Blog: nyctaper

[iPhone photos by acidjack] For some, Halloween means dressing up in an ironic/slut/wacky costume, and then hitting various bars acting like a jackass - which is totally cool by me. But for those seeking a tad more structure on a Monday Halloween night (and somewhere more interesting to wear said costume), Music Hall of Williamsburg offered an ideal bill of bands with a dark, psychedelic vibe - gothmeisters Exitmusic (our Glasslands recording of them here ), headliners The Black Angels (our most recent recording of them here ), and [...]

[Blurry iPhone photos by acidjack] Cymbals Eat Guitars were critical darlings out of the gate, praised for the fully-realized vision of their 2009 debut album, Why There Are Mountains . While they used many 90s acts as touchstones - Pavement in particular - they were always viewed as purveyors of something new. Indeed, their latest effort and Barsuk Records debut, Lenses Alien , is a challenging followup record that combines frontman and songwriter Joseph D'Agostino's dense verbiage with a caustic, acid-drenched sound. In this celebratory homecoming at the Bowery Ballroom [...]

[blackberry photo by nyctaper] If the photo posted above makes no sense, then you have not seen Born Gold live. The performer formerly known as "Gobble Gobble" has a new album out called Bodysongs , and he played a series of CMJ shows last week to support it, including the Saturday day show at Cameo Gallery . However, the live Born Gold experience can not be anticipated by just listening to the new album - its an experience that must be seen to be believed. The band is the recording [...]

[photos by Amanda Hatfield ] Prussia is a self-described "experimental pop" band from Detroit. With two keyboards, often three guitars, and a range of sound effects to supplement the unique vocals of singer Ryan Spencer, Prussia is at the forefront of the burgeoning Michigan underground music scene. Last week, the band traveled to NYC for CMJ and performed seven times. We were fortunate to have them play at both shows we hosted this year - the NYCTaper CMJ show at Cake Shop on Thursday and the Golden Ratio / [...]

[image by Songbirdnest ] With CMJ in the rear view mirror, and the season's first snow having fallen - its time to post our Winter schedule. Highlights include the Yo La Tengo Hanukkah run, the run of the National shows at Beacon Theatre, and a few neat reunions. [Caveat: Below is the updated schedule. We expect to attend and record these events. However, circumstances will prevent some of these from being done, and others will be added in the meantime.] If you [...]

[Photos by Johnny Fried Chicken Boy] After hearing this site's incredible capture of brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars back in June, I knew I needed to see what this Mississippi blues act was all about for myself. Brooklyn Bowl - now the obvious heir to Wetlands in terms of this type of programming - was the perfect place for the introduction. As is the norm for a Friday night, a lot of the drunken suburban crowd was mostly there to party, but those paying more attention were rewarded [...]

[blackberry photo by nyctaper] Oh-OK came to NYC last weekend at the behest of Cake Shop's Andy Bodor, whose inventive booking is one of the charms of Ludlow Street's primary intimate venue. The band had performed at the Athens Popfest 2011 earlier in the week in an unlikely reunion and their first show since another one-off reunion in 2005. Oh-OK released two mini-albums in their three years of existence before the members moved on to other projects. The lead vocalist Linda Hopper is perhaps best known for [...]

[photos by Amanda Hatfield ] We have covered so many Captured Tracks bands over the years - the label's roster lines up pretty closely with the tastes of the people of this site. So it was no surprise to us that Hoop Dreams , who so impressed at Glasslands in August , were on Captured Tracks and poised to release their first record. The band has a sound clearly influenced by early 80s Manchester UK - and which sounds quite like Captured Tracks label-head Mike Sniper's Blank Dogs. Hoop Dreams [...]

[Photos by acidjack] Thrill Jockey's band page for Arbouretum describes them as a "taper's dream", and they could well be right about that. With open song structures, a hard-rocking, Southern-informed psych-rock sound an solid dose of showmanship, the band comes off a bit like an updated, thinking man's version of bands like CCR and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and they play a hell of a good show that doesn't belie that comparison. The band took the stage behind a veil of smoke, launching into a brief psychedelic intro before hitting full stride on "False Spring" [...]

[photo by Amanda Hatfield ] The curse of being anointed a CMJ "buzz band" is that everyone wants to be seen at your shows, but no one is really listening to the music. We decided to offer Widowspeak a spot on our CMJ bill back in June, after both acidjack and I had seen them perform compelling sets at different shows . They seemed like a natural fit - unpretentious and intelligent indie-rock with roots in multiple genres from multiple decades. Widowspeak makes music for music lovers. I guess its [...]

[Photo courtesy of Shaun Regan at eardrumnyc ] Since we first caught them at the Market Hotel back when they were a mostly-unknown Florida band, Surfer Blood have become a bit of an indie staple. And for good reason: Their sound is infectious, upbeat and delivered with a great attitude. After touring the hell out of their breakout debut Astro Coast, the band began writing the new material that eventually became their new EP release, Tarot Classics . Several of those songs were on display at this momentous occasion, a sellout [...]

[photo by Amanda Hatfield ] We have in the last several months had the distinct pleasure of experiencing Savoir Adore up close in two very different settings. In June, at their semi-acoustic Vivo in Vino concert , the band was adept at paring down their instruments to perform an excellent set in an intimate setting. At Thursday at our CMJ show at Cake Shop , we saw the full band and all the trappings - Paul Hammer in particular was remarkable at switching between electronics, guitar, vocals and keys, often more [...]

[photos by Amanda Hatfield ] Tristen released her debut album in February, and her national breakout has seen coverage from NPR , Rolling Stone magazine, Spin magazine, and a performance on Mountain Stage . Inexplicably, Tristen has not hit NYC. We attempted to reconcile that anomaly when we invited her to perform at our CMJ show at Cake Shop . I spent much of the pre-show conversation imploring people not to miss her, and was rewarded when Tristen delivered a superb thirty minute set. [...]

[photos by Amanda Hatfield ] White Fence played one of the most impressive shows we've seen in all of 2011 - at Bowery in August . So, it was only natural that we would invite them to play our annual CMJ show at Cake Shop , and we were thrilled that they could join the bill. After a long drive from Connecticut where they have played the previous night ( see here ), the band arrived for their 3:15 pm set time a little weary but ready to go. [...]

[photos courtesy of Jill and For the Love of Brooklyn . See all her pictures here !] For me, the hobby of live recording at concerts has one origin; the Smashing Pumpkins. It was in 2000 and the band was on their final world tour when I was drawn into this hobby. The band, still mired in the politics of a big recording label, did not openly allow taping, but those that were interested were just an internet search away from immersion into a community of passionate fans who were taping, trading and archiving recordings. [...]

[photo by Chris Becker courtesy of Impose Magazine ] On a rainy and dreary October day, with Monster Island padlocked behind it, River Avenue became the makeshift concert spot for a bittersweet celebration of seven years of perhaps the best DIY shows that Brooklyn has ever seen. Monster Island Basement was a venue that we visited often, and recorded everything we saw there. The excellent performances we experienced litter this site. We also presented a show there in the Spring of 2009. As he has for [...]

[Photos by acidjack] Portland's Eternal Tapestry brought their heavy left coast psych rock to Glasslands this past Friday night, performing three long-form compositions of their densely layered guitar, bass, and saxophone (an instrument that seems to be making a big comeback lately!). The first two numbers came from the band's latest record, Beyond the 4th Door , but the final track, "Doing Your Own Being", was my personal highlight. With its eastern-inflected sax melody, the song is not only compelling, but rare. Released only on the very-limited-edition box set, Not the Spaces [...]

[blurry blackberry photo by nyctaper] The new album from Real Estate is officially released today. Days is the first album for the band on their new label Domino - and this seems to be the perfect match between a label for music aficionados and a band who have melded a plethora of musical influences into a deceptively simple laid-back suburban indie sound. At the Bohemian Beer Hall in Astoria on Saturday, Real Estate began their CD release show by performing Days straight through, as they [...]

[photos by acidjack] Shinji Masuko is a revered cult figure among aficionados of latter day Japanese experimental rock. Perhaps best known for his work in DMBQ , and more recently as a guitarist for Boredoms , Masuko is a renaissance man of the scene, also making a huge contribution in music journalism. He was also instrumental in raising money for Japanese musicians who were victims of the tsunami, an effort in which Oneida and NYCTaper participated . It was a rare treat for us stateside to get to see Masuko in a "solo" (with [...]

[photo courtesy of Joshua Trupin ] The Rosebuds superb new album was released in June and chronicles the period after band leaders Kelly Crisp and Ivan Howard had divorced in 2009. Loud Planes Fly Low is an album of intelligence and maturity - the resolution of personal difficulties within a professional relationship, the "divorce" album has sadly become a staple of rock music. At Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday night, the Rosebuds performed much of Loud Planes as a tight and cohesive unit. [...]