The Days of Lore

Surf City kill

Friday, December 10th, 2010 | musiX | No Comments

I went to New Zealand for two weeks in 2007—a wonderful blur of camping with locals, Steinlagers, fishing, Monteith’s, good friends, a wedding, Steinlagers, a trio of Germans and, of course, talking about NZ music with whomever was game (while drinking Steinlagers).

New Zealand’s importance to indie rock can’t be measured, even if the output of good bands has waned in recent years (though, TDoL can never get enough of the Mint Chicks). Auckland’s Surf City don’t necessarily break new ground, but rather stay true to the sounds that preceded them, made by like-minded Kiwi forefathers The Clean and The Chills. That’s a good thing. Warm, fuzzy guitars never go out of style. Neither do dark, pop hooks. And Surf City (formerly Kill Surf City) ably delivers on both.

Of course, none of that would matter if the songs themselves weren’t any good. But on their debut full-length Kudos (released not on Flying Nun, but rather Fire Records) Surf City make a good racket while going beyond three-minute pop songs (dip your toe into the eight-minute “Icy Lake”). But since you’re here, and I happen to like three-minute pop songs, you get the title track and “Crazy Rulers of the World.” Needless to say this six minutes of guitar pop pairs well with a Steinlager.

“Kudos” - Surf City

“Crazy Rulers of the World” - Surf City

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Tags: Kudos, New Zealand, Steinlager, Surf City, The Chills, the Clean

World of Barbara Manning

Friday, December 3rd, 2010 | musiX, pdX | 1 Comment

Barbara Manning has kept a low profile over the past few years—playing shows mostly in her home base of Chico, California—but those who are in the know, know (and are all very beautiful, intelligent people).

With no new records to speak of you might think she’d called it a day. Impossible—I’ve seen her notebooks and tapes filled with pure pop gold. Manning has recorded and performed songs with new bands like The Sleaze Tax and Champion, and more recently a short-lived power pop band called Rocket 69 that performed with her NZ heroes The Clean in San Francisco to rave reviews. Her latest endeavors have kept with the spirit of her past lives in SF Seals, World of Pooh and her first band 28th Day, which reunited for one show in Chico back in August. Of course, Manning continues to spin obscure, weird, under-appreciated records on her radio show Radio Detour while performing occasionally, reinventing her own songs and those of other obscure, weird, under-appreciated artists.

In 2009 she sent me a CD with some recent recordings, one of which was “Wishes Don’t Tie You Down,” a dark and stunning psych-pop number that still gives me chills, and is arguably one of her best. I’m counting on hearing it this weekend when Manning makes a rare trip to the Pacific Northwest (her first in almost a decade) for a pair of solo performances—one in Seattle and one here in Portland with Michael Hurley. Expect an arsenal from her own songbook, as well as some obscure, weird, under-appreciated surprises. Does it get any better?

Barbara Manning performs Friday, Dec. 3 at the Sunset Tavern in Seattle, and Saturday, Dec. 4 at Slabtown with Michael Hurley and Flash Flood & the Dikes.

“Wishes Don’t Tie You Down” - Barbara Manning

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Tags: "Wishes Don't Tie You Down", 28th Day, Barbara Manning, Michael Hurley, Portland show, Rocket 69, SF Seals, the Clean, World of Pooh

Barbara Manning: From me to you

Monday, December 1st, 2008 | musiX | 1 Comment

I always thought you were supposed to get starstruck on that first encounter with someone you admire. Barbara Manning made it difficult. She was sweet and approachable. She liked my band. This was the woman who played with New Zealand indie rock royalty including The Clean’s David Kilgour and Graeme Downes of The Verlaines, had Calexico as her backing band, recorded a string of albums for Matador Records. Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore even called her one of San Francisco’s best songwriters. Despite all that, I ended up befriending her rather than fawning over her.

I met Barbara a few years ago through some mutual friends. All I could think of was The San Francisco Seals‘ cover of The Verlaines’ “Joed Out,” which appeared on 1993’s No Alternative with bands like Pavement, Beastie Boys and Nirvana. That was my first introduction to her music.

Name-drops aside, Barbara Manning simply writes amazing pop songs. Any critical acclaim—from her early years as vocalist and bassist for Chico indie band 28th Day, through her solo albums and rock bands like S.F. Seals, World of Pooh and The Go-Luckys!—is deserved. She’s never had tremendous range, but her voice is pure, strong and comforting. Sometimes it sounds like she’s singing to you in conversation, her voice floats and her words slip into these sort of poetic stanzas.

Barbara Manning’s name isn’t all over magazines these days. And sometimes I don’t think she’s appreciated enough in her hometown of Chico. But those who are in the know know better. She’s still writing songs, and has loads of notebooks filled with lyrics and probably more than a few tapes with hummed melodies that may or may not see the light of day. But I have a feeling there’s something on the horizon …

Aside from performing solo Barbara Manning is fronting two bands—pop-punks The Sleaze Tax and twang-janglers Champion, the latter of which recorded a cover of Portastatic’s “Through With People” set to be released on Merge Records in January to honor the label’s 20th anniversary, along with Apples In Stereo, Okkervil River, Death Cab For Cutie and Times New Viking. She regained control of her back catalog and recently launched a new Web site. Barbara also rejoined Calexico during the group’s sold-out September 28 performance at the Fillmore to perform her song “Better By Bounds.”

I’ve known Barbara Manning for almost four years now. We ended up becoming good friends. I played in a band with her. Wrote a song with her. We worked together. Finally, I get to fawn over her.

“Better By Bounds” - Barbara Manning (Champion)

Tags: "Better By Bounds", "Joed Out", 28th Day, Barbara Manning, Calexico, Champion, David Kilgour, Graeme Downes, Matador Records, Merege Records 20th Anniversary, No Alternative, Sonic Youth, the Clean, The Go-Luckys!, The San Francisco Seals, The Sleaze Tax, the Verlaines, Thurston Moore, World of Pooh