Music Snobbery

Out of Office Reply: MusicSnobbery.com on Vacation Until Nov. 9

Santo Mucca! I'm going away for a hell of a long time. I think the blogsphere will be fine without my talents. It's important that your favorite music blog take some time to be Chris rather than be Music Snob.

My theory has always been that no matter if your in a relationship or not, you need to take a trip by yourself. Thus, I'm taking a big chunk of time to revisit London and Paris, and discover the wonder of Roma.

Here's what I plan to do:

Music wise, I'm set to see Idlewild and The Twilight Sad at Koko. It should be awesome because this is Idlewild's greatest hits tour. Unfortunately, I couldn't get in to see Bat for Lashes, but I'll probably visit a small club like Water Rats or Luminare just to see some unknowns.

In Paris, I'm completely psyched to see jazz pop outfit Pink Martini in the beautiful Grand Rex. I'm not a 100% familiar with their music, I just wanted to see something at Grand Rex.

Nothing rocking happening in Roma. Oscar-winner Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance has a concert, but that's not going to lure me away from my sightseeing. I just want to eat a lot of pizza, drink a lot of espressos, eat gelato and hit on busty Italian women that look like Monica Belucci.

That's it gang, I hope you enjoy your Halloween and your music activities.

In the meantime, check out this best of photo gallery of my work. Ciao!

The WFMU Record Fair: November 2-4: Be There!

I won't be there, but those in NYC are need to set some make time for the annual WFMU Record Fair. Held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, it's a must-attend for the music snobs, people who hate music snobs, audiophiles, musicians, collectors, DJs and people who need people. I particularly like the bootleg vendors who have old Smiths concerts from the 80s. I usually spend about three hours and $200 looking through the piles of CDs and vinyl, because, God forbid, I don't have that rare Blur CD single.

Sons & Daughters @ Bowery Ballroom, during CMJ

This is the last CMJ post, I swear. The other shows I saw aren't worth mentioning. I went to Crash Mansion, saw that they were way behind, so never got to see Wild Light. And what's with the huge crowd to see Black Kids. Geez. I'll catch them the next time.

So Friday night, I figured I stick around to see Sons & Daughters again. As with last time, they tested out more new material from their upcoming album, The Gift. The new tracks are a tad different, it's much less angry, country/rockabilly and more Clash-like, almost militaristic. One of the songs has a similar feel to "London Calling." I was hoping that guitarist Scott Paterson would be more involved with vocals on the new tracks, since he was effective on "Johnny Cash." Alas, Adele is the driving force the band on record and on stage. That night, she sported a glammy go-go dancer ensemble.

The new album will be out on January 29 with Suede's Bernard Butler producing.

My 1,000th Comment!!!

A tremendous accomplishment indeed. Here it is:

Best you stay at home with your CD's mate..... or find yourself a better place to watch or listen from (maybe the centre of the balony near the mix position). Actually.... with your hate of the webster hall.... why bother going out!!!!!!! - YOU TWAT!!!!

Yup, those are my readers.

New Pornographers/Emma Pollock @ Webster Hall: Xanadu!

Heeeeeeeere we go again. It's another New Pornographers concert post. What can I say, throw in the Dan-ster singing lead on his tracks and the former lead singer of The Delgados as the opening act and I come a runnin'.

I can say that tonight's show wasn't much different from the previous New York shows this year. In fact, it was pretty straight forward. Considering that the Bowery show in August was strange and awkward, this gig was normal. Truly no surprises or revelations. When you see a band 10 times in a four-year period, experiences will eventually remain the same. Even despite of that, I continue to come back because the music just rocks, kids. I still get a kick out of singing along to "Sing Me a Spanish Techno" and "Laws Have Changed"

Before you ask, they went on a little after 10pm, show was over around 11:40.

The setlist:

• All the Things That Go To Make Heaven & Earth
• Use It
• Myriad Harbour
• Electric Version
• All the Old Showstoppers
• Jackie Dressed in Cobras
• Challengers
• Laws Have Changed
• The Spirit of Giving
• My Rights Versus Yours
• Mass Romantic
• Adventures in Solitude
• Testament to Youth In Verse
• Unguided
• Twin Cinemas
• Go Places
• Sing Me Spanish Techno
• Bleeding Heart Show
• ENCORE: Jackie
• From Blown Speakers
• Slow Descent into Alcoholism
• SECOND ENCORE: Streets of Fire
• Letters from an Occupant

As tradition, the encore is done on the spot. I usually yell out "Jackie" or "Turning You Around." Easy enough, since they had Jackie ready to play.

The one addition to the New Pornographers experience is big fancy lighted sign with the band's name. I haven't seen Porn illuminated so brightly since the AVN Awards. Not that I would know what the AVN Awards are about -- I think it stands for Aliens Versus Nebraska. In any event, it was the most elaborate stage set I've seen from them. Also, can't hurt to play Olivia Newton John's "Xanadu" when everyone was leaving the show.

Dan Bejar is a strange fellow. Nothing like wearing linen on a cool Fall day. At least it's comfortable. With his big bushy hair, beard, loose clothing and the "I just woke up" look on his face, he resembles a shaman or homeless beach bum. I joke, but his songs off Challengers are his best yet. Ending with "The Spirit of Giving" is beautiful, it's such a delicate, touching song. Then Myriad Harbour has great, whimsical nature, where he can play around with the vocals. On stage tonight, he brought out what looked like a orange, which he held onto for all of "Testament." I think it was a fake orange with some hard objects inside so it can used as an instrument of sort. Hey, whatever works Dannny Boy.

Besides the fake orange, no interesting stories or flights of crazy banter. Although, there were an inordinate amount of feedback and squeals from the monitors, which drove Neko, Carl and Co. nuts.

That's it for the New Pornographers for me in 2007. Done, Finetto. They are now tied with Doves for the band I've seen the most. In 2008, Doves will have a new album, so I expect them to get back into the lead.

Previously:

• Canadian jokes at their Bowery Show in August
• Fourth of July show with Midlake

Look who's back on the stage. It's Emma Pollock of the beloved defunct Scottish group, The Delgados. She's released her first solo album, Watch the Fireworks, and it's very much in the Delgado vein. You'll find a lot of great melodies with some tough guitars.

 

The Maccabees @ Bowery Ballroom during CMJ

Continuing on the CMJ tip, I felt that I had to see The Maccabees at some point during the week, being that I loved their debut album, and the fact that I interviewed lead singer Orlando. I only heard good thing about their live show. I concur, they put on a hell of fun, loose, lively and unpretentious set. It's just them, no gimmicks or persona. Well, lead guitarist Felix White enjoys being in the spotlight and acts as sort of the hype-man/party man of the outfit. He stares down the crowd, sings along with Orlando even though he's not doing backing vocals and makes sure that everyone knows who's rocking the joint.

It's obvious from the show and the album how big an influence The Strokes are on the band. Like Julian, Orlando isn't your traditional front man, choosing to keep his emotions in tack. Once in a while, he'll mimic a Ian Curtis dance move or sneak a smooch with Felix. The band's guitar driven Brit rock works on their Colour It In. Live, it breathes with each fast guitar chord and up-tempo drum beat. As with most Brit rock bands that come to New York, the crowd is extra-hyped to get their rocks off. The Maccas have the right music to jump around and bump into your neighbor.

As he mentioned in the interview, Orlando's main goal was to write new material that was different from the album. They tested out one track, which was indeed a step in a different direction. It sounded like an early non-rockin Kinks tracks, where the band explores more traditional pop music using different styles. I like Orlando's accordion part. The whole track reminded me in feeling of "Dedicated Follower of Fashion."

iLiKETRAiNS @ Mercury Lounge during CMJ

I would say the third band I made sure I checked out (after UNKLE and Jack Penate) was the Leeds band, iLiKETRAiNS. Dressed as pallbearers with their white shirts, black ties and black arm bands, these dramatic art rockers made the rounds during CMJ. I took them in on Friday on a dismal, rainy night in the city ... sort of the perfect mindset for the band's funeral dirge style sound.

Last year, I named dropped the band in a Top 5 list about "I" bands. If you like the echoing guitars and moaning voices of Sigur Ros, you'll definitely understand iLiKETRAiNS. Playing in dim lights, the band soldiers on with songs of misery and discontent. While all this is going on, there are set to back projection consisting of historical images from the Salem Witch Trails or the failed attempts to reach the South Pole (for the song "Terra Nova"). While all of this might be grounds to feel all sullen, the music is actually powerful and expressive. Death might be at hand, but these guys don't live what they sing, they simply are expressing a story and feelings. Their debut album, Elegies to Lessons Learnt, was release this month on Beggars Banquet.

In the tiny confines of Mercury Lounge, their music enveloped the room during their 10+ minute closer, which let the band to go ballistic on their guitars and drums. It's one of those slow build-ups to a big powerful conclusion. It's one of the moments where a band will finish, drop their instruments and leave the stage instantly while the reverb and guitar distortions continue to echo through the speakers. Meanwhile, the audience cheers and hollers. It was something like that -- I love seeing that, especially when a band like iLiKETRAiNS can justify it.

Air Traffic @ The Living Room during CMJ

Looks like I need to catch up on all the small shows I attended during CMJ. First off, I've been keeping an eye on British outfit Air Traffic for a bit after I read good things about their Camden Crawl show. Since then, they've released their debut album, Fractured Life, on EMI, which included a U.S. distribution deal (possibly on Astralwerks). For now, they played to a handful of industry people at the Living Room last Wednesday afternoon for their first U.S. gig.

The four piece will draw comparisons to Snow Patrol or Keane in turns of their heavy use of piano, but these guys have a little more toughness to their music. Also, they're not afraid of that big nasty guitar that Keane shuns. What's interesting is that the songs without piano seem to pale to the big pounding piano tracks, provided by lead singer Chris Wall. Songs like the straight forward "Charlotte" are okay, while something like "Shooting Star" creeps up on you until burst with intense drums, guitar and piano.

While this being a big small gig, I think their live act will be better suited for the mid-sized rooms on our nation. I was pretty impressed with their latest single, "No More Running Away," which finds the guitar and bassist switching to drums for a trio of percussion goodness. It becomes an aggressive, Muse-like stadium ballad. It will interesting if they find an audience on either side of the pond. This week, they are testing out the waters in Los Angeles, so do check them out if you're so inclined.

The Royal We Call It A Day

To be filed under, "So much for that." Glasgow outfit The Royal We won't be so We after all. On the eve of the release of their self-titled debut album, lead singer Jihae Simmons decided that being a lead singer of an up-and-coming band isn't was it's cracked up to be.

From the NME:

In a statement, the band revealed that their singer, LA native Jihae Simmons, wants to move back to her home after decamping to Glasgow for the formation of the band.

The statement declared: "They won't be making a second album, Jihae is moving back to LA for one thing, other members of the group want to move on too."

They have a handful of dates in London and Glasgow, then the album gets released in the UK on November 5. After that, they pull a Kaizer Soze and they're gone.

That blows. I've been following their progress and was excited to see that they opened up for Franz Ferdinand during their one off shows in Glasgow a few months ago. Obviously, I was hoping they would gain some momentum, since their music has a lot of pep and personality, but the rock 'n' roll lifestyle isn't for everyone.

In any event, here's the track listing of the album:

1. Back And Forth Forever 
2. All The Rage 
3. That Ain't My Sweet Love 
4. Three Is A Crowd 
5. I Hate Rock 'n' Roll 
6. Willy 
7. French Legality 
8. Wicked Game

Previously:

• After I wrote about them, Jihae wrote me a lovely e-mail.

Justice/Midnight Juggernauts @ The Trocadero: Where the Hell Are The Singing Robots?

It was the Ed Banger's Ball in Philadelphia as the Justice league brought the beats and a big illuminated cross for a killer show. Moved from the Starlight Ballroom, The Troc was packed with party people submitting themselves to the French duo spinning and rejiggering of tracks from their fine debut LP, †. At a tight 70 minutes, the show was an ear-splitting, rib cage shaking, head banging, fist pumping, bowel loosening good time.

When you boil it down, the show is Gaspard and Xavier on an electronic alter doing things that none of us can see. The main source of visual amusement is a cross that would turn on off depending on how intense the music would become. It was the dance version of red light/green light. Somewhere in this set-up, there must be a meaning about religion (as shown by the cross) and technology.

I've always been critical of seeing a show and just watching a guy or guys just spin records. It might be fun if you take your drug of choice, but for me, there has to be something worth looking at as well. The Justice show might be the exception to the rule because the music is so potent and enthralling that there could be a cardboard cross lighted by a flashlight and people will still go nuts. From when the screen was lifted to reveal the stage set-up to when the show ended with a reworking of Metalica's "Master of Puppets," it was one big communal dance fest with everyone getting crazy.

What was so great was that they didn't just spin the album or other tracks, everything was stripped down, separated and mis-matched to give tracks like "Genesis," "Waters of Nazareth" and "The Party" a second life in live form. The best track off of † is "Stress" with its sample of "Night on Disco Mountain." Live, the beats kick you in head. The duo left it in tack for a bit until they broke the track down to give you something different. It's interesting that their big hit, "D.A.N.C.E," was the slow down song of the night -- the one where you can take a break from the hardcore beats. It was stripped of its poppy goodness to a simple piano and vocal track. Considering the show is an assault on the musical senses, it was nice to hear the song have a different take.

On the alter is the duo of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay, who you can consider the priests of the night. Gaspard is more of the hype man of the duo, pumping his fists every so often just to make sure everyone is feeling the beat. Most of the time, they just bopped along to their beats.

For a Sunday night, the crowd was amazingly energetic. I'm sure the New York show the night before must have been hyped as well. The Philly crowd swould way forward crushing everyone then sway to the sides and back. For all the chaos, it was rather diplomatic -- no thrown fists or angry looks that I saw. 

Justice has been leading the pack in the Daft Punk tribute band genre. It's pretty uncanny the similarities between the two, especially when you compare their first albums. Both were on the dance scene doing 12" and remixes, before compiling a proper LP. Since the bands are basically knob turners and computer programmers, their early live shows are just two guys and a lot of equipment. Sound wise, the similarities have more to do with Parisian disco club scene and the Ed Banger label. If you take a listen to the label's catalog, it all has the same elements: hard beats, obscure samples, 80s synth sounds, 70s disco, R&B lyrics and a space age attitude.

This simple set-up for Justice was the perfect way to introduce the band. I'm sure they'll go the Daft Punk route and in a few years, they can afford a bigger cross and a more elaborate light show. Maybe instead of a pyramid, Justice can have a funky dodecahedron?

 

I was impressed with Midnight Juggernauts, who are riding that Nu Rave wave that the Klaxons started. The Australian trio play a quasi dance goth rock that sounds like what raver vampires would dance to. It really did the trick in getting the crowd hyped-up. They played selections from their debut album, Dystopia, loud and aggressively.