forthebeat favorite artist: PICTUREPLANE

“Have you guys heard of the movie Twilight? Well this next song is just like that. Only in outer space. Yea, vampiric teenagers in love in outer space.” – Pictureplane, Mercury Lounge, March 8.

Pictureplane, Millionyoung, Small Black and Washed Out played Mercury Lounge last night, and it was a consistently awesome show from one act to the next.

forthebeat has already written about three of these four bands so this post is devoted mostly to the fabulously talented  Pictureplane. Though, it should be noted that all the bands killed it live last night…

Back to the man: Having first fell in love with Pictureplane’s “Goth Star,” I was extremely excited to see him live. He was more fun than I could have hoped for and hearing some of his new stuff including an unreleased track titled “Transgender,” I can’t wait for his new EP.  He will be touring with Small Black and Washed Out for the next month or so.

Listening to him interact with the crowd and also catching him post show, Travis (Pictureplane) is awesome in so many senses of the word. For instance: along with his traditional merchandise including t-shirts, vinyls and CDs, he has a small book for sale for $5 called “Chandeliers and Piss.” The book is well, just that, black and white photographs of different chandeliers and pictures of piss (piss on walls, piss on streets, etc.) The photos are mostly from places Travis visited in Europe from his fall tour with HEALTH.

There are apparently only 40 of these books in existence, 20 of which are currently with Pictureplane on tour (make that 19 because forthebeat bought one last night…)

You can catch all four bands at sxsw. Pictureplane is also playing Todd P’s Mexico festival and almost convinced forthebeat to change our flights/quit our day jobs and ride the 5 hours down to the festival…we still might.

One of the best live songs I have ever rocked out to:

Pictureplane – Goth Star

New Artist: The Growlers

These days in the Lower East Side, it’s getting harder and harder to tell who the rock stars and who the audience members are.  All the fans try to out-cool the performers, and the performers try to look like they don’t care.  Last Thursday at Piano’s, however, it was unmistakably obvious during the opener’s set who was about to jump on stage:  The Growlers, who looked like they just raided Janis Joplin’s closet.

I am often skeptical of bands that so clearly mold their image, especially when said band is from Orange County, but the Growlers shut my busy brain up within two songs.  These California boys echoed their home state’s psychedelic rock heroes, sounding like San Francisco 1965 more-so than 1969, sounding lean and rootsy like very early Dead without the jamming, or the original Moby Grape lineup.

Most of the songs had a distinct same-ishness, with nearly every song having a buoyant, melodic verse contrasted with a minor-key section that typically switched time signatures.  This is not a very complex musical device, and it should have bored me, but it didn’t only because of how perfectly they nailed their sound.  Well, that and because of the folding chairs being heaved at the audience periodically.

My guess is that the Growlers’ favorite band is Brian Jonestown Massacre, except they don’t know which one of them is Anton Newcombe.  Four of the five band members would consistently expound on nothing just to hear their own voice between each song until the drummer, clearly the band’s task-master, would count off the beat for the next song.  Having four Antons in a band is not necessarily a recipe for long-lasting success (at least with a consistent lineup), but the Growlers have managed to sign to Everloving Records (Metric, Cornelius, Ben Harper) and survive a rigorous touring schedule. Perhaps there’s hope in this world for a band filled with rock stars…

The Growlers: Something Someone Jr.

New Artist: Red Pens

With the exception of shiny things on the sidewalk, small animals or $5 foot longs, nothing grabs my attention like a killer boy-girl duo. It’s no surprise then that I’m completely captivated by Minneapolis’ Red Pens, a band that rocks so hard I’d never believe it was just two humans if I hadn’t stood slack-jawed watching them live a few months ago and texting everyone in my phone “GO d0wnload ReD pensss noww.”

Red Pens is Howard W. Hamilton III (that’s some government name, son) on guitar and Laura Bennett on drums (ladydrummer=10 million points) and is everything that rock should be: big drums, big sound and big ideas delivered with passion, class and style.

Their lo-fi sound is built for making out in the back of your 1986 Chevy Celebrity, or a night of cheap beers in a bar your mother would never step foot in. See for yourself at Pianos on February 26. If you don’t love them, or at least come away with a serious and confusing girlcrush on Laura, I’ll personally pay you back for your admission.** Start with the catchy and thoughtful “Weekdays”:

Red Pens – Weekdays

**No, I won’t.

A 7 Year Old’s Bday Party Never Looked So Good

Ed Banger Records turned 7 last week, and on February 12th, they threw a motherf***er of all bashes. Some of the label’s best were there to celebrate including headliner Justice and supporters Busy P, Breakbot, DJ Mehdi and more. The show was at Terminal 5 and it was superbe/fantastique/magnifique! Balloons, confetti, a giant cake and France’s finest rocked out from 9 PM to nearly 3 AM. There were so many amazing highlights and favorites, I can’t list them all, but here are two: Justice remixed Lenny Kravitz’s “It Ain’t Over til its Over” and forthebeat met Breakbot and told him that we him and well, he is tres awesome.

Neon face paint was in. Pre-pubescence was in. And beating up the beat was – yes, in. They are throwing round II in London on March 5th – sans Justice but with Breakbot, Busy P, Fake Blood, Sebastian and Riton.

If you haven’t heard it yet, Breakbot’s Baby I’m Yours EP came out on Valentine’s Day, but I’ve decided to post a recent remix Breakbot did of a new Air track:

Air – So Light Is Her Football (Breakbot Remix)

New Artist: Lookbook

I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Now, when most people hear the word “Minneapolis,” they immediately think, “where the fuck is that?”

But smart people and geography enthusiasts know that Minneapolis is located in the Midwest of the United States, and is the home to many great musical acts including, but not limited to, Prince and some other people.

Add Lookbook to your list of favorite Minnesota artists. Immediately. I’ll wait while you update it.

Lookbook is gorgeous, luscious synth-pop created by Grant Cutler and Maggie Morrison. Their live performances are magnetic, with Maggie’s stunning vocals outshining the fact that she has somehow managed to harness the energy and sexiness of Karen O. in a package that could have been a 4th grade teacher in another life.

She and Grant have amazing chemistry, in part because while she plays the demure, reluctant rock star, he plays the greasy 70s too-cool beatmaster that maybe smells like cigarettes and BO and would roll his eyes when he found out I have Mandy Moore on my iPod, but who, okay yeah, I’d make out with because maaaaannnn does he look cool on stage, and maybe if I got him drunk enough he’d think I was funny?

This is going in a weird direction, so I’ll cut to the chase: this is beautiful indie music with heart and imagination and no pretention, just like the Midwest itself.

Try out these jams for size:

Lookbook – True to Form Try not to dance your pants off to this one.

Lookbook – Believe the Hype Yep, time to make out.

Over and Over: Beautiful, anthemic and perfect for late night dance parties. Also was featured on last month’s Le Miel du Mois.

LookBook is playing all over the Midwest (get out your Google maps East Coasters) but will be in NYC in a few short weeks:

Feb 19: Union Hall, 8:00pm
Feb 20: Pianos, 10:00pm

New Artist: The Royal Chains

I’m easily captivated by drummers when I go to live shows. It started with the 14 times I saw The New Deal’s Darren Shearer, then came Matt Tong of Bloc Party, then Thomas Hedlund of Phoenix.

Let’s add Adam Roddick to the list. Adam drums AND sings (calm down ladies). It’s amazing seeing really good bands that are clearly having as much fun as you. The Royal Chains is Adam on vocals and drums and Dan Lawley on guitar. We caught them last night at Union Hall with Paul and the Patients and The Waylons (girl drummer = awesome) at Jonny Leather’s showcase.  The Royal Chains’ 5 track EP is called Bear Island and is available at shows. My favorite song is “Lucy Takes the Dare.” They also did a cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule The World” last night.

Adam Roddick is about to go on tour with the Acrylics, starting with this Friday’s show at Brooklyn Bowl with Tanlines. Hopefully The Royal Chains will reconvene this spring, and when they do I’m asking them to play one of our shows…instant happiness below. Pun intended.

The Royal Chains – Lucy Takes A Dare

who promised these guys jetpacks?

OK, so I stole the title of this post from a comment left on Brooklyn Vegan announcing the tour for We Were Promised Jetpacks and Bad Veins (with Royal Bangs for select dates).  It made me laugh.

Scottish indie rock band We Were Promised Jetpacks started gaining recognition when touring with label mates Frightened Rabbit in late 2008 and then debuting their album These Four Walls in June 2009.  Sounding a lot like Frightened Rabbit – one of my favorite bands – with that amazing accent and emotionally explosive lyrics and music, WWPJ immediately strikes a chord, especially with the songs “It’s Thunder And It’s Lightening” and “Quiet Little Voices.”

Bad Veins, who played the first-ever forthebeat showcase in April 2009, are good friends of ours, and we’re excited to see them hit the road with WWJP and Royal Bangs, to complete an impressive line-up.  The Cincinnati-based, indie pop duo, comprised of Benjamin Davis (vocals, guitar, keys), Sebastien Schultz (drums) and a 1973 reel-to-reel named Irene, debuted their first full-length and self-titled album to critical acclaim in July 2009, garnering spaces on last year’s “Best of…” lists, including ABC News Amplified’s “Top 10 Albums of 2009” and USA Today’s Pop Candy “Top 20 Songs of 2009.”  Stand out songs are “Go Home,” “The Lie” and “Found.”

We Were Promised Jetpacks – It’s Thunder And It’s Lightning

Bad Veins – Go Home

Here are the tour dates – you should probably come to a show…

2/11 | The Bowery Ballroom | New York, NY *
2/12 | First Unitarian Church | Philadelphia, PA
2/13 | Rock and Roll Hotel | Washington, DC *
2/14 | The Middle East | Cambridge, MA
2/15 | The Knitting Factory | Brooklyn NY
2/17 | Casbah @ The Tremont Music Hall | Charlotte, NC
2/18 | The Masquerade | Atlanta, GA
2/19 | The End | Nashville, TN
2/20 | Maxine’s Pub | Hot Springs, AR
2/21 | Hailey’s | Denton, TX

* without Royal Bangs

all that glitters is gold

A pretty damn good bartender at Public Assembly once told us about this band Monogold.  To be fair, he is in the band, so of course he had good things to say.  But what a nice little treat last night at the Hooray For Earth album release party at Piano’s, when Monogold opened.  One song in, we were digging it.  But when the band played second song “Dead Sea Minerals,” we were hooked.

Recently voted The Deli Magazine’s band of 2009 for the avant indie/shoegazer/noise rock category, three-man act Monogold is Keith Kelly (Vocals, Guitar), Mike Falotico (Bass) and Jared Apuzzo (Drums, Percussion).  Having self-recorded, produced and released two EPs since forming in 2006 – Waves (2007) and We Animals (2009), Monogold is well on its way.  As Untitled Records wrote: “Dear Monogold, if I were a record label I would sign you…”

First hearing a band live and falling in love, so much so that when you get their songs on your headphones it’s all you can play for days, is my favorite music experience.  We Animals is a dynamic seven song record, ranging from simple to complex compositions and catchy beats and baselines to ethereal, airy sounds.  Each song is a standout, and while Monogold offers a sense of familiarity, few other bands recently have captivated us so quickly.

Here’s our favorite track.  We’re sure you’ll be hooked as well…

Monogold – Dead Sea Minerals

p.s. KK, those drinks were vodka, cranberry, splash of pineapple.

musical theater

Photo credit: Sean O’Kane / Bowery Presents

Musical theater and spectacle were themes running through Friday night’s concert at Webster Hall, where Fanfarlo and supporting act Freelance Whales played the final show of their six-week North American tour.

London-based pop/folk act Fanfarlo, lead by Swedish frontman Simon Balthazar, commenced their set with a show within a show.  Before the band took the stage, two men came out to lower the light fixtures, while another man began to outfit himself in a straight jacket.  His feet were then harnessed to the lights, and he was lifted up.  While, hanging upside down, he attempted an escape.

The band then came out and began their set with “The Walls Are Coming Down.”  The crowd still wasn’t sure if this was part of the concert, and while Fanfarlo played, our eyes darted back and forth between the band and the high drama hanging from above.  It wasn’t until later that we realized the theatrics were taken from the video for “The Walls Are Coming Down,” in which one of Europe’s top escape artists performs Harry Houdini’s “Hanging Straitjacket Escape.”

Despite the night’s theatrics, which also included wind tubes for the audience to twirl along to the music and a Casanova-masked girl accompanying the band with sign language, Fanfarlo and the songs from their February 2009 full-length debut Resevoir was what truly captivated the audience.  The use of trumpet, violin and mandolin, in addition to more traditional instruments, created a sound that the New York Times has dubbed as “quasi-symphonic indie rock.”

Fanfarlo recognize themselves more as literary rockers, than rock stars, preferring sit down to discuss their latest readings, than head out for a night on the town.  In fact, the band’s moniker comes from a work by the 19th century French essayist and poet Charles Baudelaire.

Wherever they draw inspiration, it’s working.  Fanfarlo is a 2009 breakout act, and Resevoir has reached critical acclaim.  In addition to “The Walls Are Coming Down,” also check out the songs “I’m A Pilot,” “Ghosts,” Luna” and our favorite “Harold T. Wilkins, or How to Wait for a Very Long Time.”

Freelance Whales, the night’s opening act, played the first few songs off their full-length debut Weathervanes in order, before switching up the arrangement.  Mastering instruments we’ve never seen before and interchanging hands, revealing the multi talents of each member, Freelance Whales’ live show was a departure from their recorded sound, which is much more polished and epic.  However, the live renditions still brought the same sense of intimacy their album creates.

The turning point of the set was the song “Starring,” one of their more upbeat tracks.  The audience was hooked and the band members reached a level of comfort – frontman Judah Dadone bantered with the crowd and each member gave a shout out to their native New York – Brooklyn and Queens, among others.

In addition to “Starring,” highlights included the songs “Ghosting,” “The Great Estates,” and the last of the set, “Generator^2nd Floor.”  At the close of their show, the band hugged and snapped a picture of the crowd – a final momento from their tour.

Freelance Whales recently signed to Frenchkiss/Mom & Pop Records, which will re-release Weathervanes in 2010.  Since CMJ, we’ve had Freelance Whales on repeat and recommend picking up the debut album to prepare for more shows in January, including an appearance at Mercury Lounge on January 20th.

Many people have compared both Fanfarlo and Freelance Whales to the likes of Arcade Fire, Beirut and Sufjan Stevens.  At times, we definitely caught glimpses of those soaring, orchestral sounds, especially from Fanfarlo, so we’re expecting to hear a lot more from each in 2010.  Also, the pairing of the two for this tour was very strategic.  Many people in the crowd ventured to Webster Hall to see one or the other, but, as the two complemented each other so well, the audience left loving both.

During the encore, Fanfarlo invited Freelance Whales back to the stage, and Balthazar exclaimed that they were running out of songs to play, so the ensemble decided on a holiday theme – Low’s “Just Like Christmas.”  Fitting for our first snow fall in the city this weekend, where it finally feels just like Christmas.

Fanfarlo – The Walls Are Coming Down

Freelance Whales – Starring

electronics and a mic…

Last night, Neon Indian headlined a sold out show at Mercury Lounge with some amazing supporting acts including Electric Tickle Machine, Toro Y Moi & MNDR.

We’ve seen Electric Tickle Machine about 8 or 9 times (I think…) and every time we’re just as excited as, if not more than, the time before to see this energetic foursome get the party started RIGHT.  If you don’t have their latest album Blew It Again, get it.   The album artwork is also a pretty amazing visual for your collection – you can get it online and/or pick one up at their next show.  Here is a preview.

Toro Y Moi was up next, and although I had heard some of his remixes (like Washed Out’s “Feel It All Around”), I wasn’t sure how he would translate live.  He completely sold me 10 seconds into the first song.  A one man voice accompanying the ambient electronic beats, he had the entire crowd captivated by his performance.  It was groovy and dancey, and I can’t wait to see him perform again.

Neon Indian rocked it, delivering a stellar show.  They sounded just as good live as they do on record.  “Deadbeat Summer,” “Psychic Chasms” and “I Don’t Know If You Know” are my favorite tracks – all played last night – from Neon Indian’s debut album Psychic Chasms.  Alan Palomo’s artistry is an example of why electropop is my favorite genre right now, and probably not getting replaced any time soon…

Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms

Toro Y Moi – Talamak

Electric Tickle Machine – Part of Me