If you’re in the mood for some lovely singer-songwriter acoustic ‘psych rock’ Tuesday night, head over to T.T. the Bear’s Place for Maine-based Jeff Beam. He’ll be on at 8:45pm, and will be performing with The Sea Life, Old Abram Brow and Wilder Maker.
For now, have a listen to You’ll Find That It’s Stranger Than Known (non-album tracks from 2012), which, just for the record, is an album title I feel a particularly affinity with at the moment.
photo by Kai Benson
Singer, rapper and lyricist Dessa (of Doomtree) will be performing with her full band at The Sinclair on Sunday, January 13. You can buy tickets here. Also on the bill will be Adeem, H.W. & DJ Emoh and Betta.
::: facebook event :::
Her latest album is Castor, The Twin, and she’ll also be performing new songs from her forthcoming album, due out in the Spring. Castor, The Twin featured reworkings of songs from her debut album, A Badly Broken Code, with an ensemble that will also be featured in her live performance. This will include voila, stand-up bass, grand piano, mandolin, vibraphone and timpani.
Meet Great Caesar, a sextet from Brooklyn, New York. They’ve just released a new EP, Scattered Air. Consider them ‘indie rock big band’ with a bit of a lyrical dark streak. It’s a huge sound and yes, it’s rather anthemic (though I dislike the term) and will likely garner the expected comparisons, but no, I won’t. I’ll just say it’s epic and grand, with guitars, crashing percussion, triumphant horns and exuberant harmonies. There’s also a strong jazzy flavor and a charming retro feel (“Fact,” “Rearview”). Having said all that, my favorite track on the 4-song EP is “Son,” which is much more low key and shuffles along, featuring some lovely vocals, a seductive sax line and a crashing frenzy of guitar and horns. Just beautiful. They’ll be performing on Friday, January 25 at Stella Blues in New Haven, CT.
Enjoy this live acoustic version of “Son,” performed in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
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It seems like only yesterday I was wandering around Copley Square wearing my 2012 glasses, taking in a spontaneous Hare Krishna First Night celebration and eating strange little packaged treats handed out by devotees. At that time, the long-anticipated, mysterious Mayan Prophesy was this curious notion still comfortably off in the distance. I decided on that heady evening that I would spend 2012 as if the prophesy were in fact true—that everything would end on December 21. We’re often told that we should always live our lives as if each day were to be our last. So, facing what may have been the final year of my life, or at least the last stretch before some sort of cataclysmic event, did I spend each waking moment in the most meaningful way possible? Did I push myself to the outer limits? Did I reach for the stars in terms of productivity and my search for enlightenment? No, not exactly.
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I’ve literally just discovered this wonderful little threesome that features brightly colored three-part harmonies, guitar, cello, melodica, drums—and sometimes glockenspiel and accordion. But just because I’m out of the loop doesn’t mean you have to be. You can head right over to the Middle East (downstairs) in Cambridge NOW and catch Pearl and the Beard live, as they’re performing tonight with Boston indie folk duo You Won’t and Brooklyn-based Lucius. If you’re seeing this after the fact, or you’re nowhere near Cambridge, Mass., have a listen and pick up their latest 4-track extended single The Prodigal Daughter.
Pearl and the Beard – “40K” by Girlie Action Media
Lucius – “Genevieve” by ilovelucius
Pearl and the Beard: web | facebook | twitter
You Won’t: web | facebook | twitter
Lucius: web | facebook | twitter
Org: Literati – a literature inspired performance
Thursday, November 8 at Club Oberon
2 Arrow Street (Harvard Square), Cambridge, MA
doors: 7:30pm, show at 8pm | 18+ | adv tickets: $20 seating, $15 standing / day of tickets: $20 standing, $25 seating | BUY TICKETS
It’s a special occasion tomorrow night at Club Oberon, as Singer Mali (of Jaggery) will be hosting a rare public Org. This time the theme is literature, and a fantastic line-up of performers in various disciplines—music, poetry and prose, dance, theatre, film—will be performing works inspired by writers “from Yeats to Genet to Dostoevsky.” Jaggery will also be celebrating the release of their EP Private Violence, which is inspired by Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. The evening will be hosted by former English professor Mika Cooper—a nice touch.
Featured performers: Gem Club, What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?, Eileen Little, UnAmerika’s Sweetheart Karin Webb, Jennifer Hicks, Jaggery and live artist Kristilyn Stevenson.
It is suggested that you come dressed as your favorite literary character, and that you bring a copy of your favorite book that you’re willing to part with.
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Walter Sickert’s SquidHouse of Horror
with Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys, Moe Pope, Darling Pet Munkee, XNY
Hosted by Johnny Blazes
Wednesday, October 31
Doors at 8 PM; Show at 9 PM; 18+ Show
Advance Box Office Price $15 | BUY TICKETS
There’s something about this show that makes perfect sense right now, with how positively loony life has been lately. It’s the combination, you know, of time exponentially speeding up, pent-up mass frustrations bursting at the seams and boiling over, crazy ranting lunatics running for public office, full moons, high tides, and bizarro ‘biblical end times’ weather. It all makes a person kinda nuts. Tell me, what kind of world are we all living in, at this very moment, than a Squidhouse of Horror? So it’s especially apropos that the master and mistress of that Victorian carnival funhouse of the apocalypse, Mr. Walter Sickert and Miss Edrie (along with the Bunny Collective, I presume), are hosting this ominous and not-to-be-missed event.
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Rory Dolan and Nato Bardeen of The Drowning Men in Hartford, Ct last year
The Drowning Men (11:30pm) with The Yoni Gordon Orchestra (10:30pm) (NYC), Banditas (9:45pm) (Somerville) and Sails (9pm) (Vermont)
at T.T. the Bear’s Place – Central Square, Cambridge
Friday, October 26, 2012
8:30pm doors | 18+ | buy tickets
Crazy times. It’s scary how fast this year is whirling past, but the one piece of good news is that we’re already on the eve of The Drowning Men’s show at T.T.’s, as they make a stop in Cambridge midway through their tour. They’ve been celebrating the release of their extremely fine new album, “All of the Unknown” (Borstal Beat Records), which I reviewed on Ryan’s Smashing Life. Last time I saw these guys, it was almost a year ago at the Orpheum Theatre, supporting The Airborne Toxic Event, whom I definitely have to thank for introducing me to these wonderful musicians. I’m really looking forward to Nato Bardeen’s ‘grasping wildly at a life raft’ vocals, keyboards and mandolin, the band’s sheer exuberance and their ‘pirates on the high seas’ vibe. And oh yes, the theramin, which gives their Eastern European, wistful Americana, sea shanty rock an off-kilter carnival air. If you begin to feel dizzy, put your head between your knees.
Be there when The Drowning Men come careening onto the stage of T.T.’s. And find me up at the front sometime around midnight to wish me a happy birthday.
10/26 Fri – Cambridge, MA – T.T. the Bear’s
10/27 Sat – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
10/28 Sun – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
10/30 Tues – Chicago, IL – Schuba’s Tavern
11/1 Thurs – Denver, CO – Lion’s Lair
11/2 Fri – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
11/3 Sat – Las Vegas, NV – Palms Hotel Lounge – FREE SHOW
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Sea Wolf with Hey Marseilles
at Church of Boston
Saturday, October 20, 2012
EARLY SHOW – Doors at 6pm | 21+
$12 advance; $15 at the door
BUY TICKETS
If I wasn’t going to be out of town, I would very likely be at Church Saturday night to welcome back to town Alex Brown Church and Sea Wolf, one of my L.A. faves. Seattle’s Hey Marseilles, with their charming string-based orchestral old-timey folk, makes for a marvelous pairing. This will be a really lovely evening.
Alex Brown Church of Sea Wolf
Earlier in the year, Sea Wolf released their third full-length on Dangerbird Records, Old World Romance. It’s an aptly titled release. The music is warm, flowing, timeless, and yes, very romantic. Just beautiful. If you like what you hear, you’ll definitely want to see them in this intimate setting. Last time I saw them, it was a few years ago supporting The Album Leaf at the Paradise.
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Brian Carpenter and the Confessions CD single release party with Animal Hospital, Alec K. Redfearn & the Eyesores (CD release party) and The Wrong Shapes
at the Lizard Lounge, Cambridge
Friday, October 19, 2012
8:30 doors; show at 9 | $10
BUY TICKETS
The wonderful Brian Carpenter & the Confessions has a new song by the name of “Blind”, and they’ll be celebrating at the Lizard Lounge tomorrow night. This band is mesmerizing in their live performance – highly recommended. As is the video for the new offering below, directed and animated by Maricor/Maricar.
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