The Noobhammer With Paul Masvidal of Cynic

Noobhammer here again with another discussion of the table that is round. This week I have four topics to touch with the mighty Excalibur. Two of those topics are reviews of concerts I have been to recently—Boris and Cynic; the other two topics are album reviews. One, for me at least, is the long awaited Blind Guardian album At The Edge of Time, and the new Iron Maiden album, The Final Frontier. However, due to the length of these subjects, I will be dividing it into 3 segments, which will span this entire week, so look for the other two later this week.  So once again, let us delve deep into my brain, which is littered with Magic: The Gathering cards, D20s, and of course dragons I wish I could train and ride. First, I’m going to give you guys a look at the least power-metal item in this entry, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t powerful. This is of course Boris at the Cat’s Cradle.

From the moment I walked through the doors of Cat’s Cradle and took up my usual spot at the front-center of the stage, I knew that I was about to witness something special. The stage was giving off a vibe as the Sunn (O))) amps stood there gleaming in light, lowly humming, barely audible over the talking of the crowd. Soon the lights dimmed, darkening the stage, and the opening band took the stage. For the life of me, I can’t remember their name. Maybe at the old age of 22, my memory is finally starting to fade from me, but what I can remember is that they put on a great show. Two guys  from the Czech Republic just rocking out, enjoying their tour.

As soon as they finished playing, no one moved from their spots as the lights came back up, and the stage techs feverishly worked to set up Boris’ drum kit and tune their instruments. The tension inside of me started to build as the workers one by one left the stage, the last one blinking a flashlight towards the back of the venue, signaling that they were ready. Almost instantly the lights dimmed, and the crowd rose as one in a roar of excitement as fog began to cover the stage. The members of Boris walked through the clouds, like the Japanese monsters they are. As they took their positions on the stage, I felt my excitement begin to boil over as I watched with anticipation.

Suddenly from out of nowhere, I felt as if I had been struck by a 747. After the initial wave of shock had passed over me, I realized that feeling was the first note of Boris playing. A low, driving hum, echoing from amps signaled the start of my journey. The high guitars notes slowly crescendoed, mixing with the bass to form a haunting melody that stirs the deepest recesses of your soul. I didn’t have time to even comprehend what was happening as Takeshia began to wail mournfully into the mike, his voice barely audible over the drone of guitars and drumming.

My mind was lost in a trance as they band continued to play. I couldn’t believe what was happening in front of me. There are only five instances I can think of in which I have been truly blown away, and left speechless by a band: Isis, Jesu, Pelican, Nine Inch Nails, and now, Boris. I have listened to many of their studio albums, Smile and Pink being two of my favorites, but they never prepared me for the live show. Not even the live albums prepared me enough for the audio onslaught against my ears and even my soul. Watching them live had me rooted to the spot, my mouth agape in wonder at the beauty and chaos in front of me. The guitars washed over one another, forming melodies within their layers.

Even their faster paced songs didn’t cause the crowd to break into a ruckus and mosh. We banged our heads, but we couldn’t move from where we were standing. Boris seemed to have cast a spell over everyone in the venue. As they played through all their songs, not once did I lose focus, become distracted, or even wish for them to end. In fact, I wanted them to continue playing well into the night. It wasn’t until they finished playing the Black Sabbath-esque “1970″ and said goodnight to us all that the spell was broken. I looked around in confusion, like so many others around me, trying to explain what I had just witnessed. When I turned back to the stage, the band had left as mysteriously as they came. Luckily I got to meet them after the show and talk to them, but when asked about the seemingly magical and entrancing effect of their show, all I got from them was a smile.

-Noobhammer

Takeshi and Michio Kurihara rocking out

A song off the album Pink

Emprace the Light

The light at the end of the tunnel is not always peaceful

Sublime Beauty

Paul McCartney  has been traveling around the world on his “Up and Coming Tour” this year. Because of a job I took in Lawrence, KS, I had the amazing opportunity of seeing Paul McCartney perform at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO on Saturday, July 24. I had amazing seats on the floor about 30 rows away from my musical role model and first love, Sir James Paul McCartney.The concert was everything I hoped it would be; his childish banter and energy kept me laughing, while the emotion in songs such as “Here Today” and “Something” made me cry, as he dedicated them to the late John Lennon and George Harrison, respectively.

He played many Beatles’ songs like “Ob La Di Ob La Da,” “All My Loving,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Hey Jude,” “Let It Be,” and many others. He played music he wrote in Wings, such as “Jet,” “Band on the Run,” and of course, a fire-filled “Live and Let Die.” He even played a few songs from his solo career; “Dance Tonight” was specifically used to lift a melancholy move after dedicating “My Love” to his late wife, Linda.

I have never met nicer people than those attending the sold-out concert in Kansas City. I sat next to a woman, Katie, who told me how she saw the Beatles perform in San Diego, CA, in 1965. When I screamed as he came on stage and jumped up and down as he played, she smiled at me and said, “You remind me of me 35 years ago.” Although Katie may have gotten the better end of the deal, having seen The Beatles in their prime, Paul McCartney played an awe-inspiring three-hour set that did not show his 68 year-old age.

As has been tradition with this tour, he ended the concert with “The End,” with ever-fitting lyrics, “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Magic happened in the form of live local music Saturday night at the Cat’s Cradle as Chatham County Line had their album release show for Wildwood.

Birds & Arrows were invited to open for a late arriving crowd who were chit-chatting quite loudly at the start of the set. That was until the war painted lead singer Andrea Connolly opened her mouth for the first time and her strong but enchanting voice immediately silenced the entire venue as B&A jumped right into one of their favorites, “Honeymoon Song.” The group debuted several brand new songs including their new single “Pride of Lions” which is slated to be released this Friday evening in Durham. Needless to say, I believe many in the crowd were not followers of our local music scene, and I heard nearly a dozen people exclaim how impressed they were with this “unknown” band. After their set, the crowd gave B&A a well deserved rousing applause.

Birds & Arrows are playing this Friday in downtown Durham for the release of their new 7″ single off of 307 Knox Records. Billy Sugarfix who is also on the release and Schooner are playing as well.

Chatham County Line took the stage a short time later to a cheering and delightful near-sellout crowd. There was an immediate hush followed by an ecstatic breakout as the acoustic band dived right into to a couple of brand new songs off of Wildwood. If you still have not had the opportunity to hear the new album yet, which is being released officially tomorrow, you will be happy to know that it is the band’s best to date, even outshining its famous last release, IV. Where IV was poppy, Wildwood is hesitant, teetering on the edge of a jumpy hook and laidback mountain picking culminating in a highly pleasing and overall satisfying listen that keeps you coming back (I’ve had it on repeat for almost two weeks now). The crowd in Carrboro was kind enough to stay mostly quiet through the show until the end of each song (save for a few drunken loudmouths) as the group plays acoustic and using only one microphone stand to play around. Dave Wilson even commented that “Carrboro was always more polite than our hometown of Raleigh.” In total, CCL played 22 songs (by my count) in its entire set including 7 from Wildwood bringing the audience to their knees at the end of the final encore begging for even more.  After this show, it is obvious that CCL owns the Triangle and the entire Southern bluegrass scene.

Chatham County Line is playing several shows on Tuesday including free ones at Sadlack’s Heroes in support of Schoolkid’s Records and another at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill.

Listen to CCL on the Local Beat 7/2/10:

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Ear plugs to save our ears from the rock

The show began with a deafening start by NERVE CITY that made us grateful to have our earplugs. Although not unpleasant, the duo played a short and forgettable set. They were followed by PO PO; a quirky pair that put on a good show.

Popo, the second opening band

The wait for Sleigh Bells was impressive (almost as long as their set!) but definitely well worth it. The stage was a mass of speakers, and, as soon as band took the stage, the crowd became a dense, sweaty mass. The next 40 minutes was electro-rock dance madness.

Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells

By the time the show came to a close, we had witnessed an onstage kiss between Alexis Krauss and a female audience member and the stage had to be cleared of 20 or more ecstatically dancing fans.

Onstage dance party with the Sleigh Bells

We left the show with our ears slightly ringing despite the ear plugs, but, overall, the Sleigh Bells were pure fun and their impressive sound translated undeniably well at the Cat’s Cradle.

Despite the dearth of good things on UNC’s campus, Memorial Hall put on a spectacular show Friday, June 25. The Dutchess and the Duke and Dodos opened for the super group New Pornographers in a jaw-dropping concert.

The Dutchess and the Duke were joined by another member due to an accident with a food processor leaving the lead guitarist wounded. They played a set of strong folk rock with heavy vocals and light percussion.

I had been told that Dodos do not put on a good live show, but after their performance Friday, I beg to differ. These three guys—Meric Long, Logan Kroeber, and Keaton Snyder—played a percussion-filled set of their high-energy songs mainly off albums Visitor and Time to Die. They were obviously quite tired from traveling on tour for the past two weeks, for their between-song banter was admittedly lackluster, but, luckily, this did not carry over to their music.  Fellow DJ Sarah-nade enjoyed the vibraphone, which we found added a deeper sound to the music.

The Dodos-- Meric Long, Logan Kroeber, Keaton Snyder

I don’t need to tell you how amazing the New Pornographers are. You’re probably singing your favorite New Pornographers’ song in your head right now (mine is Myriad Harbour). The acoustics in Memorial Hall worked perfectly with the sound emanating from A.C. Newman’s guitar, Neko Case and Kathryn Calder’s beautiful voices, and all musicians making up this Canadian super group. As we listened, I pictured colorful threads of sound coming together to form one beautiful tapestry. They played a great set, starting off with “Sing Me Spanish Techno” and kept the energy high with “Myriad Harbor” and songs off their new album, Together, like “Your Hands” and “Crash Years.” They played songs off almost all of their five albums.

Canadian super group, The New Pornographers, puts on an amazing performance

Saturday, at the Piedmont Biofuel facility in Pittsboro, was the third annual TrkFest put on by Trekky Records.  TrkFest has quickly become one of the most important local music events in the area and a group of WKNC folk made it out in full force.  It was terribly hot and humid outside while the sun was out, but not one single person complained, and I believe everyone had a fantastic time.  I was lucky enough to sit next to Rich and Mimi McLaughlin of the Pneurotics, and we had a fine view of both stages.

We missed Vibrant Green and Ezekiel Graves but got there just as Yardwork started up, and those guys put on a fantastic set to start our day.

After a excruciatingly hot but fascinating tour of the entire Biofuel center, we caught the last half of Ryan Gustafson’s set.  I have seen Ryan about six times now, but this was only the second with a full band, and he was awesome, as usual.

We had to escape the heat, so we headed into the shade during the Butterflies set.

Veelee went on next.  Their sound has evolved so much in the past year while still keeping with their same general style.  One song that stuck out to me was a new track named “T’morrow;” that was the first in their set.

Mount Moriah went on next and, as usual, played an incredible set.  I cannot describe how much I love this band and how excited I am for their new album to come out.

Midtown Dickens played one of my favorite sets of the evening.  Megafaun came on for a couple of songs, and Kym and Catherine are always entertaining but even more so for this event.  Fun, outgoing, and fresh is the best way to describe them.

It has been awhile since I saw Embarrassing Fruits play, but with a new album in the works, theses guys were as tight as ever as expected.

Hammer No More The Fingers has never been anything but a pleasure to see.  They are one of the most technically sound and entertaining groups in the area.  For a couple of songs they brought up Drew Anagnost and Leah Gibson from Lost in the Trees on the cellos and Brad Cook of Megafaun jumped on bass.

Lost in the Trees literally blew the crowd away playing second to last.  I was surprised that they could cram onto the smaller of the two stages, but it ended up being truly magical.  I feel like every time I see them live they sound different, which is always refreshing.

Megafaun ended the show as they always do: reeling the crowd in with their unique charisma and then putting them into a manic frenzy with their exceptional live performance.  I took several videos of the group playing some brand new songs with a variety of different musicians, all off of their upcoming album, but the sound quality came out too poor to post them.  Needless to say, every time I see Megafaun play, they retake the top of my list of local bands.

by Tommyboy and Spaceman Spiff

Atmosphere is not the only thing that matters for a show, but few will argue against it’s utmost importance.  The atmosphere at the Cat’s Cradle on the 15^th was, forgive the term, awesome.  Laid back and congenial, the three bands on the bill obviously got along like good friends.  The Cradle was one of the last stops on their long tour together and the amicable vibe that evening was reinforced when each band mentioned the stop to be of personal significance.

Hooray For Earth performed first

The first to play was NYC-based Hooray For Earth (who had earlier in the day paid a visit to the WKNC studio for a live interview with our very own DJ Ones).  Several of their instruments appeared to be held together with duct tape, an eccentric detail that complimented the marvelously ramshackle nature of their music.  Their songs were slightly off-kilter and poppy and their set was high in energy.  Especially intense was the presence of two on-stage percussionists.

Surfer Blood singer John Paul Pitts taking a pose

Following in rather quick succession, as opposed to the customary half-hour wait between bands, the much-lauded West Palm Beach, Florida, natives Surfer Blood took the stage.  The performance was prefaced with lead singer JP Pitts voicing the notion that “we’re all the same; you guys are just like us, and we are just like you.”  After plucking the opening notes of “Take It Easy,” Pitts slyly asked the audience, “Do you want the guitar on or off?”  His question was met with a few seconds of stunned silence.  Surely the musicians behind one of the best guitar albums of recent memory, Astro Coast, would want to thrill us with their riffs?  The response for “on” was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and for the rest of their set Pitts ran around the stage taking power stances, holding his ax like a gun.  The energy of the evening built to the soaring one-two punch of “Swim” (for which all willing guests were invited onto the stage) and “Anchorage.”  With calm confidence, the band masterfully captured the rich and spacious sound of their album.

Surfer Blood were joined onstage by members of the audience during "Swim"

Kip Berman of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart took the stage after a short break to play a solo rendition of “Contender” before his full band took their places behind him.  With his band poised to start, Berman shyly asked the crowd, “Are you ready to rock?”  The band proceeded to breeze through pop gem after glorious pop gem only to peak with the catchy fuzz of “Young Adult Friction” and their new single “Say No To Love.”  If Surfer Blood is a guitar band, then the Pains are certainly a drums band.  Kurt Feldman, who also fronts the equally fuzzed-out band The Depreciation Guild, plays enchanting beats to which many people in the audience were enthusiastically air drumming.  JP Pitts of Surfer Blood and Gary Benacquista of Hooray For Earth gleefully appeared at the right moments to dance onstage and add frantic shakes of their tambourines.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

As if the aggregate experience of these acts was not enough, members of all three bands took the stage for the encore, abiding by the crowd’s fervent request for their rendition of Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” (see below for a video of a similarly energetic performance of the song in Orlando).  With everyone in the room grooving along to the song, it wasn’t clear who was enjoying themselves more: the musicians or the audience.  Quite simply, everyone was experiencing the joys of celebrating music together.

(Video source: Pitchfork)

I received the privilege of attending a traditional bluegrass show last night.  I watched the Del McCoury Band perform at Lincoln Theatre Friday, June 4. This show reminded of why I enjoy bluegrass:

• The way all of the men in the band dress. The coat and tie get me every time.
• Each musician looks like he is completely enjoying himself.
• Each instrument gets a solo—in every song!
• Simple lyrics get the point across (yep, you’re in love… okay, you’re sad… oh, you’re drunk…) and complex instrumentals make every song into a masterpiece.
• The adoration of fans from every walk of life.  This show was full of older folks who had probably followed Del McCoury since the 60s,  Southern men in camouflage hats,  hip 20-somethings new to the scene, and of course, me (DJ Mollypop) and my bluegrass companion, Rob.

Del McCoury just celebrated 50 years of making music, starting out as a Pennsylvanian banjo player and making it to Nashville decades later with his music-making sons. Del and his band have earned numerous awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Called “the best bluegrass band, period” by fellow musicians, this show epitomizes why I love bluegrass.  They played older originals like “Rain and Snow,” even older bluegrass tunes, such as “Bluegrass Breakdown” and “Get on Your Knees and Pray,” and covered a few famous songs by artists like Willie Nelson and Slim Whitman. Del and his band played songs “Hello Lonely” and “I Remember You” off their new album, Family Circle.

McCoury senior kept up a lively banter with the audience, whether it be to admit that he forgot the lyrics, or to take shouted requests. He introduced the members like a proud father (or father figure): Ronnie McCoury on mandolin, Rob McCoury on banjo, Jason Carter on fiddle, and Alan Bartram on bass.  These boys were all significantly younger than him, but I think even they sometimes had a hard time keeping up with 71 year old Del McCoury.

Inspiring to any musician, Jason Carter worked with a broken string in the last song of their two-song encore; he quickly re-tuned his violin to make up for the lost E string and finished off the song with the rest of the band impeccably.

Maybe it’s the suits, maybe it’s the smiles, maybe it’s just the twang, but the multiple standing ovations the Del McCoury Band received Friday night proves their place in bluegrass.

If you live around Raleigh, Kooley High is one of those groups that everyone seems to be familiar with through word of mouth or after seeing one of their many concert posters promoting their next gig around town.  They perform regularly around the Triangle, yet, somehow, I had yet to see one of their shows until now.  After procuring a pair of tickets to their show at the Pour House on Friday, May 28, I was pumped to finally see them live.

It was a good thing I was pumped because, rather than letting the unexpected downpour dampen my mood, I used it as a funny conversation starter when seeing other concert goers who had obviously suffered the same water soaked journey from their car to the venue.

The opening artists got the crowd warmed up by the time Carlitta Durand took the stage.  Her energy was positive, quirky, and contagious from the get go.  When she started singing, everyone was captivated by her soulful lyrics and smooth sound.  Her backup singers blended perfectly, and the band played with such energy and passion that almost seemed old school.  Undoubtedly, Carlitta performed a beautiful and moving set.

As Kooley High took to the stage, the crowd was ready and the energy was intense.  Kooley High did not disappoint and used the energy of the crowd to push it further.  Each individual of the group brought something fresh and new to their sound, while still managing to rhyme effortlessly as a group without one person overbearing the others.  Their set was tight and powerful.  For all of the people in attendance, it was a great way to spend their Friday night.

by Jacob and Spaceman Spiff

A rare moment of "calm" mid-show

On Friday evening, the paragons of the independent age of music, Superchunk, played a night for the fans at the stage they helped build at the Cat’s Cradle.  The show was a warm-up for the summer music festival season and an east coast tour in the fall that will coincide with the release of their first full length album in nine years Majesty Shredding.   Fears that the show would highlight a laid back set from Superchunk stemming from the inclusion of Ryan Gustafson on the bill were quickly alleviated by Gustafson’s inclusion of friends from the Drughorse Collective to add a full band sound to his twangy pop.  Gustafson’s set was fantastic, the crowd was dancing and bobbing heads in approval as he performed his catchy songs with heartfelt conviction.

Superchunk took the stage at 10:00 p.m. brimming with intensity, vitality and volume.  Mac McCaughan owned the stage with moves that would put most Guitar Hero avatars to shame, Laura Balance is still a master of control with the bass, Jon Wurster’s drums told the packed house when to dance and when to jump, and—self-deprecating humor aside—Jim Wilbur’s guitar knew the potpourri of songs spanning the bands 20+ career better than anyone in the room.  What really set the show apart was that the majority of the set wasn’t forged to promote an album or conform to the bands comfort zones, but it was instead fueled and filled with requests taken by the band over email from the previous week.  It was a thrill to hear “Slack Motherfucker,” “Precision Auto,” and “Water Wings” in the same evening, and fans responded with great fervor.

As the night wore on, the magnetic energy in the room became tangible.  Superchunk was good enough to preview two songs from their new album Digging For Something and Everything at Once.  John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, who will be a guest on Majesty Shredding, came out to lend backup vocals to “Digging For Something” and was in the envious position of getting to dance around on stage with Superchunk.  An easy highlight of the evening, the fast and furious “Everything at Once” may be giving fans’ favorite songs a run for their money.  The only downside of the night was that it took the tech crew at the Cradle the first three songs of Superchunk’s set to blend the audio levels properly, but this may be a testament to the band’s rowdy enthusiasm. For an hour and a half they rocked hard, and we were all mesmerized.

John Darnielle and Mac singing together on Digging For Something

Mac owning the stage

Superchunk’s setlist:

1. Tower

2. For Tension

3. Skip Steps 1&3

4. Learned To Surf

5. Digging For Something (ft. John Darnielle)

6. Ribbon

7. Sidewalk

8. I Guess I Remembered It Wrong

9. Florida’s On Fire

10. Water Wings

11. European Medicine

12. Package Thief

13. Everything At Once

14. Precision Auto

Encore:

15. On The Mouth

16. From The Curve

17. Slack Motherfucker

Encore 2:

18. Hyper Enough (ft. John Darnielle)

19. Throwing Things

This past Saturday, WKNC DJ’s made the trek to Cat’s Cradle to experience the breathtaking and moving music of Beach House. After waiting in traffic for an hour, possibly parking illegally, and missing all but thirty seconds of Washed Out’s set, we made it in and were ready to be swept away by the mesmerizing music of Baltimore’s Beach House.

After much anticipation, vocalist/organist Victoria Legrand and mulit-intrumentalist Alex Scally took the stage and reeled the audience in with “Walk in the Park.” The duo smoothly transitioned from song to song, playing many songs off their recent release, “Teen Dream,” but also keeping the crowd pleased with favorites like “Gila” off of their 2008 album Devotion. The sold out crowd swayed to “Silver Soul” and “Lover of Mine”, but the excitement really heightened when the first notes of “Zebra” kicked in. During the song, lead singer Victoria Legrand, fittingly dressed in black and white, wafted her hands emulating a “black and white horse.”

Adding to the ethereal atmosphere of the dreamy set was the fog emanating from the stage, pastel colored pom poms dangling from the ceiling, and what can only be described as giant, rotating diamonds covered in multi-colored foil which hypnotized the audience and added to the cavernous vibe of the music. As the show wound down, Legrand jokingly asked the audience if they were depressed, and without response, dramatically commenced “Used to Be”. In between songs, the group referred to their first time playing Chapel Hill, at the Nightlight, jokingly commenting they preferred playing for six people. Beach House ended their hour-long set with an incredible “Take Care”, followed by an encore and closing the show with the epic “10 Mile Stereo”.The show was, without a doubt, one of the best any of those in attendance will likely see this year.

Friday night I had the pleasure, nay the privilege, of seeing My Morning Jacket in concert at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre.  I had never been to the amphitheater before and had heard mixed reviews about the acoustics and general atmosphere of the place, but upon arrival I found the woodsy setting to be quite appropriate for the show.  It was hot, and it didn’t get any cooler when the sun went down since the lawn was completely amass with people.  Fortunately, I had a spot saved for me by some people who had gotten there earlier and was able to grab a seat at the very front of the lawn seating, stage left.

My Morning Jacket

The hush and then the screams when the band took the stage were reminiscent of so many major concerts I had been to, and unfortunately, so was the performance.  Everything seemed sort of quiet and lacking energy.  I kept waiting for the emotionally electrifying display of musicianship I had seen on a DVD of My Morning Jacket performances, but it didn’t arrive — at least not until about three or four songs from the end of their set.  Finally, things seemed to blow up but I was so tired and hot by that point that it was difficult to enjoy.  Don’t get me wrong.  I had a great time and the music was good.  Maybe next time I’ll try to catch the boys from Kentucky in a smaller venue.

This past Sunday night, Da Bear, May Day, and I arrived at the Cat’s Cradle in Carborro expecting an awesome show.  The opening bands included Bad Veins and Maps & Atlases – sadly, we got there just as Bad Veins ended their set with the song “The Lie,” but we were able to enjoy Maps & Atlases’ set in its entirety.  Opening with “Witch,” we were immediately impressed with the musicianship of the group, both in performance and composition.

Maps & Atlases

By the time Maps & Atlases finished up their last number, the crowd was eagerly anticipating Frightened Rabbit.  Kicking off their set with the song “Skip the Youth” off of their newest release, The Winter of Mixed Drinks, they quickly shifted into a crowd favorite, “The Modern Leper” from the 2008 album The Midnight Organ Fight.

Frightened Rabbit

Continuing through an amazing set list including “The Twist” and their current single, “Swim Until You Can’t See Land,” Frightened Rabbit barreled through, hit after hit.

Scott Hutchinson, lead vocals

With the show coming to an end, there was no doubt of an encore.  Scott Hutchison returned to the stage to sing an acoustic version of “Poke,” and then the rest of the band emerged to finish the night with “Living in Colour” and the notorious “Keep Yourself Warm.”

Rabbits' encore

The authenticity and ferventness of Frightened Rabbit’s performance created the kind of communal experience that defines the purpose of a concert.  I definitely recommend seeing them if you come across such an opportunity in the future – otherwise, you may end up wishing you had a “backwards walk” of a different kind.

88.1 Pick of the Week
Still Standing
Monica

In the three years since Monica Arnold’s last album, The Makings of Me, R&B music has become increasingly watered down, and drifted further away from its soulful origins.  With her latest release, Still Standing, the Grammy award winner has helped to bring R&B back to its strong roots, where the focus is on vocal ability, meaningful lyrical content, and dynamic production.

We were first introduced to a 14-year-old Monica back in 1995, with the sassy, “Don’t Take It Personal” from her Debut album, Miss Thang. Since then, she has remained one the most consistent and powerful singers to emerged in the past 20 years. Still Standing chronicles the joys and sorrows of love, life and relationships and reminds us why Monica has been able to achieve such longevity in her career.

We begin the album with its title track, “Still Standing” featuring rapper Ludacris. The hard hitting anthem is a testament of Monica’s strength and resilience, despite life’s obstacles and trials. It’s one of the albums best and sets the tone for the emotional journey that is Still Standing.

Next up is, the Los Da Mystro produced piano driven, “One in A Lifetime”, where Monica stresses the importance of appreciating that rare love and recognizing it before its too late. “One In A Lifetime” is followed by, “Stay Or Go”. The Neyo penned tune has Monica demanding an answer from an indecisive lover as to whether or not he wants to be with her.  On both up-tempo tracks and throughout the album, Monica sings with an intensity and urgency that penetrates the soul.

Stand outs on the album include, the sample heavy, Missy Elliot produced “Everything”, which samples Deniece Williams R&B classic “Silly” and “If You Were My Man”, sampled from Evelyn “Champagne” King’s, “Betcha She Don’t Love You”. On the albums first single,” Everything” Monica proclaims how her love means the world to her and on the up-tempo “If You Were My Man”, she boast of how good her love is to prospective mate.

Although Still Standing is very strong, it does not go without its share of missteps, including the generic and gimmicky, “Super Man”, where Monica croons how she will be her mans Lois Lane. Never fear, Monica shines on the other slower songs, showcasing her vocal prowess on the sensual “Here I Am”, the inspiring “Believe In Me”, and the Jermaine Dupri helmed “Love All Over Me”, where Monica explains the feeling of being covered in love. On another gem, the  radio friendly mid-tempo urban pop “Mirror”, Monica relays how she has discovered that love and not material things makes life worth living.

Overall, Still Standing is a well balanced and cohesive collection of what we’ve come to expect from Monica, impassioned delivery and relatable music. What separates Monica from her female counterparts is her ability to tackle material with emotion, conviction and a sense of sincerity. Monica proves that she is able to remain current and relevant, while bringing a sense of maturity and timelessness to her music, which is why, in a fickle industry, she is Still Standing.

For more information on Monica visit here and follow her on twitter.

88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Thursday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

“Saturday Night Soul and R&B” with host Mir.I.am airs weekly from 9 to 11 p.m.