Thursday, 10/22 - CMJ showcase @ Mercury Lounge in NYC

Sean Bones 1:00
Local Natives 12:00
Hockey 11:00
Ambulance LTD 10:00
Alec Ounsworth (of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) 9:00
Patrick Watson 8:00
JBM 7:00

Alec Ounsworth and/or his alias Flashy Python have three shows coming up. One of them is in NYC and is listed above. It's a CMJ show with no advanced ($12) tickets. The other two dates are in Philly. They're listed below along with a full stream of his new Flashy Python album (not to be confused with his new Alec Ounsworth album)....

Continue reading "Alec Ounsworth playing shows (dates), CMJ w/ Ambulance LTD, Patrick Watson, JBM, Sean Bones & more"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Blind Man Color - Heavy Cloud Hustle (JVG Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beach Fossils - Vacation (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mitch Easter - Time Warping (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mitch Easter - Sudden Crown Drop (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Asteroid #4 - Flowers of Ours (MP3)

Beach Fossils

Hope everyone stayed cool this weekend. Before I get into picks for the first part of this week, I'd just like to point out that we've got a remix (a BV exclusive, I'm told) of Blind Man's Colour's "Heavy Cloud Hustle" in the popular MP3 format to download at the very top of this post. The band were in town this weekend and I caught their Saturday night set at Union Hall where I was surprised to see a traditional guitar-bass-drums-keyboard setup for a band whose album, Season Dreaming (out tomorrow 8/18) leans heavily into Animal Collective sound collage territory. They pulled it off pretty well for only have played live for a month, though the band could use a few more peppy songs.

That night's show -- that also included San Diego's Lights On and Philly's Drink Up Buttercup -- was stolen by locals Beach Fossils who've figured out a distinctive sound: two guitarists but neither of them play chords, just single notes that play off each and the bouncy basslines. The band bounces around a lot too; nobody stands still in this band. It's a sound somewhere between the Clean and early R.E.M. and it's hard to dislike. I wish they'd drop the vibrato effects on the vocals which I think are an unnecessary affectation, but otherwise I'm a fan. They haven't put out anything yet, but they've got records out sometime soon on Woodsist and Captured Tracks (not surprisingly they played the festival put on by the same two labels), and you can download an MP3 of their track "Vacation" at the top of this post. They've also got ties to the Underwater Peoples Records who are putting on a show at Market Hotel this Saturday (8/22) that Beach Fossils are playing -- along with every band associated with the label. That includes Ducktails, sister band Real Estate, Air Waves, Fluffy Lumbers and bunch more. The show's only $5 and doors are at 4pm. Full schedule for the show is at the bottom of this post.

Ambulance LTD

Rewinding a bit, Ambulance LTD play their first shows this week since finally being released from their contract from former, bankrupt label, TVT. I really like their 2004 debut and hopefully we'll get to hear its John Cale-produced follow-up sooner than later, but you can get a taste live this week. The band's show tomorrow night (8/18) at Mercury Lounge is sold out, but you can still get tickets for tonight's show (8/17) at Union Hall. Both shows are with the great Savoir Adore so get there early and be sure to pick up a copy of their debut, In the Wooded Forrest, which is only available at their shows (or digitally) right now.

In town for two shows this week is North Carolina indie rock legend Mitch Easter, who plays Southpaw on Tuesday (8/18) and Maxwell's on Thursday (8/20). While he's maybe best known as a producer (the first two R.E.M.'s albums [with Don Dixon], Pavement's Brighten the Corners, Moose's ...XYZ among other things), but Easter has had a long career as a musician, as a part of The Sneakers in the late '70s and frontman/songwriter for Let's Active, easily one of the most underrated bands of the '80s. He's also an incredible guitarist, and Let's Active albums are resplendent with awesome axe-work.

I like everything they ever did but 1986's Big Plans for Everybody is especially great, one of my favorite albums of that decade. Mitch put the kybosh on Let's Active in 1990 and didn't release any original material until last year's Dynamico, an album which showed he still has chops and songs to spare. He opened for the dB's at Bowery Ballroom two years ago where he played most of Let's Active's big songs ("Every Word Means No," "Waters Part," "Fell," "In Little Ways") and has since been touring with his "Let's Active cover band" Gravel Truck that splits the set between classics and new songs. Easter helped shape the sound of the underground in the '80s and '90s, and is absolutely still worth checking out.

Both shows are with Amy Speace whose new album 'The Killer In Me' was engineered by Mitch.

The Asteroid #4

And lastly, Philadelphia's The Asteroid #4 is playing Tuesday night (8/18) at Glasslands in Brooklyn. The band recently toured with The Brian Jonestown Massacre which gives you a good idea of what you can expect, and they're not unlike Philly neighbors (The Sounds of) Kaleidescope... but they're better. Last year's These Flowers of Ours, is pretty ace, a nice blend of The Byrds, Ride and Spiritualized. You can stream the whole thing here and download the album's title track at the top of this post. The Glasslands show is with a couple likeminded bands: Austin's Runaway Sun and Brooklyn's Revival Times.

That's it for now. Tour dates, flyers and videos after the jump...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils, Ambulance LTD, Underwater Peoples, Mitch Easter, Asteroid #4 & Blind Mans Colour in This Week in Indie"

Ambulance Ltd are playing Union Hall with Savoir Adore on August 17th (tickets). That's one day before their previously-announced show at Mercury Lounge (tickets).

Ambulance LTD @ Mercury Lounge another time (more by Bao Nguyen)

AMBULANCE LTD - PLAY THEIR FIRST GIG SINCE BEING FREED FROM THE LENGTHY TVT BANKRUPTCY DEBACLE.

AUGUST 18TH 2009 @ MERCURY LOUNGE, NYC.

Ambulance Ltd have been in legal limbo for two years now but are finally free to sign a new record deal. Their first NYC gig since selling out Bowery Ballroom last Summer is going to be at the intimate Mercury Lounge on August 18th.

Marcus will be joined onstage with his brother Kevin Congleton on drums, Ian Fenger on guitar, Jeremy Kay on bass and Matt Sumrow on keyboards. These musicians also play with Dean and Britta, Lissy Trullie and even Marcus' hometown compatriots of Eugene, Oregon The Cherry Poppin Daddies!

Listen to new demos and a great Radio Session and Interview which previews new songs and sheds light on the legal battle at www.myspace.com/ambulanceltd

What are the chances that the band with "LTD" in their name is talking about legal issues and bankruptcy? Actually the other band (member) with LTD in their name is pretty good at getting involved with the law too. Tickets for the Mercury Lounge show are now on sale. Videos below...

Continue reading "Ambulance LTD free from 'bankruptcy debacle', playing show"

Set times are actual. No advanced tickets...

Continue reading "2008 CMJ shows at the Mercury Lounge"

Ambulance LTD are playing Bowery Ballroom tomorrow. Ambulance LTD are playing Rehab tonight (July 23, 2008).

Ambulance LTD @ Mercury Lounge in April (more by Bao Nguyen)

We will be playing the Bowery Ballroom in New York on July 24th - tickets go on sale tomorrow (Friday 5/9)

Thank you so much for supporting us - hopefully this label nonsense will be sorted soon (see links below) and we can finish up and release our 2nd album and be playing in a city near you.

The nice version of what's been going on:

and the 6 page version of what's being going on:
-Ambulance LTD

words & photos by Bao Nguyen

Ambulance LTD's failure to launch has always perplexed me. The band formed in the early part of this decade in the midst of the developing New York rock scene yet never had the breakout success of their contemporaries. Hard to imagine where they went wrong. Their self titled EP was a critical success and their live performances received positive reviews. However this never translated into commercial success and the band was left to play to a small, dedicated fan base. Those loyal fans came out early Friday night to see the new incarnation of Ambulance LTD for two shows at the Mercury Lounge, I went to the early one (April 11, 2008).

Continue reading "Ambulance LTD @ Mercury Lounge, NYC - pics & review "

Impervious is playing Union Hall in Brooklyn on Jan 24th, Jan 31st & Feb 7th.