Live: Jemina Pearl

When: 2/13
Where: Union Pool

Nashville's Jemina Pearl got her break as the singer for acclaimed teenage punk outfit Be Your Own Pet, who won Thurston Moore's love before they were old enough to drive. They caused some controversy with their song "Becky," in which Pearl described how she was going to stab her ex-friend/new enemy Becky to death. Apparently, Becky was a real girl and that was her real name and their high school administration was not pleased about a student issuing another a violent threat, no matter how catchy the tune.

So it's been no secret for a while that Jemina Pearl, as a punk singer, is not a nice girl. The question has always been, is it just a stage persona? And now I know the answer.

The set started awkwardly. The band, none of them looking a day over seventeen, filed out on stage and took their places. No Pearl appeared. They began looking restless and unfortunately, handled the situation poorly. Rather than exiting again or introducing the band or playing something, the guitarist gave the (new) drummer a quick lesson on how one of the songs was supposed to go, then took out his cell phone and presumably called the tardy singer. It was unprofessional, but I guess it's what one could expect from such young kids.

Anyway, Pearl showed up and apologized, explaining she'd been stuck in the bathroom line. It struck me as odd that she hadn't just cut in front - I would if my band were waiting on stage. But in any case, the set started and it started well. I was immediately stuck by how tightly the band played. Pearl is an admirable frontwoman - it's hard to just dance to punk music and keep it interesting, but she did. I'm not familiar with her solo album, so I didn't know the songs, but quite a few people there did, singing along with every note. Pearl's foil on stage, the guitarist, would dance with her and otherwise share the front, while the rhythm section stayed focused on their music in the back.

Pearl was wearing a Kiss shit and a Raincoats jacket, which combination makes her pretty cool. She spit and shrieked and did everything a young, female Johnny Rotten should. Her delivery at times seemed a little melodramatic, and I didn't quite buy it, but as it went on, I became increasingly convinced it was all genuine. I kept thinking of Courtney Love - bad blond dye job, dramatics and an abrasive, domineering personality. And I like Courtney Love. A lot. So that's a good thing.

But at some point, the Courtney Love-ishness of it all got a little too real. Pearl turned around between songs and began berating the rhythm section for screwing up. Now, they sounded fine to me - better than fine, even. Like I said, I don't know how most of the songs are supposed to go, but the band seemed to be nailing it. But still, in addition to chewing out the bassist and drummer in front of the audience, she also began directing her more nasty lyrics very unsubtly in the bassist's direction. And then, in what should certainly not have been the end of the set, she turned around, flipped off the drummer and bassist with both hands and walked off stage. After a moment of awkward confusion, the rest of the band followed, leaving the audience uncomfortably milling to see if they would reappear. After a few minutes, the crowd started drifting out the door. The band members reemerged to pack up their gear and, with few people still paying any attention to the stage, Pearl ran out with a lit cigarette, which she attempted to put out on her bass player's face. He knocked it out of her hand, picked it up and chased her offstage with it.

This guy next to us asked, "did she just put out a cigarette on his face?" and I said, yes, it appears so. He told me he was friends with the band and that they were 100% for real. It was no act. And if you've never been burnt by a lit cigarette, let me tell you, that shit is no joke.

So the murderous narrator of "Becky" wasn't a persona at all. Pearl is a violent and horrible person. And I like her for that - it's time the wusses cleared out of indie rock and us psychos took back over. I hope Pearl's life doesn't spiral out of control like the lives of the nasty punks of history - Sid Vicious, Courtney Love and whoever else I'm too tired to think of right this second. But I hope she keeps her attitude and never backs down. It's about time someone with balls stepped into the indie rock spotlight. [myspace]

Live: Jeff the Brotherhood, Dinowalrus, Sisters

When: 12/7
Where: Mercury Lounge

I'm almost getting caught up on my live reviews...

Sadly, I missed Coin Under Tongue, the first of four great bands to play Mercury Lounge last week Monday. When I arrived, Sisters were setting up the stage. I've said enough about Sisters to try to keep this short. Sisters are two guys of different heights who play noisy indie pop songs with exceptional melodies and youthful exuberance. Aaron Pfannebecker makes a really lot of noise with his guitar and Matt Conboy sounds like at least three drummers playing at once. They are endearingly awkward but also confrontational, and make the music our inner 90's-reared teenagers would make if they could play instruments that well. [MySpace]

Dinowalrus were up next. Pete Feigenbaum mentioned to me over e-mail after my last review that their new material is more "baggy" a la Happy Mondays. And watching this set with that in mind, I could definitely see the band turning towards more bobbing acid-house grooves. It's difficult to compare Dinowalrus to anyone, though, past or present. They are definitely doing their own thing. Masterful beats, noisy drones, sparkling guitars, bizarre blasts and electronic pulsing - the band covers a lot of ground, synthesizing a myriad of influences into a single, cohesive style. It's not easy music, but it's not unbearably challenging either - the beats and melodies are strong enough to translate the experimentalism into something easily head-nod-able and very certainly fun. [MySpace]

The infamous Jeff the Brotherhood headlined to a pretty big crowd. Brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall play some of the best guitar rock around, using only three guitar strings and drum kit. Their heavy guitar riffs and great songwriting draw from psychedelic and grunge. With one foot in the late 60's and one in the early 90's, JtB are somehow still fully 2009.


Jeff the Brotherhood (photo by someone named Kahan, I think)
The Orrall brothers, like the other former members of adolescent punk outfit Be Your Own Pet, are children of the Nashville music industry, in this case, the sons of musician Robert Ellis Orrall. If I were them, I'd probably be sick of people pointing out my music pedigree, but it does help explain Jake and Jamin's commanding stage presence. Most musicians their age (early 20's), even when they consciously put on a great show, don't seem to fully step into the role of rock star as performer. Rock star as musician is great, but a concert is an experience that transcends just the notes played. Jake, with his slight 'stache, leather pants and pointed stare, cuts a memorable figure on stage without doing anything over the top. He pulls off a guitar hero pose or two while Jamin's relaxed smile balances the scene.

They may be young, but their old-school common sense and musical skill prove them more professional and mature than most indie rockers will ever be.

What the fuck am I talking about? Geez. Their music is fucking good. That's all needs be said. [MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: A Place to Bury Strangers, Naked Raygun, Zeros + more!

TOMORROW! Thursday, September 10

Gowns, Pterodactyl @ Death By Audio ("The Maze") | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I've already told you so much about Pterodactyl and how their wild arpeggiated guitars, unrepeating drums and manic hollering add up to something pretty awesome that doesn't sound much like anyone else. I haven't seen Gowns yet, as they live in California, but it would seem they make similarly edgy, minimalist noise rock, though perhaps in a less manic and more unsettling. We shall see. Oh, and Death By Audio is a maze now. [Gowns MySpace] [Ptero MySpace]


Friday, September 11

A Place To Bury Strangers @ Death By Audio ("The Maze") | Williamsburg Brooklyn
It's such a rare opportunity now to hear APTBS play a small venue or a DIY venue. Not only is DBA the best small DIY venue in town, it's also the band's home. The music collective that runs the venue was started by APTBS's Oliver Ackermann and you know they'll be at the top of their game playing in the place they got their start (and I'd assume, where they still rehearse). Ackermann founded DBA as a custom pedal factory and that's important because it's the custom pedals that make APTBS a stand-out band - the sheer metallic roar and Himalayas' worth of feedback. In other words, bring ear plugs. Heavy-duty industrial ones. [MySpace]


Saturday, September 12

Naked Raygun @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15 adv./$18 dos.
Naked Raygun was the essential hardcore band in Chicago in the early 80's. Melodic and arty, but with all the fast-loud spirit of other early hardcore bands, Naked Raygun remain one of the greatest examples of American indie ever. [MySpace]


Sunday, September 13

Feelies @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $25
I think $25 is too much to pay for a show, even for the band that invented jangly Hoboken pop in the 80's. If you've got the cash, though, and you like sweet melodies, simple songs and smiles all around, check it out. It's a double set, so you will get some bang for your buck. [MySpace]


Monday, September 14

Autolux @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
Autolux play wall-of-sound dream pop, but with balls. Basically, people who like shoegaze-influenced alt rock (Catherine Wheel, Trail of Dead, early Smashing Pumpkins, etc.) would be hard put to find much better than this. [MySpace]


Tuesday, September 15

Zeros + Jemina Pearl @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $15
Zeros are one of the original LA punk bands from the late 70's/early 80's. In addition to being one of the great American punk bands, they are one of the only still touring with the original line-up intact. So if you weren't going to shows in southern California in 1978 (or you were and you want to relive it), this is your chance. Opening is Jemina Pearl of the now-defunct, very young, very talented punk outfit Be Your Own Pet. [MySpace (unofficial)] [JP MySpace]

Live: Mission of Burma + Fucked Up

When: July 12
Where: Williamsburg Waterfront

The McCarren Pool Parties are now minus the Pool. And minus the McCarren. But they've still got the party, and they kicked things off right this summer with this free show at their new location at the East River State Park.

I missed out on the first two acts - Jemina Pearl of Be Your Own Pet and Baltimore's illustrious Ponytail. I was bummed to miss Ponytail, because I know how amazing their live show is. Rumour is they were just as awesome on the big stage as they were in the tiny club where I saw them (in fact, certain people were texting me with things like "I can't believe you're missing this," which is hardly very nice!) So, though I can't offer a review, I can offer a plug - Ponytail are one of the most original and daring bands around today. And they kick serious ass live. [MySpace]

As for the bands I did see - the first was Fucked Up, a hardcore punk band that falls pretty far towards the "thrash" end of the spectrum. I'm not hugely into thrash or those ridiculous vocals that come with it. However, even fore the show, I suspected I might be a fan of the band live, and I was definitely not disappointed.

On the surface, Fucked Up sounds like a lot of ubermacho metal-ish bands, but, however inexplicably, Fucked Up's unleashed rage is not macho in the least. There is the presence of a woman on stage (Sandy Miranda on bass), and there's the fact that lead singer Damian Abraham publicly commented on his rather small wanker. (After stripping to his boxers, he realized it had been visible to some of the audience, and remarked "Trust me, it works just fine. I have a baby to prove it."). Indeed, his clear pride at being a new father, his willing vulnerability in undressing in front of hundreds of kids despite not having a body convention would describe as attractive and his obvious sense of humor all served to remind the audience what punk is really all about: the freaks and losers making rock music, finding community in one another and having a fuckload of fun.


Fucked Up (picture from MySpace)
Also, despite their flippant name, the group's lyrics are intellectual, their songs carefully crafted and their stage presence welcoming. As musicians, they are outstanding, perhaps not so much in terms of virtuous playing as in their complex, thoughtful arrangements featuring constant guitar interplay. My only complaint is the presence of three guitars on stage - it's no secret that I don't like superfluous musicians in a band, and there's no reason for any hardcore thrash band to need more than two guitarists. Still, that's small potatoes compared to the intense show the group delivered. [MySpace]

Headliners Mission of Burma are one of the great bands of the second wave of American punk, helping uproot hardcore and broaden punk's horizons before hardcore had even had a chance to see itself as a movement. The band has always kept their edge through a combination of exceptional songwriting, sonic unpredictability (thanks to an off-stage fourth member on "tape loops") and a certain darkness that came with the band's relative maturity at the time of their formation - they were in their mid-twenties in an era of high-school aged punks, and thus never gave themselves over to sheer manic energy at the expensive of musicianship.

I've seen the band once before since they reunited back in 2002 and both shows were amazing. Though most bands reunite for money or as an outlet for a midlife crisis, some do better than others at keeping the independent, edgy spirit of their music alive, and none I've seen have accomplished this as well as Mission of Burma. Recent releases by Dinosaur Jr and the Meat Puppets have been great, but represented a step towards convention for both bands, while MOB remains as edgy (if not necessarily as relevant) as they were in 1979.

The set list was a good mixture of new material and old classics. Of course, there were many songs I wanted to hear that didn't get played, but since the majority of the songs the band put out in its 1979-1983 incarnation are classics, it would be impossible for them to hit anywhere near everything. They were playing well and having even more fun that the crowd was - and that's a lot! And just seeing one of the great American punk bands playing against a sunset and the Manhattan skyline...unforgettable. [MySpace]