tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281410102011-04-21T15:37:10.276-04:00music, politics, and anything else reallystephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.comBlogger1791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-32760980310925218482009-05-23T18:25:00.006-04:002009-05-23T19:29:39.029-04:00

CredAbout a year ago, I went to see almost exactly this same bill at the MHOW: it was Holy Fuck's first headlining show at a venue of that size in New York, and A Place To Bury Strangers were on their way up. That show was my favorite concert of 2008, with a wonderful combination of blissed out, punishing noise rock and super energetic, man with machine dance music. There was also a good crowd

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-84904764776233524082009-05-22T19:08:00.003-04:002009-05-22T20:07:43.141-04:00

The Antlers @ Music Hall of Williamsburg from Patrick Duffy on Vimeo.My summer concert season officially kicked off last night, and what a start it was: three good bands (all in various stages of up-and-coming, my favorite kind), my favorite venue that I'd not been to in quite some time (the inimitable Bowery), and as an added bonus, an excellent pre-game loft party in Union Square (compliments

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-87098800130032854112009-03-22T21:39:00.004-04:002009-03-26T21:24:28.889-04:00

2008 ended up being a decent year for music; nothing overwhelmingly special about it, but still plenty of records I ended up enjoying quite a bit and another crop of promising debuts from new bands. That's really all I hope for, apart from the occasional masterwork from the few bands that have the talent or cultural timing and luck to do such a thing. I don't believe the past year had one of

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-24067337222854241762009-03-18T02:01:00.002-04:002009-03-18T02:03:24.567-04:00

20: The Soft Pack – The Muslims1928 RecordingsThe Soft Pack (who were until recently called the Muslims) make stripped down, nothing-but-the-gritty-necessities garage rock. What separates them from the legions of bands that do exactly the same thing, poorly, is a strong sense of melody and straight up musicianship: they know how to play their instruments, and they know how to play them together

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-66107946739422810022009-03-18T01:58:00.002-04:002009-03-18T02:01:02.340-04:00

19: The Cool Kids – The Bake SaleChocolate Industries/XLWhat drew me to the Cool Kids are the fat, slow beats. It’s hard to quantify what exactly makes a good beat, but you know one when you hear one. The Cool Kids have excellent taste in sounds, ranging from vintage video game samples to completely illegal rock snippets, which they then space together with a slow hand: not too rushed, quick

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-22974425062024554132009-03-18T01:55:00.003-04:002009-03-18T01:57:47.799-04:00

18: Eagles of Death Metal – Heart OnDowntownHeart On is a big step forward for the Eagles of Death Metal, who make blatant Rolling Stones worship and juvenile lyrics (two things I normally don’t like, especially together) unexpectedly awesome. This record is full of big, badass Stones-style guitar riffs, with machine gun drumming that more than rises to the challenge. What the EODM have this

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-55180385307875136512009-03-18T01:49:00.003-04:002009-03-18T01:55:00.331-04:00

17: MGMT – Oracular SpectacularColombiaDespite the critical love given to other debuts, when many, many people think of 2008, it will sound like MGMT. As of the time of this review, Oracular Spectacular has sales of over 350,000 in the US and been on the charts for 50 consecutive weeks (beating every other critical hit except perhaps Vampire Weekend). The tremendous A-side of the record,

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-56123718182200474732009-03-18T01:46:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:48:20.705-04:00

16: Clark – Turning DragonWarpTurning Dragon sounds like hate-fuck music for robots that you can dance to, if you’re in shape. Clark took a harder turn since Body Riddle, using much more aggressive, even abrasive science fiction sounds that are continuously thrown in your face by the fast, driving drums. Despite the fact that it’s not a soothing listen by any means, the level of detail and

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-90404630689338381032009-03-18T01:42:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:45:54.493-04:00

15: Portishead – ThirdMercuryPhew. I’m so very, very pleased that this record didn’t suck. After a solid decade away, Portishead came back and did what great bands are able to do: they evolved their sound, stripping away any remnants of trip-hop but still sounding exactly like themselves. For the band that more or less defined that genre, that’s quite an achievement. Third is full of prodding

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-63487399663857731352009-03-18T01:39:00.003-04:002009-03-18T01:42:37.097-04:00

14: Deerhoof – Offend MaggieKill Rock StarsAs a fan that came to know Deerhoof with the excellent The Runner’s Four, I’m most drawn to their work when it’s relatively direct and a little bit rocking. Offend Maggie is exactly those things: there’s still plenty of off-kilter melodicizing, but the band's return to a quartet has also brought back a focus that I didn’t hear in last year’s Friend

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-76581320921866828392009-03-18T01:37:00.001-04:002009-03-18T01:39:13.057-04:00

13: Beck – Modern GuiltInterscopeModern Guilt, while not at the top of Beck’s catalogue, is another solid and worthy effort that continues to mine his very singular version of restless, groovy melancholy. Openers “Orphans” and “Gamma Ray” are classic Beck, the first a stylish ballad and the second a quick, catchy rocker. The record is unfortunately a bit inconsistent after that, but is full of

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-14291968275295954722009-03-18T01:33:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:37:05.878-04:00

12: Women – WomenJagjaguwarWomen’s self-titled debut is a strange record; what makes it good are the collage of quick rhythms, great tones from creative, lo-fi production (with lots of great sounding noises dispersed throughout), group sing-alongs sometimes resembling melodic chanting, and fast, intricate guitar lines (with the emphasis on running, tricky melodies, not guitar virtuoso wankery).

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-83169677228698131602009-03-18T01:20:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:33:17.489-04:00

11: Fucked Up – The Chemistry of Common LifeMatadorThe Chemistry of Common Life is a celebratory, angry record that thrives on strong melody and execution. Father Damien’s intense vocals are both credible and compelling, accenting the punchy, big guitar riffs and driving drums. This is the sound of a punk band that elevated their musicianship and songwriting beyond the conventions of their

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-91204491919502724532009-03-18T01:17:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:20:26.322-04:00

10: Lindstrøm – Where You Go I Go ToSMALLTOWN SUPERSOUNDWhere You Go I Go To is easily my favorite electronic/club record of the past year. For those that do not like electronic nor club music, allow me to try and explain: Lindstrøm uses much of the instrumentation that probably turns you off, because it sounds like the tremendous amount of terrible, stereotypical eurotrash music you may have

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-6264125222216500552009-03-18T01:14:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:17:22.973-04:00

09: Vivian Girls – Vivian GirlsIn the Red RecordingsThere are many ways that records can be good, though the most consistent recipe is pretty simple: take a sonic aesthetic that you love, couple it with a style that you also love (and can execute), cut out all the fat and hit record. The Vivian Girls’ self titled-debut is a perfect example of this principle: they love old sounding garage rock

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-74691893348227788362009-03-18T01:09:00.003-04:002009-03-18T01:14:31.053-04:00

08: Deerhunter – MicrocastleKrankyFluxblog, the place that turned me on to Deerhunter a couple of years ago, has always been insistent that Deerhunter are a pop band. I never really agreed with that until this record, Microcastle, which has managed to slowly worm its way into my good graces over the past year. This record is a pop record in a specific way: it aims to make you feel good, which

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-65118803238302171532009-03-18T01:06:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:09:55.886-04:00

07: Beach House – DevotionCarparkDevotion’s dreamy, gently oscillating soundscapes are, above all else, calming, even when they’re exploring complicated emotions. Adding Victoria Legrand’s hypnotic crooning to the mix creates an effect that’s simultaneously ethereal and firmly rooted, like someone who could give you a tour of the heavens while allaying your fears of falling. While I often put

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-30687604718171126422009-03-18T01:03:00.003-04:002009-03-18T01:06:14.786-04:00

06: No Age – NounsSub PopNouns does three things well, all of which combine for a satisfying listen when the mood strikes: first, it’s noisy, with loud drums, equally loud distorted guitars, and occasional loud noises of questionable origin; second, it keeps moving, alternating comfortably between driving rhythms and quick steadiness when the band turns the fuzz down, never losing momentum (

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-9043275971313715952009-03-18T00:59:00.002-04:002009-03-18T01:03:00.762-04:00

05: The Walkmen – You & MeGiganticYou & Me’s defining feature and greatest strength is the focused, intimate and quiet space the band create with the listener. Like all Walkmen records, the production sounds wonderfully huge, but unlike most Walkmen records, it’s not loud. It’s restrained, cut down to its most core qualities, those that most directly communicate to the listener. Singer

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-80744784597736805822009-03-18T00:55:00.002-04:002009-03-18T00:58:36.503-04:00

04: Blitzen Trapper – FurrSub PopBlitzen Trapper showed that they had the talent to do a lot of things on last year’s breakthrough Wild Mountain Nation; for their follow-up, they focused their craft in a more specific direction, and the results are astonishingly good: Furr plays like a hybrid of Dylan-esque folk and seventies, southern-tinged classic rock, making both styles sound current and

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-56158392892325167522009-03-18T00:47:00.004-04:002009-03-18T00:55:34.105-04:00

03: She & Him – Volume OneMergeIn a year when many of my favorites records are outside the boundaries of what I consider my typical musical tastes to be, She & Him's Volume One is by far the record I’m least disposed to like, let alone be addicted to like crack. Apparently, these sugary sweet ballads about love, heartbreak and romance have proven to so infectious that I often play this record

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-714763609774404212009-03-18T00:43:00.002-04:002009-03-18T00:47:20.360-04:00

02: Arms – Kids AflameMelodic RecordsKids Aflame is a consistently strong collection of quirky, melancholic pop songs that feel oddly familiar and comforting, like a lost favorite from high school or college that induces pleasant nostalgia upon rediscovery. Built equally around swooping vocal melodies and catchy, well-crafted guitars, Todd Goldstein (also of the Harlem Shakes) fleshes out his

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-85114715582709696372009-03-18T00:30:00.004-04:002009-03-18T00:42:23.508-04:00

01: Fleet Foxes – Ragged Wood/ Sun Giant EPSub PopLast March, I went to see Blitzen Trapper headline the Bowery Ballroom with up and coming label-mates Fleet Foxes opening. While I’d listened to both FF’s debut and the Sun Giant EP in the background a few times, and thought it was pleasant, I had no idea that I was about to be thoroughly convinced that this band was not only good, but special.

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-65847349115984645512008-03-17T10:08:00.003-04:002008-03-17T10:18:22.155-04:00

St. VincentMarry MeMiss 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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-91446616366217389332008-03-12T02:47:00.001-04:002008-03-12T02:51:28.130-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-78984307893913878692008-03-12T02:20:00.003-04:002008-03-12T02:47:21.941-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-85074973161844975152008-03-12T01:55:00.002-04:002008-03-12T02:20:12.991-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-24479535336653392552008-03-12T00:46:00.004-04:002008-03-12T01:55:12.633-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-9119076348709716562008-02-12T19:50:00.000-05:002008-02-12T19:57:44.873-05:00

The Equestrian, interpreted by BunnyAh 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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-13955971603060379982008-02-11T21:33:00.000-05:002008-02-11T21:37:28.981-05:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-77710607935671379342008-02-11T21:21:00.000-05:002008-02-11T21:33:13.700-05:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-72963148181553091952008-02-11T21:08:00.000-05:002008-02-11T21:21:18.179-05:00

Team Robespierre (thanks Scott)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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-46854268192860257002007-12-24T15:36:00.000-05:002007-12-24T17:07:14.649-05:00

Uncut @ Trash Bar; photos by ScottUncut 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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-76582790347042346652007-11-26T21:36:00.000-05:002007-11-26T21:46:05.727-05:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-6185398923009666572007-11-18T21:04:00.000-05:002007-11-18T21:07:50.341-05:00

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.

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-21157123339598006982007-11-18T20:58:00.000-05:002007-11-18T21:03:58.925-05:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-69899633231954601412007-11-18T20:53:00.000-05:002007-11-18T20:58:39.914-05:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-15088811580124014922007-10-16T20:50:00.000-04:002007-10-16T20:52:31.591-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-25224541429021725282007-10-16T19:34:00.000-04:002007-10-16T20:01:41.091-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-76121439557277282052007-10-16T19:28:00.000-04:002007-10-16T19:33:53.609-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-40176437010584736972007-07-19T21:15:00.000-04:002007-07-19T21:40:09.734-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-30041886005960470222007-07-17T00:02:00.000-04:002007-07-17T00:19:08.647-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-48343422333305047152007-07-16T23:43:00.000-04:002007-07-17T00:02:42.917-04:00

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

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-2757177688989739772007-07-10T17:04:00.000-04:002007-07-10T17:48:56.096-04:00

I was anticipating this show for several reasons: one, I'd heard nothing but good things about Beach House, even though their record never caught a hold of me. Two, the Clientele put out a quite lovely record in 2005 which I've been fond of for some time (Strange Geometry), and this year's follow up, God Save the Clientele, is similarly pretty good. Three, I had a date. That's at least two

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-35468294395432371872007-05-10T11:09:00.000-04:002007-05-16T13:10:00.807-04:00

Blonde Redhead @ Bowery Ballroom, 2006 (photos by Jin Moon)I've been a fan of Fields since I first got a hold of their debut EP last year, 7 from the Village. It was a pleasant collection of British indie with a touch of folk and pleasant male and female harmonies. Their debut record Everything Last Winter came out a few months back in the UK, and it took the pleasant elements from the EP but

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-19729632210437791412007-05-10T09:38:00.000-04:002007-05-11T10:49:48.404-04:00

I had a moment with Neon Bible earlier this year: my first few weeks with the record were excellent, as it reminded me of those things that I liked so much about Arcade Fire to begin with, and also reminded me that bands don't have to slump after a great debut. I felt like AF were not treading water, rather that their arrangements and musicianship had reached a more mature and sophisticated

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-50613025333035517112007-05-03T12:49:00.000-04:002007-05-07T13:10:26.205-04:00

Bjork's show at Radio City Music Hall was fantastic. Not that I expected anything less of her, but she certainly met, and perhaps exceeded my expectations. The show kicked off with Konono No 1, whose music grew on me considerably during the set. It reminded me in structure of both drone and dub, but in practice didn't really sound like either. It was very rhythmic and meditative, prominently

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-69151704892651880582007-05-01T11:18:00.000-04:002007-05-02T18:54:04.412-04:00

I've been crazy busy doing all sorts of things over the last month, but I've still managed to see some shows, even if I've not been able to write about them. Not until now, anyway:LCD Soundsystem - Bowery Ballroom 3.31.07I'd been meaning to catch LCD Soundsystem for some time, as basically everything that James Murphy touches is both danceable and catchy. I wasn't sure how he would turn his

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-49948956672021232082007-04-25T11:40:00.000-04:002007-04-25T17:15:14.697-04:00

Don't fuck with my ponyThe excellent gorilla vs bear has an equally excellent top 25 hip hop albums run down, and if I were to do such a list it would look remarkably similar. The best part: Digable Planets' Blowout Comb was #1. Sweet. That album is probably my favorite from the genre as well. It's worth checking out. What would my list have that his didn't? Edan's Beauty and the Beat for

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-42132080091146576352007-04-25T10:27:00.000-04:002007-04-25T10:34:05.527-04:00

It's too bad they're not playing in the US; of the many "reunion tours" that seem to be happening over the last few years, this one sounds better than most. I'd totally go see Spinal Tap! Via Yahoo:NEW YORK - Spinal Tap is back, and this time the band wants to help save the world from global warming.The mock heavy metal group immortalized in the 1984 mockumentary, "This is Spinal Tap," will

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-58640212234883957002007-04-17T14:47:00.000-04:002007-04-17T14:52:06.890-04:00

I'm sure everyone's busy celebrating that taxes are due today, but if you're stuck online and not swimming in the megabucks of your refund, here's a great article about the US tax system. It shoots down the conservative/republican talking point that the rich pay an unfair amount of taxes. I found it here, at TPM.Tax Day Silliness By Jared Bernstein | bio I took part in a rousing debate

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-5283506271914541992007-03-26T23:48:00.000-04:002007-03-26T23:51:12.473-04:00

Shit Disco @ Beauty Bar (SXSW)My last day of SXSW started at the Beauty Bar to check out Shit Disco. Hailing from Glasgow, they play a mix of post-punk and distorted, fuzzy disco bass lines over impressively fast drumming. It seems like a mix of many bands that have been popular in the UK over the past couple of years, I can see fans of Bloc Party’s first record and Forward Russia getting down

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-43946288985266134352007-03-26T23:31:00.000-04:002007-03-26T23:48:26.338-04:00

Young Knives @ DeVille (SXSW)I next headed back for day two of the Hot Freaks party, which had a really strong lineup. I started out seeing Young Knives at the DeVille. They looked like they just walked onstage from their office jobs in the seventies, in a very pleasant, scruffy kind of way. They played straightforward British post-punkish guitar rock. Their best songs were very melodic and

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-33525627572850947732007-03-26T23:27:00.000-04:002007-03-26T23:30:54.449-04:00

Ladyhawk @ Fader (SXSW)Ladyhawk have been converting most of my friends to their straightforward rock ways for quite some time now, but their record has yet to really hit me. Despite this, I wanted to check them out and see what I may be missing. My friends were right: Ladyhawk didn’t give a fuck, and they belted out straight up bar rock that sounded great and felt even better. I’ll be giving

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-35752015302151232752007-03-26T23:20:00.000-04:002007-03-26T23:27:09.410-04:00

Marissa Nadler @ Definitely 4th Street (SXSW)Marissa Nadler is a singer songwriter who started her set by saying that she’d won the Cat Power award for crying onstage the day before, and would try not to tonight. There was certainly no need to, as she played and sang beautifully haunting music, just herself and an acoustic guitar. Once again, singer songwriters typically aren’t my thing, but

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-11180998206250787112007-03-22T23:57:00.000-04:002007-03-23T00:02:13.383-04:00

I started out day three of the festival by heading to Merge’s day party for a little barbeque and to finally catch the Broken West, who I’d managed to miss both other days. I was keen to check them out as their song Shiftee has been in high rotation for a little over a month. It’s one of my favorite tunes of the year so far, and their record continues to grow on me now that I have it. The

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-16879280254060176072007-03-22T23:55:00.000-04:002007-03-22T23:57:42.071-04:00

Next up was a brief detour to the Belmont to check out Pop Levi, another buzz group from the UK. The Belmont was a relaxed place to check out a show, with good bloody marys and a relaxed atmosphere. Pop Levi looked like a stylish UK buzz band, with attitude oozing out of everything they did, from the stringer strutting around for a few minutes while they got his mic working to the voraciousness

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-79547032665321478562007-03-22T23:49:00.000-04:002007-03-22T23:54:32.750-04:00

The Mohawk ended up being my unofficial SXSW headquarters, as I ended up spending a chunk of every day there. It’s a good place to see a show (especially outdoors), and they had a pretty phenomenal lineup for the entire festival. The Hot Freaks! day parties were put on by a consortium of bloggers, who called in favors and got a bunch of their favorite bands to play. It was definitely a success

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-75837825494779754742007-03-22T23:41:00.000-04:002007-03-22T23:49:17.085-04:00

After being perpetually teased with the promise of having something “rock my face off” all day Friday, and not really having found it yet, I headed over to Jane magazine’s party to catch Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s along with Sloan. MATNSS’s are a favorite of several of my friends here in NYC, and after giving the record a preliminary spin, I didn’t quite know what to expect from the live

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-53338365380050788192007-03-22T23:32:00.000-04:002007-03-22T23:41:39.635-04:00

Choosing the Diesel party on Friday night was easy: a bunch of bands I know that I like, one venue, free booze. Done and Done. If I had known that there was a bowling ally in the back? Icing on the cake. Regardless, it was an impressive lineup of bands. We arrived just in time to catch Illinois start the night off, and despite the sound in the hall being pretty crappy (no vocals, all guitars

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-1039777168025095452007-03-21T22:21:00.000-04:002007-03-21T22:21:56.962-04:00

I started my day off with the pleasant sounds of yet another Brooklyn band I’ve never managed to see before, Dirty On Purpose. Instrumentally the show sounded great. Since they recorded their most recent record, they kicked their singer out of the band and didn’t replace her. The band members took turns handling vocal duties, and it sounded nice, but I think the band would be served well by

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-22171531579686552122007-03-21T22:13:00.000-04:002007-03-21T22:21:16.958-04:00

Les Savy Fav @ Speakeasy (SXSW)CMJ just printed its 1,000th edition, and to celebrate they rented out a nice bar and booked some excellent bands to play. Apples In Stereo where actually the first “indie” band I ever saw, as they were opening up for Pavement at my first “indie” show probably ten or eleven years ago. I didn’t know what to make of them at the time, but since then I’ve developed a

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-9437952172788652692007-03-21T22:08:00.000-04:002007-03-21T22:13:41.605-04:00

The Fratellis @ Fader (SXSW)The Fratellis are a band I’d not heard of before I saw them. One of my anglo-obsessed show buddies informed me that they’re quite the rockstars across the pond, with a record that spent at least a month on top of the charts. I caught an acoustic set at the Fader party, which sounded great and looked like a band that’s recently been on top of the world. The singer

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-67520490586514021962007-03-21T22:00:00.000-04:002007-03-21T22:07:35.586-04:00

Besnard Lakes @ Mohawk (SXSW)A friend of mine has been digging hard on Besnard Lakes’ newest record, and insisted we go check them out. He was right, as they had a very nice seventies kind of vibe and excellent musicianship. The interplay between the male and female front-people was excellent, and their harmonizing was fantastic. I’d not heard anything by this band before seeing them, but I’ll

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-36491725256701020142007-03-21T21:30:00.000-04:002007-03-21T21:59:33.278-04:00

I briefly lived in Montreal about six years ago, and have had a softspot for both the city and its music ever since. Consequently, a showcase made up entirely of Montreal bands (a couple of which I’m already big fans of) was an easy choice to make. I arrived straight away from seeing Besnard Lakes (yet another Montreal band), and caught the tail of Call Me Poupee’s set. I liked what I heard,

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-79829061342081151112007-03-19T23:46:00.000-04:002007-03-19T23:42:20.922-04:00

I started my SXSW by meeting up with my friends at Austinist for their day party, hosted with the good folks over at Gorilla vs Bear. I caught the last moments of Earl Greyhound, who were energetic and deserving of another listen. They were also the first of many NYC bands I would ironically see for the first time in Austin.Teitur @ Mohawks, SXSWThe showcase alternated between different stages,

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-74771704464733064842007-03-19T23:45:00.000-04:002007-03-19T23:43:05.824-04:00

One of my show buddies was curious about the Pitchfork-approved Twilight Sad from Glasgow. As would frequently be the case, the instruments would be too loud, causing the vocals to drown out, but what can you do when most bands are playing several times each day at one of 40 different venues. The Twilight Sad did make an impressive wall of melodic noise, which was intriguing enough to merit

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-34301064773154158532007-03-19T23:44:00.000-04:002007-03-19T23:43:43.770-04:00

Pela @ Red Eyed Fly (SXSW)Pela were the first of many pleasant surprises for me during the festival; I’ve seen their name in NYC show listings on multiple occasions but hadn’t really heard anything about them, good or bad. They looked like four ordinary dudes that live secret double lives as musicians; they played straightforward, sincere blue-collar rock, and did it quite well. They sound the

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-62444878464375229872007-03-19T23:43:00.000-04:002007-03-19T23:44:07.649-04:00

After a successful day of shows and drinking, I headed over to the YR Radio party at La Zona Rosa for dinner and to check out the Rapture. Dinner was good, and was followed immediately by current indie sensations the Pipettes. The trio of cute, British ladies faithfully recreates the look and vibe of female R&B acts from days past, complete with choreography. While it was kind of fun, I have

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-80397888022368363152007-03-19T23:42:00.000-04:002007-03-19T23:44:26.699-04:00

White Rabbits @ The Dirty Dog SXSWI met up at La Zona Rosa with a friend of mine who loves loves loves the Walkmen, so after checking out that show I told him to come see Brooklynites White Rabbits. I’ve seen them a few times before, and their tight, intense live show still wins me over. They played a good, tight set tonight and I have high hopes for their debut record, which I believe is

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-27972880599855253372007-03-19T23:17:00.000-04:002007-03-19T23:41:40.608-04:00

Jack @ Beauty Bar SXSWIt’s been a while since I last saw Jack, who I caught a few times last summer. They’re a promising new band in the midst of recording their debut album. Since I saw them last, they’ve added a bass player and written some new songs. Having a bass player definitely brings a nice anchor to their sound, and the new material sounded good for one listen. I’ll definitely be

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-29951174460984757312007-03-11T01:37:00.000-05:002007-03-21T22:23:59.889-04:00

I’m currently on a plane watching my alma-matter get their asses kicked in the ACC tournament (you’ve got love JetBlue), heading to Austin for a vacation and for SXSW. I’ve always wanted to go, and this year everything finally worked out. 80 degree weather, filled with bands from morning-till-night plus lots of booze and barbecue sounds like heaven after how busy I’ve been the last few months;

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-87041900526809020252007-03-11T01:08:00.000-05:002007-03-11T01:37:03.947-05:00

Illinois – What The Hell Do I Know? EPAce FuSince I randomly caught Illinois last fall, I’ve been smitten in that delightful, fresh-faced new band kind of way. Their presence is energetic, scruffy and charming, with an easy-going charisma and sense of humor that isn’t common. They frequently reference where they’re from, a small town in Pennsylvania called Bucks County. While initially

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-25846338930425691072007-03-07T10:22:00.000-05:002007-03-07T16:42:22.011-05:00

Merry Fitzmas!!!I hope you spend a long time in prison, you and your cohorts certainly deserve it.Yesterday, Patrick Fitzgerald succeeded in leading a jury to find Scooter Libby guilty of 4 of 5 counts against him (and they were only one juror away from 5 of 5 counts). There are plenty of news stories covering some of the facts of the trial, and some of the possible outcomes. But, as always the

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-44125401823969900212007-03-02T10:16:00.000-05:002007-03-02T11:33:49.350-05:00

A coworker has this as their desktop and it has made me watch Star Wars movies all weekA talented graphic designer named Feltron made a corporate style annual report of his life. It's pretty awesome, and I'm pretty jealous. Also, dude seems to be living the life. I give corporate approval. (Thx Paige)Annuals had a pretty solid week. They're opening up for Blonde Redhead, and debuted a new

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-74145874107582648962007-02-20T10:52:00.000-05:002007-02-20T12:31:15.512-05:00

In Advance of the Broken ArmMarnie Stern - Put All Your Eggs In One BasketMarnie Stern - Every Single Line Means SomethingMarnie Stern - GrapefruitA little over a year ago a good friend of mine took me to Piano's to check out a good friend of his, who was playing there that night. Her name was Marnie Stern. It was a Sunday night, and the room was pretty empty. Marnie got up on a stage with a

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-76888572281949134062007-02-15T11:45:00.000-05:002007-02-15T19:35:16.280-05:00

I love pictures of giant rabbitsKeith Olbermann is back for four more glorious years. Excellent.Washington State is nearly ready to send the first petition to the US House of Representatives to impeach the president. Fucking Right On.I'm still hoping to see the Arcade Fire this week. Here's one of the ways I'm going to try.There's been an interesting debate on religion and politics over at

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-70865982502626471672007-02-13T18:41:00.000-05:002007-02-14T18:34:16.654-05:00

Best Valentine's Day Headline: Zoo tours cash in on hot monkey love.The best thing that Michael Crichton has ever written, and you should absolutely read it. No, it's not a novel, but it is about how major corporations owning critical parts of your body, without you knowing about it. I'm not kidding.If you feel like being frightened by the possible upcoming war with Iran, read this.I'm off to

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-19813179599970553942007-02-13T12:07:00.000-05:002007-02-13T11:49:47.581-05:00

The White House, along with it's newly promoted Pentagon lackeys, has recently been busy shouting that Iran has been supplying militants with arms and specifically bombs that have been used to fight US troops. Keep in mind that this is the same administration that sent Colin Powell to lie to the UN about WMD's in Iraq, the same administration that had the president address the nation and lie

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-60080274474724081072007-02-13T10:30:00.000-05:002007-02-13T12:07:33.376-05:00

Pitchfork dismisses the Bird and the Bee's new record. I agree with some of the reference points the reviewer brings up, like Stereolab, but haven't really examined the record in the context of whether or not it's Jazz. I'm still digging it, it's just smooth and catchy electro-pop. And no, I don't consider it to be Jazz, even if it's on Blue Note.Another compelling reason the traditional media

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-25356307910253481342007-02-12T12:08:00.000-05:002007-02-12T16:22:19.387-05:00

Midlake at the Bowery BallroomMidlake are a band that I came across a bit after their most recent record (the excellent The Trials of Van Occupanther) made its splash in the indie world. That hasn't stopped me from giving it a lot of spins and enjoying it thoroughly, which is why I was very excited to check them out live and see if they could pull it off in a big room full of people. About

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-90202084586701536782007-02-12T11:46:00.000-05:002007-02-12T15:26:03.878-05:00

iTunes and Ticketmaster are getting in bed together. Gross. Apple, you should know better: for a company that prides itself on innovation and excellent customer service, I can't think of a worse or more hated partner in the music business than Ticketmaster.Speaking of Ticketmaster, my hatred was rekindled as I was looking at my Explosions in the Sky tickets and receipt the other day. How much

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-50917956188932188602007-02-09T17:00:00.000-05:002007-02-09T16:39:36.153-05:00

Arizona (cred)A few weeks ago a friend sent me Arizona's self-released debut, Welcome Back Dear Children. It only took a single spin to click, and since then I've been listening to it pretty regularly. The singer has a voice reminiscent of the frontman from Little Ones, but that's about as far as the analogy goes. Arizona makes chill, pretty pop executed to perfection. The songwriting is

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-48562237867380422252007-02-09T11:06:00.000-05:002007-02-09T12:36:03.228-05:00

This is how I feel about your polite disclosure.EMI might start selling its entire catalog in DRM free mp3 format. That would be excellent!Fuck the RIAA!Holy Shit.An internal investigation by the Dept. of Defense rightly concludes that the Pentagon manipulated intelligence to false create a link between Saddam Hussein's regime and Al Quaida. Only republicans and their apologists are

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-89632771063255502382007-02-07T12:30:00.000-05:002007-02-07T21:00:17.083-05:00

I find this terribly romantic.Illinois, who I like a whole lot already, designed a shirt for Playboy, along with Wayne Coyle and Metric. Check it out here.Steve Jobs blogs that he would get rid of DRM on iTunes "in a heartbeat" if the record labels would let him. I can think of plenty of indie artists who'd be down, let's hope that Mr. Jobs keeps his promise. The RIAA, unsurprisingly, is

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-7502650726900782922007-02-06T11:50:00.000-05:002007-02-06T12:23:53.371-05:00

The most frightening outfit I've seen in some time.Ted Haggard is now "completely heterosexual." Those of us who didn't drink the cool-aid understand that this really means "completely in denial."Iowa develops birth control for deers. This article also taught me that deers are "famously fertile and polygamous animals." Who knew that being a deer was so much fun!A San Francisco study finds that

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-16026155854263935502007-02-05T10:50:00.000-05:002007-02-05T16:36:49.054-05:00

this is totally what I look like on the water (cred)Apple and the Beatles kiss and make up. The muli-million dollar question still remains, however: did iTunes score the Beatles catalogue?Philly to get rubber sidewalks? Surely someone has something funny to say about this.The court martial of a soldier who refused to fight in Iraq, citing the illegal nature of the war, began today.USA today

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-69407907664011632912007-02-05T10:04:00.000-05:002007-02-05T10:15:54.002-05:00

This was easily the best half-time show I've ever seen. How it is that Prince can still scream the same way now as he did in the eighties is beyond me. Also, I'm pumped that Prince decided to show off his massive guitar chops, he wasn't faking it. Dude can thrash. Plus, we got a little "All Along the Watch Tower!" Prince, you rock. Also, I didn't write about it but last year's 3121 was a

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-36598980000345256592007-02-02T10:41:00.000-05:002007-02-02T11:58:15.710-05:00

After missing the Black Angels for various stupid reasons over the past six months, I finally had my chance to experience the vibe in person. And I'm happy I did. They announced this last minute show on their MySpace page not quite a week ago, and much to my surprise they were playing a 9:30 slot at Pianos. The Black Angels would have easily sold out the Mercury, and likely could have filled

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-42160260115429606542007-02-01T10:55:00.000-05:002007-02-01T17:26:19.497-05:00

If only all families could play Iron Maiden covers together...My buddy JT is on a role today, as he sent me this sweet video, and also hooked up Jerry Yeti with a Canadian boy band video which is worth seeing for its WTF factor.A sign that my week has been insane: I've had Neon Bible since Sunday and I've not had time to listen to it. Shame on me. Apparently, it's fantastic according to my

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-41712948786281985772007-01-30T17:06:00.000-05:002007-01-30T17:12:45.495-05:00

Russ Feingold makes me proud to be from Wisconsin. He's the only senator to vote against the war, and also against the patriot act. The man has principles and balls, and now he's busy showing us both again. He's going to introduce legislation to end the war later this week, by using "the power of the purse." I'm just going to let him explain it, but if you'd like more info, you can find it

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-53799795665104525172007-01-30T11:50:00.000-05:002007-01-30T13:47:35.950-05:00

Peter Bjorn & John (w/ Victoria Bergsman) on ConanWow, what a great show. I've been digging on Peter Bjorn & John's latest record Writer's Block (#26 in my 2006 top 40) for a while now, and when I saw that they were coming to New York, I bought a ticket immediately. Both of their shows sold out within a day, including the second date they moved from Mercury to the Bowery. Last night's show

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-24152569942706289842007-01-29T15:45:00.000-05:002007-01-29T15:47:55.024-05:00

This is what it looks like when a man speaks with conviction. To give you a little context, he is a republican senator responding to claims from his own party that those who challenge the president's "plan" to send more troops to die in Iraq are un-patriotic and emboldening the terrorists. Well done.

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-85860916422501367492007-01-23T10:10:00.000-05:002007-01-23T11:32:08.754-05:00

This is how good I feel in my newly liberated apartment. (cred)After being in an intolerable living situation for better than a year, I've finally gotten rid of the worst roommate I've ever had, and it feels great. I may rant more later, but for now, joy!Deerhoof's new record Friend Opportunity scores an 8.9 at Pitchfork today. I'm with them, I think this record is excellent and one of my

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-60028794271375747682007-01-19T17:03:00.000-05:002007-01-19T17:20:13.622-05:00

So, I stayed up late last night to check out Annuals national television debut on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. The band sounded and looked good, but check it out for yourself:Also, P-fork recently ran a news item about the new Annuals EP, Big Zeus. This article is a little misleading, as it neglects to mention that this EP will only be released in Britain. Those needing more Annuals tracks

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-35646379708284621022007-01-10T11:28:00.000-05:002007-01-10T12:14:37.445-05:00

So, even though my list has been more or less finished for some time, writing about all those records took a lot longer than I expected! But, a few thoughts on the past year musically: I listened to more music and went to more shows in 2006 than I ever have before. I more than doubled the number of new records I listened to, and did the same with shows. And I'm happy I did it; perhaps I'm

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-39237100378389165012007-01-09T12:07:00.000-05:002007-01-09T14:22:07.512-05:00

Without further ado, my favorite 40 records of 2006:40.) The Walkmen – A Hundred Miles Off Record Collection There was a great deal of expectation for this record after 2004’s excellent Bows and Arrows, and I believe the Walkmen didn’t actually know what they wanted to, or should do, to follow it. The principle songwriter moved from the piano to the bass guitar in the interim to keep things

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-79610695243327020122007-01-08T11:48:00.000-05:002007-01-08T14:10:13.298-05:00

I decided to head north up to Greenpoint and check out Studio B for the first time on Saturday night, where Todd P has been putting on shows lately. Normally, I'm told it's a Polish nightclub. It certainly feels like a night club, and I don't mean that in a good way. Expensive drinks, lines to get in, lots of security and a terrible DJ. The space itself is large, and the stage is pretty big

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-3855954274970077072007-01-08T10:49:00.000-05:002007-01-08T11:36:35.421-05:00

Man Man are fucking awesome, and they proved it again on Friday evening, headlining their first show at the Bowery. The show was sold out; it was one of those nights were it feels packed, especially if you wanted to be anywhere near the stage. Why was it so crowded in the front half of the room? 'Cause folks came to dance, and dance they did. Man Man opened up with a new track which was super

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28141010.post-10738559275783013152007-01-05T09:15:00.000-05:002007-01-06T20:31:23.689-05:00

So fast, and so lame. Current price for a pair of tickets on eBay, 18 minutes after they went on sale: $265And no, I wasn't one of the lucky ones. D'oh!Update: now, at 9:52, prices on ebay are $800 and $1000 for a pair. I really, really hate scalpers.

stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11373687774631029766noreply@blogger.com2