I’m in Northfield MN this weekend for my five year college reunion so I figured it would only be appropriate to post a mix in honor of this fantastic occasion. The following songs will make a lot of sense (and hopefully loosen a smirk) for anyone who was on that crazy four year trip with me. The rest of you enjoy a nice little collection of covers…
Gin & Juice – The Gourds
Like A Virgin – Ryan Adams
There She Goes – The Wombats
Crazy -The Kooks
Ass N’ Titties- The Matt Smith
1234 – Bikini
Can I Kick It – Lykke Li
Like I Love You – Maximo Park
Right Back To Where We Started From – Army Navy
Hyperballad – The Accidentals
The first Annual Northside Festival spread itself over all things Brooklyn this past weekend. As I have been staying in Greenpoint during this phase of my Wandering Summer of ’09 it was almost too easy to dip in and out of the numerous shows being hosted as part of this event’s pilot year. L Magazine pulled together a slew of venues and they, in turn, pulled in the acts. For a first year it went relatively smoothly. Since I am not a NY blogger, and wouldn’t imagine competing with the fine review work to be found Here > Here > Here > Here (amongst others) I am simply giving you a taste of the best acts I saw.
Bodies
(Download their EP too)
photo courtesy of Hannah Bergqvist
Xylos – These guys could easily provide the soundtrack to a summer at the beach. Their lyrics are good from the start and the whole package gets better the more I listen to them. They’re currently recording their full length so keep an eye out for that this fall as well as a little more tour action to support the effort. I have a feeling we’ll see a bit of them in Philly and of course I’ll keep you posted.
This House We Built
(EP action here)
Anamanaguchi - What do you get when you take a old school nintendo + electronic music and put it in the hands of knowledgeable tech heads? You get Anamanaguchi. This group had one of the most visually appealing sets we caught. They play the video games behind them as they provide a the live music (all out of a high jacked nintendo game system.) My picture doesn’t do its awesomeness full due it looks like they’ll by in the Philly-dom this summer so you’ll be able to experience it yourself.
Dawn Metropolis
Pink Skull – This Philly act has appeared on TWIAPC before so its not entirely a new introduction to their brilliance but their show at Death By Audio was such an exciting suggestion of whats to come on their fall release that I can’t help but start to build your anticipation for this dance friendly group. they’ll be at Schmidt’s piazza this Saturday as part of the 2nd St Festival go and be ready to groove.
Get Inside (My Tiny Pyramids)
photo courtesy of Steve Harmon
Laura Gibson - The final show we saw was Laura Gibson at Studio B. I’ve seen her before but she too displayed incredible growth of some already wonderous talent. Hers is a sweet vice with a little twist of, well, a life actually lived and felt…genuinely. Her backing band was also a sight to behold. Passing a variety of instrument tween the two of them and also contributing a grand addition to Ms Gibson’s beautiful lead.
Spirited
Very Honorable Mentions:
Screaming Females
Acrylics
Sisters
I remember seeing Jenny Lewis in Troop Beverly Hills when I was a kid and being totally jazzed by seeing a red head get screen time. I guess you could say I had a little bit of a crush on her. Then all these years later she goes and gets even awesomer by proving her chops as a fantastic singer. First with Rilo Kiley then on her lonesome (two albums deep now for those of you just peaking out from under your rock). I’ve missed the opportunity to see her live show twice now so when I she came within proximity for a third time I cleared the schedule.
After what I witnessed on that stage at the Trocadero I am now fully enamored with Miss Lewis. Not only did her vocals continually impress for the entirety of her hour plus set but she worked that stage in a way that, regardless of your age, sex or persuasion you couldn’t help but fall in love with her. She opened with Fernando which was an excellent way to charge out of the gates and show off the excellent band she has backing her on this tour. The percussion was a group effort and, in what is becoming a much appreciated live show trend, threw a full body display into playing it and Fernando never sounded better.
Jenny strutted through old, new and Riley pieces. She gave some of the songs a new twist and for the most part they were improvements upon the recorded versions. The male vocals on Carpetbagger were far greater than those contributed by Elvis Costello on Acid Tongue [yep I think his voice on that one song are distractingly nasally and almost ruin that great song]. Also, her solo version of Rilo Kiley’s Silver Lining is slowed down sweeter take on a already fabulous track. Both are legitimate and I liked the variety.
The band started strong and only got stronger. Whether Jenny was holding her own on the guitar or the full ensemble was rocking out there was nary an off beat or sour note. The only weak point that my ears caught were slightly off back up vocals on Rise Up With Fists. The new piece she sang, Just Like Zeus (a nice ditty about hero worship) made me excited to hear the third album hopefully chasing Acid Tongue to the shelves.
Whether you came out of childhood affinity for Hannah Nefler, Rilo Kiley loyalty, or addiction to all things Ms Lewis I’m pretty sure you left as satisfied as I did. Don’t let her pass you by.
Despite chaos being the general theme in my life for the last few weeks I have still managed to maintain a pretty healthy show schedule. The upside of this is that music keeps me sane and grounded the downside is I have so much to write about but not enough time to write it. That being said, I am still going to give you reviews they’re just going to be a little on the brief side.
White Rabbits @ Johnny Brendas
After having seen the White Rabbits play the Bowery I knew going in to this show it was going to be interesting considering they are six very active musicians and Johnny Brenda’s stage is the size of a postage stamp. Watching them set up was a demonstration in physics as they unfolded their piano (a rather crafty little set up that goes from box to full key board in seconds), assembled gear and literally piled instruments on top of each other. You could tell they were a little curious themselves to see how they would roc the stage. However, any signs of hesitance were completely absent as they launched immediately into their set.
To be honest, much of what I wrote in my first review of their live show held true for this set. They are amazingly full of energy and talent and their live show is the absolute best way to experience all of what they have to offer. They played pretty much the s
ame set list, which is to be expected of a band touring to support their first big album, and did so without a hint of routine or automation. What was truly awesome to watch was the way they maneuvered through the confines of the space. They all still exchanged instruments, danced with each other and played in their distinct full body style. The crowd was right there with them, dancing and singing along. When the much hyped Percussion Gun came on there was a riot of cheers and grooving. I have a feeling this will be the last time these guys play a small Philly venue. My prediction: next time it’ll be the Troc or the Electric Factory.
They’re out there wandering the country right now so find out if they’re playing near you and go hunt down some Rabbits.
Z-Trip
I Want You Back (Z-Trip Remix)- Jackson Five
This reappeared courtesy of my iTunes shuffle last week and I remembered how much I like its retro tilt. Me thinks you will as well.
HotSnax
Tears Of A Clown (Hotsnax Remix)- Smokey Robinson
Another retro-ish remix that parallels Z Trips piece.
Mangled Heart (IAMXL mashupGossip vs The Emotions
He does it again. IAMXL is a rabid talent. Buy more of his remixy treasures here Crack4DJs
Flufftronix
Cross The Floor
Fluff is a Philly fav and this track was brought to my attention by the fine Matthewmixveigh
Blood Shakes
The Fire and The Reason – Fuckbailefunk Remix
Blood Shakes, the Brazilian duo of Zero and Laka) will be releasing their first album Dirty Ghetto Lovers via MySpace Nightlife. This is a nice bit of funky action to get that ball rolling.
The bluegrass stylings of Brooklyn’s Yarn have been kicking around my iTunes for about a year now. Other than a B&B show they did nearish Philly last fall they haven’t done much playin in these here parts. That is until last week. The six fellas (three guitars, one stand up bass, a drummer and a mandolin player) crowded the stage at The Tin Angel. Being somewhat familiar with their recorded material I was expecting a night of country leaning music. What I got was far closer to a two hour classic rock jam session. That’s right two whole hours of music to fully appreciate what Yarn has to offer.
This live version of Yarn was all electric vs the acoustic version captured on their albums. Which took the entire show to an unanticipated level of rock out. Ignited by the electricity their mandolin player,Andrew Hendryx, offered up some of the fiercest riffs I have heard from any instrument in recent memory. On the faster pieces the group was prone to passing the “riff torch” around generously usually ending up with a mandolin solo. For good reason too, as his contribution made an excellent anchor for these free flow breaks.
Though Blake Christiana usually carries the leads comfortably– and provides very easy stage banter– Yarn’s most recent album Empty Pockets featured female vocals (Edie Brickell & Caitlin Cary) and on this evening they were replaced flawlessly by Trevor Macarthur. The dexterity of each player was evident during their numerous solos. Through out the two hours each was given the opportunity to strut their stuff and managed to keep is interesting while not getting too showy or losing the core rhythm of the song. They also managed to criss cross a wide swath of their collected works, but in the electrified format it was basically all new. When the drummer,Jay Frederick, took his solo towards the end of the show (apologies for not knowing the song title) there was a distinct departure from anything remotely bluegrass. His percussion was pure southern rock and when put within the context of his bandmate’s solos the entire group seemed to shift towards a new era. It was not surprising to hear Blake mention the next album will be fully plugged in.
I had brought my mother (the progenitor of my musical nerdiness) to the show and at the end she said had I not told her it was a bluegrass show she would have classified them as pure rock. This also sent her on a riff of her own comparing them to such classic bands as Poco and Dire Straights. There are also strong parallels with the likes of Whiskeytown and Ryan Adam’s and The Cardinals but considering they all haunt the same Brooklyn environs a little influence is to be expected. After the two hours I witnessed I am no longer content with listening to just the acoustic so get on the recording guys. And the rest of you, go seek Yarn out. They are all over the east in the next few weeks and its well worth the price of admission.
Last week I caught a nice trifecta of great local music at Johnny Brenda’s. These United States, Jenny Owen Youngs &
Jukebox The Ghost came together to each offer forth their distinct sounds. These United States kicked things off in fine style — I think it is important to, once again, note the Philadelphia needs to step up its game in supporting the opening acts– despite the weak crowd showing these fellas gave one hell of a show. I have seen them before and while still rocking this evening they were spot on. They have tightened up their harmonies which really brings their southern rock lyrics an appreciable classic feel. One of the best parts of seeing them live is watching the steel guitar and bass lines being delivered. It is a study in melding the sass and boozy sarcasm inherent in both instruments to shape TUS’s sound without crossing into cliche. Throughout the show I was reminded that these two factors were what drew me to them in the first places and I am happy to report they are only getting better. If they continue to work on their stage presence to compliment their vocals and impressive instrumentals they will have crossed a divide into serious fan acquiring territory.
Jenny Owen Youngs was next up and I’m going to keep my thoughts on her performance short and simple. She looks like the other indie darling Jenny Lewis and must know that cause it felt that her sound was very much rebellion of that association. While her backing band and vocals were fun to watch and sounded great she was undermic’d (or just wasn’t projecting her voice) and slurred all of her lyrics into a distracting muddle. Only when the fellas from Jukebox came up to share the stage and she kept to guitars did I enjoy what she had to offer.
Jukebox The Ghost were the evening’s headliners and by the time they were on stage the place had filled up with a nice showing of local support. The band has an ace understanding of what it means to perform. And I mean not only get up on stage and play the right notes and sing the right words at the right time. They had charming witty banter [at one point asking the audience to boo instead of clap in response to a new song just to buffer the potential for a poor reception] and put forth a style of full body playing that was thoroughly entertaining to witness. For those of you unfamiliar with Jukebox they sound a little like a mash up of Ben Folds Five and They Might Be Giants. Unconventional lyrics tied to tasty pop rhythms. They opened with a song about the end of the world and the quirk was maintained through the whole set.
What makes JTG’s offerings that much more enjoyable is the fact that they are fiercely talented musicians. The lead key’s are complicated and punchy but played so cleanly your ear doesn’t have to do any work to enjoy them. On their new stuff their was evidence of a maturing sound that suggested a little Jackson Browne “Late For The Sky” influence. This will be truly interesting territory to watch them explore. They brought Youngs and her gang back on stage briefly but I would have rather seen a JTG and TUS pairing. Perhaps next time. I would strongly encourage you to see Jukebox The Ghost if they come through your town and certainly seek out both their new and old music for your at home listening pleasure. Get a jump on that with these…
These United States Honor Amongst Thieves
Jukebox The Ghost Hold It In
Buffet Libre
Who Will (Buffet Libre Remix) – Patrick Wolf
Here is a delicious bite of remix action from the fellas of Buffet Libre. Its got a nice synth pop coating around group harmonies. Puts a nice spin on Wolf’s original.
Sammy Bananas
The Reeling (Sammy Banana Big Choon Mix) – Passion Pit
Waiting out the manic drops of Passion Pit remixes Sammy comes through with a well thought out edit of The Reeling. Establishing a echo-y base to reanimate the stems. It almost has a montage quality build. One of the best PP’s remix attempt in my opinion.
Skinny Friedman
Moth Wings (Skinny Friedman DJ Edit)- Passion Pit
Skinny’s remapping of Moth’s Wings is subtle but whip smart. Rustling the plumage of this track push it in the right spots and making a little more epic. The tiniest changes give it fresh layers and make you really listen hard to both this and the original. Contrast, compare & discuss!
Here are a few songs I have been enjoying quite a bit lately. I think its a good selection for the transition into the weekend. Just a heads up, I’m not going to be posting this weekend because I’m moving and that is sure to eat up most of my time. But when this whole debacle is over I’ll be back at it.
Green Go
Let’s Eat Brains For Breakfast
This track has been my morning jolt awake song for the last week. Its got a summer anthem vibe to it as well. Green Go is a Canadian posse that knows how to craft a catchy pop tune. Admittedly I have a weakness for group shout/sing along choruses and paired with the silly lyrics of this track it is addictive.
The High Strung
Black Mad Wheel
The High Strung have slowly crept into my play lists. I had received some of their stuff and liked it but not until I found out about their new blog project that I really gave them a good hard listen. They have begun posting free tracks for fan’s in the know. Of the many bands who are pushing a low-fi sound this year The High Strung have a 70′s feel that makes their approach respectable rather than messy. They are play at Kung Fu Necktie on June 18th .Consider yourself informed.
Oh no! Oh my!
The Party Punch
I can’t remember exactly when Oh No! Oh My! first tripped into my iTunes but I couldn’t be happier that their stuff is tucked in there. This particular track also has a fair share of group sing, whoops and clapping. From what I’ve heard of their stuff I’d say they aren’t a one note twee band but a group that can do a sweet little love song and a silly romp like this without breaking stride. To many bands take themselves too seriously these guys just make good indie pop.
Free Energy
Dream City
Blowing up outta Philly is Free Energy. Made up of ex Hockey Night members they are harnessing a slightly more pop friendly sound in their new incarnation. This is another group made up of people I went to college with. Considering our school was a small granola enclave in southern Minnesota I’d say we have a nice (albeit disproportionate) run of talent representing our alumni. I caught them in a basement in Northern Liberties a few weeks ago and despite it being stiflingly hot the fellas put on a nice show. They just signed to DFA and I see big things coming round the bend for them.
Apparently I have a thing for bands with “rabbit” in their name. Its no secret I love me all things Frightened Rabbit but recently I have realized I may have a subconscious draw to the presence of rabbit in a band. This came to my attention last week when I got to see The White Rabbits at The Bowery Ballroom. I had enjoyed listening to their recent release It’s Frightening but that didn’t even come close to preparing me for their astounding live show. It was intense, it was brash you could feel the pulse of the percussion in your toes and the tautness of their rhythm in your tum. The group consists of six wildly talented musicians who are so incredibly in tune with each other they are able to work the stage with a cool ease you wouldn’t expect from a group that rocks so hard. The two percussionists are a sight to behold. They dance around their set pushing the beat out over the audience with their mad full body playing style.
The band’s vocalist and keyboard player put his all into his delivery as well. The band has a bounce to it that is reminiscent of big band swing music with the gritty edge of punk to really suck you in. It is very apparent that the entire band has put a little of themselves into the creation of these tracks. I am constantly amazed at how much more enjoyable live shows are if the performers are sharing a little or, in this case, a lot of their excitement and energy for their music. There wasn’t a single song where I was left wanting more. They put their all into the entire set. I was not intending to review that show but I felt I needed to get you guys excited for their up coming tour. I will be catching them again in Philly next week and it is highly advised you see them if and when they come to your area. Just be sure to leave your inhibitions at the door cause they are going to rock your socks off!
To get a little taste of their live show…
