Interview with Elizabeth Ziman of Elizabeth & the Catapult!

Elizabeth Ziman of the talented Elizabeth & the Catapult was kind enough to answer some questions for WTBU last week! We touched on the upcoming album, "selling out," and what other awesome artists Elizabeth's been listening to as of late. Below is an excerpt; the full interview can be found on the Girl Powa! facebook group page here.

You can check out E + the C on Myspace and at their official site, elizabethandthecatapult.com. Enjoy!

- Jessy Bartlett

J: How are you and how are things with E + the C? I hear you were recording in Texas last week - how did that go?

E: Really well! we were in Austin recording for a couple of days with jim eno from spoon. Danny Molad(our drummer) is pretty tight with him already from his experiences recording the Via Audio record--so it was super comfortable coming into. We're not really used to recording in studios, since we done everything by ourselves in the past---so it was really a luxury for us. There were so many instruments! We're used to hiking around the city looking for pianos to record, but this studio had a wurlitzer, a helpenschitll, piano and rhodes---all at our fingertips(literally)---I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Also we're used to having Danny engineer everything for us---but Jim gets some pretty amazing sounds, so I'm sure Danny was more than happy just to concentrate on playing the drums for once! We were only in Austin for four days but we knocked a couple out.

J: You guys are not signed to any label right now, which must allow you a lot of freedom, but it must also be a lot of work. Has going it on your own been what you expected?

E: Yeah, for a long time we were completely autonomous, no manager, no lawyer, no booking agent, no producer, no label. And of course we took some pride it in, because every little bit of success tasted that much sweeter. But all that has been changing in the last couple of months. We're slowly building a team together- and it actually feels right. We have a lot of new stuff recorded and we'll probably be choosing which label to put the new album out on in the next month. That's just not the kind of decision you want to rush into.

J: I got this next question from Under the Radar magazine - they asked a bunch of indie artists this question and got some varied responses:

A lot of indie artists have had songs in TV commercials in the last year. What are your thoughts on this? Do you regard these artists as sell-outs or is that an outdated notion?

E: I heard some people making fun of "Of Montreal's" spot in an "Outback Steakhouse" commercial recently---I couldn't understand why. Especially now, when most of the money artists are making are from touring and licensing opportunities, you'd have to have a great deal of "spirit" to say no to a lifetime of residuals from outback steakhouse.

J: So, if Apple called you tomorrow and said, we are coming out with this new iPod and we want Elizabeth and the Catapult singing "Momma's Boy" in the commercial, do you say yes?

E: HELLS YES. We were interviewed on a Berklee radioshow a couple months ago, right after the Boston show---and they asked if there was any specific tv spots we wouldn't be comfortable submitting for--I'd be a bit uncomfortable submitting for a playtex commercial, or a 'hollywood tans' spot, but we recently gave a bunch of mtv reality shows the right to play our songs so I don't think we're that choosy. At a certain point it's just pretentious.

Read the complete interview here.

Concert Review! St. Vincent @ the Middle East (Marry Me, Annie)

Annie Clark a.k.a. St. Vincent hit the stage with her full band at around 11:30 PM for a sold out Middle East Downstairs last Saturday night. A packed crowd full of college students with their X-ed out fists raised high greeted Clark when she finally appeared. Her fans were eager to witness the talented musician in her element: live. With her quirky charm, unmistakable voice and dazzling guitar playing, St. Vincent did not disappoint.

“Holy cow!… My name is Annie, but um, but you can call me Annie,” said Clark, looking awestruck at the massive turnout. Throughout the night, she addressed the crowd with her unusual comments, much to everyone’s delight. Her stage banter included a shout-out to JP (Jamaica Plain), anecdotes from Montana and the announcement that “the Camaros don’t run on gasoline – they run on dreams and hopes.”

Clark kicked things off with album opener “Now Now,” which set the tone for the night. The song’s climactic ending featured Annie shredding on her bright red guitar in true rock star style – a sign of things to come. Clark went on to perform the rest of the songs off of Marry Me, along with a couple other bonuses: her cover of the Beatles’ “Dig a Pony,” a fan favorite, and a new song that had the punch and haunting mood of “Your Lips Are Red.”

The crowd was in for a special treat as The Dresden Dolls’ Amanda Palmer made an appearance to lend her vocals to the chorus of “Marry Me.” A Massachusetts native and friend (and fan) of Clark, Palmer has covered “Marry Me” at her live shows in Boston in the past.

While her secondary microphone could have been louder, Clark and her band performed each song with an intensity that simply does not translate onto CD recordings. Her barefoot violinist was especially impressive with his exciting instrumental flourishes. Together, Clark and the band created magic by adding new dynamics to each song; it was like hearing the album for the first time.

Clark ended the show with an unforgettable rendition of “Your Lips Are Red,” complete with some serious guitar ripping. The crowd, sad to see Clark go, roared for an encore and got its wish. Clark returned to the stage for a graceful performance of “What Me Worry,” the album’s closer.

Aspiring artists, take note – if there’s a way to rock a live show, Annie Clark wrote the book on it.

To hear songs by St. Vincent, tune in to Girl Powa! on Wednesday nights--technically Thursday mornings--from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m.

--Jessy Bartlett

Recap: Girl Powa! Interviews St. Vincent

Annie Clark a.k.a. St. Vincent called into WTBU from the road on Tuesday. Girl Powa! covered all the bases: the tour, Guitar Hero and why cats are so shady. To hear the interview, download the .wav file here:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/vl15hi

And if you missed it, check out last month's review of St. Vincent's album Marry Me and preview of her show at the Middle East: Show Preview: St. Vincent @ the Middle East

--Jessy Bartlett

Nicole Atkins @ TT The Bear’s: Boston’s on Fire!

Nicole Atkins took the stage shortly after midnight at TT the Bear’s Place in Cambridge Friday night. Always dressed to impress, Nicole sported a shimmery black dress over black leggings with red heels to pull off the cute but dark look she wears so well. She thanked everyone for coming out on the first official night of her first headlining tour. “This is the first time we’re playing in Boston with more than five people in the crowd!” she announced to cheers from the packed room.

WTBU caught up with Nicole last week in a phone interview to talk about the album, her first headlining tour, and her plans for the future. When asked what her favorite track on the album was, Nicole said it had to be “Cool Enough,” which she described as a song about “growing up and wanting so badly to get out of the place you come from.”

Nicole and her band the Sea played a killer live version of “Cool Enough” with an extended guitar solo at the end that had everyone feeling like we were at a rock concert. She mixed up the pace with a few slower songs as well such as album standout “The Way It Is,” which she delivered with every ounce of passion from the album version and spot-on vocals. On fan favorite “Brooklyn’s on Fire,” Nicole asked the crowd to sing along on the chorus: Fourth of, July, Brooklyn’s, on fire!

After ending the show with an earnest performance of album title track “Neptune City,” also Nicole’s hometown, things went back into rock mode for the encore. Nicole and the band came back out to play a rocking cover of Patti Smith’s “Pissing in a River” and went out with a bang.

What’s next for Nicole Atkins? When asked about her next move after her cross-country tour, Nicole told WTBU that she has already begun thinking about the next album. She revealed that she would love to work with super producer Jon Brion, best known for his Grammy nominated film scores on movie soundtracks and his work with talented artists such as Fiona Apple and Rufus Wainwright.

“I hope I didn’t just jinx it by telling you!” Us too!

Check out a clip from Friday night of Nicole singing “Neptune City” here:

Visit Nicole’s Myspace at myspace.com/nicoleatkins.

--Jessy Bartlett

Album Review/Concert Preview: St. Vincent

It is hard to classify the music of 25-year-old Annie Clark, more commonly known as St. Vincent. Perhaps she describes it best on her Myspace page where, under Sounds Like, you will find "hand claps and wry smiles."

St. Vincent has brought colorful creativity to the indie scene, crafting songs with quirky instruments and lyrics that touch on a range of unusual topics, from Jesus to murder. After being a member of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens' touring band, she is finding growing success as a solo artist.

On her debut LP entitled Marry Me, St. Vincent offers 11 strong tracks, all of which showcase her charming soprano and signature inventive style. On upbeat tracks such as "Now Now" and "Your Lips Are Red," unexpected shifts of rhythm and pace make each song a musical adventure. She also has a unique way of blending the old with the new. While her music boasts with originality, there is a certain classic element to St. Vincent that shines through in every photograph and in every note she sings -- a timelessness in her music that can be heard on less polished tracks such as "All My Stars Aligned." It is especially evident on the album closer, "What Me Worry," where she sparkles with little accompaniment. Whether she is ripping electric guitar solos or serenading on the piano, St. Vincent is captivating listeners from L.A. to Paris.

While Marry Me stands out on its own merits, St. Vincent's strongest asset is her live show. Her songs take on a new life on stage where she often plays solo; she offers a truly dynamic performance, equipped with her electric guitar, keyboard, two different kinds of microphones and a mic'd up stomp pad.

After heavily touring in the past year, St. Vincent is now headlining all over the country. You can catch her at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge for just $12 on March 1st.

--Jessy Bartlett