Real Estate/Ducktails: Glass Portraits

Bright Eyes: Dusty Glass Lens

Two Gallants: Holga Portraits

Nathaniel Rateliff: Ghost Portraits

A.A. Bondy: A Portrait

A.A. Bondy

(broken) Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super

Illford 3200

Hi-Dive Denver

11.2.11

Sage Francis: UMS 2011

Bad Weather California: UMS 2011

Fox & The Bird: UMS 2011

Deer Tick: An Evening With John McCauley

(look below for the entire series)

Timber Timbre: Flash

(look below for the entire series)

Black Lips: An Experiment In Light & Motion

 (Look Below For The Entire Series)

Fleet Foxes: Long Exposure To And Of Light

(look below for the entire series)

Johnny Flynn: Photographs

 (LOOK BELOW FOR THE REST!)

Caitlin Rose: A Portrait

Caitlin Rose

Hi-Dive Denver, 5-21-11

Holga 120N w/ Flash

T-Max 400 
Z. Saint James

 Caitlin was a sweetheart. And a badass. A sweethearted badass who saved me from being the only chainsmoker in the green room. We recorded a very loose, slightly ridiculous interview, so look for that soon(ish). Thanks again, Caitlin. Sorry this is the best frame I caught.

Crystal Stilts: Photographs

"Brad Hargett and JB Townsend (The Original Two)"

(LOOK BELOW FOR THE REST!)

Shovels & Rope: a photograph and failed experiment

 Michael Trent & Carrie Ann Hearst

Hi-Dive Denver 5-3-11 

(Opening for The Felice Brothers)

Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super

BW1600, No Flash/Handheld

Z.Saint James

Felice Brothers: a photograph and failed experiment

James & Ian Felice

Hi-Dive Denver 5-3-11

Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super

BW1600, No Flash/Handheld

Z.Saint James

(Felice Brothers) Celebration, Essay; Death In Autumn, Birth in Spring

We sat at Sputnick’s with Greg Farley and listened to the 80’s dance mix playing. He told us he’d be playing the MPC now, as well as the fiddle and washboard. I asked him what he’d been listening to lately. He seemed embarrassed to tell me “mostly just Native American tribal music. Drum chants and shit.” When I asked him about the new album he was excited. When I asked him about the supposed change in sound he just laughed, told me it was the same as it ever was and then recited the same oft-repeated maxim about the need to progress. We quoted Dylan[1], finished our drinks and continued next door to the Hi-Dive. As I talked to the others they all took that same approach; they all acknowledged their progression but denied any assertion that they were doing anything differently than they ever had; ‘the new album fits seamlessly within the discography and you can hear that in the live show,’ they said. ‘Just listen.’

We had last spoken on a bitter October night. They we’re all sick and had apologized to the crowd about their voices. They apologized for the sound (read: Larimer Lounge). They apologized to us on the sidewalk for no reason. They had played one of the most beautiful single sets I’ve heard in years, working effortlessly through slightly slowed versions, introducing eventual classics from the tour-only Mixtape[2] like “White Limo” and “Marlboro Man”. The show will be ever carved in memory[3], yet for this they apologized. Greg admitted they needed time off to get healthy; they needed to finish the tour and take time and get back to writing. Seven months later we were standing in the Hi-dive laughing about the same thing; they were finishing another 2 and a half month tour; they were all still sick; both times Ian Felice would be quiet and observantly despondent while James Felice would hug and thank anyone who came up to talk (They are all genuinely great kids but I particularly need to thank James for his kindness. Such a sweet fucking man). It was the same band, yet the second time they were noticeably more alive, fueled by their own creation.

Its May 3^rd and the new album Celebration, Florida (complete with synths and MPC drum sounds, half-rapped and auto-tuned vocals, time shifts, breakbeats, song fragments floating between tracks, and stories about Mike Tyson and Oliver Stone) will drop in a week. Tonight, the band will blaze through a double-timed set spanning their discography. Some songs will be nearly unidentifiable at such a wild speed; fans will try to sing but cant yell the words fast enough. They will rarely stop between songs; they will play new songs throughout the set and nobody will really notice. Ian, James, Christmas and Greg will all take turns singing/screaming and by the end Ian will stand on the bass drum before jumping down and playing the last songs on his knees. They will encore, it will be the perfect finish. They will get down and come back to break down their equipment and hang out. They will sign limited edition posters featuring a doubled wolf and accordion keys[4]. They will do all of this without ever acknowledging their new album by name, without ever hinting that anything has changed; they will do all of these things without ever acknowledging that they’ve been reborn as a new band, and that their potential for progression and experimentation is now limitless. They have escaped and reinvented their genre so that that its not even this album but the next one you should be excited about.

Here is my concluding paragraph. Thank you public education for my understanding of structure. Here is where I elaborate on the ideas of progression and evolution. Here is where I stake claim that this album is not only revolutionary, but more so than the recent electronic experiments of Iron and Wine (Kiss Each Other Clean) or Bright Eyes (The People’s Key). Here is where I not-so-subtly imply that the last 20 years of hip-hop (as well as resulting movements),electronic music and the avant garde have informed this album more than any album by Dylan or The Band. Here is where the revelation will occur, right here in the last few sentences like I’m Joyce singing Dubliners. But, I’m not Joyce, there is no revelation; I won’t whimper for e.e. or end abruptly for Salinger. I will just, you will just, please will you just listen.

--Z. Saint James 5.9.11. (!) PHOTOS SOON (!)

---

[1] “He not busy being born is busy dying”

[2] Apparently they only did one pressing of Mixtape. So, I will burn copies to anyone who writes me ONLY UNTIL the band presses it again. Its just as important in their career as any other album and will at least be remembered for containing “Marlboro Man”.

[3] I won a broken washboard autographed by the band and dated 10-10-10, which I gave to a girl I had only been dating for a month. That girl is now the love of my life. I Love You, Erika Ryann Sedmak. As for those washboards, according to their tour manager there is only one company in the country that makes them and specially reinforces them specifically for the band. If he is not mistaken, I am the only person in the world to own a signed broken washboard by the Felice Brothers. Except that I don't own it because I gave it to this girl I love. So, I hope she loves me too.

[4] Of course I bought one of these posters and got it signed by the band. I will always be more of a fan than a journalist.

Phosphorescent

Phosphorescent

Larimer Lounge, 4/13

"Windsor" Diana

Flashless & Handheld on Bulb
Z. Saint James

Breathe Owl Breathe

Hi-Dive Denver 11-2-10

Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super
Z. Saint James

The Dodos Interview

Ogden Theater--Black Slim Devil, C-41 400

On July 28th, 2010, I sat down with The Dodos' Meric Long before a show at The Ogden Theater in Denver.

How's the tour been so far?

It's been rad because we get to play rooms like this, and its all been really good, man. Nothing crazy to report, which is actually kind of a relief. It's been about as relaxing as a tour could ever be. Plus, its been tons of fun to play with The New Pornographers.


Do you notice the difference between The New Pornographers' and Dodos' crowds?

Yeah, I mean they kinda have older fans, so when there are younger kids in the crowd we kind of just hope they listen to us. (laughs)

Dark Dark Dark Interview

 In May, 2010 I sat down with Marshall LaCount, Nona Marie Invie and Jonathan Kaiser of Dark Dark Dark to talk about travel, sound and the (then) upcoming record, Wild Go.

So you guys are touring...

Marshall: First day, actually. We were in New York and then Minneapolis playing shows, but this is our first show of our west coast venture.


Where are you heading from here?

M: Up to Salt Lake and then Portland, Olympia, Seattle and all that.

I'm sure you'll get support in Portland and Seattle, but I don't know about Salt Lake...

M: (laughs) It's on the way.  

The Lighthouse And The Whaler -- Acoustic Performance

Back in June, I interviewed The Lighthouse And The Whaler. Those kids are absolutely awesome and offered to bring all their instruments downstairs and play a song for us (The One Time We Happened To Bring A Video Camera). This is an acoustic performance of an unnamed and unreleased track, recorded by Aaron Radcliffe underneath the Hi-Dive in Denver. Thank you so much Lighthouse. Thank you Hi-dive. Now, will somebody sign these fucking guys already?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UddAbtTnfs

EDIT: I am told the song is now called "Venice" and will appear on their upcoming release, to be recorded this summer.

Long Time No See

Plywood Violins is finally getting going again after a six month hiatus. From here on out all photography (for now) will be original compositions from myself and my official partner in crime, E.R.S. All writing (for now) will mostly just be talking recorded by myself.

To start fresh is, ironically, to publish two backlogged interviews (Dark Dark Dark and The Dodos (I'm sorry that took so long)) and an exclusive acoustic performance of an unreleased song by The Lighthouse And The Whaler (you too guys). Then, finally, Something New... maybe a photograph. And then maybe Something Else. I don't know.

-- Zane Saint James