Album Review: Tonya Gilmore Phantoms, Fill the Sky

Ravens Flight Records

Oregon-based singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonya Gilmore may just be this century’s premier murder balladeer.

Several of the 14 songs on Phantoms Fill the Sky have appeared  in other forms on Gilmore’s previous releases, but all of them have been thoughtfully revisited and re-polished for the new album. And while she does capably play the bulk of the album’s rhythms and melodies—on vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, and hand percussion—a pirate’s crew of about eight other multi-instrumentalists really brings Gilmore’s tunes to a whole new level. The whole album feels meatier as a result—oh, and did I mention there’s a guy, Mark Powers, who is credited with playing the goat toenails, along with drums and percussion?

This is not an album for the light-hearted. The closest Gilmore comes to being even remotely upbeat is on a couple of new songs, namely “Brittle Bones” and the down-tempo, piano-driven waltz “Casino Night,” in which Gilmore calmly proclaims her certainty that “I’ve no god above to call it sin / or to do me in.” 

Where Gilmore truly shines is in her lyric writing and her vocal delivery. With a frequent and at times frantic vibrato, she exudes power while slipping effortlessly between vocal registers. She has an innate ability to capture the dynamics of the lyrics within her delivery, so that she embodies the loss, death, ghosts and betrayals of which she sings. It’s definitely dramatic material, and she works it like Edgar Allan Poe writing for musical theater. The songs are often layered with metaphor and thick with images, like short stories you have to read in their entirety to understand what’s really going on—though she can be unsettlingly specific too, as with “Pitchfork and a Torch,” wherein the narrator croons darkly to her lover, “I know the vein in your neck better than the rest of your head.” Suzie Gilb

Album Review: Aquitaine American, Pulverizer Pt. 2

self release

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that sequels are, with few exceptions, bad ideas. This is not the case for STL’s own Aquitaine (formerly Supermoon) and their follow-up EP to 2012’s American Pulverizer. There’s a lot that will be familiar to fans of the first, including sharp guitars seemingly pulled directly from the hands of The Jam’s Paul Weller, and vocals out of Peter Murphy’s back catalog driven to post-punk speed. Fans of classic British mod/new wave will have plenty to enjoy here, not the least of which is the guitar riff for leadoff track “Robotson,” the closest you’ll get to those quintessential sounds without actually riding a time machine back to 1977. 

But the Brit-leaning stuff isn’t all there is to enjoy; drummer Chris Luckett bashes and crashes without losing momentum, finding weird little pockets of interesting stuff; bassist and band leader Dave Collett brings the heat to the low end; and former guitarist Gerald Good (now replaced onstage but not on this record by Graham Day) shines as both riff writer and singer on the unexpectedly sentimental “Meteor Showers. “ A smattering of familiar sounds cue more of the group’s influences—The Kinks, Pulp, Johnny Marr, The Who—but the resulting mixture is purely theirs. The only real problem with this fine disc of rockers is that it’s too short. Take that as a compliment.  Jason Robinson

Album Review: Hazard To Ya Booty, The Precipice

Low Tone Records

Hazard To Ya Booty is St. Louis’ best party band.  Even the most cynical among us can’t help but shake the body part they warn you about in the band’s name. On their latest release, The Precipice, there are no surprises—this is exactly what you expect, and want, from the band that rocks the party. From the funky, slapped bass notes of the title track ’til the last call to enjoy the simple things in life, The Precipice is a how-to guide on getting the most dancing into your life. 

Hazard has always been steeped in that river funk, the New Orleans sound that so often drifts upriver to St. Louis. You can smell the crawfish on this album and taste the Blackened Voodoo. 

The big problem that Hazard has always faced is the one that dogs all bands of their ilk: how do you recreate the hard-hitting, sweaty, booty-shaking, beer-soaked live shows in the studio? The Precipice can’t supply the stale beer, body heat, and rubbin up, but it does provide the soundtrack so you can get it on in a time and place of your own choosing. The groove they provide is hard and it doesn’t stop—now, getting it dirty, getting it real funky, is up to you and your crew. Hugh Scott

Album Review: Angel Olsen, Burn Your Fire for No Witness

Jagjaguwar

I first discovered Angel Olsen here in the pages of Eleven magazine, nearly a year ago exactly, in a letter to the editor. The author of that letter held Olsen up as the shining example of a musician whom he felt had been failed by the St. Louis scene—a native talent this city somehow couldn’t successfully foster and support, who would be forced to find success elsewhere. And while I’ve forgotten about the silliness of the argument that followed, I’ve never forgotten about Angel Olsen. That letter led me to pick up her 2012 album, Half Way Home, and it has rarely left my playlists or turntable since. It fills me with dark wonder. I’ve emphatically thrust it upon friends and new flames, consoled myself with it during break-ups … hell, it even soundtracks my housecleaning. It’s that voice.

God knows, it’s that voice.

Like Judy Garland, or Cindy Walker, through a David Lynch filter. Dipping up and down; arching lower and then reaching new heights. All vulnerable and quivering and powerful at the same time. Olsen brings this same aching intensity and talent to Burn Your Fire for No Witness, her newest on Jagjaguwar Records. By turns wounded, defiant, and  cautiously hopeful, this one plays like the spiritual successor to Jessica Lea Mayfield’s terrific Tell Me (and hey: go pick up that album, too). As with Olsen’s last effort, I haven’t stopped listening to this album, and likely won’t anytime soon. 

As an opener, “Unfucktheworld” is the perfect bridge between the airy sparseness of Olsen’s last album and a new approach exemplified by the album’s surprising, fuzzed-out rocker “Forgiven/Forgotten.” And while the one-two punch of this track and “Hi-Five” will become college radio favorites, it’s Olsen’s heartbreaking and stormy slow-burners that, for me, provide the real weight and replay value. The production may be a bit bigger this time around, but this decision serves Olsen’s aesthetic rather than distracting from it. And, most importantly, it doesn’t overshadow Olsen’s pen-poised lyrics or raw emotion. “Won’t you open a window sometime?” she coos lowly on the soaring closer, her voice breathlessly cracking and pleading. “What’s so wrong with the light?” And, with that, she disappears. 

I’m hoping Angel Olsen will return to St. Louis soon in support of this release [And she will be, Sunday 4/27 - huzzah! Ed.]. The last time Olsen breezed through town, time stopped for me. She mesmerized and silenced an entire room with a voice, a guitar, and a penetrating gaze. You could hear a PBR pull-tab drop. It was an unforgettable concert. I can’t even imagine what the next show, or her future, will bring. Chris Ward

Eleven Questions with The Black Angels by Thomas Crone

Over the past decade, I’ve seen The Black Angels more than any other touring group coming through St. Louis. A nod, then, to Vintage Vinyl’s Jim Utz for tipping me to them originally. On his recommendation, I walked into the group’s first show in St. Louis, during their very first song of the night; the light show was pulsating and the room a bit past half-full, but Off Broadway’s dancefloor  was packed. I didn’t know a single hook by the Austin group when walking in, but I left the club that evening with a bit of merch, including their stunning debut album, Passover. Most definitely, more than one fan was converted that night.

Since then, three more albums and a couple of EPs have been released, commercials and soundtracks have prominently featured the group and some lineup changes have occurred. Through all of it, the band’s regularly hit St. Louis on a variety of tours, setting up one-night engagements at the Duck Room and the Old Rock House, as well as booking live appearances at KDHX. And they’re returning to St. Louis for a special gig on Saturday, February 1, sharing the stage with psych legend Roky Erickson, as part of The Firebird’s fifth anniversary show. (Tickets are $25 and available at firebirdstl.com.)

Once, when the group was recording a live set at KDHX, I was in-studio, hosting the old Silver Tray program. The band’s vocalist, Alex Maas, caught me near the coffee pot, asking about nearby restaurants. I bored him with a comprehensive listing of every dining spot on South Grand, completely unaware that I was, you know, talking to Alex Maas of The Black Angels. I won’t count that as a dorky mis-step and certainly not my first interview with the group.

That honor goes to what follows. Guitarist Christian Bland was kind enough to drop back a line on some quickly-developed Q’s for the maiden voyage of Eleven’s new “Eleven Questions” joint.

1. What were the relationships between various members of the group and Roky Erickson prior this tour, i.e., to what degree did any Black Angels personally know him before this run of shows?

No one knew Roky personally until we toured with him in 2008 down the west coast for five shows. We got to know him at the practices we had for the tour. We wanted to play more 13th Floor Elevator songs than he’d been performing live, so we had the goal of playing the first five songs from the Psychedelic Sounds album. He told us he hadn’t played “Rollercoaster,” “Reverberation” and “Don’t Fall Down” in over 30 years. So we invited him to our house and Nate and I sat down with him and relearned those songs on acoustic guitars. We got to know Roky during those sessions. We’d take “Dr. Pepper breaks” and he’d tell us about the old days with the Elevators.

2. For those of us who don't go online and track playlists and the like, can you give a sense of what songs are being regularly spotted into setlists these days?

We just play a mix off of each of our albums. It’s different every night.

3. St. Louis seems to be a regular landing pad for the group. Are we just an easy place to route through, or do you really feel the love when coming through St. Louis?

It seems like we have a good fan base in St. Louis, so it makes sense for us to stop in every now and then to let ‘em know we’re still out and about making music and that we dig the city because they seem to dig us.

4. Along the same lines, are there St. Louis shows that stand out, whether at Off Broadway, Blueberry Hill's Duck Room, the Old Rock House? Or are ours a big, amorphous blend of "St. Louis shows?”

I particularly remember the Duck Room show because I’m such a huge Chuck Berry fan. It was awesome to play where Chuck Berry plays.

5. As a group that's had the occasional lineup change, to what degree does a lineup shift stimulate or energize a group?

A group is like one functioning entity, so anytime someone joins or leaves there’s a shift in the creative union. We brought Jake (Garcia) into the group to stimulate and energize the creativity that was forfeited when Nate (Ryan) was asked to leave the band. Jakes’s done a great job; he’s an amazing guitar player, and fellow lefty. I can finally share guitars with someone.

6. What's it like having a song selected for a major ad campaign, television show or movie soundtrack? Any interesting anecdotes come from those experiences? 

It’s validation to my mom and dad that I’m actually making a living playing music. When they see something on TV that has one of our songs they get excited, the same way as when they saw us play on Letterman or Conan O’Brien. It’s my proof that I’m not just sitting in Austin living in la la land.

7. And without asking numbers relating to the previous question, what good things come from licensing a song?

I think the biggest thing is that more people who wouldn’t normally hear our music get to hear it. It allows for more folks to discover us.

8. Are there any unreleased sessions out there, ones that fans might look forward to in coming months or years? Any Daytrotters? Any remixes? Even any bootlegs that have caught the band's attention?

There’s tons of stuff online that you can find if you search deep enough from radio shows, and live recordings people have made at shows.

9. What's being listened to on the tour bus/van these days? What's being read? What YouTube channel offerings are getting passed around within the group?

I’ve been listening to Jacco Gardner. I listen to Piper at the Gates of Dawn almost daily. The Fugs, Public Nuisance’s Gotta Survive album, Tomorrows Tulips’ Experimental Jelly, Traffic’s Heaven Is in Your Mind, Holy Wave, and Clinic’s Free Reign II. I’ve been reading David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell, Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger, The Story of the Kinks by Nick Hasted, and I just bought Going Clear by Lawrence Wright.

10. Having been to Austin more than any other city, but not having been in the last seven years, what have I missed out on in the People's Republic?

East Austin’s exploding. I live on East 6th and it changes every day. New restaurants, new shops, and new venues pop up weekly. We’re opening a Reverberation Appreciation Society Records shop on East 7th. We’ll sell records along with guitars and effects. You should come by next time you’re down our way.

11. And another, last, personal question. I'm a jerk fan. If I wanna say "hi" and not be a drag, not be a bother, what's the best way for a fan to give greetings and salutations before/after a gig, without interfering with your vibe and/or need to pack the hell up for the next city? In effect, how do you want to deal with us at gigs?

I’m sure I’ll be wandering around before hand, you can just come up to me and I’ll tell you to leave me alone... just kidding! We’ll grab a drink and discuss your topic of choice.

Lizzie Weber: Your Favorite New Artist of 2014

By Kyle Kapper

“Possesses a commanding narrative voice, especially for a debut – Exudes Joni/Beirut/Idina Menzel – Exquisite arrangements, like sweeping through a magical land – Are the darker songs autobiographical?” Thus were the notes I scribbled down while listening to Lizzie Weber the album, leaving me utterly curious to learn the story of Lizzie Weber the person, whom I had never met.

Seated across from me at the back table of a narrow, deserted wine bar in her hometown of St. Louis, Ms. Weber graciously shared her remarkable tale with an inviting energy just shy of being eager.

She warmed her hands around a steaming cup of tea as she recalled how her passions for performing, writing, and acting were all born at Once, in a Chicago Theatre performance which clearly affects her still, five years later. Stirring her tea, she spoke wistfully of how she followed her heart, quit college, and, at the age of twenty, moved to LA to be an independent film actress.

“I was told that I wasn’t unique-looking enough,” she said. “I was told to dye my hair, to cut it, to lose weight. I was told to change everything about myself. After a while, it left me feeling just empty. That was when I really started writing intensely.”

After enduring two years of such objectification, Ms. Weber returned home to St. Louis, went back to school, and began crafting that intense writing into music, much of which appears on her eponymous debut. “Had I not had this musical outlet, I would have a very big chip on my shoulder,” she said. “It just made me realize that I would rather do something that I had more control over. I could control when I wanted to be creative. I could control when I wanted to perform out, play a show.”

Luckily for us, she’ll be doing just that with full-band shows on both sides of the album’s January 10 release. Check her out, and by the time the full interview excerpted above is published in Eleven, Ms. Weber may well be your favorite new artist of 2014, too.

Lizzie Weber celebrates her album release with shows at Off Broadway on December 26, Plush on January 3, and The Gramophone on January 31.

A Cat, a Felon and a Shark Walk into a Bar…

The Fortnight Before Christmas w/ Cat Purse, Shark Dad, Ellen The Felon

Saturday, December 14, 9pm

The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois

Tomorrow, a cat, a felon and a shark will walk into a bar. They won't say "Ouch." They won't groan about 1920s gambling laws. They won't be the punchline to any of those dumb jokes about different species ordering beers. The motley crew will simply play some damn good music. 

Talented as they are, Cat Purse, Ellen The Felon and Shark Dad all have something to prove during Saturday's "The Fortnight Before Christmas" at the Heavy Anchor (9 p.m., 5226 Gravois), which means that they'll be setting the bar instead of walking directly into it. Cat Purse, an Americana band led by Matt Champion, will test a fresh lineup and sound. Ellen The Felon's Ellen Cook continues her revved-up comeback from a health scare with a new album. And Shark Dad has that new-car smell, with former Orbz frontman Jason Robinson and company having played just one show so far. Those challenges don't deter any of these acts, though.

"Matt's infectious enthusiasm is pretty clear," Robinson attests. "When he says we'll put together a killer bill, he means it."

Though "Fortnight" will be the first time all three acts perform together, there are connections among the band members that go back years. Champion briefly played keyboards for Robinson's old band the Orbz, and former Orbz members Chris Luckett and Kenny Adelman now are part of Cat Purse, along with Scott Feller. And Cook and Robinson played one show at Cicero's together and were formally introduced to each other at the STL Loud Volume One release party.

"Langen Neubacher [of the Defeated County] introduced us. The first thing we did was try to scare Langen by having Ellen hide in an empty beer locker thing," Robinson says.

"That's right!" Cook remembers. "And we talked about doing a Zappa tribute, and your bandmates kept talking to me about synths and gear that I have no knowledge of. I'm not a very good gearhead."

This camaraderie and mutual admiration is why Champion brought Ellen the Felon and Shark Dad along for the ride in his Christmas sleigh. "I picked Shark Dad and Ellen because I like them as people and respect them as musicians," Champion says. "I do this for fun, and there is nothing more fun than playing shows with your friends."

The variety in the bands' musical styles certainly will be the centerpiece of tomorrow's festive show. Champion describes Cat Purse as "a bitter and angry version of the band America, or maybe Warren Zevon, Neil Young and the Pixies playing old Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings tunes." Shark Dad plays '50s-tinged garage rock under song titles like "Sorry, We Only Date Vampires." And you can hear a variety of influences in Ellen The Felon's distinctive piano wailings. "Ellen is a cabaret punk," Robinson says. "Like Joan Jett having a fight with Carole King."

For Champion, there's no question that all of the eager musicians on the bill will make a perfect Christmas gift for St. Louis. "Shark Dad's rawness and barely controlled chaos will knock a few folks over. Ellen and Matt [Reyland, aka The Mattronome, who plays drums in Ellen the Felon] will provide unexpected class and elegance to the trashcan rock and alt-countryish indie rock of the rest of us," Champion says. "I think the audience will be most surprised about the way Cat Purse sounds. It's a distinct departure from our original sound, and one that I think will keep developing in the future."

That future is bright for all three of these very driven acts. Over the past few months, Robinson has been releasing Shark Dad demos, and he's excited about his first new band since the Orbz called it quits in 2012. "I think for Shark Dad and me personally, it's time to really show off what I've been working on and time to re-introduce myself to the music scene," Robinson says. "This show in particular is a big, big showcase for what's been trapped in my head for a year and some change."

Cook already has garnered plenty of acclaim for Bang Bang Bang Ellen the Felon's debut album that was released this fall and promoted with a roller-skating party that St. Louis still is talking about. "It was a blast! The Skatium is easily one of the most underrated venues in Saint Louis," Cook says. "Everyone skated and drank. Everyone got a CD. It was perfect. I'm still glowing from that night."

And Champion, who briefly held down both the guitar and vocalist positions in Cat Purse before assembling the new lineup, is ready to start pumping out songs that listeners can keep forever. "We have a handful of tunes that are ready for prime time," Champion says. "I don't know how soon we'll get into the studio, but I definitely see some basement recordings surfacing before too long."

As for "The Fortnight Before Christmas" show, Champion isn't promising any lords-a-leaping or turtledoves. But he does suggest that audience members get ready to shout "Merry Christmas and happy new yeeeeear!" during an unexpected holiday cover. "We’re going to tear the roof off the sucker," Champion promises.

by Allison Babka