Who: Jukebox the Ghost + Via Audio When: June 20th Where: Union Hall More Dates Listen: Jukebox the Ghost - "Victoria" Via Audio - "Modern Day Saint" Thoughts: Since they made their New York debut at Pianos last year, I believe I have seen Jukebox the Ghost 2,492 times. That may be an exaggeration but it's not an exaggeration to say that each time I have seen this DC trio I have been blown away by there remarkable stage presence and their abilities as musicians and songwriters. Now that people have started to latch onto the band more and more people have been singing-a-long to their tunes, making the live show even more of a spectacle and even more fun! Who: She & Him When: July 26th Where: Terminal 5 More Dates Listen: She & Him - "Sentimental Heart" Thoughts: Before Scarlett Johansson was stealing the spotlight with her album of Tom Waits covers, Zooey Deschanel was the talk of the indie world with her M. Ward partnership. Well, She & Him haven't really gone anywhere despite Johansson's turn in the spotlight, and considering this duo makes their own music, their own way, I have a feeling they might be hanging along a little bit longer too. Who: We Are Scientists When: Jul 31st + August 1st Where: Music Hall of Williamsburg + Bowery Ballroom More Dates Listen: We Are Scientists - "After Hours" Thoughts: I'm not terribly impressed with We Are Scientists new album. It's a little bland, a little blah, and a little to samey for my tastes. That said the band has always been known as a solid bet for their live shows, which may help to translate the new material. If not, well then the blogs will have to be moving on to their next darling or maybe some bloggers will give them a pass on this album and wait for a solid third one. Yeah, like a blogger might have patience like that! Who: Extra Golden When: August 3rd Where: Prospect Park Bandshell More Dates Listen: Extra Golden - "Obama" Thoughts: I loved Extra Golden's second album Hera Ma Nono, and I think a lot of people finally picked up on this worldly band with that release. So, Prospect Park might be super packed when the band make their New York stop of their second ever U.S. tour! Make sure to wear your Obama pin though, 'cause I think Hillary and McCain supporters will be asked to leave! Who: F Yeah Tour When: July 12th + 13th Where: Highline Ballroom + Club Exit More Dates Listen: Matt & Kim - "Yea Yeah" Circle Jerks - "Wild In The Streets" Thoughts: There's few things I enjoy more then a sweaty, aggressive mosh pit. It's been a while since I was really in a good one, but I think this tour has the making for a sweaty good time. By pairing new generation punks like Matt & Kim and Team Robespierre with the heavy hitters of years gone by like The Circle Jerks, The F Yeah Fest is taking their audience by the balls and all but assuring us of an awesome time. The two dates mentioned above both have awesome after parties as well so make sure you check the F Yeah Tour site for all the details!!! Who: Ponytail When: June 21st, July 21st + July 22nd Where: After the Jump Fest, Knitting Factory, + The Yard More Dates Listen: Ponytail - "7 Souls" Thoughts: Ponytail have lined up a kick ass tour this summer and it's certainly highlighted by their spot on the After the Jump Fest! After that the band will be coming back in July, but face it you all want to see them for FREE at the After the Jump Fest!!!! Who: Ratatat When: July 15th Where: Music Hall of Williamsburg More Dates Listen: Ratatat - "Mirando" Thoughts: The new Ratatat album has just recently hit my iPod so it's gonna be a few days *cough, Monday, cough* before I get a chance to actually talk about the new stuff. But for now you can rest assured that the band will be doing a quick tour to support the upcoming release and of course they lined up a New York stop for the short tour! I'm sure they'll be back real soon after that, but let's face it it's always more fun being introduced to new tunes live and in person rather then on your mp3 player of choice!
When you release album after album of consistent work you can sometimes become a bit neglected with some of your work becoming lost in the constant stream of new music. It sometimes seems like Bonnie "Prince" Billy is one of those acts that keeps getting overlooked. For each album that receives loads of praise there are a handful that get lost among other releases from far less prolific songwriters. Hopefully the same fate will not befall Lie Down In The Light, an absolutely stunning album in a career of excellent albums. On his latest release Oldham puts forth an effort that serves as the perfect counter to some of his darker material. For most of this album Oldham writes songs that are a little bit brighter, a little freer, and with a lot more happiness built into them. They are beautiful little songs, mostly made with Oldham's gentle strumming and quiet singing. Its a simple album, but one that's stunning in its simplicity. Where other artists might need some jovial keys or a lush horn section to convey joy, Oldham needs only himself. Of course he adds a little bit to the mix with a couple of pretty duets and a few instruments outside of his guitar, but even when he adds those elements the music remains spacious and free. Its a really smartly written, solid album that is on par with the best of the Bonnie "Prince" Billy catalog. I only hope it doesn't get over shadowed by some band that won't be around in a few years. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "You Want That Picture" Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "Lie Down in the Light"
Its not to hard to guess what a Dan Friel solo record will sound like. Coming from his part as a member of Parts & Labor, Friel has a reputation as a noisy musician and on his debut solo album he lives up to every bit of that reputation. Ghost Town is an album that is positively full of sounds, electronics blarring as one, drum machines keeping a steady beat, understated synth works, it has it all and its meant to be played loud. The album is completely devoid of vocals allowing the sounds to root themselves into the listeners minds and make them listen to every different sound coming from Friel. It doesn't sound like Parts & Labor, but you certainly aren't surprised about the album once you put it on. This is a fine debut from a man who is making some really interesting noise with his band and alone. I think most of you guys will really get into this one right from the start! Dan Friel - "Ghost Town (pt. 1)" Dan Friel - "Ghost Town (pt. 2)" Friday May 30th:
The Good: Bodies of Water - "Under the Pines"; For almost 6-minutes, Bodies of Water absolutely rocks us on this brand new track. It's dark and sinister, but it's blended neatly with beautiful harmonies, a strong chorus, and some sick drum work. I've liked Bodies of Water for a good amount of time now, but this is their high water mark so far without a doubt! Grade: A- Rick Ross (feat. Pharell) - "Get Down"; MTV recently picked Rick Ross as one of the 10 Best MC's in the game right now. I don't know about ranking him that high just yet, but he's definitely building in the right direction. On this track, with the always understated (hah!) Pharell, Rick Ross takes the spotlight and absolutely blows it up. His rhymes are sick, his flow is unstoppable, and the overall thumping bass and cowbell setting the beat is flawless for this whole track. I may not think he's top 10 just yet, but by this time next year he may be top 5. Grade: B+
Wire - "One of Us"; Yesterday I talked about Wire's influence on modern music and my high hopes for their reunion, well with their first single off their comeback album I think they have easily squashed any fears I had about them coming back. They still opt for a minimalist sound and do so with some really cool music. Now I'm not gonna say I'd take this over anything off Pink Flag or any part of their back catalog, but it's pretty damn good anyway. Grade: B
The Shitty Limits - "Espionage"; Chances are good that if you like Jay Reatard you're gonna like this track from this England based punks. The band have already opened for Reatard and with their scuzzed out guitars and howling vocals it's pretty easy to see why Reatard chose this band to open. And I'm sure the fans were quite impressed by the double bill. Grade: A-
Track of the Week: Sigur Ros - "Gobbledigook"; The other day my brother was attempting to convince me that Animal Collective were the most important band of this current time. I countered that Radiohead were still the most important, but after listening to this track by Sigur Ros I may have to adjust a bit. Obviously Sigur Ros are pretty important in their own right, but on this track the band certainly have a bit of an Animal Collective feel. With a thump-thump-thump drum and quirky harmonies the band are obviously echoing the influence of Animal Collective and doing it really well. Obviously I don't understand the lyrics, but the song as a whole is damn good, and certainly a cool step for Sigur Ros to make as a band! Grade: A
The Bad: Takka Takka - "The Takers"; I have a terrible anit-Takka Takka bias. No the band has never taken a girl from my arms or run over my dog, but they have always irked me with their music and their ability to be over-hyped from everyone who writes about this business. Now I know it's not cool to hate a band because they get buzzed about, but every time I listen to Takka Takka I find myself irritated by the overall sound of the band. I know a lot has changed since they last released any new music but they still sound pretty bland to me overall. Grade: C-
Video of the Week:
RZA as Bobby Digital - "You Can't Stop Me Know"; I like the whole comic book style of this video, love the Wu, and the track is pretty solid too. Grade: B
Did anyone out there know that there were bands in Richmond, Virginia? If you did, did you know that some of them are pretty damn good? Neither did I, but I actually got an e-mail from a band down there this week and their music is pretty damn awesome! The name of the band is Hot Lava, a trio that blends some electronic sounds with the standard drums and bass and writes some damn fine songs to go along with the sounds.
On their new album, Lavalogy, the band do a fine job introducing themselves to everyone with some really cool electronic bits and some truly steady rhythms. It's a really weird sound at times, but it's also really catchy at the same time. To make it all the more endearing the band is a group of graphic designers and their day jobs totally make it into their songs. On "JPG in the Sun" the band has penned an ode to high resolution, while "Apple Option Fire" is probably the finest song ever written about a giant design project crashing your Mac's processor! They don't only write about digital technology though, they also have songs about mummies and dragons and ghosts and quite a few other things. All of this adds up to some of the finest indie pop out there, not just in Richmond, Virginia.
The band's sites don't provide too much background on themselves so I know very little about them aside from their excellent music, but that should really be more then enough to entice you into getting to know the band as well. Take a listen to the tracks below and start falling in love with this awesome geek pop trio! Hot Lava - "Over It" Hot Lava - "O Returno Da Lovefoxxx" Hot Lava - "JPG in the Sun" Hot Lava on Myspace Hours till Friday Links!!!: - My Irish boys Oppenheimer are recorded for all-time on Daytrotter! - My Old Kentucky Blog does an interview with Tim Fite and posts some tracks from his awesome new record Fair Ani't Fair! - Pitchfork has the Gordon girls by for a Guest List spot from their band Free Kitten! - Prefix interviewed Flying Lotus! - Jukebox the Ghost get featured on Spin.com. - ATP has tabbed Mike Patton and The Melvins to curate their Nightmare Before Christmas! (via Consequence of Sound)
As a general rule I am terribly leery of reunion tours. Most of the time a band gets back together way past their prime, to rehash the glory days and make obscene amounts of money, but every once in a while there comes a reunion worth getting your hope up for. No I'm not speaking of the My Blood Valentine comeback (which is also awesome!), or a rumored Pavement get together, or even a return of The Replacements, no I'm talking about the comeback of post-punk pioneers Wire. For decades the music of Wire has been a vital tool in shaping of the modern soundscape. Bands as varied as R.E.M., Minor Threat, Elastica, and many more have all payed homage to Wire with cover versions of their songs, bands like Interpol and The Strokes wouldn't exist without Wire, and all throughout the indie rock world bands must show their undying gratitude to what Wire started way back in the 70's. With the band kicking off the free Friday evening shows at the South Street Seaport now seems as good a time as any to look at what it probably one of Wire's most important albums - Pink Flag.
Considering the album came out in 1977 and I was born in 1980 I obviously wasn't an owner of an original first pressing of Pink Flag, but the album was just as important to me as it has been to countless other music fans. When I finally did discover Wire it was thanks to a number of bands that were naming the band as an influence in interviews. After a few dozen had cited Pink Flag as a life changing album I finally took the bait and went out and listened to the album for the first time. It wasn't initially life altering for me, but after a few listens it became a constant in my regular listening rotation. The songs were like a bohemian version of The Ramones, quick songs that we loaded from end to end but didn't follow the traditional verse-chorus-verse song structure. I remember thinking to myself that it was so similar to everything I had been listening to, and it was the basis of everything that was hitting my ears at the time. Obviously a kid listening in '77 would have heard something completely different, but to me it was one of the basic building blocks of everything I had every listened to.
Like the punk albums of the day, Pink Flag was attempting to do away with all the excessive parts of the 70's stadium rock movement. They stripped songs down in time, cut out any solos, and built songs that didn't last long but had way more impact in their brevity. But it also took the idea of punk a step further by taking away anything that resembled a normal song structure. It was revolutionary and absolute forward thinking, and that's why Wire's impact remains so high even into this day and age. Bands are still looking to strip away anything that's thought of as conventional, replacing it with their own feelings of how music should sound, and back in '77 Wire were the first band to truly explore that idea to fruition.
I am by no means an expert on Wire. I listen to their albums (some more then others) and that's about as deep as I go into the Wire phenomena, but on Friday night under the early evening sky I'll be watching closely as these legends bring their noise back to the stage. I'm excited and amped and ready to get down, I just hope they continue to not follow musical trends by being a less then exceptional reunion tour. Wire - "Ex-Lion Tamer" Wire - "Lowdown" Wire - "Pink Flag" Wire - "Mannequin" Hump Day Linkages: - The Jealous Girlfriends do Daytrotter! - Ear Farm does Q+A with These United States, their Band of the Week! - JellyNYC released most of their McCarren Park Pool Party lineups for the summer! The Music Slut lists them all, some are TBA, some are simply amazing as always! - Pitchfork asks Dan Deacon about his new album! - Rolling Stone counts down the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All-Time! Is your favorite on there???
Who: The Explorers Club Location: Charleston, S.C. elbo.ws Ranking: #17 Thoughts: For ages it seems that a slew of bands have attempted to copy the sound of The Beach Boys with varying degrees of success, but it's starting to get a little tiresome to hear so many folks singing in multi-part harmonies with a peppy, upbeat sound behind it. The latest in this long line of copycat bands is The Explorers Club, a group that doesn't hide its influence and almost exclusively copies the sound of the revolutionary band. It's a tired attempt and this band doesn't sing or play like Brian Wilson and company did at all. Instead they struggle to hit the same notes, to stay in key, and to recreate any of the magic The Beach Boys had. Its almost said that a group of young musicians would stoop to directly copying a band, and The Explorers Club might be better off as a straight up cover band rather then just poorly attempting to steal the sound. If you're listening to this on a regular basis I'd venture to guess that you're either a friend of the band or you really don't like your ears at all. Verdict: Absolutely not buzzworthy wahtsoever! Listen: The Explorers Club - "Honey I Don't Know Why" The Explorers Club - "In the Country" Tuesday's Case of the Mondays Links: - Daytrotter had The Mountain Goats in for a session and it just may be the greatest session Daytrotter has ever done! (and that's saying something!!!) - Teaser poster for Choke over on Information Leafblower. - Late Night Wallflower has an interview with H2O's Toby Morse! I don't care what anyone says I'm looking forward to the 7-year in the making follow-up to Go! - KRS-One was announced as the headliner for the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival! (via Brooklyn Vegan) - Fader has the alternate video for Knaye West's "Flashing Lights". - Paste chatted with Girl Talk about his follow-up record and some other things! - How's your musical IQ??? (via Prefix)
Ellen Allien has long been associated with the minimalist Berlin techno scene, yet for most of her career she has crafted music that was much fuller then anything that Berlin scene could produce. Whether she loaded it with pop hooks or with a plethora of instruments she always managed to keep things a little lighter then the normally austere techno that Berlin scene was producing. On Sool, Allien has finally shed all those bits and joined the minimalist style with a dark, empty album devoid of normal vocals and loaded with empty space.
In creating this album Allien has finally joined the the ranks of the people she has been compared to forever. Sool is a truly dark album, it runs away from anything pop or human related and instead forces us to envision a world where robotic sounds reign supreme. There are parts on this album where two beats run rampant, but they are spread apart by a gap in space that echoes the vast chasms of space above. Its as if multiple worlds are at play here, talking to each other in a language our human ears can't quite decipher, but loaded with blips and bleeps that can be easily translated by a machine. Its an eerie album that only has small bits of anything familiar in sound. Occassionally there will be a group of people chatting in the background or a few non-sensical bits of spoken lyrics, but aside from those rare examples the album is built on distant beats and other strange sounds.
Its not a surprise that Allien would go in this direction, after all she has been compared to this sound for ages, but her skill and dexterity of crafting just such an album may be surprising to some. Over the course of her career she has become an insanely capable producer though, so maybe her abilities shouldn't be all that surprising. Ellen Allien - "Ondu" Ellen Allien - "Frieda" Also Released Today:
Who: The Hold Steady Title: Summer Positive Label: Vagrant Records Release Date: July 15th Thoughts: Considering for a moment that it is Memorial Day weekend, I wasn't sure that I would have any leakage news for you folks today. But lo and behold one of my most anticipated albums of 2008 found it's way onto my computer and into my ears! Over the course of their first three albums The Hold Steady have barged their way into my list of favorite bands. At the moment their somewhere in the top 10, and if I whittled that list to bands that are active today I think they'd be boosted into the top 5! On Stay Positive the band continue to hone their reputation as "America's Bar Band" while furthering Craig Finn's impeccable reputation as a lyricist. The music on Stay Positive is as steady as ever, led by Tad Kubler's incredible guitar play, Franz Nicolay's playful tickling of the ivories, Galvin Polvika's steady bass play, and Bobby Drake's incredible skin tapping, but as always the focal point of the group is Finn's lyrics and is scatter shot way of getting them to your ears. Finn is at his best throughout Stay Positive, leaving us with incredible bits of songwriting prowess on tracks like the lead single "Sequestered in Memphis", "Stay Positive", or the amazing ballad "Lord I'm Discouraged". For years Finn has had a biblical vibe within his songwriting, and though it all but vanished on their last offering, it rears its head once again with a huge focus on religious themes and the new gospel (with specific mentions of characters such as Judas and Jesus) offering Finn a wealth of inspiration. To top off the lovely lyrics and awesome music the band have added some brass bits, given Franz Nicolay a little more room to stretch his fingers out and have toned down the usually booming volume to bring more light to improved orchestrations and compositions. It may not be the best Hold Steady record out there (Separation Sunday still ranks as my favorite) but it shows how the boys are maturing as an overall band through all of it's tunes. This is a damn good record and I'll be spending a good portion of the week and the coming months listening to it. I don't think you'll have any problem getting into it either. Listen: The Hold Steady - "Sequestered in Memphis" The Hold Steady - "Lord I'm Discouraged" The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"(Removed by Request)
Monday: White Williams @ Knitting Factory 8pm $10 Even with the lure of BBQ's and lovely early summer weather there are still a few music obsessed individuals that will want to stuff themselves inside a club to hear the latest in indie music, so for these people I suggest checking out White Williams. I won't be there, I'll be somewhere having a High Life and a burger, but I know some of you will have the itch so go check this out if you're feeling it. White Williams - "I Want Candy"
Tuesday: Frightened Rabbit @ Pianos 10pm $12 For a few years now Cross Pollination has been the best choice for free Tuesday night entertainment, and tonight they're hosting the probably the biggest band they have hosted yet in the Pitchfork approved Frightened Rabbit. Coming all the way from Scotland the band will do a set by themselves and will be Cross Pollinating as well! Should be a freakin' blast! Frightened Rabbit - "Keep Yourself Warm"
Wednesday: The Jealous Girlfriends + Sea Wolf @ Mercury Lounge 8pm $12 The new Jealous Girlfriends album has become one of the dozen or so albums from this year that I have really, truly latched onto it. It's a brilliant piece of music and I hear their live show is nothing to shake a stick at. Add in their touring partners Sea Wolf and you have a lineup that was made for all those hipster kids to come out of the wood work for! The Jealous Girlfriends - "Gift Horse" Sea Wolf - "Sea Monuments"
Thursday: Headlights @ Union Hall 7:30pm $10 It's been a couple of months but I still think "Cherry Tulips" is gonna make a strong run for my song of the year. It's up against some stiff competition but it's addictive pop hooks have really sunken their teeth into me. I expect the same would be true of their live show. Headlights - "Cherry Tulips"
Friday: Wire + Die! Die! Die! @ South Street Seaport 7pm FREE River2River is kicking off it's latest summer of fun in the sun tonight with a free seaport show from post-punk luminaries Wire! The band was awesome back in the 70's when no one even knew what post-punk was, and have become one of those bands that everyone name checks in interviews. Come out and see why they're considered so influential tonight, or just come for a night on the pier with a couple of beers, doesn't matter why you're down there you will have a good time regardless. Wire - "I Am the Fly" Die! Die! Die! - "Sideways Here We Come"
Saturday: Ponytail @ Knitting Factory 8pm $8 Since I'll be out celebrating my girlfriend's 24th birthday tonight I won't be able to get down to the awesome sounds of Ponytail, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't! I'll just have to wait till they headline the noise stage at After the Jump, but for now you guys should get to this show and go wild to make up for me not being there. Ponytail - "Beg Waves"
...Bang on a Can Marathon @ WTC Winter Garden 6pm FREE Completely forgot to mention the Bang on a Can Marathon so I thought I'd go and update this for all you folks that may forget as well. Obviously this has a slew of percussionists that shouldn't be missed, but for my money there are three that are must sees; Owen Pallett performing around 10pm, Marnie Stern performing around 2am, and Dan Deacon performing around 4am. For the rest of the performers check out the schedule here and make sure you make it down for a little while!!!
Sunday: Langhorne Slim @ Sound Fix Records 7pm FREE Another free show this week (can you tell the summer is upon us?!?!) and it's another damn good one as Langhorne Slim hits the cafe at Sound Fix. Sure, it's not outside but it's still an awesome place to take in a free show! Langhorne Slim - "Hello Sunshine"
Who: Wire When: May 30th Where: South Street Seaport More Dates Listen: Wire - "I Am the Fly" Thoughts: I am so glad that the River2River shows are back, and to top it off they are kicking off the whole thing off with a comeback from Wire! Like it's not enough to go down to the pier to drink some beers with a bunch of friends and watch some music, no they had to go and add a legendary post-punk band! Thanks guys I'm really looking forward to this. Who: Xiu Xiu When: August 28th Where: Bowery Ballroom More Dates Listen: Xiu Xiu - "You Are Pregnant, You Are Dead" Thoughts: I still haven't seen Xiu Xiu. I know it's a crime, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Maybe I will this time, I should, I know I should, I'll try my best. Who: Monotnix When: July 25th Where: Bowery Ballroom More Dates Listen: Monotonix - "Summer and Autumns" Thoughts: Monotonix are a cool new band that you should get to know. This would be a fine opportunity to do just that. Or you could go and buy their record or something. Who: The Vaselines When: July 9th + July 10th Where: Maxwell's + Southpaw More Dates Listen: The Vaselines - "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" Thoughts: You might know The Vaselines from the time Nirvana covered them on MTV, but hopefully some of you took that opportunity to go back and listen to who this awesome band are. I know I did and I'm really glad I did.
Last year the world of Southern hip hop was shocked by the death of UGK's Pimp C. It was a shocking death, another lost talent in a world full of lost talent, but it also put into question the future of UGK and it's individual member. On II Trill Bun B begins to answer that question, with an excellent follow-up to his dynamic debut. With a shit load of guest spots, some killer beats, and rhymes that pretty much boggle the mind, Bun B has pretty much topped himself in every way. With a dedication to lay off tracks focusing on "the syrup", Bun B instead turns his focus to the worlds of politics, social unrest, and being a true gangster. Sure, he doesn't completely maintain his promise but for the most part he does stick to it and he never fails to find suitable topics to rhyme about. While doing so he continues in the direction of Underground Kingz and Trill with a slew of unbelievable guest spots and some of the best rhymes of his career. From Lupe to Lil' Wayne, Bun B grabs everyone to guest on his album and even though a lot of albums with this many guest stars wind up being completely crap, this one does not. This is a fantastic rap album in a world where the great albums are just way too few and far between. Nice job Bun B, way to make Pimp C proud! Bun B (feat. Lil' Wayne) - "I'm Cold" Bun B (feat. Rick Ross, David Banner, 8-Ball) - "You're Everything" Bun B (feat. Lupe Fiasco) - "Swang On 'Em"
I really don't want to be mean to Kim Gordon. For years she has supplied us with some of the finest music the world has ever heard as part of Sonic Youth, but as a part of Free Kitten I just can't get behind the music she's putting out. Thurston Moore made the jump as a solo act and soared with his try, but for some reason Kim's turn with Free Kitten doesn't sound nearly as thrilling as anything Moore or Sonic Youth has ever released. Maybe it's unfair to judge Gordon by those standards, but it's really hard not to. As I listened to this album I often found myself drifting away and not quite focusing on the music. There are a few standout tracks, but for the most part it seems that Kim and company are just struggling along throughout this album. I really wanted to love this album but I just couldn't. Free Kitten - "Seasick" Free Kitten - "Bananas" Friday May 23rd:
The Good: Beck - "Chemtrails"; This is only half of the actual song, but at this point I'm sure you can find the whole track streaming somewhere. It's a pretty good song, not fantastic, not really reminiscent of anything Beck has done before, but pretty cool overall. I don't know how this record's going to be, I just never know with Beck but if this is any indication of the rest of the record I'll at least like it enough to listen to it on and off. Grade: B
The Hold Steady - "Sequestered in Memphis"; I hate laying superlatives on bands, but I'm pretty sure The Hold Steady are my favorite band in the game right now. That said I don't really like listening to their songs apart from the album. For me The Hold Steady have always been about the whole album and I'm pretty sure Stay Positive will be the same way with me. Still, I'm always excited to hear some new stuff from probably my favorite band right now, and this song is pretty solid all around. Not as catchy as "Chips Ahoy" was and certainly not as great as anything off of Separation Sunday, but still pretty damn good. Grade: B+
Silver Jews - "Strange Victory, Strange Defeat"; I love everything about the Silver Jews, so it shouldn't be any surprise that I am loving the new track off their upcoming album. No, it's not as immediately great as anything off of Tanglewood Numbers, but that album set such a high bar that it's almost not fair to compare anything else to it. Still, I have a feeling the Silver Jews won't be letting us down with the new album! Grade: A-
Usher (feat. Jay-Z) - "Best Thing"; usher has already released the biggest hit of the year with "Love in the Club", but this tune shows a more mature side to the soulful singer. This tune featuring the two recently married celebs shows that Usher is settling down within his life and finally moving away from his antics from the "Thong Song". It's about time Usher started singing to the older crowd, 'cause let's face it his fans are starting to get up there in age and settle down themselves. I have a feeling this song is gonna be popping up on mix tapes (muxtapes) for years to come! Grade: A
Nas - "N.I.G.G.E.R. (Slave and Master)"; Nas made headlines this week when he finally backed off and changed the title of his new album from the always controversial Nigger to Nas. As much as I hate stifling the license of an artist I have to say that the change was thoroughly welcomed even if the new title ain't all that great. There's still a track on the album by the original name, but it is a hard hitting song that tackles all of the social inequalities the black community continue to face today. At the peak of his form, Nas does not back down at all and this track is a furious attack on the way society perceives him and his brothers. At times it sounds a lot like Kanye West, but then Kanye often sounds like Nas so I guess it's come full circle. Grade: A-
Track of the Week: Wildlife - "Thing Will Grow"; Holy SHIT! This track is pretty ridiculously sick! I had never heard of this band until this song landed in my inbox the other day, but boy am I glad it did! With a howling sing-a-long and noise rock sound, Wildlife have crafted an anthem for the ADD, noise-punkers in all of us! This song four and half minutes of the best music I've heard all year. Not even kidding a little bit! Grade: A+
Old School Track of the Week: Love - "Alone Again Or"; This week the reissue of Love's Forever Changes hit the shelves of stores and it's such a powerful album that I felt it was too much for me to write about in my Blast from the Past. So instead of some bloated post about my meaningless feelings on one of the best albums of all-time, I'm just gonna pick the lead track for this little tidbit. I think it's a better way to go. It's a great song, duh, so listen to it again and pick up the reissue. That's it, I don't wanna ruin it with too many words. Grade: A+
The Bad: Minitel Rose - "Magic Powder"; At the beginning of the year I was all about the disco sound that was permeating all the dance records coming out. It was all new to me and I was surprised by how addictive it all was, but it has quickly worn out it's welcome. Now it seems that every other day has a new song or album from some other electro-disco group and they just sound redundant at this point. This track by Minitel Rose is a prime example of just that sentiment. If it would have come out in January I might have loved this track, but right now I'm so over it that it's a little scary how fast I've changed. Grade: C-
I Love Math - "A Good Flying Bird" (Guided By Voices cover); I'm really not a fan of getting my first exposure to a band from a cover, especially if I still listen to the original on a regular basis. Such is the case with I Love Math and their uninspired Guided By Voices cover. Now most of the time GBV are a good choice to cover, they have indie cred by the shitload, their songs are fairly easy to play, and most people know all the words already, but this time the band fucks up by stripping away all of the grit GBV ever had and recording the tune as a straight pop song. It's lame to the nth degree and something that may influence whether or not I actually listen to the band's new record at all. Grade: D
The Week That Was - "The Good Life"; Apparently Field Music has split up and one of the members is now out writing exactly the same sounding music on his own. Actually I don't know if that's fully true or not, he may just be doing a stint as a solo artist, but this sounds exactly like Field Music! What's the point of doing a solo project if it's just going to echo everything you've already done? Wouldn't it be better to do something a little bit different? I happen to like Field Music, so the song doesn't bother me at all, it's actually pretty good, but it loses points just for not being different enough from the actual band The Week That Was comes from. Also, the band name is way too long. Grade: C
Little Pieces - "Wrote A Letter"; As a kid I loved The Mr. T Experience, their music was so perfect for my place at that time. Songs about crushing unrequited loves, quirky, sarcastic lyrics that echoes my own tone of voice, and of course fast paced, 2-minutes bits about trying to get laid by the bus load. It was awesome stuff, but as much as Little Pieces try to channel that spirit, they manage to fail at every turn. Their song is just to heartfelt to fit the style, but the sound is dead on, making this a pretty shitty derivative of something I used to love. Grade: D
Video of the Week:
The Tough Alliance, "Neo Violence" from The FADER on Vimeo The Tough Alliance - "Neo Violence"; Sure this may be a bit of a simple video, what with the general focusing on just two people, but with all the effects (laserz, smoke, etc.) it looks pretty awesome. Like all music videos it helps that the song is ridiculously good and the video fits along with the song nicely. Grade: B+
The RPM Challenge is a pretty awesome idea. Simply put, they challenge bands to write and record an album of 10-songs or 35-minutes in just 29 days. It's resulted in some really interesting music, and I was just sent a copy of In the Parlor With the Moon by Albany's We Are Jeneric that was created for the project. The album is actually the second that We Are Jeneric has made with the rules of the project in mind, but it's the first one that's made it's way to my ears. Anyway, this duo creates some perfectly crafted bedroom pop in the comfort of their own home and it sounds amazing!
Using their skills as multi-instrumentalists, Eric Krans and Jen O'Connor expand on the traditionally simple sounds of bedroom pop with all sorts of extra sounds and melodies. The music is still sounds simple and breezy, but it's built on a lot of gently strummed guitar, quiet harmonies, and beautiful, light percussions. There's a lot more too it though as harmonicas join in, some bras instruments appear here and there, and environmental sounds make their way onto the mix. It sounds pure and natural, as if it were created on the spot and recorded in one take giving it a dreamlike feeling.
I haven't had too much time with the album, so I'm still digesting all the lyrics and the lighter touches within the music, but like any great piece of art if I keep at it long enough I will realize the full beauty of all of it. At times the band reminds me of so many different acts that it's difficult to name all of them, but bands like Beirut and The Antlers immediately spring to mind and it would be difficult to discount any influence the Elephant 6 gang have on this duo. I'm really enjoying this thoroughly, and I think most of you will appreciate it as well. We Are Jeneric - "Oolong Tea" We Are Jeneric - "In the Parlor With the Moon" We Are Jeneric on Myspace
Movies: Eagle vs. Shark; I've been a fan of the cute indie romantic comedy since I can remember. Perhaps it's my inner romantic poking it's head out from inside the dark hearted soul that is my being, or maybe I just like the characters which are usually given some quick witted, quirky lines in all these movies. In Eagle vs. Shark most of your standard plot lines apply. Girl crushed on boy, boy ignores girl for prettier girl, boy wants sex sleeps with girl, hilarity and plot ensue. As much as it's straight forward I really did enjoy Eagle vs. Shark, Jemaine was excellent in it (did you expect anything less from a Conchord???) and the rest of the cast played their roles superbly. I also like it when geeks find love, maybe it's because I'm pretty much a geek and I like being in love. The Phoenix Foundation - "Going Fishing"
The Savages; I missed the last fifteen minutes of The Savages when I watched it this weekend, but it doesn't take a genius to realize that the father dies. No, it's a fairly simple plot to follow along with, but it's the performances by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney that set this movie apart from others. They are absolutely stunning in their roles as brother and sister throughout the movie. Both with their flaws and both trying to do the right thing by their dementia ladened father. It's a touching movie and it all but convinced me that if my parents lose their marbles they'll wind up in homes. Hey I love my Mom and Dad, but I don't think I could put up with them if they were that fucked up.
Casion Royale; After watching two independent films this weekend with Rachael I decided my brain needed a quick break with a blockbuster action film, so I hit play when I saw Casino Royalewas on demand on Showtime or HBO. I've always been a huge fan of the band films, super awesome spy dude, hot girls, evil villains, crazy plots to destroy the world, awesome chases, what's not to like about these movies??? Casion Royale assuaged all of my apprehensions within the first few minutes of the movie. It starts with a quick introductory to how Bond earned his 007, and then goes off on one of the greatest foot chases in the history of cinema. That thing was spectacular but it doesn't slow down there either. Daniel Craig was one of the best Bonds I have seen so far, up their with Sean Connery for sure, and the babes were certainly looking good throughout the movie. The villain was a little weak this time around, but I'm sure they'll make up for it in the next one. Nice flick, and certainly a merited reprieve from more thoughtful movies. Chris Cornell - "You Know My Name"
Television: The Simpsons (Season 19, Episode 20); The series finale of The Simpsons was one of the weakest in the series' history. It had the second lowest ratings in the show's history and also reused one of it's plot lines. When Lisa becomes Krusty's intern she steps up and quickly replaces Krusty as the star of the show. The same thing happened years ago except to Bart! It's crazy how similar the shows were to each other and it just goes to show that the writers of The Simpsons are seriously lacking for ideas right now. Sure, a show that's been on for 19-years deserves to have it's ups and downs, but recycling plots should not be accepted in any form. I really hope the 20th year is a little better then this one was, because if not it may just be it's last.
The Office (Season 4, Episode 18); The Office ended it's season with a bang this past week as a shit load of stuff went down on the hour long episode. Sure, I chided the hour long episodes at points during the year, but this one was done perfectly and packed with a lot of funny bits. Of course nothing in the episode was funnier then the new girl (hello chick from The Wire!) thinking Kevin was mentally retarded. It was a beautiful thing and it went so well with Kevin's personality. Everything else worked beautifully and I could break this episode down piece by piece but I won't bore with anything like that. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us next year though!
Sports: - The NBA proved once again that it doesn't know what it's doing by giving the Chicago Bulls the first overall pick in the 2008 draft. You all know this shit is rigged!!! The Knicks get stuck with the #6 pick and an infinite amount of ways in which to fuck it up. God save the New York Knickerbockers! - This just in the Yankees suck balls. Moose finally pitched like we expected him to this season and handed the Orioles a huge lead that they capped off with a 12-2 victory. So basically a recap of where the Yankees are right now. They can't hit, they can't pitch, they're five games under .500, and starring way up at the Boston Red Sox from last place. Oh, and cancer survivor Jon Lester threw a no hitter for Boston on Monday night. It's all going swimmingly here in New York. - The NHL couldn't have hoped for a better Stanley Cup Finals matchup then Detroit vs. Pittsburgh when the season began. You have one of the greatest teams in the history of the sport going up against the young Pens and all their star power. This is gonna be an amazing series, but I'll say Wings in 6. - Spurs over Hornets that sucked. - Boston vs. LA, probably. God I can't root for anyone in that debacle! Music Links: - Sound of the City interviewed Exene Cervenka of X! - Drowned in Sound interviews Jeffery Schmidt of Black Mountain fame. - Port O'Brien did a Take Away Show! - Pitchfork.tv has a Juan's Basement show from Blood on the Wall! - My Old Kentucky Blog and Gorilla vs. Bear are giving away that awesome new No Age hat from Fader and New Era!
There are albums in everyone's past that have a meaning beyond the music they hold. They are albums that were ingrained into our souls thanks to a moment in our lives or a person that impacted us or just because they became the words we lived by. It's not so much about the music as it is what we associate it with that becomes important. Stunt is one of those albums for me. You might laugh it at it or question my taste in music for owning it, but I will forever associate Barenaked Ladies and their album Stunt with my senior year of high school and with a girl named Sam.
I will never forget the first day of my senior year of high school. It may be a distant memory, or one that has been broken up over time, but I vividly remember parts of it that will never change. I was heading to school just as I had done the previous three years when I saw a group of kids that were taking the train to school. It was obvious that they were freshman, their nervous demeanor, their squeaky clean clothes, evidence that they hadn't made this trip before. Like a good senior I said hello to them and proceeded to beat on them like the ruffian I was, no I kid, it was a nice hello and I just checked to make sure they were indeed heading where I believed they were. They were and I spent the rest of the three station trip trying to calm their nerves. Now why would a senior help out a freshman like that? Well, they were three pretty cute girls of course.
There was Lauren a petite and beautiful Asian girl, Meryl and equally petite and cute girl with the longest hair you've ever seen, and Sam, perhaps the most beautiful young lady I had ever seen up until that point. She was short, small, had dark curly hair, and had an air of confidence about her that absolutely betrayed her age. She was giddy with excitement, was having fun with her new friends, and seemed like she would have a blast anywhere in the world. It was hard not to be entranced by her in every single way.
For the next few months we all bonded on our commutes in, it was a long commute and made for some true bonding and some great friendships formed out of it. It was clear that I was crushing on Sam, we would always sit next to each other, often in our own little world having our own conversations away from the group. Our other friends would push me on it, insisting that I go and ask her out, pointing out the obvious crush she had on me as well. I thought about it too, over and over and over again, driving myself mad with the crush I had. It became obsessive. I listened to the same music as Sam, just so I knew it. I watched the same TV shows, just so we could talk about it. I did immersed myself in her life and got to know everything about her. Even as I type these words I realize that it was a little odd, but it was a devastating crush and I'm sure some of you have gone through similar fits of passion.
By October I knew so much about Sam that I considered her to be one of my best friends, something that would eventually doom me, but something I considered to be an accomplishment at the time. Eventually I mustered up enough courage to finally ask her out. I don't remember the date or how I said it, but I remember her telling me how much she cherished our friendship. It was a dagger to my heart, a pain I will never forget, but one that left me encouraged that she cherished her friendship. Yes, I was sick but I would take any bit of positive and blow it up into a much larger feat then it actually was.
Around the time of my 17th birthday I once again asked her out. This time she let me down another way telling me she had a boyfriend and breaking me to bits. I had known everything about her, how had I not known that? The boy was named Dan, and was not a boy at all but a 22-year old man that was dating a 14-year old. Yeah, even then I knew that was creepy, but as my friend I wouldn't do anything to hurt her so I kept the information to myself.
This kept up for months, and I tried to focus on other girls and other things. There was still my senior of football and school to focus on so I hoped that would be enough to distract me. I asked Meryl out, but she rejected me knowing that she was just playing second fiddle. Meryl was wise beyond her years! I dated another girl, she's not too important to this whole story as it was pretty short lived. But eventually it all came round to Sam once again. It always does, doesn't it.
Around the time of her birthday I found myself planning a simple, but cute gesture to show how much I cared for her. After a night of underage drinking I rallied a group of my friends to walk to her house with me. It was dusk at this point, 4 or 5am, and we staggered up her hill and to her bedroom window. There we sang Happy Birthday to her through her open window, and she came out and thanked me before going back to bed. I thought I had succeeded in winning her over, but alas it was not to be. Apparently Dan had been in her bed as we sang and it didn't please him too much. After that Sam tried to distance herself a bit, but couldn't really do that too well. Her friends were my friends after all, so she had nowhere to hide.
A few months of dancing around our awkward, unrequited love and I had graduated from high school. I knew I'd be moving on in the fall to college and college girls but all summer Sam lingered through my mind. Once at school Sam once again broke my heart. It was the last time I thought seriously about having a relationship with her and it drove me into a period of my life that I'd rather not discuss.
The last time we spoke I was listening to Stunt the new-ish album from Barenaked Ladies, a band that she had introduced me to before they hit it big with "One Week". I remember it clearly, hanging up the phone with her in tears, taking the CD from my record player, and throwing it out my window. It was music that had been given to me by her and it was her that I couldn't bear to think of any more.
A few years later I stumbled across the album in a used CD bin (there were a lot of them in there) and decided to buy it. When I put it on and the familiar opening notes of "One Week" hit my ears, old feelings came rushing back to me. I was flooded with all the good times Sam and I had shared and all the heartache she had put me through on my own accord. It was hard but I listened to every note of the album and then turned it off. I haven't listened to it since. Barenaked Ladies - "One Week" Barenaked Ladies - "Alcohol" Barenaked Ladies - "It's All Been Done" Barenaked Ladies - "Call and Answer"
Out of all the boroughs Staten Island probably has the least of the musical reputations in New York City. Despite producing the Wu-Tang, David Johansen, Christina Aguilera (she was born here, you can look it up), Ingrid Michaelson, and White Lion, we get no respect in the musical world. Well we're hoping to change all that thanks to our burgeoning indie rock scene and a festival that showcases the Island's best bands! On Saturday June 14th, Snug Harbor Cultural Center will be playing host to two outdoor stages and over 20 different Staten Island bands!!! Led by The Budos Band, the show will showcase just what Staten Island brings to the rock world, and we're hoping all of you will come out and support our fledgling scene!!! All the details are below and samples of the band can be found there as well!!!
Who: Kuryakin Location: Sweden elbo.ws Ranking: #28 Thoughts: If pretty were defined by a sound then the definition might just be the Swedish pop duo known as Kuryakin. I have no idea what the name of their band means, I had no idea that they existed till a few days ago, and I have been completely hooked since first hearing "Take My Hand" on their Myspace page. It's a beautiful song, lush with an electronic landscape, subtle guitar, and quiet, pretty singing. It's a gorgeous, simple sound that eases the mind as you listen to it. Put it on, feel the stress just seep from your body as the songs wash over you, feel as all your problems melt away amid these too short pop gems. It's impossible not to find yourself addicted to these kind of tunes, they are just too damn good not to. I haven't gotten my hands on the brand new EP yet, but I'm totally gonna first chance I get! Verdict: Buzzworthy! Listen: Kuryakin - "Still Here" Kuryakin - "Take My Hand"
Roughly a month after their first release, Islands were almost no more. Jamie Thompson had abruptly left the band following the successful debut of Return to the Sea, leaving Nick Thornburn to carry on on his own. This of course came on the heels of the dissolution of their previous band, Unicorns, and the name change to Islands. It was a tumultuous time for the Islands camp for sure, but Nick Thornburn made it clear that he intended to continue on when he said "Islands are forever". Today the band, looking nothing like the original lineup, are releasing their sophomore effort Arm's Way. It's not a departure from what they've done before, but it is more focused and steadier then anything the band has done to date.
The sound throughout Arm's Way is more focused, with less bouncing from genre to genre and more of a focus on creating the feel of an album. At times Return to the Sea seemed to be more about the song then the whole, but Arm's Waywill never suffer from the interpretation. The sound is stays within the confines of the indie rock world, adding only mildly different sounds and instruments to the mix, and these days even those additions don't seem all that extraordinary. But within these confines Thornburn seems to do some of his best writing to date, crafting songs that are beautiful compositions as well as being easy to sing-a-long with. It makes the album feel more complete, rather then being a jumbled mess of singles.
I didn't think it was possible to lose the musicians Thornburn has lost throughout his career and maintain such a solid band, but somehow Islands has persevered through the adversity brought on by change and made their finest album to date. Sure, it's not as quirky or catchy as the Unicorns stuff, but it's better rock music then anything they've ever done. Islands - "The Arm" Islands - "Pieces Of You" Islands - "We Swim" Also Released Today:
I've been in love with Ra Ra Riot since the first time I saw them, way back when. There energy was mesmerizing, their songs infectious, and now people are starting to catch on to what I saw that day and every time since. Today the band signed to Barsuk Records, a fine independent record label, and have plans of releasing their debut full length, The Rhumb Line, on August 19th! It's a huge day for the Syracuse based band and certainly one they won't forget anytime soon!
In other Ra Ra Riot news the band will be playing a free show this Thursday at 70 Greene Street. Of course you have to RSVP for the show at Going.com, but that seems like a small price to pay for an awesome band and some free wine and food! So come celebrate the band's big announcement and be prepared to hear some new tunes (hopefully!!!!)! Ra Ra Riot - "Can You Tell" Ra Ra Riot - "Run My Mouth Off"
Who: Weezer Title: Weezer (Red Album) Label: Geffen Thoughts: I know that grabbing 8 of 10 songs isn't a true leak, but it's damn close and you can certainly start to form an opinion based on the majority of the record. Such is the case for the new Weezer album which had the majority of its energetic album leaked this weekend. The red album is pretty much your standard Weezer album; big rock riffs, mixed with introspective lyrics, and sing-a-long choruses. Its stadium rock for sure, but this time around Weezer is mixing things up with a slightly different feel. There's a hip hop vibe present, some metal, a little indie rock all mixed to bring us the finest Weezer album in ages (not that that was a difficult accomplishment). As good as the album is it never hits with quite the same intensity that the blue album or Pinkerton, but it does have its high points unlike Make Believe. For a good portion of the record Rivers tackles his feelings on his celebrity, from his take on critics words, to his early image of himself as a rock star, and what he listened to to arrive at this point. Its an interesting perspective to see from someone who has tried so hard to avoid the spotlight his entire career, but maybe Rivers is finally starting to embrace his celebrity. Whatever the case may be you can rest assured that Weezer has finally made a halfway decent record again, and that you might actually enjoy this one a good deal. Listen: Weezer - "Troublemaker" Weezer - "Pork and Beans"
Who: Sloan Title: Parallel Play Label: Yep Rock Release Date: June 10th Thoughts: I've never really picked up on the whole Sloan thing so I'm probably not the best person to go by when reading about this album, but I'm gonna tell you what I think anyway 'cause that's kind of what I do. Parallel Plays is a pretty good record, lots of solid riffs, good lyrics, nice talented band making an okay record, but for some reason it just gets boring after some time. Listening to this album this weekend I found myself drifting away about halfway through and really can't recall much about the second half of the record. I didn't fall asleep or anything like that, I just treated it as background music to whatever else I was doing. Its not offensive or bad or anything like that, its just not very memorable. I'm sure fans of Sloan will disagree entirely, but from my taste of this I don't think this is the album to listen to if you've never heard Sloan before. Listen: Sloan - "Burn For It" Sloan - "The Dogs" Monday's Leaky Links: - Daytrotter has Islands in for a session. Yes, it is as awesome as you think it may be. - I Am Fuel, You Are Friends has some live recordings of some of the new material from The Hold Steady's forthcoming Stay Positive. - Pitchfork interviews Paul Westerberg. - Rachael covers The Mountain Goats show for Limewire Music blog. - Free Ra Ra Riot show on Thursday! - I'm on Blog Fresh Radio this week talking about Pattern Is Movement!
Monday: Los Campesinos! + Titus Andronicus @ Bowery Ballroom 7:30pm $15 After seeing Los Campesinos! last week I can pretty much say that this is a band you cannot afford to miss, at all, ever! Throw in the fact that the absolutely amazing Titus Andronicus will be hitting the stage before them and you have yourselves a bona fide reason to leave the house on a Monday night! Los Campesinos! - "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives" Titus Andronicus - "No Future"
Tuesday: Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra + Vic Chesnutt @ Bowery Ballroom 8pm $14 I've really been enjoying the latest release from Thee Silve Mt. Zion, and I think some of you guys are probably jamming to it as well. Their live show is supposedly something to behold, but I've yet to see it so maybe, just maybe I'll be at Bowery for this one. Havne't listened to too much Vic Chesnutt in almost ten years since he released that Salesmen album everyone loved, maybe I should get back on it htough. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - "Black Waters Blowed, Engine Broke Blues" Vic Chesnutt - "Marathon"
Wednesday: Extra Life @ Knitting Factory 8pm $7 Extra Life is one of the bands I'm really excited about, so excited in fact that I went out and booked them for the After the Jump Fest after hearing only a handful of songs. Tonight they'll hit the small Tap Room stage of the Knitting Factory and I believe that if you're in attendance you'll start to see what I'm talking about! Extra Life - "Blackmail Blues"
Thursday: Soft + A Brief Smile @ Rehab 8pm $8 I've been on you guys for ages to pick up on A Brief Smile, well what better way to check them out then a show where they are opening for the always awesome Soft at a super small venue? I sure don't know of any so get your $8 out of your deep pockets and get yourselves into this show!!! Soft - "Higher" A Brief Smile - "Big Sky"
Friday: Depreciation Guild @ Union Hall 8pm $10 The Depreciation Guild have been buzzing about my ears for a while now and I haven't really checked out much from them. That said, I'm gonna spend the week listening to the band to see what I think, but I'm pretty sure this is gonna be the show to be at on Friday night. Just guessing really. Depreciation Guild - "Nautilus"
Saturday: Islands @ Webster Hall 6pm $16 Islands really are forever! Despite another member leaving, Nick Thornburn is pressing on as Islands and their follow up to Return to the Sea may just be the most focused album of his career. I'll have more on that one tomorrow, for now rest assured that this is pretty much gonna be the show of the week! Islands - "Creeper"
Sunday: The Muggabears + Salt & Samovar @ Knitting Factory 9pm $3 Both of these bands have been developing solid buzz and a fantastic fan base here in New York over the past year or so, and tonight they'll hit the small Tap Room stage to a room that should be packed with folks that are off the next day and looking for a good time. Will you be one of them? You should be! The Muggabears - "Automatic Others" Salt & Samovar - "Swallowed a Pill"
I went to see John Darnielle perform a solo Mountain Goats show last night at Brooklyn Masonic Temple. I got a little carried away with taking video and the result is a day of videos from The Mountain Goats!!!Here's the first, I'll let John introduce it!
2008 Noise Stage Lineup @ Galapagos June 21st, 2008 Noon
Featuring: Ponytail, Power Douglas, Fiasco, The Shackeltons, Extra Life, The Austerity Program, Cursillistas, Monotract, Dinowalrus, Autodrone, Alex and the Horribles, Noveller, Brilliant Sweater, and more!!!
After the Jump is the joint effort of 20 New York City music bloggers whose sites attract over one million readers a week. Founded last year in support of underfunded city school music programs, After the Jump has planned and staged concerts in association with the massive South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas and the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City as well as our own all day and night festival last summer in Brooklyn. This summer, on June 21st, After the Jump will be partnering with Make Music NY to throw our second annual festival, taking over the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Galapagos Art Space, and the North 6th Street itself with four stages and over 40 bands.
Who: Bowerbirds When: July 29th + July 30th Where: Bowery Ballroom + Music Hall of Williamsburg More Dates Listen: Bowerbirds - "Bur Oak" Thoughts: It seems to me that I mention Bowerbirds all the freakin' time here on Pop Tarts Suck Toasted, yet for some inexplicable reason I have yet to see the band live and in person! I have failed at every chance I've had to see them and I need to correct that! I really do want to see this band! I will do my best to be at one of these shows, I really will! Who: Frightened Rabbit When: May 27th Where: Pianos More Dates Listen: Frightened Rabbit - "Head Rolls Off" Thoughts: First off let me say that the Scottish band known as Frightened Rabbit is way too big to be playing Pianos! This will probably be your last chance to see them in such an intimate venue so don't blow it! Tickets are already on sale for this show so what are you waiting for. Now, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this show is part of my buddy Wes's Cross Pollination series. You know full disclosure and everything, but Frightened Rabbit are awesome even without it being my friend's show! Who: King Khan & the Shrines When: June 26th, August 2nd + August 3rd Where: South Street Seaport, Mercury Lounge + McCarren Park More Dates Listen: King Khan & the Shrines - "(How Can I Keep You) Outta Harms Way" Thoughts: I haven't seen King Khan in any of his various incarnations at all, which is kind of a disappointment to me considering how much I enjoy all of his music (and that his live show is reputed to be insane!). But I'm hoping to make up for it big this summer by being at all three of the shows listed above and by heading to Chicago to see him at the Pitchfork Music Fest! So there, now I'll just have to make it up to BBQ in some other way! (Photo Cred) Who: Stereolab When: October 2nd, 3rd, + 4th Where: Irving Plaza More Dates Listen: Stereolab - "Fiery Yellow" Thoughts: Wow, three dates at Irving Plaza being announced months in advance!?!? Who do Stereolab think they are some old school punk reunion or classic rock band? Don't they know we don't announce shows like this anymore? Guess not, but they are Stereolab so I'll give 'em a pass this time around! Who: Love Is All When: June 12th + June 14th Where: Cake Shop + Market Hotel More Dates Listen: Love Is All - "Make Out Fall Out Make Up" Thoughts: Last time Love Is All was around I missed every one of their dates! I cursed myself and damned my rotten luck for missing such an excellent band, so hopefully the case will not remain the same this time around! As an added bonus (or a mild omen that I may not get in) the band is playing some seriously intimate venues this time around and that Cake Shop date is part of the NY Pop Fest taking place in a couple of weeks. Good luck getting into that one! Who: Built to Spill When: September 25th + September 26th Where: Terminal 5 (x2) More Dates Listen: Built to Spill - "Kicked It in the Sun" Thoughts: Not only do I love Built to Spill, but I genuinely agree that Perfect from Now On is the band's absolute masterpiece, and they will be performing that in it's entirety at both of these dates as well as a slew of other ones leading up to and after their ATP date in upstate New York!!!! Who: Battles When: August 16th Where: Central Park Summerstage More Dates Listen: Battles - "Rainbow" Thoughts: Battle were one of my favorite overall acts of 2007. The band rated high on my list of albums and live performances for the year and stayed that way for much of the year. So it's not like I'm just going to forget about them if they don't release anything or play for a while! Now the band is coming back around (possibly for the last time before heading back to the studio???) and I believe their New York show is one of the FREE Central Park ones!!! So yeah, it's a no brainer that I'll be at this show! Who: The Hold Steady When: June 29th Where: McCarren Park Pool More Dates Listen: The Hold Steady - "Citrus" Thoughts: So The Hold Steady are playing a free show at McCarren Park Pool, what are the chances that this show isn't packed wall to wall with hipsters and frat boys alike? This may be the most packed show in the history of the pool parties! I'll definitely be there and I know most of you readers will be there as well! Who: Hot Chip When: October 3rd + 4th Where: Terminal 5 (x2) More Dates Listen: Hot Chip - "Touch Too Much" Thoughts: Hot Chip is an amazing live band, yet I've only managed to see them a single time where they positively blew me away. That said I don't know if Terminal 5 is the right place to see this band, but on the other hand it doesn't look like the band will start appealing to less people then they are now so this might be as small as they get from now on. Sigh.
On Tuesday, The National are releasing a DVD about the making of their fantastic 2007 release Boxer. A Skin, A Night was directed by Vincent Moon and supposedly captures exactly how the band arrived at their finished product, though I haven't seen it so I can't really talk much about the movie. But the DVD is packaged with a new EP called The Virginia EP which is a 12-track album featuring unreleased tunes, demo tracks, and cover songs that found pretty fantastic. Now I won't go crazy and tell you it has the same impact as Boxer but it is full of solid songs that are really well done for a side bit that's being packaged with a DVD. Songs like the previously unreleased "You've Done It Again, Virginia" show that The National may just be sitting on a shit load of unreleased gems, or maybe it just happens that it was there and didn't fit on the last album so they're releasing it now. Whatever the case may be this as an addition to The National catalog that can't be missed by fans of the band! Lets up the DVD is also a must have piece of The National as well. The National - "You've Done It Again, Virginia" The National - "Without Permission" (Caroline Martin cover)
My general thoughts on Tim Fite are that he is a fine recording artist, but an amazing live performer. His stage show takes on a life of it's own, with Tim accompanying himself on a large screen complete with animated bits and whatnots. It's a fantastic performance, but for years it's been taking a little bit away from his recording career. Not that the music isn't good as well, in fact it's excellent especially his assault on consumerism that is Over the Counterculture, but it just pales in comparison to what Fite can do on stage. That may all change with his latest release, the utterly brilliant Fair Ain't Fair. It seems that for ages Tim has had a unique ability to blend the folk and hip hop genres in a way that's never before seen the light of day, but here on this album he takes his own personal medium and elevates it to the next echelon. The music here is sharp and biting, cute and adorable, catchy and deep. It transcends genre and classification, even though the individual songs may be fairly easily to classify. Musically Fite continues to blend different genres, expand his sound with samples, and use a mix of live and recorded music to make it all come together, but the true appeal of Fite's music is his ability to turn a rhyme into a living breathing organism. Every line has it's place within his songs and if you remove even a single word the whole thing would crumble. Even if you don't get the meaning of it the first time around listen to it again, then listen again more closely, then start singing along and hearing the words your singing and before long the whole thing will sink into your brain and stay there daring you not to listen to the album over and over again. It's really that good. Believe me. Tim Fite - "Big Mistake" Tim Fite - "Heaven Is War" Friday May 16th:
The Good:
Ratatat - "Shiller"; It looks like Ratatat are blasting off into the future for their next release LP3 which will feature this song, a song that I can't listen to without dreaming of sci-fi movies. It's an easy link, with high pitched synth sounds being thrust on us in a cinematic fashion, it seems like it's destined to be the soundtrack from some Sc-Fi channel original. I can already picture Jessica Alba clad in one of those tight, space jumpsuits chasing down some alien creep while this plays in the background. Call me weird if you must, but I kind of like the notion of all of that.
Grade: B+
Oxford Collapse - "Amongst Friends"; Sometimes I have a hard time deciphering the lyrics of Oxford Collapse and all their hidden meanings, I still don't understand what "Lady Lawyers" is really about, yet I sing along to every note anyway! This is their latest offering off their EP which is supposedly coming soon, and it's just as good but just as confusing. I believe they are welcoming someone to their family, but who and why are never really explained. It's a pretty rocking song though, so you can be sure that as soon as I know the lyrics I'll be right up front singing along with the band!
Grade: A-
Raekwon (f. Ghostface Killah) - "The G Hide"; I grabbed this track from Fader's site and they have no idea if this is new or old, coming from a new album, or what it's origins are. All they know about this is that it's effing sick and I'm gonna have to go and agree 100% with that sentiment. It's been a while since I got excited about something Raekwon was on, but I'm always excited when Ghost is on and he is crazy with his rhymes on this one!
Grade: A
Meho Plaza - "I Sold My Organs"; Meho Plaza are another one of those L.A. noise bands that are blowing up right now (see below) and this is one fine example of everything that is great about the L.A. noise-punk scene! This is a fine pop tune, shrouded in all sorts of extra noises and distortions, feeding back all over the place, littered with electronic sounds that take everything away from the actual pop song while bringing it into the future. It's what music is going to sound like for the next year or so, until the next logical progression, and all you folks better be taking notes on it!
Grade: A
New Track of the Week: Bad Dudes - "Heterosaucer"; If you haven't noticed yet the L.A. scene is really starting to take off. It seems like every day there's another band from that scene getting name checked here or there, and with the success of bands like No Age and Mika Miko, why the hell wouldn't everyone else in the scene keep from blowing up. Well, next up in the line of L.A. bands is Bad Dudes, who take that whole noise-punk sound and completely fuck it up with some crazy ass electronic bits. Instead of a straight forward 2-minute, DIY rock song, Bad Dudes throw some crazy ass electronic bits in the middle of an otherwise pretty cool song and make it awesome thanks to that interlude. I admit, I would have been hooked based solely on the rocking punk parts of this song, but that straight up switch to crazy electronics is an aural curve ball that's absolutely mind bending in the best way possible!
Grade: A
Old School Track of the Week: Journey - "Any Way You Want It"; Tuesday night between Black Kids and Cut Copy this song came on at Studio B (at least I believe it was this one, it may have been "Don't Stop Believin'") and the kids in the place went nuts! They were singing along and dancing and having a grand old time, and all I could picture among the throngs of hipsters and blinding disco lights was the final scene in Caddyshack when everyone is dancing to this song. It's one of my favorite final scenes ever and I pretty much just transplanted the crowd at Studio B onto a golf course in my head. If only there had been a dancing gopher there!
Grade: A+
The Bad:
Miley Cyrus - "7 Things"; Uh oh! It looks like Miley might be going a bit bad these days. First the whole controversy over a fairly tame photo (especially when you consider what other starletts are getting themselves into these days), and now you have this tune that is almost reminiscent of an Avril Lavigne fake rocker type. Ultimately it's a cutesy, teen-aged love song, but it has a rocking vibe to it that may get her associated with some pop-punkers more then it will her middle America bread and butter. Either way the song's pretty week and just seems to be a ploy to take the spotlight off the controversy and put it back on her (her Dad's) music.
Grade: D+
Lil' Wayne (f. T-Pain) - "Got Money"; I really didn't think the day would ever come where I didn't like Lil' Wayne track, but here we are with a new song and me not liking it at all! The whole electronics on the vocals is driving me absolutely nuts! The beat is okay, the rhymes are okay, but I can't stand the electronic effects on the vocals here. It's almost like they saw what Kanye did with electronics and are trying to do it themselves, but they did it really poorly. Normally I'd be saying the new Lil' Wayne song is the shit, but this time I have to say this track is just shit.
Grade: C
The Literary Greats - "New York Not Her"; This was a tune I thought I might be able to get into, it kind of had the feel of an old school Wilco song (I'm thinking in the vein of "Outta Mind Outta Sight"), but it's trite lyrics and samey music kind of makes me want to rip my ears from my skull. No it's not a terrible song it's just nothing great or different or honest. It seems to be built on cliche and that just seems wrong on so many levels.
Grade: C-
Video of the Week:
Oppenheimer - "Look Up"; With their second full length about to hit shelves (June 3rd, mark your calendars!), Oppenheimer is about to blow up! I have a feeling it's gonna be a huge year for them and their quirky electro-pop, and this awesomely adorable video is just the start of things. Who wouldn't be drawn in by a huge water balloon fight and some addictive music? I don't know who really, but I'm pretty sure everyone of you guys will like this immediately! Be ready for a lot more Oppeneheimer coverage in the upcoming weeks!!!
Grade: B+
This is your last chance to win tickets to tomorrow night's Big Third Ball featuring The Mountain Goats!!! Enter now by e-mailing me at poptartssucktoasted@gmail.com!!! You have until noon!!! Good Luck!!!! (More on the show here) The Mountain Goats - "Autoclave"
For years Marc Ribot has played with so many different musicians that he didn't really have an identity of his own. Sure, if you ask some people that are really into it they could name check him with no problem and site his guitar work as some of the most influential strumming in the last few decades, but on his own Marc has never really struck gold with any of his crazy avant projects. With his Ceramic Dog project Marc is hoping to shed that gap in his illustrious resume, and finally make it out on his own.
Listening to the breath taking debut album from Ceramic Dog you have to believe that's finally going to happen. Party Intellectuals is a crazed masterpiece, equal parts dynamic guitar album and party sound. With a rhythm section consisting of equally gifted players, Shahzad Ismaily on bass and Ches Smith on drums, Ribot finally has the band he has wanted for years and they work together amazingly well on this debut. Ribot's free wheeling style is put at the center piece of the album, with vocals thrown in, and some fantastic beats and rhythms throughout the album. It's freakin' amazing to see what this guy can do with all these other musicians, but on his own he truly shines his brightest!
It took a while for Marc Ribot to find himself his own band, but he's definitely got it now with the Ceramic Dog moniker. Party Intellectuals is instantly one of the finest albums of the year (even though it's not actually released till June) and a can't miss listen without a doubt. Check out the track below to get a taste for what Marc Ribot can do with his new band, and be prepared for this to conquer your iPod when its officially released! Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog - "Party Intellectuals" Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog on Myspace Thursday's Links: - Pitchfork has Health in to do a little Guest List-ing! - Tall Firs are giving away their album Too Old to Die Young for free for a whole week! Grab it here! - High Places posted lyrics to some of their songs so you can sing along the next time you see 'em live! - KEXP interviews Boom Bip of Neon Neon! - It seems Union Hall has been saved for the time being as the Community Board decided to back their renewal of their liquor license! (via Gothamist)
Buzz is a fickle mistress. On the one hand it can rise you up to levels you never imagined possible, but on the other hand as you scale those heights you can be met by scorn and absolute hatred from people who know nothing about you. Such is the story of Tuesday night's show at Studio B. In one corner you have Cut Copy, who are riding a wave of buzz to brand new heights which they have never soared to before. In the other corner you have Black Kids who were met with such quick praise and lofty promise that they were hated before they were even seen here in New York. But I guess that's the price you have to pay when you are labeled the next big thing.
Not in either of those corners were the night's opener Mobius Band, a Brooklyn based trio that has already ridden the wave of buzz and has crashed back to Earth and are trying once again to build momentum with the release of their new record. Tuesday's performance was a solid 30-minute set of new songs and very little of their older material, and it seemed as though they were being met with either complete indifference from the folks there to see the other two bands or complete adulation from the locals who were there for their first go round. It was a solid set, though it was completely unspectacular and really only served the purpose of getting us acclimated to the Studio B sound levels and to have a few drinks while listening to a band. Sorry guys, but it wasn't about you on this night and I have a feeling you've been met with that kind of reception during the entire tour with these other two bands.
Those that can remember back to the CMJ Music Marathon last October should take a second to do so now. At that time Black Kids were the talk of the town, riding in on the strength of a Best New Music nod for four songs posted on Myspace and live reputation that was nothing short of remarkable. Looking to cash in on the buzz the band booked the week full of performances, all of which were well attended and all of which were thoroughly bashed by the press that saw them. My one encounter with the Black Kids was at the Annex where the band battled some ridiculous sound problems, stormed off stage and then had to compete with an already restless and angry crowd. It's no wonder New York didn't take to the band immediately with trouble like that. Tuesday night the tables were turned though. The band knew what to expect from the New York crowd, but we had no idea which Black Kids would show up. Would it be more primma donna antics? Or would it be the band that had risen to some extreme heights thanks mostly to their stage show? Well, at the beginning I would have guessed the band were heading the way of the primma donna. The sound wasn't quite right at first, they had made an elaborate show of taking the stage, and their lead singer almost took out the microphone stand with his guitar cable. But the band quickly recovered from their early missteps. From then on the band acted as a tight unit, blasting out song after song of 80's influenced guitar pop, that may have sounded very derivative, but also showed an absolute passion from these five Southern kids.
The band was tight for sure, but they also showed of some true individual chops. The rhythm section spent the night hitting on all cylinders, a booming bass and vibrant drum kit setting the tempo and the pace for everyone else, including the semi-dancing Studio B crowd. The ladies with their keyboards, synths, and backup vocals sparkled, dancing about the stage from time to time and offering the guys in the crowd something nice to look at as the boys sweat straight through their shirts around them. And then there was their lead singer/guitarist who pranced and played straight through the entire set. Aside from his early misstep he hit every other button right, shredding through mini solos and wailing on the mike with a crazy passion.
I was shocked by how much I enjoyed their performance, especially when I consider that I went in thinking I was gonna hate it and be picked up by Cut Copy later in the evening. But it floored me how talented these kids were and how they really did have a wonderful stage presence after all. If they had put on this type of show at CMJ it probably would have taken them half the time it did to sign to a major and they may already be the biggest thing on the planet. Instead, they needed a little more time but it looks like they may have finally arrived for real!
Going it I thought the band to see was Cut Copy (not pictured). They had been riding a huge wave of success and I had a feeling they would continue on it on Tuesday night. Instead the band had been upstaged by the surprising Black Kids before they even hit the stage, all but assuring that my expectations wouldn't be met and that I'd spend most of my time talking about Black Kids. While the last part of that sentence may be true, the band did meet most of my expectations. They played a solid set of songs mixed from their albums with an emphasis on the latest one. They got a few people moving about, though I thought there would be a hell of a lot more movement. And they were as solid as any live band should be, but there was just something missing from the whole performance and I still can't put my finger on it. Maybe it was the fact that I had high expectations and though they were met they were not exceeded like my expectations for Black Kids were. Whatever the case may be they were a very solid live band, they just happened to step in a very large shadow on Tuesday night!
Movies: I'm Not There; I have to admit to being thoroughly confused by parts of I'm Not There. Now don't get me wrong, this was a great movie with terrific acting performances and an incredible soundtrack, but watching the different personas that have been found in Dylan songs was a bit tough to follow along, and I'm still not entirely sure what point Richard Gere served at all. Luckily for the home viewers there is a ton of insight found in the bonus features of the disc. They explain who each character is supposed to be and what role they serve in the shaping of Bob Dylan. You might wanna check out those first before you actually watch the movie and see how well you follow along. Other then the bits of confusion I suffered from the movie is pretty flawless. David Cross shows up at some point as Allen Ginsburg (which should have been his retort to Patton's jabs at him) and Cate Blanchette plays a tremendously powerful Bob Dylan. Her voice is dead on, her looks are perfect, and her mannerisms couldn't be closer to the man if she were Bob Dylan reincarnated. It was a brilliant performance from her and just about everyone else involved in the film. Really good movie, though seriously read about the characters before watching! Sonic Youth - "I'm Not There"
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer; For over a year I have failed to watch the sequel to the Fantastic Four movie, a film that made a lot of worst lists for the year, and which as been thoroughly panned by just about everyone I know. Yet, like just about every other superhero movie, I found myself thoroughly entertained by The Rise of the Silver Surfer! Sure it didn't actually show Galactus, which was a major disappointment, but it did show the Surfer and Dr. Doom, and it held fast to the comic book storyline which I am forever grateful to (it's way more truthful then Spiderman 3 in this regard). Sure, it was never gonig to win any awards, but it was a nice telling of one of the more underrated hero teams in comic history. Next up on my list of superhero movies I haven't gotten to is Ghost Rider.
Forrest Gump; I have seen Forrest Gump approximately 237 times, which I believe to be a conservative guess. Yet on Sunday I found myself watching the classic film with my girlfriend after a long day of family oriented partying. It was fun watching Forrest and his antics and I honestly still laugh out loud at a lot of parts, though Rachael thinks it's a bit weird that I laugh after each assassination attempt. It's a freakin' great movie with an amazing soundtrack and some truly memorable movie moments and performances. The Beach Boys - "Sloop John B" Willie Nelson - "On the Road Again"
Television: The Simpsons (Season 19, Episode 19); The Simpsons has always done a fine job of blurring the line between comedy and sappy emotional crud, and this week's episode may have been it's finest example of walking that line. In an episode dedicated to their mothers, on Mother's Day, the creators kill off a character that didn't appear all too often, but was beloved none the less. Mona Simpson was only in three episodes of The Simpsons, but her impact was far greater then that. It showed off a lot of the emotional insecurities that make Homer who he is in the world of The Simpsons, but it also shows why he's a dedicated father and husband as well. It was an important character and one of the few that has ever actually died on air during an episode of The Simpsons. Of course it's not just emotional, Mona's final wishes lead her to getting Homer to dump her ashes in a nuclear missle silo, but so what. The Simpsons has always walked the line between emotion and funny and done it very well. This was just the latest example, and perhaps it's finest! Paul Simon - "Mother and Child Reunion"
The Office (Season 4, Episode 17); Meh. I thought the latest episode of The Office was a bit of a downer. Why is Jim fighting to save his job really? When will Andy leave the show? Why didn't Dwight and Angela rekindle their romance during their alone time in the office? So many question were popping up in my head during it that I almost missed the few funny parts that were thrown in here and there during this half hour! In fact this episode was so lame my favorite part was the coming attractions for next week's season finale! At least it looks like The Office gang will be leaving season 4 with a bang!
30 Rock (Season 2, Episode 15); Is there really anything the folks at 30 Rock can do wrong? After seeing this episode it doesn't look like there is. They easily incorporate celebrity guest stars, they tie up loose ends, they leave you hanging just enough to have you desperately wanting to come back after each episode. They basically do it all and it's becoming more and more obvious that this is my favorite 30-minutes on television! It's just such a damn good show, even though I'm not gonna take specifics on this one because I watched it at 1am on DVR and would like to watch it again before I even comment on it. But it was great from what my drowzy consciousness recalls.
Hump Day Music Links: - Pitchfork interviewed cover artist Scarlett Johansson. - Tiny Mix Tapes interviewed the makers of the best album so far this year - No Age! - The Music Slut announced their 3rd Anniversary Bash! - Sixeyes reposted some live mp3's of Tom Waits to amp everyone up over his upcoming tour. - Anti- launched a blog complete with a spring '08 sampler! - Pitchfork interviewed the Microphones! - The next season of the Real World will be filmed in Brooklyn this summer. Hope they have to wait on line to get into the pool parties! (via Vegan) - Muzzle of Bees asks 5 questions of Laura Veirs. - Download the new issue of Fader for free. - The venue currently known as Galapagos is having a naming contest! Enter to win a $1,000 bar tab! (via Limewire) - ...and My Morning Jacket performed on SNL Saturday in case you hadn't heard already!
Prior to 1999's release of The Soft Bulletin, The Flaming Lips spent the majority of their career throwing curve balls at their fans. The band would follow any commercial success with an album that was odder then anything they had done before. It almost seemed as if the Lips were purposely attempting to stay small and indie at every turn, even though they had signed to Warner and riding on the big kids bus. Some fans loved that aspect of the band, but others saw more potential and hoped for bigger things for The Flaming Lips. And then came The Soft Bulletin.
It honestly wasn't terribly hard to follow Zaireeka with something more accessible, considering that Zaireek was a four disc monster of an album that wanted you to play all four discs at the same time! I mean really, who even has four stereos! But still, no one was quite sure what the band would do next so the resulting album was a bit of a shock, but a pleasant one for sure.
Littered with the overhanging theme of death, The Soft Bulletin should be a darker album then it really is. Instead the band takes the idea of death and of dying from cancer and lightens the mood with some of the more beautiful pop compositions the band has ever written. Right from the get go the album is a 100x more accessible then anything they had previously put out, but if you're really listening you'll hear the stirrings of a terrible fate in everything the Lips put into this disc.
Now we've all had these sorts of feelings, the feeling of sadness that comes from death and from watching a loved one die from a terrible disease, so it's easy for us all to relate to what Coyne and company are singing about here. But what makes it such a powerful record is the fact that The Flaming Lips put their own unique spin on the whole ordeal. Instead of just crying about it, they have created scientists that are going to cure the disease. Sure, they still suffer the loss but humanity is better off as a whole thanks to it. Its an impressive view to take, especially considering the pain they must have gone through in writing the album.
Tomorrow could change Brooklyn nightlife as we know it.
Community Board 6's advisory board lead by Lou Sones (the owner of Brazen Head) is taking action against Union Hall of Park Slope. They are recommending the removal of their liquor license based on a group of about 5 people from Union street, with no facts generated to prove any violations. I repeat... THEY ARE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY UNION HALL'S LIQUOR LICENSE WITHOUT A SINGLE VIOLATION! If this is allowed it could set a chain-reaction through the night life scene. If they can deny the renewal of a liquor license for an establishment with no violations they will be able to close down anyone they like.
DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN!
The General Board will be meeting on this and other matters at the address and time listed bellow. Show up in numbers with signs stating your support for Union Hall and Brooklyn Nightlife. The press will be there and we have to put the pressure on
Borough Hall Court Room / 6:30PM 209 Joralemon St Brooklyn, NY
Who: This Is Ivy League Location: Brooklyn, NY elbo.ws Ranking: #5 Thoughts: All over the world people are writing about This Is Ivy League. Obviously the band has a lot of left over buzz thanks to their hand in Cobra Starship, but because of that band I have resisted and written bad things about this band since I first heard their first song. But as I've read review after review, comparing this band to the likes of Belle & Sebastian and The Beach Boys, I have broken down a bit and actually listened to the album. Despite my preconceived, Cobra Starship influenced notions I actually kind of like This Is Ivy League! The band is like Belle & Sebastian and The Beach Boys, in that all of these bands know how to construct a pop song and make it stick in their listeners ears. Like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth, This Is Ivy League literally sticks itself into your ears and absolutely refuses to be removed. The band have such tight melodies, wonderful vocal harmonies, and unforgettable music that it's difficult not to fall in love with this band. Resist it if you must, but if you're gonna keep hatin' on it you're eventually going to have to hear it and when that happens all bets will be off! This is pretty much a can't miss album at this point, no matter how much I wanted to hate it. Verdict: Absolutely Buzzworthy!!! Listen: This Is Ivy League - "The Richest Kids In Town" This Is Ivy League - "London Bridges" This Is Ivy League - "A Summer Chill"
On his Myspace page Dan Friel describes his music as "shit broke", and honestly it's not far from the truth. Using old toys' sound effects, some cheap drum machines and keyboards, and whatever else he can get his hands on, Dan creates a wave of sonic sounds unlike very much out there. If you're familiar with his other project, a little band called Parts & Labor, brace yourself 'cause this isn't anything like that stuff. Well, almost nothing like it.
On Ghost Town Dan cranks up some tracks that are unbelievable (though I have to admit, I haven't heard all of them just yet), strange parts mingle to create actual sonic clarity and something resembling a song. It's better then what some bands do with actual instruments, and Dan is only using stuff that other people would consider garbage! The music builds and careens out of control, then somehow finds it's way back to some sort of controlled chaos. It's an impressive feat and something I can't wait to hear more of (I'm heading to the record store just to grab this tomorrow!)!
Dan Friel may be damn impressive with his band, but as a solo artist he is just as impressive only in a different way. His ability to craft songs from nothingness is pretty much unparalleled, and if you send him something that makes news he may just trade you a CD for it! Keep it in mind if you have some old toys around the house! Dan Friel - "Ghost Town Pt. 1" Dan Friel - "Buzzards"
On Friday night some funny people and some great bands will be hitting the stage at the awesome Brooklyn Masonic Temple to combat the spread of AIDS. Now, I know South Park has been cracking fun on AIDS a little bit recently but that doesn't mean that the disease isn't still killing thousands of people a year throughout the world. So this little show was put together to benefit AIDS Walk NY which will in turn raise even more money to help defeat this disease!
Joining in the battle on Friday night will be The Mountain Goats, Rock Plaza Central, John Oliver (of The Daily Show), and a bunch of other fantastic performers. If you'd like to join in the fight all you need to do is pony up $25 and show up! 100% of the proceeds will be going to AIDS Walk NY, and you get to bask in all the wonderous clory of these peformers! You can buy your tickets right here!
As a special bonus I'll be giving out a pair of tickets to one lucky individual! All you have to do is send me an e-mail at poptartssucktoasted@gmail.com. I'll pick an e-mail at random on Thursday before noon, so that if you don't win you'll still have a chance to buy tickets!!! Check out all the rest of the info below and good luck folks!
What: Supersnack's Big Third Ball: An Evening of Music, Hilarity, and Hitting AIDS Where It Hurts When: Friday May 16th, 8pm Where: Brooklyn Masonic Temple, 317 Clermont Ave., Bklyn., NY Who:
Who: The Twilight Sad Title: Here It Never Snowed, Afterwards It Did (EP) Label: FatCat Release Date: June 9th Thoughts: Last year The Twilight Sad thoroughly impressed me with their debut album Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters. It was was a fantastic debut full of dark, intimate songs and booming instrumental work that caputred your imagination and your soul all at once. Now the Scotish band have returned with a sort of new EP. I say sort of new because a good portion of the 6-songs are just reimagined versions of older songs and a couple of new tunes thrown in. It's not exactly what I was hoping for in terms of a follow-up, wishing instead for a full album of completely new songs, but it is a solid EP despipte my hope for more new stuff. The reimaginings of their older material is less noisy then on the original album, but it's almost darker then it originally was. The new songs are solid too, proof that The Twilight Sad won't be a one album wonder, but that they have enough in the songwriting bank to put together a string of wildly passionate albums. Good stuff, just not exactly what I was hoping for. Listen: The Twilight Sad - "And She Would Darken the Memory" The Twilight Sad - "Here It Never Snowed, Afterward It Did"
Who: A Place to Bury Strangers Title: To Fix the Gash In Your Head Label: Rough Trade Release Date: May 12th Thoughts: With two songs from their self-titled album and two remixes of said songs this isn't neccessarily an album everyone needs to own. But it is for you die hard APTBS fans who want to own everything and need to hear each note of every song again and again. For you guys go out and get your hands on this immediately! The songs are of course terrific, the wonderful "Oceans" and "To Fix the Gash In Your Head" were two of my favorite songs off the debut, but the remixes are pretty cool too, a little more dance oriented but an interesting take on APBTS dark sounds. So yeah, you don't NEED this album but you might WANT it very badly. Listen: A Place to Bury Strangers - "Ocean"
Monday: Aa @ Death by Audio 8pm $tba I've been posting about Aa's shows for a while, but I've yett o actually make it out to one. I know my blogger card should be revoked, but I'm just busy or lazy every time they play. Them playing on a Monday isn't gonna help matters, but that shouldn't deter you from seeing this band. Aa - "Thirteen"
Tuesday: Black Kids, Cut Copy, + Mobius Band @ Studio B 8pm $17 With a brand new Capitol record deal Black Kids should eb the big draw tonight, and I'm really hoping they have a better go of it then when I tried to see them during CMJ, but my main draw to this show is Cut Copy! The band has already gotten a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork for their new album, and it's really is stupendous! Bonus points for the always excellent Mobius Band being on the lineup tonight! Black Kids - "Hit the Heartbreaks" Cut Copy - "Feel the Love" Mobius Band - "Digital Love"
Wednesday: Bonde do Role + The Death Set @ Europa 8pm $12 Wow! This should be quite the party atmosphere at Europa! Two awesome bands, that put on frantic live shows and get their fans to actually move during a show! What more could you possibly want? Bonde do Role - "James Bone" The Death Set - "Negative Thinking"
Thursday: Los Campesinos! + Murder Mystery @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 8pm $15 I don't know what it is about me and twee music, but I just love that shit to death. It's just so cute and adorable while being infectiously catchy at the same time. Los Campesinos! puts a little bit of a dark twist on the twee sound, but they do it with style, and even more catchiness then your average twee band. Los Campesinos! - "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives" Murder Mystery - "Honey Come Home"
Friday: The Mountain Goats @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple 8pm $25 This is a benefit so forking over the $25 to see The Mountain Goats is for a good cause. It's also gonna be good for your ears because The Mountain Goats are freakin' awesome! The Mountain Goats - "Autoclave"
Saturday: Titus Andronicus + Dinowalrus @ Silent Barn 8pm $tba Both of these bands are gonna be playing the After the Jump Fest in just a couple of weeks, but get an early look at why we think these bands are so awesome tonight! I'm hoping to make it out to the Silent Barn for it too so I'll see you there.
Missed 'em on Tuesday, get another chance tonight! Or if you liked 'em so much the other night you could see 'em again. Either way I'm sure the Black Kids will love your support.
After the Jump is the joint effort of 20 New York City music bloggers whose sites attract over one million readers a week. Founded last year in support of underfunded city school music programs, After the Jump has planned and staged concerts in association with the massive South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas and the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City as well as our own all day and night festival last summer in Brooklyn. This summer, on June 21st, After the Jump will be partnering with Make Music NY to throw our second annual festival, taking over the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Galapagos Art Space, and the North 6th Street itself with four stages and over 40 bands.
Who: My Brightest Diamond When: June 9th + June 17th Where: Other Music + Gramercy Theater More Dates Listen: My Brightest Diamond - "Inside A Boy" Thoughts: You would think a My Brightest Diamond show might be something fairly straight forward and not that entertaining aside from her lovely music, but you'd be completely wrong. Shara Worden is absolutely captivating on stage and the beauty of her music is certainly something to behold live. It may not be as expansive at Other Music as it will be at Gramercy, but it's certainly worth the trip for a free show! Who: Matt & Kim + The Death Set When: July 5th Where: Hugs (????) More Dates Listen: Matt & Kim - "Yea Yeah" The Death Set - "Had A Bird" Thoughts: Two of the most fun and exciting bands in the indie universe on the same stage! This is gonna be an awesome show, it's a show I'd pay a lot of money to see, but thanks to Colt 45 it's gonna be a free show! I'll have the RSVP link when it pops up! Who: Mark Sultan When: May 17th + May 31st Where: Don Pedro's + Bowery Ballroom More Dates Listen: Mark Sultan - "Something Wrong" Thoughts: Whether he's performing as BBQ, with or without King Khan, or as a solo performer under his actual name, Mark Sultan as a sight to behold! His live shows are nothing short of legendary and should not be missed for all the tea in China! Who: Booka Shade When: August 1st Where: Irving Plaza More Dates Listen: Booka Shade - "Solo City" Thoughts: I'm not sure what Booka Shade does when they hit the stage live. I'm assuming its a DJ thing which isn't usually that much fun, but with their music it might just make up for it. So break out the dancing shoes and be ready for this one! Who: Ingrid Michaelson When: June 20th Where: Terminal 5 More Dates Listen: Ingrid Michaelson - "The Way I Am" Thoughts: I gotta give love to my fellow Staten Islander whenever she's back home, and now she's headlining the enormous Terminal 5. Things just keep going well for her and I can't wait to see her with all these people fawning all over her! Plus this time around she's not opening for friggin' Dave Matthews! Who: Dan Deacon When: June 26th Where: McCarren Pool More Dates Listen: Dan Deacon - "Wham City" Thoughts: This show would be good enough on it's own with just Dan Deacon, but consider for a second that Devo is also on this lineup and our collective minds should be blown to bits! Who: The Futureheads When: June 17th Where: Bowery Ballroom More Dates Listen: The Futureheads - "Stupid and Shallow" Thoughts: Futureheads rock! That's all you need to know about that.
Hey New York folks, those My Bloody Valentine tickets everyone is clamoring for are on sale at 10am! Just thought I'd give you the heads up, just don't take mine!!!! Tickets are $52 plus a ridiculous Ticketmaster charge. Good luck!!!! My Bloody Valentine - "When You Sleep"
It's been a while since I listened to a new Elvis Costello record, but after only a couple of listens I'm pretty glad I chose Momofuku to come back to. This is classic Costello, excellent song writing, brilliant pop sensibility, and absolutely precise music. It's a perfect record really, though maybe a little too perfect. Perhaps he could have scuzzed it up a bit, but then that's never been Costello's thing so why would he start now. No, instead Elvis and the Imposters and Jenny Lewis combine to create a really solid pop record with some excellent songs and even better song writing. It's really good, but that shouldn't be all that surprising. Elvis Costello & the Imposters - "No Hiding Place" Elvis Costello & the Imposters - "Go Away"
Kria Brekken is normally better known for her work with her husband Avey Tare. Most of you already know the name Avey Tare, who is of course well known for his part in Animal Collective, but for some reason Kria is often overlooked as soon as her husband's name is attached. Hopefully that won't be the case with this 7" under just her name. Wildering expands on the experimental sound side of things with music that can be difficult to listen to, but which certainly has an inherent beauty despite it's difficulty. Kria doesn't really sing throughout the 7" as she whispers the lyrics through all sorts of effects and distortion. It's almost like white noise a little bit, but it has it's moments and is lovely to my ears. Maybe it's due to the fact that I love her husband's work, but I have no problem listening to these three songs at all! Kria Brekken - "Wildering (Suil Version)" Kria Brekken - "Pickup Sleepy" Friday May 9th:
Sunday afternoon my fellow New York music blogger, NYCTaper, will be hosting his very own first anniversary show at Pianos! The show features a slew of former Pop Tarts Bands of the Week and shoud drag some of the New York scenesters out of their homes before dark! With a lineup stacked with bands like The Loom, SPanish Prisoners, The Antlers and Bridges and Powerlines, this is gonna be a can't miss show! Here's the full details and a little contest for all of you...
Sunday May 11th 2008 @ Pianos 158 Ludlow St., NY, NY 4pm - 8pm $12
e-mail me at poptartssucktoasted@gmail.com to enter to win a pair of tix to the show. The winner will be picked at random tomorrow (Friday May 9th) at around 6pm.
The Good:
Track of the Week!!!: Young Jeezy (feat. Kanye West) - "Put On"; It may be a bit repetative. It may be Southern rap to the extreme, which is kind of getting lame. But it's got Kanye, it's got a sick beat, and just try not bopping along with this track. This is sick to the next degree!
Grade: A
Bun B. (feat. Lil' Wayne) - "Damn I'm Cold"; Oh man this beat is freakin' hot! No really, it's all subdued in it's hottness but listen closely, then get into the flow of the lyrics. Oh man this is a fly track right now. I'm not even kidding this is the shit right here. It's just not as hot as the track above!
Grade: A-
Tim Fite - "Big Mistake"; The lead single of Tim's Anti- debut, "Big Mistake" sounded so familiar right on first listen and then I realized that he performed the song at my birthday party! It was awesome then, it's even better now that it's been edited, mixed, and mastered! This isn't quite the hip-hop Tim we've come to know, nor is it the full on country/folk Tim, it kind of blends elements of both of those while throwing in a lot of new elements as well. It's really freakin' good!
Grade: B+
Black Pus - "Body On the Tide"; This solo project of Lightning Bolt drummer Brian Chippendale is kind of off the charts as far as insanity goes. Deep synthetic sounds obliterate the melody found in the singing here creating a crazy dichotomy of sound all over the track. Then there's whistling and more of the thumping synth beats. It's crazy and completely other worldly, but it's still really cool too!
Grade: A
The Rapture - "No Sex for Ben"; Sucks to be Ben, but everything else is good news for the rest of us! We're getting a new Rapture song, which hopefully means something new is in the works in the way of an album, and it's on the GTA soundtrack which kicks ass all over the place. Pretty much everyone wins, except for Ben of course.
Grade: B
Sinkane - "Autobahn"; Sinkane may currently be acting as Caribou's drummer, but when he gets done with that gig he will be in full-time promo mode for his new album Color Voice. This is the first single off that album and if it's any indication Sinkane has got the goods to be a real force on his own!
Grade: B+
Young Rival - "4:15"; This is just a somewhat cool song. It's too good to be bad, but it's not quite on par with the rest of the tracks this week. That said, it's a pretty good welcome to the world from a band I've never heard of before, and the whispered singing and lyrics on the song are pretty rad. I'll bite and hope that whatever else they have just builds on top of this.
Grade: B-
The Bad:
This Is Ivy League - "Crown of Love" (Arcade Fire cover); Is anyone else not buying the whole This Is Ivy League thing? It's bad enough that these guys are taking away press from more deserving bands, but now they're going and covering a beloved song by an amazing band! Just knock it off guys, go back to Cobra Starship or something.
Grade: D-
The Offspring - "Hammerhead"; There was a time when I absolutely loved the Offspring. I would jump at the chance to hear their new album, but that time has long been passed and this new song is certainly evidence of that.
Grade: D
Brendan Canning - "Hit the Wall"; I really don't understand why instead of a true Broken Social Scene album we are getting Broken Social Scene Presents: instead. It doesn't make sense to me. The beauty of the collective was that all the parts played off of each other to create something amazing. Here it's like we're getting fractured pieces of the whole. Sure, there are bits that are semi-appealing here, but overall it's nothing spectacular and that's the problem, it's less then what we would expect from Broken Social Scene as a whole. So why should we listen?
Grade: C-
Video of the Week:
Justice - "Stress"; I'm finding it kind of amusing that following last week's release of GTA IV we get a video like Justice's "Stress". A song that's fairly violent in it's sound, and a video that depicts the violence of a Parisian street gang clad in Justice's † symbol. It's a sick video with the violence echoing the aggression within the song, and it's filmed really, really well. I just hope no one was hurt in the filming of the video.
Grade: A
Sometimes the title "Band of the Week" can be a little bit misleading. I have been known to include solo artist here or there and this week I'm featuring something of a collective called the Pet Ghost Project. Led by head Ghost Justin Stivers, the Pet Ghost Project uses a bunch of his friends on various instruments, but mostly just him and his wonderful song writing ability and pop sensibilities. I believe I was told about this "band" by a member of The Antlers, who are of a similar style themselves, but it wasn't until the band asked to be my friend on Myspace that I started listening to the band.
Now I'm hooked on the Pet Ghost Project and the quirky noise pop songs found on their page. It features so many different elements, so many different instruments, that it's a bit difficult to pin down, but listening to it is all about joy. The songs range from quite, folk like tunes such as "Violent Dreams" to noisy, upbeat rockers like "Mexican Apartment". It sound like it might be a bit of a stretch, but the songs manage to work well together while showcasing a diverse pallet for this young Brooklyn based musician.
It may have taken me a while to actually listen to the music, but now that I have I won't be stopping any time soon. I'm already dreaming of a lineup with these guys and The Antlers so maybe that'll be happening soon! But for now do yourselves a favor and listen to the tunes below and check the songs over on the Pet Ghost Project Myspace page. You'll like it, I'm sure of it! Pet Ghost Project - "Of God and Science" Pet Ghost Project - "The Dog" Pet Ghost Project on Myspace
Yesterday was all about No Age for me. I told you all how great their brand spankin' new album was and then I celebrated its release date by checking out the band in action at Bowery Ballroom. Now I've seen the band before, and they were awesome the two times I saw them, but I was really, really anxious to see how the new material translated live and I have to say it was nothing short of phenomenal!
I was disappointed to arrive at Bowery after performances by High Places and Fiasco, but I've seen High Places a dozen times already and I'm sure Fiasco will be all over the place this summer. It was still disappointing but I washed all that disappointment away with one big drink of No Age!
The band came out and opened the show with "Teen Creeps", a solid song, but kind of a weird opener. It was almost like a false start with that and the second song they played, but then they really let loose on "Miner" and things just took off from there. For most of the next 40-minutes the band played songs off their new album as the kids at Bowery went ape shit. Moshing and crowd surfing were the predominant themes on the floor, and on stage the band did all they could to encourage it with a furious set of high paced noise punk anthems!
The music soared through the huge Bowery PA (though there probably could have been a bit less echo) and the band didn't sit still at all. They pounded out tunes like "Eraser" and "Impossible Bouqet" and then wrapped it all up in a neat little ball. I was stunned. It had been ages since 40-minutes disappeared so quickly, but it was gone and the crowd was cheering wildly for an encore. Randy and Dean emerged and proceeded to get the crowd all riled up with a new tune, a cover and "I Wanna Sleep" their breakout song from last year.
It was an unforgettable performance that only went as further proof of how awesome this band is. Their slightly off start made the point that this is still a very much in transition group, but they are starting to realize the impact that they're having on their fans and sure enough they are starting to bask in the limelight they've created for themselves.
Movies: Iron Man; Iron Man was freakin' awesome! There wasn't quite as much action as I had hoped for, but it still had enough to get you going while also doing a fantastic job of developing Iron Man and Tony Starks at the same time. Of course the best part of this movie didn't happen till after the credits, but I won't go and spoil it for you in case you haven't seen it yet. But make sure you sit through the credits till the very end, it's definitely worth it! Oh and what are you waiting for if you haven't seen it already? Everyone else has! Geez, go see this movie!!!
The Diving Bell and Butterfly; I fell asleep and missed about 20-minutes of this heartbreaking (or so I'm told) movie, and I gotta say I don't feel like I missed that much. Forget that it's difficult to read and watch a movie at the same time (goddamn subtitles, doesn't everyone speak English at this point?), but the movie was just a little too slow moving for my liking. Yeah I know it's not meant to be a blockbuster action flick like Die Hard or Iron Man, but couldn't they have at least thrown something in to get my blood going. I guess not, seeing as it's based on a true story and all. Oh well, at least I saw it and sat through most of it, and it was okay though I wouldn't recommend it to too many people. Television: The Office (Season 4, Episode 16); I have to admit, I didn't love this episode all that much. I thought it was a little too endearing, not quite awkward enough, and a little lackluster following a couple of top notch episodes, but it still had it's moments. Like Dwight flipping Andy's car for a shit load more money then he paid for it, Dwight convincing Andy to sell his car, and of course Stanley asking "Did I stutter?". So it wasn't great, but it'll do.
30 Rock (Season 2, Episode 14); If there's a better show on TV right now than 30 Rock I don't know what it is, and I can't believe you people don't tell me what it is so I can enjoy it. No, it's probably because there's nothing better then watching Liz Lemon, Jack, and all the other fantastic characters on this show doing there thing. On "Sandwich Day" the gang shines as they attempt to break the teamsters secret of where the sandwiches comes from, while Liz tries to reclaim yet another lost love. Following the strength of shouting "Suck it monkeys, I'm going corporate", Liz utters yet another unforgettable quote as she's stuffing her sandwich in her mouth while saying "I can have it all!". It's hysterical as are the other 22-minutes of the show and something I can't believe some of you are still missing out on!
The Simpsons (Season 18, Episode 19); For 19 seasons of The Simpsons I have always disliked the episodes centering around Lisa Simpson. Her character has always been a little bit of an irksome presence to me, but I accept her as a vital part of the show. Still, whenever I see a Lisa episode I am predicated towards not liking it as much as I like the others, but this one, "Any Given Sundance", was pretty darn good. The family makes fun of making a Simpsons movie, principal Skinner finally wins at something, and the family is trumped by the terrible life of Nelson Munz. It's a great story and it shows the fleeting fame of festival movies. All in all it was a winner with some good jokes and nice guest appearances, though I doubt too many people actually know who Jim Jarmusch is. Hump Day Music Links: - Siren Fest announced it's 8th (and final???) lineup today and it just may be the best one the Village Voice has ever put together. Stephen Malklmus and the Jicks and Broken Social Scene headline a line up that is stacked with up-and-coming bands like Times New Viking and The Dodos. Full lineup here. I'll be in Chicago for the Pitchfok Music Fest this year. - In other Village Voice news, their music blog was busy this week interviewing Adam Green and El Perro Del Mar. - Daytrotter did an awesome session with Holy Fuck! - Muzzle of Bees asked five questions of Devothcka. - Reunion tours are once again the rage with My Bloody Valentine announced their U.S. dates and the Vaselines announcing they are once again a band. - Parts & Labor put out a call for help from their fans! - Beck's new album will be dropping in days. - The Lisps were named one of the 8 Bands to watch by L Magazine last week and now are getting some love from NPR! - Speaking of L Magazine's list, they've announced a show celebrating their list! - Nine Inch Nails are giving away another album for free. - Surprise of surprises Atlas Sound has another EP for free. - Half of Gang of Four quit their band. Dave Allen blames Pampelmoose. - Cursive did a WOXY Lounge Act! Free Downloads: Lykke Li - "Dance Dance Dance" Meho Plaza - "The Beach" Mr. Gnome - "Pirates" Nik Freitas - "Sun Down" Shy Child - "Astronaut"
Friction has always known how to throw parties. From their early days at the now shuttered Sin-e, to it's current incarnation at Mercury Lounge and the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Yet for some reason I never made it to a single one of these shows before Monday. I wasn't there to witness all the late night, Sparks driven madness of the early days. I haven't been there for any of the packed crowds at Mercury Lounge. And I haven't once witnessed the Music Hall glowing from Frictions bright lights. It's certainly been a gap in my show going history, especially when you stop to consider all the fantastic lineups they've had over the years and all the bands they've hosted right before they broke into the big time. So Monday night instead of spending my Cinco de Mayo with a few Corona's in my hand I spent it with two of the hottest up-and-coming bands and a truly packed Mercury Lounge. Both acts, Philly's dynamic duo known as Patter Is Movement and Bristol's electronic wizards Fuck Buttons, have been building a shit storm of buzz lately behind the strength of two ridiculously good albums. Fuck Button's Street Horrrsing and Pattern's All Together are two of my early favorites of the year and live the band's don't just rest on the strength of their albums they build on top of it.
First up was Pattern Is Movement, a band I've already caught a handful of times but who are quickly becoming one of those bands I won't miss whenever their in town. Right from the outset pattern creates a wave of synthetic, keyboard driven noise that's accompanied by some odd beats and some truly different vocals. With an operatic quality the lyrics are thrust into your head by Andrew Thiboldeaux's booming voice, while Chris Ward keeps the steady, off kilter beat going through it all. That the individual sounds exist on their own is pretty amazing, but that they work together is truly remarkable. Never in my wildest imaginations would I think that you could combine classical singing and prog rock, yet somehow Pattern Is Movement does just that. On stage the band hold your attention despite both members sitting behind their instruments. Chris is a maniac behind the drums, part Animal and part machine while Andrew's voice is the most immediate reason to keep your eyes on him. The band played a lot of what is standing out on their third album All Together, including the lead single "Right Away" and the fantastic "Peach Trees". On top of all that they threw in a Radiohead cover that is just remarkable! After Pattern there was a band called Sightings. I've never heard of the band and I really didn't give them much of a chance to win me over on Monday night. Instead I spent some time with friends of mine waiting for Fuck Buttons to blow my mind once again. Last I saw them they were opening for Caribou at Bowery Ballroom, so tonight's performance would be much more intimate and boy was it everything I could have hoped for.
When the duo took the stage it didn't take long for them to get setup. They plugged a fews things in, tested their mics, and away we went. The music is just awesome no matter where you're listening to it, but it must be played loud! Mercury Lounge had it pretty loud (though it probably could have gone up a few more notches) and at that level the music wraps itself around you. Close your eyes for aminute and allow the beats to vibrate through your body. Feel all the echoes as the hit you and then bounce off. I'm not exaggerating here. When you see Fuck Buttons live you can literally feel their music. It penetrates you, it wraps itself around you, it almost feels as if it's something you could physically take home with you, or if it got loud enough could leave you bruised and broken. It's obviously a powerful sound considering that and the Mercury Lounge crowd took a little while to truly accept it. But once they did, the pulsed just as much as the rhythms of the music creating an awesome environment. The entire show was really a lot of fun, something I'd love to witness again, but of course that probably won't happen. Such is the beauty of Friction, they pair bands that might not necessarily work together in any other way and make it work.
Going into yesterday I had no idea what I was going to do for this week's Blast from the Past. I have been so obsessed with some of the new albums coming out that I haven't dedicated much time to the music of the past, and nothing was really jumping off the pages from me. Then My Bloody Valentine announced the rest of their U.S. dates for this reunion tour and the choice was simple. For the rest of the day Loveless spun on my iPod and into my ears, and even though it's not the optimum way to listen to Loveless it was enough to get me completely amped about the reunion tour.
Like a lot of my Blast's from the Past, My Bloody Valentine's Loveless didn't make it's way to my record player until years after its initial release. Like I've said before I was lost in a world of pop-punk, of two and a half minute songs and nothing as noisy or revolutionary as Loveless would have ever penetrated my ears. So when I finally did hear it the band had already been disbanded, their would be no tours, and for ages I thought their would be no possible way for me to hear Loveless in all it's glory, live on stage, with the speakers set to 12. Now we have that chance and I'm pretty amped about it, but back when I first listened to Loveless I'm pretty sure I turned it off almost immediately after the first listen. It was so loud and to my pop-punk ears it sounded like there were no redeeming qualities to it at all.
I don't really remember what made me return to the album, perhaps it was brother's persistent pestering that got me to loosen up and listen again, maybe it was the discovery of other noisy bands that I enjoyed, or maybe it was the fact that it had a 33 1/3 book about it. Whatever it was my second time with the band I warmed up rather quickly to all the varied noises on the album. It was mind blowing that second time around, with its swirlinig guitars, layers of scuzz, and whispered singing. It was beautiful in a loud way, and I wasn't sure why I had not gotten into it the first time around. But I was in it now, and that would never change again.
After that second true listen to Loveless the album became became an obsession of mine. I listened to it non-stop, read up on Kevin Shields and his quests for aural perfection, read the 33 1/3 book (one of the best ones in my opinion), and drank from the Loveless cup as much as humanly possible. It was a revolutionary piece of art, as important as any other album from the 90's, and something I've cherished since.
Before yesterday it had been a while since I listened to the album. I knew of the reunion and the ATP shows, but none of them seemed like an actual possibility for me so it was kind of disappointing. But now that they've added two dates at Roseland Ballroom, I have a shot at grabbing tickets for the shows and now I'm super hyped about it. I know people from all over the world will be flying in and following the band around during this reunion tour, but I plan on getting my hands on a ticket no matter what! My Bloody Valentine - "Only Shallow" My Bloody Valentine - "When You Sleep" My Bloody Valentine - "Come In Alone" My Bloody Valentine - "Blown A Wish"
Who: The War On Drugs Location: Philadelphia, PA elbo.ws Ranking: N/A Thoughts: The music scene in Philadelphia is blowing up right now. Bands as varied as Man Man, Dr. Dog, and Pattern Is Movement are blowing up, and like every decent scene there are dozens of other bands right on the cusp. The War On Drugs is one of those bands and deservedly so. The band write fairly straight forward indie rock tunes, but they do it with a flair and with a penchant for the written word. Their song writing is front and center throughout their debut EP and on the songs I've heard from their soon to be released full length. It's a vital skill for a band the tends toward the folds of the indie rock kingdom, especially as there are probably two dozen bands that The War On Drugs could be compared to. But because they do have such verbal dexterity I find myself really liking what I hear and if I wasn't at the Friction show last night I probably would have been at Pianos checking them out. Oh well, guess I'll have to wait to catch them in person and bide my time with the new album as soon as its released. Verdict: Buzzworthy Listen: The War On Drugs - "Taking the Farm" The War On Drugs - "Buenos Aires Beach"
A music scene is a strange phenomena that few people can truly explain. No one can say for sure how a scene pops up, but it usually stems around a venue or two and has at least one band that will break out to become something bigger then the rest of the scene. In the current state of music there are two vibrant scenes and a couple of other fledgling ones, with LA's noise punk scene and Baltimore's freak show scene paving the way for everything else. Baltimore has already had it's breakout star in Dan Deacon, whose non-stop dance parties have been in high demand for over a year now. But the LA scene has been brimming at the edges without it's true star, until now. With the release of their debut full length Nouns, No Age have risen to the top of the lists in the LA noise punk sphere.
For a few years now the two piece have been releasing vinyl EP's and singles to some fanfare, but when the duo released their debut collection of said EP's and singles last year the band's buzz quickly began to spread outside of the Los Angeles area. Weirdo Rippers was a dynamic debut, welcoming the public to a new world of aggressive, loud two minute songs that were absolutely driven by self made samples, ridiculous guitar, pounding beats, and a penchant for ruining their melodies with massive amounts of feedback and noise. It was a wild debut that most of us found ourselves clamoring for, but with the release of Nouns the band have taken a huge next step escalating their noise to a whole new level.
The music on Nouns jumps from the speakers into your ears, it's propulsive, catchy and devastating in the same breath. Nouns doesn't distort the melodies of the band quite as much as Weirdo Rippers did, instead they let them waft in and out of the songs among the rest of the chaos bred by the noisier ends of the band. It's an amazing mix of loud and pop in one fell swoop and it's finest example would be the album's lead single "Eraser". The song is positively amazing in every aspect from the addictive opening rhythm to the near sing-a-long lyrics. It's completely different from anything the band has done before, but not quite unfamiliar either. On other tracks the band have blended pieces of noise and elements of punk, but they seem to always be infusing bits of pop into each of the songs.
It's a tremendous album from top to bottom with not a single down note played throughout the album. The music is addictive on first listen and only gets more so the more you listen to it. As much as the band attempts to add melody and pop sounds to their noisy atmosphere they do it on their terms, making sure that it fits everything the band represents; it's DIY aesthetic, it's noise oriented back ground, and it's ability to get a crowd going nuts. This is a brilliant full length debut, something everyone should listen to and something I believe most of us will love to death. It would be utterly shocking to me if anything else comes along this year that will top No Age's Nouns. No Age - "Eraser" No Age - "Teen Creeps" No Age - "Ripped Knees"
In my mind the whole make-up of Pattern Is Movement should not work. Drums being pounded in odd time signatures, off key keyboards, synthetic sounds, and an operatic style singer all combine to make the noise that is Pattern's sound, but it shouldn't work. The simple dichotomy between all those pieces should just make up some weird jumbled sound but instead it makes some awesome music.
On their third album All Together the duo from Philly explore their dynamic sound to it's furthest reaches and come up with their best album to date. Rich with dark, odd ball lyrics, deep bellowing singing and the crazed drumming of a mathematical mind, All Together reaches places where most prog rockers can never go. With the insane, classical style singing, Pattern Is Movement adheres to a certain type of pop sensibility, which goes against the grain of most prog outfits, whose only goal is to pound as many drum beats into each measure as humanly possible. They have an impressive ability to piece together completely different types of music and make it sound like a whole.
Who: Death Cab for Cutie Title: Narrow Stairs Label: Atlantic Records Release Date: May 12th Thoughts: We've had a few false starts with the whole Death Cab for Cutie leak, but now it's finally hit a week before it's actually released. Without doubt this is actually Death Cab for Cutie. The production is vintage Death Cab, the vocals are undoubtedly Ben Gibbard, and it continues the downward spiral the band has followed since signing to a major and appearing on The O.C.. Maybe it's enough that the band has outlived the series that sprung it's success, but I was kind of hoping they would continue to evolve as songwriters and musicians, but instead they've gotten lazy, stayed true to form, and made a record for the masses. I'm sure a lot of people will love this, it is after all vintage Death Cab for Cutie, but it never quite reaches the same emotional heights Photo Album and Transatlanticisim reached for. There are some solid moments, but they are so few and far between that it almost makes listening pointless. Instead of reaching for this latest album maybe it's best to continue loving the back catalog, before we all forget what we ever actually saw in Death Cab for Cutie to begin with. Listen: Death Cab for Cutie - "No Sunlight" Death Cab for Cutie - "You Can Do Better Than Me"
Who: Wolf Parade Title: At Mount Zoomer Label: Sub Pop Release Date: June 17th Thoughts: My first time listening to Wolf Parade's sophomore effort, At Mount Zoomer, I found myself comparing the anticipation for the album with the actual music itself. Suffice it to say, but I was not impressed upon first listen. It seemed like the band had saved their best song writing for their individual projects, the pieces of the band that had attempted to fill the three year void between albums. Like most of my music listening brethren I have run hot and cold on the various Wolf Parade side projects, but I dreamed of the day that they would once again reunite to create wondrous sounds and magnificent songs and the first listen didn't live up to all those mounted expectations. But as I've found myself listening to the album again and again since it first hit there interwebs, I have found myself becoming more into the music and much further into the song writing. Perhaps this is a grower, much like The National's Boxer was for me last year. With each passing listen I believe more and more that this is the case, but I'll save my full observations for when it is finally, actually released. Listen: Wolf Parade - "Fine Young Cannibals" Wolf Parade - "Kissing the Beehive" (removed by request)
Who: Scarlett Johannson Title: Anywhere I Lay My Head Label: Atco/Rhino Release Date: May 20th Thoughts: I think a lot of people had high hopes for Scarlett Johannson's debut album. For once we were hopeful that an actress wouldn't just be releasing a shitty vanity project, but that's exactly what this is. Scarlett's voice isn't very powerful and her re-imagining of Tom Waits tunes is weak at best. What Anywhere I Lay My Head does have going for it though is the beautiful production from Dave Sitek. The music that has been pieced together here by Sitek is beyond beuatiful and if it weren't brought down by Johannson's voice I would say this album was soaring brilliantly. But this is a Scarlett Johannson album, not a Dave Sitek one, so the emphasis and focus must be on Johannson who just doesn't do anything to disprove the theory that actresses should stick to acting. I'm sure she meant well by it, there is passion in her voice, it's just not strong enough to stand out against the multitude of female artists that are thriving these days. Feist, Joanna Newsom, Amy Milan, they all have more powerful and worthy voices, and in their talented voices this might have been a more purposeful album and would have been of even greater note for Sitek's abilities behind the board. Listen to Sitek's production it's worthy of that, in fact it's beyond worthy for that, but do your damndest to put Ms. Johannson's voice out of your mind when you do listen. Listen: Scarlett Johannson - "Song for Jo" Scarlett Johannson - "I Don't Want to Grow Up"
Monday: Friction w/Fuck Buttons + Pattern Is Movement @ Mercury Lounge 8pm $10 Happy Cinco De Mayo New York music lovers! Here on Staten Island we have a tradition of heading to a fenced in parking lot outside of the local Chevy's and drinking Carona's till we puke. Now I don't normally participate in this tradition so in looking for something else to do I think I found a pretty solid alternative. Instead of nachos grande with a side of vomit, I'll be seeing two of the best new bands of 2008 doing their thing on the Mercury Lounge stage. That's right I'm anointing Fuck Buttons and Pattern Is Movement as two of the best new bands in the known universe! You should come out and see why! Fuck Buttons - "Bright Tomorrow" Pattern Is Movement - "Right Away"
Tuesday: No Age + High Places @ Bowery Ballroom 8pm $13 Following Monday night's showing of two of the best new bands in the universe, I'll be checking out two of the best bands in the world right now! High Places have been lauded on this site for months and I've seen the adorable duo a slew of times already, but it'll be something new seeing them on a stage as big as Bowery's. Plus the were just named as one L Magazines 8 Band in NY You Need to Hear! Sweet! As for No Age their new record is release the same day as this show and I have it on an inside source that it's going to get a massively positive write up somewhere tomorrow! Keep your eyes open for that so you'll know why they are worth seeing, if you don't already know that is. No Age - "Teen Creeps" High Places - "Shared Islands"
Wednesday: Japanther @ Europa 7pm $8 Normally I wouldn't designate a Japanther show as my third choice for an evening out, but seeing as Flight of the Conchords are playing a sold out show at Town Hall and El Perro Del Mar and Lykke Li are sharing a sold out stage at Joe's Pub, I'm gonna have to tag this Japanther show as a fall back option. Only in New York do you have fall backs that are this rock solid! Japanther - "Energy"
Thursday: Foals + The Ruby Suns @ Union Hall 8pm $12 Two brand spanking new Sub Pop bands, with brand spanking new albums that are awesome, hit the excellent Union Hall stage! This is a pairing of bands I am dying to see, and will be seeing tonight. Haven't seen The Ruby Suns live yet, but their record kicks ass and Foals was one of the best live bands I saw all of last CMJ. For real. Plus they're both foreign bands so they won't be back for a few weeks. Foals - "Heavy Water" The Ruby Suns - "Kenya Dig It"
Friday: Violens @ Union Pool 8pm $8 We've already had one of the L Magazine 8 mentioned in this post, now we've got another. Violens, which features members of Lansing-Dreiden) are a kick ass, sort of new band that is should blow the fuck up if there is any justice in this world. See them now before they are headlining at the much shittier Terminal 5. No really, do it. Violens - "Violent Sensation Descends"
Saturday: Jukebox the Ghost + The XYZ Affair @ Mercury Lounge 8pm $10 I haven't seen Jukebox the Ghost in a couple of months so I'm kind of yearning to see their dynamic live show once again. Of course I choose when they are headlining the Mercury Lounge and with a solid lineup of supporting acts including The XYZ Affair, The Swimmers and Morning State. Should be a fun Saturday night, and will be a perfectly acceptable excuse to show up hungover to Mother's Day! Jukebox the Ghost - "Victoria" The XYZ Affair - "All My Friends"
Sunday: British Sea Power @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 8pm $18 Once your down showering gifts and love on your moms why don't you do yourself a favor and head out to the Music Hall for what is sure to be an awesome performance. After a lackluster sophomore effort, British Sea Power have returned with a blistering new album that forces you to answer the question in the title Do You Like Rock Music?. If you do, you know where you'll be on Sunday evening. British Sea Power - "No Lucifer"
When Ben and I first began planning our multi-borough, monthly shows we had nights like Friday in mind. Sure, we had a few dozen more people packing into the room in mind, but we have to start somewhere and I just hope we didn't blow our load in front of 20 or so completely changed individuals. I'm not just saying that either. I've been told that it was; "a great show", "the most fun I've ever had at a show on Staten Island", "mind opening", "completely offensive", "dangerous", and "what rock should be like". I've been kind of floored by those responses, but I have to say I agree with all of them to some extent. I think a lot of the photos will begin to prove my point, and we had a video camera crew in there (unsolicited, but very much welcomed) that should be sending even more proof of what went down Friday night. The Cup may never be the same after Friday's show, once a fairly normal cafe with a bar and band room in the back, we kind of altered it's landscape on Friday night and it all started with Chicago's Black Ladies. The instrumental duo had been added to the show only the day before and kicked things off by absolutely rocking the joint. With just a bass and drums the duo pounded ouot propulsive rhythms that would have felt awkward if they were constrained by a normal verse-chorus
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