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Kyle Dean Reinford

10 bands/artists to see @ the CMJ Music Marathon

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Late of the Pier – The Bears Are Coming (Emperor Machine Rmx) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Eugene Francis Jnr & the Juniors – Beginners (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fanfarlo – You Are One of the Few Outsiders Who Understand Us (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Faunts – Intantly Loved (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Faunts – Memories of Places We’ve Never Been (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Faunts – M4 (Pt. I) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kirsten Ketsjer – The Brigde (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kirsten Ketsjer – Ernie and the Sand (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kirsten Ketsjer – Foot and Foot (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Novillero – A Little Tradition (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Radio Luxembourg – Scooter (MP3)

someone enjoying live music (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)
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Visa issues have kept a few foreign bands out of CMJ this year (Florence & the Machine and Neon Neon among them) but there are still quite a few who are crossing the border to play this week. Here are ten that I’m not only looking forward to but, except for one maybe two, felt were not getting the attention they should…

Casiokids

Casiokids

Hometown: Bergen, Norway

What you need to know: Like their name implies, this Norwegian six piece (sometimes more) are keyboard-heavy but hey play almost everything live — their 2007 debut was called Fuck Midi. New material is more melodic and straightforward, especially upcoming single “Grønt lys i alle ledd” which is out on Moshi Moshi next week. Live show is supposed to be festive.

Chances to see them this week: Friday (10/24) at the On-the-Side @ Seaport (5:30PM); Saturday at Cake Shop (10PM)

More info: MySpace, Official Site, Ivy League Sessions

Casiokids – “Bagamoyo”

CMJ

Emmy the Great

Emmy the Great

Hometown: London, UK

What you need to know: Part of the London neo-folk scene that spawned Laura Marling, Jeremy Warmsley, and Noah & the Whale. Has the ability to write charming, clever songs about the most depressing of subject matter. Wins over just about anyone who actually pays attention while she plays. Debut album, First Love, is out in the UK on Nov. 10.

Chances to see her: 8, and most of them are free shows. One is a BrooklynVegan show. (all dates at end of post)

More info: Myspace, Official Site, Black Cab Session

Emmy the Great – “We Almost Had a Baby”

Eugene Frances, Jnr & the Juniors

Euegne Frances

Hometown: Cardiff, Wales

What you need to know: Eugene Frances Jnr’s heartfelt, wide-screen pop drifts a little into affirmational Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack material at times, but like a lot of musicians from Wales, there’s something genuinely weird going on that keeps him safely out of David Gray territory. His new album, The Golden Beatle, is well worth a listen.

Chances to see him: 3 (dates at end of post)

More info: MySpace, Official Site

Eugene Francis Jnr – “Poor Me”

Fanfarlo

Fanfarlo

Hometown: London, by way of Sweden

What you need to know: Fanfarlo draw comparisons to Arcade Fire though to my ears they’re definitely more in the Belle & Sebastian school of sweeping indie pop. They were one of the best bands I saw at this year’s SXSW. David Bowie is a fan. I am probably more excited about seeing them than any other band at CMJ, apart from Late of the Pier (see below).

Chances to see them: Only one (Fat Baby on Saturday, Oct. 25). They’re actually in NYC recording their debut album so time is probably precious for them.

More info: MySpace, Official Site, Black Cab Session

Faunts

Faunts

Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

What you need to know: Equal parts swirling guitars and dreamy electronics, Faunts last played NYC four years ago at Rothko during CMJ. The band have been pokey to follow up thier 2005 debut, High Expectations/Low Results, releasing a stopgap EP last year, but are set to finally release Album #2 in January on Friendly Fire. Drummer Paul Arnusch also fronts his own band, jangle-poppers The Whitsundays, who’ll also be playing the Friendly Fire showcase at Village Underground on Wednesday (10/22).

Chances to see them: 4 (dates at end of post)

More info: MySpace, Official Site

Faunts – “M4 (Pt II)”

Kirsten Ketsjer

Kirsten Ketsjer

Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark

What you need to know: Seems unfair that Marnie Stern gets all the attention while equally awesome math-n-metal loving indie rockers Kirsten Ketsjer are playing to 30 people, though, like I said the other day, I think this may change after this week. Though they seem to be eschewing their poppier material on this tour, they are no less amazing live. The folks at Cake Shop are huge fans. Highly recommended.

Chances to see them: 5 (dates at end of post)

More info: MySpace, Official Site, YouTube

Kirsten Ketsjer – “Fat Ladies” @ Cake Shop 6.01.2007

Late of the Pier

Late of the Pier

Hometown: Castle Donington, UK

What you need to know: Of the bands on this list, Late of the Pier are probably the only one coming to CMJ with any level of hype (here included) — their gonzo debut, Fantasy Black Channel, received almost unanimous accolades from the UK press, with The Guardian saying, “Fantasy Black Channel is the most thrilling British debut of the year for its spirit of invention, its surfeit of ideas and its ear for a good tune.” Think of them as this year’s Klaxons, and I mean that entirely as a compliment.

Chances to see them: Wednesday at Music Hall of Williamsburg; Friday at Irving Plaza

More info: MySpace, Official Site, YouTube

Late of the Pier – “Bears are Coming”

Little Boots

Little Boots

Hometown: Blackpool, UK

What you need to know: Former singer for Dead Disco, Victoria Hesketh now goes by the name Little Boots and has gained some internet notoriety thanks to a series of winning cover versions on YouTube. She writes her own catchy dance pop too, most of which has been produced by Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard. NME says, “”Anyone who can transmute musings on Sylvia Plath and the Fibonacci sequence into glittering electropop gold (single ‘Mathematics’) is surely destined for greatness.”

Chances to see her: 4 shows, 3 DJ sets (dates below)

More info: MySpace, Official Site

little boots MEDDLE bedroom version

Novilero

Novilero

Hometown: Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada

What you need to know: Tight, keyboard-driven mod pop for folks who like Spoon, The Jam or Ted Leo who just released their second album for Mint Records, A Little Tradition. Novillero are seriously good live, one of the best things I saw at CMJ 2006. Too bad they’re only playing once.

Chances to see them: The Mint Records showcase at Fat Baby on Friday, Oct. 24 is your only chance.

Friday – Oct. 24
Hot Panda 7:00 PM
The Awkward Stage 7:45 PM
Vancougar 8:30 PM
Novillero 9:15 PM
The Pack A.D. 10:00 PM

More info: MySpace, Official Site, YouTube

Radio Luxembourg

Radio Luxembourg

Hometown: Aberystwyth, Wales

What you need to know: Despite the MP3 above’s Libertines-esque sound, Radio Luxembourg are definitely from the same off-kilter Welsh psych pop school as Super Furry Animals and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci — in the latter’s Euros Childs has produced their recorded work to date.

Chances to see them: Tuesday (10/21) at the Annex (late, 1AM); Wednesday (10/22) at the Delancey for the NME showcase.

More info: MySpace

Emmy the Great CMJ 2008 Week Shows
Oct 21 2:00PM Music Slut Party @ Pianos
Oct 21 7:00P Brooklyn Vegan Show @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Oct 22 3:00PM Gothamist Party @ Bell House
Oct 22 5:00PM Clash Party @ Lil Frankies
Oct 22 9:00PM Planetary Party @ Rehab
Oct 23 2:00PM Instore @ Ralph Lauren/ Rugby
Oct 25 1:00PM The Delancey
Oct 25 4:30PM Bowery Presents Party @ Pianos:

Bowery Presents

Eugene Francis Jnr & the Juniors CMJ 2008 Week Shows
Oct 21 12:00PM LIVE ON KEXP RADIO
Oct 21 11:00PM Sidewalk Cafe
Oct 23 9:00PM Studio @ Webster Hall

Faunts 2008 CMJ Week Shows
Oct 22 11PM The Village Underground (CMJ Friendly Fire Showcase)
Oct 22 1:00PM Cake Shop (CMJ Terrorbird Day Party)
Oct 23 1:00PM Knitting Factory (CMJ Redeye Distribution Day Party)
Oct 23 8:00PM Pianos (CMJ Force Field PR Showcase)

Kirsten Ketsjer – 2008 CMJ Week Shows
TUESDAY OCTOBER 21ST @ CMJ – GLASSLANDS GALLERY//BROOKLYN, NY
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 22nd TBA @ CMJ, NYC/BROOKLYN
THURSDAY OCTOBER 23rd TBA @CMJ, NYC/BROOKLYN
FRIDAY OCTOBER 24th TBA @ CMJ, NYC/BROOKLYN
SATURDAY OCTOBER 25th @ CMJ, CAKESHOP/CAPESHOK

Little Boots – 2008 CMJ Week Shows
Oct 22 – DJ SET, Blackbook Mag @ Le Royale West Village 9-10pm
Oct 22 – LIVE, Tribeca Grand – Stage Time: 12am (with Friendly Fires)
Oct 23 – LIVE, NME Showcase @ The Annex Stage Time: 9.30pm (with Heartsrevolution, Passion Pit, SoKo)
Oct 23 – DJ SET, Big Stereo Party with BPM Mag & Famous Friends @ 205 Club, 205 Chrystie St 1-2am
Oct 24 – DJ SET, URB Mag @ le poisoon rouge, 158 bleeker st Set Time TBC
Oct 25 – LIVE, BrooklynVegan party @ Knitting Factory, afternoon set – 1:30pm
Oct 25 – LIVE, Fader Showcase @ Levi’s® FADER FORT NYC Stage Time: 6pm