Northern State/Holy Hail/Palomar @ Luna Lounge

Let's see how many hip-hop slang terms I can pack into one post.

First off, shout out to the Phillies for laying a beat down on the Mets -- THREE times. Holla!

Tonight was the the record release par-tay for Northern State's third album, Can I Borrow This Pen? It dropped on Tuesday. When you have these release gigs, the mood is more celebratory, so bands just throw down on stage. The girls have always been a lively stage act with tonight being no exception.

You either get Northern State or you don't. I down with them like I'm down with O.P.P. Their big influence is old school hip-hop from back in the day like Kid-N-Play. I listen to all of that shit when I was kicking it middle school style. Yes, they are a complete tribute to Beastie Boys, but I would also think of them as the extension of Luscious Jackson. Their new album is much more truer to that then their major label opus All City, which didn't serve them well. As you probably know, Ad Rock worked with the crew on the track, "Oh Girl," off the new album which a fresh and funny party track.

The show tonight had a Western theme so I had to rock my red bandanna to reprazent my Jersey crew, you know what I'm saying, holmes. What I like about Northern State as a live act is that they are having fun no matter what. If the crowd is small, they'll still crank it out. If the sound sucks, they can still do their thing. They are truly comfortable on stage and since they are lifelong BFFs, it all goes a-ight.

For now, the N.S. machine hooks up with both Tegan AND Sara for an extensive North America tour. They'll be drinkinf wine spritzers with Eliot Spitzer.

I saw Holy Hail last year when they opened up for Love is All at Warsaw. I thought they sounded awful and all over the map. Since then, they changed their sound a little bit, making it less avant-garde new wave pop and more kraut rock. They did a great job with a single for Born of a Star, it's a little "Rapture" by Blondie-ish, but it works. So I wanted to give them another chance -- and they still stink. There's just no energy to the songs. It lacks attitude, so it just passes by you and you think nothing of it. I want to like them but I just can't muster up any positive feelings after seeing them live a second time.

I faired better with Palomar, who I did get confused with Paramore, that God-awful MTV band that the records companies like to think is indie and under ground, but it's just a piece of shit. Anyway, Palomar is a local band that takes it sounds from mid-90s indie pop-rock --- think Imperial Teen, Breeders or That Dog. The few songs I caught were fine, they have a little rockness to them.

The fun thing that the organizers put together tonight was to get a trans-gendered comedian/commediane called Murray Hill, who looks like guy from Office Space who got into an accident and invented the jump to conclusion mat, to host a dance competition. The first girl, this thin, shy woman, just fucking exploded on stage with her dance. She was amazing and won. The hottie belly-dancer wins points for sexiness, but not for her moves. The third contestant ws a big fat guy, who did nothing but show his big hairy belly, He was last and won a loaf of bread as a prize. That's just encouraging him. Of course, Jules had to get in on the dance contest.

Comments

[Stacey]

Paramore = not shit

[Alex]

unf unf

Lol @ your attack on Paramore. Fail.

[Emily]

I find it hilarious that now a group of Paramore fans are going to attack this article that is not deserving of their criticism.

I actually like both paramore, and palomar. but I will say this, you may think paramore sucks, but at least they have their chance to get their music out there, palomar really wont

[D:]

FAIL