What Is A Song Cycle?

With our latest LP of the LxL Song Cycle in post-production the question has been coming up a lot with fans lately: "What is a song cycle, exactly?" So, we're going to get Rebeqa to give you the rundown:

"Great question! According to Wikipedia a song cycle is, "a group of songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a single entity. As a rule, all of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet or lyricist." Wikipedia then goes on to blah blah blah about how "unification can be achieved" and the "underlying musical means". Scrap all that. In plain English: a song cycle is a group of songs meant to go together in a certain order, and they usually share a music or lyrical theme that repeats somehow within all the songs. It's kind of like the first version of the "concept album"...but before recordings.

"In the LxL Song Cycle we have the following 3 tracks:

1) Evicted From My Skin I Find Myself Unwelcome;
2) I'm A Monster Just Like You Are;
3) Blood And Wine Mingle With The Soil.

"Each track has a distinct melody or guitar riff that goes with it - its own music theme. These themes are then borrowed and quoted in the other songs (some are hidden, so you have to listen close, others are really obvious.) The lyrics also reappear from song to song, but you'll find that by the time you reach the end of track 3 the lyrics from track 1 have a different meaning because of what you've learned along the way. It's a bit of a treasure hunt to find all the repeats and reoccurring themes. We had a lot of fun putting it together and it turned into a band challenge as we stole each others melodies and brought them back later in the cycle in our own parts."

REVIEW: Jukebox Heroines: badass ladies

We got a sweet mention from Jukebox Heroines with their "UOK" (U Outta Know) segment - featuring SEA & PDX newcomers to keep your eye on.

The Jukebox Heroine(s) had this to say about us:

"Seattle indies who blend contrasting elements into slick songwriting. It’s like baroque for Gen Y. If you don’t know what that means, you aren’t in the “know.” "

Thank you for the mention - and thank you for keeping us all "in the know" about music's badass ladies/chix/grrrls.

VIDEO: Comet Sighting

This is a video that our #1 fan made for Suicide by Annie with footage from our Jan 18th show at The Comet Tavern. She also pieced in stills from our comic book that's coming out in March, so you'll get to see the first preview of the awesome photography by Harry Woods and graphic design by Lanae Rivers-Woods.

Man, that was such a great show...

Rocking the Comet Tavern

Thanks to the Comet Tavern for a great show last night with Badwater Fire Company, Levator & Bourgeois Bullet Wound. When we got home at 2am we found the following show review on our Facebook Page from Aaron H.:
"So, if Fun and Awesome had a baby it would be yous guys! Had a blast tonight..."

Last night was also Ben Rudd's first time playing with us on drums and man, that guy can bring it in a bowler hat!

The Finished Product

Chris Sheridan's painting is finished and on display in La Familia Gallery in Seattle's Pioneer Square. Unfortunately the real Rebeqa left her floating globe at home during Artwalk.

Rebeqa Catches the Album w/ Its Digital Down

Rebeqa woke up and found that the album's CD Baby page had gone live. It's officially for sale, folks.

*squeeeeeee*


Speaking of "available"...please get your copy now. We are already working on material for the next one and need your support.

We Like Band Practice

Wurst Joke in the World

Hey, you want to hear a funny joke? Then don't ask Spencer and Rebeqa about the "Second Trunk" joke. It's not funny.

...but they sure seem to like to tell it anyway.

Chris Sheridan: prepping for painting

Seattle artist, Chris Sheridan, asked Rebeqa to pose for a series of paintings he's working on that reimagine the future through a Steampunk lens. Here are some shots from the photoshoot:

In The Studio

We're in the studio. We haven't slept for days. Rebeqa is currently napping while Kris and Spencer record guitar tracks. We've eaten so many gummy bears we're going to snap.

And then, of course there's the little problem with we had with the session drummer not showing up for day 2. But that opened the door for us to get Cody Rahn into the studio on short notice and he's totally killing it!! Seriously.

And let's not forget Olivia Hamilton on bass, Phil Hirschi on cello and Joe Martin on violin. Oh gravy, we're killing it with a skillet here at Electrokitty Studios...









(p.s. these photos are by La Foto)

REVIEW: Say "Magyar"!!

We have been covered by a Hungarian blog. No really...



If you read Hungarian please let us know what it says.

Tour Scavenger Hunt Results...

Alright folks: here it is - the results from the tour's Photo Scavenger Hunt. Thank you to everyone who submitted items for our scavenger hunt list through our Facebook page:

"Beat Up Van(s)"

"A Long Night Out"
(Yes...our long night ended with a graveyard slurpee: 7 flavors, 1 awesome cup.)

"Superheroes"
(These ladies gave us free coffee and cookies when we were exhaustedly driving back to Seattle. They were way cooler than a dude in tights & a cape.)

"Eating Pancakes at the Hotcake Howse in PDX"

"Random Piece of Steampunk Found Along the Way"

"Eating Sushi From a Conveyor Belt"

"One Night Stand"
(This was one of the submissions we originally censored. But we got lucky, so...)



"Flat Tire"
(This was actually on a fan's bike. She had to hoof it the rest of the way to the show to see us, so she certainly deserves a shout out!)



...and just because.

You have spoken, typed, whatever...

You all have spoken. Here are the results of the "what shall we take pictures of while we're on tour" call we put on Facebook. Thank you to everyone for your ideas.

1. Superheroes
2. Beat up van
3. Eating sushi from a conveyor belt
4. One Night Stand
   
5. Flat tire
6. Random piece of Steampunk found along the way
7. Eating pancakes at the Hotcake House in Portland
8. A long night out

...there were a few more, but these were our faves.

Nu Myusick Mondayz

Last night we got to wet our respective whistles at The High Dive in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood as part of NadaMucho's "New Music Mondays". Sean Bendickson sat in on drums with Spencer & Rebeqa on Guitar/Vox/Toy Piano. Also, we shared the stage with The Smoke Wreck Kings, who we enjoyed having a beer with after the show.

Thank you to Stephen Saville, who took photos. Which we're going to post....


...now.

High Dive

The Band's First Show

We got the gigging ball rolling with a show at La Familia Gallery in Pioneer Square. Sean Bendickson sat in on drums with Rebeqa and Spencer. That guy is really rad. And buy him a beer sometime...he's also really funny.

Rebeqa "steps out" for a second at Neumos

Rebeqa stepped out for a guest appearance with Mike McCready and Gary Westlake. Their little acoustic trio was a nice opening appetizer for Kristin Ward and Flight to Mars at Neumos. But don't worry...she's back for more LxL.

The First Band Photo

You saw it here first, folks. Trouble is about to happen.