Go Us!

Check it out, everybody! The Hook has implied that we are somewhere between the 13th and 69th best band in Charlottesville! Woo hoo!

Seriously, though, congratulations to Mss, Pompadour, and virtually every other band we have ever shared a stage with.

:,-(

In other HP news, we're making our triumphant return to Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar (just "the Tea Bazaar" for you cool kids) on May 8th. It's a Saturday. We're playing with a band from Chicago called Caw Caw who seem really fun and energetic, judging from their myspace.

[Edit: Caw Caw's participation is no longer a sure thing, as they may have to be in another town that night. The show will feature us and at least one other band: Richmond's Young Adult Fiction. More deets in a separate post soon.]

This show will feature at least one new song -- a rousing, anthemic, as-yet-untitled sing-along which will also involve some surprises. VHS & the Babies fans will know what I mean when I say that, with this song, we're introducing a new "module."

There's another new song we've been practicing, but I don't think it'll be ready for the show in May. It's either going to be called "Showmen" or "Lots in the Supermarket." It's sort of a sequel to "Geniuses," in that where "Geniuses" was kind of about Orson Welles, this one is kind of about Val Lewton. Most of the song is faux hard rock, in tribute to the Blast/Trapnest feud (which the song is also kind of about), but it has a sweet disco breakdown in the middle, which was inspired by the chorus to this song (the part at 1:29).

I have to go teach Sylvia Plath. Laters.
Sam

Cool Evening at the Garage

Awesome show at the Garage last night with Travis Kokas, Mss, and Sam Buck Rosen.


Travis was up first, playing some very pretty and bittersweet songs. Dave backed him up with excellent harmonies, Garfunkel-style.


Next up was Mss, who were always great, but are really evolving in an exciting new direction. Josh was playing a lot more lap steel, giving their usual slow-simmer noisiness an unusual hawaiian flavor. Hula girls would not have been out of place. (Nor would they have been unwelcome, and I can't stress that enough!)

The HP kicked out the jams after Mss, ripping through song after song about vaginas, to the delight of Dave and Renee's realtor, whose name I've forgotten (but that guy is a major new force in the world of rock n roll cheerleading). He also said my songs sounded like The Cure, which is by far the most flattering comparison I've received while I've been in this band.

I'm guessing that pictures of our set will turn up soon on facebook or something.


Last was headliner Sam Buck Rosen, a late addition to the bill, whose incredible songs instantly made him a welcome one. He had the weird smarminess of a vegas-era Elvis, mixed with the wide-eyed innocence of Jonathan Richman, and some kind of Buster Poindexter thing thrown in there too. He also looked like a slightly less good looking David Boreanaz.

More Buzz

Nice words about us in the C'ville today. Unfortunately I don't think the section that mentions us is included in their online edition, but those who want to check it out are free to come look on my refrigerator, where it will be displayed indefinitely.

In other news, we're playing at The Garage this Friday. The Garage is a little art gallery next to the funeral home downtown, and in the summer they have rock shows on the sidewalk in front (the gallery itself is too small to have the shows inside). The Posters went to see The Caninos, Andrew Cedermark, and Jacob Wolf there last year, and it was awesome, although more low-key and contemplative than your standard rock show.

We'll be playing with Mss (I believe it's the first time we've re-paired with any band, which shows how much we love Mss and also how much Locust Grove pride we have), and they're always good. Dave's Cusack's bandmate Travis is playing too, and also a guy from New York who like me is named Sam. The entire shindig will be wrapped up in time for people to catch the whole thing and then head over to the Tea Bazaar to support WTJU, which is hosting a rock marathon related dance event late into the night.

The the next night (Saturday the 10th), also at The Garage, a tripple bill of Posters' friends and allies will be performing. Pompadour (Charlottesville's best band, IMO), Left & Right (awesome jangly Caninos spinoff), and Andrew Cedermark (local rock-n-roll reporter and celebrity) will make you glad you came out two nights in a row.

Both Garage shows are free. (I think they pass the hat or something, but you have my permission to be a scrooge.)

Dec Interview & Other Noize....

Hey everybody! Dave here...haven't posted in a while and before this blog descends into some sort of outlet for Sam's pathos I thought I would chime in and let everybody know about the recently printed interview with the Posters written by Gary Canino for the [edit: I think Dave means "a" - st] UVA newspaper, The Declaration.

Anyway, there is a brief mention of the band Bikeride in the interview. They are probably my favorite unsung band of the last decade and one that will most likely never get the credit they deserve since lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Tony Carbone died a few years ago. Every time I write a song for the Posters I'm thinking of Bikeride so I thought I would post the following video for everyone to check out. Their last two albums, Morning Macumba and The Kiss, are both worth seeking out.



See everybody April 9th at the Garage! It's going to be a good one....I promise!

- Dave

March Mildness

Can March really have been so slow a month for the Posters? I guess we've been practicing only once a week lately, so less has been going on. We broke ground for two new songs on Thrusday, though neither, it's likely, will be ready for our outdoor debut on the 9th (at the Garage).

I recently saw Godard's Soigne ta Droite, which I'd not seen before, and I was pretty impressed with the Rita Mitsouko stuff I heard in that, so I've been checking them out. Also, Judy and Mary.

Something I forgot to say last time I posted was that, before our set at that Random Row show, the girl from Stereo Telescope asked me what we sounded like. I said something about Apples in Stereo because that's the least embarrassing comparison that's been made by somebody outside of the band. After we played she said that my description was accurate, although she would have added that we have touches of "really happy '90s pop" along the lines of "Weezer or The Gin Blossoms."

Besides the fact that the Apples retain their title as least embarrassing comparison, the only result of this comment is that I was sad to see yet another opportunity for somebody to name-check Hypnolovewheel wasted. I realize this makes me old, but Hypnolovewheel is great -- probably the only one of those full-on alt rock bands I'm not now embarrassed to have listened to. There isn't even much to recommend them on youtube, given that the videos they made are for songs that, while good, are not exactly in their top five gems.




If you feel like spending a few dollars on mp3 downloads, check out Kiss Big and/or Turn You Off. They're good.

If some day somebody, unprompted, says my songs sound like a cross between Nothing Painted Blue and The Voidoids, I'll die happy.

April will probably bring more news, because we're supposed to start recording again.

Quiet Loudly and ex-Most Ghosts

I've got a lot going on this week, what with settling in to my new place and grading papers and whatnot, but I was excited to post these pictures of the bands we played with the other day (even though they kind of didn't come out). So this is going to be a kinda short overview, but definitely check these bands out if you can.


The first bit of news was that Most Ghosts no longer have their drummer or bass player, so rather than do some kind of Most Ghosts unplugged thing the two guitar players did two mini sets. Here's Daniel Harris, who did some effects-heavy guitar and vocals stuff. Lots of loops and layers and textural things, starting out quiet and pretty and then becoming loud and chaotic.


The other Most Ghost actually had a partner, forming an awesome electronic duo called Stereo Telescope. They had awesome danceable groves with minimalist guitar work -- kind of like a slightly updated New Order but with boy/girl vocals. Since boy/girl vocals is my favorite thing in the world I was extra excited.


Then we played, and finally the headliners -- Quiet Loudly. Really funny banter, great songs with lots of surprises. Lots of dynamic and tempo changes but with at the same time some pleasantly simple riffs. My only complaint was that there should be more singing and fewer long instrumental stretches (but you know me, I pretty much feel like all songs should have singing all the time).

Random Row 03/13/10

We're going to rock Random Row Books again this Saturday, so turn off, tune out, and drop in.

We'll be playing with Boston's Most Ghosts and Brooklyn's Quiet Loudly. Judging from the stuff on Most Ghosts' myspace they have some pretty intense two-guitar interplay that I'm really looking forward to seeing live so I can geek out over it.


Barring any major disasters at practice this week we're going to debut two new jams at this show, so if your reason for not coming was going to be that you've already heard all our songs, think again, spaz!