Glasslands Gallery must be one of the hottest venues right now. Seriously, the place doesn't have any air conditioning. I'm used to living without A/C, but those who aren't should mentally prepare themselves before entering. A sweltering room isn't ideal for most acts, but I felt like it worked for Candy Claws. The heat-induced delirium almost seemed like an intentional addition to their hazy musical dreamscapes.
Originally a duo, Candy Claws has now expanded to include eight members for their live shows. I would guess that the median age of the band is around 20, making this another band that reminds me of how little I've accomplished in my life thus far. Candy Claws recently lost their gear in a scary car fire, but they are trekking on with their tour.
Even with makeshift, borrowed gear, Candy Claws was able to create an eerie, ethereal atmosphere, walking the line between dream and nightmare. This isn't a dream where bunnies and teddy bears frolic together in a green meadow under a rainbow. Rather, their music also captures elements of confusion and anxiety, resulting in a complex view of what happens when we close our eyes for the night. I think that it's rare to find transportive music, and Candy Claws continues to impress me with their ability to paint another world with their sounds. I highly recommend that you check them out if they're passing through your town.
Candy Claws' second album Hidden Lands will be released on August 3 and can be pre-ordered at twosyllable records. Apparently, the album is a musical companion to Richard M Ketchum's book, The Secret Life of the Forest.
Silent Time of Earth - Candy Claws
July 15, 2010
Candy Claws - Glasslands Gallery 07.14.10
October 25, 2008
Miracles of Modern Science - Glasslands Gallery 10.24.08
via K. of Escape Sounds
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Miracles of Modern Science, a band that I barely caught at a show, but they've become one of my current obsessions. Last night, I made my way to Glasslands Gallery, a space with a bizarre paper-mache backdrop, to check them out properly.
Right before the MOMS set, a huge crowd of people came into the venue and crowded around the front of the stage. Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of Princeton alums/students who were eager to support one of their own. I asked someone standing by me to confirm that there were indeed a lot of Princeton people in the vicinity. To that, he made a comment about how it's hard to be cool when you have high SAT scores. My friends and I were from a certain school uptown and one in Providence, and we find that it's not that difficult to be normal, but we don't generally discuss SAT scores.
MOMS put on a great, energetic show in their silver (and one blue) spacesuits. They were walking around the venue earlier, but I almost didn't recognize them without their show gear on. I could have used a little more sound from the violin, but man did those strings sound fantastic live. But, you can read here about why MOMS musically intrigues me. They closed with one of K.'s favorites, a track that is unfortunately not on the EP. I guess they're making us wait for this one.
I also saw some CMJ badges in the crowd, which I hope will help to get this awesome band more exposure. It doesn't hurt that Brooklyn Based listed MOMS as one of their CMJ must-sees.
MOMS released their first EP yesterday, and you can grab it here. It's a short one with only four songs, albeit most of the songs exceed the 5-minute mark. All the songs have been remastered from their previous demo versions, so you should definitely check it out. I especially like the reworked version of "MR2." Now I can finally share "Luminol" with you!
Luminol - Miracles of Modern Science
Eating Me Alive - Miracles of Modern Science
