Backwords @ Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY 5/1/08

There was a small but attentive crowd at Southpaw when Backwords took the stage. Backwords plays with a low-key, mellow energy that reminds me of the Dead's Americana period or Neil Young alt-country songs. The talent of the musicians in the band was obvious and I really enjoyed watching the musical interplay between the members. For being a new band, Backwords already has a full-set of original material so it will be interesting to watch what's next for the band.


Backwords' next local show is at Coco 66 (66 Greenpoint Ave) on June 6th.

Links:
Backwords Website
Backwords MySpace Profile

James Apollo is Playing Union Pool Tomorrow Night (May 21st)

James Apollo has been in Brooklyn these last few years but he is playing his last show in town before moving to Seattle. James' music falls somewhere between the alt-folk and Americana genres and he is a classical storyteller (in the mold of Dylan). James put out the fabulous Hide Your Heart in a Hive CD last year and there are two tracks from this release streaming on his MySpace page (link below).

If you want to check out what James sounds live in advance of the show, he recently made a live appearance on Fox in Minneapolis playing "I've Got It Easy" (from his most recent release).

Links:
James Apollo's MySpace Profile
James Apollo's Website

Ponytail Release Free Download of New Single From Forthcoming CD

Baltimore's Ponytail just released their new single, Come Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came From An Angel), as a free download. This track is off the band's forthcoming album, Ice Cream Spiritual, which will be released June 17th on the We Are Free label. This is some pretty crazy stuff and well worth checking out.

Ponytail is in town for a show at the Knitting Factory on May 31st with Thank You and Wzt Hearts. Tickets are $8.00 in advance.

Links:
Ponytail's Website
Ponytail's MySpace profile

Thee Majesty (Genesis P-Orridge + Bryin Dall) Return for First Show in Two Years

Thee Majesty are playing their first show since the passing of Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge on May 22nd @ The New York Society for Ethical Culture. This is located at 2 W 64th Street, five blocks north of Columbus Circle.

Thee Majesty rarely plays live and the band's last show was in November of 2006 at Northsix. (The band's previous show was two years prior at Tonic).

Links:
Thee Majesty's MySpace profile

Bugs in the Dark Release First Video, "Gasoline", from forthcoming CD

Brooklyn's Bugs in the Dark just released the first video from their forthcoming CD "Grand Avenue". This is a great video and I have been really getting into the tracks that I have heard from this upcoming release. Check out Bug's MySpace page (link below) to hear Ave. M.



Bugs in the Dark's CD release show is at Fontana's on May 31st and tickets are $7.00.

Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace profile

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I - IV CD Review

I have been wrestling with the philosophical question: Does free = good? Would this release get this much media buzz if it were released by either Pelican or Echoes & Shadows. (If anyone is wondering the context, Ghosts is all instrumental and both of the aforementioned bands are great instrumental bands).

Nine Inch Nails released Ghosts I-IV (part I) as a free download on the NIN site. Part 1 includes the first 9 of the 36 track double-CD. The entire album is available as a $5 download, a $10 double CD, a $75 "deluxe" package with CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray copies, and a $300 "ultra-deluxe" edition (which is already sold out).

The whole distribution concept is fascinating as this release generated $1.6M in its first week of release. I'm a big NiN fan and recognize and appreciate Trent Reznor's talent but this is a good, not essential, release. Long-time fans will likely buy this regardless but the curious are better off sticking with the free download. The 36 tracks aren't distinctive enough on their own so that anyone curious won't miss much after listening to the first nine cuts.

For anyone who hasn't heard this disc - it sounds nothing like past NiN work. Anyone expecting "Head Like A Hole" will be severely disappointed. This is a double disc of instrumental work with some middle-eastern flavoring (ala Eno/Byrne "My Life In the Bush of Ghosts"). The problem is that Reznor never challenges the listener in the same manner as Eno and Byrne. There are many tracks where the music just drifts away in the background. Adrian Belew plays some tasty guitar on a few tracks but that isn't enough to save this disc from being much more than background listening.

I'm not planning on parting with this disc but I don't think it will get much future play. With the tracks not being that distinctive, this is the sort of disc that you either listen to start-to-finish or not at all.

To drift back into my day-job...I am fascinated by the online community that has sprung up around this release. NiN created a YouTube channel around this release and there are currently 6,752 members and 1,019 videos.

"To expand the idea of the "Ghosts" project, Nine Inch Nails is inviting anyone and everyone to create visuals to accompany the album's music. In a few months, we'll be gathering the entries we feel are particularly exceptional and highlighting them. There are no rules to this - be as creative as you like. Create a music video, or a short film, or something completely abstract. Use only one track from the album, or use multiple tracks."

Links:
Nine Inch Nails' Website

Bugs in the Dark Announce CD Release Party at Fontana's on May 31st

Now that we are almost midway through the year - it is time for my 2008 predictions. Bugs in the Dark is one of the bands that I am expecting to break big this year.

The band recently completed their first full length CD, "Grand Avenue", and they are throwing a CD release party at Fontana's on May 31st. The band released an fabulous EP last year so I have high expectations for their full-length. There are two tracks ("Ave M" and "Gasoline") from the forthcoming release streaming on Bug in the Dark's MySpace page. Based on these two tracks, the band's sound has gotten fuller and these tracks are kin to the raw sounds of early Sonic Youth.

"Cancel everything and go see their next show." - Indie Sounds NY, Pete Harris

Fontana's is located at 105 Eldridge St. (between Grand and Broome) and cover is $7.00.

Warrior Soul (Kory Clarke) Play Ace of Clubs on May 31st

Who would have thought Kory Clarke would resurrect Warrior Soul? Kory put a new lineup together last year and the band has been getting great reviews for their shows in Europe. Finally, Kory is bringing the band to the US for their first NYC show since the one-off 'reunion' show at The Continental in 2004.

The Stoned are also on the bill and Kory is both the band's drummer and producer. With Kory having recently replaced Eric Wagner in Trouble, it is amazing that this guy can find the time to be in three bands.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door.

Links:
Warrior Soul's Website
Warrior Soul's MySpace Profile

Interview with ism (ismmusic) Founder Andre Mistier

Last Thursday, I caught up with ism's Andre Mistier and talked with him about the band's upcoming sophomore release Urgency and what the band's plans are for 2008. Here is a direct link to the interview with Andre and here is a link to the podcast feed .

Urgency comes out in August and the first single, Sacred Cows, is included in the above podcast. There are a couple additional tracks from Urgency streaming on ism's MySpace page.

ism's next show is the WEQX-FM Riverfest in Albany, NY on June 14th.

Links:
ism's Website

Tristan Prettyman Releases Behind the Scenes Footage from "Madly" Video Shoot

Tristan Prettyman - Behind The Scenes on "Madly"

Here is the original music video:


Links:
Tristan Prettyman's Website
Tristan Prettyman's MySpace Profile

Dead Leaf Echo - Pale Fire CD Review / Show at Trash Bar on May 15th

This is an impressive disc...Dead Leaf Echo's second CD perfectly captures the spirit of the 80's-era Beggars Banquet/4AD bands. The band's sound is part atmospheric wall-of-sound, part goth/new romantic and part shoegazer. The amalgamation of all these styles makes for an interesting disc that warrants repeated play.

Singer/guitarist LG has a world-weary voice, which he complements with a guitar sound that ranges from a jangle (without embracing a 'pop' sound) to a wash of sound. Liza B. plays on integral role with tasteful keys and backing vocals and there is some pretty crisp drumming throughout the disc. In a recent interview with Gearwire , LG says the band’s influences include 4AD, Creation and Factory—delay heavy guitars with lush ethereal vocals.

The disc starts out with the gothic/ambient tracks "Warm Body" and "Thought Talk". Here is the video for "Warm Body" and the black and white 35MM film really captures the essence of the band's sound.



From here, the band shifts into some up-tempo tracks, "Tears" and "Cry The Sea". This is the closest that the band comes to 'rockers' and a good point of comparison may be My Bloody Valentine. The disc ends with two epic wall-of-sound tracks, "Pale Fire" and "Reflex Motion", that showcase the band's intricate and layered sound.

A limited edition second pressing of Pale Fire is available through the band's MySpace profile (link below).

Dead Leaf Echo play the Trash Bar in Brooklyn tomorrow night (May 15th) and Rehab on August 15th.

Links:
Dead Leaf Echo's MySpace Profile
Dead Leaf Echo's Website