Yes, you heard me right, spring snow. Good ol’ April in the midwest.

As cold and blustery as it was outside, the serene music of Jamila Woods made the Englert a warm space to spend the closing night of the 2018 Mission Creek Festival.

I hadn’t really known much of Jamila Wood’s work before going to this concert, other than her captivating vocals on the chorus of “Sunday Candy” by Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment, a band featuring Chance The Rapper.

Even just the small snapshot of her unique voice that I got from that song immediately made me want to hear more.

During the concert, Jamila treated the audience at the Englert to “Sunday Candy,” but with her own personal twist.

The song was transformed from its lighthearted mood to one of deep emotion with a connected melody and underscoring drums and guitar that only enhanced the piano backing of the original version.

Collaboration between Woods and Chance has stayed strong, with Chance being featured on the song “LSD” from her new album HEAVN, released last year.

LSD can certainly undertake another, hallucinogenic meaning, but in the song’s case it stands as an acronym for Lake Shore Drive.

The well-known road stretches along the shore of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago, where Jamila, the members of her band, and Chance The Rapper all hail from.

Much of the lyrics in Woods’ music originate from events in her own life.

Ranging from nationwide issues such as race, gender, social injustice, to more personal interests like Chicago, and even as specific as the mild sauce at Harold’s Chicken, as she divulged during the concert, inspiration can truly strike anywhere.

Chill songs with swanky beats may seem like an odd description, but I feel as though it pretty much encapsulates the tone of Woods’ music. The layering of sounds play a big part in HEAVN, with many of the tracks containing a dreamlike background of drums,  keyboard, and guitar that underscore the soulful timbre Woods’ voice.

Even though many of her songs are easy-listeners, they don’t come without intricacies. Woods plays with syllables, splitting words in several of her songs into interesting rhythmic breaks.

On stage, Woods was just as smooth as her vocals. Moving freely to the beats of the music, she infected the crowd with her calm vibe and graceful presence.

She even paused between songs to say goodbye to one of the members of the “amazing squad of girls dancing in the front,” as she called them, who had to leave the concert early.

Everything looked and sounded effortless. Behind that ease is a very powerful woman who spreads a message of love and equality through lyrics and the written word.

Woods has also gained a following through her poetry.

In fact, she read as part of the Mission Creek Keynote Reading at The Mill alongside authors Hanif Abdurraqib and Alissa Nutting the day before her performance.

Often, her written poems are integrated through lyrics or spoken word, as was the case with one song during the night that started with her reading out her original poem, Blk Girl Art.

The poem takes a meta approach, analyzing the meaning and effect of poems themselves. Words have endless power, and Woods takes that power into her work.

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Sharon Udoh, Adam Hardy, and Seth Daily make up the band, originally from Columbus, Ohio. Udoh supplies extraordinary lead vocals and piano, Hardy on guitar and harmonies, with Daily rounding out the group on drums. They have released two albums, Opened and Shut in 2013 and Opposable Thumbs in 2017. Both showcase a three-person band with the talent and spirit of an entire orchestra.

Udoh’s relationship with her music, band members, and the audience all created a lively atmosphere that kept everyone’s eyes locked on the stage throughout the entire performance. Her fiery stage presence, only enhanced by her bright red hair, was chocked full of amazing moments, from several extensive piano solos to an impassioned conclusion of a song, belted out while lying on the floor between the feet of audience members. The group’s unapologetically fun and soulful sound erupted off the stage and into the ears of listeners.

https://youtu.be/zqe-3f_aSWE

Blending together different genres, tones, and tempos, Counterfeit Madison’s music transcends that which one might hear on the radio. “I Hope It’s Alright” for instance, integrates jazzy piano and heavy guitar and drum parts, while also including sections of delicate vocal harmonies between Udoh and Hardy. Each instrument is featured in various and fascinating ways, one of the most interesting being Hardy’s percussive use of the guitar in a few songs, almost mimicking the echoey sound of those little-coiled door stoppers when bent and then released.

Udoh was a powerhouse on stage, making each song unique and giving it the utmost energy. Fingers flying across the keyboard while belting out both high and low melodies, the passion she exuded throughout the night was immeasurable. While her presence during the performance was intense, the moments between songs exposed her genuine and humorous personality. After making her way into the crowd and sprawling onto the floor after a particularly upbeat song, Udoh’s first words when recuperating and coming back to the stage were “Just talk amongst yourselves,” and “I hope I didn’t spill anyone’s drink.”

Always with a smile on her face, the 37-year-old musician mentioned how Iowa culture is somewhat different from what she is used to back in Ohio. “I don’t understand what is with you people from Iowa. Everyone here is so nice.” Listing off all the accommodations and friendly interactions she has had since being in Iowa City, Udoh further connected with the audience who was rooting for her and the band from the music alone.

After a performance of insane musical skill and vivacity, the crowd wanted more. The band had already begun to pack up their instruments to make way for the group playing after them, Daily even taking one of his standing cymbals off the stage. But the audience had become so infatuated with the group that the whole back room inside The Mill chanting for one more song. With one more joke about the overly kind nature of Iowans and the go-ahead from the show director, they began an encore piece, received with uproarious applause.

The atmosphere was charged with excitement as the band went through their last song. Just as upbeat as the rest, feet tapped all around the restaurant. No one wanted the set to end. Counterfeit Madison’s live performance is unparalleled fun, but their energy is forever palpable through music, whether in person or through headphones.

https://youtu.be/MLWjylNrOm0

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Although you’ll typically find them called “indie rock” or “indie folk,” the truth is that Wye Oak is a tough band to pigeonhole owing to their immense stylistic flexibility.

While the Baltimore-based duo — composed of vocalist Jenn Wasner and instrumentalist Andy Stack — might stick to straightforward and introspective folk on some tracks, others find them cranking out roaring shoegaze or taking on elliptical indie dance.

Regardless of what sounds they choose to explore, it’s a given that this band is one that will break new musical ground with each new album.

That’s not to say that Wye Oak lacks an instantly recognizable “trademark sound,” however. They do, but it doesn’t lie with their genre or instrumentation. Instead, the one constant with the band’s music is their earnest and heartfelt lyrics and the passion with which Wasner — a distinct, highly emotive vocalist — sings them.

Isolation, longing, and spiritual desperation are foremost among the topics Wye Oak’s music addresses. Wasner’s voice — throaty, weary and lived-in — lends effortless authenticity to these heavy themes. When she tells us “I don’t need another friend / when most of them / I can barely keep up with them,” as she does on the their 2011 breakthrough Civilian, her strained tones make it easy to feel as though the admission comes from personal experience.

Wasner is wholly convincing the role of lovesick siren, but don’t be mistaken: befitting their stylistic diversity, Wye Oak are also capable of tackling moods far beyond simple melancholia. Swirling psychedelia, fiery romance, and unveiled sensuality are all in play.

There is, too, a recurring sense of religious awe, nakedly expressed in a way that is unusual for an indie rock band. On Civilian and its sister EP My Neighbor / My Creator, Wye Oak crafts a primordial-feeling world where encounters with spirits, rituals and all powerful creators are an ordinary part of day to day emotional life.

The effect is not to proselytize but to create a sense of wonderment any listener can tap into, regardless of their beliefs. Wasner might sing openly of holiness, but she’s also happy to leave its source open to interpretation. Consider these songs hymns for the “spiritual but not religious” crowd.

Wye Oak’s April 6th performance at the Englert Theatre will coincide with the release date of their most recent album, The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs, giving Iowa City concert-goers a unique first chance at hearing the new songs live.

If the title track, linked above, is anything to go by, the new album will continue the band’s streak of inventive, elaborate rock; skronky guitar combines with multi-tracked vocals and big, almost stadium-worthy choruses to create an ambitious, crowd-pleasing experience uncommon to indie rock in 2018.

The question remains — will the rest of the new tracks stack up? No promises, except for this: catch them at Englert this Friday, and you’ll be one of the first to find out if Wye Oak’s track record as one of the most exciting bands in contemporary indie rock holds up. It’s an opportunity that makes this concert rank among Mission Creek’s can’t-miss performances.

The post Mission Creek Festival Promo: Wye Oak @ The Englert Theatre appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It includes music, literature, performances, and many more. Honestly, I’m pretty stoked for it this year for many reasons, but today I’m gonna focus on one artist that I’m truly hyped to see: Julien Baker.

Julien Baker is a singer/songwriter from Tennessee, pulling listeners in with her smooth slowcore, indie rock/folk style of music.

There isn’t much production to her music — it’s just her stunning voice and her guitar.

If you’re looking for some chill music to listen to, you should definitely check out Julien Baker.

Now if you regularly read any of my articles, then you will know that I loooovveeee pop punk music and punk shows.

But I also love chill, vibey acoustic music, so I think this will be a show that you won’t want to miss.

You can catch her at Gabe’s on Saturday, April 7th at 10:30 p.m. Don’t forget to check out Squirrel Flowers at 9 p.m. as well.

Back to Baker — can I just say how much I admire her? She’s only a year older than I am and I feel like she has accomplished so much.

During her freshman year of college, she self-released her first album on Bandcamp in winter of 2014, which then became her first studio album “Sprained Ankle” in October 2015.

She followed up with her LP “Turn Out The Lights” in 2017, with help from Sorority Noise’s lead singer Cameron Boucher (!!!). What I love about it is that it feels so raw, and it tells a story of vulnerability and resilience.

TBH, it’s the perfect music to chill to, study to, vibe to, cry, etc. I honestly can’t wait to see her live because I want to see that raw emotion in person.

I mean, just watch this episode of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert and try not to cry. Lmk how that goes.

Make sure to check out Julien Baker at Gabe’s on April 7th, and while you’re at it, head on over to missioncreekfestival.com to check out some other cool artists who will be making an apperance!

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