Apes & Androids might be my favorite live band ever, and I've seen 'em all. Seriously I can't even describe how fucking excited I am for this show tonight. Damn, I just can't wait to see what kind of shit they have planned for tonight. You really can't miss this tonight, you CAN'T. I might go nuts when they play "Hot Kathy."
It's FREE if you RSVP: rsvp@fotpnyc.com
$5 if you don't
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Arctic Monkeys, Cold War Kids, Bloc Parties, Modest Mice & Arcade Fires, Oh My!
Tom Says:
1) Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
The Arctic Monkeys have been through this before. In their Northern homeland, the Monkeys found their first LP release, “Whatever People Say About Me That’s What I’m Not”-- released only one year ago!-- preceded by an unprecedented storm of media oggling due to the smashing success of their myspace-and-pub anthem “I Bet That You Look Good on the Dance Floor.” Fortunately, the group rose to the occasion and the album was every bit the frame for the single; a filler-less, coming-of-age in a post-nuclear age romp-de-triumph. In short, it was great. In fact, People actually speculated out loud as to whether the band had had help composing the material. Now here they are again, faced with the ghost of that very critical coup, back in the eye of the storm of expectations. C’est la vie, indeed. Here’s to hoping that these blokes eventually get to release a record without a colossal burden of artistic proof riding upon it.
As for the results, well, they are more than good. The lads are dealing straight aces again on “Favorite Worst Nightmare” and they don’t sound cowed by pressure whatsoever (despite what you may have already heard from more distinguished news sources who’s names may or may not rhyme with ‘snitch-pork’ or ‘thin’-- outlets that don‘t seem to much care for rock n roll music that doesn‘t feature banjos or key-tars anyway). In fact, “F.W.N.” is every bit the first album and then some. Really. For one thing, it is great for what it isn’t. It isn’t what has become the industry-standard second album. You know, the one where the group recalls tales of excess from ‘the road’ over string/horn sections or call in there new friend Bono for a consult (you decide which is worse). Nor is “F.W.N.” the “oh shit, you know those songs on album ‘1a?’ Well those, were, um, seriously the only 12 tunes we’d ever really finished”-album. Instead, Arctic Monkey’s 2nd is an ideal throwback to second records of the past,* the kind that few groups would consider making anymore. All the lad’s have done here is to turn the screws, polish the brass, and written a new playbook of smart hooks and air-lock-tight rhymes. For this reason, the Arctic’s are likely-- and already beginning-- to catch much of the same brand of flak as the Strokes got for “Room on Fire” ( a record which was also a better, tighter, superior version of the sound on its predecessor). All because they have refused to register an album full of ill-fated jazz odysseys and sonic umma-gumma moments. But fuck…there isn’t a bad song here, and that says a lot for a rock band these days, and you’d be kidding yourself if you argued that the best moments of F.W.N. --“505” and “Do Me a Favor,” specifically-- haven’t approved upon “When the Sun Goes Down” and “I Bet.” So let’s all give the Monkeys a break and a chance at a proper career, eh?
2) Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
On the opposite end of the spectrum of ‘indie’ musical culture and general buzz, I find the Cold War Kids. Who the fuck are these guys?,^ (and don’t answer that, I am only making a point.) I was supposed to have reviewed their album “Robbers and Cowards,” back in the Fall when it was released -- then I lost it the cd when my review was half written, along with the Annuals* record, which it turns out, was really good, you should buy it, only to find them both recently in a stack of cd’s which my roommate, Jesse^ had been hording, prick -- and I got to tell you, it wasn’t pretty. R’s & C’s comes across as a series of almost ludicrously dull chord sequences amalgamated into an almost absurdly dull sequence of tunes, each of which sound flattened into the same vaguely-reverby* drone, sans hooks, often accompanied by a ‘trippy’ or ‘phat’ beat underlying the proceedings. It sucked. There may or may not have been vocals (and lyrics) present, I was rendered too numb to remember.^
And you know what? A lot of other reviewers I read at the time agreed with me. So, good, I thought, that’s that. Hah! Unfortunately, these pretentious, suburbanite, surfers of smugness have, in the course of the last month or so, caught a second wind.* Well, I thought, this is unacceptable! So I repeat, this album still BLOWS. And, after doing some YouTube-related research, I can assure that the live effect is no less boring or, well, boring than it was the first time. Perhaps CWK’s are in fact flexing a measure of stylistic genius that is beyond me -- though I doubt it, I mean how many times can random piano-key hits on the same album be sonically ‘interesting’?-- and therefore, I will keep an open mind towards their further releases. But for now, I wish them ill.
3) Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Speaking of me NOT getting something,^ I have an apology to make, humbly, to Modest Mouse. Here’s to you lot. You have changed my mind completely. I still don’t enjoy your first two albums, but I get “it” now, and I was stupid and my shame abounds. Sorry doesn’t cut it, mea culpa. Your new album, I don’t care what they say! It’s brilliant. Mr. Broc, you are a songwriter at the top of your game, steadily progressing in theme and practice, and you had me at the first deviously gobblinish “ahahahA!” of “March into the Sea.” And as for you, Mr. Marr --who’s seminal band’s oeuvre I still dislike, but that is the fault of another English cultural luminary-- your guitar work on that goddamn single is like, solid fucking gold. Oh, and I love the nautical themes and the subtle bluesy undercurrents throughout. Props to the drummer to for recovering his sanity and improving his chops in the process. Stars all around.
4) Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
Which brings us back to where we began. The weight of expectations and specifically, the dueling options of progress or collapse into failure. As for Bloc Party. Oh dear. I have been dreading this review, putting it off indefinitely. I should have known what was coming when in early news singer Kele reported that the band was going in a more “gentle”* direction, which for a band who sounded equal parts Mission of Burma, Devo, and the Beatles on their first album, sounded err, like a poor plan. The results speak for themselves. The best parts of “A Weekend in the City” sound like “Silent Alarm” and the lesser parts sound like Genesis, the later years. That said, these guys still have mad skillz^: the lead guitar player dude (with the hair bangs) and drummer (with the geek glasses) are two of the most inventive interesting players in popular music, and if Kele cheers up or just gets mad again in the near future, redemption surely awaits. Go well boys, and good luck.
5) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Lastly, and with a big ‘sorry folks’ to the diehards, but the Arcade Fire have also failed to grasp my attention with “Neon Bible.” I know that Q Magazine loves it, gave it 5 damn stars, but I just don’t hear it. I think that a lot of magazines are racing to recognize the group for being what it is, an unqualifiedly fantastic band; one which has one more classic album under their collective belt that most groups will ever have. However the new record is sadly, not aces. It did manage to hold my attention for a week, and then, well, I just haven’t had the urge to listen to it since. Not once. Once again, the best song here, “No Cars Go,” sounds like it could have concluded “Funeral…” and as it turns out, it could have, since it was written in advance of “Funeral.” There is some lovely (and I don’t mean “gentle”) stuff here, “My Body is a Cage” is a winner, “(Antichrist Television Blues)” works for the first three of its five and a half verses, and the “Black Wave” half of the Bad Vibrations/Black Wave suite is both melodically and lyrically compelling. But like Bloc Party with “Silent Alarm,” the Arcade Fire are faced with a task of following a nigh perfect record, and like the London foursome, they chose to try to expand on that blueprint greatly rather than flesh it out. The result explains why “Leave the Car Running,” an almost tuneless meander that wouldn’t have cut muster on “Funeral,” but, due to its jaunty beat, has been featured as a single. Today’s lesson: why rush to remodel your sound when you’ve just barely arrived at it?
End Notes:
* See: “Axis/Bold as Love,” “Give ‘em Enough Rope,” “Led Zeppelin II,” “Nevermind”
^See: “Who the Fuck are Arctic Monkeys”
*“Be He Me”
^Reno, Jesse: Rawles’ Balls’ Finest
*No, not a word
^Yes! Upon a re-listen, moments ago, I can confirm that there was, in fact, singing and lyrics which display “social consciouness.” Rather, I blame the utter absence of melody for my memory lapse in this case.
*Credit to them for their persistent touring.
^Like, for instance, I saw the much ballyhooed Tokyo Police Club on “Conan” the other day, and I like, just didn’t get it. It just wasn’t very good. Sorry.
*see also: pussy, shlocky, schmaltzy, lame, dull; also: ‘more gentle’ not a correct phrase, I know.
^also: skills
Matt Says:
Agree on all but Cold War Kids. They're not great but they aren't nearly THAT bad. In fact I kinda like them. The new Arctic Monkeys is top notch. I wasn't sold on the first one but after hearing the latest it's safe to say these kids are legit.
1) Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
The Arctic Monkeys have been through this before. In their Northern homeland, the Monkeys found their first LP release, “Whatever People Say About Me That’s What I’m Not”-- released only one year ago!-- preceded by an unprecedented storm of media oggling due to the smashing success of their myspace-and-pub anthem “I Bet That You Look Good on the Dance Floor.” Fortunately, the group rose to the occasion and the album was every bit the frame for the single; a filler-less, coming-of-age in a post-nuclear age romp-de-triumph. In short, it was great. In fact, People actually speculated out loud as to whether the band had had help composing the material. Now here they are again, faced with the ghost of that very critical coup, back in the eye of the storm of expectations. C’est la vie, indeed. Here’s to hoping that these blokes eventually get to release a record without a colossal burden of artistic proof riding upon it.As for the results, well, they are more than good. The lads are dealing straight aces again on “Favorite Worst Nightmare” and they don’t sound cowed by pressure whatsoever (despite what you may have already heard from more distinguished news sources who’s names may or may not rhyme with ‘snitch-pork’ or ‘thin’-- outlets that don‘t seem to much care for rock n roll music that doesn‘t feature banjos or key-tars anyway). In fact, “F.W.N.” is every bit the first album and then some. Really. For one thing, it is great for what it isn’t. It isn’t what has become the industry-standard second album. You know, the one where the group recalls tales of excess from ‘the road’ over string/horn sections or call in there new friend Bono for a consult (you decide which is worse). Nor is “F.W.N.” the “oh shit, you know those songs on album ‘1a?’ Well those, were, um, seriously the only 12 tunes we’d ever really finished”-album. Instead, Arctic Monkey’s 2nd is an ideal throwback to second records of the past,* the kind that few groups would consider making anymore. All the lad’s have done here is to turn the screws, polish the brass, and written a new playbook of smart hooks and air-lock-tight rhymes. For this reason, the Arctic’s are likely-- and already beginning-- to catch much of the same brand of flak as the Strokes got for “Room on Fire” ( a record which was also a better, tighter, superior version of the sound on its predecessor). All because they have refused to register an album full of ill-fated jazz odysseys and sonic umma-gumma moments. But fuck…there isn’t a bad song here, and that says a lot for a rock band these days, and you’d be kidding yourself if you argued that the best moments of F.W.N. --“505” and “Do Me a Favor,” specifically-- haven’t approved upon “When the Sun Goes Down” and “I Bet.” So let’s all give the Monkeys a break and a chance at a proper career, eh?
Score: 8/10
2) Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
On the opposite end of the spectrum of ‘indie’ musical culture and general buzz, I find the Cold War Kids. Who the fuck are these guys?,^ (and don’t answer that, I am only making a point.) I was supposed to have reviewed their album “Robbers and Cowards,” back in the Fall when it was released -- then I lost it the cd when my review was half written, along with the Annuals* record, which it turns out, was really good, you should buy it, only to find them both recently in a stack of cd’s which my roommate, Jesse^ had been hording, prick -- and I got to tell you, it wasn’t pretty. R’s & C’s comes across as a series of almost ludicrously dull chord sequences amalgamated into an almost absurdly dull sequence of tunes, each of which sound flattened into the same vaguely-reverby* drone, sans hooks, often accompanied by a ‘trippy’ or ‘phat’ beat underlying the proceedings. It sucked. There may or may not have been vocals (and lyrics) present, I was rendered too numb to remember.^And you know what? A lot of other reviewers I read at the time agreed with me. So, good, I thought, that’s that. Hah! Unfortunately, these pretentious, suburbanite, surfers of smugness have, in the course of the last month or so, caught a second wind.* Well, I thought, this is unacceptable! So I repeat, this album still BLOWS. And, after doing some YouTube-related research, I can assure that the live effect is no less boring or, well, boring than it was the first time. Perhaps CWK’s are in fact flexing a measure of stylistic genius that is beyond me -- though I doubt it, I mean how many times can random piano-key hits on the same album be sonically ‘interesting’?-- and therefore, I will keep an open mind towards their further releases. But for now, I wish them ill.
Score: 2/10
3) Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Speaking of me NOT getting something,^ I have an apology to make, humbly, to Modest Mouse. Here’s to you lot. You have changed my mind completely. I still don’t enjoy your first two albums, but I get “it” now, and I was stupid and my shame abounds. Sorry doesn’t cut it, mea culpa. Your new album, I don’t care what they say! It’s brilliant. Mr. Broc, you are a songwriter at the top of your game, steadily progressing in theme and practice, and you had me at the first deviously gobblinish “ahahahA!” of “March into the Sea.” And as for you, Mr. Marr --who’s seminal band’s oeuvre I still dislike, but that is the fault of another English cultural luminary-- your guitar work on that goddamn single is like, solid fucking gold. Oh, and I love the nautical themes and the subtle bluesy undercurrents throughout. Props to the drummer to for recovering his sanity and improving his chops in the process. Stars all around.Score: 7.5/10
4) Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
Which brings us back to where we began. The weight of expectations and specifically, the dueling options of progress or collapse into failure. As for Bloc Party. Oh dear. I have been dreading this review, putting it off indefinitely. I should have known what was coming when in early news singer Kele reported that the band was going in a more “gentle”* direction, which for a band who sounded equal parts Mission of Burma, Devo, and the Beatles on their first album, sounded err, like a poor plan. The results speak for themselves. The best parts of “A Weekend in the City” sound like “Silent Alarm” and the lesser parts sound like Genesis, the later years. That said, these guys still have mad skillz^: the lead guitar player dude (with the hair bangs) and drummer (with the geek glasses) are two of the most inventive interesting players in popular music, and if Kele cheers up or just gets mad again in the near future, redemption surely awaits. Go well boys, and good luck.Score: 4/10
5) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Lastly, and with a big ‘sorry folks’ to the diehards, but the Arcade Fire have also failed to grasp my attention with “Neon Bible.” I know that Q Magazine loves it, gave it 5 damn stars, but I just don’t hear it. I think that a lot of magazines are racing to recognize the group for being what it is, an unqualifiedly fantastic band; one which has one more classic album under their collective belt that most groups will ever have. However the new record is sadly, not aces. It did manage to hold my attention for a week, and then, well, I just haven’t had the urge to listen to it since. Not once. Once again, the best song here, “No Cars Go,” sounds like it could have concluded “Funeral…” and as it turns out, it could have, since it was written in advance of “Funeral.” There is some lovely (and I don’t mean “gentle”) stuff here, “My Body is a Cage” is a winner, “(Antichrist Television Blues)” works for the first three of its five and a half verses, and the “Black Wave” half of the Bad Vibrations/Black Wave suite is both melodically and lyrically compelling. But like Bloc Party with “Silent Alarm,” the Arcade Fire are faced with a task of following a nigh perfect record, and like the London foursome, they chose to try to expand on that blueprint greatly rather than flesh it out. The result explains why “Leave the Car Running,” an almost tuneless meander that wouldn’t have cut muster on “Funeral,” but, due to its jaunty beat, has been featured as a single. Today’s lesson: why rush to remodel your sound when you’ve just barely arrived at it?Score: 6/10
End Notes:
* See: “Axis/Bold as Love,” “Give ‘em Enough Rope,” “Led Zeppelin II,” “Nevermind”
^See: “Who the Fuck are Arctic Monkeys”
*“Be He Me”
^Reno, Jesse: Rawles’ Balls’ Finest
*No, not a word
^Yes! Upon a re-listen, moments ago, I can confirm that there was, in fact, singing and lyrics which display “social consciouness.” Rather, I blame the utter absence of melody for my memory lapse in this case.
*Credit to them for their persistent touring.
^Like, for instance, I saw the much ballyhooed Tokyo Police Club on “Conan” the other day, and I like, just didn’t get it. It just wasn’t very good. Sorry.
*see also: pussy, shlocky, schmaltzy, lame, dull; also: ‘more gentle’ not a correct phrase, I know.
^also: skills
Matt Says:
Agree on all but Cold War Kids. They're not great but they aren't nearly THAT bad. In fact I kinda like them. The new Arctic Monkeys is top notch. I wasn't sold on the first one but after hearing the latest it's safe to say these kids are legit.
Labels:
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Thursday, April 26, 2007
Type O Negative "Profit Of Doom" (Video)
There aren't a lot of bands I listened to when I was 13 that I still get excited about today. In fact Type O might be the only one left - they NEVER let me down. To this day they remain one of my favorite bands. One of the few bands out there that are truly unique.
Anyway, they have a new video up on the Headbanger's Ball website. Unfortunately it's not embeddable, which is a bummer. The video is nothing special but damn that song is killer.
Anyway, they have a new video up on the Headbanger's Ball website. Unfortunately it's not embeddable, which is a bummer. The video is nothing special but damn that song is killer.
Superbowl Of Hardcore
The lineup for this years Superbowl Of Hardcore was just announced. Highlights include Negative Approach, All Out War, H2O, and One 4 One. The best part is it's right down the street at Studio B - although it would have been better at the Warsaw. I'm very excited to see One 4 One since I've never had the pleasure. Aside from them I've seen most of the bands playing. Hopefully they add a few more big names to the lineup - Madball or Turmoil would be nice. At this point I'm not sure it's worth the $25 cover. 
Swimming In McCarren Park Pool
It was recently announced that our beloved McCarren Park Pool will be for swimming once again. Now I know what you're saying, "Where is Deerhoof going to play?" Well that's a good question with a simple answer - the stage. You see the new pool is going to be 1/3rd the size of the original. Which means there's plenty of room for a stage and maybe even dodgeball. Lounging in a pool while bands play is going to be awesome.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Coachella Contest: Win 2 VIP Tix + Airfare & Hotel (Ends Today!)
HeyLetsGo.com and JetBlue are giving away VIP passes to the 2007 Coachella. Check out the flyer for more details. You must enter by midnight tonight!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Langhorne Slim @ Rockstar Bar 4/19
I've been meaning to write about this for a few days but I slacked...sorry. Anyway, last Thursday Langhorne Slim played under the bridge at Rockstar Bar. It's unusual for someone good to play there so I decided to check it out. The show was listed as having a $5 cover but I walked right in, and then I waited 20 minutes for a fucking beer while the bartender chatted with her friends.
At around 12:30 Slim took the stage and played a song. Then the legendary shit sound at Rockstar kicked in. Nearly all of the speakers cut out or something because the level dropped to almost nothing. This happened during the middle of a song but he kept going until the end. Then everyone tried to get whatever broke working again and the show stopped. Slim said something that sounded like "I need to charge my amp. I'll be back in 20 minutes." Charge your amp? Never heard that one before.
I had a feeling the sound was dead so i said fuck it and I went home. Gabe (BSC reviewer) and my brother stuck around. Thirty minutes after I left Slim was back on stage - I was right about the sound, it was fucked. But that didn't stop Slim from playing a set. He called the crowd up on stage with him and played a true acoustic set - NO amplification of any kind. According to my brother everyone was on stage dancing and singing. It was a good old fashion hoot-n-nanny.
Langhorne Slim with be playing at Union Pool on May 4th.
At around 12:30 Slim took the stage and played a song. Then the legendary shit sound at Rockstar kicked in. Nearly all of the speakers cut out or something because the level dropped to almost nothing. This happened during the middle of a song but he kept going until the end. Then everyone tried to get whatever broke working again and the show stopped. Slim said something that sounded like "I need to charge my amp. I'll be back in 20 minutes." Charge your amp? Never heard that one before.
I had a feeling the sound was dead so i said fuck it and I went home. Gabe (BSC reviewer) and my brother stuck around. Thirty minutes after I left Slim was back on stage - I was right about the sound, it was fucked. But that didn't stop Slim from playing a set. He called the crowd up on stage with him and played a true acoustic set - NO amplification of any kind. According to my brother everyone was on stage dancing and singing. It was a good old fashion hoot-n-nanny.
Langhorne Slim with be playing at Union Pool on May 4th.
If anyone has pics from after the sound went out let me know.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Tonight: Muggabears Release Party + Skate Park Party In Greenpoint
Did any of notice how shitty last night was event-wise? There wasn't much to do, which was a bummer considering it was kinda nice out. Well tonight is different - there's plenty to do. Early today I stuffed my face at The Taste Of Chinatown and I'm about to take a nap before I head out to one of the following.
First of all the Muggabears are having their album release party at Pianos. I just recently gave this band a chance and I have to say they're pretty damn good. Thanks to FreeNYC I also found out that there's a skate park party in my hood, Greenpoint.
First of all the Muggabears are having their album release party at Pianos. I just recently gave this band a chance and I have to say they're pretty damn good. Thanks to FreeNYC I also found out that there's a skate park party in my hood, Greenpoint.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Arctic Monkeys New Album Streaming On MySpace
The new Arctic Monkeys album "Favourite Worst Nightmare" is streaming in it's entirety on MySpace. So far I've listened to about two songs and it's pretty damn good. The album hits stores here on April 23rd.Art Brut & O'Death @ Studio B 4/18
On Wednesday night Art Brut and O'Death played at Studio B in Greenpoint. During the past few weeks I've been hearing great things about O'Death so I was really excited to see them on the bill. It was a bit unusual considering their sound but that also made it more interesting.
The show started at 8PM but I was at a meeting and I didn't get there until about 9PM, or so. O'Death was already more then halfway through their set when we got there. I only got to hear about 4 songs but damn were they good. The energy this band has is awesome, which is necessary when you're playing bluegrass to hipsters. I can see why this band just keeps getting more and more attention.
After O'Death finished up we headed to the lounge area on the side and relaxed on the couches. I have to say more venues should have an area like this. I also have to say I hate Studio B for shows. It might have the worst sight lines of any venue in NYC. Those fucking beams really make it hard to get a good angle. Despite the large space everyone has to cram into the middle area if they want to see anything.
We waited for about 20 minutes or so and then Art Brut came on. So we abandoned our couch and pushed ourselves toward the stage. Like the other times I've seen Art Brut this show was very entertaining. Eddie is fucking hilarious and really knows how to have fun. There were a bunch of drunk fratty looking dudes around us singing very loudly to every song. The funny thing was they were singing in English accents (they weren't British), which I guess is mandatory with Art Brut.
They played a few new tracks which seemed to slow down the dancing and singing - as new songs often will. All of the classic Art Brut songs were played and they were fucking brilliant - Emily Kane, Bang Bang Rock & Roll, Moving To L.A., etc. Again, I can't stress enough how great Eddie is as a front man. The between (and sometimes during) song banter is a top notch comedy act. Eddie went on a rant about "people listening to people in bands" and told everyone they were dumb if they listened to anything he said - which is true.
The show was great but I've been to better Art Brut shows. Next time they come around the crowd should be familiar with the new stuff which will make for a better show.
Art Brut top of the pops!
The show started at 8PM but I was at a meeting and I didn't get there until about 9PM, or so. O'Death was already more then halfway through their set when we got there. I only got to hear about 4 songs but damn were they good. The energy this band has is awesome, which is necessary when you're playing bluegrass to hipsters. I can see why this band just keeps getting more and more attention.
After O'Death finished up we headed to the lounge area on the side and relaxed on the couches. I have to say more venues should have an area like this. I also have to say I hate Studio B for shows. It might have the worst sight lines of any venue in NYC. Those fucking beams really make it hard to get a good angle. Despite the large space everyone has to cram into the middle area if they want to see anything.
We waited for about 20 minutes or so and then Art Brut came on. So we abandoned our couch and pushed ourselves toward the stage. Like the other times I've seen Art Brut this show was very entertaining. Eddie is fucking hilarious and really knows how to have fun. There were a bunch of drunk fratty looking dudes around us singing very loudly to every song. The funny thing was they were singing in English accents (they weren't British), which I guess is mandatory with Art Brut.
They played a few new tracks which seemed to slow down the dancing and singing - as new songs often will. All of the classic Art Brut songs were played and they were fucking brilliant - Emily Kane, Bang Bang Rock & Roll, Moving To L.A., etc. Again, I can't stress enough how great Eddie is as a front man. The between (and sometimes during) song banter is a top notch comedy act. Eddie went on a rant about "people listening to people in bands" and told everyone they were dumb if they listened to anything he said - which is true.
The show was great but I've been to better Art Brut shows. Next time they come around the crowd should be familiar with the new stuff which will make for a better show.
Art Brut top of the pops!
Art Brut
O'Death
420 - Enough Already
Come on people, does this 4:20 shit still entertain you? I'm hearing from people I know that are damn near 30 saying shit like, "It's 420 man, gotta toke up!" Really, do I? Those people also happen to smoke pot every fucking day anyway - why is today special? Just fucking smoke your shit like you always do and shut the fuck up about 420. You sound like a dumb fucking hippie - you might as well put on a tie-dye shirt, play hackey sack, and "jam out" to Phish.
STOP IT - 420 is DUMB!
STOP IT - 420 is DUMB!
MP3:
Weedman - Cypress Hill
I Wanna Get High (Live) - Cypress Hill
Weedman - Cypress Hill
I Wanna Get High (Live) - Cypress Hill
Before you start giving me shit keep in mind I have no problem with smoking pot.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Peaches "My Dumps" (Video)
Peaches released a parody of the parody Alanis did of "My Humps." You got that? Are you still with me? Anyway, it's pretty fucking funny and I was out of town when the Alanis thing came out so now I have an excuse to post that too. Here's the timeline...
Peaches "My Dumps"
Alanis Morisette "My Humps"
Black Eyed Peas "My Humps"
Alanis Morisette "My Humps"
Black Eyed Peas "My Humps"
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Tonight: Art Brut & O'Death In Brooklyn
Art Brut and O'Death are playing a show at Studio B. Last time I checked (earlier today) tickets were still available, which is surprising considering it's Art Brut and the tix are only $12. Anyway, I'll be there and have a recap tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Tonight: Art Brut After Party (Bonus: Download New Songs)
Are you going to the Art Brut show tonight or are you waiting until the Studio B gig tomorrow? Either way there will be an after party tonight at The Annex with free beer and DJs and all that shit. I'm pretty sure I'll be there...
Details:
Art Brut After Party
Download:
Art Brut 5 Songs New LP(zip)
MP3:
Emily Kane - Art Brut
Art Brut After Party
Download:
Art Brut 5 Songs New LP(zip)
MP3:
Emily Kane - Art Brut
***Update: I just checked my email and I had the below flyer in my mailbox. So now I don't know what is the official after party. Annex has free booze, which is nice. R Bar will be debuting the new album, also nice. So...um...free booze it is.
Born Ruffians Cover Grizzly Bear
Born Ruffians have released a cover of "Knife" by Grizzly Bear. Take a listen and let me know what you think. I'm not a Grizzly Bear fan so I'm not sure how this stacks up to the original.
MP3:
Knife (Grizzly Bear Cover) - Born Ruffians
Knife (Grizzly Bear Cover) - Born Ruffians
The band says:
We didn’t really get together and say: ‘hey let's start doing a cover of Knife’, but sometimes in practice we just play other bands' songs that we like, or goof around just for fun. (We often do a jam-band version of the Brokeback Mountain theme). I think Warp had just given us a copy of the Yellow House promo, and we all had listened to it and "Knife" was definitely one of the stand-out tracks for us.
Luke and Mitch had seen Grizzly Bear before we were even on Warp, and were fans. Luke listened to the album a lot in his room and figured “Knife” sort of sounded like a 60's rhythm and blues song. He played around with it a bit and then I think next practice, we were just kind of fiddling around and he started playing it and we followed him. It sounded pretty good after like one or two times through and we realized it was a cover we could actually pull off and play live, and everybody who heard it seemed to like it. It just happened really naturally. Also, we collectively think that Grizzly Bear is one of the most exciting bands today.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Merauder w/ Eddie Leeway (Demo)
Merauder is a bad ass hardcore band but to my surprise Jorge was not the original singer. Apparently a few different people fronted Merauder including Eddie from Leeway. Eddie sounds nothing at all like Jorge so it's dumb to compare the two but these tracks with Eddie are pretty fucking excellent.
Book This Band...
Here's an idea I had - I used to manage my brothers band and I realize it's not easy to get a decent gig in the city if you're coming from out of town. So if you are a band from elsewhere trying to play NYC then let me know. Every week I will write a post about bands looking to book some shows here.
Send me an email with the following email to qualify:
If I like your music I will include you, if I don't then I either don't like you or you screwed up the email. Obviously I can't guarantee that you'll get a show but it might help.
Send me an email with the following email to qualify:
- MySpace link
- Location
- Subject line MUST say Book Us
- Date range you're looking to book
- Label (optional)
- MP3 (optional - must be URL, no attachments!)
If I like your music I will include you, if I don't then I either don't like you or you screwed up the email. Obviously I can't guarantee that you'll get a show but it might help.
Rawles Balls Strikes Again
I think I've written about Rawles Balls a few times on BSC so I'll skip the review and just post some pictures from the show Saturday night.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Tonight: David Arquette @ Trash (Whatchutalkinbout Willis?))
OK, I get it - it's Friday the 13th and David Arquette is in a horror movie and he wants to reach the kids. What better way then DJ at Trash. But you gotta admit that this is pretty odd. If you enjoy weird aging celebrities spinning records then you CAN'T miss Gary Coleman DJing at Home tonight. It's a fucking odd night out there, but it's Friday the 13th so I guess it makes sense.
Link:
Gary Coleman @ Home
Gary Coleman @ Home
"You guys are all, Woo-hoo, and shit!" - if anyone gets that then let me know, you'll win nothing.
Toxic Brooklyn - Greenpoint Oil Spill
I always knew Greenpoint and Williamsburg were former industrial areas but I had no idea I was living on top of one of the biggest oil spills in history. The spill started in the 50's...and guess what - it STILL hasn't been cleaned up. That's right folks, when I said we're living on top of one of the world's biggest oil spills I wasn't speaking figuratively.
Band Alert: Embassies Of Denmark
A week ago I was down in South Jersey and I needed to get back to the city. My cousin was headed north and I was trying to avoid the Chinatown bus so I caught a ride. On the way up he threw on a few CDs. One of them stood out, it kinda sounded like Bear Vs. Shark meets Read Yellow. Anyway, it was pretty fucking awesome so I asked who it was. Turns out it's his friend's band from Canada called Embassies Of Denmark. While I don't love the name I'm pretty happy with the songs these guys are writing. I hope this band makes a trip south - Brooklyn would eat this shit up.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Rolling Stone Launching Social Network
According to TechCrunch Rolling Stone magazine will be launching a social network site. Somebody get these boys a late pass.
R.I.P. Kurt Vonnegut
Damn, I was just about to go to bed when I read the news that Kurt Vonnegut has passed away. One of the great American writers of all time is dead. The author of one of my all-time favorite books "Breakfast Of Champions" is no more. I'm really authentically sad by this.
I am not a reader of fiction - I like history and facts. Yet the style in which Kurt wrote was absolutely fascinating. He spoke to his readers and largely ignored stuffy composition structures. His books read as if he was actually sitting there telling you a story. And that's the other thing - the stories were amazingly creative.
I do not fancy myself a writer but when I do write I try to keep it simple and in a speaking manner. But I also try to acknowledge rhythm and timing, so it flows. My point is the reason I do this is because of Kurt Vonnegut and Hunter S. Thompson. The two writers I was most inspired by are now gone. 'Tis a sad day...
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Lollapalooza 2007 Lineup - Stooges, Pearl Jam, etc.
The A.V. Club has announced the lineup for this year's Lollapalooza. The official announcement is scheduled for tomorrow but they decided to leak the info. The lineup is actually pretty good and has some older alternative acts mixed in with contemporary indie bands. I think I would actually spend money on tix to this show...and I hate fests.
That's a lot of bands and most are actually good!
Pearl Jam, Daft Punk, Ben Harper, Muse, Iggy & The Stooges, Modest Mouse, Interpol, My Morning Jacket, Satellite Party, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Snow Patrol, The Roots, Patti Smith, Kings Of Leon, The Black Keys, Regina Spektor, Spoon, Lupe Fiasco, TV On The Radio, Pete Yorn, G. Love, Paolo Nutini, Amy Winehouse, LCD Soundsystem, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Silverchair, Femi Kuti, Yo La Tengo, Hold Steady, Jack's Mannequin, Stephen Marley, STS9, MIA, Slightly Stoopid, Blonde Redhead, Sparklehorse, Sean Lennon, !!!, Blue October, Son Volt, Motion City Soundtrack, Polyphonic Spree, Peter Bjorn & John, Silversun Pickups, CSS, The Rapture, The Wailers, Roky Erickson, Tapes N Tapes, Heartless Bastards, The View, The Cribs, The Fratellis, Ghostland Observatory, Tokyo Police Club, Rhymefest, Soulive, Cold War Kids, Annuals, Fields, Electric Six, Jim Noir, Elvis Perkins, Sam Roberts, Black Angels, Charlie Musselwhite, Aqueduct, Juliette & The Licks, Dios, Viva Voce, David Vandervelde, Los Campesinos!, Chin Up Chin Up, Ryan Shaw, Colour Revolt, Satin Peaches, Illinois, Arckid, Mickey Avalon, The 1900s, Bang Bang Bang, Bound Stems, High Class Elite Carey Ott
Tonight: YoYo NY - Lily Allen After Party
Lily Allen is having an after party tonight at Love. She will be DJing and so will Mark Ronson. Everyone knows about this party at this point so it might get retardedly packed, so I'm not sure if I'm going.
Hoarsebox MP3s
A few posts back I recommended an Irish band called Hoarsebox. In the post I mentioned that I had no MP3's to share. The guys in the band found the post and were kind enough to send me a couple.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
New Panthers Tracks + Playing Brooklyn 4/12
The Panthers released their new album today called The Trick. Vice was kind enough to send along a few tracks from the new album for your aural pleasure.MP3's:
Uncertainly - Panthers
Goblin City - Panthers
Uncertainly - Panthers
Goblin City - Panthers
Panthers are playing on Thursday at Europa in Greenpoint - you should go.
Another Super Group: HellYeah
Haven't we learned our lesson already with this shit? Super groups DO NOT work and this one is no exception. The band is called HellYeah (horrible name) and it features Vinny Paul from Pantera, two dudes from Mudvayne, and two dudes from Nothingface. I can't stand Mudvayne but I love Pantera and Nothingface. But HellYeah kinda fucking sucks, it has that weird generic feel that all super groups seem to have. Anyway listen for yourself and get back to me...
Link:
HellYeah on MySpace
HellYeah on MySpace
If you actually fig this crap then you're in luck, the album hits stores today.
Live Earth Revealed
Al Gore and his posse have revealed that the US Live Earth show will be at Giants Stadium. The lineup has also been released and I have to say it's pretty grim.
AFI
AKON
ALICIA KEYS
BON JOVI
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
FALL OUT BOY
JOHN MAYER
KANYE WEST
KELLY CLARKSON
KT TUNSTALL
LUDACRIS
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
RIHANNA
ROGER WATERS
SMASHING PUMPKINS
THE POLICE
AKON
ALICIA KEYS
BON JOVI
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
FALL OUT BOY
JOHN MAYER
KANYE WEST
KELLY CLARKSON
KT TUNSTALL
LUDACRIS
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
RIHANNA
ROGER WATERS
SMASHING PUMPKINS
THE POLICE
Over in the UK they've managed to put together a slightly better lineup.
BEASTIE BOYS
BLACK EYED PEAS
BLOC PARTY
CORINNE BAILEY RAE
DAMIEN RICE
DAVID GRAY
DURAN DURAN
FOO FIGHTERS
GENESIS
JAMES BLUNT
JOHN LEGEND
KEANE
MADONNA
PAOLO NUTINI
RAZORLIGHT
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
SNOW PATROL
BLACK EYED PEAS
BLOC PARTY
CORINNE BAILEY RAE
DAMIEN RICE
DAVID GRAY
DURAN DURAN
FOO FIGHTERS
GENESIS
JAMES BLUNT
JOHN LEGEND
KEANE
MADONNA
PAOLO NUTINI
RAZORLIGHT
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
SNOW PATROL
Iggy & The Stooges @ United Palace (Pics)
Last night the legendary Stooges took the stage at the United Palace in NYC. This morning I went onto Flickr and dug up some pictures from the show. Click the link below to check out the rest of the shots this guy posted.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Band Alert: Hoarsebox From Dublin
So it's kind of funny that I follow up my post about MP3's by featuring a band who has no MP3's available. But like I said there are exceptions and these guys are certainly one of them. I first heard these guys on the radio.
You see I work from home so in the morning when my alarm goes off I just let it run while I do my morning ritual. A few weeks back JV & Elvis where on and they were in Ireland for St. Patty's. They were at the Jameson factory and a band was playing so they let them on to perform a song. The band was Hoarsebox and they were just fucking incredible.
I've been trying to get an MP3 to share but it hasn't happened so I'm caving in and just linking to their MySpace profile. I have to say though that the stuff on MySpace is good but not nearly as good as the live performance they put on.
Take a listen and let me know what you think.
You see I work from home so in the morning when my alarm goes off I just let it run while I do my morning ritual. A few weeks back JV & Elvis where on and they were in Ireland for St. Patty's. They were at the Jameson factory and a band was playing so they let them on to perform a song. The band was Hoarsebox and they were just fucking incredible.
I've been trying to get an MP3 to share but it hasn't happened so I'm caving in and just linking to their MySpace profile. I have to say though that the stuff on MySpace is good but not nearly as good as the live performance they put on.
Take a listen and let me know what you think.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Band Guide Vol 1. (Song Distribution)
I was looking through my inbox today and I realized that I get a ton of emails from bands and PR/marketing/label folk looking for a little coverage. The problem is the presentation usually sucks so I ignore it or forget to check it out. If you want to get heard then there are a few things you should know before hand. I have experience in online music marketing and obviously I'm a blogger so I know how it works best for both sides.
- NO Streams - To be honest streams aren't so bad to listen to but they suck to post. If I'm sent a stream and I actually like the band it's unlikely I'll link to a stream unless it's a huge label band and no one's heard the track yet. If I feel compelled to post about a smaller band I'll dig up an MP3 somewhere and use that instead of the stream. This does not apply to full album streams - only track streams. ***Note to labels: Don't be cheap, send a fucking MP3 if you want to break your band.
- NO Attachments - True, bloggers love MP3's but attaching an MP3 to an email is not the way to distribute your music. Get that shit hosted somewhere kids. If you just dropped a few grand at a studio then you might as well pony up a couple more bucks to host the file. I don't want to spend the time downloading the attachment, listening to it, uploading it to a server, and then linking to the file. I want to copy the URL for the file (which should end in .mp3 by the way) and paste it in a post. Plus if you have it hosted you can access it from anywhere.
- NO Passwords - Sometimes bands send me links to their hosted MP3's that are password protected. They share the password with me but ask I don't pass it along. I can understand this to a degree but how does that get you heard? If you want to password protect the full album download that's fine but keep a track or two unprotected so I can share them with my readers.
- SOME MySpace - Everyone should send a link to their MySpace profile. It's the easiest way for me to preview your music. The key word here is PREVIEW, if I like it I still want an MP3. Sending a link to MySpace DOES NOT excuse you from sending a hosted MP3, even if the tracks are downloadable. Telling someone to download your MP3 from MySpace and share it is exactly the same as sending an attachment, meaning it's not getting posted.
MP3:
You're Supposed To Be My Friend - 1990's
You're Supposed To Be My Friend - 1990's
This concludes today's lesson. I do not claim to speak for all of the world's bloggers out there but I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. As a blogger this is what I personally prefer. As a marketing professional this is what works the best for gaining coverage. When I say "works best" I mean like huge difference "works best."
One last thing, there are exceptions. If you're that damn good and you know it then people will do a little extra work to be the first to "break" you - just don't get too cocky.
One last thing, there are exceptions. If you're that damn good and you know it then people will do a little extra work to be the first to "break" you - just don't get too cocky.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
STREAM: New From Autumn To Ashes Album
The new FATA album is streaming in it's entirety on MySpace. This is the first album since they lost their old screamer dude. The former drummer/singer is now exclusively on the mic. So yeah that's him doing both the screams and the singing. That's not an easy thing to do but they definitely lost some of their old hardcore appeal with the old screamer.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
HORSE The Band @ Europa 3/29
On Thursday night I headed around the block to Europa to see HORSE The Band. If you read BSC on a semi-regular basis then you know I have a bit of a fascination with these crazy fuckers. I mean, what's not to love about a band that mixes metal and nintendo and perform in drunken viking stupors. I've been waiting a long time for HORSE to headline a show in New York and now it was happening... right down the street.
I got to Europa around 9PM or so. I had heard one of the bands wasn't performing tonight so I assumed that HORSE would be going on early. When I got there some band was playing and they weren't very good. So I headed over to the bar and had a few beers. After about 15 minutes they finished up. I wasn't sure if HORSE was next or not so I held m y post at the bar.
Then I saw a band setting up that was not HORSE. It was the opener The Number Twelve Looks Like You. It seemed like the people there were digging them but I wasn't feeling it - too sloppy. It was nothing I haven't heard before so I kept on drinking.
By the time they finished up I had a nice buzz going courtesy of the house Polish beer. I should have mentioned this earlier but I was super excited to see HORSE. To the point where I had that destructive energy I haven't felt since I was about 17. I was ready to go and the booze just made put me in more of a rage.
When HORSE The Band finished setting up and started playing everyone went crazy. They opened with one of my favorites "Birdo" and the god damn pit erupted. It looked like a fucking Braveheart battle scene. During the song the HORSE roadie hopped on stage dressed as an egg. For reference, Birdo is the character from Mario 2 who shot eggs from his/her mouth. It did calm down after "Birdo" a bit but not much.
From that point on it was just pure chaos. The crowd was surprisingly small but you could tell the people there were die hard fans - singing every word, flailing to the beat - it was awesome. During "Anti-Pizza" the same roadie guy came back up on stage dressed as a huge slice of pizza.
Before every song the singer would say "this is our last song," so no one knew when the last song was actually coming. Eventually they did play a last song and it was a classic, "Cutsman." As soon the first note was struck the floor erupted - more so then with "Birdo" or "A Million Exploding Suns." Just when I thought it couldn't be better the end of the song came..."cut, cut, cut, cut - CUT, CUT CUT, CUT." One simple word repeated over and over again brought Europa down.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you it was one of the best shows I've ever seen - it wasn't. But what I can say is that I haven't felt that way before or during a show in 10 years. I'm a jaded bastard now and even when I go to see a band I love I don't get very excited about it usually. I was damn excited to see HORSE and I showed it by spending the entire set int the pit. The next day I could barely fucking move but it was all worth it to feel like a punk ass teenager again.
I got to Europa around 9PM or so. I had heard one of the bands wasn't performing tonight so I assumed that HORSE would be going on early. When I got there some band was playing and they weren't very good. So I headed over to the bar and had a few beers. After about 15 minutes they finished up. I wasn't sure if HORSE was next or not so I held m y post at the bar.
Then I saw a band setting up that was not HORSE. It was the opener The Number Twelve Looks Like You. It seemed like the people there were digging them but I wasn't feeling it - too sloppy. It was nothing I haven't heard before so I kept on drinking.
By the time they finished up I had a nice buzz going courtesy of the house Polish beer. I should have mentioned this earlier but I was super excited to see HORSE. To the point where I had that destructive energy I haven't felt since I was about 17. I was ready to go and the booze just made put me in more of a rage.
When HORSE The Band finished setting up and started playing everyone went crazy. They opened with one of my favorites "Birdo" and the god damn pit erupted. It looked like a fucking Braveheart battle scene. During the song the HORSE roadie hopped on stage dressed as an egg. For reference, Birdo is the character from Mario 2 who shot eggs from his/her mouth. It did calm down after "Birdo" a bit but not much.
From that point on it was just pure chaos. The crowd was surprisingly small but you could tell the people there were die hard fans - singing every word, flailing to the beat - it was awesome. During "Anti-Pizza" the same roadie guy came back up on stage dressed as a huge slice of pizza.
Before every song the singer would say "this is our last song," so no one knew when the last song was actually coming. Eventually they did play a last song and it was a classic, "Cutsman." As soon the first note was struck the floor erupted - more so then with "Birdo" or "A Million Exploding Suns." Just when I thought it couldn't be better the end of the song came..."cut, cut, cut, cut - CUT, CUT CUT, CUT." One simple word repeated over and over again brought Europa down.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you it was one of the best shows I've ever seen - it wasn't. But what I can say is that I haven't felt that way before or during a show in 10 years. I'm a jaded bastard now and even when I go to see a band I love I don't get very excited about it usually. I was damn excited to see HORSE and I showed it by spending the entire set int the pit. The next day I could barely fucking move but it was all worth it to feel like a punk ass teenager again.
Link:
More Photos on BSC Flickr Account
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