Tag Archives: the Depreciation Guild

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The Drums Are a Band to Keep Your Eye On

January 14th, 2010

The Drums – The Bowery Ballroom – January 13, 2010

The Drums - The Bowery Ballroom - January 13, 2010
As some bands cemented their reputation with favorable reviews toward the end of 2009, others began to blossom in the New Year. One of those in the latter category is the Drums, a Brooklyn-based band (by way of Florida). Following their debut EP, Summetime!, the Drums have steadily generated buzz for their wonderfully catchy pop songs and energetic performances. Their plaudits even reach across the Atlantic with the BBC Sound of 2010 naming the group one of the 15 best rising music acts. With a recently recorded LP scheduled for release in the spring, the group is taking to the road. A lot.

Last night a capacity crowd greeted the Drums—and opening acts the Depreciation Guild and Surfer Blood—for their first show at The Bowery Ballroom. The Depreciation Guild transfixed the audience with their combination of fuzzed-out, shoegazing riffs and 8-bit sound accompaniment. Their live show is a fantastic visual and auditory experience, which I highly recommend. Surfer Blood, another group of Florida natives, followed with a solid set of classic-rock-inspired originals. While their stage presence needs some work, the breezy “Take It Easy” showed the band’s potential when they do just that.

Intermittent shouts sprung from the crowd as the Drums set up in darkness. “I love you, Jon,” yelled a number of women throughout the show. When the band took to the stage, it was easy to figure out the source of adoration. Jonathan Pierce, the frontman and vocalist, conducts himself like a budding rock star. His theatric prancing and confident swagger complement the other members’ stoicism (with the exception of guitarist Jacob Graham’s spastic tambourine playing on “Best Friend”). It is said that the Drums are this year’s the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, so it was fitting when the Pains’ Peggy Wang-East accompanied Pierce on “Don’t Be a Jerk, Johnny.” This show should go a long way toward proving the Drums as one of the most promising bands of 2010. —Jared Levy

Photos courtesy of Jen Macchiarelli | www.jennylow.com

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A Talented Triple Bill at Webster Hall

October 5th, 2009

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/the Depreciation Guild/Cymbals Eat Guitars – Webster Hall – October 3, 2009

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Photo: Jared Levy)

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Photo: Jared Levy)

A sweet smile drew across Kip Berman’s face as he took the stage. Taking inventory of the crowd and the moment, he said, “I think tonight is going to be special.” His band, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart—and the Depreciation Guild and Cymbals Eat Guitars—must get this feeling often. These three acts have been releasing some of the most critically acclaimed music over the past couple of years. While the groups differ in musical sensibilities, they are bound by their recent accomplishments and success.

It won’t be long until Cymbals Eat Guitars move from opener to headliner. But on Saturday at Webster Hall, they were first act of the night. CEG showcased material from their debut album, Why There Are Mountains. Joseph D’Agostino, the band’s guitarist, lead singer and songwriter, belted out raw, passionate vocals on top of dynamic songs like “Wind Phoenix.” D’Agostino’s guitar work featured ferocious riffs, feedback and plenty of whammy bar.

The Depreciation Guild followed with an audibly and visually stimulating performance. Playing behind a panel of Technicolor monitors, the band created distorted melodies complemented by a Famicom, an eight-bit Nintendo soundcard—controlled by frontman Kurt Feldman—which produces synthetic and rhythmic complements to the live instrumentation

Capping off the night, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart put on a powerful and playful set. In a stream of noise pop, the band played “Twins” and “103” from their new EP, Higher Than the Stars. At times, the heavy drums and fuzzed-out guitar parts swallowed Berman’s vocals, making it difficult to digest the message of the songs. But the band’s enthusiasm was infectious. The group repeatedly gushed about returning home to New York City. And keyboardist-vocalist Peggy Wang-East even told a joke: “Why can’t witches make kids? Because they have crystal balls.” The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, the Depreciation Guild and Cymbals Eat Guitars epitomize the joys of youth and talent. —Jared Levy

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See the Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Webster Hall This Saturday

September 30th, 2009


The NYC-based quartet the Pains of Being Pure at Heart formed in 2007 and self-released a self-titled EP later that year. An LP, also named The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, followed this year. With the band’s fuzzy-guitar sound and pop sensibilities, the group has earned comparisons to prior shoegaze acts like My Bloody Valentine and Black Tambourine. But you be the judge: Check out the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, above, playing “Higher Than the Stars” for Seattle’s KEXP radio station, and then go see them, along with the Depreciation Guild and Cymbals Eat Guitars, on Saturday at Webster Hall.

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