Sunday, January 27, 2008

Automatic Children - Rockwood Music Hall Pre-Show Interview, January 22, 2008

I caught up with Automatic Children last Tuesday night before they went on stage at Rockwood Music Hall. Here is the first video from the night - a video interview with the band that we filmed at a diner on Houston Street.



The band put on a great show and was kind enough to let me film a few songs so I'll be posting a live video and some pictures from the show in the next few day.

Automatic Children are in the process of lining up some shows for March (watch the video for more details) so keep an eye on the band's MySpace page for updates.

For anyone who hasn't heard Automatic Children before, the band released an EP, "It's Not Me, It's You" late last year. You can check out the EP as most the tracks are streaming on the band's MySpace page. I reviewed the EP last year (link) and here is another review from The Deli Online Blog:

“Automatic Children's music is playful and aggressive, but not cold as you might expect from a band with a name like that. Their songs are rooted in traditional songwriting, with recurring references to pop and rock'n'roll, but the sound is gritty and distorted, reminding the unpolished tunes of Jesus and Mary Chain and The Pixies (alternating male/female vocals and a cover of Gigantic also tie this quartet to the Boston legends).”

Friday, January 25, 2008

Andy B. Franck, singer from Brainstorm - An Interview with BrooklynRocks

Brainstorm - DownburstLast Wednesday, I had the chance to speak with Andy B. Franck from Brainstorm about the band's new release "Downburst", which was released in the US last Tuesday. Downburst is a great power metal CD and is getting excellent reviews. (About.Com Review, Metal Temple Review). For anyone who doesn't yet have this disc, there are two tracks from this release streaming on a Metal Blade preview site.

Andy was kind enough to to let me record the interview as a podcast. Here is a link to the feed and a direct link to the mp3 of the interview.

Many thanks to Andy B. Franck for taking the time to speak with me and to Vince @ Metal Blade for setting up the interview.

Links:
Brainstorm's Website
Brainstorm's MySpace page

Monday, January 21, 2008

Bugs In the Dark Return to Southpaw This Thursday (Jan. 24th)

I've been wanting a chance to see Bugs In The Dark play live having missed their shows at Luna Lounge and Southpaw at the end of last year.

The band is coming back to Southpaw this Thursday with Kid Beyond & Mike B. Bugs In The Dark's EP is streaming on their MySpace page and the band will be playing two new songs during their set which will be on a new CD coming out in April.

If you need more details, check out the band's MySpace page or the writeup that I posted on the band late last year (see previous post). I am expecting this to be a great show.

Tickets are $8.00 (I received an email from the band that said "other bands are charging $10--make sure to tell them you're there for Bugs!") and the band goes on at 8:30PM.

Links:
Bugs In the Dark MySpace Page

Asphalt Valentine Readies Debut CD Release on Chavis Records

Asphalt Valentine Readies Debut CD on Chavis RecordsI just received a copy of the title track single from Asphalt Valentine's forthcoming CD and was impressed enough to want to hear the whole disc.

The first track is straight-on sleaze rock played in the style of the late 80's Sunset Strip bands. Musically the obvious comparisons would be to Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses or LA Guns. Purist will notice some minor differences (singer Joe Flynt has more of a whiskey-soaked Paul Black/Jizzy Pearl style voice than the high-pitched shriek that Axl or Vince Neil would hit from time to time) but the band really sounds solid.

"Strip Rock Roll" is streaming on the Asphalt Valentine's MySpace page along with a couple of demo tracks and a drunken acoustic demo entitled "Asphalt Drunkeness".

The new CD drops on February 14th but, unfortunately, it looks like the band has no scheduled tour date in the area. Hopefully the band will schedule a NYC date after the new disc drops.

B-52s New Single "Funplex" Gets iTunes Release on January 29th

B-52's Release New CD in 2008I have always had a 'soft spot' for The B-52's and regretted not catching the band at their last two shows in Coney Island. The good news is that the band is readying their first new studio CD in 16 years, "Funplex", and the title track will be released as a single on iTunes on January 29th. Hopefully this means that the band will do a full tour behind this release.

There is a great interview with Cindy Wilson (from Creative Loafing) on the band's MySpace page where she talks about the new CD. Here is a snippet of the interview and there is a link to the full text at the bottom.

The vocals from Wilson, Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson are playful, sinewy and dynamic. The material is sassy, hooky and kitschy. And the whole thing sounds remarkably like it could be a lost project from sometime in the late '80s, yet it doesn't rely on tired retreads or obvious rip-offs from the past.

Standouts from the first listen include "Funplex," "Juliet of the Spirits," the anthemic "Hot Corner" and "Let's Keep This Party Going On." Overall, there seems to be at least five strong-enough-to-be-hit singles. The rest are well-crafted album cuts with no obvious filler. It could very well become the band's best-received album of its career – if it's properly promoted and heard.
(Full text of Cindy Wilson interview)

Links:
The B-52's Website
The B-52's MySpace Page

Signs of the Apocalypse - Hanah Montana Covers Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Night"

This is frightening...next we will have the Partridge Family reunion covering Slayer.



On a slightly more serious note, Kiss is going to have to do more than raid their vaults if they don't want to slip off that "Violent Femmes/R.E.M." nostalgia act cliff. It doesn't sounds like new material is coming anytime soon though as Gene Simmons gave the following quote in a recent Billboard interview: "There is nothing in me that wants to go in there and do new music. How are you going to deliver it? How are you going to get paid for it if people can just get it for free?"

Sunday, January 20, 2008

KTL (Stephen O'Malley + Peter Rehberg) Play the Knitting Factory on May 21st

KTL (SOMA + Peter Rehberg) Play the Knitting Factory on May 21stKTL, which is a fairly new project from Stephen O'Malley (Sunn O))), Khanate, Burning Witch, etc.) and Peter Rehberg (Pita), is finally playing some US dates. I don't think SOMA has played many live dates in NYC since the demise of Khanate so it is great to see this show scheduled.

According to Wikipedia, KTL was "formed to create the music for a theatre production entitled Kindertotenlieder by Gisele Vienne & Dennis Cooper. The production was premiered in Brest, France in March 2007. " Aquarius Records describes the band's sound as "minimalist ambient music, electronic glitchology and Earthy guitar sludge [that] make a fine sipping brew."

KTL maintains a live archive where past shows can be downloaded. A good starting point for anyone wanting to check out KTL is either the 9-25-07 show in Japan or the 4-30-07 show in Austria.

Don't miss this rare appearance at the Knitting Factory...

Links:
Stephen O'Malley's Website

Annuals - Frelen Mas EP Review + Tour Single

Annuals - Frelen Mas CD Review2007 was a busy year for Annuals. The band kept the blogs buzzing about their tours with Bloc Party and Manchester Orchestra along with the release of a tour-only split 7" with Manchester Orchestra. Toward the end of last year, the band signed with Sony-imprint Canvasback and a new release will be coming out this Fall.

The tour single is a pretty neat piece of work as Machester Orchestra and the Annuals cover each other's tunes. The Annuals covers "Where Have You Been" and replace the sparse orchestration of the original track with an OMD-style dance track. Manchester Orchestra's cover of "Brother" reinterprets the song as a Belle and Sebastian style indie-pop song. You can listen to the original of "Where Have You Been" and the cover of "Brother" on Manchester Orchestra's MySpace page.

Frelen Mas is a digital only EP that contains 8 b-sides from "Be He Me". Aside for a cover of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", there is nothing on this disc that is a radical departure from "Be He Me" so this disc should please most fans. In fact, the Annuals were playing "Neh Keseyi", "Ease My Mind" and "River Run" as part of their live set during their last tour.

I still get amazed at the "wall of sound" that the Annuals can build - listening to all of the sounds happening in the background of the songs on this disc, it is easy to make some comparisons to The Beatles or Pink Floyd. While The Beatles never toured behind any of their later albums, I was equally impressed that the Annuals can pull of the same "wall of sound" as part of their live show. Check out a fan-filmed video of "Brother", filmed at Bowery Ballroom in 2006.



It was a bold move to release an album of b-sides after only one release but this is a great CD which should serve as a solid stop-gap until the band's new CD is released later this year.

Links:
Annual's MySpace site
Manchester Orchestra's MySpace site

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Carbon/Silicon - Western Front CD Review

Carbon/Silicon - Western Front CD ReviewI was disappointed by this release...

Let me back up though and give people an idea where my head is. Carbon/Silicon is sort of a punk rock supergroup composed of Mick Jones (x-Clash) and Tony James (x-Generation X). I am a huge Clash fan but grew progressively more disinterested with each Big Audio Dynamite release post-"Megatop Phoenix". The final straw was when I saw B.A.D II on the MTV 120 Minutes package tour and the band's then obsession with house music put me to sleep. (The band was also blown off the stage by the antics of Johnny Rotten and PiL who went on right before them). "Western Front" follows in the same vein of later-day B.A.D. (or Big Audio).

Trying to be a bit objective now that it has been 16 years since I last focused on B.A.D., "Western Front" isn't a bad album, it is just very unremarkable. Mick Jones played on General Public's first CD and a lot of critics commented that they couldn't hear what/where he played. I feel the same way about Tony James' contribution to this release - I can't hear it.

Mick Jones' vocals are distinctive but his voice isn't as strong as it was twenty years ago and his distinctive guitar work is almost non-existent on this disc. It isn't that I am expecting a re-write of "Stay Free" but I found a good portion of this disc somewhat bland.

If anyone is still curious about this release, it was originally released as a free download on Carbon/Silicon's site. The band pulled this CD off their website to make room for new tracks but I am sure it is floating around on other download sites if someone wants to take a minute or two to look.

Links:
Carbon/Silicon's Website

Kingdom of Sorrow Play Knitting Factory / Jamey Jasta Schedules In-Store at Vintage Vinyl

Jamey Jasta's new project, Kingdom of Sorrow, which includes Kirk Windstein and Steve Gibb from Crowbar, is playing the Knitting Factory on March 2nd. It doesn't look like tickets for the show have gone up yet but I bet this one will sell out quickly. Kingdom of Sorrow has their debut CD coming out on Relapse Records and the tracks streaming on their MySpace page sound great. The new CD drops on February 19th.

In support of the new CD, Jamey Jasta is doing an in-store signing at Vintage Vinyl (Fords, NJ) on Wednesday, February 20th @ 7PM.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Shwa Losben - Spike Hill's, Brooklyn, NY 1-11-08 (Shwa Music, ShwaMusic)

Shwa Losben Live @ Spike Hill's, Brooklyn, NY 1-11-08Shwa Losben and his band (Shwa) played Spike Hill's in Williamsburg last weekend. Shwa has been playing around the DC scene for a few years to rave reviews and is a recent transplant to NYC.

Musically, Shwa falls somewhere between indie-rock and folk/alt-country. Lyrically, Shwa is a classic storyteller and good point of comparison would be Paul Kelly (and the Messengers) or Elliott Smith.



Shwa was kind enough to let me film some video at Spike Hill's (below).



Shwa Losben Live @ Spike Hill's, Brooklyn, NY 1-11-08Shwa's first full-length CD, Chop Chop, will be released on February 12th and he has a record release party on February 2nd at Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street).

Links:
Shwa's MySpace Page

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The Death of Jason Brody Plays Mercury Lounge on January 31st + CD Review

The Death of Jason Brody - CD ReviewWell...Jason Brody is not dead but rather making Joe Jackson/Elvis Costello-inspired indie-rock. The band released their first EP in late 2006 and it is a great debut that captures a lot of the post-punk sounds of the 90's and beyond.

Brody has a great voice for this style of music as he can range from a near sound-alike to Daryl Palumbo/Joe Jackson to a Jeff Buckley style falsetto. The band seems to have an equally wide range which spans from rich Coldplay-style musical textures (check out the break-up tune "Broken") to new wave-ish opening track "Call Off Your Dogs".

The band has posted a new demo track "Emergency" as a free download on their website.

The Death of Jason Brody have been both touring and working on a new CD so they haven't played that many shows in town as of late. Check out the band's upcoming show at the Mercury Lounge on January 31st.

Tickets are only $10.

Links:
The Death of Jason Brody's MySpace page
The Death of Jason Brody's Website

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Green Owl Records, An Environmently Friendly Label, Annouces Its First Release

Green Owl Records Announces Its First ReleaseThis is good stuff...below is an overview of the first explicitly environmentally friendly label that I am aware of.

"Green Owl believes in supporting great art and wishes for that art to reach people in an environmentally sustainable way. The label focuses on digital releases, and its physical products are released on 100% post-consumer paper. Working with Native Energy to carbon neutralize its operations, Green Owl encourages environmentally responsible behavior as it is at the core of the label’s belief system and business practice."

This first release, The Green Owl Comp: A Benefit for the Energy Action Coalition, is a two-disc CD/DVD featuring tracks from an eclectic group of artists who have shared their music in order to support the good works of the Energy Action Coalition. The CD release date is April 8th and Green Owl has committed to donating all of the profits from this release to Energy Action Coalition to support its efforts.

Disc one of The Green Owl Comp features a collection of 16 songs, including a live version of Muse’s epic “Knights of Cydonia,” Feist’s haunting “Honey Honey,” a remix of Bloc Party’s anthemic “The Prayer,” the whimsical dissonance of Deerhoof’s “+81,” The Citizens Band’s serpentine ode “The Fortune Teller” and Of Montreal’s stark piano ballad “Feminine Effects.”

The Green Owl Comp also showcases the post-punk urgency of The Exit, the rustic folk-pop of The Appletrees, Young Love’s melodic vocal charm, the electric chants of School of Seven Bells, Harper Simon’s languid electric groove and more.

Disc two features bonus audio tracks, exclusive music videos and an interview with Energy Action Co-founder Billy Parish (a 2005 Rolling Stone “Climate Hero”), as well as Green Owl co-founders Ben Brewer (The Exit, The Appletrees), Ellenike Abreu (The Appletrees)and producer/engineer/musician Stephen Glicken.

Links:
Green Owl Records' Website

Great White Plays 25th Anniversary Show @ Don Hill's On January 22nd

Great White's classic lineup play first NYC show in 10 yearsThe late 80's - 90's classic lineup of Great White has reunited and are playing a fan appreciation show at Don Hill's on January 22nd. This lineup hasn't played NYC in over 10 years and this show is the band's only area appearance.

Tickets are a low $10 and the lineup for the night includes Ray West's (Spread Eagle vocalist) new project Hostel, Inc.

Support the local music scene and buy your tickets directly from Hostel, Inc. There is a PayPal link on the band's MySpace page (link is above).

Links:
Great White's Website
Hostel, Inc. MySpace Page

Hymns - Brother/Sister CD Review

Hymns - Brother/Sister CD ReviewImagine a hybrid of the alt-country twang of Gram Parsons or Neil Young crossed with the country/blues-based rock of Pavement or “Beggars Banquet” era Rolling Stones and this will give you a sense what Hymns debut CD sounds like.

The band released its debut CD, “Brother/Sister”, in 2006 and the music is a mix of somewhat melancholy alt-country tunes seamless intermixed with mid-tempo blues-tinged rockers. While the band embraces a number of different (though complementary) styles across this disc, it is a really cohesive debut (which says something about the musicianship of the band). All of the tracks are driven by singer Brian Harding’s voice and the intermixed guitar work of Harding and Jason Roberts. Harding has a distinctive voice (somewhat similar to Tom Petty’s) that works well across the band’s different musical styles.

The standout tracks are the up-tempo rockers (“Brothers/Sister”, “Power In the Street”, “Stop Talking”) but the come-down tracks (“C’Mon, C’Mon”, “Town”) also serve for good listening. There are a handful of tracks (including "Stop Talking") from this release streaming on the band's MySpace page.

This is a great debut from a band that will bear watching.

The band has completed a new CD, “Travel in Herds”, which is due out in March. There is one track from this release, “I Can’t Be What U Want”, streaming on band’s MySpace page. The band’s sound has obviously evolved as this tune is a bit more up-tempo than the majority of tracks on “Brothers/Sisters” but isn’t that far of a departure. The real difference is that this tune has more of a New Orleans funk vibe and singer Brian Harding’s voice isn’t as prominent in the mix. The band describes new LP as “an exciting, fresh one, which blends horns, pump organs, saxophones, and harmonies, yet still remains faithful to the original Hymns sound.

I have yet to catch the band live but they have been playing around town for the past two years, earning some great reviews for their live shows. The band is playing a series of Tuesday night residency shows at Piano’s with two more shows scheduled on Jan 15th and Jan 22nd. The band also has a show scheduled on Jan 31 at Knitting Factory as part of the “Zombieville” monthly showcase (with the fabulous Tall Firs and free cookies no less).

Links:
Hymns' Website
Hymns' MySpace page

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

CBGB - A January 2008 Update

I walked by CBGB tonight on my way to the train. Muzzy Rosenblatt, from the Bowery Residents' Committee, just had to have Hilly out of that space because the property was worth $40-50K a month in rent. Well Muzzy...CBGB shut down in October 2006...how much rent have you collected thus far?

CBGB - January 2008
CBGB - January 2008












CBGB Gallery - January 2008
CBGB Gallery - January 2008

Here is my suggestion - write a letter to Muzzy and ask "Was it worth it? You pushed out CBGB who was paying rent and tried to keep order on the block and you couldn't get The Gap, Starbucks or KFC to take over the space"






Here is the contact info for Muzzy and the the BRC:

Bowery Residents' Committee
324 Lafayette Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-533-5700 Fax: 212-533-1893
Email: info@bowrescom.org

Screen Test: Interview w/ Rob Roth, Theo Kogan & Sean Pierce

Earlier this afternoon, I had the chance to talk with Rob Roth (who conceived and directed Screen Test) along with Theo Kogan and Sean Pierce (who are performing the live score) about the upcoming performance of Screen Test.



Screen Test "seamlessly blends haunting hallucinatory imagery, modern paranoia, and the gritty sensibility of the NYC underground rock scene to explore what is real and artificial, the role fantasy plays in survival, and how the political and media landscapes of fear affect our current mindset."

This is the third year that Screen Test has been in production so check out one of the clips from last year's performance. There are a couple other clips on YouTube.



Screen Test is playing at the Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street. The shows are January 12 & 13 and the performance starts at 8:30PM each night. Tickets are $20.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Daft Punk - "Alive 2007" CD Review

Daft Punk - Alive 2007 CD ReviewAfter watching the Pink Floyd-ish multimedia spectacle that was last year’s Daft Punk show at Keyspan Park, I had real doubts that the band could pull off releasing just a live CD without an accompanying DVD. Daft Punk’s live shows really seemed to be geared around the visuals and the energy of the crowds. Check out the live video below that was filmed at Keyspan Park.



I was pleasantly surprised to find that Daft Punk captures a lot of their live energy on this disc and it is really a worthwhile experience. This show was recorded last June at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris. Daft Punk really seems to feed off the energy of the 18,000+ capacity crowd.

A number of the songs are tracked together on this disc as the band remixes, mashes-up and segues between songs. The band gets a great roar of approval for tracks like "Television Rules The Nation" and "Around the World". It was a pleasant surprise to hear some of the tracks from "Human After All" take on a fresh life on this disc. Overall, it is a great mix of songs that is fueled by the energy of the crowd.

If you aren't familiar with the band, check out some of the live videos from last year's tour on YouTube and pick up a copy of this CD. You can't help but move to the beat.

Links:
Daft Punk's MySpace page
Daft Punk's Website

Kate Nash Play Free In-Store at Virgin Mega on January 8th

Kate Nash Plays Free In-Store at Virgin Mega in Union SquareAfter all the buzz around Kate Nash, I am kind of curious what she sounds like live and may have to check out this free in-store. I would expect this to be mega-crowded as Kate has sold out a number of dates on her current tour, including a January 9th show at Bowery Ballroom.

The performance and signing are 7PM on January 8th at Virgin Mega in Union Square. To attend, you have to buy the CD (from Virgin) in advance and I assume you will be given a wristband (or equivalent).

Not that this will get you into the free performance but Kate's debut CD is being released in the US this week and the Best Buy version ($7.99 in this week's ad) comes with a bonus DVD that includes an interview, behind-the-scenes footage and a live performances.

It doesn't look like tickets for the Bowery Ballroom show are moving on eBay so there will likely be "scalped" tickets available for face or below the night of the show.

Links:
Kate Nash's MySpace Page
Kate Nash's Website

Hope Kills Fear - Interview with Carley Coma (x-Candiria) & Julio Arias

Carley Coma and Ken Schalk (from Candiria) have a new project, Hope Kills Fear. I had a chance to catch up with Carley (vocals) and Julio (guitar) from the band when they were tracking some demos at Sweetfire Studios in Brooklyn. (There are two of the demos streaming on the band's MySpace page).



The demo tracks are pretty exciting...I'll be looking forward to hearing more from the band.

Links:
Hope Kills Fear's MySpace's Page

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Automatic Children Play Free Show at Rockwood Music Hall on January 22nd

Automatic Children Play Rockwood Music Hall on January 22ndI really enjoyed Automatic Children's debut EP, "It's Not Me, It's You" (see previous post for EP review) but I haven't yet had a chance to catch the band live.

The band is playing a free show at Rockwood Music Hall on January 22nd. The show is at 7:30PM and Rockwood is 21+.

Here is Deli Magazine's review of the band's EP:

“Automatic Children's music is playful and aggressive, but not cold as you might expect from a band with a name like that.Their songs are rooted in traditional songwriting, with recurring references to pop and rock'n'roll, but the sound is gritty and distorted, reminding the unpolished tunes of Jesus and Mary Chain and The Pixies (alternating male/female vocals and a cover of Gigantic also tie this quartet to the Boston legends).”
Rockwood Music Hall is located at 196 Allen Street, just south of Houston St.

Links:
Automatic Children's MySpace page

Thursday, January 03, 2008

The Brunettes: Structure and Cosmetics (Sub Pop) CD Review

The Brunettes - Structure & Cosmetics CD ReviewThe Brunettes generated quite a buzz during their multiple tours of US opening for bands like The Shins, Rilo Kiley and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. I finally caught the band at the CMJ New Zealand Fest (see previous post for pictures and a show review).

"Structure and Cosmetics" is The Brunettes third CD and the first one to be released domestically in the US. The band's songwriting has matured over the last few releases and this disc isn't quite as "sugary" as the previous releases. The music really reminds me of the bands from twee-pop movement that came out Washington, DC in the mid-90's. Tuscadero, Unrest and Velocity Girl are the immediate bands that come to mind. The male/female call-and-response vocals between Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield are reminiscent of early Velocity Girl.

There are some great quirky pop songs on this disc and The Brunettes have sort of an offbeat charm that makes songs like "Stereo (Mono Mono)" work where other bands many not have been so successful. ("Stereo (Mono Mono)" starts with Jonathan and Heather, each in separate speakers (mono), lamenting their separation).

The song structures and song complexities pick up toward the middle of the disc with songs like "Credit Card Mail Order" and "Obligatory Road Song". These songs are more 'dark' than the first few track on the disc and highlite the band's long-time Jonathan Richman influence. Clear production across this disc showcases a wide variety of instruments that range from clarinet to melodica, trumpet and steel guitar.

This is a fun album that holds up to repeated listening. It will be interesting to watch how the band and their sound evolve from here.

Links:
The Brunettes' Website
The Brunettes' MySpace page

Brian Grosz Releases New Video -- "Can't Let Me Go" (from 'Bedlam Nights')

Brian Grosz' CD "Bedlam Nights" was one of my "Top 10" for 2007. Brian just released a new video for "Can't Let Me Go" (which is from the 'Bedlam Nights' CD) and the FX are subtle but very cool.




I like the feature on YouTube that shows related videos as I had overlooked Brian's video for "Cocaine and Chardonnay", which is a hidden track on 'Bedlam Nights'.



Links:
Brian Grosz' Website

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Cheyenne - "The Whale" CD Release Show @ Joe's Pub, NYC 12/08/07

Cheyenne held their CD release party for "The Whale" last month at Joe's Pub. While the show started incredibly late (the early show was delayed due to a fire alarm which then pushed the start time of Cheyenne's set to 12:30AM), Cheyenne played to a full house.

The new songs sounded great -- there are three live songs on the video below -- and this is the first time at Joe's Pub that I have seen people get up to dance. The band played for a solid hour and barely had time to leave the stage before the crowd started cheering for an encore. If it were up to the audience, I think they would have had the band play all night.

Cheyenne - Live @ Joe's Pub, NYC 12-08-07


Cheyenne's new CD "The Whale" is available from Data Panic Distribution, iTunes, and eMusic. The band's next show is at Piano's on March 1st and this show kicks off the start of a Midwest tour.

Links:
Cheyenne's Website
Cheyenne's MySpace Page

The Whitsundays - CD Review

The Whitsundays - CD ReviewThe debut CD by Edmonton, Alberta's The Whitsundays would have made my "Best of 2007" list if it had been released a month sooner. I have been listening to the reissue of Pink Floyd's "Piper At the Gates of Dawn" and The Whitsunday's debut CD sounds like it could have been recorded right around the same time period. Main-man, Paul Arnusch perfectly captures the sound of the late 60's British bands, from The Zombies to Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd and The Kinks. Most of the tracks are somewhat low-key with textured vocal harmonies and reverbed guitar and organ. The only exception to this is "Antisocial" which is alt-rock tune with some great slashing guitar work. The track "Sorry James" captures the mood of the majority of the disc. This isn't to say that the disc is one-dimensional as each track brings out a different facet of the late 60's era of music - check out the Beach Boys style harmonies on "It Must Be Me" and the disc ends with an instrumental piano-driven piece entitled "Whitsunday Morning Theme."

The Whitsunday's CD will be released on January 22, 2008 on Friendly Fire Recordings.

Links:
The Whitsundays' MySpace Page