Primavera sound 2016 in brief, day 4

Ready for the third round? Here's the last of our Primavera Sound's quick chronicles, devoted to cover Saturday 4th, another day full of music attractions and must-sees. Come on!

The Good

Primavera a la Ciutat (part III): Yep, again the day began quite early at CCCB, but there were plenty of reasons to do so. The first one, Invisible Harvey with a short but charming full band gig. 'La Puerta Giratoria' is a blissfully beautiful debut album that deserves to be celebrated. And the second one was fated to be even more special. The great Mr. Robert Forster backed with full band too, including Karem Bauler at violin and backing vocals (sorry to insist, but the violin, the violin!)... Finally, being able to hear Go-Betweens' tunes in full...Oh, that was simply a moment to treasure deep in the heart.

Robert Forster, head full of pop. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Richard Hawley: After leaving Brian Wilson's gig (see reasons below) we went straight to Ray-Ban stage to watch Richard Hawley. What a great choice turned to be! Killer presence, masterful guitars, solid vocals and impressive tunes like the slow storm of 'Standing at the Sky's Edge', the beauty of 'Tonight the streets are ours', 'Heart of Oak' or 'Don't Stare at the Sun'. True artist.

Richard Hawley, blue is the colour. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The Bad
A.R.Kane: As much as I enjoyed their show at Adidas stage on Friday, on Saturday at CCCB their volume was just insufferable.

Brian Wilson: Of course this has NOTHING TO DO with the musician, but with the organization and, mostly, with the audience. But if the living legend and his band doesn't want/can't deliver a show for such a big venue as the Heineken stage why having him there? Without enough volume for the masses gathered, and 'Pet Sounds' being a not so catchy (in terms of immediacy) record, aside from the most well-known tunes, people just wander around talking, etc, paying no attention for the show. So unconsidered & sad we decided to go for another option.

PJ Harvey: Again, this has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO with Polly Jean Harvey either. She is, to keep it short, one of the most incredible artists I have ever seen live. And the show she put at Heineken, with the help of an incredible cast, was mesmerizing (that death march at the intro of 'Chain of Keys', the scary, otherworldly 'When Under Ether', the way she transformed 'Down by the Water/To Bring You My Love' into a funereal dance). Songs, attitude, performance, art, politics, all in an experience that goes beyond music. But at times, it was also one of the most annoying situations I've ever faced at a concert. I believe we weren't that far away, but the people was unbearable, zero respect for the music and/or the person right next to you trying to listen/watch (I'll be polite and leave it here...). I'm pretty sure that if festivals didn't have alcohol the amount of public attending would be appalling. For many concertgoers, music is just the excuse to get drunk. And that's depressing. Period.

PJ Harvey, let consciences and ears shake. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The Queen
The Chills: Expectations were high, of course. Even higher after enjoying them at Indietracks a few years ago. But I believe their gig at Ray-Ban stage was even better. Not just because their classics sounded hypnotically magic as expected ('Pink Frost' for sure, but particularly 'Doledrums', they played 'Doledrums'!), but also thanks to new tunes like 'Silver Bullets', 'Underwater Wasteland' and 'America Says Hello' that resist the comparisons with the old ones gracefully. All in all, a glorious 45 show, crowned by 'Heavenly Pop Hit' where this humble blogger and, guess you know by now, Antipodean music lover, "gave all he had", leaving his throat (happily) at the best show of PS 2016, in our modest opinion.

The Chills, the heavenliest pop from down under in BCN. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Here are the links of the previous chapters!

Day 1 & 2
Day 3

These Go to 11: interviewing Blooper

Coming from Seattle, this week we have the three members of Blooper, responsible of one of the EPs of the year, answering our weekly questionnaire.These Go to 11!

Blooper 

Wish all bloops would be like this one...

In 2011, Adriano Santi began Blooper as a solo project, releasing 'Ballard Avenue' EP. Quickly realising he wanted to assemble a full band, Darrin Ruder and Chris Quirk joined him and, as trio, they came out with 'Go Away' EP, published in May 2012. A year later, thanks to the extincted Manic Pop Records, they put out a 7'' called 'Long Distance'. Finally, this year, and with Chris Mac replacing Ruder, they've joined Jigsaw Records, publishing the EP 'So Very Small'. As we have said previously, this EP is a real pop feast, an extraordinary mixture of power-pop, surf, garage and 60's vibes, driven by guitars and full of captivating melodies. Read it carefully & enjoy it. Here we go!

The "legendary" teen movie

1. First record that you bought (be honest)

Adriano: Nirvana - 'Bleach'
Chris Mac: Jon Cougar - 'American Fool' (tape)
Chris Q: 'The Goonies Soundtrack' (tape)

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)

Adriano: First - Guns n’ Roses when I was 11. Last - Allo Darlin’ and Zebra Hunt (we played with them)
Chris Mac: Honestly don’t remember my first (my parents frequently went to concerts), last one was a house show with friends (Iji, OK Vancouver OK, etc).
Chris Q: First was The Lemonheads; the most recent was Bob Mould, with Cymbals Eat Guitars

Guilty pleasure? Yes, indeed

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)
Adriano: I don’t know if this is bad but I listen to a lot of King Crimson and Yes sometimes.
Chris Mac: I guess the only band from my early teen years that I can still tolerate in small doses is Rush. Oh, and the first Tears For Fears album is still amazing.

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
Adriano: A first US pressing of 'She Loves You b/w I’ll Get You' on Swan Records - the Beatles’ first release in the US.
Chris Mac: Hard to say, with a collection of 15,000+ records/cds/tapes, but I might choose the 'Tomorrow Ends Today' bootleg lp from Primal Scream’s early (ie. good) period. Never seen it before, never seen it since.
Chris Q: Not a collector, sorry. I like my snare drum.

Introducing... Cheap Girls

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

Adriano: Can I just say Elliott Smith’s entire body of work? No? Ok, the lyrics to 'Waltz #2' by Elliott Smith then.
Chris Mac: I’m gonna cheat and say the entire discography of Cheap Girls, a band that I simply cannot stop listening to, and identifying with their lyrics.
Chris Q: I’m a stereotypical drummer with no memory for lyrics, so it’s hard to say. I do like that final section of Built To Spill’s 'Kicked It In The Sun', though.

The Sonic man

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Adriano: George Harrison, Link Wray, Brian Wilson, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Elliott Smith.
Chris Mac: No one in particular. Anybody I’d want to talk to is approachable, but if I had to pick one who wasn't, it might be Thurston Moore.
Chris Q: Philip Glass.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
Adriano: Anything Reid Miles did for the Blue Note label in the 60s.
Chris Mac: Nothing really springs to mind…
Chris Q: I grew up on tapes and CDs, and the artwork didn’t stand out there unfortunately.

Murakami's cat

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 
Adriano: Both. My favourite movie is 'The 400 Blows' and my favourite book is 'Kafka on the Shore' by Haruki Murakami
Chris Mac: You can’t go wrong with 'Die Hard'.
Chris Q: Brazil + John Kennedy Toole’s 'Confederacy of Dunces'.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of

Adriano: I still really like 'Pike Street'.
Chris Mac: Probably 'Day Things Fell Apart' by Suretoss (my old band)
Chris Q: 'Shaky' is fun to play.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
Adriano: Like any label that’s been around for more than a couple years, “Indie” has pretty much lost all of its meaning. There are “Indie” labels that pretty much operate like majors, “Indie” bands who make craploads of money… but I think as long as the sort of do it yourself vibe is still there, that’s indie.
Chris Mac: I’d have to say that anyone who does things for themselves - for their own personal pleasure - has the indie spirit. Anyone who forms a band/starts a label without the pretense of “making it big”.
Chris Q: What they said.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Adriano: I don’t even know where I’m going to be in 10 minutes…
Chris Mac: Same house, same life. I’m very resistant to change.
Chris Q: Still playing music, probably still in basements and garages..

Zillion thanks Blooper!

These Go to 11: interviewing The Royal Landscaping Society

We know, it has been a while since our last interview. But we begin October in very good company. This week, we invite you to read one of the most funniest and honest interviews so far, thanks to the natural charm of Cris R.S. from The Royal Landscaping Society and Bubbletone Records. Granted some of you will return to your childhood and teenage memories, while enjoying his current music preferences. These Go to 11!

Cris R.S. Bubbletone, The Royal Landscaping Society

The pop landscapers

Our interviewed is a genuine multitask man, some sort of a Renaissance man dealing with pop. He is the leader and singer of The Royal Landscaping Society, a Seville-based and highly recommendable indiepop/shoegazing band that began its career in 2012. Like The Field Mice drowning in an ocean of guitars and caressed by an electronic breeze. The quartet has appeared on the Little Treasure compilation “Springtime!” and released a homonym first mini-album on Beko Disques in July. But fronting a band is not enough for Cris. He is also an intrinsic part of another group, Sundae. He is a reputed producer and also runs the Bubbletone label. Impressive, right? Here we go!

"Son, 80 días son. 80 nada más, para dar
la vuelta al mundo". Impossible to forget 

1. First record that you bought (be honest)
You're going to love this one: the OST to the 'Around the World in 80 Days' animation series by Mocedades!

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)

I'm not 100% sure if the first was my brother's post-punk-ish band (mid 80s) or Hombres G. As for the last, I'm afraid there's less and less gigs I enjoy around here, so it must be Indietracks!

The petrol station's Human League?

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)

I always think a lot of Camela's hits would be classics if recorded by Pet Shop Boys or The Human League. Otherwise, I'm a big fan of mainstream pop so I don't tend to get embarrassed by anything!

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)

Trembling Blue Stars' 'The Seven Autumn Flowers double 10" signed by Beth and Bobby - very precious from a personal point of view too actually!

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

The Cure's 'Plainsong', particularly the ending gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it: 'Sometimes you make me feel like I'm living at the edge of the world / 'It's just the way I smile', you said.'

Captain "Good Vibrations"

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Robert Smith or Brian Wilson, but both options are a bit scary...

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)

Tricky one... Maybe The Field Mice's 'Missing the Moon' with the big yellow 57 on it. Or the original vinyl version of New Order's 'Lowlife' with the band name printed on tracing paper covering the picture.

Consolidated Life

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 
I actually struggle to find time for both, so I end up watching series. So I'll just recommend Jorge Luis Borges' 'El Aleph' for reading, Billy Wilder's 'The Apartment' for movies and 'Community' for series.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
I honestly don't know, I change my mind often. I'm extremely proud of how Sundae's 'Sólido-Líquido' instruments and layers unfold right up to the abrupt ending, but probably The RLS's 'Goodbye' is the one I said 'This is exactly what I've been wanting to do for years' after it was complete.

10. What’s does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
For me, it's politics eventually. It's commitment, honesty, and a willingness to put art before capitalism. It sounds a bit general but that's how I see it.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Still making music for sure. Wouldn't mind to make a living as a sound engineer either

Zillion thanks Cris!

Discoverer 68: new indie findings

Back with another round of great new discoveries before hitting the road again, enjoy!

Radiation City. Despite their gig at Phono del Sol was disappointing (barely three songs due to technical issues) here's a band you shouldn't miss. Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 2009, initially as a duo, but quickly expanding themselves to a quintet, debuting in February 2011 with LP "The Hands That Take You", with US tours and EP "Cool Nightmare" following that same year. Finally, sophomore release "Animals in the Median", just out now, is here to confirm here's a unique group. Blending lush instrumentation with northern soul, subtle electronic layers and pop harmonies, Radiation City sound like no other, like Stereolab and Astrud Gilberto kidnapped by Brian Wilson. Very special.

Skittle Alley. Among the indiepop goldmine that is Dufflecoat Records today I want to highlight the music of musician Fanou, hailing from Limoges, France. This one man band debuted in 2004 with several releases in wonderful labels like Anorak, Jigsaw, Indonesian Hey Ho or the aforementioned Dufflecoat to date (can't recommend you enough to check them out now). His latest release, out just now, is a delicious EP entitled "The Memory of a Smile", a gentle, intimate affair in the vein of The Field Mice or Another Sunny Day. Little gem.
Franny & Zooey. With that name it was a matter of time they will get my attention. But there's much more than just an unmissable Salinger reference here. Close friends Juan Julio Peña and Victoria Linares hail from Dominican Republic and a year ago decided to form a band. With Brian Senior completing the trio they put out debut song “Remember (Being Fake)” past summer, and now they return with debut EP "Bananafish". A lot of twee and irresistibly catchy indiepop mixed with surf hints and a laid back vibe, there's a lot to love & expect next from this promising literate combo.

"Just a Pup", The Very Most's little indiepop workshop

Just a Pup EP

This a review of a very special release, on a very special day (American time zone) for his main creator. Of course, I'm referring to Jeremy Jensen from The Very Most and his latest EP, "Just a Pup", that this blog had the honour to premiere. So, first goes first. Happy birthday dear Jeremy!

So, dear readers, this time I'm going to ask you to allow me to be a bit romantic, even naive, ok? In this fifth EP from the Boise band you're going to find everything what makes The Very Most's songs so adorable. In that sense, the band seems to be at top of their game. I know that in the digital era the following image is almost absurd, but to hell with that. Do you remember the tales your parents told you about Santa Claus? The ones that fascinated me were about the magic workshop where, with the help of the elves, he created the toys to deliver on Christmas Eve. I want to imagine Jeremy at the studio as an indiepop Santa Claus in his workshop, crafting the tunes surrounded by his cast of allies, hearing melodies in his head that he is capable to capture and translate into songs after picking the right instrument among thousands and setting tone, rhythm, voices, sounds evolving into perfect works as if they were there, waiting for him to be caught, suspended on air. The Very Most's little indiepop workshop. A haunting place where even the artwork and EP design stands out on its own (a blue wonder this time illustrated by ridiculously gifted Marta Tortajada), that now offers us another gift in the form of three new tunes, with an extra.

Because it is just a matter of seconds you recognise the always sweet and lush indiepop from Jeremy Jensen and Co. The trademark swirling melodies that in opener "Just a Pup" got a refreshing turning twist thanks to Seapony's Danny Rowland's guitar line halfway of the tune and Gia Trotter's vocals. I wrote it once and I'm going to do it again: it's a classic on its own. Another gem to add to an already stunning collection of indiepop gems.

But being charming and sweet in the sounds doesn't mean you can't get serious. And I'm happy as well as excited to see The Very Most is not afraid of getting political. "Idaho, America in 2049" and "We Don't Have Any Cuts to Waste" shows a different side of the band lyrically without losing its quintessential sound. As a matter of fact, "Idaho" deserves a mention on its own, as TVM blends two songs in one with blatant confidence. It all sounds mellow and relaxed, then it all stops to turn frantic and hallucinogenic before ending in its previous incarnation. Brian Wilson anyone? In the other hand, "We Don't Have..." is the more upbeat and shiny of the lot. Keyboards soaring, and that sense an epic pop stampede on the verge of exploding anytime... until you hear the lyrics, that is.

And we arrive to the end. I know, I said three songs when the EP has four, but the cover of Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" doesn't really work as a TVM tune. Nothing to blame the band for. On the contrary, it's understandable: if you are lucky to have Liz Hunt's from the irresistible The School singing, the result it's obvious: she's going to "steal" the show. 

I know it seems weird to mention Santa Claus when we just started summer and with the tremendous heatwave we are suffering in half of the States right now. But music lovers believe me, The Very Most is just offering us another indiepop gift. Go get it!

SCORE: 7,25/10