Dead Leaf Echo, Ringo Deathstarr, Cool Serbia-live and on Record

The final night of 2012's CMJ Music Marathon (Saturday, October 20) presented a show on Manhattans upper west side at The Ding Dong Lounge.  Located in what many Brooklynites and Lower Eastsiders might consider a northern outpost of 104th Street and Columbus Avenue, the venue itself bore a familiar vibe to its southern counterparts.

Dead Leaf Echo were the first featured attraction on the itinerary.

Having spent the better part of this past year covering many of this bands shows, a keen awareness has been developed regarding their impressive sound quality and songcraft.

The familiar front three of LG, Ana and Christo continue to handle all vocals, guitar and keyboards - creating a lush sound that is simultaneously powerful and dreamy.

With the recent release of their single "Kingmaker" (from the forthcoming full length album "Thought and Language") the b-side features another quality track "I Belong"



Both the song and accompanying video create a dreamlike atmosphere that encourges your mind to slow down for a few minutes, and perceive the world from an alternate perspective.

 



A noticable shift in the live show dynamic could be felt as James played the drums more freely (though still very much controlled) - no longer playing to a headset delivered click track, as well as a live bass player now covering those traditional low end sonics.

Ana and LG's tandem vocals continue to give the band its distinctive signature sound.

--

 

A ghostly dancer engaged in ritualistic movements

 

 

With their seemingly floating hand levitating, while LG and the band played on.

 

For additional Dead Leaf Echo live show and record reviews by Dave Cromwell, see here:

Two live shows on Friday at SXSW:
http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2012/03/day-4-part-2-fri-16-sxsw.html

 IATP showcase on Thursday at SXSW:

http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2012/03/day-3-part-1-thurs-15-sxsw.html

Expanded Deli Mag feature on the Kingmaker release:

http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2012/03/dead-leaf-echo-release-single-kingmaker.html

Deli Mag features:

http://nyc.thedelimagazine.com/node/3092
Published on September 29, 2010

http://nyc.thedelimagazine.com/node/5608

Published on May 16, 2011

http://nyc.thedelimagazine.com/node/6174

Published on June 29, 2011

http://nyc.thedelimagazine.com/node/8899

Published on March 02, 2012

 

*****

 

Returning to play New York for the first time since their July 2011 shows (and fresh off a supporting tour with The Smashing Pumpkins) Austin, Texas' Ringo Deathstarr took the stage with expected audience anticipation.

 The multitude of shows played via their extensive worldwide touring over the last year is readily apparent in the relaxed, confident way they present their songs.
 

 

Bassist/vocalist Alex Gehring fingers appear to fly even quicker across her three stringed instrument - a testament to the evolving skill level achieved from playing so many shows.

 

Daniel Coborn's ferocious drumming perfectly compliments the ongoing vision that Elliott Frazier (guitar, vocals, songwriting) continues to evolve.

 

 

After the success of the previously released longplayer "Colour Trip," the band has now released the highly anticipated follow up "Mauve."

 

Check out this amusing video and wonderful song from it:

 

 

Pitch bends and deep voices.

The model rocker (or is that rocker model?)

Whammy barred notes and thunderous strokes.

The inspired dancer returned to unleash a series of moves that beguiled and bedazzled the band!

Serious business

Brightest Star - metal pole percussion and impressionist painter guitar.

 

 

Playing a set of music that drew equally from all of their recordings, it was of most interest to hear a number of Mauve tracks live.

Burn and Drain are fast and brutal.  Quick driving guitar progressions with speedy drum rolls all over the place.  Thurston Moore frequently stated in interviews that Sonic Youth was really a punk band that merely chose to elongate passages and stretch the songs out.  A similar case could be made for Ringo Deathstarr now embedding a punk attitude and songwriting style within their signature pitch-bended, distortion pedal dreamgaze format.

"Girls We Know" - trance enducing.

"Fifteen" - rip my heart out (with your pitch bends).

 

Girls Croms Knows

The night ended on a particularly memorable note, as Elliott invited members of the audience to come up on stage, take the bands instruments and play one of their songs.  Being a former tub-thumper, I quickly volunteered to take the drums, while the bass and guitar were handed off to two other adventurous individuals.  We first lumbered, then ulitimately thundered through a version of the bands "Some Kind Of Sad" (my selection) with Elliott singing away with amusement.  Unexpected, and almost way too much fun!

*****

 



Two nights later it would be back out once more - this time to The Cake Shop to catch Ringo Deathstarr again - as well as the former Austin, now Brooklyn based Cool Serbia.

Formed by former Ringo Deathstarr guitarist Renan McFarland, the overall sound this band produces has evolved considerably since first hearing them this past March out in Austin for the SouthBySouthWest festival.

Second guitar and lead vocalist Raz is now more controlled in his delivery of these songs, which have taken on a poppier vibe overall.

Listen in to one such performance from this show:

The backbeat is now more pronounced, as the joys of sawing between two guitar chords is highlighted by Beatle-esque vocal whooo's.

 

*****

 

 

Once again it was time for Ringo Deathstarr to grace the reflectively tinseled opulence that is the Cake Shop stage.

 

 

Playing their third show in three days here in New York, the band sounded particularly focused as they stretched out during a number of songs.

 

For instance, here is "Swirly" from this show:

 



It is a batteringly  grinding and jam-tastic version played this evening.  While Daniel and Alex hold down the rhythm with sludge-bottom power - Elliot takes off on some particularly tasty guitar adventures.

 

Another fave track from Mauve is the Alex sung dream-trip song "Drag" - where the repeated vocal line of "don't make me say the things I don't want to say" rings so universally true.  A loop around celestial chime, softly pulsed guitar layers and additional repeated lyrics like "everybody knows" suggest the internal mindset of a psychedelic experience.

 



 

Additionally, "Nap Time" masterfully molds Sonic Youth-like tension with Sgt. Pepper's-era Beatles drum patterns.  While "Waste" brings it back fast and hard.  Tandem vocals from Elliott and Alex take the lyrical put down and make it  applicable for either (presumed wronged) sex.

 

One of Alex's many admirers, gazing on

 

Post show at the merch table - Elliott and Croms
(who bought that t-shirt, and that's how much it may have cost me)
 - cash money, yo!

 

*****

For further research on the above two bands, please dive into the DaveCromwellWrites research library:

 

Cool Serbia + in Austin at SXSW
http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2012/04/day-5-part-2-sat-17-sxsw.html

Ringo Deathstarr:

Live in Austin for SXSW 2012
http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2012/03/day-5-part-1-sat-17-sxsw.html

Live in Austin for SXSW 2011

http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/sxsw-photo-blog-6-march-20-2011-sunday.html

http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/sxsw-photo-blog-2-march-17-2011.html

Colour Trip – Full Album Review

http://davecromwellwrites.blogspot.com/2011/02/ringo-deathstarr-colour-trip.html

****** 

 

 

Day 5 - Part 2 Sat 17 SXSW

The Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Showcase at Casa Chapala was in high gear now.

Taking the stage was Austin's own UME.  My third Ume show this week.

To say they killed it one more time would be something of an understatement.  As you can see the crowd was pretty into it.

Lauren Langer Larson is a whirling, shredding, human dynamo.

Once again revisiting the view from behind Rachel's drum kit.  The playing was even more ferocious on this afternoon.

Lauren and bandmates ripped through hellaciously paced set of all their best songs.

Eric Larson drives the rhythm section with a cool presence and understated leadership qualities.

Of the three shows I saw, this may have been the most impressive.  Lauren took it to another level and blew everyone away with her brilliant guitar playing and high energy performance.

Ume proved once again they are the class of Austin and all the SXSW festival.

__________________________

Another band I had been hoping to catch live came to fruition when the lovely Lilies On Mars took to the stage.

Lilies on Mars weave dreamy guitar and synth lines, hypnotic vocals and psychedelic sounds into gorgeous pop and abstract songs, with words of reality and dreams.

__________________________

The band consists of Lisa Masia and Marina Cristofalo, who met over ten years ago in Sardinia, and now reside in London.

__________________________

Another band I'd been waiting to see live again, were my friends The Sunshine Factory

Having been through some changes since I first got to know them a few years ago (and name me a band that hasn't been through "a few changes") - the current model now sound better than ever.

Now a full permanent member of the band, young bassist Sally Robertson adds important sonic and visual qualities to an already appealing musical presentation.

Of course the central force of The Sunshine Factory is frontman, lead vocalist, guitarist and instrumental songwriter Ian Taylor

Their show on this afternoon was nothing less than spectacular.

In addition to their classic dreamgaze sound, they put on a magnificent light show.

Responsible for this great lighting - and the songs lyrics as well - its the bands silent member - Robert Taylor

Stars dapple off of Sally's frame

They have a wonderful album out now - "Sugar" - and I highly recommend it.

Find out more about it via these links:

http://thesunshinefactorymusic.com
http://thesunshinefactory.net

______________________

What followed this was something that resulted from a combination of factors.  One, it was St. Patrick's Day.  Two, it was a Saturday.  Three, it was later in the day.  People had been drinking (and doing God knows what else) all day long.  That included the so-called "sound man."  Not the good guy I mentioned earlier on this day (Hanford) - but a particularly cement-headed individual who became less coherent and more abrasive as the day went on.  It was reported that he apparently was trying to shake down the bands for additional "soundman fees" - or they couldn't play.  One such scheduled band (you can see their name on the chalk board earlier on) was Austin's own Bloody Knives.  When they were at first allowed to take the stage - then told they had to get off for another band - they set up on the side - and part way into the next set - started blasting their own sounds from the sidelines.  A ruckus ensued and after some tense moments (give or take people's perceptions of the events) - this particular party was shut down.

____________

But being as it was Saturday Night - the party must go on!   Now in the late night terrain of beyond unofficial events, we found ourselves at a place called the 21st Co-Op.

To my eyes the whole place looked like a scene out that recent frat-party-gone-out-of-control movie Project X.

Still, there was some quality music to be heard.

One of the main reasons for being there was to catch local band Cool Serbia

Fronted by former Ringo Deathstarr guitarist Renan McFarland, they played a spirited set of raucus rock n' stomp that was most appropriate for this moment in time.

A power crunch three piece unit.  Big sounds from this homegrown Austin trio.

Bassist Raz handles the vocal duties, with more than capable results.

Encouraging "crowd participation" - the mic was positions so anyone who wanted to come up and "sing along" (i.e. shout unintelligible nonsense) was afforded this opportunity.

At one point near the end of their set, Raz was laying backwards on the floor, throttling his bass in an ecstatic rock star pose, when one festively sodden individual tripped and fell right on his face.

Asking Raz about the effects of this afterwards, he seemed to brush it off as "no big deal."

Another reason to be at this particularly odd location so late on Saturday Night/Sunday Morning - was to see and hear the joyous sounds of Brooklyn's own Dive

Much like the parent band that spawned them - Beach Fossils - they make a joyous sound that just makes you want to move your feet.

Two intertwined guitars - steady bass and drums.  It's happy music for people who just want to love the sounds.

Good vocals too.  They are a band who's music I enjoy a lot.

But - since this was a "Project X" type -party - it too ended with a kerfuffle - and the declaration that "this is being shut down!"

Though I wanted to see the next band - and was disappointed not to have on this occasion -  I would  get one more opportunity the following day.