This review is late. It was supposed to be up early last week, but, ya know.
So Grass Widow. Everybody's nuts for these three girls from Oakland, CA, and the other weekend was the first time I'd seen them live.
Basically: yes, the live up to the hype. It looked like about every decent musician in Brooklyn had turned out to see them at one of their two DIY shows. I caught up with them at Death By Audio.
Grass Widow's greatest strength is melody, and it translates well live. All three members of Grass Widow sing on pretty much every song, weaving melodies and harmonies deftly. And their melodies are great - sticky sweet but always just a little strange and off-centered. While many bands who seem to receive praise for their melodies actually fail to generate the momentum that comes with melodic arcs (rather than just three notes repeated, cough cough), Grass Widow's songs don't drag.
But the melodies alone aren't what makes this band so charming. It's that their tunes are so unpolished. The singing is decidedly amateur in sound and the instruments are equally raw - but that's not to say the band is unpracticed. Having three melodic lines in addition to three instruments would pose a challenge to incompetent musicians, but these three ladies are locked in as tightly as I've heard any band in quite a while.
The band's ramshackle pop does have moments where vulnerability seems teeter on the brink of wimpiness, but there are also moments of pure bravery - such as a long section entirely unaccompanied by instruments. That's no small thing, dropping the sound out of your band to the point where you can hear exactly what proportion of the audience is bored and has turned to their friends for a chat. In this case, though, most of the audience was rapt.
The set was concise, ending quickly but not flagging for a minute. And any doubts I had about the group's musical sincerity were assuaged by the bands they played with - experimental, feminist noise like Talk Normal and Broken Water (at Death By Audio) and K-Holes (at Glasslands). Grass Widow are the real thing - a band with true talent and true inspiration. Believe the hype. [myspace]
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Showing posts with label Grass Widow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grass Widow. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Upcoming Shows: Grass Widow, K-Holes, Talk Normal + more!
Tonight, Thursday, April 21
Nothing worth seeing.
Tomorrow!! Friday, April 22
So So Glos, Xray Eyeballs, Web Dating, Bass Drum of Death @ Glasslands * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
I can't say as I'm too thrilled about any of the shows going on around town tomorrow. The So So Glos are always classic though - provincial, proletarian Brooklyn punk. [myspace]
Saturday, April 23
Grass Widow, K-Holes @ Glasslands * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
I'm so psyched to hear Grass Widow. They're a punk outfit from San Francisco that everyone has been really excited by for the last year or so and they opened for Sonic Youth and stuff so apparently that "everyone" includes some pretty cool folks. I have yet to hear the band, but I have high hopes (that might well be dashed if they turn out to be some sort of lame surf-pop). I have heard K-Holes, and they are pretty fucking good, weird experimental stuff that's noisy and aggressive and post punky. They have or had a member from Black Lips but the rest of them are ladies (!!) (as are Grass Widow) and they're a pretty mean bunch. [widow myspace] [k-hole myspace]
Other shows
Kim Gordon (of Sonic Youth) @ The Stone ($10, early show)
Talk Normal (lady noise!) @ The Stone ($10, late show)
PC Worship (free jazz informed lo-fi folk/rock) @ Death By Audio ($7)
Crocodiles, Fresh & Onlys, Young Prisms, Bass Drum of Death (agressive-ish post punk) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ($12-14)
Mahogany (Swiss watch means shoegaze) @ Rock Shop ($10, not headlining)
Sunday, April 24
Grass Widow, Talk Normal, Broken Water @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Grass Widow, wheeee! (see above.) Talk Normal are two ladies who make music that isn't normal. It's weird noise and rhythm but there are songs and both band members can sure sing (and have been increasingly making use of this skill, based on the last few shows of theirs I've seen). Jasper claims he and I saw Broken Water before and they were good, but I don't remember it. Still, it's a good name and a good bill in general, so get there early and check them out. [widow myspace] [talk myspace] [broken myspace]
Monday, April 25
White Suns @ Death By Audio ($7)
Noize. [myspace]
Other shows
Miniboone (chaotic, writ-large pop) @ Pianos (Free!)
Tuesday, April 26
Nada.
Wednesday, April 27
Lightning Bolt @ 285 Kent * Williamsburg, Brookly * $12
There are two people in this band and they are both named Brian. One Brian plays a heavily distorted bass guitar very very very very fast and very very very very loud. The other Brian plays the drums very very very very very very very fast and yells into a mic that he has in his mouth. [myspace]
Low @ Bowery Ballroom * LES, Manhattan * $18 / $20
This is the opposite of Lightning Bolt in that they play very very very very slow and very very very very quiet. But they do so in a very bad-ass way: Low started in reaction to the dopey hardcore/grunge wave of bands in their hometown of Duluth, MN. An exercise in restraint, Low keep from being boring (even to me, and I have the attention span of a 5-year-old) by the magnificent tension they generate via the art of omission. They also let loose sometimes and scream about Santa Claus. They are one of the best live acts in American indie music. I promise. [myspace]
Other shows
Battles (experimental/math/post rock) @ Le Poisson Rouge
Lemuria (pop punk, emo, but good) @ Webster Studio
The long view...
April
28
Lightning Bolt (post-thrash noise), Pterodactyl (crazy noise) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($12/$14)
30
Titus Andronicus (epic hardcore punk songs about history - but so much better than that sounds) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
May
4
Gang Gang Dance (experimental dub) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Foals (mathy dancy post punky indie rock) @ Terminal 5
6
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (saccharine indie pop with subtly dark lyrics) @ Webster Hall
10
Yo La Tengo (inventors of noise pop) @ Bell House (Sold Out)
11
Yo La Tengo (see above) @ Bell House (Sold Out)
CSS (ultra hip crazy dance pop with punk attitude from Brazilian ladies), Sleigh Bells (ultra hip duo with danceable heavy hip-hop beats + girly vocals + metal/hardcore/industrial sheets of guitar noise + some screaming) @ Webster Hall (Sold Out)
12
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Sold Out)
15
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom (Sold Out)
19
The Antlers (sad noisy music) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
20
The Antlers (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom
Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), I Feel Tractor @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
June
2
Stiff Little Fingers (late 70's UK punk)
23
Dinosaur Jr (late 80's/early 90's loud proto-alt rock, performing their classic album Bug), Fucked Up (wall of sound meets hardcore/thrash meets best thing ever) @ Terminal 5
Nothing worth seeing.
Tomorrow!! Friday, April 22
So So Glos, Xray Eyeballs, Web Dating, Bass Drum of Death @ Glasslands * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
I can't say as I'm too thrilled about any of the shows going on around town tomorrow. The So So Glos are always classic though - provincial, proletarian Brooklyn punk. [myspace]
Saturday, April 23
Grass Widow, K-Holes @ Glasslands * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
I'm so psyched to hear Grass Widow. They're a punk outfit from San Francisco that everyone has been really excited by for the last year or so and they opened for Sonic Youth and stuff so apparently that "everyone" includes some pretty cool folks. I have yet to hear the band, but I have high hopes (that might well be dashed if they turn out to be some sort of lame surf-pop). I have heard K-Holes, and they are pretty fucking good, weird experimental stuff that's noisy and aggressive and post punky. They have or had a member from Black Lips but the rest of them are ladies (!!) (as are Grass Widow) and they're a pretty mean bunch. [widow myspace] [k-hole myspace]
Other shows
Kim Gordon (of Sonic Youth) @ The Stone ($10, early show)
Talk Normal (lady noise!) @ The Stone ($10, late show)
PC Worship (free jazz informed lo-fi folk/rock) @ Death By Audio ($7)
Crocodiles, Fresh & Onlys, Young Prisms, Bass Drum of Death (agressive-ish post punk) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ($12-14)
Mahogany (Swiss watch means shoegaze) @ Rock Shop ($10, not headlining)
Sunday, April 24
Grass Widow, Talk Normal, Broken Water @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Grass Widow, wheeee! (see above.) Talk Normal are two ladies who make music that isn't normal. It's weird noise and rhythm but there are songs and both band members can sure sing (and have been increasingly making use of this skill, based on the last few shows of theirs I've seen). Jasper claims he and I saw Broken Water before and they were good, but I don't remember it. Still, it's a good name and a good bill in general, so get there early and check them out. [widow myspace] [talk myspace] [broken myspace]
Monday, April 25
White Suns @ Death By Audio ($7)
Noize. [myspace]
Other shows
Miniboone (chaotic, writ-large pop) @ Pianos (Free!)
Tuesday, April 26
Nada.
Wednesday, April 27
Lightning Bolt @ 285 Kent * Williamsburg, Brookly * $12
There are two people in this band and they are both named Brian. One Brian plays a heavily distorted bass guitar very very very very fast and very very very very loud. The other Brian plays the drums very very very very very very very fast and yells into a mic that he has in his mouth. [myspace]
Low @ Bowery Ballroom * LES, Manhattan * $18 / $20
This is the opposite of Lightning Bolt in that they play very very very very slow and very very very very quiet. But they do so in a very bad-ass way: Low started in reaction to the dopey hardcore/grunge wave of bands in their hometown of Duluth, MN. An exercise in restraint, Low keep from being boring (even to me, and I have the attention span of a 5-year-old) by the magnificent tension they generate via the art of omission. They also let loose sometimes and scream about Santa Claus. They are one of the best live acts in American indie music. I promise. [myspace]
Other shows
Battles (experimental/math/post rock) @ Le Poisson Rouge
Lemuria (pop punk, emo, but good) @ Webster Studio
The long view...
April
28
Lightning Bolt (post-thrash noise), Pterodactyl (crazy noise) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($12/$14)
30
Titus Andronicus (epic hardcore punk songs about history - but so much better than that sounds) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
May
4
Gang Gang Dance (experimental dub) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Foals (mathy dancy post punky indie rock) @ Terminal 5
6
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (saccharine indie pop with subtly dark lyrics) @ Webster Hall
10
Yo La Tengo (inventors of noise pop) @ Bell House (Sold Out)
11
Yo La Tengo (see above) @ Bell House (Sold Out)
CSS (ultra hip crazy dance pop with punk attitude from Brazilian ladies), Sleigh Bells (ultra hip duo with danceable heavy hip-hop beats + girly vocals + metal/hardcore/industrial sheets of guitar noise + some screaming) @ Webster Hall (Sold Out)
12
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Sold Out)
15
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom (Sold Out)
19
The Antlers (sad noisy music) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
20
The Antlers (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom
Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), I Feel Tractor @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
June
2
Stiff Little Fingers (late 70's UK punk)
23
Dinosaur Jr (late 80's/early 90's loud proto-alt rock, performing their classic album Bug), Fucked Up (wall of sound meets hardcore/thrash meets best thing ever) @ Terminal 5
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Best of 2009 according to Screaming Females, Dinowalrus and Pterodactyl!
Why take my advice on the best albums of 2009 when you can take the advice of some of the best musicians of 2009?
Screaming Females
Jarrett's list:
1. JEFF the brotherhood - Heavy Days (Infinity Cat Records)
2. Cheeky - What the Heck (Freedom School Records)
3. Stupid Party - s/t (Freedom School Records)
4. Songs for Moms - I Used to Believe in the West (Thrillhouse Records)
5. Bad Blood - Tongue Twisting Tunes for Tiny Tots (Dead Broke
Rekerds/ Sweet Dreams Records)
6. Mattress - Babystar Gallactica EP (Self-Released)
7. Teenage Cool Kids - Foreign Lands (Protagonist Music)
8. Delay - Plain Language (Plan-It-X Records/ Salinas Records)
9. Double Dagger - More (Thrill Jockey Records)
10. Ex-Wife - Everything Was Beautiful (Self-Released)
Michael's list:
1. Songs for Moms- I Used to Believe in the West
2. Stupid Party- s/t
3. Jeff the Brotherhood- Heavy Days
4. The Thermals- Now We Can See
5. Bad Blood Revival- Tongue Twisting Tunes for Tiny Tots
6. Dinosaur Jr.- Farm
7. Cheeky- What the Heck
8. Pissed Jeans- King of Jeans
9. Cheap Girls- My Roaring 20's
10. Jay Reatard- Watch Me Fall
11. ANS- Pressure Cracks
12. Batrider- Why We Can't Be Together
13. Batrider- Bag Wine Forever
14. King Tuff- Was Dead
15. Arctic Monkeys- Humbug
16. Ex-Wife- Everything Was Beautiful
17. Lighten Up- Absolutely Not
18. Super Furry Animals- Dark Days Light Years
19. Kreamy 'Lectric Santa- Operation Spacetime Cinderblock
20. Delay- Plain Language
[MySpace]
Dinowalrus
Fifteen Albums that Pete Dinowalrus Fell in Love with in 2009 that Didn't Come out in 2009
The Chameleons UK - Strange Times
Cows - Cunning Stunts
Dizzee Rascal - Maths and English
Warren G - Regulate...G Funk Era
Trans Am - Red Line
Giorgio Moroder - From Here to Eternity
Gong - Angel's Egg
Guns N' Roses - GNR Lies
Happy Mondays - Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Automatic
Neu - Neu 75
Venom - Welcome to Hell
Loop - Fade Out
Spectrum - Soul Kiss (Glide Divine)
Six Finger Satellite - Law of Ruins
[Dinowalrus MySpace]
Pterodactyl
grass widow - s/t (captured tracks)
dirty projectors - bitta orca
deerhunter - rainwater cassette exchange
yellowfever - s/t
telepathe - dance mother
strange boys - and girls club
pc worship - nyc stone age
marnie stern - this is it...
colorguard - shared planet
king tuff - was dead (Burger Records Reissue) - this one came out in 2008 I believe but this reissue was handed to us by a guy from Thee Makeout Party and blew our minds over and over and over again while on tour.
[Pterodactyl MySpace]
Screaming Females
Jarrett's list:
1. JEFF the brotherhood - Heavy Days (Infinity Cat Records)
2. Cheeky - What the Heck (Freedom School Records)
3. Stupid Party - s/t (Freedom School Records)
4. Songs for Moms - I Used to Believe in the West (Thrillhouse Records)
5. Bad Blood - Tongue Twisting Tunes for Tiny Tots (Dead Broke
Rekerds/ Sweet Dreams Records)
6. Mattress - Babystar Gallactica EP (Self-Released)
7. Teenage Cool Kids - Foreign Lands (Protagonist Music)
8. Delay - Plain Language (Plan-It-X Records/ Salinas Records)
9. Double Dagger - More (Thrill Jockey Records)
10. Ex-Wife - Everything Was Beautiful (Self-Released)
Michael's list:
1. Songs for Moms- I Used to Believe in the West
2. Stupid Party- s/t
3. Jeff the Brotherhood- Heavy Days
4. The Thermals- Now We Can See
5. Bad Blood Revival- Tongue Twisting Tunes for Tiny Tots
6. Dinosaur Jr.- Farm
7. Cheeky- What the Heck
8. Pissed Jeans- King of Jeans
9. Cheap Girls- My Roaring 20's
10. Jay Reatard- Watch Me Fall
11. ANS- Pressure Cracks
12. Batrider- Why We Can't Be Together
13. Batrider- Bag Wine Forever
14. King Tuff- Was Dead
15. Arctic Monkeys- Humbug
16. Ex-Wife- Everything Was Beautiful
17. Lighten Up- Absolutely Not
18. Super Furry Animals- Dark Days Light Years
19. Kreamy 'Lectric Santa- Operation Spacetime Cinderblock
20. Delay- Plain Language
[MySpace]
Dinowalrus
Fifteen Albums that Pete Dinowalrus Fell in Love with in 2009 that Didn't Come out in 2009
The Chameleons UK - Strange Times
Cows - Cunning Stunts
Dizzee Rascal - Maths and English
Warren G - Regulate...G Funk Era
Trans Am - Red Line
Giorgio Moroder - From Here to Eternity
Gong - Angel's Egg
Guns N' Roses - GNR Lies
Happy Mondays - Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Automatic
Neu - Neu 75
Venom - Welcome to Hell
Loop - Fade Out
Spectrum - Soul Kiss (Glide Divine)
Six Finger Satellite - Law of Ruins
[Dinowalrus MySpace]
Pterodactyl
grass widow - s/t (captured tracks)
dirty projectors - bitta orca
deerhunter - rainwater cassette exchange
yellowfever - s/t
telepathe - dance mother
strange boys - and girls club
pc worship - nyc stone age
marnie stern - this is it...
colorguard - shared planet
king tuff - was dead (Burger Records Reissue) - this one came out in 2008 I believe but this reissue was handed to us by a guy from Thee Makeout Party and blew our minds over and over and over again while on tour.
[Pterodactyl MySpace]
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