Since I did an illustrated history on Broadcast, I felt the need to introduce the band that heavily influenced them. The United States of America was founded by Joseph Byrd in 1967, the year where everybody was doing a psychedelic album, or better known as the Year Where Everyone Caught On The Brilliance Of Psychedelic Music.
While most psychedelic bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream were guitar-driven, USA were more focused on the electronic side of music with keyboards and synthesizers and organs and pianos. And in contrast to Grace Slick's angry, baritone vocals was USA's lead singer's Dorothy Moskowitz's airier, smoother vocals.
The result: One fantastic self-titled album released in 1968; then the USA faded into obscurity. until 2004 when the album was re-released on CD.
You all already know how I feel about Stereolab; well, Broadcast is its little sister. You know, the sister who decided to chop off all her hair and sing about the darkness of life and love and although they are equally political as the big sister, they aren't as sublime sounding. They are more serious. Smiling is not little sister's forte.
Listening to Broadcast's debut LP The Noise Made By People, an album I still cannot believe came out in 2000 in the UK and not 1966 in Paris, I always get lost in its sound, like I'm in a trance. I feel like I'm transported in an Alphaville-esque film that touches on the demise of humans. Even the videos from the album looks like those footages we see of students testing out LSD for the first time in the '60s. It's like reading early Kurt Vonnegut novels.
Unfortunately, that album is hard to buy anywhere. Fortunately, I scored an awesome deal on it. But unfortunately, it needs to be back in stock so everyone can explore the genius minds that are Trish Keenan and James Cargill, along with former members Roj Stevens and Tim Felton.
Some Noise videos:
"Papercuts"
"Come On Let's Go"
Three years later, Broadcast released the dream-poppier Ha Ha Sound. Not dream pop in the Yo La Tengo sense, but in the sense where little sister has grown into a more peaceful person and wants to experiment with a "prettier" sound. There's no way you can feel down listening to it. If anything, it began to show Broadcast's range. In Noise you were only exposed to Keenan's vocals, including her layering her voice to bring that eerie-spacey sound. In Ha Ha Sound, it's more harmonic with other vocalists, similar to the one-two punch that was Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier and Mary Hansen. If anything, Ha Ha brought them back to Earth (ish).
Ha Ha tracks:
In 2005, Broadcast transferred their sounds into a more mature album, Tender Buttons. Instead of talking about ditching the man-made world that we live in, which were recurring themes from the previous albums, the band focuses on serious topics such as politics, breakups and, well, actually they still talk about the downfall of humanity (I mean, how can you escape it?). Usually singing in a higher-pitch voice, Keenan takes her vocals down some octaves.
This particular album is special to me because it was the introductory Broadcast album for me. I was amazed that there was a band like this making music in our generation still.
Allright, folks. Now you are at least 75 percent aware of Broadcast's brilliance. I left off 1997's Work and Non-Work and 2006's The Future Crayon because those are compilations of singles and rarities. The band is currently working on its fourth studio album, release date unknown. Keenan and Cargill are the only original members left in the band.
Twenty-one year-old New Yorker Pete Silberman, better known as The Antlers, has two things in common with me: his love for The Microphones and his love for Broadcast. I named my blog in honor of The Microphones, he did the whole plural name for a solo artist thing in honor of The Microphones (though Phil Elvrum isn't the first person to do that, but hey). I think Broadcast is brilliant, he covers songs from them. I am very impressed.
Buddy just gets drunk and full off of international cuisines for a living! How can you not love his show, No Reservations? Especially with the double-meaning title (no reservations for dinner, no reservations of his thoughts). But he's had his fair share, man. After working in the restaurant industry for three years, I see what line cooks go through, especially when you already have a specialty to be a chef. So kudos, brother. And you're kinda hot, in that older Jeff Goldblum/Chris Noth way.
Album of the Week: The Renaissance (2008, Universal Motown)
You can never go wrong with Q-Tip. He never grows stale. He's got some great featured artists such as Raphael Saadiq (who also never grows stale), Norah Jones (man, she has expanded her resumé as great hip-hop hook singer, too) and D'Angelo. Yessss. From Track 1 to the ending Track 12, it's deliciously listenable.
One of the greatest songs ever written was by Phil Elvrum of now defunct band The Microphones. Listeners take a journey through Phil's life as he struggles to cope with the harsh, grotesque realities it presents him. Feeling disappointed and defeated, a sullen Phil accepts the fact he's still living; then, as if on cue, a grand epiphany comes aboard this self-discovering adventure, and BAM!--blood rushes through his veins, through his heart, and his chest is full of positive air! Phil loves everything tangible and intangible! He loves life! He hopes this feeling never ends! "I'm glowing!" he exclaims.
