Photo By: Rachel Del Sordo
Photo By: Rachel Del Sordo
Photo By: Rachel Del Sordo
Photo By: Rachel Del Sordo
Local success story The Wonder Years took on an awfully ambitious task to promote their fourth full length album, The Greatest Generation: preform four shows in 24 hours. This madness started in the non air-conditioned basement the First Unitarian Church, a venue these Philadelphia alums had played numerous times before becoming one of the most notable names in the current pop-punk scene. The band could have easily sold a venue twice this size, but in this 24 hour micro tour, they wanted to give back to the fans by playing intimate shows in small venues.
The show was something special; the band had not even played their first note before the first crowd surfer hit the air and it was hard to find a single person who was not singing along to every note. The band commanded the sold-out crowd with their high energy performance. The Wonder Years were accompanied by fellow Lansdale natives The Sixties, whose brand of hooky post punk opened the show perfectly. They were also accompanied by the newest members of Run For Cover Records, Modern Baseball, commanded the crowd in their own right. Straight from the basement scene, they are quickly becoming one of most promising new acts to come out of Philadelphia in recent months. You can catch The Wonder Years all summer on the main stage of this year’s Warped Tour.
British performer Jamie Lidell will be at Union Transfer tonight. Over his six-album career, Lidell has worked with Beck, Feist and Simian Mobile Disco. Lidell is currently touring in support of his recent self-titled Warp Records release, which sees the soul singer adopt a more electronic dance vibe instead of his usual R&B tinged soul angle. Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Empress Of and Ludwig Persik can be found here. Below, watch the video for Jamie Lidell’s “You Naked.”
Photo by Peter English for Shaking Through | shakingthrough.com
Indie rockers Darwin Deez play the First Unitarian Church tonight. The Asheville, North Carolina band formed in New York City in 2009, feeling at home at the Sidewalk Cafe, a launching pad for off-beat pop acts including Kimya Dawson and Adam Green. The band released their self-titled debut of upbeat, dance-along tracks shortly after in 2010. Now the Darwin Smith-led quirk pop outfit are working the road for sophomore effort Songs For Imaginative People, released via Lucky Number in February. Tickets and information for tonight’s all-ages show at the First Unitarian Church with Caged Animals and Cheers Elephant can be found here. Watch the video for Darwin Deez’s “Free (The Editorial Me)” below.
In 2011, Gainesville’s annual Fest proved to be a defining moment and performance for Restorations. The Florida hardcore festival showcases both the big and the upcoming-and-coming acts in punk rock, pop punk, post-hardcore and metal music. For those who have never heard of it, think of it as the South by Southwest for the non-ironically tattooed.
The 2011 installment (Fest 10) was Restorations’ first, aside from a one-off house show at Fest 7 before guitarist/keyboard player Ben Pierce was even in the band. It was one of the only out-of-the-Northeast shows the band was able to play with most members carrying full-time jobs. They took on the small club at the festival called Loosey’s. And to that small but packed house, they must have played the set of a lifetime because, after Fest 10, everyone started to take notice.
You can’t do a Restorations album justice listening to it just one way. When you hear one of the Philly punk band’s sprawling songs for the first time, it rushes over you like a waterfall, seeps into your ears, muddles every single one of your senses, and most likely leaves you breathless.
This band’s ability to generate a wall of sound is what made the generation of “grown-up” punks gravitate toward Restorations, building their reputation after the release of their self-titled LP in 2011. But close listeners of any Restorations song will pick up on more than just the overview, the surface. They’ll hold on to a subtle but notable guitar lick, a slamming bass note or a simple, poignant lyric that in turn gets stuck in your head for days.
This week’s release of LP2 will not disappoint long-time fans. The sophomore full-length not only crashes over the heads of listeners, but sweeps you away into the sea of complexity, maturity and the band’s full-blown ability to rock. They’re brand is much different from the fuzz rock phenomenon of today. The crispness and thoughtfulness behind each layer and effect are heightened under the direction of producer Jon Low, who mixed self-titled and produced Restorations’ last two 7-inch records. These also aren’t the loud-and-fast, two-minute bursts that often characterize a “punk song.” They’re sometimes slow and steady, with hills and valleys that still lead you somewhere very, very loud by then end. Continue reading
Philly punk band Restorations prides itself on a certain type of simplicity.
The band was formed out of the ashes of not just one failed project, but probably about half a dozen across its five members. Vocalist Jon Loudon, guitarists Dave Klyman, bassist Dan Zimmerman, drummer Carlin Brown and guitar/keys player Ben Pierce came together with the simple goal to restore their faith in music, the industry, consumers and fans.
They make albums with straightforward titles, including 2011’s self-titled LP, last year’s A/B 7-inch, and now, tomorrow’s release of LP2. But the music made by Restorations is anything but simple. The band mixes the energy of punk music with the complexity of shoegaze and the tradition of classic rock. Steady build-ups and loud break-downs take any listener through waves of instrumental and emotional highs and lows. Loudon’s deep, scratchy vocals and growls come in at just the right moment to rattle you to the core. Harmonies and guitar parts layer in ways you would have never thought possible.
Despite initial humble intentions, Restorations is blowing up among mature punk listeners, and even beyond the punk world. All this week, The Key will look into LP2 to find out what all the buzz is about as part of our weekly Unlocked series.
Today, you can download “Kind of Comfort” for free, which highlights Restorations’ inclination toward snarly guitar solos and spacey effects. Several of the album’s tracks have also been digitally pre-released to build the hype for tomorrow and Friday’s album release show at the First Unitarian Church. And check back later in the week for a review, video, interview and more.
