Recent Articles
A Place to Bury Strangers Playing Inside a Miniscule Doll’s House for CMJ
I saw them open, playing way before the Kills just a month or two ago at Terminal 5. I’ve seen them at every Brooklyn venue and that of Manhattan before that, and now, they are back again, playing to a Japanese girl’s foot-sized venue near the BQE. I guess we should applaud them for signing back to a true indie label, Dead Oceans, but how will all of us fans fit into that pinhole room?
The Jezabels and Zambri at Fat Baby, CMJ 2010 Night 5, 10.23.10
For the last night of CMJ 2010 fatigue had set in, making the prospect of throwing elbows at the FADER Fort and Santos Party House to attend the more popular bills of the night too cumbersome an effort. Ditto for trekking out to Brooklyn Bowl in the hopes of seeing Kanye West and his fly red kicks.
Bear Hands and BRAHMS at Bowery Electric, CMJ 2010 Night 4, 10.22.10
My final jaunt for CMJ 2010 was the sardine tin-packed Cantora Records Showcase at Bowery Electric. A sign on one of the walls said something to the effect of occupancy by more than 108 is unlawful, but there were at least twice that many in the room…
The Black Atlantic at the Living Room, CMJ 2010 Night 4, 10.22.10
Dutch quartet the Black Atlantic wrapped up their brief U.S. tour with an impressive performance at the Living Room’s CMJ showcase on Friday. With an attentive audience, the band breezed through a tranquil set of folksy indie pop songs featuring beguiling vocal harmonies and mesmeric piano and acoustic guitar melodies.
Crayon Fields, Francis and the Lights and Wild Nothing, CMJ 2010 Night 4, 10.22.10
Melbourne, Australia’s Crayon Fields admirably took on the crowds at Public Assembly in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side’s Rockwood Music Hall in short order on Friday night. The easy, melodic sounds of their twee pop, Belle & Sebastian/Camera Obscura-esque gems…
The Whisperians, La Sera, The Howlies, Violens and Woven Bones at Pianos, CMJ 2010 Night 4, 10.22.10
Friday night on Ludlow Street and it’s the Upstairs/Downstairs Watusi for this spring chicken reporter with scuffy boots, a bad haircut and dirty jeans.
Penguin Prison, Two Door Cinema Club and Shwayze, CMJ 2010 Night 3, 10.21.10
Thursday night started off at Webster Hall with New York’s very own Penguin Prison showcasing doing their funky/R & B/pop sounds reminiscent of the Top 40 charts in the 1980s. Singer and sole creative force behind the “group,” Chris Glover’s vocal stylings seemed to echo the erstwhile (and current The Social Network star) Justin Timberlake…
The Luyas, Uncle Bad Touch and PS I Love You at Arlene’s Grocery, CMJ 2010 Night 3, 10.21.10
Choosing to eschew overcrowding and hype on Thursday night in favor of paying a visit to the M for Montreal showcase at Arlene’s Grocery proved to be a thoroughly entertaining and gratifying selection for those of us already fatigued by CMJ 2010.
Delilah, ArpLine and Sherlock’s Daughter at the Bell House, CMJ 2010 Night 2, 10.20.10
Among the many acts included on the PopJustice + High Rise PR CMJ showcase on Wednesday were Delilah, ArpLine and Sherlock’s Daughter. I only caught a portion of Delilah’s set, but the trio, lead by model Jamie Burke, rocked with some seriously punchy grunge and punk-influenced tunes.
CMJ Preview: Soars
For those who may have missed their record release party, Soars return to NYC for CMJ Music Marathon 2010 next week. Don’t miss this band that’s fast become one of Sentimentalist Magazine’s current favorites.
