Primavera Sound 2011 Preview

More punk than post-punk, Brooklyn’s Blank Dogs (QRO photos outdoors) don’t exactly reinvent any wheels.

Also playing Ray-Ban Unplugged Stage at 10:30 PM

When Cults (QRO photos) broke out last year with infectious single “We Go Outside”, they’d achieved the near impossible: being famous without anyone knowing anything about them.  Since then, the wall of silence has broken down, with the catchy sixties male/female duo recruiting a band, playing South-by-Southwest (QRO photos), and putting out their self-titled debut (QRO review) on major label Columbia.  But even if you’ve got a face to put to the un-Google-able name, they’re still a hook-laden band (QRO photos at a festival).

There are few acts that do a live show like of Montreal (QRO live review).  Kevin Barnes’ epic orchestra literally fills the stage (QRO photos at a festival) with a performance more akin to (the actually French Canadian) Cirque du Soleil than indie-rock (QRO live review).  The band emerged out of the Elephant Six Collective to reach serious heights, most recently with last year’s False Priest (QRO review), but they have to be seen live (QRO photos) to be truly believed.

The garage-pop of San Francisco’s The Fresh & Onlys (QRO photos at a festival) look set to join the rising garage wave, whether you like it or not.

London’s Seefeel might not have been the most well known name in the nineties electronic scene, too experimental and abstract for wider popularity, but were influential, and come to Primavera behind the new self-titled reunion record.

Sufjan Stevens (QRO live review) has been all over the map – both literally and sonically.  He began as singer for electronica outfit The Faint (QRO live review), but made his name in alt-folk, including his ‘States Project’ of albums about states (though he only made two, for Michigan and Illinois), then had a Christmas album and a music & film project, The BQE (commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the famed Brooklyn-Queens Expressway).  And even his return to normal albums was anything but normal, as last year’s The Age of Adz (QRO review) combined alt-folk harmonies with tech-stop electronics for a unique sound and a unique show (QRO live review).

Also playing same stage on Friday at 5:00 PM

Still probably best known for being one-half of massively successful duo OutKast, Big Boi first showed off his solo skills in the Speakerboxx half of OutKast’s 2003’s double-LP, Speakerboxx/The Love Below (the latter half being partner Andre 3000’s own solo debut).  But the hip-hop artist is out with his own, fully solo Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty last year.

John Lydon will always be known first and foremost as Johnny Rotten, lead singer of the foundation of punk, The Sex Pistols.  But after their quick flameout, John returned to birth name and formed Public Image LTD, or PiL (QRO live review).  The line-ups have changed almost as much as the style (calling them ‘post-punk’ is kind of obvious, but they’ve done everything from experimental to dance), but in 2009 Lydon/Rotten brought back PiL (QRO photos), and has kept on going since then.

Another experimental musician from a city that has tons of them, Daniel Lopatin is the electronic Oneohtrix Point Never.

Cameron Mesirow’s Glasser (QRO photos outdoors) is the daughter of a member of the Blue Man Group and a member of minor New Wave hit Human Sexual Response, with a musical style somewhere between prog-rock and krautrock, if you can picture that (QRO photos at a festival).

Duo of Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies make a pretty couple as Smoke Fairies (QRO photos), and return to Barcelona after playing Primavera Club Festival last fall (QRO photos at Primavera Club).

A ‘Brooklyn veteran’ by now, The Walkmen (QRO live review) have grown from their more soused early days (QRO photos – which included a front-to-back cover of John Lennon & Harry Nilsson’s drunken weekend Pussy Cats – QRO review) to a sadder, but more accomplished band (QRO photos) by 2008’s You & Me (QRO review).  Their live show (QRO live review) has similarly evolved (QRO photos at a festival), if losing some of that early fun, but certainly gotten classier (QRO live review).  But, even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) or outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), they range nicely from barstool rockers like oldies “The Rat” (QRO video) and “Thinking of a Dream I Had” (QRO video) plus the new “The Blue Route” (QRO video) to sadder pint glass-raisers like older “Another One Goes By” (QRO video) and “Louisiana” (QRO video) plus the new “On the Water” (QRO video) from last year’s classy Lisbon (QRO review), made on the other side of Iberia (QRO live review in Europe).

Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds have been an acclaimed act for years now, but what do you do when you want to put that aside and just rock?  Form a new band, which Cave & co. did in 2006, Grinderman (QRO photos).  Out last year with Grinderman 2 (QRO review), the group kicks ass with skill.

With all the ‘hot new young things’ at Primavera, it’s nice that there’s also room for consistent ‘old fogies’, such as Glenn Branca.  Branca started playing guitar back in the early sixties at the age of fifteen, and never stopped, but has instead been one of the musicians to expand the use of the instrument through such as experimental means as alternative tunings, droning, and more.  He helped launch the New York post-punk ‘No Wave’ movement in the early eighties (mentoring the likes of Thurston Moore & Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth – QRO live review – and Michael Gira of Swans – see below).  He combined avant-garde classical composition with experimental post-punk instrumentation in his Glenn Branca Ensemble.

When the Lower East Side music scene broke out at the beginning of this century/millennium, one of the biggest breakouts was neo-New Wave outfit Interpol (QRO live review) with Turn On the Bright Lights and Antics.  Unfortunately, 2007 major label debut Our Love To Admire (QRO review) was a serious disappointment, leading to a hiatus (where singer/guitarist Paul Banks did his own solo thing as Julian Plenti – QRO European tour review).  But last year’s return to Matador Records Interpol (QRO review) was a return to form, and so is their live show (QRO photos in Europe).

Check out mock-rap outfit Das Racist (QRO photos at a festival), especially their hilarious breakthrough single, “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”.

Also playing Ray-Ban Unplugged Stage on 8:15 PM

If you’ve never heard of Suicide (QRO photos), don’t admit to it around a music critic, as the group has proven highly influential – if never commercially successful – since their start in the early seventies.  Members Alan Vega & Martin Rev are the forerunners of virtually every sound with ‘electro-’ or the likes in their title, combining punk & dance before either were a scene.

The pair come to Primavera to performing their 1977 self-titled debut, now regarded as a classic.  Though if you don’t know Suicide the band/the album, don’t expect to be captivated.

Daniel Victor Snaith (QRO photos) combined electronica and psychedelica expertly with 2007’s Andorra (QRO review) as Caribou (QRO live review).  Last year’s Swim (QRO review) looks to nineties electronic beats, not as fine, but still holds up – as does his live show (QRO live review).

California’s Ty Segall has evolved from his “kick in the pants” early work to a more effortless boot to the fanny these days, most recently with this year’s Goodbye Bread.

England’s Gold Panda (real name: Derwin Panda) (QRO live review) is one of the many DJ/producers (QRO album review) who also try out performing live, and while that lowers the bar severely, Gold Panda (QRO photos at a festival) is one of the best of that bunch.

SALEM (QRO interview) was one of the most highly hyped bands… of 2010.  Since then, they got booed off the stage at SXSW (QRO recap), but had something of a bounce-back tour this fall (QRO photos).  Another one of those acts that have seemingly made up a whole new genre (or at least a whole new genre name), the ethereal ‘witch house’ band (QRO photos at a festival) mixes hip-hop with chillwave and more.

There’s a good reason The Flaming Lips (QRO photos at a festival) have been so popular for so long on the festival circuit (including halfway around the world for Sasquatch! the same weekend – QRO preview), as there is no live show out there like a Flaming Lips live show (QRO live review).  Confetti cannons, costumes, video screens, balloons from the sky, puppets, singer/guitarist Wayne Coyne surfing the crowd in a giant plastic bubble – The Lips have it all (QRO photos), and expect them to take it even higher (QRO photos at a festival).  Oh, and they’ve got some great music, too, from early nineties hit “She Don’t Use Jelly” to 2006’s Grammy Award-winning At War With the Mystics (even put out a movie, Christmas On Mars – QRO review), and 2009’s Embryonic (QRO review).

Young Will Wiesenfeld was able to record & release debut Cerulean in only two months, after adopting the moniker of Baths (QRO photos) – and came back this year for extra Pop Music/False B-sides.

Spanish sampler Pablo Diaz-Reixa incorporates elements of Afrobeat, dub, tropicalia, and rock ‘n’ roll for his self-described “space age exotica.”

The U.K. noisecore outfit supposedly rewards on further listens, if you can get that far.

Montreal’s Suuns (QRO photos) are a post-industrial group that is not the easiest to listen to (when they’re not serving as backing band to city-mate Elizabeth Powell – QRO interview – as Land of Talk – QRO photos of Powell & Suuns).

Greg Gillis (Girl Talk) moved from biomedical tissue engineering to DJ mash-up engineering, taking samples from across the spectrum and making something very new.  While he started out playing clubs, he’s graduated to ballroom & even the great outdoors (QRO photos outdoors) – but that just means he’s got bigger stages to fill with dancing concertgoers… (QRO photos at a festival)

See above

Long Beach’s Avi Buffalo (QRO photos at a festival) may be only a few years removed from high school, but their falsetto sound has already got people’s attention (QRO photos outdoors).

Also playing Ray-Ban Unplugged Stage on 8:15 PM

Oak Park, Illinois siblings Matthew & Eleanor Friedberger are loved virtually throughout the indie-sphere as the enchanting and orchestral Fiery Furnaces (QRO photos).

Young English punk rock band Male Bonding (QRO photos) come to Primavera behind last year’s Nothing Hurts (QRO review).

Also playing Ray-Ban Unplugged Stage at 10:30 PM

Singer/guitarist M. Ward (QRO photos outdoors) might still be best-known for his work with others – first as guitarist for Bright Eyes (QRO album review), then with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel as She & Him (QRO live review), and then with Bright Eyes & more as alt-folk super-group The Monsters of Folk (QRO album review) – but is an accomplished artist on his lonesome (QRO photos at a festival), most recently with 2009’s Hold Time (QRO review).

Cincinnati-by-way-of-Brooklyn’s The National (QRO photos outdoors) hit it big in 2007 with Boxer (QRO review) and tracks like “Fake Empire”, “Mistaken For Strangers”, and “Apartment Story” (QRO video at a festival) – and again in 2008 with The Virginia EP (QRO review), but that just presaged this year’s High Violet (QRO review), which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts (QRO expanded edition review).  An impressive and much-in-demand act (QRO live review), they’re fitting in nicely as a festival headliner (QRO photos headlining a festival).  Blown up to the point that New York Times Magazine ran a feature on them & Obama used (the family-friendly) bit of “Mr. November” (QRO video at a festival) as a campaign song, The National (QRO photos at a festival) have taken the summer by storm (QRO photos headlining a festival), including the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival).

If you didn’t live in London, you might never have heard of dubstep, so you probably would have been surprised when people started talking about ‘post-dubstep’, in the form of highly-hyped Brit James Blake (QRO live review).  But the former singer of (actual) dubstep outfit Mount Kimble (QRO photos at a festival) has been making massive waves with his self-titled debut (QRO album review), so see for yourself what all the fuss is about.

Primavera has long been a home for influential experimental artists who’ve never found widespread commercial success – especially Americans.  Filling that bill to a T is Pere Ubu.  Hailing from the center of Middle America, Cleveland, the group (who have had many longtime members, but sole constant is singer Dave Thomas – not the founder of Wendy’s or one-half of Strange Brew) might be the world’s longest-lived commercial failure, having made music since 1977 that is neither easily accessible or avant-respected, but rather somewhere in the middle (“avant-garage” the group once called it).

The group comes to Primavera to play The Annotated Modern Dance, their new version of their classic debut.

Today’s chillwave scene is so new that even its founders are young.  The just-past-thirty Ariel Marcus Rosenberg, or ‘Ariel Pink’, helped start whatever you call the sound, just recording in his bedroom, but only recently has he recruited a band (QRO live review) and ventured out & onto the stage, with last year’s Before Today (QRO review).

While everyone raves about all the nineties acts reuniting, such as Superchunk (QRO live review) & Teenage Fanclub (QRO photos at Primavera Club), pause for a moment to praise great bands from the last century/millennium who didn’t break up, such as Belle & Sebastian (who played Primavera way back in 2003).  The Glaswegian outfit’s ‘wistful pop’ has captured hearts for years & years now, with their latest, last year’s Belle & Sebastian Write About Love, pretty much saying it all.

With one of the best debut album of 2010, Forget, produced by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear (QRO live review), George Lewis Jr. (a.k.a. Twin Shadow – QRO photos) shot up on the hype meter.  Turns out, the ‘80s new wave-influenced pop of the Dominican Republic born musician actually lived up to its reputation. Sophisticated melodies and catchy hooks abound, the tracks of Forget easily transitioned from haunting poetics to infectious dance numbers.

The ‘slowcore’ (a term the band actually despises) outfit Low have had a slow building since their start in Duluth, but their 2005 Sub Pop Records debut The Great Destroyer was so good that the band played it in full at last year’s Primavera.  And now they come on back to Barcelona behind this year’s C’mon, follow-up to sophomore Sub Pop release Drums and Guns (QRO review).

Primavera Sound welcomes a number of experimental musicians, as well simple & enjoyable ones, but in Field Music (QRO photos), they’ve found a band that’s failed at both.  The 2005 self-titled debut from Sunderland brothers David and Peter Brewis was nice, but follow-up Tones of Town (QRO review) saw them get too simple in their ditties.  The pair took a break from the band & each other to pursue solo projects (David’s School of Language and Peter’s The Week That Was), before reuniting last year for (Measure) (QRO review), a record that saw them experiment in the psychedelic, jam, and more for an almost unlistenable release.

No one was more prolific in 2008 than Deerhunter’s singer/guitarist Bradford Cox (QRO live review), who not only put out the well-received Microcastle (QRO review), but also included a second disc of all-original bonus material, Weird Era Cont. (QRO review) – and oh, yeah, released a solo record (as Atlas Sound), Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel (QRO review) that beat ‘em both.  And, after a hiatus & Atlas Sound’s Logos (QRO review), last year saw Deerhunter (QRO photos outdoors) reach even higher thanks to Halcyon Digest (QRO review).  Known for electric shows whether as the Sound (QRO live review) or with Deerhunter (QRO live review outdoors), Cox & Deerhunter (QRO photos outdoors) have been as prolific with the festivals (QRO photos at a festival), including Primavera in 2009, and Sasquatch! halfway around the world the same weekend (QRO preview).

There might not be a more important or beloved post-rock band that Explosions In the Sky (QRO photos at a festival).  The Austin band (QRO photos outdoors) basically introduced the epic, vocal-less concept that is ‘post-rock’ into both the indie-sphere and the wider world (including providing the theme song to Friday Night Lights – QRO soundtrack review), and made the Top Twenty on the Billboard charts with this year’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care.

Admit it: you & me & everyone we know loved Britpop.  It was so catchy and enjoyable, yet wasn’t ‘just’ catchy & enjoyable.  One of the major figures in that movement was Pulp.  After struggling for success in the eighties, the band was part of the wave that put bands like Blur into the stratosphere with 1994’s His ‘n’ Hers.  U.K. hits Different Class and This Is Hardcore followed, but after 2001’s We Love Life (and a 2002 appearance at Primavera), the group went on an extended hiatus that could be confused with a break-up, as singer Jarvis Cocker pursued a solo career.  However, 2011 has seen the return of Pulp – accept no filler!

The Disco gets very Mobile when ‘The James’ – Ford & Shaw – bring the light & sound show that is Simian Mobile Disco (QRO live review) to Primavera Sound (QRO photos) for a second year, and are playing well into the night, where their lights can really shine (QRO photos).

Most instrumental-only acts are, frankly, boring to watch live.  But there are a few exceptions to the rule, such as Explosions In the Sky (see above) and New York’s own Battles (QRO live review).  Though they recently lost Tyondai Braxton (QRO photos with him), the band is still ultra-exciting to see on stage (QRO photos outdoors).

The iconic Velvet Underground’s iconic John Cale plays his iconic 1973 solo record Paris 1919 in full with his band and Spain’s genre-spanning BCN216 orchestra.

There are a lot of alt-folk solo singer/songwriters out there these days. Sweden’s Kristian Matsson (QRO photos at a festival), a.k.a. The Tallest Man On Earth (QRO photos at a festival), first got notice for his Dylan-esque ways (QRO photos at a festival) when opening for fellow alt-folk solo singer/songwriter Justin Vernon, a.k.a. Bon Iver (QRO album review).

Young Dylan Baldi (QRO photos) throws back to music older than he as Cloud Nothings, and brings his bringing back of power-pop back to Primavera (QRO photos at Primavera Club).

Another young band on the upswing in terms of hype playing Primavera, but one that deserves it, is Great Britain’s Yuck, who have the kind of skilled-yet-accessible punk that’s worked so well for Sonic Youth (QRO live review) & Dinosaur Jr. (QRO live review).

The experimental, even psychedelic rock of the four ladies that make up Warpaint (QRO photos) has taken a while to take hold (QRO photos), but is really starting to by now, and they come to Primavera Sound (QRO photos).

Oakland’s Merrill Garbus (QRO photos) has been getting notice in the likes of Brooklyn (QRO photos) & Britain as tUnE-yArDs (QRO photos outdoors).

Alt-country/indie-folk has been booming recently, especially on the festival circuit, and while Primavera Sound is lighter on it than most alternative music festivals (to say nothing of all the jam band fests out there), there’s still a slot for Athens, Georgia-by-way-of-Brooklyn, NY Phosphorescent (QRO photos outdoors).  Hitting Primavera after touring Europe (QRO tour review) with The National (see above), they’re less jam & more touch than their contemporaries, and love to play outdoors (QRO photos outdoors).

The most overrated band in alternative music returns!  After the decent Sun Giant EP (QRO review), maybe no band broke out in as big a way in 2008 as Fleet Foxes with their self-titled debut full-length (QRO review) – certainly no band blew up as much on the back of as little.  The Seattle band’s boring folk hymnals somehow garnered huge popularity (some of which was due to their more engaging live shows – QRO photos).  After the whirlwind, the Foxes took some time off, but are back this year with Helplessness Blues (QRO review), a copy of Fleet Foxes that will probably earn them hype-backlash.

Even the hip-hop at Primavera is experimental, in the form of San Diego’s Gonjasufi.  He became known after contributing vocals to “Testament” by Flying Lotus (QRO live review), and combined hip-hop with lo-fi scratchiness on last year’s debut, A Sufi and a Killer.

Electronic artist Jimmy LaVelle has been putting together haunting music for over a decade now as The Album Leaf (QRO photos), most recently with last year’s A Chorus of Storytellers (QRO review).

Embarking on their fourth decade, this (West) Berlin-born band helped forge both the industrial and post-industrial sound, like the Ruhr moving from coal to high-tech.  They were using custom-built instruments (made from scrap metal and the like) alongside ‘traditional’ ones (not to mention having their own trademark logo long before Prince was “The Artist Formerly Known As Prince”).

The more experimental side of New York indie comes in the form of Gang Gang Dance (QRO photos at a festival), returning for a second year to Primavera.  Swimming in the same divisive, experimental pool with the recent Eye Contact as the likes of Animal Collective (see below) and Boredoms (GGD ran the New York event of the Boredoms’ 88Boadrum on 8/8/08), judge for yourself (QRO photos outdoors).

Keyboardist ‘Money’ Mark Ramos-Nishita is best known for his contributions to others, such as being the keyboardist for The Beastie Boys (QRO album review) to the signature open to “Where It’s At” on Beck’s Odelay (QRO deluxe edition review).  But he’s also a solo musician in his own right, though still leaning heavily on the keyboards, through Mark’s Keyboard Repair and Push the Button in the late nineties to Brand New By Tomorrow (QRO review) in 2007.

Even amongst all the lo-fi guitar-punks out there, Kurt Vile has made a name for himself.  The former member of The War On Drugs (QRO photos), Kurt Vile has since formed his own ensemble with his Violators, and recently contributed to/opened for alt-punk guitar god J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr. – QRO live review) on his new solo record, Several Shades of Why (QRO review), and subsequent tour.

Acclaimed English singer/songwriter Polly Jean ‘PJ’ Harvey has been making music for over two decades now, adding more rock to sound with this year’s Let England Shake (QRO review), but still has the unique live show (QRO photos).

Matthew Dear has already made his name as a DJ, but has recently taken the step up to full-fledged band with his Big Hands, out last year with Black City, and coming to Primavera (QRO photos at a festival) while on tour with Interpol (see above).

Alt-rock veteran Dean Wareham (QRO interview) currently plays in duo Dean & Britta (QRO spotlight on) with wife Britta Phillips, but is best known for his work in Luna – but comes to Primavera playing material from his first band, the acclaimed Galaxie 500 (he’s also an author to boot – QRO book review).  Of course, this is the same guy who put music to Andy Warhol’s Thirteen Most Beautiful short films (QRO live review), so he’s nothing if not versatile.

Also playing Ray-Ban Unplugged Stage as Dean & Britta at 8:00 PM

Another influential act coming to Primavera is New York’s post-punk pioneers Swans (QRO live review), with Michael Gira’s outfit coming to Barcelona as part of a worldwide tour (QRO tour preview).

Today’s garage-rock and party-rock revivals wouldn’t be possible without The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (QRO photos at a festival).  Spencer’s also featured in other more-notorious-and-influential-than-successful acts such as Heavy Trash, Boss Hog & Pussy Galore, but he returns to explosion, celebrating twenty years with their first-ever compilation, Dirty Shit Rock and Roll: The First Ten Years.

There are a few icons in post-rock, such as Explosions In the Sky (see above) and Mogwai.  The Scottish outfit has done everything from a live DVD, Burning (QRO photos at a festival) to soundtracking Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (QRO review – though that was before the French football star did his illegal head-butt in the World Cup).  This year’s awesomely titled Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (QRO review) was a major comeback after the disappointing The Hawk Is Howling (QRO review), and the much in-demand tour (QRO live review) comes to Primavera.

There is not a more talked-about name right now than Odd Future (QRO photos at a festival).  Also known as Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All or OFQGKTA, the alternative hip-hop outfit has been getting everyone’s attention with uncompromising, in-your-face lyrics and raucous live show that’s closer to a riot.  And main man Tyler, the Creator just put out the record that everyone’s talking about, Goblin (QRO review).

Odd Future are also notorious, for their sexually charged lyrics that have brought about accusations of homophobia and misogyny.  And their live shows have featured everything from a member stage-diving into a photographer (breaking his lens) to bitching about the sound system and walking off stage – and that just two nights at South-by-Southwest (QRO recap)!  So judge for yourself at Primavera – but also watch out…

Oh, and fuck Steve Harvey & free Earl!

Amongst the main highly praised experimental acts at Primavera Sound, none is more highly praised or as experimental as Animal Collective.  2009’s Merriweather Post Pavilion (QRO review) got the kind of praise that makes one sick of a band (though it was certainly an improvement on their prior release, Strawberry Jam).  By this time, the electronics-and-more collective is commonplace, but this Baltimore outfit still rule the roost.  Like a lot of electronica, however, they do struggle live outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), but should do better at night.

Mixologist Joshua Paul Davis, a.k.a. DJ Shadow (QRO photos) has been at the forefront of today’s sampling movement.

Electropop duo Alex Frankel & Nick Millhiser (QRO photos) forms the up-and-coming Holy Ghost! (QRO live review), who have toured with LCD Soundsystem (QRO live review, on tour with Holy Ghost!) and Cut Copy (QRO live review with Holy Ghost!).

Austin’s own Black Angels (QRO photos) bring the psychedelic rock of last year’s Phosphene Dream (QRO review) to Primavera Sound (QRO photos in Europe).