If you're sticking it out in New York for the holiday, you're probably wondering what to do with yourself while all your friends are out of town. Well, you're in luck because I have the answer: go to shows! (And specifically, if you are my friend "H" who asked me what you would do without me, here you go!)
Friday
Phosphorescent / Virgin Forest
@ The Bell House, Brooklyn ($10)
For a fun evening with guitars and pianos, check out this show. It's been over a year since I've heard these guys, but as I recall, Phosphorescent plays really fun indie-psychedelic-folk with an electric guitar and a Southern bent. His friends Virgin Forest will support. They play something similar to him, though less psychedelic and more pretty and folky, with male-female vocals and piano. I think they're from Georgia, and they sound it.
Grandmaster Flash
@ Studio B, Brooklyn ($10/$20)
Does this need explanation? Grandmaster Flash, the first and best of hip-hop.
Saturday
Gang Gang Dance / Marnie Stern
@ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn ($15)
I don't have anything on my Calendar Of Awesome Music for Saturday, but Pop Tarts Suck Toasted recommends this show and he's usually right. So check it out.
Sunday
Arms
@ Cake Shop ($6)
Just as arms are a great body-part, Arms is a great band! They are fuzzy poppy indie rock with hints of psychedelia and shoegaze, and they are one of the best in their field these days. You really need to check them out before they get huge.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Album: Fun Machine - Sonnenhuhn
Album: Sonnenhuhn (That's German for "Sun Chicken"!)
BNS Sessions, 2008
Rating: ****** (6/10)
I'm slowly catching up with my reviews, but I'm still a little behind - this album was released digitally yesterday. It's not officially released on disc until January 6, though (or thereabouts - I'm not 100% certain on the date).
I already raved about my new-found love for Fun Machine earlier this month, and I was excited to hear and write about the album. But it proved a challenging task.
The tricky thing about Sonnenhuhn is that my reaction is strongly mixed. On the one hand, I'm in love. The entire record is overflowing with creativity. In fact, it doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard, and yet it totally rocks. Looking up close, there's not much I don't like - melodramtic, cheesy keyboard parts (trust me, it's a good thing here), odd, assymetrical rhythms, startling bursts of sound, tense beats, forays out of the key signature, it all works.
That the band can perform such complex, fast, syncopated pieces is astounding in itself. It's hard to actually describe the sound, but think Pink Floyd meets Queen in the year 2500 and makes robot party versions of Broadway showtunes. It's a bit like Dismemberment Plan, a bit like the Talking Heads, a bit like the Flaming Lips. Progressive psychedelic pop? Maybe?
Yes, this all sounds delicious, but when I step back to look at the big picture, it starts to fall apart. The album is a rather sophomoric effort in many ways, mostly because the band doesn't seem to know how to edit or meld their ideas into cohesive statements. Each track isn't a song, it's just a series of loose inspirations stuck together, like a stream-of-consciousness essay. The album is sprawling, and on neither a song level nor album level does the music move forward or build on itself. Specifically, I'm pretty sure you could easily take apart the phrases, rearrange them completely and have approximately the same result. In fact, I suspect the album might improve if you just put in three times as many track breaks and split up the longer songs into two or three minute segments. As it is, it's jumbled and incoherrent and doesn't reveal any larger-scale vision than "hey, this would sound cool!"
But this is still an interesting album and worth getting familiar with. Why? Because each member of this band is clearly brilliant, and I'll bet actual money they'll each go on to do great things in music, either individually or very probably, and hopefully, as Fun Machine. This band is onto something very good - their originality is outstanding and their chops are nothing to sneeze at. If their sound matures with time, they have the potential to be one of the most interesting bands of our time. (Seriously!) One day, we may look back on Sonnenhuhn and see the first glimmer of greatness. Let's hope!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Live: The Depreciation Guild
I've been trying to catch these guys for a while now and I keep getting to shows after they've played. But finally, I made it!
I had heard The Depreciation Guild was better recorded than live, and I guess that might be true, but I think it's misleading - because live, they are still friggin' incredible. The guitar work is some of the best in today's shoegaze scene - dense and engulfing, but with a rare attention to detail. Their unending wall of sound is garnered with riffs and melodies, subtle but gorgeous. In this, they come closer than anyone nowadays (except maybe Austin's Ringo Deathstarr) in keeping alive the spirit of My Bloody Valentine. Like MBV, Depreciation Guild is definitely a two-guitar band, and they layer much more than just chords and textures.
The Depreciation Guild
Also remniscent of MBV is the drumming by Christoph Hochheim, whose rapid-fire snare fills are a decent immitation of MBV drummer Colm O'Ciosoig. But the band is not entirely an MBV wanna-be - their use of electronics sets them apart and there is something (though exactly what, I can't quite figure out) very remniscent of Radiohead.
The band only fails in the vocals. Granted, in shoegaze music such as this, singing is really not a focal point, often just another texture in the sound. But Depreciation Guild don't use it well - even as a texture, it should be an interesting one. But they are young and I have high hopes they'll get there eventually. And probably soon, given the sheer amount of talent they show on stage.
Visually, the band is appealing too. Aside from the simple attractiveness of all three members, the band has great visualization - instead of projecting some distracting film in the background, they project blocks of color that enhance without distracting from the music. Good choice!
All in all, it was an outstanding show! I'll see you all at the next one!
I had heard The Depreciation Guild was better recorded than live, and I guess that might be true, but I think it's misleading - because live, they are still friggin' incredible. The guitar work is some of the best in today's shoegaze scene - dense and engulfing, but with a rare attention to detail. Their unending wall of sound is garnered with riffs and melodies, subtle but gorgeous. In this, they come closer than anyone nowadays (except maybe Austin's Ringo Deathstarr) in keeping alive the spirit of My Bloody Valentine. Like MBV, Depreciation Guild is definitely a two-guitar band, and they layer much more than just chords and textures.
The Depreciation Guild
Also remniscent of MBV is the drumming by Christoph Hochheim, whose rapid-fire snare fills are a decent immitation of MBV drummer Colm O'Ciosoig. But the band is not entirely an MBV wanna-be - their use of electronics sets them apart and there is something (though exactly what, I can't quite figure out) very remniscent of Radiohead.
The band only fails in the vocals. Granted, in shoegaze music such as this, singing is really not a focal point, often just another texture in the sound. But Depreciation Guild don't use it well - even as a texture, it should be an interesting one. But they are young and I have high hopes they'll get there eventually. And probably soon, given the sheer amount of talent they show on stage.
Visually, the band is appealing too. Aside from the simple attractiveness of all three members, the band has great visualization - instead of projecting some distracting film in the background, they project blocks of color that enhance without distracting from the music. Good choice!
All in all, it was an outstanding show! I'll see you all at the next one!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Album: Elika - Trying Got Us Nowhere
Album: Trying Got Us Nowhere
Fiercely Independent, 2008
Rating: ******** (8/10)
I've been following New York's electro-shoegaze duo Elika for over a year now, so I don't really have a good excuse for not getting this album review up until a full week after the official release date. Sorry guys! Without further ado...
Elika's debut LP is only seven songs long, which immediately boded well - at last, a band who can edit themselves and not dilute a great album with filler or mediocre tracks! And after a couple of listens from start to finish, I can honestly say I doubt I'll be hitting the "skip" button much, even on my hundredth time through.
My only significant complaint about the entire album is that the vocal melodies are a little dull. Singer Evagelia Maravelias has a lovely voice, and the parts she sings aren't unpleasant by any stretch, but they are just predictable and unremarkable. There's a lot of lost potential, and I wonder to what heights this band could soar if they are able to improve this one aspect of their song-writing.
Elika
But that's small beans compared to amazing sounds this band makes. The arrangements, heavily electronic, are stunning enough to send shivers up my spine. Elika crafts their textures with restraint, precision and extraordinary vision. Best of all, unlike those of so many "shoegaze" bands, Elika's soundscapes are always dynamic, gently propelling the songs forward, never once stagnating. On a broader scale, the songs are structured with care, full of remarkable contrast between swells and lulls, harmony and dissonance, convention and experimentation.
The album does falter just a little towards the end. "Let Down" is the most conventional pop number on the record. Its structure and melody may make it stand out in the context of the album, but in a larger context, these features could easily let it get lost in the hum-drum world of similar songs. The following track, "They'll Hate Us," has the potential to be one of the album's strongest, but it's damaged by a dated-sounding beat that is simply not of the caliber of the rest of the album.
But we can forgive Elika these small things, easily. Why? Because they've put out one of the most beautiful and mature debut LPs of 2008. Simply put: hats off.
Single: "Pushover" - Bearsuit
Single: "Pushover"
Fantastic Plastic, 2008
Rating: ***** (5/10)
British popsters Bearsuit, who generated a bit of buzz on this side of the ocean during the CMJ festival in NYC, have released a new single today. The song is called "Pushover" and it's certainly an odd one.
It may be a little over-the-top, and intentionally so, but it's a fun listen. Light-hearted, danceable, and well-arranged, with a nice sing-song part midway through giving some relief from the rockin' but assaulting vocal riff that dominates much of the song. It's not going to win any awards for originality - it could be mistaken for some of Le Tigre's odder tracks, among other things (Le Tigre?! Yes, I'm as surprised as you!). What's more, this song could be dreadfully annoying if you weren't in the mood for it. But I think if the timing is right (like when you want to have a crazy one-person dance party in your bedroom - and admit it, sometimes you do), it could definitely hit the spot!
Fantastic Plastic, 2008
Rating: ***** (5/10)
British popsters Bearsuit, who generated a bit of buzz on this side of the ocean during the CMJ festival in NYC, have released a new single today. The song is called "Pushover" and it's certainly an odd one.
It may be a little over-the-top, and intentionally so, but it's a fun listen. Light-hearted, danceable, and well-arranged, with a nice sing-song part midway through giving some relief from the rockin' but assaulting vocal riff that dominates much of the song. It's not going to win any awards for originality - it could be mistaken for some of Le Tigre's odder tracks, among other things (Le Tigre?! Yes, I'm as surprised as you!). What's more, this song could be dreadfully annoying if you weren't in the mood for it. But I think if the timing is right (like when you want to have a crazy one-person dance party in your bedroom - and admit it, sometimes you do), it could definitely hit the spot!
Live: Miniboone
When: 11/21
Where: The Charleston
So this past Friday night, I happened to catch the first show of a new band called Miniboone. Miniboone are an college-nerd-looking quartet, who play intellectual, aggressive, experimental pop. The best way I could describe the band is to say that it's like if the Minutemen and June of 44 formed a hybrid and then drank several gallons of espresso - but that probably doesn't mean anything to you because you probably have no idea who June of 44 were, and that's criminal - but it's not a crime we have time to prosecute in this particular post.
So I'll just say Miniboone play fractured, dissonant, noisy music that's guaranteed to repel most casual listeners. But this isn't a band vying for radio play, it's a band seeking to stretch the boundaries of what pop music can be. And in that endeavour, they succeed. The rhythmic complexity reminded me of early 1990's Louisville math rock (Slint, Rodan, Gastr del Sol), with always-changing time signatures and uneven, asymmetrical phrases. But compared to these meandering experimental bands, Miniboone plays fast-burning, pointed songs you'll have to concentrate to keep up with. Luckily, their animated, jumpy performance makes paying attention easy.
My only complaint about the band is that they are little over-intellectual (even their name is an obscure science reference) and I couldn't really connect with them on an emotional level. Even in fun and humorous experimental music, the ultimate purpose should be beauty and self-expression. This came through in some of Miniboone's songs, but others seemed to get too caught up in their own cerebral underpinnings to really reach a deeper level.
But I'd say, keep an eye on this band - it's a rare group that's this creative and original from their very first show.
Where: The Charleston
So this past Friday night, I happened to catch the first show of a new band called Miniboone. Miniboone are an college-nerd-looking quartet, who play intellectual, aggressive, experimental pop. The best way I could describe the band is to say that it's like if the Minutemen and June of 44 formed a hybrid and then drank several gallons of espresso - but that probably doesn't mean anything to you because you probably have no idea who June of 44 were, and that's criminal - but it's not a crime we have time to prosecute in this particular post.
So I'll just say Miniboone play fractured, dissonant, noisy music that's guaranteed to repel most casual listeners. But this isn't a band vying for radio play, it's a band seeking to stretch the boundaries of what pop music can be. And in that endeavour, they succeed. The rhythmic complexity reminded me of early 1990's Louisville math rock (Slint, Rodan, Gastr del Sol), with always-changing time signatures and uneven, asymmetrical phrases. But compared to these meandering experimental bands, Miniboone plays fast-burning, pointed songs you'll have to concentrate to keep up with. Luckily, their animated, jumpy performance makes paying attention easy.
My only complaint about the band is that they are little over-intellectual (even their name is an obscure science reference) and I couldn't really connect with them on an emotional level. Even in fun and humorous experimental music, the ultimate purpose should be beauty and self-expression. This came through in some of Miniboone's songs, but others seemed to get too caught up in their own cerebral underpinnings to really reach a deeper level.
But I'd say, keep an eye on this band - it's a rare group that's this creative and original from their very first show.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Live: Mahogany + Nouvellas
I know, I know, I missed the Secret History at their own CD release party! But I'll try to get the EP and write it up, I was just too exhausted to stay for more. I caught both opening bands though.
Nouvellas - It took me a minute to figure out exactly why I hated this band so much. They imitate the sounds of 60's R&B music, with a girl group spin and occasionally a touch of funk, and they imitate it with technical precision. Then why did I spend the entire set grimacing so bad I may have dislocated a vertebra? Because, though playing "soul" music, this band has no soul. There's just no way this music came from the heart. In fact, this could easily have been a "produced" band, put together by a corporate asshole out to make a buck. I doubt that's actually the case, but that's the level of insincerity we're talking about. And relatedly, two 20-year-old white hipster girls pretending to be the Supremes should be nothing but offensive to everyone.
Mahogany - As Mahogany's hundreds of die-hard fans can tell you, this band's reputation was secured long ago. They are known for their sometimes-electronic, heavily-instrumented dream pop, combining beautiful melodies with gorgeously lush soundscapes.
But last time I heard them play, this past spring, I had reason to believe they'd lost their magic touch. The band was unable to use their laptop, which forced them to play a set of their newer, computer-free material. Most troubling wasn't any weakness in playing, but rather that most of the new songs were, well, not good. Particular due to unbearably trite melodies, the set seemed to represent a startling drop in quality from the band's earlier work.
Mahogany
So it was with great skepticism that I attended last night's show. And much to my surprise, I was absolutely blown away. Whether they simply reworked the material I'd heard last spring or presented an entirely different set of songs, the show was nothing less than stunning. Some of the new material, including the breathtaking second song (I don't know the name) might rival even the best of their earlier work.
Always primarily the project of Andrew Prinz, Mahogany has benefited not only from his compositional talent but also from his ability to surround himself with excellent musicians. Sharing the front of the stage with him these days is guitarist/vocalist Ana Breton, and though she's only been a member of the group for a fraction of its history, she more than pulls her weight with superb guitar work and lovely (though at this show, lamentably too quiet) vocals. Drummer Odell Nails is a gifted percussionist and better yet, he consistently looks like there is nothing on earth he would rather be doing than playing drums for Mahogany. I did a double-take when I noticed that James Minor of the goth-ish band Blacklist has taken over on bass, but it turns out he is a great fit as well. The whole band is lovely on stage - engaging, focused, passionate and fun to watch.
Kids, Mahogany is back!
Nouvellas - It took me a minute to figure out exactly why I hated this band so much. They imitate the sounds of 60's R&B music, with a girl group spin and occasionally a touch of funk, and they imitate it with technical precision. Then why did I spend the entire set grimacing so bad I may have dislocated a vertebra? Because, though playing "soul" music, this band has no soul. There's just no way this music came from the heart. In fact, this could easily have been a "produced" band, put together by a corporate asshole out to make a buck. I doubt that's actually the case, but that's the level of insincerity we're talking about. And relatedly, two 20-year-old white hipster girls pretending to be the Supremes should be nothing but offensive to everyone.
Mahogany - As Mahogany's hundreds of die-hard fans can tell you, this band's reputation was secured long ago. They are known for their sometimes-electronic, heavily-instrumented dream pop, combining beautiful melodies with gorgeously lush soundscapes.
But last time I heard them play, this past spring, I had reason to believe they'd lost their magic touch. The band was unable to use their laptop, which forced them to play a set of their newer, computer-free material. Most troubling wasn't any weakness in playing, but rather that most of the new songs were, well, not good. Particular due to unbearably trite melodies, the set seemed to represent a startling drop in quality from the band's earlier work.
Mahogany
So it was with great skepticism that I attended last night's show. And much to my surprise, I was absolutely blown away. Whether they simply reworked the material I'd heard last spring or presented an entirely different set of songs, the show was nothing less than stunning. Some of the new material, including the breathtaking second song (I don't know the name) might rival even the best of their earlier work.
Always primarily the project of Andrew Prinz, Mahogany has benefited not only from his compositional talent but also from his ability to surround himself with excellent musicians. Sharing the front of the stage with him these days is guitarist/vocalist Ana Breton, and though she's only been a member of the group for a fraction of its history, she more than pulls her weight with superb guitar work and lovely (though at this show, lamentably too quiet) vocals. Drummer Odell Nails is a gifted percussionist and better yet, he consistently looks like there is nothing on earth he would rather be doing than playing drums for Mahogany. I did a double-take when I noticed that James Minor of the goth-ish band Blacklist has taken over on bass, but it turns out he is a great fit as well. The whole band is lovely on stage - engaging, focused, passionate and fun to watch.
Kids, Mahogany is back!
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