PREVIOUS>>
Part 1
Part 2
Led Er Est - A new band in the Weird Record crowd, Led Er Est's dark electronica falls somewhere between Krautrock and goth. It's simultaneously spooky and catchy and their intriguing songs have a haunting appeal. :: MySpace
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - They're getting big in Europe. By which I mean, they are touring there eating pastries and candy all the day long. No, actually, I mean they are getting popular there. They are adorable and sweet, but they blast your eardrums at the same time. :: MySpace
Pet Ghost Project - I'm not generally a fan of solo projects and I'm definitely not a fan of bands with "project" in the name, but I am a fan of this highly creative low-fi noise pop! And I think if Justin Stivers plays his cards right, it could fare very well in 2009 indeed. :: MySpace
The Ruling Class - Britpop is back, with all its best elements in place: classic British pop melodies, rolling dance beats, soaring vocals and shoegaze-inspired guitar reverb. It's 1989, 2009 style. :: MySpace
The Spanish Prisoners - The opener of choice among NYC's most buzzed bands, these guys can't be long to follow. It may be standard angular, catchy indie rock, but it's really good and it's got potential to be better. :: MySpace
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Fifteen Bands to Watch in 2009 - Part 2
PREVIOUS>> Part 1
Beluga - The indie-music public is obviously ready for some bad-ass female bands, and these ladies are exactly that. Moreover, they're musically original, being one of those awesome bands that's helping move punk out of the 80's and into the present day. So yay! :: MySpace
Bridges and Powerlines - There are things that annoy me about this band and things that bore me, but the good parts are really, really good and if the band continues to hone their songwriting, they may end up as one of the best indie rock bands around. :: MySpace
Depreciation Guild - Brilliant shoegaze. Yeah, they're better on records than they are live, but they'll get there. :: MySpace
Gunfight! - All the cool kids love Gunfight! and their country-slanted party tunes. For good reason. :: MySpace
It Hugs Back - Maybe a safe pick, given that they've signed to 4AD, but on this side of the Atlantic, they are still very much under the radar. Given the quality of their sweetly beautiful, carefully noisy indie pop, that won't last long! :: MySpace
NEXT>> Part 3
Beluga - The indie-music public is obviously ready for some bad-ass female bands, and these ladies are exactly that. Moreover, they're musically original, being one of those awesome bands that's helping move punk out of the 80's and into the present day. So yay! :: MySpace
Bridges and Powerlines - There are things that annoy me about this band and things that bore me, but the good parts are really, really good and if the band continues to hone their songwriting, they may end up as one of the best indie rock bands around. :: MySpace
Depreciation Guild - Brilliant shoegaze. Yeah, they're better on records than they are live, but they'll get there. :: MySpace
Gunfight! - All the cool kids love Gunfight! and their country-slanted party tunes. For good reason. :: MySpace
It Hugs Back - Maybe a safe pick, given that they've signed to 4AD, but on this side of the Atlantic, they are still very much under the radar. Given the quality of their sweetly beautiful, carefully noisy indie pop, that won't last long! :: MySpace
NEXT>> Part 3
Radio Flyer's Christmas List!
OK, here's the list of music-related Christmas gifts I gave this year. It's too late for you to use these tips for your own Christmas shopping, but I couldn't run this sooner because some of the giftees read this blog (or claim to). So hopefully you know people who have birthdays coming up, or maybe you have gift certificates to spend. (The names are from the random name generator - I can't get enough of that thing.)
Mom & Dad
Mom likes: things she can sing along to, female vocalists, NPR, NOT "headbanging" music (i.e. everything I listen to, or so she thinks)
Dad likes: hippies, music to listen to while driving, democrats, NPR
What I got them:
- Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
- Wye Oak - If Children
- Joan as Police Woman - To Survive
"Ursula"
Likes: feminism, female vocalists, badassery
What I got her:
- Marnie Stern - This Is It...
- Electrelane* - The Power Out
By the way, Ursula (who also likes "booty-shaking music") got me the new L'il Wayne and a CD by a band called Heathrow.
"Agnes"
Likes: weirdos, weird stuff, music
What I got her:
- Deerhoof - Reville
- The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
"Helga"
Helga introduced me to Good Music when I was 15, first by lending me Siamese Dream, then starting me on Sonic Youth, the Pixies and eventually leading me to folks like The Cure, Dinosaur Jr., Jawbreaker, Slint, Minor Threat and even Joy Division.
Likes: black clothes, Bauhaus, walls of sound, heavily produced music, history, psychology
What I got her:
- Electrelane* - No Shouts, No Calls
- Autodrone - Strike a Match
- Blacklist - Blacklist [EP]
- Blacklist - Solidaire [EP]
"Wilbur"
Wilbur is going through a really tough time.
Likes: pop, cats, Electrelane*
What I got him:
- Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
*I just discovered Electrelane this year (as did Wilbur), which is why it's populating so much of my Christmas list.
Mom & Dad
Mom likes: things she can sing along to, female vocalists, NPR, NOT "headbanging" music (i.e. everything I listen to, or so she thinks)
Dad likes: hippies, music to listen to while driving, democrats, NPR
What I got them:
- Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
- Wye Oak - If Children
- Joan as Police Woman - To Survive
"Ursula"
Likes: feminism, female vocalists, badassery
What I got her:
- Marnie Stern - This Is It...
- Electrelane* - The Power Out
By the way, Ursula (who also likes "booty-shaking music") got me the new L'il Wayne and a CD by a band called Heathrow.
"Agnes"
Likes: weirdos, weird stuff, music
What I got her:
- Deerhoof - Reville
- The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
"Helga"
Helga introduced me to Good Music when I was 15, first by lending me Siamese Dream, then starting me on Sonic Youth, the Pixies and eventually leading me to folks like The Cure, Dinosaur Jr., Jawbreaker, Slint, Minor Threat and even Joy Division.
Likes: black clothes, Bauhaus, walls of sound, heavily produced music, history, psychology
What I got her:
- Electrelane* - No Shouts, No Calls
- Autodrone - Strike a Match
- Blacklist - Blacklist [EP]
- Blacklist - Solidaire [EP]
"Wilbur"
Wilbur is going through a really tough time.
Likes: pop, cats, Electrelane*
What I got him:
- Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
*I just discovered Electrelane this year (as did Wilbur), which is why it's populating so much of my Christmas list.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Upcoming Shows: New Years Eve
So many bands I love are playing shows in NYC on New Year's Eve, but I can only really recommend one event because going to any of the others would mean missing this:
MERCURY LOUNGE, 12/31
8 PM My Best Fiend
9 PM The Vandelles
10 PM Dirty on Purpose
11 PM A Place to Bury Strangers
Do whatever it takes to get tickets - they are kind of expensive ($25) but it's NYE in New York, so that's just how it goes. The show hasn't sold out yet, but it probably will. The entire line-up is amazing, but the real reason you must not miss this show is that it's the LAST SHOW EVER for noise pop champs Dirty on Purpose. Of course, the rest of the bands are swoon-worthy as well - the fuzzed out dark psychedelia of APTBS is always amazing and the Vandelles' massively feedback-laden, rehashed rockabilly is a great way to ring in 2009.
I'm nowhere near New York, so I guess I'll go to my grave without hearing Dirty on Purpose. But if I had known about this show before I bought plane tickets last month, I would have cut my vacation in half just to go to this. If you are in New York, you have no excuse!
MERCURY LOUNGE, 12/31
8 PM My Best Fiend
9 PM The Vandelles
10 PM Dirty on Purpose
11 PM A Place to Bury Strangers
Do whatever it takes to get tickets - they are kind of expensive ($25) but it's NYE in New York, so that's just how it goes. The show hasn't sold out yet, but it probably will. The entire line-up is amazing, but the real reason you must not miss this show is that it's the LAST SHOW EVER for noise pop champs Dirty on Purpose. Of course, the rest of the bands are swoon-worthy as well - the fuzzed out dark psychedelia of APTBS is always amazing and the Vandelles' massively feedback-laden, rehashed rockabilly is a great way to ring in 2009.
I'm nowhere near New York, so I guess I'll go to my grave without hearing Dirty on Purpose. But if I had known about this show before I bought plane tickets last month, I would have cut my vacation in half just to go to this. If you are in New York, you have no excuse!
Fifteen Bands to Watch in 2009 - Part 1
So you want to get ahead of the curve in 2009? Keep an eye on these fifteen bands (alphabetical over three entries) and you'll be the coolest kid in your class. Or not. But these are folks I hope are the future of rock music.
Antlers - Deer-themed names have been blessed the last few years. But more to the point, this atmospheric pop band is innovative and fun and has already captured the attention of some of the big NYC blogs. :: MySpace
Arms - Well-written songs and an excellent guitar-heavy sound should be enough for success, but it doesn't hurt that this band also has earned the interest and respect of a number of established groups. They're not a shoe-in yet, but they've got a decent chance to make it big. :: MySpace
Asa Ransom - This band is still new, but they have big plans. As I said in my live review of them, they have some things they need to work on (like melodies) - but their keyboard-heavy experimental post punk shows promise and they clearly have the drive to follow through. :: MySpace
Autodrone - Grunge-tinged dark wave-spirited shoegaze, these guys have all the talent and mainstream appeal to break through. If the fates are kind, we'll be seeing a lot more of this band. :: MySpace
Bellmer Dolls - Scoring opening slots for Nick Cave bodes well for these garage-goths. As does their superb talent and creep-chic good looks. :: MySpace
NEXT>> Part 2
Part 3
Antlers - Deer-themed names have been blessed the last few years. But more to the point, this atmospheric pop band is innovative and fun and has already captured the attention of some of the big NYC blogs. :: MySpace
Arms - Well-written songs and an excellent guitar-heavy sound should be enough for success, but it doesn't hurt that this band also has earned the interest and respect of a number of established groups. They're not a shoe-in yet, but they've got a decent chance to make it big. :: MySpace
Asa Ransom - This band is still new, but they have big plans. As I said in my live review of them, they have some things they need to work on (like melodies) - but their keyboard-heavy experimental post punk shows promise and they clearly have the drive to follow through. :: MySpace
Autodrone - Grunge-tinged dark wave-spirited shoegaze, these guys have all the talent and mainstream appeal to break through. If the fates are kind, we'll be seeing a lot more of this band. :: MySpace
Bellmer Dolls - Scoring opening slots for Nick Cave bodes well for these garage-goths. As does their superb talent and creep-chic good looks. :: MySpace
NEXT>> Part 2
Part 3
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Live: Her Vanished Grace, 28 Degrees Taurus, The Soundscapes, Dead Leaf Echo
When: 12/19
Where: Vanishing Point
Her Vanished Grace - I've seen Her Vanished Grace before and I was a little nervous to see them at Vanishing Point. They are a great band, with excellent poppy songwriting and a nice noisy sound, but when I've heard them in the past, I noticed serious pitch issues when they can't hear one another properly. But this time, despite muddy acoustics, things went well. There were a few pitch issues, but for the most part, both singers (married pair Charlie and Nance Nieland) were right on. The set included some new tunes and a lot of old favorites, and the band delivered them with their usual enthusiasm.
In a world of shoegaze revivalists, it's important to remember that HVG put out their first album in 1991, making them a first-generation band. Since that time, they've had a steady low-profile career churning out a solid shoegazey pop album every year or so and playing great shows to a small but loyal fan base around the city.
And if you catch them live, you'll see why their fans brave blizzards and monsoons to make it to every show. Nance has a way of possessing the stage, the air of a professional frontwoman who knows exactly what she's doing. As a whole, the band strikes a perfect balance between the comfortable attitude of seasoned performers and the lovable excitement of a local indie band playing for a room full of friends. It's a pleasure to watch, and of course, a pleasure to hear.
Dead Leaf Echo - A five-piece shoegaze band that's been a staple in the Brooklyn shoegaze scene for a number of years, Dead Leaf Echo was by far the most disappointing act of the night - and I'm sorry to report these problems are not specific to this show.
As I see it, one can essentially critique music on two basic points. The first is the band's sound, and here, DLE does well enough. Their walls of sound are genuinely complex and interesting, and the parts blend together well. The second (and more important) element, however, is the music's momentum. This is in the songwriting but on a smaller scale, it's also in melodies, chord progressions, dynamic contrast and so on. These are the forces that drive music forward. And here, DLE fails. Their melodies are virtually non-existent, with uninteresting, wandering vocal lines and no guitar riffs to speak of. Their chord progressions don't have any of the really driving elements like suspension, dissonance or cadences that draw in the audience through the anticipation of resolution. Moreover, their songwriting is incoherent. The only thing I can say is that DLE does use dynamic contrast well, but that alone isn't enough to move the music forward or make it engaging.
Dead Leaf Echo
Interestingly, this weekend lead singer LG was ill and unable to sing most of the show, so bassist Mike DiLalla picked up the slack. DiLalla did such an admirable job delivering the songs on short notice that I thought the vocal switch had been planned and was permanent. And it would have been a good thing - the band might want to consider letting DiLalla sing more often in the future. He seems more melodically-inclined than LG and clearly has talent the band has yet to tap.
The Soundscapes - Who doesn't love the Soundscapes? Brooklyn-based brothers of Brazilian extraction, the Soundscapes could win audiences on their good looks alone, but they don't need to because they are also exceptionally gifted musicians. Their music is basically what it would sound like if Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore joined Yo La Tengo. Their noisy lo-fi pop has consistently excellent melodies, outstanding songwriting and beautiful moments of noise and dissonance. Their tunes are catchy but interesting, their music is loud but accessible and their live show is massively fun. Guitarist and singer Rodrigo Carvalho jumps up and down, swings his guitar around and genuinely loves every second, while brother Raphael Carvalho plays the drums with such speed and precision, you know he could out-drum most of us with one hand.
The Soundscapes
Most impressively, the Soundscapes have always sounded like much more than a duo. I've heard many four- and five-piece bands who didn't have the fullness and complexity of the Soundscapes. And since the summer, it seems they've turned their amps up even louder and started rocking even harder. They also played some material I haven't heard before and I was interested to hear that it is moving different, more rock'n'roll direction. I thought this band might fall into a rut, but from what I heard, they have it in them not only to keep playing great music, but to keep learning and growing as musicians and songwriters. Keep an eye on these two.
28 Degrees Taurus - I've been throwing the term "no-gaze" around a bit lately and 28 Degrees Taurus is another that fits it well. It's hard to describe their music - it's a shoegazey, guitar-heavy mess with rapid-fire drumming in the spirit of MBV's Colm O'Cosig. But over this, it has engaging, floating melodies and an air of rich mystery that pulls you in deep. The band keeps everything just a little off-kilter in terms of melodies, harmonies and rhythms, but they don't overdo it - the music is listenable but strange and can certainly hold attention.
The band is fun live, all delivering their parts with passion and skill. Though they ended up pausing too long between songs, they managed to keep the audience engaged through half-coherent dialogs and jokes. The members are both true musicians and true performers and I can't recommend them enough.
Where: Vanishing Point
Her Vanished Grace - I've seen Her Vanished Grace before and I was a little nervous to see them at Vanishing Point. They are a great band, with excellent poppy songwriting and a nice noisy sound, but when I've heard them in the past, I noticed serious pitch issues when they can't hear one another properly. But this time, despite muddy acoustics, things went well. There were a few pitch issues, but for the most part, both singers (married pair Charlie and Nance Nieland) were right on. The set included some new tunes and a lot of old favorites, and the band delivered them with their usual enthusiasm.
In a world of shoegaze revivalists, it's important to remember that HVG put out their first album in 1991, making them a first-generation band. Since that time, they've had a steady low-profile career churning out a solid shoegazey pop album every year or so and playing great shows to a small but loyal fan base around the city.
And if you catch them live, you'll see why their fans brave blizzards and monsoons to make it to every show. Nance has a way of possessing the stage, the air of a professional frontwoman who knows exactly what she's doing. As a whole, the band strikes a perfect balance between the comfortable attitude of seasoned performers and the lovable excitement of a local indie band playing for a room full of friends. It's a pleasure to watch, and of course, a pleasure to hear.
Dead Leaf Echo - A five-piece shoegaze band that's been a staple in the Brooklyn shoegaze scene for a number of years, Dead Leaf Echo was by far the most disappointing act of the night - and I'm sorry to report these problems are not specific to this show.
As I see it, one can essentially critique music on two basic points. The first is the band's sound, and here, DLE does well enough. Their walls of sound are genuinely complex and interesting, and the parts blend together well. The second (and more important) element, however, is the music's momentum. This is in the songwriting but on a smaller scale, it's also in melodies, chord progressions, dynamic contrast and so on. These are the forces that drive music forward. And here, DLE fails. Their melodies are virtually non-existent, with uninteresting, wandering vocal lines and no guitar riffs to speak of. Their chord progressions don't have any of the really driving elements like suspension, dissonance or cadences that draw in the audience through the anticipation of resolution. Moreover, their songwriting is incoherent. The only thing I can say is that DLE does use dynamic contrast well, but that alone isn't enough to move the music forward or make it engaging.
Dead Leaf Echo
Interestingly, this weekend lead singer LG was ill and unable to sing most of the show, so bassist Mike DiLalla picked up the slack. DiLalla did such an admirable job delivering the songs on short notice that I thought the vocal switch had been planned and was permanent. And it would have been a good thing - the band might want to consider letting DiLalla sing more often in the future. He seems more melodically-inclined than LG and clearly has talent the band has yet to tap.
The Soundscapes - Who doesn't love the Soundscapes? Brooklyn-based brothers of Brazilian extraction, the Soundscapes could win audiences on their good looks alone, but they don't need to because they are also exceptionally gifted musicians. Their music is basically what it would sound like if Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore joined Yo La Tengo. Their noisy lo-fi pop has consistently excellent melodies, outstanding songwriting and beautiful moments of noise and dissonance. Their tunes are catchy but interesting, their music is loud but accessible and their live show is massively fun. Guitarist and singer Rodrigo Carvalho jumps up and down, swings his guitar around and genuinely loves every second, while brother Raphael Carvalho plays the drums with such speed and precision, you know he could out-drum most of us with one hand.
The Soundscapes
Most impressively, the Soundscapes have always sounded like much more than a duo. I've heard many four- and five-piece bands who didn't have the fullness and complexity of the Soundscapes. And since the summer, it seems they've turned their amps up even louder and started rocking even harder. They also played some material I haven't heard before and I was interested to hear that it is moving different, more rock'n'roll direction. I thought this band might fall into a rut, but from what I heard, they have it in them not only to keep playing great music, but to keep learning and growing as musicians and songwriters. Keep an eye on these two.
28 Degrees Taurus - I've been throwing the term "no-gaze" around a bit lately and 28 Degrees Taurus is another that fits it well. It's hard to describe their music - it's a shoegazey, guitar-heavy mess with rapid-fire drumming in the spirit of MBV's Colm O'Cosig. But over this, it has engaging, floating melodies and an air of rich mystery that pulls you in deep. The band keeps everything just a little off-kilter in terms of melodies, harmonies and rhythms, but they don't overdo it - the music is listenable but strange and can certainly hold attention.
The band is fun live, all delivering their parts with passion and skill. Though they ended up pausing too long between songs, they managed to keep the audience engaged through half-coherent dialogs and jokes. The members are both true musicians and true performers and I can't recommend them enough.
Albums to watch for in 2009
***Disclaimer: This is a list of albums I hope to see in 2009. Most of them haven't been announced, and probably some of them don't/won't exist. I'm not trying to start rumors, I'm just an optimist!!***
A Sunny Day In Glasgow - This electro-dream-pop outfit made some waves in 2007 and now, we have it on good authority (their own) that they are heading into the studio again. Last time I heard them, their music seemed to be moving in a more aggressive direction, which means 2009 may well blow their already-excellent 2007 release out of the water. :: MySpace
The Harlem Shakes - I'd like everyone to note that I had faith in these guys all along. And now it's official, they're back! I'm going to go freak out now (in a good way). :: MySpace
Mahogany - They are noise pop legends, and I'm pretty sure I heard them say they were coming out with something soon. In any case, at their recent show, the new material was some of their best ever, which is hard to even believe. True, they may let us down, but they also have the potential to knock our socks off, yet again. :: MySpace
My Bloody Valentine - It's possible, right? :: MySpace
Ringo Deathstarr - The next best thing to My Bloody Valentine. I think they owe us an LP. I demand an LP! :: MySpace
Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers - I'm confused. But hopeful. Anyway, the only thing Shilpa [ex-Beat the Devil] is better at than confusing people is putting out crazy and amazing music. :: MySpace
The Vandelles - I could swear I heard these guys were working on an album, but I'm looking all over and I can't find the info anywhere. Nevertheless, I will be surprised if we don't see something substantial soon. And I will be even more surprised if it doesn't totally kick everyone's ass. :: MySpace
A Sunny Day In Glasgow - This electro-dream-pop outfit made some waves in 2007 and now, we have it on good authority (their own) that they are heading into the studio again. Last time I heard them, their music seemed to be moving in a more aggressive direction, which means 2009 may well blow their already-excellent 2007 release out of the water. :: MySpace
The Harlem Shakes - I'd like everyone to note that I had faith in these guys all along. And now it's official, they're back! I'm going to go freak out now (in a good way). :: MySpace
Mahogany - They are noise pop legends, and I'm pretty sure I heard them say they were coming out with something soon. In any case, at their recent show, the new material was some of their best ever, which is hard to even believe. True, they may let us down, but they also have the potential to knock our socks off, yet again. :: MySpace
My Bloody Valentine - It's possible, right? :: MySpace
Ringo Deathstarr - The next best thing to My Bloody Valentine. I think they owe us an LP. I demand an LP! :: MySpace
Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers - I'm confused. But hopeful. Anyway, the only thing Shilpa [ex-Beat the Devil] is better at than confusing people is putting out crazy and amazing music. :: MySpace
The Vandelles - I could swear I heard these guys were working on an album, but I'm looking all over and I can't find the info anywhere. Nevertheless, I will be surprised if we don't see something substantial soon. And I will be even more surprised if it doesn't totally kick everyone's ass. :: MySpace
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