Saturday, May 23, 2009

Teenage Cool Kids/Yellow Fever/Harlem/Ponytail Live @ Red 7


(Please note that this was my first time taking photos outside, with very little light. If the photos appere less than steller, I am sorry. I am still learning)

The first show started at 10:30 P.M. and each band only played 30 minutes (except Ponytail who got about 50 minutes). TV on the Radio, The Thermals, and The Melvins (preforming Houdini!) were all missed to attend this show. Was it worth it? The short answer: yes. The long answer:YYYYYYYEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS. Spazmadic and eclectic, this was a set that every one of the way too little seventy-five people there will be talking about for weeks to come.

Teenage Cool Kids, truly reflecting their name, opened the set simply. Drums, bass and two guitars making quick, abrasive post-puck indie rock. The set was impressive, with the band sounding like Archers of Loaf fronted by Patrick Stickles, but suffered from the vocals being terribly too quiet (a problem that plagued every band that night).

Next came the sandwich band, Yellow Fever. After seeing their set, all I can say is bloggers, meet your new buzz band. The band is a great fusion Heather Lewis’ Beat Happening, and surf music, making sparse, offbeat, and incredibly catchy pop songs. The songs guided by the bass and drums, guitarist/keyboardist/singer Jennifer Morre ( Micachu with glass in the best sense) adds minimalist touches with her instruments. It is just incredibly charming music that must be heard. Unfortunately, not as kind things can be said about the second biggest blog band of the night, Harlem. As impressive as it is using a kick drum the size of a Hummer tire that needs to be supported by a cement block, it doesn’t make up a band which next song sounds no different from their last one. Seriously, is this the band that’s getting all the hype? It sounds like slightly hippie garage rock, and no, I don’t mean that in a good way. True there were merits to the show, but in the end the songs just didn’t stick with you in the and that’s what matters.

However impressive (or unimpressive) the opening bands were, the band of the night was Ponytail, and within two songs had blown the other bands away. Their shows are constant reminders of how live shows should be and are constantly the musical events of the year. No fancy lights or special effects, just four musicians who are love what their doing. And that’s the appeal. Far too much experimental music these days has too much detached human emotion from it. With Ponytail, every element of human emotion is through into the songs. The way all four of them dance on stage and the faces they make while doing it. To Molly Siegal jumping into the crowd twice just so that everybody in the audience could dance we could. And the audience did dance. Self-conscious indie rockers were nowhere to be found that night as a moshpit erupted and people sang along to every note. Except the mosh pit was only created to dance to music you really couldn’t and don’t know how to dance to and it was anyone’s guess whether the scream they were yelling was the same one Molly was. But that was part of the experience: not whether you got it right, but that you had super, high energy fun.

Teenage Cool Kids

Yellow Fever




Harlem

Ponytail






Saturday, May 16, 2009

An (Another) Apology

I have not made any posts in a while and I am sorry for that. I am also sorry that this is the second time I have had to do this, for I was again have to say that I will not post for a while. Understand that it is not my choice and it because of a situation called " Holy crap I need to study for finals". Please stick with me and I promise I will get my poor grammatical posts up as soon as possible (and this great interview with Ponytail I did)

Bands to Care About: DANANANANAYKROYD

When a band thinks it’s a good idea to chant their name in the opening song of their debut album, does anyone think something good will come out of it? Is there a band meeting deciding that it’s a good idea to yell their name out to who’s listening. Band names are after thoughts, created usually just so the clubs have something to list them as. However I doubt there are few bands namest better suited for a band since the Butthole Surfers. Any fan of Los Campesinos! will be crawling on the floor for their latest worship. DANANANANAYKROYD mash perfectly with Los Campesinos! right down to the yelps of the band in unison and the self loathing lyrics. Don’t cry Camepsino clone yet, however. Danana is more bent on the sound than the lyrics, incorporating twin drummers and two singers into the mix. The best way to understand Danana’s sound is three-fourths Los Campesinos! with an added cup of hardcore/screamo. Normally, this is a recipe for disaster. However, due to having great taste in music and not wanting to be corporate slime, the sound (self dubbed "fight pop") they make is actually creative and dare I say (gasp!) fun.

DANANANAYKROYD-Pink Sabbath
DANANANAYKROYD-Totally Bone

DANANANAYKROYD Myspace

Monday, May 11, 2009

New Music Video: Ponytail-Celebrate the Body Electric(It Came From an Angel)

If there was any more proff needed to show how crazy, insane, and creative Ponytail is as a band, look no further than this video. Thinking there was no way to match this 7 minute song, Ponytail do in the most spazmatic video ever. I dare you to NOT get a seizure.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Bands to Care About: Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned

Hearing about them for the first time, it would not surprise me if Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned didn’t instantly grab your attention. "A folk band with horns you say? Next!" But trust me when I say that this a band that should be payed attention. While you wouldn’t think so at first, the jazz-style horns truly add to the regular band. Not to mention the band really wears their influences on their sleeve. While this is normally a bad thing, showing the band as no talent and must copy the music they love, Sgt. Dunbar’s influences happen to be the last, great Neutral Milk Hotel and Mircophones. The band manages to sound like them (singing saws and interpersonal lyrics) and original(darker tones and jazzy sound) at the same time. Ok this does sound a little cheesy and I may be sucker for singing saw, but in this acoustic guitar revival (Fleet Foxes I’m looking at you), I don’t understand why the hell these guys haven’t gotten more attention.

Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned-A March Through Charles Mingus Garbage Pile

Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned-Move Your Memories, Pt. II

Sgt. Dunbar Myspace

Also the wonderful people of the blog fork/knife posted an interview with the band which can be read here.