Person L will also be joining Copeland for The Farewell Tour in a few days. If you want to catch them live, you can do so at any one of the following dates:

03.03.10 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
03.04.10 Towson, MD @ Recher Theater
03.05.10 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
03.06.10 Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs
03.07.10 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03.08.10 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03.10.10 Toronto, ON @ Opera House
03.11.10 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theatre
03.12.10 Akron, OH @ Musica
03.13.10 East Lansing, MI @ The Small Planet
03.14.10 Chicago, IL @ Metro
03.15.10 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
03.17.10 Omaha, NB @ Slowdown
03.18.10 Lawrence, KS @ Granada
03.19.10 Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theater
03.20.10 Murray, UT @ Murray Theater
03.22.10 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
03.23.10 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
03.25.10 Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse
03.26.10 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
03.27.10 San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
03.29.10 La Jolla, CA @ Porter’s Pub
03.30.10 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse Music Venue
04.01.10 Austin, TX @ Emo’s Alternative Lounging (Outdoor)
04.02.10 Dallas, TX @ The Door
04.03.10 Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
04.05.10 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
04.06.10 Knoxville, TN @ The Square Room
04.07.10 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
04.08.10 St. Petersburg, FL @ The State Theatre
04.09.10 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
04.10.10 Orlando, FL @ The Social
04.11.10 Orlando, FL @ The Social

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For more information on Person L, visit myspace.com/personl.

The Positives was released just in time to generate the right amount of buzz for Person L in 2009. It’s not uncommon for Person L to hit the road with a number of well-known acts; this time around, they’ll be sharing the stage with Copeland in support of The Positives. If you want to catch them live this spring, then you can do so at any one of the following dates:

03.03.10 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
03.04.10 Towson, MD @ Recher Theater
03.05.10 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
03.06.10 Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs
03.07.10 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03.08.10 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03.10.10 Toronto, ON @ Opera House
03.11.10 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theatre
03.12.10 Akron, OH @ Musica
03.13.10 East Lansing, MI @ The Small Planet
03.14.10 Chicago, IL @ Metro
03.15.10 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
03.17.10 Omaha, NB @ Slowdown
03.18.10 Lawrence, KS @ Granada
03.19.10 Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theater
03.20.10 Murray, UT @ Murray Theater
03.22.10 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
03.23.10 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
03.25.10 Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse
03.26.10 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
03.27.10 San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
03.29.10 La Jolla, CA @ Porter’s Pub
03.30.10 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse Music Venue
04.01.10 Austin, TX @ Emo’s Alternative Lounging (Outdoor)
04.02.10 Dallas, TX @ The Door
04.03.10 Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
04.05.10 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
04.06.10 Knoxville, TN @ The Square Room
04.07.10 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
04.08.10 St. Petersburg, FL @ The State Theatre
04.09.10 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
04.10.10 Orlando, FL @ The Social
04.11.10 Orlando, FL @ The Social

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For more information on Person L, visit myspace.com/personl.

With the most gluttonous of holidays behind us and the last month of 2009 in the throes of its annual death rattle, we’re using this time to leave you with our requisite year-end, “best of” list. There was a lot of music that slipped through the cracks in 2009, but we dug deep and gathered a substantial amount of albums which we believe to be the best that the last official year of the decade had to offer. Though, due to technological constraints, we weren’t able to include every artist, we have provided a playlist of highlights from the majority of the albums in our list!

As an independent music website run by a collection of music fans, we really appreciate every possible shred of support you send our way, so thank you for everything you’ve done to help contribute to the growth of Audioholic Media over the past year. Hi-fives for everyone, and happy New Year!

Audioholic Media‘s Favorite Albums of 2009
In alphabetical order, so as to not play favorites amongst our favorites:

Air
Love 2
12 tracks, Astralwerks — Caroline
Coming back around from their last foray into experimental music for experimenting’s sake, this stylish French duo turn in an album full of brilliant, accessible melodies and delightfully dense textures. Face it, these guys are freakin’ geniuses with all the grooves and tones they can pull out of those keyboard layers, and the driving, almost spy-like themes on some of these tracks take them in a whole new direction. Despite having a cover that looks more like an Air Supply album, the songs are dynamic and well-conducted, pared down in instrumentation but fleshed out in arrangement. Hip, stylish, catchy, and synth-y – coolness = maintained.

The Antlers
Hospice
10 tracks, Frenchkiss
This album shows us that we can have a dark side and be compassionate all at the same time. The haunting and melodic tunes of Hospice bring an unconventional feeling to easy listening. Make sure to listen to this album from beginning to end (no shuffle option, either!) because the whole story unfolds that way.

Antony and the Johnsons
The Crying Light
10 tracks, Secretly Canadian
The Crying Light is a quiet, polished and slightly left-of-center album either best or worst listened to while on psychedelics. The third studio release from the band, Antony Hegarty and his Johnsons created something that feels almost uncomfortably personal, with Hegarty’s unusual and slightly eerie voice and lyrics lingering over each melody. The album creates a sense of mystery and is a little haunting in an unearthly sort of way.

Bat For Lashes
Two Suns
11 tracks, Astralwerks — Caroline
If there’s an artist that combines modern heartache and yearning with mystical, mythical imagery more seamlessly than Natasha Khan, they’re in hiding. Her pure, crystalline voice delivers her heart’s longings cased within tales of knights in crystal armor and siren songs, evoking a palpable mystique which is both enchanting and jaw-dropping, turning from concert-hall tours-de-force to intimate piano missives without missing a step. Breathtaking in so many ways, this album amply demonstrates Khan’s place as a too-rare artist who keeps magic and melodrama dancing together brilliantly.

Bobby Long
Dirty Pond Songs
10 tracks, Bobby Long
When Bobby Long isn’t being attacked by girls who dream of being ravaged by a blockbuster vampire, he’s making really good music for girls who dream of being ravaged by a blockbuster vampire… and for the rest of us. Dirty Pond Songs is an honest album with so much depth you would think the kid is just hitting his mid-life crisis. This album is consistent the whole way through and is a pleasant reminder that music can still be solid without losing its sincerity. It isn’t packing any fancy tricks, it’s simply a beautiful album from beginning to end. Long clearly takes his craftsmanship seriously and it can be heard in every lyric of every track, particularly in songs like “Left to Lie” and “Dead and Done.”
» Read our interview with Bobby Long here.

Brandi Carlile
Give Up the Ghost
11 tracks, Columbia
In her third studio release, Pacific Northwesterner Brandi Carlile brings her trademark powerful, sometimes rugged vocals to some softer, more personal lyrics than she’s released in the past. Produced by Rick Rubin, Give Up the Ghost features a less guarded, more cerebral side to Carlile as a vocalist and occasional lyricist. “Caroline” even offers an almost-unrecognizable Elton John collaboration! They grow up so fast…

Coconut Records
Davy
10 tracks, Young Baby Records
Davy is a collection of songs built for sunny days, even when the second track, “Drummer,” begins with a lyric as honest and blunt as, At fourteen, I lost my dad, it’s true. Each track on the album is a welcome reminder that the words “fun” and “catchy” aren’t (always) synonymous with “obnoxious.” With each track lasting only about three minutes, every song on Davy has its own short story to tell, and as it turns out, Jason Schwartzman has some worthwhile things to say.
» Read the full review here.

Cymbals Eat Guitars
Why There Are Mountains
9 tracks, Sister’s Den Records
This album is a great reminder that indie rock isn’t dead (or hiding behind some really cool sunglasses). Why There Are Mountains is a great debut and steps up to the plate where other albums in this genre usually hit this standard somewhere right around their sophomore release. “Some Trees” and “Wild Phoenix” showcase the band’s ability to take songs on a musical ride. There is so much texture to these tracks, it’s almost rough to listen to at times. The joy behind it all is that you can actually anticipate the unexpected and find yourself hearing the next twist or turn that the song is about to take. If you’re looking for melodic hooks embedded into one hell of a bumpy ride, then Why There Are Mountains might be the right dose of chaos you’ve been looking for.

The Dead Weather
Horehound
11 tracks, Warner Bros.
This super-ish-group is the first creative project on which Jack White doesn’t take the spotlight (despite the fact that every headline about them has his name bigger than the band name), instead manning the drum kit and handling backing vox. This does not detract, however, and the music is trademark raw, bone-crunching psychedelic blues-rock, the kind for which Mr. Gillis is known and solely capable of producing. Alison Mosshart’s vocals do the right job, and Pat Keeler and Dean Fertita unleash this band’s melodic gunfighter-style bare-bones melodies with full barrels of dynamics and sticks of reverb dynamite. It’s undeniable — even with JW on the skins and the rushed story of the band — that this album is highly worth checking out.

Dirty Projectors
Bitte Orca
9 tracks, Domino Recording Co.
Admittedly a bit obtuse by popular standards, by musical standards no other album this year even approaches this excellent work. Long at odds with creating music anything short of eclectic and almost pretentious, DP’s veritable mastermind David Longstreth finally made some concessions and composed tunes that could almost be described as accessible and even catchy on this LP, adding yet another vocalist and solidifying their unit into a tight-as-nails full band. Wisely yielding the spotlight to his other vocalists for a few tracks also produced one of the year’s most interesting crossover tracks in “Stillness Is the Move,” with vocalist/guitarist Amber Coffman waxing soul-diva with a hook that keeps climbing to an amazing peak (SITM was recently covered by Solange and is now a legitimate hit in the R&B world as well. Variety!).
» You can see a full review of the compositional, musical, and vocal grandeur that is this wonderful piece of work here.

Ernie Halter
Ernie Halter Live
11 tracks, Rock Ridge Music
This is an excellent live album which showcases both Halter’s raw talent and his genuine affability. Ernie Halter Live is a felicitous representation of the level of fun and musicianship that can be expected at a typical Ernie Halter show. If you find yourself constantly searching YouTube to get a live fix of Ernie Halter, this should save you the trouble of sorting through all of those user-uploaded covers of “Whisper.”
» Read our interview with Ernie Halter here.

Freelance Whales
Weathervanes
13 tracks, Freelance Whales
It’s hard to make assumptions about a new band that is thrown into a scene where there are endless numbers of competitors. Freelance Whales make their mark with Weathervanes and do so in a way that saves them the trouble of trying to show off. They’re not getting lost in their sound only to polish up their mishaps the following year on a sophomore album to show us how much they’ve learned, they’re simply showing us that this is what they know, and that they will be the best at it. The layering in “Generator ^ First Floor” and “Starring” take songs with simple lyrics and turn them into more complex situations that are easy to listen to. Sometimes the depth in their songs can be dismissed for quirkiness, but in all respect, that’s part of the total package of Weathervanes.

fun.
Aim & Ignite
10 tracks, Nettwerk
Forming a modern day supergroup, Nate Ruess (formerly of The Format), Andrew Dost (formerly of Anathallo), and Jack Antonoff (of Steel Train) fuse their various talents to create a band with a name that couldn’t more appropriately define their sound. Aim and Ignite establishes a lighthearted and cheerful tone on first listen, but in true Nate Ruess form, a song’s lyrics can sometimes contradict its melody. In “Be Calm,” a full orchestra swells in an aggregation of emphatic melodies and uplifting chords behind Ruess’s catchy vocals while he sings about talking himself off a ledge. The last 60 seconds of “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)” bear an honesty not often explored by most artists. Despite the song’s breezy overtone, Ruess delivers an eloquent and emotionally apathetic gut punch in the song’s final lyrics when he states, “I’m not a prophet, but I’m here to profit” after proclaiming that he doesn’t fall in love, he just fakes it.

Ouch.

» Read the full review here.

Future of Forestry
Travel EP I & II
2 discs, 12 tracks, Credential Recordings
With Eric Owyoung’s breathy tenor and dynamic guitar textures mixing brilliantly with his rotating band’s masterful rhythmic and production dynamics, Future of Forestry promises to be a delightful band. These releases up the bar with some surprisingly deft world percussion flavors, skilled lyrical concept connectivity (the EPs cover themes of air, sea, and land — land being the subject of a third EP on the way in 2010), and wave after wave of huge, catchy chorus hooks. Surprises at every turn, and a solid and innovative follow-up to their 2007 debut. Top job all around.

Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest
12 tracks, Warp Records
Once the hype settled over this flagship indie hipster band’s new album (even their announcement of its title got more press than most other bands combined on the hipsterweb circuit), a careful listen revealed a wonderful album out of time, combining lush mini-orchestral arrangements, sunny harmonies, subtle production flourishes, a boys’ choir, and Ed Droste’s and Daniel Rossen’s singularly unique lead vocals leading the charge. These four guys have a lot of musical acumen under their belt, and they brought all their toys to the table here, ultimately living up to the hype this album generated, if only in retrospect.

Ice Palace
Wonder Subtly Crushing Us
10 tracks, Rebel Group
Wonder Subtly Crushing Us hints at being a folk-rock album then covers that idea with layers of grunge- and indie-rock, creating a comprehensive collection of tracks which utilize a multitude of concepts and introspective lyrics to construct Ice Palace’s second official studio release. Because the album draws from a plethora of genres and influences, critics have been hard-pressed to find a category in which to place the album — which is the album’s primary selling point as well as its (most impressive) pitfall.

Julian Casablancas
Phrazes For the Young
8 tracks, RCA
Coming in last of all the solo Strokes’ work in the ’00s, the style-idol frontman’s output really surprised on many levels. Digging and twiddling for “hip” keyboards, Casablancas hit the mother lode in sweet sounds, and used the whole payload on these eight tracks. His gift for wry, sardonic lyrics has not diminished, nor has his signature dry, disaffected delivery, but it’s the music here — both in composition and arrangement — that’s leaps and bounds beyond his work with his bandmates. Great cover art as well — a great bonus out of left field.

Julie Peel
Near the Sun
12 tracks, American Laundromat
Julie Peel is an understated singer/songwriter of French-Canadian descent with a subtle gift for expressing the most complicated of emotions with effortless grace and melancholy frankness.  Most of her songs are so film-scene worthy it’s ridiculous, and the deceptively simple arrangements lend a sort of faded classic feel to every track. Worthy of much more notice than she’s received so far, but we hear one of her tracks is featured on that Mercy show on NBC so maybe better things are a-comin’…

Neko Case
Middle Cyclone
15 tracks, Anti/Epitaph
That voice is unmistakable, big and broad-shouldered while subtle and vulnerable, usually weaving a tale of some myriad shade of dysfunctional relationship — romantic or otherwise — past the point of repair. Neko Case’s work over her last two albums has been a perfect confluence of folk Americana and gritty roots rock with a splash of traditional country, and her lyrical ability just keeps getting better. Add to that a band which has been honed to a razor-sharp edge and that waxes and wanes in flow and power with mechanic precision to every curve, every hairpin turn in Case’s masterful songwriting. Worthy of all the multiple “best of” year-end lists on which it has found itself.

Noah and the Whale
The First Days of Spring
11 tracks, Interscope
We get it. You’re really really sad and this break up is so different than any other one we’ve heard about. You’re in pain. If you’re apathetic to the pain of a struggling artist, we don’t really blame you. There are indie films for that. The First Days of Spring not only becomes its own film, it wraps up every cliche you could imagine in a little over 40 minutes. Is that bad? It’s not necessarily something to boast about, but it’s apparent that the band members weren’t trying to accomplish anything beyond that. This album is packed full of light strings, percussion and piano, making it a very calm and peaceful experience regardless of its thematic tone. “The First Days of Spring” and “My Door Is Always Open” are two standout tracks which reflect the liveliest parts of the album as well as the parts that barely have a heartbeat.

Person L
The Positives
12 tracks, Academy Fight Song
Having a soft spot for the punk-rock movement, it’s expected that an artist like Kenny Vasoli would want something more than what’s being dished out lately. Vasoli told us in an interview that he’s waiting for someone to do something dangerous. The Positives seems to be his “dangerous” something. It’s not a flawless album by any means, but it’s an album that isn’t afraid to try different things. Person L had a habit of taking songs to a certain peak but never really exceeding expectations. This album finally makes it over that hump and brings to the table tracks like “Changed Man,” making it an unpredictable piece of work. These stylistic surprises happen from track to track, but songs like “Loudmouth” and “Goodness Gracious” are specific reminders that this band has roots firmly planted in its punk-rock influences.
» Read our interview with Person L here.

Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
10 tracks, Glassnote
Giving the French quartet the attention they’ve deserved for years, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix presents Phoenix as a band that the whole of the public can enjoy (as proven by this year’s late night talk show tour, showcasing the band on basically every American evening-based talk show). Still as poetic-yet-confusing as ever, the lyrics are no easier to understand upon first listen than they were on the band’s previous albums, but the songs are heavy on the dance vibe. Though “1901″ and “Lisztomania” were likely the most well-received tracks, “Rome” is the standout dark horse of the album.
Finding their footing as a band who are willing to experiment without being too experimental, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is left-of-center without being too esoteric for, say, basic cable.

St. Vincent
Actor
11 tracks, 4AD
In her second studio album as a solo artist, Annie Clark pairs her quiet vocals with some hard-ass guitar jams and creates the 11 ethereal, catchy, and sometimes haunting tracks which make up Actor. The lyrics on “Marrow” bear the most infectious cry for help of the year while the chorus of “The Bed” is little more than a serene-yet-severe threat which demands for you to stop right where you stand and put your hands in the air. The only real disappointment on the album is that “Actor Out of Work” is entirely too short, clocking in at a mere two minutes and 15 seconds of hard beats and pedal fuzz, but whatever. If your intention is to leave everyone wanting more, you have hit the nail on the head, St. Vincent.

The Swell Season
Strict Joy
12 tracks, Anti/Epitaph
This is the album Glen Hansard has been chasing his entire 2+ decade-long career. All his work with his veteran band The Frames, most of whom are present here, has been honing his songcraft for this moment, and all it took was Marketa Irglova’s fragile harmonies, perfect piano counterpoint, and lost love to cement it all in. These are songs which look achingly back through a bumpy relationship tunnel with honest self-deprecation and wide-smiling appreciation, played by a band who fills in the sonic corners with skill and tact and sung by Hansard and Irglova with complete transparency. Special props to the subtle strings played by violinist Colm MacIomaire, adding just the right shades of cloudy sky or warm sunbeams whenever necessary.
» Read the full review here.

Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
13 tracks, DGC/Interscope
Does anything else need to be said other than Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, and John Paul Jones? This is way beyond a supergroup — these three rock icons came together over their love of each other’s music and rock ‘n’ roll as a force; the result wasn’t commercial, but is unstoppable, full of face-rocking riffs and pinpoint-precise rhythm section interplay. Every track on this album has something memorable and is noteworthy for far more than the pedigree of the musicians creating it. Them Crooked Vultures is rock for rock’s sake, crafted and released into an over-commercialized world by skilled tradesmen who know their way around the crushing power of well-played rock and roll. They’re already talking album #2, and rock fans in the know are mopping up their saliva, with good reason.

The Trews
Acoustic- Friends and Total Strangers
15 tracks, Bumstead Productions Ltd.
Whether The Trews find the most joy on the stage or in the studio, their songs seem to shine best when played to a live crowd and Acoustic — Friends & Total Strangers showcases exactly that. Opening the album with solid harmonies on “Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me” and ending just as strongly an hour later with Colin MacDonald’s seemingly unaffected and unwavering vocals powering through “Hold Me In Your Arms,” the album is consistent throughout all 15 of its tracks. As difficult to skip songs as it is to choose a favorite amongst them, Friends & Total Strangers is a kick ass, acoustic rock show just as much as it’s one more excuse to get off your ass and go see The Trews live.

WHY?
Eskimo Snow
10 tracks, anticon
There isn’t as much alternative rap in Eskimo Snow as you might have hoped for, but that isn’t necessarily the only magic behind frontman Yoni Wolf’s talent. There’s no need to worry — his poetic license is still stapled to every single track throughout the album. The joy behind the majority of this album is the constant wit, charm, humor and raw truth behind every single word. “January Twenty Something” isn’t a long track but it holds enough momentum to feel like a pretty substantial ride. Other tracks like “Against Me” build momentum solely on a lyrical level but couple well with the calm nature of the melodies, balancing the layers of each song. At times, the content can be cryptic and unsettling, but Eskimo Snow still finds a weird way of being comfortable.

Will Hoge
The Wreckage
11 tracks, Rykodisc
Born from the accident that landed him in intensive care last year, The Wreckage features Will Hoge’s strongest studio work to date. Highlighting some of his most earnest lyrics without sacrificing the trademark rock ‘n’ roll sound he has built his reputation around, this album ties all of Hoge’s previous work together while also coming closest to exemplifying the sweaty charm of his live shows. “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” delivers the album’s biggest gut punch in the lyric Keep on dreamin’, even if it breaks your heart, broaching the eternal conundrum of every starving artist: Get rich or die tryin’.

Various Artists
Ciao, My Shining Star
3 discs, 41 tracks, Shout! Factory
A stirring and stellar (and amazingly prolific) tribute to a little-known singer/songwriter, all for a heartwrenching and heartwarming cause. Although Marc Mulcahy, and his bands Miracle Legion and Polaris, aren’t household names, luckily the list of people that had heard of him included a veritable who’s who of rock music from all genres. So, when tragedy struck his family and he lost his wife, the mother of their 2 daughters, it evoked an outpouring of support from the likes of Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe, Frank Black, and many, many others in the form of this album, a collection of Mulcahy’s songs re-interpreted by these artists and more, in order to provide him a means to support his remaining family. A noble gesture of course, but for the rest of us it is also a very satisfying piece of work — not only are these songs smart and intricate in their own right, the guest list’s renderings of them are spot-on and really incredible. Worth checking out for the charity, but more so for the incomparably great music.

Various Artists
Dark Was the Night
2 discs, 29 tracks, 4AD
A compilation for the Red Hot charity for AIDS research, somehow this double album turned into a summit of any and every big-name indie talent across the spectrum. Produced by Bryce and Aaron Dessner out of The National, this project pulled in the top-shelf tracks from anyone who’s anyone on the indie blog circuit: Arcade Fire? Check. Yeasayer? Check. Dirty Projectors? They did one with David Byrne. Feist, Grizzly Bear, and Bon Iver each appear twice, either on their own or with the likes of St. Vincent, Ben Gibbard, or each other. Sufjan Stevens even took a few moments away from his 50 States project and BQE orchestral suite to toss off a brilliant 10+ minute electronic work of staggering genius for the album. The only track that didn’t really make an impression was Kronos Quartet’s head-scratchingly dissonant title cut. All-in-all, this is 31 tracks of mind-altering brilliance — and for a good cause. You get great music, and up your hipster cred, and that’s what a great album is all about. WIN.

As many of you know, the wait is almost over. Person L‘s The Positives will release tomorrow for CD and digital release. The band is constantly finding a niche in their genre since Kenneth Vasoli parted ways with The Starting Line. Person L continue to surprise the indie scene with their complex arrangements and variety of sound. Their latest single shows the growth this band have reached in just a short amount of time and also leaves promising expectations for the release of The Positives.

If you’re a little more old school, then you can grab the vinyl edition of The Positives, which will be available on December 7th. For more information on ordering your double 12″ LP, visit Person L’s online store. Here are the remaining list of tour dates:

11.17.09 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue- 7th Street Entry
11.18.09 Iowa City, IA @ The Picador
11.19.09 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s Tavern
11.20.09 Columbus, OH @ The Basement
11.21.09 Jermyn, PA @ Eleanor Rigby’s
11.22.09 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
12.03.09 Durham, NH @ University of New Hampshire- MUB Strafford Room
12.04.09 Brooklyn, NY @ South Paw
12.08.09 Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn
12.09.09 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
12.11.09 Pittsburg, PA @ Diesel
12.12.09 Philadelphia, PA @ The Khyber

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For more information on Person L, visit myspace.com/personl.

It’s been a while since we sat down to talk to Kenneth Vasoli about Initial and what Person L had in store for the fans. With their respected debut album aging, it was time to hit the studio and work on something new and challenging. That new and challenging thing is nothing other than their follow-up album (which finally has a face), The Positives.

Track Listing

The Positives
Release Date: November 17, 2009

01. Hole In The Fence
02. Good Days
03. The Positives
04. Goodness Gracious
05. New Sensation
06. Stay Calm
07. Sit Tight
08. Loudmouth
09. Changed Man
10. Pleasure Is All Mine
11. Untitled
12. I Sing The Body Electric

We know you’re anxious to hear what Person L have been working on (and we’re not mean enough to hold out on you), so you can head on over to the band’s MySpace page to hear the title track from the album. After Initial‘s DIY approach, the band decided to seek a helping hand this time around and entrusted Copeland’s Aaron Marsh to produce the album in his personal studio, The Vanguard Room.

After Vasoli returns to the U.S. from his Australian solo tour, Person L will be playing as one entity in a city near you:

11.10.09 Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
11.11.09 Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar
11.12.09 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Bar
11.13.09 St. Louis, MI @ The Firebird
11.14.09 Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar
11.15.09 Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
11.17.09 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue- 7th Street Entry
11.18.09 Iowa City, IA @ The Picador
11.19.09 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s Tavern
11.20.09 Columbus, OH @ The Basement
11.21.09 Jermyn, PA @ Eleanor Rigby’s
11.22.09 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
12.03.09 Durham, NH @ University of New Hampshire- MUB Strafford Room
12.04.09 Brooklyn, NY @ South Paw
12.08.09 Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn
12.09.09 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
12.11.09 Pittsburg, PA @ Diesel
12.12.09 Philadelphia, PA @ The Khyber

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For more information on Person L, visit myspace.com/personl.

Person L have been touring with Ace Enders all summer for the BBQ Across America Tour. Kenny Vasoli might have not had his fair share of barbecue, as he is getting ready to take his music down under to Australia. He’s not firing up the barbie. Instead, he’ll be playing his first solo acoustic tour through the month of October.

On this tour, Vasoli will be playing songs from Person L’s first album, their upcoming album, as well as some original tracks from The Starting Line (his former band). If you’ve racked up enough Sky Miles and are interested in the dates, tickets go on sale August 24th.

10.07.09 Belgrave @ Ruby’s Lounge
10.08.09 Melbourne @ Next
10.09.09 Adelaide @ Skye
10.10.09 Freemantle @ Swan Basement
10.11.09 Perth @ Amplifier Bar
10.12.09 Central Coast @ Blush Nightclub
10.15.09 Sydney @ The Gaelic Theatre
10.16.09 Sydney @ Hype Central
10.17.09 Brisbane @ Thriller
10.18.09 Brisbane @ Top Floor

In the meantime, check out Person L as a whole, because it will be a while before they’re back on tour in the States.

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For more information on Person L, visit myspace.com/personl.

After great reactions about Initial, the band’s debut album, they hit the studio once again. Vassoli dropped word that their latest album, The Positives, is officially wrapped up in the studio process. The record will be completely mixed very soon and runs at 52 minutes and tops out at 12 tracks. That seems like useless information to some, but to others who know about the shortness of the last album, there might be excitement about seeing a lengthier work this time around.

In the meantime, check out the following dates of the (M)orning Tour:

5.01.09 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
5.05.09 La Jokka, CA @ The Loft: UC San Diego
5.06.09 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
5.09.09 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
5.10.09 Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
5.12.09 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
5.13.09 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
5.16.09 Salt Lake City, UT @ Avalon Theater
5.17.09 Denver, CO @ The Marquis Theatre
5.19.09 St.Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
5.20.09 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
5.21.09 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Rock Club
5.22.09 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
5.23.09 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
5.24.09 Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Music Hall
5.27.09 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar
5.28.09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre

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For more information on Person L and their tour, visit myspace.com/personl.

Check the list to see if they’re passing through your end of town. If they’re not, then you should rearrange a weekend or something to see these guys rock. It’s worth it.

In the meantime, keep checking their website for all the latest updates.

4.18.09 Norfolk, VA @ The Norva
4.19.09 Charlotte, NC @ The Casbah
4.20.09 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade: Hell Stage
4.22.09 Orlando, FL @ The Social
4.23.09 Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree Cafe
4.24.09 Baton Rouge, LA @Lousiana State University
4.28.09 Austin, TX @ Emo’s
4.30.09 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
5.01.09 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
5.05.09 La Jokka, CA @ The Loft: UC San Diego
5.06.09 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
5.09.09 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
5.10.09 Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
5.12.09 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
5.13.09 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
5.16.09 Salt Lake City, UT @ Avalon Theater
5.17.09 Denver, CO @ The Marquis Theatre
5.19.09 St.Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
5.20.09 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
5.21.09 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Rock Club
5.22.09 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
5.23.09 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
5.24.09 Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Music Hall
5.27.09 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar
5.28.09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre

We know. Everyone is doing it. The end of the year tends to be our time to get reflective about the past twelve months. We get honest with ourselves about past loves, bad habits, how much our thighs jiggle when we walk, and our favorite music from 2008.

In an effort to help you to blow through those iTunes gift cards that you got for Christmas (or to help lead you into minor credit card debt before the year ends) and to remind ourselves of what we loved most about the passing year, we’ve compiled a list of our…

Top 08 Songs Of ’08
(in no particular order)

Song Most Likely To Make You Want to Shake Your Ass and/or Start A Bar Fight:
Bloc Party, “One Month Off”
»Track available: here.

Slowest Song To Accomplish Something Beautiful (Rather Than Something Boring):
The Crash Engine, “1982″
»Track available here.
»Read our interview here.

Best Song To Blow Your Car Stereo Speakers Out To:
Kings Of Leon, “Use Somebody”
»Track available here.

Most Effective Example Of How To Utilize A Male/Female Harmony:
Tien, “Patience Finds”
»Track available: here.
»Read our interview here.

Simplest Song That Makes The Most Sense About The Most Complicated Subjects (Life, Love, and Loss):
Person L, “Storms”
»Track available here.
»Read our interview here.

Song That Should Make You Depressed But Comforts You In The Oddest Way (And You Don’t Feel Bad About It):
Manchester Orchestra, “I Can Feel A Hot One”
»Track available: here.

Song That Gives You Instant College Credits Without Having To Take History, Political Science, And Sociology Classes:
Kevin Devine, “Another Bag Of Bones”
»Track available here.
»Read our interview here.

Song That Seems To Fit The Cliché Of Bringing In The New Year and Makes You Think That Resolutions Aren’t Just A Myth:
Jack’s Mannequin, “The Resolution”
»Track available here.

And a short list of albums we could all agree on:

Butch Walker, Sycamore Meadows
»Available on iTunes.

Ernie Halter, Starting Over
»Available on on iTunes.
»Read our interview here.

Jason Mraz, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things
»Available on on iTunes.

—–

Have a happy and safe 2009, everyone.
We love you most of all.

See you next year!

xoxo,
Audioholic Media

I had a chance to sit down (for a second, until we were bombarded by an army of ants) with Kenneth Vasoli from Person L. Kenneth, also known as “Kenny”, was frontman to a band that you may or may not be familiar with called The Starting Line. Breaking away from a band that had accomplished so much, more or less, put him back on the chopping block. He ended up at the starting line (no pun intended), if you will, and you do. Everything about this interview was laid back, from the arrangement with the band’s PR people and tour managers, all the way to doing the interview outside of the venue a few hours before the show. Even when he didn’t know that I was there to interview him, all I did was mention that Matt (PR) had set everything up for me. He said that if I talked to Matt then it was good enough for him, which in turn, was good enough for me. And without any further delay (because I know there has been for about a month) here is the interview.

Audioholic Media: There must have been a pivotal point that made you want to attempt something completely different after being where many people would have considered you “stable”. What was the initial influence for Person L to become Person L?

Kenneth Vasoli: I don’t know. I mean— I guess just collecting so much music over time kind of drove me insane of wanting to do something different by branching off into different styles. I would say that the first time that I really wanted to start a different kind of band is when I saw The Battles play in the beginning of 2007 at a First Humanitarian Church with Ryan from my band. That was just such an important moment for us because they did so much different stuff with music that it was a real eye-opener for us. It made us feel like there was a place for a really different sort of band like them.

AM: Do you think that the breakaway from your prior band aids your musical progression with this one? I know it’s a cheesy example, but sort of like how child stars have that stigma associated with them. You know? Does it ever get to a point where you’re like, Oh, yeah? I can’t do what? Well, listen to this.

KV: Yeah, I think that all of the experiences that I’ve had in music has helped me up to this point and has given me a better idea of what I want.

AM: Do you try to steer clear of expectations from the fans that followed you for so long? Because the music you’re creating now is so much more mature than the genre you were associated with before.

KV: Yeah, I really don’t worry about people’s expectations anymore. That’s kind of the point of this band. We just want to do things that we want to do by following our own instincts.

AM: The styles of sounds that are being created make for an interesting blend of classic/current-day-rock mixed with an experimental electric vibe. What musical influences, not solely speaking of artists, moved you to take on a project such as this one?

KV: The two biggest ones were Drive Like Jehu, which was Mark Trombino’s band, from around 1993 and 1994, and also Radiohead. Those two bands, between the both of them, kind of hit everything that I like about music. You know, with the electronics and the ambience of post-punk and aggressive vocals, and stuff like that. After hearing Hail to the Thief, and Drive Like Jehu and Yank Crime, I just started obsessing over more experimental and angular kinds of music.

AM: Tell us a little bit about the recording process for this album. From what I gathered, this was a little different than what you were used to, right?

KV: Yeah, it was pretty long. In December of ’06 we started recording the drums, which is pretty much all we did in the studio, was just the drums. Then I just took it home and brought the files down to my basement and bedroom and just finished it there. We wanted to do that, because for the most part, we wanted to have a real cool garage-y and low-fi kind of record. But I wanted the drums to still be boombastic and full and still have texture to them. That’s pretty much why we did it like that, but it took a while with still juggling The Starting Line stuff and just doing it all by our own means. We really took our time with it, but I’m glad we did because it came out just how I wanted it to.

AM: Eight tracks for a full-length album doesn’t seem too conventional. It can definitely be argued that this album was not rushed. Like you said, you guys started in ’06. For example, the musical progression and track arrangement was definitely thought out. Was there a reason for such a short debut album?

KV: It was actually supposed to be six tracks and I intended for it to be an EP in the beginning, and then people had a great response to “Storms” so we decided to put that one on there too. Then we recorded “Sunshine” when we did the seed session. So, we were just left with eight songs that were totally recorded, and I just think there’s something cool about having eight songs on a record. It’s not quite a full-length and not quite an EP, people don’t really know what to say, but I feel like it’s just the right amount of music to listen to.

AM: Now that you brought that up, I was actually going to ask you about “Storms”. I would think that if there had to be one song on this album that could be compared to the kind of stuff you were doing with The Starting Line, it would be that song. You said it was the first song written for this album and you were actually touring with The Starting Line when you wrote it, right?

KV: Yeah, I was on tour with The Starting Line at the time. It was like the day after I broke up with my girlfriend that I had for a long time. That was like the second time we broke up after being together for seven years. We’re back together right now.

AM: Congratulations.

KV: Thank you. That’s just a little update for anyone who is worried. But, yeah— even though it was my decision, I was still broken up about it and had to write something. So “Storms” was the first one.

AM: Knowing that it was similar in style to what you were doing with The Starting Line, were you at all worried about making that decision to add a track, such as “Storms” to this new album? I mean, did you think that maybe it was sort of giving false hope to those fans that were so into The Starting Line, to where they might think something along the lines of, “Yes! He hasn’t left us.”?

KV: Yeah, but I think it’s always good to have a bridge song, and I think that that’s pretty much the perfect bridge song from The Starting Line to Person L. I don’t think there will be many more like it, but that’s kind of the point of Person L.

AM: It’s obvious that this band wasn’t just thrown together for the sake of having someone play a certain instrument. I mean, just listening to the band play together, it’s clear that this was thought out. How did you all selectively get together?

KV: Well, Ryan and me were playing together ever since we were like, fifteen or sixteen years old and had been best buddies for a long time. So anytime I would come home, I would just get together with him and hang out. We’d go down to the basement and fool around for hours and hours and just couldn’t help but throw some riffs and some songs together. I’ve always loved his style of drumming but I also wanted a little more of an angular or techie kind of drummer. That guy, Brian, was in a band called The Minor Times. They were pretty much local hardcore legends from where we’re from. They’re pretty much my favorite hardcore band. The Minor Times were kind of winding down and I asked him [Brain Medlin] if he wanted to come over and write some songs. He was a little bit hesitant because I don’t think he really wanted to play drums for another band, but once we started writing together it was really apparent that it clicked and then we started writing a whole lot of songs right away. It just felt really good. And then we got Charles [Schneider] to play bass, who I knew had great rhythm, so he fit the bill real well. Then we have Brian [Schmutz] from The Starting Line playing keys with us.

AM: He plays on the Rhodes [piano], right?

KV: He’s also one of my favorite musicians in the area. I love the way that guy writes and it was a no-brainer to have him in the band. Unfortunately, he had to leave because he can’t really afford to be on the road right now. So, right after that we got Nate [Nathaniel Vaeth] to come and start playing. He just nailed it. He’s got the same kind of influences that we do, like the classic rock influence that is perfect for the aesthetic that we’re going for.

AM: In the band bio on MySpace, it said that you felt “pigeonholed” by the recognition that you were getting because you couldn’t really branch out. I mean, that’s credible, because what you guys are doing now is really experimental and not something you hear everyday. With that being said, what’s your feeling about the music industry, in terms of where it’s going? I mean, Zac Efron was on the cover of The Rolling Stone—

KV: Yeah, I don’t even know who that is.

[Polite laughter from both of us]

AM: Take for example, the girls from “The Hills” even. It’s one of those things where it’s just shifty right now.

KV: My girlfriend loved that article. She was reading that on an airplane last month or something.

[More laughing]

Yeah, I guess you could say it’s in sort of sorry shape right now. You know— I don’t know. I hope that there are more bands that step forward and pull Radioheads and do their own records and put them up on the Internet for whoever wants to hear it. I think it needs that kind of independent mentality again. The record labels don’t really have that much to offer besides taking all your money now, slapping you down on bus benches, and stuff like that. I think that, especially for a band like us, we haven’t found a need for a label just yet. I’m just hoping that punk rock is going to come back in some way. Not just in the sense of mohawks and studded leather jackets—

AM: Yeah, just the genre in general.

KV: Yeah, kind of like the idea of just doing stuff that’s dangerous, is cool again, because nobody, at least for me, I haven’t really heard a lot of people doing anything dangerous.

“Canyonlands”, Person L

[Editor's Note: The quality is not what you would consider "professional". With that being said, don't complain. Instead, send in your resumes (that don't really matter because we'll pick you anyway) so you can be one of the lucky ones to follow us around and record shows and transcribe interviews afterward.]

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The Person L’s debut album, Initial, is currently available on iTunes.
Visit the Person L MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/personl