Devonte' Hynes is Blood Orange. He is also Lightspeed Champion. Regardless of his stage name, Dev is a multi-talented songwriter, composer and musician from the UK whose new moniker, Blood Orange, is a fresh sound of pop and surf. Apparently a photographer and two older attendees, clearly there for the alcohol and not the music, were questioning Dev's appearance and instantly wrote off his abilities. Dev proved them wrong. His show at Pianos, as part of the Terrible Records showcase, was an energetic display of melodramatic lyrics and bouncy beats.
Equipped with his guitar and black Macbook, Dev seamlessly guided through a storybook of songs, most of which would cause one to dance; he did take the time to ask for the lights to be turned down for a more tender song. Overall, I was very impressed with his new sound, which is a clear departure from the folky, complex Lightspeed Champion. Unfortunately, since another organization was already capturing video of the CMJ shows at Pianos, I did not get any video of the performance; next time. But do check out the Blood Orange videos, here and here, from my good friends at 'Sup Mag.
Below are some pics from the Blood Orange show and a video from the Lightspeed Champion set at the Music Hall of Williamsburg as part of the AAM Day Party:
Oklahomans are known for their big hearts, honesty and integrity; overall, being a good brand of people. This is very true about the band, the Uglysuit, hailing from Oklahoma City, OK. The band was in town for the CMJ Music Marathon where they performed five shows over the course of four days; I attended their show at the Living Room as part of Paste Magazine's Day Party. I had the chance to record their set and have a small chat with the guys upstairs at Googies Lounge, all of which will presented on here.
Upon arriving at the Living Room, I saw two guys and two girls pulling equipment out of a van parked outside. Seeing the amount of equipment to be moved, I offered my services and helped unload what remained inside; my arms thanked me the next day. Not too long afterward, the band arrived and were curiously checking out the venue space. The Living Room reminded me of a few venues back home in Oklahoma, a very intimate feel and someplace you could always hang out and have a good time. As the band setup and started their sound checks, I tried to find the perfect place for a static camera, only to find out that if the tripod wasn't seven feet tall, I was going to catch some floating heads; no worries, I shot with another camera up close, unobstructed.
The band's set was delightful. A combination of elegant, somber melodies and raw, powerful shoegaze created a nice spectrum of sound that showcased the band's flexibility. From the opening "1902 Deep Sea" to the closing epic "...And We Became Sunshine", the band never missed a beat and performed with an intent to make their act hard to follow. As discussed in my interview with the band, there seems to be this transformation from the laid back guys joking around as they setup their equipment to this intense collective that performs with passion. It's always great to see such a young band take pride, not only in their songwriting and creativity, but also in their showmanship and presentation; "...And We Became Sunshine" is a prime example, such a great performance. They were all very humble and very gracious for my interest in their band. The pleasure was all mine, I got to spend my Wednesday afternoon with some fellow Oklahomans, listen to some great music, enjoy a beer and casual conversation afterward. It was a great time.
Atlas Sound = Bradford Cox. Bradford Cox is most notably the lead singer of the Atlanta-based ambient/shoegaze outfit, Deerhunter. On occasion, he records and performs as the solo act named Atlas Sound. As for my first show of my CMJ experience, I attended the Selmanaires/Atlas Sound/Broadcast show at Le Poisson Rouge; I also went to his performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg the following night.
At Le Poisson Rouge (LPR), I stood and watched as he and the Selmanaires, another Atlanta-based group and personal friend of Bradford's, sound check and perform a few songs; "Shelia", Untitled Jam and "My Halo". Donning his 'Neil Young' attire (a green-plaid long sleeve button up, jeans and his 'big boy' boots), Bradford was joking around with his band mates, the sound crew and himself; he commented on the smell of garlic and cheese. In all, the band rushed through a few rehearsals before the doors were opened. At that point, the Selmanaires took the stage. Without any previous knowledge of the band, I went blind into this performance with no preconceptions or expectations. Truth be told, I was very impressed; by the number of heads nodding during their performance, most of the crowd was impressed as well. Their sound was well constructed and sounded extremely well through the LPR soundsystem. Great job guys.
As for Bradford's set, I couldn't have been any more pleased. As he towered at center stage, he strummed through song after song, changing every now and then from his acoustic to electric (a Gretch, complete with a leather circle on back in case he wants to wear a big belt buckle) guitar. For me, these were some of the highlights from his set (videos featured below): Untitled Jam, "Walkabout" and "Shelia". The untitled jam clocks in just over nine minutes long and includes Bradford drumming during the middle of the song; the slower "Walkabout" featured Cox's soft vocals that wrapped around the Selmanaires' warm sound; and "Shelia" was more for the head-nodders, more uptempo and bouncy than the rest of his set. This wasn't the one-man-show, all electronic Atlas Sound show, people have accustomed to seeing; overall, it was more folky in sound but they definitely displayed their boisterous, shoegaze side when the time arrived. It was a fantastic show.
The following day, Bradford agreed to do an interview with me after his show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg; Round 2. This particular set wasn't as polished as the previous day's but was still a great time. With a packed house, Bradford broke the tension with jokes, conversations and hysterical 'artist' poses; the crowd was very responsive, much more than the LPR crowd. Again, another great show but with a few mishaps. Along with my interview with Bradford (and friends), I included a bonus clip from the Music Hall show of their cover of the Velvet Undergrounds' "What Goes On":
Eventually, all of the LPR show will be uploaded (quality pending). Please stayed tuned to Music Taster's Choice, as I will be featuring concert footage and an interview with Oklahoma City's the Uglysuit from the Living Room as part of the CMJ Music Marathon.
Amid the craziness that is the CMJ Music Marathon in New York, I took the time to review a promising album from my good friends at Ardent Studios. Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Star & Micey, the quartet of Joshua Cosby (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), Geoff Smith (bass, vocals), Nick Redmond (lead guitar) and Doug Walker (keys) released their self-titled debut album on Ardent Records. The album blends a heavy dose of indie folk with a splash of pop and a sprinkle of funk to create an enjoyable, easy-listening album; Cosby's vocals resemble that of a Jason Mraz and the album would sit comfortably on a college radio playlist.
Most of the half-hour long album revolves around a very melodic, easy going sound; the lyrics focus mostly on the ups and downs of love and reminisced memories. "So Much Pain", with its catchy guitars and "Nelson", with its side of bluegrass are two tracks that stick out to me, but in my own opinion, the band takes a leap and strikes gold on the track "On Your Own". Complete with a piano intro and string ensemble, the sound is so full and is accompanied by some pretty great lyrics; it's good from start to finish. The album also includes special guest appearances by Jody Stephens (Big Star), Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars, The Black Crowes), and Rick Steff (Lucero, Cat Power). Though they have been a mainstay in the Memphis area, it seems these blooming artists will make a following across the US with this release; make sure to catch them on their upcoming tour starting on November 6. Please visit their website and Myspace for news updates and all tour date information.
You can download three free tracks from the album here, courtesy of Star & Micey and Ardent Music.
I had a few brief words with Tunde Adebimpe following his guest appearance at Radio Happy Hour, explaining who I was and what Music Taster's Choice was all about. He responded warmly, as he is a genuinely authentic and congenial person, inviting me to come to his show at Union Pool the following day. Needless to say, I couldn't turn down his invitation and graciously accepted. But what you must know about Stabbing Eastward is that it isn't TV on the Radio and isn't Tunde playing TVoTR songs; Stabbing Eastward is in a category of its own.
I too was not well aware of the sound Stabbing Eastward produced, only what I could manage to find via YouTube but even those videos were grainy with sub par sound quality. It didn't take long into their show that it wasn't going to be the alternative rock I was used to but a mixed blend of electronic, experimental and post-rock. Tunde was seated the entire set, manipulating and mixing his vocals and providing melodic whistling throughout the performance. His counterpart, Ryan Sawyer, provided erratic, almost improvisational drumming to compliment Tunde's vocals and loops; Ryan also provided growling and screeches in the last two songs. In the dark Union Pool, the music was concentrated and mesmerizing. The music was raucous and precise, if that makes sense. Many of us stood there completely still, focusing intently to the music being created. We weren't focused on figuring out the purpose of the music but were basking in the complexity of what ensued. Tunde and Ryan were pretty straightforward, not providing much banter with the crowd except right before the final song; a humorous conversation about pomegranates then took place. As for the performance, I thought it was great since it was something completely independent of TVoTR but performed with the same intensity of a TV on the Radio show would expect to have. Here are the songs that were performed:
Be sure to check back frequently next week for coverage of the CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival. I'm open to any suggestions about which bands to cover, but with limited availability and an abundant amount of showcases, I'll have to be selective on what I can/cannot attend. Thanks.
On occasion, you stumble upon something special and unique. This happened to me this past Saturday. I attended Radio Happy Hour, a live variety show performed at Le Poisson Rouge that features guest actors/actresses who read through hilarious screenplays, perform intimate shows and interact with the audience through random quizzes. I have to say that it was a delight to go to; I really did not know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised by the wit and humor of the screenplay and was very pleased by guest actors Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio and comedian Kumail Nanjiani. I was also very satisfied by Tunde's solo performances of "Shout Me Out" and "Young Liars", as I have only seen him perform with TV on the Radio (Oklahoma City @ Diamond Ballroom). Hosted by Sam Osterhout, the show itself was run very well and was funny from start to finish. I definitely recommend catching any of these shows, as they are great entertainment and easily affordable.
This specific episode, "Kumbaya of Terror", revolved around Tunde's camp for ineffectual men and an unsolved murder case. Tunde played himself as a counselor for ineffectual men; random but it worked. Kumail played himself as a terrible ventriloquist along with his "dummy" from Texas, Teddy. Sam played the part as Supple Buttcheeks, though it is pronounced 'Beutzcecks'. The parts of Colonel Van Den Odorballsen and the prospecting Donny were played by Matt Shibiak; he also provided the sound effects for the show. Last, but not least, Robin Reed played the part of Robin Honeycut, an ineffectual Southern gentlemen. Needless to say, the story takes many hilarious twists and turns but was easily enjoyable. Produced by Dustin L. Nelson and Massoumeh Emami, the show was run smoothly and without any hitches. The entire crew at Le Poisson Rouge and Radio Happy Hour should be commended on their outstanding work.
Mark the calendar for November 14th, as Craig Finn and Tad Kubler (of the Hold Steady) will sit in with the Radio Happy Hour cast to bring what should be another entertaining venture; all Radio Happy Hour shows are at Le Poisson Rouge located at 158 Bleecker Street. I was very impressed with my visit to LPR, as it was my first time at the venue. The sound was excellent and the setup were great for a show like this. I look forward to coming back to LPR next week to cover shows for CMJ, so also watch out for that. Below is what took place at Radio Happy Hour:
To find out more information about Radio Happy Hour or Le Poisson Rouge, please click on the links to visit their respective website.
Before the monumental piano battle between Gonzales and Andrew WK took place, I had the chance to sit down and ask Gonzales a few questions about his Guinness World Record performance, his stage show, preferences in audiences, et cetera. He was candidly honest and gave me plenty to work with. Very sure of himself and his abilities, you almost get an almost regal quality from the multi-talented artist/producer; he was a delight to talk with and was very congenial despite his 'villainous' demeanor. Look out for his cover of the Boys Noize/Erol Alkan release "Waves" and a soon to be named electro album (produced by Boys Noize). Below is my two part interview with Gonzales along with a couple Gonzales solo pieces, "Slow Down" and "Take Me to Broadway", and the performance of "What Is It This Time?" with Jamie Lidell:
Music Taster's Choice (MTC) is a music website created to provide live concert reviews, video footage, and photography from shows in the Dallas/Fort Worth and St. Louis areas. All creation, production, and editing is done by us and is for promotional use only.
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