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.

12. The Notwist @ Webster Hall, October 13th

Full review here. Excerpt: In their recordings, the Notwist might give off the impression of being a sleepy little electro-pop band, but don’t let that twist your notions of what their live show is like. Sure, they hide behind the gentle guise of glasses (four out of the five touring members wear them), but in a live setting, their post-rock and hardcore roots really start to seep out.

11. Joanna Newsom @ BAM, January 31st

Full review here. Excerpt: A Joanna Newsom album has never sounded as good as she did when she played at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last Thursday. Even the most middling of fans, the most ardent of critics, could not possibly have walked away unswayed by the remarkable skill and charm she emanated throughout the evening.

10. Liz Phair @ Hiro Ballroom, June 26th

Full review here. Excerpt: Wearing a vest with a hot purple bra, short shorts and heels, Phair was sexy, but not forcibly so. Often labeled as having stage fright, but looking comfortable, she acknowledged her worries in past terms, “This tour is a big deal to me–I was nervous.” She was talkative and flirtatious.  “I need a guy,” she remarked, when she needed help adjusting a mic stand. “I love guys.”

9. Wolf Parade @ Terminal 5, July 31st

Full review here. Excerpt: The music also takes on an anthemic quality in a live setting, whether it was the chemistry of the band and the crowd, or simply hearing it while it was being created is hard to say. But every song was a fist-pumper, an ass-shaker, a shout-a-long, including their 10-minute long masterpiece “Kissing the Beehive,” which closes out their new release, At Mount Zoomer, and closed out their set before the encore.

8. Broken Social Scene @ Siren Fest, July 19th, @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple, October 24th

Full review of Siren here. Full review of Brooklyn Masonic Temple here. Their set at Siren was incredible, despite Kevin Drew being sick. Their set during CMJ was incredible, despite Kevin Drew being an asshole.

7. Dengue Fever @ Southpaw, March 5th, @ SummerStage, July 5th

Full review of SummerStage show here. I’ll admit it, I didn’t review their show at the Southpaw because I was thoroughly enjoying the drink special ($2 Singhas!). But believe me, it was awesome. Excerpt: Dengue Fever are one of the most exciting, energetic and interactive bands currently performing. With constant smiles on their faces, they jump up and down, have special parts for audience sing-a-longs, and Nimol enchants with swirling hands and exotic dance moves. The group communicates through facial expressions and body language, like a group of longtime friends or even family. In a way, watching them feels akin to being in some sort of secret club.

6. Fleet Foxes @ Bowery Ballroom, June 9th, @ Webster Hall, October 6th

Full review of Bowery show here. Full review of Webster Hall show here. Whether sick or healthy, Fleet Foxes are talent-wealthy. Excerpt: If Fleet Foxes can do this much with just 16 songs in their catalog, they’ll prove to be a band worth seeing again and again and again for years to come.

5. Sigur Ros @ United Palace, September 17th

Some concerts just can’t be put into words. Some concerts can only be summarized in twitter updates.

4. Yeasayer @ Bowery Ballroom, February 26th, @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple, April 11th, @ SummerStage, August 4th, @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, December 6th

Full review of SummerStage set here. Yeasayer gets the distinction of being the band I saw more than any other this year… and they didn’t even put an album out! There’s a reason why I saw these hard-working gents from Brooklyn so many times. Excerpt: Even just frontman Chris Keating is fun to watch because he’s so spastic. Contorting his face into painful expressions and twisting his fingers and hands in this or that way, one would guess he was high on something or simply losing his mind. But when they took to the mic between songs, the men of Yeasayer spoke like any other guys from Brooklyn, chill and down to earth.

3. TV on the Radio @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple, October 15th

Full review here. Excerpt: Seeing TV on the Radio at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Wednesday wasn’t just about how amazing TV on the Radio is, it was about how exhilarating music can be in general.

2. Jay-Z & Mary J. Blige (Heart of the City Tour) @ IZOD Center, March 28th

Full review here. Excerpt: Blige uses two words to describe Jay-Z: “Brooklyn swagger.” Anyone expecting otherwise from the wildly successful rap star and entrepreneur would have been disappointed.

1. Nine Inch Nails @ DCU Center, November 9th

Full review here. It’s incredibly unfortunate that there won’t be a DVD of this. When Trent Reznor broke the bad news, he said, “This was FOR SURE the best show of the year and any bullshit end-of-the-year poll you may read in the next few weeks that says otherwise simply has it wrong. Those of you who saw it know I’m right.” And you know what? He is. Excerpt: It would go against the trail-blazing spirit of Trent Reznor to use him as any sort of guideline, but it must be said that any arena rock band should turn to Reznor’s live show for inspiration.

I’ve acquired a very good quality live recording of Two Gallants performing a new song at Bonnaroo. Yes, Bonnaroo was back in June. I must admit I’ve been sitting on it awhile because I’ve been trying to decipher the lyrics. I’m not sure of the title, but this particular unreleased song has been circulating around YouTube for a couple months. I daresay this is the most clear audio of it you’ll find.

Two Gallants: New Song, Live at Bonnaroo (download)

As per usual, the powerful San Francisco duo have a knack for rhythm, gracing this with a sway that makes me envision a room of people doing some sort of ballroom dance to it. Frontman Adam Stephens’ lyrics are as dark and desperate as ever while he sings of Armageddon, yet he does so with that same sort of renegade pride found throughout their catalog, particularly in songs like “Las Cruces Jail” and “Steady Rollin’.” Based on the content, I’d guess it’s from the viewpoint of a wounded soldier.

Click the jump to see YouTube videos of this tune, and for my guesstimate at the lyrics (of this version).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Two Gallants performing this song in Germany (May 2008)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Two Gallants performing this song in Austin, Texas (February 2008)

If you listen to these two versions, you’ll notice the lyrics are different from the one posted above. As he often does with new songs, Stephens has been changing lyrics as time goes by. Here’s what I think we’re hearing him sing in this more recent version:

Bloody, bloody bleeds the brain
Jangling from my mortal (shame/shade?)
Oh, in the bedroom, boy,
The vagabond shall come
And when this sinking sound
Gathers us, swallowed down
Oh, in the bedroom,
Destiny will hold

Chorus:
Well, I’ll be there in the burning air
When the world comes to an end
What a grand sight to behold
And should they ask me,
Had I nothing to defend?
We all feed the wolves
From the shelter of the (fold/foe/bones?)

High upon the balcony
The widows walk from sea to sea
There were jets a-blazin’
Johnny’s coming home
Something in his face has changed
His features are all re-arranged
Momma, momma, I just came back
To bring to you my bones

Chorus:
Well, I was there in the burning air
When the world came to an end
What a grand sight to behold
And should they ask me,
Had I nothing to defend?
We all feed the wolves
From the shelter of the (fold/foe/bones?)

First class of this sinking ship
A game of craps, a gain of chips
Oh, on the decks below
We bang the pipe and drum
And when it all comes down
Swallowed you, another round
Down by the bedroom
In the destiny we hold

Chorus:
Well, I’ll be there in the burning air
When the world comes to an end
What a grand sight to behold
And should they ask me,
Had I nothing to defend?
We all feed the wolves
From the shelter of the (fold/foe/bones?)

If anyone has any guesses as to the lyrics, leave ‘em in the comments!

Of the many things that can be said about the performances of Dengue Fever and Rachid Taha at Central Park’s SummerStage, the biggest link between the two is a good performer’s ability to keep the audience entranced when they don’t speak the same language.

Dengue Fever are American based, but to complement the group’s Cambodian pop-inspired surf-psych-rock, front-woman Chhom Nimol sings primarily in Cambodian – though they did perform “Tiger Phone Card,” one of two songs in English from their newest release, Venus on Earth.

Dengue Fever: “Tiger Phone Card” (download)

Their album is easily one of the best released in 2008 thus far, but their live show still tops it. Their SummerStage show wasn’t quite as mind-blowing as their show at Brooklyn’s Southpaw earlier this year (Indonesian beer specials = sorry, no review), but Dengue Fever are one of the most exciting, energetic and interactive bands currently performing. With constant smiles on their faces, they jump up and down, have special parts for audience sing-a-longs, and Nimol enchants with swirling hands and exotic dance moves. The group communicates through facial expressions and body language, like a group of longtime friends or even family. In a way, watching them feels akin to being in some sort of secret club.

Rachid Taha (seen above) is a Algerian-French man with the stage presence and personality to rival any American rocker. Sauntering on-stage in a suit and fedora, cigarette in hand, he was European chic, but with the long, messy hair and stubble of a man who’s been on the road.

Singing mostly in Arabic (but occasionally French), Taha blended modern rock and pop with the sounds of his Algerian heritage. Anyone who’s been to one of the more authentic Hookah Cafes in Queens will find themselves wondering if they’ve unknowingly heard one of his songs before. The crowd was in a constant state of motion, unable to resist Taha’s charm and hand-clap dance rhythms.

Like Dengue Fever, Taha performed one song with English (though not entirely), which was his translation/cover of the Clash’s “Rock the Casbah” (he calls it “Rock el Casbah”). Combined with his casual treatment of the Algerian flag he brought on stage, one could deduce his frustrations with Algerian and or/French government, though he only remarked on George W. Bush (unfavorably, of course).

Rachid Taha: “Rock El Casbah (Clash Cover)” (download)

Openers Apollo Heights put on an intriguing and somewhat perplexing performance of dream pop and noise pop tinged with prog, soul and who knows what else, but in the shadow of Dengue Fever and Rachid Taha, they were a distant memory.

You can see more of my pictures from this show here.

Dengue Fever Official Site
Dengue Fever on MySpace

Rachid Taha Official Site
Rachid Taha on MySpace

Also there:
New York Magazine
New York Times
Prefix Magazine
Lucid Culture

Nearly two years ago now, I posted a short list of songs that reminded me of my post-college trip to Europe & Asia. One of those songs, DJ Bobo’s “Chihuahua,” has recently reappeared in my life – and will soon make its way into yours, as well, if it hasn’t already.

DJ Bobo: “Chihuahua” (download)

A bit of a ridiculous song, “Chihuahua” is a silly, bouncy, dance tune that’s not actually about those yippy dogs that often get mistaken for rats and/or promote Taco Bell, but instead is about how the word “Chihuahua” makes DJ Bobo very, very happy.

I’m walking in the street and the moon shines bright
A little melody is spinning on my mind tonight
I gotcha it’s the song about chihuahua
Yeah, that’s cool alright (chihuahua)
It means fun – and a life without sorrow
Feels young – when you think about tomorrow
Say yo – when you’re about to freak out
Just go, and then shout it out loud

Nonsensical as it may be, it’s the kind of song that gets stuck in your head for hours on end, driving you insane. Kind of like “It’s A Small World Afterall.”

I first heard it two years ago on the aforementioned trip to Europe, when the tour guide used to play it to wake us up. (It was incredibly effective.) I downloaded the song as a fun little reminder, and had listened to it maybe twice since then. That is, until last week.

Before a screening of WALL-E (which was excellent), my friends and I were “treated” to a preview of the upcoming Disney movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua, which seems to be about how Chihuahuas are great warriors infiltrating our homes and destined to take over humanity. Or something. Not only does it look absolutely, completely horrible in comparison to the kinds of movies Disney has produced in the past, it uses a remixed version of DJ Bobo’s “Chiuhuahua.” Modified lyrically to make the song actually about the breed of dog, of course.

Should this seem too absurd to actually exist and, thus, you are in great doubt, here’s the trailer for Beverly Hills Chihuahua - and below that, DJ Bobo’s video for the song:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I tend to shy away from hyped bands. This isn’t out of a holier-than-thou disdain for popular opinion, but because of the trend that hyped bands often become over hyped bands that see little chance of living up to the hyperbolic qualities of the hype machine. See: Arcade Fire. See also: Beirut.

During the past week, Caitlin of Everyday Caitlin wrote some very appreciative things about Beirut. So, after she was kindly patient through my gushing over Two Gallants (see: coming attractions), I asked her to convince me. It was no easy task (after all, I’ve been hearing about Beirut for over a year and a half), but she succeeded with such elegance and eloquence in a few short paragraphs that I asked her to expand it for the first (and hopefully not last) T-Sides guest feature: T-Sides B-Sides.

Thus, here we have it: Caitlin’s case for Beirut. Please give her your attention, your kindness, your comments – because if she can help them win me over, she can persuade anyone.

You should never say you like something (or worse, love it), without being able to plead your case properly. In the past I have strayed away from announcing that I am anything or any one’s biggest fan. I am not a collector, and never have I planned on reading every word Hemingway wrote, or eat at all the best Fondue restaurants in the city, or wait in line for a movie or book. I am not particular, and what is worse, I do not solely seek out what I know I’ll like, but rather, dip my ears into various speakers of aesthetic and see what turns me on.

This makes me an outcast in the world of music snobs. I should have accepted this position a long time ago but I somehow managed to slip through the cracks and whenever some well-dressed handsome lad asks me, “Have you ever heard of ____ band?” I always feel comfortable insinuating but not elaborating, “yeah, but not much.” While you may be inclined to call me a phony, I will ask you to please reserve those thoughts for a different time and place. This post is about Beirut, and your aggression is not welcome here.

So pour a glass of wine (preferably French) and get ready.

The first Beirut track I ever heard was “the Long Island Sound.” I was sitting on my lonely bed in San Francisco, an entire country away from New York, and all I could feel was my own absence. The track lacks vocals, and is very short, but it is a glimpse into what is both prolific and instantly beautiful. In one minute and eighteen seconds, I felt a very distinct and almost tangible emotion. After listening to an hour of Beirut, I felt a thunderstorm of personal incarnations. I was inclined to thumb through the journal I kept while in Europe a few years back to remind myself of the sensation of standing next to the Rhine, cold and a bit drunk, a myriad of brokenheartedness and absolute awe.

Aside from horns and ukulele (which “the Long Island Sound” proves to be enough), the next thing I loved about Beirut was founder Zach Condon’s vocals. Not everyone will feel the same. In response to my almost brainwashed support of Beirut, an ornery friend of mine quipped, “I want to kick the larynx out of that guy’s throat. His vibrato makes me ill to the point where it’s like,-well, its either him or me.”

Though agro, Mr. Crankypants has a point. Condon’s vocals are not ubiquitously lovable. However, they are stunning to me because they sound both pained and pure. They make me think, “Oh, yeah, this is what a gentleman sounds like.” When you watch a video of him sing, it is not unlike watching one of those heart-crushingly talented crooners our parents loved so much. He puts his hand on his chest not to be “Brandon Flowers” showy, but because he is singing really fucking hard. He is only 21 years old. It is all together moving and sexy. Most importantly, it is romantic: the word I most associate with Beirut.

Some Beirut, such as the Gulag Orkestar track “Postcards from Italy,” is slow at the start and then cuts off your curious boredom with the respite of belting horns. It will be your lost and found love, your old friend that is now new again, or better yet, your reflection of the whole damn thing and the acceptance that it was what it was and you’re forever changed because of it. It is going to make you feel uncomfortable things whether you want it to or not.

I most enjoy listening to Beirut, especially “Elephant Gun,” while I walk through the Financial District on my way home from work. The stunning horns and violins almost create a ballet of the corporate suits and bustling city folk. In the intention of all good art, I am transported elsewhere.

The Flying Club Cup, Beirut’s newest album, is a drunken cab ride home through a city that broke you. It is an uncertain future and a beguiling past. The “Nantes” lyric, “in a year, a year or so, this will slip in to the sea,” will resonate with all of us who presently feel the burn of something lost but are fully aware that the pain is not as lasting as the memory.

The track “The Penalty” not only made me homesick, but recognized itself doing so with the lyrics, “Impassable night, in a crowd of homesick fully grown children.” Upon hearing this, I was forced to acknowledge that when we sit in bars, amongst our friends, in a city so far away from where we are all really from, all that binds us is what we collectively miss and what we universally hope to bring to this new place. This unity and solidarity in being young and lost is where Condon’s story as a high school dropout turned European bohemian come understandably cliché Brooklynite resonates in all of us.

Other tracks on The Flying Club Cup, such as the title track and “A Sunday Smile” are a bit playful. This is a nice accompaniment to the musical theater-esque “Cliquot,” with guest vocals from Final Fantasy’s Owen Pallett. “Cliquot” has an almost WWI love story feel. The drums are not unlike what a soldier might pound on in a field, and the lyrics, “What melody will lead my lover from his bed?/What melody will see him in my arms again?” are too A Farewell to Arms to go unnoticed.

Speaking of Hemingway, I am intellectually inclined to pair The Flying Club Cup with my personal favorite, A Moveable Feast: Hemingway’s posthumous novel about artists and alcohol in 1920’s Paris. Hemingway likens Paris to both the most enchanting place in the world and an actual essence you can take with you forever (hence the title). It is an acknowledgment of being young, having many loves, and the artist’s foresight into hindsight. The same can be said about Beirut and the emotion that Condon desires of his audience. If Condon has never read this book, I will most certainly send a copy his way. I might even, you know, deliver it personally if he so desires.

Beirut: “Long Island Sound” (download)
Beirut: “Postcards From Italy” (download)
Beirut: “Elephant Gun” (download)
Beirut: “Nantes” (download)
Beirut: “The Penalty” (download)
Beirut: “Scenic World” (download)

Many thanks to Caitlin for these lovely words. I’m assuming by now, you’re all ordering these albums/ep? Excellent. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go listen to “Nantes” on repeat. Standard T-Sides programming will return next week.

Beirut Official Site
Beirut on MySpace
The Flying Club Cup (featuring videos shot in and around Brooklyn!)

]]> http://www.t-sides.com/2007/10/12/t-sides-b-sides-the-case-for-beirut/feed/ 5 http://www.t-sides.com/2007/07/25/this-is-the-way-siren-fest-ends-not-with-a-bang-but-a-whimper/ http://www.t-sides.com/2007/07/25/this-is-the-way-siren-fest-ends-not-with-a-bang-but-a-whimper/#comments Wed, 25 Jul 2007 04:29:56 +0000 Taylor siren festival 2007 coney island boardwalk brooklyn nyc new york city festival outdoors free mia matt kim cursive noisettes dr dog voxtrot white rabbits dolls hipsters hip cool mp3s music indie rap rock sri lanka dance pop electro http://www.t-sides.com/?p=165

With the impending closure of Astroland at the end of the Summer, one question drove this year’s Siren Festival: “will it be the last?”

The lackluster line-ups for the Siren Festivals of the past two years almost indicate that somebody knew this was coming. From 2001-2005, Siren Fest was a haven for people who didn’t want to cough up the $30-$45 tickets to see acts like Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie in their prime. The festival was the perfect assortment of indie staples, up and comers and “who the hell?”s. But the past two years (the only years I’ve been able to attend, go figure) have been mostly “huh? wha? who cares?”

The Scissor Sisters were last year’s big act, with indie darlings Stars as support headliners. Blog favorites Tapes n’ Tapes and Man Man made appearances, along with a well-kept secret of a band, Dirty on Purpose. Not a bad selection, but nothing worth a commute from non-Brooklynites, either. My friends and I spent most of our time people watching, swimming, eating, drinking and enjoying the beach. Although we did catch Stars.

This year’s big act was the New York Dolls, who most Siren attendees would’ve been too young to remember from anything other than their performance at a Motherfucker party at Avalon last year. Others included fizzled-out blog favorites Voxtrot, MySpacely over-famous duo Matt & Kim, Saddle Creek veterans Cursive and Sri-Lankan sensation M.I.A.

The Noisettes: “Scratch Your Name” (download)

The Noisettes were on-stage when we arrived around 3:30, and managed to be watchable after having secured a shady spot under a tree. Their set was solid enough to pique interest, even though they were hard to see and hear.

After seeing the Noisettes, we wandered around the boardwalk, basking in magnificent and atrocious tattoos, skee-ball, sunscreen, tall pina coladas and cheese hot dogs from Nathans. James Iha passed by us with a small entourage of 20-somethings.

M.I.A.: “Bucky Done Gone” (download)
M.I.A.: “Boyz” (download)

We scurried to the Main Stage for M.I.A, but ultimately the problem was the same problem from Siren Fest the year before – Siren Fest is more of a social event than a concert. While it might have been “mostly about the music” for those who could sip free beers in the shaded comfort of the VIP tent, anyone who dared to rough it with the commoners probably would’ve found what I found: horrible sound and a horrible crowd. Most of M.I.A.’s set was largely illegible from the cheap seats, with only Arular’s “Bucky Done Gone” able to come through without sounding too awfully mangled. Drunken fiends pushed and shoved at points when pushing and shoving could move the crowd no further, and a group in front of me spent a long time huddled around a guy flashing off his new iPhone. Audience members took more pictures of themselves than the bands, a “wish you were here”/”I’m so hip” postcard for their MySpace and Facebook friends, and always the sign of people there to be seen and heard instead of listen. This is fine if you want to hang out with some friends at Coney Island with the added bonus of music in the air, but downright annoying if you’re there to pay attention to it.

After four or five songs, my friends and I looked at each other – there was only one more thing we could do. We purchased some fantastic M.I.A. flip flops (they have M.I.A. in the bottom so that it leaves a mark when you walk in the sand!!) and headed to the Freak Show. It may not have been free, like the music was, but it was air-conditioned, seated, easy to hear and see and ultimately more satisfying.

Wish I could say that I’ll miss you, Siren Fest – but what I really wish is that you had been better.

Noisettes Official Website
Noisettes on MySpace

M.I.A. Official Website (warning: may cause seizures)
M.I.A. on MySpace

Image courtesy of flickr user racoles

Though the phrase “big in Europe” has become something of a joke among the music set, for someone like Mark Ronson, it’s no laughing matter. While he was born in London, Ronson’s family moved to New York at the age of 8, and it’s this big city he considers his hometown. After attending prestigious schools like Vassar and NYU, he became a big name in the club scene in the early ’90s, but hasn’t managed to break out much further in the US since, though he was certainly embraced in — well, Europe, particularly the UK. In 2003, he released a solo album, Can’t Stop The Fuzz, which wasn’t exactly a hit in the US, though it did spawn the successful single, “Ooh Wee,” which made it into the top 15 of both the UK and US charts.

Perhaps finally sensing that the US music industry is not always friendly to dance/dj/club-oriented music, Ronson put together a knock ‘em dead compilation of covers for his second album, Version. Three singles from it had already charted in the UK before it was even released in the States, but unlike before, they might be a sign of things to come for the young man who was so excited to finally be playing a show in front of a hometown crowd.

Santo Gold tried her best to warm up a notoriously stiff New York City crowd (“It’s for dancing,” she said about her music) with her MIA styled beats and raps — though less frenetic. It was an intriguing performance, but it took until the second song of Ronson’s set for anyone to react.

Mark Ronson: “Toxic (Feat. Tiggers & ODB)” (download)

At Highline Ballroom, rapper Wale did an enthusiastic take over of the rap duties hoisted by ODB on this track (but he was wearing an ODB shirt in tribute, of course), while Tiggers handled his normal singing role. This track seems to get the most mixed reactions of all the songs on Version, but the fact that it’s just so weird is exactly what I find so appealing about it. More than just a cover in many ways, it shows part of the extent to which Ronson’s imagination can reach. The song is hard to recognize from its original — just slight hints are left behind, like seeing an old friend after more than 10 years have gone by. (Though in this case, it’s a mere 2-3). Not one to hog the spotlight, Ronson’s work took a backseat while Wale and eventually Saigon (of “Entourage” fame) performed what we were left to assume were original tracks. A slew of guest stars followed, including the return of Santo Gold to sing “Pretty Green” and Kenna for “Amy.” Phantom Planet’s Alex Greenwald came out for their well known cover of Radiohead’s “Just,” and a few embarrassing attempts at crowd surfing, after which Ronson asked him, “Can we play that really good song about LA?”

Tawaiah turned in a solid effort on the replacement of Amy Winehouse, who lent vocals for the cover of the Zutons’ “Valerie,” an album — and show — highlight. However, it was mere moments before she was one-upped by Daniel Merriweather, the Australian crooner who adds a haunting touch to what is, indisputably one of the best summer jams.

Mark Ronson: “Stop Me (Feat. Daniel Merriweather)” (download)

A heart-wrenching yet dance-able blend of the Smiths’ “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before” and “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” (Unsurprisingly, it hit #2 on the UK charts back in April.)

His career may have yet to reach the apex that he desires, but it was quite clear that Ronson was content to be playing a packed-like-sardines-tight show in his hometown with a couple of friends.

Mark Ronson Official Site
Mark Ronson MySpace

Image courtesy flickr user visualgrammar

In late November, early December, one of my co-workers started playing a song over and over again that had the catchiest hook of “they tried to make me go to rehab / I said ‘no, no, no.’” It was sung by a woman with a deep, exotic voice that was accompanied by a dance-rhythmed brass track complete with clapping, and had the most pleasant way of repeatedly popping up in your mind. After hearing it several times, the rest of my coworkers and I eventually inquired after the artist. It was Amy Winehouse, a British songstress who had enormous success in her home country but had yet to break into the US. Well, at the time, anyhow.
She came to New York City about a month later, performing at Joe’s Pub — a tiny, intimate club. When we found out, the show was already sold out. Two of my co-workers managed to score tickets through connections. They said she was great, but nervous, and apparently Jay-Z and a handful of other music celebs were in attendance. After obsessive checking of tour dates, we found out she was coming back in March, and my entire department at work (well, save our male co-workers) bought tickets at the exact minute they went on sale. It was the smartest thing we could’ve done — by the next day, the show was sold out. Two of my coworkers each bought an extra pair of tickets, which they sold on craigslist. Each pair sold for roughly $400, or $200/ticket (for comparison purposes: $200 is how much I paid for one ticket to see concerts by the Eagles & Roger Waters, and half of what I paid to see the Rolling Stones).

One could offer any number of guesses at the explanation. Opening for Amy Winehouse would be the Pipettes, another UK-based act who wrapped their lips around the blogging world with the song “Your Kisses are Wasted on Me,” and later their album, We Are The Pipettes. There’s also Winehouse’s incredible popularity in the UK — her debut went Platinum and earned her a Mercury Music Prize Nomination. Much like with Lilly Allen, in the US her reputation preceeded the music, as Winehouse was spread all over gossip blogs and tabloids for her very public battle with drinking and the resulting rowdy behavior, including throwing up on stage and punching people. Back to Black was originally set to release in the US on March 20th, but the release date got pushed up to coincide with the show.

The Pipettes are three cute women with good voices, so their popularity requires little explanation (especially when considering the popularity of the Dreamgirls soundtrack). They’ve got a gimmick and they know how to play it — with coordinated outfits and dance moves, necklaces with their names on them, and complementary personalities. The brunette is the sweet, shy one who hides behind her bangs and turned 21 on the night of the show. The blonde is the strong, beautiful type, who smiled with her lips and swung her hips. The redhead (well, reddish blonde) is the quirky one, who wore glasses, a “dress” that was actually shorts, and exaggerated her expressions and dance moves.
Their music is equally formulaic: indie pop song 1.5 – 2.5 minutes in length steeped in the old girl-group tradition while modernizing it just slightly, with today’s rock instruments and mindsets (best exemplified by their frank topic matter, like keeping one night stands as one night stands).
During “Why Did You Stay?” the girls say, “well, I’ve had just about enough of sweet,” which convenientally summarizes exactly how I feel about the Pipettes. Their live show is well put together and fun to watch, but the music is to traditional girl groups as a sugar substitute is to sugar — sweeter, less substantial and noticeably fake.

The Pipettes: “Why Did You Stay?” (download)

From the moment Amy Winehouse’s portion of the evening began, it was clear that we would be treated to a more matured revival than that of the Pipettes. The lights dimmed, the brass section pierced the air, and with an announcement, Amy Winehouse took the stage to an already applauding house. We were in love with her from the beginning, cheerleaders to her cause.
Ably backed by the Dap Kings and two attractive male back-up singers/dancers in suits, Winehouse opened with “Addicted,” and set the tone for the rest of the show. Despite the weary emotions in her music and lyrics, the overall mood tonight was cheery and upbeat. The audience cheered each time she took a sip of her drink, and even heckled her with cries of “more beer,” but she took little offense. “Women don’t drink beer,” she joked, “they chug it.”
She soared through the songs from Back to Black, a few from Frank, and an impressive cover of Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” all the while slipping easily between a cocky shout and swagger and a demure purr. During one song, she frequently hid behind her hands, during another she was hiking her skirt. At one point she briefly lost track in a song, at the end of which, she remarked “at least I got this far without fucking up,” before launching into “You Know I’m No Good,” the first US single. Sure, a lot of this could be an act, but if it is, it’s a highly convincing one.
Maybe it’s plain and simply the music. Or maybe it’s her honesty. Maybe it’s our sinister sense of schadenfreude. Regardless of whatever the specific draw of Amy Winehouse may be, she proved it was more than warrented. Rarely have I seen such a diverse crowd (in every meaning of the word), or a crowd having such a good time. Just ahead of me and to the right, a group of early 20-somethings smoked a joint and started a miniature dance circle. To the left, a woman in her 40s danced with her significant other. Much like “Rehab,” this was not a cry for help. No, no, no. It was a celebration of our vices and the pleasure they bring, however fleeting.

Amy Winehouse: “Rehab” (download)
Amy Winehouse: “Love Is A Losing Game” (download)

BONUS:
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: “All Over Again” (download)

Also there:
Rolling Stone
Arjan Writes

Images courtesy of flickr user undergrounder

My generation is, largely, not a generation of instrumental music, nor of music that is experimental or progressive (at least certainly not in the mainstream). For the most part, my generation is a generation of dance-pop hooks and rap. My generation is a generation of lyric quoting, 3-4 minute song loving teeny boppers. And I have little room to criticize. While I may have not grown up in teeny bop fashion (I seriously swear to having no dark past involving boy bands – you can ask anyone from my childhood), I am just as much of a lyric-spouter as the next early 20-something. Now, I’m not daring to say that generations before us didn’t pay attention to lyrics, or that there are no underground bands playing progressive or experimental music, or any such thing. What I am saying is that generations before us saw more bands that played lengthier songs with more flashy and unconventional instrumentation that got popular. Go ahead and blame drugs if you want, but overall, I’d say that it’s made the market for instrumental music that much trickier.

Enter the Wordless Music Project, a project in collaboration with Lincoln Center (I think?), working to expand the minds of classical music lovers and indie music lovers alike (although, dare I say that young indie music lovers are probably the most likely of young listeners to already listen to classical music as well). The concept is simple: modern bands/artists playing classical-style music. Indie rock listeners are exposed to classical music, and classical music listeners are exposed to indie rock. Everyone wins!

Wednesday night, I had the good fortune of being invited to the second program in the series by a friend, without whom I would’ve never known anything about this project. On the bill was New Mexico’s A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Classical Pianist Steven Beck and Violinist/Whistler/Indie Rock 2005 hero Andrew Bird.

Taken by Joshua Smelser, aka OtterFreak on Flickr.

A Hawk and a Hacksaw played in a Mediterranean/Eastern, traditional folk and dance style that was absolutely charming. I had anticipated that this was them playing in a classical style, but after looking on their MySpace, found that this is their normal aesthetic, which is especially interesting to me, having been to the Mediterranean in June & July. Listening to their violin & accordion melodies resulted in the sudden urge to want to learn how to Polka. They seem to have friends in high places, as blogger & critic faves Beirut (I know the dude just canceled a ton of tours… maybe it was his band?) showed up at the end of their set to accompany them on a few songs…

A Hawk and a Hacksaw: “God Bless The Ottoman Empire” (download)

A Hawk and a Hacksaw on MySpace
A Hawk and a Hacksaw Official Site

Classical Pianist Steven Beck played two pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, one titled “Partita No. 1 in B-flat major (BMV 825, 1726)” and another titled “Italian Concerto (BMV 971, 1735).” I tend to like my piano-oriented classical music to be a bit more melancholy (but not dark), and Bach is generally a little too perky for me, so to speak. However, the “Andante” movement of the “Italian Concerto” was absolutely heartbreaking. I’m working on finding a recording of it, and if/when I do, I’ll share it with all of you, perhaps along with some of my other favorite classical pieces…

Taken by Joshua Smelser, aka OtterFreak on Flickr.

Though much of his acclaim lies with his indie rock exposure via 2005’s Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs (reading the review on allmusic gives some nice insight into his back catalog), Bird is a classically trained violinist and a notoriously talented whistler. (Our friend Gavin at Rolling Stone.com wrote a nice piece on him for Chicago Centerstage that you can read here.) Before he launched into things, Bird mentioned that he was more excited for this show than any shows he had played in quite some time, and also mentioned that his parents flew in to town for the performance. Then, sock-footed and tie-donned Andrew Bird launched into a dizzyingly gorgeous stream of violin concertos.

First, he would play a few bars, then he would record and play them back in a loop, and play a different melody over the loop. He would occasionally accompany this with his seriously impressive whistling technique or a few notes on a xylophone.

It was interesting to hear Bird’s aesthetic when he wasn’t being constrained by a pop songwriting structure. As he closed his eyes and swayed his head back and forth while playing, one couldn’t help but get the sense that this was Andrew Bird at his most free.

I’m posting the song “Skin Is, My” here, not because it’s the best example of his playing style on Wednesday evening (or even the best example of his playing style on Mysterious Production…), but because it’s the song that got me interested in his music. In the summer of ‘05, I copied the CD from a friend (don’t try and start with me over that) after hearing a bunch of people raving about it, but it didn’t really grab me until I heard “Skin Is, My.” I ended up keeping that song on my iPod & computer, but getting rid of the rest of the album. Then another friend gave me a copy of it in the spring of this year, and I listened to it again, this time paying more attention. It’s definitely been an exemplary case of an album that I fall in love with the more I listen to it. Each time I hear it, there’s another song that makes me think “how was I not more amazed by this the last 238453 times I heard it?” Seeing his show on Wednesday was yet another instance of this thought.

Andrew Bird: “Skin Is, My” (download)

Andrew Bird on MySpace
Andrew Bird’s Official Site

The Wordless Music Project has two really great events coming up. Broken Social Scene and Do Make Say Think will be playing Wordless Music on January 24th, and Explosions In The Sky will be playing it on February 20th. I don’t think the Broken Social Scene/Do Make Say Think tickets have gone on sale yet, but the Explosions tickets went on sale just a few days ago, and the orchestra seating is already sold out. For more information and to buy tickets, visit wordlessmusic.org.