Cayucas, Mercury Lounge 7.5.13

A few songs into Friday nights sold out Mercury Lounge's Show, Cayucas lead singer Zach Yudin informed the crowd "this our first show ever in New York City."  In fact, it was Yudin's first ever trip to the City.  Both the announcement and crowd reaction was tepid.  And therein lied the dilemma.  The SoCal band was at times too timid,  or too reserved, and in the end too damn lax to fully engage/ignite the crowd.

Yudin, his twin brother Ben (bass), Christian Koons (guitar), and Casey Wojtalewicz have made a memorable and entertaining debut record, Bigfoot.  It is  a vibey, surf sounding pop meditation on Beck, Vampire Weekend, and Weezer.  It is full of tongue-in-cheek lyrics sung with sweet harmonies over lullaby-esque acoustic guitars.  It goes down nice with a tall glass of lemonade and a Saturday afternoon poolside nap.  They even have scored an alt "hit" with "High School Lover."  

There is no shame in getting assistance from a quality producer or computer.  The best artists have done it (Beatles- Sgt Peppers for instance.)  Take a look at the top 20 songs in America right now.  Half probably use auto tune, right?  How else can you explain Jason Derulo's career?  The trick is to reinvent the studio work into something fresh, inventive, and daring on stage!  Get into it!  Do a cover if your only have 8 or 9 songs.  When you do play your "hit" make it a stand out!  Be excited!  Be overwhelmed to be there!  Never take it for granted and always perform as if it might be your last time on stage.

Yeah, it is hard work!  It is why there are only a handful of super successful rock bands/artists in the ever changing landscape that is pop music.  In the blink of an eye you can go from the early show at Mercury Lounge to disgruntled hipster barista.  

These kids are at the tail end of their biggest tour in easily their biggest year.  They have only making music together for about 18 months.  So far, so pretty darn good.

The critics adore their debut and without question they will end up back in NYC this fall.  Look for them at a bigger venue like Webster Hall or Bowery.  

Improvement is required before they hit a grander stage.  Too often their songs sounded too familiar from one to another.  My favorite tune,  "Cayucos"  was too up tempo and never found a great stride.  By the time they played  "High School Lover" (which the audience was begging for 2 songs in) the crowd seemed ready to hit the exits.  They got what they came for, although deserved more.

We get the SoCal laid back attitude, really we do.  But this is NYC damn it.  If you don't bring 100% there is another band begging, clawing and scratching to fill your spot.  Downloads alone will not pay the rent in this day and age.  Unless of course you write "Gangham Style" or some shit.

Cayucas, Mercury Lounge 7.5.13

JBM

Canadian born and New York based Jessie Marchand (stage name: JBM) opened the evening.  Ge was alone with an acoustic guitar, harmonica and big voice.  His music felt like Neil Young Harvest album with a touch of Ryan Adams.  Other than stand up comedy it is difficult to find a more ballsy thing than getting on stage alone and performing your own music.  No bandmates.  No nets.  No one else to blame if/when things go wrong.

JBM was thankful to be home after what he intimated was a pretty trying tour.  The rigors of touring can beat a man down.  There must have been a few crowds/venues that were more raucous than this receptive and polite NYC crowd.  It was silent!  He was thankful and was more than competent.   His act is more coffeehouse than rock club.  His classical guitar filled, heart wrenching ballad that ended his set was an odd choice too.  It draped the night in gloom which was somewhat unfortunate for both his, and Cayucas sake.

They both may have deserved better.  Good news though!  They can only go up from here.

 For a sample of JBM check here.

Sold out crowd stands to the music.

Mercury Lounge is always good on sound.

!!!!!!!!HUGELY IMPORTANT CONCERT PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!

Gentleman, please leave your backpacks at home when you head out for a show.  Ladies, you get something of a pass, but you should probably have a small purse only if truth be told.  What the hell could you have in those bags?  You need your id, a credit card, some cash, and maybe keys.  That is it! Should you need smokes, lighter and/or other drug paraphanalia you should allow for the necessary pockets.  NO! BACKPACKS! EVER!  Simply put you forget they are now part of your body.  And you can't control that shit.  Soon they are banging into open beers and womens' breasts and just about everywhere.   Keep them home and pack smart.  When the show is over you can go back to strapping it over your shoulders and doing your best Zach Morris.  

Should we put age limits on them?  After 18 backpacks can only be permitted on college campuses?  

Best of April, 2013

Savages

Please excuse the tardiness.  Tis true, the calendar does indeed say May, 2013.  That said, this new crop of tracks should more than make up for the delay and provide plenty of happiness as the summer approaches.  Add these tracks to the already impressive March, February, and January lists, press play and enjoy.   The list can be found here on Spotify too.

Wild Belle "Keep You"  Chicago born siblings Eliot and Natalie Bergman released their debut record, Isles, in March.  That, and this single, which has a little ska/reggae feel to it, is about all the information you need to know for now.  The jury is most certainly out on the long term staying power of this act.  What is certain is this song is pretty darn cool.

Caycucas "Cayucos"  Seeing double?  It's like Bad Company singing "Bad Company."  The band, another sibling act, this time twins Zach and Ben Yudin, are from Santa Monica, CA.  The sound, is all about the left coast.  Their debut LP, Bigfoot, was released LP.  There are hints of Beck as well as newer surf/mood rock alt favorites Local Natives, Grizzly Bear and Beach Fossils, to name a few.  

Savages "She Will"  All female, British post-punk rockers who have gathered quite a bit of buzz during the early part of 2013.  Their debut record, Silence Yourself, comes out tomorrow, 5.7.13.  This single owes a lot to early the Edge and early U2 and even more to Patti Smith and the NYC punk scene of the late 70s.  No video for this song yet but you can see them perform "Husbands" from the Jools Holland show here.  One, super hot seeing chicks rock out.  Two, why on Earth does the US not have a show like Jools Holland live?

Foxygen "No Destruction"  This is the second track from these flaky, psychedelic newcomers.  Last we heard from duo Jonathan Rado and Sam France they were shouting at concert goers at SXSW in Austin and canceling their European tour "for the creative health of the band."  Sometimes too much attention, too soon, can be a very bad thing.  The fact is their LP, the pretentiously titled We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, is a must have.  This track would fit neatly into an early Bob Dylan record and features the best lyric of 2013:  You Don't Have to Be an Asshole/You're Not in Brooklyn Anymore.

Biffy Clyro "Black Chandelier"  This is a confusing one.  The Scottish act released their 6th(! who new??!!) record, Opposites, earlier this year.   This single plays like a Incubus, or Bush, Stone Temple Pilots, or other 90s alt rockers of that ilk, track.  At first you want to dismiss the holy hell out of it.  Then you see the video and the images/styling are not AT ALL what you expected the band to look like.  So. Freaking. Weird.  But for some reason you start humming the damn thing when you least expect it.  Then you look forward to hearing it on the radio.  It wears you down damn it.  That is a recipe for success, right?

Wavves "Demon to Lean On"  More post-punk.  More music played by children for adults.  More left coast rock and roll.  Another group who released a record earlier this year, Afraid of Heights (March.) For those who like Everclear, or Local H, or maybe even Green Day (except Nathan Williams voice won't make you puke.)

Orwells "In My Bed"  Ok, this song is a few years old.  But most of you haven't heard it before.  And wait for this...  these kids graduated high school a few years ago.  They make Wavves (who were born in 1986) seem downright geriatric.  Illinois kids with a few chords and plenty of bang for your buck.  They too would fit into the post-punk theme this column has taken on.  Fun fact, the lead singers name is Mario Cuomo.  Another fun fact:  it is super queer to write or say fun fact.

Gospels "Animal Feelings"  A little bit of Band of Horses, a little bit of Portugal, the Man, a little bit of that same neo-surf that has taken over the alt landscape.  Here is the real surprise- these guys are from a borough in NYC and it ain't Brooklyn!!  Forest Hills, Queens thank you very much.  They are releasing a debut EP this spring that shares its name with this easy going and feel good single.

Waxahatchee "Peace and Quiet"  Holy cow does this sound like a Liz Phair song.  90s angst as sung and performed by Philly girl (by way of Alabama) Katie Crutchfield.  You should know she too has a twin who she once performed with.  That makes 3 acts on this list with siblings (2 of which are twins.)  She split from her sister to focus on a solo career.  From that we have this no frills, alt country Cat Power meets Beth Orton meets Suzanne Vega meets, ok, you get it.  How many alt songstresses can you name of the top of your head?

New Politics "Harlem"  Straight forward dance rock.  Punk meets pop that brings to mind The Offspring and more recently Neon Trees.  Not much to say other than turn it up and have some fun.

Serena Ryder "Stompa"  It's fun to pick tracks that totally unnerve my better half.  Typically those songs appear on the Sirius XM station "The Spectrum."  That channel plays to my more sensitive tendencies.  Adult contemporary and all the soft things in between make up their programming palette.  Adele and Paul McCartney are staples.  So too are any songs by woman who play guitar and repeat the same lyric over and over again.  Ryder hails from Toronto and fits this mold perfectly.  She won a Juno award (like Arcade Fire!!) for her work up North.  I could have chosen ZZ Ward's "Put the Gun Down",  Emeli Sande's "Next to Me", or worst of all, Vicci Martinez's "Come Along."  Much to her chagrin Ms Ryder gets this column's approval.  Does it get yours?

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Vacation, All I ever wanted...

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

It's been admittedly quiet here at the blog this "Spring."  Winter has not let up, both in weather and aggravation.   Between work, school, coaching, and the altogether miserable experience of buying/selling a home, trivial posts on music, politics and entertainment have gone unwritten.  That is far from a complaint though.  Tis what it tis.   Although I do enjoy the catharsis writing provides.  Here then is an attempt to get back into it.

Music is once again on the agenda.  Maybe its the sunny day, or promise of a pending vacation, or just an overall feeling of calm that brings a smile to this authors face.  Who cares how it got there?  Here is hoping it stays.

Mortality is an ongoing theme in my world this week.  There was an impromptu trip "home" mid-week as a loved one underwent major heart surgery.  Then yesterday the news that Roger Ebert passed.  North Korea and the diminutive new leader seem hell bent on inflicting unprecedented harm too.  It is all so delicate.

This week I spent time fondly remembering my childhood and looking forward to my future, both immediate and long term.  More often than not music provides the inspiration.  With less than 24 hours until wheels up on a long overdue vacation, and motivated slightly by Paste Magazine's Best of 2013 (so far), please take a look/listen at the 2013 Springtime Super Mix.  As always it can be found on Spotify if you subscribe.

Have a great weekend all and catch ya'll in a week or so.

Violent Femmes "Add It Up"  Long live the 80s!  On long drives I find myself listening to 80s on 8.  For every bad Phil Collins or Billy Ocean song, there are gems too.  This one brings to mind Suzuki Samurai joy rides to high school football games, fall foliage, first kisses, and innocent times.  Funny, since in 1983 this was an anti-innocent song.  Hard to believe this track is 30! years old.

Cayucas "Cayucos"  While not technically the same name, it is darn close.  It's kinda like Bad Company singing "Bad Company."  That bugs me for some reason.  The song however is super groovy.  This buzz band from the left coast releases its debut record in the coming weeks.  Get to know them,

U2 "Heartland"  More nostalgia.  Thoughts of 25th St Budco cinema to watch Rattle and Hum.  Thoughts of pretentious lead singer Bono, not pretentious philanthropist Bono.  Quite simply an amazing rock and roll love song.

Waxahatchee "Peace and Quiet"  A few chords and a big voice can go a long way.  This has a 90s attitude (think Liz Phair, PJ Harvey, Cat Power.)  Will be on many top songs of the year lists when 2013 is over.

Joe Jackson "Breaking Us in Two" Jackson's 1982 record Night and Day remains one of my favorite of all time.  It/he is one of the only performers my dad and I agree on.  He must have played "Steppin Out" a thousand times on the 33 I bought him for Christmas.  This track is the real stand out.   Sadness and harsh realities here folks.  Sometimes there just isn't a happy ending.  But the song is evidence of superlative songwriting.

Billy Clyro "Black Chandelier"  I am still somewhat on the fence here.  I hate the intro.  His voice sounds much like Brandon Boyd from Incubus (who I can't stand!)  The image in the video is NOT how I pictured the band.  There are a lot of questions.  Yet, when I hear it I don't turn it off.  And in my darkest moments I may even hum along.  I submit, I suppose.  You?

English Beat "Save It For Later"  Cheeky British ska done to perfection.  Nuff said.

Foxygen "No Destruction"  These West Coasters cancelled their European tour after a mini meltdown at last months SXSW.  It ain't easy to handle the rigors of making music these days.  Tours. Press. Tours. Press.  It never ends.  They have but one album that has been received more than favorably and they are finding the waters rough.  All that being said this track is darn good.

Icicle Works "Whisper to A Scream (Birds Fly)"  In the infancy of music video all you needed was a sound stage, wind machine, and fake leaves.  Does the drum beat sounds an awful like Bow Wow Wow's "I Want Candy?"  One of the most underplayed and underrated songs of the decade.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Sacrilege"  Karen O plus a gospel chorus?  Karen O with some 70s style Curtis Mayfield guitar fills?  The song is one thing...  the sexually charged video is quite another.  Their new LP is weeks away from release and this song has established itself as one of the years best.

The GoGos "Vacation"  Cause I am on one...  effective, NOW!!


added bonus:  Hate the song, but need your input. Why is this being played???