Evangelicals (Middle East Upstairs, Boston, 10/1/08)

I have a question for all of you indie kids: what is with the bandana? I get the whole skinny jeans, converse kicks, and [insert vintage thrift store tee shirt here], but the bandana is completely mystifying to me. Scarf? Sure. Headband? Fine. But a bandana around the neck? Is there a secret underground Kanye West following in the indie world? Members only? Do ultra-chic indie kids get ‘tapped’ into an upper echelon society of bandana-wearing hipsters? I saw at least five such bandanas around the necks of band members and fans at the Evangelicals [Official Site, MySpace] show Wednesday night. They played with The Parenthetical Girls [Official Site, MySpace]and Matt Mays & El Torpedo [Official Site, MySpace].

What Were They Thinking? (Throw Me The Statue - “About To Walk”)

The vocals of Scott Reitherman from Throw Me The Statue [Official Site, MySpace] have an uncanny likeness to John McCrea of Cake. They are more pop and raw than the above-mentioned, and with less horns and more cheer. What’s also nice is that each instrument is distinguishable, yet creates a delightful fuzzy sort of musing state for the listener. This is such the case with their track “About to Walk.”

Don’t be played for the fool: with Throw Me The Statue, you can have your Cake and eat it too. And now a bit more on the song in question.

Weezer (Tsongas Arena, Lowell, MA 9/23/08)

The Blue Album. It arrived in the mail on a sunny summers day back in 1994. I had ordered it through the music mail service BMG. At 13 years old, I had no idea who they were, but I liked the color of the cover. On the day it arrived, I grabbed my radio and stuffed it in the kitchen window that overlooked our small deck. I briefly battled with the CD packaging and cranked the volume (no one was home), and pressed play. I was instantly taken with “My Name is Jonas.” Lying in the sun, I listened to the album over and over that day. It was a glorious introduction to geek rock, and I will forever associate the album with gorgeous summer weather and youth.

I more or less stuck with Weezer. I was infatuated with The Green Album, backslidden during the Pinkerton and Maladroit eras, renewed my faith with Make Believe, and have instantly fallen for The Red Album. And now, fourteen years later I can finally say that I have seen them live. Here’s the breakdown.

Radiohead (New Jersey & Boston 8/12-8/13/08)

Credit: Dasein, Red Elephant
It’s been almost a month since I saw Radiohead play twice on their In Rainbows tour. Why have I held out for so long to deliver a play by play? Writing about Radiohead is a massive undertaking. There’s so much going on in their music that I personally don’t understand and [...]

Ghostkeeper - Children of the Great Northern Muskeg

Ghostkeeper’s [MySpace] debut album Children of the Great Northern Muskeg is an alternative folk/rock americana montage – ironic, since the band is from Calgary. Once you listen to the album, and subsequently wiki “muskeg,” you’ll find yourself playing connect the dots as to the deeper philosophical ramifications bridging the two… or you’ll spend your time trying to decipher the often hard to hear lyrics. The songs emit a diverse palate of musical experimentation, which at times makes it a bit disjointed, though inimitable. And let’s not forget the inclusion of classic rock guitar riffs thrown in at random points. Odd.

From Bubblegum To Sky - A Soft Kill

A Soft Kill is what happens when you chase repeated shots of bourbon with NyQuil and apathy. From this, one of two things can happen: addiction or an ambulance. The moments of likeability are not worth the impending headache. From Bubblegum To Sky [Official Site, Myspace], also known as the Mario Ishii Hernandez (of [...]

Albert Hammond, Jr. - ¿Cómo Te Llama? Review

You know the voice. You know the band. Now it’s time to meet the love child made by a man who wanted to veer slightly off the beaten path from his widely known musical affiliation, The Strokes. Albert Hammond, Jr.’s’s [Official Site, Myspace] solo album ¿Cómo Te Llama? is a crisp and [...]

The Subways (The Paradise Rock Club, Boston, 7/26/08)

Seeing The Subways [Official Site, Myspace] live is the musical equivolant of a torrential downpour. It consumes you. You can’t escape it, and even if you could, you wouldn’t try. It’s the kind of rainstorm that you never want to end. The band’s energy is infectious. They have a “go [...]

This Is Ivy League - This Is Ivy League Review

Like an endless pitcher of margarita mix, This Is Ivy League’s [Myspace] self-titled debut album is a summer essential, and just as refreshing.

Minipop - Minipop Review

Minipop: Official Site, MySpace
Hailing from sunny San Fran, Minipop liken their sound to “Marshmallows on Morphine and Care-Bears on Xanax.” Pause. Blink.
Their debut self-titled album oozes saccharine (read: artificial sweetness) through lyrics that take themselves to seriously and methodical power chords. The album has a dreamy quality (hence their dream-pop categorization) that is [...]