When: 6/24
Where: 285 Kent
Although I've loved the Coathangers for a few years now and consider them top-notch badasses, they reached a new level of badassery and awesomeness during their opening slot for Bush Tetras on Friday. The Coathangers are four attractive but intimidating ladies from Georgia. They play strange, energetic, sarcastic punk music. Their vocal styles range from gender-bending growl to possessed muppet, at times warbling, at times screeching - but somehow, there are melodies.
The Coathangers haven't changed that much since I first saw them but they have gone in a new direction on one thing: their approach to the keyboard. Once upon a time, about 90% of their keyboard playing involved randomly banging clusters of keys, but now they've moved away from that technique towards actual melodic riffs (though they still do some random pounding as well). Honestly, it's not better or worse this way - on the one hand, the music is a little less ferociously wild than it once was, but on the other, the band's songs are more distinct and more tightly constructed.
And around those melodic riffs, the band still rages like always. Seriously, don't fuck with these girls. Todd P and his sound guy tried to fuck with them by cutting the band off during one of their instrument rotations. Because their set was a little (ok, a lot) long and there were two bands yet to go, Big Brother decided to pull the plug and start blasting the Beach Boys (or something similar) through the PA, signalling the end of the set. The Coathangers ignored it and kept playing. And won. The music was shut off and the mics were turned back on. Pausing for only about two or three seconds to shout "don't turn off our mics" they launched into another song.
Twice more, the bossman tried to drown them out with shite, but the band refused to leave the stage. During one last instrument switch, someone decided enough was enough and cut off the mics for good. But did that stop our feisty foursome? Ha! They played their last song OVER the between-sets mix that was blasting out of the PA. I don't know how they managed to stay together with a whole other song going at the same time, but they pulled it off and it was awesome. True, the vocals were inaudible and although the band did what they could to encourage a shout-along, not enough people knew the words to make that effective. But even if parts of the song were lost in the cacophony, the point still got across: the Coathangers are nobody's bitch. [video (not this show)]
Granted, the Coathangers are a hard act to follow, but upon seeing Friends, I could see why the much superior Coathangers felt inspired to run over their allotment into the next set. Friends weren't all bad. But the parts that were bad were pretty awful. The band is more post-disco than post-funk, but they were a logical opener for Bush Tetras, warm but white female vocals over angular post-punk dance grooves. They were tight and some of their b-lines were pretty outstanding. Their rhythm section over all was tight and they had some good ideas. Unfortunately, they chose to use two of the most piercing and annoying sounds possible on many of their songs: wood block and claves (those two wood sticks that you click together in Latin music).
The main thing that put me out wasn't the whacking of pieces of wood together, however. It was the oversung pop singing of the frontwoman that really grated my nerves after a while. There were moments when the set was enjoyable, more than I expected, but the overarching vocals sounded a little too much like a showcase of vocal ability and not quite enough like pop hooks or genuine expression.
The band was also a bit grating on a personal level. They were informed mid-way through their set that New York had legalized gay marriage. They made several well-intentioned attempts to express their agreement with the decision but the more they tried, the more awkward and offensive their comments got. As if the vocals hadn't made me cringe enough for one night! Still, their hearts were in the right place. [video (not this show)]
The Bush Tetras closed out the night with a set that was a little too long, given the heat of the room, but they did hit most of their best songs and well, they are too awesome for words. And what words I can use for them, I just used a few days ago. [video (not this show)]
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Live: Pygmy Shrews, Pop. 1280
When: 6/11
Where: Death By Audio
I've reviewed White Suns recently, so I'll skip it except to say they're rad and I enjoyed them much.
I'd really like to get more into Pop. 1280. They have a lot of elements I like - the nasty guitars and screaming of hardcore/post-hardcore and the foreboding tension of post-punk. But Pop 1280's foreboding/gothic leanings overpower their punkier aspects. Most songs are slow and drony, based around minimal, hypnotic drums and bass (or synth-generated b-lines). Murky guitar and synth textures slide sharply between the pounding rhythms and Chris Bug rants over the top.
So far so good, or so you'd think. But something is amiss. Most of their songs are so alike in tone and tempo that they blend together and well, after ten or fifteen or twenty minutes, the repetitiveness and consistency becomes monotony. Dark post-punk is often meant to be punishing, but there's a subtle difference between punishment and boredom and Pop. 1280 fall just slightly on the wrong side of that fence. And I do mean slightly - there's a lot to love about the band. If their ice stage presence doesn't warm your heart, their fat Suicide-esque synth riffs and harsh tones certainly will (if you're anything like me, anyway). It's just that the impact and enjoyment become noticeably diluted as the length of the set exceeds its content, idea-wise.
In a way, the pieces of Pop. 1280 don't quite come together. There's a disconnect between Bug, out front with the mic, and the rest of the band who are actually physically in the background. Band members don't have to present themselves uniformly but they should have a unified vision of how they want to present the band as a whole. Something about the gulf between the players and the frontman in Pop. 1280 makes it seem like you're watching two separate bands who each need the instrumentation of the other, so they tolerate (and mostly ignore) each other. Musically, it's tight and it works together on paper, but in the delivery, it just doesn't gel. [video]
Of course, the juxtaposition with the Pygmy Shrews can't help - now there's a band who gel. OK. "Gel" may be the wrong word in as much as it evokes something smooth and translucent. Pygmy Shrews are more like a blood clot, the physics remains the same - put the three shrews on a stage together and the result is monolithic. They seem to share not only a sonic technique (loud) but also a sense of humor. They're not a comedy act and they absolutely will fuck your shit up, but true to punk's dadaist roots, the Shrews know how to be fun and funny.
The Shrews are too cool for woords, but musically they are mostly "just" a punk band and their new material seems to be more straightforward than ever. Of course, Ben Greenberg's aluminum guitar gives the band's sound a corrosive post-hardcore feel and Tia Vincent-Clark's bass has a knotted complexity you won't find in your average (or even above-average) hardcore band. Greenberg has also been known to bust out a nasty, shredded solo. It's these relatively small things - along with the band's absolutely perfect attitude - that set them apart from their punky peers.
What is the perfect attitude for a band like this? Well, it's about striking a balance, caring and yet not giving a fuck, showing genuine affection for your audience while also telling them to fuck off and throwing beer cans at them (or whatever). It's expressing real and urgent rage without taking that tongue out of your check. Too many bands take themselves too seriously and too many more don't take themselves seriously enough, failing to grasp the importance of punk and everything it stands for. Pygmy Shrews are a rare breed, a band that's able to issue an equally big "fuck you" to folks on both sides.
But I doubt they'd put it quite that way. I think they just like to play. [video]
Where: Death By Audio
I've reviewed White Suns recently, so I'll skip it except to say they're rad and I enjoyed them much.
I'd really like to get more into Pop. 1280. They have a lot of elements I like - the nasty guitars and screaming of hardcore/post-hardcore and the foreboding tension of post-punk. But Pop 1280's foreboding/gothic leanings overpower their punkier aspects. Most songs are slow and drony, based around minimal, hypnotic drums and bass (or synth-generated b-lines). Murky guitar and synth textures slide sharply between the pounding rhythms and Chris Bug rants over the top.
So far so good, or so you'd think. But something is amiss. Most of their songs are so alike in tone and tempo that they blend together and well, after ten or fifteen or twenty minutes, the repetitiveness and consistency becomes monotony. Dark post-punk is often meant to be punishing, but there's a subtle difference between punishment and boredom and Pop. 1280 fall just slightly on the wrong side of that fence. And I do mean slightly - there's a lot to love about the band. If their ice stage presence doesn't warm your heart, their fat Suicide-esque synth riffs and harsh tones certainly will (if you're anything like me, anyway). It's just that the impact and enjoyment become noticeably diluted as the length of the set exceeds its content, idea-wise.
In a way, the pieces of Pop. 1280 don't quite come together. There's a disconnect between Bug, out front with the mic, and the rest of the band who are actually physically in the background. Band members don't have to present themselves uniformly but they should have a unified vision of how they want to present the band as a whole. Something about the gulf between the players and the frontman in Pop. 1280 makes it seem like you're watching two separate bands who each need the instrumentation of the other, so they tolerate (and mostly ignore) each other. Musically, it's tight and it works together on paper, but in the delivery, it just doesn't gel. [video]
Of course, the juxtaposition with the Pygmy Shrews can't help - now there's a band who gel. OK. "Gel" may be the wrong word in as much as it evokes something smooth and translucent. Pygmy Shrews are more like a blood clot, the physics remains the same - put the three shrews on a stage together and the result is monolithic. They seem to share not only a sonic technique (loud) but also a sense of humor. They're not a comedy act and they absolutely will fuck your shit up, but true to punk's dadaist roots, the Shrews know how to be fun and funny.
The Shrews are too cool for woords, but musically they are mostly "just" a punk band and their new material seems to be more straightforward than ever. Of course, Ben Greenberg's aluminum guitar gives the band's sound a corrosive post-hardcore feel and Tia Vincent-Clark's bass has a knotted complexity you won't find in your average (or even above-average) hardcore band. Greenberg has also been known to bust out a nasty, shredded solo. It's these relatively small things - along with the band's absolutely perfect attitude - that set them apart from their punky peers.
What is the perfect attitude for a band like this? Well, it's about striking a balance, caring and yet not giving a fuck, showing genuine affection for your audience while also telling them to fuck off and throwing beer cans at them (or whatever). It's expressing real and urgent rage without taking that tongue out of your check. Too many bands take themselves too seriously and too many more don't take themselves seriously enough, failing to grasp the importance of punk and everything it stands for. Pygmy Shrews are a rare breed, a band that's able to issue an equally big "fuck you" to folks on both sides.
But I doubt they'd put it quite that way. I think they just like to play. [video]
Friday, June 24, 2011
Live: Bush Tetras
When: 6/10
Where: Le Poisson Rouge
Another way overdue live review, but timely because the Bush Tetras are playing TONIGHT at 285 Kent and you should hear them.
For those who don't know who the Tetras are, here's a brief history: in New York City in the late 70's, a group of artists reacted to the commercialization of punk by making music that could never be co-opted by the record industry because it was pretty much unlistenable. That movement, dubbed "No Wave," included a broad variety of bands but all were noisy and eschewed conventional song structures and most were non-musicians. One of the main groups was the Contortions who had a guitarist named Pat Place. Once No Wavers had made their point, all the chaos started getting a little old, so they moved on to other things. Pat Place, along with a few other women from the scene, moved on to Bush Tetras, a group that took the dissonance and aggression of No Wave and channeled it into tight funk grooves that are jagged but actually danceable.
The Bush Tetras were a great band and an influential one, although they never reached massive commercial success (they weren't exactly aiming for the Top 40, obviously).
When I saw them on June 10, they had some gray hairs, but they were still as great a band as ever. They played old "hits" as well as some "newer" songs. Although original bassist Laura Kennedy is not in the mix, but Julia Murphy still bangs out some of the best b-lines I've ever heard - funky grooves but with that special angularity that sets the Tetras apart. (In case you're wondering, Kennedy hasn't played with the band in ages because of serious health problems. In fact, that was one of the major reasons for the band's 2007 reunion - she needed a liver transplant and her old band reformed to raise funds. Yes, they were successful and last we heard, she's got a new liver and is slowly rebuilding her health.)
The two most important band members are still very much in top form. They don't shy away from looking middle-aged, especially vocalist Cynthia Sley, who looks pretty much like every other artsy 50-ish woman from the Village, you know the kind of old hippie lady with the long hair and the simple, flowy clothes. Pat Place has always stood in a bit of contrast to this, with cropped hair and a tough, androgynous look. She's definitely the punk nihilist to Sley's sage flowerchild.
But Sley's lyrics are not so flowery. The band closed on their most well-known song, "Too Many Creeps," but all of their songs have a similar sense of mixed paranoia and ennui. Place's searing, discordant guitar certainly adds to the sense of claustrophobia but the entire band and their entire oeuvre seems to say "We're so bored and we're so totally screwed, but let's have fun and get down." Of course, they have some less nihilistic political points but it's all coated in the crime of New York City (and in particular the shithole that was New York City in the late 70's).
Most reunited bands are lucky if they don't look ridiculous doing what they do (the same could be said of bands that just never break up, amiright Mr. Jagger?) but the Tetras are miles beyond that. Maybe because they're so sincere, maybe because they're having so much fun, maybe because they never had a whole lot of glory in the first place so they haven't got some youthful folly they're trying to reclaim, they are as cool as they ever were. Maybe even more so. Yeah, they are who they are - it's not perfect - but they play tighter and rock harder than most of the wussy youngsters making indie "rock" today. So kids, take notes - this is how it's done.
Where: Le Poisson Rouge
Another way overdue live review, but timely because the Bush Tetras are playing TONIGHT at 285 Kent and you should hear them.
For those who don't know who the Tetras are, here's a brief history: in New York City in the late 70's, a group of artists reacted to the commercialization of punk by making music that could never be co-opted by the record industry because it was pretty much unlistenable. That movement, dubbed "No Wave," included a broad variety of bands but all were noisy and eschewed conventional song structures and most were non-musicians. One of the main groups was the Contortions who had a guitarist named Pat Place. Once No Wavers had made their point, all the chaos started getting a little old, so they moved on to other things. Pat Place, along with a few other women from the scene, moved on to Bush Tetras, a group that took the dissonance and aggression of No Wave and channeled it into tight funk grooves that are jagged but actually danceable.
The Bush Tetras were a great band and an influential one, although they never reached massive commercial success (they weren't exactly aiming for the Top 40, obviously).
When I saw them on June 10, they had some gray hairs, but they were still as great a band as ever. They played old "hits" as well as some "newer" songs. Although original bassist Laura Kennedy is not in the mix, but Julia Murphy still bangs out some of the best b-lines I've ever heard - funky grooves but with that special angularity that sets the Tetras apart. (In case you're wondering, Kennedy hasn't played with the band in ages because of serious health problems. In fact, that was one of the major reasons for the band's 2007 reunion - she needed a liver transplant and her old band reformed to raise funds. Yes, they were successful and last we heard, she's got a new liver and is slowly rebuilding her health.)
The two most important band members are still very much in top form. They don't shy away from looking middle-aged, especially vocalist Cynthia Sley, who looks pretty much like every other artsy 50-ish woman from the Village, you know the kind of old hippie lady with the long hair and the simple, flowy clothes. Pat Place has always stood in a bit of contrast to this, with cropped hair and a tough, androgynous look. She's definitely the punk nihilist to Sley's sage flowerchild.
But Sley's lyrics are not so flowery. The band closed on their most well-known song, "Too Many Creeps," but all of their songs have a similar sense of mixed paranoia and ennui. Place's searing, discordant guitar certainly adds to the sense of claustrophobia but the entire band and their entire oeuvre seems to say "We're so bored and we're so totally screwed, but let's have fun and get down." Of course, they have some less nihilistic political points but it's all coated in the crime of New York City (and in particular the shithole that was New York City in the late 70's).
Most reunited bands are lucky if they don't look ridiculous doing what they do (the same could be said of bands that just never break up, amiright Mr. Jagger?) but the Tetras are miles beyond that. Maybe because they're so sincere, maybe because they're having so much fun, maybe because they never had a whole lot of glory in the first place so they haven't got some youthful folly they're trying to reclaim, they are as cool as they ever were. Maybe even more so. Yeah, they are who they are - it's not perfect - but they play tighter and rock harder than most of the wussy youngsters making indie "rock" today. So kids, take notes - this is how it's done.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Upcoming Shows: Bush Tetras, Coathangers, Jeff the Brotherhood + more!
Tonight!! Thursday, June 23
Art Brut, Reptar, Miniboone @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Art Brut are an arty/"meta" sort of catchy punk band from the U.K. Sometimes the band is a little too clever for their own good, but mostly, they're good fun. Reptar have been getting a fair amount of hype lately. As for Miniboone, if you can imagine the Minutemen as produced by Phil Spector, you might get some idea what they're all about. They're the perfect opening act for this bill of big, rowdy, cerebral pop. [brut video] [minivideo]
Dinosaur Jr (playing Bug and interviewed by Henry Rollins), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5 * Midtown West, Manhattan
Well this is certainly a weird show. Dinosaur Jr, the band that brought guitar heroics back to indie music, inspired the entire shoegaze movement and set the tone for what would be known as "Alt Rock" a decade later, will be playing their classic album, Bug, live at Terminal 5 tonight. (Bug is not their best album, but it's up there.) Henry Rollins from Black Flag is apparently going to be there not to perform but to interview (?!). Opening is Fucked Up, the greatest punk band of the last decade. Fucked Up are hardcore superheroes who've reinvented the genre with their sheets sound and ambitious but never weighty concept albums (including their very recent rock opera, David Comes to Live). It's all very good, but it is at Terminal 5, which has the worst acoustics of any venue ever made (probably). It's a huge place and their shows are overpriced. However, they do have candy in the bathrooms. [dino video] [fucked up video]
Talk Normal @ Union Pool * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Talk Normal are make avant garde/noise music, but they've got melodies and songs and all that stuff too, more melodies all the time. They're rad enough to open for Sonic Youth and Teenage Jesus which means their about as rad as possible. [video]
Other Shows
Bob Mould @ 92YTribeca ($25)
Chairlift @ Glasslands ($10)
Tape Deck Mountain, Grooms, Dinowalrus @ Knitting Factory ($8/$10)
We Are Scientists, Milagres @ Red Hook Park (free!)
Tomorrow!! Friday, June 24
Bush Tetras, Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Along with ESG and Liquid Liquid, the Bush Tetras were one of the original funk-punk bands that came out of the tail end of No Wave in New York City in the late 70's and early 80's. Featuring Pat Place of the Contortions, the Bush Tetras are a female-led group of funky post-punkers whose music echoes the bleak, nihilistic culture of late 70's NYC. Coathangers are one of the best new(ish) punk bands in ages and they will fuck your shit up. [tetras video] [coathanger video]
Other Shows
Sic Alps, Spectre Folk, Weekends, Phillip Seymour Hoffman @ Death By Audio ($8)
Strange Boys, White Fence, Babies @ 92YTribeca ($10/$12)
Saturday, June 25
Coathangers, Teen Witch @ Cake Shop * LES, Manhattan * $8
See above, yo.
Secret Guest, Jeff the Brotherhood, Iceage @ 285 Kent * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The secret guest headliner for the Jeff show on Saturday is quite intriguing because it's apparently someone more impressive than Jeff the Brotherhood, and that's not easy to accomplish. The show's worth attending just for the other two acts, rock'n'roll heroes Jeff the Brotherhood (who just released an album) and heavily hyped Danish punks Iceage, who will soon be very famous. [jeff video]
Other Shows
K-Holes @ Union Pool (free afternoon show!)
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Zulus, some other band featuring ex-mems PC Worship @ Bruar Falls (free!)
Sunday, June 26
Unfact (David Wm. Sims of Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Rapeman), US Girls @ Bruar Falls * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
I don't know the music of Unfact, but I do know the music of David Wm. Sims, who played bass in three of my favorite bands. (Three! Count 'em!) These three bands, all hailing from Chicago (sort of), are three of the nastiest, heaviest, most abrasive post-hardcore bands that ever existed - and three of the most influential as well. [video]
Other Shows
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall ($30)
My Teenage Stride @ Fulton Stall Market (free!)
Tuesday, June 28
Mariachi el Bronx @ Brooklyn Bowl * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * Free (with RSVP)
I don't think I'd recommend this show if it weren't free. Bronx are a good hardcore band and sometimes they turn into a mariachi band (really) and call themselves "Mariachi el Bronx." [video]
Funkmaster Flex & Guests @ Soundview Park * Soundview, Bronx * Free!!
This is one of the less impressive of NYC Parks Department's series of hip-hop shows this summer - or I'm guessing it is. The other shows feature old school and early hardcore legends like Eric B, Rakim and EPMD. On the other hand, this is free and you never know - the guest could be someone amazing.
The long view...
June
30
Fiasco @ Death By Audio ($7)
July
1
Dinowalrus, Total Slacker @ Monster Island Basement ($6)
Cro-Mags @ Bowery Ballroom
Ceremony @ Death By Audio
Nobunny, TV Ghost, Shellshag @ Knitting Factory ($10/$12)
Thermals, Big Troubles @ Bell House ($15)
2
Shellshag, Fiasco, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Silent Barn
3
Panda Bear, Ducktails @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Ringo Deathstarr, the Vandelles, Dead Leaf Echo @ Shea Stadium
4
Sightings, Liturgy, PC Worship + many more @ Shea Stadium
6
Ladybug Transistor, Beets @ Knitting Factory ($12)
Zs @ Public Assembly
7
Liquor Store, Ex-Humans, The Fucking Ocean @ Death By Audio ($7)
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
9
Ted Leo @ South Street Seaport (free!)
Grooms, Pterodactyl @ Death By Audio ($7)
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory ($15)
Slick Rick @ Crotona Park (free!)
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
Marly Marl @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Gary War, K-Holes, Pop. 1280 @ Union Hall ($8)
15
Radio Dept., Asobi Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
16
4 Knots Festival: Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Obits, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) + more
Pygmy Shrews @ Union Pool
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
20
Talk Normal @ Glasslands ($10)
Torche @ Music Hall of Williamsubrg
21
Funkmaster Flex, Nore(aga) @ Queensbridge (free!)
Gang Gang Dance @ Rocks Off Cruises
22
Death From Above 1979 @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($43)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge (sold out!)
24
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge
28
Walt Mink (great 90's indie band that split up over 10 years ago) @ Bell House
29
West Memphis Three Benefit with Dez Cadena @ Southpaw
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
Sufjan Stevens @ Prospect Park
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
Crystal Antlers @ Glasslands ($10)
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
8
The Kills, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Terminal 5
9
The Kills, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Terminal 5
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
*CANCELED* Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
23
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
23
The Descendents @ Roseland Ballroom
27
Swans @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
30
X @ Irving Plaza
October
1
X @ Irving Plaza
4
The Horrors @ Webster Hall
15
Wild Flag (ex-Sleater-Kinney) @ Bell House
18
Wild Flag (ex-Sleater-Kinney) @ Bowery Ballroom
22
The Damned @ Irving Plaza
29
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) @ Town Hall (sold out!)
Art Brut, Reptar, Miniboone @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Art Brut are an arty/"meta" sort of catchy punk band from the U.K. Sometimes the band is a little too clever for their own good, but mostly, they're good fun. Reptar have been getting a fair amount of hype lately. As for Miniboone, if you can imagine the Minutemen as produced by Phil Spector, you might get some idea what they're all about. They're the perfect opening act for this bill of big, rowdy, cerebral pop. [brut video] [minivideo]
Dinosaur Jr (playing Bug and interviewed by Henry Rollins), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5 * Midtown West, Manhattan
Well this is certainly a weird show. Dinosaur Jr, the band that brought guitar heroics back to indie music, inspired the entire shoegaze movement and set the tone for what would be known as "Alt Rock" a decade later, will be playing their classic album, Bug, live at Terminal 5 tonight. (Bug is not their best album, but it's up there.) Henry Rollins from Black Flag is apparently going to be there not to perform but to interview (?!). Opening is Fucked Up, the greatest punk band of the last decade. Fucked Up are hardcore superheroes who've reinvented the genre with their sheets sound and ambitious but never weighty concept albums (including their very recent rock opera, David Comes to Live). It's all very good, but it is at Terminal 5, which has the worst acoustics of any venue ever made (probably). It's a huge place and their shows are overpriced. However, they do have candy in the bathrooms. [dino video] [fucked up video]
Talk Normal @ Union Pool * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Talk Normal are make avant garde/noise music, but they've got melodies and songs and all that stuff too, more melodies all the time. They're rad enough to open for Sonic Youth and Teenage Jesus which means their about as rad as possible. [video]
Other Shows
Bob Mould @ 92YTribeca ($25)
Chairlift @ Glasslands ($10)
Tape Deck Mountain, Grooms, Dinowalrus @ Knitting Factory ($8/$10)
We Are Scientists, Milagres @ Red Hook Park (free!)
Tomorrow!! Friday, June 24
Bush Tetras, Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Along with ESG and Liquid Liquid, the Bush Tetras were one of the original funk-punk bands that came out of the tail end of No Wave in New York City in the late 70's and early 80's. Featuring Pat Place of the Contortions, the Bush Tetras are a female-led group of funky post-punkers whose music echoes the bleak, nihilistic culture of late 70's NYC. Coathangers are one of the best new(ish) punk bands in ages and they will fuck your shit up. [tetras video] [coathanger video]
Other Shows
Sic Alps, Spectre Folk, Weekends, Phillip Seymour Hoffman @ Death By Audio ($8)
Strange Boys, White Fence, Babies @ 92YTribeca ($10/$12)
Saturday, June 25
Coathangers, Teen Witch @ Cake Shop * LES, Manhattan * $8
See above, yo.
Secret Guest, Jeff the Brotherhood, Iceage @ 285 Kent * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The secret guest headliner for the Jeff show on Saturday is quite intriguing because it's apparently someone more impressive than Jeff the Brotherhood, and that's not easy to accomplish. The show's worth attending just for the other two acts, rock'n'roll heroes Jeff the Brotherhood (who just released an album) and heavily hyped Danish punks Iceage, who will soon be very famous. [jeff video]
Other Shows
K-Holes @ Union Pool (free afternoon show!)
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Zulus, some other band featuring ex-mems PC Worship @ Bruar Falls (free!)
Sunday, June 26
Unfact (David Wm. Sims of Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Rapeman), US Girls @ Bruar Falls * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
I don't know the music of Unfact, but I do know the music of David Wm. Sims, who played bass in three of my favorite bands. (Three! Count 'em!) These three bands, all hailing from Chicago (sort of), are three of the nastiest, heaviest, most abrasive post-hardcore bands that ever existed - and three of the most influential as well. [video]
Other Shows
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall ($30)
My Teenage Stride @ Fulton Stall Market (free!)
Tuesday, June 28
Mariachi el Bronx @ Brooklyn Bowl * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * Free (with RSVP)
I don't think I'd recommend this show if it weren't free. Bronx are a good hardcore band and sometimes they turn into a mariachi band (really) and call themselves "Mariachi el Bronx." [video]
Funkmaster Flex & Guests @ Soundview Park * Soundview, Bronx * Free!!
This is one of the less impressive of NYC Parks Department's series of hip-hop shows this summer - or I'm guessing it is. The other shows feature old school and early hardcore legends like Eric B, Rakim and EPMD. On the other hand, this is free and you never know - the guest could be someone amazing.
The long view...
June
30
Fiasco @ Death By Audio ($7)
July
1
Dinowalrus, Total Slacker @ Monster Island Basement ($6)
Cro-Mags @ Bowery Ballroom
Ceremony @ Death By Audio
Nobunny, TV Ghost, Shellshag @ Knitting Factory ($10/$12)
Thermals, Big Troubles @ Bell House ($15)
2
Shellshag, Fiasco, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Silent Barn
3
Panda Bear, Ducktails @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Ringo Deathstarr, the Vandelles, Dead Leaf Echo @ Shea Stadium
4
Sightings, Liturgy, PC Worship + many more @ Shea Stadium
6
Ladybug Transistor, Beets @ Knitting Factory ($12)
Zs @ Public Assembly
7
Liquor Store, Ex-Humans, The Fucking Ocean @ Death By Audio ($7)
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
9
Ted Leo @ South Street Seaport (free!)
Grooms, Pterodactyl @ Death By Audio ($7)
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory ($15)
Slick Rick @ Crotona Park (free!)
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
Marly Marl @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Gary War, K-Holes, Pop. 1280 @ Union Hall ($8)
15
Radio Dept., Asobi Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
16
4 Knots Festival: Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Obits, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) + more
Pygmy Shrews @ Union Pool
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
20
Talk Normal @ Glasslands ($10)
Torche @ Music Hall of Williamsubrg
21
Funkmaster Flex, Nore(aga) @ Queensbridge (free!)
Gang Gang Dance @ Rocks Off Cruises
22
Death From Above 1979 @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($43)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge (sold out!)
24
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge
28
Walt Mink (great 90's indie band that split up over 10 years ago) @ Bell House
29
West Memphis Three Benefit with Dez Cadena @ Southpaw
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
Sufjan Stevens @ Prospect Park
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
Crystal Antlers @ Glasslands ($10)
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
8
The Kills, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Terminal 5
9
The Kills, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Terminal 5
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
*CANCELED* Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
23
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
23
The Descendents @ Roseland Ballroom
27
Swans @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
30
X @ Irving Plaza
October
1
X @ Irving Plaza
4
The Horrors @ Webster Hall
15
Wild Flag (ex-Sleater-Kinney) @ Bell House
18
Wild Flag (ex-Sleater-Kinney) @ Bowery Ballroom
22
The Damned @ Irving Plaza
29
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) @ Town Hall (sold out!)
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Album: Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
Album: Goodbye Bread
Drag City
Release Date: 6/21/11
Rating: ******* (7/10)
On the one hand, more scuzzy garage rock may not exactly be what the indie world needs right now, but on the other, Ty Segall does it right. There's a reason Segall became a rock critic's darling with last year's Lemons. His songs are well composed - simple but full of not-quite-predictable hooks and supercool licks, and he keeps it up on this new LP with impressive consistency.
The album certainly benefited from Segall's experience on multiple instruments. Prior to (and concurrent with) his solo career, he played drums and guitar in a variety of bands. The arrangements are brilliant. While staying within the minimalist confines of the psych/garage/punk genre, they demonstrate a knowledge of the potential of each voice. The guitar and vocals make plenty of room for drums and bass, and none of the parts sound like afterthoughts.
Some of the tracks on Goodbye Bread go in for big, blues, rock'n'roll riffs - "California Commercial" and "The Floor" rock hard, all crashing drums, bristling guitar and meaty bass. The strongest track on the album is the vocal-driven anthem "You Make the Sun Fry," boasting one of Segall's best melodies ever, a near-perfect bass line and a rad solo.
The album is its best at its brightest, most youthful moments. The most obvious foray into minor keys, "My Head Explodes," falls short, starting on the right track but ultimately coming off a bit limp. "Where Your Mind Goes" is a more successful attempt to give the album a darker side. It's an exciting song, but could use to be whittled down from four minutes to three. Most of the rest of the album consists of slower, ballad-y songs under 70 BPM (i.e. a bit slower than "Hey Jude"). But while the tempo suggests ballad and the volume is generally restrained on these songs, they still have that garage grit to them.
Ty Segall does his thing well, but he definitely has a "thing," and it's pretty much just one thing. So despite great songwriting, Goodbye gets a little samey at times. It's also generic enough in style (garage rockers have been a dime a dozen since the 60's) that it's somewhat forgettable. Let's just say unless you've been in a coma for the last fifty years, it's not going to blow your mind. But it might set your head to bobbin' and maybe, when you're home alone, you'll bust out your air guitar for a track or two. At the very least, it's a lot of fun.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Album: Jeff the Brotherhood - We Are the Champions
Album: We Are the Champions
Infinity Cat
Rating: ******** (8/10)
Release Date: June 21, 2011
The new Jeff the Brotherhood album is exactly what fans of the band's 2008 debut will be expecting. It polishes the band's three-string psych rock and like their first album, it's a celebration of rock'n'roll excess. The indulgent fun of the album is first announced by an ungodly amount of flange at the beginning of the opening track. I'm not the only person who considers flange top among guitar's guilty pleasures - too cheap a trick to actually use in writing but super fun for enjoyment in one's bedroom. (For those that don't know, flange is an effect pedal that causes a "sweeping" sound without the guitarist actually doing anything.) But Jeff has always wallowed in cheap rock cliches, and in the best possible way. In the face of the wussy anti-rock bias of indie music, someone needs to bring back the wailing solo, the guitar hero posturing, the distortion pedal and the nasty riff. Oh yeah, and over that flange is not one but two guitar solos. At the same time. It's pretty sick.
Although the album does show the band moving towards more sophisticated musicianship, writing and production, they don't really step out of the boundaries they established on Heavy Days, just hone their craft within those boundaries. Some of the riffs even sound like particular riffs off Heavy Days, just reworked and embellished. That's not quite fair, but on the other hand, it's hard not to notice how familiar some of the songs ("Cool Out," "Mellow Out") sound.
The band does amp up their psychedelic side with songs like "Diamond Way," "Stay Up Late" and most of all, "Health and Strength," complete with Beatles-style sitar and high vocal wails. This may be a new dimension for the band, but it's such a 60's throwback that it doesn't really feel like an expansion. To the band's credit, though, they don't opt for a 60's vibe in the processing of their sound, using modern digital effects and beefy 90's guitar tones. As a result, as much as they consciously recall the 60's, their recordings wouldn't be mistaken for actual records from the time. Although they do seek a return to a time of simpler fun, Jeff aren't nostalgic in the sappy way of so many indie bands in the last decade and they aren't afraid to sound modern. They also aren't afraid to rock.
And in terms of rock, there's plenty here. Those thirsting for more ditties by the King of the Riff (Jeff's Jake Orrall) won't be disappointed by Champions, especially if they listen all the way through. Some of the early songs have the band tripping over their own ideas by adding too many complications to their ultra-simple formula. "Cool Out" and "Shredder" are rad tunes, but the album doesn't fully take off until "Ripper," one of the few songs that beats the raw power of the band's debut. Like the original raw power masters, the Stooges, Jeff don't shy away from the grittiest, simplest primal rock'n'roll urges - but unlike the Stooges, there's nothing anguished about Jeff. They're about raw fun.
Unfortunately, the band brings back one rock cliche we could all do without on their ambiguously misogynistic "Wastoid Girl." I know that's not what the band's about, but it's still a bad move on their part.
That track aside, Champions is an enjoyable listen. For folks new to the band, I'd probably recommend Heavy Days. It's got more weak links but its best tracks still pack more punch than almost anything on the new record. Still, it's a toss-up and fans will find lots to love about the new disc - as long as they don't have the audacity to expect something new.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Upcoming Shows: Northside Festival + more
Tonight!! Thursday, June 16
Northside & Popfest Present: Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, Secret History, Seapony @ Bruar Falls * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I heard Reading Rainbow once and I liked them. They play indie pop, I guess (this is the popfest showcase, after all) but it's raw and at least as much punk as it is twee. I haven't seen Eternal Summers yet, but I think they might okay despite the name (oh my gosh I am so sick of summer/beach/surfing/vacation themed band names!!!). [rr video]
HoZac Presents: K-Holes, Xray Eyeballs, My Teenage Stride @ Shea Stadium * Bushwick, Brooklyn
K-Holes are a female-fronted dark, agressive post-punk outfit whose membership overlaps with Black Lips. Xray Eyeballs are one of those boring bands that uses too much reverb and too little songwriting. My Teenage Stride play spirited, delightfully imperfect indie pop. [k-video] [xray video] [my teenage video]
Swervedriver @ Irving Plaza * Union Square, Manhattan
Original shoegazers Swervedriver are among the best of their genre, playing British rock songs with swirling layers of guitar. Like every shoegaze band ever, they've recently reunited.
Tomorrow!! Friday, June 17
Northside Festival * Williamsburg/Greenpoint/Bushwick, Brooklyn
Northside starts today, but the awesomeness really gets going tomorrow. For those who like their music gentle, Beirut [vid] and Sharon Van Etten [vid] will play McCarren Park. For those on the other end of the spectrum, experimental noise bands Yvette [vid] and PC Worship [vid] will be playing (along with the poppier German Measles [vid]) at Bruar Falls ($8). If you like female lo-fi bands, Frankie Rose (of Crystal Stilts and Vivian Girls renown) [vid] and Brilliant Colors [vid] will be at Glasslands ($8 adv./$12 dos.). Meanwhile, Kanine Records will showcase reverbed lamewads Surfer Blood [vid], awesome discordant post-punkers Grooms [vid], Eternal Summers (see above), Xray Eyeballs (see above) and Dream Diary at Knitting Factory ($12 adv./$14 dos.).
Dean Wareham (plays Galaxie 500), Vacant Lots @ Bell House * Gowanus, Brooklyn * $15 adv./$20 dos.
Galaxie 500 were the ultimate slowcore band, at least on the psychedelic/shoegaze end of the spectrum (as opposed to the folky lo-fi of Red House Painters and Low). Dean Wareham is the guy from Galaxie 500.
The Books @ Prospect Park * Brooklyn * Free!
The Books are one of the better experimental acts to emerge in the last decade. Their electronic sound collages have a folky feel but can also generate some noize.
Saturday, June 18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices ("classic" line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, The Babies @ McCarren Park * Greenpoint, Brooklyn * $30 adv./$35 dos.
On a list of my favorite bands of all time, Guided By Voices comes in about fifth or sixth. After Pavement and Neutral Milk Hotel, they were the most important lo-fi act of the 90's. Unlike those bands, Guided By Voices songs' usually clock in under two minutes. They are more emotional than Pavement but less emotional than Neutral Milk Hotel with heartfelt nonsense lyrics that sound, truthfully, like the subject lines for the e-mails in your spam filter. The "classic" line-up with co-songwriters Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout has recently reunited. I still like surf-punk minimalists Wavves, although I might be the only one. I still don't like Surfer Blood, although I might be the only one. (See above) The Babies are members of Woods and Vivian Girls and as that might lead you to expect, they are good but kind of generic. [gbv last.fm] [wavves vvideo] [surfer video] [babies video]
Other Shows
Bardo Pond, White Out (Thurston Moore) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($10)
Strange Boys, White Fence, Easter Vomit (mems Beets) @ Knitting Factory ($10/$12)
Thee Oh Sees + special guest @ Brooklyn Bowl ($10)
Sunday, June 19
Slzrd Wzrd (mem Lightning Bolt) @ Coco 66 * Greenpoint, Brooklyn
I don't know anything about this show or what Slzrd Wzrd sounds like, but it's got one of the two members of xxxxtreme noize duo Lightning Bolt, so it's probably awesome.
Other Shows
Asobi Seksu, Air Waves @ Glasslands ($12/$15)
Tuesday, June 21
Hunters @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Hunters are a very aggressive punk/post-punk band who look cool and sound even cooler. [video]
Chairlift @ Cameo * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Last I checked, Chairlift only had one good song. It's that song "Bruises" that was on an iPod commercial ("I tried to handstands for you / I tried to headstands for you"). As far as adorable indie pop love songs go, it's one of the best. Not sure it's worth sitting through a whole set for, but it actually might be. And to be fair, I haven't checked in on the band in a while so maybe they have more going on now. Regardless, this is a small venue and a good price even if the band's 15 minutes expired in 2008. [video (bruises live)]
Other shows
Talib Kweli @ Red Hook Park (free!)
The long view...
June
23
Dinosaur Jr (performing Bug), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5
Art Brut, Reptar @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Chairlift, Telepathe @ Glasslands ($10)
24
Bush Tetras (!!), Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent
Sic Alps, Spectre Folk, Weekends @ Death By Audio ($7)
25
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (one of the best 90's indie bands) + special guest (?!) @ 285 Kent
26
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall
My Teenage Stride @ South Street Seaport
July
3
Panda Bear, Ducktails @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Ringo Deathstarr, the Vandelles, Dead Leaf Echo @ Shea Stadium
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
9
Ted Leo @ South Street Seaport (free!)
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory
Slick Rick @ Crotona Park (free!)
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
Marly Marl @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Gary War, K-Holes, Pop. 1280 @ Union Hall
15
Radio Dept., Asobi Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
16
4 Knots Festival: Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Obits, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) + more
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
22
Death From Above 1979 @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($43)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge (sold out!)
24
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge
28
Walt Mink (great 90's indie band that split up over 10 years ago) @ Bell House
29
West Memphis Three Benefit with Dez Cadena @ Southpaw
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
Sufjan Stevens @ Prospect Park
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
Crystal Antlers @ Glasslands ($10)
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
*CANCELLED* Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
October
22
The Damned @ Irving Plaza
29
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) @ Town Hall (sold out!)
Northside & Popfest Present: Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, Secret History, Seapony @ Bruar Falls * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I heard Reading Rainbow once and I liked them. They play indie pop, I guess (this is the popfest showcase, after all) but it's raw and at least as much punk as it is twee. I haven't seen Eternal Summers yet, but I think they might okay despite the name (oh my gosh I am so sick of summer/beach/surfing/vacation themed band names!!!). [rr video]
HoZac Presents: K-Holes, Xray Eyeballs, My Teenage Stride @ Shea Stadium * Bushwick, Brooklyn
K-Holes are a female-fronted dark, agressive post-punk outfit whose membership overlaps with Black Lips. Xray Eyeballs are one of those boring bands that uses too much reverb and too little songwriting. My Teenage Stride play spirited, delightfully imperfect indie pop. [k-video] [xray video] [my teenage video]
Swervedriver @ Irving Plaza * Union Square, Manhattan
Original shoegazers Swervedriver are among the best of their genre, playing British rock songs with swirling layers of guitar. Like every shoegaze band ever, they've recently reunited.
Tomorrow!! Friday, June 17
Northside Festival * Williamsburg/Greenpoint/Bushwick, Brooklyn
Northside starts today, but the awesomeness really gets going tomorrow. For those who like their music gentle, Beirut [vid] and Sharon Van Etten [vid] will play McCarren Park. For those on the other end of the spectrum, experimental noise bands Yvette [vid] and PC Worship [vid] will be playing (along with the poppier German Measles [vid]) at Bruar Falls ($8). If you like female lo-fi bands, Frankie Rose (of Crystal Stilts and Vivian Girls renown) [vid] and Brilliant Colors [vid] will be at Glasslands ($8 adv./$12 dos.). Meanwhile, Kanine Records will showcase reverbed lamewads Surfer Blood [vid], awesome discordant post-punkers Grooms [vid], Eternal Summers (see above), Xray Eyeballs (see above) and Dream Diary at Knitting Factory ($12 adv./$14 dos.).
Dean Wareham (plays Galaxie 500), Vacant Lots @ Bell House * Gowanus, Brooklyn * $15 adv./$20 dos.
Galaxie 500 were the ultimate slowcore band, at least on the psychedelic/shoegaze end of the spectrum (as opposed to the folky lo-fi of Red House Painters and Low). Dean Wareham is the guy from Galaxie 500.
The Books @ Prospect Park * Brooklyn * Free!
The Books are one of the better experimental acts to emerge in the last decade. Their electronic sound collages have a folky feel but can also generate some noize.
Saturday, June 18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices ("classic" line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, The Babies @ McCarren Park * Greenpoint, Brooklyn * $30 adv./$35 dos.
On a list of my favorite bands of all time, Guided By Voices comes in about fifth or sixth. After Pavement and Neutral Milk Hotel, they were the most important lo-fi act of the 90's. Unlike those bands, Guided By Voices songs' usually clock in under two minutes. They are more emotional than Pavement but less emotional than Neutral Milk Hotel with heartfelt nonsense lyrics that sound, truthfully, like the subject lines for the e-mails in your spam filter. The "classic" line-up with co-songwriters Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout has recently reunited. I still like surf-punk minimalists Wavves, although I might be the only one. I still don't like Surfer Blood, although I might be the only one. (See above) The Babies are members of Woods and Vivian Girls and as that might lead you to expect, they are good but kind of generic. [gbv last.fm] [wavves vvideo] [surfer video] [babies video]
Other Shows
Bardo Pond, White Out (Thurston Moore) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($10)
Strange Boys, White Fence, Easter Vomit (mems Beets) @ Knitting Factory ($10/$12)
Thee Oh Sees + special guest @ Brooklyn Bowl ($10)
Sunday, June 19
Slzrd Wzrd (mem Lightning Bolt) @ Coco 66 * Greenpoint, Brooklyn
I don't know anything about this show or what Slzrd Wzrd sounds like, but it's got one of the two members of xxxxtreme noize duo Lightning Bolt, so it's probably awesome.
Other Shows
Asobi Seksu, Air Waves @ Glasslands ($12/$15)
Tuesday, June 21
Hunters @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Hunters are a very aggressive punk/post-punk band who look cool and sound even cooler. [video]
Chairlift @ Cameo * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Last I checked, Chairlift only had one good song. It's that song "Bruises" that was on an iPod commercial ("I tried to handstands for you / I tried to headstands for you"). As far as adorable indie pop love songs go, it's one of the best. Not sure it's worth sitting through a whole set for, but it actually might be. And to be fair, I haven't checked in on the band in a while so maybe they have more going on now. Regardless, this is a small venue and a good price even if the band's 15 minutes expired in 2008. [video (bruises live)]
Other shows
Talib Kweli @ Red Hook Park (free!)
The long view...
June
23
Dinosaur Jr (performing Bug), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5
Art Brut, Reptar @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Chairlift, Telepathe @ Glasslands ($10)
24
Bush Tetras (!!), Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent
Sic Alps, Spectre Folk, Weekends @ Death By Audio ($7)
25
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (one of the best 90's indie bands) + special guest (?!) @ 285 Kent
26
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall
My Teenage Stride @ South Street Seaport
July
3
Panda Bear, Ducktails @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Ringo Deathstarr, the Vandelles, Dead Leaf Echo @ Shea Stadium
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
9
Ted Leo @ South Street Seaport (free!)
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory
Slick Rick @ Crotona Park (free!)
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
Marly Marl @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Gary War, K-Holes, Pop. 1280 @ Union Hall
15
Radio Dept., Asobi Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
16
4 Knots Festival: Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Obits, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) + more
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
22
Death From Above 1979 @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($43)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge (sold out!)
24
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge
28
Walt Mink (great 90's indie band that split up over 10 years ago) @ Bell House
29
West Memphis Three Benefit with Dez Cadena @ Southpaw
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
Sufjan Stevens @ Prospect Park
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
Crystal Antlers @ Glasslands ($10)
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
*CANCELLED* Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
October
22
The Damned @ Irving Plaza
29
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) @ Town Hall (sold out!)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Live: Pterodactyl, Screens, Keepaway
When: 5/27
Where: Death By Audio
Another shamefully overdue review, but a couple of weeks ago, I caught Screens and Pterodactyl at Death By Audio. I missed Zulus, who played first, but I did catch the second opener, Keepaway.
Keepaway is one of those bands that's so bad it transfixes you. I couldn't look away. If you are ever making a funny movie and you need a band to parody the worst side of parochial pop, Keepaway are the guys you want. When the band started with their cheesy, tacky, unartful electronica, all over the worst canned beats imaginable, it was jawdropping. "Jasper" theorized that they were the guys who got rejected by the Animal Collective cover band. My own assessment was similar, but rather more harsh.
Unfortunately, as the set went on, the music got slightly better, which ruined the band's only appeal - the sheer awesomeness of how terrible it was. If they'd managed to stay godawful the whole time, they'd be more worthy of note, but as their music reached regularly-crappy levels, they became less and less interesting.
However, one part never ceased to horrify - the lyrics. It was like poetry by a 13-year-old. A melodramatic and not very bright 13-year-old. I cannot get over how bad these lyrics were. It was PAINFUL to listen to. Of course, it was made more painful by the nearly tone-deaf "singer." You could tell there were supposed to be melodies, but his attempts at executing them were grating.
If the band didn't seem to take themselves seriously, I might be interested in them as a sort of "meta" critique. But everything about how they conducted themselves indicated that they actually think this music is good. They didn't even seem to be having that much fun, they just did a generic indie rock performance, head nodding to the rhythms, their "drummer" randomly tapping along to the programed rhythms like a talentless four-year-old. The whole thing was self-indulgent, boring and embarrassing. Please stop. ["jam session" video]
Screens played next. There was a time I was super excited about Screens and thought they were the second coming but I've been a bit disappointed with the band. The problem with them is that they are tantalizingly close to something awesome, but they just keep missing the mark. Their largely synth-driven music is fresh and smart, sheets of noise and danceable beats pasted together like a carefully crafted collage. Their music stutters and veers but never at random - everything that's placed together in a song belongs together.
However, there are some very poor decisions in the mix. Most glaringly, the vocals are laden with effects. Most songs feature tremendous delay on the vocals, so every shout or scream is repeated in full several times after it's uttered. Added to that is a gratuitous amount of reverb and often distortion. There's absolutely no substance to the vocals themselves - they're entirely effects. The band would be better off without vocals at all. But better than that, even would be if the band could learn to use vocals as effectively as they use the other elements of their music.
The effects on the vocals thing would be silly regardless, especially given current trends towards doing this, it also has the effect of making the band sound generic. The frontman is enthusiastic, but he seems a little disconnected from the band as well, both because he's sonically superfluous and because he doesn't seem to engage them or vice versa. If the band learns how to incorporate its members with the same fluidity as they incorporate the components of their songs, they'll be genius. But as it stands, they're frustrating.
I've seen Pterodactyl a bazillion times and reviewed them almost as many times. The last two, they were a quartet, but at this show, they were back down to their core trio and it was the best set of theirs I've seen in a long time. Perhaps it was the comfort of being a trio and on something close to home turf. Their frenetic noise-rock folded more smoothly into their new, slower, syncopated sound. Matt Marlin really is an outstanding drummer and really holds the reigns - with a flick of his wrist, he can quickly change a song from breakneck punk to relaxed calypso to deep blues and back.
There's not much else I can say without repeating my other reviews. The band is exceptionally tight and their sound is bold, original and buoyant, bubbling with genuine joy. So, basically, they still got it. [old ptero video]
Where: Death By Audio
Another shamefully overdue review, but a couple of weeks ago, I caught Screens and Pterodactyl at Death By Audio. I missed Zulus, who played first, but I did catch the second opener, Keepaway.
Keepaway is one of those bands that's so bad it transfixes you. I couldn't look away. If you are ever making a funny movie and you need a band to parody the worst side of parochial pop, Keepaway are the guys you want. When the band started with their cheesy, tacky, unartful electronica, all over the worst canned beats imaginable, it was jawdropping. "Jasper" theorized that they were the guys who got rejected by the Animal Collective cover band. My own assessment was similar, but rather more harsh.
Unfortunately, as the set went on, the music got slightly better, which ruined the band's only appeal - the sheer awesomeness of how terrible it was. If they'd managed to stay godawful the whole time, they'd be more worthy of note, but as their music reached regularly-crappy levels, they became less and less interesting.
However, one part never ceased to horrify - the lyrics. It was like poetry by a 13-year-old. A melodramatic and not very bright 13-year-old. I cannot get over how bad these lyrics were. It was PAINFUL to listen to. Of course, it was made more painful by the nearly tone-deaf "singer." You could tell there were supposed to be melodies, but his attempts at executing them were grating.
If the band didn't seem to take themselves seriously, I might be interested in them as a sort of "meta" critique. But everything about how they conducted themselves indicated that they actually think this music is good. They didn't even seem to be having that much fun, they just did a generic indie rock performance, head nodding to the rhythms, their "drummer" randomly tapping along to the programed rhythms like a talentless four-year-old. The whole thing was self-indulgent, boring and embarrassing. Please stop. ["jam session" video]
Screens played next. There was a time I was super excited about Screens and thought they were the second coming but I've been a bit disappointed with the band. The problem with them is that they are tantalizingly close to something awesome, but they just keep missing the mark. Their largely synth-driven music is fresh and smart, sheets of noise and danceable beats pasted together like a carefully crafted collage. Their music stutters and veers but never at random - everything that's placed together in a song belongs together.
However, there are some very poor decisions in the mix. Most glaringly, the vocals are laden with effects. Most songs feature tremendous delay on the vocals, so every shout or scream is repeated in full several times after it's uttered. Added to that is a gratuitous amount of reverb and often distortion. There's absolutely no substance to the vocals themselves - they're entirely effects. The band would be better off without vocals at all. But better than that, even would be if the band could learn to use vocals as effectively as they use the other elements of their music.
The effects on the vocals thing would be silly regardless, especially given current trends towards doing this, it also has the effect of making the band sound generic. The frontman is enthusiastic, but he seems a little disconnected from the band as well, both because he's sonically superfluous and because he doesn't seem to engage them or vice versa. If the band learns how to incorporate its members with the same fluidity as they incorporate the components of their songs, they'll be genius. But as it stands, they're frustrating.
I've seen Pterodactyl a bazillion times and reviewed them almost as many times. The last two, they were a quartet, but at this show, they were back down to their core trio and it was the best set of theirs I've seen in a long time. Perhaps it was the comfort of being a trio and on something close to home turf. Their frenetic noise-rock folded more smoothly into their new, slower, syncopated sound. Matt Marlin really is an outstanding drummer and really holds the reigns - with a flick of his wrist, he can quickly change a song from breakneck punk to relaxed calypso to deep blues and back.
There's not much else I can say without repeating my other reviews. The band is exceptionally tight and their sound is bold, original and buoyant, bubbling with genuine joy. So, basically, they still got it. [old ptero video]
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Upcoming Shows: Bush Tetras, Pygmy Shrews, T.S.O.L. + more
Tomorrow!! Friday, June 10
Bush Tetras @ Le Poisson Rouge * Greenwich Village, Manhattan * $12/$15
Along with ESG and Liquid Liquid, the Bush Tetras were one of the original funk-punk bands that came out of the tail end of No Wave in New York City in the late 70's and early 80's. Featuring Pat Place of the Contortions, the Bush Tetras are a female-led group of funky post-punkers whose music echoes the bleak, nihilistic culture of late 70's NYC. [video]
Other shows
PC Worship @ Death By Audio ($7)
Andrew Bird @ Prospect Park (free)
Saturday, June 11
Pygmy Shrews, Pop 1280, White Suns * Willliamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
Pygmy Shrews are one of the best bands in New York, but they are also flaky so don't be shocked if they cancel this show at the last minute. However, so far so good. They play nasty nasty nasty post-hardcore with lots of distortion. [video] Pop 1280 are a little more bleak but also nasty. [video] White Suns are a noise band and they are good at it. [video]
Other shows
Greg Fox (GDFX) & C Spencer Yeh (collaboration) @ Shea Stadium
Sunday, June 12
T.S.O.L. @ Santos Party House * Chinatown, Manhattan * $12
T.S.O.L. are one of the original hardcore punk bands from southern California. They are also one of the best. [video]
R. Stevie Moore @ Bell House * Gowanus, Brooklyn * $10
R. Stevie Moore was making lo-fi indie pop before "lo-fi" and "indie" had been invented. The American godfather of DIY, R. Stevie Moore has a catalog of hundreds of quirky pop songs. He's a badass too. He may look a little like Santa Claus, but he will fuck your shit up. The man is amazing live. [video]
Other shows
GDFX @ Coco 66
C Spencer Yeh @ Zebulon
Monday, June 13
PC Worship @ Cake Shop * LES, Manhattan
PC Worship merge lo-fi folk with free jazz and avant garde influences. When the band is on, they're genius. [video]
Tuesday, June 14
Japanther, Shellshag, Heavy Cream @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Japanther are an art-punk duo who sing through a telephone mic but have lots and lots and lots of pop hooks and lots and lots and lots of energy! [video] Shellshag are also a duo. They get drunk and shout punk anthems and then knock things over and build a tower out of their drums. [video] Heavy Cream are from Nashville and play awesome southern/country/blues punk. And look good doing it. [video]
Wednesday, June 15
Say No! To Architecture, Zs @ Shea Stadium * Bushwick, Brooklyn * $7
Say No! To Architecture and Zs are two of Brooklyn's best experimental (and largely instrumental) psychedelic bands. See them both for only $7! [SN!TA vid] [Zs vid]
Other shows
The Men (record release) @ Death By Audio ($7)
The long view...
June
16
HoZac Showcase: K-Holes, Xray Eyeball, My Teenage Stride @ Shea Stadium
Northside Festival: Atlas Sound (Deerhunter side project), Lichens @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
Northside Festival: Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, Secret History @ Bruar Falls ($10)
Swervedriver (original shoegaze) @ Irving Plaza
17
Northside Festival: Woods @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
Northside Festival: Beirut, Sharon van Etten @ McCarren Park (sold out!)
orthside Festival: Surfer Blood, Eternal Summers, Grooms, Xray Eyeballs @ Knitting Factory ($12/$14)
Dean Wareham (playing Galaxie 500), Vacant Lots @ Bell House ($15/$20)
The Books @ Prospect Park
18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices (original line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, Babies @ McCarren Park ($30/$35)
Bardo Pond, White Out (Thurston Moore) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($10)
Northside Festival: Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
19
Northside Festival: Mount Eerie (Microphones) @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
SLZRD WZRD (mem Lightning Bolt) @ Coco 66
21
Talib Kweli @ Red Hook Park (free!)
Chairlift @ Cameo Gallery ($10)
22
The Bronx @ Concert Cruises
23
Dinosaur Jr (performing Bug), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5
Art Brut, Reptar @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Chairlift, Telepathe @ Glasslands ($10)
24
Special Guest (??!), Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent
25
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (one of the best 90's indie bands) @ 285 Kent
26
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall
My Teenage Stride @ South Street Seaport
July
3
Panda Bear, Ducktails @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
9
Ted Leo @ South Street Seaport (free!)
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory
Slick Rick @ Crotona Park (free!)
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
Marly Marl @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Gary War, K-Holes, Pop. 1280 @ Union Hall
15
Radio Dept., Asobi Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
16
4 Knots Festival: Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Obits, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) + more
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
22
Death From Above 1979 @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($43)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge (sold out!)
24
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge
28
Walt Mink (great 90's indie band that split up over 10 years ago) @ Bell House
29
West Memphis Three Benefit with Dez Cadena @ Southpaw
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
Sufjan Stevens @ Prospect Park
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
Crystal Antlers @ Glasslands ($10)
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
*CANCELLED*Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
October
22
The Damned @ Irving Plaza
29
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) @ Town Hall (sold out!)
Bush Tetras @ Le Poisson Rouge * Greenwich Village, Manhattan * $12/$15
Along with ESG and Liquid Liquid, the Bush Tetras were one of the original funk-punk bands that came out of the tail end of No Wave in New York City in the late 70's and early 80's. Featuring Pat Place of the Contortions, the Bush Tetras are a female-led group of funky post-punkers whose music echoes the bleak, nihilistic culture of late 70's NYC. [video]
Other shows
PC Worship @ Death By Audio ($7)
Andrew Bird @ Prospect Park (free)
Saturday, June 11
Pygmy Shrews, Pop 1280, White Suns * Willliamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
Pygmy Shrews are one of the best bands in New York, but they are also flaky so don't be shocked if they cancel this show at the last minute. However, so far so good. They play nasty nasty nasty post-hardcore with lots of distortion. [video] Pop 1280 are a little more bleak but also nasty. [video] White Suns are a noise band and they are good at it. [video]
Other shows
Greg Fox (GDFX) & C Spencer Yeh (collaboration) @ Shea Stadium
Sunday, June 12
T.S.O.L. @ Santos Party House * Chinatown, Manhattan * $12
T.S.O.L. are one of the original hardcore punk bands from southern California. They are also one of the best. [video]
R. Stevie Moore @ Bell House * Gowanus, Brooklyn * $10
R. Stevie Moore was making lo-fi indie pop before "lo-fi" and "indie" had been invented. The American godfather of DIY, R. Stevie Moore has a catalog of hundreds of quirky pop songs. He's a badass too. He may look a little like Santa Claus, but he will fuck your shit up. The man is amazing live. [video]
Other shows
GDFX @ Coco 66
C Spencer Yeh @ Zebulon
Monday, June 13
PC Worship @ Cake Shop * LES, Manhattan
PC Worship merge lo-fi folk with free jazz and avant garde influences. When the band is on, they're genius. [video]
Tuesday, June 14
Japanther, Shellshag, Heavy Cream @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Japanther are an art-punk duo who sing through a telephone mic but have lots and lots and lots of pop hooks and lots and lots and lots of energy! [video] Shellshag are also a duo. They get drunk and shout punk anthems and then knock things over and build a tower out of their drums. [video] Heavy Cream are from Nashville and play awesome southern/country/blues punk. And look good doing it. [video]
Wednesday, June 15
Say No! To Architecture, Zs @ Shea Stadium * Bushwick, Brooklyn * $7
Say No! To Architecture and Zs are two of Brooklyn's best experimental (and largely instrumental) psychedelic bands. See them both for only $7! [SN!TA vid] [Zs vid]
Other shows
The Men (record release) @ Death By Audio ($7)
The long view...
June
16
HoZac Showcase: K-Holes, Xray Eyeball, My Teenage Stride @ Shea Stadium
Northside Festival: Atlas Sound (Deerhunter side project), Lichens @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
Northside Festival: Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, Secret History @ Bruar Falls ($10)
Swervedriver (original shoegaze) @ Irving Plaza
17
Northside Festival: Woods @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
Northside Festival: Beirut, Sharon van Etten @ McCarren Park (sold out!)
orthside Festival: Surfer Blood, Eternal Summers, Grooms, Xray Eyeballs @ Knitting Factory ($12/$14)
Dean Wareham (playing Galaxie 500), Vacant Lots @ Bell House ($15/$20)
The Books @ Prospect Park
18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices (original line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, Babies @ McCarren Park ($30/$35)
Bardo Pond, White Out (Thurston Moore) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($10)
Northside Festival: Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
19
Northside Festival: Mount Eerie (Microphones) @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
SLZRD WZRD (mem Lightning Bolt) @ Coco 66
21
Talib Kweli @ Red Hook Park (free!)
Chairlift @ Cameo Gallery ($10)
22
The Bronx @ Concert Cruises
23
Dinosaur Jr (performing Bug), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5
Art Brut, Reptar @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Chairlift, Telepathe @ Glasslands ($10)
24
Special Guest (??!), Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent
25
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (one of the best 90's indie bands) @ 285 Kent
26
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall
My Teenage Stride @ South Street Seaport
July
3
Panda Bear, Ducktails @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
9
Ted Leo @ South Street Seaport (free!)
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory
Slick Rick @ Crotona Park (free!)
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
Marly Marl @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Gary War, K-Holes, Pop. 1280 @ Union Hall
15
Radio Dept., Asobi Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
16
4 Knots Festival: Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Obits, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) + more
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
22
Death From Above 1979 @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($43)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge (sold out!)
24
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge
28
Walt Mink (great 90's indie band that split up over 10 years ago) @ Bell House
29
West Memphis Three Benefit with Dez Cadena @ Southpaw
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
Sufjan Stevens @ Prospect Park
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
Crystal Antlers @ Glasslands ($10)
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
*CANCELLED*
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
October
22
The Damned @ Irving Plaza
29
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) @ Town Hall (sold out!)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Album: Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See
Album: Suck It and See
Domino
Release date: 6/7/11
Rating: ***** (5/10)
The Arctic Monkeys are one of the better semi-indie bands to make it big lately, but after a couple of good albums, they've really dropped the ball with their latest release, Suck It and See. It's not bad in any particular way, it's just so fucking boring. So far, the record has garnered a lot of really positive reviews but I can't figure out why.
The album was meant to be "more vintage" than the last couple releases and it seems to have accomplished, with earthy production and mellow songwriting that recalls Lou Reed. The songs are almost all the same tempo (130 BPM give or take 10). They almost all start with guitar, then add vocals, then add the rhythm section. They're mostly in the same couple key signatures. There's little distortion, mostly just a slight amp-generated crunch. Nearly every track features tambourine and although the drum beats vary, they are so produced and unspectacular that they end up sounding the same. The vocals never stray from their most comfortable range. There is reverb on the vocals, guitars and drums and it never varies noticeably anywhere on the album.
Taken individually, most of the songs are above average in terms of both writing and execution. The melodies are poppy but pleasantly languid and certainly tasteful. The simple arrangements are well thought out and the guitar sound is beautifully controlled. The topics of the lyrics are generic but more clever than most.
The record does have its moments. "Library Pictures," the album's heaviest track, is propelled by frantic bass and drumming - but even this song drops down to half tempo for half the song and returns to the jangly crunchy guitar of every other track. "All My Own Stunts" is satisfyingly dark and the vocal melody is the only one on the album that breaks the mold. Meanwhile, "Brick by Brick" rocks hard and recalls the minimal blues-punk of the White Stripes and the gritty psychedelia of bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Brian Jonestown Massacre. The album's lead single, "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" - though similar in mood - takes its time in the introduction and with the slow tempo and highly repetitive, generic melody on the verse, it doesn't really accomplish what it sets out to do.
As for the songs that match the album's signature formula, of course, some are better than others. The title track is warm and gently enticing. And the closer, "That's Where You're Wrong," is a subtle, exquisitely written song, all jangling guitars and finespun hooks. In contrast, the first two songs are painfully boring and entirely lacking in melodic interest in the vocals (although there are a couple of good guitar riffs thrown in).
Arctic Monkeys may be good songwriters and they may have perfected their sound, but there is a vacuum in Suck It, a void where energy and inspiration should be. I'd rather hear a sloppy, mistaken-ridden record than one that's polished and lifeless. Skip it.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Album: Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Album: David Comes to Life
Matador
Release Date: 6/7/11
Rating: ******** (8/10)
I don't like rock operas. Not Tommy. Not Zen Arcade. Not even really Ziggy Stardust. I like a lot of the songs on those records but I find the whole opera thing really hard to get past. And Fucked Up's new album, David Comes to Life, is no exception. But that's a personal hangup. And setting personal shit aside, David is an outstanding accomplishment.
The double album, clocking in at 80 minutes, is a proletarian meta-drama that explores themes like the subjectivity of truth and personal redemption in the face of guilt. The title character, David, is a factory worker (perhaps the very same worker imagined by guitarist 10,000 Marbles in his flagrantly Dickensian interview with Stereogum) who falls in love with a woman with whom he plots an insurrection of sorts. Soon after the lovers meet, the woman is killed in an explosion and David takes the blame for her death. However, the listener eventually learns that the originally distant narrator was actually (probably) responsible. The truth comes out and David finds redemption and peace, his belief in love restored.
Fucked Up have reinvented hardcore punk before and here they continue to push the boundaries of the genre. There's no mistaking Damian Abraham's voice for any other style, but just as the Who proved rock could reach the epic level of opera, Fucked Up are here to show the same for punk, more convincingly than anyone else has managed to date. Abraham's roar is couched in a wash of guitar, the sort of shimmering layers of sound that characterized the band's last release. Lead guitar also frequently joins Abraham on the melodies, outlining the tunes his gruff voice implies. It all works.
Moreover, David recalls the Who's Tommy not only in its story and the statement it makes on rock music but even in its sound. Although the layers of guitar could be no one but Fucked Up, some of the scintillating textures and broad open chords have Pete Townshend all over them. Although compositionally the furthest the band has gotten from traditional pop, the album is the band's brightest to date in terms of the chords, keys and melodies.
The lyrics are literate and clever. The story isn't all that clear because the band chooses to focus on the characters' internal battles rather than the plot that links them together. Although the ambiguity of the album can be frustrating, it's actually much better for this decision. After all, the whole story is metaphor and allegory. The moral of the tale seems to be "believe in love and seize the day," which is in itself not all that original, but it works because the band tackles huge subjects en route to this conclusion - truth, justice, religion, class struggle and free will among others. The unreliable narrator is not a new literary device, but it's rare to find a narrator so actively and candidly discussing his role as narrator and his reason for taking on this role - to hide his own guilt.
The band's approach here does have its drawbacks, though. There is some dialog among the characters that comes off as a little trite and the constant couplets are a bit annoying for those looking for the kind of pop-structured ragers of the band's previous releases. The lack of straightforward songs is the most disappointing thing about this album - but then again, the bands songs were never terribly straightforward by conventional standards anyway. The album's best tracks are often its simplest. Anthems "A Slanted Tone" and "Serve Me Right" stand out and the quality of the songs seems to improve as the album carries on - as the band's passion peaks and the story's broader implications come into focus.
David is an ambitious undertaking but Fucked Up has not overreached. Indeed, they've earned this and their execution, while occasionally burdensome, is never indulgent. Fucked Up have approached this project with the same passion and love with which they do everything. And despite the heavy subject matter and daunting length of the record, it rocks as hard as anything the band has done to date. I doubt it will find itself in as frequent rotation in my headphones as the band's more song-oriented releases, but it's a humbling achievement and a vital contribution to punk.
You can hear the whole album for yourself right here.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Upcoming Shows: Liturgy, Screaming Females + more!
Tonight!! Thursday, June 2
Liturgy (record release), Sightings @ Knitting Factory * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Liturgy, the world's first and only crossover black metal band, will be celebrating the release of their new record at Knitting Factory tonight. They play leaden music with mournful shrieking which would be awful if they weren't an exceptionally talented, passionate bunch. Even if it's not your "thing," give 'em a chance; it's not my thing either, but I love this band. [video] Sightings are opening. This noise trio is not to be missed, with grinding, stuttering songs. [video] Wear earplugs.
Other shows
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Silk Flowers, R. Stevie Moore @ Irving Plaza ($34.25)
Fiasco (post hardcore/math) @ Shea Stadium
Stiff Little Fingers (original UK punk) @ Europa ($20)
Tomorrow!! Friday, June 3
Hillstock Festival: So So Glos + many more @ 285 Kent * Willliamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
A bunch of bands are playing a little minifestival thing this weekend including prole-punks So So Glos. [video]
Other shows
Liquor Store, Spider Bag @ Death By Audio ($7)
Saturday, June 4
Unstoppable Death Machines @ Silent Barn * Ridgewood, Queens
Unstoppable Death Machines are a bass and drum duo that plays loud loud loud distorted and fast music. [video]
Other shows
Hillstock Fest, Part II: Gunfight!, Quiet Loudly, Team Genius, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt + more @ 106 Emerson (free!)
School of Seven Bells @ Brooklyn Bowl ($10)
Effi Briest @ Cake Shop
Sunday, June 5
Against Me!, Screaming Females, Lemuria @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This line-up is so rad, I don't even know what to say about it. Against Me!, of course, is one of the best hardcore/pop-punk bands, like, ever. [video] Openers Screaming Females are even better, fronted by guitar hero Marissa Paternoster. They aren't really a punk band but they pretend to be one. (Think Dinosaur Jr.) They are currently the best rock band on earth. [video] Lemuria are a pop-punk/emo band but in the best possible way. The female-fronted trio are punky enough to yell and though some of their songs border on sappy, they are such well-written songs that it doesn't matter. [video]
Other shows
Darlings @ Housing Works Bookstore (outdoors, noon, free!)
Monday, June 6
Not a lot worth seeing - Melvins play a sold out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, that's about it.
Tuesday, June 7
Against Me!, Screaming Females, Lemuria @ Webster Hall * East Village, Manhattan
See above.
EPMD, Funkmaster Flex @ Betsy Head Memorial Playground * Brownsville, Brooklyn * Free!
EPMD and Funkmaster Flex are among the towering figures in the history of East Coast hip-hop. With careers spanning back to the "golden age" of hip-hop, they changed the course of rap music. It's free. Don't be stupid.
Other shows
The Melvins @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out)
Wednesday, June 8
Nothin. Just nothin.
The long view...
June
9
Total Slacker, Tony Castles @ Shea Stadium
10
Bush Tetras (original ladies of funk-punk) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($12/$15)
12
T.S.O.L. (original SoCal hardcore) @ Santos ($12)
R. Stevie Moore (invented indie before there was indie, looks like Santa, really badass dude) @ Bell House ($10)
14
Japanther, Shellshag, Heavy Cream @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Decemberists @ Prospect Park (sold out)
16
Northside Festival: Atlas Sound (Deerhunter side project), Lichens @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
Northside Festival: Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, Secret History @ Bruar Falls ($10)
Swervedriver (original shoegaze) @ Irving Plaza
17
Northside Festival: Woods @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
Northside Festival: Beirut, Sharon van Etten @ McCarren Park (sold out!)
Northside Festival: Surfer Blood, Eternal Summers, Grooms, Xray Eyeballs @ Knitting Factory ($12/$14)
Dean Wareham (plays Galaxie 500), Vacant Lots @ Bell House ($15/$20)
The Books @ Prospect Park
18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices (original line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, Babies @ McCarren Park ($30/$35)
Bardo Pond, White Out (Thurston Moore) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($10)
Northside Festival: Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
19
Northside Festival: Mount Eerie (Microphones) @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
21
Talib Kweli @ Red Hook Park (free!)
22
The Bronx @ Concert Cruises
23
Dinosaur Jr (performing Bug), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5
Art Brut, Reptar @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Chairlift, Telepathe @ Glasslands ($10)
24
Special Guest (??!), Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent
25
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (one of the best 90's indie bands) @ 285 Kent
26
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall
My Teenage Stride @ South Street Seaport
July
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
15
Radio Dept., Asobu Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
29
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
Streets, El-P (lyrically dense, brainy rap) @ Terminal 5
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
Liturgy (record release), Sightings @ Knitting Factory * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Liturgy, the world's first and only crossover black metal band, will be celebrating the release of their new record at Knitting Factory tonight. They play leaden music with mournful shrieking which would be awful if they weren't an exceptionally talented, passionate bunch. Even if it's not your "thing," give 'em a chance; it's not my thing either, but I love this band. [video] Sightings are opening. This noise trio is not to be missed, with grinding, stuttering songs. [video] Wear earplugs.
Other shows
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Silk Flowers, R. Stevie Moore @ Irving Plaza ($34.25)
Fiasco (post hardcore/math) @ Shea Stadium
Stiff Little Fingers (original UK punk) @ Europa ($20)
Tomorrow!! Friday, June 3
Hillstock Festival: So So Glos + many more @ 285 Kent * Willliamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
A bunch of bands are playing a little minifestival thing this weekend including prole-punks So So Glos. [video]
Other shows
Liquor Store, Spider Bag @ Death By Audio ($7)
Saturday, June 4
Unstoppable Death Machines @ Silent Barn * Ridgewood, Queens
Unstoppable Death Machines are a bass and drum duo that plays loud loud loud distorted and fast music. [video]
Other shows
Hillstock Fest, Part II: Gunfight!, Quiet Loudly, Team Genius, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt + more @ 106 Emerson (free!)
School of Seven Bells @ Brooklyn Bowl ($10)
Effi Briest @ Cake Shop
Sunday, June 5
Against Me!, Screaming Females, Lemuria @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This line-up is so rad, I don't even know what to say about it. Against Me!, of course, is one of the best hardcore/pop-punk bands, like, ever. [video] Openers Screaming Females are even better, fronted by guitar hero Marissa Paternoster. They aren't really a punk band but they pretend to be one. (Think Dinosaur Jr.) They are currently the best rock band on earth. [video] Lemuria are a pop-punk/emo band but in the best possible way. The female-fronted trio are punky enough to yell and though some of their songs border on sappy, they are such well-written songs that it doesn't matter. [video]
Other shows
Darlings @ Housing Works Bookstore (outdoors, noon, free!)
Monday, June 6
Not a lot worth seeing - Melvins play a sold out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, that's about it.
Tuesday, June 7
Against Me!, Screaming Females, Lemuria @ Webster Hall * East Village, Manhattan
See above.
EPMD, Funkmaster Flex @ Betsy Head Memorial Playground * Brownsville, Brooklyn * Free!
EPMD and Funkmaster Flex are among the towering figures in the history of East Coast hip-hop. With careers spanning back to the "golden age" of hip-hop, they changed the course of rap music. It's free. Don't be stupid.
Other shows
The Melvins @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out)
Wednesday, June 8
Nothin. Just nothin.
The long view...
June
9
Total Slacker, Tony Castles @ Shea Stadium
10
Bush Tetras (original ladies of funk-punk) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($12/$15)
12
T.S.O.L. (original SoCal hardcore) @ Santos ($12)
R. Stevie Moore (invented indie before there was indie, looks like Santa, really badass dude) @ Bell House ($10)
14
Japanther, Shellshag, Heavy Cream @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Decemberists @ Prospect Park (sold out)
16
Northside Festival: Atlas Sound (Deerhunter side project), Lichens @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
Northside Festival: Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, Secret History @ Bruar Falls ($10)
Swervedriver (original shoegaze) @ Irving Plaza
17
Northside Festival: Woods @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
Northside Festival: Beirut, Sharon van Etten @ McCarren Park (sold out!)
Northside Festival: Surfer Blood, Eternal Summers, Grooms, Xray Eyeballs @ Knitting Factory ($12/$14)
Dean Wareham (plays Galaxie 500), Vacant Lots @ Bell House ($15/$20)
The Books @ Prospect Park
18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices (original line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, Babies @ McCarren Park ($30/$35)
Bardo Pond, White Out (Thurston Moore) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($10)
Northside Festival: Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
19
Northside Festival: Mount Eerie (Microphones) @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
21
Talib Kweli @ Red Hook Park (free!)
22
The Bronx @ Concert Cruises
23
Dinosaur Jr (performing Bug), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5
Art Brut, Reptar @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Chairlift, Telepathe @ Glasslands ($10)
24
Special Guest (??!), Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent
25
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (one of the best 90's indie bands) @ 285 Kent
26
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall
My Teenage Stride @ South Street Seaport
July
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory
14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)
15
Radio Dept., Asobu Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport
19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)
23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
29
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
Streets, El-P (lyrically dense, brainy rap) @ Terminal 5
21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall
25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)
September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Remembering Gil Scott-Heron
In another piece of sad news, Gil Scott-Heron passed away at age 62, over the weekend. At the tail end of the 60's and throughout the 70's, Scott-Heron, along with kindred spirits the Last Poets, began recording spoken word and poetry that expressed the rage felt by disaffected urban black youth across the country. The missing link between the Black Panthers and Public Enemy, Scott-Heron's polyrhythmic rhymes were sometimes delivered over raw drumming, basically creating rap music a decade before rap music was first invented.
Gil Scott-Heron
Perhaps best known to the general public as the artist behind "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," Scott-Heron's poetry was militant, a call to arms for black Americans and an unsettling warning to white folks, who still benefited from a deeply racist power structure, years after Dr. King and desegregation. Of course, his wrath did not end there; his rhymes attacked black hypocrisy, economic injustice, willful ignorance and rampant consumerism among many other subjects. As his recordings progressed, they grew more traditionally musical, but his words remained potent. Keeping a healthy perspective on his own work, Scott-Heron also infused his verses with a biting humor that prevented things from getting unbearably heavy.
Although he never quite became a household name, there is not a rapper or new R&B/soul artist who is not indebted to Scott-Heron. In the end, he succumbed to the very injustices he decried, struggling with drug addiction and HIV for many years. Despite this, he continued to perform, record and inspire until the end of his life.
A list of artists directly inspired by Scott-Heron would be too long to list, but would include artists like Public Enemy, Eminem, Mos Def, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Common, to name just a few. Scott-Heron changed the course not only of popular music but of political discourse in America, setting a model of self-expression for generations of disenfranchised men and women.
Gil Scott-Heron
Perhaps best known to the general public as the artist behind "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," Scott-Heron's poetry was militant, a call to arms for black Americans and an unsettling warning to white folks, who still benefit
Although he never quite became a household name, there is not a rapper or new R&B/soul artist who is not indebted to Scott-Heron. In the end, he succumbed to the very injustices he decried, struggling with drug addiction and HIV for many years. Despite this, he continued to perform, record and inspire until the end of his life.
A list of artists directly inspired by Scott-Heron would be too long to list, but would include artists like Public Enemy, Eminem, Mos Def, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Common, to name just a few. Scott-Heron changed the course not only of popular music but of political discourse in America, setting a model of self-expression for generations of disenfranchised men and women.
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