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Showing posts with label mew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mew. Show all posts
Mew Shares Video Diary #6
Read the latest on their forthcoming LP (out this spring) here. MP3 at bottom.
MP3: Mew - Small Ambulance [alt link]
MP3: Mew - Small Ambulance [alt link]
Posted on 9:57 AM / 0
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Mew: 'Very Close' To Finishing New Album
The Danish trio spills the beans on their MySpace blog: *we are getting very close to having a finish record. everything comes from finland these days, it's cool there. actually, to be more exact when i say finish i really mean finished and when i say finished i reeeeally mean almost finished writing the record. we have thrown so much material away its sick, SICK. i have plus 200 recordings on my computer, perhaps 25 percent is stand up, the rest is straight to remix. we have now decided on a producer for the record and he was here in copenhagen for a few days recently. it was great to get started on those talks, discussions, arguments. for a couple of days we played and talked music, had indian food and shared one bottle of red wine. amazing. anyways all. hope you are all well.*MP3: Mew - Special (via SCO)
Posted on 8:59 AM / 0
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Mew Releases iTunes Live Session
Track listing for the EP is as follows:1. "Special"
2. "Snow Brigade"
3. "Saliva, Mica & Panda"
4. "An Envoy To The Open Fields"
5. "Eight Flew Over, One Was Destroyed"
MP3: Mew - The Zookeeper's Boy (via B-Fork)
Posted on 11:00 PM / 0
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Mew, Interpol & Travis Donate Songs To 'Give.Listen.Help.'
The sale of each album (available at Urban Outfitters around the globe) will benefit Art of Elysium, an organization that promotes art therapy for hospitalized children. Full track listing can be found below. Learn more about Art of Elysium here.DISC ONE:
1 Beastie Boys: "The Mix-Up" (B-side)
2 Coldplay: "Pour Me" (live at the Hollywood Bowl)
3 Band of Horses: "The End's Not Near"
4 Rilo Kiley: "Big Break"
5 Hot Hot Heat: "Money & Reputation"
6 The Stooges: "Claustrophobia"
7 Kaiser Chiefs: "Out of My Depth"
8 Travis: "Up the Junction"
9 The Go! Team: "Bull in the Heather"
10 The Decemberists: "Shankill Butchers"
11 Menomena: "Gay A"
12 Cold War Kids: "A Change Is Gonna Come" (live)
13 The A-Sides: "Diamonds" (live at WOXY.com)
14 Annie Stela: "White June"
15 Mew: "White Lips Kissed" (live in Japan)
16 Two Sheds: "Psycho Killer"
17 Patti Smith: "Perfect Day"
DISC TWO:
1 Silversun Pickups: "Lazy Eye" (Brian LeBarton remix)
2 Blonde Redhead: "Signs Along the Path" (Maps remix)
3 Interpol: "The Heinrich Maneuver" (The Scientist Dub mix)
4 Air: "Mer du Japon" (remix by the Teenagers)
5 Peter Bjorn & John: "Young Folks" (Punks Jump Up remix)
6 The Wolfmen: "Jackie Says" (Alan Moulder mix)
7 The Pipettes: "We Are the Pipettes" (live from the Cherrytree House)
8 Carina Round: "January Heart" (Buffalo Bill remix)
9 Low: "Hatchet" (Optimimi version)
10 Mando Diao: "Good Morning Herr Horst" (RAC remix)
11 Magnet: "Hold On" (Metronomy mix)
12 The View: "Face for the Radio" (live at Caird Hall)
13 The Maccabees: "XRay" (filthy dukes remix)
14 Ladytron: "Soft Power" (Vicarious Bliss Gutter mix)
15 Datarock: "Fa Fa Fa" (Riton New School remix)
16 Fields: "Song for the Fields" (Eliot James remix)
MP3s: Interpol - NYC + Travis - Writing To Reach You
Posted on 12:00 PM / 0
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Mew To Reissue Early Limited Edition Demo
Via The Tripwire:*Finding rare tracks from the Danish group Mew is about to get a whole lot easier. After finally releasing their classic album Frengers here in the US, fans will soon be able to get their hands on the coveted 2000 LP Half The World Is Watching Me, which has been out of print since its year of release. Of course, only 5,000 copies of the original pressing were made, so there weren't many to go around.
For now, the reissue will only be available through their own Evil Office label on August 6, but it will be well worth the price of an import. It will include a second disc containing nine previously unreleased tracks, including demos, live tracks and studio cuts. With this reissue, plus a new album in the works, times are good for Mew fans!*
MP3: Mew - The Zookeeper's Boy (via Bitchfork)
Posted on 12:04 PM / 0
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Mew & Oh No! Oh My! @ Irving Plaza 3/22: Comforting Sounds
Matt: After the teases Jen and I both received while witnessing the live spectacle that is Mew for their brief half-hour set with Bloc Party last summer, and their succinct 45-minute set with Kasabian this past September, it was beyond exciting to hear the band was headlining their first US tour and actually playing a complete show. The Irving Plaza gig last night highlighted tracks from both of their releases, Frengers & And The Glass Handed Kites and was 80 minutes of sheer euphoria.Mew's unique blend of post/prog/straightforward and every other genre of rock give the Danes a distinctly recognizable sound as well as a galaxy of authenticity. It was reassuring to see that despite three trips to North America over the last nine months, frontman/guitarist Jonas Bjerre is still as shy and stoical as the band's first visit. The juxtaposition between the band's soaring melodies and Jonas' introverted stage presence is magical, I must say. I can almost picture Jonas, with his captivating voice, auditioning for Danish Idol (yes, it really exists) and having that modest grin on his face upon the judges telling him he is amazing. Although, I'm sure his good looks alone would take him into the finals.
Mew's usual shtick (a la their backdrop featuring all sorts of creepy images) was in full effect last night. Cats, giraffes, intense neon light beams, line drawings, you name it and it was probably on the screen behind Mew. Probably the most well-received tracks of the night were 'The Zookeeper's Boy' and the set-closing 'Comforting Sounds'. The latter of which swelled into one of the best live tracks I may have ever seen live before. 'Comforting Sounds' is an epic 9-minute tune that only increases in perfection as the end
nears. A fantastic song to close the show!Still want to learn more about Mew, or are just curious as to what Jonas is like in an interview? Check out Jen's '8 Questions With' Mew from August. I may be a tad bit biased, but Jen conducted a fabulous Q & A with Copenhagen's finest vocalist.
Setlist: Circuitry Of The Wolf/Chinaberry Tree/Am I Wry? No/156/White Lips Kissed/Behind The Drapes/She-Spider/Apocalypso/Saviors Of Jazz Ballet/The Zookeeper's Boy/Snow Brigade/Louise Louisa//Special/Comforting Sounds
Jen: Oh No, Oh My are really funny. No seriously they are, like, hilarious. The first time Matt and I saw them over CMJ, they were a riot. Not so much last night though. I chalk it up to them being a wee bit nervous in front of the expansive crowd. There was a small group up front of well-wishers and fist-pumpers that continuously shouted out songs, which was nice.ONOM are...innocuous. A band more fun to see in a small space than a large venue. Their music is twee and some songs, especially drummer Joel's '
I am not a monster' would fit well along side any Boy Least Likely To track.Their one shining, standout track is the lovely summertime tune, 'Walk in the park.' It's happy, lovely and invokes great imagery of walking barefoot through your lawn on a hot day. It again has that skippy, airy, folk BLLT sound, but with the advantage of a catchy melody.
Irving has the problem of a generational gap. The crowd tends to part the sea with 16-20 year olds on one side and 30 plusers on the other. With the
relatively high ticket prices and the low admittance age, many struggling twenty-somethings tend to avoid Irving, always making for an odd mix of people at the venue.Therefore last night saw a great divide of hardcore high schoolers up front singing all the words and the older crowd hovering around the fringes, nodding their heads. We were somewhere inbetween.
Mew's music is dense (like plum pudding not George Bush). What comes at the audience is a wall of sound with ominous drums and layers of singing over crescendo guitars. Throughout last night's set, I tried to
put my finger on what the sound of Mew actually reminded me of. For an hour I alternated with 80's hair band ballad, Guns and Roses 'November Rain,' Sigur Ros and 90's grunge. What I came up with was that Mew is all of the above. They combine the best of these efforts together to make a sound completely all their own- the 'November Rain' guitar solo with the vocals of Sigur Ros over it, White Snake mixed in with Kurt Cobain. But mostly, what you find is that it is all Mew, a shy boy from Copenhagen leading a band of punky Danes playing music with a passion.MP3: Mew - The Zookeeper's Boy
Posted on 8:53 AM / 0
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The Week In Mew World
Busy week for our boys in Mew!First off, pop over to iTunes because 'Apocalypso' is the single of the week! Free download!
You can check the band on your boobtube (and surely YouTube come tomorrow morning) as they hit up The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson tonight on CBS. I believe that comes on around 12:30am EST.
'Special' is all over MTV2's Subterranean. It premiered last week and will surely be played this Sunday as well. Don't miss it, the video is genius.
Lastly, the band comes to Bowery Ballroom as part of CMJ next Friday. The show's sold out (we're ticketless too... ) and also features the much-buzzed Annuals. Sure to be an amazing show!
In case you've been living under a rock, And The Glass Handed Kites is in stores now and is one of the strongest releases of the year. Pick it up for fuck's sake.
Posted on 7:58 AM / 0
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The Week In Mew World
Busy week for our boys in Mew!First off, pop over to iTunes because 'Apocalypso' is the single of the week! Free download!
You can check the band on your boobtube (and surely YouTube come tomorrow morning) as they hit up The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson tonight on CBS. I believe that comes on around 12:30am EST.
'Special' is all over MTV2's Subterranean. It premiered last week and will surely be played this Sunday as well. Don't miss it, the video is genius.
Lastly, the band comes to Bowery Ballroom as part of CMJ next Friday. The show's sold out (we're ticketless too... ) and also features the much-buzzed Annuals. Sure to be an amazing show!
In case you've been living under a rock, And The Glass Handed Kites is in stores now and is one of the strongest releases of the year. Pick it up for fuck's sake.
Posted on 7:58 AM / 0
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Mew @ Webster Hall: The Zookeeper's Boys
Let's take a moment to thank Copenhagen for delivering to us such glorious music, in the form of Mew.
The boys really shined last night. A tighter and more cohesive set than the already mindblowing show in July opening for Bloc Party + Secret Machines. This time we got 45 minutes (compared to 30 at McCarren) and even got accompanying videos, albeit a little creepy, with nearly each song.
'Chinaberry Tree' and 'Special' were brilliant and it was clear to see that Mew was extremely thankful to be playing to a (mostly) respectful crowd in NYC. I think Webster Hall and venues with similar capacities are the perfect space for a band like Mew. You can really appreciate them and their large sound in a room that holds about a thousand or so people.
Pick up And The Glass Handed Kites if you don't already own it. It's truly amazing.
Read our interview with the band from last month here!
The boys really shined last night. A tighter and more cohesive set than the already mindblowing show in July opening for Bloc Party + Secret Machines. This time we got 45 minutes (compared to 30 at McCarren) and even got accompanying videos, albeit a little creepy, with nearly each song.
'Chinaberry Tree' and 'Special' were brilliant and it was clear to see that Mew was extremely thankful to be playing to a (mostly) respectful crowd in NYC. I think Webster Hall and venues with similar capacities are the perfect space for a band like Mew. You can really appreciate them and their large sound in a room that holds about a thousand or so people.
Pick up And The Glass Handed Kites if you don't already own it. It's truly amazing.
Read our interview with the band from last month here!
Posted on 6:21 AM / 0
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Mew @ Webster Hall: The Zookeeper's Boys
Let's take a moment to thank Copenhagen for delivering to us such glorious music, in the form of Mew.
The boys really shined last night. A tighter and more cohesive set than the already mindblowing show in July opening for Bloc Party + Secret Machines. This time we got 45 minutes (compared to 30 at McCarren) and even got accompanying videos, albeit a little creepy, with nearly each song.
'Chinaberry Tree' and 'Special' were brilliant and it was clear to see that Mew was extremely thankful to be playing to a (mostly) respectful crowd in NYC. I think Webster Hall and venues with similar capacities are the perfect space for a band like Mew. You can really appreciate them and their large sound in a room that holds about a thousand or so people.
Pick up And The Glass Handed Kites if you don't already own it. It's truly amazing.
Read our interview with the band from last month here!
The boys really shined last night. A tighter and more cohesive set than the already mindblowing show in July opening for Bloc Party + Secret Machines. This time we got 45 minutes (compared to 30 at McCarren) and even got accompanying videos, albeit a little creepy, with nearly each song.
'Chinaberry Tree' and 'Special' were brilliant and it was clear to see that Mew was extremely thankful to be playing to a (mostly) respectful crowd in NYC. I think Webster Hall and venues with similar capacities are the perfect space for a band like Mew. You can really appreciate them and their large sound in a room that holds about a thousand or so people.
Pick up And The Glass Handed Kites if you don't already own it. It's truly amazing.
Read our interview with the band from last month here!
Posted on 6:21 AM / 0
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8 Questions With: Mew
Mew's second album (first US album), Mew and the Glass Handed Kites, hit stores in America this past July to high praise and acclaim. The album made it to number two on Entertainment Weekly's Must List and made them Artist of the Day on Spin.com. After witnessing the band for the first time at McCarren Pool, opening for Bloc Party, the boys from Denmark had me hooked as well and I knew I just had to snag an interview. Jonas Bjerre was nice enough to answer my questions.
Jen: I caught you guys at McCarren Pool opening for Bloc Party in July. It was a DAMN good show, I was blown away- honestly. Do you like touring in your home country more than outside of it, vice-versa?
Jonas: Why thank you! We enjoy playing everywhere but as this was our first tour in the US we were obviously excited to finally be there! Furthermore our American audience seemed genuinely open to our music and gave us a warm welcome, which made it a wonderful experience.
Jen: I read that you guys met when you were young. How did the idea for a band come along? And do you have collective inspirations for your music you draw from?
Jonas: We went to the same school since we were 5-6 years old. In the beginning we didn’t really hang out – we were quite different – but during a school art project we learned that we shared an interest in alternative music and film. Bands like Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, as well as people like Stina Nordenstam and Prefab Sprout. This lead to years of playing together, being creative, until finally in high school we decided to form a real band.
Jen: Your songs are in English. Norwegian artist Sondre Lerche said in an interview that it just never occurred to him to write rock songs in his own language. Do you feel the same way?
Jonas: There are numerous reasons for our decision to primarily write in English (we have also written in Gibberish and Japanese). We grew up listening to English speaking bands. Although the lyrics are quite abstract we don’t have any desire to alienate people and English is the most universal language that we know (we are taught English from the age of 6).
Jen: I also wonder how Danish fans react to their native sons singing in English.
Jonas: By the time we entered the indie scene in Copenhagen people were getting used to that. In Sweden it had been going on for years, somehow that seemed natural to most people, and a lot of Danish bands had followed suit. I don’t really remember it as being a big issue for anyone; in fact it wasn’t something we thought much about in the band either. Denmark is, after all, a tiny country.
Jen: I'm sure you've heard this, but the new album cover is reminiscent of Queen. Purposeful, accidental? They are actually my favourite band.
Jonas: I do like Queen. But actually a French design team called M/M created the cover. Although we are almost always involved in any visual aspect of our band (in particular, our live show film projections which incorporate animation and scenery to emphasize the emotions and structure of our songs) we decided to simply let M/M do whatever they wanted with the cover and sleeve, because we all love their work.
I don’t know if they intended it to be like Queen. We all felt it was kind of bold to have our portraits (albeit in collage form) on the cover, very “un-indie” which is precisely what we wanted. I remember Mathias of M/M said to me at the first meeting I had with them that our music was “Like a gremlin. At first you think it’s all furry and cuddly but all of a sudden it turns green and bites you!”
Jen: I once spent a month living in Thy (Northern Jutland). It was one of the more stunning places I have ever been. One question. Why are the Danish so tall, beautiful and blond? At 5'4 with near black hair, I stuck out just a wee bit.
Jonas: I have never been to Thy. How curious, what were you doing there? Oh well I guess you are the one that gets to ask questions. [Hey Jonas, I was there on an archaeological dig searching for Viking artefacts. Yes readers, in another lifetime this music slut was once a burgeoning archaeologist. We were excavating a house and found a pot with amber inside...trust me, that's sort of impressive...ok nevermind, back to the music]
Ha ha thanks for flattering the Danish people. I do think that the girls in Scandinavia are among the most beautiful in the world, actually. Some say that the Vikings would kidnap all the pretty ladies during their pillaging and plundering and bring them back to the old country. I think that’s rubbish though! Ha ha… I don’t know.
Well, what you regarded back then as “sticking out” I’m sure simply meant that you were mysterious and exotic!
Jen: I never made it down to Copenhagen, but I did spend some time in Aarhus. They seem to have a burgeoning music scene there. At The Music Slut, we are always bombarded with new music. Anything coming out of Denmark we should keep an eye out for? Or anything new you are loving at the moment?
Jonas: There’s not that much stuff I enjoy these days. The best band in Denmark is called Lords of Destruction. They started out around the same time as we did. But they never really did any shows or demos. We were going to release them on our Copenhagen label Evil Office, perhaps we still are, difficult to say what’s going on with them these days. There’s a band called Spleen United, they are kind of a mix between Depeche Mode and Boards of Canada, with a pinch of indie mentality. Under Byen (Underneath the City) sing in Danish and make a beautiful racket.
Jen: I know interviewers love to ask what bands think of their home country. Seeing as our site spans two countries, Scotland and New York City (yes, I just called NYC a country- we do have double the population of Scotland). Whom do you think would win in an arm wrestling contest? Keep in mind, Scots throw around large trees for sport but New Yorkers always keep a pistol in their back pocket.
Jonas: Well I love both countries. New York is my favorite city in the US so far; it seems almost to really be its own country. I’ve been to Scotland a few times; in fact a ferocious gigantic seagull once attacked me in Glasgow. Scotland is a beautiful country. I love Edinburgh although I’ve never spent enough time there to really get to know it.
Well let me answer your question with another question: If the Loch Ness monster would battle King Kong, what good would throwing trees or pulling guns really do? I mean, then where would we be?
Jen: Thanks a million!
Jonas: A thousand thanks as we say in Denmark.
Jen: I caught you guys at McCarren Pool opening for Bloc Party in July. It was a DAMN good show, I was blown away- honestly. Do you like touring in your home country more than outside of it, vice-versa?
Jonas: Why thank you! We enjoy playing everywhere but as this was our first tour in the US we were obviously excited to finally be there! Furthermore our American audience seemed genuinely open to our music and gave us a warm welcome, which made it a wonderful experience.
Jen: I read that you guys met when you were young. How did the idea for a band come along? And do you have collective inspirations for your music you draw from?
Jonas: We went to the same school since we were 5-6 years old. In the beginning we didn’t really hang out – we were quite different – but during a school art project we learned that we shared an interest in alternative music and film. Bands like Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, as well as people like Stina Nordenstam and Prefab Sprout. This lead to years of playing together, being creative, until finally in high school we decided to form a real band.
Jen: Your songs are in English. Norwegian artist Sondre Lerche said in an interview that it just never occurred to him to write rock songs in his own language. Do you feel the same way?
Jonas: There are numerous reasons for our decision to primarily write in English (we have also written in Gibberish and Japanese). We grew up listening to English speaking bands. Although the lyrics are quite abstract we don’t have any desire to alienate people and English is the most universal language that we know (we are taught English from the age of 6).
Jen: I also wonder how Danish fans react to their native sons singing in English.
Jonas: By the time we entered the indie scene in Copenhagen people were getting used to that. In Sweden it had been going on for years, somehow that seemed natural to most people, and a lot of Danish bands had followed suit. I don’t really remember it as being a big issue for anyone; in fact it wasn’t something we thought much about in the band either. Denmark is, after all, a tiny country.
Jen: I'm sure you've heard this, but the new album cover is reminiscent of Queen. Purposeful, accidental? They are actually my favourite band.
Jonas: I do like Queen. But actually a French design team called M/M created the cover. Although we are almost always involved in any visual aspect of our band (in particular, our live show film projections which incorporate animation and scenery to emphasize the emotions and structure of our songs) we decided to simply let M/M do whatever they wanted with the cover and sleeve, because we all love their work.
I don’t know if they intended it to be like Queen. We all felt it was kind of bold to have our portraits (albeit in collage form) on the cover, very “un-indie” which is precisely what we wanted. I remember Mathias of M/M said to me at the first meeting I had with them that our music was “Like a gremlin. At first you think it’s all furry and cuddly but all of a sudden it turns green and bites you!”
Jen: I once spent a month living in Thy (Northern Jutland). It was one of the more stunning places I have ever been. One question. Why are the Danish so tall, beautiful and blond? At 5'4 with near black hair, I stuck out just a wee bit.
Jonas: I have never been to Thy. How curious, what were you doing there? Oh well I guess you are the one that gets to ask questions. [Hey Jonas, I was there on an archaeological dig searching for Viking artefacts. Yes readers, in another lifetime this music slut was once a burgeoning archaeologist. We were excavating a house and found a pot with amber inside...trust me, that's sort of impressive...ok nevermind, back to the music]
Ha ha thanks for flattering the Danish people. I do think that the girls in Scandinavia are among the most beautiful in the world, actually. Some say that the Vikings would kidnap all the pretty ladies during their pillaging and plundering and bring them back to the old country. I think that’s rubbish though! Ha ha… I don’t know.
Well, what you regarded back then as “sticking out” I’m sure simply meant that you were mysterious and exotic!
Jen: I never made it down to Copenhagen, but I did spend some time in Aarhus. They seem to have a burgeoning music scene there. At The Music Slut, we are always bombarded with new music. Anything coming out of Denmark we should keep an eye out for? Or anything new you are loving at the moment?
Jonas: There’s not that much stuff I enjoy these days. The best band in Denmark is called Lords of Destruction. They started out around the same time as we did. But they never really did any shows or demos. We were going to release them on our Copenhagen label Evil Office, perhaps we still are, difficult to say what’s going on with them these days. There’s a band called Spleen United, they are kind of a mix between Depeche Mode and Boards of Canada, with a pinch of indie mentality. Under Byen (Underneath the City) sing in Danish and make a beautiful racket.
Jen: I know interviewers love to ask what bands think of their home country. Seeing as our site spans two countries, Scotland and New York City (yes, I just called NYC a country- we do have double the population of Scotland). Whom do you think would win in an arm wrestling contest? Keep in mind, Scots throw around large trees for sport but New Yorkers always keep a pistol in their back pocket.
Jonas: Well I love both countries. New York is my favorite city in the US so far; it seems almost to really be its own country. I’ve been to Scotland a few times; in fact a ferocious gigantic seagull once attacked me in Glasgow. Scotland is a beautiful country. I love Edinburgh although I’ve never spent enough time there to really get to know it.
Well let me answer your question with another question: If the Loch Ness monster would battle King Kong, what good would throwing trees or pulling guns really do? I mean, then where would we be?
Jen: Thanks a million!
Jonas: A thousand thanks as we say in Denmark.
Posted on 4:04 PM / 0
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8 Questions With: Mew
Mew's second album (first US album), Mew and the Glass Handed Kites, hit stores in America this past July to high praise and acclaim. The album made it to number two on Entertainment Weekly's Must List and made them Artist of the Day on Spin.com. After witnessing the band for the first time at McCarren Pool, opening for Bloc Party, the boys from Denmark had me hooked as well and I knew I just had to snag an interview. Jonas Bjerre was nice enough to answer my questions.
Jen: I caught you guys at McCarren Pool opening for Bloc Party in July. It was a DAMN good show, I was blown away- honestly. Do you like touring in your home country more than outside of it, vice-versa?
Jonas: Why thank you! We enjoy playing everywhere but as this was our first tour in the US we were obviously excited to finally be there! Furthermore our American audience seemed genuinely open to our music and gave us a warm welcome, which made it a wonderful experience.
Jen: I read that you guys met when you were young. How did the idea for a band come along? And do you have collective inspirations for your music you draw from?
Jonas: We went to the same school since we were 5-6 years old. In the beginning we didn’t really hang out – we were quite different – but during a school art project we learned that we shared an interest in alternative music and film. Bands like Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, as well as people like Stina Nordenstam and Prefab Sprout. This lead to years of playing together, being creative, until finally in high school we decided to form a real band.
Jen: Your songs are in English. Norwegian artist Sondre Lerche said in an interview that it just never occurred to him to write rock songs in his own language. Do you feel the same way?
Jonas: There are numerous reasons for our decision to primarily write in English (we have also written in Gibberish and Japanese). We grew up listening to English speaking bands. Although the lyrics are quite abstract we don’t have any desire to alienate people and English is the most universal language that we know (we are taught English from the age of 6).
Jen: I also wonder how Danish fans react to their native sons singing in English.
Jonas: By the time we entered the indie scene in Copenhagen people were getting used to that. In Sweden it had been going on for years, somehow that seemed natural to most people, and a lot of Danish bands had followed suit. I don’t really remember it as being a big issue for anyone; in fact it wasn’t something we thought much about in the band either. Denmark is, after all, a tiny country.
Jen: I'm sure you've heard this, but the new album cover is reminiscent of Queen. Purposeful, accidental? They are actually my favourite band.
Jonas: I do like Queen. But actually a French design team called M/M created the cover. Although we are almost always involved in any visual aspect of our band (in particular, our live show film projections which incorporate animation and scenery to emphasize the emotions and structure of our songs) we decided to simply let M/M do whatever they wanted with the cover and sleeve, because we all love their work.
I don’t know if they intended it to be like Queen. We all felt it was kind of bold to have our portraits (albeit in collage form) on the cover, very “un-indie” which is precisely what we wanted. I remember Mathias of M/M said to me at the first meeting I had with them that our music was “Like a gremlin. At first you think it’s all furry and cuddly but all of a sudden it turns green and bites you!”
Jen: I once spent a month living in Thy (Northern Jutland). It was one of the more stunning places I have ever been. One question. Why are the Danish so tall, beautiful and blond? At 5'4 with near black hair, I stuck out just a wee bit.
Jonas: I have never been to Thy. How curious, what were you doing there? Oh well I guess you are the one that gets to ask questions. [Hey Jonas, I was there on an archaeological dig searching for Viking artefacts. Yes readers, in another lifetime this music slut was once a burgeoning archaeologist. We were excavating a house and found a pot with amber inside...trust me, that's sort of impressive...ok nevermind, back to the music]
Ha ha thanks for flattering the Danish people. I do think that the girls in Scandinavia are among the most beautiful in the world, actually. Some say that the Vikings would kidnap all the pretty ladies during their pillaging and plundering and bring them back to the old country. I think that’s rubbish though! Ha ha… I don’t know.
Well, what you regarded back then as “sticking out” I’m sure simply meant that you were mysterious and exotic!
Jen: I never made it down to Copenhagen, but I did spend some time in Aarhus. They seem to have a burgeoning music scene there. At The Music Slut, we are always bombarded with new music. Anything coming out of Denmark we should keep an eye out for? Or anything new you are loving at the moment?
Jonas: There’s not that much stuff I enjoy these days. The best band in Denmark is called Lords of Destruction. They started out around the same time as we did. But they never really did any shows or demos. We were going to release them on our Copenhagen label Evil Office, perhaps we still are, difficult to say what’s going on with them these days. There’s a band called Spleen United, they are kind of a mix between Depeche Mode and Boards of Canada, with a pinch of indie mentality. Under Byen (Underneath the City) sing in Danish and make a beautiful racket.
Jen: I know interviewers love to ask what bands think of their home country. Seeing as our site spans two countries, Scotland and New York City (yes, I just called NYC a country- we do have double the population of Scotland). Whom do you think would win in an arm wrestling contest? Keep in mind, Scots throw around large trees for sport but New Yorkers always keep a pistol in their back pocket.
Jonas: Well I love both countries. New York is my favorite city in the US so far; it seems almost to really be its own country. I’ve been to Scotland a few times; in fact a ferocious gigantic seagull once attacked me in Glasgow. Scotland is a beautiful country. I love Edinburgh although I’ve never spent enough time there to really get to know it.
Well let me answer your question with another question: If the Loch Ness monster would battle King Kong, what good would throwing trees or pulling guns really do? I mean, then where would we be?
Jen: Thanks a million!
Jonas: A thousand thanks as we say in Denmark.
Jen: I caught you guys at McCarren Pool opening for Bloc Party in July. It was a DAMN good show, I was blown away- honestly. Do you like touring in your home country more than outside of it, vice-versa?
Jonas: Why thank you! We enjoy playing everywhere but as this was our first tour in the US we were obviously excited to finally be there! Furthermore our American audience seemed genuinely open to our music and gave us a warm welcome, which made it a wonderful experience.
Jen: I read that you guys met when you were young. How did the idea for a band come along? And do you have collective inspirations for your music you draw from?
Jonas: We went to the same school since we were 5-6 years old. In the beginning we didn’t really hang out – we were quite different – but during a school art project we learned that we shared an interest in alternative music and film. Bands like Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, as well as people like Stina Nordenstam and Prefab Sprout. This lead to years of playing together, being creative, until finally in high school we decided to form a real band.
Jen: Your songs are in English. Norwegian artist Sondre Lerche said in an interview that it just never occurred to him to write rock songs in his own language. Do you feel the same way?
Jonas: There are numerous reasons for our decision to primarily write in English (we have also written in Gibberish and Japanese). We grew up listening to English speaking bands. Although the lyrics are quite abstract we don’t have any desire to alienate people and English is the most universal language that we know (we are taught English from the age of 6).
Jen: I also wonder how Danish fans react to their native sons singing in English.
Jonas: By the time we entered the indie scene in Copenhagen people were getting used to that. In Sweden it had been going on for years, somehow that seemed natural to most people, and a lot of Danish bands had followed suit. I don’t really remember it as being a big issue for anyone; in fact it wasn’t something we thought much about in the band either. Denmark is, after all, a tiny country.
Jen: I'm sure you've heard this, but the new album cover is reminiscent of Queen. Purposeful, accidental? They are actually my favourite band.
Jonas: I do like Queen. But actually a French design team called M/M created the cover. Although we are almost always involved in any visual aspect of our band (in particular, our live show film projections which incorporate animation and scenery to emphasize the emotions and structure of our songs) we decided to simply let M/M do whatever they wanted with the cover and sleeve, because we all love their work.
I don’t know if they intended it to be like Queen. We all felt it was kind of bold to have our portraits (albeit in collage form) on the cover, very “un-indie” which is precisely what we wanted. I remember Mathias of M/M said to me at the first meeting I had with them that our music was “Like a gremlin. At first you think it’s all furry and cuddly but all of a sudden it turns green and bites you!”
Jen: I once spent a month living in Thy (Northern Jutland). It was one of the more stunning places I have ever been. One question. Why are the Danish so tall, beautiful and blond? At 5'4 with near black hair, I stuck out just a wee bit.
Jonas: I have never been to Thy. How curious, what were you doing there? Oh well I guess you are the one that gets to ask questions. [Hey Jonas, I was there on an archaeological dig searching for Viking artefacts. Yes readers, in another lifetime this music slut was once a burgeoning archaeologist. We were excavating a house and found a pot with amber inside...trust me, that's sort of impressive...ok nevermind, back to the music]
Ha ha thanks for flattering the Danish people. I do think that the girls in Scandinavia are among the most beautiful in the world, actually. Some say that the Vikings would kidnap all the pretty ladies during their pillaging and plundering and bring them back to the old country. I think that’s rubbish though! Ha ha… I don’t know.
Well, what you regarded back then as “sticking out” I’m sure simply meant that you were mysterious and exotic!
Jen: I never made it down to Copenhagen, but I did spend some time in Aarhus. They seem to have a burgeoning music scene there. At The Music Slut, we are always bombarded with new music. Anything coming out of Denmark we should keep an eye out for? Or anything new you are loving at the moment?
Jonas: There’s not that much stuff I enjoy these days. The best band in Denmark is called Lords of Destruction. They started out around the same time as we did. But they never really did any shows or demos. We were going to release them on our Copenhagen label Evil Office, perhaps we still are, difficult to say what’s going on with them these days. There’s a band called Spleen United, they are kind of a mix between Depeche Mode and Boards of Canada, with a pinch of indie mentality. Under Byen (Underneath the City) sing in Danish and make a beautiful racket.
Jen: I know interviewers love to ask what bands think of their home country. Seeing as our site spans two countries, Scotland and New York City (yes, I just called NYC a country- we do have double the population of Scotland). Whom do you think would win in an arm wrestling contest? Keep in mind, Scots throw around large trees for sport but New Yorkers always keep a pistol in their back pocket.
Jonas: Well I love both countries. New York is my favorite city in the US so far; it seems almost to really be its own country. I’ve been to Scotland a few times; in fact a ferocious gigantic seagull once attacked me in Glasgow. Scotland is a beautiful country. I love Edinburgh although I’ve never spent enough time there to really get to know it.
Well let me answer your question with another question: If the Loch Ness monster would battle King Kong, what good would throwing trees or pulling guns really do? I mean, then where would we be?
Jen: Thanks a million!
Jonas: A thousand thanks as we say in Denmark.
Posted on 4:04 PM / 0
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Bloc Party, Secret Machines & Mew @ McCarren Park: Clap! Your! Hands!
It's rare that I will endure seeing every band on a bill. This line-up was surely worth the foot pain that followed.
First up were Danish superstars, Mew. Wearing all black in 92 degree weather is a feat within itself, but the guys truly surprised me with their energy and melody. For me it was a little Kasabian meets Secret Machines. As you could have guessed, I ate it up. Their newest release just came out in the States on Tuesday. Purchase it ASAP!
Secret Machines were next. How much do I love these guys? Acoustic, electric, it doesn't matter. They are unreal and have released 2 of my favorite albums of the last 5 years. Tonight, they split the set evenly amongst Now Here Is Nowhere and Ten Silver Drops. If you don't adore them, then I don't think we can be friends. Setlist went: Nowhere Again/The Road Leads Where It's Led/Daddy's In The Doldrums/Alone Jealous & Stoned/Lightning Blue Eyes/First Wave Intact.
Bloc Party, Bloc Party. Wow, what a graduation from The Bowery Ballroom just a year ago. Kele is a thrilling frontman, nothing's changed there. Each song on Silent Alarm was sung as if it was an anthem. And in a way, I guess they all are, or have become them over the last 15 months. The set started with 'Waiting For The 718' and ended with 'Pioneers'. The new stuff was tops as well. Kudos to another fine show! Setlist: Waiting For The 718/Positive Tension/Banquet/Blue Light/She's Hearing Voices/Hunting For Witches/This Modern Love/Like Eating Glass/Little Thoughts/Helicopter///So Here We Are/Price Of Gas/Compliments/Pioneers
Jen's Bloc Party Pictures:
Excellent recap Matt. It was certainly a hot, sweaty, fabulous night. I should never have doubted that Bloc Party would get me jumping as much as they did. Chris MusicSnobbery was also there getting his groove on, as was Amrit Village Indian for Stereogum and Jerry Yeti Don't Dance (I couldn't see him, but I bet he was dancing).
First up were Danish superstars, Mew. Wearing all black in 92 degree weather is a feat within itself, but the guys truly surprised me with their energy and melody. For me it was a little Kasabian meets Secret Machines. As you could have guessed, I ate it up. Their newest release just came out in the States on Tuesday. Purchase it ASAP!
Secret Machines were next. How much do I love these guys? Acoustic, electric, it doesn't matter. They are unreal and have released 2 of my favorite albums of the last 5 years. Tonight, they split the set evenly amongst Now Here Is Nowhere and Ten Silver Drops. If you don't adore them, then I don't think we can be friends. Setlist went: Nowhere Again/The Road Leads Where It's Led/Daddy's In The Doldrums/Alone Jealous & Stoned/Lightning Blue Eyes/First Wave Intact.
Bloc Party, Bloc Party. Wow, what a graduation from The Bowery Ballroom just a year ago. Kele is a thrilling frontman, nothing's changed there. Each song on Silent Alarm was sung as if it was an anthem. And in a way, I guess they all are, or have become them over the last 15 months. The set started with 'Waiting For The 718' and ended with 'Pioneers'. The new stuff was tops as well. Kudos to another fine show! Setlist: Waiting For The 718/Positive Tension/Banquet/Blue Light/She's Hearing Voices/Hunting For Witches/This Modern Love/Like Eating Glass/Little Thoughts/Helicopter///So Here We Are/Price Of Gas/Compliments/Pioneers
Jen's Bloc Party Pictures:
Excellent recap Matt. It was certainly a hot, sweaty, fabulous night. I should never have doubted that Bloc Party would get me jumping as much as they did. Chris MusicSnobbery was also there getting his groove on, as was Amrit Village Indian for Stereogum and Jerry Yeti Don't Dance (I couldn't see him, but I bet he was dancing).
Posted on 8:45 PM / 0
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Bloc Party, Secret Machines & Mew @ McCarren Park: Clap! Your! Hands!
It's rare that I will endure seeing every band on a bill. This line-up was surely worth the foot pain that followed.
First up were Danish superstars, Mew. Wearing all black in 92 degree weather is a feat within itself, but the guys truly surprised me with their energy and melody. For me it was a little Kasabian meets Secret Machines. As you could have guessed, I ate it up. Their newest release just came out in the States on Tuesday. Purchase it ASAP!
Secret Machines were next. How much do I love these guys? Acoustic, electric, it doesn't matter. They are unreal and have released 2 of my favorite albums of the last 5 years. Tonight, they split the set evenly amongst Now Here Is Nowhere and Ten Silver Drops. If you don't adore them, then I don't think we can be friends. Setlist went: Nowhere Again/The Road Leads Where It's Led/Daddy's In The Doldrums/Alone Jealous & Stoned/Lightning Blue Eyes/First Wave Intact.
Bloc Party, Bloc Party. Wow, what a graduation from The Bowery Ballroom just a year ago. Kele is a thrilling frontman, nothing's changed there. Each song on Silent Alarm was sung as if it was an anthem. And in a way, I guess they all are, or have become them over the last 15 months. The set started with 'Waiting For The 718' and ended with 'Pioneers'. The new stuff was tops as well. Kudos to another fine show! Setlist: Waiting For The 718/Positive Tension/Banquet/Blue Light/She's Hearing Voices/Hunting For Witches/This Modern Love/Like Eating Glass/Little Thoughts/Helicopter///So Here We Are/Price Of Gas/Compliments/Pioneers
Jen's Bloc Party Pictures:
Excellent recap Matt. It was certainly a hot, sweaty, fabulous night. I should never have doubted that Bloc Party would get me jumping as much as they did. Chris MusicSnobbery was also there getting his groove on, as was Amrit Village Indian for Stereogum and Jerry Yeti Don't Dance (I couldn't see him, but I bet he was dancing).
First up were Danish superstars, Mew. Wearing all black in 92 degree weather is a feat within itself, but the guys truly surprised me with their energy and melody. For me it was a little Kasabian meets Secret Machines. As you could have guessed, I ate it up. Their newest release just came out in the States on Tuesday. Purchase it ASAP!
Secret Machines were next. How much do I love these guys? Acoustic, electric, it doesn't matter. They are unreal and have released 2 of my favorite albums of the last 5 years. Tonight, they split the set evenly amongst Now Here Is Nowhere and Ten Silver Drops. If you don't adore them, then I don't think we can be friends. Setlist went: Nowhere Again/The Road Leads Where It's Led/Daddy's In The Doldrums/Alone Jealous & Stoned/Lightning Blue Eyes/First Wave Intact.
Bloc Party, Bloc Party. Wow, what a graduation from The Bowery Ballroom just a year ago. Kele is a thrilling frontman, nothing's changed there. Each song on Silent Alarm was sung as if it was an anthem. And in a way, I guess they all are, or have become them over the last 15 months. The set started with 'Waiting For The 718' and ended with 'Pioneers'. The new stuff was tops as well. Kudos to another fine show! Setlist: Waiting For The 718/Positive Tension/Banquet/Blue Light/She's Hearing Voices/Hunting For Witches/This Modern Love/Like Eating Glass/Little Thoughts/Helicopter///So Here We Are/Price Of Gas/Compliments/Pioneers
Jen's Bloc Party Pictures:
Excellent recap Matt. It was certainly a hot, sweaty, fabulous night. I should never have doubted that Bloc Party would get me jumping as much as they did. Chris MusicSnobbery was also there getting his groove on, as was Amrit Village Indian for Stereogum and Jerry Yeti Don't Dance (I couldn't see him, but I bet he was dancing).
Posted on 8:45 PM / 0
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