in the face of the unexpected, and even managed to give the rapper a whole verse of his own. If nothing else, it gave us some assurance that the band hasn't lost their adventurous streak, but that maybe it just took something of a night off.

More pics at the HAD Archive

Some Tasty New Tunes: Eagle And Talon

Eagle And Talon are a duo from Los Angeles who we just got wind of on the internets myspaces technology. Usually we're pretty tough to win over with the "I'll listen for two seconds and see if it sticks" myspace practice, but these two grabbed us immediately. Their sound is an upbeat, somewhat garagey, often dissonant, yet entirely accessible one. At times it's reminiscent of Sleater Kinney, but it throws in just enough dischord and experimentation to boldly maintain its own territory. If you like what you hear (and we do), then might we suggest stopping by the Hemlock Tavern on January 29th? The band will be up from LA to play a gig for your purty little NorCal ears.

mp3: Eagle And Talon - Hot Caught (YouSendIt, click through)

Evangelicals @ The Hemlock Tavern

Last night, drenched in artificial smoke and black light, dressed in capes and scarves, Evangelicals delivered an awesome dose of their own brand of psychedelic rock. The band's set, which ran about 45 minutes, focused mainly on their latest record The Evening Descends. It was a set of rock and roll that was, frankly, too big for the Hemlock's tiny stage. Had the band had four times as much space, they would have been equally at home. However, they made do with the confines, and left a full room completely happy with a show that really delivered.

Perhaps the biggest question we had going into this show was whether the band would really be able to deliver in two areas: lead singer Josh Jones' vocals, and the complex synth arrangements that lie all over the album. We should have had no concern: Jones' vocals were dead on, and the arrangements were even better than on record. Moreover, we were really glad to see that all the instrumentation was all live, rather than prerecorded (we're looking at you, Of Montreal).

Because the band is from Oklahoma, there's a Flaming Lips reference in almost every interview or review. However, let there be no doubt: Evangelicals are firmly doing their own thing. The band members are all highly musically adept, and the songs gain even more majesty and enthusiasm (if you can believe it) live. The band is making their way up the Northwest now, so catch them if you can.

Bonus: In an effort to further convey the atmosphere, we gave video a try. See what you think.

Evangelicals Coming To San Francisco

If you're anything like us here at H.A.D., you harbor a bit of cynicism about the 'fork, but you still keep an eye on it. Frankly, despite their despotic power in the indie world, those guys have a gift for seeking out some good tunes. As such, you (and we) probably noticed the review of Evangelicals a few weeks back. Following the review, we picked up the record and have been enjoying it thoroughly. To our ears it's less Queen, and more Flaming Lips. Either way, the fact remains that The Evening Descends is a great piece of experimental sonic edginess, that at the same time pulls you in with some gripping melodies.

Now, here's the especially good news: Evangelicals are touring, and will be in San Francisco on March 21st at the exceptionally small (and usually local) Hemlock Tavern. This a great chance to see an awesome band in a tiny room. But, ah, judging by the record: bring your earplugs. That place is gonna get loud.

mp3: Evangelicals - Skeleton Man (YouSendIt Link, Click Through)