Les Savy Fav - Interview Questions

Les Savy Fav have agreed to conduct an email interview with me prior to their headlining appearance at the Sled Island music festival in Calgary. I am writing an article about them in an upcoming issue of FFWD.

Here are the questions I have in mind. Let's hope I get a reply.

Q1)
Internet sources say that Les Savy Fav have a new album in the works. Possibly slated for late 2007. Can you tell us anything more about it?

Q2)
Many young and hip bands (Thunderbirds Are Now!, etc) cite Les Savy Fav as a huge influence on their sound. What is currently influencing Les Savy Fav's sound? What are you listening to at the moment?

Q3)
You are playing Calgary for the first time ever. Not only that, but you are one of the headliners for the first annual Sled Island festival. How did you hear about the Sled Island festival? How did this booking come about?

Q4)
Les Savy Fav's live show is infamous. There were crazy pictures of your show at SXSW online. What can Calgarians expect on June 30?

Q5)
Can I make a song request? I vividly remember the reaction I had as I listened to 'The Slip' playing on the radio late one night. That was my first exposure to your music. I remember how excited I was to hear the distinctively ebullient drum beat for the first time. Since then, I've listened to the album Go Forth regularly. Do you have any memorable encounters with fanatical fans you'd like to share? What other songs do people yell out for during your shows?

Q6)
There's a band called Jetplane Landing who wrote a song on their new album, Backlash Cop, called 'Why Do They Never Play Les Savy Fav On The Radio?' Is this a question you've ever asked yourself? What answers have you come up with?

Q7)
Has your songwriting style changed since your band's inception at Rhode Island School of Design twelve years ago? What creative process does LSF follow? Are your song arranged beforehand? Do ideas get fleshed out from jams? Are lyrics conceived first, or after the music?

Q8)
Are you spending any time in Calgary before or after the show? Do you need any help thinking of things to do while you're in the city? Many musicians have said that the collection of rare and unusual keyboards at Cantos Music Foundation is one of Calgary's more hip attractions. Here's a link with more information:
http://www.cantos.ca/collection/collection.html

Volta

I wrote this article for FFWD Weekly, but it turns out they couldn't use it. It was going to be a double review in next week's issue, but they ended up having to cut one of them to save space. Here it is:

BJÖRK
Volta
One Little Indian

Self-proclaimed “Techno voodoo” without compromises or mainstream ambition

Since Björk Guðmundsdóttir’s 1992 Debut solo album, her music and public image have been daring and flamboyant - with each successive album being a vast departure from the previous. 2004’s Medúlla, was almost entirely vocal-based, taking critics and fans by surprise. In 2005 she collaborated with her husband, surreal multimedia artist Matthew Barney, by scoring his film, Drawing Restraint 9. Volta follows suit with a complete overhaul of Björk’s sound and projected image.

Although short, Volta tackles tough themes by pop music standards (i.e. motherhood, poverty, rootlessness, humanity). Nonetheless, the album sounds modern without ever relying on contemporary clichés. “Wanderlust” is, according to Björk, the album’s manifesto. Brave lyrics like “Lust for comfort/Suffocates the soul/Relentless restlessness/Liberates me” are coupled with a heroic horn section. Unfortunately, these interesting musical elements get muddled in the final mix-down with heavy bass and percussion capitalizing on the listener’s attention.

Unless listeners are well versed in the historical context of Iceland’s and Greenland’s independence from Denmark, “Declare Independence” sounds like angry slogans layered on angry digital hardcore techno. It is difficult to tell if this is a deliberate attempt to draw in new listeners who may not have the patience for Volta’s gentle pieces.

“The Dull Flame of Desire” is a tremulous duet with Antony Hegarty (of Antony and The Johnsons). Together the saccharine vocals can be difficult to stomach, since they both compete for the spotlight. The primal drumbeat crescendo backing this song is by Brian Chippendale who does not play with the abandon that one would expect as the leader of the noisy maelstrom known as Lightning Bolt.

Despite a staunch refusal to allow corporate sponsorship during her tours, there is a great deal of hype surrounding this album. Excitement is tangible in the mobs of people eager to hear her latest material on tour this summer. Is it warranted though? Volta will not save the dance floor, will not change the world, and will not elevate Björk’s status into the stratosphere. Volta will stimulate lots of controversy among fans. Björk will continue to engage audiences intelligently whether they welcome it or not.


(Björk performing at Coachella a few weeks ago)

Hype 5/5
Artistic Integrity 4/5
Pop appeal 3/5

Survived Coachella 2007

Team Calgary survived an epic journey to Coachella 2007. We braved scorching heat for incredible music. It seems like a extremely favourable tradeoff. Over the next week or so, musical musings will be available on the cjsw blog.