The Republic Tigers: "Made Concrete" Video

When they were first mentioned on Stranded in Stereo as a Band of the Week, The Republic Tigers had me sold by the song "Made Concrete." In the past two years, it has seriously been one of my favorite songs, one of the few on their debut album Keep Color about lead singer Kenn Jankowski's divorce. So now there's a video for "Concrete," a video I dreamt up in my head a thousand times over, a thousand concepts the band did not go with. Instead we find Jankowski in an out of body experience and the rest of the band performing surgery. I don't think it's Grey's Anatomy and that's probably a good thing.

The Republic Tigers do Daytrotter

As we approach that time of the year where we start compiling our Top Albums of the Year lists, I keep wanting to revisit Keep Color, that Republic Tigers record I have blogged about 437 times already. Ok, so 437 is a slight exaggeration but I bet including this one that is either the 3rd, 4th or 7th time this year I've written about these Kansas City folks.

So, anyway, as you go on and compile said albums lists, consider this awesome Daytrotter session the Tigers did recently. Their five song set finds them stripping bare the palette of Color, presenting us, the listeners, with some lush and beautiful takes on some of the best songs of this year. Download the session and read up on what the band thinks of these songs right here.

2008 in Music So Far, Part 2

Today we conclude our two-part segement with the other albums that could end up in my Top 10 when 2008 rounds out several months from now.

Mason Jennings - In The Ever

There's nothing I love more than a record that has a down home feeling, the feeling that you are in the room with said artist as they lay down the tracks that make up a masterpiece. That's the vibe Jennings gives off with his first album on Jack Johnson's Brushfire imprint. Listen to the piano clang over to your right on "I Never Knew Your Name"; get your campfire-sing a long-boot stomp game face on for the crowd pleasing "I Love You And Buddha Too." But what makes this album imperfect, or feel more like an EP or collection of outtakes, is the strangely displaced live track right in the middle. What's up with that, Mason? [Buy Here]

Nada Surf - Lucky

As much as I love these guys, I cannot say enough about how this album is missing something. Actually, it's not that it's missing something, it's all there. It just needs to be arranged a little bit better. If anyone has read my review, you'll know that I was upset with how the album was resequenced at the last minute or whatever, moving original closing number "See These Bones" up to lead off which was just totally bizarre. The rest of the first side stayed intact, while someone played 52-pick up with the second side. But at the middle, at the heart of the record is quite possibly their finest moment in "Are You Lightning?" A song I once thought was about impending parenthood is about what I really thought it was about anyway: impatiently waiting for true love to find you. [Buy Here]

R.E.M. - Accelerate

I decided last year that I was going to finally make due on something I had wanted to do for quite a while now. Upon completion of their new album, I was going to finally go and see R.E.M. in concert. Sadly, I did not, but that doesn't mean they haven't made their best album in a decade. yes, the purveyors of the Athens legends are true when they say this is their "return to form" album, I'll totally drink the Kool-Aid on that statement. I read somewhere online how "Man Sized Wreath" reminded them of GBV, so I immediately put it back on and, by God, Peter Buck's guitar licks totally mimic that of Doug Gillard. Or was it Doug that stole from Peter? Haven't we all borrowed from them anyway? They do have the whole Godfathers of College Radio title to hold on to. [Buy Here]

The Republic Tigers - Keep Color

Allow me to be honest - upon first listening, this album did not do it for me. It had great moments, like "Made Concrete" that I had been salivating about for well over the past year. For some reason, I felt Color was paling towards the end. But with every listen I'd find something new to enjoy about it, a new favorite song, a new sound not heard on the last listen. And before I knew it, it became clear that Color wasn't so dull after all - it was bright and full of life. And with this mention, they have to be the band I have blogged about the most so far this year. [Buy Here]

The War On Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues

And from most blogged about to a record (and band) I've yet to even mention here. This album has been under my radar for several months and is one of the best things to come out of my homestate of PA since, well, ever. The 10 minutes that it takes to get through the licks and drones of "Show Me The Coast" are so epic that, thanks to the updates to Muxtape, it'll open a future mix as I'll challenge all to get through it. But it doesn't stop there! The album is covered in swirly guitars and dirges that haven't been displayed with such pinache and style since "Teen Age Riot" 20 years ago. Sonic Youth fronted by The Boss? That's all you can say about them. [Buy Here]

SIS At The Club: The Republic Tigers

The music of The Republic Tigers can be warm, almost harps on to ambient at times, kind of like lead singer Kenn Jankowski. I've known Kenn for many a year: we first met in 2003 when The Golden Republic (then still The People) were opening for Nada Surf. A little over a year later, TGR had done an in-studio on my radio show, and would return to my alma mater before the school year was out to play a show I would book. Walking down the steps last night at the Middle East, Kenn Jankowski was walking up. With a quick mention of his name, he would turn to me, exclaim "What the hell are you doing here!?", and deliver me a huge hug. He bought me a drink, and we caught up since it had been just over three years since we were in the same room.

TRT is bound to blow up sooner or later. Their live set last night opening up for Subtle and Black Moth Rainbow showed why. Their may be a lot going on inside the songs that fill up the space on their debut, Keep Color, and I was curious to see how they'd pull it off live - and they did. Jankowski's vocals shifted shape without issue - Ryan Pinkston's acoustic guitar was a bit quiet at times (but it might be because I was right up in the front), but the three electric guitar assault on "Golden Sand" and set closer "Fight Song" made up for that. What also helped that song succeed live was not only the guitar trifecta, but the drum circle Jankowski, Pinkston and drummer Justin Tricomi pull off in the songs instrumental passages from verse to chorus. They were loud and they were thunderous. Evacuate now we will.

The Republic Tigers Set List
Weatherbeaten / The Drums / Feelin' The Future / Made Concrete / The Nerve / Air Guitar / Golden Sand / Contortionists / Buildings & Mountains / Fight Song

The band make their national TV debut tonight on The Late Show with David Letterman. You know I'll be watching.

Say Hello To: Soft Reeds

So, I've given enough attention lately to The Republic Tigers that it's time to move on to the other spawn of The Golden Republic: Soft Reeds. Around the same time TRT were spotted in TGR's top friends on MySpace, so were Soft Reeds, the new project of singer Ben Grimes.

Activity on their MySpace page had been rather dormant for awhile, until over the weekend when a bulletin was sent out informing the world that new demos from the upcoming Soft Reeds album, which may or may not be called Let's Get Old, were available to check out. It also appears that Mr. Grimes has packed up and found himself in a new town, relocating from his beloved Kansas City to his new home of Nashville, the musical capital of everywhere.

The three new songs show a different canvas in which Grimes is painting upon. "A Brave New World" finds Grimes entering said new world, which is true - new "band," new location - thinking why, why, why. "Thick Of Thin Things" somewhat reminds me of the Republic he once fronted, with its keyboards humming and distinct guitar playing, filled out in the chorus by ghostly backing vocals. And there's "Look Back In Anger," which could be a retort to the Oasis tune that has a similar title, that could be an outtake from the BJM's Thank God For Mental Illness.

All in all, what Grimes is cooking up sounds rather promising: if the songs sound this good as demos, who knows what he could come up with in final versions for a release. He informed me the other day he's hoping to wrap work on the album soon and finalizing a line-up to bring the show back on the road. And that's a good thing, because it just means I get to keep spreading the gospel even more on what ever happened to one of the best bands that broke up too soon.

Stream: "A Brave New World," "Thick Of Thin Things," "Look Back In Anger" [here]

*Also be certain to check out the MySpace page for the original demo of "Buildings And Mountains," that was a Golden Republic live staple long before it was Republic Tigers track, as well as "Hemel Dalingen," the last recorded jam released by TGR before they disbanded.

The Republic Tigers Touring With Tally Hall, Nada Surf

I really can't stop listening to this new record from The Republic Tigers. We're a month away from Keep Color being unleashed to the world, and the band hits the road tonight in Albany with Tally Hall. They also just announced a handful of dates with those Nada Surf boys I also enjoy rather immensely, which you can find on their MySpace

Republic/Tally Tour:
04/08 Albany NY - Jack Rabbit Slim's
04/09 Clinton NY - Kirkland Arts Center
04/10 Northampton MA - Iron Horse
04/11 Westport CT - Toquet Hall Teen Center
04/13 Boston MA - Great Scott
04/14 Brooklyn NY - Southpaw
04/15 New York NY - Bowery Ballroom
04/17 Washington DC - DC9
04/19 Plymouth MI - Salem High School

Also, be on the lookout for an interview I recently did with the band, which will hit the web next week.

Download: "Buildings & Mountains" [mp3] // [Buy Here]

The Republic Tigers to "Keep Color"

About a year ago when the ole SiS blog was started, and we brought in that Band of the Week feature, one of the first bands to grace the sidebar was Kansas City's The Republic Tigers. In the last year, I think it's safe to say that things have worked in the band's favor: they've recently signed on to be the flagship artist of Chop Shop Records, have released their four-song EP, and now have readied their debut full length, Keep Color, due May 6th.

The quintet, fronted by ex-Golden Republic (oh how I miss them, sniffle) guitarist/keyboard player Kenn Jankowski, the band fuse together elements of folk, psychedelia, and symphonic electronic pop that adds up to equal only one thing: catchy catchy good music. Of the dozens songs that make up Color, several of them were featured over the last year on their MySpace page and they've had me eagerly anticipating their debut, especially "Made Concrete."

The band will finally leave the confines of the state of Missouri to premiere their new material at SXSW, and will hit the road later this year to support Color. Make sure to check out their MySpace page where you can stream their EP and learn more about one of the bands you soon will be reading about everywhere.

Because you need to hear "Made Concrete":


Keep Color:
01 Buildings & Mountains
02 Golden Sand
03 Feelin' The Future
04 Weatherbeaten
05 Air Guitar
06 The Nerve
07 Contortionists
08 Fight Song
09 Made Concrete
10 Give Arm To Its Socket
11 Stranger To The Eyes Of A Child-Man
12 Cast On, Cast Off

SXSW Appearances:
Mar 13 Cedar Street Courtyard, Filter Party (12:45pm)
Mar 13 The PureVolume Ranch, PureVolume Party (7:00pm)
Mar 15 Chop Shop Records / Atlantic Records Party (4:45pm)

Download: "Buildings & Mountains" [mp3]