Part Dos of Neon Desert 2012

The neon desert festival is upon us for sure. Last week we stressed and yelled and screamed and then enjoyed beautiful Saturday victories. This Saturday we take a look at what El Paso has to offer on the festival circuit. We’ve talked about the schedule and about the bands playing and about details, details, details; but nonetheless, it’s a festival in our hometown. Naturally, I hope I speak for everyone when I recognize that, they should make every effort to continue to grow and improve. There is potential in spades here and well fortunately, this year they do feature a solid amount of acts to enjoy.

With terrific A-Trak added the latest, half the schedule released in a ‘phase’ method, the anticipation grew and dissipated by the time it was all settled – and somewhere in between the dreams of At The Drive In being added. Why they couldn’t…well enough of the second-guessing because at this point you’re either spending $20 on sun block and a six pack to drink before the festivities (actually no, scratch the beer maybe[not]) or honestly, missing out on the second year fest. Probably the former.

With Le Butcherettes we get a Mexican band (no love for the team but yes, go Chivas sox) that plays stunningly terrific rock music. Their affinity for strong, strident sounds is impressive and they’re fresh of playing at Coachella. Something tells me they will kill it in complete agreement here; why they gotta pair them at the exact same time as Class Actress sucks majorly. The latter is a dance-pop style of music that really hones in on sweet pop sensibilities. And yes Butcherettes are like Yeah Yeah Yeahs meets hard synths. They’re opposites you say? Maybe they’re just as good.

Yacht doesn’t have to worry about much of that; after showing all their love for Marfa they finally get to play El Paso. I haven’t been to the former in about five years so I would love to see how much it’s changed and if it hasn’t, I’m really stunned why bands prefer there than here. Is it really that feel-good, or that hip? After solidifying as a duo Yacht found new highs and their last two albums are strong. It just makes sense, too, it’s summer almost, it’s a song. Here’s the big hit.

Summer Song (sorry low on time, gotta go, will add other missing videos tonight!) [EDIT:here]

We also get a major treat with La Vida Bohème and their brand of alternative rock. The Venezuelan band hits strong with their mixture of instruments against the backdrop of their chugging guitars and rhythms. Their name first sounded familiar after the feature of their song “Buen Salvaje” on my fifa game, here is that song. And they will look to really kill it tomorrow.

And finally, we also get some really great Spanish rock in the form of Babasónicos, an Argentine band with tremendous melodies.  If you know me you know I dig Cafe Tacuba like no other and while the comparison is ridiculously unfair (for who? For both/either) the sónicos carry a soft touch that is equal parts of drifting rock and ornate pop. They sound like a tremendous mix of soulful rock/pop that shimmers lightly. Enough lame adjectives, here’s "Pijamas" and well, see you all tomorrow.

Go Blues (love you Drogba) Go…forever. – Bryan--edit 137a

Neon Desert 2012

A little over a year ago a small upstart by the name of Splendid Sun Productions realized their vision to bring a homegrown music festival to El Paso. With ties to Austin Texas, like so many Chuco towners, they set out to create a festival that could bring International talent and create a unique El Paso festival for the region to enjoy. The resulting effort has blossomed into the second installment of The Neon Desert Music Festival. Interestingly enough a separate production company made their big freshman outing 2011 as well, but that's for another post. A year has passed since the inaugural Neon Desert Fest, and round two is upon us. Downtown El Paso will be in riot in less than 3 days, on Saturday May 26th. Los pinche largartos de San Jacinto will be dancing their asses off with two stages of indie flavored beats cornered in by historic El Paso buildings, the Cortez and Mills at each side. Not to mention a non stop dance music stage at their base playing from sun up to way passed sun down. With those major alterations in place it looks to be an interesting change the second time around. You can still expect the usual suspects like local food trucks for nourishment, live art and favorites of the talented Chuco indie music scene.

The template for who the orginizers brought this year seems to be similar to last year. A solid dose of Spanish indie and regional acts, along with some big international names that should really shine in the sun city, all sprinkled with local Chuco flavor.

There is no LoveFoxx of CSS fame in the line-up this year but there are plenty acts I look forward to seeing. Here is my short list. If Diplo and Los Tigres del Norte had a love child it would be this guy! From Mexico City check Mexian Institute of Sound's interesting blend of traditional folk sounds with more modern dance music sensibilities . With an amazing female vocalist and the 50's rock vibe, I don't wanna miss Le Bucherettes of Guadalajara.Go CHIVAS socks. Their bassist is some guy named Omar Rodriguez-Lopez by the way. ​​ Toy Selectah describes his music eloquently as Raverton. Enough said. As for 2 bigger named acts I'm looking forward to seeing there's Ghostland Observatory and A-Trak. The electro rock duo from Austin better bring their crazy lazer show! I saw the other half of DuckSauce, Mr Arman Van Heldon about a year ago and was very impressed. A-Trak has really exploded in 2012 and should be a fun closer. ​ As Neon Desert 2012 quickly approaches it seems the success of only the second installment crucial for its long term success and growth as a legitamate music fest.I can only hope for it to be bigger and better and for it to be so for years to come.Get your sun screen kids and drink a water between those $8 beers, it should be good! -Nick

Björk – Homegenic

 

I was actually starting to feel a little bit more relaxed in many senses. And through the Drakefest I was persevering; I mixed it up one day and even though I was playing this yesterday, it’s not worth it to ignore it. In any other words, Björk’s Homogenic was something I recently busted out and I’ve definitely been loving it all over again. It’s not as if all hope is lost but do I feel helpless, yeah partly.

I used to have a friend that really thought the world of this album – to be lazily clichéd. I remember he mentioning it was absolutely perfect and one of the best albums ever, ever. I never really could say – nor did I want to say – anything back. I mean, this is during a time when many would consider OK Computer the best album of recent times (20 or so years) and coincidentally, Homogenic came out the same year as that aforesaid album. (It’s gonna be 20 years from ’97 in five years! – not so subtle fact) But I mean, was I gonna disagree that it’s perfect? That it’s the best? Nah.

It’s like when someone says Bob Dylan is just as good and as important as The Beatles. I kind of shrug but do I necessarily disagree? Or like if we’re talking about the best Beatle and one says George is the best? Hmm, it’s kind of ponder-some, I guess. But do I disagree? nah.

Music is so awesome. It’s all sorts of flavors and most and some and for some all, can be loved equally. I mean Björk kills it on this album in every possible way. She’s at the forefront during her time as someone making gorgeously challenging music at the end of that century and she’s delivering heartfelt lyrics that embody a full sense of confidence, romanticism and sheer brilliance. It’s hard to say where Björk continues to go from here, last year’s Biophilia was great; but Homogenic sounds like if heaven exists, this is what it sounds like. She’s sort of preceding Kid A with her electronic flurries and where she masks synths to sound like strings, or pounding away at keyboards for a thick wall of sound, she sounds flawless, sure.

Take “Unravel” and it’s downright perfect, yes, composure. She’s made a completely beautiful love song through morbidly dark, yet very real, feelings. The lyrics alone explain it all:

While you are away, my heart comes undone
Slowly unravels, in a ball of yarn
The devil collects it, with a grin
Our love, in a ball of yarn

He'll never return it

So when you come back
We'll have to make new love

The second (third?) part I put in italics just because of the way she sings it, it’s like a chorus and her voice sounds like a ghostly choir that well, it just fits. It’s emotionally gripping of course but her structure of the music – lovely decorations, a soft drum beat in the background and her gorgeous voice all over – is something to behold.

I feel like a chump even for what I tried to write about it. No words can really describe how perfect this is, angelic, just yeah.

So yeah, the album flows so sweetly that the next song, “Bachelorette” is the perfect follow-up. It’s a stomping sound that really explored Björk’s ability at presenting that huge wall of sound. There’s a slow creep at the beginning before the sweeping strings tower in; there’s a strong, menacing tenacity to her voice, as if she’s fueled by anger. But again, in many ways, it’s another love song where she’s tortured and yet, yearning for her lover. There’s such beauty with the way she masters her metaphors to truly showcase such wonderful imagery with every single verse, one of my favorites:

Drink me, make me feel real…wet your beak in the stream
Game we're playing is life, love is a two way dream

Just a sample of her bad-ass-ness but nonetheless, an important factor, helplessness blues and all. – Bryan

Drake – Take Care pt. 1

The Drake-fest has begun. For the last two weeks or so, maybe my neighbors are the most annoyed now, I’ve been heavily into his album from last year, Take Care. To make a long story short, I heard his first album only (never anything before) and it felt dead to me. And who knows, maybe after I fall off this one I can get ahold of Thank Me Later and enjoy it just as much? Nonetheless, I immediately assumed that Drake was not an artist for me. It was a confusing aspect: some people who’s taste I don’t truly admire/respect (such pretentious words yes) love him, yet some people who’s taste I truly to admire/respect love him, and his comparisons to other arrogant yet brilliant artists (Yeezy here) and objective comparisons to sounds like The Weeknd always had me, well yeah, confused. This album came out last year, I decided to ignore it although many people of all kinds love(d) it and after some continuing struggle, I finally got it and now, it’s something I definitely love . I don’t know why some albums or artists have to be like this, or does it all even matter, but this is one awesome album.

This very first song, “Over My Dead Body,” sets the tone beautifully with Michael Jackson-like synths and breathy, female vocals. Here Drake envelops his tones with lush layers of string-like synths that scale a wall of notes that sound both rich and melodically sweet. His voice is actually something to behold because of how honestly he sways his words and his flow, admittedly, is something very impressive. He’s basically recounting how he’s adjusted to fame and how it isn’t as easy as it appears and yet, he’s lamenting about how he’s just a young artist, trying to improve. I love the way he can masks his confidence (“I’ve just been playing, I didn’t even notice I was winning,”) and how he basically is a swaggering, tough artist. This album is all about combining the words with the sounds so seamlessly that it’s downright flawless in presentation. I’ve got a lot more to say, I’ve had these first six or so songs on repeat lately and I’ve basically got them memorized now. But this is an album that will get many more parts I’m sure. Til then, the first one.  – Bryan

And yes, go teme go, Chelsea gonna take it.

The Police – Synchronicity

There’s an awesome quote by Carl Jung that goes something like “a particularly beautiful woman is a source of terror. As a rule, a beautiful woman is a terrible disappointment.” I’m not exactly sure if it’s entirely out of context, without much explanation, but I think the meaning is self explanatory: the most beautiful is not always the best. Nonetheless, I thought of that quote because of Synchronicity, which is something Jung did coin. Basically, the meaning behind that word is the ‘experience’ of two or more things that normally, wouldn’t go together (casually unrelated) and yet are ‘experienced’ together in a meaningful way. It’s basically a conceptual way of thinking where certain coincidences gain more meaning. I know some people that regard any sign, any kind of hint, any kind of coincidence as having meaning: basically feeling that any coincidence happens for a reason. That kind of thinking would defy synchronicity but it’s also a bit more complicated.

Anyways, all of this reaches The Police’s album, their fifth and final studio album as a band. Released in 1983, the Police wasted little time creating magnificent music together as a band. I remember hearing this album blasted when I was younger (I imagine my dad bought the album that year or the year after and had it on current repeat; he actually says it reminds him of my sister since she was born a year before it) and fortunately realizing just how awesome Sting is. There’s a book on synchronicity that Jung inspired someone else to extensively write, on where Sting got the title from, and eventually also wrote two parts for a title track. The first synchronicity here starts with clashing cymbals and a high-paced feel. It immediately sucks the listener in to the band’s dense concept and into sounds that are both dated in their 80s scope and still, downright stunning. The band layers their voices and Sting commands a stark control as the drums and synths shake and roll behind him.

Jung also said, “Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol, or morphine, or idealism” which basically relies that there is a certain limit to controlling the mind. The second synchronicity is definitely a lot more reaching with a stormy opening and Sting’s voice towering over the synths and drums this time. But it’s his bass that takes the spot light as he recalls stories of a young man walking throughout his life, never realizing the synchronicity around him. The way that certain people are wearing some colors, how it’s just another ugly morning, there’s “The pain upstairs that makes his eyeballs ache,” and well, it all melts away.

There’s a lot of rambling on this post. I apologize for that, yet The Police are a band that really sucked me into music and Sting is a genius no doubt. The synchronicity happens all the time and for good measure, well here’s the biggest song off that album, the best maybe? – Bryan

The Black Keys - The Big Come Up

If we talk about the blues and how they are doing nowadays, with the White Stripes gone (here’s hoping the Jack White album is awesome!), there really is not much left in terms of new breed other than the Black Keys. Their latest album, El Camino, saw them reach KLAQ status with huge songs and their first arena tour. But there used to be a time, long ago. when both the Stripes and Black Keys were releasing hit after hit – back in the early 2000s. It was always a big deal to get either band’s vinyl stuff because it sounded VASTLY better for some reason (the bluesy riffs deeper and the awesome fidelity very lush and yes, high) and for the Keys it all began with The Big Come Up. Flashing their vintage, raw, blues sound, this is where the Akron duo developed their underground fanbase; releasing stellar album after stellar album before finally getting some recognition when they signed with Nonesuch and had Danger Mouse producing some stuff. Now, on this album everything sounds much more raw and much more grounded in tight production than anything else.

On “Them Eyes” the duo take a lonely opening lick before chugging along with driving force. He’s done her wrong and as sad as she is, he can’t bear to know how much he’s affected her. “If you don’t bring me back this time, I swear I’m gonna lose my mind,” he declares. Very basic and fundamental, it’s obviously where the roots for songs like “Tighten Up” were invested; here the guitar rides the blues scale with tender care as he sings about tearing up, every time he looks into ‘them eyes.’
But while basic and fundamental is musical jargon, it doesn’t mean that the music is without emotion. Like any solid blues act, the Keys pay homage with covers that directly draw a blues style, along with traditional values. Here, The Beatles' “She Said, She Said” (which was actually a single off this album) is rendered into a sweet cover that keeps the original melody and vibes for a fuzzy rendition. Their raw energy was focused onto production that could mask their instruments with muffled style and they immediately possessed massive chops.
 

And here, on “The Breaks,” the guitar cries in the background as it’s both shredded and yearning for escape. These breaks seem to be the downright blues of losing your loved one, “I know you’re gone, gone for sure” and damn it, realizing it. It’s what people like Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf made blues for back during their time and in 2002 the Keys were just playing the natural blues they learned growing up. Recorded all in one of their basements, it’s still their purest album to date, perhaps a blues standard for the 00s. – Bryan