Critics are raving about The Americans, a group of 20-24 year old music masters who have come together to create innovative, danceable and entirely relevant pop songs that, according to NYLON, “you can really really like even halfway through the first song.” Their self-titled EP is now available on iTunes and Fend Magazine is giving away a pair of FREEtickets to their show at Joe’s Pub for Saturday night, May 9th.
Here’s how to win: We have a winner, congratulations Mr. Harris!
I urge you, readers, to please dig deeper into Chairlift. Don’t allow yourself to be satisfied solely by their iPod hit, “Bruises”. I was so taken by their live performance at Webster Hall on April 29th where they just may have out-shined the headlining and most sensationalized Peter Bjorn and John. Caroline Polachek’s voice is without a doubt quite stellar to an average good voice. The control she possesses is alluring to the ear. Quite simply, it’s like butter. Aaron Pfenning is a crooner as well, his deep voice is a perfectly erie compliment to Polechek’s. Patrick Wimberly kept it all together as drummer, bassist and keyboardist. These are versatile musicians, exchanging instruments and taking turns. It was something of beauty to watch.
Of course, the masses were there for some PB and J. The Swedish indie idols caused the 123 year old floor of Webster Hall to shake, literally. The crowd did not seem to mind as they bounced and rocked to favorites like “Amsterdam” and “Young Folks”, naturally, along with newbies like “Just The Past” and “Nothing to Worry About”. Their encore was especially moving, with an intimate slow song from their newest album Living Things, titled “Stay This Way”.
Mixing quiet intimacies with dreamy electronics is nothing new for the foursome from Nashville and they have done it again. Absense, Paper Route‘s stunning album which seems refreshingly organic, is out in stores today, April 28th.
Yuki Chikudate’s angelic vocals wowed Toronto’s Mod Club last week.Asobi Seksu opened for Yann Tiersen to a crowd who was caught off guard by the opener.Mod Club, in the heart ofToronto’s Little Italy, was all a buzz before the show.The energy increased exponentially during Asobi Seksu’s set.When they had finished exploding the minds and winning the hearts of the crowd, 3 different groups of people asked who they were as they had been thoroughly satisfied.A man outside, with a glow on his face, asked who they were, “Asobi Seksu, pretty good eh?” was my reply.“No”, he says.I stare blankly in complete confusion. “They were fucking awesome!”We both smiled in agreement.In his French Canadian accent he continued, “They are monument.”“Monumental?”, I suggest.“Yes! Monumental!”
To say the least, Asobi Seksu was firing on all dream/noise pop, shoegazing cylinders.The group has said they wanted to emphasize Yuki’s vocals, a wise choice.James Hanna provided stellar backup vocals and great sustained, ambient guitar.William Pavone on bass gave their songs their backbone.While Larry Gorman’s confident, driving drumming made the heads of the crowd nod in approval.
The band’s third album, Hush, came out February 17, 2009.It was a follow up to their 2006 album Citrus.There are obvious musical tones and emotions associated with their music that liken them to Cocteau Twins and Lush, but Yuki’s voice and the band’s dynamic energy push them to levels their predecessors didn’t achieve.
Yann Teirsen, who is best known for composing the score to the Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie Amélie, continued to delight the crowd and pleasantly caught this unacquainted listener off guard.
April 7th marked the release of a piece of art. Youth Group, the Aussie band most famous for it’s 2006 single “Forever Young”, has done it again with The Night Is Ours. It is the fourth album for the platinum selling band and is a sure stand out from the rest. Tony Martin’s articulate statement of lyric is what distinguishes this Indie Pop Rock band from the rest. With tracks like “Friedrichstrasse” and “What Is A Life?”, it is undeniable that the album branches out into a deeper, darker side of the group yet maintaining the luminescent quality that has always allowed Youth Group to radiate through our hearts. It’s the magic of opposition that keeps us yearning for more from them. They pain your sole while making you smile.
Youth Group will be playing their last night of residency at Pianos for a very low ticketing price. I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity, leave weekday evening TV in your living room and venture out to Manhattan’s SOHO. Last week Fend covered the Tuesday night affair and found the small room in Pianos(despite the rain) packed with eager fans. Youth Group played some oldies like “Shadowland” and tracks from their new album, “Two Sides,” “All This Will Pass,” and “A Sign.” Although its clear we are all aging, for a moment even if its brief, you felt as though you really could live forever.
Interview with Youth Group’s Bassist Patrick Matthews:
Fend: Youth Group has taken up residency at Pianos, what are the benefits to a band doing something like that? How has the experience been so far? Where are you guys headed next?
The best thing about the Pianos residency is that we can play in NYC
four weeks in a row and live on the LES for 5 weeks. We’d be drinking at
Pianos anyway so we thought we might as well play a show or four there.
Another advantage of the residency is that you can build up a bit of an
audience over the month and also overcome some of those flukes of timing
that occur on trips – like when it snows the night you hit town and
everyone stays indoors!
We start a cross-country tour in May heading West!
Fend: Do you guys have any pre-show rituals?
The last couple of shows has seen three of us waiting around near the
stage for the fourth member, Danny (drums), to come meet us. We
experimented with an pre-show a capella version of “The Lion Sleeps
Tonight” but it didn’t take as a bonding ritual. It’s still around in
joke-form.
Fend: It has been said that the name Youth Group is a twist on the band Teenage Fanclub, true or false?
It could be true. Seriously tho’, no one remembers how it started – it’s
too long ago. It seems these days the name is meant to spur certain
types of people to say something along the lines of “You don’t look that
young”.
Fend: What inspired The Night is Ours to sound more somber than your past records? How do you think recording the album on a ship effected the tone?
Truth be told we only recorded some nautical noises, some clanging in
the hull, on the boat (a decrepit metal lighthouse-tender). The actual
recording of songs went on in a building, a 1920′s hall, just up the hill
from the ship. This hall overlooked a quiet backwater of Sydney Harbour
where the profoundly unseaworthy boat was moored. I didn’t think, myself
being quite cynical, that the location would have an influence on the sound
of a record – I thought a studio was a studio – but I’m intrigued to this day by
the fact that the album has this watery, echoey mood. It’s a bit of a mystery
but it’s no accident I suppose.
Fend: Youth Group has been together since the late ’90s, how have changes in the music industry since then effected you guys as a band?
The biggest changes in the music industry for me is the democratisation
of music with home-recording on PCs and myspace profiles etc. It’s like
the full realisation of punk. The other thing is the internet and
ipods killing off the CD and record stores. I guess Youth Group is
managing/coping in the digital age. We’ve got at least one member who can
use Pro-Tools and sampling software etc. so we’re not digitally excluded.
But I guess I have a real affinity for bands like The Walkmen who sound
like they’ve never even touched a mouse.
Fend: Acknowledging that all of your work is something to be proud of, do you have an all time favorite song to play live?
Sean Bones is the solo project of Sean Sullivan, the guitarist from the brooklyn band Sam Champion. In the summer of 2008 he recorded the EP Easy Street and since then has been recieved as a breath of fresh air aiding us all in our longing for summer. Earfarm rated the four track release as one of last year’s top 8, noting it as an “upbeat ode to city living, loving, and chilling.” His tracks are subtly catchy and without a doubt groovable, making it a definite must have for your recently added iTunes playlist.
Frenchkiss Records swept Sean Bones up into it’s arms and the group opened up for the label’s notorious Les Savy Fav at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple Friday March 13th. The reggae infused pop numbers resonated with the crowd and the, ever so casual, dancing ensued.
Since its opening in November, Webster Hall’s Studio has become a hot joint. Friday nights at the Studio are filled with indie dancing fiends and February 20th was no exception. Operahouse, an indie-alt band from London, opened up the night setting the tone for Brooklyn’s own Tigercity. Fans were plenty and the band’s guitar-driven, electro-pop tunes were met with liveliness. ”Powerstripe”, “Fake Gold”, and (finally!) “Are You Sensation” were and are a sure guarantee that your “body keeps on moving”, whether it’s a full out dance off or an uncontrollable eye brow twitch.
The Tigercity tour stretches across the U.S. of A. and will end mid April, for their first European show, in Poland. Bill Gillim, the lead singer and the wearer of one intense beard (one that grows longer and fuller at every appearance), was kind enough to answer a few questions before the band hit the road.
How did you guys come up with the name Tigercity?
“The name comes from a dream that Andrew had about being held as a sex slave in a city run by gay cat people. “
What were you guys doing before Tigercity?
“Joel and I were living in western Massachusetts. I was playing in a band called Bears, Joel was in a band called The Debras. Andrew was in Chile eating hotdogs covered with guacamole and mayonnaise and playing in a metal band. And I think Aynsley was touring around Europe with his dad’s band Wishbone Ash.”
Hailing from Brooklyn, do you have a favorite hot spot?
“My favorite place to eat a hamburger is Roebling Tea Room.”
Do You have a favorite Venue to play in?
“I love playing Bowery or Williamsburg Music Hall. They sound awesome, and the people who work there are always really good to us. We played The Studio on the first night it was open, and it was great.”
Any noteable band routines before a show?
“Pretty much the only constant before a show is drinking whiskey. Though, I’ve cut way down on that ever since a show in Austin where I was too drunk and couldn’t remember the words or tune to the first song, and then ended up hiding behind my keyboard in shame. The other guys are a little better at handling the whiskey routine.”
How is the new album coming? Last time we saw you at The Studio you were taking suggestions from the crowd for a name, have you nailed one down?
“The new record is finished. We’re really happy with it. We’re still working on a title, but I can guarantee that it won’t be called “Sexual Dad” (no matter what our producer says).”
Should we expect the same vibe from Pretend Not to Love to be on the new album and when will it be out for the public?
“The new record is pretty different from Pretend Not To Love. I would say it’s darker and louder. It’s still got a lot of the same feel as the ep, but we worked with a different producer (Chuck Brody), who helped us expand our sound. You can still dance to most of it though.”
“Not sure exactly when it will come out. We’re still deciding whether we’re going to work with a label or release it on our own.”
Fujiya & Miyagi played a packed house at (le) Poisson Rouge last Tuesday, February 17th. The sold out show opened up with School of Seven Bells, playing their last show in New York before hitting the road. The trio played their shoe-gazing tunes to an accepting crowd that was seemingly there to spend a night dancing away from their NYU studies.
Eager and excitable masses more than welcomed Fujiya & Miyagi as they took their place on stage chanting and dancing away to the 70′s infused krautrock. The Brighton boys are on their tour through the U.S. until the end of March when they head to the UK to continue rockin’ out. Catch them if you can!
Asobi Seksu‘s new album Hush will be available everywhere February 17th and I urge you to make it available to yourselves. The album is expectant of the future and it’s brightly promising lyrics evoke hopefulness.
The group’s third LP is exceptional from their other shoe-gazing works in that their sound is stripped down, revealing the details that make Asobi Seksu the sensation it is. “Layers” opens the album appropriately communicating what is under the surface and giving way to the dream-pop explosions to come. A personal favorite track is “In The Sky”. Lyrically eloquent, Yuki Chikudate’s glistening voice twills away at the effulgent lyrics.
Brandon Bethancourt started Alaska in Winter in a cabin in the very state the band is named after. His sound is built on dancing electro-beats and synthy goodness. Bethancourt enlisted the help of a couple friends, Zach Condon (Beirut) and Heather Trost (A Hawk and a Hacksaw) to name a few, to lay down some tracks to make up his first album, Dance Party In The Balkans. One year later Holiday, his second album is out for our listening pleasure. Bethancourt is now on tour, hitting up the New York City Metro area for a couple nights, last night Alaska in Winter played at Monkey Town in Williamsburg to a sold out venue. The next date on Alaska in Winter’s calendar is at the 92Y Tribeca on February 7th. Don’t miss it!
I urge you, readers, to please dig deeper into 
Of course, the masses were there for some 
April 7th marked the release of a piece of art. 
Sean Bones
Since its opening in November, 
Asobi Seksu
