Ah, the infectious opening line, "Hey Boy, where's your girlfriend?" Magic Boys are almost sickeningly adorable, but still have plenty of well-deserved street cred to their names. The Memphis group's 2010 album, Memphis , didn't earn quite as much critical praise as I thought it might have, but for a band that lives in the spaces of sugary melodies, they're still pretty damn good. They're also adorable to watch. If you make it out to this Mercury Lounge show, you have the added bonus of Cults, the as of yet one-hit-wonders and authors of last year's summer single, "Go Outside." [...]
Ugh, I'm sure you already know that this week is LCD Soundsystem's last run of shows ever of all time, and I HATE T5, but it's kind of been a slow week for shows. If you've never seen LCD before, do it this week. You really should. Even if you only like them a little bit or know a few songs. I feel relatively certain that this will be one of those bands your future kids will think you're pretty cool over when you say you saw them when. Back in the day. And this is your last chance ever. [...]
I don't mean to be all "Las Robertas all the time," but this is THE show to be at this Saturday night. This new group called the Pita Gods have started putting together shows, and this is a helluva show to start off with. It's a who's who of upcoming Brooklyn talent (seriously, Sweet Bulbs, Sunny Ali & The Kid, and Telenovelas are three bands that are going to be in the next crop of Brooklyn exports, in a big way, even if that way is a bit overhyped) plus a really, really sweet out of town band. And if [...]
I wrote a review of K-Holes' self-titled new record for Impose. It's a pretty good record- definitely worth a listen or two, especially if you're looking for ferocious saxophone rock. I don't mean to reduce it to that, because it's an all-around cool record, but that's what makes it stand out. Read the review over at Impose . MP3: "Werewolf With a Tan" - K-Holes
This is a pretty unusual show for me to recommend, especially when there's things like The So So Glos at 285 Kent. But let's be honest- how many Friday nights have we spent in basements seeing the So So Glos? Personally, quite a few (if your answer is none, then I vote you go to 285 Kent this Friday, regardless of this post's title). I could recommend J Mascis and Kurt Vile. I could also recommend PC Worship. I could also popularly recommend Jacuzzi Boys, who are in town this weekend from Florida. They've been getting mad buzz lately, but [...]
The Twerps are from Australia, and they have been getting a good deal of buzzzzz on the better blogs for the past month or two, and now they're on an American tour. In terms of current bands, they're like one part Strange Boys and one part Girls and one part 70s NYC punk band. It's all jangly with whiny vocals, but the songs have a laconic casualness to the them. They're the chillest punk songs I've heard in awhile. I like 'em a lot, and I think you will, too. And Big Troubles are always fun to catch, plus each [...]
The drought is over! The prodigal music industry employees return! While they're all nursing their hangovers (both from alcohol and tacos) and sleeping all day because they had a 6AM flight back from Austin on Saturday night, we will jubilantly rejoice at the first good shows in what seems like a long, long time. Take this Wednesday night at Union Hall. Las Robertas are from Cost Rica, so you're not going to get a lot of chances to catch these guys. Their fun mix of punk and 60s girl group inspired music will make for a FUN Wednesday [...]
It's that time of year again- SXSW. The entire music industry picks itself up and crowds itself into Austin, Texas, where people get drunk on free booze, eat a ton of tacos, and walk around seeing band after band until they pass out. I know from experience, that is both the best and worst thing in the world. Sadly, I will not be joining the masses in Austin this year, but I think a year off is probably a good move for me. Unfortunately, this means no coverage of it on the blog this year. SXSW also means [...]
I think I'm starting to say this a lot, maybe it comes with the territory of having been blogging for a few years now, but I remember last year on the last night of SXSW, my friend and I somehow made it way, way out to East Austin to this Mexican bar that somehow ended up hosting indie rock shows. We went to see Fang Island, and in the midst of some pretty bad screamo bands, I saw one of the most joyfully celebratory and altogether ridiculous shows I've ever seen. Songs in Spanish played on the jukebox [...]
Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? You were even considering doing something other than going to this show? That's, honestly, stupid. First and foremost, you've got your Ty Segall, who put out one of the very best albums of 2010. Not only that, but his live show is fantastically grungy and energetic, and you'd silly not to go see him this Thursday. Before you know it your only chance to catch him will be at Bowery and Music Hall. Then there's the heavy-hitting trio of Heavy Cream, Liquor Store, and Home Blitz. Holy garage rock! That's a lot [...]
From the moment Dirty Beaches took to the stage at Glasslands last Thursday, I was so ready to hate him. "Oh great," I thought to myself, "yet another electronic buzz band type of thing that's actually just one guy doing karaoke over super fuzzed out guitar wales and an expensive microphone." So. ready. to. hate . him. And I will say that I still don't know if the music has any inherent value, but I can't blame any other blogs for hyping this guy up. He's interesting. He's got a good singing voice. And he is a fantastically charismatic [...]
Didn't you idolize Le Tigre when you were growing up? Okay, if you're not a female between the ages of 20 and 30, maybe not, but they sure were a formative band for me. JD Samson is a big part of that, at least on the band's second and third albums. Anyone involved in Le Tigre is definitely a cultural force, and her new project, MEN, is certainly noteworthy. I haven't seen them live yet, but I hear that it's an act not to be missed. Plus, New Villager is opening. I haven't heard anything too remarkably new from them [...]
As promised, today's recommended show is not one, but THREE separate shows at record stores throughout the city. Coming directly off garnering "Best New Music" for his new album on Pitchfork today, Vile will be performing solo acoustic sets at Generation Records, Academy LPs, and Other Music- all tomorrow night at 5, 7, and 9 respectively. Sometimes bands do this to stir up publicity AND to support record stores, and I think it's a pretty fun, intense feat to watch them pull off. Try to make it out to one of them- and besides, they're all free! [...]
I officially declare this week the week of shows in mildly unusual places. Okay, maybe just Monday and Tuesday (I guess you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out on that Tuesday one...or look at any show listing site and predict my extremely predictable blogging...), but the chance to see Alela Diane amidst stacks of used book at Housingworks is a romantic prospect. Her folk and old-time infused songs have a true lasting beauty- I return to To Be Still more often than I do most music I was listening to two years ago. "White As Diamonds," [...]
These pictures are almost already a week old, so I'll be brief. I was so pleased to find out that Lower Dens was headlining a show at MHOW, and even more pleased when I saw that the venue was almost nearly full for them. I'm not even sure how it happened. It was only two years ago that I saw Jana Hunter for the first time, by accident, in the back yard of Beauty Bar at SXSW. I was IMMEDIATELY captivated and I remember very clearly making a frantic trip to the ATM, paying a $4 surcharge, and just making [...]
I'm going to reference the Pixies twice this week. And Dinosaur Jr. And Pavement. And Robert Pollard. If these bands sound generally appealing to you in a major way, if you feel "nostalgic" for these bands, and wish that there were more bands that sounded LIKE them today without being totally boring and derivative, well, then you should 1. Listen to Mr. Dream's new record, Trash Hit , and 2. go to their record release show this Friday at Glasslands. They're grungy without being boring, driving and original. These aren't pop songs (for the more catchy-loving reader), but they're [...]
This Dirty Beaches fellow has been getting a lot of good press from a lot of good places. I've listened to a few of the songs, especially the one below. I'm not sure I totally get the hype, but this reserved, quiet, but emotional track is definitely interest-piquing. Take a listen, see what you think, and if you're remotely interested and have some spare time- I suggest you make it out to this show. It's definitely going to be one of those buzzy shows with all kinds of people there getting their first glimpse of a potential new buzz band. [...]
Tennis has been polarizing. Either you love them because they play breezy, digestible pop music, perfect for a warm summer's walk on the beach, or you hate them because their music isn't actually all that interesting, just fluffily accessible. I say, why not enjoy them if you enjoy them? Don't herald them as the saviors of music, but there's certainly something to be said for a song that gets stuck in your head like "Marathon." Tennis isn't the true draw for this show anyways. That would be La Sera. I'm digging so hard on their self-titled debut for Hardly Art. [...]
You may recognize the name Meredith Leich if you've been around here before. Occasionally, one of her awesome drawings of a live band will make its way onto this page. I always consider myself lucky when I'm able to post one of those, and now I consider myself the luckiest, because she and I are collaborating on a new web comic. She draws, I take pictures, we put it all together and mostly talk about boys. It's a great combination, if you ask me. I'm very excited about it, and we're hoping to make it a semi-regular thing. You can [...]
This Ding Dong Lounge place- it's pretty new. At least pretty newly hosting indie bands. The crazy thing is- it's uptown!! Oh my goodness! Rock bands above 42nd street! What's going on? Who attends these shows? According to New York Magazine , graduate students who like the 80s, that's who. That sounds pretty good I guess. I only know a few people who have made it up to this venue, but the reviews I hear are good. Could this be the first domino to fall in a crazy new Harlem hipster scene? Let's hope not, for everyone's [...]
The New York Rockmarket
Avicii – Two Million
Yellow Magic Orchestra edit from Chrome Canyon
Beck – I Just Started Hating Some People Today
H&M Lookbook Mujer y Hombre Otoño 2012.
