So, we'll jump right in. I follow you on Instagram, and I remember a series of posts not too long ago from the Bani Love (Columbia City Theater's recording studio, run by Gary Mula). How's the new album coming? When's the release date? What can we (as your fans) expect so far as the sound goes -- a continuation of your existing trajectory? A totally new direction? Fill me in!

The process for making this new record has been quite different from Burn the Boats. Last time there were numerous sessions (and upwards of fifteen different players involved) over a year’s time. We tracked and re-tracked and layered and removed layers -- over and over until we got exactly what we wanted. It all happened very honestly and I love the finished product, but it was a long process of trial and error. This time around, Damien Jurado produced and he had a very definite plan about how he wanted to do things going into it. I’ll go into more depth about “the big plan” when the record comes out, but the short version is that he wanted me LIVE (on vocals and guitar), in a big room, with very few “do-overs” -- which is exactly what we did. We did track at Columbia City Theater with Gary engineering and recorded everything in a week. Most of it consists of live, first takes with my band, and then we added keyboards, cello, backing vocals and various other overdubs later (all done in a week though!). The resulting sound is quite different from my last record and I think some people will be shocked. It feels and sounds a lot more dangerous and raw, but there is just so much life in it. It’s astounding. Damien nailed his vision perfectly and we really did capture a “moment in time.”

No definite release plans yet. We’re just finishing up mixing and then I’ll be shopping it to labels for a bit before I decide how and with whom to release it. Stay tuned!

How was Damien to work with? I appreciate him as a recording / multi-faceted artist, and I'm curious as to what he was like in that role.

Working with Damien was spectacular. We didn’t know each other well at the start, and I respect him immensely as an artist too, so I was pretty nervous going in. But he was incredibly supportive and encouraging and such a strong leader in the studio. He put me at ease right away. He’s opinionated, but at the same time so respectful of my artistry that I never felt clobbered. He only suggested changing song feel or arrangements when he really felt strongly about it. And I can tell you this: he was right in every instance. He has a wonderful gut sense about things so it was easy to follow his advice. I trust that dude a lot now -- both personally and artistically -- and I think he has an awesome future in producing ahead of him. I’m so excited for people to hear what we made together.

How did the experience differ from the previous process -- didn't you work with John Roderick on that album?

Yes! Roderick produced Burn the Boats. We, too, had a fabulous working relationship and Roderick’s imagination was wide open in the studio. It was exciting! I was about six months into making BtB when he came on board and he really helped to bring the whole project into focus and to completion. Eric Corson engineered that one and the thre of us made a great team (lots of experimentation and lots of silliness in those sessions). John helped to add so much of the character of the album, which is what I think ultimately set it apart from other songwriter records. I am so proud of BtB and will be forever indebted to J-Rod for investing in me at that stage of my career.

On a related note, a lot of people have asked me “why work with another songwriter instead of a more seasoned producer?” I’m sure I’ll get the same question this time around with Jurado. But here’s what I can say about that; other artists understand what it’s like to stand behind the microphone themselves, and these two dudes in particular have walked ten miles in my shoes as singer-songwriters. They know the ropes, they know the fears, they understand the vulnerability required to put your heart on tape, and BOTH of them know how to do it right. Jurado summed it up perfectly when he said to me “It took me ten records to figure out how to do this right, let me save you some time.”

Tell me about how you hooked up with the Team Up for Nonprofits / Gigs4Good folks. How did that collaboration come to life? What's the driving force in working with them / what strikes you about their organization?

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Hopefully you were one of the lucky folks that got to see Ben Gibbard play this weekend in Seattle! There were two shows on his dance card, on Saturday at Washington Hall with Shelby Earl {for an 826 Seattle benefit}, and on Friday at the Showbox with Damien Jurado. We caught the latter (with a few photos by our own Imaginary Victoria to prove it really happened) and were absolutely floored by both sets. It was incredible to see Damien play a powerful solo set after a run of recent full-band shows, and of course, Ben was as talented and as charming as ever. He ran through a ninety-minute selection of deep-catalog Death Cab favorites, Postal Service hits, and tracks off his recent solo release, Former Lives -- including our personal high point of the evening, where he prefaced a launch into "Teardrop Windows" with an emphatic promise to never move out of this city again.

Fingers crossed, Ben! We're glad to have you home.

{Photos by Victoria VanBruinisse. See more from this show and recent goings-on around town in the imaginary flickr pool!}

I know you haven’t even had the chance to gorge yourself on turkey yet -- don’t get all in a panic you guys, but really, it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. And not just what gift to give your new in-laws (liquor) but the more important questions, like what music will rock the seasonal spirit into your festive holiday soiree. Thanks to the latest collaboration between John Roderick and Jonathan Coulton, One Christmas at a Time, you’re no longer stuck with only the standards like “White Christmas” to choose from. Hooray!

On one hand, you've got a John: (Roderick) is most familiar as the front man of local band The Long Winters and his column in the Seattle Weekly. He’s brought his indie vibe as a guest musician with bands like Harvey Danger and Death Cab for Cutie. On the other hand, a Jonathan: (Coulton) became an internet sensation after lyricizing the wonders of geekdom in the song “Code Monkey” and his cover of “Baby Got Back.” For those of you keeping score at home, these two quirky singer-songwriters also collaborated previously on the 2011 album Artificial Heart.  

Now they’ve applied their stellar talents to creating a slew of new Christmas classics (plus one Hanukkah song!) that will be enjoyed by generations to come! Their clever humor and whimsical lyrics are showcased on tracks like “2600,” an ode for the gaming generation that will replace “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” in the hearts of geeks nationwide. “The Week Between” makes the wasted week between Christmas and New Year’s (seriously, does anyone get any work done in those five days? c’mon Feds, just give us the week off already!) seem shiny and bright, instead of a gift-returning, stuck-with-family, drunk-fighting holiday nightmare.

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We wanted to give some love to the Richard Hugo House this week, because it’s amongst our favorite artistic community venues, and we don’t talk about it enough!

On Friday, November 16, as part of the 2012-2013 Literary Series, the Hugo House is hosting writers Ryan Boudinot (“Blueprints of the Afterlife”), Emily Kendall Frey (“The Grief Performance”), and Claire Dederer (“Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses”), who will lead a discussion of what to believe - and why Ya Gotta Believe!

With new music created by Jason Dodson of The Maldives, this event is going to be something super-extra-special, and super imaginary!

You should definitely snap up some tix online now, before it sells out.

{Ya Gotta Believe! | Richard Hugo House | Friday, 12/16, 7:30pm | $25 general, $20 HH members | All Ages, Bar with ID} 

As promised, we're coming to you today with a bit more of an in-depth look at some of the artists playing Wintersong, the Team Up for Nonprofits benefit we told you about last week. On the odd chance you're holding off on buying a ticket and putting fifteen of your hard-earned dollars to work for the cause, let's see if we can't get you on board with the lineup:

Naomi Wachira

Naomi Wachira is going to be one of the artists starting the evening off at the Crocodile in a few weeks, and are we sure glad that we took the time to listen to what she's been putting out into the ether. Holy heaven in a soundbyte! Rooted in Kenya and now hailing from Seattle, this local artist has got a style all her own, with a sound that "blends elements of African rhythm, American folk, and soul" -- all while dropping vocals like fine-tuned bells: punchy, clear and poignant in their every tone. Take your ears on over to the few tracks she's got up on her ReverbNation page, and be immediately sold. We can't wait to hear more at the show, and we'll be up front early on in the night to make sure we don't miss a minute.

Go-to track: "You Better." If you can get with Nathaniel Rateliff's hits-to-the-gut crosshatched through with African soul-sensibility, you'll love this brand of groove.

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It's time for another TIG event to celebrate our 10th Anniversary! And this time, it's a film event, because y'all know how I feel about the film. So ... dig out your flannel and Docs, because we're taking you back to the 90s with a showing of HYPE! at the Grand Illusion!

If you haven't heard of it before, or you know, in case you're not quite as old as I am, HYPE! is a great documentary about the Grunge scene, including interviews and performances from TAD, Mudhoney, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Coffin Break, The Gits, Love Battery, Flop, The Melvins, Mono Men, Supersuckers, Zipgun, Seaweed, Pearl Jam, 7 Year Bitch, Hovercraft, Gas Huffer and the Fastbacks.

We've planned a BIG evening of fun, starting with some nostalgic clips of Seattle bands, and Grunge Trivia hosted by Jen from Scarecrow Video -- complete with prizes! (Don't worry; we've got a mix of easy and hard questions to satisfy both grunge amateurs and aficionados.) We even have the cutest Three Imaginary Girls film buttons to give away, thanks to the extreme craftenating skillz of imaginary liz. 

Join us as we relive Seattle's 15 minutes of fame. (jk! we love our city!) Bonus points if you come in (almost vintage, right? gawd, it pains me to say that) clothes you actually wore in the 90s. 

Three Imaginary Girls presents Seattle Grunge: A Dream of the 90s

Featuring: a screening of HYPE!
Grunge Trivia by Scarecrow Video w/prizes!
and a short clip show packed full of 90s nostalgia*

at the Grand Illusion Cinema
Saturday, November 10, 8:45pm, $8

*Videos provided by Scarecrow Video; editing by Brian Alter. THANKS, GUYS!

Today, tickets go on sale at 10am for the latest Gigs4Good benefit, "Wintersong," which will be taking place on Wednesday, November 28th at the Crocodile. This go-'round, the money by G4G raised will be going to Team Up for Nonprofits, a radical nonprofit that brings awareness, resources, and funding together to -- you guessed it -- help out other nonprofits in the community. Awesome!

There's a great selection of local artists on the roster for this event, including Ivan and Alyosha, Shelby Earl, Tea Cozies, Tom Eddy, Kevin Long, Ben Fisher, Naoimi Wachira, and more TBA -- and they'll all be performing winter-themed songs. Over the next few weeks, we'll be showcasing more information about these folks, so stay tuned for a few in-depth features about why we think this would be a great way to invest a few (specifically: fifteen) of your budgeted holiday dollars this season.

You can get more information Gigs4Good here, Team Up for Nonprofits here, and learn more about the show via the Facebook page here.

Happy almost-holidays!

Here is some fantastic news to brighten any grey Seattle Fall day -- our favorite garage-surf rockers the Tea Cozies are releasing a new EP on October 30! I don’t think I have stopped randomly breaking into “sha lalalala”-style choruses since their last album Hot Probs dropped. Their latest effort, titled Bang Up, is a five-song feel-good funhouse that’s filled with three-chord riffs and dreamy pop vocals.

Bang Up was recorded over the summer and features the Tea Cozies’ distinct brand of 60’s girl group harmonies blended with effervescent surf pop rhythms. Briefly venturing into the darker reaches on “Cosmic Osmo,” you get a taste of their more rough edge capabilities and quirkier sound. But it doesn’t last long: they quickly take you back to dreamland in the closing track “Silhouette in a Suitcase,” which catapaulted me straight to the days of Veruca Salt and Blur.

The highlight is “Muchos Dracula,” a wonderfully retro-spooky monster ode reminiscent of The Munsters theme song and Creature From the Black Lagoon.  Not to mention, it’s bloody perfect for Halloween! All in all, the Tea Cozies didn’t stray far from the familiar, but instead work on perfecting what they already know. And that’s okay by me because heck, it had me skipping down the street.

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Now that this year's City Arts Fest is over, I can take a step back and realize that I have been blown away by four solid days of an amazing array of (mostly) local bands, all giving Seattle some truly amazing sets. Each night showcased what the Pacific Northwest had to offer, and it was difficult to decide what venues to hit and who to see. Packing in as much as I could, I witnessed an incredible display of music spanning from pop to country to rock, and of course, took tons of photos.

The David Byrne / St. Vincent show was housed in the most perfect venue, that being the 5th Avenue Theater. The performance was brilliantly theatrical, with a choreographed horn section and Byrne and Clark's synchronized dancing (!!!) it really was entertainment of the highest caliber. It was almost overwhelmingly unreal. Love This Giant is one of my favorite albums that's come out this year and live, and I'm happy to report that the songs are even more over the top than they are on the record. What became clear about St. Vincent's songs -- especially those like "Cheerleader", "Cruel", and "Marrow" -- was how downright grand they became with the addition of an array of brass instuments. The crowd was pretty packed with David Byrne/Talking Heads fans or at least my section was; and yes, "Burnin' Down the House" was played in amazing fashion.

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This year's City Arts Fest has an incredible lineup, and like much of what goes on in this city, there's something for everyone. Killer lineups at traditional venues, experimental art-house 'secret' shows, happy hours, late night surprises -- the list goes on and on. You can head on over here to build your schedule and here to pick up some tickets for whatever floats your boat, and if you've got the means and you're primarily interested in listening to some solid music, that $55.00 wristband for all-access to (most of) the shows is absolutely the way to go.

There's tons to pick from, but if you can only do one show per evening, here's what I humbly suggest you make time for:

Wednesday: Jonathan Russell and Kevin Murphy at All Pilgrims Church

This photo was taken from a performance Jonathan Russell did at the Fremont Abbey (performing in the round with Damien Jurado) earlier this year. If it's indicative of what we'll be hearing at Wednesday's All Pilgrims Church show, you'd best get yourself there early, nab a seat up front, and don't plan on moving for the entire set. It's not simply Head and the Heart-lite -- not that a set of HatH tunes would be a bad thing, but from what we've been able to witness, Jonathan takes the time and space in his solo performances to expound on new material and creative covers (hello, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, echoing out into a high-ceilinged, hushed hall) as well as belting out some band selections we know and love. Add the rootsy, engagingly-delivered verbal prowess of Kevin Murphy (The Moondoggies) to the bill, and you've got yourself a no-brainer.

Thursday: Lemolo at the Triple Door

The Triple Door is going to be a near-perfect backdrop-slash-forum in which Lemolo can bring their particular brand of hyper-intelligent, dream-synth to the stage, with a rapt audience to take in their gorgeous, thought-provoking song-gems. To put it simply: I. Can. Not. Wait. For. This. Set. Their album was released earlier this year to much critical acclaim, they're packing venues left and right, and with every performance that emerges and every video that surfaces, Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox seem to be fine-tuning into a near-perfect version of this... thing that happens when they are together creating art in the same space. If we get there in time, all that + an order of potstickers before the show = HEAVEN.

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