Magnetic Fields + Voxtrot + NIN + Nirvana + Joy Division + Guided By Voices = Hooray For Earth?
Hooray For Earth
Public Assembly, 5.27.09
Reading some of the other things the press has said about Hooray For Earth, it could be really hard to pin down what the Boston/NYC quartet sounds like.
NPR describes them by saying "With an ear for both '80s-inspired synth pop and contemporary indie rock sensibilities, Hooray For Earth falls somewhere between The Magnetic Fields and Voxtrot."
Bostonist says "With their self-titled debut, the members of Hooray For Earth sought a middle ground between Nine Inch Nail’s industrial thrash and the grunge force of Nirvana."
And RCRD LBL says "Think Joy Division + Guided By Voices + a lot of narcoleptic visions."
These are three pretty different descriptions of the same band. Which of these views is correct? Well, I don't really get the Magnetic Fields reference, but all three publications seem to catch a piece of what Hooray For Earth is all about. With their guitars tuned down to the bottom-most levels, Hooray For Earth takes well-crafted pop songs and turns them into something unique. I can't help but think of Torche when I hear Hooray For Earth. Not that these bands really sound alike, but at times their low tuning and songwriting philosophies cross similar paths. Torche has drawn attention for their heavy focus on melody and pop hooks, despite being a powerful metal band along the lined of The Melvins.
It's that same understanding of melody that shows through in Hooray For Earth's songwriting. Songs like "How Are You Here" and "Carefree" are instantly catchy, despite containing an onslaught of crunchy guitars and pounding drums. This is exactly one of the things that made Kurt Cobain and Nirvana so special. No matter how heavy or in your face the music is, Hooray For Earth never loses the ability to hook you with a catchy melody.
Along with the combo of bass, guitar and drums, synths play a major role in giving HFE their signature sound, filling space with an atmospheric touch, and at times providing a layered effect not dissimilar to backing vocals, as with the excellent "Take Care."
Live, Hooray For Earth is just as refreshing as they are on record. On Wednesday night at Public Assembly, they proved it once again. Unlike a majority of New York's local bands, HFE plays with an infectious energy, like a band truly having their way with their instruments, rather than just standing still and fiddling with them. It's sort of like Hooray For Earth is an experienced man having sex in the heat of passion—not overthinking, but knowing exactly what their doing—while many other bands may can convey the image of lacking the passion, despite possessing the experience and knowledge of the female anatomy.
With a full length and EP to their credit, Hooray For Earth has begun to work on their sophomore full length, and if their previous releases are any indication, it'll be something to really look forward to.
For Wednesday's gig, Hooray For Earth was joined by a trio of strong local acts—Appomattox, Radical Dads, and Zambri—all of which are most definitely worth checking out.
While You Were Busy Seeing Some Overhyped Band, You Missed Loxsly
Paramount Styles/Loxsly/Ivana XL
Union Hall, 5.26.09
Austin quintet Loxsly quietly came into town, played a pair of shows and continued their merry way on the road to play other cities where no one is yet familiar with them. This happens to bands every day, but few of them are as good as Loxsly.
On the day that their new record "Tomorrow's Fossils" was officially released into the wild, the band made the first of their two NY stops with a gig at Brooklyn's Union Hall, which seemed all too fitting given the complimentary visual aesthetics of the band and venue.
Combining the folk influence and voice of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy with the playful electronic pop of Grandaddy, Loxsly performed an incredible set, while oddball scientific video projected onto them. Pedal steel was their greatest asset during the set, adding a special touch to a few songs. The addition of a Neil Young cover made it even more delightful. Loxsly put on an equally awesome performance at Pianos on Thursday.
Headlining the Union Hall show was Paramount Styles. Mystery remains as to how they've been unable to get much of any attention here, despite it being the new project of former Girls Against Boys singer/guitarist Scott McCloud, and featuring other accomplished musicians in the band. This was my third time seeing them play, and once again riding the strength of Scott McCloud's unique vocal delivery and excellent lyrics, they were nothing less than impressive. When will the rest of NYC finally realize?
The young and beautiful Ivana XL opened the night alone on the stage with her acoustic guitar. Not just another singer-songwriter, Ivana XL possesses an incredible voice that contains a fantastic dream-like quality, not unlike Mazzy star. With those hazy vocals about boys and American Idol layered over nicely structured songs, the results were breathtaking. Her name is just beginning to pop up these days, but expect to hear it a lot more—especially after she plays a show with the much ballyhooed Ólöf Arnalds on June 11 at Union Pool.
Live Pick: Tuesday, May 26
Tuesday, 5.26 - Paramount Styles, Loxsly, Ivana XL @ Union Hall - 7:30 PM - 21+ - $8
Live Pick: Monday, May 25
Monday, 5.25 - Francis and the Lights @ Zebulon - 10:00 PM - 21+ - $FREE
Live Pick: Saturday, May 23
Saturday, 5.23 - The So So Glos, Double Dagger, Screaming Females, Air Waves, Videohippos @ Market Hotel - 8:00 PM - All Ages - $tba
Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers’ Wednesday Night Pianos Residency
Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers / Ford & Fitzroy
Pianos, 5.20.09
The things that Shilpa Ray sings about contain a fair share of dirty and grime, so it was appropriate that I showed up to Pianos unaware of the remains of shit on my leg from my friend's pet bird. (He's pretty sneaky with his defecation.) Along the way to the venue, I also saw a dog that looked impeccably like a bear, and a yuppy douchebag passed out on Ludlow with his cell phone in his hand and open. It was like the stars were aligning for a pretty special night...
And it was special. Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers introduced about 5 news songs during their set on Wednesday, and they were fantastic. It was their 2nd show of their Pianos residency, and the band played like they were settling in and making Pianos their home. As usual, Shilpa Ray and her ferocious set of pipes were the focus, but the 4 men playing behind her deserve props. Jay Braun's guitars scream with nearly as much fire as Shilpa's voice, Josh Fleischmann provides a steady flow of explosive beats behind the kit, Nick Hundley's bass lines bounce with jazzy cool, and Andrew Hoepfner's keys add an extra atmosphere to the songs. This woman could probably stand behind her harmonium and sing any song ever written, and it'll sound great. With her band, and stellar songwriting, what she and Her Happy Hookers deliver is beyond great.
Grossly overlooked locals Ford & Fitzroy preceded SR+HHH with an incredibly energetic set characterized by playful guitar interplay and Jay Schneider's unique vocal delivery. If you like classic indie rockers like Modest Mouse and Built to Spill and haven't heard these guys, do yourself a favor and get your hands on their debut record Canyons.
Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers have one night left on their Pianos Residency with a show on Wednesday May 27. This one will be headlined by a special guest, that'll sure make it an extra special night.
Hopewell Released New Record, Played Pianos with Linfinity on Tuesday
Hopewell/Linfinity
Pianos, 5.19.09
Celebrating the release of their new record Good Good Desperation on Tee Pee Records, Hopewell packed the back room at Pianos on Tuesday night. While a room full of people is always a good thing for a band, having it be at place as small as Pianos was just another reminder of how overlooked Hopewell has been over the years. It's never made a whole lot of sense, but Hopewell has never seen great success despite Mercury Rev-lineage, a tour with My Bloody Valentine, a solid discography, and most importantly one of the better live shows around in the the biggest music scene in the world.
Good Good Desperation is another spaced-out psych rock gem that continues along the road that they began traveling years ago. It's darker and heavier than anything the band has ever done, and that makes for an even more intense live show.
Oddly enough, after pounding mostly through their new tracks, the band ended the set very abruptly which left a lot of fans looking pretty baffled.
On the second night of their Pianos residency, Linfinity preceded Hopewell and did everything in their power to make it known that they are the next big thing in the NYC scene. From the opening seconds of "Holy Rain" to the emotional closer "Molly Mar of Rome," the six-piece displayed an intense sense of urgency not unlike Arcade Fire or DeVotchka (the two bands this band's sound will be compared to most). This was my third time catching the band live in less than a year, and they've grown noticeably tighter, and really developed their songs and live show. Mustachioed frontman/songwriter Dylan Von Wagner carries the type of strong presence and powerful voice necessary to draw the band attention in the near future.
Live Pick: Friday, May 22
Friday, 5.22 - Holy Fuck, A Place to Bury Strangers, Crocodiles @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - 8:30 PM - 18+ - $15
