photos by Amanda Hatfield; words by Bill Pearis

Mac DeMarco / Thieves Like Us @ MHOW, 10/24/2012

Mac DeMarco was one of this year's CMJ's more entertaining players, his shows a mix of solid musicianship, and gleefully anarchic humor. No place was this more on display than the Captured Tracks official CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday (10/18) where he made jokes about his anatomy, flung himself into the crowd and made out with a (random?) girl near the stage. And some great songs too (his Mac DeMarco II had come out that week), with a backing band that could actually, y'know, play.

Less of an impression was made with the two previous bands. Dance outfit Thieves Like Us had it together but mostly lacked that certain something to make it special, though "Drugs in My Body" sounded great and the've come a long way from when I saw them open for New Young Pony Club in 2006. Openers Dignan Porch, making their first trip from the UK, were fine but not the most engaging live act.

We missed headliners DIIV (we've seen them a few times this year already) but there are more pics from DeMarco, Thieves Like Us and Dignan Porch (who are in Austin tonight [10/24]) below.

Continue reading "Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us and Dignan Porch @ Captured Tracks CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg (pics)"

DOWNLOAD: Naomi Punk - "Burned Body" (MP3)

Wild Nothing at Pier 84 in August (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Captured Tracks labelmates Wild Nothing and DIIV are currently wrapping up their tour together, which kicked off about a month after both bands supported Grimes (who plays Basilica tonight) at her River Rocks show. Upon returning home, as mentioned, DIIV will be headlining the Captured Tracks CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch (tickets).

Wild Nothing isn't on that show, but they'll play their own NYC show just after CMJ ends at Bowery Ballroom on October 21. Like he's doing at DIIV's MHOW show, Captured Tracks glam star Mac DeMarco will open this show, as will killer Tampa post-punks Merchandise, who just played three NYC shows. The show was just announced at noon and tickets went right on sale. All Wild Nothing dates are listed below.

Naomi Punk

Speaking of Captured Tracks, the label just signed Olympia, WA trio Naomi Punk, who shared a bill with Nude Beach in NYC last month. The label will re-release their debut LP, The Feeling, digitally on October 16 and physically on November 20. You can download that album's single, "Burned Body," above or watch its video below.

That video and an updated list of Wild Nothing dates are below.

Continue reading "Wild Nothing, Merchandise, & Mac DeMarco playing post-CMJ show in NYC (dates); Captured Tracks signed Naomi Punk "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Cold Showers - Violent Cries (MP3)

Los Angeles' Cold Showers are currently on tour, playing Glasslands tonight (9/20) with The Soft Moon and ERAAS on their way to the Pop Montreal which started last night and runs through the weekend. Tickets are still available.

After Pop Montreal, Cold Showers will head back across the Canadian border, playing the Midwest before heading back to NYC to play WIERD night at Home Sweet Home on October 2. It will be a release party for Cold Showers' debut album, Love and Regret, which comes out 10/9 on Mexican Summer. Recalling late-'80s bands like Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and Sisters of Mercy, it's dark and brooding but with ample hooks and melody, perfect for the fall weather ahead. The group just released a new track from the album, "Violent Cries," which you can download above or stream below along with previously-released "BC."

Meanwhile, ERAAS' self-titled debut will be out October 2 and is on the shadowier side of the street, relying on heavy atmosphere, tribal rhythms and plaintive vocals to pull the listener into their world. You can stream a couple tracks from their album below. ERAAS will also open for San Francisco post punks Weekend at Cameo on Tuesday (9/25) (rescheduled from August) and tickets to that show are still available.

And headliners The Soft Moon release their second album, Zeros, on October 30. Like their debut, it owes more than a little to mid-'80s 4AD and WaxTrax! discographies and is maybe even more creepy/claustrophobic than their first, loaded with driving, watery basslines and deep-freeze synths. Check out recently-released track "Insides" from the album below. If you can't make it to the show tonight, The Soft Moon will be back to play Bowery Ballroom on October 30 with Pop. 1280 and Group Rhoda. Tickets are still available.

Continue reading "Cold Showers add NYC LP release show after Pop Montreal, playing tonight w/ The Soft Moon & ERAAS (dates, streams)"

by Bill Pearis

DIIV at River Rocks, August 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

DIIV will headline the Captured Tracks CMJ showcase which is happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch rounding out the bill. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (9/21) at noon with an AmEx presale beginning Wednesday (9/19) at noon.

DIIV are currently on tour with their labelmates Wild Nothing, while Mac DeMarco's tour has him making his way across the South and Southwest. Mac Demarco's new album, Mac Demarco 2, will be out October 16 and you can stream a track from it below.

Meanwhile, this will be the first-ever tour for London's Dignan Porch whose second album, Nothing Bad Will Ever Happen, came out earlier this month. Melodic and jangly, the album should appeal to fans of early Go-Betweens and Flying Nun (as well as Jay Reatard's less vitriolic side). You can stream the whole album at Spotify. In addition to the Captured Tracks showcase, both Dignan Porch and Mac DeMarco will play the Panache CMJ showcase on October 19 at Public Assembly with Twerps, Turbofruits and more.

And not to be left out, multinational dance combo Thieves Like Us (yes, named after New Order's song which was named after a movie) will be playing a few North American dates in October beginning at Glasslands on 10/11 with Heavenly Beat and New Myths. (Tickets are on sale.) If you haven't checked out the group's album, Bleed Bleed Bleed, from earlier this year it blends aloof Italo cool with a little more of a beating heart than you might get with that scene. You can stream it at Spotify.

Chances are all four of these bands will add additional CMJ-week shows to their schedule so keep your eyes peeled as the fest gets closer. Tour dates are listed, along with streams and videos, below.

Continue reading "DIIV, Mac DeMarco, Dignan Porch and Thieves Like Us playing Captured Tracks CMJ Showcase and other dates"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Chris Cohen - "Caller No.99" (MP3)

Vermont-via-LA musician Chris Cohen, who has been a touring/contributing member of Deerhoof, Cryptacize, Cass McCombs, Haunted Graffiti, Danielson, and White Magic, among others, is set to release his debut solo album, Overgrown Path, on September 25 via Captured Tracks. So far, Chris has revealed two cuts from the album, "Optimist High" and "Caller No.99," both addictive doses of psychedelic pop that should appeal to fans of the late '60s or any of the other more recent bands who channel that era. You can stream the both below and download "Caller No.99" above.

Chris will play a record release show for the album in NYC at Glasslands on September 27 with fellow psych pop band Blanche Blanche Blanche, Sara Magenheimer and DJ sets by Katie Garcia (Captured Tracks) and Dustin Paysuer (Beach Fossils). Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Streams below.

Continue reading "Chris Cohen releasing 'Overgrown Path,' celebrating it in NYC with Blanche Blanche Blanche (streams & MP3)"

by Bill Pearis

DIIV last month at Austin's Red 7 (more by Tim Griffin)

DIIV (formerly Dive, we'll stop saying it soon) dropped another new track from their upcoming debut Oshin, out June 26 on Captured Tracks. Like the rest of the album, "Doused" (that recently got "Best New Track" over at Pitchfork). was recorded with the full band (early singles were just Cole Smith) and definitely gives you a good idea of what they're like live these days -- dark, driving, ever-moving. You can stream it below.

DIIV, who are growing more popular by the second, aren't playing 17 shows a week anymore. The band wrapped up a tour with Frankie Rose recently at Mercury Lounge (and then snuck in a secret show at Glasslands much later the same night...3AM or so) but have otherwise left their summer mostly open. Your next chance to see them is at Brooklyn Bowl on May 24 as part of a Hype Machine-presented night that also features The High Highs, Killer Mike and Beat Culture. It's free with RSVP.

Otherwise, DIIV have two other scheduled NYC shows at this point: the June 23 record release party at Glasslands and August 9 River Rocks show with Grimes and Wild Nothing. They also have a few dates scheduled with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, who meanwhile play GoogaMooga this weekend. All tour dates are listed with the song stream below...

Continue reading "DIIV has 3 upcoming NYC shows, 1 with Killer Mike (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

DIIV, pre-name change, at Red 7 in Austin, April 14 (more Tim Griffin)

While currently busy out on the road supporting Frankie Rose, Dive have changed their name to DIIV. While Allmusic.com lists about 10 artists with the name Dive, Cole Smith tells Pitchfork that the spelling change comes specifically "out of respect" to the Dive that was the pseudonymn of German industrial musician Dirk Ivens. "A name is nothing," Smith told Pitchfork. "I don't really give a fuck what the band is called. I originated this project in a bedroom with no internet and didn't know it would ever leave." Whether the rest of his apartment or his phone had the internet and access to Google.com is undetermined at this time.

DIIV's tour with Frankie Rose, recently hit the Mohawk in Austin and wraps up this Saturday (5/5) with a sold-out at Mercury Lounge that also features Scotland's Spectrals and ex-Team Robespierre duo Black Marble. The band's debut album, Oshin, is out June 26 and you can stream a new song from it, "Doused," at the bottom of this post. DIIV (who played our Hotel Vegan parties during SXSW this year) will headline a record release show at Glasslands on June 23 and tickets are on sale now.

After the record release show, DIIV's only other scheduled show is opening for Grimes and Wild Nothing at Hudson River Rocks on August 9 (DIIV was just added to that bill). Click though for all DIIV tour dates and the stream of "Doused."..

Continue reading "DIVE change name to DIIV, add 2 more NYC dates to tour, streaming new track & other news"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Dive - How Long Have You Known? (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dive - Bambi Slaughter (Kurt Cobain cover) (MP3)

Oshin cover art

Local upstarts Dive have just announced details of their debut album, Oshin, which is out June 26 on Captured Tracks. You can download the album's first single "How Long Have You Known?" at the top of this post, which was crowned Best New Track by Pitchfork today. Dive are playing Le Poisson Rogue tonight (4/6), opening for legendary NYC post punk act Bush Tetras, and will soon be hitting the road with Frankie Rose. (NYC date is May 5.) All Dive tour dates are below.

In addition to the Best New Track nod, the Pitchfork-Dive love can also be seen with a new "Rising" Q&A with frontman Zachary Cole Smith who also spends time playing guitar in Beach Fossils:

Beach Fossils is a big influence on me just because [Beach Fossils leader] Dustin [Payseur] is one of my best friends, and I really respect him musically. But I have not written or played on any Beach Fossils material that people have heard. It's funny to think about the two projects being linked in that way, because to almost every single person who has listened to Beach Fossils, there's no actual connection.

-
Dive at "Hotel Vegan" (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Click through for Oshin's tracklist, plus all upcoming Dive tour dates and a video for Bush Tetra's classic "Too Many Creeps".....

Continue reading "Dive announce debut LP details (mp3, artwork), playing tonight with Bush Tetras (and other dates)"

The Soft Moon at 285 Kent in 2011 (more by Erez Avissar)

The Soft Moon (aka the main project of Luis Vasquez) posted the following to his facebook last week: "New album nearing completion!!! I'll announce a release date soon!!!" The album will presumably be out on Captured Tracks, who released his self titled debut LP and the Total Decay EP.

Hopefully the album will see a release before The Soft Moon's just-announced Brooklyn show, which takes place on May 31 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets go on sale Friday (3/30) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (3/28) at noon.

The only other North American date we're currently aware of is when The Soft Moon opens for Mogwai in Boston on 6/16 as part of Mogwai's upcoming tour.

UPDATE: Despite what the Live Nation show listing says, we found out The Soft Moon are not opening for Mogwai in Boston or anywhere.

That tour hits NYC right before the Boston show at Webster Hall on June 14 and 15 but no openers for those shows have been announced yet. Tickets for both are still available.

All dates and The Soft Moon's video for "Total Decay" below...

Continue reading "The Soft Moon promises album soon, books Brooklyn show"

DOWNLOAD: Beach Fossils - "Shallow" (MP3)

Captured Tracks signee Mac DeMarco, who has an upcoming Brooklyn show opening for labelmates Beach Fossils at MHOW on 3/2, just scheduled his own show, which will happen one day later at Glasslands (3/3). Tickets for that show are on sale now, and UPDATE: Widowspeak and Quilt are now listed as playing the show too. You can stream a Mac DeMarco track below.

Speaking of Beach Fossils, they're set to release the "Shallow" 7" b/w "Lessons" on February 21 via Captured Tracks. You can stream that track below and download it above.

Speaking of Captured Tracks, read about their big show at 285 Kent last week, HERE, and don't forget DIVE opens for Frankie Rose at Knitting Factory on 2/21.

Songs and dates, including the lineup of the Captured Tracks SXSW showcase, below...

Continue reading "another Mac DeMarco show (with Widowspeak & Quilt) & a new Beach Fossils track"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo, words by Bill Pearis

Blouse @ 285 Kent

Captured Tracks took over 285 Kent Tuesday night, featuring three bands from their roster, as well as one that they merely liked a whole lot. I'm not sure if it sold out, but it was a full house by the end of the evening and a pretty fun night all-around.

Last time Blouse were in town, the band were a five-piece with a lead guitarist who really had that early U2/Chameleons sound down, which took the band into more "rock" territory than what you hear on their synth-heavy debut. Last night, Blouse were a quartet with the keyboards back in the forefront. Charline Hilton is charismatic front person who is no slouch, on guitar and the whole band are pretty tight in general. Blouse are best when they break out of the dreamy midtempo sound that makes up so much of their album: the driving "Time Travel" is probably their best song, but it's the cinematic "They Always Fly Away," that really impresses. In 285's airplane hangar acoustics, the song goes widescreen.

Cosmetics probably were the most successful group of the night at least as far as marriage of sound to space. The Montreal duo's icy, desolate beat -- made by vintage synths and sequencers cranked really loud -- sounded great bouncing off the metal ceiling and concrete walls, and fit the overall bombed-out Berlin warehouse vibe of the place. (The duo, all popped collar leather jackets and model-pretty, looked the part too.) From the bathroom they sounded like a munitions factory...in a good way.

Not that successful were The New Lines, the one non-Captured Tracks band on the bill, who haven't quite figured it out live. Their album, one of my 2012 favorites, is chilly baroque pop densely layered with harpsichord and all manner of analogue synths. It would be hard to pull off even under the best of conditions, something 285 Kent doesn't exactly afford, but even harder when you're only three members strong and your very good drummer can't hear the backing tracks. While they don't necessarily need the sonic precision their studio recordings have, a live bassist laying down the record's grooves would help immeasurably towards filling things out sonically. They did, however, have really cool psychedelic projections.

I got to 285 just a hair late to catch opener Heavenly Beat, the solo project of Beach Fossils bassist John Pena whose second single "Faithless" is like a lost 7" from some early-00's Swedish indiepop band. I think both sides are terrific. From what I was told, Heavenly Beat live is currently just Pena onstage with a laptop/ipod backing and not doing a whole lot, so maybe I didn't miss much. He plays this Saturday (2/4) at Cake Shop with fellow C/T band DIVE, plus Caged Animals and Fabric which is a pretty good bill overall.

More pictures from all the bands, including a shot of Blouse's setlist, below.

Continue reading "Blouse, Cosmetics, The New Lines & Heavenly Beat repped Captured Tracks @ 285 Kent (pics)"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Mac DeMarco - "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans (MP3)

Blouse

Brooklyn label Captured Tracks is presenting a show at 285 Kent on January 31 with Blouse, Cosmetics, The New Lines, Beige, and Mosaics. More details on this show are below.

Blouse, who we said to check out when they made their NYC debut this past September, released their excellent self-titled debut LP this past November on Captured Tracks (you can buy it on eMusic). The 285 Kent show is Blouse's last North American show before heading out on a European tour in February. All dates are listed below.

In other Captured Tracks news, they launched The Shoegaze Archives in late November, a new series where the label will reissue some of the more obscure releases of the '90s shoegaze era. So far, they've reissued releases by Should, deardarkhead, and Grabbel and The Final Cut. Reissues by Medicine and Half String are on the way. All of these releases are/will be available at the Captured Tracks webstore.

Mac DeMarco

In more Captured Tracks news, last week, they announced their most recent signing; Mac DeMarco, who previously recorded under the moniker Makeout Videotapes. He'll release his debut EP under his own name for the label, Rock and Roll Night Club, on March 20. Mac's guitar has a real '60s garage rock feel to it but he sings with a seductive baritone that recalls '80s new romanticism as much as it does a '50s rockabilly croon. Grab the track, "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans," from the EP above, and stream two more tracks at bandcamp. You can also stream the track below.

All dates, 285 Kent show details and song stream below...

Continue reading "Captured Tracks signed Mac DeMarco, releasing 90s shoegaze, hosting show in Brooklyn with Blouse & more"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: The Soft Moon - "Total Decay" (MP3)

At the tail end of 2010, San Francisco's Luis Vasquez released a self titled debut LP on Captured Tracks under the name The Soft Moon. The album embodies the gothy side of '80s post-punk and industrial, but with a greater interest in dark atmospheres than many of the poppier post-Interpol bands who cite early Factory Records and 4AD artists as influences. Luis Vasquez has since brought in bassist Justin Anastasi, drum machine/synth player Damon Way, and Ron Robinson on visuals to fill out The Soft Moon's lineup. You can grab two songs off the LP HERE.

The Soft Moon are following that album with an EP titled Total Decay, which they're aptly releasing on Halloween via Captured Tracks. The EP's title track, which you can download above, will send you into an even more unsettling trance than the full length. The atmospheres are just as heavy, but instead of the Joy Division-esque beats that filled out most of The Soft Moon, on "Total Decay" they sound like the occult practices of a tribal drum circle.

The Soft Moon will be opening for Mogwai on their rescheduled tour dates which include September 26 and 27 at Webster Hall. Tickets for both NYC shows are still on sale.

Speaking of Mogwai, they released the Earth Division EP this past Tuesday (9/13) on Sub Pop. The EP includes the track "Get To France," which you can stream below, along with the album art and tracklist. You can also order the album as a 12" EP or CD at the Sub Pop webstore.

All dates, song stream, album art and tracklist below...

Continue reading "The Soft Moon releasing new EP, playing shows w/ Mogwai (who just released an EP) --- MP3s & dates"

by Bill Pearis

Portland's dreamy trio Blouse are playing their first NYC show at Glasslands on September 15, opening for Unkown Mortal Orchestra. (Woven Bones and Man/Miracle also play.) It's their only NYC show too, though others may be added?

Blouse currently have singles out on Sub Pop and Captured Tracks. The latter will be putting out their debut album this fall and like a lot of C/T bands, Blouse channel the John Hughes '80s: icy synths, moody basslines, delay-pedal guitars and big catchy choruses. You can stream a few songs at the bottom of this post.

Continue reading "check out Blouse --- song streams, tour dates, a NYC show"

DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - You Should Close the Door (MP3)

Beach Fossils at 285 Kent Ave (more by Jessica Amaya)

Beach Fossils have the new What a Pleasure EP due on March 8th via Captured Tracks (out on iTunes now), and the band is heading to SXSW in celebration. Shortly after that, they'll team up with their labelmates Craft Spells for a US tour that will kick off with two NY shows. The first is on April 7th at Stony Brook University. The next is at Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 8th. Tickets for the Brooklyn show go on AmEx presale Wednesday at noon (3/2), and regular sale on Friday. All dates are below.

Craft Spells

Seattle's Craft Spells' self-titled LP is due March 29th on Captured Tracks (update: grab an MP3 above), and the band can also be seen supporting Cloud Nothings at Glasslands on April 9th, one day after the Music Hall show (Beach Fossils take that night off). Tickets are on sale.

For Cloud Nothings, that Glasslands show is one date of a month+ tour that also includes SXSW, dates with Toro y Moi and a late show at Mercury Lounge on April 12th. Cloud Nothings' debut self-titled full length is out now on Carpark Records. Check out the video for "Should Have" below.

Speaking of Carpark Records, they recently signed Young Magic who have a 7" on Bandcamp, and who play Glasslands in Brooklyn with Wise Blood TONIGHT (3/1). Look for them at SXSW too.

All tour dates and videos below.

Continue reading "Beach Fossils touring w/ Craft Spells, Cloud Nothings touring too, Young Magic playing Glasslands (tonight) -- 2011 dates"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Yuck - Rubber (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Yuck - Georgia (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Darlings - Big Girl (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Soft Moon - Tiny Spiders (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Soft Moon - Breath the Fire (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Generationals - Trust (MP3s)

Darlings @ the Shank for CMJ 2010 (more by Andrew St Clair)

Dang it! Yuck are still having trouble getting into our country, cancelling tonight's show at Mercury Lounge. But tomorrow's show (1/26) at Glasslands is still on, and I'm gonna write this with fingers crossed. You can still get tickets to tomorrow's show.

Yuck's self-titled debut is due out February 15 and is full of the kind of warm and fuzzy indie rock that will remind certain 30-somethings of their college years listening to Sebadoh, Teenage Fanclub and Bettie Serveert. (They also remind me of underrated mid-aughts band The Comas.) You can check out two songs above. I am super-psyched to see them.

The Glasslands show tomorrow is especially enticing. Darlings don't get enough attention, as they're one of the more tuneful bands we have in this town, and they're always good live. Above you can check out the A-side to their "Big Girl" 7" which was released late last year on Famous Class. They've got a new EP, Warmer, due out any minute. Fergus & Geronimo and Total Slacker too. Solid line-up.

Yuck, if they make it into the country, tour with Smith Westerns and then will back in March for SXSW. All Yuck dates are below. With the trouble they have, maybe they just shouldn't leave.

Also making their NYC debut this week are San Francisco's The Soft Moon who play the Wierd Party at Home Sweet Home tomorrow night (1/26) and at Monster Island on Friday (1/28) as part of an all-Captured Tracks line-up that includes Blank Dogs, Widowspeak and Further Reductions.

You can check out two tracks from The Soft Moon's debut LP which is pretty much in "classic goth" territory: relentless beats, watery bass, whispered vocals. It's all very Clan of Xymox which is a good thing if you ask me. As to what they're like live...we'll see. From footage I've seen on YouTube, they don't seem to have a drummer which is too bad, but otherwise seem to play most everything else live. I really dig the album, looking forward to this one.

Unless you don't have to get up at a normal hour on Thursday (bands don't play till 1am at Wierd), Monster Island is probably the way to go. Plus it's more klang for your buck. I caught Widowspeak last week and thought they were pretty good, not dissimilar to YellowFever (who have a show coming up with Wild Flag by the way). Blank Dogs have finally figured out a workable live line-up, and I'm curious about Further Reductions (side project of Led Er Est) whose 7" on Captured Tracks is superior minimal synth.

There is really too much going on this week. Did you manage to get tickets to one of the two Peter Bjorn & John shows? (Thursday 1/27 at Santos, Friday 1/28 at The Rock Shop) These should be fun.

I think the surprise success of "Young Folks" was a blessing and a curse for PB&J. Here's a group that made cute, very good guitar indiepop and who probably would still be playing small clubs if it wasn't for that mega-smash that sounded like nothing the band had done before? In their case, they made an all-instrumental album (2008's Seaside Rock) and then 2009's ambitious Living Thing that was pretty good, but sounded more like a demo reel for Bjorn Yttling's production resume than something they thought about how they were going to play live.

Working with an outside producer for the first time (Per Sunding who some of you may know from excellent '90s indiepop Swedes Eggstone), Gimmie Some is the return of Peter Bjorn & John sounding like themselves again. It also sounds like three guys playing live, which bodes well for these shows, and is their best collection of songs, hands down, since Writers Block. In addition to adrenalyzed first taste "Breaker Breaker" (video below), there are three or four more crazy-catchy potential singles on the record, including the cowbell-fueled "Second Chance," and funky-ish "Dig A Little Deeper." It's a really good album.

Look for a full-fledged tour around the album's release in March.

Wye Oak @ Beacon Theater - 1/24/2010 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

The Decemberists played their first of three NYC shows last night. If you're going to tonight or tomorrow's sold-out shows at the Beacon, do get there early to see openers Wye Oak, one of the best bands around these days. They are chill-inducingly good live. The duo's new album, Civilian, is due out March 8 on Merge and is a real stand-up-and-take-notice stunner. It is crazy good. I don't know what the first single is going to be but if I was picking it would be the soaring "Holy Holy" that they better damn well play this week. There's video of them performing it last week in Berlin at the bottom of this post.

In addition to those shows with The Decemberists, Wye Oak are also playing a private show at The Rock Shop on Thursday that we're giving away four pairs of tickets to. To win, e-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Wye Oak). Include your first and last name in the email. A winner will chosen at random and contacted with more details. Good luck!

Wye Oak head out on tour with Lower Dens then Callers -- none of those shows are in NYC unfortunately but hopefully they'll be back soon.

That's the big stuff this week. Here are a few more picks, day-by-day:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25

Yuck aren't playing tonight, but Generationals and Country Mice (who seem to have dropped the "We Are" from their name) are still doing their early show (7pm) at Mercury Lounge tonight. Generationals' Trust EP from last year was really good, you can download its title track at the top of this post.

Suuns are at the Rock Shop tonight, the first of three shows this week. They also play Shea Stadium tomorrow (1/26) and Mercury Lounge on Thursday (1/27). I've written about these Montrealers loads of times, they're great, go see 'em.

continued below...

Continue reading "Yuck, Darlings, Soft Moon, Generationals, Peter Bjorn & John, Wye Oak, Suuns & more in This Week in Indie"

photos by Jessica Amaya

MINKS

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Captured Tracks was releasing some lost tapes by a band called Minks from 1985 or so. By The Hedge sounds alternately dated and fresh at the same time. The singles released last year as a tease are included here as the New Order-ness is in full effect "Funeral Song," and "Ophelia,". While those tracks were impressive and really whet my appetite for the album, the greatest triumphs are new to By The Hedge" [The Big Takeover]

And to quote Bill again, "if you haven't heard Big Troubles' debut, which came out early this year on Olde English Spelling Bee, I recommend you remedy that, especially if you have a fondness for early-'90s shoegaze. Big Troubles know their stuff, have digested it all and come up with their own appealing version." Big Troubles' next currently-advertised show is at Shea Stadium w/ Andrew Cedermark, Alex Bleeker & the Freaks, and White Laces on March 5th.

Jessica Amaya stopped by the show, mostly to check out new Captured Tracks signees Widowspeak, and she mentioned they "were pretty damn good". Her pictures and videos from the whole show, continue below...

Continue reading "MINKS, Family Portrait, Big Troubles & Widowspeak played Glasslands (pics & video)"

Ducktails at Glasslands (more by Erez Avissar)

As you may have noticed at the bottom of the recent set of Ducktails tour dates we posted, there was a tour with Woods planned, but no actual dates. That is no longer true. Woods and Ducktails will hit Maine, Vermont, Philly, Baltimore and their hometown of Brooklyn together in February. The NYC show is 2/4 at Monster Island Basement, but you don't need to wait that long to see Ducktails. As previously discussed, they play with Gary War at Union Pool tonight (1/8) and at Glasslands on 1/18 with the Smith Westerns. All dates are below.

In semi-related news, Blank Dogs also have a hometown date at Monster Island Basement one week prior, on 1/28, with their Captured Tracks labelmates from San Francisco, The Soft Moon, who they'll also play Boston and Philly with that same week. All dates are below.

And speaking of Captured Tracks, as previously mentioned, MINKS have a few shows in the near future as well, including supporting Frankie Rose & The Outs at Bowery Ballroom with Dum Dum Girls on March 4th (tickets), and Jan 21st at Glasslands with Big Troubles.

Frankie Rose & The Outs also have another show a lot sooner. It happens on January 20th with King Tuff at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. Tickets are on sale.

All tour dates and some videos below.

Continue reading "more Ducktails, Woods, Blank Dogs, The Soft Moon & Frankie Rose & the Outs shows (dates)"

photos by Chris Gersbeck

Cosmetics @ Bowery Ballroom

Wild Nothing headlined/co-headlined the show Saturday night at Bowery Ballroom, but there were also sets by Blank Dogs, MINKS, and Cosmetics (who play Pendu Disco at Glasslands tonight/Tuesday). Pictures from the rest of the sold out NYC show (where 100 lucky people who made it to the merch table in time got an exclusive CD-R/tape), below...

Continue reading "Blank Dogs, Cosmetics & Minks played Bowery Ballroom (pics) (Cosmetics play again tonight)"

photos by Chris Gersbeck

DOWNLOAD: Wild Nothing - Golden Haze (MP3)

There's a lot going on in Wild Nothing's world. The band, who hail from Blacksburg, VA, are packing their bags and moving to Brooklyn. Not really surprising, except that it took this long. They also have a new EP, Golden Haze, coming out on Captured Tracks sometime in the near future. Apart from the title cut (which you can download above), tracklistings on the CD, 12" and digital versions will vary, which reminds me of the way they used to release multiple versions of UK CD singles in the '90s to get a higher chart position. Fun with formats, or milking the fans? I guess if all the songs are worth hearing it won't matter.

No matter which one you buy, "Golden Haze" is another sparkler from these guys who have been playing a lot of new songs at their shows. And if you haven't picked up their debut Gemini yet, I think it's one of the year's best. And with a permanent line-up (and a new, really solid drummer), Wild Nothing have been a really good live band too. [Bill]

On September 22nd Wild Nothing will leave on a tour with Stars who they'll support through October 9th in Detroit. That trip includes the September 24th show at Terminal 5 in NYC (tickets still on sale), which will actually be Wild Nothing's 2nd NYC show after today because they also open for Superchunk at Music Hall of Williamsburg on September 19th (Todd Barry is also on that sold out bill).

All WN dates and more Bowery pics, below...

Continue reading "Wild Nothing played Bowery Ballroom (pics), touring w/ Stars, opening for Superchunk (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

The Feelies on 4th of July (more by Jason Bergman)

If you're not skipping town for an ocean view, there is no shortage of great music options this weekend.

Independence Day Weekend means The Feelies at Maxwells and tickets are still available for all three shows: Friday (7/02), Saturday (7/03), and Sunday (7/04). The excitement of their 2008 reunion might have faded a bit, but the music has not. The influence of these New Jersey legends can be heard all over releases from Woodsist and Underwater Peoples and their four albums are all worth owning. The first three -- Crazy Rhythms, The Good Earth and Only Life -- are back in print, the first two on vinyl.

If you've seen their Maxwell's shows before, you know they play epic sets, peppered with choice covers and extended instrumental sections. I hesitate to call it jamming, probably because I like when they do it,  but also because it's that interplay between Glen Mercer and Bill Million where The Feelies really come alive. As good as their records are if you haven't seen them live, you've never really heard The Feelies.

-------------------------------------

The Seaport Music Festival has it's first show on Friday, a double-dose of Texas with Woven Bones and YellowFever. Yes, both bands were here recently (and Woven Bones play tonight, more on that in a minute) but there are several advantages to Friday's show. The Seaport is a great place to see a show, the setting spectacular, especially at sunset. You can drink where you please, it's generally chill, and, most importantly, it's free.

I also think Woven Bones' fuzz-driven scuzz rock is gonna sound amazing through a really big PA. I've only seen them in tiny clubs where the sound doesn't do them justice. What the band lacks in diversity of material, they make up for in being really good at that one thing they do and the louder the better. Seaport sound guy: turn it up.

I've seen YellowFever on big stages and small, and they pretty much are great wherever they are. I just wish they'd get around to writing and recording some new songs. "Making it" has never seemed to be a priority to these two, which is part of their charm, but can also be a bit maddening for fans. There is a new tour EP, according to their MySpace, so let's hope that's actually some fresh tunes. And the band are about to embark on a pretty big tour so maybe we're entering a new era of YellowFever productivity. All YF tourdates are at the bottom of this post.

In addition to the bands, the Lone Star state theme continues at the Seaport this weekend with something called Texas on Tour. They were setting up on Wednesday while I was down there for the last of the Sound Bites Lunchtime shows (yes I have worked with the Seaport folks so, you know, full disclosure) and it looks like some sort of Texas-themed traveling carnival, including a water ride for kids and one of those domed theaters. Yee haw?

MINKS live

This weekend also marks the debut of a new monthly party that Captured Tracks is putting on at Bruar Falls. The label is becoming a real contender with great debuts from Wild Nothing and Beach Fossils, as well as new signings like London's Veronica Falls, Spain's Aias, and locals MINKS who'll play Captured Tracks Night 001, as Saturday is being billed. No doubt MINKS' debut single, "Funeral Song," owes a bit to the Cure but, as I've said before, the band are much sunnier sounding live (despite all six members wearing black every time I've seen them). Take away the vocal effects on "Funeral Song" and add some female backing, as it does live, and the song moves over to early New Order territory. Compare and contrast the live and recorded versions -- video of the live version shot during the Northside Festival is at the bottom of this post.

Other songs, the names of which I don't know,  while still '80s-ish, are even more poppy, with nods to early records on Creation and Cherry Red. The one unreleased song I really like I shot video of back when they opened for Veronica Falls at Glasslands (also below), which reminds me a lot of Felt. MINKS  have played the same short set all three times I've seen them, but I like all six (five? seven?) songs they do and will be there a fourth time on Saturday.

In addition to MINKS, label domo Mike Sniper will be sharing the decks with Peggy from Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and there'll be a merch table with a wide variety of C/T releases, including a mix tape exclusive to this night. Entry is $5.

And if you can't see MINKS here, they play next Friday (7/9) at Monster Island Basement with fellow Captured Tracks band Wetdog (over from the UK), YellowFever and Larkin Grimm.

A few more shows, night by night:

THURSDAY, JULY 1

I mentioned above that Woven Bones are playing tonight. The show is at Bruar Falls and it's part of a killer line-up also featuring The Beets and Beach Fossils. Any one of those bands might be enough to get you to the show. All three, it's hard to pass up. Beach Fossils were great when they played with Wild Nothing a couple weeks back. If you haven't picked up their album on Captured Tracks, it's highly recommended.

Over at sister venue Cake Shop, Nobunny will be taking off most everything except that mask, which gets grosser looking every time I see them play. Does he ever wash that thing? Also playing are fellow Bay Area residents Apache who will also play Don Pedro's on Friday (7/2) and the Delancey on Saturday (7/3).

Knitting Factory is hosting another one of those Scion Garage shows, this time with Memphis legends The Oblivions who reformed last year. The show, which is free, is also RSVP'd out, unfortunately if this is the first you're hearing of it.

Big Troubles play Cameo Gallery. These guys are giant fans of '90s shoegaze and will talk your ear off about Revolver and Drop Nineteens if you let them. It comes through in their music which they do a great job of putting their own spin on that era's sonics. Their new 7" on Old English Spelling Bee is really good and look for their debut album sometime in the not too distant future. They're playing this night with a bunch of bands I've never heard of, including Slothbear (sludgepop), No Demons Here (K records style cassette hiss), and Gross Relations (whose Myspace songs sound pretty good).

continued below...

Continue reading "Feelies, YellowFever, Woven Bones, Beach Fossils, Captured Tracks shows, July 4th & more in This Week in Indie"

DOWNLOAD: Wild Nothing - Chinatown (MP3)

Wild Nothing the band

Wild Nothing (as previously highlighted HERE, HERE and HERE) (the solo project of Jack Tatum that has since expanded into a full band - see above) released their/his debut full-length, Gemini, on Captured Tracks today (5/25 - also Beach Fossils' release day). Grab an MP3 from the album above. The full tracklist, with the video for the same song, is below.

The Depreciation Guild also just released a new album and that's who you can catch Wild Nothing opening for TONIGHT (5/25) at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. The great triple-bill also gets you a set by Montreal's Braids.

In June Wild Nothing plays some dates with Neon Indian including the gig at Music Hall of Williamsburg (tickets). Jack Tatum then hits the road for another handful of dates with the Depreciation Guild. All shows listed below...

Continue reading "Wild Nothing album released - MP3, video & tour dates"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Sic Alps - L Mansion (MP3)

Sic Alps have been fairly quiet release-wise, at least compared to their San Francisco pals Fresh & Onlys, Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segal (who is now the band's drummer), with only a single on Slumberland (the awesome a-side is at the top of this post), and a couple tour-only singles in the last two years.

The Woodsist Showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 25th will be will be their first NYC show since that Quasi-curated show at the old Knitting Factory back in December 2008. With a monthlong tour of Europe leading up to the Northside Festival show, it would stand to reason the band will have some records out soon. Also, and most interestingly, Sic Alps' tour dates include a July TBA slot for a yet-to-be-announced 2010 Captured Tracks Festival. All dates and a video are below.

Continue reading "Sic Alps playing a Captured Tracks Festival in NYC this summer and other tour dates ++ MP3"

today in NYC
* The Rub @ Southpaw
* Beachniks @ Glasslands **
* NinjaSonik @ Mercury Lounge
* late night dance party @ Market Hotel
* Roky Erickson, Love City @ Maxwell's
* Lux Perpetua, Horse's Mouth, An American Chinese @ Cake Shop
* The xx (DJ Set), VHS or BETA (DJ Set), Finger on the Pulse @ LPR
* Steel Train, The London Souls & Harvest Moon (burlesque) @ Brooklyn Bowl

** The Glasslands show has a ton of bands on it in honor of the Beachniks' new record on Captured Tracks. They are: The Missionaries // The Honeydo's // Moonmen on the Moon, Man // Knight School // Tough Knuckles // Air Waves // The Nymphets // My Teenage Stride // The Surprisers // Juan Wauters (of the Beets) // Beachniks // + DJs Emily, Brian and David --- flyer below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Fresh & Onlys - Dude's Got a Tender Heart (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Fresh & Onlys - Invisible Forces (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Blue Jungle - Here We Go Again (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Valleys - Silent Woods (MP3)

Thee Oh Sees @ 2009 Siren Fest (more by Chris La Putt)

Why oh why are there so many shows I want to see all happening on the same night? Tonight is jam-packed. Top of my list is the return of San Francisco's Thee Oh Sees and The Fresh & Onlys who play tonight (10/8) at Mercury Lounge and tomorrow (10/9) at the Bell House. Thee Oh Sees also play Maxwell's on Saturday (10/10) without the F&Os (but with Pierced Arrows).

Both last played NYC together at the Woodsist / Captured Tracks Festival on July 4. They also both just released their second of two albums this year, and weirdly enough, The Fresh & Onlys' Grey Eyed Girls is on Woodsist, and Thee Oh Sees' Dog Poison is on Captured Tracks. (More crossover trivia: Captured Tracks' honcho Mike Sniper did the art for Grey Eyed Girls.) I like both albums a lot. Grey Eyed Girls is darker than the F&O's self-titled album from the spring, at times (like on "Invisible Forces" which is downloadable above) a bit like early Echo & the Bunnymen. Elsewhere it's pretty and sweet ("Dude's Got a Tender Heart," also downloadable). The new Oh Sees album is rather different for John Dwyer and company, trading sonic assault for acoustic guitars and the occasional flute. It's still perfect beach music, but this is more sundown than shooting the curl. In addition to new albums, both have released something like 23 new 7"s between them since the summer, so look out for all that stuff at the merch table.

Both bands really bring it live. John Dwyer beats the crap out of his guitars, while shoving his microphone all the mouth for maximum distortion. His eyes bug out a little. The dude gives 110%. If that were possible. And The Fresh & Onlys are great too, though I hear singer Tim Cohen's wrist is still in a cast (bassist Shayde Sartin shoved him down some stairs during some spirited horseplay) so he'll be on keyboard duty, but they managed to whip up a storm back in July -- none of the band seem to be able to stand still.

The Girls at Dawn

Opening bands are worth seeing too. At Mercury Lounge, it's Toronto's Still Life Still, who also opened for Kurt Vile at the same venue last night, as well as locals The Girls at Dawn. The latter are an all-girl trio who draw influence from both Phil Spector and C-86, and if that sounds like something you're heard before (Brilliant Colors, Liechtenstein, a certain other bunch of Brooklynites), I'll say Girls at Dawn do it pretty well and manage to carve out their own little corner of a crowded market. I like what's on their MySpace and tonight's show is a record release party for their debut 7" on HoZac, and they'll soon have records out on Tic Tac Totally and Captured Tracks, so expect to hear their name (and their music) more often in the coming months.

At the Bell House, Fresh & Onlys are on first, and then it's the wild world of Golden Triangle whose debut album is due out early next year on Hardly Art (whose CMJ showcase they're also playing). Their live performances are usually pretty fun, ranging from the somewhat chaotic to completely out of control, but I'd say it'll be the former given your average Bell House crowd. But then again, this may not be your average Bell House crowd.

All dates and flyers below...

Continue reading "The Fresh & Onlys and Thee Oh Sees are touring & in NYC -- The Girls at Dawn play Mercury Lounge + other show dates "