After I filled my belly with an excellent Easter dinner I headed past Santos Party House on the way home to try my luck at getting into the Yeah Yeah Yeahs “secret” show. Low and behold, when I showed up a little after 10pm, there was no line and the door and I glided in with ease.

Inside it was crowded, but it was still manageable to work your way through the crowd. I spied some familiar faces (“old skool folks” as I liked to call them), and instantly felt like this was going to be a good show.

But how could it not be? The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of the most consistently fun and brilliant live bands on the planet, so it was only that much more sweeter that they were doing this last-minute show in the town that served as their launching pad for international stardom.

The band of course did not disappoint–highly energetic, committed, and confident, they played for nearly an hour, going through a mix of new and old songs. (“Gold Lion,” “Hysteric,” “Zero,” “Art Star,” “Phenomena,” to name a few.)

For the encore the band busted out “Maps” and then took requests. After some audience polling, they performed “Turn Into” and then “Date with the Night.”

…and the final song of the night was a touching version of “Poor Song.” Watch the video of the performance below:

What a great show. Love love love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!

More photos and videos…
Continue reading ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs Rock Santos Party House’ »

As Brooklyn Vegan posted, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are rumored to be doing a “secret” show at Santos Party House tomorrow. The band, who are performing tonight on Saturday Night Live, have not posted anything about the show on their official site, nor have Santos.

If you choose to believe what has been written on Brooklyn Vegan, there are about a billion possible scenarios tomorrow, BUT I put a call in to some folks, and to the best of my knowledge this is what you can expect:

There will be a show tomorrow (Santos can’t officially say who is performing), and the headliner of said show will go on at 10pm. There will also be an opener band who goes on an hour before at 9pm. According to my sources the only way to get in (minus being on some super special list) will be purchasing tickets at the door tomorrow. No word just yet on how many tickets, or what the cost is per tickets but “that’s the only way to get in.”

However, if you would like some alternative options on how you can get into the YYYs show at Santos tomorrow (Easter Sunday!), here are some suggestions:

1. The Ol’ Hiding in the John. Pack a backpack full of rations and hide yourself in the bathrooms after the Apache Beat/Violens early show OR the Four Tet DJ set late show tonight (see flyer below). Pray no one finds you, and surface only after doors have opened for tomorrow night’s show:

2. Pull a Sitcom-Worthy Stunt. The BSB wrote in this option: Put on some cooking gear and a white chef’s hat. Don a crazy curly mustache and acquire an over-the-top French accent. Carry a silver plater with a food cover up to the Santos door. Tell the door people that you are there “too feed zee Yeah Yeah Yeahszz!” When they tell you that they have no idea what you are talking about, start getting aggitated. “Do you knowhh whhhooo I am!??! Look at zee band’s rider. Zee Karen O getz VERY mad if she does not get her fois-gras! Do you want to see an aggitated Karen O?!” then push your way through security.
Continue reading ‘Tickets for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Secret Show @ Santos 4/12’ »

As you are probably already aware, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are ready to unleash a new album upon the world in just a matter of weeks. We’ve already heard the very snythy streams of “Zero,” the new single off the new LP It’s a Blitz.

As per usual, the YYYs are having fun with their latest release, putting out a webisode series giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new album. Although I’m not sure how much information you can glean from these clips. The first installment is a surreal bit called “The Scientist.” The black and white short looks like something Salvador Dali would have put together:

Confusing or not, I’m always excited to hear about any offering from the YYYs. Always fabulous, always fearless.

LISTEN: “Zero”

Oh, and just for fun… Salvador Dali on “What’s My Line?”

Tonight I headed over to Union Pool in Williamsburg to catch the early show of Native Korean Rock and the Fishnets (aka- Karen O’s new side project).

The stage was set up like a kid’s school production of “South Pacific”, with a nautical extravaganza situated on the stage. A ship bow dead smack front and center, silver cellophane covering the floor, reflecting the blue and purple clear cellophane positioned by the monitors and drum kit–giving the impression of a dreamy sea. A foamy seascape hung as a backdrop.

When the band came out, they were all clad in white, with little sailor’s caps donning their heads. As the ship’s leader, Miss Karen was decked out in a checked button down shirt, black poofy skirt with pockets, and a captain’s hat with “Native Korean Rock” written in the band.

The subdued, 30-minute set was charming way to spend the evening. The songs were quiet, sweet, and whimsical–perfectly showcasing Karen O’s uncanny ability to sing songs with an intimate vulnerability that always rings true.

Here’s a video I took of the band performing part of “Day Go By,” by far the most “festive” song of the night. If NKR had an anthem, it would be this little ditty:

Although she was subdued in her stage mannerisms–mainly standing at the front of the stage, swaying back and forth with her eyes closed–Karen O broke out in an enthusiastic dance, and unleashed her familiar ear-to-ear grin during the song.

Before the encore, Karen declared, “I BELIEVE IN SUMMER LOVE!,” then launched into a song called “Indian Summer.”

No fellow YYYs sightings for the early show (but apparently were in the balcony for the late show), but frequent collaborator/personal costume designer Christian Joy was also on hand.
Continue reading ‘Native Korean Rock Says “Ahoy” to Brooklyn, NY’ »

Tired of just seeing Yeah Yeah Yeahs members anonymously milling about at various events in the city, but miss the good ol’ fashion feel of Karen O spitting beer on you from the front of the stage? Check out Karen’s new side project, Native Korean Rock, this Monday in one of two shows at Union Pool.

From the YYY’s official blog:

Native Korean Rock and the Fishnets COME DROWN WITH US
Posted 7/17/2008 by KarenO

Native Korean Rock is a side project of mine comprised of a body of love songs written over the last two years, to be performed with a motley crew of NYC natives. Expect high drama, high stakes in two intimate performances.

Does Native Korean Rock have anything to do with Yeah Yeah Yeahs? NO

Are these the leaked demos of years ago? NO

Tickets available July 18 at 12pm EST via ticketweb.com

More over at The Music Slut

Spike Jonze’s ex-girlfriend, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will be writing nearly the entire soundtrack of his upcoming film adaption of Where the Wild Things Are, according to The Playlist via NYMag.com.

While we were standing outside the Morrison Hotel, the Backseat Blogger thought that he saw Julian Casablancas walking by. (I have my doubts.) I didn’t get a good look, my back was toward the sidewalk, so I can’t confirm or deny, but it made me get a hankering for some Strokes and all things NYC circa 2001. As luck would have it, I got this email today:

Hello,

Please check out this video of the Strokes. It’s an unedited film by Colin Lane, their unofficial official photographer and shot in the style of Andy Warhol’s Factory screen tests. FYI there is no sound. Check it out and let me know what you think if you have a sec.

The clip can be seen here:
http://www.thefader.com/features/2007/11/21/fader-50-new-york-rock

The video is a lead up to the upcoming 50th issue of the FADER and more extras (such as this video) will be available on the site in the coming weeks. The 50th issue of the FADER will be available for download for free at iTunes very soon, along with an accompanying audio mix.

The above linked story makes me a little nostalgic to those simpler times. A time before everyone and their mom had a blog, where bands still given the room to grow and mature before being heralded as the NEXT BIG THING (of this week). Maybe I’m just getting old, but I look back fondly at those days.

Here’s a semi-recent photo of Julian at a Jets game with Jason Schwartzman:

Discuss.

This Saturday, Jason Friedman (The Boggs) and Aurelio Valleare (Calla) are set to perform at the closing show of “Set In Concrete,” a art show which is displaying the work of a number of musicians. (Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Lizzie Bougatsos of Gang Gang Dance, and Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, to name a few.) The closing performance is at Spool MFG, in Johnson City, NY (near Binghamton) from 7-10pm.

Continue reading ‘Musicians Are Artists Too: Set In Concrete Closing Show’ »

The beauty of the internet is that you don’t have to actually go to events to know all about them or pretend like you’ve been there. Check out these awesome photos taken by Alix McAlpine and MyBlueWristband from the video shoot that occurred last night at Glasslands in Brooklyn for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Karen was decked out in a metalic paint splattered nudie bodysuit, Nick in gray, and Brain in black. The crowd was asked to wear black or dark colors, but it also looks like they were given black masks to wear as well!

Read more about the night over at Stay Cold.

Ok, so here it goes. I’ve put on my armor. I’m ready for your biggest and best pot shots…

The point of this list is to single out the albums *I* enjoyed the most this year–this is not a list of what is cool in any way possible. It’s not an indication of what was the most popular or critically acclaimed. It may not even be my own definitive list of 2006–I don’t get to listen to every album out there, so who knows, there might be an album or two I’m missing. That’s what Top album and single lists are for right? Remember and discovering things… But just consider yourself lucky Fall Out Boy or Panic! at the Disco didn’t come out with an album this year…but just you wait for 2007…

10: First Impressions of Earth, The Strokes
It’s kind of obligatory for me to include a Strokes album on my Top 10 list every time they have a new record, isn’t it? The hometown boys thankfully redeemed themselves from their sophomoric stumble, Room on Fire, with this album full of “songs that sounds like Strokes songs…but not the annoying ones.”

Mainly produced by Grammy-winning producer David Kahne (after Strokes’ long-time collaborator Gordon Raphael removed himself from the project) this record tones down the band’s trademark low-fi, grungy sound in favor of a more refined, clean presentation–meaning the band no longer sounds like they have recorded with cheesecloth over all the microphones. The upside of the new production value is it causes the listener to pay more attention to the lyrics of singer Julian Casablancas, producing a more intimate and direct connection with the front man, but on the down side it makes the rest of the band feel like they are a removed, sterile session band dispassionately plinking and plopping down their notes. (Maybe guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. was just bummed Julian kept shooting down his songs.)

Wins on the album include the blistering “Heart in a Cage” which features guitar licks so slick they sound like they’re oozing out of your speakers and melting into your ears, and the upbeat pop number, “You Only Live Once”, is about…uh…well, does anyone ever really know what Strokes songs are about?

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: The Strokes at Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC. March 3, 2006

9: Show Your Bones, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Where Fever to Tell was a hot sticky mess, Show Your Bones is a nice cool summer breeze–slightly warm, but refreshingly crisp. Karen O, Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase prove that they definitely have lasting power in the rock world with their beautiful album full of tragically twisted love songs (think “Maps” x10). Best tracks included the effervescent-sounding song about giving up on a damaged love affair, “Cheated Hearts”, and down and dirty interplanetary rock tune, “Phenomena”, an ode to a mind-blowing somebody.

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Maxwell’s, NJ. Feb 23, 2006

8: Through the Windowpane, Guillemots
I’m not sure what prompted me to go down to see Guillemots at the Bowery Ballroom on May 9th despite some impending death cold. I’d never heard one of their songs, and I’m not entirely sure how I heard about them in the first place. But all I know is that once I got a listen to the eccentric, ecelctic music of the multi-national quartet (members hail from England, Scotland, Canada, and Brazil), I instantly fell in love.

The song “Trains to Brazil”, sounds as though it was written and recorded by a roving band of incredibly enthusiastic tramps and scalawags as they travel by rail down the coast of some unknown land. “Quirky” doesn’t even begin to describe their sound, as they typically fill their songs with weird tweets and squeaks–all the while writing some of the most lovely melodies this side of the Beach Boys. A daring, richly layered album, Through the Windowpane gives you a glimpse into the up side of absolute musical madness.

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: Guillemots at Bowery Ballroom, NYC. May 9, 2006

7: Spring Awakening, Original Broadway Cast Recording
The music to this album, written by pop star Duncan Sheik, with lyrics by Steven Satar, is beautifully touching, ungimmicky, and a joy to listen to–in or out of the context of its Broadway musical origin. I’ve found myself listening to this album non-stop since I’ve gotten it. Although appreciation for the music is heightened after seeing a live staged performance of the production, songs like the seductive “Touch Me” and explosive “Don’t Do Sadness” sound more like indie rock songs than they do “show tunes”. The songs’ main function is to conveyed emotion, not to show off the 8-octave range of the singer, therefore they ring truer and “straighter” than your typical Broadway fare.

RELATED SHOW REVIEW: “Spring Awakening” at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, NYC. November 27, 2006

DOWNLOAD: Interview and “Don’t Do Sadness” by Duncan Sheik (Live at Upstairs at the Square)

6: Rabbit Fur Coat, Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Jenny Lewis has the voice of an angel, and when bolstered by the smooth harmonies of the Watson Twins, her folk-country debut solo album simply soars. The melodies are simple and elegant, songs like “Rise Up with Fists” envelope listeners like your favorite comfy blanket–when you crawl up in them you instantly feel comforted and at home. Although Lewis does not have the most powerful or impressive singing voice and range in pop music, her delivery sounds honest and sincere–refreshingly removed of the hackneyed modern day crutch of self-mockery and irony. It’s a truly down-home record, and exactly the opposite you would expect from a girl who grew up as a child actress in LA, but Jenny Lewis dares to defy convention…and most importantly, dares to give us a little peek into her soul.

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins (with Johnathan Rice, Connor Oberst, Jimmy James) at Angel Orensanz Foundation, NYC. February 5, 2006

5: Broken Boy Soldiers, The Raconteurs aka The Saboteurs (AUS)
Homeboy Jack White of the White Stripes, and superbuddy Brendan Benson team up with pals (and Greenhornes members) Patrick Keeler and Little Jack Lawrence to produce an album of psychedelic 70s rock sounds and folky jams. In my personal opinion, the best songs are comprised of the “Jack White Show” songs–the slighly bluesy “Blue Veins” and the song that makes me want to blow my brains out because it’s so brilliant “Broken Boy Soldier”. With it’s use of hypnotic wailing guitar, jittery drum clangs, and Jack’s “crazy-man voice” it’s the perfect storm of ridiculously good music–a song that will haunt you in your dreams and provide the soundtrack to your most terrifying nightmares.

“Call It a Day”, a song about the painful end of a relationship, is probably one of the most heartbreaking songs of 2006–the “Dry Your Eyes” of this year. Sad, happy, angry, and lovelorn–this record has it all and shows that these four refuse to be refined to one genre of music or attitude.

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: The Raconteurs’ first US performance, Irving Plaza, NYC. April 7, 2006

DOWNLOAD: Interview and “Store Bought Bones” by The Raconteurs on Zane Lowe, BBC Radio 1

4: The Black Parade, My Chemical Romance
Who would have every guessed that My Chemical Romance was going to come out with an album that played like one big homage to Queen, resulting in one of the most surprising and satisfying albums of the year. My Chem manages to gracefully do a very tricky thing–stay loyal to their emo-loving fan base (the highly entertaining tongue-in-cheek anthem for teenage angst, “Teenagers”) while expanding their sound to entice an even bigger audience.

The songs are punky, but at the same time have a grandiosity that many of their peers would quiver at the thought of attempting. Gerard Way and co. went out on a limb with wacky guest singers (Liza Minnelli on “Mama” anyone???) and some crush-worthy ballads (“I Don’t Love You”) and win big time. The Black Parade is an incredible snapshot of a talented and versatile band with the completely attainable goal of becoming one of the biggest bands in the world… just wait and see.

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: My Chemical Romance at Knitting Factory, NYC. August 31, 2006

3: FutureSex/ LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake
Just when you thought you’d gotten through all the crap, I whip out a double whammy, slapping you with the uberpop album of the year. Justin Timberlake DID bring “sexyback”, even though he admits that sexy didn’t really go anywhere, with his juiced up second album, where every track is a hit. It’s a non-stop booty bumper, with your favorite track changing every day. From the reverberating bass beats of “Summer Love/ The Mood Prelude” to the soul-flavored “Damn Girl”, to Mario-esque slow jams like “Until the End of Time”, to the instant panty dropper, “My Love” (featuring rising r&b star T.I.), there’s something for everyone on this record. It’s a crowd pleaser with innovated beats supplied by video cameo star of 2006, Timbaland. Cameron must be so proud.

2: Inside In/ Inside Out, The Kooks
From the moment I heard “Eddie’s Gun”, I was enthralled with The Kooks. Their catchy hooks and almost palpable nervous energy emanating from almost every measure. It’s simply just an infectious record of rock pop that doesn’t quite sound like anything else out there.

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: The Kooks @ North Six, Brooklyn, NY. October 28, 2006

1: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, Arctic Monkeys
Way back in early 2006, Arctic Monkeys was all the rage. Although they were unfortunately overexposed, and therefore a victim of backlash, a listen at their much awaited debut proved that you couldn’t deny the fact that the Monkeys had the musical chops worth the praise. Musically, the Monkeys might sound similar to many of their British peers, with vigorous guitar strumming (sometimes painfully tinny and out of tune) and spirited drumming, but who else but Alex Turner could come up brilliantly poetic lines like, “remember cuddles in the kitchen” (“Mardy Bum”) or the overtly working-class observations such as “Well oh they might wear classic Reeboks/ Or knackered Converse/ Or tracky bottoms tucked in socks/ But all of that’s what the point is not/ The point’s that there ain’t no romance around there” as described in the opening lines of “A Certain Romance”.

I think you’d be hard pressed to find an album with more unique and specific point of view of the world than the Monkeys’ first album–and to top it all off, they’re not even old enough to drink. It is for these reasons that I have to crown Whatever People Say I Am… as being the number one album of 2006.

RELATED CONCERT REVIEW: The Arctic Monkeys, Webster Hall, NYC. March 25, 2006

And honorable mentions to…

Yours to Keep, Albert Hammond Jr.
Duper Sessions, Sondre Lerche
Dying to Say This to You, The Sounds
B’Day, Beyonce
Loose, Nelly Furtado
s/t, Ben Kweller

Don’t agree with my choices? Too bad, it’s my web site. Maybe some of these other top albums lists will fit your fancy:

Brooklyn Vegan’s Top 40 (In no particular order)
2006 Gummy Awards
New York Times’ Kelefa Sanneh
SPIN’s Top 40
Pitchfork Top 50
Rolling Stone
Best of NY Music: Gothamist
The 2006 Music Bloggregate on Heart on a Stick
Product Shops Top 58
Whatevs.org’s Top Singles
Music Snobbery’s Top 10
Kelly’s Top 10
The Guardian Arts Blog Top 50