The Roaring 20's?

Well, the post about The Roaring 20's seems to have evaporated into the blogmosphere, so i figured I'd remind everyone about the fabulous Roaring 20's show coming up.

Pianos
November 10th
8:00 PM
with The Harlem Shakes and Unisex Salon
21+

The Roaring 20's

For the first time, I find history interesting!

I think that I'm in love. The XYZ Affair provide everything I need in a band, and they offer their first EP for free on their website!! Does it get any better? I don't think so. Though I did much snooping, I was unable to find where this band was originally based, though since their inception, they have played all over the place. I will be at their next show at the Terrace Club, you should be there too (more details at the end of the post). I mean, just listen to them! They've got catchy guitar riffs, great vocals, some of the best songwriting I've heard in a while. I find myself singing "Hello Hello Hello" all the time, it's embarrassing, but it's that good of a song. The next song on the EP, "Michael McClory" has saxophone!!! But not just saxophone; it has a saxophone solo... that's class. Both Kyle and I are big fans of the saxophone. The next two songs on the EP, "A Little Lye" and "The Duke Of Paris" are equally catchy, with excellent guitar that almost makes me weep with joy. However the last song, "Diane" has something that sets it apart from the other songs. It has the catchy vocals, the superb guitar work, the exceptional drumming, and the overall greatness of The XYZ Affair, but it also has a section of layered vocals. If there's anything that tickles my fancy, it's intricate vocal parts such as harmonies and syncopation. These vocals, however, incorporate all of my favorite things, and squish them together into 65 seconds of pure awesomeness.

Come see The XYZ Affair at The Terrace Club in Princeton, NJ Friday, November 18th at 11:00PM with The Harlem Shakes and Group Sounds (who are also deserving of glowing reviews).

The XYZ Affair

10:1 (Shows:Month)

Raisch/Hirsch (of the Futuretips)

Walker Lundee

Foxymorons

Jetpack

Finally back from PA. It was a good time. Allow me to elaborate.

So, after having driven for a little more than an hour to pick up some of my friends who are at schools in the Lehigh Valley, we all headed south on 309. We didn't have too much trouble getting there, but we were a little early (it was supposed to start at 2, we got there at 3, nothing happened until 4:30), so we decided to walk around the beautiful city that is Philadelphia. We were probably in one of the skeeviest sections of the city (we did see the Disney Church though, and lots of shoes on telephone lines), although there are plenty in Philadelphia, so we didn't stay out too long.

The venue itself, if you can even call it that, was pretty amazing. It was literally in a room in a huge factory. We were told to take this old industrial elevator to the third floor; it was possibly the most exhilarating elevator ride I have ever experienced. The room itself was about halved by a half-pipe that was being used by some of the older folks and two youngins, perhaps 10 of age or so. Besides them, we were the youngest ones there.

After we arrived, we got the disappointing news that Bishop Allen had car trouble, and they had to cancel. However, we had already driven all the way out there, and I wanted to see Jetpack, so we stuck around. We got a seat on a couch, and the first band, two members from the Futuretips, came on. One played guitar, the other on a synthesizer. Their songs were good, but I wish they had the other three members with them, as the songs seemed empty at times. They even commented on the fact themselves after one of their songs.

After Raisch/Hirsch of the Futuretips came Walker Lundee, who seemed the resident band of 3233 Amber Street. They were on all of the old posters that were up, and the stencil which they used to paint "Walker Lundee" on their bass drum was even taped to the wall. They were alright, although for the night, I think they were my least favorite. The lead played a tinny sounding baby blue Rickenbacker, and was joined by a bassist and a drummer who seemed not to fit well with the other two. Their songs were alright, but after a short while, began to sound somewhat similar.

Next was the Foxymorons, the wild card of the night. I knew they were a similar line up to Jetpack, but I hadn't done enough research. It turns out, the only difference is that there is a different lead singer/guitarist, and Sean plays bass instead of guitar and David vice versa. They were good, very pop oriented. They alternated vocals between David and Jerry the non-Jetpack guy. Personally, I found the songs sung by David a bit better than those by Jerry. The slightly nasally quality of Jerry's voice is a bit hard to get used to, but still good. They were pimping out their most recent album "Hesitation Eyes", but unfortunately I wasn't able to part with my limited funds to get one.

There was a short interlude filled by one Scott of Bikini Car Wash Company, but he doesn't deserve much of a note here. He wrote slightly comical tunes about his Dell computer breaking and whatnot. Jetpack, who shouldn't have had any trouble getting up and going in two minutes flat, took their time and came on some time after Scott was on. Jetpack, although a similar lineup to the Foxymorons, are quite a different band. Sean is such an excellent frontman, with an stellar voice and just a presence about himself. Jetpack's set was very impressive, covering mostly newer material from what it seemed, with songs such as "Hot Rod", "Destroy Your Hideout" and closing with "Mathematics". I was a little depressed they didn't play "Bianca" or "Matters of Science" though. Overall, it was a spectacular performance, and I really can't wait until they come anywhere close to the tri-state area to see them again.

Unfortunately, we didn't stay for the last band, Dragon City, but the logistics of getting back to Bethlehem, then driving to New Brunswick, and then back to Morris County and leaving really late didn't seem to work out. It was a very adventurous night, one which won't leave my mind for a good deal of time. Sorry for slacking in my duties.

Pics
The Foxymorons
Jetpack
Google search for "christian owens" and "tomorrow's friend" "

And sorry for the Rogue Wave play on words. I've been listening to them since their first album, and I couldn't help but use the title to their new single to celebrate the 10th show I went to in one month. It's a milestone I'll ne'er forget.

We Are Scientists, cont.

So, all ended well yesterday. We all arrived at the door a little after 6, and waited for a good time outside. We did however meet Chris Cain, with whom I had a little chat about a potential show at Rutgers (cross your fingers folks). It was still pretty cool to see the guys lugging in their own equiptment from their van parked outside, I must admit, it was humbling.

After getting the tickets, we mosied around the area, and I got a free copy of The Great Gatsby outside of a book store. Anyway... we got back to the venue, and as we were waiting in line to get upstairs, I noticed a woman with a We Are Scientists poster, and I couldn't help but ask where she had gotten it from. She turned around and said, "Oh, I'm with Virgin", and proceeded to give me a poster. I still can't seem to swallow how big they are now. It's really surreal. I mean, they're opening for Hot Hot Heat next month at Starland. What in the world has happened?

The show was pretty excellent. Tomorrow's Friend came on first, and they were pretty good. They are a little out there, where a good deal of there songs turn into noise that's played to a beat. Christian Owens played with them, after an apparent conflict on who would be appearing. The ended coming out with not only Christian Owens, but a flutist. You heard me... a flutist. They only played for 30 min, which amounted to 5 or so songs for the gang.

We Are Scientists came out next, ready and willing to rock. It's a wonder that some nice instruments and 4 or so feet elevation can turn such otherwise normal yet awesome people into rock dieties. It's still disappointing that they neglect to play any of the old stuff, including anything off of the absolutely brilliant Inaction EP, which is a favorite of mine. Don't get me wrong, the new stuff is great, but it leaves me longing for the good old days. We were then graced with C.O.'s presence with us up in the front, which was pretty awesome. She tapped me on the shoulder and stood right next to me. Her friends Julia and Darby also came over and danced with her. Chris was a smart alec enough to make a joking pass at Christian on stage, remarking on the figure of the bassist of the last band. Keith would have none of that of course. A few songs into the set, Keith broke a string on his Telecaster. He went to switch guitars, while Chris heckled about how he'd let fame get to his head and whatnot. Keith, after nearly finishing tuning the new guitar, put it away, and picked up the Telecaster, sans a "G" string (I hate to brag, but the string is now in my dorm room). The continued their set as if nothing were wrong, and it was indeed amazing. The finished with the inimitable "Great Escape". For the solo, Keith got down on his knees in front of his monitor and did some crazy guitar work. He then got up, threw his guitar, grabbed Chris's mic and stood on the bass drum. Chris likewise dropped his bass and began singing into the tom mic, all while Tapper kept on with the beat. It was one of the more ridiculous things I have ever seen at a show. So, all of you in We Are Scientists, kudos for an excellent show.

I sort of wish I was more prepared for Ambulance, Ltd. I must admit, I had not prior to last night heard many of their songs. They were pretty good slow rock which had times of brilliance. The crowd was obviously a vast majority Ambulance fans, and it put my scrawny sweater vest and tie clad self a little bit ill at ease. But so be it. The guitarist for Ambulance gained my undying respect. The, like Keith, had some string troubles, but he, unlike Keith, broke his low E string. For Christ's sake, his low E string! In all my years, I have never seen that happen at a show. He ended up cutting his finger, but did he hesitate? No. He was a trooper. He switched guitars, to one which unfortunately/fortunately had a white pick guard. By the end of the set, there was blood sprayed all over the pick guard. It was pretty intense. They also played a Neil Young song, and I'll be damned if I don't remember which one. They came back for their encore without any kind of wait, and played a few apparent fan favorites. It was, overall, a really excellent show.

For those of you wondering, WAS will be playing the following dates. So go and get tickets. Now. Go.

• Sun October 30 2005
  Los Angeles, CA / Troubadour
• Wed November 2 2005
  Seattle, WA / Crocodile Cafe
• Thu November 3 2005
  Portland, OR / Dante’s
• Sun November 6 2005
  Louisville, KY/ Jillian’s
• Mon November 7 2005
  Columbus, OH / Newport Music Hall
• Wed November 9 2005
  Syracuse, NY / Club Tundra
• Thu November 10 2005
  Buffalo, NY / The Buffalo Icon
• Fri November 11 2005
  Cambridge, MA / Walker Memorial Marss Hall
• Sat November 12 2005
  Hartford, CT / Webster Theatre
• Mon November 14 2005
  Burlington, VT / Higher Ground
• Tue November 15 2005
  Johnson City, NY / Magic City Music Hall
• Wed November 16 2005
  Providence, RI / Lupo’s at the Strand
• Thu November 17 2005
  Sayreville, NJ / Starland Ballroom
• Sat November 19 2005
  Baltimore, MD / Sonar Lounge

And the well worked over UK dates (they're all sold out, you guys must really be catching on):

• Mon November 28 2005
  London, GB / King’s College
  
• Tue November 29 2005
  Manchester, GB / Manchester Academy 2
  
• Wed November 30 2005
  Glasgow, SCT / King Tut’s
  
• Thu December 1 2005
  Birmingham, GB / Flapper & Firkin

I'll be at the Starland show, where they'll be opening for Hot Hot Heat. See you there, hopefully somewhere up at the front.

We Are Scientists
Tomorrow's Friend
Ambulance, Ltd.
Starland Ballroom

No post tomorrow. Going to PA with a fine lady to aforementioned Bishop Allen/Jetpack show.

Sorry, I had to take down the pictures, email me if you want them.

We Are Scientists

So, I may take a temporary hiatus from this blog (don't worry kiddies, just a few days), so that I can go to some shows. Hopefully Ross will pick up a little bit of the slack this weekend when I drive to Allentown then to Philly for the Bishop Allen/Jetpack show.

Anyway, tonight, Ross, Melody and I are going to venture into the big city to try to see the darlings of New York, We Are Scientists. They are fortunately/unfortunately playing the now sold-out Ambulance Ltd. show at Bowery Ballroom. We're banking on the fact that they may release some extra tickets tonight, a few hours before doors. It should be a good show, whether we get in or not, so, if anyone out there is already going, have fun. If we aren't fortunate enough to be graced by the presence of such a band as We Are Scientists tonight, I do have a back up show. Wolf Parade will be playing at the Kimmel Center (of Roaring 20's victory fame). This show will most likely also sell out; the only reason it likely hasn't is because advance tickets can only be bought by NYU students. Damn... I should have told my NYU friends to scalp them. They'd have made a fortune. Anyway, hopefully if we all can't get into one sold out show, we'll get into the equally circumstanced NYU show. We'll see how it goes... and be sure Ross or I will write about it.

We Are Scientists
Bowery Ballroom

Jetpack

So, I think I've finally decided to just follow Bishop Allen around, no matter where they're playing. If it's in California, so be it. The same goes for if it's Australia. I'll even grow a moustache in case they decide to play a 21+ gig. Mmm... I need to ponder on the thought of me with a moustache for a bit... Yeah...

Anyway, Bishop Allen... remember, I wrote about how cool they are last week?... well, they're playing in Fluffy this weekend. And I am so on top of that. They're one of a half dozen bands playing (the show is being billed as "an afternoon delight", running from 2 to 9 at night), including one Jetpack. So, I had nothing better to do on Tuesday, and I visited their website, and boy, they surely slap you in the face with one of the catchiest, raddest indie pop-rock songs I've heard in a long time, and not only that, the video for it. This Nashville/Texas based band (don't ask me how that works) knows how to get the job done. The aforementioned single of sorts, "Mathematics", is one hell of a song. It's got everything from group clapping, some nice guitar syncopations, gratuitous but not out of control synthesizer, and ample opportunity for audiences to join in the "hey hey hey"'s. And let me tell you... Jetpack Sean (as they have taken the names "Jetpack *insert first name here*") has got some style. I don't know what it is, I just can't seem to resist these nerd rock bands. It must say something about me. But this is besides the point. The point is that Jetpack shove more awesome into this three minute song, it boggles the mind. And this one wasn't a fluke by any means. Others like "Destroy Your Hideout" and "Matters of Science" are also gems. I really can't wait to see them on Saturday. It seems that Bishop Allen may be trying to fill the void which We Are Scientists left when they signed to Virgin.

The show itself has been booked by Plain Parade, and is going to take place at 3233 Amber Street in Philadelphia. It seems that this is the address for both "Thrifty Needle" and/or the Oliver Knitting Company. So while many people can say they've been to the Knitting Factory either in New York or California to see a show, I'll be so scene I will have been to a show at an actual knitting factory. The bands playing include the aforementioned Bishop Allen and Jetpack, along with a Jetpack side project/band with nearly the same members named the Foxymorons, Walker Lundee, Raisch-Hirsch, and Dragon City.

Samples (These are available on their website, and therefore I'm hoping I won't get sued. If anyone has a problem with these being here, please contact me and they will be taken down. This will be my policy from this point on.):

Mathematics
Gloomy Jules

Jetpack
Plain Parade
Oliver Knitting Factory?!?

It's here!

Well, it has finally been released. "This Bird Has Flown: A 40th Anniversary Tribute To The Beatles' Rubber Soul" was officially released in stores today. As such, I feel it would be appropriate for me to publish my full review of the album.

The Beatles are quite possibly the most influential band of all time. They octuple-handedly engineered rock as we know it. Though they may have started as sellouts with their nauseating pop tunes, they eventually used their affluence to spread their genius later in life. One such album, "Rubber Soul", changed the face of music forever. Just four months after the release of their multi-platinum album "Help!", "Rubber Soul" sold 1.9 million copies within its first nine days of release. So it comes as no surprise that music artists everywhere would jump on the prospect of doing anything to pay tribute to the band that facilitated the rise of rock. This has its upsides and downfalls as every band, good and bad, want to do their part. On "This Bird Has Flown", you'll get the full spectrum: from the good bands, to the ones that make you want to cry, you'll get it all.

Drive My Car - The Donnas - The other night, I saw The Donnas on SNL, but I didn't think they were anything special. Though Drive My Car does nothing to disprove my assumption, it does prove that they are damn fine musicians with an almost exact replica of the Beatles version. It does have a little taste of The Donnas though with an accentuated drum line, a little more punch to the lyrics, and I do have to admit that the harmonies do sound quite interesting with female voices.

This Bird Has Flown (Norwegian Wood) - The Fiery Furnaces - Alright, I'll try to hold my tongue on this one. It was an attempt to pay a tribute to the Beatles. In my opinion, a horrible, disfiguring attempt, but an attempt, nonetheless. I admire them for their effort, though not for their rendition. I has the traditional sound of the Fiery Furnaces, which is a weird experimental sort of sound. I'm sure that many people like that kind of music, but it's not for me, and it's definitely not for Beatles music.

You Won't See Me - Dar Williams - Another faithful replication here, though it does add a very nice country feel. Say what you will about country, but it has its moments, and this is one of them. The subtle twangly guitars in the background is a very nice touch. All in all, a great rendition of a Beatles classic.

Nowhere Man - Low - When I saw that Low was performing Nowhere Man, I didn't know what to expect. Perhaps I am not as well versed in Low as I should be, but this is not what I was expecting from them at all. It's basically a very stripped down version of Nowhere Man. It's nice, but it leaves a big hole where the third harmony and backup vocals should be. If this were the first time I'd ever heard Nowhere Man, I'm sure I would like it, but since I know what its potential is, I don't feel I can truly appreciate it.

Think For Yourself - Yonder Mountain String Band - Wow. These guys set out to do a tribute, and boy did they do it. It sounds exactly the same as the Beatles version. It has the same guitar distortion, the same vocal parts, their voices even sound like The Beatles. The only difference may be the almost-imperceptible guitar embellishments. I do like it, but I think I'd rather listen to the real Beatles if they're going to play that close to the original version.

The Word - Mindy Smith - Now this is a tribute. It's got the original's music, but it's been totally Mindy Smithified. Overall an incredible piece, and an superb rendition.

Michelle - Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals - A reggae Michelle?? Who woulda thunk? The first time I heard this song, I was quite incredulous, but after hearing it all the way through, it definitely grew on me. It's not what one would expect, but Michelle does make a good reggae song. Ben Harper should learn to pronounce "Sont des mots qui vont très bien" though.

What Goes On - Sufjan Stevens - Uhh... I guess this is What Goes On. Sufjan totally scrapped what The Beatles worked so tirelessly for, keeping only the lyrics. This is definitely Sufjan though, he basically took the lyrics and wrote his own song around them. Not bad I say, but not really a tribute, more of an attempted improvement, and that's not really what I was looking for when I purchased this album.

Girl - Rhett Miller - A good cover by Rhett Miller. It's pleasant because he turned into a pleasant headbopping song even though the lyrics are fairly dark. Very enjoyable, even if it's lost the trademark backwards fffffff of the original.

I'm Looking Through You - Ted Leo - Yes. Very Ted Leo. To tell the truth, this is exactly what I expected. It's good in a way, because Ted Leo has a very enjoyable music style, but I always like suprises.

In My Life - Ben Lee - Sounds like he's performing a talent show. You can even hear the amp buzz in the background. Again, very stripped down (though it seems to have violins, jangly things, some weird howling noise, and somethinreminiscentnt of the piano solo), sounds like it's lacking something. Hopefully the crowd likes him.

Wait - Ben Kweller feat Albert Hammond Jr. - This song is crafted very well, one of Kyle's favorites. It's got the original vocal and guitar lines, but it has a wonderful updated rhythm update, and a little slice of Ben Kweller. I do say, his voice suits The Beatles quite well.

If I Needed Someone - Nellie McKay - This song was very poorly crafted, maybe the day before the deadline. It doesn't sound like much time was spent on it. It's a lounge tune. It's got the lyrics, mostly spoken, a bass riff of arpegiated chords, and some weird piano, nothing special at all.

Run For Your Life - Cowboy Junkies - I hate it when albums end on a bad note, and this is about as bad as it gets. This track is the only track on the album in which the artist had the gall to alter the lyrics. It's not even a meaningful change either. They changed the song from being about a jealous lover to a song about "how girls are better than boys". It's atrocious! They ruined the rhythm and rhyme of the lyrics, just for their own stupid agenda. Just for this one infraction, I don't believe I will ever bother with The Cowboy Junkies ever again.

Well, there you have it. I hate to end on such a sour note. However, the album is a wonderful gesture, and overall, it's a pretty good disc, I'd say a must for the indie fan who wants to get back to his roots.

This Bird Has Flown

I Hope I Die Before I Get Old, But Not Before I'm 21.

So... I was surfing the net, and what do I see but another great show that I am again ineligible for. Man Man (who I saw open for Ted Leo many months ago) is playing a Halloween show at the Delancey in New York, and I again feel like I'm 5 and trying to get onto a roller coaster that you have to be as tall as the clown's arm in order to ride. And what's worse is that it's a free show. I don't even drink, even if I was 21 I wouldn't be, but I still can't get in.

This is a bit of an exercise in futility, because hopefully I will be going to the We Are Scientists show at Bowery Ballroom that same night. But this has happened before. We Are Scientists have had to sneak me into a bar in Brooklyn (The Galapagos Art Space) once, and I've snuck into Pianos on a few occasions. I should start a petition. If I can be sent to war and die for my country, I should at least be able to get into a good show before I die. The Khyber does the same thing to me. They have excellent shows with such bands as The Teeth, and Okkervil River, American Analog Set, and more. And every show is 21+. Damn it. Oh well... I guess at this juncture there's nothing I can do but wait until I'm mature enough to hold some liquor in me. And mope. A lot.

I'm Hooked

I really hate to admit this, but I spent every waking hour in between classes and such for the last 24 hours reading every single Questionable Content cartoon. I am a pathetic excuse for a human being. I don't know what's more pathetic, that I just read them all, or the fact that I'm now blogging about it. And it's all Eugene Millerman's fault. If anyone is reading this, and knows him... I implore you, punch him in the arm when you next see him. He had to mention it to me, and suggest I read it. I mean, I knew it existed, but it was already to slide 300 something, and I didn't have the will power nor the time to start it. I must admit, I was able to relate to Marten to some extent, and it was a fairly good read, but the unabashed sexual tension confined within that comic is enough make a lesser man strangle some cute animal. So, if you have a lit paper due in two days or something, and are looking for something which you can give you the excuse to procrastinate, just click the link below.

Questionable Content, #1

I did get an awesome quote from it though, in slide 126.

PS - look forward to a review of "Talk In Circles" by the Willowz in the next few dayz.

Bishop Allen, Mates of State, Awesome

I love it when you walk into a venue and the band is either at the bar, or one of them is manning the merch stand. It's so endearing, and makes you feel so much more at home. Going to huge shows has its kicks too, but for me, give me some bar in NYC over Keyspan Park or Continental anyday.

October 20th found Ross and I heading back into the city to see Bishop Allen and Mates of State at the Bowery Ballroom. I have listened to Mates of State before, and I know they're good, but personally, I had gone for the opener, Bishop Allen. Before we were even able to check our will-call tickets, I saw all of the members of Bishop Allen sitting at the bar, not ten feet from the door. So, I walked over and they greeted me. Christian Rudder is possibly one of the coolest people that I have ever met, and we had a little chat. His lady, Reshma, joined us soon, and she's just adorable.

So, after chatting for a while, and bending a few ears about the gang possibly coming to play at good old Rutgers University, Ross and I went upstairs. On the way we stopped at the merch stand, and I was disappointed/expecting it when I saw no Bishop Allen merch. However, we asked the man at the table if there would be any BA gear, and to my surprise, he replied that yes, Bishop Allen had indeed brought swag, and not just their excellent CD Charm School, but also shirts. He, however, had no authority to sell them, and I would have to wait to throw money at Bishop Allen.

Ross and I were able to get surpisingly good spots upstairs, seeing as we spent more time downstairs than most. Bishop Allen came on, and I was excited to say the least. They played all the oldies and goodies first, although they missed a few. They only hit "Little Black Ache", "Empire City", and "Bishop Allen Drive", and some reasonably new songs such as "Toast from Benefit Street" and the like. But they did perform "Eve of Destruction", which I have never heard them play live at any of the other five or so shows I have seen them play, so that was a treat. A good part of the set was new material, which was fun to hear, but left me longing for the days in which I knew every word that was going to come out of Justin Rice's mouth. They were all really quality songs, though, most of which were performed with Justin on his Gibson acoustic. They were typical Bishop Allen songs, nice catchy folky pop tunes with a really depressing story. For instance, one of the songs started "I've been to Memphis, that's where my family goes to die". They were very fun to watch though, with Justin doing his patented sideways high step foot tap (if you don't know what I'm talking about, I implore you, go see them. I guarantee he'll do it for you.), and Christian Rudder doing amazing things on guitar. Christian Owens (yes, there are two Christians, one is a man, the other a woman) was holding up the rhythm on bass. Seeing "Empire City" played live is still one of my favorite things to do. The "Wey-oh"s at the end of that song are just too good to want to be doing anything else than staring slack-jawed at the whole band, performing one of their best songs, and one of the best I've ever heard from anyone. C.O. also had a bass solo in one of the new songs, which was pretty awesome. It's always good to see that the band still has a sense of humor, too. The bass drum, which had said "Delamitraux on the drums" at previous shows now sported one less 'd' and 's', now exclaiming "Delamitraux on the rum". I had a good laugh when I first saw it.

They next band to come up on the stage, Dirty on Purpose, was pretty good. They were fairly keen on making lots of noises, and going into the whole spacey etherial feel, but often interupting their mood music with a little bit of the rock. Personally, I'm not one for the spacey stuff, but let me tell you, they could indeed rock. Their guitarist is forging the way for the reemergence of feedback into indie rock. He didn't just make noise with the feedback, he nursed all the right ones out of his guitar, while kneeling in front of his amplifier. I haven't seen such adeptness with feedback... ever. The mustachioed frontman, also on a guitar, sang either in falsetto, or had left puberty behind. It was a bit of an odd fit, but it seems they had lost their keyboardist and vocalist, who was a woman, and he had to take her place. I wish they would have just changed their sound a bit rather than force this poor man to stretch his vocals to unneeded ends. The drummer also picked up on some of the vocal duties, when he wasn't busy playing the same rhythm for practically every song. And he made it obvious too, by raising his arm completely before hitting the snare in at least three different songs. Oh well. The bassist was fairly quiet all set, until they reached their penultimate song on the set list. He used such an effect on his bass the likes of which I have never heard. It was incredible.

After DOP, Mates of State graced the stage. With just an electric organ, an electric keyboard, and a drum set, and a pair of newlyweds. Kori and Jason came up to their respective instruments, and began their mushy pop songs. The best part about their set was that they nearly completely ignored the audience; they either stared at their instruments, each other, or they closed their eyes. The audience was addressed all of three times, one of which to make everyone aware that Kori's father was on the balcony. Mates of State was one of the most adorable things that I have ever seen in my life. It even seemed that when Kori moved from the electric organ away to the keyboard that the increased distance between her and her bo made the songs have a sad feel.

After the show was over, I headed back downstairs to check out the BA merch, and there stood Christian Owens behind the table. I came up and was astonished that they had shirts. You know, things you put over your torso so people can't see your skin. She had apparently broke into Pratt and silk screened them herself. She also had one shirt she hand made, which I also purchased.

And thus our night of glorious, glorious music had come to an end. We almost died on the way back.

Bishop Allen
Mates of State
Dirty on Purpose

This Bird Has Flown

I know it may not be of much importance, but if you happen to be in the Fords, NJ area, you can pick up this highly anticipated Beatles tribute album two days in advance at Vintage Vinyl. I got mine! It's pretty decent with some almost exact replicas of Beatles songs (Yonder Mountain String Band - Think For Yourself), some good interpretations (Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals - Michelle), and some interpretations so awful they make you angry (The Cowboy Junkies - Run For Your Life) if you happen to be as big of a Beatles fan as I am. Overall, I'd say it was a good purchase though, so go out and get your own!

This Bird Has Flown
Vintage Vinyl

Longing for the Decemberists

Just as an aside, I missed the brief period when the Decemberists had three new songs posted on their "secret" purevolume site, i.e., they took an 'e' out of their name. If anyone checks this thing yet (I've been trying to spread the word), and has access to the songs, I would appreciate it greatly if you could send them my way. The titles were apparently "Shankhill Butchers", "Valencia", and "Julie Anne". I was only able to listen to them briefly on Ross's computer immediately before watching Quadrophenia. The first two at least were more on Colin's acoustic side, and seemed like they were very good and well worth having on my computer.

The Decemberists
The Decemberists' Purevolume

Tomorrow will most likely bring a review of the Mates of State/Bishop Allen show. Keep your hopes high and I will be sure to disappoint.

The Roaring 20's

The last month more than deserves a blog, for all of the silly, ridiculous, and outlandish things that Ross and I have been a part of or done. Thus, Sounds of Thunder has been born. We will have a brief period of back reviews of shows and other such nonsense, and will continue to post throughout our future trials and tribulations through the gut of the indie scene.

Anyway... In recent news, fan favorites The Roaring 20's won a battle of the bands last night at NYU's Kimmel Center in Washington Square. The turn out of the show, sponsored by the NYU Ski and Snowboard Club and accordingly dubbed "Yellow Snow", was small to say the least. The audience amounted to 20 people, and thats being generous. Although we were late to the show, which began at 8, and missed one band and half of a set by David Byrne, we did not miss the main attraction. The Roaring 20's came out and commenced the rock, with lead man Karl Fey wearing a 'fro wig and Kevin making ridiculous body movements on the drums. TR20s wooed the crowd with fan favorites such as "Graveyard Hot Tub", and "Plane Crash into a Train Wreck". The new bassist, Ryan, did a good job of taking over where Cassie left off. Although he did use sheet music, no one could think lesser of him for it, for he has some nice, big, high heel shoes to fit into. Pictures of the show have been added to the 20's webpage. And before you ask, yes, that was Ross and I playing Super Smash Bros. Melee which was being projected on the screen behind them.

At the end of the night, the ballots were counted, and of course, our darling Roaring 20s came out on top. For the evening, they made some money, got some free Thai food, and got two kids to help bring their equiptment back to the Lower East Side. We were able to stick around the Fey's apartment, where, at the prodding of Kevin, Karl gave us a teaser of some new material, some of which they will be premiering at Pianos on November 10th. Be there or be under 21. It should be a spectacular show, with The Roaring 20's playing with the great Harlem Shakes. It should be most excellent.

To summarize:

Pianos
November 10th
8:00 PM
with The Harlem Shakes and Unisex Salon
21+

The Roaring 20's