Pop rotation bright spot Ariana Grande (of the Big Pun-sampling “The Way” fame) keeps it 1990’s on new single the early Destiny’s Child-esque (complete w/ “yeah yeah yeah yeah’s”) “Baby I”. p.s. Grande girl can sing like crazy. Don’t miss it.
Ariana Grande 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.1
On Friday, Bjork returned to Chicago to headline Pitchfork Festival 2013’s opening night with her usual flair. And that night she was the coolest disco alien with a dandelion-head anyone has ever seen.
On the horizon, clouds edge closer to Union Park as fans wait for the Icelandic artist to display whatever soon-to-be-legendary costume she’d chosen for the show. “It’s got to be an octopus,” one fan says confidently. “She’s already been a swan. It’s got to be an octopus. I want a tentacle!” No one bats an eyelash. Why? Because it’s Bjork. She very well could walk out as a yeti in a tutu.
At last, she appears–an electric white form radiating across the stage. Her dress comes right out of a 70‘s sci fi movie, with bell hanging sleeves and confining skirt limiting her stance as she belts “yeeeeeeah yeah’s” and iconically purrs her r’s. She finished her intergalactic costume with Bjork-like uniqueness–an electric dandelion-like headdress (possibly the same worn at Bonaroo earlier this summer). She was literally a glowing, eye-catching marvel.
The set was a beautiful blend of the past and present–melding “Pagan Poetry” and “Joga” with “Crystaline” and “Moon” from her most recent album, 2011’s Biophilia. Her singers looked choir-like in their blue dresses, dancing playfully like children at a school concert until “Army of Me,” when they dispersed in a flank across the stage and rocked out–hair flying, arms flailing.
Electricity was a stage theme as Bjork consistently hit her arms out the to beat with production lighting popping in tandem–like lightning coming from her hands, briefly illuminating the dark stage. Above her, a box descends with electrodes pulsing from an orb, lighting held above her head. And then actually real lightning began, as if nature herself decided to accompany Bjork’s ethereal performance.
For the hour Bjork played, a stormy sky had slowly moved to encompass the stage until little spots of lightning grew larger and larger. Finally, it happened: a figure in a black shirt walked across the stage toward the Icelandic icon, halting the next song. After a pause, Bjork returned to the mic to share the message. “We’ve been informed by the weather station that we need to get off stage,” she begins as boo’s rise from the crowd. “But this isn’t high school, so I’m not going to listen.” If it were possible for the crowd to love her more, that statement did it.
But, just like in high school, the principal won. Seconds after her rebellious vote, a booming male voice informed the audience Pitchfork will be closing for the weather. Understandably, fans boo their disapproval. Some, for a few minutes chant, “One more song! One more song!” All to no avail.
It’s just as well the authority won the round because fifteen minutes later the storm rocked the city with wind whipping dust and debris and pelting rain so hard it tipped trashcans and battered leaves from trees. Bjork’s performance wasn’t the only musical casualty of Friday night: Pearl Jam had to abandon Wriggley Field and Phish stopped the first of their Northerly Island concerts. Needless to say, music lovers across Chicago did not return home happy last night.
Despite being cut off prematurely, Bjork rocked the first night at Pitchfork in a way only Bjork can do. Pitchfork fans can now only dream of the magic the rest of her performance might have been. But at least memories of the set include the eerily appropriate lighting accompanying her performance.
So what songs did Bjork fans miss out on?
-Mutual Core
-Hyperballad
-Pluto
-Nattura
-Sonnets/Unrealities
-Declare Independence
The full setlist can be seen here.
Bjork takes a few weeks off before she heads to Taiwan on August 10th and then finishes the Biophilia tour in Germany on September 7th.
Pitchfork Music Festival continues today and tomorrow with headliners Belle and Sebastian performing tonight and R Kelly (and rumored Bjork appearance) closing the festival tomorrow.
Review By J.L. Greene
Photo via bjorkbackstage
Sydney, Australia duo Jagwar Ma first hit the radar in late 2011 and have made considerable noise leading through 2013 with their, Madchester-esque, guitar and beat saavy psych-pop. Hot on the heels of their Time and Space Dub Sessions EP, the band has recently released their debut full length Howlin (Mom+Pop/Marathon) to much critical acclaim. B3SCI correspondent Brian Litwin caught up with Jagwar Ma vocalist Gabriel Winterfield to ask him a few questions about the Australian music scene, dream collaborators, props from Manchester ‘chief’ Noel Gallagher and more. You can check out the interview below, and for those of you in Los Angeles, Jagwar Ma will be headlining a mustn’t miss set at The Echo on October 4th. Tix and info here. We’ll see you there!
B3SCI: The name Jagwar Ma is definitely one that catches the eye. Is there a worthy story for it’s origin?
Jagwar Ma: To be honest the story changes slightly every time I tell it. I guess that always happens with things you can’t really remember. But The name comes from the combination of a close friend’s suggestion, a found object and Jono’s (bandmate Juno Ma) surname which is a type of Stallion from the times of Gengis Khan.
B3SCI: It’s refreshing to see such a well done music video as the one for “Man I Need” (watch it below). Is there any general idea or concept that you are conveying throughout the video?
Jagwar Ma: Like anything creative there is a concept that goes with the artwork. We wanted to see animated versions of ourselves. I know Fantasia was thrown around as a reference, as well as a few other things. Despite various youtube comments though, we’re not satanic illuminatis. rofl…
B3SCI: What does it feel like to have Noel Gallagher’s bode of confidence?
Jagwar Ma: It’s a great honor to hear of Noel Gallagher’s digging of our music. Though we do worry that it might put pressure on us! I should also add that in that same quote I believe UK band Temples were also mentioned.
B3SCI: Howlin’ is your recent 2013 album release and it could very well make it on to some top albums of 2013 lists. Where was it recorded, and going into the studio did you all have a general idea of how the album was going to come out… and how great it would be?
Jagwar Ma: Haha well I love your confidence in some of those calls, very kind indeed. I wouldn’t say that we knew how ‘great’ it would be, but I do know that Jono and I certainly had feelings and vibes that we wanted to evoke through our music. We recorded some in Sydney at Jono’s studio and even some parts in my bedroom style studio. We did some other stuff at a friends farm house in France, and then other parts we went to Berlin to work.
B3SCI: I hear all the late 80’s/early 90’s Madchester sounds on this album, but there is a lot more going on here. What are some of your influences that have helped you carve out your sound?
Jagwar Ma: Music is and always has been a part of my life, it’s very very difficult to narrow things down to just a few names without feeling like I’ve left someone or something out. It’s sort of like when you sit around with friends and talk about your top ten films. My top ten changes every week. I guess my opinion on direct musical influences do as well. Funnily enough I think that some of the more obvious pop references have gone unnoticed.
B3SCI: How has life on the road been for the band? Has there been a particular date that sticks out to you guys as a moment you will never forget?
Jagwar Ma: There are so many I lose count. I hadn’t written in my diary in a long time and when I began an entry the other day I literally started with “where do I begin?”. But playing Glastonbury was definitely an incredible experience that will go down in my life as one of best times of my life. I watched Azealia Banks and between one her songs she said “thank you so much, this is a great achievement for me..” and I knew exactly where she was coming from.
B3SCI: It’s hard for us being in California to get the full scope of the booming Australian music scene. Can you shed some light?
Jagwar Ma: I was in LA at the beginning of last year and I walked into a store and in the space of about half an hour I heard Gotye, Pnau and Cut Copy. By coincidence I was driving in my car listening to KCRW and one of our songs came on. At first I didn’t agree with a lot of press talking about the Australian scene, but now I’m starting to think that maybe there is something in the water…
B3SCI: What are some of your favorite acts coming out of AU right now?
Jagwar Ma: There are a few, but I don’t want to say, because I don’t want people to hype them up haha I feel like I’m nurturing new saplings. They need to grow on their own first, before the world discovers them!
B3SCI: If you could pick anyone to be a featured vocalist on one of your tracks, who would it be and why?
Jagwar Ma: Tyler the Creator. But the only catch is that he has to sing. I know that he sings on his records, but I like what he has to say, and I think his voice would really cool to capture in a really raw no pitch shifting/autotune/melodyne way. The true voice as it were..
Interviewed by Brian Litwin
Jagwar Ma 
(Facebook) (‘Howlin’ on iTunes)
Chi rapper Mick Jenkins grabs a couple of his fellow bros in the 312 incl. emcee of the moment Chance The Rapper for a vibed-down jazzy tones On Gaud produced slow creeper.
Mick Jenkins 
(Twitter)
Rating 8.4
Texan Jesse Woods’ beautiful playfully plaintive folk gem “Gold in the Air” is preview here from his forthcoming debut Get Your Burdens Lifted LP, due August 6th on Guns in the Sun.
Jesse Woods 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
The gorgeousness that is Canadian artist Sundays new track for “Delicate” is not to be taken lightly. Do not take this beauty lightly. “Delicate” which Sundays also self-produced features among other very cool/strong qualities a vocal performance that while hushed and almost hypnotic in its simple easy repetition is among the most affecting set of melodies (and their execution) maybe of the year. This is the sort of music we want to play everyday at any hour. Sundays’ debut EP Of Eros and I is out in September.
Soundcloud 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
The Yuck are back (or at least the new Yuck; having replaced their lead singer following their last record) with the MBV-esque “Rebirth” and (we don’t use this very lightly) it is spectacular. On “Rebirth”, Yuck harness the instrumental girth and emotional casualness of classic shoegaze, while ably blending it soaring hooky pop melody; Yuck manage that without sound hokey, kitsch, or worse yet like Catherine Wheel or Chapterhouse. Rejoice! Yuck’s sophomore LP is due later this year on Fat Possum.
Yuck – RebirthRating 8
The Vek man goes in on Fun Adults’ recent (& great) “For Water” single embellishing up the percussion, shining up the vocal with some unique and dare we say mildly innovative layering and giving the overall track a glossier, more compact, can bounce to it if you like finish. The mix came about initially over a Twitter exchange between the two principal parties which is cool enough and has inspired us to throw our own remix request to Timbaland (@timbaland).
Rating 8
“Rich Girl” an oft-covered topic in popular song. Hall & Oates (naturally) commented that a rich girl can be capricious being able to “rely on the old man’s money” absolved her from responsibility for her actions (incl. ones of the heart). Gwen Stefani made it a point in her track w/ Ruff Ryders First Lady Eve to declare that no man’s financial assets would hold sway over her affections if she were one (a rich girl). (TOTEM) a new American R&B artist takes a bit different viewpoint, proclaiming in that the wealthy girl in his song’s question by virtue of having it (wealth) and knowing what to do with it, or how to use it, makes her that much more attractive and above the vagaries of your basic ham and egger sort of gal.
“Rich Girl” is a great song. There’s a spontaneous, visceral, immediacy-of-the-moment quality to the track that really enhances its believability and its power; you really believe (TOTEM) and you believe his “Rich Girl” character is real; like someone you know. It’s that emotional intimacy that makes “Rich Girl” particularly special. The comparison both melodically and thematically to Frank Ocean is an obvious one but whereas Frank is maybe a more cautious cooler narrator, (TOTEM) seems (within the context of each note, each vocal line) to crave, demand, want the listener’s attention and that pull and magnetism makes “Rich Girl” (for the listener) singularly rewarding.
(TOTEM) 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
The latest posse cut to capture the B3 imagination is Atlanta MC’s Que’s “Young Nigga” remix featuring Migos, Juicy J, and Bobby Ray. Spoiler alert: Juiceman raps about banana clips in this one too.
Que 
(Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.0
B3SCI in July = All FTSE all the time. No other artist, in any genre has captured as much of our attention or listening hours as much as the UK-based producer. Check out FTSE’s latest mix for London psych-pop outfit Cloud Control and their track “Dojo Rising”.
FTSE 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.2
Since SXSW (incl. an appearance at our B3 party), NYC based SKATERS have been touring non-stop behind their recent “I Wanna Dance” single. They’ve supported Potugal. the Man and even headlined a 30 dates in one month tour of the UK. We recently caught up on the phone with SKATERS frontman and lead singer Michael Ian Cummings to talk about the band’s forthcoming debut album, this summer’s Lollapalooza slot, their limited edition art-zine Yonks, as well as their forthcoming US tour opening for Palma Violets and more (tour dates listed below).
The band is celebrating an NYC homecoming this Friday (7/19) with a special headlining gig at The Bowery Ballroom. Get info and tickets for the show HERE.
SKATERS 
(Facebook)
TOUR DATES
09/15 Phoenix, AZ Pub Rock
09/17 Austin, TX Red 7
09/18 Dallas, TX Dan’s Silverleaf
09/19 New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jacks
09/21 Miami, FL Gramps
09/22 Orlando, FL The Social
09/23 Atlanta, GA Drunken Unicorn
09/24 Birmingham, AL The Bottletree
09/25 Nashville, TN The Basement
09/27 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brendas
09/28 Albany, NY Pearlapalooza
09/30 Boston, MA The Sinclair
10/02 Washington DC DC9
10/03 Columbus, OH The Basement
10/04 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
10/05 Madison, WI High Noon
10/06 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock
10/08 Denver, CO Larimer LoungeBreak
10/14 Seattle, WA Neumos
10/15 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
10/16 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
10/18 Berkeley, CA UC Berkeley
