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People Eating People, Nouela Johnston’s jazzy new solo project, is catching fire

Scott Mathews — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:31:28 +0000

Nouela and Brian at The Sunset (credit: Christen Shaw)

People Eating People is the solo piano pop project of Seattle artist Nouela Johnston, and it is absolutely astounding. Johnston has gone through much turbulence to arrive at her current position. In 2007, Johnston was locked into a contract with Mon Frere, the band who won the SoundOff! Battle of the Bands in 2007, which she immediately regretted. Johnston dropped from the band which caused her “[...] a shit-ton of legal messes,” as she explained to The Stranger earlier this week. Unable to release her own music until, among other things, the sum of $5,000 be paid to Cake Records, and she played and toured for-hire with three other bands: Say Hi, Fall of Troy, and Creature Feature. All the while, Johnston was recording a demo which eventually reached the hands of Nabil Ayers, current label manager for 4AD, who offered to release her full-length album.

Her self-titled album, People Eating People, released in November 2009, is an emotional outpouring of jazzy vocals and piano. Johnston is classically trained in jazz piano — she began performing recitals by the age of 4. Being that she is classically trained, her music is technically masterful and complex — her vocals are to match. Her lyrics are personal and emotionally driven; we can see such in “I Hate All My Friends.” Pounding and fast jazz keys supplement her apparent anger as she sings a tale of lies and deceit. With “All The Hospitals,” Johnston shows her flexibility as a jazz pianist. Fluctuating, complex rhythms, all the while delivering the similarly fluctuating jazz-style vocals. A highly emotional tale of depression, making references to suicide amongst other things; “don’t cut too deep, take all those pills…don’t swallow… everyone you love is on your side.”

People Eating People — “All the Hospitals,” from People Eating People (2009) | download
Download audio file (PeopleEatingPeople.mp3)

See below for upcoming shows, live videos, and a video interview.

People Eating People is being very well received in the Seattle music scene and have what seems to be a glowing career ahead. People Eating People are not currently on tour, but frequently play shows locally at just about all the venues here in Seattle. Information about show dates/times are frequently updated on People Eating People’s myspace page, myspace.com/peopleeatingpeople.

Upcoming Shows

Mar 9 2010 8:00P
Chop Suey Seattle, Washington

Mar 13 2010 8:00P
Sunset Tavern Seattle, Washington

Mar 26 2010 8:00P
The Moore Theater Seattle, Washington

May 14 2010 8:00P
Chop Suey Seattle, Washington

Band Members

Nouela Johnston
Recorded Drums: Mark Gajadhar
Recorded/live Drums: Ben Libay/Brian Turner
Recorded Guitar: Christiaan Morris

REVIEW: Panther Attack! gives us heart-pounding, funky post-rock

Scott Mathews — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:31 +0000

Panther Attack! @ Club Tropical (credit unknown)

Panther Attack!’s full-length album, Martyr Bonus, was released in 2007. The quartet, from Seattle, Wash., is composed of a bassist, guitarist, and two drummers — with one drummer often trading out as the second guitarist. Martyr Bonus is their first and only full-length album to date, with Sharp Moments EP being their only other recorded release. Martyr Bonus is a wonderful instrumental album tilting from groovy post-punk to shoegaze.

The first track on the album, “Frolic, Just Don’t Lick,“ is slow to crescendo and has a shoegaze feel. It lays out the groovy standard to come throughout the album. The guitars have a muddy feel in this track and, appropriately, croaking frogs. Layered cleverly through the guitars, the bass pulls us slowly forward through the mud, reminiscent of plodding through a swampy, hazy field. The drums are absent through the entirety of this track.

Moving forward two tracks to “Stands About, With Dumb Look On Face,” we are immediately greeted face paced guitar and dual drum kits wailing away. Jazzy scales take us from fast and loud to quiet and slow, and back again. The drum kits in this track are a delight. They are responsible for much of the feverish feeling throughout this six-minute-long track. From here on out, the entire album feels much more jazzy than the initial two tracks.

While “Christ the Destroyer” takes on the medium pace of a jazz instrumental, the rest of the album — with exception to the upbeat track “In the History of Snowmobiles,” — often follows the slower pace and with greater variation. Feeling more emotionally driven than the first half of the album, “Thessalonians” features a clever layering of rich acoustic guitars that reaches an astoundingly emotional and unexpected crescendo of drums with wailing acoustic and electric guitars. We are led beautifully into the final track on the album, “Sorry About the Blood.”

“Sorry About the Blood” is a fun track. It didn’t rile much emotion until the last 30-40 seconds of the track comprised of fast-paced post-rock style guitar. Their ending was solid but left me hoping for more and, surprisingly enough to me, I got more. What may very well be a bonus track (an untitled track I just now discovered on the album,) I am led forward with unexpectedly groovy bass, guitar, and seemingly experimental electronics — the first and only heard throughout the album. This final unnamed track transcends to end abruptly with a burst of grooviness, unmatched throughout the album.

Panther Attack! — “Christ the Destroyer,” from Martyr Bonus (2007)
Download audio file (04.-Panther-Attack-Christ-the-Destroyer.mp3)

Panther Attack! — “Thessalonians,” from Martyr Bonus (2007)
Download audio file (08.-Panther-Attack-Thessalonians.mp3)

Recorded and mixed by Brandon Eggleston at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, WA. Mastered by Ed Brooks at RFI. Panther Attack! is Andrew Grapes, Josh Grapes, Jon Wiens, Kelly Mynes. Martyr Bonus may be purchased for $10.00 through the band’s MySpace, myspace.com/pantherattack, and their latest EP, Sharp Moments EP, is available for purchase at Triple Down Records at tripledownrecords.com.

Panther Attack! – Martyr Bonus (track list)

Frolic, Just Don’t Lick
You Look Good Wearing My Future
Stands About, With Dumb Look On Face
Christ the Destroyer
The Party Never Started
In The History of Snowmobiles
Putting the Fun Back In Funeral
Thessalonians
Sorry About the Blood
(bonus track)

Spotlight: Grand Archives

Scott Mathews — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 12:48:47 +0000

Grand Archives, consisting of five – Mat Brooke, Jeff Montano, Curtis Hall, Ron Lewis, and Thomas Wright – bring us bright, experimental pop recordings. “Torn Blue Foam Couch” is particularly lush with a chirping summery tone and beautiful four-part vocal harmonies. Perfect walking music, as great pop should be. To kick off their album release (Feb. 19^th) Grand Archives will be performing Live at KEXP 90.3 FM and a live (free!) show at Sonic Boom later that evening in Seattle, WA. Full tour dates will be listed here. Their self-titled album will be released Feb. 19 on Sub Pop Records.

Grand Archives — “Torn Blue Foam Couch” | download
Download audio file (torn_blue_foam_couch.mp3)

[amtap amazon:asin=B0011HF5YW]

An interview with Say Hi, who released a new album today

Matthew Montgomery — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:13:21 +0000

Eric Elbogen of Say Hi (previously Say Hi To Your Mom), who, today, release The Wishes and the Glitch, answers a few questions from MusicGeek.org regarding the new album, working with David Bazan and John Roderick, and more. Read after the jump for more of the interview, tracks from The Wishes and the Glitch, and links to purchase music from the group. Say Hi were previously the subject of a MusicGeek.org spotlight.

Say Hi — “Northwestern Girls” | download
Download audio file (sayhi_northwesterngirls.mp3)

What’s the geekiest thing you did during the recording of The Wishes and the Glitch?

Well, cooping up in a bedroom full of music equipment for six months for twelve hours a day is pretty geeky, don’t you agree? I got nothing else.

What prompted the contributions from David Bazan and John Roderick? What was it like working with them?

I got to know both John and Dave a little bit over the past few years, from doing shows with The Long Winters and Headphones and just from moving to Seattle, where you end up running into the same people at every show you go to. I just put it out there and both of them were kind enough to indulge me and come over for a few hours to contribute. I have to say that both experiences were pretty exciting. I’ve listened to their records for many years and feel extremely lucky that they wanted to be involved. Both of them have very distinct voices and it was pretty surreal to sit there and listen to those voices fill up my little cave of a studio, singing my songs, voices that I’ve heard so many times on their own records, singing their own songs. Having them guest on this record definitely makes my list of top ten most exciting experiences.

Why did you move from Brooklyn to Seattle?

I needed a break from the hustle and bustle of New York City. I wanted to move somewhere I could afford to live without roommates.

Say Hi — “Toil and Trouble” | download
Download audio file (sayhi_toilandtrouble.mp3)

How do you approach the music writing process?

I write every single day and then try and pick out the best of the crop when it’s time to make a record.

Aside from music, what are your interests?

Not much, really. A cute, compelling girl is the only thing that can distract me from being obsessed with working on music.

Say Hi — “Zero to Love” | download
Download audio file (sayhi_zerotolove.mp3)

What are your plans following the release of the new album?

The usual, really. Lots of touring to support the record. I’ve started writing for the sixth record, too.

Purchase music from Say Hi To Your Mom

[amtap amazon:asin=B000X7YGAU]
[amtap amazon:asin=B0011HF61Y]

Spotlight: The Billie Burke Estate

Matthew Montgomery — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 13:00:56 +0000

The Billie Burke Estate, who just released Let Your Heart Break, offer a strangely enticing combination of 1970s progressive rock, two-tone ska, and pop sensibilities that make themselves evidenced in “I Can Float” and “Everybody’s Gonna Die,” posted below for download and listening. The former exhibits a wealth of influence from across a wide musical spectrum, while the latter is a more straightforward piano-based pop song with a sardonic lyrical approach. Andy Liotta, mastermind of the Seattle-based The Billie Burke Estate, works vocals in forgotten ways, while instrumentation is effective but not over the top.

The Bille Burke Estate — “I Can Float” | download
Download audio file (thebillieburkeestate-icanfloat.mp3)

The Bille Burke Estate — “Everybody’s Gonna Die” | download
Download audio file (thebillieburkeestate-everybodysgonnadie.mp3)

The Billie Burke Estate — “Dear George”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA04j7lkw6A

· The Billie Burke Estate
· Purchase Let Your Heart Break on CDBaby.com

Spotlight: Say Hi

Matthew Montgomery — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:41:25 +0000

Say Hi (previously Say Hi To Your Mom,) a newly Seattle-based (they previously called home Brooklyn, N.Y.,) indie outfit, plays a catchy-but-not-too-upbeat style inflected with a bit of synthesizer and flare (two things that, for some reason, tend to be associated with each other, for better or worse.) Their upcoming album, The Wishes and The Glitch, is due to be released on Feb. 5 on Euphobia Records. The Wishes and The Glitch, the fifth from the indie pop-rock band, features contributions from both David Bazan, best known for Pedro the Lion and Headphones, but also notable for his solo work, and John Roderick, head of Barsuk-released fellow Seattle indie-popsters, The Long Winters.

Say Hi — “Northwestern Girls” | download
Download audio file (sayhi_northwesterngirls.mp3)

Say Hi To Your Mom on MySpace

Purchase music from Say Hi To Your Mom

[amtap amazon:asin=B000X7YGAU]
[amtap amazon:asin=B0011HF61Y]