In the Studio: Leroy Justiceby Daniel Alleva

Over two days in early February, NYC’s Leroy Justice filed into the comfortable confines of LOHO Studios with skilled producer and engineer John Siket (Phish/Sonic Youth), and began the recording sessions for their soon to be released second album. Leroy Justice circa-2008 is a relatively rogue outfit. Still unsigned to a major label, the group is amped and ready to share the strides in creativity that they’ve made since the release of their debut record, Revolution’s Son.

Three years ago, the band was drawing impressive crowds with their own citified version of power-blues; think Southern Harmony-era Black Crowes if they came from the West Village instead of Atlanta. It was around this time that the band met Siket through a series of mutual acquaintances. Singer/guitarist Jason Gallagher says about their relationship with Siket, “We all get along like old friends, and we appreciate his skilled, yet laid back style.” The partnership between Leroy Justice and Siket has resulted in an abundance of solid material that teeters between psychedelia and heart-and-soul country. As bassist Bradley Wegner says, “When we did Revolution’s Son, everything was laid out before we got into the studio, and then everyone just came in and played their parts. But on this record, John was really pushing for us to come in and play live, and get more of an organic sound.”

Using this approach, the new material represents an evolving Leroy Justice looking to shoot a spark into the bar-room boogie that was the calling card of Revolution’s Son. The dark sludge of “Patriot” sounds raw and abrasive, like a nod to Jack White - someone who Wegner has been listening to a lot of lately. Moving in the other direction, “Bathroom Wall” carries the faint aura of something from the Stones’ Let It Bleed album, and all of the tracks recorded thus far ring out with true precision. One gets the impression that the band is looking to challenge the ears of their fans with this latest crop of recordings. They’ve added some key players into the fold - such as lead guitarist Brendan Cavanaugh – that have emboldened the overall atmosphere of the music, and alongside Gallagher, Cavanaugh’s playing has added an accentual element of soul to Leroy Justice. New drummer Josh Karis brings youth and inventiveness to the band. Between takes, Karis confers with his fellow band mates about the overall feel, and he is always looking for new avenues to approach each song from. Outside-the-box thinking appears to be running rampant in Leroy Justice, as Wegner explains, “We realized while playing out on tour that if we were patient with the music, and we let it evolve naturally, then the fans would hang in there and remain patient with us.”

With Leroy Justice performing now at such a high level, even Siket remarks that “I’m just here turning a knob every now and again. Everything else is just them in the moment.” Some of the songs, such as “Temporary Cure,” were only rehearsed by the full band once or twice before cutting the track. While music of this caliber can only be created with the highest amount of commitment from everyone involved, Leroy Justice has no worries in that department. Even Siket’s full dance-card this year won’t keep him from coming back to mix the album once production wraps. Keyboardist Sloan Marshall refers to Siket’s match in dedication by saying, “It’s kind of crazy, actually. He just finished work on the new moe. record, and right after he’s finished here, he’s going to start work on Mike Gordon’s new record.”

During the sessions, not only does CBTS come by to visit, but so does a representative from Hard Head Management that has taken an interest in the band. If the pressure is on, the members of Leroy Justice aren’t letting it show. They laugh and riff off of each other with great camaraderie, and they put forth a confidence that is founded in their trust and comfort with one another. The sessions culminate with the raucously moody and aptly-titled track, “So High.” Built around a haunting bass refrain, the band whirls over the ten-minute cut like a dusty circus caravan, and after the final crescendo booms from speakers inside LOHO, the members of Leroy Justice all share a moment of silent satisfaction. With the album nearing completion, Leroy Justice is looking forward to this spring with anxious anticipation. “Man, I’m so excited for this record to come out,” says Cavanaugh. “It’s definitely taken on a life of its own. The more we work on it, the more I’m amazed by what we've accomplished.”

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The Black Lips
by Daniel Alleva


Atlanta’s Black Lips are a hot-stepping hybrid of smarts, humor, and song. For the better part of this decade, the Black Lips have been tearing it up together - ever since guitarist/vocalist Cole Alexander and bassist/vocalist Jared Swilley formed a mischievous bond together while in junior high school. “We didn’t know how to play, but we booked a gig anyway. So, we kind of had to learn a little bit,” bemuses Cole, speaking about The Renegades - a band Cole and Jared first formed which also included Black Lips guitarist Ian Saint Pé. By time Jared and Cole were kicked out of high school, The Renegades were done, and the Black Lips - in all their anarchic glory - were born.

Growing up listening to the music of their parents, the band was influenced by a multitude of different genres, ranging from blues and country to straight-up oldies. “Then we got into punk rock,” says Cole, and punk would prove to be the glue that would bind the Black Lips’ distinct tastes together. One needs to look no further than their latest release, Good Bad Not Evil, for the proof. Whether it’s the ferocious energy of the album’s first single “O Katrina,” or the shimmying doo-wop of “Bad Kids,” the Black Lips potpourri of sound is sure to keep rock and roll off of life support for good.

Before signing to Vice Records, the band made a name for themselves with their chaotic live show. Last summer, when the band played the Siren Festival in Coney Island, they tossed a live chicken out on stage while feathers were dumped on the crowd from above. The Black Lips have been known to get naked, make out with each other - or as alleged - leave bodily fluids behind on stage. Thankfully, though, frenzy and fowl all play perfectly into the Black Lips motif. It’s the reason they’ve been dubbed one of the hardest working bands in the game right now - and perhaps even the best live band, too. But all hijinks aside, the Black Lips are a force to be reckoned with musically. Their sound is a 1-2 power-punch, and Cole is fully aware of how centered the band is in their strengths. When asked if he thinks if signing with Vice has changed the band after several indie releases, Cole says that while he’s quite pleased with how the live show has evolved, he notes that, “for the most part, we still do what we’ve always done.”

What they’ve done, exactly, is keep the weird rolling with full steam ahead. Good Bad Not Evil’s companion piece last year was Los Valientes del Mundo Nuevo - a live album that might, or might not have been, recorded in Tijuana, Mexico. Given the psychedelic nature of the Black Lips’ tunes, it’s quite possible that the actual location will forever remain a mystery. Not a mystery is where Cole and the rest of the Black Lips hope to be this summer. “We’ve got a lot of new material written, so I want to head back to Atlanta - it’s great to be able to record there, and then head home afterwards to crash.”

Still, there’s no rest for the wicked. This year the Black Lips plan to crash the silver screen not once, but twice. “The details are a little sketchy still, but we’re supposed to be playing this 80’s-era, DIY band.” says Cole. What is definite, though, is that the band will be featured in “We Fun: Atlanta, GA Inside Out,” the sequel to the cult-classic music documentary, “Athens, GA Inside Out.”

The Black Lips play The Bowery Ballroom on March 10th.

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The Black Lips - "O Katrina"

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekendby Daniel Alleva

A debut record like Vampire Weekend’s has a lot of stigmas attached to it. Like most bands from New York City, they seemed to have emerged from out of nowhere, and while it appears that they have the wind to their back right now, indie rock is a rough terrain. The VW posters that have been wallpapered across Manhattan will surely be covered up with something different by next week.

But once you actually listen to Vampire Weekend (XL Recordings), it’s a relief to find out that the blogger-buzz takes a back seat, and the album – which never gets too high or too low – leaves the listener feeling completely satisfied. Held together by its flourishes of northeastern mannerism, Vampire Weekend skims over the garage band playbook, and adds as lush layer of synths, harpsichords, and vocal harmonies to an already favorable, Strokes-y equation.

Tracks like “A-Punk,” “Bryn,” and the closing number, “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance,” are as irresistible as cold beers, bars of chocolate, or sunshine – and once again, props are due to the good folks at XL for their commitment to quality material. It’s hard to imagine anyone not getting sucked into Vampire Weekend’s whole-hearted goodness, and in fact, I’d be concerned about anyone who didn’t. Hype may be one thing, but it’s hard to argue with a solid record that guarantees a good time with every spin.

The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliathby Daniel Alleva

The Bedlam in Goliath is the fourth full-length studio release from The Mars Volta, the eclectic vehicle founded by vocalist/lyricist Cedric Bixler-Zavala and guitarist/composer Omar Rodríguez-López. It is the band’s third concept album since the release of their debut, De-Loused in the Comatorium.

Harrowing elements have surrounded The Mars Volta over the last two years: the abrupt departure of drummer Deantoni Parks (who was already the second replacement for original drummer, Jon Theodore), the intense physical therapy Bixler-Zavala required after undergoing foot surgery, and the sabotaging supernatural occurrences in Rodríguez-López’s home studio in Brooklyn - most notably, the random disappearances of recorded tracks, and even a flood. The band felt that their bad luck was the result of their interaction with “The Soothsayer,” a ouija-like talking board that Rodríguez-López bought as a gift for Bixler-Zavala while on a trip to Jerusalem.

Bixler-Zavala’s lyrics on The Bedlam in Goliath are inspired by the messages put forth by the mysterious ouija, and Rodríguez-López’s expansive compositions are what fuels The Mars Volta’s signature blend of rock fusion, free-form, and electrofunk. Newest recruit behind the drum kit Thomas Pridgen adds a fresh snap into the backbeat - especially on “Goliath,” where he and keyboardist Ikey Owens get to show off some of their chops. Somewhat of note: the band’s Latin influences are curiously subdued on the album, but overall, The Bedlam in Goliath is a hauntingly rich adventure.

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The Bedlam in Goliath will be available on January 29th. Here is the video for "Goliath."

From the Bottom, From the Topby Daniel Alleva

("Crossroads" - 12/29/07, Madison Square Garden, NYC)

In the seventies, the sign on the wall might have read "Clapton is God." But in the 90's, there was only one true way to witness godliness personified: Phish, in all their live glory. The above rendition of "Crossroads" was captured fifteen minutes into the first set on December 29th, 1997 - the first of what would notoriously turn into many sets during Phish's legendary holiday stand-off that year at Madison Square Garden in NYC. As the band played, sitting somewhere in the middle of section 313 inside The World's Most Famous Arena, was a mesmerized nineteen-year-old newbie: me, no longer a virgin to the mad, mad, mad world of Phish.

Never in my life had I seen such a cornucopia of sound, vision, and color as I did on the 29th, and of course thereafter during all of my many experiences seeing Phish (about 30+ times, a meager amount when considering the frenzied fanaticism that surrounded the band at all times). Although Phish could be built-up or dissected, adored or hated, by anyone who came into contact with their music, the fall of 1997 has an illuminating quality surrounding it that sets itself apart from any other period in the band's 20 years of existence. While fans can certainly haggle over the talking points, this period in Phish's career could arguably be considered their best.

At least that's what guitarist Trey Anastasio thought, as he commented to the fact in the 1999 documentary Bittersweet Motel, which was filmed by Old School and Hated director Todd Phillips as the band headed out in November of 1997, this after a successful summer run that included a string of club dates in Europe. It's important to note that prior to 1997, Phish were still relatively off the map. While the thousands of fans who came out to their gigs couldn't have cared less, major music publications barely covered the band, and even in the rare instance when they did, they clearly weren't getting what Phish was all about. Quite foolishly, and without any real base for discontent, there was a biting resentment on the part of critics in response to the fact that so many people were enjoying this free-form, musical experience - one that wasn't motivated by record sales, chart-topping singles, or videos. But by being virtually ignored, Phish were awarded with the ability to make (or break, depending upon how you look at it) the rules as they went along.



("Waste" - Rochester War Memorial, 12/11/97)

In the years leading up to 1997, Phish's sound evolved dramatically. On record, they always seemed to be missing the powerful aura that their live shows possessed. Both A Picture of Nectar and Rift are valiant, charismatic attempts to encompass all the key elements of the Phish sound into one, concise 50-minute package. But songs like "Tweezer" and "Maze," respectively, sounded unfinished on record when compared to the expansive ventures the songs could take on in the live show. As if this wasn't a complication in itself, the live show was also experiencing growing pains. Anastasio was feeling the pressure of serving as the moderator for the band's creative direction. His skilled technique on songs like "Buried Alive," or covers like Frank Zappa's "Peaches En Regalia," were slowly but surely establishing Anastasio as a new guitar hero. But while the attention was more than deserving, it was clear going into 1996 that Phish was due for a make-over. It would come in the form of legendary producer Steve Lillywhite, who produced with the band their eighth, and perhaps their best studio offering, Billy Breathes.

Billy Breathes was a different type of record for Phish. Instead of the frenetic arpeggios that had dominated Anastasio's playing for most of the decade, and instead of trying to encompass some of the more theatrical aspects of the band, the album instead embraced a different motif - one that had more in common with The Band than it did with The Mothers of Invention. Songs like "Prince Caspian" opened up a new dimension as far as songwriting was concerned - one that showcased a more traditional approach to the arrangements - enabling Phish and lyricist Tom Marshall to express more tender and sincere sentiments, as on "Waste." But at its root, the marvel of Billy Breathes was in how Phish would ultimately revamp their improvisational approach once taking the material to the stage. Instead of Trey serving as the dominant headmaster, keyboardist Page McConnell, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and Anastasio collectively opted to create a spacey, ambient soundscape - alternate universes that fit nicely into the irresistible harmonies and hooks featured on Billy Breathes. Phish as a band were now a collective, musical conversation - not just a showcase for fancy guitar work. The European club dates that would open 1997, all set in much smaller venues than the ones that the band had been playing in America, would only help Phish progress even further into these new realms.


("Theme From the Bottom" - Wartesaal, Koln, Germany, 2/16/97)

In retrospect, the Garden shows that came at the end of 1997 were a turning point of sorts in my life, too, as I would spend the next seven years seeing Phish anytime and anywhere that I could. Still, my mind always takes me back to that night on the 29th of December, when as a wide-eyed young man, I experienced a feeling that I would ultimately try to chase again and again throughout my twenties. To this day, the emergence of Phish is one of the most important movements in rock history, and forever they will link like-minded individuals across the world together in a way they could have never imagined, and in a way that they will never forget.

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Phish's historic holiday run at Madison Square Garden in 1997 can be purchased, along with many other great shows from the band's career, at Live Phish

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Secret Machines Third L.P. Complete


Space-rockers The Secret Machines announced this month that they have finished the recording of their third record, the still untitled follow-up to 2006's Ten Silver Drops.

While guitarist Benjamin Curtis left the band in March to focus on his new band, School of Seven Bells, his brother and Secret Machines bassist/keyboardist Brandon Curtis, along with drummer Josh Garza, recently headlined the David Bowie-curated High Line Festival in NYC, with Interpol keyboardist Blasco and Phil E. Kernats in tow to make up for the loss of Benjamin. Mostly new tunes where played, and the sound has been described as a return to their heavier roots, much like what was heard on their debut record, Now Here Is Nowhere.


Here's an incredible clip of The Secret Machines - with Benjamin Curtis in the fold - performing "Sad and Lonely," from Now Here Is Nowhere, at The Bowery Ballroom in NYC in 2004.


(Video by Greg Kaplan and Rafaela Monfradini)

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Things That Happened in '07

Patti Smith and R.E.M. were both inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Keith Richards snorted his dad's ashes and, of course, lived to tell about it. Take a break, Driver 8.


Thriller turned a quarter-century old, and they finally got around to burying James Brown.



Ryan Adams only made one and a half records.

The Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagramsby Daniel Alleva

It is commonly recognized how pain and loss can inspire the best art. In the case of the Wu-Tang Clan, the loss of Ol’ Dirty Bastard in 2004 was just cause for The RZA - a.k.a. The Abbot, Bobby Digital, Zigzag – to reunite the prolific crew from Shaolin for 8 Diagrams, the first official Wu-Tang Clan record since 2001’s Iron Flag.

8 Diagrams is perhaps the Wu’s most concise and direct record since their debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was released in 1993. Method Man, who experiences a return to form on 8 Diagrams and re-establishes his legacy as one of the greatest M.C.’s of all time, reminds lovers and haters alike on the hook of “Take it Back” that “before you even had a name, you were screaming Wu-Tang,” and that “before you had a show, we went all around the globe.” The Wu-Tang Clan has never been shy about their impact on the world of hip-hop, and 8 Diagrams - with its dark, heady tracks compliments of The RZA, and its comprehensive, intelligent lyrics courtesy of Wu counterparts like U-God and Ghostface Killah – tears the current, popular motif of ring-tone rap a new asshole without even having to try.

Like they told us some fifteen years ago, the Wu-Tang Clan weren’t trying to hop-in and hop-out; they weren’t about fake R&B or commercialized hip-hop. They were about raw, gritty emotion – which is why there are no party anthems or a single notion of fluff to be found on 8 Diagrams. Instead, Ghostface recollects an attempt on his life during a trip to the supermarket, as on “The Heart Gently Weeps,” a re-working of The Beatles classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” that features an all-star collection of performances from Red Hot Chili Pepper’s guitarist John Frusciante, Erykah Badu, and even George Harrison’s son, Dhani Harrison. On “Stick Me For My Riches,” Method Man laments that “Lots of bodies and shells are found/ Niggas are into taking everything that ain’t nailed down / We’ve fell down, ain’t hard to tell now,” as guest Gearald Alston sings “I can’t take it, but I’m gonna make it” over the chorus. It’s not just another case of mo’ money, mo’ problems; RZA’s sweet, 70’s soul-filled track recalls the passion and desperation of a song like James Brown’s “Down and Out in New York City,” as an example.

The album closes with “Life Changes,” a fitting eulogy paying tribute O.D.B., with each member of the Clan allowing themselves a moment of vulnerability in the wake of the death of their brother. Indeed, life does change, but with change comes strength and wisdom. 8 Diagrams, without question, is the overwhelming proof of this.

MudhoneyThe Bowery Ballroom, NYC, 12/2/07by Daniel Alleva

Mudhoney are the last of the great troubadours in the Grunge microcosm. Throughout their career, they seldom came into the focus of the public, being more than happy to let other Seattle bands blaze through the hype and circumstance of the times. But Sunday night's performance at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC solidified Mudhoney's legendary status once and for all, as the band performed their album, Superfuzz Bigmuff plus Early Singles in its entirety before an ecstatic crowd.

Since forming almost twenty years ago, Mudhoney are every bit as intense today as they were during the peak years of the Pacific Northwest revolution. Mark Arm's voice still sounds sharp and powerful; he hooted and howled as Mudhoney opened the night with perhaps what is the closest thing to an anthem that Generation X had at their hip, the sexy and raspy "Touch Me I'm Sick." Guitarist Steve Turner took to the frets with a sense of hot action during garage punk rev-up's like "Hate the Police" and "You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)." Bassist and newest Mudhoney member Guy Maddison locked horns with abrasive basher Dan Peters, who provided rock solid rhythm from behind the kit, especially on "In n' Out of Grace."

After Superfuzz was complete, Mudhoney returned for two encores - the latter of which included "Suck You Dry" from 1992's Piece of Cake. Despite the abundance of scraggly beards and Doc Martins featured in the crowd, it would be wrong to label this gig a throwback show - or a nostalgia trip - because at the rate they're going, Mudhoney should be able to continue to perform at this level forever.

Sup Pop label-mates Pissed Jeans opened the show.

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The Top Five Songs of 2007
Here's our top five favorite songs of 2007. Stay tuned, as on December 31st, CBTS will unveil the Top Lists of 2007!

1. "Goodnight, Rose" - Ryan Adams, from the album Easy, Tiger



2. "Ragoo" - Kings of Leon, from the album Because of the Times



3. "Boyz" - M.I.A., from the album Kala



4. "The Heinrich Manuever" - Interpol, from the album Our Love to Admire



5. "Seahorse" - Devendra Banhart, from the album, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon



We Tigers @ Luna Lounge, 11/30/07


It was singer Harris Novick's birthday, so the fans packed into the Luna Lounge with a cause for celebration. But before the set, I spoke a little bit with bassist Jonathan Silverman about New York's premier psychedelic-indie outfit. Jonathan remarked that the Tiger's like to keep the music fresh and different. But different, as it would soon become evident, was an understatement.

We Tigers opened their set Friday night with a sitar introduction from guitarist Michael Kirsch, before barreling into the first track from their In Transit E.P, "Elbow Room." Kirsch learned to play the instrument while spending time in India, studying with sitar masters for over eight hours a day.

The set also included the hyperactive "Transatlantic" from their second, and latest E.P., Rivals, as well as "Double Madonna" and "Why Us?" Anyone who has not seen We Tigers yet really needs to do so as soon as possible. It's an incredible sight to see such a young act play with as much confidence, skill, and energy.


The Ghost of Tower Records Future


R5 Records, the newest installation to the music community from Tower Records founder Russ Solomon, held there first ever Holiday Fundraiser on Saturday. The event featured 8 live bands, D.J.'s, raffles, and special discounts throughout the store. R5 was also accepting unwrapped toys and cash donations on behalf of the Salvation Army Christmas Project, a service that provides toys to families throughout Sacramento, CA area.

I'm Not ThereA Film by Todd HaynesReviewed by Daniel Alleva

I’m Not There is the unique bio-pic based on the many faces of Bob Dylan, and was directed by Velvet Goldmine director, Todd Haynes. From the opening sequence, Haynes throws away what has become the playbook for directors of rock biographies –previously observed in films like Ray and Walk the Line – in favor of a non-linear adaptation of Dylan’s life, similar almost to Dylan’s own memoir, Chronicles. To further re-emphasize the Dylan enigma, Haynes cast several actors to play Dylan - as opposed to one main actor - and the result is a remarkable piece of fiction inspired by fact.

Fans of Dylan’s work will be ultimately pleased with the great care Haynes has taken in recreating the many instances of his career - instances that have become etched into the psyche of American pop culture. But Haynes knows better than to try and replicate these moments straight-up. I’m Not There would ultimately be a failure if it attempted to adapt Dylan’s life in the way a movie like Ray adapted Ray Charles, because Dylan himself is not tangible in that realm. So, while Christian Bale’s Dylan captures the essence of civil rights-era Bob - as he is seen performing “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” along side a flatbed truck, in a shot that resembles Dylan’s own performance at a 1963 rally in Mississippi - Haynes character goes by the name Jack Rollins, who we later see make the conversion to Christianity, just as Dylan did in the late 70’s. Patience is required for I’m Not There, and perhaps even more importantly, so is an imagination. This is only because Haynes pushes the boundaries of the context before him just as Dylan himself has done throughout his career. Much of Dylan’s early life is told through the eyes of 14-year old Marcus Carl Franklin, and automatically – because Franklin is black – audiences need to remove themselves from what they know is fact, and enter a realm where only the narrative reigns supreme.

Idealistically, it’s an act of genius on Haynes’ part to cast a black teen to play the early Dylan, because most of the music Dylan grew up listening to was primarily the hard-time killin’ floor sounds of the blues. As Franklin hops aboard a train like a rambling hobo, wise beyond his years, it all begins to make sense. Because even though it’s not Dylan himself that we see, Haynes digs into the young artist’s daydreams – not his own reality - to the point where the audience doesn’t see Franklin anymore, but in fact, all they see is Dylan. The same can be said for Cate Blanchett’s portrayal of Dylan circa 1966, as the backlash from the folk community for Dylan’s decision to go electric wears on the performer like a ton of bricks. It doesn’t matter that Blanchett’s character is named Jude, because the words, mannerisms, and temperaments are all a manifestation of the Dylan persona. “Folk is just a word,” says Jude, “a word I can’t use anymore,” and the dialogue bites just as nasty as anything in Don’t Look Back.

This is not Haynes’ first foray into rock and roll fact/fiction. Velvet Goldmine was based loosely on the relationship between David Bowie and Iggy Pop. But where Velvet Goldmine failed was in how it slipped further and further away from its principles and evolved into something other than what it was originally intended to be. I’m Not There doesn’t have that problem. This movie is unquestionably about the life and times of Bob Dylan, only told in way that, truthfully, only a story about Dylan could be told – in movements, layers, truths, and riddles.

View the trailer for I'm Not There:

...and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, 11/23/07 The Bowery Ballroom, NYCby Daniel Alleva

The story of …and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead is like one of those epic tales that gets passed around from person to person - changing and evolving each time it’s told, always fueled by the heroic narrative. The account of how the creative elements of Trail of Dead came together first to become indie-darlings, then to become the focus of a negative backlash, only for them to end up saying “fuck it” in the long run - and go on to become the talented and creative tour horses that they are now - is indeed a folk tale for the ages. Through all of this, Trail of Dead’s main principles Conrad Keely, Jason Reece, and Kevin Allen have given 150% of their blood, sweat, and soul to the magnificent little band from Austin with the name you cannot forget.

On Friday night at The Bowery Ballroom, Trail of Dead unleashed their most primal performance in the area to date, a 90-minute extravaganza that blew the doors off of their hinges and rattled the foundations below Delancey Street. During “Caterwaul,” Reece jumped into the crowd, where he and hundreds of fans crowded the microphone to sing the track’s anthemic passages. Meanwhile, Keely strummed at his guitar like his life depended on it, his body hurling and flinging in unison with the pounding drums. The crowd had the same reaction to the music, as bodies began to pack together and rise in unison as the ascension of “Will You Smile Again?” took lift. Call it a beautiful act of synergy, or just the result of a holiday weekend and a full moon, but as the steam rose to the ceiling, the jubilation washed over the crowd in waves.

When all was said and done, it was well after midnight and the stage was left in shambles: drums kicked over, keyboards torn to the floor, guitars passed over the crowd for each person to clutch. However, the legend of …and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead lived on in the faces of the awestruck witnesses.

No Country for Old Menby Daniel Alleva

When CBTS first reported on the Coen Brothers' adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's brilliant novel No Country for Old Men, the film had already created a major buzz at the Cannes Film Festival in France - and when it was featured last month at the New York Film Festival, the reaction was indeed the same. With its nationwide release on November 21st, No Country for Old Men without question is the best film of 2007.

The film opens with the hovering voice over of Sherriff Ed Tom Bell, played by Tommy Lee Jones. Never before has Jones delivered such a dazzling performance, as he portrays the weary and wired Texas lawman against the ropes - vexed by a series of ghastly crimes taking place along the volatile border of the United States and Mexico. Jones' Sheriff Bell has seen better days, as he remarks early on that the sheriffs before him "never even carried a gun." Clearly, the might and will of man's baneful existence has outmatched Bell, as he desperately searches for Texas rancher, Llewelyn Moss, before it's much too late.

Played by the leathery Josh Brolin, Moss - an ex-G.I. - stumbles across the scene of a deadly ambush while hunting antelope in the Rio Grande. Along with a cornucopia of dead bodies, he finds two million dollars in cash and a truck loaded to the brim with heroin. The complexity of Moss' character is portrayed with great delicacy by Brolin, as the unscrupulous decision to make off with the cash begins to weigh on the likable Moss like a ton of bricks.

As the film progresses, Sherriff Bell's sanctity continues to be torn at the seams by the ungodly acts of man, leaving him incapacitated and vulnerable. Moss, on the other hand - being hunted by the demonic Anton Chigurh (played with such vile mastery by the haunting Javier Bardem) - has no such time to reflect. As the intelligent, murderous Chigurh eliminates everything in his path - narrowing the gap between himself and the money that Moss claimed as his own - it becomes clear to Moss that the only way out of this mess is through the devil's doorway, much to Bell's chagrin.

No Country for Old Men is not chase movie, nor is it a shoot 'em up with a neat and tidy ending. The Coen's sense of humor - matched with McCarthy's revolutionary prose - sets a fine backdrop for the film, and Bardem's Chigurh is evil personified. But at heart, No Country for Old Men is about the conviction of man, and all the evil he can muster.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band10/17/07, Madison Square Garden, NYCby Daniel Alleva

In this day and age, where more and more the format of music is changing, providing less attention to the standard album format and putting more focus on the interchangeable single concept, the idea of putting out a new album and touring behind it is really left to a select few who can really perform. At the top of this list of well-oiled, live machines are Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. On Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, the gang from Asbury Park took to the stage in support of Springsteen’s latest release, Magic.

The show opened with the high octane of Magic’s first single, “Radio Nowhere.” The new material transcended to the stage very well, as rollicking numbers like “Gypsy Biker” brought the crowd to their feet, arms thrust high into the air. Also featured in the set was the title track from 2002’s The Rising, as well as “American Land” from We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Far from ignored was Springsteen’s back catalog. In addition to monster anthems like “Born to Run” and “Dancing in the Dark,” the crowd was treated to a little something from almost all of his albums. “Reason to Believe” from the Nebraska album was given the Ronnie Hawkins treatment, as Bruce wailed into a harmonica while Max Weinberg shuffled along on the snare drum. While the set did not feature anything from his first two releases, Springsteen introduced the rare cut, “Thundercrack,” as the song the E Street Band would close their sets with when playing Max’s Kansas City so very long ago. Song after song – “The Promised Land,” “Adam Raised a Cain,” “She’s the One,” “Backstreets,” etc. – Springsteen and Co. delivered.

The ten-piece E Street Band is indeed a cast of characters, each one personally defined and worthy of their own charms. Guitarist Steven Van Zandt and saxophonist Clarence Clemons are Springsteen foils that hold it down from the wings while The Boss works his own magic over the crowd. From front to back, Springsteen hand-delivers a little piece of himself to every single person in the house. He lets you know that he knows you’re there, and he appreciates it immensely. Springsteen’s true gift is how he is able to speak his mind without condescension, without judgment of his fellow man, and with a true message of hope. It is reasons like these that have made Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band timeless after all these years.

Keeping Busy with Conrad Keelyby Daniel Alleva

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead's Conrad Keely is always keeping busy. As TOD return to the area this month, playing October 18th at the Highline Ballroom and October 20th at The Williamsburg Hall of Music, the band is still supporting last year's incredible release, So Divided. Shortly before the release of So Divided, I spoke to Conrad about the many instruments he plays, and his early life in Olympia, WA and Austin, TX

DA: Could you give our readers a rundown of all the instruments you play?

CK: My mother says I had a drum set when I was two but don't remember it. I started with the piano at age eleven, then learned guitar shortly afterwards. In high school I joined the orchestra and played upright bass. Around this time my late friend Brady Gates lent me his saxophone and I picked that up, applying fingering I learned from playing recorder. And then I painstakingly taught myself drums shortly afterwards. I only recently began to learn the viola and violin, and I recently bought a clarinet which I was able to apply my knowledge of saxophone to.

DA: You've moved around quite a bit, right?

CK: I was born in Nuneaton, England. Six weeks after I was born, we moved to Thailand and I was raised by my father's family in Bangkok. Then we moved to Hawaii when I was four. We moved back to England for three years when I was eight then returned to Hawaii, then moved to Olympia when I was sixteen. That's more or less the whole story.

DA: Were there any underlying circumstances that prompted your move to Olympia?

CK: We had originally intended to move to Seattle, but while we were there we met a person who had a house for rent in Lacey, what you might call a suburb of Olympia. That was how we ended up there.

DA: A lot of stuff has come out of Olympia; it's the home of record labels like K Records and Kill Rock Stars, there was the whole Riot Grrrl thing, and in general it pretty much became a Mecca for young musicians. What was going on by time you got there?

CK: All that was going on while I was there. The first show I ever went to was the Melvins, Nirvana and Beat Happening. I noted Nirvana in my diary as "a shitty metal band", which they probably were at the time. Then two years later they were the mind-blowing band people now remember. Beat Happening were my favorite, but there were a lot of great bands, some of which only a few people still remember. The number of bands at the time was definitely a bizarre abnormality, as if there were something in the water.

DA: Like Olympia, Austin has quite a music scene of its own. By time you relocated there, you had played in a couple of different bands. How much did life start to change once you got to Austin?

CK: It changed completely, and I have to equate a lot of that simply to the weather. In Olympia, I suffered from the lack of sunlight and felt depressed a lot of time. In Austin, I felt an explosion of pent up energy, and immediately surrounded myself with a youthful and energetic circle of friends, with whom I am still close to up to this day, even though most have moved to all different parts of the world.

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.

Looney Tunes: "We Will Rebuild!"by Brian Alleva

Karl Groeger, owner of Looney Tunes in West Babylon, Long Island, before the store perished in an electrical fire last week.

Record stores, for any music lover, are like a second home. You could hang out with your friends, some of whom were employees, and talk music all night. After Tower Records closed it's doors, and many independently run shops did the same thereafter, it seemed all hope was lost. Yet Looney Tunes - a West Babylon, Long Island independent music store - stood strong and outlasted everyone. Yes, there was still a place you can buy used CD's. Yes, there was still a place that loved music as much as you, and had the memorabilia to prove it. Sadly, in the early morning hours of August 30th, an electrical fire turned 95% of Looney Tunes into smoke and ash.

For those of you who aren't from the area, think about that place in your hometown that you knew you could always rely on, for whatever it is in life that drives you. To many here on Long Island, that's what Looney Tunes was. Where else could you go and see guitars hanging on the walls, signed by some of the most legendary rock stars of all time? What other record store hosted a rooftop concert that attracted 7500 fans? Looney Tunes did, with the band Staind, at the height of their popularity. Try asking an employee at another record store about a certain song or album, and see if they can help you find it as quickly as Looney Tunes owners Karl and Jamie Groeger.

While the store is currently boarded up, a message remains clear, as it was spray-painted in huge letters on the front: "WE WILL REBUILD!" However, it will undoubtedly be a long and difficult process, and it is time that we as music lovers give a little bit back to a landmark store. To help the rebuilding process, Looney Tunes is accepting donations, including memorabilia. If you are reading this, and have anything you can give in support, please don't hesitate!

Send contributions care of:
Don Van Cleave
Coalition of Independent Music Stores,
3738 4th Terrace North, Birmingham, Ala., 35222.

You can also go to www.looneytunescds.com and click on the "contact us" tab.

Help bring the music back to Long Island! We all can lend a hand!

Message and comment your favorite bands on Myspace, and let them know of the situation and how their help is needed! If you know anyone in the music industry, get them on board! Now is the time, that with everyone's help, we can make Looney Tunes better than ever - and restore a Long Island landmark to glory.

Hilly Kristal, 1932 - 2007

(NEW YORK) — Hilly Kristal, whose dank Bowery rock club CBGB served as the birthplace of the punk rock movement and a launching pad for bands like the Ramones, Blondie and the Talking Heads, has died. He was 75.

Kristal, who lost a bitter fight last year to stop the club's eviction from its home of 33 years, died Tuesday at Cabrini Hospital after a battle with lung cancer, his son Mark Dana Kristal said Wednesday.

Last October, as the club headed toward its final show with Patti Smith, Kristal was using a cane to get around and showing the effects of his cancer treatment. He was hoping to open a Las Vegas incarnation of the infamous venue that opened in 1973.

"He created a club that started on a small, out-of-the-way skid row, and saw it go around the world," said Lenny Kaye, a longtime member of the Patti Smith Group. "Everywhere you travel around the world, you saw somebody wearing a CBGB T-shirt."

While the club's glory days were long past when it shut down, its name transcended the venue and become synonymous with the three-chord trash of punk and its influence on generations of musicians worldwide.

The club also became a brand name for a line of clothing and accessories, even guitar straps; its store, CBGB Fashions, was moved a few blocks away from the original club, but remained open.

"I'm thinking about tomorrow and the next day and the next day, and going on to do more with CBGB's," Kristal told The Associated Press last October.

Kristal started the club in 1973 with the hope of making it a mecca of country, bluegrass and blues — called CBGB & OMFUG, for "Other Music For Uplifting Gourmandisers" — but found few bands to book. It instead became the epicenter of the mid-1970s punk movement.

"There was never gourmet food, and there was never country bluegrass," his son said Wednesday.

Besides the Ramones and the Talking Heads, many of the other sonically defiant bands that found frenzied crowds at CBGB during those years became legendary — including Smith, Blondie and Television.

Smith said at the venue's last show that Kristal "was our champion and in those days, there were very few."

Throughout the years, CBGB had rented its space from the building's owner, the Bowery Residents' Committee, an agency that houses homeless people.

In the early 2000s, a feud broke out when the committee went to court to collect more than $300,000 in back rent from the club, then later successfully sought to evict it. By the time it closed, CBGB had become part museum and part barroom.

At the club's boarded-up storefront Wednesday morning, fans left a dozen candles, two bunches of flowers and a foam rubber baseball bat _ an apparent tribute to the Ramones' classic "Beat on the Brat." A spray-painted message read: "RIP Hilly, we'll miss you, thank you."

Other survivors include his wife, Karen, and daughter, Lisa.

Have No Fearby Daniel Michael Alleva

Like it says on their Myspace page, Long Island's The Fearless is ready for world domination. And anyone who takes a sample of the collection of tunes featured on the page will see it's hard not to imagine their worldly aspirations gracing computer screens all across the world.

"It's so crazy now because with a MySpace page, it's like "Who needs a website?" says guitarist/vocalist John Neder in a phone interview conducted from his Long Island home. This summer, The Fearless have been packing the Long Island clubs with eager fans and curious observers alike. "Now that people have access to the music [at the Myspace page], I see more and more people singing along with us, and that's really great - because we're just a much better band in a live setting when we've got this kinetic energy going between us and the fans. We're wild up there, and it's no fun when there's no one else to share that with."

If this weekend serves as any indication, The Fearless won't ever have to worry about playing to an empty ballroom. This Saturday night at Mulcahy's in Wantagh, Long Island, the band will be featured as one of the finalists in The Long Island Music Festival, sponsored by Good Times Magazine. Neder, a festival winner in a previous outfit - has an altruistic outlook on the festival, and its impending outcome. "You know, it would be really great to win the whole thing, but they've got an early projection of a thousand attendees at this thing, and that's definitely the largest crowd we'd ever played to. Just to get to this far is enough in itself."

The Fearless, with their uncanny harmonies - like if Revolver was made by the Kings of Leon instead of The Beatles - are the surely the act to catch at this year's festival, but if you miss them, they'll be at the Arlene Grocery in NYC on September 21st. From there, the band will retreat back to their own studio, deep in the sand of Long Island, and by November, we should be able to expect brand new material from The Fearless. And continuing the tradition, it will all be featured on their MySpace page.


The Long Island Music Festival
featuring The Fearless
8/25, Muchahy's Pub
Wantagh, NY
www.myspace.com/thefearlessmusic
www.mulcahys.com

Ciao, Bella!by Daniel Michael Alleva

Canadian-based Bella have a lot to be happy about. Touring through Canada and the American West since 2003, the indie-pop trio will be coming to Piano's, located at 158 Ludlow at Stanton in NYC, on the 20th of September - just two days after the release of their new record, No One Will Know (Mint Records), on September 18th.

Bella - Cameron Fraser, Tiffany Garrett Sotomayor, and Charla McCutcheon - is a catchy and upbeat synth three-piece that keeps the tempo steady while keeping the hooks coming, much like their buddies in Imperial Teen, who stop by to add a little spice to No One Will Know. On the heels of the album, Bella's multi-talented members will be criss-crossing the States, as no soon do they leave the stage at Piano's, they are of to Seattle, where they will be playing at the Crocodile Cafe the very next night! Be sure to cath them in your area!

Catch Bella On Tour This Fall!

SEPT 5, VANCOUVER - at The Media Club (with The Brunettes)

SEPT 20, NYC - at Piano's

SEPT 21, SEATTLE - at Crocodile Cafe (with Imperial Teen)

SEPT 22, PORTLAND - at Lola's Room (with Imperial Teen)

SEPT 29, SAN FRANCISCO - at Bottom of the Hill (with Imperial Teen)

OCT 4, VANCOUVER, BC - at the Railway club
(No One Will Know CD Release Party!)

OCT 12, EDMONTON - venue tba

OCT 13, CALGARY, AB - at The Marquee

OCT 21, MONTREAL, QC - venue tba

OCT 22, OTTAWA, ON - at Mavericks

OCT 23, TORONTO, ON - at The Horseshoe Tavern

OCT 24, GUELPH, ON - at the E-bar

OCT 26, LONDON, ON - at the Alex P. Keaton

OCT 27, WATERLOO,ON - at the Starlight (with Mother Mother)

OCT 28, TORONTO, ON - at The Drake

Click here for more Bella!

A Lap Steel Slides in Brooklynby Daniel Michael Alleva

Megan Hickey’s The Last Town Chorus is a collection of Brooklyn musicians, lead by Ms. Hickey, the Pittsburgh native, and her elegant lap steel guitar. But before you let the image of a female-fronted Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals creep into your mind, give a spin of TLTC’s Hacktone Records-debut, Wire Waltz. Instead of playing the instrument in a traditional blues sense, Ms. Hickey and company create a spacious and accentual environment to compliment the storyteller, much like Nick McCabe did for Richard Ashcroft in The Verve, and much like Angelo Badalamenti did for so many films of David Lynch, all the result of a unique relationship between a girl and her guitar.

Ms. Hickey, who grew up listening to 80’s new wave and pop country, says that the pairing of these two dynamic elements (Megan’s wide open voice rings out for city blocks, like Hope Sandoval meets Beth Orton, circa-Trailer Park) is the central unity within The Last Town Chorus. Trained in other instruments, Ms. Hickey feels strongly that her true motivation as a songwriter comes simply from the doors the instrument opens. One listen to the jangly “Caroline” from Wire Waltz, and it’s easy to see why. The lap-steel is what pushes songs like “Understanding” into becoming sonic flights through the sky. The song could easily play it safe as a simple ballad, but add the longing howl of a lap-steel – there just to make Wire Waltz that much more as an album – and The Last Town Chorus gives a brand new outlook on roots music.

While Wire Waltz was written, produced, and engineered by Megan herself, this summer she has had the chance to take The Last Town Chorus out on the road, and play with another truly great songwriter, Hacktone label-mate, Mark Olson. Recently, the two performed together at The World Café; a stream was available online courtesy of NPR. Ms. Hickey has also brought her traveling circus through New York twice this summer, first at a free in-store performance at the Border’s in Columbus Circle, and as part of the River to River festival. The Last Town Chorus returns to New York once more, back on the road again with Olson, on August 30t at The Bowery Ballroom.

Third is a Charm for Jason Bourneby Josh Gizelt

The Bourne Supremacy, Paul Greengrass' follow-up to Doug Liman's The Bourne Identity, was an interesting sequel, taking the concept from the first film and ratcheting up the tension through the use of hand-held cameras and edgy editing (Oliver Wood shot all three films). The action sequences, while visually confusing, managed to be more appropriate than the analogous sequences in, say, a Michael Bay film, because they are stylistically tied into the way the rest of the film was shot. It was also notable for how it built on the previous film, following and deepening the fates of the established (surviving) characters from the first film.

The Bourne Ultimatum picks up where Supremacy left off in more ways than one. Barely wasting any time establishing what's going on (if you haven't seen the first two films, you'll be completely lost), the film plunges the viewer directly into the blindingly paced endgame of the series, and yet, despite the breakneck pace, every very story element is kept in focus, preventing the film from becoming at all confusing or bogged down by distractions. This is particularly astounding given Matt Damon's reports that the screenplay by Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi was being rewritten each day.

Perhaps the uncertainty the actors had with regards to what they were going to do from day to day worked in the film's favor; almost every character is being pushed to extremes for their own reasons, and the cast - especially Damon - sells that. David Strathairn is particularly good in his role as a desperate project leader who knows he's an errand boy with an important job. The action and chase scenes are created without any CGI, creating a feeling of brutal honesty about them, which makes Bourne's calculating approach even more effective. John Powell's score follows in the tradition of the previous two; while this is not my favorite genre, his work here is very effective.

Perhaps the best aspect of the film is that it does what it sets out to without attempting to overwork the concept to make it epic, as so many of this recent spate of trilogy-cappers have done. This is an edgy espionage thriller, and it is about paranoia, espionage and thrills. It can not be judged solely on its own, but as an element of a trilogy (or series, if they continue with the post-Ludlum Bourne titles). In that respect, it works as a great conclusion to two very interesting films. For once, a trilogy has not dropped the ball.

Josh Gizelt is a daily contributor to Monsters From The Id

Beastie Boys: Mixing it Up, and Speaking Outby Daniel Michael Alleva

Last week, before their performance at McCarren Park Pool - which coincidentally marked the first ever Beastie Boys performance in Brooklyn - AdRock, Mike D, and MCA fielded questions from a handful of journalists as part of a very intimate press conference, which was held at the SOHO House in NYC. It appeared early on that their latest release, a collection of instrumentals and jams entitled The Mix Up, has been on the minds of many journalists, specifically in regards to the "statement" the Beastie Boys - one of the earliest success stories in hip-hop culture - were trying to make on the status of hip-hop music by releasing an all instrumental record. "We've been getting asked that a lot lately." says MCA, and AdRock follows up by saying, “In a way, the album was a reaction to our hip-hop. Our last record was an all rap record, so when we started recording [The Mix Up] we wanted to work with some instruments, and it just sounded cool, so we kept with it.”

But Mike D offers another explanation. “We get asked [about The Mix Up], and we also get asked "What do you think of the state of hip-hop today?" Maybe I’m being defensive, but it seems like people always look for us to come out and criticize hip-hop. But hip-hop is what we grew up on, and it continues to be one of the only forms of music left that strives on evolution and innovation. Yeah, we might be in a spell where we’re waiting for that next record to come out and change everything - but still, that’s what hip hop is and that’s what puts it in its unique place."

On some level, it must be difficult for Michael Diamond (Mike D), Adam Yauch (MCA), and Adam Horovitz (AdRock), to field questions like these. Together, the Beastie Boys are a polite, incredibly funny, and relatively soft-spoken group. But to this day, twenty years after the release of their debut record, License to Ill, they are still asked if "they still feel the need to fight for their right to party." And if that wasn't bad enough, they are still rather crudely regarded as "the white boy rappers" by certain journalists. "I'm not trying to call anybody out," says MCA, "but we always seem to get asked by journalists in other countries about being white rappers. There seems to be some kind of focus on that, and I'm not sure why. I think what is most important is that people are making music regardless of what color they are. Some people are making interesting music, and some people aren't, that's just how it is."

Even their Jewish heritage is still a topic of discussion for some people, primarily in regards to the emergence of Jewish artists like Matisyahu. To this point, Diamond offers, "I think how we identify ourselves with being Jewish has more to do with how we identify ourselves as being New Yorkers. It's more of a cultural connection than a religious one. When we started out, I was living in Brooklyn Heights, and Yauch lived a few blocks away. Once we started playing, a lot of our friends were in bands as part of this downtown New York City hardcore scene. We never thought it was going to last this long, let alone be successful and inspire people, but at the same time, if it does inspire people for whatever reason, that's good." Yauch adds that, "I don't think we really were conscious of the fact that we were all Jewish until journalists started pointing it out." And as Diamond concludes, "Let's face it: to find three Jewish kids hanging around New York City is not uncommon."

Because the Beastie Boys have never been limited to a particular style, or even a certain school of thought (other than to just make music that feels good), it's hard not to be curious if the B-Boys have any intention of recording an album of new hardcore material. “There’s always a possibility of a hardcore record, even though we don’t have any plans for it," says Yauch, who just produced the latest release from hardcore legends, Bad Brains. "That’s definitely a fun type of music that we like to play.” When asked how much their punk rock and hip-hop influences overlap each other, Horovitz says that "They are very similar forms of music, in a way. I feel that punk rock and rap have the same headspace. You know, that attitude you have when you make punk records is very similar to when you make rap records." Diamond adds that there is a commonality of energy and attitude within the genres. "It's easy to look at outward trimmings of each, but when we were growing up and going to clubs, all the new wave/punk rock clubs that we would go to would play all the new hip-hop records when they would come out, and it seemed to all fit together in a very natural way."

If the major music industry is, at the very least, experiencing a period of transcendence, the Beastie Boys don't seem to mind. "It seems to me that the tools for doing it yourself are more available than ever before," says Diamond. He continues on by saying, "When we put out Pollywog Stew, we had to actually go and press a 7" - you don't have to do that anymore. Now you can use your MySpace page." When asked if the way things were done back in the day are a testament to longevity, Diamond seems overtly unsure while remaining optimistic. "For me, I'm excited to see what people can do using their home computers or their video cameras. Some of it might be wack, but their will be some that are completely self-reliant, and will attain its own audience." Horovitz adds that, "The whole idea of success and "making it" is changing into a different thing. Do you want to be playing arenas, or do you want people to just watch your YouTube video? So, we just have to see what happens next."

The Beastie Boys will continue to tour in support of The Mix Up through the fall.