Posts Tagged ‘ Naiant X-X ’

Herbcraft: November 13, 2016 Trans-Pecos

November 30, 2016
By

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The first time I saw Herbcraft, I had no idea who they were, had barely gotten set up, and had no idea what to expect. Two years later, I can say that that show by the Portland, Maine band remains one of the true gems of my entire recording “career,” and one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve ever come across from a live band period, let alone an opener. The band’s fluid, almost entirely improvisational sets are a thing of cosmic beauty, taking you to that comfortable yet foreign place where your mind and music unite. This set at Trans-Pecos, opening for MV & EE, continued in that vein, as the band played an extended thirty minute improv that even they couldn’t give a name to. This afternoon set required neither fancy lights nor the cover of darkness to take us back to that place, to open our minds and our imaginations to a better world that is not quite our own. Dig in.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK4V microphones in the audience and Naiant X-X omnidirectional microphones split onstage. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream the complete set below. You can download it on a “Pay What You Will” basis from our bandcamp site if you click through.

Herbcraft
2016-11-13
Trans-Pecos
Queens, NY USA

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

Schoeps MK4V (FOB, DFC)>KCY>Z-PFA + Naiant X-X (split onstage)>>Zoom F8>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CC (compression, fades)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, effects, image)>Audacity 2.0.3 (track, amplify, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Live at Trans-Pecos

PLEASE SUPPORT Herbcraft: Bandcamp | Facebook | Woodsist

MV & EE: November 13, 2016 Trans-Pecos

November 22, 2016
By

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[photo by Sierra Starno. See more of her great work on her Instagram page]

Matt Valentine and Erika Elder, aka MV & EE, have a prolific output of records — 147 releases, if Discogs can be believed — that spans everything from proper albums to live CDRs to all manner of weird EPs and one-offs. But their most recent release, Root/Void, has been one of the most notable. The band’s first record for Woodsist, Root/Void has some of the band’s most focused songwriting to date, without losing the cosmic, herbal flow that gives this couple such a unique musical voice. The band’s latest isn’t missing the homegrown quality that makes MV & EE feel like a perpetually well-kept secret, but it will probably rope in some newcomers along the way.

This show at Trans-Pecos, presented by nyctaper, was pleasantly devoid of political conversation, though by virtue of existing, its politics were evident. Held on a bracing but sunny afternoon in Ridgewood, a like-minded group of souls gathered around the stage as Valentine and Elder pulled out a jam-heavy (even by their standards) hour-plus long set that covered recent road favorites like “Tea Devil” as well as some of the new album’s best jams. Perhaps the winner on that front would be “Roll On,” which arrived here as a furious, 16-minute squall that flowed into “Love Lemma” to close out the show. It was as “rock n’ roll” as this band gets, and it befitted the moment, as the sun fell in the afternoon sky, casting colored shadows on the two players as they did what they do best.

I recorded this set with a soundboard feed, together with Schoeps MK4V microphones in the crowd and Naiant X-X microphones onstage. Matt Valentine was kind enough to mix the sources to his specifications, and the result is a true MV & EE burner.  We are offering this recording in a new format that we believe will benefit both the artists and the fans — our new “official” bandcamp page. The downloads are offered in every format on a “pay what you will” basis, and streaming remains free via the bandcamp page and their handy mobile app. We hope you are as proud of the new effort as we are. Enjoy!

Stream and download this show from our new bandcamp page:

MV & EE
2016-11-13
Trans-Pecos
Queens, NY

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper bandcamp
Recorded by acidjack
Produced by Matt Valentine

Soundboard (mono) + Schoeps MK4V (FOB, DFC)>KCY>Z-PFA + Naiant X-X (split omni, onstage)>>Zoom F8>3x24bit/48kHz WAV>Matt’s wizardry>Audacity 2.0.3 (fades, tracking, amplify, balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 1:08:22]
01 Much Obliged
02 Stars Are In Your Eyes
03 Coot Moon Rap
04 No $>Shit’s Creek
05 Tea Devil>Tea Jam
06 Shout Outs Rap
07 Roll On>jam>Love Lemma

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT MV & EE: Their Website | Buy Root/Void from Woodsist | Twitter

Eleven Twenty Nine: July 23, 2016 Trans-Pecos

August 15, 2016
By

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The beautiful thing about seeing a Tom Carter-related project is you never quite know what you’re going to get, but you know it will be transportive. It could be anything from his trio set with Chris Corsano and Carter Thornton late last year, to his ambient/drone work with Barry Weisblat, to one of his haunting solo guitar sets — whatever you see, you will be glad you did. On this night, we saw one of Carter’s best-loved projects, Eleven Twenty Nine, originally a collaboration with fellow guitarist Marc Orleans which has yielded an impressive album on Northern Spy Records and a followup on Drawing Room Records.

For this special performance at Trans-Pecos, Carter and Orleans were joined by Jimy SeiTang on bass and Rob Smith on drums, both of whom have seen time in our favorites Rhyton. The set consisted of three distinct improvisational pieces, each a rich, engaging tapestry of sound that blended the aesthetics of rock, free jazz and ambient music in the way for which these players have become known. What is an undulating, complex beast of a song, composed improvisationally out of many disciplines becomes a transcendent whole. Witness, for example, the climactic guitar at the end of the first piece, or the subtle, searching quality to the beginning of the last. You can certainly enjoy hearing it happen on a recording, but seeing these guys do their thing live is without parallel.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK22 microphones up front, Naiant X-X microphones onstage, and a soundboard feed. The sound quality is outstanding. Enjoy!

Download the complete show: [MP3/FLAC/ALAC]

Stream the complete show

Eleven Twenty-Nine
2016-07-23
Trans-Pecos
Queens, NY

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

Schoeps MK22 (FOB, ROC)>KCY>Z-PFA + Soundboard + Naiant X-X (3’ split, onstage)>>Zoom F8>3x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (align, mix down, fades, compression)>Izotope Ozone 5 (image, EQ, exciter)>Audacity 2.0.3 (track, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Track
01 Improvisation 1
02 Improvisation 2
03 Improvisation 3

Musicians
Tom Carter – Guitar
Marc Orleans – Guitar
Jimy SeiTang – Bass
Rob Smith – Drums

Support Eleven Twenty Nine: Facebook | Northern Spy | Drawing Room

Hans Chew: July 23, 2016 Trans-Pecos

July 27, 2016
By

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We’ve been following Hans Chew for a while now, since he first played our CMJ show in 2012. Back then, Hans spent the set behind the piano, playing his boogie-driven tunes like modern madcap Jerry Lee Lewis. By the time Hans showed up for this Trans-Pecos show in 2016, he was preparing to release a stellar new album, Unknown Sire, with our friends Divide By Zero records. But when we talked to Hans before this show, he explained to us that he had been so motivated by reading a recent biography of Neil Young that he decided to take an entirely different approach this time — and that for this show, he had an entire new album to draw from. As a result, Hans played the role of guitar lead this time, and he shared three new jams that take clear inspiration from Young’s most daring guitar efforts. As he led off with the sprawling “Cruikshanks,” we could tell this was a very different Hans Chew indeed, one who reveled in extended guitar solos and longer narratives. If any of the three songs fit most closely with Chew’s previous efforts, it was probably the upbeat, honky-tonk inspired “Open Sea,” which itself clocked in at over six minutes, and led into “Freely,” which began as a midtempo rocker before exploding into a fiery solo at the end. Though we’re thrilled for the upcoming record, one has to hope this latest material doesn’t have to sit in the hopper for too long, either.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK22 microphones close to the stage, Naiant X-X omnis split wide on stage, and a soundboard feed. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Download the complete set: [MP3/FLAC]

Stream the complete set:

Hans Chew
2016-07-23
Trans-Pecos
Queens, NY

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

Schoeps MK22 (FOB, ROC)>KCY>Z-PFA + Soundboard + Naiant X-X (3’ split, onstage)>>Zoom F8>3x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (align, mix down, fades, compression)>Izotope Ozone 5 (image, EQ, exciter)>Audacity 2.0.3 (track, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Cruikshanks
02 Open Sea
03 Freely

Band:
Hans Chew – Vocals, Guitar
Dave Cavallo – Guitar
Rob Smith – Drums
Jimy SeiTang – Bass

Support Hans Chew: Website | Facebook | Divide By Zero Records

Horse Lords: July 23, 2016 Trans-Pecos

July 26, 2016
By

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For most of its nearly ten-year history, this website has been a collaboration, reflecting the individual tastes and contributions of those who contribute to it. In the past two years, it’s hard to overstate the contribution that Eric PH has made to the team, introducing not only a number of great recordings, but a slew of new bands to the mix. Horse Lords, of Baltimore, are one of his very best finds, and since he first saw them in 2015, we’ve been hoping to do something with them directly. The band headlined a stacked bill this past Saturday at Trans-Pecos, which felt like a welcome, air-conditioned respite from the steaming heat outside. But more important than the change in temperature was the change in perspective, as each of the forward-thinking acts on the bill reminded us of how powerful experimental music can be. While too many bands of their ilk toil in obscurity, Horse Lords have received their due of late, in the form of stellar reviews for their latest album, Interventions (released by NYC label Northern Spy). 

The band’s heady combination of guitar, bass, drums, and at-times keys, sax, and second percussion isn’t the easiest to describe; it has a tinge of desert blues to it, the controlled chaos of free jazz, the music-school time shifts of math rock and the propulsiveness of, well, rock. The band brought all of that complexity to the stage and didn’t miss a beat, holding our attention through the latest album’s first single, “Truthers” straight through to the album’s centerpiece, “Toward the Omega Point,” at the end. As Eric PH pointed out in his review of the 2015 show, the band members know how to fill the spaces in the music when they need to, but also know when to leave some open air. We were floored by the band’s musicianship, their control, and their ability to craft a setlist that hung together through a diverse range of sounds. For anyone who cares about where music is going next, be sure to put Horse Lords on your list of things to see.

I recorded this set with a set of Schoeps MK22 open cardioids near the front of the room, a pair of Naiant X-X omnis split onstage, and a soundboard feed from the night’s engineer. The sound quality is phenomenal. Enjoy!

Download the complete show: [MP3/FLAC/ALAC]

Stream the complete show:

Horse Lords
2016-07-23
Trans-Pecos
Queens, NY

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

Schoeps MK22 (FOB, ROC)>KCY>Z-PFA + Soundboard + Naiant X-X (3’ split, onstage)>>Zoom F8>3x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (align, mix down, fades, compression)>Izotope Ozone 5 (image, EQ, exciter)>Audacity 2.0.3 (track, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Truthers
02 Intervention III
03 Bending to the Lash
04 Untitled
05 Toward the Omega Point

Please support Horse Lords: Facebook | Bandcamp | Tumblr

Axxa / Abraxas: March 21, 2014 Baby’s All Right – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

April 2, 2014
By


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[photos by acidjack]

The Brooklyn band Axxa / Abraxas, like many of their Captured Tracks forebears, began in a bedroom. In this case, the bedroom of Atlanta native Ben Asbury, who drew influences near his hometown as well as his current home to create his self-titled debut. That record, produced by Jarvis Taveniere of Woods, owes Taveniere’s main project an obvious debt, from the jangly guitars to a Jeremy Earl-style high falsetto vocal on some songs. What’s missed there, but more evident live, is the free-flowing style of the Elephant 6 collective from nearby Athens, Georgia, whose members are as legendary for their live shows as for their far-out styles. Bringing out these tunes live at Baby’s All Right must’ve been no easy task for Asbury and his bandmates, as the record’s slick production style doesn’t necessarily tell all of the band’s story. What you find out in the live setting is that the core of this music is Asbury’s skill at the axe; at age 23, he’s dropping some serious solos. Axxa / Abraxas feels more like a Brooklyn band at the start of their career than the polished crew you hear on the LP, and in many ways, that’s a good thing. One of this band’s greatest assets is youthful exuberance, and you could feel that in the room in a way you can’t on an album. You get the sense that, with more time with this material under their belt, it’ll only get better. Asbury’s best days are yet to come, and it’s going to be a great ride.

I recorded this set with the digital multitrack system at Baby’s All Right, set up by engineer David Lefcourt, together with an onstage pair of Naiant X-X omnidirectional microphones. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Painted Blue”

Download the complete show: [MP3]  | [FLAC]

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.

Axxa /Abraxas
2014-03-21
Baby’s All Right
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Digital multitrack soundboard (Engineer: David Lefcourt) + Naiant X-X (omni, onstage)>Pro Tools>Numerous 24bit/48kHz WAVs>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (various dynamics, compression, alignment, mixdown)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, effects, stereo imaging, dynamics)>Audacity 2.0.3 (tracking, fades, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Ryan Michalak (Is Coming to Town) (fades in)
02 Going Forth
03 I Almost Fell
04 Beyond the Wind
05 Same Signs
06 So Far Away
07 Ride Into the Night
08 Painted Blue
09 On the Run
10 All That’s Passed
11 Anything Could Happen [The Clean]

If you enjoyed this recording, please support Axxa / Abraxas, like them on Facebook, and buy their self-titled LP from Captured Tracks.

Death Blues: September 4, 2012 Glasslands – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

September 20, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

Death Blues is the new project from the hypertalented drummer and percussionist Jon Mueller, who has joined a new cast of players to make some seriously inspired math/post-rock. Mueller’s bio includes work with members of Swans, Wilco, and Bon Iver; helping to found the bands Pele, Collections of Colonies of Bees and Volcano Choir; and work with Rhys Chatham, James Plotkin and many others. The level of output represented by his discography would be humbling to most musicians.

So enter Death Blues and their inaugural NYC show, which took place at Glasslands, possibly the best place in this city for such things. Death Blues incorporates Mueller’s relentless percussion with hammered guitars, a trio of vocalists, an upright bass, and additional percussion. The result is a melodic but gripping live experience, with the throat-singing of the vocalists carrying over Mueller’s polyrhythmic drumming. The nearest guidepost sound-wise here is probably late 80s/early 90s acts like Slint and June of 44, but with less commitment to traditional song structure. This five-song set of mostly-extended numbers (including the 14+ minute centerpiece, “Death Blues”) gave the Glasslands crowd a preview of what this group will be delivering with its forthcoming Hometapes debut, Death Blues. We can’t wait to see what else Mueller has in store.

We saw Death Blues play the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina a few days later, and we hope to have a recording of that set from the person who recorded it available to share as well soon.

I recorded this set with Naiant X-X omnidirectional mics at the lip of the stage, plus a flawless soundboard feed by Josh, the house engineer.  The sound is outstanding, and one of my finest recordings of the year. Enjoy!

Stream “Impatience:

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

If the FLAC link is no longer working, email nyctaper for the FLAC files

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.

 

Death Blues
2012-09-04
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Naiant X-X (3ft split onstage A-B) + Soundboard>>Edirol R-44 [OCM]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify, balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Impatience
02 [tuning]
03 Death Blues
04 Acceptance
05 Impermanence
06 Iron String

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Death Blues, visit their website, follow them on Twitter, and purchase Death Blues when it becomes available from Hometapes later this year.

Altos: September 4, 2012 Glasslands – FLAC / MP3 / Streaming

September 14, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

Milwaukee’s Altos (formerly/sometimes known as Group of the Altos) are a tough band to fit comfortably on most stages. With twelve members, and a variety of strings, keys, upright bass, trumpets, guitars percussion and more, the band’s sound is anything but stripped down. Sonically, they belong alongside fellow big bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor! with their commitment to melodies and stretched-out song structures that eschew pop convention. But unlike their fellow-travelers from up north, Altos’ sound is a bit more folk-inflected (think Broken Social Scene) and considerably less apocalyptic. This 40-minute set at Glasslands, a warmup to an upcoming gig at Hopscotch Festival in North Carolina, consisted of a total of four songs, including three longer-form compositions and the tighter, more vocal-driven “Race” (streaming below).   The band deploys the large crew of players wisely, creating songs that are sonically dense, yet cohesive and spacious.

As with many bands arising from the Milwaukee scene right now, Altos have a Bon Iver connection, too – their eponymous current record was recorded at Justin Vernon’s April Base studio, and is available on vinyl and digital here (with an album cover that is, appropriately enough, composed of headshots of each of the 12 band members).

I recorded this set with new Naiant X-X omnidirectional microphones at the lip of the Glasslands stage, together with a soundboard feed provided by the head engineer Josh. The sound quality is truly outstanding. Enjoy!

Stream “Race”

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.

Altos
2012-09-04
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Naiant X-X (3ft split onstage A-B) + Soundboard>>Edirol R-44 [OCM]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify, balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

01 Begong Ava, Bagong Hele
02 Race
03 Sing (for Trouble)
04 Never Named

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Altos, like them on Facebook, and purchase their new LP, Altos, on vinyl or digital [HERE]

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