Born Ruffian(s)

I had been under the impression before I went to see Toronto-based Born Ruffians play at SoundFix that Born Ruffians was a band. You know, it's Born Ruffians, plural. But for some reason only lead singer Luke LaLonde played for the first few songs and the other two members of the band joined for two or three songs at the end. I have to say I liked it much better when the whole band was on stage.

Born Ruffians have a lot of potential, but they seemed a tad bit ill-prepared for last night's show. I kind of like it when artists mess up occasionally - it makes them seem more real. So their occasional mistakes or forgetting the lyrics didn't bother me. But they seemed like they had thrown together the show at the last minute and didn't really know what they were performing. They looked confused and inexperienced. I felt more like I was observing a rehearsal than a performance. However, that being said, I still enjoyed myself and they have good music. I think they will become a stellar band once they get a little more performance experience under their belts and they are definitely a band to watch. They did open for Vampire Weekend at Summerstage after all, a show I regret to say I did not attend because of the rain. And I can see why they would be a good fit with Vampire Weekend. They both lack pretentiousness and have a relaxed air about them. And they managed to pull in a decent-sized audience to the dimly lit, intimate SoundFix bar.

Hummingbird [mp3]
Purchase Born Ruffians' new album, "Red, Yellow & Blue" on iTunes

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Ra Ra Riot @ Soundfix

Tuesday night, Ra Ra Riot did an intimate performance at SoundFix Records to promote their new much-awaited (by me at least) album, "The Rhumb Line." The first time I saw them was at the After The Jump festival in summer of 2007, and boy have they come a long way since then.

One thing I love about Ra Ra Riot is that they always seem like they're having so much fun on stage and they really seem like they get along. I got to SoundFix kind of early and the band was hanging out the whole time before the show, and they always seem to have a good chemistry on stage. I was also pleasantly surprised at the mixing at SoundFix, which wasn't nearly as terrible as I expected it to be for the 6-person band (though I have to say I was disappointed in the nonexistent lighting). Or maybe I was just standing close enough that it didn't matter?

Anyway, "The Rhumb Line" is great and it has all of my favorites that I've heard them perform over the last year and a half. It's a beautiful, poppy, catchy album. Lead singer Wes Miles' smooth vocals blend seamlessly with the rich string instruments as the poppy drum beat pushes each song forward. I think I can say with relative certainty that this will make my favorite albums of 2008 list.

Each Year [mp3]
Purchase "The Rhumb Line" on iTunes

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Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Last night I had the privilege to see a nice intimate (and free) performance at SoundFix in which Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls performed to promote her new solo album, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?" It was crowded and hot and we were sitting on the floor (so we could actually see, which was a nice change from when I saw Regina Spektor there), but I enjoyed every minute of it. That is, until the freaking cops showed up to shut us down (at 9pm on a Friday) because the evil neighbors are apparently trying to shut Sound Fix down.

Amanda was talkative and hilarious, regaling us in between songs with stories of her family, making the video for Leeds United, Margaret Cho, making the record with Ben Folds, and other miscellaneous things. While she didn't get to perform many songs (thanks neighbors), it was a really great "getting to know Amanda" experience. And of course her performance was great. She switched from her keyboard to the piano because her keyboard didn't sound good through the SoundFix sound system and she was banging on the piano with such fervor that she broke a hammer. After the show, she signed autographs, talked to people and took pictures. It was really great how much time she spent with each person (though those of us toward the back of the line didn't really think so at first... haha). I have to admit I got a little starstruck, like a schoolgirl with a crush.

As for the album, I have to say I actually have a really hard time listening to it. It's so dark, dramatic and emotional - it really affects me every time I listen to it. Every song is just so beautiful but almost every one makes me really emotional. I teared up a few times at Amanda's performances. Not surprisingly, my favorite song is the slightly less heart-wrenching track on the album, - the ironically playful Oasis (still about serious shit though but to an upbeat Beach Boys like tune). My other favorites: the dramatic but fast-paced Astronaut: A Short History Of Nearly Nothing, and the haunting, quiet song about the Columbine shootings, Strength Through Music that literally brought tears to my eyes when I saw Amanda perform it in Boston. I also have to say I was pleasantly surprised to the vocals of Annie Clark (St. Vincent) on What's The Use Of Wond'rin? though in retrospect I think I remember hearing that she was going to be on the album. And of course I missed Brian Viglione's presence at the show and on the album, but they are both such talented individuals that their separate endeavors are just as good as when they're together.

Leeds United [mp3]
Purchase "Who Killed Amanda Palmer?" on iTunes

P.S. I have to say to those who live in Williamsburg - call your community board and tell them how great SoundFix is and how it's an asset to the neighborhood so that they (one of the rapidly dwindling numbers of independent record stores left in the country) won't get shut down. They need your support right now.

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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Yesterday was an absolutely perfect day here in New York City. I got up nice and early to go see Ms. Regina Spektor play at SoundFix Records for Record Store Day. I got in line at 10:30am, and I was honestly a little worried that I wasn't going to make it in, as the line was already pretty long. I did make it in however. I even got a "guaranteed entry" wristband (which some people who made it in via standby didn't have). Although I was probably in the last 10 people to get a wristband. The doors didn't open until after 1pm, but it was a beautiful day to wait in line for 2.5 hours.

When we finally got in, I got shoved in the back. That turned out to be not the worst thing in the world though because Regina entered right where I was standing, so I got this awesome picture:

She played about 6 songs. Unfortunately I couldn't see her all that well because this one tall guy with the bald spot was directly blocking my view (see right). Honestly, she was adorable. She giggled a lot. She was funny. When she first came in she said she felt like she was at a press conference because of all the cameras flashing. Then she goes "I'm like the Pope. What was that, God? Ok, I'll tell them." She also seemed very modest, as if she didn't really understand why all of us were there to see little old her. Her performance was great. Her voice is amazing. She made a few mistakes because, as she informed us, she has been working mostly on new stuff lately so she is forgetting some of the old stuff, but that just made the performance more real. At the end of the show, she stood up to do "Hotel Song" with a beat boxer and then I could finally see her decently well, so that was nice.

The other advantage of being in the back for the concert portion was that meant I was one of the first people to get her autograph. She was so sweet during the signing. And I got my picture taken with her but the kid who took the picture is apparently technologically inept - or at least when it comes to a camera that is more complex than a point-and-shoot. He couldn't grasp the concept of looking through the viewfinder, so the framing is terrible. Plus he took three in rapid succession while I was trying to explain how to use the camera, so they're pretty much the worst pictures ever taken of me.

After that was done, I headed over to Central Park to catch Matt Pond PA doing a performance for an Earth Day celebration. It was a cute little event - with a community mural made up of 1000 squares, each painted by a different person (yes, I painted one, and it was only slightly better than the 7 year old who was painting next to me. Ha) and the concert was powered by solar panels, which was pretty cool. There was a band that played before Matt Pond PA called Glint, but I wasn't really digging them, so we went and played frisbee instead on the very crowded lawn.

Matt Pond PA was good. It was pretty much the perfect music for the day - kind of laid back, peaceful rock music. They also had some playful dialogue with the audience. Matt Pond kept complaining about the heat, and by the end of the show his shirt was pretty much soaked with sweat. It got a little hot in the direct sunlight, even though it was for the most part otherwise the perfect temperature. And I have to guitarist Steve Jewell was one of the most nonchalant lead guitarists I've ever seen. When he had any kind of solo, he didn't milk it at all - you wouldn't have been able to tell it was him soloing if you weren't watching his hands. And his long hair covered his face half the time.

The concert seemed to also attract eccentric park-dwellers who wanted attention. There was this guy in ruffled skirts with flowers and bees sown on them, with funny hats (one of which I think was actually a purse upside down). His beard was painted, and he had a parrot and a poodle, both of which were also painted. I felt sorry for the animals. The guy kept going up in front of the stage and twirling around. At one point he went directly in front of one of the videographers (clearly trying to get on film) and the cameraman was just annoyed. There was also a guy who danced in front of the stage briefly dressed all in black with white iPod earbuds. Even his face was covered. I think he was trying to imitate the iPod commercials with the silhouettes of people dancing. It was random.

More pictures from Regina Spektor.

Hotel Song [mp3] - Regina Spektor - "Begin to Hope" (iTunes)

More pictures from Matt Pond PA.

Taught To Look Away [mp3] - Matt Pond PA - "Last Light" (iTunes)

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Arthur and Yu

Sorry I didn't update yesterday and to be updating so late today. Yesterday I had casting all day for my pilot, which was... interesting... Perhaps I will write more about that later. And today Yousendit has been down all day (which is how I upload files for you guys) and I was hoping it would be up, so I kept waiting and waiting to post but now I feel I shouldn't put it off any longer.

Tonight I went with my friend Diana to see Arthur and Yu at Soundfix Records in Williamsburg. Sadly, I forgot to bring my camera because I have been running around like crazy the past few days. And the lighting was actually decent enough that maybe my pictures wouldn't have totally sucked. So apologies for yet another pictureless post. Anyway...

Arthur and Yu actually consists of Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott and their band of Dove Amber, Adam Howry and Daniel Hunt. I was kind of sad to find out that their names weren't really Arthur and Yu because they looked like that should be their names. Grant looks more like an Arthur than a Grant. It was pretty easy for me to tell which ones were Arthur/Grant and Yu/Sonya even while they were just setting up. Both are gorgeous in that understated kind of way, and they were dressed in tune with one another.

Arthur and Yu are not only from Seattle but they embody it. Or, well, they what I imagine Seattle to be like, as I've actually never been there. They are really quiet and chill and shy (Sonya goes "we're probably like the shyest band you'll ever meet or see. Sorry guys..."). They wore very earthy tones and had a very relaxed-yet-put-together look. This is also how I would describe their music (quiet, chill, relaxed, maybe even earthy-yet-put-together). It was nice seeing them in such an intimate, relaxed setting. It felt like we were all just chilling out together. I can't imagine seeing them in a big concert hall with a crowd of people.

My friend Diana made a good observation that there seems to be a sort of gimmick lately in the indie music scene where there's one cute girl in a band of all or mostly guys who sings a little - usually has a kind of soft pretty voice - and maybe pokes at a keyboard every now and then, and/or a glockespiel or some other instrument that makes you go "well isn't that not-quite-so-ordinary" - in this case one of those little toy keyboard things that you blow into like a recorder, which I have no idea what they're called). Sonya was definitely cute. And, not to sound mean, she didn't really do that much. She had a nice voice, but half the time she wasn't really doing anything besides playing the tambourine kind of half-heartedly and standing behind the keyboard (not playing it). I think they could utilize her a little better. I'm sure she knows/could learn how to play more than three notes on that fancy keyboard she stood behind the whole show. I also feel like there's a trend right now of having guy-girl bands that are simply named "guy and girl" (insert two names there, ie Matt and Kim), which could become confusing should too many bands jump on that bandwagon.

If I were to describe them by using other bands I guess I would say if the lead singer of Psapp and Rufus Wainwright joined The Shins and went through a Mad Gregs phase, they would be Arthur and Yu.

Since Yousendit it down, I can't post any songs for you. However, if you go to their myspace (which I linked to above), you can download one of their songs for free. So go, listen, enjoy. They are doing a show tomorrow night (Tuesday) at Highline Ballroom. See them while you still can, before they become the next big indie thing and you can no longer see them in an intimate, uncrowded setting. Tata dahlings.

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