Pavement – Central Park Summerstage, NYC – 9/22/2010


Somehow a whole year passed without me losing my precious Pavement tickets. Though they almost got thrown out twice, they survived. Last night was the first time I have ever seen Pavement live and it was one of the most amazing experiences in my life.

To be honest with you lately for the most part I have been semi-bored with shows. They seem to be lacking something. Pavement is where I found the missing link. One of the greatest things to ever happen in Indie rock is this iconic band reuniting, and you could tell by their smiles on stage, they were not taking the situation for granted.

The fans trickled in slowly mostly after openers Times New Viking took the stage. Understandable. I didn’t even know what was going on with the opening act because I just wanted to see Pavement. The crowd was sprinkled with celebrities (very lightly. also, depending on your perception of celebrity) like Brian Bell of Weezer and the Ace of Cakes crew who was there giving the guys a horse cake. Apparently this will be on a future episode of the show.

The band played around 25 songs, a few less than they played in NYC the night before. The cause of this was the 15 minute break Pavement had to take for the thunder storm. Let me tell you, we got SOAKED, and that is putting it lightly. Though it didn’t stop the crowd or the band from having fun. When you spend a year waiting for a reunion show of the best band ever, you better make sure you see it. Even for a while when you could see Stephen Malkmus from the side of the stage looking up at the sky, it looked like he just wanted to jump back on and play regardless. The band came back on and did an astonishing set that will not be forgotten.

The rumor was in the 1990s that Pavement wasn’t much of a ‘great live act.’ Fast forward to 2010 and they just blew the whole audience away. Tighter and better than ever, especially Bob Nastanovich who could scream without missing a breath. They seemed to love being Pavement again. Thats what matters most, right?

Some of the highlights of the show were “Range Life,” “Stereo,” “Zurich,” “Summer Babe,” “Father to a Sister of Thought,” “Gold Soundz,” “Cut Your Hair,” umm..okay the whole setlist.

Tomorrow I hit up round two of the band at Central Park and I couldn’t be any more excited. Pavement ist rad.

Check out the setlist below and PAVEMENT pictures after the JUMP.

Via Brooklyn Vegan Via Keith G.

Sufjan’s Label Not Happy With Amazon Pricing

sufjanSufjan Stevens maybe excited that his album is being released, but his record label, Asthmatic Kitty, may not be as excited.

The label sent out a letter to fans, seemingly asking them to not buy Steven’s new album, The Age of Adz, from the massive online retailer, Amazon.

We have it on good authority that Amazon will be selling The Age of Adz for a very low price on release date, not unlike they did with Arcade Fire’s recent (and really terrific) The Suburbs,” reads the letter. “We have mixed feelings about discounted pricing. Like we said, we love getting good music into the hands of good people, and when a price is low, more people buy. A low price will introduce a lot of people to Sufjan’s music and to this wonderful album. For that, we’re grateful. But we also feel like the work that our artists produce is worth more than a cost of a latte. We value the skill, love, and time they’ve put into making their records. And we feel that our work too, in promotion and distribution, is also valuable and worthwhile.”
It continues, “That’s why we personally feel that physical products like EPs should sell for around $7 and full-length CDs for around $10-12 We think digital EPs should sell for around $5 and full-length digital albums for something like $8. So you might wonder why we’d ‘allow’ Amazon to sell it for lower than that. There are several reasons why, but mostly? It’s because we believe in you. We trust you and in your ability to make your own choice.”

The Age of Adz will be released October 12 via both physical and digital retailers.

Album Review: Weezer – Hurley


For those over thirty, read this section of the review:

Weezer’s new album, their first for Epitaph records, is like two sweet middle-aged people getting married in the final chapter of a Nicholas Sparks album. Epitaph, the snot nosed obnoxo-core record label that made it’s name in the early 1990s with bands like Offspring, NOFX and Rancid has found the perfect match in this album from Weezer, a return to everything you love about them pre-The Green Album.

For those of you under thirty, please read this section:

Weezer, that band with that “Island in the Sun” song has made an album talking about what it’s like to be old when the only thing you have to look forward to is nostalgia. Oh, but there’s an anthem here for nerdy girls called “Smart Girls” which is basically Buck Cherry’s “Crazy Bitch” for the Tumblr set.

Though a return to the earlier Pinkerton type emotive, poppy, jump around punk, Hurley is not without its own production decision missteps. For every strong song like the first single, “Memories”, a paean to the earlier years of the band which features some clever lyrics such as “When Audioslave was still Rage”, there is an odd track such as “Hang On” filled with all of the strange “wide screen” production flourishes like those that made Against Me!’s New Wave such a disappointment.

These extraneous elements find their way to “Unspoken” in the form of a flute backing the acoustic guitar phrases, and “Trainwrecks” in a Pet Shop Boys-like synth pad intro. Though there are times when these embellishments do add to the songs such as “Time Flies” and “Run Away” yet even there it sounds like they had extra money so why not continue to tinker with tracks to show “Hey we used the production budget!”

A lot has been made about the “grown up” sound of this album, but you’d be better off examining this as more of a mid-life crisis; an album designed to be wistful and bank on the previous experiences the audience had with Weezer than on trying to push forward. Though if Hurley prevents another Raditude, I’m all for it.

CMJ Marathon Announces MORE Artists


The time has finally come when CMJ has announced MORE artists to the ever growing lineup of the 2010 festival. We have some old favorites, but as always it’s packed to the rafters with new acts. Phoenix is playing. Go figure. No one has ever heard of them before….

Amongst some of our favorites include Surfer Blood, The Drums, Miniature Tigers, Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band, Matt Mays (What??), Young Nick Krill of the Spinto Band (Super what??) and a million more. Though we’re giving you the whole list. Skim it over, and make some plans to spend your October 19-24 at CMJ.

1995 • +/- • 2 Cow Garage • A Classic Education • A Life Once Lost • A Million Years • Acid Washed • Acid Westerns • Adam Haworth Stephens • Adult Themes • Afternoon • Agent Ribbons • AIDS Wolf • The Aikiu • Air Waves • Alcoholic Faith Mission • Alessi’s Ark • Alexandra Richards (DJ set) • Alfonso Velez • All Out • Aloud • Ambassadors • Andrew Belle • Andrew Cedermark • Andrew Vladeck • Andy Davis • Angus & Julia Stone • Anita Maj • Anni Rossi • Anthony Jeselnik • Apollo Run • Appomattox • The Armchairs • Arms & Legs • The Arms Akimbo • Arpline • Art Of Fresh • The Art of Shooting • Asa Ransom • Asobi Seksu • At Sea • Atomic Tom • Atypicals • Audacity • Autodrone • Auto-Matic Vaudeville • Autumn Owls • Ava Luna • Avey Tare (DJ set) • The Aviation Orange • Azealia Black • Baby Copperhead • Bad Books (feat. Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra) • Bad Cop • Balance and Composure • Battle Circus • The Bamboo Kids • Baptized In Blood • Baths • Bayside • Beach Fossils • Bear Hands • Bears of Blue River • Beau Jennings • The Beauties • Beauty Feast • The Beauvilles • Bebe Fang • Ben Allison • Ben Talmi • Bewitched Hands on Top of Our Heads • The Big Big Bucks • Big Freedia • The Bigger Lights • Bikini • Billy Nayer Show • Binary Marketing Show • The Black Atlantic • Black Cherry • Black Feelings • Black Label Society • Black Sheep • Black Taxi • Blackbells • Blackbird Blackbird • Blaire • Blip Blip Bleep • Blood Red Shoes • Bloodgroup • The Bloodsugars • The Blow • Bo Burnham • Body Language • The Bogmen • Bonfires • Boom Boom Satellites • Boot Camp Clik • Bottle Up & Go • Boy Crisis • BRAHMS • Braids • Brass Bed • Brent Arnold • Br’er • Bridges and Powerlines • The Broadfield Marchers • Brodinski • Bronze • Brothers Frank • Built By Animals • Calibro 35 • Canasta • The Canon Logic • The Capstan Shafts • Car Bomb • Care Bears on Fire • Carl Palmer Band • Carusella • Cast of Cheers • Casxio • Caveman • The Chain Gang of 1974 • Chainsmokers (DJ set) • Chamberlin • Champagne Champagne • The Chapel Club • The Chapin Sisters • Chappo • Charlotte Sometimes • Children of Bodom • Chip Fu • Chris Bathgate • Chris Cubeta and Liars Club • Christian Rich • Christina LaRocca and Heavy Weather • The Cinnamon Band • Circle Pit • City Riots • The Class Machine • Click Clack Boom • Cloud Nothings • Clutch • Cobra Skulls • Cojoba • The Colonels • Comanche • Communist Daughter • Conversion Party • Coolrunnings • Corin Tucker Band • Cotton Jones • Coyote Eyes • Craig Wedren • Crayon Fields • The Cringe • Cubic Zirconia • Cults • Cute Is What We Aim For • Cyndi Harvell • Dada Trash Collage • Daily Bread • Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr • Dan Black • Dangermaker • Daniel Pujol • Daniel Wayne • Danny Ross • Darien Brockington • Dark Dark Dark • Darren Hanlon • Das Racist • Dash Rip Rock • David Dallas • David Dondero • David Vandervelde • DaVinci • De Staat • Dead Heart Bloom • Dead Leaf Echo • Dead Man’s Clothes • Dead To Me • Deakin • Dean & Britta • The Dean’s List • Dear Comrade • Death on Two Wheels • Debutaunts • Delicate Steve • Deluka • Denison Witmer • Dennis Padula • Dent May • Derik Foreal • DeScribe • Devin Therriault • DeVotchKa • Dharma Bums • Diamond District • Diamond Doves • Diamond Rings • Diehard • Dinosaur Feathers • Dinowalrus • Dirty Penny • Disembodied • Diwon • Dom • Dominant Legs • Dominique Young Unique • Drazy Hoops • Dream Diary • Dred Scott Trio • Drink Up Buttercup • Drop the Lime (DJ set) • The Drums • Drunken Barn Dance • Dujeous • Dylan LeBlanc • Earatick Statik • Earthless • Eisley • Eklin • Electric Tickle Machine • Elizabeth and the Catapult • Elk City • Ellis Ashbrook • Emergency Service • Emergency Service • Emil & Friends • Emilie Simon • Emily Long • Eprhyme • Erin Barra • Eternal Summers • Everything Everything • Everything Is Terrible • Excepter • Extra Lens • Fabulous DIamonds • Fake Problems • Family Cactus • Fan-Tan • The Feens • The Feiros • Fenech-Soler • Feral Children • Ferraby Lionheart • Fifth Nation • Filligar • First Aid Kit • The Flatliners • The Fleshtones • The Flower Machine • Foam Castles • The Foot • Forro in the Dark • Fort Wilson Riot • Four Tet • Francis and the Lights • Frank Dukes • Frankie and the Heartstrings • Franz Nicolay • Freddie Gibbs • French Horn Rebellion • Freshkills • From A Fountain • The Front Bottoms • Frontier Brothes • Futurebirds • Gamble & Burke • Game Rebellion • Gary Lucas • Gary Wilson and the Blind Dates • Generationals • Gentleman Jesse and His Men • Ghost Ghost • Ghostface Killah • Giant Cloud • Goes Cube • Gold Streets • Golden Animals • Golden Bloom • The Golden Filter • Good Kids Sprouting Horns • The Good Natured • Good Old War • Grand Hallway • The Great Collide • Greg Barris • Greg Dulli • Grillade • The Grip Weeds • Grooms • Grouplove • Guards • Guitars • Guy Blackman • GZA • Hacienda • Hall of Justus with Big Pooh, Chaundon, Joe Scudda, Jozeemo, & Roc C • Hammer No More the Fingers • Hank & the Cupcakse • Harper Blynn • Hazard Adams • Heavy Birds • Heavy Cream • Hedgehog • Heidi Spencer • Helmet • Heypenny • His Mischief • Hollis Brown • Holy Boys Danger Club • Holy Ghost • Honeychild • The Honeymoon Thrillers • The Honors • Hoodie Allen • Hopewell • Hot Lava • Hot Press • HotChaCha • Houses • How To Dress Well • Howlies • Huasipungo • The Hush Now • Hussle Club • Hypernova • I Am Oak • I Led 3 Lives • I Love Monsters • Ian McLagan • The Idle Hands • I’m Turning Into • In Cadeo • Incan Abraham • Incognito • In-Flight Safety • Iron Age • Ivan Julian • Ivri Lider • Izabo • Jack Skuller • Jackson Wetherbee • Jaill • James V McMorrow • Janka Nabay • Jared Evan • Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit • Jason Simon (Dead Meadow) • JD Souther • Jean Grae • Jesse Sykes and Phil Wandscher • Jessica Mayfield • JessUbline • The Jezabels • Joel Plaskett • Joey Ryan • John Grant • John Shannon • John Vanderslice • Johnny Flynn • Johnny Marnell • Johnny Whitney • Jonny Hirsch • Jradio • Jukebox the Ghost • Julia Easterlin • Julius C • Justin Townes Earle • Kaiser Cartel • Kate Rogers • Kate Tucker • KAV • Keepaway • Keepaway • Kelley McRae • Kelsey • Kendra Morris • Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band • K-Flay • Kids of 88 • Kiko Klaus • Kill Krinkle Club • Kinch • Kinetix • Kiss Kiss • Kisses • Kittens Ablaze • The Knocks • Koli Calhoun • Kopecky Family Band • Kosha Dillz • The Krays • Kris Gruen • Kudu • Kurt Braunhouler • Kyle Rapps • La Big Vic • La Sera • La Strada • Langhorne Slim • Last Chance to Reason • Lavish • Lawrence and Leigh • Lawrence Arabia • Le VICE • Leeroy Stagger • The Left (Apollo Brown, DJ Soko, Journalist103 • Leo Blais • Lesands • Lia Ices • Lido Lido • Life and Times of • Life Size Maps • Light Pollution • Lights Resolve • Like Trains and Taxis • Lily & the Parlour Tricks • Linfinity • Liptease • Lisa Bianco • The Lisps • Lissie • Little Fish • Little Racer • Little Teeth • The Lives of Famous Men • Living Days • Long Division • Loomis & the Lust • Lord Huron • Los Doggies • Love Trio (Bill Han, Jesse Murphy, Kenny Wolleson) • Lower Dens • The Lucid • Lucius • Lugriphonic • Luluc • The Luyas • Ma Mentor • Madison Ave Boys • MAE • Magestic Legend • Magic Bullets • The Main Street Gospel • Majorleans • Mama Bear • Man Benu • Manic Bloom • Marco Polo with Torae & Ruste Juxx • Marie Stella • Marit Larsen • Mark Kelly • Mark Mulholland • Marz Lovejoy • Math the Band • Matt Duke • Matt Mays • Mayday • McAlister Drive • Me and My Arrow • Me First and the Gimme Gimmes • The Megaphonic Thrift • MegaRex • MEN • Michael Daves • Midnight Spin • Mikix the Cat • Milagres • Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson • Million Young • Mimicking Birds • Miniature Tigers • Miniboone • Miracles of Modern Science • Mirror Queen • Miz Metro • Modern Rivals • Moe Green • Mon Khmer • Monogold • Morning Teleportation • Moss • Motel Motel • Mother/Father • Moto Boy • Murder Mystery • Mussels • Muy Cansado • My Dear Disco • My Jerusalem • My Other Friend • The Mynabirds • Naam • Nada Surf • The Narrative • Nathan Halpern • Neek The Exotic feat. Large Professor • Neon Hitch • Neon Indian • Netherfriends • Neutral Uke Hotel • Nevermore • New Collisions • New Look • New Morning • Nicky Egan • Nicos Gun • Nightmare & The Cat • Nikki Lane • Nit Club • No Abuse • No Joy • No Surrender • Non-Commissioned Officers • None More Black • Not Blood, Paint • Nottz (w/ special guests) • Oberhofer • Oceanographer • Octant • O’Death • Oh Land • Old Canes • Old Wives • One Be Lo • Onili • Onra • The Orbans • O’Spada • The Pack AD • The Pains of Being Pure at Heart • Parallels • The Parties • The Pass • Patent Pending • Paul and the Patients • Pearl and the Beard • Penguin Prison • Penrose • Pepper Rabbit • Pete Rock • Peter Hadar • The Phantom Band • Pharoahe Monch • Philadelphia Grand Jury • Phoenix • The Photo Atlas • Pictures of Then • Pillow Theory • Planet Ubiquity • Plates of Cake • Plushgun • Pocketknife • Poingly • The Poison Control Center • Pomegranates • Ponderosa • Poofy and the Bus Boys • Posso the DJ • The Postelles • Powell • The Press • Pretty & Nice • Priestess • The Prigs • Prince Rama • The Protomen • Prudence Teacup • PS I Love You • Psalm One • Quest For Fire • Quiet Loudly • Rabia • Radical Dads • Radio Radio • Rah Digga • Raj and the Mash • Ramirez Brothers • Random Recipe • The Rassle • Ravens and Chimes • Reckless Sons • Red Mass • Red Wire Black Wire • Reggie Watts • Reggie Watts • REGO • Reign of Kindo • Reni Lane • Reptar • Restless People • Re-Tros • Revolver • Rich Aucoin • Richard Barone • Ringo Deathstarr • Rival Sons • River City Extension • Robbers On High Street • Robbie Gil • Robert Lester Folsom • Rocky Business • Rope • Ruby Frost • S. Carey • Saadi • Sagol 59 • Saint Motel • Salem • Santah • Sarah Jaffe • Sarah Lee and Johnny Iron • Savoir Adore • Scott Kempner • Scott Lucas and the Married Men • Screaming Females • Screens • The Seedy Seeds • Senor Tadpole • Senses Fail • Setting Sun • Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned • The Shake • The Shake • Shapes • Shark? • Shayfer James • Shayna Zaid • Sheek Louch • Sheridan Fox • Sherlock’s Daughter • Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers • Shinobi Ninja • Shortwave Society • Shrag • Sin Orden • Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds • Sisters • Sky Larkin • Skyzoo & !llmind • Slow Animal • Slow Motion Centerfold • Small Black • Smile Smile • Smoke Fairies • Smoke Or Fire • Smoosh • Snak Rattle Rattlesnake • Snake Rattle Rattlesnake • So So Glos • Social Studies • Soft Black • Soft Reeds • Soko • Soldiers of Fortune • Southpaw Jones • Sparky Quano • Spectre Folk • Spirits of the Red City • Squim • Stand • The Star Department • Starcode • Static Jacks • Stef Lang • Stevans • Steve Gunn • Street Chant • Strife • Strong Arm Steady • Sun Airway • Sunglasses • Super Mirage • Superfortress • Superhumanoids • Surfer Blood • Susanne Sundfør • Suuns • Swethook • Swingset Committee • Syvia • Tabi Bonney • Taken By Trees (DJ set) • Tall Tall Trees • Tamar Eisenman • Tamar Haviv • Tamar Kali • Tamaryn • Tanya Morgan • Tape Deck Mountain • Taysha Busay • Team Facelift • Teenage Bottlerocket • Teletextile • The Tellers • Ten Feet Deep • Tennis System • Tens of Thousands • Thieving Irons • Third Wave Bandits • This Condition • This or the Apocalypse • Thrushes • Title Fight • Title Tracks • TJ Di Hitmaker • TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb • Tôg • Tony Joe White • Tooth Ache • Tournament • Toy Soldiers • Trademark • Travelling Band • Tristen • Turbo Fruits • Turkuaz • Two Door Cinema Club • Two Tears • Ty Segall • Uncle Bad Touch • Unicycle Loves You • Univox • UNKLE • US Royalty • Vagina Panther • Vanaprasta • Vandana • Vandaveer • The Vanguard • Vanity Theft • Viernes • Viernes • Villa • Violens • Viva City • Viva L’American Death Ray Music • The Volebeats • Voltaire Twins • Von Pea • Vonnegutt • Waking Lights • The Wandas • We Are Country Mice • We Are Trees • Weird Owl • Western Civ • Whale Tooth • White Arrows • White Belt Yellow Tag • The Whitsundays • Wild Moccasins • Wild Nothing • Will Stratton • Willie Nile • Windings • Winterlings • Wise Blood • Wise Girl • Witch Hunt • The Woes • Woodsy Pride • Woven Bones • The Xcerts • Xylos • YC and Sene • Year of the Tiger • The Yes Way • Y-Love • Young Adults • Young Mammals • Young Man • Young Nick Krill (of The Spinto Band) • Young Prisms • Young Rival • Young the Giant • Yuck • Yukon Blonde • Yuksek • Zach Hurd • Zachary Cale • Zambri • Zamza • Zo! • Zowie

Twin Shadow @ Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY – 9/11/2010

Photo by Adam Weinberg


For a band I just barely heard about, Twin Shadow seems to be doing
pretty good for themselves. They have an album coming out on 4AD, a sexy porn video, and what seemed to be a packed house at Glasslands.
Like most people, the first song I’d heard by Twin Shadow was ‘Slow’.
I thought the song was pretty fantastic, and reminiscent of a great
80’s song. When I skimmed the rest of the album, though, I didn’t find
anything that really clicked with me. All that being said, on
September 11th I saw them at the previously mentioned venue, and they put on quite a show.

Actually my friend/ Photographer Adam Weinberg and I agreed that the
least enjoyable song the played live was ‘Slow’, and I think that’s
just because they played it really loud and we were too close to the
speaker.

My favorite performance of the night, and by everyone’s dancing I think theaudience agreed, was ‘At My Heels’. Wow this song certainly packed a punch. I think the only reason I missed this song on the album was because one of the first few lyrics in the song is “belly”, and that just didn’t sit right with me. Otherwise, all around, I think these guys are worth a viewing, and if you get the chance you won’t be dissapointed.

Songs to listen to: ‘Slow’ and ‘At My Heels’

Side note: Lots of ‘interesting’ bands opened for Twin Shadow. My Gold
Mask was probably my favorite for their energy. You can search the
rest by googling Twin Shadow at Glasslands.

Smith Westerns Announce Tour Dates

sw

Chicago’s Smith Westerns, fresh off of signing with Fat Possum, have announced a handful of upcoming tour dates, including one with Belle and Sebastian.

The group is currently wrapping up their sophomore album for Fat Possum, which will be out sometime early in 2011. To tide you over, the band has released a short video called “Friends Forever.”

Check it out right here. Smith Westerns will be…

10/11 Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre *
10/30 Brooklyn, NY 171 Lombardy
10/31 Boston, MA House of Blues #
11/01 New York, NY Terminal 5 #
11/02 New York, NY Terminal 5 #
11/03 Toronto, ONT Sound Academy #
11/05 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall

* = w/ Belle & Sebastian
# = w/ Florence & The Machine