Beirut makes melodic return to Brooklyn

Last week Beirut performed at the Masonic Church in Brooklyn to a full house. Judging by the sheer amount of people gathered you could tell that tonights show was going to be special. Displaying material from their soon to be released album, 'The Flying Cup', as well as playing favorites from past releases, Beirut put on a stellar 1 hour and 30 minute set. At first the crowd seemed timid and remained seated but when pastor Zach asked the crowd to stand and move around the congregation abided and the show suddenly came alive.

Having been given a copy of his latest album I can safely say these guys are in store for good year. The material live translated even better than the album and the crowd seemed to give Zach and Co. all they could ask for by recieving all of the new material joyfully. Of course oldies but goldies were the strongest received but the new songs saw the crowd get down as if they had all been heard a hundred times before. I highly advise people to both get the album and check out them out should they come to town because the music they are making right now is pretty damn solid.

Beirut-Scenic World.mp3
Beirut-A Call To Arms.mp3
Beirut Tags
-Jaime W.

KEXP Live from SXSW TAKE THREE!

Hopefully everyone has been able to join in on the live Austin City action via www.kexp.org. Make sure to head over to the KEXP blog to check out photos from the sessions with Lily Allen, Earl Greyhound, Apples in Stereo, Peter, Bjorn, and John, The Holloways, and many others. Today's schedule: Friday 3/16/2007:

1:00PM
The Stooges
3:00PM
Okkervil River
5:00PM
Under Byen
6:00PM
The Good, The Bad & The Queen Interview
7:00PM
Beirut
*Recommendations: The last time Beirut stopped by for a KEXP session it was one of the best live performances I have ever heard...definitely NOT TO BE MISSED! www.kexp.org

Chi-cagooo...where the wind blows in KEXP in-studios

So behind- so please just go and turn on KEXP right away. They have been broadcasting out of the windy city since yesterday and have been crammed full of some incredible in studio performances. Yesterday saw Beirut who debuted some magical new songs off of their upcoming release 'The Flying Cup Club.' You can download the session in its entirety via the ever so clever KEXP BLOG! Right now i am highly enjoying Imperial Teen and Jaime was enjoying the 1900's earlier so much so that he is a complete convert to their sound. This is what AMAZING radio is made of and let me tell ya folks, not many stations do what KEXP does on a daily basis. Even if you aren't a regular you should tune in these next few days. I myself am highly excited for Jose González and THE TWILIGHT SAD both of which willl be on the air later today! I myself reported on behalf of the lovely station and wrote about The Twilight Sad, The Big Sleep, Die Romantik, Most Serene Republic and A Place to Bury Strangers if you want to check that out here, you may. Thank you thank you KEXP.

KEXP Tags~The Twilight Sad Tags~Beirut Tags~Jose González Tags
Cloud Cult-Live at KEXP-Mr. Tambourine Man.mp3
KEXP at SXSW-The Editors.mp3

Beirut Shows Back On-Sale!

All three Bowery Ballroom Shows back on sale right here.
Beirut-Fountains and Tramways.mp3
Elephant Gun.mp3

Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele

Happy moment of the day so far was stumbling across Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele whose quote on his page is, "My dog has fleas, just like Lou Reed" which made me laugh out loud which is always a good/healthy exercise during the work day. Hailing from Taylor, Mississippi he has sweet, innocent and catchy tunes that were immediately enjoyable. Kind of like Beirut but without all the added instrumental filler. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVEEE Beirut, but this is much more broken down). An added layer of fun was his cover of Tegan and Sara's When You Were Mine. It is so good you might have to play it twice...or four times. He has a new album coming out on February 3rd via Paw Tracks (ahem, Animal Collective). Hopefully this means we will be hearing more out of Mississippi soon!
Dent May and His Magnificent Ukelele-When You Were Mine.mp3
Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele-Meet Me In The Garden.mp3

Who would you Vote For?

Short List of Nominations for Sixth Annual Shortlist Music Prize:

Artist, Title

Band Of Horses – Everything All the Time
Beirut – Gulag Orskestar
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go
Cat Power – The Greatest
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Hot Chip - The Warning
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo
Tom Waits - Orphans

Band of Horses- Monster.mp3
Beirut-After the Curtain.mp3
Bonnie Prince Billy-Dreaming my dreams.mp3
Cat Power- I Found a Reason.mp3
Girl Talk-Hand Clap.mp3
Hot Chip-No Fit State.mp3
Joanna Newsom-Only Skin.mp3
Regina Spektor-Samson.mp3
Spank Rock-Sweet Talk.mp3

Tunng

Last year was my year for discovering moody, beautiful, atmospheric music. I do not know if that is how you should really classify Tunng, for their music encompasses so many different elements. Armed with their own special brand of tingly music the band set out to experiment with the sound of things and how it fit into their musical landscapes they created in their minds. Refusing to perform live the group grew into their lyrics and together as a band. Lucky for us they have gotten over this bit of fear and are currently on tour promoting their latest album, 'Good Arrows.' They have gained respect and recognition within the industry. Tonight they are playing out in Brooklyn at Union Hall, tomorrow they will be at the Mercury Lounge.

****October****
23rd - Union Hall, Brooklyn NY, USA [with Charles Atlas]
24th - Mercury Lounge, New York NY, USA [with Samamidon w/ Stars Like Fleas]
25th - Middle East, Cambridge MA, USA [with Brown Bird]
26th - SPACE, Portland ME, USA
27th - Le Gymnase, Monteal QC, Canada
28th - Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto ONT, Canada
29th - Empty Bottle, Chicago IL, USA
30th - 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis MN, USA
++++November++++
2nd - Nectar Lounge, Seattle WA, USA
3rd - Someday Lounge, Portland OR, USA
5th - Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco CA, USA
6th - Echo, Los Angeles CA, USA
10th - Roundhouse, London [supporting Beirut *sold out*]
~~~~December~~~~
5th - L'Aire Libre, Rennes, France [with Buck 65 and Serafina Steer]
6th - L'Aire Libre, Rennes, France [with Buck 65 and Serafina Steer]
7th - L'Aire Libre, Rennes, France [with Buck 65 and Serafina Steer]
8th - L'Aire Libre, Rennes, France [with Buck 65 and Serafina Steer]
Tunng-Bricks.mp3
Tunng-Pool Beneath The Pond.mp3

Not much chance for survival...if the Neon Bible is Right

Everyone loves Arcade Fire for more than just their music. There are always those descriptions of bands whose fans go on about how good the artists' music is along with the AND... That big AND that is the aspect setting the band you love apart from all others. Having seen Arcade Fire on Friday down in DC at DAR Constitution Hall and again last night up at United Palace Theatre the list of reasons for loving this band now includes their incredible live show. I will admit, i have not read many interviews with them- i guess a bit of me likes them to stay the mystical band that they are- i don't want to know all of their secrets. Both of their albums weave such richly taut stories that evoked so much emotion for me that i wouldn't want to find out something to make me change my mind. Growing up my dad fed our family musically with Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Woodie Guthrie, old labor union songs, and Simon and Garfunkel re-telling stories of his days of protests and college youth. Back in those days he said people used to sit around and listen to these artists because they were angry, because they wanted to feel something and be united- to become a community who wanted to make a difference. For me, this feeling comes across for the first time in my generation of music with Arcade Fire in such a way that it made me proud to tout the album about to my Dad. Which is saying a lot. Enough about me and why i love them- for it is their music that is deserving of the attention and this article.

Their live show is so unique because of this sense of community between every band member on stage. They are so in touch with each other even though it looks like a spastic theatrical performance. Regine with her robotic dance moves, Win climbing into the audience, Sarah playing violin like you wish everyone would, Jeremy pounding on the drums like he is working out some secret aggression, Will, Richard, Tim, Alexander...all switching up instruments between the tambourine, the bass, guitar, organ, anything and everything on stage.

These are artists- this is music. This is why people should buy records, pick up magazines, attend shows and share with their friends. This overwhelmingly talented band, this incredible sense of community. They are incredibly brave, every artist is in their own right- to get on stage and perform for us, especially us New York concert goers. But well, we all know the story of their beginnings, of the obsticales they had to overcome and then the words that they sing- that they have the courage to say. With this new album it is clear how they feel about this war, our war, how they feel about this country, how they feel about 'our' president and well- i always fall for that. So then you see them live and everyone is singing along and clapping and it makes you feel like this scene, this spirit must have been what it was like back in the 60's a bit- as much as anything could be nowadays. Messages of love, anger, hope- and they deliver it in a way that makes everyone in Canada proud to call this band theirs and gives everyone in America a huge reason to be jealous and a reason to cling to survival as a community-at least until another one of their albums comes out.

BrooklynVegan has some lovely shots of last night and a complete setlist as well as some selections from The National- who were EXCELLENT-definitely make it there early!
ProductshopNYC was there as well & at Beirut!
Tripwire

Neon Bible.mp3
The Well And The Lighthouse.mp3

Our next English Rose...

You might be expecting me to start blubbering on and on about Adele but I am most excited about the lovely lady Florence and The Machine. Friend to Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion (a.k.a. ex-Test Icicles member...yeah, remember them?) friend to Kate Nash(expect many comparisons to her fellow country-mate and songbird to pop up on the Blogs) and definitely a voice to reckon with. At least I reckon. Like any good female singer she has enough natural beauty and allure for all of the boys in her listening audience to completely over look the fact that she is talking about how badly you all seem to muck things up---in a voice drowning with spirit and spiked with a blue'sy influence that I think Amy Winehouse would be proud of if she were to sober up. (One should never lose hope, right?!) Her track, Girlwith1Eye is my personal favorite and I invite you to decide who she reminds you of, or just simply enjoy her, I know I do!
Florence and the Machine-Im Not Calling You A Liar.mp3
Florence and the Machine-Postcards from Italy(Beirut cover).mp3

More Festival News...Primavera Sound Festival

I want the White Stripes HERE in NYC right NOW! But i guess i will have to wait. However the lovely people of Spain will get their chance to hear new material on May 31st at the Primavera Sound Festival. The bill is solid without the likes of Jack White and his sister Meg. Hot Chip, Beirut, Battles, Grizzly Bears, Klaxons, Maximo Park and the Buzzcocks are all already onboard.

Sassssssy squatch monster

Yet again, I dropped the ball on heading out to Washington for the Sasquatch Music Festival. Or more like it, yet again no one had an interest to venture out to the wilds of the Gorge for the show. Deeply sad about this, i am. The lineup is once again stellar.
The Kooks-Naive.mp3
Fleet Foxes-Mykonos.mp3
Sera Cahoone-Happy When I'm Gone.mp3
Mates of State-My Only Offer.mp3
Say Hi-Let's Talk About Spaceships.mp3
What Milwaukee Made Famous-What Doesn't Kill Us.mp3
The Little Ones-Lovers Who Uncover.mp3
Ghostland Observatory-Freeheart Lover.mp3
Thao With THe Get Down Stay Down-Swimming.mp3
Mars Volta-I've Had It.mp3
Stephen Malkamus and the Jicks-Church On White.mp3
The Blakes-Basket.mp3
The Whigs-Right Hand On My Heart.mp3
Dead Confederate-Tortured Artist Saint (Live).mp3
The National-Secret Meeting.mp3
Beirut-Postcards From Italy.mp3
Joshua Morrison-Alabaster.mp3
Yeasayer-2080.mp3
Delta Spirit-Streetwalker.mp3
Throw Me A Statue-About To Walk.mp3
R.E.M.-At My Most Beautiful.mp3
M.I.A.-Bamboo Banga.mp3
Modest Mouse-Bukowski.mp3
Flight of the Conchords-Muthauckas.mp3
Grand Archives-Miniature Birds.mp3
White Rabbits-The Plot.mp3
The Cure-Fire In Cairo(Digitalism Re~mix).mp3
Sasquatch Music Festival Tags