Show Pics: Blackbird Blackbird @ Johnny Brenda’s (7/1)

Blackbird BlackbirdAnother business trip meant finding another foreign place to catch a show. After Denver had zero on the schedule, Philly delivered with a nice little offering at a venue called Johnny Brenda’s. We had locals called The Interest Group opening for Beat Culture who was touring with Blackbird Blackbird. I ventured out after the crushing defeat of the fighting Tim Howards to the Fishtown Hood and got my shwerve on with some samples and beats.

Read for notes and pics…

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Show Review: Starfucker @ The Mohawk (3/7)

Another show on the eve of SxSW we had to attend was Starfucker at The Mohawk. They always throw down the jams and recent IT Department favorite Blackbird Blackbird were opening.

It was severely sold out and though I did not witness it, I am pretty sure there were more than a few that managed to sneak in. By the time Blackbird Blackbird took the stage, the entirety of the lower area was jammed. Impressive crowd, they came to dance.

Read on for thoughts and a ton of pics including backstage stuff with furries, a spaceman and Gumby.

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Blackbird Blackbird – Boracay Planet EP

Rating: ★★★☆☆

While the newest effort from Blackbird Blackbird is labeled as an EP, please don’t feel like you’re going to get shorted here.  In contrast to the earlier work of Mikey Maramag, the five songs on the Boracay Planet EP are much more expansive than the work he did on his Halo LP, with four out of five songs stretching over 4 minutes.  It’s a combination of electronic swirls and tight guitar work, bringing about a strikingly beautiful piece of work.

It takes nearly two minutes for “It’s A War” to build its way into a song with lyrics, but the tension created is perfect for the release that eventually comes.  For me the most striking effect is the background vocal that accompanies Maramag.  At times it’s sung, but there’s a few moments where the emotion of the voice shines through.  And the angular guitar line that knifes its way through the end of the song is something quite special. It’s a track that slowly unfolds, demonstrating the focus put into the latest Blackbird Blackbird release.

“All” is one of the various tracks that surfaced before the official release.  Vocals begin with a whisper, and the music again unfolds in a dramatic sense.  I like the restraint shown in the pacing of the tune, knowing that if Mikey had sped things up he’d have a certified club hit on his hands.  My mind wants to say this is all purposeful, making Boracay Planet more of an emotional affair, maximizing the listener’s involvement in the listening experience.

My first listen to “Tear” was a little unsettling when compared to the EP as a whole.  There’s little electronic glitches, which I personally find a bit overused at times, nostalgically pointing back to 90s club music.  But, there’s another, lighter, beat that bubbles beneath the song when you move past the one minute mark that eventually gave the song more life.  That being said, it’s the one song I’ll occasionally skip over while listening to this collection.  That can’t be said, however, about “Keep It Up,” which grabbed me by the heartstrings from the minute it came on the stereo.  The combination of guitar and electronics creates this melodious vibe that is quite moving.  Maramag uses brevity with the lyrics, so as not to detract from the song’s capacity to please.

Blackbird Blackbird closes out this affair with a reflective sort of song, at least in the title.  “Happy With You” seems to be the most message-oriented track on the EP, but what I’m taking from it is that it’s okay to be wrong/right, as long as you appreciate the place that you’re living.  It’s a hard-fought place to find yourself, but in the end I think that it sort of encompasses the mood of Boracay Planet EP.  It’s not an overstated record, and if anything, it’s slightly understated.  Emotions are maximized throughout, leaving listeners with an electronic album build around billowy song structures and blossoming melodies.  Something special this way comes.

 

I Love This Song By Blackbird Blackbird

This is a gem. If M83’s tour bus hit “a” Caribou. If Chill Wave weren’t so Chill.

Blackbird Blackbird has upped this track to the internet, a track called “All”, and I love it. It gets the played-twice-in-a-row award. It gets the instant add to the evening playlist. Drawn vocal, drifting backgrounds of plinks and drops, a guitarish hook running, instrumental finish – can’t wait for the EP. Lavish Habits will release the Boracay Planet EP 10/16.

Check out the video here, it was a kickstarter project.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/61139777″ params=”auto_play=false&show_artwork=false&color=ff7700″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

New Track (album) from Blackbird Blackbird

Don’t you just love it when band’s gather all their old files, polish them up, toss in some new gems and then give it out to the fans?  Such is the case with the Halo LP, the newest offering from San Francisco group, Blackbird Blackbird.  On first listen, it seems all over the place, but in a good way, as you can see where the band’s vision evolves as they’ve continued to work hard.  The album’s opening track, as is often the case, is a great track, using a minimal drum beat to serve as the background for the harmonies that come in and out with the vocals.  You’ll love the listening experience here, as the grooves and hooks continue to penetrate your ears. Get hip to this.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Blackbird-Blackbird-Halo-LP-01-Halo.mp3]

Download: Blackbird Blackbird – Halo [MP3]