No. 9: Snoop Dogg

What can I say? Snoop Dogg is as OG as Lollapalooza is going to get! The Long Beach rapper has been doing this for 15+ years, and though he is pushing forty he still continues to have star in movies and push out radio hits. His 2008 album Ego Trippin’ wasn’t half bad, and the grammy nominated single “Sensual Seduction” (Sexual Eruption on the album) is Tha Doggfather’s fifth Billboard Top Ten single.

I have never caught Snoop live, but I have continued to listen to his albums over the years. The most recent albums typically start off with fun rhymes about pimps and ho’s and of course blunts! But these albums end with songs about being a family man, cleaning up the violence, or helping the Youth Tackle Football League. So it does tend to be a bit hypocritical. Snoop may be humbling with age, but that might not be a bad thing as his legal problems through the years over shadowed much of his career.

But don’t let all of that deter you from seeing him live. He should play both the old and the new hits like "What’s My Name," "Gin and Juice," "Lodi Dodi," "Murder Was The Case," "Drop It Like It’s Hot," and the list goes on. Which means many fans will be able to sing along and have a good time. This show is in a pretty open time slot, so I expect it to be a big turnout to see Snoop Dogg and his entourage (possibly a guy with a green hat) rock the party! Fo shizzle dizzle!

http://www.myspace.com/snoopdogg

http://www.snoopdogg.com/

No. 10: The Decemberists

Portland based The Decemberists are what I call a "safe" band, you really can't hate them but they don't blow you away either. I know many people will disagree with that, but it's just how I feel. Well, until I heard their fifth studio album The Hazards of Love. I think this album was a step in the right direction, it takes the largest risk with a well deserved payoff, or maybe it's just more my kind of music. This album is described as a rock opera since it's about a tragic love story created by Colin Meloy that maintains the same theme throughout all the tracks. It also has a very epic type feel you can hear from bands like Arcade Fire, it's best to listen from track 1 to 17 without skipping ( You may want to listen to "The wanting comes in waves / repaid" a few times though). Regardless it gives me a whole new excitement to see them at Lolapalooza on Friday.

The Decemberists started back in 2000 when Colin Meloy moved to Portland and met Nate Query and Jenny Conlee, from there came Chris Funk and Ezra Holbrook who replaced the first drummer in the band. They incorporate instruments like organ, accordions, violins, harpsichord, and anything else they can get their hands on; without a doubt a talented multi-instrumental band. Many people compare them to Neutral Milk Hotel, Belle and Sebastian, and The New Pornographers.

MySpace Page
Official Page (Creative Website)

No. 11: TV on the Radio

Brooklyn-based TV on the Radio is one of my most anticipated bands playing Lollapalooza this year. They play a high-energy brand of music that makes you want to dance and go crazy. Last year, TVotR released Dear Science, which was listed on numerous best-of-2008 lists, including Rolling Stone's No. 1 album. It made my Top 5 albums from last year as well.

Dear Science starts off with a bang. "Halfway Home" rages with distorted guitars, eerie keyboards and danceable percussion. It really kicks you in the pants, and paves the way for a great album. Other highlights include head-bob-inducing "Golden Age" and the absolutely badass "DLZ." I've never seen these guys live. Most of the reviews I've read of their concerts are very positive, with a few exceptions. They sound like a very fun band to go see and have fun, but I have a feeling they'd be more fun to see in a small club. I wish I had the chance to check out their after-show at the Double Door Aug. 7. I guess I will just have to "settle" for their Lolla performance. They play on Friday at 6:30. Can't wait.

Myspace

Official site

No. 12: Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend broke big in 2008 with their debut album of the same name. Riding a wave of favorable word of mouth through blogs and glowing critic reviews, you could almost say they got too big too fast as they are seen by some as the latest holders of the "mainstream indie" crown previously held by Death Cab For Cutie. Despite their meteoric rise, the New York foursome plan to release their sophomore effort, which has yet to be named, later this year. The band is made up of Ezra Koenig (Guitar), Rostam Batmanglij (Organ), Chris Thomson (Drums), and Chris Baio (Bass), and rose through the indie ranks playing house parties in the ultra-hip Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg.

Vampire Weekend mixes afrobeat influences with tight fluttery guitars, and sing mostly about life in the big city. Their music is something I don't particularly enjoy, per say, but I can see why they have garnered all this success in such a short amount of time. It could be because their music makes me feel like I'm trapped in a Wes Anderson movie.... I don't know..... Maybe their newest album will win me over, but since they are up against Neko Case, their live show probably won't either.

Myspace

www.vampireweekend.com

No. 13: Ben Folds

Ben Folds has been around for awhile. When he first came out he was in a band called Majosha. Some of his earliest songs like "Emaline" and "Video" came from this group and he picked up his signature sound from these days. Folds was quoted once as calling his music "punk rock for sissies." He is a troubadour of the piano and it carries most of his songs. Over the years, Ben Folds has put out some pretty solid records that shaped my musical taste and made me start listening to music that was a little away from the mainstream. Sure songs like "Brick," "Song for the Dumped," and "Battle of Who Could Care Less" breached the radio waves, but back in the day Folds was still an artist that few delved deep into. Following his career through the early days with Ben Folds Five up until his first solo disc Rockin the Suburbs you could see that he was really honing his craft. While some saw Rockin as a little too commercial and got pissed that an artist would change lyrics or remix a song for a movie (Over the Hedge), if you really listened to Folds through the years you could see that he hit his high point on that record. Songs like "Fred Jones, Pt. 2" and "The Ascent of Stan" are Folds at his finest hour, and he played all the instruments on that record.

That being said, Ben Folds has gotten old. His last two albums Songs for Silverman and last year's Way to Normal were what I would call "Dad Rock" or songs that your Dad might listen to and think he was cool. They really lack that depressing and melancholy feeling you would get from his older songs while at the same time being rocked. He still uses sarcasm, but before it came off funny and now it comes off corny. Hey, not every artist can have longevity. If he sticks to an older set list it should make for a great show, but if it's littered with Dad rock then go find some band that's actually trying to make you think still. You can always throw in one of his CDs on a road trip if you want to get nostalgic.

No. 14: Animal Collective

Animal Collective is an experimental music group originally from Baltimore. The band is officially made up of four members: Avey Tare (David Porter), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Wietz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb), although Deakin is currently taking some time off from the band and did not contribute to their latest album, Merriweather Post Pavilion. Word is that he plans on returning eventually.

I am a big Animal Collective fan, but I admit they can be difficult to get into. On the surface, a lot of their songs are kind of weird, but I think once you strip down their music, you'll find they have some really great tunes. The band uses loops and sound effects to produce a layered sound, to go along with complex vocals. The vocals are what makes this band good. Singers Avey Tare and Panda Bear work well off each other, yet both have their own unique sound.

Merriweather Post Pavilion is one of my favorite albums from this year. It's more electronic than their previous album, Strawberry Jam, but I think it has stronger vocals. "My Girls" and "Brother Sport" are obvious strong tracks, but check out "Guys Eyes" to get a good idea of how intricate Animal Collective can be.

I've seen this band twice live. The first time, at the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival, was one of the best shows I've ever seen. But this past winter at Metro, they put on a clunker. (See my review of the show here.) I'm hoping they will redeem themselves this year at Lollapalooza. They play Saturday at 7:30, going up against Ben Harper. This is an easy decision, people: go see Animal Collective. They also have a DJ set at 2:30 on Saturday.

Myspace

No. 15: Ben Harper and the Relentless7

If you've been to any music festival in recent history, there's a good chance you've had your chance to see Ben Harper live. Actually if you've been around anywhere anytime, there's a good chance Ben Harper and some semblance of his bands have played there live. Ben Harper's newest collection, if I may, is called the Relentless7 and includes Texas-based musicians Jason Mozersky (guitar), Jesse Ingalls (bass) , and Jordan Richardson (drums). Their first album White Lies for Dark Times is similar to many of Harper's previous albums -- it's good but fails to deliver the energy and passion Harper captured in 1995's Fight For Your Mind.

I feel the same way about the handful of times I've happened upon Ben live -- headliner, festival, opener or otherwise; his songs and personality are so full of passion but a lot of it gets lost in translation because he is usually sitting while playing slide guitar and seems to lack the cohesiveness with his fellow musicians, possibly because of the shuffling lineup. The truth is, I like Ben Harper, I always have, but this year at Lolla, like with most of my Ben encounters, I'll probably check out the other option, Animal Collective and stake out my spot for Tool.

Ben Harper and the Relentless7 on MySpace

The Official Site of Ben Harper

No. 16: Thievery Corporation

I've found out over the years that Thievery Corporation's music is a vital thing to have when experiencing a hangover. Their smooth down tempo beats go down like peanut butter and jelly and make for the perfect proverbial "background music". The DJ/producer team of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton congealed at a club in Washington, D.C., called the Eighteenth Street Lounge, which the pair also owned together. One night the guys decided to try their hand at the music they showcased at their club and Thievery was born. Together, Garva and Hilton mix world, electronic, dub and jazz into some of the most relaxing music you're likely to hear this side of Pure Moods.

For me, their most enjoyable album has to be The Richest Man In Babylon, a disc I have worn out from many continuous plays during long hazy evenings. Most of Thievery's songs go well in almost any setting as my wife, who is a dance teacher for little kids, once used the aforementioned album as house music for one of her recitals. It's also music you can feel good recommending to your parents if they're into this kind of thing, but still cool enough to have on at your next party. Thievery is also known to have their share of guest singers. On 2005's The Cosmic Game, guests like Wayne Coyne, David Byrne, and Perry Farrell are featured in the credits for lending their voices to a few tracks.

I have been waiting a long time to see Thievery Corporation and have missed out on a ton of opportunities since moving to Chicago. It's safe to say I won't let them slip through the cracks this time.

Myspace

www.thieverycorporation.com

No. 17: Silversun Pickups

Silversun Pickups is a band fairly new to the music scene. In '05 they released their EP Pikul, but reached fame the following year with their album Carnavas. "Lazy Eye" received a lot of radio play, and was even featured on Guitar Hero World Tour, not that I would know. Ahem. They toured extensively promoting the album with such bands as Wolfmother and Snow Patrol. Since then, this foursome from California recently released their second album, Swoon, earlier this year.

I really didn't know much about this band prior to this post, besides the fact they had a couple of songs on the radio I really enjoyed. Their distorted sound, mixed with the unique vocals of Brian Aubert, are what make Silversun Pickups so pleasant to the ear. Having never seen them live, I can't wait until they play night 3 at Lolla.

No. 18: Neko Case

Neko Case is an alt-country singer from Virginia who is also well known for being part of The New Pornographers. Case has been around a while, playing in five bands, not including her established solo career, plus contributing to many songs for other groups. Case has five albums out, with her most recent Middle Cyclone receiving critical acclaim, which has numerous guest performers including M. Ward and Calexico. I have to be honest, I was not a huge fan at first, but her music can grow on you if you allow it. She has a very soft, gentle voice, but you can tell behind the mask lies a badass. She pulls off a harder-edge attitude that you pick up on after the first listen through the tracks. I would say she sounds like St. Vincent meets Lucinda Williams. Sometimes it gets a little too country for me, but I can still see myself enjoying more of her music in the future.

We will be welcoming her back to the Chicago stage during Lollapalooza. Case lived in Chicago for a number of years after leaving Seattle, where she said it "wasn't hospitable to its local artists." Definitely the first time I have heard something bad about Seattle when it comes to music, but she said it was the Government with the problem, not with the fans. She will be playing on Sunday at 4:30 for Lolla.

On an odd side note, Case was named "Sexiest Babe of Indie Rock" in 2003 by Playboy. They asked her to pose nude, which she declined, thinking it would ultimately hurt her music career.

Official Page
MySpage Page

2009 Pitchfork Music Festival: Yeasayer and M83

This year's Pitchfork had its share of solid performances, stinkers, and surprises. The surprises did not come from the headliners (I can only speak for Saturday and Sunday -- I did not attend Friday), as the Flaming Lips put on a rushed, seemingly abbreviated -- but fun -- set, and the National sounded great but really couldn't deliver as a headliner.

The two bands that stood out the most to me had to be Yeasayer and M83. I saw Yeasayer live on two occasions in 2008. At the Logan Square Auditorium their sound was kind of muffled and they seemed uneasy for some reason. I chalk it up to the venue. At Lollapalooza, they put on a much better set, playing with more confidence in front of a much larger crowd. But after seeing them this past Saturday at Pitchfork, I can see they have continued to jell as a band over the past year. They got rid of their drummer and split his duties among two new members. Now the band features one drummer that plays a regular kit, and another that plays an electronic drum set -- something the band's previous drummer tried to conquer all on his own.

Because of this change, I felt the group sounded much tighter. They played probably 4 new songs that all sounded good. And they nailed all the songs from their debut album All Hour Cymbals. Look for good things coming from these guys in the future.

The other bright spot of the festival came from M83. I probably shouldn't have been so surprised -- I did, in fact, list their album Saturdays = Youth in my top 5 albums of 2008. But lately I had stopped listening to the album, and I wasn't all that excited to see them perform. M83 put on a great set, however, probably getting the crowd going better than any other act at the festival. I would definitely like to check these guys out at a smaller venue the next time they roll through Chicago.

No. 19: Deerhunter

Deerhunter is a four-member noise rock band from Atlanta. They remind me of No Age, but a little less punk and with more jammed-out songs. The band is fronted by Bradford Cox, who is also known for his solo project, Atlas Sound. During Deerhunter's concerts, Cox sometimes wears sundresses, and he has performed with fake blood on his hands and face.

Their most recent full-length album, Microcastle, received solid reviews from critics. I like some of the songs a lot, especially "Little Kids" and "Nothing Ever Happened." I feel the album kind of stalls toward the middle, but once "Nothing Ever Happened" kicks in, things take off.

I've never seen Deerhunter live, but from what I've read of their live performances, they sound kind of unpredictable. One show you might see a flawless, rocking performance. Another, Cox may decide to just make noises, rather than actual songs. But they sound like a band that I would like to see at some point. Unfortunately, Deerhunter has the unenviable task of playing up against Lou Reed at 6:30 on Sunday.

Deerhunter will also be joining other Pithfork darlings, Dan Deacon and No Age, for a show at the Logan Square Auditorium on Sunday, Aug. 9 at 10:00 p.m. (With these three bands along with Animal Collective, I feel like this year's Lolla has more "Pitchfork bands" than the Pitchfork Music Festival had.)

Myspace

Deerhunter/Atlas Sound blog

No. 20: Crystal Castles

The Crystal Castles are a electronic duo from Toronto, Ontario. That's right, I know if I wanted you to read on I should have probably stayed away from a topic as thrilling as button pushers from the Canada. Okay so let's start over, the Crystal Castles make some interesting noise. Think back to when you were a kid, high on Mountain Dew and Cheeto's Dust, staying up all night just so you could play the latest NES release, the mix of the sugar, adrenaline, the 8 bit soundtrack, and your mother screaming from upstairs for you to go to bed. That sums up the Crystal Castles pretty well. Think that may be a bit of a stretch, check out "Alice Practice" and "XXZXCUZX Me" from the band's self-titled debut album.


Sounds like a good time, right? Surprisingly multi-instrumentalist Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass pull it all off rather well. So much so that Adam Kosecki, a frequent Claptrapped contributor, listed their song "Crimewave" as one of the top 3 songs of 2008. The sound works, but I am skeptical on how it will transfer live. However, with the band playing from 5-6pm on Friday against only Fleet Foxes and Asher Roth, I might have to check it out for myself.


Crystal Castles on MySpace

No. 21: Robert Earl Keen

Robert Earl Keen is a country singer/songwriter from Texas. He plays a folky type of country; it's not over-the-top twangy. I'm admittedly not a fan of most country. The closest I come to liking country is probably moe. and Wilco (A.M.). So, not surprisingly, I can't really get into Keen's music. I don't find it annoying like most pop country, but I still can't get behind it. He has some interesting lyrics, so if you're a fan of country music, you might want to check out Robert Earl Keen. He plays at 3:30 on Saturday at Lollapalooza -- going up against Gomez and Chairlift.

Interesting fact about Keen: When he was attending college at Texas A&M he was neighbors with Lyle Lovett. The two performed together many evenings on their front porch.

Official site

Myspace

No. 22: STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9)

Mr. Lollapalooza himself, Perry Farrell, once said of STS9, "STS9's music speaks in the future tense." The more I think about that statement, the more I think it's true. In a world full of knobs and auto-tune, these unsung heroes of the electronic world have carved a serious niche for themselves.

If you know anything at all about me, you know that this band right here is my shit. Hailing from ATL (Stone Mountain, GA to be exact), the entirely instrumental band consists of Hunter Brown (Guitar), David Murphy (Bass), David Phipps (Keyboards), Jeffree Lerner (Percussion), and last but not least, Zack Velmer (Drums). The band came up playing small bars in all of the southeastern college towns beginning in the late '90s, and considered Athens, GA, their second home. Ever since I stumbled into that late night tent at Bonnaroo '03 to see 5 lean musicians pumping out these otherworldly sounds and textures with live instruments, no less, I was hooked. They played for the better part of about 3 hours which culminated with an impromptu jam encore with Mike Gordon of Phish, who had no idea who they were 30 minutes prior to asking them if he could jump in. This performance absolutely ruined me for the rest of the weekend. I still had fun, but I felt like my musical appreciation had reached a whole new level that would not be surpassed throughout the rest of my time there.

Following the band over the next 6 years would take me to places like the Tabernacle for Halloween with fire dancers, the Georgia Theatre for a homebase throwdown, Colorado for their first headline at Red Rocks, and box seats at the House of Blues in Chicago. The band used to have a more fluid, organic, jammy feel, in songs like "Crystal Instrument," "Ramone and Emiglio," and "Water Song," but have since shortened their jams to include more electronic oriented club bangers such as "1103," "Hi-Key," and "Economic Hitman." Personally I prefer the older groovy STS9, but remember we're speaking in the future tense, right? While they may not have power crystals, the Myan calender, and live paintings at each show anymore, the new stuff has some potential, but I think it still has a way to go. Their latest album Peaceblaster is proof of this as it exhibits less of that trademark flow that has been showcased on 2005's Artifact or 2000's Offered Schematics Suggesting Peace. Still, I think that this is the best band going and are creating something truly original.

This year at Lolla, their biggest competition is Ben Folds at 4:00 on Friday, so it's a safe bet I will be posted up watching the band that has amazed me for years and hopefully will continue to in years to come.

Myspace

STS9.com

Peaceblaster.com- This is a blog that is maintained by Hunter, the band's guitarist.

No. 23: Arctic Monkeys

Wünderkinds the Arctic Monkeys have been the international representative of the Brit punk-pop scene since their “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” album became the fastest selling debut in British music history in 2005. They followed up with “Favorite Worst Nightmare” in 2007 and will be releasing “Humbug” later this year.

While I dislike using $7 words like “wünderkind,” I feel it’s appropriate in this case, as the band members were all of 18 when their debut album was released. “WPSIA,TWIN” (isn’t brevity beautiful?) is raw, powerful and purely adolescent. Also, it fucking rules. Each track has a plot straight out of a high schooler’s summer vacation and they are appropriately short. From top to toes the Arctic Monkeys shred their guitars, wail their drums and narrate mischief with a thick Yorkshire accent. This album will rock your socks off and make you laugh while doing it. “Favorite Worst Nightmare” was a full-on follow-up. It has the same cleverness, but with a heap-load of production. While trying to avoid redundancy, the album is far more polished, which felt less authentic to me. But fear not, it’ll still get your accelerator to the floor. The first single off of “Humbug” is available online and goes by the organized letters “Crying Lightning.” It’s far slower than most of “WPSIA,TWIN” and has a bit of an Oasis feel to it. Expect to hear at least a coupla tracks from “Humbug” during their Lolla set.

The Arctic Monkeys play at 4:30 on Saturday opposite only Coheed and Cambria. PLUS they are playing a show the night before at the Metro, which you (yes, you) should probably go check out. If you like Brit rock, fast guitars, and tremendousness, give the Arctic Monkeys a whirl.

Arctic Monkeys Homepage

No. 24: Rise Against

This Chicago-native band has been around for 10 years, but reached fame with the 2004 release of Siren Song of the Counter Culture. Such hits as "Swing Life Away" and "Give it All" launched the band into fame. Since then, they've produced two more albums, the most recent being last year's Appeal to Reason.

You don't have to be a fan to know they have an opinion, and they love to share it. A good number of their songs are politically charged, and they even participated in the compilation cd Rock Against Bush Vo 1. They are PETA activists, who used their video for "Ready to Fall" as a means to show the brutal treatment of animals. Unlike most of their peers, 3 out of 4 members of the band live the straight edge life, not participating in drug or alcohol use.

The band has been accused of becoming more main-stream throughout the years, sounding more pop than punk. Though I personally agree, as Siren Song of the Counter Culture is one of my favorites and hasn't been matched by them since, I still enjoy their music and respect them as artists. They still hold the same views and live the same lives they did before their '04 debut. They love Chicago and put on a great show a few years back at the Congress, and I'm sure Lolla night 2 will be no exception.

No. 25: Santigold

Like M.I.A. before her, Sanitgold is one of those bodacious female MC's that has a proficiency in getting crowds live all over the planet. Her heavily self-sampled music is extremely catchy and had me bobbing my head within seconds of first hearing it. I guess I would describe it as psychedelic, poppy hip-hop. There must be something in the water at Wesleyan University since it can claim Santigold as well as MGMT and Amazing Baby as its alumni. Sanitgold fronted a punk band called Stiffed back in those heady days and even cut a record produced by Darryl Jennifer of the hardcore punk band Bad Brains. Last year Santigold released her then self-titled album Santogold. Confused? In January 2009, Santigold changed her name to her current moniker from Santogold after a jewelry company with the name -- Santo Gold -- threatened legal action.

Santigold's music has been featured in a lot of places, garnering her massive commercial success, and has been featured in ads for VO5 and commercials for the Ford Flex. Collaboration must be this woman's middle name as she has collaborated with folks like Jay-Z, Ashlee Simpson, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Julian Casablancas, and Lykke Li. Her show seems like it would be a lot of fun, so I might swing by, seeing as how there is not much else interesting going on when she is playing.

Myspace

No. 26: Zap Mama

Zap Mama is a musical group from Belgium that fuses hip hop, R&B, reggae, and African roots. Lead singer Marie Daulne sings in both French and English, and backing vocals help put the focus of the group's music on vocals. The vocals are basically used as another instrument.

Daulne was born in Isiro, a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When she was only a week old, her father was killed by Simba rebels. Daulne eventually was flown to Belgium because her father was a Belgian citizen. Growing up in Belgium, she felt the need to learn more about her African roots, so she traveled back to the Congo in 1984. Now she is trying to connect European and African cultures with her music.

I enjoy Zap Mama's more upbeat songs. The vocals are intricate and interesting. They kind of lose me with their slower R&B-type songs. I could see Zap Mama being a pretty fun act to see live if they keep the energy up. They play at 1:00 on Friday of Lollapalooza. They aren't really up against anyone I want to see, but I still probably won't be checking them out.

Zap Mama on Myspace

Official site

No. 27: Atmosphere

Minneapolis duo Atmosphere know a thing or two about hard work. Sean Daley, AKA Slug (MC), and Anthony Davis, AKA Ant (DJ/Producer), are one of those underground hip-hop success stories that stems from constant touring, and extreme perseverance and determination. In the group's formative days, Ant and Slug jumped in a van and drove all the way to Dallas just to make a gig paying $250.00. Since then, the group has seen breakout notoriety with 2003's Seven's Travels. I remember seeing a video back then on MTV for Trying To Find A Balance, the album's big hit. While I can't say I am absolutely in love with their music, I will say Slug has a unique way of converting lyrics into stories about everyday life.

Slug mostly raps about his day-to-day experiences, which are not to far off base for most people. Subjects in his songs range from hangovers (Sunshine), to hypocrites (Your Glasshouse), to bitchy servers (The Waitress), to fallen family members (Yesterday). All of the aforementioned tracks belong to the group's latest album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold and are given breadth by Ant's jazzy, laid-back loops, which ground the songs, making them easier to identify with. The only other act that is vying for my attention with Atmosphere is Animal Collective, so it's likely I won't be checking them out.

www.rhymesayers.com

Myspace

No. 28: Of Montreal

Of Montreal is an indie pop band from Athens, Georgia, lead by front man Kevin Barnes, who is the only member from the original band. They have seen some major turnover that would make companies like Careerbuilder.com blush -- there are six former members since 1997. Barnes named the band after a breakup with a woman from, you guessed it, Montreal.

The last album Skeletal Lamping was written from the perspective of Kevin Barnes' alter ego, Georgie Fruit, who is a black transsexual. So, as you can guess, all of their songs are very glam pop rock with a touch of soul. It reminds me of Prince meets MGMT. However I think it's missing something that makes it special or unique. They have already put out a whopping 9 albums with the 10th, False Priest, coming out in 2010. Maybe the new album will have that little something extra that will take them to the next level.

1997 Cherry Peel
1998 The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy
1999 The Gay Parade
2001 Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse
2002 Aldhils Arboretum
2004 Satanic Panic in the Attic
2005 The Sunlandic Twins
2007 Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
2008 Skeletal Lamping

They're playing opposite of Andrew Bird on Friday at Lollapalooza so I will not be checking them out. I'll be interested to hear the reviews on the live performance.

Official Page
MySpace Page

No. 29: Band of Horses

Band of Horses is a folk rock band that often draws comparisons to My Morning Jacket mostly due to the similarities in the voices of lead singers Ben Bridwell and Jim James, respectively. The band formed in Seattle but now lives and works out of South Carolina, and will hopefully be releasing their 3rd studio album sometime before the end of 2009.

The band's first two albums are a model of consistency; there are few, if any, songs I skip or seek out. The albums are solid efforts with some small peaks and almost no valleys. The My Morning Jacket comparisons are overstated -- the vocals are very similar and the bands both play a brand of folk rock, but Band of Horses seem to lack the curiosity and spectacle that make Jim James' band one of the best live bands today. I'm hoping Band of Horses will prove this wrong at Lolla, Sunday 7:30pm.


Band of Horses on MySpace

The Official Site of Band of Horses

No. 30: Passion Pit

Get ready for the synth. Last summer it was all MGMT, Cut Copy, and M83. This summer belongs to Passion Pit. The electronic band consists of Michael Angelakos (lead vocals/keyboards), Ian Hultquist (keyboards), Ayad Al Adhamy (synth/samples), Jeff Apruzzese (bass) and Nate Donmoyer (drums). They come out of Boston and only formed in 2007. They had a couple of EP's out before this year but 'Manners' is their first label released album. Every single song on this record has a catchy melody and by the end lifts your spirit to the sky. In the end it just makes you feel happy. It may take a couple of listens to get past how poppy the melodies really are, but a song like Sleepyhead will never get outta your head. The way this record flows is just perfect. A pop number, then a song to make-out to, a pop number, and another song to make-out to. The thing about this album that stands out is the live drums combined with the synth keyboard. Obviously if you are not in to the new wave of electronic bands out there today this album will do nothing for you, but if you love the impending revolution then you will pop this CD in and keep it in constant rotation.

Never seeing Passion Pit I don't have a perspective on how they are live. After reading a few reviews online they sound like they transcend most electro pop bands' live performances. It might be worth it to stop by the stage for a song or two seeing as how Lolla is outside.

Songs to check out:
1. Sleepyhead
2. The Reeling
3. Moth's Wings

Sleepyhead Video
MySpace Page
Official Site

No. 31: Bon Iver

Justin Vernon is the vocals, guitarist, keyboards, and drummer behind Bon Iver which is pronounced /bone ivɛər/. Bon Iver is based off the French word "bon hiver" which means good winter. Vernon came up with the name from a story about an Alaskan town. Every year for the first snow, the townspeople came out of their houses and gathered in town square. They hugged and kissed each other and would say "bon hiver." Vernon wasn't sure what it meant but liked the story, after he found the meaning, he decided to drop off the "h" since he wasn't French.

What made Justin Vernon hide out in his Father's Wisconsin cabin for three months and create his debut album "For Emma, Forever Ago"? His band broke up, the relationship with his girlfriend ended and he had mono. Good enough reasons for me plus one of the best albums of 2008 came out of his seclusion. Obviously as one can guess with all of these fantastic events happening in his life, this album is pretty mellow. Songs "Flume", "Lump Sum", and "Wolves Act I and II" are heartfelt songs with deep soulful lyrics. The song that takes the cake is "Skinny Love." I believe this song alone made "For Emma, Forever Ago" leap from a self-released album to a widely released and critically acclaimed album in 2008 by label Jagjaguwar. I personally have listened to the song 100 times. He created an EP in January called "Blood Bank" which feels a bit more produced then the debut. Hopefully the full length album will be out before 2010. Bon Iver plays on Friday at 3:00 during Lollapalooza.

Official Page
Myspace page

No. 32: Coheed and Cambria

I'm sure it's been said before, but imagine a band like Yes having sex with Metallica and King Crimson. The bastard child produced would undoubtedly be Coheed and Cambria. This band is dark prog metal in every sense of the term. Just listen to a couple songs and you'll get your fair share of crazy time signatures and hairpin guitar solos at every turn with a few emo touches here and there. I could almost describe them as Mastodon lite, but that doesn't mean I enjoy them any less. Being a huge fan of the prog ilk like Phish, Tool, Rush, and Umphrey's McGee, I doff my cap to bands that can come up with absurdly intricate compositions. My only wish is that front man Claudio Sanchez' vocals were just a little bit deeper. Think Geddy Lee's evil twin.

Back when I was working at FYE in college, the store had a demo copy of their album In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, which was mostly enjoyable, but the fun "fact" here is that supposedly the album matches up perfectly with Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Now I have no idea if that's true or not, but if you have some time to kill, let me know if it works out. The band, like most other prog bands, have created their own little universe that stems from a science fiction epic that was penned by Sanchez titled The Amory Wars. This story is a common thread in all of their albums centering around a character named Jesse "The Prize Fighter Inferno", resulting in their albums becoming more novel-like.

One of their songs, Welcome Home, is one of the playable songs on the video game Rockband, and is a hell of a lot of fun to play. Having never seen them live, I can imagine they are just as awesome in person. I think catching their show might be a hard sell for the rest of my Lolla crew, but I might just have to do it by my own damn self if it comes down to it.

Official Website

Coheed and Cambria's Myspace

No. 33: Heartless Bastards

Heartless Bastards first piqued my interest a couple years ago. One of their songs was included in a collection of free songs given away at Lollapalooza 2007. The song, the title track from their second album, "All This Time," wasn't anything out of the ordinary -- just a really good rock-and-roll song.

Now a couple years later and finally getting the chance to check out a couple of their albums in entirety, I have a very similar feeling toward the band. I really enjoy their music, even though they play simple blues rock.

Heartless Bastards is centered around Erika Wennerstrom (guitar and vocals). She has been the mainstay in the band throughout its three albums. The current lineup features Wennerstrom, Jesse Ebaugh (bass), and Dave Colvin (drums). The band comes from Cincinnati, and Patrick Carney of the Black Keys helped them release their first album, "Stairs and Elevators."

My favorite aspect of the band is probably Wennerstrom's voice. And if I were to compare her voice, I'd probably have to compare it to male singers. I actually think she kind of sounds like the singer from Cold War Kids (anyone agree with me?). Regardless, I find her voice and songwriting interesting. I like how she repeats lyrics for emphasis.

I haven't seen Heartless Bastards live, but I'm looking forward to getting a sample of them this year at Lollapalooza. They have the 3:00 slot on Friday, which might provide a conflict for Bon Iver fans. I'd say even if you can't check them out at Lolla, give their albums a listen.

Heartless Bastards on Myspace

No. 34: White Lies

I was excited when I saw the cover of White Lies' only album, "To Lose My Life..." To me it looked like a shout-out to Pink Floyd's "Animals" cover. Whether White Lies intended this effect or not -- the band doesn't share much in common with Pink Floyd, other than that they're from England. My excitement disappeared right around track 3, I'd say.

White Lies is a four-member band that formed only a couple years ago. They were originally called Fear of Flying, but changed their name to White Lies because they thought it sounded "darker" and it reflected their maturity. They have recently toured with other 2009 Lollapalooza performers Glasvegas and Friendly Fires.

I'd say they sound like Tears for Fears and maybe the Killers. Some people compare them to Interpol, but I don't really hear it. A lot of what they do doesn't excite me much. The lead singer's voice grates on me at times, and they don't do anything ground-breaking musically. Not to mention that the lyrics can be pretty brutal: "I won an $800,000 game show, but it's not enough to win her back / As my tears hit the floor, he still said no; come on man give me some slack." Ech.

I would probably avoid White Lies at Lollapalooza. They have the Friday 2:00 slot on the Budweiser main stage. Go figure.

White Lies on Myspace

No. 35: Cold War Kids

Matt Aveiro, Matt Maust, Jonnie Bo Russell, Nathan Willett make up the California band Cold War Kids. They have two albums, the first came out in 2006 and was called Robbers & Cowards which had immediate success in the UK. I would describe their music as dirty, in a good way. They have many random stops , holes, and distorted guitar riffs. They remind me a bit of The Frames and hope they have a Lollapalooza performance as dynamic The Frames had in 2007 for those who watch. I would love to see them but they are playing against Dan Auerbach, tough to miss that show. If you haven't listened to Cold War Kids, give a listen to "We Used To Vacation", "Hang Me Up to Dry", "Hospital Beds", and "Saint John." They came out with another album in 2008 called Loyalty to Loyalty. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference to their debut album, but it is still good. These guys are good enough for my money for sure, check them out if you can.

Official Page
Myspace Page

No. 36: Lykke Li

Lykke Li, whose full name is Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, is a pop indie singer from Sweden. With a musician father and a mother who is a painter, Lykke Li was probably not going to end up in a cubicle when she grew up. As a pop singer, she gets more respect from me since she writes all her lyrics, which is more than I can say for many pop artists. Her lyrics are very direct and don't have much hidden meaning. For example in her song "Little Bit," she writes “for you I keep my legs apart," not exactly shy either. Her debut album came out last year and was produced by Peter Bjorn and John; the album is called Youth Novels. I'm not huge into pop music, but I dig on some of her tracks like "I'm good, I'm gone" and "Until we Bleed." Unfortunate for her, she is paired up with TV on the Radio on Saturday at Lollapalooza, so she will probably see a smaller crowd.

Official Page
Myspace Page

No. 37: Dan Deacon

The first time I ever saw a picture of Dan Deacon, it was in an issue of Blender magazine that inexplicably showed up at my house. Deacon was doing an editorial for the magazine and the picture consisted of Dan Deacon cloned over many times in a room in various states of activity. After hearing his music, I have to say that picture was worth a thousand words. Musically speaking, the acronym "ADD" comes to mind, but Deacon somehow manages to make it all cohesive. Armed with synthesizers, loops, and drum machines galore, it can take a while for one to adhere to his style, sort of like slipping into a steaming hot bath. At first it's sensory overload, but after a while you start to appreciate the method behind the madman.

I've been adapting to his new album, Bromst, for the last couple of months and there are a couple of tracks that I find myself searching out on my iPod constantly. "Red F" and "Snookered" are polyrhythmic odysseys that take the listener on quite a ride as Deacon weaves beeps and boops in with his own synthesized voice and builds tension with deep valleys of release. I would like to see him in a live setting to see just how the hell he does it all, but I kinda get the feeling Dan's suicide soda of "beats" might start to grate on me eventually under the hot Chicago sun.

Official Website

Official Myspace

No. 38: The Raveonettes

The Raveonettes are originally from Copenhagen, Denmark. When I first heard them, I figured they had at least two female singers. However, the band is only made up of two members: Sune Rose Wagner (guitar and vocals) and Sharin Foo (bass, guitar, and vocals). (Sune is a guy.)

They play a pretty simple brand of music with lots of noise. It has kind of a 1950s rock-type feel -- but with a whole bunch of distortion. It's a good sound. Their latest album, "Lust Lust Lust," is solid. The vocal harmonies are great and the guitars really soar. I enjoy the first half of the album immensely, but I think the second half drones on a little. It's not bad; it just doesn't really grab me. But the first half of the album is definitely worth checking out.

Anyone who knows my thoughts on two-member bands live can probably figure out if I will be in attendance for their Lolla spot. (Here's a hint: probably not.) The have a 3:30 slot on Sunday, competing with Gang Gang Dance, Dan Deacon, and Hollywood Holt. I'll probably be content to enjoy the Raveonettes on CD.

Here are some pretty good live clips of two of my favorite songs from "Lust Lust Lust":
Blush

Hallucinations

They also have their own YouTube channel, where they give commentary on a bunch of their songs. It's pretty neat.

The Raveonettes on MySpace