L.A.

2 FREE Tickets to for Rare Terry Riley/Kronos Quartet/Mike Einziger Set

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First person to e-mail hugo@thedelimagazine.com gets 2 free tickets to Kronos Quartet and minimalist legend Terry Riley‘s Disney Hall set on November 21. It’s the opening night to the Left Coast, West Coast series (which will feature Brian Wilson and Inara George in a couple weeks, but how would we know that…?) so race to your inbox and shoot us an e-mail right now. 

Published on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:26:17 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Hollywood Brewfest Guarantees Loads of Booze, Deli LA Favorites

 

For $45 (just hear us out), enjoy unlimited tastings from over 35 breweries and live sets from Great Northern, Nico Stai, Castledoor and other Deli LA favorites all day Saturday at the Music Box in this year’s Hollywood Brewfest (21+, tickets can be purchased here). At face value, it’s a steep entry fee, but it’s all day buzz-pacing, a great bill and all the booze you can responsibly consume. This is bang-for-your-buck at its finest.

Published on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:05:57 0 Comments | Post a Comment 
 

Regrets & Brunettes Turn Heads, Guitars

On the heels of the release of their debut LP "At Night You Love Me," blues rock-based Regrets & Brunettes are playing some local dates to preview fresh material. The relatively new group (their MySpace page dates them as seven months old) have already turned some heads with recent opening slots for Delta Spirit and The Henry Clay People, but the newfound attention could also be owed to vocalist Richard Bivens’s technique of playing a right-handed guitar in left-hand method. Now that’s how you get the ladies.

Regrets and Brunettes channel the melodic eccentricity of Brian Wilson with the grit of Neil Young, and they’re not shy to wear it on their sleeves. As pop for the more distorted crowd, they’re worthy of a listen (or even a glimpse of aformentioned technique), so jot Nov. 30 for their set at The Echo. They share an impressive bill with Seasons and Downtown/Union.

Published on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:19:49 1 Comments | Post a Comment

L.A.

Chamber Pop’s Horse Stories Set for Two LA Shows

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Horse Stories | Hummingbird (We’ll Be Okay)

Horse Stories (project of singer/songwriter and producer Toby Burke) is for the fragile sort: under all the delicate layers of Burke’s quiet pop compositions are sinking themes ("We all heal so slow / that it aches") that evoke darker Cat Stevens and of more contemporary Wilco. The warm recordings of Horse Stories latest (and most critically acclaimed) release "November, November" will have its LA previews this Thursday at Three Clubs and during a free set at Origami Vinyl on Saturday.

L.A.

Thomas’ Apartment Third Release

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Thomas’ Apartment released their third full-length album this past week. Entitled Tuesday Night Lights, the album is concerned one of their most emotionally releases to date.

The band has released a few free tracks from Tuesday Night Lights on their website. They encourage you to listen to them and tell a friend. I would personally recommend the band’s three album package for ONLY $20. What a deal!

Visit the band’s website for tour dates and to score great deals.

– Nicholas Palumbo

 

Pablove Across America Benefit Concert

Pablove Across America, a cycling journey across the US for pediatric cancer research/awareness, will be hosting a benefit concert on Saturday, November 21.

Pablove Across America was founded by Dangerbird Records’ co-founder Jeff Castelaz and his wife in honor and memory of their late son, Pablo. The program

The benefit concert will be held at Avalon (Hollywood) on November 21 and will feature acoustic sets by an all-star roster.

Tickets for the event can be found here. All proceeds will go to Pablove Foundation.

– Nicholas Palumbo

L.A.

LA RIOTS remix VHS or BETA – Free Download

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LA RIOTS are Daniel Ledisko and Jon Pegnato, good friends of MSTRKRFT and the late, great DJ AM. Their remixes of NASA, Crystal Castles and The Ting Tings are some of the most recognizable remixes played.

Their latest remix, VHS or BETA’s "Feel It When You Know", is up for grabs for free! You can grab it here. While you’re at it, download their latest Fall 2009 remix. That can be grabbed here.

Make sure you check out the duo live when they hit We The People Festival on November 21 and at Hudson (San Bernadino, CA) on November 28.

– Nicholas Palumbo

Published on Sat, 7 Nov 2009 13:21:06 0 Comments | Post a Comment 

 

Local Natives Homecoming at El Rey

Silverlake never ceases to birth great acts: Five-piece band Local Natives performed last Monday with Glass Ghost and White Rabbits for a full audience at the El Rey. All members wearing pointed-toe shoes and bearing quasi-ironic mustaches delivered a set of 10 songs.

The combination of shout anthems and vocalist Ryan Hahn’s resemblance to Freddy Mercury was enough to keep the crowd going an hour, but it was "Sun Hands" as a finale that won over old fans and created scores of new ones. -Marla Bahloul (Photography by Jennifer Ruidera of Downtown Lobby)

 

Pizza! at Spaceland 

Freak pop outfit Pizza! (formerly known as The New Motherfuckers) graced the stage at Silverlake’s Spaceland Sunday evening.

Looking like a possessed robot all night, singer Geoff Geis’s vocals were a jittery mix of dance rock, ’80s pop and noise punk. It wasn’t quite apparent if Pizza! were trying to sound like they didn’t know what they wanted to play or just didn’t know what they wanted to play. They took a raw, homemade and basement bootleg approach to their set but somehow it worked. The crowd was dancing and seemed to love every awkward second of it. -Kimberly Brown

Published on Wed, 4 Nov 2009 17:39:59 0 Comments | Post a Comment

 

Crash Kings Invade Viper Room

The clav-rock trio with a knack for heavy, heavy blues brought their talents to the Sunset hideout last Friday and Deli photographer Mila Reynaud was there to capture it. They’ve been in our radar for quite some time, so check out our coming print issue for a deeper look into the breaking act.

 

L.A.

Sea Wolf Premieres “Wicked Blood” Video

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Sea Wolf | "Wicked Blood"

We don’t know what we like more about the video: the happy melodies juxtaposed to spooky B-film irony, or the lavish, silly costumes juxtaposed to the nonchalantness of the musicians. Either way, good timing, Sea Wolf. Treat indeed.

L.A.

The Deli LA’s Halloween Night Picks

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Pre-game your Halloween festivities with live music, handpicked by The Deli LA for all your spooktacular needs. Note: Some of these acts are good. …Scary good. Muahahahaha…

Eliza Rickman | Pehrspace | 9PM | $5 | All Ages

Eliza Rickman is a piano-based singer/songwriter backed by a group of string musicians with an aim to create smart, chamber pop. With vocals to the influence of PJ Harvey and Feist, it often teeters on operatic, but without it ever feeling exclusionary. Tres French and, as Rickman writes about her music on her MySpace page, "…borderline creepy."

The Fuxedos | Spaceland | 8:30PM | $8 | 21+

The Fuxedos epitomize the Halloween spirit: With a strange line-up of seasoned session musicians, the ultra-alt-crazy-as-fuck comedy group have proven themselves as the ultimate WTF outfit of our times. From the brainchild of frontman Danny Shorago (proclaimed "The best frontman I’ve ever seen" by Burt Bacharach’s musical director), their music is all sorts of demented in progressive nerdery, and word on the street says their live set isn’t to be missed.

Dead Man’s Bones | The Echo | 6PM | $20

Like, OMG, Ryan Gossling’s dark and broody indie project Dead Man’s Bones play The Echo for what will undoubtedly be a truly unHollywood-ish set. The group’s lyrical imagery is painted with only one color: pre-Industrial Revolution somber. Halloween or not, the music of Dead Man’s Bones evokes places in our minds we’d rather not tap into.

Published on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:03:17 0 Comments | Post a Comment

 


 

Wax Attacks Once More!

 

 

 

Introducing: Audra Mae

"Captivating" is a word used too often and loosely by critics trying to provoke simply a remnant of talent. But it shouldn’t be: It should be reserved for the kind of talent that rarely comes across our town, our ears, and our collective curiosity to stick to something truly fresh.

Audra Mae is just that. Captivating. The kind of captivating that says, "Fuck it, I’m going to turn off my phone, close all these Firefox internet tabs, put my earbuds on and let this artist’s tunes dig at my soul for however long I can hold on."

The LA-via-Oklahoma folk singer/songwriter tends to American roots form, but it’s not so much the venue her songs are in or her beautiful prose that raises eyebrows. It’s her voice — sometimes painful, often deep but always rich in an honesty that could make one say, "Folk music is absolutely not dead." -HG

Audra Mae plays the El Rey on November 7.

 


They lit a man on fire and sent him running around Los Angeles 14 yea rs ago, for their iconic Spike Jonze-directed video, "California." Today, the long disbanded punk pop outfit Wax has been reignited. Front man Joe Sib, now known for helming SideOneDummy Records, tells the Deli about the foursome’s recent reformation. By Melissa Bobbitt (Photography by Renee Barrera)

"Every once in a while, I’d get an e-mail … ‘I was a huge fan of Wax; I can’t get your music on iTunes!’ Or, ‘I always wanted to see the "California" video.’ Something like that … That was the real catalyst."

And it didn’t hurt that Rivers Cuomo of Weezer was championing their return. At the Weez’s Palladium gig Saturday night, Cuomo bounded onstage to reintroduce opening act Wax to the audience of Gen Xers and scrappy youngsters alike. “I’ve been waiting 14 years to say this,” he exclaimed, reminiscing about how his and Sib’s bands evolved together in the ’90s L.A. scene. “Wax!”

The group put on a blistering set of high kicks, shout outs to drummer Loomis Fall’s “Jackass” brethren Johnny Knoxville, and some killer call-and-response. An elated Sib chucked, “We thought about playing a new song, but then we realized all these songs are new to you!”

Wax is now offering its back catalog for sale on the ‘net, as well as a new 7-inch, "Hanging On," which features four unreleased tracks from the "13 Unlucky Numbers" sessions. The proceeds will go to UCP Wheels for Humanity, a charity that provides wheelchairs to the needy.

Sib and band mates Tom "Soda" Gardocki, Dave Georgeff and Fall recently played Riot Fest Chicago, and he said the response was flattering. "All those floors we slept on, all the records we made – it’s not going to be forgotten. It’s inspiring to think that, who knows, maybe a kid will hear one of these songs and maybe start a band. I know we’re a band that people dig, but it’s just nice being remembered."

This hometown hero is hard to forget, seeming that he remains constantly productive. In addition to getting Wax back together and manning SideOne, Sib also hosts the syndicated radio show Complete Control and spins yarns via the spoken word act California Calling. But, he insists, "I just love to play. I just love to entertain. I love to work. I love to keep busy. … I don’t know if I like unwinding."

 
Austin

Local Music Is Sexy: Live Review

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Local Music IS Sexy.  I can emphatically confirm this statement.  Friday’s local music night at the Mohawk was insanely entertaining.  I love all things Austin, but what was special about the night was the crowd.  Young hipsters, band geeks, and all those in between – like myself – all set the tone for a fun evening.
 
Going in, not knowing too much about the artists performing, I was pleasantly surprised with the caliber of the lineup.  Starting with the Minor Mishap Marching Band (above) and their grand entrance down the stairs and onto the stage like a funeral procession in New Orleans, I knew I was in for a treat.  Their melange of a marching band was like a French Bat Mitzvah, a Gypsy festival, a Cirque Du Soleil performance and they left me smiling and satisfied.  My cohort commented, "Have I seen them on Sesame Street?  I mean that in the BEST way!"
 
I haven’t listened to PIL in a long time, but when manikin hit the stage, they brought the angst and pissed off charm of a Jon Lydon that I loved.  Vocals were limited, like a Devo, but there was lots of reverb and LOUD bass that blasted the Mohawk when they hit the stage.  With a one man horn section, a sexy and talented woman drummer, lots of in your face rock and roll, manikin is a show not to missed. 
 
I made my way inside to catch Silent Land Time Machine.  A recent graduate of UT who has captured the young club scene.  Spinning decks relentlessly all the while playing over with his electric violin.  A unique blend of dance and experimental beats…
 
On to International Waters.  Buddy Holly vs. Weezer.  Ocean Blue vs. The Lightning Seeds.  Their sensibilities are similar and that’s a positive thing.  Lots of "anthemy" songs, but I would have liked a real break out tune.
 
TV Torso!  I am in love!  The best musicians I have seen always make their work look easy.  These guys are so tight, but relaxed and look like they are truly enjoying themselves.  A three piece band that…wait for it….sound to me like a modern version of the Everly Brothers with harmonies to die for and songs so catchy you find yourself dancing and humming along.  These guys could be playing for 10 or 10,000, it wouldn’t matter, their heart and souls were evident in every beat.  Definitely my favorite of the night!
 
I found at the end of the night that not only is Local Music Sexy, it’s really freaking good, too.  The lineup was stellar.  I was so impressed, I got online to look up bio information. I had to quench my music crushes.  The Mohawk was a great host, too.  The weather, the lights, the smell of cloves for God’s sake, made the night unique and special, but the fantastic music – that’s what I’ll remember. 

–Ellen Green

Austin

Sad Accordions Tell it Like it Is (assist by Thurston Moore)

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Thurston

The Sad Accordions have bravely taken on the latest iteration of The Deli’s Five Questions, results are below…the Accordions play Emo’s Wednesday night the 11th in the company of Lake. Maybe you’ll hear "In My Tree"…

The Back to the Future/Butterfly Effect Question: You can travel back to 1955 and teach a local band one song: what do you teach them?
Our drummer Nathaniel has finally seen the light, and that light is called Pearl Jam! He’s all about spreading the gospel according to vedder to any time period, so he’d be teaching the kids "In My Tree" from Pearl Jam’s best record, No Code. Ben wanted to push the envelope a little further by playing "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth for them… "Thurston! This is your cousin… Marvin… Marvin Moore! You gotta hear this man…"
Best compliment you’ve ever gotten, on your music or otherwise?
 There’s this guy who will often drive up from San Antonio to see us play, on a fairly regular basis. We think that’s pretty weird, but it’s a huge compliment. Thanks Cullen!
Also, our moms all think we’re very handsome.

If you could get one local guest star on your next album, who would you pick?
 Monahans! The whole lot of em! (Rocky Erickson would be pretty cool though…)
Best breakfast in Austin?
Tamale House, without a doubt.
This set of questions made me ________.
a hungry slacker.

Austin

Tiny Tin Answers (with patron saint Doug Sahm)

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Let’s not get too lengthy with the preludes here and just cut right to the Q & A we were lucky enough to collect from recent poll winners The Tiny Tin Hearts. Take it away, Hearts…

You can travel back to 1955 and teach a local band one song: what do you teach them?

Assuming this would be a Tiny Tin Hearts song, perhaps, "Love and Jet Engines". I think that it could shake up some suburbia folks that felt like 1955 was the golden age of America. Maybe confuse the rebels who knew better, a little, too…

Best compliment you’ve ever gotten, on your music or otherwise?

Billy Gibbons (of ZZ Top) once said in his Billy Gibbons voice, "Man, that’s a dirty guitar." He didn’t mean "dirty", as in a distorted tone, but dirty as in filthy. It needed to be cleaned, so I’ve been making more of an effort to clean the thing, once in a while. I guess that’s more of a comment…

If you could get one local guest star on your next album, who would you pick?

Doug Sahm, without a doubt! Of course, if that were to happen, we might be pretty frightened, as well…

Best breakfast in Austin?

That’s asking for a full-out fist fight within the band! There’s a great place way East on Burleson Rd, called El Meson. It’s well overlooked, but if you do stop, you won’t regret it.

This set of questions made me:

even more neurotic than I was before this set of questions.

…The Tiny Tin Hearts’ debut The Last Flight of the Martyr Aviator is available now. They are currently at work on new songs & plan to return to the studio in spring (when the world is mud-luscious, as some say).

Austin

Venue Spotlight: The Mohawk

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We here at the Deli Austin are extraordinarily proud to present the first in our series of features profiling Austin venues. Our writer Resalin Rago brings us installment one, focused on the Red River hotspot the Mohawk, which you may call a hipster hangout at your own peril. Photos by Frances Lin.

A wooden sign hanging above the bar at the Mohawk reads “All are Welcome.” The motto, explained owner James Moody, is directed at artists. “Austin, having so much talent coming through, didn’t need to take that extra step. There were things in Austin that weren’t being done and we wanted to fill in gaps," Moody said. “When we started, the interactive scene wasn’t there. No one was using social networking on websites and there were no Green Rooms for artists to chill and relax before the show. ”

Bored at his desk job, Moody left the health care industry to open a club, soon christened The Mohawk, on Red River. The investors decided to build next to Club De Ville, hoping to piggyback off the elder’s success. Club De Ville had established itself (nine years prior to Mohawk’s opening night) as a strong rival against Stubbs, one block down the street. While the trifecta now compete against each other for bookings, they are reviving the downtown entertainment district that had grown quiet.


On a late summer afternoon, Mohawk co-managers Adrian Ace San Miguel and Renee Stokes tell me stories about the club between puffs of a shared Camel cigarette. The Camel sales rep loves the club so its patrons and employees have no problem sating their nicotine craving. They finish smoking and take me on a tour of the property.

We climb narrow wooden stairs off to the right of the indoor stage. Before coming into the Green Room, I pause to read Neil Young lyrics painted in Old English font:

My, my, hey, hey,
Rock & Roll is here to stay.
It’s better to burn out than to fade away.
My, my, hey, hey.

Public access to the Green Room Lounge is determined by the generosity of the headlining band, which is why it’s “open most of the time.” (This pertains to the venue as well since its doors open only if a band is playing on one of its two stages). A green light over 10th St. summons revelers into a room with walls the color of mowed grass. During late afternoons, however, the wooden floors don’t groan under footsteps or shake from the amps blasting below. The vintage Seeburg Stereo 160 jukebox is left alone. At these moments, the music is gone, and with it, the debauchery, lewdness, and unexpected rollicking antics of artists and Austinites cashing in on cheap prices and free cigarettes. All is quiet.

But here is where Too Short left with female co-eds and tequila bottle in hand. Here is where Michael Stipe (REM) supposedly puked his guts out.

“[Stipe] needed to go to the bathroom,” Moody said. “He was on the roof deck and it was jam packed with people so I asked an employee, an ex-Marine, to help Stipe. Not knowing that Stipe is a frail, nervous guy—grabs him and says ‘Come with me dude.’ He puts [him] in a headlock and starts yelling: ‘He’s gonna puke! He’s gonna puke!’ The crowd cleared out and Stipe got to the bathroom. For the longest time, the rumor was that Michael Stipe puked in the Green Room at the Mohawk.”

Mohawk ladies

Stokes and San Miguel point out the new canopy, all of the re-claimed wood and metal, and new soundsystem. “What I like about working here is that rather than take home a paycheck, the owners re-invest back into the club,” San Miguel said. “I worked at Emo’s for five years and they still have the same shitty, broken toilet.”

While Moody is not the sole owner (Mike Terraza is another), he is responsible for crafting and maintaining Mohawk’s personality through design, social networking, and booking (Transmission Entertainment). Mohawk dabbles in different music genres as evidenced by its eclectic lineup. However, its taste prefers underground and emerging bands over the mainstream. The crowd that warms the white swivel stools in the lounge on a regular basis didn’t buy tickets to Cracker a month ago. They choose skinny jeans over pleated khakis. They are clever enough to appreciate the clashing interior decor motifs—the stuffed animals heads hanging over a retro couch, yellow-gold frames gilding portraits of woodsmen with coiffed facial hair. They read blogs, or have one. They listened to Bon Iver before he made it on the Where the Wild Things soundtrack and they probably stood in line at the Alamo Drafthouse to see the film opening night. Of course their taste in music is above average. They are, after all, hipsters.

It’s a stereotype Moody opposes.

“We were a hipster location at first but that faded,” Moody said. "Our scene is based on events. We don’t have hipsters, but Austin music heads.”

Mohawk may not be a hipster scene, but it’s hip to be seen there.

–Resalin Rago

NYC

Who said that punk is dead? Star Fucking Hipsters

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Recorded almost entirely in the band members’ LES "cozy" bedrooms with the help of a high profile team of audio pros, the thirteen songs on Star Fucking Hipsters‘ new album "Never Rest In Peace" entartain us with screams and riffs about rebellion and punk and ska revolution! The new songs sound more fierce and mature, and benefit from cameos from Dick Lucas (Subhumans U.K., Citizen Fish, Culture Shock), Jasper Pattison (Citizen Fish, Culture Shock), and Bryan Kienlen (Bouncing Souls). It includes art by famed DIY artists Fly (“PEOPs,” Dog Dayz) and Paul Barron. SFH, after touring the U.S. and U.K., and are kicking off a West Coast Tour this week with Citizen Fish (dubbed "Cracktoberfest") including a performance at the Alternative Tentacles 30th Anniversary Festival.

 

Published on Tue, 3 Nov 2009 12:23:08 0 Comments | Post a Comment

The Diggs play Glasslands on 11.03

The Diggs – if we remember correctly – played one of our very first Deli shows at Asterisk Art Space ages ago (4 years?). It’s great to see that they are still at it, and admittedly we haven’t covered them in awhile. Their sound seems to have evolved considerably in the last few years. We remeber an aggressive, post-punky power trio; we find now a more mature group whose fast songs show more attention for melody and structure, and benefit from arrangments that – like all the best rock classics – progressively build in layers and intensity. Check out these guys live at Glasslands on 11.03.

 

Published on Tue, 3 Nov 2009 11:56:06 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Check out Bottle Up and Go at Glasslands on 11.17 with Dinowalrus

Bottle Up and Go is a Brooklyn based duo of rock n’ roll screamers who combine honky tonk fiddling, and horn accompaniments that will whisk you away to a seedy bar full of guys spitting tobacco into silver buckets. Their screeching harmony of guitars, horn toots and tambourine talents have created sonic gems such as “Ain’t Going Down,” a ballad well suited for a rock version of the Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. You’ll know you’re not in Kansas anymore when you hear their song ‘Wayward Son,” a lament of depression and drinking that features a chaotic sax growling for dear life. Enjoy Bottle Up and Go with a bottle of whiskey and sing a long, “I love my baby/but her body is cold/Seems like my liquor/is the only thing.” – Chloe Schildhause

 

Published on Mon, 2 Nov 2009 11:24:47 1 Comments | Post a Comment

The Barrens release single + play Arlene’s on 11.07

The beauty of The Barrens’ music lies in the little details: the piano accents that hit throughout “12 Petals,” propping up the tune’s winding lead guitar riff; the unexpected, disorienting chord wedged in the middle of the “Ezekiel Saw a Shape” chorus; and the way singer Colin Fitzgerald screams toward the end of “The Green Room,” right before guitarist Mike Koene takes a solo and the already-epic tune spirals further into Doors-esque psychedelic bar-band territory. “Worming,” a bruising track reminiscent of the Who’s “Quadrophenia” gem “I’ve Had Enough,” is the best tune on the band’s MySpace page. Its mean fuzz and memorable hook—“I keep worming/ your love is in the dirt”—combine to form the type of weirdly accessible pop song that is the Barrens’ specialty. The band recently released a new single called “Scoliosis”, another sonic attack that somehow manages to blend punky guitars a la’ Ramones and frozen melodies reminiscent of Clinic with vocal harmonies that would make Kim Deal proud, and “philosophical” melodic openings a la’ early Pink Floyd. Yes, that’s a crazy ride indeed! Don’t miss their show at Arlene’s Grocery on 11.07. — Kenneth Partridge

 

Published on Mon, 2 Nov 2009 11:11:27 1 Comments | Post a Comment

Glass Ghost opens for Dirty Projectors on 11.18 at Bowery

Glass Ghost‘s "Idol Omen" is The Deli’s September CD of the Month (see review here, right column). The band is obviously getting some love from the music blogs as yesterday they jumped first to position #12 and then to #5 in our "Web Buzz" NYC rankings (orange charts on the left, click on "Popularity" scroll down menu and click on "Web Buzz".)

 

Published on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:48:09 1 Comments | Post a Comment

Yeasayer is back! Download new single from upcoming CD

Yeasayer – winners of The Deli’s Best Emerging Artist of 2007 poll – will re-emerge in early November with "Ambling Alp," the first single off their sophomore record ODD BLOOD (due February 2010 on Secretly Canadian). The single will be released digitally and on a limited 12" vinyl packaged in a space age colored metallic sleeve that will also feature remixes by Memory Tapes and DJ /rupture. You can already downlad "Ambling Alp" FREE at the band’s website.

 

Published on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:39:04 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Cymbals Eat Guitar at Soundfix + Halloween Party

Yesterday, I was in Williamsburg thrift shopping for my Lydia Deetz costume for Halloween. As I gave up on finding frumpy black clothing and a hat with a wide brim, I stumbled upon an in-store performance by Cymbals Eat Guitars at the new SoundFix store. They were one of the many bands I had planned to cover for CMJ but never got around to attending one of their numerous shows. I had seen them earlier in October when they had had opened for the Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Webster Hall. That performance was awe-inspiring. Dripping with sweat (a pool of it had formed around him), frontman Joseph D’Agostino pulled as much as he could out of his guitar; his hands blurred in front of me as his band mates relentlessly attacked their instruments. Although they took a completely different stage for Thursday night’s performance, the raw energy emanated throughout the crowded store. They began with the anthemic “And the Hazy Sea” and followed it up with “Some Trees (Merritt Moon).” The cathartic screams beautifully wove through the solid instrumental skills displayed during their 30-minute set. Exhausted and possibly gravely sick, D’Agostino asked the crowd if they would like one or two more songs. Of course, fans yelled back two, and they happily complied. With their meteoric rise to indie fame, SoundFix may be the last small venue they’ll ever play in New York City. Cymbal Eats Guitar, together with Mistery Roar and Teletextile, will be performing live on 10.31 at a Halloween Party on 14 Steuben Street, Brooklyn (map). – Nancy Chow

 

Published on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:26:04 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Polite Sleeper new album ‘Lake Effect’ is out now on Sabotage

Tick tick tick, pop pop pop, snap snap snap. That’s the essential staccato loving formula used by Brooklyn band Polite Sleeper – featuring band members of Mountain Goats and Mercury Rev. Every song is set to a rapid metronome of sound, infusing two beloved music genres – folk and punk. Blending these two contradictory styles is not a novel idea – they say that’s what anti-folk is all about – but Polite Sleeper pull it off in addictive songs featuring acoustic guitars, minimal drums, disgruntled lyrics and also the occasional analog synth bassline. Jason’s singing can be theatrical and aggressive (in the calssic not-so-polite anti-folk fashion) but also atmoshperic and contemplative, bringing to mind Michael Stipe’s tone and phrasing. The band’s new album "Lake Effect" is out on Sabotage Records now. If you’re hanging out in Haverford, Pennsylvania you can catch their next show the eve of Halloween at Lunt Basement. – Chloe Schildhause

 

Published on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:19:44 1 Comments | Post a Comment

NYC artists on the rise: Clinical Trials – live at Lot 73 on 11.07

Taking definite inspiration from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is the electronic band of splendor, Clinical Trials. So fixated I am on the similarities I can almost hear them singing “Karen O.” in their song ‘Disco Headphones.’ But beyond the similarities, they do strike out in their own unique sound using a surplus of synth, with a blend of other influences such as a tendency to sing with Le Tigre like passion and Janis Joplin edginess. Listening to them is like hearing your good friends in a comfy garage, but friends who are actually talented and whom you don’t have to politely white lie to when they ask how you enjoyed their music. Catch their next show at Lot 73, November 7th. – Chloe Schildhause

Published on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:33:49 1 Comments | Post a Comment

Collision of indie talent at BAM! The National’s multimedial work

 

The Long Count, part of BAM’s 2009 Next Wave Festival, is a song-filled myth about the beginning of time created by three inexhaustibly original artists – brothers Bryce Dessner and Aaron Dessner of The National and visual art phenomenon Matthew Ritchie. It also features as guest vocalists the legendary Breeders’ sisters Kim and Kelley Deal, Shara Worden from My Brightest Diamond, and Matt Berninger also of The National. Expect a feast of images, instrumentals, and songs thick with primordial mystery, recreated by a twelve-piece orchestra and the Dessners’ gothic mix of electric and orchestral sounds. Don’t miss this show, there are only 3 dates (October 28, 30 and 31). Tickets can be purchased here.

 

Published on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:39:34 0 Comments | Post a Comment

NYC Artists on the rise: No Eye Contact

No Eye Contact‘s eclectic influences are evident in their creative and memorable songs. Drawing inspiration in equal parts from Neutral Milk Hotel and old Appalachia, the band’s sound resides in the strange space where up and down, happy and sad overlap. ‘You and Me and Other Fables’, their debut LP, was hailed by NPR’s Robin Hilton as "stunning and utterly surprising." Recently named to Spin Magazine’s Top 25 Must Hear Artists of CMJ. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

 

Published on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:26:27 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Dogs of Winter release free acoustic mp3 and video

Music critics were quick to applaud and praise the harmonious dual vocals of Ryan Dowd and Brian Grosz on the stoner-metal debut of Brooklyn’s DOGS OF WINTER, "From Soil To Shale" (Lapdance Academy) – so it comes as little surprise that they’ve decided to re-invent one of their songs as a dreamy, if dreary, acoustic ballad. While the original recording of "Beneath The Fold" was a churning, thunderous maelstrom of psychedelia, Dogs of Winter have stripped the composition down to acoustic guitars, a string section and the sound of traffic passing by the studio in which they recorded. "Beneath The Fold" is here to remind us: just because a song is heavy, doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

 

Published on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:09:00 3 Comments | Post a Comment

ShWAG BAG Showcase at CMJ at Arlene’s on 10.20

 

An appetizing order opened CMJ 2009 at Arlene’s Grocery last week, with sampling of New York’s finest produce. Mixing seven diverse flavors into a memorable musical meal, the ShWAG BAG Showcase provided CMJ-goers a five-star taste test of NYC’s music scene. Decibel set the pace with their mysterious mélange of melody and megaphone, proving the duo powerful performers and a tough act to follow. Laura Ault, who recently adopted a full band, charmed with her lively lounge lilt. A rowdy riot TAB the Band (in the picture) invigorated the crowd with its kooky demeanor, preparing Arlenes’ for Black Taxi who brought the night’s excitement to a boil with their contagious hooks and sultry, saucy swank. Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears entertained to the nth degree with their outstanding presence, outrageous energy, and outlandish outfits. The evening’s second duo, Peephole, stocked the Grocery with synthesizer blips and bleeps which eventually united the audience for an on stage groove, while Mon Khmer topped off the event with their peaceful flow and exotic savory rock. – Meijin Bruttomesso

 

Published on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:15:17 0 Comments | Post a Comment