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A Place To Bury Strangers – We’ve Come So Far

aplacetobury

New LP Transfixiation marks the return of A Place To Bury Strangers. “We’ve Come So Far”, Transfixiation’s second single, is constructed of a repetitive punishing groove reminiscent of Suicide and the Strangers M.O. of loud heavily distorted guitar walls and crashing and weighty percussion. Transfixiation’s is out February 17th on Dead Oceans.

A Place To Bury Strangers newyork (Facebook)

reviewed by
01-13-15

A Place to Bury Strangers – Onwards To the Wall

11183_NO_HOLE Split Times

The title track from APTBS’ new EP, which is due out tomorrow, is a compact piece of dark (loud) pop. “Onwards To the Wall” sees the Strangers at a place in their progression as a band where the hooks are a bit more plentiful and up in the mix and the rhythms are a bit more syncopated. The band is still loud as hell (Early in their career, APTBS were sometimes touted as “The Loudest Band in New York”) but there’s more of a tune in this new track then in some of the band’s previous material. We’re definitely psyched to dig into the rest of the EP (which you can do on hypem).

A Place to Bury Strangers – Onwards To the Wall

A Place To Bury Strangers newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
01-30-12

A Place To Bury Strangers – In Your Heart and Close Lobsters – Nature Thing

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A Place To Bury Strangers’ new LP Exploding Head is shaping up to be one of our fav releases of the year.. and not just because of the name. “In Your Heart” has rightfully gotten hold of our attention for its pop sensibility yet powerfully cold composition. And in the spirit of “In Your Heart”, dig on this classic from Close Lobsters. These cats, who even opened for The Jesus and Mary chain back in 1986, rule! “Nature Thing” was recently re-released this month on a new singles collection titled Forever Until Victory and has found its way into our heavy rotation.

A Place To Bury Strangers – In Your Heart
Close Lobsters – Nature Thing

A Place To Bury Strangers myspace / amazon
Close Lobsters myspace / amazon

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rating: 8.5
brown93

reviewed by
10-26-09

IN THE MIX: A Place to Bury Strangers! Rappers! Mayer Hawthorne!

pizzahi

what up, world? it’s new music tuesday! pass the pizza! “deadbeat” is new from ny guitar combo a place to bury strangers. the song RIPS and is our favorite from the just released “exploding head” LP. the title of “the best”, a new collaboration between lil’ wayne, kanye west, t.i. and jhey-z, is likely a bit of an overstatement; as we’re sort of “lukewarm” about the song. and despite his verse being what 6 bars?, tip (and it ain’t even close) is still on top form and again EASILY wins this collab. our man in the d, mayer hawthorne, released his debut LP “a strange arrangement” last month. the silky smooth “shiny and new” shines as one of many highlights on the record.

A Place to Bury Strangers – Deadbeat
Lil’ Wayne, Kanye West, T.I. & Jay-Z – The Best

A Place to Bury Strangers: buy “exploding head” lp / myspace / rating 8.8
Lil’ Wayne: buy lil wayne music / myspace / rating 6.8
Mayer Hawthorne: buy “shiny and new” mp3 / myspace / rating 7.7

reviewed by
10-06-09

B3SCI’S SXSW PREVIEW 2013

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SXSW-time is here (happiness and cheer). Hello SXSW 2013. How are we doing? B3’s annual hour-by-hour preview and prognostication of SX Music is back for 2013. We’ve got all the can’t miss sets and showcases you’ll want to be at covered. From Tuesday to Saturday, Antone’s to The Whiskey Room, Congress Street to that area where Stubb’s is by the Police Station, Team B3 presents our SX 2013 picks. p.s. If you’ve been sleeping and haven’t yet signed up for our A-class Day Party at Maggie Mae’s on Wednesday afternoon you can sort that out here.

TUESDAY

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Brooklyn band DIIV play the Red 7 patio @ 1:00 A.M. on Tuesday.

Showcases where you’ll want to be:
1) BBC Radio 1 @ Latitude 30: Bastille, Lucy Rose, Willy Moon, Tall Ships, The 1975 & Y Niwl
2) Pitchfork @ Mohawk: Icona Pop, Cloud Nothings, Marnie Stern, John Talabot, Azari & III, Blue Hawaii, Hundred Waters
3) The Syndicate’s Conflict of Interest @ Hype Hotel: Cold War Kids, Ra Ra Riot, Ivan & Alyosha, Little Green Cars

Can’t miss sets:
8:00-8:59 PM:
1) Blondfire @ The Belmont (8:20)
2) Charli XCX @ The Belmont (8:00)
3) Ivan & Alyosha @ Hype Hotel

9:00-9:59 PM:
1) TOKiMONSTA @ Antone’s (9:00)
2) Lucy Rose @ Latitude 30 (9:00)
3) Blue Hawaii @ Mohawk Indoor (9:30)

10:00-10:59 PM:
1) St. Lucia @ Antone’s (10:00)
2) Hundred Waters @ Mohawk Indoor (10:15)
3) Tall Ships @ Latitude 30 (10:10)

11:00-11:59 PM:
1) The 1975 @ Latitude 30 (11:00)
2) Cloud Nothings @ Mohawk Outdoor (11:30)
3) Little Green Cars @ Hype Hotel

12:00-12:59 AM:
1) DIIV @ Red 7 Patio (12:00)
2) Hit-Boy @ 404 Austin (12:20)
3) Icona Pop @ Mohawk Indoor (12:00)

1:00-1:59 AM:
1) John Talabot @ Mohawk Indoor (1:15)
2) Nicolas Jaar @ The North Door (1:00)
3) Bastille @ Latitude 30 (1:00)

WEDNESDAY

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The Neighbourhood play Club de Ville @ Midnight on SXSW Wednesday Night

Favorite Showcases:
1) NPR @ Stubb’s: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Cafe Tacvba, Alt-J, Youth Lagoon
2) Windish Agency Showcase @ Red 7: Poolside, NO CEREMONY, The Thermals, CHRVCHES, Dan Croll
3) Vans @ Mohawk: Ghostface Killah, Sky Ferreira, Iggy and the Stooges, The Specials

Favorite Sets:
7:00-7:59 PM:
1) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds @ Stubb’s (7:45)
2) Family of the Year @ Moody Theater (7:45)
3) Anuhea @ Old School (7:30)
4) Ab-Soul @ 404 Austin (7:30)
5) Japandroids @ Mohawk Outdoor (7:30)

8:00-8:59 PM:
1) Wild Belle @ Haven (8:00)
2) Iggy and the Stooges @ Mohawk Outdoor (8:00)
3) Schoolboy Q @ 404 Austin (8:30)
4) Fallulah @ Old School (8:30)
5) Lucius @ The Parish (8:30)

9:00-9:59 PM:
1) Tom Odell @ Haven (9:00)
2) Kendrick Lamar @ 1100 Warehouse (9:00)
3) Merchandise @ Viceland (9:00)
4) Peace @ Red 7 Patio (9:30)
5) The Orwells @ Hype Hotel (9:30)
Prev. Mentioned: Blue Hawaii @ Elysium (9:00)

10:00-10:59 PM
1) Caveman @ IFC Crossroads House (10:00)
2) Phosphorescent @ Hype Hotel (10:15)
3) Rudimental @ La Zona Rosa (10:20)
4) The Black Angels @ Buffalo Billiards (10:00)
5) AZARI & III @ Bungalo (10:00)
Prev. Mentioned: The 1975 @ Red Eyed Fly (10:30)

11:00-11:59 PM:
1) Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Stubb’s (11:00)
2) PAPA @ Red Eyed Fly (11:20)
3) Just Blaze @ La Zona Rosa (11:40)
4) Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Scoot Inn (11:15)
5) SOHN @ Red 7 (11:00)
Prev. Mentioned: Hundred Waters @ The Tap Room at Six (11:00), Icona Pop @ Viceland (11:00)

12:00-12:59 AM:
1) The Neighbourhood @ Club de Ville (12:00)
2) Alt-J @ Stubb’s (12:30)
3) Flume @ Red 7 (12:00)
4) Jake Bugg @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop (12:00)
5) Sky Ferreira @ Mohawk Outdoor (12:10)
Prev. Mentioned: AZARI & III @ The Tap Room at Six (12:00), John Talabot @ Elysium (12:00)

1:00-1:59 AM:
1) Ghostface Killah @ Mohawk Outdoor (1:00)
2) Foxes @ Red Eyed Fly (1:00)
3) Wyclef Jean @ 404 Austin (1:00)
4) White Lung @ Holy Mountain (1:20)
5) Alpine @ Empire Control Room (1:00)
Prev. Mentioned: Charli XCX @ Club de Ville (1:00)

THURSDAY

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Bay Area bossa-pop crew Trails & Ways check into the Hype Hotel @ 9 PM

Favorite Showcases:
1) Pitchfork @ 1100 Warehouse: Disclosure, Ryan Hemsworth, FIDLAR, Sky Ferreira, Savages, Pissed Jeans
2) BET Music Matters @ Brazos Hall: T.I., Schoolboy Q, Joey Bada$$, Chrisette Michele, BJ The Chicago Kid
3) The Hype Machine @ Hype Hotel: Jake Bugg, MS MR, The Specials, Trails & Ways, Kodaline

Favorite Sets:
8:00-8:59 PM:
1) Joey Bada$$ @ Hangar Lounge (8:30)
2) Fidlar @ 1100 Warehouse (8:40)
3) Guards @ The Belmont (8:00)
4) Kodaline @ Hype Hotel (8:00)
5) Cayucas @ Red 7 Patio (8:15)
Prev. Mentioned: PAPA @ The Tap Room at Six (8:00), TOKiMONSTA @ Republic Live (8:40)

9:00-9:59 PM
1) Trails & Ways @ Hype Hotel (9:00)
2) Lianne La Havas @ Empire Automotive (9:15)
3) Charles Bradley @ Moody Theater (9:00)
4) Big K.R.I.T. @ Lustre Pearl (9:00)
5) BJ The Chicago Kid @ Brazos Hall (8:50)
Prev. Mentioned: Caveman @ Bar 96 (9:30), Joey Bada$$ @ Brazos Hall (9:45),

10:00-10:59 PM:
1) Wildcat! Wildcat! @ Tap Room at Six (10:00)
2) Jesse Boykins III @ Elysium (9:50)
3) Dauwd @ Holy Mountain (10:00)
4) MONA @ Cedar Street Courtyard (10:00)
5) Chrisette Michele @ Brazos Hall (10:15)
Prev. Mentioned: Sky Ferreira @ 1100 Warehouse (10:45),

11:00-11:59 PM:
1) Capital Cities @ Empire Automotive (11:15)
2) The Specials @ Hype Hotel (11:00)
3) The Besnard Lakes @ Red 7 (11:30)
4) The Kid Daytona @ The North Door (11:25)
5) Beacon @ Holy Mountain (11:00)
Prev. Mentioned: Alt-J @ The Belmont (11:10), Schoolboy Q @ Brazos Hall (11:30),

12:00-12:59 AM:
1) Killer Mike @ Bar 96 (12:30)
2) Disclosure @ 1100 Warehouse (12:35)
3) Antwon @ Easy Tiger (12:15)
4) Ryan Hemsworth @ 1100 Warehouse (12:00)
5) Snoop Lion @ Viceland (12:00)
Prev. Mentioned: Phosphorescent @ Red 7 Patio (11:55),

1:00-1:59 AM:
1) Death @ TenOak (12:50)
2) Generationals @ Red Eyed Fly (1:00)
3) Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs @ Blackheart (1:00)
4) Local Natives @ Mohawk Outdoor (1:00)
5) Soul of Mischief @ 512 (1:15)
Prev. Mentioned: Flume @ Latitude 30 (1:00), Ghostface Killah @ Scoot Inn (1:10), Jake Bugg @ Hype Hotel (1:00), Joey Bada$$ @ The North Door (1:20), Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Red 7 Patio

FRIDAY

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Bondax make a 12:20 A.M. appearance at La Zona Rosa on Friday Night.

Favorite Showcases:
1) Our Heart Aches For Syria @ The Long Center: Deer Tick, White Lung, Omar Souleyman, Black Lips, The Orwells
2) Rolling Stone @ La Zona Rosa: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Bondax, TOKiMONSTA, Disclosure
3) Rocksmith @ Tha Main: Mystikal, YG, Trae Tha Truth, Yo Gotti

Favorite Sets:
8:00-8:59 PM:
1) Fatima Al Qadiri @ The Madison (8:45)
2) Harry Fraud @ Austin Music Hall (8:40)
3) Diamond Rings @ VEVO Control Room (8:00)
4) Tropics @ Old School (8:00)
5) The Mowgli’s @ Stubb’s (8:00)
Prev. Mentioned: Hundred Waters @ Scoot Inn (8:45), The Neighbourhood @ Brazos Hall (8:45),

9:00-9:59 PM:
1) Danny Brown @ Viceland (9:15)
2) The Orwells @ The Long Center (9:40)
3) Man Without Country @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop (9:20)
4) Small Black @ Lustre Pearl (9:00)
5) Charlotte Church @ VEVO Control Room (9:00)
Prev. Mentioned: Phosphorescent @ Bar 96 (9:30),

10:00-10:59 PM:
1) Depeche Mode @ Brazos Hall (10:00)
2) Giraffage @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop (10:00)
3) Gold Fields @ Buffalo Billiards (10:00)
4) Eric Burdon @ The Stage On Sixth Patio (10:00)
5) Turtle Giant @ Hickory Street (10:00)
Prev. Mentioned: Danny Brown @ Austin Music Hall (10:35), DIIV @ Lustre Pearl (10:00), Disclosure @ La Zona Rosa (10:00), Fallulah @ VEVO Control Room (10:00) Fidlar @ Clive Bar (10:00), Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs @ Hype Hotel (10:00), White Lung @ The Long Center (10:20)

11:00-11:59 PM:
1) Rhye @ Buffalo Billiards (11:00)
2) Pusha T @ Austin Music Hall (11:00)
3) Goldroom @ Avenue on Congress Rooftop (11:00)
4) Gap Dream @ Hotel Vegas (11:15)
5) Laura Mvula @ Hype Hotel (11:00)
Prev Mentioned: Blue Hawaii @ Swan Dive (11:00), Foxes @ Empire Automotive (11:10), Merchandise @ Mohawk Outdoor (11:15), Ryan Hemsworth @ 512 Rooftop (11:00), TOKiMONSTA @ La Zona Rosa (11:35)

12:00-12:59 AM:
1) Bondax @ La Zona Rosa (12:20)
2) MO @ Buffalo Billiards (12:00)
3) Omar Souleyman @ The Long Center (12:00)
4) Mystikal @ The Main (11:50)
5) Vacationer @ VEVO Control Room (12:00)
Prev Mentioned: Ghostface Killah @ Viceland (12:15), Kendrick Lamar @ Austin Music Hall (12:40), Little Green Cars @ Antone’s (12:00), MONA @ Townhouse (12:00), Rudimental @ Hype Hotel (12:00), St. Lucia @ Empire Automotive (12:20)

1:00-1:59 AM:
1) XXYYXX @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop (1:00)
2) Sepalcure
3) Master P @ 404 Austin (1:20)
4) Bass Drum of Death @ Easy Tiger (1:00)
5) Trae Tha Truth @ The Main (1:25)
Prev. Mentioned: DIIV @ Mohawk Indoor (1:00), Disclosure @ Scoot Inn (12:50), Ryan Hemsworth w/ Daedalus @ Emo’s (1:00), Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs @ La Zona Rosa (1:05)

SATURDAY

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Ms. Badu blesses SX with a 11:00 PM set at Empire Control Room on Saturday Night

Favorite Showcases:
1) Boiler Room @ 1100 Warehouse: Skream, Baauer, Chief Keef, Shlohmo, Mount Kimbie, Lunice
2) Perez Hilton @ Austin Music Hall: Lissie, Charli XCX, Wynter Gordon, Capital Cities, Paloma Faith
3) Captured Tracks @ The Parish: Beach Fossils, DIIV, The Soft Moon, Mac DeMarco

Favorite Sets:
9:00-9:59 PM:
1) Mount Kimbie @ 1100 Warehouse (9:30)
2) Ryan Leslie @ Hangar Lounge (9:30)
3) Shlohmo @ 1100 Warehouse (9:00)
4) Zak Waters @ Hickory Street (9:00)
5) Wynter Gordon @ Austin Music Hall (9:15)
Prev. Mentioned: Capital Cities @ The Belmont (9:00), Foxes @ Hype Hotel (9:00), Merchandise @ Red 7 (

10:00-10:59 PM:
1) Lissie @ Austin Music Hall (9:55)
2) Oliver @ Ballroom Annex (10:00)
3) Action Bronson
4) Chief Keef @ 1100 Warehouse (10:30)
5) Cashmere Cat
Prev. Mentioned: Caveman @ Hype Hotel (10:00), Fidlar @ Hotel Vegas (10:15), Gap Dream @ Hotel Vegas Patio (10:15), Gold Fields @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop (10:00), Ivan & Alyosha @ TenOak (10:00), Sepalcure @ The Madison (10:00), Sky Ferreira @ Stubb’s (10:00)

11:00-11:59 PM:
1) Erykah Badu @ Empire Control Room (11:00)
2) Tashaki Miyaki @ Hickory Street (11:00)
3) HAIM @ Stubb’s (11:00)
4) King Chip @ Suite 101 (11:00)
5) Black Moon @ Haven (11:35)
Prev. Mentioned: Flume @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop (11:00), Laura Mvula @ VEVO Control Room (11:45), Peace @ Latitude 30 (11:00), Vacationer @ Hype Hotel (11:00)

12:00-12:59 AM:
1) A Place To Bury Strangers @ Brazos Hall (12:00)
2) The Robert Glasper Experiment @ Empire Control Room (12:00)
3) Casey Veggies @ Old School (12:45)
4) A Silent Film @ Antone’s (12:00)
5) SpaceGhostPurrp @ Suite 101 (12:20)
Prev. Mentioned: Antwon @ Red 7 (12:15), DIIV @ The Parish (12:10), Jesse Boykins III @ Stage On Sixth Patio (12:00), Kendrick Lamar @ Viceland (12:30), MO @ Hype Hotel (12:00), XXYYXX @ Mohawk Outdoor (12:00)

1:00-1:59 AM:
1) Skream @ 1100 Warehouse (1:15)
2) The Pharcyde @ Club de Ville (1:15)
3) Delorean @ Mohawk Outdoor (1:00)
4) Beach Fossils @ The Parish (1:00)
5) In the Valley Below @ VEVO Control Room (1:15)
Prev. Mentioned: Big K.R.I.T. @ Old School (1:20), Danny Brown @ Ballroom Annex (1:00), Just Blaze @ Ballroom Annex (1:50), Mystikal @ Suite 101 (1:15), The Orwells @ Latitude 30 (1:00), Trae Tha Truth @ 404 Austin (1:30)

reviewed by
03-10-13

IN THE MIX: MED feat. Aloe Blacc, TOKiMONSTA, Darker My Love, TM Juke, and Hey Merceilles

warhol-and-basquiat

here it comes:

MED – Hold U (feat. Aloe Blacc)
MED does his thing with Aloe Blacc over Madlib and Strong Arm Steady’s “Get Started”. Bang Ya Head III set to be released this year..

Darker My Love – She Lives (In a Time of Her Own)(13th Floor Elevators cover)
track is previewed from The Psychedelic Sounds Of The Sonic Cathedral: A Tribute To Roky Erickson And The 13th Floor Elevators coming your way June 7th. other artists on the collection include A Place To Bury Strangers, The Black Angels, and more. we’ll keep y’all posted…

Hey Marseilles – To Travels and Trunks
wow, killer song. get Hey Marseilles album June 29, and dig a free download of “Rio” from the record @ www.heymarseilles.com/ in the meantime.

Tm Juke And The Jack Baker Trio – Spread It On (feat. Alice Russell)
purchase Boto And The Second Liners
as a once friend/band-mate would say, baller-status.

TOKiMONSTA – Almost Free
info
i wish my nights of intoxication were this fucking cool.. read wasted night gone right

reviewed by
05-19-10

b3science top 20 albums of 2009

wendys
droz

b3science counts down our choice top 20 albums of 2009! the top 40 tracks of the year drop tomorrow. dr. oz is straight PSYCHED!!

1. Mos Def – The Ecstatic
Mos Def – History (Feat. Talib Kweli)
Mos Def on b3sci
buy the The Ecstatic LP

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero
Yeah Yeah Yeahs on b3sci
buy the It’s Blitz! LP

3. Electric Wire Hustle – Every Waking Hour
Electric Wire Hustle – Chaser
Electric Wire Hustle on b3sci
buy the Every Waking Hour LP

4. A Place to Bury Strangers – Exploding Head
A Place to Bury Strangers – In Your Heart
A Place to Bury Strangers on b3sci
buy the Exploding Head LP

5. The Raveonettes – In and Out of Control
The Raveonettes – Gone Forever
The Raveonettes on b3sci
buy the In and Out of Control LP

6. Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Kasabian – Vlad The Impaler
Kasabian on b3sci
buy the West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum LP

7. Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon: The End of Day
Kid Cudi – Hyyerr (Feat. Chip Tha Ripper)
Kid Cudi on b3sci
buy the Man on the Moon: The End of Day LP

8. Florence and the Machine – Lungs
Florence and the Machine – My Boy Builds Coffins (demo)
Florence and the Machine on b3sci
buy the Lungs LP

9. The xx – The xx
The xx – Night Time
buy the The xx LP

10. The Temper Trap – Conditions
The Temper Trap – Fader
The Temper Trap on b3sci
buy the Conditions LP

11. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
Raekwon – Ason Jones
Raekwon on b3sci
buy the Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II LP

12. Moby – Wait for Me
Moby – A Seated Night
Moby on b3sci
buy the Wait for Me LP

13. Jack Penate – Everything is New
Jack Penate – Everything is New
Jack Penate on b3sci
buy the Everything is New LP

14. Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe
Depeche Mode – In Sympathy
Depeche Mode on b3sci
buy the Sounds of the Universe LP

15. The Obits – I Blame You
The Obits – Pine On
The Obits on b3sci
buy the I Blame You LP

16. The Cribs – Ignore the Ignorant
The Cribs – We Share the Same Skies
The Cribs on b3sci
buy the Ignore the Ignorant EP

17. Gliss – Devotion Implosion
Gliss – Beauty
Gliss on b3sci
buy the Devotion Implosion

18. Mayer Hawthorne – A Strange Arrangment
Mayer Hawthorne – Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’
Mayer Hawthorne on b3sci
buy the A Strange Arrangement LP

19. The Maccabees – Wall of Arms
The Maccabees – Love You Better
The Maccabees on bsci
buy the Wall of Arms LP

20. The Kid Daytona – Come Fly With Me
The Kid Daytona – The Engine
The Kid Daytona on b3sci
download the Come Fly With Me LP for free

honorable mentions:

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
K-os – Yes!
J Dilla – Jay Stay Paid
Reigning Sound – Love and Curses
Tim Hecker – An Imaginary Country
14kt – Nowalataz
Muse – The Resistance
Brittany Bosco – Spectrum
Gucci Mane – The State vs. Radric Davis
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
U2 – No Line On The Horizon
Horrors – Primary Colours
The Stevenson Ranch Davidians – Life and Death
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
A Sunny Day In Glasgow – Ashes Grammar

reviewed by
12-30-09

Mayer Hawthorne / The Heavy / DJ Jazzy Jeff Live @ Paradise, Boston 10/19/10

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This will be a show, not a concert

And it was, and it was phenomenal.

We can’t front. We are serious fans of Mayer Hawthorne. And we’re also pretty into The Heavy. And DJ Jazzy Jeff is a legend. So you can imagine the pitch of our anticipation for this show. We. were. psyched.

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The Heavy mean business. That much was clear throughout the band’s 45 minute or so set. Galvanized by a 3-piece horn section, The Dirty Three (and, man, did they sound it) and buoyed by frontman Kelvin Swaby’s crazy good vocals and stage presence/persona the band growled, rumbled, shaked, thumped and roared through a sweaty selection of tunes from their first two (highly recommended) LPs. “Owwwwwwwwwwwooooooohhhhh”, Swaby, in one of many cool exchanges with the crowd, called out for all the wolves in the audience. “We play music by the devil.”, alluding to the band’s unhallowed co-contributor. “You guys are live, more live than New York last night.” “Fuck New York.”, called back an adjacent show-goer. Swaby was over. He had the crowd. The Heavy were killing it. Sixteen pounded, How You Like Me Now boomed, What You Want Me to Do thundered. The Heavy were HEAVY, the best mix of loud guitar, soulful rhythm, and raw brass. Music by the devil.

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Mayer Hawthorne is a terrific performer. Mayer and his four-piece band The County sounded great. Mayer sporting a fly three piece suit with red tie, The County fitted in matching red cardigans opened the set with A Strange Arrangement standout Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’ and it was on. Hawthorne and co. smoothed out to a set of approximately 12 songs, a survey of urban music influence spanning the last 50 years, The Temptations-y (and according to Mayer, first song he ever wrote) Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out, The Stylistics-esque I Wish It Would Rain, the 80’s r&b-influenced No Strings, and two Snoop jams The Neptunes classic Beautiful and Hawthorne’s own G-Mix re-touch of Gangsta Luv. Mayer was effortless in his engagement with the crowd, his on stage interactions with his band, and his overall ability to command the show‘s dynamic. “If you ain’t dancin tonight, best file on to the back, and let someone up front that will dance.” The kids were into it, the older dudes were into it, the girls got down. People had fun at this show. It felt great.

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So we got outstanding sets from The Heavy, Mayer Hawthorne, and lest we mention opener New Wave dude Gordon Voidwell; who played a cool set of Synth bangers to the Paradise filers in, no doubt gaining fans, admirers, and Gordon Voidwell true believers in his effort. Ok, could this get any better? I mean what more? What possibly could top this killer Mazda Car tour. DJ JAZZY JEFF! YES! Jeff is a legend. And the opportunity to see the Jazzy DJ get sick with the turntables in person? Oh yes. And Jeff straight up murdered it, turning in arguably the best set of the night. Dude moved effortlessly about the 1’s and 2’s mixing up classic rock with early 90’s house, and disco jams with Lloyd Banks. She’s just like you and me, but she’s homeless, she’s homeless. Gypsy Woman turned to Seven Nation Army. Seven Nation Army blended into Teach Me How to Dougie. Teach Me How to Dougie to BON JOVI. The actual tunes playing (they were all great) became irrelevant. Jeff was that locked in. We didn’t want it to end.

This was a show. This was not a concert.

reviewed by
10-22-10