Features | Festivals
SXSW 2007 -- Day Three: Track Reviews
By Craig Eley & Andre Perry | 4 February 2008
Apples In Stereo :: "Strawberryfire"
>Live at Habana’s Annex; March 16, 2007
One of Andre's old friends from San Francisco came along to this show with us, and as the Apples took the stage she muttered, "It looks like a bunch of Napolean Dynamites up there." Two songs into the set, she had a small revelation: "So this is what it sounds like when geeks can really play." It was funny and perfect since their lineup is full of goofy characters who absolutely nail the lush sounds of this year's hyper-studio New Magnetic Wonder in the live setting. And it was all material from that new album at the Yep Rock day party, until this classic ended the short but sweet set. I'm not sure how many Schneider maniacs were there (the crowd was a bit older, perhaps lingering from the Robyn Hitchcock set), but the opening notes from "Strawberryfire's" riff perked up everyone's ears. The five keyboards on stage assisted the electric and acoustic guitars in setting up the Strawberry Fields Forever vibe, and Schneider sang his bald little head off. Like many of the songs from the new record, "Stawberryfire" is a love song dedicated to bygone radio days still dreaming of possible futures. That tension is marked in this track by the acoustic guitar break, after which the song takes off to the psychedelic tomorrow-lands, or something. I mean, it was the Apples playing "Starwberryfire." You know.
Craig Eley
Born in the Flood :: "Anthem"
>Live at the Chuggin’ Monkey; March 16, 2007
I knew it would happen at some point during the festival: I was going to be standing there hanging out with a drink in my hand and halfheartedly watching some unknown band when all of a sudden they just start killing it and taking no prisoners. This happened when Born in the Flood played their set-closer, "Anthem." The band comes off like Coldplay with iron guts, trading in the strings and piano for raw guitars and dirty keys, keeping the soaring Brit-pop vocals. "Anthem," less of a title and more of a description of type, started off with an unbelievably hooky chord progression and steadily got bigger and bigger, ending with guitarist/singer Nathaniel Rateliff destroying his axe and collapsing to the ground. Perhaps the best part is that this song is short, because sometimes anthems drag on and on, milking every drop of their emotional power. Instead, Born in the Flood leaves us wanting more.
I was so excited during this song I jumped up, pumping my fist in the air. The girl standing next to me was letting loose as well. She looked at me, smiled, and gave me a high-five. Then the song ended and her boyfriend got pissed off.
Andre Perry
Buzzcocks :: "Ever Fallen in Love?"
>Live at Stubb’s; March 16, 2007
Every now and again, a rock cover song comes along and reminds me just how good the original really was. One of these was Jimmy Eat World's "Game of Pricks," and the other was Pete Yorn's "Ever Fallen in Love," from one of the Shrek movies. This afternoon, headlining the SPIN party, the 'Cocks thrashed through the greatest of their greatest hits with ferocity, reminding the crowd that this isn't a song that was, but a song that is. So yeah, I was surprised -- these dudes are old, the sun was hot, I hadn't heard any of their recent records, and I was prepared for an uninspiring set just to collect the check. However, they brought not only their A-Game but also got the gold star for enthusiasm; Pete Shelley looked like a kid on Christmas as the crowd erupted at the song's opening. The rhetorical chorus sounded as fresh as ever, and while the voice has aged the sentiments remain the same: a fresh and vigorous celebration of the quirky relationships in which we mire ourselves. I hate to be so celebratory, since the words of the song echo the way I feel about the band. It goes, "And if I start a commotion / I run the risk of losing you / And that's worse." Glad to still have you around, gents.
Andre Perry
>Live at Habana’s Annex; March 16, 2007
One of Andre's old friends from San Francisco came along to this show with us, and as the Apples took the stage she muttered, "It looks like a bunch of Napolean Dynamites up there." Two songs into the set, she had a small revelation: "So this is what it sounds like when geeks can really play." It was funny and perfect since their lineup is full of goofy characters who absolutely nail the lush sounds of this year's hyper-studio New Magnetic Wonder in the live setting. And it was all material from that new album at the Yep Rock day party, until this classic ended the short but sweet set. I'm not sure how many Schneider maniacs were there (the crowd was a bit older, perhaps lingering from the Robyn Hitchcock set), but the opening notes from "Strawberryfire's" riff perked up everyone's ears. The five keyboards on stage assisted the electric and acoustic guitars in setting up the Strawberry Fields Forever vibe, and Schneider sang his bald little head off. Like many of the songs from the new record, "Stawberryfire" is a love song dedicated to bygone radio days still dreaming of possible futures. That tension is marked in this track by the acoustic guitar break, after which the song takes off to the psychedelic tomorrow-lands, or something. I mean, it was the Apples playing "Starwberryfire." You know.
Craig Eley
Born in the Flood :: "Anthem"
>Live at the Chuggin’ Monkey; March 16, 2007
I knew it would happen at some point during the festival: I was going to be standing there hanging out with a drink in my hand and halfheartedly watching some unknown band when all of a sudden they just start killing it and taking no prisoners. This happened when Born in the Flood played their set-closer, "Anthem." The band comes off like Coldplay with iron guts, trading in the strings and piano for raw guitars and dirty keys, keeping the soaring Brit-pop vocals. "Anthem," less of a title and more of a description of type, started off with an unbelievably hooky chord progression and steadily got bigger and bigger, ending with guitarist/singer Nathaniel Rateliff destroying his axe and collapsing to the ground. Perhaps the best part is that this song is short, because sometimes anthems drag on and on, milking every drop of their emotional power. Instead, Born in the Flood leaves us wanting more.
I was so excited during this song I jumped up, pumping my fist in the air. The girl standing next to me was letting loose as well. She looked at me, smiled, and gave me a high-five. Then the song ended and her boyfriend got pissed off.
Andre Perry
Buzzcocks :: "Ever Fallen in Love?"
>Live at Stubb’s; March 16, 2007
Every now and again, a rock cover song comes along and reminds me just how good the original really was. One of these was Jimmy Eat World's "Game of Pricks," and the other was Pete Yorn's "Ever Fallen in Love," from one of the Shrek movies. This afternoon, headlining the SPIN party, the 'Cocks thrashed through the greatest of their greatest hits with ferocity, reminding the crowd that this isn't a song that was, but a song that is. So yeah, I was surprised -- these dudes are old, the sun was hot, I hadn't heard any of their recent records, and I was prepared for an uninspiring set just to collect the check. However, they brought not only their A-Game but also got the gold star for enthusiasm; Pete Shelley looked like a kid on Christmas as the crowd erupted at the song's opening. The rhetorical chorus sounded as fresh as ever, and while the voice has aged the sentiments remain the same: a fresh and vigorous celebration of the quirky relationships in which we mire ourselves. I hate to be so celebratory, since the words of the song echo the way I feel about the band. It goes, "And if I start a commotion / I run the risk of losing you / And that's worse." Glad to still have you around, gents.
Andre Perry