More Than Alive: Scott McCloud Continues His Legacy
Paramount Styles
Mercury Lounge, 12.21.08
Some musicians ride through their careers on the success of past projects, without really producing anything of value for years. This is not the case with Scott McCloud. During the 90s, his band Girls Against Boys were one of the definitive alternative bands. They hardly get the credit these days, with the 90s seemingly belonging to The Pixies, Pavement, Sonic Youth and The Jesus and Mary Chain, but you can hear their influence all over modern indie rock.
Since Girls Against Boys disbanded, lead singer/guitarist McCloud has moved to New York and has been working on his solo project, Paramount Styles. Despite his past success, an excellent record and an all star backing band that includes members of Enon, GvsB's, and Antony & the Johnsons, Paramount Styles has remained deep below the radar.
Sunday night, they played at Mercury Lounge to a very small crowd that braved the bitter cold. Though the heavy sludge rock of GvsB's is behind him, McCloud's very distinct voice remains as strong as very. Playing like an acoustic Girls Against Boys, singing about his crazy past, Paramount Styles is for anyone who's ever partied too hard and now just needs to relax and have a beer. Julia Kent's cello playing last night was an added bonus to the set, particularly on "More Than Alive."
Recession Proof Jams
Night Marchers/Obits
Santos Party House
12.17.08
When it was announced that Obits and Night Marchers would be playing a show together, there was a lot of wishful hoping that the 2 frontmen, Rick Froberg and John "Speedo" Reis, would join together to play a few Hot Snakes songs (especially with ex Hot Snakes Gar Wood and Jason K also in the Night Marchers.
It would have been cool, but it didn't happen, and it didn't matter.
While Hot Snakes was a perfect combo of Rick and Speedo's greatest assets, Obits and Night Marchers seem to perfectly display exactly what each of those men contributed to tat great band (as well as the legendary Drive Like Jehu).
Obits came to the stage first, after some chill jazz played over the venue's speakers. The band pleaded to the venue for more light (because they're getting older and needed to see their fretboards). After a bit of prodding the venue finally turned up the lights, including the disco ball. Those disco lights didn't last long, but it was a pretty interesting combination. Defined by Froberg's mesmerizing guitar style (which mixes blues riffs with punk rock aggression) and his distinctive wail, Obits shredded their way through a fantastic set. Often times reminding me of the early Replacements' sound, the band was on point, and proved that Froberg can make great music without John Reis by his side.
Reis has already proved that he can exist without Froberg, since Rocket From The Crypt will most likely be where his greatest legacy lies. So, it makes sense that Night Marchers got the headline slot. Less than in aminute in, they proved more than worthy. First they buttered up the crowd with "recession beers" and then the proceeded to rock with that same balls-to-the-walls intensity of every band Reis has ever played in. As with much of Reis' bands, their sound combined equal parts 50s rock and Joe Strummer punk rock urgency. Led by Speedo's charismatic presence, they instantly had complete control over the crowd, so much so that when Reis told the crowd to show their appreciation by throwing their shoes at him, a bunch of concert-goers found themselves standing in the socks seconds later. The, they no doubt had their socks rocked right off.
As a huge fan of both Hot Snakes and Rocket From The Crypt, it's been a huge relief to see Reis and Froberg introduce such great new bands.
They’re Winning: The Year of The Walkmen
The Walkmen/The Dodos
Brooklyn Masonic Temple
12.16.08
The day I first heard "You & Me" the words album of the year came to mind. As a longtime fan of The Walkmen, I felt it might be their finest work, and there hadn't been a more perfect record released during the year. Over time I realized I was not alone, as the record began receiving almost universal praise, and the band's popularity started moving back in that direction they once seemed headed. Though The Walkmen haven't gotten the attention that TV on the Radio or Deerhunter have gotten for their records, "You & Me" continues to pop up on year-end best of lists, and definitely still sits right atop my own list.
As good as the record is, they've always been the type of band that is at their best live. On Tuesday night, they played in front of a packed house at Brooklyn Masonic Temple, and made a strong case for concert of the year.
From the minute they started playing set opener, "Dónde está la Playa," it was apparent that the band had a little something extra for the Brooklyn crowd. The mood setting opener was followed by new fan favorite "In The New Year." This was the first instance that singer Hamilton Leitheuser got to display how damn strong his voice has become. As relaxed as ever, he reminded me of a boxer, slowly dancing around the ring, patiently waiting before unloading that massive blow to knockout his opponent. After that 1-2 punch, it never let up, with Leitheuser and The Walkmen putting together a brilliant set loaded with material off of "You & Me." From the sparse guitar and vocal only "New Country" to the rock assault of "All Hands on the Bad Cook," they displayed an incredible range, while never once wearing out their welcome.
As much as the intensity of the "The Rat" always manages to be the biggest crowd pleaser, "All Hands on the Bad Cook" was the performance of the night. Opening with Paul Maroon's nervously rhythmic guitar structure, and Leitheuser's screaming vocals, the song transformed itself. An old western style piano comes into the song, and all of a sudden Leitheuser is singing with a old time croon, rather than the punk howl with which he started. But the shining moment was whenever Leitheuser sang the chorus with that unmatched intensity and earth shattering conviction.
As if their songs weren't great enough, they gave us an extra holiday treat when they came back out for an encore and played "White Christmas" before closing with the excellent "Another One Goes By."
I would have been more than happy only seeing The Walkmen, but luckily a band nearly as great opened the show. This year, I've been nearly obsessed with The Dodos "Visiter" nearly as much as the latest Walkmen record, and much like The Walkmen, they've proven that they can bring something extra to the table in the live setting. It took a song or 2 for the sound mix to sound right, but once it did, they couldn't have been better. Building up from an long instrumental opening, "Jodi" was again the highlight of their set, displaying all the greatest aspects of this band, from the creative drumming of Logan Kroeber to Meric Long's bluesy guitar plucking to the trashcan smashing of percussionist Joe Haener. At the most intense moment of the song, while bashing the trashcan, the chunk of dented metal came loose from it's stand. Haener grabbed hold of it and kept with the beat, while struggling to get the right grip of it.
Seeing these bands play together was as good as any gift I'll get this X-mas. I see a lot of good shows, but it's very rare to see one that so well captures all the things that make music so wonderful.
Prepare for The War On Drugs
War on Drugs/School of Seven Bells
Mercury Lounge
12/15/08
The indie label trinity of Jagjaguwar, Dead Oceans and Secretly Canadian can do no wrong. This year, they were collectively responsible for a bunch of the year's best records, including Okkervil River, Black Mountain, Bon Iver, Wilderness, Evangelicals, and Parts & Labor. They were also responsible for one of the most talked about bands during the CMJ Marathon, Women.
So, when they asked me if I'd like to check out their band, War On Drugs, I trusted them and went blindly.
Having no idea what they would sound like, and having just watched a decent band with no focus, it was a real treat when Philly's War on Drugs took the stage at Mercury Lounge and started playing. As one could suspect by their name, their sound falls towards the psychedelic side of the spectrum. Though there is a psychedelic aspect to their music, the songs also showed an americana influence, especially in vocalist Adam Granduciel's excellent delivery and lyrical focus. I couldn't help but be reminded of Vietnam, a promising local band who all of a sudden disappeared.
As they develop their sound further, you'll likely hear their name start making an impact on all the music blogs, just like the band that followed them (School of Seven Bells) did this year.
School of Seven Bells have definitely started getting the attention they deserve for being one of the best new bands on the NYC scene. Originally, people took notice because of Benjamin Curtis' past work as guitarist of Secret Machines, but with the angelic voices of Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, they've been able to shed that and establish themselves on their own. While Curtis is obviously the mastermind with his brilliant guitar work, it's those voices that make everything they do so special. I can't imagine they'll continue playing such small venues, so seeing this band at their sold out set at Mercury Lounge was a real treat.
Jonny Leather + Masonic Temple + Dan Deacon pt.2
Dan Deacon/ The Dirty Projectors
Brooklyn Masonic Temple
12/11/08
Prior to Thursday night, the last time I set foot in a Masonic Temple was a very memorable experience. That time was at the Ridgewood Masonic Temple, and resulted in me being burned alive on BrooklynVegan.com.
Never the one to miss out on an interesting adventure, I jumped at the opportunity to once again see Dan Deacon at a Masonic Temple. The fact that The Dirty Projectors were also on the bill didn't exactly hurt either.
I had no idea what to expect after my last misadventure. Dan Deacon's performance back in April was one of the more fun experiences I had at a show this year, despite the other events that occurred. The man knows how to command a crowd, and his absurdist electronic compositions are a pretty original addition to modern music. With his ever-growing popularity, Deacon has grown fully aware that his live show will need to continue to evolve, as he plays larger venues. A couple months ago, he brought us his Baltimore Round Robin series. On Thursday night, he changed his act once again, playing his first show with a huge backing band, loaded with percussionists. Obviously in it's infant stage, the full band didn't always sound as grandiose as they set out to be, but there were times where they really clicked together, and took Deacon's live sound to a much higher level than he's ever reached. If he can sustain touring with such a large collection of musicians, Dan Deacon will still be worth seeing when popularity takes him out of the smaller DIY venues and into the large spaces. As usual, "The Crystal Cat" was the highlight of the set, creating a frenzy in the packed crowd.
As entertaining as Dan Deacon and his new band was, The Dirty Projectors were really what made this show worth the price of admission. With every show they play, they get better, tighter and those female harmonies become more and more enchanting. As interesting as Dave Longstreth's vocals and compositions have become, The Dirty Projectors wouldn't be anywhere near as good as they are without the backing vocals of Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian. Not unlike visionaries Deerhoof, Longstreth's arrangements are more and more removed from 3-chord rock convention, picking apart the traditional structure of rock and turning it into something unique without sacrificing listenability. Word is that The Dirty Projectors have a pair of records due in 2009, but until then "Rise Against" is their finest accomplishment, and they played that strength on Thursday, loading the setlist with that record's finest songs. "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" proved to be the strongest of the bunch, with it's mix of crashing percussion, airy vocals and infectious chorus.
The Dirty Projectors next play NYC on New Year's Eve at Knitting Factory as party of one of the best non-festival lineups ever assembled (Deerhoof, Deer Tick, Akron/Family, Megafun are all scheduled to perform). Not only is it New Year's Eve, but it'll also be the final show at Knitting Factory's current location, so, it promises to be a pretty exciting night.
Rising to the Top of the Brooklyn Music Scene
Yeasayer/Chairlift/Fang Island
Music Hall of Williamsburg
12/5/08
Friday morning I arose to the sound of my intentionally obnoxious alarm. The intoxication form the previous night's escapades had not yet settled. There was still a stumble in my step and an aching in my head. How good was The King Left at Mercury Lounge. Damned if I could recall even the faintest of melodies.
Rarely do I make the journalist mistake of getting too trashed to enjoy the music. In fact, I rarely have more than one drink at a show, because when I'm at a show, I'm there for the music.
After a long long day of work, I found myself at a piano recital, where talented young female students played complicated pieces of classical music with amazing precision. The timeless songs, written centuries ago will live on forever, unlike pop music which often becomes dated after only a decade. I found myself totally enchanted by the fluttering of the keys, which contained such an incredible depth of emotion and tonal variety.
I imagined that the indie rock bands that I'd be following the recital with would seem juvenile and unimpressive.
Arriving at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, it took a while to warm up to opener Fang Island. My initial reaction was that their mostly instrumental rock was heavily comprised of anthemic Kiss guitar riffs. However, over time I grew to enjoy the Brooklyn band, and look forward seeing them rise up in the scene.
The second of the three local acts was Chairlift, known mostly for their iPod commercial hit "Bruises"—one of the most incredibly danceable and infectious tunes of 2008. While it seems that that is the song that's carrying them up the ranks in popularity, it was the moodier song like bass-heavy "Earwhig Town" that were most enjoyable. Singer, Caroline Polachek's voice sounded beautiful, proving to be the group's biggest asset. Be sure to check them out when the group plays BAM on February 13.
Headlining the night was Yeasayer, who were very happy to be back home after a long tour. The last year or two has seen the band rise through the ranks of Brooklyn bands rather quickly. Unlike many of the bands who've recently come up through the scene and have gotten attention from the media, Yeasayer doesn't rely on gimmicks or the popularity of one particular song. Instead, Yeasayer is that rare breed of band pushing the boundaries of rock music by combining an array of unique influences and playing them with solid technical precision. Seeing them on Friday night, I couldn't help but think that Yeasayer's compositions were nearly as strong as the classical works I had heard earlier in the night. Taking world music and infusing rock music, they have an amazing grasp over their concept, and unlike many bands who mix these influences, their result feels natural and unforced. Last year's "All Hour Cymbals" has placed them in the highest tier of local bands, alongside TV on the Radio, Dirty Projectors, Sonic Youth and Grizzly Bear. With Friday night's performance, Yeasayer provided even more evidence that they're one of the best bands around, especially with the breathtaking performance of "No Need to Worry," which featured a three part harmony that was even more beautiful than on record.
Lots of bands rise and fall rather fast in this music scene, but we can expect Yeasayer to be around for quite some time.
Article About Me on NYPress.com
Helping Mama Africa: Good Samaritans in Brooklyn
By: Andy Seccombe
Even when times are tough, you’ve got to remember that some folks have it a hell of a lot tougher. That’s the perspective of promoter (and former Press staffer) Jonny Leather whose second charity concert (featuring performances by local songsters The Silent League, Christy & Emily and Essie Jain) takes place Dec. 8 at Brooklyn’s Union Hall, with all the proceeds going to an orphanage in Nairobi. “It’s bad how nasty Nairobi is and how poor,” Leather explains. “It puts you in your place; we’re in a recession right now but we’re nowhere near what these people go through.” Leather also points out the recession will make it a lot harder for charities and causes in Africa who ultimately need help much more than we do.
“They’re not going to be able to get that as much from America because everyone’s tightening up their budgets,” he says. And let’s face it: for the price of a few lagers, people can see a great show as well as help put a Nairobi teenager through high school. The evening will also feature clips from an upcoming documentary about the orphanage, the Good Samaritan Children’s Home by filmmaker Randy Bell. After Leather had contacted Justin Russo of The Silent League about a benefit concert, Russo suggested Bell and his work with the home and was also able to get the other bands involved. Russo says that his work as a musician has always been bigger than the music itself and is committed to any aid an event like this can foster. “Music has never been something just for the sake of making it,” he says. “I always figured that I would do music because it’s the one thing I knew [that could] have the greatest chance of having a positive impact on the world.” The Silent League frontman says he has his doubts about whether the band’s tunes have been heard in Nairobi but mentions it might just be a possibility through the collective effort of the benefit concert. “We would love that,” he says. “Randy Bell is our inside man. Maybe when we’re done we can all throw a few cds into the pot and get him to send it over.”
http://www.nypress.com/blog-3017-helping-mama-africa-good-samaritans-in-brooklyn.html
