To understand how much of a treat this Friday was, I guess it makes sense to first explain how major a let-down Thursday turned out to be. With a tight schedule sorted for the last two stretches, I’d gambled on the fact that, venturing from one venue to the next, I’d eventually find a few good NYC bands to write about, or at least some that worked with the scenes we cover. But no. Not in the slightest. A complete failure. – Read Tracy Mamoun’s report of CMJ’s Day 3-4 here. – In the picture and Streaming: Unstoppable Death Machines.

The third day of CMJ is the festival’s Humpday. Once Day Three ends, the festival is already more than half-over. Now that I’m halfway done with running the CMJ Marathon, I feel pretty good about my journey towards the finish line, although I realize that while my marathon numbers are solid, they aren’t as good as Paul Ryan’s. Of course, Ryan made up his marathon times on the spot, so at least I’m winning in the endurance department. – Read the full report by Josh S. Johnson here.

ATTENTION! THIS SHOW WAS MOVED TO XPO 929!!!

DETAILS ABOUT THIS SHOW & STREAMING COMPILATION OF ALL FEATURED BANDS HERE.

Finally, here’s our last announcement for this CMJ week – on Saturday, we’ll be welcoming some of the city’s best noise/punk/post-punk up-and-comers to XPO 929’s stage, for an afternoon of high decibels and free booze (specifically, vodka and bourbon on the house all day!!!). Kicking off with alternative punk/riot grrrl trio TinVulva, followed by female fronted Bugs In The Dark and their fierce slow-burning indie rock, this show will be bringing to you Life Size Maps, who over the course of three records, have worked out their own brand of noise pop eccentricities and EULA (all in caps, please), another lady-led trio that’s been attracting a fair deal of attention over the last couple of years with its wild post-punk jams served with an attitude and a half. And now we get to the this show’s two headliners, with first up, The Everymen, eight-piece (the more, the merrier!) rock&roll explosion from New Jersey who recently released their debut LP ‘NJHC" and finally, EndAnd, so-called 90s revivalists with the balls to push some aesthetics which not many under that label really seems ambitious enough to attempt, working on the follow-up to their -most impressive- debut. In the picture: Life Size Maps

Harrisonburg VA’s dark wave duo Mirror Kisses released a new track this week called "Die With U (Again)" via Chill Mega Chill Records’ halloween album The Chiller Part 2: House on Haunted Chill. As usual, it’s pretty much the dopest sound out there now, and who wouldn’t want to get down with some 80’s synthy spookiness. Check it out right here: And there’s more! They also just posted a rad new music video for the single "Sleeping in the Hallway" off their album Bad Dreams.

Ross Brown is a jack-of-all-trades in Kansas City music. First and foremost, he identifies himself as a songwriter, soon to be releasing his solo album Small Victories. He’s also the beatkeeper of The Empty Spaces, frontman of Fullbloods, and an integral cog in Golden Sound Records. This week, we talk to Ross about all of his projects and find out what’s coming up. Catch the beat right here!

–Michelle Bacon

Day 2 began – oh, how unexpected! – on Ludlow Street, where Prince Rama were set to play the Cake Shop shortly after five. Getting there just pas four, I got to squeeze my way to the counter, pick up a beer and some Blue Ribbon swag (guilty as charged), and mainly, best part of all, catch NYC rapper Mykki Blanco (pictured) for half an hour of raunchy slams and menacing ‘acid punk’ raps, some freaky, most straightforward vulgar.. but oh, yeah, should have mentioned: when played right, that’s great in my books; none of that ‘positive’ buzzkill, just one hell of a slimy frantic performance backed up by the DJ every now and then, but taking on a fair few a cappellas. Glad I turned up a little early. – Read Tracy Mamoun’s full report here – pictured and streaming: Prince Rama.

My CMJ Wednesday began rather inauspiciously since the first band I wanted to see was nowhere to be found five minutes before its scheduled set time. I grumpily left the Alphabet Lounge as I realized I wasted about an hour that could have been spent checking out the Jack White-sponsored Rolling Record Store, which was parked outside Santos Party House throughout the night. Oh well, I guess Mr. White will just have to wait another day for me to blindly throw money at him. – Read Josh S. Johnson full report here – In the picture and streaming, Starred.

DETAILS ABOUT THIS SHOW + STREAMING

COMPILATION OF ALL THE BANDS HERE

This is going to be the longest list of this whole series of announcements. On Thursday, we’re once again taking over both floors of The Delancey with upstairs, a line-up of electro up-and-comers from all sides of the spectrum and downstairs, some creative pop gems fitting under the Avant Pop label, for a total of.. NINETEEN acts! So enough chit-chat, let’s get to the list, because that is sure going to take up enough space.

Opening the (free!) upstairs show, Thomas Simon‘s ghostly mixes, followed by the bizarre folk-tronic experiments of Max Horwich’s Sewing Machines, Cultfever‘s chaotic outputs and Railbird‘s more intimate creations. Next up, we’ve got three out-of-towners, i.e SF’s Maus Haus, Philly’s electro/hip hop artist Lushlife, and finally, Anomie Belle, from Seattle, co-headlining the show with NYC’s own Dynasty Electric. Then, taking it to the later hours of the evening, Ducky, and Drop Electric (coming from DC).

Downstairs, our two headliners will be Dinosaur Feathers (top picture) and Wildlife Control, who both released this year a delicious new album, second for the former and a first for the latter. We’ve also got, on this stage, three acts coming from Los Angeles: openers American Royalty, shoegaze-pop band Letting Up Despite Great Faults, and Kiven, who will be closing the show. Add to this Columbian transplants Il Abanico, Conveyor, whom we covered in our last print issue, the catchy jams of five-piece Modern Rivals and finally, Santah, coming from Chicago, and.. I believe WE’RE DONE! In the pictures: Dynasty Electric & Wildlife Control.

"Ocean" is the newest release from The ACB’s off its upcoming release Little Leaves. Director Danny Joe Gibson creates a playful and entrancing stop-motion video, achieving the same effect as the music. The ACB’s have been able to inject a cerebral atmosphere with their music, while at the same time keeping it melodically sweet for a general audience. The success of their 2010 album Stona Rosa challenges the band to up the ante, but if "Ocean" is any indication, the new album could see the band take off in greater directions than before.

—Michelle Bacon

Share this story on Facebook

Cher UK has had more lives and iterations than the Saw, Halloween, and Friday the 13^th movies combined. It’s the band that won’t die, and we’re all better for it. The recipient of Entertainment Weekly’s Band Name of the Week title for the week of Oct. 1, 1993, Cher UK has been around a couple of decades. 

Ripping into your ear holes with a righteous guitar scream right off the bat really catches your attention. Subtle synth sounds carry the high-pitched plucks into a full-fledged rock intro. The song (and the EP’s namesake) "What Makes Us Who We Are" is the first thing we hear on Elyria’s first album. Lead singer Kyle Ward tears in with the line “I can’t believe that it has been this long. But it’s safe to say that all your waiting is finally done.”

Frankly, this first day of CMJ went a billion times better than I expected. What did I expect? To get lost, for sure, having not been in the city that long. To miss half of the bands I’d listed on some meticulous schedule/map scribbled in my notebook the night before. To be drinking far too much. Ok, maybe that did happen. It’s one thing I had to learn, I guess: do not say yes to every drink that is handed to you, because people will be handing you PLENTY of them – that’s what happens when you run a Marathon right? – Read Tracy Mamoun’s full CMJ report here – In the picture and streaming, Foxygen.