The Next Round - Episode 8: ALO

Back in November, I had the pleasure of catching the second show ever by jamband supergroup, Incidental Animals.  Anchored by Steve Adams, Dave Brogan, and Dan Lebowitz of ALO, the band was rounded out by SCI's Kyle Hollingsworth and TAB's Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman.  I got to talk to Lebo after the show about how the band came together, what he's thinking about while he's jamming, and how he and Zach Gill escaped from Hurricane Sandy.  Check it out!

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I'll be at Flannery's Bar on Thursday at 9pm for "Laugh and a Draft."

Recipe for Man Man at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Recipe for Man Man Concert

Notes from the chef

This dish is a raucous delight, perfect for the day before Super Bowl Sunday.  While it only takes a little more than an hour to make, you'll still be satisfied by the amount of energy that went into it.

Ingredients

4 skeletons

1 opening act, Xenia Rubinos

1 handful glitter

6 cups beer

18 songs, mainly culled from last year's best album

1 megaphone

1 alien mask

1 fur coat, white

1 cloak, multi-patterned

1 energetic crowd

assorted instruments

Directions

1. Set lights to low.  Put 3 skeletons onstage and have them play a brief intro.

2. Introduce fourth skeleton draped in cloak.  Turn its back to crowd and spread arms to create creepy moth effect.

3. Begin songs.

4. At "Top Drawer," toss beers into air without regard for other crowdmembers.

5. Stir crowd vigorously until a mosh pit is created.

6. Toss glitter into mosh pit.

7. Dress lead singer skeleton in fur coat for a fantastic "Loot My Body."

8. Right around "Mister Jung Stuffed," you'll notice a froth forming on the crowd.  Skim the top with the wildest members.

9. Put alien mask on lead singer skeleton to distort vocals for "Paul's Grotesque."

10. Dress opener as skeleton.  Have her perform backup vocals for "Pink Wonton," "Head On," and "King Shiv."

11. Remove opener.

12. Push the eagle's stomach.

13. Play "Born Tight."  Set aside skeletons.

14. Scream and clap.

15. Bring back drummer skeleton.  Set drum machine for "El Azteca."

16. Combine remaining skeletons with drummer.  Give megaphone to lead singer.

17. Whip continuously until you smell the blood of an Englishman.  If you do this right, the crowd should go nuts.

18. Garnish with "Young Einstein on the Beach."  

Serves 550.

XENIA RUBINOS - 02.01.14 - MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG (39 minutes)

SET -

Intro > When You Come / Help / Whirlwind / Cherry Tree / Pan y Café / Little Lost Cat* / Motorcycle / Hair Receding

MAN MAN - 02.01.14 - MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG (1 hour, 9 minutes)

SET -

Intro* > End Boss > Top Drawer > Zebra / Loot My Body / Mister Jung Stuffed / Paul's Grotesque / Pink Wonton > Head On / King Shiv > Push the Eagle's Stomach > Doo Right / Born Tight

ENCORE -

El Azteca / Bangkok Necktie / Sparks / Engrish Bwudd / Werewolf (on the Hood of Yer Heartbreak) / Young Einstein on the Beach

Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds Fly with Zeppelin at Brooklyn Bowl

In December, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds invited their fans to vote on ten classic albums, ranging from Aretha Franklin's Lady Soul to Superunknown by Soundgarden.  The winning LP would be covered in its entirety at the band's January 31st Brooklyn Bowl concert.  A few weeks ago, Led Zeppelin's IV was announced as the victor, and the band got to work arranging and rehearsing for last night's show.

The event was opened with a long set from Brooklyn's Zongo Junction, a 9-piece Afrobeat outfit made up of the whitest-looking dudes possible.  I'd never seen or heard of them before, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they were real deal, not just a group of pale imitators.  As they made their way through their instrumental tunes, crowdmembers spun in joyous circles around the dance floor.  I was even more impressed when the band deviated away from the standard Afrobeat rhythms, with bassist David Lizmi (a dead ringer for Frank Zappa) taking one jam into the depths of the ocean as keyboardist Ross Edwards layered in some decaying vocal effects.  I noticed that a stand in the center of the stage held an unused vocal microphone, and I joked with my friend that I was going to join them.  I began to improvise lyrics about a mosquito and malaria.  Fortunately for everyone, I didn't jump onstage, and Zongo Junction received another credibility boost when they introduced Abena Koomson, who had served as vocal captain for Broadway's Fela!  Koomson led a crowd chant on the militantly catchy "T.D.D. (Tear Dem Down)," dancing as the boys kept the groove going.  Imagine my shock when she started singing "Elephant & Mosquito," which contained lines about a mosquito and malaria.  I spent the rest of the set convinced that I was some sort of Afrobeat psychic, smiling as I listened to the ghostly sounds of the Farfisa organ and watched percussionist Morgan Greenstreet wildly contort his mouth as he banged away on the congas.

Having seen the Dirty Birds three times last year, I'd grown accustomed to them opening with an instrumental barrage before Sister Sparrow hopped out to sing the first number.  It was obvious this was going to be a different kind of show, as Arleigh Kincheloe emerged right at the beginning to sing "The Way You Make Me Feel."  (Michael Jackson's Bad was also in the cover album poll.)  They proceeded with five of their own songs, highlights including "The Long Way" and "Make It Rain."  Following a killer "Crawdaddies," the stage went dark for a tad longer than usual.  It was time.

They roared into "Black Dog" to kick off Zeppelin IV, Arleigh modifying the lyrics to "a skinny-legged woman ain't got no soul" to fit her petite frame.  Guitarist Sasha Brown blew my mind when he tore into the riff from "Bulls on Parade" to start "Rock & Roll."  He weaved the motif in and out of the song, which Arleigh finished by turning her back to the crowd and screeching higher than Robert Plant ever could.  I was intrigued to see how they'd handle the Lord of the Rings-themed "The Battle of Evermore," a nerd fantasy that just doesn't do it for me on record.  Sasha locked into a sinister groove that bent towards industrial with the addition of a grating harmonica ostinato from Jackson Kincheloe.  The packed house began to get a little chatty during the number, which continued into "Stairway to Heaven."  If there's ever a time to shut up at a concert, it's during "Stairway," but silence didn't come until the song's powerful conclusion.  Brown's guitar should have been louder in the mix from the start of the show, so maybe that would've helped.  "Misty Mountain Hop" got the floor moving again as expected.  The beat gradually began to slow until the Birds pulled a 180° and dropped into "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" (Graceland was also a candidate.) for a bit before returning to the "Hop."  The last time I saw Sister Sparrow, it was in a sweaty basement for the Fight EP release party.  Unfortunately, Arleigh's vocals were a little strained that evening.  Last night, she'd never sounded better.  The prime example was "Four Sticks," where you could hear every drop of joy and pain that she harbors in that soulfully stirring voice.  While Josh Myers traded his bass for an acoustic and Sasha doubled his string-count, Arleigh grinned widely at the audience.  "You asked for it!  We're so, so happy that this is the album you chose for us to play," she gushed.  "Playing music is fun, but playing Zeppelin is a whole 'nother thing."  Again, talking covered up a lot of the delicate "Going to California," but when you could hear the intricate notes of Brown's 12-string, it was beautiful.  This was a Zeppelin show, however, so people wanted to rock.  They got their wishes with "When the Levee Breaks."  Assisted by three of Zongo Junction's horn players, the Dirty Birds had everyone in the Bowl bouncing until its end.  "Brooklyn, we love you so fucking much!" yelled Arleigh as the the Birds flew the coop.  The sold-out crowd roared their approval.  Less than a minute later, the band reclaimed the stage to finish up with another Zeppelin tune: Houses of the Holy track "D'yer Mak'er."  The reggae ditty was the icing on the cake, likely a rum cake, as Sister Sparrow snuck in the liquor-soaked chorus from her own "Vices."

It was definitely a night to remember for the band and everyone sober enough in the crowd.  Let's hope Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds make an album cover show an annual tradition, so we'll have even more memories in the years to come.

SISTER SPARROW & THE DIRTY BIRDS - 01.31.14 - BROOKLYN BOWL (1 hour, 23 minutes)

SET -

The Way You Make Me Feel / The Long Way / Don't Be Jealous / Make It Rain / Borderline / Crawdaddies / Black Dog > Rock & Roll/Bulls on Parade / The Battle of Evermore / Stairway to Heaven > Misty Mountain Hop > Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes > Misty Mountain Hop > Four Sticks / Going to California / When the Levee Breaks

ENCORE -

D'yer Mak'er > Vices > D'yer Mak'er

The Next Round - Episode 7: Splashh

I first heard the NZ/AUS/UK band Splashh when they were opening for Generationals at Bowery Ballroom.  I was hooked immediately by their volatile, grungy take on shoegaze.  The day after a rare US gig at the Brooklyn Bazaar, I caught up with frontman Sasha Carlson at the Gibson in Williamsburg.  We had some beers and discussed what's next for the band.  Hint: a new album recorded right here in New York.

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Visit Splashh's website or follow them on Twitter.

The Next Round - Episode 6: Beat Radio

Sorry for the podcast break, but I'm back with a long two-beer chat with Brian Sendrowitz of Beat Radio.  Brian and I met for happy hour drinks because like most of us, he has a day job.  But that suits him just fine, as it provides him the financial stability to make the kind of music he wants to make when he wants to make it.  It's an interesting listen, especially to hear the volume escalate as the bar gets increasingly busier.  Also I was getting over a cold when we taped it, so excuse the sniffles.

Subscribe on iTunes, download directly, or stream below.  If you dig, please leave a comment on iTunes.


If you'd like to check out Beat Radio's latest two singles, go to their Bandcamp.  They're also playing Saturday at Spike Hill in Williamsburg at 8pm sharp (Facebook invite here).

Due to a booking error, I won't be at Flannery's tonight as stated, but I will be hosting at Magooby's Joke House on Friday and Saturday.  Paul Virzi headlines.  LivingSocial deal available too!

Top 15 Most Anticipated Albums of 2014

15. The John Butler Trio - Flesh & Blood
Release Date: February 4
Why I'm Excited: It's been four years since April Uprising.  Even the undead are excited!


14. Robert Ellis - The Lights of the Chemical Plant
Release Date: February 11
Why I'm Excited: Ellis shared in a Rolling Stone interview that the new record would move beyond his country/folk roots... into R&B, bossa nova, and free jazz.

13. Chris Mills & the Distant Stars - Alexandria 
Release Date: January 21
Why I'm Excited: Mills played most of the tunes when he opened for Ken Stringfellow last February.  I've been waiting a year to hear them again!

12. Peter Salett - Suite for the Summer Rain
Release Date: TBA
Why I'm Excited: Peter's back in New York, and he's convinced this is his best work yet.

11. Splashh - TBA
Release Date: TBA
Why I'm Excited: Comfort was good, but it was really a compilation of singles recorded in a bedroom.  This time they're gonna stop using socks for mic windscreens, and record a  proper album in a professional studio. 

10. The Notwist - Close to the Glass
Release Date: February 25
Why I'm Excited: It's the 25th year as a band for the German electro-rockers.  Check out the title track below.


9. Mad Caddies - TBA
Release Date: TBA
Why I'm Excited: My favorite third-wave ska band is finally back in the studio.

8. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - Give the People What They Want
Release Date: January 14
Why I'm Excited: The record was supposed to come out last year, but Sharon was diagnosed with cancer.  She's since kicked cancer's ass, and I'm ready to shake mine.

7. The Majorleans - Black Belt
Release Date: February
Why I'm Excited: I've heard early mixes of a few of the songs, and they rock.  Nicky Francis' talkin' blues voice makes the passing of Lou Reed easier to cope with.

6. Jack White - TBA
Release Date: TBA
Why I'm Excited: Blunderbuss turned me over to the White side.  I'm hoping he follows through.  Also, I'm a Third Man Vault member, so I'll probably end up with some super-cool edition.

5. Rx Bandits - TBA
Release Date: TBA
Why I'm Excited: They'd been on hiatus since 2011 until the 10th anniversary of The Resignation got them touring again.  Matt Embree's announcement that they were recording demos in late December was quite the Christmas present.

4. I Am the Avalanche - Wolverines
Release Date: March 18
Why I'm Excited: It's the last album with all the founding members, as Mike and Kellen are saying goodbye.  Their previous, Avalanche United, was scarily good.

3. Kishi Bashi - TBA
Release Date: Spring
Why I'm Excited: When I saw him perform at Irving Plaza in September, K admitted he'd already re-recorded lead-off single "Philosophize in It! Chemicalize with It!"  There's also a song on it about a dancing steak.

2. The Belle Brigade - Just Because
Release Date: February 11
Why I'm Excited: John Williams' grandkids team up again for their first LP since their eponymous debut, which was my favorite of 2011.  Download "Ashes" below.

1. Penguin Prison - TBA

Release Date: TBA

Why I'm Excited: You never know exactly what you're gonna get from Chris Glover, but you always know it's gonna be good.  If the new number he played at the Wall is any indication of what's to come, buy some new dancing shoes this year too.

Self Celebrates 20 Years at Gramercy Theatre

Before the word selfie entered the lexicon as a term for a photographed self-portrait, it had a different meaning: an obsessive fan of the Tennessee alternative band Self.  And last night at Gramercy Theatre, the selfies were out in full force.  It was the most crowded I've ever seen the venue; crowded enough that the coat check no longer had room for coats.  You see, it had been ten years since the band performed in the city, and ten more since they'd begun recording their debut album, Subliminal Plastic Motives.  The night was a celebration of SPM, both performed in its entirety and released on vinyl for the first time.

An instrumental version of Prince's "1999" welcomed the band to the stage, and the ageless Matt Mahaffey started singing, modifying the song to "1995" with lines like "The music was all grungy / There were Big Muff pedals everywhere."  After a chorus of two, it was finally time to to party like it was '95, and Self crunched into "Borateen."  Following a swell "Sophomore Jinx," Matt conducted the crowd on a singalong of the compass rose in "Stewardess."  "Where you been?!" yelled a crowdmember after the tune.  Matt responded, "In the words of Woody Harrelson: Drinking... a lot."  The Kingpin reference kicked off an ongoing game of Mahaffey's banter including film quotes from Groundhog Day to Toy Story.  "So Low" and "Marathon Shirt" both gave Chris James the chance to go off on the synthesizer, an essential ingredient to the Self sound.  "You guys are killing it!" shouted a selfie.  "Oh, good," said Mahaffey cheerily.  After "Cannon," he remarked, "You know, you guys are a little rusty too," pointing out that many had botched the last chorus by singing "unnecessary" instead of "unwanted."  "Next time!" he added with a smile.  He singled out a man in the crowd who had been singing along to every song.  "Why don't you come up here and sing this next one?" he asked.  The dude and his date were escorted onto the stage, and Matt handed him the microphone.  The guy revealed that he'd rewritten some of the words.  Something was up.  As he genuflected, we all knew what was coming.  "Will you marry me?" he questioned.  His genuinely confused and embarrassed girlfriend replied, "Uh... yeah," followed by an unamplified "What the fuck?"  She didn't put the ring on her finger though, so hopefully she was just still in shock.  But the show had to go on.  Following "Superstar" and "Mother Nature's Fault," Mahaffey confessed, "New York City, you're unstoppable!  Maybe I'll just have to stay up here all night."  He took the mic out of its stand, and danced around as he sang over the jazzy beat of "Big Important Nothing."  They wrapped up Subliminal Plastic Motives with a feedback-drenched "Lost My Senses," Mahaffey nodding knowingly to the crowd as he left.  "It's obligatory," he explained.

The selfies cheered for over a minute straight before Matt returned alone.  "The guys are going to the bathroom," he smirked.  Whether or not he was joking, he did take the opportunity to treat us to the chorus of the ultra-rare "Brooklyn" before his bandmates reappeared for "Dielya Downtown."  Then the whole group got their chance to tackle a deep cut with "Glued to the Girl."  Taking off his guitar, Mahaffey turned to the omnichord beside him and fired up "Trunk Fulla Amps."  It was the highlight of the night, the crowd taking the reins on each "Mother!"  The band even threw in a tease of "Empire State of Mind" for good measure.  "Meg Ryan" with its Sleepless in Seattle third act-referencing refrain was the obvious closer for an NYC show.

The house lights and music popped on, but I was unconvinced.  Sure enough, within a minute, Jason Rawlings emerged and took a seat the the drums.  As he kicked into the beat, the remaining members returned, along with opening act I Fight Dragons.  The newly enlarged band finished with a jubilant "Titanic," Mahaffey's Pixes/Weezer mashup/parody.  "I swear to you guys it won't be ten more years," Matt declared over the cheers.  There's going to be a lot of disappointed selfies if he doesn't keep his word.

SELF - 01.10.14 - GRAMERCY THEATRE (1 hour, 18 minutes)

SET -
1999 / Borateen / Sophomore Jinx / Stewardess / So Low / Marathon Shirt / Lucid Anne / Cannon / Missed the Friction / Superstar / Mother Nature's Fault / Big Important Nothing / Lost My Senses

ENCORE I -
Brooklyn (tease) / Dielya Downtown / Glued to the Girl / Trunk Fulla Amps > Empire State of Mind (tease) > Trunk Fulla Amps / Meg Ryan

ENCORE II - 
Titanic (feat. I Fight Dragons)

Top 10 Albums of 2013

The Top 10 Albums of 2013

10. The White Buffalo - Shadows, Greys, & Evil Ways

The album is a narrative about a couple named Joe & Jolene.  With a voice that's a cross between Eddie Vedder and Cat Stevens, Jake Smith uses the story to tackle the topics of young love, PTSD, and forgiveness.

9. Lissie - Back to Forever

Lissie Maurus avoids the sophomore slump entirely with this stylistically diverse pop record, which ranges from the Fleetwood Mac flutter of "Sleepwalking" to the riot grrrl rawk of "Shameless" to the piano ballad title track.

8. The Flaming Lips - The Terror

It wasn't until seeing the FLips on the muddy banks of the mighty Mississippi that I was able to truly appreciate this album's horrifying bewitchery.  Those looking for Yoshimi singalongs will be disappointed, but it is infinitely better than both Embryonic and Heady Fwends.

7. Broken Anchor - Fresh Lemonade

It would've been even higher on the list if six of the songs hadn't been recycled from previous EPs.  Although, with the addition of "Canada," their catchiest song yet, it'd be a crime not to put it on.  (Learn the story behind "Canada" in my podcast interview with Broken Anchor.)

6. Generationals - Heza

Not really what you'd expect from a NOLA band, but it's a laid-back summer spin.  Put it on at the end of the barbecue when your mouth's full of s'mores and your head's full of dreams.

5. Phoenix - Bankrupt!

The four Frenchmen return with a more cohesive effort than Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.  It's a little darker than their previous records, suggesting an emotional depth that will hopefully stick around for their next release.

4. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Like nearly every critic in the country, I was smitten with the warm analog electro-R&B of the band's long-awaited fifth LP.  The live instrumentation results in the most sentient offer from the robots, proving that they are in fact, human after all.  While the longer tracks "Giorgio by Moroder" and "Touch" are the album's most challenging, they also provide its best moments.

3. Goldspot - Aerogramme

Siddhartha Khosla mined his family's history from his father's unsent letters on napkins to his own childhood days spent in India to create a biographical work of art.  Chock full of instruments rarely heard in pop music on this continent, it's a feast for the ears.  Throw out your copy of Modern Vampires of the City, and replace it with this.  (Hear Sidd discuss the origins of several of the album's songs on my podcast.)

2. The Postelles - ...And It Shook Me

It may have all the hooks of a perfect summer album, but make sure to bring the tear-free sunscreen 'cause some of the songs have an underlying sense of melancholy.  Also beware, the hooks have barbs.  You won't be able to get them out of your head.





 1. Man Man - On Oni Pond

The faintly familiar brass and woodwind introduction eases you in, but it's all a ruse.  Once the organ blasts open the wonderfully weird "Pink Wonton" featuring spy movie guitar riffs and Chinese backup singers, you know damn well it's a Man Man album.  There's not a dud in the bunch either.  "Head On" is a radio hit, "Fangs" deserves a spot on your Halloween playlist, and "Paul's Grotesque" contains the grooviest jam of the year.  After I listen to it once, all I want to do is listen again.