A FULL SCOOP

We now have the full performances from the artists that had  sessions with Matt the Ice Cream Man!

Check out the full performance from The Temper Trap @ the Sasquatch Festival.

SASQUATCH DAY 3 - SHE & HIM

PHOTOS:CORY RADKE

SASQUATCH DAY 2 - THE XX

PHOTOS:CORY RADKE

SASQUATCH DAY 2 - LOCAL NATIVES

PHOTOS:CORY RADKE

SASQUATCH DAY 1 WRAP UP

DAY 1 @ Sasquatch was amazing! We had the opportunity to see so many great sets from some of our favorite artists.  We also met some truly amazing people and got to see first hand why Sasquatch is so magical.

Some highlights from the day were Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Middle East, The National and a ton more.   The lineup was out of control!!

We will have a full report later in the week.  Continue to check back for daily photos, tweets & more.

musicbleep.com + twitter: @musicbleep

SASQUATCH DAY 1 - MUMFORD & SONS

PHOTOS:TONY CRAGO

BOOKA SHADE IS SASQUATCH!

For those of you  going to Sasquatch to dance, check out Booka Shade Sunday, May 30 at MIDNIGHT at the BIGFOOT LATE STAGE.  There's a little something for everybody.

The duo recently released MORE!, their fourth full-length release, on May 4 via Get Physical Music. With its 11 tracks and 45-minute running time, More! is a complete, self-contained work that is expecting to be judged, not against the latest faddy dancefloor trends, but against the other classic albums. Like Bjork's Debut, Hot Chip's The Warning or even Massive Attack's Blue Lines, it is an album of modish electronics, strong emotions and rich melodies, which is both of and transcends the dancefloor.

Explains Arno Kammermeier, one half of Booka Shade, “We wanted this album to be more energetic with strong grooves and of course the typical Booka Shade melodies and atmospheres that we love. The album takes you through every stage of the night out; the excitement before you go out, the party, the late, late night, a bit of paranoia...and then the sunny morning of a new day.”

Arno and partner Walter Merziger for the first time on any of their albums have collaborated with guest vocalists, sharing the limelight with electronic pioneers Yello on the song “Divine” and Get Physical favorite Chelonis R. Jones, electropop’s first cosmosexual antihero on the album’s first single “Bad Love.”

SASQUATCH OR BUST!!

On a big jet plane on our way to cover the 2010 SASQUATCH! MUSIC FESTIVAL @ The Gorge in Washington.  Check back all weekend long for everything SASQUATCH...photos, interviews, updates & more! 

http://www.musicbleep.com/ & follow us on Twitter: @musicbleep for up to the minute updates!

SHE IS SASQUATCH!

At the tail-end of the Summer, just before work began on her second album, Laura Marling sat down with producer Ethan Johns to discuss her ambitions for the record. She gave Johns just two instructions: "This is very much my stepping stone," she told him. "And this is England."

I Speak Because I Can is indeed a coming of age, its 10 songs imbued with a richness and a ripeness and a sophistication. It is also an album marked by its quintessential Englishness. For all its American instrumentation, its shades of Crosby Stills and Nash, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, these songs are no pale Americana interpretation; rather they are tales of snow-covered England, of blackberries and cold noses, songs that are deeply rooted in place. It is as if in the months since we saw her last, Marling has sought out her own identity, and found herself to be thoroughly English, unapologetically female, and a fully-fledged musician in her own right.

Marling was, after all, just 17 when her debut Alas, I Cannot Swim was released in the Winter of 2008. Alive with stories of past lovers, night terrors and hearts that tick away like hourglasses, Alas was an exceptional record, revealing Marling to be in possession of not only a voice that was pure and bright and uncommonly beautiful, but also a remarkable songwriting talent that belied her years. Its successor, recorded during Summer 2009 at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios near Bath and Eastcote Studios in London, revels in a new maturity, at points, Marling's voice sounds a little harder, a little world-wearied, alongside a lyrical bluntness, a thematic darkness, a realisation that, as Marling puts it: "I'm not good all the time, but I try to be."

Marling, credits many of Johns' earlier records (among them Ray LaMontagne, Kings of Leon, Emmylou Harris, Sarabeth Tucek) with kindling her interest in music, had long admired his way of working, his use of reels, his quiet, traditional methods of production. Recorded live, I Speak Because I Can includes contributions from many of Marling's peers — among them Pete Roe, Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwane, Tom Fiddle and Winston Marshall, who provide a robust musical counterpoint to Marling's lyrical introspection. "As much as I love those boys, I'm not in control of them; they want to play fast and hard," she says. "But I think that's what's nice about the record: I have my bit of incredible self-indulgence and then they kick it back into real time."

Perhaps it is a sign of Marling's growing maturity that there is a strand of womanliness that runs throughout this album: "I think it was feeling the weight of womanhood, or the greatness of it, coming to terms with it is something that I thought was quite interesting," she explains. She was inspired, she says, by "the changing role an idea of Women throughout history."

Accordingly the album's penultimate track, the exquisite title track I Speak Because I Can, is in part rooted in the story of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus. She says "the idea of her waiting for him to come home, and the very old-fashioned sense of man and woman, and monogamy, that's quite amazing and truly fascinating. That is probably the most pretentious thing I can say about the album." In What He Wrote, we find a song inspired in part by a series of wartime love-letters and diary entries Marling saw published in a newspaper: "The writing that they did, I love that, the way their passion is expressed. And you could feel in their letters, a longing to be with each other." There was one diary passage in particular that stood out to Marling: "It was about letting him go, physically letting go, how you can't let go, and about turning to stone. And I suppose it's like what a break-up is — you just can't let go of it, no matter how much you want to. And I thought it was such a beautiful thing, as a metaphor for forgiveness, and letting go of things that you need to, or confronting things that you need to."

Alongside these broader themes, I Speak Because I Can also addresses more intimate subjects; the intriguingly-named Alpha Shallows, for instance, Marling explains as "Kind of a codename, because this was kind of personal. And not that I don't write personally, it's just that I do it mostly at arm's length. I think when I wrote it I was worried that perhaps it was almost a bit too pathetic. And so in my diary I was referring to people as Alpha Shallows and stupid codenames and... God forbid anyone ever read my diary." She says she has "forgiven" her younger self for writing the more obviously personal songs that appeared on her first EPs and even her first album: "the first songs you write are always going to be about yourself. It's about finding the right balance of experience and turning that into something that's very much meaningful to you but not too blood guts and hearts."

One of the album's undoubted highlights, however, is also one of its most intimate songs, Goodbye England, a rumination on love and independence and also a wistful tribute to the English countryside that seems to hinge upon the line: "And I never love England more than when covered in snow." "All of this album is a lot about my childhood," Marling says, "and I grew up in the countryside and you can hear a lot of the countryside in this album. I feel very English. And I obviously look bloody English. And I'm away on tour a lot and sometimes, especially in the Winter, I want to be at home, and I want to live in the house that I want to live in when I grow up, with a fireplace on a farm." She has, she says, a very vivid memory of walking near her childhood home up to the local church, "When I remember my Dad saying 'Please bring me back here before I die.' I was probably about 9 when he said this to me and I remember thinking 'What an horrific thing to say!'. But I hope I go back there before I die. I've got quite long roots in England, and because I grew up here, the beauty of England resonates with me more than any other kind of beauty. And I think that ends up defining you as a person, where you're from, and you can acclimatise to anything, but the wind of England shakes my bones."

A couple of years ago, Marling recalls, she was gripped by a quite crippling fear of death, a subject that surfaces subtly throughout this record. "I don't think you ever get over that fear of death, but it was causing me panic attacks which became uncontrollable, so I had to face it," she explains. "With a fear of death comes a fear of insignificance, and I thought well, whatever happens I'm going to be ok because I've done some things. It's not about being something as in being famous; it's being something as in being something to someone. And for me, the idea of being something is actively doing something with your life that positively impacts other people. If you can make people's day a bit better. You don't have to fix their problems, but you just have to make them feel a little more secure."

Saturday, May 29 12:50pm to 1:35pm Bigfoot

http://www.lauramarling.com/

THEY ARE SASQUATCH!

Local Natives make soaring, sky-scraping harmonies, dreamy orchestral melodies, and throbbing tribal beats that bash their way into your soul. Theirs are songs you can dance to almost as well as you can swoon to them. Drawing a line from the vocal stylings of Crosby Stills Nash & Young and the Zombies through the more esoteric edges of post-punk and Afro-beat, this California five piece have communally crafted a brand of indie rock all their own.

For Local Natives everything is a collaboration, from song writing duties to the band’s self produced artwork. The three part harmonies come courtesy of keyboardist Kelcey Ayer, guitarists Ryan Hahn and Taylor Rice. Then there’s Matt Frazier on drums and Andy Hamm on bass, who look after the band’s equally impressive graphics and artwork.

One of SXSW 2009’s biggest success stories, the band drove for two days to get from Los Angeles to Austin in order to play nine spectacular shows that saw them sprinting, instruments in hand, from one gig to the next. Their hectic schedule paid off as Local Natives left Austin with the attention of the UK music Industry.

Based in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, three of the five-piece originally hail from Orange County. Kelcey, Ryan and Taylor attended neighboring high schools and hooked up with bassist Andy a year after they graduated, later meeting drummer Matt. They’ve been playing – and evolving - together for three years. Last year, however, the band realized that the new songs they were writing were the sounds of a new project entirely.

It was in December 2008 that the band decamped to Silver Lake, where they all live in the same house. But the Silver Lake digs isn’t the first house the band have shared. They lived together in Orange County too, in a place affectionately known as Gorilla Manor. “It was insanely messy and there were always friends over knocking around on guitars or our thrift store piano,” says Ryan, “it was an incredible experience and I’ll never forget that time.” The original Gorilla Manor, where the band wrote the majority of their record, had such an impact that the band has paid tribute to the house by naming their debut album in its honor.

The self-funded Gorilla Manor was recorded by Raymond Richards in West Los Angeles. Richards produced the record with Local Natives in his own Red Rockets Glare Studio.

Featuring twelve sumptuous slices of dappled California sunlight and beguiling percussive rhythms, the album kicks off with the moody, driving, ‘Wide Eyes’. Says Ryan, “It’s about people’s obsession with the miraculous and disastrous…with witnessing extraordinary events”. The effervescent, mandolin boasting ‘Airplanes’ follows, which Kelcey explains is about “longing to have met my grandfather, a great man and pilot, who died before I was born.” Also included is the glorious ‘Sun Hands’, which was released as a limited edition single on Chess Club back in July. According to Taylor, the lyrics describe “that all too familiar feeling of wanting what you can’t have – especially when you once had it.” There’s a cover version in the mix too, a barely recognizable version of Talking Heads’ ‘Warning Sign’. “We’ve basically flipped the song on its head,” says Matt, explaining how they switched David Byrne’s original yelped vocals into a beautiful three-part harmony.

Sunday, May 30 1:30pm to 2:15pm Bigfoot

• http://www.localnatives.com/  

HE WAS SASQUATCH!

The infamous dancing guy at Sasquatch last year. This might be me in just a few days...

HE IS SASQUATCH!

THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH

When fans lined up to see the sold-out Bon Iver performances at New York City's Town Hall in late 2008, few of them went with any expectations of the opening act. But the audience that night, and on every other night of Bon Iver's tour that December, were introduced to something special, something unforgettable: The Tallest Man on Earth. This was the first of several tours for the Tallest Man on Earth (aka Kristian Matsson), with obsessive crowds growing each step of the way.

Earlier in the year, The Tallest Man on Earth had released one of 2008's most powerful records, one that Pitchfork praised, calling Matsson 'a natural-born folksinger, earnest, clever, and comforting.' Shallow Grave could not have been more simple, just Matsson's commanding vocals with an acoustic guitar or banjo, recorded at his home in Dalarna, Sweden. Although the album was released on the Swedish label Gravitation without the help of widespread distribution, the story of The Tallest Man on Earth spread far and wide through word of mouth.

It is impossible to discuss The Tallest Man on Earth's music without acknowledging Bob Dylan. The seemingly effortlessness, the melodic sensibility and the deft lyricism all recall Dylan's early years. But when you witness the Tallest Man on Earth perform live, you are watching a man possessed. The energy pours out with every word. Full of intensity and raw emotion, he paces the stage, bringing the audience into the palm of his hand, completely lost in his songs.

This brings us to the reason you are reading this. With unbridled excitement, we bring you The Tallest Man on Earth's second LP, The Wild Hunt. It is all here: The words. The voice. The melodies. Ten perfect songs. The Wild Hunt picks up where Shallow Grave left off, with Matsson doing what he does best. It is unmistakably The Tallest Man on Earth, from the urgent strums of 'You're Going Back' and the sweet melodies of 'Love is All,' to the playful lyricism of live favorite 'King of Spain' and the subtle hook on 'Burden of Tomorrow.' The Wild Hunt isn't just another folk album; this is acoustic rock 'n' roll from a man with a story to tell.

Sunday, May 30 2:35pm to 3:20pm Bigfoot

www.myspace.com/thetallestmanonearth

I heard The Tallest Man On Earth on KCRW a few weeks back before I even knew I was headed out to Sasquatch.  His voice was amazing and I knew right away that I had to check him out.  He's also from Sweden, that alone is all i needed...we all know how much I love the Swedes!! 

THEY ARE SASQUATCH!

MIIKE SNOW

A large portion of the people involved in the “creative” side of the music business spend their entire career dedicated to the singular goal of recognition, specifically the type that gets you recognized – be it magazine covers, billboards, TV, etc. In a culture obsessed with becoming famous, what do we make of artists who chose to remain anonymous? Or, for that matter, use a jackalope as their visual representative?

This brings us to Miike Snow. Up to this point they’ve remained pretty mysterious, proving nearly impossible to find any information about, photographic or otherwise. Man? DJ? Robot? Miike Snow is a band. Swedish duo Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg are childhood friends who spent time playing in bands and working on various projects in studios throughout Gothenburg. After separate moves to Stockholm they reunited in 2000 when their paths crossed with American Andrew Wyatt to write a pop album for a someone else. The release was small, there was little distribution and an alleged large sum of money was lost in the process The three stayed in touch and a friendship was formed and in 2007 Miike Snow was born.

Karlsson and Winnberg’s backgrounds in the DJ scene and punk bands alongside experiments in progressive electro and new rave lead to a series of writing / producing stints with Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears – culminating in their Grammy win for Best Dance Recording with her song “Toxic”. Wyatt has been a member in Black Beetle (with Joan Wasser) and The A.M. (with Michael Tighe). He had an album come out this year with the band Fires of Rome as well writing and producing the new Daniel Merriweather album with Mark Ronson. Miike Snow’s self titled debut is a full band collaboration, showcasing their deft mastery of the studio while acknowledging each members unique talent for songwriting, production, arrangement and performance.

Finally ready to step out of the studio, but not the shadows, Miike Snow is set to be released this summer. Recorded in Stockholm in the 400 year old home used to house King Gustaf III’s mistress, Miike Snow bristles with confidence. It’s intelligent pop music that has the ability to cradle taste making purists and reach anthemic heights. Showcasing melodic songs built for the anything goes environment of the club, Miike Snow will make anonymity an impossibility.

Saturday, May 29 6:20pm to 7:05pm Bigfoot Stage

http://www.myspace.com/miikesnow

This is one band I have been wanting to see for a long time, so I'm definitely making sure to catch them @ the Bigfoot Stage. They also have 4 SOLD OUT shows in Southern California starting May 30, which I'm hoping to attend at least one as well.

SASQUATCH WEEK!

Woot Woot...we finally made it to Sasquatch Festival week. This Friday musicbleep heads to Washington to check out one of America's HOTTEST festivals. Memorial Weekend becomes Sasquatch Weekend as some of the hottest bands take over The Gorge. We will have a full on crazy report throughout the festival, so make sure to check back hourly to see photos, reviews, interviews and more!!

This week on musicbleep.com, we will feature some of the artists participating in the fest. Also this week, Angus & Julia Stone have a few shows in L.A. as well as The Uglysuit. I can't wait!

WE ARE SASQUATCH!

I am sasquatch from Seth Zeichner on Vimeo.

We just got some BIG news! Musicbleep will be attending this year's Sasquatch Music Festival in Washington. It's going to be INSANE...just look at the lineup! We can't wait to bring you all the Sasquatch craziness in just a few short weeks. Stay tuned to musicbleep.com for all the latest Sasquatch Festival news and updates as we get ready to head up to the Pacific Northwest for one of the country's biggest music festivals.

Saturday, May 29th
My Morning Jacket / Vampire Weekend / The National / Deadmau5 / Broken Social Scene / OK Go / Nada Surf / The Hold Steady / Miike Snow / Brother Ali / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / The Posies / Minus The Bear / WHY? / Portugal. The Man / Mumford & Sons / The Lonely Forest / Nurses / The Middle East / Patrick Watson / Laura Marling / Fool's Gold / Shabazz Palaces / Z-Trip / The Very Best / Dam-Funk / Morning Teleportation / Garfunkel & Oates / Moshe Kasher / Brad / Patton Oswalt / Brent Weinbach / Dawes

Sunday, May 30th
Massive Attack / Pavement / LCD Soundsystem / Tegan and Sara / Kid Cudi / They Might Be Giants / Public Enemy / Dirty Projectors / The xx / The Long Winters / Midlake / Caribou / Girls / Vetiver / The Tallest Man On Earth / Avi Buffalo / City and Colour / Cymbals Eat Guitars / Fruit Bats / tUnE-yArDs / Local Natives / Freelance Whales / Jets Overhead / Booka Shade / Simian Mobile Disco (DJ set) / A-Trak / YACHT / Mike Birbiglia / Rob Riggle / Luke Burbank / Rory Scovel / Martina Topley Bird / Langhorne Slim / Dinosaur Feathers

Monday, May 31st
Ween / MGMT / Band of Horses / She & Him / Passion Pit / The New Pornographers / Drive-By Truckers / The Temper Trap / Mayer Hawthorne & The County / Boys Noize / Camera Obscura / The Mountain Goats / Dr. Dog / Quasi / Yes Giantess / Jaguar Love / No Age / Japandroids / Telekinesis / Fresh Espresso / Phantogram / Past Lives / Shadow Shadow Shade / Neon Indian / Hudson Mohawke / Craig Robinson / Todd Barry / Bobcat Goldthwait / Hannibal Buress / The Heavy / Seattle Rock Orchestra