People Eating People, Nouela Johnston’s jazzy new solo project, is catching fire
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
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See below for upcoming shows, live videos, and a video interview.
Tags: indie jazz, indie pop, indie rock, seattle
By Scott Mathews 
Mar 04, 2010 
Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington 
Comments (0)
SPOTLIGHT: Lightspeed Champion releases new full length LP
Lightspeed Champion
Lightspeed Champion is the brain child of Devonté Hynes and has been active since 2005. In 2007, he released Falling off the Lavender Bridge to critical acclaim. This record was recorded and produced in Omaha, Nebraska with the help of Saddle Creek producer Mike Mogis. Mogis is most famous for his work with Connor Oberst and Bright Eyes. Falling off the Lavender Bridge has a star studded guest list, including Nate Walcott, pianist and trumpet player for Bright Eyes, and The Faint drummer Clark Baechle.
Now, in 2010, Hynes has finally released the followup to 2007’s Falling off the Lavender Bridge, titled Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You and is a bit more complex than the initial Lightspeed Champion release. Where Falling off the Lavender Bridge is often simple and poppy, the new record is thick and speckled with new sounds. Now, it’s not to say that Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You doesn’t feel like the same band that captured the indie folk scene’s heart back in 2007, but it is definitely a departure from the earlier release. Devonté’s voice is definitely stronger on this release. The 2007 release had a kind of sweet nervousness to the vocals, which have since been replaced with vocals soaring with confidence and intention.
You can currently purchase the both Lightspeed Champion albums at Domino Record’s website on vinyl for $12.99, CD for $8.99 and digital for $7.99. The band is currently touring the UK and western Europe.
Tags: indie, indie folk, review
By Jared Montgomery Feb 25, 2010 Albums in Brief, Artist Spotlight, Reviews, Video Comments (0)
Exciting new Puget Sound psych-folk quintet The Cat From Hue embodies Seattle environment
The Cat From Hue, indie/psych-folk quintet from Camano Island, Washington, are an interesting listen. Clearly influenced by other indie bands from the northwest, Modest Mouse and Portugal. The Man, this young group uniquely portrays the Puget Sound in their lyrics alongside upbeat, folksy instrumentals. In “Welcome Back The Rain,” through well constructed folk guitar, slow drum beats, tambourine, and high keys, their music emulates the sound and feeling of a typical rainy day in the Puget Sound. Their lyrics in this song are delivered strong and sleepy, with the verse declaring “We watch the days run down to the hour change/We watch the green leaves turn around, and walk through the sleet and the rain…” and more cleverly sour lyrics regarding the Seattle music scene: “I hear the Puget Sound is Land of the Green/I reciprocate the meaning with the speech about the scene [...] just a crow in my crow’s nest/tippin’ back my Seattle’s Best Coffee.”
The Cat From Hue — “Welcome Back The Rain,” from Shoreline
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The Cat From Hue — “Stumble On,” from Shoreline
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The Can From Hue are currently unsigned and have many shows lined up. To see more information about the band visit their myspace, myspace.com/catfromhue, or visit them on Facebook. See below for a video of them live, acoustic, as well as a look at their upcoming shows.
Tags: folk-rock, indie, pshyc-folk
By Scott Mathews Feb 23, 2010 Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington, Video Comment (1)
Unique multi-instrumentalist Whitney Flinn of Hooves and Beak advances to Sound Off! finals
Hooves and Beak, credit: Brady Harvey
Whitney Flinn of Hooves and Beak, originally from Lawrence, Kansas, is currently on extended hiatus in Seattle, Washington. A participant in the Sound Off! Battle of the Bands, Flinn advanced to the finals of the Sound off! Battle of the Bands with a performance Saturday.The Sound Off! Finals will be held on March 6th at the EMP|SFM, the Experience the Music Project, and Science Fiction Museum.
Flinn is the sole member of Hooves and Beak and an inspiring musician. She masters the layering of strong, emotional vocals with harp, piano, accordion, banjo, and guitar — all self-taught. The vocals in her current recordings are vaguely reminiscent of other female indie vocalists — namely Joanna Newsom. Setting her apart is the clear emotional influence behind her words and supplemental strings. Flinn plays her harp in a colorful, folk style unlike any I’ve heard. Her voice is strong and clear, and her strings emulate this. In “Doorman’s Song,” Flinn sings of lost love, an addiction to drinking — all wrapped in her uniquely forlorn harp she creates a heart-wrenching and beautiful anthem.
More information about the Sound Off! may be found at their website, empsfm.org. You may also hear Flinn’s recordings on her Myspace profile, myspace.com/whitneyflinn.
By Scott Mathews Feb 22, 2010 Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington Comments (0)
SPOTLIGHT: Jack Conte, one-man band, destined for limelight stay
Jack Conte
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jack Conte. He is a San Francisco native that has only been on the scene for about three years, but will stay in the limelight for much longer than fifteen minutes if he continues releasing EPs like he has in the past.
I first discovered Conte after finding “Lonely Ghost” on YouTube. I made the mistake of not watching the video the first time I listened through it, but thankfully glanced a peek after feeling hypnotized into listening to the song a second time. It was then that I discovered that he is a one-man band – something you don’t see very often. At one point he even uses a homemade method of voice distortion by singing into a tube and waving it vigorously in front of a microphone. He then proceeds to put the beat down on some organ pedals. It is clearly stated in the YouTube description that there are no hidden sounds: “If you hear it, at some point you (will) see it.” Also included in the video: an electric Wurlitzer and him releasing a can of confetti, played in reverse. (more…)
Tags: alternative rock, experimental, one-man-band, rock
By Belén Mata Feb 21, 2010 Artist Spotlight, Reviews, Video Comments (0)
SPOTLIGHT: Panther Attack! sets jazzy, groovy standard
Panther Attack! have, to my mind, set a new standard for post-indie/punk/instrumentals. They have a unique ability to create a profound soul unmatched in their genre. Their dual-drum kits, bass, and guitar (often multiple) meld together to create free-flowing instrumental bliss — almost jazzy, definitely groovy.
They are from Seattle and have been preforming together since 2002. Panther Attack! has a self-released full-length album, Martyr Bonus, released in 2007, and in 2008, they released Sharp Moments EP on vinyl. Panther Attack! is not on tour, but they are currently booking new shows. The latest information about when and where they are playing can be found on their MySpace profile at myspace.com/pantherattack, and detailed bio, release info, and more here at the site for Triple Down Records, their record label, tripledownrecords.com.
Continue reading for a video of Panther Attack! performing in Glendale, Calif.
Tags: instrumental, jazz, post-punk
By Scott Mathews Feb 17, 2010 Artist Spotlight, Seattle, Washington, Video Comments (0)
SPOTLIGHT: I Call Fives
I Call Fives
In a sea of new independent pop punk music, I Call Fives really floats above the rest. They are a refreshing take on the typical pop punk band and deliver catchy guitar hooks and anthemic lyrics. The track “My Last Mistake” from First Things First stands out exceptionally well and offers up some of their best material.
Hailing from New Jersey, this incendiary pop punk outfit never fail to deliver. Every song on their 7 track debut, First Things First, grabs you and doesn’t let go until the next track is starting up.
I Call Fives, “My Last Mistake” from First Things First | download
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Tags: independent, pop-punk
By Jared Montgomery Feb 16, 2010 Artist Spotlight, Downloads Comments (0)
BRIEF: Biffy Clryo’s new singles explode on the charts
In November of 2009, the aggressive Scottish three-piece rock group Biffy Clyro, release their most successful album to date: Only Revolutions. The album went gold within a matter of days from the release, and the singles from the new release have been seeing higher chart numbers than ever. All of the singles from the new album have hit the UK charts hard, peaking within the top 10 of the rock charts and top 20 of all singles. Currently, there are 4 singles from the new album: “Mountains,” “That Golden Rule,” “The Captain,” and “Many of Horror.”
All of the singles from the new album are both brilliant songs and visually striking. The highest ranking single to date, “The Captain,” is set on a pirate ship and details an uprising against the Royal Navy. It culminates with Ben and James Johnston, who play drums and bass, breaking lead singer and guitarist Simon Neil from his cage. All in all, The new singles from Biffy Clyro are stunning, both musically and visually, to say the least.
Tags: alt-rock, post-hardcore, power pop
By Jared Montgomery Feb 13, 2010 Artist Spotlight, Video Comments (0)
