They Might Be Giants Play "Puppet Head" at Rams Head Live

I've seen They Might Be Giants live more times than any other band.  So when my trip to Maryland coincided with their concert at Rams Head Live, I happily ordered a ticket. 

I picked up my ticket at will call, and grabbed a spot at the bar to watch opening act, Moon Hooch.  New York City subway performers until they were snatched up by Mike Doughty for his Yes & Also Yes tour (I actually saw them at Brooklyn Bowl.), Moon Hooch consists of two saxophonists and one drummer.  The saxophone has gained a false sense of nostalgia from hipsters not old enough to actually remember the '80s sax solo, but if you're grooving to Moon Hooch (and lots of people were), it has nothing to do with irony.  They're doing new things with the saxophone, taking it deep into house territory, and putting that electronic dubstep shit to shame.  They call their style "cave music" because it's "more wild, more jagged, more free, and more natural to live in" than a house.  If they're opening a show you're going to, make sure you get there early.

The current five-member incarnation (two Johns, two Dans, and a Marty) of They Might Be Giants kicked things off with the power pop sounds of "You're on Fire," the first track on their latest LP, Nanobots.  TMBG have been doing a lot of publicity for the album, so it was a fitting icebreaker.  Imagine my surprise when they followed it with Factory Showroom's "James K. Polk," with all members bowing in unison at its conclusion.  "You know, we don't know much about Baltimore," admitted Flansburgh.  "But in between here and the hotel, I walked through an intense pocket of adult entertainment."  Linnell likened it to something out of The Wire, while Flans was convinced he had taken a trip on a "scumbag time machine.  I'm from New York City, and I'm usually not scared someone's gonna take my phone."  They then turned the focus inward to the three-tiered layout of the venue: "I'm getting a future science fiction courtroom vibe.  Welcome to the Star Chamber," mocked Flans.

After "The Guitar," which went on a disco tangent, John F. introduced a high-wattage handheld spotlight as a "piece of South American medical equipment."  While Flansburgh divided the audience down the center with the beam of light, Linnell revealed, "A lot of bands are about bringing people together.  We're about pulling them apart."  The left side of the room was instructed to raise their fists and chant, "People! People!"  The right side played the role of the "Apes!"  I was in the center in front of the soundboard, so I was forced to make a decision.  I'm proud to say that in the "Battle for the Planet of the Apes," I moved right and took part in the unprecedented victory for the apes.  "Choke on that, people!" exclaimed ape-leader Flans. 

In front of the video backdrop of an extreme close-up of a human eye, Linnell picked up his bass clarinet for "Cloisonné," with Danny Weinkauf taking his place on keys.  When the Dans traded spots and Linnell strapped on his accordion, I knew it was time for "Doctor Worm."  Segueing into "The Famous Polka" and then "Whistling in the Dark," it was one of the rare moments of the show that flowed well.  On paper, the setlist seems a good cross section of their career, but it wasn't conducive to building momentum.  It may have had something to do with the sound in the club.  The bass should've been much louder, at least as loud as it was for Moon Hooch.  In any case, the crowd just didn't seem that into it, and that was reflected in the performance of the band.  The moments of sheer joy on the faces of the Johns that I've so regularly witnessed were few and far between.  Also noticeable was the lack of f-bombs from Flans, but I've seen them do kids shows with more energy, so that may be irrelevant.

When Linnell pulled out the Kaoss Pad, I had hope for "Wicked Little Critta," but was let down to hear "Insect Hospital," the shortest song they chose to play from Nanobots.  But hey, at least they didn't do "Didn't Kill Me."  Then the Johns put down their instruments and picked up their sock puppets to perform as the Avatars of They.  After cracking jokes about the SCOTUS, they sang "He's Loco," which I'd never heard before, and actually enjoyed a lot.  "Nanobots" went directly into "Birdhouse," and the crowd lost it.  There was the energy they'd been searching for!  Yelling "Puppet Head!" at a TMBG concert has become the equivalent of yelling "Free Bird!"  So it was strange that the only time I haven't heard someone shout it, they actually played it!  Maybe we just need to not request it?  Regardless, I was stoked to finally hear it live for the first time.

The polyphonic lines of "Lost My Mind" were nice, but the band introductions that followed meant the show was nearing its end.  They took the opportunity to run it into the ground, announcing, "I feel like we should have some sort of music for this portion of the show, but we don't."  Having scoped out the crowd earlier for "Battle" ("How many people can have glasses and beards at the same time?  You NPR-loving hippies!"), they tried their hands at discovering the "true nick names" of select concertgoers.  Flans dubbed a fan on the floor "Dianasaurus Ross," and Linnell singled out a balcony member as "Nutella."  "That's funny 'cause I was gonna say Nutello," said John F.  "That's the masculine form," John L. countered.  It was funny, but it wasn't the right time for it.  Though announcing Tesla's name was met with cheers from the nerdy crowd, by the end of the song, the excitement had died.  When "Damn Good Times" is your savior, that's something to worry about.  They attempted to do do a vertical wave over the balconies, but it was done without the enthusiasm of the classic "Violin" waves.  Too little, too late.

I believe this was my 21st TMBG show, so I'm obviously going to be critical.  But something was off for this show.  I'm still pumped for the upcoming in-store in Brooklyn though.  I wouldn't see a band twenty times if they weren't good live.  It was just an off-night.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS - 04.06.13 - RAMS HEAD LIVE (1 hour, 59 minutes)

SET -
You're on Fire / James K. Polk / Memo to Human Resources > Celebration > Call You Mom / The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) / Battle for the Planet of the Apes / Mammal / Cloisonné / Doctor Worm > The Famous Polka > Whistling in the Dark / Circular Karate Chop / They'll Need a Crane / Insect Hospital / He's Loco / S-E-X-X-Y / Nanobots > Birdhouse in Your Soul / Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head / Lost My Mind > Band Intros > Birthday (tease) > Band Intros / Tesla / Damn Good Times / When Will You Die

ENCORE I -
Dead / The Mesopotamians / New York City

ENCORE II -
She's an Angel / Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

Daytrotter a Day #6: Joe Fletcher & Brown Bird

Daytrotter a Day #6: Joe Fletcher & Brown Bird (Released 03.11.13)

"Flat Tire" begins with the jangling of an acoustic guitar.  Soon enough, Joe Fletcher is telling tales of a girl who's a "nightmare in the sack" and her sister that he's spending the night with instead.  With a voice like a young Dr. John, you don't doubt for a second that these stories are true, even if they're not.  "Drunk & Single" is a fun, fiddle-filled stomper dedicated to country stalwart George Jones.  It's the catchiest of the bunch, and would fit right in on a Deer Tick setlist.  Funnily enough, Fletcher is also from Providence and has played with Deer Tick.  "Too Many Doors" is a more serious number.  When Fletcher sings, "The hallway before me has too many doors," he's not talking about feng shui.  It's about life, and how no matter which option you choose, sometimes it chooses you.  Thankfully this session chose me.  I'll be downloading this one.

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Daytrotter a Day #5: Themes

Daytrotter a Day #5: Themes (Released 04.05.13)

Themes recorded their first session for Daytrotter in 2011.  I'm not sure why they were invited back.  A husband-wife duo (plus a drummer) from Portland, Jacy McIntosh and Kelsey Crawford share vocal duties on their fairly straightforward rock songs.  Kelsey sings with a warble similar to Lissie.  Jacy sings like an out-of-tune Muppet.  When I first heard his voice come in on "Silence is a Good Pill," I seriously said out loud, "Is this a fucking joke?"  Silence would be a good pill for this guy.  It's even worse on "Trouble Makers," where his vocals are in the forefront.  The song ends with him repeatedly insisting inharmoniously, "It's not over yet."  Quit reminding me.  But I promised you guys I'd listen to the entire session, so I did.  But I'm never listening again.


Sign up for an annual Daytrotter membership here.  I swear there are better sessions than this. 

Daytrotter a Day #4: Jetta

Most Daytrotter Sessions are recorded at the Horseshack in Rock Island, Illinois, but today's session comes to us from across the pond.  Sign up for Daytrotter now, so you can follow along on this month-long trip.

Daytrotter Session #4: Jetta (Released 04.04.13)

Previously a backup singer for Cee Lo Green and Paloma Faith, Jetta has the voice to step into the spotlight.  Unfortunately, she doesn't have the lyrics.  When she first opens her mouth on "Start a Riot," you might ask yourself, "When did Adele record with this post-punk revival band?"  The percussive handclaps of "Can You Hear Me" instantly reminded me of "Rolling in the Deep."  But once you get a grasp on the words, it becomes clear this isn't the Grammy-winning phenom.  Jetta's lyrics, like her voice, are all about power, but they don't seem have any power behind them.  The theme of her songs is that a relationship can go awry, and Jetta and her partner (be he love interest or her father) should be able to work through it, but even if they don't, she's strong enough on her own.  "Operators" starts off interestingly enough, but quickly shifts into the kind of song that would accompany a training montage in an '80s sports movie about ugly cheerleaders competing against the popular squad.  And no one wants to see that.

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

Daytrotter a Day #3: The Lonely H

I dipped back into the archives for today's session.  Remember, if you don't have Daytrotter, you can buy an annual membership here and get a free vinyl.  If Daytrotter were the iTunes store, you'd have to pay thousands of dollars for all the songs you could download.  But it's only $24.

Daytrotter a Day #3: The Lonely H (Released 11.06.08)

"Don't you dare think you're special," warns Mark Fredson's mother in "Mother's Only Son."  And while this Port Angeles, WA quintet can make some solid rock music, his mom was right; they're not exactly special.  "Out West" is a little like Jack White fronting Lynyrd Skynyrd, but not on the same level as either.  The guitar riff in "Oh My!" is so close to "Cat Scratch Fever" that you'd rather hear them tackle the Nugent classic, speckling the song with Fredson's piano.  "Phoenix" is the best of the set, sounding like a Sticky Fingers outtake, but again, not original.  I suppose it's working for them though, as they managed to snag the Stones' saxophonist Bobby Keys to record on their upcoming album.  Good for them, but I'd rather listen to Mick and the boys, as would anyone.

Daytrotter a Day #2: Spindrift

I decided on another new release for today.  Join me on the journey, and sign up for Daytrotter now.  Free vinyl!

Daytrotter a Day #2: Spindrift (Released 04.02.13)

The session begins with "Shady Town," which could be the theme of a Bond film... if that film took place in the Wild West.  Sasha Vallely-Certik would have to have a better voice to actually sing in the opening credits, but there's no reason she couldn't do the demo version that would eventually leak and hipsters would like more than the Kelly Rowland one.  "Space Vixens" starts with a member shouting "Space Vixens!" in a high voice much like the Surfaris' "Wipe Out."  It touches on surf rock briefly, but then makes its way into kaleidoscopic funk, similar to the Stepkids. "Red Reflection," a gentler psych track, commences with a flute solo, making you realize how underutilized the flute is in modern music.  The final song, "Hell Bound," is another instrumental that combines the Western and surf rock sounds established previously.  Tarantino fans should delight in this.  Not really for me, but I didn't hate it either.

Daytrotter a Day #1: Neal Morgan

I recently posted my list of the Top Ten Daytrotter Sessions, and I hope some of you took it upon yourselves to sign up and discover some new music/get a free vinyl.  If you haven't yet, here's a link.

When I was making my list, I realized that I've discovered quite a few bands by listening to their Daytrotter Sessions, including my #1 pick, Hurricane Bells.  So now, every day, for the month of April, I will listen to a session of an artist I've never heard of before, and post the review.  Some will be released that day; some will randomly be chosen from the past.  Some will be awful; some will hopefully be astounding.  Join me on this journey as I listen to a "Daytrotter a Day."

Daytrotter a Day #1: Neal Morgan (Released 04.01.13)

"No more ill-gotten gains," Neal Morgan begins his Daytrotter introduction.  A bad sign that this is going to be a pretentious piece of garbage.  And it is, for the most part.  On "Father's Day / I Stand on a Roof," Morgan babbles about pine needles and his dog over drum loops before the song comes to an abrupt end after the line, "Some rich assholes from L.A. are putting in a house."  "On Tour" has him continuing his strange poetry over a flurry of pre-recorded "dreams," "dreaming," and "dreamy."  The final number, "The Evidence," is the best of the bunch, with Neal singing barbershop-style with himself, his voice reminiscent of Travis Morrison.  Sadly, he even finds a way to ruin that, stopping the song's flow right in the middle to announce, "I should say this song is a response to Philip Guston and a painting he made in 1970."  Sean Moeller's essay opens with the sentence, "The sense that Neal Morgan makes is all his own."  Then he should keep it to himself.