By Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Parlovr - Heaven/Hell (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Atlas Sound - Terra Incognita (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Atlas Sound- Te Amo (MP3)

Parlovr at M for Montreal 2011

It's that time of year again, so let's sing it up real pretty. Are we all in the spirit? Better be, because there's a zillion holiday parties going on this weekend, including two thrown by this very blog you are currently reading. How these parties differ from the shows we go to the rest of the year? Only a Scrooge would ask such a question. But to answer it: there's maybe more strand lights. And some Christmas songs thrown in sparsely by DJs or as covers by the bands playing. And some snowflakey sweaters. Whatever you call it, there's lot of great music to go see this weekend. Here's some of it.

Montreal's Parlovr are visiting, playing two shows. Tonight (12/15) they play the Popgun Holiday Party at Glasslands and then tomorrow (12/16) at Mercury Lounge with Shout Out Louds offshoot thing Serenades.

I'm on record as being a fan of this trio who I most recently saw at this year's M for Montreal. I'm not sure any of their records have quite captured the band's live energy, which is why you should go see them. But the recorded version of my favorite song, "Hell/Heaven," comes pretty close. You can download it above. Live, there's lots of flying hair (via singer/guitarists Alex and Jeremy) and flying limbs (lanky drummer Louis) that fits well with Parlovr's spiky indie rock. The band have recorded a holiday track called "Spike the Eggnog" which judging from the video (you can watch below) the spiking involves something much stronger than whiskey.

The Popgun Holiday Party tonight looks to be a good time, with Bell and TWII-faves North Highlands playing as well. There's also a "+ Special Guest" listed as well, no idea who that might be but the Popgun folks usually don't throw around that phrase too lightly.

Serenades

Tomorrow's show is with Serenades which is a Swedish super-duo consisting of Adam Olenius from Shout Out Louds and Markus Krunegård of Laakso. Their album Criminal Heaven is out next year in the U.S. and is chock-full of sparkling pop that seems aimed directly at the charts. It's slicker than Shout Out Louds (Laakso were pretty shiny, though they sang in Swedish) but still maintains that sharp melodic sense and shaggy, sad-eyed lyrical bent. You can download a track at the top of this post. Serenades also play tonight (12/15) at Knitting Factory.

Brooklyn Bazaar

There's also the Brooklyn Night Bazaar which runs tonight through Saturday. The enormous space (40,000 square feet!), the layout of which was based on the set of Lars Von Triers' Dogville (!!!), is a holiday shopping, eating, drinking and live music extravaganza as you have probably already heard. Tonight (12/15) is James Murphy DJing, along with Poolside, the Crystal Ark Party Machine and Midnight Magic. Saturday night (12/17) is The Hold Steady, Titus Andronicus and Wakey! Wakey!

Friday (12/16) is the BrooklynVegan Presents night with a SPIN Album of 2011 winners Fucked Up, plus Dom, Big Troubles, Caged Animals, and Radical Dads. Frankie Rose and myself will be spinning tunes before the bands start and between sets. And only $10, so that's only two bucks a band. What a bargain! Tickets will be available at the door too. I am DJing starting at 5PM, Frankie will be there from 6PM and bands start at 7PM, with Radical Dads up first. (Then Caged Animals, Big Troubles, Dom, and Fucked Up.) If you're coming, do make an effort to get there in time for them, they're awesome. As are all the bands on the bill I think. Shop, eat, rock out, eat and shop some more, rinse repeat. Say hi.

Frankie Rose

In addition to DJing our party tomorrow, Frankie Rose is also playing an acoustic set at Glasslands on Saturday (12/17) as part of a Jonathan Toubin benefit that also features Xray Eyeballs, K-Holes and The Stalkers. Frankie Rose's new album, Interstellar, is out in February and I think will surprise a lot of people. She is definitely out of the garage on this one, ditching the reverb and embracing synthesizers, jangly guitars and her inner pop star. Like a lot of folks this year, The Wake seems to be an influence. Fans of Craft Spells are gonna like it.

As previously mentioned, Frankie will debut her new record and new band at the Knitting Factory on February 21.

And to wrap up BV holiday party related items, Saturday's fest with Twin Sister, Widowspeak and Ava Luna is sold out! Hope you got tickets! If you're going, we're raffling off a load of cool prizes -- like every Domino release of 2011 -- with all proceeds benefiting Toys for Tots.

Atlas Sound

And last but not least we've got Atlas Sound here for two shows this weekend:The Bell House on Saturday (12/17, tickets still available) and Bowery Ballroom on Sunday (12/18, sold out). Andrew Sacher wrote about Atlas Sound's new album Paralax a few weeks ago which I'm gonna quote:

The flow of the album subtly works in the slower, more ambient cuts to space out the relatively high amount (for an Atlas Sound record) of pop standouts. Like many pop experimentalists before him, Bradford Cox has mastered the art of leaving his own weird touch on even the simplest tune. This comes across most strongly on "Mona Lisa," a re-recording of a track that appeared on his Bedroom Databank collection. The song is carried by the sort of upbeat acoustic guitar rock that Bowie experimented with on Hunky Dory, and Bradford sings with a fragile falsetto that brings to mind Lennon's "#9 Dream."

I'll add that Parallax has a post-2AM vibe to it and some of Cox's best songs yet. It also reminds me, a bit, of Spoon too.

That's the big stuff. Some more picks, day-by-day, follow.

Continue reading "Parlovr, Fucked Up, Dom, Frankie Rose, Atlas Sound, Serenades, Jonathan Toubin & more in This Week in Indie"

Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom in August (more by Diana Wong)

The Black Lips will be peforming live from NYC over the internet today, 10/27, at 2pm EST. The Chevy Sonic-presented performance can be watched in the video player embedded below.

And that's just one of two big events for the Black Lips in NYC today. The next happens at Union Pool tonight. There they'll DJ a party thrown by their label (Vice) which was curated by their labelmates The Raveonettes. Bands performing at the free vitamin water-sponsored show are Minks, The Rassle and Zaza. Raveonette Sune Rose Wagner, who was recently laid up, will be doing some DJing as well. RSVP is necessary and is now back open.

Saturday night catch the Black Lips live on stage at Webster Hall with Davila 666 & Xray Eyeballs. Don't forget to wear a costume. Tickets are still on sale.

Continue reading "Black Lips streaming live today, DJing tonight @ Raveonettes-curated show in Brooklyn"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Pat Jordache - Phantom Limb (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Masters of the Hemisphere - Eggshell (MP3)

Weekend

Apologies for no day post today, I had a full CMJ day yesterday and stretched myself a little thin. (And I'm thin already.) As I came to realize recently, with CMJ every night is Saturday night and every morning is Monday morning. Anyway, I hope you all went/go to a day show and saw a bunch of free music and maybe had some free booze and snacks somewhere. Maybe our day party?

Speaking of this website, I hope all of you are going to come to the BrooklynVegan Official CMJ showcase tonight at Music Hall of Williamsburg which features a couple repeat players from one of our SXSW shows: Weekend and Braids, both of whom are just fantastic. The band I'm most excited/curious about is Blue Hawaii, a duo that features Braids' Raphaelle Standell-Preston. In between those three bands, we also have Pepper Rabbit (who were great when I saw them at Northside) and Active Child. It's a really solid night of music, tickets are still available, come on down.

Jesuslesfilles

But this being NYC and CMJ, there is other stuff going on (which is maybe why you're reading this). At some point in the evening, I'm going to head to Arlene's Grocery for the M for Montreal showcase, which has ten, count 'em, ten Canadian acts performing. Of them, I'm most excited about getting to see Jesuslesfilles again, who were great at the M4M fest last year. Their 2011 album Une Belle Table (streamable below) is still a "name your price" download from Bandcamp and I highly recommend you do. It's somewhere between the Pixies and that first Dandy Warhols albums...but in French. They're great live.

Pat Jordache

I also really like Pat Jordache who I saw for the first time yesterday. Wearing overalls and wifebeaters, I was expecting maybe something countrified, but with a two-drummer assault it was closer to '80s goth than anything else, maybe a little Wild Beast-y too. (That dark side isn't quite as apparent on PJ's album.) They're pals/colaborators with tUnE-yArDs and, like Merril, have a good sense of showmanship. Check out "Phantom Limb" at the top of this post and stream the entirety of their Future Songs album at the bottom.

There's also Parlovr, The Barr Brothers, Miracle Fortress, TOPS, Philemon, TONSTARTSSBANDHT, Passwords and Peter Peter.

The Stepkids

For those who are on a budget and want to keep the day party spirit alive into the night, YoursTruly are presenting a show at Glasslands that is free to you and me. And it's a great line-up of talent: Active Child, Born Gold (formerly GOBBLE GOBBLE), The Stepkids, Araabmuzik, Memoryhouse, Caveman, INC, and Ava Luna. No badges needed.  No RSVPing. Just show up. Mind you when it hits capacity -- and it will -- there will be a one-in-one-out policy even if you're just going out for a smoke or some fresh air. You do have to be 21, though. Sorry King Krule.

And for those into dancing and/or "alt-culture," Forcefield PR and Hipster Runoff are presenting the BleepyBloopFest at Cameo with latenight DJ sets from Neon Indian, Teengirl Fantasy, Beach Fossils, Dent May, DJ Taolin, and maybe even HR's enigmatic Carles himself. Will it be relevant/authentic? Possibly. But it will no doubt be a scene. This one is also absolutely free. But also 21+.

Gotye

Meanwhile at Santos, Neon Gold is putting on two floors of New Sounds, including Australian artist Goyte whose Sting-y sounding single "Somebody That I Used to Know" is a massive, massive hit over there down under, spending eight weeks straight in the top slot. (The longest run in AU chart history since Savage Garden in the '90s.) The video has racked up over 11 million hits.

There whole line-up is impressive. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinoaurs. The Knocks. Savoir Adore. Is Tropical. And many more! $10, less than a buck a band! There's a lot of bang for your buck here, it's all fun, party music. Sad bastards stay home.

Masters of the Hemisphere

And a couple one-off bands I'd like to point out. Georgia indiepop legends Masters of the Hemisphere return after a 10-year hiatus for a show tonight at The Rock Shop. (11:30PM) Check out an MP3 at the top of this post. They'll play again Saturday (10/22) at Bruar Falls if you can't go tonight.

Dark, sultry locals Zaza play their only show of CMJ tonight at Knitting Factory. (Midnight) Overlooked I think, but Zaza do the dark romance thing better than just about anyone in this town and their record is very, very good -- you can stream it at the bottom of this post.

There's a ton of stuff happening tonight and I'm sure I'm missing something huge and awesome, but these are the things I'm considering. What are you going to see?

Continue reading "CMJ 2011 - Bill's Friday picks (BV parties, M For Montreal, Jesuslesfilles, Gotye, Masters of the Hemisphere, Zaza & more)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: BNLX - Living in Exile (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: BNLX - Vaporize (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: BNLX - Dance Dance Dance (on the Radio) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Senator (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Tigers (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Male Bonding - "Bones" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Male Bonding - Tame the Sun (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights - Diamond Mine (MP3)

I guess we'll start this week with Stephen Malkmus who is doing two in stores on Thursday: Academy Records in Williamsburg at 6pm and then Other Music at 9PM. His new album Mirror Traffic, as you may know, was produced by Beck. I'm not sure what that was supposed to connote (more acoustic guitars? L. Ron Hubbard references?) but it's a pretty typical Malkmus solo album with some tight pop songs ("Tigers," downloadable above, and "Stick Figures in Love") and maybe a little more focused and less jammy than he's been in a while. But not much less jammy.

I'm the guy that thought his first solo album was a step in the right direction and has been somewhat ambivalent by what's followed since. But they're always worth hearing. Malkmus and the now Weiss-less Jicks are on tour next month and all upcoming tour dates are at the bottom of this post, along with the video for "No One Is (As I Are Be)."

Voluminous and enigmatic Minneapolis duo BNLX are visiting this week, playing The Rock Shop tonight (8/24) and Pianos on Thursday (8/25). This is their third trip to NYC, and the first since releasing the 6th release in their quarterly EP series. It's description in typical BNLX corporate-speak:

BNLX commences the next phase in the BNLX First One Year Plan (extension two) with its sixth consecutive quarterly EP release of "music." These compositions combine rhythmically-expressed poetry in popular idiomatic vernacular ("rhymes") with pulsating percussive elements ("beats") and harmonic modulations/variations/transpositions (melody). The resulting unique juxtaposition of auditory and narrative elements can only be described as "music". Thematic topics on this release include IED's, event horizons, beards and banjos, and deposed royalty. "Vaporize" leads off the EP with a high-energy blast of high velocity psychedelic noise pop.

Three of the four EP tracks are available to download at the top of this post. What I really like about BNLX is that they seem to be doing this for fun and it really translates to the songs, and to the listener. This is well-tread territory, but it's a pleasure to crank up loud. Or to go see live. BNLX are an aural (LOUD) and visual (strobes, smoke machines) assault in concert and it works. Go see 'em.

The Rock Shop show is with Delaware's Sky Drops; the Pianos show also has Jeane (who I finally saw last week, liked 'em), Phone Home and Ventilader.

Speaking of regimented release schedules, Violens have been releasing a digital single every month this year, the latest of which, "Through the Window," is my favorite so far. With a skittering drumbeat and delay-drenched arpeggiated guitars, it sounds a little like Kitchens of Distinction (if you remember that early '90s band). Violens will be playing a lot of their new material tonight (8/24) at Glasslands.

The rest of tonight's bill is also worth checking out. Dive is the new band from Zachary Cole Smith who used to play drums (and wear mom jeans) in Beach Fossils. (He's also played in Soft Black and with Darwin Deez.) The one track I've heard is definitely a bit Fossil-ized, but am curious to hear more and see what they're like live. Dive play again on September 1 at Shea Stadium with Caged Animals and Forest Fire.

Opening the Glasslands show is Philadelphia's psych-shoegazers Arc in Round. whose most recent EP is cacauphonous and captivating...and sound like they might be very good live.

---

Personal and the Pizzas are delivering in our area this weekend: Friday (8/26) at Maxwell's and Saturday (8/27) at Death by Audio. If you like good time Ramones style rock n' roll, and pizza (with extra cheese) you're gonna have a good time. I don't know what else to tell ya. There's video at the bottom of this post.

Lastly, we've got Male Bonding rolling into town: Glasslands on Saturday (8/27) and Mercury Lounge on Monday (8/29). The UK band's new album, Endless Now, is out next week and as mentioned before it moves away from the swampy sound of their debut into defiant mid-fi. Any more fidelity with melodic punk like this and you might start getting into Blink-182 territory. This album is as produced as it needs to be and is a pretty fun listen with just enough shoegaze nods to keep old guys like me interested. You can download two songs off it at the top of this post.

The band are on tour with Austin's Love Inks who are 180 degrees from Male Bonding's sound: gentle, minimal, croony. The jury is still out on their live show (my jury at least) but I do really like their album.

That's the main stuff I'm talking about this week. A few more worthy picks -- day by day -- are below.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24

Head to Pianos to catch dark and sexy ZAZA,  who play with Australian group Sherlock's Daughter who are on an extended New York holiday, as well as My Best Fiend, Our Mountain, and Alak.

continued below...

Continue reading "Stephen Malkmus, BNLX, Male Bonding, Violens, David Kilgour, Dive, Joe Pernice & more in This Week in Indie"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Twin Sister - "Bad Street" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Your Youth - What Smarts (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Metronomy - "The Bay" (Clock Opera Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Class Actress - Keep You (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sonny and the Sunsets - I Wanna Do It (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sonny and the Sandwitches - Throw My Ashes from This Pier When I Die (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Night Beats - Puppet on a String (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - After The Moment (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - Party Talk (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gardens & Villa - Star Fire Power (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gardens & Villa - Star Fire Power (MP3)

Oh man it's another crazy week. Let's get into it. Tonight's free SummerScreen in McCarren Park tonight is pretty hard to pass up. Not only are they showing the John Hughes classic Ferris Beuller's Day Off (which is 25 years old this year!) but they got Twin Sister to play before it. In addition to performing lots of songs from their forthcoming album on Domino Records, Twin Sister will also be debuting the music video for their single, "Bad Street." You can download the MP3 of that at the top of this post.

Speaking of MP3s, we've also got one up there from Your Youth who are also playing SummerScreen tonight (6:45PM) and couldn't be more different from Twin Sister. "What Smarts" is a new track from the local duo who are kind of proto-grunge punk. Catchy stuff.

It would be really cool if, say, Your Youth covered "Beat City" by The Flowerpot Men and Twin Sister maybe did Dream Academy's "The Edge of Forever". (Why has Ferris Bueller never gotten a posthumous soundtrack release?) Probably won't happen but one can hope. In addition to the movie and the bands, there's loads of giveaways and such.

Metronomy

The show I am absolutely most excited about this week, without a doubt, is Metronomy who play Hudson River Rocks on Pier 54 on Thursday. Metronomy's third album, The English Riviera, just got nominated for the Mercury Prize (sure to lose to James Blake) and got its stateside release yesterday. As I wrote previously:

The new record retains Metronomy's slightly askew, claustrophobic sound while broadening its scope. There's glammy funk ("We Broke Free," the Roxy-ish "She Wants"), a guitar pop ("Everything Goes My Way," a duet with Roxanne Clifford of Veronica Falls), waltz-time ballads  ("Trouble"), and more typical Metronomy-style twitchy disco ("The Bay," "Corrine."). It's also got one of the 2011's best singles, "The Look."

It's definitely one of my favorite albums of the year. (Their last album, Nights Out, was my favorite album of 2008.) The vinyl version comes with the CD which is a trend I would like to see all labels doing. Highly recommended. Watching a few live performance clips , I'm glad to see they're still wearing stick-it-and-click-it lights on their shirts that was a highlight of their old stage show -- even though they're a proper band now (they didn't used to have a drummer).

Also playing the Pier 54 show is American Royalty and Class Actress whose debut album Rapproacher is out October 11 on Carpark. You can snag "Keep You" at the top of this post. Do get there early for openers American Royalty who came out from L.A. just for this show. I caught them at SXSW this year and they kept me entertained on Saturday evening when I was basically burned out on seeing live music. You can check out their hodgepodge electro sound via their Bandcamp page. And if you want to see them again, American Royalty play Lit on Saturday (7/30).

If you want to keep the party going on Thursday after Metronomy, head over to Glasslands for all your sissy bounce italodisco soulclap free booze needs. New Orleans Vockah Redu is like Big Freedia but with more choreography and a subscription to Vogue. (Check out the video at the bottom of this post.) They also play the PS1 warm-up on Saturday. Also playing is Portland's Miracles Club, who played PS1 last weekend. Jonathan Tobin is DJing, it's My Open Bar's 5th anniversary, it's a party.

Sonny

What else is going on this week? Sonny & the Sunsets are backfor the first time since October, playing Mercury Lounge on Friday (7/29) and Glasslands on Saturday (7/30). Have you checked out Sonny's new album, Hit After Hit? As I wrote previously:

Unlike last year's laid back and folky Too Young to Burn, the new album is more of a party --inspired by '60s pop and garage. Opening track "She Plays Yo-Yo with My Mind" cribs liberally from The Standells' "Dirty Water."

At least a couple of the songs on Hit After Hit (including "I Wanna Do It") are reworked versions of songs written for Smith's 100 Records project which you might have caught at the late Cinders Gallery last summer. Embued with Smith's (and fellow Sunset Kelley Stoltz) encyclopedic knowledge of pop and his wry sense of humor, Hit After Hit's a great little record.

Tourmates for this go-round are fellow Bay Area residents The Sandwitches who were described by Sunsets drummer/producer Kelley Stoltz thusly: "Imagine a 60's Girl-group is on tour and their van breaks down near a gothic castle high on the hill, Dario Argento invites them in to perform a concert for his tweaked actors in a big dark red room inside and, if the dream is right, it's the Sandwiches - they'd fit right in with those misfits and speak the same language. I'd like to be there to dance."

Sonny Smith put out a record with The Sandwitches last year, so I'd expect to hear those tracks at these shows. Check out one of them, the twangy, mournful "Throw My Ashes from This Pier When I Die" at the top of this post. I caught Sonny last year when he toured with Kelley Stoltz and it was a great show. Sonny doesn't get enough attention i don't think, so do try and make it to one of these shows.

The Night Beats

Seattle trio The Night Beats are currently on tour with The Black Lips opening for sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom on Friday (7/29) and Maxwell's on Saturday (7/30). But if you wanna catch them in a non-sold-out enviroment, free of the Black Lips, they play Sunday night (7/31) at Shea Stadium with Sweet Bulbs, Dinowalrus, Liquor Store, and Yvette.

The Night Beats' stomping debut is out now on Trouble in Mind. I caught the band at the label's party during SXSW:

I got there as Seattle trio Night Beats were just starting. Never heard them before, but really dug their psych-garage sounds, and they definitely looked the part. They ended their set with a cover of The Count Five's classic "Psychotic Reaction," giving their version a little swing which made it their own.

Check out "Puppet on a String" from their TiM debut at the top of this post. The Shea Stadium show is solid, I like all the bands on the bill.

Craft Spells

Speaking of Seattle, Craft Spells are back in town, playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday (7/30)  -- their first area show since playing here back in April. Live, they eschew the keyboards that are so abundant on their Captured Tracks album in favor of a guitar-oriented line-up which works just fine. (It's very Orange Juice.) They are young and enthusiastic and the songs are ridiculously catchy.

The band are on tour with Santa Barbara, CA's Gardens & Villa who are dreamy and synthy and danceable (kinda like Tony Castles). Their debut album just came out via Secretly Canadian and you can download two tracks from it at the top of this post. Also playing are local synthpop act Selebrities whose free downloadable EP evokes favorable comparisons to all sorts of '80s groups. You can download a free EP from Selebrities here.

Eternal Summers

And finally, don't forget about this Sunday's Beach Party at Beekman Beer Garden with Raveonettes and Eternal Summers. The Raveonettes new album, Raven in the Grave, is a slow burn compared to 2009's poppy In and Out of Control but no less enticing and I've always enjoyed them live. And Eternal Summers can do no wrong for me right now. This will be a very fun show, and likely the first where they might have to turn people away because of capacity so come early. Free!

Ok, that's the main stuff I'm highlighting this week but there are quite a few more recommended shows listed day-by-day below.

The Psychic Paramount @ Union Pool -- 7/26

Disappears @ Union Pool -- 7/26

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27

I had my mind blown twice at Union Pool last night: first by the smoke-machine fueled power of The Psychic Paramount (modern instrumental acid rock? Incredible!) and then by Disappears whose new material written with Steve Shelley is groovier, a little slower than their pedal-to-the-metal first albums but equally awesome. (More Neu!, less Stooges.) They play tonight at Cake Shop. Get up close and watch Disappear's bassist lay it down track after track.

There are so many shows tonight! But if you want to see three of the best bands in NYC right now, head to Mercury Lounge for North Highlands, ARMS and Hospitality. All three groups are holding onto new albums that I am dying to hear. Hospitality were incredible when they played my final Sound Bites show down at Fulton Stall Market two weeks ago.

Avi Buffalo test out new material for their second Sub Pop album at the Rock Shop tonight. With Nic Frietas.

Metronomy aren't the only Mercury Prize nominees in town this week. Anna Calvi plays tonight at Le Poisson Rouge.

Out at Bushwick's Brooklyn Fireproof, you can see The Gytters (who I wrote about last week) and Cake Shop house band Moonmen on the Moon, Man... along with Nighty Night and Beat People.

The Barr Brothers, who I really liked at M for Montreal last year, play Rockwood Music Hall tonight. They recently signed to Secret City, home of Patrick Watson & the Wooden Arms, Plants and Animals, Miracle Fortress, Basia Bulat and more.

continued below...

Continue reading "Metronomy, American Royalty, Twin Sister, Sonny & the Sunsets, Night Beats, Craft Spells, Avi Buffalo & more in This Week in Indie"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Zaza - Distance Creator (MP3)

As I just mentioned, Zaza are playing Coco66 tonight (6/16) as part of the Northside Festival. And after what seemed like an awfully long time, the band has also finally birthed their debut album, Sacred Geometry, which came out last week. (Digital only for now.) It's sleek and slinky, dark and danceable... a great late night summertime album. If I had a car, I bet it would make for great nightdriving music as well. Check out "Distance Creator" at the top of this post and you can stream the whole shebang below.

The band are good live too, with a cool light show that should benefit greatly from Coco66's in-house smoke machines. If you have other plans tonight, Zaza play next at Littlefield on June 24 with Martin Bisi and Quiet Lights.

Continue reading "Zaza released 'Sacred Geometry' --- album stream & dates"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Seapony - Dreaming (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Seapony - Blue Star (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Eternal Summers - Prisoner (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kindest Lines - Destructive Paths to Live Happily (MP3)

Seapony

It's year three of the Northside Festival, which for one weekend a year makes Williamsburg's music scene just a little crazier than it already is. This first night (tonight) is maybe the strongest overall, in that there are a lot of great showcases set up where -- if you don't have a badge -- you can stay put and get a quality night of music. Or if you do have a badge ($70 bucks, a good deal if you plan on going all four nights) -- some tough decisions. These are my personal picks, and not a comprehensive guide. Clearly lots more is going on (and even more shows that aren't part of Northside).

Radical Dads

NYC Popfest has put together a really good show at Bruar Falls tonight featuring Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, The Secret History and Seapony. I highly recommend all four bands, but do consider going early (8:30) for Seapony who are here from Seattle and should appeal to those who covet 7"s from Sarah and Creation Records. MP3s from Seapony and Eternal Summers are at the top of this post.

Over at Union Pool,  Tiger Mountain booking (aka Skippy who books the Rock Shop) has a quality line-up of locals for ya. If you're looking for a great way to kick off your night, go here at 7:30 for Hospitality who make winsome but not unmuscular pop. Highly recommended. Later on in the evening is '90s indie rock loving Radical Dads whose great debut, Mega Rama, was released this week. (But not on vinyl...boo!). Pursesnatchers (Doug from Dirty on Purpose's band) finishes the night. Also playing: Lady Lamb the Beekeeper and Indian Rebound.

Kindest Lines

Meanwhile at Public Assembly the good folks of No Fun Productions, The Bunker and Wierd Records, have an evening of minimal synth, coldwave, industial and other dark arts planned. Performers include noise and sound artists Rene Hell and Carlos Giffoni; the ethereal, danceable sounds of Laurel Halo; synthpop traditionalists Xeno & Oaklander who make their music with seriously old-school sequencers and keyboards (patch bays are involved); and New Orleans' Kindest Lineswho make pop music that should appeal to fans of early New Order (and, yes, The Cure).  There's also a host of acclaimed DJs spinning in-between sets.

X-Ray Eyeballs

Primo Chicago garage label HozAc Records is hosting the debauchery at Shea Stadium tonight, with Xray Eyeballs (who also play the Kanine show Friday at Knitting Factory), the K-Holes, Making Friendz and My Teenage Stride in there as well to pop things up a bit.

Randoms: I also recommend catching Zaza at Coco66 (11:45, dark and sexy) and Mr. Dream at Glasslands (Midnight, '90s indie rawk).

Again, just my picks. Do go see some music tonight!

Continue reading "Bill's Northside Fest picks (Day 1)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Eternal Summers - Prisoner (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Through the Floor (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Zaza - Distance Creator (ZIP)

Lyonnais

Coachella may be happening on the other coast but it's a lovely day here in NYC and I don't feel like I'm missing anything this weekend staying here. For one thing it's Record Store Day which also falls the same weekend and Tax Day which may be good or bad depending how you did this year. And there's lots of other stuff worth seeing too, so let's get into it.

McDonalds are one of these local groups whose name I'd seen around for a while and given the bands they often played with -- German Measles, Home Blitz, Tyvek -- I had it in my mind they sounded one way when, in fact, they don't. Well, that's not exactly true. They are kind of shambly indie. But their great new single "Good Parts" is like some lost obscure 7" from 1990 Manchester, that era when C-86 melted into the baggy scene. You can check it out -- in video form -- at the bottom of this post in a fun green-screened clip starring a lot of people you might recognize if you hang out at Bruars Falls or Cake Shop with any regularity.

McDonalds have three shows coming up in the next week: tonight (4/14) at Union Pool with Lyonnais and Helado Negro, then Saturday (4/16) as part of Cake Shop's Record Store Day extravaganza (more on that in a minute), and then next Wednesday (4/20) with former Swell Maps/Television Personalities dude Jowe Head & The Extremities.

As mentioned above, also playing the Union Pool show tonight are Atlanta four-piece Lyonnais whose dark, ethereal sound will likely draw comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive... or even mid-'80s goth like Xmal Deutchland or Red Lorry Yellow Lorry. Their debut album is still being shopped around, but you can stream "Transitive Properties of Youth" at the bottom of this post, and a few more at their MySpace.

In addition to tonight's show, Lyonnais play tomorrow (4/15) at Glasslands and I imagine playing under the venue's stormcloud installation will be pretty apropos. I hope they are really loud too.

Eternal Summers

That Glasslands bill also features Roanoke, VA's Eternal Summers who have a new EP titled Prisoner out on Kanine/Forrest Family next week. The title track -- downloadable above -- is one of my favorite Eternal Summers songs yet and the whole EP is pretty excellent overall. The band, at least the last time I saw them, have expanded to a trio for live shows which fills out their sound nicely.

The Glasslands show, in addition to Eternal Summers and Lyonnais, features Toronto's Golden Dogs and locals Dream Diary who don't play together so much anymore now that guitarist Madison moved to Memphis. Brad Oberhofer will DJ in-between bands.  That's a good night of music.

Eternal Summers also play Cake Shop on Saturday (4/16) which is the venue's Record Store Day extravaganza, featuring a slew of great -- mostly local -- bands. The downstairs will be a record mart during the day (noon - 6PM). Bands during the evening include the previously-mentioned McDonalds, Natural Child, Widowspeak, Overlord, Hands & Knees, Night Collectors and Twitchers. Eternal Summers head out on tour next month with the Beets and all those tour dates are at the bottom of the post.

Also, for the real record nerds, Cake Shop is running a fun little contest. They've made 77 versions of the Record Store Day flyer, each with different backgrounds taken from album covers. Take a look, name the artist and album of as many as you can and email your answers to cakeshopusa@gmail.com. The entry with the most correct answers (or first entry in case of a tie) wins either a $77 bar tab at Cake Shop or $77 credit for the Cape Shok record mart during that day. Winner's choice. I got about 55 for sure, with another 15 I could figure out with a little time.

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And finally, Spectrum (aka Pete "Sonic Boom" Kember who also co-fronted Spacemen 3) are in town this weekend playing two shows with Crystal Stilts: Saturday (4/16) at Le Poisson Rouge and Sunday (4/17) at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Kember is one of the forefathers of drone pop and in the past few years has become known for his work behind the boards, having produced MGMT's underrated/misunderstood Congratulations album, and he mixed the new Panda Bear. There's a new Spectrum album duo sometime soon too. Kember's influence seems more relevant than ever. Glad to see he's staying busy.

Crystal Stilts

Crystal Stilts owe more than a little to Kember's many records. The band just released their second LP, In Love with Oblivion and I think it's pretty great, pretty easily besting their 2008 debut (which was one of my favorite albums of that year.) The production's better, the songs are better, and the artwork's really nice as well. It's hard to listen to the new album without thinking of Frankie Rose whose relentless drumming style, I feel, probably had a lot to do with the way standout songs like "Sycamore Tree" and "Death is What We Live For" were formed. Both of those Kraut-heavy tracks made their debut in late 2008. As much as I like Rose's solo work, I miss her being in this band.

But the new new songs show that it's still guitarist JB Townsend and singer Brad Hargett writing great songs. The biggest improvement over the first album is probably the influence of keyboardist Kyle Forrester, whose parts add a bright color to Crystal Stilts' sound, especially on "Silver Sun" and single "Shake the Shackles." The record got a deserved 7.9 in Pitchfork today. You can download "Through the Floor" at the top of this post and watch the video below. Crystal Stilts are on tour starting next week and all dates are below.

That's it for this edition. Some daily picks and more after the jump.

Continue reading "McDonalds, Lyonnais, Eternal Summers, Record Store Day @ Cake Shop, Spectrum, Crystal Stilts, Zaza, Rebecca Gates & more in This Week in Indie"

photos by Harriet Roberts and Nikki Sneakers

Religious To Damn (mem Blacklist/Vaura/A Stom of Light) played their record release party at Glasslands on 1/13 in celebration of Glass Prayer, the band's new LP out via M'Lady's Records on February 8th. The LP features an appearance from Tamaryn who (despite a supposed last minute cancellation) joined the band on stage. Kevin Hufnagel (Dystrhythmia/Gorguts/Vaura) opened with a solo set on acoustic guitar after Charlie Schmid and his percussion ensemble 'I Sing The Body Electric' performed Steve Reich's 'Drumming'. There was burlesque from Anna Copa Cabanna, and records were played by Jonathan Toubin, Jeralyn Mason, and WIERD honcho Pieter Schoolwerth.

The Glasslands show was free, but unfortunately you will have to shell out a couple bucks to catch Religious to Damn at one of their next appearances: 2/6 at Glasslands with The Vacant Lots, Exit Music and ZaZa, on 2/23 at Union Pool with Man's Gin or on 3/25 at Cake Shop with Tog. Man's Gin also plays Mercury Lounge on 2/12 with Scott Kelly and Wino. Tickets are still available for that one.

Tamaryn will be back in NYC when she opens for the Raveonettes at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 4/20 (tickets are still on sale), and she'll be back even sooner to be part of this just announced February 19th event at MoMA PS1.

Saturday, February 19, 2011 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Saturday Sessions: Hosted by Lauren Devine and Patrik Sandberg featuring performances by Tamaryn, Mirror Mirror, and visuals by Thunder Horse Video

Lauren Devine and Patrik Sandberg present an audiovisual experience featuring performances by Tamaryn and Mirror Mirror, with an immersive visual landscape by installation crew Thunder Horse Video. The one-time-only collaborative event will produce a synthesized encounter with Tamaryn's colossal and dense sound and the natural landscape that inspired it, exaggerated to unnatural proportion within MoMA PS1's physical space. Mirror Mirror's lead-in performance, with costumes by Lauren Devine, will further feature a synchronized video by artists Robert Bittenbender and Casey Jane Ellison.

All Tamaryn dates, and more pictures from the Glasslands show, below...

Continue reading "Religious to Damn played Glasslands w/ help from Tamaryn (both have announced more shows) -- pics & dates"

So, remember those six free shows that are happening? Here they are....

Continue reading "Jelly presents Saturdays @ Rock Yard (6 free show lineups) "

photos by Jessica Amaya

"Omg twin sister on mhow sound system. Huge. Sounds incredible" - jenn pelly

"Memory Tapes was unexpectedly great last night. - Kyle LaMar

"Memory Tapes have the best visuals at northsidefest so far; they look like something from blipfest" - gimmetinnitus

"memory tapes & DOM were awesome at MHoW!" - ryan brodhead

"DOM were really nice guys, even if they did hotbox our shared green room..." - Zaza

Memory Tapes @ MHOW - June 26, 2010

"[Saturday] night was one of the Brooklyn Vegan showcases, featuring Zaza, DOM, Twin Sister and Memory Tapes.

I unfortunately missed the Zaza set, although heard from some folks that they were one of the better sets that night. DOM rocked it, with trippy projections on a big screen behind them (that would also flash "DOM" between songs, lest you forget who you were watching) and trying to rouse a chorus of "USA!" after they finished their song "Living in America." One poor audience member attempted to stage dive at the very end of their set, to be met with nothing but the cold, hard floor of the Music Hall of Williamsburg..." [Free Williamsburg]

Thanks everyone for a great show. Those who missed Zaza's set, or those who want to just relive it, can grab the audio online now at NYC Taper (where they also have the audio of the WAVVES show at Knitting Factory).

Videos from Memory Tapes' & Twin Sister's MHOW sets, and more pictures from the whole night, below...

Continue reading "Memory Tapes, Twin Sister, Dom & Zaza played the BV Northside show @ MHOW - pics, video, live recording"

by Bill Pearis

Zaza @ South Street Seaport in 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Saturday! Let's just get this out of the way, there are three Brooklyn Vegan shows happening tonight. At Music Hall of Williamsburg there's Memory Tapes, Twin Sister, DOM and Zaza. Tonight will be my first time seeing Memory Tapes whose songs I do enjoy. Looking forward to hearing Twin Sister's sultry, ethereal grooves with MHoW's killer soundsystem. Saw DOM play for the first time Thursday night, they were fun: part '80s nostalgia pop, part old-school surf rock. They scored extra points by covering the Pete & Pete theme, though they got the lyric wrong: it's "dontcha talk back" not "does you're dog bite." It's ok, DOM, everyone thinks it's that.

And please, please, please come early for Zaza who have really been firing on all dark and beautiful cylinders recently. Tickets are still available if you don't have a pass.

There's also two Black Bubblegum BV shows, full to the rim with heavy dynamite. At Europa in Greenpoint there's FLOOR, Unearthly Trance, Javelina and Hot Graves. Then at Union Pool, there's a late show with Gloominous Doom and Jucifer. BBG can tell you more about those.

---

Saturday is another "just go anywhere and you'll be fine" type day. I feel like I'm just reprinting Northside's schedule here. Anyway...

Some day shows today. The L Magazine will present all of its "8 NYC Bands You Need to Hear" over two afternoons at Spike Hill. Today it's Ava Luna, North Highlands (who'll play my This Week In Indie show on Sunday), Ball of Flame Shoot Fire and Miniboone. It's free, no badges necessary, bands start after 2PM.

There's also a day show at Bruar Falls that will give NYC their last chance to see the two bands Jenny Logan is in in one place, before she moves to Portland, OR next month. Ribbons, which she fronts, play at 5PM. You should definitely pick up their new EP, Love is Mysterious, while you're there. Jenny also plays bass in World Atlas who sound more than a little exactly like Belle & Sebastian. Sandwiched in between are Forrest Fire. The $5 cover includes free grub courtesy Bruar's back patio grill.

Today is the first day of the Metro PCS outdoor stage. In the afternoon there's Cults (1:30), Male Bonding (2:30) and current L Magazine (nice print redesign, btw) cover stars Titus Andronicus (3:30); at night, the hard-to-pass-up trio of High Places (6:30), Fucked Up (7:30), and Liars (8:30).

And a whole bunch of awesome night shows.

Lotta good bands at Knitting Factory tonight, one of the newest, nicest places to enjoy a show in the neighborhood. Violens, who are finally, for reals, about to drop their debut album, are on at 9PM. (Check out their new single, "Acid Reign," downloadable at their website.) Slinky synthpop of Class Actress is at 11PM. And late night at Knitting Factory there's Philadelphia's great Reading Rainbow at 12:30 and the Beets are on at 1AM. And in between bands your DJ is Jed of My Teenage Stride whose taste in '60s R&B is enviable. There will be dancing.

Over at Death By Audio, Impose Magazine has a great bunch of bands playing: If nothing else I'm going to try and make it there for Lower Dens (1AM oh boy) whose album Twin Hand Movements (out July 20) has been in constant rotation on my stereo recently. Also playing: Frankie Rose & the Outs (or if you're the Northside poster, The Oats), Coasting, Minneapolis' Dark Dark Dark, Matteah Baim and Total Slacker (whose Impose-released 7" has been slightly delayed, for those counting the days till its release).

Bar Matchless has a fun roster curated by Nora at I Rock I Roll, with personal faves Dream Diary, plus Shark? (who I caught last night at Spike Hill, they were good), Akudama and Beloved Rogue.

Slow Club are the "very special guests" playing Cameo tonight. If you've never seen the cute UK, clear a little time in your schedule to get charmed. They're on at 11PM.

And out at Shea Stadium (the DIY venue, not the stadium...that would be the Way Northside Festival), Chocolate Bobka's got Ducktails with Big Troubles as his backing band, plus a set from Big Troubles (if you love '90s shoegaze, don't miss they're awesome), as well as WOOM and a bunch of other bands I've never heard of but are probably laid back and chill.

Like I said, you aren't hurting for Northside options. There's lots more going on, check out the Northside Saturday schedule for more.

There'll likely not be a Sunday Picks post -- I'm running around like crazy as it is -- but I'll say that if you're not coming to theBV This Week in Indie show at Coco 66, it better be because you're going to see The Wave Pictures at Public Assembly.

"Like last year, everything will be taking place in Williamsburg and Greenpoint because walking long distances is a drag when there are bands to see and beer to drink, we mean seriously. Us here at The L Magazine will be booking a share of shows on our own, but, for a large chunk of the festival, we've once again handed over curatorial control to some of the most tasteful, talented and dedicated folks in New York's independent music scene -- record labels, bloggers, promoters and more -- allowing them to showcase the bands they think you need to hear. The Williamsburg Gallery Association is again on board to highlight special exhibitions and other events at over 25 art galleries in the neighborhood. And to celebrate Northside's second year, we've invited a few of the city's biggest aficionados of independent film to curate four nights of New York-made movies at Brooklyn's new, as-yet-unopened film house-music club-restaurant-bar, indieScreen."

That message from L Magazine refers to the second annual Northside Festival, taking place in Brooklyn from June 24th through the 27th.

Music, art and movies will be happening at "30+ venues" and "dozens of galleries" over the course of four days in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Like SXSW & CMJ, you can buy tickets to individual events, or you can get a badge which gets you in to everything that isn't already at badge-capacity. $50 badges are now on sale to those 21 and over. If you buy a badge, "Arrive to venues early - badgeholders are admitted on a first-come, first-served, one-out, one-in basis."

If you buy a badge you can take your chances at getting into one of the four Northside shows happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg (BrooklynVegan showcase included), Fiery Furnaces at Brooklyn Bowl, and WAVVES & Cloud Nothings at Knitting Factory. TONS more shows TBA, but the initial list of bands that will be playing has been announced (I'm especially excited to see The Wave Pictures, Fucked Up, Liars, Parenthetical Girls and Les Savy Fav on there in addition to what we've previously talked about) (and yes Titus Andronicus is on there). Check it out below...

Continue reading "2010 Northside Festival - tickets & intial lineup (includes Liars, Fucked Up, Les Savy Fav, Polvo & many more)"

DOWNLOAD: Memory Tapes - Bicycle (Little Loud Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dom - Jesus (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Memory Tapes - Bicycle (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Twin Sister - Lady Daydream (Cassette Version) (MP3)

Memory Tapes @ The Bell House in February (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

I'm happy to announce the BrooklynVegan Northside Festival showcase, happening on Saturday, June 26th at Music Hall of Williamburg with Memory Tapes, Twin Sister, DOM and ZAZA. $15 Tickets (ARE NOW ON SALE) --- go on sale Friday, April 30th Saturday at noon (the show is 18+). A certain amount of tickets will also be reserved for Northside badge holders. Info on those passes and other Northside shows TBA.

The L Magazine-created Northside Festival debuted last year, and runs from June 24-27 this year, the same weekend as Williamsburg Walks. Most of the venues in Williamsburg and Greenpoint will be participating. If you missed it last year, it's like a mini CMJ where you can either just go to whatever shows you want, or buy a badge that lets you jump from show to show, capacity (and mood of the venue) permitting. The idea is that it's all contained within the Brooklyn neighborhood(s), mostly walking distance from each other.

For Memory Tapes, the Brooklyn show will be their third NYC performance ever (despite head member Dayve Hawk living in Jersey). He previously opened for Atlas Sound at The Bell House, and played a Self-Titled party at Tribeca Grand right after that. The sequenced tracks on his CD, Seek Magic, might have you wondering about the band's live arrangement. For that, Hawk sings and plays guitar, and is now backed by one band member. They'll be debuting a "reworked live show" at Music Hall. Check out video of past shows below.

Twin Sister has been playing around town quite a bit over these past few weeks - most recently at the Morning Benders' Mercury Lounge show last night (pics coming). They'll be at Rooftop Films Opening Night on May 14th and a release show for their Color Your Life EP at Glasslands on May 28th. They tour with Bear in Heaven this July.

DOM of Worcester, Mass, has sooner shows coming up as well, one of those is the release party for Keepaway's EP at Mercury Lounge on May 18th.

ZAZA, who Bill recently called "one of the best, most under-appreciated bands in the city right now", are in Europe on tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club this May.

Sample tracks are above, and videos from all the bands (including Twin Sister covering Daft Punk on a roof) are below...

Continue reading "Memory Tapes, Twin Sister, DOM & ZAZA are playing the BV Northside Fest showcase (and other dates) ++ MP3s, video "

by Bill Pearis

There's a lot going on this weekend but the show I'm most excited about this weekend is The Wedding Present who are in town performing their 1989 classic Bizarro in its entirety. They'll do it at Maxwell's on Saturday night (4/10, Sold Out) and then Bowery Ballroom on Sunday (not sold out) (4/11).

I won't lie: you're looking at a Wedding Present superfan. Like a lot of Americans, Bizarro was the first album I heard and is near and dear to me for that reason. (1991's Seamonsters is my all-time fave, though.) Bizarro is the peak of their early sound -- jangle pop played hard and very fast -- ten bashers that climax with the nearly ten minute "Take Me!" that might be the band's most manic song ever. Magnet asked frontman David Gedge, who turns 50 on April 23rd, a question I was wondering about.

Magnet:There's a lot of frantic guitar strumming on Bizarro, songs like "Kennedy" in particular. Twenty-plus years later, how worried are you that you might need frequent breaks during the shows?

David Gedge: I'm not going to deny that it's a challenge! With Bizarro, we took the original idea of the Wedding Present--namely, to play songs as fast and for as long as possible--to its logical conclusion. As a result, it's a collection of fairly extreme recordings, and obviously, we've never played them back to back like this before. Rehearsals have been more like training sessions for a marathon, but I have no doubt that we'll get there in the end.

A little clarification: the band are doing the original 10-song UK version of Bizarro, not the 14-track U.S. CD version so don't expect them to play their cover of Pavement's "Box Elder." They are, however, playing about seven songs from throughout the band's career (and a couple new ones) before launching into the album.

White Mystery

Guitar-bass garage rock duos are a dime a dozen, but White Mystery from Chicago stand out and not just because siblings Alex and Francis are flaming redheads. (If they ever need to change their name, may I suggest Firecrotch?) Alex, formerly of Red Orchestra, has a soulful wail that she lets belt out at top register. They're also less blues-y than many of their brethren -- even without the singing nobody's gonna confuse them with The White Stripes, Thee Oh Sees, etc. Their self-titled debut is a lot of fun. And you just know -- you just know -- they're gonna be good live.

White Mystery play Don Pedros on Friday night (4/9) with Girls at Dawn, Medication, Lil Daggers, and The Psyched. They'll also play Cake Shop on Saturday with QXBXRX, Zbornak, and the Richie White Orchestra.

In addition to Serena Maneesh, Here's a few more picks for tonight and Friday...

Continue reading "The Wedding Present, White Mystery, Mon Khmer, ARMS, Zaza, Light Asylum & more in This Week in Indie (part 2) "

Ted Leo R/X @ The Suffolk in October (more by Tim Griffin)

tonight in NYC
* Gogol Bordello @ Irving Plaza
* Billy Martin @ Rose Live Music
* Soulive w/ Charlie Hunter @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Giggles w/ Don Stahl & guests @ Bruar Falls
* Gutbucket, Suite Unraveling, Afuche @ Zebulon
* P.O.S., Dessa, Astronautalis @ Bowery Ballroom
* Alice In Chains, Middle Class Rut @ Terminal 5
* Aa, Screens, PC Worship, Yvette @ Death By Audio
* Split Lip Rayfield, Auctioneers @ Mercury Lounge
* Ted Leo & the Pharmacists @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* The Library Is On Fire, Automatic Fire @ Mercury Lounge
* Yes Giantess, Light Asylum, Oberhofer, Twin Shadow, Brahms @ (Le) Poisson Rouge

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists play a record release show/karaoke party tonight at Knitting Factory. They'll be back in April for a show at Irving Plaza with Screaming Females and Obits. Ted's new album is currently streaming at AOL.

Speaking of Knitting Factory, that's where our pre-SXSW show with 5 SXSW-bound European bands is happening for $8 on Monday, March 15th. There's now also going to be PBR open bar. Stay tuned for more details on that.

Our first of 7 SXSW-week shows in Austin is just a drop over a week away. Follow @bvSXSW for our SXSW tweeting.

Zaza's video for "Always On" is below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Serena-Maneesh - Ayisha Abyss (MP3)

It's been about four years since Norway's Serena-Maneesh brought their effects pedals and puffy pirate shirts to America. They return this week. They play a late show at Mercury Lounge on Friday (1/22, after the BV Presents Dawn Landes record release show earlier in the evening) and Littlefield in Brooklyn on Saturday (1/23). Tickets (click the links) are still on sale for both, and we have a pair to give away to the show of your choice. Details below.

It's been even longer since they've released a record, which will also change with the release of the cheerily-titled SM 2: Abyss in B Minor (pictured above) -- which they recorded on two-inch tape in an actual cave! That is some dedication there. You can download an edit (still over six minutes long) of the album's first track, "Ayisha Abyss," at the top of this post. It's kind of a bombastic, bonkers track, a bit like Can at times, but also sounds like two different songs accidentally being played at the same time. It's got me curious to hear the rest of the record (out March 23rd on 4AD) and wondering what to expect from this weekend's shows.

I saw S-M play at Mercury Lounge back in January 2006 and remember being a bit disappointed in the band's short (and not loud enough) set, but heard the next night at NorthSix (now MHoW) was much better. And I've got a friend who swears they're the best live band she's ever seen, and is flying in from Chicago just to go to these shows. (S-M have no other scheduled U.S. dates at this time.)

Openers at Mercury Lounge are The Vandelles; Littlefield also has Zaza and Cruel Black Dove. If I had to pick one show over the other, I'd probably go with Saturday at Littlefield just because it might be over earlier. Last time at the Merc, Serena-Maneesh didn't go on till 1AM. Those pedals take a long time to set up.

All dates, contest details, and a video below...

Continue reading "Serena Maneesh album details, MP3, tour dates & a contest "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Come Saturday (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Everything with You (MP3)

It's not entirely uncommon, especially these days, for a band to go from playing Cake Shop to headlining Webster Hall in little over a year, but one of the amazing surprises of 2009 is that it happened to The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Made entirely of genuine indie obsessives who, when not on tour are at other people's shows, the Pains moved beyond the cardigan crowd to what you could almost call... mainstream success? It doesn't hurt that their self-titled debut was chock-full of irresistible pop songs, three of which were actual singles (all downloadable at the top of this post), and the rest could've been. The band rest up until February when they tour Japan, Australia and New Zealand -- tour dates are at the bottom of this post. Singer Kip Berman answered our year-end in questionnaire...

Continue reading "an end of 2009 interview w/ The Pains of Being Pure at Heart"

photos by Tim Griffin

Agit Reader: Have you found it difficult to be a band in New York? Given the deluge of music that's here, is it hard to make your mark?

Alex Naidus: We haven't thought of it that way. Other than having to pay for cabs to get to a show, it's fun to be a band in New York. If we started a band with the idea of "making it" then it would be hard, but we just like to play and have fun.

Peggy Wang: In New York, you're lucky because even if you play music that's not trendy or popular, there's still a niche. It's been nice to play a few shows and get momentum where people come see us play. We never had to play Fat Baby, like the last band I was in that had to play there. It's also nice because, while there's so many bands, there's quite a few bands with whom we fit and can play shows. There's always lots of options as far as bands to play with and venues.

Kip Berman: I know there's difficulties with practice space and the logistics of it, but in terms of the scene and culture being supportive of what we do, it's been great. I think of bands that play in other cities that are really good, but don't have other bands to play with and they feel really isolated. Here in New York there's other like-minded people that come to our shows and we go to their shows. It feels like a really good community.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Alex, Peggy and Kip) headlined Friday's free show at the South Street Seaport (a NYC venue, much, much larger than Fat Baby). More pictures from that show below...

Continue reading "The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Zaza & Ribbons @ South Street Seaport, NYC - pics"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Little Girls - Tambourine (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Brunettes - Small Town Crew (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sharon Van Etten - For You (MP3)

Japandroids

With the weather today in NYC being just about perfect, I imagine the Seaport will be super packed for tonight's show with Pains of Being Pure at Heart (7/10), which will be their biggest hometown show yet. (Jay Reatard may not be there, though.) I don't think a year ago anybody, even those who've loved them from the start, would have thought TPOBPAH would have gotten as big as they have. Their minds have to be kind of blowing, but from what I can tell they're taking it in stride. The band are gearing up for a West Coast tour with Girls (most of TPOPBAH were at Girls' Mercury Lounge show two weeks ago) and then a bigger fall tour with Cymbals Eat Guitars and drummer Kurt's other band, The Depreciation Guild. Kurt has also been known to help out with gothy, atmospheric duo ZAZA who are also on tonight's Seaport Music Festival show.

But what to do after Seaport? Canadian duo (and Pitchfork Best New Music recipients) Japandroids are in town and while Saturday's show at Pianos is sold out, there's still tonight's show at Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg. I'm not 100% sold on the record, though every time a song comes up on shuffle I'm always like "oh who's this?" which makes me more than curious enough to check them out. That loud-and-anthemic quality of their music reminds me both of '80s STT bands like Husker Du or fIREHOSE, and the '90s Halifax scene (Thrush Hermit especially) and I have a feeling Japandroid's live show will put me over into the full-on "yes" category. Tonight's show also features fellow Canadians Little Girls who I wrote about a few weeks ago when they played Littlefield, and local noisemongers Dinowalrus who recently signed to Kanine.

"We just signed to Kanine to put our debut album called "%". it will come out in October.

we already have two 7"s out. one was self-released, the other was a split 7" put out with Bachelor of Arts from Melbourne Australia on EXO (apache beat, slits, japanther)" - Dinowalrus

Cameo's a nice addition to North 6th St, and if you ever find yourself bored by a band there, you can always just stare at the giant hypnotizing psychedelic fiber optic Snuffleupagus head that hangs above the stage.

Japandroids are also playing the Siren Festival next weekend. They go on at 3:00 pm.

Jason Lytle

Over at Union Hall, former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle plays, supporting his solo debut, Yours Truly, the Commuter. If he'd released it as a Grandaddy record I don't think anyone would've flinched, as it's more of the stoner spacerock about suburban ennui that is Lytle's forte. Maybe it's a little more acoustic based than Grandaddy were, but it's not like he's decided to do anything radically different here. That isn't a criticism per se, as he's really good at it. If you liked Grandaddy, you'll like this. It's a good record. Tonight's show is with The Albertans, who you may remember as one of The L Magazine's 8 NYC Bands You Need to Hear. Jason also plays Bowery Ballroom Saturday (7/11).

The Brunettes

New Zealand's charming Brunettes have been camped out in New York for a few weeks and I keep meaning to write about them and then I forget. They play tonight (7/10) at The Bell House and if you've never seen them before, here would be a good chance to rectify the situation. They are cute as a button and mix lush, Bacharachian pop and '60s girl group sounds with a bit of New Wave. I guess you could call them the Kiwi Bird and the Bee, but Brunettes have been doing it longer. They are very engaging live (maybe you saw them open for the Ting Tings at Union Hall last year?) and The Bell House seems like a nice place to see them. A new record is due out any time now, and they're heading out on a big North American tour soon, and those dates are at the bottom of this post. Also on the bill: Great Lakes, BV fave Sharon Van Etten and Animal Hands.

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And then of course Sunday is the first of this year's Pool Parties, with what could be the loudest, noisiest of the summer: Mission of Burma, Fucked Up and Ponytail. While I'll miss the decayed allure of the McCarren Pool, the new location at the riverfront park has it's own appeal, and looks to be a pretty spectacular setting. No slip-n-slide I hear, but surely they'll come up with something else cool to replace it. Let's hope. And remember: no hand grenades, Krull stars, or cargo shorts. See you there.

Tour dates, flyers and videos after the jump....

Continue reading "Japandroids, Brunettes, Jason Lytle, TPOBPAH, Little Girls & more in This Week in Indie (part 2) "

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

Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Bell House in March (more by Chris La Putt)

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart headline a free show at South Street Seaport in NYC tonight (7/10). Zaza and Ribbons open. Zaza member Danny Taylor has done production work for Pains. Zaza member Jennifer Fraser used to be in The Warlocks. Ribbons, like Zaza, is a Brooklyn based duo - not to be confused with Ribbons aka 'jherek bischoff' who has played in XIU XIU, The Dead Science and Parenthetical Girls.

Last week the Seaport Music series kicked off with a July 3rd Here We Go Magic and Bachelorette show.

All Pains of Being Pure at Heart tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Pains of Being Pure at Heart - 2009 Tour Dates (FREE SHOW @ SOUTH STREET SEAPORT TONIGHT w/ Zaza & Ribbons) "