Fashionably Late

Italy's Late Guest (At the Party) are a garage-disco-punk band that mix the sounds of their influences (The Liars, Bloc Party, Rapture) into a loud clusterfuck of noise meant to obviously get your ass hopping around the dancefloor. While these songs aren't mixed in the best quality, I see a lot of potential in what these guys could do with a little more structure.

PPPPhantastic
We Were Young
Carl Lewis Vs The Party
We Got Some Troubles

Here's Paulie!

You are actually reading that correctly. I have returned. Tell your children, hide your CD's, download with reckless abandon.

So to get back in the swing of things I figured I'd post a couple of songs that have come my way via the internets and erm...Jarvis Cocker!

First up is the rather quirky Ultra Sonik Edukators. Depsite the name being a little like a title to a rather dated baggy song from Manchester, this Chicago band plays good ol rock and roll with a bit of a psychedelic twist. It's good stuff that could probably fill a stadium if given half the chance.
Ultra Sonick Edukators - Salle Green

Straight out of Austria (!!!!) comes Tunesmith. The name was apparently inspired by a book written by the famous American songwriter Jimmy Webb. This is a band deeply influenced by great music from the 60's and 70's and as a result they sound like erm...Supergrass!
Tunesmith - What's It All About

Spat out by their mothers into a cesspool gutter The Tones came together and stuck to each other by the filth they were covered in. Making righteous tones about all thats good, they're not from sheffield and are aren't on smack. Anymore.
The Tones - I Hate The Homeless

From the Deep South comes The Booze. Sounding so rock n' roll circa 1965 it hurts, The Booze write songs that sound like Jack Daniels and Keif Richards were the producers. This is good stuff and who knew Atlanta had so many great rock n' roll bands!
The Booze - The Next Train

Until next time, enjoy. Lady Byrd, you can put away that automatic rifle now.

Comforting Sounds

I was unable to attend the Mew show at Webster Hall, but I was able to join the sing along of happy birthday to Jonas and make fun of Bo's pornstar 'stache at Drop Off Service last night. I've only just started getting into Mew recently, after Filter was nice enough to send over a copy of the EP for me to hear. Shows you how behind I can get. But I'm catching up with these lovely fellows, and these two songs have become my personal favorites. They're currently on tour with Kasabian, so check out their myspace page for dates and locations.

From And the Glass Handed Kites (buy @ Amazon):
The Zookeeper's Boy
Comforting Sounds
+ Myspace



Seven-piece musical collective Canada have caught my ear with their beautiful folky arrangements of instruments such as cello, horns, guitar, glockenspiel, percussion and more. I really appreciate how Raised On Indie described it: "Imagine a scenario where The Arcade Fire shows up at Sufjan's backwoods cabin with blankets and board games, and you'll likely capture the aura that has surrounded such an incredibly worth it band." Couldn't have said it better myself.

From This Cursed House (buy @ Insound):
Beige Stationwagon
Record Function
+ Myspace



And well, I decided to include Mixel Pixel in today's post because I've just grown more and more addicted to this band. I'm not much for their live shows, but on CD they're great. Some bands are just more enjoyable when you can drift off into their music rather than stand smooshed together in a watching herd.

You're The Kind Of Girl
At The Arcade
Of Montreal - Disconnect The Dots (Mixel Pixel Remix)
+ Myspace

And guess what? Yup, Paul the Anglophile fails us yet again. But what won't fail is tonight's MANIFESTO! at the Skinny in Lower East Side. Last time around we had Tigercity, The Blue Van, and Lewis Black stumbling around... so you never know who just might stumble up between 10PM and 4AM. If you're lucky, it'll be you.

- LB

Accentuation fascination.

In case you weren't listening last night, DJ rekLES and I filled in for DJ Elhaam at East Village Radio... and it was good times. You can get the wonderful mp3 of almost all of the show below (the last 2 songs were cut off in the recording for the next show). Sorry about the distortion in the first half of the set, but RekLES is apparently deaf (JK, love). I also don't like to talk on mics, so he did all the talking.

MP3: Guilty Pleasure - 9.18.06 *

* You can find the playlist here.


One of the bands I included at the end of my playlist last night were Manchester's The Answering Machine. Citing influences such as The Strokes, The Radio Dept, The Brilliant Corners and Shout Out Louds... they're creating "their own style of imaginative, melodic, poetic and joyous pop music" that's so damn catchy you just can't help but like it.

From Oklahoma (buy @ High Voltage):
Oklahoma
The Hold Up



Another High Voltage band that's caught my ear is redcarsgofaster. A mix of synth, guitar, and Joy Division'esque bass lines... but not to be confused with every other band out there trying to do the same thing. Unlike those other bands, these guys actually have the accent and aren't pretending. At certain times I even hear a little Richard Butler coming through on the vocals.

24 Passes
House of Flies
+ Myspace

Also, Paul the slacking Anglophile informed me that he'll be making his first post in a long time later on today. If he doesn't, I suggest you all sign his email address up with gay porn sites and the Republican Party.

Angel with a Lisp.

During my recent bouts of fever, nauseau, and other unmentionables... I received a package in the mail that I didn't have the energy to pay any attention to. That is until today. At first I was unsure of a band calling itself "The Lisps" (it's another sensitive childhood memory), but when I saw they were doing an album release show on 9/26/06 with Vague Angels... I knew I had to listen.


"The Lisps are a New York-based assemblage of 21st century post-rock n' vaudeville auteurs. They write songs about science and love and sometimes perform in costumes, with tap shoes and without microphones. The Lisps are the public/performative version of all the relationships you're struggling with." So says their site, but what I'm really fascinated with is the diversity of this EP. After going from one song to the next, you wouldn't even know it was the same band if it weren't for the familiarity of the vocals. Sometimes that can get a little confusing for a fan base, but not for the musically obsessed nerds like me.

From the vain, the modest, and the dead (buy @ Insound):
Pepper Spray
Sidewalk Girls
+ Myspace


I was first introduced to Chris Leo and the Vague Angels back when I met Tanakh and went to see them perform. I was really impressed by the Vague Angels, but for some reason never got around to writing about them/him. Shame on me. You may have already heard of Chris' musical family (including brother Ted Leo) or his previous projects such as Native Nod, the Van Pelt, and the Lapse... but whether you have or haven't, you've got to appreciate the narrative style of lyrics and music so beautifully laced inbetween them.

From Let's Duke It Out at Kilkenny Katz' (buy @ Pretty Activity):
The Princess and the Newt
The Vague Angels of Vagary
+ Myspace

Out of Order.

Another delay in updating, kids. I know I said we were back on track, but I didn't expect to be hit with a case of strep throat. I'm starting to get better though. Cross your fingers that I'll be good enough to post more tomorrow.

Thursdaytastic.

Since I'm finally able to announce the super secret act on the bill, I thought the NY readers of WNR might like to know about this hell of a show happening tonight. My local favorites Tigercity will be playing along with Denmark beauties The Blue Van at The Annex. Doors open at 8pm with Normandy starting the night off. After the show's over, we'll be moving the afterparty down the street to my bi-weekly, MANIFESTO!.

I seriously suggest you not miss tonight.


The Blue Van (a name taken from a vehicle in Denmark that collects the mentally ill) play 60s influenced rock that, as stated in their bio, sounds as if it was plucked out of a thrift store vinyl collection. It's strange that something that sounds so old could be so refreshing... but it really is. I'm looking forward to seeing them live, as I hear the live show is what makes you fall forever in love with them. And I heard this from a guy.

From The Art of Rolling (Amazon):
New Slough
Revelation of Love
+ Myspace



If you've been paying any attention to this site, then you already know my obsession with Tigercity. Tonight's show will be my 5th time seeing them live, and it seriously gets better every time. I hope they seal a deal tonight, because they truly deserve it.

From the Tigercity EP:
Cloakrooms
Timecard
+ Myspace

Playing Catch-Up.

Prophet Omega is the DIY-one-man project of Brooklynite Joe Magistro, a man with a beautiful afro who has played drums with the likes of Darlahood, Graham Parker and Kate Pierson of the B-52's (to name a few). It's a unique blend of funk, surf, rock and soul with Magistro performing almost of all the instruments himself, while trying his best at being vocal for the first time. Comparisons are hard for me to come by when listening to these tracks, but "Get By" has a similiarity to a more raw sounding Kenna. At least to me, it does.

From The Natural World, out 9/19 on Astralwerks:
The Right Thing
Get By
+ Myspace



There's been a lot of buzz around Silversun Pickups, so I was delayed in giving them a listen. Esecially since there were a lot of Smashing Pumpkins comparisons being thrown about. Well, I finally gave in after I saw Gorilla vs. Bear giving them love... and I really don't understand the comparison. Silversun Pickups are better than I expected, and even with Smashing Pumpkins in mind... I didn't hear it in their music. But I will say that there is a strong 90s-rock influence in their songs.

I've also been reading that they put on a great loud live show, so I'm interested in checking out one of the NY shows during their tour next month. Check their myspace for dates and locations.

From Carnavas, available now at Dangerbird Records:
Lazy Eye
Three Seed
+ Myspace



"Imagine if the Cure's Disintegration and U2's War grew up listening to Fugazi and Rodan. Imagine the dirty pop splendor of the Jesus and Mary Chain filtered through years of pristine indie rock experience." Your Black Star were brave enough to put this in their bio, so why not recycle it here? It pretty much fits the bill on describing them. Don't believe me? Go to their myspace and give "Why Do I Wait" a listen and tell me that's not a Disintegration beat.

From Sound From the Ground:
Oh Jesus
+ Myspace