With very few exceptions, guitar based indie rock is not very "hot" at the moment – synths, samplers and sequencers have been having a little revenge in the last decade over the 6 and 4 strings rock’n’nroll royalty. But when you see bands like Appomattox rip it live with maximum flair (like they did at The Deli’s CMJ show at Spike Hill) you realize that well executed, politically charged rock’n’roll can only be supported "properly" by a tight and punchy power trio line-up. But it’s not like they are just rude shredders – no… these guys develop Fugazi’s inventive and aggressive post-punk, minus the guttural screaming, in a tad more melodic direction. You MUST see them live asap, they’ll play Pianos on 11.10 and Glasslands on 11.16.

My last day of CMJ was spent in LES. And what a great day to listen to great music! The weather was perfect, which made it easy for hopping around from bar to bar to check out local bands, and the day was young, which meant drink specials and a long night ahead. I first hit up the Delancey day party to hear Brookyn-based folk darling, Anni Rossi. I wrote about Ms. Rossi recently and was really looking forward to see her in action. I’m happy I did – she’s talented and uses her musical gifts to her advantage. Ms. Rossi’s a string queen, and puts on quite the brilliant performance.

I then caught the second half of ArpLine’s set. I have written about these Brooklyn guys too – (thank you Delancey for hooking me up!) and was really digging their music live – the synth sounded really nice in the cozy confines of this grungy space. They seemed like cool dudes and got me pumped up with their upbeat, funky pop sounds. The music whizzes and the guitar gets things really moving amidst the electronic influences. I then saw Savoir Adore play and still loved it the second time around! Check out my Thursday recap for deets on this adorably fun group.

Next up was the Brooklyn quartet, Miracles of Modern Science. These boys definitely know how to handle their instruments: there’s a cello, a violin, a mandolin, and bass. There’s folky, funky movement to their music, emphasis on the strings of course, with a mix of classical, jazz and pop. Overall, what makes them good is how unique they are. Next up was the Living Room to see BK-based North Highlands.

This quintet make free flowing tunes with pretty, folk vocals, nice harmonies and smooth instrumentals that, at certain moments, build into beating crescendos. They sounded great. Later on in the night, I hit up Pianos to see LA-based Young the Giant – see my review on the LA Deli site here.

I then hit up Cake Shop to see the four man group, Woodsman. Their sound is definitely creative, and super psychedelic – a sound that is becoming increasingly attractive to Brooklyn-based DIY kind of bands. Their music is dark and very ambient, shifting between a focus on naturalistic synth and loose guitar. Very innovative. – Alex Vann

I met the Young the Giant dudes at a show during CMJ and was happy I did because it got me into listening to their poppy, catchy, Cali-cool jams. I accepted their invitation to see their show at Pianos on Friday. These guys were awesome to see live – the energy in the space was hopping. The instrumentals are ethnic-infused, subtle and smooth, but the most notable of the group is the singer, who belts the songs in a very gushing, romantic, and extremely sexy way. – Alex Vann

Prince Rama played Death By Audio on Friday and they killed it. I was up front and people were irritated with me and my giant bag full of shit and at one point the entire thing spills over the ground. Just before the band started Nimai handed me her camera and asked me to take pictures. “Get on stage, get behind us, whatever,” she says. This excites me to no end of course. The show starts: the percussion is weird and lucid and the beats are droning and the synths are atmospheric and the vocals are otherworldly and the whole thing comes off like this crazy dance party, sort of like that really weird scene that didn’t make sense from The Matrix Reloaded where there is that underground rave – it’s tribal and percussive and futuristic and infinite and full of love. The crowd loves the three part harmonies and the heavy synth bass and the beats and everyone is dancing and cheering and they look enthralled from where I am now – on the back of the stage. Dale W. Eisinger.

I saw True Womanhood at NYC’s Cake Shop during CMJ and they were absolutely phenomenal. The sheer fact that they exist is incredible to me. I think of Chuck Klosterman’s review of Chinese Democracy but this actually matters because that album would have gotten made if Axl Rose had been sealed in Wax. They play dark, post-punk, Yeah Yeah Yeahs a little bit, a little bit Fugazi, a little bit Joy Division. But it is straight DIY – that’s the rub. These guys are playing some of the most progressive music I have heard in a long time and they are doing it out of the most culturally repressive cities in the world. They tell me later that they play shows in DC that get shut down reliably by 10:30 p.m. because the police cruise the interwebs and are fastidious about time ordinance. There will be a lot more to hear about them soon, I hope. To me, they have a winning combination: nerdy and enthusiastic frontman, cute and talented female bassist, obviously brainy dude behind the kit. – Dale W. Eisinger