The BPA
The Tapes Have Been Foundfrom the NY2LON Headquarters
THE TAPES HAVE BEEN FOUND!
There have been some pretty monumental discoveries in our lifetime, but none of them will compare to what's recently been unearthed. No matter how old you are, or how big of a music fan (nerd) you are, few are in the know about The BPA. What is the BPA you ask? It's a clusterfuck of awesome, that's what.
Originally known as the Brighton Phonographic Association but now going as the Brighton Port Authority, this motley crew (no, not the band) enjoyed a nearly two decade long career based solely on a word of mouth reputation throughout the underground, before disbanding in the mid 90s. Understandably so, as that's when music really went to the shitter (we have The Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, and N*SYNC to thank for that)!
When the BPA was still intact, it was a glorious idea. At its core were local musicians: chairman of the BPA, Norman Cook, and his studio partner, Simon Thornton, who gathered various singers and session men around them, built the ramshackle BPA studio, and would occasionally throw multi-day warehouse parties from which their semi-legendary reputation stems.
While it has been quite some time since we've heard from the BPA, the secret is out, and the tapes have been found! They've been remastered and the long overdue wait is nearly over, as they're being released in early 2009. Until then, school yourself on some BPA knowledge, here are the players and the below video gives you a little insider's look into what was and will be the BPA.
To get the full view, click here!
Posted by ny2lon at 2:42 PM on Oct. 31 '08 | Comments (0)
Band I Hate: The Young Lords
NY2LON Live Reviewby Emm I. Enn at the Webster Studio
photo by Hilary Walsh
The Young Lords suck, and I hate them. Allow me to elaborate.
First, their music makes me think they've only heard three bands in their entire lives - those three bands being Kings of Leon, Kings of Leon, and Kings of Leon. Which is a fine template, I suppose; they are a very cool band, after all. But The Young Lords are a bit like KOL: the Walmart version. Or KOL: the married too many of the same influences inbred-kid version... Or better yet, KOL: the Multiplicity version. Like, the copy of the copy of the copy, so it all comes out a bit... Oh, how do I say this...
Retarded.
The songs are a mess, and they all sound the same, which made their set one long agonizing mess. Beyond that, everything they do on stage is overly calculated, desperate, and lame. I think that's the best word for them. Lame. For instance, their guitarist came out with a cigarette in his mouth, which he had obviously lit right before he walked on stage, and proceeded to place it, still burning, in his guitar strings. This is the kind of move that, 20 years ago, may have seemed impromptu and cool. But now, it's the kind of thing that air-guitarists mime because it's become so cliche. (I'm not even going to get into his no-irony-about-it American flag guitar strap). And hey, did you know he's running for president? You can write him in! Which is to say, even the stage banter was stupid. I caught the drummer more than once preening and pursing his lips for a camera, which is expected of, say, The Jonas Brothers, but not so much from the ('we don't bathe or brush our teeth and we don't care!') Young Lords. I rolled my eyes so much during their set that I woke up the next morn with retinal alignment issues. (The camera wasn't even there for them, as it turns out. The photographer was there for Lissy Trulllie  as was I, by the way  who was scheduled to go on after them). The lead singer jumped around stage without a guitar, which would be fine, if he had any rhythm. Dude couldn't even play the tambourine properly. Seriously. An embarrassing lack of rhythm.
Making things worse for The Young Lords, their total lack of cool was compounded by Lissy Trullie, whose breezy tunes and impossibly chic style is quickly making them the band on everyone's lips here in Gotham.
A quick look at The Young Lords' Myspace tells me they're from New York, NY, which is a lie. They were about as New York as an '89 Chevy Silverado. If these clowns are from NYC, then I'm a brown cow.
The Young Lords might be nice guys (though, my friend had a run-in with the lead singer at the bar and she tells me he was a douche. I believe her). But their music, via their live show, can be safely categorized as and abject failure. Please, Young Lords. Spare us. Break up. Bassist  you're not half bad. Quit! Join another band that's worth a shit. Your band right now? Reeeaaally sucks.
Posted by ny2lon at 1:39 PM on Oct. 30 '08 | Comments (0)
This Week in CMJ
NY2LON Concert Calendarby Josh A from Nu York
As the sign reads above, CMJ starts today, yes today so make sure you check out some of these suggestions and hit us back with a few of your own!
Tuesday, 10/21 - Club NME - The Annex
Starts at 8pm
With: Amazing Baby, Violins, Chairlift, Apache Beat
Wednesday, 10/22 - CMJ - Mercury Lounge
Starts at 10pm
With: Tiger City, Bear Hands, Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains, Walter Meego
Thursday, 10/23 - Dopamine Records and Friends - Alpha Beta (Greenpoint, BK)
Starts at 9pm
With: Zambri, Pacific Theater, Paul and the Patients, Hooray for Earth
Friday, 10/24 - Kemado Records Showcase
Starts at 9:30pm
With: Dungen, The Muslims, Marissa Nadler, TK Webb and the Visions
Saturday, 10/25 - Windish CMJ Showcase - Bowery Ballroom
Starts at 9pm
With: A Place to Bury Strangers, Crystal Antlers, Vivian Girls, Marnie Stern
Check out more CMJ listings here!
Posted by ny2lon at 10:29 AM on Oct. 21 '08 | Comments (0)
Wait what...?
NY2LON Nostalgiafrom the NY2LON Headquarters
Oh, hello there 2004! How's life treating you? Well, we hope. We remember you fondly, especially when Franz Ferdinand released their self titled album and The Killers released Hot Fuss! It was a good time for new music as Franz Ferdinand and The Killers were the front runners for indie dance music; Franz for the UK, The Killers for the US.
Now we can all wax nostalgic this upcoming October as both bands are playing intimate shows right here in New York City (sorry London :X)! So smile like you mean it and take me out to the Music Hall of Williamsburg and Hammerstein Ballroom to catch up on 2004!
Wednesday, 10/08 - Franz Ferdinand - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Friday, 10/24 - The Killers - Hammerstein Ballroom
Posted by ny2lon at 10:39 AM on Sep. 26 '08 | Comments (0)
This Week in Shows
NY2LON Concert CalendarGigaholics Anonymous, NY
Fall is finally upon us (as of yesterday)! That means, no more sweltering heat and scarves... oh right, and music!! Autumn leaves are fun to play in, so let's get the bands outside and jump around!!
This Week in New York:
Tuesday, 9/23 - New Kids on the Block - Izod Center (Helloooo 1980s!)
Tuesday, 9/23 - My Bloody Valentine - Roseland Ballroom
Tuesday, 9/23 - Kings of Leon - Webster Hall
Wednesday, 9/24 - Rriiccee (Vincent Gallo) - Hiro Ballroom
Wednesday, 9/24 - Weezer - Madison Square Garden
Wednesday, 9/24 - Diego Garcia (of Elefant) - The Bell House
Wednesday, 9/24 - Sean Hayes - Union Pool
Thursday, 9/25 - The Pierces - Bowery Ballroom
Thursday, 9/25 - Rachel Yamagata - Joe's Pub
Thursday, 9/25 - Tokyo Police Club - Maxwell's
Thursday, 9/25 - Willie Nelson and Jakob Dylan - Radio City Music Hall
Thursday, 9/25 - Built to Spill - Terminal 5 (Also playing on Friday)
Friday, 9/26 - The Ataris and The Postelles - Maxwell's
Friday, 9/26 - Chairlift - Open Road Rooftop (NY2LON's featured artist)
Saturday, 9/27 - St. Vincent - Brooklyn Academy of Music
Saturday, 9/27 - Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players - Knitting Factory (Tap Bar)
Saturday, 9/27 - Oxford Collapse and Takka Takka - Mercury Lounge
Saturday, 9/27 - Ratatat - Terminal 5
Sunday, 9/28 - These Are Powers - Knitting Factory
Sunday, 9/28 - Peelander Z - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Monday, 9/29 - Yo La Tengo - Maxwell's
Monday, 9/29 - The Dodos - Spiegeltent
This Week in London:
Tuesday, 9/23 - Adem - ICA
Tuesday, 9/23 - Glasvegas - Scala
Tuesday, 9/23 - Jason Mraz - Royal Albert Hall
Tuesday, 9/23 - The Little Ones - 93 Feet East
Wednesday, 9/24 - Little Man Tate - Carling Academy Islington
Wednesday, 9/24 - The Paddingtons - Barfly
Wednesday, 9/24 - Katy Perry - Scala
Thursday, 9/25 - The Spinto Band - Borderline
Thursday, 9/25 - Islands - Audio
Friday, 9/26 - Busta Rhymes - Royal Albert Hall
Saturday, 9/27 - Ronnie Spector - Carling Academy Islington
Saturday, 9/27 - Foals - Aylesbury Civic Centre
Saturday, 9/27 - The Rascals - Shuttleworth Park
Monday, 9/29 - Siouxsie - KOKO
MOnday, 9/29 - Keane - The Forum
Posted by ny2lon at 5:23 PM on Sep. 23 '08 | Comments (0)
The Kooks
NY2LON Live Reviewby Peasy from Prospect Heights
New Jersey, unfortunately, is not known for exactly the best reasons but you have to give credit to the kids who trekked out in the pouring rain to catch The Wombats and The Kooks performance the other night at the historic Stone Pony (one of New Jersey's redeeming landmarks).
As I detest the rain, I'll have to give myself a little pat on the back for my efforts, but I must say, it'd take an awful lot to deter me from seeing The Kooks, especially in such an intimate setting! Unfortunately, I was naive and got to the venue just in time to catch The Wombats and was greeted with a completely packed Stone Pony.
Moments after attempting to maneuver towards the front, which is a difficult yet necessary task if you are incredibly short, The Wombats took the stage. Now, admittedly, when I first saw this bill, I wasn't too sure how well it would work out, but turns out Wombats fans are Kooks fans and vice versa! The Wombats brought the energy with their extremely clever lyrics and pop-punk jams that anyone can appreciate and dance too. Unfortunately, I'm not too sure how many people were old enough to understand frontman Matthew Murphy's sarcasm in "Let's Dance to Joy Division". Their set flew by and got the crowd in a dancing mood for The Kooks.
If the Stone Pony's show is any indication of how huge they'll be, it's going to be impossible to see them in a small venue in the not so distant future. The Kooks' relentless touring in the States has really paid off and you could really tell at the Stone Pony how their fans hung on their every word. While Inside In/Inside Out is already a couple years old, there is no denying that the songs on that album are incredibly fun, especially live. So thankfully, The Kooks treated the crowd to many songs off that album. Not to disappoint, they also played many songs off their newly released Konk, making their set list one of the best mixtures of new and old that I've heard in a long time.
I don't doubt for a second that The Kooks will be back on our shores pretty soon so make sure you catch them while you can!
Posted by ny2lon at 1:39 PM on Sep. 14 '08 | Comments (0)
Stereophonics
NY2LON Live Reviewby Rapunzel from Germany
Wow. I don't even know where to start with this review. The last time I saw the Stereophonics was over four years ago, and, after this show at Webster Hall, I vow never to go that long without seeing them again.
This was truly an amazing gig. I forgot just how powerful and stunning Kelly Jones' voice is, and how tight and awesome the band is live. I also forgot how lucky we are to see them in such a small venue; the next time I see them will be in London at the O2 Arena, which holds 20,000 people. Compare that to the 2,000 capacity at Webster, and you quickly notice the difference.
It really is a shame that their worldwide success hasn't translated State-side. I think Kelly Jones is one of the greatest lyricists of our generation and practically every song of theirs is a classic worthy of a stadium-size sing along. That being said, I was surprised to notice that there were plenty of Americans and females in the crowd instead of the typical UK men on holiday who lucked into seeing one of their favorite bands in a smaller setting. It was nice to be surrounded by Americans who were singing along; a welcomed change I'd say! Of course there were plenty of Welsh flags and footie scarves a-wavin, but it wouldn't be a proper Phonics gig without those.
They were onstage for 1.5 hours and played a good mix of new and old. Many of the songs played were singles, but judging by the audience participation, one might've guessed that every song played had been a #1 hit. I was a little let down by the lack of sore-throat-inducing screaming usually associated with "Traffic," but hey, no gig is perfect. The uproar created by set-closer and crowd favorite "Dakota" surely made up for it; I haven't felt the Webster Hall floor shake like that since I saw Franz Ferdinand there in 2004. It was the perfect ending to a perfect night.
Posted by ny2lon at 3:27 PM on Sep. 11 '08 | Comments (1)
Pigeon Detectives with Chief
NY2LON Live Reviewby Rachy P from NYC
Ah, The Pigeon Detectives. What can I say about them? One of the greatest live bands to come out of the UK in recent memory? Yes. Lead singer whose enthusiasm and exuberance is unparalleled? Check. Catchy, pop-punk songs that make you want to jump around and dance with strangers? Definitely.
Anyone who was at the band's Brooklyn show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (or any PD show for that matter) knows what I'm talking about. The Pigeon Detectives' live show makes other bands tremble. God forbid they go on before any other bands because they're likely to steal the show and make any other band seem boring by comparison.
At many shows, it's up to the audience to create a fun and lively atmosphere while the band just stands there on stage; not so with The Pigeon Detectives. Lead singer Matt Bowman walks/runs/jumps back and forth across the stage, stands on amps, and swings his microphone many feet into the air. You might find yourself simultaneously mesmerized and fearing for your life. Apparently at this show Matt's mic wacked some girl in the face but she didn't seem to mind too much, despite the blood pouring from her head. If that doesn't exemplify fan devotion, I don't know what does.
Aside from the mic-swinging, it was great to see people really enjoying the show. I'm not exaggerating when I say that dozens of strangers were dancing and jumping around with each other, putting their arms around each other as if they'd been life-long friends. While most of the audience was from the UK, (as made clear when Matt asked if anyone was from the UK and a massive roar came from the crowd while a few meager claps came when he asked who was from the States) there were a few smart Americans (myself included!) in attendance. However, I have a feeling that word of mouth is spreading and I can only imagine that their meteoric rise in the UK will soon be mirrored over here.
A quick note on Chief, the opening band: this was my second time seeing them, and they blew me away both times. They've got a quiet, steady, anthemic sound that slowly adds momentum and then explodes into four-part harmonizing that sounds truly amazing. They've mastered their live sound and they play around their hometown of New York City quite often, so I would advise anyone to catch them when they can!
Pigeon Detectives:
Myspace
Website
Posted by ny2lon at 3:41 PM on Sep. 4 '08 | Comments (0)
Your Vegas
by Kirsten from the city that never sleeps
They may not have the hype of half the bands playing this weekend's All Points West Festival in Jersey City, NJ but New York City-via-Leeds' Your Vegas surely isn't a band you want to miss. They've come a long way from their humble roots across the pond and are now ready, more than ever, to take on American ears.
The England-born quintet - singer Coyle Girelli, guitarist Mat Steel, keyboardist/guitarist Mark Heaton, bassist Jon Langford, and drummer Mal Taylor - first made a name for themselves in Britain in 2005, just shortly after cementing the band's lineup, when they released two independent singles on White Duke Records, "Your Vegas" and "Flybuzz" (the latter of which reached number twelve on the UK singles chart)! They hit the road and major label interest ensued. However, as a result of the finicky music scene, the deal fell through and Your Vegas was left high and dry, sitting on music they desperately wanted to release.
"There are a lot of fashions and fads in England," explained guitarist Steel. "It's not that there's one particular style of band that excels - that changes very regularly. So, there's like a flavor of the month, and if you're not that, it's very hard to break through the indie scene. And, we just weren't that at the time."
In 2006, frontman Girelli came stateside to visit friends and test the waters of the American market. "We felt that it was going to be easier to get to a point over here than it would be in England," said Girelli.
"[But] I just wanted to make sure there was something there before everybody came. So I went over and set up a few things," he continued.
Girelli gigged around the city, playing the band's songs acoustically, and handed out demos whenever possible.
Some of Girelli's demos landed in the right hands and things seemingly just took off from there. There became a buzz about the band. And, soon enough, the four other members moved stateside and the band inked a deal with Universal Republic, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.
In early 2007, Your Vegas entered the studio with David Bendeth (Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Paramore) to record their debut album, A Town and Two Cities.
Girelli, who actually grew up with his bandmates in a small town outside of Leeds, said the album's title is something that came to him very quickly. "We became a band in Leeds, and we finished the album in New York. So, A Town and Two Cities summed up our journey to get to this point," he explained. "And, all the songs on the album are about everything in between."
Your Vegas finished the album on April 13th of that year. Around the same time, the group was also chosen as one of Playboy's first Rock The Rabbit bands - a major feat for an essentially still-unknown band.
A Town and Two Cities, as a full length album, was released stateside on April 22nd, 2008 - almost a year after its completion. Leading up to its release, Your Vegas gigged with bands such as The Pigeon Detectives and toured as the main support for The Bravery. They also took the stage at a number of the nation's biggest and best festivals, including March's SXSW in Austin and, in April, Los Angeles' Bamboozle Left (a sort of weird placement for such a band).
After the release, the band hit the road with Duran Duran, took part in the Simon dTour Live mall tour, and played more of the States' major festivals, including Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee, and most recently Lollapalooza in Chicago.
Although not yet on the covers of taste-making magazines, the group has had a plethora of praise from the US media. The New York Times likened Girelli's voice to a "Bono-esque wail" and the Los Angeles Times called the band's music "anthemic rock that rises above the pedestrian." Stellar reviews from two of the nation's top publications and surely more to come after this weekend.
Your Vegas plays Saturday on the Queen of the Valley stage at All Points West. A Town and Two Cities is out now on Universal Republic.
Posted by ny2lon at 3:11 PM on Aug. 6 '08 | Comments (2)
The Whip
NY2LON Live Reviewby Rachy P from NYC
While many people at McCarren Pool this past Sunday were undoubtedly there to see The Breeders, I was pleasantly surprised to see that many in the audience were won over by the band I came to see--The Whip.
The Mancunian foursome, whose sound straddles the line between the Happy Mondays and New Order, managed to get the hippest of hipsters to unfold their arms and break a sweat (literally) by dancing in the hot hot heat. Though they're more suited for a dark, closed space (read: a warehouse), their music more than held its own in the sunny, open space.
Their lyrics may be few and far between (and, when there are lyrics, they are often repetitive), but this only increases audience participation, as it allows people to sing along with the band. Sunday's show proved this, as the people behind me--who were dancing and singing along--asked, "What band is this??" They'd never heard the band before, but they were instantly won over.
At a Whip show, the lyrics take a back seat to the music--it's intense and anthemic, and you'd have to try hard NOT to get into it. The Whip put on an amazing live show, and they happen to be playing a bunch of festivals this summer--which sounds like a great way to experience them live--so I urge anyone who can to see them this summer!
Jul 18 - London - Fabric
Jul 19 - Ibitha Rocks @ Hotel Ibitha
Jul 24 - Galway - Galway Arts Festival
Jul 26 - Cambridgeshire - The Secret Garden Party
Aug 16 - Hasselt - Pukklepop
Aug 17 - Chelmsford - V Festival
Aug 20 - Oslo - Studio Festival
Aug 22 - Leeds - Leeds Festival
Aug 23 - Liverpool - Creamfields
Aug 24 - Reading - Reading Festival
Aug 29 - Scotland - Connect Festival @ Invarary Castle
Sep 5 - Ibitha - Wonderland @ Eden
Sep 13 - Albi - Albi Summer Festival
Sep 17 - Beachbombing @ Ibitha Rocks Hotel Ibitha
Sep 19 - London - Hoxton Airwaves
Sep 26 - Brighton - Big Beach Boutique
Sep 27 - Marseilles - Marsatac Festival
To see more of Dese'Rae's great photos, click here.
Posted by ny2lon at 1:40 PM on Jul. 17 '08 | Comments (0)
This Week in Shows
NY2LON Concert CalendarGigaholics Anonymous, NY
Americans: Happy 4th of July! UKers: Happy Friday! Independence Day makes me wish we were still one [un]happy unit. If that was the case, we American NY2LONers could move to the UK and stalk bands whenever it struck our fancy to do so. Sigh...it's the American dream, isn't it?
This Week in New York:
Wednesday, 7/2 - The Feelies - Maxwell's
Wednesday, 7/2 - Kimya Dawson and friends - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Wednesday, 7/2 - Oxford Collapse, Frightened Rabbit - Southpaw
Thursday, 7/3 - The XYZ Affair, Rosewood Thieves - Le Royale
Thursday, 7/3 - Love as Laughter - R Bar
Thursday, 7/3 - Takka Takka - Union Hall
Friday, 7/4 - Sonic Youth, The Feelies - Battery Park
Friday, 7/4 - Phosphorescent - Glasslands
Friday, 7/4 - Titus Andronicus - Solar One
Saturday, 7/5 - Dengue Fever, Apollo Heights - Central Park Summerstage
Saturday, 7/5 - The Oranges Band - Gramercy Theatre
Saturday, 7/5 - Thurston Moore - Rehab
Sunday, 7/6 - Ronnie Spector - McCarren Park Pool
Tuesday, 7/8 - As Tall as Lions - Maxwell's
Wednesday, 7/9 - Fleet Foxes - Bowery Ballroom
Wednesday, 7/9 - The Vaselines - Maxwell's
Wednesday, 7/9 - Solid Gold - Pianos
Wednesday, 7/9 - Feist, Juana Molina - Prospect Park Bandshell
Wednesday, 7/9 - The Avett Brothers - Rockefeller Park
Wednesday, 7/9 - U.S. Air Guitar Championships - Music Hall of Williamsburg
This Week in London:
Wednesday, 7/2 - Cool Kids - Scala
Wednesday, 7/2 - Funeral for a Friend - KCLSU
Wednesday, 7/2 - The Whigs - 100 Club
Thursday, 7/3 - Duran Duran - O2 Arena
Thursday, 7/3 - Idlewild - University of London Union
Thursday, 7/3 - Matt Costa - Water Rats
Thursday, 7/3 - Jay-Z - Hyde Park
Thursday, 7/3 - The Presets - Scala
Friday, 7/4 - Glasvegas - The Forum
Friday, 7/4 - Morrissey - Hyde Park
Friday, 7/4 - The Music - Astoria
Saturday, 7/5 - Comets on Fire - The Luminaire
Saturday, 7/5 - Dolly Parton - O2 Arena
Saturday, 7/5 - Fatboy Slim - Hyde Park
Tuesday, 7/8 - Gnarles Barkley - Astoria 2
Tuesday, 7/8 - Panic at the Disco - Astoria
Wednesday, 7/9 - Band of Horses - Shepherds Bush Empire
More Listings:
New York
London
Posted by ny2lon at 3:34 PM on Jul. 2 '08 | Comments (0)
The Futureheads
NY2LON Live Reviewby SP from WO
Never can the adage "absence makes the heart grow fonder" be more accurately applied than with The Futureheads recent (and lengthy) absence from the US. I, not so fondly, recall when they were supposed to play Bowery Ballroom not one, but two Septembers ago, and oh how my heart broke when they canceled and never rescheduled that gig. But within their nearly two year absence, The Futureheads' have released News and Tributes along with their junior effort, This Is Not the World. Unfortunately, as noted above, they never toured (over here at least) to support News and Tributes. Thankfully, I do not think the same will be said for their more recent release as, much to my great pleasure they came over to New York for two, one off gigs (one was a secret, shhhhh).
I had the privilege of attending both shows, but I am here to talk about their more intimate gig at Pianos as part of BrooklynVegan's Rock n ROFL. The small space made for an intimate setting that allowed for quite humorous crowd and band banter all throughout the night. This Is Not the World had an absolute monopoly on the setlist both at their Bowery and Pianos gigs. As this new album is probably the best album released in all of 2008 (yes, I'm not even waiting for December to call it), I was extremely pleased by their choice of songs for the evening(s). Starting off with "The Beginning of the Twist" set the mood for a raucous evening of mild to not so mild pogo-ing. I was mildly heartbroken when I did not hear my favorite, and sexiest Futureheads' song to date, "Sale of the Century." But to be fair, every single track off of This Is Not the World are absolutely outstanding so the songs we were greeted with were an absolute treat!
Since T.I.N.T.W. is absolutely taking over, some of the other songs from The Futureheads' catalogue were left out. I believe only once did a song from News and Tributes make an appearance and that was their single, "Skip to the End." The last half of the set was fairly geared towards their self-titled debut and they played the songs they knew we wanted to hear, such as my favorite "Carnival Kids" and the "oh, oh, oh-ing" goodness of "Hounds of Love." While The Futureheads' absence did make my heart grow fonder, I thankfully will not have to wait as long to see them again as they are planning on returning to the States in September!
Posted by ny2lon at 10:37 AM on Jun. 24 '08 | Comments (0)
The Young Knives
NY2LON Live Reviewby Rachy P from NYC
It was 100 degrees outside as well as inside of Mercury Lounge on Monday night, but it was the perfect environment for a hilarious, sweaty gig from The Young Knives, a band whose best-known song includes the line, "Hot summer/what a bummer." I have been so busy falling in love with TYK's latest album, Superabundance, that I forgot about their older songs, so it was a nice surprise when they played a few "oldies but goodies" during their short set, which focused mainly on new material.
TYK's new album is all sorts of amazing. Creative, smart, sometimes humorous, sometimes melancholic lyrics mixed with a dancey, excited rhythm section make this an album that you don't want to turn off. The new album is also more full than their last, with more guitars, trumpets, and even some orchestral sounds. Needless to say, I was more than pleased when their live show captured the sound from their record; many bands aren't able to do this and it's quite a feat. They played almost all of the songs from the new album, so those in the audience who hadn't yet heard the album got a nice sampling.
Aside from making great music, The Young Knives also make great banter. I've seen them a few times before but I forgot just how funny they can be onstage. Brothers Henry Dartnall and The House Of Lords (those are the names they go by) go at each other as if they were young boys, yet they do it in such a clever way that you can't help but laugh even though they're being awfully mean to one another. The audience was in fits of laughter, even as the band mocked our bands and writers, claiming nothing good ever came out of America. For those in attendance, it was a 2-for-1 deal: we paid to see a music gig but got the bonus of a comedy act.
The openers--all three--also made the ticket worthwhile. These days it's rare that I like one of the support bands, but I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying all three. Arriving to gigs early is worth it for nights like this one. A brief rundown on the support:
Who: Gustaf Heden
For fans of: Sondre Lerche
Sounds like: charming, endearing European who could model on the side and whose English is better than most native speakers'.
Myspace
Who: The Magic Wands
For fans of: The Kills
Sounds like: Sexy boy-girl duo who sing about...sex. They even use a drum machine, just like The Kills.
Myspace
Who: The Postelles
For fans of: Buddy Holly?
Sounds like: 1960s, surfy, preppy pop
Myspace
Posted by ny2lon at 3:34 PM on Jun. 11 '08 | Comments (0)
Juiceboxxx
NY2LON Live Reviewby L Dog from the West Coast
Juiceboxxx, the youngest of my favorite "indie" rappers, is worth just about anything to see. Even a sea of unappreciative hipsters. Even spilled drinks (on me). Even sweat.
When I met up with JB, I found him surprisingly charming for someone so tired. From what I could tell, the boy had flown from NY that day, by himself. Perhaps it was the drink in his hand (someone had gifted him absinthe!), or perhaps he just likes California. Either way I was more smitten with the now 21 year old rapper. He's very independent, he's lived on his own since he was a teen! And just his body and his lyrics and nothing else but an iPod filled with beats create a whirlwind of on stage punk rock energy. It was enough to move the regulars at "Blow Up," an indie dance club night, who are usually too busy with themselves to notice a live act. But then again, not all the acts there jump into the crowd regularly.
Juiceboxxx had twenty minutes to impress, distress, and make the audience dance. He totally did it, too. He played some of my favorites, the ever lovable "Thunder Jam III," "Center Stage," and "Sweat," which was the theme of my night since at the moment, my friend Brian was sweating up a Juice-inspired storm a little too close for comfort.
"They don't want to see me, they just want to see themselves," said JB before the show. It's true, or it was true. But Juice, you really showed them. Not only did the crowd respond, they freakin' loved this kid from middle America. And even if they hadn't, hey, you still got some rent moneys.
Posted by ny2lon at 9:40 AM on May. 12 '08 | Comments (0)
MGMT
NY2LON Live Reviewby Lauren from San Francisco
I'm always delighted when MGMT rolls into town. Needless to say, I didn't think they'd ever roll into town with a huge tour bus, but that's not to say those boys don't deserve it. It's hard work being young and touring all the time. Since I first befriended the lil guys, they've been in San Francisco three times...that's an insane amount of times! I know that they are huge in England, and I'm pretty sure they are huge here too. Anywho, I'll skip all that and go straight ahead to the review.
Slim's is a strange venue. Not bad, just strange. They have a real cook to make the bands food (a man named Jose, I think, who is super sweet and claims, believably, to be friends with all sorts of big names). They have a big screen to drop between set changes. They have annoying poles throughout the room, which you could conceivably put a drink down on, but seem to serve the purpose of annoying me. MGMT's van, er, large tour bus of love, was parked right outside the little venue, for all the kids in line to gawk at as they approached the show and waited in a long line. I think there is a joke about tour busses being bigger than the places a band is playing...that wasn't quite the case here, but it was pretty close. I was lucky enough to watch from inside as some MGMT crew gave out schwag (shirts, jeans, other stuff they had picked up on the road) to some lucky people outside. Free stuff is great, but you don't smile really big unless the free stuff is given to you, in some way, by a band.
MGMT is a duo, Andrew and Ben, but as a touring band they are joined by some of the nicest boys ever: Matt on bass, James on guitar and Will on drums. The band played a set of songs from their recent release, Oracular Spectacular, including: Weekend Wars, Pieces of What, Time to Pretend, and Kids (the encore). All of which were big hits with the crowd! MGMT also played some covers (the kinks!); you've got to play covers when you only have one album, I would think. I like to think that in a perfect world, everyone loves Brown Eyed Girl, by Van Morrison, and if I were the judge, the crowd at Slim's that night would definitely be in my perfect world. So would MGMT, because they somehow decided to play Brown Eyed Girl (I was surprised, I didn't hear it soundcheck!), "sha la la la's" and everything! Nothing can get a crowd of girls - which was most of the front few rows of that show - excited like that song...it's a fact! I was tempted to run onstage and dance, but I decided to mind my manners, and dance from where I was.
I expect that this little band will get bigger and bigger, hopefully not exploding in the process. In fact, I'm pretty sure they legally have to grow in popularity, it's in the contract, right? Columbia Records is ensuring us of at least three more albums. They have to pay for that bus somehow! WORTH IT.
Posted by ny2lon at 10:47 AM on Apr. 29 '08 | Comments (0)
The Gay Blades!!
A NY2LON Live Review...Spinner from N6th
A little Iggy and the Stooges, a little... Dane Cooke, actually. Clark Westfield, lead singer of this 2-man outfit, could absolutely be a talk show host or a standup comic - that is, if he weren't such a fucking good musician. His personality is as amped as his music. He kept the audience (i.e. me) throughly entertained, like when he goes to the people in the front row, "We're so close! It's like it's just us!" Or when he called out some dude in the audience, "You're not really on your Blackberry during the clappy hand part are you??" He threw love to the concert organizers, saying, "We'd like to thank Deli Magazine for voting us the 28th best band of 2007... 28 is where it's at. Number 29? Fuck that. FUCK that. That's white rabbit shit."
Curious about the other guy in the band? Drummer Puppy Mills aka The Snitch, like, could've been in The Stooges. His propulsive beats totally held their own with Westfield's wildly manic persona. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching a drummer as much as I did tonight. He just made it look so fun and easy. And as a failed drummer, I happen to know that alot of the stuff he was doing wasn't that easy.
The Gay Blades are just really fucking FUN to watch. That's basically all I can say. What a fucking blast. I want to get back in line and go again!
Epilogue: At some point during the set, I heard someone say "They're like the White Stripes but with a sense of humor!" which at the time I thought was a lazy and very lame comparison. But I know what she meant, which is why I mention it now.
Visit the Gay Blades at their Myspace
Posted by ny2lon at 3:49 PM on Apr. 4 '08 | Comments (0)
Deck of Jack
Starter Jacket Videoby Raleigh Paterson from Newark
The 90's were known for many great things-flannel shirts, grunge music, Seinfeld, Cindy Crawford, Wayne and Garth, Beavis and Butthead, Doc Martin boots, and Pulp Fiction. Besides these unforgettable goodies, the decade also brought us a handful of pop-cultural stains-one of those being the Starter jacket epidemic, an unexplainable phenomenon where certain suburban teenagers dawned puffy coats and began acting like gangsta rappers.
Deck-of-Jack, with the help of the Slack Pack (Long Island's favorite cable access comedy troupe) tries to shed some light on this mystery in their brand new music video, "Starter Jacket."
For those who were alive during this turbulent time, it's time to break out your pagers, peg your pants, and re-live the days when suburban kids thought Compton was Camelot.
"Starter Jacket" video:
Check out the rest of Deck of Jack's hilariously awesome (or is it awesomely hilarious?) videos here.
Posted by ny2lon at 3:49 PM on Apr. 3 '08 | Comments (0)
SXSW 2008
The Week That Wasby Rachy P in NYC
Unlike most bloggers, we don't live blog at SXSW. We're too burnt out--literally and figuratively, thank you 95 degree, record breaking heat!--when we return to our hotel/couch/floor at 4am to stay up until 8 am blogging about the previous day's happenings, sleeping until noon and then doing it all over again. But kudos to those who do! Plus, we think it's fun to go back in our minds, one week later, and relive the awesomeness that is SXSW. By now we're well rested, refreshed, recovered, and ready to reminisce.
I'm going to try something different this year. I will attempt to connect each band I write about to the following one. Think of it as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon SXSW.
I think it's only right to start with the first band I saw, a great band that also just happens to be from Austin, Future Clouds and Radar. They play really lovely, mellow pop, accented by Robert Harrison's beautiful vocals. Their bassist, Joshua Zarbo (one of the coolest people on Earth), used to be in Spoon. On our way to another gig, we bumped into Spoon's sound/tech guy, Jeff Byrd (another cool dude), and he recommended we see a band he's currently working with, Corto Maltese, also from Austin. I'm so glad I did because these guys are like a more awesome Arcade Fire. It's kind of ridiculous how awesome they are.
Speaking of Spoon, their drummer, Jim Eno, (another cool dude!) was at New York band Longwave's showcase. They're one of the best bands from NYC, and any fan of shoegazey, Brit-inspired rock should check them out. Their live show is always great.
Longwave played a day party with Look See Proof, from England. I love these guys. They play crazy energetic dance-rock, and their live show is great. They've got choppy beats that keep you tapping your toes throughout their set. At that same day show, LSP played alongside their friends, Glaswegian band The Dykeenies. They're a little too emo, My Chemical Romance-ish for me, but their live show is anthemic and strong; very powerful stuff.
Sons and Daughters, who are also from Glasgow, played 11 shows, and I went to three of them, all of which were great. I love their sexy, dark, gothy dance-rock, and vocalist Adele Bethel sounded stronger than ever when showcasing the band's new songs live. While speaking to guitarist and vocalist Scott Paterson about their insane schedule, he said theirs was nothing compared to Lightspeed Champion, who was doing over 30 shows! I managed to see just one of those performances, and I'm sure glad I did. Lightspeed is the new band of Dev Hynes, formerly of Test-Icicles, which this new band sounds nothing like. Dev has a really great voice, and the slowed down, stripped down music in his new band really allows him to show it off.
Another band that arose from a disbanded group is The Rascals, who were my favorite band of SXSW '08. I saw them three times and all three sets were killer. Like I said before, they sound like a mix of The Coral and Arctic Monkeys, and if that doesn't sound good to you then you need your head examined. I actually think they're better live than on record, so go see them live as soon as you can!
I saw The Whip just before The Rascals. Rave party 2008!! They went on at 4 in the afternoon, but vocalist Bruce Carter told us to pretend like it was 4 in the morning, which is the appropriate time to see a band like theirs. Madchester is alive and well in 2008, as long as bands like The Whip keep it going! A must see for anyone who likes to dance their ass off.
Speaking of Manchester, I was so pleased to be able to see Manchester-native Jim Noir at SXSW, as it had been years since I'd seen him last. He's still making wonderful pop music, and his set consisted almost entirely of new songs, all of which sounded great. He is a pop genius who can do no wrong.
I also had the pleasure of seeing Ed Harcourt, another singer-songwriter from England. I'm not sure how to describe Ed's music. Words like deep, epic, and angelic come to mind, but that sounds too cheesy! Oh well, it's true. His show was amazing and wasn't lacking in humor, something Ed is known for.
I saw California's The Morning Benders at the same venue as Ed. I was excited to see how their perfect West Coast pop songs would sound live, and they sounded great. They've really mastered the beachy, sunny pop sound.
Scissors For Lefty are also from California, but their music is more dance-pop oriented. Their live show was really fun. It was nice to see a band really enjoy themselves on stage and their humbleness was refreshing.
Fellow Californians Two Gallants played a handful of shows and I knew to catch at least one. They play passionate, intense blues-country-rock and the passion and intensity is always magnified at their live shows, which are incredible.
Johnny Flynn also plays bluesy country rock, but he's from England, which is kind of strange but also really awesome, because he has NAILED the sound. He was great live and it was quite fitting, considering we were in Texas.
I saw The Voom Blooms at the same venue on the same day. Unfortunately, they were forgettable, which confuses me because their recorded music is AMAZING. I'm going to chalk it up to being really tired and hot (me and them) and give them another shot.
Speaking of forgettable, Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong did nothing for me. It seemed like they were trying too hard and I'm sorry, but you shouldn't be wearing a cape when it's 95 degrees out.
One band that you couldn't forget if you tried is The Pigeon Detectives, also from England. Lead singer Matt Bowman jumps around on stage as if he forgot to take his Ritalin. He swings his mic in the air (and almost always catches it; it's quite impressive), brings audience members onstage, climbs things, and jumps from things. Their music is also great, with clever, funny lyrics and dancey rock beats that get you moving. If their music doesn't get you pumped up then I'm pretty sure you're dead. One of the best shows of the entire festival.
Finally, the band that stood out most for me was Fanfarlo, also from England. I had never heard them before and I was surprised and completely blown away by them. They sound like Beirut mixed with Belle and Sebastian--a great combination if you ask me. They've got lots of fun instruments and they sound really great on record and live, so go listen to them and see them as soon as possible!
Well, there's SXSW 2008 in a nutshell, or a shell that's slightly bigger than a nut...It was great fun and I'm already counting down the days until next year. Can't wait!
For pictures and links, click here.
Posted by ny2lon at 8:42 AM on Mar. 22 '08 | Comments (0)
SXSW Is So Last Week...
a recap..Back In New York
Here's my take on SXSW. I've decided that there are too many people for too few legitimately good parties. So you get a log-jam at the Playboy party entrance, and about a thousand empty showcases where bands are playing to their manager, sound guy, and #1 fan (sometimes manifested in one guy, unshowered and with a ponytail).
That said, I had a fucking blast. Above is a picture of NY2LON favorite the morning benders getting interviewed by John Norris of MTV News - mics, cameras and all. Check out the background - not your average sxsw gig. It was taken at the +1 House party at Hank Sinatra's house, where the stage was made of junk, and there was a pen full of goats and chickens in the yard. Hank himself might be the coolest motherfucker in history. Picture's worth a thousand words:
Highlights from the house party? The whole fucking thing. Explorer's Club were a revelation. Peggy Sue & The Pirates impressed. The Morning Benders were fresh and the perfect vibe to complement the gorgeous Texas sunset. The Heavy and Two Gallants brought the thunder.
Other parties I crashed/attended...
Playboy Rock The Rabbit. (10 out of 10)
The party of the week. There were playmates walking around in their little bunny get-ups. I saw celebrities like Lance Armstrong, Elijah Wood, and Tom Morrello. Carson Daly and John Norris were spotted having a conversation. No word on who was interviewing who, or whether we had traveled back in time to the set of TRL circa 1995. The band of the night was definitely The Heavy. Their frontman is outrageous.
Behind the scenes? The VIP section was really smoky, the floor was slick from all the spilled booze and melted ice, the industry hustle was non-stop, playmates were running in and out, and Moby was trying to kick a door down in his dressing room. And yes, the MGMT guy kept his headband on for the duration of the evning.
The BLENDER after-hours (not bad out of 10):
Cool Kids slayed it. But the performance room was so crowded, I chose to remain outside where it was nice and... crowded. But not sweaty and gross. Backstage scene? Not too crazy. The Cool Kids seem to have their heads on straight: I overheard one of the Cool Kids say, "The life is glamorous until you're in it. I've been in my house for 4 days this year..." Diplo and A-Trak isn't really my thing, but the music was loud and the party stayed packed til 4am, which is something.
DIESEL:U:MUSIC Party (dankness out of 10):
She&Him played - Zooey Deschanel is an angel. Her voice makes me want to shoop. The Ting Tings were a perfect late night act, as my drunken ass hopped up and down til the bitter end. My ears rang for days.
This wins for best VIP section - bowling lanes! Watching musicians and hipster industry folk, all conveniently dressed in Diesel, trying to bowl after a night of free beer and vodka drinks might have been my favorite thing... Besides seeing Zooey up close. She doesn't even look real. She's perfection.
Posted by ny2lon at 1:31 PM on Mar. 20 '08 | Comments (0)
The Rascals at SXSWby Rachy P from NYC
Howdy, y'all! This year's SXSW was awesome. As your resident Anglophile, I made it my duty to see as many UK bands as possible (this site's not called New York 2 London for nothin!) In total, I saw 22 bands from the UK, 12 from the US, one from Australia, and one from Sweden. That's a lot of bands. The best band at this year's SXSW was, hands down, The Rascals.
This trio rose from the ashes of their previous band, The Little Flames (sorry, the pun was necessary). If The Coral and Arctic Monkeys had a baby, well, it'd be The Rascals. I was lucky enough to catch the band three times at SXSW, and all of their sets blew me away. Lead vocalist Miles Kane sure has some strong pipes!
Their three-song set for radio station The Current was short, but the sound was amazing, so I took the opportunity to film the band during their set.
The Rascals performing "The Freakbeat Phantom":
This is just a taste of what's to come from our SXSW coverage. Expect a big write up in the next few days, complete with pictures, links, and more!
Posted by ny2lon at 7:46 PM on Mar. 19 '08 | Comments (0)
The Last Shadow Puppets
NY2LON Live Reviewby Rachy P from NYC
On March 4, we New Yorkers were treated to a surprise intimate performance by The Last Shadow Puppets, a side project for Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner and The Rascals' Miles Kane. They are in town to promote their debut album, The Age of the Understatement, and decided to do a last-minute gig. It was their first ever live performance as a duo and it gave them a chance to preview new material from their album.
Fans of both bands will be pleased by the band's sound. It doesn't seem like the recorded material will be as stripped down as this acoustic set was, but the music for this project is definitely more mellow than the Arctic Monkeys' or The Rascals'.
If you don't know who The Rascals are, I suggest you check them out. Aside from the fact that they're a great band, the overall sound of The Last Shadow Puppets' music has more in common with The Rascals than with Arctic Monkeys. The Rascals remind me of The Coral, and the music played at the show sounded like what you might expect The Coral to sound like if they played acoustically.
Overall, the songs have a haunting feel to them, especially when Turner and Kane sing together. And call me crazy, but the title track reminds me of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise!"
The album is out April 21 on Domino Records.
The setlist:
"In My Room"
"Standing Next to Me"
"The Chamber"
"Only the Truth"
"Calm Like You"
"My Mistakes"
"The Age of the Understatement"
"Meeting Place"
More information is available on Domino's website.
Posted by ny2lon at 4:06 PM on Mar. 5 '08 | Comments (0)
The Wallbirds
NY2LON Featured ArtistMeg from Quahog
In a day and age where literally any and every band adds you on myspace and calls you a "friend," it's hard to whittle down who you should and shouldn't listen to. A little initiative goes a long way, so when a band takes the time to send me a message, I put them ahead of all the other bands, and give them a listen that day. Thankfully The Wallbirds did just that and not only did I immediately listen to them, but I also immediately fell in love with their music.
What's really interesting about The Wallbirds is that they incorporate a couple genres of music in the course of one self-titled EP. On tracks like "Valentine" and "8 O'Clock Blues," you can expect to hear Bruce Springsteen like harmonicas with Ryan Adams' type folk rock. Then there is the stellar track "The Avenue" that is throwback, jangly, southern pop sung by way of Doncaster. Bridging the gap between these two genres is the track "Desperate" which combines the harmonicas and folk with a pinch of southern charm. It's easy to imagine the three guys that make up The Wallbirds sitting on a porch in the south playing banjos and washboards chewing on straw.
They have an unhealthy amount of tour dates coming up with both The Metros and Air Traffic, which you should take the time and make sure you see them.
02/27 - Birmingham, UK - Bar Academy*
02/29 - Tunbridge Wells, UK - Forum*
03/01 - Norwich, UK - Arts Centre*
03/03 - Leeds, UK - Cockpit*
03/04 - Edinburgh, UK - Cabaret Voltaire*
03/05 - Aberdeen, UK - Tunnels*
03/06 - Glasgow, UK - King Tuts*
03/07 - Liverpool, UK - Korova*
03/08 - Bedford, UK - Esquire*
03/13 - Brighton, UK - Freebutt
03/14 - Portsmouth, UK - Shepherds Crook
03/15 - Southampton, UK - Unit 22
03/28 - Doncaster, UK - The Hub
03/29 - Wakefield, UK - Escobar
04/05 - Middlesborough, UK - Arena
04/10 - Inverness, UK - Hootanannys
04/11 - Stornoway, UK - Woodlands Centre
04/12 - Ullapool, UK - The Arch
04/13 - Elgin, UK - Red Shoes Theatre
04/18 - Peterborough, UK - Met Lounge
04/19 - Sheffield, UK - Academy
04/22 - Liverpool, UK - Barfly
04/23 - Birmingham, UK - Barfly
04/24 - Exeter, UK - Lemon Grove**
04/25 - Brighton, UK - Concorde 2**
04/26 - York, UK - Fibbers
04/28 - Edinburgh, UK - Liquid Rooms**
04/29 - Norwich, UK - Water Front**
04/30 - London, UK - Sheperds Bush Empire**
05/01 - London, UK - Barfly
*With The Metros
**With Air Traffic
Posted by ny2lon at 1:37 PM on Feb. 26 '08 | Comments (0)
Look See Proof
NY2LON Featured ArtistKelly from Bayside
You know that rare occurrence when you hear a band for the first time and absolutely fall in love? That's what happened to me when I was introduced to this new band called Look See Proof. Composed of four fellas from Hertfordshire, Look See Proof are young, energetic, and ready to take the current music scene by storm. Their name may not ring a bell, but once their debut album comes out in June, they'll be unavoidable. They've already appeared in the pages of NME without a proper full length record out--now that's saying something.
What sets LSP apart from all the other bands trying to make it in this industry is that they're just in it to have fun, all the while making ridiculously catchy pop gems. The four songs you can hear on their Myspace (if you're not too lazy, you can buy their singles) are all choppy, single-ready songs.
The beginning of "Casualty" is incredibly anthemic, and you could easily see the song flourish in a venue the size of Brixton Academy. They also offer their version of a teenage heartbreak track with "Local Hero." Although all their songs are extremely addictive, I would have to say after far too many listens that "Start Again" is the unforeseen frontrunner in my book. Towards the end of the song, the following lyrics: "Let's all, start again, I'm so fed up, with repeated trends. Cause I know your face, and I know I'm wrong, but there's no point trying to convince you. Don't let me down, I wonât let you down" are spoken/shouted and it's absolutely genius.
Besides having a catalogue of remarkable tracks to their name, LSP have a touring record that would make any music fan jealous. They've supported the likes of The Fratellis, The Rifles, Foals, The Dykeenies, Good Shoes, and just recently The Twang. If this is not a formula for success, then I don't know what is. Fortunately for those of us in the US, they're playing this year's SXSW, and I would highly suggest making time to check them out!
Posted by ny2lon at 12:09 PM on Feb. 12 '08 | Comments (0)
2GS on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
In Case You Missed It...Jane Doe from The Hills
(aired 1-3-07)
"That was pretty good, I thought," Jimmy Kimmel quips at the end of the vid. And given his perennially surly predisposition, I think we can safely count that as high praise. Turns out Jimmy's got some taste!
Let me give you some context. After lobbing some soft-toss questions at Rev. Al Sharpton (who bolted immediately after - why do guests do that?), and a forgettable interview with the balding gentleman sitting by Kimmel (he does something in sports), Two Gallants made their US television debut with the single off their self-titled album "Despite What You've Been Told."
And yeah, it was pretty good.
Gallants are on a well-deserved break at the moment, but hopefully we'll hear from the boys again real real soon.
Posted by ny2lon at 9:43 AM on Jan. 8 '08 | Comments (0)
NY2LON Endorses:
Playboy Party in '08!Me from NY2LON headquarters
We try not to get too political here at NY2LON. A) because the American "2-party" system must look pretty ridiculous to folks in the UK, where their left wing ranges all the way to the Socialists. B) because the British Monarchy / Parliamentary system looks to us Americans like... well, we don't really get it. I mean, is that red-headed kid really a bona-fide Prince? Like what's the deal with that... Seems a bit of a loose cannon to me... Maybe I'm wrong. And to be fair, we ELECTED Bush... Twice... But I digress...
As you may or may not know, we here in America are smack in the middle of an election year. And given NY2LON's marginal interest in any of the candidates (besides gripping fear that a Southern Baptist Minister might actually get elected President), we have decided to endorse the Playboy Party and its ticket, headlined by Iggy Pop. Yup, they've teamed up in the name of progress, hope for a better tomorrow, and postmodern T-shirt designs (what's more American than that, I ask you).
Playboy's Rock the Rabbit program is back for its second year, and the roster of artists participating is absolutely stacked. Get a load of this:
* Iggy Pop
* Duran Duran
* Daft Punk
* The Shins
* T.I.
* Gogol Bordello
* Hot Chip
* Ghostland Observatory
* Jamie T
* Tokyo Police Club
* The Pipettes
* New Young Pony Club
* Margot & The Nuclear So And So's
* Little Ones
* OFFICE
* The Oohlas
* The Heavy
* Working For A Nuclear Free City
* The Beasts of Eden
* DJ Dimitri from Paris
Each artist will design a T-shirt putting their own respective spins on the iconic Playboy Rabbit Head logo - with the shirts then hitting shelves in select Bloomingdale's locations, and at ShopTheBunny.com. The original designs will be auctioned off with proceeds going to Rock The Vote. And there you have it. A Social Conscience and nudity - not necessarily mutually exclusive... Right Alicia?
And here's NY2LON favorite Illinois' T-Shirt design from last year's RTR:
All hail the Playboy Party, cause the Playboy Party don't stop.
ROCKTHERABBIT.COM
Posted by ny2lon at 11:40 AM on Jan. 7 '08 | Comments (0)
Duran Duran And Playboy Team Up To 'Rock The Rabbit,' Celebrate Band's 13th LP
Smiles in Marina Del Rey, CA
'The new album ... is openly sexualized,' says Playboy editor, who will feature the band in an upcoming music issue.
NEW YORK - Tuesday night, surrounded by the burlesque stars, fashion editors, models and human oddities who frequent New York hot spot the Box, Duran Duran celebrated the release of their 13th album, Red Carpet Massacre. And in this decadent setting, the new-wave veterans announced that they were getting in bed with Playboy for its second annual Rock the Rabbit issue, which contains eight or nine pages of music news and reviews.
Read the full article on MTVNews.com
Posted by ny2lon at 11:56 AM on Nov. 17 '07 | Comments (0)
1984By Lisa from New York
It's almost 5am and as I sit here thinking about what artist I should write about in this sleep-deprived state one band comes to mind: 1984. Sure, the band disbanded in 2004, and no, they never made it to the US, but this band needs to be given their proper dues. Hailing from Sheffield, 1984 (along with the Arctic Monkeys) released mp3s of their music on the Sherriff's website.
Yet while the Arctic Monkeys went on to become a world-wide success, 1984 surprisingly did not. With thick Sheffield vocals over catchy bass lines in songs like "Stamping" and head-banging guitar in songs like "2.4" this band is every bit a band to love as much as the Arctic Monkeys. To put it simply: with less than 10 songs put out (at least to my knowledge) they have made a fan out of me for life. And while this fan has to accept the fact that two of the members are now in Reverend and the Makers, I will always have the small hope that they'll reform and play in my living room. Maybe I'm overshooting it a bit, but a girl can dream.
Posted by ny2lon at 12:32 PM on Nov. 14 '07 | Comments (0)
tWO gALLANTS New Music VideoBy Smythe from Split
Two Gallants' latest video for their current single "Despite What You've Been Told", off their self-titled new album, truly is exquisite.
It brings slowly draws us into the art of sophisticated, thought-provoking story-telling. Directors Alexander Safdie and Ronald Schnetke clearly knew what they were doing. I will not be suprised when their names are added to the list of great music video directors including Michel Gondy, Anton Corbjin, David LaChapelle, and Chris Cunningham. The average viewer may miss a lot of the beauty, in both the song and the video. However, there is contrast between the clowns lonely existence and the poetic brotherhood shared Tyson and Adam, the two members of two gallants. At the same time, I'm sure all the Tisch film students i went to school with would secretly love the video, while openly criticizing its obvious symbolism.
Regardless of anyone's training in art criticism, I know a good video when I see one, and a beautiful song when I hear it.
Posted by ny2lon at 2:33 PM on Nov. 13 '07 | Comments (0)
Twisted Wheel
NY2LON Featured ArtistSimple from London
Haven't sent one out for a while--I think my Glasvegas rant was the last one--since then there ain't been much to touch my soul.
But as winter draws in and we say goodbye to a glorious-then damp-then sort of hot-for-one-weekend summer, where big festivals failed to please anyone other than the sponsors and small festivals blossomed because they are built on a local vibe and bands not played on mainstream daytime radio, I wanna shout out to the small people, the small towns, the small clubs, the small bands, the small songs and the small insects.
One of those small insects will be saying bye bye for a few months: the wasp. Twisted Wheel's acoustic song "Bye Bye Wasp" brings my mind to it. The little bastard that when you're sat eating your food in a small pub... small back garden... which now have thrown grown adults back to childhood as they smoke in a corner like they're behind the bike sheds...anyway, that's for another time, back to the wasp that buzzes round your plate and sips off your pint, threatening to sting ya, but only wants a nibble.
Goodbye, fair wasp. What better way to see you off than with Twisted Wheel's (acoustic) new tune? Check it out and fuck off wasp.
Posted by ny2lon at 2:13 PM on Nov. 12 '07 | Comments (0)
Jamie T on Carson DalyBy Brittany from Portland
Jamie T has already gone back home to his native Southwest London but we can relive all the memories of his US tour this year by checking out his Carson Daly performance. Jamie and the Pacemakers, his backing band and all around good looking guys, punk it out full-band style, taking 'Sheila' to a whole different (and awesome) place.
Didn't Tivo it? Yeah, I don't know how to either, but that's what YouTube is for. Check it:
Posted by ny2lon at 2:08 PM on Nov. 8 '07 | Comments (0)
Two Gallants
Live Review Tom Duffy in NYC
I try not to sit in my apartment and pre-show when it comes to bands I'm going to see, but before I began my two-block stroll to see the Gallants, their music was already in steady rotation throughout my day. When I got to the show it was humbling to see the Gallants out on stage setting up their equipment.
The twosome jumpstarted the show with "Reflections of the Marionette," a brilliant new track off of their latest self-titled album. From there the band launched into a hauntingly beautiful trilogy of "Seems Like Home To Me", "Las Cruces Jail", and rounded out by "Steady Rollin." The crowd was completely mesmerized by the stripped down freak folk that was emulating from the stage. Adam and Tyson were able to command the same energy as if it were a six piece band on stage.
As the show began to wind down, I couldn't help but feel like the Gallants transformed that theater in the middle of the city into some of the most walked upon trails of the south.
Posted by ny2lon at 1:42 PM on Oct. 31 '07 | Comments (0)
The Maccabees
Live Review Saremella from The Gorbals
In my old age I find that I enjoy going to shows with only one opening band. I was expecting only one opener at The Maccabees' recent show at the QMU so when I got there and found out there were going to be not one, not two, but two and a half openers, I reached for my walker in agony.
First up were New Vinyls who don't look old enough to have drivers' licenses let alone legally drink in the UK. Their short set was energetic, raucous and just filled with live energy that only teenagers can put out. Their set culminated with trumpet player Luke Keady, who is the whopping age of 17, running around in the space between the crowd and the stage, amping up the kids for the rest of the night.
The Envy Corps were the second band on the bill and played the type of music new Modest Mouse fans would love but old Modest Mouse fans would hate. Each new song they played sounded different from the one before it and sounded like they were ripping off other bands throughout the night. I hate to say it, but bearded bands (like The Envy Corps) belong in Brooklyn.
Up next should have been The Maccabees but no, it was Derek Meins, who The Maccabees consider to be a "poet laureate in waiting." I, on the other hand, considered him to be an exceptionally annoying time waster. Thankfully he didn't play a full set and pretty much acted as a distraction as the crew set up the stage for The Maccabees.
The ever popular debate about whether it's more important for a band to be better live or on record definitely pertains to The Maccabees. The first time I saw them I hadn't even heard the entire album once through and was absolutely blown away by their live performance. After that show obsession kicked in and I basically listened to the album on repeat until I fell in love with it. Now that I was fixated with the album, I was worried their live show would suffer, but thankfully The Maccabees are brilliant both live and on record.
After what started out as a long night, The Maccabees' set just flew by. They played all the crowd pleasers to a crowd who were itching for more from the band. Nearly half of the songs off their debut album Colour It In were released as singles so there were a lot of highlights throughout the night. At one point the crowd was so eager and loud that they finished the lyrics to the song before lead singer Orlando Weeks ever had the chance to belt them out. One of the best qualities about The Maccabees' music is that anyone can relate to it, and when their most recent single, "Toothpaste Kisses," was played the crowd sang their hearts out in unison. Although the young crowd clearly loves the songs off of Colour It In, some of the songs have been around for two years so when they played new songs, the crowd ate it up.
Their UK tour is just about over now, so we'll have to find comfort in listening to Colour It In until they release their sophomore album. Until then boys, until then...
Posted by ny2lon at 1:07 PM on Oct. 24 '07 | Comments (0)
Gallows
NY2LON Featured ArtistKirsten From Staines
Who the fuck are Gallows?
Kerrang! calls them "the best British punk band since The Clash."
Total Guitar claims they offer up "one of the finest displays of sneering, snotty attitude since The Sex Pistols." And, Revolver likens them to "a broken beer bottle aimed for [punk's] jugular."
But, for the Watford, England five-piece, such acclaim was not always offered. The beginning was rough, just as for any other band.
"We played any show we were offered, wherever we were offered," said Gallows' singer Frank Carter. "We really prided ourselves on putting on a show."
Gallows (formed in 2005, and rounded out by Laurent Barnard on guitars, keys, and vocals, Steph Carter on guitars and vocals, Stu Gili-Ross on bass, and Lee Barratt on drums) released Orchestra of Wolves in the UK in September 2006 to very little mainstream attention. In fact, Carter claims the band did "fuck all" for the four months after the album's initial release.
But, in January of 2007, something happened - heads started to turn, ears began to perk up. "When we started causing trouble, people started paying attention," said Carter. "They were like 'Who is this band coming out of nowhere and fuckin' everything up?'"
Carter recollects the rise of Gallows with surprising humbleness. He doesn't come off a spoiled little punk (for lack of a better phrase), a snotty rockstar, or even with indifference. He seems as genuinely surprised by his band's sudden rise to international fame as fans and press alike.
"We've been a mainstream band since our band took off," he laughed. "We were nothing for like two years." But, in a less than a year, Gallows went from being just another English punk band to international punk saviors.
Soon after its UK release, Orchestra of Wolves landed in the hands of Brett Gurewitz, guitarist for punk legends Bad Religion and founder of punk mega-label Epitaph Records, and not long after that, Gallows was inking a deal for the album's US release through the label.
"The way we wanted to try to break America was to come in on that [indie] level, 'cause that's how we did it at home. We were on an indie and then we jumped straight onto a major," explained Carter.
Next came a small US tour, including a showcase at Austin, TX's South By Southwest festival and then a stint on the summer's mass-marketed Warped Tour. And, as the band tore through city after city, their collective star only rose higher and higher.
"I'm a firm believer in 'There is no band, there is no crowd.' Gallows is just like everyone that wants to be a part of it," said Carter. "I'm not into this rock star pedestal bullshit... 'Cause I'm not a fuckin' rock star. I don't want to be. I don't intend to be." Carter carries this mentality over into the much raved about live show, a set which keeps him in the pit more than onstage. "We still play with the same amount of conviction and passion [as before we were famous]" said Carter, who recently split his head open after colliding with a fan (and then a monitor) onstage.
Even with mass praise and an astounding live show, Gallows hasn't escaped the backlash - the most of which came after the band signed a four-album, one million-pound deal with Warner Brothers UK in April.
"All of the people that gave us backlash for that were the people who didn't like us in the first place," explained Carter. "So, I was like 'Fuck you! I'm getting paid. You still hate me, but you're getting fuck all so it's fine.'"
"Who honestly can turn down a ton of money to do a job they love?" he continued.
With Gallows barreling full-speed along the punk rock road of stardom, it'll be anyone's guess if they actually make it to album number four. (Or even two or three.) In recent interviews, Carter is quoted as saying that "Gallows won't last five years," claiming that tattooing will always be his life and job, and the band is secondary.
Regardless of long-term plans, Gallows are opening for Bad Religion on their upcoming tour, which started October 4th. They just played NYC's Nokia Theatre on October 15th.
Posted by ny2lon at 11:58 AM on Oct. 22 '07 | Comments (0)
the morning benders
NY2LON Featured ArtistLauren from California's public schools
When I think of Berkeley, I think of a few things. Dirty, aging hippies, a setting in a Phillip K. Dick novel, and the Morning bigger. The Benders have two EPs, and continue to play shows non stop.
The Morning Benders must have one hell of a social network, because only a few weeks into my stay in San Francisco, I began to hear chatter about the band. I found their tracks online, and was only surprised the first few times I had "Grain of Salt" stuck in my head. The song, like all the others off their two releases, is catchy and easy to memorize; even easier to get stuck in your head. "Grain of Salt," aside from being one of my favorite tunes of my first year of college, is also the reason this band will probably be fighting of Strokes comparisons for a while.
Now that I was a fan, I decided to check out a Benders' gig, only because it was close to my house and cheap. I went to the show, found lead man Chris Chu (I basically showed him my newly purchased tamagachi and asked him if his parents were okay with his being a music major) and there I was - hooked. It's not every day you see a good looking, young, talented band; in San Francisco, it's maybe every three or four days so I still paid attention. I've continued to watch the band; they're one of the local acts I root for, and they're getting better and bigger. The Benders have two EPs, and continue to play shows non stop.
1. With your debut album dropping next year, what part of the process of releasing an album are you most looking forward to?
Letting people finally hear it and touring/promoting it. We just want to get out there.
2. What was the best show you ever played?
Whatever show we played last.
3. Who put on the best live show you ever saw?
Probably Radiohead... and Spoon blew me away when I saw them last month.
4. When you are not making music, what are you doing?
Reading and working construction.
5. What bands or musicians have made a huge difference in how you think about music?
Neil Young, Animal Collective, Kevin Shields, Velvet Underground, Phil Spector.
6. Every week, NY2LON features an item/person/pop culture happening/philosophical movement that "we are currently loving". What are you currently obsessed with?
Tons!! Couple off the top of our collective head: Shoegaze, 60's Girl Groups, Wong Kar-Wai, Lost, Weeds, STELLA!!!
Posted by ny2lon at 10:22 AM on Oct. 15 '07 | Comments (0)
Tiny Dancers
Live Review Sarah from Glasvegas
For those of you with depression, insecurity, or other mental disorders who are spending a great deal of money popping pills or seeing a psychiatrist to address these "issues", I have a very cheap solution for you. It's easy. To make yourself sane, go see the childishly insane Tiny Dancers.
Tiny Dancers are just utterly joyous pop music; they're even able to sneak in a few depressing lyrics into their songs ("I guess my time has come to destroy your life") while still smiling.
It was apparent that the crowd has been listening to their first full length album, Free School Milk, which was released earlier this summer, on repeat, as almost everyone knew all the words to all the songs. The warm feeling you get inside when seeing Tiny Dancers is apparently wide spread when you look around at the crowd and see nothing but a sea of smiling faces. Not only are the fans happy to be there, but so are Tiny Dancers. The show at the infamous King Tut's was, according to lead singer DK, far superior to the previous night's gig.
Tiny Dancers' stage performance is enjoyably juvenile from the second they step on stage until the last note has been played. DK's entire face was covered in glitter, and if that doesn't make you smile then I don't know what will. Not only does the band look childish but the stage has stuffed animals, lamps and everything else a child would need to feel at home on a stage. Tiny Dancers like their fans so much that at every show they take pictures of the crowd, so if you're ever going to see their show, plan on having your picture taken by the band.
During fan favorite, "I Will Wait For You," there's always a long pause after the line "and I will try to do my best for you, but one day you'll wait for..." and at tonight's show, instead of there being an awkward silence, Tiny Dancers filled the void with their rendition of "Afternoon Delight!"
Although King Tut's is a relatively small venue, there was a barricade separating the band from their audience. Not willing to let themselves be disconnected from their fans, Tiny Dancers came out for their encore and chose to sing and play acoustically on the barricade. Even though their shows only last roughly an hour, the feeling of euphoria you experience from their gigs lasts much longer than that!
Posted by ny2lon at 9:51 AM on Oct. 12 '07 | Comments (0)
biffy clyro
NY2LON Featured ArtistMary from Park Slope, BK
Biffy Clyro is the perfect example of what NY2LON is talking about. They have released four studio albums in the UK, and yet no one in the US knows them. Their most recent (and best) release is being hailed by UK press as "one of the best of the year", and yet American press keeps saying "they are too commercial to cover".
Until now that is. They are slowly breaking to the US...
Biffy Clyro just finished a national tour with Editors and Ra Ra Riot (see a theme in NY2LON features artists this week? Yes, we want to give love to an unorthodox but amazing tour). Their aggressive melodramatic rock anthems, which flawlessly switch between progressive rock, hardcore, and indie pop-loving rock, has been winning audiences over one at a time, and even a few critics too. At their New York show at Webster Hall, the vip section was buzzing with "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really liked them".
All industry bullshit aside, 'Puzzles' is a great album. The continental divide should not affect its status as a great album. Sadly, it does.
The tracks that will bring over more American rockers to the dark side: "Living is a Problems Because Everything Dies"
The track that will bring over fellow Brooklynites to the Scottish world of (hairy) men: "Machines"
Posted by ny2lon at 4:31 PM on Oct. 1 '07 | Comments (0)
Ra Ra Riot
NY2LON Featured ArtistMary from Park Slope, BK
I have never hoped as many good things would happen to a band, as I do for Ra Ra Riot. In addition to being through a lot over the past few months, they are a great fucking band, and probably the nicest people you will ever meet in your life. Nothing bad should ever be said about Ra Ra Riot.
Consistently playing amazing live shows over the past year in New York, this Syracuse-native band has shaken the cold weather, and heated up countless concert halls. With their infectious pop songs beautifully highlighted by their use of both a violin and a cello, Ra Ra Riot puts on one of the best live shows seen in a long time. The youthful energy of these giddy teenagers allows for their amazingly rambunctious live show. And best of all, their songs really are that good. Ra Ra Riot are destined for great things. Lets do whatever we can to help them get there.
Ra Ra Riot just finished an awesome US tour supporting Editors and Biffy Clyro. As I am writing this gloriously optimistic praise, Ra Ra Riot is on a Boeing 777 on their way to the UK, to begin another month of touring with Editors. Trust me, you donât want to miss these shows.
TOUR DATES
October 1 - UEA (Norwich)
October 2 - Guildhall (Portsmouth)
October 3 - Exeter University (Exeter)
October 4 - Newport Centre (Newport)
October 5 - Water Rats (London)*
October 6 - Academy (Oxford)
October 8 - Brixton Academy (London)
October 9 - Brixton Academy (London)
October 10 - Marquee (Hertford)*
October 11 - Corn Exchange (Cambridge)
October 12 - Charlie Browns/Club NME (Luton)*
October 13 - Carling Academy (Birmingham)
October 14 - Apollo (Manchester)
October 15 - Carling Academy (Bristol)
October 16 - Fibbers (York)
October 17 - Leeds University (Leeds)
October 18 - Carling Academy (Newcastle)
October 19 - Iceland Airwaves (Reykjavik, Iceland)*
October 20 - Iceland Airwaves (Reykjavik, Iceland)*
October 21 - Carling Academy (Glasgow)
October 22 - Octagon (Sheffield)
October 23 - Liverpool University (Liverpool)
October 25 - Rock City (Nottingham)
* not supporting Editors
Posted by ny2lon at 1:20 PM on Sep. 26 '07 | Comments (0)
Cat The Dog
NY2LON Featured Artist Kirsten from Staines
Mixing Nirvana with New York Dolls isn't an easy task. But Cat the Dog pulls it off flawlessly in their debut single "I'm A Romantic". Expelling an honest mixture of distorted young angst with aged wisdom, "I'm A Romantic" is an impressively stong debut for such a new and young band. The simple black&white performance-driven music video showcases the bands relaxed approach to life, while allowing the insanely catchy chorus to resonate. However, the band's talent really shines through in the melodies on "Ship Goes Down", where singer Chris Mellian proves he really is a romantic.
"Ship Goes Down"(MP3)
Posted by ny2lon at 10:24 AM on Aug. 28 '07 | Comments (0)
Maxi Geil! & PlaycoltLisa from Springfield
Who the fuck are Maxi Geil! & Playcolt? New York's best kept secret this side of the White Rabbits, that's who. The six-piece from Brooklyn actually have a member who is a New York City native, a rarity these days. I'm pretty sure Scissor Sisters saw Maxi Geil! & Playcolt and totally stole the get up that made SS famous. The two best things about Maxi Geil are that no one in the band is named Maxi and they have a cooler way of shortening their name from Maxi Geil! & Playcolt (MG!&P) than Panic! @ The Disco (P!@TD) does. Oh, and their music is pretty good too.
Their debut LP, Strange Sensation, has funny and honest lyrics, and because they're not too concerned about their image (like every other band around), when they make fun of people, they're making fun of themselves along the way. "Making love in the Sunshine" is the call and response between Guy Richard Smit (i.e. Maxi Geil in real life) and Rebecca Chamberlain that is effortlessly sexy in a somewhat Bravery-esque rendition. "I said I wouldn't, but I think I just might, I know I shouldn't, but it's Saturday night" pretty much sums up what everyone over the age of twenty is feeling on a Saturday night at a bar. "You Can't Kill Us Man! (We're Already Dead)" not only has the coolest title on the album, it also has the best beginning to a song, ever. Guy's voice sounds very similar to Alex Kaprano's of Franz Ferdinand on this track, and that's fine by me.
Although I'm sure Scissor Sisters ripped off MG!&P, the latter are able to do something that the Sisters can't, and that's being cheeky without being too Broadway and, for lack of a better word, gay. MG!&P are a band with the entire package: dance-y music, amazing stage presence, and a gimmick that even pretentious New Yorkers can put up with. Their shows are a rarity, so be on the lookout as their live shows tend to be nothing short of amazing.
Posted by ny2lon at 10:27 AM on Aug. 16 '07 | Comments (0)
Computer ClubRita from Miami
No one wants to admit they were in a computer club, well, everyone but the gents in CC who are self proclaimed nerds who want to convert you to join their club. They're a perfect mix of moody and dance-y. It's pop with an edge.
They're a relatively new band, having only formed in 2006 and they're a band you can say you found out about before they became huge. They've made quite a name for themselves with the UK press and before too long they may just grace the cover of NME.
Maybe there's something in the water in Birmingham (home to Editors and Computer Club) or somthing about being stuck almost dead in the center of England that results in the bands from there having moody, melodic voices that would make any Joy Division or Cure fan happy (or is it sad?).
Hearing the single ready song "Snobs" you may think you've stumbled upon a new Editors track, but no, it's just Computer Club's best track offering. If you actually listen to the lyrics of "Snobs' it's quite a dirty song ("her hands down my trousers on the dance floor, kiss at those dirty little dance whores"), and that makes me like it all the better. Who knew nerds could be so sexy?
Although "Snobs" is CC's take on Editors, "Stand Up" is truly the direction they should continue with. They're effortlessly catchy and once you've heard them you'll be unable to get them out of your head.
They're big in Japan and that's all that matters. But if CC would just support the right bands (read: Editors) their following would explode the way everyone thought computers would during the millennium.
Weds, August 8 - London, UK - Spitz
Fri, August 10 - Birmingham, UK - The Sunflower Lounge
Sat, August 11 - Bath, UK - Moles
Sun, September 15 - Brimingham, UK - Artsfest, Victoria Square
Posted by ny2lon at 10:15 AM on Aug. 9 '07 | Comments (0)
The SteeplesSarah from Pace
If you're going to listen to one new band this year, make sure it's The Steeples. Of the millions of bands that add you on myspace, finding a good band is like finding a needle in a haystack and I've absolutely found that needle with The Steeples. To an unseasoned pair of ears, their songs may sound like new tracks by The Kooks but if you listen carefully you can hear the difference and also find that their songs might be better. Their influences couldn't be more apparent and they're able to realize that the current music scene is actually a good one so why fix something that isn't broken?
I haven't been this excited about a new band since Franz Ferdinand crossed the Atlantic over three years ago and won the hearts of the NY indie. All their songs (well, the four you can hear on their myspace) are absolutely infectious and leave you aching for more. The most standout track to me is "Alley Girl" but the song that showcases the lead singer's vocal abilities the best is the song "Bus Stop." I can't tell you what their debut album will be called, and I bet they can't either, but there are plans for it to be released later on this year and I'm sure it'll be a contender for album of the year. Although their first show was less than three months ago, I think they have what it takes to be future NME cover darlings.
Sat, July 7 - Liverpool, UK - Korova
Fri, July 13 - Doncaster, UK - Priory
Thu, July 19 - Liverpool, UK - Zanzibar
Fri, July 20 - Oldham, UK - The Castle
Thu, August 2 - London, UK - Leonards
Fri, August 10 - Wolverhampton, UK - Varsity
Fri, August 17 - Accrington, UK - The Attic
Sat, August 18 - Doncaster, UK - Vintage Rockbar
Mon, August 20 - Newcastle, UK - The Cooperage
Thu, August 30 - Glasgow, UK - The Capitol
Sat, September 2 - Darwin, UK - Frankies
Fri, November 2 - Whitehaven, UK - Civil Hall
Posted by ny2lon at 3:31 PM on Jun. 5 '07 | Comments (0)
