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There’s something about the music of Alex Bleeker that makes me want to retreat to swingsets and treehouses. I guess it could be mostly because he sings about adolescence- not wanting to go back to school, swimming pools, the backs of pick-up trucks, etc. Or maybe that’s just suburban life. Either way- i’m really feeling it. This song popped up on MySpace last week and today the main man Chocolate Bobka posted the mp3- thanks brother.
“Never Goin’ Back” is on an upcoming Group Tighener 7″. Catch Alex and the Freaks Wednesday night at Monster Island Basement with best Coast, Ducktails and more!
Alex Bleeker and the Freaks: Never Goin’ Back
By David Chiu
The last time the British punk group The Raincoats played in New York was 13 years ago. But Friday’s masterful performance at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn made the long gap between appearances seem like hardly a factor- they rocked harder than any other young emerging band I’ve seen.
Friday was the last date of the Raincoats U.S. tour. Fronted by founding guitarist Ana Da Silva and bassist Gina Birch, this touring lineup included violinist Anne Wood and drummer Vice Cooler. The tour marks the 30th anniversary of the band’s self-titled classic debut and Birch is making a documentary about the band, currently in production. (For more on that read my Spinner story.)
The Raincoats started out as one of the first female British punk bands along with The Slits in the mid-‘70s. Their sound reflected the DIY aesthetic of that scene, though it was offset by their use of violin. The Raincoats broke up in the mid-‘80s but they became an influence especially on Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, whose intervention led to the Raincoats’ reunion in the early ‘90s.
The set list on Friday drew from the band’s four albums, kicking off with “No Side to Fall In” and followed by such songs as “You’re a Million,” “Shouting Out Loud,” “Don’t Be Mean,” “No One’s Little Girl” and “The Void.” The performances were enthusiastic as Da Silva and Birch traded off lead vocals on songs. Wood’s violin provided a cool counterpoint to the rest of the band’s rock playing, and Cooler’s drumming showed a lot of brawn. One highlight of the show was when former Slits guitarist Viv Albertine appeared on stage (she earlier opened for the band) and joined in for two numbers, including a cover of the Kinks’ “Lola.” Later, the encore featured “In Love” and “Fairytale in the Supermarket.” It isn’t surprising that the audience’s adulation for this band was felt throughout the entire evening. The fact that the Raincoats doesn’t often perform made this show special and poignant, and hopefully we won’t have to wait another 13 years to see them again.
It’s about time for a Tanlines/Restless People post. I’m not sure what to call this set of bands- a collective? The website “Family Edition” posts info on Restless People and also about another group, Newborn Huskies. But I don’t think Tanlines is a part of that “Family” even though they kind of are in reality. Anyway- all of these bands were once in Professor Murder…
Restless People is Jesse Cohen (also in Tanlines), Mike Bell-Smith (once in Professor Murder), Eric Emm (also in Tanlines) and Tony Blankets (i think that’s his real name, he is also Newborn Huskies and was in Professor Murder).
Tanlines is Jesse and Eric. Eric is one half of Brothers, and Jesse works over there, too.
Tanlines are playing a lot of CMJ shows, see their Twitter for details. And Restless People are playing their first show ever on Monday, opening for another first timer, Washed Out, at Santos Party House. WOOOOO it’s gonna be fun.
All of this is party time music, by the way.
Restless People: Days of our Lives (Light in Mix)
A little bit jazz, a little bit folk, a little bit finger-lickin rock and roll- a whole lotta soul. That’s Elvis Perkins for you.
I’m not really into nuevo folk normally, but there’s something about “Slow Doomsday” that makes this rainy Friday a bit more bearable. Maybe it’s the quivering vocals, the upright bass picked clean, the trumpet solos. I’m not sure. Either way, thanks Elvis.
Elvis Perkins in Dearland, “The Doomsday EP” is out Oct. 20. There will be a tour, including a stop on Halloween at Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble. Wooooo!!!
Elvis Perkins: Slow Doomsday
Jason Klauber and Molly Shea of Acrylics are sitting side by side at Grand Morelos, a 24-hour Mexican Restaurant/diner on Grand Street in Williamsburg. Over chips and guacamole and Sol we discuss the band, what it means to make music in Brooklyn, the past, the future and the present.
Klauber and Shea are close- they’ve been playing together for 6 years- and it’s obvious. When a question is asked they look at each other and both begin answering. Jason is fast paced and chatty, Molly is ponderous, almost quiet at times. They compliment each other.
The two met at Oberlin College in Ohio, immediately bonding over their love of music. Both play guitar, and both write songs. After various relationships, bands, college courses and passed time they found themselves together in Brooklyn. It was a natural process.
Klauber and Shea are at the heart of Acrylics. They write the songs, they named the band. A rotating cast of friends accompanied them for some time, but the band is now a full-on 5 piece. Travis Rosenberg plays pedal steel and keyboards, Jake Aron picks bass strings and Sam Ubl handles the sticks.
Acrylics recorded 13 songs, a full albums worth, at Vacation Island with Matt Boynton before they were approached by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear. Taylor saw Acrylics play their second show ever, in March at Union Pool, and immediately told them he wanted to record them for his new label, Terrible Records.
Was it right place/right time? No, says Shea.
“We’ve been working together for so long,” she said. “It’s not like it came out of the blue.”
Just watch this clip of her on “Kids Are People Too!”, that show from the 80s. She’s like kid herself, and she talks about rock and roll being “a powerful source for us kids.” And the kids love her. She is so cool.
is this a metaphor?
I really don’t know. What I do know is this fuzzy New Jersey song has an infectious beat. The vocals sound like they could be coming from a 12-year-old but there’s no way a 12-year-old could come up with this. Or is there….
No matter thinking anymore on that. Fluffy Lumbers is Samuel Franklin and he’s another of the Group Tightener acts. A 7″ is forthcoming. FL has already released this.
See Fluffy Lumbers at some upcoming CMJ related shows…including Underwater Peoples, Chocolate Bobka, Group Tightener, etc. You know, all the cool ones!
Fluffy Lumbers: Harry Dolland’s
Pic by Gorilla Vs. Bear
Chris Taylor‘s Terrible Records debut, a split 7″ between his project, CANT, and Arthur Russell, is extremely intricate, full sounding and luscious. The man certainly knows how to make a recording. The song “Ghosts” actually sounds like a million ghosts floating in and out of a room. Taylor records in a church studio that likely has huge cavernous ceilings and acoustics fit for angels. So yeah, the song sounds great. The song itself? I can’t say it’s great.
The guitar sounds are rich and the echo on the vocals capture a haunting mood, but there is hardly any song structure and not a bit of catch. Much like Grizzly Bear’s output, (Taylor is in that band), the song builds and builds and never goes anywhere. This could be a case of too much thought put into something, not enough heart.
Regardless, it’s a recording accomplishment. Taylor knows what he’s doing. I look forward to Terrible Records’ next release from Acrylics.
CANT: Ghosts
I can’t believe I just found out about this, but I’m over that and am now just super pumped. “Searching for Elliott Smith” is a documentary about the late Smith and the world premiere is next Friday during CMJ. Elliott Smith is one of my favorite people and musicians ever, so anything that even slightly relates to him elates me. Does that use of elation work? Anyway, in the movie there are interviews with Smith’s girlfriend when he died, Jennifer Chiba (some think she murdered him, i think that’s rubbish) and Mary Lou Lord, one of the great singer-songwriters of the 90s, and actually the one who got Slim Moon to sign Elliott to Kill Rock Stars.
FOR A REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTARY, CLICK HERE.
TREAT!
Mary Lou Lord: I Don’t Wanna Get Over You (Magnetic Fields Cover)
You’d think this week would be a bit of a wash, because next week is CMJ, where many, many, many bands are playing, and most bands are playing multiple times. But actually, lots of shows! I got a CMJ press badge so i’ll be there trying to maintain sanity while being so psyched! Anyway, this week:
TONIGHT
Built to Spill at Webster Hall, (and Wed. and Thur.), 8ish
WEDNESDAY
Real Estate, Big Troubles, Honeydos at Monster Island Basement, 8
NO AGE, Woods at (le) Poisson Rouge, 10
Daniel Johnston at Highline Ballroom, 8ish
Titus Andronicus, the So So Glos at Maxwell’s, 9ish (and Thursday at Knitting Factory)
THURSDAY
NO AGE at MOMA (with Spike Jonze)
FRIDAY
MV&EE at Issue Project Room, 8
The Raincoats, Soft Power, Marnie Stern, Viv Albertine (ex-Slits) at Knitting Factory, 8
Dirty Projectors (New Yorker Festival) at the Bell House, 7
SATURDAY
NO AGE, Male Bonding, Soft Circle at Above the Auto Parts Store, 8
Fool’s Gold, Lemonade at the Cake Shop, 8ish
MONDAY
Washed Out and Restless People at Santos, 11
