Good video for the season…although as I am sure everyone would agree, the whole concept of a band playing in a field, with the camera circling around is a bit played out. The cynics like me can’t help but think about how much they’re faking…I mean they are being filmed pretending to sing and play their instruments. It’s kinda weird….contrived…But the band is good and it’s seasonal so it plays on Foxtrott. I like the pumpkins…nice touch…
Archive for the ‘Rating’ Category
Sunny Day Real Estate, My Life is Better than It was Before
September 30, 2009
On Sunday, October 27th I went to see a show that I have been anticipating for a very very long time. Sunny Day Real Estate is reunited and touring prompting well a founded rumor that they will record new material. I can confirm that they played a new song during the set that Jeremy Enigk said they wrote together for the tour. Now this is the full band folks. What It Feels Like to Be Something On and Rising Tide were recorded without Nate Mendel. They have not really functioned like this together in 14 years. The band was soulful and beautiful; energetic and monolithic in stature.
These guys are true heroes to some, including me, and they did not let their admirers down. I truly wish my good friend and musical partner Mike could have been there. This band was so influential on the music we made together. I wish that my little brother, Josh, who missed out on 2003′s Fire Theft show because the bouncer kicked him out for puking. Seeing Sunny Day with him would have made my conscience feel a little better for loading him up on dirty martinis and then ditching him…on his 21st birthday. I saw this band not simply as a reunion of great musicians, but as a collapsing of time. On Sunday, I stood in Terminal 5 with my wife, but also with my friends from home, my brother, and everyone else in my life who has ever been inspired by this excruciatingly unique and gracious band. It was perfection.
Now I am going to steal an idea from another online site called Prefixmag.com. I have no problem stealing from the blog because of their awful fucking writing as evidenced by this quote:
“The band performed “Seven” from its classic eponymous debut, Diary, which is now 15 years old.”
So this is a double knock on the online magazine. I steal from them, and then I say don’t use the word eponymous when you don’t know what it means. If the band’s name was Diary or the song was named Diary, then the debut would be eponymous. Prefix, stick to 15 cent words or less. If you want to hire someone to review music you have my email.
Sunny Day Real Estate, Seven on Jimmy Fallon 2009
Sunny Day Real Estate, Seven on The Jon Stewart Show 1994
Go to Brooklyn Vegan for an amazing collection of photos and live footage like this:
Sunny Day Real Estate, Circles at Terminal 5
10/9
-FF
Set List *Thanks Brooklyn Vegan*
1. Friday
2. Seven
3. Shadows
4. Song About An Angel
5. Grendel
6. Guitars & Video Games
7. Iscarabaid
8. Theo B
9. New Song
10. 47
11. J’Nuh
12. Sometimes
Encore:
13. In Circles
14. Spade And Parade
15. 48
Music
As Sunny Day Real Estate
Diary- 1994
LP2- 1995
How It Feels to Be Something On- 1998
Rising Tide- 2000
As The Fire Theft
The Fire Theft- 2003
As Jeremy Enigk
Return of the Frog Queen- 1996
The End Sessions- 1996
World Waits- 2006
The Missing Link- 2007
OK Bear- 2009
Tour
09/30/09 7:00 Washington, DC 930 Club
10/01/09 7:00 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
10/03/09 9:00 Atlanta, GA Center Stage Theater
10/05/09 7:00 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
10/06/09 7:00 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
10/07/09 8:00 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
10/09/09 7:00 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
10/10/09 7:00 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
10/11/09 8:00 Hollywood, CA Music Box
10/13/09 8:00 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
10/15/09 8:30 Spokane, WA The Knitting Factory
10/16/09 8:00 Seattle, WA The Paramount Theater
02/20/10 Brisbane, Australia
02/21/10 Sydney, Australia
02/26/10 Melbourne, Australia
02/27/10 Adelaide, Australia
03/01/10 Perth, Australia
Hollands- Faces EP
September 10, 2009
Hollands
Faces EP
November 25th 2008
Hollands
Hollands – Coughing Boy
A review of Hollands first EP Faces simply does not require the verbiage of the common critique. If that’s what you want visit their web-site. Granted, a review drenched in metaphor and simile has its purpose—to convey a description of an artistic aesthetic that cannot be truly experienced without an encounter, a close approximation by deference to a literary and poetic image. My first thoughts on Hollands are uncomplicated and antique in their creativity. I believe that by deferring the experience of Hollands’ music to memories of our bucolic summer evenings, and self reflective and still mornings we are missing an opportunity to tell it like it is. Save the gobbledygook; save the bullshit.
Hollands is a wide ranging band that draws heavily from early 70’s classic rock and country. The band has the pop sensibility of Rick Springfield, the poeticism of The National, and the sincerity of Wilco. The band is simply excellent. John-Paul Norpoth plays guitar and sings, sometimes with the awesome discipline of CSN&Y, and sometimes with the raucous croon of Uncle Sticky. In this respect they’d get on exceedingly well with the likes of the Whiskey Go Gos. The energy is strong and the music well written. Though Faces is a mere 5 songs long, it covers a lot of ground. Hollands release their 2nd EP this fall. Having begun from such a sturdy, straightforward debut, Hollands is destined for good things, great times, and increased attention.
7/9
-FF
http://www.myspace.com/hollandsss
http://www.hollandsss.com/Wilcommen%20friendos.html
Tour
Sat Sep 12 2009 – 6:00 PM Boulder Coffee Company – B…Rochester, NY
Sat Sep 12 2009 – 8:00 PM Lovin’ Cup Rochester, NY Age
Fri Sep 25 2009 – 9:00 PM Nines Ithaca, NY
Sat Sep 26 2009 – 8:00 PM Lovin’ Cup Rochester, NY
Tue Oct 13 2009 – 8:00 PM Mother EP Drop Drop! New York, NY
DARLA FARMER’s FREE Live Album!
August 26, 2009
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.
Here is a excerpt from an album review for Rewiring the Electric Forest, released in 2008 by Paper Garden Records:
“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.”
-FF
Download the live Mercury Lounge Show here
http://www.myspace.com/darlafarmer
http://www.papergardenrecords.com
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)
These Are Powers Explode Rhythmic Opulence in Sauna-Like Heat
August 14, 2009
These Are Powers
Secret Project Robot
August 1st 2009
The arts pace known as Secret Project Robot, by the water off Metropolitan in Williamsburg, welcomed their guests with a baby pool full of taurine laced energy drinks. While this was on its face a seemingly dubious display of corporate sponsorship, their presence was entirely appropriate. Energy was requisite. The music space exuded a “do it yourself” aesthetic in everything from the door-lady drawing hearts on the hands of patron who shelled out the $8, to the cheap vodka and whiskey or the large bucket of iced two liter mixers behind a small slab of a bar manned by a particularly festive cross-dresser and another barkeep, who I am sure would have been worth describing had his look not been so overshadowed by the slutty red lipstick and stuffed brazier. So too it went with the bands who performed; all had promise, all had songs worth listening to, all were experimental and dynamic, but all were outshone by the final clamorous fashion of These Are Powers.
In yet another sticky scenario, Secret Project Robot’s stagnant heat was oppressive, but they had sprinklers spouting off in plastic tubs so at least we knew they were thinking about us. Bill Salas stood behind his drum kit with a console of electronic rhythm pads, infusing the natural resonance of an open snare with manufactured blips and bops. Pat Noecker, ex-bassist for The Liars, wielded his instrument with genius pomp. His bass had been modified to produce an array of shrieks and moans; his contribution at times imitated the demolition of a 40 story building, other times it shot through the room like an auditory emanation of a laser cannon. And then there was Anna Barie. Part bean-shìdh, part international world-music pop star, Anna chanted smooth and cool, bobbling a rhythmic voice through wicker work of the drums and bass. She would volley steamy sighs down on an already moist mass of dancing limbs and then pull back with a low pitched croon.
The energy of These Are Powers is simply incredible. They have released a couple of records; their latest All Aboard Future, was released on Dead Oceans in February of 2008. The alchemy of these three musicians produces a refined and potent power from seemingly disconnected parts. As a group, These Are Powers function together with a rare sense of theater, fashion, and ragged opulence. For any avid show-seeker, These Are Powers are a must. Apparently the Chinese love them too…
9/9
-FF
http://www.myspace.com/thesearepowers
http://thesearepowers.blogspot.com/
Music
Terrific Seasons- 2007
Taro Tarot- 2008
Cockles (Split) with The Creeping Nobodies-2008
All Aboard Future- 2008
Tour
August 22nd 8PM Littlefield NYC Brooklyn, New York
August 27th 6PM Brooklyn Bowl Brooklyn, New York#
October 17th 8PM The Independent San Francisco, CA*
October 18th 8PM Doug Fir Lounge Portland, Oregon*
October 19th 8PM Crocodile Cafe Seattle, Washington*
October 20th 8PM Biltmore Cabaret Vancouver, BC*
# with Cymbals Eat Guitars
*with A Place to Bury Strangers
Wilco- Wilco (The Album)
July 20, 2009
Wilco
Wilco (The Album)
June 30th 2009
Nonesuch Records
The danger of writing an unabashedly and deliberate self-referential album is immense. It is often the kind of indulgence that eternally condemns and confines many records of its kind to Best Buy bargain bins. Of course there are the great cannon makers who will always be remembered for their eponymous contributions, Led Zeppelin I, II, III, & IV; The Who Sell Out; The Beatles (commonly referred to as The White Album); etc. Wilco goes beyond imprinting their name on a record or a song (in this case both). Blaring their self awareness, they have titled their newest record Wilco (the Album), and the first song on the release Wilco (The Song). But with all this narcissism, the album’s contents are not Xeroxed copies and remakes. The songs are fresh.
The band has moved effortlessly from their post Uncle Tupelo reformations, A.M and Being There, through the nascence of Summerteeth to their seminal Nonesuch release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and then on to the whammy crazed, Nels Cline addled A Ghost is Born, which won a basket full of awards—partly based on merit and partly based on the cachet accumulated by the release of I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco—arguably the greatest music DVD ever released. The film documents the production of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, cementing their status as industry underdog, giving even more attention to their follow up. From there they released a live CD documenting their 2005 show at The Vic in Chicago and later in 2007, Sky Blue Sky—a masterful retreat into neighborhood nostalgia and hometown reflection. With such a varied spectrum of song typology, where was Wilco to go? Their answer was a satirical celebration of themselves. The answer was Wilco (The Album).
Unquestionably the most polished and produced record of Wilco’s catalogue, this newest venture sees the band marinade amongst themselves. They are like an old married couple, the husband and wife begin to look alike. Cline and Tweedy alternate and converge through scales of distortion and wild free form feedback. Pat Sansone plays it straight with his standard roots rock licks that occasionally serve to anchor an otherwise frenetic guitar section. The album is eclectic in itself at times characterized by experimental loops and other times by subdued pop melodies. Leslie Feist duets with Tweedy on the song You and I. The song is soft and easy. It is a perfect midpoint between the pop orchestration the erupts in the beginning, Wilco (The Song), and the record’s conclusion, Everlasting, a song with subtle experimentation and a beautiful outro of wisping loops of Wilco’s signature guitar medley of Tweedy and Cline.
Wilco’s performance at Keyspan Park in Coney Island was worth the $55. I broke my own ethics in buying the tickets. No show should cost this much. When bands price themselves that high, it is a “fuck you” heard loud and clear. But I bought the tickets anyway and solemnly swallowed my convictions knowing that I’d get to see Yo La Tengo open. The predication of Ira Kaplan’s distorted wall of noise to the Tweedy/Cline symposium was phenomenal. It was like seeing my two favorite two cousins. The show lasted three sets. This confused me because I was pretty sure Tweedy was a little put off by the audience. It was tough to tell whether he was mocking the thousands of fans, many of whom were middle aged khaki wearing stiffs with pink ball caps or fraternity brothers sucking down fifths of Southern Comfort and screaming “wooo hooo” like Homer Simpson. At one point he stood in disbelief, shoulders ashrug when the crowd continued to sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game when he jokingly suggested it was his next tune. This underscores Tweedy’s dickishness but it doesn’t explain why he gave us everything that night. No matter the reason, it was a brilliant and a great show. Wilco is/are absolutely classic in every sense.
UPDATE: A reader points out that Nels Cline did not in fact play on A Ghost is Born. This is a misperception on my part stemming from the fact that I saw the group tour for A Ghost is Born and Nels was aboard. Thank you very much John-Paul for the correction. Somehow it is indeed more satisfying that Tweedy plays those solos himself. Though Nels is incredible.
8/9
http://www.myspace.com/wilco
http://www.wilcoworld.net/
Other Records
A.M.-1995
Being There-1996
Summerteeth-1999
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-2002
A Ghost Is Born-2004
Kicking Television: Live in Chicago-2005
Sky Blue Sky-2007
SETLIST Courtesy of Stereo Gum
Set 1
01 “Wilco (The Song)”
02 “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”
03 “Shot in the Arm”
04 “At Least That’s What You Said”
05 “Bull Black Nova”
06 “You Are My Face”
07 “One Wing”
08 “Handshake Drugs”
09 “Deeper Down”
10 “Impossible Germany”
11 “Jesus Etc.”
12 “Sonny Feeling”
13 “I’m Always in Love”
14 “Can’t Stand It”
15 “Hate it Here”
16 “Walken”
17 “I’m the Man Who Loves You”
18 “Hummingbird”
Set 2
19 “Heavy Metal Drummer”
20 “You And I”@
21 “California Stars”*
22 “You Never Know”*
23 “Misunderstood”
24 “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”#
Set 3
25 “The Late Greats”
26 “Hoodoo Voodoo”*
@ w/ Feist on vocals
* w/ Feist and Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear on backup vocals and percussion
# w/ Yo La Tengo
Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 9, 2009
Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion
January 20th 2009
Domino
Two of my favorite things come from Baltimore, Maryland, the setting for The Wire and Animal Collective. Now living in New York City, Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Deakin (Josh Dibb), and Geologist (Brian Weitz) make up what is easily one of the most dynamic bands celebrated by popular music’s enlightened underclass. To be sure, 2007’s Strawberry Jam was not perfect, but it was an infectious collection that had everyone’s ears aflutter. Animal Collective’s follow up, Merriweather Post Pavilion has only improved on the band’s innate sense of melody, creativity, and freakishly impressive composition.
With Panda Bear’s solo, Person Pitch, upstaging critically Strawberry Jam, it is no surprise that Merriweather Post Pavilion is a softer, more relaxed, and sober album. Person Pitch, winning a shack full of accolades, is a hyper ethereal and subdued record that never approaches the measured schizophrenia exhibited on Strawberry Jam. Merriweather Post Pavilion draws at least part of its genealogy from this release. The guttural rantings of Peacebone and For Reverend Green are tucked away deferring to harmonious vocal polyrhythms. There is an air Paul Simon’s usage of South African melodies and music that recalls Graceland in the most flattering way possible.
Merriweather Post Pavilion is Animal Collective’s most vocally accessible record. While its sedated character makes for easy listening and demonstrated maturity, the band has reserved their most vibrant songwriting for another day. Every flaw bitched about off of Strawberry Jam was attended to and corrected. But the heart and soul of the two records are far from one another. An apologist would argue that this obviously stems from the fact the they are indeed two different records, but even they would deep down inside feel the cold void caused by the absence of Animal Collective’s most delicious attribute—madness.
-FF
http://www.myspace.com/animalcollectivetheband
http://myanimalhome.net/
Other Music
Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished- 2000
Danse Manatee- July 2001
Campfire Songs- 2003
Here Comes the Indian-2003
Sung Tongs- 2004
Feels- 2005
Strawberry Jam- 2007
Read Review of Animal Collective’s Strawberry Jam
Tour
Jul 16 2009 8:00P Cigale, Paris
Jul 17 2009 8:00P Dour Festival, Dour
Jul 18 2009 8:00P Melt Festival, Grafenhainichen
Jul 19 2009 8:00P Jarocin Festival, Jarocin
Jul 20 2009 8:00P Postgarage Graz
Jul 21 2009 8:00P Bands Apart Festival @ Piazza Castello, Ferrara
Jul 22 2009 8:00P Rock in Roma @ Ippodromo, Le Capanelle Rome
Jul 23 2009 8:00P Jazzaldia at Kursaal San Sebastian
Jul 26 2009 8:00P Fuji Rock Festival, Nigata
Aug 8 2009 8:00P Lollapalooza, Chicago, Illinois
Aug 8 2009 8:00P Lollapalooza DJ Set, Chicago, Illinois
Aug 14 2009 8:00P Prospect Park Bandshell, Brooklyn, New York
Aug 15 2009 8:00P Prospect Park Bandshell, Brooklyn, New York
Aug 20 2009 8:00P Brixton Academy w/ Gang Gang Dance, London
Aug 21 2009 8:00P Green Man Festival, Crickhowell
Sep 12 2009 8:00P All Tomorrow’s Parties, Monticello, New York
Animal Collective- Peacebone from Strawberry Jam
Brian E- Yellow Light District
June 25, 2009
Brian E
Yellow Light District
Record Label Records
July 15th 2009
“Don’t Stop—Just Slow Down”
This motto on the cover of Brian Ellis’ newest project speaks volumes. Yellow Light District, due to be released as a limited series of 500 individually numbered 12” vinyl in July, is vintage sonic pornography for those who get a hard-on when they listen to the likes of the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, or are obsessed with 1988’s Bloodsport…err anything Jean-Claude Van Damme. This record is no conservative, veiled throwback; it is a neon headband inspired synth-feast.
I listened to the LP while jogging through industrial Bushwick and Williamsburg. I quickly transformed into Little Mac training for my final bout with Mike Tyson in NES’ Punch-Out. Yellow Light District’s most penetrating hook is its style; It isn’t intellectual—it isn’t professorial—it is its own weird science. The first track, Theme, flawlessly begins the record with rolling waves of soft synth melodies that eventually starburst into a dance floor beat, textured with free form keyboards. As every track passes, Mr. E never lets up, always reintroducing the listener to an era some wish was long forgotten. But like the venerable Dov Charney seems to believe, some things don’t die for a reason, and there should always be those creatives out there to remind us why.
7/9
-FF
http://www.myspace.com/technoirdisco
http://www.recordlabelrecords.org/
Other Music
Tech Noir
Beast Beats EP
Sinistyle Video Below!
Black Hat Brigade- Fathers EP
June 11, 2009
Black Hat Brigade
Fathers EP
May 29th 2009
Unsigned
Black Hat Brigade- Zombie City Shake
Far from the cavernous sprawl expressed by earlier recordings, Black Hat Brigade has recorded an EP that will be described as one of the best releases of 2009. Their Fathers EP kicks so much ass, they aren’t permitted to tour in America for fear that their presence will make the heads of residents in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Bushwick explode. This really is a national security thing. It is worth noting that the religious right and Billboard magazine have rigorously lobbied INS to approve visas for the band—clearly an attempt to silence northern Brooklyn’s pesky music scene. You know what I say? Fuck it’s worth it! Get your asses to NYC! Sure Robert Haughey’s vocals might remind some of fellow Canadian Dan Boeckner, but who really gives a damn?
Like the morose joy of Eagle Seagull, Black Hat Brigade’s music is entirely different and in many ways better than Wolf Parade. Fathers is defined by a paradox. Dark lyrics that speak of blood, guts, and zombies are cradles inside of some of the brightest and most expansive dance music written for the small club stage. Or maybe it is just that I can dance to anything, but we all know this to be untrue. While there is not a bad track on the 7 song + 1 reprise EP, there are certainly a few standouts. Zombie City Shake, Castlevania, and Vera are all exceptional. These songs not only have the pop sensibilities that provoke inebriated jigs, but they throw back to the epic layers common on their first EP. Here, the voluminous multifaceted interplay is harnessed to produce ridiculous crescendos, the heights of which truly press the limits of grandeur.
-FF
http://www.myspace.com/blackhatbrigade
http://blackhatbrigade.com/
Other Music
Black Hat Brigade EP- 2007
Tour
NOT NEW YORK WHO CARES…
