02.16.12 | Less Than Jake | Brooklyn Bowl

Flatfoot 65

Less Than Jake

Less Than Jake

It was my first time seeing a show at the Brooklyn Bowl, and it is certainly a befitting venue for the first night of the Less Than Jake 20 Year Anniversary Tour. One of the things I never liked about punk shows was all the opening bands. Tonight was no different, with three openers before the headliners. The first band, Flatfoot 65, started the night off on the right foot, bringing boisterous Celtic punk by way of bagpipes and mandolins.

The mood gets somber after that. The following bands, are all bands formed over two decades ago, giving the touring circuit a half-hearted try. They are acutely aware of their age and the irony. Next up was Plow United. From their clumsy stage presence and somewhat uncomfortable stage banter one would have thought they were newcomers, grateful to be opening for LTJ. But no, they're called "cult-classics" and they've been around since 1989. The following band, Samiam follows a similar story, this time from California.

Less Than Jake is no different, though they have maintained a fairly consistent career within this band and the members' various side projects. Though the band recognized the novelty of having been around for 20 years (giddily pulling on stage, an older fan with a full white beard and birkenstocks), they played tribute to the old songs that made them famous, like "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts", "History of a Boring Town" and "I Think I Love You". The show brought you back to when you saw LTJ for the first time, and despite the fact that most in the audience were drinking overpriced beer and gourmet grub without a second thought, the crowd surfing and fist pumps of our youth still felt genuine, twenty years later.

Setlist:

1. The Ghosts Of Me And You
2. All My Best Friends Are Metalheads
3. The New Auld Lang Syne
4. Overrated (Everything Is)
5. Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts
6. The Science Of Selling Yourself Short
7. Happyman
8. 9th At Pine
9. Short Fuse Burning
10. Help Save The Youth of America From Exploding
11. Animaniacs
12. My Very Own Flag
13. Goodbye Mr. Personality
14. Escape From The A-Bomb House
15. SpongeBob SquarePants Theme
16. History Of A Boring Town
17. The Rest Of My Life

Encore

1. Plastic Cup Politics
2. I Think I Love You
3. Portrait Of A Cigarette Smoker At 19

Sleigh Bells Announce Reing of Terror Album Details, Tour with Diplo

Watch The Teaser Video & Get Tickets:
http://reignofterror.tv

Sleigh Bells will release their sophomore album, entitled Reign of Terror, on February 14th, 2012 on Mom + Pop Music. Produced by guitarist Derek Miller, and written by Miller and singer Alexis Krauss, Reign of Terror is the highly anticipated follow up to 2010’s Treats. Prior to Reign of Terror’s release, Sleigh Bells will embark on a full tour of Florida, where Miller grew up, with fellow Floridian Diplo and Brooklyn’s Liturgy.  Dates below.

Upon unleashing Treats into the world, Sleigh Bells quickly became the most exciting new band to emerge from their hometown of New York City.  Treats’ deft, stylish combination of genres, sounds, and dynamics was simply unprecedented.  The album’s own extreme volume was matched by the deafening roar of praise, landing the band everywhere and putting the record on over 50 year-end lists for 2010. Sleigh Bells toured behind Treats relentlessly, opening for the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Yeasayer and Major Lazer before headlining their own shows, many of which sold out in mere minutes.  They played lauded, exhilarating sets at festivals around the globe, confirming their status as a sheer tour de force on the stage.

It is this intense live energy, coupled with the continued desire to carve out new musical terrain, which runs throughout their new album, Reign of Terror. Engineered by Shane Stoneback, who helped to record Treats, songs on Reign of Terror are as crushing and authoritative as their title suggests; they’re effortlessly robust and heavier than any of the band’s previous output, but more melodic as well, the sonic equivalent of a beautiful shotgun to the head.  Packed densely with stomping beats, shredding Jackson guitar riffs, sinister ribbons of Alexis Krauss’ candy-coated vocals, and the cries of a pep rally gone terribly wrong, Reign of Terror is a record that, like its predecessor, redefines everything you think music can be.

Tour Dates (w/Diplo):
2/3/12 Gainesville, FL @ Florida Theater
2/4/12 Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
2/6/12 Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
2/7/12 Tallahassee, FL @ The Moon
2/9/12 Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live
2/10/12 Orlando, FL @ Firestone
2/11/12 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
2/14/12 Miami, FL @ Grand Central
 Tickets: http://www.reignofterror.tv

Track List:
01 True Shred Guitar
02 Born To Lose
03 Crush
04 End Of The Line
05 Leader Of The Pack
06 Comeback Kid
07 Demons
08 Road To Hell
09 You Lost Me
10 Never Say Die
11 D.O.A.

For More Information:
http://www.reignofterror.tv
http://www.facebook.com/sleighbells
http://www.twitter.com/sleighbells

11.17.11 | The Kooks | Webster Hall

Playing two sold-out shows at Webster Hall, The Kooks brought Britain back on the map with their cheery guitar rhythms and signature vocal sound. Complete with moves like Mick Jagger, frontman Luke Pritchard strutted around the stage in similar fashion, expertly cranking out old favorites as well as songs from their latest album, Junk of the Heart. Frequently throughout the night, I felt like I was in a different era, the one where there were four similarly mop-topped boys feverishly playing their instruments for a slew of girls (and in the aughts version, quite a few dandier boys). Such was the case especially when they played such hits such as "Naive" and "She Moves In Her Own Way". However, newer songs were also well-received, like "Is It Me" and "Mr. Nice Guy".

The new album shows a natural progression in the maturity of the band. Whereas their first two albums capitalized on the snotty mix of punk rock with brit pop, the new album seems to take a calculated effort at challenging the band to write meatier rock songs. While there are still plenty of their signature catchy pop songs, the album reveals that maybe these Brit boys have grown up.

Ingrid Michaelson Announces New Album 'Human Again' Out January 24th

Stream "Ghost" At EntertainmentWeekly.com
 
Ingrid Michaelson will release her eagerly awaited fourth album Human Again January 24th on Cabin 24 Records/Mom+Pop Music. Fans can download the debut single, “Ghost,” on iTunes and Amazon now as well as stream the track at EW.com.

Human Again, produced by David Kahne (Regina Spektor, Paul McCartney), is a triumph in aural range, the music veers from orchestral to percussive, while her accompanying voice swells from contralto to soprano. These darker, impassioned songs plumb the breadth of human emotion and throw a wrench in Michaelson’s reputation as the crafter of dainty love songs. One of the most gutting is the album’s first single, “Ghost,” a hushed reflection on lost romance that unfurls ruefully from its opening line.

“The album is called Human Again because it’s taken me a very long time to be happy,” explained Michaelson. “The music on this album might surprise some people. I was really singing out, physically; I was writing about a really dark time in my life.”

Eager fans quickly sold out Ingrid’s 5th annual “Holiday Hop” during the fan club presale earlier this month. The annual holiday-themed concert, which has received rave reviews, will be held on December 10th at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. Later this month Ingrid will fulfill a lifelong dream when she performs on the 85th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airing live on NBC.

Michaelson’s music, often about love and relationships, has wafted out of televisions across the world in handfuls of Grey’s Anatomy episodes (not to mention countless other series since such as American Idol, Parenthood, and So You Think You Can Dance), in an affecting Google Chrome ad, on VH1 as an artist “You Outta Know” and, most recently, the trailer for the award-winning film Like Crazy. The New York Times marveled that she was “singing her way from obscurity to fame.” Billboard trumpeted her as the face of the new music business. NPR declared, “Ingrid Michaelson is everywhere.”

Ingrid has performed on Good Morning America, Live with Regis & Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Rachael Ray Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. All of Ingrid’s music is released via her own Cabin 24 Records label which has sold nearly 750,000 albums and over 3 million singles to date. Cabin 24 Records will release Human Again as part of a unique marketing and distribution arrangement via Mom+Pop Music.

Pre-Order Human Again On iTunes

For More Information:
http://www.ingridmichaelson.com
https://twitter.com/ingridmusic
http://www.facebook.com/ingridmichaelson

10.01.11 | Ben Harper | Terminal 5

Hoping to snag a good spot to see Ben Harper, I arrived early enough to catch the opener, Grace Woodroofe. I immediately regretted this decision once I had procured a spot and was able to watch her "perform". Deceived by her deep mature voice, her stage antics were more age appropriate to that of a teenager singing into a hairbrush in her bedroom. Not knowing the proper etiquette for a musician on stage, she chose to imitate the idea of the rock star, by thrashing about with her hair covering her face, and then immediately realizing that this was impractical and constantly tucking her hair behind her ears. One cannot blame Woodrofe for feeling giddy, as she was discovered at 16 by Heath Ledger, and skyrocketed to first in line to have her album produced by Ben Harper. Sure she may be his protege (or something more?) but she needs a few more years in the oven before they should let her open for such a commanding artist such as Ben Harper.
This was my first time seeing Ben Harper live, and he certainly lived up to the acclaim. He opened his set with a cover of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", a thrilling intro to his dynamic vocal range. He then proceeded into a number off his new album, Give Til It's Gone. His set ranged from old favorites like "Diamond's On the Inside" and sure to be new favorites like "Rock N' Roll is Free". There were crazy, twenty-minute solos by all members, a blazing rendition of "Lay There & Hate Me" and a poignant moment when he played "Masterpiece". For the encore, he opened with, "Another Lonely Day" which was followed by Neil Young's "Helpless", which featured Woodroofe again in a much more fitting setting. The band also played a cover of Led Zeppelin. The set was a little heavy on the covers side, but it allowed the musicians to shine. It felt like you were sitting in on a jam session, and witnessing something organic.


Set list: October 01, 2011, Terminal 5, NYC

08.01.11 | Lykke Li | Central Park Summerstage

Image courtesy of Vincent Cornelli via Brooklyn Vegan

A humid dusk settles over Central Park Summerstage. What better scene for Lykke Li, the Swedish songstress, to seduce a group of fawning New Yorkers?

Unfortunately I had to sit through the opener, Timber Timbre, who was as annoying as the mosquitoes and dragonflies flying over head. The lead singer also spent the entire set in a beekeeper get up, which did not gain him any sympathy.

Finally, after waiting the allotted 45 minutes while I contemplated if I wanted an overpriced beverage or ice cream, Lykke Li et al appeared on the stage amid a swarm of fake smoke and billowing drapery. She opened with "Jerome", a somewhat soft opening number in my opinion, but soon picked up the pace with "Breaking It Up". She played a good mix of numbers from Youth Novels and Wounded Rhymes, with singles from both albums being well-received in equal measure.

As a performer, she was about as enthralling as a pair of hot pants and a muu muu can be. It would have been nice if she engaged more with her band or the audience. The entire act seemed a bit routine, despite her reassurances that she was "so happy to be here". Nevertheless, she performed flawlessly, as one would after playing the same songs repeatedly. Her live performance closely mirrored the studio versions, but sometimes you just want to see the face behind the voice.

04.30.11 | Of Montreal | Webster Hall

Having missed Of Montreal last year with the infamous incident of Susan Sarandon spanking lead singer Kevin Barnes, I quickly bought tickets to last night's show as soon as they were available. Although there were no celebrity shenanigans, the evening was nevertheless entertaining.

The band played through songs off albums old and new with a tone casual nonchalance, as they had no doubt played through the same songs many times before to the same reaction. The real treat was watching the back-up dancers and their ridiculous routines and costumes, and witnessing secondary members of the band have their moment in the spotlight.