Spring Weekend Preview: M.I.A.

Maya Arulpragasam, otherwise known as the Sri Lankan rap-pop dynamo M.I.A., is an artist that’s hard to miss and even harder to ignore. She’s spent the past few years plastered all over music blogs, feminist magazines, and Late Night with David Letterman (which led to beef when the show censored her gunshot sound effects during her performance of “Paper Planes”) despite edgy lyrics about crime and poverty and a slightly grimy sound inspired by international genres that most of her fans probably haven’t heard of. Her secret weapon is her distinctive delivery, which is half-rapping, half-singing, and all charisma.

M.I.A.’s 2005 debut Arular was rap-heavy, but 2007’s Kala found her experimenting with pop to great effect. For example, Kala‘s Bollywood cover “Jimmy” is a far more successful attempt at sugary fun than Arular‘s awkward “Uraqt” and “Paper Planes” could be a Rihanna song if it weren’t about robbing and killing people. Kala also features catchier and more danceable beats than Arular, so don’t forget to bring your favorite grinding partner to her Spring Weekend show. If that’s not your bag, her astute lyrics about being disenfranchised and out of options are just as compelling as her ability to make you shake your Ivy League thang. It’s a delicate combination, but M.I.A. combines socially conscious lyrics and catchy rhythms far better than most. You won’t feel guilty for dancing and you still won’t try to tune out her message.

If you’re not acquainted with M.I.A. beyond her great singles like “Galang” and “Boyz,” checking out the rest of her small catalogue before Spring Weekend hits is definitely recommended. While it’s rewarding in its own right, her more abrasive work can be a lot to take booming from the stage if you don’t know what to expect. M.I.A. shows are generally loud, fun, and visually stimulating—she did go to art school, after all. Overall, M.I.A.’s a safe bet whether you’re a fan or not, but it’s certainly worth becoming one.

Spring Weekend Preview: Girl Talk (by Sydney Harris)

If you enjoy popular music, chances are you’ve grooved to tunes like the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy,” Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So,” and even Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up”—but have you ever heard these songs engage in a bout of intercourse so wildly energetic that the neighbors are sure to complain? If not, then get ready for an orgy of pop, alt rock, and hip-hop during Girl Talk’s upcoming performance at Spring Weekend. Using minimal computer technology former biomedical engineer Gregg Gillis combines catchy beats and loops to create a deliciously danceable gumbo of recognizable tracks that span decades. His most recent album, “Night Ripper,” samples artists as varied as James Taylor, the Pixies, and Beyonce. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “One guy and his laptop on stage? Boooring.” Never fear, because Girl Talk’s high octane music guarantees that you will shake your ass or your money back. You should also anticipate that Gillis will probably remove most or all of his clothing on stage. Ultimately, Girl Talk is fun, pure, and simple. His upbeat blend of unlikely samples and effects provides a fun opportunity to play “name that tune.” Plus, if you listen carefully to the tracks “Once Again” and “Summer Smoke” from “Night Ripper” you’ll get a taste of another Spring Weekend performer: M.I.A.

Spring Weekend Preview: Umphrey's Mcgee

A decade after Phish realized that their concerts still sold out even if they added the same 15 minutes of lazy funk to every song, jam bands are less a vital force than a cottage industry or, even worse, a 90's holdover. But if one band is fighting that perception, it is Indiana's Umphrey's Mcgee. Abandoning the Grateful Dead worship and southern rock clichés of their contemporaries, they instead opt for thrillingly perverse instrumental interplay-a la Frank Zappa without the sex jokes. Most of their press concentrates on their on the fly mid-jam chord changes, but they also have the songwriting chops to make albums like Anchor Drops and Safety in Numbers more than bong hit soundtracks. With a busy tour schedule (their run up to Spring Weekend contains 9 shows in eleven days) and their first live album in the rear view mirror, expect this six piece musical juggernaut to please even the least drugged out of the Spring Weekend throngs.

REVIEW: Nick Lowe-Jesus of Cool (by Bob Short)

They sure don't make 'em like Nick Lowe anymore. After years as the frontman of struggling pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz came to nothing, Lowe joined fledgling Stiff Records and became a sort of big brother to the punk movement-producing debuts by The Damned, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and the Rumour, among others. Amidst all this activity, Lowe recorded his first solo album, a delicious piece of disposable pop junk food entitled Jesus of Cool that has been difficult to find before Yep Roc's deluxe reissue.

The "dinosaur bands" dominating the charts were recording albums had tried to achieve lasting significance with smooth, timeless production, while the punk movement abandoned any idea of lasting significance in favor of pinpointing time and place to achieve significance for the here and now. With Jesus of Cool, however, Lowe eschewed any attempts at constructs like "significance" or "originality," surprisingly resulting in an album every bit as fun and satisfying now as it was in '78. Unamused by the cheeky title, his American record label shuffled the track listing and changed the album's name, British Invasion style. Usually termed as power-pop by default, Lowe's music is much more than that. In fact, the American title Pure Pop For Now People is actually a fairly accurate depiction of how it sounds, a gleeful mix of old time rock, a few lush ballads, punk pisstakes, and a hint of disco. The new reissue contains every track from the multiple versions of the LP, plus a hearty helping of outtakes and contemporary singles that could easily have made the cut. Lowe's singing and lyrics convey the enthusiasm of a musician within months of his 30th birthday finally getting his due. The rough "So It Goes" travels from tales of willfully violent gigs ("you better keep your backstage passes / as your promoter has the muscle") to comments on Soviet-U.S. relations in the giddy blur of its 3 minutes while "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" is Lowe's psychological exploration into the hotel destroying motives of rock stars, with a great four on the floor beat and nimble piano commenting on the proceedings. "Marie Provost" is another highlight, a rollicking tune about "a winner / who became a doggie's dinner" (if you want to know more, look up the song's subject, silent film actress Marie Prevost). Much like the cover, in which he dresses as different rock star archetypes, Lowe is comfortable and tuneful in his many guises. He would score a U.S. hit a few years later and become a millionaire when a cover of one of his songs appeared in a 17 million selling soundtrack-but Jesus of Cool is his finest hour, and with a fine new edition there's no better time to hear it.

5/5

Song Review: Smashing Pumpkins – Rose March (by Eva Kurtz-Nelson)

The most promising Smashing Pumpkins reunion track didn’t exactly enter the world with a bang. Instead, “Rose March” recently whimpered its way into our lives as part of the American Gothic EP, an unheralded iTunes exclusive in the United States. While Zeitgeist was heavy on Billy Corgan’s I-just-chugged-four-Red-Bulls-and-also-hate-my-life output (see also: DESPITE ALL MY RAY-AGE I AM STILL JUST A RAT IN A CAY-AGE) with mixed results, “Rose March” more strongly resembles the lush ballads the Pumpkins perfected on their last great album Adore. “Rose March” is unmistakably a love song, with enough “la-da-da”s and sappy lyrics like “I’ll lay roses at your feet” to make a kitten weep, but it’s impeccably crafted and achieves exactly what it sets out to. Sure, twelve-year-olds can slow dance to it, but is that always a bad thing? Corgan used to write some of the prettiest pop songs of his time, and while “Rose March” is no “1979” it proves that he hasn’t forgotten everything. If you’ve ever swooned to the Pumpkins’ softer side, “Rose March” is definitely worth your 99 cents.

New Music Alert: James Hill (by Ben Bernstein)

I'm just here checking in to talk about a great new artist out of Seattle named James Hill (myspace.com/jameshill). Sounding like a less morose Elliot Smith or maybe Thom Yorke at his most accesible trying to play folk music, James Hill is certainly worth a listen.

Check out the songs "That's Love" and "It's My Day" both available for free download.

Single Review: These New Puritans - Navigate, Navigate (by Bob Short)

These New Puritans, an English quartet with an EP to their name, were given a week by designer Hedi Slimane to write and record a 15 minute soundtrack for the opening of the '07 Dior Homme collection. Strike 1: English 19 year olds. Strike 2: Only took a week? Strike 3: For a fashion show?! Wait, don't call up the next batter yet. Hedi Slimane never immersed himself in the Eurotrash that masquerades as high fashion on the continent and in choosing These New Puritans he has once again demonstrated his impeccable taste. After an introduction of loops and feedbacks, the band crashes in, sounding like a garage rock band trying their damnedest to faithfully cover some big beat classic. It's obvious why "Navigate, Navigate" was released on 12'' vinyl: it doesn't matter where you drop the needle, the surreal song cycle can be enjoyed by dipping in and out of it like the Book of Psalms. Psalms that have chanted vocals and gloriously choppy guitar, that is. Tim Goldsworthy provides the b-side remix under his The Loving Hand moniker. I have one question left: where do I find a club that plays this?