Last month, when we revealed the initial Pygmalion Music Festival lineup, I, like many readers, got geeked out of my mind. Major Lazer, The Head and the Heart, Dawes … I rushed to my calendar to pencil in the intial ticket sale time to make sure my fiance got an early bird pass. Then, of course, I got busy at work for fifteen minutes and came back to find out those early bird passes had sold out in just three minutes. I don’t know how many passes are left at the current price level, but if you were hedging before, you’ll definitely want to get a pass after this announcement.
Pygmalion Music Festival takes place September 26–28, 2013 all around C-U. Here is the final round of artist additions for the festival.
Perhaps the antithesis of Major Lazer, Kurt Vile and the Violaters offer fans a more relaxed experience. Though they may not be a party, these Philly rockers will definitely be bringing some good vibrations to C-U. Vile’s latest album, Wakin on a Pretty Daze, was released this year to high praise, including being named “Best New Music” by Pitchfork Media. Though Wakin is probably Vile’s most focused and accessible work, it does not stray far from his style, which has been described as “stoner rock” because of its spacious, chilled-out style replete with extended guitar jams. Vile plays down the “stoner” label he’s been handed, which makes sense, because his brand of indie folk is easily enjoyed by those who partake and those who don’t.
CORY CHISEL AND THE WANDERING SONS
Chisel & Co. fit very nicely into the festival this year, pairing well with acts like The Head and the Heart and Dawes. In the past, their endearing style of folk rock has earned them a chance to play with the world famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band on their benefit album and on NPR’s Mountain Stage. With a new album out next week, Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons might become one of the more highly anticipated acts at Pygmalion this year.
Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons — “Times Won’t Change”
Bleached is the creative outlet for sisters Jennifer and Jessie Calvin. These California girls create a very sunny brand of rock ‘n’ roll, with traces of punk and classic rock evident in their rhythms and harmonies. Their debut album, Ride Your Heart, got high marks from Mojo and NME and earned the band a spot on the Weezer cruise in 2014, which is pretty damn cool.
Don’t try to pin down Dessa. The rapper, singer, spoken word artist, writer, etc. has been hailed as “profound and moving” and “equal parts Ani Difranco and Mos Def.” Part of the Doomtree collective, Dessa has worked with artists like P.O.S. and Lazerbeak, but has also branched out to work with other indie hip hop acts such as Gayngs. Her new album, Parts of Speech, will be released next week and is as rich a mosiac as any of her previous albums. Along with Major Lazer, K. Flay, and locals The Struggle, Dessa adds a little more hip hop heft to an already diverse festival.
You may know Rice more for whom he has worked with than for his own material, but the names of those he has worked with should stand to prove just how talented a musician he is. As one-half of Jenny and Johnny, the producer for Jenny Lewis’ Acid Tongue, and a live musician in Elvis Costello’s band, Rice has done quite well in recent years.
Mark this group down as one of the most interesting on the bill this year. The band’s website says fans can expect to hear harmonica, contra bass, electric and acoustic guitars, drums, banjo, trombone, trumpet, and baritone horn at any given time and might even see the musicians trade instruments mid-song. To add to their mystique, Larry and His Flask have on their touring resume a stint with Wanda Jackson, as well as on the 2011 Warped Tour. If all of that doesn’t pique your curiousity, you might be in need of medical attention.
The work of Brooklyn composer Ellis Ludwig-Leone (who spent time working for Nico Muhly), San Fermin is “a pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition,” according to the band. Listening to San Fermin’s first single, “Sonsick,” I hear melodies similar to Dirty Projectors and Owen Pallet among the rich field of sound created by Ludwig-Leone. The band has only released the one song thus far, with a debut album due in September, so San Fermin may be one of those bands whose breakout comes right before they play Pygmalion.
From Ireland come Little Green Cars, who have taken on the states in a big way. Having already played SXSW, and scheduled to play at Lollapalooza, the band is quickly becoming a festival veteran around these parts. The band plays a harmony-rich brand of folk rock that is soft and pretty with a flair for noise and energy when it’s called for. This year’s Pygmalion is slightly heavier on the folk-influenced bands, which means Little Green Cars will fit in very well.
British lo-fi act Spectrals’ work recalls the sunny ’60s doo wop and pop sounds that catapulted Girls and Best Coast to indie stardom, but spends more time hanging around the hazy edges of that sound. Spectral’s new album, Sob Story, is out today and is filled with great Phil Spector-ish vibes.
This trio from Canada hails themselves as a “haute rock” band. While I’m not entirely sure what that could possibly mean, the way Young Empires employs world beats and sounds creates one incredibly danceable product. The band is somewhat reminiscent of Passion Pit and (recent) Ra Ra Riot, but without sounding tailor-made for a commercial. Should be a really fun band to see in person.
Young Empires — “Enter Through The Sun”
Count This Penny made their national debut on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, which should give you a pretty good clue as to what they’re like. A concise mix of folk, Americana, and pop, Count This Penny could be one of those surprise bands of Pygmalion this year, the one you’d never heard of before, but can’t wait to see again.
Hailing from Iowa City, this hip hop trio is working hard to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. The moniker AWTHNTKTS seems to serve as an umbrella for the band’s members, johndope, ION, and Romulan, to release their music. Each MC has his own style, but when they come together (like on “See What Happens“), the result is pretty spectacular.
AWTHNTKTS —”Romulan-Soft Wear”
LOCALS (listed alphabetically):
ANNA KARENINA / ANNA KARINA: It’s been more than a year since these Pygmalion vets released their last album, so it’s fair to expect something new and interesting from AK/AK.
BARROWE: Their debut split with The Stars, They Beckon is filled with great ’90s emo vibes a la Texas is the Reason, and they should be fun to check out.
BETAMAX BABES: There’s not much info about the band on Facebook (don’t call their contact number), but their slinky, sexy synthesizers will bring some summer sounds to September.
BONES JUGS N HARMONY: Google does not want to search for this band, but when you really make it do the searching you find a few really fun videos from Mike ‘N Molly’s that sound pretty much exactly like what you would expect from a band called Bones Jugs N Harmony.
DINO BRAVO: Consistently a good time live, Dino Bravo are no doubt going to rock Pygmalion, and hard.
EMILY OTNES: This young singer/songwriter crafts delicate, thoughtful music that will enchant listeners of all stripes.
FINER FEELINGS: Full diclosure: This is my band. All I can say is that we are very excited to be playing Pygmalion this year.
HANK.: Have we mentioned that these dudes got a shout-out from Wayne Coyne? Yes, well, let’s mention it again because that is pretty freakin’ sweet.
MILLE NOMI: Their blend of crunchy instrumentals and soft, female vocals works really well on their debut EP and is always intriguing in concert.
MOONWISH: Facebook says it best, “Moonwish is the music project of Megan Johns.” Johns is consistently great and I have no doubt her new project will be any less.
MOTES: The music of Motes is loud, shoegazey, grungy, summery, and melodic — and that’s just what’s on Bandcamp. With no releases since last summer, this group certainly has new stuff to share at Pygmalion.
SHADOWS ON A RIVER: This duo’s delicate bedroom folk recalls early Iron and Wine. Having released just a short EP last July, I’ll be hoping to hear something new from this group.
TAKE CARE: The band just posted that a new album was 85% mixed, so it’s fair to expect that album by Pygmalion time, right?
THAT’S NO MOON: Always busy, That’s No Moon will be making their third Pygmalion appearance this year after opening for HUM last year.
THE 92s: Just when you think you can pin The 92s down to a single genre, they do something different. Their sound blends pop, punk, folk, and rock ‘n’ roll into something all their own that is great fun.
THE STARS, THEY BECKON: Not much going with this band since the release of their split with Barrowe, but keep your eyes peeled; they’re primed for something good.
WICKED WALLS: Out of the ashes of New Ruins, members of the local rock band have formed this new project and are currently at work on their debut record.
WITHERSHINS: The single the band dropped on their bandcamp page back in April is really great and hopefully a sign of more to come from this shoegaze outfit.