So ages ago, I went to Bruar Falls to see a band called Pregnant play and then I got really behind on my live reviews, so....
Passive Aggressor was playing when I showed up. I didn't see enough of their set to give a proper review, but they were a good poppy hardcore band with a female vocalist who went out into the audience and yelled like a serious mu'fucker. The band was tight and packed a punk and the show was spirited. [myspace]
They were actually the second band of the night. I missed the first act, called Zulus, but Shag of Shellshag was there and said they were really good. And if a recommendation from Shellshag isn't worth pursuing, I don't know what is. [myspace]
Next up, The Men had some good things going for them, but they don't seem to have worked out their sound yet. They're about 75% hardcore punk and 25% shoegaze, with massively loud guitar drones straight off Loveless. It's a great combination, but the effort seemed confused, particularly by the sequence of the set list, which started with pure shoegaze and then abruptly shifted to more straight-forward punk. The band also traded around instruments, which I always like - keeps things from getting too settled. But it's a delicate balance - variety and consistency, that is - the band has yet to really to strike the middle. Still, they combine some many of favorite things that I can't help but be excited - I'm going to keep an eye on these guys!
Pregnant were the highlight of the night for me. Cory from Stupid Party sent me an e-mail when he was drunk and told me they were his favorite band, and that's the best recommendation I can think of. At first, the awkward trio didn't strike me as special - good hardcore, but nothing to write home about.
But then, as their set went on, I began to notice the combination of complexity and tightness in their songs, the sweet riffs, the air-raid rumble of the bass, the chunky vocals and the wild way the band grappled and wrangled their instruments on stage. The best punk bands seem always to be fighting against their instruments rather than working with this. And here's an example in its finest form. Look out for Pregnant, there's something special about these kids. [myspace]
Showing posts with label Stupid Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stupid Party. Show all posts
Friday, April 2, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Upcoming Shows: Japanther, Titus Andronicus + more
Tomorrow, March 4
Japanther @ Mercury Lounge * LES, Manhattan * $12
They may be kind of full of themselves and annoying at times, but Japanther make some damn good and ofter underrated punk. It's heartfelt and youthful and they are releasing a record and the party is tomorrow so you should go hear them. Plus, their excellently-named friends Cerebral Ballzy are opening. [myspace]
Sunburned Hand of the Man @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
If Japanther are too conventional for your tastes, check out the highly experimental, psychedelic, folk inflected noise of Sunburned Hand of the Man. [myspace]
Friday, March 5
Shellshag, Stupid Party, the Measure, Groucho Marxists @ Cedar Mansion * Bushwick, Brooklyn
Everyone knows the best shows are house parties and everyone knows the best house party shows are hardcore punk and everyone knows the best punk rockers around the tri-state area these days hang around the Don Giovanni Records crowd. So it follows that now that you know this show exists, you also know it's the greatest show ever. Duh. [shellshag myspace] [stupid myspace] [measure myspace] [grouchy marxists myspace]
Saturday, March 6
Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, Babies @ Bowery Ballroom * LES, Manhattan * $13 adv. / $15 dos.
Titus Andronicus are another of the best hardcore bands around, though lately they've backed slightly off of the straight-up punk model and turned a bit slicker, rockier and more polished. They write good drinking songs and act like wild men on stage. Parts & Labor make great, dramatic, sweeping pop songs and then drown them out with massive amounts of noises. I haven't heard Babies yet, but it's members of Woods and Vivian Girls, so it's at least of interest. [titus myspace] [p&l myspace]
Sunday, March 7
Tyvek, Talk Normal, Awesome Color @ Market Hotel * Bushwick, Brooklyn
Tyvek come down from Michigan every now and then to play us some awesome punk songs. They are kind frail looking kids, like the kind who live in the basements of college libraries because they melt in sunlight. But they are kind of angry and have fun yelling about things in punk songs they write. Talk Normal are two weird ladies who make strange, droning songs with muttering and shouting and some erratic banging of a tom-tom. Awesome Color play punky psychedelic rock and look cool. [tyvek myspace] [talk myspace] [awesome myspace]
Monday, March 8
Dinowalrus doesn't list this show, but Cameo does, so check before you go. Dinowalrus make psychedelic experimental music that wanders around without losing track of its strong beats and melodies. It's a rare band that can so well balance being fun and accessible with being musically edgy and innovative. [myspace]
Update: No show. Just a private performance for a music school seminar. So never mind - but do check out Dinowalrus soon.
Tuesday, March 9
Aa, Screens, PC Worship @ Death by Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This should be an extremely rad show - three of Brooklyn's most original bands at its best venue. Aa are a Brooklyn mainstay with a highly percussive core. Their music is their rhythms and their rhythms are awesome. Screens are one of my new favorites, an experimental band with driving beats and rich, scared-sounding melodies. PC Worship are another new favorite. They often keep it toned down a bit, mixing quiet lo-fi songs with inspired sonic experiments. If you don't go to this show, you'll end up really regretting it. [aa myspace] [screens myspace] [pc myspace]
The long view...
March
10
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
11
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
Iran @ Knitting Factory
12-13
Henry Rollins @ The Fillmore
18
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
19
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
Oneida + Sightings @ Knitting Factory
23
Black Lips @ Brooklyn Bowl
24
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
25
Nada Surf play Let Go + surprise guest @ Bowery Ballroom
Jello Biafra and Guantanamo Schools of Medicine @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
26
Nada Surf play The Weight Is a Gift + surprise guest @ Bell House
Spoon, Deerhunter @ Radio City Music Hall
27
Nada Surf play Lucky + surprise guest @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
30
Big Pink, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Webster Hall
April
2
The Bronx, Japanther @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Captured Tracks Showcase: Blank Dogs, Wet Dog + more @ Glasslands
3
Soft Pack, Nodzzz, Male Bonding @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
6
The Bronx, Japanther @ Bowery Ballroom
8
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Webster Hall
10
Washed Out, Small Black @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
15
Liars @ Bowery Ballroom
18
Liars @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
21
Apples in Stereo @ Bowery Ballroom
May
3
Chapterhouse @ Bell House
Monday, March 1, 2010
Live: Jeff the Brotherhood, Screaming Females and Stupid Party
When: 2/23
Where: Death By Audio
This one is gonna be a bit short, because I recently reviewed all three of these bands. But the Death By Audio show was different enough to warrant a few words.
Stupid Party were themselves as they've been lately. There were too long instrumental parts and with their fourth member, they aren't able to be quite as charmingly reckless - at least not yet. But their slurring, unaffected grungy punk is still refreshing and they belt it out with the same fun. They're still the coolest kids in Brooklyn. [myspace]
Screaming Females followed. Their set was a far cry from their recent Bowery performance. At Bowery, the band nailed their rock songs with precision so fans of their albums could follow, note for note. At Death by Audio, though, the band let go. They rearranged their songs to create wide spaces for raging guitar solos and jamming. Familiar songs morphed into something entirely new while our generation's greatest guitar hero, the diminutive and frumpy Marissa Paternoster, cut loose, shredding her strings and our ears into oblivion.
Nothing is without its price, though. The band's reinvention cost them their usual tightness - a close listener could hear more than a few stumbles - and put a dent Paternoster's singing abilities, pitchwise. But the band sized up their audience correctly. The people cramming Death by Audio at midnight on a Tuesday were the band's most loyal fans, true music lovers and notably many musicians themselves (members of Titus Andronicus, Vivian Girls, Woods, Sisters, A Place to Bury Strangers and These Are Powers to name a few). It was an event for the indie community and the band provided its audience with something fresh, something DIY, something you just won't get at Bowery Ballroom or Terminal 5. [myspace]
Jeff the Brotherhood closed out the night with their usual masterful showmanship. Rocking the best riffs anyone's written in years, the two Orrall brothers sparked a moshpit that quickly engulfed at least half the room. They tossed out a couple of large inflatable aliens to surf the crowd, and these were soon joined by some terrestrial surfers, Jake Orrall included. Too my surprise, although we were crossing the 1 AM mark on a weeknight, the crowd did not thin at all. Wall to wall, fists pumped, heads banged and moppy hair flopped to the beat. [myspace]
The whole time, I was haunted by a little sadness. These bands can pack a room after midnight on a Tuesday and for fans who saw them first in crowds of twenty or thirty, this is the end of an era. The secret is out about both Screaming Females and Jeff the Brotherhood, and while that gives me hope for American culture, it also means bigger crowds cramming between me and the stage, the bands rapidly shrinking into the distance. It's right, but it's bittersweet. Congratulations, guys.
Where: Death By Audio
This one is gonna be a bit short, because I recently reviewed all three of these bands. But the Death By Audio show was different enough to warrant a few words.
Stupid Party were themselves as they've been lately. There were too long instrumental parts and with their fourth member, they aren't able to be quite as charmingly reckless - at least not yet. But their slurring, unaffected grungy punk is still refreshing and they belt it out with the same fun. They're still the coolest kids in Brooklyn. [myspace]
Screaming Females followed. Their set was a far cry from their recent Bowery performance. At Bowery, the band nailed their rock songs with precision so fans of their albums could follow, note for note. At Death by Audio, though, the band let go. They rearranged their songs to create wide spaces for raging guitar solos and jamming. Familiar songs morphed into something entirely new while our generation's greatest guitar hero, the diminutive and frumpy Marissa Paternoster, cut loose, shredding her strings and our ears into oblivion.
Nothing is without its price, though. The band's reinvention cost them their usual tightness - a close listener could hear more than a few stumbles - and put a dent Paternoster's singing abilities, pitchwise. But the band sized up their audience correctly. The people cramming Death by Audio at midnight on a Tuesday were the band's most loyal fans, true music lovers and notably many musicians themselves (members of Titus Andronicus, Vivian Girls, Woods, Sisters, A Place to Bury Strangers and These Are Powers to name a few). It was an event for the indie community and the band provided its audience with something fresh, something DIY, something you just won't get at Bowery Ballroom or Terminal 5. [myspace]
Jeff the Brotherhood closed out the night with their usual masterful showmanship. Rocking the best riffs anyone's written in years, the two Orrall brothers sparked a moshpit that quickly engulfed at least half the room. They tossed out a couple of large inflatable aliens to surf the crowd, and these were soon joined by some terrestrial surfers, Jake Orrall included. Too my surprise, although we were crossing the 1 AM mark on a weeknight, the crowd did not thin at all. Wall to wall, fists pumped, heads banged and moppy hair flopped to the beat. [myspace]
The whole time, I was haunted by a little sadness. These bands can pack a room after midnight on a Tuesday and for fans who saw them first in crowds of twenty or thirty, this is the end of an era. The secret is out about both Screaming Females and Jeff the Brotherhood, and while that gives me hope for American culture, it also means bigger crowds cramming between me and the stage, the bands rapidly shrinking into the distance. It's right, but it's bittersweet. Congratulations, guys.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Live: Stupid Party + Frankie & the Outs, Harlem
When: 2/12
Where: Monster Island Basement
Stupid Party is the shit and I've already made that perfectly clear. But this show at Monster Island was the first one where I really got a sense of the fourth member. Recklessness and a bare-bones sound are what makes Stupid Party so exciting, and the more players a band has, the less reckless they can be and needless to say, the more flesh they put on those musical bones.
I walked in to a extended instrumental section, and I was all like "who is this???" But then Cory Feiernan would start drunkenly* yelling into the microphone and I was all like "oh yeah, Stupid Party!" The instrumental bits were just kind of unspecial. They sounded fine, but when they lasted more than a few bars, the music lost its kick and its focus. When the songs stayed on target, though, they were as good as ever. And they added some slick, old school guitar solos too. Those don't yet sit fully comfortably in the music, but they are mad cool and I think they'll work their way in. Whatever happens, Stupid Party are still the shit and if you don't think so, they don't give a fuck and neither do I. [myspace]
Now Harlem I had mixed up with another band so I was extra disappointed to discover they're a happy-go-lucky cookie-cutter garage rock band. As this blog probably shows, I don't really like music that doesn't take risks. And Harlem is the opposite of risky. They smile and swing their guitars while playing backwards-looking, conservative music. B+ for effort but F for content. [myspace]
I stuck around to see Frankie & the Outs, the new vehicle for Crystal Stilts drummer and one-time Vivian Girl Frankie Rose. This show was the first time I'd seen Rose in guitarist/frontwoman role. She fit it well, as I figured she would. With her uncombed hair and oddball dresses, she's always cut a figure on stage and her personality is unchanged in front of the microphone.
However, unfortunately, her band is not so well suited for the job. She's found all-female group, which is super cool, but not all of the ladies selected are up to the task and frankly, personality-wise, some came off as pretty obnoxious. For one thing, they had a tambourine player. Tambourine was key in giving the music its faint Eastern European flavor, but gosh, get a drummer who can play it. It just looks gimmicky to have a girl up there waving a tambourine around. It looked to me that there were at least five or six members of the band, playing music that would only require four, and to my eyes, that makes the band a bit of a joke.
Sonically, however, they have potential. There were hints of the Crystal Stilt's dark post punk and of the Vivian Girls' lo-fi. However, the meandering melodies coupled with a certain flowing atmosphere set this apart from Rose's other projects. I'm not pissing my pants over this, or anything, but it's got some potential. We'll see. [myspace]
*I have no idea if Feiernan was or is ever drunk, but he sings like someone who's had a few dozen too many.
Where: Monster Island Basement
Stupid Party is the shit and I've already made that perfectly clear. But this show at Monster Island was the first one where I really got a sense of the fourth member. Recklessness and a bare-bones sound are what makes Stupid Party so exciting, and the more players a band has, the less reckless they can be and needless to say, the more flesh they put on those musical bones.
I walked in to a extended instrumental section, and I was all like "who is this???" But then Cory Feiernan would start drunkenly* yelling into the microphone and I was all like "oh yeah, Stupid Party!" The instrumental bits were just kind of unspecial. They sounded fine, but when they lasted more than a few bars, the music lost its kick and its focus. When the songs stayed on target, though, they were as good as ever. And they added some slick, old school guitar solos too. Those don't yet sit fully comfortably in the music, but they are mad cool and I think they'll work their way in. Whatever happens, Stupid Party are still the shit and if you don't think so, they don't give a fuck and neither do I. [myspace]
Now Harlem I had mixed up with another band so I was extra disappointed to discover they're a happy-go-lucky cookie-cutter garage rock band. As this blog probably shows, I don't really like music that doesn't take risks. And Harlem is the opposite of risky. They smile and swing their guitars while playing backwards-looking, conservative music. B+ for effort but F for content. [myspace]
I stuck around to see Frankie & the Outs, the new vehicle for Crystal Stilts drummer and one-time Vivian Girl Frankie Rose. This show was the first time I'd seen Rose in guitarist/frontwoman role. She fit it well, as I figured she would. With her uncombed hair and oddball dresses, she's always cut a figure on stage and her personality is unchanged in front of the microphone.
However, unfortunately, her band is not so well suited for the job. She's found all-female group, which is super cool, but not all of the ladies selected are up to the task and frankly, personality-wise, some came off as pretty obnoxious. For one thing, they had a tambourine player. Tambourine was key in giving the music its faint Eastern European flavor, but gosh, get a drummer who can play it. It just looks gimmicky to have a girl up there waving a tambourine around. It looked to me that there were at least five or six members of the band, playing music that would only require four, and to my eyes, that makes the band a bit of a joke.
Sonically, however, they have potential. There were hints of the Crystal Stilt's dark post punk and of the Vivian Girls' lo-fi. However, the meandering melodies coupled with a certain flowing atmosphere set this apart from Rose's other projects. I'm not pissing my pants over this, or anything, but it's got some potential. We'll see. [myspace]
*I have no idea if Feiernan was or is ever drunk, but he sings like someone who's had a few dozen too many.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Upcoming Shows: Fucked Up, Screaming Females, Trail of Dead + more
Tomorrow!!! Friday, February 19
Fucked Up + Kurt Vile, Frankie & the Outs @ Europa | Greenpoint, Brooklyn | $13
Fucked Up have redefined what hardcore punk can be. And they are one of the most powerful live acts you can see. [(unofficial) myspace]
Andrew WK @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan
Andrew WK y’all. Rock’n’roll pianist.
Secret Machines + Bear in Heaven @ Glasslands | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $12 / $15
Secret Machines once had a bit of a hit. Alt rock with just a touch of shoegaze, nothing to write home about. But if you like them, you should see them at Glasslands because it’s the coziest venue you’ll see them at.
Saturday, February 20
Pygmy Shrews @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE!
These guys are fucking awesome. They are hardcore mo’fos with song titles like "your party sucks." Their cutting distortion and feedback this like a bulldozer. And this show is free. [myspace]
Coyote Eyes, El Jezel @ Union Hall | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $8
Coyote Eyes is one of the most promising bands in Brooklyn, and they’re coming into their own more and more. Their dark web of sound is laced with captivating, catchy melodies. I haven’t heard El Jezel in a long time but they’re pretty okay themselves. [coyote myspace] [el jezel myspace]
Crystal Stilts + Beets, Beach Fossils, German Measles @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $13 adv. / $15 dos
Another big line-up of bands that think they are super cool. Unfortunately for all of us, the Crystal Stilts make some of the best music around. They have a pretty uninspiring live show, though. I’d skip this, but thought I’d let you know just in case. [myspace]
Sunday, February 21
Dum Dum Girls + Frankie Rose & the Outs @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $10
Dum Dum Girls are mostly one girl who is not dum at all. Her name is Dee Dee and she writes great songs and sings them well. She’s a little lo-fi, a little indie pop and maybe a little smidge punk. [myspace]
PRSMS, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Both these bands play aggressive experimental punk. PRSMS are great. UDM are not quite there yet, but they are certainly enjoyable. [prsms myspace] [uds myspace]
Tuesday, February 23
Screaming Females, Jeff the Brotherhood, Stupid Party @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Umm. This is only going to be like the greatest show ever. No big deal. Seriously, Screaming Females are the best rock band on earth right now. Jeff the Brotherhood are not very far behind and Stupid Party, more than any other band right now, represent what is good and right in punk. See, you probably think I am exaggerating, but I’m not. Three of the best bands ON THE FRIGGIN’ PLANET at the best venue I know. [screaming myspace] [jeff myspace] [stupid myspace]
Her Vanished Grace @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | FREE!
The only reason you should miss the above show is if you’re dead. But if you’re dead, you might try this one, because it’s free. Her Vanished Grace is a great noise pop band who know how to take control of a stage. Great melodies, great songs, great noise, they’ve got it. [myspace]
Wednesday, February 24
…and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (original line-up) @ Union Pool | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I am trying to figure out if I am hallucinating this listing. You had better double check. [myspace]
The long view...
February
26
Wild Beasts @ Bowery Ballroom (Sold Out!)
27
Glenn Branca (record release) @ Le Poisson Rouge
28
Wild Beasts @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Shilpa Ray, Asa Ransom @ Cameo
Shoot Spires (mems. Parts & Labor), Pterodactyl, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Union Pool
March
4
Japanther @ Mercury Lounge
5
Muse, the Silversun Pickups @ Madison Square Garden
6
Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, Babies @ Bowery Ballroom
7
Awesome Color, Tyvek, Talk Normal @ Market Hotel
Washed Out, Small Black @ Mercury Lounge (sold out)
8
Dinowalrus @ Cameo
Washed Out, Small Black @ Mercury Lounge (sold out)
9
Aa, Screens @ Death By Audio
101
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
11
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
Iran @ Knitting Factory
12-13
Henry Rollins @ The Fillmore
18
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
19
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
Oneida + Sightings @ Knitting Factory
23
Black Lips @ Brooklyn Bowl
24
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
25
Nada Surf play Let Go + surprise guest @ Bowery Ballroom
Jello Biafra and Guantanamo Schools of Medicine @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
26
Nada Surf play The Weight Is a Gift + surprise guest @ Bell House
Spoon, Deerhunter @ Radio City Music Hall
27
Nada Surf play Lucky + surprise guest @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
30
Big Pink, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Webster Hall
April
2
The Bronx, Japanther @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Captured Tracks Showcase: Blank Dogs, Wet Dog + more @ Glasslands
3
Soft Pack, Nodzzz, Male Bonding @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
6
The Bronx, Japanther @ Bowery Ballroom
8
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Webster Hall
10
Washed Out, Small Black @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
15
Liars @ Bowery Ballroom
18
Liars @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
21
Apples in Stereo @ Bowery Ballroom
May
3
Chapterhouse @ Bell House
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Guest List: Best Live Acts of 2009
The ever alluring "Jasper" put together a list of best live acts he saw in 2009. I threw in links to any reviews I wrote of those shows we saw together.
#15 Sonic Youth put on a just plain great rock show. The fact that they are an essential piece of rock n' holl history in the flesh and the props they get for still doing it this well 30 years later is what elevates them above the hundreds of other great rock shows this year and earns them a place here.
(RFR Review)
#14 Animal Collective makes truly unique and often astounding music, but their shows are about more than just reproducing it live. Considering how many of their tracks are either heavily produced or exude a very personal, almost private, feeling, it is impressive how they transform them to fill the vast concert halls they now frequent. Combined with their quirky, honest, no holds barred stage presence and you have a show unlike any other. Were it not for the occasionally excessive jam sessions, they would have been higher in this list.
(Jasper Full Review)
#13 JEFF the Brotherhood are gritty, loud and rambunctious, yet still technically polished. Simply put, their shows have been some of the most fun I've been to all year. In a underground music culture rife of overly self-conscious, pretentious and just plain wimpy hipster cliches, two guys unafraid to play good old rock n' roll (that is nonetheless innovative) and mean it are as ballsy as they are refreshing.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#12 That the Vandelles' shows make you simultaneously want to dance and sing along AND cower in a corner with your hands pressed tightly against your ears is impressive enough. Throw in a charismatic front man and a drummer whose unmatched aggression only adds to her sex appeal and you've got one hell of a show. Who am I kidding? The whole band is exceptionally good looking and know how to work it and as much as we hardcore music fans want to tell ourselves that it's all about the music, we're only human.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#11 Titus Andronicus - Though I could never much get into listening to their albums, I have to admit that the TA shows I've been to have been some of the best all year. Committed and adept performers, they inspire a contagious enthusiasm in their fans. Beyond that, they embody the true spirit of punk: agressive and confrontational, yet communal and inclusive.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#10 Stupid Party - Forget committed, these guys are just plain nuts. With equal parts agression and abandon, they appear to pour every fiber of their beings into their shows yet exude the spontaneous joy of kids at a playground.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#9 Lightning Bolt - Never had I been to a show where the entire room erupted into a mosh pit at the musician's first touch of his instrument - and that was just the sound check! We all know that they are supremely skilled musicians, but there is something in their music that transcends technical virtuosity and sends a jolt through their fans unlike anything else I have yet witnessed.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#8 Beluga - Plenty of bands have loud guitars, infectious hooks and effective arrangements. Few have a striking front woman who refuses to remain still, dances with the audience and writhes on the floor. This is the real thing kids, don't miss it!
(RFR Review)
#7 Screaming Females shows are all about the uninhibited yet astoundingly skilled antics of front woman Marissa Paternoster. She sings and screams and shreds with an aggression and technical prowess not typically associated with diminutive women - but boy does she show 'em how it's done.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#6 ...And You Will know Us by the Trail of the Dead put on shows as sweeping and dramatic as their name, without the off-putting excess that's often part of the package. How? They deliver every note and word with unwavering and uninhibited passion. They are truly one of the most powerful bands I have ever witnessed.
(RFR Review)
#5 Fucked Up also perform with grandeur and power uncommon in today's hyper self-aware landscape, although their shows are as much about sonic assault as they are moving their audience emotionally. Not in years (dare I say, since Black Flag?) has anyone so raw been compelling on so many levels - visceral, emotional and intellectual.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#4 A Place to Bury Strangers - Speaking of sonic assault, these guys do it better than anyone I know of on the scene today, while simultaneously undermining any image of themselves as traditional rock stars by obscuring their own figures with smoke and strobe lights. To witness their shows is not so much to encounter a rock band but a force of nature.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#3 No Age - This one might not be be fair since they are a perennial favorite of mine, but I am hard pressed to think of any band that, no matter where or how many times I see them, it is literally one of the most fun nights of my entire year. Sophisticated, shoegaze influenced soundscapes are backed by a good ol' fasion punk rock spirit. Also, their shows always seem to inspire an unusually spirited yet mostly non-violent mosh pit. Don't miss these guys the next time they come around!
(RFR Review, sort of)
#2 Pterodactyl have pretty much everything I have pointed out so far that makes a great live band: charisma, visceral force, technical prowess, a hint of insanity, a whole lot of fun and the sense that they really mean it. But what puts them ahead of the pack is their undeniable musical originality and, more importantly, the fact that their live shows evolve continually. Rather than finding a formula for success and sticking with it, every Pterodactyl show I've seen has been distinct: sometimes loud and abrasive, sometimes poppy and sing-songy, sometimes noisy and experimental (not to mention, all of these at once). While every band on this list puts on a great show and has something unique to offer, this extra level of risk-taking is exceedingly rare.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3 / 4)
#1 Ponytail - I've detailed the characteristics I value in a live band so many times by this point that to list everything good about Ponytail's shows would be redundant. Suffice it to say they have it all and take much of it just one step further than the rest (in particular, the antics of their lead vocalist, who is physically small but larger than life in sound and personality). What is really extraordinary and different about their shows however, has as much to do with the atmosphere as what the band is actually doing on stage: to be at a Ponytail show is to be surrounded by hundreds of kids literally jumping up and down for experimental free-form noise rock.
This uncommon combination of spontaneous joy and high-art appreciation among fans points to what makes Ponytail's music and their shows so striking and important: their ability to synthesize disparate or even seemingly contradictory qualities. Their music is at once visceral and intellectual, arty yet fun, experimental yet widely appealing. In this way, Ponytail represents all that rock music can be, in the tradition of some of my greatest heroes like the Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth. Such a comparison is a high compliment indeed; however, what makes Ponytail even greater is that they do not achieve what these bands did by aping them. Rather, their music is some of the most original and truly unique out there today. So there you have it: a band that both returns to what was so awesome about the greatest of the past and moves the the art form forward into the future.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#15 Sonic Youth put on a just plain great rock show. The fact that they are an essential piece of rock n' holl history in the flesh and the props they get for still doing it this well 30 years later is what elevates them above the hundreds of other great rock shows this year and earns them a place here.
(RFR Review)
#14 Animal Collective makes truly unique and often astounding music, but their shows are about more than just reproducing it live. Considering how many of their tracks are either heavily produced or exude a very personal, almost private, feeling, it is impressive how they transform them to fill the vast concert halls they now frequent. Combined with their quirky, honest, no holds barred stage presence and you have a show unlike any other. Were it not for the occasionally excessive jam sessions, they would have been higher in this list.
(Jasper Full Review)
#13 JEFF the Brotherhood are gritty, loud and rambunctious, yet still technically polished. Simply put, their shows have been some of the most fun I've been to all year. In a underground music culture rife of overly self-conscious, pretentious and just plain wimpy hipster cliches, two guys unafraid to play good old rock n' roll (that is nonetheless innovative) and mean it are as ballsy as they are refreshing.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#12 That the Vandelles' shows make you simultaneously want to dance and sing along AND cower in a corner with your hands pressed tightly against your ears is impressive enough. Throw in a charismatic front man and a drummer whose unmatched aggression only adds to her sex appeal and you've got one hell of a show. Who am I kidding? The whole band is exceptionally good looking and know how to work it and as much as we hardcore music fans want to tell ourselves that it's all about the music, we're only human.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#11 Titus Andronicus - Though I could never much get into listening to their albums, I have to admit that the TA shows I've been to have been some of the best all year. Committed and adept performers, they inspire a contagious enthusiasm in their fans. Beyond that, they embody the true spirit of punk: agressive and confrontational, yet communal and inclusive.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#10 Stupid Party - Forget committed, these guys are just plain nuts. With equal parts agression and abandon, they appear to pour every fiber of their beings into their shows yet exude the spontaneous joy of kids at a playground.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#9 Lightning Bolt - Never had I been to a show where the entire room erupted into a mosh pit at the musician's first touch of his instrument - and that was just the sound check! We all know that they are supremely skilled musicians, but there is something in their music that transcends technical virtuosity and sends a jolt through their fans unlike anything else I have yet witnessed.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#8 Beluga - Plenty of bands have loud guitars, infectious hooks and effective arrangements. Few have a striking front woman who refuses to remain still, dances with the audience and writhes on the floor. This is the real thing kids, don't miss it!
(RFR Review)
#7 Screaming Females shows are all about the uninhibited yet astoundingly skilled antics of front woman Marissa Paternoster. She sings and screams and shreds with an aggression and technical prowess not typically associated with diminutive women - but boy does she show 'em how it's done.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#6 ...And You Will know Us by the Trail of the Dead put on shows as sweeping and dramatic as their name, without the off-putting excess that's often part of the package. How? They deliver every note and word with unwavering and uninhibited passion. They are truly one of the most powerful bands I have ever witnessed.
(RFR Review)
#5 Fucked Up also perform with grandeur and power uncommon in today's hyper self-aware landscape, although their shows are as much about sonic assault as they are moving their audience emotionally. Not in years (dare I say, since Black Flag?) has anyone so raw been compelling on so many levels - visceral, emotional and intellectual.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#4 A Place to Bury Strangers - Speaking of sonic assault, these guys do it better than anyone I know of on the scene today, while simultaneously undermining any image of themselves as traditional rock stars by obscuring their own figures with smoke and strobe lights. To witness their shows is not so much to encounter a rock band but a force of nature.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#3 No Age - This one might not be be fair since they are a perennial favorite of mine, but I am hard pressed to think of any band that, no matter where or how many times I see them, it is literally one of the most fun nights of my entire year. Sophisticated, shoegaze influenced soundscapes are backed by a good ol' fasion punk rock spirit. Also, their shows always seem to inspire an unusually spirited yet mostly non-violent mosh pit. Don't miss these guys the next time they come around!
(RFR Review, sort of)
#2 Pterodactyl have pretty much everything I have pointed out so far that makes a great live band: charisma, visceral force, technical prowess, a hint of insanity, a whole lot of fun and the sense that they really mean it. But what puts them ahead of the pack is their undeniable musical originality and, more importantly, the fact that their live shows evolve continually. Rather than finding a formula for success and sticking with it, every Pterodactyl show I've seen has been distinct: sometimes loud and abrasive, sometimes poppy and sing-songy, sometimes noisy and experimental (not to mention, all of these at once). While every band on this list puts on a great show and has something unique to offer, this extra level of risk-taking is exceedingly rare.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3 / 4)
#1 Ponytail - I've detailed the characteristics I value in a live band so many times by this point that to list everything good about Ponytail's shows would be redundant. Suffice it to say they have it all and take much of it just one step further than the rest (in particular, the antics of their lead vocalist, who is physically small but larger than life in sound and personality). What is really extraordinary and different about their shows however, has as much to do with the atmosphere as what the band is actually doing on stage: to be at a Ponytail show is to be surrounded by hundreds of kids literally jumping up and down for experimental free-form noise rock.
This uncommon combination of spontaneous joy and high-art appreciation among fans points to what makes Ponytail's music and their shows so striking and important: their ability to synthesize disparate or even seemingly contradictory qualities. Their music is at once visceral and intellectual, arty yet fun, experimental yet widely appealing. In this way, Ponytail represents all that rock music can be, in the tradition of some of my greatest heroes like the Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth. Such a comparison is a high compliment indeed; however, what makes Ponytail even greater is that they do not achieve what these bands did by aping them. Rather, their music is some of the most original and truly unique out there today. So there you have it: a band that both returns to what was so awesome about the greatest of the past and moves the the art form forward into the future.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
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]
Monday, December 14, 2009
Live: Stupid Party, Shellshag, Slingshot Dakota
When: 11/28
Where: Death By Audio
What more can I say about Stupid Party? They are too cool for words. They bang out punky rock and roll with raw energy and a fuck-all attitude. There has been one change, and it's a biggie - the addition of a second guitarist. Ultimately, it wasn't nearly as disastrous as it could have been. Adding a member usually seems to cramp everyone's style, but from what I could gather in this situation, it just helped jack everything up a level. I'm not sold yet - I can still see it weighing the band down and costing them spontaneity. I'll check them out again soon and report back. [MySpace]
I'd never heard Slingshot Dakota before and frankly, they confused the hell out of me. There's a dude who plays drums and a chick who plays keyboards and they both sing (though she sings more) and the whole concept provoked my immediate disdain cause I like guitar and keyboards are usually cheesy. And here's the thing - it was cheesy! The band just played sappy, over-the-top pop songs. Yuck! Right?
But for some reason, I really liked it. The band slammed out their songs with passionate disregard for precision. Each number came out as one simple, sloppy, heartfelt wail. Carly Commando's voice is perfect, tuneful and strong, but with raw, punk-rock abandon. The music as a whole comes unrefined, unpolished and desperate from the bands' hearts to your ears.
The only real problem came between songs. This is one of those bands that thinks it's a super idea to tell everyone what all the songs are about, which kind of ruins them for me. I'd enjoy a song more not knowing for sure that it's about a van. They also got a bit preachy, with the longest little speech regarding sexual assault and rape in the indie scene. I have mixed feelings about this - they said to anyone out there who's experienced this, "we believe you." On the one hand, as a human being, I can't fault anyone for using whatever platform they have to give that message - having someone say they believe you is so necessary and so much harder to come by that it should be, and I'm sure there was more than one person the audience who life was touched by hearing those words. But the music critic in me was unhappy because it indicated that the songs were moralistic,* and if there's one thing I hate, it's overtly preachy music. I prefer to think of music's messages as more sublime. That said, if you have to go all political and have "messages," at least this one is personal.
All rambling aside, I would definitely go to hear this band again. And I'd buy their albums too. In fact, I'm getting a little antsy not being able to get my hands on their music right this second. [MySpace]
Shellshag recently played at my Radio Flyer Review showcase, so I can't decide if reviewing them so close to that is tacky or not. It's definitely not as tacky as reviewing them immediately beforehand, though.
Shellshag are an awesome duo with drums and guitar. I think they are certifiable, which is why they are so awesome live. You just never know quite what to expect - except awesomeness, obviously. They play very minimal hardcore music with out-in-the-open vocals and unconventional drums (a tom-based kit and a drummer with bells tied around her so she has to bounce around in time to the music). At the end of the set, they smashed a drum. [MySpace]
* "Moralistic" does not equal "moral."
Where: Death By Audio
What more can I say about Stupid Party? They are too cool for words. They bang out punky rock and roll with raw energy and a fuck-all attitude. There has been one change, and it's a biggie - the addition of a second guitarist. Ultimately, it wasn't nearly as disastrous as it could have been. Adding a member usually seems to cramp everyone's style, but from what I could gather in this situation, it just helped jack everything up a level. I'm not sold yet - I can still see it weighing the band down and costing them spontaneity. I'll check them out again soon and report back. [MySpace]
I'd never heard Slingshot Dakota before and frankly, they confused the hell out of me. There's a dude who plays drums and a chick who plays keyboards and they both sing (though she sings more) and the whole concept provoked my immediate disdain cause I like guitar and keyboards are usually cheesy. And here's the thing - it was cheesy! The band just played sappy, over-the-top pop songs. Yuck! Right?
But for some reason, I really liked it. The band slammed out their songs with passionate disregard for precision. Each number came out as one simple, sloppy, heartfelt wail. Carly Commando's voice is perfect, tuneful and strong, but with raw, punk-rock abandon. The music as a whole comes unrefined, unpolished and desperate from the bands' hearts to your ears.
The only real problem came between songs. This is one of those bands that thinks it's a super idea to tell everyone what all the songs are about, which kind of ruins them for me. I'd enjoy a song more not knowing for sure that it's about a van. They also got a bit preachy, with the longest little speech regarding sexual assault and rape in the indie scene. I have mixed feelings about this - they said to anyone out there who's experienced this, "we believe you." On the one hand, as a human being, I can't fault anyone for using whatever platform they have to give that message - having someone say they believe you is so necessary and so much harder to come by that it should be, and I'm sure there was more than one person the audience who life was touched by hearing those words. But the music critic in me was unhappy because it indicated that the songs were moralistic,* and if there's one thing I hate, it's overtly preachy music. I prefer to think of music's messages as more sublime. That said, if you have to go all political and have "messages," at least this one is personal.
All rambling aside, I would definitely go to hear this band again. And I'd buy their albums too. In fact, I'm getting a little antsy not being able to get my hands on their music right this second. [MySpace]
Shellshag recently played at my Radio Flyer Review showcase, so I can't decide if reviewing them so close to that is tacky or not. It's definitely not as tacky as reviewing them immediately beforehand, though.
Shellshag are an awesome duo with drums and guitar. I think they are certifiable, which is why they are so awesome live. You just never know quite what to expect - except awesomeness, obviously. They play very minimal hardcore music with out-in-the-open vocals and unconventional drums (a tom-based kit and a drummer with bells tied around her so she has to bounce around in time to the music). At the end of the set, they smashed a drum. [MySpace]
* "Moralistic" does not equal "moral."
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
In celebration, here is a list of the ten bands I am the most thankful exist right now. In alphabetical order because I love them all equally(ish).
The Antlers - Definitely the wimpiest band on this list, but wimpy doesn't necessarily mean unedgy. This music explores the traumas of abuse and loss with nearly unparalleled honesty. It's the kind of music that will save lives. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Fucked Up - This band is, as I've previously explained, the superman of punk rock. They give closet punks like me hope. [RFR Review] [Unofficial MySpace]
Jeff the Brotherhood - This is what rock music is about. Great songs, aggressive guitars, powerful drums and sheer awesomeness. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Marnie Stern - Marnie proves that electric guitar can still be groundbreaking, if you play it weirdly enough. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Ponytail - Ponytail is one of the most refreshingly original bands of the decade. After half a century of rock music, it's hard to sound totally new, but there's just no one else on earth who sounds like this. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Pterodactyl - Pterodactyl are on this list for mostly the same reason as Ponytail. They don't sound like anyone else. There is no reference point. Unlike Ponytail, they keep the song/melody-orientation of most popular music, but they've found a way to be exciting while still accessible. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Screaming Females - If anyone can save rock music from the disaffected, icy grasp of the hipsters, it's these guys. They pretty much take everything that's ever been good about rock music, distill it into great pop songs with raging guitars, and somehow make it sound relevant to 2009. And their passion for their music is the ultimate anti-hipster statement. Anyone who hears them will have to admit rock is better this way. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Stupid Party - This band has a truly independent spirit. You can tell from watching them on stage, they just don't give a fuck about any bullshit. They want to make their songs come out of their instruments and probably to drink some beer afterwards. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Titus Andronicus - This band restored my faith in hardcore punk. While the thrashy Fucked Up is thoroughly experimental, Titus Andronicus keep it more old school at the core. Still, it's not outdated. Songs about classic paintings and the New Jersey suburbs are definitely post-2000. And while many bands touch on subjects like these, most do it in a despicably unaware celebration of their personally privileged backgrounds. Titus Andronicus comes from an entirely different angle, expressing themselves with intelligent questioning, raw emotion and a truly worldly perspective. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Wavves - The indie scene was in bad need of another band like Wipers or Flipper. And we got it with Wavves. All distorted guitars and brilliant melodies, no hyper-selfawareness and no crap. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
The Antlers - Definitely the wimpiest band on this list, but wimpy doesn't necessarily mean unedgy. This music explores the traumas of abuse and loss with nearly unparalleled honesty. It's the kind of music that will save lives. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Fucked Up - This band is, as I've previously explained, the superman of punk rock. They give closet punks like me hope. [RFR Review] [Unofficial MySpace]
Jeff the Brotherhood - This is what rock music is about. Great songs, aggressive guitars, powerful drums and sheer awesomeness. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Marnie Stern - Marnie proves that electric guitar can still be groundbreaking, if you play it weirdly enough. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Ponytail - Ponytail is one of the most refreshingly original bands of the decade. After half a century of rock music, it's hard to sound totally new, but there's just no one else on earth who sounds like this. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Pterodactyl - Pterodactyl are on this list for mostly the same reason as Ponytail. They don't sound like anyone else. There is no reference point. Unlike Ponytail, they keep the song/melody-orientation of most popular music, but they've found a way to be exciting while still accessible. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Screaming Females - If anyone can save rock music from the disaffected, icy grasp of the hipsters, it's these guys. They pretty much take everything that's ever been good about rock music, distill it into great pop songs with raging guitars, and somehow make it sound relevant to 2009. And their passion for their music is the ultimate anti-hipster statement. Anyone who hears them will have to admit rock is better this way. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Stupid Party - This band has a truly independent spirit. You can tell from watching them on stage, they just don't give a fuck about any bullshit. They want to make their songs come out of their instruments and probably to drink some beer afterwards. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Titus Andronicus - This band restored my faith in hardcore punk. While the thrashy Fucked Up is thoroughly experimental, Titus Andronicus keep it more old school at the core. Still, it's not outdated. Songs about classic paintings and the New Jersey suburbs are definitely post-2000. And while many bands touch on subjects like these, most do it in a despicably unaware celebration of their personally privileged backgrounds. Titus Andronicus comes from an entirely different angle, expressing themselves with intelligent questioning, raw emotion and a truly worldly perspective. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Wavves - The indie scene was in bad need of another band like Wipers or Flipper. And we got it with Wavves. All distorted guitars and brilliant melodies, no hyper-selfawareness and no crap. [RFR Review] [MySpace]
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Screaming Females, Meat Puppets + more
TOMORROW!!! Wednesday, November 25
Meat Puppets @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $16 adv. / $18 dos.
The Meat Puppets formed in the earliest years of hardcore punk and were immeasurably influential on the West Coast scene. Their countryfied punk is the best of its kind. And don't be scared of the word "countryfied" (unless you're scared of made up words), because it's so punk in spirit, with a steady stream of bright, major-key guitar riffs, that it won't bother even the worst country-music hater. Seriously, the Meat Puppets!!! [MySpace]
Screaming Females, So So Glos @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $8 adv. / $10 dos.
Screaming Females are single-handedly saving rock music from the hipsters. This NJ trio is fronted by guitar hero (and literal screaming female) Marissa Paternoster, with two non-screaming non-females making up a masterful rhythm section. The band is simply writing the best rock music of anyone around - solid riffs, great tunes and, well, screaming. They will remind you of everything good about punk rock, everything good about the early 90's and everything good about electric guitar. The So So Glos are a great hardcore punk band, so you get even more bang for your buck. [SF MySpace] [SF RFR Review] [SSG MySpace] [SSG RFR Review]
Sonic Youth @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT!
If you aren't going to see Sonic Youth tonight to free up tomorrow for either of the shows above, I think you're making a mistake. Anyway, this show is sold out but I'm sure it's worth a try to see Sonic Youth in such a good venue.
The Pixies @ Hammerstein Ballroom | Midtown, Manhattan | SOLD OUT (I think)
If you didn't go to see the Pixies at their other Doolittle shows this week, and you have to miss Meat Puppets or Screaming Females to see them, that's your own fault. They also have a 1 AM show that's not sold out and costs over $60. I have no idea what's up with that.
Friday, November 27
Fuck Buttons, Growing @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
This is some great experimental music involving lots of loud electronics (both bands). I mean, really great. Go see it! [FB MySpace] [Growing MySpace]
Saturday, November 28
Stupid Party, Shellshag @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Are there two punk NYC punk bands I love more than these two? Stupid Party are as cool as their name implies. They play their songs like they are mad at them. Shellshag, who are also playing my December 4 show at Monster Island Basement, are a duo who write really good pop songs and then annihilate them with distortion and yelling. [SP MySpace] [SP RFR Review] [Shell MySpace]
The long view...
December
2
The Mountain Goats @ Bell House
4
Radio Flyer Review presents Shellshag, Sisters, Big Troubles & the Sundelles @ Monster Island Basement!!!!!!
7
Jeff the Brotherhood, Dinowalrus, Sisters, Coin Under Tongue + DJ set by Stupid Party @ Mercury Lounge <<certainly the best line-up since Woodstock. Actually, better, because Sha-Na-Na isn't playing.
10
Reagan Youth @ Trash Bar
11
Fiery Furnaces @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Forgetters (mems Jawbreaker, Against Me) @ Market Hotel
12
Fiery Furnaces @ Bowery Ballroom
13
Blank Dogs + Silk Flowers @ Monster Island Basement
14
The Slits + Sisters, Sundelles @ Highline Ballroom
15
The Antlers @ Bowery Ballroom
16
Raekwon @ The Fillmore
17
The For Carnation @ Knitting Factory
Black Dogs, Led Er Est @ Death By Audio
Pterodactyl @ Cameo
29-31
Patti Smith @ Bowery Ballroom
January
15
Gang Gang Dance, DJ/Rupture @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
16
Dinosaur Jr @ Bowery Ballroom
17
Dinosaur Jr @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
25
Cheap Trick @ The Fillmore
29-30
Mission of Burma @ Bowery Ballroom
February
9
Residents @ Webster Hall
13
Magnetic Fields @ Brooklyn Academy of Music
Monday, November 16, 2009
Live: Stupid Party
When: Halloween
Where: Bruar Falls
I went to see Stupid Party play on Halloween, which is an indication of how much I love them - I missed much of the Yankees game, during the friggin' World Series. Right there, that should tell you this is a band worth seeing.
Their set was pretty much what their sets have been in the past. They write great little songs and then pound them out like they are furious at the great little songs and want to kill them. They aren't technically inept but seem always to be playing music on the cusp of their abilities. The whole thing sounds like it could fall apart at any second. Which is exactly what makes this one of the best bands in NYC.
The performance was their usual, which means awesome. They make some poorly enunciated jokes between songs and although they don't have as much physical movement as many bands, when they play, you feel like they are subtly wrestling their guitars to death. Not smashing them, just strangling them without making a big fuss.
I wish I had something new or more insightful to say about this band, but it's just so simple. They are punchy and raw, they have great tunes and great musical chemistry. And they don't give a fuck. It really does not get any better than this.
[MySpace]
Where: Bruar Falls
I went to see Stupid Party play on Halloween, which is an indication of how much I love them - I missed much of the Yankees game, during the friggin' World Series. Right there, that should tell you this is a band worth seeing.
Their set was pretty much what their sets have been in the past. They write great little songs and then pound them out like they are furious at the great little songs and want to kill them. They aren't technically inept but seem always to be playing music on the cusp of their abilities. The whole thing sounds like it could fall apart at any second. Which is exactly what makes this one of the best bands in NYC.
The performance was their usual, which means awesome. They make some poorly enunciated jokes between songs and although they don't have as much physical movement as many bands, when they play, you feel like they are subtly wrestling their guitars to death. Not smashing them, just strangling them without making a big fuss.
I wish I had something new or more insightful to say about this band, but it's just so simple. They are punchy and raw, they have great tunes and great musical chemistry. And they don't give a fuck. It really does not get any better than this.
[MySpace]
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Lightning Bolt, Stupid Party + more
Friday, October 30
Lightning Bolt + Black Dice @ Above the Auto Parts Store | Bushwick, Brooklyn (near Market Hotel)
Lightning Bolt are a post-hardcore band that play drums and bass at 10,000 mph, with enough distortion to singe off your eyebrows. They just put out what's possibly their best album yet. [RFR Live Review] [MySpace]
Saturday, October 31 (some sort of holiday, I gather)
Stupid Party @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $5 w costume / $8 without
I like Stupid Party. They are so badass. They are a punk-ish sort of band that is giving the finger to everyone else with their wild noise, sweet hooks and rawkus shows. Most importantly, they are way more down to earth than 99% of Brooklyn bands, and are 99 times more fun to watch. [RFR Live Review] [MySpace]
Monday, November 2
Knight School @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE
I couldn't not list this show, because it's FREE!!! Knight School are a fuzzy lo-fi pop band with some first-class melodies. They are noisy enough and rough enough around the edges to avoid the wussiness of many of their peers. [MySpace]
Lightning Bolt + Black Dice @ Above the Auto Parts Store | Bushwick, Brooklyn (near Market Hotel)
Lightning Bolt are a post-hardcore band that play drums and bass at 10,000 mph, with enough distortion to singe off your eyebrows. They just put out what's possibly their best album yet. [RFR Live Review] [MySpace]
Saturday, October 31 (some sort of holiday, I gather)
Stupid Party @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $5 w costume / $8 without
I like Stupid Party. They are so badass. They are a punk-ish sort of band that is giving the finger to everyone else with their wild noise, sweet hooks and rawkus shows. Most importantly, they are way more down to earth than 99% of Brooklyn bands, and are 99 times more fun to watch. [RFR Live Review] [MySpace]
Monday, November 2
Knight School @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE
I couldn't not list this show, because it's FREE!!! Knight School are a fuzzy lo-fi pop band with some first-class melodies. They are noisy enough and rough enough around the edges to avoid the wussiness of many of their peers. [MySpace]
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Teenage Jesus & the Jerks + more
Tomorrow!! Thursday, October 1
Faust @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $20
WFMU has been one of NYC's best radio stations for the half century of their existence. Their three-day festival at MHOW is positively amazing, opening with a Thursday night show headlined by Faust. Faust, formed in 1969, was one of the first and greatest Krautrock bands, laying much of the groundwork for post punk, art rock and electronica for decades to come.
Coin Under Tongue @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brookly
If Krautrock gives you a headache, check out post-hardcore sludge-punks Coin Under Tongue in their home space at Death By Audio.
Saturday, October 3
Teenage Jesus & the Jerks @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $20
WFMU does it again, bringing their mini-fest to an outstanding close. Teenage Jesus was the quintessential band of the highly arty No Wave scene in NYC in the late 70's. Fronted by the ever-scary crazed queen of the New York avant garde, Lydia Lunch, Teenage Jesus deconstructs punk music to its most intense core. The band is simply without equal.
Monday, October 5
Stupid Party @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg Brooklyn
Stupid Party is one of my new favorites around town. Their in-your-face mess of noise boasts melodies and rhythms slammed out with sloppy passion. Uncompromising and original, Stupid Party is a must-see. [MySpace]
Faust @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $20
WFMU has been one of NYC's best radio stations for the half century of their existence. Their three-day festival at MHOW is positively amazing, opening with a Thursday night show headlined by Faust. Faust, formed in 1969, was one of the first and greatest Krautrock bands, laying much of the groundwork for post punk, art rock and electronica for decades to come.
Coin Under Tongue @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brookly
If Krautrock gives you a headache, check out post-hardcore sludge-punks Coin Under Tongue in their home space at Death By Audio.
Saturday, October 3
Teenage Jesus & the Jerks @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $20
WFMU does it again, bringing their mini-fest to an outstanding close. Teenage Jesus was the quintessential band of the highly arty No Wave scene in NYC in the late 70's. Fronted by the ever-scary crazed queen of the New York avant garde, Lydia Lunch, Teenage Jesus deconstructs punk music to its most intense core. The band is simply without equal.
Monday, October 5
Stupid Party @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg Brooklyn
Stupid Party is one of my new favorites around town. Their in-your-face mess of noise boasts melodies and rhythms slammed out with sloppy passion. Uncompromising and original, Stupid Party is a must-see. [MySpace]
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Wavves, Werewolves
Not a lot of good shows going on this week, at least not inspiring enough to override my lazy desire not to write up shows this week. But this weekend...
Friday, September 25
Wavves @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
Wavves suck and can barely play their instruments. But they are so fuckin' awesome. They are nice kids who write catchy little songs full of distortion and play them with enthusiasm and energy. One of the best. [MySpace]
Saturday, September 26
Werewolves @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
WEREWOLVES!!!!!!!! Man do I ever love this band. They are hard to describe, because their music spans the entire psychedelic spectrum, from late 60's rock and early garage rock to post punk and shoegaze. If you can imagine Kevin Shields playing guitar for the Doors, that's getting close. Basically, they've got walls of sound, shifting pitchings, measured tempos, catchy-but-weird melodies, weighty beats and a sense of humor. From noise experiments to pop tunes, Werewolves cover a lot of ground, all of it good. [MySpace]
That's it for the week, unless you want to trek out to see Stupid Party at Silent Barn on Sunday, but that's such a long trip for such a crappy venue, I can't recommend it.
Friday, September 25
Wavves @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
Wavves suck and can barely play their instruments. But they are so fuckin' awesome. They are nice kids who write catchy little songs full of distortion and play them with enthusiasm and energy. One of the best. [MySpace]
Saturday, September 26
Werewolves @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
WEREWOLVES!!!!!!!! Man do I ever love this band. They are hard to describe, because their music spans the entire psychedelic spectrum, from late 60's rock and early garage rock to post punk and shoegaze. If you can imagine Kevin Shields playing guitar for the Doors, that's getting close. Basically, they've got walls of sound, shifting pitchings, measured tempos, catchy-but-weird melodies, weighty beats and a sense of humor. From noise experiments to pop tunes, Werewolves cover a lot of ground, all of it good. [MySpace]
That's it for the week, unless you want to trek out to see Stupid Party at Silent Barn on Sunday, but that's such a long trip for such a crappy venue, I can't recommend it.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Pterodactyl, Marnie Stern + more
TONIGHT! Monday, August 3
Stupid Party @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan
I just reviewed Stupid Party. They are ridiculously awesome and you should go check them out. [MySpace]
TOMORROW! Tuesday, August 4
Los Campesinos! @ Webster Hall | East Village, Manhattan
I love this band and their exuberant, youthful pop music. But I'd say, wait until they play a less awful venue.
Thursday, August 6
Darlings @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Another of those bands I just reviewed (actually at that same show). I think this band is genuinely insane, and I love them. [MySpace]
Marnie Stern @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan
Unless I'm much mistaken, Marnie Stern, that bad-ass guitar master whose 2008 album deserves "instant classic" status, will be playing at Santos. [MySpace]
Friday, August 7
Pterodactyl + That Ghost, The Fucking Ocean @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Pterodactyl is easily one of the best bands in Brooklyn right now. Their high-speed math-punk (I guess that's what to call it) is fascinating and captivating. I have heard of That Ghost and the Fucking Ocean and don't know much, but I know I like Fucking Ocean's name and have been meaning to check them out. So, I will blindly recommend them as well, since you're already going to be at DBA for Pterodactyl (Pterodactyl!!!!!!!). [Ptero MySpace]
Saturday, August 8
Sundelles, Wild Yaks @ Public Assembly | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
| $15 (benefit!)
Benefit gigs are super nice. This one helps a school in Uganda. Sundelles are pretty cool lo-fi garage rock with 50's/60's-worthy melodies. Wild Yaks are not the greatest thing ever, but they are solid indie rock and well-beloved. [Sundelles MySpace] [WY MySpace]
Stupid Party @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan
I just reviewed Stupid Party. They are ridiculously awesome and you should go check them out. [MySpace]
TOMORROW! Tuesday, August 4
Los Campesinos! @ Webster Hall | East Village, Manhattan
I love this band and their exuberant, youthful pop music. But I'd say, wait until they play a less awful venue.
Thursday, August 6
Darlings @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Another of those bands I just reviewed (actually at that same show). I think this band is genuinely insane, and I love them. [MySpace]
Marnie Stern @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan
Unless I'm much mistaken, Marnie Stern, that bad-ass guitar master whose 2008 album deserves "instant classic" status, will be playing at Santos. [MySpace]
Friday, August 7
Pterodactyl + That Ghost, The Fucking Ocean @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Pterodactyl is easily one of the best bands in Brooklyn right now. Their high-speed math-punk (I guess that's what to call it) is fascinating and captivating. I have heard of That Ghost and the Fucking Ocean and don't know much, but I know I like Fucking Ocean's name and have been meaning to check them out. So, I will blindly recommend them as well, since you're already going to be at DBA for Pterodactyl (Pterodactyl!!!!!!!). [Ptero MySpace]
Saturday, August 8
Sundelles, Wild Yaks @ Public Assembly | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
| $15 (benefit!)
Benefit gigs are super nice. This one helps a school in Uganda. Sundelles are pretty cool lo-fi garage rock with 50's/60's-worthy melodies. Wild Yaks are not the greatest thing ever, but they are solid indie rock and well-beloved. [Sundelles MySpace] [WY MySpace]
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Live: Lovvers, Stupid Party, Darlings
When: July 16
Where: Cake Shop
A week ago, I headed to Cake Shop to catch Lovvers, a top-notch punk band from the UK whom I had yet to hear live but whose tunes have been in pretty frequent rotation on my iPod.
First up, though, was a band called Stupid Party. I should have known from that name that they would be awesome, but I hadn't really braced myself to see something really exciting.
Stupid Party are one of those bands who seem to not give a fuck at all about what people think of them. They definitely make an effort to play a good show, but without pandering or compromising. Here's the bold, determined independence rock music needs - kids are having fun and playing loud and anyone who doesn't like it can kindly piss off.
Stupid Party (photo from MySpace)
The band's punky, DIY songs seemed to be written for a band just beyond their own level of technical ability - the drummer was stomping out the beats as though they were cockroaches trying to crawl away. The guitarist seemed to only remember the notes a fraction of a second before he was due to play them. Yet everything came together, a perfect balance of hooks and noise. This band is definitely a new favorite. [MySpace]
Lovvers came to my attention when San Diego's Wavves proved that bands with a double "v" in the middle of their name and a frontman with a haircut halfway between a fauxhawk and a mullet might be the very best kind of bands to listen to. So far, "vv" mullethawk bands are two for two.*
A lot of punk bands tend to sound more poppy on record and more punky live, but Lovvers are just the opposite. While their recordings are aggressively lo-fi, their live show underlined the band's 1950's roots (1950's rock being the root of all punk). They sounded more like the Ramones than like any hardcore band. Like that's a bad thing!
Singer Shaun Hencher went and jumped around with the crowd, getting in the faces of the front row and even pausing the band for a minute in order to plant a kiss on one girl in the front row. Meanwhile, the rest of the band was rocking it. Guitarist Henry Withers pogoed around the small stage while the rhythm section laid it down, loud and fast.
The band's young energy, their attentiveness to their audience, their clear enjoyment of every note, made the set impossible not to enjoy. And if that weren't enough, there's consistently exceptional songwriting and arrangement that makes Lovvers one of the stand-out punk bands today. [MySpace]
By the time the final band, Darlings, took the stage, I was kind of wiped out. I can only really handle about two excellent sets a night. So it was much to my chagrin that I discovered the third band was also going to kick serious ass.
Darlings were fairly recently featured as one of L Magazine's however-many bands you need to hear (eight?), which list I ruthlessly mocked for striking a bullseye right in the center of mediocrity. But seeing Darlings live, I have to admit they got one right.
The music sounded like it was arranged by a genuine madman. At times, the band members seemed to be attempting to play over each other in different key signatures. At others, it would sound like they'd all forgotten their parts for a few bars (but you know they hadn't because it happened the same way every time, and then SLAM, they were back in the chorus).
Darlings (photo from MySpace)
There were shrieks, there were lovely pop melodies, there were hooks, there were squalls of noise, there was pretty much everything you could want out of a band at some point or another during the set. Both frontman Peter Rynsky and synth-player/guitarist/back-up vocalist Maura Lynch seemed strangely calm amidst the music's rush, their deliberate performance only amplifying the music's oddities.
While ultimately my least favorite band of the night (only because the other two were so amazing), Darlings are certainly worthy of note. Their charming appearance of lacking self-awareness lead to an inconsistent but riveting performance, and one I definitely wouldn't mind repeating at their next show. [MySpace]
*I am honestly not making fun of their haircuts, I actually think they both look pretty rad.
Where: Cake Shop
A week ago, I headed to Cake Shop to catch Lovvers, a top-notch punk band from the UK whom I had yet to hear live but whose tunes have been in pretty frequent rotation on my iPod.
First up, though, was a band called Stupid Party. I should have known from that name that they would be awesome, but I hadn't really braced myself to see something really exciting.
Stupid Party are one of those bands who seem to not give a fuck at all about what people think of them. They definitely make an effort to play a good show, but without pandering or compromising. Here's the bold, determined independence rock music needs - kids are having fun and playing loud and anyone who doesn't like it can kindly piss off.
Stupid Party (photo from MySpace)
The band's punky, DIY songs seemed to be written for a band just beyond their own level of technical ability - the drummer was stomping out the beats as though they were cockroaches trying to crawl away. The guitarist seemed to only remember the notes a fraction of a second before he was due to play them. Yet everything came together, a perfect balance of hooks and noise. This band is definitely a new favorite. [MySpace]
Lovvers came to my attention when San Diego's Wavves proved that bands with a double "v" in the middle of their name and a frontman with a haircut halfway between a fauxhawk and a mullet might be the very best kind of bands to listen to. So far, "vv" mullethawk bands are two for two.*
A lot of punk bands tend to sound more poppy on record and more punky live, but Lovvers are just the opposite. While their recordings are aggressively lo-fi, their live show underlined the band's 1950's roots (1950's rock being the root of all punk). They sounded more like the Ramones than like any hardcore band. Like that's a bad thing!
Singer Shaun Hencher went and jumped around with the crowd, getting in the faces of the front row and even pausing the band for a minute in order to plant a kiss on one girl in the front row. Meanwhile, the rest of the band was rocking it. Guitarist Henry Withers pogoed around the small stage while the rhythm section laid it down, loud and fast.
The band's young energy, their attentiveness to their audience, their clear enjoyment of every note, made the set impossible not to enjoy. And if that weren't enough, there's consistently exceptional songwriting and arrangement that makes Lovvers one of the stand-out punk bands today. [MySpace]
By the time the final band, Darlings, took the stage, I was kind of wiped out. I can only really handle about two excellent sets a night. So it was much to my chagrin that I discovered the third band was also going to kick serious ass.
Darlings were fairly recently featured as one of L Magazine's however-many bands you need to hear (eight?), which list I ruthlessly mocked for striking a bullseye right in the center of mediocrity. But seeing Darlings live, I have to admit they got one right.
The music sounded like it was arranged by a genuine madman. At times, the band members seemed to be attempting to play over each other in different key signatures. At others, it would sound like they'd all forgotten their parts for a few bars (but you know they hadn't because it happened the same way every time, and then SLAM, they were back in the chorus).
Darlings (photo from MySpace)
There were shrieks, there were lovely pop melodies, there were hooks, there were squalls of noise, there was pretty much everything you could want out of a band at some point or another during the set. Both frontman Peter Rynsky and synth-player/guitarist/back-up vocalist Maura Lynch seemed strangely calm amidst the music's rush, their deliberate performance only amplifying the music's oddities.
While ultimately my least favorite band of the night (only because the other two were so amazing), Darlings are certainly worthy of note. Their charming appearance of lacking self-awareness lead to an inconsistent but riveting performance, and one I definitely wouldn't mind repeating at their next show. [MySpace]
*I am honestly not making fun of their haircuts, I actually think they both look pretty rad.
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