DOWNLOAD: Comet Gain - Skinny Wolves (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Comet Gain - Why I Try To Look So Bad (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Comet Gain - Love Without Lies (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Love is a Wave (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pants Yell! - Magenta and Green (MP3)

by Bill Pearis

Comet Gain

The big news this week is this Sunday's (4/12) Comet Gain show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are $13 and still available. Crystal Stilts, who are opening for them on all three of their U.S. dates, wrote this about them in a MySpace post:

It is our tremendous honor to be reminding you all the we will be playing a series of shows over the next few days with Comet Gain, about whom we could string together some words that would inevitably fail to say what it is that makes them the best band in the world. We tried, failed and decided to spare you the embarrassment of that rambling. Perhaps in that failure there is something that proves the point but that isn't worth delving into. Suffice to say, the best they are and we are floored to be playing with them, so do come out, it has been far too long since they have graced these shores with their presence and it is certainly not to be missed.

Pants Yell!

Almost as exciting for me is that Boston's Pants Yell! are playing Saturday (4/11) at Dead Herring. Their most recent album, Alison Statton (named after Young Marble Giants lead singer), was one of 2007's best records you might not have heard. This is indie pop done just about perfectly, great songs, arrangements full of horns and glockenspiel yet never falling into the dreaded "twee" abyss. They were one of the best bands I saw at last year's NYC Popfest, where I wrote at the time, "On their excellent third album from late last year, Alison Statton, they sound polite, but live it's more hyper-kinetic. You could even say they rocked." They'll play this year's Popfest too (on 5/16 with Radio Dept) but, despite living as close as they do, don't play NYC all that often, so I highly recommend going. The whole bill at Dead Herring is a good one, with Brooklyn locals Knight School, Sisters, and World Atlas.

Eugene Chadbourne

As mentioned elsewhere on this site, Eugene Chadbourne will be playing the Issue Project Room next week, but first he'll be playing an early show on Saturday (3/11) at Cake Shop. The 1991 edition of The Trouser Press Record Guide says this about him, "On his compulsive own, the guitarist/leader of the late, lamented Shockabilly has spewed forth a ceaseless stream of records and cassettes that easily represent the oddest version of country and folk music ever." From what I can tell, Chadbourne hasn't really mellowed or slowed down since. Chadbourne has collaborated with a Who's Who of improvisational/experimental musicians, including Marc Ribot, Henry Kaiser, John Zorn, and Fred Frith, as well as bands like Camper Van Beethoven and They Might Be Giants... many of whom performed at the two-week Chadfest in August 2007. I don't claim to follow Chadbourne's career closely, but he is a legend and there is a direct through-line from his work to bands like Animal Collective (who just added another Brooklyn show) and Dirty Projectors (who just released the first track off their new album). A chance to see him up close somewhere like Cake Shop should be a treat.

---

More shows this weekend: If you're looking for something weird and funny, San Francisco's bizarre Borts Minots is at The Studio at Webster Hall tonight (4/9) with Uni & Her Ukulele, Rachel Trachtenburg and Kiwi comedian Griffin Point.

The Wooden Birds, the new group from American Analog Set's Andrew Kenny, play Mercury Lounge on Friday (4/10). Their record is lovely and I caught them in Austin during SXSW, definitely worth seeing.

Flyer, videos and tour dates after the jump...

Continue reading "Eugene Chadbourne, Pants Yell!, Comet Gain, Borts Minorts & more in This Week in Indie"

DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Love is a Wave (MP3)

Crystal Stilts @ Less Artists More Condos (more by Gabi Porter)

NYC's Crystal Stilts have four New York City-area shows on the horizon. The band, fresh off '09 shows in NYC, Europe, and a NYC-to-SXSW tour, will open for Comet Gain at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Sunday, April 12th. (Tickets are still on sale.)

Two weeks later, the band plays Maxwell's in Hoboken on Sunday, April 26th for MusicSnobbery.com's 4th Anniversary Party with Mahogany and Motel Motel. (Tickets are on sale.)

Then, Friday, May 8th, Crystal Stilts play a Deli Magazine/After The Jump show with Blank Dogs, Religious Knives, and Dinowalrus at the Bell House. (Tickets are on sale.)

Finally, after touring Europe at the end of May, Crystal Stilts will play a Cake Shop show with The Pains of Being Pure of Heart on June 18th.

The Crystal Stilts' Bell House show (5/08) is not to be confused with the
Crystal Antlers show happening three days later at the same venue. (Tickets for that show are still on sale.)

In between the two "Crystal" shows, the Gowanus venue will host Horse Feathers with Joe Pug on May 9th (tix) and Chairlift, Takka Takka and The Secret Life of Sofia on May 10th (tix). Chairlift has lots of other 2009 dates, too.

All upcoming Crystal Stilts tour dates and two live videos of the band from 2008 below...

Continue reading "upcoming Crystal Stilts dates & other Bell House shows "

DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Love is a Wave (MP3)

Crystal Stilts @ Less Artists More Condos (more by Gabi Porter)

For a show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, tonight's lineup is jam packed with bands (3/14). Originally just a stop on the Women / Crystal Stilts tour (which goes from Brooklyn to Austin for SXSW), the show now also includes Blank Dogs, Naked On The Vague, and Silk Flowers on the bill. Tickets are currently still available.

The new Crystal Stilts song linked for download above comes from their upcoming Love is a Wave 7" which will be released by Slumberland on March 31st.

Once in Austin, Crystal Stilts will be keeping busy by playing at least five shows, one of which is Cake Shop's showcase, and another at Ms. Bea's for Todd P. Crystal Stilts also have a show coming up at the much smaller Cake Shop (in NYC) with Pains of Being Pure at Heart in June. All dates below...

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts tour dates (BK tonight, SXSW) & a new MP3"

photos by Jonny Leather

DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Come Saturday (MP3)

As mentioned about a zillion times, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are playing The Bell House in Brooklyn on March 13th with Let's Wrestle and Knight School. That show is now sold out, but if you don't have a ticket, don't worry... Let's Wrestle has other shows scheduled while they're in town, and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart now have two more NYC shows on their calendar. One of them is the just-mentioned May 12th Bowery Ballroom show which is now on American Express presale. The other is a month after that - June 18th at Cake Shop with Crystal Stilts. That last show is sure to be packed.

Between the Bell House (March) and Bowery (May) there will also be plenty of chances to see TPOBPAH elsewhere in North America, especially if you're going to SXSW where they currently have TEN shows scheduled including the TBA BrooklynVegan day party at Radio Room on Thursday March 18th, and the previously announced Pitchfork party happening at Emo's on March 20th.

Just the other day, the band opened one of the two NYC Midnight Masses/Trail of Dead shows. The So So Glos were the third band on the Bowery one in Manhattan, and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart were the third band on the Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Jonny was at the latter, took some pics, and said,

Also on the bill for this show was pop shoegazers, and equally-long-moniker-possessing, Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Hot off of well-deserved Pitchfork praise for their new self-titled full length, Pains of Being Pure At Heart did not disappoint. Every minute of their all too brief set was just as sweet and luscious as their record, and though the vocals were never quite as enchanting, the rest of their sound was heightened by the great sound system and sheer volume which always seems to enhance shoegaze.

Continue reading "The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Trail of Dead show pics & 2009 Tour Dates (BV SXSW & Cake Shop included)"

Frankie (Crystal Stilts) mans the drums @ Market Hotel (more by Tim Griffin)

Crystal Stilts, one of the many high-profile "Crystal" bands to pop up in 2008 (see also: Crystal Antlers, Crystal Castles), has drawn comparisons to everyone from The Velvet Underground, Joy Division and The Jesus and Mary Chain to less obvious '60s groups like The Seeds. But by exploring these depths and darkened corners of British Invasion psychedelia and brooding post-punk, the Brooklyn band's debut, Alight of Night, shakes up its predecessors enough to propel itself into newer territory. [NPR]

Women are also heading to Europe this month, and then also have some North American dates lined up in March and April with their friend, collaborator and prodcuer Chad VanGaalen. All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts & Women - 2009 Tour Dates , videos"

photos by Tim Griffin

Crystal Stilts, Tyvek, Box Elders, Medication, and Kid Romance played a sold out show at Market Hotel in Brooklyn on Saturday night. I walked in to the second floor venue a fan of Crystal Stilts and Tyvek, and left with a crush on Box Elders.

The Box Elders were one of those bands that caught everyone by surprise last year, and with their one little miraculous self-released 7" EP making the rounds and winning over everyone in it's path, they even one up themselves in the live format, which is always a nice touch. [Victim of Time]

If you've checked out and absorbed their debut 7" released on HoZac last fall, you'll know the eerie vibes and echo-soaked mantra that Medication disseminates so well, and how quickly it gets under your skin. Although the recordings tend to be a one-man job, Medication's brain, Mr. Hyde is joined onstage by a few others for the full effect, and should snare you into a trance of ghostly guitar reverberations and gypsy drum beats that will split your mind wide open. [Victim of Time]

People were crowd surfing during the Crystal Stilts set, which, if you know their music, is a little weird, but the rowdiness fit right in since the previous bands, and the crowd in general, were just full of (possibly drunken) energy. Crystal Stilts sounded great, but were plagued by technical difficulties that included a crackling coming from the speakers, and at the end, a broken string... which caused them to quit one song (and possibly an encore) early.

More pictures from the night below...

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts, Tyvek & Medication @ Market Hotel, NYC - pics"

photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Box Elders - Hole in My Head (MP3)

Box Elders, the "garage punk trio" from Omaha, Nebraska (home of Saddle Creek), stole the show Saturday night at Market Hotel (1/10). I didn't catch Blood Romance. I liked Medications. Tyvek and Crystal Stilts were great, but Box Elders left a lasting impression and had the whole, sold-out, Brooklyn room going crazy.

First of all, the bassist/vocalist Clayton McIntyre, wasn't wearing any underwear. I know this from those standing close enough to get the occasional, accidental glimpse under his loin cloth (just thought I would get that out of the way). The guitarist/vocalist, Jeremiah, is Clayton's brother. Dave Goldberg is the drummer and his skills were part of the reason this band stuck out. Dave Goldberg simultaneously playing a keyboard/organ that was run through a Leslie speaker was another. Great songs can go on their list of achievements too.

It's been documented that Matador's Gerard Cosley is a fan of this band. I am now further documenting that Gerard was in attendance at Market Hotel on Saturday night. (Fun Fact: Pavement have a song called Box Elder. Pavement, who will eventually reunite probably, are signed to Matador.)

Bill Pearis was thinking of The Clean after listening to "Hole in My Head", and before seeing Box Elders live. Now he, who was also at the show, says "they're more bratty punk meets Nuggets-era garage rock". In that same vein, I think they would fit in on the Warped Tour, in Little Steven's record collection, and at the Pitchfork Festival. Most of all I think they were fun.

More pictures and tour dates below...

Continue reading "Box Elders (the band) @ Market Hotel, Brooklyn, NY - pics "

Crystal Stilts @ Less Artists More Condos (more by Gabi Porter)

Popcorn Youth: What led to the formation of Crystal Stilts?

JB Townsend: Brad [Hargett], the singer, and I had just been playing around for about a year before we really started playing out around 2002. We met in Florida, before we moved to [Brooklyn], and we both wanted to get out of there. We really didn't take it too seriously -- we were just playing for fun. But then we ended up able to record at a space in Greenpoint called Junkyard, which was used by a lot of bands on the Social Registry label. We started recording and released a 7". Someone sent it out to college radio, and it did ok. We were really surprised; we had absolutely no expectations whatsoever. And that was a big encouragement to take it all a little bit more seriously.

Marco Benevento at Sullivan Hall, Freaks Ball at Southpaw, and John Medeski at Hiro Ballroom - all in one night. That doesn't seem like very good planning.

Donald Fagen of Steely Dan was born today in 1948.

Howlin' Wolf died today in 1976.

Tickets are now on regular sale for both of the upcoming Levon Helm shows at Beacon Theatre.

Taylor Swift is playing Saturday Night Live tonight and Fleet Foxes are playing it next week.

The end of Zune?

Lillo Brancato sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Okkervil River recently played The Bell House in Brooklyn. They were in town to play Letterman. Video from that TV performance below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday? (besides snow)"

The band formerly known as Tyvke, TVK and Tyvek are back in NYC in a few days to play three shows in a row...

1. Jan 09 - LESS ARTISTS MORE CONDOS, Manhattan, NYC - Tyvjk w/PSYCHEDELIC HORSESHIT, KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORSc NYC
2. Jan 10 - Market Hotel - Tyvjk w/ CRYSTAL STILTS, BOX ELDERS, MEDICATION, KID ROMANCE New York City
3. Jan 11 - GLASSLANDS, Brooklyn, NY - Tyvjk w/CAUSE CO-MOTION!, BEACHNIKS, KID ROMANCE, THE BEETS, TODD PURPLE, and DJs Brooklyn, NY

Cause Co-Motion do have more shows listed. They're also opening for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Mercury Lounge on February 7th, playing Monster Island Basement on March 12th, and perrforming at Silent Barn on April 25th.

All Tyvjk dates below...

Continue reading "Tyvjk - 2009 Tour Dates (3 NYC shows, Crystal Stilts, Psychedelic Horseshit, CAUSE CO-MOTION!, SXSW)"

by Bill Pearis

Quasi

This time of year is usually pretty slow, show-wise, but this seems to be an especially-packed week for shows. Here's some of the stuff I'm considering attending while I procrastinate on holiday gift shopping and doing all my year-end lists over on my own blog.

Crystal Stilts @ Less Artists More Condos (more by Gabi Porter)

Speaking of, while I haven't posted my Best Albums of '08 yet, I will tell you Crystal Stilts' Alight of Night did make the Top Ten. They're playing tonight (12/17) at Le Poisson Rouge and even though I've seen them more times this year than I'd like to admit (and will probably see them again later this week), I will probably be in attendance. They're opening for Bay Area neo-fokies Vetiver, whose new covers album, Thing of the Past, is rather lovely.

Vetiver

Hot Snakes

Also tonight (12/17), is that double-shot of ex-Hot Snakes/Drive Like Jehu/Pitchfork bands at Santos Party House: Obits, that's fronted by Rick Froberg; and headliners The Night Marchers, which features John Reis and two other members of Hot Snakes. I have to admit Obits is more of a draw for me, as the band also features Sohrab Habibion who used to front Edsel, one of my favorite bands from the '90s DC scene. Obits just released their debut 7", "One Cross Apiece," which I like a lot. Will there be a mini Hot Snakes reunion tonight? Probably not, but you can always hope for a Christmas miracle.

Plus Minus

Speaking of '90s indie rock survivors, Thursday (12/18) at Music Hall of Williamsburg is +/-, which is the band/solo project James Baluyut formed when Versus called it quits in the early part of this decade. Versus are playing shows again - and maybe recording new material (so I hear) - but +/- are still very much their own thing and going strong, having released their fourth album Xs on Your Eyes, back in October. Actually the whole line-up at MHoW that night is pretty great: Philly duo Pattern is Movement (who played a BV CMJ day party this year), Brooklyn indie royalty The Ladybug Transistor, and In Interview who I caught at NYC popfest back in June and who don't play nearly enough.

Also on Thursday (12/18): That A.C. Newman Get Guilty listening party at Stanton Public, which I originally thought was last week but wasn't. You can still RSVP for it at Insound. 8-10PM, free beer n' booze.

Sic Alps

And last but absolutely not least, the can't miss show of the week has to be Saturday's (12/20) three floor-event at Knitting Factory curated by indie rock's original keyboard-drum duo, Quasi. Mates of State, Matt and Kim, etc, bow down to Sam Combes and Janet Weiss. The line-up is kind of staggering: awesome San Francisco garage rock duo Sic Alps (who I've plugged before), the aforementioned Crystal Stilts (a late addition to the bill), Jeffrey Lewis, Soft Circle (ex-Black Dice), plus films by legendary animator Sally Cruikshank (one of which is where Quasi got their name) and Craig Baldwin. Oh yeah, Marnie Stern is also playing. Tickets are $20, and worth it.

Continue reading "Quasi, Vetiver, Crystal Stilts, Marnie Stern, +/-, Hot Snakes, Sic Alps & more in This Week in Indie"

words photos by Gabi Porter

The show had a late start and sold out just about as the second band started. The space, Less Artists, More Condos was weird in a fun way, or fun in a weird way. It's a strange feeling to go to a show and realize in line for the bathroom, that you're really in someone's house as you stare at their kitchen shelves full of jars of tomato sauce and whole wheat pasta.

German Measles were fun and sloppy, not exactly rockabilly but definitely something the greasers would've listened to post-Elvis. And you have to love a drummer with a barely stuck on fake moustache, and a bass player who is a dead ringer for Buddy Holly.

When you see a guy in a band wearing bright red lipstick and guyliner, if you're me you hope they are more like the New York Dolls and less like Fall Out Boy/the Killers, and Cheap Time (from Nashville) were thankfully definitely more David Johansen than Brandon Flowers. For one brief moment I thought they were opening their set with a Ramones cover, a couple of chord changes and the vocals started, and it turned out I was wrong, but the energy was definitely good ol' three chord early garage punk.

It was my second time seeing the Crystal Stilts, and for a second time I was surprised by what a great, dance-y party band they actually are, despite all appearances to the contrary.

Tickets are still on sale for the show Crystal Stilts are playing with Love is All at Bowery Ballroom on December 7th. All tour dates HERE. More pictures from Friday night (11/21) below...

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts, Cheap Time & German Measles @ Less Artists More Condos, NYC - pics"

DP's Angel Deradoorian @ Knitting Factory (more by Ryan Muir)

Tickets are still on sale for the show Dirty Projectors and Dan Deacon are playing at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on December 11th. Last year Dirty Projectors played Knitting Factory on New Years Eve, and this year they might do it again, joining the bill that we already know includes Deer Tick, Deerhoof and Akron/Family, and maybe Crystal Stilts too?

Speaking of Crystal Stilts, they play their record release show at Less Artists More Condos tonight/Friday.

More New Years Eve shows are listed HERE, and a bunch of them just went on sale.

A beautiful video of Dirty Projectors playing in a big purple van in Paris, below...

Continue reading "Dirty Projectors playing New Years Eve @ KF too/ again?"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Friday November 21st @ LESS ARTISTS, MORE CONDOS

:: CRYSTAL STILTS RECORD RELEASE PARTAY

:: CRYSTAL STILTS
:::: Cheap Time ----------------- In The Red records
:::::: German Measles

[ LESS ARTISTS, MORE CONDOS ]
132 W 3rd St btwn 6th Ave & MacDougal | West Village, Manhattan
ACEBDFW-W 4th St, 1-Christopher St | 8pm | all ages | $7

[ curated by Mike Sniper ]

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts - record release party details, some CMJ pics "

DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Crystal Stilts (MP3)

After a busy CMJ in their own city, Crystal Stilts have announced at least three more NYC shows they'll play before the end of the year including one at Bowery Ballroom with Love is All who they're going on tour with, and one at (le) poisson rouge with Vetiver. All dates and ticket links below...

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts - 2008 Tour Dates (3xNYC, Vetiver, Love is All) "

Photos by Gabi Porter

The Stereogum Tuesday (10/21) late night party had a LATE start. Got there a little before doors were advertised (midnight), and they weren't letting anyone in - the bands were still soundchecking. When they finally let people into the new Studio (an hour after the promised start time), Gang Gang Dance were still soundchecking. The GGD soundcheck eventually blended seamlessly into their set, and I don't remember ever liking the band as much as I did last night. The new space at Webster is intimate, and I'm used to seeing GGD in much more grandiose settings. The set was really hypnotic, but at 2:30 I had to call it a night and go home, so I unfortunately didn't get the chance to see any of the other bands on the bill." - Gabi

Continue reading "Gang Gang Dance @ the Studio @ Webster Hall, NYC - pics"

Wye Oak

In the short time Bill has been here, many bands have been featured in his Week In Indie column on BrooklynVegan. At least 19 of those bands are playing shows for, and during, CMJ in NYC this week. Each of those bands is listed below with links back to what Bill said about them...

Continue reading "'Week in Indie" bands playing CMJ this week "

Kickball Katy playing with Fucked Up (more by Chris La Putt)

The L Magazine (aka Marc Hogan): I know you've covered one of the Wipers' songs. Is there an album in particular of theirs that you guys are big on?
Kickball Katy (aka 1/3 of Vivian Girls): We love Youth of America. Like, the first couple. Youth of America, the Over the Edge album and Is This Real, those are three of the best albums ever made, in my opinion. Cassie definitely agrees, and so does Ali. We just wanted to write some crazy songs like that. We're not that good, but we do like those albums a lot, and those are the things that we really had in common. We also really liked Dead Moon. They're in that new band, what is it? Pierced Arrows. I haven't seen them yet, but I saw Dead Moon like two years ago and it was awesome.

...

The L: Not to belabor the point, but with Frankie, that was officially a "kick out" not an "I'm quitting" kind of thing?
KK: Yeah, I wouldn't want to harp on this too much, but yeah, we had to ask her to leave. For various reasons that I won't get into.

The L: You guys are still friends with Crystal Stilts?
KK: We love Crystal Stilts. JB [Townsend, guitar], Brad [Hargett, vocals], and Andy [Adler, bass] are three really, really cool dudes. We were just hanging out with them the other night. We're still good friends with them. Things are cool, still.

Continue reading "Vivian Girls, L Magazine, Crystal Stilts, Pierced Arrows"

The new space at Webster Hall is hosting free shows all week long during CMJ 2008. More details below...

Continue reading "free CMJ shows @ The Studio, VICE & Stereogum included"

Violens @ South Street Seaport (more by Chris La Putt)

92YTribeca (200 Hudson Street, Ground Floor, NYC) doesn't officially open until October 18th with a show by John Vanderslice, but there is a free show there this Saturday, October 11th to test out the space. It starts at 8:30 PM. Crystal Stilts, Violens & Chairlift are on the bill, and it's FREE if you RSVP. Ro RSVP, e-mail BSisto@92y.org (subject: 10.11.08 - 92YTribeca - BV). Make sure you get the subject right. Include your first and last name so they can put you on list. More Crystal Stilts dates HERE.

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Shattered Shine (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: caUSE co-MOTION - Which Way is Up? (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bearsuit - I Thought You Said You Were Blind (MP3)

Crystal Stilts

A few items of note that I neglected earlier in the week. Brooklynites and Slumberland Records labelmates Crystal Stilts and caUSE co-MOTION are playing Death by Audio on Saturday (10/4) which is a warm-up, of sorts, to their nine-date U.S. tour together that officially kicks off two weeks later with some shows at CMJ.

Both bands have their Slumberland debuts coming out on October 28: Crystal Stilts' much-anticipated full-length debut, Alight of Night, which I think is one of the year's best albums, reminiscent of The Chills and Felt, but also late '50s twangy rock and, yes, Joy Division; and caUSE co-MOTION, who don't have a song yet over to hit the two-minute mark, compile their five, brittle Glasgow-influenced pop 7" singles for a 14-song, 20-minute blast.

caUSE co-MOTION (yes, the capitalization is annoying to type) will also be opening for Franz Ferdinand on Wednesday (10/8) at the Music Hall of Williamsburg show, which seems a good match. Both bands (CS and CC) are playing a load of shows at CMJ, including what is maybe the show on Thursday, Oct. 23, the Force Field PR showcase at Pianos that also includes Au, Duchess Says, Fight Bite, Physics of Meaning, Donovan Quinn & the 13th Month, and Stars Like Fleas.

caUSE co-MOTION

If you want to make an entire day of it in Williamsburg on Saturday (10/4), come in the afternoon to bookstore Spoonbill and Sugartown where Peter Saville will be signing stuff and talking to people from 1 - 3PM. If you're a Factory Records aficionado or just saw 24 Party People, you probably know Saville is the man who designed all of Joy Division and New Order's album covers, as well as Section 23, A Certain Ratio, Happy Mondays and also records for Pulp, Suede, and, uh, Gay Dad.

Saville deserves a place in history if for nothing else than the famed floppy disc replica that was New Order's "Blue Monday" 12" single. He's got a couple recent coffee table books, including Art, Fashion and Work for Hire: Thomas Demand, Peter Saville, Hedi Slimane, Hans Ulrich Obrist and Cristina Bechtler in Conversation, and last year's Peter Saville: Estate 1-127, though if you brought a copy of Unknown Pleasures he'd probably sign that too.

If you have interest in Saville's work, which includes typography, you might also want to swing by his website which includes free downloads of most of the fonts he created for New Order and Joy Division over the years. Pretty cool.

Bearsuit

Lastly, UK band Bearsuit are coming over later this month for their first-ever American tour, including NYC stops before and during CMJ. The six-piece, who hail from Norwich, are not unlike Los Campesinos! with their shouty, girl-boy vocals, manic pace, and catchy songs. They also have adorable, cutesy-poo graphics, tend to dress in matching costumes (though not in bear suits), and often have giant inflatable BEARSUIT letters with them onstage. It's the kind of thing you either find totally endearing or totally vomitous. I'm on the endearing side and can't wait to see them.

Bearsuit's show at Cakeshop is with local Brooklyn band Boy Genius who I've meant to write about for some time but haven't. Boy Genius are definitely within the indiepop realm but not too sugary, not too precious, relying on well-crafted melodies and gentle, mostly-acoustic instrumentation to carry the songs. They'll also be playing with Elk City (featuring former Luna guitarist Sean Eden) at Union Hall on October 18th. You can get a new Boy Genius song, "Eleanor," for free on the new mix from Norwegian indiepop blog Eardrums (also featuring Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Pelle Carlberg, the Lodger and loads more, worth the download.) Boy Genius deserve more attention than they've gotten, hopefully that will come soon.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "caUSE co-MOTION, Crystal Stilts, Bearsuit, Peter Saville, Boy Genius and more in this Week in Indie"

Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn, now with full liquor license, hosts New York Night Train's Terror Fest and BBQ this Saturday, September 20th....

Continue reading "Glasslands gets full liquor license, Terror Fest on Saturday"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Five O'Clock Heroes - NY Chinese Laundry (MP3)

I know the Five O'Clock Heroes, who play tonight (9/9) at Mercury Lounge, are deeply uncool in many circles. I'm not exactly sure why their brand of jaunty, Brit-influenced guitar pop inspires such derision -- apart from blind hatred of anything that was ever Ultragrrl-related. (They released a single through her Stolen Transmission label.) Risking my credibility and a deluge of angry comments I'm going to admit something. I think their new album, Speak Your Language, is really good. (A lot of you are probably unaware there was a new Five O'Clock Heroes album. Apart from iTunes, it's not available to buy in the U.S.) It may be out-of-step with the indie zeitgeist but, as I often say, the hooks are undeniable.

Most of the reviews I've read tend to compare them (unfavorably) to Elvis Costello and the Police, but the band Five O'Clock Heroes remind me of, this album at least, are a Swedish band from the '90s, Eggstone, who had a similar style of upbeat pop. You can really hear that in the horn-driven "NY Chinese Laundry," which is posted above and is probably the poppiest thing on the record and sticks in your head whether you want it to or not. The most notable song, however, is the single, "Who," a duet with British model Agyness Deyn. (The video is below.) All of Speak Your Language is in a similar vein, and if these two songs pique your interest, give Five O'Clock Heroes another chance.

Crystal Stilts @ EVR Fest Sunday (more by Chris La Putt)

Crystal Stilts gave one of the best performances at this past Sunday's East Village Radio Festival at South Street Seaport. Definitely the most packed at the small art gallery space that was the second stage, they were turning people away. I've written a bit about them before, but they really are one of my favorite local bands. Mixing twangy '50s rock n' roll, post punk and C-86 influences, they've come up with a very distinctive sound and style. And between singer JB Townsend's aloof stage presence and stand-up drummer (and former Vivian Girl) Frankie Rose, they've got the look too. Their full-length debut, Alight of Night, is due out on Slumberland on October 28 but until then, as mentioned before, there are no shortage of chances to see them in the NY, including this Thursday (9/11) at Le Poisson Rouge for a Emusic-currated bill that includes High Places, Detroit's one-man-synth-band, Deastro, and folky Michigan duo Breathe Owl Breathe. This is a pretty hard-to-pass-up show. All upcoming Crystal Stilts shows are listed below.

Neckbeard Telecaster, Magic Christian, tour dates and more below...

Continue reading "Five O'Clock Heroes, Crystal Stilts, Magic Christian, Neckbeard Telecaster & more in This Week in indie"

photos by Chris La Putt

ex-Vivian Girl, standing drummer Frankie Rose

The Crystal Stilts are moody-sounding fuckers who make fabulous stripped-down garage-pop. Their mix-and-match post-punk ditties manage to sound both affected and effective at the same time; they're weirdly life-affirming and very fun. You want to dance when you hear them-- dance with a furrowed brow, maybe, but move around nonetheless. Singer Brad Hargett is from Brooklyn by way of Florida but sounds like he's from Manchester by way of Slough. The main thing I wonder when I listen to Crystal Stilts is why is it so hard to make exceptional garage-pop like this? [Pitchfork]

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts @ EV Radio Fest, NYC - pics"

Crystal Stilts @ Cake Shop, Dec 2007 (hot doorknobs)

"I think we're simultaneously influenced by post-punk from the '80s and proto-punk music of the '50s and '60s that influenced C-86: [the labels] Postcard, Flying Nun and, of course, Slumberland," said JB Townsend of Crystal Stilts, whose exceptional self-titled debut comes out on Slumberland on Oct. 28. "For instance, the Mary Chain was influenced by Dylan, [Velvet Underground] and Love, so we're going to sound like the Mary Chain if we're pulling from the same tree." [Express Night Out]

Each Declassified party also features at least one live band. Past weeks have included a 2-piece Trail of Dead, King Khan & BBQ, and the Homosexuals. One of the future weeks will feature a performance by Andrew WK (who also happens to partially own the club). This week Puddin' Tang and Crystal Stilts are the bands that accompany DJ Calvin on the bill.

The Santos gig is not Crystal Stilts' only upcoming NYC show though. In fact, they have at least six scheduled in September. September 6th is for free at South Street Seaport. September 11th is at Le Poisson Rouge with High Places. All dates and flyers below...

Continue reading "Calvin Johnson (DJ) & Crystal Stilts - NYC shows & tour dates "

Mark Ronson @ Webster Hall (more by Bao Nguyen)

BAND SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH STREET SEAPORT STAGE
4-ize 12:30 - 1:15
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble 1:15 - 1:45
Dr. Lonnie Smith 1:55 - 2:25
Olof Arnolds 2:35 3:05
Vivian Girls 3:15 - 3:45
High Places 3:55 - 4:25
Awesome Color 4:35 - 5:05
John Oliver 5:05 - 5:20
Devin the Dude 5:20 - 5:50
Flying Lotus 6:00 - 6:30
KRS ONE 6:45 - 7:15
Ronson 7:15 - 7:45
BORIS 7:45 - 9:00

UPDATE: "The already terrific musical line up gets even better with the addition of Aa (BIG A little a), Bunnybrains, Crystal Stilts, Hex Message and Woods, all slated for performances at the festival's second stage"

Unfortunately, music loving New Yorkers are forced to decide between this free festival or the one in Tompkins Square Park or the one in Williamsburg all happening the same day.

TONIGHT (Aug 29, 2008) @ South Street Seaport: Oneida, Endless Boogie AND RAPHAEL SAADIQ