The Grayces (Nashville Grunge/Pysch) Guest Editorial on Touring / CMJ Shows at Bowery Electric on Oct. 21st / Day Show at Spike Hill on Oct. 24th

The road. The road is a treacherous place for a heart set in its ways and a mind filled with the assumptions of inexperience.

Lets see...what can I say about traveling on the road as a musician? Always be prepared for just about anything. Take time to research and learn about the places you are going. Never assume you know about a place or its people based solely on what somebody else has told you. Don't get discouraged if something doesn't go to plan or something goes wrong. Fall in love with the process.

As musician folk, we can fall into a mundane pattern of show-to-show city-to-city tunnel vision when touring on the road. I commend the focus based around the main point of putting on a killer show but I do believe there is a lot to gain between the dots. For instance, taking some time to find out what a town has to offer, besides just the venue you are playing at can be quite rewarding for all involved. While we were touring through St. Louis we had researched and decided to visit The City Museum. Best idea ever! This place was literally an interactive art piece designed to be a playground for all ages. I hadn't felt that free since I was 7 years old. There was a point I was clapping my hands smiling and screaming weeeeeeeeeee as I slid down a couple story-twisting slide in the midst of a beautiful sculpture. This shared experience brought us closer together as a band and made for a killer show later that night. If we didn't take the time to understand the city we were in, we would have never found this place. I recommend it to all.

We had never played in Detroit until we scheduled a show as a stop for this tour. I heard so many stories and opinions about Detroit prior to our arrival. Stories of deluged danger. Let me tell you, don’t take to heart everything you hear. The people of Detroit were some of the most enjoyable, kind, generous and easygoing folk we’ve met on this tour. All those stories we heard turned out to be 100% not applicable. I am so glad we didn’t listen to outside opinions and stuck to our gut, which was telling us “Go…go to Detroit.” It made for a wonderful memory with wonderful people.

Sometimes things do not go to plan when you’re on the road but don’t freak out. Our show scheduled in inner city Chicago was a wash. Let’s just say it wasn’t worth the efforts we put into it and leave it at that. Discouraged by the evening, we drove back to where we were staying in the burbs. When we arrived back to our place of rest for the evening, our friends 2 smiling faces greeted us with some good news not knowing the horrible night we had. They had sent out to a local record shop to see if we could play an in-store while we were in town, they had accepted and it was all set up. This off the cuff show was a great success! We met many wonderful people and now have the proper connections to have successful shows in and outside the city next time we come through. The road has many hidden gems if your open to the flow of what it throws at you.

In conclusion, what I am trying to say, is the more you open yourself up to the diverse possibilities of the road the larger your chance of developing the ability of widened perspective. This will aid in the successful capturing of once elusive beauties and new points of view. If you take time to notice life as you are living it, you will always have more than you started with. I believe, as a musician, it is important to gain these experiences, as it is essential for creating music that gives back to your audience with the honesty of true experience. Taking the good with the bad, learning and never letting it defeat your forward motion of predestination - that is life on the road.

-Thoughts on the road brought to you by Iz Stone of The Grayces somewhere between Pennsylvania and New York City-

Links:
The Grayces

JoyCut (Italian Experimental Rock) Play Bar Matchless on Friday, 10/17 and Trash Bar (CMJ) on 10/23

Bologna, Italy's JoyCut have an intriguing dark-wave/post-rock sound and a dynamic live show to go along with the music. The trio played Mercury Lounge earlier this year on their first proper US tour and the two drummers sat face to face with a guy with 'machines', both a conductor and author, in between them. According to the band's bio, "JoyCut produce a mesmerizing and conceptual sound based on dilated and biting electro sound."

The band is back in town for shows at Bar Matchless on Friday, 10/17 and Trash Bar (as part of CMJ), on Thursday, 10/23.



Fall Tour Dates:
10.13 - Wilmington, DE · Oddity Bar
10.14 - Philadelphia, PA · Johnny Brenda's
10.15 - Boston, MA · O'Brien's
10.16 - Hamden, CT · The Space
10.17 - Brooklyn, NY · Bar Matchless (Headling - 11PM, Cover is $8)
10.18 - Spring City, PA · Chaplin's
10.19 - Asbury Park, NJ · The Saint
10.21 - Montreal, CA · L'Esco
10.23 - Brooklyn, NY · Trash Bar (CMJ) (Playing at 11PM with Tuscon garage-punk act Prom Body closing out the night with a set starting at 11:45PM; Cover is $7)
10.25 - York, PA · The Depot
10.26 - Pittsburgh, PA · Howler's
10.27 - Cincinnati, OH · MOTR
10.29 - Nashville, TN · Springwater Super Club
10.30 - Paducah, KY · Maiden Alley Cinema
10.31 - Louisville, KY · Haymarket Whiskey Bar
11.01 - St. Louis, MO · Cicero's
11.02 - Wichita, KS · John Barleycorn's
11.03 - Oklahoma City, OK · Conservatory
11.04 - Houston, TX · Mango's
11.05 - Austin, TX · Holy Mountain
11.07 - New Orleans, LA · Beat Nik
11.08 - Birmingham, AL · Trim Tab Brewery
11.10 - Bloomington, IN · The Back Door
11.11 - Chicago, IL · Elbo Room
11.13 - Toronto, CA · The Silver Dollar

Links:
JoyCut

The Grayces (Nashville Grunge/Pysch) Play CMJ Show at Bowery Electric on Oct. 21st / Day Show at Spike Hill on Oct. 24th

Nashville's The Grayces are set to release their sophomore album, Westing on 10/14/14. The band is already making waves with singles "Do It to Me," "Lord and Gods of Alcohol," and "Drop In a Bucket." Influenced by Black Sabbath, Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, and The Ramones, The Grayces are known for their howling vocals, pounding drums, and swaggering bass lines. Iz Stone (Vocals, guitarist), Patrick Ward (bass, vocals), and Chase Cantrell (drums) hit the ground running, releasing a self-titled vinyl in 2010, the single, “Just Another Thing” in the Spring of 2011, and their first full-length, Social Shock, in the Fall of 2011.



Gearing up for Westing's release, The Grayces will be starting their extensive tour this fall, including an appearance at New York’s CMJ Music Marathon. "On the new record, The Grayces have gotten heavier. The band is more hardcore punk and metal, less sexy blues than The Dead Weather, reflecting their influences from the heavier side of Nirvana and Black Sabbath" (No Country For New Nashville).

The Grayces' Fall Tour
9/25-Louisville, KY @ Magnolia Bar
9/26- Evansville, IN @ PG (Arts and Entertainment)
9/27 -Carbondale, IL @ PK’s
9/28-St Louis, MO @ Melt
9/30- Kansas City, MO @ Vandals
10/5- Chicago, IL @ Live Wire Lounge
10/7- Detroit, MI @PJ's Lager House
10/9- Indianapolis, IN @Melody Inn
10/11- Cincinnati, OH @ Rake’s End
10/15- Pittsburgh, PA @31st Street Pub
10/17- New York, NY @ Arlene's Grocery (NYC Official Release Show)
10/21 New York, NY @ Bowery Electric, CMJ Music Marathon (Official Show)
10/23-Philadelphia, PA @ The Fire
10/24- Brooklyn, NY @ Spike Hill, CMJ Music Marathon (Official Day Show)
10/25-Raleigh, NC @ Slim's

Links:
The Grayces

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan - Live Photos from M is for Montreal @ CMJ, Arlene's Grocery, NYC 10-18-13

I've seen some shows over the years that were so completely "out there" that I probably spent most of the show staring at what was unfolding on stage and I couldn't tell you after the show whether the band was good or bad. These shows come immediately to mind and include Butthole Surfers at Hammerjacks in 1991, Marilyn Manson at the 9:30 Club in 1994 and now Yamantaka // Sonic Titan's performance at the M is for Montreal CMJ show will be added to the list.  These guys are pretty far out there, both musically and visually, so I don't know how to describe them - the best that I can come up with is "noh wave" Suicide channeled through Bjork.

Here is how Wikipedia describes the band: "The group was originally conceived while [vocalists] Kato Attwood and Alaska B were art students at Concordia University, as an art project based around exploring and subverting the cultural signifiers of their shared Asian Canadian heritage; both are of mixed Asian-European heritage, and were previously members of the defunct Montreal noise rock band Lesbian Fight Club. They developed a music and performance style that incorporated aspects of Asian C-pop and J-pop, progressive rock, heavy metal and industrial music, as well as Buddhist philosophy, anime and manga, Chinese opera and Kabuki and Nôh theatre."

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan's sophomore disc, UZU, which roughly translates as "spirals" or "swirls" in Japanese, came out October 29 on Suicide Squeeze/Paper Bag.



This video isn't from the show at Arlene's but was filmed at a CMJ show earlier the same day:


Links:
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan

Kandle (Osborne) - Live Photos from M is for Montreal @ CMJ, Arlene's Grocery, NYC 10-18-13

Of the 8 - 10 performances that I attending at last month's CMJ Music Marathon, Kandle (Osborne)'s set was clearly one of the highlights (though having her go on right before Yamantaka // Sonic Titan was certainly a style, if not culture, clash). Kandle plays fuzzed-out delta blues that falls somewhere between Cowboy Junkies and Mazzy Star and her compelling vocals are matched by shimmering tremolo provided by long time musical partner and co-producer Sam Goldberg (Broken Social Scene).

Kandle released her debut EP last year which Sputnik Music rated excellent and they described the disc as: "With some stomping drums, twanging guitar and fuzzed-out vocals, "Kandle" in many ways sounds straight-up like outlaw blues music; the perfect stuff for driving alone through the desert in if you know what I mean." More recently, Kandle signed with Dare to Care Records and her full-length disc is coming out early next year. The video for first single, "Demon", follows the photo set from Kandle's performance at Arlene's Grocery.

Kandle was in town earlier this summer for two shows at Stage 48 with Coeur de Pirate and, in an interview with TimesSquare.com, she was asked about her forthcoming disc:

TS: Musically, how will this be different from the other material you've released?

KO: I find that it's a lot stronger. When I did the EP, it was an experiment. I wasn't very confident with what I was doing and I didn't know if I could sing! I made it, and I got comfortable. I started experimenting more, my voice really developed, and I went crazy with writing. I think this shows more of what I can do and what the band can do with me.





Links:
Kandle

Cold Blood Club, Marco Argiro, The Bushwick Hotel, Graveyard Lovers (etc.) Play CMJ Showcase at Bowery Electric Tomorrow Night

For CMJ this year, my plan was to target specific bands and not get burnt out too quickly by trying to stay out all night but...I may end up breaking this vow early on as tomorrow night's CMJ Showcase at Bowery Electric has a solid lineup of local bands. This is a free show and doors are at 4PM.

Here is the lineup for the night:

4:30 PM - Ula Ruth
Indie rock quartet, Ula Ruth, makes catchy tunes that you're sure to like if you dig The Strokes, The Vaccines, and The Arctic Monkeys. Michael Andronico (www.yrbmagzine.com) says, "There’s something about Ula Ruth that’s comfortingly familiar, though their fresh take on rock n’ roll is hard to come by in this generation of music. The CT four-piece hint at a ton of potential on their debut, and could become real rock heavyweights if they keep making music like this."


5:10 PM - Whale Belly
"Whale Belly glitter with colour and light,” writes Folk Radio UK. Known for their incredibly energetic live shows, the band has been entertaining crowds everywhere from the Highline Ballroom to venues in Paris and Amsterdam and have performed aside prominent bands like Cults and Beach Fossils.


5:50 PM - Poor Remy
"When you least expect it, things suddenly pick up into a folk-jangled sing-along set to the style of tomorrow. And by 'tomorrow', I mean a new sound that hasn't set itself loose on mainstream audiences, and I'm excited for a band like Poor Remy to help usher in this future." (Baeble Music) With their soaring vocal harmonies, foot stomping choruses and relentless energy; Poor Remy creates emotional, heartfelt and invigorating music and live performances.


6:30 PM - Tam Lin
Praised by Time Out New York as "mellifluous" and like "listening to Jeff Buckley and/or falling in love," Tam Lin is an acclaimed NYC-based storyteller folk-rock band, fronted by Paul Weinfield.


7:10 PM - Cold Blood Club
Brooklyn 6-piece, Cold Blood Club, have been hailed as “almost too catchy for their own good” (The Deli Magazine). Mastering catchy dance grooves, electro-beats and pop sensibilities, they have beeen conquering the New York Indie dance scene one packed venue at a time since they debuted their edgy blend of soul, rock, and pop.


7:50 PM - Marco Argiro
Following a successful stint fronting Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg, The Killing Floor’s Marco Argiro steps out solo with his September 2013 release Love. Channeling psychedelic rock with harmonies reminiscent of the West Coast sounds of the 70s, Argiro reinvents the message, “All you need is love,” for a new generation.


8:30 PM - Animal Years
“Animal Years, a young band packed with promise, channel an eclectic array of acts from John Hiatt to Tallest Man On Earth to Cold War Kids." (When the Gramophone Rings) Bringing a fresh face to indie roots rock, Brooklyn’s Animal Years showcase their free-wheeling, feel-good melodies and heart-tugging harmonies on their September 2013 debut, Sun Will Rise.


9:10 PM - Graveyard Lovers
"A dynamic trio carrying the torch of Pixies, Stripes, Sonic Youth & your favorite indie-grit gods... Graveyard Lovers have grabbed the spirit of rock ‘n roll by the throat and channeled a barrage of gritty, heavy blues riffs through a groove-rich spectrum inhabited by the likes of Jack White and Band of Skulls." (Crave Online) On their September 2013 release, Dreamers, Graveyard Lovers reinvigorate Louisiana-blues-infused grunge-rock for a modern age.


9:50 PM - The Dough Rollers
RIYL: Alabama Shakes, Queens of the Stone Age and Heartless Bastards, the rising blues-rock quartet recently released a 7” on Jack White’s Third Man Records which "simultaneously kicks you in the face and makes you reconsider your life in college for not becoming a rock star," (Vice / Noisey) They’ve toured with Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Queens of the Stone Age and plan to put out an EP later this year with a single produced by Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age).


10:30 PM - The Bushwick Hotel
“A raucous band filled with brass and blues... The Bushwick Hotel makes classic rock cool again with aggressive sax solos, hot bongos and a pinch of the absurd.” (Diffuser.fm) On their forthcoming album Graffiti of the Young Man's Mind, out November 2013, indie rock is dipped in jazz and blues and embellished with the band members' diverse musical backgrounds.


11:10 PM - Motive
RIYL: Divine Fits, Nirvana, Pixies and The White Stripes. "This track feels like ’90s rock to us in all of the best ways and the “Black Hole Sun”-esque video is sure to see the guys back on 120 Minutes” (NYLON Guys). The Brooklyn based foursome have shared the stage with buzzing bands like The Vaccines and Walk The Moon and recently recorded a cover of Talking Head's "Psycho Killer" for Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion video.


11:50 PM - Von Shakes
“One of Ireland’s greatest live acts in years,” (Today FM), Von Shakes is the latest Irish import to embody the sound of youth, angst, and chaos as they take over American soil. Known throughout Ireland, England, Germany, Russia and now the US for providing an onslaught of energy with every melodic vocal, guitar riff and drum beat, the Brooklyn-based quartet is set to release Bohemia in November 2013.


12:30 AM - Slim Wray
"They strip it down so good, you’ll be tempted to put a dollar bill in their g-string." (Rust Magazine) Blues-based, primal rock band Slim Wray have fine-tuned the art of bombastic, irreverent rock 'n roll. Running on thunderous drums and gritty, fuzz-fueled guitar riffs, these raucous and gritty Brooklynites will be welcoming their album Sack Lunch in November 2013.

City Riots: Australian Indie Rock/Dream Pop Band Play Nine NYC Shows in Support of Debut Album 'Sea of Bright Lights'

Australia’s City Riots make their return to North America this week with a whopping nine shows in New York, starting tonight at The Rock Shop in Brooklyn. This set of shows will include a performance at the Lit Lounge on October 15 as part of this fall’s CMJ Music Marathon. The trio will be performing throughout the New York area over the next two weeks in support of their recently released debut full-length, Sea Of Bright Lights.

Upon its initial release in their homeland last year, the praise for Sea Of Bright Lights was almost unanimous amongst media for its blend of jangly guitar hooks with dreamy reverbed pop. This includes snagging the title of “Best Local Release of 2012” by Radio Adelaide and world-focused media such as Sputnik Music proclaiming that the music possesses “choruses that sneak their way into your subconscious until you’re humming them along involuntarily.” With a vibrant live show and sunshine-inflected sound, the band has been able to hold their own while touring. Some tour-mates on these jaunts include The Smashing Pumpkins, indie rock notables Atlas Genius and even psychobilly punkers, The Living End. It has seen them branch out to the U.S. for appearances at recent editions of SXSW, CMJ, and Filter’s Culture Collide Festival.

Check out the video for “Lonely Hearts” which features a collection of live footage taken from the Adelaide-based group’s recent tours.



City Riots’ Upcoming Shows:
10/14 – The Rock Shop – Brooklyn, NY
10/15 – Cake Shop (daytime show, 5pm) – New York, NY
10/15 – Lit Lounge (Official CMJ showcase, 11pm) – New York, NY
10/17 – The Raven (Bulldog Gin Party) – New York, NY
10/18 – Kilmat Lounge (album listening party followed by acoustic set, 11pm) – New York, NY
10/19 – The Delancey (Aussie BBQ) – New York, NY
10/21 – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
10/22 – Pianos – New York, NY
10/23 – Bowery Electric – New York, NY

Links:
City Riots

Paper Thick Walls: Chicago Indie-Folk band Play Spike Hill on Dec. 10th and Pianos on Dec. 11th

Paper Thick Walls presents an elegant mix of deep, reflective, and at times haunting music, which captures elements of sound similar to acts like Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens. The almost orchestral arrangement of piano, upright bass, guitars, drums, fiddle, mandolin, and other various instruments has a fascinating way of complimenting the profound fictional story lines that Paper Thick Walls portray through their lyrics.

The band was last in town for CMJ and are now coming back through New York with shows at Spike Hill (Dec. 10th) and Pianos (Dec. 11th). For the show at Spike Hill, Paper Thick Walls is playing with Herbert Bail Orchestra (11PM set time), SWF (10PM set time) and The Goodnoise (8PM set time). Paper Thick Walls is going on at 9PM and cover is $5.

For the show at Pianos, Paper Thick Walls is playing with Sink Tapes (8PM set time), Roy Orbit (10PM set time) and Athan & Trapped in Static (11PM set time). Cover is $8 and Paper Thick Walls takes the stage at 9PM.



Links:
Paper Thick Walls

Paper Thick Walls: Chicago Indie-Folk band Plays Let's Get Messy's Free Day Party on Saturday, Oct. 22nd at Arlene's Grocery

Old Weathered Wooden Dock by paperthickwalls

Paper Thick Walls presents an elegant mix of deep, reflective, and at times haunting music, which captures elements of sound similar to acts like Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens. The almost orchestral arrangement of piano, upright bass, guitars, drums, fiddle, mandolin, and other various instruments has a fascinating way of complimenting the profound fictional story lines that Paper Thick Walls portray through their lyrics.

Their songs quickly caught the attention of sound engineer Mike Hagler (Neko Case, Wilco) who engineered Paper Thick Walls’ debut record entitled A Thousand Novels which was released on May 3, 2011 and promptly followed by a sold out record release show at “Hideout” in Chicago.

Here is what Rock NYC had to say about the band's debut album:
"My verdict, then, is that Paper Thick Walls’ “A Thousand Novels” is quite good. Not only are their compositions very nicely crafted, with the band displaying a penchant for a number of musical styles, their storytelling will keep you entertained and often contains elements of that darkness that lends a haunting quality to a song. Take a look."

Paper Think Walls are playing Let's Get Messy's unofficial CMJ day party on Saturday, Oct. 22nd. The show is free and the lineup is:

12:00PM: Hey Marseilles
12:45PM: The Damn Choir
1:30PM: Son of the Sun
2:15PM: Sandman Viper Command
3:00PM: Paper Thick Walls
3:45PM: Sydney Wayser
4:30PM: Kellen & Me
5:15PM: Archie Powell & the Exports



Links:
Paper Thick Walls

Hull Plays CMJ Tee Pee Showcase at Union Pool on Friday, Oct. 21st

DOWNLOAD: Hull - "Beyond the Lightless Sky" (hosted on Pitchfork.com)

Brooklyn three-guitar led sludge rock collective Hull will play the Tee Pee Records CMJ showcase this Friday, October 21 at Union Pool in Brooklyn. Also appearing on the show will be Naam, The Fucking Wrath, ELKS, Mirror Queen and Unstoppable Death Machines. Tickets are $8.

Hull will kick off a long-awaited, near month-long U.S. tour on Wednesday in support of their monolithic Beyond The Lightless Sky full-length released via The End Records last week. The band will be joined by The F*cking Wrath on select dates. See updated tour schedule below.

Called "...a concept album for the ages" by Metal Army America, Beyond The Lightless Sky features guest appearances by vocalist Jarboe, keys/ambiance by Fade Kainer (Batillus/Jarboe/Inswarm ) and is raising the eye brows of fans and critics alike for its delicate balance of staggering heaviness and poetic grace. Exclaim hailed the band saying: "Hull have made something immense and nimble, ponderous and powerful," while CMJ noted
of the guitar sound in particular, "They're downright elegant at times, a fantastic contrast to the otherwise intense soundscape." The Obelisk called the band "crushingly heavy in a cerebral sense," adding that "Hull have come into their own and not only join the ranks of forward-thinking American metallers, but position themselves at the front of the pack with a few moments of unabashed, unashamed modern metal," and The Village Voice (NYC) commended the band's seamless versatility: "[Beyond The Lightless Sky] veers between motorcycle-revving D-beat, bog-trawling doom, sinister black metal, Neurosis drum-offs and hypnotic passages that gnash like a venom-dripping cousin to the final Isis album."



Hull Fall 2011 Tour:
10/19/2011 Valentines Downstairs – Albany, NY*
10/21/2011 Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY (HULL at 11:00pm!)
10/22/2011 Mojo 13 – Wilmington, DE
10/23/2011 Golden West Cafe – Baltimore, MD *
10/24/2011 Strange Matter – Richmond, VA *
10/25/2011 Milestone – Charlotte, NC *
10/26/2011 Drunken Unicorn – Atlanta, GA *
10/27/2011 Wormhole – Savannah, GA *
10/28/2011 The Snooze – West Palm Beach, FL *
11/01/2011 Siberia – New Orleans, LA *
11/02/2011 Brian Street Tavern – Dallas, TX *
11/03/2011 Red 7 FFF Kickoff Party – Austin, TX *
11/04/2011 Bash Riprocks – Lubbock, TX *
11/05/2011 The Open Source Project – Phoenix, AZ *
11/06/2011 Que Sara – Long Beach, CA *
11/07/2011 Vacation Vinyl (early show) – Los Angeles, CA
11/07/2011 Mountain Bar (late show) – Los Angeles, CA
11/08/2011 Hemlock Tavern – San Francisco, CA
11/10/2011 Highline – Seattle, WA
11/11/2011 Plan B – Portland, OR
11/14/2011 Bar Deluxe – Salt Lake City, UT
11/15/2011 Old Curtis Street – Denver, CO
11/17/2011 Downtown – Little Rock, AR
11/19/2011 Nightlight – Chapel Hill, NC
11/20/2011 Johhny Brendas – Philadelphia, PA
* w/ The F*cking Wrath

Links:
Hull

Backwords: Brooklyn Psych-Folk Band Announces CMJ Shows at Bowery Electric and Bruar Falls

And Then Sigh by backwordsmusic

Brooklyn psyche-folk-pop band Backwords just announced that they have set up one of the last ever CMJ showcases at Bruar Falls on Thursday 10/20, under the umbrella of their basement diy recording studio "Campers' Rule Records".

Campers' Rule Records Presents a FREE daytime CMJ show:

Where: Bruar Falls, 245 Grand St., Brooklyn NY
Noon-1:00pm - FREE BBQ in Bruar Falls Backyard
$3 - Brooklyn Lagers!

1:30PM - Moonmen on the Moon, Man
2:00PM Yanqui
2:30PM Easter Vomit
3:00PM Beat People, (members of Girls at Dawn / Fergus & Geronimo)
4:00PM backwords
4:30PM Fort Lean
5:00PM Radical Dads

Also - Backwords will be touring immediately following CMJ and will be releasing a new album, By the Neck, in the Spring.

BACKWORDS TOUR DATES: - - - - - - -
10.19 - WED - Tijuana Gift Shop CMJ Showcase, Bowery Electric: Robbers on High Street, Madison Square Gardners
10.20 - THU - Campers' Rule FREE Daytime Showcase at Bruar Falls: w/ Moonmen on the Moon Man, Yanqui, Easter Vomit, Beat People, Fort Lean, Radical Dads - 1:00pm-6:00pm
10.22 - SAT - Fundraiser for the "Bushwick Community Darkroom" - Below Shea Stadium, Brooklyn, NY: The Furies, Broken Glow
10.23 - SUN - The Bug Jar, Rochester, NY
10.24 - MON - Soundlab, Buffalo, NY
10.25 - TUE - The Smiling Moose, Pittsburgh, PA
10.26 - WED - Bela Dubby, Cleveland, OH
10.27 - THU - South Park Tavern, Dayton, OH
10.28 - FRI - Green Lantern, Lexington, KY
10.29 - SAT - Rhino's, Bloomington IN
10.30 - SUN - Transistor in-store, Chicago, IL
10.31 - MON - Swing State, Lake Villa, IL
11.02 - WED - Rudyard Kipling, Louisville, KY
11.03 - THU - The Walnut House, Murphreesboro, TN
11.04 - FRI - The 5 Spot, Nashville, TN
11.06 - SUN - Acoustic Coffeehouse - Johnson City, TN
11.07 - MON - Knox ivi - TV appearance, in early morning - Preservation Pub Evening: Knoxville, TN
11.09 - WED - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
11.11 - FRI - Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Charlottesville, VA
11.12 - SAT - Gillies, Blacksburg VA

Links:
Backwords

The Grates Play Seven CMJ Shows Next Week

I guess I've been out of touch with what The Grates have been doing as I didn't realize that the Brisbane, Australia trio is now a duo and had relocated to Brooklyn. I got a kick out of the band's new bio (snippet below) where they talk about how they expected NYC to give them immediate inspiration for their third disc, Secret Rituals (which came out this past June). "They rode their bikes through New York blizzards, ate too much Mexican, joined a food co-op to stalk Entourage star Adrian Greiner and longed for New York to give them an album." Hopefully, they didn't join the Park Slope Food Co-Op as that place will suck the creativity and inspiration out of anyone.

Secret Rituals’ is a giant step forward for The Grates. There are still the infectious choruses, cheeky singalongs, and artfully addictive arrangements that characterised the band’s first two albums, but nobody could accuse The Grates of being ‘cute’ any longer. The band’s latest effort is broader and tougher in scope, more stripped back and bold. While a common thread links the record together, marking an album that is unmistakably The Grates, the individual tracks explore new depths. Without the luxury of having six weeks to finetune her lyrics while Alana and John figured out the songs, Patience was forced to take a more direct approach to her lyric writing.

“Everything had been hidden in metaphors on the previous two albums,” she says. “I don’t exactly know how I started feeling confident but it was probably to do with being in New York and being out of my comfort zone and how scary that is in the beginning, but then when you conquer it you’re left with so many more resources because you’ve got so much more to draw from.”

Patience wrote the lyrics to ‘The Night Won’t Start Without Us’’ in the middle of winter in a crazy, crazy blizzard, on one of the days the band was trapped in the band room for hours. But the only storm you’ll hear in this homage to the beaches of Australia are the whirling guitars and tumbling drums. ‘Welcome to the Middle’ is what Patience refers to as a “death lullaby.” No-nonsense drums punch through swirling guitars as she sweetly sings about life being a circle parade. “That’s the sort of song you’re not really going to want to sing to your kid, but that’s what I would sing to explain how life works,” she explains.

The Grates' CMJ Schedule:
- Oct. 16: The Delancey, NYC, 11PM (FREE)
- Oct. 17: Public Assembly, Brooklyn, 9PM
- Oct. 18: Cake Shop, NYC, 9PM
- Oct. 20: Rosenthal Pavilion, NYU Kimmel Centre, 1:55PM
- Oct. 20: Pianos, NYC, 10:30PM (FREE)
- Oct. 21: Pianos, NYC 5:20PM
- Oct. 22: The Delancey, NYC, 4:40PM

Links:
The Grates

French Horn Rebellion and AVAN LAVA Play MOSCOT's Unofficial CMJ Party on Oct. 19th

Lemons by AVAN LAVA

MOSCOT Music is presenting an unofficial CMJ Party on Wednesday, October 19th with French Horn Rebellion and Avan Lava. This is a free show that starts at 7PM.

French Horn Rebellion (Robert and David Perlick-Molinari) kicked off 2011 by announcing the US self-release of their debut album, The Infinite Music of French Horn Rebellion. Written, produced and mixed by Robert and David, the album warps together the fabric of dance, electro, rock and funk. Previous to this release, the Brooklyn-based duo has had an illustrious pedigree; David produced MGMT's indie release "Time to Pretend" EP for Cantora Records, and French Horn Rebellion’s previous single “Up All Night” scored Record of the Week on BBC Radio 1 and a slot on the influential Kitsuné Maison compilation series. Pitchfork praised the track as, “irresistible, panting synth-pop, with fat new wave key tones and ecstatic vocals.” The band has also toured with Yelle across the US, and remixed tracks from the likes of MEN, Two Door Cinema Club, OMD and Alex Winston.

Born in 2010 in New York City, AVAN LAVA is the union of singer T.C. (Tom Hennes), musician/producer Le Chev (Michael Laine Cheever), and drummer Ian Pai. After touring playing bass and DJ’ing with Fischerspooner on their “Entertainment” tour, Le Chev began collaborating with T.C., a singer with a performance background in NYC, to create the debut release by AVAN LAVA, an EP entitled “Vapors”. Prior to the first EP’s completion, the record was picked up by Faux Pyre Records, and the duo was flown to Los Angeles for mixing and mastering sessions at the prestigious Infrasonic Sound Studio with audio wizard Pete Lyman (The Mars Volta, Bloc Party). During the initial pre-production sessions for AVAN LAVA’s second release, tentatively titled “Fantasy”, the duo called on Ian Pai, also of Fischerspooner, and to collaborate on the upcoming album and he soon became a fixture in the group. AVAN LAVA is planning its second release in January 2012.

The MOSCOT Gallery and Music Space is located at 118 Orchard Street, NYC (NE corner of Orchard & Delancey Streets). Attendees will receive 20% off purchases of MOSCOT branded glasses the night of show.

Links:
MOSCOT

Keegan DeWitt Premiers Video for "Colors" / CMJ Show at Canal Room on Oct. 19th

DOWNLOAD: Keegan DeWitt - "Colour"

Nashville-based Keegan DeWitt is preparing to head out with Madi Diaz for a handful of southeastern shows beginning September 21st at the Workplay Theater in Birmingham, AL and he'll also perform at the ASCAP showcase during the CMJ Music Marathon on October 19th in New York.

Over the past year DeWitt has caught the attention of Paste ('10 Best New Solo Artists of 2010'), American Songwriter, AOL Music's Spinner, Popmatters, My Old Kentucky Blog, and the Nashville Scene, among others, while his "Nothing Shows" EP track "Say La La" will be featured in the pilot of ABC's new drama Revenge on September 21st (10pm ET/9pm CT). He and his band also filmed a stripped-down Sleepover Shows live session in Boston in June.



DeWitt has gained additional recognition for his film score compositions, and his work was seen theatrically earlier this year in Aaron Katz's New York Times 'Critic's Pick' Cold Weather. He recently collaborated with the cycling gear company Rapha as well, composing a suite for their coverage of the Amgen Tour of California.

Keegan DeWitt Tour Dates:

SEPT. 21 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL -- WORKPLAY THEATER*
SEPT. 22 -- ATLANTA, GA -- DRUNKEN UNICORN*
SEPT. 23 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- MERCY LOUNGE (Soundland Festival)*
SEPT. 24 -- CHAPEL HILL, NC -- LOCAL 506*
OCT. 19 -- NEW YORK, NY -- THE CANAL ROOM (ASCAP CMJ showcase)
* with Madi Diaz

Links:
Keegan DeWitt

Lissie Announces Winter Tour Dates // Show at Webster Hall on Jan. 28th

Lissie played to a sold-out crowd at Hiro Ballroom during CMJ and she is now coming back through Canada and the States on a Dec/Jan Winter tour. The local tour stop is at Webster Hall on January 28th and tickets are $18 in advance and $22 (DOS).

At the Hiro Ballroom show, Lissie played the entirety of her "Why You Runnin'" EP and six tracks from Catching A Tiger. While Lissie has been getting a lot of publicity for her cover tunes (which include songs by Lady Ga Ga, Led Zeppelin, Metallica), Lissie included only two covers in her set. The first was a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Waiting Around to Die" on which she duetted with opening act Dylan LeBlanc. (If you look closely at the photos below, you can see LeBlanc reading the lyrics off his iPod). The second was a cover of Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness". The full set list is below.



Set List:
- Wedding Bells
- Worried About
- Here Before
- When I'm Alone
- Waiting Around to Die (w/ Dylan LeBlanc)
- Bully
- Cuckoo
- Record Collector
- Everywhere I Go
- In Sleep
- Little Lovin'

Encore:
- Oh Mississippi
- Pursuit of Happiness

Lissie North American headlining tour dates:
DEC. 29 -- VANCOUVER, BC, THE BILTMORE CABARET
DEC. 30 -- PORTLAND, OR, DOUG FIR LOUNGE
DEC. 31 -- SEATTLE, WA, SNOQUALIMIE CASINO
JAN. 15 -- LOS ANGELES, CA, THE MUSIC BOX
JAN. 17 -- DENVER, CO, BLUEBIRD THEATER
JAN. 19 -- DAVENPORT, IA, REDSTONE ROOM
JAN. 20 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN, CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER
JAN. 22 -- CHICAGO, IL, LINCOLN HALL
JAN. 24 -- TORONTO, ON, THE OPERA HOUSE
JAN. 26 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA, FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH-SANCTUARY
JAN. 28 -- NEW YORK, NY, WEBSTER HALL
JAN. 29 -- BOSTON, MA, PARADISE ROCK CLUB
JAN. 30 -- WASHINGTON, DC, 9:30 CLUB
FEB. 01 -- CARRBORO, NC, CAT'S CRADLE
FEB. 02 -- ASHEVILLE, NC, THE ORANGE PEEL
FEB. 03 -- NASHVILLE, TN, MERCY LOUNGE
FEB. 05 -- ATLANTA, GA, THE LOFT
FEB. 07 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL, THE BOTTLETREE
FEB. 08 -- NEW ORLEANS, LA, THE PARISH AT HOUSE OF BLUES
FEB. 10 -- AUSTIN, TX, ANTONE'S NIGHTCLUB

Links:
Lissie

Marnie Stern - Live Footage and Interview from CMJ, NYC. Oct. '10

The good folks at BAL have just released some killer live and interview footage with Marnie Stern that they recorded during CMJ.



"Among the absurd litany of bands playing CMJ, it’s often hard to find an act that balances the industrious, play-all-shows possible spirit with a track record and the talent to go along with it. Enter Marnie Stern, who with her killer band in tow has been dropping heat on wax for 3 solid years now. Marnie is not a typical CMJ act – she’s not a 21 year-old synth-pop artist trying to break, her name doesn’t suck, and her music exudes a confidence and comfort not easily found among the hundreds of disposable acts at CMJ." (from BAL's article about the video)

Read the full text of the article here.

Links:
Marnie Stern

Lissie: Live Photos & Set List from Hiro Ballroom, NYC 10-22-10

At last night's sold-out show at Hiro Ballroom, Lissie came off like a veteran performer. Lissie and her two-piece band delivered a high-energy show and there was no sign of the vocal problems that plagued her over the past week. The two things that I immediately noticed about Lissie's live performance is her big voice (which doesn't come across as such a focal point on her two discs) and her relaxed stage presence. Lissie was completely at ease with the standing-room-only crowd and her stories and narrative seemed to be things that everyone could relate to.



Lissie played the entirety of her "Why You Runnin'" EP and six tracks from Catching A Tiger. While Lissie has been getting a lot of publicity for her cover tunes (which include songs by Lady Ga Ga, Led Zeppelin, Metallica), Lissie included only two covers in her set. The first was a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Waiting Around to Die" on which she duetted with opening act Dylan LeBlanc. (If you look closely at the photos above, you can see LeBlanc reading the lyrics off his iPod). The second was a cover of Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness".

Set List:
- Wedding Bells
- Worried About
- Here Before
- When I'm Alone
- Waiting Around to Die (w/ Dylan LeBlanc)
- Bully
- Cuckoo
- Record Collector
- Everywhere I Go
- In Sleep
- Little Lovin'

Encore:
- Oh Mississippi
- Pursuit of Happiness

Lissie kicks off a UK tour next week which will keep her in Europe until the end of the year. Here is a link to her complete set of tour dates.

Links:
Lissie

Debutaunts Release Free Track from New LP // CMJ Show at Bar Matchless on Oct. 20th

Debutaunts-Everything's Perfect

Atlanta alt-pop band Debutaunts have just posted the first single, "Everything's Perfect", from their debut full length Why Can't We Have Fun as a free download. The new disc came out in August and you can hear the band's cited influences - which range from the Beatles to the Smiths and Stone Roses, to Madonna and Prince to David Bowie and the Beach Boys - in the songs.

The Debutaunts are in town next week for CMJ (as is the rest of the world) and are playing the BMI Showcase on Wednesday, October 20th at Bar Matchless (557 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn). Get there early for the open bar, which runs from 6PM - 7PM.

Here is the lineup for the night:

7:00-7:30 PM - Debutaunts
7:45-8:15 PM - Lesands
8:30-9:00 PM - White Belt Yellow Tag
9:15-9:45 PM - Heypenny
10:00-10:30 PM - Whale Tooth
10:45-11:15 PM - Vanaprasta
11:30-Midnight - Deluka



Links:
Debutaunts

Powerglove Headlines Metalsucks + 1000 Knives CMJ Showcase on Oct. 23rd

MetalSucks has a great list of bands lined up for a CMJ Showcase at Fontana's on October 23rd. They describe this show as "devote[d]...to honoring the best and brightest of NYC’s metal bands, with a few special friends as well."

MetalSucks and NYC concert promoters 1000 Knives have announced details for the second of two shows they will be hosting at this year's CMJ Music Marathon in New York City. The show will be held the afternoon of Saturday, October 23rd at Fontana's in Manhattan (105 Eldridge St.). It will start at 4pm, admission will be $10, and it will be open to the general public, 21 and over. A limited number of CMJ badgeholders will be admitted.

Powerglove, who recently released their debut E1 album "Saturday Morning Apocalypse," will headline the event.

Other bands on the bill include:
- Pack of Wolves (ex-At All Cost) (Arclight Records)
- Wetnurse (7th Rule)
- The Binary Code
- Meek Is Murder (new project from Mike Keller, ex-The Red Chord)
- Batillus.

Complimentary cocktails will be served from 4-5pm courtesy of Sailor Jerry Rum, and mixed drinks will be available for $3 thereafter.

Jonny Rumble Plays CMJ Chicago Showcase at Local 269 on October 22nd

DOWNLOAD: Jonny Rumble - "Handgun Blues"
DOWNLOAD: Jonny Rumble - "BRZRKR"

(Photo: Alison Glovak)
"They combine the ferocious energy and unshakable grooves of Motown's best with Chicago's long-standing love of power-pop; think MC5 jamming with Cheap Trick, but at Ramones tempos. If that isn't a sign of life, I don't know what is." -- Jim DeRogatis, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Chicago garage-rock/alt-country band Jonny Rumble are coming to NYC as part of CMJ Music Marathon later this month. The band released their fourth full-length JR earlier this month which captures the band's mix of power pop, garage rock and alt-country. Check out the link above to download/stream the disc's first single "BRZRKR". The band's record label (Rock Proper) has posted mp3s of the whole album for free (click through on the band photo) and there is also a limited edition vinyl version available for sale.

Here is the complete lineup for Run With It Mgmt's (RWIM) CMJ Chicago Showcase:

09:00 PM - 09:40 PM - Unicycle Loves You ("Mirror Mirror" MP3)
10:00 PM - 10:40 PM - Nathan Xander + Witchouse
11:00 PM - 11:40 PM - Jonny Rumble
12:00 AM - Tom Schraeder and His Ego

Links:
Jonny Rumble