Concert: Special Guests w/ Common Prayer, Christopher Paul Stelling and Ivana XL @ Rock Shop // 8.13.10
Jonny Leather Presents:
Your New Favorite Band - August Edition Concert
Friday August 13 [spooky]
SPECIAL SECRET GUESTS
COMMON PRAYER
CHRISTOPHER PAUL STELLING
IVANA XL
at Rock Shop
249 4th Avenue, Brooklyn
doors at 7:30pm
$8
21+
Secret Guest - "secret song"
___ ____ has put out one of my favorite records of 2010, with an expansive sound filled with trumpets, banjos, french horn, and a dark gothic edge that recalls the finest moments of Low.
Common Prayer - "Us vs Them"
With Common Prayer, Jason Russo and Alexandra Marvar have created a sound that's totally their own but also incredibly warm and inviting. A mix of folk and British rock in a way that feels seamless and natural.
Christopher Paul Stelling - "Flawless Executioner"
From the depths of the Florida swamps, Christopher Paul Stelling picks the acoustic guitar with the skill of a master, while his voice unloads impassioned words of life, death and everything in between. If your eyes don't tear up just the slightest then you haven't been listening.
Ivana XL - "Stars"
Her voice sends chills down your spine. Sensual, shy, casual, Ivana XL is what falling in love sounds like.
Concert: Medications, Deleted Scenes, Royal Chains, The Sanctuaries @ Littlefield // 7.23.10
Jonny Leather Presents:
Your New Favorite Band - July Edition Concert
MEDICATIONS
DELETED SCENES
ROYAL CHAINS
THE SANCTUARIES
at Littlefield
622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn
doors at 8pm
$8
21+
Medications - "Long Day"
Deleted Scenes - "Fake IDs"
Royal Chains - "Lucy Takes A Dare"
Concert: Judson Claiborne, Peter Wolf Crier, Pacific Theater @ Union Hall // 6.18.10
Jonny Leather Presents:
Your New Favorite Band - June Edition Concert
JUDSON CLAIBORNE
PETER WOLF CRIER
PACIFIC THEATER
at Union Hall
702 Union Street, Brooklyn
doors at 8pm
$10
21+
Pacific Theater - "Refugee"
Peter Wolf Crier - "Crutch & Crane"
Judson Claiborne - "A Song or Dreaming"
JUDSON CLAIBORNE
Following his self-released solo debut, Before Midnight Scholar, Chicago's Judson Claiborne continues to document the phenomenon of personal transformation with Time and Temperature, his new record on La Société Expéditionnaire.
The distant melancholy familiar to listeners of Low Skies (Judson's previous band) has grown into emerging layers of song in the tradition of troubadours, journeymen, country-western stars and master-less wanderers. Time and Temperature is the finest blend of indie folk with progressive abandon, as the ghosts of the Great Ones smile down on Judson Claiborne with a nod and a wink.
PETER WOLF CRIER
ONE OF THE BEST TWIN CITIES ALBUMS OF 2009
"Peter Wolf Crier's take on lo-fi indie-folk is surprisingly refreshing, contrasting moments of childlike preciousness with somber undertones and the slightest hint of utter, irrefutable despair." -City Pages
PACIFIC THEATER
"I was initially struck by the fact that the production is surprisingly professional, crisp and clean, with a full tonal range. The music itself, though hating to reference in this way, could be likened initially to Bell X1, or The National possibly. They are definitely a Brooklyn band in mood though, following down that path of BK melancholy, with some very solid compositions and some amazing and quite diverse musicianship, especially considering that they are a band living in the same part of town as me that I haven't heard much from. I think the thing overlying all other aspects of this album though, is its potential for reaching a much larger audience, it is a well thought out, well constructed, and well produced collection of songs, with a graspable context. I’m quite excited to see where this band will make its next step. —Richard Elias/Insound
25 Records from 2010 That Deserve a Listen
2010 has been good to us so far, delivering quite a few music gems in between hidden beneath the piles of mediocre records. Great albums by Liars, LCD Soundsystem, Gorillaz, Shearwater, Tallest Man On Earth and other mainstays have gotten the expected universal praise, but plenty of lesser known bands have slipped through the cracks without the deserved attention for their hard work. Below are 25 of the best records of 2010 so far that have gone generally unnoticed by the music media.
Adrienne Drake - Dullabies
A terribly haunting dance record with similarities to Burial but a sound of its own.
ArpLine - Travel Book
Explosively catchy prog rock.
The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
An epic album built on big reverby stoner rock that flows perfectly from front to back.
Bluebrain - Soft Power
A wonderfully loud experimental electronic dance record.
Christopher Paul Stelling - The Songs of Christopher Paul Stelling Vol. 1 & 2
A reminder that an acoustic guitar and a voice can still be interesting when the person writing the songs is immensely talented. His incredible fingerpicking playing style will lure you in so his words can invade your soul
Christopher Stelling - "The Ocean Took My Love Away"
Citay - Dream Get Together
Strangely combining folk with big '70s riffs without sounding like a colossal mess
Citay - "Mirror Kisses" (featuring Tune Yards)
Common Prayer - There Is A Mountain
A more adventurous, rustic record from Hopewell frontman Jason Russo
Elaine Lachica- I Think I Can See The Ocean
Her lovely voice shines brightly over a wide-ranging album that seems loungy at times before the ethereal "Rapture" lifts off into swelling post rock.
Extra Life - Made Flesh
Eerie, exhausting experimental rock from Brooklyn.
Extra Life - "Black Hoodie (Pre Album Version)"
Field Music - Measure
Some of the best pop rock harmonies caught on tape in decades combined with excellent xtc-influenced musicianship.
Ghastly City Sleep- Moondrifts
Capable of pulling off epic swells comparative of Mogwai and Radiohead
Download Full Album: Ghastly City Sleep - Moondrifts
Ghastly City Sleep - "Seven (33 Leagues)"
Hooray For Earth - MOMO
How many more times can I rave about this band without it being annoying?
Jesus Makes The Shotgun Sound- DAMNANT QUOD NON INTELLIGUNT
Part Radiohead part Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum with one hell of a band name Jesus Makes The Shotgun Sound has made something that's simultaneously beautiful and menacing
Jesus Makes a Shotgun Sound - "Do Not The Clothes Make the Man"
Judson Claiborne - Time And Temperature
Former Low Skies singer Chris Salveter has a unique emotive voice complimented perfectly by his band's complex brand of alt-country
Judson Claiborne - "Song For Dreaming"
The Loom - Teeth
Elements of Low's mellow slowcore are mixed with chamber pop orchestration to create a magnificent slowburner
Malachai - Ugly Side Of Love
DJ records that flawlessly mix '60s pop-psychedelia, Morricone, and trip-hop are rare enough as it is, but one with a charismatic, scratchy-voiced singer this good are impossible to find
Miles Kurosky - The Desert Of Shallow Effects
He wrote some of the best albums of the last decade with Beulah and then went on hiatus, only to come back with some of the biggest, catchiest tunes he's ever written.
Miles Kurosky - "An Apple For An Apple"
My Gold Mask - A Thousand Voices EP
A guitar and drums duo can still sound fresh when the drummer has a huge voice to thrown on top of tribal beats and sinister, reverb-heavy guitars.
Parenthetical Girls - Privilege, pt. I
Their first in a series of EPs to be released in 2010 is a wonderfully melodramatic affair for anyone whoever wanted to hear a modernized Gene Pitney.
Parenthetical Girls - "Evelyn McHale"
Royal Forest - EP
When they changed their name from Loxsly to Royal Forest, they also bulked up their guitars without losing the Grandaddy-like charm
Sad Red - Elder
Playful, jazzy space-rock that avoids being overly jammy
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Saharan Gazelle Boy - Airplanes Can't
Heartfelt, electronic bedroom recording from a member of the tragically underrated Capybara
Saharan Gazelle Boy - "Something I Wanna Know About You"
Download the full album for only $2 here.
The Silent League - But You've Always Been the Caretaker
Ambitious, beautifully orchestrated and refreshingly original, this should set the standard for chamber pop. Very few bands could ever pull this off this sort of record without just sounding like a terribly cheesy ELO cover band.
The Silent League - "Here's A Star"
Sonoi- Sonoi
A hazy trip that fits right alongside classic Yo La Tengo for slipping into a pleasant coma on rainy days.
Untied States - Instant Everything, Constant Nothing
Yup, those are guitars ripping your insides apart. Untied States has created an adventurous record loaded with angular Denison and Froberg-influenced guitar riffs but less abrasive vocals than that of Jesus Lizard or Hot Snakes.
Yukon Blonde - Yukon Blonde
A throwback to the melodic 70s guitar rock of Thin Lizzy, loaded with catchy harmonies. It's not groundbreaking and Kings of Leon's early records did it better, but it's almost impossible not to love a song like "Babies Don't Like Blue Anymore."
Full Album Leak: Ghastly City Sleep - “Moondrifts”
Download Full Album: Ghastly City Sleep - Moondrifts
Ghastly City Sleep - "Seven (33 Leagues)"
There is no question that Radiohead is the most critically acclaimed band of the last decade. They're one of the few bands that has been able to maintain indie cred while being incredibly popular. And yet despite all this, how many great bands have really come along with a sound that evokes the thought "this sounds like Radiohead." Sure we've had the sappy watered down Coldplay, and the occasionally amazing Muse, but look at Brooklyn's scene which is overinfested with twee indie pop and lo-fi garage punk. There's about 50 shoegaze bands but you'll have a hard time finding an epic post-rock band.
To just call Ghastly City Sleep a Radiohead-influenced post rock band would be a disservice, but Ghastly City Sleep are a very rare find in our Brooklyn scene—a band capable of pulling off epic swells comparative of Mogwai and Radiohead. Think about those best moments of Mogwai or Sigur Ros concerts when quiet slowly-but-seamlessly builds to a beautifully massive storm cloud of rock that fully engulfs you. That's what Ghastly City Sleep's Moondrifts is like. This shouldn't come as a total surprise with members coming from bands like City of Caterpillar, and getting help from Kayo Dot's Mia on strings. Moondrifts is being released by Robotic Empire, home of Torche, Kayo Dot, Red Sparrowes and Isis.
This is a band that Brooklyn has been waiting for.
Jonny Leather’s Next Wave Concert Compilation
Royal Forest
I've got a total of 4 concerts scheduled for the upcoming months. I'm slowly rolling them all out with full details. Each of the 4 shows is loaded with bands that sit on the verge of breakthrough. They're potentially the next wave of great bands. To celebrate the abundance of shows and promote these amazing bands, I've put together a compilation of all of the bands performing (except Lagoon, who do not have mastered recordings ready at this time).
Download Full Compilation
April 21 @ Union Hall / Neighbors, Lagoon, My Gold Mask, Sunglasses
rsvp on facebook here
April 24 @ The Charleston / Sally Head, Hot Protestants, This is Versailles
(details soon)
Sally Head - "Man With Small Hands"
Hot Protestants - "Sad About An Ice Age"
This Is Versailles - "Gold Pills"
May 3 @ Glasslands / Brick + Mortar, Royals Chains, Royal Forest, Ghastly City Sleeps
rsvp on facebook here
Royal Chains - "Lucy Takes A Dare"
Royal Forest - "Save The Ghost"
Ghastly City Sleep - "Seven (33 Leagues)"
June 18 @ Union Hall / Pacific Theater, Peter Wolf Crier, Judson Claiborne
(details soon)
Peter Wolf Crier - "Crutch & Crane"
Concert: Ghastly City Sleep, Royal Forest, Royal Chains, Brick + Mortar @ Glasslands // 5.3.10
Jonny Leather Presents:
Your New Favorite Band - May Edition Concert
GHASTLY CITY SLEEP
ROYAL FOREST
ROYAL CHAINS
BRICK + MORTAR
at Glasslands
289 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn
doors at 8pm
$6
21+
Brick + Mortar - "20 LB"
Royal Chains - "Lucy Takes A Dare"
Royal Forest - "Save The Ghost"
Ghastly City Sleep - "Seven (33 Leagues)"
GHASTLY CITY SLEEP
Ghastly City Sleep - "Seven (33 Leagues)"
Ghastly City Sleep is the kind of epic post rock band that Brooklyn has been waiting for. Finding a home for their debut LP, Moondrifts, with Robotic Empire—home of such crushing bands as Isis, Torche, Red Sparrowes, and Kayo Dot—Ghastly City Sleep are coming out of the gates with a fully realized sound. Sonically, this is the closest Brooklyn has ever had to a Mogwai, or the heavier leanings of Radiohead. Their massive epic songs are big enough that they could lead the emergence of a new scene in the city of scenes.
"It isn't often new music surfaces that is so deeply intense, just hearing it may induce instant nostalgia; the ancient sensations you get when the seasons change, a vivid dream involving the first person you ever loved. In the same way that select few can simultaneously achieve dark and uplifting songs, the Brooklyn-based quartet known as GHASTLY CITY SLEEP hone in on some immensely powerful elements to deliver a commanding, breathtaking first offering." —Amazon
ROYAL FOREST
Royal Forest - "Save The Ghost"
Changing their name from Loxsly to Royal Forest recently due to the confusion with the generic Brooklyn band Locksley, Royal Forest has bulked up their sound. The Austin-based quintet still has a bit of that Grandaddy-like sound, but the guitars have grown heavier and contain more bite.
"Instead of relying on a couple of offbeat songs to demonstrate a more experimental bent, Loxsly often blends familiarity and new ground within the same song, making for a more intriguing concept."—NPR
ROYAL CHAINS
Royal Chains - "Lucy Takes A Dare"
When The Royal Chains headlined one of my shows a few months ago the garage rock duo managed to fill out the room with a sound bigger than just drums and guitar while turning quite a few heads. My friends at forthebeat were just a few of the new fans they won over with their straightforward-but-electrifying set.
BRICK + MORTAR
Very rarely do I ever check myspace, but with the occasional interesting message coming through I still haven't deleted my account. Even less likely to happen than me checking my myspace is me getting a message from a good band. My inbox is littered with shit bands that want to be my friend. I hardly ever actually check out the bands anymore, but luckily for me I took a chance on Brick + Mortar and was instantly enamored. Their name fits their sound. A drum and bass duo with plenty of electronics, they find a comfortable place between catchy and punishing. Brick + Mortar is the golden nugget of my myspace inbox, found between the most boring bands in the world, and the sluttiest women in the world.
Concert: Sunglasses, My Gold Mask, Lagoon, Neighbors @ Union Hall // 4.21.10
Jonny Leather Presents:
Your New Favorite Band - April Edition Concert
SUNGLASSES
MY GOLD MASK
LAGOON
NEIGHBORS
Doors at 7:30
21+
$8
Sunglasses - "Whiplash"
My Gold Mask - "Violet Eyes"
Neighbors - "Hooligans"
SUNGLASSES
Sunglasses - "Whiplash"
With a debut EP scheduled for a June release on Lefse Records (home of Neon Indian), Sunglasses is potentially the next big thing. Their fresh, funky electronic jams sound like fun summer night in Brooklyn.
"a psychedelic, belly-dancing journey through the universe, complete with awful spandex, awkward hipster chicks dancing, and primitive green screen production, making for a completely awesome music video that you’ll want to share with your friends, and you, yourself, will keep watching because the pairing of the song and the visuals is just so good." —forthebeat
MY GOLD MASK
My Gold Mask - "Violet Eyes"
Guitar and drums duo My Gold Mask are quickly becoming one of Chicago's hottest young bands. Singer Gretta Rochelle pounds steady tribal rhythms that react perfectly to her banshee vocals and Jack Armondo's slick lead guitar which varies from surf to art rock, always with excellent tone. Their songs have an exceptional intensity and fullness that is hard for a duo to capture.
"Circle Mass is a furious frolic of everything we love most about My Gold Mask...intense rises and passionate vocalizings." —Sheena Beaston
LAGOON
Lagoon combines the vast talents of 3 very young Brooklyn musicians who stray far away from the watered down indie pop scene. A haunting new sound emerges as Steven Vega loops patterns creeping math guitar riffs while Mason Remel provides complex beats and extraordinary singer Alex Drewchin lets loose soaring vocals. Lagoon is like a young phenom athlete only steps away from the major leagues. They have the talent and enough adventurousness to have an enormous impact on the music world.
NEIGHBORS
Neighbors - "Hooligans"
Claiming Agent Dale Cooper as their influence on their myspace page, Neighbors have the right sort of dreamy tone that would fit within the soundtrack of Twin Peaks. I stumbled upon the band recently due to a recommendation by a friend and I was immediately blown away. Strong songwriting, catchy songs and enough variation to move you from swaying to dancing, Neighbors seems like a surefire indie hitmaker with a bright future in the Brooklyn scene.
"Noah Stitelman’s world-weary lyrics (“Suck it up kid, life’s a mixed, mixed bag at best”) and deadpan delivery (Doug Martsch comes to mind) leads you to think he’s pretty much over it, whatever “it” may be, but the backing instrumentation implies otherwise. Primarily a solo project, even Neighbors’ slower tracks are alive and full-sounding, with layers crashing and tumbling all over each other like a psychedelic Arcade Fire. Stitelman spends the majority of his time playing guitar for NY-based Jacksonknife, but we’re salivating for some solo shows." - L Magazine
Concert: SXSW-BK / Kordan, DeVries, Lagoon, Ghastly City Sleep @ Bell House // 3.19.10
You don't need to go to Austin for SXSW to discover the next great band... Like many others, I'm not able to make it to the annual music festival of industry schmoozing so rather than setting up a showcase down there, I've decided to host a special showcase of excellent up and coming Brooklyn bands here at home for all the rest of you who can't manage to make it down south for the endless party and tex mex.
Next year these will be the bands that everyone talks about at SXSW. see them now instead and stay ahead of the curve.
Jonny Leather Presents: SXSW-BK
Kordan
DeVries
Lagoon
Ghastly City Sleep
Friday March 19, 2010
@ The Bell House
Doors at 7:30. Bands at 8pm
Tickets only $5
Kordan
Kordan - "Hologram"
"Undiscovered Band of the Month / Kordan recently finished recording their debut full-length album The Longing. Taking cues from their earlier release, The Longing depicts a story of love in a hazy metropolis circa the year 2036, where the sky is tuned to a dead channel, the city glimmers with neon dreams, and holograms of lovers drift away."— Filter Magazine, February 2010
"Fantasy Nation is one of the most pleasurable releases from a Brooklyn act this year, on or off the dance floor."—Jezebel Music, B+ Review of Fantasy Nation EP
DeVries
DeVries - "Darkest Summer"
"...lushly melodic, Britpop-accented album" —Dave Segal, The Stranger
"Death to God is possibly the greatest Manchester album never to have been made in Manchester. a beautiful piece of work. Yes it sounds like it was recorded under a rain cloud but it’ll entertain you from start to finish. Simple. Precise. Haunting. Special. Death to God is a must have for all of those who spend more time looking at their shoes than should be considered healthy. Don’t miss it." —Damian Leslie, Incendiary Magazine
Lagoon
Lagoon's singer Alex Drewchin may be young, but take notice because she very well possess the most powerful set of pipes in New York's saturated indie scene and also has guitar chops. To greater compliment her gift, she's put together a really talented band willing to explore in ways many bands don't dare and couldn't even if they tried.
Ghastly City Sleep
Ghastly City Sleep - "Ice Creaks"
"It isn't often new music surfaces that is so deeply intense, just hearing it may induce instant nostalgia; the ancient sensations you get when the seasons change, a vivid dream involving the first person you ever loved. In the same way that select few can simultaneously achieve dark and uplifting songs, the Brooklyn-based quartet known as GHASTLY CITY SLEEP hone in on some immensely powerful elements to deliver a commanding, breathtaking first offering. On the GHASTLY CITY SLEEP debut, four tracks span thirty minutes... and when it's done, you actually feel different. While two pieces nearly reach the six-minute mark and the other two eclipse nine, the whole offering flows with a smooth liquidity, creating one solidified, captivating body of work. The four young men involved in GHASTLY CITY SLEEP don't stick to one instrument long, as the entire collective can be found playing everything from guitars, keys, various percussion and just about everything in between. The multitude of layers involved here are accompanied by a warm yet haunting array of vocals, all helping to produce this simply epic debut."—Amazon
Concert: Benefit for Jiamini @ The Bell House // 2.24.10
Jonny Leather/Good For You's Good For Me Presents:
A Benefit For Jiamini Scholarship Fund
The Subjects
ARMS
Uninhabitable Mansions
Frances
2.24.10 @ The Bell House
149 7th Street Brooklyn, NY
Doors at 7pm
21+
$10
proceeds will be donated to The Jiamini Scholarship Fund
The Subjects
The Subjects - "Winter Vacation"
"The line I want to use to describe The Subjects is from the exasperated phone call scene in 'Back to Future', where Marvin Berry- wth his bloddy, bandaged playing hand - punches his cousin Chuck's phone number and says, "You know that new sound you've been looking for? Well, listen to this..."—Daytrotter
Consequence Of Sound: "... classical work with eccentric pop work that is light and fresh with just enough thud and kick to it."
"...remarkably solid..."—Magnet Magazine
ARMS
"Arms' music is lo-fi but lovely and very, very good. There's truly not a bad song on here. 'Kids Aflame' rocks, shudders, weeps, and smiles as you reach to hit 'play' again." —The Guardian (UK)
"[Arms] readily demonstrates a knack for the slowly building, triumphant-sounding anthem that's still a little downbeat no matter what." —AllMusic.com
Uninhabitable Mansions
Uninhabitable Mansions - "Do You Have A Strategy"
At Bowery last Saturday, the Brooklyn art and music collective Uninhabitable Mansions opened for the Antlers and provided the packed house with abundance of talent and songcraft. Drawing members from the bands Au Revoir Simone, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah, and the late lamented Dirty on Purpose, UM performed a thirty-five minute set of material from their excellent new release Nature Is A Taker. The songs combine elements of indie-pop and shoegaze and highlight the vocal harmonies of Annie Hart and Robbie Guertin, while focusing on the interplay between melodic guitar lines, keyboards and Doug Marvin’s driving drums.—NYC Taper
Frances
“All The While nails its grand aesthetic. It never descends to the pomposity of similar artists like the Divine Comedy, but still forges a friendly marriage between accessibility and mystery. Call it “chamber pop” or just call it like it is: a phenomenal debut album.”—Prefix Magazine 8.5/10
Learn More About Jiamini
Together with the New York Times and Thomson Reuters, Jiamini is honored to co-host a panel discussion addressing the role of education in Africa’s long-term development.
Event: Panel discussion
African Experiences: Development through Education
Date: February 16th | 5:30PM - 9:00PM
Panel discussion will begin at 6PM | Cocktail reception to follow
Location: 3 Times Square | 30th floor | New York, NY
7th Ave between 42nd & 43rd Streets
Panel Moderator: Matt Bigg, Atlanta Bureau Chief for Reuters
Panelists
- Ambassador John Campbell, former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria
- Dr. Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome (CUNY), Professor of Political Science
- Mora Mclean, President and CEO of theAfrica-America Institute
- Reverend Petero Sabune, Chaplain at Sing Sing Correctional Facility
Sponsored by: Thomson Reuters Black Employee Network
The New York Times African Heritage Affinity Group
RSVP Required | This is a free event | Jiamini.org/rsvp.php
Concert: Your New Favorite Bands @ Union Hall // 2.3.10
Jonny Leather Presents:
The Royal Chains
Paul & The Patients
The Waylons
Linfinity (Dylan solo set)
Christopher Paul Stelling
2.3.10 @ Union Hall
702 Union St. Brooklyn, NY
Doors at 7pm
21+
$7 (proceeds will be donated to a Haiti relief fund tbd)
The Royal Chains
Paul & The Patients
"just damn addictive... psychedelic-based songs, the tracks consistently hook in your head" –rcrdlbl.com
"I am exploding with the need to talk about a band I am fucking obsessed with right now: Paul and The Patients" –ultragrrrl.blogspot.com
"Holmes’ knack for writing catchy songs. His vocals loom large over the music on the tracks—it’s mostly smooth, but at points is pushed to a perfect, raspy howl." –New York Press
mp3: Paul & The Patients - "Shooting Star"
mp3: Paul & The Patients - "Complaint 15"
The Waylons
"Their self-titled debut is a solid slab of rock that begs comparisons to other no-frills acts like the Replacements, Buffalo Tom, and even Sloan and the Shins." –popmatters.com
mp3: The Waylons - "Endless Supplies"
Linfinity (Dylan solo set)
"With an eclectic mix of influences brewing in its pot, Linfinity has developed a huge sound most easily comparable to Arcade Fire, Echo & The Bunnymen and DeVotchka." — New York Press
mp3: Linfinity - "Molly Mar of Rome"
Christopher Paul Stelling
Christopher Paul Stelling's rapid finger-picked acoustic tales evoke the genius of Tallest Man on Earth. And much like Tallest Man on Earth, Stelling knows how to engage a crowd.—NY Press
mp3: Christopher Paul Stelling - "Flawless Executioner"
Concert: Your New Favorite Bands @ The Bell House // 1.15.10
Jonny Leather Presents:
Drink Up Buttercup
Ravens & Chimes
Miracles of Modern Science
Milagres
1.15.10 @ The Bell House
149 7th St. Brooklyn, NY
Doors at 7pm
21+
$7
Photo by Bryan Bruchman
Photo by Bryan Bruchman
Drink Up Buttercup
“Lumbering drums, jangling shakers, electronic squiggles, and lots of whimsical, ragged shouts accompany the strutting bass line and stomping guitar. As with, say, Chicago indie-rockers the M’s, it’s all just loose and playful enough to avoid coming across as overly nostalgic.”—Pitchfork
"Material that doesn’t strive for radio-style catchiness but mesmerizes and clobbers live audiences instead..." (CMJ 2008)—New York Times
"Psychedelic without being cheesy, this band sounds like a sinister carnival."—NPR All Songs Considered
mp3: Drink Up Buttercup - "Sosey and Dosey"
Ravens & Chimes
"Ravens and Chimes ... sweeten your blood with every listen." — URB Magazine
"Ravens And Chimes [kicked off their tour] at Union Pool. The six member ensemble could barely fit on the small stage at the club, and the sound was a little muddy ... [but] it didn’t stop the beautiful, unique chimes from the xylophone, the sweet sound of the flute, or the aggressive tossing of a tambourine around the stage." —CMJ
"frenzied chatter in the blogosphere has tagged them as the next next Arcade Fire." —Spin.com
mp3: Ravens & Chimes - "Hearts of Palm"
Miracles of Modern Science
One of "25 Must Hear Artists" at the CMJ Music Festival 2009! —Spin
"Miracles of Modern Science play consummate major-key space-pop that sounds like something new."—Wired
"These days its a challenge within the “indie/rock/pop” realm to actually produce music that is “original” either in its presentation, production or writing. Miracles of Modern Science have mastered that challenge."—NYC Taper
mp3: Miracles of Modern Science - "Eating Me Alive"
Photo by Eric Schwortz
Milagres
(formerly known as The Secret Life of Sofia)
"...one of Brooklyn's top unsigned gems." —Ear Farm
"I can't even begin to explain how obsessed I am with the new songs..." —The Battering Room
"Now known as Milagres the band continued in the tradition of their well received record Seven Summits, making fantastic indie pop music with depth and a fantastic songwriting gift. The songs of Empty Sleeves wind up representing the end of one era of the band and the dawning of a new as they have gone on to a successful run at CMJ and a few well received local shows. We're sure they are getting ready for a new release under the new name but you should definitely track down these tunes and check them out when you get a chance." —Pop Tarts Suck Toasted "Best of '09: Top 10 EPs"
mp3: The Secret Life of Sofia - "Moon On The Seas Gate"
Critical Differences: Neutral Milk Hotel - “In The Aeroplane Over the Sea”
"Critical Differences" is a new feature on jonnyleather.com examining clashing album reviews written by music critics with the power to make or break an artist/album. For my first ever attempt at this column I decided to look at Neutral Milk Hotel's "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea." It's an album that personally grew on me to become one of my all-time favorites, and is also an album that was difficult for critics to assess early on.
Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over the Sea
mp3: Neutral Milk Hotel - "King Of Carrot Flowers Part 2 & 3"
Now a little over 10 years since it's release, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is widely regarded as a masterpiece. Very few albums in its genre have had as large of an influence over what followed. Rolling Stone and Pitchfork had pretty dissimilar feelings about the record upon it's release...
Rolling Stone
1998
Ben Ratliff
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Key Remarks:
"Jeff Mangum, who goes by the name of Neutral Milk Hotel with or without musical collaborators, was one of those seventies kids touched by Brian Wilson and Lindsey Buckingham. Unfortunately, Mangum went straight for the advanced course in aura and texture, skipping basic training in form and selfediting."
"The lyrics on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, his second album, are fertile, heaping, onrushing; most of the music is scant and drab, with flat-footed rhythms and chord changes strictly out of the beginner's folk songbook. Elsewhere, in "The King of Carrot Flowers Parts Two and Three," the clattering drums, trombones and impasto of underwater guitar fuzz mask the absence of a decent melody."
"He sings loudly, straining the limits of an affectless voice"
"For those not completely sold on its folk charm, Aeroplane is thin-blooded, woolgathering stuff."
Conclusion: Rolling Stone's Ben Ratliff's review actually reads as being more negative than the 3 out of 5 star tag connected with it, completely ripping apart Mangum's songwriting and criticizing his vocals. It's hard not to cringe reading such a scathing review of a classic record.
Pitchfork
1998
M. Christian McDermott
Rating: 8.7
Key Remarks:
"there's one psych-rock band making music that's just as catchy as it is frightening."
"From the opening "King of Carrot Flowers," In the Aeroplane Over the Sea shifts from acoustic folkiness to loud, fast punk rock with little or no warning. It features a noisy horn section and a dreamy singin' saw, all rolled into a package that does a credible job of blending Sgt. Pepper with early 90's lo-fi."
"Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Magnum writes songs that read like bad dreams. He inherits a world of cannibalism, elastic sexuality and freaks of nature. We can only assume he likes it there."
Conclusion: The 8.7 is a very positive score for Pitchfork, and though McDermott's review does more to describe the feeling of the record than his own personal feelings about it, you get the impression that he thinks very highly of it.
7 years and a reissue later Pitchfork wrote a second review of the record, giving it the highest honor, a 10.0...
Pitchfork
2005
Mark Richardson
Rating: 10.0
Key Remarks:
"Moments of trauma, joy, shame-- here they're all experienced first as physical sensation. A flash of awkward intimacy is recalled as "now how I remember you/ how I would push my fingers through your mouth/ to make those muscles move.""
"Obsessed as it is with the textures of the flesh and the physical self as an emotional antenna, listening to Aeroplane sometimes seems to involve more than just your ears."
"The instrumentation seems plucked randomly from different years in the 20th century: singing saws, Salvation Army horn arrangements, banjo, accordion, pipes."
"Aeroplane is what happens when you have that knowledge and still take the risk."
Conclusion: Having already reviewed the record quite positively, I don't really see the necessity for Pitchfork to have done a 2nd review of the record. This one is longer and more in-depth, but in the end says nothing really to add upon the original review outside of letting us know what we already grew to know—that it's now a classic record—and to fil us in on the conection to the Diary of Ann Frank.
A Benefit For St. Christopher’s Inn Rehabilitation Center
Good For You's Good For Me presents:
A Benefit Concert for St Christopher's Inn Rehabilitation Center
Xylos
Zambri
deVries
Team Genius
12.10.09 @ Union Hall
702 Union St. Brooklyn, NY
Doors at 7pm
21+
$10
Xylos
One of L Magazine's "8 Bands You Need To Hear" for 2009, Xylos have a fun poppy sound with intelligent songwriting. They're debut ep is available for free download here.
mp3: Xylos - "Wrapped in a Page"
Zambri
Zambri was just picked as The Deli Magazine's band of the month and their new EP Bang For Changes has been getting a lot of much deserved attention lately. If Kevin Shields produced a pop album with dueling female vocals, it'd probably sound like Zambri.
mp3: Zambri - "W/Somebody (The Model Remix)"
deVries
Now based in Brooklyn, deVries channels classic Stone Roses while drifting through territory Ride once traveled. Debut record Death To God is a feast of dreamy pop and sparkling guitars. "Broken Heart" could be a heard as a cinematic T.Rex cover. "What a Wasted Life" feels like a classic that seems to outdo Stone Roses at their own game. "Cold London Town" is beautifully sad, and "Darkest Summer" counters as the band's catchiest song.
mp3: deVries - "Darkest Summer"
Team Genius
I think the best way to describe Team Genius is fun. There isn't a moment in their songs and performances lacking in joy. The core of the music seems to take most directly from stuff like The Cars, but with lots of additional instrumentation and an overload of backing vocals, it's a more playful sound.
mp3: Team Genius - "Take Me Home"
This concert is in dedication to my very close friend Damien Perello [RIP 1982-2009]. Damien loved music so much that he flew up from Florida for a concert I curated in October, only a couple weeks prior to his passing.
Proceeds from the concert will be donated in Damien's memory to St Christopher's Inn in support of their Drug Rehabilitation program.
St. Christopher’s Inn, a ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, is a temporary homeless shelter dedicated to the rehabilitation of men in crisis whom we call “Brothers Christopher.”
Our mission is to offer a continuum of quality health care services that facilitate physical, emotional, and spiritual healing by providing Chemical Dependency Treatment, Primary Health Care, and temporary housing.
CMJ 2009: Sky Larkin
Photo by Liam Henry
When I unexpectedly received an email asking if Sky Larkin could join my 1st annual CMJ showcase, I had not yet heard the band, but they looked promising and like a good fit with the rest of the bands, and then I checked them out on myspace. Love at first listen occurred when "Fossil, I" began to play. I became overjoyed and immediately added them to my showcase that I had already believed was something really special.
Who are they? Katie Harkin- vocals, guitar, Nestor Matthews - drums, Douglas Adams - bass
Where are they from? Leeds, UK
How many albums do they have? 1, The Golden Spike
Who do they sound like? Pretty Girls Make Graves, Giant Drag
When are they playing? Thursday, October 22 at Union Hall, midnight
CMJ 2009: Loxsly
Photo by Matthew Genitempo
Hailing from Austin, Loxsly is an ambitious band. Their 2009 release Tomorrow's Fossils is one of those records that is far greater than the sum of its parts. The songs are often unpredictable and filled with experimentation, but never fail to lose track of their melodic core that is carried by Cody Ground's delicately playful keyboard and vocals, and given its defining character by Justin Douglas' haunting pedal steel.
Who are they? Justin Douglas - pedal steel/guitar, Cody Ground - vocals/keboard, Garret Johnston - guitar, Eryk Lugo - bass, Chris Rivera - drums
Where are they from? Austin, TX
Discography: Maps & Organs (2005), Flashlights EP (2008), Tomorrow's Fossils (2009)
Who do they sound like? Flaming Lips, Wilco
When are they playing? Thursday, October 22 at Union Hall, 7pm
Battalions from Loxsly on Vimeo.
Lamprey Eels from Loxsly on Vimeo.
CMJ 2009: Unicycle Loves You
SPIN just called them one of the 25 Must-Hear Bandsof CMJ. Filter named them the Undiscovered band of the Month for October. Big things are ahead for Unicycle Loves You. Recent gigs with major indie bands like Art Brut, Fiery Furnaces, Liam Finn, and Cymbals Eat Guitars have also brought the Chicago band attention, and it's about time. Their self-titled 2008 debut was one of the best pop records by anyone last year, and their live performances measure up with their recordings.
Who are they? Jim Carroll - vocals/guitar, Nicole Vitale - bass/vocals, Adam Labrada - keyboard, J.T. Baker - drums
Where are they from? Chicago, IL
Discography: Unicycle Loves You (2008)
Who do they sound like? The Cars, New Pornographers
When are they playing? Thursday, October 22 at Union Hall, 8pm
CMJ 2009: ArpLine
- Photo by Kendra Elliot
Trying to describe what ArpLine sounds like is not easy for a lot of people, and maybe that's why New York City's bloggers have avoided giving them proper recognition. ArpLine (formerly known as The Kiss Off) are not part of any of NYC/Brooklyn's scenes. They're the farthest thing from the lo-fi scene getting all the attention, and also don't fit in with all of the chamber pop bands. Instead ArpLine looks like they may be the core for something new. Technically precise, upbeat and dark, their sound combines the electro pop genius of New Order, the gothic mood of Bauhaus, and even quite a bit of that Rush virtuoso prog rock. Not many bands have the talent, let alone the balls to pull off such a sound without, but ArpLine does.
Who are they? Sam Tyndall - vocals/keys, Oliver Edsforth - keys/sax, Nate Lithgow - bass, Adam De Rosa - guitar, Michael Chap Resnick - drums
Where are they from? New York City
How many albums do they have? in the process of recording their debut lp
Who do they sound like? New Order, Bauhaus, Rush
When are they playing? Thursday, October 22 at Union Hall, 9pm
CMJ 2009: Army Navy
Photo by Travis Schneider
The one and only time I saw Army Navy live, I was obsessed with their debut record, and after working a long long night at work, I ran to Union Hall just in time for their set. When the band took the stage, lead singer Justin Kennedy looked liked he got hit by a bus. The singer announced to the crowd that he was incredibly sick, but would try to play anyway. His voice was barely holding up, and he hadn't even begun to sing. It didn't last. As hard as Kennedy tried to carry on, it was just impossible, and after only a few songs, the bad had to call it quits for the night. No one was more disappointed than the quartet, who promised they'd be back and healthy.
While putting together my lineup for my 2009 CMJ showcase, I decided to contact Army Navy to see if they'd like to finally make their healthy return to Union Hall to headline my showcase after that tough night one year earlier. I'm thrilled to say they said yes, and in a recent email from Kennedy he promised me, "I am taking massive amounts of vitamins so I will be at my utmost health for the show." haha.
Who are they? Justin Kennedy - vocals/guitar, Ben Gaffin - bass, Louie Schultz - guitar/keys, Douglas Randall - drums
Where are they from? Los Angeles, CA
Discography: Army Navy
Who do they sound like? Teenage Fanclub, Apples in Stereo
When are they playing? Thursday, October 22 at Union Hall, 11pm
Good For You’s Good For Me’s 1st Annual CMJ Showcase
To nobody's surprise, every year the CMJ Music Marathon exists, it gets a bit lamer. You took a look at this year's lineup and were totally unimpressed. I understand. So was I. But holy fuck that lineup at Union Hall on Thursday October 22nd looks really good! Someone's gotta curate a lineup of exciting up and coming acts that everyone hasn't already seen a billion times, so come to my (Good for You's Good For Me's) first annual CMJ Party, co-presented by the good folks at themusicslut.com
Thursday, October 22
Doors at 6pm
LOXSLY - 7
UNICYCLE LOVES YOU - 8
ARPLINE - 9
DELETED SCENES - 10
ARMY NAVY - 11
SKY LARKIN- 12
21+, $10, cmj badges will be accepted
Advance tickets are on sale, and it's going to sell out, so I highly recommend getting them now.
Loxsly - "Instead of relying on a couple of offbeat songs to demonstrate a more experimental bent, Loxsly often blends familiarity and new ground within the same song, making for a more intriguing concept." — NPR All Songs Considered
Loxsly - "Lamprey Eels"
Unicycle Loves You - "Unicycle Loves You is a psychedelic pop band whipping up a frenzy of addictive pop melodies fresh enough for even the most jaded listener to sit up and pay attention. Formed in Chicago in the summer of 2006 by songwriter/home recording artist, Jim Carroll, they've carved out a niche for themselves within the ever-changing world of indie-rock that's full of merriment, madness and mayhem. The band's self-titled debut album was produced by Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine) and released on Chicago's Highwheel Records in June of 2008. Since then, Unicycle Loves You have generated quite a bit of buzz resulting in opening gigs with the likes of Fiery Furnaces, Art Brut, Crystal Antlers, Awesome Color, Cymbals Eat Guitars, & Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Dark and twisted, light and airy, smooth and sweet, or raucous and wild, Unicycle Loves You will grab you by the ears and pull you through their technicolor world of pure pop bliss. The band is currently shopping for a label for the follow-up to its self-titled debut and will be playing three showcases at this year's CMJ Marathon in NY." — Undiscovered Band of the Month, Filter Magazine 10.07.2009
Unicycle Loves You - "Justine"
Unicycle Loves You - "The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get" (Morrissey cover for Music Slut)
ArpLine - "One of the most promising local acts I've seen in quite some time" —The Music Slut
"Arpline are the liberators of the 80s" - dj John Richards, KEXP
ArpLine - "Fold Up Like A Piece of Paper"
Deleted Scenes - "8.0 - Ferocious and brave, this debut LP is a well-balanced demonstration of both thoughtful existentialism and strange, drowsy downers." — Birdseed Shirt review by Pitchfork
Deleted Scenes - "Fake IDs"
Deleted Scenes - "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" (Morrissey cover for Music Slut)
Army Navy - “Classic…enormous choruses, pure alchemy ..Army Navy is a BLAST” —Pitchfork, 7.8 “A splashy jangle of distorted guitars and winsomely defiant vocals” —Spin Magazine “Irrefutably charming and undeniably infectious.” —Filter Magazine “Seriously, I could listen to songs like this from now until the end of time.” —Idolator.com
Army Navy - "My Thin Sides"
Sky Larkin - "Absolutely every indie kid we know in London is obsessed with Sky Larkin, a trio of bright young things who make moody, thoughtful Britpop. We’re sure the DiS guys are as into it as their peers, and they just released a track from Sky Larkin’s new EP Swift Swoo, called "I Was a Teenage Hand Model" on their RCRD LBL blog. Kind of slow, totally beautiful, and strangely catchy—can’t wait till this band finally record their debut LP (scheduled to happen this summer is Seattle). —RCRD LBL “Sun-stroking, cloudbusting indie” —NME
Sky Larkin - "Fossil, I"
Saturday Oct. 3rd: Good For You’s Good For Me 1 Year Anniversary Party
Back in October 2008, I organized my first charity concert. It was at Union Hall, and a little unknown band named Motel Motel headlined, along with Intermissions, the GoStation, and Tropic of Nelson. There was never any intention to turn the charity concert into a full on series, but then it happened and felt so good to give back to the world no matter how little I had to offer, so GOOD FOR YOU'S GOOD FOR ME was born, and I continued along organizing concerts nearly every month to raise money for a variety of charities, from an orphanage in Nairobi to a girl in need of a liver transplant to an organization for the deaf.
It's been a year now, and I've been lucky enough to have great performers like The Forms, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers, Your Vegas, Essie Jain, The Silent League, Frances and many others all involved.
So in celebration of a great year, I've organized a really special free concert event to take place on October 3rd at Bell House from noon to 6pm.
I've been lucky enough to bring back some of my favorite performers from the last year to play very special sets:
5:15 - BLING KONG (reunited for 1 day only)
4:30 - MOTEL MOTEL
3:45 - ARMS
3:00 - NOEL HEROUX (of Hooray for Earth) + PAUL HOLMES (of Paul & the Patients)
2:30 - HOLAS
1:45 - IVANA XL
1:00 - GRUB ANIMAL
12:00 - Doors
and special guests
Grub Animal - "Day Brings New Love"
Paul Holmes - "Tiny Red Light"
Hooray For Earth - "Surrounded By Your Friends (Miádis Remix)"
