New video from the Ting Tings

It doesn't strike me as having quite the instant "stuck in your head immediately" catchiness of "Shut Up and Let Me Go" or "That's Not My Name" but I think that's just because it's slightly less simple. I definitely dig it and the video's fun. I'm sure it will be the next hot thing very soon and we will be hearing it everywhere.

Tune-Yards @ Black Cat

Last Saturday, I finally got to see Tune-Yards again. It's been far too long since I last saw her live (and I missed her the last time she came through DC) and this is the first time I've seen her since her new album came out. Anyway, on to the show review:

Opening for her was Pat Jordache. I can't find anything on the internet that says his age but, boy, did he and his band look young! I had a hard time believing they were even legal to drink. For such a young(-looking) band, I do think they have a lot of potential. Their music is catchy and they had a decent stage presence that I think will get even better with time. I think they could work on their fashion a bit and they definitely need better haircuts (yes, I know that's shallow, but really, image is important in music and honestly I think they would look older with better haircuts). Pat had this deep '80s pop voice that was surprising because it didn't at all match what you would imagine his voice to sound like when you first see him, but I think he could learn to be more comfortable in his own voice - sometimes he sounded very natural but other times it sounded really forced. All of this, I think, could come in time because they definitely have potential to be one of the next big indie bands. People in the audience were definitely digging them. He also needs to learn to say his name more often because everyone in the audience kept asking who he was and he didn't say it until the very end.

Tune-Yards (aka Merrill Garbus) was amazing. She looked SO stylish in her black dress with her pink splash-of-color belt (see below for a link to the full photo album). She played mostly from her new album, though she did play a few old favorites. The audience was also pretty awesome - everyone was really high energy, dancing and singing along. I think that really helps performers and you could tell she and her band were feeding off the energy. It's nice to see that her rise to indie fame hasn't made her any less down-to-earth. She was still her usual smiling, thankful self with her taped-up Ukelele and her looping pedals. Though this time the saxophonists were on stage for most of the show and her bass player had a few new percussion instruments to play when he wasn't occupied with the base (there was one pretty cool one made of beer bottles). At the encore, Pat Jordache and his band came out with more percussion instruments and joined her for her last song (though I was sad she only did a one-song encore). I had such a wonderful time and I actually really needed a great concert like this one for my sanity. Nothing like a good concert to unwind from the stress of daily life.

More photos:

Tune-Yards @ Black Cat

Phantom Limb [mp3] - Pat Jordache
Real Live Flesh (4AD sessions) [mp3] - Tune-Yards

New video from Fanfalro!

These Brits were one of my favorite break out groups from 2009 and I've been waiting with bated breath for them to come out with new stuff. They finally have! Here is a new video for their single "Deconstruction." It's a little bit different of a sound from their last album, but the poppy goodness is still there in spades. Their new album will be coming out in early 2012.

Clifton Heights Music Festival

This past Saturday I band-hopped around the Cincinnati neighborhood Clifton Heights at the Clifton Heights Music Festival. Of the 30 or so bands playing at six different venues, I saw about 10 or so acts. It was walking around the neighborhood from venue to venue.

This made year five for the festival. Starting with four venues in one, the festival has grown to quite an ordeal. The intent is to showcase local talent so all bands call the Queen City their home.

The photo to the left here is Shoot Out the Lights, a rock group citing My Morning Jacket and Wilco as influences, amongst others. I then went across the street to Roxx Electrocafe to hear the sounds of Bostic Family Tent Revival. They're a fun and folky four-piece band. During one song, they handed out some small plastic instruments such as the kazoo and had audience members play them. I throughly enjoyed their playful spirit.

This next picture here is of the Playfully Yours, an experimental electronic group. They were a lot of fun to watch. I also got to check out at least some of State Song and Incline District's sets.

I ended the evening at Rohs Street Cafe listening to the sounds of Merely the Mocs. Now I had seen them once before at the Midpoint Music Festival a few weeks back and just fell in love with their sound, lyrics, etc. So I was definitely excited to catch them before I headed home for the evening. They have such a fun way of blending the violin into their sounds. While six people may seem like a lot to some, each person seems to equally add something to the blend. They have new album coming out shortly entitled "A Cynics Prayer" and I'm excited to listen to it :)

Overall, the festival was a good mixture of genres. It's good to be a Cincinnatian.

Tillers, Appaltin play NKY Loves Mountains

Tonight several Cincinnati area bands performed at the Beer Sellar along the Ohio river in Newport, Ky. On the ticket were the Tillers, Zella Whelms, Appaltin, The Red Cedars, Ma Crow and Hazari. The show, entitled "Northern Kentucky Loves Mountains," was hosted by Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and sought to raise awareness about the dangers of mountaintop removal mining. I'm a member of KFTC, so check them out. Alright, enough about that. Now let's hear about the music!

I really, really enjoyed the sounds of Appaltin. The group hails from Louisville, Ky and plays a fusion of Latin American, South American and folk music. And it sounds absolutely wonderful. Some of the time, I felt as though I should get up and do some salsa dancing. Other times, I felt like I was on some southern porch listening to the sounds of bluegrass and the banjo. Either way, these guys are full of some really genuine talent and I hope they go somewhere with it.

The Tillers were also one of my favorite acts of the evening. They're a fun bluegrass group that got their start playing up on Ludlow Ave. (or Ludlow St. as they refer to it in one of their songs) in Cincinnati. Ludlow is one of my favorite streets in Cincinnati and I feel like I remember a bluegrass trio playing there years ago. The group is also big supporters of the work of KFTC and even put a song on their "Kentucky Loves Mountains" CD. So if you have the chance, definitely check out the Tillers.

Another new video from Florence + the Machine!

Florence Welch has been a busy little bee in preparation for the release of her upcoming album, Ceremonials. Just a little over a month ago, I posted her new video for her "That's What the Water Gave Me," and now she's come out with another video for her single, "Shake It Out." So far I am pretty much infatuated with both songs and I am very much looking forward to her album release (Oct. 31st in the UK and November in the US). Check it out.