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CMJ 2011 - Review
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Thanks to DJ Synapse, I first caught ahold of the Chicago band Blah Blah Blah this week. Their combi...Thanks to DJ Synapse, I first caught ahold of the Chicago band Blah Blah Blah this week. Their combination of sultry melodies and old school flair caught my attention from the jump. With a name that suggests a left-over hipster group, Blah is quite the opposite. With their headlining track “Why Am I The Only One Laughing,” lead singer Solomon evokes a sound that is reminiscent of Morrissey or The Cure. And with production by Matt Walker (Smashing Pumpkins) the band, as the Chicago Examiner says reminds us of everything we forgot about rock music.
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"Thank You Thank You" EP & National Tour
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What a year the men of Blah Blah Blah have had. One summer ago they were playing street festival sid...What a year the men of Blah Blah Blah have had. One summer ago they were playing street festival side stages in Chicago. A year later this past July they rocked a post Pitchfork Festival party alongside Theophilus London and Kenna. A testament to hard work and talent.
With a solid round of Windy City performances under their belt, the quartet is hitting the road west in support of their second EP release, Thank You, Thank You (snag that here on iTunes). Sample a track entitled “They Don’t Dance” below. Click the read mas jump for EP cover art and a tour schedule that stretches from Seattle to Cincinnati.
Blah Blah Blah Tour Dates:
09/15 – Seattle, WA @ Nectar with Pinehurst Kids
09/16 – Portland, OR @ The Agenda with Pinehurst Kids
09/17 – Weaverville, CA @ Mamma Llama
09/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Cheetah’s with Mugen Huso
09/22 – Santa Monica, CA @ TRiP with Mugen Huso
09/23 – San Francisco, CA @ Brainwash
09/24 – Long Beach, CA @ Max’s Steiner with Mugen Huso
09/29 – Lincoln, NE @ Knickerbockers
09/30 – Kansas City, MO @ The Brick
10/13 – New York, NY @ Arlene’s Grocery
10/29 – Cincinnati, OH @ Rohs Street Cafe
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Blah Blah Blah Cares About Fans
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Most bands are primarily concerned with where they are going — the next level up, the bigger label, ...Most bands are primarily concerned with where they are going — the next level up, the bigger label, the better management, the big name tours. Blah Blah Blah cares about its fans and listeners first and foremost. The band members want to take you to that special place. Your happy place. Deep inside your mind. They want to heal you.
Charismatic frontman Solomon David, 26, is unequivocal. "People come to our shows and afterward, they tell me they feel better," he says. "I want our music to be healing." And how does Blah Blah Blah create a healing sound? "I have never been drawn to tension or dissonance. We make music that is optimistic and resonant and warm, that takes people to a place of fantasy."
Indeed they do. The group's latest effort, an EP titled "Thank You Thank You," which was released last week, is a big step toward a professional-sounding recording for the quartet. Local drummer Matt Walker, best known for playing with Smashing Pumpkins and British crooner Morrissey, produced the album and helped the band upgrade its sound to something fuller and more dynamic. David says that the way the band recorded lent itself to the lushness heard on "Thank You Thank You."
"It was expensive, but we chose to record to analog tape," says David, "as opposed to how most bands do now — digitally, on computers."
David is quick to point out that Blah Blah Blah aims to separate itself from the rest of contemporary music. "When you look around at the rest of music right now — especially heavy metal and rap — and really listen to the lyrics you can hear, it really is a force against positivity. I like playing to all sorts of audiences, but I really like playing to kids, and crowds with African-American kids — and them getting a chance to see me, with a guitar. Everyone raps. Kids can look at me and imagine something else, something outside what they know. I believe that when Blah Blah Blah, when we are really on top of our game, we can personally affect people."
The singer says his inspiration is in artists who walk the walk, not just talk the talk. "I think it's important to live by example," David says. "You have to live what you sing, otherwise you are ingenuine." David cites as his primary models outspoken vegetarian Morrissey and Frank Sinatra. "Sinatra took on people. He used his image for good. He said, 'Let this black guy in the club, or I don't play.' I admire that, that he wasn't selfish."
David believes his own story of how he came to play music is an inspirational tale in itself. "If I hadn't believed in my early songs, if I hadn't thought 'Well, if I like these songs so much, I bet other people will like them too,' — if I had given into all the 'what if?' — that nothing works out, or people throw tomatoes. … If I had given into the mirage of fear, I wouldn't have gotten up there." There being the open mic night at Wicker Park club Subterranean, where David got on stage with his acoustic guitar 31/2 years ago — a move that quickly lead to Blah Blah Blah. "'Proceed without fear,' that's my mantra. Getting up there, getting a reaction from the audience, that is my reward."
onthetown@tribune.com Twitter @ChiTribEnt
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Tickets: $10 (21+); doubledoor.com
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Blah Blah Blah Rock The Crowd
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September, 1997 at the Double Door. The Rolling Stones decided to do a little last minute performan...September, 1997 at the Double Door. The Rolling Stones decided to do a little last minute performance for 400 of their friends. Fast forward to August 27th, 2011, and the Blah Blah Blahs have packed the room, too! Now I know this comparison, for NOW, is stretching the truth a little, but let me go on record as saying these guys are on their way to stardom.
Their recent 1/2 page article in the Tribune by Jessica Hopper, put it this way: "Most bands are primarily concerned with where they are going--the next level up, the bigger label, the better management, the big name tours. Blah Blah Blah cares about its fans and listeners first and foremost. The band members want to take you to that special place. Your happy place. Deep inside your mind. They want to heal you." The article goes on to quote lead singer, Solomon David, who said, "When you look around at the rest of music right now--especially heavy metal and rap--and really listen to the lyrics you can hear, it really is a force against positivity. I like playing to all sorts of audiences, but I really like playing to kids, and crowds with African-American kids--and them getting a chance to see me with a guitar. Everyone raps. Kids can look at me and imagine something else, something outside what they know."
And not only are they fantastic musicians but they are also some of the nicest people I know. Check out their latest music video "Why Am I the Only One Laughing?" from "Thank You Thank You Thank You". You just might see a familiar face....:-)
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Video Review: Why Am I The Only One Laughing
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Here comes another post from the road. This time I’m mixed up in the hustle and bustle that is beau...Here comes another post from the road. This time I’m mixed up in the hustle and bustle that is beautiful Des Moines, IA. Don’t laugh too hard, I’m actually from here. Turns out so are two members of the Chicago ballroom rock quartet, Blah Blah Blah. The fact that I’m former high school classmates with both Solomon Moss (vocals, lead guitar) and Philip Ferguson (keys, guitar) is really inconsequential with regards to why I wanted to craft a post on their group. The truth is I genuinely enjoy their material and have listened to certain tracks from their debut EP Charm upwards of 20 plus times. Thanks iTunes play counter.
I needed a proper reason to promote their talents, and now I have one. ”Why Am I The Only One Laughing?” is the first single off their forthcoming EP, Thank You Thank You. It has more teeth than other such songs as “They Run To You” from Charm, but the one overwhelming consistency in both is the uniqueness and soothing quality of Moss’ voice. No matter which pace or direction the band’s instrumentals take, Solomon finds a way to effortlessly coat each track with a calming vocal wave. From this you get danceable music wrapped in a blanket a vulnerability.
The group is anchored by Stico Vondrake on bass and Dario Arcos behind the drums. Collectively they pull influences from a wide swath of artists that includes Frank Sinatra, The Cure, Portishead, J-Dilla and Radiohead. In 2010 Blah Blah Blah was voted one of the Chicago Tribune’s next bands on the verge of breaking big time, based on their current catalogue of work I think it’s easy to see why.
Sample their tunes below, read more for the video to “Why Am I The Only One Laughing?”. You can download Charm on iTunes here.
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Chicago Scene Salvation
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This week on the ChicagoVerseUniteD Cover Story Series audio podcast: Solomon David of Blah Blah Bla...This week on the ChicagoVerseUniteD Cover Story Series audio podcast: Solomon David of Blah Blah Blah! The frontman discusses his band’s new EP Thank You, Thank You, out now on The Propelr, working with Matt Walker and Sean O’Keefe, and how they really don’t make them like they used to. Stream or download that podcast below, followed by the EP’s streaming player, a download field for Blah Blah Blah cut “Why Am I The Only One Laughing,” the JBTV performance of that song, and its official video, as well. And catch the band tomorrow, Saturday, August 27th for the the Thank You, Thank You release party at Double Door.
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Road Warriors
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“A prophet is without honor in his hometown,” proclaims Solomon David. Despite his use of the aforem...“A prophet is without honor in his hometown,” proclaims Solomon David. Despite his use of the aforementioned, paraphrased line from the Bible, David is neither a prophet nor a preacher. He’s the lead singer of the Chicago band Blah Blah Blah, and he’s eloquently explaining to us why he’s so eager to tour outside of Chicago. This fall he should get his chance to find honor on the road, as Blah Blah Blah — or as we call them, the Blah’s — is planning on performing in venues on the East and West Coast’s of the U.S. After toiling in the Chicago music scene for the last three years, it’ll be an important step toward going from just a good Chicago band, to a good band that just happens to be from Chicago. “There are so many people here, and Chicago is a great city, but there’s also a big world out there,” says David on his desire to introduce the Blah’s music to a national audience.
If a national audience catches on, they’ll be introduced to a sound the group describes as “ballroom rock.” The Smiths is who they are often compared to, although Drummer Dario Arcos also mentions Broken Social Scene as a big influence (and yes, we could totally hear them covering “Lovers Spit” to a tee). The Blah’s guitar riffs are precise and subdued, the bass riffs are moody and measured, and the synthesizer beats are sonic but slightly distant. If you desperately need a familiar music genre to catalog them in, then dream pop comes to mind.
But until last year, David said many of their recordings had a “demo quality” to them. Before visions of grand tours could happen, the Blah’s needed to perfect their sound, or at least, perfect recordings of it. So the day after last Christmas, the Blah’s got serious about making a proper-sounding album. They enlisted Matt Walker to produce an EP that captured the fullness of their sound. Walker, a former drummer for the Smashing Pumpkins and currently a drummer for Morrissey, provided the Blah’s with musical guidance and was responsible for convincing the group to put the track “Soon as I get Home Tonight” on the EP. “He thought the song had more potential than the original recording allowed for,” says David. “So we re-recorded it, and I think it was one of the better moves I’ve done in my life.”
Another move they made to improve their sound quality was to record all their songs on 2-inch tape instead of recording digitally. It’s a difference perhaps only hardcore audiophiles would pick up on, but members of the Blah’s loved the warmth the tape added to their music. “Tape is like a canvas,” notes Blah’s guitarist and keyboardist Phillip Ferguson. “It has a very physical quality that catches [music] live and direct.”
Blah Blah Blah member Phillip Ferguson plays the keyboards at a recent show. Photo from the Blah Blah Blah Facebook page.
After six days of working with Walker and recording on old-school, 2-inch tape, the Blah’s finished the initial work for their EP on New Years Eve of last year. On August 23, 2011, they were finally ready to unveil it. They titled the EP Thank You Thank You. And with fall approaching, the timing of the release seems right. No disrespect to the band, but their aren’t any summer jams on Thank You Thank You. The music, combined with David’s romantic yet haunting falsetto, feels like a fall evening where you traipse past leaves in Welles Park, especially on tracks “A Game We Play” and “They Don’t Dance.” In “Why am I the Only One Laughing” David’s voice goes from distant and hiding to dominant but still downtrodden. The songs could easily give way to over-dramatic vocals, but David is always careful to only sprinkle his songs with emotions. When asked what his songs are about, David simply discloses, “There’s not too many things to sing about besides love and loss, or women and God.”
Like most song writers, he isn’t concerned about how people interpret his lyrics. He’s just concerned about people hearing them. After spending several years performing in Chicago, he and the rest of the group understand how important it is to play their new music for fresh sets of ears in new locales. “When you get out [of your hometown] and start doing something you create a great energy, and when you come back to your hometown, people notice something is slightly different about you,” says David.
With a new EP and a polished sound, it’s clear something is already different with the Blah’s. It won’t go unnoticed by their Chicago fans. And if things go to plan, it’ll be appreciated by many new fans in the coming months.
The Blah Blah Blah’s new EP, titled Thank You Thank You, is available on their website, on iTunes, other online music stores, and in store at Reckless Records. Tickets for their upcoming show at the Double Door can be purchased here. Also, check out the group’s video for “Why am I the Only One Laughing?” below.
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Blah Blah Blah Bring the Rock to a Masquerade Party
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Smooth power-poppers Blah Blah Blah are back with a new EP, titled Thank You Thank You, set to drop ...Smooth power-poppers Blah Blah Blah are back with a new EP, titled Thank You Thank You, set to drop on Friday, August 20. The new EP’s first single, “Why Am I The Only One Laughing,” has already gotten the video treatment. The clip, elegantly filmed in black and white, features the band rocking a masquerade party that may or may not be the set of Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Anyway, the sleek look definitely fits with the song’s mature, indie rock approach. If you dig “Why Am I The Only One Laughing,” then download the tune for the price of an e-mail address at Blahblahblahmusic.com. Finally, catch Blah Blah Blah’s EP release show on Saturday, August 27, at the Double Door. In the meantime, jam to the video below:
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Local Band On the Verge of Breaking Big
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A dazzling bit of winsome '80s Brit-pop jangle that'd be a little too fey and moody to fit on a John...A dazzling bit of winsome '80s Brit-pop jangle that'd be a little too fey and moody to fit on a John Hughes movie soundtrack. Singer Solomon Moss has an easy falsetto that fits with his band's deeply moody melancholy.
The band is winning people over live, but this stuff is best for moping around to, lonely.
myspace.com/blahblahblahchicago
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Not So Blah-Se
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I know it’s been a while; I’m very aware. Call it laziness, call it writer’s block, call it procrast...I know it’s been a while; I’m very aware. Call it laziness, call it writer’s block, call it procrastination. I call it all of those. However, I’m back. Yay.
It was in my full intentions this past Thursday night to go to The Spot, see a friend of mine perform in a burlesque number, and get as many beers as possible for my open-bar-fee. Once I’d had…however many I’d had…and my friend performed, I was just killing time as a band started setting up. I wasn’t really expecting much, seeing as we were in a small upstairs bar with a small upstairs stage in the midst of a small upstairs drunk audience. However, the venue matters not in the case of genuine art, and I was reminded of such a fact as the band started playing. I, in my drunken yet excited state, listened to the first song for a while, then yanked out my planner, grabbed my notepad, and started jotting. I would soon find out that this band’s name was Blah Blah Blah and their music would be right up my alley.
Normally, especially while imbibing alcoholic beverages, I listen to unfamiliar music and nit-pick at it, finding any and every aspect about it I don’t find in my favor so that I won’t have to bother with it. Pessimistic? Yes. Not with Blah Blah Blah. Their carefree approach to their music turned on me and I couldn’t help but bob my head along with the sun-soaked guitar strings laying out a plethora of flitting sounds from the amplifier.
“It’s as if someone opened your soul and poured sunshine in it,” replied band manager JA Powell when I asked him how he would describe their sound. Guitarist/vocalist Solomon Moss gave his own take on that statement when I asked him the same question, responding with a nonchalant “bright colors is what I figure.” Though the band’s descriptions of their own music lay the groundwork to what would seem like a pleasant trip through acid-country with 3-D glasses on, that is not the case. The end product is more in the realm of tensionless rhythm, playful sound-scapes, busy resonating drum beats, complimenting bass grooves, and kind, fluffy, smooth vocals resulting in what would hopefully be peace-inducing comradery.
As far as their live stuff goes, it’s progressive music with a constant flow allowing one song to caressingly bleed into the next. Bassist Stico Von Drake grooved along to the music with a calm swagger, allowing his fingers to do what they do naturally and letting his eyes stay comfortably hidden behind his shades. Solomon Moss approached every song with a confident yet playful carefree physique. Drummer Dario Arcos smashed away at the drums, accenting the light guitar strums of his bandmates with energetic cymbal appeal and persistence. It would seem hard not to pay attention to them in any atmosphere.
Blah Blah Blah exudes calmness even when not onstage. They didn’t seem to mind my attempts at putting on a sober front while still swaying slightly. They just continued loading their gear into their Suburban, readying themselves to be asked my slurred questions. They laughingly accepted the $8 they made from the set, displaying a fuck-it attitude that fits them beautifully. Alright, alright, so they have a peaceful mindset and a lackadaisical attitude. After a while, I found myself wondering just what the hell these guys want out of what they do. And what’s with the froofy rainbow name? “We just want to get in front of people,” stated Moss with a shrug. As far as the name is concerned? “We didn’t really care about the name, we just want to play the music,” said Moss with Von Drake and Arcos nodding in agreement. “So we just said, whatever, blah blah blah.”
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Why Am I The Only One Laughing
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I apologize for the lack of updates, but I was out of town for a rather long weekend. I wanted to sh...I apologize for the lack of updates, but I was out of town for a rather long weekend. I wanted to share a song I've been loving on lately: "Why Am I The Only One Laughing" by Chicago's Blah Blah Blah. I don't know much about the band at this point. Their debut LP, Charm, will be released in the near future and I assume this song will be included on it. As it stands, the song is a great single and worthy descendent of The Smiths. Lead singer Solomon's vocals clearly recall the breathless beauty of prime Morrissey, but he and the band also display a bit more of the soul and muscularity that you hear in Jeff Buckley and Prince. You know, the kind of guys who can lay down a killer falsetto with balls intact.
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Chicago Band To Watch
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Their name might suggest bored indifference, but the music of up-and-coming local band Blah Blah Bla...Their name might suggest bored indifference, but the music of up-and-coming local band Blah Blah Blah makes it clear they want nothing more than to offer an escape from all that's forgettable about indie rock. This summer the band will introduce their melodic, melancholic-yet-jangly and hummable rock (think The Smiths and The Cure with a little bit of Radiohead thrown into the mix) with their debut EP, Charm, and are offering a taste with a free download of one of the tracks, "Why Am I the Only One Laughing." Get it here:
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Blah Blah Blah Music Review
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February 16, 2009
Take note Killers, Blah Blah Blah are on your heels. With glam rock vocals, a s...February 16, 2009
Take note Killers, Blah Blah Blah are on your heels. With glam rock vocals, a slamming rhythm section and enough oooohs, ahhhs, and moans to make you feel funny in your pants Blah Blah Blah has something special that I haven’t heard in the Chicago scene as of yet. Their drummer, especially in “Why am I the Only One laughing” goes from straight up rock drumming, to a techno influenced kick, snare, hi-hat club banger, except without the club, or the banging really - the drums sit fairly low in the mix. A nice pad introduction in “They Don’t Dance” along with a constant four to the floor kick speeds up an otherwise boring beginning to a song. Blah Blah Blah has a great name, a pretty decent sound, but could use a sexual kick in the ass - they create music that could easily be dancey and interesting, but instead feels a bit impotent. They could really pound out songs and make you feel them, but the mixes don’t really pump, and the tunes don’t really vary much. I want some love makin’ music from you guys, so please deliver -my girlfriend’s waiting…Catch them February 26th at Betty’s Blue Star Lounge located on Grand and Ashland.
www.myspace.com/blahblahblahchicago
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Video Pop Exclusive:Blah Blah Blah
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Alright folks, get ready to have your minds blown with pop bliss.
Blah Blah Blah (http://myspace....Alright folks, get ready to have your minds blown with pop bliss.
Blah Blah Blah (http://myspace.com/blahblahblahchicago) from Chicago has sent Video Pop some exclusive tracks. If these guys play their cards right, they will be HUGE. No joke.
The Smiths, The Cure, and early Radiohead all come to mind, especially in the vocal department. Solomon Moss's voice is what really places their music squarely in the realm of sublime pop. It's haunting, but not so dreamy that it seems out of place with the tight pop instrumentation.
Moss also plays guitar, while Stico Vondrake helms bass and Dario Arcos is on drums. They are all clearly good musicians, but none of them play flashy parts, which is what makes the music so refreshing. There's a definite constraint in it, throwing Moss's vocals into relief and letting them really stand out.
It's so rare to see a band get pop music right, but in a way, it should be no surprise that a simple, efficient trio would be the best at it. I saw them play a loft party about a year ago, and I could not get over their sound. Now that I've gotten a hold of some of their music, I'm really excited to share it with all of you.
Spread this music around! Be the first to tell your friends about Blah Blah Blah before they get big!
And for more background info on the band, check out their bio here: http://blahblahblahmusic.com/?page_id=2
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Review on BBC Radio
Played the song "Soon As I Get Home Tonight"
Announced the U.S tour.
26 Mins in.
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NPR New York
Played "Soon As I Get Home Tonight" and announced our upcoming New York shows
supersonic
