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Entries tagged with 'Music'
Posted Apr. 17, 2008,
Five Questions for Alan Wilkis
By Alexis Swerdloff
To put it simply, Alan Wilkis’s electro-soul jams should be consumed via big headphones while riding the Q train on a crisp spring morning as it heads above-ground over the Manhattan Bridge. His jams will put a boogie in your step, no doubt. We asked Alan some questions, a few weeks after the release of his debut, Babies Dream Big, and the Williamsburg-based crooner was kind enough to respond.
Alexis Swerdloff: Babies Dream Big is bubbling over with little nuggets of references, mixed together into a tasty bouillabaisse! Taking this food reference probably too far, what were the "ingredients" that made up the album?
Alan Wilkis: Bouillabaisse is definitely what I’m going for! 100% stylistic cross-pollination, little bits and pieces of soul, R&B, classic rock, and electronic music from the 70’s & 80’s.
I’m basically trying to tip my hat to the various forms of pop music I’ve loved over the years, while (lovingly) turning them on their heads! Like Boston arena rock guitarmony meets Prince R&B synthesizers... The core of the album is taking familiar sounds and textures and trying to reimagine them in surprising and refreshing new ways.
AS: You are a one man operation in the truest sense. What other one man operations do you look up to?
AW: Prince, Self, Frank Zappa, Jamie Lidell, Brian Wilson
Posted Feb. 7, 2008,
Went to See Cat Power Last Night at Terminal 5
By Carol Lee
I dragged my Fashion Week-fatigued ass all the way over to Midtown West last night to catch Cat Power at Terminal 5! It was the first show of the Cat Power with Dirty Delta Blues tour they're kicking off for the new album Jukebox. It was a three-floor mob scene. The opening band was Appaloosa which I missed. Chan Marsahall looked casually great in her Flashdance-cut-up "France" T-shirt, Acme black jeans and one fishnet Chanel glove, while sporting a bouncy ponytail. Chan and the boys (Judah Bauer, Jim White, Gregg Foreman and Eric Paparozzi) played their hearts out but the sound system at Terminal 5 is just so terrible. T5 holds big-time sold-out shows all the time -- they should really have a top-notch system. Coupled with the weak sound was lots of feedback which was clearly annoying the band -- Chan at one point laid down on the floor and stopped a song. Oh well. But it was still really good to to see her. Michael Stipe was at the show on crutches. He said he injured his foot in a go-cart accident. Poor, Michael. Get well soon! Cat Power heads to Boston today to play at the Orpheum.
MORE PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP >
Posted Dec. 6, 2007,
Phranc's Art Show at CUE in NYC (With Free Hootenanny with Phranc & Ann!)
By Ann Magnuson
I am so happy to report that the flu I had for one terrifying week has abated and I will be winging my way east to support PHRANC at her first New York solo art show this Thursday Dec. 6 at the CUE Foundation gallery in fabulous Chelsea! (There must be one or two of you who aren't going to Miami!) CUE asked me to be one of their two guest curators for the month of December and I could think of no better artist to invite than PHRANC! (Read all about Phranc, her art and the show in my L.A. Woman column in the December issue of PAPER!)
See the fabulous and whimsical and socially relevant 3-D art from the Cardboard Cobbler, a.k.a. The Jewish Lesbian Folk Singer, a.k.a Tupperware Lady Legend, a.k.a All Around Great Gal, a.k.a Phranc!
Posted Aug. 30, 2007,
PJ Harvey's Playing on a Coast Near You!
By Alexis Swerdloff
We're quite excited for PJ Harvey's forthcoming album White Chalk, which is out September 25th... it's been a three years since her last album and it's time we had some more PJ in our lives. In any case, for a while there, she had only confirmed a few shows in the UK, and just this second I got an email confirming two shows here in the States! She'll be playing on October 10th at the Beacon Theatre here in NYC and on October 15th at the Orpheum in L.A. Mark your calendars: Tickets go on sale September 7th!
Check out the video above, in which she sings "When Under Ether," a song from "White Chalk," at the Copenhagen Opera House.
Posted Aug. 17, 2007,
Happy Birthday CD!
By Alexis Swerdloff
It turns out that today is the 25th birthday of the Compact Disc, aka the CD. Since August 17, 1982, there have been 200 billion CDs produced -- that's a lot of CDs! Though the mp3 has gone on to eclipse the CD in popularity, the CD is still chugging along. So, have a good one, CD. You deserve it.
Posted Aug. 17, 2007,
Justin Timberlake Made Me Cream, I Mean, Scream Last Night
By Carol Lee
Last night my friend Cheryl and I went to see Justin Timberlake at Madison Square Garden for the "Futuresex/Loveshow" concert. And, ladies, what can I say, JT is H-O-T!!! Good Charlotte opened but we only caught the last song "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous." It was a sea of orgasmic, screaming (and sometimes puking and crying) girls, drunk moms, cell phones and digi-cams -- and I loved every second of it! From "What Goes Around" to "Sexy Back" (the finale) with a few ballads thrown in (including the amazing "Cry Me a River"), Justin was a tour-de-force sex bomb! He wore a dark three-piece-suit for the first half of the show, the blazer was gone at some point and he came back on after a break decked out in a light grey three-piece finished with a fedora.
The show was being shot for an HBO Special (watch it and look for me and Cheryl on 9/3) and we were warned ahead by JT's manager that if you're there with someone you're not supposed to be with you should beware.
Posted Aug. 15, 2007,
Pick of Destiny: A Girl Wins This Year's Guitar Battle
By Carol Lee
New York City's most anticipated and talked about rock event, Guitar Battle: Shred for Your Life, took place last night at the Anthology Film Archives and it was (uh-oh) magic! The winner of the Third Annual Guitar Battle was none other than a 16-year-old girl Alex Niemetz who is already a veteran rocker and plays guitar in an all-girl band ModRocket. She shredded in a deadpan fashion looking cool as a cucumber while blowing all the boys out of the water one by one, including last year's winner Johnny Rad and eventually making rock 'n' roll history. She was apparently really nervous, according to Cheryl Dunn, who shot the whole event with four-camera crew for a TV show pilot, and had asked her family not to come to the battle. But you wouldn't have known it from watching her rip on that guitar like she was Toni Iommi from Black Sabbath. Whoa! I think the moment she appeared on stage in a bad-ass white T-shirt and cut-up black denim shorts armed with The Stooges' Ron-Asheton-esque strawberry blonde mane, everyone in the audience knew she was a force to be reckoned with. Some of us even predicted that she would take home the coveted "Shred for Your Life Pick" decorated by Neckface (along with a brand new guitar and a jeweled guitar crown) -- which she did.
Posted Aug. 14, 2007,
Pattie Boyd, Ex-Wife of George Harrison and Eric Clapton Pens Autobiography
By Carol Lee
I stumbled upon some fun, gorgeous and utterly cute of photos of Pattie Boyd today. She has recently penned a tell-all autobiography titled Wonderful Today, which will be released later this summer. No doubt the book will be a page-turner (fingers crossed!). After all, as an ex-wife of a Beatle, George Harrison, whom I love-love-love and Eric Clapton (who wrote wrenching classics like "Layla" and "You Look Wonderful Tonight" about her after stealing the girl from his best friend George), Pattie Boyd has seen a thing or two in her day. Boyd was truly a queen of the Sixties. Aside from her famous marriages, she also modeled and worked as a photographer... sort of like Linda Eastman, though I don't think Linda ever worked as a model. Anyway, so here's a little photo tribute to the original rock 'n' roll babe -- from frolicking with Harrison in the Bahamas in the '60s and traipsing around London with Clapton in the '70s and the '80s to gallery hopping solo in recent months. She's 63 years old now and looks pretty damn good. Can't wait to read her book! By the way, how cute is George Harrison rocking a mod beach get-up complete with fuzzy red cap?!
Posted Aug. 3, 2007,
Michael Caine Chills Out
By David Hershkovits
Most people know Michael Caine as one of our finest actors, who's managed to maintain dignity and credibility in an industry where those are rare commodities. But did you know that he's also an expert on "chill out" music. Niether did I until I read about an upcoming CD compilation he's putting together. The idea came about following an evening Caine spent with Elton John who was so impressed with Caine's knowledge that he urged him to go ahead with the record. To be called Cained, the 72 year-old actor's collection of mellow tracks to be released in Sept. will include Chicane's "No Ordinary Morning" and Nina Simone and Felix Da Housecat's "Sinnerman."
Says Caine: "I've loved this type of music for years, and have hundreds of CDs. I've been buying them for about 15 years, and really know my way around. About ten years ago I started making my own compilations. I've always been interested in music, and over the years have made literally thousands of tapes. And with chill-out I suppose I finally found my forte."
timesonline
Posted Aug. 2, 2007,
Elton John Hates the Internet
By David Hershkovits
Sir Elton John is showing his age as well as his technophobia when he says the Internet is destroying music. A self-confessed Luddite with no cell phone or iPod, John says: "The Internet has stopped people from going out and being with each other, creating stuff. Instead they sit at home and make their own records, which is sometimes OK but it doesn’t bode well for long-term artistic vision."
Really? Seems to me people are out more than ever and one of things they are doing is listening to live music. To bands that perform in clubs where people actually do meet and communicate, unlike in the caverns of Madison Square Garden, where John recently performed while simultaneously streaming the show on the Internet.
Posted Jul. 18, 2007,
The Figs: See 'em Tonight at Luna Lounge!
By Alexis Swerdloff
The Figs, a six-piece outta Lafayette, Louisiana are a bit like what would happen if The Pipettes decided to wear flowery as opposed to polka-dotted dresses, traded in their keyboards for banjos and were just generally more Fig-like. The sassy sextet stomp their feet and bat their eyelashes as they hoot, holler and coo their own interpretations of Louisiana roots rock.
Their debut album, out on August 28th from Valcour, features such gems as "Fall on My Knees" a cover of a traditional bluegrass song, and original numbers like the rollicking "I'm So Tired" and the softly sad "3/4." Of their first East Coast gig tonight at the Luna Lounge, the curly-haired, button-cute Fig, Sarah Gray, said, "We're curious to see how our Southern brand of charm translates north of the Mason Dixon!" As are we! Which is why we'll be standing in the front row at the Luna Lounge tonight getting our Fig on.
Here are some tunes to get you in the mood:
Posted Jul. 18, 2007,
Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities Get Short-Shrifted
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPERMAG contributor Jonas Oransky sent us this here little screed this morning:
Like them or not, Editors really have to be out-marqueed for their new record not to get Pitchfork's top review spot on any given day. It takes a band with serious vintage and a little mainstream crossover -- a band like the Meat Puppets. And the Puppets did win that popularity contest on Pfork today, even as both albums were trashed in their top-of-the-fold reviews.
So it really sucks for the little guys, Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities. Their new album Lucas -- read what else I had to say about it here -- got a great review today [8.2], but the piece was stuck not only below the Puppets and Editors, but also under a German dance compilation, which failed to pull even a 6. And Lucas' rating just barely failed to earn the record a "Recommended" appellation, which would have given it some extra play.
How long is the attention span of the Pitchfork reader? Will he or she even get to the Skeletons review? Will the band get their due from a potential audience that would probably get interested if they knew the king of websites loved this record?
Posted Jul. 17, 2007,
Stick a Pitchfork in Me: The 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival, Day Two
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPERMAG correspondent Justin Goncalves packed a toothbrush and a dream and headed Midwest-ward to check out the indie rock wet dream that is the 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival. Here’s his report from the front lines.
Saturday's lineup brought with it a more conventional festival experience, including a marathon lineup of acts and an eccentricity of genres unique to this Pitchfork Music Festival (last year's was a very heavy, concentrated dose of indie rock). With sets from Grizzly Bear, Battles, Iron & Wine, Clipse and Girl Talk, Saturday had the potential to rock my socks off.
The day started with a relatively straightforward set from Glasgow-based band The Twilight Sad. Singer James Graham had no qualms about his accent as the quartet played tunes from their April Fat-Cat Release Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters.
Posted Jul. 12, 2007,
Bonde Do Role Do It Right!
By Shanon Kelley
Brazil's Bonde Do Role (pronounced BON-jay) play a crazy mix of favela music, hip hop and dance. And while I know that everyone here has probably already heard of this amazing trio, I only just saw them live for the first time this past Tuesday at the Spiegeltent. One of my very first Papermag blogs was about them, in fact, and how they were the first band to be signed to Diplo's label, Mad Decent. Their live show was fabulous, the only thing that bothered me was the fact that the audience was more concerned with photographing them than with dancing! They'll be playing the Music Hall of Williamburg (the new and improved North Six) on September 15th. Go see them and dance!
Posted Jul. 10, 2007,
N.Y. Doll Chats it up with O'Death
By Alexis Swerdloff
Papermag blogger Shanon Kelley (aka N.Y. Doll) sits down with the folksy band O'Death to find out what they're really about.
Posted Jul. 10, 2007,
Eye from Boredoms Is Magic.
By Carol Lee
I've been a fan of Boredoms's since the early 90s and gone to many of their shows over the years. So this past Saturday (07/07/07), my friends and I went out to Dumbo to witness the 77BOADRUM spectacle and we had the time of our lives!!! As N.Y. Doll reported yesterday, the 77BOADRUM blow out was the show to end all outdoor concerts -- a drum circle with 77 drum kits bookended by the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges!!! It was completely mindblowing and magical. Everything came together -- the weather, the location, the people... though there were many who didn't get in after waiting on line for hours. My hat's off to Hisham Baroocha who was the glue of this very sexy event. Watching Eye from Bordoms orchestrating the 77 disciples, I believed I was in the presence of a true mad genius. He generates such great energy, power and sexual vibes that my friend Kazumi kept saying, "I need to go home and take a cold shower!" You really should have been there. It was SPECIAL!
Posted Jul. 6, 2007,
PAPER TV: McCarren Pool Is The Summer's Hottest Spot
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPER's Natalia Leite and Shanon Kelley head to McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg to check out the parties and the bands, and to discover what exactly it is that's bringing out the crowds.
Posted Jun. 28, 2007,
An Open Letter From Grizzly Bear
By Shanon Kelley
Grizzly Bear just posted this bulletin on MySpace:
I'm so very annoyed about the state of touring and selling your own T shirts. Essentially here's the deal. I'm MORTIFIED that our T shirts were sold last night for 25 dollars. That's just wrong. But guess what, we had ZERO choice. The venue FORCED US TO SELL IT FOR THAT and to boot they wouldn't allow us to get behind the table and sell it.
Essentially the bigger venues you play the more greedy they become and they start taking 25-35% of your merch. This of course forces bands to sell their stuff for higher. Taking into consideration of course that American Apparel shirts are not cheap and the taxes and screen printing fees and shipping fees. When a venue takes 35% of your T shirt sales you essentially make no money unless you raise the price 5 bucks.
Posted Jun. 26, 2007,
Panda Bear Live at Bowery Ballroom
By Shanon Kelley
This last Saturday I went to see Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) at the Bowery Ballroom. It was by far the easiest set up I'm sure the Bowery has ever had to do -- Noah performs with nothing but a few machines with knobs and such (I'm not an equipment expert, OK?). He performed pretty much everything off of his latest album, Person Pitch, and even a few altered versions of songs off the forthcoming Animal Collective album, Strawberry Jam. The entire set was also accompanied by video that was fairly amazing and included some scenes of people have sex on a roller coaster -- need I say more?
Noah's music, while seemingly dull to those not paying close attention, is full of nuances and intricacies that change every time he plays. His melodies blend from one song to the next and at times it's difficult to distinguish between his singing and his soundscapes. I was completely enthralled throughout. His creativity knows no bounds and I firmly believe that he (along with his Animal Collective comrades) is one of the most innovative and creative musicians around today.
Go see him!
Posted Jun. 25, 2007,
Animal Collective's Watermark Trail
By David Hershkovits
Holy watermark, Batman!
I wonder what makes record companies watermark certain advance CDs and not others. Does it make an artist feel second-rate if his CD doesn’t have a watermark while his labelmate does.
Nowadays if you’re a music critic it’s not unusual to receive, unsolicited, an advance CD with a watermark that enables the record company to determine the source of any unauthorized MP3s circulating on the internet. Recently this has led to several embarrassing incidents involving the record companies and the music critics they depend on to get the word out about their new releases.
Take, for example, this email which was sent around by Animal Collective's publicist regarding the leak of some songs off its client's upcoming album.
Posted Jun. 11, 2007,
Brand New New Pornographers
By Shanon Kelley
The New Pornographers's new album Challengers isn't out till August 31st, but here's a sneak peak! The single, "My Right Versus Yours," is a reminder why these guys are one of the best power pop bands out there. I'm particularly excited for their latest album as I know that Dan Bejar (aka Destroyer, aka one third of Swan Lake, aka the only non-touring member of the New Pornographers and the only other songwriter) contributes three songs to the album.
The New Pornographers are playing the free July 4th show are Battery Park. Some fans were worried that Neko Case wouldn't be there, but never fear! It's been announced that she'll be there. I like Neko Case's solo work, but my personal favorite is red-headed frontman A.C. Newman's. His 2004 album, The Slow Wonder, was a pop gem.
New Pornographers - My Right Versus Yours (mp3)
A.C. Newman - Drink To Me Babe, Then (mp3)
Posted May. 31, 2007,
Ten Questions For YACHT
By Shanon Kelley
I love YACHT, otherwise known as Jona Bechtolt, otherwise known as one half of the Portland duo, The Blow. As YACHT, Jona makes eclectic pop/hip-hop/dance music all on his laptop, and boy is it awesome. Just look at his MySpace page and see where he quotes yours truly: "YACHT's not just music, it's a way of life." Couldn't have said it better myself... but oh wait I did say that!
Bechtolt's currently on tour with LCD Soundsystem, but he was kind enough to take some time to answer my questions, go off on a few rants and even admit that it's been a while since he's had some action. Then for those of you that can't get enough YACHT, I've also included this adorable video for his summer jam, "See A Penny (Pick It Up)" -- which, by the way, gives major props to his hometown.
Posted May. 30, 2007,
Behind the Scenes of the Rufus Wainwright Cover Shoot
By PAPERMAG Editors
Rufus Wainwright lies in the grass, discusses his new, more operatic album Release the Stars at his PAPER cover shoot. Cass Bird photographs.
Posted May. 30, 2007,
Brother, Can You Spare $465?
By PAPERMAG Editors
Here's a report from our special correspondent Gary Pini...
Oh, back in the day. The way it used to be. Tom Silverman took his small indie Tommy Boy records to the top of the charts with Afrika Bambaataa and De La Soul while Tony Wilson scored with his Manchester nightclub and Factory label. Then both launched music confabs that lasted for years: the "New Music Seminar" and "In the City." They are still in the music business, but... well let's just say times have changed. It's 2007 and on June 13 and 14 you can hear both gentlemen -- as well as other speakers -- talk about the current state of the art (ie: Will DRM end tomorrow or next month?) at In the City of New York. The two day get-together is being held at the W Hotel Union Square during the day followed by live music at night at the Nokia Theater and the Highline Ballroom. If you are wondering why you haven't heard a word about this, it's probably because it costs $465 and the headliner of the showcases is the old Factory artist Happy Mondays (pictured above) who reunited (sans Bez) at Coachella. And that's really it. Oh, we forgot about Biffy Clyro. They'll be playing on the 14th at the Highline Ballroom.
Posted May. 29, 2007,
Copy -- Not Just for Kinko's Anymore
By Shanon Kelley
Apologies for the lack of blogs -- I've been in Portland that last five days where the air is too fresh, the people too relaxed and the local beer too delicious for me to take the time to blog. But never fear! I'm back now, and as an homage to the lovely city of which I was just a guest, I'd like to introduce you to Copy, a Portland-based DJ.
Honestly I haven't listened to that much electronic music since I went through my brief and unfortunate rave-stint in high school, but there's just something about summer that makes me crave computer-created beats and blips.
Copy, aka Marius Libman, is the perfect accompaniment to any barbeque or roof-top party. His sound is a bit like Ratatat but with more melodic swells and pop tendencies. Just listen to the song "Fist" on his MySpace page and see if you don't fall instantly in love!
Posted May. 23, 2007,
About Last Night... Strippers, Max Fish, RTX, China Chalet & Closing Party at Participant
By Carol Lee
This is more like "About Many Nights Last Week..." PAPER's incorrigible Carlo McCormick and I had a raunchy date last Tuesday at Headquarters strip club where they were having a book signing party for Filthy, Funny and Totally Offensive. A few cocktails, an egg roll, a lap dance and an awkward encounter with a co-worker later, we headed down to -- you guessed it -- Max Fish where I ran into more people including my friends Simon and Sophie. They were both wearing fun sunglasses (pictured above). Then I cruised on over to see Jennifer Herrema's band RTX at Club Midway where I ran into an old friend Jess Holzworth who's been holed up on Sonoran Desert out in Arizona for the past few years. She's been on the road with Jennifer who's on tour to promote the new album Western Xterminator. I missed The Jewish who opened for RTX.
Posted May. 21, 2007,
About Last Night... Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue Tribute Band with Adam Green, Albert Hammond Jr. and The Pierces
By Carol Lee
I saw the best show (almost) ever at Club Midway (the old Save the Robots spot) on Avenue B!!! If you are a manic Bob Dylan fan like I am, you'd have been in heaven! Dylan’s 66th birthday is creeping up on May 24 (a Gemini) so a bunch of hip cats got together on Friday night to sort of restage Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue as the Rolling Thunder Reborn Band.
I must say, for a venue as small as Midway, and a cheap $5 door charge, there was a lot of star power there. But more impressively, really good vibes and awesome music. There were many, many rotating guest musicians, as is the tradition with RTR. Russell Simmons (Blues Explosion) came on to play drums on “Highway 61” and stayed for a few more. AG blew the hell out of a little bazooka on “Highway” and later did a rocking rendition of “Baby Let Me Follow You Down.” David Mead sang “Rainy Day Women #12 & 25” and “Just Like a Woman.” The Pierce Sisters came on to sing back up on “Changing of the Guards” from the Street Legal album (one of my favorites) with this hot dude who I didn’t know, who also sang his heart out on “Someday Baby” and “She Belongs to Me.” The Pierces also covered “The Man in Me,” which was on the Big Lebowski soundtrack. Seriously, this was one of the funnest shows I’ve been to in a long time! The crowd was really mixed -- young and old as you can imagine. But unfortunately I had to cut out to go to my friend Gemma’s engagement party at China Chalet by Wall St. Oh, I really hope that they do at least one more Reborn show -- it's to die for! And Happy Birthday, Bob!!!
Posted May. 18, 2007,
Dan Deacon for a Happy Friday!
By Shanon Kelley
TGIF! The day is almost over and the weekend is mere moments away. To celebrate (cause I don't know about you, but I've had a really long week) I would like to share this amazing and absurd video from Baltimore's very own Dan Deacon. The song is called "Crystal Cat." Enjoy!
Posted May. 18, 2007,
Who the Hell Are Von Sudenfed?
By Carol Lee
I used to listen to The Fall a lot a looooooong time ago! Last night my friends showed me this video on YouTube and I almost fell out of my chair. Mark E. Smith, the man behind The Fall, has a new project called Von Sudenfed with Mouse on Mars. I love the song and the video is so nuts!!! It reminds me of Aphex Twin and Andy Warhol in drag. The song's called "Fledermaus Can’t Get It" from the album "Tromatic Reflexxions" which will be dropping any day. And how crazy is the name Von Sudenfed?!!
Posted May. 11, 2007,
About Last Night... Albert Hammond Jr. at Hiro
By Shanon Kelley
Last night I had the extreme pleasure of seeing Albert Hammond Jr. (of The Strokes fame) play a free show at the Hiro Ballroom. I have to admit that while I'm a fan of The Strokes, I'm an even bigger fan of Albert Hammond Jr. I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about him. Perhaps it's his sincere and sweet music. Or perhaps it's the fact that he wore reading glasses while performing. In any event, his performance was perfection! And it was all free, including the VIP pre-party thrown by Going.com that included free drinks and food at The Cabanas, upstairs at the Maritime Hotel. While enjoying the freebies, I ran into the adorable Amylu, of Nacotheque. Overall, the night was a great success! If you haven't seen Albert Hammond Jr. yet, I suggest you get on it!
Photo from Brett Beyer Photography's Flickr page.
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. 9, 2007,
Knockin' On Chan Marshall's Door
By Carol Lee
We made our love for Cat Power official by putting her on PAPER's May cover. When I flew down to Miami to interview Chan Marshall, I had very mixed feelings. The whole situation seemed touch and go all the way, but soon enough, I realized I had nothing to worry about. Chan was super-gracious, open, generous and all-around lovely -- I'm not just saying this, I swear. She bought me a souvenir crab leg keychain from Joe's Stone Crab ("you have to have this," she said) and put me up at her house when I had to stay an extra day in Miami because, well, it's a long story. It involves a canon ball and my tape recorder going bust -- the interview was by her pool (how Miami!).
When we talked, she was sweet and candid. She told me how she was nervous about taking on a cameo role in Wong Kar-wai's new movie My Blueberry Nights as Jude Law's ex-girlfriend from Russia, how she practiced her lines with a Russian accent only to be told on the day of the shoot to lose it by the assistant director, and about Wong's method directing style. "When we were shooting my scene, and you know, he always wears sunglasses even at night, he told me to act sad, then for the next scene he'd say to me, 'Chan (Chinese style pronunciation),' that's what he always called me, 'Now try shedding just one tear.'" Three takes later, she was balling. "Then he said, 'Now one more, but this time no tears.'" And that was the take he wanted.
Posted May. 4, 2007,
Omaha Darlings Tilly and the Wall Rock, Tap.
By Shanon Kelley
This adorable band from Omaha, Nebraska consists of five members who sing, play instruments and even tap dance. That's right. Tap dance. In lieu of a drummer, Tilly and the Wall decided to have a tap dancing percussionist.
Aside from this obvious cute factor, Tilly doesn't mess around with their music. It's straight to the point -- classic Americana. Their latest album, Bottom Of Barrels, is full of beautiful summer anthems. It's harmonious and bright, not unlike the '60s pop and folk that they all have an affinity for.
Their first album, Wild Like Children, was released on Conor Oberst's label, Team Love. He helped produce it, in fact, and was even in a band with Tilly lead singer Neely and Kianna before forming Bright Eyes. Small world! But, then again, when it comes to good music, the world is surprisingly small.
Posted May. 2, 2007,
Coachella Rocked My World: Part One
By Shanon Kelley
I just got back yesterday morning from an amazing weekend at Coachella. During the three-day-long festival I had the extreme pleasure of staying with the Brazilian cuties of CSS. We partied and played all weekend (and I even saw some great music in between). Other celebrities and musicians that I saw (and that were seen) include Amy Winehouse and Kelly Osbourne walking hand in hand, Vincent Gallo, Jeremy Scott, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore (talking to Arcade Fire and then making out with an Arctic Monkey), Perry Farrell, Courtney Love, Jason Statham (actor from Snatch and The Transporter), Danny DeVito, Lindsay Lohan, Steve Aoki, Mark Hunter, Cory Kennedy, Busy Phillips and Scarlett Johansson (singing with the Jesus & Mary Chain and then later driving home with Cameron Diaz).
My favorite siting by far was Gogol Bordello frontman Eugene Hutz. I was eating a slice of pizza in the shade of the press tent when he walked by. I didn't know what I was doing at the time but I suddenly yelled out "Hey!" with a stuffed mouth. He smiled and walked over, at which point I didn't know what else to do but smile and blurt out with a mouth full of food that I loved his band.
(Above two photos of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne of Arcade Fire and Lily Allen and her boyfriend)
Click below to see the first insallment of my Coachella photo extravaganza:
Posted May. 2, 2007,
Lou Reed and John Zorn: The Highline Ballroom Is Born
By Alex Zafiris
On Monday night, for the opening party for the new music venue the Highline Ballroom (owned and operated by the bigwigs behind The Blue Note and B.B. King’s), Lou Reed strolled onstage wearing a Helmut Lang-style slashed tee, baggy blue jeans and trainers. What? However, those used to his black leather pants and black shirt (“I mean, he is born for the black and white photograph,” said my friend) were not let down by his other two famous character traits: the supercilious grin and outrageous confidence.
His band, most of whom were the musicians who played on 1992’s Magic and Loss -- including the sensational Jane Scarpantoni on cello -- were so tight that the absence of drums was irrelevant. The crowd, a mixture of music industry types and rabid fans, were stoically indifferent to the scrappy support band, Okkervil River. Reed owned the space, ordering the sound guys, smoke machine operator and the audience around with his deep growl. Songs were mostly culled from Magic and Loss, Ecstasy and The Raven -- in other words, for hardcore Lou Reed fans only. Usually, that kind of set list entices blowhards to yell crap like “Sweet Jane!” and “Venus In Furs!” in between songs, but last night, it only happened once, and the Great One did not flinch. (When I saw him on tour for Magic and Loss, he threatened to walk off stage if they didn’t “shut the fuck up.” He left fifteen minutes later).
An hour into the set, Reed sat down at a Moog and read excerpts from Andy Warhol’s diary, in which Warhol blasts Reed for ignoring him and not inviting him to his wedding; then, to everyone’s shock and excitement, John Zorn walked onstage, and the whole thing became a delirious jam session. The set ended at midnight. In a rock 'n' roll frenzy we’ve not experienced for a long time, my friend and I snatched the set-lists off the stage and rolled out to keep drinking.
Photographs by Eugenia Park.
Posted Apr. 30, 2007,
Courtney Love Kicks Kurt Cobain Out of the House
By David Hershkovits
Sure, its been 13 years since Kurt Cobain left the building, but his pajamas are still keeping Courtney's buns warm at night. No more, says Love. She has decided to auction off his belongings at Christie's. She tells Spinner: "[My house] is like a mausoleum. My daughter [14-year-old Frances Bean] doesn't need to inherit a giant hefty bag full of flannel f***ing shirts ... A sweater, a guitar and the lyrics to 'Teen Spirit' -- that's what my daughter gets. And the rest of it we'll just f***ing sell."
Does this announcement, once again trafficking on the Cobain legacy, have anything to do with the fact that Love has a new record, Nobody's Daughter, about to drop in which she looks back at some of her celebrated affairs with Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan and Ed Norton. I'll leave it for you, dear reader, to decide.
"I still wear his pajamas to bed," she says. "How am I ever going to go form another relationship in my lifetime wearing Kurt's pajamas?"
OK, well maybe there are some other reasons she has not moved on to another relationship besides Kurt's pajamas. Like her personality and destructive habits. Seems like she still hasn't learned to take responsibility for her actions.
Here she is photographed with daughter Francis Bean Cobain.
Posted Apr. 24, 2007,
The Willowz Jubilation
By Shanon Kelley
The Willowz released their third album, Chautauqua, on Dim Mak Records last month. I feel guilty admitting that I've only now given the album a complete listen-through, but boy am I glad that I did! It's their best album to date, laden with tightly controlled songs coupled with their signature raw, rock 'n' roll sound. I'm not sure how they do it, but they've miraculously made a classic '60s style rock sound modern and original. I mean, sure, they may all look like they walked out of a Woodstock film -- note lead singer Richie Follin's ever-growing locks and newly grown mustache and Jessica Reynoza's unending amount of '60s dresses -- but their music is anything but stale and antiquated. It was particularly cute watching French people dance to their music during a scene from "Science Of Sleep."
Anyway, if you haven't heard this album yet, hear some of it on their MySpace page and judge for yourself. Here's their video for my favorite song on the new album, "Jubilee." The Willowz play at the Mercury Lounge Wednesday, April 25th.
Posted Apr. 19, 2007,
Indie Rock and Car Commercials
By Shanon Kelley
Last night while watching Lost, I was struck by the inordinate number (two in one hour!) of car commercials that featured indie rock heavy-weights. First it was a Pontiac commercial featuring Peter Bjorn And John's anthemic track, "Object Of My Affection" (see music video below). A bit later it was Honda with The Go! Team's "Huddle Formation." I'm not trying to suggest, of course, that this advertising scheme is by any means new (remember Modest Mouse's "Gravity Rides Everything" in a Nissan Commercial?). Nor am I shocked. It just struck me last night how frequent it's become.
With the music industry suffering as much as it has, it's no secret that musicians have been forced to seek alternative means of income. Touring has always been an obvious way, but let's face it -- unless you're Justin Timberlake and selling out coliseums, you're not going to make that much money from it. With that in mind, I don't consider selling your song rights to a car company to be "selling out" (a term which I believe is completely antiquated at this point anyway).
What struck me is just how smart these giant companies really are sometimes. Indie rock is filled with positive and uplifting anthems that are perfect for the spirit of, say, buying a car and taking a road trip. I myself am planning a cross-country trip for later this summer and aside from a few small details (i.e. getting a license), the only thing I've really planned out so far is all the music I want to listen to. It seems to me that as the years go by the line between leisurely activities and commerce is becoming more and more blurry. Who knows? It may come to the point where I can't listen to my favorite band without immediately conjuring up images of things I want to buy. It's a crazy world we live in!
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.