Hipster Must-Hear: Ngabo

As I previously mentioned, I attended the Silver Sound Music Video Film Festival and Band Battle at Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday. And while I was there primarily to support At Sea, I also got the opportunity to check out some really awesome bands while I was there. And I fell in love.

Ngabo is an experimental rock singer out of Montreal, Canada. And while I can't understand a word he is saying in most of the songs, their performance alone is worth a trek to Quebec. The moment they hit the stage you automatically think "I'm probably going to hate this," due to the matching blue velvet blazers,* and aviator sunglasses, but within one or two songs you feel yourself giving in and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. Their energy is insane, their beats are super danceable, and if you decide to approach them after the show, they are incredibly down to earth and gracious. It's just too bad that all us hipsters are far too cool to dance to their music in public.

For more information check out:

http://www.ngabo.com/

And for those of us non-French speakers:

http://www.myspace.com/ngabomusique

*Ngabo is backed up by a bass player, but I unfortunately could not find his name.

At Sea "Low Light" Video

This past Tuesday, I attended the Silver Sound Music Video Film Festival, at Brooklyn Bowl. While I was excited to see a ton of great bands and see some awesome local videos, I was really only there for one reason. To support my favourite local band, At Sea. They were premiering their latest video, Low Light, directed by Kevin F. Tully.

I love the concept of the video, and the art direction is amazing. Not to mention, the lead singer looks like Crispin Glover circa Back to the Future. So here it is, At Sea's Low Light.


"Low Light" from At Sea on Vimeo.

My High Fidelity Inspired Life

What came first?  The music or the misery?

Sometimes, you can watch a movie a thousand times, and only during a certain point in your life will it ever really start to mean anything to you.  Yesterday, this happened to me with High Fidelity.  For those unfamiliar with the John Cusack work, it is based on Nick Hornby's book about an audiophile who rehashes past relationships through his relationship with music (this is a very simplified version of the plot, obviously).

I think I didn't really realize why I loved this movie so much until I realized that every relationship and friendship I have ever had can be defined by certain musical works.  There are friends of mine from high school that I have lost touch with, but every time I hear "The Next Episode," or "Fever for the Flava," my memories are instantly transported to being in my '93 Suburu Impreza on the way to a keg party in the woods.

Or how about those relationships where you share bands whose lyrics break your heart and beats get stuck in your head.  At the time it makes so much sense to share that love of music with that person, but you know the minute you break-up with someone you'll never be able to listen to those songs without that painful memory, feeling of loss, and sense of nostalgia.

So in honor of Cusack's character, Rob Gordon, here are my Top 5 Ex-Nostalgia Songs (some are stranger than others):

• "Africa" by Toto-  Yes, this one is a strange song to include on the list, but my high-school sweetheart went through a period of being obsessed with this song, and to this day I cannot hear it without sending him a text to see how he's doing.  In fact, I sent him one on Monday when I was out dancing and heard it.  
• "Only One" by Yellowcard- This song came out at a pivotal point in my young relationships.  Enough said. 
• "1901" by Phoenix- Prior to it being in a commercial, it was a favourite song of someone I was once close to.  Every time the commercial comes on I roll my eyes and heavily sigh (which is a step up from when I used to turn the channel)
• "Fireflies" by Owl City- The last time I saw this person I heard this song for the first time.  I thought it was the worst song I had heard in ages and couldn't believe he liked it.  It made me want to punch babies, but now it's one of my favorite memories.
• "Dragon's Lair" by Sunset Rubdown- Off my favourite album by my favourite band.  Sometimes there are things better kept to yourself.  

It's a good thing I'm so young.  This list is sad, there will be time for it to grow.

Currently Idolizing: Julia "Juju" Sophie

How do you open for a band like Hole?  Well, for starters, get a band like power rock duo Little Fish fronted by singer/guitar player Julia "Juju" Sophie.  With a screechy voice and great guitar skills, Juju sounds like she grew up listening to Courtney Love, The Runaways, and Kittie.

Gearing up for their newest release, Baffled and Beat, next month, this London based band has the energy you want to see in an opening band.  The managed to rile up the crowd, fuck around with us a little, and get us psyched for Hole.  Juju had the aura of a rock goddess, and although the crowd wasn't too forgiving, she still had people dancing.

Not only that, but she's gorgeous, talented, and has killer arms.  I so wish I could be her...

Check out some of their music here:

http://www.myspace.com/littlefishmusic

Style Icon: Stevie Nicks

My roommate and I don't disagree on a lot of things., and we're lucky that way.  Unfortunately, the one big disagreement in our house is, of all things, Stevie Nicks.  My roommate, hates Stevie Nicks.  We are talking a vehement passion against this woman, a passion that she does not express towards anyone else she does not know.

I, on the other hand, love Stevie Nicks.  I once made my parents buy me Rumors on vinyl, and my dad's response was "really, Alex, I've had this album for 30 years and you want me to buy it for you"?  My love of Nicks has not stopped since.  To this day, laying in my dark room listening to Rumors is my favorite way to start my week.

Yes, I love her rough, sorta annoying voice.  I love the lyrics her and Buckingham wrote during their breakup, but most of all, I love her style.

Call it gypsy, witch, peasant, or victorian, whatever you call it, I want it.  I want to wear billowing layers of lace, skirts of velvet, and shirts adorned with ruffles.  And more than anything, I want to pair it with six inch suede boots that make me fear for my neck whenever I walk on cobblestones.

Granted, I'm not a musician or a quaalude queen, which makes pulling off this style a bit more difficult.  Maybe I need to drop out of life, find a profession in the arts, and invest in some ridiculosity.  After all, if there is any place I can pull off a Stevie Nicks look, New York City is the place to do it.

The Soundtrack of My Life: Edition 1

Lately, I've been going through a rather obsessive compulsive music phase.  Now, I am not an obsessive personality.  I can quit nearly anything if I put my mind to it, and can change habits quickly.  However, with my music, I like what I like, and lately, it's been a lot of the same things.

So, in light of my recent personal situation, and in light of being a 23 year old in New York City, here are a list of the 10 songs that I cannot get enough of right now in my life.

10. "Purple Rain," by Prince.  Duh.

9. "Falling Down" by Scarlett Johansson.  Yes, her album was not spectacular, but every time I hear this song come over my headphones when I'm walking through the city or in the subway, I am instantly calm and nostalgic for another life.

8. "Over It" by The Dandy Warhols.  One of my favorite bands, this song is my go to I don't give a damn anthem.  If only I meant it half the time...

7. "1901" by Phoenix.  Except I feel so super uncool liking this song now that it's in a car commercial.

6. "Second Hand News" by Fleetwood Mac.  I've been harboring a deep love of Fleetwood Mac since college (I know, I was a little late), and this song always reminds me of my friend Mark.

5.  "The Recluse" by Cursive.  A friend of mine once told me, in a reference to film noir, that I might be a black widow.  Apparently, that means that I may have the ability to get people caught in my web before I gobble them up.  I'm not sure if this is a compliment or not, but with a line like "you're in my web now, I've come to wrap you up tight, til it's time to bite down," this is one of those songs that takes me back to that memory.

4. "Empire State of Mind" by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.  Yes, it's cheesy, and it doesn't really mean a whole lot, but there is no better song to listen to when I'm walking down the bustling streets of this amazing city.

3. "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin.  Last week, at Harlow's Hideaway, I watch a great burlesque performer do a comedic piece to this song.  I've been listening to it non-stop ever since.  But that's what I love about Janis Joplin, you can forget about her for years, but the minute you need her, she's there.

2. "Nightingale/December Song" by Sunset Rubdown.  "You are a vast explosion and I am the embers." Uhhh, yeah, I feel that way a lot.

1.  "West Coast," by Coconut Records.  I can remember the first time I ever heard this song and the completely visceral moment I had with my friend Josh.  We looked at each other and instantly knew that we would both love this song forever.  I still get that feeling every time I hear the opening bars.

This list seems kind of weak to be perfectly honest, maybe I'll have to keep working on it.  I hope edition 2 isn't quite this pathetic...

New York Band to See: Wakey Wakey!

 I used to view concerts as my type of church.  I know that sounds super cheesy, but being a non-religious person, I used to look forward to the one concert a week I would attend while in college.  I used to save all the money I made in event promotions in college for concerts (where I would stay sober to save money), and in this event forgo all the birthday parties and club nights all my friends attended.  

Granted, when you are raised with a father who has thousands of albums and 25 years worth of Rolling Stone magazines, music does just become a part of your life.  And although I have no musical talent (aside from the viola, which I've played for 10 years, yet still totally suck), I love listening to live music and enjoying those experiences more then anything.  I try not to be picky, I will attend everything from rap to classic rock to obviously, indie rock.  This weekend I decided to take in the Harper Blynn and Wakey Wakey shows at Mercury Lounge.

You may know Wakey Wakey from the CW show, One Tree Hill.  And while that may be uncool in some circles, it does not negate the amazing performance they put on.  Ranging from solo pieces to pieces with 12 musicians (including a whistler and three piece brass section), Wakey Wakey put on a solid performance that could be enjoyed by nearly everyone.  Mike Grubbs is undeniably amazing on the keyboard and vocals.  Anne Lieberwirth is on bass, and while I obviously love female bass players (I one day aspire to be one), it was Anne's shy nature, yet incredible rhythm that kept me captivated.  However, I will say that my favorite band member was Patrick Doane on violin.  With his smallish build and elvish demeanor you would never expect him to wail so hard on a violin, even going so hard as to breaking a few of his bow strings along the way. 

Wakey Wakey is currently on tour here in the east, their next New York show is March 27 at Rockwood Music Hall.  Check out their music here, on their myspace.  

Quick Grammy Recap

I normally don't write much on award shows.  I don't usually watch many award shows, but I did watch the first half of the Grammy's this year.  Here were a few of my favorite highlights:

-Leonard Cohen receiving a Lifetime Achievement award.

-Green Day performing with the cast of American Idiot, which releases March 24, and I will definitely be seeing it.

-Beyonce covering Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know."  When asked why this song was so often covered by pop stars in the past year by a music loving friend, I suggested that it offered an interesting juxtaposition between anti-misogonist lyrics in the grunge-loving mid-90s, versus 2010 with Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy"

-Pink's aerial silk performance.  The female chandelier is very Howard Hawks circa Gentlemen Prefer Blonds, but Pink's body is banging, she's an amazing performer, and a killer singer.  I really just want to be her.

-Finally, I have to say, that as much as I adored Lady Gaga and Elton John's performance, it was a Lady Gaga performance, that made me originally decide to give into my love for the woman, and I was expecting something insane and wonderful again.  It's okay, I still love her.  In fact, she was so awesome in this Giorgio Armani Prive dress, that it was difficult for me to look directly at her.

Lady Gaga wins my vote for being the best dressed of the night.  I know I'm pretty much alone in this, but the weirder you dress the more I like you (ahem, Bjork).

Lady Gaga has become my surrealist fantasy.  Everything I loved in modern art and cinema is becoming realized through this woman, and one day I feel as though they'll be teaching a class in modern and surrealist performance, studying Lady Gaga concerts and videos!

New York Band to See: Animal Hands

Every so often I pretend to be well versed in music and write a review of a band.  Truth be told, I'm not great at it, but I do enjoy writing about a decent show I've seen.

Last night, I decided to check out Marcellus Hall at Union Pool here in Brooklyn, and the opening band was Animal Hands, also a Brooklyn based band.  Animal Hands, which upon first inspection sounded like an 80s John Hughes soundtrack fused with West Coast beats I've come to know and love fronted by vocals reminiscent of a 1960s man band.  Both vocally powerful and technically proficient, this band deviates from the typical Brooklyn based indie rock you grow used to hearing at local bars.

With their button up shirts and v-neck sweaters, they also didn't have the typical "hipster" appeal.  They looked like they belonged on my high schools speech and debate team.  I immediately wanted to invite them all over for pizza and Super Nintendo.

Animal Hands at Union Pool

You can download their EP Suntan for free here.

And check out some of their other songs and upcoming shows.

Artistic Love of my Life: Spencer Krug

Okay, so I have been mulling over this posting for months, but have never really had the guts to write it. I am a very well-known love for singer/songwriter Spencer Krug. I'm not talking a crazy stalker love, or obsession, but more of an extreme musical appreciation, that can be overwhelming at times.

Krug is the lead singer for Canadian experiemental rock band, Sunset Rubdown. I discovered Sunset Rubdown while in university in Victoria, BC, and have had a long standing love affair ever since. My concert experiences are so:

1) I missed my mothers birthday party in Montana to attend their show in Victoria, BC, unfortunately I was unable to attend the show anyway.
2) The first show I saw was at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, two days after I had moved to New York. At the time I knew nobody, went by myself, and took the subway home to 207th street, alone, at 4 AM. This was also the night that Spencer Krug walked into the empty bar I was sitting in and I was too big of a pussy to say anything.
3) Going to a second show in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, by myself, while my parents were visiting from Montana. <--this was like two weeks ago.

And now I'm contemplating a third show in September, in Ireland. I have the travel bug and I figure what's the harm it coinciding a trip with a show of my favorite band?

For those of you that haven't had the opportunity to listen to Sunset Rubdown, then I suggest you go out and do so, right now. If possible, try to experience it on vinyl, because the Random Spirit Lover album doesn't compare electronically to the vinyl version. The lyrics are pure poetry, the format is unconventional, and the systematic layering and changing of sounds is arguably unprecedented in modern indie rock.

If Sunset Rubdown isn't your thing (not sure how I feel about you), then listen to Krug's other band, Wolf Parade. A little less experiemental, just as amazing. And rumor has it that Wolf Parade will be back in the studio in October 2009 recording a new album.

This post doesn't do Krug or either band justice. This is probably why I've hesistated to write it for so very long, I cannot find the words to describe the ebullience that comes over me when I listen to Sunset Rubdown. I swear, if they ever get mainstream, I'm not sure what I'll do :)