Topshelf CMJ showcase & Unimpressed Fest pics (Donovan Wolfington, Nai Harvest, Solids, Lizard Kisses, Clique, more)

photos by Mimi Hong

Donovan Wolfington / Nai Harvest @ Topshelf showcase
Topshelf CMJ Showcase

Boston-born record label Topshelf stuffed their CMJ party with the sort of bleary-eyed, ruddy-cheeked indie rock that they've built their modest name off of since 2006, but the funereal crawl of Brooklyn folkies Lizard Kisses was asynchronously tapped to kick off the proceedings. As their set unfolded, it became clear that what the occasional Mutual Benefit collaborators lacked in buzzy guitars and adenoidal vocalizations, they made up for in upping the ante of their heart-sleeved emoting. That meant that every creeping slowcore structure and crooned romanticism was met with lopsidedly swelling strings and unearthly guitarwork. It's all off-balance and understated, characteristics that the sorts of melodramatic bands who usually bring string sections to basement shows could stand to adopt. [Spin]

The above quote is from Spin's "Best of CMJ" feature, in which they deemed Lizard Kisses to have the "Best Use of Strings at an Emo Show." The show in question was the Topshelf Records showcase at Shea Stadium on October 15, which also featured Infinity Girl, Clique, Solids, Wildhoney, Donovan Wolfington and Nai Harvest. We've got pictures of that show in this post.

Donovan Wolfington and Nai Harvest also teamed up for the 'Unimpressed Fest' CMJ show at The Studio at Webster Hall a couple days later with Furnsss and more. We have pictures of that show in this pos too.

Lizard Kisses' core lineup is the duo of Cory Siegler and Marc Merza, but they have several other collaborators. As that Spin review points out, one is Mutual Benefit, and main MB member Jordan Lee features on their single "In the Morning" which came out earlier this year. You can watch the video for that below.

Clique, who were also at the showcase, are very recent Topshelf signees, and they have a new album on the way in 2016. Their self-titled 2014 album can be streamed and downloaded (name your price) at bandcamp.

More pictures and that Lizard Kisses video below...

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Lizard Kisses "In the Morning" from alice cohen on Vimeo.

Topshelf CMJ Showcase

Topshelf CMJ Showcase