Posted: November 17th, 2009 | Author: Brian | Filed under: Chicago, Superficial Music Project, brooklyn, indie rock, new york | Tags: Arcade Fire, brooklyn, Chicago, Chumbawumba, fire, Futureheads, Kings of Leon, Sex on Fire, The Library is on Fire | 2 Comments »
It occurs to everyone that listens to music… It happens when you’re scanning the paper to see who’s playing next weekend or when co-workers give you their demo CDs…
You Can Tell How Good A Band Is Without Listening to Them!
But is this true? We are here to test it out. Araceli has chosen a band that all three of us have not heard of. We will proceed to rate the band (1-10) based on their name alone. We’ll get a look at the band, and then eventually actually judge their music.
The Band We Will Be Blindly Judging This Week:
The Library is on Fire
Lille: Where is this band from? It sounds like a name picked out of a hat, like it’s forced. That, or someone has a hatred of books and a love of fire. Since I love books AND fire, that’s one out of two. It sounds like this could be a teenage emo band that will be forgotten like my favorite band of 2005 (the Futureheads, anyone?). Rating : er, 3
Araceli: I have no idea where this band is from, a friend from Chicago suggested them, so perhaps Brian will have some inkling on these folks. Obviously this band is trying to ride the Arcade Fire wave. In order to have a supposed “cool” demeanor, they intentionally chose to burn a sacred establishment. Why can’t they burn a liquor store? 7Eleven on Fire? Now that sounds promising. I think they’re trying to build on the lit crowd and cater to the bookish types of Brooklyn. I find this marketing scheme repulsive.
Perhaps they appreciated Kings of Leon’s “Sex On Fire” phrasing, as to say “damn, that girl is hot, she’s on fire!” Again, fronting on the intellectual realm: that library is smokin’! my rating: 4
Brian: While I’m relieved the band had the restraint not to add an exclamation to the end of their name, I’m with Araceli on this one — conjuring images of our temples of learning set afire is a pretty high precedent for rock music. Does their sound topple the towers of rockness that we’ve built up in the last 75 years? Do they deconstruct what it is to be a rock band? Probably not. I believe the last popular anarchic band was actually Chumbawumba. My Rating: 4
On Thursday, we will look at photos and update our increasingly superficial opinions of mystery band, The Library is on Fire.
Posted: August 5th, 2009 | Author: Brian | Filed under: Chicago, festival, hip hop, indie rock, pop | Tags: A-Trak, Andrew Bird, Asher Roth, Ben Folds, Bon Iver, Builders and the Butchers, Chicago, Crystal Castles, Depeche Mode, Friday, Heartless Bastards, Kings of Leon, Lollapalooza, Of Montreal, STS9 Fleet Foxes, The Decemberists, The Gaslight Anthem, The Virgins, Thievery Corporation, White Lies | 6 Comments »
Araceli, Brian, and Lille tell you what performances to see on Friday night at Lollapalooza, or at what times you’re better off just dying than watching a crap lineup.
White Lies OR Builders and the Butchers OR The Gaslight Anthem
- Araceli: Perfect time for brunch
- Brian: If I went out the night before, I may as well (might) be dead at this point.
- Lille: I like White Lies! Their lead singer is like a hobbit. Oh, wait, I’m thinking of White Rabbits.
Consensus: Sleep if you have to; if not, let your hangover lead the way.
Bon Iver OR Heartless Bastards
- Araceli: Bon Iver, no doubt! (er, not thee no doubt, but bearded guitar man)
- Brian: Heartless Bastards. I’ve heard, like, “buzz”, about them. Bon Iver is beautiful but sleeepy… sleeeeeeeeeepy
- Lille: Bastards! I love both bands and have seen them both TWICE, but I’ve seen Bon Iver deliver more complete and nurturing sets. The drummer of the Heartless Bastards looks like Uncle Fester.
Consensus: 50/50 — go to the stage nearest you.
Ben Folds OR The Virgins OR Sound Tribe Sector 9
- Arceli: Kill me now…
- Brian: French Ennui purveyors The Virgins beat out death… but barely. (Ed. Note: They’re not French. I don”t know who I was thinking of. My bad.)
- Lille: Anything BUT effin Sound Tribe Sector 9, aka the most disgusting band with the most disgusting fans on earth.
Consensus: Anything BUT effin Sound Tribe Sector 9.
Fleet Foxes OR Asher Roth OR Crystal Castles
- Araceli I’ve already seen the YYY’s mini-me version perform live, and I’ve heard the name: Asher Roth too many times at work to know this white boy better move out the way. I’m heading for a tranquil evening with Fleet Foxes
- Brian: This is the defining show-split for Friday – You will be able to look at EACH PERSON AT LOLLAPALOOZA and know which of these three stages they will be at. I choose Crystal Castles, because I like girls that (have) bang(s).
- Lille: I love Fleet Foxes but I might catch something from their dreadlocked audience…so I choose Asher Roth just to be contrarian. Even though I think his music is shite.
Consensus: Fleet Foxes (Please note, each one of us chose a different stage — unplanned! Swear to God. -BHB)
The Decemberists OR A-Trak OR Thievery Corporation
- Araceli I want a nice peaceful death, so catch me at The Decemberists
- Brian: ‘Cemberists. A-Trak is just doing a DJ set, and Thievery Corp.’s been at Lolla every year and I still don’t care.
- Lille: I’ve been bored at too many Decemberists shows to ever want to see their pseudo-literary songs and their bowties again. I choose SLEEP.
Consensus: The Decemberists
Andrew Bird OR Of Montreal
- Araceli: Of Montreal, sitting waaaayyyyyyy back from the theatrics
- Brian: Of Montreal. Crazy. Ass. Stageshow. I love me some Chicag0-based Bird, but I’ve seen him a bunch of times — the smaller setting the better.
- Lille: You guys are insane. Of Montreal is faker than Flaming Lips. Andrew Bird can have my babies any day.
Consensus: Of Montreal, by some fluke of bad taste
Kings of Leon OR Depeche Mode
- Araceli This is a tough one. I’ve seen them both live many times, KOL probably more cause all they ever do is tour, but damn those boys are CALIENTE, no joke. If you want to talk about stageshow, those dudes got it. Just the thought of what their latest hair-do’s has me breaking a sweat. Don’t even get me started on the chest hair. But I know by now, all the bro’s will be at KOL, so I’ll be at Depeche Mode, and catch my Los Angeles godfathers in full-force.
- Brian: ‘peche-mo
- Lille: DM! Of course! And this time I don’t want anyone getting an allergy attack and going to the paramedic tent during “Personal Jesus.” Hear that, Araceli?
Consensus: Depeche Mode
There ya have it. We also made a handy-dandy schedule for you:
(You can click on it to get the full-size version)