Brooklyn’s Clare & The Reasons, who refer to themselves as “chamber pop,” are some of my favorite new musicians on the scene today. Clare Muldaur Manchon and husband/musical collaborator Olivier Manchon write intricate pieces for a small band capable of playing a host of instruments.
Guitar, violin, bass, piano, tuba, trombone, even a glockenspiel and a recorder make their way into each show. Clare’s voice, perhaps a mousier version of Billie Holiday, is what really sticks out, though. Give her two notes and you’ll be hooked.
Even though punk and dance beats are culturally and musically exact opposites, Bang Bang Eche has found a way to combine them. With the oldest member only twenty years old, these kids rocked, and rocked hard.I’m generally not a big fan of punk, and to be honest my heart sank when this group of teenagers got on stage and lit up some disturbingly distorted guitar. But only two songs in and I was already a fan.
Between songs, T’Nealle Worsley and his bandmates yelled across stage as if it were part of the show, still unsure of what they’d play. “Should we do this one?” “Yeah, we might as well!” And that’s when the mayhem began.
The technically proficient Motel Motel could immediately be described as indie-rock, but there music is much more than that. Good indie-rock these days, as I see it, takes from all the best bands of the past few decades, and that is exactly what Motel Motel does, without sounding any bit too much like any single band – a little bit country, a little bit folk, and a lot Rock & Roll. It’s many old sounds with a new twist.
An Honorable Mention also goes to the self-described psychadelic, ghettotech, melodramatic pop of Warpaint, the 11-piece rock orchestra known as Emmanuel and the Fear, and Annie & the Beekeepers, whose quiet trio of acoustic country-folk held strong against what could have been a show-halting dance beat on the other side of the venue’s wall.
6 Responses
Love These United States. I don’t know if I hear the counting crows comparison though. Threw up a little in my mouth when I read that one.
Headline should have been CMJ: The meeting of two dying industries. Went to the BK Vegan showcase and based on what I saw there if I were an inspiring journalist/photog I’d consider switching my major.
Haha, I agree with Stan.