GIVE A SHOUT TO WORD UP! wordup@papermag.com
Entries tagged with 'Bands'
Posted Nov. 14, 2007,
John Atzberger on Winning the Williamsburg Songwriting Contest: "I Remember Being Uncharacteristically Excited and Touching My Head a Lot."
By Alexis Swerdloff
Meet John Atzberger, the winner of the Williamsburg Live Songwriting Contest 2007, a weeklong battle of the crooners that came to a finish last Saturday. Atzberger, the Ohio transplant whose Colin-Meloy-tinged old-timey folk songs won over the judges, chatted with us briefly about his recent win.
Alexis Swerdloff: What was the whole Williamburg Songwriting Contest process like for you?
John Atzberger: The competition reminded me most closely of a community festival. Like going to church festivals back home or something. I can't remember the last time I went to a show in New York where someone was playing some pretty quiet stuff and the whole room was silent. The whole event had that kind of respectful air to it.
AS: What did you do later that night after you found out you won?
JA: I can't remember a lot of it, but I remember being uncharacteristically excited and touching my head a lot. I drank far too much at the hands of my extremely happy friends all insisting on buying me a drink, I stuck around and listened to Nick Ogawa's band and then stumbled into a cab with my girlfriend and roommate back to Bed-Stuy.
Posted Aug. 27, 2007,
The 1900s Are the New Wolf!
By Alexis Swerdloff
Remember when every other band and its mother seemed to have the word "wolf" in its name? Wolf Parade, Wolf Mother, We Are Wolves, AIDS Wolf, Wolf Eyes, et al? Now it seems like the 20th century (as in the 1900s) are the new wolf! Not only is there the lovely Glasgow-based trio The 1990s, that kids are getting all riled up about, but now people are buzz-buzzing about The 1900s. This Chicago-based, mixed-gender, septet, play a highly appealing brand of psychedelic pop-folk... It's like James Taylor meets MV & EE. And it's awesome.
Listen to a bunch of the songs off their new album Cold & Kind on the band's website.
Posted Jun. 20, 2007,
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
By Shanon Kelley
I could easily go through the rest of my life without hearing this Seattle-based band's music, but I would still love them just for the name alone. I mean, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head? It's just about as perfect as perfect can get.
But then hey, what do you know? I listened to their music and it's pretty good! I mean, it's slightly primative, but then again it states outright in their bio that "[founding members] Luke Smith and Shaun Libman always wanted to form an electronic band; the only problem was they couldn’t play any electronic instruments. After their initial attempt at being an 'a cappella electronic ban' failed, they turned to an available drum machine and synthesizer (both made before the members were born), and began experimenting with pop vocals about fruit snacks and girl’s faces that fell off at parties, sung over awkward electronic thumps."
And that about sums it up. After listening to every song available on their MySpace page, it's apparent that these guys' whole shtick is being the amateurs in the game. Yet somehow they pull it off AND manage to include almost every style of electronic music into their songs while simultaneously maintaining a sweet and innocent sound. I love it -- come to New York!
Posted Jun. 18, 2007,
Okkervil River Warble On
By Alexis Swerdloff
I’m a big fan of warbley Austin boys Okkervil River. I saw them at SXSW two years ago and spotted the floppy lead singer Will Scheff eating outside at Supper about a year ago, so I feel a certain closeness to the band. They sing a brand of almost operatic folk-pop that just misses the emo cut-off. And their stock seems to be rising: On April 30, they were asked by Lou Reed to open for him at the Highline Ballroom’s grand opening. And their newest album, The Stage Names, is brilliant. It’s tighter, jauntier and hook-ier than their previous stuff. Expect some fanfare around the album’s August 7th release.
Here’s an oldie:
And a newie off The Stage Names:
Posted Jun. 8, 2007,
YACHT Interview -- Lies, Lies!
By Shanon Kelley
My good friend (let's call him "Bill") is in a band that just recently toured with one of my favorite musicians at present, the adorable YACHT, aka Jona Bechtolt. Some of you may recall that I also recently interviewed him, during which he talks a great deal about his son and fiancée.
Well, after questioning my buddy Bill about this (because to be honest I thought Bechtolt's preferences swung in the opposite direction), it was revealed that not only is there no kid, but Bechtolt openly admitted to Bill that he had just recently lied in an interview about having a son!
That interview was me! Bechtolt's pants are sooooo on fire.
Posted May. 21, 2007,
iLiKETRAiNS Interview
By Shanon Kelley
I wrote about iLiKETRAiNS, the quintet from Leeds with a flair for the dramatic, a while ago. Since then my love for them has grown and grown. Their romantic, history-themed ballads sound like a cross between Explosions in the Sky and Interpol. But that's really just a simplified way of describing a sound that is actually quite unique and luminescent. Plus, they all dress in matching British rail uniforms and sing about dead people (for more information, please check out the obituaries page on their website). In other words, iLiKETRAiNS aren't your ordinary indie rock group, yet they've got quite a following and are mere moments away from breaking out on our side of the Atlantic. So naturally, I had some questions which bassist Alistair Bowls (the one being pointed to by the yellow arrow in the photo at right) was kind enough to answer.
NY Doll: I'm sure you guys get this all the time, but why the strange capitalization in the band name?
Alistair Bowls: To be honest, there's not really much of a story there. It just looks better written that way. And it makes the name stand out.
NYD: Do you consider yourselves part of a musical movement?
AB: "Musical movements" seem to be things that other people group you into. We are not really interested in following the "scene," which is why we try to do something a bit different, but we don't really think of ourselves as being a part of a particular group of bands, although we have had comparisons to bands like British Sea Power and the Decemberists.
Posted May. 17, 2007,
Animal Collective's New Album: Strawberry Jam!
By Shanon Kelley
Animal Collective's new album, Strawberry Jam, is set to be released worldwide in September... and I couldn't be more excited! AC is by far one my favorite bands. Their music is at once visceral, while at the same time floating in the ether of the intangible. It's screaming and dancing. It's exclamations of joy and quiet contemplations all rolled into one. In short, Animal Collective is the best thing to happen to music in quite some time. Their creativity knows no bounds, a fact which is reiterated again and again with each album they release. But enough of my nerding-out, you guys knew this already, right?
The four boys of AC (Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Deacon and Geologist) came together from all different corners of the globe to record Strawberry Jam in Tuscon, Arizona, this past January. Says the press release: "Though the melodies and lyrics for Strawberry Jam were written by Panda Bear and Avey Tare in various places such as Paris, New York, Lisbon and Baltimore, there was also three intense full-band writing sessions with Geologist and Deacon. These production sessions occurred in both Lisbon and in NYC. So, while the songs might seem to come from all over the map emotionally, it was important to match that geographical variation sonically." I can't wait for this album!
Tracklisting
1. Peacebone
2. Unsolved Mysteries
3. Chores
4. For Reverend Green
5. Fireworks
6. #1
7. Winter Wonder Land
8. Cuckoo Cuckoo
9. Derek
Animal Collective come to New York City June 1st, where they'll be playing at the South Street Seaport for FREE.
Posted May. 15, 2007,
Mark Smith from Explosions in the Sky: 10 Questions
By Shanon Kelley
By now, you must all know that Explosions in the Sky is one of my favorite bands in the history of all time. Seriously. This Austin-based prog-rock quartet is quite possibly the most inspiring band out there at the moment -- and they don't even sing! What's more, their fans have grown exponentially over the past few years to incredible proportions that I doubt even the band expected. I just saw them (yet again) at Coachella a few weeks ago, but as of right now EITS has put their worldwide tour on hold and are back home due to a family illness. These are strange times for them, in other words, but guitarist Mark Smith (the one who's being pointed to by the yellow arrow in the photo above) was kind enough to sit down and answer a few questions for me.
NY Doll: Why did you choose "Explosions in ihe Sky?"
Mark Smith: It just seemed like a very apt name for what we wanted to do -- a simple straightforward descriptive and concrete phrase -- and also it's a name that's thousands of times better than the name we first picked (Breaker Morant).
Posted May. 10, 2007,
Band To Watch: Miracle Fortress
By Shanon Kelley
There must be something in the water up north in Montreal, because the city is popping out quality musicians like it's going out of style. Meet Miracle Fortress, one-man-band extraordinaire. When Miracle Fortress (aka Graham Van Pelt -- what a name!) isn't creating music at home, he's busy playing it with his siblings and some members of Sunset Rubdown -- like I said, there's something in the water! He may look a little down in this photo, but believe me the music is sweet and a pop lover's dream. Here's an mp3 of his, "Have You Seen In Your Dreams." I dare you not to fall madly in love!
Miracle Fortress - Have You Seen In Your Dreams
P.S. He also has an amazing cover of John Cale's "Hanky Panky Nohow" on his MySpace page.
Posted May. 8, 2007,
Ed Droste (from Grizzly Bear) Video!
By Shanon Kelley
Ed Droste (pronounced "toasty") from the band Grizzly Bear is one of my favorite musicians. Here's an interview I did with him a little while ago over wine, cheese, and pickled sides. It was so much fun! But also a bit nerve racking -- Ed and I had just met for the first time and I was so nervous. In any event, I hope you enjoy this first in a series of NY Doll band interviews!
Posted May. 7, 2007,
I'm From Barcelona Finally Coming To The US!
By Shanon Kelley
Yes, yes, YES! I've been waiting quite a while for the 29 member (!) Swedish ensemble, I'm From Barcelona, to come Stateside. Their infectious pop music is just what the doctor ordered for the summertime, so it's no surprise that their first New York show will be at McCarren Park Pool on August 5th as part of JELLYNYC's Pool Party free concert series. Hooray! High fives all around! If you don't have their debut album, Let Me Introduce You To My Friends, you should definitely get it. Plus, as an added bonus, everyone in the band (including red-haired frontman Emanuel Lundgren) is so darn cute! It must be those crazy Swedish genes...
Here's their video for the lovely song, "We're From Barcelona." You can listen to more at their MySpace page.
Posted Apr. 13, 2007,
The Libertines Reunite!
By Shanon Kelley
Or at least for one performance in London. Pete Doherty and Carl Barat sang 12 Libertine songs the other night to some crazed British fans. It's not certain whether or not the band will actually get back together. Frankly, if I were Barat I would be on the fence about the whole situation. On the one hand they were best friends and made incredible music, but on the other hand Doherty's a functioning heroin addict who has stolen from him before. It's a tough call! Here's them singing "Tell The King" and "Don't Look Back Into The Sun."
Posted Apr. 12, 2007,
Peter Bjorn And John Interview!
By Shanon Kelley
As it tends to happen nowadays, Swedish-based pop-rockers Peter Bjorn and John became the Next Big Band of 2007 virtually overnight. In 2005 they put out a self-released record and distributed it here and there, but suddenly 2006 rolled around and they had a hit ("Young Folks") a record deal (with v2) and worldwide distribution (including Japan). Then it became 2007 and "Young Folks" was playing on Grey's Anatomy. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've surely heard the catchy whistle intro and adorable boy-girl duet featuring Victoria Bergsman of The Concretes. I recently chatted with frontman Peter Moren from his home in Stockholm about PB&J's rapid rise to fame, the markedly personal content of his lyrics, what it's like being defined by a single song and where the band wants to go next -- the answer might surprise you.
NY Doll: Writer's Block was a pretty huge break-out hit for you guys. What came before that and how did it lead to this gem of an album?
Peter Moren: We did another album that I still love. I think it's almost as good as the new one and even better in some ways. That album actually came out in the states in 2005, and nowhere else. It was just Sweden and America and we didn't go on tour in America or anything. It was released on a small label and nothing much happened. We've had to jump labels for each new record and record everything by ourselves so we never had any budget or anything. Every penny that we earned went into the next record. In the summer of 2005 we started to work on [Writer's Block] by ourselves and then we started to play a couple of songs for V2 in Sweden and they were interested.
From there we licensed it to Whichitaw Richards' label and that was why it was released all over Europe and it started to pick up in August 2006. Everyone else came afterwards. It was released in Japan in December so it's kind of been progressing. I guess it makes a big difference to have the proper distribution and the chance to get it across different countries, which is something that we always really wanted but never really worked hard to get. And now it's happened. And of course we have a hit, which makes it easier -- it opens the audience's ears.
Posted Apr. 6, 2007,
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone: Go See Him!
By Alexis Swerdloff
There is an Eeyore-ic quality to Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, the musical alias of film school dropout Owen Ashworth (who is currently on tour with Xiu Xiu and is playing the Bowery Ballroom this Sunday). The breathy, sometimes dry-mouthed, always tortured ballads are meant for the ears of those who are not just alone, but painfully alone. Of his third album, Etiquette, released last year, Ashworth recently told me: “The album was intended to be listened to on a subway car, on headphones, surrounded by strangers, not anywhere really, between two places.” While his songs, accompanied by sparse percussion and (of course) a battery-powered Casiotone, are tear-jerking tales of un-had New Year’s kisses and the like, talking to Ashworth over the telephone, one realizes that the man behind the band is no less than Pooh-ish in nature.
Up until Etiquette, Ashworth stuck to keyboards and only keyboards. “While in film school, I had these really strict rules for art. So doing this project, I made a set of rules for myself. I would only use these instruments, and I was really kind of strict about it.” But after doing three albums with the Casios, it was “time to try something different.” As he puts it, “I realized that the rules of the project were something to hide behind, and I was jealous of my friends in bands… so I decided to experiment.” With Etiquette, Casiotone officially made the transition from “project” to “band.” Backed by a band, Ashworth’s weird and wonderful sound is all the more weird and wonderful.
Posted Apr. 6, 2007,
Blonde Redhead Are Back!
By Shanon Kelley
The iconic underground trio have a new album coming out April 10th called 23. It's been three years since their previous 2004 release, Misery Is A Butterfly, the longest gap between albums since Misery and 2000's Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons. The first delay was due to the recovery time needed after leading lady Kazu Makino was trampled by a horse (which also inevitably lead to the numerous equestrian references in their last album, such as the song "Equus" and their video for "Melody" below). One can only stipulate as to the reasonings behind the delay in 23, but who cares because it's almost here!
I've listened to the new album a few times already. It maintains Makino's recognizable, eerie soprano voice, but aside from this, Blonde Redhead is straying slightly from their signature sound and venturing further into shoegazer territory. Regardless, Makino and the twins, Simone and Amedeo Pace, have created another beautiful album that is both melodic, lush, dark and laden with guitar-driven walls of sound. Another interesting aspect is Amedeo. The guitarist sings lead vocals on several songs more than he ever has previously, thus adding a Muse-like quality to the album.
Blonde Redhead is on tour now. They'll be playing Webster Hall on May 8th (a much larger venue than Barnie's Co-Op where I last saw them play). And for those of you who can't wait until next Tuesday, you can listen to five tracks off of 23 HERE.
Posted Apr. 4, 2007,
Handsome Furs New Album: Yay!
By Shanon Kelley
I'm a lover of all things Wolf Parade, including the countless side projects by singer-songwriter Spencer Krug. Wolf Parade's other, perhaps less well-known singer-songwriter, Dan Boeckner, has his own side projects going on as well, but nothing concrete up until recently. Many music nerds such as myself have argued over which Wolf Parade songs were better -- those written by Krug or those by Boeckner. I love them both but any regular reader knows that Krug's Sunset Rubdown holds a special place in my heart.
Regardless, I had heard rumors of Boeckner starting his own band with fiancé Alexei Perry but nothing substantial enough to get me incredibly excited. Imagine my delight, then, to read on Brookynvegan that Boeckner and Perry's band, Handsome Furs, were about to release their first album, Plague Park, on Sub Pop this May! What's more, they'll be touring through NYC then as well. This is just shortly after Sunset Rubdown comes through in April - double yay!
After listening to Handsome Furs on myspace I can easily say that Boeckner has got talent in spades just like his Wolf Parade counterpart. It's similar to WP but with more electronic blips and beats. His raspy voice is so endearing and the synthesizer is, quite frankly, always what the doctor ordered. Listen to this Broeckner-written Wolf Parade song and then the Handsome Furs one. See what I mean?
Wolf Parade - Shine A Light
Handsome Furs - Handsome Furs Hate This City
Posted Apr. 2, 2007,
Black Lips Live At Bowery Ballroom
By Shanon Kelley
Last Monday, Atlanta, Georgia's, The Black Lips, played Bowery along with The Ponys and Panthers. The show was insane! I have to admit that I only went for The Black Lips. After all, their live shows are legendary. I've heard tales so shocking (i.e. playing guitar with a penis, setting the drum kit on fire, etc) that I went expecting a raucous show... and I wasn't disappointed!
During "Hippy Hippy Hurrah," the guitarist vomited and they had to start the song over. A few minutes later the other guitarist (the one with gold fronts, yes I said "gold fronts") went over and started making out with him. How political! But on a serious note, the show itself was incredible. Their 1960s-style garage punk is just what this stagnant indie-rock world needs. I particularly like the song "Fairy Stories," with lyrics that go, "My daddy has got a gun / It's not a toy but it's loads of fun / It gotta hold it to you hear it click / Things like that will make your mamma sick." God how I love this band.
The Black Lips - Stranger
(photo from Sandwich!'s flickr page)
Posted Mar. 28, 2007,
Yacht Rocks The Boat
By Shanon Kelley
YACHT (aka Jona Bechtolt) took out my hump-day blues like a trained assassin. I opened up the package containing his new album, I Believe In You. Your Magic Is Real (out on Marriage Records May 8th), and what did I find along with the music? A wand, that's what. A WAND! My glee now knows no bounds. And what's more, this album is amazing. Sure it's all computer generated but don't you dare call it laptop music. It's so much more than that! It's summer, unicorns, fun times and dancing all rolled into one. It's white-boy hip-hop without the stigma.
Forming one half of the Portland duo, The Blow, Bechtolt has been creating his own music (as well as remixing quite a few indie rock friends' music) for a while now. I Believe In You. Your Magic Is Real will be his third full length but quite possibly his first to truly catupult him into mainstream conciousness. Afterall, YACHT's not just music, it's a way of life. Listen to his music on MySpace and become a believer.
Posted Mar. 26, 2007,
Stylofone Live At Mercury Lounge
By Shanon Kelley
Or, as I like to call them, "Glam Rock Done Right," played Mercury Lounge this past Saturday. But don't try to equate these Brooklyn boys with The Darkness. Stylofone is not a farce. Nor are they trying to be ironic. But then again maybe they are. Who cares, these guys are great! It's anthem music for 2007. It's modern day T.Rex. It's greasey long-hair, tight white jeans and ripped tank tops. It's rock 'n' roll! My friend over at The Hot Lisp said it best during their show, "I bet everyone in this band has a really large penis." If you don't believe it listen to their latest single below and then check out their myspace page. Better yet, go see them!
Stylofone - Hotstepper mp3
Posted Mar. 22, 2007,
Neil Hagerty & Mike Fellows Rock On
By Carol Lee
Recently two of my favorite skinny white boy rockers Neil Hagerty (top) and Mike Fellows played back-to-back at Pianos on the Lower East Side. Neil used to be in one of my favorite 90s bands Pussy Galore with Jon Spencer and Royal Trux with his ex-girlfriend Jennifer Herrema. Mike played the bass for the D.C. hardcore band Rites of Spring in the 80s. Neil’s new band is called the Howling Hex and Andy Macleod of White Magic and Endless Boogie got on the drums and played the hell out of them. Bearded and shaded Mellow Fellows did a slow set and sometimes free-styled his lyrics inspiring a few chuckles from the audience. Go Mike!
Posted Mar. 22, 2007,
Explosions In The Sky Live at Webster Hall
By Shanon Kelley
Anyone who reads my blog often enough knows that my obscure, dilettante tastes include experimental folk rock and prog rock. Therefore it will come as no surprise to any of you that I went to see Austin-based instrumental prog-rockers, Explosions In The Sky, yet again on Tuesday night at Webster Hall. This time, however, I dragged along PAPER's own Eye Spy. And you know what? I've converted another one! We both wholeheartedly agreed that this show was incredible.
I've seen EITS a handful of times but last night they played at the largest venue of them all (Webster Hall can hold 1,400). What's more, the show had been sold out for months! This is quite a testament to the changing tide of popular music when an instrumental band can have such a dedicated, ever increasing fan-base.
But back to the show. EITS played a nice mix of new songs off of All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone) and old favorites, including "Time Stops" (from 2000's How Strang, Innocence) and "The Only Moment We Were Alone" (from 2003's The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place). People in the audience would shout whenever the mood struck them, which was quite often. It got to the point where I could no longer tell the difference between screams of approval and pedal distortions. Amazing!
I don't know how many times I can emphasize this but if you haven't already, you need to see this band!
Photo from epmd's Flickr page
Posted Mar. 20, 2007,
Panda Bear: Ten Questions
By Shanon Kelley
Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) may make up one-fourth of Animal Collective, but on his own he's a veritable wonder. Despite his move to Lisbon, Portugal, Panda Bear still creates music with his Animal Collective breathren as well as with Scotty Mou (DJ Casio) in the band Jane. And despite those impressive projects, it's still his solo work that I love the most (although I do love that Animal Collective). On his latest album, Person Pitch (out today), Lennox creates etheral landscapes that sound more dreamlike than tangible. Repetitive and hypnotic melodies are coupled with light-hearted chanting and sampled beats which include children laughing and ocean sounds. Sound familiar? Sound like Animal Collective? Well it's not and it is. In other words, it's Panda Bear. Here are 10 questions which I posed to Lennox which he was kind enough to answer back:
NY Doll: Why did you choose to become Panda Bear?
Panda Bear: It happened kind of by accident I suppose. When I was a lot younger I used to make tapes of my songs and on the first couple of them I drew panda bears because they are my favorite animals and the name kind of just held on after that.
NYD: If you weren't a panda bear, what would you be?
PB: Its hard to say I guess and I've never really had to think about a different name. I was thinking Mr. Noah would be a sweet name for a band but kind of just in a funny way (for me).
Posted Mar. 19, 2007,
iLiKETRAiNS - Band to Watch
By Shanon Kelley
I don't think I've ever come across a more annoying name (typographically speaking) than Britain's iLiKETRAiNS (yes, the i's are supposed to be lower-case!). Despite this nick, the band is flawless. Imagine Explosions In The Sky but with lyrics and, what's more, theatrics. The band dresses up in English rail uniforms and projects images of (you guessed it) trains and other subjects taken from their songs. Each song tells the tale of a historic figure. "Terra Nova," for example, off their soon to be released mini-album, Progress Reform, tells the story of Captain Scott's doomed Antarctic expedition. Other song subjects include Bobby Fischer ("A Rook House For Bobby") and Spencer Perceval, the only Prime Minister to ever be assasinated. Their website even has a page dedicated to the obituaries of the men they sing about!
Despite all of this, however, don't be too hasty to label iLiKETRAiNS as gimmicky. Their music may be educational but it's also dark and atmospheric, with beautiful and lush climaxes. It's a nice change of pace from the current trend of guitar-pop and electro-punk (not that I mind either). And from what I've read so far, their live shows are explosive and a must-see. Here's their video for "Terra Nova." You can listen to more on their MySpace page. Let's hope that they come to the U.S. soon! We've got plenty of tales of assasination and woe to inspire them, that's for sure.
Posted Mar. 15, 2007,
Pop Levi Live at Mercury Lounge
By Shanon Kelley
This past Tuesday Pop Levi (the man and the band) played the Mercury Lounge as part of the "Live From London" concert showcase. Levi was the second opener but as far as I'm concerned he could have played the entire show and the audience would still have been asking for more. He was incredible! And not just that, but he makes me excited about music again! After all, the indie rock scene is fairly homogenized these days, making it all the more difficult for bands to rise above and be recognized as truly innovative and separate from the pack. Pop Levi, on the other hand, has risen far FAR above the surface in my opinion. I hadn't been that excited to see a brand-new band since Wolf Parade back in 2005. Levi's blend of psychedelia, dance, funk, and pop (or, as he likes to call it "Genie Bop") is so infectious it kills me. And seeing him live? Two words: mind-blowing. He's like a reincarnation of Marc Bolan and Prince all rolled into one. Go see him!
Pop Levi - Sugar Assault Me Now mp3
Posted Mar. 14, 2007,
The Holloways Live at Lakeside Lounge
By Shanon Kelley
On Tuesday night, British boys, The Holloways, made their New York debut at a little dive bar tucked away in the East Village known as Lakeside Lounge. The show was put together by their North American label, TVT, and I was lucky enough to be let in on the secret. The rest of New York can see them tonight as they play alongside the Pogues at Roseland Ballroom. Music video director, Moh Azima was also there. I handed my camera over to him and here's what he did with it!
Posted Mar. 13, 2007,
Finnish Moosic Tour
By Shanon Kelley
Yesterday the Fins converged in New York at Scandinavia House for a day-long music extravaganza as part of the Finnish Moosic Tour. The afternoon was devoted to a seminar which included panel discussions on how to market international music in the United States and how to reach consumers through digital and new media. Fascinating, no? Well, for us music geeks it was fascinating, OK? This was followed by a delightful buffet featuring some local Finland favorites including, um, lox.
The finale, however, was the real reason everyone was there -- a Finnish music showcase at the Knitting Factory featuring KTU, 22-Pistepirkko (pictured here), Disco Ensemble and Lodger. Lodger sounds like a cooler version of Spoon. KTU is a funky, experimental jazz trio (not my cup of tea per se, but variety is the spice of life!). 22-Pistepirkko (my favorite) plays slowed down, ambient sounds coupled with blues and indie rock. Disco Ensemble, however, are sure to be the most popular. Their power/pop-punk sound is very current (i.e. Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, etc).
The Finnish Moosic Tour continues now to Austin for SXSW. If you're down there you should definitely give these bands a listen. Could it be that... Finland is the new Sweden? Only time will tell.
Posted Mar. 13, 2007,
ADULT.'s New Album and Tour
By Shanon Kelley
No, that's not a grammatical error. The (married) detroit based synth/electronic/punk duo's name is meant to be all in capital letters and is always followed by period. So now that that's cleared up, ADULT. is set to release their new album at the end of March before launching on a North American tour with fellow electro-punk, San Francisco-based band, Erase Errata, as well as Brooklyn's very own Parts & Labor and another S.F. band, the instrumental boys of Tussle.
For those who've never had the pleasure of listening to this mind-blowingly cool band, ADULT.'s music is full of static, electronic beats coupled with punk rock vocals and wails. It's a dichotomy one doesn't often hear successfully but somehow ADULT. manages to always pull it off. Their new album, Why Bother? is no exception.
They play in Brooklyn April 7th at Studio B. Don't miss them!
Posted Mar. 12, 2007,
Matt And Kim Live at Bowery Ballroom
By Shanon Kelley
This past Friday, three Brooklyn bands crossed the river and performed at the Bowery Ballroom. Everyone's favorite duo-about-town, Matt And Kim, headlined their very first Manhattan show! The duo is notorious for strictly playing loft parties deep in the heart of Brooklyn, so it was a nice change of pace to see them on the island. Other Brooklyn locals, Dynamite Arrows and Professor Murder played as well, thus completing the Williamsburg/Bushwick trifecta.
Dynamite Arrows, an awesome pop punk group, kicked the show off. Seeing them live was like traveling back in time to 1995. I remembered with fondness my adolescent years spent seeing Link 80 at Gilman (an old punk venue in Berkeley). Ah, the good ol' days...
Professor Murder was equally amazing, and to be honest, they were the band that I was most excited to see. If you haven't heard these guys yet you're missing out! Think !!! (Chk Chk Chk) meets Happy Mondays but with more cowbell. P Murder embody the Brooklyn dance, loft party scene in the best way possible -- it's punk and electronic but without the annoying connotations of either.
Matt And Kim, finally, were just as fun as ever. The First Couple of pop-punk played with an energy and happiness that never gets tiring no matter how many times I've see them play. Matt started the show off by exclaiming how excited they were to play Bowery but that they did make one request to the venue, and that was to keep the ticket prices at an affordable $8 -- the lowest Bowery Ballroom has ever gone.
All in all this show was one of the best I've scene in a while. At one point I was jumping around so much that my digital camera flew out of my coat pocket. I was ready to consider it lost but figured I should at least look around for a few seconds. While pointing my cell phone towards the ground as a sort of make-shift flash light, the crowd suddenly gave way. One person asked me what I was looking for and before I knew it, I was in the middle of a group of people, all helping me find my camera... and voila, I found it! What comraderie!
Listen:
Matt And Kim - Silver Tiles
Professor Murder - Champion
(photo from ynks99chmps flickr page)
Posted Mar. 9, 2007,
The Holloways: Fun Music From Britain!
By Shanon Kelley
Being a devout Brooklyn music fan, I'm usually reluctant to endorse a band from any place other than my beloved burrough, least of all from England. What can I say? I'm biased and I can embrace that. Now and again, however, there are certain bands from Merry Olde that tickle my fancy. Enter The Holloways.
This adorable quartet (see photo!) play sing-along, guitar-based pop. Their latest single, "Dance Floor," reminds me of The La's "There She Goes." In other words it reminds of the hey-day of '90s alternative rock and punk -- fun, breezy, and cheerful. Couldn't we all use a little cheerful music every now and then?
For those you not going to SXSW this year, you're lucky (contrary to what you may believe) as The Holloways will be headlining a British music showcase at Mercury Lounge this coming Tuesday, as well as opening for Irish gods, The Pogues, on Wednesday. Listen to them on their MySpace page.
Posted Mar. 5, 2007,
Malajube Do It In French
By Shanon Kelley
I saw this delightful Quebecois band perform over a week ago at my local Brooklyn hangout, Southpaw, but they're still on my mind for several reasons. For starters, I interviewed them (look for it on PAPER TV in the near future) and was completely giddy throughout our chat because these French Canadian boys are quite adorable. I'm still kind of giddy. Secondly, I still can’t get over how, well, French they are. It’s so rare for a band that speaks a foreign language to become popular among the weary Indie Rock masses. Malajube -- pronounced “MAL-a-joob” - have gone and done just that. In laymen's terms, they're the talk of the town.
Of course, in Quebec they've already established themsevles, having won three Felix Awards (Quebec’s Grammy equivalent) in 2006 for “Best Alternative Album,” “Best Cover Art” and “Revelation of the Year.” Stateside they may be less well known, but not for long. Their sound is sometimes lighthearted, other times dark, and the arrangements are complicated and explosive, with several different things going on at once. It’s fun just trying to keep up! "What's another fun thing about this band," you ask? They're heroes to an entire Canadian provence! Quebecois musicians originally believed you couldn't make money in America if you didn't sing in English. Now other musicians are taking the plunge, including... Celine Dion! Malajube claim it's because of them that Ms. Dion just recently announced her decision to record an all-French album. Way to go, boys!
Posted Mar. 5, 2007,
Chic Named Third Best New York Band?
By Shanon Kelley
This week’s Time Out New York cover story, “The 50 Greatest New York Musicians (of All Time),” listed Chic (CHIC!) as the third greatest band right after Duke Ellington (No. 2) and The Velvet Underground (No. 1). Um, what? Is anyone else as baffled as I am? What’s more, TONY writes, “While nobody else has really picked up Chic’s organic-dance baton, frequently sampled tracks such as ‘Good Time’ and ‘Le Freak’ live on in the collective consciousness.” That’s true, sure. “Le Freak” is one of the most sampled tracks ever, but would I consider them more influential than Afrika Bambaataa (No. 20)? Not by a long shot. He did quite a bit more for hip-hop culture in general aside from giving DJs a cool beat to sample. Overall the bands on the list deserve to be there (except perhaps Bette Midler). Thankfully, The Ramones werehigh up (No. 11), right before Barbra Streisand (No. 12), while Sonic Youth came in at No. 17. The order just seems, well, arbitrary. You try to figure it out. Read the full list here.