Bearded Gentlemen Music
Nathan Jones
Cold Specks / Snowblink: Divan Orange, Montreal Quebec (August 7, 2012)
Canada has produced some awesome indie artists over the past several years. Bands such as Arcade Fire, Grimes, El-P and a host of others can attest to that having taken over US music festivals in 2012 like Bonnaroo and the recent Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. The Montreal music scene has served as the focal … Continue reading
Animal Kingdom/Royal Teeth – Jillians, Albany, NY (7/30/2012)
The threesome of Brits known as Animal Kingdom staggered into the coolest bar in the Empire State’s capital city on Monday night to perform their emo-sounding alt rock quite reminiscent of Mew thanks to singer Richard Sauberlich’s falsetto vocal and the bands moody precision (this band often gets lumped together with the likes of Coldplay … Continue reading
The Gaslight Anthem – Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, NY (July 23, 2012)
Continuing my theme of the summer beach sound which I began with last week’s Best Coast show in NYC, I was interested to check out the pop rock, gritty vibe of the Jersey Shore that rolled into upstate New York on Monday night. Rather than easygoing, busty blond bikini-friendly melodious hooks, The Gaslight Anthem deals … Continue reading
Best Coast – Terminal 5, NYC (July 17, 2012)
At some point I have had to ask myself – “do I really need to write about this?” – as if the world needs another review of the Best Coast show last Tuesday night at Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen. In the last 48 hours, I’ve already seen three reviews of the show from Rolling … Continue reading
Destroyer/Sophia Knapp – (Le) Poisson Rouge, NYC (June 19, 2012)
Destroyer/Sophia Knapp – (Le) Poisson Rouge, NYC (June 19, 2012) I loved Destroyer’s 2011 album Kaputt so much that after hearing it I had to explore their (or rather his) entire discography. For those unfamiliar, Destroyer is the name that Vancouver-based crooner Dave Bejar has used to identify his musical stylings over the past fifteen … Continue reading
Maps & Atlases/The Big Sleep – The Studio at Webster Hall, NYC (May 21, 2012)
Forgive me for making a comparison that nobody wants to see, but the performances this evening in the cozy (i.e., unbearably hot and crowded) studio space in Webster Hall forced visions of Rush into my mind. From the female singer/bassist/keyboardist of Brooklyn’s The Big Sleep, who somehow resembles Geddy Lee (in a feminine, cute way … Continue reading
Zambri – Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY (May 23, 2012)
Whenever I think of music labeled “experimental,” “art pop,” “avant garde” (or the even more pretentious “avant indie”), I must immediately suppress a yawn and lunge for my two liter bottle of Mt. Dew. In the context of the various bands working in the Brooklyn music scene these days, one must take such labeling with … Continue reading
Ava Luna/Magic Wands – The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY (May 16, 2012)
Ava Luna/Magic Wands – The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY (May 16, 2012) I like Magic Wands’ new album Aloha Moon, but my attendance at the Knitting Factory (aka the “Knit”) this evening was all about getting a live peak at the fabulous Ava Luna. Rather than the traditional headliner/opener format, Magic Wands and Ava Luna … Continue reading
Record Review: Beach House – Bloom
I typically steer clear of writing album reviews, because any given recording usually has a mutable shelf life for any given listener, and therefore an individual’s interpretation of a collection of music simply reflects a brief moment of judgment and application of value, inviting the possibility of subsequent reevaluation. For me, albums tend to change … Continue reading
Chairlift – Webster Hall, NYC (May 8, 2012)
A few days ago one of my students asked me if I ever take hallucinogenic drugs (apparently she occasionally partakes of a drug similar to shrooms while cavorting with a Scottish shaman in Peru). Thanks to the Chairlift show this evening at the grand old Webster Hall I need not wonder what I’m missing with … Continue reading
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