For our annual FYF Fest preview post, Mario Cotto tells us the Boys to look out for at the 2-day event happening downtown this weekend, while Marion Hodges let’s us in on the ladies we need to see.
From KCRW DJ Marion Hodges:
Something something, feminism.
That’s how my intros to this post have tended to go throughout the years, so I figured that this year, I’d gloss over that part and get right into the good stuff!
Namely that is telling YOU which bands feature the rockingest ladies that you’re just going to have to see to believe!
In all seriousness though, part of the fun of this particular approach to an FYF Preview is digging deep.
To not just tell you about the bands with the greatest number of female members, the most charismatic front-women, or anything else that signifies overall rocker chick bad-assery, but instead to find those girls in the bands that are doing their part (no matter how small that part may be) to contribute genuinely wonderful music to the world.
So with that said, let’s get this thing started with the band that has the most female members of any band playing FYF this year, one of the most charismatic front-women, and certainly the most concentrated amount of overall rocker chick bad-assery that exists in any band, period.
The Breeders: You know why Courtney Taylor wrote a Dandy Warhols song called “Cool as Kim Deal” and in it sang the lyric “Just want a girl whose cool as Kim Deal?” Cause there really aren’t that many girls as cool as Kim Deal, and the search to find one must have been torture.
Kim is the epitome of cool — from her role as bassist for the Pixies (arguably the most influential band in indie rock), to fusing together a crazy alchemy of post-punk, riot grrrl, and near cinematic atmosphere into the illusion of a perfectly polished commercial pop song in the form of the Breeders’ “Cannonball”
Watch her exude some of that coolness as the “Last Splash“-era Breeders line-up takes the stage to perform that classic album from 1993 in it’s entirety for it’s 20 year anniversary!
(SATURDAY at 6pm — Carrie Stage)
Lemuria: One of my favorite things about writing this preview post is that I almost always discover a new (to me) band through it that I am absolutely in love with. Lemuria is that band for me this time around. They’ve been around since 2004, and have released three full albums, including their latest, “The Distance is So Big“, which I’ve been listening to incessantly.
They produce straightforward indie rock songs with a healthy nod of respect to their 90s forebears (like the Breeders!), but they’re doing it better than almost any other band I’ve come across in awhile. The lyrics are smart and fun, and the pacing is great. The song structures, especially the way co-lead singer/songwriters Sheena Ozzella, and Alex Kerns trade off their vocals are just so appealing.
(SATURDAY at 2:30pm – Miranda Stage)
Eleanor Friedberger: Along with her brother Matthew as the Fiery Furnaces, Eleanor Friedberger has contributed some of the most puzzling lyrics, oddly structured songs, and ultimately brilliant music to the world. With that project appearing to be on an extended hiatus, she’s turned her focus to writing solo material.
She’s released two albums under her given name thus far, and while the songs on them can certainly be considered straightforward “pop” songs, her unique voice shines through. I’ve never seen her do the solo thing live, and I would like to change that! (SATURDAY at 3:35pm — Samantha’s Tent)
Fear of Men: So where would a Girls vs. Boys FYF Preview be without a band called Fear of Men? Honestly though, this is a band that would make my list regardless of their name. Lead singer Jessica Weiss creates sonic landscapes that are beautifully written, and fit snuggly on the shelf next to the Post-Punk, New Wave, and Indiepop records that make up the bulk of my collection.
They’re coming all the way from Brighton England, and playing bright and early on Sunday. Let’s all be sure to sleep well on Saturday night to be there in time to give them a nice warm welcome! (SUNDAY at 3:15pm – Charlotte Stage)
— Marion Hodges