Sebastian Langkilde

Willful and Young

japandroids-live

Just last year I got to see Japandroids for the first time at The Echo. They had not played in America for over three years. Show was sold out and I made a day of it Los Angeles before seeing them. It was a special day.

That night I got see, hear, experience new music from the band. Even then I felt some of the criticism I’ve read in the media.

“Near to the Wild Heart of Life” was the third song of the set and first time they ever played it in America. My first thoughts were “Bruce Springsteen?” They always seemed like the kind of band that came from the same place as Springsteen.

Dive bars, cheap beer, cigarettes, and leather jackets personify what I like about the band. Springsteen came from this place too but started breaking away from that on Born to Run, and then completely departed on Born in the U.S.A. Now Japandroids have followed this trajectory. I think what the media has missed however is that this is natural and the music is still compelling.

They can’t be that small club band forever. Their popularity has grown too large. These new songs fit a festival better than The Echo, where I saw them. I had to hear the title track a few times to understand what they were going for. Singer/guitarist Brian King moved from his hometown of Vancouver to Toronto. King borrowed the title from authors Claurice Lispector and James Joyce.

Near to the Wild Heart of Life represents leaving adolescence beyond and moving forward with our own individuality and independence. Boyhood is over. We’re in our adulthood now. Speaking for myself I want the responsibility.

After a few listen now, the album and title track reminds me of my own personal growth over the last 12 months. Most of the record intimates coming of age.

It’s drastically different from Celebration Rock or Post-Nothing in respect its theme. You can’t sing about PBR’s and singing with your bros forever. Eventually you leave and try creating your own legacy. I think Wild Heart acknowledges these changes and it’s reflected in the pace, energy, and even the arrangement of the music.

While the title track was an exodus, “No Known Drink or Drug” debuted right after and defused any doubt about of regression. Audience members started rustling around, pogoing with arms around each other. It was a celebration.

They only play three chords on the song and that’s a testament to who Japandroids are. It’s just two men, a guitar, and drums. All they needed was the previous two sentences.

Most of this album sounds very Americana, think Springsteen and John Mellencamp. Seasoned, aged, marinated well. Wild Heart was written and recorded between 2014-2015. Five weeks was spent in New Orleans writing most of the songs.

“North East South West” makes this context obvious. Sounds like they even took a field trip to Mellencamp’s home in the Midwest. Lyrically there’s clearly an affection for the fun they’ve had in America. “True Love and a Free Life of Free Will” has the same elements with more bombastic marching drums and sing alongs for large audiences.

I’ve read wide ranging debate about “Arc of Bar” and how it fits within Japandroid’s catalog. Like the title track it was odd seeing it live. It stands out with synthesizers throughout the track, which I haven’t heard from them before. Comparing its arrangement to other songs though one would find it’s classic form for them with a new layer of sounds to the canvas.

Wild Heart comparatively has a lot of differences the other records. I think most critics are tripping over themselves to harp on this idea. It’s a strength, not a weakness or as Pitchfork would have you believe a wobbling Janga tower.

Admittedly I was unsure how I felt about these tracks the night I saw them in LA. With each listen Near to the Wild Heart of Life sticks. It’s one of those records that doesn’t do much when it’s first released but grows reputation and acclaim over the years.

Spend time with it. Put the needle down and let go. Each track audibly has tremendous care taken to compose songs one will remember and look forward to hearing. I get see them again in March I expect to connect even more with this LP.

Below you can find some images I took of the special edition vinyl I grabbed last weekend from Lou’s Records.

(I Think) I’m Ready

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Photo by Alison Scarpulla

It’s odd writing that title but I do feel ready to date someone. I want to be with someone. I guess I didn’t expect to feel the urgency or the desire so soon, especially before Valentines day. This was the time a year ago I became single.

I’m hoping to go out with this girl I met on Halloween. She seems to be busy all of the time but I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt. I don’t know her and I would really like to. She probably is that busy.

She’s a single mom, which must be tough. I think it’s amazing she’s a mom. I must admit it’s attractive that she is. I want to be a dad someday and perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself but her having a child doesn’t scare me.

If anything I welcome it. I want to take on that responsibility.

There’s another one I’m interested in. She lives up north. If you’ve been reading these blogs I’ve mentioned her before. We’ve known each other for years but never met. Every time it almost happens we end up not meeting.

Part of me just wants it to happen so we can know if it’s just tension or if it’s more. I think she wants to know too. Either way I think we’ll both be happy.

Hopeful it happens soon or never.

I feel an urgency to try to meet someone. I’m trying Tinder again. I’ve gotten no matches of course but I’ll keep trying. I guess I don’t know how to meet someone still. I’m not sure what setting would offer the right opportunity to meet someone.

Parties seem to be the way I always meet someone. I guess I’ll keep going out and trying something new.

It Works

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I’ve been listening to emo for a long, long, time. I read and gave copies of Andy Greenwald’s Nothing Feels Good to friends. In high school it was the word I used to describe myself and who I associated myself with.

It’s a scene I carry a great deal of affection for, especially for the 90’s era. When American Football or The Promise Ring tours or releases new music my teenage hope of hopes have been answered.

So many new bands have such obvious influences from this period of emo but have little to no diversion. They’re either carbon copies or poor imitations.

You see more bands that were influenced by Thursday or Pg. 99 creating more authentic music. Oliver Houston is the only band I’ve heard recently that sounds like 90’s midwest emo but yet their own.

Whatever Works came to me as a complete surprise. They’ve proclaimed their refusal to use status quo music business tools to promote their album. While I found the band through a sponsored ad, it’s something they paid for and directed at people like me.

The songs are short and accomplish what takes their musical influences five or six minutes in half the time. Take “Pho” and “Bernie” which have the gorgeous melodies of Braid but complements them tasty guitar licks in an average time of 2:08 minutes.

“Concession” has hooking almost west coast riffs that just cruise down the beach all the way through. The vibraslap in the beginning doesn’t hurt either.

Unlike most of the 90’s emo bands, Oliver Houston depends on the riff not the pretty melodies. They’re just the complement. Bands like Mineral had chorded parts but the arrangement was based on some scale.

Take “Tough Luck” which has a great bass line that transforms and charges up with snare rolls into a beautiful scene of plucking harmony.

The highlight of the record however, and what separates the band resonates on “Tom Quad” and how it champions something emo isn’t known for: rocking! Just take the guitar chorus. The riff tastes crunchy and the drummer just crushes the open hi-hat.

Its solo makes you want to air-guitar. I’ve never written that about any “emo” song, ever. There’s something unique here I haven’t quite experienced from this scene before.

These guys grew up on the same nothing feels good records I did but clearly their palate extends beyond sad and depressed music.