Noise Pop asks today's most innovative musicians to share the music that is on their stereos, mp3 players, and walkmans. Hear for yourself what these cutting-edge artists are listening to and find out how it affects the music they are making.
Call and Response
These are some songs that we've been getting into lately. Gearing up for summer and distancing ourselves from winter and spring. We are big fans of making mixes for each other so we can constantly know what is going on musically with one another. Here is a mix tape for you consisting of 5 tunes picked out by Dan Judd and 5 tunes picked out by Simone Rubi. We think all these tracks are a good representation of the variety of music that we listen to and show the variety of tastes in the band. This is what is unique to our sound -- a blend of 5 different people's opinions and tastes.
- Simone Rubi, Call and Response
Dan's Selections
• Phew - Closed
"This track from 1981 features Japanese singer Phew backed up by an all star cast of German musicians, Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit of Can and master producer Conny Plank. It manages to be really creepy and groove, with the dubby production and incomprehensible vocals. Maybe what Can might have sounded like if fronted by a woman."
• Sonic Youth - Peace Attack
"Sonic Youth are totally inspiring, and to my ears they keep getting better.
This might be one their most poppy jams yet. The guitar playing is really beautiful, mazes of melody."
• Antena - Noelle A Hawaii
"Poppy electro/samba music from 3 french ladies circa '82, sounds crazy ahead of it's time to me. Interesting drum machine beats, reverby layered vocals, synths, choppy little guitars. I would have fallen in love with one of these girls had I been old enough back then."
• Michael Rother - Sonnenrad
"This song is so sonnenrad. It makes me wanna conquer a distant galaxy. The perfect blend of instrumentation: synths, harmonized guitars, poppy drums, and a cosmic melody. This dude played for Neu!, Kraftwerk, and Harmonia! Crazy resume right there."
• Quarteto Em Cy - Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser
"A beautiful cover of the genius Milton Nascimento/Lo Borges track from Clube Da Esquina. Folky, funky, and driving with geourgeous female harmonies. There is something truly wonderful about the pop music from Brazil that came out during this time."
Simone's Selections
• The Impossible Shapes - Shake a Sound
"There is something about a sound that comes from loose jamming mixed with basement or garage recording that always grabs me. It makes me think of playing music for the first time with a group of friends where there are no rules, no boundaries. This song has that vibe. The loud rocking that sounds like it's coming from inside a balloon."
• Linda Perhacs - Hey, Who Really Cares?
"This is the song I wish I recorded. Beautiful breathy vocals with simple arrangements. A little bit of swelling sounds from a keyboard and some beautiful guitar playing. Puts me in a dream where there are yellow butterflies and then they turn into kites."
• Kings of Convenience - Homesick
"This is the first track on their new album. I was secretly hoping that the whole album would sound more like this song. Eirik's voice always makes me swoon. The Norwegian accent adds just enough vagueness to the sometimes ordinary lyrics but this song has such beautiful melodies and it hits me the same way that Simon and Garfunkel's "The Only Living Boy in New York"
does."
• Willie Nelson - Opportunity to Cry
"Man, when I first heard this song I put it on repeat and drove for miles past my house because I didn't want to stop. I climbed inside of every vocal nuance and felt like I was hanging with a young Willie Nelson. I love his style of playing guitar. Really unique and catchy."
• Juana Molina - Tres Cosas
"I have been freaking on some Juana. This song starts with the most incredible heart beat of a beat and these vibrating keyboard tones. Again, music I feel super-connected to because of the tone of her voice and the rad keyboards. So tasteful ... she also taps into a little bit of an Indian sorta vibe. She tweaks out her voice a little . It's subtle."
About the Band
Call and Response are a musical ensemble hailing from the Bay Area, California. The music they compose is filled with rhythm, harmony, and warmth. Elements of classic pop, spacey jazz, film soundtracks, folk and soul music are only some of the musical inspirations drawn upon by the group.
Call and Response formed in 1998 when Simone Rubi (keyboards, vocals) and Daniel Judd (guitar), who shared a love of obscure pop music, film soundtracks, and synthesizers, decided to collaborate on a musical project in their home town of Santa Barbara. They began writing songs and soon Simone asked one of her oldest friends, Carrie Clough (vocals), to lend her harmonic skills to the group. A year later they relocated to Oakland where they met Terri Loewenthal (bass, vocals). Terri, a Florida native, impressed them with her fluid bass playing and ability to harmonize vocally. In need of percussion, they chanced upon Jordan Dalrymple (drums) an accomplished musician from San Diego, living in Berkeley. The five immediately became close friends and a productive songwriting team, each lending their individual talents and insights in a uniquely democratic fashion.
Call and Response finished recording a new album in January 2004. With this record, the band innovates a sound that is impressionistic, mystical, and beautiful. The 10-song album entitled Winds take no shape, will be released in June on Badman Recording Co., who have released albums by Mark Kozelek, Rebecca Gates, My Morning Jacket, and other talented artists.
The Call and Response self-titled debut album from 2001 on Emperor Norton Records gained international recognition and received positive reviews from National Public Radio and the Washington Post. Reviewers drew comparisons to the Sea and Cake, Heart, the Jackson 5, and Stereolab.
highlights
noisepop mix tape
aquarius records' sound mind
about KQED
