Of Monsters and Men’s first LP, My Head Is an Animal, comes out here tomorrow. But the Icelandic sextet has a busy week ahead. On Thursday they’ll stream live on The Bowery Presents Live when they play Music Hall of Williamsburg. And right now you can check out a brief playlist of some of their favorite videos, plus some of the band’s Choice Cuts (songs, interviews and videos).
Sandro Perri began making experimental electronic music under the name Polmo Polpo more than a decade ago. He went on to self-release several 12″ records. But eventually he decided to pursue a different kind of music, and touring under his own name, the Toronto musician began playing folk-inflected songs, some of them reworked compositions of his Polmpo Polpo stuff. It was less electronic and more singer-songwriter. Last fall, Perri (above, playing “Impossible Spaces”) released his second LP under his own name, the well-received Impossible Spaces, and you can see him tomorrow night at Mercury Lounge.
When Gainesville, Fla., punk band Hot Water Music broke up amicably in 2006, singer-songwriter-guitarist Chuck Ragan (above, playing “Nothing Left to Prove” for Cardinal Sessions) chose a different musical path, launching a solo career as a folk musician. Eventually he decided to put together the Revival Tour, which grouped together like-minded musicians traveling the country (and Europe) making and playing music together as they go. “The lineup constantly changes,” said the affable, talented Ragan over the phone from his house in California. “It always stays fresh. It always stays unpredictable and exciting. The energy and the camaraderie is the most special element of the tour.” And in advance of two Revival Tour 2012 shows tomorrow at The Bowery Ballroom (the early show is sold out, but tickets remain for the late one), Chuck Ragan rang up The House List to answer Five Questions.
Which New York City musician—past or present—would you most like to play with?
Jenny Owen Youngs. I really admire her way of playing music. And I admire her songwriting and her ethics and how she treats her fans and tourmates. Just all around. I think she’s absolutely fantastic. She just put out an incredible record called An Unwavering Band of Light.
Where do you like to hang out in NYC? And do you ever feel like you could live here?
For years I really thought, “No way.” I grew up in the South, in a not-so-congested area. But back about a decade ago, I moved from Micanopy, Florida, which was a population of 320 people. At the time, Gainesville was too big for me. And that was like a couple hundred thousand people. But I moved to Los Angeles from Micanopy and fell in love with a California girl and moved out here. It blew my mind. And at the time L.A. was my least-favorite city in the world. It was, like, the last place I ever wanted to be. After moving there, my wife—my girlfriend at the time—was like, “There are some cool little niches and corners and little spots around here you need to see.” And she showed me a side of a big city that I never ever knew it could have. I feel like I really grew, as a person, in a lot of ways, because it really changed my mind about my own way of thinking. But it’s all in your perspective. There are good people everywhere and good energy everywhere. So, now, I think, “Yeah, I probably could.” I don’t know how long….
Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
That’s often a thought I have in mind, whether I’m repeating myself a lot. I write a lot. And a lot of the times I’ll write about whatever’s moving me at that moment. In doing so, I write very plainly, matter-of-factly. And I’ve often wondered if I constantly repeat myself. And I’m sure I do. For me writing’s always been more of a therapy than anything else. I do enjoy storytelling. And I enjoy writing about different things I’ve seen or done, but there’s always been this underlying theme with all of my music. It’s normally just looking at the bright side, or overcoming obstacles. And that just ties in with the fact that, a long time ago, I learned to use music more as a tool to overcome obstacles and face whatever we’re battling at the moment, and use that to move forward. But sometimes, for me, it could easily be the same solution to a different problem. [Laughs]
You mentioned obstacles. So I’m wondering then, do you feel like you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better if it’s actually happened to you or could it just be straight-up fiction?
I think it could totally be fiction because I do my best to learn from other people’s mistakes. But it seems like for the most part I’m trying to learn from my own mistakes. Lord knows I make plenty of ’em. I definitely believe in tapping the moment in the sense of what you’re talking about. If you’re writing a love song, writing when you’re just completely enthralled and overwhelmed with that love or that passion for someone. And at the same time, if you’re writing something dark, just getting to it when you’re really down in that place. And I’ve done both for years. I’ve written in a lot of different capacities when different subjects like that have affected me, and it’s come out immediately. And then other times I’ve suppressed ’em, avoided feeling that pain or hurt or resentment, and just kind of pushed it aside until one day you just look back on it. Like situations that I was in—or barely got out of. But at the same time, I love writing music to other people’s stories.
It’s 4 a.m. and last call has come and gone. What’s your next move?
Sounds like pizza time to me. —R. Zizmor
Of Monsters and Men, a six-piece chamber-pop band out of Reykjavík, Iceland, began in 2009 when singer-guitarist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir wanted to turn a solo project into something bigger. With the addition of three other members, the group won Músíktilraunir, Iceland’s battle-of-the-bands contest, in 2010. But Of Monsters and Men continued to grow in sound and size—expanding from a quartet to a sextet and earning favorable comparisons to Arcade Fire from the likes of Rolling Stone. The band’s first LP, My Head Is an Animal, came out in Iceland last year and will be released here next Tuesday. And two days later, Of Monsters and Men will become the third band to stream live on The Bowery Presents Live when they play Music Hall of Williamsburg on 4/5.
It used to be that when you went to a great show, like the one Kasabian put on last Thursday, streamed live from Terminal 5 on The Bowery Presents Live, that was pretty much it—unless you knew someone who taped it, possibly on shoddy audio equipment. But fortunately that’s no longer the case. Now with people constantly recording shows with their phones, there’s just about always video available—but, again, it’s probably done with not-so-amazing equipment. So we’re always pretty psyched when we get to watch a show again in the same top quality as we first saw it in, like “Switchblade Smiles,” above. And even better, you can seem seven more songs right here.
Marty Frawley (vocals and guitar) and Rick Milovanovic (bass) bonded over music while working in a video store, which eventually led to writing songs together. They became a trio when Patrick O’Neill (drums) joined them. But they weren’t quite content until Julia McFarlane (vocals and guitar) rounded out the sound. Since then Twerps have put out two noteworthy albums—the most recent of which, a self-titled affair, came out last year—showing evidence of the Australian quartet’s wide range of influences, from New Zealand bands, like the Verlaines and the Clean, to such American ones as the Velvet Underground. But the best part is you don’t have to travel all the way to Melbourne for quality lo-fi pop because Twerps play the late show at Mercury Lounge on Friday night.
Ritzy Bryan (vocals and guitar) and Rhydian Dafydd (bass and vocals) knew each other while growing up in North Wales. They wrote music and eventually played in a few bands after graduation. However none of those groups lasted, and Bryan decided to head to the United States—Washington, D.C., specifically. But upon returning, the childhood friends got down to business, writing songs together and trying to figure out their sound before relocating to the big city. This is an important part of the story as it was in London that the Joy Formidable expanded to three members with the addition of Matthew Thomas (drums). Since then the three have honed their stage presence while touring with bands like Passion Pit and Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl has gone on record as being a fan) and put out a stellar debut record, The Big Roar. And now you can see the Joy Formidable (above, playing “Whirring” on Late Show with David Letterman) at Terminal 5 tomorrow night.
Last night Kasabian put on a great show streamed live from Terminal 5 on The Bowery Presents Live. Check them out, above, playing “Man of Simple Pleasures,” and then go here for more songs from the show. Plus we’ll have an additional four tunes for your viewing pleasure next Tuesday.
Not to get all Genesis on you, but tonight, tonight, tonight Kasabian plays Terminal 5. The show is already sold out, but that won’t be a problem for you because if you can’t get there, you can watch it here: youtube.com/thebowerypresents. Beginning at 9 p.m. EDT tune in to The Bowery Presents Live. You won’t want to miss it. And if you’ll be at the show in person, make sure you arrive early enough to check out the opening band, Hacienda.
Initially Bomba Estéreo began as a solo project for Simón Mejía more than 10 years ago in Bogotá, Colombia. The idea was to combine traditionally Colombian music with electronica, which he did to a great effect. But Mejía, on loops and bass, decided not to go it alone, and a one-man band became a quintet with the addition of Liliana Saumet on vocals, Diego Cadavid on percussion, Kike Egurrola on drums and Julian Salazar on guitar. Since then, the band has toured, playing festivals like Bonnaroo and SXSW. But you don’t have to travel to see Bomba Estéreo (above, doing “Feelin’” for KEXP FM) because tonight they play Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Odd Future—the short form of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All—is a hip-hop collective, although that doesn’t properly explain the group’s appeal. More than a year ago, they emerged from Internet stardom and began performing their playful creations to small crowds. But with a combination of crude lyrics paired with sinister beats and ecstatic live shows, their profile rapidly rose. The tipping point came last February when two of the group’s members—de facto leader Tyler the Creator and supercharged menace Hodgy Beats—performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. And now at the height of their popularity (some of it sparked by Frank Ocean beefing with Don Henley), Odd Future play Hammerstein Ballroom tonight. —Jared Levy
When the band he was in broke up, singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Jannis Noya Makrigiannis left Copenhagen for a Greek island and began working on his own material. That music ultimately featured dark lyrics, layered vocals and orchestral instrumentation. And when Markirgiannis returned to Denmark he found a rotating group of musicians to play with under the name Choir of Young Believers. The band’s debut EP, Burn the Flag, came out in 2007 and earned a fair amount of play on Danish radio. Since then the group has released more material, toured and played SXSW. And next week, Choir of Young Believers (above, doing “Why Must It Always Be This Way” for KEXP FM) release their second LP, Rhine Gold, in the US and, even better, play Mercury Lounge on Monday night.
Lee Fields has been making music for quite some time. His first album came out in 1969. So it’s safe to say he’s been around. He started out in the funk business, earning favorable comparisons to James Brown throughout the ’70s. And while the ’80s were somewhat quiet for him, he returned strong in the ’90s, making bluesy soul music. But since teaming up with local label Truth & Soul and its house band, the Expressions, his music has been reinvigorated. To witness: the excellent, just released Faithful Man, which marries old-school R&B and soul with modern touches. Tomorrow, Lee Fields and the Expressions (above, doing “Love Comes and Goes”) play Music Hall of Williamsburg, and in advance of the show, he e-mailed The House List to answer Five Questions.
Over the course of your decades in the music business, what are some of the best changes in the industry?
The creation of e-mail, MP3, YouTube, Facebook and all other social media tools that allow artists to be seen and heard throughout the world at the same time.
Who are your inspirations outside of the music world?
My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Beatrice, who instructed me to learned this poem, and to this day I have never forgotten the words, and these words became my motto of life: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. ’Tis the lesson you should heed, try, try again. For then your courage should appear, for you will conquer, never fear. Always keep this rule in view try, try again.”
Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
No, I try to be open-minded and as vigilant as possible regarding public trends, news and whatever affects people’s mindset, because songs are a reflection of the latter.
Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
I don’t think a person has to be depressed to write a sad song, but I think a person has to know how it feels to be sad in order to write one. I think in some cases, songs are better when writing about real-life experiences. It mainly depends on one’s ability to write from emotions as distinguished from reason. But in both cases one needs a special talent or skill to chose compassionate words that others may find descriptive of their situations.
At your after-party and there’s an endless jukebox, and The House List gives you a buck. Which three songs are you playing?
Otis Redding, “Security,” Smokey Robinson, “You Really Got a Hold on Me” and James Brown, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” —R. Zizmor
With blissful pop music, upbeat covers (like “Billie Jean”) and high-energy shows, Booga Sugar has been creating a nightly dance party for more than a decade. (The band’s even gotten Dan Akroyd—a guy known for having a good time—in on the act.) And while St. Patrick’s Day is known as a drinking holiday, perhaps you should consider it a dance celebration and head to The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday to cut loose with Booga Sugar.
Stand, a four-piece from Dublin, formed in the late ’90s and put out their first album back in 1999. But the quartet decided to give the New York City music scene a try and began playing small shows across our fair city, which eventually led to an East Coast tour. The band’s high-energy shows earned them a loyal following. And now with a new album, 100,000 Ways to Harvest Hope, in tow, they’re back. See them play Mercury Lounge tomorrow night.
