Sleigh Bells

Yes! I saw for the second time the best new band, Sleigh Bells, last night at Le Poisson Rouge and I'm still smiling! The big buzz has not been overstated; the band is going to be huge, like their sound. The duo is made up of one-half delicious diva Alexis Krauss and the other half, former hardcore maestro (Poison the Well) Derek Miller -- as their bios will eventually confirm, they met one night when Derek waited on Alexis and her mom at the Brazilian restaurant he was working. I wish I could say I "discovered" this band -- two people, one booming guitar and an iPod -- but I can't. Though I have seen two of the only four live shows they have ever done, I first read about the Brooklyn based electro dance-pop band in The New Yorker -- they're Sasha Frere-Jones favorite current New York band. What I can say with the utmost confidence is that they are awesome. Words like "epic", "sonic", and "massive" don't seem to be descriptive enough. How about "epsonssive"? Ok, too cute but it's a bigger word than those puny ones and does seem to capture the heft of what's going on here. As for what Alexis is singing about, that seems almost besides the point. Her "ahh-ahh-ahhs" are the best part. You'll be so mesmerized by her "business of bouncing", and dazed by Derek's "caveman beats", that the lyrics will feel and sound right regardless of whether they're audible or logical. Sleigh Bells brings everything from The Ting Tings and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Run-DMZ and PJ Harvey, but they do it their way with their own curvy, glossy pop drama. And, don't let the distortion and sub-woofers throw you that's what we like. So lie back, or get up and clap and dance, whatever you do check this party out. http://www.myspace.com/sleighbellsmusic

The Jesus Lizard

After a 10 year "retirement", The Jesus Lizard is back on the road. I saw the show last night at Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza. I never really followed the band in the early 90's. My attention was drawn more toward the likes of Nirvana, a band that I believe shares a lot in common with TJL including a producer, Steve Albini. In fact, rumor has it that TJL was a favorite band of Kurt Cobain's and that he once refused to follow a TJL performance insisting that Nirvana play first. I loved show last night. The original grunge, post-punk. The music was fast and hard and surprisingly groovy, and, David Yow crowd surfed during virtually ever number. After a summer of Dirty Projectors, Wild Beasts, Yeasayers, and Grizzly Bears (all bands I adore by the way), it was nice to get back -- way back -- to something as raw and rocking as TJL. I never did get to see Nirvana live, amazingly since I've seen The Stooges, Pearl Jam, The Breeders, the Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins et al.. However, after last night's performance, I feel like I may have seen the next best thing.

The beginning

Ok. So I love music, especially live shows. And all kinds of music (rock, pop, singer/songwriters, experimental, electronic, et al.) and all kinds of live shows (free, intimate, clubs, outdoors, et al.). I'm not sure yet exactly why, but I feel compelled to write about and share these experiences. I'm not sure why I feel this way, maybe it's ego, companionship, money or boredom. Whatever it is, it will start here. At least I think it will. I will post the following day of every show I see. I'll offer observations, opinions and criticisms of the artists, their music and the experience. I hope someone, aside from myself, will find these posts amusing or informative. We'll see.