2007, Oct-Dec

O'Death; Salts and Samovar; Hoots and Hellmouth; The Goddamn Rattlesnake
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY - December 21, 2007

O'Death's punk-metal inspired bluegrass is a stand-out take on the Appalachian and Delta revival sounds that have remained vibrant for most of this decade. Greg Jamie's shrieky metal voice is a bizarre fit with the strumming and the pickin' but it works.
Salts and Samovar recalls the lumbering side of Murder by Death and that ilk, which it means it sometimes works a whole hell of a lot and sometimes it doesn't work at all, and sometimes both in the same song. Their cover of Hank Williams' "Ramblin' Man" is their big highlight.
Hoots and Hellmouth owned the night with their exceptional hybrid of bluegrass melodies and Philly soul vocals. These Philadelphia boys sound like they are taking you to church and even Satan has a good time there.
The Goddamn Rattlesnake kicked off this plaid convention with their more Western-spun, banjo-driven country music that included a Merle Haggard cover.

Franz Nicolay; Erik Petersen; The Cotton Jones Basket Ride
@ Mercury Lounge
December 9, 2007

It was a night of solo acoustic sets by musicians known in bands (the headliner was Danbert Nobacon of Chumbawumba). Franz Nicolay is as verbosely rich as he is visually and musically rich. Displaying a strong octave range, Franz strummed folk-pop whimsy and observation. A little work on the accordion and it was a great set.

Erik Petersen is from a Philly punk band, Mischief Brew and by his style and the fans who showed up, we're talking the Social Distortion vein. Some of the sentiments in his originals were a bit murky but his covers of "Midnight Special" and "Fairytale of New York" were fun.
The Cotton Jones Basket Ride, themselves a spinoff of some project, are a sharp rock n' roll band who sound musically a lot like Holly Golightly - meaning a little go-go 60's blues rock. The ballads stand out more than the snappy ones, which all sort of blend together but no matter - they were very, very good.

Ween
@ Terminal 5
New York, NY - November 30 and December 1, 2007

2 and a half hours each night from the Ween team with only 1 song played on both nights, their brand new theme song "Fiesta". Gene had the vocal chops while Dean did the licks like the legend-in-the-making that he is. Dave, looking more like Larry Fine than ever, Glen, and of course Claude, all brought the elements to the mix. Claude stole the second night with a show stopping mega drum solo (and I mean show stopping, the show ended after he was finished), but also on the second night, at the conclusion of an acoustic set, Aaron put down the acoustic, picked up his gorgeous Gibson, and wailed a guitar solo on their greatest ballad, "I Don't Want It", that rivaled any great pop-rock solo, and equaled (if not actually briefly surpassed) Mickey's Fender magnificence.
For all the jamming Ween eventually falls on in their live set, their insistence on eclectic genre switching is what keeps 'em going and the shorter the better. Whether it's the punk rock fun of "Dr. Rock", the power pop of "Transdermal Celebration" and "Even If You Don't" (seven years after the latter's release, it's still looking good for winning the decade's Best Song award), or the pure rock of the exceptional "Gabrielle" (there's nothing like hearing 3,000 people sing along to a demo song), Ween does it all and blah blah you know the rest. But if you had to pick one genre, Ween does country the best. Not because the country songs are better than the pop and rock songs, but because Ween taps into a country vein in a fluid, smooth manner, it's astounding it's the same band. Of course, the country tunes find Ween at some of their most raw and bawdy - "Piss Up A Rope" and "Waving My Dick In The Wind" - but the country-rock of "Johnny On The Spot" shows Ween as the great musicians and songwriters that they are.
And even in the world of jamming, Ween finds a way. The Jazz of "Pandy Fackler" is like nothing else they do, and they do even that superbly. Ween can do no wrong. Except some of the long jams. But Boognish bless 'em, they're Ween.

Night 1 Highlights:
Exactly Where I'm At
She Wanted To Leave
HIV/AIDS
Baby Bitch
Piss Up A Rope

Your Party
Voodoo Lady
Waving My Dick In The Wind
Even if You Don't
Johnny On The Spot
You Fucked Up
Zoloft
The Stallion
The Mollusk
Mister Richard Smoker
Fiesta
Pandy Fackler
Ocean Man
The Blarney Stone

Night 2 Highlights:

Fiesta
Take Me Away

Transdermal Celebration
Bananas and Blow
Spinal Meningitis Got Me Down
Learning to Love
Happy Colored Marbles
With My Own Bare Hands
Buckingham Green
Tried and True
Help Me Scrape The Mucus Off My Brain
I Don't Want It
Mutilated Lips
Roses Are Free
Powder Blue
Dr. Rock
Gabrielle
Womand And Man
Stroker Ace


The Hold Steady; Art Brut; 1990s
@ Terminal 5
New York, NY - November 21, 2007

See here's the thing: By all logic, the Hold Steady should NOT be good. A bar band? A constant focus on Craig Finn's life from 15 years ago? The same topics, phrases, and conventional rock styles repeated over and over in each song? This should be considered right awful uninspired garbage with an exceptional and bizarre level of self-obsession. But lo and behold, this is one of the most fun, most wonderful, most joyus experiences in the world today. Whether it be the belt of house shaking rockers from their 3 records, or the shoulder-embracing ballads, this drunken love fest is beyond reproach. There is something disconcerting about the beer swilling (and whiskey swilling and wine swilling) men on stage singing about their days of yore with a hindsight of years gone by...and their youthful reflections below them, gorging on the very excesses Craig sings about. And yet, it is a time so unabashedly glorious, it slays hyperbole with ease. After all, let's not kid ourselves: life is a cycle and there would be no point in the Hold Steady if Craig looked upon his past with total, evangelical, regret. So let the kids do what they must and each will figure out their own road. And as they do, let "Hot Soft Light", "Stuck Between Stations", "The Swish", "Chips Ahoy", "Massive Nights", "You Can Make Him Like You", "Your Little Hoodrat Friend", "South Town Girls", "First Night", "Stay Positive", and "Killer Parties" be their soundtrack for better or worse.

Art Brut has become something of a comedy band. The new projector screen full of funnies insures that ("TWICE" flashing over and over after Eddie Argos' proclamation of how many times he's seen his brand new girlfriend naked was the highlight). But damned if they don't provide bitching solos, stomping hooks, and headbanging fun. Eddie's run through the crowd was marred only by the crowd's shocking lack of enthusiasm (who'd a thunk the Art Brut fans would be much calmer than the Hold Steady fans) but when the man sang "hey ho, let's go!" in ode to New York's greatest, you knew where the band's heart lay, in the right spot. "18,000 Lira", "Pump Up The Volume", "Direct Hit", "Good Weekend", "My Little Brother", and particularly "Modern Art" worked best.

1990s opened the show with that slap dash good time 3 chord dancey rock n' roll that made them the buzz of CMJ. Distant cousins of Franz Ferdinand (the band, not the archduke), this Scotch-led trio proved a time tested hallmark of a great band: making the album filler sound alive...live. Not perfect. Like Art Brut after them, there was some unavoidable "enough already" moments, but, when you take in all 3 bands in one night, it makes you lament, yet again, the state of popular music today. And that makes you feel old, which is exactly what the point of these 3 bands is not. Well maybe that is the point of the Hold Steady. Who knows. Walk around and drink some more and then find out.

Bling Kong; Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
@ Union Hall
New York, NY - November 17, 2007

I'm not exactly sure what Bling Kong is supposed to be but the cute girls singing upfront with the backing band is getting old fast and even with, or maybe especially because of, the garage rock feel of this particular set up, it doesn't really work that well. Also, the whole art house concept thing around it seemed a bit much. And there were balloons. I hate balloons. A lot. In fact, if it wasn't for the balloons, I'd have probably liked it.
A second night of SYGC (instant band initial status is always a good sign, unless you're CFK or whatever) and they kept it up. This is a band to dance to, or take in lyrically, or both. Some of the peppier, even punkier stuff when meshed with horn, give off that old ska-punk vibe, which by all accounts, should not be a good thing but they make it work very well without overly recalling that sound, scene, or the annoying asshole college roomates who wouldn't shut up about that genre of music some five years after it was popular but then 2 weeks later switched to going on about rave music. On the other hand, Fishbone was really good so if there are a few moments of recalling Fishbone, what's to complain about? In other words, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir is very good.
Insta-Clip
Side-note: Union Hall is pretty much the defacto stop for Chicago bands. The Changes, the 1900's, and now SYGC have all played there. I hope these Chicagoans realize there isn't actually a union using the joint? "Welcome, brothers of Local 643. As you know, our president, Chuckie Fitzhugh, ain't been seen lately. We're all prayin' he'll turn up soon, alive and well."

Electric Six; The Willowz
@ Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY - November 16, 2007

It could not be resisted. With the previous gig being so early, and the Bowery Ballroom so close, how could a seventh Electric Six show be passed up? Sure, Horton Heat was in town, sure VHS or Beta were doing their own dance-rock thing, sure there were a ton of great gigs in the night but there is only one (or six, rather, or actually when you really think about it, nine or ten) Electric Six. It was well worth going. For possibly the first time in seven reviews, not counting any possible drunken blackouts, Valentine and the gang did "Electric Demons in Love". From the first record, the second track, the one that truly establishes the band as Disco Metal and arguably remains their finest song. Forget "Danger! High Voltage!". This is the track that should have been the hit and should have made this band as big in the U.S.A. as it is in Europe, if not bigger. But speaking of bigness, for the first time in about four or five reviews, the show was not sold out and packed to the gills, and the mosh pit (featuring only some of the regulars) was more subdued for larger portions of the show than previously. Could the U.S.A. Six Success have peaked? Or was everyone home because of the news Valentine broke? That Larry King had died? (Dick did seem actually serious about it but of course as we know now, Larry is alive and well. Cleveland, Hello!) Anyway, this is one of the best, if not the best, Electric Six performance ever reviewed and not just for "Demons". Exuberant, extra saucy highlights also include the new "Dance Pattern", the classic "Dance Epidemic", "I Buy The Drugs", "Future is in the Future", "Improper Dancing", and "Rock n Roll Evacuation", which had Valentine's latest political ramblings, that while New York will have to (probably) pick between its current senator and its former mayor for President, that as poor as that choice is, it's all better than Bush. And finally, after years of ranting by D.V., we got one good, fist-shaking wail of "Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!" Loved it.
Dude, I don't know what it is about the Willowz man. They look like they should be doing some country bumpkins from hell thing, some Little House on the Prairie meets Black Sabbath type deal, but they really just do garage. Maybe it's the singer's voice? Maybe it's a lack of substantive follow through on the opening licks? I don't know. They aren't that bad, but there is something definitely missing. But kudos to them, they were fun to laugh and dance with in the balcony during the Six set. But word of caution guys: When people in the audience heckle you, do not taunt them and threaten to fight them. It is unbecoming. Especially when you have a charming gal in the band.

Uncle Monk; Scotland Yard Gospel Choir; Used To Be Women; Alec Scott
@ Knitting Factory Old Office
New York, NY - November 16, 2007

So yeah this is the first review of a living, breathing Ramone. The last original Ramone no less. Tommy Erdelyi performed his sincere, fun, and frankly, good, bluegrass duo material. There's not much to wax on about it. It was straight forward mandolin and acoustic bluegrass. By Tommy Ramone. You can't beat that.
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir are a great Chicago bar band that do it in a folky and stompy fashion. Lots of Indie pop sensibilities but with a nod to the more basic elements of good live rock. It's official by the way, Chicago has arrived. The city is now teeming with great bands and its an eclectic brew. The next few years ought to be a lot of fun.
Used to be Women seem to want to be an alt-country, contemporary hard rock mix but they sound more like the latter and it's a little unorganized and not in that good, punk way. It's kind of hollow.
Oh, Alec Scott. Alec, Alec, Alec. You are true to your soul, I'll give you that. It was something to hear this young acoustic soft pop-folk performer talk in length to the audience about his songs, especially when he lectured the crowd about the merits of Michael Moore and how he was inspired to write "The White House Is Corrupt" because of the big man. Now, political debates about Moore aside, the point here is that Mr. Scott talked to the crowd as if the crowd had no idea who Michael Moore is. This was the first clue that young Alec has a lot to learn. Later, he feebly tried to get the crowd to sing along. And then finally, he nervously rambled on about the sound guy, his two bandmates on bass and sax respectively, and himself. And that's just it. He was nervous. I hope. Anyway, this Dave Matthews thing he's going for needs more metaphor and poetry if it's going to work. If you're going for a Woody Guthrie, tell-it-like-it-is approach, just do that. Pick and choose, young friend. Pick and choose.

The Pipettes; Nicole Atkins & The Sea; Monster Bobby
@ Blender Theater at Gramercy
New York, NY - November 12, 2007

This pains me to write. But it is what it is: This was an awful show. The Pipettes, for all their polka dot goodness and British attractiveness, were out of tune, out of sync, and just plain bad. The backing band was soulless, devoid of the heartfelt soul (and the musical talent) mandatory for making 60's girl group rock good. This sounded more like a rejected act from Pop Idol, rather than a true homage to Dusty Springfield, the Ronettes, and such. It appears my recent slight was well founded after all.
Nicole Atkins & The Sea's unexpected second review on the blog in less than a month was unnecessary but it did back up some basic truths: Nicole's voice is exceptional and she is a real charmer. But the songs range from the dull to just OK.
Monster Bobby, according to what is seen on the internet, is the band leader for the Pipettes but I sure didn't notice him on the stage. His own solo opening appeared at first to be a comedy act, and that was fine, but it dragged after a bit, especially when the songs themselves - 1 and 2 minute folk-disco pop ditties - didn't seem to be comedy oriented. Make up your mind, old chap.

I don't know...maybe I shouldn't have seen No Country For Old Men before going to the gig. :(

Josh Ritter; Eric Bachman
@ Webster Hall
New York, NY - November 9, 2007

About a year ago, in the previous incarnation of this blog, it was pretty well established that Josh Ritter's Animal Years was the Album of the Year. That title hasn't held up but no matter - that record showcased what is solid truth: The native of Moscow, Idaho is one of the most accessible but authentic singer-songwriters around. His songs are easy, almost light as the breeze, and in many ways, he's a conventional type. But there is depth, substance, relevance, and skill in all his work. His effervescent nature is the steam engine of this cross-country folk-rock machine. And his band is full of character (the bass player's whiskers included) and all told, it is a whole heck of a lot of fun.

Eric Bachman is a part-folkie, part-grimey bluesman with a wide palate. He recalls a range from Tom Waits to Sam Beam. He just needs to iron out the wrinkles in blazer. That's not metaphor. He really needs an iron. That coat was really wrinkled.

Band of Horses; The Drones; Tyler Ramsey
@ Terminal 5
November 4, 2007

Band of Horses played their biggest show ever and they did it in style. Another band that benefits from brevity, the Northwest-turned-South Carolinian collection of beardos play symphonic pop-rock in short bursts. If they went long, or approached jam band territory, this would be bad. The crowd had a lot of frat boys and wannabe-hippies, presumably all because the band has a song called "Weed Party", and critics zero in on simplistic lyrics, but the music of Band of Horses is targeted, really, at sophisticates and those looking to escape for a little while into some forest of deep, thoughtful sound. The band is more mature than they are given credit for.
The Drones are an aptly named quartet from Melbourne. At first, this isn't a pejorative. The intense-sludge harkens back to some of the better 90's grunge and Radiohead moments. But after about 15, 20 minutes - and this is a trend lately - it was enough. One gets the idea. It went on for another 20 minutes or so but it felt like they were on for over an hour.
Tyler Ramsey is a pleasant bluesy finger-picker from Asheville. His music obviously sounds better in a small club rather than the massive swirls of Terminal 5, but it worked.

Gogol Bordello
@ Terminal 5
New York, NY - November 3, 2007

Much like Flogging Molly's Dave King, Eugene Hutz an immigrant to these shores, and he's retained the musical heritage of his nationality to mesh with hardcore punk. But unlike Flogging Molly, Hutz takes Gogol Bordello further in its aesthetic. He and his band ham it up with displays of fashion and spectacle, to the point where it is border-line gimmick. And frankly, Hutz would just be Borat if he wasn't the real deal. And it is with this authenticity, this legitimacy, that Hutz makes Gogol Bordello such an overpowering, overwhelming force. And this mandate is articulated in what is perhaps the most dominating aspect of the Gogol experience: the fans. There can't be many, if any, other crowds that are this intense on such a wide scale and in such a wide breadth. Hipsters, punks, artists, Russian clubbers, old folks, young folks, teens, druggies, drunkards, fashionistas...everyone was at this thing. And just about everyone was bouncing off the wall. From the front to the back, all points in between, the entire floor - hundreds of people, if not over a thousand - was a pit. And it wasn't so much a mosh pit as it was a pit of dancing and mass movement. Every hand up in the air. Every single one. And everyone jumping. And the most intense crowd surfing possible. It was all very much like the wedding fiesta Hutz yearns for in his critique "American Wedding" (by the way, anyone who sings about marinated herring is automatically one of the greats of the age). Hutz is the messiah of these meshugganah. And it is hypnotic.
But except for exquisite outburts like "Start Wearing Purple" and "Wanderlust King", all this star-bursting energy starts to take a pretty quick toll. The dancing luchadore (who sometimes seems to think he's in Papa Roach rather than Gogol Bordello) and the girls and all the rest can only go so far. The tension between Hutz's authenticity and the gimmicky excesses is strong. It's a memorable, awe-inspiring experience, but it's almost too much. These gypsy punks - sometimes more like gypsy pirates than anything else - lead a very rockin' ship of state. But it could tip over at any minute.

Some more evaluation of Terminal 5: If you don't get there early, the only good views are in the back of the floor, by the back bar. And the sound is awful back there. Utterly awful.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
@ Hammerstein Ballroom
October 31, 2007

Holy unexpected show reviews, Batman!

It figures. On any given night in any town in North America, Ryan Adams can be known for donning chain mail and doing his best Danzig impression. But at the hyped-up Halloween night concert in New York City, all the holiday hoopla emanated from a lonely little jack-o-lantern atop the piano, and some costumed people in the crowd. For Ryan, it was just another show. At least just another show for this tour - meaning, a 3-hour plus marathon (I left at exactly the 3-hour mark when he started up yet another ballad).
The sheer immensity of the show felt like a ton of weight pressing down after awhile. And the song selections - about 60% balladry - started to bring on a case of the sleepies. But when Ryan and the band sizzled, they sizzled. The Cardinals are so good by this point, they make Ryan songs their own. And when Ryan and the band back-up guitarist Neal Casal on his lead, you'd almost instantly forget who's the main man up there. While the band knows all of Ryan's material, they excel at the last record they cut with him, Easy Tiger. Like at that fantastic, intimate show at the Hiro in June, "The Sun Also Sets" and "Two" sounded exquisite.
So it may not have been bizarre, goofy Ryan at his maximum, and it may have been like trying to run through mud, but there is no doubt that Ryan Adams & The Cardinals are the cream of their crop. And other cliches. Awwww yeah.

Morrissey; Girl in a Coma
@ Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, NY - October 26, 2007

Everyone's second favorite Manc (behind Karl Pilkington of course) was light on the Smiths, heavy on his own material, and as he put it, can take "poetic license" with all of it as he sees fit. And the crowd let him do as he pleased. As a Morrissey concert novice, this writer was a bit worried that the old Mancunian warhorse would be a bit icy and distant but on the contrary, Our Man Morrissey was warm, interactive, and insistently charming. He even had macho frat boys going "Dude, I wish I could hug Morrissey right now, bruh" (true story). The genius of the whole thing was the brevity. Most of the man's songs would suffer if they went on too long, but only 1 seemed to go past 4 minutes. A rock n' roll spirit to English pop never hurts. No "Everyday is like Sunday" but "First of the Gang to Die" sufficed. And he's a decent looking bloke too.
Piss-poor mini-clip of Moz
Girl in a Coma were a replacement for Kristeen Young (who was dismissed from the tour) and with all due respect, Morrissey would have been better off going it alone. The San Antonio trio of girls seem to think they are playing some kind of authentic punk rock - and god bless 'em for their spirit - but they sound like nothing more than the suburban pimple rock that has plagued rock n' roll for a decade now. They need a little bit of soul, or maybe even a dash of Texican spice, to make it work.

The Dirtbombs
@ Maxwell's
Hoboken, NJ - October 20, 2007

An epic 3 night run around the NYC metro area came to an end, along with the five nights of CMJ, at the iconic Maxwell's in Hoboken. Tonight's "Candy Ass" report: the original version returns, rejoining the stable of audio intensity that makes for the most satisfying, hip shaking, head banging time of one's life. What more is there left to say? Truly, what is there left to say?

The Hard Lessons
@ Magnetic Field
Brooklyn, NY - October 20, 2007

You know there was a brief time when this writer got so cynical, he kind of sassed the Hard Lessons for being so positive, so resilient, and so determined. Who the hell were they? Who the hell did they think were? Didn't they know they were supposed to be too-cool-for-school and mildly indifferent to the rock n' roll lifestyle? Jerks. Of course, everyone knows the deal by now: very few other bands have the fun and the joy this band has, and very few have so much productive value to show for it. The new "See and Be Scene" is the latest in a string of individual pop sensations that - and you knew this was coming - in a just world, would be a Top Ten smash across America. And better yet, they saved everyone in the crowd about 192 dollars with their so-good-it's-almost-knee-shaking ode to Neil with "Hey Hey My My".

The Dirtbombs; The Intelligence
@ Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY - October 19, 2007

Tonight's show is noteworthy in that Mick and the gang attracted both a legion (hehe) of new fans and found some old ones not seen in awhile. It was good times all around, up front, in the back, and all over. Tonight's version of "Candy Ass" wasn't as sexed up as the night before, but it was still the Dirtbombs at their best.
A second helping of the Intelligence left a satiated but not entirely satisfactory feeling. There's got to be something untapped that needs to bust out to make this one work 100%.

Sahara Hotnights; 1900s; Drug Rug
@ Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY - October 19, 2007

Sweden's Sahara Hotnights were once a punk band then popped it up in subsequent years and they sounded fine either way. The new songs continue the pop trend and while it is unclear if this band will ever have another hurrah, it's good to have these ladies around.
The 1900s are really inspired by a host of 70's country-rock and pop bands, from America to the Eagles (ugh) to Marshall Tucker Band to John Denver and so on and so forth. It may not be the most exciting brand of rock to draw from, but they pull it off with finesse and legitimacy. And for a pretty serious band, they seem to be having fun. Just don't venture into Fleetwood Mac territory kids (ahem, Rilo Kiley, ahem) and you'll do just fine. For the money, nothing beats "Georgia".
Drug Rug, as the name may suggest, is a hippie-ish jam band. As a general rule nowadays, this is kind of a bad thing. But unlike other jam band acts, Drug Rug doesn't squander good songs on boring long jams. The band takes mediocre to half-decent tunes and turns into them into solid, fun, foot stompin' jams. The jams are actually the best part, maybe because it's based in a general band-wide country freakout rather than a series of show-offy solos. And for the record, the girl in this band, may just be about the most cutest thing on the face of this planet. Seriously. So cute that it needed to be mentioned in serious consideration of this review. Cute shouldn't be this beautiful. It's almost scary.

The Dirtbombs; Jay Reatard; The Intelligence; Miss Alex White and the Red Orchestra; Cheap Time; Turbo Fruits
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY - October 18, 2007

Yadda yadda Dirtbombs yadda yadda nothing better live than this yadda yadda new material sounds great yadda yadda particularly "Wreck My Flow" yadda yadda special cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" yadda yadda "Candy Ass" was reworked into a gloriously sexed up, funkified version that made the band sound as fresh as ever yadda yadda gabba gabba hey yadda yadda Dirtbombs forever.
Hardcore garage punk is not really this blog's thing, but let's not mince words. Jay Reatard is f-ing great. He's the best at what he does. The raw power and energy behind the thrashy, trashy rock n' roll could give you an apoplectic fit if you weren't careful. And again, the best part: Beneath that gruff exterior lies a sucker for 3-chord rock n' roll melody. This Memphis boy could be just at home in an arena as a small club, but that's something a lot of people probably don't want to hear.
The Intelligence certainly sounded different, at least at first, from every other band of the night. But what started as a potentially provocative experimental hybrid of a few types of rock n' roll sort of devolved into basic, pound-away attempts at punk. They were not bad though.
Miss Alex White has enough charisma, presence, and authenticity to be Chicago's only prized export, but even though she has to share the burden, she's still got it all. In The Red is lucky to have her.
Cheap Time was really hyped for this blog. So it's not their fault that it then became impossible for them to live up to the hype. But with hard work and good direction, they'll get there. But wasn't Jemma Pearl supposed to be in this band?
Turbo Fruits did not sound quite as good as they did at the Bowery this past summer but these kids have such gumption and spirit, they can't be denied. The wellspring of Tennessee rock does have its cup flowing over. Or something like that.

Black Tie Revue
@ Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY - October 17, 2007

With frantic gig hopping last night, and the big all night In The Red showcase tomorrow night,
tonight was the ripe opportunity for a one-and-done affair. Pittsburgh's Black Tie Revue is an excellent live band, delivering crafty power chords and melodies with every tune. They get better each time they play, and they sounded great in the relatively large confines of Southpaw. It can only go forward from here.

Looker
@ Pianos
New York, NY - October 16, 2007

By a stroke of luck, I caught the last 2 and a half songs by Looker for the fourth and final gig of the night. The sound at Pianos was much kinder to the band than the set-up at the Lucky Cat's, showcasing the quartet's knack for pop hooks and rock n' roll. The sizable crowd was really into it. A great nightcap to end a packed first night of CMJ 2007.

Wormburner; Vegabond
@ Midway
New York, NY - October 16, 2007

Last time (the first time) I saw Wormburner I was really drunk. Incredibly, and needlessly, drunk. And I liked what I heard. Wormburner had to pass the sobriety test and the band passed it with flying colors. Glorious power rock, at times pop, at times all out rock n roll, Wormburner blends the needless rock labeling system and spits out something incredibly catchy and fun. They are having a great time up there and they bring it out in the audience. Stay tuned, this is going to be one of New York's best.
It's not often, if ever, an overtly hostile review of a band is put on this blog. I try to go out of my way to not overtly criticize a band beyond the flaws that I, as an average listener with no personal musical expertise, may see. But then there are times like Vegabond. I am sorry, guys, I really am. I don't mean to be a total insensitive ass about this but...this was awful. Utterly awful. It's not that Goth-metal can't be my thing at times - anything can be good at some point - but this was just trite, uninspired, shlock rock.

Teenage Prayers; Mixtapes and Cellmates
@ Arlene's Grocery
New York, NY - October 16, 2007

The Teenage Prayers began their set with a bit of bar-band rock and it was looking good but they were foiled by sound problems. Another problem for the New York band, was that some of the better tunes were sidelined by the cluttered, noisy ones. The band sounds better when it is organized. Their 70's pop-rock inspirations work better than their Grateful Dead and Band inspirations.
Mixtapes and Cellmates, a young quartet from Stockholm opened the CMJ festivities at Arlene's with their own sound problems and they thought for sure they had played a trainwreck. But surprise, surprise, they sounded alright and maybe more importantly their overall sonic template is really good. A bit Britpop, this band sounded familiar but was hard to define. If anything, their synth backbeat leads to something on the order of Coldplay meets VHS or Beta. They make good, thinking music, but you can move to it, or just let it wash over you. This is music ripe for a good soundtrack. This may be one of the better discoveries at this year's marathon.

John White
@ Cake Shop
New York, NY - October 16, 2007

Sonic Parthenon's CMJ Music Marathon coverage got underway with a stop-in at the free show going on at the Cake Shop. New Zealander John White offers delicate acoustic folk in the vein of Iron & Wine. Gentle, mellow, but also ethereal and a bit spooky.

The National; St. Vincent
@ Terminal 5
New York, NY - October 11th 2007

This review was going to be prefaced with a lengthy analysis of the last seven years and how the great Indie revival of rock n' roll could be split in two between a more rockin', fast-paced, stripped down first half and a more mature, thematic, thoughtful second half...but why bother? In reality, it was just an excuse to explain how relevant music jumped from the Hives and Vines to the National. No matter. Let's get into this thing.

First, welcome to Terminal 5. This blogger, by happenstance and without much effort, became the first patron to enter the venue on opening night (trying to escape from the pouring rain can lead to good things). I was able to take in the entire place in its near emptiness and appreciated what the Bowery Presents is attempting to do. A comfortable large venue, with cushioned seats to relax in back - on 2 upper levels - with great surround views of the MASSIVE platformed stage. Granted, the stage looks a bit like a High School prom, but no matter. Terminal 5, in just its opening minutes of existence, promised to be a landmark venue for New York.

While this blogger became a most minor footnote in history, St. Vincent became a more significant one when she became the first artist to play the room. Initially, her deep, dark sound resonated well, and that mysterious three-prong tower of light behind her made for an impressive view, but it became apparent that the material felt hollow without a backing band. She is a gifted singer and songwriter (see/hear "Marry Me John"), but a one-person act for such constructed music just won't do.

Then arrived the National. The National are truly a strong intake of musical oxygen, a deep inhalation of several sounds that, when exhaled, produce something unified and special. Americana roots rock, British 80's pop, and assortment of folk sounds seem to make their way - and who knows if the band would even agree to that - into the distinct, original pop of this most sturdy and yet relaxed of bands. The brothers Dessner and Devendorf recall a host of bands that are tiring to name but they do not sound like them at all. It's a paradigm of sorts. And if it isn't, let's call it one anyway. But more important than the meat-and-potatoes of the stew, it is the end product that defines the band: Inspiring, emotional, soaring, at times anthemic, and at times introspective, and always meaningful. Lead singer Matt Berninger shares the gravity with the rest of the band but at the same time, he commands a marked presence. That voice of his, one of the finest voices in music today, is so loud without even approaching upper octaves. When he does sing loud, it is so much more special than when other singers wail frequently, and it has all the more impact. And when he's in moment, in his trance, he brings everyone into it with him.

There are too many highlights to mention from the opening strains of "Start A War" to the thunderous finale of "Mr. November". As the encore got underway, Matt popped some champagne in honor of the new house, and poured a little in honor of it all. Cheers.

The Raveonettes; Nicole Atkins; Gliss
@ Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY - October 10, 2007

Denmark's Raveonettes, relocated to the USA, have returned to the stripped down (B minor?) sound that they introduced themselves to the world with some four or five years ago. A hard working band, they do it lo-fi distortion right but there was still something lamentable about the lack of a second guitarist and the whimsy of Chain Gang of Love and Pretty in Black.
Nicole Atkins is a singer-songwriter type who does some great ballads and some hit or miss peppy ones. The ballads work because she borrows a little bit of soul, a little bit of country, and a little bit of Spector - both of them.
Gliss are a trio from California that merge the neo-Jesus and Mary Chain thing with the cluddered neo-Joy Division thing. It mostly works. They also make a habit of changing positions all show long.

The Hard Lessons; VLA
@ Union Hall
Brooklyn, NY - October 6, 2007

There aren't harder working kids touring the USA today than the 3 from Detroit affectionately known as the Hard Lessons. They just don't stop, they don't compromise, and most importantly, they are having fun making everyone have fun. You can't beat that. You just can't.
VLA are a Los Angeles trio sounding very Cure-inspired, which is a broad definition, but you know it when you hear it. Better suited for a dance-rock night, they still satisfied.

The Ugly Beats; Mondo Topless
@ Magnetic Field
Brooklyn, NY - October 5, 2007

Austin-based Ugly Beats are a satisfactory if not immediately wowing 60's inspired garage band. Very much influenced by Roky Erickson and co., they know what they are doing, have great direction, and should go places. And their lefty guitarist looks just like the Japanese actor in Babel. No foolin'.
Then there's Mondo. The boys from Philly have a very new drummer in tow and they are sounding great. Not a misstep in the proceedings, the Philly 4 proved once again why they are the best Northeast garage rock band going. They just never screw up. Ever. Seriously.