Rules of Summer (Best of June, 2014)

It's not really a summer "break."  In fact, you could argue these days are more aggravating, and fleeting.  Is it easier that your kid doesn't have a set place to be for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week?  Sure, some of you transition your children right into camps that last anywhere from 3 days or until September.  But that is hard work too.  You have to find the right fit, at the right cost.   And then get all the stuff you want to get done while they are away.  Don't kid yourself- that is a deadline.

Work hasn't stopped either.  (more) Deadlines, anxious clients, and the unhinged co-workers you would like to escape from, most likely never leave.

You try to expedite the minutiaa so you can enjoy all that sunshine.  We passed the longest day already, right?  Was it last weekend?  Damn.  The days are already getting darker,right.? I try not to think of November afternoons that darken around 4pm. But they are coming!!

No!  Seize the day.  I even managed a walk before the work day this morning.  Of course, a stranger pushing his infant boy felt compelled to inform me "It looked like I had a rough night."   Thanks random stranger!!

Um, I kinda didn't.  Home early, better than average sleep, early shower, and up and at em.

What is it I look like?  Felt pretty good actually.

the writer enjoys breakfast

Whatever, I'm still gonna rock this bitch.

But wait, this isn't a camp day.  How is she going to be emotionally when she wakes up?  Are friends around or will I have to come up with about 4 hours of activity?  And what about food?  Will I have enough?

The day to day struggles and many joys, aren't going anywhere.  Like all the seasons, summer is about time management and setting realistic expectations.

There are also rules.

1)  Get a third party opinion on your choice of swimwear.  I dig that you are confident and secure with your body.  But there are things that should not be seen in public.  Things you cannot unsee.  That goes for me too.  I plan on wearing the latest Haz Mat bathing suit.

2) Posting pictures.  Refer to rule 1) in particular.  But let's all be extra careful about oversharing.  New locations or the first day of your holiday are great.  We do not, however, need to see every breakfast, or every monument.  It's cool, you are away.  But I don't do the tour guide stuff when I go away.  Watch, I am going away next week and I am gonna be a total d bag over sharer.  *insert band pic here.  * dinner spot  * feet at the pool  * head in sand  * baseball stadium  * zoo/museum  * 3 generations of something  * 99% of people can't watch this video for 5 seconds  * shameless Buzz Feed poll  * onion headline.

3)  While we are talking about the beach, another reminder.  Boom boxes are off limits.   Its hard enough to find time to play music.  Now, with everyone having headphones, you decide to bring the Casio and play the Hits (n)one FM channel.  I would never force my shit on dozens of strangers.  Thats called a party.  And you didn't invite me...  and I didn't show up uninvited.  We are all here.  And sometimes we don't like what you like.

4)  No power tools til 9am.  Yeah, yeah, yeah...  I know what you are gonna say.  "Its the only time the landscaper can come." or "Its my only time off that week."  Probably both fair points.  But I am sleeping.  I get maybe 4 Saturdays a year I can stay in bed until 8am.  I will help you even, like 7pm or something.  Hell, you can pay me and I might have time to do it during the week- ya know, business hours.

5) No fireworks after 11pm.  Or whatever.  Do what you want.

Don't forget to build on your summer soundtrack too.  Iggy Azelea and Lil Jon don't need your help.  They have a young fan base and 30 somethings need not apply.  Take command of the Volvo's dial and check some of these tunes out.  The Best of 2014 (so far) can be found here.  Like the page, connect, join the conversation.  And whatever your quest is this summer make it amazing!

Happy Summer all.

GTS



Boy & Bear "Southern Sun"

Aussie Aussie Aussie.  Soft folk rock!!!  Formed in 2009 the South Wales rockers have 2 very successful albums- a World away.  They are making a name for themselves with this 70s California guitar inspired, smile inducing, road song.  It speaks of "waiting for the day/to be able to run."  If that does not define the first days of summer- at least for kids leaving school.

Lana Del Rey "Brooklyn Baby"

It is clear Ms Del Rey is a contrivance.  She burst onto the indie scene a few years back with her debut record, Born to Die.  She appeared on Saturday Night Live.  Critics in the alt world revolted.  It was in part due to her failed pop act Lizzy Grant (her birth name.)  They pointed to her transformation into moody, pout stricken ingenue.  "It wasn't authentic!" they cried.
They might still protest- but her follow up, Ultraviolence, is a wonderful record.  Like Boy $ Bear she borrows a lot from 70s LA- "West Coast" for instance is a blatant "Edge of Seventeen" ripoff.  Black Keys' Dan Auerbach produced the record in Nashville and its hillbilly roots are quite visible.  This song, a goofy mediation on millennial hipsters (yeah Williamsburg, she is talking to you) is just great.  Weird all that transformation works in the pop world (Madonna, Britney, Miley).  But when a girl goes from pop to alt- Fader and Pitchfork be trippin.

Milky Chance "Stolen Dance"

OK, German pop-folk, reggae, electronica.  Maybe that is why I protested this song so much.  After all, it was released about a year ago.  I like it way more than the German soccer team, that's for sure.  They better not win the World Cup!  But man, they are friggin talented.  Like a machine I tell ya.  But who can watch those games and think they are nothing more than WWE Mondays.  Men writhing in pain and grabbing each other for 90 minutes.  Refs who seem in on the joke and pull cards out of their pockets and send them to their room.  Expect them to make fair calls?  HA!!  Its cool the US moved on- but lets be honest, they should have won the damn group.  Bradley's play at midfield against Portugal cost us a certain win.  Then to back in after losing to said Germans.  That's kinda lame.  I.  I believe.  I believe we are still on the outside looking in.  Go prove me wrong!!

Big Data (featuring Joywave) "Dangerous"

I like the fact that Big Data wrote the content of their Wikipedia page.  It might be more original than this song.  Beeps and boops with a catchy hook.  Sometimes that is all you need.

Waters "Got to My Head"

San Francisco rockers who sound an awful lot like Grouplove.  That is all

Spoon "Rent I Pay"

Britt Daniel is a force.  And his Austin band, Spoon, is back!  In August they will release their 8th studio album, They Want My Soul.  That is very good news for those who like guitar music.  Its hard to find these days.  For every Jack White there are a dozen Jason Derulo's and Adam Levine's.  Not putting those guys down, just saying they are way more popular.  Ok yes, I am putting those guys down.  Why are they more famous???

OK Go "Writing's on the Wall"

At this point, Chicago alt-rockers OK Go are more known for their visual work, than they are their songs.  Their latest project, is an art nerd/film geek's wet dream.  They have come a long way from the treadmill video.    Take a look.

Grimes "Go"

Rhianna turned this one down.  Hmm.  Has Grimes lost her touch??  This is definitely a huge lead toward dub step, which should raise eyebrows.  What say you?

Parquet Courts "Black and White"

Post-punk rock from Brooklyn.  Their latest effort brings a bit more horn to the party.  The results are post-punk and ska, as evidenced here.  "Black and White" is an appropriate title.  There is little nuance here.  What you hear, is what you get.  If what you like is power chords, booming bass, and hastily shouted ramblings this is your scene.


Sam Smith Live at Letterman "Stay With Me"

As David Letterman begins his farewell tour it should be noted he has ALWAYS been a champion of the alt music world.  Kimmel and Fallon would be nowhere without him.  It is a big reason I could never take NBC seriously.  You hitched your wagon to uncool folks (Leno?  Really?)  His reactions to artists has always been fun.  Recently he gushed over the Orwells and asked the Dum Dum Girls if they could come back every night.  When Smith performed his mega hit Letterman was left fumbling for words.  This guy (Boy George's doppleganger, right?) can bring it.  What an amazing voice.

Get Busy Living...

Viva La Caveman Band!!!

There are forces around me that suggest we are living in End Days.  There is a Nor'Easter headed our way this weekend.  Naturally, it is October.  Recent history predicts nasty weather this time of year.  In fact, my daughter has not gone trick or treating the past few Halloweens.  Two years ago we were hit with a colossal snow storm that crippled the area for several days.  Last year, a little thing called Super Storm Sandy, well, ya know.  Tomorrow we will take the little one to NYC for our annual fall visit.  That day usually begins with a stop in New York Costumes located in the West Village.  Dare we buy an overpriced costume for a Holiday that Mother Nature is determined to destroy?  Will it be locusts or frogs that take it out this year?

And that does not speak to the mess our political system finds itself in.  Never mind the ongoing shut down and looming debt ceiling crisis.  Even if we manage to claw our way back to "normalcy" the landscape still looks pretty shitty.

Has Syria been resolved?  Iran?  North Korea?  We still fighting in Afghanistan?  Iraq?  Wall Street?

Let's not get me started on global health either.  Have you seen Contagion?  One bad virus and things can get real up in here.

Wait, that sounds like I am buying in.  And I am not.

There are way too many good things out there.  Have you seen the sunsets lately?  Autumn's colors are vibrant and life affirming.

It's fall movie season.  Tom Hanks once again portrays a heroic "everyman."  Gravity is busy blowing people's minds.  Not to mention Katniss Everdeen coming soon to a theatre near you.

The fall classic is days away too.  The Red Sox, love them or hate them, are competing for baseball's title.  The Pittsburgh Pirates, away from postseason baseball for two decades, just wrapped up a tremendous season in one of America's great stadiums, in one of America's finest cities.  They brought back feelings of Clemente, Stargell and Tekulve, and not so much Barry Bonds.   

Oakland and Detroit, two cities with their share of problems, will vie for a trip to the ALCS tonight.  Win or go home.  All hands on deck.  Sport as metaphor.

Me?  I dig on music.  More specifically, I likes seeing it live.  It is on stage,  without the smooth trickery of an MIT trained producer, that an artist can really shine or crack.

Either way, it's a worthy endeavor.  Will the crowd buy in?  Will the performers surprise?  Engage?  Recoil?  

How will the energy from headliner be?  From audience?

It can be visceral.  It can volatile.  It can be highly rewarding.  It can be deeply disappointing.  

It is never the same.  Venue, band, crowd and any/all intangibles all add up to an unpredictable endeavor.  Why should art be any different?

At least it is honest.  That, in itself, is worth the effort.

"Get Busy Living, or get busy dying..."

 There were about a dozen shows last night, including a special SiriusXM album release party by Cage, the Elephant, at The Studio at Webster Hall.  You can't see them all.  England post-punk rockers Palma Violets were in the Grand Ballroom.  And they had the floor rocking. They played to a modest group of cleaned up young folk.  It was a respectful and well behaved crew considering the band, duel frontmen Samuel Fryer (vocals/guitar) and Alexander "Chill" Jesson (vocals/bass) were heavy on guitar and not lacking in energy.  It has been the year of post-punk, at least in my world.  Savages, Parquet Courts, and Wire are some other bands this space has covered within the past few months.  Everything is cyclical in music.  80s synths are back big- Holy Ghost, The Naked and The Famous are just a few acts playing to sold out NYC crowds in the coming weeks.  90s grunge is gaining steam too... Diiv comes to mind.   The innovators and forward thinkers are harder and harder to find.

That does not mean the music scene is dormant and uninspired.  Palma Violets are accomplished rookies in the unrelenting world of rock.  They have one record, 180, which was released in February.  Formed a mere 2 years ago, Palma Violets has earned its stripes touring the World.  Last night's show marked their biggest NYC event and they were game to please.  A couple of chords, blissfully ignorant and boyish lyrics/vocals and a whole lot of attitude.  An ancient formula started long ago that hasn't aged a bit.  Good stuff, especially their break-out single "Best of Friends".  Not only did they make that single soar, they played it mid-set, not as their encore.  The enthusiasm, both with artist and audience, often peaks mid show.  Why not capture that energy and kill your signature song?  They did, in a big way!

Palma Violets, Webster Hall 10.9.13

Those familiar with this space should know that NY based Caveman are my personal favorite.  The final transcending moments of "Old Friends", from their debut record CoCo Beware, made me an instant devotee several years ago.  I am hooked.  I am a groupie.  I, like many who have seen them live and fallen in love with their songs (including this years self titled sophomore record) wants desperately for them to succeed.

They have been on the road most of the year supporting, and clearly crafting/perfecting, the new material.  My friends and I worried that the sophomore record was too soon in the making.  Not everyone heard and responded to CoCo Beware like they should have.  How can Toro Y Moi and Youth Lagoon make inroads and open arena shows and these guys not catch on?  The sound is so full, so rich, so beautiful.

It was with some reluctance I ventured uptown to the soulless monolith calledTerminal 5.  Last time I was there security gave me a hard time about something...  can't remember what.  Logistically it is difficult.  57th and 12th Ave??  That's Weehawken, NJ as far as I am concerned.

Then there is the issue with the sound.  It is NEVER right.  Did Caveman stand a chance against the vicious engineering that makes bigger bands crumble?

The answer was no.  Which is not to say Caveman were not, as they always are, incredible.  There were plenty of folks around me who were caught up in their dizzying and effective set.  Many were there for the headliners, Ra Ra Riot.  It is safe to say Caveman converted more than a few.

"My Time", (fast paced rock-a-billy) and "Thankful" (moody and introspective) were both goose bump inducing.

But it was Caveman's new work that stood out.  "Where's the Time?" is a groovy and elegant piece.  "In the City", something of a return to town anthem last night, paints an elegant picture of longing, regret and hope.

Like Palma Violets, Caveman are not out to rewrite the blue print.  Matt Iwanusa, singer/guitarist/drummer, is not your typical leading man.  He has a lot more swagger than when I first saw him few years ago.  But Mick Jagger he is not.  What he does have is a presence and the ability to engage the listener/viewer.  His voice is soft, yet powerful.  His demeanor, that of someone genuinely grateful to be doing what he loves to do, is apparent.

His cast mates, Jimmy "Cobra" Carbonetti (guitar), Jeff Berrall (bass), Stefan Marolachakis (drums) and Sam Hopkins (keyboards) are all equally "in the moment." There are no wasted movements or insincere gestures.  They were once again joined by Matt Clark, drummer for another NY band, White Rabbits.  He has become the de facto 6th member and when he has added a fuller sound(!) to an already formidable staff.  It is no nonsense jam, vibe, tribal, pop, rock.  Berrall adds smooth harmonies. Cobra's howling guitar fills are mesmerizing.  And Hopkins goes about the business of adding layers, and layers, and layers.

Were there misses last night?  Yes.  As I mentioned, this was Terminal 5.  Matt's microphone was turned up too high and dissonant on more than one occasion.  Jeff and Cobra were turned too low on the other hand.  The mix, as is often the case, was not ideal.

But the local kids were on the big stage, where they belong.  Next time maybe The Beacon or Hammerstein.  Someplace where the climate suits there clothes.

Terminal 5 once again proved itself the tundra to rock's Mediterranean sensibilities.  Fret not Caveman, you are still beloved and I was not the only one who walked away with praise and admiration last night.  That is the good news.  This place needs more Caveman fans.

Caveman, Terminal 5, 10.9.13

Caveman live clip "A Country's King of Dreams"

Palma Violets "Best of Friends"

Parquet Courts at MHOW 10.2.13

The Parquet Courts show left me a little disappointed last week.  It could have been the 11pm start coupled with a 5am wake up call the next day.  Whatever the case, they were a fine post punk act who left me wanting more.  There were some fine moments, sure, but too often one song sounded eerily similar to the previous one.  

Best Of March 2013

The posts have been few and far between I readily admit.  Funny how life has a way of overwhelming us at times.  Don't read too much into that either.  As John Lennon wrote, "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."  Real "life" need not be boring and unrewarding however.  Some of us might think a Sunday trip to Michael's for some crafts is the definition of Hell on Earth.  I don't remember ever entering one of those stores and boy was it enlightening.  First, the place is jam packed with both product and people.  It's a crack haven for Christmas sweater wearing single aunts wanting to wrap their hands around the latest in scrap booking accessories and balls of yarn.  The other demographic is clueless parents out to help their children nail the school science project.   Some are mothers buying product for the project THEY envision.  If their child has any input it is remarkable.  "Here is how we are going to do it...  if you want my help, follow my direction" parenting.

The other half of the shoppers are dads, like me, who let their child channel their inner Fellini.  Before you know it your shopping cart is filled with rolls of felt, styrofoam spheres, faux grass, glue, paint, midgets, clowns and the corpse of Marcello Mastroianni.  Funny, you never end up bringing home Anika Ekberg do you?

Throw the store at them in an effort to prevent them how to make the darn thing.  If for only a few hours.  It is beautiful really.  Teach them to be creative and concise after spending needless money on crap.  Everyone wins!  Left brain meets commerce.

Where was I?  Oh, yeah.  That shits take time.  And energy.  And time.  Before you know it the endless hours you thought you had on a Sunday are gone.  It's 60 Minutes time already?  Throw March Madness into the mix and how does anyone get anything done this weekend?

The weeks are no better,  or worse, or whatever.  It's life.  It's a beautiful mess.  What are we gonna eat for dinner?  When is her Science quiz?  If held up at work how is she getting home from school?  Anyone let the dog out today?  What color we painting the living room?  Is it gonna snow again?  On March freaking 25th?  Why do we live in the Northeast again?

Oh, right the schools.  And the corruption.  No, stop.  It's all good stuff.  The mundane activities are setting the plan in motion.  Educate the children and teach them the process.  Play a game of horse in the backyard.  Have her do some spring cleaning and rearrange her dresser drawers.  That's good stuff indeed.  Then maybe next week we go after what keeps us hanging around NYC.  The art.  The culture.  The food.  The greatest city on Earth.  Or, at least the greatest one we know.  Lots of great music too.  The spring concert season will be heating up in the coming weeks.  Keep checking GTS on FB for concerts, videos, and live show updates.  We always love to meet old friends, and new, on concert excursion evenings.  Chappo in Brooklyn 3.30.13 looks to be the next stop.  Join us?  In the meantime March was/is another stellar month for new tracks.  Take a listen, won't you?

Parquet Courts "Stoned and Starving"  This goes back to the earlier discussion.   What is for dinner tonight?  It was a good one!  Grilled some filets and the Mrs rocked some seasoned potato crisps.  That was several hours ago.  Now I am feeling like the protagonist in this track by Brooklyn punk act Parquet Courts.  Good humor and a great beat.  I have never been much of a punk aficionado, but I know what I likes.  And I likes this one a lot.  * this column does not advocate walking through NYC stoned and starving.  there are PLENTY of places to get a bite.*

Ty Segall "Thank God For the Sinners"  California twenty something Ty Segall released like 60 LP's last year.  Ok, it was only 3.  Only 3??!!!  I'm lucky if I come up with 3 good ideas in a year.  And by ideas I mean 3 worthy things to steal.  This track is downright awesome.  Gritty, guitar rock in the best kind of way.  Why do I get the feeling Segall just wrote a song while I wrote this paragraph?

Palma Violets "Best of Friends"  We head over the pond for some more punk/garage/psych-grunge rock.  Dueling frontmen Sam Fryer and Alexander "Chilli" Jesson serve up a delicious mix of hard driving guitar and blistering drum lines.  They blend that with aggressive and attention grabbing vocals.  This is an ear opening single.  This is an act worth learning more about.  Note, we understand this is a 2012 track, but don't care.  It is new to this column.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down "We The Common (For Valerie Bolden)  I know, I know.  Sounds super pretentious right?  Both the band name and title!!  We do know Thao Nguyen is the voice behind the song and front women behind this group of California folk rockers.  Valerie Bolden?  That is another story.  There is some blues picking that steer this tune.  But it is the harmonies and airy flow that keep the song in your head for hours.

Alt-J "Tessellate"  As I write this Leeds University quartet is playing a jam packed Terminal 5.  They won the Mercury Prize in 2012 for their debut LP.  We may be late to the party again but...  better late than never.   Their other singles might be more popular and successful in the states (see "Breezeblocks"  and "Matilda".)  I say start here.

Cold War Kids "Miracle Mile"  I have never seen Grey's Anatomy, so I could not tell you the difference between McDreamy or McSteamy.  I do happen to know the music director of the hit ABC show is pretty darn good.  Many alt artists have gotten commercial success due in large part to their inclusion on a montage scene here or opening title sequence there.  So I am told.  It comes as no surprise as I searched for the latest single by California's Cold War Kids, a clip from the tv show was one of the first Google results.  That is a long, pointless tangent.  Long story short, the band and said single, are super cool.

Leagues "Spotlight"   Nashville based leagues released their debut record, You Belong Here, in January.  This is the single.  Get to know it all.


Phosphorescent "Song for Zula"  Would you believe Phosphorescent is an alias for Alabama born and Brooklyn based singer/songwriter/mood setter Matthew Houck?  Of course you would.  You really gonna look up any info on him to challenge me?  If I said he  was a Buddhist pilgrim who writes songs in Gaza and raised sheep in Portugal would you buy in?  You should sit back and chill to this lovely little piece that reminds you of 90s emo (see The Verve for instance) and has a lyric that follows Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."

Foals "My Number"  Was that some 80s synth you were asking for?  The kind Manchester, England made famous?  These cats from Oxford have been making music for several years.  High energy dance stuff that would make the Human League smile.  Don't, don't you want me?  To give you more great tracks??

Last one...

Shout Out Louds "Walking in Your Footsteps"  No secret that this blog has championed Swedish pop. Hell we endorse Swedish fish too.  Lykke Li, Miike Snow, and The Sounds are but a few of the Swedish acts we boogie down to.  Add veteran pop act Shout Out Louds to the mix.  Their latest record (and 5th total!) Optika, came out in late February.  Let me do my best Stephon from Saturday Night Live...  this song has everything, flute, Robert Fripp-esque guitar fills, that thing when an effeminate man sings quietly with a Swedish girl, synths, beats, smiles and a human wrist watch.  That's that thing where a midget wraps himself around your hand and yells the time at you.  Ok, it's late and I am clearly losing focus.

Keep on living the dream all.