A Fine Frenzy @ Gramercy Theatre

I have to admit, I kind of thought A Fine Frenzy was overrated. I liked her and all, but I felt like I know so many people who are head-over-heels in love with her and I just didn't get the obsession.

On Wednesday night though, all that changed. I went to see her perform at the Gramercy Theatre and consider me converted. A Fine Frenzy (aka Alison Sudol) is a spectacular performer. First off, I felt like her voice was so much more dynamic and powerful than it sounds on her albums (not that she sounds bad on her albums, but there I just thought she had more strength and richness to her voice live). She's also a very dynamic performer - full of expression (hence I took something like 58 pictures during her set). I never thought comparisons to Regina Spektor were all that apt before, but at least in terms of performing I can see it now. The red hair, her adorable smile, the fullness of her emotion (I seriously thought she was going to start crying during some of those heartfelt ballads), her humble air (she seemed to grateful to be there and so giddy from the sizeable audience's applause). She's the whole package - humble yet diva-esque, cute and sexy, and the girl is a pretty good dancer too. She shook it on several occasions.

I think my favorite part of the show was when she covered Blondie's "Heart of Glass." That was the first time we got to see a glimpse of her sexy side (though it came out many times during the rest of the show) and she just seemed like she was having so much fun, as did the audience. And of course there were all her crowd favorites like Almost Lover (there were some really adorable audience-singing-along moments during that one), The Minnow & The Trout (not a good song for Creationists but a favorite for heathens like me), You Picked Me, etc. It was definitely one of the best concerts I've been to all year and I definitely recommend you go see her if you have the opportunity. She's still has lots of tour dates left (see below). And here's some more pictures:

A Fine Frenzy @ The Gramercy Theatre

11/02/2009 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
11/04/2009 - Park West - Chicago, IL
11/05/2009 - Fine Line Music Cafe - Minneapolis, MN
11/09/2009 - Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room - Seattle, WA
11/10/2009 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR
11/12/2009 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA
11/13/2009 - The Boardwalk - Orangevale, CA
11/15/2009 - Martini Ranch - Scottsdale, AZ
11/17/2009 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
11/18/2009 - House of Blues Anaheim - Anaheim, CA

Oh, and I should probably mention that Landon Pigg was one of the openers, but I only caught the tale end of his set, so I don't feel I can really write much about it. I liked the number about Roller Derby (which I'm guessing was written because of his acting debut in Whip It). And I'd like to praise the Gramercy Theatre - it's a really nice venue and one of the few places I've been in the city who actually thinks lighting is an important part of the show (something we photographers very much appreciate).

The Minnow and The Trout [mp3] - (iTunes)

Phantogram

This song has been hearted out all over the place on the hype machine in the last week, but I'm mentioning it again, just in case you missed it. Phantogram is an electro-rock duo from Greenwich Village consisting of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter, and their sound varies from shoegaze to indie pop to experimental. Their latest album, Eyelid Movies, dropped last month and was named as such because, as Barthel said, "We ran across a description of dreams somewhere that used the phrase ‘eyelid movies’ – and it really struck us both as something that fit our music.” Carter added, “Daydreams, the spots you see moving around when your eyes are closed tight, and even the shapes you see in the world all surface when you feel your way through a Phantogram song.” The track below is thickly beat-driven and contains ghost-song electronics, so give it a listen.

When I'm Small [mp3] (linked fixed)

Field Music Set To Release Double Album

Amidst rumors of a break up, the quartet Field Music is set to release a double album consisting of 20 songs on Feb 16, 2010. The first track to be unleashed to the crowd is the string-laced and guitar loop-dappled "Measure," which is oddly both doleful and buoyant at the same time. With well placed percussion and superb vocal blending, this track is a burst of harmonic euphoria, but only time will tell how the rest of the album pans out. You can grab a second track entitled "Each Time Is A New Time" by joining the mailing list via their official website.

Measure [mp3]

CMJ - Chris Bathgate & Frontier Ruckus @ Spike Hill

A rather quick CMJ recap for today - Thursday I hit up Spike Hill in Williamsburg to see some of my fave Michigan peeps. Chris Bathgate was up first, with a good-sized band behind him (including Matt Jones on drums). As usual, the audience was filled with ever-loyal and always-psyched former Michiganders (Michiganites? Michiganians?) showing up to support artists from their native land. Chris played a lovely set, which included some new music from his upcoming album.

Next up was Frontier Ruckus, who played lots of new stuff, as well. Or, at least, I didn't seem to know a fair amount of it. I have to say I was sad that they didn't play my favorite of their songs, "The Blood," but they did play other old favorites like "Rosemont" and "Adirondack Amish Holler." Their nostalgic bluegrassy folk always tugs at my heart strings. All in all, it was a great show, and I left wishing that it didn't end so soon.

More pictures:

CMJ - Chris Bathgate & Frontier Ruckus @ Spike Hill

A Flash of Light Followed By [mp3] - Chris Bathgate - (iTunes)

Rosemont [mp3] - Frontier Ruckus - (iTunes)

Orba Squara CD giveaway!

We have not one, not two, but THREE Orba Squara CDs to give away to you lucky readers! His new album, The Trouble With Flying, was just released today. To enter the contest, email us by 11:59pm EST Friday, October 30th with the subject line "Gimme some Orba Squara!!" and with your name and address in the body (once again, we won't stalk you or sell your info, it just makes our lives easier that way). If you don't win an album, be sure to purchase one (iTunes - Amazon). And check out his cover of Lady Gaga's "Pokerface" below:

Em's Halloween Mix

Lise posted her Halloween mix, so now I'm going to post mine (and I'm using her collage because I'm feeling, well, lazy). How many of you out there are planning on being Balloon Boy or something based on that theme? I bet there's going to be at least as many this year as there were Sarah Palins AND Jokers combined last year... Anyway, on to the music. Not all of the songs I'm posting are all that creepy (though some are!). Some of them are just really good and have Halloween-themed titles.


The Ghost Inside Your House [mp3] - Cloud Cult - (iTunes)
The Boogie Monster [mp3] - Gnarls Barkley - (iTunes)
Night of the Dancing Flame [mp3] - Roisin Murphy - (iTunes)
Unquiet Grave [mp3] - The Bewitched - (iTunes)
Ghosts [mp3] - Ladytron - (iTunes)
Monster Hospital [mp3] - Metric - (iTunes)
Vampire Lake [mp3] - The Builders & the Butchers - (iTunes)
Zombie Boy [mp3] - The Magnetic Fields - (iTunes)
A Day in the Graveyard II [mp3] - Sunset Rubdown - (iTunes)
Witch Doctor [mp3] - Alvin & the Chipmunks
Ghost Under Rock [mp3] - Ra Ra Riot - (iTunes)
Dragula (Hotrod Herman remix) [mp3] - Rob Zombie - (iTunes) 
Beady Eyes on the Horizon [mp3] - Jukebox the Ghost - (iTunes)
Vampires [mp3] - Matt Jones - (iTunes)
Ghosts [mp3] - Fanfarlo - (iTunes)
Getting Scared [mp3] - Imogen Heap - (iTunes) yes, I know Lise used her too, but this song is a bit creepy too (not to mention old school Imogen), and Imogen is just that awesome

And a suggestion from TMI Tara (sorry Tara, I couldn't find both the songs you suggested):
Walking on Air [mp3] - Kerli - (iTunes)

Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments too!

CMJ - These United States @ Pianos

On Wednesday during CMJ I caught These United States at Pianos. The DC-based five-piece played a rockin' set that had the whole audience moving and grooving to their velvety, slide-guitar-laden Americana. Everyone seemed in good spirits, particularly lead singer Jesse Elliot, who was much more talkative between songs than the last few times I've seen them. It was a rather short set, but the show was a lot of fun. Jesse got down and danced in the audience for a minute or two toward the end. All in all, it was a jolly good time. A few more pictures:

I Want You to Keep Everything [mp3] - (iTunes)

Halloween Mix : Lise's Picks

It's the time of year again - that magical, innocent time when stuffing your face with sugary goodness until your stomach needs to be pumped and wearing slutty outfits are encouraged (I'm personally brainstorming a slutty dinosaur-riding jesus costume). Whether you plan to throw a party, watch plenty of awesome movies, or just head out on the streets to openly roll your eyes at the plethora of Balloon Boy costumes, you'll want to have some music to get in the spirit of things. Em and I are both doing our own lists this year cause I have more traditional songs in my collection and Em's got more indie flair to dish out, so expect Em's awesome list later this week. That said, here's my top 13...

Zombie Killer (Featuring Elvira) - Leslie Hall [mp3] (iTunes)
The Time Warp - The Rocky Horror Picture Show [mp3] (iTunes)
I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins [mp3] (iTunes)
Nightmare On My Street - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince [mp3] (iTunes)
Monster Mash - Bobby Pickett [mp3] (iTunes)
Cannibal Zombie Mom - Mr. Fab [mp3]
Witchcraft - Frank Sinatra [mp3] (iTunes)
Spooky - Imogen Heap [mp3] (iTunes)
Magic Dance - David Bowie [mp3] (iTunes)
I Put A Spell On You - Nina Simone [mp3] (iTunes)
Ghostbusters - Run DMC [mp3]
They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From The Dead!! Ahhhh! - Sufjan Stevens [mp3] (iTunes)
Thriller - Michael Jackson (not linked, cause quite frankly, you should have this song already.)

Contest reminder!

Just a reminder that today is the last day of our Sliimy limited edition t-shirt contest. To enter the contest, email us by 11:59pm EST with "I love Sliimy!" in the subject and your name and address in the body (we won't sell your info or send you junk mail, we promise).

700th post! (and CMJ - Fanfarlo at the Syndicate Party)

Wow! 700 posts... My baby is all grown up! It feels like just yesterday we hit a meager 100 posts... Ok, I'll stop that now. Anyway, on to some long overdue CMJ coverage!

I kicked off CMJ at The Syndicate Conflict of Interest party on Monday night at Rebel. All three floors were pretty packed by about 9pm, and I would like to give Syndicate major props for throwing a great event. The first band up was The Union Line. Despite their uber-hip(ster) facial hair, I really liked them a lot. Their music is supremely catchy while still maintaining their rough edges - two parts rambling/rumbling Americana and one part peppy Pop. And this is a tad bit of a tangent, the whole show I was wondering if the lead singer and the keyboard player were related and it turns out they are, so go me! Now here's the bigger question: twins? or just brothers? One of them having long hair makes it quite hard to tell...

Headlining the event was Fanfarlo, who I've recently become obsessed with and their show did not disappoint. They were very down-to-earth and chill but had this amazingly contagious positive energy. Their music is so lovely, but still catchy as hell. Lead singer Simon Balthazar has one of the most unique vocal timbres I think I've ever heard, I absolutely adore his voice. The whole place, audience included, was just vibing quite well and it was really a great concert experience. I left the show grinning, feeling like I was a part of something really special and wanting to listen to nothing but Fanfarlo.

Or maybe it was just the free tequila drinks... No, no, no. Fanfarlo definitely rocked my world and I wished I could've seen more of them. In fact, that was my one problem with the show. Fanfarlo's set was so short! And the other two bands (who I'm not going to say much about because I didn't really like either of them) before them played what felt like endless sets. I don't know if it was just the show running late or if they had planned to play such a sort set, but that was my one disappointment of the night. A few more pictures (special thanks to Laura for lending me her camera for the night):

 

 

Mama Don't Care [mp3] - The Union Line (iTunes)

Luna [mp3] - Fanfarlo (iTunes)

Show Recap: Mono, Maserati @ Mohawk [10/17]

First off, there is no better Cosby internet meme than Cosby Bebop. It's impossible to top, even if there were an actual Coz hip-hop album.

Moving on, this might have been the last show in Austin I attend before the move north to Chicago (unless I get myself to see Islands this coming Tuesday. We'll see.) Thankfully, Mohawk is one of my favorite Austin venues, and Mono is the Japanese version of Explosions in the Sky - so by proxy, it was the penultimate Austin experience. (Sort of.) And do I love me my overdriven, epic-sounding instrumental groups. Needless to say: rock was had.

And that same line of reasoning is why Maserati (from Athens, GA) was my favorite act from SXSW 2K9 that I knew nothing about previously, and made this show a perfect post-rock pairing. An instrumental group utilizing frenetic drum loops, pulsating guitar riffs, and lots, lots, lots of delay? Sign me up. Their music belongs alongside side-scrolling, video-game inspired action sequences in tense action films like Oldboy, Run Lola Run and just awesome shit, period...at least in my mind, anyway.

With that said, I'm going to go play Mirror's Edge right now and listen to this band. That'll making jumping from building to building while escaping an overexcited shadow government agency seem exponentially more frantic than it already is - which is pretty fucking frantic.

Mono - Lost Snow [mp3] (iTunes)

Maserati - No More Sages [mp3] (iTunes)

Things You May Not Know: Bill Cosby Just Released Hip Hop Album

Hokay, so thanks to Rainn Wilson's twitter, I was alerted to the fact that Bill Cosby had released a rap album not more than two days ago. The album is called State of Emergency and was recorded way back in 2008, which is perhaps why it's not getting as much press as I'd thought it'd be. Excited beyond belief, I headed over to Bill Cosby's website to join the mailing list and receive the free mp3 that went with it. Alas, fellow ear-owners, Bill's pudding-ridden voice does not make a single peep on this album - rather, he has other artists perform for him! And the tracks? They ain't much. While the thought of rapping about real issues like drug abuse and teen pregnancy is a noble one, you got to have catchy tracks to go with it. I haven't experienced such a let down since tonight's Glee episode where I thought for sure that Sue was going to the Swing dance anyway with Mr. Shue (with matching Zoot suits). I'm so let down, in fact, that I'm not even going to bother posting the mp3 (which, btw, was downloaded to my computer in a folder named 'State of Emergency' inside a folder named 'MP3' inside a folder named 'Songs' inside a folder named 'Bill Cosby - State of Emergency'). You can give it the quick listen to on iTunes here.

Ringtones ruled NOT copyright infringement

Random piece of music-related news for you today: ASCAP apparently was trying to squeeze even more royalties from ringtones than they already receive by saying that a ringtone is a "public performance." Luckily the judge shot them down. I have to say, I think that was one of the dumbest lawsuits in music history because first off, we already pay for ringtones, and do they expect us to pay every time a ringtone is played? Because then nobody would purchase ringtones. Secondly, it HELPS the artist for their song to be played randomly in public like that where people who might not have heard it can hear it. Thank goodness the judge deemed that mobile phones are not portable concert halls and are therefore not subject to the same royalties. Freaking ASCAP man, the more I hear about them, the less I think they are actually helping the artists who they are supposed to be serving.

Bamboo Shoots this week

Can't get this ridiculously catchy dance song out of my head by New Jersey band Bamboo Shoots. Lise wrote about them last month when their album, Armour, was about to come out but for those of you in NYC this week to attend CMJ, you can check them out live at Public Assembly for AVAAZ’s Indo-Indie Fest in Brooklyn on Oct 23 and then again for CMJ at Fontana’s on Oct 24. Sounds like they put on quite a show (I believe the words "space age chic" were used in one of the emails I received about them) and at the very least I'm sure you'll burn off all those CMJ-party/open-bar calories dancing.

Hey Girl [mp3] - (iTunes)

Let's squish our fruit together

Once again fulfilling my dreams that life could be a musical (if only I lived in Queens and could've been there to witness this!) is Improv Everywhere. In a follow-up to their food court musical, here's a grocery store musical:

Sliimy LIMITED EDITION T-SHIRT contest!

We have an awesome contest for all of our readers out there: we have 2 LIMITED EDITION t-shirts from French artist Sliimy (each one of which would normally cost you $39 plus shipping). Lise formerly described him as a combination of Mika, Kate Nash and Little Jackie, which I think is a very apt comparison. Not only do am I loving his peppy plucky music, but I'm digging his use of bright colors on both the t-shirt and in this delightful music video:



To enter the contest, simply email us with "I heart Sliimy!!" in the subject line and your name and mailing address in the body (don't worry, we won't sell your info, but we need to know where to mail your t-shirt!) by Sunday, October 25th at 11:59pm EST. Two winners will be chosen at random and notified on Monday, October 26th.

Orba Squara

When I first listened to Orba Squara's upcoming album called The Trouble With Flying, I wasn't expecting anything. I knew nothing about the "band" or their talent level, but by the time I finished listening, not only was I pleasantly surprised to find that it was all just one man, Mitch Davis (who plays every instrument on every track), I found myself in love with the album itself. I hesitate to pump this post with frilly words of positivity and approval lest I overhype, but I have to say that this album is just plain nice. Its satisfying, agreeable and downright pleasant with homespun acoustic guitars, mandolins, eased rhythms and warbly vocals. Somehow, in a way I can't really explain, I imagine Mister Rogers would've enjoyed this album, indie and all. The album lifts your spirits in a simple way and is perfect for those autumn afternoons when the sunbeams stream through the ambers, candy apple reds and fluorescent oranges of the world. Make sure to check out his interesting official website and pick up the album when it drops next week on the 27th.

mp3s removed by request

CMJ Recommendations

It's that time of year again... CMJ music (and film) marathon! Woohoo! So many shows, so little time. I know, life is hard that way. Here are a few of my recommendations. Oh, and the ones that say "free" by them mean you don't need a badge to get in.

KaiserCartel
10/20 - Living Room

Jukebox the Ghost
10/20 - Bowery Ballroom

Fanfarlo
10/19 - Syndicate Conflict of Interest party @ Rebel NYC (free with RSVP)
10/20 - The Music Slut & Sneak Attack party @ Pianos (free)
10/20 - Brooklyn Vegan party (also featuring The Antlers) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/21 - Bowery Ballroom

The Antlers
10/20 – Brooklyn Vegan Showcase (also featuring Fanfarlo) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/21 – Sound Fix Records
10/22 – Club NME Showcase @ The Delancey

Beast
10/21 - Arlenes Grocery
10/22 - Galapagos
10/23 - The Studio at Webster Hall
10/24 - Living Room

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears
10/20 - Arlene's Grocery

These United States
10/21 - Forcefield PR day party @ Cakeshop (free)

Paul & the Patients
10/21 - Southpaw

Gentleman Auction House
10/21 - Trash Bar

Deastro
10/21 - Santos Party House
10/22 - The Cake Shop
10/22 - KEXP Session - The Cutting Room
10/24 - Pianos

Chris Bathgate and Frontier Ruckus
10/22 - Spike Hill

Ravens & Chimes
10/23 - Mercury Lounge

The Wiyos
10/23 - Gramercy Theater

The Lovely Feathers
10/23 - Fat Baby

Shout Out Out Out Out
10/23 - Webster Hall
10/23 (late) - Mercury Lounge

Apollo Run
10/23 - Cake Shop

10/24 Young and Hungry Party 1-6pm (free)
(featuring Elizabeth & the Catapult, Drink Up Buttercup, Emmanuel and the Fear among others) 

Miracles of Modern Science and Au Revoir Simone
10/24 - Bell House

Julius C
10/24 - Village Underground

The Idle Hands (hailing from Minneapolis! woot!)
10/22 - Trash Bar
10/24 - Bowery Electric
10/26 - Piano's
10/29 - Cameo

Heavy Young Heathens, plus BRMC's new live album

For any of you Black Rebel Rebel Motorcycle Club fans out there who enjoy some gritty, frenzied, bluesy dance rock, you must check out Heavy Young Heathens. If their self-titled album was much faster-paced, it might go into orbit. Of course the most frenzied are my favorite, like “Sha La La La La” and “Jackie Come Lately” But the whole album will no doubt keep you rocking out, headbanging, jumping up and down, screaming your lungs out, or however you best enjoy music.

Oh, and BRMC is coming out with a crazy awesome 2 dvd/cd live album extravaganza on November 10th, which you can pre-order now.

Sha La La La La [mp3] - Heavy Young Heathens (iTunes)

Ravens & Chimes new mp3

It is my pleasure to share with you a new mp3 from one of my favorite local bands, Ravens & Chimes, off the album they're currently working on (no release date as of yet). They'll be playing CMJ on the night of October 23rd at Mercury Lounge. And keep your eyes peeled for a new behind-the-scenes video (I know, it's long overdue) of Ravens working on one of the other songs from that album,

Hearts of Palm [mp3]

The Gloria Record + Sunny Day Real Estate @ La Zona Rosa [9/7]

In 1998, after releasing EndSerenading - arguably the most influential emo album after Sunny Day Real Estate's Diary - Mineral, that favorite Texas-based band of my youth, broke up. To say that I was crestfallen would be the understatement of my adolescence.

Ever fortune's fool, Chris Simpson then started his own side project, and oh, was it glorious. ...That is, it was The Gloria Record. TGR kept the dissonant sounding vocals that made Mineral a standout amongst shoegaze followers, but - with the help of Saddle Creek producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley) - incorporated a light-electronica feel that elevated Simpson's lyricism to prophetic diction, as illustrated in songs such as "A Lull in Traffic" where he cautions:

[You] don't want to find yourself alone at thirty-five /
Spending half what you make on your car (and hating that drive).

But listening to them after attending Sunny Day Real Estate's reunion show last week draws an immediate parallel and finds a direct influence. Both feature singers with off-key vocals and a penchant for heightened observational reflection, each was instrumental in establishing the genre, and all of their albums have songs featuring an array of moods varying from brooding to transcendent. But in 1994 - as Mineral/TGR's inception was still a year or so in the making - the formulas and now ubiquitous stylistic conventions associated with "emo" were directly traced to SDRE, giving them the awkward position of being one of the genre's "pioneers."

After last week's show, it's hard to argue that as anything but fact. Jeremy Egnik still sings with a post-grunge feel of the changing scene of mid-90s Seattle, and bringing the original members into the mix made this comeback appearance all the more special. Remaining shows are tomorrow night in Spokane (Knitting Factory) and their homecoming appearance Friday night in Seattle (Paramount Theater).

TGR - A Lull in Traffic [mp3] (iTunes)
SDRE - Guitar and Video Games [mp3] (iTunes)

Yael Meyer

Yael Meyer is a singer-songwriter who writes honeyed electroacoustic folk-pop songs while playing every instrument under the sun, including the ukulele, guitar, accordion, piano, percussion, glockenspiel and ocarina. Yael lived in Santiago de Chile until she turned 19 and received a scholarship from Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2004 she self-released her debut Common Ground, which was praised by the Rolling Stone Chile as "one of the top 50 albums of the year." Now Yael is releasing an EP entitled Heartbeat that features Danny Levin (Lenka) on trumpet, Fil Krohnengold (Meiko) on acoustic guitar and accordion, Joseph Karnes on bass (Jesca Hoop) and production by Bill Lefler (Ingrid Michaelson).

There's a nice range on this EP - tracks like "I Wonder How" will make you think of an Apple ad with its upbeat pop drums and catchy glockenspiel refrains while "Shed Their Fear" is a softened swarm of warm vocals wrapped around a delicately bobbing beat. "Heartbeat" steals the EP with melodious harmonies and perfectly placed electronica in parallel to the picking of the guitar, and one can only hope that there's more of this yet to come. The Heartbeat EP drops November 10th and if you enjoy the tunes of Azure Ray, Priscilla Ahn or Meiko, I highly recommend you check this one out.

Shed Their Fear [mp3]

check out "Common Ground" on iTunes

Tegan and Sara set to release Sainthood, tease with "Hell"

Canadian pop-rock icons Tegan and Sara are about to release their sixth studio album, Sainthood, come Oct 27th. Full of zonked electronics, buzzy tightly wound beats and sugar-coated punk rock undertones, the album is aptly named as the sisters address secular themes of devotion, delusion and exemplary behavior in the pursuit of love and relationships. The new single "Hell" is out now and the girls are slated for a spot on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on November 2nd and two shows in October before engaging on their US tour in February.

Hell [mp3] (iTunes)

Ellie Goulding

Meet one of the newest additions to my "put on repeat" playlist, Ellie Goulding. If you like Little Boots or Marina and the Diamonds, this one will be right up your alley. The electroacoustic/pop majestic darling has one of the most intriguing voices I've heard in a long while. Couple that alongside an amazing shimmering job of production on the tracks (kudos to you, Starsmith), and you've got yourself a solid nominee for Best Newcomer. The way her music sounds, I would've thought her to look like another Lady Gaga, but it seems the girl is as wholesome as they come, which is completely endearing. Ellie recently signed a worldwide record deal with Polydor Records UK and will be completing her debut album over the next few months. With sweet sparkling vocals, metronomic revved-up beats and refracting textures, expect this one to hit big.

Under the Sheets [mp3]
Starry Eyed [mp3]

Asobi Seksu @ 7th Street Entry

On Friday night I ventured out to First Ave's 7th Street Entry to see Anna Ternheim, Loney Dear and Asobi Seksu perform (btw, congrats to our contest winner Megan). Things started off late as the bands apparently had car troubles, but as soon as sound check was complete, Swedish singer/songwriter Anna Ternheim jumped on stage. Backed by Loney Dear's band, Anna sang a much-too-short 6 song set. This was my first time seeing Anna live and I had hoped to see her with a piano, as "Tribute to Linn" is one of my favorite songs of hers, but alas, Anna stuck to her guitar and microphone for the evening.

Although certainly cogent in performance ability, Anna seemed a bit distant, but in the way that suggested that she was unsure about what type of audience she was getting. There was a cautious degree of "will they like me?" present on her behalf, which was somewhat odd given the fact that Ternheim has had huge success in her home country, winning Best Newcomer in 2004, getting nominated for the Grammy-equivalent of Best Female Artist, Best Lyricist and Best Songwriter in 2005 and winning both of those titles in 2006. Nevertheless, Anna sang beautifully and even broke out "What Have I Done," complete with prerecorded strings. One of the highlights of Anna's set was her Loney Dear-borrowed vocal backup, Malin Stahlberg. It felt like identical twins were singing; their voices blended together so beautifully it was a borderline divine experience. I began to wonder if Loney Dear should start keeping tabs on their bandmate, cause I would completely understand if Anna decided to kidnap Malin for future concerts/recordings.

Next up was fellow-Swedenite Loney Dear (aka Emil Svanangen), who I fell in love with when Em and I saw them live at the Cedar Cultural Center a few months back. Friendly as always, Emil made adorable jokes and comments to the crowd, calling the sparks that the microphone occasionally gave him as "microphone kisses." Loney Dear played one well-crafted propulsive song after another, dotted with Emil's characteristic falsetto chanting and energetic teetering. The big moments of the night included the audience sing-along moments of "The Meter Marks OK," Emil's self-conducting with a mallet during "Violent," and the microphone/amp-free intimate performance of "In With The Arms." Loney Dear played a much longer set than Anna and they even bought themselves 4 more minutes at the end to play another song, much to the fans' delight. When they left the stage, one could not help but notice that their set had made the atmosphere one of optimistic cheer and warm fuzzies. As always, Loney Dear is a fantastic band to see live.

The shoegaze fizzy rockdeath of Asobi Seksu was up next, which entirely transferred that warm fuzzy feeling into a need to dance/headbang all your troubles away. Now I know this is always commented upon, but the Asobi Seksu lead singer, Yuki, is literally no taller than an eight year-old. The girl is tiny, yes, but at the same time, I wouldn't ever say that to her face, cause she's comes across as a bad-ass mother who don't take no crap off of nobody. When they got on the stage, she said, "We just drove for 30-something hours to get here, close to two days, so we're pissed off." The band decorated the stage with their own blue holiday lights and strobe lights (which were so intense that I'm pretty sure they gave me epilepsy) and kicked things off with "New Years." I quickly realized that Yuki really liked to headbang and sing with as much hair on her face as possible as I struggled to take photos of her. I moved to the back of the venue because the sound was too loud and clattering for my taste but soon after the band started to play more ethereal tunes like "Meh No Mae" and "Layers," and I could finally hear Yuki's clear voice shine through. A different crowd seemed to settle in by that part of the evening, one that wanted to rock and get lost in the shimmer of the grime. By the end of the set, I realized that part of the attraction of seeing Asobi Seksu live is that you get to escape the world for a little while inside a wonderful cacophonous cocoon.

It was an interesting evening and a great concert, full of folk-pop female singer-songwriter sound to multi-instrumented crafted sprawls to fizzy electric guitars and angry crunchy drums. Even though I wouldn't have put these bands all together, I highly recommend checking them out if they hit your town, cause it was a solid night of entertainment.

Skipping Girl Vinegar

Skipping Girl Vinegar are a Melbournian group that call themselves "an old world, alt-acoustic four-piece" that's obsessed with melody and pop-hook. The band, which is composed of brother-sister duo Mark and Sare Lang and their childhood friends Chris Helm and Amanthi Lynch, got its name from the Skipping Girl Vinegar sign that resigns in Australia. Their debut album Sift The Noise was recorded in bedrooms, various studios, kitchens, living rooms and a beach shack. The album is full of uplifting and personal moments, from the track about the passing of Langs' parents during the midst of recording the album ("The Passing") to the joyous handclap ruckus that led to their first big hit in Australia ("One Chance"). As a whole, the album grounds itself on its sincerity and rises with fantastic lyrics and pure talent, and, as you can see above, they package it well to boot. What's not to like?

Sift The Noise [mp3] (iTunes)

The Lovely Feathers and Kittens Ablaze @ Bowery Ballroom

On Wednesday night I had the pleasure of seeing The Lovely Feathers from Montreal and local band Kittens Ablaze open for Rural Alberta Advantage (who I have seen before and unfortunately could not stay for this time around).

The Lovely Feathers were up first, and I've always liked their particular brand of pub rock/pop (you know, the kind of music that gets drunk people shouting along at the top of their lungs). I've had "Lowiza" stuck in my head for days since the show because their songs are damn catchy. They put on a good high energy show, and yet were down-to-earth at the same time with amusing between song banter with the audience. They're a good looking bunch of guys too, and the music seemed more playful live than it does on the album. Definitely worth checking out if they come to your town.

Lowiza [mp3] - (iTunes)

Kittens Ablaze (best band name ever!) put on fabulously rockin' show. Particularly guitar player Nate Senge, who was leaping off of equipment (and over equipment) and generally head-banging a lot. But the whole band was pretty awesome. They were so much fun and they had the whole crowd singing and dancing along, especially to audience faves like "This Machine is Dying," which also happens to be my favorite. Seeing as they're local, I expect all you NYC readers to go check them out.

This Machine is Dying [mp3] - (iTunes)

More pictures here:

The Lovely Feathers & Kittens Ablaze @ Bowery Ballroom

I do have one criticism, but it's not of the band so much as of the audience (warning, rant coming - feel free to skip this part UNLESS you are a friend of a band - any band - and go to lots of their shows): their friends were f**king obnoxious. About one third of the way into their set, a screaming, jumping friend of theirs came a-runnin' up to the stage and quite literally plowed into me while I was trying to take some photos and completely stole my spot after nearly knocking me clean off my feet. He then preceded to knock into or shove in front of at least two other photographers. And for the rest of the show he wouldn't stop jumping and screaming really stupid shit (lots of inside jokes and then just stupid immature drunk stuff). I found it really hard to focus on the band (or hear them over his yelling) when I was worried about getting elbowed in the head by him and his friends who soon joined him. A suggestion to friends of bands: don't ruin the show for other people. Just because you know them and you see them play all the time, doesn't mean everyone else does too, and we might like to hear the band instead of you yelling the whole time. It will help your friends build a bigger fan base if you shut the f**k up. And don't knock over the photographers/journalists who are trying to give your friends free publicity. We're trying to do good things for your friends, so don't interfere. Thanks.

Mêlée

My experience with Mêlée is mixed: I saw them open up for Amber Pacific in 2006 and came away extremely impressed after the set they put on. Then I listened to their album Everyday Behavior and was a little bit disappointed (just not my thing, my buddy Dan loves it). Once I heard their latest effort Devils & Angels I realized they just might be something special. Front-man Cris Cron brings to mind comparisons of Chris Martin and Billy Joel as he cranks out ballads such as "She's Gonna Find Me Here" and "Can't Hold On."

But they're not content with sticking with the power ballad as they pick up the pace with songs "The War" off of Everyday Behavior and "Stand Up" from D&A. This variety serves them well as they produced a solid album from start to finish.

With powerful vocals backed up by expressive piano and solid hooks, Mêlée is a band that just may break onto the scene if their upcoming album picks up where Devils & Angels left off. Mêlée has been a huge hit already outside of the States so you know they've got the ability, now it's time for America to catch up.

She's Gonna Find Me Here [mp3] - (iTunes)
The War [mp3] - (iTunes)

Asobi Seksu Tickets!

Asobi Seksu is coming out with their acoustic-ish album Rewolf on November 10th. They've stripped the electric guitars and now feature a bevy of acoustic instruments that still end up sounding like textured dream-pop. The album is one of the last albums ever recorded at London's renowned Olympic Studios, the same place of recording for legendary bands like the Beatles, The Who, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin.

For those in Minneapolis, we're still doing out ticket giveaway for the Asobi Seksu/ Loney Dear/ Anna Ternheim concert this friday - details on how to enter here.

Suzanne [mp3]

ACL Roundup

So why am I posting a low-res image of dreamboats to start my first post back from a long hiatus? Why, that's my friend's (and coworker's!) band The Bubbles, a local Austin act whose sound immediately harkens another Austin group that blew up a few years ago at SXSW - Voxtrot - with a blend of spazzy-rhythms and adorable pop. I hate use the word adorable, but look at those guys.

I had the privilege of finally checking out their live show last Wednesday, as they were one of the five-finalists at the Sound and the Jury/Austin City Limits play-in festival at the makeshift Dell Lounge at Antone's. (Think Showtime at the Apollo meets Battle of the Bands meets a chance for a local-act to open for Dr. Dog at ACL. Pretty rad.)

And they did not disappoint. However, despite the supposed criterion of originality of performance and stage presence as major factors for entry, our heroes fell victims to performing behind Feist and Ben Folds crowd-pleasers, and did not place into the promised land. That gift was given to The Bright Light Social Hour, who admittedly - despite my predisposed bias for being Bubblicious - I also enjoyed very much. Although they're an Austin act [obviously] I thought some songs had a mashup DC sound that reminded me of the upbeat dance rhythms of Q and Not U, while others had windup progressive rock stylings a la The Mars Volta. Does that make any sense? At all? Well, it rocked. Grooved/danced out to it heartily.

From there, it was onto ACL. Did I overpay for my weekend pass? Absolutely. Was it muddy? Yes. But it was all worth it, and normally I'm not much a fan of the short-set, overcrowded outdoor festival variety. [SXSW and CMJ are my jam.]

Friday was the highlight: Phoenix and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs? On the same day? Thrilled. And for those who were torn which stage to venture to - i.e., choosing between Kings and Leon and Karen O - stop it. Either way, you were probably entertained. (Although this was a relatively easy decision for me to make. Just sayin'.)

Saturday brought rain, Bon Iver, and Grizzly Bear. Sunday was mudfest, and the dirty setting was perfect for - wait for it! - Dirty Projectors. I decided to close the festival out with the messy, shitshow of a danceparty that was Girl Talk before bouncing to the nostalgic sounds of Pearl Jam playing in the distance. That's right; I left during the immortal Eddie Vedder's set. Feel feel to scoff at me now, and shame my entries of wonderful throwback-emo sounds that I will continue to make more posts about.

[Next week: The Gloria Record]

Pixie Lott

In Minneapolis it's been raining nonstop for a week now. While I'm all for curling up next to the window with a blanket, tea and a good book, I'm tired of the bottoms of my jeans getting wet and trying to pretend that I'm actually in England to make it all seem better. The weatherpeople on the weather channel say that today is "one of those days where you should just stay inside and make soup." I say today is one of those days where you should give in to the grey and listen to chill music. By now I hope you're all familiar with 18-year old Pixie Lott, English songstress whose debut Turn It Up was released in the UK in September. Since then, her single "Mama Do" has overtaken airwaves and music blogs. While you're encouraged to check out that track on the hype machine, take a listen to Pixie's lovely cover of "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon and take it easy today.

Use Somebody (Kings of Leon Cover) [mp3]

Matt Nathanson

Matt Nathanson is #2 on my list of favorite singer/songwriters, coming in just behind William Fitzsimmons. The same ranking also applies to my favorite singer/songwriter live shows. Hailing from Massachusetts, Matt has been around for quite a while now--releasing his first album in 1993.

I saw him play this past "winter" (winter isn't a very appropriate term for December in Arizona) and couldn't tell if I was watching a comedian or a singer. He is definitely an entertainer and I would recommend his shows to anybody. He has had songs on shows such as NCIS, One Tree Hill, and Scrubs, so I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard him sing and not known it. His 2000 album Some Mad Hope reached #3 on the Independent Albums list and #60 on Billboard.

In addition to his 6 studio albums, he also has a live album called At The Point which has a cover of the Dire Straits song "Romeo and Juliet" and I guess he sings a cover or two at each show because at the one I saw he sang "Take On Me" by a-ha. That whole live album is pretty stellar. On his website he has a radio player so you can check out more of his tracks there.

Little Victories [mp3] - (iTunes)
Falling Apart (Live) [mp3] - (iTunes)

VV Brown

We listed her as an "artist to watch for in 2009," but I guess her album won't quite make it to the US this year. In July British sensation VV Brown debuted her album Travelling Like The Light in the UK and impressed many with her mixed sound of indie-pop, dance-punk and soul. Although an exact date hasn't been announced, her website states that the album is set for its American release in 2010. If you can't wait that long, VV Brown will be heading over to the US later this October to perform at select venues in California and New York. Until then, enjoy the track below.

Shark In The Water (Radio Edit) [mp3]

Tour Dates:
October 24 New York, NY @ Santo’s Party House
October 26 Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
October 27 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
October 29 San Francisco, CA @ Poleng Lounge

Because I Cannot Wait.

Karen O and the Kids provide the music for the soundtrack, which means they'll forever be awesome. And seriously how is not October 16th yet?

All Is Love [mp3]
Rumpus [mp3]
Support the artist, buy the soundtrack on iTunes

Also, Minneapolis readers, don't forget about our two-ticket giveaway to the Asobi Seksu, Loney Dear and Anna Ternheim concert next weekend at First Ave!