Terrible at Updating this Thing

Oh well.

10/21/09, Ducktails/Best Coast/Highlife/Coastings/Fluffy Lumbers @ Monster Island Basement

Fluffy Lumbers




Coasting




p.s. sry drummer :( Couldn't get many shots of you and those didn't turn out well :( :( :(

Highlife




Best Coast




Ducktails






Rest (plus high res) in Flickr

9.12.09 - Real Estate/Desolation Wilderness/Zola Jesus/Big Troubles @ Silent Barn

Great show.

After only listening to them for a day, Big Troubles definitely did not disappoint. Like I said in the previous entry, brilliantly catchy mix of early 90s indie pop with shoegaze, somewhat reminiscent of both the Pains and the Boo Radleys, but definitely hook-y and interesting enough to make themselves stand out (which shouldn't be too hard in the indie-pop and shoegaze deprived NY-tri-state-scene).

But Zola Jesus was really my main draw for the night, and oh man, crushing so hard. I missed out on her last time she came through town because of Woodsist, but since I've seen some other live photos/videos, I was not expecting a solo set. But damn, I'm happy anyways, since the sparseness of just her voice and her little keyboard/drum machine completely amplified the emotional effect of her songs.


Big Troubles






Zola Jesus




Desolation Wilderness




Real Estate


Last, but not least, Zola Jesus vid:

The Intelligence / Tonight

Damn. The Intelligence was great last night. What the hell. I did not expect a mosh/crowd surfing at an Intelligence show. Was actually kinda scared that the crowd wouldn't be that into them, since it didn't start to fill up until well into last night's show, but it ended up being one of the more fun crowd's I've seen recently.

Aside from them, Wild Yaks and Golden Triangle were somewhat forgettable-- neither did anything really new or interesting, nor was the music strong enough to transcend how derivative they were. Not exactly saying that either band was terrible, there's much worse around, but neither is really worth watching out for.

However, the first band of the night, Smarts was definitely a nice surprise, an affectingly ramshackle band, somewhat reminiscent of fellow baltimore-ites, Double Dagger. Definitely kept me interested and entertained throughout their set, much more than I can say for the two bands preceding Intelligence.


As for tonight's show,

SAT 9/12 — REAL ESTATE, Desolation Wilderness, Zola Jesus, Big Troubles @ SILENT BARN

I'm pretty fucking psyched. Zola Jesus is one of my favorite bands/whatever you call one person who writes/plays it all (is that still a band?) that I've listened to recently, so I really can't wait for that. The Spoils is a great album, and while I still prefer the somewhat darker aesthetic of New Amsterdam and Tsar Bomba, I definitely appreciate the album as well.

Besides Zola, I just started listening to Big Troubles today after noticing their addition to the lineup. I actually missed them at the Underwater Peoples showcase last month, since I came a bit late, but I'm really impressed by what they have on their myspace. It's really great/simple indie-pop, in a similar vein as the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, with an equally great shoegaze influence, specifically The Boo Radleys (Compare the song Lazy Day by the Radleys and Freudian Slip by Big Troubles--it's the same riff!).

"I'll Say Yes When You Won't Expect It"

DISCOVERY TIME. FUCKING LOVE.

The Drums [hype post]

[taper link taken down, sry dus]

Okay, so I'll admit, I'm pretty late on jumping on The Drums bandwagon, but hey! I tried to be immune to the hype, be a rebel/elitist and 'Just-Say-No' to the increasing allure of a popular NYC indie pop band that ISN'T the Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Sorry guys, love yall, but NYC is in dire need of more twee).

And so, I finally caught them opening for Cymbals Eat Guitars at Brooklyn Bowl the other night along with my summer love: Real Estate, These Are Powers, and Suckers; much to my elitist chagrin, I actually... kinda liked them. A lot. And was really annoyed/disappointed that, for the most part, no one else was dancing along with them. I mean, for chrissakes, the frontman and the tambourinist/guitarist were shooting around the stage and flailing their arms, showing more energy in that one set than I've seen in full shows.

This whole surf/ocean/beach thing is kinda getting old, but while The Drums' 50s/60s/80s inspired take on it isn't the most original thing, in what's becoming a very crowded 'theme' (I see you Real Estate/Beach Fossils/Wavves/Best Coast/Vivian Girls/Crystal Stilts/etc.), they definitely stand out as a nice and poppy alternative to reverb soaked or fuzzed out competition.

I can't wait to see these guys blow up.

Just a Note: I Am Not Missing Camera Obscura [Again] in November

yep.

August 27-September 2nd = amazing

August 27th - Cymbals Eat Guitars/These Are Powers/The Drums/Real Estate @ Brooklyn Bowl

August 28th - REST

August 29th - Psychic Ills/Screaming Females/Zs/Silver Summit/Sharon van Etten/Future Islands/Air Waves/Boogie Boarder @ The Yard

August 30th - Lightning Bolt/who cares who else? @ Brooklyn/Broadway Backyard

August 31st - REST

September 1st - Stardeath & White Dwarfs/Dinowalrus@ Maxwells

September 2nd - Titus Andronicus/Smith Westerns/So So Glos @ Monster Island Basement

HOLYYYY FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

I need to update more / WOODSIST+CAPTURED TRACKS FEST

Damn. Three weeks since my last update. Almost like a musiconfessional (haw haw. See what I did there?).

Great past weekend though, Woodsist/Captured Tracks weekend was as great as expected. Some great bands, some okay ones, but nothing TOO terrible. Plus, the weather was perfect (for once), so staying outside all day was wonderful.

The highlight for me was definitely Dum Dum Girls. I liked them a lot before I saw them live, but goddamn, for a first show...:



Yeah. Pretty great. One hell of a DIY-star studded line up also. Mike Sniper (Blank Dogs) on bass, Frankie Rose (Crystal Stilts) on drums, and dude from Crocodiles (sry dude, dunno your name :() on guitar. Dum Dum Girls also sings way better live than on record. Or at least, I find her voice live to be more interesting. The reverb covers up your voice! Love reverb, but it might not suit yours as much as say, Cassie from Viv Girls.

Besides them, Real Estate played a fucking great show also. Some blog coined them as "Shorecore" and I'z down with that term. Really technically competent, and so fucking tight. Feel the only reason they're not more popular is that they haven't released an album yet, so most people haven't really checked 'em out (Similar to Dinowalrus). Check them out (and Dinowalrus too).

Other highlights: Gary War, Mayfair Set (<3 u Dee Dee), Kevin Failure rapping (actually good. f'realz), Thee Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees mosh, Thee Oh Sees mosh fight, Fresh & Onlys at the afterparty, fireworks going off behind show.

Now for pic highlights:

DAY ONE


Chinese take-out place across from MH apparently really loves Michael Jackson.


Supercrush on Gary War's keyboardist. Would make her breakfast. (msg me)


Hole in Market Hotel stage. Psych Horseshit almost broke a leg through it :(


Kevin Failure
Kevin Failure WERKIN IT.

DAY TWO


Whilst editing pics, my mom passed by and goes "Oh, the bands look good also". Real Estate. MOTHER APPROVED.


<3 u Dee Dee (u 2, Mikey)


Just really liked this shot.


Babies. Babbys.

Check out all the pics here:
Woodsist/Captured Tracks Day One

Woodsist/Captured Tracks Day Two

Ruff Sqwad - Guns N Roses Vol. 1 and 2

http://rapidshare.com/files/243809002/Ruff_Sqwad_-_Guns___Roses_Volume_1.zip

http://rapidshare.com/files/243835177/Ruff_Sqwad_-_Guns___Roses_Vol._2.zip

Screaming Females - What if Someone is Watching Their T.V.?

Ah, rough week.
It's good to have some fucking awesome NJ punk to listen to then.




Screaming Females - What if Someone is Watching Their T.V.?

Saw them play with Double Dagger, So So Glos, and Air Waves (missed Videohippos) last Saturday at Market Hotel, and they were amazing live. It's always great to see a band you've never listened to completely blow you away when you see them live. I was very ready to join the moshing.

[Screaming Females] One of my favorite 'new' 'discoveries' in a whiiiile. Like damn. This shit's intense. She rocks that guitar. <3 onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJHibEbQtvbg9Q2WtXS3VTSHjejm8hAEBnynPSYJMowCC0LNO3ShDSgUdTxAxDLqXF1e7h4qRcU1rUDl3GfXqyBPK1Z8tHprelI2XQQSvM2_vpYuoky1JsKbY0BtBA0-HgMcFdUM1mSXi/s1600-h/5-23-09-double+dagger-3.jpg">

Double Dagger kicked ass as well of course. Still haven't gotten around to listen to their albums (sorry webb!) but they throw a great show. Propz to the tiny girl moshing in front of me. You got balls.

Actually missed out on the first half of the So So Glos set after recovering from the Double Dagger set downstairs, but it was still pretty fun. What else can I say about a band I've seen before? Consistently fun to watch and listen to, even if they don't really push any boundaries.

Rest of the pics are Here.

Henry's Dress - S/T + Rocketship split 7" + 1620 7"

Henry's Dress - S/T 10"
Henry's Dress/Rocketship - Tour 7"
Henry's Dress - 1620 7"

Great lo-fi noise-pop. They eventually went on to form The Aislers Set. Kinda sad I never got too into the Aislers, so I could've gotten into Henry's Dress way sooner. These guys and Black Tambourine epitomize (in my mind) noise-pop.

5.10.09 - Times New Viking/Blues Control/Pink Reason @ Market Hotel

So, just to get this out of the way: Market Hotel's new art installations make for some fucking awesome background shots. A bit less 'punk'/'DIY' than before, but way more art school dropout/middle school play about the inside of your stomach. In fact, in some shots, the walls look organic, like they're rocking some Aliens steez.
Pink Reason started off the night (really late) at 10pm. Way more rocking than when I saw them last time at Monster Island, full band this time, though the tempo is still a bit more "lazy" compared to the recordsGreat show either way, especially since I was already hyped on them due to Webb's comments about their previous night's show being better than Blank Dogs (on 5/8 anyways).

Blues Control was great also, even with the disappointment of both Blank Dogs and Woods canceling. Really noisy...noise rock? Not sure what else to call it. Though, listening to their myspace page now, it sounds a bit more ambient on their records. Still great either way though, and definitely a nice surprise.


As for Times New Viking, they were definitely better tonight than when I last remembered them at Maxwell's even though I didn't recognize a bunch of what they played (a lot of newer songs). Cute mini-mosh pit.

Rest of the photo's Here.

Anyway, I'm satisfied, even though I was pretty disappointed with the cancellations. Turned one of the best line-ups I've seen for a while into a pretty good one. Oh well. Doesn't look like Blank Dogs is playing any time soon though (besides No Fun Fest, which I was wayyyy too late to get tix for). The next Woods show should be good though: Kurt Vile/Woods/Blues Control at the Shank? Nice.

V/A - Tomorrow's Hits Now [compilation]

Reposted from Take the Pills! [great blog, read it! blogroll it!]























V/A - Tomorrow's Hits Now [Summershine compilation]

Great, great compilation from Australian twee/indiepop label Summershine. Standout tracks are the two perfect indie-pop tracks by Autohaze, the noisy lo-fi pop "To Be Found" by Blindside (echoes of Strawberry Wine-era MBV, big shoes to fill, but trust me, it's really fucking good), the sweet, Lucksmiths-ish, twee-pop of Honeybunch's "Mine Your Own Business", and the 60's-inflected-pop song "Town I Won't Recall" by Rainyard.

But don't get me wrong, those aren't the only good tracks, definitely give this a listen through if you're any sort of indie-pop fan at all.

Gary War - Opens CS

Oh damn.

Gary War - Opens CS is a live WFMU session released on cassette by Captured Tracks. Unlike the softer, more relaxed lo-fi psychedelia on New Raytheonport, Opens bursts forth with a sped-up, intimidating and muscular version of Good Clues. This drastic change is actually pulled off well, creating a much more lively show than what I expect the album played straight up would have given us.























Good Clues (live)
Download the release (and album, and singles) at Gary War's blog.

Other news: This is going to be a great show. Still not the biggest Crystal Stilts fan ever, but I'd be down for this, especially with both Gary War and Nice Face opening. Not too familiar with Nerve City but oh well, 2 Great bands, 1 Good band, 1 unknown, and curated by Sacred Bones? I'm down.

Been lazy with pics

Soft Circle @ WBAR-B-Q




Spectrum @ DBA



Crash Diet Crew @ LAMC



Psychic Ills @ DBA





















Dinowalrus @ LAMC

Early May Showlisting

A bit late but..

May 1st, A Place to Bury Strangers/Dinowalrus/Crash Diet Crew @ Less Artists, More Condos
May 2nd, Kurt Vile/Sightings/Gary War @ Silent Barn
May 3rd, King Khan and the Shrines/Mark Sultan @ Santos
May 8th, Crystal Stilts/Blank Dogs/Religious Knives @ Bell House
May 9th, Awesome Color/USAISAMONSTER/Lots of bands @ Market Hotel
May 9th, So Cow/Pink Reason @ DBA
May 10th, Times New Viking/Blues Control/Woods/Blank Dogs @ Market Hotel
*May 14th, Crystal Stilts/Gary War/Nice Face @ Don Pedro's
May 14th, NYC Popfest 09! My Teenage Stride/Knight School @ Cake Shop
May 15th, NYC Popfest 09! Cats on Fire @ Don Hills
May 15th, Dan Deacon/Future Islands/Teeth Mountain @ MH/Brooklyn Backyard
May 16th, NYC Popfest 09! Radio Dept./Pants Yell! @ Bell House
May 17th, Suburban Kids w/Biblical Names (!!!!!!)/Rose Melberg (!!!!!!!!) @ Cake Shop
May 22nd, Holy Fuck/APTBS/Crocodiles @ Music Hall
May 23rd, So So Glos/Double Dagger @ Market Hotel
*May 27th, Cymbals Eat Guitars @ Southpaw
May 29th, Wolfgang Voigt (aka GAS) @ Miller Theater (at Columbia/Uptown U.)

*added later

Popfest is going to be great. I can't believe that Suburban Kids with Biblical Names are playing. Oh man, such a throwback to high school, not that I'm like, "better" than that now, but that I listened to them a lot back in high school, so going there is like reliving my high school indie phase! Memories.

Rose Melberg is also going to be great.

POBPAH vid!/Rocketship!

Oh damn, I just realized that the Pains show at Bowery is sold out. Damn. They've gotten a lot of hype. Oh well, nothing but love (unless they screw up their next album).

But anyways, new vid from them!:

I'll probably try to see them 7/10 at South Street. Kinda like when I rushed to see Boris on 7/10 last year after celebrating my little brother's birthday. Hm. Coincidences? POBPAH = new-Boris!?

In other news:

Oh shhhhhhhhhhh-- Rocketship. Damn. Gotta hunt down 'A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness' now. Now the 'star' of my small, but growing, vinyl collection.

Photography Post v.0.2

Chillin

I like cool music videos/smh@P4K

This comment is great:

jayney02 (22 hours ago)

have to love any vid with dancers wearing coordinating american apparel leggings

Anyways,

Mr. Blank Dog, who performs masked and clearly spends a great deal of time in his room crafting fuzzy, panic-attack inducing spook-outs like this one.
[From Pitchfork's track review of Blank Dogs 'No Compass']

smh@p4k. He doesn't perform masked! He's just this regular guy, to quote 'Mr. Blank Dogs' himself: "Everybody was expecting masks and a spectacle. A light show and smoke! But I just played it straight".

Photography Post v.0.1

I'm happy I finally got around to scanning my prints. Some of 'em, basically these four, actually turned out pretty nicely I think. Scanning sucks though--completely sucks the life out of the print (unless I mess around with it on whatever image editing software, but even then I'm not good enough to make it look 'organic').


























































[Black and White flickr set for full size/larger pics]

After being in the class for a few months already, I've actually really taken a liking to the whole developing/printing process (well.. maybe not the developing process, hah). It just feels natural to make the image yourself, adjusting everything to the details you need to manually, etc. I mean, I liked using Photoshop well enough when manipulating digital pics, but it's just not the same as holding the film to the light, as printing the image onto a piece of paper, watching it appear slowly in the developing fluids. It's a completely different experience that's the opposite of detached and I love it for that at least.

Thinking of it now, I love music and shows and all that because it's a detachment from myself (post-rationalizing, of course). It's this instance of not caring and just flowing. With photography, specifically the process of printing, it's just calmness, not really flowing, but maybe rippling.

V/A - Acid Dreams [compilation]

Picked this up today at Other. I was sold at the description 'psych-garage'.

In the late '70s a Berlin record shop owner proved that it had actually been the previous decade that had spawned the off-kilter, angry, young and bored music that became known as punk rock. [<3 u marketing pplz]

This is badass. I want to start a garage rock band in the 60s. I'd go against the British invasion. Fuck the Beatles, fuck the Stones, fuck the Who. I'm gonna rock out in my garage with my best friends who can hardly play instruments. The walls are covered in various drug related paraphernalia and we'll play as loud as we can because we're teenagers and we're never gonna die.

















V/A - Acid Dreams

Slowdive - Souvlaki Demos & Outtakes/420

Let's get high in black and white. It's New York City in the early 90s and no one cares anymore. The Cold War is over and they say history is done with. There aren't any more nukes and I'm afraid I'm not afraid, so I'll drown myself in the hazy sounds of a band across the sea. I lie down and blow smoke into the air because no one cares. It's the 90s and history is over.



Slowdive - Souvlaki Demos & Outtakes

Spectrum - Soul Kiss

Being a Spacemen 3 fan, I'm embarrassed to note that I've never actually given Spectrum a listen. If you've listened to S3, you should probably know what to expect:



Mid-tempo [likely] drug-induced soundscapes, occasionally waking into semi-lucid pop songs.
I think that's an apt description.

Spectrum - Soul Kiss (Glide Divine)

They're playing with Psychic Ills and Cheval Sombre on the 29th at Death by Audio. Will be there.