The Marjorleans Knitting Factory Brooklyn Setlist

Review to come.

THE MAJORLEANS - 06.01.16 - KNITTING FACTORY BROOKLYN (41 minutes, 30 seconds)

SET -

Give It All to Me / Mr. Magic / Set to Receive / Never Had Enough / Under the Spell / Sunrise Mary / Real Bad / What I Mean / Tattoo

FRANCES CONE - 06.01.16 - KNITTING FACTORY BROOKLYN (38 minutes)

SET -

Over Now / Waterline / Keep It Moving / Shake You Out / Heartland > Arizona / Late Riser / Soon / Leave Without You

The Next Round - Episode 33: Frances Cone

Happy Record Store Day!  Here's a new episode of The Next Round for you to listen to while you wait in line.

After watching a concert one fateful night in Charleston, SC, Christina Cone decided it would be fun experiment to move to NYC to write and perform music.  Fast-forward a few years, and her band, Frances Cone, has songs in television shows, Norwegian museums, and Daytrotter's best-of lists.  Listen to her tell the tale as she sips a cocktail at the Richardson in Williamsburg.

Stream below, download directly, or subscribe on iTunes to never miss an episode.


Like Frances Cone on Facebook.
See them for free at Rockwood Music Hall on 4/29.
Read my review of their EP release show at Rough Trade.

The Majorleans Bring Three Guitars to Mercury Lounge

Any martial artist will tell you that a black belt takes time to earn.  So it makes sense that the Majorleans' new album Black Belt took years to make, from recording in a poisonous Chinese church basement to the lead singer's living room to a professional studio, where it was engineered by a Grammy-winner who has worked with everyone from Faith Hill to the Fugees.  The record finally dropped on Tuesday.  Last night, the band took to the Mercury Lounge to celebrate.

The show was opened by Boston's McAlister Drive, or four guys who don't look like they belong in the same band.  If you based them solely on appearance, the bearded, bespectacled guitarist could've been in Beck's backing band, the long-haired drummer from a stoner-rock group, the floppy-haired bassist in a dance-pop outfit, and frontman Christoph Krey fit the part of a bartender at Western-themed watering hole in Bushwick.  Their sound was nothing like the combination of these styles, however.  It was Americana-infused pop-rock.  They weren't bad, but they weren't original enough for me to really care.  That doesn't discount the fact that they are enjoyed by others, including a recently married couple who first met at a McAlister Drive show.  "Thank you for listening to the band all these years.  We write terrible music," said Krey, dedicating "Best Dressed" to the newlyweds.  "This is the part where y'all put your hands together, y'all raise your drinks, and y'all just sing along," instructed Christoph before the final number, "Got It Right."  And exactly how does one clap their hands and raise their drink at the same time without making a huge mess?

While the setlist hasn't changed much in the times I've seen the Majorleans, the addition of a third guitarist, David Andreana, brought a new dynamic to the show.  The triple-guitar attack on the intro to "Mr. Magic" boiled so ferociously that when they turned things down to a simmer for the verse, Nicky Francis' talkin' blues vocals seemed almost sinister.  I don't think I'm off-base by suggesting that the presence of Andreana freed up Francis to concentrate less on his playing and more on his singing.  Take the lyrics in "Never Had Enough," where Francis implores, "I'd like to see you both at the same time with me / I'd like to see you both some time."  While you could interpret this as the desires of his inner monologue, the way he sang it last night felt like he was actually propositioning two women at a party for a threesome.  With a smirk in his voice and drawing out the "both some time" of the second line, he wasn't reiterating; he was correcting a Freudian slip.  The ladies definitely heard him, but they probably smiled and went home with him anyway.  My favorite song from the album, "Real Bad," got the crowd dancing, not to mention the old guy next to me who jumped for joy as soon as he heard the first notes.  Riding the wave of Chris Buckle's feedback on the tail of "See the Seams," "Under Ma Wheels" proved a formidable closer, a fun country rocker that never eased off too much thanks to Colin Brooks' insistent kickdrum and cymbals.

(To learn more about the making of the album, check out the podcast below, recorded at Mission Sound during the Black Belt sessions.)

Although it was the Majorleans' release night, they shared the bill with their longtime friends, Frances Cone.  After eating a banana on the stairs beside the stage, Christina Cone took her spot at the keyboard in the center and began playing "Heartland" from the band's first album, Come Back.  Her bandmates joined her and they launched right into a new song, "Wait Right Here."  Though repetitive in its lyrics, the song eschewed boredom nicely by its variety of sounds: Alex Baron's simultaneous shaker-work during his drumming, bassist Andrew Doherty's vocal harmonies, and a few well-placed handclaps.  The result was a song that you're singing along with before it's over, a testament to the band's writing abilities. "Better Man" underwent another remake, as Cone stepped away from her keys, accompanied by Jeff Malinowski's slowly jangling guitar and Alex's mallet-drumming.  Their cover of the Black Keys' "These Days" was excellent, as always, and the hints of classical music in another fresh tune, "Not a Man," proved that the best is on its way from this young group.

MCALISTER DRIVE - 11.21.14 - MERCURY LOUNGE (43 minutes)

SET -
Ocean Skip Away / I Met You* / 22 / Devil's Ghost / Best Dressed / Another Day / United South / Got It Right

THE MAJORLEANS - 11.21.14 - MERCURY LOUNGE (32 minutes, 30 seconds)

SET -
Go Down All the Time / Coal Mine/Cold Mind / Mr. Magic / Never Had Enough / Imaginary Plane / Real Bad / See the Seams > Under Ma Wheels

FRANCES CONE - 11.21.14 - MERCURY LOUNGE (37 minutes)

SET -
Heartland > Wait Right Here > Soon / Better Man / Wiser / Come Back / These Days / Not a Man / So So / 85

Frances Cone Celebrates EP Release at Rough Trade NYC

After months of delays, Rough Trade NYC has opened the doors to its music venue.  I stopped by to check it out during Frances Cone's self-titled EP release concert.  (Hopefully my signed copy from PledgeMusic arrives soon in the mail.)  The room continues the shipping container theme established in the record store, with the stage at the N. 8th wall and a bar along the left side.  Unfortunately, when it gets crowded, the narrow area between the bar and the soundboard creates a bottleneck situation.  Although it appeared to be off-limits during the show, there is also a balcony on three sides, creating a space reminiscent of the 8x10 in Baltimore.

Lou Reed playing over the PA was an easy transition into the Majorleans, who kicked things off with "Go Down All the Time."  The house sound was definitely bass-heavy, almost drowning out Chris Buckle's and Nicky Francis' guitars.  Sean McCann, who was subbing for Christian Bongers, handled the bass parts nicely, so thankfully we didn't have to only hear wrong notes.  The mix improved by "Imaginary Plane," which sizzled more than its studio version.  Their stage presence was a tad subdued, but they loosened up towards the end, pumping their firsts and shouting out the "hey"s and "ahh"s of "Under Ma Wheels."  Download three free tunes from their upcoming Black Belt below.

I realized five minutes before Doe Paoro took the stage that I could've been in the store looking at records during set break.  I made a mental note to do that before Frances Cone, though I quickly attained I probably should've shopped straight through Doe's set.  Doe Paoro is music for hipsters, by hipsters.  She's a less-danceable Lady Gaga that makes R&B-influenced pop, but hey, there's a cello onstage, so it must be cool, right?  It wasn't horrible; I just didn't get the hype, unlike the girls with bad haircuts bouncing in the first four rows.

Frances Cone couldn't hide the grin on her face during "Better Man," so she shook her head from side to side on each "the best couldn't be this way."  She took to acting out her lyrics again in "Come Back," though this time it wasn't intentional.  "Your arms are shaking" could've been applied to Cone, her right arm flailing about as if she were a marionette controlled by a giant in the rafters.  This wasn't the chilled-out version from their debut; it had a spring in its step, no doubt from the evident elation of the band members.  This pure joy pervaded the set, including "June," which showcased the sublime harmonies of the band's three core members, Cone, Jeff Malinowski, and Andrew Doherty.  Sadly, someone behind me screamed right in the middle of the final "I forgotttt."  "Alex is gonna go now because it's his birthday," announced Cone, bidding adieu to drummer Alex Baron.  The trio took on "Rene & Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War" as Baron watched from above.  The crowd got pretty chatty during the gentle Paul Simon song, which worked better as an encore during their soft-release party in March.  They recaptured the room's attention with the final number, a cover of the Walkmen's "We Can't Beat Beat" with Doe Paoro on lead vocals.

THE MAJORLEANS - 05.02.14 - ROUGH TRADE NYC (33 minutes)

SET -
Go Down All the Time / Mr. Magic / Coal Mine/Cold Mind / Imaginary Plane / Never Had Enough / Real Bad / See the Seams / Under Ma Wheels

DOE PAORO - 05.02.14 - ROUGH TRADE NYC (35 minutes)

SET -
Intro > New Lows / Nobody / Born Whole / Can't Leave You / Walking Backwards / I'll Go Blind / Body Games / Hypotheticals / Nostalgia

FRANCES CONE - 05.02.14 - ROUGH TRADE NYC (42 minutes)

SET -
Better Man / Come Back / Wiser / June > Soon / Rene & Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War / Rattles Your Heart / These Days / 85 / We Can't Be Beat (feat. Doe Paoro)

Frances Cone Brings June to Mercury Lounge

It was an absolutely bone-chilling March night.  So cold that the doorman for Mercury Lounge was standing inside.  And he never stands inside.  "It's a different season onstage," announced Frances Cone, ready for summer in a short-sleeved blouse and Daisy Dukes.  Bathed in pink light, the Brooklyn band kicked things off with "Better Man," now sporting a fresh intro that didn't immediately bring to mind "Come on Eileen."  As they made their way through "Come Back" and new tune "Wiser," the band displayed a confidence that wasn't there when I'd first seen them perform.  (Granted, they had previously been booked between two neo-soul singers, and now they were headlining.)  Cone admitted her trepidation before the debut of "June," but it turned out to be the best of the set.  Based around a droning loop, the song built gradually into a soaring, shimmering slice of indie pop.  They literally hopped into "Soon," bringing a taste of country into the mix.  Part of the appeal of Cone is her unique voice, which sounds like the battle between a dulcet ingénue and a raspy femme fatale.  You're never quite sure who's gonna come out on top, and that makes it interesting, especially when she tackles a cover like the Black Keys' "These Days."  The brief, eight-song set came to its close with "Rattles Your Heart."  After a quick "band meeting" at the side of the stage, they returned for an encore of Paul Simon's "Rene & Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War."  And we all felt a little warmer inside as we stepped out into the freezing air.

FRANCES CONE - 03.26.14 - MERCURY LOUNGE (38 minutes, 30 seconds)

SET -

Better Man / Come Back / Wiser / June > Soon / These Days / 85 / Rattles Your Heart

ENCORE -

Rene & Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War

Allen Stone Sits Down at Rockwood Music Hall

After seeing Allen Stone command the crowd at Brooklyn Bowl, I vowed that I would see many more of his shows.  So when a little bird (Sister Sparrow) tweeted in my ear that he was doing a free last-minute gig at Rockwood yesterday, the plans were set in motion to get there as soon as I finished work.  Once let in, I was able to get my favorite balcony seat in the house.  I ordered a beer and waited for the magic to happen.

To my surprise, it happened almost instantly.  Lyle Divinsky, a subway station singer-songwriter, walked out in his bare feet and sat on a stool in the center of the stage.  Donning a hat and vest, if only his pants would have been rolled up one ring higher, he would've resembled a grown Huck Finn.  And then he started to sing... a cappella.  If Allen Stone is the neo-soul wunderkind whiteboy from Washington, Divinsky is his counterpart from the other top corner of the map, Maine.  The audience was hooting and hollering after that first little taste, so Lyle grabbed an acoustic and led a singalong of his tune, "Come on Home."  "Y'all excited to see Allen Stone?" he asked.  Cheers. "Me too. But I hope you like what's leading up to it too."  Keeping time by paddling his feet off his stool, he kept the soul train coming with "Push On" and "Disaster," the latter of which featured a groovy little jam led by his uncle, Andy Argondizza, on guitar.  The crowd whooped spiritedly at the line, "Fuck you, Cupid!" during "Hit Man," and Divinsky channeled Otis Redding on a series of "I got to"s on "I Can't Believe the Way That You Love Me."  Lyle paused at the song's end, and announced, "So for these last two, it is my pleasure and my honor to welcome my favorite singer in the world, my dad, Mr. Phil Divinsky."  It was the epitome of a healthy father-son relationship as the two traded lines, smiling widely while the other sang.  Acts like Divinsky and Moon Hooch are why I always pause my iPod when I come across a performer on the platform.  You just never know.

Frances Cone Band was up next.  The plucky bass and drums that kicked off "Better Man" reminded me a little too much of "Come on Eileen," but the set improved from there.  I didn't envy her position, sandwiched between two vocal powerhouses, but she made do, using her smoky voice on a cover of the Black Keys' "These Days" that actually had me struggling to remember who originally sang it.  By the next number, "Mercy," Frances had also stepped out of her shoes, feeling the room's energy through the floorboards.

The Rockwood crew lowered the piano from the ceiling, setting the stage for Stone.  He emerged from the back hallway and grabbed a stool between Brent Rusinow and Trevor Larkin.  Thanking everyone for coming on such short notice, Allen strummed an acoustic guitar and began "A Change is Gonna Come."  Screams from ladies and shouts from dudes.  He passed the guitar back to Larkin, and invited Josh Rawlings to have a seat at the piano that was taking up so much real estate.  "Contact High" and "Celebrate Tonight" followed, Allen's voice impeccable in the room.  "The more you drink, the better we sound," he offered unnecessarily.  "Amen, brother!" toasted a crowdmember.  Stone shot back, "Thanks for the vote of confidence.  Who the fuck invited you?"  The crowd chuckled, and Stone continued with "Quit Callin."  "We haven't done a show like this in a while. I can't remember the last time I sat down onstage," he remarked before "The Bed I Made."  It was amazing to see him in such an intimate setting.  Unfortunately, sometimes other people don't know how to behave in this situation, and I had to ask two yappy bitches behind me to quiet down.  Following "Sex & Candy," Allen stated, "We're gonna keep it in the same mood.  We're gonna do another cover song."  The song was "Is This Love."  Putting Marcy Playground anywhere near Marley for reasons other than alphabetical order is pretty much blasphemy, but I quickly forgot MP once he got to the chorus.  It was during this number that I looked down and realized what a special night it was.  This wasn't Allen Stone inciting a crowd to dance with a preacher-like authority; it was Allen Stone using his dazzling voice to make a room fall silent while his friend tickled the keys of a real, wooden piano.  Brent, on backup vocals, made hand signals to Josh to watch Allen for the end, but then found himself laughing in awe at Allen's vocal ability, not wanting the tune to stop.  Before the final song of the evening, "Last to Speak," Allen offered some words of advice not commonly given by rockstars: "Just be humble.  I believe that humility breeds confidence."  The audience listened with rapt attention as he spit the powerful lyrics.  No one even whispered, humbled by the man onstage with the spectacular voice.

ALLEN STONE - 08.02.13 - ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL (54 minutes)

SET -

A Change is Gonna Come / Contact High / Celebrate Tonight / Quit Callin / The Bed I Made / Sex & Candy / Is This Love / Figure It Out / Unaware / Last to Speak