It Sound returns

The second release by It Sound, the 7 track EP "Air Tosses", has just arrived and you can get it for free from End Up Records here. You can say that the new EP is the younger brother of "Hard Pop For Blue Trees", It Sound's 2010 debut LP, offering us another slice of the deliciously lo-fi, hard pop and experimental bop sound we had so much enjoyed last time. The cover art, once again, is by Pascal Le Gras whose handiwork will be very familiar to all Fall fans.

Here's the video for "An Approach", one of the new tracks that pops and bops on the winding path laid out by Wire:

An Approach from It Sound on Vimeo.

And here you can read our interview with It Sound mastermind Jesse Damm from last year.

It Sound interview

As someone who has recently invested on a new pair of hi-fi speakers, I have to admit that I do appreciate music with good production values. There is no denying, though, that some of the most gratifying music in rock history was made on the cheap, with beat-up instruments, in makeshift studios or even bedrooms, in glorious lo-fi.

The spirit of DIY is still going strong three and a half decades after the punk revolution and in this feature it is our pleasure to introduce you to someone who skillfully put the theory into action and crafted his own sound with nothing more than a Danelectro guitar, a Korg drum machine, percussion and a Tascam 4-track. Meet Jesse Damm, the New York-based creator of the experimental bop sound which you can hear in "Hard Pop for Blue Trees" his debut album as It Sound. Jesse talked to us about his background, where he picked up his first guitar, what are the basic ingredients of his hard pop sound and how he hooked up with Pascal Le Gras, the artist behind some 30-plus album covers for The Fall. I should also point out that the photo you see above is taken by George Seminara, director of several Ramones videos and producer of the documentary "It's Alive". Here’s our little Q&A:

"Hard Pop" is your first album as It Sound. Any previous experiences in music making you’d like to share? 

It Sound is the beginning, though there were seeds planted in the past. I played drums with Rob Vasquez of Night Kings and Dawn Johnson of the Gorls and the ManTeeMans, along with her brother Kim, in a short-lived band. And then Dawn and myself and their 6-year old girl had a band for a bit after that. Then, It Sound started in 2008. Seattle is filled with friends in bands. I did other things while they made music. Now, I make music and many of them do other things.

I’ve read that you were born and raised in Seattle, Washington, but you learned to play guitar in Varna, Bulgaria. What’s the story behind your travels and did you happen to visit Greece while in the Balkans?

I like a good shakeup. I decided to move on impulse to a place I knew nothing of. I wanted to consider seasons more often than seconds. I got this by living in Bulgaria, where I remained for 2 years. I wrote. I painted. I walked. I grilled mackerel and ate tomatoes and cukes. And I bought a guitar and began transferring philosophical ideas on processes and art and life to a musical instrument, a new mode of expression for me.

I made several trips to Greece. One of the most memorable was a spent alone in Kavala and onward to the island of Thassos, where I hiked and swam and ate fish every day for about 10 days.  This was after the tourist season, so by that time the island was mostly locals. I also spent some time in Thessaloniki, and Mount Olympus, plus the monasteries of Meteora. I’ve always wanted to live on Hydra for a year or so. Hopefully, this happens at some point in time. Greece is one-of-a-kind. Very special.

What are the basic ingredients of your "experimental bop" sound?

Instruments, mood and minimal takes. Where some people have guitar sounds in their head growing up, I definitely heard beats, and my music reflects this. But the sound originates in the instruments I use (Korg drum machine, Danelectro guitar, percussion), a willingness to push all the knobs to their extreme and taking a cue from the emotion I am feeling at that moment. Never is the aim to be esoteric. Quite the opposite, in fact. I want to make each song as catchy as a Tommy James song and then see where I end up. Usually, the song ends up in a very interesting place that’s entirely my own. I truly believe in rock and roll and its power. I’ve had so many experiences of pure elation by hearing a killer song. It’s transformative.

You’ve recorded the album on a 4-track recorder. Is this the choice of a lo-fi enthusiast or is it an economic necessity?

A friend gave me his Tascam 4-track. I started It Sound the next day. I recorded 20 volumes of work on it. Now, I’m recording digitally because the 4-track started acting up. I don’t prefer one over the other, really. I just like getting things done. I will add that Weasel Walter did a great job mastering my tunes for vinyl and digital.

Apart from a contribution from Rob Vasquez, "Hard Pop" is basically a one-man show. Does it ever get lonely writing and recording by yourself? Any plans on expanding It Sound’s line-up in the future?

By the way, having Rob Vasquez on the record came from an idea to have a scratch across the vinyl like you would find on a used record. But it would be by an artist. In this case, a punk, a misanthrope and a legend. More people need to hear the catalog of his from Night Kings to Nights and Days to Ape Lost to The Gorls to Right On to ManTeeMans to The Look to Pissed Off Zombies to Nice Smile. An original. That’s very hard to find in rock and roll. In regards to the question, I don’t ever feel lonely. Don’t know why. There are always people around. Perhaps a live It Sound will show up someday in the future though. I’ve got some ideas.

You have some very interesting collaborators in the art department. What’s the story behind the collaboration with Pascal Le Gras, a man responsible for some of my favorite Fall covers?

Pascal has been a part of my imagination since I was a teenager. His covers for  The Fall and Jazz Butcher seemed to meet the artists at a middle point instead of just decorating their music. They weren’t just cool, they satisfied me. I contacted Pascal and sent him my record. He responded positively and with a desire to work together. Ever since, we’ve been doing It Sound and some other projects, as well. It’s an honor, as I see his paintings and video work to be enormously forward thinking as well as primal. They resonate with people across borders and seemingly across time. Plus, they’re beautiful. I never dreamt of making a record as a kid, but I did think about interacting with Pascal Le Gras.

The album is available digitally and on vinyl but not on cd. Do you think the cd's days are numbered?

If I had to prioritize musical formats, it would be 1) vinyl 2) digital 3) a yet to be created method of distribution 4) cds. Nothing against them. I own lots. But vinyl does visual and sound better and digital does ease-of-use better.

Favorite albums and bands past or present? What would be your choice for Album of the Year?

Some favorite albums: All Leonard Cohen records. The Hook - "The Hook Will Grab You". The Chiefs - "Blues" 45. Night Kings - "Increasing Our High" LP. T. Rex - "The Slider". Plastique - "De-real" 45. Traveling Circle - "Handmade House". The Bizarros - self/titled LP. The Fall - "The Infotainment Scan" LP. The Apostles - "Hymn to Pan" LP. Felt - "The Strange Idol Pattern and Other Short Stories".

And my favorite album of the year would have to be Ariel Pink - "Before Today".

It Sound – "Hard Pop for Blue Trees" can be found on iTunes, eMusic, Amazon.com, Mog.com. Vinyl can be bought at www.itsound.us

Wednesday Playlist 2

For the second edition of our midweek playlist series we have selected music by Gang Gang Dance, Pit Er Pat, New Young Pony Club, Jen Gloeckner, The Gaa Gaa's, It Sound, Metro Decay, Twin Shadow, Wild Nothing, Warpaint, Effi Briest and Indian Jewelry. Click the link below to jump to the playlist page on MySpace and start listening:

CMC Radio: Wednesday Playlist 2 - Second Communion

Here's the details of the 12 tracks on our 47 minute mixtape:

1.  First Communion - Gang Gang Dance 

From "Saint Dymphna", one of our favorite albums of 2008.

2.  Godspot - Pit Er Pat 

From "The Flexible Entertainer", a 2010 favorite and a perfect companion to the Gang Gang Dance LP.

3.  Chaos (Rory Phillips Mix) - New Young Pony Club 

One of the singles from their second album "The Optimist". N.Y.P.C. are playing tonight in Athens and we're planing to be there - expect a complete report soon!

4.  Die (featuring Joseph Arthur) - Jen Gloeckner

Storming track off "Mouth of Mars", Jen's second album.

5.  Voltaire (Single Version) - The Gaa Gaa's

Debut single for the promising Brighton, UK band (out November 1st)

6.  I Live for the Future (All Day!) - It Sound

One of the best tracks on the forthcoming LP "Hard Pop for Blue Trees", a lo-fi treat from Jesse Damm aka It Sound. The album is out October 26 with cover art designed by Pascal Le Gras, whose handiwork has graced several album covers of The Fall over the years. Listen to it here.

7.  Skies ("Shadows") - Metro Decay

An early '80s classic single of the Greek new wave scene. It still sounds great today and it was recently re-released from Eirkti Music

8.  Slow - Twin Shadow

A brand new track from 4AD's latest signing Twin Shadow which sounds perfectly at home next to the early '80s new wave sound of Metro Decay. Download it for free here. The debut album "Forget" was released this week.

9.  Chinatown - Wild Nothing

From the 2010 album "Gemini", a treat for fans of '80s indiepop with a psychedelic '60s twist.

10. Undertow - Warpaint

Warpaint are becoming a regular fixture in our playlists. Debut full-length "The Fool" is out next week - expect heavy rotation!

11. Long Shadow - Effi Briest

Experimental psychedelic sounds and tribal rhythms from the album "Rhizomes" - the playlist comes full-circle and returns to the starting trancey mood set by Gang Gang Dance and Pit Er Pat.

12. Oceans - Indian Jewelry

The circle is complete with the opening track of Indian Jewelry's mesmerizing LP "Totaled". Come back for more next Wednesday.

Effi Briest - Long Shadow