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Lotus Plaza: April 19, 2012 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 22, 2012
By


[Photos courtesy of Bleary Eyed Brooklyn]

There is a certain atmosphere that Glasslands has when the show you are attending has become a happening. The stage is swarmed by cameras; the AC unit is chugging to keep the room cool. The bar is slammed; the room is so packed there are people watching from the bathroom stairs. The anticipation is palpable; the night is electric. If there is something that can answer the question for you of why you are in this city, or why you “do this”, these nights are it. They don’t happen in other places; don’t feel the same, don’t smell the same, don’t sound the same. You know that as long as there are places like this in this city, as long as there are nights like this, you ought to be there. This Lotus Plaza show, following on the heels of the release of their critically-acclaimed second record, was one of those nights.

In terms of popularity, Lotus Plaza has the built-in advantage of being in an already-famous band – Lockett Pundt is the second half of the brilliant songwriting team that makes up Deerhunter – the McCartney to Bradford Cox’s Lennon (or is it the other way around?). Still, Lotus Plaza’s second record, Spooky Action at a Distance, stands on its own.  While the hilarious Pitchfork review included sentences like this gem – “Moreover, along the lines of Real Estate and especially the War On Drugs, Pundt embodies a wakeful, meditative state associated with various forms of transit: your physical being stays relatively still while being in motion, a symbiosis between human and mechanical effort” – fundamentally the site got it right in anointing the record with “Best New Music” status. The songwriting is sharper than on The Floodlight Collective; where that album felt more like a solo album, Spooky Action is loaded with standout tracks. “Eveningness” was a highlight in the live setting just as it is on the album, as was the set opener of “Untitled” into “Strangers”. But just so you won’t completely forget Pundt’s connection to Deerhunter, Pundt threw in a sprawling nine-minute track mid-set, “Come Back” from the band’s recent split 10″ single. Pundt may not be known for stage antics the way Cox is, but he more than holds his own as a frontman, not least because his music creates such immediate and powerful connections with his listeners. Most shows by recently-hyped bands draw a listless “see and be seen” crowd that ignores most of the music; Lotus Plaza held us all in thrall.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 cardiod mics and a soundboard feed from Josh, the head FOH at Glasslands. The sound quality is excellent.  Enjoy!

This show was also recorded by Pitchfork.tv, and you should be able to see clips of it on Pitchfork soon. Thanks to the Pitchfork crew for their hospitality and sharing the recording area with us.

Stream “Eveningness”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/L4019LotusPlaza2012/07 Eveningness.mp3]

Stream “Come Back”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/L4019LotusPlaza2012/04 Come Back.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct download of FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Lotus Plaza
2012-04-19
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at NYCTaper.com
Recorded by acidjack and nyctaper
Produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK5c (DFC, STC22g, 8ft)>KCY>Z-PFA>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (align, mixdown, balance, compression on SBD)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, harmonic exciter (crisp rock), hard limit)>Audacity 2.0 (set fades, tracking, additional EQ, amplify)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Untitled
02 Strangers
03 White Galactic One
04 Come Back
05 [unknown 1]
06 [unknown 2]
07 Eveningness
08 Remember Our Days
09 Jet Out of the Tundra

If you enjoyed this recording, please support Lotus Plaza by liking them on Facebook and purchasing Spooky Action at a Distance directly from Kranky [HERE].

Sleepy Sun: April 9, 2012 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 20, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

The San Francisco band Sleepy Sun brought the full force of their West Coast style of pscyh rock to bear last Monday night, an ideal counterpoint to the darker, heavier style of Brooklyn’s White Hills, who preceded them on the bill (that recording [HERE]).  Playing this show at Glasslands plus a second NYC show at Mercury Lounge the following night to celebrate the release of their third full-length Spine Hits and in an obviously good mood, the band came with amps cranked and ready to rock n’ roll.  From the first notes of the show opener, the chugging “Martyr’s Mantra” Sleepy Sun concocted a dialed-in wall of sound that shook the club to its foundations. Fortunately, the band also knows when to slow things down; tempo changes like “Siouxsie Blaqq” and “Sandstorm Woman” show off a different side of the band and give the band’s songwriting a chance to shine.

Sleepy Sun are easily lumped into the ever-broadening “psych rock” category (I think if you’re on ATP Recordings, like they are, it’s almost a given) on the basis of their love of effects pedals and obvious stylistic nods to the late 60s/early 70s San Francisco sound. But live, it’s hard to miss a more mainstream reference – the mighty Led Zeppelin. Drummer Brian Tice is ferocious on the kit, and his playing gives the swirling guitars a backbone of pure power, such as on “Stivey Pond” and “She Rex”. This band also clearly believes in rocking as a concept; frontman Bret Constantino is an intense frontman (so intense that he nearly destroyed one of the club’s high quality monitors in the process!) and he and his bandmates are the kind of band that could easily command a much bigger room. They’re also much more focused on strong songwriting and pop hooks than some of their contemporaries; Spine Hits could easily be an FM radio favorite, if rock radio still existed, and I’m sure it’ll be in rotation on the appropriate SiriusXM/streaming channels, as it’s one of the band’s best albums to date.  Here’s to hoping we see them in New York again soon… at this year’s ATP NY, perhaps?

I recorded this set with an excellent soundboard feed from the Glasslands head FOH Josh, plus Schoeps MK22 microphones and a very warm Aerco preamp that captured the sound perfectly. Enjoy!

Thanks as always to the Glasslands team and PopGun Booking for their hospitality.

Stream “Martyr’s Mantra”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/S0049SleepySun2201/01 Martyr’s Mantra.mp3]

Stream “Siouxsie Blaqq”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/S0049SleepySun2201/06 Siouxsie Blaqq.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Sleepy Sun
2012-04-09
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK22>CMC6>Aerco MP-2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (effects, mixdown, EQ)>Audacity (tracking, set fades, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Martyr’s Mantra
02 Stivey Pond
03 Wild Machines
04 V.O.G.
05 She Rex
06 Siouxsie Blaqq
07 Creature
08 Boat Trip
09 Pigs On L
10 Sandstorm Woman

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Sleepy Sun, visit their website, and purchase Spine Hits and their other official releases from their online store [HERE]

White Hills: April 9, 2012 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs [Plus Northside Festival Announcement]

April 18, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

It is a distinct pleasure to finally present a recording of the stellar Brooklyn heavy psych rock act White Hills. We have been following the Hills for a few years now, and have recorded them a few times, but in the past things never quite worked out. This show at Glasslands – also filmed for future release by the professional video production team PanopticonNYC – exceeded everyone’s expectations.

White Hills are a prolific band – so much so that even though I’ve seen them in each of the past four years, they’ve never been promoting the same album twice. The last time I saw them, they were touring behind H-p1, a 72-minute opus of deep psychedelic riffage. Their new record, Frying On this Rock, mostly continues H-p1’s traditions, and like that record, its improvisation-baiting material is best experienced in the live setting, where frontman Dave W. and bassist Ego Sensation never hold back. This show was a veritable tour of the band’s last several records, kicking off with “Oceans of Sound” from their 2009 Thrill Jockey debut, Heads On Fire, and jamming straight into the monster “Three Quarters” off of the eponymous White Hills, arguably their best record to date. True to form, the set gave Dave and Ego Sensation plenty of room to delve into their deepest space rock, including the new number “Pads of Light” and this night’s take on another classic from White Hills, the set closer “Dead”.

I recorded this set with a soundboard feed provided by the head Glasslands FOH Josh, and Schoeps MK22 microphones to capture the full force of the band.  The recording is excellent and we are pleased to finally have White Hills on the site!

White Hills will be co-headlining our 2012 Northside Festival showcase on Thursday, June 14 at 285 Kent.  Also on the bill will be NYCTaper favorites and co-headliners Pontiak along with Thrill Jockey bandmates Rhyton and one of our favorite new Brooklyn bands, EULA.

Stream “Pads of Light”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/W0049WhiteHills2012/03 Pads of Light.mp3]

Stream “Dead”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/W0049WhiteHills2012/08 Dead.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

White Hills
2012-04-09
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK22 (DFC, PAS, 7.5ft)>CMC6 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, tube warmth, boost and hard limit)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, slight additional EQ)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Oceans of Sound>
02 Three Quarters
03 Pads of Light>
04 Radiate
05 You Dream You See
06 I Write A Thousand Letters (Pulp On Bone)
07 Condition of Nothing
08 Dead

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT White Hills, like them on Facebook, and purchase their records including Frying On This Rock directly from Thrill Jockey [HERE]

Yellow Ostrich: April 12, 2012 Mercury Lounge – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 16, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

Yellow Ostrich was the first band I saw last year, at this same venue (Mercury Lounge). Back then, the band consisted of creative mastermind and frontman Alex Schaaf and drummer Michael Tapper, working hard to produce an on-stage re-recreation of the simple magic of the band’s then-current release, The Mistress. That record was one of those indie gems you might miss if you didn’t pay attention to the CMJ showcase circuit and the right blogs; it was a lo-fi, low-profile recording offered on Schaaf’s bandcamp page for free, and it was as simple and unadorned as a record could get. That sold-out show found Schaaf still finding his footing creatively and and as a performer; he was still a bit raw, but already compelling.

Much has changed since then.

The Mistress and its stellar reviews attracted wider notice, as good records tend to, and Schaaf signed to the Northwest imprint Barsuk Records, who obligingly remastered and re-released The Mistress, along with bankrolling the band’s new release of last month, Strange Land. Since that Mercury Lounge show last January, Schaaf has performed around the country in front of hundreds of audiences, and the band has added a critical third member, Jon Natchez, who has played with Beirut, Camera Obscura, Okkervil River, and The Antlers. What was once your favorite little indie bedroom project has grown into a full-fledged rock band with the songs to prove it.

This sold-out Mercury Lounge show was a valedictory one for the band, coming on the heels of a U.S. tour that took them to all corners of the country, not to mention its great middle (Wisconsin is where Schaaf calls home, and they have a serious following in flyover country). Not only are the standout tracks on Strange Land like “Marathon Runner” and “I Got No Time For You” already in top form, but older tracks like the quirky “WHALE” that first drew me to the band have been reworked with more layers of sound. Schaaf’s sweet, somewhat nasal voice and quirky songcraft have always recalled, for me, innovators like John Darnielle and Jeff Mangum. Schaaf, like Darnielle, has found a way to embrace a full-bodied, at-times-lush rock sound without losing the qualities of his music that make it unique. It’s appropriate, then, that he closed the set with one of the simplest and most plaintive tracks off of The Mistress, “Mary”. Even with all his new musical toys, Schaaf can be a pretty damn compelling performer without them.

I recorded this set in the same manner as I recorded Yellow Ostrich last year, with Schoeps MK41 microphones and a perfect soundboard feed from the Mercury Lounge head FOH. The sound quality, as with the last recording, is outstanding.  Enjoy!

Check out Yellow Ostrich on tour this summer with Los Campesinos! and at several festivals (including Lollapalooza).  Their next NYC dates are June 21 at Maxwell’s, June 22 at Le Poisson Rouge and June 23 at Brooklyn Bowl, each with Los Campesinos!  Thanks to the band for their support of NYCTaper.

Stream “Marathon Runner”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/Y1400YellowOstrich2110/09 Marathon Runner.mp3]

Stream “Heaven [The Talking Heads]”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/Y1400YellowOstrich2110/13 Heaven.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct download of FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Yellow Ostrich
2012-04-12
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Soundboard + Schoeps MK41 (ROC, PAS, 8ft)>CMC6>Aerco MP-2>>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (patch 25sec of one channel)>Adobe Audition CS 5.5(mixdown, EQ)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC Level 8

Tracks
01 WHALE
02 Up in the Mountains
03 I Got No Time For You
04 Hold On
05 Daughter
06 Campaign
07 Wear Suits
08 [banter]
09 Marathon Runner
10 Elephant King
11 The Shakedown
12 [encore break]
13 Heaven [Talking Heads]
14 Mary

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Yellow Ostrich, visit their website, see them on tour with Los Campesinos! and at the other festivals they’re playing this summer, and purchase Strange Land and The Mistress directly from Barsuk [HERE].

Caged Animals: March 30, 2012 Union Pool – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 11, 2012
By


[photos by Johnny Fried Chicken Boy]

We have been big fans of Vincent Cacchione’s music ever since I saw an incredible backyard performance by Vince’s other main project, Soft Black, back in 2010. While Soft Black continues to move forward with mastering a new record, Cacchione has delivered another record with Caged Animals. Where Soft Black is classic, organic rock n’ roll with a post-punk twist and a gloomy outlook, Caged Animals is a more au courant style of act, all heavy synths and reverbed vocals, taking cues from electronica and the “PBR&B” style of bands like The Weeknd. Perhaps it’s not surprising that Caged Animals were asked to put out their second record, Eat Their Own, on Lucky Number Music. It’s the type of project that needs to be on shelves, now.

The live version of Caged Animals, on excellent display at the Kevchino/NYCTaper-sponsored show at Union Pool on a Friday night, was a bit more organic affair than the band’s record, and I’ll admit that I’m cool with that.  Cacchione has a memorable voice, and it was a pleasure to hear it raw on songs like “Lips That Turn the Light to Fire”, one of the more Soft Black-ish songs from Caged Animals. Newer-style songs like “The NJ Turnpike” and “Instant <3 Breaker” also worked well, though.  Another of my personal favorite Cacchione songs (not played on this night) is Caged Animals’ “Teflon Heart”. This particular set ended abruptly thanks to Union Pool’s curfew, but the band still had enough time for a rocking closer, “Pink People”, from their self-titled debut.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK22 open-cardioid microphones and a nicely balanced soundboard feed from the Union Pool staff.  The quality is superb.  Enjoy!

Stream “Lips That Turn the Light To Fire”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/C3030CagedAnimals0212/07 Lips That Turn the Light to Fire.mp3]

Stream “The NJ Turnpike”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/C3030CagedAnimals0212/02 The NJ Turnpike.mp3]

Direct download of the MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

Caged Animals
2012-03-30
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK22 (STC 22g, DFC, at SBD)>KCY>Z-PFA>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>Audacity 2.0 (mixdown, downsample, set fades, adjust levels, light EQ, tracking)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Instant <3 Breaker
02 The NJ Turnpike
03 Eat Your Own
04 Teenagers In Heat
05 All the Beautiful Things in the World
06 Sun Blind
07 Lips That Turn the Light To Fire
08 Pink People

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Caged Animals, visit their Facebook page, and purchase their records from Lucky Number Music [HERE]

Natureboy: March 30, 2012 Union Pool – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 4, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack and Johnny Fried Chicken Boy]

Natureboy ranks high among bands that we have been pulling for on this site.  While we have hosted shows that featured the band before, we were thrilled to have the chance to co-sponsor this show at Union Pool with Kevchino.  We are pleased to report that the band we saw was more mature and even sharper musically than before.  Since we last saw the band, they have added a drummer and keyboardist to give their Dylan-inspired folk-rock sound more muscle and rock n’ roll presence.  Founder and frontwoman Sara Kermanshahi and the band have recorded a new, as-yet-untitled release at fellow bandmember Cedar Apffel’s studio, and they served up a generous portion of that record with this set, including a favorite we had seen before and craved seeing again, “A Flame”.  The band’s newly-found live energy was palpable, and the five players easily filled the room with sound as Sara’s voice remained, as it should be, the centerpiece.

Natureboy is exploring options for the release of this new record, and we expect a label to snap this up before they miss the chance. As they closed this set with the Smiths’ “Back to the Old House” – one of many great covers we have heard from them – it was evident how Kermanshahi’s unique singing style and vision is a perfect compliment to the band’s now-classic sound.

I recorded this set with an excellent soundboard feed from the Union Pool FOH, plus Schoeps MK22 open cardiod mics.  The results are excellent.  Enjoy!

Thanks to Union Pool for their hospitality and to Kevchino for co-hosting the show and developing this great bill. 

Stream “Head to Toe”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/N1107Natureboy2299/08 Head to Toe.mp3]

Stream “Back to the Old House”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/N1107Natureboy2299/12 Back to the Old House.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

Natureboy
2012-03-30
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK22 (ORTF, DFC, at SBD)>KCY>PFA>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>Audacity (mixdown, downsample, set fades, adjust levels, light EQ, tracking)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Pariah
02 A Flame
03 [tuning]
04 Lexies
05 [banter/tuning]
06 Blow To the Head
07 Don’t Worry
08 Head to Toe
09 Sight to See
10 Heart to Fool
11 [encore break]
12 Back to the Old House [The Smiths]

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Natureboy, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their debut album from Bleek Records [HERE]

AU: March 29, 2012 Cameo Gallery – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 2, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

AU is not so much a “band” as a single man’s vision – that of one Luke Wyland, currently of Portland, OR and previously of Boston. Wyland performs under this moniker in a variety of configurations – with everything from an orchestra to his current setup of just him and drummer Dana Valatka. While AU earns comparisons to bands like Panda Bear and Animal Collective, Wyland’s vision is more playful than those contemporaries. His songs give off what a fellow show-goer described as almost a “carnival” vibe at times; they are bombastic, exuberant, and downright fun no matter what your frame of mind.

This show at Cameo Gallery found AU headlining to celebrate the release of Both Lights, the band’s new album that was release today on the quirky and flawlessly curated Hometapes. a label that plays home to several of this site’s current favorites. AU rewarded a packed house with a set that began with “Ida Walked Away” from the band’s record Versions, followed by the steel drum-dominated “rr Vs. D” from Verbs before transitioning to all-new material from Both Lights that wowed the crowd.  That set-within-a-set began with the relentless and appropriately-titled “Get Alive” and transitioned into the more anthemic “OJ”. This short set could barely contain all of Wyland’s disparate ideas, but it was rewarding to see him wind up with two more extended numbers “Go Slow” and his first single from Both Lights, “Solid Gold”. If this crowd was worn out from a four-band bill that ran a bit late, it didn’t show. It would have been hard to exhaust AU’s endless fountain of ideas with a set twice this long.

I recorded this set in the same manner as the Howth set, with AKG large-diaphragm microphones and an excellent soundboard feed from the Cameo FOH.  The results are also outstanding.  Enjoy!

Stream “Solid Gold”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/A3029AU2012/08 Solid Gold.mp3]

Stream “OJ”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/A3029AU2012/05 OJ.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] |  Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

AU
2012-03-29
Cameo Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

AKG C 414 B-XLS (cardiod, ORTF, DFC, FOB)>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown, adjust levels)>Izotope Ozone 5 (effects, EQ)>Audacity 2.0 (tracking, set fades, downsample to 16/44.1)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Ida Walked Away
02 RR vs. D
03 [banter]
04 Get Alive
05 OJ
06 Why I Must
07 Go Slow
08 Solid Gold

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT AU, visit their website, and purchase Both Lights directly from Hometapes [HERE]

Howth: March 29, 2012 Cameo Gallery – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 1, 2012
By


[Photos courtesy of Jonny Leather and Mecca Lecca Recording Co.]

Our friend and longtime music blogger Jonny Leather has managed to achieve a dream that few music fans do – creating his own label, Mecca Lecca Recording Co., to release the music of the bands he loves. In a fairly short period of time, he has built up a strong roster of acts like Unicycle Loves You (a favorite of this site), Christopher Paul Stelling, and Ghastly City Sleep, among others.  But my favorite of all of them, and a band I had been wanting to see ever since I bought their first record on bandcamp, is Howth.  This recent show at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn showcased the young band at the top of their game as they shared material from their forthcoming album (and Kickstarter success story) Newkirk.

The band’s bio styles their sound as “psychedelic folk”, but their rich, texturally varied sound belies that simple label.  In addition to their folk influences, I heard elements of the epic sweep of The Antlers in some of their songs like the set closer “Keep Me Away From the Mirror”; the off-kilter rock of Radiohead and Modest Mouse in a few others; and even a few moments when the vocal harmonies reminded me of doo-wop and 60s pop. Howth is a versatile, dynamic act that clearly has a lot of gas left in the tank musically, and has already shown a lot of growth over just two releases. That said, there is no denying some of the earlier songs like “Idaho #1”.  My favorite song of the set was probably “Only Right Turns” from Newkirk – the song has compelling guitar work, soaring vocals and a healthy dose of the loud/soft dynamic that a fan like me who grew up in the 90s is permanently addicted to. Even better, Jesse Newkirk of Steel Phantoms gave this version an extra-special touch.  Howth will release Newkirk on May 1st, followed by a record release show at Mercury Lounge.  I’d recommend putting both on your calendar.

I recorded this set with AKG 414 large-diaphragm mics that were specifically selected to accentuate the detail in Howth’s rich sound, and a soundboard feed from the Cameo staff. This outstanding recording should serve as a worthy introduction to the band and their latest material.  Enjoy!

Special thanks to Howth, Jonny Leather and Mecca Lecca for inviting us to record the show, and my apologies for it taking me this long to actually see the band!

Stream “Only Right Turns”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/H2930Howth0212/07 Only Right Turns.mp3]

Stream “Idaho #1”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/H2930Howth0212/03 Idaho1.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

Howth
2012-03-29
Cameo Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

AKG C 414 B-XLS (cardiod, ORTF, DFC, FOB)>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown, adjust levels)>Izotope Ozone 5 (effects, limiter)>Audacity 2.0 (tracking, set fades, downsample to 16/44.1)>FLAC Level 8

Tracks
01 Out in Eagan
02 Snow Bank
03 Idaho #1
04 Wind Blows Cold
05 David
06 [banter]
07 Only Right Turns
08 Needles and Pins*
09 Keep Me Away From the Mirror

*with Jesse Newkirk of Steel Phantoms

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Howth, pre-order Newkirk on their bandcamp page, and check out their page and the other excellent roster of acts at Mecca Lecca Recording Co.

New Multitudes: March 14, 2012 Webster Hall – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 29, 2012
By


[Photos courtesy of Joe Papeo.  See more of his excellent work at irocktheshot.com.]

It’s my understanding that the seeds for the New Multitudes project were first sown as far back as 1995 when alternative-country godfather Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo) was tapped to collaborate with Billy Bragg on what would eventually become the ‘Mermaid Avenue‘ album.  After Jay declined, Bragg wound up recruiting Wilco and released two discs of previously unheard lyrics by folk singer Woody Guthrie put to music written by the performers.  Fast forward several more years and Farrar approached the idea again, bringing together a veritable Americana/alt-country supergroup to write music for lyrics that Guthrie wrote during his years in Los Angeles.  Adding Will Johnson (Centro-matic), Anders Parker (Varnaline) and Yim Yames (a.k.a. Jim James of My Morning Jacket), each artist imparts distinct aspects of their styles to the songs but, as a collective whole, they also blend incredibly well together.

With such a roster of talented musicians, I was very excited to see this concert at its stop in New York.  Out of the gate, the group did a straight run-through of the songs off the album, with barely any time for applause between them.  However, rather than being a carbon copy of the disc, the live renditions imbued much more detail and fully realized the interplay and spot-on harmonizing between the members.  It quickly became evident that a few weeks on the road had honed the material beautifully.  It also showcased their versatility, particularly as Will and Anders did a round robin between drums, guitars and vocals.  The next part of the show had each member taking an impressive solo acoustic turn.  Finally, it was everybody back on stage contributing to each other’s songs and finishing off the night with one of Woody Guthrie’s own compositions, each performer trading off on vocals.  After such an amazing evening, it’s a shame that this tour had only a handful of dates.  After New Multitudes’ next and last planned outing at the Newport Folk Festival in July, I certainly hope they can find the time for another pass through.

Being set up right behind the soundboard and dead center, the always wonderful sounding Webster Hall once again didn’t disappoint us.  Aside from the drums being a bit upfront during the first song, the house mix was excellent and our recording is a very good reflection of that.  We hope you like what you hear as much as we did.  Enjoy!

Stream “Chorine My Sheba Queen”: [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/N4103NewMultitudes2210/New_Multitudes_-_Chorine_My_Sheba_Queen.mp3]

Stream “Angel’s Blues”: [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/N4103NewMultitudes2210/New_Multitudes_-_Angels_Blues.mp3]

Direct download of the complete show in MP3 [HERE]
Direct download of the complete show in FLAC [HERE]

If either of the links are no longer working, email nyctaper with a request for the download location of the files.

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Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

New Multitudes
(Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker & Yim Yames)
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Webster Hall
New York, NY, USA

Source: AUD > AKG C 414 B-XLS’s + Audio-Technica AT3031’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > TLH (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC conversion) > FLAC ( level 8 )
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 1:57:26]
01. Hoping Machine
02. Fly High
03. My Revolutionary Mind
04. V.D. City
05. Old L.A.
06. Talking Empty Bed Blues
07. Chorine My Sheba Queen
08. Careless Reckless Love
09. Angel’s Blues
10. No Fear
11. Changing World
12. New Multitudes
SOLO:
13. banter 1
14. Little Raider  [Will Johnson]
15. banter 2
16. Song  [Anders Parker / Varnaline]
17. Still Be Around  [Uncle Tupelo]
18. banter 3
19. Wonderful (The Way I Feel)  [Jim James / My Morning Jacket]
FULL BAND:
20. Tell It to the Dust  [Anders Parker]
21. Just to Know What You’ve Been Dreaming  [Will Johnson]
22. Bandages & Scars  [Jay Farrar / Son Volt]
23. The Way That He Sings  [Jim James / My Morning Jacket]
24. Pastures of Plenty  [Woody Guthrie]

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT New Multitudes and Woody Guthrie and the projects of Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames, visit the New Multitudes website, visit their Facebook and MySpace pages, and purchase the official release and merchandise [HERE].

Bowerbirds: March 23, 2012 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 26, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

The Raleigh, NC based folk band Bowerbirds pulled off quite an achievement when they sold out the Bowery Ballroom – what they called “the best room that we’ve ever played” – on a Friday night and managed to keep the crowd rapt for their full 70-minute set. Theirs is not party music; the band strikes a modern chord with their lush instrumentation and arrangements, but keeps their vocal and melodic style more traditional than, say, the Devendra Banharts of the world. Band anchors Philip Moore and Beth Tacular have had several ups and downs during the band’s six-year history – the two have been together, broken up, and reunited during that time, and most recently, Tacular suffered a life-threatening illness.  The Clearing, the band’s latest record, is the product of both.  Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that this show opened with the climactic narrative track from that album, “This Year.”  For Moore and Tacular, it has been a tough one.

From there came a set that was full of elegance and poise, as the band worked through a solid portion of The Clearing material, as well as several songs from 2009’s Upper Air.  The live performances of these songs added additional depth not found on those records, as well as as surprising amount of energy.  Several songs boasted reworked arrangements, guitar solos, and best of all, a few crowd sing-alongs.  Moore thanked that crowd repeatedly throughout the night, and by set’s end, there was nobody left to win over.  The show had been a success from start to finish.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 cardiod microphones and a nicely balanced soundboard feed from the Bowery team.  The quality is excellent.  Enjoy!

Stream “In Our Talons”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/B2303Bowerbirds2012/19 In Our Talons.mp3]

Stream “This Year”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/B2303Bowerbirds2012/01 This Year.mp3]

This recording is now available as a direct download in FLAC and MP3 formats at Archive.org [HERE].

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Bowerbirds
2012-03-23
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK5(c)>KC5>CMC6>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (light EQ on AUD source, mixdown, set fades, additional light EQ, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample/dither to 16/44.1)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 1:09:37]
01 This Year
02 In the Yard
03 Chimes
04 [banter]
05 Stitch the Hem
06 Walk the Furrows
07 House of Diamonds
08 Crooked Lust
09 [banter]
10 Death Wish [new]
11 [banter]
12 Brave World
13 Now We Hurry On
14 Northern Lights
15 Hush
16 Tuck the Darkness In
17 [encore break]
18 Hooves
19 In Our Talons
20 Overcome With Light

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Bowerbirds, visit their website, and order The Clearing and their other releases from their online store [HERE]

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