Posts Tagged ‘ williamsburg ’

Lyonnais: April 15, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

May 7, 2011
By

lyonnais
[Photo from Lyonnais MySpace page]

I fully admit to knowing next to nothing about the Atlanta band Lyonnais – except that they rock. The four piece began in 2008 as a project between two WRAL-Atlanta music directors, Farbod Kokabi and Farzad Moghaddam, and the two clearly have an affinity for drone, psychedelic and post-rock, as they layer on the heavy reverb and distortion without apology. Their music has become increasingly experimental, focusing on longer compositions that defy the traditional 3-to-6 minute format.

This show at Glasslands, opening for Eternal Summers (that recording here), gave Lyonnais a chance to thrive in what might be a more natural environment for a band of their style – Williamsburg. These five songs – mostly longer-form compositions – showcased their ability to combine dense, reverb-heavy guitar jams with surprisingly accessible hooks. Although all of the material was new to me, I hope it will become more familiar as the band progresses to the album release stage in the (hopefully) near future (their debt album is being shopped to labels at present).

I recorded this set from the same location as the Eternal Summers recording, and the sound is excellent. Enjoy!

Please help out with the setlist – as the band does not appear to have any releases, the only source of song info I could find was their MySpace page.

Stream “Friendly Fires”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/L1540Lyonnais0211/04 Friendly Fires.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Lyonnais
2011-04-15
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021>Oade M248+Soundboard>>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/44.1)
Position: Center pole, 11′ up, X/Y
Mastering: 2x24bit/44.1kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, EQ audience source, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 [unknown]
02 The Fatalist
03 [unknown]
04 Friendly Fires
05 [unknown]

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Lyonnais, visit their MySpace page, and find out more about the band (including their forthcoming album release date) from Tell All Your Friends.

Eternal Summers: April 15, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

April 18, 2011
By

etsum1
[Photo by Jessica Amaya]

I was a bit surprised that my first experience in the upgraded/redesigned Glasslands – complete with better sightlines, more bars, more bathrooms, better sound, and better light – was actually a band that wasn’t from NYC. But Roanoke, VA-based Eternal Summers certainly have their finger on the pulse of the sensibilities of the moment, whatever their geographic orientation. They make the kind of smart, plaintive pop-punk that would have fit well into the early 90s scene in DC and Arlington, VA. With a record, Silver on Kanine Records that has been extremely well received, as well as a slew of EPs, the duo of Nicole Yun and Daniel Cundiff (now also with a touring bassist) has been hitting New York with regularity. This show, presented by PopGun Booking and Tell All Your Friends PR, celebrated the band’s latest release on Kanine, the Prisoner EP. Rounding out an excellent four-act bill, Eternal Summers didn’t spend much of their economical set chatting, instead focusing on playing fiery renditions of songs from all over their catalog. My favorite was the bouncy title track from Silver. It is worth noting that Eternal Summers are part of a loosely affiliated local collective (in which Cundiff is a serial participant) known as the Magic Twig Community. If the rest of Roanoke’s progressive scene bears any relationship to the quality of this band, I need to take a trip to Virginia as soon as possible.

I recorded this set with an excellent soundboard feed from Josh of Glasslands combined with the DPA mics mounted in an optimum new location in the venue. The results are excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Silver”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/E1504EternalSummers2011/04 Silver.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Eternal Summers
2011-04-15
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021>Oade M248+Soundboard>>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/44.1)
Position: Center pole, 11′ up, X/Y
Mastering: 2x24bit/44.1kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, EQ audience source, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Prisoner
02 [unknown]
03 Able To
04 Silver
05 World’s Away
06 Safe At Home
07 I Know Now
08 [unknown]
09 [unknown]
10 [unknown]
11 Girls In the City
12 What Do You Do (?)
13 [unknown]

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Eternal Summers, visit their MySpace page, and purchase Prisoner directly from Kanine Records [HERE]

Sharon Van Etten: April 16, 2011 Music Hall of Williamsburg – Flac and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

April 17, 2011
By


[photos by Amanda Hatfield]

After months on the road playing to bigger crowds in bigger venues than she has ever seen, Sharon Van Etten came home last night to a vocally adoring local crowd. Music Hall of Williamsburg was sold out (as she had done at Bowery in January), and the floor was packed. From my vantage point in the front right of the balcony, I could see the faces of the rapt fans in the first ten rows. On this recording, you can hear the calls of adoration in between each song. Sharon’s music has always spoken (almost brutally) honestly about real emotions, and as her popularity grows its inevitable that she’s going to connect on a deeper level with fans who relate to those emotions. But fortunately for Sharon, she seems to have truly grasped a perspective on this phenomenon both on stage and off, and keeps a healthy distance from the adoration. Last night’s set contained most of what has catapulted her to this success, the 2010 release Epic, along with an abundant amount of strong new material and some solo classics. The night also featured two special guests — Jessica Larabee from show opener She Keeps Bees (recording of their set coming soon) on “Save Yourself”, and Aly Spaltro (Lady Lamb The Beekeeper) on “For You”. I am privy to some news about Sharon, but can only say to expect an exciting announcement from the Van Etten camp soon. In that vein, we’re streaming one of the newer songs “Tell Me”, which has developed since its August debut into a powerful number that will likely be featured on any new release.

I recorded this set from the front right of the balcony about fifteen feet from the right PA speaker, and used the hyper-directional Neumanns for what is known as a “stack tape”. The clarity is outstanding, but there is less depth than the recording from January. Additionally, the balcony at Music Hall has always had lower vocals in the mix than can be heard on the floor, and this recording is no exception. With those caveats, enjoy!

Stream “Tell Me”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/S0606SharonVE8008/10.%20Tell%20Me.mp3]

This Recording is now available to Download in FLAC and MP3 at Archive.org [HERE].

Sharon Van Etten
2011-04-16
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded from Balcony Rail
Far Right 15 feet from Stacks

Neumann KM-150s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 24bit 48kHz wav file > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2011-04-17

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:17:42]
01 Heart In The Ground
02 I Am Bad
03 [banter]
04 Peace Signs
05 Save Yourself
06 Don’t Do It
07 [banter2]
08 One Day
09 [banter3]
10 Tell Me
11 [banter4]
12 Tornado
13 [banter5]
14 All I Can
15 [banter6]
16 For You
17 [banter7]
18 Love More
19 [encore break]
20 Damn Right
21 Kevin’s
22 [banter8]
23 A Joke Or A Lie

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Sharon Van Etten, visit her website, and purchase her new CD epic from Bada Bing Records [HERE].

Oneida: April 2, 2011 Ocropolis IV – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Sample

April 7, 2011
By

Oneida ocropolis
[Photos courtesy of Jim Dalton]

This Saturday, we went on a journey with the band Oneida that began at 1pm and ended at well after midnight on the following day. Continuing one of the band’s most exciting and ambitious traditions, the band performed six improvisational sets for a select audience in their private Williamsburg studio and rehearsal space known as the Ocropolis. The impetus in this case was disaster relief for the people of Japan – in particular, an effort organized by Shinji Masuko of the Boredoms for Japanese artists and musicians who may fall outside of some more traditional safety nets – and we are sure that both the donations and the inspiration will be warmly received by our brethren in the Far East.

Ambition is an important word to consider when reflecting upon these performances. A band that released a 3xCD set (the critically lauded Rated O) in 2009, Oneida have never been particularly respectful of the commercial strictures of modern bands. And with a fan base that revels in their ability to test the sonic limits at every show, they haven’t had to be. Armed with the freedom to do what they want and the courage to actually do it, Oneida can make some fucking incredible noise.

The level of musicianship required to create these 35-45 minute improvisations cannot be understated. Like the bastard child of free jazz, minimalism, punk and rock n roll, these sets managed to explore a huge range of textures, sounds and moods while remaining cohesive and captivating. Throughout each, we were buoyed by a sea of perfect beats by wunderkind drummer Kid Millions (whose snare hits threatened to overwhelm the first set’s mix entirely) as organist/guitarist Bobby Matador, guitarist/bassist Hanoi Jane, guitarist Shahin Motia, and organist Barry London created an intense vortex of sound. Fittingly, the highlight of the entire day was the climactic final set, a 40-minute slab of deadly psych rock that left us all reeling. It would be days before we could fully process what had taken place before us – longer still for our ears to stop ringing. Despite being a band with musical ambitions so huge, Oneida had once again fulfilled them.

We recorded this set with six high-end microphones placed strategically around the room to capture the full breadth of the band’s sound. You may notice some differences in sound between the sets as we moved microphones around to achieve optimal placement.

Special thanks to Oneida for inviting us to be a part of this extraordinary event. Watch for their next Ocropolis event, a multi-day art and music installation at Secret Project Robot, where they will do a series of full-album performances of the Thank Your Parents trilogy.

Please note that because this was a charity event, you will be expected to donate an amount of your choosing to Shinji Masuko’s Japan relief PayPal account in order to download the recordings. Once you have forwarded your receipt to [email protected], you will be given the location of the FLAC and MP3 files.

DONATE BY SENDING A PAYPAL PAYMENT TO SHINJI MASUKO AT [email protected]
MORE ABOUT SHINJI’S CHARITY EFFORTS [HERE] [HERE] and [HERE]

Stream a sample of the sixth and final set:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/O8020Oneida3329/OcropolisIVsample.mp3]

Oneida
2011-04-02
Ocropolis IV
The Ocropolis
Brooklyn, NY  USA

Digital Master Recording
Premiere download offered at nyctaper.com
Recorded by nyctaper and acidjack
Produced by acidjack

AKG C 414 B-XLS (wide cardiod mode)+DPA 4021+Neumann KM150>Tascam DR-680 (24/48)>6x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, smooth peaks, level adjustments, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Afternoon Session
Set I
01 Introduction [Afternoon Set I]
02 Improvisation [Afternoon Set I]

Set II
01 Improvisation [Afternoon Set II]

Set III
01 Improvisation [Afternoon Set III]

Evening Session
Set I
01 Improvisation [Night Set I]

Set II
01 Improvisation [Night Set II]

Set III
01 Improvisation [Night Set III]

In addition to supporting Oneida’s designated Japan relief organization, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Oneida, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, visit their page at Jagjaguwar Records, and purchase the latest CD Rated O at the Jagjaguwar site [HERE] and their earlier releases [HERE].

Wise Blood: April 1, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

April 5, 2011
By

wiseblood glasslands
[Video still by Cannons]

I met Christopher Laufman, aka Wise Blood, just before he took the stage at Glasslands on Saturday. He seemed like a friendly, mild-mannered type of guy. In fact, dude was so unassuming, I would never have guessed he was a musician – and definitely not the kind of musician/performer that he is. He took the stage in a white sweatshirt and (as he pointed out) moccasins. He named his act after a Flannery O’Connor novel. Does this sound like some kind of badass MC to you?

Especially on April Fool’s, you should expect looks to be deceiving.

Minute one of the set, and the sweatshirted-and-moccasin-ed guy is telling us “I’m about to wreck this.” And then he does. On his bandcamp EP, “+” Laufman’s vocals have more layers of effects over them, giving his recorded output a much… milder sound than the live performance. On record, we hear Laufman as barely a high-pitched whisper underneath the monstrous beats, but live, his voice is the ragged, raging centerpiece. At Glasslands, songs like “B.I.G. E.G.O. ” took the tone of brash, angry manifestos, Laufman belting out the lyrics with the type of angry-white-boy attitude that Eminem had when he actually lived in a trailer. Whatever you think of his music (which can be quite catchy), Laufman is a hell of a performer to watch. In a first among the many shows I have seen at Glasslands, Wise Blood climbed up to the front of the balcony along with headliner Wu Lyf to perform “Solo (4 Claire)” for a few minutes, before jumping to the floor to finish the song. It was a raw, wild performance straight through to the end, when a shirtless Laufman careened through the song “Loud Mouths”, singing a lot of the song from the crowd. He may look unassuming, but onstage, Wise Blood is an animal.

I recorded this set from our usual spot in the venue with the DPA microphones and a stereo soundboard feed from Derek at Glasslands. The sound quality is outstanding. Also, please look for a forthcoming video of the performance courtesy of Dovecote Records and Cannons.

Please note that although we would have loved to record Wu Lyf, their management very respectfully asked that we not do so. Therefore, that set was not recorded.

Stream “Loud Mouths”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/W1400WiseBlood0211/wiseblood2011-04-01glasslands_acidjack-7.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Wise Blood
2011-04-01
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021+stereo soundboard feed>Tascam DR-680 (24/48)
Position: Balcony, center, ORTF
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 STRT SRNS
02 Indian Song
03 interlude
04 B.I.G. E.G.O.
05 Solo (4 Claire) [including balcony climb/dive]
06 I’m Losing My Mind
07 Loud Mouths

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Wise Blood, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their EP, “+” from their bandcamp page.

Soulive: March 12, 2011: Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 26, 2011
By


[photo by Jill from For The Love of Brooklyn]

For the past two years now, the funk/jazz trio Soulive have been commandeering the cavernous adult playland Brooklyn Bowl for a series of concerts they dub “Bowlive”. These special shows in their home state of New York (they are originally based in Woodstock) feature memorable performances by the band as well as hordes of special guests; if anything, this year’s “Bowlive II” was even more epic than last year’s outing. This final night of their 10-day run promised to be a special one, and despite the last-minute illness-induced withdrawal of special guest Matisyahu, the band and their guests didn’t let that slow them down as they brought the funk for more than two hours. The tighter first set focused mostly on Soulive’s own material, including a heady rendition of “Doing the 2” jamming into “Too Much”, with the night’s opening act, Nigel Hall, on vocals together with Alicia Chakour. The first set closed with the night’s first surprise, when during their cover of the Meters’ “Just Kissed My Baby”, American Idol winner Taylor Hicks (remember him?) bounded to the stage. Adding backing vocals and harmonica to Hall and Chakour’s vocals, Hicks proved that although he may not be the most commercially successful Idol graduate, he lacks nothing in the talent department.

Set two saw more musical exploration, including a special showcase for the talents of guitarist Eric Krasno on a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan‘s “Lenny”. Not to be outdone, drummer Alan Evans brought the full force of his kit skills to bear during the night’s most epic number, “One in Seven,” featuring an extended solo in the middle. The set wrapped up with three covers: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears (turned into straight-up soul number), Aretha Franklin‘s “Rock Steady,” and finally (and appropriately), the encore, “Makin’ My Way Back Home” by Lettuce (only half a cover, given the overlapping players in both acts). Bowling and funk may be natural bedfellows, or they may not be, but either way, we hope there is a Bowlive III in the future.

We recorded this set with a combination of the DPA microphones at close range to capture the PA output, plus AKG large-diaphragm microphones onstage to capture the instrumental detail and broad, spacious stage sound. The results are truly outstanding. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Soulive and Morgan Young for approving this recording, and to Peter Costello and the Brooklyn Bowl team for their hospitality and hard work.

Stream “Just Kissed My Baby”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/S1302Soulive1021/soulive2011-03-12bbowl_acidjack-11.mp3]

Stream “Lenny”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/S1302Soulive1021/soulive2011-03-12bbowl_acidjack-17.mp3]

Download the FLAC/MP3 files and stream this entire show on the Live Music Archive [HERE]

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Soulive
2011-03-12
Brooklyn Bowl
Brooklyn, NY USA

Recorded and produced by Johnny Fried Chicken Boy and acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021>Sound Devices USBpre2+AKG C 414 B-XLS (Wide Cardiod Mode)>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]
Position: AKGs onstage, DPAs on stand, 10ft from right stack, 12ft up, X/Y
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ DPA source, mixdown, downsample, tracking, set fades, level adjustments, fix SBEs, tag files, smooth peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks:
Set 1:
01. intro
02. Bubble
03. banter
04. Uncle Junior
05. banter
06. Flurries
07. banter
08. The Swamp
09. banter
10. Doing the 2 > Too Much
11. Just Kissed My Baby [The Meters]

Set 2:
12. 2nd set intro
13. El Ron
14. banter
15. Up Right
16. banter
17. Lenny [Stevie Ray Vaughan]
18. banter
19. One in Seven >
20. drums > One in Seven
21. Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Tears for Fears]
22. banter
23. Rock Steady [Aretha Franklin]
24. encore break
25. Makin’ My Way Back Home [Lettuce]

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Soulive, visit their website, and purchase their official releases and merchandise directly from the band’s online store [HERE]

Harvey Milk: March 15, 2011 Union Pool – Flac and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

March 16, 2011
By


[photo courtesy of John Ruscher and Eardrum NYC]

Harvey Milk has been described as metal, sludge, sludge-core, noise rock, and experimental noise. Labels aside, this is an unabashed rock band — one that plays at an extreme volumes, draws from countless influences, and plays without the slightest pretense. Last night was the closing of their three-show residency at Union Pool, and while the previous shows had featured complete album performances, Tuesday’s set was a representative mix of their material split evenly between the old and new. Harvey Milk reached all the way back to 1994 and the first album (“Merlin is Magic”), and performed four songs from 1997’s The Pleaser, including “Anthem” (streaming below). The newer material included several songs from Special Wishes (2006) and Life (2008), but skipped 2010’s Small Turn, which has been performed in full on the first night of the run. Lead guitarist Creston Spiers was armed with two huge dual guitar amps and his ax filled the small room easily — each song providing ear-splitting chunks of sonic goodness. As the set came to a close, the band dispensed with theatrics and played through the encore songs without leaving the stage. If any single act could encompass the power of this evening, it occurred before the final crush of guitar in the set’s closer (“Death”) when Spiers retreated to his amps and turned the volumes of all the dials up to the max in one fluid motion before returning to the microphone to finish the set. Turn it up, indeed.

We recorded this set from the elevated soundboard area. We attached the Neumann’s to the rail and pointed them at the stage amps and mixed in a slight board feed (75/25). The soundboard mix provides mostly vocals and drums to counteract the high volume of guitars in the room. The final product is a superb balanced mix of this amazing show. Enjoy!

Stream “Anthem”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/H1503HarveyMilk2222/13.%20Anthem.mp3]

Direct download of complete show in MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Harvey Milk
2011-03-15
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Four Channel Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Neumann KM-150s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2011-03-16

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:17:21]
01 Crush Them All
02 War
03 I Dont Know How To Live My Life
04 Merlin Is Magic
05 Motown
06 A Maelstrom Of Bad Decisions
07 In The Ground
08 [banter]
09 D Block
10 Goodbye Blues
11 Lay My Head Down
12 What I Want
13 Anthem
14 [unknown – Goodness Gracious]
15 Shame
16 Death Goes To The Winner

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Harvey Milk, visit their website, and purchase their official releases from Hydra Head Records [HERE] and from Chunklet [HERE].

Widowspeak: March 3, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 10, 2011
By

Brooklyn’s Widowspeak could be considered a Pacific Northwest import of sorts – vocalist/guitarist Molly Hamilton and drummer Michael Stasiak hail from Tacoma, Washington (guitarist Robert Thomas is from Chicago) and the rain-washed influence of that region suffuses both their sound and their songwriting.  Stylistically, you hear it in their guitar playing, which picks up the jangly, rangy sound of some of the early K Records acts like Beat Happening, and in the band’s unforced delivery.  There is a mellow, wistful air to Widowspeak that is uncommon to hungry young East Coast bands; rather than blaring “hear me NOW!” their approach is more akin to, “don’t worry, we know you’ll get it eventually.”  Which is to say that, in a scene thoroughly embracing the 90s at the moment, Widowspeak are firmly more in the SubPop than the shoegaze camp.  Hamilton’s vocals are sure to garner their fair share of favorable comparisons – one reviewer compared Hamilton’s distant, ghostly moan to Mazzy Star, but I prefer to think of her as a successor to Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power.  Her vocals talents were on full display this past Thursday night at Glasslands, where the band gave us a taste of some of the material they hope to release this summer on their forthcoming full length on Captured Tracks.  The band gave us a tight, well-rehearsed and set with few digressions, with a mix that emphasized Hamilton’s vocals.  Their current 7″ single (also available on Captured Tracks) “Harsh Realm” is both a knowing reference to an old joke (this link is worth reading) about grunge slang, as well as a paean to Hamilton and Stasiak’s roots, and that song also closed out this eight-song set.  Another highlight was the band’s sincere rendition of Chris Isaak’s classic, “Wicked Game”, which went perfectly with the band’s style and sound.

I recorded this set with the DPA microphones and a soundboard feed by Derek of Glasslands.  The sound quality is excellent.  Enjoy!

Stream “Harsh Realm”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/W3030Widowspeak0211/09 Harsh Realm.mp3]

Stream “Wicked Game”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/W3030Widowspeak0211/07 Wicked Game.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Widowspeak
2011-03-03
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY  USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]
Position: ROC, balcony, ~ORTF
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, adjust levels, smooth peaks, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Burnout
02 Yellow Light
03 Brainfreeze
04 banter
05 Nightcrawlers
06 Ghost Boy
07 Wicked Game [Chris Isaak]
08 Pines
09 Harsh Realm

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Widowspeak, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their forthcoming LP and the “Harsh Realm” 7″ from Captured Tracks.

Mr. Dream: March 4, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 7, 2011
By


[Photo by Johnny Fried Chicken Boy and acidjack]

The Brooklyn band Mr. Dream gives the lie to the adage about writers, and critics in particular: That those who cannot actually do something become critics instead. In Mr. Dream’s particular case, the former Pitchfork writers Nick Sylvester and Adam Moerder joined with bassist Matt Morello to make the kind of rock music that made them become critics in the first place. Which is to say, rock music from the days when independent rock music wasn’t just the go-to tuneage for car commercials – when it was more often brash, loud, angular – and let’s be honest, had some fucking balls.

This show at Glasslands (and presented by PopGun Booking, who have been putting up one killer lineup after another at the venue recently) celebrated the release of the band’s first full-length, the 33-minute adrenaline burst Trash Hit. The record’s most evident influences are a who’s-who of critical favorites – early Pixies, Nirvana, Shellac, Fugazi, and a decent-sized portion of the SST canon. Stylistically, Mr. Dream’s songs embrace empty air in the manner most often associated with the legendary engineer Steve Albini – with each instrument clearly separated and clear, giving the music a dry, spare, propulsive quality. Joined by current Pitchfork contributor Matt LeMay (who produced three of the songs on Trash Hit) to bolster their guitar assault, the band hurtled through a half-hour of mostly Trash Hit songs whose intensity never flagged. The first notes of “Knuckle Sandwich” kicked in before the house music had even been turned off, and the show was balls-out from there. The musical erudition of the players shows through in their songs, which wear their influences well without being overwhelmed by them; the title track, “Trash Hit”, for example, could have held its own with the Pixies in their Surfer Rosa days. By the time they left the stage after “Unfinished Business,” Mr. Dream didn’t need an encore – they had cemented themselves as yet another band to watch in 2011. The band will be joining Sleigh Bells and CSS for their East Coast tour, with dates in DC, Philly and Boston, and a May 11 show at Webster Hall in NYC (tickets here).

I recorded this set with the DPA microphones mounted on the balcony, combined with an outstanding house mix from the Glasslands engineers. The quality is outstanding. Enjoy!

Stream “Trash Hit”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/M3400MrDream2011/05 Trash Hit.mp3]

Stream “Unfinished Business”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/M3400MrDream2011/12 Unfinished Business.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete Show in FLAC [HERE].

Mr. Dream
2011-03-04
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]
Position: ROC, balcony, ~ORTF
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (guitar-enhancing compression on soundboard track, smooth peaks, mixdown, adjust levels, smooth peaks, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 30:20]
01 Knuckle Sandwich
02 Crime
03 Scarred For Life
04 Holy Name
05 Trash Hit
06 [banter]
07 Winners
08 Knick Knack
09 Croquet
10 King Klutz
11 [banter]
12 Unfinished Business

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Futurebirds: February 26, 2011 Union Pool – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 1, 2011
By

All Southern rock is drinking music to some extent, and that was certainly the case this past Saturday night at Union Pool in Brooklyn as Athens, GA’s Futurebirds played to a packed, rowdy house. The band came on the scene in 2009 with a self-titled debut EP that showed significant promise, following that up in 2010 with their full-length debut, Hampton’s Lullaby and a visit to SXSW. Keeping company with bands like Drive-By Truckers (as well as Brooklyn favorites Motel Motel), Futurebirds play music that incorporates classic country elements but reaches a broader audience, partly on the strength of their songwriting, but also by signaling that they are more than simple nostaglists. Futurebirds songs serve up heavy doses of pedal steel and banjo (see “Johny Utah” for example) but they also reference the broader songwriting of artists like Neil Young and even the psychedelic scene for which their hometown of Athens is rightly famous. This show came on the heels of what was no doubt a wild Friday night at Mercury Lounge, and the band seemed ready for another big weekend night, giving us a high-energy hour of singalong-worthy songs from the album and the EP, as well as an exuberant cover of Stevie Nick’s “Wild Heart.” The last two songs of the main set were the longer, slower-building “Ski Chalet” which flowed right into the all-out rocker “Yur Not Ded.” In relative rarity for a Union Pool show, the band seemed to actually respond to the howls for an encore (one didn’t seem planned) with the rocker “Americle.”

I recorded this set with a soundboard feed from the Union Pool engineer coupled with the Schoeps microphones on the balcony. Because the acoustics of the room can be challenging, the recording leans more heavily on the soundboard feed, which was nicely balanced. All files are tagged for easy importing into iTunes. Enjoy!

Stream “Dirty D”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/F2602Futurebirds0211/07 Dirty D.mp3]

Stream “Wild Heart”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/F2602Futurebirds0211/10 Wild Heart.mp3]

Download the FLAC and MP3 files and stream the entire show on the Live Music Archive [HERE]

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Futurebirds
2011-02-26
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced for nyctaper.com by acidjack

Equipment: Soundboard+Schoeps CMC6/Mk41>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: LOC, on balcony, pointed at stacks
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, downsample, set fades, tracking, light compression, smooth peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 1:04:02]
01 Battle For Rome
02 banter
03 Johnny Utah
04 banter
05 APO
06 banter
07 Dirty D
08 Sam Jones
09 banter
10 Wild Heart [Stevie Nicks]
11 banter
12 The Dog
13 Red Top Girl
14 Ski Chalet
15 Yur Not Ded
16 encore break
17 Americle

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Futurebirds, visit their Facebook page, and purchase Hampton’s Lullaby directly from Autumn Tone records (on CD or in any download format) here.

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