Modest Mouse at Williamsburg Waterfront

On Friday, I saw indie rock gods Modest Mouse...for about twenty minutes. I arrived at the newly opened WIlliamsburg Waterfront a little late, catching the tail end of opener Morning Transportation. Although it was grey and muggy all day, by the time the show started it was sunny and beautiful, and with a view off the New York skyline coasting the water, it seemed like we were in for a magical evening.

WRONG! As Isaac Brock and Co. took the stage, a wild breeze came with them as the sky resumed its earlier demeanor. At first the change was nice given the intense heat, but as opening number, "Satelite Skin" skittered over its false start (Brock's amp kicked out after a few strums), it became apparent that this might not be the only interruption this show would see. After a rousing rendition of "Bury Me With It", Brock commented on the incoming dark clouds, expressing hope that this would not affect the show. Right as the band were getting warmed up, playing a deep cut from Everywhere And His Nasty Parlor Tricks, "Here It Comes", the band was called off the stage for what was supposed to be twenty minutes. As it turned out, the show ended up being cancelled due to the inclement weather, despite it being a rain or shine ticket.

This is actually the second time I've missed on seeing them play due to rain. In 2008, when they were opening for R.E.M., their show at Jones Beach was cut short due to serious downpour. This was double dissapointing considering this was during the period when Johnny Marr was playing with them (although he's technically still considered a member of the group, he hasn't been touring with them recently due to his time being taken up playing with the far undeserving indie rock outfit, The Cribs). 

While the show was at first believed to be cancelled completely with no reschedule, according to Brooklyn Vegan, the show will go on September 14th at the same venue. Modest Mouse are known for their short tours and it seemed unlikely that they would come back to New York to redo the show, so it is quite a treat to hear they will be playing here again. Maybe I can finally see what their encore is like.

Summertime Records: The Boy With The Arab Strap

When it comes to late night summer records, The Boy With The Arab Strap fits the bill surprisingly well. While both Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister seem to revel in the indoor comfort of Winter, with its soft textures and warm introverted sound, Arab Strap extends outward into the night sky. The orchestrations on "Dirty Dream Number Two" give off the excitement and energy of a fireworks show, while the title track has the fun and loose nature of a picnic with it's shuffled beat and handclaps. What really evokes the nightime nature of the songs though is in its serenity like on the Isobel Campbell sung "Is It Wicked Not To Care", a song that's tremolo guitar picking captures the twinkle of starlight reflecting on rippling water. Both songs sung by Stevie Jackson ("Chickfactor", "Seymour Stein") have a slow, drifting quality to them, while "A Summer Wasting" and "The Roller Coaster" gently review some of the guilty pleasures of the lazy, directionless, summetime lovers. While future releases would progressively drop the fokier influences of their first two albums, Arab Strap still maintains them while expanding into more electric territories and some experimentalism. If You're Feeling Sinister remains their finest work, but The Boy With The Arab Strap is the best record for sitting on the dunes at night with a bottle of wine. 

Robyn - "Dancing On My Own" Live on Letterman

The Late Show seems to host all my favorite musical guests. Performing my favorite song released this summer, here is Swedish pop singer Robyn with "Dancing On My Own".

Kitsuné

Sorry for the infrequency in posts. I've been working on an interview with the co-founder of Kitsuné, a French clothing/music label. They have a new compilation entitled Kitsuné x Ponystep, which is mixed by DJ Jerry Bouthier. It's a hot club mix with plenty of ear tantalizing artists. Here is a clip showing the making of the album art. When the interview gets printed I will post it here along with my other interview features with Kele Okereke and Surgeon.

M.I.A. - "Born Free" Live On Letterman

I am still out of breath from this one. Here is a performance that just took place on The Late Show with David Letterman, of M.I.A. performing the noisefest "Born Free" from her latest record /\/\/\Y/\, released today. Aside from the visual assault of Maya herself, there is a lot to enjoy in this clip. The stage is draped in darkness while a small gang of Maya clones mimic the singer's movements and vocals (each one is given their own microphone). A manic drummer with a glowing neon hat can be seen pounding away in the background but most exiting of all is the presence of Suicide keyboardist Martin Rev, producing the most freaked out discordance I have ever seen on national television (the song "Born Free" utilizes a sample from Suicide's "Ghost Rider"). In the aftermath, a clearly dazed audience politely applauds while Letterman stumbles on the stage dumbfounded. Between his laughter he jokes, "Happy Halloween", to which the audience lets out a huge howl. It needs to be seen to be believed. 

BONUS: You can hear someone yell, "What the fuck was that?!" at 4:16.