i knew it from the very start.

I was introduced to Girls by the song "Laura" on a sentimental summer mix for my trip to Florida. More recently, I have fallen for their newest release "Heartbreaker" off of the Broken Dreams Club EP. I'll let the song speak for itself, but I love this lyric in particular:

I will never get over you, no/ I still got a lock of your hair.

Free Download

your love is a mirror.

With my night off last Sunday, I checked out new-to-me Scottish group We Were Promised Jetpacks at the Rock & Roll Hotel. Erik Anderson had suggested them to me since he had played with them before and thought I would be into the music. Going in I only knew the song "Quiet Little Voices," and I was curious to see what their other stuff sounded like.

The crowd was rather large and actually much more than I had expected for a Sunday night. The band incorporated jet-esque sound effects in the intro and outro, which added to the hype in the room. They came out with a burst of volume and energy that showcased their talent and ability. It was nice to see a band who could hold their own without all of the smoke and mirrors. I was drawn to the vocals and lyrics in almost all of the songs, and they held my attention. The addition of xylophone on "Thunder and Lightning" rounded things out instrumentally. New songs "Hard to Remember" and one other were probably the highlight. They took the band in a similar, but more complex direction. I would love to catch We Were Promised Jetpacks the next time they come around.

wavves.

[or why Nathan Williams shouldn't be invited back to the Rock & Roll Hotel].

1. You call nonsense on random police searches, but I've seen them myself
2. Many in the service industry are in good graces with certain cops
3. You're not from DC so how would you know
4. Respect the venue you are playing at. Being in a touring band is a privilege
5. If you want to break the rules, don't announce it to the crowd in a self-righteous manner
6. Smoking weed doesn't make you inherently cool [no relation to the hip-hop twitter reference, it just doesn't].

image via @wavveswavves:
The music was okay last Monday night, but the bullshit was distracting.

bring on the major leagues.

Last Friday night I traveled up to New York in anticipation of finally seeing [one of my all-time favorites] Pavement perform live. I had purchased the tickets almost exactly a year in advance, so I was a pent-up ball of emotions and expectation. I avoided reading about their other Central Park shows, though I did familiarize myself with the set-lists. I got in line at 5:30 PM and grabbed myself a seat...then all I could do was wait.

The Beets opened. I didn't care for them and almost wondered how they gained the coveted spot. They put in a good effort though, and tided us over until Pavement took the stage at 9PM.
I was in awe, it seemed unreal that they were right in front of me. Malkmus presided over his group and Bob Nastanovich provided comedic relief, as per usual. It was great just to see them together again and feel nostalgic. Malkmus's gravelly vocals and guitar antics took me right back to the 90's. It was a marathon set, and they played a little bit of everything. My long list of favorites includes "Elevate Me Later," "Summer Babe," "Frontwards," "Shady Lane," and "Perfume-V". I can only wish they had played my all-time favorite "Texas Never Whispers" and/or Terror Twilight sleeper hit "Major Leagues".

I am glad that I made the trek to NY rather than seeing them at Virgin Freefest the next day. Though there was less intimacy than I would have liked, the show was phenomenal and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Full setlist here.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN.

THIS FRIDAY.

NEW YORK.
PAVEMENT.

for love, survival, and everything else.

Last night I had the experience of seeing The Drums and Surfer Blood at the 9:30 Club. The following is what ensued:
The Drums opened with"Best Friend," which had previously been my favorite of their tunes. "Submarine" and "Down by the Water" far surpassed that in my opinion. Jonathan Pierce was spastic, but lovable. The performance as a whole seemed almost like a scene from Glee rather than a live show. I loved the energy, but kind of prefer something less [seemingly] staged.
Then Surfer Blood quickly cemented their placement into my recent favorites. JP Pitts displayed impeccable vocals, with more variance of strength and tenderness than can be heard on a mixed album [all while sporting an American Flag vest]. "Twin Peaks" was a stand-out track. I also love the early 60's surf-rock retro vibe on "Catholic Pagans". It has maybe even a Frankie Valli or Beach Boys falsetto feel. The guitars were clean & smooth and everything seemed on point. All in all, it was a great night.

so when i'm with you i have fun.

Prior to seeing Best Coast live, I really wasn't sure what to expect. Bands with so much hype are usually a letdown, and while I like the album, I feel that the songs are all so similar and repetitive. But then I like reading about Snacks the cat, and about the band, etc etc. I procured a list spot to the sold-out event thanks to some friends and went in with a somewhat cynical mind. It took only a few songs to win me over. This show came together to be what many of us felt like an ode to summer, beaches, and barbecues. I can appreciate the simplicity of the three-piece group; each person has to be able to hold their own. I also liked that the focus was on the music rather than fashion or trying to be cool.

Bands often complain about the sound at Rock & Roll Hotel, and I usually think its fine. I only wish that last night the vocals could have had a bit more clarity rather than just sheer volume. Bethany Cosentino's voice was a welcome surprise from what I expected to be the forced cutesy vocals of an indie it-girl. I actually enjoy the live songs more than the versions recorded on the album. I hope that they continue to grow in terms of songwriting and aren't merely a passing fancy.