My first instinct would be to say screw AOL’s spinner.com. But they are distributing Darla Farmer’s live Mercury Lounge album for free, so suppose I can’t disrespect them too much. The show is a product of a collaboration between the band, Magic Hat Brewing Company, and vancar.tv. Below is some video of the show and a link to download the music.
“The burlesque attitude of Darla Farmer is delicious. The bright eccentricities sound as if they were lifted out of a carnival sideshow. Rather than overcompensating for the inherent problems that come with recording horn sections, the loose and live feel of the horns was captured and exploited very tastefully. Too often these types of recordings come off sounding like metronomed midi files, but the dirt is left on and the atmosphere is kept thick.”
Upcoming Tour Dates
9/11 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom (Rabbit Release Party)
10/1 – Montreal, QB @ Syndrome (Paper Garden Records music & art party)
11/14 – New York, NY @ 3rd Ward (Paper Garden Records presents: Multiverse Playground)
Brad Hoshaw
Midwest Dilemma
Peasant
The Living Room
May 20th 2009
The miserable venue—cynically named The Living Room*—was cold and covered with stickers and fliers advertising upcoming and past shows. Songwriter Justin Lamoureux of Midwest Dilemma sat in the back corner, humbly offering his merchandise while Brad Hoshaw completed his brief sound check. Hoshaw, a folk singer from Omaha, sang songs that recounted low life moments and hurtful memories. It isn’t that these songs were uncomplicated because they were thoughtless or uninteresting; they were uncomplicated because they dealt with the “oh fuck” moments of every individual who has drank in bars too long and made bad decisions with clouded and deluded minds. Some may say these states of bar stool savagery are rooted in some inner turmoil born in childhood and thus are necessarily complicated, but Hoshaw isn’t a damn psychologist. He has a formidable voice and a sharp stage personality. While many might criticize his attachment to the stagnant genre of whiskey pickled folk music, he could just as easily explain that this music has existed forever and will continue to exist as long as there are local watering holes willing to cater to the legions of eager drinkers roaming the mother-fucking world. Oh and that Blue Bicycle song was so damn cute.
Justin Lamoureux took stage, traveling to New York under his pseudonym Midwest Dilemma. He explained to the folks listening that he often feels conflicted when playing the City. He comes here wide eyed and wondrous, but he sees people move through New York without awe or interest. Do they know where they live? Is he supposed to expend every ounce of energy and soul, playing in a city where people are despondent and unimpressible? Should he sing his guts out for a few navel gazers? The thing is, Mr. Lamoureux is good enough that he can ask these questions. He can have these expectations. His record Timelines & Tragedies is simply incredible. Despite all his ambivalences, Lamoureux picked up his high-action, nylon acoustic guitar and told his family’s stories with piercing emotional expenditure. His lack of accompaniment did not detract from the songs, which are typically performed by a multitude of musicians. This is not to say that the 22 other musicians heard on Timelines & Tragedies are unnecessary or superfluous, rather simply that the heart of Midwest Dilemma can be defined by the narrative told by Lamoureux. The stories are without question prime.
Peasant began his set without so much as a peep of a sound check. For those who have not been hip enough to know who Peasant is, take some time and do yourself a damn favor. Go out and buy, steal—whatever—Peasant’s latest release On the Ground. As Frederick Foxtrott has been mentioning for nearly two years, Peasant, aka Damien DeRose, has a voice that is as tender and contemplative as they come. He simply began his set performing his material chronologically, singing some old dusty songs. Peasant’s stage presence continues to be unassuming. Another Brooklyn musician sitting in the audience mentioned to me that he couldn’t believe DeRose’s voice was coming out of his body. The dude’s voice is flawless. His set of love damaged ballads was a great match up with the other voices and stories in the night’s line-up. Musically, the night was well worth the trip to the Lower East Side.
* The Living Room is the worst fucking venue in NYC. Okay this may be a bit of hyperbole at work, but here is what you need to know about this shit hole. The shows are free, but the catch is that every audience member has to buy one drink every set in order to stay in the venue. Now I have to say, I am not one to go to a show and lay off the sauce, but for fuck’s sake! My 5’4” girl had a beer and wasn’t exactly ready for a second when the waitress approached. She asked what she could bring Hills, who naturally declined. Hills was then informed that she’d have to leave. I had drank 2 pints during the last set, you would think that the boyish bodied waitress would have had enough brains to put this all together. So I kindly ordered two more beers, both of which I drank. This fucking bar is so insecure about their ability to sell alcohol that they mandate a drinking schedule to their guests. I suppose Hills should have had to drink 5 pints in 3 ½ hours. I count the days until The Living Room goes out of business.
Midwest Dilemma (Unsigned) Peasant Paper Garden The Living Room 8:00PM
Wednesday, May 20th 2009 FREE
Darla Farmer Paper Garden Emanuel & the Fear Paper Garden Mercury Lounge 7:30PM 21+
Saturday, May 23rd 2009 $10
Midwest Dilemma- Omaha
Emanuel & the Fear- Alright! (We’re All)
New York City’s Paper Garden Records is treating us during the month of May by putting together a couple shows that showcase three of the labels more promising acts. On Monday, May 20th Peasant, one of our favorite song writers attached to Paper Garden will play along side Omaha, Nebraska’s Midwest Dilemma. This will be a doubly sweet night— not only am I eager to see Midwest Dilemma live, but Peasant is definitely always satisfying to watch. He cannot be overstated. It is my understanding that Justin Lamoureux of Midwest Dilemma will be playing solo, which will likely be a nice compliment to Peasant‘s set. Did I mention it is FREE? The show will take place at The Living Room on Ludlow.
The vaudevillian circus sideshow that is Darla Farmer team up with electro-pop orchestrators Emanuel & the Fear for an early gig at Mercury Lounge on May 23rd. The doors open at 7:30PM, with Darla Farmer offering their velveteen texture at 8PM, followed by Emanuel & the Fear at 9PM. For those of you who have not attended an early show at Mercury Lounge, it is a great way to begin a Saturday night. Your ass is out of their by 10:30PM, perfect if you have a party to get to in Bushwick, Greenpoint or Williamsburg. Both bands are attached to Paper Garden and are certainly worth a listen.
As noted last month Tim Casher and his fellow native Nebraskans will be playing Brooklyn this Monday at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. The following evening they will cross the East River to play another Bowery venue, the Bowery Ballroom. The last time I saw Cursive was under a starry sky on the campus of UNL. I am not sure who will be traveling to NYC, but I know that this will be a great show by a band that helped build the foundation of everything that is Nebraska indie rock, which many of you know is an extraordinary and unique scene.
In addition to Cursive, those who attend Monday’s Music Hall of Williamsburg event will be glad to hear that Peasant will be opening the night. There will be a sharp contrast between the tonal eccentricities that will flow from each act. Peasant, as I have often written, is delicate and somber, offering a literally perfect emotional performance. Cursive, on the other hand, will be heavy and dynamic. Tim Kasher’s signature croon/scream will introduce a level of aggression, while still maintaining a sense of vulnerability. The show is sold out so, either you took our advice and bought tickets last month, or you are willing to shank someone from behind, because only the rare idiot will sell you their ticket to this show.
Just two days ago on January 27th Peasant’s debut record was again released. Paper Garden Records continues to support this extraordinary artist, accommodating an ever growing fan base spurred by Damien DeRose’s touring and the music’s appearance on the television shows Kyle XY and Bones. He has also recorded live sessions for the impressive Daytrotter on-line music magazine and WOXY. Anyone who questions Mr. DeRose’s ability to translate his recorded material into a real and authentic experience is obligated to listen Peasant’s Daytrotter session. Click here. Peasant is somber, intimate, and melodic—infusing an appreciation of plain spoken poetry and honest emotional truth into music that can best be described as simply beautiful. In many ways I feel vindicated for having such faith in this guy. From the first day I saw him play at a 2007 CMJ loft show, it was clear to me that as long as people had the opportunity to hear him, they would continue to do so.
Darla Farmer and Wintersleep are starting 2009 with bright proclamations.This week Wintersleep are #26 on the College Music Journal‘s Top 200 chart. They released Welcome to the Night Sky last November and have toured with a number of great acts including Wolf Parade. Their mix of calculated, guitar driven rock gives Canada a good name. They left us wondering, what is in their water… just how many bands can Canada export? They are now touring their homeland and will zip over to Europe February 10th. They will be back in the US soon enough though, and we’ll be happy to welcome them.
Emanuel & the Fear
The Bowery Poetry Club
January 9th 2009
Another cold night in January had me waiting in Sláinte on Bowery in Manhattan. The idea was to drink a pint until 10 PM, when the doors next door at the Bowery Poetry Clubwould open. Unfortunately the ass-hole of a bar also served as a reminder why exactly I dislike drinking in Manhattan. Eagerly leaving Sláinte, I encountered an entrance line strung along what seemed to be the length of the Bowery block.
Inside, the music space swarmed with devotees waiting for Emanuel & the Fear to take stage. The Age of Rockets opened with awkward audience conversation and what made for an interesting display of Ben Gibbard influenced pop. The crowd became thicker and thicker; the room teemed with Pabst Blue Ribbon armed teenagers and care free couples. The room’s energy was nostalgic. It has been a long time since I’ve been so intimately surrounded by bright eyed excitement. Too often these days, any sign of appreciation by the audience is taken to be social ineptness on their part. While sharing not even the remotest amount of context, the experience reminded me of being in my hometown, watching some unknown band at the Culture Center, or any number of bands down at the trailer park. The atmosphere was electric, from the girl offering herbal downers to silhouetted smiles dancing through the powdery color of neon light.
Emanuel & the Fear populated the stage like an army of musicians. The 11 band members took their places and readied their violins, guitars, and horns for the opening song off the night’s featured EP, The Rain Becomes the Clouds. In contrast to the clean and polished EP track, their live rendition snared the audience with its palpable emotion. Emanuel’s voice, while tremendous on record, cut through the room with commanding appeal. A common thought throughout the show was that the band works best live. They are built for performance. Comfortable Prison and encore closer Jimme’s Song exemplified this best. Both begin soft and fragile with punctuated vocal pauses. They then become, to different degrees, voluminous and driven. The self-titled EP has many great elements, but Emanuel & the Fear require a space that allows the instruments to differentiate themselves. The studio seems to have compressed the tones and notes. The less densely stratified textures of their live performance elevate the band from their already excellent yet humble talent. Their mix of electro-pop and orchestral quality composition are a sight to see. As for Emanuel & the Fear’s intense take on Radiohead’s The National Anthem, you’ll just have to see that for yourself.
This Friday, January 9th, Emanuel & the Fear will be playing at the nicely named Bowery Poetry Club. The doors open at 10pm withEmanuel & the Fear playing at 11:30. This event will be an EP release party for the band via Paper Garden Records. They will be displayed in full force with 11 players on stage. The venue should sell out so buy your ticket at the link below; the cover is only $8.
While I am as curious as anyone to hear how Emanuel & the Fear sound live, I know that Paper Garden Records has a history of supporting very talented artists. The EP release party will be filmed, which always adds an extra bit of energy to all shows.
Never one to talk up other music websites, I am uncharacteristically compelled to spread the word aboutPeasant’s live recordings with Daytrotter. The so-dubbed Daytrotter Session is an excellent illustration of Damien DeRose‘s stature as a performer. Sure his songs are good, but can he recreate the aesthetic outside of the studio? The answer is of course a resounding yes. The session is available at Daytrotter free for download. Think of these tracks as a precursor to Peasant‘s upcoming record On the Ground, which is being re-released January 2009. Frederick Foxtrott has been very interested to watch this artist and its seems that as yet another winter comes, Peasant‘s music will reach even more people.
If you love tender music of melodic warmth I strongly urge you come experience Peasant, an extraordinarily talented singer/songwriter out of Pennsylvania where he is also known as Damien DeRose. For a more intimate experience, which I always enjoy, grab a cup of java at Think! They have a nice little set up, complete with couches as well as wine and beer service. If you are on your way to see Bodies of Water or Port O’Brien at Mercury Lounge, do not blow your chance to catch an amazing first set. Finally something worth showing up for when the door opens.
