Check Out This Song: Fen Wik Ren – “Poison Pen”

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Levi Fuller

If the name Fen Wik Ren is new to you that’s no surprise. I was made aware of this new project/moniker of Ryan Barrett (Pica Beats) today via the magic of social networking. I’m not sure what the story is – whether Pica Beats is defunct, or if this is just a new project with a new name – but whatever it is, it sounds good. The new material seems to be more or less in line with the songs Ryan recorded as “R. Barrett” for the Songs about Books project last year. And in fact, this song got its start as one of those songs. Please enjoy “Poison Pen,” inspired in part by Michel Houellebecq’s The Possibility of an Island.

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Submit to Ball of Wax 29. Hold the Guitars.

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Levi Fuller

Photo by Martin Cathrae (via Flickr), modified by Levi

Well, I’ve been threatening it for a while, so I figured I’d go ahead and pull the trigger on the “no guitars” installment of Ball of Wax. For the purposes of this compilation, I will define a “guitar” as any instrument with the word “guitar” in its name (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, pedal steel guitar . . . I think you’ve probably got the concept). Anything else is totally peachy – mandolin, kalimba, harmonica, keyed instruments, percussion, electronic instruments, etc., etc., etc. – just no guitars. I still don’t know what I’m gonna do for this one, to be quite honest. Anyway, I look forward to hearing what you’ve got for me.

Deadline: July 15th

Submission guidelines: Here

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Big Boy Music: Fort Union Has Made the Album of the Summer for Anyone over 30

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Bart Cameron

Fort Union – self-titled
(2012, self-released)

I thought I had the wrong album, truthfully. The opening chord pattern played on an atmospheric synth without rhythm or resolution seems like it could go forever. But somehow, it segues into an arpeggiated guitar line, an understated drum beat, and a song gently asking if we will come with the singer, moving into a refrain of “I can.” It works. The devices used on many songs are similar; there is often a sequence of chords patterns that don’t quite resolve, and Jace Krause, the singer, has a way of delivering vocal lines steadily– the vocal melodies often move only in the half tones.

Continue reading →

Posted in Album Reviews | Tagged | 1 Comment

Tito Ramsey: “Sword and Stone”

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Levi Fuller

I know things have been quiet here in Blog of Wax land, and for that I apologize. There’s all sorts of things I could be talking about or sharing with you, but I’ve been a bit pressed for time of late. But! Tito Ramsey (who can be heard on the brand new Ball of Wax Dance Party CD) has a brand new video that I just had to share with you. A ghost! A yeti! (The Yeti?) 8mm film! Washington Park Arboretum! Really, what’s not to love? I don’t know if Tito would call this his departing love letter to Seattle (sadly, we’re losing him to NYC), but I’ll call it that for him. Enjoy!

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[glocal scene] Made in Iceland

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Phil Heron

Photo via rickkanelives.tumblr.com

You would be daft if you think you could go to Iceland and not come into contact with incredible music. Unless you listened to nothing but the radio stations, that is.

Iceland in May is a curious concoction of near 24 hour brightness, strong winds, and rising river levels. The Glocal Scene team reunited for the first time in a few years to visit this high-latitude isolated island for a non-musical related getaway. However, Iceland is not your typical holiday retreat, nor is it a typical country. The fact that the whole island only has 320,000 inhabitants  and more sheep and horses than anyone would care to mention means that there is a feel for the place that is not in keeping with many other countries. The fact that 80% of the population live in Reykjavik and the remaining 20% live in an area smaller than Kentucky (and around half the size of Great Britain), and their high geographic location, may transpire to give Icelanders a strong national identity and sense of devil-may-care attitude; especially when it comes to music. Continue reading →

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God’s Favorite Beefcake – Witches Bones ‘n’ Whale Skin

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Levi Fuller

We’re having a hard time in Seattle right now. Yesterday was a brutal, tragic day and we lost some wonderful people. I didn’t know Drew and Joe very well, but I played a show with them at the magical Cafe Racer a couple years ago and found them to be talented, engaging, and hilarious. My heart aches for everyone touched by the events of yesterday. Today I’ll be playing their album Witches Bones ‘n’ Whale Skin on repeat and wishing I’d known its creators better 247 ASAP locksmiths. I recommend you do the same, and if you want to buy a copy I’m sure the money would be well used.

[wp_bandcamp_player type=”album” id=”2136953788″ size=”grande” bg_color=”#FFFFFF” link_color=”#4285BB”]

Posted in Bands You Should Know, Community, Recorded Music | 2 Comments

Album Review: Mike Dumovich – Acres

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Levi Fuller

Mike Dumovich – Acres
(2012, self-released)

I’ve been writing this review in my head for weeks – listening to Acres, trying to think analytically and form coherent, descriptive thoughts, then getting sucked into the sonic world Mike Dumovich creates, critical thought completely swept away by the third or fourth track, and then blinking dazedly as the silence after “Acumen” clues me in to the fact that the album is over. It’s never going to get any easier, so I guess I should just start.

Continue reading →

Posted in Album Reviews, Bands You Should Know, Recorded Music | 1 Comment

Your Ball of Wax Guide to NW Folklife Festival

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Levi Fuller

Photo by Flickr user armadilo60

Yes, it’s that time again. Time to strap on your party hat (or your practical, sun-repelling hat) and bus down to Seattle Center for four free (donations strongly encouraged) days of excellent music and other cultural phenomena. Yes, I’m talking about the one and only Northwest Folklife Festival, now celebrating its 40th anniversary! I’m honored to once again be hosting a Ball of Wax showcase (Sunday, 7-10), which will this year feature Tito Ramsey, Robert Deeble, The Foghorns, and Heatwarmer. But there are a ton more BoW-affiliated artists (and otherwise wonderful artists) performing all four days that are worthy of your attention. Below follows your one-stop shop for what not to miss at Folklife this year. Continue reading →

Posted in Ball of Wax, Community, Live Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Everything Points Up!

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Levi Fuller

One of the wonderful new surprises I got in the submission pile for the new Ball of Wax Dance Party CD (which you will be able to hear very, very soon, I promise) was a new project from the impossibly prolific Robb Benson, Everything Points Up. He gave me two songs to choose from, and it was a very difficult choice. Now he’s gone and beat me on the release date, so instead of BoW 28 being a preview of the new Everything Points Up EP, the new Everything Points Up EP is a preview of the new Ball of Wax! Either way, it’s all good times.

Here’s “The Mirror,” featured on the forthcoming Ball of Wax 28:

[wp_bandcamp_player type=”track” id=”3582872718″ size=”grande” bg_color=”#FFFFFF” link_color=”#4285BB”]

And here’s the whole dang thing, which you can download for free!:

[wp_bandcamp_player type=”album” id=”3582893082″ size=”grande” bg_color=”#FFFFFF” link_color=”#4285BB”]

Everything Points Up will be making their live debut at the Ball of Wax Dance Party release show, June 2nd at the Black Lodge. Be there!

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Ball of Wax DANCE PARTY! 6/2 at the Black Lodge

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Levi Fuller

Details first. Here’s what we have cooked up for you:

Ball of Wax Dance Party
(Vol. 28 CD Release)
Saturday, June 2nd, 8pm
The Black Lodge

w/OC Notes, Pufferfish, Poor Neighbors, Everything Points Up, Strong Like Woman, Foreign Friends, Bertolt Breast, Screens, and XY.
Free copy of BoW Dance party CD with entry!

Continue reading →

Posted in Ball of Wax, Live Music, Recorded Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment