nyctaper Recordings

[photo by Tod Seelie – courtesy of Impose]

The CD release show for These Are Powers new release All Aboard Future was perhaps the most ambitious show of this kind that we have ever seen. In anticipation of the release, These Are Powers commissioned artists to interpret the songs on the album. The result is a week-long exhibition at Secret Project Robot. Friday night was the opening and it culminated in a performance by These Are Powers in one of the exhibition rooms. The band performed in the midst of an installation piece, with PA speakers all around the room, and played an incredibly energetic set to a completely packed crowd.

We recorded from the center back against the short side of the rectangular room, which placed our microphones only about 15 feet from the band. The sound system was powerful and this recording has an incredibly rich bass presence and a full spectrum. The only drawback is the art-crowd’s persistent chatter, which fortunately can not be heard when the band is at full volume. Enjoy!

These Are Powers are at Other Music for an in-store performance tonight (Monday Feb 16). They will also perform again this coming Friday (Feb 20) at Market Hotel.

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

These Are Powers
2009-02-13
Secret Project Robot
Brooklyn, NY USA

“All Aboard Future” CD Release Show and Art Exhibit

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Center – 15 Feet from Stage

Neumann KM-150’s > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > digital coax > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge 8.0 (level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave 1.75 > Flac Frontend (level 7) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-15

Setlist:
[Total time 47:19]
01
02 Cockles
03 Double Double Yolk
04 Untitled [new song]
05 Adams Turtle
06 Life of Birds
07 Easy Answers
08 Chipping Ice
09 World Class Peoples

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT These Are Powers, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases including the new CD All Aboard Future from the Dead Oceans site [HERE].

[photo by Joe Perez courtesy of Impose Magazine]

The closing band at last Friday’s epic show at Market Hotel was the most established of all five bands — Brooklyn’s “acid folk” veterans Woods. The live Woods is quite a bit more “acid” than the freak-folk sound of their studio releases. As the band eased into the set with a lilting jam reminiscent of A Saucerful of Secrets-era Pink Floyd, the remaining diehards (about half the crowd) were treated to thirty-five minutes of edgy psychedelia which culminated in two covers. Each time we have seen Woods, the set included Graham Nash’s “Military Madness”, but for this show the band also included the Dead Milkmen’s “V.F.W.”, for an oddly matched yet appropriate anti-war segue.

We recorded this set from the same location as the previous three recordings. The band has some feedback problems with the vocal microphone and the mix never quite lined up. However, the sound quality is again quite authentic. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Woods
2009-02-06
Market Hotel
Brooklyn NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded 30 feet from Right PA

Neumann KM-150 (AK-50 Hypercardiods) > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > Digital Coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (set fades, level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-12

Setlist:
[total time 31:31]
01 Death Rattles
02 Too Clean
03 The Hold
04 Untitled
05 Twisted Tongue
06 Military Madness (Graham Nash)
07 V.F.W. (Dead Milkmen)

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Woods, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases from Woodsist Records

[photo by Joe Perez courtesy of Impose Magazine]

Before the show on Friday at Market Hotel, Blank Dogs was a mysterious figure who released copious amounts of vaguely post-punk but ultimately undefinable material. The songs are intensely layered with multiple effects, the most obvious being the heavily reverbed vocals. The most comprehensive information about Blank Dogs (the person) was the November 2008 interview with Swingset Magazine.

In its previous two live performances, Blank Dogs was a duo of guitarist/vocals “Mr. Blank Dog” and a keyboard/effects artist. We were surprised to see a complete 5-piece band on Friday, but really satisfied within the first couple of songs that the quintet completely worked. The double-guitar effect sounded like Bernard Sumner on speed, and the bass and drums provided a solid back-beat that permitted the keys/effects to let loose. The vocals remained heavily blanketed by the ‘verb, but the real focus of this performance was the consistent engine of noisy rhythm that propelled the songs. We can not imagine that Blank Dogs will be anything but a five-piece in live performance from here forward.

Blank Dogs have several NYC gigs (Le Poisson Rouge and Music Hall included) before embarking on a trip to Austin for SXSW, which will be highlighted by the Blank Dogs appearance at the After The Jump SXSW Showcase.

We recorded this set from the same location as Wavves and Nodzzz, and the sound quality is quite authentic. This is the first live recording of this incredible and prolific artist. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Blank Dogs
2009-02-06
Market Hotel
Brooklyn NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded 30 feet from Right PA

Neumann KM-150 (AK-50 Hypercardiods) > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > Digital Coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (set fades, level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-07

Setlist:
[total time 33:10]
01 No Compass
02 Setting Fire
03 Leaving The Light On
04 Slow Room
05 Two Months
06 Open/Shut
07 Before The Hours
08 Ants
09 Y.M.S.
10 Crystal Ladies

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Blank Dogs, visit their/his MySpace page, and purchase their/his many releases. The releases are scattered among many labels and quite a few are out of print. Here are a series of links to places where Blank Dogs releases may be purchased: Woodsist Records, Freedom School Records, Sacred Bones Records, Daggerman Records, Seven Ten Twelve, Sweet Rot Records, Troubleman Records.

[photo by Montero Sierra]

As Belle and Sebastian have been fairly dormant over the last two years, this is probably a good time to reach into the archives and pull out this classic and uncirculated recording from 2002. It was announced on Friday that there will likely be new Belle and Sebastian material this year, as the soundtrack for the movie God Help The Girl, with music composed by Stuart Murdoch, will be released this June. The official page for this movie describes is as follows:

The songs were recorded in Glasgow, featuring all the members of Belle and Sebastian and a few guests, and were arranged by Mick Cooke before the orchestral parts were captured at Angel Studios in London. The album features twelve songs, among them reworkings of the Belle and Sebastian songs, ‘Act of the Apostle’ and ‘Funny Little Frog.’

This particular 2002 concert was recorded during a fruitful period in the history of Belle and Sebastian, as the band increased their worldwide popularity, signed to Rough Trade, and released the soundtrack to Storytelling. This concert was recorded by longtime NYC taper “xcxre9” who offered his DAT master to nyctaper for release. It was captured from the first row of the first mezz at Hammerstein and the sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

This concert will only be offered in flac.

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Belle and Sebastian
2002-05-05
Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, New York USA

Digital Audience Master
Recorded from 1st row of 1st Balcony

Recording: DPA 4061s > SBM-M1 > Sony D-8 DAT Master
Transfer: DAT Master > Panasonic SV-3800 > digital coaxial > Audigy 2 ZS Platinum > Soundforge* > 16 bit 44.1 wav > CD Wave (tracking) > Flac Frontend  (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded by xcxre9
DAT Extraction and Post-Production by nyctaper 2008-12-22

Setlist:
[total time 1:44:55]
01 Sleep The Clock Around
02 There’s Too Much Love
03 The Magic Of A Kind Word
04 I’m Waking Up To Us
05 If You’re Feeling Sinister
06 Mayfly
07 Consuelo
08 Scooby Driver
09 Don’t Leave The Light On Baby
10 The Model
11 The Loneliness Of A Middle Distance Runner
12 Stayin’ Alive (The Bee Gees)
13 Simple Things
14 The Boy With The Arab Strap
15 You Made Me Forget My Dreams (aborted)
16 The Fox In The Snow
17 Family Tree
18 Dog On Wheels
19 The State I Am In
20 The Wrong Girl
21 Dirty Dream Number Two
22 Legal Man
23 [encore break]
24 Get Me Away from Here I’m Dying

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Belle and Sebastian, visit their website, and purchase their official releases from the Store at their website [here].

[photo by Joe Perez courtesy of Impose Magazine]

Nodzzz come with good references. The band is signed to one of our favorite independent labels, What’s Your Rupture. And this week, Nodzzz was the “band of the week” at the Pop Tarts blog. On Friday night at Market Hotel, the band was second on the bill and ripped through their set much like they do on the new self-titled l.p. — 9 songs in 18 minutes. Nodzzz packs more power-garage-pop goodness into each two-minute number than most bands can muster in two hours.

We recorded this set from the same location as Wavves, and without the chatterers that appeared later, this set sounds quite excellent. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Nodzzz
2009-02-06
Market Hotel
Brooklyn NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded 30 feet from Right PA

Neumann KM-150 (AK-50 Hypercardiods) > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > Digital Coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (set fades, level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-08

Setlist:
[total time 18:58]
01 Is She There
02 Controlled Karaoke
03 We Are The Only Animals
04 Losing My Accent
05 [new song]
06 In the City (Contact High)
07 True Life
08 [new song]
09 [new song]

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Nodzzz, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their new self-titled l.p. at the What’s Your Rupture website, purchase digital downloads from links at the What’s Your Rupture site and at the Nodzzz blog.

[photo by Joe Perez courtesy of Impose Magazine]

Web hype is such a mixed blessing. In the intervening months since ToddP booked last night’s show at the Market Hotel, Wavves has “hit it’ big on the web, with features on all the major blogs, including Gorilla vs. Bear, Pitchfork and even Spin. Indeed, Pitchfork.tv was there to record Wavves last night.

The result of the rapid hype was the disconcerting swelling of a capacity see-and-be-seen crowd for just that one twenty-minute set by Wavves — many of whom chatted loudly during the quiet first song, and filtered out immediately after the duo stopped playing. Wavves (and Nathan) are indeed quite good, as last night’s set was a fine live garage-rock style presentation of Nathan’s excellent bedroom-lo-fi recordings. But really we would prefer to see them perform when not being bumped into by industry-types rushing to the front lines. Fortunately, Nathan seems like a good-natured and level-headed kid who should survive the inevitable backlash and the days when he is no longer the “next big thing”. We wish him luck.

We recorded this set from a prime location approximately 30 feet in a direct line to the PA speakers. The system has been upgraded slightly since our last visit to the Market, and as a result we are quite pleased with the quality of this capture. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Wavves
2009-02-06
Market Hotel
Brooklyn NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded 30 feet from Right PA

Neumann KM-150 (AK-50 Hypercardiods) > Monster Cable > Apogee Mini-Me > Digital Coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (set fades, level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-02-07

Setlist:
[total time 20:28]
01 Weed Demon
02 California Goth
03 Rainbow Everywhere
04 So Bored
05 [tuning]
06 Sun Opens My Eyes
07 [equipment problem]
08 Wavves

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Wavves, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their available releases through links at the Wavves MySpace page. The new CD will be released by Fat Possum Records in March.

[photo by Matt Wolhtman]

What Laura Says is an excellent quintet from Tempe Arizona who write and perform ambitious cross-genre pop songs. The band signed to the Terpsikhore Collective label after they caught the ear of The Annuals and released their debut self-titled album last August. On Wednesday last, What Laura Says opened the night at Bowery Ballroom with an outstanding forty-minute set that conjured up influences from Sunflower/Surf’s Up-era Beach Boys to Zappa to 70’s Prog to the Flying Burrito Brothers. We were particularly moved by the melodic changes and creative energy of the second number, “Couldn’t Lose Myself If I Tried”. What Laura Says are currently on a lengthy tour with The Annuals that will carry them across the country for the next six weeks, before they finish with a week at SXSW.

We recorded this set from the identical location as The Annuals and Jessica Lea Mayfield recordings and the sound quality is superb. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

What Laura Says
2009-01-28
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded from Balcony Rail
Next to Soundboard

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (set fades, slight level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2009-02-05

Setlist:
[Total Time 38:01]
01 Fashionably Moral
02 Couldn’t Lose Myself If I Tried
03 1000 Faces
04 [new song?]
05 Waves
06 Done What’s Right
07 Illustrated Manual

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT What Laura Says, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their new CD directly from the Terpsikore Collective site
[HERE].

NYCTaper Live
Radio23.org
Show #3
Sunday
February 1, 2009
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Listen:
http://radio23.org/listen.html

NYCTaper on the web:
https://www.nyctaper.com

Segment 1: [MP3 Download]
01 Confessor
02 Brother
03 Carry Around – The Annuals 2009-01-28
04 Kiss Me Again – Jessica Lea Mayfield 2009-01-28
05 Military Madness – Woods 2009-01-30 [coming soon]
06 Harvest Moon – The Antlers 2009-01-22

Segment 2: [MP3 Download]
01 Winters Love
02 Comfy in Nautica – Animal Collective 2009-01-21
03 One – Govt Mule 2008-12-28
04 Close My Eyes – Matisyahu 2008-12-22

Segment 3: [MP3 Download]
01 Ny Batteri – Sigur Ros 2008-09-18
02 Marmalade Fires – mum 2008-04-23
03 Heysatan – Sigur Ros 2008-09-18
04 Oh, How the Boat Drifts – mum 2008-04-22
05 Ammeli (Birthday) – Sugarcubes 2006-11-17

Segment 4: [MP3 Download]
01 Uncontrollable Urge – Devo 2008-06-26
02 Daniel Goodings – Fever Marlene 2008-06-05
03 Uncalibrated – Bridges and Powerlines 2008-06-21
04 Moonage Daydream – Of Montreal 2007-03-09
05 Juicy – Rafter 2008-11-21
06 Firecracker People – Hotel Lights 2008-08-19

MP3 Downloads are available for each of the four segments individually, rather than the entire show as a zip file.

[TXT File Download]

[photo by Amanda Hatfield]

We were prepared, based on our research and on the positive reviews for her new album With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, to enjoy Jessica Lea Mayfield‘s set opening for the Annuals at the Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday last. What we were not prepared to hear was such an “old soul” authentic voice projected from the body of a nineteen-year old young woman. The juxtaposition of the small, young waifish singer and the Lucinda Williams-like voice of experience creates a compelling can’t-look-away quality to Jessica Lea’s live performance. The quality of the songwriting follows suit, so that when the americana-style quartet completed their set, the Bowery crowd was heard to call for an encore. We were disappointed that Jessica Lea could not return, but we anticipate that she will headline and perform longer sets in the very near future.

We recorded this set from the identical location as the Annuals recording. You may hear the sound of a loose cymbal on the drum kit vibrating at times, but otherwise this is an outstanding recording. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Jessica Lea Mayfield
2009-01-28
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded from Balcony Rail
Next to Soundboard

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (set fades, slight level adjustments, downsample) > CD Wave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2009-02-02

Setlist:
[Total Time 37:51]
01 Kiss Me Again
02 I’m Not Lonely Anymore
03 Bible Days
04 Hold You Close
05 When I Go Crazy
06 Greater Heights
07 We’ve Never Lied
08 You’re The One That I Love Best
09 I Can’t Lie To You, Love
10 For Today

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Jessica Lea Mayfield, visit her website, visit her MySpace page, and purchase her new CD With Blasphemy So Heartfelt and other merch from the store at her website [HERE].