California Wives: Manchester's NO CEREMONY Posts Remix of 'Marianne' (from 'Art History' - Vagrant)

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives released their debut Art History (Vagrant Records) last month and Manchester's NO CEREMONY just posted a chill remix of "Marianne", the original version is on the band's debut album Art History.

The band just finished their Fall tour with Diamond Rings and Stars last week in San Francisco and new tour dates will be announced soon. In the interim, check out this acoustic version of "Marianne" from California Wives' appearance on "Good Morning Arkansas".



Links:
California Wives

Stars - Live Photos from Webster Hall, NYC 9-22-12

There is something exciting about the energy of a sold-out show. Stars headlined a sold-out show at Webster Hall last month in support of their sixth full-length album, The North, which came out at the beginning of September via ATO Records. Paste Magazine gave the new disc a "9" and said "The North offers the same sense of depth and darkness that first propelled the five-piece into the limelight with singles like “Ageless Beauty” and “Your Ex-Lover is Dead,” but with an increased sense of awareness and age. The band has grown. The music has evolved. But the message of feeling alive despite all odds is more apparent than ever." Prior to the show, I hadn't heard any of Stars' music so it might of helped if I had listened to the new disc but I really enjoyed watching the crowd sing along to every song and feeling the floor at Webster Hall bounce under the weight of the people "pogoing" in place.



The live video below (is there ever a concert that doesn't end up on YouTube?) does a pretty good job of capturing the energy of the show.



Stars Fall Tour Dates
10/09/12 - Lawrence, KS, Bottleneck
10/10/12 - Tulsa, OK, Cain’s
10/11/12 - Little Rock, AR, Revolution Room
10/12/12 - Houston, TX, Fitzgerald’s
10/13/12 - Dallas, TX, Granada
10/14/12 - Austin, TX, Austin City Limits
10/17/12 - San Diego, CA, House Of Blues
10/18/12 - Los Angeles, CA, The Mayan Theater
10/19/12 - Santa Cruz, CA, Rio Theatre
10/20/12 - San Francisco, CA, The Fillmore
10/21/12 - Uptown Theatre, Napa, CA

Links:
Stars

California Wives - "Art History" CD Review / Live Photos from Webster Hall, NYC 9-22-12

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives released their debut Art History (Vagrant Records) earlier this month and the band's tour brought them to Webster Hall on Sept. 22nd, opening for Stars.

For Art History, the band worked with producer Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Neon Indian, Wild Nothing) for the eleven tracks that present a cohesive gallery of modern‐day pop portraits framed with a retro '80s fit. The new Art History CD follows the band's 2010 EP "Affair", which won over local and national press, with My Old Kentucky Blog raving, "This could be the next buzz band everyone is talking about."

For folks like me who "shot up" on college radio in the 80's, this disc has an immediately recognizable post-punk sound with a gauzy shoe-gazer core which the band is able to build upon with some incredibly catchy hooks and melodies. I haven't given a lot of thought to an end-of-year list as of yet but, as this disc hasn't yet left my iPod, Art History will likely be toward the top of the list.

The disc starts with two of its strongest tracks - "Blood Red Youth" and "Tokyo" - before heading into the wistful indie-pop of "Marianne". "Blood Red Youth" sets the tone for the disc with its 80's-sounding New Wave synthesizers coupled with strong guitar lines and a driving beat. "Tokyo" is a bit more chipper and sounds somewhat like a Smashing Pumpkins song, though, with more self-restraint and less bombast. This track also pulls some ringing guitar lines out of the shoe-gazer swirl. Adding to California Wives' big sound, guitarist/vocalist Jayson Kramer sings in an understated voice so that his vocals become another "instrument", guiding the songs and melodies but never riding on top of them. The band is also able to replicate the 'big sound' of their new disc in concert. Below is a live clip from the show at Webster Hall that I found on YouTube.



Overall, the disc doesn't stray far from its core - "The Fisher King" is swirling and moody and sounds like a cross between The Cure and the Cocteau Twins, "Los Angeles" sounds like it could have come out of The Church's back catalog, and "Photolights" has the atmospheric ambiance and ringing guitar lines of U2's Joshua Tree coupled with a nagging New Wave synth line. While the disc comes close to capturing the urgency and energy of the opening tracks on "Purple" some of the other tracks on the back-half of the disc sag a bit. "Better Homes" gets a bit too close to 70's schmaltz rock and "The New Process" sounds strangely like post-Waters Pink Floyd (the later isn't a bad thing, just unexpected).

All-in-all though, it is a strong disc from a band that shows a lot of potential.



California Wives' tour with Stars and Diamond Rings run through the Midwest and West Coast next month. Here is a link to upcoming tour dates.

Links:
California Wives

California Wives Release Video for "Purple" / Show at Webster Hall on September 22nd

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives released their debut Art History LP last week (Vagrant Records) and have just released their first video for the song "Purple". The video uses artwork submitted from fans and other artists throughout the video.

The band worked with producer Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Neon Indian, Wild Nothing) for Art History and the eleven tracks present a cohesive gallery of modern‐day pop portraits framed with a retro '80s fit. The new disc follows the band's 2010 EP "Affair", which won over local and national press, with My Old Kentucky Blog raving, "This could be the next buzz band everyone is talking about." Joy Division / New Order's Peter Hook also took notice, appointing the band to open his headlining set at The Light at Chicago's Metro Cabaret.



California Wives are playing Webster Hall on September 22nd along with Stars and Diamond Rings. Tickets are $29 in advance and $34 (DOS). Every ticket includes a digital version of Stars' new album The North.

Links:
California Wives

California Wives: Chicago New-Wave Quartet Releases "Blood Red Youth" from Debut Album as Free Download / Show at Webster Hall on Sept. 22nd

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives has announced the release of its debut Art History LP, out on September 4 with Vagrant. The band worked with producer Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Neon Indian, Wild Nothing) for the eleven tracks that present a cohesive gallery of modern‐day pop portraits framed with a retro '80s fit. The new Art History LP follows the band's 2010 EP "Affair", which won over local and national press, with My Old Kentucky Blog raving, "This could be the next buzz band everyone is talking about." Joy Division / New Order's Peter Hook also took notice, appointing the band to open his headlining set at The Light at Chicago's Metro Cabaret.



Lead-off Track from Art History


"I felt like I was asleep for years," says California Wives' lead vocalist / keyboardist Jayson Kramer of his decision in 2009 to leave behind a promising career in medicine for a professional go at music. "I was completely honest with myself for the first time in my life and recognized that I had no desire to go on with medical school." Around this time he moved back to his hometown of Chicago where he was introduced to drummer Joe O'Connor, and bassist Dan Zima. It was via their shared appreciation of music and compatible chemistry that California Wives was formed in 2009, with the current lineup being cemented in 2012 upon the new addition of lead guitarist Graham Masell.

California Wives are playing Webster Hall on September 22nd along with Stars and Diamond Rings. Tickets are $29 in advance and $34 (DOS). Every ticket includes a digital version of Stars' new album The North.

Links:
California Wives