Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Post Hurricane Show Recaps

A seriously damaging hurricane named Sandy ripped through most of the Eastern United States last week.  Some of us were lucky to only lose power for a few days - while others were not as fortunate and lost considerably more.  Relief efforts continue to demonstrate how people come togther and support each other in a time of crisis.  These efforts are to be applauded.

Prior to that wrecking force of nature, a recap of CMJ shows attended were being chronicled.  They continue here now.


Friday night October 19, 2012 had The Deli Magazine presenting it's Mostly Psych Stage at Pianos on Manhattan's famed Lower East Side.

Arriving in time to catch Deli Mag CMJ Issue front cover artists Foxygen beginning their set, the packed lower (main) stage floor  made getting closer a most difficult task.



With a little effort some forward progress was made - allowing for a closer perspective on their live performance.  While the band appeared to be enjoying themselves, their presentation was a bit chaotic and lacking in the tight cohesion one might expect from such a prime timeslot (and in front of such a large crowd).  Still, their recorded works exhibit a creativity that has garnered them the accolades and attention they've gotten so far.

You can read an in-depth feature on this band in Fall Deli Mag - Print Issue #32 Volume #2, found here:
http://tinyurl.com/aoezrqm

Escaping the crowded downstairs room, it was a quick jaunt up the staircase to catch a set by the wonderful dreampop band Field Mouse



Having attended a number of their shows over the last year, I've come to expect a high quality presentation, and this show served to reinforce that.



The music they write, record and play live is lush and gorgeous.  It's everything I love about pop music that skewers towards the romantic, without ever crossing over into maudlin.


Rachel Browne is the perfect dreamy-girl frontperson.  Pretty, great voice, plays well and writes from the heart.  What more could you ask for?


Andrew Futral embraces his role as guitar maestro and studio wizard with a visible confidence that comes from knowing you've got all that down.  The fact that he plays lefthanded points towards an early and unwavering commitment to his craft.


The band has been featured by yours truly a number of times, both in The Deli Mag and this blog.

Read what I wrote about them on this occasion:



As well as a full interview here:




With a fuller expanded feature on that interview right here:


Find out more here:



Fortunately the next band on the need-to-see-and-hear itinerary immediately followed in the same location.


Ex Cops had been one of those bands on the 'must check out' list for a while now.  Having them perform here as part of this showcase provided the perfect opportunity.


Along with the pop sensibility and songwriting of Brian Harding, the band features vocals and keyboards from Amalie Bruun, who also performs her own material as a solo act.

Listen to this evenings performance of their song "Broken Chinese Chairs(z)"





First writing about this band earlier this year (which can be found on The Deli Mag here:
http://nyc.thedelimagazine.com/node/9433
and in this very blog here:
http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2012/05/recent-deli-mag-features-sophisticated.html)

The above posted “Broken Chinese Chairs” takes their cleverly self-described devotional tropical goth and points it towards a more classic new wave ethic of the late 80’s. Carefully layered chunky guitar chords, single note melody lines, brass and flutey synths all support punky-sweet female vocals. The mysteriously titled “S&HSXX” clacks with a percussive force reminiscent of Brian Eno ’s “In Dark Trees,” while “The Millionaire” evokes the kind of dreamy make out groove that a band like “Washed Out” is known for.




Having the good fortune to catch them perform again a mere four days later at Glasslands afforded the opportunity to capture this live performance of the above-mentioned song "The Millionaire"



Find out more here:   http://excopsband.com/

*****
Shuffling down the stars again, I made it into the big room just in time to catch a set by the recently buzz-heavy Mac DeMarco (who apparently was playing absolutely every CMJ showcase he possibly could).


The room was once again jammed to the rafters. 


It was easy to see why as DeMarco puts on a most entertaining show.


Aided by some well placed promo earlier in the year, Mac has in recent times revealed his truer self.


That being a guitar weilding, humorously crooning, flannel shirt wearing Canadian slacker boy.

Check out this night's performance of "Baby's Wearing Blue Jeans"



*****
Next up were a rather interesting percussion and synth ensemble called Hundred Waters
Hailing from Gainesville, Fla. the band played lengthy improvisational pieces that incorporated electronic elements with rapid percussion.

A dual tandem of female vocalists (who contributed on various keyboards and percussive instruments as well) presented their songs via a cascading and overlapping style.
Overall the band sound evolved across a spectrum between ambient, open ended jazz and a more familiar electronic rock.
*****



As is often the case during these long festivals, projected starting times for bands tend to get pushed further back as the night goes on.  It turned out to be closer to 2:30 in the a.m by the time featured artists of the night - Young Magic hit the stage.
It was well worth hanging in there, however - as their music and visual presentation was magnificent.
Once again leaning on drone electronics, heavy percussion and adding bright guitar to the mix, Young Magic's sound draws from a considerably different global resource than the artists before them.

The lovely Australian/Indonesian-born Metali Malay provides all the vocals and guitars.

See and here how they presented themselves on this evening:




Focusing on electronic washes and soundscapes (when not also thundering in with percussive mallets) was fellow Australian (and founding member) Isaac Emmanuel.


Metali also put down her guitar at times to concentrate solely on vocals.

Listen in (and check out the stunning visual projections) in this additional clip from their performance:




An in-depth feature on this band (written by yours truly) can also be found in the latest Print Issue of The Deli Magazine (linked above), and on The Deli Website Here

*****

18 comments:

  1. another amazing show recap.. i’d already read some of those features on bands you’ve previously written about here and on the Deli (like Field Mouse and Ex Cops who I agree are excellent). now i’m loving all the newer stuff presented, like Young Magic! wonderful.

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  2. Glad to hear you've been reading all that I put here, Misty ;-)

    I will write again about bands I've come to know and love, especially as time passes and they release new material or put on significant shows. Young Magic definitely won me over this CMJ.

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  3. Great one Dave, as always. Excellent photos, very nice bands and songs.

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  4. Yes, the songs are really what matters here. There's a lot of good ones! Not only what I posted, but via each of the band links I've included as well.

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  5. here is the dreamy video and song for 'sparkly' by Young Magic

    http://youtu.be/2ydYhTG4LbI

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  6. I really like this session that Field Mouse did with Breakthrough Radio a while back:

    http://youtu.be/XrFh0WZVL8c

    Great live performances of three of my fave songs of theirs - plus an amusing interview.

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  7. The Sandy is gone and the life keep going on! Great review, great music and definitely great photos! and not to mention now my fave Amalie Bruun that looks like my teacher! :D

    Great job Dave :)

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  8. Ha! I saw you mention that before (about Amalie), Ivanka. Over in our SEB forum. I said at the time that you must be lucky to have a teacher that looks like her!

    In addition to her great looks - she is also a wonderful singer, songwriter - and plays multiple instruments. The complete package!

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  9. yeah I guess I am lucky!
    about that she's wonderful singer I have no doubts, I truly liked her voice! :D

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  10. You will like these vids, Ivanka. Check them out:

    Crush
    http://youtu.be/023DyzNezPw

    Siren
    http://youtu.be/XxCunreNOMo

    3 AM in NYC
    http://youtu.be/5AKxVJwPkFQ

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  11. Field Mouse are F**king awesome
    and thus by virtue of them and DC's recap I will be checking out the other bands too... all sounding and looking good. It takes more than a hurrican to quash NYC's creatives ;)

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  12. Some day I will make it to CMJ...some day! In the meantime, thanks for the recap Dave. Glad Sandy didn't keep you from some great music. I'm loving Field Mouse ever since you first wrote about them here, and I've heard a buzz about Young Magic, so it was cool to see your pictures and read about their show. I'm also going to look into Ex Cops a bit more...wasn't familiar with them.

    Thanks again for the great read!

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  13. It's always gratifying to see that the bands I feature here and who's music I help to promote reaches both familiar and newer audiences. The truest influence of this whole electronic social-networking world we presently live in.

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  14. nice gigs.
    remember those bands you written before, and see some i never heard of.
    all in all looks like vibrant show.
    got to mention i dig ms brunn. and ex cops was a pleasant recap of them as well.
    so i wish east coast to recover as fast as possible and more gigs like this to keep common sense alive.
    nicely done.

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  15. Nice to see these bands coming together for the areas left devastated. Great layout & just enough info to be informative but not too much.

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  16. Thanks for the additional feedback, peeps. The recovery continues and the bands play on.

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  17. Sounds like a great time! Probably well deserved and needed post Sandy!! Some cool bands in there for sure, I do have a personal soft spot for ExCops - they are good people- as usual though all the bands are excellent as Croms doesnt waste his time with rubbish unless theres a pretty girl involved haha and all the better if theres a pretty girl involved with something good

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