DeVotchKa; Clare & The Reasons @ Webster Hall

DeVotchKa; Clare & The Reasons
@ Webster Hall
New York, NY - January 24, 2009

DeVotchKa returned to New York with their continued excellence at dense hybrids of Russo-Mexican rock n'roll and all points in between. A curious moment: I noticed a scantily clad woman rehearsing what appeared to be ballet in a window over stage left. I assumed it was a dancer for the later club portion of the night at Webster. Alas, it was a performer for DeVotchKa, a mix of burlesque and Cirque Du Soliel. Nebbish nellie that I am, I was nervous and found it difficult to look for fear she'd fall from her climbing and acrobatics up two long sheets in the middle of the stage. The highlight was Nick on the theremin while she quivered the curtains. Just another madcap adventure in the life of DeVotchKa.

Clare Muldaur and the Reasons fought through some terrible feedback problems and a pretty dull, self-involved crowd to showcase why they are New York City's premium jewel in its pop crown. If they were tripped up by anything it was the lack of Reasons - I am pretty sure there were more than 5 people at the gig at Joe's Pub last June. Nevertheless, it is pretty much confirmed that Clare & The Reasons are the best red-color dress code band since the White Stripes.

Sonic Parthenon's The Year In Music 2008: Part 2

Carbon/Silicon
The pie-eyed idealistic lyrics may have been dopey even in our cynical-smashing Obama age, but "The News" and "Why Do Men Fight?" summoned the heart and spirit of Mick Jones' and Tony James' old bands, and served as anthems in this volatile election year.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Did the title track of Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! sound corny at first? Yes. Did it grow on you? Of course it did. Did the album turn out to be a smashing success, maybe the best of Cave's illustrious career? Seems like it. Did last year's turn as Grinderman have an effect on the Bad Seeds? One would guess so. Is not "More News From Nowhere" one of the best long songs ever made? Damn right it is. And you knew the live show was going to be good, no questions needed to be asked.

Chairlift
"Bruises" is certainly what this Colorado-based, naturally-Brooklyn-situated Ipod band is known for, but beneath the quick hype and sold out shows is a solid, little sweet natured pop band. Listen to "Planet Health" if you don't believe me, yah.

Celebration
Based on one single performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in July, and nothing more, Celebration made their mark on 2008. Truly mesmerizing and intoxicating, Katrina Ford and company should be coming back very strong very soon.

Clare & The Reasons
The Movie came out in 2007 but no matter, Clare Muldaur is one of New York's signature songstresses, an ambassador of shameless, authentic love and love of sweet, elegant pop music, and the live set at Joe's Pub in June proved it.

Elvis Costello
"Stella Hurt" was the near-gem off of Momofuku, a record inspired by Costello's duet with Jenny Lewis on the fun and fancy free "Carpetbagger" from her Acid Tongue LP. And then Elvis went ahead and became the new great American talk-show host. Another good year for our man Elvis.

DeVotchKa
With A Mad and Faithful Telling, DeVotchKa returned to the scene but it was their sparkling live show at Terminal 5 that sealed the deal. With a strangely easy mix of showmanship and stealth, Nick and the gang will continue their run in support of the record well into 2009 and we're all better off for that.

The Dirtbombs
The Dirtbombs never really take time off, and they've had their slight share of attention in the past, but in 2008 there was a very strong sense that the band finally arrived. Thanks to We Have You Surrounded, there was a definite uptick in the number of people at shows, with a whiff of significant new fandom in the air. And deservedly so - some of Mick's best ever work now comes from We Have You Surrounded, an album that was too long in coming.
First going on their own triumphant tour before hitching rides with Spiritualized and TV on the Radio and finding time to do not one but two tours of duty in Europe as well as a run Down Under, the Dirtbombs never let up. They even found time to play extra shows in New York (FYI in case you didn't figure it out - despite whatever you may officially be told, New York is the home base for all intents and purposes). The Philly and Bowery shows during the April tour were two of the best nights in a history of amazing nights. Troy Gregory left the band marking the one sad spot in a year of full of highs. It hurt but as with all things Dirtbombs, things keep moving.

Drug Rug
Drug Rug kept popping up in unexpected places in various incarnations but the one thing that was consistent was their incorrigibility. Good for them.

2009 Sneak-Peak (Airborne Toxic Event, Action Painters, Orion Experience, X, Black Keys, more)

2008 isn't quite over yet - the Year in Music review has yet to be compiled (though anyone who reads this page can gather it'll be a little slimmer this year than last) but we're already getting a taste of what's coming in the pipeline for 2009, at least in terms of some early gigs (see the concert calendar for details):

• The Rosebuds and the Raveonettes are playing on January 16th, separately but hey.
• If you can't go more than a few months without your Hold Steady fix, Franz Nicolay is playing with World Inferno Friendship Society on the 9th and a solo show on the 11th
• Frightened Rabbit made a good mark in '08 with "The Greys" and they'll be at the Bowery B on Jan 17th.
• SP faves Action Painters and the Orion Experience team up again at the Mercury Lounge on Jan 22nd...with Billy Joel's daughter opening. Yep.
• Devotchka. Webster Hall. Saturday, January 24th. I may have an excuse but you won't.
• In Feb, the Black Keys return to Terminal 5. In case you didn't hear, they are one of the biggest bands in the world.
• On March 11 - the Airborne Toxic Event headline the Bowery Ballroom, going from playing Pianos to the Bowery in 13 months. That's not Vampire Weekend-fast but that is still pretty fast.
  

DeVotchKa; Basia Bulat @ Terminal 5

DeVotchKA; Basia Bulat; Fancy Trash
@ Terminal 5
New York, NY - May 20, 2008

DeVotchKa are the true gypsies of rock n' roll, taking big hunks of everything, notably Mexican and Russian sounds, and putting it together for both thunderous and symphonic purposes. When backed by their string section, they are luscious, atmospheric. But when they are at their basic 4, they are whip-snapping, Moricone-rock connoisseurs. This dynamic can be summed up purely in lead singer/guitarist Nick Urata, who can serenade like a crooner before sending the crowd straight to hell. Mad professor of strings and various keyboards Tom Hagerman and drummer/horn man Shawn King administer their departments with the upmost duty, and Jeanie Schroder is a thumping, solid bass player when she isn't possibly the only woman who can dance around in a dress while playing a sousaphone.
Terminal 5's sound was hard on that big sousaphone but other than that, the now notoriously crampy and difficult hall was generous to the Colorado contingent. Or it could have just been that DeVotchKa conquered the difficulties.

DeVotchKa & Basia Bulat together - Photo by Pennypacker

Nick has fun with a theremin on SPTV:


Basia Bulat, by all rights, should be the next mega female Indie rock singer. Her voice may very well be unparalleled in her generation. To call it exquisite is to do it injustice. It is beyond anything as humble as the word "exquisite". Her songs are little blankets of joy and melancholy, and her choice of covers - like Daniel Johnston - are as sweet and adorable as her demeanor. She tamed big, bad Terminal 5 with that sensational voice and her tiny, little catalog of music. She's a big dose of sunshine in a sad world.

Photo by Justin Wagner

SPTV insta-clip of Basia's "In The Night":


Fancy Trash are from Massachusetts and they seem like it. These guys should be working the door to the Newhart mountain hotel. These guys define safe, older, acoustic pop. That's not a swipe, though. They construct and perform pretty substantive songs.

Photos by Justin Wagner via KevChino

Sonic Parthenon photos (the old camera is on its last legs, sorry for the poor quality).

Dream Ticket: DeVotchka and Basia Bulat

The lovely songstress has been added to the Terminal 5 bill in May. That's a show to go if ever there was one.
DeVotchka:

Basia.

Fearless Music: For Better and Worse

Syndicated TV rock n' roll show Fearless Music recently scrapped its five band format for a 10 band format, in which the bands are shown only briefly. This is terrible.

But on the other hand, the show has redone it's website and, among other things, it has made its archives more accessible. Highlights:

Heavy Trash

Hot Chip

Metric

Devotchka