KC music
Album review: Kangaroo Knife Fight - Kangaroo Knife Fight (EP)
Kangaroo Knife Fight’s new self-titled EP is a soul-searching romp through deep caverns of reverbed out guitars, gospelesque vocals, and flowing melodies reminiscent of Sly and the Family Stone and Kings of Leon. The opening track, “Hold On” is an airy build into a delightful chant-worthy chorus. With the vocals screaming “I don’t think anybody wants to lose,” it’s hard not to sing along the second time around. The song illustrates difficulties everyone struggles with and the sweaty grip people have while trying to hold everything together in life. The challenging nature of the overwhelming instrumentation leaves you asking, how will they make this bigger? KKF doesn’t disappoint with giant swelling vocals and expanding guitars.
--Matthew Gratton
Editor’s note: Kangaroo Knife Fight was recorded by Kangaroo Knife Fight and mixed by Noah Shain and Amir Jamm. The band was formerly called Little Rosco.
Kangaroo Knife Fight is:
Anthony Avis: vocals
Brandon Skeens: guitar
Ian O’Connell: drums
Gus Rechtien: bass, backup vocals
Check out Kangaroo Knife Fight at The Brick this Saturday, December 6, where they will be celebrating the release of the EP. Bottle Breakers and Morningglories will also be playing. Facebook event page.
Album review: Monta At Odds - Robots of Munich
For those of you familiar with the music of Monta At Odds (a phrase that I’ll be using again later), you know that they have their own ideas of how best to use electronics and percussion and various other tools of the trade to create aural canvases that somehow combine both retro and futuristic influences. Some of their earlier work was described by someone—okay, it was me—as a soundtrack to a 1950s French film noir, only cooler. With their latest release, Robots of Munich on Haymaker Records, their focus has shifted to a cinematically-inspired imagining of a world a bit into the future in which machines are at the forefront—and some have fled to the Southern Hemisphere to pursue their longing to be more like one of us. More on that later.
Over the years, the band has made numerous appearances throughout Kansas City and Lawrence, and for a while it seemed as if you might see a new lineup at every other show. Monta has gone through several rosters but is now a muscular seven-piece, if memory serves from their appearance at KC Psychfest (P.S. I checked – memory does serve). Dedric and Delaney, the brothers Moore, remain the stalwarts of the group, with Delaney on keys, Dedric as bassist and bandleader, and both sharing songwriting and vocal duties (according to Dedric, he’s the McCartney of the brothers; Delaney is the Lennon).
Another of Dedric’s strengths is his ability to creatively package Monta music in such a way that when you purchase a physical copy, you’re getting something that’s as visually artistic as it is musically. From a CD stored in a very-past-its-prime floppy disc case to a clear vinyl album in a clear plastic jacket, the work of Monta At Odds is not hard to recognize. Robots will continue that tradition with a cover that is stylishly cut and protects a red vinyl album. The interior of the jacket will unfold to go into detail the connections between the music, a well-known sci-fi movie, and a well-known sci-fi novel. It’s a very ambitious undertaking to say the least. As Dedric said when asked about the origins of the album name, “(It) came from the movie Android which was sourced from the same book as Blade Runner. It was a news broadcast that the robots of Munich had been destroyed in their rebellion. It came out the same year as Blade Runner and crashed into oblivion immediately. That started the ball rolling with the concept of a handful of androids escaping and fleeing to South America (where all war criminals end up, right?). We then took inspiration from the theme of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? about where has our humanity gone and what actually makes us human.”
A pro-tip before you begin: it’s best to be in a dark place when listening to Monta At Odds. Not dark emotionally—actual darkness. Dimly lit. Illuminationally challenged. At a gig or while driving your car at night would be great. If listening through headphones is a viable option… take it.
For those of you familiar with the music of Monta At Odds (told you), you know that vocals are not of prime importance to the band’s output. Instrumentals are the more commonplace method of expression (six of the ten tracks on Robots are sans words), and when lyrics are enabled, their clarity can tend to be lost amid a swirl of waves and swooshes and reverb. This is by design, as the work of Tom Vek of the ultra-trippy Black Moth Super Rainbow is an obvious influence to the production used by Monta. The aim is to make the vocals sound more like an instrument than an individual, and “Salty Air Breezes” leads off the album with just such verbal distortion. The song tells of the story’s protagonist trying to blend in on Earth while searching for an escape to a place touted by a television commercial as a sunny, idyllic refuge. Yearning to leave behind the “beggars, bums, and nuns in the metro transit underground,” she puts “5000 revs on the poor fiat for hours on end” in an attempt to find safety and serenity.
The common theme of robot-wanting-to-be-human is expressed in the next track, “Android Dreams” (voiced by Monta alum and percussionist Mika Tanaya). The song itself is a paradox, as the lyrical desires to “be beautiful / feel love / share laughter / maybe feel pain” are expressed in a very staccato, sterile, mechanical fashion. Such is the dichotomy of the android’s life—if “android” and “life” aren’t themselves a dichotomy when used next to each other. These deep musings are to be contemplated as Robots continues its journey—and our heroine continues her search for existence that transcends zeros and ones.
The common theme of robot-wanting-to-be-human is expressed in the next track, “Android Dreams” (voiced by Monta alum and percussionist Mika Tanaya). The song itself is a paradox, as the lyrical desires to “be beautiful / feel love / share laughter / maybe feel pain” are expressed in a very staccato, sterile, mechanical fashion. Such is the dichotomy of the android’s life—if “android” and “life” aren’t themselves a dichotomy when used next to each other. These deep musings are to be contemplated as Robots continues its journey—and our heroine continues her search for existence that transcends zeros and ones.
Now, for those of you familiar with the music of Monta At Odds (see?), you know that their music likes to take its time and tell a story, letting development unfold in an unhurried manner … all of which is just fancy talk for “their music is mostly downtempo to midtempo in its pacing.” Which is all the more reason why I cannot stop myself from listening to “Relentless Pursuit” on repeat. This is 130 seconds of no-holds-barred rock, complete with some of the most incredible slide space guitar I’ve heard in a while. I was standing next to recordBar co-owner Steve Tulipana when I first heard this track at KC Psychfest, and it was pretty clear that it was his first time hearing it as well. When the tune got going, he and I turned to each other with eyes wide open in looks of mutual astonishment and approval. This was music designed to be the backdrop of an interstellar chase scene, as if those Dukes of Hazzard boys had taken the Millennium Falcon for a joy ride.
Robots of Munich is another leap forward for Monta At Odds and their electronic mission to expand minds. When I heard their set at KC Psychfest (and I think this year’s event at recordBar was the best one so far), I had a feeling the new album was going to be something worthy of more than a little consideration for mentions on some best of 2014 lists. After having heard the finished product, I stand by that statement.
I consider myself to be very familiar with the music of Monta At Odds … and I’m totally okay with that.
--Michael Byars
Monta At Odds will be celebrating the release of Robots of Munich at Mills Record Company this Black Friday, November 28. They will take the stage at 7:00 pm, followed by Trogolodyte. Facebook event page.
Artist of the Month: The Blackbird Revue
(Photo by Kristi Yarcho)
From the first moments of hearing a performance from The Blackbird Revue, you know you’re in for something special. Danielle and Jacob Prestidge have been creating music together since they started dating. Six years later, their musical and romantic collaboration has proven successful: the two have been married for 5 years, they have two acclaimed albums under their belts, and their music has been featured on national television.
Since then, Danielle and Jacob’s connection as artists has continued to solidify. The Blackbird Revue is a collaboration of Danielle’s upbeat pop influences with Jacob’s sincere folk approach, resulting in compositions that are simultaneously sweeping, delicate, and intriguing. The duo’s latest offerings have incorporated a multi-instrument approach, adding a momentous layer to its already purposeful music.
We talk with Jacob Prestidge a bit more about the duo, and find out what else they’re up to. They are also one of our November Artists of the Month!
The Deli: Down and dirty: one sentence to describe your music.
Jacob Prestidge: I might describe our music as harmony-laden, rhythmically driving folk-rock.
The Deli: Give me some background info on The Blackbird Revue. I inferred from your bio that your musical collaboration and relationship coincided with one another. If I am correct, how do you think that has affected your music?
Jacob: We began playing music together almost as soon as we began dating. Our musical relationship has been like our personal relationship in many ways. I would not say working together musically, or as a couple was easy, or natural from the start. Some relationships are like that; ours was not. We've been learning, and continue to learn how to fuse two different personalities, tastes, and styles into a cohesive, fulfilling expression. Has it been difficult? Absolutely, but I have no doubt that it's made us stronger as a couple, and better as a band.
The Deli: What else inspires your music and songwriting? Do you write everything together, or is there a primary songwriter?
Jacob: We both write. Historically, I have been the primary songwriter, but lately Danielle has been writing more and more, which I am genuinely thrilled about. Danielle is often inspired by her own life experiences. Her songs often have a cathartic effect and a deeply personal meaning. I, on the other hand, tend to tell stories. I'll generally write more of a third-person narrative, into which I'll infuse a few lines of my own heart, my own experiences.
The Deli: I've seen The Blackbird Revue as a full band, but more recently just the two of you. Do you plan on keeping it that way, or adding more members in the future?
Jacob: We both love playing with a full band, but at this point in our career the two-piece just makes a lot more sense. It allows us to travel much more, and it definitely plays to certain strengths of ours, such as our harmonies, and our songwriting.
The Deli: What have been your greatest accomplishments as a band?
Jacob: That's very hard to say. We've had some things happen that sound good in a bio, but our desire is honestly to share the gifts we've been entrusted with to bless people. If someone has been moved by a song of ours, been wakened to beauty around them, or somehow felt less alone in the world, then that would without question be our greatest accomplishment.
The Deli: Are you in the process of recording anything? If so, what can we expect from it? Will it be different from your previous albums?
Jacob: We're in the process of being in the process. We have a grand plan that involves raising money for our own home studio. My degree is in music recording. So our goal is to have the tools and the time to record a new album as we'd like, and then be able to record more at a minimal cost, and even getting into producing records with other bands that we love. At this point, we're simply trying to build our fanbase to the point where we feel like our specific financial goal is attainable.
I can say we do have the material for our first full-length album, and it will be both similar and different from our previous releases. Danielle is writing more, and she lends a more driving, upbeat pulse to the sound. Additionally, the electric guitar has been playing an increased role in our newer music. For a sample of what this might sound like, you can check out the brand new video for our latest single, “Blueprints” (below). That said, the album will not be a total departure from what has made us who we are; there will be plenty of acoustic guitar, and lovely harmonies.
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you?
Jacob: It's very important to us. It takes some effort to find the bands you really love, and it takes some effort to get out of the house and go see them. But we've personally never been sorry we made the effort.
The Deli: Who are your favorite local musicians right now?
Jacob: Our KC area favorites are (and this is incredibly hard, by the way): The Grisly Hand, Akkilles, Outsides, White Girl.
The Deli: Who are your favorite non-local musicians right now?
Jacob: Lord Huron, Night Beds, This Will Destroy You, Phoenix, First Aid Kit.
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?
Jacob: If someone asked us to open for a tour featuring Stevie Nicks (Danielle's pick) and Emmylou Harris (Jacob's pick), that'd be okay by us.
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?
Jacob: Hmm. Our personal musical Mt. Rushmore would include Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, Paul McCartney, and Stevie Nicks.
The Deli: What other shows do you have coming up?
Jacob: We're heading out for a short tour this week through Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Lancaster, PA.
In the KC area we have some great shows coming up, including November 25 at The Bottleneckin Lawrence with Dawn & Hawkes; December 5 at The Riot Room with Nick Thomas of The Spill Canvas; December 12 at 12 Baltimore for their Emerging Artist Series; and December 18 for a Christmas House Concert at our place. We also just found out we’ll be playing an official showcase at the 2015 Folk Alliance International conference this February.
The Deli: What other goals does The Blackbird Revue have for the rest of the year, and beyond?
Jacob: We want to get better. Better as songwriters, better as singers and musicians. Better at getting the sounds we want in the studio. Improvement is our constant goal. We will get a new album out in 2015, and it will be our best yet.
The Deli: Where can we find you on the web?
Jacob: http://theblackbirdrevue.com
The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?
Jacob: Thank those who help make you aware of good local and regional music. It's too often their hard work goes unnoticed, or underappreciated.
Next Tuesday, November 25, you can catch The Blackbird Revue at The Bottleneck, where they will be supporting Americana duo Dawn & Hawkes from Austin. Facebook event page.
--Michelle Bacon
Michelle Bacon is editor of The Deli KC and plays in bands.
Recent local single reviews
White Girl – “M.E.T.R.O.R.O.C.K.” b/w “Cocky”
Brow-beating modern house beats meet 80s synth pop revival on the new 7” from White Girl. Self-described as “a dance-infused pop romp through eternal fields of post punk grasses and rolling new wave hills,” Martin Bush crafts a couple of undeniably catchy EDM tunes sure to bounce around the kids that think they are too cool for Devo.
“M.E.T.R.O.R.O.C.K.” is the A-side, not surprising given the amount of hooks, tricks, and crowd fodder thrown into five and half minutes of music. Bush’s heavily affected robotic vocals and aggressive synth choices stick out, giving the song a harder edge akin to Deadmau5 or the older reaches of the Daft Punk catalog.
“Cocky” starts with an uncanny and amazing 17 seconds of 8-bit NES-sounding music before it throws on a light pink blazer with shoulder pads to spare, hops in the old trusty Fiero and cruises the downtown drag of new wave. It is the more interesting song of the pair, heavily leaning on familiar tones and sensibilities with enough modern twists and turns to not sound completely dated.
She’s A Keeper – “Wannabe”
She’s a Keeper takes us down a dreamy chugglin’ rail with the new single “Wannabe.” Moving in a more indie rock direction, the symphonic layers of instrumentation we’ve been accustomed to from SAK in the past are replaced with blankets of verby guitars, ranging from bright and chimy to tarnished with overdriven grit. Beyond that, the hallmarks of the SAK playbook are more or less still present: tight vocal harmonies throughout, flickers of tasteful additional instrumentation to round out the sound (in this case the reserved plink of a piano), and deft songwriting with careful attention paid to changing, stripping down, and building back the groove several times. It shows a nice balance of consistency vs. maturation for the band and a sign of a more rocking She’s a Keeper to come.
Shy Boys – “Life is Peachy” b/w “Follow the Leader”
(Photo by Forester Michael)
Much in the vein of fellow Kansas City indie dream pop darlings The ACBs, Shy Boys craft a beautifully floating and meandering surfy sonic scape on its recent 7” release. The two tracks, the aforementionally-styled “Follow the Leader” and the more straightforward pop rock ear worm “Life is Peachy” provide a nice sample of what this popular area trio has to offer. Reverb upon reverb upon reverb over a solid layer of tightly crafted instrumentation push these slyly written tunes along a jangly sea breeze slip and slide. The guitar and vocal hand-holding in “Follow the Leader” especially sticks out, as well as the “Gotcha!” song pause in the middle.
Now Now Sleepyhead – “Influenza”
An interesting mix of the ‘80s pop revival, ‘90s hard rock alternative, and a little electronica, Now Now Sleepyhead premieres “Influenza,” the lead single from The Violator, a two-record concept collect due for release later this year. Backed by a mix of four-on-the-floor and the ever popular modern twist on the disco-dance rock beat, the drums are featured prominently, overshadowing the various instrumentation at times with a beating groove that will most certainly get feet and asses moving.
Clearly with a wink towards both the club and hardcore kids, the song features an aggressive electronic breakdown guaranteed to set off the subs. The vocals stay pure throughout, showing almost a restrained disconnect, especially in the choruses when screaming could be warranted. Overall, an exciting preview of what looks to be a highly artistic and impressive future release.
Microphone Jack – “I Refuse to Choose the Blues”
“It only aggravates our suffering to wallow in those self-indulgent blues.”
Local humor balladeer Microphone Jack’s latest single takes a wry shot at one of Kansas City’s time-honored traditions with “I Refuse to Choose the Blues.” Featuring a Randy Newman-esque piano and vocal styling recorded live at one of his recent shows, the simple effort hearkens back to a time when you might lay on your bedroom floor at 2 o’clock in the morning listening to the Dr. Demento show. Tom Lehrer and Stan Freiberg immediately come to mind as Microphone Jack deftly moves through his thoughts on the ironic vicious cycle of making yourself sadder by focusing on how sad you are. MJ’s self-stated mission is global transformation through funny songs. This song definitely moves him one step closer.
Oils – “Waves We Feel”
Oils knows how to make the pretty. The Lawrence-based outfit continues to flex this muscle exceedingly well on the “Waves We Feel” single release via Replay Records. One simple but powerful set of words is repeated through the verses as the instruments care to build up a dreamy dynamic centered around the ever-present bright and chimey Fender guitar sound. By the end, the whole band comes together with a sonic gut punch worthy of the longing fueled lyrics. The lo-fi quality and occasional guitar miscue only add to the overall theme of charming sincerity.
--Zach Hodson
Zach Hodson is a monster. He once stole a grilled cheese sandwich from a 4-year-old girl at her birthday party. He will only juggle if you pay him. I hear he punched Slimer right in his fat, green face. He knows the secrets to free energy, but refuses to release them until Saved by the Bell: Fortysomethings begins production. He is also in Dolls on Fire, Drew Black & Dirty Electric, and Riot Riot Riot, as well as contributing to various other Kansas City-based music, comedy, and art projects.
KKFI and Signal To Noise Present: It Came Out of the Garage
This Thursday, October 30, KKFI 90.1 FM and Signal To Noise will be presenting It Came Out of the Garage!: A Garage Rock Dance Party, at Knuckleheads Saloon.
The show begins at 8:00 p.m. with the intense garage-flavored songs of Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy, followed by Alan Murphy & The Frequent Flyers. Murphy was the frontman of legendary Lawrence band Ricky Dean Sinatra. The Quivers will headline the show.
Costumes are encouraged, dancing is mandatory.
Tickets are $15; all proceeds will benefit KKFI. Ticket link. Facebook event page.