St. Vincent

Marry Me

Miss Annie Clark, who performs as St. Vincent, stole the show when she opened up for Midlake a little over a year ago at the Bowery. Admittedly, I’m not one that’s often overwhelmed or impressed these days by musicians playing solo with a guitar. When I found out that someone would be doing exactly that before Midlake went on, my first thought was regret (this is going to be lame) followed immediately by pity (I feel sorry for her, because I’m an asshole, and because I think most singer-songwriters are terrible and it was unfortunate that this person was not going to be any good; how embarrassing for her). Instead, I was mesmerized by Miss Clark’s sheer musical virtuosity: guitar chops that display both technical excellence and emotional subtlety; complex songwriting that felt both spontaneous and considered, a difficult trick indeed; and an outright pretty, confident voice and stage presence that carried the weight of everything else she was doing. Damn. You don’t come across one of her very often. I was consequently eager in my anticipation to see where she’d go from there.

Her debut album didn’t disappoint; Marry Me is as ambitious as St. Vincent is talented, and often to excellent results. The stripped down songs that wooed me so effectively the first time I saw her are fleshed out in unexpected and thoughtful ways. The lyrics reveal themselves to be clever, sincere and occasionally funny over repeated listens, and she gets extra bonus points for naming her album after an Arrested Development joke. Marry Me was deservedly one of my favorite albums of 2007.

I was both optimistic and curious to see how Marry Me would play live when Miss Clark had a full band behind her. She brought with her a violin player, a drummer, and a multi-instrumentalist who mostly played keyboard and bass. Between the band and the occasional pre-recorded loop, the album came through pretty true to the recordings. The show had good energy, but again it was Miss Clark that owned the night, charming with both her superb musical delivery and disarming inter-song banter. With so much going for her, it is difficult to see St. Vincent becoming anything short of great in the not too distant future; so much of what makes a performer great is already there, quite naturally. Her only challenge is to figure out what to do with all that talent.

Labels: Concert Reviews, St Vincent

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the Epoch’s self titled debut for a couple of months. It’s an ambitious album, which I would loosely describe as indie-pop. But it’s much more considered and complicated than most pop records, with multi-layered songwriting that doesn’t easily reveal its strengths, though I sense them there; they seem to be buried just below my current comprehension of the record. On first listen, it's quirky, with electronic flourishes complimenting that traditional guitar/bass/keyboard/drums setup.
The show at the Mercury Lounge was about a week before the record was released, and like many shows there, it was pretty industry heavy. The opening band really, really sucked. Not that they couldn’t play their instruments, but it was embarrassing. I’ll leave it at that.
The Epochs did a very good job (better than I expected) of recreating the subtlety of the record live. The show felt like there was some kind of tension underneath the surface of the music that never quite broke through; deliberate, controlled, and interesting while not quite rewarding. I don’t claim to yet “get” this record or the band, but I will continue to spin the record and see what happens. For fans of quirky, complex pop without the sugar coating, this band may be for you.

Labels: Concert Reviews, The Epochs

I previously caught Liars at the Warsaw during the Drums Not Dead tour about two years ago. That album was my favorite record of 2006, and that concert was my favorite show of 2006 as well, the best of the many excellent shows I caught that year. It was dark, rhythmic, and impossibly intense, placing in my top ten favorite concerts ever. This was consequently a night I’d been looking forward to for quite some time.

The Warsaw was again packed, and Los Angeles’ No Age got the night off to a good start. They played energetic, loud, simple-punk inspired rock songs. When you’re a duo, it’s important that the limited instruments you play sound great, and No Age excelled here, blaring an excellent warm, fuzzy guitar tone with just enough crunch to it. It made them sound thick, and provided a good base for their melodic, sing-shout vocals. I hope to catch a headlining set from these folks in the future, and have recently been enjoying their latest, Weirdo Rippers.

I didn’t know what to expect from Liars on this tour, but I was certainly surprised when they came out as a quartet instead of their normal trio. The mystery fourth performer took over all Angus Andrew’s normal guitar duties, and didn’t have any problems recreating his unique stylings. Angus came out looking very dapper in a suit, and performed a good chunk of the show sitting from a chair front and center in the stage. Tonight, he took on the persona of sixties variety-show television host, talking frequently to the audience between songs, dedicating songs to friends and generally trying to be charming. He played it completely straight, without any irony that I could notice; rather, I think he was serious, which in itself was quite a surprise; he wanted to be an emcee, not a rockstar. I half expected to see the band go into some cheesy ballad or pop standard, but was always quite pleased when they instead went into their inimitable brand of post-modern mind fuck. I much prefer Angus’ previous persona, the charismatic, intense-evil-sexual-genius who looms and stalks around the stage to such great effect. He was still very much the center of attention visually, but Aaron Hemphill and Julian Gross stole the show musically with their intense rhythmic collaborations and general sonic chemistry. Speaking of which, the songs from Liars’ latest, self titled record sounded great, good enough in fact to make me re-evaluate the record much more positively. Not that I didn’t like it to begin with, but I found it to be inconsistent and less focused than Drum’s Not Dead. What I was missing is the explosiveness of much of the new record. The catalogue material still sounded great, though the band wasn’t quite as tight with it as they were the previous time I saw them perform. All in all, I was very satisfied, and Liars’ reputation as a can’t miss live act stands strong.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Liars, No Age

I’ve never listened to that much metal, nor have I been to many metal shows. A couple of years ago, a few records and a few friends started to re-introduce me to the genre, and I liked some of what I heard. This was a significant departure from my usual musical stomping grounds. When a good friend of mine told me that the best metal show to come to NYC in several years was going to happen just a few blocks away from my apartment, that Vice was throwing it, and that Mastodon was the (at the time) secret opener, I immediately bought tickets. Mastodon became known to me last year through the press and goodwill for Blood Mountain; while that record didn’t particularly grab me, it did command respect, and I’d heard good things about their live show. I’d never heard of Neurosis, and was surprised at the level of reverence with which they were talked about among my metal friends. Allegedly, they were the best heavy band, ever. And clearly, while no one was complaining about Mastodon opening, everyone I knew was going to the show to see Neurosis.

Even though I’ve attended many, many concerts, including a few metal shows, I felt like very much like a tourist in a foreign country who understands a few words of the language and little else about the strange place where he finds himself. The cultish and charming Masonic temple was packed with people who looked and dressed very different from the various hipster and twee incarnations I usually see at shows: Long hair, leather, and folks sporting tee-shirts for their other favorite metal bands (Barroness in particular had a lot of supporters) were massively abundant. Mod hair cuts and neon were nowhere to be found, and likely ridiculed if they were. The crowd had clearly gone to great lengths to pre-game for the show, a quality I appreciate. There was a very pungent haze permeating the whole building. The room was very dark, with minimal lighting on stage. There were a lot of big, angry looking dudes with smoking-hot girlfriends. Anticipation for the metal was palpable, and delivered when Mastodon got on stage to run through some new material. I expected to see a lively mosh pit, and was not disappointed. The biggest dude in the mix was a bouncer, who must have been close to 7 feet tall and 350lbs+. He just hung out in the middle of the pit, and when things got a little too rowdy he’d simply lift his arms into Jesus position and everyone in a 20 foot radius went flying while he chuckled. That dude rules.

Mastodon put on a technically impressive performance that seemed to please the crowd; speed and complex time signatures tended to define their set, which included most of the hallmarks of metal which have previously kept me away: yelling/growling and gratuitous guitar solos. However, the guitar solos really didn’t seem too gratuitous, much to my surprise. They seemed to be about dominance, almost a call to the audience something like “my guitar solo is badass, respect and submit!,” both of which I unquestioningly did. The massive and convincing displays of aggression and masculinity were both alien and impressive to me.

Mastodon, while good, didn’t have shit on Neurosis. If the hallmarks of a good metal show (as far as I can tell) are massive displays of power, aggression and masculinity, coupled with flawless technical proficiency, Neurosis are clearly at the pinnacle of the genre. It was a darkly atmospheric, loud, intense display of complete dominance. They were fucking heavy, and they make your favorite band look like a bunch of pussies, which seems to be the point. While I doubt that I’ll ever move beyond tourist stage into this world, I thoroughly enjoyed this visit, and should I have the chance, I’d absolutely go see Neurosis again.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Mastodon, Neurosis

My list comes later than everyone else's this year because my list is clearly the best list. In case you were wondering.
2007, from the albums I heard and the concerts I attended, was a decent year for music. It was year where I heard many good records, but very few, if any, great records. 2007 lacked any masterpieces by established artists, though there were some sturdy additions to already established catalogues (Radiohead and Spoon come to mind). 2007 did see some new talents emerge (St. Vincent, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Marnie Stern) as well as other acts come into their own with breakthrough sophomore releases (Deerhunter, The Besnard Lakes). While it's certainly a little early to have any kind of definitive perspective on 2007, I think it was average but pleasant.
Creating a ranked list was a more difficult this year than in years past; my top ten were nearly interchangeable, all records that I liked (even liked a great deal), but without much particular difference in merit to distinguish them. That being said, I did take a shot, and my rankings this year were not based on my own subjective thoughts about "quality," but rather specifically on enjoyment and frequency of listens. I also didn't include EP's in the mix, unless they were clearly a companion piece to a record.
So, starting with the EP's first:
4) Black Kids - Wizard of Ahhhs
3) High Places - Ancient Almanac
2) Illinois - What The Hell Do I Know?
1) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is

And albums:
30) The White Stripes - Icky Thump
29) Marnie Stern - In Advance of the Broken Arm
28) AA Bondy - American Hearts
27) White Rabbits - Fort Nightly
26) Caribou - Andorra
25) Liars - Liars
24) Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
23) Bat For Lashes - Fur and Gold
22) Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
21) Dungen - Tio Bitar
20) Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
19) The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
18) Parts & Labor - Mapmaker
17) Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
16) Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
15) The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
14) Holy Fuck - LP
13) St. Vincent - Marry Me
12) Amon Tobin - Foley Room
11) The Bird & The Bee - The Bird & the Bee
10) !!! - Myth Takes
9) The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
8) The Field - From Here We Go To Sublime
7) Deerhunter - Cryptograms/Fluorescent Grey
6) Feist - The Reminder
5) Blonde Redhead - 23
4) Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum
3) LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
2) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
1) Radiohead - In Rainbows

Labels: 2007 Recap

The Equestrian, interpreted by Bunny

Ah Les Savy Fav. I’ve seen them at least ten times already, and after each show, I don’t have much new to say except that they left me completely satisfied. Highlights from this one: it was a record release show, and my first time in the new Music Hall of Williamsburg. MHW rose from the remnants of NorthSix. While I loved NorthSix and have many great memories of shows there, it doesn’t have anything no the new place. MHW is basically the Bowery Ballroom, except in Brooklyn. The layout is largely the same, except the balcony bar has its own room, which is a nice spot to chill out. The sound system may actually be better, as it’s brand new, and they folks at Bowery Presents have a little more experience under their belt building venues. I’m thrilled to have a venue of this caliber in Brooklyn. My only complaint: couldn't you have picked a better name? I nearly always refer to it as the new NorthSix, which feels about half as long and twice as descriptive.
So naturally, having a new venue and a new sound system to play with, Les Savy Fav turned it up LOUD. The winner of a LSF video contest, was announced who was all of 8 years old and pretty pumped to be on the stage at a rock show. She was also very cute. And, like any other LSF show, there were many shenanigans and costume changes. Tim Harrington eventually ended up in his underwear, everyone got drunk and rocked. What a great band, who seemed very comfortable as a five piece again. For those who didn’t give their newest, Let’s Stay Friends a chance, I’d recommend you reconsider. It’s definitely an evolution for them, and it’s aged quite well.

Les Savy Fav - The Equestrian

Labels: Concert Reviews, Les Savy Fav

When I read that Beirut was playing a show in my neighborhood, all of three blocks from where I live, I was quite excited. One of the few things about my neighborhood I wish was different is the lack of music venues: It’s possible to catch the occasional jazz trio at some of the local restaurants (which I’m all for), but Fort Greene doesn’t have any proper venues, particularly for the kinds of shows that I attend. To suddenly believe it possible that the Masons were willing to let promoters put on shows, big shows with good bands, nonetheless, was kind of like waking up from a fantasy about having the Bowery Ballroom conveniently located at the end of your block, and then finding out it was true.

Actually, while the Masonic Temple is huge, beautiful and mysterious from the outside, it’s not the Bowery. And that’s ok. It’s quite good for what it is, which is a very large room with a huge seated balcony on three sides, and a smallish stage. My best guess is that without seats on the floor (the venue was entirely seated for this show), its capacity is about 800 folks or so. The lighting and sound system left a little to be desired, though adequate. Considering that this was the first show held at this venue, things went pretty smoothly.

Beirut were quite good; they were a fairly large ensemble (eight or nine folks on stage), with all the instrumentation one would expect from listening to their records. Most members of the band were multi-instrumentalists, and the resulting balance between stringed instruments, horns and percussion changed quite frequently. My favorite consisted of three ukulele players side by side at the front of the stage, for no reason that I can remember, but it sounded good. It’s not the kind of thing one sees very often. The crowd was attentive and enthusiastic; the band made it through the set with only minor miscommunications, which is impressive considering how much shifting around was going on with each song. Zack Condon’s voice was distinctive and clear, and his understated confidence was quite charming. It was what I’d hoped for in a Beirut show. If you’re a fan of any of the records, I’d highly recommend seeing them when they come through your town. And I’d also recommend checking out Devotchka, who will probably be right up your ally.

Labels: Beirut, Concert Reviews

Battles and Deerhunter was my last South Street Seaport show for the summer, and allow me to reiterate what a great concert series this is; I sorely miss it when it’s cold outside. Props to all those who help make this happen, even the corporate overlords. And a fitting finale it was, with the Seaport about as full as I’ve seen it for any of these free shows.

Deerhunter were still in the midst of being the band that was everywhere and full of unnecessary drama, a moment that has thankfully passed. At that particular show, the newest was that their guitar player had recently quit, and this may have been their first show without him. He quit, by the way, because he was quite tired of all the unnecessary drama surrounding the band. Let this be a lesson to all future super-hyped blogfork bands: some drama, good. Too much drama, and not only do fans weary of hearing about it, but your guitar player quits too. Apart from all that, they still sounded pretty good. The bands rhythm section was probably better than they were when I saw them a month and a half earlier, but now Bradford Cox, the singer and center of the show, was strapped into a guitar and not free to roam and stalk in the ways that made him both frightening and compelling the last time. He managed, however, to be the center of attention anyway. The band was also not quite used to this arrangement, as the guitars sounded a bit sloppy. But it was still a pretty good show, and I’m happy I had the chance to hear Deerhunter play these songs again.

Ah, Battles. Fellow music-fanatic friends of mine, whose taste I respect and often overlap with, didn’t stop raving about the Battles record for the entire summer. I dutifully gave it several listens, and very much tried to understand what about it was so mind-blowing to so many folks. Speaking of which, that packed crowd at the Seaport was largely there to see Battles; there was no doubt to me about who the bigger band was, or is, for that matter. Anyway, I failed miserably in penetrating the proggy unpredictability and virtuoso skill on the record, but was hoping that live it all might make more sense, or at least be more enjoyable. I can absolutely say that it did not make any more sense live, but it was a compelling set for several reasons: I cannot understate the level of musicianship necessary to not only write, but then recreate live such complicated, difficult polyrhythms and melodies (I’m not sure that “melody” is actually the right word to describe what a band like Battles is doing, as it feels like a bit of an oversimplification, and there isn’t a great deal that is “melodic” in the way that I normally think of the term). The performance of music like that, with that level of intensity and a big audience, is a physically tiring experience. It commands respect, and literally wore me out trying to keep up listening to it. I couldn’t make it through the whole set, though that didn’t actually take anything away from the experience. As it stands, the Battles form of prog is not my cup of tea (there are few types of prog, if any, that I get into), but I’m happy to have seen them. Lastly, props to their drummer, who somehow made having one crash symbal placed high above his head, using it for occasional dramatic effect, somehow cool. I don’t know how he did it, and I would not encourage others to try.

Labels: Battles, Concert Reviews, Deerhunter

My buddy Scott (who took the picture above) has been raving to me about Team Robespierre for quite some time; much longer, in fact, than their current moment of buzz and good press. Scott has spent much time in the past trying to convert me to his favorite band, playing their records whenever given the chance, and doing his best to spread the gospel of their live show to me and the other drunks we spend our time with. For no particularly good reason, it took me a while to go check out one of Team Robespierre’s shows with him. He had explained very clearly that to understand and dig the Team, one needed to experience their live show, as that is their preferred and best means of being. I think that he’s absolutely right.

The combination of a free show and free beer were enough to convince me to head up to Greenpoint for the show; I forget who all exactly was on the bill, but Robespierre played first. And more or less immediately, all the things Scott had been telling me for so long came true: the kids flipped their shit. Hard. Team Robespierre (at the time, perhaps that’s changed now) did not have a big enough fan base to fill up Studio B, and it’s quite likely that most folks where there for either the free booze or the headliner, but they did have more than enough fans to take over almost the entire dance floor, and to put it to good use. It reminded me of what a Matt and Kim show is like, except less winky fun and more spazm. The band has serious energy, more so, in fact, than they know what to do with. Their fans similarly share this energy, and the stage and crowd seemed to be a mess of flying and convulsing bodies, without the self-consciousness of people trying to look good in any way whatsoever.

Unfortunately for me (and the other uninitiated), like so many other promising shows at Studio B, the sound basically ruined it. I couldn’t tell you why it was so difficult to hear all the given instruments at a given time (I feel like in a single song, I could hear about two instruments between their guitars, keyboards, bass, drums and vocals). Some (perhaps a majority) of the blame must go the soundman, who couldn’t figure out what the band ought to sound like, and some likely falls on the band for not getting some of these kinks worked out during the soundcheck. What I kind of heard (but not enough to properly understand, let alone judge), was hyper, spastic, synth driven punk with vocals that match the music. The songs were fast, brief, and weird. If that sounds like the kind of thing you’d be into, particularly if your someone who can’t really dance but loves to spazz out anyway, then believe the hype, and check out the band.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Team Robespierre

Uncut are a band from Toronto that play guitar driven indie rock. When I say that, I mean that the focus is on dueling guitar lines and sweeping vocal melodies, usually with a sing/speak delivery. It’s straightforward, and at its best it has tension and catchy, satisfying releases in the choruses. I went to see them on a whim, having sampled a few tracks someone sent my way. They were playing the Trash Bar, a spot I normally only visit for local acts, on a weekend swing through NYC.

Uncut are easily the best band I’ve personally seen at the Trash bar: they’re road-tested and tight, they know how they should sound live and they're all good musicians. They played a good paced set to a mostly empty room, but delivered a satisfying show to those who were there; we, doing our part, got drunk and enjoyed it. They were nice guys as well, happy to mingle after the afterwards. I think they have great things ahead of them if they continue to hone their songwriting and spend their time earning fans the hard way, on the road. They released their second record, Modern Currencies, earlier this year, a promising effort with at least three tracks that I've had on repeat during the fall.

Here’s a couple of tracks, courtesy of Paper Bag Records:
"Dark Horse"
"Out Of Sight"

Labels: Concert Reviews, Uncut

The Death Set came highly recommended from my friend Scott, and I can see why he likes them: they’re a bit off-kilter, spastic, and bring a lot of kids that like to dance. They consist of two guys playing guitar and singing (almost yelping, really) over a laptop that spits out rapid drum machine beats. The songs last no longer than two minutes each (really more like a minute and a half), with random tracks (Jackson 5 to rap hits) in-between that give the feel of a DJ set punctuated by short bursts of punk. Their high energy set seemed short and promising; they brought a small (but clearly excited) group of fans who took over the front while they played; unfortunately, their sound was terrible and you couldn’t hear much more than the beats from the laptop. I would go see this band again, however, particularly in a small room somewhere.

Suicide were the main event, as chances to see them are few and far between. Judging from the age of the crowd, I’d guess that maybe a third of the folks in attendance would have had the chance to see Suicide back in the day, or at least have heard their records when they’d only been out for a few years. For everyone else, including myself, it was an opportunity to see a hugely influential, if relatively unknown band, who earned a brutal reputation for live performances at the beginning of punk in America. Going back and listening to their first two records, it’s amazing just how many bands (from synth-pop to industrial) ripped them off. But that’s what it means to be an innovator, paving a path for many others who will follow.

I’ve read a great deal about Suicide’s abrasive, confrontational shows from the seventies and early eighties. I didn’t expect that kind of experience these many years later, but I was still very curious to see what this band would sound like, in general, and after all this time. It was, for lack of a better word, interesting. Martin Rev had nice equipment, and his beats and synth lines sounded great. He was also wearing some kind of jumpsuit with some of the largest, strangest sunglasses I’ve ever seen. I believe the set was largely improvised (it certainly wasn’t a ‘greatest hits set’, though I wouldn’t expect that from this band). They did play Cherie, and Frankie Teardrop, however, both of which were good.

Alan Vega looked liked he’d lived through that turbulent time so long ago, complete with a wizened swagger that convinced me that he was once as menacing as the stories I’ve read, and as intense as the singer of Frankie Teardrop would need to be. He stalked around, without a bite but with a good deal of disdain for everyone there, including himself: playing at a music festival with corporate sponsors at a NYC tourist destination is nearly antithetical to the ethos of Suicide’s career. The tension showed. But I know that I was thrilled to have had the chance to see them, as were many folks there, and that at the end of their bitter set, with a great deal of enthusiasm and applause from the crowd, they looked a little flustered, pleased even, at the reception they received after all these years. They smiled. They even played an encore. If a band like Gang of Four can suddenly (and deservedly) be discovered by a new generation of music lovers, and receive credit for influencing a generation of current bands, Suicide deserves that much and more.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Suicide, The Death Set

I’ve been in love with Devotchka for a while now; their records are flawless, sad, romantic and beautiful. For all the attention that other bands playing “gypsy” music have been receiving in the past year or two (cough *Beirut* cough), I don’t understand how Devotchka isn’t headlining festivals, as they do this style of music more uniquely and frankly better than anyone else in the genre. Luckily for me, I still have the chance to catch them in intimate venues like the Spiegletent.

The Spiegletent is a traveling tent that roosts at the South Street Seaport for the summer. I’m told that the main event at the tent is a cirque du soleil type acrobatic variety show. But when that’s over they occasionally put on concerts, which I guarantee to be a unique experience. The tent itself is large and circular, with booths lining the perimeter. If a group of wealthy gypsy’s had a traveling pub with a stage, this is what it would look like. Detailed wood panels, wood beams and mirrors surround you. A stage is set up at the opposite end of the tent where the band plays with an open floor in front of them. It would also be a great place to have a dance. Here’s a hint of you’re going to a show here: if you purchase your ticket with an American Express card, they’ll let you skip the line and go into the venue ahead of everyone else.

The Spiegletent was a perfect place to see Devotchka, who were even better than I hoped. It was the kind of night where my friends and I would drink much wine before the show, excited to see a band that are objectively better than ninety-five percent of the shows that we normally attend. It’s an evening to be emotional, to get swept away with beautiful, haunting melodies while dancing to intricate rhythms with a room full of friends and strangers just as captivated as you are. Devotchka are a crack band of musicians; each instrument is featured at interesting and appropriate times, ranging from a string quartet that weeps and dances, to a tuba, sounding like a giant ship blasting bass lines appropriate for a spy-noir thriller. The singer, Nick Urata, has a voice that’s hyper-emotive, captivating and beautiful; it sits atop the intricate instrumentation without imposing, but rather bringing already engaging music to emotional highs and lows that aren’t common. The list of bands I’ve seen that can put on shows as good as this one was isn’t very long, go see them while they’re still playing venues that are not that big. If they play Spiegletent again, I’ll be there without a second thought.

Labels: Concert Reviews, DeVotchKa

It’d been quite some time since I’d seen Annuals, and much had happened since catching them at SXSW: they’d stayed on the road since, touring extensively in Europe and playing most of the major festivals across the pond (Reading, Roskilde) and over here (Lollapalooza). They also signed to Virgin in the UK, and released Be He Me on the Moshi Moshi imprint. For a bunch of 20 year olds, they’re still doing quite well.

So how does all this affect their live show? Mostly that it just keeps getting easier and easier from them, apparently. I don’t think that playing a big empty pool is an ideal venue for them (too much gear and too much space to make it sound right), but they’re able to cruise through their set, not missing a beat. The highlights of the show are still the moments when they bring three drummers strong, giving a rhythmic, muscular base to the pretty, wistful melodies that make up the best moments of their debut. I’m looking forward to what they do next, as what has always been most appealing about Annuals was the enormous potential I hear and see in their music.

On this day I was more excited to see Band of Horses, as Everything All the Time was one of my favorite records of last year, a record that’s aged very well. And I’d never seen Band of Horses, so I wanted to know if that which makes them special on the record exists in their live show. They played most of their debut, and added in a few new songs, which seemed pretty good. The sound, unfortunately, was muddy and generally terrible. However, as is one of the marks of a good band, I still had a good time listening to them and hanging out with my friends on a perfect sunny day for a show. A friend of mine had a very different experience than me, and honestly I remember this show more from his description than mine, which is something like this:

“I was backstage at the show, catching up with some good friends that I’d not had the chance to see for a while. My friends also happen to be pretty tight with Band of Horses, and they’d had a good time fucking around with them before their set. We watched the show sitting at the back of the stage, directly behind the band. We spent our time heckling the drummer, throwing things at him and smoking grass while we caught up. Band of Horses sounded great, and some of the new songs floored me. But the highlight of the show was definitely when they played Funeral: the drummer turned to look back at us and did one of those excellent drumstick spins, pointed at us and nodded his head as he came crashing into the chorus with the rest of the band. It was a little surreal.”

Labels: Annuals, Band of Horses, Concert Reviews

The Besnard Lakes were one of a few pleasant surprises at SXSW for me earlier this year, and in the time since that show I’ve grown quite fond of their most recent record, The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse. That record is an interesting collage of brooding, winding dirges that slowly build to classic rock catharsis, with a sensibility that’s very seventies and also with some sixties-style harmonizing thrown in for good measure. It wasn’t an immediate record, but after spending some time with it …The Horse will likely end up in my top twenty this year.

I consequently held high hopes for the show; the Mercury Lounge would also give them the chance to deliver in the way that an outdoor stage with a short set at SXSW would not. I was very satisfied with the results: the Besnard Lakes brought their own sound man, and the mix was impeccable, albeit about two notches too loud for such a small room. The band had been on the road a great deal (if not continuously) since I last saw them, and they had the chops to prove it. Every song was crisp, and they created the atmosphere necessary to keep a sold-out crowd’s attention through tracks that build slowly and are not meant for the ADD set. Every time the band opened up for a big chorus, the sonic rush was satisfying and emotional. I left feeling very nostalgic for a moment in time I never knew, where I imagine hearing songs like that on AM radio while cruising down some wide open highway in the evening, and listening to them later at home on vinyl, in my wood paneled basement den with shag carpeting, feeling a little righteous. I wouldn’t recommend this band to the completely uninitiated, but if you’ve heard the record before, absolutely go check them out.

Labels: Besnard Lakes, Concert Reviews

By the time I finally had the chance to see Deerhunter, I was convinced of two things: they were a good band, but they only had four good songs. I was hoping that the live show would be as good and as intense as their best recorded moments, and that it might help to shed some light on all of their other songs, which didn’t interest me. I had all of my questions answered, and witnessed plenty of other strange, entertaining things.


Ex Models opened the show: they were loud, and at their best, fast, hyper, and abrasive for lack of a better word. Entertaining for a few songs, but not really my thing.

Deerhunter was clearly the main event, and they sold out the Bowery, as expected. The anticipation among the rabid blogger and Pitchfork obsessives was palatable. But, in all fairness, when your previous Todd P show in Bushwick draws all sorts of indie celebrity fans and you get a blowjob on stage, documented for posterity, I’d expect nothing less. I wish I would’ve been there. I’m very pro-blowjob.

Deerhunter were intense: when the drums locked in and the band started grooving, it felt good and showed why they’ve risen so quickly this year. The vocals were much thinner than I expected from listening to the record. However, that didn’t particularly matter: Bradford Cox is a stalking, looming, charismatic presence on stage that is equally entertaining and freakish. The band feeds off of his tremendous energy, and the show feels continuous. The instrumental, effect driven interludes make sense live in ways that I don’t hear on the record. The releases of the songs didn’t rock quite as hard as I’d hoped, but the energy and flow made up for it. At the end of the set, I’d come the conclusion that Deerhunter actually have six good songs, half of which are on the Fluorescent Grey EP, as opposed to the four I previously thought. Musically, I was pretty satisfied.

What I remember most from the show, however, has nothing to do with the music. Deerhunter played an encore, but Bradford Cox wouldn’t leave the stage. His band did, but for lack of a better way to put it, he decided that he wanted to have some kind of bizarre therapy session with his adoring fans (about a third or fourth of the crowd continued to stick around, even though the music was clearly over). I can’t give you a precise list of topics that he discussed, as I was very happy to retire down to the bar to have some drinks with a pal for this part of the evening and more or less ignore it over the PA. This continued for a long time, at least half an hour. The bar down below was empty, and my friend and I were listening to the bartenders talk shit about this self-help session. It was embarrassing. So embarrassing that I saw Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s run down stairs to the merch table to plead with Deerhunter’s manager to pull the plug. “He’s making a fool of himself.” I’d have to agree.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Deerhunter

Spoon was one of the biggest indie acts that had managed to elude me for some time; with smaller bands, you don’t necessarily kick yourself when shows repeatedly don’t work out. But this is Spoon, and they are really fucking good; they deserve better than that.

I almost missed this show as well; I was having a few drinks after work with coworkers, and it started pouring outside. The torrential downpour, along with me feeling a little on the happy side, nearly made me decide to just go back to Brooklyn to wait out the storm until it was time to catch Deerhunter later that evening. However, a friend of mine who was more dedicated than I went while it was still raining, and told me that although the openers were cancelled, the rain was letting up and the show was still on. So I headed down to the park where the show was going down, and saw a mob of people trying to dry everything off the stage. Apparently, they did a good job; Spoon went on a little late, but with enough time to get a set in. The crowd was impressively large, I can only imagine how many folks would’ve showed up with better weather.

As has been widely discussed by many much bigger fans than me, Spoon’s best quality is their stark minimalism. You only get the bare necessities of a song: rhythm, restrained arrangements and a catchy vocal melody with a swagger in the delivery that rightfully makes everyone else envious, if not completely jealous. This translates extremely well live, as what you’re used to hearing on the record, you also get from the concert. The set, from what I remember, was a little light on the new record Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, which was a little disappointing as it’s one of my favorite releases this year. They did, however, have a horn section with them for a few songs, which was excellent. I look forward to seeing them play a longer set in a room; Spoon are definitely worth checking out.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Spoon

Marnie Stern's debut record was a bright point of my winter, as I’d long thought she would find success if her music had the chance to find an audience. Signing to Kill Rock Stars took care of that, and what was left was finally seeing her recreate her unique sound with a band. For as much as seeing her thrash alone with her iPod was endearing, I’d always thought that her live show would only become transcendent when she could recreate all the parts live. I was naturally quite excited when I heard that she’d finally put a band together. Zach Hill from Hella (who also drummed on and produced Marnie’s record) and Robby Moncrieff of WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE SON GOD joined Marnie to tour the US, Australia and Japan.

The show was at the recently remodeled Knitting Factory. They opened up the main room substantially, which makes it feel much less claustrophobic than the old room did, and gives the sound quite a bit more space to travel in, which in a venue this size makes the sound a bit richer. All in all I like what they did and look forward to seeing more shows there.

Back to Marnie: when she plays solo with her iPod, you can hear all the fabulous layers of guitar wizardry quite clearly, along with plenty of backing vocal tracks to thicken up her delivery. But it’s missing the excitement of seeing it truly recreated live, and consequently lacks a little bite. With a band, the experience takes on added virtuosity (sometimes seeing is believing) and grit. The layered polish of the record is replaced by loud, powerful guitars, weaving between melodies and counterpoint at a level I’ve only otherwise seen done by very talented metal bands. The drummer sounded like a jazzman on speed. When everything was in sync (more often than not) the effect was impressive; the hype and anticipation, justified. And in a pleasant surprise not found on the record, some of the big releases rocked heavy. The vocals were a little thin, but for fans of Marnie’s music, it was a most rewarding show.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Marnie Stern

After having an excellent time at the last seaport show I went to with Animal Collective, I was very much looking forward to catching Black Moth Super Rainbow and Fujiya & Miyagi. I'd been digging on this one track from BMSR I'd downloaded somewhere, and I'd heard excellent things about them at SXSW. Fujiya & Miyagi put out a record that I liked well enough back in 2006; I can't say that I expected them to gain the buzz and fans they currently have when it came out in the US earlier this year, but good for them. And I was quite curious to find out if all the hype about their live show was justified.

After waiting around and drinking a 40 (open container at South Street Seaport is pretty excellent), Black Moth Super Rainbow went on a little bit later than I expected, as shows at the port usually run on a very tight schedule. I didn't know what to expect at all, and when the foursome came out and everyone but the bass player immediately sat down on the stage and started fiddling with keyboards and drum machines, I didn't have high hopes. But the band sounded great, anchored by an underlying groove and melodic sensibility that I love finding in electronic music. I was close enough to the stage to actually see everyone, and they seemed interesting enough. The singer was wearing one of those cat hat/mask things, that basically made him look like he was going to a furry club after the show. He sang using a heavy effect on his voice that gave it kind of a robot sheen; normally this would make me want to go to the bar and wait for the next band, but it really works with the soundscapes they create. The bass player was by far the most visible of everyone (actually standing up!), and he did a good job of locking down the groove and giving hope to the crowd that there was something interesting on stage. Indeed there was, if you ignored the fact that you couldn't see anything and listened to the music. It was an excellent set, and their record has been in heavy rotation ever since. But they really ought to consider finding a way to make their concerts something people can watch, instead of just hear.

There was a large crowd by the time Fujiya & Miyagi went on. They faithfully recreated the sound and feel of the record, and it sounded good, but honestly it was pretty boring. The crowd never really got into it apart from a few kids bopping when their jam came on, I was surprised, and I was expecting more. It's not that I think F&M can't put on a good show, indeed I believe they can. But I think that the kind of music they make really needs a room to give the oomph that bring people of out compliantly hanging out and gets folks into the show, ideally, getting their hips moving a bit. They would do well to not play outdoor venues, or to turn their bass up to eleven when they do. All in all, it was a decent concert that started an enjoyable evening.

Labels: Black Moth Super Rainbow, Concert Reviews, Fujiya and Miyagi

Thanks to a friends birthday party the night before, I somehow made it to this show in the midst of what may have been the worst hangover of my life. Ouch. But that does speak to how much I like seeing both Man Man and Illinois. In entirely different ways, both bands can really bring it on a good day. And I have yet to catch Man Man on anything but a good day.

Due to my headache and general distaste for life at the moment, I didn't make it into the pool in time to see Illinois play. However, I did get to listen to them as I was waiting in line, and from where I was, it sounded pretty good. Several of my friends confirm that they played a good set, and I know that I'll be seeing them again soon enough.

I don't know if it was just my hangover or if they deserve my scorn, but I thought that Dengue Fever were terrible. I didn't feel it at all, and not so secretly wished they would stop playing.

Man Man, however, temporarily helped me forget how much my body hurt, and played with the tight energy and wonderfully eccentric sound that make them one of the best live bands currently touring. It was impressive, and everyone of my friends basically said the same thing to me after the set. They did play some new material which sounded good, I'm much looking forward to their new record. Go see Man Man if you haven't already, it's a spectacle you won't soon forget and will likely enjoy.

Labels: Concert Reviews, Illinois, Man Man

This show was likely the one circumstance in which I would (and did) find myself at an Animal Collective show; I, like many, found Sung Tongs to be a pretty excellent record, though I hated it for some amount of time before repeated forced listenings by one of my roommates made me come around. But I never really clicked with Feels, or got into anything else that they've done. Coupled with several friends telling me that AC were a terrible live show, I've not been in much of a hurry to see them. However, I am a fan of the free shows at South Street Seaport which allows me to check out bands I wouldn't likely see otherwise in a pleasant outdoor venue.

So I went, and I now I'll eat crow. Danielson opened the show, and they looked peppy in their matching forest ranger uniforms. They sounded pretty peppy too, I would say that I passively enjoyed their performance. Then Animal Collective came on, and started building delicate, expansive loops of sound that effectively hypnotized me, and rather quickly. It was intriguing and beautiful in this abstract kind of way. Sometimes it became rhythmic in a sense that reminds me of how it feels to see Liars (without really sounding like that band), and other moments focused on these very disjointed melodies and chants which were far more pleasing than I would expect them to be. I'm told that most of the beginning of the set was material from their forthcoming full length; if that's what their new record sounds like, I think I may become a big fan of this band yet. They did get into some older material later in the evening which pleased the rather large audience, but even though I like the older tracks they played, I'd take a concert just full of the new stuff. And perhaps I will.

Labels: Animal Collective, Concert Reviews