Cadence Weapon @ MHOW, June 2012 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Some of you may recall that before he became known as Cadence Weapon, Rollie Pemberton spent time as a music critic, having penned a number of reviews for Pitchfork in the early '00s. So chances are he knows his way around making year end lists, and we've got his best of 2012 list right here in this post. While it includes year-end regulars Kendrick Lamar and Jermih (and fellow Canadians Mac DeMarco and TOPS), his top spot is a bit of a surprise.

Rollie's pick for #1 release of 2012 is Captured Tracks' reissues of '80s low-fi indie cult band Cleaners from Venus whose cassette-only Blow Away Your Troubles (1981), On Any Normal Monday (1982), and Midnight Cleaners (1982) saw the light of day via Captured Tracks. The vinyl sold out but you can still get them on CD and digital, and stream them via Spotify.Captured Tracks will reissue Cleaners from Venus' next three albums (1983's The Golden Autumn, 1984's Under Wartime Conditions, and 1985's Songs for a Fallow Land) plus a disc's worth of rarites in February 2013.

Meanwhile, if you haven't heard Cadence Weapon's 2012 Polaris Prize-nominated album, Hope in Dirt City, you can stream that below too. Rollie's Best of 2012 LP list is below...

Continue reading "Cadence Weapon lists his favorite LPs of 2012 which includes Captured Tracks' Cleaners from Venues reissues"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Slow Magic / Levek / TOPS @ Pianos 10/16/2012

It seems like forever ago (only last week) but the first day of CMJ (Tuesday, 10/16) back before we became covered in handstamps and wristbands, we headed to the Lower East for early day parties, like the one Portals thew at Pianos. There we caught Montreal's dreamy and danceable TOPS, Florida's breezy, jammy Levek, Delaware trio Mean Lady, plus Brooklynites Young Magic, and the similarly named but very different Slow Magic, whose laptop-and-drums style (while masked) was much more aluring than we thought it was going to be (definitely the pleasant surprise of the afternoon).

More pictures from the show are below.

Continue reading "TOPS, Levek, Slow Magic and more played Pianos (pics)"

Braids at ATP NYC 2012 (more by Luiz Ruiz)

Montreal's Braids were just in NYC for ATP and while they were in the area, the closest club date they played was at Hoboken's Maxwell's a few days before ATP. Now they'll be returning to NYC during CMJ for a free, and far more intimate than ATP, show at Pianos on October 17 for the Tell All Your Friends day party. The show starts at noon and Braids are on at 6 PM. Other bands playing including Maus Haus, Blackbird Blackbird, Team Spirit, Solid Gold, Filligar, Triple Hex, Zulu Pearls, and still more. You can see the full list of artists and more details in the flier below. This show is the only announced date for Braids at the moment.

UPDATE: Braids also play a larger CMJ show at Bowery Ballroom on October 20 with Wild Nothing (more of their dates HERE and HERE), Weekend, and Forma. Tickets to that show go on sale Wednesday (10/10) at noon.

In related news, Raphaelle of Braids' other band, Blue Hawaii will be playing some CMJ shows too, including the Sam Mickens CMJ party at Bowery Electric on October 18 with Jack Ladder & the Dreamlanders, TOPS, and ZZZ's. It doesn't look like Sam Mickens is actually playing the show (he's been doing some booking for the venue lately), but you'll have a few chances to catch him playing in NYC this month and next.

After that show, Blue Hawaii will play the M for Montreal showcase at Arlene's Grocery on October 19 with Doldrums, Mozart's Sister, Absolutely Free, Royal Canoe, Plaster, Ariane Mofatt, and TOPS, and the POP Montreal day party at Cameo on October 20 with Goose Hut, Mozart's Sister, Solar Year, Valleys, C T Z N S H P.

Blue Hawaii also play the Arbutus Records Showcase at Death by Audio on October 20 with Doldrums, TOPS, Majical Cloudz, and Eola. As you may know, Arbutus is the label that Grimes was on before signing to 4AD. All the bands playing that DbA show are featured on a mix Arbutus made for CMJ which we're premiering in this post. Check it out, along with its tracklist, below.

As mentioned, Blue Hawaii will open for her in NYC at Bowery Ballroom on October 27 with Myths. Majical Cloudz, who are also on the Arbutus showcase and featured on Grimes' album, will open her show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (10/28) with Elite Gymnastics. All of Grimes' upcoming NYC shows are sold out.

The Braids flier, Arbutus CMJ mix, a song stream, and a list of all Blue Hawaii dates are below.

Continue reading "Braids playing CMJ (1 show w/ Wild Nothing); Blue Hawaii too (who are on an Arbutus Records mix) (dates, streams)"

As mentioned, NYC rapper Kilo Kish will be opening for SBTRKT at Terminal 5 on Thursday (10/11) with Koreless and Nick Hook (tickets). But you'll also have a couple chances to catch her in smaller venues about a week after that during CMJ. She's playing the Yours Tru.ly.Gorilla vs Bear (YTGvB) and Forest Family showcase at Brooklyn's 285 Kent on October 18 with DIANA (whose members include Destroyer saxophonist Joseph Shabason), Sam Flax (who we just profiled), Atlanta rapper ForteBowie, Ryan Hemsworth, Flume, TOPS, and Empress Of. Evy Jane, who plays live at Glasslands the next day (10/19) (another Yours Truly party), DJs in between sets. The flier for that show is below.

Kilo also plays the previously mentioned Life or Death CMJ showcase on October 20 at 92YTribeca with Hilly Eye, Dogbite, Twerps, Slug Guts, Jozef Van Wissem, Mac DeMarco, Maria Minerva, Sky Ferreira, and two special guests. Tickets for that show are on sale or you can try to get in with your CMJ badge.

Kilo Kish is set to release a new single for her song "Navy," which was produced by Odd Future's The Internet (who Kilo toured with over the summer) on 12" vinyl this week (10/8) via The Blue Rider. It out now digitally and comes with a remix by MeLo-X on the b-side. You can watch the video for "Navy," and check out a list of all known Kilo Kish dates (more TBA), below.

Continue reading "Kilo Kish releases single, playing CMJ (dates & video)"

Doldrums at MHOW last week (more by Amanda Hatfield)

As mentioned, Doldrums (the project of Airick Woodhead) and Moon King (the project of Airick's brother/collaborator Daniel), who were both just in NYC will return for CMJ. We already know that Doldrums will be playing the Windish showcase at Mercury Lounge on October 17 with Hundred Waters, Strange Talk, High Highs, Mozart's Sister, and more (tickets).

It's now been announced that Doldrums and Moon King will team up for the M for Montreal CMJ showcase on October 19 at Arlene's Grocery. Mozart's Sister (who also shares a bill with Doldrums at the Windish showcase) is on the bill, as is Braids side project Blue Hawaii. The rest of show includes ex-DD/MM/YYYY krautrockers Absolutely Free, Royal Canoe (who are going on tour with Savoir Adore), impressive live dance rock outfit Plaster, TOPS, and Ariane Moffatt. No advance tickets for this one at the moment. You can also try to get in with your CMJ badge.

M For Montreal set times along with a list of all Doldrums dates and a song stream are below.

Continue reading "Doldrums, Moon King, Blue Hawaii and more playing M for Montreal CMJ showcase (dates)"

The full list of artists confirmed for the 2012 CMJ Music Marathon so far is below...

Continue reading "CMJ 2012 initial lineup announced"

photos by David Andrako

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan at The Garrison - 6/15/12

Like a Japanese Kiss, the self-described "Noh-wave" seven-piece were as much about the live spectacle as about their music, which oscillated between standard, straightforward rock and doom metal atmospherics. Not surprisingly, the band were better when they practised the latter, incorporating jabs of keyboard and harmonized group vocals into their full-bodied sound. They started weak -- plodding tempos and too-simple drumming did the band no favours -- but by the end, they'd won over the venue, using phrase cycling and repetition to build and release tension. -[Exclaim]

If you missed it, check out pictures from Thursday's shows HERE.

Continue reading "NXNE day 2 in pics (Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, Doldrums, Art vs Science, TOPS & more)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Mac DeMarco - "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: TOPS - Turn Your Love Around (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - Sa Sa Samoa (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - Sa Sa Samoa (For Real For Sure For You) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD:  Young Prisms - Floating in Blue (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Boy Friend - Egyptian Wrinkle (MP3)

Mac Demarco

It begins. Bands from all over the world -- England! Canada! Sweden! New Zealand! Virginia! -- descend on New York as they beat a path to Austin for this year's SXSW. Which is good for those who aren't going, as well as folks who are but want to see bands play longer than 25 minutes and aren't strung out on a four-day diet of free breakfast tacos, Vitamin Water and Amstel Light. There's lots more going on than what is covered below, but it's what I'm interested in over the next few days.

New Captured Tracks signee Mac DeMarco is in town from Vancouver to play a couple shows. He plays an all-C/T bill tonight (3/2) at Music Hall of Williamsburg with DIVE, Hoop Dreams and headliners Beach Fossils (sold out), and then Glasslands tomorrow (3/3) with  headliners Widowspeak and  Quilt.

Demarco, who used to record under the name Makeout Videotapes, has a smoky baritone that is part Chris Isaak and part Tindersticks. His music owes a little to Isaak as well, with an early '60s vibe (Ricky Nelson, Gene Vincent) by way of '80s neon, all on a four-track budget. You can check debut "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans" from his debut, Rock n' Roll Hotel (out 3/20) at the top of this post, which is indicative of what Demarco is all about. You can also watch the video for "Only You" which is kind of NSFW. Dude's a provocateur.

Hoop Dreams

Tonight's MHoW show is the first NYC show we've had from Blacksburg, VA's Hoop Dreams in a long while. They were good when I saw them at Glasslands last year and have the potential to be breakouts for the label if they ever get around to releasing another record (only a single so far). Live, they're more in the Arcade Fire/Editors anthemic style than the single might suggest. It will also be a good opportunity to hear new music from Beach Fossils who are busy at work on their second LP.

And of course, DIVE, who are probably one of the more exciting live bands in Brooklyn right now and are a definite SXSW must-see if you don't live here and have the opportunity to catch them twice a week like we currently do. (They're also touring with Frankie Rose in April.) The show is sold out tonight, but I'd be shocked if there weren't tickets at the door at least when the box office opens.

TOPS

Montreal band TOPS are playing 285 Kent tomorrow night as part of a killer bill that includes Blood Orange, Phone Tag and  Caged Animals. The four-piece is comprised of most (if not all) of MTL's Silly Kissers who played here a few times over the last few years and were a little on the precious side (they sometimes wore mime makeup). TOPS, however, are more in the Ariel Pink/Puro Instict brand of minimal keyboard pop. Their debut, Tender Opposites, came out this week on Artibus Records, which is also home to Grimes (in Canada). You can download "Turn Your Love Around" at the top of this post and stream the whole thing (and watch the further down.

As you may have read, 285 headliners Caged Animals will open the Official BrooklynVegan SXSW showcase on March 14 at Bar 69 which also includes Titus Andronicus, Screaming Females, 2:54, The Young and one more TBA. If you haven't heard their tuneful, charming debut Eat Their Own yet, it's still streamable at their BandCamp. And they're terrific live.

So is Blood Orange, despite it just being Dev Hynes, his guitar and a laptop. I saw him last weekend at Glasslands where he spent as much time in the crowd as he did on stage. I do wish he'd get a band, but the one-man Blood Orange is a lot of fun. I haven't seen Phone Tag in a while, but I dig their brand of '80s synthpop.

Korallreven

Sunday night (3/4) at Bowery Ballroom is the NYC debut of Swedish duo Korallreven, one half of which is The Radio Dept.'s Daniel Tjäder. I like their debut album a lot, all lush, synth-driven dream pop but, like a lot of music like this, I wonder how they're going to make it an interesting concert experience. I envision two guys behind laptops and keyboards bobbing their heads and singing, with some projections and hopefully smoke machines.  Maybe they could move the downstairs couches to the main room? Maybe I'm wrong. We'll see. I'm sure it will sound great in any case.  If you haven't heard them yet, you can download "Sa Sa Samoa" in regular and remixed form at the top of this post and watch the video at the bottom of this post. Also playing: Lemonade and Young Magic.

Bachelorette

Also playing Sunday night, at Cameo, is Bachelorette -- aka New Zealander Annabel Alpers who I think lives here now. Buoyed by Alpers delicate, breathy voice, Bachelorette make ethereal synthpop not miles away from The Magnetic Fields, with whom she's going on tour for seven shows. (All dates at the bottom of this post.) I liked it better when she had a band, but the loop pedal incarnation is pretty lovely too. You can check out a couple videos below or stream her most recent album on Spotify.

Young Prisms at the Comet, Seattle (photo by Finest Kiss)

And looking into early next week, San Francisco's Young Prisms and Austin's Boy Friend are at Glasslands on Monday (3/5). Young Prisms new album, In Between, is out March 27 on Kanine and is a real step forward for the band. Their still mining first-wave shoegaze, but the songs are much stronger this time out with a couple that go for jangly Velocity Girl style pop. They will be very loud I guarantee you. Boy Friend will make a nice opener, with their hazy, 4-AD miasma vibe. You can download MP3s from both bands at the top of this post. Also playing, seemingly from another show, are Alex Bleeker & the Freaks and Tanks Amigo.

That's the big stuff for the next four days. But wait, there's more. Day-by-day picks of things not covered above:

The Young Empires at M for Montreal 2011

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

Like Friendly Fires and Foals? Check out Toronto's Young Empires are at Glasslands, with Saint Motel, Fan-Tan, and Transmission NYC (DJ set).

Expect a wild evening at Death by Audio with "original line-up" Tyvek, plus Habibi, Feelings and the Numerators. Stick-in-the-muds, go see something else!

Boston's pop veterans The Figgs play Littlefield. The band's new double album, The Day Gravity Stopped, is out sometime soon.

continued below...

Continue reading "Mac DeMarco, TOPS, Korallreven, Bachelorette, Young Prisms, Boy Friend and more in This Week in Indie"

Caged Animals at Brooklyn Bazaar in 2011 (more by Alyssa Tanchajja)

Some pretty solid shows are going down at 285 Kent in Brooklyn this weekend. Tonight (3/2), they're hosting a dance party with Ital, Slava (live), Laurel Halo, Rezzie Weird Magic, Ilirjana Alushaj, Jan Woo, and special guests. More details below.

On Saturday (3/3), it's Caged Animals (who also play the official BV SXSW showcase in Austin later this month), special guest Blood Orange (who recently sold out Glasslands), TOPS, Phone Tag, and Royal Baths (DJ) at the Brooklyn venue. More details below.

The Men's record release show for Open Your Heart goes down at 285 Kent on Wednesday (3/7).

Brooklyn show details below...

Continue reading "shows @ 285 Kent this weekend include Blood Orange & Caged Animals (who play the BrooklynVegan showcase @ SXSW)"

by Bill Pearis

Forest Fire

Thursday, we're in the thick of it now and maybe some of us are already frazzled. Which might explain why this picks post is shorter than yesterday's. Also, we're starting to see a lot of the same bands, so see this as a reminder as to what's happening where. This isn't comprehensive, just what I personally recommend. I've tried to include set times at the bottom of this post for all parties mentioned.

Hopefully you're going to stop by the BV Day Party at Kniting Factory which has Yellow Ostrich, Still Corners, Hundred Visions, Forest Fire, BOBBY, Main Attrakionz and the just added We Were Promised Jetpacks. Yellow Ostrich kicks things off at 12:30, hope you can make it down. There's free PBR & HobNob Wine too for those over 21.

Miracle Fortress

You can make a day of it in Williamsburg, and we wouldn't grudge you for venue hopping. Public Assembly's got the Pop Montreal party today, with Miracle Fortress, Pat Jordache, Teen Daze, Tops, Tonstartssbandht, and Touchy Mob... plus food courtesy Mile End. Maybe some Montreal-style bagels?

Radical Dads

Over at Bruar Falls it's the Camper's Rule Records party, with Radical Dads (if you're from out of town, one of my favorite new local bands), plus Fort Lean, Backords, Beat People, Easter Vomit, Yanqui, and Moonmen On the Moon, Man. Plus, you're running out of chances to hang out at Bruar Falls... it closes at the end of the month.

The Suzan

And at The Woods, there's a cool afternoon/early-evening party being thrown by the folks at all-girl-drummer zine Tom Tom, with a great line-up of bands that, yes, all feature ladies behind the kit. There's Baybee Teeth, Coasting, TEEN, The Suzan, Pearl & the Beard, Brute Heart and Satellite Sky. $5 cover for this one. Let's hope the sound has improved from last year's CMJ-week shows, which was a joke.

Of course it's hard to deny the allure of the Lower East Side, what with five or so clubs all within a block or two of each other, making for very easy show-hopping. The two best are on the same Ludlow Block. At Cake Shop, NYC Taper has indie rawkers Mr. Dream, the widescreen pop of Savoir Adore, the dreamy/dusty sounds of Widowspeak, superior psych group White Fence, the dark anthemecism of Hoop Dreams, plus Prussia and Teletextile.

And at Pianos,I Guess I'm Floating and Tell All Your Friends PR have two floors of fun, with a few Canadians (Grimes, Parlovr, Doldrums), one Australian (Little Red), dance music (Beat Connection, Body Language) and lots more. Full schedule is below.

Okay, those are my daytime choices of choice. Flyers and set times, some for shows not mentioned above, are below.

Continue reading "CMJ 2011 - Bill's Thursday daytime picks (BV day party, Miracle Fortress & other Canadians, Radical Dads, The Suzan & more)"