The Majorleans Return to Mercury Lounge

Mercury Lounge's most iconic feature had to have been its wall sconces.  The dim incandescent bulbs entrenched in decorative wire cages looked like giant firefly abdomens, just barely illuminating the showroom's brick walls to give it a feel that was somehow simultaneously dingy and classy.  They were even used in the lounge's website design for years until the Bowery Presents overhauled the page to include their other venues.  So imagine my shock last night when I stepped into the room to find them replaced with new fixtures that appear as if someone sliced a scalloped pitcher in half, stuck it over a LED light, and glued it to an elongated octagon made of reflective material streaked with blue wisps.  They look like shit and I don't know what they were thinking.  Almost exactly a year ago, when the original sconces remained, the Majorleans played the Mercury Lounge, unveiling a selection of new tunes that Nicky Francis and Chris Buckle had been workshopping for their next album, Carouser's End.  Last night, the band played all seven songs from the upcoming record.

The set got off to a shaky start, as inconsistent monitor levels had the members struggling to hear each other, with Buckle having difficulty harmonizing during "Mr. Magic."  After some adjustments, the band rallied behind "Give It All to Me," having lived in the Carouser's tunes long enough now that they've become staples.  The older Black Belt numbers benefitted from being reworked as well.  "Imaginary Plane" has always been my least favorite Majorleans song, but for this go-round, they slowed it down, allowing me to hear just how deep the pocket of rhythm section Bongers & Brooks goes.  By the time they'd reached the end of "What I Mean" five songs in, the confidence was visible, Nicky shaking his narrow hips as the crowd clapped for more.  "Once the pendulum starts swinging, it doesn't stop," Francis acknowledged.  "Not in those jeans!" came a teasing rebuttal from a crowdmember.  Trading out his Rickenbacker electric for a Gibson acoustic, Nicky led the band on a duo of Carouser's ditties, "Under the Spell" and "Sunrise Mary," the latter of which was greeted with knowing cheers from the audience.

Almost as big of a surprise as the new lighting on the walls, but entirely more welcome, was the second live performance ever of "Lonesome Seaside Driving School."  Written while driving along the southern coast of France, the introspective and atmospheric ballad stood proudly amid the band's rockers.  Having pulled it off without a hitch, Nicky warned the people, "It's all biscuits in your mouth from here on out, so be ready."  He held onto the Gibson for a terrific "Under Ma Wheels" before returning to the Rick on "Tattoo."  Chris sustained the song's final note to give Francis enough leeway to slap on a capo for their frequent closer and time-tested crowd-pleaser "Never Had Enough."  While it definitely sucks about the sconces, fortunately the Mercury Lounge will always be about the music, first and foremost.

THE MAJORLEANS - 12.07.16 - MERCURY LOUNGE (53 minutes)

SET -

Mr. Magic / Give It All to Me / Imaginary Plane / Set to Receive / What I Mean / Under the Spell / Sunrise Mary / Lonesome Seaside Driving School / Under Ma Wheels / Tattoo > Never Had Enough

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 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

The Next Round - Episode 27: The Majorleans & "Bassy" Bob Brockmann

This interview has been in the archives for over a year, waiting patiently for the release of the Majorleans album, Black Belt.  Just like the rocking record, it's well worth the wait.  Nicky Francis and Chris Buckle tell how their origins in Baltimore and Liverpool eventually merged together in the Lower East Side to mint a sound that is undeniably New York City.  Their Grammy-winning engineer and co-producer, "Bassy" Bob Brockmann, who has worked with everyone from Christina Aguilera to Biggie Smalls, also drops in to discuss his career and the state of the music industry.

Stream below, download directly, or subscribe on iTunes for the best experience.


Buy Black Belt on iTunes.

Grab a ticket for their show at Mercury Lounge on Friday.

Read reviews of previous Majorleans shows:
05.02.14, Rough Trade NYC
12.18.13, Mercury Lounge
04.03.13, The Bowery Electric 

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)

The Majorleans & Sundelles Play Real Indie Rock at Mercury Lounge

Over the years, the definition of "indie rock" has morphed from a business term into a genre.  Originally a way to categorize rock bands who were independent from the major record labels, it has become more a descriptor of a sound.  This is semi-logical, as many of these "indie" artists are now on thriving smaller labels.  And while they may not possess the coffers of the industry giants, they still have enough clout to garner airplay and sell tickets.  The fundamental flaw in using "indie" to describe what you're actually hearing is that the gamut is stylistically too diverse.  Does a grunge revival band count as indie even though they're paying tribute to a major label genre?  How atmospheric must a song be before it's considered indie?  At what point does the singer's voice become too tonally developed that the moniker no longer applies?  Last night, I went to the late show at Mercury Lounge to catch two Brooklyn indie bands, Sundelles and the Majorleans.  They're unsigned, so they are truly independent, but they don't sound anything alike.  And they shouldn't.

First up was the hirsute honcho of Sundelles, Sam Sundos, who exemplified the jangly lo-fi found on Teenbeat Records in the early '90s.  After opening with a medley of three of his oldest ditties, Sundos shifted the tides towards his latest release, No Milk, released a few weeks ago for free via Mediafire (download here).  Entirely backlit, Sam was hard to see, save for a shimmering crucifix dangling from his left earlobe.  "Are you guys taking me seriously?" he questioned halfway through the set.  "I wore this earring for Christmas, and no one's taking me seriously!" he shouted, feigning a temper tantrum.  The poppier No Milk numbers were definitely the crowd favorites, along with an unexpected cover of Big Star's "Thirteen."  "I didn't write that song, and I didn't sing it right," Sundos remarked before bringing his set to a close with the Beach Boys-flavored "Blue Sky."  I was a little let down that he didn't play my favorite song from the album, "Why (Make Up Your Mind)," but I guess that means I'll just have to see him again.

The Majorleans seemed looser than when I first saw them in April.  Perhaps it's because their long-overdue debut, Black Belt, is looming just around the corner.  Perhaps it was the inherent confidence that comes with headlining.  Perhaps they just felt at home in a room thick with friends.  No doubt it was a combination of all these things, and it resulted in a relaxed hangout vibe.  The feel of the show could be summed up by the enthusiastic yell of "One more!" from a crowdmember after the rocking opening cut "Go Down All the Time."  Nicky Francis laughed, and the band continued with nine additional tunes, including two I'd never seen live: "Mercy" and "Real Bad."  For the latter, dancers in the front row took to reenacting their roles from the music video (below).  Sound issues with the acoustic forced Francis to forfeit his guitar before the second verse, but that didn't stop him from miming a jam with his bandmates.  It was also nice to hear the song minus the harmonica that at times overpowers the studio version.  The Majorleans then moved the party to the roadhouse with the country-stomp of "Under Ma Wheels," another highlight.  And while they may have kept the mood casual, they still put the music first, as evidenced by Chris Buckle's searing classic rock solo on "Coal Mine/Cold Mind" and the tight pocket stitched by Hurricane Bells' rhythm boys on "Mr. Magic."


The plan is to spend next week pumping out the backlog of podcasts, which includes an interview with the Majorleans and Black Belt co-producer "Bassy" Bob Brockmann, so get your ears ready.

SUNDELLES - 12.18.13 - MERCURY LOUNGE (29 minutes)

SET -

Gold > Dead Youth > Waiting / Can't Win / Fight for My Time / Taking All the Fun / I'm Trouble / Thirteen / Blue Sky

THE MAJORLEANS - 12.18.13 - MERCURY LOUNGE (44 minutes)

SET -
Go Down All the Time / Coal Mine/Cold Mind / Imaginary Plane / Baby, Where Have All Your Lights Gone? / Real Bad / Under Ma Wheels / Never See the Seams / Mercy / Mr. Magic / Never Had Enough

Hurricane Bells Short-Circuit the Bowery Electric

Last week, I posted my list of the Top Ten Daytrotter Sessions, and you may remember that Hurricane Bells won the premier spot.  Fortuitously enough, they played at the Bowery Electric last night, and I got to see them for the fifth time.

I arrived at the venue just in time to catch the Majorleans.  Led by the lanky Nicky Francis, who looks like Jeremy Davies in Lost, the Majorleans played an eight-song set of hard-edged alt-country reminiscent of Uncle Tupelo... with a twist.  Nicky's vocals recall Lou Reed's, so this is very much New York City alt-country.  Perhaps that's an oxymoron, but it works.  After the rocking "Coal Mine/Cold Mine," Francis traded his Telecaster for an acoustic, announcing, "This one's about an old tailor," before "Never See the Seams."  "Mr. Magic" moved along on a nice groove supplied by bassist Christian Bongers and drummer Colin Brooks from Hurricane Bells.  They closed with "Never Had Enough," the demo of which I've put below, so you can hear their sound for yourself.

With the rhythm section already warmed up, Hurricane Bells kicked things off with "Let's Go," which culminated in a cataclysmic feedback solo from Steve Schiltz.  He rocked so hard next to his amp that he knocked over a pint glass of beer (From the looks of the soggy orange slice onstage, it appeared to be a "Blue Blue Moon.").  "Hurricane" followed, and it was nice to finally hear this one again since its debut about a year ago at Mercury Lounge.  Ashen Keilyn, Steve's Scout bandmate, helped supply backing vocals, usually in tandem with him into the same microphone.  I don't think I've seen her sing with them before, so the support was welcome.  No worries if she's not around though because Steve has a wondrous falsetto that he uses to add dimension to the tunes.  "Darkness is So Deep" rumbled along on Bongers' bassline, leading to a jam that had Brooks open-mouthed smiling as Steve soloed atop the bass drum.  "Wow," said an impressed Ashen to Steve at the song's end.

A couple acoustic tunes, "Freezing Rain" and "Blue Blue Moon," were a pleasant shift, but Steve's really on fire when he's got his whammy bar.  His solo in "Tonight I'm Going to Be Like a Shooting Star" crescendoed to a climax so ear-piercing that the stunned crowd couldn't help but cheer at its reprieve.  "Monsters," having been on the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack, had the audience moving, but when Schiltz started to rip into his solo, no noise came out.  As he frantically diagnosed the pedal board, Bongers and Brooks continued to vamp on the song.  Turning his attention to the amp where he'd spilled the beer earlier, Steve located the problem.  "I have, no shit, just blown up my guitar amplifier.  Ashen just asked me if I smelled something and I do," he said with a nervous laugh.  "Too much inspiration," remarked Colin.  Embarrassed, yet appreciative, Schiltz informed the crowd, "That's all she wrote.  Thanks, guys."

But that wasn't all she wrote.  The sound tech was able to hook up another amp, and they performed "The Winters in New York" as an encore.  "The winters in New York are hell with bitterness and cold," sang Schiltz in the chorus.  Turns out the springs are too, as I made my way outside to temperatures in the 30s.


THE MAJORLEANS - 04.03.13 - THE BOWERY ELECTRIC (32 minutes, 30 seconds)

SET -
Go Down All the Time / Baby, Where Have All Your Lights Gone? / Coal Mine/Cold Mind / Never See the Seams / Under Ma Wheels / Imaginary Plane / Mr. Magic / Never Had Enough

HURRICANE BELLS - 04.03.13 - THE BOWERY ELECTRIC (43 minutes, 30 seconds)

SET -
Let's Go / Hurricane / Freezing Rain / Darkness is So Deep / Hours Like Days / Blue Blue Moon / Tonight I'm Going to Be Like a Shooting Star / Monsters

ENCORE -
The Winters in New York