Their Flag is Planted Deeply in the Ground
The very talented and thankfully local band, American Revival is back with a new lineup and new EP called Thank Ya Kindly. Folks, the lads have done it again. It’s a North Woods corker!
From the first few wonderful seconds of the opening track’s acoustic guitar, I fell head over heels in love with their new EP. “95” opens up the record by firmly planting an alt-country flag in the ground and it’s very, very deep. The track also has a Byrds-like feel to it that I found refreshing and inspiring to the point of where I really wanted to take a road trip to..well…anywhere! Ah, the magic of music…
The second track, “Japanese Shark,” reminded me of why I love the voice of Thomas Pendervas as much as I do. It’s so all-encompassing and full, towering over the music in such a unique way that it actually magnifies each track as opposed to overwhelming it.
“Texas” reminds me of Nebraska-era Bruce Springsteen with its haunting pastoral of our nation’s largest state. With this intriguing track, an exploration of thoughts as they travel from season to season, Pendervas taps into his existential intelligence and paints a story that is deeply touching. The EP’s last track, “Lights,” is a rousing number that does what every good song should do: make the listener feel nostalgic for a time that perhaps they have never had.
I certainly felt that way.
For those of you lucky enough to live in the Twin Cities, American Revival is having a CD release party on March 8th at Mayslack’s and a follow up show at one of my absolute favorite venues, the Kitty Cat Club, on March 15th. I’ll likely be at the latter on as my birthday is on March 16th and it might be nice to celebrate the opening minutes of it at 12:01am with one of the best bands in the Midwest!
Mark’s Best of 2011
2011 was truly a blessed year for music. Many of my favorite groups released new records and, as always thanks to NME, I found some fab new ones to geek out over. Without further adieu, here are my Top Ten Albums and Top Ten Tracks of 2011 (Click on the album or track to purchase).
Albums
10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
This Portland, Oregon band have a a combo lo-fi, groovy throwback sound that makes me smile. “Thought Ballune” is a must download.
9. American Revival – The Worst Is Over Now
My fave new local band by way of Pete getting me back into alt.country. Their debut is magnificent. Here is their first video which showcases one of the best local bars, Williams Pub.
8. Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys!
Yes, these Ramsbottom, Bury lads sound like Genesis avec Peter Gabriel but so what? Every new release sees treasure after treasure.
7. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
I can’t wait to see all the music this band is going to make over the years. Caught them live in a warm up for the Arctic Monkeys last spring. Bril!
6. Noel Gallagher – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
It’s about time that Noel did his own thing. I say it all the time – he’s the better singer. This album has been like a comfy blanket to me of late.
5. Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding
I was pleasantly surprised to see Liam try on some different musical styles. The results speak for themselves.
4. The Arctic Monkeys – Suck It And See
Another great fucking record from the Sheffield lads. I don’t think it’s possible for them to make a bad one.
3. The Kooks – Junk Of The Heart
Every three years The Kooks make an album that is seamless from the last one in its perfection. Just a joy to play over and over again…like this Simon and Garfunkel-esque gem..
2. The Original 7ven – Condensate
This barely missed being the album of the year. The only thing that honestly held it back was it came out later in the year (October) and I haven’t lived with like I did with my #1 pick. Morris, Jerome, Jimmy, Terry, Jesse, Monte, and Jellybean made the best Time album out of the five with this absolute corker of a record. Done without the help of that dude from Chanhassen, the greatest band in the history of funk delivered a stunner that has deepened my desire to be Morris Day.
1. Friendly Fires – Pala
The soundtrack to my summer and, indeed, the entire year. I think I have played this disc at least 200 times start to finish since it came out and I still find layers to it previously unheard. Pala sets a mood that is sorely lacking today, not just in music, but in our culture in general. I’m not entirely certain I can describe it in words but it’s reminiscent of what the most gorgeous flower would sound like as it blooms…in a club at 1:30am with piles of sweaty bodies writhing around to massive and thumping beats. And if it could tell Robert Browning-esque love stories. Like their self titled first release, Pala deserves to be forever enshrined in any Hall of Fame.
Lay back in the sun and listen to the title track…
Tracks
10. “Whirring
” – The Joy Formidable
I imagine this song as being the soundtrack to an indie love story. A true gem from this North Wales group.
9. “Endless Blue
” – The Horrors
It begins like a gentle kiss from a beautiful woman and switches mid way through into a full on frenetic, saliva-dripped shag…just like love making should be.
8. “Boogabear
” – American Revival
“I’m so tired of fighting the battle for who could care less…” singer Thomas Pendarvis croons in my fave from the Mpls alt. country outfit’s debut. This song is now officially the anthem of every bar in every small town for every person having a cold one. (No video here so go listen to the track by clicking on the song).
7. “Minnesota, WI
” – Bon Iver
The Eau Claire, WI natives perfectly captured that autumnal shimmer that I write about constantly. A nice shout out to my neighborhood of the country.
6. “Wasted
” – Glass Rock
I love the mood this song sets and the album cover art is the best of the year. It’s a photo I would take. And it came out on my birthday! (No video here so go listen to the track by clicking on the song).
5. “Shuffle
” – Bombay Bicycle Club
This Crouch End, London group may become my new Brit Rock darlings. This track struck me as sounding very different from what I normally hear from across the pond. It’s free on Amazon!
4. “Days
” – The Drums
This is my son’s best track of 2011. He wanted me to make note of it and it’s funny because it’s appropriate considering the video below. This Brooklyn based guitar pop outfit continues to make great music with their third release, Portamento.
3. “Post Break-Up Sex
” – The Vaccines
If Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks is the best break up album of all time, this track holds the best break up song mantle. We’ve all been there, and it’s wonderful.
2. “Junk Of The Heart (Happy)
” – The Kooks
A perfect pop song in just about every way. Luke does it again!
1. “Blue Cassette
” – Friendly Fires
Not simply the best track of 2011, but one of the best of all time. Friendly Fires really outdid themselves with this stunning song that waxes nostalgic about cassette tapes and lost love. My heart melts every single time I listen to it.
Those are my albums and tracks. What are yours?
A North Woods Blessing
The debut album from a new band is always something special. When it is a band from my hometown, it’s even more exciting. If that disc completely blows away all my expectations, it’s shovel to the head stunning.Having listened to The Worst Is Over Now by the Twin Cities’ American Revival several times over the course of the last week, I must admit that the above description massively understates the wonder and beauty of this disc. Maybe it’s my new found love for alt-country or the soulful, widescreen voice of lead singer Thomas Pendarvis but the 11 tracks on this record have overwhelmed me with a blessed North Woods melancholy that I am praying endures forever.
During the second track on the disc, “Boogabear,” Pendarvis croons, “I make the couch into a bed so I can rest…I’m so tired…fighting the battle of who could care less,” and I can smell the 25 year old fabric that has heard far too many arguments. The John Bonhamesque drumming of Jeremy Krueth snaps us immediately into this world during the intro of the song and we are instantly propelled down a dusty road filled with broken hearts.
Of course, the opening track, “King Kong,” sets the stage for all of this.
You can always do what you want to do
Hell, you can always say what you want to say
You can always lie if you wanted to
Turn yourself into somebody newIt’s every girl or every boy…everywhere…that has fallen in love for the first time or out of love for the last…
The characters that make up the tapestry of The Worst is Over Now are woven with great clarity and detail by the band. The themes of the heartache and loneliness that results from failing or failed relationships resonates throughout the entire album. Instead of making me wallow in the muck of it all, I feel comforted…just as I do when I listen to the blues…in knowing that the gutting that I have felt in my life is shared by a universal connection of far too many people slump shouldered over a bottle of beer.
Yet, heartache is not the only theme prevalent on the album. In many ways, “Virginia,” “Singapore Blues,” and “Poza” all intimate the sacred journey that each of us takes during our lives. This all comes to a zenith during the best track on the record, “Austin,” a personal saga that relates a Homeric quest for the one that got away. But this festival anthem (if there ever was one) begs the question: is the lamentation over a girl or a city? It’s not clear and that’s what is so magnificent about it.
It’s the mystery of the journey…
For those of you who live in the Twin Cities, American Revival’s CD release party is Saturday, August 20th at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis. Information about this event can be found by clicking on this link.
For outside the Twin Cities, friend American Revival on Facebook and download music from there.
Check out this video of “Poza” from a recent concert performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_P3zC1W7JI
The Colossus of the Twin Cities
Much like their song King Kong, American Revival is straddling the Twin Cities with one giant left foot in Minneapolis and one giant right foot in St Paul. Since writing about them last November, I have truly enjoyed following this local band as they begin to play bigger venues around town. It has been far too long since I’ve had some home town boys to geek out over and these guys have been exceeding my expectations with each gig I see.
Here is a video from a stellar show last December at the Fine Line Music Cafe in downtown Minneapolis. It’s very illustrative of their energy, professionalism, and amazing sound.
You can pick up their EP on iTunes here. American Revival is currently in the studio working on their first album. Follow them on Facebook for updates and check back here with me for a story on the making of the album.
