Music Snobbery

What's New at the Rough Trade Shops

As with last year's London trip, I headed over to the Rough Trade Shop in Notting Hill to see who the new bands to be buzzed about by myself and other bloggers. Last year, Serena Maneesh and The Boy Least Likely To became well known bands in the music scene. I'm still hoping The Shortwave Set and King Creosote make a name for themselves in these parts.

Anyway, I think what makes the shop so special, besides it associated with the record label that spawned from it, is their "Tastemaker" status. It's a shop you can walk into a talk shop. They won't force the popular CDs on you, but merely point out to you. You can buy the new Robbie Williams and HMV, Fopp or Virgin MegaStore, but you come to Rough Trade to fine an obscure new band that might not become house hold names, but bring a little joy into your music world.

This year the U.K. mecca for all us music snobs turns 30 years old. To mark the occasion, the shops has complied a CD of cuts complied by the customers rather than people who work there. Their customers include Jarvis Cocker, Bjork, Thurston Moore, James Murphy, Bobby Gillespie and Seymour Stein. The 2CD set comes with linear notes from the customers and some history of the store. I actually didn't buy the CD there. I found it cheaper at the duty free HMV in airport. Hey, £12.99, that's a damn good price.

Anyway, so I was talking with the lads behind the counter and they exposed me to what's selling well and recommended some stuff that I purchased. I asked, "Do you have any punky, electronic, kind of grime, but kind of new wave grime, maybe like sort of broken beats, kind of dub-y broken beats, but a little soulful, like kind of drum-n-bass, but broken drum-n-bass, but breakbeat sort of broken break beats?"

Here are a few you should pay a listen to if you can:

Lords, This Ain't a Hate Thing, It's a Love Thing: When the clerk gave the CD to me this, he said, "You'll definitely get this." He was right. It didn't take long for me to have my mouth open and saying, "Damn, this is the shit." The band is three guys from Nottingham who turn out deep, heavy blues riffs that will make Jack White and Jon Spencer fall to their knees and peg for mercy. Just when you are basking in all that blues rock glory, they drop that out and bring is some dissonant strings to keep you on your toes. They also have a fondness for ZZ Top, you can't go wrong with that. My hope is that the people who latched onto one trick pony Wolfmother will discover Lords and see how much better Lords is. Check out the ass kicking on their myspace page.

Loney, Dear, Sologne: From Sweden, we have Emil Svanängen, who resently signed to Sub Pop. That news should give the indie pop kids a boner. It took me a while to get into him, but about three songs in I started to slowly come to. The song is called "The City, The Airport" and no wonder it got me interested. It's also the first single from the album and first song listed on his myspace profile. He has that Sufjan Stevens meets Grandaddy thing going for it. He can be soft and contemplative, then hit that pop melody vibe that gets you nodding along. He'll be folking up CMJ this week so do check him out during the Sub Pop thing at Bowery. The Sologne album came out last year, so Loney, Noir comes out in February 2007.

Treecreeper, Grain: Who would ever thunk it that a decent roots, alt-country band would come from England? Treecreeper sound like the third, unknown band to come out of the break-up of Uncle Tupelo. The foursome was formed by brothers Will and Greg Burns. It's got that heavy smoking, hungover on whisky feeling that's indicative of the No Depression scene. The band also name checks Dinosaur, Jr. on their myspace page.

I've also picked up Peter Bjorn and John, Howling Bells and I'm From Barcelona. Thus I saved a few cents rather than getting those pesky imports.

MusicSnobbery Back on the Air ... Sort Of

Guess who was in the ER last night? That would be me. After having no problems with the busted knee all week and planning to visit my doctor on the way back, I re-injured it at the airport last night picking up my suitcase. The pain was so immense that I couldn't wait until the morning, so a trip to the ER at 1am after being on plane for 7+ hours and being delayed for four hours in Heathrow. I have a ligament tear and currently have a stabilizer around my knee and I'm walking around on crutches. Welcome to my life gang.

That means that all the fun CMJ stuff that I should be attending could be put on hold until I get further evaluated tomorrow. I'm hoping I can just prop myself in the back of Webster Hall for The Knife. It's a day to day thing.

In the meantime, I'll be laying up in bed with my laptop getting caught up on posts and listening to the shit load of music I bought. It's good to be back ... I think.

The Good, The Bad and The Queen @ The Roundhouse

UPDATE 10/31: As you can see, I've got pictures, video and some additional thoughts added onto this post.

I just spent the last 30 minutes running through the London underground with a bunch of drunken club goers catching the last trains. I feel like a Londoner now.

Okay, it's 1am in London and for my 500th post, I wanted to get down my quick thoughts on tonight's semi-debut of Damon Albarn's new project, The Good, The Bad and The Queen. After playing three warm-ups gigs, tonight's gig was an all-systems go event complete with cameras taping for a BBC broadcast.

This new project is more an album, then a band. As you already know, the musicians on this effort include, The Clash's Paul Simonon, The Verve's Simon Tong,  drummer Tony Allen and another guy who I can't remember who was part of the Gorillaz crew. The music might seem like an extension of Gorillaz. Of course, they both have Danger Mouse as the producer. This effort has more theatrical elements. Like anything that Albarn has done in this decade, including Blur, it show his wide tastes in music from dub, 60s rock, even some flamenco to spare -- this project has a mish mash of cultures involved.

This being new for the audience, it serves as a listening party and performance in one. It's strange because you want to rock out, but it's the first time absorbing the music. With that said, it's a beautiful, organic mixture of styles and themes. It felt like a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist.

Setlist, which is as Damon said, is the whole album in order.

• History Song
• 80s Life
• Northern Whale
• Kingdom of Doom
• Herculean
• Behind The Sun
• The Bunting Song
• Nature Springs
• Soldier's Tale
• Three Changes
• Green Fields
• Mr. Whippy (the B-side)
• The Good, The Bad and The Queen

There was a B-side that was played, where a Lebanese rapper, Eslaam Jawaad, came on stage to bust out some lyrics. That was pretty wild.

When Damon came out wearing a top hat and black tuxedo, it reminded me that this is the first time in about three-four years that he's taken the role as lead singer in a rock show. The Gorillaz music was him hiding in back and letting everyone else take the spotlight. Tonight, he's back to the Damon we remember -- shouting at the crowd, doing his signature jump and standing on the edge of stage to rock out. I like the rock star Damon, but I also like Damon the composer. Tonight, I got to see both in top form.

It's hard to get a feeling of the music the first time around. It's a lot to absorb. Kingdom of Doom is a real winner, so much so, they he played it twice to make it better. The title track is when the crowd went nuts -- it's a jump up and down, push the guy next to you, full on rock song with pounding drums and piano. Damon was like Jerry Lee Lewis on the upright. Northern Whale, as Damon explained, was a love song that turned into a song about a whale.

While Damon is the face of the project, you have to recognize the strong presence of Simonon, who really provides the backbone to this project. His heavy dub bass is the consistency to the performance. Poor him, his bass broke on him mid-song and they had to start over. "Wouldn't be the first time," Damon said. Allen gets to flex his muscles with some wicked drum solos. Simon has his moments with the Spanish guitar. Come to think of it, it's not really a rock project per se, it's more theatrical, than dumb rock songs. Almost like a carnival atmosphere or a Felini soundtrack with a lot organ in some of the songs. I'm sure there's a theme in the music, which we can all discover when the album comes out sometime in the future.

I have plenty of pictures and videos, which I will upload when I get back next week. The Roundhouse in Camden is an amazing venue. It looks like the inside of a spaceship. Acoustics are the best I've heard in London. You'll love the pictures.

I'll have more on this show later when I get back. While I have a minutes left, the after-party. Saw Damon, saw Paul, saw Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse), saw five guys who looked like Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim), saw Cee-Loo. The best, I met Dave Rowntree, drummer of Blur. He's the only one who I've never met and taken a picture. Done. I can die a happy man now.

Other quick hits. Two words for you gang, Sunshine Underground. Unreal performance. You are going to adore them.

Gotta sleep and then off to Amsterdam. Peace out.

PICTURE UPDATES, 10/31:

The opening act was Jamie T, who might as well start calling himself Alex T because his voice is so much like Alex Turner that you wonder if it's the same person. His big single in the UK called "If You Got the Money," which a funny, infectious tune. It has that same sort of spoken word, slightly sung quality with strong sense of poetic lyrics that is similar to Turner's delivery. As I'll write later, now we get to see what effect the Arctic Monkey have on current music landscape of the U.K. -- this sort of embracing of their DIY, chav culture. It has some personality to it, but I got the gist early on and just wanted him to get off the stage so that the guys could do their thing.

BTW: 70 minutes between sets, it was TORTURE!!!!! After waiting in the queue for that long at the Tate Modern to ride the slide for 25 seconds, I was pretty fed up with standing in the same spot for long peroids of time

The videos, I guess you can see what I saw on BBC website. They cut out the parts where they banded start over. Luckily for you, I have evidence in the second clip.

The first one is "Behind the Sun," which deadicated to John Peel. Again, apologies for the bad sound. I'm standing right against the speakers and their is no way around it.

About a minute into this clip of "Three Changes" is when the band stops and regroups.

A little bit about the newly refurshing Roundhouse which is a beautiful venue. Located in Camden Town near the Chalk Farm tube, the main performance space is a round room, almost like a circus or a gladiator stadium. With the stage in the middle, it cuts the floor space in half. That's good because it makes the stage roomy, but kind of crappy for sight lines if you are on the far left or right. I was one or two people deep on the left. Those three or four people to the left of me probably had a hard time seeing most of the stage. Anyway, with the all the steel and lighting, it gave it a space age feel. With the stands surrounding the floor, it did make it feel like we were being looked down upon. I just like the look of the room with the tall ceiling and funky lighting.

If you happen to go there, I highly recommend Hache, a burger place about a 10-15 minute walk from the Roundhouse or a 2 minute walk from the Camden Town tube. Get the steak burger Canadian and finish it with the creme brulee. That was a mighty fine meal.

...and here's the picture of me and Dave Rowntree.

Out of Office Reply: MusicSnobbery.com is Unavailable

Every time you take part in a wedding, you feel like your life is put on hold for 72 hours and you loose connection with the outside world. I came back this afternoon and it hit me like James Brown taking it to the bridge, "I've going to London tomorrow night! Crickey!" I had planned on posting a fun interview I did last week, but it will have to wait until I get back.

Reason one: to pack. Reason two: I fucked up knee dancing to "Staying Alive." Exactly. Feel free to laugh. It could have been worse, it could have been the Chicken Dance. The story ... I was wearing rented dress shoes that came with the rented tux. Before the reception, you have to take hundreds of photos. We took a bunch on the beach which made the bottom of shoes sandy and slippery. Bringing that into account, the first fast dance was "Staying Alive" and when I was doing my thing, my foot went one way, the ankle went the another way and my knee did a 180. I hear a "Pop!" and I'm on the floor screaming. This is all before the salads came out. While everyone is sarcastically complimenting me of my dance moves, I'm grunting through my teeth, "I ... need ... medical ... attention."

Suffice to say, I walked it off but still was in great discomfort. I did perform a major homage to the dance scene in the library in The Breakfast Club to "Rock Lobster" favoring my left leg over the other. To make a long story short, it's been a little sketchy walking since then, but I'm getting better thanks to the makers of the CVS heat pad, Advil, Lipton Green Tea, The Office: Season Two on DVD and my comfy couch. More importantly, my best friend is married and starting a wonderful chapter in his life.

Now that I've bored you, I'll be gone for a week to revisit London and discover Amsterdam. I'll probably check in after the The Good, The Bad and The Queen show at the Roundhouse, which I can't put into words how excited I am. It's as close as an exclusive as I can get on this blog. Will I get to talk to Damon Albarn again? Not sure, but the night should be impressive.

In the meantime, see lots of shows, pay your last respects to Tower Records before they go bye-bye, decorate your new Beck CD, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for cigars.

P.S.- That image is from the Tate Modern exhibit from Carsten Höller. Basically, it a series of slides that visitors can experience. Oh yeah, I'm so there.

Tilly and the Wall/Northern State @ Bowery Ballroom

My Comcast high-speed internet has become Comcast no-speed internet. Booooooooo, Comcast. They get the gas face.

In any event, I'll have to post thoughts and pictures later tonight. Tilly was awesome. The kids from Omaha were in high spirits. The Long Island girls of Northern State were amusing in that, "Look how much they act like Beastie Boys" kind of way.

More later..... I hope....

UPDATE: Now I'm sick, boo hoo. Had to miss DJ Shadow. Waaaaaaahh. Here are the pics from Tilly and Northern...

CMJ Marathon 2006 Weird Band Name List

As with last year and with this year's SXSW, I must point out the amusing band names for this year's CMJ.

• Green Milk from the Planet Orange: These guys are from Tokyo? I would have never guessed it.
• The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower: On the same Knitting Factory bill are these San Diego psychedelic punk rockers. I wish them well with their plot ... somebody alert the police.
• Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: And I still love you guys.
• Adam Thorn & The Top Buttons: On a three-button suit, the top button is optional to button. You never button the bottom button.
• Bravo Fucking Bravo: I'm thinking that there are two people named bravo and one is having relations with the other.
• The Carter Administration: I will so go to the show if Billy Carter were in the band. Viva Billy and your beer!
• Duran Duran Duran: That's one way to get around the copyright. Vice Magazine says about the band, "Hahahahha...."
• Fat Worm of Error: They have a disturbing myspace page. Their music is experimental alright.
• I Need Sleep: I hear you, brother.
• Made Out Of Babies: Will somebody think about the children?
• Oxycottontail: Nice. It's like one of those Wheel of Fortune categories: before & after.
• Prayers And Tears Of Arthur Digby Sellers: I love this name. A few will know the pop culture reference. "Sir, I just want to say how big a fan I am of the show Branded."
• This Moment In Black History: The best band name at CMJ. Unfortunately, the music is pretty awful, just a bunch of screaming. I keep on thinking on that SNL skit with Eddie Murphy talking about George Washington Carver. "Shut up before you make me smile"
• What Made Milwaukee Famous: What made Milwaukee famous? Laverne & Shirley.

Sell-Outs or Not?: Ranking Bands Who License Their Music for Commerials

There's never a clear-cut answer on when a band allows Madison Ave. to use their music. So I thought of a sliding scale. 10 are complete sell-outs, like they stop to be artists and are just whores. 1 is that the song is used respectfully and it doesn't alter the meaning of the song.

Oasis, "All Around the World" for AT&T: 3, It's all old song from an album the Gallagher brothers want to forget. The AT&T focuses on the phrase "All around the world/ Tell them what you heard...", but the ad mostly focuses on the music and it's epic quality.

Lil' Jon, "Yeah!" for Subway restaurants: 10. You just have to roll your eyes. The salt on the wound is Jon Lovitz saying "Holla!!!!!!!" Nothing says "keeping it real" like selling out to a fast good chain.

Morningwood, "Nth Degree" for Mercury: 6. The music is used mostly. I think they should have left in the M O R N I N G W O O D. Like drive this car, you get an erection. I just don't fine boring Mercury cars and the Morningwood music mixes well.

Rolling Stones, "A Bigger Bang" for Radio Shack: 8. Interesting fact: you are 15 minutes away from a Radio Shack anywhere in the continental United States. With that said, who the hell shops at Radio Shack? They are like the Sam Goody of electronic stores. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with getting a major sponsor for their tour, being that the concert is a multi-million dollar production night after night, but do you have let the actor imitate Mick Jagger that badly?

Megan Wyler & Adem Ilhan, "I Walk the Line" for Levi's: 2. The fact that the cover version of the Cash classic is so well done and the commercial is done pretty well, makes it perfectly okay for the Cash family to ... ummmm... cash in. It's a cute spot, bordering on artistic.

Slash guitar solo for VW: 8. Rock stars, especially potential legendary guitarists, should not appear in commercials. Ask yourself, "What would Hendrix do?" You might as well put a VW hood ornament on your hat. The kicker is the emblem on his guitar. Weak Weak Weak.

Chemical Bros feat. Q-Tip, "Galvanize" for Budweiser: 5. It seemed inevitable that a slamming song like this would make it in an ad campaign. It's a party song and you can pretty much use "Push the Button" for any product, Sony, Nikon, Ikea, Tampax, Ragu.

Len Price 3, "Sailor's Sweetheart" for Old Navy: 4. If you're a no-name band and you want to get in the spotlight fast, might as well go for it. If the song is good enough and you have other song to back it up, it doesn't hurt. The Len Price 3 are garage rock band from the UK.

Royskopp, "Remind Me" for Geico: 1. So funny. It's good the guys have a sense of humor.

Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins @ Town Hall

She's got electric boots, a shiny suit, you know I read it a magazine. Ohh hoooo, Jenny is the best! Jennayyyeee Jennnnnayyyyeee, Jenny is the best.

It's Friday night, I'm aloud to be stupid.

Sometimes, it's best wait to see a quality act in a proper setting. Tonight, we have Jenny Lewis, Chandra & Leigh Wilson, Johnathan Rice and the band not just paying homage to a traveling country-western show, but truly performing an inspired mix of old timey music with dash of modern showmanship.

Your setlist:

• Run Devil Run
• Big Guns
• You Are What You Love
• Melt Your Heart
• Charging Sky
• Happy
• Fernando
• Rise Up With Fists!!!
• Carpetbaggers
• I Met Him on a Sunday
• Jack Killed Mom
• Born Secular
• Encore: Rabbit Fur Coat
• Acid Tongue
• Handle With Care

I think the classy Town Hall venue was a perfect fit for Lewis & Co. The normal rock venues that J. Lew is use to playing in NYC with a little band called Rilo Kiley would be a little too rough around the edges for the Grand Ole Opry aura that the tonight's show gave off. With everyone seating and being appropriately behaved, it made the night nice and easy. I get nervous during the super-soft songs like "Rabbit Fur Coat" because I hope I don't hear someone scream something or a cell phone go off. Between songs, feel free yell out. Someone yelled out "Marry Me!" If I had few more beers from Heartland Brewery, I probably would have yelled out "Have you learned to do the Smurf yet?" ***

With that said, the show was just about as perfect you can get. It is a throwback to the country-western shows from 50s-60s performed by Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette. The key was that it wasn't an over-the-top, campy tribute to that era. Lewis didn't say, "Y'all havin' a good time. Yee haw!" She's pretty subdued as a performer, very focused on the moment. The only way she lets loose was a costume change from a sexy, slinky black dress to a shiny minidress that looked like it came from Elvis Las Vegas show. It's Bridget Bardot and Ann-Margaret meets the Little Miss Indie Rock.

When Jenny, Chandra and Leigh (who tower over the tiny Lewis) came out in those black dresses, I immediately stood up-straight and said, "Hey now!" I should have dressed up for the ladies. During "Big Guns", she was strumming away and looking at the crowd and I'm mouthing the words. She focuses right on me in third row while se's singing and nods a bit. Yeah, that's good stuff. Anything longer than that I would have probably freaked out. Outside I'm smiling, inside I'm like, "YEOOOOOOWWWW She's lookin at me!!!!!"

One of the two musical highlights for me was "Fernando" where Johnathan Rice introduces the band in that country-western delivery. It's something like "Please if could ladies and gentleman, to my right, the most eligible bachelor in California, give a big round of applause to *that guy*" Then the girls come out in these shimmery outfits to tear into "Fernando" and to get crowd clapping along. Then the whole crowd stands up for the final song, the cover of The Traveling Whilbury's "Handle With Care".

I haven't written or mentioned it a lot, but Rabbit Fur Coat is one of the best albums of the year. More than that, it's the best written album. The choruses are instantly singable and a look at the lyrics shows a side of Lewis that we haven't seen with Rilo Kiley. I'm just glad that this side project is musical and vocal departure for her. Even if you never heard of her Rilo's work, you'll appreciate how she takes that gospel western idea and makes it her own. With the Watsons, it provides a little soul to the proceedings.

So there you have it. It takes a 30-year old former child actress (by blog law I have to mention that) to show the music community what real country music sounds like ... and not a cowboy hat in sight, but she was wearing some fine cowgirl boots.

*** For those not in the know, one of Rilo's early songs was called The Frug. There's a line that goes  "I can do the frug/ I can do the Robocop / I can do the Freddie / I cannot do the Smurf"

Silversun Pickups/Viva Voce @ Bowery Ballroom: They Do Not Fuck Around

We don't need anybody to bring the SexxyBack, we need bands like tonight's performers to bring the RockBack. Do you remember rock 'n' roll music? Guitars, basses, drums and attitude?

These days in New York, it's just band after band of skinny white guys with too many secondhand sequencers and synths and a lot of post-punk, new wave styles. And enough with the porn-stashes!

I had to get that on record. Anyway, L.A.'s Silversun Pickups and Portland, Oregon's Viva Voce dropped the pretense and brought rock back to Bowery. Guitars ruled the night with a couple of expert players showing off their sweet licks.

Tonight's show was an upgrade show, with the bands outgrowing the tiny confines of Mercury and being bumped up to the mid-size luxuriousness of Bowery. For Silversun, it's kind of symbolic, having been kicking around the L.A. scene for about four years. Now with a little help from their indie label, they're getting the exposure they deserve with their second effort, Carnavas.

You don't have a be a hardcore musicologist to figure out that the Pickups take their calling for early to mid-90s guitar based alt-rock from the likes of Pixies (with bassist Darling Nikki Monninger as Kim Deal) and Smashing Pumpkins without the self-absorption. Led by wildman Brian Aubert, the band rocks hard without looking hard. They play loose without bring sporadic, but in tune to create catchy foot stomp worthy rock ditties.

God bless Brian for shutting up the drunk people in front of the stage tonight without putting them down. He spent most of his banter time pinching himself for the newfound attention and playing the Bowery. Well, next month the band will be playing Hammerstein Ballroom with Wolfmother. That's not a bad upgrade at all.

So I get to Bowery just before Viva Voce takes the stage, I'm walking up the stairs to the main floor when I hear over the speakers, "You're going to have to eat that before we start." Uhhhhhh, okay. I make my way to the stage where I see Jerry Yeti and 3xWes eating fruit. Next thing you know, I'm handed a banana. You can't go wrong with a banana. I wanted to keep the peel, have the band sign it and keep it with my setlists, guitar picks and drumsticks.

Anyway, add Viva Voce's Kevin and Anita Robinson to the growing list of couples who are a rock band. Look what the White Stripes have started. The team makes that trippy, garage-y Kevin Shields style, sunny, space-y rock music. They remind me a lot of my buddies Joy Zipper. It has a west coast vibe. Even though Viva Voce sings, "We Do Not Fuck Around," they do it sweetly and with that heavy guitar fuzz. Their latest effort on the Barsuk label is We'll Suck Yr Blood Out.

I was really impressed with Anita's guitar prowess. She's very tight and controlled, but able to make her guitar go from A to B while making it look easy. She's not very flashy, but she can kick out the riffs without resorting to stereotypical guitarists tricks. Kevin is the master of the multi-instruments. He'll be banging away on his drum set and cowbell, then quickly switch to acoustic guitar while queuing the pre-programmed sound effects.

I always look around the crowd to see if people were enjoying it and I saw lot of happy faces. You can tell where they are coming from and what effect they want to have. It's good that both bands keep it light and easy, because all too often these days, bands are driving a wedge between themselves and their audience. It works sometimes, others not. Viva Voce are out to rock and hope we come along for the ride.

Basement Jaxx @ Webster Hall: Crazy Bitch Radio

I'm giving this post that title so I can get crazy Google traffic from the misinterpretation of the band's new album.

I really am at a lost for words on tonight's show. I'll do my best. For about 100 minutes it was as intense a musical and dance experience as you can get. I saw Basement Jaxx five years ago during the Remedy tour and it was the single best dance concert I'd ever seen. Tonight, it was just classic. Not one person left Webster Hall disappointed. Everyone from the back and to the front were just having the time of their life -- jumping, shouting and showing off their dance movies. Come on, there were giant monkey men jumping around on stage and tackling people. Did Lily Allen have that? No. How about Sufjan Stevens? Not a primate in sight.

I could tell I had the time of my life because my jeans were almost half way off and I didn't notice it.

Setlist:

• Intro from Crazy Itch Radio
• Good Luck
• Romeo
• Oh My Gosh
• Right Here's the Spot
• Take Me Back to Your House
• Do Your Thing
• Hey U
• Lights Go Down
• Everybody
• Jump & Shout
• Red Alert
• Ace of Spades
• Where's Your Head At?
• Encore: Bingo Bango

Basement Jaxx don't receive enough props here in the States. It's just that dance music is not as mainstream here as rock, pop and rap. It's a shame because Felix, Simon and their crew have made four superior album of raucous rhythms and insanely catch beats. It's an aural assault on your senses with the cross-styles and international flavors coming out the seems. Over seas, their albums are respected and find their way onto the album charts. Also, they fill stadiums.

When you see them live, it's not two idiots on turntables: you get live singers, horns, percussion and guitars with Felix Buxton behind the computers.  I wouldn't have it any other way. The singers make the show. They don't bring the party, they bring the whole bloody carnival atmosphere. As a added bonus, they can shake what their mommas gave them. Even though they act as hype women and men, it didn't take much to get tonight's crowd going. Felix is a mad man when he steps out from behind his computers.

From the opening lines of "Good Luck," everyone was anticipating the chorus when the music goes into full throttle mode. Then, everyone can fucking going mental and dance or jump their ass off. Just when that song is ending and the crowd is feeling good and warmed up, Basement Jaxx up the ante by hitting us with Romeo. I loved that between songs, when everyone is catching their breathe and regaining their composure, you anticipate a slow jam. Then, BAMM! You hear the opening notes to Do Your Thing. After that, they're not done kicking ass. The best song on the new album is that strange Gypsy dance concoction called "Hey U". The whole crowd gets to bounce with the horn parts.

I had to look behind me periodically to make sure that everyone was feeling what I was feeling. Sure enough, not a single person was standing still. When "Where's Your Head Out" was thrusted upon us, it was pure insanity -- strangers grabbing onto strangers so that everyone is jumping in unison. Then the giant monkeys came out and I was laughing hysterically. I have a little video of it below. You really can't go wrong with giant monkey men going ape shit on stage, tackling the singers and piling on top of each other. You had to be there.

It was a show for the ages, maybe the best show I've ever seen at Webster Hall. Sure, they're limited in what they can play, but I would not change anything that they did. It gives me reassurance that Basement Jaxx are the best current dance act (sorry LCD Soundsystem) and probably one of the best live acts around.

Do Your Thing, yes, the sound sucks.

MONKEY!