Devendra BanhartManhattan Center Grand BallroomNYC, 9/27/07 by Daniel Alleva

Regardless of what it’s described as, Devendra Banhart’s music is freeing, and his show at the Manhattan Center’s Grand Ballroom in NYC on September 27th was a stellar performance from a great songwriter and his band. Devendra, along with his California collective that includes such talented artists as Andy Cabic and Noah Georgeson, played for two hours and pulled heavily from his latest release, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon.

The first half of the set was marked by a gradual build-up, and featured gentle cuts like “Quedate Luna” from Devendra’s previous release, Cripple Crow, and “So Long Old Bean,” from Smokey. Devendra informed the crowd early on that they were “only just warming up,” and in between songs, he even joked with the locals a bit. “I want to thank you all for coming . . . . To all the young folks who made it out tonight – Hello, Brooklyn.”

Later on, Devendra pulled out his trademark, sunburst Gibson guitar, and treated the crowd to a beautiful rendition of “It’s A Sight to Behold” from his 2004 release, Rejoicing in the Hands. From there came “Seahorse,” a Smokey highlight that starts out simple and tender, then segues into a movement comparable to Coltrane’s version of “My Favorite Things,” before exploding into a heavy jam that on this night featured terrific guitar work from Georgeson, Cabic, and Devendra himself.

By then the lid had busted off of the jar, and Devendra and company turned out the dance floor while the crowd cut a rug to cuts like “Carmensita,” which was accented by Devendra’s tongue-rolling español, and “Lover,” a slinky little number with a wide-assed groove.

Rather than boring the crowd with a lengthy intermission during set break, he instead continued the tradition of inviting an audience member to the stage to play a song of their own creation. A lovely young woman by the name of Dana bravely took to the stage and performed for the crowd while Devendra and company rooted her on from the sides. Upon returning to the stage, the band floored the audience with a sterling rendition of “Hey Mama Wolf,” the deep cut from Cripple Crow, being performed for the very first time.

The night ended with a version of “I Feel Just Like a Child” that set the roof on fire. Running on all cylinders, capturing the essence, and seizing the moment – Devendra Banhart was as charming and captivating as his aura suggests he is.

Slayer - Christ Illusion (Limited Edition)by Daniel Alleva

Sadly, Slayer will never get the recognition that they deserve. As has been the story with metal in general, acknowledgement of the influence that Slayer has had on music for the last 25 years is few and far between. Unless, of course, you’re a die-hard like myself. And to the satisfaction of the faithful, what has been proven time and time again is that the world needs Slayer. Since their early inception, they have been more reliable than the other bands of their ilk. Their music is the punishing memorandum that reminds us that fear is the greatest weapon on earth.

Slayer albums scare people, and rightfully so. Narrating horrific accounts from the perspective of the inflictor has been the modus operandi of Slayer since day one. But on the outskirts of their alarming imagery is a possibility that is even more discomforting, that the thrash of Slayer can be used as a mirror, one that we resent having to peer into. With Christ Illusion, the band's first studio release since 2001 and first since the return of drummer Dave Lombardo, Slayer achieves tenfold what other metal and punk bands fail miserably at. By crafting tales of real pain at a breakneck speed, Christ Illusion is a textbook study in violent physicality.

From a lyrical standpoint, Slayer may not have ever been this direct. Vocalist/bassist Tom Araya screams about the disenchanted and the effected with every fiber of his being. On "Eyes Of The Insane,” he recounts the horrors of post-war syndrome by creating images of devastating insanity as Death's riding, only to juxtapose the perspective on "Jihad." "Fuck your God, erase his name" Araya screams and the imagery is so brazen that it exemplifies everything relating to Slayer's quarter of a century-long clash with society.

It is a fight to the death for Slayer. By playing the role of relentless aggressor, Slayer has preserved their existence as the town crier in the city of the damned. This newly-released, limited edition version of Christ Illusion features the new song, "Final Six.” It also features a DVD with nearly 15 minutes of special live footage and the "Eyes of the Insane" video.

Jason Gallagher of Leroy Justiceby Daniel Alleva

Jason Gallagher of Leroy Justice was kind enough last year to shed a little light on the recording sessions for Revolution's Son - the band's debut record - and talk to us about the bright lights of the big city.

CBTS: First off, let me congratulate you on Revolution's Son. Tell me what it's like working with John Siket. How did it all come together, and how much did you know about him beforehand?

JG: The recording of the album was done when it was possible and where it was possible...very much in pieces, but we were still aware of the overall tone of the album. That's pretty much the only way a struggling band in New York City can do it, unless they have funding or a record deal. So we pooled our money together and made it happen. We started recording at Threshold Studios in Manhattan, and the owner there brought in Siket, an old friend of his, to engineer. We got along like old friends, and appreciated his skilled yet laid back style. He made us sound great, and we laughed the whole time. There was an unspoken kind of vibe, like, "make this sound great", and then he would do exactly that.

I didn't know much about Johnny, but Sloan (Marshall, keyboards) knew The Siket Disc, the album he did with Phish. So, we got some good stories as you might imagine! After the Threshold sessions, we recorded some drums and bass at The Cutting Room studios on Broadway, and I recorded a lot of the guitars and vocals in our rehearsal studio and in my apartment on Protools. We took all those tracks back to Siket and mixed the hell out of them. He really touched them with magic, because they sound amazing, and we have to give him most of the credit for it.

He engineered Crash for the Dave Matthews Band - which was produced by Steve Lillywhite - and during one of our mix sessions, this blonde dude came into the studio. I got a little distracted because all of the sudden, there's this stranger walking around during our session. So, I walk into the control room and Siket is like, "J, I want you to meet my friend, Steve Lillywhite". So we all shit our pants, and then played him "It Rains It Pours" because that's what we had up on the mixing board. He bobbed his head along and said, "Rockin'." - and that's about it! It was pretty funny.

CBTS: Siket has worked with some rather iconic artists throughout his career. Both Phish and Sonic Youth come to mind, as well as many others. While you were working with him, was there any additional pressure on you as an artist because of the history and experience he brings to the table?

JG: Honestly, from the very beginning, John was like a friend to us. (He was) on our side. It was like we had an understanding of what sounds good, and we were trying to make it happen together. Plus, we're a pretty confident band, and we knew we loved our music. So to be partnered with someone as talented as Siket, we knew it would just help us translate what we do live and in rehearsal to tape.

CBTS: Dennis Cook from Jambase was quoted in his article on Leroy Justice as saying, "...their debut mixes youthful energy with a surprising confidence...the young Bruce Springsteen in his arc towards "Born To Run" also springs to mind." Is receiving praise like that daunting for new songwriters on the scene, in the sense that once people start to say things like that, there will always be an expectation placed upon you - either by yourself or by the media - to maintain that kind of approval?

JG: When you write songs in your bedroom and start to play them with a band, you hope someday someone will think enough of them to write kind words like that. But once they do, you try not to think about it, and just look forward to something bigger and better. It's still pretty early in our press/media career, so it's still kind of funny to read stuff like that - almost like it's not real, like it's a friend just blowing smoke up your ass. We try not to think about it as the real world.

CBTS: I've been fortunate enough to see Leroy Justice perform many times. Your shows have an effervescence about them that recall the emotions that one too many late nights can stir up, or one too many crooked smiles; stories that are sometimes sad, and sometimes sweet, but are always a celebration of what is merry and free. What is it about the band members as individuals that make that vibe so prevalent when you guys get together and play shows?

JG: We love to play loud music. I just try to keep up with the band and write words as fast as we make the music. We're all sort of addicted to the high of the good rock song. There's something amazing that happens when the five of us reach a new point in jamming that is unspoken and undeniable. We try not to analyze it too much. It's like we don't want to jinx it.

CBTS: Being from New York City - a city that isn't typically known for the type of sounds Leroy Justice is creating - how important is it to the band to make sure that the spirit of NYC comes across in the music?

JG: Everything moves pretty quickly in the city, and it creates an intensity that you get addicted to after awhile. You don't realize it's there until you get away for awhile, then you know you have to get back to it...back to the life of New York. That's kind of how our music is to us...very addictive, and very intense. I think the southern feel comes from our backgrounds and tastes, but the spirit is all New York, and I don't think we can do it any other way.

CBTS: Thanks for your time today, Jason. I was hoping you could take us home by telling me a little bit about playing the South-by-Southwest festival, and your experiences there.

JG: We played South-by-Southwest twice, once in 2003 and again this year. Both times we had a blast. Our touring experience is limited, so any time we can get to Texas and eat some great BBQ and drink some beer - and rock - it's all good. Plus, we saw Willie Nelson in '03. It doesn't get much better than that!

Interpol, Madison Square Garden,NYC, 9/14/07by Daniel Michael Alleva

After finishing up support for their second release, Antics, early in the spring of 2005, Interpol seemed poised to take the next step up in their career. A pair of sold out nights at Radio City Music Hall marked a new level of accomplishment for the NYC band. At the time, it appeared to me that if on their next time around, Interpol could land an opening slot on an arena tour with an act like Pearl Jam, just as an example, they would heed the call - undoubtedly establishing themselves in the next plateau of artists, a level marked by content and durability personified.

But then something strange happened. Interpol quietly slipped away from the foreground for two and a half years, which is an odd occurrence in this day and age. And now - after their amazing performance at Madison Square Garden on Friday night - it appears in retrospect that I was selling the band short in 2005, as Interpol took command of the Garden without requiring any assistance from anyone, to the delight of thousands of frenzied fans, giving a performance that is easily a contender for show of the year.

So let’s break it down: Bassist Carlos Dengler and drummer Sam Fogarino reinforce every hook that guitarists Paul Banks and Daniel Kessler can throw at them, giving Interpol the advantage when it comes to dynamic interplay. On tracks like “Obstacle 1,” both Fogarino and Dengler move the verses along with hints of jazz before hooking up with Kessler and Banks to ram the chorus home with authority. The combined elements of musicianship and melody are the backbone - and even more so, the backbeat - of Interpol.

The band’s live show is notable not only for its intensity, but also for the care put into how it is delivered. Interpol is a band that you want to see onstage at the Garden, as the clock is almost ready to strike twelve, on New Year’s Eve. That’s how accessible, prepared, and ready the band really is. The crowd moved along with the energy and wouldn’t leave until the houselights were pulled on them, but this only after Interpol was called back again for an astonishing second encore. The energy on Friday night was unbeatable, and the show was example of how Interpol is a band that is confident, and ready to call the shots – anytime, anyplace.

Mark Olson The Bowery Ballroom, NYC, 8/30/07 by Daniel Michael Alleva

As the bartender at the Bowery Ballroom told me on Thursday night, you really can’t go wrong with a guy from Minnesota. And as it just so happened, Minneapolis’ Mark Olson and his cross-cultural band took to the stage at The Bowery Ballroom with a fresh and energetic half-step that was exciting and enjoyable. Olson has spent the last two years enduring the highs and lows of life: the sadness of a divorce, the healing power of music - all captured on the former Jayhawk’s first official solo release, The Salvation Blues.

The evening started with a screening of the Ray Foley documentary on The Salvation Blues, which was filmed in New York City and Brooklyn last spring when Olson had taken residency at Mo Pitkin’s in the Lower East Side, giving a series of performances that were filled with the great storyteller’s journeys. After going through a painful divorce from singer/songwriter Victoria Williams - which ushered Olson into a long depression - to see this innovator come full-circle was inspiring.

Running through choice cuts from The Salvation Blues like “Poor Michael’s Boat,” (the unreleased Jayhawks track seeing first-light with the release of the album) and “The National Express,” Olson - along with band mates Michele Gazich and Ingunn Ringvold - gave a performance that was rooted in the Olson tradition: well-crafted stories told over an acoustic backdrop that was lively as it was tender. Label mates The Last Town Chorus opened the show.