Polyvinyl Records Showcase @ CMJ, Bell House, NY- October 23, 2009

Polyvinyl Records is undoubtably one of the best indie labels out there today, if not of all time. With a roster that includes everyone from Of Montreal to Headlights, they held a stellar showcase at the Bell House during CMJ where every performer seemed to be more brilliant than the one before. The venue, which was packed to near capcity, was one of the must sees on Friday night.

I arrived just as the band Owen, also known as one of Mike Kinsella’s many projects, was about to hit the stage and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have heard both good and bad things about their live performance, but I never thought I would experience what I did. Owen played none of their own songs but instead performed nearly all of the Oasis album, (What’s the Story?) Morning Glory (Epic), which was a confusing yet brilliant surprise. Not all of the fans in the crowd were pleased with this fact, but Kinsella and company couldn’t care less as they laughed it off saying “Hey, it took a long time to learn these songs!” There was no end in sight to their madness and they pulled it off well.

Up next was Aloha frontman, Cale Parks who was showcasing his solo work. Taking a far different approach from what he does with his band, Parks stuck to playing digital drums and singing, bringing a very interesting performance to the stage. One ongoing trend of CMJ this year seemed to be the use of digital drums though Parks mastered them like no one else did at the festival.

Also to take the stage was James Husband, the glam drummer from Of Montreal. Husband is currently showcasing his new solo project, joined by Dottie Alexander and Davey Pierce also from Of Montreal. This was one of the first of his solo performances and he did it like an old pro. A stretch from the glitz and glitter of his regular gig, he brought a bit of retro, garage and twee to the stage, and though most people would not have expected it from him, it fits him like a glove.

I stayed just long enough to catch Headlights who displayed a variety of tracks from their newest album,Wildlife (Polyvinyl). With three shows in two days at CMJ, Headlights lit up the stage with their male and female counterpart vocals. They come off sweet and sugary on their albums but onstage they unleash the lions, and the crowd seemed to like it. Singer Erin Fein’s voice is heavenly and it fills the room, taking the songs to a whole new level live.

In all, it was a fantastic night of music. Polyvinyl has proven itself to be a label that can stand the test of time, as we wait in excitement for more good things to come.

Of Montreal *Terminal 5*NYC*9-18-2009

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Making love like a pair of black wizards is never an easy thing to do. Unless you’re  Mr. Kevin Barnes, the frontman of an indie-pop band , Of Montreal with  roots from Athens, Georgia. Putting on a neurotically avante-garde show is only one of the few talents that  the band possesses.

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It’s not even 6 o’clock on a Friday night in Manhattan, but outside of the Terminal 5 music venue, an army of starving fans dressed in skittle -colored clothing are clenching their sweaty fists,while agitatedly waiting for the security to let the crowd begin its flow. The intergalactic monarch and opener of the night, Janelle Monae left the fans hungry for more of her electrically  polished dance moves and nymphet sound.

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While Monae built up the acid- trip energy for the night, Of Montreal astounded  the massive crowd into another break loose lunatic spiral. Labyrynth’s Goblin king- inspired attire, retro double-necked guitar,  gas masks, crucifix, pillow-fights, confetti, feathers, oh yes, and half-naked girls in diapers joining Barnes and the band during the act. Surprisingly enough, Of Montreal brought back their  2005 album, Sunlandic Twins.  Its  hypnotizing guitars and catchy lyrics had all the fans singing along to the “The Party’s Crashing Us Now.”  Also performed “I was never young,” “ Forecast, Fascist, Future,” “An Eluardian Instance”set off an uncoordinated, free -flowing tone that the band was touring for enjoyment, rather just for the promotion of their magnetically ingenious album Skeletal Lamping. Hissing Fauna also made quiet a number of  surprising appearances.A lthough the album presents an interpersonal reflection on the front man’s tenebrous year, Barnes’ performance says otherwise. 

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 Halfway down, “Cato as a Pun “ and” Sink the Seine” manifested the sound and kicked off any melancholic taste that the  album references to. Towards the end of the set, the show was sort of a rolling sticky ball of bizarre.  Meanwhile, Barnes’ wife, Nina and daughter, Alabee  bewilderedly danced onstage sporting splashy costumes  and wigs. The  night ended with an encore and the band performing Diana Ross’s “Love Hangover”, during which Monae and  Solange Knowles joined the jam.
By Viktorsha Uliyanova
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CMJ Marathon Shares More Bands With the World….

After an eternity of waiting for more CMJ bands to be announced, CMJ leaked the news on about 150 other bands that will be playing this afternoon.  The lineup is filled with unknowns and buzz bands, just how we like it. Polyvinyl and Park the Van are both doing showcases as far as we know. Polyvinyl will have Headlights, James Husband from Of Montreal, Cale Parks and Japandroids. Park the Van has the Spinto Band, and well we got really excited and didn’t get to read any further. The marathon will also feature some new kids on the block (no not those new kids on the block) like Cymbals Eat Guitars , Princeton and the Depreciation Guild. Oddly it also features a couple old timers like Sister Hazel and Vertical Horizon. Really? We’re not sure how we feel about those choices. After all it’s supposed to be about new emerging bands, not 1995’s leftovers. Below is the list released so far, and kids it’s only going to get better from here. We highlighted our favorites and must sees, we suggest you do the same.

A Million Years – Acrylics – Adam and Dave’s Bloodline – Adam Matta – Adam Tensta – Adventure – Alex Gopher – Alexandra Hope – All Day Holiday – Aloha – Amber Rubarth – Amy Kuney – An Albatross – AnamanaguchiThe Antlers – April Smith and the Great Picture Show – Atlas SoundBear Hands – Beat Radio – BELL – Benjamin Wagner – Benji Cossa – Bermuda – Big Takeover – Birds of Avalon – Black Hollies – Black Taxi – Blacklist – Blood Warrior – Bloodsugars – Body Language – Bonerama – Break Science feat. Adam Deitch – Brit and the Calvary – Broadcast – Brother Josephus & the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra – The Budos Band – Cale Parks – Calypso – Casino vs Japan – Choir of Young Believers – Chris Barron & Friends – Chris Kasper – Christopher Denny – Clare and the Reasons – Claymation Velociraptor – Clinton Curtis – Cobra Skulls – Corridor – Crystal Antlers Cymbals Eat Guitars – Dada Life – Danger – Dan Torres – Dang-It Bobby’s – Daniel Pujol – Dark Meat – Dark Room Notes – Darshan – Darwin Deez – Das Racist – Deer Tick – Denney and the Jets – Dent May – The Depreciation Guild – DeScribe – Diane Birch – Dick Prall – The Dig – Dinowalrus – Disciplines – Diwon – Dizzy Gillespie™ Alumni All-Stars – DJ Jonathan Toubin – DJ Odd Nosdam – Dolorean – Drawlings – Dred Scott Trio – Drink Up Buttercup – Drug Rug – Dum Dum Girls – ear pwr – ECHOecho – Electro Morocco – EOTO – Eprhyme – Ethan Lipton – Every Avenue – Excepter – Eyehategod – Fanfarlo – Felix Cartel – Fervor – Fieros – Fionn O Lochlainn – First Aid Kit – Flexions – Floating Action – Fool’s Gold – Foreign Echange – Frat Dad – Free Energy – French Horn Rebellion LIVE – French Miami – FUCT – The Fumes – Furcast – Generationals – Gentleman Reg – Gigi Fouquet – Goat Whore – Golden Boots – Golden Triangle – Grammar Debate – Great Republic of Rough and Ready – Greg Davis – Guyora Kats – Hank and Cupcakes – HarlemHeadlights – Heath Brandon – Heavy Cream – Heavy Weather – Hecuba – Helado Negro – Hesta Prynn – Hey Champ DJ – Higgins – The High Strung – Higher Giant – The Hi-Risers – Hockey – Holiday Shores – Hollerado – Hollis Brown – Holy Sons – Home and Garden – Hospital Bombers – Hot Panda – HotChaCha – Ian Axel – Ian Thomas – Immaculate Machine – Inlets – Ivan “Funkboy” Bodley – Ivana XL – J. Dash – Jaguar Club – James Husband – James Maddock – Janel and Anthony – Janelle MonaeJapandroids – Javelin – JBM – Jeff Taylor – JEFF The Brotherhood – Jess King – Joey Cape (Lagwagon) and Jon Snodgrass (Drag The River) – Jonny Hirsch – Josh Mease – Julius C – Jupiter One – Kaiser Cartel – K-Holes – Kosha Dillz – Kria Brekkan – LA Riots – La Strada – Las Rubias Del Norte – Laura Marling – Laura Warshauer – Lemon Bell – Leslie Mendelson – Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez – Lia Ices – Like Bells – Lisa Bianco – Local Natives – Lost In The Trees – Lovvers – Lynch (ft. Jim Loughlin of moe.) – Marcus Johnson – Margaret Cho – Marianna Falusi – Math the Band – Mere – Michael Daves – Michal Towber – Mickey Factz – Midnight Juggernauts – The Mieka Canon – Mighty Five DJ – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – The Minutes – Miz Metro – Modern Science – Modern Skirts – The Moi Non Plus – Mon Khmer – Montag – The Moore Brothers – Mr. Move – Múm – Mumford & Sons – Mutlu – Mystery of Two – The Naked Hearts – Nate Campany – Nathan Corsi Band – Natural Child – The Neanderthals – New Villager – Ninjasonik – NLX – Obits – The Octagon – Owen – The Pack A.D. – Paleo – Papa – The Paparazzi – Patrick Watson – Pela – Pepi Ginsberg – Pete & J – Pig Destroyer – Pill Wonder – Pissed Jeans – Pitbull – Pocketknife – The Polyamorous Affair – Portugal. The Man – Princeton – Puba – Ravens & Chimes – Red Wire Black Wire – Richard Julian – Right On Dynamite – Rings – Rob Roy – Rumspringa – Saul Williams – Savoir Adore – School of Seven Bells – Screaming Females – Sean Bones – Selmanaires – Shaky Hands – Shayna Zaid and The Catch – Shout Out Out Out Out – Signer – Silver Starling – Sin Fang Bous – Sissy Wish – Sister Hazel – Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds – Slow Club – So Many Wizards – So So Glos – Social Hero – Sonya Kitchell – Souljah – Space Capone – Speech Debelle – The Spinto Band – Squaaks – The Stalkers – The Star Department – Stationary Set – Still Flyin’ – Still Life Still – Strong Intention – Subplots – Suckers – Sugar & Gold – Super Extra Bonus Party – Superdrag – Superhuman Happiness – The Surrender – Sxip Shirey – Takka Takka – Tall Tall Trees – Taylor Barton with GE Smith – Teenage Bottlerocket – Telepathe – The Temper Trap – Terry Poison – Tickley Feather – Timber Timbre – The Title Tracks – The Toby Lightman – Tommie Sunshine – Toro y Moi – The Trashmen – Trouble Andrew –True Womanhood – Twi The Humble Feather – Two Man Gentlemen Band – The Uglysuit – U-God – Underwater People – Unnatural Helpers – The Unsacred Hearts – UUVVWWZ – Val Emmich – Vega – Vertical Horizon – Very Best – Via Tania – VIKING – Wallpaper – Warpaint – We Are Country Mice – We Are Enfant Terrible – We Are The World – We Should Be Dead – The Wheel – White Tie Affair – Wild Light – Wild Yaks – Wiyos – The xx – Y-Love – Yes Giantess – Zac Brown Band – Zaza – Zeus – Zs – Z-Trip – Zuri Star – ZzZ

Headlights Extend U.S. Tour and Hit Up CMJ


Polyvinyl darlings, Headlights have just extended their already lengthy U.S. tour for the fall. The band drops their third album, Wildlife (Polyvinyl) on October 6th and they are doing everything in their power to promote it. Recording their latest venture was not exactly easy for the band as there was a lot of turmoil which led to the departure of guitarist John Owen. The band states that Wildlife is their most personal album to date, and it’s a bit more complex. The first single, ‘Get Going’ shows just that. You can’t help but feel every emotion in singer Erin Fein’s voice. The Headlights have also announced they will be playing CMJ this year at the Polyvinyl showcase which will take place at Brooklyn’s Bell House. Sharing the bill with the band will also be Japandroids, Cale Parks and James Husband from Of Montreal. This is one CMJ show to mark on your calender.

Download The Headlights “Get Going”

Headlights Tour Dates

 10/15 – Iowa City, IA The Mill

 10/16 – Dekalb, IL The House

10/17 – Chicago, IL Apple Store on Michigan Ave. 2pm

10/17 – Chicago, IL Empty Bottle *#

 10/18 – Pontiac, MI The Pike Room *#

10/21 – Allston, MA Great Scott *#

 10/23 – Brooklyn, NY The Bell House / Polyvinyl CMJ Showcase $

 10/24 – Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie *#

10/25 – Washington, DC DC9 *#

 10/26 – Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 *#

10/27 – Atlanta, GA Drunken Unicorn #

10/28 – Orlando, FL Will’s Pub # 1

0/29 – Birmingham, AL Bottletree #

 10/30 – Memphis, TN Hi Tone Cafe #

 11/05 – Denver, CO Hi Dive #%

11/06 – Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court #%

 11/07 – Boise, ID Neurolux #%

11/08 – Seattle, WA Sunset Tavern #%

 11/10 – Portland, OR Berbati’s Pan #%

 11/12 – San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord #%

11/13 – Los Angeles, CA Spaceland #%

11/14 – San Diego, CA Soda Bar #%

11/15 – Tucson, AZ Plush #%

11/17 – San Antonio, TX Rock Bottom #%

11/18 – Austin, TX Emo’s #%

11/19 – Denton, TX Rubber Gloves #

11/20 – Hot Springs, AR Maxine’s Pub #

 * = w/ The Shaky Hands
 # = w/ Pomegranates
% = w/ Anni Rossi
$ = w/ Japandroids, James Husband, Cale Parks

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST!

ModernMysteryContestNEW

Almost a year ago we started this little blog and quite frankily never knew how much it would take off. To celebrate our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY this coming September 4th, we are giving back something to our fans.  Polyvinyl and a few other labels have sent us a ton of cds to give away, everything from Of Montreal to The Headlights, as well as posters, stickers and other goodies.

The contest starts TODAY so please send your entries to us at
MODERNMYSTERYBLOG@YAHOO.COM
and include your Name, Email and Address.
Subject Line: CONTEST

The contest ends September 3rd at Midnight and the Winner will be announced on September 4th, our Anniversary.

James Husband Releases Solo Debut

James Husband is not only the multi-talented musician from Of Montreal, he has a plan of his own. Husband who has been giving previews of songs on his Myspace since, well forever it seems, will release his solo debut Parallax l via Polyvinyl who is also home to Of Montreal. It took five yers to create between touring and the band’s heightened sucess, but you would never know it. The songs blend together perfectly. Husband’s voice is dreamy on the tracks . Is it to early for it to be my favorite album of the Fall? With retro sounding guitars and the catchiest beats we’ve heard in a long time , it has the sneak peak of the album making us beg for more. The record is out October 27th and Husband will also be appearing at CMJ on October 23rd. That is one show we are surely checking out.

Also be sure to check out Polyvinyl that is reissuing Of Montreal’s Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies, Aldhils Arboretum, The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy, The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower, and The Early Four Track Recordings. You can buy them all in one package with James Husband’s Parallax l  on pink vinyl with a bonus disc featuring six cover songs. The two will also release a split 7″ this yearas part of the Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records singles club. This will feature Of Montreal’s “Wet Butcher’s Fist” and Husband’s “A Grave in the Gravel”.

Talk about a good year!

Check out James Husband on MYSPACE