Recent Posts in CMJ

October 21, 2009

CMJ 2009 - Bill's Wednesday picks & stuff (day, night parties, A Classic Education, Richard Davies, The Purrs, more)

DOWNLOAD: The Purrs - Stay With Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pete & the Pirates - Jennifer (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Let's Wrestle - Tanks (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - Records of a Flagpole Skater (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - Kudos (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: A Classic Education - We Can Always Run to Hawaii (MP3)

A Classic Education

DAYTIME:

Again today (10/21) I suggest you just stay on the Lower East Side for your free day party action. At Cake Shop is the Terrorbird Digital party with the mod-ish Black Hollies, dark and dreamy Zaza, Nashville's fun Turbofruits, LA all-girl trio Warpaint, Montreal's Silver Starling and San Francisco's Tempo No Tempo. Plus: free cupcakes while they last.

Up the street at Pianos is the Force Field PR party which has Real Estate, Kentucky's These United States, CMJ overachievers Surfer Blood (who were good yesterday at Cake Shop), San Francisco's good time party pals Still Flyin', noisy locals Grooms (who were also good at Cake Shop yesterday), Sub Pop band Holopaw, UK act Stricken City and L.A.'s Seven Saturdays.

And you might even wander down to Santos Party House for the Hype Machine/Babelgum party that has a nice lineup of dance acts: Australia's Midnight Juggernauts, retrofuturist VEGA, Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells, smooth and soulful sounds of Theophilus London, and Norway's Alan Wilkis who puts his own spin on early '80s new wave funk. This one starts a bit later than the other day parties, at a civilized 3PM.

If you're in Williamsburg this afternoon (maybe to pick up your Vice Late Nights info at American Apparel) you might want to swing by Bruar Falls where they'll be a low key day show featuring Bologna, Italy's A Classic Education (who will also be playing the Brooklyn Vegan day party tomorrow [10/21] at Pianos). They were one of my favorites from SXSW. Also on the Bruar bill are three Brooklyn bands: My Teenage Stride, Knight School and Palomar. 2 - 6PM. Free!

NIGHTTIME:

Personally, this is my most conflicted night with at least three shows in completely different places that I feel I could stay at the whole night. If you're downtown at the day parties, you might want to head over to the M for Montreal showcase which starts with a 5PM performance from Parlovr. I was talking to a friend yesterday who was raving about their recent Pop Montreal performance and said they might be the next MTL band to break out. The rest of the M4M bill is solid, including Think About Life who were just fantastic last night at the official BrooklynVegan showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Also dont' miss BEASTand Duchess Says, the latter of whom will also play our free day party Thursday at Pianos.

Then there's also the great show at The Bell House with personal faves Pete & the Pirates and excellent New Zealanders Surf City -- both of whom are also playing the free BrooklynVegan/Bowery Presents day party on Saturday at Pianos. Also on the bill are Pete & the Pirates' Stolen Recordings labelmates Let's Wrestle, as well as North Carolina's The Love Language, the latter of whom will be playing our Friday night loft party. The Bell House show is $14 without a CMJ badge.

There's also a great lineup of bands at Santos tonight on two floors, including Cymbals Eat Guitars and DEASTRO (who both play our Saturday party), Free Energy, Real Estate, and Beach Fossils, plus a couple awesome bands from Norway: Ungdomskullen and I Was a King. It's $15 if you don't have a badge.

Richard Davies

And I'd like to highlight a couple artists who play their only CMJ shows tonight, at the same timeslot (9pm) in different Bleeker Street venues. (I know.) At Kenny's Castaways is Richard Davies who fronted the great Australian band The Moles in the late '80s/early '90s, and then moved to the U.S. where he formed chamber pop duo Cardinal with Eric Matthews, and their sole 1994 album remains one of the best things Sub Pop has ever released. After Cardinal, he put out three very good solo albums (1998's Telegraph is pretty great, actually), and then in 2000 or so, he decided to go to law school and has had his own practice since. But he's started playing again recently and, according to this interview, he and Matthews have restarted Cardinal, which is kind of exciting. But tonight here he'll play as a trio with a new band. Glad to have him back.

The Purrs

And down the street at Wicked Willy's are The Purrs who hail from Seattle and have just released their very good second album Amused, Confused and More Bad News. Mix a little '80s Paisley Underground with '90s Britpop and you're in the ballpark of their sound. You can download their song "Stay Here With Me" at the top of this post. 9PM at Wicked Willy's (149 Bleeker).

What else is good today? Hip Hop recommendations HERE. Flyers and day party set times, and all Classic Education dates, below.

Continue reading "CMJ 2009 - Bill's Wednesday picks & stuff (day, night parties, A Classic Education, Richard Davies, The Purrs, more)"

Posted by brooklynvegan at 11:42 AM | Comments (15)

January 21, 2008

Marla Hansen - Wordless, touring w/ Jens, show tonight

Marla Hansen @ Pianos, NYC - BV CMJ, Oct 20, 2007 (Bao Nguyen)

She plucks that viola in precise patterns–repeated notes, a syncopated chord, a countermelody–as the only accompaniment for her gentle, transparent voice, which has an undercurrent of Celtic melancholy. The songs are sparse, meditative and utterly involving. In “Talk To Me,” as she plucked two alternating notes an octave apart like a slowly ticking clock, she sang, “I wish you could talk to me/You turn away, and it breaks my heart.” There’s a sense of timelessness in that song–and no setup time necessary. [Jon Pareles, NY Times]

Marla Hansen's resume keeps getting cooler and cooler. In addition to all the Jay-Z/The National/Kanye West/Sufjan Stevens stuff we already knew about, I just realized that she helped perform Jonny Greenwood's "Popcorn Superhet Receiver" as part of the Wordless Music Orchestra the other day, AND she'll be playing as a member of Jens Lekman's band on his upcoming European and U.S. tours. Tonight (Jan 21, 2008) she plays solo at Union Hall. Lauren Smith is also on the bill.

Posted by brooklynvegan at 12:32 PM | Comments (1)

January 3, 2008

Bodies of Water & Le Loup - 2008 Tour Dates

Le Loup @ Pianos (BV CMJ), NYC - Oct 2007 (CRED)

First of all, David from Bodies of Water did send a message (and a comment) to say that his late-night drunken posting to the Bodies of Water website was not a reflection of the entire band, and was removed at their request. He is not trying to start anything or make his band sound better - just a mistake. That said, Bodies of Water (Secretly Canadian) are going on a spring tour with Le Loup (Hardly Art). It looks like they'll both also be playing SXSW before making their way to Mercury Lounge and Union Hall. All dates below.....

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Posted by brooklynvegan at 11:41 AM | Comments (3)

December 13, 2007

Santogold - pics from CMJ, free show tonight

DOWNLOAD: Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Santogold - you'll find a way (switch and sinden mix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Santogold - Shuv it ft. Spank Rock (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Santogold - Shove It (KMFX rmx) (MP3)

Santogold (a nickname she got from a classmate back in the '80's for her sister-girl style) is a project that's all about Santi: new band, programmed beats, tons of reggae influences, an impressive list of producers and collaborators, all spiked with Whites's varying vocal styles. In her new song "LES Artistes" she addresses the way folks tend to front like they're something they're not. "I'm an old school artist," she says. "I don't care about looking the part all the time, and in the modern entertainer world it's all about looking the part. In fact, you don't even have to have anything beyond that. If you look the part then you are the part. I just can't be bothered half the time." [FADER]

Why did it take me this long to post about one of my favorite shows of 2007 - the artist I left CMJ this year feeling most excited about? I don't know. RSVP to see Santogold, White Williams (what else is new), Rapture DJs, and DJ David Bruno - for free tonight (Dec 13) at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. More photos of Santogold at the FADER party (Oct 20, 2007), below....

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Posted by brooklynvegan at 9:51 AM | Comments (14)

November 9, 2007

Kaiju Big Battel, BV CMJ, tonight & Bloc Party

Takka Takka, Dave Godowsky & Kaiju @ Pianos (BV CMJ) Oct 20, 2007 (CRED)

Characters from Kaiju Big Battel were on hand at two of the three BrooklynVegan day parties during CMJ this year. You already saw a photo featuring the bouncer at the Friday R Bar party (where Yeasayer & Black Kids & many others played). Now this post is full of pictures that were taken the next day at Pianos - some featuring members of Takka Takka, and two with (their friend) singer-songwriter Dave Godowsky (who played upstairs at noon at that party).

Kaiju Big Battel play Warsaw in Brooklyn tonight! (Nov 9, 2007). Dave Godowsky plays Mercury Lounge on Sunday. Why is Dave in town? Because his other band plays Bowery Ballroom on Saturday.

Kaiju Big Battel are also featured in the new Bloc Party video. That video, and more photos (including one with Jaime of Islands), below....

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Posted by brooklynvegan at 1:39 PM | Comments (5)

November 7, 2007

New Young Pony Club, Softlightes, Muscles, Modular, dance

DOWNLOAD: Gossip - Jealous Girls (New Young Pony Club 12" Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream (Popular Computer Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Muscles - Ice Cream (MP3)

a Gossip, Horrors & NYPC sandwich (CRED)

a CSS, Klaxons & NYPC sandwich (CRED)

NYPC @ Oya Festival, Norway - Aug 2007

NYPC @ Studio B, NYC - Oct 2007 (CMJ) (CRED)

For nearly everyone in the room, it was a total dance floor stormer. The place was going mental even without the near constant cheerleadering of singer Tahita Butler and the unexpected note-for-note cover of Technotronic's "Pump Up the Jam" sent the crowd over the edge. For me, the muddy sound (could not hear Spence's guitar at all, though it could've been my ears, damaged by Biffy Clyro's set at the Fader Sideshow earlier that day) and my waning energy level had something to do with it. There was also the pervasive, putrid smell of vomit -- provided, I'm guessing by the passed out girl by the railings -- that helped to sour the evening for me. But even a year later, "Ice Cream" was still pretty sweet. [Sound Bites]

I didn't love New Young Pony Club when I saw them again at Oya over the summer (partly because they went on right after Justice I think), and that's partly why I didn't make it to the CMJ show that Sound Bites reviewed above - a Modular party that Muscles also played at Studio B in Brooklyn in October.

Softlightes (another Modular artist) is playing with Justice and Peaches in Los Angeles on New Years Eve. Muscles will open for Daft Punk five times in Australia this December. New videos and tour dates by all these Modular artists, below.....

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Posted by brooklynvegan at 3:26 PM | Comments (12)

High Places - 2007 Tour Dates (3 NYC shows)

High Places @ Cake Shop, NYC (CMJ) - Oct 2007 (CRED - Tod Seelie)

High Places have three interesting NYC shows coming up. The first is tonight (Nov 7) at Knitting Factory with Casiotone For The Painfully Alone. The second is part of an Esopus Magazine event at the Kitchen next week, and the third is opening for Yeasayer and Team Robespierre at Mercury Lounge - as if that bill wasn't strong enough (tickets still on sale). All tour dates below....

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Posted by brooklynvegan at 8:53 AM | Comments (15)

November 1, 2007

Q-Tip played Gramercy Theatre (CMJ) - DJing Love tonight

Q-Tip & friend @ Gramercy/Blender Theatre, NYC - OCt 16, 2007 (CRED)

Of course there was something Q-Tip brought that most other CMJ strivers didn’t: an unsinkable catalog. As the driving force behind A Tribe Called Quest, he helped shape alternative hip-hop in the 1990s, earning a lot of good will along the way. And he was in the mood to please on Tuesday, jumping into “Excursions” – the lead track from “The Low End Theory,” Tribe’s breakthrough album – within the first few tunes. [NY Times]

Q-Tip is (unfortunately only) DJing @ Love in NYC tonight.

Posted by brooklynvegan at 3:22 PM | Comments (7)

October 31, 2007

Halloween, Thunderheist, DFA, Dance w/ David Bruno

DOWNLOAD: Thunderheist - Jerk It (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Misfits- halloween (cousin cole vs flufftronix remix). (yousendit)

Thunderheist @ 205, NYC (BV & DB's Dance) - Oct 20, 2007

Dress up and get down tonight (Oct 31, 2007) at Flavorpill's annual Anniversary/Halloween party. Not only is it the scariest of parties, the line-up is stacked tonight with Peanut Butter Wolf, Swayzak, Japanther, and Thunderheist - maybe you caught their crazy set at our CMJ party at 205 (pics above). Swayzak have been doing live electronic (and minimal) since before laptops (and minimal) exisited. The Flavorpill party is in a secret location (and benefitting charity: water) so make sure you've texted the secret number and bring a little extra cash for charity: water. (RSVP - code= helix)

Ghostly International and DFA are teaming up tonight for a spooky bash at Studio B in Brooklyn (tickets here). It's the last stop for Matthew Dear's Big Hands live show along with Invisible Conga People and DJ support from DFA's T and T (Tims Goldsworthy and Sweeney), The Juan Macelan, Morgan Geist, and Ghostly's Derek Plaslaiko and Jeffrey Sfire. No word on whether Sfire's Ghostly's spooky tee shirts are condsidered a costume.

Where to dance like the zombies you are with the rest of the living dead...

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Posted by brooklynvegan at 10:39 AM | Comments (6)

October 26, 2007

Crown Point Festival kicks off Saturday (Yeasayer & stuff)

A Place to Bury Strangers @ MHOW (CMJ) - Oct 17, 2007 (CRED - Johnny Leather)

Yeasayer @ R Bar (BV CMJ) - Oct 19, 2007 (CRED - Tod Seelie)

Other Passengers @ R Bar (BV CMJ) - Oct 19, 2007 (CRED - dave00327)

The Crown Point Festival runs from October 27th - November 17th in NYC.

The Crown Point Festival is a three week festival of the best emerging and pioneering artists in film, theater and music from around the world in the Lower East Side of New York City. Crown Points is organized with the belief that the current state of downtown culture offers tremendous opportunities to those willing to make a commitment to excellence. Every performance is tailor-made to transport the audience on a unique unforgettable experience.

Their website is kind of hard to navigate, but that's where you need to go to figure out what they have going on. Yeasayer is playing the Abrons Arts Center on October 28th. I listed all the bands they have playing, below....

Continue reading "Crown Point Festival kicks off Saturday (Yeasayer & stuff)"

Posted by brooklynvegan at 11:27 AM | Comments (13)