CMJ Staff Blog

The Chapin Sisters | Pete’s Candy Store | July 7, 2008

There was an eerie aura to last night’s performance by Los Angeles group The Chapin Sisters. I felt a little out of place in a room that seemed to be largely filled with close friends and family. Though one of the sisters was missing, two performers (a drummer and a vocalist) stepped in to fill the void. Even with the guest performers, the family vibe still shone through with the two remaining sisters as they mixed their vocals with beautiful harmony.

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Download The Song Here: “Nude With Boots”

From the album Nude With Boots

Courtesy of Ipecac Recordings

Download The Song Here: “Oh No”

From the album March Forth

Courtesy of bluhammock music

Download The Song Here: “When You Are Young”

From the album Rant & Roll - CD/DVD Deluxe Edition

Courtesy of Righteous Babe Records

Ronnie Spector | McCarren Park Pool (JellyNYC’s Pool Parties) | July 6, 2008

The “original bad girl of rock ‘n’ roll,” Ronnie Spector, isn’t exactly the typical performer at JellyNYC’s annual Pool Parties at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn. However, she acted as a link to the past, bringing fans both young and old to the outdoor venue. A song like “Be My Baby” has an amazing staying power, prompting what seemed like the biggest cheers from the crowd. This Sunday, July 13, JellyNYC brings the typical hipster rock back to the stage with The Whip, Matt And Kim, and The Breeders.

www.ronnieSpector.com
www.jellynyc.com | www.thepoolparties.com

Download The Song Here: “Zyghost”

From the album Second to the Last Frontier

Courtesy of Sarathan Records

Sonic Youth | Battery Park (River To River) | July 4, 2008

Sonic Youth kicked off the Fourth of July weekend right on Friday in Battery Park as part of the summer River To River Festival (who are also responsible for all those shows at South Street Seaport). In many ways, Sonic Youth haven’t really lost that young rock ‘n’ roll spirit. Early into the set, Thurston Moore charged off the stage and wrapped photographers within the wires of his guitar. Fans nearly knocked over the front row barricade trying to get caught up in the action. The energy never really stopped except for one moment when Kim Gordon forgot the words to the second verse of “Drunken Butterfly.”

“I can remember the third verse,” Gordon said.

Moore responded, “Just sing that one twice.”

More photos and tour dates after the jump.

www.sonicyouth.com | www.rivertorivernyc.com

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The Loved Ones | McCarren Park Pool (Jelly NYC’s Pool Parties) | June 29, 2008

A downpour during the performance of The Loved Ones this past weekend disrupted my ability to give much attention to the band (except for a few quick photos before the sky opened up). Fortunately, the group are hitting select dates with fellow Pool Party-players, The Hold Steady, following by a brief tour with Flogging Molly.

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn this Sunday, JellyNYC’s Pool Parties continue with a free show by Ronnie Spector.

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Emperor X | East River Music Project | June 28, 2008

One of the opening acts for Titus Andronicus this weekend was the one-man act, Emperor X. In a way, he was reminiscent of Jason Anderson, except with less energy, an electric guitar, and way more gear strapped to his body to support some wireless technology (including a desk lamp to hold a microphone in place). The only downside of the performance was that his wireless stuff seemed to cut out from time to time; however, even with the less than perfect technology, it was nice to see a refreshingly different performance.

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King Kahn And The Shrines | South Street Seaport | June 27, 2008

After releasing a CD on Vice Records on June 17, King Kahn And The Shrines undoubtedly needed to get over to the US to play some shows. The band’s first show on US soil took place on Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport, where we caught Wire and Die! Die! Die! a few weeks ago (okay, okay, technically a few feet off the coast of US soil).

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Ecstatic Sunshine | Solar One | June 28, 2008

While Titus Andronicus may have played through the rain, the event at Solar One, New York City’s outdoor solar-powered venue, was delayed by about two hours on account of the weather. The rain also affected Dan Deacon’s not-so-environmental friendly flight, which ultimately led to the cancellation of his set. A ray of light did shine through the otherwise miserable day at Solar One: a performance by Baltimore’s Ecstatic Sunshine.

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Titus Andronicus | East River Music Project | June 28, 2008

Though the show at the East River Amphitheater was slated to go rain or shine, the downpours that seemed to plague New York City’s free shows this weekend affected Titus Andronicus’s set. The band kept encouraging everyone to go home and even cut their set a little short as a result.

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Adventure | Cake Shop | June 27, 2008

A few weeks ago, Baltimore’s Adventure played a show at Death By Audio, but I left after Ear Pwr’s set. In hindsight, I really regretted the decision to leave early and hoped seeing Adventure’s set on Friday night at Cake Shop would satisfy my 8-bit needs.

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Download The Song Here: “Rollercoaster”

From the album Mozart Popart

Courtesy of One Eleven Records

Download The Song Here: “Absolution”

From the album Everybody Loves a Happy Ending

Courtesy of My Money Records

The Hold Steady | McCarren Park Pool (JellyNYC’s Pool Parties) | June 29, 2008

After a particularly wet weekend in New York City, the sun came out in time for The Hold Steady’s Sunday evening set. The band headlined the first show of JellyNYC’s series of free summer concerts at McCarren Park Pool. The rain earlier in the day didn’t stop fans from coming out en masse for the Brooklyn hometown heroes. Lead singer of the band, Craig Finn, seemed to speak with his hands while playing guitar, leading the crowd to wave hands and fists in the air in true rock fashion.

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Devo | McCarren Park Pool | June 26, 2008

Though Devo’s set at McCarren Park Pool went on for more than an hour and covered almost every Devo hit, there still felt something a little incomplete about last night’s show. After performing “Gut Feeling” the band seemed to be caught a little off-guard after being signaled to end their set; it seems McCarren Park Pool shows must end promptly at 10PM. However, Mark Mothersbaugh returned to the stage in an odd costume and a Booji Boy mask to throw Twizzlers and bananas out of his pants while announcing “We are Devo” into his microphone.

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Dan Deacon | McCarren Park Pool | June 26, 2008

Dan Deacon haters are officially on notice. It’s simply impossible to imagine the backlash that hit Dan Deacon after he garnered a little buzz from various blogs (including our own) and started playing some high profile gigs. Such people probably just hate having fun and enjoy shows where they can contemplate lyrics and cry into their beers. Dan Deacon tries to pump up the fun quotient at a show, making fans run around, dance, and have a good time.

The last time he was at McCarren Park Pool, Dan Deacon played a free Sunday afternoon show presented by JellyNYC. This time he had the daunting task of opening for Devo, which raised the cost of the show to over fifty dollars. The high ticket prices kept all but the most dedicated Deacon fans from showing up; however, the few who did find their way into the large outdoor venue helped turn skeptics into fans.

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Luke Doucet played a CD release show at Joe’s Pub last Thursday for his seventh album, Blood’s Too Rich. Backing band The White Falcon provided drums and bass, and Luke’s wife Melissa McClelland played second guitar.

Melissa herself was the opener, with the same band supporting her as her husband. Although she looked wholesome in a red-and-white picnic-table patterned dress, and sounded innocent with a sweet voice, her lyrics were as down-and-dirty as any roughnecks’ from the South. With her steel-plated guitar she sang unabashedly about shooting a guy, creating a persona reminiscent of a female Tom Waits.

Luke opened with “Long Haul Driver,” a stomping anthem for the free-hearted travelers of the rural country. The catchy rhythm of the gritty southern lifestyle song was by far his best song from the set. Luke Doucet and The White Falcon have been touring Blood’s Too Rich in Canada since January.

As Canadians, Melissa and Luke have co-opted American country music and made it their own; cutting the patriotic bull and sticking to the gun-slinging, tobacco-smoking sound that’s made the genre so popular for the dregs and outcasts of society. Not all their songs had that razor-cute attitude, however; each at times veered towards a darker, more contemplative mood, like an outlaw regretting their sins.

Melissa and Luke were often playful in their performance, facing each other as they dueled their guitars. For the encore, Luke covered an obscure Neil Young song, “Winterlong,” and with the permission of his wife, sang a tune he wrote for an ex-girlfriend. That one provided the cutest lyrics of the night: “you have to have a heart to have a broken one.”

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