CMJ: Thursday [Marc Hogan]

Black Kids photos by Jason Bergman; St. Vincent photos by Kathryn Yu; Above: Black Kids

Black Kids [The Annex; 10 p.m.]








Black Kids arrived at Lower East Side dive the Annex with little concert experience outside of their native Jacksonville, Fla., and some lofty expectations to meet. In just a couple of weeks, the indie pop quintet's MySpace page-- where you can download their fantastic, internet-only Wizard of Ahhhs EP-- had gone from about 30,000 views to more than 160,000. Amid heady acclaim from blogs and the UK press, along with ourselves, the group recently signed to the same management company as Björk and Arcade Fire. That fickle mistress, hype, was in the house.

This summer, Black Kids opened their reputation-establishing Athens Popfest set with slapstick dialogue quoted from cult film classic The Labyrinth. At the Annex, in their first prime-time New York appearance, the band gathered near the drum set, and then singing guitarist Reggie Youngblood delivered a couple of lines from Get Lost-era Magnetic Fields: "Baby, you could be famous/ If you could just get out of this town." The words were all too apt, but if many in the uncomfortable squashed crowd at the oversold event caught the reference, maybe they were still waiting to be impressed.

Impress Black Kids did, but not before the unthinkable happened for a young band trying to convert gawkers into fans in the ADD-addled mp3 blog era. Youngblood's guitar amp died as the band kicked off their first song, a non-EP track that might have been their cover of the Clash's "The Magnificent Seven". It wasn't exactly the kind of problem that could be easily fixed. Youngblood was visibly nervous, but he's not the kind of frontman who excels at charmingly awkward self-deprecation-- the rest of the band may bring some twee, but Youngblood's confident swagger usually belies his shaking, Robert Smith-like vocals. "I wanna fight somebody," he quipped. There was some cussing all around.

An eternity and a new amp later, Black Kids returned, and played a set that lived up to all the lofty expectations (a few quibbles about sound quality and seemingly slower tempos aside). Youngblood shimmied and made guitar-solo faces. His sister, Ali, turned out to be the band's secret weapon, shouting out cheerleader chants like the Go! Team's Ninja on non-EP track "Look at Me When I Rock With You", playing the keyboard, waving her hands, or just smiling infectiously. The other keyboardist and backing vocalist, Dawn Watley, wore a short, billowing polka-dot dress, dancing and singing like one of the Pipettes. Bassist Owen Holmes and drummer Kevin Snow made themselves inconspicuous at the back of the stage, but were no less essential.

Best of all, Black Kids managed to keep their music's spirit of fun, despite the tense opening circumstances. On non-MySpace song "I Wanna Be Your Limousine", they oh-wee-oh'd fit for The Wizard of Oz. They caught me with the false ending of "I've Underestimated My Charm Again", which gave way to Motown bounce and an indelible closing line: "Every time we kiss, it's like an inside joke I always miss." And of course, the place came alive for "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You", even if there was more bouncing around than dancing. On my way out, an English gentleman nudged my elbow. "What's that band called?" he asked.

St. Vincent [Knitting Factory; 12 a.m.]

Though Black Kids' amplifier problems seemed pretty egregious at the time, St. Vincent actually spent far longer setting up, pushing the band's start time until well after 1 a.m. Even when the set had begun, waifish singer Annie Clark-- elegant in formal dress and shiny necklace-- continued signaling to the sound guy for adjustments. It didn't distract much of the crowd, though, who were here to hear songs from Clark's first solo turn, St. Vincent's Pitchfork-recommended Marry Me, following her stints with Sufjan Stevens and the Polyphonic Spree. ("She must be really talented, because she hangs out with Sufjan a lot," a young woman to my left observed before the set...) Live, the gaps between St. Vincent's artier, Kate Bush-like impulses and traditionalist, vaguely jazzy core were more evident. On her album's title track, she took to the keyboard, evoking Feist. She possibly oversold the song's blasphemous innuendos with overt heavy breathing, but it still brought the room to a hush. Elsewhere, her drifting guitar chords and fluttering vocals also brought to mind the late troubadour Jeff Buckley. Still, Clark engaged the best with the audience when her music was the most distant. Veering occasionally into drones and screeching guitar solos, Clark even broke into a smile.

Joanna Newsom Kicks Off Orchestral Tour

Joanna Newsom will give the Ys Street Band a break this fall on her previously reported orchestral tour, which kicks off Sunday, October 21, in Milwaukee.

The tour has grown by half since our original report, making for a six-pack of dates. So shotgun a beer sip some tea, raze the venue nearest you purchase tickets online at your earliest convenience, and get ready to rock the fuck out sway gently to the rhythms of Ms. Newsom and her string-shredding, brass-blowing, and woodwind-wielding companions. [MORE...]

CMJ: Thursday [Zach Baron]

Photos by Kathryn Yu; Above: Bowerbirds

Thunderheist [Highline Ballroom; 8 p.m.]

The Canadian gallery rap duo Thunderheist are made up of a DJ, Grahm, who resides in Montreal and has the endearing habit of timidly doing the choruses at the back of the stage, and an MC, Isis, who was born in Nigeria and who now calls Toronto home. At a time when many were still nursing the previous night's hangover, Isis introduced the scarce crowd to the act's special guest: a bottle of Grey Goose, which she was more than willing to share.

Her producer flipped the Eurythmics-- not the last time this trick would be pulled in the confines of Thursday night's Highline Ballroom-- as well as Baltimore club and electro, the standard grab bags for high-toned club-rap DJs in New York and, apparently, all over. "If ya'll can't get hype, I can't get hype," said Isis, but quickly found the Cognac, France-distilled loophole; a couple dead prez and Soulja Boy interpolations later, she was asking "Where the after party at?" like the night was ending instead of getting started. The crowd was won over: "Way better than Kid Sister," said a friend.

Yo Majesty [Highline Ballroom; 9 p.m.]

"Fuck the flu! New York said be there," said one half of the hoarse but definitely there duo Yo Majesty, though they looked like they barely made it. The Tampa rappers coasted up to New York with a reputation for nudity-- check-- and beats of the ESG, J.J. Fad variety, but they turn out to have more of a regional identity than that: one of 'em, in fact, sounds more like Mystikal than, say, Amanda Blank or Santogold. Makes sense though that they have the improbable downtown following that they do, second Eurythmics sample of the night aside. Confided a nearby and hardened rap writer: "This is my most riot grrrl moment since the 1990s."

Papercuts [Knitting Factory; 9:30 p.m.]




San Francisco's Jason Quever performs as Papercuts, and on tour brings three other guys with him to fill things out-- shades of the commune on which he reportedly grew up? Quever was one of many fighting an uphill battle at CMJ, drifting through earnest, jangling chords and sleepy organ sustains while an anxious crowd fidgeted and talked. His record, Can't Go Back, is wonderfully melancholy and orthodox pop-- the kind of thing that can't quite overcome a crowd that's at the halfway point in their evening, with a few shows down and a few more to go; succumb and you'd be sunk.

Bowerbirds [Knitting Factory; 10:15 p.m.]

Bowerbirds, from Raleigh, North Carolina, come out of the same nature-worshipping circles as the Microphones, and are similarly understated: Undersung male-female harmonies, accordion and plucky acoustic guitar, brushed drums, and the occasional violin. Phil Moore wore a cowboy shirt, enforcing the impression of the band as pastoral clique come to serenade New York about places with cleaner air and calmer evenings-- in a way, welcome respite, though isn't CMJ really about embracing all of New York's miserable flaws? (Full disclosure: Pitchfork's Grayson Currin co-owns the band's former label.)

His Name Is Alive [Knitting Factory; 11 p.m.]

Longtime 4AD soldiers His Name Is Alive returned to New York in a style befitting a band nearing their 20th year in existence: "Buy a copy of our album or we'll have to sleep in the park and eat bugs," said longtime frontman Warren Defever. Long-dormant after an acrimonious parting with 4AD, HNIA struck back with an album last year and two this year; the latest, Sweet Earth Flower, out in November on High Two, will be a tribute to free-jazz player Marion Brown, adding yet another odd-ball album to a catalogue that already includes 4-track bedroom pop, AM-folk, electronica, soul, and two r&b records.

Thursday night saw them in Andy FM-fronted, Patsy Cline country-blues mode, Defever occasionally breaking the frame to shred on his improbable Flying V-shaped guitar. "This song is a sing-along," said Defever, "unless you're chicken."

I was, and headed home.

Yo La Tengo Announce Hanukkah Shows

Like they (almost!) always do about this time, Yo La Tengo have announced their eight-night Hanukkah residency, which kicks off December 4 at their hometown haunt, Hoboken, New Jersey's Maxwell's.

As usual, each benefit gig (charities TBA) will feature an opening band, some manner of comedies, and then a full-on Yo La Tengo set. Not so much as usual: they're not squealin' as to just who'll be doing the warming up. On their MySpace blog, the band guarantees "no matter what night you're there, you'll wish you had come another night instead. That's just the way you are; there's nothing we can do about that." You know us all too well.

Of course, Yo La Tengo are no strangers to tossing caution wind-ward these days, what with their current "Freewheeling" tour and all. All those dates and more follow this thing yonder. [MORE...]

New Book, CD, and Tour for Tara Jane O'Neil

Just what has Tara Jane O'Neil gotten herself into now? The former Rodan, Sonora Pine, and Retsin member turned solo artist extraordinaire has a new book/CD project and a brief tour besides.

Wings. Strings. Meridians.: A Blighted Bestiary is a 96-page book of artworks and such from the page of Ms. O'Neil (a visual preview of the stuff is available here), coupled with a 15-track CD-- titled Connoisseur Collage-- of O'Neil rarities, demos, and a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye". The songs on Collage, as O'Neil pointed out in an e-mail, are "all pretty unreleased." What's more, 100 extra special copies of Wings will come with three silkscreened prints, which we in the biz often refer to as "limited edition bonus material."

The book/CD will be out in November courtesy of Yeti Publishing's Square Roots Books imprint, with a release party/acoustic performance on the first of the month in Portland. That comes right square at the end of O'Neil's brief fall tour, kicking off this weekend. True, there's a couple New York shows in mid-November, too, but it's not a tour if you take two weeks off in the middle, is it? [MORE...]

CMJ: Thursday [Amy Phillips]

Stars photos by Kathryn Yu; Juiced Elfers and Simian Mobile Disco photos by William Kirk; Above: Stars

Stars [Town Hall; 9 p.m.]




Town Hall is a grand 1920s theater located in Times Square that's known for symphonic and cabaret performances. In other words, it's the perfect venue for Stars, who become less of a new wave band and more of a musical theater troupe with every record. At last: Stars on Broadway! Sold out! One night only!

The band was fully aware of the sweet absurdity of the situation. Singer Torquil Campbell mentioned several times how weird and fucked up it was to be playing such a classy joint, and how grateful he was to be doing so. Bouquets of flowers decorated the stage, and Evan Cranley used any downtime in between songs as an opportunity to throw roses into the crowd. The band's affection for its fans was matched by its members' love for one another; at one point, Cranley laid his head on Campbell's shoulder and kissed him, at another, Campbell kneeled at Amy Millan's feet, singing "I love you! I love you!" (Aside: Am I crazy, or do Campbell and Millan strongly resemble Tate Donovan and Juliette Lewis, respectively?)

The venue fit Stars' sound perfectly. The massive ensemble choruses and overwrought melodrama of latest album In Our Bedroom After the War are born for rooms like this, with Campbell and Millan emoting to high heaven-- or at least the last row of the balcony. There was much grasping of chests and falling to knees, enthusiastic gesticulation, and knitting of eyebrows into sincerity-signifying arches. And Campbell sweat so much his shirt was soaked through by the fourth song. (The string of light bulbs wrapped around his chest might have helped.)

Some fans have been turned off by the Broadway tendencies of In Our Bedroom. Back when Stars were just another synth-pop group covering the Smiths, the most notable thing about them was the fact that their male frontperson acted like more of a diva than their female frontperson. (This is still true.) And they were playing for 50 people at the Knitting Factory opening for I Am the World Trade Center. Now they're re-writing "One Day More" and "Do You Hear the People Sing?" for indie rock kids. My only complaint: At the climax of "In Our Bedroom After the War", the curtain at the back of the stage didn't suddenly fly open to reveal a chorus dressed in white robes. Also there were no cannons. Or firecrackers.

All of this isn't to say that Stars have become some slick McMusical or something. Oh no: They're still a rock band, warts and all. Right before the big break in "Midnight Coward", Millan yelled at her bandmates to stop. Confused, they played on for another 30 seconds or so. She kept yelling. Finally they listened, and Millan insisted that "something sounded weird." So they started the song over again.

[For some reason, the Stars show wasn't actually part of the CMJ Music Marathon, meaning that your CMJ badge-- which you may have paid up to $750 for-- wouldn't have gotten you in. Same for the Regina Spektor show at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Tuesday, M.I.A. at Terminal 5 on Thursday, and, um, Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday and Thursday.]

Simian Mobile Disco [Music Hall of Williamsburg; 12 a.m.]

James Ford and James Shaw, the men of Simian Mobile Disco, rock a party so hard, they can't help but rock themselves. I don't know how they do it-- all that knob-twiddling while simultaneously jumping up and down, headbanging, and pumping their fists in the air-- but they do, and their energy is infectious. There's just something about two goofy dudes running in a circle around a bank of electronics, surrounded by a kickass light show, that makes you wanna dance.

SMD brought all the hits save for "We Are Your Friends", which was a pity considering that Simon Lord, the vocalist on that song (and "I Believe"), is in town for CMJ with his new group the Black Ghosts. But no all-star collaboration was to be had, just fun and dancing. And that's pretty much it. Fun and dancing. Dancing and fun. Basically non-stop for an hour.

Major props must be given to the Bowery Presents, the company behind the new venue the Music Hall of Williamsburg. This place is pretty much the Platonic ideal of a rock club, or at least it will be, once a bit of wear and tear has softened the sleekness. The space that used to be the awkward Northsix has been transformed into a shiny, high-end joint modeled after the excellent Bowery Ballroom, another Bowery Presents venue. As a short girl, I appreciate the raised platforms to the sides of the stage, as well as the ample balcony with plenty of tables, chairs, and bleacher seats. Plus, even though the show was sold out, there was plenty of room to breathe. And dance and have fun.

Bonus Photos!

Juiced Elfers [Pianos; 7:30 p.m.]

New Kurt Cobain Film in the Works

One wonders what he'd make of all the fuss we still make over him: according to Variety.com (via The Daily Swarm), Universal Pictures has snapped up the rights to Heavier Than Heaven, Charles Cross' 2001 biography of late Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain. The film will be scripted by Troy/25th Hour screenwriter David Benioff, and co-executive-produced by Cobain's widow Courtney Love.

Relatively little is known about the film beyond the aforementioned nuts and bolts, and there's still no word on whether they've locked down rights to any of the Cobain catalogue for use in the film. The Heavier Than Heaven book utilized Cobain's unpublished diaries and interviews with Cobain's friends and family members, so expect the film to cut particularly deep.

In other Cobain/Nirvana news, Unplugged's getting a DVD, Kurt's (been) on a lunchbox, and this won't be the only Kurt Cobain film you'll see in the not too distant future.

Folk Icon Karen Dalton's Early Recordings Collected

Even with all the crate digging and backwards gazing that goes into folk revivalism, Karen Dalton has wallowed in relative obscurity for years. The tar-and-honey voiced Dalton won accolades in her prime from Bob Dylan and Fred Neil, but Dalton's name isn't generally one that comes up with any but the most dedicated folk fans.

Delmore Recordings is giving folk fans a new chance to discover Dalton on Cotton Eyed Joe - Live in Boulder 1962, a double-disc collection of recordings made by Dalton and Boulder scene staple Joe Loop at his Attic club in 1962. Committed to tape some seven years before the release of Dalton's first LP, the Cotton Eyed Joe recordings find Dalton tackling a wealth of traditional songs and folk favorites from the likes of Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Ray Charles, and Fred Neil himself. Fans of the early Devendra discs, this is almost certainly something you'll enjoy.

The disc arrives October 23, and the American version includes a bonus DVD of Dalton footage from 1969-1970 not available on the import. [MORE...]

Burial to Issue Second LP, Untrue, Next Month

Dubstep: still new, still buzzworthy (whatever that means anymore), still without a face to go with Burial, the genre's would-be de facto poster boy.

Fresh off the release of last year's highly lauded eponymous LP, the ever-secretive Burial is back like he forgot something on Untrue, yet another LP of gurgling, echoey, oft-ominous samples set to stuttering beats.

The disc drops November 6 from the Hyperdub imprint in two formats: a 13 track CD, and, to show appreciation for the DJ set, a nine cut double LP with a different track order-- "from which some of the beatless pieces have been edited," says the press release. That should put a spring in your dubstep! [MORE...]

Oasis Find the "Lord" on New Single, Documentary DVD

It's been a minute since last we heard from those exemplars of reserve Oasis. Of course, isn't that always the case? Every few years, they throw some big hooks and swirling choruses down on wax, collect the requisite "best record since Be Here Now" pullquotes, slag off whoever's big at the moment (I can hear it now: "That Kanye kook's a real wanker, innit?"), tour a bit, punch a dude, and step off for a few more years. Hey, whatever works.

Annnnd Oasis are back! With a new single and a new(ish) DVD that share a title! They're both called Lord Don't Slow Me Down, and we shall discuss the previously Forkcasted single first. You'll be able to have and to hold that sweet "Lord" October 21, though only via digital outlets. So goes the Beatles goes Oasis, I suppose.

Then there's the Universal-issued DVD: it's a tour documentary that screened in select theaters last year, it features a commentary track from Liam, Noel, Andy, and Gem, and for a limited time, it'll come with a bonus disc with 16 tracks culled from a July 2005 show at City of Manchester Stadium. That thing'll drop November 6.

As for those always-tentative future plans? No tour as such, but a full-length is planned for next year. Word on the street is, it's the best one since Don't Believe the Truth.

Hold Steady, Springsteen on Hard Rock Charity Comp
Plus: Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, ANDREW W.-M.F.-K.

Do goodery is all well and, you know, good, but it comes with a price: in this case, probably somewhere in the low double digits. That's about how much it'll cost you to hear SERVE2, a new compilation put together by Hard Rock International that seeks to benefit the self-explanatory Artists Against Hunger and Poverty offshoot of the World Hunger Year project.

Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, the Hold Steady, and Andrew W.K. feature on a collection that also includes Jackson Browne and, uh, well it's all for charity, isn't it?

The tracklist-- including tunes available only on the digital release of SERVE2-- is available for your perusal after the jump. Both the disc (available at Hard Rock Cafe locations, of which, it turns out, there are 123) and the digital download arrive November 6. [MORE...]

Johnny Marr Named University Professor
Morrissey still, like, Dean of Mean

Photo by Shannon McClean

From the Salford Lads Club straight to the hallowed halls of the University of Salford-- so it goes for former Smith and present Modest Mouse guitar maestro Johnny Marr.

According to the U of S website, Marr has been named Visiting Professor at the Greater Manchester Area city's "Uni" (pronounced "YOU-knee"), as our Brit brethren have been known to call them.

Seems he "will be delivering a series of workshops and masterclasses to students on the BA Popular Music and Recording degree at Salford." Seeing as Mr. Marr has already helped a generation find its away around nimble, expressive hooks packed with jangly goodness, this new post should prove no sweat for the guy.

Said the 43-year-old axe-tickler, "Salford University is offering some fantastic opportunities to students in music. It is an honour to be appointed as a professor and I'm excited at the prospect of being able to make a contribution."

Take care not to spread yourself too thin, Professor Marr! You have quite a few contributions to make to Modest Mouse shows this semester as well.

Oh, and thanks to reader Marc Holmes for the tip! [MORE...]

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