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The Balconies
The Balconies
Audio Blood
by Patricia Scull

I’ll be the first to admit it – I’m a sucker for the catchy hook, which is why The Balconies’ “Serious Bedtime” wrapped itself around some nook in my brain and stayed there on a loop for about a week.

The Balconies is an Ottawa-based trio, comprised of vocalist/guitarist Jacquie Neville’s potentially combustible web – her brother Stephen Neville (vocals/bass) and her boyfriend Liam Jaeger (drums). Their self-titled debut album alternates brother-sister vocal efforts with fast-paced, flashy songs that could easily be recreated live. This is one of the beautiful things about this band – they don’t rely on computers or echoed mics to produce a unique, quality sound. Each instrument’s part is thoroughly composed so that as a whole, the band sounds cohesive, not empty. It might help that all three members are well-versed and formally trained in each of their musical studies. Jacquie’s soprano vocals are pronounced and delicate, with a tinge of sad longing behind them. She can definitely stand her ground though when the song climaxes and the guitar and bass are going haywire in the background. On “Ghost Fever,” she sings repeatedly “you sold your soul you sold your soul,” and for some reason, the listener feels really good about it.

Posted on Short and Sweet NYC on September 21, 2010
by Patricia Scull

Featuring Mike Recine, Hosted by Sean Donnelly

Comic Sean Donnelly made an apt host for this show of three emerging comedians – Mike Recine, Mike Lawrence, and Dan St. Germain – whose conversational style with the audience added effortless flow in between sets, and his own jokes were right on par with those of the comics he introduced.

Kicking off the evening as a feature was Mike Recine,whose set included material ranging from inept pedophiles all the way to Billy Mays, and I’m pretty sure there was an inappropriate Old Yeller reference in there somewhere too. Recine’s style is very dry, and his jokes themselves are funny, but it’s his tongue-in-cheek delivery that really seals the deal. Recine has toned down the vulgarity in his material, making his jokes more intelligent and more palatable to a wider audience, trading in the niche role of the profane comic for something smarter and wittier.

Next up we saw Mike Lawrence, a talented comic and self-proclaimed nerd whose shtick revolves around childhood, comic books and getting laid (or lack thereof). Decked out in glasses, a beard, and a shirt that featured more Marvel characters than anyone even knew existed, Lawrence kept the punchlines rolling with his awkward demeanor and understated charisma. Lawrence’s material tends to deal with already funny subject matter (drunk girls, fatigued drag queens, masturbation), laying the foundation to paint them into a scenario where they become immensely funnier, proving his talent for the analogitic joke. Relaying the time he was challenged to a “nerd off” by someone who claimed to have seen the original Star Wars in the theater over 70 times, Lawrence held his own on stage referencing Mortal Kombat, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman, and the Terminator among others. Despite his awkward stage persona, Lawrence’s set was anything but.

Dan St. Germain opened his set with this sentiment – “Each comic looks more homeless than the last,” and actually, summed up the lineup pretty well in doing so. “It’s not a comedy show – it’s a fundraiser!” St. Germain sported an interesting combo of a wild beard with long, straightish hair, and began his set with a tried-and-true warming of a New Yorker’s heart – the bodega, with its random and never ending selection of goods, reggaeton music, and of course the requisite street cat. He immediately had the audience laughing insanely, as if suburbia was sitting across the room, the joke flying right over its picket-fenced head. St. Germain’s material is widely observational, and he has a special talent for picking out the funny in often banal circumstances. It’s clear these comics hang out together, as one segued into another, covering the same range of topics (pedophiles, being broke, and quirks about New York City), making the show more of a collaborative team effort than a competitive one. Check them out on the web and don’t miss an opportunity to see them live.

Dan St. Germain: www.myspace.com/dsg3000
Mike Lawrence: www.myspace.com/mikelawrencecomic
 

by Patricia Scull

Posted on Brooklyn Vegan on 9.28.10

Considering the genres and subgenres and whatever other classification you want to put Eels into, the two openers for Saturday night's show at Terminal 5 (9/25) were an odd trio. Carla Rhodes, also known as the "Rock and Roll Ventriloquist" - comedienne and ventriloquist alike - produced a Keith Richards dummy from her traveling suitcase and sang "Dead Flowers" with it. Not to be topped, her second puppet act, Cecil Sinclair sang songs about saltwater taffy and commanded her to "crank up that Victrola!"

Second act Jesca Hoop, donning a hot pink top with bell-shaped sleeves draped over her acoustic guitar, possessed a pure and ethereal voice and also made an unlikely pairing with the Eels. Hoop sang a "batch of precocious tunes" for us (her words) in a light, airy soprano that impressively did not lose its airiness even when visiting the lower registers. Her style is very Regina Spektor-like at times, switching octaves and then continuing on in a smooth legato. While the songs on her album Hunting My Dress are backed by a full band, Hoop's performance was solo, only accompanied by her guitar and would fit perfectly on a bill with Sarah McLachlan and co.

The Eels took to the stage after an odd symphonic prelude of "When You Wish Upon A Star" while the stage lights illuminated the various instruments atop it. Mark Oliver Everett, ubiquitous front man for the Eels, started the show with a solo version of "Daisies of the Galaxy," from 2000's album of the same name. Looking much like a painter/trucker, Everett had his head wrapped in a blue bandana and wore all white, rocking his signature grizzly beard. Switching guitars, he went on to play a version of "What I Have To Offer," still solo but accompanied by band mate "The Chet" on slide guitar. The whole band hopped on for the first ensemble song "Prizefighter," off 2009's Hombre Lobo, and from there on out performed material from the newer albums - the aforementioned Hombre Lobo, End Times, and just released Tomorrow Morning. No one can accuse E of slowing down (the man's almost 50), as he and the Eels have released 3 records in a little over a year's time.

One instrument missing from the stage altogether was Everett's signature Wurlitzer electric piano, used heavily on Beautiful Freak, Daisies of the Galaxy, and Blinking Lights. This Terminal 5 show was just straight up, gritty, down-home rock 'n roll. E and the band revisited the past a few times with "Jungle Telegraph," "Dog Faced Boy," and a couple revamped versions of "My Beloved Monster," "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues," and "I Like Birds." Everett howled like a banshee on "Fresh Blood" and performed a retro cover of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer In The City."

The band consisted of Everett, The Chet, and new kid P-Boo on guitars, bassist Cool G Murder, and Knuckles on drums. With 3 guitars simultaneously riffing on "Souljacker Pt. 1," it occurred to me that having that many guitars on a live stage was like typing in all caps - a little unnecessary, but hella fun. Eels wrapped up the show with two encores, one a somber "I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart" and finished the night with "I Like The Way This Is Going" and "Baby Loves Me."

Fans expecting to see emo-Eels perform stuff off Beautiful Freak or Blinking Lights would have been sorely disappointed, as it's obvious Everett is going through some type of mid-life rocker phase. Proving his vocal chops are still intact and that he's versatile as ever, it's clear that E and the Eels are definitely not too old to party.
 

Posted on Brooklyn Vegan on September 20, 2010.
by Patricia Scull

Brooklyn-based Twin Shadow takes the stage first at Le Poisson Rouge Saturday night (9/18), where George Lewis, Jr., mastermind behind Twin Shadow, seems to already have a following. Playing songs off their first album Forget, Twin Shadow seems to have found the portal to the 80's, taking the smoothest beats and synth riffs and totally reinventing the wheel for the here and now, while letting obvious 80's influences shine through. Lewis's vocal style is low and nonchalant but on certain choruses and words, the texture goes way up, almost bordering on screamo, and returns to melodic utterances almost as quickly as it once rose. Someone in the audience shouts for an encore, but they'll just have to wait until Twin Shadow headlines their own show. Twin Shadow is now on tour with Jamie Lidell.

Houston, TX band Indian Jewelry commandeers the LPR stage shortly after Twin Shadow, laying down some ground rules for watching their set: "No flash photography. It makes us look awful. Think about it," along with "No texting on your fucking phones." Opening their set with a completely dark stage, the lighting situation quickly turns to something dangerous for one with epilepsy. Flashing strobe light and indiscernible images projected on a screen complete the visual effects, while bass and reverb boom from the speakers. Using audio effects like consistently grinding electronic bass and guitar layered over an evacuation-type alarm sound with distorted lyrics floating overhead is typical of this band's style, who not only provide a creative visual show but an introspective sound show as well.

The most impressive thing about "electronic" band Holy Fuck is that the multitude of sound pouring off the LPR stage is house-made. While maintaining dance-worthy rhythms and pulses of sound via multiple (toy) keyboards, bass, and drums, keyboardist Brian Borcherdt rips ribbons of 35 mm film through a film synchronizer. This in turn produces an awesome visual element to the show while providing rhythmic sound scratches that are the life and soul of the audio element. The four members come together on stage like some crazy supercomputer from the future, and rock out like madmen using sound in innovative ways to create real-deal compositions that are emotionally and aurally appealing. Because the material presented is all created organically, the live show is more visually engaging, with Borcherdt and fellow keyboardist Graham Walsh busy playing their multiple instruments, turning dials, flipping switches, and pulsing physically with the beats, while Matt Schulz and Matt McQuaid keep things flowing with drums and bass, respectively. Hailed for their innovative methods and quality output, Holy Fuck is keeping the love alive with a US tour promoting their latest release, Latin, that extends through late October.

Posted on Brooklyn Vegan on September 13, 2010
by Patricia Scull

Dan Black headlined Bowery Ballroom on Thursday night (9/10), one night before he played a pair of Fashion's Night Out events. Dan returns to play a dancey BMI & SPIN CMJ showcase at Highline Ballroom on on October 19th, eleven days after he is scheduled to play Austin City Limits 2010. Also playing that CMJ show are The Golden Filter, Neon Hitch, Boy Crisis, Body Language, and The Chain Gang of 1974. Tickets are on sale for those who don't have and/or want to chance getting in with a CMJ badge.

 

The Dance Party opens the night with a dimly lit, melodic, synthy intro, and immediately launches into a driven pop-punk madness that doesn't stop going their entire set. Lead singer Mick Coogan embodies a mash up of David Lee Roth, Mick Jagger, and the all three of the BeeGees rolled into one. The Dance Party's material is characterized by a manic frenzy of electric guitar, fast-powered drums, boppy synthesizer and Coogan's coasting vocals that venture easily into falsetto territory every third note or so. Coogan dances around the stage like a caged sex beast, flailing limbs and hair following in the wake of every hip thrust, while his bassist and guitarist, donned in hi-tops and headband, respectively, trade riffs. It's obvious these guys are just here to party, and will continue to do so as they tour the US promoting their new album Touch (out September 28).

Next up is Class Actress, pet project of songstress Elizabeth Harper, who in a departure from the coffeehouse singer-songwriter, acoustic guitar gigs of yore, sets up her own stage consisting of synthesizers and a lone guitar. Here, bathed in a wash of red light from above, Harper skips around the stage in red stiletto boots, her words reveling in the reverb as she begs the listener, "Love me like you used to." The songs consistently use contrast to emphasize her cloud-like soprano, which floats and hovers above the driving sea of synth beats. Harper herself is all over, mussing her hair as she dances around, crouching, standing, hands in the air. She juxtaposes hard beats and soft, feathery vocal delivery, girl and woman, reminiscent of the 80's, but planted firmly in the now. Class Actress is now on tour promoting Journal of Ardency, which came out earlier this year.

Dan Black is making us wait for it. After two opening acts, his stage is finally up and the house lights are down. There's a tone ringing out from the stage, building anticipation. His other two band mates are on stage before him. Black suddenly makes his entrance, donning his signature face paint, immediately blasting into high energy "Pump My Pumps," off his album ((Un)), which was released Feb. 16 of this year. Black darts across the stage with the mic, stopping to hunch over his multiple computers, one of which looks like it dropped straight off the mothership, with its rainbow of neon, pulsating lights. By the second song, the smell of weed had already permeated the upper balcony. By the third song, the crowd was singing along, and by the fourth song, Black had everyone grooving and hand-clapping to his single "Alone." "Now I know it's New York and you're the coolest people on earth," Black coddled his audience in his proper British accent, "but just this one time ... be a little uncool."

Halfway through his set, he announced, "We're going to do something new ... because it's New York! Although we're probably gonna fuck it up," launching into beats sampled from Rihanna's "Umbrella" for "HYPNTZ," his Notorious B.I.G. cover. After the first chorus, Black paused the song to layer on epic choral vocals, morphing "HYPNTZ" into his mad-dash hit "Symphonies." Practically convulsing across the stage to the beat, one fan shouted, "Do it again!"

After the show, in the lingering crowd outside Bowery Ballroom, one onlooker commented that Black seemed surprised at the show's reception. "It's almost as if he wasn't expecting the crowd to like him that much." Black should probably get used to it, as he's recently received some mainstream press the kiddies can't ignore, in the form of an MTV Video Music Award nomination (for ((Un))'s "Symphonies,") (he didn't win) alongside the likes of Eminem, Muse, and Green Day.

Posted on Brooklyn Vegan on September 8, 2010.
by Patricia Scull

For the first time in my life, I just don't care," Frank Black sang Friday night (9/3), opening his solo acoustic show at Joe's Pub (his first of three sold out Labor Day Weekend shows at the intimate venue). While the song containing these lyrics ("Horrible Day") was released in 2003, it seems that Black has taken them and run. From his wearing sunglasses through the entire performance in the dimly lit Joe's Pub, to a mocking reference to his guitar skills ("And on guitar, we have Jack Shit,") Frank Black, a.k.a. Black Francis, a.k.a. the frontman of influential 90's alt-rock band the Pixies, seems numb to the hoopla. Black's billing at the club is promoted as a "solo acoustic show," however it should be noted that the stage setup contained a Baldwin grand piano, a pump organ, a bass guitar, drum set, and yes, featured Black on electric guitar.

Starting the show with some warm-ups and donning a variation of an outfit some might refer to as the "Canadian tuxedo" (loose fitting blue jean button up shirt, untucked, and blue jean pants), Black immediately mezmerizes as soon as he opens his mouth to sing. Black's powerful timbre consistently leads the crescendo, with electric instruments following behind, sometimes singing melodically, sometimes screeching madly.

Despite promoting his latest solo release Non Stop Erotik, Black pulls some of his Pixies repertoire off the shelf, performing "Nimrod's Son," Cactus," and "Planet of Sound." His solo material is more solemn and less experimental than his work with the Pixies, often using the catharsis of the pump organ as a backdrop for his grainy vocals. His solo material (including that billed as Frank Black and the Catholics) seems as if age and experience has cast a new light over his work, with introspection and flashes of wisdom. "If your heart is sad," Black laments, "this is your new home." At times, Black reverts back to his signature Pixies vocal style, proving that he's no "Burnt Out Rock And Roll" star, a song he included in the set, along with "Manitoba," Ten Percenter," "Los Angeles," and "I Heard Ramona Sing." Black closed the show with a brief and somber encore, reminding the audience to "Sing for joy/Sing for laughs/ If nothing else/Sing for joy."

by Patricia Scull
 

posted on Brooklyn Vegan on August 31, 2010

Like her albums and career choices, Nellie McKay's stage presence and between-song anecdotes are at once unpredictable, sarcastic, sometimes politically incorrect, yet altogether charming. At Sunday's Highline Ballroom show (part of the 2010 Highline Piano Series), she unabashedly revealed that she is a fan of neither Donald Trump nor Michael Buble, jokingly referred to the work of 1960's Doris Day (whose covers she has released on 2009's Normal As Blueberry Pie) as Day's "gay period," and was unafraid to break out a ukulele to perform a new reggae song about New York City bodegas. Not surprisingly, she has dabbled professionally in standup comedy and acting, but in between the verbal jabs and awkward anecdotes, McKay brings a nostalgic artistry in her sometimes timid, sometimes smirking yet always beguiling singular talent as a singer/songwriter.

To open the show, Spencer Reed, McKay's guitarist performed a 45-minute long set of both covers and original material from his new album People Just Don't Like Me, a gentle tongue-in-cheek mockery of the blues. Despite the lighthearted album title, Reed's tongue was firmly planted when performing well-represented, emotion-laden covers by Dizzy Gillespie and Hoagy Carmichael.

McKay's own set which hovered impressively around the two hour mark, included a little of everything from her repertoire. She performed material ranging from Ella Fitzgerald cover "A Tisket, A Tasket," with background vocals supplied in unison by her male bandmates confirming that yes, they too hoped she found that yellow basket, to a piece composed only of McKay's haunting soprano vibrato and a slowly rolling piano bass line. She rolled out fan favorite "The Dog Song," from 2006's Get Away From Me, a play on Norah Jones's Come Away With Me. She unsteadily and endearingly played a plastic white recorder of the elementary school variety alongside percussionist Ben Bynum, jabbered with upright bassist Willie Harvey about a song's key (after stopping the song due to her own mistake and jokingly asking, "Who wrote this goddamn song?!"), and she promptly came out for an encore after less than a minute backstage telling the audience, "I didn't want to go away for too long, or you might go away!" Amidst the banter, McKay conveyed her true talent with original songs as well as covers that showcased her well-crafted vocals.

McKay releases her fifth full-length album, Home Sweet Mobile Home on September 28, 2010 and will be back in New York City at Town Hall on October 15 at part of a show called Broadway Melody Makers.

So I've been slacking lately on posting my music reviews.  Here they are, take a gander.

MGMT
Congratulations
Columbia Records

 First things first - let’s just get this out of the way. Imagine you just had the most mind-blowing, earth-shattering, quite possibly drug-enhanced, most freakishly amazing orgasm of your entire life. In fact, you’re still quaking from the grandeur. That, my friends, was Oracular Spectacular. Comparatively speaking, your expectations are pretty high the next time around. Let me be clear though – this analogy is in no way an implication that the boys of MGMT have, um, peaked early. Gross analogies aside, standing on its own, Congratulations is a solid piece of work. Seriously, how can you hate on a band that writes a song murder-mystery theater style and sings about Brian Eno coming to “smite” them? Really, you can’t. Stylistically, Congratulations is more subdued, with hints of ‘60s pop in the chorus of songs like “It’s Working,” “Someone’s Missing,” and the first single, “Flash Delirium.” There are a few instrumental sections in songs like “Lady Dada’s Nightmare,” and including bits in epic, twelve-minute long “Siberian Breaks,” with its distinct movements dripping cohesively into one another. In this album, the focus seems to strike more on the musicality, versus the lyrics, although the band has said that Congratulations was written as a kind of response to their fame via Oracular Spectacular. Expect the same psychedelic trippiness from the first album, sweetened up with more of a pop vibe. Though the songs on this album may take a little longer to grow on you -make no mistake- once they do, you’ll appreciate their subtle nuances just as much as you appreciated the insta-hits of MGMT past.

*****

The Shaky Hands
Let It Die
Kill Rock Stars

The Shaky Hands = awesome. 

However, since you would probably like some supporting details to my thesis here, I shall provide you with some in the hopes that you will immediately check out their latest release, Let It Die, from Kill Rock Stars Records. These songs kind of make me want to hang out in a seedy dive bar and drink whiskey on the rocks and smoke cigarette after cigarette in a time we could smoke in bars and emerge smelling like a giant ashtray. And I mean this in the best way possible. This band is like a perfect fusion of old school British rock and gritty American folk rock – imagine Tom Petty joining The Who. Their sound is a total throwback to everything that was good about popular rock in the seventies and eighties. Quite impressive as well is that the Shaky Hands can evoke nostalgia for a time most of us reading this blog weren’t even cognizant for – that we were just kids, or not even born yet. Not bad for a four-piece from Oregon. Check out title track “Let It Die” and “Caught In The Storm” for that especially smoky feeling.

*****

Hey Ocean!
It’s Easier To Be Somebody Else
Pop Machine Records

Hey Ocean! and their single “A Song About California” immediately reminds me of The Cardigans – but that is a gross overgeneralization of a poppy band with a blonde, airy-voiced female singer. Hey Ocean! adds funk and energy to their eclectic sound with the use of a very energetic horn line, congas, loud harmonies, lots of snazzy bass lines, and I’m pretty sure I heard a flute in there somewhere. Besides their fusion of pop, rock, hip hop, Latin, and folk (to be broadly generous with genres), Hey Ocean! offers a female singer with an alluring timbre whose notes trail off into the atmosphere like ephemeral clouds. Check out their video for “Alleyways,” which features the band casually gathered in their kitchen singing and each member playing his respective instruments – very organic and casual, yet all together builds something equally yummy and endearing. Also peep “Too Soon” and live track “Vagabond” featuring rapper Shad K and prepare to fall a little bit in love.

*****

Basia Bulat
Heart Of My Own
Secret City Records

Drums and an autoharp – an unlikely pairing in today’s world of electric overkill and post-production tweaks. Add a guitar, violin, and the occasional hammered dulcimer to the mix, and you’ve got an earthy, folky sound that has become a staple of Bulat’s sound. Bulat’s vocals are very strong but at times seem tremulous because of her signature vibrato, allowing her to subtly evoke every drop of emotion in the song. Not surprisingly, a lot of Heart Of My Own was written on the road, drawing influences from the Nevada desert, the Smoky Mountains, and the Yukon. Standout track “Gold Rush” whisks you away and almost sounds Celtic in its fevered tempo and busy barrage of strings. Added bonus: haunting track “Hush,” which features a Bulat joined only by echoing hand and foot rhythms. Other highlights include “Sparrow,” “If Only You,” and “Run.” An extremely charming album, Bulat’s 2^nd full length release reminds us to always stop and check out the scenery.

*****

Emanuel and the Fear
Listen
Paper Garden Records

Fusing a classic orchestral sound with indie pop/rock to achieve an innovative and cohesive sound, Emanuel and the Fear is a burgeoning force to be reckoned with. It’s hard to believe that many of the members of this eleven-piece band are so young, but nonetheless, they have created a socially conscious narrative that really lets the listener peer into the complex worlds of today’s twenty-somethings. Musically, Listen is very emotive and compelling, ranging from an earthy “Jimmie’s Song” to all out brilliant orchestral madness on fittingly titled track “The Finale.” The power of having such emotions expressed so succinctly through the collaborative efforts of so many band members is rather impressive.   Singer Emanuel Ayvas has a very distinct voice, not only aurally but lyrically as well. Through his storytelling, by the end of the album, we not only have a fairly intimate understanding of who Emanuel himself is, but also a better idea of the fear the band’s name describes – as that of leaving this world untouched, unchanged.

Dappled Cities
Zounds
Dangerbird Records

I am a fan of any band who chooses their name out of whimsy.  Dappled Cities, also known as Dappled Cities Fly, is an awkwardly-titled 5-piece based out of Sydney, Australia.  Most of their songs are modeled around crescendoing, flowy synthesizers and driving drum beats.  Take Death Cab, Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, and throw in a splash of Bowie and you’ve got yourself Dappled Cities.  I can imagine them being a pretty good band to see live, as some of their YouTube footage looks hella fun.  There’s a similar quality about all the songs on this album that make any of them perfect for a climactic moment in a movie.  Standout tracks include “The Night Is Young At Heart” and their first single from the album, “The Price.”  Check out this album before everyone in the States catches on.

Golden Silvers
Golden Silvers
True Romance

The Golden Silvers’ catchy first single “True No.9 Blues (True Romance)” sounds like a mixture between Bloc Party and Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film.”  Singer Gwilym Gold sounds at times a little like Chris Martin, but the band’s overall sound is decidedly not Coldplay.  The other single “Arrows of Eros” is so catchy you kind of want to puke – and then listen to it four more times in a row.  Their songs are characterized by likable, poppy melodies, vocal harmonies, and lots of major chords.  Prevalent keyboards and synth work to make the Silvers’ sound distinctly reminiscent of the 80’s, while the lyrics plant us firmly in today’s world of British/indie/emo pop/rock.  For a slight change of pace, check out “Here Comes The King,” which is a slower track in a somewhat jazzy 6/8 time signature.  Put on this band when you’re in a dancy mood and get boogying.