Somebody go see these guys and come back with information, man i would if they were anywhere close by.
GOASTT TOUR DATES
Thursday 5/22/14 - The Crocodile, Seattle, WA (w/ Syd Arthur)
Friday 5/23/14 - The Imperial, Vancouver, BC (w/ Syd Arthur)
Saturday 5/24/14 - Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR (w/ Syd Arthur)
Tuesday 5/27/14 - Bluebird, Denver, CO (w/ Syd Arthur)
Wednesday 5/28/14 - Waiting Room, Omaha, NE (w/ Syd Arthur)
Thursday 5/29/14 - Wooly's, Des Moines, IA (w/ Syd Arthur)
Friday 5/30/14 - 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN (w/ Syd Arthur)
Saturday 5/31/14 - High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI (w/ Syd Arthur)
Sunday 6/1/14 - Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL (w/ Syd Arthur)
Tuesday 6/3/14 - The Hoxton, Toronto, ON (w/ Syd Arthur)
Wednesday 6/4/14 - La Sala Rossa, Montreal, QC (w/ Syd Arthur)
Thursday 6/5/14 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY (w/ Syd Arthur)
Friday 6/6/14 - Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA (w/ Syd Arthur)
Saturday 6/7/14 - Brighton Music Hall, Boston, MA (w/ Syd Arthur)
Sunday 6/8/14 - Mountain Jam Festival, Hunter, NY
Thursday 6/19/14 - State Theatre, Cleveland, OH (supporting Beck)
Friday 6/20/14 - LC Pavilion, Columbus, OH (supporting Beck)
Saturday 6/21/14 - Zanzibar, Louisville, KY
Sunday 6/22/14 - Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA
Tuesday 6/24/14 - MASS MoCA: Joe's Field, North Adams, MA (supporting Beck)
Wednesday 6/25/14 - Place des Arts, Montreal, Canada (supporting Beck)
Friday 6/27/14 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, Canada (supporting Beck)
Saturday 6/28/14 - Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI (supporting Beck)
Monday 6/30/14 - Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, NY (supporting Beck)
Thursday 8/21/14 - For Noise Festival, Lausanne, Switzerland
I stuck around for about half of their set after Syd Arthur played and I have to say I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
The easy critique is "rich kid and his rich model girlfriend are in a rock band cuz they're bored", but there's some real substance to what they do. Some of the music is a bit too derivative of "I Am the Walrus" for my liking, but for the most part they did a nice job.
Sean is a credible guitar player and chicky-poo was competent on bass and vocals, though there was a groan-worthy moment after the first song when she was bitching to the sound guy about not being able to hear anything and Sean reached over and turned her receiver on.
The rest of the band were also good, even if they've clearly been told "look like you just stepped out of a 1970 blues rock band". I'd like them more if they went from the psych rock thing into more of an early Renaissance direction, and who knows. Sean seems to be happy to chase his muse in all sorts of interesting directions.
My verdict: Not necessarily prog, but definitely worth a listen for those into late 60s psych rock.
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
I just got the CD last night. I've spun it twice so far. I think it's nice, and interesting... and there are definitely a few standout tunes, which are the ones they have been doing on TV & in videos. Though, I can't put my finger on it, but something is missing. It might be that it sounds a little too "crafty" in the studio, and there's not a whole lot of substance playing. Sean plays almost everything on the album, which may result in the lack of a band feel. Lots of short keyboard bits thrown in here and there, and little guitar squeaks and moans, and all sorts of toys. But never a real extended lead or run of any sort. The vocals are toned way down, you can't really understand anything they sing, and it's obvious neither have really strong voices. Charlotte can't really sing, IMO, she might as well be Linda McCartney.
So, I'm starting to imagine this is Sean noodling around for a year in his home studio, and then making strange videos with his hot & often topless GF. Much of it is really derivative, like I'm listening to Strawberry Alarm Clock or something. Which isn't my current listening choice, as nicely done as it is.... so it might just come down to that. Still, I don't get the sense that the hippy vibe is genuine though, it all seems crafted. Which, is a nice talent, and a few songs are pretty cool...
Last edited by Man In The Mountain; 05-23-2014 at 10:34 PM.
You know, I checked out some of his solo stuff on Spotify and found it really interesting and inventive. He's clearly a very creative guy with a good musical ear. I'm a little reticent about the overt psych-pop archetype he's trying to corner, but I can't help liking the sound of it and the twisted chord changes. There seems to be an overall substance deficit, but it's good entertainment with a solid attempt at subversive flair on a few levels.
In a live setting she doesn't sound bad (in fact, one of their selling points for me was the harmony vocals). Though I admit technology can do wonders these days...
Couldn't agree more, especially if you've seen photos of them from just a couple of years ago. It's like they said, "Hey, I love that 1969 psych music. Let's put a band together and play it. We can even grow our hair long and wear funky clothes. It'll be FUN!"I don't get the sense that the hippy vibe is genuine though, it all seems crafted.
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
thenewno2 (The new number 2) Is flipping amazing. Dhani has a great voice, really great phrasing, just a great band. Period.
I understand a lot of the comments above, but i have to say, Sean and Dhani are two incredibly talented buggers.
Maybe Sean wants to emulate things about his dad, psychedelia etc, but seriously, if that's a guy just playing around at something, he's effing really good at wanking around!
I'm really looking forward to seeing him in NYC!
Yeah. Do a google search for Charlotte Kemp, and you'll see her little boobies. Or, watch their new Moth To A Flame video... Her nipples peek out all over the place. You can also look at the cover art of the new album, and her bare breast is peeking out at the bottom of the Sean's drawing. (Sean drew the cover art)
Also of note, he's 38, and she's 26, and they have been dating for 8 years. Do the math...
Last edited by Man In The Mountain; 05-23-2014 at 10:31 PM.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
OK, I did the GIS. Yes, very nice. But hey, she's not just some dilettante according to her Wiki page:
Charlotte Kemp Muhl is a self-taught guitarist, also a multi-instrumentalist, with the instruments she plays including the Bayan (accordion)...Muhl has stated on a number of occasions that she uses much of the funds she earns from her lucrative modeling career to fund and produce her music
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
Saw them last night and I thought they were really good. Robbie Seahag Mangano from Project/Object plays guitar with them. Sean was also pretty good on guitar, did some nice slide work during "Moth to a Flame".
It needs to be said also, that the packaging of this CD is an oddball. It comes in a really THICK cardboard digipack. The cardboard is so thick and stiff, you can barely bend it open.... it is much, much thicker than cardboard used on vinyl record sleeves - (if that was their intent to make it like an album). It was difficult pulling the CD out, and even harder getting the booklet out. Surprising, since Sean & Charlotte are such hipsters, you would think the packaging would be trendy cool, non disc scratching, and save a few trees. I would almost believe that Sean & Charlotte made these packages themselves with glue and cardboard.
Then there's the artwork, which was drawn by Shawn, and is very amateurish. I would say it's at art school level, not something I would contract out as a professional to illustrate for me. Charlotte did a strange picture collage with the Easter Island statues in the gatefold. She made the mistake of putting herself in the center of the picture, and her face gets bent up in the spine of the packaging. All of the art has a sort of make-shift, college doodle, type feel.
Last edited by Man In The Mountain; 05-24-2014 at 09:37 AM.
For some reason many artists cannot see their own shortcomings when it comes to reaching beyond their core disciplines. There have been numerous times when a great musician decided they could design their own album/CD packaging with hideous results, that I'm surely they don't even realize. I recall a double live ("This Was Now") release that I got at a Robin Trower concert. Apparently, he did the artwork himself. It's hideously amateurish. And, being a designer myself, I am sensitive to personalization. But not at the expense of aesthetics.
Last edited by ronmac; 05-24-2014 at 09:33 AM.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
^^ Of course, one could accuse Sean's mother of doing the same thing with her singing.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Me too, exactly. And with Sean being 38, you would think he would have a pretty business-like attitude to such things, as packaging. But, it's as though he's like a college kid expressing himself with his art, no matter how crude it is. Yeah, I'm getting Yoko on my radar!
I should clarify (and I know I'll get berated for this) that I am not referring to Yoko's screeching, which is another topic altogether. I see that as an artistic expression, like any other instrument, no matter how grating and unlistenable it is. But, when she tries to actually sing...
In fact, another example that hits home is George's Electronic Sounds cover:
Yeah, I realize, the experimental thing, but still...
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
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