They're a cover band made up of some Amish kids who went on Rumspringa and never went back. They're also surprisingly competent rappers.
I like that the video is filmed in old fashiondy sepia.
They'll be at Stout Saturday.
eh.www.amNY.com
BANDS JUST ANNOUNCED:
Spoon – UNKLE – Justice – British Sea Power – Mates Of State – Coheed And Cambria – Rodrigo Y Gabriela – Xiu Xiu – Del Tha Funkee Homosapien – Dirtbombs – Mute Math – Jesu – Devin The Dude – The Ponys – Islands – Tiny Masters Of Today – Eisley – Vietnam – Little Brother – Mickey Hart & Zakir Hussein – Brother Ali – Marnie Stern – No Age – Crystal Castles – MSTRKRFT – Chromeo – The Brunettes – 1990s – Ruins – A-Trak – Foreign Islands – Kavinsky – Simian Mobile Disco
The festival takes place Oct. 16-20, which seems later than usual. The lineup so far seems like the usual indie eclecticism. I've seen Islands a couple times (once with Metric, which was one of my favorite concerts of all time), but I'll see 'em again. Dirtbombs and Spoon would be cool to see, too.
The problem you always face with CMJ is that everyone wants to see all of the same buzz bands, making it super hard to get into those shows, unless you have some sort of hook up, or get there reeeeeally early and sit through five nobody acts. Although, the point of CMJ really is those "nobody" acts. It's always an adventure. Usually around Friday afternoon, I get all music-ed out and end up blowing off the rest of the bands I had planned to see anyway, and going out drinking with my non-music obsessed friends. I'm gonna try my best to make it through the whole weekend this year, but I foresee something similar happening. It's not getting any easier as I get older.
eh. www.amNY.com
Fiona Apple has been one of my favorite singers for a long time, but I'll admit she has her flaws. One thing I've never thought, however, is, "She needs more bluegrass noodling backing her up." In fact, if you had asked me five minutes ago, I would have told you that was a recipe for trouble. Then I saw this video of her singing with Nickel Creek (a band I never got into, for reasons having almost nothing to do with their music).
It totally works.
Although, I think the reason this works it that it's a cover. You (or, I, at least) have the ghost of the original in the memory banks, which lets you think, "What a cool take on that song." 'Cause there's nothing really "Americana" about Apple's voice or intent with this song (Or this one, for that matter, although I think this adaptation stands up better than "Fast As You Can"; it seems more an actual song than a cover). So I'm curious how their collaborative concert this Tuesday will turn out. Lemme know, if you go.
eh, www.amNY.com
Here's something I hadn't noticed until now in my perusal of the summer concert listings: River to River is hosting a series of free concerts on Governors Island. Every Saturday afternoon in August, a different world music superstar will perform, starting with Antibalas this weekend. It's a beautiful setting, and I would rate this as a high "do not miss."
eh, www.amNY.com
His name's been all over the place recently, as this Irish folkster was just shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and he's playing Joe's Pub tomorrow night (Tuesday). His press quotes compare him everyone from Bright Eyes to Dylan to Nick Drake (which, actually, I hear that), but that says more about the nature of sound bites than his actual sound.
Regan has a clean, simple voice which wafts beautifully over his unadorned acoustic guitar picking. But what I really enjoy about the video above is the shifts in locale that demonstrate how environment affects the sound and how room tone affects the sonic experience. To be honest, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the song itself, because I am so delighted/distracted by the presentation. He actually sounds a little like his countryman Damien Rice (ok, I do it too), who I can't really listen to anymore for purely personal reasons that have nothing to do with his music.
Anyway, Fionn Regan. Check him out. Why don't you tell me what I should think of him. For a change.
eh, www.amNY.com
This just in:
Morrissey Resumes Tour: Following the postponement due to illness of several shows last week we are delighted to announce that Morrissey's US tour will recommence tonight at the Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia. Morrissey was suffering with a viral infection that brought his show in Boston at the Bank Of America Pavillion to a halt after only seven songs last Tuesday the 26th of June. Following doctor's orders not to sing for 5 days it also forced the postponement of shows in Northampton, Philadelphia and New York's Madison Square Garden. The Boston show has been successfully rescheduled for this Saturday the 7th of July and all tickets from the original date will be honored. It is hoped that rescheduled dates for New York, Philadelphia and Northampton will be secured and announced in the next 24 hours.
eh, www.amNY.com
We are less than a month away from the release of book 7, people!
If that sentence makes no sense to you, you probably won't be interested in the rest of this post.
For my fellow HP fans, you can bide your time listening to the artful stylings of Massachusetts-based group Harry and the Potters. They're all over the internets these days. You can find some tracks here, here, and of course, here. They'll even be in town July 19, playing the Bohemian Beer Garden with Draco and the Malfoys, the Hungarian Horntails and the horn section from Dumbledore's Army.
Holy crap! I'm a dork!
eh, www.amNY.com
Last night I was a judge at the Starbucks Avant-Grande music competition, a sort of battle of the bands for employees. I don't drink coffee, so I can't make any comment on their product (and leaving aside for the moment their ubiquity in the city), but that company is good to their employees. In addition to benefits and above minimum wage salaries, they also provide an outlet for their workers' creative talents, in the form of art shows and, yes, music competitions. That's pretty cool. </soapbox>
Anyway, six bands competed for two winning slots. The winners were offered an opening slot at a Celebrate Brooklyn and SummerStage concert.
There was an impressive array of talent on display, but in the end, my two favorites won (ah, the power of being a judge). Preston Edmonds' band, a stylish indie rock ensemble, will be opening for Alloy Orchestra on July 19 in Prospect Park. Their high energy on stage may have derived from the fact that they seemed to have brought their entire fan club, but their set showed promise. I especially liked their last song, the name of which I failed to write down. The band doesn't seem to have an internet presence yet, so we may never know just what song that was. You'll just have to go to the show and check them out.
The second winner was jazz combo Luma. They'll open the July 28th show at SummerStage. This group seems to have already attained some measure of local stardom, with profiles in different Long Island papers. I have to say, they're worth checking out. Their playing is super tight, and they give off a good energy.
All the kids were pretty talented, but I thought John Biz and the Rolling Stallones deserved an honorable mention, so I'll give that to them here. As one of my judging partners said, they're less goofy than their name suggests. According to their MySpace, they have an upcoming show at Luna Lounge July 7.
eh, www.amNY.com
What could be better than a free festival featuring Menomena, Les Savy Fav, Land Of Talk, O' Death and others? How about if that same festival was good for the Earth?
Citysol 2007 takes place July 12-15. According to their press release:
[The] clean-energy-powered festival (now in its second year) aims to inspire interest and support for local sustainability initiatives through music, collaborative art installations, games, workshops, and numerous other elements meant to both entertain and educate. Events and activities over the weekend include everything from go-cart races with reclaimed renewable-energy powered carts, lessons on how to make your own bio-diesel, performances from DJs using bicycle-powered turntables, and great bands from near and far including Menomena, Les Savy Fav, Land Of Talk, O'Death, and more.
Sweet. The festival is at Solar One at Stuyvesant Cove Park (located along the East River between 18th and 23rd streets), except for Menomena, which is at the Seaport, July 13. For more info, visit www.citysol.org.
eh, ww.amNY.com
This English group is wild. Check out "Porcupine or Pineapple":
It kind of reminds me of that Badger Badger Badger video from way back when.
Anyway, you can see 'em at Mercury Lounge on Saturday. It's sold out, but check here for tickets.
—eh, www.amNY.com
The Fratellis are my new favorites today. Upbeat, joyous rock with simple but killer hooks. And they're coming to town July 18.
—eh, www.amNY.com
The four-day Tennessee music festival kicks off Thursday, mixing together jambands, indie rock and camping. The acts include The Hold Steady, Lily Allen, Fountains Of Wayne, Franz Ferdinand, Tool, The Police and more.
But what if you want all the aural benefits of attending Bonnaroo without having to sleep on the ground? WFUV has you covered! Music Director Rita Houston is going so you don't have to. She'll bring you highlights, interviews and more. It's a far cleaner way to get the best of the fest. Visit their website for more.
—eh, www.amNY.com
Well, they didn't get to have a shred off on "The Colbert Report," but Modest Mouse did recently have their own green screen challenge. Their video is up here.
In other news, they'll be hitting up Keyspan Park on Coney Island August 8 (and, Daft Punk is playing there August 9!) with ... wait for it ... Clipse. (Sorry, been watching "How I Met Your Mother," a show that would be one of my favorites if I could ever remember when it was on...)
—eh, www.amNY.com
NME has the down low that the band billed as Beat Up Old Fellas is actually our beloved We Are Scientists!
They changed their name for the shows in order to test run their new album live and will not be playing any songs from 'With Love And Squalor'. "It's a good way to see The Long Blondes for free" Keith Murray told NME.COM. "And we don't want people to come and ask for 'Nobody Move'".
If you really need to hear their hit single, here it is...
They're playing three shows this week:
June 6: Luna Lounge w/ Nicole Atkins & The Sea and The Long Blondes
June 8: Maxwell's w/ Snowden & The King Left
June 9: Mercury Lounge w/ The Spinto Band, The Teeth & Bling Kong
—eh, www.amNY.com
But chances are you probably haven't. Unless you read Malcom Gladwell's "Blink," in which he apparently discusses how the lack of a coherent marketing campaign is what sank Kenna's 2003 album "New Sacred Cow."
Kenna's playful synthy indie-tronica sound wasn't so far off from contemporaries in The Rapture and other disco-punk bands that did gain some sort of recognition, so it was sort of puzzling and disappointing that Kenna didn't take off. In fact, I sat in at a DJ class for a story a few months ago, and the DJ/teacher pulled up the song "Freetime" (video below). After illustrating his point to the class (I think he was showing how to match up beats when mixing between two songs), he made some throw-away comment to the owner/manager who was sitting in on the class with me to the effect of, "I've never heard this song before, but I like it."
I also must expose my own ignorance here: it wasn't until today that I realized that Kenna is American. I always just assumed, given the Eurotrash sound, that he was British or something. But he's actually the son of Ethiopean immigrants to Virginia Beach. You learn something new every day.
So, anyway, we all missed out on something special the first time around. Luckily, there's a second album coming down the pike. "Make Sure They See My Face" will be out on Interscope Records June 19. You can hear tracks from it on his MySpace, or if you attend his show at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on June 7 ... with Nelly Furtado.
This trip down memory lane comes via this post on a song of the summer. Someone in the comments suggests "Out of Control" as a contender. I myself am at a loss. Nothing I'm listening to is particularly summery. Oh, well. It'll come to me.
—eh, www.amNY.com
Kim and Thurston at last summer's concert at McCarren Park Pool, via.
Art rockers Sonic Youth are returning this summer to Brooklyn's only derelict swimming pool/concert venue. They bring their Daydream Nation roadshow to McCarren Park Pool July 28. Tickets go on sale Friday, so warm up your modems.
For good or for ill, it looks like Live Nation is in it for the long haul at this venue. Community activists have been very vocal against the concert behemoth programming the public space — it is, after all, part of a city park — but, the corporation did contribute to the recent rehabilitation of the space, which different local groups make use of. ...
Jill Scott - 2007 Tour Dates
Thu, 06/14/07 - Radio City Music Hall, NYC w/ Chaka Khan & Robin Thicke
via, Brooklyn Vegan.
— eh, www.amNY.com
The annual festival that brings all kinds of crazy (and FREE!) entertainment to parks around the city has announced this summer's lineup, and it looks like a good one. With Animal Collective June 1, Bang on A Can Allstars June 2-3, The New Pornographers July 4, Fuji and Miyagi July 6, Spoon July 11, Menomena July 13 and Battles August 31, there's something for everyone. And that's only the music part of the program. There are also film screenings and dance performances. It's gonna be a great summer.
The complete schedule will be up at the River to River website on May 18.
-- eh, www.amNY.com
"New York's the greatest, if you can get someone to pay the rent," sings James Murphy (aka LCD Soundsystem) on "North American Scum," from his sophomore effort "Stemsound of Silver."
In addition to witty truisms, the album offers up tasty electronic beats making the album incredibly danceable as well as listenable. The new album continues in the vein of the bratty techno pop of Murphy's self-titled debut, especially the stellar "Daft Punk is Playing at My House."
But you don't have to take my word for it. LCD Soundsystem is at Bowery Ballroom Friday and Saturday.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
Although there have been no official announcements, more and more summer concert news keeps trickling out. Brooklyn Vegan has put together a bunch of dates. Check it out.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
Though the snow has just melted, it's time to start thinking of summer. Specifically, Central Park SummerStage. Tickets for the Decemberists show on July 16 go on sale Wednesday. Hop to it!
-- EH, www.amNY.com
New York Magazine is enticing you to become a subscriber by throwing a concert/karaoke extravaganza! Not only will psych-pop outfit Of Montreal be playing a set, they'll also be functioning as a backing band for the karaoke stylings of Y-O-U. Also in attendance, Michael Showalter and Flosstradamus.
Sounds like a fun night, right? Well, if you want to go, you're going to have to be a little sneaky. Though the tickets went on sale Friday, they're already sold out. That's the (annoyingly) cutthroat world of the NYC music scene. Damn hipsters. So get out there and work those connections...
-- EH, ww.amNY.com
When Bowie throws a party, you freaking go.
The Thin White Duke is curating the inaugural High Line Festival, a ten-day program of music, comedy, films and art, taking place May 9-19. Tickets go on sale this Friday, so you'd better get your act together.
(For some reason, I think this David Bowie bio is really funny. It's like a 4th graders book report, or something. I'm just disappointed that they left out any mention of "Labyrinth.")
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
I'm not sure how much stock I'm putting into this, but EW.com is reporting that Wayne Coyne and Aaron Sorkin (!) are teaming up to produce a Broadway musical based on the Flaming Lips' album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." Crazy, right?
I'm not sure who they think their audience will be. I know I, for one, as a fan of the album, am curious to see what how this might turn out, but I already have my own version of Yoshimi, that black belt in karate, sketched out in my head. Truth be told, I like to think about it while I'm running. And, in this play in my head, I'm Yoshimi. I'm also really not a fan of Aaron Sorkin, so I don't want him to mess it up for me.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
Brit-rock group Maximo Park was one of my favorite bands of the summer of 2005, although it did seem that they were destined for flavor of the month status. Their first album, "A Certain Trigger," won the Mercury Prize and received a flurry of attention from both blogs and the MSM. But there was still something very "live fast, die young" about the group.
I'm pleased to report that MP is back with a brand new album, "Our Earthly Pleasures," due stateside May 8. You can hear the first single, "Our Velocity," here:
Something about Paul Smith's voice is so plaintive and fragile, you feel compelled to listen just to make sure he makes it to the end of the song without breaking down. And the driving (pardon the pun) "Autobahn" riff they seem to have stolen here totally works to keep the song from veering into complete emo territory.
The band will be at Webster Hall July 12, so mark your calendars.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
Seriously.
Tickets are "available only by special arrangement" (we're guessing that "special arrangement" involves hundreds and hundreds of pounds sterling), but the prolific bad boy of the alt-country world is giving a concert at the historic monument this summer. Let us know if you go.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
One of my favorite live acts of the past year is coming back to NYC! Britain's Art Brut -- whose charismatic frontman Eddie Argos is really singing about his old girlfriend Emily Kane in the above video -- has a new album coming out this June, and they're coming to the area for TWO shows in April to get us all pumped up:
Apr 17 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Apr 18 - Brooklyn, NY @ Studio B
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
Covering someone like Eliot Smith is always a dicey proposition. Smith's music was beloved even before his tragic early death, and the mythos that has grown up around him since, has made him all but untouchable.
Local musician Chris Garneau, has done it, however. His cover of "Between the Bars" takes a few listens, but eventually, if you give him a chance, Garneau steps out from under Smith's shadow. He sings — in a voice that could be a young girl's — to a sparse piano accompaniment.
The track is the closer to his latest album, "Music for Tourists." And if you like what you hear, check him out tonight at Bowery Ballroom, or Sunday at the Living Room.
As Stereogum so succinctly put it: "We like to think of Chris Garneau as everything we wish Damien Rice actually was."
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
My sister and I have a joke that she's the hippie and I'm the punk of the family (or I have this joke, and she doesn't get mad when I say it); she's partial to music with bongos in it, and I'm partial to bands that have a lead screamer, but there is some crossover in our musical tastes. Years ago, she turned me on to a little band called Dispatch. This song specifically:
But they also have a lot of other great tunes (and a couple jammy duds). And, although they broke up three years ago, the members are still very active in the music scene. Here's where this post gets relevant. Chad Urmston is now in a band called State Radio, and they're playing Bowery Ballroom this Friday. AND! Dispatch is reuniting for a special fundraiser for Zimbabwe this summer (July 13-15 at Madison Square Garden). Learn more, and stream tunes from all of their albums here.
I interviewed Joey Burns of Calexico last week for a story to preview their gig tonight at Jazz at Lincoln Center. We talked for about half an hour, and about a third what he said made it into the story. That's just the way it goes sometimes. But he shared a great story, kind of epitomizing what it's like for the group to be on tour, that was just too good for me to keep to myself.
So after the jump, Joey talks about the band's lust for adventure.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
This is awesome.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
Via stereogum, punker Ted Leo is looking for background actors for a video shoot in Williamsburg this Sunday. They're even promising free food. The song is “Bomb Repeat Bomb” from the new album, which is due in stores March 20.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
TPC is actually a young Toronto quartet with a lot of energy and almost no police training. They made a small splash last spring with their first New York appearance at the Mercury Lounge. Since then, they've been tapped by SXSW as a band with potential.
Hear for yourself: "Nature of the Experiment"
They play at the Plug Awards at Irving Plaza, Feb 10. Unfortunately for those not so quick on the draw, the show is sold out, but they will be releasing 50 tickets at the door, starting at 7pm. If you don't feel like chancing it, the band will be back for a gig with Cold War Kids, April 6 & 7.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
Their album dropped today, and the group has acquired quite a buzz (Brooklyn Vegan has an mp3). Check 'em out when the come to town March 28.
Damon Albarn (of Blur and Gorillaz) is back with yet another project, The Good, The Bad and The Queen, whose self-titled album drops today. And iTunes is offering single "Herculean" for free download this week.
The new band sounds a lot like the old bands, dark pop with a little bit of funk, but for Albarn's fans, that's only a good thing (Jamie Hewlett fans will miss the cartoons, however).
The band hasn't announced any New York tour dates yet, but you can get your fix tomorrow night with the All England Club. They take over Lolita Bar for a night dedicated to TGTBTQ and Albarn's other work. See below for details.
We <3 Damon
Lolita Bar, Wednesday 9pm, FREE. The All England Club celebrates the release of Damon Albarn’s latest project, “The Good, The Bad and the Queen” by playing a full night of his music. 266 Broome St at Allen St (F to Delancey St; J, M, Z to Delancey-Essex Sts) 212-966-7223
UPDATE: Like an idiot, I forgot to tell you the other reason this project is so cool. The rest of the all-star lineup is: Paul Simonon (The Clash), bass, Simon Tong (The Verve), guitar and Tony Allen (Fela Kuti), drums.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
These kids are crazy! If you have a high tolerance for noise and experimental music, go see The Magik Markers tomorrow night at the Knitting Factory. If not, just stay home and know that you're missing out on something pretty special. In addition to being joined by Fugazi's Brendan Canty, the band is performing an improvised soundtrack (and providing commentary) for animated films by Brent Green. Sure beats staying home and watching "Gilmore Girls."
BTW, you can check out the band's Web site, but it's pretty bare bones. The best thing to do is just go see them in person.
-- Emily Hulme, www.amNY.com
