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How stupid fun is I'm From Barcelona going to be at Maxwell's? They might have to set up on Washington Ave.
Previously: Building a treehouse at SouthPaw
I was watching Jimmy Kimmel Live last night, and his second guest was "What's Her Face?" actress Judy Greer. She's one of those faces you see in countless TV shows and movies, but never know her name. She's probably most recognizable from Arrested Developmemnt, when she played Kitty, the crazy secretary with the weird breast implants. She's the Penelope Ann Miller of our generation.
Anyway, Jimmy pointed out that a band named The Westfield Mining Disaster out of Wesfield, UK, wrote a song called "Judy Greer." It goes something like, "Judy, I hate to be melodramatic. Can't you see that my heart is lasting." The song is a pretty lame ripoff of the Belle & Sebastian style as performed by a local pub band. It's not about her (even though a likeness of her is on the cover art), but it's a simple ploy to get the band's name out there. Listening to the other songs from the band, meh! Nothing spectacular
So it got me thinking of other songs named after actresses. the first one that comes to mind is Adam Green's Jessica Simpson, which gave him a little push. I remember seeing him on MTV trying to explain the song. Then there's new French band The Teenagers, with Starlett Johnasson, obviously a riff on ScarJo. Finally, I dare mention CSS's "Meeting Paris Hilton" although it's questionable considering her an actress. Eeesh!
British songstress Emma-Lee Moss is someone you probably already have in your radar. She creates quirky and smart little tunes under the moniker Emmy the Great. She'll be on the line-up of the Rock Over London review at Bowery Ballroom along with her SXSW duties.
Maybe it's an in-joke but her myspace page states that her performance at Franny's Face tonight is canceled "due to how the venue looks." Okay then. I wonder how bad a venue can be. I'm picturing a hole in the ceiling, vomit on the floor, a speaker system with exposed electrical wires and a owner who looks like sloth from The Goonies.
I quick google search turns up no such place named Franny's Face. Oh, that Emma.
In any event, she's having a party and you're not invited, but please listen to "Canopies & Grapes."
You may have heard the big hell-a-baloo over Pulitzer Prize-winning political magazine Maxim and how they speculated a review of the new Black Crowes album without hearing the whole album. Furthermore, the magazine also wrote a critique of the new Nas album, A Bad Racial Slur That Only Black People Can Say, that's not even finished.
Well, I wouldn't let Maxim, Blender or FHM review my lunch order let only trust them on their opinions on the latest frat boy band, made-up or not. I'll stick to the Cat Fancy review of the latest The Kills CD.
What is more ground-breaking about Maxim Magazine, other than their expose on the dangers of snorting Axe Body Spray, is that they also reviewing albums that don't even exist. Check it out.
-- Justin Timberlake, Suck It Haters (3 stars): Listening to Justin Timberlake can make you feel like a eating eggs after a long night of drinking Bud Light. You can feel superior, almost like you can land one of our Hometown Hotties.
-- Rich Suburban White Kids Who Scream, My Life Means Nothing (4 stars): This stuff is hardcore. This album will do for America what Vanilla Ice did to the music industry, tell it like it is to the people.
-- Arcade Fire, Greatest Hits (2 stars): Huh, what? Brain not functioning ... can't understand ... music not produced by Timbaland. Must .... listen ... to ... Fall Out Boy .... arghhhhhh.
-- One Word Named Female Singer, One Word Named Female Singer (3 stars): This chick is hot, like smoking. I don't even have to pay attention to the music. I can really use my creative writing courses to right this music review.
Oh so close, but the Jing Jang Jong have backed out of their two New York dates at Bowery and Union Hall. No word if they'll make the SXSW trek or if they have those dreaded Visa issues.
Previously:
No need to travel to the far reaches of the U.K. as Richard Ashcroft & Co. take their cash making reunion tour to New York's Theatre (Fill in Corporate Sponcer) at Madison Square Garden on April 28th and 29th. My lord! Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 11am.
If you are not sweating in your Birkenstocks at Coachella, they'll also hit up the Palms Resort in Las Vegas and the Ricoh Colosseum in Toronto while on this visit. Pray that Richard doesn't have any airport incidents.
Previously: Solo Ashcroft at Webster Hall
Hey, kids. What I thought was a common cold turns out I've had pneumonia since probably Saturday. On top of that, the meds caused an allergic reaction in my system. Now, I look like Meat Loaf after a performance of "Paradise By The Dashboard Light."
I just want to point out some things, then take care of myself and fire this candle up when I'm better.
-- I would have seen The Switches tonight open up for The Bravery. I talked with lead singer Matt Bishop earlier in the week, so you'll be seeing that interview sometime in the near future.The band's year old debut album, Lay Down the Law, comes out on Interscope on March 18. It's about damn time.
-- Then Friday, I would have caught up with the cutest little local band there is, The Besties, at their single release party at Cake Shop. In any event, they're packing up the van and criss-crossing the U.S. in support of "Bone Valley Deposit."
-- This I'm bummed about ... These United States are playing Union Pool on Saturday and they have some tricks up their sleeves. So go and find out what they are.
-- More bumming ... the closing of Magnetic Field in Brooklyn. I know the owners there take a lot of pride in putting together eclectic line-ups, leaning towards 60s garage and retro-soul. You can always find a WFMU DJ spinning there any given night. In March, I'm sure they'll put together some killer closing shows.
-- How about some good news? My honies, The Puppini Sisters, have their second album, The Rise & Fall of Ruby Woo, is out and ready for download/purchase. Recently, they got flown to Arizona to play a private Super Bowl party. That's where the money is at. I went to a Volvo private function in 2002, where Jon Stewart did stand-up and Suzanne Vega and Sugar Ray did short sets. It's like four-five digit paychecks for less than an hour's work.
-- Nice All-Points West line-up. Good to see Radiohead rocking Jersey City again like it was August 2001. One of the best shows ever.
Okay, folks. Take care of yourself, take plenty of EmergenC and Airbourne or your Vitamin C supplement of your choice. I'll be fine ... hopefully.
Those itching for some post-"Young Folks" material from Peter Bjorn & John will have to wait. Out April 8 is the first solo project from Peter, who has a last name, Moren. The Last Tycoon was also the name of the last F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Not sure what the connection is between the two. Maybe both the novel and this album are unfinished.
If you're looking for Writer's Block enticing catchiness and refreshing easy-goinginess, then The Last Tycoon won't having you forgetting that.
As a whole, the album doesn't grab me. There are hints of interesting ideas, a few violin parts or piano doodles, but lyrically it doesn't warrant much attention and the tone doesn't make you want to wrap your emotions around it.
The idea behind the project was to create more personal music, that doesn't fit in the PB&J realm. The album is a stripped down affair more akin to the somber works of Rufus Wainwright or solo Ben Folds.
I never really do album reviews, just how songs/albums make me feel. This one, I see where he's coming from, I just don't want to see it with him. What it is boils down to is it's 40 minutes of overtly artistic songs where Peter's voice isn't strong enough to make me pay attention. Here's a quick breakdown....
-- Reel Too Real: The opener sets up the stripped down style, a guy in his guitar making songs in his bedroom atmosphere.
-- Missing Link: A few strings sneak into the song.
-- Old Love: The most Rufus sounding song -- heavy piano, theatrical lyrics and focused on more the singing voice.
-- Le Petit Coeur: A sad sap song with sad sap strings.
-- Tell Me in Time:- This is the song I wish the whole album was like. A throwback to Burt Bacharach when he was more a witty pop song writer.
-- My Match: A plodding song that's in the vein of an open desert feeling.
-- This Is What I Came For: A six-minute song in the spirit of Bright Eyes, where he builds to a small climax.
-- Twisted: It comes off as a song made for an animated short about a flea circus -- a little too cutesy.
-- Social Competence: Josh Rouse does songs like these better, a little Spanish flare here, hand-claps there, odd lyrics. This song builds to a big finale, but without a hook or an anchor to hold on to.
-- I Don't Gaze At the Sky For Long: Just a song with his voice and some finger plucking.
In all, just not my thing, but I'm sure Moren put a lot of his personal feelings into the tracks. I just wished he would breathe some fullness into the proceedings.
Reaching back to last Friday, I headed down to Philly to see the final date of the Monsters of Blog Rock tour. The heavily in demand tandem of Yeasayer and MGMT packed them in at Johnny B's, which is starting to become my favorite venue in the city. Little did I know that the era where it's located, Fishtown, is being affectionately called "Williamsburg South." Oh, snap. That's going to piss off all the fake Brooklyners now.
I digress. This is my first time with Yeasayer and second time with the MGMT crew. I am well aware that Yeasayer is THE band to name drop to make it look like you know what the cool kids are listening to. 'Hey, bro. what you listening to these days?"
"Well, I've been dropping some Yeasayer into my mix tapes."
"I'm feelin' you, cousin."
When the four-piece boils down to is a adequate sounding mix of tribal beats and 80s experimental. Think early Peter Gabriel for the modern indie rock set. Live, they are much better and livelier. Although their mixing of styles seems to be done on the spot, it comes off as tight and complete. There's never a dull moment, even when they are playing something that's more heady like "Sunrise". They well known of song '2080" is a big crowd pleasure with jungle beats and vocal echo effects.
The lead singer, Chris Keating, runs the gambit of facial ticks and crazy arm movements. The band is driven by the drums and electronic flourishes. It was a fast set, although delayed because of the band's appearance on Conan.
I'm not ready to bring out the anointing oil with Yeasayer. I still feel they need some elements I can grab onto that will make me remember it past the initial reaction during the show. I knew I watcingh a very different band making some good music on stage, but 4 days later I'm struggling to remember what specifically I liked so much.
As for MGMT, they are my guys. The one bit of criticism I felt when I saw them in December was that they needed to relax on stage and not be so concentrated on the music. On Friday, they were in good, loose spirits, probably looking forward to being home for a while after a long tour. Andrew even cracked some jokes with the crowd by showing the setlist, which was a bunch of random doodles on a white piece of paper. He even introduced "Electric Field" as a cover of The Grateful Dead's "Touch of Gray." I got excited there for a second.
They closed their set with some sort of random mash-up of Led Zeppelin with lyrics about Mickey Mouse. Hey, what ever works fellas to have some fun up there, I'm all for it.
In all, I'm more interested to see what MGMT has in store in the future. They got a wonderful, blend of genres to build on.
The opener was a third Brooklyn based act, Fang Island. The instrumental five piece all about the guitar driven power chords and long sequences of repeated riffs.
Saturday night, me and Jeff from Heart on a Stick headed over to Union Hall in Brooklyn and gotta a double dose of soul.
The big news that came from the event were the surprise guest that took the stage during The Sweet Divines set. Towards the end of their set, I look over to the side and I see this short, black lady. It didn't take me long to figure out that it was Sharon Jones. She got on-stage for a only two minutes, but the whole room was going nuts. I was so excited that I saw her after the set at the bar and gave her a hug. The lady has a hearty laugh.
To give you a little background, two of the singers of The Sweet Divines provided back-up vocals for Sharon's Friday performance with the Dap Kings at Beacon Theater. More on them later.
Eli "Paperboy" Reed channels the ghosts of Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding and just brings the house down. The Massachusetts-based singer and backing band puts the old school in old school soul music. He channels the spirit of that bygone era where singers left everything on the stage. He reaches deep down to bring out his best. At times, it was amusing to see sweat pour down his face, just like you would see Elvis in the old footage from the 60s. Somebody give Eli a towel.
The setlist:
So if a Jewish, out of the control British woman can kick start the the classic soul revival, why can't a Jewish, relatively behaved boy from Boston do the same. Obviously, the live show has to been seen to be believed. It's a high energy affair with Eli taking you through the highs and lows. It's great to have variety when it comes to see shows, so this was something different that I think everyone who loves live music should check out.
Interesting to point out, Reed & Co. will take the road in the spring, as the opening act for emo-punk band Say Anything. Hey, I'm all for it, teach those whipper snapper kids a lesson.
As mentioned before, The Sweet Divines are one of two groups formed out of late soul-revival act The Dansettes. The other being The Nouvellas. So you can consider The Dansettes the Uncle Tupelo and The Sweet Divines and Nouvellas as the Wilco or Son Volt.
In any event, the Divines satisfy my girl-group vocal cravings. The outfit has four singers and an extensive backing band that pay homage to the traveling soul revues of the 60s.
The setlist:
I was a big fan of The Dansettes, and The Divines are just as exciting, if not more. Like Eli Reed and his crew, the Divine crew put on a high-energy show with plenty of dance grooves and fantastic vocals. You can see why Sharon Jones hired a couple for her show.
This was actually my first time at Union Hall and the place was packed for their set, their second ever. They pretty much blew the fake tiles off the ceiling. Everyone was just super impressed with their set. Even without the Sharon Jones guest appearance (also Broadway and jazz singer Gabrielle Stravelli joined in), I strong advise keeping tabs on them. I guess the soul revival is more like a soul mainstay. Good times, I'm up all for breaking up the sometimes monotony of New York indie rock.
