new: Pill Wonder "Gone to the Market"

"Can Be A Real Drag"

Like many, my first introduction to Pill Wonder came on the Underwater Peoples Summer comp. Instant standout, like "Holy shit, who are these volatile happy kids spurring out Amazon jawns...Oh, they're from Washington State...Oh, wait, what?? It's only, technically, one dude? Sheee-it." Shortly thereafter I'd see one iteration of the band as they patched themselves together for a collective performance at the Market Hotel this past summer. It was Amazonian hot that night, sweat and all sorts of other chemicals pouring out of overworked pores. I bought a bunch of tapes that night, but not Jungle/Surf. I'm not sure why. A couple more months passed and Pill Wonder, a now seven headed hydra, transported itself through multiple time zones to play CMJ. They were ramshackle nervous, but the honesty, transmitted through smiles, and winks, and the occassional laugh, gave the whole set a fantastical trajectory, a sort of reimagining of a play group from twenty years before, albeit it with instruments/toys and juice/beer. We were out past our bedtimes, but our parents didn't even seem to notice. Peep the video below, then check out the mastered "Gone to the Market" from the upcoming Jungle/Surf vinyl issue on UP. Sawyer's got big things to say about it (bottom of page), 99.436% of which I agree with whole heartedly.

Pill Wonder- Gone to the Market

video: Pill Wonder at the Delancy- CMJ

"And They Look You In The Eye"

One of the most enjoyable parts about CMJ is getting to hear some of your favorite acts from far away for the first time. While Pill Wonder were in town for the UP Late SUMMR Showcase in August, it was only Dana and Will who arrived, fleshing out the live band with former Olympia, WA resident Martin Courtenay and UP mainstay's Ari Stern and Mike Mimoun. That night, drunk as hell, I asked Dana and Will to come back for CMJ, despite not having a show lined up. A week or so later, I emailed Dana with a few specifics, some dates, a venue, etc. He later informed me that the entire Pill Wonder collective, all seven Pacific Northwest raggamuffins, would make the cross country flight to grace us with their shambolic, tribe of good kids from small town vibes. This c. axel capture from the Delancey show on Friday night finds Pill Wonder playing "Gone to Market," a tune not too out of step with the homespun, ragged jubilance often associated with the Elephant 6 collective. It's a feel good tune, with glockenspiel, a whole bunch of synchronized "oohs" and some surfy riffs that'll sure to brighten this dreadfully rainy day. Make sure to check the Chocolate Bobka Takes on CMJ channel on Vimeo for hot shots from Ray Concepcion, Pixelwhorse and le Bobka. (Elise has a pretty dope Frat Dad vid in their, also from the Delancey. Four words- Doritos: Late Night Taco.)

CMJ: Official Show at The Delancey

"Fall Straight Back"
We like having fun. We like having fun with our friends. We like to throw parties. When we throw parties, we have our friends band's play. Sometimes there are DJs. And even FREE booze. We will do this during CMJ. It will be fun. It's on a Friday night. TGIF. Partying/Playing with us will be the dudes from Underwater Peoples and twosyllable records. We got the bliss punk of Eternal Summers, the earthy ballads of Inlets, the Jungle/Surf styling of Washington states Pill Wonder, the woozy good times of Holiday Shores, the frenetic sugar high of Frat Dad, the rhythmic pounce of NewVillager, the what-the-fucking-fuck-are-these-dudes-really-in-plushy-bear-suits of Claymation Velociraptor, and Real Estate (you've probably heard about them). Show details below. Get there early, as we expect a line, especially for the FREE West Virginia Peach Moonshine we've been given by the West Virginia Coal Mining Collective. (Love Corporate Sponsors!)

Delancey Lounge 168 Delancey St at Clinton St) New York, NY

Doors 7:30pm

8:00-8:25 - Eternal Summers
8:40-9:10 - Inlets
9:25-9:55 - Pill Wonder
10:10-10:40 - Holiday Shores
10:55-11:25 - Frat Dad
11:40-12:10 - NewVillager
12:25-12:55 - Claymation Velociraptor
1:10-1:40 - Real Estate

DJS: BELL, Pumpkin Patch, Drew H

new: Pill Wonder, WAKR Monthly Mix Tape

"Yeah They Do"

Since picking up a few choice cassettes from Wild Animal Kingdom at the Underwater People's Showcase, I've been keeping my ears on the small label, run by Olympia's own Dana Jewell. Considering WAKR has released a bevy of beautifully handmade small batch cassette albums, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the new Pill Wonder tape continues the tradition. Pill Wonder played a cheerfully shambolic set at the Market Hotel two weekends back, and Jungle/Surf, the title of the new cassette, is an apt description of their sound. Bubbling with rainforest humidity and play pen playfulness, Pill Wonder's cassette is way more Elephant Six in nature, than, say Animal Collective, who I'm sure people would find a fitting touch point. Rousing in a manner much like that of a Kung Fu Panda in the midst of a noodle fight, tracks like "What We Know" and "Wishing Whale" ooze with gelatonus excitement, as if Wil injected ecto-cooler into his computer mic in order to get right on the Ghost Busters funk tip. As WKR notes Jungle/Surf "took three years to complete and was recorded single-handedly by Wil on his Dell Computer using the Adobe Audition Program downloaded illegally in his mother's bedroom." This cassette is limited to 25, as it will released by our boys at Underwater People's on beautiful 12" vinyl in the next lil bit.

Not one to get bored, Dana also recently started a WAKR Monthly Mix-Tape Club, a series which will highlight specific artists, motifs, and themes, and will be curated by some of the raddest dudes and ladies around. Dana writes, "To join MM-TC, I ask only that you pay for the shipping of the tape from Olympia to anywhere in the continental US for only $1.50 Monthly or for a full year subscription $18.00 so essentially the actual cost of the musix and tapes are free for you!" This is amazing. Luckily for me, I've been asked to curate an addition, and couldn't be happier about it. Sign up asap as I have no idea how limited these will be. And, well, because they are sure to be incredible. It'll be good. Feel good. All good. Etc.

Pill Wonder- What We Know