Filed under: article
Marissa Malouff for the Daily Camera
American Idol Auditions
Locals looking to become the next Carrie Underwood, may have their chance. American Idol is bringing auditions for the show to our backyard, at Invesco Field in Denver on Tuesday, July 14.
The auditions are known to bring thousands of people from all over the region and at least four singers from the Boulder area are participating. A good performance could land them a spot on Season 9 of American Idol.
They’ve also held auditions for next season in Dallas, Los Angeles and Boston. After Denver they’re headed to Chicago, Orlando and Atlanta. The auditions came to Denver once before, in 2005. Ace Young was one of many at the Denver auditions in 2005. Young, a Boulder native, made it to seventh place in the fifth season of American Idol in 2006.
Many, however, do not meet the same fate as Young, as there are two grueling rounds before you get a glimpse of the television judges. First, there is registration. Waiting in line for registration can take all day. Registration for the Denver audition begins on Saturday, July 12.
On the day of the audition, contestants wait in line again to sing in front of producers with two other contestants. Each sing a 15 second piece with no accompaniment. A majority of contestants eliminated in this round. This may seem chaotic, but according to 2005 Denver audition attendee Nicole Walker, it’s not.
Walker said, “It was a little overwhelming, but I was really surprised it was really well organized.”
Producers will also do the second round of judging, however, the setting is more intimate and with a lot less people. Typically, it is a few days after the first audition.
The third round of judging is in front of the four famous judges, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi. Typically, this round only has about 100 to 200 hopefuls per audition city.
The last round, before making it big time on the popular show, is the Hollywood round. All of the contestants from across the country rehearse and compete for a week in Hollywood, CA. After this round, those deemed able to become the next Idol, make it to the show.
While odds aren’t necessarily in their favor, Boulder hopefuls have been working hard to try and make it all the way, practicing, taking vocal lessons, and singing in front of everyone they know. So Simon Cowell be prepared, Boulder is heading your way.
A little bit about some Boulder American Idol hopefuls
Kari Han
Han is a 27-year-old, stay at home mother of two. This is her first time auditioning, and because American Idol only allows people between ages 16-28 to try out, it’s her last chance.
When did she start singing- According to Han, she’s has been singing since she could talk.
Musical Background- Han can read music and can play the piano. She has always loved to sing and performed in musical theater while growing up. She also has a background as a dancer. Her parents were very supportive of her artistic side and put her in theater and dance lessons. Han hopes to be the same way with her kids, and says that she already sees musical potential in her one-year-old daughter. “I swear she keeps a rhythm,” Han said.
How long has she watched American Idol- She has watched the last six seasons.
Favorite Idol Contestant- Allison Ihareta, Ace Young because he was from Boulder and Blake Lewis
Songs She will be performing- “At Last” made famous Etta James and “He’s a Tramp” from Lady and the Tramp.
Musical Inspiration- She loves Britney Spears, despite thinking that she doesn’t have a great voice. Han said, “She embraces that she’s a pop star and a pop tart, I think that’s pretty cool.”
If she won American Idol- She’d want to travel as much as she could, as long as she could bring her kids with her. According to Han, being away from her kids for too long would be a deal breaker.
Nicole Walker
Nicole Walker is a 23-year-old vocal instructor and session vocalist. Walker auditioned for American Idol in 2005.
When did she start singing- She’s sung since she was able to talk. She said, “You can ask my parents, I was always running around the house singing and they’d want me to shut up and I wouldn’t”.
Musical Background- Walker is vocal instructor and a session vocalist. She graduated with a degree in music theory and harmony from the Berkeley School of Music. In high school, Walker was in musicals and in choir all four years. She lettered in Choir.
How long she has watched Idol- She has been a fan of the TV show since its debut.
Favorite Idol Contestant- Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.
Songs she will be performing- “I Told You So” by Carrie Underwood and she is considering singing a song by The Wreckers. She is primarily a country singer . She wanted to choose a song that best showcases her vocal ability.
Musical Inspiration- Walker loves Carrie Underwood.
What she would do if she won American Idol- She just wants a successful music career, being able to sing and make a living doing so. If she doesn’t make it she will keep pursuing her dreams of a musical career.
Courtney Brown
Courtney Brown is a 16-year-old student at Frederick’s High School. She has never tried out for American Idol before.
has been her passion since she was a little girl.
Musical Background- Brown is in choir and drum line at her high school. She knows how to play the snare drum. She’s been in choirs since she was a child. She traveled with the Longmont Children’s Choral to New York City and performed at Carnegie Hall. Her high school choir performed at the Colorado Springs Cavalcade. For two years she was in Frederick Idol, her high school’s version of American Idol, and placed second both years.
How long has she watched Idol- The past two seasons.
Her Favorite Contestant- Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.
Songs she will be performing- “At Last” made famous by Etta James, “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse and “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
Musical Inspiration- Beyonce Knowles, Christina Aguilera and the music of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
If she won American Idol- Brown would be a soul singer if she won Idol. She said, “I want to make people happy with my voice”.
Philip Rubinstein
Philip Rubinstein is a 21-year-old going into his fourth year at CU. He has a double major in philosophy and vocal music. He is in the a capella group Mile 21. He has never auditioned for American Idol.
When did he start singing- In fourth grade he was in his first choir.
Musical Background- Since elementary school, Rubinstein has always been in choirs. In high school he started his own barbershop quartet, and he joined Mile 21 his freshmen year at CU. He also knows the piano and the trumpet, and is learning how to play the harmonica. He composes his own music as well.
How long has he watched Idol- He’s watched every season, but primarily waits to watch until it gets down to the top ten.
His favorite contestant- Carrie Underwood
Songs he’ll be performing- “The Remedy” by Jason Mraz and “Second Chance” by Shine Down.
Musical Inspiration- Rubinstein’s musical inspiration is his late grandfather and one of his musical directors.
His grandfather worked as a musician, teaching and performing shows, to support his family. He played 9 different instruments. Rubinstein said, “My earliest memories are of him and me sitting at the piano.”
Jeff Hulf, one of his musical directors, said to Rubinstein something that has stayed with him since. According to Rubinstein, his director said, “Sometimes there are things in life that words cannot describe, and that’s where music comes in.”
If he won American Idol- Rubinstein is not basing his life on winning American Idol, but if he did win, he would make a few records and enjoy the moment. He said, “I’m doing this for the experience more than for the glory.”
Filed under: article
By Marissa Malouff
-This is a story I did for the Colorado Daily.
Gabe Stoll has never liked being told what to do, in fact, he notes this as the characteristic that led him to start local art endeavor Wet Pizza.
“I’ve been an angsty kid for years now,” Stoll said.
Wet Pizza is Stoll’s DIY entertainment company- and is the essence of Stoll’s independence. He handles business for local bands that he likes by setting up shows for them and releasing their music on a series of compilations.
“Business ruins art,” Stoll said, “by controlling the business aspect you’re controlling the artistic aspect too, and your integrity.”
According to Stoll, who has his own electronic act Mystic Bummer, it’s not that he’s against record labels; he’s just for the artist having their own work in their own hands, with no one to control or contort it.
Stoll and friend, Douglas Hawkison, created Wet Pizza three years ago. Frustrated with the art and music scene in Boulder, they decided to spearhead something to help their friends’ bands as well as their own artistic projects.
“It was with the focus of it being the fringe of the art scene,” Stoll said.
It started as more of a joke, or drunken rambling, than a serious idea. Over time, it grew into something more real.
In the winter of 2006, Stoll released the first Wet Pizza compilation, comprised of tracks from his friends’ bands. Only 20 copies were made, all on CDRs, each with unique artwork.
After the first release, more musicians and bands wanted to get involved. For the second Wet Pizza compilation, Stoll had an open call for submissions. In the mean time, Stoll moved to Portland, Oregon where he made new contacts with musicians, and continued the Wet Pizza project there. While away, he still worked with his friends in Boulder to promote their music.
In the fall of 2008, Stoll moved back to Boulder. Since then, Wet Pizza has expanded. He released 100 copies of the third Wet Pizza compilation in the spring of 2009, mostly consisting of local bands and bands he liked from the West Coast. According to Stoll, Wet Pizza now hosts one or two shows a week at house venues, bars, and clubs in Boulder and Denver. Each venue, according to Stoll, offers its’ own experience and helps expand their audience.
The music Wet Pizza represents is diverse, ranging from metal, to punk rock, to experimental electronica. Currently, Stoll is pushing The Gucci Boiz, a local punk band, DLZN, an electronic act, and Denver’s acclaimed Pictureplane. The diversity of Wet Pizza music makes for a unique audience each night.
“The audience is a mixed bag,” Stoll said, “and then there are people that support wet pizza through and through with every variation of Wet Pizza.”
Stoll himself has diverse taste in music. He cites his biggest influences as Dr. Dre, Slayer, DJ Funk, Kid 606 and “anything else that inspires.”
Since he was 11, he’s played music. He first picked up the bass, and quickly picked up guitar, drums and learned how to use a drum machine. He admits that his inspiration to pick up an instrument was early Metallica.
Stoll’s been in bands since he was a teenager, playing everything from garage rock to stoner metal, to the electronica that he plays now as Mystic Bummer. His first real band, however, was Hoochie and the first show he played was when they opened for Mojo Nixon at Tulagi in 1999.
Stoll recalls the late 1990s as a better time for art in Boulder, when Tulagi was open. According to him, Boulder has become a harder place to find shows for struggling local musicians that do not fit in with the popular idea of Boulder music.
“There’s not enough support for good artists in this community.” Stoll said.
Stoll, however, remains optimistic. With shows rolling in at local bars like Catacombs and the Sundown Saloon- Boulder is becoming more receptive by the day. This Saturday at Club 156, Stoll’s project Mystic Bummer will be performing with Sewn Leather and Pictureplane.
“Boulder’s always teetered on having a real music scene,” Stoll said, “like when garage rock was big here, or even the jam band stuff. There needs to be more action going on with everything. More walk–less talk.”
Filed under: listy-poo, rant | Tags: casiotone for the painfully alone, micahel jackson, monolith, monsters of folk, ryan ross, sonic youth, vetiver, z berg
It’s been a few months, sorry everyone. I’m sure no one minded too much. We’ve just been super busy, looking for apartments, starting new jobs, taking finals, doing summer school, adopting pets.
Here’s a list of everything of importance since we last posted
My Bloody Valentine show
Maria Taylor Show
Another Conor show
One Year Anniversary
Internship at the Daily Camera (marissa)
Job at Proactive (johnny)
adopted a dog
Michael Jackson Death, leading to 24 hour MJ listening all the time
I thought I’d keep it simple with this blog and talk about some things coming up that I’m really excited for.
Sonic Youth obviously. super excited for this show. duh.
Monster of Folk Album If you know me, you know I hated Outer South. This will hopefully be better. It’s a collaborative album with Conor, M. Ward and Jim James. I was lucky enough to see them all perform together at the Newport Folk Festival. blew my mind. this will be awesome
Vetiver Show hi dive
Casiotone hi dive
Off the Wall Dance Party we’ll probably go to this because we’re dorks
Monolith Festival excited for Of Montreal, Cymbals Eat Guitars, HEALTH, The Antlers, M. Ward and Deer Tick
Now a tiny rant.
I read celebrity gossip, I’m not proud of it but its something I do. Yesterday, in the midst of looking through pages of celeb gossip I stumbled upon a picture of Ryan Ross with Vanessa from Whispertown 2000 and Z Berg from The Like doing coke. Now, I don’t really care that they were doing coke. However, I do think it’s fucking retarded to take a scene picture of yourself with a bunch of lines in front of you, a pack of parliaments and a bottle of grey goose. Who are they? 15 year old scenesters I went to high school with? Being like “OH MY GOD WE’LL LOOK SO FUCKING HIP LIKE THIS”. But beyond that, what bothered me is that musicians I actually kind of like hang out with a guy from Panic at the Disco.
Let me back up, I didn’t know who Ryan Ross was. I saw that a few musicians I follow on twitter, like Jason Boesel and Michael Runion talk to him a lot. When I stumbled upon the story, I was like weird, this Ryan Ross guy seems familiar, they all talk to him on twitter. Then I looked him up and found that he’s BFF with Pete Wentz and in Panic At the Disco.
Panic at the Disco makes me really mad to this day. Number one, right after MCR and Fall Out Boy, this is a band that corporate america made to try to exploit underground culture. Number two, they took their name from a Smith’s song. Number Three, and most importantly, the few songs of theirs I’ve heard have made my ears want to explode because they were so terrible. Apparently, Panic toured with Phantom Planet, and Alex Greenwald gave Ryan Ross an in with semi-cool music. But I cannot believe that musicians I like, even a little bit, hang out with someone who was in, potentially the worst band of the decade. A band that created 14 year old, heavy eye liner wearing, hot topic shopping scenesters who began to infiltrate music I actually like because they’re young and bought into corporate America’s version of cool and hip.
If Z berg, Jason Boesel and Vanessa like him, than musicians I like more probably like him too (Like Jenny Lewis for instance, although Rilo Kiley is pretty much the biggest example of selling out this side of the Clash signing to CBS records). Mostly, it makes me feel uncool for liking musicians that love Panic at the Disco. Musicians that I fought for, in a way, by not wanting their music to be stolen by the mainstream and by the bros and bras that love shitty music.
That is my rant for the day.
Should I go see Bon Iver this weekend? I’d leave you some music but I’m at work.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Gaming Movies, Mortal Kombat Movie, Resident Evil Movie, Silent Hill Movie, Street Fighter Movie, Super Mario Bros Movie
Well there is a lot to say here, I cannot explain how bad EVERY video game movie is, it wouldn’t be easy to adapt a movie out of some of the games that are movies. Games have over the top stories with horrible voice acting, it’s just the way games work, I feel like taking that silly dialogue and making it something taking itself way too seriously is a little crazy, it’s too hard! So I’m going to take a piece of your life to look at some of these movies hopefully it will kill a little bit of your childhood as it did mine.
Directed by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton in 1993
Wow when I first saw this movie I thought it was brilliant, I was also six. Looking back now, what a terrible mess. I loved Bob Hoskins though and always thought he was great ever since “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” but this movie is just the worst possible thing that could happen to the gaming world, as far as I remember this is the first in a line of awful video game adapted movies. I could go on here about how bad this movie is but all you need to know is these few facts from it: Pre 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center Towers, “Bob-Omb”, Dennis Hopper as King Koopa (and not Bowser), Princess Daisy but no Peach.
Moving on…
Directed by Steven E. de Souza in 1994
I loved this movie also as a kid it was awesome, but it never tricked me into thinking Jean Claud Van Damme was a good Guile. Terribly awful casting plagued this movie, I mean honestly, is there no shame in Hollywood? You can’t hire native american actors to play japanese or spanish characters and you can’t have Jean Claud Van Damme play an American, it doesn’t work out at all. I’m done with this movie it’s too dumb to even think about, ever.
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson in 1995
Well this was it for me, this was my entire childhood, I loved this movie so much when I was a kid, my cousins and I used to always pretend we were the characters in the movie and I’d of course always end up Johnny Cage because of my name being Johnny. This movie for as many characters as they have is a total let down now, it’s boring, it doesn’t stand any test of time what so ever. How can you fuck up something that already has a story given to them, it’s a fighting tournament where death is pretty much your destiny if you lose the battle, really that’s all it had to be was a dumb action movie with substance not just all out fighting constantly then with the sequel annihilation just basically getting ready of every actor (except Liu Kang and Katana) although by the end of the first movie it is very clear that it’ll have a sequel, what the hell is that? Do you really make a movie thinking “oh we have a sequel planned but we need a new cast.” I really don’t get it and don’t care to goodbye.
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson in 2002
When I heard this movie was coming out I was so excited I had it all planned out on when, where, and with who I’d be enjoying this movie with. At the time, it was good, I liked how it had some plot points of the game but also lead to another entirely different story that has now been adopted as a legit source of information in Umbrella Chronicles it helped that I was in love with Milla Jovovich knowing ahead of time that she was not actually a good actress but it didn’t matter, now the movie is just shit, I feel the series would be better off without these cysts being their just giving the series cancer. It’s really just too much when you hear someone (not naming the actor but will call him, dayday) named dayday running zombies over and screaming “Grand Theft Auto Motha’ Fucka”. Shit.
Directed by Christophe Gans in 2006
When this came out I had high hopes for it for some reason I thought it’d be good knowing the history of gaming movies, I wasn’t too disappointed I guess. It was a little ridiculous but really interesting to see all these characters come to life and the majority of them were actual puppeteers. People doing crazy odd ball shit is always freaky because you feel like the body doesn’t move that way. It was more gruesome than the actual game ever was (with the exception of The Room) it had a great storyline, because it stuck with the original just tweaked out. It’s stupid because the tweaks were odd and not at all needed so it was just weird and didn’t really need to happen. It could have been better, but is surely not the worst.
On other gaming movie adaptions I can’t say much. I’ve never taken the time to see Doom, Alone in the Dark, and Postal I can’t think of many others besides awful Bloodrayne which is basically a softcore porn but starring Billy Zane, Michael Madsen, and Kristanna Loken. Meatloaf also makes an appearance in that. I’ve also seen House of the Dead also by Uwe Boll or stuff like the Double Dragon movie that totally just destroys the series alone it’s stupid. I have nothing more to talk about these movies because they’ve just destroyed my childhood.
Johnny Ketchum
Filed under: listy-poo | Tags: cat pee, coachella, conor oberst, mall cop, sarah palin, tea party protest, tony horton
Today Marissa is going to help me out with the Fuck You post, I think this should be fun and we’ll have a good time just like 2 guyz. Let the experiment begin!!
07. Mall Cop Movies: We’ve had enough of you, what is the purpose of two coming out relatively close to each other what is the point of these movies are mall cops really that funny? I mean one, okay, but two? We’ve got problems, and I’m blaming you..Fuck you.
06. Cat Pee: We just dealt with the worst situation of stuff being peed on by Buster the cat, man just the scent alone is awful but to pick up a bag filled with cat pee, ah. Fuck you.
05. Tony Horton: You’re an extreme dick, that’s what you are you bastard who seems like he molests women on a daily basis. What kinda creep are you? I feel like you may be creepier than Tony Little, that’s saying a lot. The worst part is we’ll probably end up doing your stupid video tonight you wacky jacken fucker you, Believe it! Fuck you!
04. Annoying scene girls at Conor Shows: I’ve (johnny) only encountered this problem twice, the first time I saw Bright Eyes, and when I recently just saw Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band, listen girls, it’s okay to love a band for their music, but when you’re at a show screaming how bad you want to fuck Conor, it’s a little ridiculous. Stop it, it’s not like he’s going to listen to you and be like “yeah I want to fuck that girl as much as she wants to fuck me” nah, never would happen And I’ve (marissa) dealt with this problem 18 times. Not only are these girls obnoxious and annoying, they also don’t even know the first thing about the band that they are flashing. The girls in front of us in line at Conor first thought that they were seeing Bright Eyes and secondly thought the name Bright Eyes came from an indian meaning. WTF? You got there 7 hours early and you don’t even know what band you’re seeing? Fuck you.
03. Coachella: you are at coachella, watching leonard cohen while I’m stuck in my house because of the blizzard, in my pajama’s watching people talk about sarah palin running again in 2012. It’s not fair. I don’t really hate you, I enjoyed you when I went in 2004 and 2005, but I’m jealous of everyone who got to go this year. so fuck you coachella, with your sunshine and good music. Fuck you.
02. Sarah Palin: You’re still around? Really? Do you not know how to leave? You’re like a fucking herp, what the fuck? Shut the fuck up already I can’t believe people still rally for you although everyone saw how much you really just do not know, you’re just a dumb slut who lucked out for a moment, fuck you wolf shooting bitch.
01. Tea Party Protest: What more can really be said about the idiocy that was the tea party protests? First of all, the entire point of the protest doesn’t make any sense. Not that most republicans understand history and facts are pretty much lost on them, but the entire purpose of the boston tea party was to fight taxation with out representation. you do recall the little election where you FAILED in november right? Plus, most of you assholes that wasted your time at the protest will have LOWER taxes under the Obama administration. What do you want to do now? Tea bag people in the face? I’d have to say that’s a lot worse than gay marriage, who in the world wants hot salty balls in their face? Not I, and not You. Sorry that this has strained out to something entirely different but really, and you FOX news, are you still tea bagging people? Really? What’s the point of this? On top of this who started calling this the “Tea Bagging Coverage?” It’s just disgusting. Fuck you.
Filed under: review | Tags: conor oberst, headlights, hi dive, love as laughter, obama campaign, one of my kind
Headlights at the Hi Dive 4.15
aww headlights, you're too cute
Johnny, Sarah and I went to see Headlights last night at the Hi Dive. The show was pretty much what I expected, which meant it was pleasant and fun. Pleasant isn’t a very descriptive word, but I feel like it’s the appropriate word to describe Headlights’ music. I find anything with male and female vocals and and a certain amount of poppiness pleasant, but who doesn’t? “TV”, one of the band’s poppiest songs by far, was the encore and certainly the highlight of the show. With openers The Love Langauge on stage with them, the band killed the song and turned it into a straight up dance party. I do wish that they had played “Some Racing, Some Stopping” and “April 2″, but maybe next time.
Here is a low quality video of “TV” taken on Johnny’s phone.
One of My Kind
You're Still One of My Kind
On another note, “One of My Kind”, the documetary about Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley is now available for free download on causecast.org. It is suggested that you make a donation to the charity of your choice.
The documentary details how the band formed, recorded their two records and their worldwide tour in the fall of 2008. It really makes you understand the dynamic of the mystic valley band and at the same time makes you appreciate the democratic approach to songwriting that Conor is taking these days. The most touching and humanizing moment is when it shows the band watching the election results in their hotel room. Oberst, in cowboy pajama pants, sits like a little boy glued to the t.v. and gets teary (as we all did) during the President’s acceptance speech. Anyway, it once again, made me feel guilty about my scathing review of “Outer South”, but just because you like the band doesn’t mean you have to love each album, right?
If you are a fan at all I suggest watching it, I really enjoyed it. Plus, your’s truly makes a guest appearance. Haha, no really, watch out for me and my friends Sarah and Chris, we’re in it at about 21 minutes. To explain, we signed up volunteers for the Obama campaign at a Mystic Valley Band Show.
Filed under: review | Tags: conor oberst, denver, mystic valley band, ogden, outer south
condor got me again. it's like i'm 14
I was going to wait to get my pictures developed to review this show, but unfortunately I’m too lazy to turn in my disposable camera to walgreens. that’s right, we are 21st century enough to have a blog but not a digital camera.
To put it simply the show was good. I knew it would be decent, but to be honest with you, it was one of the better conor shows I’ve been to (and I’ve been to too many, trust me). Mr. Oberst was quite the show man, funny and drunk, and singing and strumming along with pure conviction. It was heart warming to see conor so delighted to play the other band members songs. It made me feel guilty about my scathing review. He seemed truly comfortable on stage, playing with his mystic valley band, I side of him the audience rarely saw with Bright Eyes. The trembling, shaky voiced Conor that was clearly full of nerves at Coachella 2004 was long gone and replaced with a confident front man.
The show began with the album’s opener “Slowly”, which started the show with the high level of energy that continued through all 19 songs. Conor’s “Eagle on a Pole” was definitely an early high light in the set, and was followed by Jason Boesel’s “Eagle on a Pole”, which the band seemed to have a great time playing. During Boesel’s song Oberst danced around the stage, singing each lyric. The set continued, and while Conor songs were the bulk of the show, each band member sang one of their tracks from the record, the best being Frietas’ “Big Black Nothing”. It was nice to see a frontman so willing to share the limelight with his fellow band members.
“White Shoes” was the best song during the two hour set. Oberst asked for a dark stage, and he alone strummed his guitar and sang so fragilely that you could hear each crack in his voice. The audience, which was at times rowdy and obnoxious, remained so silent you could hear a pin drop. It was the kind of performance of a song that will live in my memory for a very long time.
“NYC- GONE GONE” was a high light as well as “Roosevelt Room”. “Ten Women” was stripped down with the mystic valley band acting as a back up choir to oberst. “Milk Thistle” ended the set, and once again the audience was left with a nearly empty stage as Oberst and Macey Taylor went through a quiet, beautiful rendition of one of Oberst’s best songs to date.
The set was pretty heavy on songs from the first album, which was surprising to me. The show made it hard to hate outer south as much as I did. It was hard to be cyincal because it was clear that Oberst was having a really good time and was at ease with each song. His stage bantor was funny and his dance moves even funnier. The funniest part of the show was when a really annoying drunk girl kept screaming at him “Conor give me your beer”. After a little bit of back and forth about whether she was 21 (he looked at her I.D.), he obliged. But before he handed the beer to her he tried to chug it all so she would just get an empty can. He couldn’t do it and spit it all over the security and the people front row center, which happened to include johnny, our two friends, and me. I think it was pretty hilarious that he tried to trick the stupid scene girl.
I guess I am biased reviewer because the 15 year old fan girl in me that saw Conor at the fox six years ago still comes out sometimes. It reminded me of shows past, but it shouldn’t of, really everything about it was different other than the most basic elements, nate walcott, lots of drinking and a passionate performance.
in case you haven’t heard any of outer south here is my favorite from the album, and if you get a chance to Conor take it.
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band have a load of tour dates, I’m too lazy to type them all out, so just click here.
and for a little sneak peak of the documentary about him, and a really good song that should’ve been on outer south
click here.
-marissa
Filed under: listy-poo | Tags: cat poop, clowns, extenze, fuck you, m night shyamalan, Mad World, new found glory, wall-e
I’m going to be an oddball here, I am only posting a top seven, HA!
07. Mad World: You’re too short! Fuck you man.
06. M Night Shyamalan: What the hell dood (yes I write dude, dood) your movies are just all awful, yeah, I spent money on The Happening, I also walked out of that theatre very upset fifteen minutes into the movie. Why are you so bad?! I don’t get it. How can you still have a job? Fuck you.
05. Wall-E: ….Just kidding I love you Marissa butt
happy school year anniversary!!!
04. Clowns: You scare me, Fuck you.
03. Extenze: God, I always see these commercials and the same thing always gets me, the main guy. The way he says “male enhancement” and then does a weird mouth slap…What the fuck? That’s just weird.. Fuck you.
02. New Found Glory: Are you kidding me? You’re still around!? What the hell I mean really it’s not like you have the same fan base at all like all those weirdo’s that used to like you still do I mean that’d be ridikulus!(yes harry potter ridik) Fuck you New Found Glory for being so shitty
01. Cat Poop: You stink! Cats seem to poop when it’d be the worst possible time- right when you into walk in a room where there is a litter box. they also seem to like to tip over those litter boxes which is another big problem because then you’re stuck cleaning cat poop and pee off the floor! What the hell!! Fuck you!
-Johnny Ketchum
Outer South
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Outer South
My grade: D+
I don’t like giving Conor Oberst bad reviews. I have been a fan of Oberst’s bands for 7 years. I have everything the guy has ever done, and by everything I mean everything, my itunes is loaded with over 700 songs by Conor in all of his bands and incarnations. I’ve seen him nearly twenty times and met him plenty of times too. I don’t want to give his new album “Outer South” a bad review, but it warrants it.
When Cassadega came out I was a little disappointed. After “I’m wide awake..” and “digital ash..” it was a let down. However, looking back, it was really solid, the worst song on it being “Classic Cars” which was boring at best and shitty alt-country at worst. It should’ve been a sign that Conor was headed in a mediocore alt-country direction. His self-titled debut with the Mystic Valley band was heavily disappointing for me. I had listened to bootlegs of most of the songs on the record and they were great. But the album was terrible, it was overproduced and songs that were once pretty stripped down songs were turned into country jams. I don’t hate country, I love gram parsons, johnny cash and the like. I even like some Bright Eyes songs that lend themselves to country, like “Make War” or “Another Travellin’ Song”. But the country music Conor makes now is nothing short of cheesy, pop country with mediocore lyrics.
With “Outer South” I am not disappointed, because I didn’t expect much. From the second I heard the intro to “Slowly (oh so slowly)” a few weeks ago, I knew this album was going to be just as bad, if not worse, then the last album. And it is worse, much, much worse.
Outer South begins with “Slowly (oh so slowly)”, a song I am clearly not very fond of. This is a terrible way to start an album. It makes me long for the soothing intro to “Cape Canaveral”. The next song, “To all the lights in the windows” is pretty good actually, Conor finally made the 70s folk song he had been trying to make since “I’m wide awake”. I mean, by pretty good, it’s not that bad. Nic Frietas’ “Big Black Nothing” is decent, not too bad, but not great either. By this point in the record I had hope. But then I heard “Air Mattress”, the single worst song on this record. It’s trying to be everything at once, and failing miserably. It has a fast synth line, goes into a little bit of surf rock (wtf right?) yet is still country. Taylor Hollingsworth’s vocals are less than appealing and border on just down right annoying. The lyrics may be the most atrocious part of this song, “can I sleep on this air mattress with you?” is the chorus. We get it, you guys like to travel, but making a love song about sleeping on an air mattress isn’t cute it’s just stupid.
Other songs on this record teeter on being the worst song too. In fact, “Air Mattress” is kind of the turning point for this record, the rest of the songs are pretty much all alt-country jams that sound like each other. “Spoiled” is absolutely awful. It’s like “Arc of Time” (From digital ash) meets margaritaville meets pop country. It has the same point as a lot of older bright eyes songs. “You’ve got everything you want but you’re still down” is the kind of lyric that could’ve fit on “Fever and Mirrors”, however it’s ruined by the tropical beat and cheesy guitar. “Nikorette” is another cheesy country song, the only thing that makes it decent is when Nic Frietas sings in the chorus for a few seconds. “Eagle on Pole”, not to be confused with the much better “Eagle on a Pole” on the last album, seems like it’s trying to be fleetwood mac or something. I like fleetwood mac- but I don’t like this song. It’s chorus is “Never trust an eagle on a pole”. Need I say more? The most angering song to me on this record is “I Got The Reason”, I’ve heard this song live and it was really beautiful. This song begins pretty enough, but then there is an ultra-dramatic breakdown and it turns into a alt-country jam session.
“Ten Women” is a lovely song, the reason why it’s so good is because it’s stripped down. There is no overproducing, no dramatic bridges, no breakdowns and no organ solos. The lyrics are a little weak, but then again that’s true for the rest of the album. “Roosevelt Room” is another high point, with politically charged lyrics. Oberst screams “And the working poor you’ve been shitting on are doing shifts tonight!” like he really means it. It has the kind of passion that a previous Bright Eyes record would be chalk full of and that this album is missing entirely. “White Shoes” is the best of album, another song I heard live, the only thing that deters from the stripped down bare prettiness of this song is the vocal distortion.
There is no relevance to this record. Each song seems randomly placed in a string of random songs. The lyrical themes of conor past are gone. The symbolism of conor past is gone. The meaning behind each lyric of conor past is gone. This album feels like a collection songs they recorded too quickly and with no clear direction.
My advice for Oberst is to not let his other band members write or sing songs on his records. Other than the first Frietas songs his comrades don’t serve as much of a utility. He also needs to stop overproducing and overdoing songs that are much better stripped down. They need to try less to be a “rocking” country band and keep the songs simple. Oberst has made a career of not keeping things simple, and for the most part, succeeded, take “Lifted..” for example. But having a full orchestra is a lot different then forcing a breakdown and silly guitar solos on every song.
Ofcourse artists change, no one is expecting Oberst to be singing lovesick songs anymore, he’s nearly 30 years old. However, nothing has really changed since his last album, expect that he is getting more and more into generic alt-country that is now bleeding into straight up pop-country. While the beginning of “Laura Laurent” can recall the beginning of a Gram Parson’s song, the beginning of this record sounds like the beginning of a Keith Urban record, something I never thought I’d say 7 years ago.
Outer South will be out on Merge Records on May 5th, 2009. You can stream it now at mergerecords.com
-marissa malouff
p.s. for a more detailed, sillier, worse written review of the album look at my track by track review below!
