Getting Personal With: Jason Russo (Common Prayer/Hopewell)
Many of the most interesting, creative people I've gotten to know over the years grew up without a television. Maybe creative development really is stifled by being spoonfed entertainment that leaves no room for an imagination. This is not to say those who grew up with television can not be creative, but one has to wonder exactly how much it hinders the development of the imagination.
Jason Russo grew up in a religious household with 2 brothers, a sister and no tv. The son of a psychiatrist spent the better time of his youth in graveyards, woods and strip malls in upstate New York before music consumed much of his life. At the young age of 19, Russo found himself touring alongside his brother Justin as guitarist for critically acclaimed Mercury Rev during their peak, before focusing entirely on his own eclectic psychedelic rock band Hopewell.
With six releases since 1998, Hopewell has developed a reputation as a wonderful live band while gaining a legion of devoted followers while touring with such legends as My Bloody Valentine, Mike Watt, and Brian Jonestown Massacre.
During spring 2009, the talented Russo teamed up with Alexandra Marvar to begin work on a new musical project by the name of Common Prayer. Leaning more towards a ramshackle folk than the dark psychedelics of Hopewell, Common Prayer's first record There is a Mountain has been a breathe of fresh air in 2010, garnering praise from many critics.
Having just wrapped up a trip to Europe that included shows with the legendary Neil Halstead (Slowdive, Mojave 3), Jason and Alexandra are back to New York with shows lined up at The Rock Shop (8/13), Union Pool (9/3), Glasslands (9/16).
Growing up listening to Mercury Rev and then following his path to Hopewell and Common Prayer, it was an honor to be given the opportunity to ask Jason Russo a few questions about his path towards music.
From what I remember, you have a pretty religious upbringing. Can you elaborate on how that may have guided your musical direction at an early age?
Good memory! How has it guided me? Hmm. A religious upbringing meant that I was not exposed to popular culture as much as most kids. We didn’t have TV for example. Perhaps that prompted me to dive head long into the r&r lifestyle as a teenager? More importantly I think it gave me a perspective on common human drama. I learned early on that all love songs were metaphors for a larger human need.
Though we didn't know each other, we grew up in close proximity in the suburbs of upstate New York. Did you have any favorite hangout spots?
A lot of my hanging out was in parking lots, strip malls, train tracks, graveyards etc. Or the woods. I spent a lot of time in what was left of the woods back then. Do you remember the Rhinecliff Hotel? That was a favorite of mine. They let us drink waaaaay before we were legal.
Were there any local bands that you were into that may have helped you push harder into your own musical career?
Yes! Agitpop. They were from Poughkeepsie (the big town next to my hometown Hopewell Jct.) and they were on 120 Minutes (!?) They toured with Soul Asylum and the Replacements. I eventually lived with the singer and he sort of introduced me to the business of music, for better or worse.
What was the first instrument that you played?
Guitar. It’s also the last instrument I will play.
I know your brother Justin is very musical, but how about the rest of your family?
Non musical. My Mom sang a lot in church but my Dad is tone deaf. My other brother is a boxer and my younger sister is, among other things, a mechanic. Apparently, way back we had a great uncle who nearly toured with Tex Ritter, but my great grandfather wouldn’t let him go. There was a sculptor in that generation as well.
What do you think draws you most into psychedelic music?
It’s open ended-ness. Psychedelic music is speculative music. I need a fair amount of wonder and unpredictability to not get bored.
If you could put together your dream band, who would be in it?
Hmmmm, not sure about individuals. My dream band would definitely involve an entire marching band though. At my beck and call.
You've been playing in and around New York for a long time. Who's the best band that never made it?
Grand Mal. Hands down.
In the last year you've played all around, with both Common Prayer and Hopewell including a couple outdoor festivals. Where's your favorite place to perform?
Well Common Prayer likes ramshackle type places. We just played in a converted coach house in Brighton, UK. The stage area was full of partially functioning music equipment and toys – we had a field day. Hopewell just played at Governors Island, that was fun as hell. In a different kind of way.
What have you been able to accomplish with Common Prayer that you couldn't musically with Hopewell?
As Hopewell progresses it’s gotten more accomplished in it’s abilities – we can make any kind of music we want now – Common Prayer is more spontaneous – like a splatter painting. Its more impulsive. It has become a place where my catchier little songs have found a home, Hopewell is on a longer darker mission...like Star Trek...Hopewell may never come home and Common Prayer never leaves the house. Capiche?
You've shared the stage with icons like Neil Halstead and Flaming Lips. Who's the most exciting person you've been able to meet in your life?
Hmm, in my life? I have hung out with a lot of Trappist monks in my time. They are totally surreal and usually really really old. It’s exciting in a slow way. Otherwise, yes, Wayne Coyne is entertaining and thoughtful, Anton BJM is seriously engaging and Neil H. is very cool—he took Alex and I surfing and then out to high tea in Cornwall. He’s a stand up guy.
How has Alexandra influenced your songwriting methods?
[laughs] Well, she keeps an eye on me to make sure I am not getting ahead of myself. It’s a hard thing, when you write songs, to stay away from being cheesy. Alex has a good perspective on that sort of thing and I trust her taste. She adds an element of chaos too...a good foil in other words.
Common Prayer - "Us vs Them"
Hopewell - "Stranger"
Interview: Miracles of Modern Science
Miracles of Modern Science - "I Found Space"
In the last decade it's become quite common for rock bands to utilize string players to expand their sound, but not for rock bands to structure their sounds around these instruments the way Miracles of Modern Science have done. Since Arcade Fire's Funeral was embraced by music lovers in 2004, what has been described as chamber pop has taken a big place in the modern rock spectrum. The rock formula of guitar, bass and drums has been given additional flourishes with cello, mandolin, or violin. It's not entirely new to rock, but it's the most prominent classical instrumentation has even been in rock.
Sure, in the 90s Primus often showcased upright bass and mandolin, and since the days of The Beatles string accompaniment has been in rock music, but Brooklyn's Miracles of Modern Science have taken it one step further and structured a pop rock band around the classical instrumentation (cello, violin, mandolin, double bass, and drums). The resulting sound is what cellist Geoff McDonald describes as a "Civil War string band shot into outer space on a disco ball spaceship." Miracles of Modern Science is not gimmick driven band. They are not Yellowcard. They are a band taking a much needed different approach to a tired form of music with the type of enthusiasm necessary to make it work.
Like any good band with something new and interesting to say, the list of influences that is are injected into their songwriting is eclectic, from Stravinksy and Mahler to Van Halen and Pavement. Formal classical and jazz training gives them an understanding of their tools that won't be found in a garage rock band, while also providing them with a different approach to songwriting than most rock bands.
They no longer wear silver spacesuits on stage as they did in their earlier days, but their performances are still thoroughly engaging and not to be missed.
With a 3 week residency beginning this Thursday (June 10) at Cake Shop, the members of MOMS answered a few of my questions about their histories as musicians and their approach to music:
What's the biggest challenge in performing at rock clubs with classic instrumentation?
Josh Hirshfeld (mandolin): Strings sound the best unplugged. We play rock music, but we always go for that natural sound. We're not putting the strings through distortion pedals to make it sound like that metal violinist who plays in Union Square (as bad-ass as he is). But problems arise when we try to bring that natural acoustic sound up to rock club volumes. If we're on a small stage and the bass amp is pumping right into the hollow body of the cello, there can just be crazy amounts of feedback. But if our songwriting approach is partly about the strings being played in ways they aren't traditionally played, it makes sense that live we'd have to take them to places you don't traditionally hear them.
Kieran Ledwidge (violin): Despite the fact that there's often a question of balancing our unusual instrumentation (particularly at clubs built around accommodating bands anchored by guitars or synths), our biggest challenge has been being able to hear ourselves clearly. Listening to the sound you're currently creating informs every mechanical action and adjustment you make. Since we have no frets (mandolin aside), visual feedback isn't accurate enough. Bowed instruments are also inherently dynamic in their volume - and if you can't hear yourself, there's a temptation to play louder with the bow until you can... but in the context of a rock show, that can easily lead to overplaying the instrument. The sound of an overplayed amplified string instrument is one of the more horrible sounds in this world - trying to drown out the sound of a cat being strangled by drawing a rusty nail across a blackboard would probably paint the sonic picture.
How long have each of you been playing your instrument of choice?
Kieran: I've been playing violin for 19 years.
Geoff McDonald (cello): 15 years
Evan Younger (bass, vocals): My path to the double bass was gradual – I jumped from piano (17 years) to guitar (14 years) to electric bass (11 years) to upright (9ish). I didn't start singing seriously until college, when I came under the tutelage of Geoff McDonald.
Tyler Pines (drums): I've been playing piano for 16 years and drums for 12.
Josh: I've played guitar for the last 19 years, but I picked up mandolin 9 years ago, and really began to focus on it as my main instrument when we started the band about 6 years ago.
You've clearly studied a wide range of the music spectrum. Who are are your favorite musicians/biggest influences?
Geoff: My biggest influences are Stravinsky, Mahler, and Younger.
Kieran: Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Bowie.
Josh: Pavement did the most to make me want to be in a band.
Evan: Van Halen are a huge inspiration for us. I like to fantasize that someday we'll do for "rock strings" what VH did for rock guitar. And of course David Lee Roth is the greatest frontman of all time.
How do your classical and jazz backgrounds influence your songwriting process?
Geoff: My answer to this question is tempered by the fact that a lot of my musical contribution to the band might be described as "editing/arranging"...but as far as those things are concerned, I definitely think in terms of texture a lot, and I would say I sometimes draw on training in classical orchestration for that. That doesn't mean I'm trying to recreate sounds from classical music, but the principles are still there: voicing, dynamics, balance, contrast, which instrument would be best to carry a particular hook or figure. To that end I think it's interesting that often one of us will write something that is comfortable or idiomatic for our own instrument, but then that same snippet sounds cool and different thrown to another instrument...for instance the way the mandolin takes the melody from the cello in the first verse of "I Found Space."
Kieran: My compositional background before MOMS was almost completely classical - mostly for string ensembles of various configurations. Despite the difference in style, that experience has been surprisingly helpful when we're writing songs - in terms of general songwriting elements and specifically with the string parts. Being familiar with the capabilities of the instruments has been a definite help in working out parts that better complement each other and sound more natural for them, and also helps in broadening our textural range (by making use of the various tone colours created by different techniques). I'll take any opportunity to re-purpose my classical training.
Josh: I don't think we've ever said "How can we make this part sound classical?" or "How can we fit this classical technique into this song?" It's more about how we all come from such different backgrounds (Kieran and Geoff from classical, Evan and Tyler from jazz, me from rock) and bring such different things to the table. I don't know nearly as much about the range of all the cello or violin's sounds compared to someone who has been learning all of it's crazy secrets for years. Our string players aren't a passive string section, set off to the side with sheet music. We're all part of the process. So once an idea is on the table, it goes through this gauntlet of people with very different backgrounds and tastes -- it'll either be expanded, chopped down, or even scrapped, but once we've all had a piece of it, it has probably turned into something that sounds very MOMSy.
Where does the science/space theme come from?
Evan: Josh came up with our name – I think we just liked the sound of it, and all the science and space imagery followed from there. From our first show in 2005 until last summer, we wore silver spacesuits on stage, but nowadays we like to be more subtle about it. The futuristic imagery juxtaposed with our "antiquated" instrumentation makes for a nice visual contrast that sort of works as a metaphor for our music.
Josh: In terms of that theme going into our music -- when we started MOMS our freshman year of college, I was coming off of a few years of playing with my high school instrumental space rock band. So in the early stages of MOMS, my mind was on twinkly lines that eventually explode (in the sky). I think we retain some of that sound (we still like build-ups with big pay-offs), but we don't tell ourselves that we have to make a song spacey as we write it.
How do you describe the sound of MOMS to someone who's never heard you
Geoff: "Civil War string band shot into outer space on a disco ball spaceship" is still pretty damn on the money. But I always tailor my answer to that question to my audience. I play up the "disco" part to the young folk, the "spaceship" part to the scientists, and the "Civil War" part to U.S. History buffs. Those three categories are basically the demographic breakdown for "When I'm Asked What MOMS Sounds Like"...
Thursday, June 10 at Cake Shop
4th: Miracles of Modern Science
3rd: The Albertans (http://myspace.com/thealbertans)
2nd: The Royal Chains (http://myspace.com/theroyalchains)
1st: Quiet Loudly (http://myspace.com/quietloudly)
Presented by Jonny Leather
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: 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
FEAST ON THIS Free MP3 Recap: January Edition
Every month, I'll collect all of the mp3s given away on this site into one quick post called Feast On This, giving you all one large dosage of new music to feast upon. Enjoy the January edition.
Adrienne Drake - "Lovesick Full Adults" (Bear in Heaven cover)
ArpLine - "Fold Up Like a Piece of Paper"
Beulah - “Me And Jesus Don't Talk Anymore”
Motel Motel - "Forest" (Daytrotter Session)
The Royal Chains - "Lucy Takes a Dare"
Paul & The Patients - "Shooting Star"
Paul & The Patients - "Complaint 15"
The Waylons - "Endless Supplies"
Linfinity - "Molly Mar of Rome"
Christopher Paul Stelling - "Flawless Executioner"
Christopher Paul Stelling - "How Long"
Dinosaur Feathers - "Cold Arabella"
Ravens & Chimes - "So Long Marianne" (Leonard Cohen cover)
Ravens & Chimes - "Hearts of Palm"
The Morning Benders - "Promises"
Outernational - "Eyes on Fire"
Controlled Storms - "Ode to Long Hikes"
Mani Pedi - "ENYGSM" (rough demo)
Mani Pedi - "Pictures + Seesaw"
The Besnard Lakes - "Albatross"
Your New Favorite Band: The Waylons
The Waylons
From: New York
RIFYL: Teenage Fanclub, Wilco
mp3: The Waylons - "Endless Supplies"
For quite a few years now, The Waylons have been one of the greatest hidden treasures of the New York music world. For one reason or another The Waylons have gone relatively unnoticed by press, blogs, and seemingly everybody. It's one of those things that makes me question exactly what makes me a fan when everyone else is listening to someone else. So I put on their self-titled debut record and within the opening seconds of "Front Porch" I can't help but hear perfect pop rock with a hint of folk and excellent hooks. I was introduced to their music when their cd found its way onto my desk when I was just starting to work as a music writer. They had no label, they didn't look hip, and no one was talking about them, but the songs were so good that I would see them perform live multiple times that year. All 4 members proved to have an excellent grasp on the art of songwriting, and the live performances lived up to the recordings.
The members of The Waylons aren't in their early twenties, and have grown content with releasing an occasional record and playing a couple shows a year, so their chances of indie-stardom of very small. But knowing all this, with one listen of their new EP Out of Love, it's hard to imagine that blogs like BrooklynVegan aren't even listing their show tonight at Bruar Falls. When I hear these songs I hear bits and pieces of Teenage Fanclub, Steven Malkmus, early Wilco, and Simon & Garfunkle.
Take one listen to "Rachel" or "Endless Supplies" and tell me you don't love this band.
1/20 - Bruar Falls (Out of Love record release party)
2/3 - Union Hall
Jonny Leather’s 25 Favorite Albums That I’ve Listened to This Year, based on My Own Personal Taste
When someone has the balls to make a list called "The Best of..." the results are always a very subjective cross-section of their own personal tastes. The best lists are always generated by consensus of a large collective of people well-informed about the subject they're ranking. Music is my oxygen. Without it I suffocate, so I listen to a lot of new music every year. That said, it's all restricted to my tastes, what I have access to/know about, and my moods. Like everyone, I have favorites and I'd like to spread the word about the records I love, but I won't dare call them the best records of the year. It amazes me how so many "Best of 2009" lists completely lack genres, as if to say that indie rock is the ultimate form of music. My favorite records of the year are a variety of rock records. Almost embarrassing that it lacks hip hop, jazz, classical, soul, and other genres, but rock is where I was with my head this year and this isn't a best of list, it's a completely subjective list of my favorite records—a list that probably wouldn't be exactly the same tomorrow.
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Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
It's gonna be almost everyone's choice for album of the year, and that makes me not want to make it #1, but the fact is that Animal Collective has made an uncompromisingly great record that should withstand the test of time and inspire musicians for many more years.
Best track: My Girls
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Capybara - Try Brother
Why all of the music media missed this one is beyond me. Combining elements of Sufjan, Arcade Fire, Dirty Projectors and many more, the refreshingly diverse Try Brother is easily the year's best debut record.
Best track: Cutaway Kid
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Swan Lake - Enemy Mine
Beast Moans only hinted at what the combination of Krug, Bejar and Mercer would be capable when joined together as indie supergroup Swan Lake. As three of the most talented and unique songwriters in the world, they seem to mesh perfectly, and in the end it's Mercer who shines most brightly with a huge voice that sounds like a really crazy drunk Bowie.
Best track: Peace
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Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Phoenix are the best pop band of our time, and it's about time people realized it. "Love Like A Sunset pts 1 & 2" is the perfect centerpiece, pulling a 5:40 second instrumental before eclipsing into pure bliss.
Best track: Love Like A Sunset pt. 1 & 2
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Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
The fully realized masterpiece that Dave Longstreth has hinted at for years, thanks to some of the tightest harmonies ever caught on record.
Best track: Useful Chamber
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Pink Mountaintops - Outside Love
As if Black Mountain's To The Future wasn't great enough, Stephen McBean's other project outdid them.
Best track: Vampire
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Flaming Lips - Embryonic
No one expected this. Just when Wayne Coyne and Flaming Lips had seemingly grown out of their extreme weirdness, they go and release their most bizarre record since becoming indie rock icons.
Best track: Evil
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Deleted Scenes - Birdseed Shirt
Diverse, desperate, and genuine—Birdseed Shirt is a rock record with a soul and humanity, during a time where humanity gets lost behind effects or sounds forced.
Best track: Fake IDs
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Hooray For Earth - Momo EP
Just a hint of what's to come, Hooray For Earth has worked out the ideas of their earlier releases and created their own unique sound that is able to combine loud and heavy with poppy and danceable.
Best track: Get Home
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Bear in Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
A psychedelic headtrip unlike any I've ever heard before.
Best track: Ultimate Satisfaction
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Built to Spill - There is No Enemy
All it takes is that opening riff to let you know that this is Built to Spill's best album in 10 years. It's a return to form for one of the indie rock's elite bands.
Best track: Aisle 13
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Loxsly - Tomorrow's Fossils
If Flaming Lips got too weird for you, Loxsly may be able to fulfill the need for Soft Bulletin-era Lips. Not many bands can debut with a concept album. Fully developed at the starting line, Loxsly's not like many other bands.
Best track: As The Constellation's Arms Uncurled
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The Veils - Sun Gangs
You feel every word that Finn Andrews sings, because he delivers them with the type of intensity that can rip your soul to shreds.
Best track: Sit Down By The Fire
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Harlem Shakes - Technicolor Dream
Harlem Shakes first and most likely last full length is a fun, uplifting record about change.
Best track: TFO
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The Antlers - Hospice
A big sweeping record filled with emotional despair.
Best track: Sylvia
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The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love
Sure, The Jesus & Mary Chain chain did it first, then Black Rebel Motorcycle Club picked up the torch, but A Brief History of Love is about as big and wonderful as anything either of those bands have released.
Best track: Velvet
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Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers - A Fish Hook An Open Eye
Shilpa Ray has quickly emerged as the best female vocalist in New York City with brutally honest lyrics that come from a much darker dirtier place than her peers.
Best track: What The Fuck Was I Thinking
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Wild Beasts - Two Lovers
An album full of spinning webs of vocal theatrics.
Best track: This Is Our Lot
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We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
Every second feels genuinely passionate and filled with immediacy.
Best track: It's Thunder and It's Lightning -
Foreign Born - Person to Person
A sophomore record that actually improves upon the debut in all the right ways.
Best track: Vacationing People
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Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer
The 2nd of 2 Spencer Krug related albums to make this list just goes to show how prolific of a songwriter he's become.
Best track: Nightingale/December Song -
Dappled Cities - Zounds
Could be heard as the Australian brother of Wild Beasts.
Best track: The Night Is Young At Heart
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Islands - Vapours
They ditched the strings for synths, and when doing so Nick Diamonds returned to a more upbeat place. It's the closest thing he's done to that now legendary Unicorns record.
Best track: EOL
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Wye Oak - The Knot
With The Knot, Wye Oak filled out their stripped-down bass and guitar duo sound and let the guitar scream a bit louder.
Best track: Take It In
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John Vanderslice - Romanian Names
After 6 overlooked gems, veteran songwriter John Vanderslice signed to Dead Oceans and released the rest record of his career.
Best track: Too Much Time
Honorable Mentions:
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Loney, Dear - Dear John
Best track: I Was Only Going Out
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DeVries - Death to God
Best track: What A Wasted Life
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Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy
Best track: Freak Train
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Pains of Being Pure at Heart - s/t
Best track: You Adult Friction
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Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Up From Below
Best track: Up From Below
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Dan Deacon - Bromst
Best track: Snookered
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Best track: Skeletons
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Marissa Nadler - Little Hells
Best track: Ghosts & Lovers
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Mew - No more stories Are told today I'm sorry They washed away No
Best track: Repeaterbeater
NY Press Reacts to New York Mag’s “Brooklyn Top 40″
New York Magazine recently published a list of 40 songs that define the Brooklyn scene. The list was incredibly generic, outside of a couple interesting picks like Oakley Hall and Class Actress. Plus it was really lame to include to Grizzly Bear songs, even if they are a great band. There's no denying that Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, and TV on the Radio are the kings of the Brooklyn scene, but a best of list that includes Das Racist, Ninjasonik, and Matt & Kim is an embarrassment to our scene And everyone knows that Vampire Weekend isn't from Brooklyn.
So NY Press made our own list of 40 songs that "gets a little closer to the spirit of Brooklyn’s current rock scene." I was one of many writers that fought to see some of my favorites make the list, and I think the end result is quite a respectable deeper look into Brooklyn's incredible rock scene.
I would have loved to have seen Rain Machine, Hopewell, Right on Dynamite, Milagres and quite a few others make this list, but isn't that the point of lists—no one's ever happy.
Here's a quick hint at what our list looks like. Go here to see the full thing.
1. “Coward Cracks the Dawn” by Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers
2. “Ecstatic Rite” by Liturgy
3. “Open Shut” by Blank Dogs
4. “Don't Pass On Me” by Woods
5. "Bang For Changes" by Zambri
6. “I Hate New York” by Thorns of Life
7. “Hair Tapes” by Noveller
8. “Bear” by The Antlers
9. “Soda Popinski” by Javelin
10. “It’s Time!” by caUSE-coMOTION!
2009 Music Survey
Noel Heroux, Hooray For Earth
Best Unknown NYC Band: Zambri, who is not by any means unknown, but not known enough
Best Live NYC Band: Battles
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I'm not sure myself but a friend of mine was devistated for Apes & Androids
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Paul & The Patients To The Lions EP
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Glasslands
Most Missed Local Venue: Alphabeta in Greenpoint
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2
Best Post Show Hangout: Maujer Dreams
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Guitar stolen and returned week later by admitted thief
Dylan Rau of Bear Hands
Best NYC Band: Grizzly Bear
Best Unknown NYC Band: Bottle Up and Go
Best Live NYC Band: Das Racist
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Everyone I know is still alive
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: "Veckatimest" Grizzly Bear
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: Mccarren Pool
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Ebay
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 40
Best Post Show Hangout: Clem's
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Mayor Bloomberg came
Chris Pacifico, Solid PR
Best NYC Band: The Giraffes
Best Unknown NYC Band: Stats
Best Live NYC Band: The Giraffes
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? It Lives
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Hopewell "Good Good Desperation:
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: Knitting Factory
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Anywhere in the Lower East Side
How Many Bands Do You Play in: None
Best Post Show Hangout: Iggy's
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Too lewd for me to describe.
David Dargahi, The Postelles
Best NYC Band: Your Nature
Best Unknown NYC Band: Movement
Best Live NYC Band: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Velvet Underground
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:Harlem Shakes "Technicolor Health"
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Most Missed Local Venue: Sin-e
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: 30th St. Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Dublin
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Previous bands smoke machines caused firemen to show up
Coyle Girelli, Your Vegas
Best NYC Band: Well, why Your Vegas of course… and Jupiter One is great as well.
Best Live NYC Band: Semi-Precious Weapons simply for the all out, balls out glam
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Fellow Brits The Primms
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Paul & Patients had a great debut!
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: CBGB's - even though it was shit hole. Sad to lose such history though at least it became a very cool Varvatos store and not a Starbucks. John’s heart is in the right place and Im glad he still has bands play there.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music, Williamsburg
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Cabin
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? A mid set argument from the stage with Anton from The Brianjonestown Massacre about the correct pronunciation of the word 'aluminium'
Justin Russo, The Silent League
Best NYC Band: StarsLikeFleas
Best Unknown NYC Band: Grand Mal
Best Live NYC Band: Bear in Heaven
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? - dunno, did anyone I know break up in 09?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Hopewell - Good Good Desperation
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The new Knit!!
Most Missed Local Venue: Brownies
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: not in New York....
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3
Best Post Show Hangout: Taco Chulo, Williamsburg
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? - a coke dealer came up to the stage mid set and attempted to sell his wares. didn't really seem to bother him that we were singing songs to a bunch of people.
Mark Allen, Fugitive Souls
Best NYC Band: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Best Unknown NYC Band: Fugitive Souls 
Best Live NYC Band: LCD Soundsystem
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dirty on Purpose
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Plushgun, "Pins and Panzers"
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The Studio at Webster Hall
Most Missed Local Venue: Original Luna Lounge
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2
Best Post Show Hangout: Alligator Lounge
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Robbed in the parking lot before our Bell House Show
Brad Bennett, Intermissions/Bling Kong/Red Impact
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Parts & Labor
Best Live NYC Band: These Are Powers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: the internet
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3 (Intermissions, Bling Kong, Red Impact)
Best Post Show Hangout: My House
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? I was told once by a young, married couple that their 8-year old kid really loved our music. They specifically mentioned one song that hand frequent references to one's "cock". I asked what their child thought of the sexual references and the couple easily explained that they told their kid that the song was about chickens.
Steven Matrick, Kepler Events
Best NYC Band: A Place to Bury Strangers
Best Unknown NYC Band: Overlord
Best Live NYC Band: Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Exploding Head by A Place to Bury Strangers
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Cakeshop
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 0
Best Post Show Hangout: Motor City
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?
Dylan Von Wagner, Linfinity
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Torpedo
Best Live NYC Band: Beastie Boys......
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? simon and garfunkel
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: The Subjects
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Most Missed Local Venue: Brownies
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: 30th st Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: By Robert James
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Lots of people showed up
Shilpa Ray, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers
Best NYC Band: I know it says band and not bands. I have trouble with rules. Here goes: Heavy Trash, The Harlem Shakes, Psychic Ills, A Place to Bury Strangers, TV on the Radio
Best Unknown NYC Band: The Wild Yaks, Soft Black, Creaky Boards, Werewolves, Daniel Bernstein and the Everybody Knows, Forest Fire, The Soundscapes
Best Live NYC Band: Ching Chong Song, Heavy Trash, Sharon Van Etten
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The New York Howl
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Earth is Black- Soft Black. Technicolor Health- The Harlem Shakes. Because I Was In Love - Sharon Van Etten
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Loft Parties
Most Missed Local Venue: Vanishing Point where I freaked out on a moon age daydream. Oh yeah.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Keshav Music Imports. 67 E 4th St. You can buy yourself a magical sitar and become Brian Jones playing George Harrison playing Ravi Shankar playing a bad father.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Stoned in my room, Car service with Strictly Dickly. She makes load outs loads of fun.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? People dancing Ring Around the Rosie style and throwing money at us. I'm tawkin 5s and 10s, not cheapie 1s. Our audiences are posh.
Brian Betancourt, Hospitality/Frances/White Rabbits
Best NYC Band: The Subjects
Best Unknown NYC Band: Glass Ghost
Best Live NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dymaxion
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Glass Ghost Idol Omen
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall
Most Missed Local Venue: I can't think of one
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3 right now
Best Post Show Hangout: bar at the Bell House
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Me kicking a beach ball into a sea of 7,000 hippies at Bonnaroo.
Jonathan, Fiasco
Best NYC Band: for me at the moment it's Boogie Boarder (myspace.com/boogieboardertheband) or Zs (myspace.com/zstheband)
Best Unknown NYC Band: Snuffy (myspace.com/snuffynewyork)
Best Live NYC Band: No One and the Somebodies (myspace.com/nooneandthesomebodies)
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? No idea, but speaking of broken up bands, Pavement just reunited!!!!!!
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: so far it's Turbosleaze (myspace.com/turbosleaze)'s "Balls Balls Balls Vagina", but I'm highly anticipating "Mangia!" by Snuffy and an EP by Museyroom (myspace.com/museyroomband).
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death by Audio or Market Hotel
Most Missed Local Venue: The bodega at 1089 Broadway was pretty cool..
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 5
Best Post Show Hangout: My bed
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? One time this drunk woman started shouting and hitting Julian's cymbals during the middle of a song. We thought she was just being silly and would eventually stop; however she kept it up for about 2 songs or so. We asked her nicely to stop which didn't work. At the end of the show we saw her passed out under some bleachers, hopefully everything turned out all right for her...
Paul Schalda, Pablo
Best NYC Band: sonic youth
Best Unknown NYC Band: pablo
Best Live NYC Band: sonic youth
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? ?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: cymbals eat guitars
Favorite Local Venue to Play: no where on staten island
Most Missed Local Venue: the joint
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: mandolin brothers
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: the 45
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? we sucked
Alex Tween, The Forms
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Limbs
Best Live NYC Band: These Are Powers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Usaisamonster
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bell House
Most Missed Local Venue: Northsix
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1.5
Best Post Show Hangout: Larry Lawrence
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?: Onstage intraband strangling
Oliver, A Place To Bury Strangers
Best NYC Band: Sisters
Best Unknown NYC Band: Killer Snatch
Best Live NYC Band: Dead Combo
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dirty On Purpose
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Grooms Rejoicer
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death By Audio
Most Missed Local Venue: Asterisk*
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Under the Williamsburg Bridge
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We played.
Sam Tyndall, ArpLine
Best NYC Band: ArpLine
Best Unknown NYC Band: Square Wave Punch
Best Live NYC Band: Gang Gang Dance
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: St Vincent 'Actor'
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist
Most missed venue is Acme Underground
Lucian, Fiasco
Best NYC Band: perhaps Krallice or Boogie Boarder
Best Unknown NYC Band: Snuffy or Museyroom
Best Live NYC Band: No One and the Somebodies, Banzai (Jonathan's band) or TURBOSLEAZE
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? When Biggie died.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Balls Balls Balls Vagina by TURBOSLEAZE
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death by Audio, Market Hotel or Silent Barn
Most Missed Local Venue: STFO or Bodega
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2, but maybe 3? I'm in a lot of good ideas for bands, but they never get formed.
Best Post Show Hangout: THA LPD! That's not in the city though.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Once we played @ Bodega and two teenage girls made out during our set
Liz Schroeter, Diehard/Bling Kong
Best NYC Band: Ida
Best Unknown NYC Band: Can I say my own? Diehard
Best Live NYC Band: The Hold Steady, but only when I'm drunk
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Oxford Collapse
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: ARMS
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall
Most Missed Local Venue: i guess I sort of will miss the old Knitting Factory
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag, Brooklyn
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1, or 2 if you are getting Bling Kong reunions together
Best Post Show Hangout: the bar at the venue where you are hopefully drinking for free, duh
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Someone puked in the front row
Americans
Best NYC Band: TV on the Radio
Best Unknown NYC Band: Americans, of course...
Best Live NYC Band: The Giraffes
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Oxford Collapse
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Dirty Projectors...bitte orce? hmmm
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Most Missed Local Venue: Northsix
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment:
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two
Shannon Fields, Stars Like Fleas/The Silent League/Helado Negro/Miho Hatori's New Still Life...etc
Best NYC Band: These Are Powers
Best Unknown NYC Band: Well, nobody in this town is "unknown", but...Light Asylum is my new favorite. Also, Glass Ghost.
Best Live NYC Band: These Are Powers.
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? It's never sad when bands breakup. There are too many bands. If a band is around for too long they lose their charm. Break up your band, preserve your charm (and dignity). Do something useful with your life/ambition/energy/cash. I mean it. Become mythical, hurry up... (...except did Lansing-Dreiden cease to be active? Because I could *definitely* use some more of that...)
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: "Awe Owe" by Helado Negro (I play in this live band but only played a few things on the record and didn't hear it until it was released, so I honestly dont see this as self-promotion--the record is Roberto's baby and I joined after the record was made and it's honestly my favorite record of the past many months by a local band)
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Pool
Most Missed Local Venue: Tonic. Jesus christ do I really miss Tonic...
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craig's List for small towns in upstate New York
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Most actively, right now...Stars Like Fleas, The Silent League, Helado Negro, Miho Hatori's New Still Life. Also two new projects of mine that I haven't given names to.
Best Post Show Hangout: home
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?: I'm pretty bored by weird things so i tend not to notice them if they happen. Or how about this...It's weird when people listen in this town, right? And I mean with their ears, eh?
Julian, Fiasco
Best NYC Band: These Are Powers or Pterodactyl or (not a band, but) Jay-Z
Best Unknown NYC Band: Turbosleaze
Best Live NYC Band: Aa (Big A little a)
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Does High Places moving to LA count?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Balls Balls Balls Vagina by Turbosleaze
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Dead Herring, Death By Audio, Silent Barn, or Market Hotel
Most Missed Local Venue: Bodega or STFO
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: a bunch
Best Post Show Hangout: going home
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Pratt senior art project getting destroyed
Asher Lack, Ravens & Chimes
Best NYC Band: I'm partial to Ravens and Chimes
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ravens and Chimes, The Secret Life Of Sofia (now called Milagres), The Subjects
Best Live NYC Band:I was recently blown away by a show we did with White Rabbits
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I'd like to hear another Clap Your Hands record.....not sure when that'll be.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: You And Me by The Walkmen (late 2008 but...) Also Vecatimest by Grizzly Bear and It's Frightening by White Rabbits
Favorite Local Venue to Play: It always feels special at The Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: We used to go to Tramps and Coney Island High in high school.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Matt Umanov and Rivington for shops but there are lots of iBankers selling good gear on craigslist these days.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1, typical monogamist.
Best Post Show Hangout: Enids! also, Matchless, Bue and Gold, Black and White etc......
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Someone stole my underwear out of my bag backstage while we were playing.
Michael Jurin, stellastarr*
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Wakey! Wakey!
Best Live NYC Band: The Kiss Off/ArpLine
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The Velvet Underground
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: ‘Hush’ by Asobi Seksu
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: The Luna Lounge (in LES) –free shows of upcoming bands
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two
Best Post Show Hangout: Bowery Electric
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? A girl jumped on stage & mimicked kissing our singers ass.
Paul Holmes, Paul & The Patients
Best NYC Band:
Best Unknown NYC Band:
Best Live NYC Band:
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Glasslands
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: South Side Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two, if you count my solo thing
Best Post Show Hangout: a practice space
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? everyone listened
Emma Firth, Team Genius
Best NYC Band: Pearl and the Beard
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ryan Lone Wolf Sawyer, in any of his past, present and future reincarnations
Best Live NYC Band: Grizzly Bear
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I don't want to know.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: But You've Always Been the Caretaker: The Silent League
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Monkeytown
Most Missed Local Venue: I don't live in Williamsburg - I can't keep up with this question!
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Pawn Shops in Random Cities
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: My bed.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We dressed up as the Nativity Scene for Christmas last year. I was Mary. Drew was Joseph. Our keyboardist, Erin, was a male shepherd. We had angels and wise men too. Benefits of having 8 people in the band. It was pretty funny watching Drew trying to sing though his false beard.
Elizabeth & The Catapult
Best NYC Band: Elysian Fields
Best Unknown NYC Band: Lakewhales
Best Live NYC Band: The Prigs
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Superiority Complex
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Christina Courtin S/T
Music Hall of Williamsburg/The Bellhouse
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Tonic
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Two
Best Post Show Hangout: Battery Park on the water
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Depeche Mode had impromptu show down the street and some of the audience left to go enjoy.
Drew, Team Genius
Best NYC Band:THE HOLDSTEADY
Best Unknown NYC Band: PEARL AND THE BEARD
Best Live NYC Band: MOTEL MOTEL
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: CYMBALS EAT GUITARS - WHY THERE ARE MOUNTAINS
Favorite Local Venue to Play: MONKEYTOWN
Most Missed Local Venue: DON'T HAVE ONE
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: THE INTERNET
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: ROSEMARY'S GREENPOINT TAVERN
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? NATIVITY SHOW
Josh, New Numbers
Best NYC Band: MGMT
Best Unknown NYC Band: New Numbers
Best Live NYC Band: Amazing Baby
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The Jealous Girlfriends
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Rewild - Amazing Baby
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: North Six
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Craigslist...duh!! or Maindrag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: just one for me please
Best Post Show Hangout: my bedroom
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? i remembered all the words
Erik Gundel, Motel Motel
Best NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Best Unknown NYC Band: Glass Ghost
Best Live NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Hmm...Does Oasis count? Not so 
I guess.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Because I Was in Love by Sharon Van Etten
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall- Great food, endless bocce fun.
Most Missed Local Venue: Old Sound Fix bar
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag, definitely
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Only time for one, recorded with Grooms though
Best Post Show Hangout: probably a quiet couch somewhere
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Playing music in Egypt was, in itself, weird. But we played for about 1,000 people at a group wedding for 20 couples, whirling dervishes, two guys dressed like a horse, right next to the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. Unforgettable.
Mike Fadem, New Numbers
Best NYC Band: The Walkmen
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ludlow Lions
Best Live NYC Band: The Walkmen
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Sam Champion...wait, are they broken up???
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: YYY'S "It's Blitz"
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Most Missed Local Venue: Northsix
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Drummer's World
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3
Best Post Show Hangout: The bar at The Bell House
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? It was weird after a show in Austin, TX to go back stage and find Derek Jeter, just hanging out with his girlfriend.
Miracles of Modern Science
Best NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Best Unknown NYC Band: Buke & Gass <3<3<3
Best Live NYC Band: The Homosexuals
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Still mourning Steely Dan.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Bitte Orca
Favorite Local Venue to Play: (le) Poisson Rouge! So classy… so air-conditioned.
Most Missed Local Venue: We only recently immigrated from Australia, so we haven't yet experienced the demise of a favourite venue.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music in Williamsburg… conveniently located next door to our practice space!
How Many Bands Do You Play in: We moonlight as a Vampire Weekend tribute band.
Best Post Show Hangout: Nothing beats a good post-show band sauna session.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We blew up a PA at Rooftop Films. It actually caught on fire while we were playing. Straight out of Back to the Future.
Zachary, Freshkills
Best NYC Band:Dark Vibe
Best Unknown NYC Band:Violent Bullshit
Best Live NYC Band:None. They all play too long.
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?Panthers
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:Hamsoken-"Foul Harvest"
Favorite Local Venue to Play:Cake Shop. Because it's very close to Motor City.
Most Missed Local Venue:CBGBs. Just kidding. Grow up.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment:Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in:1. If that.
Best Post Show Hangout:Mars Bar. In theory.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Band stories are boring. I'd sooner stab myself in the fucking tonsils than listen to some bearded fuckwit talk about the "crazy shit" that happened at one of their shows. Weird things happen on UFOs and in the course of a 30 year marriage. Weird things involve cowboys,ignored children travelling back in time to earn their dismissive father's love, and/or dinosaurs. Weird things do not happen at rock and roll shows. If you think that girl taking a shit on the dancefloor, or you breaking your collerbone 'cuz you were 'tripping balls" is weird, than you're frame of reference is that of, well, your average dude in a band. I like stories about pandas,celebrity chefs taking time out to help out the less fortunate, and ROM The Space Knight.
Sohrab, Obits
Best NYC Band: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ambergris
Best Live NYC Band: Lycaon Pictus
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dirty Projectors
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Rated O by Oneida
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bell House
Most Missed Local Venue: Brownies
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Probably from a friend.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: If not the location of the show itself, then
the next closest place.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Due to flight delays, I arrived at the venue in Calgary at 2:45am, just in time to join the rest of the band for the last 3 songs of our set.
Project Jenny, Project Jan
Best NYC Band: Beastie Boys! Jay-Z, Run DMC, KISS
Best Unknown NYC Band: The Bloodsugars?
Best Live NYC Band: Action Painters
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The Boggs
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Department of Eagles
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: Sin-e. We had some good times there.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: One,
Best Post Show Hangout: The roof at 127 Grand St.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?
The crowd taking props (gigantic letters) from the previous band and dancing with them during the song "Brooklyn"
Lyndon Roeller, Hopewell
Best NYC Band: dirty projectors or grizzly bear.. what, were you expecting some obscure band nobody knows?? that's the next one
Best Unknown NYC Band: electric tickle machine. seriously.
Best Live NYC Band: these are powers, a place to bury strangers, depending on what you're in the mood for
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I kinda wish the double or the occasion still played, but actually a few more bands could break up and it wouldn't make me sad at all
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: blew it again by electric tickle machine
Favorite Local Venue to Play: glasslands wins for like the 3rd year. although cameo was fun the other night
Most Missed Local Venue: I don't miss any... there's a new one every 5 minutes. I can't even remember the old ones
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: williamsburg craigslist... so many rich hipsters unloading their gear for cheap
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two. hopewell + gay for johnny depp
Best Post Show Hangout: I feel cheesy answering this question
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? see above
Body Language
Best Live NYC Band: Grizzly Bear
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Theophilus London + Machinedrum. of course we'd like to see them prove us wrong some day
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Favorite Local Venue to Play: McKibbins Lofts' Rooftop
Most Missed Local Venue: the old Luna Lounge
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist, but also check out EARS Nyc in manhattan who restores vintage synths and organs
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1 at the moment
Best Post Show Hangout: Brooklyn Bowl w/ DJ Aarnio
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?
I dropped a shaker on my sampler, and it triggered a completely different backing track to another song, we just kept playing over top of it to see what would happen. It was little weird and we were kind of just flying by the seat of our pants. then the chorus hit and had to have been the most bizarre clash of key signatures one could conceive. It was too much - We stopped the track and had to tell the audience about it. i think even the tone-deaf folks knew something was up.
Thomas Laplaige, Electric Tickle Machine
Best NYC Band: yeah yeah yeahs
Best Unknown NYC Band: light asylum!!!!
Best Live NYC Band: golden triangle shows are fun
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? no sad, i go straight from angry to valium
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: patrick cleandenim's new one.
Favorite Local Venue to Play: coco66 even thought they're cheapskates
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: main drag's stellar
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: someone's apartment
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? we had the power shut off on us at a party in the soon to be bushwick art mall. the hasids actually locked us and a bunch of kids in the soon-to-be store where we were playing and a near riot ensued. caged animal fire hazard, yikes.
Tim Williams
Best NYC Band: Nada Surf
Best Unknown NYC Band: Barghest (members of castanets and phosphorescent)
Best Live NYC Band: Annie & The Beekeepers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? USAISAMONSTER
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Langhorne Slim - Be Set Free
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The Bell House
Most Missed Local Venue: Rothko
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2 (Tim Williams, Depression State Troopers)
Best Post Show Hangout: 2A
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Mark Eitzel taking notes on a napkin at The Bottom Of The Hill in SF. Really intimidating!
Jed Smith, My Teenage Stride
Best NYC Band: Crystal Stilts
Best Unknown NYC Band: The Gutsies, I'm Turning Into, Tanks Amigo
Best Live NYC Band: Crystal Stilts, The Beets
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?- Cause Co-motion????????
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Revenger by Knight School
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Cakeshop, Bruar Falls, Silent Barn, Dead Herring
Most Missed Local Venue: Dead Herring, cause they only have shows like once a month
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: rural Pennsylvania or western Massachusetts
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 4 or so
Best Post Show Hangout: Daddy's, or someone's house
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?- we sold all our merch. Other than that, there was one time a hippie girl tried to molest me onstage. This was a few years ago, when I was still cute.
Matthew Clark, White Rabbits
Best NYC Band: The Subjects
Best Unknown NYC Band: Glass Ghost
Best Live NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? There nothing sad about a band breaking up. They broke up because they were in it for the wrong reasons or thought things were going to be different and they couldn't deal with the reality of being in a band. Or they decided to work with people that didn't share the same goals and work ethic. I personally think more bands need to break up.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Glass Ghost's Idol Omen on Western Vinyl
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: I have some fond memories of the Knitting Factory. I hope the new one works out.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: 30th Street Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1. But I'm open-minded.
Best Post Show Hangout:Where the grass is greenest
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? I tend to get severe nose bleeds from time to time,which makes a mess until a break in song. Then there is the challenge of finding something to wrap around my face before the next song starts. Most of the time people don't even notice,they just think I decided to wrap something around my face like a costume. We definitely aren't a "costume band".
Blank Dogs
Best NYC Band: crystal stilts
Best Unknown NYC Band: German measles
Best Live NYC Band: woods
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Cause co-motion
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: songs of shame by woods
Favorite Local Venue to Play: bell house
Most Missed Local Venue: none!
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3!
Best Post Show Hangout: daddy's
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Fights
Cassie, Vivian Girls
Best NYC Band: Woods.
Best Unknown NYC Band: Stupid Party.
Best Live NYC Band: Cause Co-Motion!
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Hunchback.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: The Beets - Spit in the Face of People Who Don't Want to be Cool.
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death By Audio.
Most Missed Local Venue: North Six.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Two - Vivian Girls and the Babies.
Best Post Show Hangout: Daddy's.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We played a house show last November and Blake Schwartzenbach's new band played first. That was a crazy experience. The room was packed. It was really awesome to be on a bill with one of our punk heroes, and in our friends' living room!
Autry Fulbright, Midnight Masses
Best NYC Band: Callers. The ghost of Billie Holiday haunts lead singer Sara Lucas' voice. They combine the pastoral scenes of the gallant Old South with the most unique guitar/drums combo since the year nineteen-whenever. A torch has been passed.
Best Unknown NYC Band: Sleigh Bells. Heartbreakin' beats and sass that lasts pass the summer. Today, your house party. Tomorrow - the world!
Best Live NYC Band: TV On The Radio.
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I don't get sad when bands break up. I get relieved.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Veckatimest by Grizz B. (aka Grizzly Bear)
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Pool is always fun.
Most Missed Local Venue: Black Betty.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2.5. Midnight Masses, Holy Land, Holy See, choir-izing for ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead.
Best Post Show Hangout: Marlow & Sons.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? One time at this show none of us fucked up once while we were playing. It was crazy and it's never happened again.
Eric Zeiler, Xylos
Best NYC Band: Simon and Garfunkel
Best Unknown NYC Band: Hank and Cupcakes
Best Live NYC Band: the Velvet Underground
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? the Strokes (or are they still together? Hard to tell these days...)
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Bitte Orca
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Music Hall of Williamsburg... best sound system ANYWHERE
Most Missed Local Venue: Wetlands
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: At the venue, after a headlining show, when there's no rush to load out and we get to talk to girls (and boys)
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Crowd of 18-year-old ravers on ecstasy overtook the crowd at a show in Baltimore. We most likely ruined 50 kids' evenings.
Kyle Wilson, Milagres
Best NYC Band: Its way too hard to choose anyone for such a title.
Best Unknown NYC Band: No Eye Contact, Ifwhen, Ravens and Chimes
Best Live NYC Band: Yeasayer, Grizzly Bear
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?: Its always for the best!
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: No Eye Contact "You and Me and Other Fables." This album is amazing and beautiful. If you don't have it, get it.
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall / Bell House. Skippy is the best.
Most Missed Local Venue: Tonic.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: I wouldn't know, I can't afford any!
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2, unless you count bands that never actually play.
Best Post Show Hangout: On the couch with my cat, Magnus!
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?: Once I was looking at Oliver from A Place To Bury Stranger's pedals, because he makes them himself and I was curious. Suddenly, a full pint of beer was thrown in my face! One of his biggest fans, who shall remain nameless, is apparently very protective and somehow felt that I was violating his space or something. Anyways, I talked to him afterwards and he was totally cool with it. But actually the whole thing turned into a fiasco for me because my girlfriend was really suspicious as to why some strange girl would be throwing a beer in my face and we ended up arguing until late that night.
How I Lost My Hearing: 200 Pages of Jonny Leather Photography
How I Lost My Hearing is a 200 page collection of my best photography work over the last several years. It's been a project I've been working on for nearly 2 years, and I think it is a great looking book
Preview and Buy it online at Blurb
I will have some copies available for sale at my October 3rd event at Bell House
Phoenix: Best Pop Band Alive
Phoenix
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 6.18.09
Mid-set, Phoenix singer Thomas Mars laid down down on the carpeted floor of the stage at Music Hall of Williamsburg, with his head resting on the monitor. Meanwhile, his bandmates began crafting the opening sounds of "Love Like a Sunset"—the mostly instrumental centerpiece of the band's new record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Mars continued to lay, as the song built up further and further, until finally Mars took to his feet for the second movement. As the instrumentation calmed, in came his voice, and just like it is on record, the moment felt like a truly glorious event. The song relies on a certain listener patience that few other Phoenix songs require, but the reward is bigger than anything else they've ever created.
From the moment the took the stage and ripped through the infectious trio of "Listztomania," "Long Distance Call" and "Consolation Prizes," it was already one of the best shows of the year, and then the band continued through its set, playing the best songs in its catalog, even the oddball older track "Funky Squaredance."
The band left fans with little time to rest their dancing feet, as it sped through fantastic pop song after pop song, pacing itself well, and making that excellent choice of allowing "Love Like a Sunset" to act as the centerpiece of the set, just as it is on the record.
Phoenix had me hooked with the 2000 debut United—which contains the undeniably great "Too Young"—but only now with a fourth record is the French band finally getting the type of attention they deserve.
After finally seeing the band live, after all these years, I have no problem declaring that Phoenix is the best pop band currently making rock music. Like a dancier version of The Strokes with a silken-voiced singer, Phoenix's last two records are completely loaded with potential smash hits, and there's plenty enough depth to the songs for them to retain their value after repeated listens.
Tonight, Phoenix plays the much larger Terminal 5, and as much as I dislike the place, it's going to be another conquest for Phoenix, on the road to larger success. Then on Sept. 25, the band headlines a much larger concert at Central Park's Rumsey Playfield—proof that Phoenix are no longer the most underrated band in the world.
Jonny Leather’s Top 100 Albums of 2008
Jonny Leather's Top 100 Albums of 2008
I've devoted a ridiculous amount of time listening to new music this year, seeing hundreds of records make their way in and out of my rotation. Though, I try to give every record I receive a full spin, some records are so immediately bad that I can't even make it through one song. The good ones, however, never fall out of rotation. Some are love at first listen, while others grow and grow, with a slow building love affair. While I understand the overabundance of year-end lists, I often find them to be helpful tools in what I may have missed, and I hope my own very lengthy list can provide that same helpful service.
Melodic Fuzz
Thee Oh Sees
Death By Audio, 9.28.08
Last night, I found myself sweating bullets and listening to fuzzed-out garage rock at Death By Audio. On the floor was San Francisco's Thee Oh Sees, the new project of former Coachwhips mastermind John Dwyer. The room was packed, and I was so close to the band that I was lucky to survive the performance without having my face struck with a tambourine or guitar neck. The intimacy, and DIY nature perfectly complimented the perfectly raw nature of the grimy music Thee Oh Sees generated in the unbearably hot space. Buried underneath a furious level of fuzz/reverb, John Dwyer and company played a melodic blend of psychedelic, garage-style surf rock that had the room simultaneously shaking their hips and tapping their toes.
For more about Thee Oh Sees, check out Greg Burgett's recent feature on the band.
MP3: "Ghost In The Trees"
