When Wild Beasts came to New York City last fall, they found themselves in the pressured position of having a lot to prove. They’d made only one US trek beforehand, to SXSW. Members of the press came out in droves to hear and see the UK foursome, now on their second album, Two Dancers, which had been graced with Pitchfork’s coveted “Best New Music” moniker. The Beasts didn’t crack under the pressure, they roared, seducing all ears and eyes in their path. Closing out their first full US tour in Brooklyn, the Wild Beasts were relaxed and giddy, coming off what must’ve been a successful run of dates.

It helped, no doubt, that the crowd was rapturous and vocal in their support. “You guys are great and we’ve hardly even started,” Tom said after the second song, “We Still Got The Taste Dancing On Our Tongues.” One guy jumped up on stage during the boisterous “Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants,” to join the band in their singing & dancing.

And do they ever dance! None of this “sullen,” “tortured” act that too many artists try to use as an excuse for behaving as though they don’t enjoy their own music. Wild Beasts enjoy what they do, and they show it – jumping and swaying and shaking their bodies, and pumping their fists. They may have tried to hold back their smiles, but their cheeks puffed up with pride, belying their grins.

The crowd was dancing, too – it was hard not to. Their recordings are beautifully coated in vocals, and keys, and guitar, but their live shows draw out their rhythms, turning even the most atmospheric and moody tracks (“Two Dancers I,” “Two Dancers II”) into a dare not to move your body. But the beauty is all still there, in the fluttering notes of “Empty Nest,” in Hayden Thorpe’s operatic falsetto and erotic growls, in the opening line of “His Grinning Skull,” “How can you pine anymore?” Always a Wild Beasts talking point, but impossible to ignore, the contrast of Thorpe’s icy countertenor with Tom Fleming’s warm, robust lower register commune like the sweet and the salty, enhancing each other, complementing each other, and competing with each other, all at once.

Wild Beasts: “His Grinning Skull” (download)

Before closing with “Cheerio Chaps, Cheerio Goodbye,” Thorpe commented, “Thank you, this is incredible. This is the cherry on a very handsome cake.” It made for a sweet evening, indeed.

For more pictures & information, including the setlist, click the jump.

SETLIST
Fun & Powder Plot
We Still Got The Taste Dancin’ On Our Tongues
Vigil For A Fuddy Duddy
This Is Our Lot
Two Dancers I
His Grinning Skull
Two Dancers II
Please, Sir
Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants
All The King’s Men
Hooting & Howling
Encore: Devil’s Crayon
Empty Nest
Cheerio Chaps, Cheerio Goodbye

Wild Beasts Official Site
Wild Beasts on MySpace
Wild Beasts on Twitter

SEE THE FULL SET OF PICTURES HERE.

One of the biggest challenges a music writer can face is writing about a band you adore. Sometimes you like something so much that the task of describing it is an overwhelming pressure. You want to do it justice, you don’t want to over-sell it, but you want to convey just what makes it so fantastic. Sometimes all that comes out of your mind is a jumble of generic positivity (which, if you ask me, is more the reason behind the hyperbolic tendencies of the blogosphere than anything else).

This week, I attended my sixth and seventh Yeasayer shows – all within the past two years. I’ve seen the psych-pop-folk-rock outfit from Brooklyn more times than any other band in those years, and although they’ve completely shown-up every band they opened for (MGMT, the National, Man Man) or played with (Amazing Baby, Suckers), I only wrote about one of those shows. There’s a reason for this, and that reason is the challenge of describing what I like about Yeasayer in anything other than hyperbole. There’s also the fact that once you cross a certain line, it can be difficult to still play the critic.

When tickets for the Bowery Ballroom & Music Hall of Williamsburg Odd Blood release week shows went on sale, I was on a bus to Boston. Having acquired Yeasayer tickets in the past with no problem, I figured I would order them when I arrived in Boston three hours later. By the time I arrived, the shows had sold out. The album hadn’t even leaked yet, but their reputation had clearly been fueled by Dark Was The Night track, “Tightrope,” and the Odd Blood single, “Ambling Alp.” But the resilient heart does not give up so easily. Odd Blood was my most anticipated album of 2010, and I was determined to see Yeasayer play on this tour.

Monday night I arrived at Bowery Ballroom early on the chance there would be a few extra tickets, and gloriously, there were. I drank a beer in quiet celebration. I met a nice guy who traveled up from Tennessee to see Yeasayer both nights.

Openers Bobo were more gimmick than band. Wearing matching outfits of yellow turtlenecks, overalls with cutouts showing fake body parts, and foam tails, they sang about genies, cops, adventurous kids & cupcake companies. At the very least, though, they were amusing – every audience member had a smile on their face.

Mid-show entertainment was Light Asylum, whose set-up comprised an insane amount of cords and plug-ins. Their haunting electronic gems were more akin to a Kraftwerk kind of stream than a Yeasayer. The real driving force was the voice of Shannon Funchess, mastermind behind Light Asylum, and possessor of some real power-house, deep, booming vocal chords.

Owning up to their standard classification as a psych band, Yeasayer took to the stage amid an impressive light display. For their last tour, it was glowing orbs, this time, it was a four-piece backdrop, and light-up pedestals.

They opened with “The Children,” Odd Blood’s rather controversial first track. In previous interviews, the band has mentioned a two-step approach to their music: They create the music in the studio, and then they work out the best way to recreate it live. This shows through immediately; “The Children,” which has no discernible guitar on the album, was lead by Anand Wilder’s guitar in the live setting, giving it a warmer, more organic feel.

This approach breathed life into some of Yeasayer’s less accessible tracks. “Love Me Girl,” which begins Odd Blood’s odd second half, was pushed to its R&B dance jam heights, complete with smooth dance moves from smooth-voiced Wilder.

Mid-set the band transitioned into older material – “Wait For The Summer” and “Sunrise” from All Hour Cymbals, and “Final Path,” a popular b-side. It’s hard to tell with the three year time period between albums, but either the earlier songs were given a more stripped down treatment, or just seemed simpler in comparison to Yeasayer’s complex new direction.

Chris Keating retains his entertaining as ever spastic moves and facial contortions, and co-lead vocalist Wilder seems to have picked up on some of Keating’s stage charisma in the process of taking a more prominent vocal role on Odd Blood.

The band was in good spirits about the sold out shows (“You must’ve been on the internet real fast,” Keating remarked. “I couldn’t buy a ticket for my own show.”), and the release of Odd Blood (“Did you download it?” Keating asked with a grin and a laugh.)

The last chunk of the setlist held the new album’s biggest pop songs – “Mondegreen,” “Ambling Alp,” “Rome,” & “O.N.E.,” making for a solid 20 minutes of all out dancing. Leaving the crowd begging for more, they naturally closed out an encore with the song that started it all, “2080.”

Yeasayer: “O.N.E.” (download)

For the second evening at Music Hall of Williamsburg, an early venture to the box office was not as lucrative as it had been the evening before. Upon returning to the venue awhile later, however, my friend and I were left to marvel at the kindness of strangers. We ran into the young man from Tennessee who I had met the night before, and he had an extra ticket, as did a couple who walked by while we were discussing how hard it was to get tickets. (Many thanks to all three of you, on the offhand chance you see this.)

While the show at Music Hall of Williamsburg boasted the same setlist, to some disappointment, it had the exact opposite feel of their Bowery show. Where the Bowery show was more impressive in terms of the sound, the band was visibly more excited about playing in their home borough of Brooklyn (“We parked right outside,” Keating commented). And while the Bowery set started strong and found the band looking a little exhausted by the time they reached “2080,” they seemed to hit their stride mid-set at Music Hall.

Regardless of what one thinks about the new direction of Odd Blood, Yeasayer is truly a band that is consistently working on producing the best live show possible – and they deliver every time.

Click the jump for the setlist, more T-Sides photos & more info.

SETLIST (both nights)

The Children
Madder Red
Tightrope
Love Me Girl
I Remember
Strange Reunions
Wait For The Summer
Final Path
Sunrise
Mondegreen
Ambling Alp
Rome
O.N.E.
Encore: Grizelda
2080

All photos from Bowery Ballroom, taken by me. See the full set here.

Light Asylum

Yeasayer

Yeasayer Official Site
Yeasayer on MySpace

Light Asylum on MySpace

Related Posts:
T-Sides’ Decade in Review: Albums
New Yeasayer: “Tightrope”
T-Sides’ 2008 in Review: Concerts
Ear Farm: The National, Yeasayer @ Central Park Summerstage

2009 was a rough year, personally, for your poor webmistress, but it would take quite something to stop the compiling of year end lists. Though, 2009 wasn’t such a competitive year for music, either, since this list wasn’t the battle it was last year. No agonizing “I can’t believe I have to leave this out!” cut offs, no close calls. Just 10 (… 11) albums that seemed to be the only things worth gracing the computer/car/iPhone speakers with. Some of our regular year-end features might be absent (most notably, concerts & songs), but in their stead you will get the all too epic decade-end list (to follow this one shortly). That’s not such a bad trade-off, right?

10. (tie) Dan Auerbach, Keep It Hid

The Black Keys front-man didn’t necessarily break new ground on his solo effort. If you didn’t know any better, one could listen to this and think it was a wimpier Black Keys album. That said, it’s also just plain ridiculous how many worthwhile songs Auerbach can pull out of his hat. The songwriting on Keep It Hid is in no way any lesser than the Black Keys’ best efforts. Tell us, Dan, does the well ever run dry? Read my full review of this album on Pop Dose.

Favorite Tracks:
“I Want Some More” (download)
“Real Desire” (download)

10. (tie) Dodos, Time To Die

The third effort from the Dodos is a little more subdued than Visiter, the album that put the bay-area outfit on the critical map, but that’s not always a bad thing. Time To Die is more edited, making it feel tighter but also less demanding, at times. Still, the Dodos’ robust pop is absolutely irresistible.

Favorite Tracks:
“Fables” (download)
“Troll Nacht” (download)

9. Kurt Vile, Childish Prodigy

For awhile, Kurt Vile was one of those names – a name you recognized, but it seemed like just those jerks at loft-parties trying to one-up each other were talking about him. Then came Childish Prodigy, and Vile’s relentless east coast touring schedule, and it got pretty hard to ignore the guy… and who would want to? Vile’s warm and delicate melodies are contrasted with his deep, almost drone-like (but not emotionless) voice. Childish Prodigy is ever present – put it on and he forces you to pay attention.

Favorite Tracks:
“Freak Train” (download)
“Heart Attack” (download)

8. Akron/Family, Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free

The eccentric trio throw down funky jams across the spectrum on their fifth full-length – from soft folk through freaky noise through dance beats and electronic grooves. Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free is a statement of a diverse unity. Read my full review of this album on Popdose.

Favorite Tracks:
“River” (download)
“Last Year” (download)

*7. Dirty Projectors, Bitte Orca

History is littered with examples of intellectual curios who needed someone to bring them down to earth. As it turns out, what Dave Longstreth, manwondergenius behind the Dirty Projectors, really needed was a couple of talented babes to help translate the circus in his head into something people could really listen to. Many of us thought he had struck gold with Rise Above, his re-imagining of Black Flag’s Damaged, but then “Stillness Is The Move”-driven Bitte Orca dropped. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but neither is sushi. Or foreign films. Or morning sex. Some people just don’t know what they’re missing.

Favorite Tracks:
“Stillness Is The Move” (download)
“No Intention” (download)

*6. Wild Beasts, Two Dancers

Imagine if your strongest feelings of love, lust and sadness were put into satiny, crisp, dark pop songs, only escaping in growls, yelps and hoots, like a cross between Interpol, David Bowie & an orgy. What you might conjure up would sound a lot like a British foursome known as Wild Beasts. If that doesn’t sound appealing, you could probably skip this one (but, honestly, how could that not sound appealing?).

Favorite Tracks:
“Hooting & Howling” (download)
“This Is Our Lot” (download)

**5. The Jobz, S/T

Sometimes you don’t need to write tons of drafts for something. Sometimes the words land exactly as you mean them to. Sometimes you’ve listened to something so much that it becomes ingrained in your memory, in your soul, in your heart. It becomes your secret identity, your late-night confession, the album you wrote but never wrote. I wrote the one-sheet for the Jobz, and I wrote it more quickly than any record review I’ve ever written. (That’s also the only time I’ve been asked to write a band’s promotional material and have accepted.) Sometimes you are taken over by something you fully trust in, and there’s no need to second guess it: This goes as much for my response to the Jobz as it does to the band’s acerbic, infectious garage rock.

Favorite Tracks:
“Human” (download)
“Flirt” (download)

The band is giving the entire album away for free. Download it from their website.

4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz!

It says something about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ output that I can write a review about how I don’t like It’s Blitz! as much as I like Show Your Bones, and yet, they still easily make it in my Top 5 of the year. Read my full review of this album on Popdose.

Favorite Tracks:
“Hysteric” (download)
“Soft Shock” (download)

3. St. Vincent, Actor

Zooey Deschanel is supposedly the queen of the indie sweethearts, but can we please give that title to a wide-eyed brunette with some actual talent? Like, say, Annie Clark, known to the music world as St. Vincent? She’s sugar sweet, sour sharp, and could stand head to head with any male indie guitar virtuoso you could throw her way. Read my full review of this album on Popdose.

Favorite Tracks:
“Marrow” (download)
“The Party” (download)

2. Neko Case, Middle Cyclone

If this list had been about the most personal albums released in 2009, the albums that told the story of my year, my life, Neko Case’s Middle Cyclone would have filled spots 1-10. Case’s thick skin laced with tenderness, and cynicism laced with hope spell out my battles almost as well as anything I could have written on my own. That note aside, Middle Cyclone is easily Case’s warmest and most personal release, despite the tough-girl cover. Read my full review of this album on Popdose.

Favorite Tracks:
“Middle Cyclone” (download)
“I’m An Animal” (download)

*1. Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavillion

Go ahead. Laugh, roll your eyes, feign shock that I picked the same #1 that nearly everyone else did. But goddamn it, there is a reason why this album got to so many people, why people declared it the album of 2009, then other people back-lashed the hell out of it, then it turned out to be the album of 2009, anyway. For years, Animal Collective hinted at their soft, poppy underbellies, and Merriweather Post Pavillion finally saw them shedding their obligation to their dissonant reputation and making themselves a legit pop album. But it’s more than that. They not only let us into their pop psychology, but their day-to-day lives, as well, with tales of lust for their wives, obligations to their children and curtailing their desire to run away from it all. Sometimes personal growth reflects the growth of a community, and Merriweather Post Pavillion did just that. Which is exactly why this blog has shit on AC before, but this year, we’ve giving them what they’ve earned. Read my full review of this album on Popdose.

Favorite Tracks:
“My Girls” (download)
“Also Frightened” (download)
And “No More Runnin,” and “In The Flowers,” and…

Top 3 Albums Everyone Else Liked But I Didn’t
(Or: The time of year when I stop biting my tongue.)
(Or: I never said I’m not an asshole.)

3. Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix: It isn’t so much that I didn’t like this album as I found it unimpressive after you got past “Lisztomania” and “1901.” Those songs are great. The rest of the album? Meh. Dear Phoenix, here’s a tip: Don’t put your best two songs as the first two songs on an album.

2. Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest: Snooze-fest, 2009! (Minus “Two Weeks.”) Don’t come at me with your arguments of subtlety this and headphone album that. It’s boring, that’s what it is. They’re a decent live band, but there are albums much more worthy of your headphones and your careful consideration.

1. The XX, XX: You know what your brain does to try and protect your body from harm? It gets you to fall asleep. I’d construct my argument against this completely over-rated, completely uninteresting album, but I fell asleep when someone put it on the stereo 5 seconds ago.

*Disclosure time: You may remember that a few months ago, I mentioned that I got hired by Domino. Well, I am soon to be no longer employed there. Both the Animal Collective & Dirty Projectors albums were released before I worked there. Only the Wild Beasts album was released while they were giving me a paycheck. So, if that makes you uncomfortable, just pretend it’s not on the list, and you’ll still have a nice, round number of 10 albums from me.
**Disclosure time, again: I personally know The Jobz. As in I sometimes talk to, hang out with, and drink beers with them. If you are of the opinion that being friends with someone renders you incapable of being legitimately critical of them, feel free to have a chat with the people I know whose requests to review their albums I’ve turned down/ignored.

I’m truly sorry T-Sides and all related projects have been offline for so long. Chalk it up to summer, chalk it up to a quarter-life crisis, chalk it up to any sorry excuse for life taking us away from the things we love that require any amount of work. But let’s turn the focus on the positives. I’ve certainly continued ingesting and thinking about all things culture-related, just find myself less able to capture the associated thoughts. So, here’s a showcase of Top 15 things that have been on the T-Sides radar while we’ve been dormant (not in order of preference, simply in the order of thought). Click the jump to see!

1. TV on the Radio Remixes – Read Silence

Truth be told, remixes rarely appeal to me. A relationship with a song can be so personal, so intimate, that for it to be broken down into pieces and transformed can be like going to bed with someone you love and waking up next to a stranger. But holy hell, all three remixes on the Read Silence EP are breathtaking reinterpretations. The handy craft of Glitch Mob, Gang Gang Dance and Jneiro Jarel on these selections from Dear Science are perfect companion pieces to TV on the Radio’s compositions. It’s like finding out that someone you already love is an amazing cook or volunteers to teach children how to read or something.

TV On The Radio: “Shout Me Out (Willie Isz Remix By Jneiro Jarel)” (download)

***

2. Neko Case, Neko Case, Neko Case

Oh, Neko. It’s quite possible that my girl-crush on her has gone too far, considering I’ve begun to imitate her promotional art in portrait form. Middle Cyclone enchanted me so deeply that I went back to listen to Fox Confessor… and Blacklisted, and more frequently than any other current listening habit I’ve developed, I have a tendency to just put those three albums on shuffle. It’s only a matter of time until I own and then do so with her entire catalog.

Neko Case: “Runnin’ Out Of Fools” (download)

***

3. Mariah Carey, “Obsessed”

The reasons why this song is on repeat deserve their own list, because it mostly involves the lyrics, like “All up in the blogs,” and “Lyin’ that you’re sexin’ me,” but especially the line, “Got you all fired up with your Napoleon complex, seein’ right through you like you’re bathin’ in Windex.” Really. Oh, and it’s a Mean Girls reference. What’s not to love?

Mariah Carey: “Obsessed” (download)

***

4. Ear Farm

Go ahead and call me biased since my name has appeared on the site a time or two, but truth is, it’s not bias, it’s bloggist envy! The crew at Ear Farm have been coming up with some ridiculously insightful, entertaining and impressively original features. From countdowns like the “Top 10 Most Metal Classical Music Pieces” to exposes about fake myspace accounts to dinnerviews, Ear Farm has me constantly checking their site for updates – and checking my brainstorming well for better ideas.

***

5. Yeasayer

It’s not that I want these dudes to rush, by all means, I want them to take as much time as they need to write their perfect, perfect songs, but oh god I can’t remember the last time I was so prematurely excited for an album. All Hour Cymbals is still still still on heavy play because it is so so good, and “Tightrope” is so so good, and it’s just so so hard not to get so so anxious/eager/greedy for more! Their “Odd Blood” recording blog is a bright spot on my Google Reader every update, whether it be picture updates from their Woodstock recording cabin, random themes, crueal teasers or actual news. Between this and their upcoming Pier 54 gig, I hope my thirst for Yeasayer will be satisfied.

***

6. Jay-Z, “DOA”

Hovy Hov, it’s not that I stopped loving you, but the leaks and singles since the American Gangster stuff have been… well, mediocre. Your “A Billi” version of “A Milli” is fierce, and “Brooklyn We Go Hard” is a serious jam, but it’s not going to be on Blueprint 3? That made me think you had something better coming, but nothing I heard has really topped that. I was ready to side with your detractors and brush you off as an old man, outta touch – which, truthfully, I don’t neccessarily completely disagree with. But there’s something about you, that swagger, that love of old soul samples, that epic, hit-making ear that keeps me coming back for more. So I didn’t lose all faith. And then you relased “DOA,” which deservedly rips auto-tune, has those hot brass and guitar riffs and references my other favorite big-time rapper (Young Jeezy). Not to mention, a seriously piiiiimp video, featuring exploding assets, you smoking a cigar in front of an NY skyline and playing poker with Harvey Keitel. There I was, finessed by you again.

Jay-Z: “DOA” (download)

***

7. Music Direction on “The Sopranos”

Anyone who checks in on my personal tumblr has heard me talk about this before. I’m closing in on “The Sopranos” finale (and if you try to spoil it for me, I’ll cut your head off) after a couple years spent watching it via Netflix and friends’ copies of the show. Most HBO shows use music in the most incredible way, and “Nip/Tuck” is another great example of television music direction, too, but “The Sopranos” is so perfect, it’s as if they had an army of thousands, possessing the knowledge of every song to ever exist when selecting, as if they had brackets and votes and cage matches of which song is best for which moment. My recent favorite selection was the use of The Rolling Stones’ “Moonlight Mile” in the Season 6, Part 1 closer. And, yes, I do already know what the big finale song is – but that’s all I know.

The Rolling Stones: “Moonlight Mile” (download)

***

8. Jaime Foxx, “Blame It”

I hated “Blame It” the first time I heard it. It’s demeaning to women no matter how you look at it – either we need liquor to have a one-night stand so as to not feel “easy” (women can’t be as sexually promiscuous as men), or Foxx is acknowledging that such a double-standard exists and is exploiting a loop hole (but is still, basically, trying to bone women by getting them hammered) – that stutter is annoying as hell if you’re not in the right mood, and someone should probably tell Foxx he’s not Usher (speaking of which, wherefore art thou, Usher?). That said, “Blame It” is club R&B gold, catchy and sing-a-long-able as all hell, and unsurprisingly fun to drink to (or get ready to drink to). I also acknowledge that the video is killer, though I probably only think so because it features an appearance from fellow redhead and The Music Man star, Ron Howard. Yep, that’s right. Ron Howard in a club video. Point: Jamie Foxx.

But I’d still love it if a woman did a version of “Blame It” targeted at male drinking stereotypes. (Hint: Ironically, it rhymes with frisky stick). Someone put me in touch with Beyonce and Rihanna’s agents!

Jamie Foxx: “Blame It (Feat. T-Pain)” (download)

***

9. Built To Spill

The minute Pacific Northwest Rock Royalty Built To Spill were announced as headliners for this year’s Siren Fest, I pulled out Keep It Like A Secret and There’s Nothing Wrong With Love, and haven’t stopped listening to them since. As with Neko Case, it’s only a matter of time until I jaunt through their entire discography. Luckily I’ll be getting another addition in the fall, in the form of There Is No Enemy.

Built To Spill: “You Were Right” (download)

***

10. VeniSin

From the gents who bear such musical fruits as Lilum and The Jobz comes VeniSin, an exericse in indulgence, masculinity and rock. You don’t need words, you just need to listen to this.

VeniSin: “Koadak Blues” (download)

***

11. Jake One, “Home”

Click here to view the embedded video.

What’s that? I already posted this? You don’t say…

Actually, I don’t say, because it’s worth talking about again, between the opening shot at my beloved Dick’s Drive-Thru on Broadway, the Sir Mix-A-Lot cameo, the jokes about Seattle being a city of potsmokers, the digs at Seattle sports teams, and the laid-back, positive vibes. Seattle doesn’t get enough theme songs, so I’mma pimp this one, our best one, as much as I can. Even if you aren’t from the Emerald City, you can appreciate the skill of some of its best emcees.

***

12. The Dead Weather

After playing witness to their in-store at Jack White’s pop-up Third Man Records, it’s hard to listen to Horehound, which lacks some of the intensity and complexity of the live performance. But, at the very least, on “Treat Me Like Your Mother” and “I Cut Like A Buffalo,” Jack White’s passion is infectious, and Alison Mosshart makes a great toughsexy frontwoman for him to spar with. The rest of the album requires more digesting on my end, but I may never get past the way both songs make me want to slinky-swagger my way down the sidewalk and spit in some dude’s eye, or the violent video for “Treat Me Like Your Mother.” Can you imagine if you and an ex could have a shoot-out, knowing you wouldn’t kill the other person? I also have to point out the deliciously sinister fact that it’s filmed right outside some sort of copycat suburban housing plot.

The Dead Weather: “Treat Me Like Your Mother” (download)

***

13. Phoenix

The French popsters from the Lost In Translation soundtrack hit it big with this year’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, particularly opening tracks “Lizstomania” and “1901.” They have me smitten – me and everyone else, that is.

Phoenix: “Lizstomania” (download)

***

14. Wilco

I’m fully aware of the fact that I’ve knocked Wilco before. Though I’ve admittedly warmed up to them, in some ways, I still stand by my original statements. It takes way too long for Wilco albums to hit home, longer than I’m usually willing to spend on an album without some amount of faith in the artist. After hearing some live recordings, though, I decided to splurge on seeing the band with Yo La Tengo (who I, regrettably, only saw the last song of), and came away something closely resembling a fan. My favorite moments involved songs from A Ghost Is Born and Sky Blue Sky and the incredible guitarmanship of Nels Cline, who made sounds I’d never heard before. I don’t know that I’d call Wilco a new favorite, but I came away from the show willing to put a little more faith in their hands.

Wilco: “You And I” (download)

15. Domino Records

So, about that job thing. After an exhaustive job hunt, I’ve taken a positon with Domino Records (US), fine purveyors of alternative artists. Being a critic and working at a label puts me in a right compromising position, one that will be solved by my not expressing opinions regarding Domino artists. This unfortunately means I’ll have to refrain from further editorializing on Domino artists I’ve written about before – Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Cass McCombs, The Notwist, Arctic Monkeys – but is the best route to ensure things don’t get cloudy around here. There is a chance that I will decide to report facts - without critique or comment – from events I attend (for example, Animal Collective’s show at Prospect Park that I bought tickets for months and months ago), but should I do so, will disclose things of that nature to you, the T-Sides readers. Credibility and integrity still remain two facets I hold dear, despite being known as a blogger and the source of my current paycheck.

Van Morrison: “Domino” (YouTube)

It’s Spring, and the album releases are heating up! Expect more of these coming soon.

Over at Popdose, I talk about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ glitzy new album, It’s Blitz!…

I make a triumphant return to Bullz-Eye with a dissection of Cursive’s latest, Mama, I’m Swollen…

I stop in to the Contrast Podcast again to talk about one of my all-time favorite songs for the “Yes” theme.

Peace, love and bare feet.

Fleetwood Mac: “Everywhere” (download)

After seeing jam-freak-avant-folksters Akron/Family put on an incredible show at Brooklyn’s Union Pool in March, there was only one thing left to do: Go home, go online, buy tickets to see them again. After seeing Akron/Family put on an incredible show at Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom last night, there’s only one conclusion that can be made: Akron/Family are one of the best live bands currently out there. Rarely is a show as lively and diverse as Akron/Family’s.

If you broke down their set and described it, song by song, it’d be hard to believe it’s all the same show. Most of all, Akron/Family is dynamic, moving from delightfully understated, pretty ballads like “Alps And Their Orange Evergreen” and “Crickets,” to epic-length jam-dance numbers “Gravelly Mountains Of The Moon” and fan favorite, “Ed Is A Portal.” Most of Wednesday night’s set was dominated by songs from their brand new album, Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free, just released this past Tuesday.

Akron/Family: “Ed Is A Portal” (download)

But what really sets Akron/Family apart is the level of interaction, both between band members and with the audience. Three songs into the show, guitarist/vocalist Seth Olinsky invited members of the openers, William Parker’s Southern Satellites, on stage to play along with them. Throughout the show, bassist Miles Seaton played a cheerleader of sorts, inviting the audience to sing, snap, clap, dance. “I feel like you’re just staring at us. Maybe you could put your hands up or something,” he said, demonstrating, before “Creatures,” a groovy, bass heavy tune from the new album.

For the last quarter of the show, they pulled out some of the sing-a-longs from the Union Pool concert, “Woody Guthrie’s America” and “Crickets.” Especially poignant was the album closer from Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free, “Last Year,” which is simply one repeated refrain – “Last year was a hard year / for such a long time / this year is gonna be ours.” The audience stomped, clapped and sang along as the band observed. (See the video below.)

Eventually Akron/Family descended from the stage, walked up along the Bowery Ballroom’s balcony, then down to the showroom floor, staking out a circle in the center of the audience. They jammed until someone yelled out “Dance party!” and the disco ball came on, sending everyone home dancing.

For more T-Sides pictures, click here. For the set list, a T-Sides video of “Last Year” and more info, click the jump.

SET LIST
They Will Appear
River
Alps & Their Orange Evergreen
Gravelly Mountains Of The Moon
Ed Is A Portal
Creatures
Everyone Is Guilty
Sun Will Shine (Warmth Of The Sunship Version)
Last Year
Woody Guthrie’s America
Crickets

Click here to view the embedded video.

Akron/Family Official Site
Akron/Family on MySpace
Akron/Family on Twitter

Other Akron/Family coverage on T-Sides:
New Akron/Family: “River”
Akron/Family @ Union Pool, Sunday, March 29th

New York City living, with its ever-expanding list of options, presents a reoccurring problem: What to do when you need or want to be in two places at once? Given the opportunity to see both legendary crooner Morrissey at Webster Hall for free and up and coming hype bands the Grates and Micachu and the Shapes for free, what does one do? Well, if you have experience covering festivals like CMJ, and enough money for cab fare, you do both.

Starting out at Webster Hall, the end of the set by openers the Courteeners was unsurprisingly Smiths-ish. At any other time and place, that might be perfectly fine, but as an opener for Morrissey? Who wants processed cheese when you can have cheddar?

Morrissey warmed the crowd up, as has become standard, with a series of old video clips before his set. When the curtain dropped and the pompadoured singer took the stage, he asked, “I just have one soul searching question to ask you: Where the hell am I?” before jumping into Brooklyn bar dance favorite, “This Charming Man.”

But, sadly enough, the same people that will likely bust a move to the song when it comes on at their local bar were noticeably less rapturous than the average Morrissey fanboy crowd. Were people there to say they saw Morrissey at a smaller venue than he usually plays, or where they simply there to see him?

Morrissey, however, was up to his normal tricks, casting shirts into the audience, whipping the mic around, brushing back his hair, and interjecting an air of mystery between songs with statements like, “I am a myth.” The set list was full of standard fare – “How Soon Is Now?” “Irish Blood, English Heart” “Billy Budd” – all of which were as aggressive as Morrissey has ever been, with the help of his current backing band. But lest we forget his reputation as the International Man of Misery, there was “Let Me Kiss You,” and “Seasick, Yet Still Docked” to tug at the heartstrings. (See below for live video of “Seasick, Yet Still Docked” from this snow.)

Unfortunately, as he began mid-set standard “The Loop,” a cab and Piano’s were beckoning…

Arriving at Piano’s, the post-SXSW hype was in full effect, as I was turned away – despite having a ticket – because the venue was at full capacity. I was finally allowed in, but curiosity begs the question, was there anyone who paid and didn’t get in at all? Would Piano’s offer a refund in that instance? But why oversell to begin with?

Luckily, I caught the Australian four-piece (they’re technically a trio, but had a keyboardist in tow) in time to hear “Milk Eyes,” a serious power pop jam that front-woman Patience Hodgson said is, “about babies,” though it makes for a great love song in general, “You know I’m never gonna turn you away / you know I’m never gonna give you no pain / Even if I could, yeah, even though I would / even though my friends all say that I should.”

There’s nothing ground-breaking about the music, but what it lacks in inventiveness it makes up for in pure fun. The Grates are the rock and roll show done right. Hodgson can switch in and out of flinging herself around stage one moment and flirting with audience members the next. At some point, she sang a song from atop the shoulders of a man in the crowd, while twirling around a purple ribbon. Show closer “Burn Bridges” is a fist pumper with a hand-clapping, chanting heart, “Spent time making trouble, doing the right thing / Spent time making trouble, what’s the sum of everything.”

The Grates were followed by Micachu and the Shapes, coming off SXSW coverage over-saturation. Though there wasn’t anything wrong with their show, there wasn’t necessarily anything right with it, either. Their heavy, noise pop came off as muddled, chaotic and too jumbled. There are bands that make you wonder if they’re really trying to do something different, or if they’re just fucking around, and Micachu and the Shapes are one of those bands, proving it’s not always smarter to do something that’s never been done – sometimes it’s best to just be memorable, a lesson it seems the Grates have already learned.

For more T-Sides pictures of Morrissey, click here. For more T-Sides pictures of The Grates and Micachu & the Shapes, click here. For a T-Sides video of Morrissey playing “Seasick, Yet Still Docked” at Webster Hall, and more information, click the jump.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Morrissey Official Site
Morrissey on MySpace

Also at Morrissey:
Ear Farm
Lime Wire Music Blog
Tastes Like Caramel
Brooklyn Vegan
Radio Exile
The Music Slut

The Grates Official Site
The Grates on MySpace

Micachu & The Shapes on MySpace

Also at Piano’s:
Look At Me, I Made A Blog
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted (Grates)
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted (Micachu)

By now, most people who’ve heard (of) Les Savy Fav know their live show is more spectacle than concert. This is due in large part to front-man Tim Harrington, whose no-holds-barred antics could probably attract the same crowd sizes on their own. This isn’t to knock Les Savy Fav’s music, or their ability to play it in a live setting – there’d be nothing wrong with watching them stand or dance around like any other band. But with songs as sexually charged and defiant as theirs, the baccanalian atmosphere just drives the point home.

Their Noise Pop closing show at San Francisco’s the Mezzanine was no exception, with Harrington in top form from the moment he walked on stage. He arrived covered in toilet paper, claiming it was a cask from a biking accident, before he quipped that it reminded him of a tampon, then doused himself in water and shook toilet-paper-mache over an already rapt crowd. The only way to make an entrance like that even better? By opening with “What Would Wolves Do?,” “In time we will show the world why the world made us.”

Les Savy Fav: “What Would Wolves Do?” (download)

Since Harrington just handles vocal duties, his theatrics still leave guitarists Seth Jabour and Andrew Reuland, drummer Harrison Haynes and bassist Syd Butler free to concentrate on the technical aspects of the performance, delivering a tight series of pounding noise-dance-rage tunes. Harrington’s actions are pure spur of the moment, though, so the other band members were often as wide-eyed or slack-jawed as the audience.

The setlist crossed every era of the band, from the grit of their early albums, 3/5 (“Je T’Aime”) and The Cat and the Cobra (“Dishonest Don, Part 2,” “Who Rocks The Party”), to their poppier newest release, Let’s Stay Friends (“The Equestrian,” “Patty Lee”).

Les Savy Fav: “Who Rocks The Party” (download)

As they drew closer to a finale, it became clear that Les Savy Fav’s ability to deliver a flawless performance stems from their ability to accept flaws and improvisation. As Harrington climbed around the audience during the encore, he seguewayed into a spontaneous verse of, “This is my body / This is what it does / I try to make it better / But I know it’s gonna bust,” pointing the mic at audience members to invite their contribution. But the night was far from a bust, as he ended the show sitting on stage, overlooking the crowd like a proud father.

For more T-Sides pictures, click here. Click the jump to see the setlist and more information.

SETLIST:
What Would Wolves Do?
The Equestrian
Patty Lee
Slip
Yawn  Yawn  Yawn
We’ll Make A Lover Of You
Hold On To Your Genre
Pills
Je T’Aime
Dishonest Don, Part 2
The Lowest Bitter
Encore: Raging In The Plague Age
Who Rocks The Party

Les Savy Fav Official Site
Les Savy Fav on MySpace

Also there:
Hippies Are Dead
Impose Magazine
NBC
7×7
Palestra Music
SF Station
Crawdaddy
Venus Zine
The Tripwire

As promised, T-Sides is once again tapping the writing well. There hasn’t been much in the way of live shows to whip us into a frenzy, but new release season is finally picking up.

Quick-witted Lily Allen has a new one that doesn’t quite live up to the pop accessibility of her first, and there are not one but two albums by actor-musicians that are actually quite good: Coconut Records, solo project of Jason Schwartzman, and Steve Martin’s bluegrass record.

Additionally, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the Popdose staff chose to talk about things we love: books, movies, albums. I selected one of each, as did each staff member. There are lots of great selections. See if you can guess what I picked!

Brandy: “Where Are You Now?” (download)

Best Album Cover:

Coldplay, Viva La Vida

As much as I hate to award Coldplay for anything, every time I saw the poster of this while walking in the subway, I thought, “That looks AWESOME!” I hoped it was a badass marketing campaign for a new movie or book or something, by the look of the paint scrawled over an old-fashioned painting, but alas. It was Coldplay. Shit.

Best One-Two Music Video Punch:
Young Jeezy, “Put On” + “Crazy World”
Watch these videos back to back. If you don’t feel riled up or uncomfortable… scratch that, you will feel riled up and uncomfortable. There’s just no way around it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Most Disappointing Change In Appearance:


Kyp Malone

When I first saw the new press photos of TV on the Radio with an afro-less Kyp Malone, I was struck by sadness over the loss of his luscious locks. Luckily, at their show at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple in October, it looked like he was starting to bring it back.

Best Beard Belonging To A Guitarist That Isn’t Kyp Malone:

Zac Holtzman, Dengue Fever

Congrats to Zac Holtzman, who’s got a beard that’s goin’ places. Like halfway down his chest.

Band We’d Most Like To Hang Out With:



Tie: Fleet Foxes, TV on the Radio, Yeasayer

It all comes down to talented, good-looking guys from northern, coastal cities who seem like they know how to have a good time, basically.

Band We’d Least Like To Hang Out With:

Billy Corgan / Smashing Pumpkins

It always sounds fun in theory to hang out with someone this batshit crazy, but in reality, it’s the very definition of a buzz kill.