CMJ Recap: Part II

Picking up from where I left off in Part I... This will be a relatively pictureless post. Also, no mp3 samples this time! I am without my computer and music collection. Okay, maybe some...

Friday (The Delancey)

Here's an equation that's not hard to figure out. twosyllable records + Underwater Peoples + Chocolate Bobka = F YEA GOOD TIMES. We made it to the Delancey just in time for Made A Blog favorite Holiday Shores, who I also saw on Tuesday. Oops, that was left out of Part I. Anyway, I can always rely on Holiday Shores to put on a great show. They consistently sound good, and I appreciate that in a band. Standing Room has one of their sets from an older show.

After Holiday Shores was Frat Dad, a band from Underwater Peoples. Like Fluffy Lumbers (and Ducktails and Julian Lynch), Frat Dad is from Ridgewood, NJ. Ridgewood is the new indie mecca, y'all. Sawyer sent me a release for Frat Dad and said that "Frat Dad is like going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, then landing in a Middle School Cafeteria... on Mexican Pizza Day." I have no idea what that means, but Frat Dad are in-your-face loud rockers. I only wish I could have turned down the volume a little so that could delineate the songs.

NewVillager was a Made A Blog favorite when they put out Rich Doors earlier this year. I've only heard two songs from them, both on that 7", so I was a bit taken back by their live show. I was expecting something more along the lines of experimental electro, but NewVillager's music was more straight pop with R&B vocals.


Saturday (The Delancey, 92YTribeca, Music Hall of Williamsburg)

About 14 hours later, I found myself back at the Delancey for We Are Country Mice. For a day show, the venue was surprisingly packed. I wrote a little blurb about WACM on the blog for Standing Room, and I like the band now more than ever. They use just enough artful noise to keep things interesting without muddling the rest of the melodies. Their energy and ability to grab crowd participation never fails to impress me (and put a smile on my face). By the end of "Sign of the Times," everyone in the front was singing/yelling along. Definitely head on over to Standing Room to hear more.

Taking a break from CMJ, I headed over to the 92YTribeca for a screening of Sufjan Stevens' The BQE, MC'd by DJ Sufjan Stevens. Opening for the night was DM Stith, also a favorite of Made A Blog, and his spooky songs came alive onstage with the help of backing strings, bass, and drums. I still think that Heavy Ghost is an underrated album, and it's a perfect Halloween soundtrack. The Osso Quartet also performed stunning arrangements from Run Rabbit Run, and special guest Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) lent her vocals for "If I Were Queen." If you haven't given Run Rabbit Run a chance, I highly suggest that you give it the time and attention that it needs. Personally, I am a fan of impressionist music and find that the careful listening is usually rewarding.

Capping off the night was a screening of The BQE, which did not have any live accompaniment as I had presumed. This sounds corny, but I was really moved while watching the film. I'm not sure how non-New Yorkers will react to The BQE, but I felt overwhelmed with feelings of love-hate for my current residence of Brooklyn. It almost became a game of identifying the places that the film featured. I enjoyed it immensely, but I wonder how others will feel about it. Regardless, I would recommend picking up the album. The vinyl version comes with a comic book and 32-pg booklet which both add to the understanding and interpretation of the film.

The night was young, and we headed over the Kemado Records/Mexican Summer showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg. We arrived just as Smith Westerns were hitting the stage. Man, they are young and some of the coolest-looking kids out of my homestate of Illinois. They even wear Chicago Cubs and Bears gear. Their songs have a certain naïveté, honest and playful, and they don't pretend to be any wiser than the teenagers who wrote them. Apparently, they got kicked out of the venue for underage drinking. Yep, sounds about right.

Real Estate is another Made A Blog favorite, and I'm always excited to see them perform. The boys are consistently good, and their live show has gotten tighter over the last few months. Real Estate delivers excellent songwriting backed with excellent live performances, and I couldn't ask for more. While it's not full of new material, Real Estate's forthcoming full-length is killer. Expect to see that on my list of 2009's top albums.

Beach Comber - Real Estate

Last to hit the stage was The Amazing, which was billed as having members of Dungen. From the tracks I had heard before the show, I thought that The Amazing would play pure pop tunes. But, as I found out, they really turn on the psych for some of their songs. Reine Fisk (Dungen) is an amazing guitarist, and it's hard not to become completely absorbed in his playing.

Dragon - The Amazing

The End
I didn't even go crazy during CMJ week, and it still took a lot of energy out of me. Until next year!

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Surfer Blood - Cake Shop 10.20.09 (and Pianos 10.21.09)

If CMJ only helps a handful of bands, one will be Surfer Blood. In my mind, Surfer Blood will always the band whose buzz was almost quantifiable on Twitter around the time of their Bruar Falls show this past August. I first heard about Surfer Blood from Pop Jew, but I never made it out to that show (even though I wrote a little report on them for someone earlier that day). The next day, Sound Bites wrote this favorable review, Ryan Schreiber tweeted his regrets of not going, and Surfer Blood was Forkcasted later that day. And, they were signed onto Kanine the night before at Bruar Falls. Less than 24 hours.

Out of the bands playing CMJ this year, the one I've been looking forward to the most is Surfer Blood. Around the time that The Great Pumpkin wrote about Surfer Blood, I realized that I also really dug the band's music. The song that first won me over was "Catholic Pagans" (which is not called "Catholic Pegasus," according to the band). Sung with aching vulnerability, "Catholic Pagans" is a song that's haunted me during many late nights on the subway, when I tend to lose myself in my iPod. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to see them twice in 24 hours for free! The best CMJ goodies are free or unofficial, so no badge required.

The Pop Tarts Suck Toasted CMJ Party had a killer lineup, and Surfer Blood's set was well-attended. As expected, all the bands were playing 20-25 minute sets. Although Surfer Blood's set was short, they knew how to bang out their catchiest songs. Like Sound Bites said, Surfer Blood's music is not life-changing, and that's completely okay in my book. Surfer Blood is irresistible, and I have to admit that I've fallen for their music, which means that they're going up on my list of current obsessions (scroll top right). These days, I rarely see bands who are really truly excited by their music and having the opportunity to play. Maybe it's because it's CMJ week, but the raw energy of Surfer Blood made me remember why live music is so thrilling in the first place. I hope to catch a full set sometime in the near future. These short CMJ snippets are more like amuse-bouches than appetizers.

Be sure to check out the samples below. I'm only posting the songs that are widely circulating the Internet, but the rest of the CD-R is awesome. I saw that Surfer Blood was selling copies of the CD-R and an awesome t-shirt. "Harmonix" is my current favorite, especially because they use guitar harmonics in the song. We all know that I love a good musical pun. Astro Coast will be released by Kanine on January 19, hopefully with a song called "Catholic Pagans" and not "Catholic Pegasus." I'm just really confused by that because there's a lyrical reference to catholic pagans in the song.

Surfer Blood is playing a total of 12 shows during CMJ, so you have no excuses! But, if you don't make it, watch out for their live set from Pianos on Standing Room. We will also be putting up some other sets from the Pop Tarts Suck Toasted CMJ Party. Follow me on the Twitter for those updates.

Swim (To Reach The End) - Surfer Blood

Harmonix - Surfer Blood

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Kurt Vile - Mercury Lounge 10.07.09

Oh, Kurt Vile. If you read Look at me, I made a blog, follow me on Twitter, or have interacted with me in real life, then it's no surprise to you that I went to his show at Mercury Lounge. Even he knows I'm a big fan. I'd only seen Kurt play with the Violators at showcases like the Northside Festival and Woodsist Festival, so this was the first time I'd seen him as a headliner.

Although I thought it wouldn't, the show did indeed sell out. I even heard that one desperate fan sneaked in through the backdoor. During the break before KV and the Violators went onstage, the house DJ appropriately spun Sonic Youth, fellow Matador labelmates. When I peeked at the setlist on the floor, I was ecstatic to see some solo numbers. Kurt opened the night with two solos that haven't appeared on any record, to my knowledge. I recognized "Peeping Tomboy" from one of the Ray Concepcion videos from Kurt Vile's last Silent Barn show, which I've posted below. If I had any doubt that Kurt Vile has any more good material left in him after this new album, "Peeping Tomboy" puts my worries to rest. It's true that Kurt has released three records in the last year and a half or so, and that material spans 2000 to the present day. But, it seems like there some more songs left in him.

With the October 6th release of Childish Prodigy, it was no surprise that Kurt Vile and the Violators mostly performed songs from that album. The epic "Freak Train" is a personal favorite of mine, both live and on the record, and I would have gladly listened to an extended version of the song. Although the new album was the focus of the show, he performed a couple of songs off Constant Hitmaker, and they were given the Violators treatment. While purists would complain about the transformation of "Don't Get Cute" from a soft bedroom recording into an electric rocker, I have to say that it sounded pretty damn good. Of course, KV and the Violators tackled "Freeway," the song that Kurt once referred to as their Billboard chart hit, "right above 'Like a Rolling Stone.'" By far, the live version of "Freeway" is my favorite, mostly due to J Turbo's added harmonica part. My only complaint is that as the night went on, Kurt's vocals were drowned out by the three guitars onstage. I'm not sure if that was due to where I was standing, but I could always use more of Kurt's speak-sing.

No "My Sympathy" this night, but Kurt said he would definitely play it at his next NYC show. I hope he also plays other favorites like "Blackberry Song" and "Amplifier," both from Childish Prodigy. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Childish Prodigy is out now. Buy it here. There were also copies of God Is Saying This To You... at the show, but they sold out pretty quickly.


Classic Kurt Vile pose


J Turbo, man of many talents


The planned setlist. Actual is below

Setlist
Come On It (solo)
Peeping Tomboy (solo)
Don't Get Cute
Freak Train
Monkey
Hunchback
Inside Lookin' Out (aka "Kraut")
Overnite Religion
Freeway
He's Alright (w/ J Turbo)

Freak Train - Kurt Vile

Everyone is Talkin' - Kurt Vile (An oldie from the Accidents EP)

The Silent Barn: Kurt Vile // Peeping Tom from Ray Concepcioñ on Vimeo.

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Sufjan Stevens - Bowery Ballroom 10.04.09

Although I felt like a teenybopper by arriving at the venue an hour before doors were scheduled to open, I suspected that I wouldn't be the only one who didn't mind camping out a little for Sufjan Stevens. Sure enough, the line already snaked around the corner at 6:30 PM, but doors opened early around 7:10 PM. I'd never been to a Sufjan show before and, as gruesome as this may sound, he's been on my list of musicians to see before I die. Radiohead was once on this list.

I think it'd be accurate to say that I've been waiting several years to see Sufjan Stevens. Perhaps I've encountered a select sampling, but I've found that most Sufjan fans pinpoint Greetings from Michigan as the album that hooked them in for life. I was late in the game, so my "first" Sufjan album was Seven Swans, for no particular reason other than I was uninterested in so-called indie music until late high school. Sufjan Stevens may be pioneering christian indie as a genre and the biblical allusions in Seven Swans are undeniable, but I never really considered Sufjan's music to be intentionally religious in subject matter. It never held that meaning for me, especially since I'd been raised in an Eastern faith, but Seven Swans moved me in such ways that I became a Sufjan fan for life. Besides, he put together two albums about my home state! I even had "Come on feel the Illinoise" engraved onto an iPod. I do not joke.

In person, Sufjan almost looks like an overgrown teenager in his shrunken tee and trucker hat. He was joined by Nedelle of opening act Cryptacize and special guests Bryce Dessner of The National and Rosie Thomas, who was never the mother of Sufjan's baby. Unsurprisingly, Sufjan didn't talk much, and he seemed like a pretty shy guy. But, he did joke around about making mistakes and weening himself off reading notes for his new songs. He referred to the old songs as "real songs," as if the new material were just experimentations. The new songs had big backing band sounds, electronic blips of some sort, an absence of strict song structure, and a bit of improvisation. They seemed to be a logical step forward from "You Are The Blood," the song Sufjan contributed to the Dark Was The Night compilation. I'm hoping that this fall tour is a sign that Sufjan is seriously preparing a new album.

While the new songs were interesting to hear, especially since it's been awhile since Sufjan released a proper album of songs, I admit that I was at the show to hear the old ones. My favorite of the night was "Casimir Pulaski Day," a song that actually moved me to tears. That's never happened to me at a show before, but it's hard not to get teary when Sufjan confronts you with such a tragic story, sung with a tinge of vulnerability. I'm sure that I wasn't the only one who was lost in Sufjan's songs. Sufjan's live performances are unbelievably powerful, because he's able to effortlessly recreate the moods of his recorded music without using any gimmicks (aside from the 44 effects pedals onstage). With just his musical instruments and his voice, Sufjan Stevens makes you fall for his music all over again. If music can be considered a faith or religion, then seeing Sufjan was a spiritual experience.

Setlist
The Mistress Witch from McClure
Impossible Soul
The Transfiguration
Casimir Pulaski Day
All Delighted People (Note: The new live version sounds very different from the one posted below)
All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands
Age of Adz
To Be Alone With You
The Dress Looks Nice On You
Majesty Snowbird
Jacksonville
Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head!
Chicago
------------
John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
------------
Lakes of Canada (Innocence Mission Cover)


Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens

Lakes of Canada - Sufjan Stevens

All Delighted People - Sufjan Stevens

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Makeout Videotape - Mercury Lounge 09.27.09

Can't get enough of glorious lo-fi garage pop? Sick of all the fuzz? Regardless of what camp you're in, I strongly urge you to listen to Makeout Videotape right now. During my search for awesome new bands to cover for Standing Room/Standing Around, I saw that Makeout Videotape had been touring with Japandroids, my favorite act from Pitchfork Music Festival '09. One play of "I Guess The Lord Is In New York" on their MySpace was all it took for me to be hooked. It should be a crime to write songs that are this catchy. I've definitely caught myself singing some Makeout Videotape while walking around, and no one should be subjected to my singing.

Like Japandroids, Makeout Videotape is a two-piece hailing from Vancouver, and they're apparently signed onto the same Canadian label. According to BeatRoute Magazine, singer and guitarist Mac DeMarco recently finished high school, and I would assume that it's the same case for drummer Alex Calder. But, don't expect Makeout Videotape to sound like a typical high school garage band. If anything, Makeout Videotape only show their age through their genuinely easy-going nature, which I find to be a captivating characteristic for any band.

Most (if not all) of Makeout Videotape's infectious songs clock in under three minutes, so they got through quite a bit of material during their set, including a "cover" of Nirvana's "Come As You Are." Mac confessed that he didn't know all the words to the song, and sure enough he had to scat sing most of it. But, the crowd loved it anyway because he did a killer impression of Kurt Cobain. They promised to actually learn that one for the next time they're in NYC. Someone book this band so that they're back soon!

For now, Makeout Videotape has Heat Wave! EPs for sale on CD-R, and Mac was really nice to hook me up with one. I'm sharing some of those tracks with you, so enjoy! Live tracks from this show coming soon on Standing Room/Standing Around. Also, look out for Makeout Videotape's forthcoming 7". You'll have to go to a Makeout Videotape show yourself to find out why Japandroids called them the most eligible bachelors currently in New York City.


I Guess The Lord Is In New York - Makeout Videotape

Heat Wave - Makeout Videotape

Slush Puppy Love - Makeout Videotape

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Kings of Convenience - Bowery Ballroom 09.10.09

My love of Kings of Convenience goes back to the beginning of the college, just a couple months after the release of their second album, Riot on an Empty Street. As many of you can understand, freshman year is a very tumultuous period of time, and I spent most of my first NYC winter wallowing in self-pity. Accompanying me in these sessions was Kings of Convenience, soothing me with their minimalist acoustic instruments and making me feel even lonelier with their lyrics. Yes, I was one of those E-word kids.

When Kings of Convenience announced a single U.S. show at Bowery Ballroom, there wasn't a question of whether I would go. After five long years, KOC were about to return with Declaration of Dependence, an album that's been heroically kept under wraps for the most part. Last night at Bowery Ballroom, they unveiled live performances of many of these new songs for the first time to a very respectful crowd. Seriously, the audience admiration was comparable to what I felt at shows like Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes. I appreciate the slight predictability of KOC's music, and it seems like Declaration of Dependence is a melodically sunnier continuation of where the duo left off with Riot on an Empty Street. "Mrs. Cold" is the first single off Declaration of Dependence, and it's a classic KOC song in every way. The almost cynical lyrics of unrequited love and soft guitar-picked chords and notes are undoubtedly irresistible. Kings of Convenience proved that they haven't forgotten their formula for hooking and reeling in the listener.

The night was full of surprises, starting with the fact that Kings of Convenience are not boring to watch, even with just the two of them! Their stage banter was so natural and the crowd ate it up. I could feel everyone loosening up as Erlend and Eirik poked fun at themselves, their new songs, why it's taken so long for them to put together a new album, an audience member's terrible Norwegian, and male models. Erlend even shared a little known fact that "Little Kids" was written while he was walking around the Lower East Side. I think that makes him an honorary New Yorker.

The biggest surprise came at the very end when Kings of Convenience returned to the stage for their encore. Out of nowhere Leslie Feist appeared on the balcony and started belting her part to an unplugged version of "The Build Up." I was standing right below the balcony so I couldn't make out Feist's face, but her voice was unmistakeable. If you know me personally, you're probably wondering why I'm freaking out over this guest appearance when I don't even like Leslie's solo stuff. Well, it's true that I've never quite warmed up to most of Feist's solo material, but I love her presence in BSS and on the two KOC songs from their last album. Before I could even get over the shock of seeing a denim-clad Feist on the balcony, she was onstage for "Know How," a stunning song from the last album. The contained energy and excitement of the crowd during this song was unbelievable. I could see and hear people mouthing or singing along with KOC and Leslie, and I felt like I was a part of something special. I know it sounds corny, but it was an incredible moment that I will never forget.

Power of live music, folks. It brings tears of joy to my eyes. Go see Kings of Convenience. Declaration of Dependence will be released in October.

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Holiday Shores - Cameo Gallery 08.29.09

via twosyllable records

This may come as a shock to you, but I really dislike summers. The sun, heat, humidity, high SPF sunscreen that I must reapply every 10 minutes to avoid sunburn - What is there to like? Even though I hate the season, I cannot get enough of music that captures the scent of the salt-licked water, the gentle warm breeze, and the lusciously soft sand. I am in love with the idea of summer, and Tallahassee-based Holiday Shores indulge me every single time.

While I was introduced to Holiday Shores by Chocolate Bobka months ago, I didn't give the band a serious listen until this past month, probably due to a certain obsession with the music of this man. Ever since I got a copy of Holiday Shores' Columbus'd The Whim weeks ago, it's been my album of choice to play while working or cooking. The irresistible sounds (that remind me of The Sea and Cake in a brief moment that I can't seem to locate right now) put me at ease, whether I'm de-shell/veining shrimp for this dish, or working on a project in the soul-killing PowerPoint. It's no surprise that Holiday Shores is signed onto the awesome twosyllable records, also home to Bell and past Made a Blog obsession NewVillager.

The lack of live music in my life was getting me down (yes, I actually get sad), so I figured that a trip to Chocolate Bobka presents at Cameo Gallery would be good for my heart. I suspected that Holiday Shores would be a great live show, and they didn't disappoint. They sounded great at Cameo, and I don't remember the last time I had that much fun at a show. Their songs are infectious to begin with, and Holiday Shores give their live show a huge kick by really giving it their all onstage. The band was killing it, and I'm glad that I was able to make it to the last show on their mini-tour. Requests of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" were yelled out, and Holiday Shores went right into their rendition. M. insists that all good bands cover Fleetwood Mac, and that's definitely true in this case. When Holiday Shores closed with "Edge of Our Lives," I wasn't ready to leave or stop dancing around. I hope I don't have to wait until next summer to see Holiday Shores again.

Does anyone have pictures from the show? Cameo Gallery has such low lighting that I didn't even attempt with my point-and-shoot.

Standing Room recorded the set, and I should be putting up a song on the blog sometime soon. Listen to the cover of "Dreams" into "Errand of Tongue" now on Standing Around. If you missed Holiday Shores on their recent mini-tour, be sure to watch out for their live studio session, recorded last Friday, on BreakThru Radio. Check this Twitter (which I manage) or bookmark the BTR Blog.

Edge of Our Lives - Holiday Shores

Phones Don't Feud - Holiday Shores

Buy Columbus'd The Whim here or here.

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Dungen - The Bell House 08.14.09

It's unbelievable to me that until a month ago, I hadn't listened to any Dungen beyond "Satt Att Se" from their last album, 4. Sure, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes had the album cover of Ta Det Lugnt up as his profile picture when he was still on Twitter. But, I guess I missed all his tweets about the awesomeness that is Dungen. Thankfully, through cosmic intervention, Dungen's 4 found its way into my possession, and I decided to grab tickets to their show at The Bell House.

Mind-numbing lineups like Fleet Foxes/Dungen or the one for the Kemado/Mexican Summer Festival (though I could do without metal band Saviours) were unfortunately not in the cards for NYC, but the Dungen show at The Bell House had a power combination of its own with Brooklyn favorites Woods and Ducktails. Set times were pushed back, most likely so that Animal Collective attendees could walk a few avenues over after the show and enjoy Dungen at a discounted ticket price. Props to those who did that. I think I'm getting too old to do double features like that anymore, especially with the summer heat.

By the time Dungen hit the stage, the venue seemed comfortably packed, at least from where I was standing. Dungen treated the audience to over an hour and a half of incredible music. Maybe it's because I can't understand their Swedish lyrics, but I found myself paying more attention to the musical components and how they fit together like a puzzle to create shape and texture. In fact, Dungen's music is like a perfect banh mi sandwich. Both are made of essential ingredients, ones that are pretty good on their own. Every element is crucial to the equation. Like there are no filler parts in a banh mi sandwich, every note of a Dungen song, regardless of instrument, is deliberate and necessary. I have yet to find a perfect banh mi sandwich, one with such a construction that allows for each bite to have the ultimate balance of all parts as pictured here (Banh mi eaters, you should know what I'm talking about). But, I'm convinced that Dungen would be the auditory equivalent. Even without a violinist, Dungen played "Satt Att Se" so beautifully that I could hardly believe that I was witnessing it. The way the vocals fit in with the instrumentals, veering from minor to major keys and back to minor, it almost seemed like a musical pun. And, nothing excites me more than brilliant song compositions.

Although the guitarist was near collapse, Dungen came out for an encore. The entire band was very gracious to their audience, and frontman Gustav gave an extended shoutout to the folks at Kemado Records, Dungen's U.S. label who also produces a beautiful vinyl press of 4. Unfortunately, they didn't have any of those at the merch table.

Dungen is currently on tour in North America. Click here for dates. Be sure to pick up the tour-only limited edition 12" of the 15-minute version of "Samtidigt."


Ducktails


Jeremy of Woods


Dungen

Det Tar Tid - Dungen

Satt Att Se - Dungen

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Foreign Born - The Bell House 08.03.09

Post-All Points West Friday, I felt like all my energy and enthusiasm for live music were drained out of me. I don't know how you 3-day ticket holders did it. I missed a whole bunch of awesome weekend happenings like No Deachunter and M Ward, and I almost bailed on going to see Foreign Born at The Bell House. Thankfully, Hippies Are Dead reminded me of how much they enjoyed seeing Foreign Born at The Independent, so I got my act together and started walking to the venue.

This show was the last one of the nearly month-long North American tour of Foreign Born and The Veils. Spirits were high, and the band was downing shots at the beginning of their set. Although the audience at the Bell House was sparse after The Veils, Foreign Born seemed to enjoy themselves so much that I couldn't help but smile. I guess APW didn't squash the love of live music out of me. In an earlier post, I shared the highly repeatable "Early Warnings." Truth be told, Person to Person is full of little lines that find a way to bury themselves into your memory. The catchiness of the album became more obvious to me during the Foreign Born set, with each song having an addicting guitar riff. Some of you would disagree with me, but I really believe that the upper-range guitar lines are the isolating factor for why Foreign Born leaves an impression on listeners while sounding pleasant to the ears. Now, if we could only get them to abandon their seizure-inducing stage lights, maybe I would be able to pay more attention to what's happening onstage.

Also posted below is a saccharine summer song called "Surprise Hotel" by Fool's Gold. Fool's Gold includes two members of Foreign Born, as well as former members of We Are Scientists, The Fall, and Glasser. Micachu & The Shapes recently remixed the song, also below.


Early Warnings - Foreign Born

Surprise Hotel - Fool's Gold

Surprise Hotel (Micachu & The Shapes Remix) - Fool's Gold (via RCRD LBL)

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All Points West 2009 - Day 1

via Apostrophe Media

After last year's experience at All Points West, I was fairly certain that I would never go back. Aside from the headlining Radiohead, I had a long list of gripes with All Points West. As luck would have it, I found myself with a pass for Friday and an opportunity to see Jay-Z, who replaced Beastie Boys as the day's headliner. I made the decision to go, one I'm not sure I would have made in retrospect.


The clouds reveal what is to come

Learning from the NJ Transit debacle last year, I opted to shell out for a one-day roundtrip ferry ticket. Was it worth the hefty price tag? For one day, yes. I wouldn't pay for 3-day ferry transportation, but I would definitely recommend it for one day or even a return one-way ticket. I arrived around noon, and departed about 5-10 min later. Getting back to Manhattan from Liberty State Park wasn't too bad either. The ferry really should be a complimentary service or significantly subsidized to ~$5.


What is this? Burning Man?

The doors opened well past the designated time of noon, and I spent some time wandering around the grounds once I got in. There were more concession stands and beer gardens this year, which was good news since I would inevitably be forced to buy something to eat. To my shock, I couldn't find any of the water fountains to fill up my APW-approved Nalgene bottle. After walking around in circles with my worthless APW map, I gave up and shelled out $2 for a bottle of water. Did anyone locate the fountains??



I caught the very end of The Knux, a hip-hop duo originally from New Orleans. Next up was Seasick Steve, a one-man blues act who played a variety of different stringed instruments, including a cigar box guitar. An unbelievable guitarist, Seasick Steve sings about his real life experiences in such a rarely blunt and genuine way. For me, the most memorable song was about his abusive stepfather and how Steve had run away from home instead of shooting his assailant.




It's no secret that Fleet Foxes is much loved by Made a Blog, and this performance was unforgettable like all the rest. As the boys set up onstage, the winds started to pick up, a sign that severe weather was on its way. Like they always do, they opened with "Sun Giant" into "Sun It Rises." And, every single time without fail, they send shivers down my back. Rain started to fall during the Fleet Foxes' set, but there was something fitting about bobbing along to "Ragged Wood" in a little precipitation. Unfortunately, my tolerance for the rain did not last long. Fleet Foxes played a new song, one I didn't recognize, but it basically had all the elements that we've come to expect from Fleet Foxes like the mandolin, beautiful harmonies, and a memorable melody. I think they may have sung "wooden hand" a few times, so I'm going to assume that it's the name of the song. Correction: They were actually singing "What in hand" and the name of the song is "Bedouin Dress." Thanks, L.!

Setlist
Sun Giant/Sun It Rises
Drops in the River
English House
New Song (Possibly called "Wooden Hand?") Bedouin Dress
White Winter Hymnal
Ragged Wood
Your Protector
Mykonos
Blue Ridge Mountains



via Apostrophe Media

The National is another consistently good band that always delivers what the audience wants. They kicked off with "Start a War," one of my favorite songs and a most appropriate opener. Unfortunately, the rain became unbearable during their set. The park was getting muddy, the wind was cold, and I almost left to go home. I stuck around for half of The National's set before I sought shelter in an ATM tent.


via Apostrophe Media

I emerged from the ATM tent as Vampire Weekend hit the main stage. They started with "White Sky," a song that Ezra referred to as being "a new one." I didn't realize that a song could still be new if the band had been playing it since January 2008. However, Vampire Weekend did play a real new song in the middle of their set. I don't really remember much about it other than that it was also characteristically VW-style fun. All in all, it was like every other Vampire Weekend show I've seen. Ezra has become a more comfortable frontman over the years, albeit he has some difficulty stringing words together to form coherent sentences. Seeing as he studied English and that we share the same alma mater, I find this to be a bit embarrassing.




via Apostrophe Media

By the time the Yeah Yeah Yeahs hit the stage, the rain had subsided. People rejoiced by slipping, sliding, and dancing in the mud. I'm not the biggest fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but Karen O is an amazing lead singer and she knows how to command a large audience. The large inflatable eyeballs that they sent flying into the crowd reminded me of the theatrics of the Flaming Lips show at Pitchfork. I wish I hadn't seen the band on this particular day and setting, because all I could think about at this point was seeing Jay-Z so that I could go home and sit down.


via Apostrophe Media

When it was announced that Jay-Z would be replacing the Beastie Boys at APW, I almost regretted not planning to go. Well, the stars aligned and I ended up with a ticket. As much as I hated being wet and muddy and standing up for nearly 7 hours straight, Jay-Z made me forget about all these things. When his 10-minute counter went down to zero, Jay-Z emerged onstage and immediately went into a cover of Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." And then, he performed everything I wanted to hear, including some new tunes. "D.O.A." "Beware (ft. Punjabi MC)." "My President is Black (Remix)." "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)." The crowd yelled out most of the first verse of "Can I Get A..." Jay-Z seemed like a music festival pro, playing some new songs and doing medleys of his many hits, even "Numb/Encore (with Linkin Park)." Incredible.




My misery at All Points West was mostly attributed to the terrible weather and mud, but I still wouldn't choose to go to this festival on my own dime. It's absurdly expensive, and I was pretty pissed that I couldn't find the water fountain that was supposed to be closest to the main stage. Getting there and back is painful (PATH + NJ Transit), especially the return trip to NY. The ferry is awesome, but expensive. That said, if Daft Punk were to headline APW, I would be there in a second.

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"Reginald's Lament" - The Sophisticuffs

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via chris zak and NME

Ever wonder what Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend) and Wes Miles (Ra Ra Riot, Discovery) sounded like in high school? It was recently brought to my attention that they were involved in about fifteen projects together back in their Glen Ridge, NJ days. Add Dan Millar and Andrei Padlowski, and you've got the Sophisticuffs (photo here), with Wes on bass and keyboard and Ezra on vocals and other instruments. Suddenly, the appearance of Wes in the Vampire Weekend movie trailer makes so much sense.

So what did Ezra and Wes sound like during their pre-college days? In some ways, they sound like what you'd expect from a high school band. Calling them a garage rock band is easy, but that's the first impression that I got from listening to snippets from 48 songs, mostly from an album called Factory. While "Oh No (Oh Yes)" exemplifies their garage band sound, there is more to the Sophisticuffs, and their jazz improvisation and experimental electronic influences are more evident in the tracks that are mostly instrumental. "Reginald's Lament" is the clear standout track on the album, with brass notes that bring Stravinsky to mind. The rest of the Sophisticuffs material isn't as memorable, but it's interesting to see how their current respective bands have grown and evolved since then.

Even before the days of Vampire Weekend, the Sophisticuffs weren't completely unknown. A Google search brought me to this page on Matador records from 2001 where Ben Goldberg describes Factory as the "wildly inventive musical work" of former Matador intern Ezra Koenig. Also, a Sophisticuffs song was used in the 2002 film Don't Ask Don't Tell. Perhaps it won't be long until Ezra and Wes properly team up again.

And, if you're wondering where I got these songs, I didn't download them from the Internet. I got them from a local fan of the Sophisticuffs who still had the CDs (Thanks, D.).

Reginald's Lament - The Sophisticuffs

Oh No (Oh Yes) - The Sophisticuffs

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"Warm Heart of Africa" (ft. Ezra Koenig) - The Very Best

via Green Owl

Unofficial hiatus is officially dunzo. I don't think I've ever gone this long without blogging, but rest assured because I don't intend on staying away any longer. A lot of things have been going on in my non-Made a Blog life, but I managed to sneak away for a weekend of music at a little event called Pitchfork Music Festival. In between eating Giordano's stuffed pizza and gawking at hipsters native to my home state of Illinois, I managed to catch a bit of music. Experiencing the Flaming Lips' ridiculous stage show was unforgettable, but I had to sacrifice catching The Very Best, aka Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit, who went on at roughly the same time at another stage. And, because I was in Chicago, I also missed the show at Le Poisson Rouge. So, I've missed half of their rare U.S. shows in July, which is a shame because their forthcoming album Warm Heart of Africa is one that is bound to end up on some top of '09 lists.

On The Very Best mixtape released for free last year, we heard Esau singing over remixed versions of Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa and M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes." It's no surprise that Ezra Koenig and M.I.A. make appearances on Warm Heart of Africa, nor is it shocking that Esau and Radioclit know how to make their guests sound good. "Warm Heart of Africa," the first released track, is an infectious song that's guaranteed to brighten up a rainy New York summer day and will have you singing along in no time. Ezra Koenig's voice perfectly complements Esau's and the beats of the song, perhaps because we are already used to associating Ezra with his band's so-called "Upper West Side Soweto" sound. "Warm Heart of Africa" is really just a small window into the tremendous album. It's no secret that I'm a fan of Passion Pit, but I have to admit that their debut full-length Manners was unfulfilling and sort of fell flat on its face in some places. Thankfully, we have The Very Best's Warm Heart of Africa to fill in the gaps as my favorite dance-y album of the year thus far. I even like "Rain Dance" featuring M.I.A., and that's a huge deal because I find her to be mostly unbearable.

Warm Heart of Africa will be released later this fall on Green Owl. Make sure to listen to "Chalo," which is my current favorite. I hope The Very Best add some more U.S. dates soon.

Warm Heart of Africa (feat. Ezra Koenig) - The Very Best

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Northside Festival 2009 - Day 3

Images via Auditory Threshold

Finally, Saturday had arrived, and that meant only one thing to me: I would finally be seeing Kurt Vile and hearing the music that has been haunting my existence. I start most of my days with Constant Hitmaker and always end them with God Is Saying This To You..., with some other Kurt Vile songs in between. Today, I listened to "Freeway" for an hour straight. If you ask how this is possible, you should probably give the song a listen and tell me how you could NOT play it for hours on end. Even now, I am listening to "Don't Get Cute" on repeat. Needless to say, Kurt Vile was my must-see act at Northside Festival, especially since I missed him at Silent Barn on my birthday.

But, before Kurt Vile would close out the night at The Shank, there were a few bands to stand through, ranging from good to painful. We arrived minutes before Best New Music'd Woods hit the stage. The Shank was so packed that badge holders were no longer granted entrance, but a few dollars ameliorated that situation. Seeing as the event was hosted by Less Artists More Condos, I wasn't surprised to see that The Shank was less of a "venue" and more of a practice space with some loft rooms, a little reminiscent of the place that held the last LAMC show I attended. The lack of air ventilation didn't deter people from checking out Woods, who was clearly one of the most popular acts of the festival.

I have to admit that I didn't like seeing Woods at Underground Lounge, where they performed with Wavves and Nodzzz. At that show, the sound was so unbalanced from where I was standing that everything just sounded like noise. Although the sound at The Shank wasn't the greatest and Jeremy's mic cut out at times, I could actually make out the individual components of their music. For me, being able to break down the sound complexities gave me an understanding of Woods that I didn't have before, one that is crucial in my appreciation for their music. Music aside, I have a lot of respect for Jeremy Earl and his label, Woodsist, which is putting out some of the most exciting music that I've been listening to in the last few months. Everything that I've ordered from Woodsist has been personally mailed by Jeremy Earl, and that is amazing to me.

To Clean - Woods



Kurt Vile and the Violators were scheduled to go on at 1 AM, but some members of the Violators were held up elsewhere. By the time the full band materialized on stage, it was close to 2:30 AM. As Kurt tuned his guitars, he said, "Sorry for the delay...pedals." The joke was lost on most of the crowd. I would have liked to have seen Kurt entertain us by himself in the meantime, but I guess the bill did read "Kurt Vile & the Violators." While the band only played for about 30 minutes, it was enough to leave me wanting more. Sure enough, I've been giving Kurt Vile plenty of rotation since the Northside performance. I may prefer Vile's bedroom rock stylings of Constant Hitmaker and God Is Saying This To You…, but seeing him with the Violators only confirmed my belief that Kurt Vile is destined for stardom (including an imminent BNM stamp of approval from P4K). During their set, I kept on shaking my head in disbelief. The same man who serenades with "My Sympathy" is also capable of jamming out the epic "Freak Train," complete with an unforgettable scream-sing. The two songs seem wildly different in style, but yet they both exemplify Kurt Vile's musical identity. Hippies Are Dead most eloquently strives to describe it in their review of God Is Saying This To You…. I hope we hear more of this brilliant juxtaposition on the forthcoming Childish Prodigy, to be released on Matador in Fall 2009.

Keep an eye out for the repress of God Is Saying This To You. They're only printing 500 more copies, so do not snooze on this purchase. You may want to order directly from Mexican Summer to avoid any mishaps. Kurt Vile will be performing during the Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival, which has the most amazing lineup I've ever seen. I assume this will be KV without the Violators. Edit: The Woodsist show will be Kurt with a full band, but he has alluded to a couple solo numbers as well.




Freeway - Kurt Vile

My Sympathy - Kurt Vile

Don't Get Cute - Kurt Vile

Order Constant Hitmaker here. His entire discography is also available on iTunes. Do the right thing, buy it all, and then tell your friends to do the same.

Past coverage on Kurt Vile here. Thanks to Will Shu for shooting the show on behalf of MusicOlogy.

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Northside Festival 2009 - Day 2

via Auditory Threshold

Day 2 of the Northside Festival started off with Sunset Rubdown, one of the festival's headlining acts. Sunset Rubdown began as a solo project of Wolf Parade's Spencer Krug, but it eventually grew into a full band. Sunset Rubdown has been touring North America in support of their latest album, Dragonslayer, and they made a stop at Studio B. Unfortunately, their set was plagued with many technical difficulties. Spencer faced the challenge of malfunctioning mics the entire night. Each time his mic was swapped out, the new one would inevitably cut out a little. I guess Studio B's equipment just couldn't handle Krug's powerful voice. Despite Krug's entertaining Canadianisms, the crowd was audibly distracted as the band pioneered through.

Idiot Heart - Sunset Rubdown




via Auditory Threshold

We wanted to drop by Real Estate's set at Death By Audio, but we were running too late to make the trip worth it. Instead, we headed over to Music Hall of Williamsburg to catch Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth. We last saw Kristian when he opened for Bon Iver. Since then, his Dylan-esque melodies and vocals have won over quite a crowd in New York, and it was obvious by the audience in attendance. Kristian was completely channeling a rockabilly style with his clothes and hair, and it always surprises me that he is indeed Swedish. No cover of Nico's "These Days" on this night, although someone did shout out a request, but you can enjoy a video of a past performance here.


via Auditory Threshold

I'm pretty unfamiliar with John Vanderslice and his music, but I decided to check him out based on some recommendations. There's something about him that reminds me of some of the music that I listened to during the 90's, including Better Than Ezra. Extremely accessible musicians like Vanderslice are pleasant to listen to, but they don't leave much of an impression on me. Out of his set, the song that I musically enjoyed the most was "Tablespoon of Codeine." Aside from the politically driven lyrics, the track has simple, yet haunting melody lines that have a way of embedding themselves into your memory. John Vanderslice is currently touring North America with The Tallest Man on Earth.

Tablespoon of Codeine - John Vanderslice

Coverage from Day 1 here.

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Northside Festival 2009 - Day 1

via Auditory Threshold

This past weekend, L Magazine cured NYC's SXSW envy with the first Northside Festival, a music and art-filled four days in North Brooklyn. Known for being musician and artist friendly, Williamsburg and Greenpoint were the obvious choice locales for a Brooklyn-based music festival. With a dense population of music stages and art galleries, North Brooklyn is dream come true for a music lover, and I thank L Magazine for taking full advantage of the local culture for the festival.




Northside Festival kicked off on Thursday with a short list of events. The first stop for me was Ducktails, a project of Matt Mondanile who also plays in the much-loved Real Estate. I only caught the end of his set which included "Beach Point Pleasant," a track off the recently released self-titled LP (Order here). Cameo Gallery, a fairly new art gallery/music venue located inside the Lovin' Cup Cafe, was a strangely appropriate venue for Ducktails. Darkly intimate with iridescent strips hanging from the ceiling, Cameo could be the best indoor space for an experimental one-man or one-woman show. That being said, I have to admit that seeing Ducktails live wasn't the most thrilling experience, which is what I expected going into the show. Because I have such little knowledge of what actually goes into creating his sound, it was hard for me to be engaged. 7 inches has some great insight into what he believes Matt is doing onstage, and I highly suggest that you go over there and read his write-up. If someone would like to walk me through some of the technicals, I would appreciate that, too. Ducktails has an awesome LP, and I recommend that you pick up a copy. I ordered directly from Not Not Fun Records and it came with some interesting packaging. Ducktails was also featured on the Free Music Archive recently.

Let's Rock the Beach (Live at WFMU) - Ducktails

After Ducktails, I stayed a little longer for Julianna Barwick. I don't know much about Julianna, so this may be a crude evaluation of her set. While I think some of her songs are very beautiful and soothing, it was uninteresting for me to watch someone use samples and only contribute live vocal loops. "You Catcher" has beautiful minimalist picked guitar lines and upper register piano chords, and I would have liked to have seen Barwick create the instrumental loops herself. In a way, Julianna Barwick's music reminds me of French films, the ones that have no real plot, pinnacle, or resolution. Some people are into that, but it's not my cup of tea.

You Catcher (Daytrotter Session) - Julianna Barwick

To close out the night, I headed to Studio B, which is once again in danger of losing its liquor license. Brightblack Morning Light sounded like a psychedelic funk band, backed by a couple brass instruments. I recognized the saxophonist from the Akron/Family show at Bowery Ballroom. As much as I liked Brightblack Morning Light's sound, their songs started to blur together after a short while. Calming music, but not the best band to see late at night when all you want to do is crawl into bed.

Oppressions Each - Brightblack Morning Light



Elsewhere at Northside Festival, correspondent Auditory Threshold attended a headlining performance by The Hold Steady and shot some great pictures. Head on over to Auditory Threshold to see and read the rest.

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Grizzly Bear - MHOW 05.31.09

via Will Shu

The NYTimes may have hated seeing Grizzly Bear, but I couldn't disagree more with the review. After this past weekend, I've now experienced Grizzly Bear four times, and the guys sound better with each show. Some people are turned off by the band's lack of crowd interaction, and I can understand that. I definitely thought the band looked bored by their own music when I first saw them. Since then, I've been educated by One For The Good Days to watch drummer Chris Bear if I ever need to be entertained. But, I don't go to Grizzly Bear shows to be visually entertained. Over and over, I go back because I simply can't get enough of the absolutely stunning moments that they create, the kind of music that is so beautiful that it breaks your heart every single time.

When Grizzly Bear started with a near-perfect rendition of "Southern Point," one of my favorites off the latest Veckatimest, I knew that their show at Music Hall of Williamsburg would be a special night. In the smallest venue I have ever seen them play, Grizzly Bear seemed at ease, as if they were actually enjoying themselves. That's right, the normally stoic Grizzly Bear members had smiles on their faces. They appeared noticeably more comfortable, and the audience could hear it in the music. I preferred GB without the extra trimmings like Nico Muhly or the ACME String Quartet who were both at the Town Hall show I attended on the previous Friday. Seeing the four members up close, I couldn't help but think how cosmic it is that these people somehow found each other in order to create this music. I don't know how people can find Grizzly Bear to be cold, because I find their music to be extremely transportive in the most emotionally manipulative way. It is rare to find music so powerful that it's able to speak to you on a somewhat subconscious level. Yes, they are very precise musicians, but their consistency is something I look forward to with each concert. In the end, I have to admit that I may have an uncommon reaction to Grizzly Bear's music. When I hear a song like "Little Brother," I can't help but smile like a fool. Maybe particular music elements resonate deeply with me, but I know that I'm a fan for life.

One thing I noticed during the show was how much I enjoyed listening to the older, non-Veckatimest material. It took me quite awhile to wrap my head around Yellow House, but I almost think I like it more than Veckatimest. After carefully listening to an album for an extended period of time, I find the "lightbulb moment" (if it ever occurs) to be such a delightful reward. With Veckatimest's greater immediate accessibility, the epiphany factor is now missing for me. I've now gone back to listening to Yellow House, of which "Easier" is my current favorite. If you've recently become a fan of Grizzly Bear, I suggest that you take the time to go through their earlier discography.

And, don't forget to watch Chris Bear if you find your mind wandering at the next Grizzly Bear show. Click here for past Grizzly Bear coverage.



via Will Shu

Southern Point - Grizzly Bear

Easier - Grizzly Bear

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Girl Talk, Violens - Hiro Ballroom 05.28.09

Thanks to BrooklynVegan's tip, I entered in a photo contest and won a camera and a pair of tickets to a private Girl Talk show at Hiro Ballroom. The 2nd prize winning photo can be found here, and you can see that it's a pretty amateur fan shot. Nonetheless, it won something and I happily danced to Girl Talk for the fourth time in two years. A significantly smaller and older crowd (21+ only) made the experience much more enjoyable, although I was a little disappointed to see so many people not dancing as if they didn't know what to do at a Girl Talk concert. Girl Talk shows are always a good time to let loose and jump around to songs that you may remember from Jock Jams (Volume 1).

By now, you should know that Girl Talk shows are crazy, complete with inflatable balls, bubble machines, and a DJ who will not stop moving around. I wouldn’t say that I’m the most dance-happy person, but I will get down to Girl Talk because it really is a shame not to have a good time. Although the grand prize winners were supposed to dance onstage for one song, the crowd rushed the stage during the first song in true GT-show fashion. This time I didn’t get crushed by eager dancers, but my friend J. and I opted for more breathing space and left the stage after a few songs. I pretty much lose it every time Gregg samples anything Daft Punk (especially “Aerodynamic”), but I wish he would bring back the Grizzly Bear “Knife” sample. I’m still holding onto my memory of Grizzly Bear joining Gillis onstage at Pitchfork Music Festival ’07.

Girl Talk shows have always been a bonding experience for my friends and me. I listen to music that they’ve never heard of, and I flabbergast them by barely knowing any Top 100. These differences aside, my friends and I know how to have a good time and we have Gregg Gillis to thank for providing a happy medium. Girl Talk: Bringing weird indie kids and mainstreamers together since 2006’s epic Night Ripper.

Violens, who has also been given love on Made a Blog, opened for Girl Talk. Their performance of “Already Over” was divine, and I can’t wait for their forthcoming album.

Thanks to Spin and Canon for sponsoring the event and Absolut for the complimentary open bar.



Violens


Onstage view of Gregg Gillis

Already Over - Violens



In Step - Girl Talk

Purchase Feed the Animals here.

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"Ambivalence Avenue" - Bibio

via Warp Records

Back in December and January, Here We Go Magic's "Tunnelvision" was my in-transit anthem. The song's upbeat, repetitious melodies kept me moving very quickly from door to door, a motivation that I desperately needed back then. Even listening to it now brings back memories of the snow, cold wind, and busy Manhattan streets. Now that the weather has warmed up and leisurely strolls have become a new habit of mine, I find myself playing "Ambivalence Avenue" to accompany me on explorations in my new neighborhood.

While I had downloaded experimental electronic artist Bibio's new album sampler on RCRD LBL, I didn't listen to any full songs until "Ambivalence Avenue" was featured on Pitchfork's Forkcast. Founded on layers of acoustic guitar loops, "Ambivalence Avenue" is an infectious tune that sounds so natural that it hardly suggests the complicated recording process, as outlined in Bibio's bio via RCRD LBL. Combined with the warm lo-fi sound, the lethargic rhythm of the song (I believe it's in 3/4 time) paints a picture of a lazy summer Sunday, complete with deliberately slow walks that have no real destination in mind.

Judging by the rest of the sampler, I'm excited to hear the rest of the album. I was surprised by the wide range of genres that Bibio dabbles in for the forthcoming Ambivalence Avenue, including funk and hip-hop, which I didn't expect after hearing this song. Ambivalence Avenue will be officially released on June 22nd, but you can pre-order it on vinyl and CD here.

Ambivalence Avenue - Bibio

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