Sunday, November 26, 2006

Blue Republic's My Space Band of the Week: Troy Gregory & The Stepsisters

I could be a rock snob and label these lovely people as "techno 80's synth pop rock soul" and to ensure my snobbery, find a way to sneak in the word "post-glam" (since any good rock snob finds a way to call something "post-glam") but I rather just tell you it's rock n roll. Good rock n roll.
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And I'll change something else. Don't even bother hanging around my lame profile to hear "OHMYGOD". Just go to the official Stepsisters page to listen and download 4 tracks and find out all sorts of stuff. Also go to the band's YouTube page for videos. Assemble, baby, assemble.

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Monday, November 20, 2006

Blue Republic's My Space Band of the Week: The Hold Steady

This is not a negative criticism. This is praise. High, worthy praise. The Hold Steady are the official second coming of Springsteen.
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(Don Rickles is not in the band).
Catch the band at the Warsaw in Greenpoint on Wednesday and if you're one of the lucky few who scored a spot to the sold out Friday show at Maxwell's, congratulations. In the meantime, listen to "Stuck Between Stations" off the new album Boys and Girls in America on my page, then go to the band's official page and official site.

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The Modern Times of Bob Dylan & The Raconteurs

Bob Dylan; The Raconteurs
@ Wachovia Spectrum
Philadelphia, PA - November 18, 2006


I saw Bob Dylan three times, three years a row (1999, 2000, 2001), each in the third week of November. Fast forward 4 years later and I am again seeing Zim in the third week of November and for the second time at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. My one complaint for all three of those Dylan shows was Dylan himself - his insistence on wailing and whining his lyrics instead of singing the way he had sang on Time Out of Mind and Love & Theft: that of an aged, gruff, learned bluesman. I don't know when he changed, but 4 years later, with his excellent Modern Times completing his latest trifecta, Bob is finally singing the way he should. This now translates to a complete, perfect, performance package.
And what's up with the logo? After all these decades, Bob Dylan has a logo?
http://www.edlis.org/shelf/boblogo.jpg

And while Dylan is currently sporting the look of a Spanish lover, a gentleman known for dressing close to that look last year, took the stage with his bandmates before the headlining act. Jack White and co., known very well on this blog as the Raconteurs, continue to sound better with every gig. Taking more elaborate chances, though a little stifled by the mellowed and large confines of the Spectrum, the Racs are more full of soul, rock n roll, and good times than they were at the very beginning of their run. Jack and Brendan Benson in particular seem to never have been happier (and opening for Bob Dylan surely plays a role in that), and it really affects the band's performance. The Raconteurs have broken the record for most gigs reviewed in a single year (the record was five, set last year by the Dirtbombs) and this will (most likely) be the last review of the year for the band. So take heart, readers, you won't be reading the Raconteurs name again for awhile. Haha.

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Sunday, November 12, 2006

Blue Republic's My Space Band of the Week: The King Khan & BBQ Show

Well finally. The great gosh darn god damn duo that is King Khan & BBQ is finally band of the week. Fresh off of last year's stellar self-titled album, the boys are back with a new record. After much drama and tribulations with the Detroit Cobras, King Khan & BBQ will STILL be playing Brooklyn on Wednesday - at Don Pedro's in Greenpoint, two sets for six bucks. You can't beat that!
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Listen to the commercial for the new album on my page and then go over to the band's page for new tracks and a classic one as well as dates and pictures.

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Monday, November 06, 2006

Blue Republic's My Space Band of the Week: The Changes

Well this was an easy choice this week after Saturday's show at Rebel. The recorded material only hints at the talents and style of this Chicago group. Get initiated and go try to catch them live to really enjoy the whole experience.
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Listen to "Her You and I" on my page, before going to the band's page and website.

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Sunday, November 05, 2006

CMJ Send-Off

The Mooney Suzuki; Margaret & The Nuclear So & So's; The Willowz; The Dansettes; The Changes
@ Rebel
New York, NY - November 4, 2006


I remember three years ago when the Mooney Suzuki sold out the Bowery Ballroom on a Monday night. Now they 3/4's filled the new (and great looking) club Rebel, which is about a fifth or a sixth of the size of the Bowery, on a Saturday night. Take that for what you will. I've seen the Suzuki three times this year now. The first time, very early in the year, had them testing out new songs, and it wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't great. The second time, not quite at the halfway point of the year, was a super-short set with a brand new bass player and they were still feeling out their new ways. Last night, however, the Suzuki were back in form. Playing mostly their established stuff, they were solid through-and-through. The new songs sounded a lot better, but it will be interesting to see how they turn out on the new record.
Margaret & The Nuclear So & So's were stale indie pop.
The Willowz came on stage looking like Southern Mountain folk, so I expected either hippy dippy music or something like metal. Instead, it turns out they're from California and they play garage rock with a high-pitched singer. Lots of promise but still working on it.
Them nice goils and boys in the Dansettes stunned the hipster crowd with their Motown/soul revival and that's a good thing.
The Changes started off the night and very nearly stole the whole night. Recalling equally The Smiths as well as a bit of the Jam and a tiny bit of the Replacements, these Chicago pop-rockers mixed dance-beat background with solid pop-hooks. But the last time I heard a band sound this good with this kind of music, The Golden Republic, the record turned out to be a completely different story. So there's a caveat for you.

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Saturday, November 04, 2006

Ahoy With Meloy

The Decemberists; Alasdair Roberts
@ Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, NY - November 3, 2006

The Decemberists returned to New York with a sold out show at the Hammerstein as part of the CMJ Music Marathon and while the band concentrated too much on the new uneven album, Colin Meloy kept things moving along with his mandatory audience participation, including a band-led renactment of the Charge of the Light Brigade in the crowd. This provided ample cover from the direct (but OK) lifts of Pink Floyd, ELP, and Talking Heads that the new songs are populated with (though my favorite new tune is "O Valencia" since it is directly lifted from the Decemberists).

This ain't your daddy's educating, edifying, and entertaining indie pop band...but then again, maybe it is, college boy.

Opener Alasdair Roberts is a Scottish act that is so soft, subtle, mellow, and melancholy, he's almost too much of all that even for a Decemberists gig.

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