St. Vincent: New Record, On Tour

A weird thing happened to us with St. Vincent's new record, Actor. We threw it on, and were really, really enjoying it. This was a bit of a surprise, because we had found her first release Marry Me to be a bit underwhelming. So then we went back and threw on that record, and were digging it too. Hrm. Clearly something has transformed in our musical mind, and created a new and interesting rift that allows for St. Vincent to occupy.

Mind you, we're not complaining: the record is very enjoyable, and is highly original. Annie Clark's voice does still rub us the wrong way at times, just too sweet and syrupy for our tastes. That being said, the record has so many layers and intricacies, that one's musical brain can't help but be compelled by the conflict that is drawn up between electronic blips, fuzzy guitars, swelling strings, and Clark's own sweet vocals.

What's more, we will say this: Despite a new found appreciation for both, Actor still beats out Marry Me hands down. On the new record Clark manages to be more adventurous, more edgy, and less inclined to get wrapped up in overly intricate arrangements. Instead she takes the opposite approach, and increases the low fi simplicity of her sound. We likey.

Clark will be touring in support of her new record over May and June, and that includes a stop at Bimbo's next Wednesday, May 27th. We'll be curious to see how Clark transitions her new sound to the stage, and if she sticks to her guns with the more lofi/rock vibe that's on the disc. We certainly hope so. Tickets are on sale now.

mp3: St. Vincent - Save Me From What I Want

St. Vincent Summer 2009 Dates
5/22/2009 Washington, DC Black Cat
5/24/2009 George, WA Sasquatch!
5/25/2009 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
5/27/2009 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's 365 Club
5/28/2009 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
5/30/2009 San Diego, CA Casbah
5/31/2009 Phoenix, AZ Modified
6/2/2009 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
6/3/2009 Omaha, NE Slowdown Jr.
6/4/2009 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
6/5/2009 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater
6/7/2009 Chicago, IL Epiphany
6/10/2009 Lexington, KY The Dame
6/11/2009 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
6/12/2009 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo
6/16/2009 Birmingham, AL Bottle Tree
6/18/2009 Dallas, TX Granada Theatre
6/19/2009 Austin, TX Mohawk

Noise Pop Announces New Headliners: Malkmus, St. Vincent, French Kicks, Ra Ra Riot and More

The folks over at Noise Pop HQ promised more headliners were on the way, and now they've up and delivered. The 2009 lineup has been significantly expanded to include what's being billed as Stephen Malkmus' "San Francisco Bay Area live solo debut", along with shows by St. Vincent, Josh Ritter, French Kicks, Ra Ra Riot, Martha Wainwright, Broken West, The Morning Benders, and The Submarines.

We have to say, we're pretty psyched to catch a Malkmus solo set (especially since they seem much more prone to including a few Pavement classics), and we're definitely devotees of The French Kicks. Given that we missed Ra Ra Riot's fall date (Spoon @ The Fillmore, anyone?), we also wouldn't mind catching a bit of that action as well.

In addition to the new lineup, Noise Pop has also announced that festival badges are now on sale at early-bird prices. If that's you're thing, better pick em up before they're gone!

"The Jerry Springer of Indie Rock": The National Hits Up The Grand Ballroom

Tonight current New Yorkers (and former Cincinnatians) The National took the stage at the Regency Grand Ballroom to play to a sold out crowd. Throughout the set, the band firmly avoided their first two records, and before "Daughters of The Soho Riots" lead singer Matt Berninger even stated "This is off our first album, which is actually our third.". So, needless to say, the band's position on old material seemed clear.

The set was a tight, well orchestrated demonstration of the song structure that defines much of The National's sound: steadily building energy based around Berninger's vocals, ending in a chaotic frenzy of instrumentation. The mellower moments were fewer and further between. However, the slower, more quiet moments really gave the band a chance to shine.

The subtle interplay between the band members, and the clarity of the arrangements, really allows one to see how much consideration is given to these arrangements. Moreover, even when the band rocks out, it has a distinct feel of being controlled chaos.

I would have liked to have seen more actual chaos, and Berninger seemed to be doing his damnedest to make it happen. At times it almost seemed like there was a struggle interior to the band as to which way the show would go. Ultimately it fell somewhere in between: The band delivered solid, well conceived performances, while Berninger destroyed mic stands and screamed his lungs out.

For the encore, opener St. Vincent joined the band for an (unfortunately) quiet vocal contribution to "Green Gloves". The band then launched into an extreme and rowdy "Mr. November", which saw Berninger climbing the PA stacks, over the crowd barriers, and ultimately ending the show in the middle of the crowd. With a flourish he was back on stage, and the band was out the door.

Setlist:
Start A War
Mistaken For Strangers
Secret Meeting
Brainy
Baby, We'll Be Fine
Slow Show
Lit Up
Squalor Victoria
Abel
All The Wine
Racing Like A Pro
Ada
Apartment Story
Daughters Of The Soho Riots
Fake Empire
About Today
----------------------------
Green Gloves (feat. St. Vincent)
Mr. November

More photos available at the h.a.d flickr feed

The National "Boxer" Video Site