Not Yet is a full-on assault of punk rock grooves that’s meant to perpetuate what we already knew about the band, giving more fuel to their bone-breaking live shows. Much of Not Yet parallels their previous work, providing quick-fire tracks slapped together in early hardcore fashion with a well-worn dose of rock ‘n’ roll akin to a new leather jacket on a sweaty back.

For the most part, the songs intentionally run into each other. Ami Shalev’s half-sing, half-yell is the signature sound, giving the same throat-straining notes throughout. Adding a constant punching beat along with it, the rest is left to the loud sloppy guitars that tear up the album with sonic riffs and screeching solos. It sounds as though it was recorded in a squat house, and in a single take at that. This was the appeal of the band in the first place, an unmatched rawness that’s rarely heard nowadays, even with the lo-fi take-over of indie rock.

Amongst all the bombardment, Not Yet gives us rock to not only dance to, but also throw up some fists for. “Before I Pass” tames the beast with catchy riffs, a quick fret exchange in between chunky chords showing there’s real talent behind the noise. It cruises right into “Blind Again” for yet another hip shaker. Punk speed is thrown in with the drums, creating a level of chaos in every other measure.

Going slightly beyond that, “Late Night” hits a bar rock stride as they pick up a bit more in the melody for good measure. The guitar work takes on a 90’s alt rock flair, adding something extra to the mix that doesn’t necessarily aim to get us all riled up, and, after five minutes, it doesn’t feel like enough. After all that, the album ends as it started on “I’ve Never Died”: with guitars, drums, and Shalev in full force, getting one more mosh pit going before signing off.

The key to Not Yet is that it throws back to an era of So-Cal punk rock that could deliver a killer melody and still be uncompromising in its core. Tracks like “Fun Fun Fun” and “Give Me More” embody that ideal perfectly, almost like a tribute to Henry Rollins. Unfortunately, such a good time means these songs feel too short, the best of them leaving that desire for more.

This new record is nothing surprising. It’s everything that you’d expect. Right out of the gate, the message is clear: It is who it is, giving us a band, and an album, full of confidence and bruises. Yet by just being who it is, the music works, and, rightfully so, doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. The formula they use, while in reality not their own, has already been proven countless times, so there’s no need to mess with it. This band is yet another paragraph in the big book of punk rock, and this album makes sure the paragraph is, at the very least, highlighted.

We may have picked the Top 100 Albums of last year, but there were countless other efforts that were begging for the attention of your ever-so-precious ears. This year won’t be any different, and there are already loads of artists competing for a listen in the first quarter alone, so we here at CoS have already spent an inhuman amount of time on the interwebs researching and writing about some of the biggest releases of the year 2K+11.

We’ve picked 50 albums slated for release this year, and while some of them already have concrete release dates, others are merely rumored. Nevertheless, every single one of them bring questions and are worthy of your open ears. Will Kanye and Jay-Z score a huge commercial hit with their joint LP, Watch The Throne? Is there anything scarier than a Fame Monster? Did Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers get stale after sitting on a shelf for all these years? We examine those questions in our 2011 Album Preview, but there are a few things that we already know for sure.

PJ Harvey wants to “shake” things up, The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy has stripped it down, and the Get Up Kids aren’t kids anymore. The Cold War Kids, on the other hand, have grown up and might be having kids of their own soon. U2 hooked up with Danger Mouse and have up to four albums in the bank. Dave Grohl un-Vultured and is Foo Fighting again, and a slew of up-and-comers are putting out new music.

There’s also news on possible new ones from Rage Against the Machine, The White Stripes, The Shins, and a John Frusciante-less Red Hot Chili Peppers. Throw in the chances of Daft Punk releasing an album as The Third Twin, and what you’ve got below is required reading. We’ve included audio on more than a few of the albums, so grab a drink, plug in your headphones, and decide whether or not you’ll be tuning in.

-Ray Roa
Senior Staff Writer

Cake – Showroom of Compassion

Cake have already long established themselves as alternative rock giants. But in recent years, even guys who have been playing together since 1991 have found a way to keep things interesting. Showroom of Compassion, their first record since 2004′s Pressure Chief, will be released on the group’s very own Upbeat Records, which also happens to mark the band’s departure from Columbia Records. As if that weren’t momentous enough, lead singer John McCrea said this will also be the first Cake album to feature reverb and acoustic piano. What was that adage about old dogs and new tricks? -Chris Coplan
January 11th via Upbeat Records / Order via Amazon

The Decemberists – The King Is Dead

What do you get when you combine an homage to The Smiths, recording sessions on a farm, and R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck? The Decemberists’ latest record, The King Is Dead (or a really weird smoothie). While the title of the group’s sixth studio album plays off The Smiths’ 1986 The Queen Is Dead, lead singer Colin Meloy says the sound is much more influenced by early R.E.M. Three of the songs, “Don’t Carry It All”, “Calamity Song”, and “Down by the Water”, even feature Buck on guitar. On top of all of that, the album was recorded entirely on an eight-acre farm outside of Portland, which according to Meloy contributed to a more rustic sound. Maybe that smoothie isn’t so weird after all. -Jack McGrew
January 11th via Capitol Records / Order via Amazon

Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde

It appears as if the musical trend for 2011 will undoubtedly be reinvention. For their 2009 self-titled debut, Smith Westerns unleashed an effort of lo-fi garage pop that eats away at your defenses and leaves you smiling through feelings of forlorn. For their sophomore LP, Dye It Blonde, the Chicago outfit are taking that sound and adding a sheen of Brit-pop goodness. In an October 2010 interview with Pitchfork, lead singer Cullen Omori said the songs would be “more involved but are still poppy and still catchy,” with influences ranging from Oasis to T. Rex and Teenage Fanclub. Guess blondes really do have loads more fun than the rest of us. -Chris Coplan
January 18th via Fat Possum Records / Order via Amazon

“Weekend”

Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours

2011 may be a make-or-break year for Cold War Kids; their sophomore album and subsequent tour were victims of what some industry insiders call a “slump.” The Long Beach natives’ Mine Is Yours seeks to shrug that off. To that end, singer Nathan Willett took a more personal approach to songwriting. “If I really wanted to connect to it,” he told Rolling Stone, “I knew it had to come from me.” Hence, there are tracks like “Sensitive Kid”, about Willett’s parents divorcing during his high school years, and “Louder Than Ever”, reflecting on failed relationships. Despite the subject matter, songs like “Royal Blue” reveal a rosier sound than much of what these Kids have previously released. Can CWK v.3.0’s brighter take on echoey guitar rock enliven a fan base largely dulled by v.2.0? -Ben Kaye
January 25th via Downtown Music / Order via Amazon

Cold War Kids – ‘Royal Blue’

Destroyer – Kaputt

We can finally solve the equation that Destroyer proposed to us with the 2009 EP Bay of Pigs. That x was in the form of a 14-minute “ambient disco” track bearing the same title of the LP, which now closes out Dan Bejar’s latest record, Kaputt. But Bejar’s hands are in many musical pies on Kaputt, as he expands on previous outings with ample new wave textures but the same byzantine Bejarisms. (Is Bejaresque minted yet?) All this excitement about this album recalls the Destroyer drinking game, my absolute love for Destroyer’s Rubies, and Bejar’s loveable soused antics when he played live with The New Pornographers this year. Look, this album is incredible and will end up on arguably everyone’s year-end list. Buy it. Don’t believe me? Read this. -Jeremy D. Larson
January 25th via Merge Records / Order via Amazon

Destroyer – ‘Kaputt’

Gang of Four – Content

UK’s politically charged Gang of Four are back in 2011 with Content, the band’s first new material in 16 years. Original members John King and Andy Gill opted to crowd-fund the release, offering helicopter rides, autographed limited releases, and even vials of their own blood to spur donations. And unlike with Public Enemy, the strategy succeeded, generating over 170% of the original goal. Content was co-written by King and Gill, with Gill serving as producer as the recording progressed in his home studio. With the current turmoil in the global political arena, Gang of Four’s socially aware punk rock is as relevant now as at any time during their 30-plus-year career. -Derek Staples
January 25th via Yep Roc Records / Order via Amazon

Gang of Four – ‘Never Pay For the Farm’

The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules

Mötley Crüe headlining the biggest emo-friendly festival around could be a sign that the genre has seen its heyday. So what happens when a historically pivotal emo band reunites for a new album amidst a wholly different musical climate? The Get Up Kids’ There Are Rules. The Kids spent seven years between records playing in various musical genres, and the maturing influences carpet their fifth full-length. Lead single “Automatic” sounds like an odd, absurdly catchy Devo cut. “Pararelevant” is more synth-heavy than anything else in their catalog. Diehards and purists may take issue with the new sound, but it’s worth an unprejudiced listen. While “Regent’s Court” sounds the most like their older work, it’s evident throughout that these guys haven’t forgotten who they were; they’ve just grown up. It’s what The Get Up Kids would sound like if they formed in 2009 instead of 1995, and it’s all rather intriguing. -Ben Kaye
January 25th via Quality Hill Records / Order via Amazon

The Get Up Kids – ‘Regent’s Court’

Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean

Iron & Wine, the folk project of musician/beard enthusiast Sam Beam, has made a career of touching the hearts of listeners with emotionally evocative and gentle acoustic numbers. Now, Beam becomes another member of 2011 musical revolution when he leaves his long-time home of Sub Pop Records for the major label sanctuary of Warner Bros. Records. Along with the change in label, Beam and company are reinventing their sound for the act’s fourth record. In an October 2010 interview with SPIN, Beam said the LP would be a pop record focused on the “early-to-mid-’70s FM, radio-friendly music” he grew up with. Awww, just as heartwarming. -Chris Coplan
January 25th via Warner Bros. Records / Order via Amazon

Monotonix – Not Yet

Monotonix is one of those bands that come along once in a blue moon. They tour relentlessly, make fans a part of the show (literally), and always look like they’re having a ball. Amidst the tireless work ethic on the road, the Tel Aviv-born rockers find time to get in the studio and turn the amps up to eleven. The trio’s sophomore release, Not Yet, the follow-up to 2009′s Where Were You When It Happened?, is more of the balls out, punk-infused garage rock that defines what these guys are all about. The album’s lead single, “Give Me More”, harkens back to late ’60s Detroit and the unabashed raw power of a sound defined by bands like MC5 and The Stooges. If “Give Me More” is any indication of what Monotonix has in store for the new year, let’s hope they keep on giving it. -Megan Caffery
January 25th via Drag City / Order via Amazon

Monotonix – ‘Give Me More’

The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts

It’s been a long minute since The Go! Team had new material to release. Their last album, Proof of Youth, was back in 2007. That shouldn’t be a surprise, though, given the detailed sampling process that Ian Parton goes through. In an interview with Spinner, the UK outfit’s mastermind mentioned that much time is spent “storing all my favorite bits then filtering it down. It’s not like it’s just picking up an acoustic and writing a song. It’s a drawn-out affair.” But just because they’ve been gone for a few years, don’t think the English sextet have lost their edge. The lead track off the upcoming Rolling Blackouts, “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.”, is an explosive mix of blaring trumpets and Ninja’s energetic, on-beat vocals. The band followed this freebie up with the album’s first single, “Buy Nothing Day” (featuring Bethany Cosentino), which is probably the poppiest melody in the band’s history. Given the quality of the first two songs made available, this may be the first time anyone is looking forward to a rolling blackout. -Joe Marvilli
February 1st via Sub Pop / Order via Amazon

The Go! Team – ‘T.O.R.N.A.D.O.’

The Streets – Computers and Blues/Cyberspace and Reds

Mike Skinner – aka The Streets – has made it very obvious that Computers and Blues has been done for a while. In fact, he’s gone as far as to say, “[The album] doesn’t feel a part of me. It’s a part of my past. It sits in the machine right now waiting to leak into the cloud.” In response to his feeling of disconnect, Skinner has apparently recorded another album – Cyberspace and Reds – that he’s described as “painfully repetitive…chord changes that have never changed in that way before…the lyrics will make no sense.” What does make sense is that we should have both of them before Valentine’s Day, and if that doesn’t make you love him more, then you’re just as coldhearted as he is. -Ray Roa
Computers and Blues due February 7th via 679 Recordings; Cyberspace and Reds TBA

Cut Copy – Zonoscope

Rejecting tour offers from Lady Gaga, Nine Inch Nails, and Coldplay might sound asinine, but Cut Copy isn’t your average group. The band who hails from Melbourne, Australia, instead added a member, hit the studio, and is set to release Zonoscope next month. The follow-up to 2008′s excellent In Ghost Colours is only the electro-pop group’s third album, but it’s being anticipated as would a work from a band with three times their discography. Bassist Tim Hoey says that first single “Take Me Over” is one of the more “pop moments” on the record. “We certainly are using all sorts of electronic instruments, more synthesizers, computers, all of that, but contrasted with more organic sounds, more organic percussion,” says Hoey. Better still is the announcement  that the record’s final track, “Sun God”, is a 16-minute epic.  - Jack McGrew
February 8th via Modular / Order via Amazon

Cut Copy – ‘Take Me Over’

Bright Eyes – The People’s Key

It’s been four years since Conor Oberst released music under the Bright Eyes moniker, and while it seemed like the band’s July performance at a Nebraska immigration rally would be a one-off, it looks like the new year is bringing 10 new songs and a two-week tour. Fans of the angsty Oberst from Bright Eyes’ earlier days may have abandoned their hero after the band’s sonic evolution on 2007’s Cassadaga, but those who stayed on the train will be surprised and pleased to hear the synth-laden, new wave vibe on lead single “Shell Games”. -Ray Roa
February 15th via Saddle Creek / Order via Amazon

Bright Eyes – ‘Shell Games’

Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

We can already assure you that Mogwai’s Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is going to be an early highlight for 2011. The post-rock mainstays officially release their seventh full-length in February, and the day can’t come soon enough. Young Team producer Paul Savage returns for the LP, and if that means anything to you, you’re going to want to stay tuned. -Harry Painter
February 15th via Sub Pop / Order via Amazon

Mogwai – ‘Rano Pano’

PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

What better valentine could come this year than Let England Shake, the latest from one of England’s and music’s most influential women in rock. For the better part of two decades now, Polly Jean has continued to offer album after album of honest-to-everyone songs grounded in a wide array of sounds from post-feminist grunge to brit-folk. On her 8th proper LP, we may find Harvey putting the onus on us. “I think a lot of my work has often been about the interior, the emotional, what happens inside oneself. This time I’ve just been looking out, so it’s not only to do with taking a look at England, but taking a look at the world and what’s happening in the current day world affairs.” So rarely does Harvey lay a bad egg that the very thought of this album all but guaranteed it a spot on this list. To boot, the first sampling from the album sounds like a gorgeous and haunting collage of her recent works, and it’s one fantastic song. -Jeremy D. Larson
February 15th via Vagrant Records / Order via Amazon

PJ Harvey – ‘Written On The Forehead’

Adele – 21

Looks like British powerhouse Adele is trying to add another award to her shelf. Much like her 2008 debut, 19, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s simply titled sophomore release, 21, showcases the big voice and big sound that turned her into a critical darling at the tender age of—you guessed it—19. The first single from 21, “Rolling in the Deep”, is an incredibly soulful number you can bop your head to, but you can’t mistake the hint of sadness in Adele’s raspy vocals. There’s no denying that the girl has talent beyond her years, and come 2011 Grammy season, we’ll see if the critics still think so, too. -Megan Caffery
February 22 via XL Recordings / Order via Amazon

Adele – ‘Rolling in the Deep’

Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine

Toro y Moi’s debut came out just last year, but the man born Chaz Bundick is staying ahead of the pack and releasing a follow-up very early this year. Underneath the Pine arrives next month and will reportedly feature live instrumentation and, if new track “Still Sound” is any indication, less chill, more funk. -Harry Painter
February 22nd via Carpark Records / Order via Amazon

Lupe Fiasco – Lasers

Talk of Lupe Fiasco’s third album began back in June 2009; the following two-plus years saw the Chicago MC complete the album only to have its release delayed by Atlantic Records. The label claimed the LP lacked potential singles, but Fiasco’s refusal to sign a 360 deal probably didn’t help. The wait got so intense that fans even held protests outside of various Atlantic offices in order to get the album out. Atlantic finally heard their cries and, deciding that perhaps giving into the demand was a sound business move, announced the album’s March 2011 release. With tracks like “I’m Beamin’”, first single “The Show Goes On”, and “What U Want”, we’re just glad the album’s finally getting its time to shine. -Chris Coplan
March 8th via Atlantic

R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now

For Collapse Into Now, R.E.M. took the rulebook they compiled for their last album, 2007′s Accelerate, and threw it out the window. Forget about speed or getting back to a core sound; according to Mike Mills’ interview with Rolling Stone, it’s all about creating the best songs they can. Produced by Jacknife Lee (U2, Snow Patrol, Weezer), the band’s 15th record will feature a bevy of special guests, including Eddie Vedder (on the first single,”It Happened Today“), Joel Gibb, Peaches, and Patti Smith. It was recorded in multiple cities, such as New Orleans and Berlin, with the trio taking breaks in between to edit the material. “The songs go from one type into another really easily, and it all seems to fit as a piece,” Mills says. “It makes sense as a whole the same way that Automatic For The People did.” All that’s left to see is if R.E.M. can back that statement up. -Joe Marvilli
March 8th via Warner Bros. / Order via Amazon

R.E.M. – ‘It Happened Today’ (feat. Eddie Vedder)

The Dodos – No Color

The Dodos have quite an ambitious goal for their fourth album, according to an interview Meric Long did with Pitchfork: “One of the things that we intended to do was to really just make a record that was exciting, almost to the point where it might be unlistenable.” If No Color is half as exciting to listeners as it is to him, that, um, excites us. The San Franciscans have yet to put out a bad album, so any time they do release something, it’s worth keeping an eye out. It helps that Neko Case is involved, too. -Harry Painter
March 15th via Frenchkiss Records

New York Dolls – Dancing Backward in High Heels

Punk pioneers, and some of America’s favorite cross-dressers, the New York Dolls are back in 2011 with the release of Dancing Backward in High Heels. For the band’s fifth studio release, and third since reforming back in 2004, surviving original members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain chose to move the recording process to the birthplace of androgynous glam-rock, the UK. The album’s 11 tracks were recorded in Newcastle, England, and produced by Louis XIV’s, and one time Dolls’ touring bassist, Jason Hill. It seems with the passage of time, the Dolls’ sound has grown more “bluesy”, most evident in the cover of the 1962 hit by Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles, “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman”. While the release is still a few months off, samples are available via 429 Records. -Derek Staples
March 15th via 429 Records / Order via Amazon

The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

The Mountain Goats’ donnish and prolific career continues in 2011 with the release of their new death metal album, All Eternals Deck. Well, it’s not a death metal album — at all. To clarify, John Darnielle, the man behind the Goats, hired metal guru Erik Rutan to produce a handful of tracks on the album. Rutan, former guitarist for Morbid Angel who now fronts the three-piece death metal band Hate Eternal, is one of four producers on the album, which was recorded in as many locations across the US. Darnielle likens the album to, well, “…if you have ever watched, say, a 70s occult-scare movie where one of the scenes involves a couple of people visiting a storefront fortune teller, getting their cards read, and then trying to feel super-hopeful about what they hear when what they’re visibly actually feeling is dread” or “the feeling of exultation that comes with having recognized the oncoming train of fate.” Sounds pretty metal to me. -Jeremy D. Larson
March 29th via Merge Records

Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne

Critically, Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was among the best albums put out in 2010. Commercially, however, West’s fifth LP failed to capitalize on the massive publicity campaign embarked on by the Chicago MC in the months leading up to the album’s release. America might still be pissed at Mr. West, but nothing helps heal wounds like teaming up with a rapper that even Oprah champions. Originally set to be released as an EP last fall, West and Jay-Z’s collaborative LP, Watch the Throne, has evolved into a 10-track full-length and is now due out sometime in March. Hopefully. Details-wise, little is known about the album, but heavyweights like Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and Madlib have been mentioned as producers, and Kanye has declared that the LP hears Jay-Z flowing like he did back in the Reasonable Doubt days. It’s hard to imagine this album not living up to the hype. Let’s just hope we hear it before 2012. -Alex Young
March? via Def Jam

The Strokes – TBA

We all know the story, but here it is one more time: The followup to 2006′s First Impressions of Earth was originally scheduled for release in 2009, but inner band disagreements delayed those plans over… and over… again. Frontman Julian Casablancas further threw us for a loop with the release of his solo debut amidst these supposed recording sessions. But in early 2010, progress on the record moved forward as the band began working with award-winning producer Joe Chicarelli (My Morning Jacket, The Shins) and renowned engineer Gus Oberg. No new songs were offered during the band’s 2010 live performances, but as of November 16th, 2010, the album is finished. Expect 10 songs to be included, and a March 2011 release date is promised. Cross your fingers. -Joe Marvilli
March via RCA

Lady Gaga – Born This Way

With Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster becoming the world’s biggest-selling record of 2010 (5.8 million units!), its follow-up, Born This Way, is an almost guaranteed success. But what about quality? The conspicuous star has been fanning the anticipatory flames, promising a Polish crowd “the greatest album of this decade” – lofty considering the decade just started. She told BBC the album’s sound blends her usual dance-pop anthems with “metal and rock ‘n’ roll,” a sonic conglomerate sampled in live performances of new track “You And I”. On New Year’s Eve, Gaga revealed that Born This Way drops May 23rd, with the first single/title track (which Elton John calls “the new gay anthem”) landing on Grammy night, February 13th. So while the workhorse pounds the road again with another North American tour starting in February, it’ll be six months before we see how Lady Gaga meets the hype she’s created for herself. -Ben Kaye
May 23rd via Interscope

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2

When founding member Adam Yauch (MCA) announced that he had cancer in 2009, the Beastie Boys’ upcoming double album was put on hold. A year and a half later, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 is still delayed indefinitely, but the second part will be available in early Spring. The Beasties’ eighth studio album will feature 16 tracks and include collaborations with Nas on “Too Many Rappers” and Santigold on “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win”. Comparing the tracks to previous work, Yauch stated, “It’s a combination of playing and sampling stuff as we’re playing, and also sampling pretty obscure records. There are a lot of songs on the record and there are a lot of short songs and they kind of all run into each other.” Sounds like a good way to end the fight with cancer. – Jack McGrew
Spring via Capitol Records

Beastie Boys – ‘Too Many Rappers’

Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys

Death Cab For Cutie fans who thought that 2008’s Narrow Stairs was a bit of a downer apparently aren’t alone. “There’s a level of self-loathing that I’m embarrassed about, it’s a really dark record,” frontman Ben Gibbard told SPIN. “I didn’t want to make that record again.” He added that the creative process for Codes and Keys entailed the band building songs from singular riffs or vocal lines and that the “achingly gorgeous” title track is a sprawling, seven-minute mostly instrumental number, which includes DCFC’s first string arrangement in over a decade. Throw in songs that originated solely from guitarist/pianist Chris Walla’s demos, and it’s no wonder Gibbard feels “so proud of this album” that he doesn’t really care if people like it or not. -Ray Roa
Spring via Atlantic

Dr. Dre – Detox

It only took a little more than a decade, but hip-hop’s Chinese Democracy is finally coming out. Really, we’re not kidding. Sure, Detox doesn’t have an unofficial release date yet, but it’s hard to ignore the events of the past six months: October found us thinking that Dr. Dre was too busy working out with LeBron to release an album. Then a song leaked, and another one leaked, then we got a video. Three days after Christmas, Eminem and Fiddy finally made us really want to buy Detox. Throw Def Jam’s press release in with news that Dre will promote the album through a Facebook game and what we’ve essentially got here is a promise that can’t be broken. -Ray Roa
Spring via Aftermath/Interscope

Dr. Dre – ‘Kush’ (feat. Snoop Dogg, Akon)

Foo Fighters – TBA

What’s not to love about Dave Grohl? He sings, he plays guitar, he drums, and he smiles. He’s just a downright honest guy. That’s why when he insists that the next Foo Fighters record “sounds big”, we’re apt to believe him. After finishing up his gig in Them Crooked Vultures, Grohl set the ball in motion last September, when production on the Foo’s seventh album began. From what’s been said, fans can expect a celebratory record. Grohl told BBC recently that “there’s not one sleepy ballad” and that there are several familiar faces involved. In addition to having producer Butch Vig at the controls, the album also sports longtime collaborator and now full-time member Pat Smear (of The Germs, but also considered Nirvana’s “fourth” member) and, incidentally, former bandmate Krist Novoselic, who plays accordion and bass on a track titled “I Should Have Known”. Throw in the little fact that the whole thing wasn’t recorded with computers — all on analog tape, actually — and you might see the group carving out their finest record since their debut. But, we’ll see come Spring. -Michael Roffman
Spring via RCA

U2 – Songs of Ascent + three other albums?

U2 may have gotten slightly tangled in the web of utter disaster that has been the Spider-Man musical, but as long as it doesn’t delay their upcoming studio album, we’ll try to forgive ‘em. Though we’ve yet to get an actual track listing or release date, we do know a handful of details about the band’s 13th LP. Originally planned as a companion album for 2009′s No Line on the Horizon, Songs of Ascent will be produced by super producer Danger Mouse (Beck, The Black Keys, Gnarls Barkley). While we’re not entirely sure of what to expect, bassist Adam Clayton does warn us that it’s not “going to sound like familiar U2 territory at all.”

This album isn’t the only unfamiliar territory that the Irish band is going into lately. Songs of Ascent is only one of four albums that they’ve been working on recently, starting with the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Aside from that, U2 also plans on coming out with a dance/club-sounding album produced by will.i.am, David Guetta, and RedOne, as well as a Steve Lillywhite-produced album of unused tracks from their most recent LP, No Line on the Horizon. As of now, there are no official release dates for any of the records. -Dana Grossman
Songs of Ascent due in Spring via Interscope; Other albums TBA via Interscope

Coldplay – TBA

While it wasn’t out in time for Christmas, it’s safe to expect Coldplay’s fifth album at some point this year, though we hope it sounds nothing like the Christmas single the band put out. Coldplay supposedly recorded a load of songs and are weeding it down to album length, which has meant delays. Another reason for delays might be how seriously the group is taking this album. Chris Martin told BBC Radio 1′s Zane Lowe, “We’re going for it. We regard this as our last big shot.” In 2009, The Sun reported Coldplay was recording in a church. So, this could be super serial. Like, Arcade Fire serial. -Harry Painter
2011 via Capitol Records

Also stay tuned for…

– Aphex Twin – LP #6: Something is coming March 12th, 2011.

– Beyoncé – LP#4: — According to producer Sean Garrett, Mrs. Hova’s fourth full-length “[is] going to be her biggest album ever.”

– The Cars – Free: It took 23 years, but the new wave icons will soon return with their seventh LP.

– Daft Punk/The Third Twin – LP#4?: Maybe/hopefully not?

– Fleet Foxes – LP #2: In the works for nearly two years, Fleet Foxes completed their “less upbeat” sophomore LP last September. Most details are still forthcoming, but a Spring 2011 release date is expected.

– How to Destroy Angels – LP #1: Trent Reznor says he’s proud of the band’s debut EP, but it was merely “the results of a couple of months of experimentation and tinkering.” In other words, he’s now ready to kick your ass.

– Jane’s Addiction – LP #4: Featuring TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek.

– Justin Bieber – LP #2: Featuring Kanye West.

– Lil Wayne – Tha Carter IV: “6’7″ is just the start of Weezy’s 2k11 takeover.

– Queens of the Stone Age – LP #6: Recording begins in January.

– Radiohead – LP #8: A batch of songs has been completed, but Thom Yorke and friends aren’t done quite yet. One way or another, though, we fully expect music’s most important outfit to return at some point in 2k11.

– Rage Against the Machine – LP#5: So says Google Translate.

– Red Hot Chili Peppers – LP #10: Flea plays piano and Josh Klinghoffer replaces John Frusciante on guitar for the Peppers’ long-awaited follow-up to 2006′s Stadium Arcadium. It’s supposedly due in the “beginning of Summer 2011.”

– Rick Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t: The Teflon Don is wasting no time in following up his 2010 masterpiece. The rapper’s fifth album is “60% done,” with the Drake-featuring first single, “Made Men”, already available for streaming.

– Ryan Adams – LP #13/Blackhole: The wifey finally let him skip weekend trips to Ikea.

– The Shins – LP #4: Four years is long enough.

– Tenacious D – The Rise of the Phoenix: The comedy duo’s “R-Rated” third album is due out in late 2011.

– The White Stripes – LP#7: Jack White seems pretty content with his current role as record label/producer extraordinaire, but sooner or later, he’s got to give the people what they want. How else is he going to make money (via eBay)?

– Wilco – LP#8: Work began last October.

We already reported on their tour dates for the rest of 2010, but a couple of special shows have been added since then. The Tel Aviv three-piece will be opening for Faith No More‘s November 30th concert at the Hollywood Palladium and their final scheduled show in Chile on December 5th. For next year, they’ll be starting in L.A. on January 27th, two days after their LP drops. From there, the band will zoom towards the Eastern Seaboard with only a few stops along the way. Currently, Monotonix will wrap the trek up in Chicago on February 11th but given how much they tour, don’t be surprised if even more dates are announced in the future.

Monotonix 2010/2011 Tour Dates:
11/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium *
12/01 – Calgary, AB @ Broken City
12/02 – Edmonton, AB @ New City
12/03 – St. Louis, MO @ The Gargoyle Club, Washington University ()
12/05 – Santiago, Chile @ Estadio Bicentenario de la Florida *
12/06 – Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
12/07 – Tallahassee, FL @ Engine Room
12/08 – Atlanta, GA @ 529
12/09 – Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone
12/10 – Chattanooga, TN @ Discoteca
12/11 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dee’s
12/12 – Halifax, NS @ The Seahorse
01/27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex @
01/28 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop @
01/29 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk Outside $
01/30 – Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves $
01/31 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
02/01 – Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree Cafe %
02/02 – Nashville, TN @ The End %
02/03 – Raleigh, NC @ King’s Barcade %&
02/04 – Washington, DC @ Comet Pizza %&
02/05 – Brooklyn, NY @ 285 Kent Ave %&
02/06 – Providence, RI @ Machines with Magnets %
02/08 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom ^%
02/09 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon ^#
02/10 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club ^
02/11 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle ^#

* = w/ Faith No More
() = w/ Heavy Cream
@ = w/ Ty Segall
$ = w/  The Strange Boys
^ = w/ Jeff the Brotherhood
# = w/ Call Me Lightning
% = w/ Pujol
& = w/ Federation X

Treasure Island sits next to the Bay Bridge between Oakland and San Francisco. It was built out of landfill in the 1930s specifically to celebrate the completion of the bridge, along with the Golden Gate Bridge, and has been owned by the Navy since then. The Navy closed its base over a decade ago, however, so now its main functions are being an earthquake disaster waiting to happen and hosting more celebrations, like dragon boat festivals and music festivals.

The Treasure Island Music Festival, which by its fourth year has found its niche as California’s most worthwhile annual concert not in a desert, took place over the weekend. There are reasons it’s so worthwhile — the tickets have been great value from the start, the setting is top-notch, the transportation is efficient, and, most importantly, it knows what it is and doesn’t try to be anything else. Twenty-thousand-plus people came out for two days of music tailor-made for the Bay Area audience: one day of electronica and dance for the rolling-super-hard crowd, and a second day of chill indie rock for the rolling-fatty-joints crowd.

Photo by Ted Maider

The festival also featured all the usual (and some not-so-usual) festival amenities, such as a ferris wheel, a cybercafé/DJ Hero station, a silent disco, and various sponsored tents (one, of course, was a cannabis club tent offering coupons for free “medijoints”). There was a salon tent giving out free haircuts, a workshop for learning crafts, and a skee ball booth. The food was mostly the usual fare, but there were some interesting options, including a booth for organic health food and a vendor offering potato and spinach knishes along with the hot dogs. A French truck featured escargot lollipops and what were called Maine lobster cappuccinos. Yum.

Only real downside to all of this? It’s cold as hell. In San Francisco, you can expect the weather to be cold, windy, and foggy at any given time of year, and in October there’s just no way you’re going to get your comfy, dependable, 100-degree-plus summer festival weather. On Saturday, no amount of dancing could have prevented the unprepared from shelling out for a hoodie or flannel shirt; the heavy wind was a disaster for the myriad hipsters in hot-pants. The wind chill Sunday was equally cruel, and the intermittent rain that marked the first three hours of the fest was actually a welcome change.

Photo by Ted Maider

But outside of one stage change and a short set time early on for The Mumlers, the music was unhampered by the weather. And the music is what matters, right? Right.

Feature photo by Harry Painter.

Saturday, October 16th

Maus Haus
Bridge Stage, 12:00 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

The first of several local bands, San Francisco’s own Maus Haus kicked things off with an energetic set of experimental electropop jams. The sextet was heavy on the synthesizers (there must have been at least three up there), but Maus Haus is no generic dance pop band. There was a little of that, but there was also a little ambient noise and electro rock. Also, as any good festival opener should, Maus Haus opted to take some time between numbers to educate the early crowd on some of the history of Treasure Island. All of it was equally welcome, and hopefully the next time the band plays the fest it will be at a well-deserved later slot.

wallpaper.
Tunnel Stage, 12:45 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

When the highlight of your show is bringing out your “band” of brightly dressed hipsters with cowbells, you’re probably a bit of a gimmick. Like Mayer Hawthorne, Oakland’s Eric Frederic — one-half of wallpaper. — makes his living as a skinny white guy singing ironic soul songs. Both corny, except wallpaper.’s music is even less authentic, if that’s possible. The duo (Frederic on vocals and iPod, Arjun Singh on drums) played song after mailed-in neo-disco song about sex and booze, Frederic playing the backing tracks on his iPod while Singh drummed along. Of course, the iPod handled the complex drum parts. Oh well, being bored at a festival at one in the afternoon is nothing to complain about. Besides, it was all in good fun; Frederic was charismatic and made some choice jokes about casual sex and selling drugs at the merch booth. And he apparently has a song called “Laptops from Methadone Clinics”, so there’s that.

Holy Fuck
Bridge, 1:30 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

If you haven’t seen these folks yet, go go go. I won’t profess to have any idea what Holy Fuck does on stage, but I know it sounds great and the novelty hasn’t worn off yet. Visualize a drummer and a bassist backing two guys standing opposite each other twisting knobs and screaming into distorted microphones. You’re already probably halfway to knowing what the Toronto four-piece sounds like, but basically it’s noisy, improvisational, sometimes psychedelic, and all live (*cough* wallpaper. *cough*). Instruments include analog synths and a 35mm film synchronizer, but that translates into a bunch of gadgets on a table tangled in a mess of wires. It’s fun to watch. I had the thought, Holy Fuck’s sound would fit an arena quite nicely, so Radiohead, if you’re reading this, first stop reading and put out your album, and then invite Holy Fuck to open for you please.

Jamaica
Tunnel, 2:15 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Fun fact: Eight of the 13 Saturday acts were foreign, and only three of those were from primarily English-speaking countries. Another fun fact: Jamaica isn’t from Jamaica, but Paris. The band also doesn’t play even remotely electronic music, so what was it doing on the Saturday lineup? Never mind, it’s dancey rock music so close enough. Jamaica, dressed for climbing Mt. Everest, put on a set of catchy grunge-pop songs in the vein of fellow slackers Free Energy. There wasn’t much beneath the surface, but it was kind of nice to have a token riff-rock band on Saturday.

Die Antwoord
Bridge, 3:00 p.m.

What does it say about the state of indie hip-hop when Die Antwoord is the only hip-hop act at a festival that previously signed on acts like Murs, Cut Chemist, Zion I, The Streets, Aesop Rock, and Crown City Rockers? Screw it, what does it say about the state of indie hip-hop that Die Antwoord is even popular (and not even technically indie anymore)? Yes, the South African trio is a joke, but the band is not any funnier than ICP, which everyone hates (or Ali G, who Ninja is shamelessly biting).

Photo by Ted Maider

Anyway, a certain portion of the crowd ate this shit up. Die Antwoord came out dressed in the same outfits from the “Enter the Ninja” video, Yo-Landi Vi$$er making a wardrobe change halfway through and Ninja gradually undressing. Ninja can flow and both of them have stage presence and can work a crowd. But maybe I’m a little old to be impressed by generic electro-rap beats and fart-joke lyricism. One crowdmember remarked after it was over, “Some people will dance to anything with that type of beat.” Exactly. However, like wallpaper. earlier, Ninja and Vi$$er did not take themselves seriously; they actually made the butterfly gestures during “Enter the Ninja”, for example, and ended the set by yelling out “Be happy!” No arguments here.

Phantogram
Tunnel, 3:45 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Phantogram, one of the best acts Saturday, also turned out to be one of the mellowest. The duo, guitarist Josh Carter and keyboardist Sarah Barthel (accompanied by a live drummer), plays a blend of shoegaze, trip-hop, and psychedelic pop backing dark, atmospheric vocals from both members. This was the first band that really packed the stage, and if that’s a sign of rising popularity, it’s well deserved. Phantogram played a dance-friendly set but sported some substance to go along with the style. And, okay, elephant in the room, Sarah Barthel is cute. It’s just a little crush.

!!!
Bridge, 4:35 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Everyone should be familiar with what !!! does by now. The Sacramento dance-punk outfit is a nonstop ball of kinetic energy, particularly metrosexual frontman Nic Offer, who made his way into the crowd several times and was never standing in one place for five seconds – despite having performed in Tokyo the day before, according to Offer, and getting a mere three hours of sleep. While the band is much more suited to the club, like say the Noise Pop festival earlier this year, than a large festival stage, it’s not for lack of presence. !!! is no stranger to festivals and handled the large crowd gracefully. At times, Offer seemed out of breath and couldn’t quite nail his parts. In hindsight, it wouldn’t have killed the energy for him to slow down a little — there is plenty else to focus on at a !!! show, with the band’s multiple guitars, keyboards, a backing vocalist, and a saxophonist.

Four Tet
Tunnel, 5:25 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Kieran Hebden’s main live instrument is a laptop, and his light show came across as modest with full daylight still out. However, flashiness was not required and Hebden, better known as Four Tet, put on an irresistible set. Probably the second-best of the day, in fact. It’s understandable that IDM doesn’t get a lot of love at festivals where people just want to wear mouse masks and dance, but artists like Hebden lend credibility to the mainstream-again dance music community. Still, it’s hard to tell what Hebden was doing up there besides checking his e-mail and bobbing his head.

Kruder & Dorfmeister
Bridge, 6:15 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

The Austrian duo Kruder & Dorfmeister are renowned for their downtempo remixes, but they kept the tempo up in a rare live show Saturday. Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister, the first nighttime act, rocked the turntables in front of some stunning visuals, while two well-dressed MC’s kept the crowd involved. This meant prancing around stage and yelling inane things like “everybody go boom!” but the crowd would surely have lost interest otherwise. Actually, for a crowd that was oblivious even to LCD Soundsystem’s early material, the audience was rather enthusiastic about K & D. This performance marked the end of the duo’s first North American tour in 10 years, and whenever K & D does it again, it won’t be soon enough. Well, a couple months or so would be fine.

Little Dragon
Tunnel, 7:05 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat — Little Dragon is known more for frontwoman Yukimi Nagano’s appearances on Gorillaz’ album Plastic Beach than its own music, and it would have delighted people to hear a line from “Empire Ants” during Little Dragon’s set. But there was no need to pander, because believe it or not, Little Dragon has some fantastic songs in its own right. The Swedish quartet played a new one for the Treasure Island crowd, and it fits right into the band’s tiny canon of subtle dance pop. These songs are to be heard live, not only because of Nagano’s infectious dancing and sexy crooning, but because the band is pretty damn good too. Sure, Little Dragon plays some simple, atmospheric pop songs, but the guys can also jam a little — and that’s when they’re at their best.

Deadmau5
Bridge, 7:55 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Firstly, Deadmau5 apparently flew to the Smokeout Festival in Southern California after his set to perform another set there, but he does wear a giant mau5 mask, so he could’ve swindled us — we’ll never know. Either way, a plethora of Treasure Island attendees were there just to see Deadmau5, whose star has risen swiftly. It’s not clear why; is he doing anything dozens of other artists aren’t doing, besides wearing a giant, glowing mouse mask and performing behind a v-shaped structure and a bunch of cool visuals? Maybe that’s the point, to drug up, dance, and be impressed with the lighting, but why is Deadmau5 better than Mickey Mau5? Besides “Ghosts n Stuff”, most of the tunes he played at Treasure Island were relatively tuneless, which is fine if done right; it’s just hard to get into the repetitive noodling. Further, the energy never really built up; he would tease at something explosive before reverting to stagnant, lifeless minimalism. Once again, that single of his was the only exception.

Like K & D, Deadmau5 had an MC come out to hype the audience, but she was only on stage for a song or two before leaving the man to his work. The DJ (real name Joel Zimmerman) is certainly hard-working, and has put together a beautiful show. The question is whether people would care about that show if a couple of French robots hadn’t popularized the concept of masked DJ’s and personalized stages in the first place. I suppose it doesn’t matter, because if you want to see Deadmau5 for the visuals and the drugs, you will not be disappointed. If it’s the music you care about, just don’t expect anything special.

Miike Snow
Tunnel, 8:45 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Deadmau5 concluded the rave portion of the evening, meaning people began to leave, but Miike Snow and LCD Soundsystem kept the vast majority of folks there for the rest of the night. The former, which played amidst a thick cloud of smoke, played to an enthusiastic but exhausted crowd — an inevitable side effect of a long and relentlessly cold day. The Swedish band, which American singer Andrew Wyatt insisted was a band and not a person, strolled through songs like “Burial” and “Black and Blue”, the latter of which went through a pretty ugly and unnecessary distortion job. However, Miike Snow nailed singles “Sylvia” and “Animal”, the song that will never escape this band. “Animal”, which seemed to go on extra long just for shits and giggles, obviously elicited the largest crowd response.

LCD Soundsystem
Bridge, 9:35 p.m.

How do you follow up a career-defining headlining gig at the Hollywood Bowl with a short headlining set at a small festival? The way James Murphy and co. pulled it off was to do everything the same but cut out a few songs. Literally, we’re talking the same set in practically the same order, minus “Get Innocuous!”, “Someone Great”, and “Losing My Edge”. Those are three songs that it sucks to have missed out on.

But let’s focus on the positive, namely that LCD Soundsystem murdered this festival. As Murphy has neared the end of his tour — like so many other acts at Treasure Island — he and his band have begun playing “Dance Yrself Clean” live, and now it’s hard to imagine being satisfied without hearing the This is Happening opener. Everyone knew when the beat was going to drop, everyone was waiting for it, and most reacted appropriately and danced thmselves clean. The other two This is Happening tracks which opened the set were also well received, although “Drunk Girls” is kind of a snoozer, at least coming between “Dance Yrself Clean” and “I Can Change”.

Photo by Ted Maider

LCD continued to murder with “Daft Punk is Playing at My House”, although the audience shockingly seemed to lose interest. This trend continued for the other old songs; there were singalongs for the new ones, but anything off of the self-titled (almost half the set) was met with half-assed response. Even “Tribulations”, for God’s sake. Was 2005 really that long ago?

The band ignored Sound of Silver material with the exception of “All My Friends”, which was probably not a wise choice for this crowd, but if Murphy is really going to be easing off of LCD Soundsystem in the coming years, it was the right choice.

Photo by Ted Maider

Lame crowd notwithstanding, the show was the best you could hope for in one hour and 15 minutes. Murphy really sings nowadays instead of just yelling into the mic, and you can tell his band is having a good time. The highlight was Murphy leading the audience in a slow clap which built directly into the opening of “Movement”, which just so happens to shred live.

Murphy acknowledged that the show was just too short, however: “I don’t make the rules,” he quipped as he introduced the final number, “Home”. Finishing up at just after 10:50 p.m., LCD was not allowed an encore, which was expected given the strict start and end times to every set. Still, here’s hoping Murphy comes back before he abandons the project.

Sunday, October 17th

Phosphorescent
Tunnel, 12:00 p.m.

Phosphorescent was booked for the main stage, but the weather had different plans for indie folk musician Matthew Houck and his band. Thankfully, no cancellations, because damn if Phosphorescent wasn’t one of the best acts all day. There’s no good reason Phosphorescent should have been on so early — this meant a lot of people missing him, rain or not. Houck’s guitarist Jesse Anderson Ainsley and his keyboardist Scott Stapleton were some of the most technically proficient musicians at the festival. Phosphorescent’s set included a good mix of vocal harmonization and good, old-fashioned rock soloing. Houck is quite the musician himself, and an even better vocalist. “The Mermaid Parade”, in particular, was a moment of brilliance.

Photo by Harry Painter.

The Mumlers
Tunnel, 12:52 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

Thanks to Phosphorescent being switched to the Tunnel stage, The Mumlers held the distinction of being the only act with a snipped set time. The San Jose sextet, which was also the only act with a guitarist dressed like a pirate, was able to make it on stage 12 minutes after scheduled. The Mumlers, despite the pirate (bloody face makeup and all) and a french horn or two, got kind of lost in the shuffle of chill indie rock acts on Sunday. They’re more than just an indie rock band, though — they displayed classic rock, jazz, and folk sensibilities and aptly followed a Phosphorescent set everyone seemed to love. When The Mumlers weren’t allowed to play their final song, the audience let out a loud groan. The pirate took it all in good humor, leaving us with “The greatest treasure was having you for an audience.” Arrr, matey.

Ra Ra Riot
Bridge, 1:15 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

My, oh my, I can’t believe I’ve ignored this band for so long. Ra Ra Riot is much more than a pretty cellist — she also has a good voice. Kidding, kidding. Really, Ra Ra Riot was perfect. If you’re a sucker for strings in your indie pop, jump on this bandwagon. The Syracuse sextet has a penchant for playing cheerful, emotional music with marching skins and sweeping strings. Frontman Wes Miles, who seems comfortable with the band’s popularity, can make the main stage feel like the most intimate place on Earth, like you’re up there with them just watching them rehearse. Ra Ra Riot will certainly be on much later next time the band plays this festival; the band was an absolute pleasure so early in the day.

Papercuts
Tunnel, 1:55 p.m.

Local musician Jason Quever’s project Papercuts is another act that failed to leave an impression amongst the several laid-back indie acts Sunday. Quever makes droning dream pop accompanied by soft, almost whispering vocals. He and his band had a couple of genuinely interesting moments, but the majority of Papercuts’ set was background music.

Superchunk
Bridge, 2:30 p.m.

The old guys of the festival, North Carolina’s indie rock heroes Superchunk, were touring behind new album Majesty Shredding, their first album since 2001′s Here’s to Shutting Up. Superchunk’s DIY riff-rock fit in just fine in an era when people suddenly care about Pavement again. The band played new tracks such as “Rosemarie”, “Digging for Something”, and “Crossed Wires”, along with old faves like “Slack Motherfucker” and “Throwing Things”. The band looked happy to be there, but also made a point whether they meant to or not — bring back the fucking rock and roll.

Photo by Ted Maider.

The Sea and Cake
Tunnel, 3:15 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

The Sea and Cake, which has opened for fellow Treasure Island band Broken Social scene in the past, probably isn’t the best example of bringing back the fucking rock and roll, but the Chicago indie act did partake in some quality jamming. The Sea and Cake’s set wandered into everything from chill surf rock (which was becoming quite tired by now) to smooth jazz to post-rock. The mood wasn’t exactly befitting of the band, coming after Superchunk, but anyone who skipped The Sea and Cake is going to have to put the band on his list.

She & Him
Bridge, 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

If Zooey Deschanel wasn’t the queen of all that is indie, She & Him would not be booked at every damn festival on the planet. Half the people there are watching for the novelty of seeing Deschanel sing — and she’s pretty good at it, but the songs are another story. They range from poppy indie folk to doo-wop anthems, none of which are very original. And while Deschanel can sing, she just lacks power, the same way Charlotte Gainsbourg does. Deschanel has the better voice, but she either gets drowned out by the band or simply trails off at the end of each line. M. Ward is a little more reliable on the guitar, but he couldn’t save this set. If you were forgiving, however, you could have appreciated Deschanel’s earnestness on the ballad “Take it Back” or her cheeriness on Vol. 2 track “In the Sun”.

Monotonix
Tunnel, 4:50 p.m.

My God, what did I get myself into here? These three hairy guys from Tel Aviv may have sounded nothing like they do in studio, but I wouldn’t have known that beforehand and it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Where do we begin? Singer Ami Shalev was dressed like an aging former soccer player making a final comeback just to break some bones. Guitarist Yonatan Gat and drummer Haggai Fershtman looked like the guys MGMT modeled themselves after before turning it into a lame fashion trend.

The band, Monotonix, doesn’t play on stage. The trio set up in the middle of the crowd from the start and proceeded to jam. Shalev was all about crowd participation, standing on top of the bass drum, crowd surfing, going out of his way to make everyone part of the show. The crowd formed a circle around Monotonix, Gat doing his best to keep on track while being shoved from behind. Periodically, the band would pick up its instruments and relocate, with fans doing what they could to help (it’s amazing the guitar cord made it through the show intact).

The very indie crowd wasn’t prepared for 40 minutes of garage punk between the She & Him and Broken Social Scene sets, but the mosh pits soon began. Anyone within 30 feet of the band couldn’t hum a single line from a Monotonix song, but everyone will remember three things: the impromptu Shalev-led singalong to “A Hard Day’s Night”, Shalev dumping a bag of garbage onto Fershtman, and the finale of Shalev tossing a tom into the stacked drum kit. Shalev is no GG Allin, but crazy is crazy and he was crazy enough.

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Photos by Harry Painter.

Broken Social Scene
Bridge, 5:35 p.m.

It can only be described as a shame that Broken Social Scene was limited to 50 minutes, but that’s the nature of Treasure Island — it was actually one of the longest sets of the day. The band started things off with Forgiveness Rock Record track “Meet Me in the Basement”, then quickly squeezed in some longtime favorites like “7/4 Shoreline” and “Texico Bitches”, both of which rock so much more live than on record. No Emily Haines, but BSS managed a sweet rendition of “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl”.

Photo by Ted Maider

Kevin Drew dropped his guitar early on, which didn’t seem to matter, as BSS has four or five guitarists at once. Drew joked that he literally breaks a guitar at every show, which may not have been a joke at all. By the end of the set, Drew took to the crowd, making sure to leave his mark on the fest in case the music wasn’t enough. It really wasn’t, but that’s because there just wasn’t enough of it.

Surfer Blood
Tunnel, 6:25 p.m.

Photo by Ted Maider

This band so deserves all that hype it gets. There was plenty enough surf rock going on at Treasure Island, but if it’s good it’s good, and none was better at it than Surfer Blood. Touring behind its only album Astro Coast, Surfer Blood tore through tracks like “Swim”, “Take it Easy”, and “Floating Vibes”. The quintet even did a cover of Pavement’s “Box Elder”, which was appropriate considering the band is pretty much a cross between Pavement and Modest Mouse. The songs did blend together late in the set, being that most of them are similar in tone and tempo, but all in all Surfer Blood left a promising impression. Skipping even one song, the last song, to get a spot for The National was a tough decision.

The National
Bridge, 7:15 p.m.

Yet it was the right decision, because The National was the best act at Treasure Island this year. The National has gotten better and better over the years, and in 2010 has found the ideal mix between being sensitive, artsy poets and outright rock stars. This is especially the case with the Brooklyn band’s live output; songs that amount to midtempo hummers on record, like “Squalor Victoria” and “England”, become fiery and full of rage when performed live. The difference is the Dessner brothers’ love for loud, unhinged distortion and Matt Berninger’s willingness to scream — when Berninger gets red-faced and shouts “afraid of the house, because they’re desperate to entertain,” you realize he means every last word. Or maybe it’s the wine he drinks before he performs.

Photo by Harry Painter

The National also appear increasingly comfortable being on stage. It takes a lot of confidence to be a rock star, and it didn’t feel like the band had or wanted that confidence in 2008. Now, Berninger and the Dessners pose on stage and exchange witty banter like they’re in a living room with 8,000 friends. “He doesn’t let us wear suits,” complained Bryce Dessner about Berninger’s wardrobe choices. Berninger responded with, “Respect the suit; you guys are frumpy.” Before “Slow Show”, Dessner pointed out the song makes reference to Berninger’s genitalia, to which Berninger clarified that it wasn’t true: “A small area of the song is about my dick.”

The set was heavy on High Violet and Boxer stuff, including only the essentials from Alligator (“Abel”, “Mr. November”) and nothing from the band’s early albums. This was doing pretty well for a one-hour festival set though, and the band covered a pretty good range of the stuff people wanted to hear. The National, at the end of its tour, played all the late-set mainstays in the expected order: “Fake Empire” into “Mr. November” into “Terrible Love” — a lineup there’s no complaining about. Dessner dedicated “Mr. November” to the Democrats, after which Berninger, not wanting to be uncool, dedicated “Terrible Love” to the Republicans, and then to babies, because “everyone loves babies.”

Rogue Wave
Tunnel, 8:15 p.m.

“Following The National sucks,” sighed Zach Rogue, frontman of Oakland’s Rogue Wave. He wasn’t kidding, but his band held its own coming between the two big Sunday names on the smaller stage. Rogue Wave may have been the indiest band at this mercilessly indie musical gathering, but performances of songs like “Lake Michigan” and “Bird on a Wire” were anything but indie kitsch. The band made the performance something special by bringing out fellow Oakland musician Ted Nesseth of The Heavenly States for a collaboration. Both Rogue Wave and Nesseth had their fair share of supporters at the festival.

Photo by Ted Maider

Rogue Wave brought the politics much more readily than The National, dedicating “Solitary Gun”, a track off the band’s latest album, Permalight, to Oscar Grant, the man who was shot and killed by a police officer at an Oakland train station while face down and unarmed. Trade secret: If you want to get a Bay Area crowd on your side, it’s a good idea to bring up Oscar Grant.

The set consisted of material spanning Rogue Wave’s career, and it felt like the band was a miniature headliner for the local folks. Nothing but love from the Bay Area audience.

Belle & Sebastian
Bridge, 9:05 p.m.

There was no one more deserving to headline the Treasure Island fest than Belle & Sebastian, but the Scottish indie poppers were an anticlimactic close to a great festival. Any huge fan would have been just fine with the set — it was heavy on If You’re Feeling Sinister and Dear Catastrophe Waitress material, and gave equal attention to new album Write About Love. To top it all off, the band was accompanied by a five-piece string section. Stuart Murdoch was crowd-friendly, exchanging banter incessantly and even making a couple of kids’ days by pointing them out in the audience.

In fact, it was a good show. Belle & Sebastian just isn’t the band to close a festival.

Photo by Ted Maider

Guitarist Stevie Jackson at one point led the crowd in a relatively complex singalong for new track “I’m Not Living in the Real World”, featuring an “ooh” in three different keys. Jackson joked that we could handle it, because “San Francisco is a musical city.” SF handled it just beautifully, and it was one of the highlights of the set.

The band of course played “Piazza New York Catcher”, which features lyrics about the San Francisco Giants playing the New York Mets, and also references SF’s Tenderloin district. Murdoch remarked that he had not realized how many of Belle & Sebastian’s songs were based on San Francisco. He then did a little pandering: “The Phillies don’t stand a chance, man. Give it to them!” Sorry, Philadelphia, he’s right.

“The Boy with the Arab Strap” had people all the way across the grounds dancing jovially; this was on a weekend when people were reluctant to dance even on the dance day, and the talkers came in droves. But for this one song, Belle & Sebastian had everyone’s attention and there was nothing but happiness in the air, which is kind of what this band is about.

Photo by Ted Maider

So what made this the wrong band to close the festival? It’s just that they’re so damn…twee. By about halfway through, Belle & Sebastian had overdosed us on the upbeat four-minute pop songs, and I just wanted them to depress me for once. Where was the soul? Belle & Sebastian is such a lovable band in moderation that it’s hard to see how stale the band can get until it happens. Not once did Belle & Sebastian ever turn a head or wow anyone, not the way The National, LCD Soundsystem, or even Broken Social Scene did. Perhaps it just wasn’t an ideal setlist. The performance never felt important, not even during the encore of “Judy & the Dream of Horses”, which is a fantastic song, but not one with which to close a weekend of great music. Oh well.

]]> Photo by Ted Maider The festival also featured all the usual (and some not-so-usual) festival amenities, such as a ferris wheel, a cybercafé/DJ Hero station, a silent disco, and various sponsored tents (one, of course, was a cannabis club tent offering coupons for free "medijoints"). There was a salon tent giving out free haircuts, a workshop for learning crafts, and a skee ball booth. The food was mostly the usual fare, but there were some interesting options, including a booth for organic health food and a vendor offering potato and spinach knishes along with the hot dogs. A French truck featured escargot lollipops and what were called Maine lobster cappuccinos. Yum. Only real downside to all of this? It's cold as hell. In San Francisco, you can expect the weather to be cold, windy, and foggy at any given time of year, and in October there's just no way you're going to get your comfy, dependable, 100-degree-plus summer festival weather. On Saturday, no amount of dancing could have prevented the unprepared from shelling out for a hoodie or flannel shirt; the heavy wind was a disaster for the myriad hipsters in hot-pants. The wind chill Sunday was equally cruel, and the intermittent rain that marked the first three hours of the fest was actually a welcome change. Photo by Ted Maider But outside of one stage change and a short set time early on for The Mumlers, the music was unhampered by the weather. And the music is what matters, right? Right. Feature photo by Harry Painter. Saturday, October 16th Maus Haus Bridge Stage, 12:00 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider The first of several local bands, San Francisco's own Maus Haus kicked things off with an energetic set of experimental electropop jams. The sextet was heavy on the synthesizers (there must have been at least three up there), but Maus Haus is no generic dance pop band. There was a little of that, but there was also a little ambient noise and electro rock. Also, as any good festival opener should, Maus Haus opted to take some time between numbers to educate the early crowd on some of the history of Treasure Island. All of it was equally welcome, and hopefully the next time the band plays the fest it will be at a well-deserved later slot. wallpaper. Tunnel Stage, 12:45 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider When the highlight of your show is bringing out your "band" of brightly dressed hipsters with cowbells, you're probably a bit of a gimmick. Like Mayer Hawthorne, Oakland's Eric Frederic -- one-half of wallpaper. -- makes his living as a skinny white guy singing ironic soul songs. Both corny, except wallpaper.'s music is even less authentic, if that's possible. The duo (Frederic on vocals and iPod, Arjun Singh on drums) played song after mailed-in neo-disco song about sex and booze, Frederic playing the backing tracks on his iPod while Singh drummed along. Of course, the iPod handled the complex drum parts. Oh well, being bored at a festival at one in the afternoon is nothing to complain about. Besides, it was all in good fun; Frederic was charismatic and made some choice jokes about casual sex and selling drugs at the merch booth. And he apparently has a song called "Laptops from Methadone Clinics", so there's that. Holy Fuck Bridge, 1:30 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider If you haven't seen these folks yet, go go go. I won't profess to have any idea what Holy Fuck does on stage, but I know it sounds great and the novelty hasn't worn off yet. Visualize a drummer and a bassist backing two guys standing opposite each other twisting knobs and screaming into distorted microphones. You're already probably halfway to knowing what the Toronto four-piece sounds like, but basically it's noisy, improvisational, sometimes psychedelic, and all live (*cough* wallpaper. *cough*). Instruments include analog synths and a 35mm film synchronizer, but that translates into a bunch of gadgets on a table tangled in a mess of wires. It's fun to watch. I had the thought, Holy Fuck's sound would fit an arena quite nicely, so Radiohead, if you're reading this, first stop reading and put out your album, and then invite Holy Fuck to open for you please. Jamaica Tunnel, 2:15 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Fun fact: Eight of the 13 Saturday acts were foreign, and only three of those were from primarily English-speaking countries. Another fun fact: Jamaica isn't from Jamaica, but Paris. The band also doesn't play even remotely electronic music, so what was it doing on the Saturday lineup? Never mind, it's dancey rock music so close enough. Jamaica, dressed for climbing Mt. Everest, put on a set of catchy grunge-pop songs in the vein of fellow slackers Free Energy. There wasn't much beneath the surface, but it was kind of nice to have a token riff-rock band on Saturday. Die Antwoord Bridge, 3:00 p.m. What does it say about the state of indie hip-hop when Die Antwoord is the only hip-hop act at a festival that previously signed on acts like Murs, Cut Chemist, Zion I, The Streets, Aesop Rock, and Crown City Rockers? Screw it, what does it say about the state of indie hip-hop that Die Antwoord is even popular (and not even technically indie anymore)? Yes, the South African trio is a joke, but the band is not any funnier than ICP, which everyone hates (or Ali G, who Ninja is shamelessly biting). Photo by Ted Maider Anyway, a certain portion of the crowd ate this shit up. Die Antwoord came out dressed in the same outfits from the "Enter the Ninja" video, Yo-Landi Vi$$er making a wardrobe change halfway through and Ninja gradually undressing. Ninja can flow and both of them have stage presence and can work a crowd. But maybe I'm a little old to be impressed by generic electro-rap beats and fart-joke lyricism. One crowdmember remarked after it was over, "Some people will dance to anything with that type of beat." Exactly. However, like wallpaper. earlier, Ninja and Vi$$er did not take themselves seriously; they actually made the butterfly gestures during "Enter the Ninja", for example, and ended the set by yelling out "Be happy!" No arguments here. Phantogram Tunnel, 3:45 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Phantogram, one of the best acts Saturday, also turned out to be one of the mellowest. The duo, guitarist Josh Carter and keyboardist Sarah Barthel (accompanied by a live drummer), plays a blend of shoegaze, trip-hop, and psychedelic pop backing dark, atmospheric vocals from both members. This was the first band that really packed the stage, and if that's a sign of rising popularity, it's well deserved. Phantogram played a dance-friendly set but sported some substance to go along with the style. And, okay, elephant in the room, Sarah Barthel is cute. It's just a little crush. !!! Bridge, 4:35 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Everyone should be familiar with what !!! does by now. The Sacramento dance-punk outfit is a nonstop ball of kinetic energy, particularly metrosexual frontman Nic Offer, who made his way into the crowd several times and was never standing in one place for five seconds - despite having performed in Tokyo the day before, according to Offer, and getting a mere three hours of sleep. While the band is much more suited to the club, like say the Noise Pop festival earlier this year, than a large festival stage, it's not for lack of presence. !!! is no stranger to festivals and handled the large crowd gracefully. At times, Offer seemed out of breath and couldn't quite nail his parts. In hindsight, it wouldn't have killed the energy for him to slow down a little -- there is plenty else to focus on at a !!! show, with the band's multiple guitars, keyboards, a backing vocalist, and a saxophonist. Four Tet Tunnel, 5:25 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Kieran Hebden's main live instrument is a laptop, and his light show came across as modest with full daylight still out. However, flashiness was not required and Hebden, better known as Four Tet, put on an irresistible set. Probably the second-best of the day, in fact. It's understandable that IDM doesn't get a lot of love at festivals where people just want to wear mouse masks and dance, but artists like Hebden lend credibility to the mainstream-again dance music community. Still, it's hard to tell what Hebden was doing up there besides checking his e-mail and bobbing his head. Kruder & Dorfmeister Bridge, 6:15 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider The Austrian duo Kruder & Dorfmeister are renowned for their downtempo remixes, but they kept the tempo up in a rare live show Saturday. Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister, the first nighttime act, rocked the turntables in front of some stunning visuals, while two well-dressed MC's kept the crowd involved. This meant prancing around stage and yelling inane things like "everybody go boom!" but the crowd would surely have lost interest otherwise. Actually, for a crowd that was oblivious even to LCD Soundsystem's early material, the audience was rather enthusiastic about K & D. This performance marked the end of the duo's first North American tour in 10 years, and whenever K & D does it again, it won't be soon enough. Well, a couple months or so would be fine. Little Dragon Tunnel, 7:05 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Let's get this out of the way right off the bat -- Little Dragon is known more for frontwoman Yukimi Nagano's appearances on Gorillaz' album Plastic Beach than its own music, and it would have delighted people to hear a line from "Empire Ants" during Little Dragon's set. But there was no need to pander, because believe it or not, Little Dragon has some fantastic songs in its own right. The Swedish quartet played a new one for the Treasure Island crowd, and it fits right into the band's tiny canon of subtle dance pop. These songs are to be heard live, not only because of Nagano's infectious dancing and sexy crooning, but because the band is pretty damn good too. Sure, Little Dragon plays some simple, atmospheric pop songs, but the guys can also jam a little -- and that's when they're at their best. Deadmau5 Bridge, 7:55 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Firstly, Deadmau5 apparently flew to the Smokeout Festival in Southern California after his set to perform another set there, but he does wear a giant mau5 mask, so he could've swindled us -- we'll never know. Either way, a plethora of Treasure Island attendees were there just to see Deadmau5, whose star has risen swiftly. It's not clear why; is he doing anything dozens of other artists aren't doing, besides wearing a giant, glowing mouse mask and performing behind a v-shaped structure and a bunch of cool visuals? Maybe that's the point, to drug up, dance, and be impressed with the lighting, but why is Deadmau5 better than Mickey Mau5? Besides "Ghosts n Stuff", most of the tunes he played at Treasure Island were relatively tuneless, which is fine if done right; it's just hard to get into the repetitive noodling. Further, the energy never really built up; he would tease at something explosive before reverting to stagnant, lifeless minimalism. Once again, that single of his was the only exception. Like K & D, Deadmau5 had an MC come out to hype the audience, but she was only on stage for a song or two before leaving the man to his work. The DJ (real name Joel Zimmerman) is certainly hard-working, and has put together a beautiful show. The question is whether people would care about that show if a couple of French robots hadn't popularized the concept of masked DJ's and personalized stages in the first place. I suppose it doesn't matter, because if you want to see Deadmau5 for the visuals and the drugs, you will not be disappointed. If it's the music you care about, just don't expect anything special. Miike Snow Tunnel, 8:45 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Deadmau5 concluded the rave portion of the evening, meaning people began to leave, but Miike Snow and LCD Soundsystem kept the vast majority of folks there for the rest of the night. The former, which played amidst a thick cloud of smoke, played to an enthusiastic but exhausted crowd -- an inevitable side effect of a long and relentlessly cold day. The Swedish band, which American singer Andrew Wyatt insisted was a band and not a person, strolled through songs like "Burial" and "Black and Blue", the latter of which went through a pretty ugly and unnecessary distortion job. However, Miike Snow nailed singles "Sylvia" and "Animal", the song that will never escape this band. "Animal", which seemed to go on extra long just for shits and giggles, obviously elicited the largest crowd response. LCD Soundsystem Bridge, 9:35 p.m. How do you follow up a career-defining headlining gig at the Hollywood Bowl with a short headlining set at a small festival? The way James Murphy and co. pulled it off was to do everything the same but cut out a few songs. Literally, we're talking the same set in practically the same order, minus "Get Innocuous!", "Someone Great", and "Losing My Edge". Those are three songs that it sucks to have missed out on. But let's focus on the positive, namely that LCD Soundsystem murdered this festival. As Murphy has neared the end of his tour -- like so many other acts at Treasure Island -- he and his band have begun playing "Dance Yrself Clean" live, and now it's hard to imagine being satisfied without hearing the This is Happening opener. Everyone knew when the beat was going to drop, everyone was waiting for it, and most reacted appropriately and danced thmselves clean. The other two This is Happening tracks which opened the set were also well received, although "Drunk Girls" is kind of a snoozer, at least coming between "Dance Yrself Clean" and "I Can Change". Photo by Ted Maider LCD continued to murder with "Daft Punk is Playing at My House", although the audience shockingly seemed to lose interest. This trend continued for the other old songs; there were singalongs for the new ones, but anything off of the self-titled (almost half the set) was met with half-assed response. Even "Tribulations", for God's sake. Was 2005 really that long ago? The band ignored Sound of Silver material with the exception of "All My Friends", which was probably not a wise choice for this crowd, but if Murphy is really going to be easing off of LCD Soundsystem in the coming years, it was the right choice. Photo by Ted Maider Lame crowd notwithstanding, the show was the best you could hope for in one hour and 15 minutes. Murphy really sings nowadays instead of just yelling into the mic, and you can tell his band is having a good time. The highlight was Murphy leading the audience in a slow clap which built directly into the opening of "Movement", which just so happens to shred live. Murphy acknowledged that the show was just too short, however: "I don't make the rules," he quipped as he introduced the final number, "Home". Finishing up at just after 10:50 p.m., LCD was not allowed an encore, which was expected given the strict start and end times to every set. Still, here's hoping Murphy comes back before he abandons the project. Sunday, October 17th Phosphorescent Tunnel, 12:00 p.m. Phosphorescent was booked for the main stage, but the weather had different plans for indie folk musician Matthew Houck and his band. Thankfully, no cancellations, because damn if Phosphorescent wasn't one of the best acts all day. There's no good reason Phosphorescent should have been on so early -- this meant a lot of people missing him, rain or not. Houck's guitarist Jesse Anderson Ainsley and his keyboardist Scott Stapleton were some of the most technically proficient musicians at the festival. Phosphorescent's set included a good mix of vocal harmonization and good, old-fashioned rock soloing. Houck is quite the musician himself, and an even better vocalist. "The Mermaid Parade", in particular, was a moment of brilliance. Photo by Harry Painter. The Mumlers Tunnel, 12:52 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider Thanks to Phosphorescent being switched to the Tunnel stage, The Mumlers held the distinction of being the only act with a snipped set time. The San Jose sextet, which was also the only act with a guitarist dressed like a pirate, was able to make it on stage 12 minutes after scheduled. The Mumlers, despite the pirate (bloody face makeup and all) and a french horn or two, got kind of lost in the shuffle of chill indie rock acts on Sunday. They're more than just an indie rock band, though -- they displayed classic rock, jazz, and folk sensibilities and aptly followed a Phosphorescent set everyone seemed to love. When The Mumlers weren't allowed to play their final song, the audience let out a loud groan. The pirate took it all in good humor, leaving us with "The greatest treasure was having you for an audience." Arrr, matey. Ra Ra Riot Bridge, 1:15 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider My, oh my, I can't believe I've ignored this band for so long. Ra Ra Riot is much more than a pretty cellist -- she also has a good voice. Kidding, kidding. Really, Ra Ra Riot was perfect. If you're a sucker for strings in your indie pop, jump on this bandwagon. The Syracuse sextet has a penchant for playing cheerful, emotional music with marching skins and sweeping strings. Frontman Wes Miles, who seems comfortable with the band's popularity, can make the main stage feel like the most intimate place on Earth, like you're up there with them just watching them rehearse. Ra Ra Riot will certainly be on much later next time the band plays this festival; the band was an absolute pleasure so early in the day. Papercuts Tunnel, 1:55 p.m. Local musician Jason Quever's project Papercuts is another act that failed to leave an impression amongst the several laid-back indie acts Sunday. Quever makes droning dream pop accompanied by soft, almost whispering vocals. He and his band had a couple of genuinely interesting moments, but the majority of Papercuts' set was background music. Superchunk Bridge, 2:30 p.m. The old guys of the festival, North Carolina's indie rock heroes Superchunk, were touring behind new album Majesty Shredding, their first album since 2001's Here's to Shutting Up. Superchunk's DIY riff-rock fit in just fine in an era when people suddenly care about Pavement again. The band played new tracks such as "Rosemarie", "Digging for Something", and "Crossed Wires", along with old faves like "Slack Motherfucker" and "Throwing Things". The band looked happy to be there, but also made a point whether they meant to or not -- bring back the fucking rock and roll. Photo by Ted Maider. The Sea and Cake Tunnel, 3:15 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider The Sea and Cake, which has opened for fellow Treasure Island band Broken Social scene in the past, probably isn't the best example of bringing back the fucking rock and roll, but the Chicago indie act did partake in some quality jamming. The Sea and Cake's set wandered into everything from chill surf rock (which was becoming quite tired by now) to smooth jazz to post-rock. The mood wasn't exactly befitting of the band, coming after Superchunk, but anyone who skipped The Sea and Cake is going to have to put the band on his list. She & Him Bridge, 4:00 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider If Zooey Deschanel wasn't the queen of all that is indie, She & Him would not be booked at every damn festival on the planet. Half the people there are watching for the novelty of seeing Deschanel sing -- and she's pretty good at it, but the songs are another story. They range from poppy indie folk to doo-wop anthems, none of which are very original. And while Deschanel can sing, she just lacks power, the same way Charlotte Gainsbourg does. Deschanel has the better voice, but she either gets drowned out by the band or simply trails off at the end of each line. M. Ward is a little more reliable on the guitar, but he couldn't save this set. If you were forgiving, however, you could have appreciated Deschanel's earnestness on the ballad "Take it Back" or her cheeriness on Vol. 2 track "In the Sun". Monotonix Tunnel, 4:50 p.m. My God, what did I get myself into here? These three hairy guys from Tel Aviv may have sounded nothing like they do in studio, but I wouldn't have known that beforehand and it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Where do we begin? Singer Ami Shalev was dressed like an aging former soccer player making a final comeback just to break some bones. Guitarist Yonatan Gat and drummer Haggai Fershtman looked like the guys MGMT modeled themselves after before turning it into a lame fashion trend. The band, Monotonix, doesn't play on stage. The trio set up in the middle of the crowd from the start and proceeded to jam. Shalev was all about crowd participation, standing on top of the bass drum, crowd surfing, going out of his way to make everyone part of the show. The crowd formed a circle around Monotonix, Gat doing his best to keep on track while being shoved from behind. Periodically, the band would pick up its instruments and relocate, with fans doing what they could to help (it's amazing the guitar cord made it through the show intact). The very indie crowd wasn't prepared for 40 minutes of garage punk between the She & Him and Broken Social Scene sets, but the mosh pits soon began. Anyone within 30 feet of the band couldn't hum a single line from a Monotonix song, but everyone will remember three things: the impromptu Shalev-led singalong to "A Hard Day's Night", Shalev dumping a bag of garbage onto Fershtman, and the finale of Shalev tossing a tom into the stacked drum kit. Shalev is no GG Allin, but crazy is crazy and he was crazy enough. [nggallery id=136] Photos by Harry Painter. Broken Social Scene Bridge, 5:35 p.m. It can only be described as a shame that Broken Social Scene was limited to 50 minutes, but that's the nature of Treasure Island -- it was actually one of the longest sets of the day. The band started things off with Forgiveness Rock Record track "Meet Me in the Basement", then quickly squeezed in some longtime favorites like "7/4 Shoreline" and "Texico Bitches", both of which rock so much more live than on record. No Emily Haines, but BSS managed a sweet rendition of "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl". Photo by Ted Maider Kevin Drew dropped his guitar early on, which didn't seem to matter, as BSS has four or five guitarists at once. Drew joked that he literally breaks a guitar at every show, which may not have been a joke at all. By the end of the set, Drew took to the crowd, making sure to leave his mark on the fest in case the music wasn't enough. It really wasn't, but that's because there just wasn't enough of it. Surfer Blood Tunnel, 6:25 p.m. Photo by Ted Maider This band so deserves all that hype it gets. There was plenty enough surf rock going on at Treasure Island, but if it's good it's good, and none was better at it than Surfer Blood. Touring behind its only album Astro Coast, Surfer Blood tore through tracks like "Swim", "Take it Easy", and "Floating Vibes". The quintet even did a cover of Pavement's "Box Elder", which was appropriate considering the band is pretty much a cross between Pavement and Modest Mouse. The songs did blend together late in the set, being that most of them are similar in tone and tempo, but all in all Surfer Blood left a promising impression. Skipping even one song, the last song, to get a spot for The National was a tough decision. The National Bridge, 7:15 p.m. Yet it was the right decision, because The National was the best act at Treasure Island this year. The National has gotten better and better over the years, and in 2010 has found the ideal mix between being sensitive, artsy poets and outright rock stars. This is especially the case with the Brooklyn band's live output; songs that amount to midtempo hummers on record, like "Squalor Victoria" and "England", become fiery and full of rage when performed live. The difference is the Dessner brothers' love for loud, unhinged distortion and Matt Berninger's willingness to scream -- when Berninger gets red-faced and shouts "afraid of the house, because they're desperate to entertain," you realize he means every last word. Or maybe it's the wine he drinks before he performs. Photo by Harry Painter The National also appear increasingly comfortable being on stage. It takes a lot of confidence to be a rock star, and it didn't feel like the band had or wanted that confidence in 2008. Now, Berninger and the Dessners pose on stage and exchange witty banter like they're in a living room with 8,000 friends. "He doesn't let us wear suits," complained Bryce Dessner about Berninger's wardrobe choices. Berninger responded with, "Respect the suit; you guys are frumpy." Before "Slow Show", Dessner pointed out the song makes reference to Berninger's genitalia, to which Berninger clarified that it wasn't true: "A small area of the song is about my dick." The set was heavy on High Violet and Boxer stuff, including only the essentials from Alligator ("Abel", "Mr. November") and nothing from the band's early albums. This was doing pretty well for a one-hour festival set though, and the band covered a pretty good range of the stuff people wanted to hear. The National, at the end of its tour, played all the late-set mainstays in the expected order: "Fake Empire" into "Mr. November" into "Terrible Love" -- a lineup there's no complaining about. Dessner dedicated "Mr. November" to the Democrats, after which Berninger, not wanting to be uncool, dedicated "Terrible Love" to the Republicans, and then to babies, because "everyone loves babies." Rogue Wave Tunnel, 8:15 p.m. "Following The National sucks," sighed Zach Rogue, frontman of Oakland's Rogue Wave. He wasn't kidding, but his band held its own coming between the two big Sunday names on the smaller stage. Rogue Wave may have been the indiest band at this mercilessly indie musical gathering, but performances of songs like "Lake Michigan" and "Bird on a Wire" were anything but indie kitsch. The band made the performance something special by bringing out fellow Oakland musician Ted Nesseth of The Heavenly States for a collaboration. Both Rogue Wave and Nesseth had their fair share of supporters at the festival. Photo by Ted Maider Rogue Wave brought the politics much more readily than The National, dedicating "Solitary Gun", a track off the band's latest album, Permalight, to Oscar Grant, the man who was shot and killed by a police officer at an Oakland train station while face down and unarmed. Trade secret: If you want to get a Bay Area crowd on your side, it's a good idea to bring up Oscar Grant. The set consisted of material spanning Rogue Wave's career, and it felt like the band was a miniature headliner for the local folks. Nothing but love from the Bay Area audience. Belle & Sebastian Bridge, 9:05 p.m. There was no one more deserving to headline the Treasure Island fest than Belle & Sebastian, but the Scottish indie poppers were an anticlimactic close to a great festival. Any huge fan would have been just fine with the set -- it was heavy on If You're Feeling Sinister and Dear Catastrophe Waitress material, and gave equal attention to new album Write About Love. To top it all off, the band was accompanied by a five-piece string section. Stuart Murdoch was crowd-friendly, exchanging banter incessantly and even making a couple of kids' days by pointing them out in the audience. In fact, it was a good show. Belle & Sebastian just isn't the band to close a festival. Photo by Ted Maider Guitarist Stevie Jackson at one point led the crowd in a relatively complex singalong for new track "I'm Not Living in the Real World", featuring an "ooh" in three different keys. Jackson joked that we could handle it, because "San Francisco is a musical city." SF handled it just beautifully, and it was one of the highlights of the set. The band of course played "Piazza New York Catcher", which features lyrics about the San Francisco Giants playing the New York Mets, and also references SF's Tenderloin district. Murdoch remarked that he had not realized how many of Belle & Sebastian's songs were based on San Francisco. He then did a little pandering: "The Phillies don't stand a chance, man. Give it to them!" Sorry, Philadelphia, he's right. "The Boy with the Arab Strap" had people all the way across the grounds dancing jovially; this was on a weekend when people were reluctant to dance even on the dance day, and the talkers came in droves. But for this one song, Belle & Sebastian had everyone's attention and there was nothing but happiness in the air, which is kind of what this band is about. Photo by Ted Maider So what made this the wrong band to close the festival? It's just that they're so damn...twee. By about halfway through, Belle & Sebastian had overdosed us on the upbeat four-minute pop songs, and I just wanted them to depress me for once. Where was the soul? Belle & Sebastian is such a lovable band in moderation that it's hard to see how stale the band can get until it happens. Not once did Belle & Sebastian ever turn a head or wow anyone, not the way The National, LCD Soundsystem, or even Broken Social Scene did. Perhaps it just wasn't an ideal setlist. The performance never felt important, not even during the encore of "Judy & the Dream of Horses", which is a fantastic song, but not one with which to close a weekend of great music. Oh well. ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/10/cold-days-on-the-bay-cos-at-treasure-island-10/feed/ 6 http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/10/montonix-detail-new-album/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/10/montonix-detail-new-album/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/10/monotonix-not-yet.jpg Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:20:39 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=77178 Because you/we didn’t know before, Monotonix‘s new album will be titled Not Yet and is scheduled to drop on January 25th. The band’s label, Drag City, says the album is the “livest, loudest, most basic and direct sound that Monotonix and we can have.”

To your above right, find Not Yet‘s artwork. Below, you can grab a stream of its first single, “Give Me More”, as well as all upcoming Monotonix tour dates. In addition to their currently ongoing fall trek, the band added dates in the South and Canada for December.

Check Out:
“Give Me More”

Monotonix 2010 Tour Dates:
10/15 – Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall
10/17 – San Francisco, CA @ Treasure Island Festival
10/30 – Visalia, CA @ The Cellar Door
10/31 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
11/01 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
11/02 – San Antonio, TX @ Korova
11/03 – Monterrey, Mexico @ Escenica
11/04 – McAllen, TX @ Las Palmas Event Center
11/05 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft
11/06 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
12/04 – Miami, FL @ Electric Pickle
12/05 – Orlando, FL @ Backbooth
12/06 – Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
12/07 – Tallahassee, FL @ Engine Room
12/08 – Atlanta, GA @ 529
12/09 – Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone
12/10 – Chattanooga, TN @ Discoteca
12/11 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dee’s
12/12 – Halifax, NS @ The Seahorse
12/13 – Calgary, AB @ Broken City
12/14 – Edmonton, AB @ New City

Find the aforementioned stream as well as all confirmed tour dates below.

Check Out:
“Give Me More”

Monotonix 2010 Tour Dates:
10/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ Culture Collide Festival
10/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Culture Collide Festival
10/11 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret *
10/12 – Bellingham, WA @ Wild Buffalo *
10/13 – Olympia, WA @ The Brotherhood *
10/14 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
10/15 – Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall *
10/17 – San Francisco, CA @ Treasure Island Festival
10/30 – Visalia, CA @ The Cellar Door
10/31 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
11/01 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
11/02 – San Antonio, TX @ Korova
11/03 – Monterrey, Mexico @ Escenica
11/04 – McAllen, TX @ Las Palmas Event Center
11/05 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft
11/06 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest

* = w/ Ty Segall

Image via Alex Reside…

After that, the real fun starts. Beginning February 16th, Surfer Blood will launch a month long endeavor that will keep the outfit on the road through South by Southwest 2010. Holiday Shores and Turbo Fruits will be tagging along for the ride.

To add to your anticipation, another track from Astro Coast, titled “Floating Vibes”, has made its way onto the web. Check it out at Hype Machine.

Surfer Blood 2010 Tour Dates:
01/13 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
01/14 – Chicago, IL @ Tomorrow Never Knows
01/25 – Saint Augustine, FL @ Cafe Elever #
01/26 – Orlando, FL @ Backbooth #
01/27 – W. Palm Beach, FL @ Respectable Street Cafe #
02/03 – London, UK @ Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen
02/04 – Kingston, UK @ Hippodrome
02/05 – London, UK @ Koko
02/09 – London, UK @ Scala %
02/16 – Orlando, FL @ Backbooth ^*
02/17 – DeLand, FL @ DaVinci ^*
02/18 – Tallahassee, FL @ Engine Room ^*
02/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Shores ^
02/20 – Nashville, TN @ The End ^*
02/22 – Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor ^*
02/23 – Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant St. ^*
02/24 – Washington, DC @ DC9 ^*
02/26 – Dartmouth, NH @ Small Black
03/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbary *
03/02 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott *
03/03 – Providence, RI @ AS220 *
03/05 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore *
03/06 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dees *
03/07 – Geneseo, NY @ SUNY Geneseo *
03/09 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick *
03/11 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop *
03/12 – Columbia, MO @ Mojos *
03/13 – Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge *
03/14 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
03/17-21 – Austin, TX @ South by Southwest

# = w/ Monotonix
% = w/ British Sea Power
^ = w/ Holiday Shores
* = w/ Turbo Fruits

Saturday, August 30th

At first arrival, Bumbershoot can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, as it’s spread over 74 acres and has an attendance of roughly 50,000 each day. But once you settle in and realize that it will take time to get to the various stages and events, you’ll relax and have an amazing time.

Opening up Saturday’s events, Rock-a-Billy artist Nick Vigarino added a jazz twist to his country sound by having a tenor saxaphone. As if to keep the sound consistent, Neko Case and Lucinda Williams maintained the alt-country sound. Unfortunately, many missed Case’s first song or two because security had yet to let people in for the performance. Not sure what was the problem, but the line moved quickly once it started. Case was fantastic as always playing mostly songs from her past album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood; however, she managed to pull out a few new songs that will be on a future release. Whereas Case was very soothing, Williams was more rockin’ in her country-tinged, blues rock.  She played some new songs, which at times were corny (e.g. “Real Love”), but you can’t help but love her voice and instrumentation, especially for a woman of 55. Both Case and Williams’ new albums will be something to look forward to in the near future.

Local, listener-funded, radio station KEXP puts on several intimate shows each day in a secret location, with no more than 200 people admitted. The first was with Nada Surf. Unfortunately, bassist Daniel Lorca was injured, so he was replaced by Ozma bassist Jose Galvez, who did a fine job in Lorca’s absence. They played seven songs, all acoustic with Ira Elliot on the Cajon, a box-like drum that the musician sits on and hits with his palms. The highlight of the show was the boys playing “Amateur” from The Proximity Effect, a song that rarely shows up on their setlists. If you enjoy indie rock, this is a band you need to know.

As mentioned above, Bumbershoot is not all about the music. One of the few other events that took place at the festival was a comedy show, simply titled, “The MySpace Show.” This side show consisted of six comedians doing improv comedy on two real MySpace pages from random audience members. It was fun once things started rolling, though it did take awhile to find a few audience members who had their pages not set to private.

After the comedy show, and over at the KEXP Lounge, !!! (Chk, Chk, Chk) were billed to let us dance our asses off. Unfortunately, it was in a seated venue, so it was mostly head bobbing, but in any other setting it would have been a great dance party.  Despite this, the show was unreal, and !!! sounded great with some fantastic stage presence. If you’re into bands like Ghostland Observatory and The Ting Tings, you should check out !!!.

Finally, it was time for the best one-two punch of the festival: Band of Horses followed by Beck. Although some may disagree, Band of Horses is one of the best, if not the best, live indie rock act out today. Not only did they perform well, but most of the set list was culled from their first two releases, plus two new songs to boot, one of which featured the harmonica and the other a melodica, best described as a woodwind keyboard.

Beck closed out the day with a killer “greatest hits” set. He started with “Loser” and continued through his catalogue. The only album they didn’t play from was Mutations, which was a bummer because it’s such a great album. However, the band did play “Nicotine and Gravy” off of Midnight Vultures, which was awesome. When he played “Hell Yes” and “Black Tambourine”, all five members of his band played 808 drum machines. Despite the amazing set list, the show did sound and feel a bit different. On the Guero/The Information tour, the slinky frontman kept himself busy with an elaborate puppet show, complete with dancers. Only this time, there was just a backing band, some large spot lights and a big screen made up of hundreds of bulbs. It was very minimalist, which is why it was so surprising that his sound was much less polished. It was almost grunge, actually. Nevertheless, you have to appreciate Beck for changing it up all the time. The guy is definitely a genius and should never be missed when he appears at a venue near you.

Sunday, August 31st

For some reason, Sunday was not nearly as jam packed with bands as Saturday or Sunday. Nonetheless, there were some great acts. Kicking off the proverbial sabbath, Lushy brought somewhat of a surf rock sound, only there were some undertones of jazz, too. Even with such a unique sound, it’s hard to hold the concertgoer’s attention when there’s also a vert ramp at the show. Yes, a vert ramp. With a combination of skaters and BMX bikers, the sight was pretty awe inspiring.

Following the vert ramp, there was a “Post-it Note Reading.” This was interesting, to say the least. At the reading, animation was drawn on Post-it notes, using a Sharpie, while a corresponding story was read. These light-hearted, humorous stories were a pleasant surprise. Following this, Dale Watson played his own unique style of Rock-a-billy, comparable to Johnny Cash. The only problem? The Whigs were starting up. The Whigs is a band with a fun, garage rock sound. Fun show aside, they’re a band you like, but not one that’s particularly memorable.

If Band of Horses and Beck were the best one-two punch of the festival, The Black Keys and Stone Temple Pilots (above, center) were a close second.  With crunch and huge riffs, The Black Keys’ bluesy rock is amazing, and it’s hard to believe that so much sound comes from only two guys on drums and guitar. Given Scott Weiland’s tumultuous past, you never know what to expect from 90′s rock outfit, Stone Temple Pilots; however, it turned out to be a rocking show. Thirty minutes past their scheduled set time, a tour bus drove right up to the stage and within minutes they were in front of thousands, blowing away any doubt that they could still rock. Hit after hit they rocked through a set which included a jazzy cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” on the outro of “Creep” and a plugged-in version of “Sour Girl.” It was one of the best arena rock shows in recent memory… and it wasn’t even in an arena.

Monday, September 1st

The last day was the weakest of the three days, but still a great time. Local teen sensation Vince Mira started off the work week. Mira’s only claim to fame stems from a sound that’s uncannily like Johnny Cash. Saturday’s Dale Watson sounded like Johnny Cash too, but Vince Mira is Johnny Cash. It’s a bit eerie. This 15 year old, backed by The Roy Kay Trio, played mostly Cash’s hits, but also squeezed in a few of his own that were actually not bad. He may never be able to move beyond great impersonator, but there is no doubt he will always have an audience.

Keeping the local band theme going, Head Like a Kite, an electronic/new wave/rock group, were up next. Fronted by a guy who looked like a Jonas Brother, the band held a lil’ Flaming Lips flare, with some creatures dancing on the stage that looked all too much like the sugary candy, Nerds. It will be interesting to see how these young guys fare in the Seattle music market. Following shortly after was the much anticipated Israeli band, Monotonix. These guys put on a show similar to Gogol Bordello and they did not disappoint, even despite a very short set. It was very crowd heavy too, as you could not see them because they were not on the stage, but instead playing on the floor with the crowd surrounding them. All the while, lead singer Yomtov was continually crowd surfing both with and without a garbage can. Yes, he got inside a garbage can and was hoisted on top of the crowd. The guitar player then got in on the action and crowd surfed, too. Mind you, he was still playing all the while. After two, dirty garage rock songs an announcer came on stage and said that the show was being shut down. No explanation, but a reasonable guess would be due to safety. The crowd was not happy and began booing and flipping the poor guy off. Luckily, singer Yomtov came to his rescue and talked the crowd down. One can only imagine a full set by these guys, if it ever happens.

Bumbershoot this year, if you had not noticed, was full of 90′s acts and The Offspring were no exception. Like Stone Temple Pilots and Beck, they played a hits with a smattering of songs off of their new album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. As always, the band was fun to see and sounded great. The same can’t be said for the next act, X Levitation Cult, which was essentially a singer-songwriter who could neither sing nor write songs very well. 

Bumbershoot is known for its diverse acts, but also for its diversity, and Cheb I Sabbah & 1002 Nights featuring Riffat Sultana is a great example of that. They consisted of a DJ, two percussionists, a singer (Riffat Sultana), a belly dancer and occasionally a Middle Eastern guitar. It was an interesting mix that was a entertaining, especially if one managed to snag a cold beer. Del tha Funky Homosapien sounded good, but Superchunk sounded excellent. Superchunk was probably one of the best surprises at the festival. They rocked hard with their brand of early 90′s indie rock, which still sounds contemporary. It was a good choice as Death Cab for Cutie came next, closing out the festival with a solid set. Now that they are a successful veteran band, it would be great to see them venture out a little and be more playful. Not much, just if they could add a cover or two, or play a song deep from its catalogue. You know, one that no one has heard live in years. Preferences aside, the Seattle indie group played well, predictable, but well. With a weekend like this was, it’s hard to complain.