New Music Reviews Up

Head on over to Reviewer Magazine’s website to check out my Ted Leo & the Pharmacists and The Twilight Sad concert reviews.

More photos of the shows can be found here and here, respectively.

In other news, I need to update/revamp my photography website. I haven’t looked at it, let alone updated it in at least a month – not since I added that sweet lightbox script. If anyone has comments/suggestions/graphic design know-how, feel free to tell me what to do with it. First things first is probably to cull down the amount of images and put together a proper portfolio, now that I’ve shot more shows. Then make the website more concert-centric. Some cool design details probably wouldn’t hurt, either. And so begins the next project…

A Northern Chorus, The Twilight Sad, and Aerogramme Photos

I finally finished editing/processing the 160-odd photos I took at the Casbah Tuesday night. Let’s just say that the Twilight Sad’s singer was a very interesting subject, getting intimate with his mic stand at one moment, and then lifting it up in the air the next moment. Head here to see the photos.

Here’s the short review, before I write the official one up for Reviewer Magazine:

• A Northern Chorus – I made an extra-special effort (which involved convincing a few friends to leave dinner ASAP) to get to the Casbah early to catch their set, just based on the strength of their Myspace songs. And we were all glad that I did. In addition to two guitarists, a bass player, and a drummer, there was also a celloist and a violinist on stage. And the celloist even pulled out a trumpet for one song. I was really impressed with their songs and the way the vocals were traded off between the two male guitarists and the female celloist. They sort of sounded like a cross between indie pop (think Death Cab for Cutie) and shoegaze, with the extra bonus of a string section.
• The Twilight Sad – They played with the intensity that I expected from listening to both their EP and full-length debut. Shoegazey, with distortion and waves of white noise fuzz being generated in between songs. All coupled with emotionally angsty (but not overdone) lyrics sung in a thick Scottish accent. It was a pity that more people weren’t there to catch them. And it was also a pity that they were finished after only six songs.
• Aerogramme – I didn’t stay long for their set (maybe 1.5 songs’ worth?) – just snapped a few photos and then headed out. I might have enjoyed them more if they weren’t following up two great acts and if I wasn’t already tired. They had a bit heavier guitar sound than the other two bands, and decent vocal melodies, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe it was the fact that they took far too long to set up, or the fact that I had an 8:00 journal club the next morning, or that the Casbah was pretty dead at that point. At any rate, my obligation was to review the Twilight Sad show, so I was easily able to justify heading out early.

Stalk Me Tonight – April 17th, 2007

After two nights off (spent mostly under the covers in my bed), I’m going to be back out on the town again tonight. Where, you ask? Why, the Casbah, of course. Which leads to the next question – who’s playing?

First up, we have A Northern Chorus. From listening to the tracks up on their Myspace site, they sound like a great mix between shoegaze and folky-alt rock, with a bit of the trademark Explosions in the Sky crescendo blended in. I’ve been listening to a lot of this type of music lately, so I’m planning on getting to the show early to check these guys out.

The second band playing is the reason I’m going to the show – the Twilight Sad. This band hails from Scotland, and I’ve been tracking them since November when I first read about them on Stereogum. Picked up a copy of their EP, which I’ve been loving ever since. Last week I got ahold of thier debut LP, and, well, it’s even better. All sorts of majestic crescendos, combined with the lead singer’s accent, serve to ornament these tales of adolescent angst. They are the band that all the Dashboard Confessional’s out there strive to be. Check out their Myspace site for a taste of it, or snag some mp3’s (and a review of a previous show) from Chromewaves. I’ll be reviewing this part of the show for Reviewer Magazine, and I’ll be sure to post a link to it when it’s up. And thanks to Sarah from Motormouth media for setting me up with tix for the show (and also the upcoming Explosions in the Sky show).

Finally, the show’s headliners are Aerogramme. To be honest, I don’t know much about them, and I’ve got to run real soon to make an IM softball game. So here’s their Myspace page – make your own decision. I’m not 100% sure I’ll be staying for their set, as I have an 8AM genetics journal club tomorrow morning. Boo. Such is life.

On a side note, bring ear plugs. That comes from the band’s manager. Seriously.