Hailing from New Jersey and currently residing in Seattle, Rachel Flotard has been piloting Visqueen for years while singing with Neko Case. When her father took ill, she put her career on hold in order to spend time with him as he battled prostate cancer. Losing her dad led Flotard to take deeper stock of her life and career. She formed her own indie label, Local 638 Records, and released the power-pop gem Message to Garcia to rave reviews. In this EXCLUSIVE interview, Rachel Flotard recalls the evolution of her new album and some of her [...]
Hope you enjoyed the Halloween episodes! They were a bit more fun to make than the usual weekly episodes, though also a bit more work. I think I doubled my lifetime whispering by doing the "voices"for those. Our two-year-old, Sydney, helped me do this one. (artist - song - album + purchase link :: extra info) Shonen Knife - Super Group - Super Group U.S.E. - K.I.S.S.I.N.G. - L.O.V.E.W.O.R.L.D. [...]
Message To Garcia is a collection of Visqueen songs that represents a rock and roll epitaph to front woman Rachel Flotard's father. After garnering countless fans, reviews, and playing shows with everyone from Guided By Voices, to Cheap Trick, Visqueen appeared to be on the verge of conquering the world. All of that changed when her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Their choice to be together for the duration of his illness would change her direction forever. Mr. George E. Flotard was a New York City steamfitter since the mid 1960's. He fought and loved in Hell's [...]
At one point, the world really was Visqueen's oyster. Their fanbase was growing, positive press was abundant, and they were sharing the stage with bands that mattered (Guided By Voices, Cheap Trick, etc.). It all changed when front woman Rachel Flotard found out her dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer...
Visqueen is back with Message to Garcia , the band's first album since 2004's Sunset on Dateland . Since then, lead singer Rachel Flotard started Local 638 Records , helped pal Neko Case out with some backing vocals and added new bass player Cristina Bautista to the Visqueen mix (filling the big shoes of Kim Warnick and Barrett Jones). Local 638 is named after the New York City steamfitter's union Flotard's father belonged to, who passed away between the two albums after battling cancer. Message to Garcia –"So [...]
*The Flaming Lips-Siver Trembling Hands ( mp3 ) ( web ) *The Pastels & Tenniscoats-About You (Jesus & Mary Chain Cover) ( mp3 ) ( web ) *Sean Bones & Norah Jones-Turn Them ( mp3 ) ( web ) *Visqueen-Hand Me Down ( mp3 ) ( web ) *Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons-Born Again ( mp3 ) ( web ) *The Sweet Serenades-On My Way ( mp3 ) ( web ) *Finn Riggins-Wake (Keep This Town Alive) ( mp3 ) ( web ) *Jesus H. Foxx-I'm Half the Man You Were ( mp3 ) ( web ) *Music For [...]
I’ve mentioned this in a comment or two on Seattle Subsonic how much I enjoyed the REVERB Festival last year. Now I’m making it official in a blog post. There was just something about it that brought back memories of old Seattle. Before all the cookie-cutter condos and bars like the Ballroom started showing up and way before Belltown became the mecca for boys in stripey shirts and girls in short skirts. It had a feel of “big town” Seattle: super mellow, non-pretentiousness, no lines, lots of colorful character and good music. Maybe that feel had something to [...]
You're probably more familiar with the Rachel Flotard (or at least her voice) than you imagine. Rachel has sung background vocals on two of Neko Case's albums ( Fox Confessor Brings The Flood and Middle Cyclone ). Neko returns the favor and appears on five tracks of Rachel's band Visqueen 's new album. Speaking of Visqueen's new album, it's entitled Message To Garcia and is currently one of the albums on heavy rotation at my place. It's impossible to not be immediately won over by Flotard's voice. Her angelic vocals are like [...]
It rained. It poured. But for our troubles we made the front page of the Seattle Weekly's coverage ! First up was my most anticipated show, Visqueen . I love them so much. Check out their video for Crush On The Radio , although my favourite song is actually Vaxxine. It came as a huge disappointment to me when they played their new album in it's entirety with neither of songs I wanted to [...]
Know why Superman feels the need to save the newspaper industry? Because FREE sells more than un-free; or, in other words, the blogs are winning. But what is our society giving up by demanding so much of everything online to be "free"? That remains to be seen, but quality investigative journalism seems to be one of the early casualties. As for the music industry, it's a similar problem we're faced with. You want FREE. We give FREE. And somewhere kittens are crying. Huh? Whatever dude, it's FRIDAY! That's right woodchuck chuckers, it's Free Music Friday time on EF!! Guilt-free LEGAL [...]
Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: CFCF : "Monolith" [mp3] from Continent (out October 27th) other CFCF posts at Largehearted Boy Ladyhawke : "My Delirium" [mp3] from Ladyhawke other Ladyhawke posts at Largehearted Boy Last Tide : "Traitor in My Mind" [mp3] from [...]
Bang Bang Eche - (You + Me) As Thick As Thieves from Bang Bang Eche on Vimeo .
The new Visqueen album, Message to Garcia , is out today. I’ll tell you the truth – until a few days ago I had no idea who the hell Visqueen were. But they were nice enough to send me a copy of the first single from their new album, so I thought I’d check it out. “Hand Me Down” is a pop rock song, but it’s the good kind of pop rock: more rock than pop and with a chorus that reminds me a lot of Cheap Trick. The song also has big rock ‘n’ roll [...]
...from the opening riff of "Hand Me Down" it's readily apparent that Seattle's Visqueen is well-versed in classic rock idioms. Even better, they flaunt them without irony. With the bravado of Cheap Trick and the she-swagger of Kim Deal/Pat Benatar/Ann Wilson, frontwoman Rachel Flotard's hooks land with precise potency. As if the track wasn't venomous enough, add in a cameo from Neko Case [who also brought in Flotard to sing on her recent Middle Cyclone and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood albums], and it's game over. "Hand Me Down" is the first [...]
Cripes! I remember loving me some Visqueen music a few years back though I seem to have lost the CD and, truthfully, had kind of forgotten about the band before receiving a link to a brand new song from the Rachel Flotard -fronted band (where ya been, Rachel????). Visqueen makes a triumphant return later this month (Sept.8) with the release of Message to Garcia on Flotard's new Local 638 Records . Yipee! Here's a preview track. [...]
Seattle's favorite rock band Visqueen is one week away from releasing the brand new album Message To Garcia ! Today, we are so excited to give you the first taste. "Hand Me Down" is the first track off the record. It's not the first single, it's the first track. They couldn't pick a single, they were all amazing so we just started at the beginning. Then, Sept. 8th, 2009, the world at once, gets the real deal, Message To Garcia drops to the press, the public, [...]
Seattle's favorite girlfriend Rachel Flotard (of Visqueen and general Rachel Flotard fame) is helping Neko Case on her performance on David Letterman tonight! Also sharing the stage will be Eric Bachmann (Archers of Loaf/Crooked Fingers) on guitar. Like the watching recent Jimmy Fallon episodes didn't already remind you that Dave is King, here's another reason. Let's watch Paul drool over the double trouble duo of Neko and Rachel! read more
Ascolta la title track del nuovo album in uscita il 3 marzo della cantautrice alternative folk americana -----
I'd heard about the project of filming some of Seattle's favorite musicians in the legendary space pre-opening weekend, but I didn't quite realize "One Shot at the Croc" would be this awesome. read more
A night full of local all-stars with Jon Auer, Gavin Guss, Pablo Trucker, and Visqueen. read more
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The Postal Service – “A Tattered Line of String”
Frau – Tarian Sari (stream)
