LCD Soundsystem at Metro, 5/26/2010

It was a packed house last Wednesday at the Metro in Chicago for LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy and co. made the crowd wait it out for a bit before taking the stage, but once they did, it was one big party.

LCD opened with one of my favorites from their Sound of Silver album, "Us v Them." I like this tune as an opener, as it sets the tone for a high-energy set and gets the crowd into the show right off the bat. When the bass kicked in and the disco ball started spinning, I had a good feeling this would be a great show.

Heading into the show, I was anticipating hearing mostly newer songs, with a heavy dose from LCD's recently released This is Happening. However, they only played four songs from that album -- "Drunk Girls," "Pow Pow," "All I Want," and "I Can Change." Of the four, I'd say "Pow Pow" was my favorite, but as a whole, I thought the new material didn't match the older stuff. It wasn't terrible, but I feel like the new songs could use a little work to smooth out some of the rough edges.

The songs from the group's first two albums sounded great, and the crowd seemed most into "All My Friends" and "Daft Punk is Playing at My House." Other highlights of the show, for me, included an extended version of "Yeah" (along with a kick-ass light show), "Someone Great," and "Losing My Edge."

The closing song of the encore -- "New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" -- left me a little disappointed. For one, I don't really like the song. Also, in general, I don't like when bands close with slow songs. I like things to go out with a bang. Something like "One Touch" or "Home" off the new album would have been better, I think. But I can't really complain. The show, as a whole, was really excellent. Can't wait to see them again at Pitchfork this summer.

Setlist:

1. Us v Them
2. Drunk Girls
3. Yr City's a Sucker
4. Pow Pow
5. Daft Punk is Playing at My House
6. All I Want
7. All My Friends
8. I Can Change
9. Tribulations
10. Movement
11. Yeah (Crass version)

Encore:
12. Someone Great
13. Losing My Edge
14. New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down

No. 71: HEALTH

HEALTH is a noise rock/electronic rock band from Los Angeles. I would describe them as a classic example of a "weird" Pitchfork band: Part Animal Collective, part Dan Deacon, part No Age, part Crystal Castles. Since I've been known to enjoy all of those groups to a certain degree, a likely conclusion would be that I enjoy HEALTH. However, they don't exactly blow me away. (Side note: I'm kind of annoyed that their band name is written in all caps.)

I haven't listened to HEALTH a ton, so there's a possibility that they could grow on me. I caught some of their act at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2008 and was not very impressed. Very loud and chaotic, which I realize is their thing, but it was not working for me early on a Sunday afternoon. I do like some of the building progressions on some of their tunes, but it's not enough to hook me, exactly. I'd probably be willing to give these guys another chance at Lollapalooza this year if they have a favorable time slot, but I'm not going to go out of my way to see them.

HEALTH on MySpace

No. 72: Rebelution

Hey! Anyone ever wonder what happened to that shitty rapper Snow? Yeah me neither... He's probably face down in a ditch somewhere being pissed on by a dog. But maybe, just maybe there was a kid that idolized him and that kid started a band called Rebelution based on Snow's influences. That's right Rebelution is everything you hate and more about bad reggae/ dance hall music. It's almost a bastardized Backstreet Boys- type reggae with white boys singing in that "Oh gurrrrl" style that makes your stomach turn. Rebelution might be one of the worst bands I have ever heard. One look at the cover of their live album, Live From Las Vegas At The Royal Palms, and you just know you're in for one sordid fucking affair. Just to illustrate my point, this band sounds like a cross between O.A.R. and Color Me Badd, which I hope paints a vivid enough picture for you. The band just released Bright Side Of Life and unless you're my worst enemy, you should try to steer clear of it.

You're killin me, Perry.

Myspace

No. 73: The Constellations

A little bit soul rock, a little bit funk, The Constellations have seamlessly blended these and other genres of music.  The eight member group, headed by Elijah Jones, son of a Baptist deacon is comprised of members of veterans of the Atlanta indie scene.  First picked up by a small radio station in Milwaukee, the band is currently on a national tour that includes many prestigious events, such as Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo and Summerfest to name a few.  

Their latest album really provides an entertaining listen, as most every song brings its own unique sound.  “Love is Murder” is one of their more popular songs, using a driving piano riff and catchy lyrics to make this a great song.   “Setback” is a really cool tune, using electronic effects and nice vocal harmonies; this song has an “easy listening” feel to it.  From the songs I checked out, each song is really distinctive and likeable for different reasons.  As for the future, Jones isn’t worried about creating new material saying, “as long as I can find a bar, I can write new material.”

Submitted by S. Kostal 

No. 74: Javelin

For Brooklyn's Javelin, life is all about samples, samples, samples. Best buds george Langford and Tom VanBuskirk are all about creating an original mix of R&B flavored beats with just the push of a few buttons, and hey, maybe I'm oversimplifying that, but I'm pretty sure that's what it boils down to.... They can probably best be described as a mix between Major Lazer and LCD Soundsystem. There are a few songs from their debut No Mas that shape up to be pretty tight little house-style ditties, but some of their other songs are a little too all over the place for me (Picture a more modest Dan Deacon). Figure all the ADD beats in with a Myspace that is an epileptic person's nightmare, and you'll get a pretty big picture of what Javelin is all about. I do have to say that the track "Soda Popinski", a fresh take on the theme song of the infamous opponent from Mike Tyson's Punch Out! from their Myspace page is pretty cool. Also, check out the remix of the Health song "In Heat" they got up there. I don't know.... I think these guys might put on a pretty good show, but right now it seems like more style over substance to me. You might want to check them out if you prefer laptop heavier bands that look like they are busting their asses to finish a spreadsheet in Excel onstage.

No. 75: The Morning Benders

The Morning Benders are from California and have released two records filled with sunny pop songs.  This year they took the core of their music and put layer upon layer on top of each other. Their sophomore effort, Big Echo, is much better than the first record they put out and is filled with experimental orchestral music ala Grizzly Bear and Deer Tick.  They have more hooks and stronger melodies than those two bands and this record has been playing on my iPod for the past month or so. Its a great album and each song grows on you after multiple listens.
I will definitely be seeing this band at Lolla this year and I suggest you do the same.

I will be coming back with a more in-depth look at Big Echo because this album should be reviewed on Claptrapped.  For now check out the video to the first song on the record, "Promises".

No. 76: My Dear Disco

My Dear Disco, an electronic pop group, grew out of three University of Michigan students experimentations with a bagpipe and bass and techno drum beats. The group later added 4 additional members including lead female vocalist Michelle Chamuel. From here the band started to produce a brand of music they referred to as Dancethink.

Their first full length album, appropriately titled Dancethink, is a high energy effort filled with synthetic sounds and up tempo beats. The music brings to mind other electronic groups such as Hot Chip, Scissor Sisters, Daft Punk and Zero 7, but the prospect of their live show which has included a cover of Will Smith's Wild Wild West and a tribute to Michael Jackson is the real reason I look forward to seeing this band at this year's Lollapalooza.

My Dear Disco on MySpace

Videos of My Dear Disco

No. 77: Violent Soho

So anyone remember the band Sponge and their album Rotting Pinata? Remember how the album as a whole was okay but there were a few solid songs you just needed to listen to? Well Violent Soho's self titled 2010 album is exactly like that minus the solid songs. It's definitely a flash back to the grunge of the nineties and it's not bad, but it's not really good either.

The foursome from Queensland, Australia was described in Blunt Magazine as "reviving the grunge era" and the similarity of sound is definitely there, I just wouldn't have referred to it as reviving. I don't hate it, and could see a more mature band putting together a complete album in the future, but for now I will probably skip this show.

Violent Soho on MySpace

No. 78: The Kissaway Trail

The Kissaway Trail is a five-piece band from Odense, Denmark. The first thing you want to do when describing this band's sound is compare them to some other band. Take your pick: Broken Social Scene, Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips, The National...

Many people compare this band to Arcade Fire, and I agree in certain aspects. Kissaway Trail songs definitely have an "epic" feel to them at times, similar to Arcade Fire, with big crescendos and soaring vocals. But I think to say the band is a complete Arcade Fire rip-off would be unfair. (Even though they have a song called "Don't Wake Up.")

The group has one album released in the U.S -- Sleep Mountain. It was produced by Peter Katis, who has previously produced albums for The National and Interpol. Highlights include "SDP" and "Friendly Fire."

Despite their not-very-original sound, I like what I hear from this band, and I think there's a definite possibility that I would go see them at Lollapalooza this summer. So I guess this brings up the same debate we ran into with Freelance Whales -- should a band be punished just because they sound like some other band? I think this band's emotional sound would make for a good, short set at Lolla, and I'm looking forward to it.

Kissaway Trail on MySpace

No. 79: Warpaint

L.A.'s Warpaint wafted, it seems, out of the local underground music scene out there just a few years back, and blew in to the national spotlight like a tempest to become one of the most buzzed about bands of the new year. What else would you expect from 3 lovely women with a cadre of hauntingly beautiful songs and a shared love of The Wu-Tang clan? The band released Exquisite Corpse last year, an album mixed by Red Hot Chilli Pepper John Frusciante, to great fanfare from the so-hip-it-hurts set. Little fun fact about Warpaint; Their first drummer just so happened to be one Shannyn Sossamon an actress best known for her work in A Knight's Tale as well as The Rules of Attraction, but soon quit due to a hectic schedule. Warpaint's sound can best be described as post-rock with vocals. I like their songs, but most seem to lack conventional structure, opting out of the verse-chorus-verse framework. There are only a couple of songs on the EP that follow this blueprint, the most notable being "Billie Holiday", a tune that finds the girls spelling out the title of the song as a chorus all while re-dedicating the song "My Guy" by Mary Wells as the verses. Interesting to say the very least. The rest of the album contains a patchwork of songs that give the overall product a sometimes wistful, sometimes vengeful split personality and creates a dark backdrop for which little melodic points of light are allowed to flicker through. Core members Jenny Lee Lindberg (vocals/bassist), Emily Kokal (vocals/guitar), Theresa Wayman (vocals/guitar) and new addition Stella Mozgawa (drums/keyboards) also shine on the album's standout track, "Elephants" where angelic guitars flutter around a tribal beat that transfixes the listener immediately. I feel like these ladies have major potential and will really start to gel on their next release, which is being recorded as I write this. I can only see myself getting more and more attached to Exquisite Corpse and will more than likely be fully hypnotized by the time Lolla rolls around this year.

Myspace

Video for "Elephants"

No. 80 Harlem

Harlem (Not from New York) is the definition of a garage band to me. Hailing from Arizona and now living in Austin, this band has a crude low-fi distorted rock/punk sound throughout their two albums. They self released an album in 2008 called Free Drugs and just put out another titled Hippies which is backed by label Matador Records. Matador has an eye for talent producing bands like Sonic Youth, The New Pornographers, Belle & Sebastian, Yo La Tengo, Ted Leo and the Pharmacist, and Shearwater. I like this band for who they are, everything is laid out there. There is no mystery to Harlem, they just play solid rock music with nothing complicated. I think this band has big potential down the road and from their reviews, they play a great live show. Listen to "South of France", "Gay Human Bones" and "Friendly Ghost." They remind me of Black Lips meets The Strokes, but a little dirtier. Anyway I plan on catching these fellas at Lalla this year and hope they put on an entertaining performance.

MySpace

No. 81: Freelance Whales

A friend of mine told me a few months ago about a couple of bands he liked, Owl City and Freelance Whales.  The first one, Owl City, upon first listen made me think of the soundtrack to the O.C.  This was not a good thing.  Sure there were some songs on the O.C. that were good and the show gave attention to a new indie sound emerging through groups like Death Cab for Cutie and Sufjan Stevens.  The thing was Ben Gibbard and Sufjan were original, and bands like Owl City and now Freelance Whales seem to be just rehashing what someone else already came up with.  I know a lot of indie groups these days can be accused of that, but Freelance Whales are definitely a poor man's Death Cab.  The music is not bad, and this Claptrapper always enjoys orcherstral rock mixed in with banjos and triumphant choruses, but after listening to the Freelance Whales debut 'Weathervanes' for about a week now, I find myself bored.

I see several bands coming out with this sound and capitalizing on the now cool indie scene that came out of the 00's.  I just don't buy it.  Look for a lot of faux indie rockers surrounding the stage at Lolla this year because I hear the Freelance Whales are gaining a ton of interest.  I can see the commercial appeal and again want to reiterate that the actual music is not that bad, its just the unoriginality of it that irks me.  Think of Pearl Jam and how they gave birth to bands like Creed.  Its exactly what Death Cab is going to do to the new decade.

Freelance Whales Website

No. 82: Royal Bangs

Royal Bangs is an electro-rock band from Knoxville, TN. The group started off as a 5-member band, but has trimmed its size down to 3 for this summer's festival circuit. It's difficult to pin down a certain style for this band, but all I know is that I think I like them. Most songs feature catchy guitar riffs along with electronic beats and noises. In an interview with spinner.com, frontman Ryan Schaefer describes the band's sound as "easy shred computer jam."

I definitely want to check this band out at Lollapalooza. I think they have the musical elements to be an entertaining live act (high-energy beats, catchy hooks, room for improvisation, etc.). There aren't many videos of Royal Bangs' live performances out there that I could find, so I'm not sure how they will be live, but I'd like to give them a chance.

Check out the first three songs -- "War Bells" and especially "My Car is Haunted" and "Brainbow" -- on their Myspace page. Definitely digging them. All three are on their most recent album, Let It Beep.

Sleigh Bells

Sleigh Bells is an electro-pop/rock duo from Brooklyn, NY, consisting of Alexis Krauss – vocalist and Derek Miller – guitarist, beatmaker and songwriter. A friend actually introduced to Sleigh Bells this past winter and I remember checking out their MySpace page and while I didn’t hate it, I recall the song I listened to being a bit too noisy for me. I later came across Sleigh Bells’ SXSW performance and listened to it the entire way through. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t know all that much about music and it often just comes down to if I want to keep listening or not. I have to say I was captivated. Sleigh Bells is more intense than the music I normally listen to, but they have a lot of songs that just make me want to just be dancing and singing along in a huge crowd.

Sleigh Bells’ first album, Treats, which they worked on with M.I.A., is being released May 11th. You can check it out now on NPR though. While some songs like "Treats" tend to be more severe and others like "Rill Rill" (or "Ring Ring," in which the beginning makes me feel like I’m in a Big Lebowski dream) are a bit more whimsical, the overall album is melodic, yet fierce.

Sleigh Bells will be playing Pitchfork this summer and I’ll definitely to try to make it to the show.

No 83: The Band Of Heathens

If you're in the mood for some twangy, shit kickin' tunes in the vein of The Band and Little Feat, The Band of Heathens might just be for you. One of the breakout local artists from the Austin, TX music scene, The Band Of Heathens is a collective of local musicians that jelled over the open mics of Austin bar, Momo's. The members each performed there every Wednesday and often collaborated with each other on one another's songs. The guys had so much fun and recieved such rave reviews that eventually Ed Jurdi (guitar, keys, vocals), Gordy Quist (guitar, vocals), Seth Whitney (bass, vocals), Colin Brooks (guitar, vocals), and John Chipman (drums, vocals) officially formed the band in 2006 and have been on the road ever since playing all over the globe. Their sound is a grateful departure from most of the other bands that have been reviewed so far that just seem to be at the fest to please the Gaga faithful. With songs about cornbread and roach motels, the Heathens keep it simple without becoming too country. They released One Foot in the Ether on Sept. 15th, 2009 containing songs that garner comparisons to Mofro, The Wood Brothers, and even Widespread Panic. I can definitely see them as a band I will seek out if their time slot agrees with me.

Myspace

www.bandofheathens.com

No. 84: Neon Hitch

There is no doubt that pop singer Neon Hitch has had a more interesting life than most people. Hitch was raised in a gypsy family of circus performers where she traveled through Europe as a fire dancer and a trapeze artist. Not your usual family activities. Her music is not my taste or I can confidently say any claptrappers style. It really seems cookie cutter dance music made for clubs. So if you like dance music, you may like her sound. This seems like another attempt by the Lollapalooza to have performers that match Lady Gaga to appease the Gaga crowd. She has been receiving some exposure since one of her songs did make it on Tim Burton's movie Alice in Wonderland. So she may have a decent size crowd at lala. I will not be one of the people in attendance.

MySpace

No. 85: Frank Turner

Frank Turner's 2006 EP titled "Campfire Punkrock" is a pretty accurate description of his musical style. A former frontman for the punk band Million Dead, Turner decided to embark on his solo career when the band broke up and he wanted to keep touring without the hassle of putting together a new group. Frank is a solo musician who plays an acoustic guitar along the lines of Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz and Howie Day, especially early in their careers. Now before you let the pop sensation comparisons scare you away I should tell you Turner's music is edgier and definitely takes from his punk rock roots.

Three albums were released in consecutive years from 2006 to 2008, Sleep Is for the Week, Love Ire & Song, and his latest Poetry of the Deed. I'm pretty excited to see Frank Turner at Lollapalooza this year, a little worried about how he might translate to an outdoor setting ala Joe Pug. Also check out the song Love Ire & Song very folksy, funny, and fitting.

Frank Turner on MySpace

Frank Turner Videos

Frank Turner's Official Site

No. 86: Dragonette

Canadian power-synth-pop- whatever band, Dragonette are one of those bands that I'm not quite sure what to think of them. While their music isn't as bad as I thought it would be, it still has the feel of being tailor made for one of those "Confessions of a Shopaholic" movies or even the Disney Channel. The band is currently made up of Martina Sobara (vocals), Dan Kurtz (bass), and Joel Stouffer (drums). Not sure who the other guy in the picture is, but I'm sure he said "Fuck this" a while back and left the band (If I had my guess, I'd say it was the poor sap in the back that looks like someone ran over his dog). Dan Kurtz is also known for his work in the kickass livetronica band The New Deal, a band that I'm actually quite fond of.... So I guess they got that going for them... I'm not sure when Kurtz elected to make Dragonette his main gig, but I just want to scream "WHY!?!" Since founding Dragonette, Kurtz has gone on to make one album with the band, 2007's Galore, as well as an EP, 2009's Fixin to Thrill and has been focused on creating sugary poppy songs with Sobara that draw from one night stands ("I Get Around") to sugar daddies ("Black Limousine"). Sobara has a nice voice, but it walks a fine line between Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani. Because of the subject matter of most of the songs, Dragonette comes off sounding like a poor man's Lady Gaga with none of the grace or warmth displayed by other female fronted electronic bands such as Zero 7 or Portishead. I can see a lot of Gaga fans being amped for this show, but I will most likely be far far away once they hit the stage...

www.dragonette.com

Myspace

No. 87: The Ettes

The Ettes are based out of Nashville and have been playing since 2004. They have opened for great bands like The Black Keys and The Dead Weather and have a garage rock sound with plenty of distortion.  In my honest opinion they sound exactly like another band out there with a female lead singer, The Kills.  I don't think I could tell the difference if you played their songs back to back.  I guess The Ettes are a little more punk.  The songs on their records seem to be short and so do their albums as a whole.  The beats will get you movin' and are reminiscent to 60's punk with strong, simple drums throughout.  If you want to see some simple rock and roll that won't disappoint The Ettes are a good bet.

The Ettes on Myspace
Play Crown of Age

No. 88: Semi Precious Weapons

New York "glamour rock" band Semi Precious Weapons kind of makes me want to throw up a little. They have a punk sound, mixed with really bad lyrics. (First line from their first song I hear: "I can't pay my rent, but I'm fucking gorgeous." And yes, the lead singer is a guy.) The band has been touring with Lady Gaga recently, so if you're going to Lollapalooza to see Lady Gaga, maybe you will enjoy this band.

To give an idea of what this band is like, here is an excerpt from an interview on the band's fansite, Semi Precious News:

Mihal Freinquel (from the fansite): So tell me, who is Justin Tranter?
Justin Tranter (lead singer of Semi Precious Weapons): I am a genderless sea creature who has been writing and studying music since I was 12. ... My choice of shoe upsets people a lot more than my filthy mouth.

So yeah, this band is clearly not my bag. It's a pretty good bet I will not be rocking out to Semi Precious Weapons when they take the stage at Grant Park during Lollapalooza.

Myspace

No. 89: Skybox

Skybox is an indie pop Chicago based band that formed in Arizona. The band consists of Tim Ellis (Lead Vocals, Guitars), Christian Fields (Keys, Guitars, Vocals), Mike Holtz (Drums) and Sean Brennan (Bass). Their first album Arco Iris came out in 2006 and they just released the second album Morning After Cuts. They were able to ride a few years from their first album partly because of the success of song "Various Kitchen Utensils." A very catchy, awkward song with ragtime piano, some distorted voices, and a mix of just about everything else. Morning After Cuts has been getting some attention as well with their song "In a Dream."

Many of their songs are a bit too poppy for my tastes, but I can see why people would enjoy their music. It's not very offensive in a musical aspect, everything is pretty easy on the ears. They remind me of Of Montreal and a more sophisticated Guster with some Franz Ferdinand sprinkled in.

Webpage
MySpace Page

No. 90: Jukebox the Ghost

Washington D.C.-based Jukebox the Ghost is a three-person piano-driven rock band. The band's name originated from a combination of a Frank Zappa quote and the book "Pnin" by Vladimir Nabakov.

Because Jukebox the Ghost's songs are piano-based, many people draw obvious comparisons to Ben Folds. I'd say that's fairly accurate, but they don't sound completely alike by any means. Songwriting and vocals are shared by Ben Thornewill (piano) and Tommy Siegel (guitar), so the band has a nice balance that keeps things from becoming dull.

The group released their debut LP Let Live and Let Ghosts in 2008 and they have a yet-to-be-named album set to be released this summer. I'm not sure I would check these guys out at Lollapalooza. I don't think they're terrible, but they don't blow me away either. There will probably be better options. However, I'd be interested to check out their new album to see how (if) the band has evolved from their first effort.

Jukebox the Ghost on Myspace

No. 91: These United States

These United States, TUS, hail from Washington D.C. and Lexington, companied with quite a bit of recording time in sweet home Chicago, tend to lean closer to their Kentucky home with their southern sound. Jesse Elliot the founding member and central influence of TUS is joined regularly by 4 band members, and not so regularly by a vast number of collabratrive artists at both recording sessions and live shows. The band has released 3 albums with Crimes striking me as the most favorable. TUS gets a bit too twang and country for this Claptrapper, at times reminding me of Modest Mouse with a steel geetar, but if you don't mind leaning a little country they may be someone you want to check out this year.

These United States on MySpace

Videos of These United States

Deftones- Diamond Eyes

I know we are doing the whole Lolla thing right now, but I just had to make a post about an album that I can't seem to get out of my head or my stereo lately. Deftones released their 6th studio album Diamond Eyes this week and it is by far their best in quite some time. After being sidelined in 2008 as a result of a car wreck that nearly killed their bassist, Chi Cheng, and scrapping Eros, an album they had completed with Chi right around the time of the accident, most thought Deftones would never reclaim the success they enjoyed after their breakthrough album, White Pony. I have been a fan ever since high school, but kind of fell out of touch with the band after 2003's Deftones, an album I felt wasn't their best effort. A couple years back, I rediscovered them as a result of 2006's excellent Saturday Night Wrist and have been immersed in Diamond Eyes ever since its release.

Deftones are not for the faint of heart. I have always admired the way the band has melded their punishing brand of alt-metal with lyrics that crackle with an undercurrent of an almost sexual desperation. A style that is especially showcased by Chino Moreno's vocals on such tracks as "Beauty School" and "Sextape". Deftones also have a knack for cranking out jarring atmospherics like on "Prince" where guitarist Stephen Carpenter and fill-in bassist Sergio Vega (Of Quicksand) create the sonic equivalent of icepicks tearing through a satin bedspread (Imagery!). Drummer Abe Cunningham and keyboardist Frank Delgado round out the quintet with pounding beats and freaky washes on the breakneck tune "Rocket Skates" as well as the lazy stoner strut on "You've Seen The Butcher".

Diamond Eyes also represents a new direction for the band. As I have mentioned, the original lineup is not here due to the ongoing recovery of Cheng. Before the accident occured, it was reported Moreno almost left the band, dissolving it entirely. It remains to be seen how the new lease they have found with Vega will affect the band on future albums. Do they continue on this path and keep making fresh strides toward critical acclaim with Vega, or do they tread the beaten path with Cheng? It appears only time will tell. But for the present, Deftones have suceeded in making one of the most interesting albums of 2010, and the album of the year thus far for this Claptrapper.

Lollapalooza preview -- No. 92: MyNameIsJohnMichael

A fitting band to begin Claptrapped's 92 bands in the 92 days leading up to Lollapalooza, John Michael Rouchell -- founder and leading man for MyNameIsJohnMichael -- released one song a week for the entire year of 2008. Starting as a solo venture with John Michael playing all instruments and undertaking much of the engineering as well, MNIJM quickly started adding the members that now make up this 6-man band. The 52 songs of '08 can be downloaded here.

A New Orleans band, MNIJM present a solidly layered sound, loosely and strangely described by this Claptrapper as a happier Death Cab meets Paul Simon, yeah I just did that. Since the marathon year of 2008, the band has released one album, The People That Come and Go in 2009. A solid debut album with highlights including "Character Piece," "Misery Runs," "Althea and the Company Store," and "We Both Know." If you're around when MNIJM takes the stage at Lolla this year I'd check them out, if for nothing else you may be able to catch a lively cover of Paint it Black.

MyNameIsJohnMichael on MySpace

Videos of MyNameIsJohnMichael