Ski Lodge: June 16, 2012 Spike Hill [Northside Festival] – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

July 2, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

Ski Lodge are the perfect band to write about on a day when temperatures in NYC are set to hit around 100 degrees. Contrary to the name, they are a summer band, inspired by frontman Andrew Marr’s trip to a Florida beach. Chosen by the L Magazine as one of their “8 Bands You Need to Hear“, this daytime showcase at Spike Hill during the Northside Festival showcased four of such acts, with Ski Lodge the final act on the bill. It wasn’t hard to figure out where the L folks were coming from; Marr and his band make surf-inspired pop insta-classics (like “A Game”, streaming below) that are delivered with understated confidence. The sizable crowd for this day show – on another scorchingly hot day, incidentally – attested to the appeal of the band and its style. I won’t be surprised if Ski Lodge quickly finds favor with fans of acts like Surfer Blood, The Smiths, Vampire Weekend and Beach Fossils, among others. Marr is a trained classical pianist, and has a classic, crooner-style vocal that helps define the band’s laid-back aesthetic. The band currently has a four-song EP out on Dovecote Records, but expect a full-length LP sometime this year.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 microphones and a stereo soundboard feed provided by the house engineer at Spike Hill. The house mix and overall room sounded excellent, and this recording is a reflection of that. Enjoy!

Thanks to Spike Hill, Ski Lodge and the Northside Festival.

Stream “A Game”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S6061SkiLodge2012/03 A Game.mp3]

Stream “I Would Die To Be”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S6061SkiLodge2012/07 I Would Die to Be.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.

Ski Lodge
2012-06-16
Spike Hill
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Schoeps MK5 (cardiod, slightly LOC, PAS)>KC5>CMC6>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, effects)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC (level 8 )

Tracks
01 Chandeliers
02 I Always Thought
03 A Game
04 [tuning]
05 Boy
06 You Can’t Just Stop Being Cruel
07 I Would Die To Be
08 Just To Be Like You
09 Dragging Me To Hell

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Ski Lodge, like them on facebook, and purchase their EP directly from Insound (on vinyl) or from iTunes.

Hallelujah the Hills: June 23, 2012 Rock Shop – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

July 2, 2012
By

Hth2
[Photo by hi and lo]

Among my favorite albums from this spring is Hallelujah the Hills’ most recent release No One Knows What Happens Next and I was delighted to see they were making a stop at Brooklyn’s Rock Shop on their current tour. It’s hard to pinpoint the Hills’ sound, which ranges from easy-going, sophisticated folk to a powerful rock groove. The far reaches of their musicianship has made their recent release one of my favorite albums to listen to, particularly on the walk to work while I prepare for the day ahead, so I was really looking forward to this Saturday night performance at a great Brooklyn venue.

For fifty minutes, the band filled the small stage and played a balanced set of songs between their new album and the 2007 album Collective Psychosis Begone. Leading with their self-titled song, they quickly featured group vocals and revisited this theme on a personal favorite “The Crux of the Cameraman”. Obviously, the talents of band members Brian Rutledge on horns and David Bentley on cello are a highlight and make a delicate song like “Care to Collapse” or “Hungry Ghost Extraordinaire” among the most memorable and recognizable songs, both from the album and live. The band, along with the soothing vocals of singer Ryan Walsh, certainly made the most of the venue’s intimate settings and left me with that same great feeling I get on my morning walk.

I recorded the band using a pair of Schoeps MK 5 Cardioid microphones from the audience and a soundboard feed from the house engineer to wish I’d like to send a special thanks. This was his last night, as mentioned by the band in the recording, and we wish him all the best. Rock Shop has always been a terrific venue for us because it always sounds so good. Enjoy the recording!

Stream “Hallelujah the Hills”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H2306HallelujahtheHills2012/hth2012-06-23.t01.mp3]

Stream “Hungry Ghost Extraordinaire”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H2306HallelujahtheHills2012/hth2012-06-23.t04.mp3]

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

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.

Hallelujah the Hills
Rock Shop
Brooklyn, NY, US
2012-06-23

Recordist : hi and lo
Source : Soundboard + Schoeps MK5 > Naiant Tinybox V2 > Tascam DR-680 @ 24 bit / 48 kHz
Edit : WaveLab V5.01b (fades/gain/eq/dither/resmpaling)
Encoding : FLAC v1.2.1 (Level 8) with TLH v2.6.0 (Build 168)

Tracklist:

01. Hallelujah the Hills
02. Introductory Saints
03. Get Me In a Room
04. Hungry Ghost Extraordinaire
05. Call Off Your Horses
06. Care to Collapse
07. Nightingale Lightning
08. The Crux Of The Camera Man
09. Slow Motion Records Broken at Breakneck Speeds
10. People Breathe Into Other People
11. Wave Backwards to Massachusetts
12. Escape Clause [The Stairs]
13. Amateurs

Running Time: 49:29

Please support Hallelujah the Hills by checking out the band’s Bandcamp page where you can get their latest CD and digital album. You can also check out the band on their Twitter or Facebook.

The Word: June 2, 2012 Mountain Jam – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

June 30, 2012
By


[Photo from the Mountain Jam Facebook Page]

With its all-star lineup of sacred steel/modern jazz/blues musicians, you can’t help but call The Word a supergroup.  Featuring Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar), John Medeski (keyboards), and all three members of North Mississippi Allstars – Luther Dickinson (electric guitar), Cody Dickinson (drums, washboard), and Chris Chew (bass guitar), The Word don’t generally get to tour together often (although they’ve done some festival dates this summer), but when these players share a stage, it’s an event. This year’s Mountain Jam was one such moment, as the players gave us 75 minutes of classic religiously-themed pedal steel compositions, including many from their sole album, 2001’sThe Word.  The combination of the lovingly rendered compositions served up by these hypertalented musicians against the backdrop of the Catskills could fairly be called a religious experience of its own.

I recorded this set with AKG 414 large diaphragm mics set to wide cardiod mode.  The excellent house mix for this set, coupled with some post-processing, makes this my favorite of my Mountain Jam recordings (you can also download Ben Folds Five, Gov’t Mule and Givers).

Stream “Blood On That Rock”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W0062Word0212/10%20Blood%20On%20That%20Rock.mp3]

Stream “I’ll Fly Away”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W0062Word0212/12%20I%27ll%20Fly%20Away.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Download the FLAC files [HERE]
If the FLAC link is not working, Email nyctaper for the FLAC files

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.

The Word
2012-06-02
Mountain Jam
Hunter, NY USA

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

AKG C 414 B-XLS (wide cardiod, 11ft, A-B)>Edirol R-44 [OCM]>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, effects)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 1:18:12]
01 [intro]
02 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ [Stevie Wonder]
03 Without God
04 At The Cross
05 [unknown 1]
06 I Shall Not Be Moved
07 New Word Order
08 [unknown 2]
09 Joyful Sounds>
10 Blood On That Rock
11. Waiting On My Wings>electric washboard jam*
12 I’ll Fly Away

* = w/Cody Dickinson on Electric Washboard and Luther & Robert both on Drums

Robert Randolph – pedal steel guitar
John Medeski – keys
Luther Dickinson – guitar
Cody Dickinson – keys
Pierre Wells – bass

If you enjoyed this recording, please support these musicians by supporting and visiting the websites of Robert Randolph, The North Mississippi Allstars, and Medeski, Martin & Wood.

Wooden Shjips: June 24, 2012 Knitting Factory – Flac and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

June 28, 2012
By


[photo courtesy of Robert Loerzel]

At this point in their career, Wooden Shjips have become a must-see concert for me. The quartet never fails to deliver a powerful and intense performance of their dense psychedelic rock. At Knitting Factory on Sunday night, the Shjips worked through a set similar to their previous NYC show at Music Hall last Fall, but the more intimate venue offered the opportunity to experience the show up close. While guitarist/vocalist Ripley Johnson is the obvious focal point, we were just as entranced by the rhythm section and their ability to rattle my ribcage with deep bottom end, and Nash’s authentic 60’s garage-style organ. The whole of the Shjips stage performance is a spectacle that is gratifying to experience, and we left Sunday night’s show hoping they will return to NYC soon. Wooden Shjips will spend much of July on tour in Europe.

I recorded this set with the Sennheiser MKH-8040 cards mixed with a superb soundboard feed and the sound quality is outstanding. Enjoy!

Stream “Death’s Not Your Friend”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W3110WoodenShjips2292/09.%20Death%27s%20Not%20Your%20Friend.mp3]

Direct download of complete show in MP3 files (HERE)

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

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.

Wooden Shjips
2012-06-24
Knitting Factory
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Sennheiser 8040 Cardioids > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2 x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and tagging via Foobar)

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper 2012-06-26

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:14:23]
01 Black Smoke Rise
02 Motorbike
03 We Ask You To Ride
04 Flight
05 Lazy Bones
06 Aquarian Time
07 Fallin
08 For So Long
09 Death’s Not Your Friend
10 [encore break]
11 Buddy [Snapper]

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Wooden Shjips, visit their website, and purchase their latest album West from the Thrill Jockey Records website [HERE].

Givers: June 2, 2012 Mountain Jam – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

June 27, 2012
By


[All photos courtesy of Dino Perrucci Photography]

We have been fans of the feel-good rock of Givers ever since we spent a balmy summer afternoon with them at the Backyard Brunch Sessions last year.  Nearly a full year later, they have seen their star continue to rise, playing large venues in NYC and elsewhere and finding favor with fans of all ages. This year’s Mountain Jam made the wise move of adding them to the roster, as Givers gave the proceedings a younger, more musically diverse flavor while still complementing the other acts on the bill. Unlike the stripped-down BBS show, this performance represented the band’s more typical stage setup, with fully electric guitars and a full drum kit for drummer/vocalist Tiffany Lamson. I was again impressed by the interplay between the smoky-voiced Lamson and the more youthful, sweet tones of Taylor Gaurisco. Unsurprisingly for a festival set, this hit all of the highlights of the band’s debut album In Light, including the hits “In My Eyes,” “Meantime” and the set closer “Up Up Up”. We also enjoyed rocking out to the band’s sequence of Talking Heads covers, when they segued from “Girlfriend Is Better” into “This Must Be the Place” and on into “Sugar On My Tongue”.

I recorded this set in the same manner as the Ben Folds Five recording, with AKG 414 microphones set to “wide cardiod” mode. After some editing, the sound is good, albeit with a few spots of PA distortion early in the set. Enjoy!

Stream “In My Eyes”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/G1806Givers1102/04 In My Eyes.mp3]

Stream “Girlfriend Is Better [Talking Heads]”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/G1806Givers1102/06 Girlfriend Is Better.mp3]

This recording is now available for download in FLAC or MP3 at Archive.org [HERE].

Follow acidjack on twitter

Givers
2012-06-02
Mountain Jam
Hunter, NY USA

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

AKG C 414 B-XLS (wide cardiod, 11ft, A-B)>Aerco MP-2>Edirol R-44 [OCM]>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, imaging)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Saw You First
02 Meantime
03 Ripe
04 In My Eyes
05 Atlantic
06 Girlfriend Is Better >
07 This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) [Talking Heads]>
08 Sugar On My Tongue [Talking Heads]
09 Ceiling Of Plankton [Talking Heads]
10 Up Up Up

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Givers, like them on Facebook, and purchase In Light from iTunes or your favorite retailer.

Prairie Empire: June 10, 2012 Mercury Lounge – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

June 26, 2012
By


[Photos by Dominick Mastrangelo]

When I first head singer-songwriter Brittain Ashford, I knew right away that she was something special. With a voice that is sweet, delicate and whimsical, Ashford draws you in and keeps you in her headspace, with clear, confessional lyrics that give you that proverbial window into her soul. Prairie Empire is Ashford’s first full-band project, and musically, it is a successful one.  With a full complement of talented players with a range of instruments at their disposal that includes strings, cello, violin, viola, drums, sleigh bells, dulcimer and trumpet, the sum of Prairie Empire is far greater than its parts, and Ashford’s judicious arrangements give grace and power to her songs without cluttering them.

This show at Mercury Lounge celebrated the release of the band’s debut LP on Trailer Fire Records, and found Ashford and her bandmates delivering beautifully-realized live renditions of the majority of the record. The band’s LP is one of the most well-mixed and recorded albums I have heard in some time (the vinyl pressing is of exceptionally high quality), with a dry, dynamic mix, and I was thrilled to hear how well the band brought the material across live.  Along with “Give,” the studio version of which has been streaming on the band’s website for awhile, I was particularly partial to “Under Hum” and “Where You Are”, with its plaintive, emotionally wrenching chorus. We are thrilled to have had part of presenting this show, and wish the band the best of luck on their current tour.  If you are in one of the areas of the Midwest or East Coast where the band is touring, you owe it to yourself to go and see them.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 microphones from the center of the room by the board, along with a stereo soundboard feed. Other than the occasional sound of the door between the show area and the bar  opening and closing, and some very light DI distortion on a couple of songs, the recording is flawless, and an outstanding representation of the band’s live sound. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Brittain Ashford and Prairie Empire for their invitation to us to present this show and to record it.

Stream “Under Hum”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/P6001PrairieEmpire2012/05 Under Hum.mp3]

Stream “Where You Are”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/P6001PrairieEmpire2012/08 Where You Are.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.

Prairie Empire
2012-06-10
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY USA

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

Schoeps MK5(cardiod, DFC, POS, 7.5ft)>CMC6>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown)>Izotope Ozone 5 (light EQ)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 [intro]
02 Tenfold
03 Snow
04 Winter Came
05 Under Hum
06 Give
07 [banter]
08 Where You Are
09 Pieces, Parts

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Prairie Empire, visit their website, and purchase their record from Trailer Fire Records [HERE] or on iTunes.

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