Central Village

Take it back underground

The moral of last night's episode...Always call their bluff. And always repress your emotions until your knuckles bleed.

It's no season one, but I'm really digging this show again. It's darker and more emotionally complex. Seth and Summer still feel like they've been in neutral for a season and a half, but Ryan has finally come into his own. I actually care about him and Marissa for the first time ever. Wasn't the show supposed to be about him to begin with?

May I make a prediction? This season they will graduate. Next season will be the summer after graduation. The season after that, Cohen goes to college in New York and starts his own show. Whoever is willing to stick around will remain out west and go to college out there. The shows will run back to back on Thursday nights and have lots of crossover plots. It will be a revolutionary concept that will change the landscape of television forever. Mark my words.

Here's the other (and far superior) Subways song from The OC last night. From the punching bag scene.  Knock yourselves out.

The Subways - I want to hear what you have got to say

Busy

Really busy today. Will have a review of the Arctic Monkey show last night on Gothamist shortly (UPDATE: It's up.) As for tonight, as Manic Mess pointed out, there's a lot to do. There's the Strokes new album listening party at Black and White right after work. Then there's The Echo and the Bunnymen thing at the Diesel store after that. But it's the same time that the OC is on. Then The Sounds at Hiro will likely go on much later, but I think I'd like to catch a bit of Shiny Toy Guns, who are opening for them.

All this without mention of the Blood Brothers playing an opening set at the Nokia Theatre, The Drag Citizen album release party at Scenic, Neko Case at Joe's pub and Jeff Tweedy at the Tribeca performing arts center. Phew. Who knows.

ILB's 40 Best Bands in America

This year I was asked to participate in The Information Leafblower's Top 40 Bands in America Today list. I put it together somewhat quickly, and clearly, in hindsight, left off a number of bands that probably deserve to be on there more than the ones I voted for. But...that being said, these were the 10 bands that were most important to me this year for whatever reason. I obviously hit a bit of a snag in my 2-5 picks, not getting ANY of them on the board, but, with the exception of Cloud Cult, which I thought might have gotten a few others attention by now, I didn't really expect them to crack the list for various reasons.

My biggest surprises on here are #34 Giant Drag (gonna go see this Sunday at Pianos to see what the fuss is about), #29 Someone Still Loves you Boris Yeltsin (WTF??), and, of course, #2 The National being ranked so high after I foolishly declared them the most underrated band in America.

Here's what I had. The band's rank on the ILB list is next to their name in parentheses. See the full list here.

1. The Decemberists (9)
They came through New York so many times this year it would be easy to get completely sick of them, but from the Colin Meloy Shows in January that got me hooked to their most recent set in October (which was the best I've seen them do), this year was defined for me more so by The Decemberists than any other band.
2. Cloud Cult (NR)
I don't think they'd allow themselves to gain too much exposure, but they are making perhaps the best American music right now.
3. The Joggers (NR)
I can't stop listening to them. (To add, I think they'll be here for good. Two near-perfect albums should speak for themselves. Wondering why nobody's really talking about them. These guys sound more like the next Libertines than the bloody Arctic Monkeys do. Shouldn't the Brits at least picked up on them by now?)
4. The Walkmen (NR)
I know they haven't done anything recently, but no band speaks to urban-bred 20-somethings quite like these guys. I finally really got into them this year.
5. Blood Brothers (NR)
Once on stage, they're the hardest working people in the world for 45 minutes. Doing things I don't see anyone else even trying to approach.
6. The National (2)
Perhaps the most underrated band in America.
7. Two Gallants (30)
It's amazing what these two are able to do at such a young age. The upcoming record on Saddle Creek should boost their stock tremendously.
8. Bright Eyes (15)
The voice of a generation that is so desperately looking for someone else to speak for them.
9. Okkervil River (24)
Planned on having The Strokes in this slot, but after seeing them play Friday night, I couldn't leave them off my list.
10. Devendra Banhart (23)
Took the leap this year to full fledged icon. I never thought I'd see this sort of confidence from him.

Last Week

So...last week. Where were we?

First was Rahim and The Joggers. Rahim was pretty good, but not as entertaining as the last time I saw them with Thunderbirds are Now! at Bowery (opening for Les Savvy Fav.) They just seemed like they were a bit less into it this time. Still made great music, but there was less energy. The Joggers, on the other hand, were excellent. They were better than their afternoon set at the Cake Shop during CMJ. I was more familiar with their songs this time around which helps.

Next day was Test-Icicles, which I've covered plenty.

Thursday I went to Art Brut at Mercury. They were a lot of fun. I'm enjoying their album more and more, now especially after seeing them live.  One Louder covered all of their shows last week.

Afterward I ended up having people over playing Guitar Hero until way too late.

Friday was a weird night. The show didn't start until almost Midnight when Charles Bissell, the first of three acts, took the stage. He was great, but the crowd was chatty and it was tough to really get into it. I skipped the next band but came back for Okkervil River, who took the stage a little before 2AM. Will Sheff sings these songs like he's about to die. It had much of the same emotional weight as a set by The National or The Walkmen. Really heavy stuff, but very good. It was nearly 3:45 by the time they finally said their goodbyes and left the stage.

At the show, I picked up the New Okkervil River EP called Black Sheep Boy Appendix. It's outtakes from the same sessions as the album, and is as good if not better than the full length. I think it comes out next week. Here's an MP3 off it.

Okkervil River - Another Radio Song

Got a few more pics from the shows after the jump...

Week Ahead

This week isn't quite as busy as last.

Tonight and tomorrow I'm staying in because I feel like garbage. I bought a bunch of DVDs on Saturday and I'm staying home and watching them all. Wednesday is Arctic Monkeys, Thursday is Blood Brothers or The Sounds...not sure yet. Friday is Ryan Adams at the Wall Street Rising thing. Saturday is the Bravo Silva Album release party in Williamsburg. (details here)

I saw some pretty remarkable sets last week by Charles Bissell, Okkervil River, Art Brut, The Joggers and Rahim. I'll try and touch on all of them over the next couple days.

Core Principal

In response to these comments:

I admit I misapplied the sub-genre. My bad. I didn't realize the hardcore scene was so obsessed with labels.

But this:
Test Icicles - Catch It

Is a lot more like this:
Forca Macabra - Sem Poluicao-Nem

Than this:
Bloc Party - This Modern Love

Especially live. That's really all I was trying to say.

What is this?

Now, I'm less of an expert on architecture then I am on hardcore music, but doesn't this building look a bit...off? First, I didn't know we still made buildings in Midtown Manhattan out of wood. I thought they were mostly made of Steel...or at least some sort of metal. I'm probably wrong. Second, whats with all the wonky beams? They're all crooked and bent out of shape. The whole thing looks like it's made out of broken toothpicks. If it was like a barn in Lancaster we'd be OK. But on 33rd and 6th? I don't get it. Someone help me out here.

Maintain the Focus

Saw Test Icicles last night. My full review is up on Gothamist now.

But, no review of a Cake Shop show would be complete without a critique of the space. It is atrocious. The coffee house/record store/music venue means well and you want to root for it to succeed, especially after their off-hours coup of many of the best bands at CMJ (Les Savvy Fav, Two Gallants, The Joggers, etc). But the reality is that it is perhaps the worst place to see a show in New York City. The sound is fine, the staff is friendly and the bar is reasonably priced, but the club slopes down towards the stage so that the band is below 'see' level. Unless you're standing in the very front row, there is little hope you'll be able to see anything but the top of the band members heads. No good.

That being said, I got up to the front. More pictures after the jump...

Quick

Was really busy again today and am not feeling great. Saw a great great Joggers set last night...but forgot to upload any of the pictures when I got home last night. I'll get them up later.

Broken Social Scene is playing Webster hall on January 27 and 28. Tickets go on sale next Wednesday.

Laguna Beach was pretty average this week. Unlike the week before, the contrivances seemed especially awkward this time around. Every scene with Jason was set up, and it came off even worse than usual. Not that much happened, either. It seemed like a recovery episode from last week. As if we needed another 30 min to digest all that. I wasn't sold.

New Lost tonight (finally!) Someone dies if I remember the preview correctly. Hoping it's Michelle Rodriquez, but I doubt it. Prolly someone like Shannon, who is still a main character, but has been pushed to the background this season. Speaking of Rodriquez, tho, her character sucks. Or maybe she just really sucks as an actress. She's such an unrelenting bitch all the time. It just doesn't make any sense considering the situation they're in. Same with Sawyer this year too. They both seem to be pushing people's buttons for no reason except just to do it. It's lame and repetitive.

Test-Icicles tonight. Anyone going? Should be interesting...

Scattered

I have very little to talk about today.

Just got word that Stellastarr* is going to be featured on TRL this Thursday? That's weird, but very cool. I hope the impressionable kids are impressed. They'll also be live on Fuse's Daily Download today at 6:00.

Anyone ever been to a Ladytron DJ set? I'm thinking about going after Okkervil River. I haven't met anyone who doesn't completely love the new album, but there's a big difference between this and a live set. I'd like to see them play badly. Every remix I've heard them do has been excellent, however, so I imagine it'd be a fun party.

I have the Head Wound City EP waiting for me when I get home. All early reports say that the 7-song, 9-and-a-half minute album is unreal.

Just saw (via Yeti) that the Invite them Up CD release party will be at Bowery Ballroom on Dec. 6th featuring Eugene Mirman, Jon Benjamin, Jon Glaser, Michael Showalter, Demetri Martin, Leo Allen & more. Tickets are on sale now.

Only because I know people who may not normally read ESPN.com get excited over him, I should point out that Chuck Klosterman has a new monthly column at Page 2. The first one is up now.

Finally, as has been widely reported, Colin Meloy is returning to New York on January 26th for a solo show at Town Hall. His shows at the beginning of this year were as great a musical awakening as I've ever had in my life. This time around he has an excellent opener in Stereogum favorite Laura Viers, but the venue is about 20 times bigger than the Fez, where he was last. I'll still be there, but I expect it to be a completely different experience. Tickets are not on sale yet.