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.