ITLM Blog Post 17

Sound shapes for a visual world

Videos were made. Delighted we is for now we are that much further at a remove from Snuffleupagus-dom. Grateful we am to those who hit record and share. In some instances we knew there would be cameras, in others, the cameras appeared to come out of nowhere, right in front of us, camera heads and the bodies of humans. But we maintained our composure. Except those few moments when we didn't. Had the cameras been affixed to hovering, darting drones we would've been truly unnerved. We realize that drone future is almost certain and almost here. There were stealth documentarians as well, thank heavens, for musicians not knowing the tape is rolling (video, virtual or otherwise) is almost always a good thing when making music. 

First up, I Think Like Midnight performed four tunes for The Key Sessions in the WXPN studios on 2/13/18, two of which were documented on video. Video links right below the images. Also be sure to check out the Key's Jonathan Vettese's awesome review of "This Land Is Your Mind" here.

"Daychord" performed on The Key Sessions in the WXPN Studios. Click here to view video on VuHaus.

"Acolyte" performed on The Key Sessions in the WXPN Studios. Click here to view video on VuHaus.

About a year ago ITLM became aware of a beneficent spectral presence, which would manifest in digital space shortly after our shows with high quality recordings of those sets. The recordist in question revealed himself to be a sweet, self-effacing gent by the name of Kris, who records live performances and posts them for download at Phillytaper, and on his Soundcloud page. Some past ITLM sets live there. Kris recorded our album release set at PhilaMOCA on 2/22/18, which he also documented on video. He then synced the video to his sound recording made with the following signal path: Source: Schoeps mk4 -> BnBox -> SD Mixpre-3 (24/44.1)
Transfer: Audition CS6 (tracking, Ozone 5 MBIT+ dither) -> flac 16/44.1. Impressive! You can stream that audio here and watch the entire set here:

ITLM Blog Post 16

Operation Positive Feedback Loop

The art of successful promotion typically involves the power of lots of money, and since presently the latter is a laughably nonexistent option, the art becomes the crafting of hundreds of emails then shot out like so many velcro balls in hopes that some stick to the attention of bloggers, Internet radio programmers, and club bookers. There has been some sticking, but reports of actual accumulation are premature. A full kudos-to-date report will appear in the next blog post. 

Thankfully there is still terrestrial radio and we mailed our CD and prayers for airplay to some of the more adventurous stations which, to our amazement, are actually playing tunes from it (Note the use of "tunes" instead of "songs" due to a grouchy acquaintance insisting songs have words, and ours don't). Some of the last remaining bastions of free-form radio left of the dial have come through for us. Much snaps especially to early adopters and perennial favorites WFMU (Jersey City, NJ), WMBR (Cambridge, MA), WKDU (Philadelphia, PA), WVIA (Wilkes-Barre, PA), WPRB (Princeton, NJ, where our album was the #1 album on their heavy rotation list at the end of February!), WFHB (Bloomington, IN) and WXPN (Philadelphia, PA), the last of which, a well-known powerhouse in the public radio biz, not only has played us but had us in to perform a 4-songs which were video-taped and broadcast as part of their Key Sessions, including a killer review of This Land Is Your Mind. Link here, and some snaps from the session, below.

ITLM Blog Post 15

Fending off the Asterisks

Seeing the forest of accomplishment through the logistics brambles has lately been a challenge, but opening up the shipping box to find neat rows of pristine new albums remains one of a musician's little thrills. To make a beautiful thing, to put it out into the world and spread around the positive energy, it used to be enough. Nerved out and chomping at the bit to know what folks will think of our new puppy, which has always been the create/feedback pattern but now is amplified by the endless mirror of social media. After sending out 130 promo emails to music blogs this morning with much more work to do, it seemed wise to turn away from the screens, from days of spreadsheets and interfaces and video-making and two months of bronchitis to sit with an acoustic guitar and get my wintery Nick Drake vibe on. It's a strange and perhaps privileged thing to be in a rock band and make and release and promote records at a time when institutions that defend the vulnerable are being dismantled wholesale. Congresspersons are called, good causes donated to, protests attended, and certainly votes will be cast in November, but the situation is dire and tiring and admittedly there have been long periods where burrowing into the details and logistics of music-life has been a relief, if not a compulsion. Putting out albums lately somehow feels like spitting into a giant storm. Like it's the wrong skill set. Still wrestling with how it all integrates, if it does at all. 

ITLM Blog Post 14

Four-to-eight-year slow motion panic attack

In the midst of recording of our 2nd album, ITLM have emerged from the man cave/lad lair to perform their new sound shapes as well as a few tried and true fan favorites in front of whoever shows up. All the drums, bass, some keyboards, and about 1/2 of the guitars have been recorded for the new record. So far, the stuff sounds freakin' amazeballs. Basics and some guitars were recorded at Miner Street Studios here in Philadelphia with Brian McTear at the console. More guitar recording happens here at Trolleyvox recording when the neighbors aren't around. Two of the tunes may appear on an actual piece of vinyl! We are negotiating that with the interested parties. I mean, not this instant. Right now I am typing, working on my 2nd cup of coffee, and trying pretty much anything I can to distract myself from the consequences of the election. Getting out into some nature seems to help. So does pastoral psychedelic Swedish Prog Rock. [photo credit: Babak Ashrafi]

ITLM Blog Post 13

2nd Breakfast: Pasta Storm

Late in March I Think Like Midnight quietly entered Fishtown's Miner Street Recordings and began work on their 2nd album with old pal producer/engineer Brian McTear. This is very exciting news on all applicable levels. It's such a thrill to hear the new sound shapes as they come together in the studio. We're doing some overdubs in our various lad lair man caves, but the bulk of the recording will be at Miner Street. Brian will mix the record. 

Dean

Joe

Josh

Andrew

We've got some early June shows coming up, two of which are all-ages. You may hyperlink your ass over here to check 'em out. Here's some photos from ITLM's January shows:

at Johnny Brenda's. photo: Rich Fravel

at Johnny Brenda's. photo: Rich Fravel

at Johnny Brenda's. photo: Jeff Towne

at Station Coffee art space. photo: is mystery.

ITLM Blog Post 12

square away the numbers

We counted them up at rehearsal and were unexpectedly delighted: 9 new tunes in the pocket, ready and raring to go. One or two more and we have album #2 ready to record. Just gotta figure out where to record it. While we were hard at work on the new sound shapes, things happened. Mysterious things. "Frictionless" was used by the renowned interview program Fresh Air as 1/2 hour bumper/interstitial music. Andrew, unaware that this would happen, briefly flipped out when he heard the broadcast somewhere in Maryland, Southbound on I-95, right around where the ominous grey military blimps floated overhead. Soon thereafter, one of the blimps broke free in a storm and crashed in rural Pennsylvania. Coincidence? Andrew was invited onto DJ Jackie Zahn's radio show on WKDU just to make sure the Universe knew that we knew that it knew. Other restorative activities included shows, most notably opening for the illustrious Los Straitjackets at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, DE. The show was such a smashing success that since then no one will return our phone calls.

News: specialty stage shirts were acquired at Ohio Thrift in Columbus, OH.

Also, gigs: Thursday 1/7 at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia. ITLM at 9pm sharp, followed by glam-rock gods Creem Circus, followed by the psychedelic preaching of Brother JT, who's pants will surely come off in a Butthole Surfers-like frenzy by the end of the evening. Click here for Tix. Saturday 1/9 a rare all ages 'burbs show at The Coffee Station, Merchantville, NJ. ITLM go on at 7pm sharp, followed by cow punks All the Forgotten, who may or may not appreciate being called cow punks. Likely they'll just look at one another, flummoxed. 
 

ITLM Blog Post 11

brave words wave birds

In May, 1/2 of ITLM, Dean and Joe, travelled to the western coast of North America, along with their friends Rodney and Dandrew, to play shows in various large cities in their other band, the Dead Milkmen, for a week. I should probably work on that opening sentence. Then Dean and Joe came home. Then they played 2 more shows in the American South. Then they came home. During this time Andrew wrote new material for ITLM and looked at some birds from a kayak. Then Joe went back out on the road for two more weeks on a solo tour of the American Midwest. Then Andrew went to see the Replacements with Superchunk opening, had a great time, and not an hour later had his palm chomped upon by a dog not known for palm chomping. Then Andrew went to the ER. Dean and Josh acquired guitar effect pedals, separately and under different circumstances.  A week and a half after the chomping, Andrew picked up a guitar and was more or less able to play it, so the call for rehearsal went forth, and ITLM rehearsed Joe-less and learned a new song titled "Lozenge," figured out how to play some of the older songs again, and collectively forgot to have tea. I think that brings us more or less up to date. 

A bit of press and feedback:
A nice write up on ITLM here at WXPN's the Key, along with a preview of an all-instrumental band show we put together on Thursday June 11 at Johnny Brenda's with our friends Edit Bunker and Lanterna. Edit Bunker is crazy electro-prog-funk played by Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam. No, actually, Zach Danziger and ol' pal Owen Biddle (the Trolleyvox, the Roots, Mr. Barrington) play drums and bass respectively through MIDI triggers and will overwhelm your boogie circuits. Lanterna is you and the Edge in a mid-60's Lincoln Continental zooming across the New Mexico desert at twilight with all the reverb, sagebrush, and exquisite loneliness you can bear. Doors at 8pm, Lanterna at 9pm, ITLM at 10pm, Edit Bunker at 11pm. Tickets here. Facebook RSVP here.

Author Andrew Ervin grew up in the Philadelphia area, then travelled every which way, filled his mind with the world and writing craft, then moved back home and recently came out with his 2nd novel Burning Down George Orwell's House. Rave reviews in big places have been sprouting all over. He's a long-time Dead Milkmen fan, and as it unexpectedly turns out, is a huge I Think Like Midnight fan. He asked Andrew to do the artwork for a book release party poster (see above) for sale to benefit Books Through Bars and says some very nice things about our debut at the book and music blog Large Hearted Boy, where he posted a mix tape and talks about each song on it. About ITLM's "Everyone Has a Silver Car" Ervin writes "As of today, I Think Like Midnight's instrumental debut album Warm Seclusion Structure is my favorite record I've heard this year...The atmosphere of "Everyone Has a Silver Car" reminds me of every rock song I've ever loved, but it's also entirely its own thing." We will now take the rest of the day off to awkwardly blush and look at our shoelaces.

ITLM Blog Post 10

Photo by Irene Trudel. Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved.

Stealth and Radio

On April 3 I Think Like Midnight played a stealth show at the newly configured (and better for it) Ortlieb's in Philadelphia, along with the Joey Sweeney Arkestra. We broke out several new tunes that have been taking shape in rehearsals, played a whole lot louder than we usually do thanks to Josh periodically telling me to crank that sucker up, and made a bunch of new fans and friends. It was double fortuitous to take the fresh sounds out for a spin live, for five days later, we drove up to Jersey City to WFMU, FM, where we played live on Irene Trudel's show. Which was an amazing experience, let me tell you. And because WFMU archives pretty much all their broadcasts, you can listen to our April 7 performance by clicking here.  Ok, back to eating asparagus. Speaking of which, I had a dream last night. Joe Jack Talcum came to ITLM rehearsal with a lot of asparagus. I told him asparagus was a legitimate band expense. 

ITLM Blog Post 9

Wide Open Soundscapes from Tiny Rooms

The current explosion in high quality home recording gear has been very nice for creative types who want to experiment and get their Eno on with a greatly reduced learning curve. ITLM-ers individually are at different points on the synth and gear addictions spectrum. Dean may be the furthest down the synth rabbit hole, followed closely by Josh. Andrew has a guitar problem. Future Melt, the below tune, stems from a winter afternoon in Dean's recording space with Dean on loops and rhythms and Andrew randomly trying out every knob on Dean's new mono synth.

Wide open spaciousness by Dean Sabatino and Andrew Chalfen of I Think Like Midnight.

ITLM Blog Post 8

Zone of Groovy

Sometimes we can have nice things. New riffs have been sprouting forth. ITLM debuted a new epic at the Boot and Saddle on 2/7 titled "Miner Pocket Draft Gear". We thought it had a bit of a Television thing going on, but someone afterwards said "Baba O'Reilly", so there's that. What of the title? It was on the side of a box car once belonging to the narrow gauge Denver, Rio Grande, and Western Railroad. Beyond that, it's meaning remains somewhat shrouded. The room was crowded, the stage lights hot, clothes got damp, and volume knobs edged to full on. Mark took photos of all the bands (us and pals Beretta 76 and Nixon's Head) and shot the below footage.

As John is holed up in Ithaca, NY in a custom snowbank, keyboard duties were expertly performed by Joe Jack Talcum (Dead Milkmen, Ornamental Wigwam, Butterfly Joe). He may even play with us again if we keep up the good behavior.

People in the world continue to say nice things about the Warm Seclusion Structure album. Broken Hearted Toy liked our "mixing modern indie rock with a nocturnal new wave ambience." We will totally take that. And WXDU Durham, man. One week were were in the #20 spot. The following week, #16. Our hearts are all a-flutter. And a tip of the hat to Philebrity for plugging our show and keying in on our lazy '90's freak vibe. Ok, back to massaging the artisan bespoke free-range riffage.

ITLM Blog Post 7

Ripples in the Data Storm

Our crack ITLM publicity team (Bing the cat walking back and forth across the keyboard) has been hard at work and Other People with Keyboards are beginning to say nice things. The music blog 50ThirdandThird posted a review of Warm Seclusion Structure, along with an in-depth interview with ITLM's Andrew Chalfen. The Philadelphia City Paper had some nice things to say in their preview of our 12/19 show. We've been popping up on various blogs and podcasts such as Mini Toad and Ice Cream Man, and even at this early date, WFMU, WXDU, and WPRB have already given ITLM some radio love. Makes us feel all warm and cuddly.

ITLM Blog Post 6

Past Earth Dreamstates

ITLM's No Budget Video Labs, in uneasy association the ITLM Visual Media Department, present the following visual accompaniment to ITLM's imaginary 2nd single "Ground Effect Aircraft" from the album Warm Seclusion Structure. The very existence of something as gargantuan and disturbing as the Ekranoplan is almost more than we can take. Yet we want more.

ITLM Blog Post 5

Norwegian Train with Polka Dots

Our debut show at Johnny Brenda's was rather incredible for us. We had a big crowd, the sound on stage was great, and despite the pre-show nerves and logistics, we pulled it off and played as a smooth, locked-in unit. Thanks to the club's screens and digital projectors, our light show, a high-res video of this proved rather mesmerizing to the crowd. Hard not peek over our shoulders to watch as well. Thanks to Weird Hot for inviting us to play. We sold a ton of cds and had a blast meeting new fans. Here are some photos taken by ace lens wielder Nina Sabatino.

ITLM Blog Post 4

Lake Effect Excitement

The pieces are in motion, and if life has taught us anything useful, it's that momentum is more than welcome to sit down, rest its feet, and stay awhile.  I Think Like Midnight band rehearsals have been downright inspiring and we've only had to break out the apology towel* 3-4 times per practice, tops. We sound good, we look good, and anecdotally, we've heard that we smell good. Come smell us at our debut show on Friday, Dec. 19 at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia with our friend's Weird Hot. We open the show.

Even more exciting is that we have the Warm Seclusion Structure album in hand and it looks and sounds fantabulastic!
AND!
You can now purchase our new album as a physical CD from our store! It's not even out and yet you can get your paws on it RIGHT NOW from us!  
Hot damn!
Why would we do a crazy thing like that? Because you, the fans, make our hearts go pitter patter.
There will soon be a digital download option via BandCamp (and iTunes and all the other corporate  overlord suspects) for those who live in the Cloud and have no use for material things, but for now, feast upon the tactile goodness and ritual of the sacred physical  artifact.

*Re: Apology towel. No apologizing is allowed at the ITLM practice space. There is a designated towel into which band members who feel the need to apologize (for, say, a botched entry into a chorus) may scream their apology into the towel. The towel, per tradition, must never be washed.

ITLM Blog Post 3

Five Leaves Left

If you are visually inclined (or even lying down) and like to watch pretty things while listening to music, there is a mysterious new video for "Echo Celeste" (track 11 off of Warm Seclusion Structure) which captures the pastoral afternoon psychedelia of the peak of Autumn. Just the thing to distract you from the cold hangover of Autumn that we're currently in. Thanks to all the folks at ITLM No Budget Labs for making this video dream a reality.

ITLM blog post 2

Photographic Proof

Two things:
1. We are a band who now has a publicity photo.

2. We have our first show which does not involve the basement rehearsal space. It is on Friday, December 19, at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia, opening for our friends Weird Hot, a band who's name totally disproves the i-before-e-except-after-c rule. If you are a link-clicker, you should do so here on the Facebook so we can get a little dopamine squirt from your rsvp.

3. Actually, 3 things!  We will have copies of our new album "Warm Seclusion Structure" for sale at this show!

Ok, now we are getting really excited.

ITLM Blog post 1

Lots of words about songs with no words

First post. Lot of pressure. Maybe snacking will help. Snacking frequently helps.

Welcome to the I Think Like Midnight Blog. This is Andrew typing,

When news becomes apparent, it will be announced here. Like so:

We gather our forces for summer rehearsals, make no-budget music videos, think about cover art and feel fraught about fonts. Some of us are learn the web interfacement, and gradually we get a handle on how little we really know. We speak in the Royal We, for starters. I should stop that. Probably not the best idea to have the ADD-addled guy in charge of social media, but think of the delightful distractions we'll have!

The other thing Blog wants to do is spotlight great unsung instrumental tracks by great unsung instrumental bands and even sung bands (that is, bands who sing and/or are not unheard of) but who occasionally break out with the unexpected instrumental. Because there is great instrumental beauty out there in the memory hole and you should know about it. Thank you in advance for letting us inflict on you our nostalgia for this stuff.

So explore the ITLM site, officially in its infancy. We may sell stuff from here once we have things to sell. Suggestions about the site are welcomed because obviously this is a seat-of-the-pants operation if there ever was one.

Oh god, Fresh Tweets. What the hell are those?